Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs
Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs is a program that trains dogs to be service animals for individuals with autism as well as wounded veterans. The program is pretty similar to many others like it - except that these dogs get trained in prisons. Dodo Shows Pittie Nation The Sweetest Pittie Was Living Under A Jeep Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs In 2014, the organization started a program called Prisoners Overcoming Obstacles & Creating Hope (POOCH). The program was developed as a way to increase the number of service dogs who could be trained and then given to those in need, but it ended up becoming so much more than that. Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs "Prison inmates are able to dedicate the necessary time to train the dog, and the dogs also thrive on the structure that is provided to them," Victoria Cavaliere, programs director for Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs, told The Dodo. "Service dogs that are trained in prison programs have a high success rate for placement." Dogs enrolled in the POOCH program live in the prison with the inmates, and attend classes twice a week with their designated inmate handler. The dogs are also brought out of the prison twice a week for additional training and exposure to different public places. Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs The program began its trial run at the Richard J. Donovan (RJD) Correctional Facility's firehouse in California, and when that was successful, it was moved into one of the facility's main prison yards. The program was also recently introduced at California's Mule Creek State Prison. "A total of 11 dogs so far have been placed in the prisons, with five more planned for 2016," Cavaliere said. Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs Not only is the program beneficial for the dogs, but it also helps the inmates. "The inmates are offered the opportunity for rehabilitation through the experience of training a dog," Cavaliere said. "Research shows that inmates who train dogs are less likely to reoffend. Research also concludes that dog training programs reduce the number of violent incidents on the yard." Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs UPDATE: Marineland has responded to criticism of Zeus' health by posting its own video of the walrus. You can watch the video here. Former senior trainer Philip Demers, however, tells The Dodo the new video was crafted to "strategically hide his body underwater, having him swim to create ripples." One of Marineland's least seen residents - a walrus named Zeus - finally made an appearance at the Niagara Falls, Canada, water park this week. And for those who have been following the 13-year-old animal's condition, it wasn't a very comforting sight. Philip Demers In a video posted on YouTube on Monday, the walrus is seen shuffling slowly onto a stage, amid deafening cries from the audience. Zeus takes several sluggish steps before bowing his head low to the ground and, finally, flopping to the floor. While Zeus may act like a senior citizen in the video, he's actually quite young by walrus standards - they can live up to 40 years in the wild. "He's grossly emaciated," Philip Demers, a former senior marine mammal trainer at the park, tells The Dodo. "You can see his hip bones, his spine. His skin is falling off his bones. His air sack is protruding. There's virtually no belly." Marineland, however, offers a different take. "As you have probably seen from many of the tabloid magazines, you see in grocery store lineups, anyone can take an unflattering photo of someone to make them look unwell or unhappy," the park noted in a statement to The Dodo. Marineland also said Zeus gets regular checkups from an on-site medical team as well as independent veterinarians. "Activists will continue to post misleading information and photos of all of our animals," Marineland adds. "We will continue to provide accurate information and care for all of our animals." But few at the park have known Zeus as long, or as intimately, as Demers. He worked with the park's walruses for 12 years before quitting in 2012. Zeus' condition, he says, led to a "heated argument" with his employer and, ultimately, his resignation. "I've seen him collapse many times," he recalls. "He would delay shows. He has a chronic regurgitation issue." Dodo Shows Faith = Restored Rescued Animals Melt Into This Woman's Arms When She Sings To Them Philip Demers Since leaving Marineland, Demers had led a vocal campaign demanding animal protection laws in Ontario that would effectively shut down the 1,000-acre park's marine exhibits. A petition he started asking Ontario's premier to pass tougher laws governing the care of animals in exhibits has garnered more than 130,000 signatures. But Marineland hit back, suing Demers in 2012. Its claim? Demers was trying to steal a walrus he had bonded with named Smooshi. "They're really punishing me good for speaking out," he says. For his part, Demers doesn't deny wanting Smooshi, who was an 18-month-old orphan when she arrived at the park, to have a better life. "Her health concerns me and the quality of her life is greatly negotiated in my absence," he wrote in a blog that year. "She needs me as much as I need her. Her vulnerability humbles me, and she makes me a better human being. She has offered me so many amazing experiences and opportunities, and I value her life as I do the lives of my very own family." Philip Demers The lawsuit, however, hasn't stopped Demers from challenging Marineland at every turn, especially on social media. Recently, Marineland even responded to him on Facebook with a simple message: The statement appears to fly in the face of Zeus' most recent appearance. Demers says at his age, the walrus should weigh a healthy 3,000 pounds. "I'd be shocked if he weighed 1,000," he says. There is one touching aspect of the video that few besides Demers would be able to recognize. There's another walrus behind Zeus, who seems to be checking up on him, protectively, as he shambles listlessly across the stage. Philip Demers At one point, the other walrus even touches her nose to Zeus. Philip Demers That's Sonja. "They were both wild caught as pups together in Russia," Demers explains. And as Zeus falters on stage, she appears to feel his pain. Philip Demers China has called Australia protectionist for blocking a bid for its largest electricity grid from a Chinese suitor, underscoring the nations frustration at recent thwarted investments. Australias decision to block bids for Ausgrid from State Grid Corp. of China last week shows an obvious protectionist stance and will severely hurt incentives for Chinese companies to invest there, Ministry of Commerce spokesman Shen Danyang said at a briefing Wednesday. The government hopes Australia will create a fairer, better and more transparent investment environment for Chinese companies, Shen said. The worlds second-largest economys foreign investment ambitions have faced recent opposition in the U.S., Canada and Europe. The U.K. government has postponed approval to build a nuclear-power facility that was to be partly funded by China General Nuclear Power Corp. Australia rejected bids for Ausgrid from State Grid and Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing amid growing opposition in Australia to selling infrastructure assets to overseas investors. Australia also blocked the sale of its largest cattle rancher to a Chinese-led group earlier this year. Chinas official Xinhua News Agency warned against a dangerous mindset of China-phobia after the soured Ausgrid deal. It said paranoia over Chinese investment could set back efforts to stimulate global growth. China is Australias biggest export partner, and the two countries sealed a free-trade agreement last year. Read more about: SHARE: COQUITLAM, B.C.Cardboard moving boxes are piled about the living room of an otherwise half-packed house nestled on a tree-lined residential street in a quiet Vancouver-area suburb a scene frozen in time that the homes owners blame on British Columbias controversial new tax on foreign buyers. The in-transition state of the home in Coquitlam has been the status quo ever since its owners learned the houses sale, which they understood was a done deal, was thrown into question by the tax. The couple is at risk of losing an $80,000 deposit they made to purchase a smaller duplex further east in the city, and reneging on the real estate contract would also open them up to being sued. We feel like weve been let down, Heather Nyberg told reporters Tuesday in the familys small backyard as the couples two young children, aged one and three, played together in the grass. I just feel really disappointed that our family and many, many others like ours are being affected by a poorly planned tax thats unfair because its retroactive. The B.C. government has said the 15-per-cent tax is aimed at addressing skyrocketing real estate prices in Metro Vancouver, the provinces most densely-populated region. The levy came into effect Aug. 2, days after it was announced, sparking a frenzy of last-minute activity as buyers and sellers rushed to close deals. The couple sold their home earlier this year, but the deal isnt slated to close until Sept. 15. Housing Minister Rich Coleman said in an email that the initial adjustment period may be difficult, but the tax will eventually reduce demand from foreign investors until supply catches up to local needs. This transition period is expected to be short-lived, and over the long term the additional property-transfer tax will help to ensure British Columbians can continue to raise their families in Metro Vancouver communities, he said. Nybergs husband Dan Zimmermann said the new law has put the couple under a lot of strain and uncertainty, which defeats the purpose of selling it in the first place. All we wanted to do was reduce the stress and reduce the size of our mortgage, and all of thats been thrown up in the air now, he said, adding that the change was also designed to allow them to spend more time with their children. We made the best decision with all the information we had at the time and thats all we can do. Nyberg said if the sale of the home they bought three years ago falls through, they would likely have to back out of buying the new property because they cant afford two mortgages. Ive stopped packing. I dont want to move into a duplex then move back three days later. Until we get more information we cant really make a plan, Nyberg said. We are just really stressed out. Wed been doing these weekly drive-bys of our new place so my son can get used to it. Were really excited to join a new community where there are more families. We had been setting up our lives to move and now we dont know whats going on. Jodie Wickens, an Opposition NDP politician who represents the area in the legislature, said she receives dozens of calls and emails every day from people affected by the tax. I think that families that entered into a contract with an understanding shouldnt be unfairly penalized, she said. To be impacted by this bill in such a negative way is unfair and unnecessary. Its not putting British Columbians first at all. Its a reactionary way to deal with bad headlines. SHARE: BOBCAYGEON, ONT.Its Saturday in Bobcaygeon and a rumour is circulating that Bolton Street will be closed Aug. 20, with a giant screen set up to live broadcast The Tragically Hips final act on the CBC. People are meandering past sale-priced shoes and outerwear down this central artery at the usual pace as the big news breaks, licking the worlds best ice cream, giving one another the small town wave, stopping to chat if you asked. Will they watch the live broadcast? Of course. What else is there to know? They say Bobcaygeon, the word, means cliffed cascades, shallow currents or rocky narrows. It connects 250 lakes, 105 kilometres of waterways and is home to 43 marinas. Bobcaygeon, the place, was put on the map by a lumber and lake empire, and for being the first and busiest lock on the Trent-Severn Waterway, all well before The Hips sixth studio album, Phantom Power, did. When Gord Downie sang, It was in Bobcaygeon where I saw the constellations reveal themselves, one star at a time, the town of 3,500 (estimated at 10,000 in summers) entered Can-rock pop culture consciousness. Something grabbed hold of our imagination with that song. But what exactly? The song remains enigmatic and Bobcaygeon, as a concept, is a difficult thing to define, even for Downie. On Aug. 29, 1998 at Plant Studios, Sausalito, California, its said that Downie told a radio host that you could use any small town, really; that he inserted Bobcaygeon in to the tune since it sort of rhymed with the next line. Sentimentality is really, really dangerous in my line of work, he would say in 2006. In 2012, Downie half-clarified: The place names? Yeah (we use them), but never once to be patriotic or nationalist. Like, never once. (The Hip did not return the Stars request for comment.) I knew enough to think, well, its a beautiful country, its a big country, its a free country and its a place where you can decide what you think the country is, he continued. Full of ideas, full of starting points, full of discourse, full of s---. On the very day talk began circulating about the downtown broadcast, Dave Poole, 58, third-generation Bobcaygeon resident and owner of Buckeye Surf, was launching a new line of Hip-inspired t-shirts for $25; he plans to donate $5 from each sale to a cancer charity. Poole said hed read there was a shortage of funds for brain cancer research; 350 units flew off the shelves that first weekend. We wanted to celebrate their tour and to also contribute, said Poole. When he heard about Downies terminal brain cancer diagnosis and the bands last national tour, I was very sad. Very sad. I mean, its like a part of Canada, really. A true Canadiana group. Not only Canadian, but from Ontario. In some ways, I hope its not the end. Poole has seen The Hip live four times, but had to sell his ticket when the band came round his hometown on June 25, 2011, for a concert at the Big Music Fest, because business was too busy. The concert the subject of a 2012 film by Andy Keen was, by all accounts, a total gong show. Downie didnt give up the secrets of Bobcaygeon at the gig, only saying that singing a classy song would be a formal occasion. According to Leola Bishop, a semi-retired Bob transplant who keeps the books at the Chamber of Commerce once a week, the town tried as best it could to keep the concert location a secret, to prevent people from stashing booze in the woods. Those who were there to see The Hip play allege promoters didnt plan adequately for the 25,000-plus fans, nor for concessions, beverages, washrooms, transit or traffic; torrential rain caused chartered busses to get stuck in the mud. Townsfolk today think it likely that many will come to watch Downies last act, broadcast live. With him being sick, I think theres a (lot of) interest, says Bishop. Cancer has affected a lot of people. Everybody has somebody who has dealt with cancer. I think that hits deep in the heart more than anything. Bobcaygeon is a place that isnt so small that the library would let a reporter just borrow the aforementioned Hip documentary without a library card (despite the offer of a generous deposit), but small enough that said library didnt have DVD players or programs installed on its public computers to watch it. Its a place where people correct themselves for making comparisons to Muskoka, out of pride and housing prices. A place where people remind you: How many other little cottage towns have a Juno Award-winning song written about them? Or: Have you seen the stars out here? Did you taste a Kawartha Dairy ice cream? Remember, people come here for The Hip but The Hip came here for us, says resident Erin Randall, 44, before doing a backwards dive off a rock. Randall claims to know 2,999 of her 3,000-odd neighbours and is friends with Fred the Bobcaygeon dolphin, a large carp in the dock of the inn. She wears a swimsuit under her clothing at most times. Rumour has it that one member of the band had family with property in The Bob, so they rented a houseboat, cruised around, saw the constellations and the rest is history. Another, which many residents heard for the first time from Doris Cicci on Aug. 12, is that the band bought pots and pans off Pete Cziraky, who told them about the stars at some point during the sale. But Pete succumbed to his own cancer in 2009, so isnt alive to confirm or deny. For $399 to $3,900, depending on its make and how long you want it, you can rent a bateau in Bobcaygeon and join Ontarios houseboat capital as they celebrate what makes this place special: that something in the water. Perhaps this is what inspired Downie, a Lake Ontario Waterkeeper and Swim Drink Fish Music Club member, to write it down. You know what we have on this here boat? A ton of fun, says Scott McKee as he gives a tour of his RV on water where hes been travelling for three weeks straight. The Hearst native cruised Torontos Centre Island, Kingston, came up the Trent and then sailed to Bob for a buddys 50th birthday. This place is in the heart of the system, he says. From Bobcaygeon, you can go anywhere in the world by boat. He makes a point to mention he was a fan before The Hip wrote about it; hes been coming here for 30 years. Hes singing about the stars you can see here, but its got a good feel to it, says McKee. The locks are in the right place, the towns there, everything is self contained and its fun to say Bobcaygeon. And how about the people? You write that down. The people: Its the people. The people are barely out on a Friday night by Toronto standards, or maybe just all partying on a boat. Johnny Wolf, however, has gone to karaoke at the Bobcaygeon Legion every Friday for the past six years. He sang Bobcaygeon, the song, only once in Bobcaygeon, the place, when Andy from Peterborough brought it in on a personalized CD. He says he could hear the 2011 concert from his porch across the water. Oh yeah, a lot of people like (The Tragically Hip) here. Yup. I think everybody in Canada likes them; theyre one of Canadas bands, says Wolf. And with (this being) their last tour, everybody from all over is trying to get into it. He stops a beat. Sad to hear about Gord Downie. But Wolf thinks The Hips frontman and lyricist is going out with a bang. Some guys dont get that chance: theyre gone and thats it, he says. Those guys (singing with Wolf) both have health problems, you know? Theyre 70 and 83 years old. You can show up one week and they wont be there. But while youre all there, you go out and have as much fun as you can. Live by the day. Thats their motto, anyways. Wolf brings a small video camera with him each week to record himself and his friends as they work to improve old acts and try out new material; sweet, obscure songs on personal mixed CDs. The Hip song is the furthest thing from anyones mind in the Bobcaygeon Legion, but it didnt matter. They talk about how everything here dies at 5 oclock, how you better not make a left turn, about the disputed rock quarry and http://www.theboydmuseum.com/events.html the annual antique sale END . And the sweet way they sang and swayed that night in that legion, across its checkerboard floors, will stay with this reporter a very long time. Perhaps there are no Hip revelations to be had here and that looking too hard for Bobcaygeon, the concept, is a distraction from its present goodness. Heres a song about a woman who could make a man question everything a mans doing and what hes doing it for, and whether he wants to do it at all any more, Downie said to a crowd in 2009. This is maybe our best clue as to why Bobcaygeon was written in Bobcaygeon: Its a place that makes you question why youd stay in Toronto anyway, or how to retire as soon as possible. SHARE: SAINT JOHN, N.B.Two Texas men who tried to bring hidden guns along on separate Canadian vacations last weekend have lost their guns, been fined and sent home. The men, both retirees in their 50s from the Dallas area, came separately across the border with their wives at St. Stephen, N.B., federal prosecutor Peter Thorn said Wednesday. They arrived a day apart, and there is no indication they knew each other. Thorn, who appeared for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada at a Tuesday court hearing, said he could not comment on the case. But he confirmed he told the judge that Than Jeffrey Do, 56, and his wife arrived shortly before 10 a.m. on Saturday driving a pickup truck towing a camper trailer. The Dos, of Murphy, Tex., told a border officer they were not carrying weapons, but were pulled over for a secondary inspection, Thorn told the judge. In various storage compartments in the trailer, inspectors found a Bersa Thunder .380 handgun along with loose rounds in a Ziploc bag, a Smith and Wesson .38 Special, and a Rossi .357 Magnum. They also found a 12-gauge shotgun and pepper spray, Thorn said. Thorn said Lloyd Norman Chaffin, 57, arrived at the border around 2 p.m. the next day with his wife, in a motorhome towing an SUV. They also denied carrying weapons, but after some ammunition was found in the SUV during a secondary inspection, Chaffin, of Aurora, Tex., admitted there was a .40 Glock handgun in their motor homes safe. Thorn said provincial court Judge Henrik Tonning fined Do $1,700 and Chaffin $1,000. Their guns were destroyed, and both men were told to leave the country. SHARE: YELLOWKNIFEThe Northwest Territories has promised an independent investigation into the death of an aboriginal elder assumed to be drunk when he was suffering from a stroke. I believe that the serious nature of the concerns that have been expressed in the media warrants further review and external investigation, said Health Minister Glen Abernethy. Papik, a 67-year-old Inuvialuit man from Aklavik in the northwest corner of the territory, suffered the stroke Aug. 3. His niece Maggie Papik said she found out about what happened when staff at the elders home called her. They just phoned and said I had to go to him because he was drunk and he was on the floor, Papik said Wednesday. Papik went to her uncles home and knew right away something was wrong. I knew he was having a stroke just looking at him. Theres signs that people dont understand. Her uncle knew it, too. He told me that he wasnt drunk, because that was the first thing that they told me, that he was drunk. He was yelling at me, saying he wasnt drunk. Papik got her uncle to the local health centre. She said staff didnt perform a physical exam, despite her uncle having a history of heart trouble and none of drinking. They know his history, she said. Weve been living in Aklavik all our lives. Every time he has a chest pain, we rush him in and they do a physical. This time, they never did a physical. Thats all I want to know why they never did a physical, why they go on believing he was drunk? Even if youre drunk, you still have to get a physical. It doesnt matter. By the time Papik convinced medical staff to fly her uncle to hospital in Yellowknife, it was too late. He was eventually declared brain dead. The family removed him from life support last week. Papik is arranging to have her uncles body returned home for a funeral. I was looking after him for 16 years, his niece said. He was a happy-go-lucky person, always joking, always laughing. He never liked to see anybody sad and down and out. Hed probably give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. Abernethy said he first learned about the case last week from the local member of the legislature. The health minister acknowledged he decided to call the investigation after a media report and conversations with fellow politicians. Abernethy said the probe will have the power to compel testimony. Although neither that testimony nor the hearing will not be made public, Abernethy said recommendations will be. Ive told the department I want it done as quickly as possible. Papik said many others have called her with similar concerns. I heard so many stories of so many people being mistreated. Abernethy said the territorys health-care system needs improvement. Concerns about the impacts of racism in the health system have received considerable attention across Canada, he said. We know that this is a real issue and that our system is not immune. He pointed out the territory is already implementing a recommendation from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to ensure cultural competency in health care. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWA The federal Liberal government says it may toughen the law on peace bonds to require terrorist sympathizers to take mandatory de-radicalization counselling. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said the death last week of Aaron Driver in Strathroy, Ont., where believe they pre-empted a planned terror attack, showed the current limitations of peace bonds. We have recognized for this incident and beyond it that peace bonds have some usefulness but theyre not a panacea. Theyre a tool that has limitations, Goodale told reporters. One option for the federal Liberal government, which is undertaking widespread public consultations on the countrys national security laws, is to require individuals who are subject to a peace bond to meet regularly with de-radicalization experts, he said. However, Goodale acknowledged that there are not many such experts or counsellors in Canada, and said that is exactly why the Liberals are spending $35 million to set up a centre for countering violent extremism to have national capacity and national coherence to deal with these very issues. The Liberals promised the centre in last years election campaign and we were scoffed at, he said. But it is still not up and running. The Driver case has put a new spotlight on de-radicalization efforts and on peace bonds, he admitted. Under the Criminal Code, in cases where there may not be enough evidence to lay charges, police and prosecutors may seek a peace bond a legal court order that restricts the movements, communications and activity of admitted terror sympathizers which the individual agrees to. Goodale said any peace bond changes would come as part of a package of changes the government is looking at in its review of Canadas national security framework, and Bill C-51, the Conservatives anti-terror law of 2015. Goodale said consultations on the long-promised law reforms will be completed by the end of the year. One particular tool obviously was not effective in dealing with that particular (Strathroy) case, he said, but Goodale stressed the government would not act hastily. Some of the problem with our laws in the past, theyve been developed in a haphazard manner and have not had the intense scrutiny and consideration they need to get it right. Driver was under a https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2015/06/08/rcmp-seek-terrorism-related-peace-bond-for-winnipeg-man.html judge-ordered peace bond END with strict conditions meant to limit his movements, travel, Internet communications and cellphone use after he was first arrested in June 2015. Certain conditions of Drivers release had been relaxed while others were soon set to expire. His family was worried, although he appeared polite and friendly to many who met him. He was able to acquire bomb-making materials, make a martyrdom video and set out to blow up a device with the goal of causing mass casualties in an urban area at rush hour. He was foiled when the FBI tipped the RCMP to a plot by a then-unknown assailant. Driver got as far as detonating an explosive in a taxi en route to carry out his plan, before he was shot by police. Using online aliases, including Harun Abdurahman and Harun Danyal on Twitter when he was profiled last year by the Stars Allan Woods, he came to police attention after he glorified terrorist activity by Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL, its brutal beheadings and executions, and the October 2014 attack on Parliament Hill. Security agencies linked his social media communications with known terrorist plotters in the U.K., Australia and a Texas shooter who attacked the Curtis Culwell Center during a Texas cartoon contest featuring images of the Prophet Muhammad. Gatineau police chief Mario Harel, the new head of the Canadian police chiefs association, told the Star that police recognize it takes time to do things right so if that consultation permits every party to provide input for good solid modification to the policies, well thats great. Harel wouldnt comment on the Driver case. He said police can work with peace bonds, but it could be strengthened. He said there are all sorts of other investigation tools that are in place in different agencies. Well work with them for now. Goodale highlighted in his speech the threat of lone wolf terrorists, the threats to cyber-security, and the need for Canadians to engage in a national conversation about how to strike the right balance between individual privacy rights and law enforcement tools. Laurie Hawn, a former Conservative MP who is now a member of the Edmonton Police commission, told the Star consultations are important but they are also a good way to kick things down the road. All governments do that. We did it, too. Theyve got to get it right, but with things like cyber (security) and things that are so technical and dynamic, youve got to move fairly quickly. If you cant get it 100 per cent right, if youve got 80-90 per cent, you better start moving on it. RELATED: RCMP feared that restricting would-be radicals would backfire in Canada, affidavits show SHARE: Toronto the Good? Hogtown? YYZ? Birthplace of Drake? Nope. When most people refer to this city they call it wait for it: Toronto. According to a new Forum Research poll, an overwhelming majority of locals 75 per cent invoked the official name when asked what they call this 63,000-hectare space, which butts upon the balmy shores of Lake Ontario. We have no idea what people are going to say when we put it out there, says Lorne Bozinoff, president of Forum Research, the company that conducted the poll. Its impossible to predict. Especially when it comes to matters of communal identity, such as this one. Typically, Bozinoffs team probes political opinions, about, say, bike lanes or a new city initiative. But, from time to time, researchers are interested in asking questions that illuminate what it means to be a resident, he says. And this is part of that. On the heels of discussion at city hall about the Toronto sign in Nathan Phillips Square, Bozinoffs team chose three Toronto names: Toronto, TO (pronounced Tee-Oh) and The Six, which theyve seen used by the media recently, and phoned up a random sampling of 864 people. The older, wealthier and more educated use the citys proper name, the study suggests, and pronounce each of its three syllables: Toh-ron-toh. Those who voted for Doug Ford in the last election or live in North York, often turf that last toh and call it Tronnah. Only about 10 per cent of respondents choose TO as their name preference and eight per cent ticked the other box, meaning they dont use any of the three options. Perhaps the most shocking result I jest is that only seven per cent of those polled say they call Toronto The Six (or The6 or The 6ix). Could this mean Drakes influence is (gasp!) waning? Not necessarily, says Bozinoff. When researchers sliced up the poll data, he says, they discovered that age was a big factor in what word people used to talk about Toronto. Those between 18 and 34 years old, for instance, are much more likely to call it the 6 than, those over age 55. But, he says, as the younger generations ages we might get more and more people saying The Six. Thats why his team will have to redo the study in a year to find out if The Six is still relevant, Bozinoff says. John Tablate, 24, doesnt know what he might be saying in 2017, but these days when hes asked where he lives, he sizes up the person talking. If theyre older, more established and have fewer tattoos than he does, he plays it straight, answering: Toronto. If the asker is young and hip, he whips out The Six. I call it both ways, he says. It depends on who Im talking to. High school teacher Brian Campbell, 33, feels the same way. His repertoire of Toronto nicknames is expansive. Sometimes he says TO, other times T-dot. But when hes addressing new immigrants in his classes, he annunciates well and says Toh-ron-toh. With an emphasis on the oh, he says. When pressed to the say the word, most people the Star informally polled, also annunciated. But many didnt even consider the name Toronto when asked what they call this place. Home, says Tannaz Shirazi, who immigrated to Canada from Iran in 1984. Her children Armin, 15, and Nicki, 13, agree and say they call this city the best place on earth! Forums poll was conducted between Aug. 8 and 10. Results based on the total sample are considered accurate plus or minus 3 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Forum houses its poll results in the data library of the University of Toronto political science department. SHARE: Any way you look at it, 15,153,472,000 bushels is a lot of corn. In fact, it would be two bushels of corn for each of the worlds 7,443,735,685 people. At least that was the estimated global census number early Tuesday morning, but it was climbing at such a dizzying rate it was hard to capture such a slice of data. While the global population number may be climbing rapidly, the corn number may not be increasing at a similar rate, and may actually be declining. The worlds census takers and sociologists can be responsible for determining the global population, but the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is responsible for counting the bushels of corn that U.S. farmers are producing this year. And just like the census enumerators visiting a sample number of homes, the agencys enumerators visited a sample number of cornfields to extrapolate an estimate for 2016 corn production. How accurate are those numbers? There may be more confidence in the global population number as it climbs ooops, now up to 7,443,737,937 than the level of farmer confidence in the USDAs estimate for bushels of corn. In defense of the National Agricultural Statistics Service, it has developed very scientific methods of estimating corn crop sizes with increasing rates of accuracy. With a combination of staff visits to cornfield, and interviews with over 22,000 farmers about their crop, the agency is the best in the world at what it does. Bar none. However, just like the population digits that fly by now at 7,443,738,675 the corn crop is likely not growing as fast, and the 15,153,472,000 bushels as of Aug. 1, may actually decline to under 15 billion by the time NASS issues its final report on crop sizes in January. When yield reports come from the field, NASS will adjust its estimate. It seems like every year is tough to rationalize what NASS says the crop size is, since every field is different, every state has a different average yield, and every part of the nation has sustained weather that impacted the crop in a different way. This year, the eastern Corn Belt was unusually dry, and Ohio and Eastern Indiana have a crop that is not up to par with prior years. Mondays Crop Progress report from NASS indicated that 56 percent of the Ohio corn crop was in the fair to poor categories, and only 44 percent was good to excellent. That compares to 74 percent of the entire U.S. corn crop being good to excellent and only 26 percent fair to poor. The statisticians are good at reconciling such differences. But in Central Illinois and several other pockets in Iowa, cornfields are exhibiting a phenomenon called tip-back, in which the top third of the ear does not produce any grain. Although respected researchers advise farmers not to worry about the issue and just count the good kernels to calculate their yield estimate, other farmers have ears of corn that are fully filled out, and may have 800 kernels, instead of the 550 or 600 found on an ear with tip-back. Fewer kernels will mean fewer bushels in the bin this fall, and even if the 15,153,472,000 bushels of corn on Aug. 1 declines to less than 15 billion when all is said and done, the United States still will have 2 billion bushels left over at the end of the marketing year a year from now, and no one will go hungry as a result. There hopefully still will be two bushels of corn for everyone on the planet, since the population counter is now up to 7,443,741,578, tipback or not. What will you do with your two bushels? A Dutch couple joyfully reconnected with their Toronto heroes Tuesday after their rescue story was shared online. We just received a very sweet email from our saviors! It was very nice (for your readers) to help. We are so happy, Mia Flipse told the Star from the Netherlands. I am really excited to talk with them by Skype. Mia and Fred Flipse were looking for a group of Torontonians who carried her down the side of an Icelandic volcano in June after she fell and broke her ankle. The Flipses said they were very, very surprised how quickly Star readers found them. Wow, the power of social media! Lee-Anne Watson, 32, wrote in an email at 8:44 a.m. on Aug. 16. Thanks for helping us get in touch. We were so worried about her! Watson and the rest of her group who she identified as her husband Marcus and childhood friends Matt Lubbock, Sonia Viveiros, Cheryl Boyd and Ryan McKeen all received emails from friends and family pointing out the story to them. The group wrote a collective email to the Dutch couple after making Tuesday. They plan to Skype together over the weekend. We are so happy to hear shes on the mend, Watson, said, adding that the group had been wondering about the Dutch couple long after their holiday ended. The friends were vacationing in Iceland for nine days, renting a car and driving the Ring Road, the main national road that runs around the Nordic island. June 21 was one of the best weather days the group had, said Watson, so they went to hike the volcano. We decided to go off the beaten track a little bit, she added, taking a side path away from the main trail that runs through the Leirhnjukur lava field. When they came around a bend they found Mia, on the ground and clearly in need of help. The guys immediately jumped in to help her. The ankle was just dangling there. It was hard to look at, said Lubbock, 31, an osteopath. She was really, really tough We thought she was going to faint. Boyd and Viveiros ran ahead to find anything or anyone to help us. When they reached the bottom, they phoned 112 Iceland's 911. A first responder told Boyd that it would take 40 to 60 minutes for an ambulance to reach them at the base. On the way back up the hill, the women found a plastic tarp, then a crate, to use as a stretcher. It took about an hour to carry her down over rocky, rugged terrain, they said. An ATV was waiting for them for the last 100 metres of the rescue, said Lubbock. Then an ambulance drove Mia to the Akureyri hospital, where she underwent surgery then spent 10 days. The group wondered if theyd hear from her again. Watson said she feels lucky that I have such a great squad of people that didnt even hesitate (to help). Lubbock agreed; there wasnt a question in his mind as to whether or not they would intervene. It was the second time on their trip that the group of Toronto friends had come to the aid of a traveler. A few days before, they said they came across a car stuck in a ditch along the Oxi Pass. They tried, unsuccessfully, to pull it out and then drove on to get help, which is how they knew to call 112 for Mia. It was an eventful trip with lots of memories, said Boyd. We dont want recognition. Were all just so happy to find them. SHARE: Police are warning the public after two men allegedly pushed a 63-year-old woman to the ground and stole hundreds of prescription pills with an estimated street value of $10,000. Toronto police Const. Jenniferjit Sidhu said the woman filled a prescription at her pharmacy and was approached by the men at around 11 a.m. Tuesday, near the intersection of Forty First St. and Lake Shore Blvd. W. in south Etobicoke. The woman was then pushed to the ground and robbed of her prescription drugs, police say. Sidhu said the woman suffered minor abrasions to the top of her feet and knees, and has leg and muscle pain and stiffness after the daylight attack. The stolen drugs consisted of 600 tablets of the painkiller Oxycodone, 420 tablets of Oxycocet otherwise known as Percocet, which also treats pain and 120 tablets of Diazepam. Sidhu said an investigation is ongoing, but that police spoke to the womans pharmacist after the robbery. It seems like, whatever these drugs are, she got them there, Sidhu said. Toronto pharmacist Chukwu Ume, who has no connection to this incident, told the Star that, while unusual, its not unheard of for someone to pick up so many prescription drugs at once. If someone has been on opioids for a while, and a doctor has trust in them for that quantity, then its not out of the question, Ume said. A police news release on the incident noted that the stolen drugs can cause addiction, overdose or death especially if taken by children. SHARE: Queens Park has no immediate plans to return to the bargaining table with the Ontario Medical Association after doctors overwhelmingly rejected a four-year contract. Health Minister Eric Hoskins said Tuesday the province has to let the dust settle before any new negotiations can be launched. This was not a failure of government, Hoskins told reporters in Windsor, where he was attending the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference. We reached an agreement with the OMA. The OMA failed to obtain a majority of their membership in support of the agreement, so well have to see what the path ahead provides for, he said. In a stunning blow to both the Liberals and the OMA executive that had endorsed the pact, doctors voted down the accord by a margin of 63.1 per cent to 36.9 per cent. Its prudent and I think appropriate for the government to allow the OMA sufficient time to undertake those activities and we await the OMA indicating to us that they are in a position to proceed, said Hoskins. But I want to reassure Ontarians that this will have no impact on their access to physicians or to health-care services. OMA president Dr. Virginia Walley who faced massive dissension in the ranks over the deal from highly paid specialists such as radiologists, ophthalmologists, and cardiologists said it is back to the drawing board. Well start again and see if we cant put something else together something that we can offer our membership, Walley said on CBC Radios Metro Morning. We are going to make sure that we get out, gather members input. Well be getting our boards input. And well be insisting with the Ontario government that we get back to the table and start negotiations again, she said. The contract would have boosted the cash earmarked for physicians salaries to $12.8 billion from $11.5 billion by 2020 while finding savings in other areas. NDP Leader Andrea Horwath blamed Premier Kathleen Wynnes Liberals for the doctors voting down the contract. The premier must admit today that her Liberal government has broken trust with Ontarios doctors and the families they serve, Horwath said in a statement. The Liberals say they need to take the coming weeks to reflect on their next steps, but theyve had two and a half years and theyve failed to get the job done, she said. Its time to start working with doctors, nurses and all the dedicated people working in our health-care system on behalf of all Ontario families. Read more about: SHARE: Now, its the home inspectors turn to be inspected. The Ontario government will finally regulate the home inspection industry with a licensing regime designed to protect buyers. Home inspectors are one of the only professionals involved in a real estate transaction that are not currently provincially regulated, Government and Consumer Services Minister Marie-France Lalonde said Wednesday. This is clearly a gap in consumer protection in Ontarios real estate sector, Lalonde told reporters at Campbell House, the 1822 Georgian home at the corner of Queen St. W. and University Ave. And this can lead to serious consequences to consumers. If potential homebuyers or sellers end up getting a substandard inspection report they are at risk of being left with unexpected costs, the loss of a sale, or, worse, potentially health and safety risks, she said. To rectify the situation, Lalonde will introduce legislation this fall that will require home inspectors to be licensed and overseen by an independent administrative authority. Liberal MPP Han Dong (Trinity-Spadina), who has been pushing private members legislation to regulate home inspection, said the law will be great news for prospective homeowners. Len Inkster, secretary of the Ontario Association of Certified Home Inspectors, said its a long time coming. Weve been pushing for it for three and a half years, said Inkster, a home inspector in Niagara Falls. There are too many home inspectors out there who are really not qualified to do home inspections properly, he said. Until this regulation comes in, anybody that can pick up a clipboard can become a home inspector. There are an estimated 1,500 home inspectors in Ontario and they charge between $350 and $600 for a visual inspection of a home. Although a home inspection is not mandatory, about 65 per cent of houses sold have one conducted on them. The forthcoming legislation is based on 35 recommendations made in a report by a blue-ribbon panel of real estate, legal and inspection experts that the government commissioned in December 2013. SHARE: Father Melo lives every day as though it is his last. He knows assassins are out to kill him. And, eventually, they may succeed. I cannot walk in the streets or ride my bike, said Melo, a Jesuit priest, human rights activist and radio host from Honduras. Melo, whose real name is Ismael Moreno Coto, travelled to Toronto this week to talk about the risks he faces in his home country at an event hosted by Canadian Jesuits International. I have police patrolling outside my house but I dont know if they are protecting me or watching me. I am the governments No. 1 enemy. Honduras is one of the deadliest places in the world to be an environmental activist, according to Global Witness, an international non-governmental organization focused on natural resource exploitation. Between 2010 and 2014, 101 environmentalists were killed in the country, and few of the cases have been prosecuted. This is a fact Melo knows well. On March 2, 2016, Berta Caceres, a recipient of the Goldman Environmental Prize and a close friend of Morenos, was shot to death. Such impunity seems shocking in a country of just eight million, and one with a strong Canadian presence. Canada signed a free-trade agreement with Honduras in 2014, and an estimated 100,000 Canadians visit each year. But its the mining sector where Canada has the biggest impact: 90 per cent of all foreign mining investments in Honduras are Canadian, according to the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA), a Washington, D.C., think-tank. Melo wants Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to stop turning a blind eye to human rights abuses in Honduras. The priest wrote a letter to Trudeau this May, on behalf of more than 200 human rights and environmental groups, asking him to ensure mining companies operating outside Canada comply with international environmental and human rights standards and not displace local communities without prior consultation. It is vital that the Canadian government and mining companies respect the rights of indigenous communities to self-determination and respect the decisions of those who have said no to large-scale mining, the letter states. Melo said he received a reply from the Prime Ministers Office saying the government was going to discuss the matter. Jeffrey Davidson, Ottawas social corporate responsibility counsellor, paid him a visit this summer. Canada can pressure mining companies to change their policies, I told him, recounts Melo. Davidson did not reply to a request for an interview by Tuesday night. Since a coup in 2009 deposed Honduras democratically elected president, Manuel Zelaya, conflicts between foreign companies and local communities have intensified. The new government privatized land and water resources and passed legislation removing barriers to large development projects. Honduran police are also corrupt, according to a Human Rights Watch report, and organized crime is a growing problem. Since the coup, Canadian companies are maintaining or increasing their economic interests in Honduras, benefiting from exploitation, racism, repression, corruption and impunity, said Grahame Russell, director of Rights Action, a non-government organization which worked closely with Caceres and her family. The activist was best known for her opposition to the building of the Agua Zarca Dam on the Gualcarque River, considered a fragile ecosystem and sacred place for the indigenous Lenca people. She received 33 threats before she was killed. A colleague was killed two weeks later. Of the five people arrested for her murder, one is a member of the military, another is a retired soldier and a third is an employee of a Honduran company that is working on the disputed dam. Following her death, 62 members of the U.S. Congress sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry asking that he pressure Honduras to halt the Agua Zarca project and lobby for a system to protect activists. Canada needs to give higher priority to the regulation of corporate behaviour overseas and establish especially strong guidelines for extractive industries, says Mercedes Garcia, a research associate with COHA. A recent COHA report cited complaints against Canadian companies and their subsidiaries in Honduras, and elsewhere in the region. As for Melo, even though he takes security precautions, he has made peace with the possibility he may pay with his life for exercising his right to speak freely and criticize these conflicts. Every night when I return home after my radio show, I breathe a sigh of relief that I have survived another day, he said. By the Numbers Honduras and Canada entered into a free-trade agreement in 2014. Bilateral trade between Canada and Honduras reached $289 million in 2014. Canadian companies are heavily involved in Honduras in garment manufacturing and mining. Honduras is one of Canadas focus countries for development assistance. In 2013-14, it received $27 million in aid. SHARE: The release on websites this week of what appears to be top-secret computer code that the National Security Agency has used to break into the networks of foreign governments and other espionage targets has caused deep concern inside U.S. intelligence agencies, raising the question of whether Americas own elite cyberwarriors have been hacked and their methods revealed. Most outside experts who examined the posts, by a group calling itself the Shadow Brokers, said they contained what appeared to be genuine samples of the code though somewhat outdated used in the production of the NSAs custom-built malware. Most of the code was designed to break through network firewalls and get inside the computer systems of competitors like Russia, China and Iran. That, in turn, allows the NSA to place implants in the system, which can lurk unseen for years and be used to monitor network traffic or enable a debilitating computer attack. According to these experts, the coding resembled a series of products developed inside the NSAs highly classified Tailored Access Operations unit, some of which were described in general terms in documents stolen three years ago by Edward J. Snowden, the former NSA contractor now living in Russia. But the code does not appear to have come from Snowdens archive, which was mostly composed of PowerPoint files and other documents that described NSA programs. The documents released by Snowden and his associates contained no actual source code used to break into the networks of foreign powers. Whoever obtained the data apparently broke into either the top secret, highly compartmentalized computer servers of the NSA or other servers around the world that the agency would have used to store the files. The code published on Monday dates to mid-2013, when, after Snowdens disclosures, the agency shuttered many of its existing servers and moved code to new ones as a security measure. By midday Tuesday, Snowden himself, in a Twitter message from his exile in Moscow, declared that circumstantial evidence and conventional wisdom indicates Russian responsibility for publication, which he interpreted as a warning shot to the U.S. government in case it was thinking of imposing sanctions against Russia in the cybertheft of documents from the Democratic National Committee. Why did they do it? Snowden asked. No one knows, but I suspect this is more diplomacy than intelligence, related to the escalation around the DNC hack. Around the same time, WikiLeaks declared that it had a full set of the files it did not say how it obtained them and would release them all in the future. The Shadow Brokers had said they would auction them off to the highest bidder. I think its Snowden-era stuff, repackaged for resale now, said James A. Lewis, a computer expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think-tank. This is probably some Russian mind game, down to the bogus accent of some of the messages sent to media organizations by the Shadow Brokers group, delivered in broken English that seemed right out of a bad spy movie. The NSA would say nothing on Tuesday about whether the coding released was real or where it came from. Its public affairs office did not respond to inquiries. It certainly feels all real, said Bruce Schneier, a leading authority on state-sponsored breaches. The question is why would someone steal it in 2013 and release it this week? Thats what is making people think this is likely the work of Russian intelligence. There are other theories, including one that some unknown group was trying to impersonate hackers working for Russian or other intelligence agencies. Impersonation is relatively easy on the Internet, and it could take considerable time to determine who is behind the release of the code. The Shadow Brokers first emerged online on Saturday, creating accounts on sites like Twitter and Tumblr and announcing plans for an auction. The group said that we give you some Equation Group files free and that it would auction the best ones. The Equation Group is a code name that Kaspersky Labs, a Russian cybersecurity firm, has given to the NSA. While widely considered the most talented group of state-sponsored hackers in the world, the NSA is still recovering from Snowdens disclosures; it has spent hundreds of millions of dollars reconfiguring and locking down its systems. Snowden revealed plans, code names and some operations, including against targets like China. The Shadow Brokers disclosures are much more detailed, the actual code and instructions for breaking into foreign systems as of three summers ago. From an operational standpoint, this is not a catastrophic leak, Nicholas Weaver, a researcher at the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, Calif., wrote on the Lawfare blog on Tuesday. But he added that the big picture is a far scarier one. In the weeks after Snowden fled Hawaii, landing in Hong Kong before ultimately going to Russia, it appears that someone obtained those codes. That, he suggested, would be an even bigger security breach for the NSA than Snowdens departure with his trove of files. However, the fact that the code is dated from 2013 suggests that the hackers access was cut off around then, perhaps because the agency imposed new security measures. The attack on the Democratic National Committee has raised questions about whether the Russian government is trying to influence the American election. If so, it is unclear how or whether U.S. President Barack Obama will respond. A response could be public or private, and it could involve sanctions, diplomatic warnings or even a counterattack. The real problem for us is that the Russians seem to have taken the gloves off in the cyberdomain, said Lewis, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and we dont know how to respond. Read more about: SHARE: SAN BERNARDINO, CALIF.Californias newest huge wildfire advanced on thousands of homes Wednesday, feeding on drought-stricken vegetation and destroying an untold number of structures as it expanded to nearly 122 square kilometres. Authorities could not say how many homes were destroyed in the first furious hours, but they prepared communities for bad news. There will be a lot of families that come home to nothing, San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig said after a morning flight over a scene he described as devastating. It hit hard. It hit fast. It hit with an intensity that we hadnt seen before, he said. Flames continued to climb the flanks of the San Gabriel Mountains toward the town of Wrightwood, where authorities said that only half of the communitys 4,500 residents had complied with evacuation orders. Officials estimated that more than 34,000 homes and some 82,000 people were under evacuation warnings. This is not the time to mess around, said Battalion Chief Mark Peebles of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. If you are asked to evacuate, please evacuate. Less than 24 hours after the blaze began 95 kilometres east of Los Angeles, the fire command assembled a fleet of 10 air tankers, 15 helicopters and an army of 1,300 firefighters, many of them just off the lines of a wildfire that burned for 10 days just to the east. At a dawn briefing, half the firefighters raised their hands when an official asked how many had just come from the earlier blaze, part of a series of wildland infernos up and down California this year. The fire erupted late Tuesday morning in Cajon Pass, a critical highway and rail corridor through mountain ranges that separate Southern Californias major population centres from the Mojave Desert to the north. Countless big rigs were parked on both sides of the pass, waiting for Interstate 15 and a web of other roads to reopen. Alternate routes involved significant detours. The pass is a major route for travel from the Los Angeles region to Las Vegas and also carries significant daily commuter traffic for high desert residents. The speed of the fires spread astonished those in its path. This moved so fast, said Darren Dalton, 51, who along with his wife and son had to get out of his house in Wrightwood. It went from Have you heard theres a fire? to mandatory evacuation before you could take it all in. This is a tight little community up here. Always in rally mode. Suddenly its a ghost town. Hundreds of cars packed with belongings and animals left the town. The air for kilometres around the blaze was filled with smoke. The sound of explosions possibly from ammunition stored in homes could be heard in the distance. Shannon Anderson of Blue Mountain Farms horse ranch in Phelan had to evacuate 40 horses as the fire approached. Its raining ash, Anderson said, breathing hard. The fire erupted in a landscape ready to burn after years of drought. The weather at the time was hot, dry and windy conditions not expected to begin easing until late Thursday or Friday. Devouring ranchlands, the blaze surged west to the Los Angeles County line and north to the Mojave Desert. Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department confirmed Tuesday night that the flames had burned at least a dozen buildings, some of them homes. He said he had seen all kinds of things burn, including the Summit Inn, a historic diner. Im looking up here and Im seeing buses. Im seeing outbuildings. Im seeing houses, he said. The blaze was among several large fires burning up and down California, from Shasta County in the far north to Camp Pendleton Marine base in San Diego County. It came after several steady weeks of major fires around the state, even though the full force of the traditional fire season has yet to arrive. Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in the area within hours of the latest fire breaking out, a move that more often comes after a blaze has done several days of destruction. Six firefighters were briefly trapped by flames at a home where the occupants had refused to leave, forcing the crew to protect the house, fire officials said. As that fire surged, a major blaze north of San Francisco was fading, and about 4,000 people in the town of Clearlake were allowed to return home. Their relief, however, was tempered with anger at a man who authorities believe set the blaze that wiped out several blocks of a small town over the weekend along with 16 smaller fires dating back to last summer. Investigators in Northern California said Tuesday that they had been building a case against the suspected arsonist, 40-year-old construction worker Damin Anthony Pashilk, for more than a year. But they did not have enough evidence to make an arrest until the weekend blaze ripped through Lower Lake. The fire destroyed 175 homes and other structures in the working-class town of Lower Lake. What Id do to him, you dont want to know, said Butch Cancilla, who saw his neighbours home catch fire as he fled on Sunday. Cancilla still does not know the fate of his own home. A lot of people want to hang him high, his wife, Jennie, added. An attorney listed as representing Pashilk did not return a call requesting comment. Pashilk is scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday. SHARE: WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALANDPapua New Guinea and Australia said Wednesday they have agreed to close a detention centre on Manus Island for asylum seekers but they offered no details on when it will happen or on the fate of the 850 men being held there. Australias tough stance on migrants and refugees has long drawn condemnation from human rights groups. The country has a policy of sending people who try to reach its shores by boat to island detention centres, including Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Leaked documents and eyewitness reports have detailed grim living conditions in many of Australias detention centres. In April, Papua New Guineas Supreme Court ruled that the Australian-run detention centre there was unconstitutional. Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter ONeill issued a statement Wednesday saying he met with Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton in the capital, Port Moresby, and that the two countries agreed the centre will be closed. ONeill said he was satisfied that officials from both countries were making progress toward that end. It is important that this process is not rushed but carried out in a careful manner, ONeill said in his statement. This must take into account the interests of the people of Papua New Guinea and the well-being of asylum seekers and refugees. Dutton said it had been the long-standing position of his government to work with Papua New Guinea to close the Manus centre and to move the migrants elsewhere in Papua New Guinea or back to their country of origin. Our position, confirmed again today with PNG, is that no one from Manus Island Regional Processing Centre will ever be settled in Australia, Dutton said in a statement. He said that people smugglers continue to target Australia but that the government has ensured that no boats have made it to the nations shores in more than two years. He said the government plans to close a total of 17 detention centres and remove all children from detention. Earlier this month, the Guardian newspaper published leaked reports detailing the abuse of children at another offshore Australian detention centre, on the remote island nation of Nauru. And last month, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ordered a sweeping investigation into alleged abuses at a juvenile detention centre in the city of Darwin after a video emerged of Aboriginal teens being tear-gassed, stripped naked and shackled to a chair. SHARE: PARISFrances Socialist prime minister is expressing support for local bans of burkinis, saying the swimwear is based on the enslavement of women and therefore incompatible with French values. The burkini, a wetsuit-like garment that covers the torso, limbs and head, has prompted a growing national discussion about Islam and womens bodies, even though its only worn by a handful of Muslims. Three French Mediterranean towns have banned the garment on beaches this summer, citing security concerns after a season marred by deadly extremist attacks. Critics say the bans are discriminatory and could inflame religious and social tensions. Many also see the bans themselves as sexist, decrees from male mayors telling women what they can and cant wear. But much of the French political class, from the left to the far right, is opining the opposite that burkinis oppress women, and therefore have no place in a country whose motto celebrates equality and freedom. Prime Minister Manuel Valls said in an interview published Wednesday in La Provence newspaper that the swimwear represents a provocation and an archaic vision that women are immodest, impure and that they should therefore be totally covered. That is not compatible with the values of France. In the face of provocation, the nation must defend itself, Valls said. The governments womens affairs minister, Laurence Rossignol, took a similar stance. The burkini is . . . a particular vision particular of the place of the woman. It cannot be considered only as a question of fashion or individual liberty, Rossignol said on Europe-1 radio. However, Valls said hes not in favour of a national law against burkinis. I support those who have taken measures. They are motivated by the will to encourage social unity, he told La Provence, adding, I dont think we should legislate the issue. General rules on clothing restrictions cannot be a solution. French laws banning face-covering veils in public and head scarves in schools, based on the widely held view that they violate French secularism and oppress women, have alienated many among Frances 5 million Muslims. Violent extremists have also cited the bans as one of their justifications for targeting France. Valls called for calm in Corsica, where a clash broke out over the weekend between local residents and bathers of North African origin. Some reports said it started because a young man took a photo of a woman in a burkini, though the exact circumstances of the incident remain unclear. Rim-Sarah Alouane, a researcher at the University of Toulouse who has written on Muslim and womens issues, vigorously disagrees. Womens rights imply the right for a woman to cover up, Alouane, a Muslim born and raised in France, said. The burkini was created by western Muslim women who wanted to conciliate their faith and desire to dress modestly with recreational activities. What is more French than sitting on a beach in the sand? she asked. Here we are telling Muslims that no matter what you do, even we dont want you here. Read more about: SHARE: FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.The mother of a 19-year-old Florida State University student charged with fatally stabbing a couple outside their home and then biting the dead mans face told police her son had been acting strangely for days and claimed to have superpowers, according to a report released Wednesday. Mina Harrouff called Jupiter police about three hours after Austin Harrouff stormed out of a restaurant Monday night following an argument with his father, the report said. She told an officer her son had been acting strangely for about a week, said he had superpowers and that he was here to protect people, the report said. She told Officer Luis Rocha her son had no history of mental illness nor heavy drug use. Mina told me that she does not believe him to be a danger to anyone or to himself, Rocha wrote. Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said Harrouff was incoherent and making animal-like noises when he was taken to St. Marys Medical Center after the Monday night attack in a quiet neighbourhood north of Jupiter. On Tuesday, Snyder had told reporters that Harrouffs condition was life-threatening. West Palm Beach television station WPTV reported Wednesday that Harrouff is sedated and on a ventilator with guards stationed nearby. Snyder said Harrouff stormed out of a restaurant where he was having dinner with his family on Monday night, apparently agitated over slow service. A short time later, Michelle Mishcon, 53, and John Stevens III, 59, were attacked outside their home. Neighbours said they had a habit of sitting in their garage, where they often kept the door open while they watched television. Neighbour Jeff Fisher, 47, tried to help but was stabbed during the attack. He was breathing heavily on the 911 call, which was released Tuesday. He told the operator that the assailant had attacked a woman and then him when he tried to intervene. Fisher was bleeding profusely and taken to a hospital. His father, Steve Fisher, told WPTV that his son was stabbed once in the neck, three times in the back and once in the side. Hes expected to survive. When a deputy arrived at the couples home, she used her Taser on Harrouff, but it didnt faze him, Snyder said. She tried pulling him off Stevens body, but couldnt. Other deputies arrived shortly along with a dog and it took all of them to subdue Harrouff. Snyder said they didnt shoot, fearing their bullets would strike the victim. The suspect in this case was abnormally strong, Snyder said, making him think Harrouff was on drugs. He said hospital blood tests showed no signs of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin or other common drugs; it will take longer to test for less common hallucinogenic drugs such as flakka or bath salts. Attorney Michelle Suskauer told WPTV shell be representing Austin Harrouff if he survives. She told the television station that his parents have not been able to see him, but shes continuing to request permission for them to be by his side. She said he is in serious condition in the hospitals intensive care unit. Obviously we dont know what predicated these acts. But certainly, there are mental health issues that are going to have to be investigated here. We dont know if anything is going to show up on toxicology or not, Suskauer said. SHARE: BEIRUTIn a move that could reverberate across the Middle East, Iran confirmed Wednesday that Russia is using its territory to launch airstrikes in Syria even as a second wave of Moscows bombers flew out of the Islamic Republic to hit targets in the war-ravaged country. The development represents a historical rapprochement with Russia that could rile U.S.-allied Gulf neighbours, strengthen Syrian President Bashar Assad and impact the war against Daesh, also known as ISIS or ISIL. Russia first announced the strikes on Tuesday from near the Iranian city of Hamedan, 280 kilometres southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran. On Wednesday, Russias Defence Ministry said another wave of bombers had departed from Iran, striking targets in eastern Syria. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliaments national security and foreign policy committee, then gave the first government acknowledgement of the Russian operation. He said the Russians were using Irans Shahid Nojeh airbase some 50 kilometres north of Hamedan, a secluded base where Russian warplanes were detected landing late last year. Boroujerdi said the Russian Tu-22M3 fighter jets landed inside Iran only to refuel under the permission of the countrys Supreme National Security Council, a move that allowed them to carry a larger bomb load of more than 20 metric tons. There is no stationing of Russian forces in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Boroujerdi added. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended the use of Iranian military bases for airstrikes in Syria, rejecting allegations that it could be a violation of UN resolutions prohibiting the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. In the case were discussing there has been no supply, sale or transfer of fighter jets to Iran, Lavrov told a news conference. The Russian air force uses these fighter jets with Irans approval in order to take part in the counterterrorism operation in Syria. Still, the move heralds even more intense Russian bombardment inside Syria, where Moscow has already been accused of indiscriminate attacks that have killed many civilians. On Wednesday, presumed Russian or Syrian government airstrikes on the rebel-held city of Idlib in the northwest killed 17 people and wounded at least 30 others, the Civil Defence branch for the province reported. A video posted on the groups website showed rescue workers pulling bodies from wreckage along a heavily damaged street. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the strikes, saying dozens of civilians were killed and wounded. Also Wednesday, rebel rocket rounds killed 10 civilians and wounded nine in a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo, Syrias state-run SANA news agency said. For Iran, allowing Russia to launch strikes from inside the country is likely to prove unpopular. Many still remember how Russia, alongside Britain, invaded and occupied Iran during World War II to secure oilfields and Allied supply lines. But while Britain withdrew, Russia refused to leave, sparking the first international rebuke by the nascent UN Security Council in 1946. During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, Iran allowed refugees into the country and backed mujahedeen rebel fighters as did the U.S. That history will likely make any long-term Russian use of Iranian military bases unpalatable to the Iranian public, said Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official who is now a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He suggested Russia must have made Iran an offer it could not refuse perhaps involving military equipment like the Russian S-300 air defence missile systems that are being deployed in Iran. It surprised me greatly, Rubin said. The basing of foreign troops in Iran has always been a red line. Irans constitution bars foreign militaries from having bases in the country, and Ali Larijani, the speaker of Irans parliament, was quick Wednesday to say Russia does not have a permanent presence in the country, likely to try to assuage such domestic concerns. Hossein Kanani Moghadam, a former commander in Irans powerful Revolutionary Guard, also echoed that point. It doesnt mean that Nojeh is a Russian airbase, he told The Associated Press. Iran just let them land there and refuel their aircraft, and everything is under the control of Iranians there. The move also will not go unnoticed by Irans Sunni-ruled neighbours, which fall in the U.S. sphere of influence in the Middle East and host American military personnel. Relations have been strained since the beginning of the year, following Saudi Arabias execution of a Shiite cleric and the subsequent storming by Iranian protesters of the kingdoms diplomatic posts in Iran. Russias move follows recent visits to Moscow by several Sunni Gulf leaders, who will likely pointedly question President Vladimir Putins decision, said Theodore Karasik, a senior adviser for the Washington-based group Gulf State Analytics. It is quite surprising for the (Gulf) states because here we have the Kremlin and the Iranian leadership agreeing on allowing Moscow to use Iran as a forward-operating base, Karasik said. That has potential consequences down the road. Read more about: SHARE: NAIROBI, KENYAA descendant of British aristocrats who twice had been accused of murdering locals has died after cardiac arrest, a Kenya hospital official said Wednesday. The chief executive of MP Shah hospital, Anup Das, announced the death of Lord Delameres heir Thomas Cholmondeley after he was admitted on Tuesday for an unspecified procedure. The Delamere family is among Kenyas largest landowners and was among the first white settlers in Kenyas Rift Valley, whose freewheeling ways inspired the book White Mischief. The 48-year-old Cholmondeley had been accused of killing two Kenyans in separate incidents that stirred fierce resentment over race and land. In 2005, he claimed self-defence and was cleared without trial in the killing of an undercover wildlife ranger who was arresting Cholmondeleys workers suspected of poaching. He was then convicted of manslaughter in the 2006 shooting of a black poacher and was jailed for eight months. The judge reduced the charge from murder, saying that Cholmondeleys attempts to give first aid proved that he accidentally shot the poacher when aiming at his dogs. The cases enraged Kenyans, who said he received special treatment because of his relation to Lord Delamere. The cases exposed deep tensions about the British presence in Kenya, with many locals resentful that the most precious land was taken over by the British government during colonial times. After independence in 1963, many departing settlers transferred land to Africans, with Britain underwriting some of the costs. Some settlers, including Cholmondeleys family, kept their land and became Kenyan citizens. The killings received intense media scrutiny because of Cholmondeleys aristocratic heritage. SHARE: WARSAWThe Polish government approved a new bill on Tuesday that foresees prison terms of up to three years for anyone who uses phrases like Polish death camps to refer to Auschwitz and other camps that Nazi Germany operated in occupied Poland during the Second World War. The bill aims to deal with a problem the Polish government has faced for years: foreign media outlets and even U.S. President Barack Obama referring to the Nazi camps as Polish. The Justice Ministry said the Cabinet of Prime Minister Beata Szydlo approved the legislation during a weekly session on Tuesday. It is expected to pass easily in the parliament, where the nationalistic right-wing ruling Law and Justice party enjoys a majority. Poles fear that as the war grows more distant younger generations across the world will incorrectly assume that Poles had a role in running Auschwitz, Treblinka and other German death camps, a bitter association for a nation that was occupied and subjected to brutality that left some 5.5 million Polish citizens dead during the war, about 3 million Jews and 2.5 million non-Jews. It wasnt our mothers, nor our fathers, who are responsible for the crimes of the Holocaust, which were committed by German and Nazi criminals on occupied Polish territory, Zbignew Ziobro, the justice minister, said Tuesday. Our responsibility is to defend the truth and dignity of the Polish state and the Polish nation, as well as our fathers, our mothers and our grandparents. Many Poles support such legislation and feel that it differs little from laws that some countries, including Poland and Germany, have that make Holocaust denial a crime. However, critics note that the government will ultimately be powerless to punish people outside of Poland, those most likely to use such language. They fear its true intent is to repress historical inquiry within Poland into Polish behaviour toward Jews. Though the Polish state never collaborated with the Nazis, there were some Poles who killed Jews or identified them to the Germans. That subject is anathema to the countrys nationalistic leadership, which has an official historical policy of promoting knowledge of the heroic episodes in Polands past. There were also Poles who risked their lives to help Jews. The Israeli Holocaust museum Yad Vashem has recognized more than 6,000 Poles as Righteous Among the Nations for rescuing Jews, more than from any other country. The bill had been under discussion for many months and originally foresaw a prison term of up to five years. The version approved Tuesday is milder. The Justice Ministry says that prison terms of up to three years would be reserved for those who intentionally slander Polands good name by using terms like Polish death camps or Polish concentration camps. Those who use such language unintentionally would face lesser punishments, including fines. SHARE: SEOULA senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest Northern officials to do so, South Korea said Wednesday. Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family and is under the protection of the South Korean government, Seouls Unification Ministry said. Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee said Thae told South Korean officials that he decided to defect because of his disgust with the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his yearning for South Korean democracy and worries about the future of his children. Jeong said Thae was the second-highest official in North Koreas embassy, and is the most senior North Korean diplomat to defect to South Korea. In 1997, the North Korean ambassador to Egypt fled but resettled in the United States. Jeong refused to give further details about Thaes defection, citing possible diplomatic problems with a concerned country he didnt identify. Britains Foreign Office declined to comment. The highest-level North Korean to seek asylum in South Korea is Hwang Jang-yop, a senior ruling Workers Party official who once tutored Kim Jong Uns late father, dictator Kim Jong Il. Hwangs 1997 defection was hailed by many South Koreans as an intelligence bonanza and a sign that the Norths political system was inferior to the Souths. Hwang died in 2010. Thaes defection will likely enrage North Korea, which often accuses South Korea of kidnapping or enticing its citizens to defect. South Korea doesnt always make high-level defection cases public. Its revelation of Thaes defection came as ties between the rivals are at one of their lowest points in decades over the Norths nuclear ambitions. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, and South Korea has been working hard to apply more international pressure on the North. Jeong said Thaes defection could be a sign that unity in Kim Jong Uns ruling class is weakening. Analyst Chang Yong Seok at Seoul National Universitys Institute for Peace and Unification Studies disputed that assessment, saying there are no tangible signs that Kims grip on power is being challenged. Senior North Korean officials have defected before, but these have all been isolated cases that werent followed by a chain of defections by other officials, he said. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, senior lecturer in international relations at Kings College London, said a diplomatic defection could prove very valuable to South Korea, the U.S. and other countries. Most North Korean defectors have limited access to the inner workings of the North Korean regime, he said. The defection of a diplomat would allow intelligence services and military forces in other countries to learn more about the level of support that Kim Jong Un enjoys, recent developments in North Koreas nuclear and missile programs or the extent to which real economic reforms are being implemented. The defection of a high-level diplomat could also signal growing internal skepticism about the strength of the Kim Jong Un regime, since they are a rare occurrence. Thae, 55, is a veteran diplomat who is experienced in dealing with countries in Western Europe. He led a North Korean delegation that held talks with European Union representatives over the Norths human rights situation in Brussels in 2001, according to South Koreas Yonhap News Agency. Thae had worked at the North Korean Embassy in London for about 10 years, Yonhap said. Previously, he worked at its now-closed embassy in Denmark and spent a short period of time at its embassy in Sweden, it said. More than 29,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, according to South Korean government records. Many defectors have said they wanted to leave North Koreas harsh political system and poverty. In April, 13 North Koreans working at a North Korean-operated restaurant in China defected to South Korea in the largest group defection since Kim Jong Un took power in late 2011. Later in April, South Korea also revealed that a colonel in North Koreas military spy agency had defected to the South last year. Wednesdays announcement came as North Korea is responding angrily to a U.S. plan to place an advanced missile defence system in South Korea. The North has warned of unspecified retaliation and fired several missiles into the sea earlier this month. Read more about: SHARE: Donald Trump delivered an unexpected pitch to African American voters during a speech on law enforcement Tuesday evening in West Bend, Wisconsin, accusing his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, of bigotry and claiming that more aggressive policing will make black communities safer. The war on our police must end and it must end now, Trump said, amid heightened racial tensions and violence in nearby Milwaukee over the fatal police shooting of a black suspect. The Republican nominee said that anti-police critics have made police officers jobs more difficult, which he said has come at the expense of innocent victims of crime. He called the violence, riots and destruction in Milwaukee that have emerged in recent days an assault on the rights of American citizens to live in peace. The main victims of these riots are law-abiding African American citizens living in these neighbourhoods, Trump said. Its their job, its their homes, its their schools and communities which will suffer the most as a result. Theres no compassion in tolerating lawless conduct for anyone. Trump speaking directly to African American voters, though the overwhelming majority of his audience was white accused Clinton and the Democratic Party of taking advantage of black voters. The Democratic Party, he said, has failed and betrayed the African American community. Polls show Trump is extremely unpopular among minority voters, an enormous electoral liability for the candidate. His comments about Muslims, Mexicans and the Black Lives Matter movement have helped propel Clinton to wide leads in several key battleground states even as Trump continues enjoying strength among white voters. Trumps own campaign rallies have at times featured violent clashes. This spring, amid heightened tensions over his controversial immigration proposals, several physical confrontations and assaults were caught on camera. The altercations often carried uncomfortable racial components; while many of the protesters were black or Hispanic, the wide majority of attendees at Trumps rallies are white. During his speech, Trump said that anti-police critics have made police officers jobs more difficult and have come at the expense of innocent victims of crime. He said that respect for the rule of law must be upheld. He added later that in Ferguson, Missouri, and in Baltimore unrest was fomented by false facts distributed by anti-police critics, though he did not detail what facts he was referencing. Those peddling the narrative of cops as a racist force in our society, a narrative supported with a nod by my opponent, share directly in the responsibility for the unrest in Milwaukee and many other places within our country, Trump said. They have fostered the dangerous anti-police atmosphere in America. Trump who ad libbed at times but largely read the prepared remarks from a teleprompter began his speech by thanking law enforcement officers for their service in difficult, difficult, difficult times. He returned repeatedly to claims that violent crime has increased in American cities and said that the key to restoring safety in black communities is more law enforcement, more community engagement, more effective policing. At one point, Trump promised that he would break up gangs by supporting more police in communities, pointing to former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani as an example of effective city management. Good policing saves lives, Trump said. Trump briefly met with veterans and police officers Tuesday afternoon during a campaign stop at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Centre in Milwaukee, including with Sheriff David Clarke and Sheriffs Inspector Edward Bailey. Clarke has been extremely critical of the Black Lives Matter movement. Seeking to paint a contrast between himself and Clinton, Trump said that she would rather protect the offender than the victim and accused her and the Democratic Party of blocking policies that would keep people safe. He said that Clintons policies have contributed to poverty and have put led to the deterioration of inner cities. In addition to law enforcement, Trump also spoke extensively about increasing economic opportunity for African Americans and working class voters. But although his speech was at times directly targeted at black voters, he did not propose new specific policies. Instead, he spoke largely of the policies he has already advocated extensively on the campaign trail, including negotiating international trade deals that protect American workers. No community in this country has been hurt by Hillary Clintons immigration and all of her policies than the African American community. And she considers them a guaranteed vote, he said. Now she is proposing to print instant work permits for millions of illegal immigrants to come in and take everybodys job, including low income African Americans. Not right, not gonna happen. RELATED: Trumps campaign takes a turn to the far right Trumps campaign chief linked to secret foreign lobbying, sources say Donald Trump adds 2 campaign leaders as support slips Read more about: SHARE: WASHINGTONDonald Trumps campaign chairman helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million (U.S.) in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political partys efforts to influence U.S. policy. The revelation, provided to The Associated Press by people directly knowledgeable about the effort, comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism for his friendly overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It also casts new light on the business practices of campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Under federal law, U.S. lobbyists must declare publicly if they represent foreign leaders or their political parties and provide detailed reports about their actions to the Justice Department. A violation is a felony and can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Trump shook up his campaign organization Wednesday, putting two new longtime Republican conservative strategists as chief executive officer and campaign manager. It was unclear what impact the shakeup would have on Manafort, but he retains his title as campaign chairman. Manafort and business associate Rick Gates, another top strategist in Trumps campaign, were working in 2012 on behalf of the political party of Ukraines then-president, Viktor Yanukovych. People with direct knowledge of Gates work said that, during the period when Gates and Manafort were consultants to the Ukraine presidents political party, Gates was also helping steer the advocacy work done by a pro-Yanukovych non-profit that hired a pair of Washington lobbying firms, Podesta Group Inc. and Mercury LLC. The non-profit, the newly created European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, was governed by a board that initially included parliament members from Yanukovychs party. The non-profit subsequently paid at least $2.2 million to the lobbying firms to advocate positions generally in line with those of Yanukovychs government. That lobbying included downplaying the necessity of a congressional resolution meant to pressure the Ukrainian leader to release an imprisoned political rival. The lobbying firms continued the work until shortly after Yanukovych fled the country in February 2014, during a popular revolt prompted in part by his governments crackdown on protesters and close ties to Russia. Among those who described Manaforts and Gatess relationship with the non-profit are current and former employees of the Podesta Group. Some of them spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal details about the work and because they remain subject to nondisclosure agreements. Gates told The Associated Press that he and Manafort introduced the lobbying firms to the European Centre non-profit and occasionally consulted with the firms on Ukrainian politics. He called the actions lawful, and said there was no attempt to circumvent the reporting requirements of the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. The heads of both lobbying firms told The Associated Press they concluded there was no obligation to disclose their activities to the Justice Department. Manafort did not directly respond to The Associated Presss requests to discuss the work, but he was copied on the questions and Gates said he spoke to Manafort before providing answers to them. Political consultants are generally leery of registering under the foreign agents law, because their reputations can suffer once they are on record as accepting money to advocate the interests of foreign governments especially if those interests conflict with Americas. The foreign agent law is enforced by a relatively small division within the counter-espionage section of the Justice Departments National Security Division. Its powers are limited because it cant compel lobbying firms or others to turn over documents without a judges approval, but investigators routinely monitor news reports for evidence of cases that raise suspicions about possible violations. They read the paper every day, said Matthew Miller, a former director of the Justice Departments public affairs division under Attorney General Eric Holder. And if they see things that are potential FARA violations they send letters to the named parties. Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook, did not urge an inquiry Wednesday, but said voters should scrutinize any links between Trumps staff and Russian political interests. Trumps own views and the Republican platform itself have notably backed Russian views and Russian policies, Mook said. It paints a very disturbing picture and I think the voters need to pay a lot of attention to that. The intent of using the two lobbying firms was unclear, but ironically, one of firms Manafort and Gates worked with has strong Democratic and Clinton ties. The founder and chairman of the Podesta Group, Tony Podesta, is the brother of longtime Democratic strategist John Podesta, who now is campaign chairman for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The head of Mercury, Vin Weber, is an influential Republican, former congressman and former special policy adviser to Mitt Romney. Weber announced earlier this month that he will not support Trump. After being introduced to the lobbying firms, the European non-profit paid the Podesta Group $1.13 million between June 2012 and April 2014 to lobby Congress, the White House National Security Council, the State Department and other federal agencies, according to U.S. lobbying records. The non-profit also paid $1.07 million over roughly the same period to Mercury to lobby Congress. Among other issues, Mercury opposed congressional efforts to pressure Ukraine to release one of Yanukovychs political rivals from prison. One former Podesta employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because of a nondisclosure agreement, said Gates described the non-profits role in an April, 2012 meeting as supplying a source of money that could not be traced to the Ukrainian politicians who were paying him and Manafort. In separate interviews, three current and former Podesta employees said disagreements broke out within the firm over the arrangement, which at least one former employee considered obviously illegal. Podesta, who said the project was vetted by his firms counsel, said he was unaware of any such disagreements. A legal opinion drafted for the project for Mercury in May 2012, and obtained by The Associated Press, concluded that the European Centre qualified as a foreign principal under the Foreign Agents Registration Act but said disclosure to the Justice Department was not required. That determination was based on the non-profits assurances that none of its activities was directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed or subsidized by Ukraines government or any of the countrys political parties. The Podesta Groups CEO, Kimberley Fritts, said the two lobbying firms had co-ordinated on the legal conclusion that disclosure was not necessary to the Justice Department. If counsel had determined FARA was the way to go, we would have gladly registered under FARA, she said in a statement to The Associated Press. She said the non-profit provided a signed statement affirming its independence from Ukraines government. People involved in the lobbying project offered contradictory descriptions of how it came about. Podesta told The Associated Press his firm worked closely with the non-profit and with Gates simultaneously. But Podesta said Gates was not working for Yanukovychs political party and said Manafort was not involved. I was never given any reason to believe Rick was a Party of Regions consultant, said John Ward Anderson, a current Podesta employee who attended the meeting, in a statement provided by his firm. My assumption was that he was working for the Centre, as we were. Gates, in contrast, said he was working with Manafort and that both he and Manafort were working for Yanukovychs party. Pointing to Manaforts involvement, Weber said Manafort discussed the project before it began in a conference call with Podesta and himself. The director of the European Centre, Ina Kirsch, told The Associated Press her group never worked with Manafort or Gates and said the group hired the Washington lobbyists on its own. She said she had met with Manafort twice but said neither Manafort nor Gates played a role in its lobbying activities. The centre has declined for years to reveal specific sources of its funding. Prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act are generally rare, although a former U.S. congressman, Mark Siljander, R-Mich., pleaded guilty in July 2010 to illegal lobbying under the law and obstruction of justice for his work with a charity in Khartoum, Sudan, that prosecutors said was suspected of funding international terrorism. Siljander served one year in prison. Lobbyists in general prefer not to register under the foreign agents law because its requirements are so much more demanding, making their activities more open to public scrutiny. The Justice Department, for example, requires those who register as lobbyists on behalf of foreign governments or parties to detail the home addresses of lobbyists and descriptions of all receipts, payments, political contributions and details about any lectures, emails, pamphlets or press releases they create. Lobbying records filed in the U.S. Senate, in contrast, such as the ones describing payments to the Podesta Group and Mercury by the European Centre, are far less detailed. The Justice Departments own published guidelines describe foreign political parties as covered under the law. RELATED: Trumps campaign takes a turn to the far right Donald Trump adds 2 campaign leaders as support slips Read more about: SHARE: Arbitrary arrests are nothing new in Iran. Thousands of people have disappeared into the torture chambers and jail cells of the clerical regime, unmitigated by the election of a more pragmatic president, Hassan Rouhani. Most recently a British dual national was detained under conditions of total secrecy. Rouhanis successful deal to contain Irans nuclear ambitions loosened sanctions and stirred interest from foreign investors. In an apparent attempt to thwart him, reprisals against dual nationals have escalated. The powerful Revolutionary Guard is pushing back against the president, who sees an opening with the West as a win-win for Iran and for his own re-election. The guards are seeking to disrupt those plans. Canadian academic Homa Hoodfar is one of the most recent casualties of these internecine battles. Imprisoned since early June, she will reportedly be tried by a closed Revolutionary Court on undisclosed charges. Before Rouhanis term, an even more dire fate overtook Saeed Malekpour, a Canadian resident and web designer who was scooped up by the guards in 2008 while on a visit to his dying father. They accused him of corrupting the morals of Iranians through the Internet at the behest of foreign spy services. Although Malekpours guilt was never proven during several secretive trials, he was put under a death sentence, later commuted to life in Evin Prison. It was there that Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi was detained in 2003, and later died from torture. Under the Harper government, hostility between Canada and Iran reached a new pitch, and in 2012 Ottawa severed diplomatic ties, closed its Tehran embassy and expelled Iranian diplomats. Now, Foreign Minister Stephane Dion has started official contacts to gradually normalize relations. What Iran wants from this reboot is reopening of the Canadian embassy in Tehran and its own embassy in Ottawa. Now visas to Iran can be obtained only through the Pakistani embassy in Washington, and Iranians planning to travel to Canada must obtain them from our embassy in Ankara. Also on Irans wish list is the extradition of Iranian banker Mahmoud Reza Khavari, wanted on a $2.6-billion bank fraud charge. The renewal of diplomatic relations is welcome. But Iran should not get a free pass. Dion has said he will do everything possible to see that Hoodfar is released. He has been less forthcoming on behalf of Malekpour, who immigrated to Canada in 2004. The government argues that permanent residents do not have the legal protections of citizens. However, the Iranian authorities, who do not recognize dual citizenship, make no such distinctions. Both prisoners should be included in any diplomatic deal to restore relations with Iran. Those who are holding them know they are not criminals, but bargaining chips. Ottawa should recognize that it has a strong hand to play. It is a game not only of diplomacy, but of life and death. Read more about: SHARE: The past few weeks have deeply shaken whatever trust exists between Canadian Muslim communities and law enforcement agencies. First, news and video footage of the heartbreaking and unjustifiable death of a mentally ill Canadian-Somali man in Ottawa as a result of a police intervention. Then, a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled that the RCMP were the key architects of a terrorism plot that was used to entrap two marginalized individuals who had recently converted to Islam. Both of these cases have spotlighted some troubling excesses in our countrys security establishments. They further underscore the need for Canadians to continually question the unequal power balances in our society that can and do sometimes lead to violations of the human rights and dignity of fellow community members. Those who would defend the established systems would argue that these two cases represent isolated incidents, if they would acknowledge mistakes at all. And for those of us who might not be paying close attention; or who are engaged in advocating on one front, and not another, we might just buy that. Except these latest cases represent so many intersecting human rights issues that many who care about such things broadly will be compelled to consider matterss they might not have previously fully understood. When it comes to Canadian Muslims, our public struggle has often centered on human rights violations in the national security context. The killing of Abdirahman Abdi in Ottawa made it critical that we collectively become more attuned to a battle that has raged long before his untimely death. Its a struggle being fought by racialized, often black, communities (which include Muslims, too). Abdis death raises so many questions, and highlights long unanswered ones, about how our police services can be held accountable when it comes to policing marginalized, racialized, mentally ill, poor, and Indigenous communities. Both the questions, and even proposed answers, have all too often been ignored. Thousands of inquest recommendations in this province alone have never been acted upon. The Ontario Human Rights Commission recently stated that the Ontario police complaints system cannot be relied upon to address racial profiling and is not sufficient to restore public trust, following a recent decision to deny the commission the right to participate in a Toronto Police Service disciplinary tribunal investigating how police treated four young black men. A prominent leader from within the Ottawa Jamaican community told me that he didnt think anything would change following Abdis death, nor did he believe his family would achieve justice. Ive seen worse than this, and nothing happened, he told me after reviewing the video of Abdis death, referring to similar cases in the nations capital dating back decades. Others continue to call for an overhaul of our systems to reflect the evolving needs of diverse communities. We need a fundamental and transformative cultural change to policing attitudes and practices, argued criminology professor and policing expert Darryl Davies in a recent Ottawa Life Magazine article. The same conclusion might be drawn from the RCMPs role in manufacturing a terrorist plot, which points to deep flaws in how security agencies operate. Justice Catherine Bruces ruling in the case against John Nuttall and Amanda Korody should serve as a wake-up call for our elected leaders. There must be a balance between the need to protect the public from crime and what is tolerable police conduct in a free and democratic society, wrote Justice Bruce. There is clearly an urgent need for adequate checks, balances, and oversight of those who hold incredible power and authority. With the federal governments current consultations on the Anti-terrorism Act, the time for Canada to properly balance civil liberties with public safety is now. Trust is fundamental to our collective well-being. We need more of it, not less. As the authors of a 2016 Kanishka research study of Canadian Muslim concerns around counter-terrorism policies discovered in their interviews, citizens are losing faith in the state. At the same time, the deeply troubling news of Aaron Drivers alleged plan to carry out an attack in Canada underscores ever-present security fears. Mitigating such risks will require a multi-pronged approach built upon ongoing community engagement and cooperation. Lawmakers at every level of government should pay heed to these complex anxieties and commit to fixing whatever is not working. Canada must remain safe and secure for all. Amira Elghawaby is the communications director at the National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM). SHARE: Cathay Pacific (CPCAY) has reported an 82% drop in profits in the first half of 2016, due largely to increased competition and currency fluctuations. The airline joins a long list of carriers that have found the first half of 2016 challenging. Net income at Hong Kong's flagship airline were HK$353 million ($45 million) in the first half, down from HK$1.97 billion reported in the same period last year. Analysts had been expecting net income of HK$1.07 billion. Shares in fell more than 7% in Hong Kong. They have fallen close to 30% over the past year. Earnings per share also decreased by 82% to HK$0.09 from HK$0.50. The dividend will be cut to HK$0.05 per share to HK$0.26. The company took a HK$4.49 billion loss from fuel hedging contract, which also contributed to the drop in profits. A slowdown in the economy in mainland China adversely impacted the carrier and "economic fragility elsewhere caused restrictions to be placed on corporate travel." Corporate travel originating from Hong Kong was down below expectations, particularly to London and New York. This was the first time there was a drop in passenger numbers since 2009, during the financial crisis. Chairman John Slosar said in a statement, "We expect the operating environment in the second half of the year to continue to be impacted by the same adverse factors as in the first half." He added, "The overall business outlook therefore remains challenging. We expect passenger yield to remain under pressure" The airline said that it will continue its cost-cutting and hiring freeze. Earlier this month Lufthansa (DLAKY) said that continued terrorist attacks in Europe will have a "tangible impact on passenger volumes" and that long-haul servives to Europe have decreased. Air France KLM (AFLYY) also warned that the attacks would hit revenue and said that long-haul bookings had decreased. The company was concerned about the attractiveness of France as a destination following the attack in Nice and last year's attacks in Paris. The lighthouse of the Thyrrhenian Sea - thanks to its typical, regular explosions that coined the term "strombolian activity", Stromboli is one of the most famous and photogenic volcanoes in the world. Aetna, the nation's third largest health insurer, announced that it will pull back from Obamacare exchanges citing losses of more than $430 million since January 2014. (Daron Taylor/The Washington Post) Aetna, the nation's third largest health insurer, announced that it will pull back from Obamacare exchanges citing losses of more than $430 million since January 2014. (Daron Taylor/The Washington Post) Insurance giant Aetnas decision to stop offering much of its individual coverage through the Affordable Care Act is exposing a problem in President Obamas signature health-care law that could lead to another fraught political battle in Congress. Aetnas announcement Monday night was the latest sign that large insurers are losing money in the Affordable Care Acts marketplaces, heightening concerns about the long-term stability of a key part of Obamas domestic policy legacy. But addressing this issue could open the door to a nasty political fight, given that some Republicans have vowed to repeal the law outright. If insurers continue to lose money, more are likely to withdraw from the marketplaces, a move that would reduce choices for consumers and could contribute to higher premiums. In one county, Aetnas exit in 2017 could leave no insurers offering policies through its marketplace. Aetna said it will exit 11 of the 15 states where it offers coverage through the Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare. That affects about 80 percent of its customers covered through insurance marketplaces. The marketplaces, known as insurance exchanges, were created to provide coverage for Americans who cannot get affordable health benefits through a job. A key aspect of the health-care law, the marketplaces allow people to purchase insurance online with subsidies based on their income. Aetna will become the latest health insurer to cut back its participation in the Affordable Care Acts public exchanges. (Jessica Hill/Associated Press) Earlier this month, Humana said it will cut back its participation on the exchanges from 15 states to 11. On an earnings call in July, UnitedHealth Group chief executive Stephen Hemsley announced that his company plans to remain on three or fewer exchange markets. In a reversal of expectations, Anthem said it is projecting mid-single-digit losses on the individual plans it sells on the exchanges for 2016. And Cigna has said that it is losing money on the exchanges, although the insurer is planning to expand its marketplace presence to three new states in 2017. The health-care law is likely to prompt another heated political battle, regardless of which party wins the White House and control of Congress in November. GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has suggested that he would seek to scrap it altogether. Quoting a news story by Reuters on Tuesday, he tweeted: Another health insurer is pulling back due to persistent financial losses on #Obamacare plans. Only the beginning! Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has pledged to modify the law to expand coverage and wants to add a public insurance option. Both candidates proposals would face stiff political headwinds, but several health-care experts said lawmakers could still pursue more modest changes to make the program work better. The idea of somehow repealing it is far-fetched, said Joseph Antos, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. But changing it is not far-fetched. There are many possible policy remedies, but the main issues have to do with the risk pool the balance between healthy people and sick people with higher health-care expenses. Many insurers have noted that people who have signed up for health insurance on the marketplaces are sicker, putting greater demands on the system. You have here a situation which all of us who care about the exchanges have to worry about, said Zeke Emanuel, who served as a top White House health policy adviser during Obamas first term and is now vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania. There is a problem with the risk pool. There is a problem with the numbers of people signing up. One solution would be to entice more people particularly healthy ones to sign up for insurance, whether through a more robust public outreach campaign or by warning them about escalating financial penalties for not having coverage. Another would be to find new and better ways to give insurers that cover the sickest people greater financial relief. There are incremental steps the administration can take to address that, but I think more significant changes would require legislation that could get bipartisan support, said Mark McClellan, director of the Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University. In a statement Tuesday, Clinton spokesman Jesse Ferguson said the candidate is committed to expanding the law, which Obama signed in 2010. Hillary Clinton has outlined concrete plans to make health coverage more affordable in and out of the marketplaces, with more choices, expanded relief for costs, aggressively containing prescription drug expenses and the choice of a public option, he said. Many of these initiatives, along with any move to stiffen the financial penalties for not purchasing insurance, would require congressional approval. In the meantime, however, some insurers are pulling back and at least one county in Arizona has no insurers slated to sell marketplace plans in 2017. Aetna chief executive Mark Bertolini said in a statement that there are not enough healthy people to financially offset those with major health problems who require high-cost care. As of June 30, Aetna covered 838,000 people through the exchanges. In total, 11.1 million people were signed up for the marketplace plans at the end of March. Katherine Hempstead, a senior adviser at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said that these national carriers havent traditionally been the biggest part of the exchanges. I think the market could survive without these guys, she said. Obviously, it would be better to see lots of people seeing a lot of opportunity in this space. . . . But I dont think its a chapter in a Greek tragedy. The decisions also come as four of the major insurers are in a battle with the Obama administration. The Justice Department has blocked two proposed mergers: between Aetna and Humana, and between Anthem and Cigna. The companies are fighting the decisions. Anthem has said that if its proposed deal with Cigna is allowed to go through, it will increase its exchange offerings to nine additional states. Caroline Pearson, a senior vice president at Avalere Health, a health-care consulting firm, said that the lawsuit may have affected the timing of Aetnas announcement in late April, Bertolini described the marketplace as a good investment but not the underlying facts about the viability of the marketplaces. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) said in a statement that the administration deserves the blame. Plans are rapidly exiting the so-called marketplace because Washington has damaged and upended the insurance markets, he said. But Rep. Diana DeGette (Colo.), the top Democrat on Energy and Commerces subcommittee on oversight and investigations, said in an interview Tuesday that Republicans seem to be hell-bent on holding hearings to support their multitude of efforts to repeal the ACA and have totally neglected their duty to try to fix it. DeGette said multiple senior and influential Republicans have told her privately that they are open to tweaking the health-care law after the November elections, when they have a clearer sense of the new political landscape. Theres a long list of things large and small that need to be adjusted, she said. But I dont think anyone can say what that is until we know what the new Congress looks like. Amy Goldstein contributed to this report. The top of the Washington Monument pokes above the new National Museum of African American History and Culture in a view from 14th Street and Constitution Avenue. (Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post) The owners of Northstar Cafe in Columbus, Ohio, think of themselves as good citizens as much as good business people. So when they learned the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington was going to name its in-house restaurant the North Star Cafe, the Midwesterners first considered an alliance, not a cease-and-desist letter. The question we asked ourselves was, Can we license [the name] to them? said Darren Malhame, senior managing partner for Northstar Cafe, a small, fast-casual chain of health- and environmentally-conscious restaurants. Founded by brothers Darren and Kevin Malhame and Kevins wife, Katy, the restaurants are known for their scratch cooking and for sourcing local and organic ingredients for much of its menu. [Why the African American museums food focus will go beyond soul] Northstar, in other words, has a reputation to protect, which is why the chains lawyers put the kibosh on the licensing idea. After all, in 2005, Kevin Malhame had trademarked the name, and the company's attorneys said the owners were duty-bound to protect the trademark against all infringements, even one from a high-profile museum dedicated to people who historically had few rights in America. It breaks our heart that, in this case, we sort of feel like the bad guy, Darren Malhame said. Wed love for the museum to be able to use the name, but we have very good counsel and they assured us it wasnt very practical. Carla Hall is consulting chef for the African American museums restaurant, now called Sweet Home Cafe. (Neilson Barnard/Getty Images for New York City Wine and Food Festival) In response, the African American museum eatery has officially changed its name to Sweet Home Cafe, according to a Smithsonian publicist. The Chew co-host Carla Hall, who has been hired as a consulting chef for the cafe, had not heard about the name change when contacted Tuesday for a comment. The museum and cafe are expected to open on Sept. 24. [African American museum announces consulting chef: TV celeb Carla Hall] Museum officials had originally selected the cafes name because of its connection to the slave trade: Escaped slaves would hide by day and follow the North Star by night on their journey to freedom. Sweet Home Cafe, according to Smithsonian spokeswoman Linda St. Thomas, doesnt have any particular story tied to it. It just kind of has a Southern feel, St. Thomas said about the name. The 400-seat cafe inside the African American museum will be operated jointly by Thompson Hospitality the largest minority-owned foodservice company in America and Restaurant Associates, which runs most of the cafes on Smithsonian properties. The partners behind Sweet Home Cafe expect it to rival Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian, an award-winning eatery that serves indigenous American fare, blurring the line between museum exhibit and museum food. In fact, Mitsitams executive chef, Jerome Grant, is switching jobs to oversee the cafe at the African American museum, where he will officially start on Sept. 6. [How to eat like a native American this Thanksgiving] Chef Jerome Grant will move from the Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian to the new African American Museum, where he will supervise Sweet Home Cafe. (Mike Morgan/For The Washington Post) Borrowing from Mitsitams blueprint, Sweet Home Cafe will feature stations offering food from four regions, which were identified with the help of Jessica B. Harris, a respected author and researcher on African American foodways. The regions are the Agricultural South, the Creole Coast, the North States and the Western Range. The owners of the Northstar chain in Ohio had read about the African American museums grand plans for its restaurant and the story behind the cafes original name. Which is why it pained the company to send a cease-and-desist letter to the museum this year. It was the nicest cease-and-desist letter Ive ever seen, said Malhame. The African American museum, he added, was accommodating in response. Malhame declined to share the letters. The Northstar Cafe owners have spent more than a decade creating a brand that, by all appearances, is beloved in Ohio. The chains three fast-casual restaurants in the Columbus area all enjoy four-star ratings, or higher, on Yelp. The company opened a Northstar in Cincinnati this year, its first foray outside Columbus. More expansion is likely, Malhame said. Managers have the opportunity to invest in the company, and they are doing so at very high rates. Well continue to grow organically as our management team grows organically, Malhame said. That growth, however, will not include a museum cafe operated by other companies. Alexandria These were among incidents reported by the Alexandria Police Department. For information, call 703-838-4636 or visit alexandriava.gov. SEXUAL ASSAULTS King St., 300 block, 11:50 a.m. Aug. 8. A sexual assault was reported. ASSAULTS Beauregard St. N., 2200 block, 5:32 p.m. Aug. 3. An assault was reported. An arrest was made. Braddock Rd. W., 4700 block, 3:28 p.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. Braddock Rd. W., 4800 block, 5:59 a.m. Aug. 4. An assault was reported. Bragg St. S., unit block, 1 p.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. An arrest was made. Bruce Ave., 3900 block, 11:51 a.m. Aug. 10. An assault was reported. Columbus St. S., 400 block, 1:42 a.m. Aug. 5. An assault was reported. An arrest was made. Duke St., 2700 block, 1:02 p.m. Aug. 4. An assault was reported. Edison St., 3600 block, 3 p.m. Aug. 10. An assault was reported. Four Mile Rd., 600 block, 12:01 a.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. An arrest was made. Imboden St. N., 500 block, 11:21 a.m. Aug. 7. An assault was reported. Kenmore Ave., 4700 block, 1:11 p.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. King St., 300 block, 11:50 a.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. Knole Ct., 5300 block, 12:24 a.m. Aug. 9. An assault was reported. An arrest was made. Mill Rd., 2000 block, 1:52 p.m. Aug. 6. An assault was reported. Mount Vernon Ave., 3400 block, 7:28 p.m. Aug. 4. An assault was reported. An arrest was made. Quantrell Ave., 5800 block, 6 p.m. Aug. 4. An assault was reported. An arrest was made. Reynolds St. S., 300 block, 2:05 a.m. Aug. 10. An assault was reported. Reynolds St. S., 300 block, 11:21 p.m. Aug. 4. An assault was reported. Richenbacher Ave., 5400 block, 12:26 a.m. Aug. 4. An assault was reported. Underwood Pl., unit block, 7:47 p.m. Aug. 4. An assault was reported. An arrest was made. Wythe St., 300 block, 4:33 p.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. Wythe St., 900 block, 9:38 p.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. ABDUCTION Columbus St. S., 400 block, 1:42 a.m. Aug. 5. A kidnapping incident was reported. An arrest was made. ROBBERIES Canal Center Plaza, 8:51 p.m. Aug. 10. A robbery was reported. Florence Dr., 3800 block, 3:42 a.m. Aug. 8. A robbery was reported. Yale Dr., 100 block, 11:32 p.m. Aug. 8. A robbery was reported. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Alfred St. S., 100 block, 12:17 a.m. Aug. 4. Property was stolen from a vehicle and property was damaged. Alfred St. N., 300 block, 11:22 a.m. Aug. 3. A theft was reported. Armistead St. N., 400 block, 10:44 p.m. Aug. 5. Property was entered. An arrest was made. Beauregard St. N., 1400 block, 11:10 p.m. Aug. 9. A theft was reported. Braddock Rd. W., 4700 block, 10:45 p.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. Cameron St., 1600 block, 10 p.m. Aug. 4. Property was stolen from a vehicle and property was damaged. Cameron Station Blvd., 100 block, 4:24 p.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. Canal Center Plaza, 7:04 p.m. Aug. 8. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Commonwealth Ave., 1700 block, 7:43 p.m. Aug. 8. A theft was reported. Commonwealth Ave., 3700 block, 2:40 p.m. Aug. 3. Property was entered. An arrest was made. Dawes Ave. and King St., 11:42 a.m. Aug. 8. A theft was reported. Diagonal Rd., 1800 block, 9:51 a.m. Aug. 10. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Duke St., 4600 block, 6:05 p.m. Aug. 8. A theft was reported. Eisenhower Ave., 2200 block, 8:44 p.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. Eisenhower Ave., 2300 block, 5:56 p.m. Aug. 6. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Elbert Ave., 3900 block, 6:20 p.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported. Elbert Ave., 3900 block, 8:28 p.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported. Fairfax St. S., 600 block, 10:20 a.m. Aug. 8. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Fayette St. N., 700 block, 4:07 p.m. Aug. 4. Property was entered. Glebe Rd. E., 100 block, 9:50 p.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported and property was damaged. Highview Lane N., 1400 block, 2:34 a.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. Highview Lane N., 1400 block, 3:48 a.m. Aug. 3. A theft was reported. Holland Lane, 400 block, 4:23 p.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported. Holmes Run Pkwy., 5300 block, 3 p.m. Aug. 4. Property was entered. Holmes Run Pkwy., 5300 block, 9 p.m. Aug. 10. Property was entered. Holmes Run Pkwy., 5300 block, 9:24 p.m. Aug. 10. Property was entered. Holmes Run Pkwy., 5500 block, 9:26 a.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. Jefferson Davis Hwy., 2500 block, 12:45 p.m. Aug. 5. A theft was reported. Jefferson Davis Hwy., 3100 block, 2:08 p.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported. An arrest was made. Jefferson Davis Hwy., 3600 block, 2:14 p.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. King St., 300 block, 10:42 p.m. Aug. 5. A theft was reported. King St., 3500 block, 3:13 p.m. Aug. 6. A shoplifting incident was reported. An arrest was made. Madison St., 200 block, 6:48 p.m. Aug. 6. A theft was reported. Madison St., 1200 block, 1:09 p.m. Aug. 4. Property was entered. Mason Ave. E., 400 block, 11:24 a.m. Aug. 5. A theft was reported and property was damaged. Mill Rd., 2100 block, 3:23 p.m. Aug. 10. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Mount Vernon Ave., 3400 block, 7:28 p.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. An arrest was made. Mount Vernon Ave., 3700 block, 3:30 p.m. Aug. 4. Property was entered. An arrest was made. Old Dominion Blvd., 3900 block, 7:03 p.m. Aug. 9. A theft was reported. An arrest was made. Pegram St. N., 700 block, 9:11 a.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. Princess St., 500 block, 12:03 p.m. Aug. 3. A theft was reported. Quantrell Ave., 5800 block, 1:32 p.m. Aug. 9. A theft was reported. Quantrell Ave., 5800 block, 2:47 p.m. Aug. 3. A theft was reported. Reynolds Rd. S., unit block, 5:03 p.m. Aug. 10. A theft was reported. Royal St. S., 500 block, 4:11 p.m. Aug. 3. A shoplifting incident was reported. Royal St. S., 800 block, 11:41 p.m. Aug. 9. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Seminary Rd., 4900 block, 9:01 a.m. Aug. 6. A theft was reported. Seminary Rd., 5000 block, 4:20 p.m. Aug. 8. A theft was reported. Seminary Rd., 5000 block, 9:11 p.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. Strutfield Lane, 4500 block, 8:41 a.m. Aug. 8. A theft was reported. Van Dorn St. N., 700 block, 8:17 a.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Glendale Ave. E., 500 block, 7:47 a.m. Aug. 10. A vehicle was stolen. Jamestown Lane, 2600 block, 3:30 p.m. Aug. 8. A vehicle was stolen. Jefferson Davis Hwy., 3600 block, 3:01 p.m. Aug. 5. A vehicle was stolen. Sunset Dr., unit block, 9:45 a.m. Aug. 4. A vehicle was stolen. Suter St., 1600 block, 1:01 p.m. Aug. 4. A vehicle was stolen. VANDALISM Armistead St. N., 400 block, 1:08 a.m. Aug. 11. Property was damaged. Braddock Rd. W., 4700 block, 7:33 a.m. Aug. 9. Property was damaged. Canterbury Sq., unit block, 8:08 a.m. Aug. 7. Property was damaged. Commonwealth Ave., 1700 block, 7:43 p.m. Aug. 8. Property was damaged. Edsall Rd., 5900 block, 10:16 p.m. Aug. 10. Property was damaged. Executive Ave., 3900 block, 2:56 p.m. Aug. 4. Property was damaged. Holmes Run Pkwy., 5400 block, 2:18 p.m. Aug. 5. Property was damaged. Holmes Run Pkwy., 5400 block, 2:33 p.m. Aug. 5. Property was damaged. Holmes Run Pkwy., 5400 block, 7:48 p.m. Aug. 5. Property was damaged. Kenmore Ave., 4700 block, 5:49 p.m. Aug. 8. Property was damaged. Merton Ct., 5700 block, 6:13 p.m. Aug. 7. Property was damaged. Mount Vernon Ave., 3800 block, 12:49 p.m. Aug. 9. Property was damaged. Richenbacher Ave., 5400 block, 12:26 a.m. Aug. 4. Property was damaged. Ripley St. N., 600 block, 10:56 a.m. Aug. 5. Property was damaged. Ripley St. N., 600 block, 11:54 a.m. Aug. 5. Property was damaged. Seminary Rd., 4900 block, 7:43 p.m. Aug. 8. Property was damaged. Van Dorn St. S., 500 block, 3:57 a.m. Aug. 7. Property was damaged. Arlington These were among incidents reported Aug. 4-10 by the Arlington County Police Department. For information, call 703-558-2222 or visit newsroom.arlingtonva.us. SEXUAL ASSAULTS Courthouse Rd. N., 1400 block, 10:57 p.m. Aug. 9. A sexual assault was reported. Piedmont St. N., 500 block, 10:43 p.m. Aug. 2. A man approached a female and grabbed her buttocks. He fled from the scene. ASSAULTS Buchanan St. S., 900 block. An assault was reported. Columbia Pike S., 4700 block. An assault was reported. Courthouse Rd. N., 1400 block, 7:48 a.m. Aug. 10. Two people fought. Courthouse Rd. N., 1400 block, 8:38 a.m. Aug. 9. An assault was reported. George Mason Dr. N., 1600 block, 12:17 p.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. George Mason Dr. N., 1700 block. An assault was reported. Hayes St. S., 1600 block. An assault was reported. Jefferson Davis Hwy. S., 1000 block. An assault was reported. Lee Hwy. N., 1400 block. An assault was reported. Longfellow St. N., 1500 block, 8:40 a.m. Aug. 8. An assault was reported. Lynn St. N., 1800 block. An assault was reported. Potomac Ave. S., 2800 block. An assault was reported. Stuart St. N., 900 block, 6:33 a.m. Aug. 4. An assault was reported. Wilson Blvd., 3100 block, 2 a.m. Aug. 5. A man was struck in the face after an argument. An Alexandria man, 34, was charged. Wilson Blvd., 4600 block, 1:42 a.m. Aug. 10. Two people fought. Fifth Rd. N., 4000 block. An assault was reported. Eighth St. S., 5600 block. An assault was reported. 22nd St. S., 3500 block. An assault was reported. 26th St. N., 5600 block. An assault was reported. ROBBERIES Arlington Mill Dr. S., 2700 block, 12:36 p.m. Aug. 3. A man assaulted a male after asking for money and then took his cellphone and threw it to the ground. A man, 26, of no fixed address,was charged. Joyce St. S., 1200 block, 9:50 a.m. Aug. 6. A man assaulted a female acquaintance and took her cellphone. An Arlington man, 26, was charged. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Chain Bridge Rd. N., 4100 block. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Clarendon Blvd. N., 1500 block, 8:39 a.m. Aug. 4. A theft was reported. Clarendon Blvd. N., 2000 block, 8:10 a.m. Aug. 9. A theft was reported. Clark St. S., 3500 block. A theft was reported. Columbia Pike, 2800 block, 2:51 p.m. Aug. 9. A theft was reported. Columbia Pike, 5500 block. A theft was reported. Courthouse Rd. N., 1400 block, 1:34 p.m. Aug. 6. A theft was reported. Crystal Dr. S., 2000 block. An employee theft was reported. Dickerson St. S., 700 block, 8:35 p.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported. Fairfax Dr. N., 3800 block. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Fillmore St. N., 100 block, 1:59 p.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported. Four Mile Run Dr. S., 4000 block, 4 a.m. Aug. 8. A man attempted to enter a store by smashing a window. An Arlington man, 20, was charged. Glebe Rd. N., 300 block. Property was entered. Hayes St. S., 700 block. An attempt was made to steal property. Hayes St. S., 1000 block. A theft was reported. Hayes St. S., 1000 block. An employee theft was reported. Hayes St. S., 1100 block. An attempt was made to steal property. Hayes St. S., 1100 block. Three thefts were reported. Hayes St. S., 1200 block. Five thefts were reported. Jefferson Davis Hwy. S., 1800 block, 12:30 a.m. Aug. 3. Responding to a report, police found a man who entered a vehicle and in possession of credit cards and burglarious tools. A man, 19, of no fixed address, was charged. Jefferson Davis Hwy. S., 2700 block. A credit card was stolen. Joyce St. S., 1100 block. A theft was reported. Kenmore St. S., 2400 block. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Lee Hwy. N., 1400 block. A theft was reported. Lynn St. N., 1700 block. Two thefts were reported. Quincy St. N., 500 block. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Quincy St. N., 800 block, 3:13 p.m. Aug. 6. A theft was reported. Stuart St. N., 900 block, 3:52 p.m. Aug. 5. A theft was reported. Washington Blvd., 3400 block, 3:17 p.m. Aug. 4. A shoplifting incident was reported. Wayne St. N., 1900 block, 8:43 a.m. Aug. 9. A theft was reported. Wilson Blvd. N., 2100 block, 5:26 p.m. Aug. 4. A bicycle was stolen. Wilson Blvd. N., 2700 block, 10:04 a.m. Aug. 9. A theft was reported. Wilson Blvd. N., 3200 block, 6:50 p.m. Aug. 6. A theft was reported. Yorktown Blvd. N., 5200 block. An employee theft was reported. Third St. S., 3200 block. Property was stolen from a vehicle. Eighth Rd. S., 5100 block. A theft was reported. Ninth Rd. S., 2500 block, 2:25 p.m. Aug. 8. A theft was reported. 10th St. N., 2500 block, 12:27 p.m. Aug. 7. A theft was reported. 11th Rd. N., 6100 block, 10:38 a.m. Aug. 5. A theft was reported. 23rd St. S., 400 block. Property was stolen from a vehicle. 23rd St. S., 500 block. A theft was reported. 24th St. S., 500 block, 9 a.m. Aug. 4 to 9 a.m. Aug. 6. Property was stolen from a residence. 24th St. S., 500 block. A theft was reported. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Calvert St. N., 1900 block, 2:44 a.m. Aug. 6. A gray 2012 Toyota Camry was stolen. Columbia Pike S., 5500 block, Aug. 4. A blue and gray 2016 Yamaha was stolen. Glebe Rd. N., 1700 block, 11:46 a.m. Aug. 4. A vehicle was used without permission. Ode St. S., 700 block, Aug. 9. A silver 2002 Honda Accord was stolen. Shirlington Rd. S., 2400 block, 4:30 p.m. Aug. 4. After an argument, a man removed his belt and began hitting a female with it. The female broke a bottle and slashed the mans hand. Then the man fled from the scene with the females moped. An Arlington man, 46, was charged. 12th St. S., 3900 block, Aug. 5. A white 2005 Chrysler was stolen. VANDALISM Arlington Mill Dr. S., 800 block, 6:07 p.m. Aug. 9. Property was damaged. Crystal Dr. S., 1600 block. Property was damaged. Fern St. S., 2700 block. A vehicle was tampered with. George Mason Dr. S., 600 block. A vehicle was tampered with. Glebe Rd. S., 300 block, 10:56 a.m. Aug. 6. Property was damaged. Greenbrier St. N., 2700 block, 11:19 a.m. Aug. 7. Property was damaged. Key Blvd. N., 2800 block, 1:19 p.m. Aug. 9. Property was damaged. Mckinley Rd. N., 1600 block, noon Aug. 8. Property was damaged. Randolph St. S., 2800 block. Property was damaged. Sycamore St. N., 2400 block, 9:10 a.m. Aug. 5. A theft was reported. Wilson Blvd. N., 3100 block, 11:01 a.m. Aug. 7. Property was damaged. 27th Rd. N., 5200 block, 7:23 a.m. Aug. 9. Property was damaged. Anne Arundel County The following incidents were reported by the Anne Arundel County police. For information, call 410-222-8050. BROOKLYN AREA SEX OFFENSE Cedar Hill and Snow Hill lanes, 3:45 p.m. Aug. 4. A man described as between 30 and 40 years old picked up a woman in Baltimore City and sexually assaulted her at a cemetery. CROFTON AREA ROBBERIES Jones Falls Ct., 10:20 a.m. Aug. 4. Two males demanded cash from another man. When he told them he had none, he was pushed to the ground and hit on the head with a hard object. The assailants fled. CURTIS BAY AREA SEX OFFENSE Stahl Point and Ordinance roads, 3:30 a.m. Aug. 6. A man described as in his late 30s picked up a woman in a truck and sexually assaulted her. GLEN BURNIE AREA ROBBERIES Crain Hwy., 600 block, Aug. 11. A woman propositioned a man at a restaurant. When the man declined, the woman grabbed cash he was holding and fled. Hideaway Loop, 400 block, 4 a.m. Aug. 8. A male tried to rob a man, 58, in a parking lot. The man ran but fell. The robber took his wallet and shot him in the lower body. SEVERN AREA ROBBERIES Stillmeadows Dr. near Robin Ct., 3:30 a.m. Aug. 8. Two armed assailants demanded property from two people and fired two rounds in their direction as they fled. Annapolis These were among incidents reported by the Annapolis Police Department. For information, call 410-268-9000. ROBBERIES Cove Rd., 1100 block, 12:40 a.m. Aug. 11. An armed male hit a food delivery worker in the face with a gun. The delivery worker tried to run, but two other males assaulted him, stole his wallet, cash and food, and fled. Forest Hills and Bay Ridge Ave. 2 p.m. Aug. 4. Two male youths pushed a youth off his bike and fled on the bike. Police recovered the bike nearby. WEAPONS Tyler Ave., 1400 block, 10:30 p.m. Aug. 7. A female passenger in a vehicle was shot, and three unoccupied vehicles were hit with gunfire. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Berwick Dr., 900 block, 5 p.m. Aug. 5 to noon Aug. 6. A vehicle was entered; nothing was reported stolen. Brooke Ave., 6:45 a.m. Aug. 7. A man was seen trying to open doors on vehicles. An Annapolis man, 25, was charged with theft from a vehicle. Charles St., 100 block, 5 p.m. Aug. 5 to 12:30 p.m. Aug. 6. A window was unzipped on a convertible top, and a package was stolen from a vehicle. Fairfax Rd., 1900 block, 11 p.m. Aug. 8 to 5 a.m. Aug. 9. Two vehicles were entered; nothing was reported stolen. Genessee St., 700 block, 7 p.m. Aug. 3 to 5:45 a.m. Aug. 4. Items were moved around a home, but nothing was reported stolen. Genessee St., 700 block, 6:45 p.m. Aug. 6 to 10:45 a.m. Aug. 7. A bicycle was stolen from a garage. Granville Ave., 100 block, 3 p.m. Aug. 9 to 6 p.m. Aug. 10. A bicycle was stolen from a garage. Lafayette Ave., 100 block, 12:01-7:20 a.m. Aug. 5. Cash and a television were stolen from a home. Vehicle keys were also stolen but were found inside the vehicles. Lafayette Ave., 100 block, 11 p.m. Aug. 6 to 11 a.m. Aug. 7. A vehicle key and television were stolen from a home. Lafayette Ave., 11:59 p.m. Aug. 9. A male entered a home through an unlocked window but fled when the homeowner returned. Langdon Ct., 900 block, 2:30 a.m. Aug. 6. An attempt was made to enter a locked vehicle. An unlocked vehicle was entered, but nothing was reported stolen. Merryman Rd., 400 block, 8:30 p.m. Aug. 9 to 9:20 a.m. Aug. 10. An iPod, headphones, prescription medication and vehicle parts were stolen from a vehicle. Northwest St., 6:30 p.m. Aug. 5 to 4:35 a.m. Aug. 6. A convertible top was cut. and a window smashed on a vehicle, but nothing was reported stolen. Park Ave., 1000 block, 10:45 p.m. Aug. 10 to 1:20 a.m. Aug. 11. A vehicle was entered, but nothing was reported stolen. Poplar Ave., 1700 block, 10:30 p.m. Aug. 9 to 6 a.m. Aug. 10. A vehicle was entered, but nothing was reported stolen. Primrose Rd., 1000 block, Aug. 7 to Aug. 9. A television was stolen from an apartment. Severn Ave., 400 block, 10 p.m. Aug. 9 to 7 a.m. Aug. 10. A television and a backpack were stolen from a home. Stonecreek Rd., 1400 block, 10 p.m. Aug. 9 to 9:50 a.m. Aug. 10. Cash and gift cards were stolen from a vehicle. Tyler Ave., 1300 block, 11 p.m. Aug. 5 to 8:30 a.m. Aug. 6. Keys to a vehicle and the vehicle were stolen from a home. A Glen Burnie woman, 29, was charged with first-, third- and fourth-degree burglary, motor vehicle theft and theft. West St., 200 block, 11:45 a.m. Aug. 6 to 6:20 a.m. Aug. 7. Headphones and a video game unit were stolen from a vehicle. West St., 1900 block, 11:30 a.m. Aug. 7. A wallet was stolen from a vehicle. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Route 665, 11:15 a.m. Aug. 9. A man on a motorcycle with a concealed tag avoided a traffic stop, dropped the motorcycle and fled on foot. Investigation revealed the motorcycle was stolen from Virginia. An Annapolis man, 20, was charged with theft, drug possession and traffic violations. Howard County These were among incidents reported by the Howard County Police Department. For information, call 410-313-2236. COLUMBIA AREA ROBBERIES Sunny Spring, 6100 block, 3 p.m. Aug. 4. Four people assaulted a male pedestrian and tried to steal his phone. The pedestrian fled, and nothing was stolen. Turnabout Lane, 6100 block, July 16 to Aug. 4. A laptop computer was stolen from an apartment. Whiteacre Rd., 9600 block, July 24. Two armed men stole wallets, phones and jewelry from two people and fled. Two Columbia men, both 25, were charged with armed robbery, robbery, first- and second-degree assault, theft, illegal possession of a firearm and other charges. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Cloudleap Ct., 8700 block, 11:29 a.m. Aug. 7. Electronic devices and cash were stolen from a home. Columbia Rd., 4900 block, 5:15 p.m. Aug. 8. A man returning to his apartment found two armed robbers inside. They threatened him and demanded cash. The robbers fled with cash and two handguns. Columbia Rd., 5300 block, 5:46 a.m. Aug. 7. A man seen trying to open a front door at a home fled when he was confronted. Dobbin Center Way, 6400 block, 12:45 a.m. Aug. 9. A front window was broken and an electrical box was damaged at a business. Eliots Oak Rd., 5000 block, 10 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. Aug. 4. Cash and jewelry were stolen from a home. Green Moon Path, 9600 block, 11:18 a.m. Aug. 9. A bicycle was stolen from a garage. Guilford Rd., 8600 block, 5 a.m. Aug. 3. Someone entered a fast-food restaurant through a drive-through window; nothing was reported stolen. Harpers Farm Rd., 5400 block, 1 a.m. Aug. 4. A television and a laptop computer were stolen from an apartment. Minstrel Way, 7100 block, 2:03 a.m. Aug. 9. Cash and a television were stolen from a barber shop. Pleasant View Dr., 12300 block, 6:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Aug. 4. A checkbook and jewelry were stolen from a home. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Columbia Rd., 4900 block, 7:03 a.m. Aug. 3. A Yamaha motorcycle was stolen. Columbia Rd., 4900 block, 6 p.m. Aug. 5 to 9 a.m. Aug. 6. A bicycle was stolen from a balcony. Waterloo Rd., 5600 block, 9:49 a.m. Aug. 6. A 2015 Ford Fusion was stolen. ELKRIDGE AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Sage Ave., 7800 block, 9:25 a.m. Aug. 6. Credit cards were stolen from a vehicle parked in a garage. Washington Blvd., 8:25 p.m. Aug. 5. A television and shoes were stolen from a storage unit. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Mandrake Ct., 7600 block, 12:22 p.m. Aug. 6. A white Mazda 3 was stolen. ELLICOTT CITY AREA ROBBERIES Baltimore National Pike, 8400 block, 12:47 p.m. Aug. 6. A man demanded cash from a bank employee and fled. A District Heights man, 37, was charged with armed robbery, robbery, theft, first- and second-degree assault, illegal possession of a firearm and other charges. Ellicott Center Dr., 3400 block, 12:24 p.m. Aug. 4. Two armed assailants robbed a federal credit union and fled. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Old Farm Lane, 7800 block, 1:16 a.m. Aug. 5. Two males and a female were seen trying to enter several vehicles. Roundhill Ct., 4800 block, 9:15 a.m. to 7:15 p.m. Aug. 3. Jewelry was stolen from a home. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Dorsey Hall Rd., 4700 block, 1:35 p.m. Aug. 3. A 2014 black-and-red Suzuki motorcycle was stolen. Town and Country Blvd., 8600 block, 8:54 a.m. Aug. 4. A white Hyundai Elantra was stolen. HIGHLAND AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Browns Bridge Rd., 7400 block, Aug. 3 to Aug. 4. A shotgun, case and shells were stolen from a home. JESSUP AREA MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Washington Blvd., 8200 block, 10:05 a.m. Aug. 4. A 2003 green GMC Yukon was stolen. LAUREL AREA ASSAULTS Cross St., 11:15 p.m. Aug. 5. A man assaulted another man, took something from his pocket and fled. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Blues Alley, 9100 block, July 30 to Aug. 3. Cash was stolen from a home. Bourbon St., 9100 block, 7:45 p.m. Aug. 8. Jewelry was stolen from a home, and a chair was stolen from a porch. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Donnan Castle Ct., 9500 block, 9:24 a.m. Aug. 5. A 2009 metallic gray Ford Mustang was stolen. Lynn Buff Ct., 9500 block, 9:20 a.m. Aug. 5. A 1983 Peterbilt semitrailer was stolen. SAVAGE AREA ROBBERIES River Island Dr., 8900 block, 10:51 a.m. Aug. 9. Three males robbed another male of his wallet, phone and other electronic devices at knifepoint. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Bollman Pl., 8700 block, 11:15 p.m. Aug. 6. A business was entered; nothing was reported stolen. The family of Armen Gevorgyan, Armenias former Deputy Prime Minister and currently secretary of Armenias National Security Council, has planted deep roots in the Czech Republic, where they are in the rental real estate business. Heres a brief history of Gevorgyans government service. In 1997-1998, he was an assistant to the Armenian prime minister. He then held various positions in the staff of Armenian President Robert Kocharian from 1998-2008. From April 1998, he was a presidential assistant and a first assistant as of 2000. From 2006, he was the chief in the presidential staff. At the same time, from June 2007 until April 2008, Gevorgyan also served as the Secretary of the National Security Council (NSS). In April 2008, Serzh Sargsyan dismissed him as staff chief and NSS secretary. He was appointed minister of territorial Administration and deputy prime minister. He was reappointed minister and deputy prime minister in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In October 2014, he submitted his resignation from these posts. On June 6, 2016, he was reappointed NSS secretary. Despite enjoying a great deal of influence during the tenures of Kocharian and Sargsyan, Gevorgyan is a very prudent individual. Its no secret that his friend, Samvel Mayrapetyan, is one of the major builders of real estate taken over by the government as eminent domain. The Haykakan Zhamanak newspaper has written about the activities of this pair, especially in the construction sphere, and how various officials have obtained apartments in the buildings constructed by Mayrapetyan. Denying his participation in this activity, the former deputy prime minister noted in a conversation with MediaMax, that the businessman Mayrapetyan is a close friend. They write a lot about my opportunities in business and my links to the construction sphere. My good friend Samvel Mayrapetyan, who is involved in construction, started to get involved in business back in the years when I wasnt in Armenia. Hes created opportunities himself, and Ive never mediated for his projects. Furthermore, taking into account our friendship, hes always done things so that no one can charge him with violating competition rules. But, what official would announce that he or she has intervened on behalf of a friend or say that they have interests in that business? It would be naivete to even think of such a thing. Moreover, Armen Gevorgyan resides at 66 Teryan Street in Yerevan; a luxury building built by Mayrapetyan. Naturally, Gevorgyans name doesnt appear in any of the companies owned by Mayrapetyan. But there is definitive evidence that Gevorgyan is interested in real estate. Those interests are located in the Czech Republic. Companies registered in the name of family members OFTOMA On October 21, 2008, Armen Gevorgyans wife, Tamara Gevorgyan, registered OFTOMA Ltd, in Prague. The company engages in the rental of residential and non-residential space, wholesale and retail trade, services facilitating trade and service provision, and other real estate processes. Tamara Gevorgyan was the sole shareholder until 2009. An optometrist by profession, Tamara Gevorgyan graduated the Yerevan State Medical University. In January 2009, 15% of company shares each were obtained by Zhanna Gevorgyan and Karmen Sahakyan. The former is the mother of Armen Gevorgyan, and the latter is Tamara Gevorgyans mother. (Shes the Head of the Department of Histology at Yerevan State Medical University). After the new shareholders came on board, OFTOMA address changed from downtown Prague to Ibiskova 439 in the Osnice neighborhood in the town of Jesenice, near the Czech capital. The above house, as it turns out, belongs to the company. According to the Czech Real Estate Registry (LV- List vlastnictvi) the lands below noted in red, are also owned by the company. The property listed as #639 measures 223 sq. meters; the land of the private house. Theres the 130/32 land next to the house measuring 1,097 sq. meters, and the 130/22 plot a bit distant from the house measuring 2,929 sq. meters. (See below map) As the above 3D photo shows, the land is suitable to build a private house. The house opposite the land is now up for sale. The land is 2,000 sq. meters and the two-story house built upon it measures 297 sq. meters. The propertys price is 22.5 million Koruna ($920,000). There is another private house (129 sq. meters) and an adjacent plot (1,244 sq. meters) being sold for 9.5 million Koruna ($390,000) in the Osnice neighborhood which is more like OFTOMA house. Studying the current house prices in Jesenice via the internet, we can conclude that the private house of the relatives of Armen Gevorgyan is worth around 10 million Czech Koruna (around $409,000). RUBENDYAN INVEST This company was founded on December 27, 2010 by Yerevan resident Ruben Hakhverdyan, registered at 36B Komitas Street. He is the father of Tamara Gevorgyan. The sole shareholder at the time of the companys founding was Ruben Hakhverdyan. There were two directors Hakhverdyan and local resident Radim Snoza, who lives in the Osnice neighborhood. They registered the company at the OFTOMA address; Ibiskova 439. This companys business is the same as OFTOMA real estate rental. RUBENDYAN INVEST owns an apartment and two non-residential spaces at 1127 Nakupni Street (see below photo) RUBENDYAN CONSULT Soon after RUBENDYAN INVEST was registered, Radim Snoza and Marcela Snozova (either Radims wife or sister; theres a ten-year age difference), founded RUBENDYAN CONSULT. They are co-directors and own 50% each. Naturally, this company also has links to the other companies owned by Gevorgyans relatives, otherwise it wouldnt carry the abbreviated name of Ruben Hakhverdyan. In the first year financial documents, RUBENDYAN CONSULT was listed as engaged in administrative, office and other business services. As of 2012, its listed as engaged in the retail sale of drug store equipment. The companys address is Jesenice - Osnice, Ibiskova 545; directly adjacent to Ibiskova 439. According to the Czech Real Estate Registry, KVEBITA INVEST (founded 2009), owns the house (225 sq. meters) and the adjacent land (1,172 sq. meters). KVEBITA is equally owned by Radim Snoza and Marcela Snozova. It too is engaged in the rental of residential and non-residential property. RUBENDYAN CITY Founded on August 26, 2011 by Radim and Marcela, this company is also in the real estate rental business. In September, the two transferred their 50% holdings to Andranik and Zhanna Gevorgyan. Andranik is Armen Gevorgyans father. In June 2013, Andranik and Zhanna transferred their shares to RUBENDYAN HOLDING. In February 2014, RUBENDYAN CITY placed its holdings as collateral with the Czech affiliate of the German LBBW bank. RUBENDYAN CITYs assets are huge. The company owns three four-story buildings on Cedrova Street in Jesenice and adjacent plots of land. (See below map outlined in red) The small neighborhood measures 6,942 sq. meters. Its all placed as collateral. The apartments in these buildings are rentals. For example, a 79 sq. meter apartment on the first floor goes for 12,775 Koruna monthly ($530). An underground parking space goes for 600 Koruna. Heres an interesting sidebar about RUBENDYAN CONSULT and RUBENDYAN CITY. In 2014, these companies went to court, requesting that it declare the Czech company NOVERA GROUP Ltd. bankrupt. NOVERA was a partner of CITY, and was engaged in construction, blueprint drafting and other real estate affiliated business. It was the developer of a 14,713 sq. meter plot of land adjacent to the RUBENDYAN CITY buildings. (see above photo, outlined in green. These too were put up as collateral) From left, unfinished NOVERA GROUP construction, and the little RUBENDYAN CITY neighborhood As we learn from court documents, NOVERA rented apartments in three CITY buildings and in turn rented them to around 90 people. NOVERA, as a guarantee, collected some 950,000 Koruna from these people. The money was to be returned at the end of the lease. This wasnt the case. In addition, the company had 4 million Koruna in tax liability, plus it owed more than 3 million Koruna ($130,000) in rental debt to CITY. Furthermore, to repair construction defects on its property, NOVERA took out a loan. As aresult, it owed more than 16 million Koruna ($658,000) to CITY. In 2015, the court found the debtor bankrupt and the company was then liquidated. RUBENDYAN HOLDING This company, also engaged in the rental of residential and non-residential real estate, is unique in that it encompasses all the players listed in this article. Of course, all except Armen Gevorgyan. The holding company was founded on December 21, 2012. The president of the board of directors is Radim Snoza. Members of the board are Marcela Snozova, Andranik Gevorgyan, Ruben Hakhverdyan and Tamara Gevorgyan. When founded, the shareholders were the couples Andranik and Zhanna Gevorgyan, Ruben Hakhverdyan and Karmen Sahakyan, and Radim Snoza and Marcela Snozova. Charter capital amounted to 2.1 million Koruna (around $87,600). Each person owed 35 shares. Each share was worth 10,000 Koruna. This is the Czech business network of Armen Gevorgyans family. Tamara Gevorgyans Financial Disclosure (2011-2013) Armen Gevorgyans Financial Disclosure (2009-2013) Armen Gevorgyan Says No Laws Have Been Violated To get Armen Gevorgyans side of the story regarding his familys business interests in the Czech Republic, Hetq sent him some questions in writing. Here are his answers. Your family has invested in the Czech real estate sector. What attracted them to invest there? The decision of my relatives to invest in the Czech Republic was first based on my familys friendly relations with a businessman there. (Perhaps he is referring to Radim Snoza - Hetq). He had proposed some interesting ideas and possibilities, and agreed to assume the ongoing management of the work and projects. The project assumed the creation of social condominiums, planned for a vulnerable sector of the population for pensioners and young families who need more accessible rental apartments. In addition, the condominiums include a medical and social center to service them. The residents are mostly pensioners, who give the apartments they own for rent. With the revenue, they rent more accessible condo apartments and receive a certain income. Prior to launching this project, the feasibility of doing it in Armenia was discussed, but it was regarded as unrealistic taking into account the lack of demand by those able to pay. Marketing studies showed that the demand for such services was greater on the part of residents of Germany, who desire, after retiring, to live in a country inexpensively but comfortably, like the Czech Republic. To carry out the project, resources were gathered from local banks as well as from third parties, in the form of long-term loans and borrowing. The resources of the founders and their relatives were also partially included. The main portion of the project is in the implementation stage and incomplete, given certain economic and legal problems. After leaving the government sector, for the past 1-1.5 years, I too participated in finding new sources of finance. Im especially talking about foundations corresponding to international organizations and local management bodies, taking into account the social direction of the project. My return to government service prevented me from continuing this work, but the team thats been set up can get the project up and working. It can be an interesting model, in the future, for other places, and even Armenia. Your wife and you never disclosed the above property? Regarding disclosure, I am not the owner of any property in the project. Neither am I a founder of any organization and I never participated in the management of the project. Thus, there is no information in the disclosure during the time I left office and when I returned. My wife, Tamara Gevorgyan, is the founder of two legal entities (Armen Gevorgyan means OFTOMA and RUBENDYAN INVEST - Hetq) which own the property. She provided information about her participation in the founding of the organizations in the 2008 and 2011 disclosures. They were presented to the tax agencies in the correct order and time. I must point out that neither I nor my relatives have violated or violate, in any way, the law. We have acted and act according to our own abilities, utilizing accessible financial resources, mostly loans and borrowing. Weve never tried to conceal or hide our participation. The data regarding the organizations founders, to be found in the websites of the corresponding registrar bodies, are always open and available to all. P.S. Attached to the answers, Armen Gevorgyan provided his wifes 2008 and 2011 disclosures he referred to above. In October 2008, Tamara Gevorgyan founded OFTOMA. According to that years disclosure (the document doesnt exist in ethics.am. The site only has disclosures of officials and related individuals as of 2001), she invested $10,800. In essence, its the resources spent to found OFTOMA. We must remember that the company had owned a private house and land since 2009, that are also investments. Armen Gevorgyan didnt mention this. In 2011, Tamara Gevorgyan became a 25% shareholder in RUBENDYAN INVEST. According to the 2011 disclosure, provided to us by Armen Gevorgyan that 25% comprised $2,900. In ethics.am, the line in the disclosure of the same year regarding the obtained and sold shares and other investments belonging to Tamara Gevorgyan is filled in as protected. In other words, its secret. For 2012 and 2013, the line reads No data. Officials in Arlington County found elevated levels of lead in a drinking fountain at Jamestown Elementary. The school district began testing for lead this summer, prompted by concerns raised in school districts across the country about lead contamination in drinking water in schools. (Amanda Voisard/For The Washington Post) Northern Virginia school systems have begun testing water from drinking fountains, cafeteria sinks and other sources in schools for lead, a move spurred by the crisis in Flint, Mich., where officials found widespread lead contamination in water that flowed to homes and schools. Public health officials in Manassas City, Alexandria and Arlington County took samples from water fountains and school cafeterias. The tests found traces of lead in schools in all three districts, prompting officials in Manassas City and Arlington to remove drinking fountains and replace fixtures. In Alexandria, traces of lead were found in four samples, but all were well below 15 parts per billion, the threshold at which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends taking action. Fairfax County Public Schools, one of the largest districts in the nation, will test its water this fall. Many children attend aging schools, and children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of lead poisoning. But few schools are required to test drinking water for lead. The situation in Flint where the number of children with elevated lead in their blood doubled after the city started pulling water from the Flint River highlighted the continuing risks of lead contamination and has spurred schools across the country to begin testing. [A legal loophole might be exposing children to lead in the nations schools] The school systems in Northern Virginia join several others in the nation that have voluntarily tested for lead, including those in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Portland, Ore., and Newark. The tests have unearthed acutely high levels of lead in some school water sources, leading districts to shut off taps, order schoolchildren to be tested and send in bottled water. Alexandria had not tested its water since 1999. Fairfax and Arlington counties had gone a dozen years without water testing. Both have implemented regular testing regimens. [Schools around the country find lead in water, with no easy answers] Alexandria spokeswoman Helen Lloyd said the alarming news out of Flint inspired the school system to double-check its water. The school took samples over Memorial Day weekend and got the results in July. It was off the back of Flint, Lloyd said. The school system made the decision to test the water after seeing what happened there and needing to make sure our own schools are completely safe. Loudoun County Public Schools last tested water in all of its schools in 2004. It implemented a system-wide testing regimen this year and plans to test all schools every three years. The first round of tests, in 11 schools, found lead levels below the EPA threshold.Officials will test an additional 20 schools in October. Almeta Radford, spokeswoman for Manassas City Public Schools, said the school system is working on a plan to regularly test water in its facilities. Water in Arlington schools was last tested in 2004, after lead contamination in D.C. water sparked concerns. The school system found elevated lead levels in several schools and fixed the problem. Officials in Arlington decided to re-test this year because recent press coverage about lead in drinking water at schools and cities around the nation has elevated public concern over this issue, they wrote in an email to parents. The discovery of unsafe levels of lead in a drinking water fountain at Jamestown Elementary in a wealthy North Arlington neighborhood alarmed some parents. The school district removed the water fountain, which was in the oldest part of the 63-year-old building. Thomas Jensen, president of the Jamestown Elementary Parent-Teacher Association and an environmental lawyer who has followed news of the crisis in Flint closely, said he was concerned, but not panicked about his son and planned to get him tested for lead during his next checkup. He said he doubts his son drank much from the water fountain at Jamestown and said teachers at the school urge students to bring water bottles so they can stay hydrated in class. But he said the discovery of lead in his neighborhood school shows the extent of the lead contamination problem; even wealthy suburban districts can be affected. Jensen said that if lead can be found in the drinking water in one of the best-funded school districts in the country and one of the best-equipped schools, it only suggests how severe the problem is in the rest of the country. . . . This is like finding bedbugs in the Lincoln Bedroom at the White House. It illustrates the severity and the scope of a nationwide challenge. Jensen lauded school and county officials for being proactive about testing for lead and notifying parents of the results. Im relieved that the county and the school district are taking the leadership to look for the problems and to fix them where they found them, Jensen said. THE DISTRICT Three wounded in gunfire in Southwest Three people were wounded during gunfire early Wednesday in Southwest Washington. Their injuries were not life-threatening, according to D.C. police. Few details were immediately known. Police said that when officers arrived near First and O streets SW, near Nationals Park, they found three people two women and a man with gunshot wounds. They were taken to a hospital. Police said they were looking for a cream- or tan-colored car that was thought to be connected with the incident. Dana Hedgpeth Elevator problems continue at monument Elevator repairs will keep the Washington Monument closed Thursday, a National Park Service spokesman said. Mike Litterst, a spokesman for the agency, said a cable broke loose from the elevator car Wednesday morning, causing it to stop between the 490- and 500-foot levels of the stone structure. The Washington Monument is more than 555 feet tall. Litterst said one employee was in the elevator when the cable broke Wednesday morning. The cable repair is not related to the power problems that affected the elevator and shut down the monument over the weekend, Litterst said. No visitors were in the elevator when it malfunctioned. Justin Wm. Moyer and Victoria St. Martin MARYLAND Loans approved for Ellicott City Marylands Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved $2.5 million that Gov. Larry Hogan (R) requested to help businesses and property owners recover from the flooding that devastated Ellicott City in July. The panel granted the Department of Housing and Community Development $2.5 million from the states Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Account to make zero- and low-interest loans to eligible businesses in the town. Affected businesses can use the borrowed money to reopen in Ellicott City or house their operations in temporary or alternative locations. They also can use the funds to restock inventory, carry out repairs, replace equipment and meet other needs. There is still much work to be done, Hogan said in a statement. Lt. Gov. Boyd K. Rutherford (R) chaired the biweekly meeting of the three-member board in place of Hogan, who was absent. Rutherford and Comptroller Peter Franchot (D) voted in favor of the funding. Treasurer Nancy Kopp, the third member, was absent. The Hogan administration announced Wednesday that it will also ask Marylands Legislative Policy Committee to approve the use of $2.5 million from the states Catastrophic Event Account to provide additional aid to Ellicott City businesses and property owners affected by the flooding. Josh Hicks VIRGINIA Driver is charged in fatal Pr. William crash Police said they arrested the driver of a tractor-trailer Tuesday on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in relation to a crash that killed a 33-year-old Manassas woman this month. The crash occurred about 6:30 a.m. on Aug. 5 at Sudley Road and Coverstone Drive in the Manassas area, Prince William County police said in a statement The driver of a 2012 Toyota RAV4 was making a right turn from Coverstone Drive onto the southbound side of Sudley Road while Glenn Thomas Pettinati, of Mount Airy, Md., was driving a 2015 Freightliner tractor-trailer south on Sudley Road, approaching the same intersection, the statement said. Pettinati disregarded a red traffic signal at the intersection, and his tractor-trailer struck the RAV4, police said. Fresia D. Melo of Manassas, a passenger in the Toyota, was ejected from the vehicle and later died. She was not wearing a seat belt, police said. Four other occupants of the RAV4, including two small children, were properly secured and were uninjured, the statement said. Pettinati turned himself in to police and was charged. Justin Wm. Moyer Fairfax City mayoral election set for Feb. 7 The Fairfax City Council on Tuesday set Feb. 7 as the date for the election of a mayor to replace R. Scott Silverthorne, who resigned this month. The council also unanimously appointed former City Council member Steven C. Stombres who served as then-U.S. Rep. Eric Cantors chief of staff to fill the mayors office until then. The council made its decisions after about 25 people at a standing-room-only public hearing expressed anger over Silverthornes alleged trading of methamphetamine for group sex and urged city leaders to move quickly on the mayoral vacancy. Silverthorne resigned his post after being arrested in a police undercover operation. Antonio Olivo Marylands Board of Public Works on Wednesday approved $2.5 million that Gov. Larry Hogan (R) requested to help businesses and property owners recover from the flooding that devastated Ellicott City last month. In a 2-0 vote, the panel granted the Department of Housing and Community Development $2.5 million from the states Small, Minority and Women-Owned Business Account to make zero- and low-interest loans to eligible businesses in the town. [In Ellicott City, cleanup is part of the culture] Affected businesses can use the borrowed money to reopen in Ellicott City or house their operations in temporary or alternate locations. They can also use the funds to restock inventory, do repairs, replace equipment, reimburse lost revenue and meet other needs. A lot of progress has been made to rebuild the community and provide assistance to local residents, but there is still much work to be done, Hogan said in a statement. Todays vote will ensure that progress continues in Ellicott City in the months ahead. Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford chaired the biweekly meeting of the three-member board in place of Hogan, who was absent. Rutherford and Comptroller Peter Franchot voted in favor of the funding. Treasurer Nancy Kopp, the third member, was absent. The Hogan administration announced Wednesday that it will also ask Marylands Legislative Policy Committee to approve the use of $2.5 million from the states Catastrophic Event Fund to provide additional aid to Ellicott City businesses and property owners affected by the flooding. This case was received by the Montgomery County Animal Services Division. For information, call 240-773-5900. This number provides recorded information on topics such as the new animal services and adoption centers hours and location in Derwood, adoption and licensing procedures, and lost-and-found and field services. Aggressive Akita: 12300 block, Middle Rd., Silver Spring, Aug. 1. An Akita attacked a mixed-breed dog that was being walked by its owner. The Akita bit the owner of the mixed-breed animal and others who were trying to stop the attack. The attacking dog also went after a police officer, who then used a stun gun on the animal. The Akitas owner relinquished the dog to animal services. Four people were treated for minor wounds. The mixed-breed dog was not hurt. The Akita has been quarantined. The owner could face fines of up to $600 for at-large and unwanted contact by the Akita. Free rabies shots: The adoption center will hold a rabies vaccinations clinic from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Sunday. The shots are free with the purchase of a county pet license. Maryland law requires dogs, cats and ferrets over 4 months old to be vaccinated against rabies. Failure to vaccinate an animal could lead to a $500 fine. Failure to have a county pet license could also result in a $500 fine. The clinic will be at 7315 Muncaster Mill Rd., Derwood. Take proof of previous vaccinations. Dogs must be leashed. Cats and ferrets must be in carriers or otherwise contained. Vaccinations are done by a veterinarian at no charge for dogs and cats owned by county residents. For a $10 fee, a microchip implantation for dogs and cats will be offered. Call 240-773-5900 or visit montgomerycounty md.gov/animalservices. Adoptable cats at no-kill shelter: Cats and kittens will be available for adoption through the Animal Welfare League of Montgomery Countys no-kill shelter at the following location. Call 301-740-2511 or visit awlmc.org. Gaithersburg Animal Welfare League of Montgomery County no-kill shelter 12 Park Ave. 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, noon to 3 p.m. Saturday and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Adopt dogs and cats at MCHS no-kill rescue: The Montgomery County Humane Societys private rescue shelter has dogs, puppies, cats and kittens available for adoption. Call 240-252-2555 or visit mchumane.org. Rockville MCHS Adoptions & Education Center 601 S. Stonestreet Ave. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except holidays Reduced fees for cat adoption: Cats and kittens will be available for adoption at the next open house of Friends of Montgomery County Animals at the following location. Call 301-977-4833 or visit fmca.org or facebook.com/fmcainfo. Germantown PetSmart at Milestone Center 20924 Frederick Rd. 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday Compiled by Lisa M. Bolton Lori Blankenship, whose son died of a drug overdose, says she finds a silver lining in the fact that he was an organ donor whose kidneys and liver went to three people. This is taking a bad thing and making it good, she says. (Amy Davis/Baltimore Sun) Lori Blankenship knows her son made bad decisions. But just weeks after his fatal drug overdose about a month ago, she was reminded of a good choice he made. He had registered as an organ donor. Luis Burkss kidneys and liver went to three people, and his lungs were given to research, putting him in a donor category that is growing faster than any other. One in 11 deceased organ donors across the country last year had a history of injecting drugs and died of a drug overdose, a rate that has more than tripled in less than a decade. Its closer to one in six in Maryland. That means Maryland has one of the highest rates in the country, said Charles Alexander, president and chief executive of the Living Legacy Foundation, which coordinates organ donations across much of the state. Its sadly reflective of the epidemic. Overdose deaths, largely from heroin and powerful prescription painkillers such as fentanyl, have reached record highs across the country. Maryland had one of the biggest surges in the country, with 1,259 fatal overdoses last year, twice the number in 2010. [Fentanyl and heroin deaths continue steep rise in Maryland] Nationally, organ donations from those who overdosed from injected drugs are the fourth-largest donor group, according to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing, which coordinates donations. Drug overdoses eclipsed homicide victims years ago. Drug overdoses rank behind people who died of natural causes the largest group of donors as well as car crash victims and those who committed suicide. Car crash donors have declined as auto safety improved. Blankenship said being able to save someone elses life provides families a silver lining to their tragedies. Living Legacys Alexander said three-quarters of families asked to donate a loved ones organs do so. Often Living Legacy doesnt have to ask because drug users register to be organ donors at a higher rate than other types of donors, he said. About 70 percent of the donors who fatally overdosed in Maryland had registered themselves, compared with about 50 percent of all donors overall. Dorry Segev, a Johns Hopkins Hospital transplant surgeon, said people ages 18 to 34 have been particularly hard hit by the drug epidemic, and young adults are Internet-savvy and more likely to go online and register, he said. [So many people are dying of drug overdoses that theyre easing the donated organ shortage] Spurred by another Hopkins surgeon in 2012, Facebook began allowing users to share their donor status with special status buttons and to link to state department of motor vehicle websites to register, a move that boosted enrollment 21-fold in one day. The organs from those who died of drug overdoses have helped to meet demand in a donor system that doesnt have enough supply, said Segev, an associate professor of surgery and epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. The organs also tend to be healthier and more durable than those of older donors, which frequently show signs of age and disease. Doctors are often more concerned about the lifestyle of a drug user. The federal government labels them infectious risk donors because they are more likely to be infected with HIV or hepatitis. Screening organs for disease has vastly improved in recent years, but theres still a slight risk that infections could go undetected. Segev said that in almost all cases, the risk of infection for a recipient is far lower than the risk of death. For instance, the risk is lower than staying on dialysis for someone with malfunctioning kidneys, the most in-demand organs. The take-home message from the patient standpoint is the risk of unintended transmission of disease is exceedingly low and the benefits these organs bring are very high, he said. At Hopkins, doctors increasingly rely on this pool of donors. Up to 40 percent of the transplants from deceased donors now come from infectious-risk donors, probably the highest rate of any hospital in the nation, said Segev, who also pioneered HIV-positive organ donation to HIV-positive recipients. No transplant patient at Hopkins has been infected with diseases from donated organs. [Donated organs kept alive may ease the transplant shortage] Still, not everyone wants an organ from a drug user, or from a prostitute, prisoner or even promiscuous college student, also considered risks, said Jonathan S. Bromberg, a transplant surgeon at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Donors or their family members must answer detailed questions about the donors history. I have the conversation a lot, every day, said Bromberg, a professor of surgery and division head of transplant surgery at University of Maryland School of Medicine. Some still say no. But somebody says yes somewhere. Those who are much sicker often can appreciate the organ. Nationally, 22 people a day die waiting for an organ. There are more than 120,000 people on the national waiting list. In Maryland, there are more than 3,800 people on waiting lists at transplant centers. Living Legacy estimates that 400 or more organs will be transplanted this year, from 150 to 160 donors. While an increasing number of organs come from live donors, only about 2 to 3 percent of people who die qualify to give organs because the donors must be declared brain-dead in the hospital where they can remain on life support. Burks was clinging to life in mid-July in a bathroom in his mothers Rosedale house. His uncle, who grew suspicious because the door was closed for so long, found Burks and tried to revive him before calling 911. It was two days before doctors at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center told Blankenship that her son would not recover and Living Legacy representatives informed her of his donor registration. Theres a chance, she said, that Burks decided to register because Blankenship told him that she had, or because the volunteer work they performed together had made an impression on him. For a time before addiction wrecked his work ethic, Burks was employed with his mother in a warehouse for the retail giant Kohls, and the pair often participated in volunteer events sponsored by the company. She said he would be proud that he helped others with his organs. Even more may benefit from research on his lungs, including one of his sisters who has asthma. He was always the one telling people they would be fine, even though he was struggling with depression, Blankenship said. He may have been self-medicating when he began abusing prescription painkillers, she said. He began sleeping a lot, and she began finding needle caps in the bathroom they shared. But she didnt connect the dots that hed moved on to injecting drugs, probably heroin. [High school students heroin overdose shows disturbing trend facing police] Four days after Burkss overdose, his organs were removed. The time gave family and friends a chance to say their goodbyes. Blankenship found herself having to assure some family and friends that brain-dead really meant he was dead, despite the machines that kept oxygen and blood moving through his body. Blankenship said shes since made some of her own decisions: Shell try to get help for those she suspects are abusing or addicted to drugs, and she will get training on how to use the overdose antidote naloxone. Shell be more sympathetic to those who may be suffering. She will speak out about addiction and organ donation, and their grim intersection. Shell make sure Burkss 5-year-old daughter knows that his donations helped save lives. This is taking a bad thing and making it good, she said. Police said they arrested the driver of a tractor trailer Tuesday involved in a crash that killed a 33-year-old Manassas woman earlier this month. [Manassas woman, 33, dies after being ejected from car in crash] On Aug. 5 about 6:30 a.m., officers responded to Sudley Road and Coverstone Drive in Manassas after the report of a two-vehicle crash, Prince William County police said in a statement. The driver of a 2012 Toyota RAV4 was attempting to make a right turn onto southbound Sudley Road from Coverstone Drive while Glenn Thomas Pettinati of Mount Airy, Md., the driver of a 2015 Freightliner tractor trailer, was southbound on Sudley Road approaching the same intersection, the statement said. Pettinati disregarded a red traffic signal at the intersection and collided with the RAV4, police said. Fresia D. Melo of Manassas, a passenger in the Toyota, was ejected from the vehicle and later died from her injuries. She was not wearing a seat belt, police said. Four other occupants of the RAV4, including two small children, were properly secured and uninjured, the statement said. On Tuesday, Pettinati turned himself in to police without incident, police said, and was charged with involuntary manslaughter. He is being held on a $5,000 bond. The search continues for a seventh missing person at the scene of the explosion of an apartment building in Silver Spring, Md. Aug. 16, 2016 The search continues for a seventh missing person at the scene of the explosion of an apartment building in Silver Spring, Md. Bill OLeary/The Washington Post At least 6 were killed after a blast destroyed an apartment complex in Silver Spring. At least seven were killed after a blast destroyed an apartment complex in Silver Spring. At least seven were killed after a blast destroyed an apartment complex in Silver Spring. The scene after a massive explosion and fire leveled an apartment complex in Maryland The scene after a massive explosion and fire leveled an apartment complex in Maryland Natural gas pipeline investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board will assume the lead role in determining how an apartment building in Silver Spring blew up last week and killed seven people, officials said Wednesday. The development suggests that there were problems in a service line going into the building. The NTSB, best known for investigations of airplane and train crashes, has a pipeline division. For natural gas issues, NTSB is generally focused on large pipes that move gas in public areas, up to buildings and sometimes into buildings. The large lines are the parts of the system that carry natural gas up to meters where the pressure in lines is reducedfor use by residents and businesses, according to Keith Holloway, an NTSB spokesman. As federal pipeline inspectors took on a more prominent role, families of some still-unaccounted-for residents maintained their vigil near the cratered building and also have given authorities DNA samples at a mobile lab to try to help identify remains recovered from the rubble. Investigators appear to have ruled out that an explosion was intentionally set. But they cautioned that an exact cause hasnt been determined and that they continue to analyze evidence they have been collecting over the past week. Crews in Silver Spring, Md., continue to look for bodies on Aug. 16 and clean up after a massive fire and explosion six days earlier at an apartment complex. At least seven people have been killed. (Video: Dan Morse/The Washington Post; Photo: Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post) The Aug. 10 explosion and fire shortly before midnight tore through 14 apartment units of a complex along Arliss Street, about 1.5 miles east of downtown Silver Spring. The natural gas lines on Arliss Street, and the service lines leading up to the building meters are managed by Washington Gas, according to a spokesman for the utility. Washington Gas said Tuesday that it had tested its infrastructure in the area, and determined it to be sound, according to utility spokesman Jim Monroe. Monroe said those tests evaluated the service line leading to the most heavily damaged apartment building, 8701 Arliss St. But because of the significant damage to the building, Washington Gas was not able to test the lines leading up to the meter and through the meter, Monroe said Wednesday. Monroe declined to discuss what may have led to the explosion. I think any speculation on cause, at this point, is premature, he said. Monroe said Washington Gas has cooperated in the probe over the past week. We have and will continue to support the NTSB in every way we can, Monroe added. Since Thursday, NTSB pipeline investigators had been assisting at the Silver Spring scene, which has been led by investigators from the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Angelica Alvarez, left, and 3-year old Lesley Turcios watch as reporters talk to her neighbors in the Flower Branch apartment complex. (Bill OLeary/The Washington Post) Based on some of the potential safety issues that have to come to light, and to possibly prevent it from happening again, we have launched an investigation, Holloway said Wednesday. All lines leading up to the meter inside or outside will be of interest to the NTSB. For seven days, rescue workers have combed through the debris. They have found remains of seven victims, but have yet to match the remains with seven unaccounted-for residents. The remains are in such conditions that visual inspections are not revealing the identity of these people, Montgomery County Assistant Police Chief Russ Hamill said Wednesday. Investigators are trying to use DNA and, if possible, fingerprints and dental records. Hamill hopes to start making positive identifications by Friday. This was a horrific event, he said. He said police investigators will be at the scene at least through the weekend. Investigators are hopeful that there will be no more victims found, Hamill said. Relatives of Augusto Jimenez Sr., 62 and Maria Castellon, 53, who lived in apartment 103 have been camping outside the destroyed building. Sometimes we think its a nightmare, said Sandra Jimenez, 40, Augusto Jimenezs youngest sister. Then we see the wreckage and we have to accept that we are waiting for the bodies of our brother and our sister-in-law who was like a sister to us. News of the blast and fire was a hard blow, said Sandra Jimenez, who rushed to the building with other relatives as flames still burned and had hoped to find her brother and sister-in-law alive. After all these days, the most difficult thing is the wait. It is disheartening, she said, speaking in Spanish. It is hard to see people removing the rubble from my brothers home. The family never imagined living this tragedy. One of the couples children, Augusto Jimenez, 35, gave authorities a DNA sample Friday in the mobile lab near the site of the blast. A week later, relatives say they are still waiting to receive remains of their loved ones for proper burials and havent been told when that may happen. And the painful wait isnt just in Silver Spring. In La Paz Centro in Nicaragua, the couples two other children and Jimenezs 79-year-old mother also wait. Jimenez and Castellon had built a home there and visited every year. They planned to leave Washingtons winters and retire there. For now, Sandra Jimenez said, relatives and friends 3,500 miles apart are mourning. We are having the wake without the bodies, she said. We will take their ashes home and leave them in the home they worked so hard to build. Thursday, Aug. 18 Asbury book discussion Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, by Erik Larson. 10:30 a.m.-noon, Asbury Solomons community, 11100 Asbury Cir., Solomons. 410-394-3029. Free. Solomons Island farmers market Local vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, wines, meat, seafood and flowers. 3-6:30 p.m. Solomons Island Riverwalk, Solomons Island Road, Solomons. 410-535-4583. Summer Nights Community Connections Meet with other people from your community to discuss improvements. Watermelon and ice cream provided. 6-8:30 p.m. Calvert Library, 850 Costley Way, Prince Frederick. 410-535-0291, 301-855-1862 or calvert.lib.md.us. Free. Friday, Aug. 19 End of the Summer Reading Program party Includes water balloons, bubbles and races. 10 a.m.-noon, Charles County Public Library, Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Dr., Indian Head. 301-375-7375. Free. La Plata baby-back rib dinner Includes half a slab of ribs, ranch beans, cole slaw, fries, rolls, coffee and tea. 5-8 p.m. American Legion Post-La Plata, 6330 Crain Hwy., La Plata. 301-934-8221. $12. Sotterley Plantation Barn Bash Includes music by the Countries Memories Band. Food, beer and wine sold. Proceeds benefit educational programs at the plantation. 5 p.m. Historic Sotterley Plantation, 44300 Sotterley Lane, Hollywood. 301-373-2280 or sotterley.org. $15. Colored Pencil Society of America demonstration Members of the society will demonstrate pencil techniques, substrate or base choices and additional tools. Samples of different fine-art pencils will be available to try. 5:30 p.m. Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Martino Gallery, 801 Chase St., Annapolis. 410-263-5544, info@mdhallarts.org or marylandhall.org/tools-and-techniques-demo-members-colored-pencil-society-america. Free. North Beach farmers market Local vendors sell fresh produce, baked goods, wines, meat, seafood and flowers. 6-9 p.m. North Beach Boardwalk, Bay Avenue and Fifth Street, North Beach. 410-535-4583. Saturday, Aug. 20 Barstow farmers market Fresh local produce, baked goods, wines, meat, seafood and flowers. 7:30 a.m.-noon, Calvert County Fairgrounds, 140 Calvert Fair Dr., Barstow. 410-535-4583 or 410-535-0026. Yoga in the Gallery Hosted by Capital Yoga Studio and Maryland Hall. Bring a mat. 9 a.m. Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Chaney Gallery, 801 Chase St., Annapolis. 410-263-5544. info@mdhallarts.org or marylandhall.org/yoga-gallery. $20. Yoga @ the Boardwalk Age 16 and older. Practice basic yoga with Sean from Studio Cooperative. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Waldorf West Library, 10405 O'Donnell Pl. , Waldorf. 301-645-1395. Free. Financial literacy forum Information on estate planning and wills, hosted by the Calvert County Commission for Women and Calvert Library. 10-11:30 a.m. Calvert Library, 850 Costley Way, Prince Frederick. 410-535-0291, 301-855-1862 or calvert.lib.md.us. Free. Lexington Park financial course Information on how to read a credit report and repair credit history. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Lexington Park Library, 21677 FDR Blvd., Lexington Park. 301-863-8188 or stmalib.org. Free. St. Leonard Peach Festival and Yard Sale Rain or shine. Takeout food available. Noon-5 p.m. Waters Memorial United Methodist Church, 5400 Mackall Road, St. Leonard. 410-586-1716. Yard sale starts at 7 a.m. Table rental $10. Ham, pulled pork and chicken salad platters $12, hot dog platters $5, sandwiches $8, ice cream $2 per serving, local peaches $3 per serving. Board Game Day Bring your own game or use library games. 1-3:30 p.m. Charles County Public Library, P.D. Brown Branch, 50 Village St., Waldorf. 301-645-2864. Free. Lore Oyster House Day Learn about the oyster packing house and try oyster tonging. 1-4 p.m. J.C. Lore and Sons Oyster House, Solomons Island Rd., Solomons. 410-326-2042, Ext. 41. Free. Ask the Computer Lady Age 12 and older. Ask IT questions on a first-come, first-served basis. 2-4 p.m. Charles County Public Library, Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Dr., Indian Head. 301-375-7375. Free. Waldorf local authors reception 2-4 p.m. Waldorf West Library, 10405 O'Donnell Pl. , Waldorf. 301-645-1395. Free. Year-round open skate All ages. Saturdays 6-9 p.m. Leonard Hall Recreation Center, 23145 Leonard Hall Dr., Leonardtown. 301-475-4200, Ext. *1800. $5, skate rental $2.50. Sunday, Aug. 21 First responders appreciation ceremony Light refreshments. Sponsored by the Union Church. 2 p.m. Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department, 3170 West Ward Rd., Dunkirk. 410-257-3555. Free. Monday, Aug. 22 Green crafting Make crafts from recycled materials. Includes crocheting and needlework. Mondays 2-4 p.m., through Aug. 29. Calvert Library Southern branch, 13920 H.G. Trueman Rd., Solomons. 410-326-5289 or calvert.lib.md.us/southern.html. Free. Wednesday, Aug. 24 Indian Head Senior Book Club Age 55 and older. All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. 11 a.m.-noon, Charles County Public Library, Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Dr., Indian Head. 301-375-7375. Free. Sip and Color Explore your artistic side and receive a private tour of Maryland Halls current exhibition, A Walk in the Park, by the Colored Pencil Society of America. Bring your own wine and snacks. 6 p.m. Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Martino Gallery, 801 Chase St., Annapolis. 410-263-5544. info@mdhallarts.org or marylandhall.org/sip-and-color. Nonmembers $20, members $15. Thursday, Aug. 25 Fall Citizens Academy Get an inside look at the day-to-day operations of the St. Marys County Sheriffs Office. Sessions are Thursday nights for eight weeks. Interested residents must be 18 and older and submit an application. 6-9 p.m. St. Marys County Sheriffs Office, 23150 Leonard Hall Rd., Leonardtown. 301-475-4200, Ext. 1910, kelly.castle@stmarysmd.com or firstsheriff.com. Free. Life-size games Play life-size Angry Birds. 6-7 p.m. Charles County Public Library, Potomac Branch, 3225 Ruth B. Swann Dr., Indian Head. 301-375-7375. Free. Compiled by Bonnie Smith To submit an event Email: smliving@washpost.com Details: Announcements are accepted from public and nonprofit organizations only and must be received at least 14 days before the Thursday publication date. Include dates, times, address, prices and a publishable contact phone number. " " A half-demolished house stands in the middle of a newly built road in Zhejiang province, China. Because the owners refused to sell their house, the provincial government built the road around it. STR/AFP/Getty Images Spite might be one of the world's oldest emotions. For proof, read the "Iliad", the Greek poet Homer's story of the Trojan War, written around the 7th century B.C.E. In it, the Greek king Agamemnon compelled Achilles, his most able warrior, to give him a captured concubine named Briseis. This angered Achilles so much that he not only refused to fight, he asked his mother, the sea-nymph Thetis, to convince Zeus to let the Trojans win the war for a while. Advertisement But even after the humiliated king offered to give back Briseis, Achilles was unmoved, perhaps because he was enjoying Agamemnon's misery too much. That's when Achilles' spitefulness backfired on him, because his friend Patroklos was killed in battle by the Trojan warrior Hector. This ultimately led to Achilles taking revenge upon Hector, only for Hector's brother, Paris, to kill him with an arrow [source: Reed College]. But hey, even though it cost Achilles his life, he sure did show Agamemnon, didn't he? That's one of the problems with spite. It may feel deliciously satisfying to punish someone we feel has wronged us. But the urge can become so powerful that, if left unchecked by reason, it can spiral to self-destructive extremes. In a study published in the journal Psychological Assessment in 2014, researchers questioned almost 300 adults about the degree of their desire to get back at others, and compared it to other data about their mental health. The researchers found that spitefulness was associated with a host of undesirable qualities, including aggression, narcissism, and psychopathy [source: Marcus, et al.]. But all the same, it's hard not to admire the sheer ingenuity and determination of the spiteful. And some of their targets probably deserve it. In that spirit, here are 10 noteworthy examples of things done completely out of spite. Once upon a time, a scantily clad lass padding down a beach might cause a riot at least of eyeballs eager to extend a sidelong glance. Today, its the fully clothed woman who overheats passions in France, where three towns have banned the burkini. Leave it to the French to criminalize modesty. Latest to the ban-wagon is the Corsican village of Sisco, where three Muslim families and a group of local teens reportedly got into a row this weekend when one of the Muslim men became upset as a tourist photographed his burkini-clad wife. The next day, riot police were needed in a nearby town to quell 200 protesters who stormed a housing area of mostly North African people, shouting this is our home. The precise cause of that flare-up wasnt known. Did a burkini do it? No clue, according to local authorities, but Sisco is banning the ultimate coverup anyway, to protect the population. Back on the mainland, the mayors of Cannes and nearby Villeneuve-Loubet also have banned burkinis. Muslim associations unsuccessfully challenged the Cannes ban but have promised to appeal the decision. In the strangest justification offered for the wardrobe ban, Lionnel Luca, mayor of Villeneuve-Loubet, said it is unhygienic to swim fully clothed. For whom? The fish? Tensions in France between Muslims and others may be understandable in light of recent events, including the horror in Nice last month when a truck driver shouting paeans to Allah mowed down hundreds of Bastille Day revelers, killing 85 people, as well as the recent jihadist slaying of the beloved 85-year-old priest Jacques Hamel in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. But how the practice of modesty associated with many Muslims religious beliefs became an offense against the majority society is hard to fathom. The burkini also provides an interesting study in the metamorphosis of a symbol and its use in rationalizing other beliefs and actions that bear striking similarities to the extreme religiosity that caused such consternation in the first place. Suddenly, the burkini has become Frances Confederate battle flag. Like the flag, the burkini means different things to different people, yet it has become such a powerful symbol of the cultural clash between overzealous French patriots and Muslim immigrants that it has become a prompt to man the barricades. It is hardly shocking that women are the objects of such aggression. Or that men are the ones fighting over what women ought to be doing with their bodies. Depending on the era and often the prevailing religion women are either showing too much or too little. Frankly, Id like to see more, not fewer, burkinis on the beach, especially for Speedo-lovers over 50. Guys, do you own a mirror? (Please dont send pictures.) It isnt just men concerned with burkinis. Some feminists and the enlightened French see the burkini as a visual face-slap to womens egalite. Among other things, equality means never having to cover up just because your natural self gets anothers gander up. Non-Muslims in the West may disapprove of the practice and prefer our mores over those of strict Muslims, but were in no position to be smug. Less than 100 years ago in Washington, modesty police literally measured womens bathing suit skirts to ensure adherence to the legal standard of only six inches above the knee. In 1921 Atlantic City, women were required to wear stockings pulled above the knee with their swimsuits. When young women protested the stocking law, it was the League of Women Voters that urged strict enforcement. While beach patrols searched out bathing suit violators, they also scouted for their ogling male counterparts, described in a newspaper story of the time as bald beach lizards. One brave woman, novelist Louise Rosine, went to jail rather than cover up her knees with stockings. It was none of the citys darn business, she said, whether she rolled em up or down. Weve come a long way, baby. And along the way, with few exceptions, weve found it possible to allow people to don (or not) their apparel as they wish. Some schools may ban message-emblazoned shirts. And we dutifully shed our jackets, scarves and shoes during security checks. But liberte ought to mean that one can wear a burkini on the beach or a thong, if you must. Neither suits my personal fancy, but its hard to imagine that a Muslim woman dressed traditionally is a threat to any but her own comfort. Like the lady said, its none of the citys darn business. Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook. A photograph taken from a high-speed video camera during a record-setting firing of an electromagnetic rail gun at Naval Surface Warfare Center in Dahlgren, Va., in 2008. (John F. Williams/U.S. Navy) The fight against the Islamic State may get the headlines. But its the military threats from Russia and China that most worry top Pentagon officials and are driving a new arms race to deter these great-power rivals. This question of how to deal with Russian and Chinese military advances has gotten almost no attention in the 2016 presidential campaign. But it deserves a careful look. The programs begun in the waning days of the Obama administration could potentially change the face of warfare, in the United States favor, but they would require political support and new spending by the next president. A drive to build exotic versions of conventional weapons may sound crazy in a world that already has too much military conflict. But advocates argue that strengthening U.S. conventional forces might be the only way to avoid escalation to nuclear weapons if war with Moscow or Beijing began. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work argued for the new deterrence strategy in a presentation this month to the bipartisan Aspen Strategy Group, amplifying comments he made to me in an interview in February. The approach, awkwardly named the third offset strategy, would leverage the United States technological superiority by creating weapons that could complicate attack planning by an adversary. The premise is that as Russia and China modernize their militaries, the United States must exploit its lead in high-tech warfare. In the world envisioned by Pentagon planners, the United States could field an array of drones in the sky, unmanned submarines beneath the seas and advanced systems on the ground that could overwhelm an adversarys battle-management networks. Like the two previous offsets, battlefield nuclear weapons in the 1950s and precise conventional weapons in the 1970s, this one would seek to restore lost U.S. military dominance. Russian attack jets flew "dangerously close" to U.S. Navy destroyer in the Baltic Sea April 11 and 12. The Navy said it is reviewing the incident. (U.S. Navy) The concerns prompting the new strategy were previewed by Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, at his Senate confirmation hearing in July 2015: If you want to talk about a nation that could pose an existential threat to the United States, I would have to point to Russia. And if you look at their behavior, its nothing short of alarming. China worries some Pentagon officials even more than Russia. A recent study by the Rand Corp., titled War With China: Thinking Through the Unthinkable, warned: Improvements in Chinese military capabilities mean that a war would not necessarily go the way U.S. war planners plan it. Whereas a clear U.S. victory once seemed probable, it is increasingly likely that a conflict could involve inconclusive fighting with steep losses on both sides. Top Pentagon officials say that because of Russian and Chinese advances, the U.S. militarys overmatch has diminished. Planners can no longer guarantee a president that the United States could prevail in the early days of a conventional conflict; they fear that the United States might lose escalation dominance meaning, basically, the ability to call the shots in a future confrontation. Work urged European allies in a speech in Brussels in April: Its time for another doctrinal and conceptual reawakening. He argued that to cope with an incredibly lethal modern battlefield, the U.S. must maintain a healthy margin of technological superiority, because an erosion . . . might ultimately undermine our conventional deterrence, contribute to crisis instability, and greatly raise the potential cost of any future U.S. military operation. A glimpse of what could lie ahead, if the next president continues the projects begun by the Obama Pentagon, came in a provocative 2014 study, Toward a New Offset Strategy, by Robert Martinage of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Martinage recommended a dizzying new arsenal that would include a fleet of unmanned subs; an array of undersea sensors; seabed payload pods that could hide drones underwater until they were needed in a conflict; electromagnetic rail guns and directed-energy weapons; high-energy lasers that could blind enemy sensors; and a range of other new technologies. These initiatives would contribute to an effective offset strategy by affordably restoring U.S. power projection capability and capacity, bolstering conventional deterrence . . . and imposing costs upon prospective adversaries, Martinage wrote. Pentagon officials say they decided over the past year to reveal some formerly top-secret weapons programs because the disclosure would complicate Russian and Chinese military planning. But they say they have concealed other programs to preserve warfighting effectiveness in any future conflict. U.S. officials contend that this push to offset Russian and Chinese gains will have a stabilizing effect in great-power relations, rather than a destabilizing one. But in an unsettled world, this issue deserves broader debate during the presidential campaign. Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. Here's what you need to know about the Breitbart News chairman who just became Donald Trump's new campaign CEO. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) Here's what you need to know about the Breitbart News chairman who just became Donald Trump's new campaign CEO. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) If you thought the old Donald Trump campaign was wild and crazy, just wait for the new Trump campaign now that Breitbarts Steve Bannon has taken over as chief executive. The new leadership with Bannon and pollster Kellyanne Conway displacing Paul Manafort of the Ukrainian Connection at the top of the heap is likely to steer Trump even more in the direction of the European far right. It also tells you something that Bannon sees Sarah Palin, about whom he made a laudatory documentary, as a model for anti-establishment politics. Bannon is close to Nigel Farage, the former head of the right-wing U.K. Independence Party, who offered massive thanks to Breitbart News for supporting the partys successful campaign on behalf of Britains departure from the European Union. Your UKIP team is just incredible, Bannon told Farage during an interview after the June Brexit vote. Judging from Bannons history, Trumps campaign will become even harsher in its attacks on Hillary Clinton and work hard to insinuate anti-Clinton stories into the mainstream media. Bloomberg Businessweeks Joshua Green quoted Bannon proudly declaring in mid-2015: Weve got the 15 best investigative reporters at the 15 best newspapers in the country all chasing after Hillary Clinton. And count on Trump to ramp up his appeals to Bernie Sanderss supporters and the left. Pushing his anti-Clinton film Clinton Cash in May, Bannon said he wanted progressives to understand how the Clintons, who proclaim to support all your values, essentially have sold you out for money. In his conversation with Farage, Bannon expressed great interest in the role played by left-of-center voters in Brexits victory. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who's spent months touting his ability to "win," has recently started to discuss the possibility of losing the election a surprising move for a candidate. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) A Trump news release Wednesday bragged about the headline on Greens important Bloomberg Businessweek article describing Bannon as the most dangerous political operative in America. The new CEO poses dangers not only to Clinton, but also to Republicans such as House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) who have been tiptoeing around their partys nominee by simultaneously criticizing him and endorsing him. Bannon has no use for Ryan. A December piece Bannon co-wrote began: Paul Ryans first major legislative achievement is a total and complete sell-out of the American people masquerading as an appropriations bill. Bannon could thus speed the defection of longtime GOP officeholders, while Senate and House campaigns are likely to become even more distant from Trump. In his past endeavors, Bannon targeted not only Clinton but also Jeb Bush. Trumps relations with the Bush wing of the party could hardly be worse, but Bannon is likely to make them impossible. There is much good news but one piece of bad news for Clinton in the Trump shake-up. The bad news is that she is likely to have to play more defense, especially if Bannon builds on his success in enticing reporters at non-conservative media outlets to work on stories damaging to her. The good news is that Trump seems determined to fight through the campaign on his own terms. This reduces the chances that he will drop out of the presidential race, which, in turn, means that Clinton is more likely to avoid what would be the biggest blow to her chances: a Trump withdrawal and the naming of a new GOP candidate. Trumps campaign is also likely to look more extreme, which cannot help the flailing candidate in the suburban, highly educated precincts in states such as Pennsylvania, Virginia, Colorado and North Carolina where he is hemorrhaging more upscale Republican votes. Bannons fascination with Palin, who turned off many such voters to John McCain after he chose her as his running mate in 2008, could aggravate, rather than ease, this problem. And if the theme of this latest bit of Trump court intrigue is a return to the Let Trump be Trump philosophy, Clintons operatives will only cheer. Trump being Trump is precisely what led him to this crisis point. Bannons rise dramatizes the catastrophe GOP establishmentarians brought upon themselves by imagining that they could use the far right for their own purposes while somehow keeping it tame. Bannons European interests suggest he is far more impressed by right-wing third parties than by traditional Republicanism. He believed the anti-establishment rhetoric that Republican politicians deployed but never really meant when they were attacking President Obama. Now, the GOP faces the possibility of a real split. 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. It fell to Palin in her January endorsement of Trump to tell the party establishment off: We are mad, and weve been had. They need to get used to it. They are unlikely to get used to Bannon. Read more from E.J. Dionnes archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. DONALD TRUMPS proposal to ban Muslims from the country has taken many forms over the past few months. All have been abhorrent. All, including the most recent iteration, would have a consequence that has so far gone ignored: the harm it would do to colleges and universities across the United States. In his acceptance speech at the Republican convention, Mr. Trump revised his original call for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States and instead suggested suspending immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism. If, in order to qualify as compromised by terrorism, a country must have experienced a recent attack, Mr. Trumps list of undesirables includes citizens of France, Belgium and, well, the United States. Even if Mr. Trump intends to refer to countries the State Department recognizes as nations where terrorist cells operate, allies such as Saudi Arabia are in the mix. In a speech this week, Mr. Trump further refined his proposal as suspending immigration from some of the most dangerous and volatile regions of the world that have a history of exporting terrorism while also subjecting would-be visitors to an ideological screening test. Saudi Arabia sent almost 60,000 students to study at U.S. colleges in 2015. India, also on the State Departments radar, sent almost 133,000. Iran and Turkey sent more than 10,000 each, and Malaysia about 7,000. Because most of these students get the money for their educations from sources outside of the United States, they give a significant funding boost to the schools they choose and to the U.S. economy. Saudi Arabian students alone contribute $1.7 billion every year, though the number may decrease with the shrinking of the scholarship fund that pays the way for many of them. Indian students contribute $3.6 billion. Stopping these students from coming to the United States would not only cause economic pain: It would also fly in the face of the cultural exchange that education is supposed to facilitate. Just as U.S. citizens benefit from studying with people of different backgrounds who may have different ideas about the way the world works, students from abroad can take the values they learn here back to their home countries. That is especially important in places such as Saudi Arabia that could benefit most from the democratic ideals U.S. schools try to instill in their students. Mr. Trumps extreme vetting likely would discourage students from every country from coming to the United States, whether to study or to work, by sending a message that the United States is suspicious of the rest of the world and the people in it. Of course, that has always been a central part of Mr. Trumps isolationist platform. This is just another reason it is dangerous. As public polling has turned increasingly in her favor, Hillary Clinton has doubled down on her core base of supporters in states like Pennsylvania especially minority voters even as she makes efforts to reach out to traditionally Republican constituencies. Halfway across the country Tuesday, Donald Trump was charting a different course. In the midst of racial turmoil in Milwaukee following the fatal shooting of a black suspect by police, Trump made a point to campaign Tuesday night in the predominantly white city of West Bend, Wis., about an hour outside Milwaukee. Before the event, he met with local law enforcement officers to emphasize his commitment to being the law and order candidate. The vastly different approaches to minority outreach by the candidates and their campaigns mirror the fault lines of a divided nation. While Trump has largely avoided outreach to African Americans and has become a sharply polarizing figure among Latinos and other minorities, Clinton is counting on those same voters to be reliable constituencies for her in the fall. In the predominantly African American neighborhood here where Clinton appeared Tuesday, the Democratic nominee is likely to win by a landslide. But the crowd at the West Philadelphia High School gym was given a stern warning: Dont be complacent. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump tried to reach out to African American voters while speaking about law enforcement in Wisconsin on Aug. 16. "The Democratic Party has failed and betrayed the African American community," he said. (Jenny Starrs/The Washington Post) Even though were doing fine right now, Im not taking anybody, anywhere for granted, Clinton said at a voter-registration rally. Her campaigns strategy in Pennsylvania keeps to the path it has followed elsewhere. In urban Democratic centers such as Philadelphia, the campaign is focusing on turning out its base, especially minority voters. In suburban and rural enclaves, the campaign is doing intensive outreach to moderates and Republicans, hoping to turn them against Trump. I want to be a president for not just Democrats but Republicans and independents, too, Clinton said in Philadelphia. I want to be the president for those who voted for me and those who dont vote for me. [In Scranton, Pa., Hillary Clinton and Joe Bidens memory lane tour is an appeal to white working-class Democrats] Trump has spoken confidently about earning the support of Hispanic and black voters, dismissing his abysmal polling numbers among minorities as he seeks to brand himself as someone who can unify the country. But the GOP nominees incendiary remarks about Mexicans, Muslims and other minorities have continued to wound him in the polls, while his face-to-face outreach to minority groups has been limited. In July, for example, Trump turned down an invitation to address the annual NAACP convention in Cincinnati. Trumps deep unpopularity among minority voters has helped Clinton offset his partys traditional strength among white voters in key battleground states, including Pennsylvania. Members of the crowd urged people to vote at a voter registration event in Philadelphia attended by Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) On Tuesday evening, Trump sought to beginning mending those tensions. During his speech in West Bend, he said that critics of the police have made police officers jobs more difficult, at the expense of innocent victims of crime. The violence, riots and destruction that have taken place in Milwaukee is an assault on the right of all citizens to live in security and to live in peace. Law and order must be restored, Trump said. He addressed the concerns of African Americans, accusing Clinton and the Democratic Party of failing to adopt policies that could lead to more effective policing. It must be restored for the sake of all, but most especially for the sake of those living in the communities, Trump said. The main victims of these riots are law-abiding African American citizens living in these neighborhoods. Its their jobs, its their homes, its their schools and communities which will suffer the most as a result. Theres no compassion in tolerating lawless conduct for anyone. But he faces sharp resistance that has been months in the making. At a campaign rally last week in central Pennsylvania, Trump suggested that he would lose in the state only if people in certain areas committed rampant voter fraud a comment widely seen as referring to minority-heavy parts of the state, such as Philadelphia. For many black voters, the comments struck a discordant note. The decades-long legal effort to roll back Jim Crow-era restrictions that were intended to suppress the African American vote is still fresh in their minds. For African Americans, theyve been trying to take away the vote, said Grillison Sharida, 58, a Clinton volunteer who spends Saturdays at a West Philadelphia park registering voters. White people dont have to worry about that. [Kaine says N.C. voter-ID ruling could prompt a big uptick in Democratic turnout] Clinton and other Democrats have decried recent efforts by GOP lawmakers across the country to pass new voter-ID laws, which they say disproportionately affect minorities and younger voters. They have also won legal challenges to such laws in key states such as North Carolina and Wisconsin. Trump regularly offers praise for police officers during his campaign rallies and on several instances has accused the Black Lives Matter movement of aggravating tensions within communities and against police officers. He echoed those comments Tuesday after the unrest in Milwaukee. We have to obey the laws, or we dont have a country, Trump told Fox News. You have a case where good people out there are trying to get people to calm down, and theyre not calming down. Later in the day, Trump spoke privately with police officers in Milwaukee, where he was seen shaking hands with Sheriff David Clarke who has been sharply critical of Black Lives Matter and Sheriffs Inspector Edward Bailey. Former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and several staffers joined Trump at the gathering at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center. [The Trump two-step: How a GOP senator is trying, awkwardly, to keep his job] Overall, Trumps strategy relies on maximizing his advantage with white working-class voters to offset Clintons strength with other groups, particularly nonwhite voters. Non-college-educated whites make up a greater share of the electorate in states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan, and Trump supporters hoped he could make inroads in those places. However, polls show him trailing in all three states. DelReal reported from Washington. Sean Sullivan in Milwaukee, Anne Gearan in Washington and John Wagner in Fayetteville, N.C., contributed to this report. Campaigning in the battleground state of Ohio on Wednesday, Hillary Clinton ticked off her plans to lift the middle class. The Democrat leveled some zingers at her Republican opponent, telling the crowd that friends dont let friends vote for Donald Trump. And she left the stage 32 minutes later to boisterous applause. What Clinton didnt do was break any new ground. The rally in a high school gym here was the latest in a series of workmanlike, largely news-free appearances by the Democratic nominee, who seems content to let Trumps troubles dominate the headlines for now. When your opponent is committing suicide, you dont have to commit homicide, Hari Sevugan, a Democratic communications consultant and former campaign spokesman for President Obama, said when asked about Clintons strategy of laying relatively low. Indeed, by the time Clinton arrived in Cleveland, it was already clear that the political news of the day was going to be the staff shake-up at Trumps struggling campaign. It was the latest in a near-daily dose of developments on the Republican side dominating the agenda on cable news shows. In a move expected to generate local headlines but be ignored by the national media, Clinton toured the recently rebuilt high school in which she would later speak, surveying the use of robotics, 3-D printers and other innovative teaching aides. She ignored questions shouted by reporters about what Trumps reshuffling says about the race. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in West Bend, Wis., on Tuesday. He announced a major campaign shake-up Wednesday. (Gerald Herbert/AP) I for one am really proud of this high school and what that represents, Clinton said upon taking the stage, drawing some of the loudest cheers of her rally. [Trump shakes up campaign, demotes top adviser] She touched on her plans to rebuild the countrys infrastructure, expand early-childhood education, make college more affordable and raise taxes on the wealthy. All are central to her campaign and all have been outlined time and time again. Clinton campaign aides have long said that their most powerful weapon against Trump is Trump himself. Most television ads created by the campaign and the pro-Clinton super PAC, Priorities USA, have featured Trumps own words prominently. And there has been plenty of material of late, including Trumps sparring with the family of a Muslim American soldier who was killed in Iraq, Trump calling Obama the founder of the Islamic State terrorist group and Trumps invitation to Russia to seek out missing Clinton emails. When your opponent is making news that hurts him, then give the press and voters every opportunity to pay attention to it, said Mary Anne Marsh, a Democratic consultant. Why would you do anything to distract them? Clinton has kept a relatively light campaign schedule in August, during a stretch when Trumps missteps have helped hurt him and lift her in the polls. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, along with senior staffer Huma Abedin, arrives at the airport before speaking at John Marshall High School in Cleveland on Wednesday. (Melina Mara/The Washington Post) A Washington Post/ABC News poll released this week showing Clinton leading Trump by a 14-point margin among registered voters in Virginia was the latest in a series of polls showing her gaining ground in battleground states and nationally. The former secretary of states schedule has been drawn in a deliberate way to put her in front of strategically chosen constituencies in swing states. There was a retail stop Monday focused on white working-class voters in Scranton, Pa., and a voter-registration drive Tuesday in an African American neighborhood in Philadelphia. But theres been little effort to roll out anything new. Even last week during what was billed as a big economic speech in Warren, Mich. Clinton didnt highlight new policies. Instead, she relayed a long list of initiatives put forward earlier in the campaign and used the speech to press the case that Trumps economic plans and actions run counter to his promise to help workers and energize the economy. [Trump unpopularity fuels wide lead for Clinton in new Virginia poll] Coming days after a Trump economic speech in nearby Detroit, Clinton accused the Republican real estate magnate of wanting America to work for him and his friends, at the expense of everyone else. Clinton and her aides regularly rebuke Trump, and they are poised to move quickly to capitalize on his negative headlines. But they seem far less interested in grabbing headlines of their own. While Clinton ignored questions about Trumps staff shake-up, her campaign organized a conference call on the topic with reporters Wednesday. Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook called Trumps decision to hire Breitbart News executive Steve Bannon a decision to double down on his most small, nasty and divisive instincts. This latest shake-up turns his campaign over to someone whos best known for running a so-called news site that peddles divisive, at times racist, anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, Mook said. Clinton has had some of her own controversies to contend with in recent weeks. She recently suffered a self- inflicted wound by suggesting in an interview that FBI Director James B. Comey had called her statements to the public about her email controversy truthful. Yet that incident highlights a recurring theme for her campaign: Even unflattering headlines are often overshadowed by controversies created by Trump. [The Take: Trumps shake-up highlights a candidate who lost his way] On July 31, the same day that Clinton faced renewed questions about her email arrangement at the State Department, Trump fired back at Khizr Khan, the Muslim father of a fallen U.S. soldier, prompting consternation and condemnation from Democrats and Republicans alike. And while Trump generates national headlines, Clintons visits often generate positive coverage in the local media. Recent headlines have included Clinton pledges millions of jobs in the Denver Post and Clinton pushes jobs in area visit in the Tampa Bay Times. Clintons campaign also has been utilizing a new podcast, Twitter and other social media, and paid television advertising, where the campaigns expenditures have dwarfed those of Trump and his allies. Theyre still able to reach voters without getting into the back and forth of the daily news cycle, Sevugan said. Phillip reported from Washington. The IRS now says unmarried co-owners can each write off up to $1.1 million in mortgage interest. (iStock) Does the federal tax code favor unmarried partners when it comes to deducting mortgage interest on jointly owned houses with supersize mortgages? Can certain co-owners save big money on taxes by staying single rather than getting married? Because of a little-publicized move by the IRS this month, the answer appears to be yes for potentially significant numbers of people with jumbo loans. Under Section 163 of the Internal Revenue Code, taxpayers can write off interest paid on up to $1 million of acquisition indebtedness and on up to $100,000 of home equity indebtedness. You can deduct mortgage interest on both your primary home and a second home up to a combined limit of $1.1 million of debt. If youre married but filing your taxes separately from your spouse, the law limits the mortgage amounts you can deduct interest against to half of that: $500,000 in acquisition indebtedness and $50,000 in home equity indebtedness. But what if youre single, living together with a partner and sharing the mortgage costs? Should each of you qualify to write off interest paid on up to $1.1 million of mortgage debt, for a total of up to $2.2 million? Could you get a splashier tax benefit if youre unmarried but co-paying on a high-balance mortgage or mortgages? [More Harney: Being on paid maternity leave is no grounds for denying a mortgage] In the past, the IRS has said: No, when you jointly own one or more residences and youre not married, the maximum mortgage amount on which you can write off interest is $1.1 million. When Congress set that ceiling back in the late 1980s, there was no mention of double-dip benefits for unmarried co-owners. But in 2012, an unmarried couple in California who jointly owned two expensive houses with big mortgages (one in Beverly Hills, a second in Rancho Mirage) challenged the IRSs interpretation in U.S. Tax Court. They argued that each unmarried partner should be entitled to the full $1.1 million in debt allowed for interest deductions. (The combined amount of debt on their two homes exceeded $2.2 million.) The Tax Court disagreed. But the partners appealed that decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, which reversed the Tax Court, ruling that the limit should be on a per-taxpayer basis meaning up to $1.1 million per unmarried co-owner. That raised a question: How will the IRS handle this issue? Will it restrict the 9th Circuits ruling in some way or allow it to take effect nationwide? Now the agency has come out with its answer: We are going to acquiesce to the appellate courts decision, the IRS said. Were going to allow qualified unmarried co-owners to go beyond the $1.1 million mortgage cap all the way up to $2.2 million. [More Harney: Dont assume you are frozen out of the mortgage market] How big a deal is this? Obviously, its limited to a relatively elite economic group: people who have mortgage debt in excess of $1.1 million. And its limited to co-owners or buyers of expensive homes who choose not to be married but to share the mortgage expenses. No one knows how many taxpayers fit these descriptions, but some tax experts say its a much larger number than you might guess. Susan Berson, a tax attorney in Kansas City, Mo., says single professionals with superjumbo mortgages doctors, lawyers, business executives, investors, recently divorced individuals and others should carefully review whether remaining unmarried brings financial benefits of potentially claiming the deductions subject to the increased limit. Berson also told me in an interview that she is advising clients to look back at their recent annual tax filings. Some may be able to request refunds. Anson H. Asbury, a tax attorney in Atlanta, says professionals in high-cost markets such as Washington, New York, Los Angles, San Francisco and San Diego, and pricey neighborhoods elsewhere around the country, are likely to be the biggest beneficiaries of the revised IRS policy. Ed Zollars, a CPA in Phoenix, says that in some of these markets, its almost trivial to be over the $1.1 million mortgage-debt limit. In San Francisco and New York, it will be easy for single professionals living together and sharing costs to double their mortgage-interest deductions under the new policy, saving them tens of thousands of dollars a year. Where it works, he said in an interview, it works a lot. That may be so, but isnt this still another marriage penalty in the federal tax code? Sure looks like it. Ken Harneys email address is kenharney@earthlink.net. Chen Aiwu, 64, and her husband, Wang Dongsheng, 66, at Yellowstone Park in June 2016. (Family Photo) Their great American adventure was off to a rough start. In June, Chen Aiwu, 64, and her husband, Wang Dongsheng, 66, landed in Los Angeles. It was nearly midnight. They could barely communicate. And they were faced with a classic holiday conundrum: a rental car up-sell. No, they did not want more insurance. No, they did not need a bigger car. I just kept saying No, Chen remembered, the only English word I know. More than four hours later, with help from a Chinese speaker who popped by, the pensioners set off on a 19-day, 4,850-mile drive. Chen Aiwu, 64, at the Great Salt Lake, Utah. (Family Photo) The journey took them from coastal California to Las Vegas, Yosemite, Yellowstone and back, testing their patience and teaching them about a people and place that once felt infinitely distant. They were frustrated by U.S. infrastructure, intrigued by American families, and touched, again and again, by the kindness of people they met. Upon their return to their surprise they were greeted as heroes, profiled in state media and lauded online. Couple prove age no barrier to globe-trotting, a China Daily headline said. What a great couple! wrote a user on Weibo, the Chinese social media site. I wish I could be like them when Im old! In China, where rising incomes are fueling an extraordinary travel boom, tales of Chinese tourists behaving badly overseas are a fixture. There was the teen who scrawled his name on a 3,500-year-old Egyptian relic, the passenger who threw hot water on a flight attendant, and countless airport and in-flight brawls. The vast majority of Chinas more than 100 million outbound tourists are not like this. There are over-privileged plutocrats, sure. But there are many more weary office workers and well-meaning first-timers taking a chance on something new. Chen Aiwu at Horseshoe Bend in Arizona. (Family Photo) Having survived the tumult of the Cultural Revolution, raised a family, struggled and saved, Chen and Wang set out, on their own, to discover America. To the delight of many, they did. Meticulous planning Before she landed, Chen was not sure what to think about the United States. The parks looked nice in pictures. But did everyone have a gun? Chen comes from a different world. Born in 1952, she came of age with the Peoples Republic, leaving school after the seventh grade and toiling in the countryside as one of Mao Zedongs sent-down youth. She spent two years pulling a night-soil cart before being assigned to drive a factory bus. Later, she drove a U.S.-made vehicle and tried to imagine what a nation on wheels was like. Back then I said to myself, One day Im going to travel to your country, she said. Chen and Wang raised two children and saved as much as possible. In 2012, they bought their first car, and the next year, despite serious health problems, took a not-so-rookie road-trip across mountainous Tibet. The United States would be tougher. For Chen and Wang, like many Chinese tourists, traveling abroad requires logistical prowess. Rental contracts and street signs are only the beginning. (English speakers: Imagine filling out a customs form written entirely in Chinese.) Chen and Wang started planning months in advance, scouring travel blogs for tips and booking their flights, rental car, SIM cards and navigation system online. Wang, who cannot drive, was put in charge of directions. With the help of an online dictionary, he translated the names of all the places they hoped to visit Page, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bayand wrote the English and Chinese words side-by-side on a sheet of paper. (Its Horseshoe Bend, but they got there anyway.) How much? he wrote below. Where is the bathroom? They wanted to keep their costs down and were worried about unfamiliar food, so they decided to pack their own rice cooker and a hearty side of pickled vegetables to be safe. With water from supermarkets and regular fast food stops, they got by. In China, I never go to McDonalds, because its foreign food, but once I was actually abroad, of course I wanted to try, Chen said. (Plus, you can charge your phone there.) Eating went okay, most of the time, but finding hotels proved tough so tough that they started sleeping in the car. The morning they arrived in Las Vegas, it took them five hours to find the motel they had booked online. Later, driving from Vegas to Flagstaff, they found themselves at a dead end deep in the mountains as night settled in and their navigation system faltered. They were saved, in the end, by two 60-something Americans in a Chevy. Chen pointed to the GPS, closed her eyes, and gestured to show that the navigation system was blind. The Americans tried offering directions in English but quickly saw that the couple could not follow and led the way by car. They took us to the gate of the hotel, but then they just waved and left. We didnt even have a chance to say Thank you, she said. Our only regret on the journey was not having the opportunity to say Thank you and take a photo with those who helped us. We were afraid we might offend them by asking to take a picture together. Impressed and puzzled As surprising as helpful strangers was the fact that Americans did not treat the couple as strangers at all. If we spot a foreigner in China, people surround them and look. But people treated us normally, Chen said. One morning, I went to a supermarket, a stranger smiled and said Good morning to me. Only later did I learn what it means. Other oddities, per Chen: child care. In China, grandparents spend a lot of time caring for grandchildren. In the United States, Chen observed, it was parents chasing children around. And the children are quite independent, she observed. One day at McDonalds, she saw a toddler spill his juice and proceed, unprompted and unassisted, to clean it up. No adult told him to do that. He just did it himself. Chen was wowed by U.S. rule-following They stop for pedestrians! but unimpressed by lackluster in-car navigation and the lack of fast, reliable cellphone service. In Yellowstone Park, she struggled to post pictures to WeChat, the Chinese messaging service. The U.S. is such a superpower, how can they not have good networks? she asked. It struck her that what Chinese and U.S. tourists shared was an appreciation for what wildness remains. At Monument Valley, Utah, they joined U.S. tourists snapping pictures of the Colorado Plateaus landmark buttes. Wang took so many photographs that his fingers hurt. It was a fairy tale, Chen said. On the coast, they watched squirrels beg for food and giggled at portly sea lions. They were making sounds like goo, goo, goo. Some were playing with sand. I saw their chubby bodies worming about on the beach, she said. Standing at the edge of the Pacific, looking toward home, Chen was glad she had made the trip. I didnt know where the U.S. was before. I thought it is a far away place, she was thinking. Now that Im here, I feel we are actually very close. Read more The Rio Olympics are really hurting Chinas feelings These selfie apps with 1 billion downloads are shaping Chinas start-up culture America wants to believe China cant innovate. Tech tells a different story. Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Deputy Ambassador Thae Yong Ho stands in front of artwork at the North Korean Embassy in London in 2014. (Katie Schubauer/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) The second in command of North Koreas embassy in London defected to South Korea with his family, officials in Seoul said Wednesday, describing him as sick and tired of Kim Jong Uns regime. The defection, the latest in a string of high-profile escapes, constitutes an embarrassing blow to North Koreas authoritarian leadership and potentially an intelligence windfall for South Korea and its allies, including the United States. Thae Yong Ho, a cosmopolitan career diplomat, was a key official at the embassy, in a residential area of west London, and is thought to have escorted Kim Jong Chul, the North Korean leaders older brother, during his trip to Britain last year to attend an Eric Clapton concert. He is absolutely central to the operation of that embassy, said Adam Cathcart, a North Korea expert at Leeds University who met Thae several times. Hed been there longer than the ambassador, and all the North Korea hands in London assumed that he was a really key person there. Thae in some ways had been the public face of the embassy, giving talks at bookshops and at British Communist Party meetings in which he extolled the virtues of the North Korean system, a sign of the latitude he had within the regime, Cathcart said. After several days of rumors, South Koreas Unification Ministry confirmed Wednesday that Thae, who is thought to be in his late 50s, is now in Seoul with his family. They are now under the Seoul governments protection, and relevant institutions are proceeding with necessary procedures, Jeong Joon-hee, a ministry spokesman, told reporters, according to the Yonhap News Agency. [ The secret life of Kim Jong Uns aunt, who has lived in the U.S. since 1998 ] Defectors who held senior political or military positions within North Korea are extensively debriefed by the South Korean intelligence agency and then offered to U.S. military intelligence. They generally do not go through the resettlement program for regular defectors where they learn things like how to use a credit card and the Internet but often end up at a government-linked think tank. The South Korean government, which has been taking a tough approach to North Korea since its nuclear test in January, used Thaes escape to take another swipe at the regime in Pyongyang. This case shows that North Korean elites view that there is no hope in their country, said Jeong of the Unification Ministry. It also indicates that North Koreas regimes internal solidarity is weakening. But some analysts speculated that Thaes departure could be linked to tougher sanctions against North Korea following this years nuclear and long-range missile tests. North Koreas embassies are thought to be moneymaking centers, and over the years, diplomats have been caught smuggling contraband including gold, cigarettes, rhino horns and heroin. Increased scrutiny of North Koreas activities, legal and otherwise, could make it harder for diplomats to meet their quotas. South Korean officials did not disclose how or when Thae arrived, but the Guardian newspaper, quoting a student at his sons school, suggested the family had disappeared sometime in July. Thae had talked publicly about living in London with his wife and said that his son attended high school in Acton, in west London. He has also mentioned an older son who graduated from a university with a degree in medicine or public health. North Korean diplomats generally must leave one member of their immediate family in Pyongyang the regimes insurance against defections and it was not clear whether Thae had managed to take all of his family with him. Thaes defection from London could complicate the delicate diplomatic ties between London and Pyongyang. A spokeswoman for the British Foreign Office said, Its not a story were commenting on. [North Korea says it has been practicing to blow up South Korean airports] Thae was known in London for attending political and cultural events. At times, he seemed good-natured, even humorous, as he joked in English about the high cost of living in capitalist London. Warwick Morris, a former British ambassador to South Korea who had met Thae on about four occasions, said the diplomat was smooth and sophisticated in a slightly North Korean kind of way. But Thae also displayed the particular brand of public devotion to his government shown by North Korean diplomats. In 2014, for instance, he scolded British journalists during a speech at a London bookstore for allegedly exaggerating the security level at a major event in Pyongyang, comparing it to what reporters might face if they attended an event at Buckingham Palace. There has been so much ideological work by the ruling class of the British, he said, according to a video of his speech posted on YouTube. He added that they have brainwashed the working class. John Nilsson-Wright, head of the Asia program at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, said Thae was very able, dapper, spoke excellent English ... He was atypical in a world of faceless bureaucrats and had a genuine interest in the country he was based in. I was surprised to learn of his defection, but not totally, Nilsson-Wright said. Anyone who is as bright as he is can see the difference between the official lines of the government and the reality of the outside world. [ I went to North Korea and was told I ask too many questions ] Analysts agreed that Thaes defection could be highly valuable to South Korea and the West. Thae would have come into contact, Nilsson-Wright said, with a number of influential people in the current North Korean administration. He will have good details of how the government works, he said. North Korea allows only citizens deemed most loyal to the regime to travel abroad, so Thaes flight marks the latest in a series of embarrassing defections. In April, the South Koreans announced the arrival of a colonel from North Koreas Reconnaissance General Bureau, the primary spy agency and the department believed to be behind the hacking of Sony Pictures in 2014 and the sinking of a South Korean naval corvette in 2010. That same month, South Korea confirmed the defection of 13 North Koreans working at a state-run restaurant in China another key source of foreign currency for the regime. Thae becomes the most senior North Korean diplomat to defect since the ambassador to Egypt sought asylum in the United States in 1997. Karla Adam contributed to this report. Read more We scrutinized North Korean Viagra and discovered it might actually work North Koreas military buildup isnt limited to its nukes The Olympics are tough for all athletes. For North Koreans, theyre worse. Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Brazilian authorities removed two U.S. swimmers, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, from their flight home on Aug. 17 and prevented them from leaving the country. Here's why. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post) Brazilian authorities removed two U.S. swimmers, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, from their flight home on Aug. 17 and prevented them from leaving the country. Here's why. (Monica Akhtar/The Washington Post) Two U.S. Olympic swimmers were prevented from leaving Brazil on Wednesday night as differences emerged in their accounts of an armed robbery they said they endured last weekend. The U.S. Olympic Committee said Wednesday evening that swimmers Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were removed from their return flight to the United States by Brazilian authorities. Early Thursday, the USOC released a statement indicating that Conger and Bentz were no longer being detained but were not yet free to leave the country. According to the statement: "Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were detained Wednesday night shortly before their flight was scheduled to depart from Rio. They were released by local authorities with the understanding that they would continue their discussions about the incident on Thursday. James Feigen is also communicating with local authorities and intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well. [Ryan Lochte says he had cocked gun pressed to his forehead during robbery in Rio] Bentz and Conger, a three-time All-Met swimmer of the year from Good Counsel High School, were pictured by Brazils TV Globo entering a police office at Rio de Janeiros international airport with their carry-on luggage, but they did not comment to a reporter. The O Globo newspaper reported that the swimmers had boarded United Airlines Flight 128 to Houston and that two representatives from the U.S. Consulate and one from the USOC had arrived at the airport to accompany them. Earlier Wednesday, a Brazilian judge ruled that the passports of fellow swimmers Feigen and Ryan Lochte should be seized after discrepancies emerged in their accounts of what transpired in early Sunday, after the four athletes left a dance party at the Club France official Olympic hospitality venue. Judge Keyla Blanc de Cnop, from a special magistrate court set up for big sporting events, ruled that there were possible divergences in the versions of the robbery that the swimmers gave police. In a statement released on the courts website Wednesday, Blanc de Cnop said that in Lochtes testimony to police, he said the athletes were stopped early Sunday by one robber who demanded all their money: $400. Blanc de Cnop said that Feigen, however, told police that the athletes were surprised by multiple robbers but that only one was armed. Brazils G1 news site reported later Wednesday that another judge had ordered that Congers and Bentzs passports also be seized. That court decision had not been released as of late Wednesday. Security footage published Wednesday by the Daily Mail showed the men arriving at Rio de Janeiros Athletes Village appearing unfazed after the alleged incident. Brazilans have reacted with anger to what many perceived as a false account of a robbery and began conjecturing over what might have happened. Lochtes lawyer Jeff Ostrow told The Post that his client was already back in the United States. 1 of 68 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Rio 2016 Olympics: Day 12 View Photos Here are some of the best photos of the day. Caption Here are some of the best photos of the day. Brianna Rollins, Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin sweep the 100m hurdle final with gold, silver and bronze finishes. Jonathan Newton/The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. The State Department acknowledged the developments Wednesday night. We have seen media reports that two U.S. citizen athletes were detained, State Department spokesman John Kirby said. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance. Due to privacy considerations, we do not have any further information to offer. We refer you to Brazilian authorities for more information about this case. News of the robbery broke Sunday, and confusion soon followed. A spokesman for the International Olympic Committee initially said the report of a robbery was absolutely not true. The spokesman later reversed himself, apologized and attributed the erroneous denial to information the IOC had been given by the USOC. Lochte later told USA Today that he and the other swimmers did not immediately tell the USOC about the incident because we were afraid wed get in trouble. [Ryan Lochte says he was robbed. The Rio police arent so sure.] The swimmers had been at a birthday celebration and dance party at Club France, an Olympic hospitality venue beside the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, with Thiago Pereira, a Brazilian swimmer, and Pereiras wife, Gabriela Pauletti. Pereira and Pauletti left the party before the Americans, who told police that they caught a taxi at a nearby gas station. Lochte told NBC that he and three other swimmers, including Feigen, were robbed when their taxi was stopped. The others were made to lie on the ground, but Lochte said he refused. And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead, and he said, Get down, and I put my hands up. I was like, Whatever, he said. [Ryan Lochte tweaks robbery story in NBC interview] Another doubt highlighted by the Brazilian judge concerns the time at which the swimmers reached the Athletes Village. The footage obtained by the Daily Mail shows them passing through a security check just before 7 a.m. at least four hours after they were supposed to have left the party. In the footage, Lochte jokingly hits Feigen over the head with his Olympic credential. It was perceived that the supposed victims arrived with their physical and psychological integrity unshaken, even making jokes with each other, the judge said, according to the court statement. During NBCs Olympic broadcast Wednesday night, host Matt Lauer told anchor Bob Costas of a telephone interview he said he had with Lochte on Wednesday. Lauer said Lochte was steadfast in saying the robbery took place and denied the notion that the swimmers had concocted a story to cover for some other behavior. Lauer said Lochte did alter two details from his earlier account, now saying their taxi had not been pulled over but had never left the gas station and that the gun had been pointed in his direction but not pressed to his forehead. Ostrow confirmed that his client is in the United States. Ryan left the country after his events, after fully meeting with the Brazilian authorities, the State Department, the FBI everybody who wanted to meet with him, Ostrow said. He made himself available and provided the Brazil police with a statement. He wasnt told to stay around or that [the authorities] had other questions, but we told them we were still available if they had further questions. He was planning on leaving, and he left. I dont know what theyre trying to do down there. If they need to get in touch with me, we have always been fully cooperating. Nobody has reached out to me. Nobody has reached out to Ryan. Ostrow also said that the incident happened exactly the way Ryan described it under oath to Brazilian police and that he believes Lochtes account of the incident to the police was the same as the one he told on the Today show. They were robbed at gunpoint the way he described it, Ostrow said. The San Antonio Express-News reported that Feigen, still in Brazil, declined to comment when contacted by the newspaper. I cant talk right now, Feigen said. Im still in Brazil, and [an interview] is going to have to wait. Read more Mexicos miserable Olympics Tourists really dont know how to fit in at Rios famous beaches Olympics bring fans, flags from around the world to Rio Todays coverage from Post correspondents around the world Carol Morello contributed from Washington. Gen. Khalifa Hifter during a March 2015 interview with the Associated Press in al-Marj, Libya. (Mohammed El-Sheikhy/AP) Hes a grandfather and longtime Washington suburbanite who now commands a powerful fighting force in northern Africa. Hes also a former CIA asset and anti-Islamist warrior who stands in the way of peace in Libya. The United States and its allies cant figure out what to do about Khalifa Hifter, the Libyan general whose refusal to support a fragile unity government has jeopardized hopes for stability in a country plagued by conflict. Since he emerged as an important post-revolution figure in 2014, Western governments have struggled to define an effective policy to deal with Hifter, who has styled himself as an antidote to extremists while building his own power base and shunning the political process brokered by the United Nations. Hifter is threatening many of the Western-backed initiatives in Libya and the establishment of a recognized political power, said Barak Barfi, a scholar at New America, a Washington think tank. Hifter doesnt have the strength on the battlefield to deliver on his promises to defeat Islamists, but he can act as a spoiler. Even as militia forces, backed by U.S. air power, make progress against the Islamic State in central Libya, Hifter looms as a primary impediment to White House hopes for restoring the democratic promise of the 2011 revolution that ended dictator Moammar Gaddafis long rule. Hifters role in a much earlier, CIA-backed attempt to overthrow Gaddafi injects another element of complexity into American efforts to end Libyas long crisis. A former senior U.S. official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said that Hifters connections across the Middle East and beyond have made it difficult for the Obama administration to develop a unified strategy to confront or co-opt him. Even if there had been unity of thought within the U.S. government, we didnt have the capability to marginalize him and we also didnt have the capacity to integrate him, the official said. He was this free electron. [U.S. hits Islamic State stronghold in Libya, expanding campaign] Hifter, who got to know Gaddafi as a young military officer, appeared to be a loyal follower of the Libyan leader until 1987, when he and 400 other troops were captured by opposing forces in neighboring Chad, where he served as a commander in the Libyan leaders war there. Hifter turned against his onetime patron when Gaddafi repudiated the failed campaign in Chad, along with the prisoners of war and Hifter himself. Hifter joined the National Front for the Salvation of Libya (NFSL), a U.S.-backed group of Libyan dissidents that was laying plans to topple Gaddafi. President Ronald Reagans White House had previously approved a covert operation, code-named Tulip, that aimed to channel support to dissident groups with the goal of overthrowing the Libyan leader. Gaddafi had ties to terrorist groups and was allied with the Soviet Union. Reagan branded him the mad dog of the Middle East. It was in Chad that Hifters men connected with U.S. intelligence agents, according to multiple former officials who were involved in the Libya operation. According to one former official, the Libyan soldiers under Hifter were trained by personnel from the CIAs Special Activities Division, the agencys paramilitary arm. The CIA declined to comment. [In Libya, the Islamic States black banner rises by the Mediterranean] The former official described Hifter as a tough, experienced soldier. Hes a hardhead, but hes a reasonable man, he said. The planned coup attempt went nowhere, and U.S. officials were forced to rescue the Libyans in 1990, when a new Chadian leader prepared to throw them out. The men were flown to Nigeria and then Zaire, but it soon became clear that no African leader wanted them. It was a long, sad history of trying to dispose of them and finding a place for them to live, a former intelligence official said. Six months later, a U.S. military aircraft flew about 350 Libyan rebels to the United States. Some of the rebels, including Hifter, continued to train with weapons in rural Virginia in anticipation of another coup attempt, according to Bechara Charbel, a journalist working for the pan-Arab newspaper Hayat who visited a training camp at the time. Hifter, living in Northern Virginia, eventually split from the NFSL but remained active in dissident circles. After Libyans rose up in 2011, Hifter returned to northern Africa but failed to secure the backing of interim leaders to head rebel military operations against Gaddafi. He came back to Virginia to enjoy my grandchildren, he told New Yorker magazine. In February 2014, seemingly out of nowhere, the general released a video announcing a military coup. He railed against the inability of the then-central government to confront armed Islamist groups that had grown strong after the revolution. At the State Department, officials scrambled to respond. Everyone was like, Is this a joke? one former State Department official said. Because this guy had been living in Vienna forever, referring to the suburb in Northern Virginia. The coup gained no traction, and the episode was widely derided. [U.S. and allies ready to help arm Libyan forces against Islamic State] Soon afterward, with support from tribal and political factions, Hifter launched Operation Dignity, a bid to clear eastern Libya of militant groups including Ansar al-Sharia, which was blamed for the 2012 attack on U.S. personnel in Benghazi. As Libyas political crisis expanded, lawmakers in the eastern city of Tobruk named him their top military commander. Hifters actions also won him favor from some ordinary Libyans desperate for a response to rampant crime and lawlessness. In the east, he is a hero . . . someone who was able to take initiative when [others] failed to do so, said Mohamed Eljarh, a scholar with the Atlantic Council. That is what won him trust, credibility and popularity. Col. Ahmed Mesmari, a spokesman for the forces that Hifter commands, said they had sacrificed thousands of troops but succeeded in weakening a range of militant groups. But the campaign which without a definitive military victory has left much of Benghazi in tatters and put civilians under threat has also fueled divisions among Libyans. Hifters forces have clashed sporadically with groups now aligned with the U.S.-backed government. In Tripoli and other parts of western Libya, some see Hifter as more dangerous than the Islamic State. But the general has powerful allies, including the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, which have encouraged his campaign in the eastern part of the country. French troops have been using Benghazis Benina air base, where Hifters forces also operate. And although it is unclear what relationship he has with the French, he has benefited from the perception of outside backing. Hifter has been compared favorably to Abdel Fatah al-Sissi, the general-turned-strongman president in Egypt who shares the Libyans desire to quash the regions Islamists. [U.S. Special Operations troops aiding Libyan forces against Islamic State] Hes been able to parlay what I think has been uneven military performance into political leverage, said Frederic Wehrey, an expert on Libya at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Regional support is a key factor. Like other top political leaders in the east, Hifter has refused to support the Tripoli-based unity government, as required under a U.N.-brokered political deal, until it secures the backing from lawmakers in the eastern city of Tobruk. Hifter is not interested in democracy, the former State Department official said. I dont even think hes particularly interested in peace. At the heart of the impasse is Hifters own future and plans by the new unity government that would strip the general of his command. Mesmari denied that Hifter and those under him were interested in politics, saying they want to protect Libya from a new government that he said had ties to Islamist factions. We are military men, Mesmari said. Our task is maintain the security in Libya. Hoping to signal support for the unity government, U.S. diplomats have steered clear of Hifter, but neither do they expect a future for Libya without him. U.S. officials now hope to build support for giving Hifter a regional military position in the unity government. But it seems unlikely the general, seizing his chance so many years after Gaddafi abandoned him in Chad, would accept a subordinate job. Last week, the U.N. envoy to Libya acknowledged that support for the unity government, mired in infighting, is slipping away, threatening to collapse the Western project in Libya and creating the prospect of indefinite civil conflict and terrorist activity. That may help the general, Eljarh said, as he consolidates his position and continues to portray himself as the only man who can save Libya. Hifter feeds on the failure of governance, the failure of initiative and the failure of the international community to come up with solutions that are workable, he said. Adam Goldman contributed to this report. A comment this week in the Financial Times entitled, Why Australias luck may be running out, is symptomatic of the growing attention being paid to Australia amid rising geo-political tensions in the Asia Pacific. Written by the FTs chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman, the article underscores the dilemma facing the Australian ruling class as its longstanding strategic ally, the United States, confronts its largest trading partner, China, in every areadiplomatic, economic and military. In line with Western commentary on the Asia Pacific, Rachman suggests that China and its economic rise is responsible for sharpening geo-political tensions. Without explaining why, he warns that Australia is in danger of becoming a lightning rod for Chinese anger towards the West in general and the US in particular. Rachman highlights wild invective by Chinese nationalists toward Australia over two issuesfirstly, Canberras backing for last months ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) negating Chinas maritime claims in the South China Sea and, secondly and far less significantly, the provocative remarks of an Australian Olympic swimmer in accusing his Chinese rival of being a drug cheat. The reasons for the Chinese anger are quite comprehensible. Over the past five years, as part of its pivot to Asia, Washington, backed to the hilt by Canberra, has deliberately stoked rivalry in the South China Sea by encouraging countries like the Philippines and Vietnam to more aggressively pursue their territorial claims against China. The US backed and assisted the Philippines to mount its PCA case in The Hague, which China condemned as illegitimate from the outset. If Chinas state-owned Global Times reserved some of its sharpest invective for Australias backing of the court ruling, it no doubt reflects the calculation within the Chinese regime that Canberra can be used as a whipping boy with fewer consequences than Washington. Rachman points to the underlying shift in the objective position of Australian capitalism, which in the past was known as the lucky countryrich in resources and separated from the worlds trouble spots by vast oceans. This historic good fortune partly depended on the dominance in the Asia Pacific of Britain, then the United States. However, if the South China Sea and the wider Pacific Ocean become contested waters, Australia faces a tricky choice. Should it accommodate itself to the idea that China will eventually dominate the Asia-Pacific region? Or should Australia place its bet on the continuing dominance of a like-minded, traditional allythe US, Rachman wrote. In reality, while deep concerns remain about the economic consequences of any breach with China, the strategic choice essentially has been made. Australia has aligned itself with the US pivot, which is aimed at maintaining American supremacy in Asia and subordinating China to US interests. For the past five years, Canberra has integrated the Australian armed forces more closely into the US military build-up throughout Asia against China, opening up bases in northern Australia to American Marines, warships and aircraft. As Rachman notes, Canberra is under growing pressure from Washington to join the US in conducting provocative freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea by sending aircraft or naval vessels within the 12-nautical-mile limits around Chinese islets. Moreover, the Australian government, unquestionably under pressure from Washington, is making decisions that impact on economic relations with China. Last week, Canberra blocked bids from two Chinese corporations for leases to operate the Ausgrid electricity network in the state of New South Wales, citing undisclosed national security concerns, provoking sharp criticisms from Beijing. Rachmans comment reflects a discussion about the rising danger of war that until recently was largely confined to strategic and foreign policy circles but is now being voiced more prominently in the establishment press. The front page of Murdochs Australian on Monday highlighted a recent report by the US-based Rand Corporation, commissioned by the US Army, assessing the potentially catastrophic outcomes of a US war with Chinanow and in a decades time. In comments to the Australian, longstanding strategic analyst Paul Dibb placed the Ausgrid decision squarely in the context of war with China, which, he said, could break out almost by accident. Would the cost matter [to China] in a crisis where we were involved and they wanted to cut off our electricity supply to our intelligence agencies, for instance? he asked. While claiming conflict was unlikely, Dibb said it is plausible and it could erupt in my view from a miscalculation or a deliberate act of provocation between China and the US in the East China Sea or the South China Sea. Australias central role in a US war with China was underlined by the Rand reports lead author, David Gompert, a former US principal deputy director of National Intelligence. Speaking to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, he said Australia would be very consequential in a conflict with China. Gompert suggested that Australian military involvement could include: For Australia to support the United States in logistical ways, for Australian forces to take on missions that American forces had been fulfilling, freeing [them] up for the conflict. He added that the Australian military could actually enter operations, and of course American and Australian forces do know how to operate togetherthat would produce significant operational consequences for the Chinese. As a former top intelligence adviser, Gompert is well aware that new basing arrangements for US forces in Australia, the routine rehearsal of war plans in joint exercises, and the direct integration of Australian personnel and assets into the American military serve to prepare for just such Australian involvement in a conflict with China. Given the US dependence on bases like Pine Gap in central Australia for intelligence and targetting, any decision by the US to launch war on China would automatically involve Australia. In this context, Rachmans comment in the Financial Times, a newspaper that has in the past rarely remarked on Australian affairs, takes on added significance. After reviewing the impact of rising regional tensions, he concludes: All of these developments suggest that, unlikely as it currently sounds, Australia could emerge as a geopolitical flashpoint in the coming decades. The only correction that needs to be made is that conflict is rapidly becoming more likely, and not decades from now. Japan is set to announce that it will begin training its Self-Defense Forces (SDF) under new legislation passed last September enabling the military to take part in wars overseas. The first troops to undergo this program are to be sent to South Sudan in November, officially as part of the UN Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS). By this step, Japan also aims to further stake its claim in the new imperialist scramble for Africa. While conducted under the banner of the UN, nominally as a peacekeeping operation, the stepped-up multinational force in South Sudan marks another stage in a protracted US-led political and military intervention in Sudan. This has particularly focused on the countrys south, now a separate state, the location of most of the countrys oil wealth, previously controlled largely by Chinese firms. Under Japans new military laws, which went into effect in March, the SDF is able to join combat operations alongside troops from other nations, so long as it supposedly involves protecting allies or civilians. This followed the reinterpretation of the constitution by Prime Minister Shinzo Abes cabinet in July 2014 to allow such collective self-defense. The SDF operations in South Sudan represent a test case for how the legislation will be implemented. The troops to be trained will replace the contingent of 350 who are already stationed in the African country, ostensibly to aid in construction projects as part of UNMISS. The pretext for doing so is the escalation of violence that has erupted in South Sudan in recent weeks. In July, Tokyo dispatched three military C-130 transport planes to evacuate Japanese citizens, mostly Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) personnel, from the country. While many left on a chartered aircraft, four embassy officials were taken out of the country on one of the planes, which had initially stopped at Japans military base in Djibouti. Tokyo regularly exploits rescue missions to expand and justify the use of its military. Last Septembers legislation was first introduced following the hostage crisis involving two Japanese men kidnapped and murdered by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). With Julys Upper House election concluded, the Abe government and ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) are pushing ahead with the remilitarization agenda more forcefully. Japans interests in Africa and the region are related to energy needs. Last year, approximately 82 percent of Japanese oil imports came from the Middle East. As a result, Tokyo is seeking to expand its energy sources into countries like South Sudan, where China still has a substantial foothold. Chinas National Petroleum Corporation owns a 40 percent stake in a joint venture to operate South Sudans oil fields. Japans presence in Africa has been steadily growing in recent years. Having first sent troops to Djibouti in 2009 under the guise of combatting piracy, Tokyo established its first military base abroad since World War II in the tiny nation on the Horn of Africa in July 2011. The base is currently home to 600 Maritime SDF troops. From there, Japan has extended its influence to other parts of the continent, including Ghana during the Ebola outbreak. In November 2011, the Democratic Party of Japan government of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda first approved dispatching the SDF to South Sudan. It followed Sudans carve-up by the US and European powers earlier that year as part of a drive to undercut Beijings activities in the region. Stratfor, the private intelligence firm, wrote at the time: The move into South Sudan may also signal a renewed effort to gradually reintroduce JSDF operations into strategic foreign policy initiativesin this case, energy security. If it manages to secure a stronger foothold in South Sudan, Japan will be better positioned to deal with Chinese influence in the tumultuous Sudanese-South Sudanese oil industry framework. In February 2015, Abes cabinet revised Japans Official Development Assistance charter while establishing a Development Cooperation Charter to integrate its aid and development organizations, such as JICA, with the SDF. This was in conjunction with the National Security Strategy issued in December 2013 and overseen by the new National Security Council (NSC) established the same month. The NSC centralizes foreign and defense policy under the prime minister, while its work is kept hidden from the public by anti-democratic state secrecy laws. The cabinet decision on the development charters stated: In this new era, Japan must strongly lead the international community, as a nation that contributes even more proactively to securing peace, stability and prosperity of the international community from the perspective of Proactive Contribution to Peace. References to proactive contribution to peacea phrase Abe has regularly used to justify unconstitutional legal changesare in fact justifications for increased military operations internationally. Last year, the Tokyo Foundation, a think-tank with connections to the Japanese government, released a report calling for enhanced cooperation between JICA and the SDF. One of the authors, Ippeita Nishida, responded to a question about the use of the SDF in an interview, titled Tapping the Potential of Japans Self-Defense Forces, with Nikkei Business Online in May 2015. While making perfunctory statements about adhering to Japans so-called pacifist constitution, Nishida stated: The general perception of Japans stature and influence in the international community is slipping in relative terms. Under the circumstances, we need to give serious thought to crafting a strategy that makes optimum use of the instruments we have at our disposal. One of those instruments is foreign aid, which Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida has called our most important foreign policy tool. Another is the Self-Defense Forces, which can help enhance our influence and stature in the international community by contributing to international security. Humanitarian missions are simply the excuse the Abe government and LDP are using to further remilitarize Japan. This policy has met with widespread hostility among Japanese workers and youth. The Democratic Party has posed as an opponent of Abe, but it proposed legislation in February to also allow the SDF to be deployed abroad, so long as the operation had the fig leaf of UN approval, which is not required by Abes laws. The author also recommends: South Sudan government approves 4,000-strong UN force [16 August 2016] The widespread flooding in southern Louisiana, the byproduct of unprecedented rainstorms over the weekend, is a demonstration that American society is no more prepared for a significant natural disaster in 2016 than it was 11 years ago this month, when Hurricane Katrina made landfall in roughly the same area. So far, 11 people are reported to have been killed and many thousands rendered homeless. As the Associated Press noted, a catastrophic 48-hour torrent of rain sent thousands of people in Louisiana scrambling for safety and left many wondering how a region accustomed to hurricanes could get caught off guard so badly. The flooding in the Louisiana is the latest in a long series of similar disasters to strike what is supposedly the richest country in the world. As always, the impact of natural phenomenawhether it is hurricanes, floods, tornados, hurricanes or earthquakesreveals the stark reality of social life. Millions of people, living day to day and paycheck to paycheck, do not have the resources to deal with the financial shock caused by such events. Politicians make hollow promises and empty gestures. The media shines a brief light on people who are generally neglected and ignored. And after the immediate cause subsides, those who have been devastated are left to fend for themselves, while nothing is done to prepare for the next disaster. While thousands of state residents, including many from New Orleans and other cities not directly affected by the flooding, flocked to the disaster zone to volunteer their services in rescuing and caring for victims, the governmental response was completely inadequate. The Louisiana state government and the local parish (county) governments were overwhelmed by extent of the emergency and the widespread social need. At least 40,000 homes have been damaged, most of them significantly. Some 30,000 people had to be rescued, many from their vehicles as they sought to flee the flood zone. In contrast to hurricanes, where shelters are opened in advance, there were few such facilities prepared for the impact of an unnamed low-pressure system that caused record rainfalls of up to 22 inches. By Tuesday, however, more than 11,000 people were jammed into the shelters that were hastily made available by local authorities. State government offices were closed Monday in at least 27 parishes, nearly half of the state, and even the governors mansion in Baton Rouge had to be evacuated temporarily as water began to enter the basement, the state governments emergency headquarters. Tens of thousands of state residents are without electric power, and repair efforts were hampered by roads blocked by water. The area hit by the flooding is largely rural, with some suburban and exurban development outside Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Louisiana is one of the poorest US states, and has been devastated by budget cuts under both Democratic and Republican state administrations. Roads and bridges are in poor repairas evidenced by the large number of motorists trapped by flood watersand emergency services, other than the National Guard, part of the US military, are badly underfunded. The Obama administration has done little more than the Bush administration after Katrina. There were no plans for Obama to interrupt his vacation on Marthas Vineyard, although he will leave the island briefly to campaign for Hillary Clinton. He made the obligatory declaration of a federal disaster area, covering four parishes on Monday, expanded to 12 parishes on Tuesday. Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, said that the declaration would eventually apply to about 30 parishes, half the state. Only a relative handful of the residents of the affected area have federal flood insurancefar fewer proportionally than in New Orleans, 10 percent compared to 40 percent. Most of the flood victims will be wiped out, with their homes and property deluged, forced to rebuild from scratch at their own expense. Once again, as during Katrina, working people are being left to their own devices, with no real social safety net to support them. The Obama administration mobilized trillions in resources when the financial aristocracy faced disaster on Wall Street in 2009. It spends lavishly on the military-intelligence apparatus, nearly a trillion dollars every year. But aid for the flood victims in Louisiana will be doled out stingily, just as it has been for those hit by flooding in West Virginia, Maryland and Texas, or by other weather events such as tornadoes, drought and mudslides. The pathetic federal response also exposes the fraudulent character of the war on terror, now approaching the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Vast resources have been squandered on counterterrorism, the build-up of the forces of the state and emergency planning. But when a genuine emergency hitsone, moreover, that was fully predictablethe enormous state apparatus yawns and turns its back. There is an additional element in the latest natural disaster. More than any previous such event, it is linked directly to climate change. A report on the New York Times web site Tuesday noted that the weekend downpour in Louisiana was the eighth event in the past 15 months that exceeded scientific predictions of events occurring only once every 500 years, or with a 0.2 percent probability. Dr. David Easterling, an official of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who spoke with the Times, said reports that as much as 31 inches of rain have fallen on parts of Louisiana in the past week were pretty staggering, the type of event that would occur only once every 1,000 years. The article continued, Dr. Easterling said that those sorts of estimates were predicated on the idea that the climate was stable, a principle that has become outdated. July was the warmest month ever recorded, following a June that was the warmest June on record. The higher the air temperature, the greater the capacity of the air to store water vapor, and the greater potential downpour in the event that water vapor turns into rain. How would a society based on rational planning and social need, rather than private profit, respond to such a crisis? The resources of the society, including manpower, skilled emergency responders and basic necessities like shelter, clothing and food, would be fully mobilized and available in vast quantities as soon as required. Advance planning would ensure that regions particularly susceptible to such disasters, like the low-lying, swampy terrain of southern Louisiana, would receive special attention. And every effort would be made to adapt the technological processes of society to the scientific understanding of the driving forces of climate change, by reducing fossil fuel use and other emissions contributing to global warming. Such a response would be the mirror opposite of the chaotic, unplanned and thoroughly indifferent response of American capitalist society to the latest natural disaster. It would only be possible under a socialist, planned economy controlled democratically by the working class. Photo: Stocksy Israel has dramatically lowered death rates from skin cancer in the past five years, thanks to an aggressive campaign against the disease. We were third in the world in the incidence and mortality after Australia and New Zealand, and it was, of course, because we have a lot of people who come from Europe with light skin, Miri Ziv, director general of the Israel Cancer Association (ICA) told The Media Line, as reported in the Jerusalem Post. In the past five years, Israel dropped to the 20th country with the highest incidence (of skin cancer) and, in terms of mortality, we dropped to number 13 for men and number 20 for women. The country used a three-pronged approach, focusing on raising awareness, helping Israelis identify the signs of skin cancer, and research on the disease. The ICA also created skin care apps, such as DermaCompare, which helps users document their moles. In addition, the country created new immunotherapy drugs to fight skin cancer. The ICA also pushed Israelis to be smarter about the sun. We disseminated our sun-smart stuff in TV programs and in the media, says Ziv. Every summer we launch the early detection project, and we encourage people to avoid sunbathing from 10 to 4. (Ziv also points out that while melanoma is rising significantly for most of the world, its rate has stabilized in Israel.) Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, making Israels news noteworthy for the U.S. too. Related: Why Would These Experts Fail to Recommend Skin Cancer Screenings? Could we accomplish the same thing stateside? Experts say yes but we need to do our part. There is constant sun-smart education from the dermatologists in the United States and from the American Academy of Dermatology, Gary Goldenberg, MD, medical director of the Dermatology Faculty Practice at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, tells Yahoo Beauty. However, he says, were just not listening. Story continues For example, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends that people get a full skin examination annually after the age of 18, but Goldenberg says few people actually do it. Americans also need to encourage sun-smart behaviors from an early age. Since too many people have used or are using tanning beds, we are seeing skin cancer in younger and younger patients, he says. Finding these lesions early will improve survival and decrease mortality. New York City dermatologist Doris Day, MD, agrees, telling Yahoo Beauty that awareness is a big thing. Day says there are big misconceptions about sun exposure that are still all too common and they can be potentially dangerous. People really think that if its cloudy outside or theyre not at the beach, theyre not at risk, she says. They tend to think that if theyre not tanning on purpose or theyre wearing sunscreen, then theyre not tanning. They have a false sense of security. There are also everyday things that we dont think about that can be problematic, Day says, like the fact that sunscreen is classified as a drug (this allows the Food and Drug Association to regulate it but also means that children have to see the nurse if they want it during school hours) and the reality that many sporting events provide little to no shade. Sunscreen usage is also problematic. While many people are aware that sunscreen is important, they dont use it often enough or apply enough when they do, Day says. People need to be taught to get into the habit of applying sunscreen on a daily basis, she says. Our cultures perception of tans as healthy is also a concern, Day says, arguing that PSAs featuring sun-smart celebrities like Adele and Taylor Swift would go a long way toward changing public perception. And finally, Day says most people dont know how to do a skin self-exam or dont know what theyre actually looking for. People only show me raised spots on their skin, and most arent of any significance, she says. Were missing the things they should be showing us. Experts stress that we can lower our skin cancer rates we just arent there yet. The three-pronged approach of awareness, identification, and research is very smart, because it focuses on all important aspects of reducing skin cancer numbers and mortality, Goldenberg says. The public just needs to pay attention to the dangers of sun exposure. Read This Next: Fitness Instructors Viral Blog Post on Harassment: I Deserve to Be Treated Like a Human Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. The last few days have been really, really sad for me, because weve seen this powder keg develop over time, Rep. Gwen Moore told Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric. Couric traveled to Milwaukee after violent protests erupted in the city following the recent shooting death of an African-American man who, according to police, was armed. Its a result of pent-up anger and anxiety for years, Moore said of the tension in the city, which remains one of the most segregated in the nation. On Saturday, 23-year-old Sylville Smith and a companion were pulled over by police. When Smith fled, officials say he was ordered to drop his weapon but he refused to do so. Moore, who represents Wisconsins Fourth Congressional District, told Couric that the issue for many protesters isnt Smiths guilt or innocence. The issue is, was he being stopped, like most African-American men feel like they experience in this community, that theyre being stopped simply for driving while being black? The officer who shot Smith is also African-American. Its very ironic, Moore told Couric. But I do think its important to note that those two young men took different paths. One of them is a police officer. And the other is a part of the community where the majority of their income may have come from underground, illegal activities. Moore says there is no justification for the kind of violence the city has seen since the shooting, but hopes the turmoil will ultimately lead to a more constructive conversation. If this unrest can be the platform for a dialogue about how to bring resources here, for recreation for young people, for jobs, for rebuilding our manufacturing economy if this is going to be the platform for it, then I cant say it will have been worth it, but it will have at least been redemptive. Michael Moore may have just dropped a massive bombshell in the form of a blog post titled Is Donald Trump Purposely Sabotaging His Campaign? In it the Oscar-winning documentarist says the answer is an emphatic Yes. Moore claims this is not just an opinion but a fact, one hes been able to corroborate using several sources though he wont say who they are. The director is essentially claiming Trump only embarked on his presidential bid for one reason: Squeezing more money from NBC ahead of his Celebrity Apprentice contract renegotiations. I know this for a fact, Moore writes. There are certain people reading this right now, they know who they are, and they know that every word in the following paragraphs actually happened. Also Read: See Why Donald Trump Is Not Going to Like His Latest Magazine Cover (Photo) Moore goes on to say that Trump was unhappy with his NBC deal, only descending Trump Towers golden escalator in June of 2015 to create leverage. But, according to Moore, Trump knew, as the self-proclaimed king of the dealmakers, that saying youre going to do something is bupkis DOING it is what makes the bastards sit up and pay attention. Moore continues: With no prepared script, he went off the rails at his kick-off press conference, calling Mexicans rapists and drug dealers and pledging to build a wall to keep them all out. Jaws in the room were agape. His comments were so offensive, NBC, far from offering him a bigger paycheck, immediately fired him with this terse statement: Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump.' Also Read: NBC Chairman Bashes Donald Trump as 'Demented,' 'Pompous' Moore argues that Trump was stunned by NBCs response but decided to press on anyway. And then something happened, Moore writes. Trump, to his own surprise, ignited the country, especially among people who were the opposite of billionaires. He went straight to #1 in the polls of Republican voters. Up to 30,000 boisterous supporters started showing up to his rallies. TV ate it up. Story continues He ends his essay arguing that Trump has been deliberately tanking his campaign in recent weeks because, lets face it, being POTUS is hard. The job of being president is WORK and BORING and you have to live in the GHETTO of Washington, DC, in a small 200-year-old house thats damp and dreary and has only two floors! Moore wrote. Many now are sensing the end game here because they know Trump seriously doesnt want to do the actual job and, most importantly, he cannot and WILL NOT suffer through being officially and legally declared a loser LOSER! on the night of November 8th. Also Read: Donald Trump Campaign Denies Roger Ailes Is Helping With Debate Prep Always helpful, Moore has this postscript for the GOP candidate: Don, if youre reading this, do it soon. Give your pathetic party a chance to pick up the pieces and nominate Ryan or Romney so they can be the ones to lose the White House, the Senate, the House and yes, praise Jesus and the Notorious RBG, the Supreme Court. Dont be too hard on yourself. Youre only the logical conclusion to a party that has lived off the currency of racism and bigotry and fellating the 1% for decades, and now their Trump has come home to roost. You can read the entire post here. 15 Republicans Who Won't Be Voting for Donald Trump (Photos) Donald Trump and Jeb Bush Ted Cruz RNC Getty Lindsey Graham Getty mitt romney donald trump jimmy kimmel ABC Jeb Bush Getty Barbara Bush sally bradshaw Norm Coleman Glenn Beck Reliable Sources Fox News Bill Kristol CNN erick erickson george will Charlie Baker Michael Hayden Mark Kirk Reid Ribble Previous Slide Next Slide 1 of 16 From Jeb Bush to Glenn Beck, the Trump campaign has prompted many right-wing politicians and pundits to break rank with the GOP While many major Republican figures like Mitch McConnell and John Boehner have towed the party line and pledged their support to Donald Trump, there are some who refuse to back him -- even if it means that Hillary Clinton will become the next President. Here are some notable names who see Trump as an opponent to conservative values. View In Gallery Related stories from TheWrap: Macklemore Unloads on Donald Trump in New "FDT Part 2" (Video) Emmy Contender and Host Jimmy Kimmel on Trump, Instant Critics and Why He's Not Prepping a Speech NBC Chairman Bashes Donald Trump as 'Demented,' 'Pompous' Equinox Presents "Celebrity Basketball Spectacular" To Benefit Sports Spectacular - Arrivals The ongoing saga of Freddie Gibbs in his sexual assault case continues. In June, he was arrested on rape charges regarding an incident that allegedly happened last July. He has since been scheduled for extradition to Austria and subsequently lost the extradition appeal. Hes always maintained his innocence, however, and says he wants to do everything possible to clear his name. It looks like hell get the chance as the Austrian court has formally charged him with sexual abuse, per a report by Metro International. A spokesman for the Austrian authorities said the official charge was for sexual abuse of a defenseless or psychologically impaired person and carries a max sentence of ten years if convicted. Its being alleged that Gibbs, real name Fredrick Tipton, administered a knock-out drug and had sex with her while she was in a defenseless state. Gibbs US attorney, Theodore Simon, released a statement after the charges were filed. While Freddie Gibbs was charged with an offense today, it remains only an allegation, he said. It does not in any way change the actual facts that Freddie Gibbs is 100 percent innocent. His Austrian lawyer, Thomas Kralik, said his client neither abused nor had sexual contact with the woman, and that [he] had yet to be formally notified of the charge. (Via WatchLoud) Health care has become so expensive in the United States that a growing number of Americans (and their employers) are finding it more cost efficient to fly across the globe for certain medical procedures. The savings are so great and the quality high enough that a handful of American insurance companies are now encouraging the practice and covering the travel and treatment costs. Related: Heres Whats Driving Health Care Costs Higher Medical tourism was valued at about $439 billion last year in a new report by Visa and Oxford Economics, which projected that it could grow 25 percent a year over the next decade. This year, an estimated 1.4 million Americans will leave the country for a medical procedure, according to Patients Beyond Borders. In addition to traveling in order to save money, some medical tourists plan trips because they want to have a treatment thats not approved in the United States or because theyll have a shorter wait by going abroad. If youre considering joining them, heres what you need to know: 1. The potential savings are huge. For patients considering procedures that arent covered by insurance, traveling abroad for treatment can yield serious savings. A knee replacement, for example, which would cost $35,000 to $60,000 in the United States, costs less than $23,000 in Costa Rica or India, including airfare and lodging for the patient and a companion, according to Indus Health, which helps employers offer medical tourism benefits to their workers. Other popular procedures for travelers include In vitro fertilization, dental work and cosmetic surgery. Source: Visa, Mapping the Future of Global Travel and Tourism Hospitals overseas can often charge lower prices because their doctors are paid less, and they may not have to carry the same medical malpractice insurance as American doctors. And if most patients are paying with cash, they dont have to worry about tiered pricing for preferred insurance companies. Story continues 2. There are still serious risks. In addition to trouble arising from language barriers and culture shock, the standard safety practices in the United States may not be used in international hospitals. You may be more likely to receive counterfeit medications or blood that hasnt been properly screened than you would here, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Related: 1 in 5 People with Health Insurance Can't Afford Their Medical Bills Jet lag can also leave you weaker going into surgery or impede your recovery when you get home. If something goes seriously wrong, it may be more difficult to bring a malpractice suit against international health care providers, and even if you can bring a suit there are much lower limits to how much you can sue for internationally. You also may not have the same privacy protections afforded to you in the United States under HIPAA rules. 3. Consider medical complications insurance. If your traditional insurance wont cover the trip, you may need to purchase medical complications insurance, which will cover the cost of follow-up care and treatment if your procedure results in complications. Traditional travel insurance typically doesnt offer such coverage. 4. Do your homework. Look for a hospital thats used to handling international patients and thats accredited by the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities or the Joint Commission International. Youll want a doctor who speaks English and who went to medical school in a first-world country. The people who get into trouble are the ones that price shop and dont pay attention to quality, says Josef Woodman, chief executive officer of Patients Beyond Borders. If that sounds like too much work, there are several medical tourism agencies now that will coordinate the trip and who have established relationships with specific doctors and hospitals. You may pay slightly more for the procedure, but youll have someone you can call if any issues arrive during or after your treatment. Check out online reviews and the Better Business Bureau to see whether an agency has a good reputation. The agencies often also sell complications insurance. Related: Medical Error Is Killing Hundreds of Thousands Each Year 5. Plan for your recovery. Depending on your procedure, you may need to stay abroad for several weeks. Make sure that your hotel knows that youll be recovering from a medical treatment and can accommodate any special needs you might have. Even if youre feeling better, the CDC recommends that you not fly for at least 10 days after surgery due to the increased risk of blood clots. You should also avoid typical vacation activities like sunbathing, swimming or drinking alcohol. Be sure to bring home all of your discharge papers from the hospital, as well as records for blood work, X-rays or other screenings. That way if you need follow-up care, you can bring those documents to a doctor who might have been reluctant to treat [and who] will have a roadmap and the confidence to go forward, Woodman says. 6. Involve your doctor. Youll want to consult with your current doctor before seeking treatment abroad. You may need her to provide medical records or consult with your international team, and youll also likely follow up with her for ongoing treatment or checkups after you return. Talk to your doctor before you leave about the surgeon youll be seeing, the devices used, the recovery time, says Maria Burpee, senior vice president of special products with ArchimedicX, an international hospital search engine and booking tool. Then they can go over it with you and make a plan with your doctor for follow up care. 7. Consider domestic options. Given the wide range of health care procedures within the United States, you may be able to find the treatment that you need at a more affordable price without leaving the country. A knee replacement, for example, costs an average $61,300 in New York City compared to just $16,000 in Montgomery, Alabama, according to Blue Cross Blue Shield. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Learn to love emerging markets again. Emerging markets at one point were Wall Street's greatest love affair. Country-specific funds like the iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI) went vertical during the mid-aughts, and investors thought expanding middle classes in these emerging countries would fuel gains until kingdom come. Reality eventually set in, and EM funds were mired for years. But emerging markets still boast better economic growth than most of their developed brethren, and thus funds focused on these countries still have some growth potential to crow about. These exchange-traded funds provide investors with a few ways to play several emerging markets with a single investment. Rankings are as of this date. 10. iShares Edge MSCI Min Vol Emerging Markets ETF (EEMV) When you think of emerging markets, you typically think of volatility -- which is precisely what the EEMV is designed to combat. EEMV focuses on a number of characteristics that reduce volatility, resulting in a fund loaded with big, blue-chip international stocks such as $150 billion Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM) and $225 billion Tencent Holdings. That results in a decent yield of about 2.5 percent. Like most EM funds, EEMV is heaviest in China (21 percent), but also features significant weights in Taiwanese (17 percent) and South Korean stocks (11 percent). Expenses: 0.25 percent, or $25 annually for every $10,000 invested (includes 44 basis-point waiver) 9. iShares MSCI BRIC ETF (BKF) The BRICs -- Brazil, Russia, India and China -- are the first (and second, third and fourth) name in emerging markets. The member nations are four of the largest emerging markets on the planet, but they're also the most developed, so you're missing out on a few "growthier" opportunities. Moreover, the vast majority of BKF is mega-caps and large-caps, including top holdings Tencent Holdings, Alibaba Group Holding (BABA) and China Mobile (CHL), which make up about 18 percent of the fund. BKF is only appropriate if you're very bullish on China, as the country's equities make up more than half of the fund. Story continues Expenses: 0.69 percent 8. PowerShares S&P Emerging Markets Low Volatility Portfolio (EELV) The EELV is another fund that's charged with taking a high-volatility area of the market and smoothing out the ride for investors. Specifically, EELV holds the 200 least volatile stocks (over a 12-month period) in the S&P Emerging BMI Plus LargeMid Cap Index. What really makes EELV stand out, though, is its refreshing underreliance on the BRICs. China is the only BRIC country represented, and at just 4 percent of the portfolio. Instead, investors get exposure to mostly large caps in countries from Taiwan (20 percent) and Malaysia (15 percent) to Mexico (10 percent) and Chile (6 percent). Expenses: 0.29 percent (includes 16 basis-point waiver) 7. WisdomTree Emerging Markets SmallCap Dividend Fund (DGS) WisdomTree's DGS invests in small-cap firms across 15 emerging-market countries. By focusing on small-cap dividend payers, DGS is a dual-threat play targeting the superior growth potential of smaller companies, as well as good (albeit not great) yield, currently around 2.8 percent. More than half the fund is invested in companies from Taiwan (26 percent), China (14 percent) and Brazil (12 percent). But the holdings themselves aren't lopsided; top weight goes to Brazilian steelmaker Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (SID) at just 1.5 percent. Expenses: 0.63 percent 6. Schwab Fundamental Emerging Markets Large Company Index ETF (FNDE) The large-cap theme continues with Schwab's FNDE, whose 318 holdings average more than $23 billion in market capitalization. While FNDE does focus on more developed emerging markets such as South Korea and Brazil, it does so in a fairly balanced way. South Korea, Brazil, China, Taiwan and Russia are all weighted between 11 percent and 19 percent of the fund. (Granted, that doesn't leave much weight for the remaining five countries). FNDE also is heavy on the energy front. Three of the top five holdings -- Gazprom, Petrobras (PBR) and Lukoil -- play in sector, which all told represents a quarter of the fund. Expenses: 0.47 percent 5. SPDR S&P Emerging Markets Small Cap ETF (EWX) SPDR's EWX is a diverse play, boasting 1,001 holdings to DGS' 584, as well as a top holding -- Chinese tutoring outfit TAL Education Group (XRS) -- that makes up a mere 0.65 percent of the fund. Despite the fact that EWX doesn't have a dividend focus, its yield (2.4 percent based on the past two semiannual payouts) is comparable to WisdomTree's small-cap dividend offering. EWX is unsurprisingly heavy in Taiwanese and Chinese stocks, which make up more than 40 percent of the fund. The only other double-digit allocation goes to India, right around 10 percent. Expenses: 0.65 percent 4. iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Small-Cap ETF (EEMS) Rounding out the trio of small-cap emerging-market funds is the EEMS, which is similar to the prior two funds in that it has a wide holding base (942 stocks) and heavy weightings in Taiwanese and Chinese stocks. That includes top three holdings Sina Corp. (SINA), Sunny Optical and Minth Group. It also throws off a decent yield of 2.3 percent. Where EEMS differs is that South Korea, at nearly 20 percent of the fund, has the largest say in how the fund performs. And from a sector perspective, there's a great deal of balance, with eight sectors enjoying weights between 7 and 18 percent. Expenses: 0.69 percent 3. BLDRS Emerging Markets 50 ADR Index Fund (ADRE) The ADRE features a tight core of just 50 stocks averaging a whopping $73 billion in market cap. The ETF is lopsided on several fronts, including a nearly 40 percent weight in Chinese stocks, a 36 percent allocation to information technology stocks and a top-two pairing of Alibaba and TSM that has each of the tech firms at more than 11 percent of the fund's weight. The composition has mostly resulted in underperformance over the past half-decade, though ADRE has come roaring back to life in 2016, up more than 13 percent to its benchmark's 4 percent. Expenses: 0.3 percent 2. Schwab Emerging Markets Equity ETF (SCHE) It's hard to quibble with SCHE's place among the best in U.S. News & World Report's emerging-market ETF rankings. SCHE is the cheapest fund among the 10 listed, and it's also one of the best-performing. That said, there's nothing unorthodox about SCHE's composure. It has a nearly 25 percent weight in Chinese stocks, and another roughly 30 percent across Taiwan and India. It also is fairly financial-heavy at nearly 30 percent, with IT a far second at 16 percent. SCHE is just a typical EM fund -- but one that's better than other typical EM funds. Expenses: 0.14 percent 1. iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) iShares' "Core" funds are designed to provide basic exposure to various areas of the market at a low cost, and the IEMG is a good example of that. Via this ETF, investors are exposed to nearly 2,000 stocks that either are headquartered in or make a majority of their revenues in emerging-market companies. And they get that exposure for one of the lowest expense ratios in the category. Just note that investors also get some typical EM biases, such as a large allocation to China (24 percent) and heavy exposure to financials (25 percent) and tech (22 percent). Expenses: 0.16 percent More From US News & World Report 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. Picture yourself in a sleeping bag, waiting for a Triceratops skeleton to be spotted nearby. Cheaper and more educational than staying at a high-end hotel room, overnight stays at learning institutions make for a great weekend getaway. At many museums, aquariums, zoos and science centers across the country, action-packed sleepovers for ages 8 and older take place monthly. Typical rates cost around $50 to $100 per person, and include a light dinner or snack, a behind-the-scenes tour, exclusive activities and breakfast. With limited availability, booking well in advance is crucial. [See: 10 Top Value Summer Vacations for Families.] "Overnight programs at AZA-accredited facilities are a unique opportunity to experience the sights and sounds of nocturnal and crepuscular animals first hand," says Amy Rutherford, the director of professional development and public engagement at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Use the AZA and Association of Science-Technology Centers websites to find facilities at your desired destination that offer discounted or free admission to members of reciprocal institutions, and start planning your trip now. American Museum of Natural History New York City Remember Ben Stiller in the 2006 film "Night at the Museum "? Though the movie wasn't filmed at New York's American Museum of Natural History, you can still plan a film-inspired sleepover. The museum hosts kids ages 6 to 13 for flashlight tours of spooky fossils and a snooze on comfy cots. There are also separate programs for high school science clubs, scout troops and event adults. The museum's "Sleepovers for Grownups" evening event (for ages 21 and up) costs $350 and includes a Champagne reception, a live jazz concert and a buffet dinner, followed by an evening tour and after-party. Aquarium of the Pacific Long Beach, California This award-winning aquarium offers family sleepovers for visitors ages 5 and up, and teens-only summer events for visitors ages 13 to 15. Teens who spend the night at Long Beach's best-known attraction can steer a remote controlled vehicle through an obstacle course and enjoy their own pizza party. All visitors are guided through the marine life kitchen and past the bioluminescent tanks. And other exhibits are explored by flashlight to keep sleeping fish undisturbed. What's more, participants can take home a T-shirt they have painted. Story continues Bronx Zoo New York City At New York's Bronx Zoo, the Wildlife Conservation Society's "Family Overnight Safaris" for ages 5 and older sell out quickly. This expensive outing, which requires guests to bring dinner and sleeping gear (including a tent and sleeping bags), includes snacks, breakfast, tours and a T-shirt. The naturalists are excellent, the animals are exciting and it's hard to beat waking up to the bark of sea lions. [See: 10 Fun Family Water Parks to See This Summer.] Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Colorado Springs, Colorado To better appreciate nocturnal animals, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo encourages participants to explore the zoo by moonlight. Designed for ages 5 and older, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's "WildNights" program features hands-on giraffe feedings, as well as tours with a naturalist both at night and the next morning. The emphasis on nutrition extends to visitors' meals, too, which include healthy treats for dinner, snacks and breakfast. Cots are available for rent upon request. John F. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center Titusville, Florida A working launch pad for more than 30 missions annually, the John F. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center is an excellent place to dream about the stars. Visitors ages 7 to 14 choose whether they want to study the Space Shuttle Atlantis or sleep beneath the Apollo/Saturn V rocket and explore each mission's history. Plus, you can expect guided tours and the chance to try flight simulators as well as educational activities around the facility. Admission includes full-day admission, plus discounts in the shop, equipment demonstrations and a "mission briefing" from a veteran NASA astronaut. Museum of Science and Industry Chicago Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry uses dozens of interactive exhibits to keep overnight "Snoozeum" participants awake. Many special interest groups attend these events simultaneously and bed down next to the museum's Boeing 727, near a giant human heart display or in a toy-making factory. Overnights include a screening of a current documentary at the Omnimax theater, along with live science experiments conducted by staff. Guests bring their own sleeping bags, floor mats, eye masks and ear plugs to ensure a good night's sleep. Plus, the museum provides a separate area where science nerds can brainstorm the night away. National Aquarium Baltimore Though the National Aquarium has been welcoming visitors to Baltimore's Inner Harbor for 35 years, few aquarium visitors realize that marine life stays up at night for National Aquarium Immersion Tours. Select the Aquarium, Shark or Dolphin Sleepover; all programs include a guided behind-the-scenes tour and a visit to the food-prep area to learn how (and what) aquarium residents are fed. And for guests, there's dinner, a screening of their latest 4-D film, crafts themed to your tour choice and other fun activities in the Discovery Lab. Even better, guests can take advantage of free admission the next day to visit other exhibits after breakfast. Newport Aquarium Newport, Kentucky Located in Kentucky, directly across the Ohio River, the Newport Aquarium organizes several sleepovers each year. During the sleepovers, guests ages 6 and older gather in a clear plastic tunnel where sharks, stingrays, turtles and exotic fish swim overhead. Naturalists quietly lead well-behaved visitors over the Shark Bridge, a 75-foot-long rope bridge suspended a few inches above two dozen sharks, before continuing their exploration. San Diego Zoo Safari Park San Diego The famous San Diego Zoo Safari Park, about a half-hour's drive from San Diego, is a prime place for an overnight adventure. Activities during the "Roar and Snore Safari Sleepover" are designed for children ages 3 and older. Here, camp activities include an after-hours look at the wildlife from a safari vehicle, guided walks, dinner around a campfire, a snack, breakfast and a park souvenir. Up to four guests can sleep in each African safari-style canvas tent and a few, more romantic, adults-only safaris are held each year. [See: 10 Family-Friendly Beach Destinations You Never Considered.] Smithsonian Institution Museums Washington, District of Columbia As seen in the 2009 sequel, "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," the nation's free museums come to life after dark with summer sleepovers for groups and families. Fans must choose between the National Museum of Natural History's dinosaurs, the National Museum of American History's cars and the Udvar-Hazy Center at the National Air and Space Museum in Virginia, where classic aircraft and space vehicles are the focus. Activities include a tour of the exhibits, a themed scavenger hunt, arts and crafts and a viewing of a current IMAX film. Guest reviews -- found on Smithsonian Sleepover's very own Pinterest board -- give the Smithsonian Institutions a thumbs-up, and a five-star rating. Oh the ever hip area of Tiong Bahru, which was as as charming as it could be before the infiltration of, ecks, hipsters. Not necessarily a bad thing, weve got ourselves a neighbourhood that is a medley of old and new, with the ability to evoke a sense of nostalgia topped with a tinge of modern eccentric. This also meant for the intricate weave of old and new eateries in the area, of which Ive compiled a list of 12 best eats, which boasts of quaint joints that were there long before time and hip new eateries that adds that extra excitement to the area. 12. Tiong Bahru Bakery tb-4 Does Tiong Bahru Bakery really need any introduction? Famed for their croissants that are oh-so-flaky, and artisanal bakes that will put a smile on anyones face. Pair that with serious coffee business and were good to go. The only downside? Its price. But I guess Singaporeans are willing to pay, since theyve opened up outlets in Orchard and Raffles City. Tiong Bahru Bakery: 56 Eng Hoon Street, #01-70, 160056 | Tel: 6220 3430 | Monday Thursday, Sunday: 8am 8pm, Friday- Saturday: 8am 10pm | Website 11. Plain Vanilla tb--7 Cute and definitely quaint, Plain Vanilla Bakery also holds workshops for children. It has a rather rustic charm, with potted plants, bicycles and wood finishing to harness all of that countryside beauty it exudes. orchardcafes-ingoodcompany3 Other than being charming, their bakes and cupcakes have made their way into our hearts, seeing how it has expanded to three other outlets on our little island. Famed for their fluffy cupcakes that have found the right balance of sweetness, do look out for their monthly specials that promises an eclectic mix of flavours. Plain Vanilla: 1D Yong Siak St, Singapore 168641 | Tel: +65 8363 7614 | Website 10. Forty Hands tb-1-2 How could Forty Hands not be on this list, considering how its one of the pioneers in infiltrating Tiong Bahrus neighbourhood with all its hipster mannerism. Story continues Created by Harry Grover in collaboration with Spa Esprit Group, Forty Hands serves up serious coffee business by partnering with Five Senses Coffee, using green coffee beans that are sourced from all over the world working closely with growers, then roasts it locally. Other than that, they serve a cheeky selection of food ranging from 40 Hands Falafel toastie to their critically acclaimed red bean bun. Modern yet with a quirky taste of locality, Forty Hands remains a cafe Id love to be in. Forty Hands: 78 Yong Siak Street Singapore 163078 | Tel: 62258545 | Website Opening Hours: Tues Sun: 8am 7pm (closed mon) 9. Teru teru sushi singapore-1 teru sushi singapore-1-2 $1 Oysters are all it takes to lure me to Teru. But if you really do need any more reasons, the shiok maki and its aburi selection will definitely have you salivating more than you should. Teru Sushi: 50 Tiong Bahru Road, Singapore 168733 | Tel: +65 6842 8484 | Website 8. P.S Cafe Petit web6+copy web5+copy Theres really nothing surprising for P.S Cafe to appear on this list, whats with their seductive heap of truffle fries and decadently sinful black out cake. While this started as a Petit Cafe and houses only very limited seats, youll be glad to know theyve expanded well and you can have more than just a take out. P.S Cafe Petit: No.41 Blk 78. Guan Chuan St, S 160078 | Telephone: +65 9226 7088 | Website 7. Ah Chiangs Porridge porridge- (5 of 14) Charcoal boiled porridge that offers simple comfort is what Ah Chiangs porridge is. Famed for their exceedingly umami congee and extensive menu, Ah Chiangs Porridge is an eatery you dont want to miss out on, especially on those cold rainy day. Psst, they have an outlet in Toa Payoh too. Ah Chiangs Porridge: 65 Tiong Poh Rd, Singapore 160065 | Tel:+65 6557 0084 6. Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry disappearing-chinesecupcake Contesting our hip Tiong Bahru Bakery is Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry, a true-blue paradise for nonya kuehs and pastries. Its not really a fair competition anyway, with both bakeries specialising in different bakes. tiong bahru galicier egg tarts singapore The eggtarts from this pastry shop remained one of the most eccentric. The egg tart ($0.90) was rather delectable, with its hard biscuit-like pastry texture and its gelatinous yellow filling. This egg tart also somehow managed to make me feel nostalgic about the tarts sold in my primary school canteen years ago. Tiong Bahru Galicier Pastry: Blk 55 Tiong Bahru Rd #01-39, Singapore 160055 | Tel: 6324 1686 | Tuesday to Sunday 1000-2030, Closed on Mondays 5. Loos Hainanese Best Curry Rice_ Loo's Hainanese Curry Rice (1 of 1) Curry Rice ($3.00) + Assam fish ($3.50) Probably one of curry rice lovers ultimate favourite, Loos Hainanese can be considered the poster child for hainanese curry rice. In the industry for more than 50 years, and situated at such a prime location, it is no doubt many people know of them. Loos Hainanese has a legion of fans, a snaking queue during lunch time a spectacular taste to back it all up. Pork chop has a substantial layer of meat coated with a crispy fragrant batter. The curry is of a thicker consistency and its predictably sweet but carries a slight zest. The curry isnt the type to flood the whole plate so it looks less messy. Instead, it is just drizzled on top of the ingredients. Would be better with more curry sauce which you can probably request for. Also, the extra assam fish alone costs $3.50ouch. Loos Hainanese: Seng Poh Road, 71 Seng Poh Rd #01-49, Singapore 160071 | Tel: +65 6225 3762 Opens: 8am 2.45pm (closed alt. Thurs) 4. Bincho tb-1 Inspired by a yakitori-ya in Osaka, Japan, Bincho is accessible through a dingy back door but its interior is nothing near sleazy. All Im going to reveal is its sleek and albeit industrial-like decor, will wow you away as you find a seat in its quaint environment. tb--3 Soft Bone Shio Yakitori ($10) Famed for yakitori, Bincho grills up some pretty dope skewers. The cartilage skewer retains the charred aroma and is well seasoned. tb--4 Grilled Ox Tongue Lunch Set ($38) & Delica Japanese Red Wine ($12) Its rare to get Japanese wine so when I do see the option, Ill jump at it. Musky and sweet, its a rather refreshing change from the robust red wines. Lunch sets are now available for dinner on Sundays as well, and their donburis start from $25++ onwards, with a wide variety of choices like the bara chirashi, omu rice and many more, of which I will return to conquer them all. Oh, and each set comes with karaage, appetiser, pickles, soup and dessert. Making an informed decision is hard when all I really want is everything, I went with the grilled ox tongue lunch set and dare I say, no ragrats (regrets). The ox tongue is fragrantly charred while the insides remains a soft texture, pairing well with the piquant mustard. The grilled vegetables gives extra texture and helps to cleanse the palate in between streaks of happiness. Bincho at Hua Bee: 78 Moh Guan Terrace #01-19 Singapore 162078 | Telephone: +65 6438 4567 | Website 3. Open Door Policy tb-3 ODP-kingpaiche Open Door Policy prides itself to only serve wholesome food that is 100% gluten free and dairy food. Creative and delicate, Open Door Policy promises a gastronomical experience with their beautifully plated dishes that are exceedingly delectable. Open Door Policy: 19 Yong Siak Street Singapore 168650 | Telephone: +65 6221 9307 | Website 2. De Classic Golden Spoon crab-beehoon-declassicgoldenspoon The owner of De Classic Golden Spoon, Mr. Alfred, has been in the industry for over 30 years. He started De Classic Golden Spoon since 2009 and after 3 to 4 years of operation, the lease was up and the landlord saw that the business was booming and tried his hands at it. However, It didnt survive under new management. Fast forward, Mr. Alfred was back to manage the reopened restaurant. best crab beehoon singapore declassicgoldenspoon-braised Crab Bee Hoon (65/kg) crab-beehoon-declassicgoldenspoon-soup The dish is well seasoned and the bee hoon is simmered in the right amount of doneness, without losing the essence of the crab. It is extremely concentrated yet remaining light all at once. The bee hoon is slightly al dente, or firm to the bite. The crab is huge, exceedingly fresh and tender, locking in the marine taste. The flavours combine together to form a really well balanced dish that is worth every penny of yours. De Classic Golden Spoon: 62 Seng Poh Ln, Singapore 160062 | Tel: +65 6536 2218 1. Ikyu IKYU suntory whisky food pairing I must admit that I havent noticed the existence of IKYU prior to this tasting as Id usually drop by the area for mostly coffee in the hipster Tiong Bahru neighbourhood, widely known for its retro cafes and occasional brunch. ikyu Lunch Set Assorted Seven Kinds of Nigiri ($28.80) Im in nigiri heaven, where everything melts away and true satisfaction is all I feel. For that price, I must say its a steal. There is a Japanese philosophical way of life known as Wabi Sabi, accepting and embracing the imperfection in all things. The interior decor is deliberately designed to allow guests an unstifling dress code, but instead to enjoy the simplicity of the moment, served with sincerity from the heart and be at one with the food. Prepared to be seduced. IKYU: 5 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168643 | Tel: 6223 9003 | Website Related guide: 24 Best Telok Ayer Eateries in Singapore The post 12 Best Eats in Tiong Bahru For The Bohemian Hipsters of Singapore appeared first on SETHLUI.com. While many major Republican figures like Mitch McConnell and John Boehner have toed the party line and pledged their support to Donald Trump, there are some who refuse to support him, even if it means that Hillary Clinton will become the next President. Here are some notable names who see Trump as an opponent to conservative values. Senator Lindsey Graham has been one of the most outspoken conservative critics of Trump, calling frequently on fellow Republicans to pull their support for the candidate. Following Trumps derogatory comments against Judge Gonzalo Curiel, Graham said that at some point therell come a time when the love of country will trump hatred of Hillary. 2012 Republican candidate Mitt Romney has also been an early voice of dissent, telling the Wall Street Journal that he thinks Trump has a character and temperament unfit for the leader of the free world. While his brother and father have refrained from comment on Trump, Jeb Bush has continued his crusade against Trump even after losing to him in the primary. In a Washington Post column, Bush said he will not vote for Clinton or Trump and declared that Trumps abrasive, Know Nothing-like nativist rhetoric has blocked out sober discourse about how to tackle Americas big challenges. Jeb Bushs mother and former first lady, Barbara Bush, also spoke out against Trump, telling CBS how she didnt understand how women could vote for him after his comments against Megyn Kelly. One of Jeb Bushs aides, Sally Bradshaw, was so disgusted by Trump that she decided to leave the Republican Party outright. Ultimately, I could not abide the hateful rhetoric of Donald Trump and his complete lack of principles and conservative philosophy, she told CNN. If and when the party regains its sanity, Ill be ready to return. During the primary, former Minnesota Senator Norm Coleman made it quite clear how he views Donald Trump in a Minneapolis Star-Tribune column: I wont vote for Donald Trump because of who he isnt. He isnt a Republican. He isnt a conservative. He isnt a truth teller. Hes not a uniterI also wont vote for Donald Trump because of who he is. A bigot. A misogynist. A fraud. A bully. Story continues Glenn Beck, a staunch Cruz supporter during the primary, has not joined other pundits like Sean Hannity on the Trump bandwagon. Donald Trump is the face of the GOP. Well, that makes us crony capitalists. It makes us wafflers. It makes us pretty racist, Beck said on his show in May. It makes us big government guys. Just, you name it it makes us that. In August, The Weekly Standards Bill Kristol got into a heated debate on CNN with conservative commentator Kayleigh McEnany over Trump. Youre supporting a man who is utterly unfit to be President of the United States, Kristol said. For a second in your personal life you would not tolerate him. A bully, a man of genuinely bad character! Erick Erickson, editor of right-wing site The Resurgent, had this to say about Trump and his supporters: This is not a game. This is not team sport. This is about the future of the country. If Donald Trump was unfit last month, two months ago, or last September to be placed in front of the nuclear button, he is unfit this month, next month, and in November. And he is unfit. At a luncheon for the Federalist Society in June, Washington Post conservative columnist George Will said that he will no longer be registered as a Republican following Trumps nomination. This is not my party, he said, noting that Paul Ryans endorsement of Trump was a factor in his decision to leave the party. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker says he will not vote for Trump or Clinton. In February, while voicing his support for Chris Christie during the primaries, Baker had this to say about Trump: I think theres a certain temperament and a certain collaborative nature thats fundamental to somebodys ability to succeed in government, and I question whether he has the temperament and the sense of purpose thats associated with delivering on that. Former CIA and NSA head Michael Hayden was one of four Republican national security officials who signed a letter in August declaring they would not vote for Donald Trump, claiming he would put at-risk our countrys national security and well-being. Illinois Senator Mark Kirk, whose seat is up for grabs in November, is the only sitting GOP senator who has pulled his support of Trump. He has said that he will vote for a write-in candidate, though he hasnt decided who that would be. He has previously said he would write in David Petraeus and Colin Powell for his vote. Related stories from TheWrap: Sheldon Adelson Plans to Drop $45 Million to Help Donald Trump, GOP Win Election Donald Trump Would Be 'Most Reckless President' in History, Say 50 GOP Leaders GOP Insiders Want 'Certain Loser' Trump to Drop Out Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 robot lawyer For the homeless, applying for government housing can be a complicated process. Even if they do everything right, housing is not guaranteed. They need a strong case. Depending on the case and lawyer, legal aid for a government housing application (a legal process where lawyers argue for free or low-cost accommodation) can cost between $65 to $200 money that applicants don't necessarily have. But with the help of a bot made by 19 year-old British programmer Joshua Browder, the application costs nothing and takes only about 30 seconds. The online bot handles questions about government housing in the UK, where an estimated 185,000 people become homeless every year. Since the bot launched August 10, Browder tells Business Insider that several hundred people have used it. homeless bot 2 When someone signs in, a chat screen pops up. To learn about a case, the bot asks questions like, "Why were you made homeless?" and "Do you have a legal right to live here?" After it confirms the user is eligible for government housing, it takes down personal information, including marital status and age. It then spits out a housing application letter that can be mailed to a local court. If the robot gets confused, it tells the user how to contact Browder, a Stanford University freshman, directly. housing 2 Browder programmed the bot according to UK law. He requested access to previous application letters, and he and a team of volunteer lawyers identified trends in the accepted ones. The team then drafted their own application letters based on those trends, and programmed the bot to customize the letters to each user's case. The bot is based on a conversation algorithm, meaning it uses keywords, pronouns, and word order to understand a user's issue. Browder says that the more people use the robot, the more intelligent it becomes. The algorithm can quickly analyze large amounts of data while improving itself in the process. Story continues homeless bot Browder's previously created a bot that can appeal parking tickets, called Do Not Pay. Since launching in late 2015, Do Not Pay has successfully appealed over $5 million worth of tickets, he says. Browder isn't the first person to create a lawyer bot. The startup Acadmx's bot creates perfectly formatted legal briefs, while Lex Machina sifts through judges' records and makes predictions on what they will do in the future. Most of these bots are tools that can rapidly crawl public records and serve up legal information. While they can't provide full legal counsel, the bots can aid those in need sometimes at little to no cost. "I think bots can simplify these systems by imitating a human who can explain the law," Browder says. "The rich already have expensive lawyers and advisors to help them, but bots can help everyone for free." NOW WATCH: I spent 37 consecutive days playing 'Pokemon GO' here's what I did to catch 'em all More From Business Insider From Cosmopolitan Hillary Clinton has become the first female presidential candidate of a major political party in American history, showing American women and girls that they, too, can one day run for political office and succeed. But she's not the only female politician whose election would be historic. In a Congress that boasts only 19 percent women, over a dozen women from both sides of the aisle could end up breaking barriers if elected in November. Based in part on input from FairVote.org's nonpartisan Representation2020 project, here are 19 women from across the country who would be historic firsts if elected into the House of Representatives or the Senate. 1. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D): U.S. House of Representatives, Delaware If elected, she will be the first woman and the first African American to represent Delaware in Congress. Photo credit: YouTube Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Lisa Blunt Rochester has dedicated her career to public service in her home state, serving as Delaware deputy secretary of health and social services, Delaware secretary of labor (the first black woman to hold this position), and then later serving as Delaware personnel director and CEO of Wilmington Urban League. She briefly moved to China after her second child was ready to go to college, where she wrote a book "about women who reinvented themselves," she told DelawareOnline.com. She is running for an open seat in Delaware's at-large district vacated by Rep. John Carney (D), who is running for governor. 2. Katie McGinty (D): U.S. Senate, Pennsylvania If elected, she will be the first woman to represent Pennsylvania in the Senate. Photo credit: Getty/Getty Katie McGinty, the ninth of 10 children, was born in Northeastern Philadelphia to a police officer and restaurant hostess. She's the first in her family to go to college, graduating from St. Joseph's University with a degree in chemistry and then going to Columbia Law School. She's focused her career on clean energy and environmental protection in both the public and private sectors, with stints working for Sen. Al Gore and former President Bill Clinton, who tapped her as his top environmental aide and later as chair the White House Council on Environmental Quality (she was the first woman ever to hold this position). Early on in her career, she spent over a year in India as an energy research fellow, where she adopted two girls from Mother Teresa's orphanage with her husband, Karl. They later had one biological daughter and live in the suburbs of Philadelphia. Story continues 3. Pramila Jayapal (D): U.S. House of Representatives, Washington If elected, she will be the first Indian American woman in Congress. Photo credit: YouTube Pramila Jayapal, who earned an endorsement from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, came to the U.S. from India at 16 on her own because her parents wanted her to have more opportunities. She attended Georgetown University and worked on Wall Street before becoming a labor organizer and national advocate for the civil rights of women and immigrants. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000, and in 2001, after 9/11, founded South Asian and Arab advocacy group Hate Free Zone (which was later changed to OneAmerica). As a Washington state senator, she helped pass a $15 minimum wage and paid sick days in Seattle. She is running for Congress in Washington state's 7th District. 4. Angie Craig (D): U.S. House of Representatives, Minnesota If elected, she will be the first openly gay person to represent Minnesota in Congress. Photo credit: Getty/Getty Angie Craig is the daughter of a single mother, and she grew up in a trailer park with her two siblings. She graduated from the University of Memphis, worked as a journalist, and later became a business executive. In 2000, according to the Human Rights Campaign, her custody battle over her adopted son led to a ruling that helped make it possible for other same-sex couples to adopt. When the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in 2015, Craig rejoiced, saying, "When I came out in a small Arkansas town in 1989, I couldn't imagine that I would live to see this day. I've watched as countless families, all over the country, struggle for the same recognition that my wife Cheryl, our four children, and I were fortunate to be afforded by my adoptive home in Minnesota. While California, and then Minnesota, have recognized our marriage since 2008, we'll celebrate today with the kids knowing that no longer can anyone, anywhere in this country, tell us that we're not a family." She is running for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District. 5. Denise Juneau (D): U.S. House of Representatives, Montana If elected, she will be the first Native American woman in Congress and the first openly gay person to represent Montana in Congress. Photo credit: Getty/Getty Denise Juneau can trace her family's Montana roots back more than 50 generations, long before Montana was a state. She was raised on Montana's Blackfeet Indian Reservation, is a descendant of the Blackfeet tribe, and is member of the Mandan Hidatsa tribe. Juneau has worked in education policy, boasting degrees from Montana State University, Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the University of Montana School of Law, and in 2008, became the first Native American woman in the U.S. ever elected to an executive statewide office as Montana's Superintendent of Public Instruction. She is the first openly gay woman to run for federal office in Montana and is running for Montana's at-large congressional district. If elected, Juneau will be the first woman Montana has sent to the House since 1941. 6. Suzanna Shkreli (D): U.S. House of Representatives, Michigan If elected, she will be the first Albanian American woman in Congress. Suzanna Shkreli, 29, works as an assistant prosecutor for Macomb County, Michigan, taking on child abuse cases. Shkreli joined the race in July as the Democratic Party challenger to incumbent U.S. Rep Mike Bishop (R) after Melissa Gilbert dropped out of the race. "I've been doing public service for the last five years," she told the Detroit Free Press. "I have no political experience, [but] when Melissa Gilbert dropped out, that's when I decided to step up and run." In a statement on her campaign website, Shkreli notes, "I'm a first generation American. My parents are working class Albanian immigrants who worked very hard to help my sister, my brothers and me get a good education and go to college. That's why I've dedicated my career to giving back, and helping make sure the next generation has the same opportunities I had." She is running for Michigan's 8th Congressional District. 7. Kamala Harris (D): U.S. Senate, California If elected, she will be the second black woman in Congress (after Carol Mosely Braun in 1992) and the first Indian American in the Senate. Photo credit: Getty/Getty Born to an Indian physician and a Jamaican Stanford professor, Kamala Harris is poised to become America's first black female senator in two decades and its first Indian American woman. Her parents divorced when Harris was a child and she grew up mostly with her mother, Shyamala, who took her two daughters to Baptist church and on trips to India. Harris attended the historically black college Howard University, got a law degree from Hastings College, and then worked at an assistant district attorney's office in Oakland. Devoted to criminal justice reform, Harris told the New York Times Magazine of racial bias among prosecutors. "They were talking about how these young people were dressed, what corner they were hanging out on and the music they were listening to. I remember saying: 'Hey, guys, you know what? Members of my family dress that way. I grew up with people who live on that corner.'" In 2010, she became California's first female, first black, and first Asian American attorney general. 8. Loretta Sanchez (D): U.S. Senate, California If elected, she could be the first Latina in the Senate. Photo credit: Getty Sanchez, one of seven children of Mexican immigrants, ventured into politics in the mid-'90s after working as a financial analyst for Booz Allen Hamilton. Though originally registered as a Republican, hearing anti-immigrant rhetoric from then-GOP presidential candidate Pat Buchanan changed her mind. In 1996, she ousted conservative Rep. Bob Dornan from his House seat by about 1,000 votes. Political consultant John Shallman, who managed her campaign, told the Los Angeles Times recently, "When she first ran, she was not expected to be the nominee, not even by the Democratic Party." He continued: "And when she was the nominee, they didn't believe she had a chance. Why? Because she was Latino and a woman." She served California's 46th Congressional District from 1997 to 2003, before serving the 47th District from 2003 until 2013. In the 2016 election, she will be up against Kamala Harris for a California Senate seat. 9. Catherine Cortez Masto (D): U.S. Senate, Nevada If elected, she will be the first woman to represent Nevada in the Senate and could be the first Latina in the Senate. Photo credit: Getty/Getty Catherine Cortez Masto hails from Las Vegas, Nevada, and pursued a career as an attorney after graduating with a degree in finance from the University of Nevada, Reno, and Gonzaga University School of Law. She has served as a federal criminal prosecutor at the United States Attorney's Office and as assistant county manager for Clark County. She later served as the state's attorney general for eight years. Upon accepting an award from the Women's Research Institute of Nevada in 2013, she said, "As we celebrate Women's History Month, we need to recognize that women have the capacity to be great leaders. They bring a different and much needed perspective to the table. Nevada could benefit from more women in leadership roles and so could our country." 10. Lathika Mary Thomas (R): U.S. House of Representatives, Florida If elected, she could be the first Indian American woman in Congress. Photo credit: YouTube Lathika Mary Thomas is the daughter of Indian doctors who immigrated to America in 1972. Originally from Charleston, South Carolina, the 37-year-old moved to Florida as a child. Thomas identifies as a "strong conservative Republican" and has worked in state government, under Gov. Rick Scott's administration, since he was elected in 2010. According to her website, she currently serves as general counsel at the Department of Elder Affairs. "With the strong support and help of our Indian community, I will be able to be victorious in my race for Congress. If I am elected, I will be the first Indian-American woman to serve in Congress. This would truly be a historic event," she told website Desi Life and Times last year. She is running for Florida's 2nd District. 11. Denise Gitsham (R): U.S. House of Representatives, California If elected, she will be the first Republican Chinese American woman in Congress. Photo credit: Getty/Getty With a Chinese mother from Taiwan and a Canadian father, Denise Gitsham says she's "ambiguously ethnic enough to pass for almost anything." This is how, she joked at CPAC last year, she ended up "as a Hispanic coalitions coordinator" for George W. Bush's 2000 presidential campaign. Non-politicos might recognize the attorney and small-business owner from her brief appearance on The Bachelor in 2008. She is running for California's 52nd District. 12. Sue Googe (R): U.S. House of Representatives, North Carolina If elected, she will be first Asian American woman to represent North Carolina in Congress. Photo credit: YouTube Sue Googe was born in extreme poverty on a remote island without running water or electricity in communist China. Her parents were illiterate, but after demonstrating a talent for reading and writing, Googe was able to gain admission to a boarding school at age 11. At age 20, she moved to mainland China and worked as an accountant, and at 26, she moved to America and studied computer science. She became a U.S. citizen in 2005 and went on to found a real estate investment firm in Cary, North Carolina. She is running in North Carolina's 4th Congressional District, and according to the Representation 20/20 project, she would be the first woman to represent that district at the federal level. 13. Misty Snow (D): U.S. Senate, Utah If elected, she could be the first openly transgender person in Congress and would be the youngest U.S. senator in American history. Photo credit: Getty/Getty Misty Snow, 30, comes from a low-income family and works as a cashier at a grocery store. But with the Democratic Party's support behind her, and a recent primary election win in Utah, she has already made history as being one of two openly transgender women to win a congressional primary. If elected, Snow just might make history in two ways: She would be the first transgender person elected to Congress and the youngest U.S. senator ever. "Even if you don't think I can win, I am a voice of the LGBT community," she recently told Refinery29. "I am a voice of the millennials. I'm also the voice of working people - I work at a grocery store - and I think we need more working people representation in government." 14. Misty Plowright (D): U.S. House of Representatives, Colorado If elected, she could be the first openly transgender person in Congress. Photo credit: YouTube Misty Plowright is a self-described "computer geek," military veteran, and polyamorous transgender woman. She was raised by a single mother and relied on public assistance. "Frankly, I don't think there's a whole lot of people up on Capitol Hill who know what it's like to bust their ass and still not make ends meet," she told the Guardian. "I've stared at cat food and wondered if I was really that hungry. No one in Congress knows what that feels like." She lives with her wife Lisa and their partner Sebastian in Colorado Springs. Along with Snow, Plowright made history with her primary win in June. She is running in Colorado's 5th District. 15. Susan Narvaiz (R): U.S. House of Representatives, Texas If elected, she will be the first Latina woman to represent Texas in Congress. Photo credit: Getty Born in Ohio, Susan Narvaiz moved to San Antonio, Texas, as a child. In 1995, she settled in San Marcos, Texas, where she became the town's mayor and served three terms. In addition to her public service, she is the president and CEO of Core Strategies, Inc., a consulting firm that advises on public policy, public relations, and organizational change. She also sits on the board or advisory committee for many organizations, like Girl Scouts of Central Texas, Freedom Legacy International, and the Literacy Coalition of Central Texas, according to the Wall Street Journal. Narvaiz is running to represent Texas's 35th Congressional District, a new district that was created based on the 2010 Census report, after two failed bids. 16. Kelli Ward (R): U.S. Senate, Arizona If elected, she could be the first woman to represent Arizona in the Senate. Photo credit: Getty Dr. Kelli Ward, a 47-year-old osteopath, previously served in the state senate. She is challenging U.S. Sen. John McCain, who has been an Arizona senator for three decades, in the Aug. 30 primary. Ward is a strong supporter of Donald Trump and said in a recent interview with Conservative Review that she espouses the same "populist conservative values" as the Republican presidential nominee. 17. Thuy Lowe (R): U.S. House of Representatives, Florida If elected, she will be the first Asian-American woman to represent Florida in Congress. Photo credit: YouTube Thuy Lowe's parents came to America as refugees, fleeing violence in Vietnam in the 1970s. The Orlando Sentinel reports that Lowe grew up in Orlando, graduated from the University of Central Florida, and started a company - reportedly with just $50 - that provided medical transportation services to disadvantaged citizens in her local community. She retired after 10 years. She is running in the 10th District in Florida. This will be her second congressional bid. 18. Tammy Duckworth (D): U.S. Senate, Illinois If elected, she will be the first Thai American in the Senate. Photo credit: Getty/Getty Tammy Duckworth has already made history, becoming the first female veteran and the first Asian American woman from Illinois elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014. As an Iraq War veteran whose legs were amputated after her helicopter was shot down in 2004, Duckworth has been leading the offensive against Donald Trump for joking about how easy it is to get a Purple Heart. After her recovery, she worked for the Department of Veteran Affairs and was appointed to assistant secretary by President Barack Obama in 2009. 19. Ann Kirkpatrick (D): U.S. Senate, Arizona If elected, she could be the first woman from Arizona in the Senate. Ann Kirkpatrick was born and raised on the White Mountain Apache Nation reservation in Eastern Arizona, where her father ran a general store and mother taught at a school. Moving away from the reservation in the second grade was a culture shock for her. "In Apache culture, property's not of big value, and you're supposed to share with your family," she told the Phoenix New Times. "My friends and I used to play a game to see if we could walk in the forest and not leave a footprint. Then, you go into Anglo culture, and it's all about property and ownership." She went on to become valedictorian of her class, and obtained a bachelor's degree and a law degree from the University of Arizona. Kirkpatrick was the first female deputy county attorney in Arizona's Coconino County and later served as a city attorney for Sedona before launching her own law firm. In 2004, after community leaders nudged her into a career in politics, she served in the Arizona State House for two terms. In 2008, she was elected to represent Arizona's First District in the U.S. House of Representatives, which she continues to serve. Follow Prachi on Twitter. (Corrects 10th paragraph to say officials were from Niger, not Nigeria) By Nate Raymond NEW YORK, Aug 16 (Reuters) - A Gabonese man who consulted for a joint venture involving a U.S. hedge fund was arrested on Tuesday on charges that he participated in a scheme to bribe officials in Africa to obtain mining rights. Samuel Mebiame, who authorities say worked as a "fixer" for the joint venture and one of its mining companies, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn for conspiring to violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The complaint did not name the fund, but its description matched that of Och-Ziff Capital Management, which has been in talks with the U.S. authorities to resolve probes into its involvement in bribes paid to African officials. The complaint said the U.S. hedge fund involved in the case had formed a joint venture in January 2008 with a Turks and Caicos Islands entity. Och-Ziff that same month formed a joint venture in Africa with Palladino Holdings Ltd, an investment vehicle incorporated in the Turks and Caicos Islands founded by South African businessman Walter Hennig. Mebiame, the 43-year-old son of the late former Gabon Prime Minister Leon Mebiame, was arrested in Brooklyn on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Robert Capers said. His arrest came after he voluntarily met with federal law enforcement in June 2015 to discuss his role in paying bribes to secure mining concessions for the joint venture, the complaint said. A spokesman for Och-Ziff declined to comment on Tuesday, as did Benjamin Tymann, a lawyer for Mebiame. Contact information for Palladino could not be immediately located. Och-Ziff said this month that it was in talks with the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to resolve the probes and had set aside $414.3 million ahead of a final settlement. Tuesday's complaint said Mebiame admitted supplying cash and cars to two married Niger officials; an S-class Mercedes Benz sedan and rented private Airbus jet to a Guinean official; and travel and shopping expenses for an adviser to Chad's president. Story continues For his work, the complaint said Mebiame was paid at least $3.5 million through 2012. He also believed he would receive an interest in a mining company the venture owned, leading to a dispute over his stake. In an email in 2009, he later threatened to tell the media about its "illegal procedures to secure assets in Africa," the complaint said. In the email, which he sent to an employee of the joint venture, Mebiame claimed it had "used corruption in Africa to get the assets you have." The case is U.S. v. Mebiame, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 16-mj-752. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; editing by Dan Grebler and Diane Craft) 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. Wealthy car collectors from around the world will converge on Pebble Beach, California, this week for the scenic community's annual auction of collectible cars. A parade of vintage Ferrari (RACE)s, Jaguars, Alfa Romeo (FCA-IT)s and Maseratis will lead the auctions of roughly 1,240 cars in events leading up to Sunday's Concours d'Elegance awards show. The biggest auctions kick off Thursday. This year's sales are expected to total around $370 million, according to collectible car insurance and research company Hagerty. That would represent a nearly 7 percent decline from last year. It's also unlikely there will be any record-breakers this year. Still, experts say the collectible car market is holding steady after a huge run-up between 2010 and 2014. Election uncertainty, slower overseas growth and a stronger dollar (which makes cars more expensive for overseas buyers) are also tempering the market. "It's cruising at a high speed," said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. "There are dips and valleys, but it's been up so much and generally it's maintaining those levels." At the main auctions from Gooding & Company, RM Sotheby's, Mecum and Bonhams, the most expensive cars (as usual) are likely to be vintage Ferraris. Hagerty estimates there are 134 Ferraris going under the hammer this week, with sales of some expected to top $15 million. Of all the cars for sale this week, about 124 are expected to go for $1 million or more, compared with 129 last year. Seven cars are expected to top $15 million more than double last year's total, Hagerty said. "We don't see many of the crazy higher prices we saw in some years past," he said. "The auction houses have done well making their numbers with cars in the $10 million to $20 million range, just below the very top of the high end." The auction houses say the weakest part of the market is American cars from the 1950s and 1960s under $100,000. But Hagerty said even that market is strong when you look at private, nonauction sales. Story continues "Behind the scenes, those cars are still popular," he said. Fallout from the U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union could weigh on the auctions, since about 30 percent of the buyers at Pebble Beach have traditionally been European, Hagerty said. "This year I expect there won't be as many of them," he said. "Especially for those buyers who are buying in pounds." On the supply side, Hagerty said some sellers may not be as quick to put their cars up for sale as they were in 2013 and 2014, when they were almost assured high sale prices. "If you had a Mercedes Gullwing that you bought years ago for $100,000 and suddenly it's worth $1 million or $1.5 million, you might have been willing to take money off the table," Hagerty said. "But the first part of that cycle has run its course, so maybe now you hang on to it." One category that is likely to be strong this week is new supercars. While vintage cars make up the bulk of the sales, a growing number of recent supercars like LaFerraris and McLaren P1s are coming onto the auction block with big price gains. "These are relatively new cars but they're showing up as legitimate investments," he said. Wealthy car collectors from around the world will converge on Pebble Beach, California, this week for the scenic community's annual auction of collectible cars. A parade of vintage Ferrari (RACE)s, Jaguars, Alfa Romeo (Milan Stock Exchange: FCA-IT)s and Maseratis will lead the auctions of roughly 1,240 cars in events leading up to Sunday's Concours d'Elegance awards show. The biggest auctions kick off Thursday. This year's sales are expected to total around $370 million, according to collectible car insurance and research company Hagerty. That would represent a nearly 7 percent decline from last year. It's also unlikely there will be any record-breakers this year. Still, experts say the collectible car market is holding steady after a huge run-up between 2010 and 2014. Election uncertainty, slower overseas growth and a stronger dollar (which makes cars more expensive for overseas buyers) are also tempering the market. "It's cruising at a high speed," said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty. "There are dips and valleys, but it's been up so much and generally it's maintaining those levels." At the main auctions from Gooding & Company, RM Sotheby's, Mecum and Bonhams, the most expensive cars (as usual) are likely to be vintage Ferraris. Hagerty estimates there are 134 Ferraris going under the hammer this week, with sales of some expected to top $15 million. Of all the cars for sale this week, about 124 are expected to go for $1 million or more, compared with 129 last year. Seven cars are expected to top $15 million more than double last year's total, Hagerty said. "We don't see many of the crazy higher prices we saw in some years past," he said. "The auction houses have done well making their numbers with cars in the $10 million to $20 million range, just below the very top of the high end." The auction houses say the weakest part of the market is American cars from the 1950s and 1960s under $100,000. But Hagerty said even that market is strong when you look at private, nonauction sales. Story continues "Behind the scenes, those cars are still popular," he said. Fallout from the U.K.'s decision to leave the European Union could weigh on the auctions, since about 30 percent of the buyers at Pebble Beach have traditionally been European, Hagerty said. "This year I expect there won't be as many of them," he said. "Especially for those buyers who are buying in pounds." On the supply side, Hagerty said some sellers may not be as quick to put their cars up for sale as they were in 2013 and 2014, when they were almost assured high sale prices. "If you had a Mercedes Gullwing that you bought years ago for $100,000 and suddenly it's worth $1 million or $1.5 million, you might have been willing to take money off the table," Hagerty said. "But the first part of that cycle has run its course, so maybe now you hang on to it." One category that is likely to be strong this week is new supercars. While vintage cars make up the bulk of the sales, a growing number of recent supercars like LaFerraris and McLaren P1s are coming onto the auction block with big price gains. "These are relatively new cars but they're showing up as legitimate investments," he said. Chicago schools Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the third largest school district in the country, laid off more than 1000 employees in August. The downsizing exacerbated an already tenuous relationship between teachers and CPS administrators and drew swift rebuke from students. The firings over budgetary concerns impacted 508 teachers and 521 support staff. Officials within CPS described them as "normal" yearly firings that would remove the employees from the payroll while the district adjusted its budget. Many of these teachers, the district claims, will be rehired. A group of students held a rally at a center of government offices to protest racist and discriminatory firings, The Chicago Sun-Times reported. They asserted the firings disproportionately affected low-income schools, hence perpetuating the cycle of poverty in those areas. "The schools that are affected the most are the low-income schools, the schools on the South and West Sides,"August Greenberg, a high-school student at the protest, told The Sun-Times. "The students in those schools dont have other places to go." Still, teachers have voiced dismay at a school system they feel perpetually puts their interests last and creates instability in classrooms across the district. "Oppression is not an accident; it is a centuries-long design," Xian Franzinger Barrett, a seventh and eight grade teacher recently fired from CPS, wrote online. Barrett, who has been fired three times in the past six years from CPS, railed against a system he says he feels powerless over: "Oppression is the only way to describe the reason why I sit jobless, surrounded by piles of published student work from brilliant teaching and learning in a class I was asked to teach, while those who mismanaged the funds of the district collect their checks and continue to wield power over our students." Barrett had been rehired after his prior two hirings but has yet to hear if he will be rehired this fall. Story continues In some ways, the recent firings seem like more of the same for the beleaguered school district plagued with financial difficulties. Last summer, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel narrowly avoided defaulting on a payment to the teachers' pension fund, securing the $634 million necessary to make a one-time payment. That payment came at a steep cost, with the elimination of some 1,400 jobs at Chicago Public Schools and $200 million in budgetary cuts. Last week, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool expressed optimism abut the district's budget, The Chicago Tribune reported. But financial experts still harbor doubt over the relative strength of the district into the future. "They're operating in crisis mode,"Brian Battle, a director at the Performance Trust financial firm, told The Tribune. NOW WATCH: This animated map shows the most probable path to a Trump victory More From Business Insider Graduating from college in four years is no longer the norm; many students are taking an extra semester or more to graduate. "I went a whole first year as a nursing major, so it was a lot of science-based classes and a lot of those didn't transfer when I switched my major to marketing," says Hillary Mortellaro, 23, who graduated from San Diego State University in May after completing a fifth year. Around 19 percent of full-time students at a non-flagship state school and 36 percent of those attending a flagship university earn a bachelor's degree in four years, according to a report published by Complete College America, a nonprofit group based in Indianapolis. That same report found that only 50 of more than 580 public institutions graduate their students on time. "The smaller, more specialized schools graduate their students at 80 to 90 percent on time," says Sean Moore, founder of college financial planning service SMART College Funding. "A lot of the huge schools don't have the bandwidth to get all those students through on time." Carleton College and Georgetown University, for example, graduate 91 percent of their students on time -- the highest among 1,235 colleges and universities for four-year graduation rates, according to data submitted to U.S. News in an annual survey. College advisers say that other than college choice, the top two reasons for not graduating on time are from switching majors or transferring schools. [Here are 10 things prospective college transfer students need to know.] "Either one of those can set you back tremendously," Moore says. "Changing schools can be even bigger because not all the credits you took at your last school will transfer." An extra year of attendance is costly and might even set a student and their family back by an extra $18,598 at a public school or $26,815 at a private college, according to a recent NerdWallet Inc. study. To save on the expense of an extra semester or two of college, here are a couple of tips for graduating on time. Story continues 1. Research your field of interest before college: "They need to do some research while they're in high school about what they see themselves doing," says Mortellaro, who says in hindsight she would have researched majors differently in high school. "It's even better if you have a clear picture." The SDSU graduate, of Salinas, California, says prospective students can fill out career quizzes to identify possible fields of interest and ask to shadow someone in potential career choices for a day. 2. Take Advanced Placement courses: "If you can start in high school and pick up AP or IB courses, that will get you that much further ahead in your freshman year," says Moore from SMART College Funding. Most colleges and universities nationwide accept qualifying AP exam scores for college credit, and these credits can help students save on tuition and time in school, experts say. [Learn how earning college credit in high school can slash undergrad costs.] 3. Compare retention and graduation rates: Every school has to publish their graduation numbers, college experts say. "It's important to look at how many return, and second to that are the graduation numbers," says Moore. "You're going to have to bring your A-game to a school that's only graduating a fifth of their students on time." Angalena Malavenda, 22, a rising fifth-year senior at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania, says her graduation date was delayed because she transferred during her junior year. "Had I stayed, I would have graduated on time," says Malavenda, who decided against returning to Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania, after her sophomore year. "The reason for my extra semester was because I transferred to a more difficult school that required extra core major courses out of me than my previous college." Malavenda says the transfer cost her to miss out on some grant money, typically awarded to freshmen, and that she's had to borrow additional student loans. [Know your risk factors for delaying graduation and accumulating more debt.] 4. Plan on a 15-hour semester in college: Only 50 percent of students at four-year institutions take 15 or more credit hours a semester -- the needed amount at most schools to graduate on time, according to Complete College America. "Lo and behold, it's 15 credits that keeps you on track for four years," says Jim Rawlins, director of admissions and assistant vice president of enrollment management at the University of Oregon, who adds that students who take a full load during their first semester are more likely to maintain that pattern for the rest of their time at college. But there are some disciplines, such as engineering or accounting, that take longer than four years, even with a full course load, college experts say. It takes so many course hours to be accredited for many STEM majors, says Rick Clark, the director of undergraduate admission at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "There's no fluff in that all." 5. Map out your courses every semester: College experts say that many students aren't enrolling in the necessary courses to graduate on time. After switching majors, Mortellaro says she mapped out every class that she wanted to take and compared it with her school's college planner to stay on track. The recent graduate recommends for incoming freshmen to think ahead, saying: "Plan out your classes for each year ahead, i.e. freshmen year, so you know you can get it done in the amount of time you want." Trying to fund your education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for College center. More From US News & World Report Multiple children suffered from electrical shock while on an amusement park ride in New London, Connecticut's Ocean Beach Park on Tuesday, the New London Police Department said. Police and fire department personnel arrived at the park around 1:51 p.m., and found multiple people claiming to have suffered electrical shock, police said in a press release. All injured riders were taken to nearby Lawrence+Memorial Hospital for treatment. None of the parkgoers suffered serious injuries. WTNH-TV confirmed that the six victims were children. "The most serious injured had some small burns on the palms of his hands from when he touched the metal railing when he was getting off the ride," New London Deputy Police Chief Peter Reichard told WTNH-TV. The Scrambler ride remains closed on Wednesday as police further investigate what caused the electrical surges, NBC Connecticut reported. The New London Police Department and Ocean Beach Park management did not immediately return PEOPLE's requests for further comment. The wiring for all of the beach's boardwalk rides runs underground, according to WTNH-TV. Parkgoers told the news outlet that many of the rides are old. RELATED VIDEO: Police Confirm 10-Year-Old, Caleb Schwab, Decapitated in Water Slide Accident The incident follows several at amusement parks in recent weeks, including the death of 10-year-old Caleb Schwab at the Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Ken Martin, a Virginia-based consultant who has worked on amusement park safety for more than 20 years, previously told PEOPLE that there is no consistent standard of regulation in any state for amusement parks. It is the responsibility of each state to decide how they want to oversee such parks. "The amusement park industry for all intents and purposes is self-regulated," Martin said, adding, "That means they get to make their own rules and they get to do as they see fit for the most part." Children on a Connecticut carnival ride got more than the thrills they were after Tuesday afternoon when authorities say the attraction gave them an electric shock. Read: Girl, 10, Injured After Plunging From Ferris Wheel: 'It Was Just Really Scary' Six children were on the Scrambler at Ocean Beach Park in New London when they got the jolt while exiting the ride at about 2 p.m., according to reports. One child even received burns on his hands after touching a safety bar, WFSB reports. The victims all suffered minor injuries and were taken to an area hospital. "Initially what happened was the ride operator was shutting off the ride at the end of it, and said he received some sort of electrical shock while he was hitting a button. And then the kids got off the ride, and felt like a tingling sensation across their bodies when they were on the machine itself," said Deputy Chief Peter Reichard with the New London Police Dept. Messages left for officials at Ocean Beach Park were not immediately returned Wednesday morning. The incident is one of a string of unrelated amusement park mishaps across the country that InsideEdition.com has followed this season. Read: Boy, 3, Remains in Critical Condition After Fall From Roller Coaster Just this month, three girls tumbled 30 feet from their seats on a Ferris wheel in Tennessee. Safety inspectors blamed a mechanical failure. Also this month, a Kansas state lawmaker's son suffered a fatal neck injury on a water slide dubbed the world's tallest. Kansas City officials continue to investigate the cause of the 10-year-old's death. In Nebraska back in May, a girl nearly died when her hair was caught in a ride's spinning mechanism, ripping off much of her scalp. The cause of Nebraska incident remains under review. Watch: 10-Year-Old Son of Kansas Politician Dies on World's Tallest Water Slide Related Articles: Is it just us, or has this summer been particularly difficult for travelers? Sure, the price of fuel is down and airline tickets are cheaper, but the actual getting there part has been wrought with danger, setbacks and startling discomfort. It seems like we cant go more than a few days without hearing a shocking story about crazy turbulence, power outages or the constant newsmaker Zika. Going on a vacation is supposed to be fun, but given all the news of inconveniences and mishaps, travelers might do better staying home. Here are a few travel lowlights from the summer so far: Passengers injured by extreme turbulence Turbulence is always a risk of flying, its part of the territory. But passengers aboard a JetBlue flight got the scare of their lives when their plane suddenly plummeted out of the sky. According to the Boston Globe, everything was normal when JetBlue Flight 429 left Boston on Aug. 12, but halfway through the flight to Sacramento, the plane made a sudden drop. People were flying all over the place, passenger Dr. Alan H. Lee told the Globe. If people werent wearing their seat belt, they hit their head on the ceiling. Twenty-two passengers and two flight attendants were injured, and the plane was diverted to Rapid City, S.D. After regrouping, JetBlue ordered a replacement plane to transport the uninjured passengers to Sacramento, while others stayed behind to get medical treatment. Airline outages cause widespread cancellations No one notices when an airline cancels one flight, but the world stood still on Aug. 8 when Delta announced that it was canceling more 1,000 flights because of a computer outage. The glitch left thousands of travelers stranded in the airport, many taking to Twitter and Facebook to air their frustrations. As for Delta, they were able to get their systems up and running about 6 hours after the outage, but the damage was already done. The airline spent the next couple of days delaying and canceling flights, ultimately unable to get completely back on schedule until Aug. 11. Passengers affected by the disturbance received a voucher from Delta to refund or rebook their ticket. Even so, little can be done to ease the stress and drama that ensued after the computer failure. Story continues Southwest suffered a similar fate on July 20 when a router at its data center in Dallas failed. At one point, all flights were grounded, setting off a domino effect of setbacks. After a few days, the airline had canceled about 2,300 flights and ruined countless vacations. Hotel data breach exposes credit card information Delta isnt the only company having computer issues this summer. HEI Hotels and Resorts recently reported a data security breach at 20 of the properties it operates around the US, including Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG hotels. According to a notice to customers, a malicious software was found in payment processing systems used at hotel restaurants, bars, spas and lobby shops. The breach, which started in March 2015, could have exposed the names, credit account numbers, expiration dates and verification codes of thousands of customers. Unfortunately, HEI is unable to contact all of the customers who might have been affected, so if you stayed at one of the properties where the breach occurred, check your credit card statement for any fraudulent charges. If something is out of place, contact your card issuer immediately. Terrorist attack at Turkey airport Few moments shook us more this summer than the bomb and gun attack on innocent travelers at Istanbuls Ataturk airport on June 28. According to reports, the three suspects were affiliated with ISIS, and opened fire in the terminal entrance before blowing themselves up. The attack killed 44 people and injured at least 230 others. After this violent event, the Ministry of Culture reported that tourism in Turkey was down 41% in international arrivals compared to 2015 the biggest tourism decline since 1994. Zikas summer surge Its hard to mention travel without talking about Zika the mosquito-borne virus that continues to terrify travelers. In January, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) advised pregnant women against traveling to 14 countries and territories in Central and South America because of the link between microcephaly in the babies of mothers infected with Zika while pregnant. In addition, the World Health Organization declared Zika a public health emergency of international concern in February 2016. In response, this summer thousands of travelers canceled their vacations, weddings, honeymoons and babymoons to places with Zika. Recently added to that list is Florida, where health officials have found 30 non-travel related cases of Zika. The number of travelers canceling airfare reached such a high that the notoriously strict airlines had to loosen their policies. So far, each major US airline now allows pregnant women and those advised not to travel refunds for their flight. Each airline has their own cut-off date and rule about travel companions. Passengers faint on stranded bus in China Taking the train is usually a reliable mode of transportationuntil its not. In China, dozens of passengers fainted on Aug. 12 after their train got stuck on the tracks in the sizzling heat. According to the news site China Gate, the high-speed train was headed from Beijing to Shenzhen when it encountered a power outage. While waiting for repairs, passengers were stranded on the train (the doors wouldnt open) for more than two hours, sweating as temperatures reached a staggering 104 degrees. Pictures quickly circulated on social media of listless passengers sweating profusely on their backs and faces. The train eventually got on its way, but with service like that, we wouldnt be surprised if these passengers decided to drive next time. Brittany Jones-Cooper is a writer for Yahoo Finance. Read more: These airlines will refund tickets for flights to Zika hotspots Low on cash? Now there is layaway for airline tickets American Airlines new awards chart could cost you miles Six children were injured by electric shocks Tuesday on an amusement park ride in Connecticut, authorities said. The victims, whose ages were unclear, were suddenly struck by electricity on a ride at Ocean Beach Park in New London, Ct. shortly before 2 p.m., police said in a statement. NBC Connecticut said the victims were riding the Scrambler, which is temporarily closed. The rides operator told police he felt a tingling sensation when he was pressing the button to stop the ride, according to NBC. The victims suffered various degrees of electrical shock, but none of the injuries appeared to be serious, according to authorities. The worst injury was small burns one of the children received on the palms of his hands from touching a metal railing when he was getting off the ride, New London Deputy Police Chief Peter Reichard told WTNH-TV. All of the victims were taken to the hospital. The cause of the electric surge is under investigation. Ocean Beach Park said in a statement to ABC News that it will continue to work closely to find out the answer. The amusement park incident follows the death of a 10-year-old boy on the worlds tallest water slide in Kansas earlier this month. The tragedy prompted calls for change in the amusement park industry, which advocates say lacks federal oversight and data tracking. [ABC] Student budgets are notoriously tight, and food is often near the top of the list when it comes time to trim the financial fat. This is a mistake. According to the American Journal of Health Promotion, students perform best when they eat well, exercise and get enough rest. One solution for students may be to find more ways to eat well for free. You might need to step out of your comfort zone to eat for free, but that extra effort means that you could save up to $10 or more per meal. If you're feeling adventurous, you may even be able to stock up on extra food for another rainy day. Here are seven ways to score free food in college. [See: How to Live on $13,000 a Year.] 1. Attend club events on campus. If you're a member of a club or society on campus, there's a good chance that the organization hosts a number of members-only events where they serve food and drinks. Make a point of attending as many of these events as possible to fill up your social calendar -- and get your fair share of free food. If you have roommates or friends who are members of clubs you aren't, ask about tagging along for a free bite. 2. Hang out at campus restaurants around closing time. When you've had a long day and don't have the energy to make a grocery store run -- or have money to pay for it -- make a pit stop at a campus pizza joint or other restaurants to see if they have any leftover items from the day. Many places simply throw those items in the trash since they can't sell them at the last minute. Instead of trying to pull off a dumpster dive, simply ask if you can plate up some of those slices yourself. [See: 10 Fun, Frugal Ways to Spend Your Free Time.] 3. Go to church. Neighborhood churches often serve free meals or a free breakfast on certain days of the week. Hop on the bus or just walk over to a nearby church to enjoy a hearty meal with fellow worshipers. Check out the church's bulletin board to learn about any upcoming events where they will be serving free meals or handing out snacks. These usually take place around the holidays and can be another reason to head to church on an empty stomach. Story continues 4. Volunteer at campus and off-campus events. Many volunteer organizations recruit large groups of volunteers for bigger events and reward their volunteers with free meals or restaurant coupons. Seek out these events to give back to your community while you earn a meal or two as well. 5. Get a part-time job at a restaurant or cafe. Studying and social activities will keep you plenty busy during the week but picking up a part-time job might be just what you need to get your meals covered. Many venues give employees a free meal during their shifts, and you may be able to take home extra food that would otherwise get thrown away. That part-time job might also give you some extra money to cover the cost of other meals so you never go hungry. [See: 8 Hacks to Ease Your Financial Life.] 6. Go restaurant hopping on your birthday. If you can postpone your actual birthday celebrations to the weekend, make a point to head out to area restaurants for your free birthday meal. Many chain restaurants and even a few local places will give you a free meal or dessert when you show them your ID card with your birthdate. You can even box up leftovers to take home for another meal during birthday week. Sign up for email updates from your favorite chains and free rewards programs so you can cash in on those free birthday deals. 7. Make your supermarket rounds for free samples. Many grocery stores and warehouse clubs, such as Sam's Club and Costco, host sampling events on weekends or during certain days of the week to attract more shoppers. Mark your calendar for those days, so you can sample your way around the store and enjoy the equivalent of a free meal. When you're grocery shopping for your roommates or just making a trip to town, this can be the perfect way to get a free meal during your trip. Some stores will even give you samples of fresh deli meats, cheese and other counter items on sample days or otherwise -- all you have to do is ask. Sabah Karimi is a columnist for the blog Wise Bread, where you can find consumer tips like how to select the best balance transfer credit cards. Acid attack survivor Reshma Banoo Qureshi will walk the runway at New York Fashion Week. (Photo: Instagram/Make Love Not Scars) New York Fashion Week is known for glitzy outfits, stunning beauty looks, and a surplus of celebrity runway models. However, this year, among NYFW veterans, like Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, who will be walking in their share of high-fashion shows, a new face will be added to the runway roster: 19-year-old Reshma Banoo Qureshi. The runway newbie is a bit different from her model counterparts, with a background most of them certainly cant relate to. At the age of 17, Qureshi suffered a disfiguring acid attack that resulted in the loss of an eye at the hands of her brother-in-law. Now, two years later, shes planning her runway debut as a way to raise awareness about banning the unregulated sale of acid in India and around the world. Qureshi is the face for Make Love Not Scars (MLNS), an organization that helps acid attack victims recover and regain their lives while also attempting to put an end to the sale of acid. Shell be attending NYFW on behalf of the organization after a well-renowned fashion production company, FTL Moda, contacted the group inquiring about Qureshi. In a statement written by one of the fashion shows organizers, Ilaria Niccolini, FTL Moda revealed how ecstatic it is to have Qureshi representing the cause: We want to give voice to these amazing women, who have been silently suffering, hiding, and too often depriving themselves of the opportunity to declare how beastly and cruelly they have been attacked. However, its not only the members of MLNS and FTL Moda who are thrilled for Qureshis debut but also Qureshi herself, who has never been outside of India. She expressed her enthusiasm in a tearful video posted by MLNS on its Facebook page (you can watch it, below). Good luck to Qureshi on her journey through New York Fashion Week with such an inspiring story, we cant help but be excited for her debut. Lets keep in touch! Follow Yahoo Beauty on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Global engineering consultancy firm AECOM ACM has entered into a major research partnership with the University of Salford to research the impact of major infrastructure programs on the natural environment. The collaboration will fund research potentially directed toward studies and papers covering biodiversity disruptions during construction as well as the impact of building projects in environmentally sensitive areas. The research areas will be selected to benefit particular schemes, in addition to help diminish adverse effects and improve environmental outcomes in future projects. For instance, the research areas could comprise the projection of disturbances to sensitive species from construction activities, exploring potential concerns for wildlife while working in areas with contaminated sediments and scrutinizing awareness of biodiversity within construction areas. The partnership is a result of AECOMs environmental consultancy work for the Mersey Gateway Project a major new transport scheme and one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the UK. AECOM is counseling on the multifaceted and sensitive estuarine environment of the construction areas. AECOM has thus decided that further research on the impact of big infrastructure projects on similar sensitive environments would be valuable for sustainable construction. Knowledge about this issue will also facilitate the development of UKs ambitious infrastructure pipeline. AECOM Price and Consensus AECOM Price and Consensus | AECOM Quote AECOM believes that the UK government's national infrastructure plan, which includes $400 billion of investments in major infrastructure projects over the next five years, will offer it ample opportunities in the country. However, AECOM is facing headwinds in some of its end markets. These include volatility in the oil and gas markets, declining oil prices and falling capital spending levels. AECOM currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the broader industrial products sector include Franklin Electric Co., Inc. FELE, AO Smith Corp. AOS and EnerSys ENS, 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 AECOM (ACM): Free Stock Analysis Report SMITH (AO) CORP (AOS): Free Stock Analysis Report FRANKLIN ELEC (FELE): Free Stock Analysis Report ENERSYS INC (ENS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The disclosure Monday that insurance giant Aetna will pull out of the Obamacare market next year in 11 of the 15 states it now serves poses a serious threat to the future of the program and raises anew the need for major reforms. While President Obamas signature health care plan has weathered two major court challenges and scores of votes in the Republican-controlled Congress to dismantle it, an even larger challenge for advocates may be preventing Obamacare from simply collapsing of its own weight. Related: Obamacare Suffers Another Big Blow as Aetna Pulls Out of 11 States Larry Levitt, a senior vice president of the Kaiser Family Foundation and a strong champion of the Affordable Care Act, said in a tweet today that the next Obamacare open enrollment period for 2017 will be key in determining the importance of Aetnas stunning withdrawal from the programs exchanges. If signups grow, concerns [about Aetna] will fade, he wrote. If not, expect a debate on fixes. Millions of Americans have received coverage under the government-subsidized program that offers a wide range of policies and premiums to consumers of all ages and income levels regardless of any pre-existing medical condition. As an incentive to insurers to participate in the program, the law enacted in 2010 requires uninsured people to purchase coverage or face a penalty the so-called individual mandate that many GOP critics roundly oppose. However, Obamacare has proved to be a financial nightmare for Aetna and other private insurers including United Healthcare and Humana. Those companies have miscalculated the cost of providing coverage to primarily older and sicker beneficiaries even after substantially raising their premiums and co-payments last year. Related: Obamacare Insurers Are Looking for a Taxpayer Bailout United Healthcare, the nation's largest insurer, reportedly expects to lose about $1 billion on Obamacare policies in 2015 and 2016 and plans to leave most of the Obamacare exchanges early next year. Humana recently announced that it was pulling out of roughly 1,200 counties in eight states next year. Story continues Nearly half of Obamacares 23 non-profit insurance co-ops went out of business over the past year or so because of poor management and unexpectedly high coverage costs. Aetna, which earlier this month signaled that it was canceling its Obamacare exchange expansion plans for 2017, revealed yesterday that it had lost $430 million issuing individual policies since Obamacare was formally launched in January 2014. It currently serves 838,000 customers on Obamacare exchanges. Aetna explained in a statement yesterday that its policyholders turned out to have costlier medical problems than the company anticipated while far fewer younger and healthier consumers have been drawn to the program. In short, the pool of beneficiaries is badly skewed toward older, sicker Americans. Moreover, Aetna and other health care insurers complain that the federal programs designed to mitigate insurers economic risks have proved to be woefully inadequate and will soon be expiring. Under what is known as risk corridors, more profitable insurers and the federal government pay into a fund each year while less profitable companies are entitled to withdraw money from the pot. Because of budget cutbacks ordered by congressional Republicans, there never has been enough money in the pot to satisfy companies struggling to make ends meet. "Providing affordable, high-quality health care options to consumers is not possible without a balanced risk pool," Aetnas CEO Mark Bertolini said in a statement yesterday, adding that individuals in need of high-cost care represent an even larger share of our on-exchange population than originally anticipated. Related: How Donald Trump Just Single-Handedly Saved Obamacare The Obama administration sought to downplay the significance of Aetnas planned withdrawal from Affordable Care Act exchanges that currently serve 10 million people. Kevin Counihan, the chief executive officer of the Obamacare exchanges, said in a statement that Aetnas decision to alter its marketplace participation does not challenge the fundamental fact that the health insurance marketplace will continue to bring quality coverage to millions of Americans next year and every year after that, according to Bloomberg. Critics say that administration officials and their Democratic allies on Capitol Hill are kidding themselves if they continue to ignore glaring fundamental problems with the structure and rules of Obamacare. Insurers bleeding cash You really are in the early stages of a death spiral here, said Robert Laszewski, a health care industry consultant and blogger who frequently writes about significant shortcomings in the program. The more you raise the rates, the worse it gets. You cant raise the rates high enough when you have too many sick people in the pool. You need healthier people. And the subsidies keep the poorest people in the pool no matter what it costs. In assessing what needs to be done to preserve Obamacare in the coming years, Laszewski stresses strengthening the underlying market by providing consumers with a much wider array of coverage options and premiums than currently exists. Related: Heres Proof that a Single Payer Health System Could Break the Bank The fundamental problem is the health plans are so unattractive that only 40 percent of the eligible have signed up, he said in an interview today. The classic rule is that you need 75 percent of the population to get a balanced risk pool. We dont know whether thats exactly true of Obamacare or not, but obviously 40 percent isnt working. So the fundamental problem is the Obamacare plans are unattractive. So to fix this, you have to make the Obamacare plans attractive. Maybe finally we can have a discussion about how to fix Obamacare, he added. And maybe all of these people that say its not broken, and its just fine and 83 percent of the people are subsidized and all of that, finally are going to be willing to have a conversation with the rest of us about how you fix this. The Obama administration has used its executive powers to make numerous tweaks and revisions in the law since it was first enacted. However, Democrats have refused to allow Congress to reopen the legislation for changes even in areas where there is some unanimity for fear that Republicans would use that as an opportunity to gut or dismantle the program. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic presidential nominee and a prime advocate of Obamacare, has signaled a willingness to make changes in the federal health insurance program if she is elected president in November. Related: If Clinton Is Elected, Get Ready for Taxpayer Funded Nationalized Health Care Among the ideas she has advanced is creating a new government option for health care coverage to compete with private insurers now taking part in Obamacare. Obama originally favored such an approach but was forced by conservatives to drop it from his plan. Clinton has also proposed a tax credit to help lower-income people afford their insurance deductibles and copayments. Finally, in a move designed to woo many liberal supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Clinton has proposed expanding health care coverage by lowering the eligibility age for Medicare from 65 to 55. Much will depend on the outcome of the election, in which Clinton currently holds a substantial lead over Republican nominee Donald Trump a staunch opponent of Obamacare. The Democrats are also attempting to regain control of the Senate and cut into a sizeable GOP majority in the House. In the end, nothing is going to pass without bipartisan consent, if not enthusiasm, said Henry Aaron, a health care expert and scholar at the Brookings Institution. So the critics of Obamacare will have to get something. What exactly that might be is not entirely clear to me, but it might be the elimination of the employer mandate. In discussing what needs to be done to fix the Affordable Care Act, Aaron cited the so-called family glitch. Under the ACA, a worker isnt eligible for government subsidies if he or she is offered affordable health insurance by an employer. However, through a drafting error or faulty rulemaking, that ineligibility extends to other members of the workers family, regardless of whether they qualify for affordable employer-provided insurance. Related: Heres Why Obamacare Is So Important to Hillary Clinton Timothy Jost, a professor emeritus at Washington and Lee University School of Law, told CNN Money the biggest problem to overcome is the highly flawed and underfunded risk mitigation efforts that are essential to keeping many insurers in the Obamacare game. "I think the market will stabilize, and perhaps Aetna and United will come back," Jost told CNN Money. "But the market really needs support for another few years until it does, and since the majority in Congress is rooting for [the Affordable Care Act] to fail, it seems unlikely that the support will be forthcoming." Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Mike Stone (Reuters) - American International Group Inc said on Monday it would sell its mortgage-guaranty unit to Arch Capital Group Ltd for about $3.4 billion. AIG, the largest commercial insurer in the United States and Canada, said it would get $2.2 billion in cash, $250 million in Arch Capital's perpetual preferred stock and $975 million in non-voting common-equivalent preferred stock from the sale of United Guaranty Corp. The Wall Street Journal first reported AIG's deal with Bermuda-based Arch Capital earlier on Monday, citing sources. AIG said in January it would spin off the mortgage insurance unit, cut jobs and sell its broker-dealer network as part of a sweeping overhaul promised to shareholders to fend off activist investor Carl Icahn. Later in March, United Guaranty filed for an initial public offering of up to $100 million with U.S. regulators. Icahn, whose representative secured a board seat at AIG earlier this year, has been pushing the insurer to split itself into three smaller companies. The billionaire saw it as a way for the company to shed its designation as a systemically important financial institution, which would free the company from having to comply with stricter capital requirements. The insurer reported a bigger-than-expected quarterly operating profit earlier this month, driven by lower costs and strong underwriting. Shares of Arch Capital and AIG were unchanged in after-market trading on Monday. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co LLC advised AIG on the deal. Sullivan & Cromwell LLP was its legal adviser. Arch's financial adviser was Credit Suisse Group AG, with Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and Clyde & Co acting as legal counsel. (Reporting by Sudarshan Varadhan in Bengaluru and Mike Stone in New York; Editing by Maju Samuel and Cynthia Osterman) Air Products and Chemicals Inc.s APD Electronics Materials business is expected to fully operate as a spin-off, Versum Materials, in Oct 2016. Prior to the completion of the planned spin-off, Versum will showcase its capabilities publicly at Semicon in Taiwan from Sep 79. Versum will present its innovative products and services that make it one of the leaders and highly appreciated suppliers to the semiconductors and electronics industry. Versum will remain committed to providing innovative and new solutions for customers. The company intends to mould its business to meet the changing needs of customers in the semiconductor, LED and display markets globally by collaborating with them. Versum will take the opportunity at Semicon Taiwan to reach its large Asian customers database and introduce itself. The company will be promoting its next generation CMP slurries, ultra-thin dielectric and metal film precursors, formulated cleans and etching products, and delivery equipment. The companys technical representatives will also be present at the show to discuss the next-generation materials and equipment. Additionally, Versums group leader for PECVD and FCVD Applications, Bob Ridgeway, will give a presentation at the event. Several leadership team members will also be present at the fair to provide media interviews. Air Products, in Jun 2016, announced its decision to locate the headquarters of Versum Materials at Tempe, AZ. This follows Air Products strategy of moving the location of the spin-off company closer to its customer companies. Tempe already houses a research and development facility as well as a workforce of the companys current Electronic Materials division. However, Versums administrative work will continue to be carried out from Air Products current headquarters in Allentown, PA. The Electronics Materials division already has manufacturing facilities in Korea and Taiwan. Considering the growth in Asia, which comprises over 70% of the market, Air Products intends to maintain better connectivity with the Asian team and customers, which should improve as a result of the new location. Story continues AIR PRODS & CHE Price AIR PRODS & CHE Price | AIR PRODS & CHE Quote Shares of Air Products rose roughly 1.1% to close at $151.52 on Aug 15. Air Products saw higher profits in the third quarter of fiscal 2016 (ended Jun 30, 2016), backed by restructuring and operational improvements. Adjusted earnings of $1.92 per share for the quarter beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate, while revenues of $2,434.4 million missed the same. The company reported double-digit EPS growth for the eighth consecutive quarter. Revenues from the Materials Technologies business fell 4% year over year to $520 million, hurt by 2% lower pricing, 1% lower volumes and currency headwinds. Sales of Electronics Materials declined 8% due to lower volumes and unfavorable currency movement. Performance Materials sales were relatively flat year over year as higher volumes were offset by lower pricing resulting from lower raw material costs. Air Products currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked companies in the chemical space include Innospec Inc. IOSP, Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. SHECY and Innophos Holdings Inc IPHS, all sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AIR PRODS & CHE (APD): Free Stock Analysis Report INNOPHOS HLDGS (IPHS): Free Stock Analysis Report INNOSPEC INC (IOSP): Free Stock Analysis Report SHIN-ETSU CHEM (SHECY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Arunima Banerjee and Rishika Sadam BENGALURU, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Budget airline AirAsia India said on Wednesday that it planned to gradually expand its fleet and network in India as it seeks to boost its small market share in the fast expanding domestic market. The airline, a tie-up between Malaysian carrier AirAsia Bhd and India's Tata Sons conglomerate, said it planned to add a seventh A320 jet to its fleet and bring the south Indian city of Hyderabad into its network of destinations by September. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, AirAsia India's Chief Executive Amar Abrol said the airline is looking to expand further and that it would be investing significant sums of money in the future. (Writing by Euan Rocha; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath) The past week saw premier trade organization Airlines for America (A4A) revealing a bright forecast for U.S. carriers. It is expected that U.S. airlines will make hay in the upcoming Labor Day holiday period (Aug 31 Sep 6) with travel demand projected to increase 4% on the back of low air fares. Apart from the A4A forecast, the past week saw the Bureau of Transportation Services revealing data on air fares for July according to which the monthly fall wasthe sharpest in over a year. On the traffic front, JetBlue Airways Corporations JBLU share price surged following an improvement in the carriers July load factor (% of seats filled by passengers). On the other hand, Southwest Airlines LUV share price declined following its July traffic report as the carrier provided a bearish outlook for operating revenue per average seat mile (RASM: a key measure of unit revenue) for the third quarter. On the earnings front, Latin-American carrier GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. GOL revealed disappointing numbers for the second quarter of 2016, hurt by currency issues. TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index Read the last Airline Stock Roundup for Aug 10, 2016. Recap of the Past Weeks Most Important Stories 1. According to a forecast made by A4A, approximately 15.6 million passengers are expected to avail the services of U.S. airlines on Labor Day this year, up 4% year over year. The forecast translates into 2.23 million fliers per day during the period (Aug 31Sep 6), an increase of 82,000 over the comparable figure last year. Cheap ticket prices are one of the main reasons behind the bullish forecast. According to the organization, air fares declined 5.2% in 2015. The downtrend has continued this year with ticket prices down 6% so far. 2. Southwest Airlines suffered a technology outage last month, which resulted in the cancellation and delay of over 2000 flights. This has affected operating revenue per available seat mile (RASM: a key measure of unit revenue) for the third quarter by 0.5 points on a yearly basis. Given the negative impact, RASM is expected to decline in the range of 3.5% to 4.5% in the third quarter as compared to the earlier projected range of a decline of 3% to 4% (read more: Southwest Airlines July Traffic Up; RASM Guidance Hits Stock). Story continues 3. Traffic at JetBlue Airways climbed 6.6% in Jul 2016 from the comparable month a year ago. On a year-over-year basis, consolidated capacity increased 5.5%. Load factor improved 80 basis points to 87.8% as traffic growth outpaced capacity expansion (read more: JetBlue July Traffic Rises, Stock Up on Load Factor Growth). JetBlue was also in the news for wrong reasons when its flight 429 experienced turbulence, injuring many on board. The flight was en route from Boston to Sacramento when the unfortunate incident occurred (read more: Brutal Turbulence on JetBlue Flight Injures 24 People). 4. GOL Linhas, weighed down by weak economic conditions and currency headwinds, reported dismal numbers in the second quarter of 2016. Net revenue declined 2% year over year to R$2,089 million (approximately $614.4 million). Cargo revenues improved 4.8% while passenger revenues declined 3%. Revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) deteriorated 11.2% year over year, mainly due to a decrease of 10.6% in International RPK and 11.2% in domestic RPK (read more: GOL Linhas Reports Profit in Q2; Revenues Decline). 5. According to data released by the Bureau of Transportation Services, airfares declined 4.6% (on an unadjusted basis) in Jul 2016 from the comparable figure in Jul 2015. Moreover, the airfares for the month showed an 8.5% decline compared to Jun 2016, courtesy soft oil prices. Apart from cheap oil, capacity-related woes, which have hurt airline companies for quite some time, are being cited as the reason behind the substantial fall in July airfares. With airline stocks already struggling, the July reading on airfares imply further struggles for the carriers on the top-line front. The sharp fall in air fares prompted by weak oil prices is however an encouraging piece of news for fliers. 6. Copa Holdings CPA posted a rise in air traffic for the month of July this year. Traffic measured in revenue passenger miles (RPMs) came in at 1.63 billion, up 9.8% from 1.49 billion recorded in Jul 2015 (read more: Copa Holdings Posts Impressive Growth in July Traffic). 7.Delta Air Lines Inc. DAL announced plans to launch a new business-class service the first of its kind in the industry. The company will launch the Delta One suite in fall 2017. Each suite in the business class cabin will have a sliding door which ensures enhanced privacy for customers. The new service will be available on Deltas A350 flights. Notably, Delta will be the first airline in the U.S. to take order for the A350. The airplane is expected to operate on routes between Asia and U.S. Deltas new business class suite is also expected to feature on its Boeing 777 fleet after it features on the A350. Performance The following table shows the price movement of the major airline players over the past week and during the last 6 months. Company Past Week Last 6 months HA -1.54% 13.02% UAL 1.60% -8.03% GOL 7.94% 325.22% DAL -0.53% -20.68% JBLU -2.22% -21.62% AAL 6.23% -7.89% SAVE -1.96% -14.55% LUV -0.65% -6.15% VA 0.00% 83.25% ALK 1.66% -8.74% The table above shows that airline stocks exhibited a mixed trend over the past week. Consequently, the NYSE ARCA Airline index gained marginally over the past week. Over the course of six months, the NYSE ARCA Airline index appreciated 4.31% on the back of huge gains at GOL Linhas and Virgin America VA. Virgin America is slated to be acquired by Alaska Air Group ALK by year-end. Whats Next for Airline Stocks? With the earnings season over, stay tuned for the usual news updates. Focus will also stay on the movement of oil prices given the volatile nature exhibited lately. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report SOUTHWEST AIR (LUV): Free Stock Analysis Report JETBLUE AIRWAYS (JBLU): Free Stock Analysis Report GOL LINHAS-ADR (GOL): Free Stock Analysis Report 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 VIRGIN AMERICA (VA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Election officials help a student to register to vote on the UW-Madison campus in February 2016. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / ALIX RESOURCES CORP. ("Alix" or the "Company") (AIX-TSX:V) (37NFRANKFURT) is pleased to announce the initiation of the first phase of the exploration program on its La Corne 2 (West Canada Lithium) property located adjacent and on strike with the Chinese-based Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co. ("Jilin") Quebec Lithium Mine property. The program will consist of geochemical sampling as well as detailed mapping. Mike England, President and CEO of Alix Resources Corp. commented "We are excited to commence a program on the La Corne 2 property which adjoins and is on strike with Jilin's Quebec Lithium Lithium Mine which has previously reported measured and indicated resources of 29.3 Mt grading 1.19% Li2O and 20.9 Mt of inferred resources grading 1.15% Li2O, respectively (source: NI43-101 Technical Report filed by Canada Lithium, on SEDAR, June 8, 2011)." The technical contents of this release were approved by Michel Boily, PhD, P.Geo a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The properties have not been the subject of a National Instrument 43-101 report. Alix Resources is a junior mining exploration company focused on seeking and acquiring lithium projects globally. Alix continues to evaluate suitable prospects that fit the mandate of the Company. The Company now has active lithium projects in Nevada, Mexico and Ontario. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD "Michael England" Michael England, President, CEO, Director FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Telephone: 1-604-683-3995 Toll Free: 1-888-945-4770 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking 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. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. 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. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com). SOURCE: Alix Resources The legal dispute between Amber Heard and ex-husband Johnny Depp has hit an additional bump in the road. Heard's lawyer, Samantha F. Spector, issued a retraction of a statement she made after the embittered former couple came to a reported $7 million settlement on Tuesday, along with an apology to Depp. WATCH: Amber Heard and Johnny Depp Settle Divorce Case, Restraining Order Request Withdrawn After news of the settlement broke, Spector and fellow attorney Joseph P. Koenig released a statement expressing that they were "pleased" with the outcome of the case, and saying that the 30-year-old actress had been "vindicated in the Court of Public Opinion." Later in the day, Spector fully retracted the comment in a statement released to ET. Spector said that the earlier comments were "made without the knowledge or approval of Amber Heard." "The statement is untrue and we retract it, without qualification. My assertion that Amber Heard has been vindicated in the court of public opinion is not true," Spector's statement continued. "We regret the error and apologize to Johnny Depp." Sources tell ET that Depp's legal team asked Spector to issue the retraction, but say her comments will not change the previously agreed-upon settlement. RELATED: What Led Johnny Depp and Amber Heard to Settle Their Divorce Case On Tuesday, Heard withdrew her request for a domestic violence restraining order against her 53-year-old ex-husband, and the pair issued a joint statement addressing their divorce and subsequent claims of spousal abuse. "Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love," Heard and Depp said in a joint statement. "Neither party has made false accusations for financial gains. There was never an intent of physical or emotional harm." WATCH: Johnny Depp Files Request to Keep Amber Heard Divorce Details Private "Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future," the statement continues. "Amber will be donating financial proceeds from the divorce to a charity." Story continues For more on the couple's pricey settlement, and the accusations of Depp's allegedly mercurial behavior, check out the video below. Related Articles By Lauren Hirsch and Jessica DiNapoli Aug 17 (Reuters) - American Apparel LLC, the U.S. teen clothing retailer known for its sexually suggestive advertising, has hired investment bank Houlihan Lokey Inc to explore a sale, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. The sale process comes just six months after American Apparel emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, following the public ouster of its controversial founder and chief executive officer, Dov Charney, and a string of losses that the company has struggled to reverse. The sources asked not to be identified because the sale process is confidential. "As we have regularly communicated to employees, vendors and customers, we continuously evaluate strategic alternatives," American Apparel, which is now owned by its former creditors, said in a statement. When contacted for comment, Charney said he would have to see what the asking price for his old company is before considering making a bid. He added that he is working on setting up a new apparel company. Charney, with support from investors that included Hagan Capital Group and Silver Creek Capital Partners, had mounted an unsuccessful $300 million bid for American Apparel in January. Houlihan Lokey declined to comment. Charney was fired as CEO of American Apparel in 2014. The company cited inappropriate behavior and misuse of company funds. In March, American Apparel named the former head of handbag retailer Liz Claiborne Inc, Paul Charron, as chairman of its new board of directors. Teen clothing retail has been hit by the growing popularity of online shopping. At least eight teen apparel retailers have filed for bankruptcy this year amid fierce competition and stagnating sales, including Aeropostale Inc, Pacific Sunwear of California Inc, The Wet Seal Inc.. News and data provider Reorg Research first reported on American Apparel working with Houlihan Lokey on a sale. (Reporting by Lauren Hirsch and Jessica DiNapoli in New York) By Scott Malone RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - American defending champion Ashton Eaton and Canadian world record holder Damian Warner kicked off the battle for decathlon gold on Wednesday, with Eaton making up for a second place 100 meters finish with a strong long jump. Warner set an Olympic best of 10.3 seconds for the decathlon 100m on the event's first day, easily bettering the 10.46 of Eaton, who normally counts on his speed to post high scores. The 28-year-old Eaton speaks of North American teamwork when the subject turns to his Canadian heptathlete wife and bronze medalist Brianne Theisen-Eaton. That alliance clearly did not apply to Warner, who finished fifth at the 2012 London Games. Eaton responded to Warner's blazing sprint with a 7.94m long jump, besting Warner's 7.67m, and 14.73m shot put, over Warner's 13.66, to reclaim the lead. But neither of the leaders were dominant in the shot put or high jump. American Jeremy Taiwo climbed into third overall thanks to the best high jump performance, clearing 2.19m, just ahead of Belgium's Thomas van der Plaetsen's 2.16. France's Kevin Mayer led the shot put with a 15.76m throw. The crowd's clear favorite was Brazil's Luiz Alberto de Araujo, who had climbed into fourth on the strength of a 15.26m shot put but dropped to 12th after only clearing 1.92m in the high jump. The event continues Wednesday evening with the 400m. (Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Alison Williams) American International Group Inc. AIG announced that it will divest its mortgage insurance unit United Guaranty Corporation to Arch Capital Group Ltd. ACGL for $3.4 billion. The divestiture is aimed at turning AIG into a leaner and more-focused company. American Internationals CEO Peter Hancock came under pressure last year from billionaire investor Carl Icahn to slice the company into three different units to ease its operations. The latest divestiture should serve that purpose. Back in Nov 2015, in a letter addressed to Peter Hancock, Carl Icahn asked for a split in the mammoth company into three parts property and casualty, life and mortgage insurance. According to Icahn, American International runs such diverse businesses that its business lines have little strategic fit between them and their segregation may unlock much greater value. He pointed out that American Internationals behemoth size and diverse businesses have become a hindrance in its own path toward progress. The investor pointed out that the company is generating sub-par returns. He also pointed out that American International is too big to succeed and that it considerably lags its peers in terms of generating returns for its shareholders. Constraints such as size and capital are the primary culprits. The company faces stringent capital restriction that hampers its competitiveness. He also held American Internationals inadequate expense management responsible for its downfall. AMER INTL GRP Price AMER INTL GRP Price | AMER INTL GRP Quote Having underperformed from a long time, Icahn was unwilling to wait any further for slow reforms from the company. He, in fact, wanted the company to take steps which would speed up the process of unlocking massive value tied within this great company. And the best course of action would be to cut it into three parts. Hancock, however, was not convinced with the idea of a split-up as he did not see much financial sense in it. To work a way out, the American International chief had instead promised to take steps that would lead to higher returns. Some of the recent moves made in this regard: In order to drive up the returns from American International, a new share buyback plan was announced in Feb 2016 authorizing an additional $5 billion in share repurchases. American International also raised its quarterly dividend by 14%. These moves were part of the commitment it announced at the start of the year to return $25 billion to shareholders over two years. American International also formed a new Executive Leadership Team structure, comprising 10 heads all veterans in their respective fields to work toward attaining the strategic priorities of the company. The company also slashed several jobs, including those at senior positions in the company in order save cost. American International was also considering selling off blocks of life insurance policies, in order to focus on more profitable avenues of growth. But it seems that the above steps would take much longer than warranted to generate required returns. As such, amid mounting pressure to perform, the CEO had to resort to splitting its mortgage insurance unit. The company has finally given up to Icahns demands by separating its mortgage insurance unit, we might soon see the separation of its two other units. American International carries a Zacks Rank # 3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks from the insurance space are James River Group Holdings, Ltd. JRVR and Swiss Re Ltd. SSREY. Both these stocks carry 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 AMER INTL GRP (AIG): Free Stock Analysis Report JAMES RIVER GRP (JRVR): Free Stock Analysis Report ARCH CAP GP LTD (ACGL): Free Stock Analysis Report SWISS RE LTD (SSREY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 Snapshot_20160817_090950 American Ajee' Wilson advanced to the semifinals of the women's 800 meters on Tuesday in Rio with a second-place finish. Immediately after the race, instead of thinking about her recovery or the next race, she took a moment to congratulate an opponent who finished in last place. Wilson finished just behind the favorite, Caster Semenya of South Africa, picking up one of the two coveted automatic-qualifier spots in just under two minutes. Snapshot_20160817_090653 However, this is the Olympics, and not every athlete is there to compete for medals. Some are just there to compete. More than a half-lap behind the leaders, Houleye Ba of Mauritania still had a long ways to go. Nearly 20 seconds after the leaders finished the 2-lap race, Ba was just coming into view and was still nearly 200 meters from the finish line. Snapshot_20160817_090803 Ba eventually reached the finish line more than 43 seconds after the leaders, a huge amount of time in the 800. Snapshot_20160817_090911 But while most of the other runners had already started to walk off the track, Wilson walked back to the finish line to embrace Ba and congratulate her. Wilson will now move on to the semifinals of the 800 and Ba will go home. But she leaves knowing she did something few people ever experience: she competed in the Olympics against the best in the world. GettyImages 591326276 NOW WATCH: Why Michael Phelps and other Olympians have big red circles all over their skin More From Business Insider By Nita Bhalla NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Amnesty International India has temporarily closed its offices and postponed events aimed at raising awareness of rights abuses over safety concerns for its staff after the charity was accused of sedition by protesters, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday. Political activists held demonstrations against the rights group on Tuesday and Wednesday, accusing it of inciting hatred against the state during an event it hosted on abuses by Indian security forces in the troubled Kashmir region. Police said they were investigating if "anti-India" slogans were raised at the event after receiving a complaint from the right-wing student organization, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, which has ties to the ruling Bharitya Janata Party. Amnesty said the allegations against the organization were unsubstantiated, but admitted that slogans calling for Kashmir's independence were chanted by some people attending Saturday's seminar in the southern city of Bengaluru. "The allegations mentioned in the complaint are without any basis. The event was an open door event and people were coming and going. No staff members were involved," said Himanshi Matta, Amnesty International India's spokeswoman in India. "They are preventing the families of victims of human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir from having their stories heard. And preventing civil society organizations from enabling these families to exercise their constitutional right to justice." Following protests by hundreds of right-wing activists in Bengaluru on Tuesday and in Delhi on Wednesday, Matta said the charity had decided to temporarily close its main office in the city, as well smaller ones in Pune, New Delhi and Chennai. The seminar - aimed at raising awareness over the lack of justice for families of victims in Kashmir - was planned to take place in Mumbai and New Delhi next week, but has been postponed due to security concerns for the families and staff, she added. Rights groups have for years accused Indian forces battling a separatist insurgency in Kashmir and parts of northeast India of violating civilian rights through a controversial law which gives them sweeping powers to search, arrest or shoot people. Authorities and the armed forces deny the charges, saying the law - the Armed Forces Special Powers Act - is essential to root out militants. Video footage of the event in Bengaluru which was recorded by Amnesty has been handed over to the police, and is being studied by forensic investigators, said a police official, who declined to be named. Kashmir, India's only majority-Muslim region, has been the trigger for two of the three wars between India and neighboring Pakistan - with both nuclear-armed nations laying claim to it. The investigation comes as Indian-administered Kashmir experiences its worst unrest in six years after security forces last month killed a young separatist commander who was idolized by some youth, provoking an outpouring of anger. At least 64 people - civilians and security forces - have been killed in last 40 days in violent street protests, and a strict curfew has been imposed on residents. (Reporting by Nita Bhalla. Editing by Katie Nguyen. 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) People pray for calm Sunday outside an auto parts store that was burned in Saturday's late-night rioting in Milwaukee that followed the shooting death of a 23-year-old black man by a police officer. Chinese diver Qin Kai proposed to fellow diver and girlfriend, He Zi, at the Olympics. (Photo: Getty Images) The Olympics brings out the amateur commentator in all of us: That ball was in! She stuck the landing! His form is flawless! Awwww, love is love! Hes proposing to her NOW? If those last two confuse you, youve missed the fact that five Olympic couples have gotten engaged in Rio over the past week and a half (well, one of those couples was technically already engaged). And youve missed the alternating reactions of romantics and those who criticized the gestures. To recap: Brazilian rugby player Isadora Cerullo was walking away from the match that eliminated her team when girlfriend (and stadium manager) Marjorie Enya proposed to her on the field to show people that love wins, she told the BBC. We all gushed. Stadium manager Marjorie Enya, right, proposed to her girlfriend, Brazilian rugby player Isadora Cerullo, left, on the field. (Photo: Getty Images) After placing sixth in the mens 20k racewalk, British athlete Tom Bosworth proposed to his boyfriend, Harry Dineley, on Copacabana Beach on Monday far from the media, until he posted it on Twitter. British athlete Tom Bosworth, on bended knee, pops the question to boyfriend Harry Dineley in Brazil. (Photo: Twitter) Another Brit, Charlotte Dujardin, had just finished winning her third Olympic gold in dressage when the cameras caught fiance Dean Golding wearing a sign on his shirt that read Can we get married now? Theyve actually been engaged since the London 2012 Olympics, but I dont think he has believed it is going to happen, so now he has gone and made it so public that I definitely have got to do it, Dujardin told AFP. After winning the gold, equestrian Charlotte Dujardins fiance Dean Golding, left, wore a sign asking if the couple could move forward on wedding plans now. (Photo: REX Getty) Story continues Right after she received her silver in the 3-meter springboard, also on Monday, Chinese diver He Zi stepped off the podium and was met by boyfriend and fellow diver Qin Kai, who surprised her by getting down on one knee and flashing a ring. The flustered Zi took quite some time before nodding. Then, on Tuesday, American triple-jumper Will Claye leapt straight from his silver medal podium into the stands to pop the question to his girlfriend, hurdler Queen Harrison, who had just missed qualifying this year. Triple-jumper Will Claye, clad in an American flag, leapt into the stands to propose to girlfriend and hurdler Queen Harrison. (Photo: Getty) This morning when I woke up, Claye told NBC, I was like, Todays gonna be the best day of my life. Im going to go out there and do what I have to do on the track first, and then Im gonna make her my fiancee after that. Claye and Enya, in particular, seem to have gotten something right in their approach, at least in public opinion. What makes grand romantic gestures like these seem appropriate? When its a public proposal, typically its in a venue where theres already a lot of excitement going on, and people are already high and excited, so it can be a way to enhance that excitement and build upon it and then share it with a lot of people all at once, Jane Greer, PhD, a New York-based marriage and sex therapist and author of What About Me? Stop Selfishness from Ruining Your Relationship, tells Yahoo Style. Greer surmised that the timing of these proposals might be about something more than just doing it in front of all the cameras. The people who are training for the Olympics are so single-minded and have been training for so long that once the event is over, theres such a relief that they can share their energy and concentrate on other parts of their life, she says. On the other hand, she agrees with some of the backlash over Qin Kai and He Zis engagement, including accusations that he stole her thunder and made the scene all about him. When [the proposal] is in a moment in time that is individual and is yours, to have to share it just then compromises the intensity of your own singular experience, Greer says. That can oftentimes set the stage for what your relationship is perhaps going to continue to look like over time. Its going to be a clash of whose needs come first, yours or mine. Because thats the foundation of marriage. One person is always going to have to balance and jockey their needs in relation to those of their partner. In the age of social media, however, Greer doesnt think the scale or dramatic impact of a proposal necessarily has much to say about the health of the marriage that follows. The desire to share with a lot of people has sort of become part of our society, she explains. Its not, Look at how narcissistic they are; they have to have this big grand gesture. Its more part of the playing field these days. Its not a statement of [whether] your relationship is healthy or not. Its a statement of how socially active and involved you are, and how important it is to you. But what if someone on the receiving end of this type of proposal had really wanted to say no? Werent they cornered into accepting by the peer pressure of the entire world? Theres always a good way to say no that allows for you being able to express what your needs are and where youre at in a caring, thoughtful way, so youre not just making the other person feel rejected or hurt, Greer says. You can do it playfully. 'Im saying yes for today; ask me again tomorrow. One would hope that if youre with somebody whos going to propose to you publicly, youre not that out of sync with each other that hes not putting himself in a stupid position. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Footage has emerged of Germanys vice-chancellor Sigmar Gabriel giving the middle finger to a group of far-right protestors in Lower Saxony in northwestern Germany last Friday. The Social Democrat politician was visiting the city of Salzgitter for an election campaign event when he was accosted by a group of masked protesters holding banners bearing the slogan Traitor, AFP reports. Gabriel has publicly condemned his father as a die-hard Nazi in the past. This is referenced by the Neo Nazis in the footage, who tell him Your father loved his country, and what do you do? You destroy it, reports The Guardian. The Social Democrat Party has confirmed that the video, posted on Facebook by a youth group linked to the neo-Nazi NPD, is authentic. This is not the first time a member of the party has caused controversy by pulling the offensive gesture. In Sept. 2013, former finance minister Peer Steinbruck shocked the public and his fellow politicians after he allowed the German daily newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung to publish a black-and-white photo of him with his middle finger in the air. Luanda (AFP) - Angola's ruling party met Wednesday for a massive national congress, where long-ruling President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is expected to be re-elected as party leader ahead of a 2017 national vote. The four-day congress opened in the capital Luanda, with Dos Santos appearing decked out in the signature red of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party, an AFP journalist reported. In power since 1979, the president's nomination as party chief -- which is expected Friday or Saturday -- is all but guaranteed. "Nobody will stand against Dos Santos -- this congress will be nothing new," said political analyst Justinho Pinto de Andrade. The 73-year-old ruler said in March he would leave politics in 2018, after his current mandate ends at the close of 2017. But critics are sceptical given similar claims in the past. "We must prepare the party for the next challenge and for the coming election victory in 2017," Dos Santos said at a party meeting last week. "We must continue working to maintain the trust of the people of Angola." The country's electoral system does not allow for a presidential vote, but stipulates that the leader of the winning party automatically becomes head of state. Over 2,600 delegates are set to vote during the congress. Agostinho dos Santos, an analyst deeply critical of the regime, told AFP it was "a characteristic of a dictatorship" that the president was "the candidate for his own succession". Dos Santos came to power in 1979, following the unexpected death from cancer of Angola's liberation president Agostinho Neto. As head of the military, police and cabinet, the leader has an iron grip on all aspects of power in Africa's second biggest oil producer. He names the senior judges and has MPLA allies in all public agencies, including the supposedly independent electoral commission. Angola in 2002 emerged from a 27-year civil war which left hundreds of people dead, and the country has held few elections since independence from Portugal in 1975. BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - An Argentine judge has started an investigation into the death of Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, who is believed to have been executed in 1936 by forces loyal to General Francisco Franco. Garcia Lorca's fate remains a mystery after the site near the Spanish city of Granada where he was believed to have been buried was excavated in 2009 without finding human remains. With efforts by the Spanish justice system stalled, a Spanish human rights group called the Association for the Recuperation of Historic Memory asked Argentine federal judge Maria Servini to take up the case. She has accepted, said a statement by the group on Facebook. "The case has been incorporated into an ongoing investigation by Judge Maria Servini into crimes against humanity," it said. Servini was already looking into Franco-era crimes ranging from torture to extra-judicial killings. Franco ruled for almost four decades after his Nationalist forces won Spain's 1936-1939 civil war. Spain's most famous human rights judge, Baltasar Garzon, opened an inquiry into Franco-era crimes in 2008 but later dropped the case - an example of the issue's political sensitivity. The Spanish group first requested that Servini, who could not be reached for comment, take up the Garcia Lorca case in April. "The judge has requested that the courts in Madrid release the case file to the association," an Argentine court source with knowledge of the case told Reuters. Unauthorized to speak to the press, the source asked not to be identified. Spain's civil war became a curtain-raiser for World War Two when Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy provided arms and funding for Franco's forces. Soviet leader Josef Stalin backed communists fighting against them and Franco saw himself as a "sentinel" against communism. Volunteers from various countries, known as the International Brigades, traveled to Spain to join the fight against Franco after he launched his revolt against Spain's Republican government in 1936. Historians estimate as many as 500,000 combatants and civilians were killed on the Republican and Nationalist sides in the war. After it ended, tens of thousands of Franco's enemies were killed or imprisoned in a campaign to wipe out dissent. (Reporting by Maximilian Heath; Writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Peter Cooney) Ariel Winter has drawn fire and praise for her often-revealing Instagram posts, with some criticizing her risque outfits while others calling her a champion of positive body image. But for the Modern Family star insists shes not being strategic about her social media posts. I dont really think Im telling myself, You should post this, you shouldnt post that, I feel like Im just having fun, Winter told ETs Katie Krause at Varietys Power Of Young Hollywood Issue Celebration, presented by the app Pixhug with Vince Camuto, in Los Angeles on Tuesday. I like my fans to see what Im doing. Everybody is so hyped up on the fact that I post photos where my butts out. Its a butt. Everyone has a butt, the 18-year-old actress continued. I dont think its crazy. WATCH: Ariel Winter Shows Some Serious Skin in Head-Turning One-Piece Swimsuit Winter has proudly shown off her curves in low-cut tops, super short shorts and bikinisin a slew of skin-baring selfies over the last few months, but for her, its all about living life the way she wants to. She doesnt understand why people feel the need to hate. Its like, 'Let me live! Im enjoying my life, youre enjoying your life, you should be posting your butt if you like it, too! she explained. While Winter has routinely fires back at body shamers who have tried to make her feel bad about her figure or clothing choices, she says she doesnt bother engaging with people who leave negative comments on her pics. Im not going to fight with someone on my Instagram that tells me they dont like my outfit or I should put my butt away, she explained. Im sorry you think I should put my butt away, but just unfollow me. WATCH: Ariel Winter Gets Cheeky in Booty Shorts While Hitting the Salon in Los Angeles Story continues Having grown up in the public eye on Modern Family, Winter said that shes struggled with her body image for years, but credited some of her strong female colleagues for helping her come to accept and embrace her appearance. I really had the greatest opportunity to have some wonderful role models, especially Sofia Vergara, Winter shared. Working with a curvy beautiful woman that everybody looked up to and loved the way she looked that was my inspiration to move forward and accept myself because thats what matters. WATCH: Ariel Winter Bares Lots of Skin in Unique Cutout Swimsuit During Sisters Spa Trip Winter has also been in a rumored romance with actor Sterling Beaumon in recent months, but she shot down speculation, explaining, Weve been best friends for 10 years. Were not dating. We see each other every day but no, were like literally best friends. In fact, Ariel said shes currently single, but shes open to meeting anybody. Ive just kinda like been single for a little while now, Winter said. Ive enjoyed it, and if something happens, it happens. WATCH: 23 Times Ariel Winter Was Sexy and Confident On Instagram More from Entertainment Tonight: Jessica Alba Looks Amazing in Tiny String Bikini on the Beach Jennifer Lopez Shows Off Her Bikini Body in Miami Bethenny Frankels Abs are Out Of Control MADISON / BRADENTON, Fla. - Joan Hazel Carter, in Bradenton, Fla., aged 88, passed away surrounded by family members on Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016, at Inspired Living at Hidden Lakes following a stroke and ensuing four year battle with dementia. Born on Feb. 22, 1928, to parents Charles and Constance Wilkinson, Hazel graduated from the County Grammar School for Girls in Beckenham, Kent, England, in 1947 and received a full scholarship to Oxford University, Oxford, England, where she was a member of St. Hugh's College from 1947 to 1950. In 1952 Hazel conducted fieldwork in Shona in present day Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and in Tonga from 1957 to 1960 in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). A post-graduate scholar at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, Hazel then became a Lecturer in Bantu Languages at SOAS in 1954, with a promotion to Reader in Bantu Languages (1971 to 1983). She taught both B.A. and M.A. Bantu language courses. In 1971 she received her doctorate with her dissertation "Syntactic Tone Phrases in Kongo." After one year as a visiting professor at the Department of African Languages & Literature at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1980-1981, Hazel retired from SOAS in London and moved permanently to the United States. First an Honorary Research Fellow, then a Visiting Professor, Hazel became a Full Professor at the University of Wisconsin in 1986. She retired in June 1995 and was appointed Professor Emerita. In 2001 she received the Distinguished Services Award from the African Language Teachers Association. Hazel was enormously talented in the fiber crafts of bobbin lace, knitted lace (especially Shetland), tatting, crochet and doll making. She designed lace items, especially shawls, for Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill and others. Hazel was a member of the British Lace Guild and Helen Allen Textile Collection, International Old Lacers and Madison Knitters' Guild, and her work won several awards at the Wisconsin State Fair. Hazel also knitted for Friends of Meriter Hospital. Never forgetting her Scottish heritage, Hazel joined St. Andrew's Society of Madison and was a former president and editor. Hazel is survived by her brother, Colin Wilkinson; her daughter, Hilary Walker; and son, Guy Carter. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, Aug. 22, 2016, at 11 a.m. at HOLY REDEEMER CATHOLIC CHURCH, 144 W. Johnson St., Madison, Wis., immediately followed by a committal service at Roselawn Memorial Park, 705 Femrite Drive, Monona. No flowers please, by request. A special thank you to the wonderful caregivers of Inspired Living at Hidden Lakes in Bradenton, Fla., and Tidewell Hospice in Sarasota, Fla. Please share your memories at www.CressFuneralService.com. Ascena Retail Group Inc. ASNA announced plans to open yet another Lane Bryant outlet in Florida, thereby keeping its store expansion in full steam. The new Florida store will be housed at Governor's Square in Tallahassee, and is slated to open doors to customers on Aug 19, with celebrations extending throughout the weekend. The company announced a host of lucrative offers to attract shoppers. Customers attending the grand opening will not only get the opportunity to check the brands latest collection, but also gain access to exciting giveaways and deals. Buyers who spend $75 or more on the opening day and the following days will receive a free #ImNoAngel keychain, until stocks last. Moreover, shoppers visiting the new store on the weekend following the opening day will get a chance to win one of the 25 Lane Bryant Gift Cards worth $25, on each of the days. Lane Bryant is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ascena that operates about 764 stores in the U.S. and has an online presence. The brand targets plus-size women aged between 3045, and caters to women's special sizes of 1428. Ascena has been on a growth spiral in terms of store expansion. In fact, last month, the company opened four new Lane Bryant stores at Harvest Park Centre in Knoxville, TN; Promenade at Downey in Downey, CA; Alexandria Mall in Alexandria, LA; and Wayne Towne Center in Wayne, NJ. Further, the company celebrated the grand reopening of a store at Concord Mall in Wilmington, DE. Apart from Lane Bryant, the company has been in full swing with regard to its expansion, relocation and remodeling of its dressbarn stores. With its attractive, unique and reasonably priced product assortments, ranging from sizes 424, dressbarn is keen on enhancing its customers shopping experience. Earlier this month, the company introduced a new dressbarn store at Promenade at Downey in Downey, CA. Ascena operates over 830 dressbarn stores in the U.S. With consistent implementation of its store-expansion strategy, Ascena aims to extend its presence and reach out across communities. As of the end of third-quarter fiscal 2016 and following the acquisition of ANN Inc., the company operates over 4,900 stores across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Story continues ASCENA RETAIL Price ASCENA RETAIL Price | ASCENA RETAIL Quote Ascena closed trade at $8.51 on Aug 16, with an upswing of 2.4%. Zacks Rank Ascena currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks in the same industry include Nordstrom Inc. JWN, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and DSW Inc. DSW and American Eagle Outfitters Inc. AEO, each with 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 ASCENA RETAIL (ASNA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Just as the waters were calming from Hurricane Chad's visit to Bachelor in Paradise, in rolls another storm: Ashley I.! Ashley Iaconetti returned to BIP on Tuesday night, bringing her drama in literal waves flowing straight from her eyeballs. She vowed to Chris Harrison to cry only three times during her run this season, but by episode's end Ashley had already broken her promise (our 'cry count' clocked at least five sob sessions). So, what was with the waterworks? Ashley arrived still very much in love with Jared Haibon (she said the two had hooked up on and off in recent months), only to discover that Jared had been cuddling up with Caila Quinn. Normally we'd tell Ashley to calm down and get her gorgeous self together, but she didn't just have plain old rejection to tear up over: Ashley cried betrayal! "I didn't think Caila was going to hurt me like this," Ashley told Jared through tears. "She told me she would never, ever go out with you. Caila ruined everything and she's a backstabbing whore of a friend!" Yikes. ABC To her credit, Ashley calmly confronted Caila, claiming Caila had told Ashley she would not be going on Paradise. "I didn't know that I was coming," Caila said. "I decided like two days before." (Soyou knew you were coming, Caila.) We'll see how the Ashley/Jared/Caila love triangle turns out next week and, it might become a square! Next week's teaser showed Caila possibly falling for a newbie joining BIP. Bachelor in Paradise airs Mondays and Tuesdays on ABC. If you missed this Monday's biggest moments, watch the video below to catch up! Related Articles Moving to a college campus brings a world of changes, including living at close quarters with near-strangers. Along with personal items packed from home, roommates bring their personal health issues to the mix. So, how do you protect yourself from infectious diseases? How much do you need to know -- or reveal -- about chronic medical or mental health conditions? And how do you deal with super-stressed peers or heavy drinkers in the dorm? Living in healthy harmony starts with common-sense precautions and open discussions. [See: 10 Cold and Flu Myths Debunked.] Medical Conditions on Campus Some diseases are much less scary or contagious than they sound. If your roommate had hepatitis C, for instance, you'd have almost zero chance of contracting it yourself. On the other hand, if he or she is battling a cold, watch out. "The most common things we see as communicable between roommates are the kinds of diseases we know spread in general," says Dr. Sarah Van Orman, executive director for university health services at the University of Madison-Wisconsin. Upper respiratory infections, flu, mono and diarrheal illnesses are common and more easily spread in residence halls. Sharing cups is probably the most common way students spread illnesses, says Van Orman, who is a past president of the American College Health Association. Sharing cigarettes is another. A myth she frequently hears is the mistaken belief that alcohol kills germs on glasses, with many students who wouldn't dream of sharing a toothbrush willing to come over and take a sip. While scabies might occasionally pass from one student to another via clothing or linens, the mites are easily treatable, Van Orman says. Good hygiene will help keep you healthy: "Like cleaning your room once a week -- and that includes wiping down the door and keyboard with disinfectant wipes." Hand-washing and yearly flu shots help, too. Chronic medical conditions on campus run the gamut from asthma to Crohn's disease, diabetes and depression. For some students, inhalers, glucose testing strips or prescription medicines are part of the daily routine. However, for many students, Van Orman says, "Their first reaction is: 'I don't want anybody to know about this. I don't want to be different.'" Story continues However, "sharing small parts of that information in a matter-of-fact way can be really helpful for their roommate," as they move forward and feel more comfortable, Van Orman says. "That can really help lay the groundwork -- it's not a secret." Providing an explanation of what emergencies -- like perilously low blood sugar -- might be and what roommates should do "is very reasonable," she says, along with wearing a medic bracelet or necklace. Knowing a roommate is recovering from an eating disorder, for example, would help others realize that a regular meal schedule and not skipping meals are important for keeping this person on track. [See: 11 Simple, Proven Ways to Optimize Your Mental Health.] Student Stress As a resident assistant at Marquette University, Nycole Fassbender says stress is the No. 1 health issue she sees. Fassbender, 20, a junior majoring in criminology and psychology, is preparing for a new batch of incoming students to the Milwaukee campus. Freshmen in particular may feel stressed from homesickness, the uncertainties of meeting new friends and just trying to figure out what to do with their lives, she says. Depression is another issue, says Fassbender, who is also a chapter leader with Active Minds, a national group advocating for young adult mental health. Residents who've never had to deal with depression aren't sure how to approach the subject. "It's really important to be open about depression," she says. "Just having a conversation. Or even just opening up the lines of communication about anything between roommates." Underage drinking is prohibited on campus. However, Fassbender notes, alcohol issues can arise. "If you're having struggles talking to your roommate -- maybe they don't want to listen or hear it -- you can bring your RA in as a mediator," she says. If roommates appear to be struggling with mental health issues, Fassbender says, students could recommend on-campus support groups or ask them along to attend an Active Minds event. When students are harming themselves or bringing up thoughts of suicide, it's imperative to bring in outside supports. Students should contact RAs immediately or call the college's emergency line, Fassbender says. Van Orman says that with such cases, it's more important to find help than to keep a roommate's secret. "There are times when it's OK to violate somebody's confidence," she says. By alerting somebody else -- or encouraging the roommate to seek immediate help -- you can save a life. [See: 7 Health Risks of Binge Drinking You Can't Ignore.] Roommates in Recovery For young people working to stay sober, reentry into college life takes careful navigation and thoughtful discussions. Part of recovery is taking responsibility for your own environment, says Kate Appleman, clinical director for men's treatment and health care programming at Caron Treatment Centers, based in Pennsylvania. That includes making sure your living situation is a healthy one. Whether you're an incoming student with or without substance issues, it's smart to find out your roommate's take on drinking and drug use. "Some of the most important conversations we have are the most awkward ones," Appleman says. But if you're not comfortable asking, "What's your drinking like?" certain behaviors will provide clues. Inconsistencies, like saying one thing and doing something else; making commitments but not following through; or inability to show up for early classes are subtle signs, Appleman says. More obvious pointers include active substance use in the room, she says, or "a change of behavior when somebody is drinking and when they're not." With addiction or overuse of chemicals like marijuana, opioid and stimulant pills or alcohol, Appleman says, certain behaviors may resonate. With groups of young addicts in treatment, she says, "the topic of Netflix comes up frequently. The repetitive use of TV and watching episode after episode after episode in conjunction with use." Once a person is past early recovery and ready to return to college, campuses offer many supports to help them succeed. For example, Appleman says, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick has "a really great program in place in conjunction with sober living," as do many other campuses. A student in recovery can be a great roommate, Appleman says, with strong study habits, consistent behavior, empathy and the desire to be a good friend. For that student, she says, "It's about being able to say, 'You know, I had a bout of addiction' or 'I had a bout of alcoholism. I got sick and I'm getting better.'" Lisa Esposito is a Patient Advice reporter at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter, connect with her on LinkedIn or email her at lesposito@usnews.com. DailyFX.com - Talking Points AUD/USD Trends Lower Ahead of Employment Data Daily and Monthly Lows for the AUD/USD Reside at .7615 Whats next for the AUD/USD and US Dollar Pairs? Learn more with our Trading Guide The AUD/USD continues to decline from yesterdays high at .7749. This move in price has been guided by a descending trendline, which is drawn below by connecting a series of swing highs over the last two trading sessions. Aussie traders should continue to monitor this line ahead of todays employment data as an ongoing point of resistance. Expectations for AUD Employment Change (July) figures are set at 10k, and any deviation from this value may result in a significant shift in the short term pricing of the AUD/USD. AUD/USD, 15 Minute Chart & breakout AUD/USD Trends Lower Ahead of Employment Data (Created using Marketscope 2.0 Charts) Short term price action can be seen in the 10 minute graph below. The AUD/USD can currently be seen trading to new daily lows at .7615. The Grid Sight Index (GSI) is currently highlighting a short term downtrend, with the pair printing a series of lower lows in early trading. After reviewing 23,227,069 pricing points, GSI has indicated that price action has continued to decline 21 pips or more in 46% of the 13 matching historical events. Todays primary bearish distribution is found at .7596. A move through this point would place the AUD/USD at both new weekly and daily lows. Alternatively, GSI has indicated that prices have advanced by 40 pips or more in only 20% of the identified historical matches. Todays first bullish distribution is found at .7657. A move through this value may signify the beginning of a retracement of this mornings decline. In this scenario, traders should continue to watch and see if the AUD/USD challenges other short term points of resistance. This includes the previous swing high found at .7676 Want to learn more about GSI? Get started learning about the Index HERE. AUD/USD Trends Lower Ahead of Employment Data Sentiment for the AUD/USD remains negative with SSI (speculative sentiment index) reading at -1.48. With 60% of positioning short, SSI suggests that the AUD/USD may continue to advance. In the event that the AUD/USD breaks above values of resistance, it would be expected to see SSI shift to a negative extreme of -2.0 or more. Alternatively in the event that prices continue to decline, traders may look for SSI to shift back towards a positive reading. Story continues Are FXCM traders long or short the market Find out here! AUD/USD Trends Lower Ahead of Employment Data To Receive Walkers analysis directly via email, please SIGN UP HERE See Walkers most recent articles at his Bio Page. Do you know the biggest mistake traders make? More importantly, do you know how to overcome the biggest mistake? Read page 8 of the Traits of Successful Traders Guide to find out [free registration required]. Contact and Follow Walker on Twitter @WEnglandFX. original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM. Screen Shot 2016 08 17 at 7.48.30 AM The Australian dollar is tumbling. The currency is down by 0.8% at .7635 per dollar as of 7:51 a.m. ET. Separately, RBA governor Glenn Stevens told The Australian in an interview why investors are still buying the Aussie currency. He said that even though rates in Australia might be low by historical standards for the RBA, and the Australian economy, they are still attractive to foreign investors, reported Business Insider's Greg McKenna. As for the rest of the world, here's the scoreboard as of 7:51a.m. ET: The British pound is down by 0.3% at 1.3013 against the dollar after the latest data from the Office for National Statistics showed that the number of people claiming jobless benefits in the UK unexpectedly fell by 8,600 in July; economists were expecting the tally to climb by 9,500. Additionally, the UK's unemployment rate held at a record-low 4.9%. The Russian ruble is stronger by 0.3% at 63.9737 per dollar ahead of several data points. PPI, retail sales, and the unemployment rate cross the wires at 9:00 a.m. ET. The Japanese yen is down 0.4% at 100.71 per dollar The US dollar index is little changed at 94.92. US crude-oil inventories will be announced at 10:30 a.m. ET, and the minutes from the July FOMC meeting will cross the wires at 2 p.m. ET. NOW WATCH: Brexit campaigners take to the water in bizarre flotilla battle More From Business Insider By Matt Siegel SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia and Papua New Guinea said on Wednesday they had agreed to close a controversial Australian-funded asylum seeker detention center on Manus Island, but gave no timeline, leaving the fate of 800 refugees held in the camp unclear. Under Australian law, anyone intercepted trying to reach the country by boat is sent for processing to camps on the tiny Pacific island of Nauru or to Manus Island off Papua New Guinea. They are never eligible to be resettled in Australia. Some asylum seekers have spent years in the camps, which have been criticized by the United Nations and human rights groups, with numerous reports of abuse and self-harm among detainees, including children. The announcement came after a newspaper published leaked documents detailing more than 2,000 incidents of sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm reported over two years at the Nauru detention center. The harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse at the camps have drawn wide criticism at home and abroad. Some in Papua New Guinea are unhappy with the prospect of hundreds of asylum seekers being resettled into their country and there have been reports of asylum seekers being attacked by locals. "Both Papua New Guinea and Australia are in agreement that the center is to be closed," Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement. "A series of options are being advanced and implemented. It is important that this process is not rushed out but carried out in a careful manner." There was no mention of a closing date. Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, who met with O'Neill on Wednesday to discuss the camp, reiterated Australia's position that it would not accept any of the refugees detained in Papua New Guinea. "It has been the longstanding position of this government to work with PNG to close Manus and support those people as they transition into PNG or return to their country of origin," Dutton said in a statement. "Our position, confirmed again today with PNG, is that no one from Manus Island Regional Processing Centre will ever be settled in Australia." Dutton made no mention of the detainees on Nauru. Australia says the policy is needed to stop asylum seekers dying at sea on the dangerous boat journey from Indonesia to Australia. Hundreds of people died attempting the trip in the years before the policy was put in place. The move was immediately welcomed by refugee advocates. "Nearly a thousand men on Manus have already lost three or more years of their lives locked up in limbo for no good reason," Elaine Pearson, Australia Director for Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. "Theyve endured dirty, cramped conditions, inadequate medical care and violence. Finally, it is time to let them move on with their lives in safety and dignity. (Reporting by Matt Siegel; Editing by Michael Perry and Nick Macfie) Australias controversial detention center on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea is to close, PNGs Prime Minister Peter ONeill said Wednesday. The announcement follows talks between Australias immigration minister Peter Dutton and Papua New Guinea officials over the offshore detention of asylum seekers on the Pacific island, the Guardian reports. Both Papua New Guinea and Australia are in agreement that the center is to be closed, ONeill said in a statement. A number of options for closing the center and what to do with the 854 men living there were being discussed, ONeil added, but a timeframe for closure was not announced. In April, Papua New Guineas high court ruled the offshore detention center to be illegal and in breach of the constitution. Meanwhile, more than 100 former staff from Australias offshore detention facilities on Wednesday called for the asylum seekers and refugees to be brought to Australia, the BBC reports. The former employees, who worked on Nauru and Manus, warned in a letter that the only way to effectively insure the safety of detainees is to move and resettle them in Australia. We dont need more evidence. We know these centers cause unacceptable harm. We need to bring these people to Australia and start the process of rebuilding their lives, wrote Shivani Keecha the ex-Coordinator of Save the Childrens Child Protection team on Nauru. Those who signed the statement are those who have directly worked with asylum seekers, including doctors, case workers, teachers, social workers and employees from Save the Children and other NGOs as well as contracted workers at the two centers. The move comes after the leak of more than 2,000 case reports detailing abysmal living conditions and physical and sexual violence experienced by asylum seekers living in the Australian detention camps on Nauru. The Nauru government has dismissed the claims in the report as fabricated and Dutton last week accused asylum seekers of deliberately setting themselves on fire, self-harming and making false claims of sexual assault in order to relocate to Australia. This has reached crisis level and requires an immediate response. said Toby OBrien, former Child Protection Officer with Save the Children. Australia has returned home six Sri Lankans which it said were onboard a "people smuggling boat" after intercepting it at sea, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said Wednesday. Under 'Operation Sovereign Borders' asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia by boat are either sent back to where they departed from or transferred to remote Pacific island camps. Dutton gave no indication of where the boat was detected, whether those on board applied for asylum or were assessed for refugee status, and how they were returned. "Australia has returned a group of Sri Lankan nationals to Sri Lanka yesterday (Tuesday) after recently intercepting a people smuggling venture," the minister said in a statement. "Six Sri Lankans who were attempting to travel illegally to Australia were aboard the vessel which was intercepted on an approach to Australia." More than 25 boats have been returned since the introduction of Operation Sovereign Borders in September 2013, a policy the government says has stopped deaths at sea after a spate of drownings. Dutton stressed that Australia would not change its policy on boatpeople, which sees them returned or sent to the tiny Pacific state of Nauru or Papua New Guinea's Manus Island and denied resettlement in Australia even if found to be refugees. The policy has been criticised by rights groups as essentially placing refugees in indefinite detention on remote Pacific islands, where living conditions have been criticised. Dutton said in the latest incident Australian authorities had been tipped off by their Sri Lankan partners "so we were ready and waiting to locate and detain the boat". "We have worked cooperatively with Sri Lanka for several years now and since Operation Sovereign Borders began in 2013 every Sri Lankan boat that has attempted to come to Australia illegally, has failed," he added. In June, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said since the conservative government came to power in September 2013, some 28 boats carrying 734 people had been turned back. (Reuters) - Peeping out from her mother's arms, Embe, a Francois' Langur, makes her debut at Sydney's Taronga Zoo where she was born on July 21, in what conservationists hailed as great news for one of the world's rarest species of monkey. Embe, the Vietnamese word for "baby" in honor of her southeast Asian heritage, was born with bright orange hair, a color distinction believed to make it easier for the black-haired adults to take care of their infants. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species, found in Vietnam and China, as "endangered". "With only around 2,000 individuals left in the wild these animals are in trouble," the zoo said, citing poaching as a threat. "The birth of this female at Taronga is great news for the species." (Reporting By Reuters Television; Editing by Janet Lawrence) Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy (Adds BNDES confirmation) By Guillermo Parra-Bernal SAO PAULO, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Banks and bondholders accounting for more than half of Oi SA's debt of 65.4 billion reais ($20 billion) are considering proposing a 5-year grace period and lower borrowing costs to speed up the Brazilian phone carrier's in-court reorganization, a person with direct knowledge of the talks said on Tuesday. The person, who requested anonymity because the discussions are preliminary and remain confidential, said the bondholder group advised by Moelis & Co and a number of lenders, including state-run Banco do Brasil SA and China Development Bank Corp, are discussing several options to provide Oi with a debt relief plan. Oi, Brazil's No. 1 fixed-line phone carrier, filed in June for the country's largest ever in-court reorganization plan after it ran out of time to reorganize operations and restructure liabilities during a harsh recession. Oi owes 17 billion reais to banks and about 35 billion reais to bondholders. Proposed options for debt relief include cutting borrowing costs, with bondholders agreeing to take losses on their investments in Oi's notes, the person said. The emergence of proposals from other bondholders and minority shareholders has brought the banks and the Moelis-led group closer, the person said. "The parties are working closely and jointly in order to accelerate Oi's in-court reorganization plan and thwart any unconstructive proposal that could potentially generate noise in the process," the person said, adding that bondholders are interested in a solution that involves swapping part of their debt into equity of the revamped company. The source said the banks involved in the talks include a number of export credit agencies. Media representatives for Moelis in Sao Paulo declined to comment. CDB, Banco do Brasil and Caixa Economica Federal did not immediately provide a comment. A spokeswoman at Rio de Janeiro-based state development bank BNDES, another key Oi creditor, said "there are some negotiations on the matter under way, but they are in a preliminary stage." Story continues The discussions come after a group of minority shareholders led by Brazilian fund Societe Mondiale began to work on a "parallel" reorganization plan for Oi, consisting of a debt reduction of at least 50 percent, a spin-off of some non-essential business and the search for investors to help fund capital spending. Another person close to Societe Mondiale confirmed the plans to Reuters earlier on Tuesday. STATE-SPONSORED MERGER Last week, Chief Executive Marco Schroeder said Oi expected to present a plan to overhaul business and repay creditors later this month or by early September. Suppliers and creditors will be offered terms of the business reorganization plan, which involves a debt-for-equity swap, Schroeder said, without elaborating. Rio de Janeiro-based Oi, formed through a government-sponsored merger in 2008 and the country's carrier solely funded with Brazilian capital, succumbed to a heavy debt burden and mounting competition after years of shareholder disputes. The rift led to the collapse of negotiations between the company and the Moelis-led group after Oi's largest single shareholder, Pharol SGPS SA, balked at the prospect of being heavily diluted in a debt restructuring deal. The Moelis-advised bondholder group, which is also working with law firms Cleary Gottlieb Steen e Hamilton LLP and Pinheiro Neto Advogados, includes more than 70 different firms which own Oi bonds worth over $4 billion in face value. ($1 = 3.2005 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Richard Chang) Not so long ago, Donald Trump may have thought he could bring Virginia back into the Republican fold. President Obama won Virginia in both 2008 and 2012, but Republicans had carried the state in the 10 national elections before that. However, in another sign of the billionaire businessmans souring political fortunes, a new Washington Post/ABC News poll shows Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton leading Trump by 14 points -- 52 percent to 38 percent among registered Virginia voters, and by eight points among likely voters, 51 percent to 43 percent. Related: Trump Miscalculates Again When He Attacks Obama on Foreign Policy Clintons lead over Trump drops to only seven percentage points when the third party candidacies of Libertarian Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein are factored in. But with Clinton teamed up Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, the former secretary of state should have a lock on Virginia in the fall election. With the exception of the highly rural and conservative southwestern part of the state, Clinton leads Trump in all other regions, from the heavily populated Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., to the exurbs and the Richmond-Tidewater areas of the state. While neither Clinton nor Trump are well liked or trusted by voters, some 65 percent of registered Virginia voters have a decidedly unfavorable view of Trump, compared to 54 percent for Clinton. Trumps recent attack on the Gold Star family of a fallen Army veteran and his cozying up to Russian President Vladimir Putin probably didnt go down too well with the many Virginians who are highly patriotic and pro-military. Related: The Russian Government Could Be Manipulating the US Election The states nearly 20 percent black population and substantial immigrant neighborhoods should be highly hostile to Trumps anti-immigrant, anti-minority message. The Washington Post said in its poll analysis that with Virginias changing demographics, especially in the fast-growing suburbs around Washington, the state may not even be competitive for Trump. Story continues If that proves to be true and Virginia and its 13 electoral votes go to Clinton and Kaine, then Trump would be under enormous pressure to pick up some other Democratic-leaning battleground state, such as Pennsylvania or Michigan. In one sign of the Clinton campaigns growing confidence, the pro-Clinton super PAC Priorities USA has decided to suspend TV ads in Virginia as well as Colorado and Pennsylvania -- until at least the end of September, Bloomberg Politics reported. Clinton currently leads Trump by roughly 10 percentage points in both Colorado and Pennsylvania. Guy Cecil, the super PACs political director, told Bloomberg TVs With All Due Respect on Monday that Right now, we are going to look at other opportunities for us to expand the map and potentially reach out to some new voters as well as through voter registration, he said. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: In its third such deal in the last two weeks, BBC Worldwide has taken a minority equity stake in new indie venture Two Cities Television. Veteran execs Michael Jackson and Alex Graham are behind the drama shingle whose output will be distributed globally by BBC WW under a five-year deal. Jackson, who is based in New York and will continue to work from there, has a long track record in both the UK and the U.S. He was chief executive of Channel 4 from 1997-2001 and has also been Controller of both BBC One and BBC Two. Under his C4 leadership were born such successes as Sacha Baron Cohens Da Ali G Show; Big Brother and Queer As Folk. He left Britain in 2001 to work for Barry Diller, ultimately becoming Chairman of Universal Television. In 2006, he became President of Programming at Dillers IAC. His other credits include Monk and The Dead Zone. Graham founded UK production house Wall to Wall in 1987 which is now owned by Warner Bros. Credits include Who Do You Think You Are and the feature Man On Wire. Graham exited the company in 2013. For BBC WW, the execs extensive knowledge of the UK, European and U.S. markets will serve as an advantage in sourcing talent, overseas commissioning and co-production opportunities. It also helps boost the catalogue across priority genres. BBC WW has been on a tear lately, backing House Productions, the new scripted indie formed by Tessa Ross and Juliette Howell, as well as David Glover and Mark Raphaels factual banner 72 Films. Related stories BBC WW Backs New Indie 72 Films; Endemol Shine In First-Look With 'Broadchurch' Helmer James Strong Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell Build House Productions With BBC WW & Access Ent 'Top Gear USA' Canceled On History; Seeks New Place To Park The cast of Timur Bekmambetov's Ben-Hur - including Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro, Pilou Asbaek, Ayelet Zurer and Jarreth Merz - turned out at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Tuesday night for the film's premiere. Although many believe this film is a remake of William Wyler's 1959 adaptation, producer Sean Daniel told The Hollywood Reporter that's not accurate. "It's important to say that this isn't a remake of the incredible William Wyler film. It is our reimagining of Ben-Hur for 2016. We went back to the book, the incredible novel by Lew Wallace: Ben-Hur, A Tale of the Christ. We drew from the novel for our story [and] for our themes." However, Daniel did say that the tale between the two brother ends in a way that audiences are not expecting. "There is no question that these two brothers are out for revenge," Daniel shared. "The question is: How does it resolve itself? In 1959, Judah ended the chariot race with Messala dead on the track, [but] in this film, things turn out differently." Ben-Hur is an epic story that centers around two brothers seeking vengeance. After Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Huston) is ly accused of treason, his adopted brother and Roman officer, Messala (Kebbell), sentences Ben-Hur in the galley of a Roman slave ship. Ben-Hur wants nothing more but to seek revenge for his brother's actions. Five years later, Ben-Hur escapes the Roman ship after a naval battle and washes up to an island where he meets wealthy Nubian sheik, Sheik IIderim (Morgan Freeman). With the help of the sheik, Ben-Hur will face his brother in a violent and bloody chariot race to settle matters once and for all. Read more: 'Ben-Hur': Film Review On the red carpet, Kebbell revealed his preparation for his role as Messala and opened up about how it differs from his previous roles. "It's a very precise part of the art, much like theater and dance," he said. "I was allowed to figure out things on the day rather than have to practice so much beforehand, except for the chariot race. You're growing each day, you come in prepared but you're trying to be flexible, [but] learning to chariot race from scratch was phenomenal." Story continues The relationship between these brothers is deeply rooted and has manifested over time. Zurer who plays Naomi Ben-Hur, the mother of the prince and Roman officer, told THR why Messala was so quick to sentence his brother. "We put ourselves in a place where we are loved, believe in ourselves, and the comparison to our brothers and sisters. If you have someone who is more loved, you will feel not deserving, and have a problem in life and I think that's what happens with Messala. It's the core of all drama." Despite the drama and action in this film, the cast also shows a unique chemistry between the characters in Ben-Hur. Jarreth Merz who plays Florus, told THR that regardless of the given comparison to Wyler's adaptation, this version will stand on its own. Read more: 'Ben-Hur' Director on How His Remake Differs From Charlton Heston's Film and How He Found His Judah "The film was so challenging, because - let's not kid ourselves - there's a classic out there. We had to come up with something new. We had to bring up a new chemistry, and I think we achieved that; we managed to do by just being very closely knit and supportive of one another." He added: "Filmmaking is magic, you never know what to expect. Once you're on set, it's time to make new rules, and I think we did that successfully. This movie is very honest, it's not trying to be something it's not." Ben-Hur hits theaters Friday. Morgan Freeman in Ben-Hur remake (Photo: Paramount Pictures) By Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter Whats the point of making a cut-rate version of Ben-Hur? Of creating a chariot race so heavily digitized and over-edited that its the worst scene in the picture? Of casting lightweights in the leading roles? Of laying a wailing modern pop song over the end credits? Since its birth as a novel 136 years ago, Lew Wallaces grand melodrama of a Jewish prince whose life intersects with that of Jesus under Roman rule in Judea has always been a Grand Event as a best-selling book, a stage spectacle that toured for decades and two spectacular film blockbusters, silent and sound. Misguided, diminished and dismally done in every way, this late-summer afterthought will richly earn the distinction of becoming the first Ben-Hur in any form to flop. Production and sensibility-wise, the film feels of a piece with the numerous Biblical-themed television productions engineered by two of the present executive producers, Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, and the home screen is where this under-produced and under-achieving venture would have fit far more comfortably (a two-part, three-hour miniseries was shown internationally in 2010 to reasonable success). Its possible that Trump-belt/faith-based viewers might be sufficiently roused to seek this out in theaters, but even they should get the word that staying home and watching the 1959 version, again or for the first time, would be far more gratifying than this Classics Illustrated-style version. Although he plays the secondary role of an African-Arabic horse trainer who provides the four white steeds Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) will command in the big race, Morgan Freeman has also been prevailed upon to lend his Godly intonations to the opening narration, which adjoins teaser-trailer-type footage of chariot racing just to make sure the uninitiated know whats coming later on. Flipping back eight years to 25 A.D., we find the natives are restless, Judahs best boyhood pal, Roman officer Messala (Toby Kebbell), is pissy about not being able to be with Judahs sister, and a mystique-enshrouded young carpenter informs Judah that God has a plan for you. Story continues More: Ben-Hur Director on How His Remake Differs From Charlton Hestons Film and How He Found His Judah Up to a point, the ordinarily estimable screenwriters Keith Clarke (Peter Weirs The Way Back) and John Ridley (12 Years A Slave, Jimi: All Is By My Side) do a fancy dance to avoid duplicating scenes familiar from William Wylers film, as they try to underline the political zealotry bubbling under life in Jerusalem as well as Judahs efforts to keep family and friends relations from fraying entirely. But director Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) hasnt a clue how to stage a normal dramatic scene in which emotions gradually build and nuances shade characterization. The camera and actors are all over the place, their movements arbitrary, the cutting constant and unmotivated; the filmmaking has no internal logic, which does neither the drama nor the actors any favors. Visually, the director forwards a couple of decent ideas: When Judah is sentenced to the slow death of rowing in a galley for years, we see of the outside world only what he can glimpse through the small portals in the ships side, and the Circus is periodically shown under construction as its carved out of rock on the edge of the city; as soon as he can, Messala takes horses down onto the track, in anticipation for the big day. But in a decision that feels designed to limit the budget rather than to boost the narrative, Judah never makes it to Rome in this rendition; he doesnt get to save the Roman commander after the sea battle and briefly savor the good life in the capital of the world. Instead, the straggly survivor wins the favor of Freemans speculator by nursing an ailing horse of his back to life, leading to the films final not-bad scene, in which the wily, dread-locked wheeler-dealer convinces Judah to drive for him and talks racing strategy. In a cheeky show of disdain for the 212-minute 1959 version, The New Yorker, in its weekly Goings On About Town listings during the epics long run at Loews State Theater, simply printed the time the chariot race would begin so viewers could know when to pop in for the must-see sequence. No such guidance will be sought this time around, however, as just two words serve to describe Bekmambetovs race: incompetent and incoherent. Although the race runs about 10 minutes, roughly the same length as in the previous two films, so much is missing: The introduction of the other drivers and racing teams, the frantic attempts to rescue injured racers from the track, the systematic tipping of the metal fish to mark the laps. Instead, you gets lots of computer-generated gravel and dirt in your face courtesy of 3-D, and the preponderance of tight shots and paucity of wide views provide a poor overall picture of the action, eliminating a sense of continuity, spatial relationships and suspense from whats supposed to be a breathtaking set-piece. Couldnt anyone on the creative team see the problem? The only fresh and original shot in the entire sequence involves a horse that ends up in the stands. More: Box Office: 'Ben-Hur Tracking for Alarming $14M-$15M U.S. Debut With the pay-off sequence such a complete bust, all thats left to look forward to, if you can even put it that way, is how the director will present Jesus arrest, march to Calvary and crucifixion. The answer is, quite peremptorily, although it must be granted that at least here the Nazarene is given a face and a voice (Rodrigo Santoro); in the previous features, his face was coyly not shown nor his voice heard. As was the 1959 version, the new film was based at Romes Cinecitta Studios, with location work mostly done in Italy. Visually, its on the grubby side, its compositions imprecise, the editing far too busy (hardly any shot in the chariot race lasts more than two or three seconds). None of the performances particularly register. As for the score, lets just say that the reputation of the late, great Miklos Rozsa, who composed the extraordinary music for the Wyler version, has just been strongly reinforced. Production: Paramount Pictures, MGM, Sean Daniel Productions Cast: Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Morgan Freeman, Ayelet Zurer, Pilou Asbaek, Sofia Black-D'Elia, Moises Arias Director: Timur Bekmanbetov Screenwriters: Keith Clarke, John Ridley, based on the novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace Producers: Sean Daniel, Joni Levin, Duncan Henderson Executive producers: Mark Burnett, Roma Downey, Keith Clarke, John Ridley, Jason F. Brown Director of photography: Oliver Wood Production designer: Naomi Shohan Costume designer: Varya Avdyushko Editor: Dody Dorn Music: Marco Beltrami Visual effects supervisor: Jim Rygiel Casting: John Papsidera PG-13 rating, 124 minutes Snapchat just lost face. The company, whose messaging app is hugely popular among young smartphone users, introduced a face-warping filter recently that transformed users into slant-eyed, buck-toothed, East Asian caricatures. The feature was meant to be playful, not offensive, the company said in a statement. But after vocal protests by Asian-Americans and others on social media, the filter, having been up for only one day, was swiftly disabled. Snapchat claimed the lens was intended as an homage to anime. But to true anime fans, that explanation rung hollow. Anime characters traditionally have round, oversized eyes like those of the early Disney cartoons that inspired them. The Snapchat caricatures did not. A previous Snapchat homage to Bob Marley was criticized as digital blackface. How odd that the company would move on to yellowface, in effect making the same mistake twice. Racial caricature is a visual stereotype, an exaggeration often invoked in the service of satire. Aristotle noted that comedy is an imitation of inferior things and people. Ethnic Halloween costumes and American Indian mascots like the Cleveland Indians Chief Wahoo distort iconic physical features or other visual markers of difference for comic effect. Snapchats lens was, no doubt, a visual joke made at the expense of Asian-Americans. A specific type of humor, its pleasure lies in producing feelings of dominance or superiority. As Freud notes in Jokes and their Relation to the Unconscious, enjoyment is derived from making our enemy small, inferior, despicable or comic. As psychologists have documented, repeated exposure to racial stereotypes also impacts the mental health of people of color. Snapchat took quick action. But that does not explain its faux pas. Multiple media outlets pointed to the tech industrys lack of diversity, suggesting that if people of color were better represented, there would be greater awareness of offensive imagery. This is a fair assumption. But greater representation is only part of the fix. We need to get to the heart of why caricatures and stereotypes keep coming up. Before young children understand the racial-ethnic categories invoked by adults, they are most likely to classify people first by racial features, second by gender and third by clothing. Differences seen on the body are thus psychologically privileged as a means of sorting people. But how do we come to affix positive or negative associations to those classifications? Simply, we are more likely to invoke group categories when individual behaviors converge with existing social biases. In this moment of highly publicized racial violence and talk of building a wall, a Snapchat protest may seem trivial. But its not. Racial caricatures share the same root as racial profiling. They both reduce individuals to types that serve as sources of pleasure or fear. As a culture, we can and are evolving. Can Snapchat users recall Chinese Cherry or Injun Orange drink mixes? The Frito Bandito? They are relics of the past. In this new digital age of bodily flexibility and playful self-imagining, lets keep them there. Nearly 60 years after Charlton Heston first graced the chariot track, Ben-Hur is back as a remake returns to the big screen Friday. The film is produced by Roma Downey and her reality TV producer husband Mark Burnett, the creators of the popular Bible series. Read: JonBenet Ramsey Investigators Reunite, New Witnesses Emerge in Documentary About Her Murder Downey told Inside Edition at the film's premiere: It's a timeless story, this was the time. Actor Jack Huston plays the title role. He told Inside Edition that it took three months to film the chariot race scene, the most iconic of the original. Every time you see us on those chariots, that's us on those chariots. It was an incredible moment, he said. There's no denying this was incredibly dangerous. The original film made a profit of $20,409,000 on its initial release in 1959, and another $10.1 million in profits when re-released in 1969. By 1989, Ben-Hur had earned $90 million in worldwide theatrical rentals. The 1959 classic, which starred Heston, is considered one of Hollywoods greatest epics, according to Ben Mankiewicz, a film host at Turner Classic Movies. It is as grand a spectacle as Hollywood has ever had. And it made a ton of money too, he told Inside Edition. Read: Case Closed: Johnny Depp Divorce Settled With Amber Heard Set to Collect a Reported $10 Million Mankiewicz added: The chariot scene itself in the 1959 version took 10 weeks to shoot and cost $4 million. That's more than 25 percent of the movie's budget. [It is] one of the greatest stunts in American cinematic history." At the red carpet for the latest version, Downey told Inside Edition: You can imagine the relief we felt when it was finally filmed and that there were no horses hurt. None! The original Ben-Hur won 11 Academy Awards, a record tied by Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return Of The King in 2003. Story continues Watch: 2 Musicians Play 'Star Wars' Theme in Front of John Williams' Home, Composer Calls It 'Fantastic' Related Articles: Pristina (AFP) - Vice President Joe Biden said Wednesday that the United States would remain a "champion" of an independent Kosovo, but he firmly warned its leaders against the "cancer" of corruption. On his first visit to Kosovo since 2009 -- the year after it unilaterally declared independence from Serbia -- Biden held talks with President Hashim Thaci and other leaders before a dedication ceremony naming a road after his late son. "I'm here today to affirm the United States is going to continue to stand with the people of Kosovo on your journey to become a prosperous, peaceful and multiethnic democracy," Biden told reporters. "Your success is overwhelmingly in the interest of my country... For if you succeed, the region will succeed, a region of Europe that has never been fully, thoroughly integrated into Europe." Biden said he would leave Kosovo with a "renewed sense of hope" and "feeling vindicated" for advocating its independence, which has since been recognised by more than 100 countries but not by Serbia or Russia. Biden however focused part of his speech on the dangers of corruption -- "a cancer that eats at the fabric of every society where it exists," he warned. "In short, it jeopardises everything Kosovo hopes to achieve, hopes to become, hopes for its future," Biden said, adding that "violence and intimidation" were also "not tolerable in any modern democracy". Opposition MPs have repeatedly released tear gas in Kosovo's parliament over the past year to protest against controversial deals agreed with Serbia and Montenegro. Protesters have also taken to the streets in anger at Thaci and his colleagues, accusing them of alleged corruption and slow economic development. Kosovo was ranked 103rd out of 168 countries and territories in a 2015 "Corruption Perceptions Index" by Berlin-based watchdog Transparency International. Story continues Kosovo has launched an anti-graft campaign in order to advance its dreams of joining the European Union. It is also taking part in Brussel-brokered talks to improve relations with Serbia, and Biden -- who also visited Belgrade on Tuesday -- stressed the importance of this process to regional stability. After his meetings in Pristina, the vice president and several of his relatives travelled south for a ceremony naming a road after his son Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer last year. Beau worked as a legal adviser in Kosovo after the late 1990s war between ethnic Albanian guerrillas and Serbian forces, and Biden said his son "grew to love the people". Paris (AFP) - Scientists on Wednesday unveiled patterns in the largest catalogue of human genetic variation ever assembled, highlighting mutations mistakenly blamed for causing rare diseases and others that may play an unexpected role in ill health. Diving deep into the human gene pool, a 100-strong team of researchers two years ago built a library of more than 10 million variants in exomes. These are a small part of the human genome, accounting for no more than two percent of DNA, but are crucially important. Exomes consist of the coding portions of genes -- the stretches of DNA that express proteins, the basic building blocks of the human body and its functions. Flaws can have a cascade effect, leading to disease. A study published in the journal Nature is the first analysis of the database -- and confirms a rich potential for pinpointing inherited causes of disease. The new resource "is invaluable," said senior author Daniel MacArthur, co-director of medical and population genetics at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. "It gives us the ability to discover rare variants and offers an unparalleled window into the roots of rare genetic diseases." Most genetic variations -- we each have tens of thousands -- are benign. But without a near-complete library of the possible permutations of our DNA, it is very hard for scientists, or doctors treating patients, to pick out the harmful ones and link them to specific conditions. The Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC) database, compiled from dozens of previous studies, seeks to fill this gap. It includes detailed profiles of the protein-coding genes from more than 60,000 people. "The goal was to create a dataset that could be used as a reference for the variation present in the general population," MacArthur told AFP. "Physicians can look up a genetic variation found in their patients and understand how common it is across the general population." Story continues The more common it is, the less likely it will be the cause of a serious condition. - Deep end of the gene pool - Made available online in 2014, the catalogue has been consulted more than five million times, becoming a "standard reference" for diagnosing patients with rare diseases, MacArthur said. Most of the exome mutations uncovered in the trawl have been identified for the first time, and some are extremely rare, even unique. The findings apply in particular to so-called "Mendelian" diseases, caused by a single gene. Well-known examples include cystic fibrosis, which inflicts severe damage on the lungs and the digestive system; Pfeiffer syndrome, characterised by a severe deformation of skull bones; and Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, a disorder linked to multiple malformations and intellectual disability. At the same time, the researchers found that nearly 200 variants previously fingered as the cause of severe disorders appeared way too frequently to be a culprit. "We show that they must actually be harmless variations that have wound up in databases through error," MacArthur said. The study also revealed that the same mutation can happen spontaneously to two or more people. Previously, it was assumed that when identical variants are found in more than one individual, it could be traced back to a common ancestor. Not only is the ExAC dataset 10 times bigger than previous efforts, it also is a broader reflection of human diversity. Most large-scale samplings of human genomes have focused on people of European origin or -- a distant second -- African Americans. But East and South Asians, along with Latino populations, are well represented here. Still missing, however, are individuals from the Middle East, and most parts of the African continent. "The current work highlights the pace at which human genetics is scaling up," commented Jay Shendure of the University of Washington, co-author of a similar 2008 study covering only 12 genomes -- hailed as a breakthrough at the time. "In the coming decade, the number of human genomes that will be sequenced in some manner will grow to at least tens of millions," he wrote in a commentary, also in Nature. Dubai (AFP) - The son of Al-Qaeda's slain founder Osama bin Laden has urged Saudis to "overthrow" the kingdom's rulers in order to "free" themselves from US influence, SITE Intelligence Group reported Wednesday. In an undated audio message, Hamza bin Laden urged Saudi youth to join the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to "gain the necessary experience" to fight, according to SITE. Classified by the United States as the network's deadliest franchise, AQAP was formed in January 2009 as a merger of the Yemeni and Saudi branches of Al-Qaeda. Yemen is the ancestral home of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who was killed in Pakistan in 2011 by an elite team of US Navy SEALS after a decade on the run. US intelligence officials have said that 23-year-old Hamza was the favourite son of the 9/11 mastermind who had been grooming him to take over as Al-Qaeda's leader. On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death, experts have noted Hamza's increasing prominence among jihadists in comparison to that of Egyptian Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. A Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed rebels in Yemen as well as Sunni jihadists who have joined AQAP and the Islamic State group. Saudi authorities in 1994 stripped Osama bin Laden of his nationality after he issued fatwas, or Islamic religious pronouncements, denouncing both the royal family and the United States. Last week when The Birth Of A Nation writer, director, producer and star Nate Parker faced a Deadline reporter to address 17-year old charges he and the films co-story writer had raped a woman while all of them were students at Penn State (she claimed they had sex with her after she had passed out while they claimed the encounter was consensual), he vowed not to run from responsibility even though he had been found not guilty. Now that word surfaced that the woman killed herself 13 years later trial records disclosed she had attempted suicide in the aftermath of a case that saw Parker declared not guilty and Jean McGianni Celestins initial conviction for sexual assault overturned on appeal Parker has reportedly addressed the tragedy tonight in this Facebook post. These are my words. Written from my heart and not filtered through a third party gaze. Please read these separate from any platform I may have, but from me as a fellow human being. I write to you all devastated Over the last several days, a part of my past my arrest, trial and acquittal on charges of sexual assault has become a focal point for media coverage, social media speculation and industry conversation. I understand why so many are concerned and rightfully have questions. These issues of a womens right to be safe and of men and women engaging in healthy relationships are extremely important to talk about, however difficult. And more personally, as a father, a husband, a brother and man of deep faith, I understand how much confusion and pain this incident has had on so many, most importantly the young woman who was involved. I myself just learned that the young woman ended her own life several years ago and I am filled with profound sorrowI cant tell you how hard it is to hear this news. I cant help but think of all the implications this has for her family. I cannot- nor do I want to ignore the pain she endured during and following our trial. While I maintain my innocence that the encounter was unambiguously consensual, there are things more important than the law. There is morality; no one who calls himself a man of faith should even be in that situation. As a 36-year-old father of daughters and person of faith, I look back on that time as a teenager and can say without hesitation that I should have used more wisdom. Story continues I look back on that time, my indignant attitude and my heartfelt mission to prove my innocence with eyes that are more wise with time. I see now that I may not have shown enough empathy even as I fought to clear my name. Empathy for the young woman and empathy for the seriousness of the situation I put myself and others in. I cannot change what has happened. I cannot bring this young woman who was someone elses daughter, someones sister and someones mother back to life I have changed so much since nineteen. Ive grown and matured in so many ways and still have more learning and growth to do. I have tried to conduct myself in a way that honors my entire community and will continue to do this to the best of my ability. All of this said, I also know there are wounds that neither time nor words can heal. I have never run from this period in my life and I never ever will. Please dont take this as an attempt to solve this with a statement. I urge you only to take accept this letter as my response to the moment. Nate Parker was responding to an interview with the victims brother in Daily Variety in which he discussed the toll the case had taken on his sister and her death, 13 years after the trial. As Deadline reported, the case caused heated battles on the Penn State campus, where some black supporters said Parker and Celestin were victims of false charges and treated poorly by the administration, while womens advocates accused the university of failing to protect the alleged victim, who claimed she was harassed by the two men and who subsequently dropped out of school. In a 2002 complaint filed in the United States Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Womens Law Project represented the woman in a Jane Doe suit against the university (read it here). It ultimately was settled for a small cash payment and a promise to review sexual harassment practices at the school, which later suffered massive humiliation when a football coach, Jerry Sandusky, was charged with molesting eight boys between 1994-2000. The deceased womans family issued a statement to The New York Times earlier this evening: We appreciate that after all this time, these men are being held accountable for their actions. However, we are dubious of the underlying motivations that bring this to present light after 17 years, and we will not take part in stoking its coals. While we cannot protect the victim from this media storm, we can do our best to protect her son. For that reason, we ask for privacy for our family and do not wish to comment further. The Birth Of A Nation is scheduled to be shown during the upcoming Toronto Film Festival, and it remains a question how it will be received there. The reception will certainly be different than the one the film received at Sundance last January, where it swept the Grand Jury and Audience Award prizes, and was acquired by Fox Searchlight for a record $17.5 million for worldwide rights and set for release during awards season, on October 7. Related stories Toronto Slate Fills With Questions About Movie Mood, Corporate Will & Demographic Justice Bart & Fleming: Informed Wag On CAA Book Sez "Plenty Of Oral But Not A Definitive History" Fox Searchlight, Nate Parker Confront Old Sex Case That Could Tarnish 'The Birth Of A Nation' It seems that Bank of America Corporations BAC tryst with litigation matters is never ending. Earlier in the week, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit reversed the decision of a district court and revived the case which alleged BofA and Urban Settlement Services (a settlement company) of violating Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). While giving its decision on the case, the Tenth Circuit stated Because the plaintiffs sufficiently allege the existence of a RICO association-in-fact enterprise distinct from BOA, Urban [Lending Solution]s participation in the conduct of that enterprise, and that both defendants engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity, we reverse the district courts dismissal of the plaintiffs RICO claim and remand for further proceedings. Therefore, this ruling reinstates the class action claims (filed in Jul 2013) by plaintiffs including Richard George and other borrowers that BofA and Urban faked compliance under the Home Affordable Modification program (HAMP), while impeding and delaying their HAMP loan modification applications. The HAMP was mandated by the Congress when BofA was paid $45 billion in bailout funds during the 2008 financial crisis. Allegations The plaintiffs had alleged that BofA and Urban systematically failed to provide timely loan modifications to the distressed borrowers in a deliberate and coordinated plan. Further, they accused the company of purposely scattering the documents sent by the borrowers to various computer databases, thereby giving the impression that required paperwork is incomplete to convert their trial plans into permanent modifications. However, in Sep 2014, a district court dismissed the claims. In its ruling, a three-judge bench stated that the plaintiffs failed to properly plead that BofA was distinct from the alleged racketeering enterprise. Whats Next? In an e-mail statement to Bloomberg BNA, BofA spokesman Rick Simon said, In fact, Bank of America has been an industry leader in HAMP and other beneficial mortgage modifications. We are reviewing the Circuit courts decision and considering our options. The revival of the lawsuit is a setback for BofA. The company has been facing several cases and is trying to get past these matters. Currently, BofA carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked finance stocks include Hancock Holding Company HBHC, State Bank Financial Corporation STBZ and Comerica Incorporated CMA. All these sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report COMERICA INC (CMA): Free Stock Analysis Report BANK OF AMER CP (BAC): Free Stock Analysis Report HANCOCK HLDG CO (HBHC): Free Stock Analysis Report STATE BANK FINL (STBZ): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Kano (Nigeria) (AFP) - Boko Haram killed five traders in an ambush on a highway in northeast Nigeria that was recently reopened after coming under repeated attack from the Islamist group, a military source said Wednesday. A convoy of vehicles carrying Nigerian immigration officials and a group of traders were travelling from Gamboru, on the border with Cameroon, to the city of Maiduguri when they came under fire on Monday. "Three (immigration) officers were hit and injured in the fire exchange. The immigration men drove off towards Maiduguri, leaving the traders behind," an army officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. The five traders had joined the official convoy thinking it would be a safer way to reach the Borno state capital than travelling the notorious road alone. The traders' two trucks were looted and set alight, Gamboru resident Umar Ari told AFP by phone, also confirming the toll of five dead. The Gamboru to Maiduguri highway is a strategic 140-kilometre (87-mile) trade route in the region, and provides an important link with neighbouring Cameroon. The highway was closed for safety reasons at the height of the Boko Haram unrest some two years ago, but was reopened by the Nigerian authorities following a string of successes against the militants. "Since the Maiduguri-Gamboru highway was reopened two months ago convoys of trucks carrying goods and other vehicles conveying traders have been coming to Gamboru under military escort without any incident," said resident Ari. Boko Haram, which seeks to impose strict Islamic law in northern Nigeria, has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and displacing more than 2.6 million people since 2009. A counter-offensive spearheaded by Nigeria since January last year has recaptured swathes of territory lost to the Islamist militants in 2014. But sporadic attacks continue and security remains a major concern in the region. LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales opened a military school on Wednesday which he said would teach an "anti-imperialist" doctrine to counter U.S. policies "based on fear." "The United States created the School of the Americas to indoctrinate the armed forces on pro-imperialism," said Morales, a reference to the Cold War-era U.S. academy that trained Latin American dictators and their military in counter-insurgency and torture techniques. "If the empire teaches domination of the world from its military schools, we will learn from this school to free ourselves from imperial oppression," he said. Ex-coca grower Morales has been a long-time critic of U.S. foreign policy, one of the last leaders left standing from South America's once-dominant populist leftist bloc. Earlier this week he traveled to Cuba to meet with Fidel Castro during the revolutionary leader's 90th birthday celebrations. The military school will be located in eastern Bolivia, on the site of a former United Nations peacekeeping training center. Up to 200 cadets will learn about history, geopolitics and military strategy, the government said. The school will be open to those from other countries in Latin America's leftist 'ALBA' bloc, which includes Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. (Reporting by Daniel Ramos, Writing by Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Alan Crosby) Aesop probably wasn't considering the world of celebrity and superstardom when he wrote the proverb, "A man is known by the company he keeps." But anyone wanting to peer into the secretive world of Leonardo DiCaprio may find it easier to examine the figures in his orbit (and we don't mean the supermodels). While the Malaysian businessman Jho Low might currently be the most notorious buddy, dragging DiCaprio into the 1MDB corruption scandal in which The Wolf of Wall Street is now embroiled and a $1 billion filing by the Department of Justice, he's not the only international billionaire on the list. And he's not the only one with the odd legal curiosity on his CV. RIZA AZIZ AND JOEY MCFARLAND Aziz, the stepson of the Malaysian prime minister, is alleged by the Justice Department to have used funds siphoned from the country's sovereign wealth fund 1MDB to set up Red Granite Pictures and finance DiCaprio's passion project The Wolf of Wall Street. But it wasn't purely Hollywood ambitions that were given an - alleged - helping hand, with $40 million worth of luxury properties in New York and California owned by Aziz also now facing seizure by the DOJ. Kentucky-born McFarland, who co-founded Red Granite with Aziz, may not have any assets listed in the DOJ forfeiture filing, but was an ever-present figure at champagne-fueled parties and gambling jaunts. RICHIE AKIVA The Manhattan nightclub impresario, whose portfolio includes 1OAK, Butter and Up & Down, is DiCaprio's long-standing party hookup, from New York to L.A. to St. Tropez. (Sources say he helps "cast" the LDF gala with stunning women.) When Rihanna isn't rumored to be with DiCaprio, she's rumored to be with Akiva. NICOLAS BERGGRUEN Tagged as the "homeless billionaire" for swapping his luxury homes in Miami and Manhattan to instead slum it in luxury hotels and aboard his Gulfstream jet, Berggruen - who reportedly turned $250,000 from his art-dealer father (a close friend of Picasso) into $2.5 billion - has been rubbing shoulders with DiCaprio for years, hosting the star at his annual Oscars bash in the Chateau Marmont (one of a number of parties awash in celebrities and statesmen he regularly throws). Earlier this year, he splashed out more than $45 million for 450 acres in the Santa Monica Mountains on which he hopes to house his Berggruen Institute think tank. Story continues Read more: Leonardo DiCaprio, the Malaysian Money Scandal and His "Unusual" Foundation VLADISLAV DORONIN Once labeled Russia's answer to Donald Trump (for his hotels, not dubious hair or political ambitions), this former trader turned billionaire property developer has regularly hosted a holidaying DiCaprio and supermodel du jour on the top deck of his luxury yacht. Alongside his international real estate holdings (including Moscow's OKO Tower, currently Europe's tallest building) Doronin owns the Aman Resorts group, the ultra-luxe hotel operator favored by billionaires, royalty and celebrities (Leo is a fan). However, the 2013 purchase of the resorts wasn't an entirely smooth affair, with Vlad falling out in rather dramatic fashion with his partner on the $358 million deal, U.S. entrepreneur Omar Amanat, amid allegations including fraud and extortion. (The suit was eventually resolved by the London High Court, with Doronin retaining full control and ownership of Aman.) DANA GIACCHETTO DiCaprio ditched 1998's Titanic-dominating Oscar ceremony, which he instead watched from the New York apartment of the famed "stockbroker to the stars," scene for many a notorious, debauched A-list party. Giacchetto had taken a young Leo under his wing, holidaying with the rising star, gifting him with art and letting him stay at his SoHo penthouse (where they had matching cockatoos). But his celebrity empire came crashing down in 2001 when he was arrested for fraud involving his clients' funds and sentenced to 57 months in prison. He died earlier this year. JHO LOW The alleged kingpin in the 1MDB corruption scandal, Low is alleged to have embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars, supposedly destined for a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund, into his personal property portfolio and art collection. Low became renowned on the New York and Vegas clubbing scenes in 2009 for a throwing a series of champagne- and celebrity-strewn parties and for attracting a growing cohort of stars into his expensive orbit. One of the A-listers in his crosshairs was DiCaprio, who became a regular at his side and recipient of his generosity. It was Low who introduced the actor to Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland, who would produce his passion project The Wolf of Wall Street (with money alleged to have been diverted from Malaysia via a series of transactions), and was later thanked by DiCaprio at the Golden Globes and in the film's credits. Now a major name cited in a $1 billion Department of Justice asset seizure complaint, Low is currently believed to be hiding out in Taiwan. HILLEL "HELLY" NAHMAD The billionaire art dealer (son of David Nahmad, currently No. 959 on Forbes' list) was in 2013 sentenced to 12 months in prison for operating an illegal $100 million gambling ring from his Trump Tower flat. The high-stakes business catered to professional players, millionaires and celebrities, including his close pal DiCaprio. After securing an early release in 2014, Nahmed was transferred to a halfway house in the Bronx, and was allowed by a judge to attend last year's Art Basel fair, alongside DiCaprio, where he was selling a piece by Rothko for $50 million. A version of this story first appeared in the Aug. 26 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. TRUMP: "President Obama and Hillary Clinton should have never attempted to build a democracy in Libya, to push for immediate regime change in Syria or to support the overthrow of Mubarak in Egypt." THE FACTS: Trump seems to be confusing Obama and Clinton's limited interventions, and sometimes non-interventions, with President George W. Bush's post-9/11 regime-change efforts. When the U.S. led a coalition to bomb Libya in March 2011, it was sold as a humanitarian intervention. Obama vowed not to deploy U.S. troops on the ground and focused primarily on protecting Libyan civilians from dictator Moammar Gadhafi's military forces. He didn't promise a stable democracy there, like Bush did in invading Iraq. Five months into Syria's conflict, Obama urged President Bashar Assad to step aside. But Obama did very little to realize such a result, to the great dismay of his GOP critics and even some in his own administration. To this day, the United States maintains its call for a Syria without Assad, even as it works with the Syrian leader's closest partners to try to engineer a unity government that would keep Assad in power, perhaps indefinitely. While Trump is right that Libya, Syria and Egypt appeared more stable seven years ago, his analysis leaves out the simmering resentment for autocratic governments that would bubble over during the 2011 Arab Spring. That cannot be ascribed to Obama and Clinton. By David Shepardson and Joel Schectman WASHINGTON (Reuters) - German auto supplier Robert Bosch GmbH was a "knowing and active participant" in a decade-long scheme by Volkswagen AG to evade U.S. emissions laws, according to lawyers for U.S. owners of polluting VW diesel vehicles. In a court filing late on Tuesday in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, the lawyers cited confidential documents turned over by the German automaker to plaintiffs attorneys in making the new allegations against the auto supplier. Volkswagen declined to comment on the filing, except to say that it had no effect on its multibillion-dollar settlement of a civil complaint over the diesel scandal. The filing was made a day after sources briefed on the matter said the automaker has held preliminary talks with the U.S. Justice Department to settle a criminal probe into the emissions cheating case. Most of the allegations involving Bosch remain under seal because the documents have been designated as confidential by VW, the plaintiffs' lawyers said in the court filing. A Bosch spokeswoman said the company took the allegations seriously and is cooperating in several investigations, but declined to comment further. The documents include records and communications between Bosch, VW and U.S. regulators. One 2011 email to the California Air Resources Board, among other communications, demonstrates "Bosch's deep understanding of what regulators allowed and would not allow, and what Bosch did to help VW obtain approval," the filing said. "Bosch played a crucial role in the fraudulent enterprise and profited handsomely from it," the court papers say. Bosch has not been charged with any wrongdoing. But German prosecutors said in December that they were investigating whether staff at the Stuttgart-based company were involved in the rigging of emissions tests by VW. Bosch makes an engine control unit, often referred to as the "brain" of the engine, used by several top automakers including VW. That system controls a vehicle's acceleration and power and is extensively customized to give each car model its own unique feel. Story continues Bosch supplied software and components to VW but has said responsibility for how software is used to regulate exhaust emissions or fuel consumption lies with carmakers. In the court papers, the attorneys said Bosch had worked "hand-in-glove" with Volkswagen to develop a so-called cheat device to circumvent emissions tests and trick regulators. The engine control system for VW's clean diesel engine was customized through years of close collaboration between the carmaker and Bosch, the lawyers said. "It is inconceivable," the attorneys wrote, "that Bosch did not know that the software it was responsible for defining, developing, testing, maintaining and delivering contained an illegal defeat device." Bosch chief executive Volkmar Denner said in January he had ordered an internal investigation and was cooperating with authorities. In April, Bosch said it had set aside 650 million euros for potential legal costs, including for an ongoing investigation into the company's role in Volkswagen's diesel emissions manipulation scandal. Reuters reported in November that U.S. federal prosecutors were investigating whether Bosch knew or participated in VW's years-long efforts to cheat on U.S. diesel emissions tests. In June, Deputy U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates said the VW probe is looking at "multiple companies and multiple individuals." VW has agreed to pay up to $15.3 billion to buy back or fix 475,000 2.0 liter diesel vehicles in the United States, offset excess emissions, invest in zero emission vehicle efforts and address some state claims. It still must win approval of plans to address 85,000 polluting 3.0 liter vehicles in the United States. Separately, a federal judge on Wednesday rejected a Virginia VW owner's request to intervene in the settlement of a class-action lawsuit against the automaker. Had the owner been successful, the move could have delayed the beginning of the buyback program, which is expected to begin in October. (Reporting by David Shepardson and Joel Schectman; Editing by Tom Brown) Actress Eve Plumb made a sage investment when she was just 11 years old. In 1969, while she was portraying middle child Jan Brady on The Brady Bunch, Plumb, with the help of her parents, purchased an oceanfront home for just $55,300. Forty-seven years later, the 58-year-old actress sold her property for a whopping $3.9 million, ET confirmed with Brian Linder of Deasy Penner & Partners, who listed the home with William Baker. WATCH: Kris Jenner Buys Rob Kardashian a $2.3 Million House Brian Thomas Jones Brian Thomas Jones Brian Thomas Jones Brian Thomas Jones The 850 square-foot bungalow is located on the south end of Escondido Beach and includes three bedrooms, 1.5 bathrooms and a wrap-around deck overlooking the water. The property was originally listed earlier this year for $4.5 million, and is expected to undergo a massive redesign by Meis Architects, the designers behind the Staples Center. The new space, as first reported by the Los Angeles Times, will have three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and will be 3,500 square feet. The home will also include a two-story garage, floor-to-ceiling glass and a retractable moon roof. WATCH: Michelle Williams Sells Brooklyn Home She Bought With Heath Ledger Meis Architects Meis Architects While a lot can change in four decades, architecture included, The Brady Bunch has remained a classic American television program. In June, ET spoke with Florence Henderson, who portrayed Plumb's mother on the beloved series, about how she sees a Brady Bunch reboot looking. Check out the compelling plot line Henderson came up with: Related Articles SAO PAULO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Brazil's federal auditing court TCU ordered on Wednesday the seizure of about 2.1 billion reais ($655 million) worth of assets from engineering firms Odebrecht SA and OAS SA and some of their executives, to recoup losses from contracts related to the country's biggest ever corruption scandal. Brasilia-based TCU said in a ruling that the decision aims to recover some of the money that state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro overpaid for services rendered by Odebrecht and OAS in two works at the Abreu e Lima refinery. The scheme drove up the cost of those works by 25 percent, TCU said. The former chief executive and scion of Odebrecht SA, Marcelo Bahia Odebrecht, and his former counterpart at OAS, Jose Adelmario "Leo" Pinheiro, had some of their assets seized, as well as those for four more executives at both firms. The decision also affected Jose Sergio Gabrielli, the former CEO of Petrobras, the state oil company. According to the ruling, councilors at the TCU argued that Bahia Odebrecht and Pinheiro practiced and directed "illicit acts to defraud through auctioning processes at Petrobras in order to maximize illegally the profit of their companies." The lawyers representing both businessmen, who are also major shareholders in their respective companies, could not be reached for comment. The decision highlights the way Brazil's engineering groups and their owners are coping with legal and economic punishment in the aftermath of "Operation Car Wash," which laid bare a system of illegal favors between politicians and business elites. Odebrecht, Latin America's largest engineering group, and OAS are among the 31 builders that allegedly colluded to rig contracts at Petrobras, the target of the corruption probe. The probe also accelerated the downfall of President Dilma Rousseff, who is expected to face an impeachment trial in the Senate next week for allegedly doctoring budget accounts. More than 100 people, including Marcelo Bahia Odebrecht and Pinheiro, have been sentenced on corruption charges linked to kickback schemes, racketeering and money-laundering. Prosecutors say about $1.8 billion worth of bribe money has been recovered from offshore accounts in 36 countries. ($1 = 3.2039 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Additional reporting by Aluisio Alves in Sao Paulo; Editing by David Gregorio) CHICAGO -- Right-hander Jimmy Nelson is searching for a breakthrough and hopes it finally comes in Wednesday's game against the Chicago Cubs. The Milwaukee Brewers right-hander (6-12, 4.07 ERA) could use a positive outing and outcome. Nelson is 1-9 in his last 13 starts including five straight losses as he faces the first-place Cubs and left-hander Jon Lester (12-4, 2.93 ERA). "I'm definitely feeling every negative emotion you can think of," Nelson told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel earlier this month. "I don't take losing great. I hate that. I hate it. I'll just try to keep getting better and string together a couple good starts and consistently carry it over the next couple months so I can finish this thing off good." He wouldn't mind a return to early season form. Nelson went 5-3 with a 2.88 ERA over his first 11 appearances through May 29. Back then, the Brewers were 23-27 and in fourth place 12 games behind the Cubs. Two-and-one-half months later Milwaukee (52-66) remains in fourth but is now 23 games out of first. Nelson has had strong outings this season even in losing efforts. He's had 11 quality starts, but none in his last five. But Chicago historically has had Nelson's number. He's 0-5 with a 2.91 ERA in 10 career games (eight starts) and is 0-2 this season with a 1.53 EA in three starts. One player who's done well against the Cubs is outfielder Ryan Braun. He sat out Monday's first game but was in the lineup batting third for game two. Braun was a career .352 batter with nine homers and 49 RBI at Wrigley Field in 60 games. Braun left Tuesday's second game with a knee injury after crashing into a wall along the left field line. Manager Craig Counsell said Braun wasn't as seriously hurt as feared but would be day-to-day. Lester has had better outcomes against the Brewers but has faced them fewer times. He's 2-2 with a 3.06 ERA in five starts against Milwaukee, including one this season. He gave up four runs on four hits while walking five over four innings on July 24 at Miller Park. He had no decision in that Cubs' 6-5 victory. Story continues Lester also had good things to say this week about ex-Washington Nationals' reliever Jonathan Papelbon as a possible help to a struggling Cubs bullpen. But Cubs manager Joe told reporters on Tuesday that there's no talk about bringing Papelbon aboard. "I'm not saying it can't happen," Maddon said. "Don't get me wrong. But for right now, there is nothing happening." The Cubs and Brewers close this series on Thursday then meet again between Sept. 5-7 at Miller Park, plus a four-game series back at Wrigley Field between Sept. 15-18. Chicago opens a 10-day, nine-game road trip on Friday that includes stops in Colorado, San Diego and at the Los Angeles Dodgers. Milwaukee has a three-game weekend series at Seattle before returning to Miller Park to face Colorado on Aug. 22. London (AFP) - The British government on Wednesday announced plans to clamp down on accountants, financial planners and advisers who enable tax avoidance, with heavy fines for those caught. Firms and individuals could have to pay up to 100 percent of the tax they helped their clients avoid if they are found to have enabled a scheme that is subsequently deemed unlawful, under proposals put out for consultation. Accountants currently face little risk when selling schemes even though their clients can be forced to pay penalties if successfully prosecuted. "People who peddle tax avoidance schemes deny the country of vital tax revenue and this government is determined to make sure they pay," said junior finance minister Jane Ellison. "These tough new sanctions will make would-be enablers think twice and in turn reduce the number of schemes on the market. "Those who seek an unfair advantage, or who provide the services that enable it, and who then frustrate... efforts to identify, investigate and resolve these cases, should bear real risks and costs for their choices." Prime Minister Theresa May, and her predecessor David Cameron, pledged to clampdown on tax avoidance and evasion following on from the Panama Papers data leak in April, which revealed the offshore financial activities of individuals and companies across the world. Frank Haskew, head of tax at the Institute for Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), warned in a statement that the new rules must be properly focused. "The government needs to ensure any new rules are properly targeted only to tackle those advisors that promote aggressive tax schemes rather than the vast majority of reputable advisers engaged in ordinary tax planning," he said. SOFIA (Reuters) - Bulgaria's opposition Socialists nominated a former air force chief as presidential election candidate on Wednesday, at a time of rising tensions between the country's Western allies and neighbors Turkey and Russia. The main opposition party voted to endorse General Rumen Radev, 53, for the largely ceremonial post days after he tendered his resignation as commander of the air force. "We have a nomination for a candidate of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and this is Gen. Rumen Radev," party leader Kornelia Ninova said. The ruling center-right GERB has yet to endorse its candidate for the Nov. 6 polls in the Balkan country, a member of the European Union and NATO. Incumbent President Rosen Plevneliev has said he will not seek a new five-year term, after parliament rejected his veto of changes to the electoral code in May. Most power in the country of 7.2 million rests with the prime minister and parliament, but the president leads the armed forces and can veto legislation and sign international treaties. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov has said his GERB party needs to choose a candidate able to deal with a possible rise in migrant inflows from neighboring Turkey and growing tension between Russia and the West. (Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova; editing by Andrew Roche) The spirit of entrepreneurship will ride high in Madison over the next week and a half. The Forward Festival will take place Thursday through Aug. 25 with 43 events scheduled over the eight-day period one-third more activities than last year. This year, weve added a number of events on the arts; we have kids events and a growing social component, said Laura Strong, a member of the organizing committee. One of the things we really want to do is make sure we are encompassing entrepreneurship as a whole, said Strong, who is also president and chief operating officer of Quintessence Biosciences and HealthMyne advisor. This is the seventh year for Forward Fest, initiated in 2010 as a program organized and presented for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs. Technology of all types is still the No. 1 theme, but this year, new events include a talk on Earth Futures by Paul Robbins, director of the UW-Madisons Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies; Code Madison Forward, where student teams compete to create an interactive website; and Microbrews for Microfinance, a fundraiser hosted by Madison nonprofit Wisconsin Microfinance to raise awareness and funds for entrepreneurs in Haiti and the Philippines. Forward Fest is about innovation and entrepreneurship and what we really try to do is target the issue of poverty through entrepreneurship, said Tracy Harvey, executive director of Wisconsin Microfinance. Founded in 2010 after a devastating earthquake in Haiti, Wisconsin Microfinance has issued about 1,000 loans so far, averaging $50 in Haiti and $100 to $150 in the Philippines, so residents can start small businesses such as raising animals or making clothing, Harvey said. About $20,000 worth of loans have been made so far; as they are repaid, the money is distributed to others. Another new event that had been planned for Forward Fest a summit for black entrepreneurs has been canceled. Organizer Sabrina Madison, also known as Heymiss Progress, said she hopes to reschedule the summit for later this year. One of the highlights of the Forward Fest is its three pitch contests: during the Startup Showcase, Tuesday; Pressure Chamber, part of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerces neXXpo business expo, Tuesday; and the Doyenne Group and 1 Million Cups 5X5X5 event, Wednesday. People can come out and see what entrepreneurship looks like in their own community, Strong said. Last year, one startup won two of the three pitch events bluDiagnostics, with a saliva test to check a womans fertility. Since then, bluDiagnostics has attracted $600,000 from investors, and in June, won the Women Startup Challenge in San Francisco and a $10,000 investment from the Backstage Capital venture fund. A major part of Forward Fest, the Forward Technology Conference, will focus this year on game development and health information technology. Other returning events include the Social Good Summit; the GLS (Games+Learning+Society) Conference; and the Edible Startup Summit. About 3,185 people attended Forward Fest events last year. Organizers said they hope for at least that many this year, too. Paris (AFP) - The decision by a handful of French mayors to ban the Islamic burkini swimsuit has divided the country and shocked its neighbours, with critics seeing the prohibitions as profoundly discriminatory. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Manuel Valls waded into the debate, saying the garment was "not compatible with the values of France and the Republic" and that he supported towns that banned it. The remarks by the Socialist premier propelled the latest row over the place of Islam in France from the beaches onto the political front benches. Valls cited the tensions in France after a string of jihadist attacks -- including July's truck massacre in Nice -- for backing mayors who barred a garment "founded on the subjugation of women". The burkini, which covers the body and hair, is a "provocation" that risks causing "public disorder", he told La Provence daily, echoing the mayor of Cannes, where three women have been fined 38 euros ($42) for sporting the swimsuit. Valls however ruled out implementing any nationwide ban. His intervention came as the mayor of the northern resort of Le Touquet announced he would follow the lead of his counterparts in the south. Le Touquet's right-wing mayor Daniel Fasquelle told AFP he had yet to catch sight of a burkini in his town but did not want to be caught "offguard". - 'Acts of fanaticism' - Beyond France's shores the bans, which one mayor sought to pass off on hygiene grounds, have been widely ridiculed. "France cites latest threat to security: The Burkini," the International New York Times teased in a front-page headline last week. "The French emphasis on keeping religious attire out of public life can at times seem strange to foreigners," the paper wrote, noting that head-covering bathing suits had been worn by several Arab athletes at the Rio Olympics without causing disturbances. For Britain's Daily Telegraph, the burkini bans enacted in the name of combatting extremism were themselves "foolish acts of fanaticism". Story continues While expressing understanding for France's security jitters, the paper found there to be "no earthly reason why banning them (burkinis) would help to thwart France's violent Islamists". "If anything, it is more likely to alienate and upset moderate Muslims," it added. Islamic dress has long been a subject of debate in France, which was the first European country to ban the Islamic face veil in public in 2010, six years after outlawing the headscarf and other conspicuous religious symbols in state schools. Proponents of these bans argued that religious symbols should be relegated to the private sphere. Critics note however that the measures mainly target the Muslim minority and impinge on freedom of religion. Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Wednesday he believed the French model -- which stresses the need for immigrant communities to assimilate -- had failed. "Alas, I don't think the French model has worked very well," he told Corriere della Sera, saying the burkini bans were "a potential provocation" and could make France even more vulnerable to attack. - Radicals on all sides - The rash of bans comes as anti-Muslim sentiments mount in the mainly conservative south in the wake of the Nice attack. Last weekend, youths on a beach on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica came to blows with a group of Muslim families, reportedly after a tourist snapped pictures of women bathing in burkinis. Five were arrested Wednesday over the mass brawl, in which five people were injured. For sociologist Michel Wieviorka, the brouhaha is proof of a "radicalisation on all sides -- by nationalists, secularists and Islamists". "Politicians should try to calm tensions and stop creating hysteria," he told AFP, asking politicians and burkini wearers to both step back from the fight. France's Human Rights League took aim at Valls for backing the anti-burkini mayors, accusing him of "participating in the stigmatisation of a category of French people who have become suspect, by virtue of their faith". Jean Bauberot, a sociologist specialising in secularism, saw the bans as proof of an illiberal drift in the home of liberty, equality and fraternity. "You can be shocked by the headscarf or the burkini, and we can and should debate it, but without banning it. That's democracy: tolerating difference, accepting otherness," he told the Liberation newspaper. Paris (AFP) - The burkini, a body-concealing swimsuit worn by Muslim women that has provoked a national debate in France, is little worn in the country with Europe's largest Muslim community. Where is the burkini from? A contraction of "bikini" and "burqa", the burkini was developed as fashionable beachware for Muslim women who wish to keep themselves covered from head to ankles. Its invention is attributed to Aheda Zanetti, an Australian woman who unveiled a line of "religiously correct" sportswear in 2003. In Australia, where beach culture is pervasive, there was a "hole in the market that needed to be filled" for more modest beachwear, she told AFP in 2007. When did it arrive in France? Influential "orthodox" Muslim blogger Fateh Kimouche says the burkini reached French shores in around 2008. It can be bought online from "Islamic fashion" websites but is a rare sight on the beaches. Kimouche says the use of the swimwear in France is impossible to quantify, but is quite limited. "It's much more common (for Muslim women) to swim with (regular) clothes on," he says. How big is the market? Zanetti says she has been surprised by the success of the burkini, enjoying sales around the world. The British retailer Mark & Spencers, which began selling two burkini models this year, says it has sold out. "France is behind with Islamic fashion," Helene Agesilas, co-creator of the Fringadine label, said in March when Marks & Spencers and Uniqlo began marketing Islamic clothing lines, causing a stir in France. Nonetheless, "there is a real demand", said Agesilas, who sells "modest fashion" clothing. The world market for Islamic clothing was estimated at $230 billion in 2014 and could reach $320 billion (280 billion euros) in 2020, she added. What does the Koran say? The Muslim holy book does not explicitly require wearing a veil or head covering and opinions vary over the interpretation of its writings on the subject, according to Franck Fregosi, an Islam expert at France's national research centre (CNRS). Story continues "There are references to rules of modesty, but no codification," he says. What does French law say? Since the burkini does not conceal the face, it is allowed in public places under French law. Only the niqab, which covers the face, has been banned since 2011. Several towns have banned the burkini this summer, arguing that they wish to avert "public disorder" in the context of a heightened fear of jihadist attacks, notably after last month's Bastille Day truck massacre. After notching record highs, benchmarks did close in the red on Tuesday. But, it was mostly due to hawkish comments by some Fed officials. However, oil price hitting one-month high following expectations that top oil producing nations might come together to discuss a cap on crude output is expected to help the broader markets gain traction in the near term. A slew of encouraging reports from industrial output to home building to consumer outlays also suggest a pickup in economic activity. Given these positive trends, the addition of small-cap growth mutual funds to ones portfolio might prove to be one of the most suitable investment options. Risk-taking investors, who give precedence to capital appreciation over dividend payout, may consider small-cap growth mutual funds for healthy returns. Oil Prices Rallied Northward In recent times, the Russian energy minister Alexander Novak said that his country is in consultation with Saudi Arabia and other oil producers to achieve stability in the oil market. His comments were preceded by an encouraging statement from Saudi Arabias energy minister. The largest non-OPEC oil exporter, Russia, along with its OPEC counterpart, Saudi Arabia, flared up speculation of a collective production cap. Moreover, Saudi Arabias energy minister Khalid al-Falih said that OPEC and non-OPEC nations should come together to take any necessary action to help the market rebalance. Mr. Falih hinted that Saudi Arabia along with other oil producing nations might be willing to discuss limiting crude output. Separately, the International Energy Agency (IEA) lowered its global crude demand forecast for 2017, but also said that their balances do not show any oversupply during the second half of 2016. WTI crude increased 2% in the last one month to $46.58 a barrel, posting its highest settlement price since July 15. Brent crude also rose 4% in last one month to $49.23 per barrel. Story continues Economic Data to Watch For Encouraging positive economic data also bolstered investor sentiment. Industrial production in July saw its biggest gain in 20 months. The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System reported that industrial production increased 0.7% in July, posting its highest percentage increase since Nov 2014. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, housing starts also rose 2.1% in July from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,211,000. Personal consumption expenditure that measures how much Americans spent on everything rose 0.4% in June from May, according to the Commerce Department. Consumer spending, which accounts for almost 70% of economic activity, increased 0.3% in June. Spending from April to June reflected the biggest quarterly increase since the seven-year old recovery began in mid-2009. Moreover, disposable personal income also increased 0.2% in June. Buy These 4 Small-Cap Growth Mutual Funds Each of the three key U.S. indexes hovered near their respective record high levels. With recent gains in markets, one should consider investing in small-cap growth funds. Growth funds focus on realizing an appreciable amount of capital growth by investing in stocks of firms whose value is projected to rise over the long term. Also, small-cap funds tend to offer stronger growth potential compared to large- and mid-cap counter parts. However, a relatively higher tolerance to risk and the willingness to park funds for the longer term are necessary when investing in these securities. Here, we put the spotlight on four small-cap growth mutual funds that boast a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and have encouraging year-to-date returns. They also have minimum initial investment within $5000 and low expense ratios. We expect these funds to outperform their peers in the future. Remember, the goal of the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is to guide investors to identify potential winners and losers. Unlike most of the fund-rating systems, the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is not just focused on past performance, but also on the likely future success of the fund. Brown Advisory Small-Cap Growth Investor BIASX seeks capital growth by investing mainly in equity securities. BIASX invests the bulk portion of its assets in securities of small cap U.S. companies. These companies are expected to have above-average growth prospects. Annual expense ratio of 1.14% is lower than the category average of 1.40%. BIASX has year-to-date return of 9.8%. Fidelity Advisor Small Cap Growth A FCAGX invests the majority of its assets in small-cap companies, which are believed to have above-average growth potentials. FCAGX seeks appreciation of capital for the long run by investing in both domestic and foreign companies. Annual expense ratio of 1.20% is lower than the category average of 1.40%. FCAGX has year-to-date return of 8.3%. TCM Small Cap Growth TCMSX seeks long term capital growth. TCMSX invests more than 80% of its assets in securities of companies which falls within the range of the Russell 2000 Index. Annual expense ratio of 0.93% is considerably lower than the category average of 1.40%. TCMSX has year-to-date return of 7.1%. T. Rowe Price QM US Small-Cap Growth Equity PRDSX invests the lions share of its assets in securities of small-cap growth companies. PRDSX invests mainly in domestic companies, but may also invest about one-tenth of its assets in foreign companies. The fund seeks capital appreciation for the long run. Annual expense ratio of 0.82% is significantly lower than the category average of 1.40%. PRDSX has year-to-date return of 7.6%. 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 >> 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 (BIASX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (PRDSX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (TCMSX): Fund Analysis Report Get Your Free (FCAGX): Fund Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Giving no explanation, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit refused on Monday to assemble all 28 of its active judges for a new review of the constitutionality of Californias main gun-control laws. The high-stakes dispute is very likely to move on to the Supreme Court. Lawyers for challengers to the states limits on carrying guns outside of the home have already given strong indications that they will press on with their challenge. Among other key arguments they are likely to make to the Supreme Court is that the Ninth Circuit Courts view of the Second Amendment conflicts with rulings of other federal appeals courts. In addition, they are expected to argue that, as matters now stand in the key California case, the Ninth Circuit Court majority in effect does not allow any carrying of guns outside of the home, because the restrictions are so tight. California law generally bans the open carrying of guns, although it does allow some exceptions. It allows guns to be carried in public loaded or unloaded if concealed. However, a gun owner has to get a permit for concealed carrying in public, and, to do so, must show good cause to have that right and show good moral character. Begun about eight years ago, the case that now bears the title of Peruta v. San Diego County (but now also includes a companion case from Yolo County) has already been decided by two trial courts, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court, and by an 11-judge en banc court. Although the Ninth Circuit typically limits en banc review to a bench of 11 judges, its rules also allow in appropriate cases for full en banc rehearing. That means a hearing with all 28 active judges, if none of them has to recuse. Sometimes called super en banc, this option is rarely allowed. In a 7-to-4 ruling on June 9, a regular en banc court ruled that the Second Amendment does not protect any right to carry a concealed gun in public. It traced that notion back to English history, and to early American history. While it said that it might be argued that the Second Amendment does protect a right to carry a gun openly in public, it declined to rule on that point, noting that the Supreme Court also has not yet settled that question. Story continues Lawyers in both the San Diego and Yolo cases sought full en banc review, relying heavily on the argument that the regular en banc majority had decided an issue that it did not need to reach. While they were seeking easier access to licenses for concealed carrying of guns, all that they wanted the court to decide, they said, was that the Second Amendment protects a right to have a gun for self-defense in public, in some manner. If that had been all that was decided, the en banc court could have left it to state and local officials to work out the best way to allow some form of public carrying, the challengers lawyers said. The four dissenting judges argued, among other points, that the majority ruling amounted to a flat ban on any public carrying of guns, since open carrying is so limited under state law and the majority denied any right to carry a concealed gun in public. The state of California was allowed to enter the case to defend its state laws, for two reasons: first, because the three-judge Ninth Circuit panel ruling in the San Diego case had put in doubt the entire state scheme of gun control, and, second, because the sheriff of San Diego County refused to remain involved in defending the licensing laws. With the denial of super en banc review on Monday, the challengers have 90 days to ask the Supreme Court to review the case, although they also could ask for an extended deadline. While the Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the Second Amendment protects a personal right to have a gun, at least for self-defense in the home, it has refused repeatedly to review cases in which gun rights advocates have sought a ruling extending the right beyond the home. Some lower courts have ruled that there is such a right, while others have assumed that there is, without declaring that explicitly. Legendary journalist Lyle Denniston is Constitution Dailys Supreme Court correspondent. Denniston has written for us as a contributor since June 2011. Denniston has covered the Supreme Court since 1958. His work also appears on lyldenlawnews.com, where this post first appeared. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily A brief history of immigration testing and criteria Constitution Check: Might the Second Amendment be redefined? Sister Wives case moves slowly toward Supreme Court * Deal done at equity value of 5.3 billion real * Odebrecht also talked with Veolia, Suez, Acciona * Brazil corruption scandal ends IPO, global expansion (Adds details on other potential bidders) By Geert De Clercq PARIS, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Canada's Brookfield Asset Management has signed a preliminary contract to buy Brazilian engineering conglomerate Grupo Odebrecht's 70 percent stake in water and sewage group Odebrecht Ambiental, an industry source told Reuters on Wednesday. The source said the deal was done at an equity value of 5.3 billion real ($1.65 billion), which implies an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) multiple of 8.5. Odebrecht S.A. will cash out 3.4 billion real, he added. Odebrecht Group will retain the right to develop water concession projects outside Brasil and Brookfield will re-brand Odebrecht Ambiental, which was named Foz until 2012. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Odebrecht, Latin America's largest engineering group, owns 70 percent of Odebrecht Ambiental, with Brazilian worker compensation and retirement fund FGTS owning the remaining 30 percent. It was not immediately clear whether FGTS would also sell its stake to Brookfield. The source said that last winter Odebrecht Ambiental chief executive Fernando Santos-Reis had discussed the possibility of selling a stake in his firm with Antoine Frerot, CEO of French group Veolia, as well as with Jean-Louis Chaussade, CEO of smaller rival Suez. There have also been discussions with Spain's Acciona, , with Beijing Water and some other companies in Europe and Asia, the source said. Initially, Odebrecht wanted to sell only half of its stake in Odebrecht Ambiental. Established in 2008, Odebrecht Ambiental is market leader in Latin America, serving more than 18 million people and several large companies in the steel, petrochemical and pulp and paper industries. Its Aquapolo project, which recycles Sao Paulo's sewage to produce water for a petrochemical complex is rated as the largest industrial water re-use project in the southern hemisphere. Story continues One of the world's top 10 water firms, Odebrecht Ambiental does not have a global presence like Veolia and Suez and in 2014 the firm announced plans to list some of its shares in 2015 or 2016 to finance its global expansion. But its parent company Grupo Odebrecht got caught up in a corruption probe at oil producer Petroleo Brasileiro SA and other state companies and the family member who ran Grupo Odebrecht was sent to prison. The scandal has curtailed access to capital markets and loan funding for the group's 15 subsidiaries and the company is now selling assets to reduce debt. ($1 = 3.2025 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Geert De Clercq; Editing by Adrian Croft, Greg Mahlich) By Nate Raymond NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - A Canadian man who prosecutors said led schemes that used call centers around the world to defraud investors was sentenced on Wednesday to 6-1/2 years in prison in a case that stemmed from one of the largest penny stock investigations in U.S. history. Sandy Winick, who prosecutors say led a scheme that sought to profit from selling billions of fraudulently-inflated shares to unsuspecting investors, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Eric Vitaliano in Brooklyn. Winick, who pleaded guilty last year to conspiring to commit wire fraud during a related scheme, was also ordered to pay $2.43 million in restitution and forfeit $5 million, according to the office of Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Robert Capers. A lawyer for Winick did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Winick, 58, was arrested in Thailand by country officials who were working with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation in August 2013 on charges that he masterminded fraudulent schemes that victimized investors in about 35 countries and generated more than $140 million. He was later extradited to the United States. Prosecutors said from 2008 to 2013, Winick and others sought to fraudulently inflate the share prices and trading volumes of several penny stocks in a pump-and-dump scheme using email blasts, chat rooms and websites containing false information. Winick, a Canadian citizen who lived in Thailand and other places at the time, was the apex of the organization, which generated profits by selling off stocks after their prices had been inflated, prosecutors said. Winick's plea in July 2015 was to a single count linked to a related scheme to fraudulently solicit penny stock investors into paying fees that would allow them to sell their nearly worthless stocks at a profit. Prosecutors said Winick was responsible for at least $5 million in losses to investors in the advanced fee scheme, which involved inventing fake businesses to trick investors to pay fees before selling the stocks. Story continues The case followed one of the largest global penny stock probes ever by the FBI, drawing in authorities from Canada, England, Thailand and China. All told, nine defendants were charged for their roles in the schemes. Six others pleaded guilty, while two, Gary Kershner, an Arizona business owner, and Songkram Sahachaisere, a California stock promoter, were convicted at trial in November. The case is U.S. v. Winick et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 13-cr-00452. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Diane Craft) Ontario, Canada-based Canadian Solar Inc. CSIQ will release second-quarter 2016 financial results before the opening bell on Aug 18. Last quarter, the company posted a positive earnings surprise of 184.62%. Let's see how things are shaping up for this announcement. CANADIAN SOLAR Price and EPS Surprise CANADIAN SOLAR Price and EPS Surprise | CANADIAN SOLAR Quote Factors at Play As stated by the company during its first-quarter earnings call, Canadian Solar will likely generate most of its second-quarter revenues from the sale of solar modules and electricity from its ownership or operations at solar power plants. The company expects total module shipments in the range of approximately 1,200 megawatt (MW) to 1,250 MW for the quarter, including 30 MW of shipments to its own utility scale solar project. Revenues are projected in the band of $710 million to $760 million (compared with $721.4 million in first quarter) with gross margin expected to be between 15% and 17%. However, the company needs to closely scrutinize and manage its debt level. Canadian Solar had close to $1.4 billion in the form of short-term debt at the end of the first quarter of 2016, compared with approximately $1.2 billion at the end of fourth-quarter 2015. Canadian Solars long-term debt at the end of the first quarter was $818.5 million, up from $606.6 million at the end of the preceding quarter. As of Mar 31, 2016, cash and cash equivalents totaled $412.4 million, lower than $553.1 million as of Dec 31, 2015. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the companys revenues is pegged at $710.9 million for the second quarter. This reflects an almost 11.7% increase on a year-over-year basis. Meanwhile, our estimate for the bottom line stands at 40 cents, reflecting 28.5% growth. Earnings Whispers Our proven model does not conclusively show that Canadian Solar is likely to beat on earnings this quarter. This is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) for this to happen. That is not the case here as you will see below. Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP, which represents the difference between the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate, is -15.00%. This is because the Most Accurate estimate stands at 34 cents, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged higher at 40 cents. Zacks Rank: Canadian Solar carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Please note that we caution against Sell-rated stocks (Zacks Rank #4 or 5) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions. Peer Releases SolarCity Corp. SCTY, the largest U.S. rooftop solar installer, posted adjusted loss of $2.32 per share in the second quarter of 2016, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $2.43. However, the figure was much wider than the year-ago loss of $1.61, thanks to the companys rising expenses. First Solar Inc. FSLR reported second-quarter 2016 earnings of 87 cents a share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 58 cents by 50%. The reported number also surged 67.3% from the prior-year figure of 52 cents on the back of higher sales and gross profits. SunPower Corp. SPWR reported second-quarter 2016 adjusted loss of 33 cents per share, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 31 cents by 6.5%. In the year-ago quarter, the company had reported earnings of 9 cents. 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 FIRST SOLAR INC (FSLR): Free Stock Analysis Report CANADIAN SOLAR (CSIQ): Free Stock Analysis Report SOLARCITY CORP (SCTY): Free Stock Analysis Report SUNPOWER CORP-A (SPWR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research West Carswell Located 20 Kilometres Southwest of De Beers CanAlaska Athabasca Diamond Project VANCOUVER, CANADA / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSX-V: CVV; OTCQB: CVVUF; Frankfurt: DH7N), ("CanAlaska" or the "Company") is pleased to report that it has signed a property option agreement with Canterra Minerals Corporation (TSX-V: CTM) ("Canterra") for Canterra to acquire up to a 70% interest in the West Carswell property (the "Property") located in the western Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The West Carswell property comprises approximately 4,800 hectares within the west Athabasca Kimberlite trend and is located 10 km northwest of the Cluff Lake Uranium Mine in the Athabasca Basin. The Property encompasses six discrete magnetic anomalies derived from a survey flown in 2010 for the Saskatchewan Geological Survey. These six targets exhibit discrete magnetic lows and are characteristic of magnetic features, thought to be kimberlite pipes, intruding into the thick Athabasca sandstone sequence. A high resolution airborne magnetics survey encompassing 1,770 line km has been commissioned for the property by Canterra. Randy Turner, President and CEO of Canterra stated, "We are excited to be working with CanAlaska. CanAlaska has been innovative in their approach to diamond exploration and identified many new targets within northwestern Saskatchewan, a region we believe has the potential to host a new Canadian kimberlite field." Peter Dasler, President and CEO of CanAlaska stated, "We are very pleased to be working with Canterra, and to be able to use their considerable expertise in diamonds. This is a very interesting group of magnetic targets close to existing infrastructure." Pursuant to the agreement, Canterra can acquire a 50% interest in the Property by making staged cash payments totaling $100,000 ($30,000 upon closing), the issuance of 2,000,000 million shares upon closing and work commitments of $1,000,000 by the third anniversary of the closing. Upon completion of the 50% earn-in, Canterra and CanAlaska will form a Joint Venture with each party maintaining a 50% ownership. Canterra will have the option to acquire an additional 20% ownership for additional cash payment of $100,000, an additional issuance of 1,000,000 shares and incurring a further $4,000,000 within the third anniversary of completion of the initial 50% earn-in. The transaction is subject to approval of the TSX.V. Story continues About Canterra Canterra Minerals is a Canadian resource company specializing in diamond exploration in the Northwest Territories, strategically located between the Snap Lake Diamond Mine and the Gahcho Kue Diamond Project. The Company also maintains a 33% interest in the Buffalo Hills Diamond Project in Alberta. As leaders of exploration in the junior diamond sector for over 25 years, the Canterra team has been involved in the discovery of two of Canada's four diamond mines, the Snap Lake Diamond Mine in the South Slave and the Ekati Diamond Mine in Lac de Gras. Location maps can be found on the Company's website www.canterraminerals.com. About CanAlaska CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSX-V: CVV; OTCQB: CVVUF; Frankfurt: DH7N) holds interests in approximately 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres), one of the largest land positions in Canada's Athabasca Basin region the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings has attracted major international mining companies Cameco, Denison, KORES, KEPCO, and the De Beers Group of Companies. CanAlaska is a project generator and is positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. For further information visit www.canalaska.com. The qualified technical person for this news release is Dr Karl Schimann, P. Geo, VP Exploration, for CanAlaska. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Peter Dasler" Peter Dasler, M.Sc., P.Geo. President & CEO CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Contacts: Peter Dasler President Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 138 Email: info@canalaska.com John Gomez Corporate Development Tel: +1.604.484.7118 Email: jgomez@canalaska.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking information All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. SOURCE: CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. A Downtown Lutheran church will partner with Catholic Charities Madison to operate a day resource center this winter for the homeless, filling a critical hole in the local safety net that had worried social service providers. The center will operate from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday from Nov. 1 through March 31 at Bethel Lutheran Church, 312 Wisconsin Ave., according to the Rev. Scot Sorensen, the churchs senior pastor. The effort is considered a stopgap measure to provide a temporary facility until the community can open a year-round, seven-days-a-week, comprehensive day resource center. This is a short-term Band-Aid, if you will, said Jackson Fonder, president and CEO of Catholic Charities Madison. Dane County is leading the effort to open a comprehensive center, though it has struggled for years to find a site. Its latest plan involves purchasing and remodeling the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce building at 615 E. Washington Ave. The comprehensive facility is expected to have laundry facilities, showers, storage space, a self-serve kitchenette, a computer room, and separate day rooms for single adults and families with children. But considerable work must be done before that plan becomes a reality. On Tuesday, County Executive Joe Parisi praised the partnership between Bethel Lutheran and Catholic Charities, saying it will provide crucial services while the county and its partners work to prepare the permanent center. This should allow us to get in there and begin remodeling this winter, so that we can be up and fully functional by the summer of 17, Parisi said. But Brenda Konkel, an advocate for the homeless, said she was disappointed to hear that the comprehensive center would not be available this winter. All eyes really should be focused on that, she said. The Bethel center wont have a lot of the amenities people need. It wont have showers. It wont have laundry. It wont be open on weekends. We just really need to get going with a comprehensive day resource center, even if its not perfect. All of this stopping and starting all the time with these services is costly. Bethel Lutheran has a long history of aiding the homeless and had operated a similar day center five days a week in a partnership with Dane County. But late last year, the church sought a 200 percent increase in annual operating funds from the county from $80,000 a year to $240,000. The county balked, and the partnership ended. At the end of April, the Bethel day center laid off its staff and became a scaled-back, all-volunteer effort operating just two days a week. Some criticized the church for what they saw as greediness, but others felt the county failed to appreciate that, even at the higher price, it still would be getting a good deal. On Tuesday, Sorensen said the church is pleased to be able to expand again to five days a week, if only for five months. Just because we werent able to work out the details with the county didnt diminish our desire to continue to serve this community, he said. Catholic Charities will hire and supervise the staff, Fonder said. He anticipates there will be an on-site social worker, a couple of support staff members, and contracted security personnel. Bethel will provide support services such as food and hygiene supplies, in addition to the space. Sorensen said the partnership would not be divulging operating costs. Catholic Charities, which serves an 11-county area of south-central Wisconsin, has many programs to help people with mental illnesses, addiction issues, marital and family problems, and physical and other disabilities. All of those pieces touch poverty and homelessness, Fonder said. Obviously, homelessness is a hot subject in this community now. It gets a lot of discussion in the business community, in the faith community, in the media. Weve been asking ourselves, How do we take what weve done and how do we help? We hadnt found it until now. We think this is a nice fit. The county currently is evaluating applications from entities interested in running the comprehensive day center. Catholic Charities is one of two entities seeking the contract. The other is Dane County Development Group. Shares in Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific plunged Wednesday after the company reported its first-half profit dropped 82 percent from a year earlier due to a slowdown in China and intense competition from other airlines. The company also warned it faced a "difficult environment" in the coming months as weaker demand and huge fuel hedging losses have hit its bottom line. Net profit for the first six months of the year plummeted to HK$353 million ($45.52 million), Cathay said in a statement issued to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, causing stocks to tumble 7.3 percent to HK$11.92 at Wednesday closing. The figures compared to the HK$1.97 billion recorded in the same period last year and fell short of the HK$1.07 billion median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey of four analysts. "The operating environment in the first half of 2016 was affected by economic fragility and intense competition," said the carrier's chairman John Slosar. The company's statement added that a slowdown in the Chinese economy had led to restrictions on corporate travel. "This adversely affected premium class demand, particularly on long-haul routes," it said. Revenue for the period also fell 9.3 percent to HK$45.68 billion. "It all boils down on the China economy. The pie is not getting bigger," said analyst Jackson Wong, associate director of Hong Kong-based Simsen Financial group. He added that low-cost carriers and major airlines expanding into Asia were "eating up" Cathay's margins. At the same time, the firm suffered huge hedging losses as the price of oil plunged. Oil hedging is when an airline locks in fuel prices at a pre-determined level for a certain amount of time. A slump in crude since mid-2014 should have provided a much-needed boost to their bottom line. But Cathay's hedging losses widened to HK$4.49 billion from HK$3.74 billion year on year. Fuel accounts for a huge chunk of most airlines' outlay costs. Story continues "The results are disappointing mainly due to the (oil) hedging loss which increased by 20 percent as well as weak demand... It's a nagging pain," Wong added. Cathay warned last month that a reduction in "load factor" -- a measure of how full its aircraft are -- was putting pressure on the business. Passenger yield -- the amount of cash earned from carrying passengers each kilometre and a key measure of a carrier's profitability -- fell 10 percent to 54.3 Hong Kong cents in the first six months of the year. Cargo revenue also decreased by 17.2 percent to HK$9.42 billion compared to the same period last year. BEIJING (Reuters) - China will limit the operations of North Korean carrier Air Koryo after one of its aircraft made an emergency landing in a northeastern Chinese city last month, and has told the airline to improve training and maintenance. The plane, a Russian-built Tupolev TU204-300, was flying to Beijing from Pyongyang when it made a forced landing in Shenyang because of smoke in the cabin. The plane landed safely and there were no casualties. China's civil aviation regulator, in a statement on Wednesday, said an investigation had found smoke had come from a call button located under the luggage rack on the right hand side of the cabin between rows 20 and 27. The regulator said they had found three problems that happened during the emergency that the airline now had to fix. The airline has to improve training on how to handle such an incident, how communicate with air traffic control and improve aircraft maintenance, it said. The airline also needs to improve training on handling burst tyres, engine fires, emergency decompression and traffic collision avoidance system warnings, the regulator added. China will take "corresponding measures to limit operations" for Air Koryo, it said, without giving details. An official reached by telephone at the airline's Beijing office said she was unaware of the situation and declined to comment further. Most of Air Koryo's scheduled international flights are to China. It also flies to Russia's Far East. Independent ratings website Skytrax lists Air Koryo as the world's only 1-star airline for poor quality standards, though it does not measure safety. Few North Koreans are allowed to travel outside their isolated country. The North Korean state-owned airline uses a small number of mainly Russian-built Tupolev aircraft on international flights but older, Soviet-era aircraft are used within the country. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Michael Perry) The character that adorns Liu Chengbaos gateposts means good luck. Not that hes seen much of that recently. Rising at 6 a.m. each day, Liu leaves his wife and father in his self-built, four-room house and trudges toward the terraced foothills of northern Chinas Six Ring Mountains. The 51-year-old ekes out a living by growing corn and potatoes on his 0.65 hectares of land in Gansu a dumbbell-shaped province roughly the size of California and famed for its kaleidoscope-colored mountains of blue, yellow and crimson ribbons. Only 300 people remain in Wang Meng village, where Liu lives, and no one is particularly sprightly young people leave ever earlier these days. Im too old to get a job the city, says Liu, I dont have the strength. Each year, Liu takes home around $1,500, which just about pays for his two childrens higher education in Lanzhou, Gansus sprawling capital. He has no savings. Other than his crops, he raises two cows and tends a small patch of vegetables. We only eat meat at Spring Festival [Chinese New Year], he says. When hes not farming, Liu earns $15 a day as a local construction worker, carrying sticks or mixing concrete. Like all his neighbors, he uses pesticides and fertilizer on his fields. It makes the yield better, Liu says, but I use less on the vegetables that we eat ourselves. Read More: These 5 Facts Explain Chinas Coming Challenges Chinas food security relies on farmers like Liu and its increasingly unsustainable. The nation of 1.3 billion accounts for almost a fifth of the worlds population, yet boasts just 7% of arable land. Moderate to severe soil degradation affects more than 40% of the country, exacerbated by overuse of fertilizer, intensive grazing and the reliance on biomass for rural energy. While Chinas belching factories hog the headlines, experts say agriculture rather than industry exerts the biggest toll on the environment. The effect is a downward spiral: poverty and land degradation feed each other. Last year, China produced 600 million tonnes of food the 12th straight annual rise. But over the next three decades some 300 million Chinese are expected to abandon once productive fields for jobs in the city. Valuable arable land is gnawed away to build urban clusters, where the consumption of meat, grain and diary products is far higher. The average Chinese now eats 63 kg of meat a year, with an additional 30 kg per person expected by 2030. Already, 70% of Chinas corn is used to feed livestock rather than the populace. Faced with this growing crisis, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been taking drastic steps to safeguard the nations food security. Significant acquisitions have been made overseas, including Australias largest dairy, over 324,000 hectares of farmland in Argentina and soybean-processing plants worth several billion dollars in Brazil. At home, tax has been reintroduced on fertilizers and pesticides and the series of incentives and subsidies that benefit farmers like Liu have been rejigged. Crops that are ecologically taxing, unprofitable and suffer from overcapacity like maize will have government support slashed, but those that are in demand and locally sustainable soya, for example will have inducements enhanced. Its a revolution with serious risks for the legitimacy of the CCP should food prices soar and farmers struggle to make ends meet. There could be massive social unrest if they screw up the agriculture industry, says Erlend Ek, an agriculture expert at the China Policy research firm. There hasnt been this big of a change maybe since the Great Leap Forward. Read More: Chinas Genetically Altered Food Boom That catastrophic industrial experiment, instigated by Mao Zedong in the late 1950s, lies at the root of Chinas current food-security woes. The Great Leap Forward was an attempt to modernize Chinese industry by abolishing private property and grouping workers into communes. But following the death by starvation of 30 million people, the forced collectivization of land was rolled back and families were bequeathed a small plot typically 0.65 hectares, like Lius to farm and feed themselves. Apart from a smattering of large, paramilitary-run state farms around the nations periphery, practically all of Chinas tillable land remains divvied into these morsels. (By comparison, the average size of American farms is 179 hectares.) Chinese agriculture is effectively a cottage industry, says Sun Chang, chairman of Black Soil group, which aims to modernize Chinese agriculture by consolidating these plots into larger farms. China is so far behind the U.S., Australia or Europe because of unorganized, subscale farms with no scientific management. Because of these inefficiencies, staple crops in China are on average two to three times more expensive to produce when compared with the U.S. Yet China is determined to stay largely self-sufficient. In Gansu province, alfalfa is being grown as a high-quality, ecologically sound substitute to traditional forage. In southern Guangdong province, huge vats of wriggling insects are being cultivated as a high-protein addition to animal feed that naturally boosts immunity, reducing the need for antibiotics. Scientists are breading tiny wasps called Trichogramma, which feed on the eggs of destructive pests, replacing toxic insecticides. In Jilin province, pigs are reared on a meter-thick bed of microbe-infused rice husk and sawmill, which turns their excrement into sweet-smelling compost for the fields. Most incredibly, salmon and trout are being farmed in the arid Gobi Desert. Read More: You Wont Believe the Source of the Worlds Most Sustainable Salmon In the specialist world of fish farming, Rustan Lindqvist is a proud maverick. The Swede grew up fishing for salmon and trout in the frigid rivers south of Gothenburg, then spent 25 years working in aquaculture across Scandinavia. In 2012, he chanced upon plans to open a recirculation aquaculture system (RAS) farm in Chinas Xinjiang province quite literally the farthest point on earth from any ocean. Instead of farming in a natural river or lake, RAS uses deep wells to fill large indoor tanks. Fish at staggered stages of maturation are kept under meticulously controlled conditions. No longer does success rely on a fickle climate. I thought someone finally understands the full potential of the RAS system, says Lindqvist, who became the architect of the project. You can actually build it in the middle of the desert. China has a long legacy of taming the environment. Two millennia ago, huge swaths of the Turpan basin, the hottest and driest region of what is modern-day China, were transformed into verdant pasture via a network of deep karez wells stretching over 5,000 km. Reforestation has also taken root due to the Yellow River Loess Plateau Watershed Rehabilitation Project. Launched by the World Bank in 2004, it has turned some of northwest Chinas most degraded land productive again. The area is home to 50 million people and gets its name from the loess soil a nutrient-rich though dusty composition that is inordinately prone to erosion when stripped of vegetation. And that is exactly what centuries of ever-swelling herds of free-grazing goats and sheep has wrought transforming once lush hill and vale into a rippled sandpit. Following three years of observation and consultation, scientists partnered with the local community to end free-grazing practices. Livestock was confined to pens and soil erosion arrested by forming reservoirs and terracing shallow slopes for crops, with fruit trees on steeper inclines. Ownership rights were enshrined for local participants, thus ensuring the continued maintenance of rehabilitated land. This is transformation and change on a landscape about the size of France, says Juergen Voegele, the projects former task team leader for the World Bank. Read More: The Environment Is the Silent Casualty of Beijings Ambitions in the South China Sea Similar tactics are now being replicated all over China, boosting the quantity of so-called high-quality farmland. Currently, these prime fields comprise 30.4 million hectares, and by 2020 the government wants to increase that to 53 million to 67 million hectares around half of all arable land in the country. To increase efficiency, China is also drafting a rural-land contract law, which for the first time will allow farmers to legally lease their land to a larger, consolidated farm. Suns Black Soil group has two pilot projects over 750 sq km the size of Singapore in northern Chinas Heilongjiang province and has eyes on expanding. Farmers are essentially turned into workers, says Sun. They dont have to worry about working capital, standards, seeds, chemicals, buying equipment, sales. Only by doing this can you ensure food safety. Its an idea that appeals to Liu. Most local farmers would like this plan, he says, as an old man hauls a wooden donkey cart by hand nearby. If farmers could be paid 100 yuan [$15] per day, including lunch, and stay on their land, I think they would agree. Lius only concern is providing for his family. That must change. For China to safeguard its food security, farmers need the luxury of caring about what they put on the nations dinner tables. China will prosecute 26 people linked to a peer-to-peer lender for fraud and illegal fundraising, state media said late Tuesday, in a case labelled a Ponzi scheme for allegedly bilking investors of $7.6 billion. Police have handed over the case involving P2P lender Ezubao to prosecutors, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Authorities charged 11 people -- including top executives of Ezubaos parent company Yucheng, chairman Ding Ning and president Zhang Min -- of fraud while another 15 are accused of illegally obtaining investors' savings, the Beijing People's Procuratorate said in statement on its website. In a televised confession shown in February after suspects were arrested, Zhang said Ezubao was "a typical Ponzi scheme". Rights groups condemn such practices as prejudicing the right to a fair trial. Police previously told state media that Ezubao concocted fake projects to attract investment and pocketed funds instead of passing them to borrowers to generate returns. The case, said to be China's biggest-ever Ponzi scheme, has sparked protests from investors and is one among several dubious investment projects that have come to light this year. In May, police arrested 35 executives and employees of Shanghai-based Zhongjin Asset Management after it failed to make payments of 5.2 billion yuan ($787 million) to its 25,000 investors. Police arrested 19 people connected to a troubled metal exchange Fanya, which managed around 40 billion yuan in assets, in June amid suspicion of fraud. China will restrict the operations of North Korean national airline Air Koryo after one of its planes had to make an emergency landing last month because of a fire on board, it said Wednesday. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will take "relevant measures to limit operations" for the carrier, it said in a statement on its website, without giving specific details. Last month, a scheduled Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang to Beijing was forced to divert and land in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang "because the plane caught fire", the official Xinhua new agency said, quoting a passenger on board. There were no casualties. The CAAC said an investigation found the fire was caused by a call button. Air Koryo must improve training for similar incidents, improve communications with air traffic controllers and upgrade aircraft maintenance, the Chinese regulator said. Although Air Koryo is the sole airline in the bottom "one star" category in the global Skytrax rating system for commercial airlines, its public safety record only has one fatal accident in more than 30 years. Its route network is extremely limited, with regular flights to just three destinations in China, and Vladivostok in Russia. The Pyongyang-Beijing service uses a Russian Tupolev Tu-204 -- a twin-engine medium-range jet airliner that carries about 140 passengers. BEIJING, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Chinas pending cyber security law will not create obstacles for foreign business, Chinas Foreign Ministry said, responding to concerns by international business lobbies over the planned rules. More than 40 global business groups last week petitioned Premier Li Keqiang, according to a copy of a letter seen by Reuters, urging China to revise draft cyber rules they believe are vague and discriminate against foreign enterprises. The groups say the pending rules, including a cyber security law that could be passed this year, include provisions for invasive government security reviews and onerous requirements to keep data in China. They say the regulations would impede Chinas economic growth, create barriers to market entry and impair the countrys security by isolating it technologically. The ministry, in a faxed statement to Reuters late on Tuesday night, said the law will not be used to carry out differential treatment and will not create obstacles and barriers for international trade and foreign businesses investing in China. It said companies would be able to transfer data required for business purposes outside Chinas borders after passing a security evaluation. These evaluations are for supervising and guaranteeing that the security of this data accords with Chinas security standards, the ministry said. As for the legal requirement for internet operators to provide relevant data in the course of enforcement agencies counter-terrorism and criminal investigations, this is necessary for safeguarding national security and investigating crimes. All countries do this, the ministry said. UNNECESSARY CONCERNS The concerns of foreign investors and businesses invested in China are unnecessary, it said. Some foreign businesses in China are becoming increasingly pessimistic, in part due to rules companies think could make it harder to operate there. The cyber rules have added to tensions between China and its trade partners, who have been concerned about Beijings Made in China 2025 plan. The proposal calls for a progressive increase in domestic components in sectors such as advanced information technology and robotics. Story continues Business lobbies also say requirements to hand over sensitive data or source code to the government could put business secrets at risk and boost the capabilities of domestic competitors. How much technology firms should cooperate with governments has been a contentious issue in many countries, not just in China. Apple Inc was asked by Chinese authorities within the past two years to hand over its source code but refused, the companys top lawyer said this year, even as U.S. law enforcement tried to get the company to unlock encrypted data from an iPhone linked to a mass shooting. (Reporting by Michael Martina; Editing by Richard Borsuk) An Illinois woman walking along a Walworth County highway was killed Tuesday night when she apparently stepped into a traffic lane and was struck by a vehicle. The crash happened at about 11:25 p.m. on Highway 50 near Chapin Road in the town of Geneva, police said. Authorities said the 54-year-old woman left the Ridge Hotel on Highway 50 on foot shortly before the crash. The driver of the SUV, Christopher Robistow, 44, of Genoa City, stayed at the scene and cooperated with authorities; no charges are expected against him, police said. The identity of the woman was not released pending notification of family. By Jonathan Barrett and Sue-Lin Wong SYDNEY/BEIJING (Reuters) - Australia's decision to block the A$10 billion (5.91 billion pounds) sale of the country's biggest energy grid to Chinese bidders was a protectionist move that would negatively affect investment in the country, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday. Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison said last week that preferred bidders State Grid Corp of China and Hong Kong's Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings would be prevented from buying electricity network company Ausgrid, citing unspecified national security concerns. "This kind of decision is protectionist and seriously impacts the willingness of Chinese companies to invest in Australia," China Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang said at a regular news briefing in Beijing. "China hopes Australia will create a fairer and more transparent environment for Chinese investment." The decision was the second time this year Canberra has rejected bids for major Australian assets by Chinese interests, the biggest source of proposed foreign investment in Australia, according to an April report from the Foreign Investment Review Board. It previously knocked back an offer by a China-led consortium to buy the country's largest agricultural land owner, cattle company Kidman & Co. UNDER SCRUTINY China's offshore ambitions have come under increasing scrutiny this year by governments in Europe and the United States. Following a surprise move by new British Prime Minister Theresa May to review the building of a nuclear plant part funded by China, Beijing questioned whether Chinese money was still welcome. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used a major speech on Wednesday to criticise the rising tide of protectionism within parliament, despite his government being responsible for the rejection of the Ausgrid and Kidman bids. The speech warned against giving in to the growing protectionist mood reflected in the new parliament, which he said could reverse gains made by the country since it liberalised its economy two decades ago. Story continues Turnbull's conservative Liberal-National coalition will at times require support in the new parliament from a bloc of foreign investment critics led by the Far-right One Nation party to pass legislation. FOREIGN INVESTMENT Proceeds from the sale of state-owned assets are designed to be plowed back into the economy through job-creating infrastructure projects, including public transport networks. "These are the transactions Australia needs if it is going to get out of the low growth, low productivity scenarios," said Brendan Lyon, chief executive of industry lobby group Infrastructure Partnerships Australia. Chinese investment in Australia surpassed $11 billion in 2015, according to a report by accounting firm KPMG and the University of Sydney. Former senior defence department official Peter Jennings said the trade relationship put Australia in a difficult strategic position. "We've never had a greater dependency with any country," said Jennings, a director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "The risk that creates for us is if Beijing wants to adopt politically coercive policies, it's in a fairly strong position to do so with us because of that level of trade dependence." Last year, Landbridge Group, owned by Chinese billionaire Ye Cheng, won a long-term lease to operate Darwin's port, in the north of Australia, in a deal worth A$506 million. Turnbull defended the deal following reports that U.S. President Barack Obama had expressed anger at the Australian Prime Minister for not having informed him earlier. U.S. Ambassador to Australia John Berry told Reuters national security must be taken into account when considering foreign direct investment in infrastructure and sensitive areas. "The U.S. fully respects the process and decisions on foreign investment made by the Australian government, even when it affects U.S. companies," Berry said in a statement. (Additional reporting by Matt Siegel and Tom Westbrook in SYDNEY and Michael Martina in BEIJING; Editing by Lincoln Feast) By Jonathan Barrett and Sue-Lin Wong SYDNEY/BEIJING (Reuters) - Australia's decision to block the A$10 billion ($7.7 billion) sale of the country's biggest energy grid to Chinese bidders was a protectionist move that would negatively affect investment in the country, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday. Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison said last week that preferred bidders State Grid Corp of China [STGRD.UL] and Hong Kong's Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings <1038.HK> would be prevented from buying electricity network company Ausgrid, citing unspecified national security concerns. "This kind of decision is protectionist and seriously impacts the willingness of Chinese companies to invest in Australia," China Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang said at a regular news briefing in Beijing. "China hopes Australia will create a fairer and more transparent environment for Chinese investment." The decision was the second time this year Canberra has rejected bids for major Australian assets by Chinese interests, the biggest source of proposed foreign investment in Australia, according to an April report from the Foreign Investment Review Board. It previously knocked back an offer by a China-led consortium to buy the country's largest agricultural land owner, cattle company Kidman & Co. UNDER SCRUTINY China's offshore ambitions have come under increasing scrutiny this year by governments in Europe and the United States. Following a surprise move by new British Prime Minister Theresa May to review the building of a nuclear plant part funded by China, Beijing questioned whether Chinese money was still welcome. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used a major speech on Wednesday to criticize the rising tide of protectionism within parliament, despite his government being responsible for the rejection of the Ausgrid and Kidman bids. The speech warned against giving in to the growing protectionist mood reflected in the new parliament, which he said could reverse gains made by the country since it liberalized its economy two decades ago. Story continues Turnbull's conservative Liberal-National coalition will at times require support in the new parliament from a bloc of foreign investment critics led by the Far-right One Nation party to pass legislation. FOREIGN INVESTMENT Proceeds from the sale of state-owned assets are designed to be plowed back into the economy through job-creating infrastructure projects, including public transport networks. "These are the transactions Australia needs if it is going to get out of the low growth, low productivity scenarios," said Brendan Lyon, chief executive of industry lobby group Infrastructure Partnerships Australia. Chinese investment in Australia surpassed $11 billion in 2015, according to a report by accounting firm KPMG and the University of Sydney. Former senior defense department official Peter Jennings said the trade relationship put Australia in a difficult strategic position. "We've never had a greater dependency with any country," said Jennings, a director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "The risk that creates for us is if Beijing wants to adopt politically coercive policies, it's in a fairly strong position to do so with us because of that level of trade dependence." Last year, Landbridge Group, owned by Chinese billionaire Ye Cheng, won a long-term lease to operate Darwin's port, in the north of Australia, in a deal worth A$506 million. Turnbull defended the deal following reports that U.S. President Barack Obama had expressed anger at the Australian Prime Minister for not having informed him earlier. U.S. Ambassador to Australia John Berry told Reuters national security must be taken into account when considering foreign direct investment in infrastructure and sensitive areas. "The U.S. fully respects the process and decisions on foreign investment made by the Australian government, even when it affects U.S. companies," Berry said in a statement. (Additional reporting by Matt Siegel and Tom Westbrook in SYDNEY and Michael Martina in BEIJING; Editing by Lincoln Feast) While Johnny Depp's divorce remains all the talk of U.S. tabloids, China has been captivated by an unseemly celebrity split all of its own. Chinese actor Wang Baoqiang's divorce from his wife, Ma Rong, over an alleged extramarital affair, has all but subsumed Chinese social media this week, with posts about the scandal attracting over five billion views. The 32-year-old star, affectionately known as "Baobao" to his fans, put out an emotional Weibo post on Sunday, announcing that he was divorcing Ma, and firing his agent, Song Zhe, after discovering a sexual relationship between the two. He also alleged that Ma had transferred some of the couple's joint assets, and described her alleged actions as having "severely hurt the marriage and destroyed the family." The couple have two small children together. Wang's message instantly went viral, and according to Sina Weibo, posts with the hashtag #WangBaoQiangDivorce have been viewed over five billion times - approximately four times the number of China's entire population (clearly, many are revisiting the issue far more than once). Few topics in recent memory have become such a phenomenon on Chinese social media. Read more: The Impact of Media Leaks and Abuse Claims on Johnny Depp's Divorce, According to Top Lawyers A versatile actor known for an earnest image, Wang's roles have spanned art house favorites like Berlin Silver Bear winner Blind Shaft and Jia Zhangke's A Touch of Sin to commercial hits such as Lost in Thailand and Detective Chinatown. His directorial debut, action comedy Buddies in India, is set for release in China in December. Much of the social media frenzy has centered on expressions of support for Wang and condemnation of Ma. A far narrower faction has come out in support of the wife, suggesting that there could be more to the story or that he must have neglected her while focusing on his career. Wang filed for divorce in Beijing court on Monday, reportedly seeking custody of the couple's children and division of their assets. Story continues Ma responded in the courts on Tuesday, suing Wang for defamation of character and demanding that he delete the original Weibo post and formally apologize. She also fired back at him in a widely circulated WeChat post, saying that he had abandoned his family. While still stigmatized - especially for women - divorce has been steadily on the rise in China. A total of 3.84 million couples in China divorced in 2015, an increase of 5.6 percent from 2014, according to the state-backed newspaper Global Times. Who knew a simple statement about ''that time of the month'' could cause such a stir? A Chinese Olympic swimmer whose popularity soared during the Rio Games for her animated facial expressions and rare candor has become a social media sensation for another off-the-cuff comment about a topic still considered taboo in China: her period. Twenty-year-old Fu Yuanhui emerged from the women's 4x100-meter medley relay last week and told a Chinese state broadcaster that she failed to swim her best in part because her period had started the day before. Television footage showed her crouching down with her hand over her stomach. Team China finished fourth in the race. The interview quickly trended on Chinese social media sites, where users expressed surprise - and some admiration - that Fu had shared such an intimate matter but also that she swam while menstruating. Said one blogger: ''If her candor can dispel the thought in some people's minds that menstruation is dirty, then her act is worth applause.'' In China, menstruation is considered an off-limits topic of conversation, a reflection of conservative views about women's bodies and sex. ''It's an issue stemming from demonizing sex,'' said one woman on the Chinese question-and-answer internet site Zhihu. ''Therefore, a well-educated girl should not think about anything related to sex.'' There is also a long-held notion in China that women should not engage in exercise during menstruation. Girls are excused from physical education class at school and warned about taking showers, drinking cold water and eating raw fish during one's period. Immersion in water, the stories go, may cause infection. And because tampons are unusual in the communist nation - there is a belief they can compromise the virginity of unmarried women - the idea that someone could swim during that time of the month is entirely novel. Story continues Such ideas, while wrong, are something all women endure in China, said Wang Yuling, a gynecologist in Shanghai Huangpu District Health Center for Women and Children. ''If you have so many limitations during the period,'' Wang said, ''you could waste one-sixth of the year by thinking in this way.'' Fu, a bronze medal winner in the 100-meter backstroke, is just one of several athletes on the Chinese team breaking ground by breaking from the typical on-message style common with past Chinese Olympic squads. Chris Pratt recently posed for a spread for In Style Magazine, and the handsome star took to Instagram to give fans an inside look at what it's like to be a part of a sexy photoshoot. Pratt, who was named September's Man of Style by the magazine, shared a few shots from the Magnificent Seven-themed session, and explained some of the more unusual aspects from the day. "Full disclosure I did not pick out any of the clothes which is kinda funny for a guy who is called the 'man of style,'" the 37-year-old heartthrob captioned a black-and-white pic from the shoot. "I mostly like T shirts with American flags on them. Usually I go for the one on the top of the 'shirt pile.' "I want to promote this nice magazine called In Style Magazine because everyone who was there that hot day we were doing the photo shoot was really nice," he continued. "They had nice food spread out. And they played good country music. And there were horses all over the place." WATCH: Chris Pratt Is the Most Badass Cowboy Ever in Action-Packed 'The Magnificent Seven' Trailer Pratt said he remembered taking some photos with the horses, but those pictures didn't end up in the final spread. "Maybe I accidentally closed my eyes or maybe the horse's agent threw a Hollywood bitch fit for some reason," he theorized. The actor also thanked the magazine for giving him a free shirt, marveling, "[It is] such a nice shirt. Like a flannel shirt but made out of pajamas and the thing cost like $500 or something ridiculous but they just gave it to me!!! So. Anyways. Hopefully this helps them at least sell $500 worth of magazines to make up for that sweet ass shirt." Pratt then shared a photo of himself in another pose, looking causal as he leans against the wall with his hand in his pocket. But what appears to be a moment of nonchalant sexiness was actually much less suave than it may seem. Story continues NEWS: Chris Pratt Shares Awesome Behind-the-Scenes Pics to Celebrate Wrapping 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' "In this photo I try to casually put my left hand in my pocket but the pants are so tight I get the tip of three fingers in," Pratt wrote in the caption. "Also I was sweating so bad they give me that hat." Next, he shared a shot of one of his denim ensembles in a photo where he seems to be causally adjusting his cool-guy popped collar. "Here I'm pretending to itch my neck in a Canadian tuxedo," Pratt wrote. "Also, I am squinting. And thinking, 'Hmm, is it smokey in here? Am I allergic to smoke? Does it make my neck itchy?" Finally, Pratt gave fans what they were really waiting for, and what they wouldn't be able to see in the magazine: A photo of him with a horse, which is wearing a hat. "Proof! I did stand next to a horse. And also, I put that hat on the horses head. Boom. My idea! #classic And it didn't even freak out," he wrote in the caption. MORE: 12 Reboots That Chris Pratt Should Star in ASAP "I learned how to do that when I was making the #magnificent7 I basically learned a ton about dressing horses in funny clothes, hats, scarves, the like, you'll see a lot of that in the movie," Pratt continued. "Our horses are wearing funny little hats and boots and smoking pipes." "Does anyone ever read this s**t? Haha! That's not true. None of it. Well the part about me putting the hat on the horses head is true," he added. "I'm like the horse whisperer. Right after this I got it to stand on one foot and break a board with a blind fold on. Then I jumped it. Over a mountain. Not to brag." While me might not see the star riding any fancily-dressed equines his remake of The Magnificent Seven, we will get to see a lot of him shooting things and sporting a scruffy beard. Check out the action-packed trailer below for a look at his exciting upcoming western, which gallops into theaters on Sept. 23. Related Articles VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / CIBT Education Group Inc. (TSX: MBA, OTCQX International: MBAIF) ("CIBT" or the "Company") is pleased to provide the following updates to the Company's news release dated December 10th, 2015 concerning GEC Burnaby Heights. GEC Burnaby Heights is a strata condominium building with commercial premises on the ground floor, four stories of concrete and wood frame construction and is able to accommodate approximately 84 beds. The close proximity of this property to various educational institutions as well as to public transit makes it perfect for both domestic and international students to commute between school, residence and downtown Vancouver. The property's location relative to schools such as Simon Fraser University, Fraser International College, Capilano University, British Columbia Institute of Technology, Sprott Shaw Burnaby Campus and Sprott Shaw College East Vancouver creates a significant opportunity to attract students from these schools. Construction for GEC Burnaby Heights is expected to be completed by the end of September 2016 and GEC management team will start furnishing the property starting in early September. Extensive efforts have been placed on safety and security for the students. Secured access, 24/7 video surveillance of all entrances and public areas, centrally monitored smoke and access alarm detections, on-site and live-in security guard and caretakers are just a few of the many safety features available at this site. A strong emphasis has been placed on comfort and cleanliness of the building by providing weekly housekeeping for all suites, furniture, television, beds and bedding, towels, WIFI and many other amenities that are provided free of charge. Weekend excursion activities for international students staying at any GEC property in Metro Vancouver are also offered. The acquisition price for this project is approximately $21 million inclusive of leasehold improvements, fixtures and serviced apartment furnishings. As of August 15th 2016, reservation and inquiries from several nearby universities and colleges have far exceeded the number of beds that are available from this location. We expect to fill all available beds upon possession. Site pictures of GEC Burnaby Heights are available at http://cibt.net/news/gecbh.php. "We are very pleased with the near completion of GEC Burnaby Heights which will add another 84 beds and a $21 million asset to our portfolio," commented Toby Chu, President, CEO and Chairman of CIBT. "I am also very pleased to report that the other GEC branded properties, GEC Granville and GEC Viva, have consistently reported 100% occupancy of all available beds. Since the inception of Global Education City Holdings in 2013, the vacancy rate in Metro Vancouver has been declining consistently to less than 0.5% for certain areas while real estate prices have been increasing steadily at a rate of 10 to 20%+. These factors combined with our steady occupancy rate, significant demand and minimal rental supply has driven the property values of our rapidly growing student housing portfolio to new highs quarter after quarter. For the upcoming fiscal 2017, we will take possession of at least two properties having a combined market value totaling over $65 million and our two flagship projects, the Education Super Center and Education Mega Center, will be launched. While we are aggressively expanding the GEC branded property portfolio, we remain committed to our business plan and strategy to acquire more education assets in the career college and language school sector to enhance our student housing pipeline, as evidenced by the recent acquisition of Vancouver International College." About CIBT Education Group: CIBT Education Group Inc. is an education and student-housing investment company focused on the global education market since 1994. Listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange and OTCQX International, CIBT owns and operates a network of business, technical and language colleges in North America and Asia. CIBT offers cooperative joint programs in various countries with campuses, offices and training centers at 27 locations enrolling over 8,300 students annually. Its education business is operated through Sprott Shaw College (established in 1903), Vancouver International College and CIBT School of Business. Through these subsidiaries, CIBT offers recognized and approved business and management degrees, programs in college preparation, healthcare, hotel management, English language training, and over 150 career and vocational programs. CIBT also owns Irix Design Group, a leading design and advertising company based in Vancouver, Canada, Global Education Alliance ("GEA") and Global Education City Holdings Inc. ("Global Holdings"). GEA recruits international students for many elite kindergarten, primary, secondary schools and universities in North America. Global Education City Holdings Inc. is an investment holding and management company with a special focus on education related real estate projects in Canada such as student hotels, serviced apartments and education super centers. Visit us online at www.cibt.net, www.studenthotel.ca and watch our corporate video at http://cibt.net/about/. CONTACT: Toby Chu Chairman, President and CEO CIBT Education Group Inc. Investor Relations Contact: 1-604-871-9909 extension 318 Email: info@cibt.net FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information (the "forward-looking statements") about CIBT Education Group Inc. and its future plans. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, the expected construction completion date of GEC Burnaby Heights. Forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors (collectively, the "Risks") that could cause actual results or achievements to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements. The Risks include, without limitation, usual construction risks and required municipal approvals. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, opinions and expectations of CIBT's management at the time they are made, and CIBT does not assume any obligation to update its forward-looking statements if those beliefs, opinions or expectations, or other circumstances should change, except as may be required by law. SOURCE: CIBT Education Group Inc. Last January, just weeks after a federal judge in Florida denied Hondas request to dismiss a class-action lawsuit against the automaker for its role in the Takata airbag scandal, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1927. The bills timing was merely coincidental, but the two issues are deftly intertwined. In the name of more business-friendly practices, and with impassioned backing from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2016, which still needs Senate approval and a presidential signature to become law, tinkers with the rules that govern class-action lawsuits. Specifically, it intends to break up large groups of consumers who come together to file claims against corporations. Class-action lawsuits and the automotive industry have a rich shared history, one fraught with bitter negotiations and high-stakes settlements. Since, by definition, they are designed to pool plaintiffs together (the class), class actions are often the only recourse that individuals have against the well-funded legal teams of large automakers. Lately, consumers have had reasons aplenty to go the class-action route. In the past year alone, three of the largest automotive scandals in historyVolkswagens not-so-Clean Diesels, General Motors faulty ignition switches, and Takatas defective airbagshave spurred class-action lawsuits as plaintiffs seek compensation. And in one recent case, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received more than 100 complaints about EcoBoost engines in Ford vehicles failing but launched an investigation only after a small group of owners in Ohio came together and filed a class action. Ford avoided a recall by ordering dealerships to fix the problem. One side asserts that class actions are basically legalized blackmail, said Nicholas M. Pace, a staff social scientist for the nonpartisan Rand Institute for Civil Justice, a research think tank that focuses on the civil justice system. The other side is: Look at all the things that class actions have done to protect consumers when the government isnt even paying attention. He pointed to the EPA and its inability to keep up with manufacturer claims for fuel efficiency as an example. [The government] is doing nothing. At least were punishing the defendants somehow. Were getting them to change their behavior, said Pace, illustrating the view of those who oppose H.R. 1927. Story continues If passed into law, H.R. 1927 threatens to neuter the class-action process by forcing class members to splinter into groups by their specific injury. In the Honda and Takata case, for example, people who suffered broken noses due to a faulty airbag would be required to file one suit, while people who suffered eye injuries due to the same defect would file separately. The American Bar Association asserts that forcing plaintiffs into separate groups will diminish their legal spending power while also overloading the already strained court system, encouraging quiet settlements rather than public trials. H.R. 1927 derives much of its appeal from our class-action systems high-profile imperfections. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce argues that class actions are too broad and powerful, that they encourage abuse of the system and leave business owners vulnerable to overeager litigators. As Rands Pace said when referring to those who support the bill, You take all these small claims that shouldnt even be claims at all and you aggregate them, [equaling] tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars, youre committing extortion. Even the bills official namethe Fairness in Class Action Litigation and Furthering Asbestos Claim Transparency Act of 2016implies that it corrects an unjust system. Tellingly, though, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization vehemently opposes H.R. 1927 because of its restrictions on legal recourse for asbestos victims. One aspect of the Chambers argument for H.R. 1927 that may sway support to its side is that attorneys collect an unreasonably large portion of the payouts from class-action settlements. More than $200 million of the $1.2 billion payout in the Toyota unintended-acceleration case went to attorneys, while most Toyota owners received vouchers of less than $125 each. In the famous Ford/Firestone tire-blowout case, members of the largest class won the right to apply for a $500 vouchertoward the purchase of a new Explorer. Estimates peg the total haul in billions of dollars, collectively, for the flock of firms that have filed class actions against Volkswagen over its diesels. But while owners of defective cars often receive relatively small vouchers or buyback offers, victims of injury or families of victims who were killed receive much larger sums. And although H.R. 1927 claims to fight against overblown attorney payouts, its not exactly clear how it will accomplish that. The whole bill is barely 100 words long. If it reduces the plaintiffs power while ensuring the attorneys keep their outsize share of any settlement, not only does it fail to fix a system seen by some as flawed, it may further erode that system. Most analysts believe that, when it comes to a vote later this year or in early 2017, H.R. 1927 has a slim chance of moving forward, especially if the Senate swings Democratic in the election. (The bill passed the Republican-controlled House with the vote almost completely following party lines.) And according to a statement issued by the Office of Management and Budget, President Obamas senior advisers would recommend he veto the bill if it makes it to his desk. Even a veto may not preserve class actions, though. Pace said he sees other existential threats to the system, namely 2011s AT&T v. Concepcion. In that case, the U.S. Supreme Court essentially overruled a California law that prevented phone companies from inserting language in customers contracts that waived their future right to file class-action lawsuits, leaving private arbitration as the only option. If, for example, the next time you buy a car, Volkswagen requires you to sign that arbitration agreement in your contract, then all the rest of this means nothing, said Pace. The big question is whether the threat of huge payouts and damning headlines encourages automakers and other large corporations to be forthright and accountable when they make mistakes. Because if their influence continues to erode, class-action lawsuits may not serve that purpose much longer. Current Open Class-Action Cases Brewer v. Ford Motor Co.: The two-piece spark plugs in some 20042008 Ford and Lincoln vehicles with the 5.4-liter V-8 reportedly were prone to breaking during removal, adding time and significant cost to routine maintenance. This suit alleges that Ford should have known. Ford disagreed, but reached a $2.2 million settlement with owners anyway. Claims are currently being processed. Yaeger, et al. v. Subaru of America, Inc., et al.: Subaru agreed to reimburse owners for their repair costs and extend the length of their warranties after a defective piston ring caused some 20112015 vehicles to burn excessive oil. The suit alleges that Subaru knew about the problem but neglected to tell owners. A preliminary settlement has been approved, and owners can file claims through October. Wall, et al. v. FCA US LLC: Owners of some Chrysler, Jeep, and Maserati vehicles claim their gearshift mechanism doesnt intuitively shift into park. FCA and NHTSA have initiated several recalls for a total of 1.1 million vehicles and issued a software update to dealerships. The suit alleges the issue has caused 212 crashes and 41 injuries, as well as the death of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin. Takata Airbag Products Liability Litigation: Several automakers are embroiled in the Takata airbag scandal that has caused at least 10 deaths, but Honda is the supplier's biggest customer. Honda also says it took nearly three years to report thousands of injury and death claims because of data-entry errors and misinterpretation of federal defect-reporting laws. The Obama administration is tackling two key problems in higher education today: Too many students go into debt to get a college degree, and too few land a job that puts their expensive education to use. Today, the Department of Education announced a pilot program, the Educational Quality Through Innovation Partnerships (EQUIP), that for the first time will give federal financial aid to students enrolled in nontraditional education programs, such as coding boot camps, online courses and corporation-based training initiatives. The aim is to give more students the chance to get trained for in-demand jobs quickly and affordably. In its pilot phase, the financial aid initiative will give up to $17 million in grants and loans to students enrolled in eight programs that have been preselected. The programs are partnerships between public universities and less-traditional education providers. All provide students protections, including refunds if they dont get jobs after completing their training. Training Future Engineers and Managers EQUIP programs, which are largely focused on providing skills needed for high-tech jobs, include: Colorado State University Global Campus and Guild Education. A one-year certificate program in management and leadership fundamentals aimed at helping students move from low-wage jobs into supervisory roles. Marylhurst University in Oregon and Epicodus. A 27-week certificate program in web and mobile software development for low-income students to get jobs requiring computer software coding skills. Northeastern University and General Electric. An accelerated bachelors of science in high-tech manufacturing, initially only open to GE employees who will do their training at a GE jet-engine manufacturing plant. University of Texas Austin and MakerSquare. A 13-week computer-programming course to prepare students for mid-level software engineer jobs. The programs target lower income and nontraditional students who are either older, go to school part-time or want to update their skills mid-career. Story continues In too many cases, low-income students have been unable to get the training they need because they dont have access to financial aid to pay for them," Under Secretary of Education Ted Mitchell said in a press briefing. The ability of people to get jobs after doing the training is critical, he added. Its not enough to measure access and enrollment. We need a laser focus on outcomes. In the next decade, 11 of the 15 fastest growing occupations will require some kind of post-high school education. New Model of Education Welcome but Not a Cure All Consumer advocates applauded the move. It's no secret that there are skilled jobs in the U.S. that employers are having a hard time fillingand that online education and training has a role to play more broadly in expanding access to learning opportunities, said Suzanne Martindale, a staff lawyer at Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization arm of Consumer Reports, who focuses on higher education issues. The financial aid program comes as a growing number of people question the cost of higher education. Today a four-year education at a state schoolincluding tuition, fees, and room and boardcosts an average of $78,000; at a private university, its more than double that. More than 70 percent of graduates leave school with debt. And it's wreaking financial havoc on their lives. A Consumer Reports nationally representative survey (PDF) of more than 1,500 student loan borrowers found that 44 percent of those who've left college say they have had to cut back on daily living expenses, and 28 percent have had to delay major goals like buying a house, and 37 percent put off saving for retirement. The financial impact is so daunting that 45 percent of borrowers say knowing what they know now, their college experience was not worth the cost. The EQUIP programs arent a cure-all, said Martindale. They won't be the right fit for everyonenot everyone is going to be a software engineer, she said. It's important that these programs remain affordable, "especially if they recruit from low-income communities, so that if a program doesn't work out for the student she isn't stuck with a ton of debt at the end," she said. The financial aid programs will start rolling out early next year. The institutions are in the process of setting them up and getting final approval from the Department of Education. Mitchell estimates about 1,500 students will enroll in the first year. 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. Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine lauded his prospects and those of his running mate, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, in a stop in Madison Tuesday, but warned fellow Democrats against complacency during what he called a "season of surprises." Kaine, who came to Madison for a campaign fundraiser, paid a surprise visit to Democratic Party of Wisconsin staffers at a campaign office just off State Street. It was the second time this month that Kaine came to Wisconsin -- and the second time in two weeks that Kaine visited the Badger State the same day as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump held a public event here. Trump visited La Crosse and held a rally in West Bend on Tuesday. Polls conducted since the national Republican and Democratic conventions showed Clinton and Kaine opening a lead on Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Kaine alluded to that in his remarks but urged campaign organizers not to let their guards down. "I feel good about where we are. I'd rather have our polls than the other guys' polls," Kaine said Tuesday. "But it's been a season of surprises, and you've got to assume there will be more. And so we just really have to make sure we hammer this home." Kaine, a U.S. senator from -- and former governor of -- Virginia, criticized Trump for some of his most contentious public statements, including his recent feud with the family of a Muslim U.S. Army soldier who died in Iraq. "There's just no depths to which Trump won't go to say stuff that's divisive," Kaine said. Kaine acknowledged Wisconsin plays a key role in the national White House race. In a nod to the candidate who introduced him, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold, Kaine said "we've got these races that have a synergistic effect in helping each other." Feingold is vying against Republican Sen. Ron Johnson. "I've been here twice since I was added to the ticket, and that's because Wisconsin is a critical place for us to win," Kaine said. Kaine said he, like Feingold, is "very focused on national security issues but wants to make sure that we do national security in a way that honors all of our traditions and values, rather than sort of sells out and compromises on our traditions and values." "What Hillary Clinton knows that Donald Trump doesn't is that strength is about alliances and sharing intelligence and working together," Kaine said. "It's not about building walls, building moats, tearing up alliances. That's not a way to be strong." A state Republican Party spokesman said Clinton and Feingold are helping maintain a broken political system. Senator Feingold and Hillary Clinton have spent decades running for office and putting their careers first, all while doing very little to help struggling Americans get ahead, said Pat Garrett, GOP spokesman. Americans are looking for real change, but Hillary Clinton and Senator Feingold continue to push dishonest and ineffective solutions that only maintain the same broken system in Washington, D.C. Kaine also returned to a theme on which he spoke during a stop in Milwaukee earlier this month -- Wisconsin's voter ID law. He charged state officials with " trying to put barriers up to participation" in elections. "If you meet anybody who says to you: 'I don't think my vote matters,' what you tell them is, the other side sure thinks it matters. Because they've been working awful hard to try to make it harder for you to vote," Kaine said. One of the campaign organizers who listened to Kaine's remarks was George Olufosoye of Milwaukee, who took a selfie with Kaine as he left the office. Olufosoye said he's optimistic he and other Democratic organizers can reach potential voters in a way that television and radio ads cannot. "For us being a battleground state, I feel pretty good about our chances," Olufosoye said. Editor's note: This story has been updated to include comment from the Republican Party of Wisconsin. Come From Away, inbound for Broadway this spring, has locked in its New York dates, setting a March opening night after pre-Broadway runs in Washington, D.C. and Toronto. The cast of the show, about a tiny Newfoundland town that welcomed 6,600 airline passengers rerouted in the immediate wake of the Sept. 11 attacks, will also play a two benefit concerts in October in Gander, Newfoundland, the town that inspired the musical. The show, which was well-received in initial runs in La Jolla and Seattle, joins a 2016-17 slate of new Broadway musicals that includes Dear Evan Hansen, a buzzy Off Broadway hit earlier this year, and a capella musical In Transit, two more shows that, like Come From Away, fall on the smaller, more intimately scaled end of the spectrum. Also in the mix this season are bigger-budgets offerings such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Anastasia, not to mention A Bronx Tale (co-directed by Robert DeNiro), Holiday Inn and Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, which earned raves in earlier Off Broadway runs. With book, music and lyrics by the Canadian husband-and-wife team of Irene Sankoff and David Hein, Come From Away has a cast that includes Jenn Colella (If/Then), Rodney Hicks (The Scottsboro Boys) and Chad Kimball (Memphis), among others. Christopher Ashley (Memphis) directs. Come From Away will play a Shubert theater on Broadway, with the exact theater still to be determined. The New York run starts Feb. 18 and opens March 12; before that, the production plays D.C. (Sept. 2-Oct. 9) and Toronto (Nov. 15-Jan. 8) as well as the concert in Newfoundland (Oct. 29). Related stories Broadway Sets Its Sights on Chinese Tourists 'Frozen' Broadway Musical Loses Director (EXCLUSIVE) 'Cats': 5 Ways the Smash Musical Changed Broadway (Getty) In a recent post on Instagram, Jon Jones said that he would be returning to the Octagon really soon despite facing a potential suspension for failing a drug test that ended up having him removed from the UFC 200 main event in July. Im sure you guys are curious about whats going on with this USADA situation, the interim UFC light heavyweight champion said. Obviously I cant get into it because its still pending, but what I can say is that we have found out lots of really good news, and I am expecting to be back in the Octagon really soon. Some scoffed at those claims, considering Jones history and the fact that he appeared to be staring at a possible two-year suspension. However, UFC president Dana White made an appearance on The Jim Rome Show and somewhat corroborated Jones claims. Its coming back now that it looks like he did not take the supplement that everybody thought he took, White said in relation to Jones originally being notified that he was pulled for the anti-estrogen drugs clomiphene and letrozole. Well see how this thing plays out. I dont even know if this is public. I dont even know if I can talk about it. Normally, Ill talk about anything, but when it comes to medical stuff, you cant do it. But its looking like Jon Jones did not take the drug that everybody thought he took. It looks like its something else. This goes along with Jones claims that he did not have any knowledge that he used those particular banned substances. However, that doesnt necessarily mean that Jones is out of the woods because he did fail the test. He definitely didnt get a bum rap, but the substance that he was [alleged to be] on was a pill that you take when youre coming down off of steroids, White said. But this thing is apparently in other things. Jon took something else. Where he doesnt come off clean is, you have to tell USADA everything you put in your body leading up to the fight and he did not. Imagine if the Milwaukee police officer who shot and killed 23-year-old Sylville K. Smith last weekend hadnt been wearing a body camera. Without images from the officers camera, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett wouldnt be able to tell his community, as he did Sunday, that without question Smith had a gun in his hand. Without the video evidence, Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn wouldnt be able to describe in convincing detail how Smith, after fleeing from a traffic stop, turned toward the officer and started to raise his gun. The video hasnt been made public yet. The state Justice Department plans to release it after the agency completes an independent investigation of the officer-involved shooting. Barrett and Gov. Scott Walker have urged release of the video soon to help calm the city in the wake of Saturdays shooting on Milwaukees north side. The shooting led to angry crowds burning several buildings and throwing bricks at officers over the weekend, though Monday night was relatively peaceful. Already, the very existence of the video has helped to ease suspicion by providing some clarity more of which is to come once people get to see it. Thats a huge advantage for the city and its citizens over having to rely on potentially conflicting accounts of what police and any witnesses might say. Madison and other cities that have resisted police cameras should take note: Nothing provides greater transparency in the wake of controversial police actions than video of what happened, be it good or bad for law enforcement. Thats why Barrett wisely pushed to equip the citys patrol officers with cameras. Police and the public behave better when they know their encounters are being recorded. Uniform cameras significantly reduce officer use of force as well as complaints against police, according to President Barack Obamas Task Force on 21st Century Policing. The Milwaukee officer who fatally shot Smith in the chest and arm hasnt been identified yet. Chief Flynn has said the officer is black, as was Smith. That has helped defuse racial tension. Barrett noted that Smith had more bullets in his gun than the officer had in his. Smith had a criminal record. The officer will eventually be identified, with his job performance reviewed. The more information the public gets about the shooting, the better it can understand and accept what occurred or push for change. Madison and other cities slow to adopt cop cameras should rethink their opposition. Because of smartphones, most civilians carry cameras in public. Police officers should be equipped with similar technology to document their difficult work. (Reuters) - Detroit, currently under post-bankruptcy state oversight, is planning to sue mostly banks and for-profit companies for some $12.2 million dollars in unpaid taxes from investment properties they purchased, the city said on Wednesday. Nearly 600 lawsuits will be filed later this month mainly in Michigan District Court in Detroit to recover tax money owed from 2010 to 2012 on 1,543 properties if demand letters the city sent this week to property owners do not result in payment. Detroit said it plans to go after delinquent taxes for other years with a subsequent effort. "We are working to improve city services for our residents, and to do that whether it's better police and fire protection, street lights or better schools for our children we need everyone who does business in this city to pay their fair share," said David Szymanski, Detroit's treasurer and deputy chief financial officer, in a statement. Detroit exited the biggest-ever U.S. municipal bankruptcy in December 2014, shedding about $7 billion of its $18 billion of debt and obligations. The city aims to be released from post-bankruptcy state oversight by January 2018, according to Mayor Mike Duggan. Szymanski said the lawsuits will not target individuals who live in their homes or own fewer than three properties. "We went to great lengths to ensure that we were going after only those who bought property as investments, not as a place to live," he said. An abundance of cheap properties fueled buying by U.S. and overseas investors hoping to make money from Detroit's resurgence. Real estate marketplace Zillow pegs the median home value in Detroit at $37,400, less than half of what it was 10 years ago. (Reporting By Karen Pierog; Editing by Alan Crosby) On the face of it, health insurance giant Aetnas announcement Monday that it was pulling out of 11 of the 15 states where it currently does business through Obamacare was a straight up decision to cut its sizeable losses. Mark Bertolini, Aetnas CEO, issued a statement that while he deeply regretted to pull out of many of the Affordable Care Acts insurance exchanges, the company had lost about $200 million in the second quarter of 2016 on its ACA plans and expected to lose more than $300 million overall this year. In light of those and previous losses, he said, Aetna had no choice but to reduce our individual public exchange presence in 2017. Related: Obamacare Suffers Another Big Blow as Aetna Pulls Out of 11 States But some health care experts said they suspected there might have been a lot more to Aetnas industry-jolting maneuver than a simple bottom line calculation. Those suspicions were reinforced late Tuesday with the surfacing of a July 5 letter from Bertolini to the Justice Department indicating that Aetna would have no choice but to pull out of Obamacare if government lawyers blocked a proposed merger between Aetna and Humana Inc. The letter, first reported by Huffington Post, was an example of corporate hardball. Bertolini made it clear that unless the Justice Department dropped its challenge to the merger, we would reduce our presence to no more than 10 states instead of expanding from 15 to 20 states in 2017 as originally planned. Our analysis to date makes clear that if the deal were challenged and/or blocked, we would need to take immediate actions to mitigate public exchange and ACA small group losses, Bertolini wrote. Specifically, if the DOJ sues to enjoin the transaction, we will immediately take action to reduce our 2017 exchange footprint. Aetna DoJ Letter After recounting Aetnas extensive financial problems since first entering the Obamacare market in January 2014, Bertolini declared, Finally, based on our analysis to date, we believe it is very likely that we would need to leave the public exchange business entirely and plan for additional business efficiencies should our deal ultimately be blocked. Related: With Aetna Pulling Out, Can Anything Save Obamacare? Story continues By contrast, he added, if the merger deal proceeded without costly and time-consuming litigation, We would explore how to devote a portion of the additional synergies . . . to supporting even more public exchange coverage over the next few years. Obamacare is just one small piece of Aetnas overall business, which last year alone generated $60 billion in revenue. The company is seeking to purchase the Kentucky-based Humana for $37 billion in an effort, it said, to strengthen its ability to lead efforts to transform health care delivery to a more consumer-focused marketplace. In early July, reports first surfaced that the Justice Department was preparing lawsuits to block the Aetna-Humana deal and another bid by rival Anthem to take over Cigna. Bloomberg reported that Justice Department officials responsible for safeguarding competition were concerned about the adverse impact on consumers of consolidating four of the nations five biggest health insurance companies. Related: Obamacare Insurers Are Looking for a Taxpayer Bailout The insurance companies and the Obama administration have been uneasy allies for years as the 2010 Affordable Care Act was finally implemented in October 2013, providing coverage to millions of Americans who lacked insurance from an employer or other sources. Industry leaders demanded and received many concessions from the White House and Democratic congressional leaders, including the so-called individual mandate that would force uninsured Americans to purchase coverage in the government operated and subsidized insurance markets or face a penalty. The Bertolini letter was sent a little more than two weeks before the Justice Department announced on July 21 that it would oppose the Aetna-Humana deal. The Justice Department had sought out Aetnas views on how a denial of the merger might affect Aetnas continued willingness to offer individual insurance policies on the Obamacare exchanges. Bertolinis letter -- essentially demanding that the Justice Department curtail its anti-trust proclivities and allow Aetnas acquisition of Human to move ahead or suffer the consequences of its defection from Obamacare -- may have gone beyond the traditional give and take of industry and the government. For some, it smacked of corporate blackmail. Related: How Donald Trump Just Single-Handedly Saved Obamacare Ironically, only four months ago, Bertolini was very positive about Obamacare and said his company saw it as a good investment in light of the 1.2 million new customers it acquired through the health insurance program. As late as Monday, when he announced the pull-back that has called into question Obamacares long-term financial stability, Aetna officials downplayed the importance of the controversy over the Humana deal in reaching their decision. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts liberal and long-time consumer advocated, posted on Facebook, The health of the American people should not be used as bargaining chips to force the government to bend to one giant companys will. A spokesperson for Aetna told the Huffington Post that Bertolinis upbeat assessment of Obamacare was followed by second quarter figures showing a significant deterioration in Aetnas financial picture which prompted the decision to starkly reduce its Obamacare footprint beginning in January 2017. TJ Crawford stressed in an emailed statement to reporters, "That deterioration, and not the DOJ challenge to our Humana transaction, is ultimately what drove us to announce the narrowing of our public exchange presence for the 2017 plan year. Related: Obamacare Insurers Received More than $15 Billion in Taxpayer Bailouts Joseph Antos, a health care expert with the American Enterprise Institute, sided with the company today in arguing that it was not an attempt at blackmail. First, they were responding to a question from the Justice Department, so they had to give an answer, Antos said in an interview. But also, blackmail doesnt work on the Justice Department. So thats not it. The question Bertolini faced was, how long can you go and how much money can you lose on this business, he added. The judgement was that they want to take at least a years break from losing that kind of money on the exchanges in the hopes changes are made so that the risk pool attracts more, younger, healthier people and then becomes a more viable insurance market. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: From LennyLetter I first heard Natashia Deon read from her novel Grace six years ago. She stood at the podium in full silence for 30 seconds, encouraging all of us to lean a little bit closer to her, to listen. And when she finally began reading, I am not exaggerating when I say that I heard people gasp. Grace is now a novel out in the world. It follows the life histories of three women - an enslaved woman, her daughter, and a Jewish woman, set in the antebellum and post-Emancipation South, a period that most Americans know nothing about but that we point to again and again as proof of American progress. It is an exploration of race, memory, trauma, and joy. In addition to being a writer, Natashia is a public defender. A few months ago she wrote an extraordinary essay about defending a man accused of sexual assault. It's a meditation on accountability and historical amnesia and a call to action to reconcile with our nation's traumatic past and troubled present that I've come back to again and again. I spoke to Natashia the day after the shootings in Orlando and a week after the Brock Turner verdict. Our conversation ranged from writing to questions of morality and justice. It's cheesy to say this, but Natashia speaks with love - not in the Hallmark sense of the word, but in the way the word is used in the New Testament and in the speeches of Dr. King - as a lens to view the world, as a measure of reason. Kaitlyn Greenidge: Can you talk about how this book came to be? Natashia Deon: My son was born with a rare genetic condition that affected his brain and development. He wasn't immediately diagnosed. But instinctively, I knew something was wrong and I was afraid he would die. At one point before his diagnosis, I was walking down the hallway holding him, and I had a vision. It was nighttime. I was in the woods in Alabama. [I saw] the moon there and a girl running in a yellow dress. It had blood on it and she was pregnant, and I knew she was a slave. I could hear her. I knew she was afraid and that shortly after giving birth she had been shot and killed. Story continues I was standing in my hallway frozen, and I told my husband to take my son. I needed to write down what I saw, which became the opening of the novel. The rest didn't come like that, but that's how it started. I remember thinking, Now what do I do? I'd been given this story from wherever stories come from, wherever imagination comes from. I knew that I had to write it. But I left it. Then, six months later, a friend of my mom's, a former prostitute who was Jewish, died. I knew then what the rest of the book was about. KG: How do you see writing and the idea of justice aligning? ND: That's one of the things that I grapple with in Grace because I don't believe there's justice when somebody is killed. Justice is restoration, it's giving them back what they lost. If you steal $100 from me, we go to court, you have to give me my $100 back. When somebody dies, you can't get that person back. All you can do is punish. It doesn't actually feel like real justice even when it's carried out. It's a sort of revenge that comes out of another definition of justice, a place where justice is decided based on what seems fair. A life sentence for a fourteen-year-old boy who commits an armed robbery and someone dies? Twenty-five years to life for a mom, like a client I had who walked out of Costco with $503 worth of unpaid groceries because her children were hungry? It was her third strike after two other strikes in her late-teen years. KG: How does being able to construct our own stories work toward an idea of justice? ND: I had a client who, in the 1950s or '60s, walked into the bathroom at a park and had a consensual sexual encounter with a man, which was an illegal act at that time in Los Angeles. He was convicted of a felony. When I met him, he said, "I'm 80 years old, my wife passed away. I don't want to die a felon. I want to live the life that I was meant to live." I wanted to represent that man. I wanted to retell his story and rewrite a record that referred to him in unflattering terms. And we won. The crime was erased from his record; he got several of his rights back, including the right to vote. There was rightness in this case for me for many reasons. KG: Do you think being a novelist makes you a better lawyer? ND: No, I think it makes me weaker. Not in my skill level or passion or ability as a lawyer, but as a person. It hurts my spirit sometimes. No matter who I represent, I'm zealous. It's what every client deserves. It's what I would want. And I usually win. But sometimes, there will be cases that hurt me. Maybe more so because I am a novelist. I can empathize with everybody at the same time. Like a lot of writers, we have a special relationship with empathy. We have to step inside our characters all of the time and understand something. Maybe not every writer carries that over from the page to real life. I do. KG: How have people in your workplace and church reacted to your writing? ND: Well, I go to a big church and was once invited to read a difficult piece about police brutality, and I said "Stop killing us." This is a community of many police officers and their families. KG: What happened in the moment after you read that essay? ND: You know, it was a variety ... In this country (and others), there's such a divide on political issues. There is a well-financed interest in keeping people divided and distracted. Most people are on one of two sides of any issue. But really there are more than two choices or three. For me, it's about dignity and decency and a right to live as we chose. I show up and hold a part of that rope, too, to be a bridge if I can. Make it a little bit easier. I don't feel that there are enough active bridges. But I understand the anger that makes people want to burn them down. To be a bridge, you have to shun injustice and at the same time be able to hold two ideas in your mind at the same time. That there's truth on both sides. Maybe it's true that that officer was in fear for his life, and maybe it's true that that innocent man should have never been killed. It's difficult for those on one side to see the rationale of the other. Or conclude the same thing. And I believe we can do something to change that. The thing about the legal system and about politics is that the laws are created by whoever is in power at that time. Period. You lose power, somebody else takes it, and the tables turn. KD: Where does your sense of self come from? ND: Letting go. On days I remember that it's not about me, I feel like all I have to do is stand on my mark and deliver the words or actions. I stand on my mark and deliver whatever I'm there to say or do. And not every day is a delivery day. Some days it's just walking alone and getting there. Or fighting off our own jealousies or shame or loss. The best way to find clarity is by serving others. That time won't be lost because whatever we do selflessly will remain. If not for this time, for some future. Kaitlyn Greenidge's novel We Love You, Charlie Freeman was published in March. She lives in Brooklyn and can be found on Twitter and Instagram @kkgreenidge. The Dilijan Arts Observatory, an experimental and interdisciplinary think-tank, intends to develop new models for art and higher education. This international event, the first of its kind in Armenia, will gather artists, cultural historians, and environmental scientists from 14 countries, meeting between August 22September 11, 2016. Dilijan, an ancient spa town and mountain retreat, once attracted the composers Dmitri Shostakovich and Benjamin Britten. Now international curator and anthropologist Clementine Deliss, director of the Weltkulturen Museum in Frankfurt, will draw an international group of historians and experts -- a third of whom are Armenian -- to undertake local and diverse fieldwork. Artisanal crafts, graphic design, music composition, astronomy, Soviet architecture, and botany are amongst the varied topics to be explored. "I hope that our dialogue will produce new models and prototypes for the future, Deliss stated. Armenian curator Vigen Galstyan said, in an article published by The Art Newspaper, "It is hoped the Dilijan Arts Observatory will come up with ideas that will have a real impact on the region, which it so sorely needs." The Observatory will be headquartered in the former Impuls electronics factory in Dilijan, a prime example of Soviet industrial architecture. 4000 employees worked here under the Soviet Defense Ministry until it was privatized. On September 10 and 11, a two-day public event in Dilijan will present the results of the think-tank findings among celebrations including an all-night symphony, culinary festivities, performances, and exhibitions. The longer-term outcome will be a traveling exhibition related to the think-tank's output: first at the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin (November 2017), then at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris (Summer 2018). The Dilijan Art Initiative was founded by philanthropists Veronika Zonabend and Ruben Vardanyan, as part of the IDeA (Initiatives for Development of Armenia) Charitable Foundation, to create a framework for Dilijan's cultural development, and for the cultural development of Armenia at large. Its mission is to turn Dilijan into a cultural center for art, research, and progressive thinking. While principally focused on contemporary art, the initiative aims to change people's lives on a local scale, while enriching the reputation of Armenia (and the entire post-Soviet sphere) at an international level. Spotlighting work by artists from the Armenian diaspora, the Initiative previously supported the National Pavilion of the Republic of Armenia at the 56th Venice Biennale -- which was awarded the Golden Lion, the highest possible honor for a national pavilion -- as well as the Armenian program at the 14th Istanbul Biennial, devoted to the research of Armenian history and trauma in contemporary Turkey. Disneys looking to create REAL lightsaber technology for Star Wars Land, and well be first in line Disneys looking to create REAL lightsaber technology for Star Wars Land, and well be first in line Know that Star Wars Land we keep talking so much about? Its going to be located in both Disneyland and Disney World, so no matter what coast youre on, youll be just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the Millennium Falcon. Disney is promising us a totally out-of-this-world experience, one thatll completely immerse us in the Star Wars story, on top of dropping us right into the ever-expanding Star Wars world. While though it might be heard to hear everything in the park will be fake, made out of hard work, magic, and pixie dust, Disney is certainly trying to make it as real as possible. So, theyre designing lightsabers. Yes, lightsabers. If youre not careful, you just might lose a hand. According to PatentYogi, Disney has just filed a patent that will bring lightsabers to life. For real. Okay, obviously they will be real ~fake~ lightsabers, and not actually capable of cutting off a hand, or cutting a Darth Maul in half. But, from the sound of this patent, it looks like theres going to be some sort of interactive Jedi show, where youll actually be given a lightsaber that operates as if it WERE real. This new patent (US 20160201888 A1) is for, Audience interaction projection system, and its described as: A process and system capture invisible radiation that is reflected or emitted from an object to precisely locate the object. The process and system project visible light from a light source toward the object such that the light is precisely targeted at the object. Preferably, the visible light passes through an atmosphere containing particulate matter rendering the visible light as a beam that appears to emanate from the object rather than from the light source. Is that all gibberish? Sure is! Basically, what Disney is trying to create is this: Story continues luke PatentYogi breaks it down again, if you need it to be explained to you in a non-Star Wars way: Basically, an audience member in some type of show/event would hold a lightsaber with little infrared readers on it, and those infrared readers would send back readings to another device, that sends MORE readings back to the lightsaber, so everything talks to one another. Technology is crazy, friends. In the end, what does this mean for us? It means that your wildest dreams of wielding a lightsaber might just come true. Sure, youve probably held (and/or bought) the plastic lightsabers at Target before, but none of those ever like, really worked. This one will, and you just might be able to deflect, block, and cut peoples arms off use the Force for real. 05f Disney hasnt commented on this brand new technology, and they probably wont until its real and happening in Star Wars Land. You might want to start practicing your smooth lightsaber skills in the comforts of your own home, just in case. The post Disneys looking to create REAL lightsaber technology for Star Wars Land, and well be first in line appeared first on HelloGiggles. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / Dolly Varden Silver Corporation (TSX.V: DV | U.S.: DOLLF) (the "Company" or "Dolly Varden") reports the appointment of Rory Kutluoglu as the Company's new Vice President of Exploration and Qualified Person ("QP") for National Instrument 43-101 purposes. Mr. Kutluoglu, who was Exploration Manager with Kaminak Gold prior to its take over by Goldcorp Inc., will take on these responsibilities from Mr. Ron F. Nichols, who is resigning. "Dolly Varden's board wishes to thank Ron Nichols, who has been a senior executive of Dolly Varden since its inception in 2011, most of the time as Vice President of Exploration but also as the Company's CEO for two years until February 2014. In all of his capacities, and through some very challenging times, Ron's deep knowledge of the project and strong optimism for its potential were constant. We wish him all the best in his new endeavors. Rory has the experience, energy, and technical and data skills to lead the exploration on the project. He is eager to get started. We welcome him aboard just as field crews are being mobilized to the site for the start of this year's exploration program," said Rosie Moore, Director and Interim President & CEO of Dolly Varden. Rory Kutluoglu is a Canadian geologist with over a decade of exploration experience in a wide variety of commodities across North America. Rory was Exploration Manager for Kaminak Gold Corporation from 2012 to 2015 and was part of the team that delivered the maiden resource, positive preliminary economic assessment and positive feasibility study for the Coffee Gold Project in the Yukon which was acquired by Goldcorp Inc. in July 2016 for approximately $520 million. Rory began his professional career working on the team that discovered the Broken Hammer deposit in Sudbury for Wallbridge Mining. He then served Aeroquest Surveys Limited, acquiring and processing data from electromagnetic, magnetic and radiometric surveys. From 2006 to 2010, Rory worked as a Project Geologist for Equity Exploration Consultants Ltd., Goldfields Canada and Kiska Metals Corp. where he was responsible for planning, implementing and reporting on grassroots exploration programs across Canada. Rory obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from Lakehead University in Ontario and has been a Professional Geoscientist, registered with The Association of Professional Engineers and Geologist of British Columbia since 2011 and is also a Fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists. Story continues About Dolly Varden - Dolly Varden Silver Corporation is a mineral exploration company focused on the exploration of the Dolly Varden silver property located in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. The entire Dolly Varden property is considered to be highly prospective for hosting high-grade precious metal deposits, since it comprises the same structural and stratigraphic setting that host numerous other, on-trend, high-grade deposits, such as Eskay Creek and Brucejack. The Company's common shares are listed and traded on the TSX.V under the symbol DV and on the OTCBB system under the symbol DOLLF. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This release may contain forward-looking statements or information. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual outcome, results, performance, or achievements of Dolly Varden to be materially different from any future outcome, results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements or information relate to, among other things, the continued exploration of the Dolly Varden silver property. These forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and beliefs, but given the uncertainties, assumptions and risks, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements or information. The Company disclaims any obligation to update, or to publicly announce, any such statements, events or developments except as required by law. For additional information on risks and uncertainties, see the Company's most recently filed annual management discussion & analysis ("MD&A"), which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.dollyvardensilver.com. The risk factors identified in the MD&A are not intended to represent a complete list of factors that could affect the Company. Neither the TSX.V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX.V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Contact Information: Dolly Varden Silver Corporation Rosie Moore, Interim CEO and President +1 604 925 5881 Skanderbeg Capital Advisors Inc. Mario Vetro +1 604 687 7130 Email: mario@skanderbegcapital.com SOURCE: Dolly Varden Silver Corporation Despite weeks of calls from Republican leaders for a pivot from his freewheeling primary campaign, Donald Trump says he doesnt want to moderate his tone for the general election. Everyone talks about, Oh, youve got to pivot, Trump said in an interview with WKBT-TV in La Crosse, Wis., on Tuesday. I dont want to pivot. I dont want to change. You have to be you. If you start pivoting, youre not being honest with people. Trump said a presidential pivot was possible, but, you know, I am who I am. The Republican nominee also said his brash style is what led to his nomination. Ive gotten here in a landslide, Trump said of his primary wins. Dont forget, when I lost Wisconsin, it was over for Trump. Except for one problem: I then went on a very good run. Trumps comments came hours before the announcement of changes among senior campaign staff. Stephen Bannon, the executive chairman of conservative website Breitbart News, was named chief executive of the Trump campaign, while pollster Kellyanne Conway was promoted to campaign manager. Campaign chairman Paul Manafort who is at the center of a controversy following reports suggesting he may have secretly taken cash payments from a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine in 2012 will retain that title, the Trump campaign said. Disgraced former Fox News chairman Roger Ailes, who left the cable news network amid multiple accusations of sexual harassment, has been brought on as an unofficial adviser, according to the New York Times. The Trump campaign denied the report. The campaign shakeup came as Trump fell behind Hillary Clinton by more than 7 points in post-convention polls. A string of controversies also led to calls from GOP leaders, including Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, for Trump to stay on message. Trumps consecutive prepared speeches this week one on national security, the other on law and order are evidence that the candidate is willing to evolve, his advisers say. Story continues In Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday, Trump called for extreme vetting of new immigrants, apparently stopping short of his previously proposed ban on all Muslims entering the United States. That exactly shows the evolution, a mature evolution, based on input, on information, Trump foreign policy adviser Walid Phares said on Fox & Friends Tuesday. He actually operates now almost like a president listening to advisers, people in the intelligence or [who] worked in the intelligence, defense, diplomacy. Conway disputed the shakeup characterization. I know some are calling it a shakeup, but it really is not. It doesnt feel that way, she said on Fox News on Wednesday afternoon. It is a busy homestretch, to election day, we just need to sort of beef up the senior level roles in a way that we are dividing and conquering. There is a great deal to do. But Trumps decision to bring on Bannon, the Washington Posts Bob Costa reports, is a signal the real estate mogul intends to finish this race on his own terms. Huge rallies. Gloves off. Brutal fights with Clinton. Heavy emphasis on nationalism and populism. That's the Bannon strategy. Robert Costa (@costareports) August 17, 2016 Bannon, in phone calls and meetings, has been urging Trump for months to not mount a fall campaign that makes Republican donors and officials comfortable, Costa wrote. Instead, Bannon has been telling Trump to run more fully as an outsider and an unabashed nationalist. Trump has listened intently to Bannon and agreed with him, believing that voters will ultimately want a presidential candidate who represents disruption more than a candidate with polished appeal. Trumps plan moving forward, Costa added, is to focus intensely on rousing his voters at rallies and through media appearances. Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 donald trump Donald Trump cast doubt on Wednesday over the competency of the US intelligence apparatus, claiming that the intelligence community has led the country to make poor foreign policy decisions. In an interview with "Fox and Friends," reporter Ainsley Earhardt asked the Republican presidential nominee how much faith he had in US intelligence leaders. "Not so much from the people that have been doing it for our country. I mean look what's happened over the last 10 years. Look what's happened over the years. I mean it's been catastrophic," Trump said. "As a matter of fact, I won't use some of the people that are sort of your standards. You know just use them, use them, use them. Very easy to use them. But I won't use them because they've made such bad decisions. The real-estate magnate specifically cited faulty CIA intelligence claiming that Iraq possessed so-called "weapons of mass destruction," which spurred Bush administration officials and US lawmakers to support an invasion of the country in 2003. "I mean you look at Iraq, you look at the Middle East, it's a total powder keg. If we would have never touched it, it would have been a lot better. I mean we would have been much better off. On top of which we spent probably $4 trillion. Nobody even knows what we've spent, Trump said. Trump is set to receive his first classified intelligence briefing on Wednesday in New York. Classified briefings are a courtesy extended to the nominees of both major parties in order to allow either to hit the ground running after November. Trump will be joined by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and advisor former Defense Intelligence Agency Director Michael Flynn. NOW WATCH: Watch Joe Biden's full speech the most effective Trump takedown delivered at the DNC More From Business Insider With only 82 days left before Election Day, Donald Trump is shaking up his campaign once again. Breitbart News' executive chairman Stephen Bannon has been appointed as Trump's new campaign CEO, and pollster Kellyanne Conway has been promoted to campaign manager, the GOP nominee's campaign announced in a statement Wednesday. "I have known Steve and Kellyanne both for many years. They are extremely capable, highly qualified people who love to win and know how to win," Trump said in the statement. "I believe we're adding some of the best talents in politics, with the experience and expertise needed to defeat Hillary Clinton in November and continue to share my message and vision to Make America Great Again. I am committed to doing whatever it takes to win this election, and ultimately become President because our country cannot afford four more years of the failed Obama-Clinton policies which have endangered our financial and physical security." Trump's latest staff reshuffle is reportedly meant to rebuff his advisers' recent attempts to make him more "presidential." Donald Trump Hires 'Most Dangerous Political Operative in America' as His New Campaign CEO| 2016 Presidential Elections, politics, Donald Trump Bannon, who was tapped to help "bolster the business-like approach" of Trump's campaign, was "once recognized by Bloomberg Politics as the 'most dangerous political operative in America,' " the statement added. He "will oversee the campaign staff and operations, in addition to strategic oversight of major campaign initiatives." The Bloomberg profile in question, published in 2015, said Bannon "sits at the nexus of what Hillary Clinton once dubbed 'the vast right-wing conspiracy,' where he and his network have done more than anyone else to complicate her presidential ambitions." What makes Bannon doubly dangerous is that he's just as eager to take down establishment Republicans like Jeb Bush or John Boehner as he is Democrats like Clinton, Bloomberg reported. "When Sarah Palin was at the height of her fame, Bannon was whispering in her ear. When Donald Trump decided to blow up the Republican presidential field, Bannon encouraged his circus-like visit to the U.S.-Mexico border. John Boehner just quit as House speaker because of the mutinous frenzy Bannon and his confederates whipped up among conservatives." "If there's an explosion or a fire somewhere," said Matthew Boyle, Breitbart's Washington political editor, "Steve's probably nearby with some matches." Story continues Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump: Flashback Moments, 1979 a 1992 Bannon's hiring comes as Trump will receive his first classified intelligence briefing on Wednesday in New York timing that doesn't sit well with Republicans who are wary of Bannon's tactics. Former Mitt Romney campaign adviser Stuart Stevens tweeted Wedesnday: Steve Bannon potentially having inside knowledge of a classified briefing is insane. POTUS should postpone or cancel briefing of Trump. a stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) August 17, 2016 And Business Insider's Oliver Darcy tweeted of right-wing radio host Glenn Beck: Glenn Beck blasting Bannon on radio right now: "Ask people who worked at Breitbart! He's a horrible despicable human being" a Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) August 17, 2016 Though Trump's top adviser, Paul Manafort, will retain his title of campaign chairman, advisers who spoke with The Washington Post "described his status internally as diminished due to Trump's unhappiness and restlessness in recent weeks" as Manafort pushed the GOP nominee to soften his style for the general election. Donald Trump Hires 'Most Dangerous Political Operative in America' as His New Campaign CEO| 2016 Presidential Elections, politics, Donald Trump Manafort made headlines this week for his alleged ties to pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Manafort illegally "helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012." Trump's campaign shakeup also comes as he is falling in polls. He now trails Clinton by 9 and 14 points, respectively, in polls of registered voters in the key battleground states of Florida and Virginia. But Trump's new hirings might be more about doing things his way, come what may, than they are about winning. Wrote the Post, "It sent a signal, perhaps more clearly than ever, that the real-estate magnate intends to finish this race on his own terms, with friends who share his instincts at his side." 5th Cir.s Smith Doesnt Always Fit Conservative Label: Patrick Gregory of Bloomberg BNA has this report . Does the First Amendment Protect Deliberate Lies? Donald Trump says the press cannot lie; But the Supreme Court says otherwise: In fact, many falsehoods are protected speech. Law professor Garrett Epps has this essay online today at The Atlantic. SCOTUS Abortion Case May Have Voting Rights Ramifications: Kimberly Robinson of Bloomberg BNA has this report . Snowball industry lawsuit draws chilly ruling from 5th Circuit: Greg LaRose of The Times-Picayune of New Orleans has an article that begins, A long-running feud in the local snowball industry has unfolded for 10 years in state and federal courtrooms, with neither side gaining much satisfaction from the outcomes. The latest round of the fight produced a very creative ruling this week. Gov. Terry McAuliffe says Supreme Court conservatives were scared to buck General Assembly on felon voting: In todays edition of The Richmond Times-Dispatch, Graham Moomaw has this front page article . North Carolina asks Supreme Court to restore strict voting procedures: Robert Barnes has this article in todays edition of The Washington Post. Colin Campbell:of The News & Observer of Raleigh, North Carolina reports that McCrory asks Supreme Court to restore voter ID law. Lawrence Hurley of Reuters reports that North Carolina asks Supreme Court to reinstate voter ID law. The Associated Press reports that North Carolina asks Supreme Court to keep voter ID for now. Cristian Farias of The Huffington Post reports that North Carolina Took 17 Days To Ask Supreme Court To Rescue Its Voter ID Law; But the state says it wants the court to act quickly to avoid confusion come Election Day. At the Constitution Daily blog of the National Constitution Center, Lyle Denniston has a post titled North Carolina seeks to enforce voter ID law. And in commentary, Ian Millhiser of ThinkProgress has an essay titled North Carolina Hires One Of Americas Most Expensive Attorneys To Defend Voter Suppression; Defending the indefensible is hard. From Country Living If eyes are the windows to the soul, then doors are definitely the first glimpse into the heart of a home. This may explain why a new photography trend is taking the internet by storm. "Doortraits," or portraits of interesting doors from around the world are growing in popularity on the internet, the New York Times reports. In fact, there's a growing community of people sharing their love for gorgeous entryways via the hashtag #doortrait. The Instagram trend may seem new, but the history of capturing doorways has a long history. Seventeenth century Dutch artists had a passion for painting doors and windows-they wanted to simultaneously represent both home and street life. More recently, 1970s photographer Roy Colmer captured more than 3,000 doors in Manhattan, which are now featured as a collection in the New York Public Library. Of all the things one could express through art, why doors? The fascination is pretty simple: Doors are both beautiful and incite curiosity. "It evokes a kind of voyeurism, wondering what is going on behind a door or window," Erin Barnett, the director of exhibitions and collections for the International Photography Center in New York, told the Times. Doortrait photographer Abdullah Alriyami further explained, "Doors and windows in architecture are just like the eyes in people. It is through your eyes that I know about you and we communicate better. A door is not just a tool for security and protection, it is a cultural symbol of a human being." Nowadays, there are Instagram accounts devoted almost exclusively, if not entirely, to doors. Cold Knees, Doors of Italy, Arina in London Land, and Doors Everywhere are just a handful of examples. Here are some of our favorites: Even if these entrances don't make you wonder about the homeowner, you have to admit-they definitely serve as curb-appeal inspiration. (h/t The New York Times) This dorm room is straight out of Gossip Girl and the internet is freaking out This dorm room is straight out of Gossip Girl and the internet is freaking out Who doesnt remember moving into their dorm as a freshman? You know, that unique mix of excitement and complete panic? No matter what your personality type is, were willing to bet that you were at least a little worried about making new friends, doing well in your classes, and oh, yeah decorating your dorm room. For University of Mississippi freshmen Lindy Goodson and Abby Bozeman, the dorm decor is the least of their worries. People Can't Get Over This Super Extravagant Dorm Room: Dorm goals. Meet Lindy Goodson and A... https://t.co/EWFeVlJZ7z bygofran (@bygofran) August 16, 2016 Were serious: Their dorm room looks like something out of Gossip Girl, in the very best way. blair1 Remember when Blair and Dorota decorated Serenas new off-campus college apartment so that B and S would be soul-roommates AND soul-besties?! blair2 Lindy Goodson and Abby Bozeman are like Blair and Serena in REAL LIFE (minus probably all the drama). And were not alone in feeling blown away by the girls amazing sense of home decor. Goodson shared a picture of the before and after of their dorm room and it went positively viral. It went so viral, in fact, that Goodson has made her Twitter private. my dorm room goals right here pic.twitter.com/CuClvlB7uD anna buie (@annabuie_) August 16, 2016 Ole Miss Freshmen Have Most Elaborate Dorm Room Ever, Probs Not Going Out For Recruitment: https://t.co/PZg8qDS1u0 pic.twitter.com/37X5V7lbF2 Total Sorority Move (@totalsratmove) August 16, 2016 Thinking that dorm room isn't all that fancy might be one of the most ole miss things ever. Austin Alexander (@austin_thebruce) August 16, 2016 Goodson tells Buzzfeed that the girls started planning their dorm room back in December, which shows some serious dedication. Like many college freshman, the pair put their dorm together by shopping at various places like Marshalls and TJMaxx. Oh, and they got a few things custom-made, too, including their pillows, headboards, and bedskirts. The dorm rooms at Ole Miss are supposedly pretty darn fancy on the whole, as Goodson explains to Buzzfeed, Its really competitive. So I was like, we definitely have to make ours look good. A lot of them here are done up. Seeing a dorm room that adorable almost makes me want to move back into a dorm almost. The post This dorm room is straight out of Gossip Girl and the internet is freaking out appeared first on HelloGiggles. When costume designer Anna Mary Scott Robbins was brought onto Downton Abbey in its fifth season, it was, she says, To really bring it right into the 20s and epitomize that decadejust a new take on things. Robbins is currently enjoying her second Emmy nomone for each year she worked on Downton. By the time Robbins came on board, Downtons popularity had soared into the worldwide stratosphere, with a particularly powerful spotlight on the stunning period wardrobe of its female leads. Robbins had quite the job on her hands, outfitting the entire above-and-below stairs cast with clothes that were both authentic and beautiful. She says, I had to have an eye slightly on picking things that I knew would be covetable by a modern audience and a modern eye, that also sit really well within the decade. Robbins credits the show with changing her life, as she says, There are opportunities being afforded to me that I never dreamt were possible. Robbins told AwardsLine about scouring Europe for the perfect opera coat and showing Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, around the Downton wardrobe department. I imagine being on Downton is very immersive and involving, and it would probably feel like a family fairly quickly? Yeah. Absolutely. When I joined in series five, everybody said it was like a family, and I mean, I believed them, but I didnt really appreciate just how much it was, and it was the most incredible experience. We finished filming about a year ago now, actually, and at the time, you were on this high having completed such an amazing final series. Actually, now Ive just had time to reflect and realize how glorious the whole thing was, really. So, yeah, its bittersweet, but the Emmys is going to be an absolutely amazing opportunity to have a bit of a reunion. How do you approach sourcing authentic but still-wearable period costume? I have a very specific idea about how I want it to look, so a lot of it ends up being bespoke so that I can achieve that, but also, because the 1920s is a period where original clothing is now quite rare and quite fragile. So my approach is that if I can use original pieces, I will, be that a dress that we can find in perfect condition, or if its not quite so perfect, to be able to restore it and give it a new lease on life, but it could even be a dress thats fallen apart, and I can reuse some of the embroidery, or the beading, or the fabric itself, the lame and the velvet that doesnt exist in modern fabrics in the same way. Story continues Im always looking in vintage fairs and through traders, and I cast my net really wide. I shop in London, and there are some amazing monthly and biannual fairs that I visit, but Ive also traveled to Paris to the market fair, and to Scotland, which is where Im from, where there are some amazing places that a lot of London designers dont know about. Do you think Julian Fellowes brought you on because he realized the need for Downton to up its game fashion wise, especially for the 20s era? I think that Julian Fellowes writes so brilliantly for the period, and just the fact that its so authentic to each specific year that we film in is largely down to his incredible writing. I suppose my job as a designer is to kind of bridge the gap between it having to be very, very accurate, but also covetable and fashionable. There are a few pieces that you could just lift out and wear it and style in a different way. Is the 20s a favorite era for you personally? Are you a vintage collector yourself? I do collect vintage. I cant help it really. I love it. I love 20th century fashion, and the 20s was a decade that I love and admire, but I fell in love with it during Downton because I was handling the pieces and finding such special pieces. So Id say that its a love that grew during the two years I was on the show, definitely, and now I dont know if Ill ever shake it. Its taken a while to drag myself out into another decade. Im now working in the 40s. So it took me a while to change my mindset. What are you working on right now? I wrapped just last week on a drama called The Halcyon, which is set in 1940 in a five-star London hotel during the blitz. Its been incredible actually, and very different from Downton in terms of the palette, but I mean, theres similarities in that theres glamor and just really beautiful clothing and a great spread of characters across the class system. You gave Kate Middleton a tour of your department when she came on a set visit. What was that like? It was a pleasure and a privilege, and she was very interested in the layering of costume and the meanings behind it all. So it was lovely to be able to talk to her about it on a certain level. It was really great. It was a very exciting day, a wonderful experience. Im sure the Downton costumes are kept by the show for display purposes in the future, but was there something you really loved that you wanted to take? Yes. There was a couple of things. There was an opera coat that Lady Edith wore in the scene where she fist kisses Bertie. I bought that at the beginning of series five. I fell in love with it, and it just sort of stayed on a rail until the moment came where I was able to use it, and for me, the color, its completely original. It has a label, and it just says One Kensington, London. Its the way this fur collar comes up and creates this perfect 20s silhouette. So that was a real find, but I mean, there are so many pieces that are so gorgeous. And did the actors want to take clothes home too? They wanted to. Theres a life after filming on Downton, which is lovely, because the costumes might be seen again in exhibitions potentially, and that means that people can see them up close, which is a lovely thing. But, yeah, the cast coveted a few pieces here and there. Michelle (Dockery) really liked a green paneled daywear coat. Then there was the Criterion dress that Lady Mary wears to see Henry Talbotthis sea green bias-cut silk with gold metallic lace that had this beautiful kind of halter neck. Related stories Michelle Dockery Thrilled To Play Bad Girl Letty In "Messed Up Love Story" 'Good Behavior' - TCA ITV Plans To Cut Costs To Counter Brexit Impact; Enjoys Profit Increase Thanks To ITV Studios Michelle Dockery Cast As Female Lead In Netflix's 'Godless' Miniseries Have you been eager to see how Eaton Vance Corp. EV performed in third-quarter fiscal 2016 (ended Jul 31) in comparison with the market expectations? Lets quickly scan through the key facts from this Massachusetts-based investment management firms earnings release this morning: Earnings Eaton Vance came out with adjusted earnings per share of 56 cents, in line with the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Lower expenses were offset by a decline in revenues. How Was the Estimate Revision Trend? You should note that the earnings estimate for Eaton Vance depicted a bullish trend prior to the earnings release. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has inched up over the last 7 days. However, Eaton Vance doesnt have a decent earnings surprise history. Before Q3 earnings, the company has negative earnings beat in three of the trailing four quarters, with an average negative surprise of 4.48%. EATON VANCE Price and EPS Surprise EATON VANCE Price and EPS Surprise | EATON VANCE Quote Revenue Came In Lower Than Expected Eaton Vance posted total revenue of $341.2 million, which marginally lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $242.01 million. Also, it compared unfavorably with the year-ago number of $355.5 million. Key Statistics As of Jul 31, 2016, assets under management (AUM) were $334.4 billion, up 7% year-over-year. Also, total net inflows amounted to $19.0 billion in the reported quarter. Expenses related to Eaton Vances NextShares initiative totaled roughly $2.4 million in the reported quarter, an increase of 17% from the prior-year quarter. During the first nine months of fiscal 2016, Eaton Vance repurchased nearly 6.1 million shares its Non-Voting Common Stock for $205 million. What Zacks Rank Says The estimate revisions that we discussed earlier have driven a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) for Eaton Vance. However, since the latest earnings performance is yet to be reflected in the estimate revisions, the rank is subject to change. While things apparently look favorable, it all depends on what sense the just-released report makes to the analysts. 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 To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's telecoms regulator has approved revised terms for 4G mobile broadband network licences, and said it will send them out to operators on Sunday. The government offered four 4G telecom licences in June, to Telecom Egypt and to the country's three mobile services providers - Orange Egypt, Vodafone Egypt and Etisalat - but only Telecom Egypt accepted the terms. The regulator, keen to prioritise existing carriers, decided to revise them. A senior official at the Telecommunications Ministry told Reuters on Wednesday that the revised terms include additional frequencies but there is no change in the pricing or the condition that 50 percent of the payment for the licences must be made in U.S. dollars. "The telecom regulator approved the final terms of the 4G licences yesterday," the official said, adding that companies would have until midday on Sept. 22 to accept them. The National Telecom Regulatory Authority later issued a statement confirming it approved the final terms and that the companies had until Sept. 22 to accept. The government, which is grappling with a shortage of hard currency as economic and political turmoil in Egypt in the past few years has deterred foreign investment, has said it hopes to raise 22.3 billion Egyptian pounds ($2.5 bln) in total in licence fees. (Reporting by Ehab Farouk; Writing by Ola Noureldin; Editing by Greg Mahlich and Susan Fenton) Jesus Alfredo Guzman El Chapo Guzman son Sinaloa cartel New details from Mexican officials and sources purporting to have ties to "El Chapo" Guzman's family confirm what could be a troubling development for Mexico: That one or possibly two of Guzman's sons have been kidnapped by the Jalisco New Generation cartel, the Sinaloa cartel's only real rival in the country. Initial reports indicated that Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, the kingpin's oldest son, had been abducted, but Eduardo Almaguer, the state prosecutor for Mexico's Jalisco state, reported that Jesus Alfredo Guzman, the kingpin's youngest son, was the one taken. "The person by the name of Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, age 29, is the son of Joaquin Guzman Loera," Almaguer said at a news conference. His abduction "has been confirmed by what was found in the vehicles and what security agencies found and the forensic examinations performed," Almaguer added. Almaguer said Mexican authorities had identified four of the six men who had been kidnapped, but backtracked from initial reports that Ivan Archivaldo was among them. Pablo Badillo, a lawyer for the "El Chapo" Guzman, told CNN that the family had told him "the possibility of Ivan Archivaldo having been abducted is very high," however. Both sons have been named by the US government as drug traffickers and are believed to have assumed a greater role in the Sinaloa cartel's operations after their father's rearrest in January. El Chapo Guzman family trafficking network While Mexico's marines, federal police, state police, and top prosecutor's office were involved in the search for the missing men, Almaguer said authorities had not been notified by anyone involved in or linked to the crime. "We have not received a single report from anyone to help locate these people who were (kidnapped)," Almaguer said, according to the AP, nor had they heard of anyone demanding a ransom. Story continues The vacuum created by Guzman's capture had already allowed fractures to form in the Sinaloa cartel, which is better understood as a confederation of cooperating factions, rather than a hierarchical cartel led by a single leader or group. Puerto Vallarta Mexico Pacific coast map Some of those factions have already clashed this year, leaving scores of dead in the cartel's home turf, and there were early suspicions that the kidnapping was a sign of intra-cartel feuding. But, in a development that gives the incident a more sinister hue, Mexican authorities also confirmed that the rival Jalisco New Generation cartel (CJNG) was behind the kidnapping. CJNG is considered the biggest cartel operating in Jalisco state, even though some reports indicate that Puerto Vallarta is Sinaloa cartel territory. CJNG is considered Mexico's fastest-growing and most violent cartel, known for narcobloqueos torching commandeered vehicles to make roadblocks and for an incident in spring 2015 in which the group downed a military helicopter with a rocket-propelled grenade. The Sinaloa cartel and the CJNG were thought to have cooperated in the past but have grown to be rivals, clashing over territory along Mexico's west coast. Mexico cartel map "If it is confirmed that the kidnapping of one of Guzmans sons by the [CJNG] we would add a new and powerful enemy for the Sinaloa cartel," Adrian Lopez, editor of the Sinaloa-based newspaper El Noroeste, told The Guardian. Earlier reports also indicated that the kidnapping took place without gunfire. According to Mexican magazine Proceso, sources in the Mexican Intelligence and National Security Center (Cisen) had information that Ivan and Alfredo only traveled in public with eight to 10 bodyguards. Given that information, those sources were surprised to see an operation in which the assailants knew not only the location of their targets and when they would be there, but were also able to disable the bodyguards or knew when the bodyguards wouldn't be there. The kidnapping has dark implications for Mexico's narco world, as it suggests a new round of inter-cartel fighting is on the horizon. Jalisco CJNG cartel Mexico "That's a pretty gutsy move," Samuel Logan, managing partner at the business and security consulting firm Southern Pulse, told the Associated Press of the kidnapping."It doesn't surprise me that they would push to escalate this to the next level." "I believe the Jalisco New Generation cartel wants to take over the Sinaloa cartel," Raul Benitez, a security expert and professor in Mexico City told The Wall Street Journal, calling it a "war for inheritance." Recaptured drug lord Joaquin Though it may be a harbinger of future violence, the kidnapping is not the first clash between these two powerful cartels. A source purporting to have ties to the Guzman family told Proceso that the family suspects this incident is related to a June attack on Guzman's hometown, in which an armed gang believed to be led by Alfredo Beltran Leyva another former ally of Guzman's turned foe ransacked the home of Guzman's mother and left several people dead. Violence targeting family members would not be new among Mexico's narcos. The killing of another of Guzman's sons, Edgar, in 2008 coincided with a break between the Sinaloa cartel and the Beltran Leyva family as well as with the Sinaloa cartel's move into rival territory in Ciudad Juarez, igniting a war that left thousands dead before subsiding around 2012. "There is a war right now for control of the Sinaloa cartel and a central theme in that war is the issue of attacks on his family," Benitez told the AP. "People have information about the family's movements and they want to destroy the family." 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 son of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman has reportedly been kidnapped in an attempt to overthrow the imprisoned infamous drug lord for good. According to The Guardian, the incident happened in the western state of Jalisco at the restaurant of a Mexican resort. Jalisco state Attorney General Eduardo Almaguer told reporters it is presumed, that 32-year-old Ivan Archivaldo Guzman was among the five men kidnapped by a criminal group early Monday morning (Aug. 15). Authorities believe those who were kidnapped had been visiting Puerto Vallarta for a least a week under false identities. The gang has assumed to be Jalisco New Generation cartel, a fairly new operation that has grown over the past five years. If confirmed, the kidnapping shows a power shift among the drug cartels. Adrian Lopez, editor of El Noreoeste, tells The Guardian that El Chapos competitors are using his time away from the business to stand in line for the top spot. His enemies are taking advantage of his distraction with extradition and his weakness, Lopez said. After his third arrest, he has been weakened even more. It seems like he employed a lot of resources in the last escape. According to the Associated Press, the incident can also be analyzed as an attack against El Chapos family. In June, an armed group invaded the home of his elderly mother in Sinaloa. Since the news of his fathers escape and recapture, Guzman has presumptively taken over the family business. A twitter account linked to Guzman shows over 160,000 followers and photos of a luxurious lifestyle. An elderly motorist was run over by her own car as it slipped away with no one at the wheel, a heart-stopping video shows. Read: Mother Fuming After Her 2-Year-Old Son Viciously Attacked by Peacock at Local Park It happened earlier in the week in Burlington, Washington, as 73-year-old Mary Helen Boberg was stopped a red light when another driver informed her that the gas cap was open. She got out of the car to fix it, but did not put the vehicle in park. When she opened the door to get back in, she was dragged under the car and it rolled over her legs. Video of the incident was shot by the motorist behind her, David Alger. She went to get back inside, next thing I know she's down on the pavement and the car's running over the top of her, he told Inside Edition. I'm thinking crushed legs, horrible pain. The Honda SUV Boberg was driving weighs nearly two tons. Alger ran out of his car to help her as her vehicle kept going across a busy intersection. Read: Cowabunga, Baby! Pregnant Woman Goes Wake Surfing to Help With Delivery To Algers surprise, Boberg got back on her feet. I couldn't believe it, he said. She just sprang to her feet and dusted herself off. I tried to get her to hang on to my arm; she says No, Im fine. Boberg walked to the curb with a slight limp, which was the only sign that she suffered any injury. Her SUV kept going through the intersection and crashed into a tree. It did not have any serious damage. Watch: Police Rescue 22 Dogs Found Living Inside Sweltering Hot Car Related Articles: Ellen Pompeo let fans in on a little-known secret about her inside the pages of the latest issue of Good Housekeeping, on stands now. "I can wrangle a chicken," Pompeo admitted, when asked about her hidden talents. WATCH: Ellen Pompeo Says She Embraces Aging as a 'Gift,' Reveals Her Beauty Secrets The Grey's Anatomy star opened up her Los Angeles home, a Mediterranean-style villa, to the magazine for a photo shoot that included her own brood of hens. Good Housekeeping "The chickens are amazing for kids, because it shows children compassion," said Pompeo. The Golden Globe-nominated actress shares two daughters, 6-year-old Stella and 1-year-old Sienna, with her music producer husband, Chris Ivery. WATCH: Ellen Pompeo Talks 'Irresponsible' Eating Disorder Rumors Pompeo filled Good Housekeeping in on another talent she's developed while playing a doctor on TV -- she can give herself medical advice! "I could diagnose myself after being on a medical show for 12 years," she said. Good Housekeeping got even more Grey's love from creator Shonda Rhimes, who guest edited the magazine's first Awesome Women Awards. MORE: This Is What the 'Grey's Anatomy' Cast Looks Like 10 Years Later "A lot of women don't see themselves as being awesome women," Rhimes said in a behind-the-scenes clip. "Basically, anybody is an awesome woman. It's just how you define yourself and what you decide to do with your life." Watch the video for more. Related Articles When The Night Manager star Tom Hiddleston showed up in Zelmatt, Switzerland, for the first day of filming AMCs miniseries adaptation of John le Carres novel, he had a suggestion for director Susanne Bier: The script was missing a line from the book that sums up the narrative perfectly. [Olivia Colmans character] asks [my character, Jonathan] Pine, Why did you do it? Why does a respected hotelier snitch on his guests?' Hiddleston said in a recent interview with TheWrap. And I remember I had the novel with me. Its a direct quote from the novel: If theres a man selling a private arsenal to an Egyptian crook and hes English and youre English, you just do it.' Also Read: Tom Hiddleston Wants You to Binge-Watch 'The Night Manager' (Video) That line seemed to me to sum up the theme of the novel, which is John le Carres anger that a man who is in receipt of all the privileges of British citizenship education, wealth and democracy is using those privileges to do the worst things imaginable, he explained. The target of that ire is Hugh Lauries character, Richard Onslow Roper, an arms dealer whose organization Hiddlestons character must infiltrate on behalf of Colmans intelligence agency. Hiddleston described Lauries role on the series as the most charming man in the world playing the worst man in the world. Also Read: Emmy Quickie: Why 'Night Manager' Star Elizabeth Debicki Is So Close to Tom Hiddleston (Exclusive Video) Pines anger is le Carres anger that an Englishman is doing this terrible thing that is creating destruction and poverty and death on a global scale, he said. To me, that really summed up The Night Manager.' Watch the interview above. Emmy Quickie: 'The Night Manager' Star Elizabeth Debicki Exclusive StudioWrap Portraits (Photos) Elizabeth Debicki Elizabeth Debicki Elizabeth Debicki Elizabeth Debicki Elizabeth Debicki Elizabeth Debicki Story continues Previous Slide Next Slide 1 of 6 Star of AMC hit stops by TheWrap for interview and photo session Elizabeth Debicki, "The Night Manager" Photographed by Michael Rowe for TheWrap Styling by Annabelle Harron, Hair by Christian Marc & Makeup by Kirin Bhatty View In Gallery Related stories from TheWrap: Tom Hiddleston Wants You to Binge-Watch 'The Night Manager' (Video) Emmy Quickie: Why 'Night Manager' Star Elizabeth Debicki Is So Close to Tom Hiddleston (Exclusive Video) Tom Hiddleston Doesn't Think He'll Be Next James Bond: 'Sorry to Disappoint You' (Video) From Road & Track "Brand DNA." Some day in the not-so-distant future, after the food riots of 2019 and the drone uprising of 2021 and the Guns N' Roses reunion album of 2034, I'm going to fight and scheme my way into being the paramilitary commander of a post-apocalyptic militia, the way Will Patton does in The Postman. When I do, I promise you that I will make the utterance of the phrase "Brand DNA" punishable by death. Probably a very painful death, like drawing and quartering. Maybe I'll bring back the practice of "breaking on the wheel," which has nothing to do with Chinese quasi-forged "performance" wheels but refers instead to a particularly gruesome practice of the Middle Ages. The whole idea of Brand DNA is spectacularly moronic. Nine times out of ten in this business, it refers to some trivially minor aspect of an automobile design that is then unintentionally parodied until everybody becomes thoroughly sick of it. Here's an example: Porsches have traditionally had an ignition switch on the left side of the steering wheel. It's supposed to enable a slightly quicker start, which was useful at races where the drivers ran to their cars or had to start with the engine off. It works as designed, assuming you're using a conventional key with a manual transmission car like my old Nine Eleven. Modern upscale cars don't use a key. They use a button. But Porsche retains a sort of weird knob on the left side of the steering wheel that is supposed to remind you that PORSCHES ARE LE MANS RACERS WITH A LEFT SIDE START. The majority of Porsches nowadays are trucks with automatic transmissions. There's some cognitive dissonance going on here, methinks. Maybe it helps on those rare days when Whole Foods gets a special load of gluten-free wheat bread in and only the first six Macans into the parking lot have a chance to buy it. I'd rather they kept the "Brand DNA" of having an engine that you can run a quarter-million miles without drama and/or coolant. But what do I know? Story continues The emphasis on "Brand DNA" is doubly hilarious. The emphasis on "Brand DNA" is doubly hilarious now that manufacturers abandon their original ideas to follow the herd at the slightest indication that doing so might get an extra mark or into the F&I office by the end of the month. Here's an example. I just rented a 2017 Ford Explorer. It has a center console full of buttons. By itself, that's not unusual. What is unusual is that the Explorer used to have a center console with a capacitance-touch system. It was a neat idea. Not only was it clean and free of moving parts, it was also immune to spills from juice boxes. This sort of thing matters when you are a parent. It was a genuine better idea and if the original 2011-era implementation was a bit wonky, it also showed great promise. Forty years ago, Ford would have stuck with that feature through hell or high water. Once upon a time, automakers did just that. They had an idea they liked and they kept that idea even if the rest of the industry didn't agree. See: the center ignition switch in Saabs, the vertical speedometer in Mercedes-Benzes, the seat-shaped power controls in Mercedes-Benzes, the rear-headset drop switch in Mercedes-Benzes. . . come to think of it, Mercedes-Benz really comes up a lot in this discussion. This stubbornness among automakers was even more true for major mechanical parts. Boxer engines, single-cam quad-valve heads, three-lug wheels, single wipers. . . hell, Honda used a completely different concept from the rest of the world for its automatic transmissions for decades. Suspension designs used to be as varied as the locations of the rear-defroster switch. Those days are long gone now. All automakers great and small strive mightily to be as identical as possible. The moment that the always-fickle consumer seems to prefer anything from a particular engine torque curve to the shape of a taillight, the manufacturers stampede pell-mell to adopt it regardless of their previous engineering investments or even their dignity. Consider, if you will, the turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is supplanting the normally-aspirated six everywhere from BMW to (very soon) Toyota. Who truly wants it? I'm not sure. But at the first suggestion that it was the coming thing and the way to meet fuel economy standards, everybody built one. Look around you and the evidence for this herd behavior is everywhere; in the shape of quarter-windows, the position of shift levers, the location of the button that lowers a powered liftgate. Ford wasn't going to go through the trouble of redesigning its seatbelt latches just because people liked the GM one a little better. There are sound reasons for it. Five decades ago, nearly ever car on the market was designed and built soup-to-nuts by the company with its name on the hood. Ford wasn't going to go through the trouble of redesigning its seatbelt latches just because people liked the GM one a little better. Nor was Saab going to abandon the turbo four-cylinder engine just because everybody was going to the V6; they had too much invested in the tooling and the design. In 2016, computer cycles are all but free and the various tiers of suppliers are cheap and as a result there is a constant pressure to hand the design of automotive components over to external parties. We've seen this with CTS accelerator pedals and Takata airbags and AmCast wheels. In addition, today's consumer is a querulous little feeb of a human being who agonizes endlessly about even the slightest deviation from average in any product that he buys. Gone is the man who bought a Bristol or a Studebaker because it was different. Today's buyer wants exactly what everybody else has, only with a slightly more prestigious badge attached. Viewed objectively, this reversion to the mean, so to speak, is probably a good thing. The drive to produce unusual and individualistic vehicles produced junk a lot more than it produced excellence. It also drove a lot of storied marques directly into bankruptcy or foreign ownership. Today's consumer can be assured that though his car might be depressingly identical to that of his neighbor, it is also probably quite reliable and predictable as well. The only real problem is that the designers and marketers have been given very little lipstick with which to distinguish these herds of pigs from each other. So we're now hearing a lot about "Brand DNA," as if a car becomes a BMW simply because it has a curve in the window molding or a Porsche simply because the key is on the left side of the steering wheel. But not to worry. When my reign of post-apocalyptic terror begins, I'll personally oversee the return of all the true "Brand DNA" markets, those GATTACA chains of marque identity. Air-cooled engines! First gear down and to the left! Two-speed Hondamatics! The future's so bright, you'll have to wear the original Ray-Bans! In fact, you won't have any other choice in sunglasses! Born in Brooklyn but banished to Ohio, Jack Baruth has won races on four different kinds of bicycles and in seven different kinds of cars. Everything he writes should probably come with a trigger warning. His column, Avoidable Contact, runs twice a week. Baarle, Southern Netherlands Baarle sits is located in the southern Netherlands and contains a Dutch (Baarle-Nassau) and a Belgian municipality. This unique town has a population of approximately 9000. Located in the North Brabant province, this exclave is so confusing that houses next door to each other, are technically in different countries. (Bram Van Der Sor/Flickr) Europe is host to several fascinating enclaves - sovereign states nestled within the borders of another completely different country. Enclaves generally exist for a number of historical, geographical and political reasons, and often leave their residents essentially stateless. Due to their cultural overlap, these enclaves make for some of Europes most eccentric travel destinations. Take a look at Europes quirkiest corners By Sudip Kar-Gupta LONDON (Reuters) - European shares slipped on Wednesday, with Austrian brickmaker Wienerberger (WBSV.VI), brewer Carlsberg (CARLb.CO) and UK insurer Admiral (ADML.L) sliding after publishing results. The pan-European STOXX 600 index (.STOXX), which reached a seven-week high earlier in the week, fell 0.5 percent. The STOXX 600 is down around 7 percent so far in 2016. Wienerberger was among the worst-performing stocks in Europe, falling 8.5 percent after warning of negative currency impacts from the weakening of sterling following Britain's decision to leave the European Union. Admiral dropped 7.6 percent, down from recent record highs, after saying its solvency ratio had been hit by June's shock vote for Britain to quit the EU. Carlsberg (CARLb.CO) fell 4.3 percent after reporting half-year results slightly below expectations, although it said it would maintain its 2016 outlook as its cost-cutting strategy shows progress. On the upside, construction company Balfour Beatty (BALF.L) rose 7.6 percent and recouped all its post-Brexit losses after resuming its dividend. The STOXX 600 slumped in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote, but has since recovered much of that ground, helped by an interest rate cut in Britain and expectations of more monetary stimulus from the European Central Bank. Nevertheless, some investors were wary on European stocks. "There's still a lot of uncertainty out there. No one wants to take the big positions needed to push the European market higher," said Andreas Clenow, chief investment officer at ACIES Asset Management. Clenow said he preferred U.S. stocks to Europe. U.S. earnings have been better than those in Europe, according to Thomson Reuters StarMine data, and have pushed U.S. stock markets to record highs. European indices, meanwhile, are weighed down by banking stocks, which are nearly 30 percent lower this year due to concerns about the financial position of some leading banks. "European bank stocks need to pick up for the rest of the European market to push on higher again," said Clairinvest fund manager Ion-Marc Valahu. (Editing by Kevin Liffey) Cover girl cuties! Besties Eva Longoria and Victoria Beckham are the first cover girls for HOLA! USA magazine. The longtime friends posed together on Longoria's wedding day for the historic first issue in which they were crowned the "Queens of Fashion." In the photo, the Telenovela star, 41, is wearing her custom wedding gown, designed by Beckham, 42, and the fashion designer is sporting her navy bridesmaids dress. HOLA! USA WATCH: EXCLUSIVE: Eva Longoria Dishes on 'Magical' Wedding Surprises and Always Being Open to Love The pair were already featured in HOLA!'s sister magazine, HELLO!, back in May. At the time, Longoria thanked her dear friend for her stunning bridal gown. "This was the wedding dress I dreamed of! Thank u @victoriabeckham for having the best vision for my dress! Love you!" she wrote. The former Spice Girl replied, "@evalongoria the most beautiful bride. I am honored to have created your wedding dress X Thank you for asking me!!! X We love u! X #friends #VBDoverst #VBHongKong X VB." MORE: Eva Longoria Says Her Wedding was a 'Victoria Beckham Weekend': 'She Was the Best, Sweetest Person' Longoria wed hubby Jose "Pepe" Antonio Baston in Mexico in May and gushed to ET's Nischelle Turner about the experience afterwards. "It was a magical," she said, adding of her dress design, "It was so much fun because when I was in London, Victoria pulled out every single dress she's ever made and we got to like pick that top with this bottom but that zipper but this color but that fabric I just felt like a little girl in the best wardrobe ever." Related Articles By Alex Whiting ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Anyone with internet access and a passion for seafood will soon be able to track commercial fishing trawlers all over the world, with a new tool that its developers hope will help end the overfishing that has decimated the world's fish stocks. Millions of people depend on fish to survive, and fish will be vital to feeding the world's growing population that is predicted to reach 9.7 billion people by 2050, the United Nations says. But overfishing has diminished fish stocks, and illicit fishing is threatening people's access to food in many poor countries, according to the United Nations. "We currently have around 450 million people globally who get their primary source of food from the ocean. This is 450 million meals a day under threat," said Lasse Gustavsson, executive director of Oceana in Europe on Wednesday. "To solve the overfishing problem, including illegal fishing, we want to create transparency in the oceans," Gustavsson told the Thomson Reuters Foundation from Madrid. Oceana, an international conservation organization, together with Google and SkyTruth, a nonprofit group that uses aerial and satellite images to track changes in the landscape, are due to launch the Global Fishing Tracker within weeks. The public, non-governmental organizations and local authorities will be able to use it to monitor coastlines and marine conservation areas, follow individual boats in near real-time and track what boats of a particular flag are doing. It will be especially useful for countries like Madagascar which have few resources to patrol and monitor their own coastlines, Oceana said. "You can slice that piece of data in many different ways which we think will be helpful when it comes to law enforcement, increasing public understanding, and catching the kind of people who are doing stuff they shouldn't be doing," said Gustavsson. Some 30 percent of fish stocks were overfished in 2013, up from 10 percent in 1974. Most of the remaining stocks are fully fished, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said. Story continues At risk are hundreds of millions of people who depend on fisheries to earn a living, for food and nutrition, according to the FAO. The industry has vessels operating all over the world - some 15,000 European Union-registered fishing boats work off the coast of West Africa for example. Although legal, it is unsustainable, according to Oceana. Fish stocks will quickly bounce back if areas where fish spawn are protected, if fish stocks are managed scientifically, and if destructive and illegal fishing ended, Gustavsson said. "If we do all the right things now, in 10 years we will have twice as much fish in the ocean globally," he said. "We could increase the number of meals from 450 million a day today to maybe 1 billion." An international agreement to curb illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing came into force in June. The Agreement on Port State Measures to Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing allows a country to block ships it suspects of illicit fishing, stopping their catches from entering local and international markets. It will be a key driver in the international community's fight against illicit fishing, FAO said. (Reporting by Alex Whiting, Editing by Katie Nguyen.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, corruption and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) From Town & Country Ina Garten's latest abode is a Park Avenue pied-a-terre. The pre-war apartment has a recently renovated kitchen that the listing calls "perfect for an enthusiastic cook," so naturally we were curious about what exactly the Barefoot Contessa values in kitchens. Here, our findings: 1. Her main kitchen, where she films Barefoot Contessa, is in a barn on her property in East Hampton, New York. Photo credit: Simon Upton 2. She uses top-of-the-line appliances. The barn kitchen is outfitted with a Viking range, Sub-Zero refrigerators, Bosch dishwasher, and a KitchenAid mixer. Photo credit: Simon Upton 3. There is a surprisingly simple pantry. Photo credit: Simon Upton 4. Garten recommends "a good set of sharp knives by Wusthof, including a chef's knife, a paring knife, a slicing knife, and a bread knife." Photo credit: Flickr/booleansplit 5. All-Clad pots are also on her list. Photo credit: Flickr/dinnerseries 6. Her stools are by Robert Stilin and the faucet is from Waterworks. Photo credit: Simon Upton 7. For Dutch ovens, she prefers Le Creuset. Photo credit: Williams-Sonoma 8. Her countertops, including the 18-foot-long counter where she stores her bakeware, are made from Belgian stone. Photo credit: Simon Upton 9. She serves her culinary creations on an antique Swiss pine dinner table. Photo credit: Simon Upton To read Garten's full checklist of what every kitchen needs, head over to House Beautiful. (Adds background and comments from defense lawyer, juror) By Nate Raymond NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - An ex-Wall Street investment banker was convicted on Wednesday of engaging in insider trading by tipping his father off to unannounced healthcare mergers, a victory for prosecutors after an appellate ruling made it harder to pursue such cases harder. Sean Stewart, who previously worked at Perella Weinberg Partners and JPMorgan Chase & Co, was found guilty by a federal jury in Manhattan on all nine counts he faced, including securities fraud. Stewart, 35, a Yale University graduate, displayed no emotion as the forewoman read the verdict, which came on the sixth day of deliberations following prior signs the jury was struggling to reach a consensus. "I think it's fair to say this is a family tragedy," said Carmela Raiti, one of the jurors. Martin Cohen, a lawyer for Stewart, said: "We're obviously very disappointed. We think the jury got it wrong." Stewart had testified in his own defense. He was one of 107 people accused of insider trading since 2009 by prosecutors under Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. His trial was Bharara's first since a 2014 appellate ruling narrowed the scope of insider trading laws. Prosecutors said that from 2011 to 2014, Stewart provided his father Robert tips about five mergers, including INC Research's acquisition of Kendle International Inc, so his father could make lucrative trades before the deals were announced. Robert Stewart, 61, in some instances had a friend he met working at a real estate firm, Richard Cunniffe, conduct trades in his own accounts, because of concern he was too close to the source, prosecutors said. The trading enabled the elder Stewart and Cunniffe, 62, to make $1.16 million, prosecutors said. Robert Stewart, an accountant in Long Island, was sentenced in May to a year of home detention after pleading guilty in August 2015. Cunniffe pleaded guilty in May 2015. Previously, prosecutors said, he secretly recorded Robert Stewart saying his son criticized him for not trading on a tip he handed him on a "silver platter." Story continues Lawyers for Sean Stewart acknowledged he spoke with his father about companies involved in mergers, but said he did so while discussing his work, and that Robert Stewart betrayed him by trading on the information. "I never gave my father information so he could trade on it," Stewart testified. While jurors heard recordings of Robert Stewart, he did not testify at trial, after he invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination following a subpoena from his son. The case is U.S. v. Stewart, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-cr-00287. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Bill Trott and David Gregorio) Ariel Winter has drawn fire and praise for her often-revealing Instagram posts, with some criticizing her risque outfits while others calling her a champion of positive body image. But for the Modern Family star insists shes not being strategic about her social media posts. I dont really think Im telling myself, You should post this, you shouldnt post that, I feel like Im just having fun, Winter told ETs Katie Krause at Varietys Power Of Young Hollywood Issue Celebration, presented by the app Pixhug with Vince Camuto, in Los Angeles on Tuesday. I like my fans to see what Im doing. Everybody is so hyped up on the fact that I post photos where my butts out. Its a butt. Everyone has a butt, the 18-year-old actress continued. I dont think its crazy. #summer A photo posted by Ariel Winter (@arielwinter) on Aug 14, 2016 at 5:27pm PDT 2 million!!! Wow! I cant believe itlove you guys so much #thankyou #love A photo posted by Ariel Winter (@arielwinter) on Jun 26, 2016 at 4:41pm PDT WATCH: Ariel Winter Shows Some Serious Skin in Head-Turning One-Piece Swimsuit Winter has proudly shown off her curves in low-cut tops, super short shorts and bikinis in a slew of skin-baring selfies over the last few months, but for her, its all about living life the way she wants to. She doesnt understand why people feel the need to hate. Its like, Let me live! Im enjoying my life, youre enjoying your life, you should be posting your butt if you like it, too! she explained. While Winter has routinely fires back at body shamers who have tried to make her feel bad about her figure or clothing choices, she says she doesnt bother engaging with people who leave negative comments on her pics. Im not going to fight with someone on my Instagram that tells me they dont like my outfit or I should put my butt away, she explained. Im sorry you think I should put my butt away, but just unfollow me. WATCH: Ariel Winter Gets Cheeky in Booty Shorts While Hitting the Salon in Los Angeles Story continues Having grown up in the public eye on Modern Family, Winter said that shes struggled with her body image for years, but credited some of her strong female colleagues for helping her come to accept and embrace her appearance. I really had the greatest opportunity to have some wonderful role models, especially Sofia Vergara, Winter shared. Working with a curvy beautiful woman that everybody looked up to and loved the way she looked that was my inspiration to move forward and accept myself because thats what matters. WATCH: Ariel Winter Bares Lots of Skin in Unique Cutout Swimsuit During Sisters Spa Trip Winter has also been in a rumored romance with actor Sterling Beaumon in recent months, but she shot down speculation, explaining, Weve been best friends for 10 years. Were not dating. We see each other every day but no, were like literally best friends. In fact, Ariel said shes currently single, but shes open to meeting anybody. Ive just kinda like been single for a little while now, Winter said. Ive enjoyed it, and if something happens, it happens. WATCH: 23 Times Ariel Winter Was Sexy and Confident On Instagram Related Articles In 2014, after three seasons away from The Real Housewives of New York, Bethenny Frankel returned. Since then, the Bravo staple has seen ratings rise, but will Bethenny be back with her signature snark for season nine? When I sat down with her on Aug. 12, Frankel said she's been "distancing herself from the show." "It was a long year," she said. "It's definitely work. This is just a summer of freedom. I'm glad that the audience is enjoying [the show], but I left it behind." Frankel says she's spent time with close pal and co-star Carole Radziwill this summer, but hasn't seen much of the other women. Her demeanor when discussing RHONY seemed much more somber than it was just weeks before, when I spoke with her at her New York City apartment in late June. In that interview, the Skinnygirl creator said she didn't know for sure if she'd return, but made it seem likely. "I think so," she said at the time. "I'm really glad I came back. I'm really proud of the show this season and I really do care about and respect most of the women that are on this show." WATCH: Bethenny Frankel Explains Why Her Daughter is No Longer Seen on Reality TV Her hesitance now seems to be stemming largely from the volatile RHONY reunion taping in July. Frankel told me it was the most difficult reunion she's ever filmed. "It was very, very negative and I didn't enjoy it at all," she said. "Something very dramatic happened that questioned my integrity. If someone questions my business or my integrity I take it really seriously." "I live my life honestly," she said. "You have 50 percent of the cast that has a whole taboo, police line, 'do not cross' section of their life that is not discussed on camera and never has been. For legal issues and liability issues, Bravo doesn't need to bring it up and it's a difficult line to ride, and that may be why I don't come back." Story continues Frankel said she's plenty busy with her production company, radio show and, of course, Skinnygirl brands. "I'm doing what I want to do and definitely making some changes in my personal and professional life, and deciding kind of how to line up all the pieces on the board in the fall," she said. "I have a lot of different businesses and business decisions to make." Her latest Skinnygirl product is the Watermelon Lime Margarita. "It's great for parties," she said. "I wanted to just come up with the next fun drink and I think that watermelon is amazing." Additional good news came her way in mid-July, when Frankel settled her nearly 4-year-long divorce battle with ex Jason Hoppy. "I am really happy that I am on the other side of it, for sure," she said. "But there are still some obstacles." Frankel still needs to sell the apartment the pair once shared. "My summer of freedom is lighting me up," she said "I am in a really happy place." WATCH: Bethenny Frankel Reveals Whether She'll Get Married Again But the drama is still playing out on TV. Wednesday night's episode of RHONY will show Bethenny as she considers dropping a bomb on Luann de Lesseps: an alleged photo of Luann's fiance, Tom, kissing another woman. The RHONY finale airs August 24th, and the reunion will follow. To hear Bethenny open about the health issues she struggled with this season, watch the video below. Related Articles Jaden Smith is feeling inspired. ET caught up with the 18-year-old actor at Variety's Power of Young Hollywood Issue Celebration in Los Angeles on Tuesday, where he talked about the influence Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s work had on his new clothing line collection, MSFTSrep. WATCH: Jada Pinkett Smith Pens Emotional Post About the Recent Shootings Ahead of Son Jaden's Birthday: 'I'm at a Loss' "I just dropped a collection today and, you know, every inspiration for every collection is something different every time, but right now the inspiration I use is Martin Luther King," Smith told ET's Katie Krause at the event, presented by the app Pixhug with Vince Camuto. "He wrote a letter when he was in Birmingham in a jail cell, and he wrote this letter, and he said a lot of powerful, powerful, powerful things in his rhetoric inside of this masterpiece that he wrote, which is just so beautiful," he explained of how the civil rights leader had inspired his line. "But the thing I took away is non-violent, direct action programs and I just feel like that was written so long ago, but it applies so much to what's happening right now in the world," Smith said. "So that's why I want to give it to the kids. I want the kids toyou know, rep[resent] that non-violent, direct action program of doing exactly what you see that you need to do, and changing the world." "That's what MSFTSrep is all about -- empowering the youth," the After Earth star added. MORE: Jaden Smith Opens Up About Wearing Skirts: 'I Don't See Man Clothes and Woman Clothes' Empowerment is a big part of Smith's new clothing line, and how he lives his day-to-day life, but it's being able to "share our feelings" that he thinks young people need to focus on. "I think we should talk about our feelings more and how we feel," he said. "I feel like we should just talk about the truth more, you know? That's it and just how we feel about life for real." Story continues Smith was more than happy to share his feelings about his new Netflix show, The Get Down. "I'm so happy to be a part of Netflix," he boasted. "I'm so happy to be a part of a show that's involving hip hop. I'm so happy to be a part of a show that Grandmaster Flash is involved with, that Nas and [co-creator and executive producer] Baz Lurhmann like all my dreams are coming true at the same time." EXCLUSIVE: Will Smith's Sons Say He Should Stop Making Movies After 'Suicide Squad' Besides acting in The Get Down, Smith also gets in on the series' musical side. "I'm so happy that I'm on the soundtrack on like two or three different songs," he shared. "Like, I just feel so blessed. This is a dream come true in every single way, so I'm just so happy." The Netflix show has also "blessed" Smith in other ways -- helping the actor hone his artistic abilities. "One hundred percent," he said, admitting his role as Marcus "Dizzee" Kipling on the series has boosted his graffiti skills. "Working with Lady Pink crashin' days was beautiful." RELATED: Jaden Smith Drops New Track 'Labor V2' in Honor of His 18th Birthday Smith wasn't the only young star to open up at Tuesday's event. ET also caught up with Modern Family star Ariel Winter, who gushed about her plans to attend UCLA and revealed she wants to major in political science. "I've been acting my whole life, so I feel, for me I feel like I should have knowledge in another subject, because the industry is so you can't predict what's going to happen," she said. "I could be working now and then not work the next 10 years. So, I thought it's important to have knowledge in another subject that you like, that you can have as a plan in the future." See more in the video below. Related Articles Sophie Turner did not put a direwolf permanently on her arm. The Game of Thrones star confirmed to ET's Katie Krause at Variety's Young Hollywood event presented by Pixhug with Vince Camuto in Los Angeles on Tuesday, that the new wolf tattoo she's sporting in a recent Instagram photo really is just "for a new movie," her upcoming film, Hunstville. "It's not real!" she shared, noting, "And the hair is fake...everything's fake!" EXCLUSIVE: Sophie Turner Is Exhausted by 'Death Parties' for 'Game of Thrones' Characters The 20-year-old actress rocks an arm full of temporary tattoos in the film, along with blonde hair -- which is actually her natural color! Even so, Turner admitted that she's excited to trade out the natural locks for the redhead look, as she gears up to reprise her role as Sansa on Game of Thrones season seven. "I had more fun as a redhead," Turner said of getting back to the massively popular HBO series. WATCH: 'Game of Thrones' Season 6 Finale Killed Pretty Much Everyone and Revealed a Game-Changing Twist That's especially true after last season's finale, where we were left with the major (SPOILERS!) Jon Snow Targaryen-Stark lineage reveal, which Turner shared could have some implications for Sansa's connection to her brother when she finds out that he's "pretty much a Targaryen." "It will be very interesting to see how their relationship develops -- Sansa and John's," she said. "Especially now... her knowing that he's not a Stark. It'll be very interesting." MORE: 7 of the Most Adorable Moments From the 'Game of Thrones' Panel at Comic-Con While Sansa and Jon's fate is unknown, Turner raved about her co-star, Kit Harington, calling him "one of my best, best friends in the world and my big brother." "It's such a blast working with him, and we do kinda have that sibling relationship," she revealed, laughing, "We tease each other, and he really gets under my skin ... He's the best, I love him." Story continues MORE: 'Game of Thrones' Finally Killed [SPOILER] and the Internet Is Freaking Out! But even though Jon Snow is forever in our hearts, few characters had a more badass transformation last season than Sansa Stark! "It was everything I'd hoped her character would develop into," Turner said of Sansa taking charge in season 6. "It felt very empowering to be able to do that, and play such a strong character... And it was f**king great having my first kill as well." MORE: 'Game of Thrones' Star Sophie Turner Defends the Show's Controversial Scene As for what's in store for the Stark clan, Turner thinks a reunion is in order, but isn't getting her hopes up, acknowledging that Game of Thrones is "not really a people-pleaser kind of show." Yes, sadly many characters on the show meet very dark endings, so much so that Turner told ET last month the cast had to stop throwing "death parties" for killed-off co-stars because it was getting too expensive! Watch the video below for more. Related Articles Heather Locklear appeared happy and healthy on the red carpet on Tuesday night, just weeks after she was spotted with what looked to be a nose injury. Posing in trendy nude heels, white jeans and an off-the-shoulder green blouse, the 54-year-old actress was all smiles at the premiere of Too Close to Home in Beverly Hills, California. WATCH: Tyler Perry's Too Close to Home Brings Heather Locklear Back to TV in Guest-Starring Role Locklear portrays First Lady Caitlyn, who finds out that her husband (Matt Battaglia) is cheating on her with a White House employee named Anna (Danielle Savre). Tyler Perry tells ET's Nischelle Turner that like Locklear's infamous Melrose Place character, Amanda Woodward, the actress portrays a woman that viewers will love to hate. Getty Images "All I can tell you, Heather Locklear is going to be one of the most cold-blooded people you have ever seen in film," Perry assured audiences. "That's all I am going to say. Once you see the show, you will get an understanding." WATCH: Heather Locklear's Lookalike Daughter Ava Sambora Talks Bikini Modeling Career Perry has been a fan of Locklear since her Melrose Place days, saying her role was "before bad girls were good." "It was a bit intimating, because it's Heather Locklear," he gushed. "Who didn't have the poster on the wall, you know?" After a little persuading, Perry shared with ET a scene he loves between Locklear and her on-screen husband. "There is a moment where Heather Locklear's character comes to see the president in the Oval and she is not allowed in," he revealed. "That's all that I will tell you." MORE: Sweet or Strange? Heather Locklear Wishes Ex Tommy Lee a Happy Anniversary With Racy, Throwback PDA Pic Perry's admiration for the actress is a far cry from recent tabloid reports that claimed Locklear was on a "downward spiral." A close friend of the veteran TV actress told ET there is no truth to the rumors, adding that she is "very healthy and in good condition." Too Close to Home's two-hour premiere airs Monday, Aug. 22, on TLC. Story continues WATCH: Heather Locklear Is 'Very Healthy' and Doing Well Ahead of TV Return Despite Tabloid Reports Related Articles By Michael Holden LONDON (Reuters) - To his detractors, including the British government, Salman Butt is an extremist whose views on Islam fly in the face of Britain's values and help foster an atmosphere where young Muslims can be radicalised by militants. Even though he is not accused of supporting militant groups or violence, the British authorities believe it is only by cracking down on activists like Butt and denying a forum for their ideas to be widely heard that the threat posed by jihadis and groups such as Islamic State can be countered. But critics, ranging from civil rights groups to leading academics and lawmakers, say what the government is trying to do amounts to a curb on free speech which could drive a wedge between the authorities and Britain's 2.8 million Muslims They argue if anything such plans will only make the problem worse and amount to an attack on the fundamental liberties the government wants to protect. "Over the last few years the circle of who and what is considered extreme has been expanding slowly," said Butt, 30, who is taking the British government to court over its counter-extremism strategy. "Before it was just somebody committing crimes or calling for violence and then they expanded more and more to everyday people who happen to maybe criticise certain aspects of the government policy or hold certain conservative Islamic views," he told Reuters. The problem facing Britain and other Western governments is the same one with which they have wrestled since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States: how to stop their young citizens being radicalised without been seen to censor critics. Thousands of Muslims, including more than 800 Britons, have left Europe for Iraq and Syria, many to join Islamic State (IS), while the recent deadly attacks seen in Paris, Brussels and Nice are a graphic illustration of the risk posed by some lured to a violent Islamist cause at home. The revelation on Tuesday that Anjem Choudary, Britain's most high-profile Islamist preacher, has been convicted for inviting his followers to support Islamic State has again brought the issue to the fore. Choudary was convicted last month although this could not be reported until Tuesday to avoid prejudicing the jury in a separate case. It ended a streak of many years during which he served as the leader of banned organisations but dodged prosecution by carefully managing his public remarks. Critics questioned why it had taken so long to act against someone who had been a leading radical Islamist figure for two decades and whose followers had been involved in militant plots and acts of violence across the world. "There should be zero tolerance towards any cleric - Muslim or otherwise - who advocates extremist views and rejects British values," Britain's top-selling Sun newspaper said. "Britain has been tolerant of men like Choudary for too long." WHO IS AN EXTREMIST? For those such as new British Prime Minister Theresa May, tackling extremism means no longer tolerating those who reject the country's values: democracy, free speech, equality and the rule of law. "Where non-violent extremism goes unchallenged, the values that bind our society together fragment," May, who had been interior minister for six years before taking over the Downing Street reins, said in a speech in February. "So while by no means all extremism leads to violence, it creates an environment in which those who seek to divide us can flourish." May, in her former guise as interior minister, was responsible for drawing up a proposed Counter-Extremism bill with bans for individuals or groups deemed extremist and closures of places where radicals thrive, including mosques. However, there is still no sign of the legislation, with the Home Office (interior ministry) saying it would come in "due course". One main obstacle is who decides who or what is extremist. "Providing a clear definition of extremism is a difficult task and the government has yet to succeed in doing it," said senior opposition Labour lawmaker Harriet Harman, head of the UK parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights which produced a critical report on the government plans in July. Even Finance Minister Philip Hammond admitted in May the issue was "a minefield": "The line between acceptable and non-acceptable behaviour is fine and fraught with dangers," he said. "HATE SPEAKER" Last September, Butt, 30, who runs a discussion website Islam21c, was one of the first to fall foul of the moves to clampdown on non-violent extremists after being identified by a secretive cross-government Extremism Analysis Unit, established to pick out groups or individuals of concern. The activist, who has a biochemistry doctorate, was named in a Downing Street press release on "hate speakers" as one of six figures who gave talks at university campuses and were "on record as expressing views contrary to British values". A later explanation given by the government to parliament said he had appeared to compare homosexuality to paedophilia and had spoken alongside figures from CAGE, a campaign group that gained attention for contacts with Mohammed Emwazi, the now-dead British militant known as "Jihadi John" who appeared in Islamic State videos beheading foreign captives. Butt said the accusations against him were "complete rubbish", and is now taking legal action to challenge the government's way of identifying extremists and its "Prevent" strategy, its much-criticised policy to stop radicalisation. "What has happened over the last 10 years of counter-terrorism policy is it's completely going about it in a very destructive way," he said. "The government need to do a job to keep people safe but the way it's being done, especially recently, not only are they looking in the wrong place ... but they are completely ignoring the negative effects it's having on community relations." It is not just those like Butt who are targeted that are concerned. In January, Professor Louise Richardson, the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, said it was better to let extremists speak on campuses and challenge their views than to simply ban them. David Anderson, Britain's terrorism law watchdog, has warned that plans to clamp down on individuals and organisations accused of extremism could backfire by playing into the hands of militant recruiters. "FREE PASS" But those who back the government's intent say allowing extremists free rein in public forums or at universities exposes vulnerable people to their messages. They point out that graduates or students at British universities have been involved in numerous militant plots including Emwazi and Nigerian "underwear bomber" Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. Rupert Sutton, director of Student Rights, an organisation that campaigns against extremism on university campuses, said people with controversial views were often given a platform where their opinions were not questioned. "They're too often given a free pass," he told Reuters. "If you put it as a dichotomy between either freedom of expression or ban them from speaking that is too binary. What we need to think about is how we are going to make it so that when they do come to speak they face challenge rather than being banned." He said the focus should be on using existing legislation to tackle people like Choudary, even if he had long proved adept at ensuring he did not break the law. "When someone is as effective at it as Choudary is, you are going to get people saying: 'How is he allowed to go around on the street doing this?'" he said. (editing by Peter Graff) HOUSTON (Reuters) - ExxonMobil Corp on Wednesday put off plans to shut its Baton Rouge, Louisiana refinery after it managed to start a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) processing unit in the adjoining chemical plant, sources familiar with plant operations said. An Exxon spokesman declined to discuss operations on specific units at the Baton Rouge refinery. "Contrary to some reports, the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Complex is operating," company spokesman Todd Spitler said in an email. "It is our practice not to comment on specific unit operations at our facilities. We do expect to meet contractual commitments." Normally, the 502,500 bpd Baton Rouge refinery sends LPG to the Sorrento, Louisiana Storage Facility where it is kept underground in salt dome caverns until needed. Flooding forced the closure of the facility over the weekend, said the sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. The floods, centered on the Baton Rouge area, have claimed at least 11 lives and forced thousands of people from their homes. On Tuesday, Exxon shut a 110,000 bpd crude distillation unit at the refinery to reduce LPG production and the company was prepared on Wednesday to shut the refinery if the chemical plant unit could not be started, the sources said. The chemical plant unit will process the LPG produced by the refinery, the sources said. The refinery's production level is down to about 60 percent of capacity. In addition to the chemical plant unit shut on Tuesday, Exxon cut production on a 210,000 bpd CDU in half for maintenance planned prior to the floods, the sources said. Two other CDUs at the refinery have a combined capacity of 180,000 bpd. The CDUs do the initial refining of crude oil coming into a refinery and provide feedstock for all other units. Motiva Enterprises LLC's 235,000 bpd Convent, Louisiana refinery continues to operate with only essential personnel due to flooding in the area, said sources familiar with the company's operations. They requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. A Motiva spokeswoman did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Production at the refinery has been reduced since Thursday when a 45,000 bpd heavy oil hydrocracker was shut by a large fire. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Richard Chang) Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 Stanley Vernon Majors The family of a Lebanese-American man who was fatally shot last week have released a statement describing a history of harassment, intimidation, and even physical assault against them by the suspect in the killing. Khalid Jabara of Tulsa was gunned down by a man the police identified as his next-door neighbor Stanley Vernon Majors on the steps of Jabara's porch on Friday. The family's statement said Majors had stalked members of Jabara's family for years and once described them to the police as "dirty Arab" and "filthy Lebanese." He also hurled Islamophobic epithets at the family, the statement said, even though the Jabaras are Christian. "Our brother's death could have been prevented," said the statement, published by Jabara's sister Victoria on Facebook on Monday. "This man was a known danger." The statement said that at the time of Jabara's killing Majors was awaiting trial on suspicion of running over Jabara's mother with his car last year an attack that resulted in several broken bones and a collapsed lung. khalid jabara "My family lived in fear of this man and his hatred for years," the family's statement said. "Yet in May, not even one year after he ran over our mother and despite our repeated protests, he was released from jail with no conditions on his bond no ankle monitor, no drug/alcohol testing, nothing." According to The Washington Post, Majors exited jail on bond in May. Jabara learned Majors was armed on Friday and called the police in fear for his family's safety. "Khalid called the police stating this man had a gun and that he was scared for what might happen," the statement said. "The police came and told him there was nothing to be done. "Minutes later, the suspect murdered our brother with four shots." Story continues Majors was arrested on suspicion of first-degree murder and is being held without bail, CNN reported. Read the Jabara family's statement below: NOW WATCH: This animated map shows the most probable path to a Trump victory More From Business Insider The heartbroken parents of the 13-year-old New York boy who took his own life after he said he was bullied for years at his Catholic school are pursuing legal action against those they believe could have prevented their sons death, an attorney representing the family told InsideEdition.com Tuesday. An investigation will determine who at Holy Angels Catholic Academy in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, knew that Danny Fitzpatrick was being tormented by classmates and did nothing to stop it, attorney Scott Rynecki, who is representing the late childs parents, said. "Were going to perform an investigation and hold those accountable here that were negligent, Rynecki said. The intention is to sit down, go into all the information with the [possibility of filing] a wrongful death lawsuit that will show the supervision here was lacking... and that this was all preventable." In a note he wrote before his death, Danny recounted the brutal treatment he allegedly suffered at the hands of five boys also attending the school. They did it constantly, Danny wrote in the letter, written in the weeks before his death. I gave up... [the teachers] didnt do ANYTHING. Read: Teen Kills Himself After Being Bullied for Years At School: 'I Gave Up' "I wanted to get out. I begged and pleaded, eventually I did get, I failed, but I didn't care, I was out, that's all [I] wanted," he ended his note. One of Dannys three sisters found him hanging in the attic of their Staten Island home last Thursday. The pleas of the kind-hearted teen and his parents for help in dealing with the harassment fell on deaf ears, Dannys mother and father said in emotional posts to Facebook. Were trying, were trying but we need time to grieve after all this is done, before I have the strength and the true ability to channel my grief, my anger, my rage that I feel towards all those people and the administrators of that school, the teachers and those little monsters that thought it was OK to be mean to my son every day in school, Maureen Fitzpatrick tearfully said in video Tuesday before the second day of Dannys wake. Story continues It was filmed in her late sons bedroom, where the grieving mother said she sits every day, waiting for a sign from her boy that he is at peace. To that teacher who thought it was a smart idea to take his desk and keep it separate from the rest of the desks because that seemed like a good idea, all that rage I feel toward you, theres a lot of it, she continued. That teacher that gave my son detention because she thought he wasnt trying instead of realizing that he was depressed because he was being bullied all the time and he had just given up on trying to do well in math you know who you are I have a lot if for you too. And the other one who was just too lazy to goddamn give a crap, just too lazy. Too lazy to be bothered with anything, none of you belong in the system with children, not a one of you. You need to be gone, you need to be removed. Kids need teachers that care. That is your job, thats your freaking job. Thats what teachers in the classroom are supposed to do; you are supposed to protect those kids. And you failed. You failed my son, you failed Danny, she said through tears. Danny Fitzpatrick (Facebook) In a statement released after Dannys death, a spokeswoman for the Brooklyn Archdiocese, under which Holy Angels Catholic Academy falls, said authorities did everything in their power to help Danny. "Daniel's complaints about bullying did not fall upon deaf ears," the Brooklyn Archdiocese said in a statement. Conflicts with other students were never ignored. The principal and teachers truly cared for Daniel and did everything in their power to help him. The school provided counseling for Daniel, suspended students accused of bullying him, and met with those students' parents." Principal Rosemarie McGoldrick also had one-on-one meetings with every member of Dannys class work toward bullying prevention and conflict resolution, the Archdiocese said. In addition to our most heartfelt prayers we will offer every resource available to Dannys parents, our students, staff, and all the families of Holy Angels Catholic Academy, McGoldrick said in a letter informing the community of Dannys death. But the Fitzpatricks refute the Dioceses statement, Rynecki said, telling InsideEdition.com: There hasnt been one person from the school that has reached out to the family. In a Facebook video post on Sunday, Daniel Fitzpatrick said his wife "asked if anybody was associated with Holy Angels Catholic Academy, please stay away from us." "At this time we want to allow the Fitzpatrick family time to grieve. We are praying for them and working to provide the teachers, parents, and students of Holy Angels Catholic Academy the support and counseling they need," Carolyn Erstad, a spokeswoman for the Brooklyn Diocese, said in a statement to InsideEdition.com She said that teachers and staff from the school wanted to go to the funeral on Wednesday, but also wanted to respect the family's wishes. A family member also allegedly left a message on the school's voicemail saying that no one from Holy Angels Catholic Academy was welcome at any services, Erstad said. Monsignor Kevin Noone from the parish reached out and asked if could concelebrate the funeral Mass and was told no, she said. Bishop James Massa from the diocese also reached out and asked if he could attend the funeral and has been granted permission to attend, she said. Holy Angels Catholic Academy is working to provide counseling to the children publicly named and blamed for Danny's death, as well as parents and teachers at the school, Erstad said. Rynecki said he was told only one student was suspended in connection to an altercation with Danny, in which administrators originally intended to punish both boys involved. "They were originally threatening to suspend Danny, Rynecki said. Video from a security tape showed Daniel was not the aggressor." That video tape Rynecki has been told existed will be part of a discovery request, he said. In New York, the schools have an obligation to provide proper supervision to the students, Rynecki said. Their own school handbook talks about a bullying prevention program they have in place, he continued, saying Holy Angels Catholic Academy has in place the Olewus Bullying Prevention Program, the most researched and best-known bullying prevention program available today, the program's website claims. Just because they had the program, I dont believe they followed it, Rynecki said. The subject of a potential lawsuit has not been ironed out yet, but information about the torment Danny faced and those who knew about it could point at a multitude of players, including the Brooklyn Queens Diocese, the school, administrators, teachers, the principal as well as the families of the children accused of bullying Danny, Rynecki said. He said that the boys involved may need to be deposed, saying: What happens if these boys come forward and say the school never even sat with us? The search for accountability comes as Dannys family readies to say goodbye to the boy who loved ones referred to as an angel. Daniel Fitzpatrick and his son, Danny. (Facebook) I dont get to celebrate his birthday in two weeks, Maureen Fitzpatrick said. I dont get to be with him on Christmas or this Halloween or Thanksgiving. We have an empty chair in our house. And you cant fill those shoes. Nobody could fill my sons shoes He had a moral code that was phenomenal. He believed in being kind to everybody... And now hes not going to have a chance to use his gift for the rest of his life. Thats such a waste, thats such a waste. Mourners paid their respects at a visitation for the teen at Harmon Funeral Home in Staten Island on Monday and Tuesday. His funeral mass, which will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Sacred Heart R.C. Church on Staten Island, will be open to the public as a way to shine light on bullying. Read: 17-Year-Old Girl Creates Moving Video To Speak Out Against Cyber Bullying The boy's father issued a heartbreaking online plea to other victims of bullying, begging that they remain strong. You have to keep going, the elder Danny Fitzpatrick urged in a Facebook video Monday, crying as he said: The choice that my, that my boy made, is an answer but its not the right answer. To all you kids out there that are feeling the same way that my son Danny was feeling, when you get that thought that runs through your head, dont act on it, he said. Please dont act on it. You are put here on this earth for a purpose. The familys goal to shine a light on bullying and memorialize their son in a way he deserves caught the attention of countless others who took up their cause. A GoFundMe page created by one of Dannys sisters to give Daniel a proper memorial, as well as shine a bright light on the bullying that killed him had raised more than $120,000 by Tuesday, far surpassing its original $10,000 goal in the four days since it had been created. Donors shared their condolences and own experiences with bullying and losing loved ones to suicide. Your son deserved so much better. We are all thinking of you in this terrible time, one person wrote. Another donor wrote: It feels extremely isolating when you are going through it on a daily basis. Something needs to be done about bullying. Maureen Fitzpatrick and her son, Danny. (Facebook) It was a cry echoed by many, including former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, who tweeted: [heartbroken] to see yet another story like this. RIP daniel; condolences to his family. we need to listen + care more. There are some types of stories that no matter how much you've seen, no matter how many years you've worked as a reporter, you never get inured to, veteran newsman Dan Rather wrote. A parent's grief tops my list - especially when it falls in the wake of the undefinable tragedy of a young suicide Childhood is a mysterious and often magical time. But it is one of unseen stresses and threats. We must be vigilant in protecting our children. Rynecki agreed, saying bullying needs to become an issue dealt with in a more permanent way, and not just when a tragedy brings it to the media forefront. We can no longer bury our heads in the sand, he said. Please, I want the whole world to help us fight this, please, Maureen Fitzpatrick said. Thats what we need; we need the help of the whole world. Now. Im gonna sit in my sons room now and hope that he, she said as she began weeping, whispering, Hope that he gives me a sign. Because, I need something. Watch: Mom of Olympian Gabby Douglas Opens Up About 'Hurtful' Social Media Bullying Related Articles: Via @Laurencanrapp In case you somehow needed a reminder to never, ever put your hands on a pro wrestler, the consequences for the fan who tried to attack Seth Rollins in the ring on Monday night are already steep. TMZ is reporting that the dude who had the bone-headed idea to rush a ring containing at least 3/5ths of the abs in WWE real name Edward Ferrero was arrested by Corpus Christi Police for assault and criminal trespass. Though Rollins was fine, Ferrero did manage to bite a security guard, because why not, right? Listen, buddy. Youre never gonna top Bo Dallas vs. Security no matter how many people you bite, so why even try? WWE has already pledged to crack down on fans who jump the barrier and physically interfere with their Superstars, no matter how secretly hilarious it is to see Roman Reigns get wanged in the head with a Money in the Bank briefcase. Past incidents with people like Alberto Del Rio, and Dean Ambrose definitely werent funny, and can be dangerous for everyone involved. Seth Rollins seems to be a magnet for these kinds of fans, having previous instances as part of The Shield, and during his glory days as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Come on, give the guy a break already. Enfants Riches Deprimes translates from French to "Depressed Rich Kids" - so how could celebrity spawn not eat it up? With vintage-inspired tees, leather jackets and tattered, oversize sweaters - all priced in what would comfortably be classified as an uber luxury tier - the DTLA-based label has quickly become a favorite with tabloid teens (Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus, Zayn Malik) and trend-setting A-listers (Beyonce, Jared Leto, Kim Kardashian) alike. Read more: Dressing the Obamas on Film: How The 'Southside With You' Costume Designer Defined the Power Couple Sofia Richie, 19, is the latest in a string of literal enfants riches to be spotted in one of the brand's creations. Bieber's new flame picked a silk black bomber emblazoned with a blown-up Mercedes-Benz logo surrounded by the Enfants Riches Deprimes name in a sarcastically sweet, cursive script. A photo posted by CLD PR (@cldstyle) on Aug 16, 2016 at 7:29pm PDT The decision to borrow imagery from a luxury car maker is the true distinction between the L.A. brand and its Parisian counterpart, Vetements - the couture street wear label of the moment. Whereas Vetements co-opts less glamorous brands like DHL and Champion to make a high-low fashion statement, Enfants Riches Deprimes chose imagery that would, to most, already be considered luxury - that is, except to depressed rich kids, for whom a Mercedes might as well be a Toyota Camry. Founded by Henri Alexander (real name Henry Levy) in 2012, the brand has all the makings of a modern sartorial success story: a ridiculously high-price point (a tee retails for $380; a sweater for $2,730), a unisex apparel offering, plenty of cheeky sayings ("Stop having fun and start praying") and - the creme de la creme of depressed rich kid paraphernalia of questionable taste - a $7,000 cashmere noose. A photo posted by @enfantsrichesdeprimes on Feb 1, 2016 at 1:09pm PST But the appeal of the label lies not just in its dark decadence, but also in its exclusivity. Pieces are rarely available in quantities over 100, and jackets are often one of a kind; usually a vintage piece is customized by a member of Alexander's design team. Currently, Enfants Riches Deprimes is stocked at a handful of retailers, including Selfridges, Yoox and Farfetch in addition to the brand's website. Story continues In a 2013 interview with The Fashion Spot, Alexander spoke of coming up with the idea for Enfants Riches Deprimes: "I was walking around Montmartre at 3 a.m. and came up with this concept of some sort of French punk art gang, which eventually led to the start of Enfants I was being specific here and am speaking directly to the stylish weird kid who went to prep school and has been given everything his/her whole life, but is still miserable. Chic outcasts, misfits and addicts." According to an interview with Complex, Alexander himself spent time in rehab, an experience he credits as inspiration for the label thanks to the clinic's abundance of depressed rich kids. A photo posted by @enfantsrichesdeprimes on Jul 31, 2016 at 11:15pm PDT The punk influence comes through in the obscene language (see: "Teen C*nt" on a sweater worn by Rita Ora) as well as references to icons like Lou Reed and a more unconventional choice: Vladimir Putin. As you may have inferred, Alexander himself is of a privileged background, having grown up as the child of parents who found financial success in the water filtration business. In his youth, he attended Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland, known as the world's most expensive boarding school, before later enrolling in UCLA's art program and then dropping out. "The best way for me to explain the brand is 'elitist, nihilist couture,'" he revealed to Complex. "The price point eliminates the masses, and the ideas eliminate the people who I don't want, generally, in it, due to the dark nature." From Cosmopolitan In a tragic, heartbreaking story, a Pennsylvania man bought a gun one day after police responded to a domestic dispute at his home and used it less than three weeks later to kill his wife, his three children, and then himself, authorities said. Megan Short, 33, told police she was afraid of her husband when they came to her home July 18, investigators revealed Monday, and was in the process of moving out but never made it to her new home. Police found the bodies of Mark Short, 40, his wife, and three children, 8-year-old Lianna, 5-year-old Mark Jr., and 2-year-old Willow on Aug. 6, the same day Megan Short and her children were supposed to move to their new house, in the family's living room in Sinking Spring, about 50 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Mark Short was allegedly supposed to rent a moving van to help with the move. The three children - whom Mark Short had taken to an amusement park just a day earlier for an employer-sponsored family day - were still in their pajamas. The family dog was also killed. Police discovered them after breaking into the Sinking Springs home to check on the family after Megan Short's mother reported that her daughter had failed to show for a lunch date. Relatives were left awaiting Megan Short's arrival at her new home. Investigators found a handwritten murder-suicide note on the dining room table and a handgun near Mark Short, and an autopsy concluded Short's gunshot wound was self-inflicted. Short appeared to have written the letter after he killed his family, acknowledging having bought the gun and using it to commit the murders, authorities said. But they declined to provide further details of what was in the letter. District Attorney John Adams said the investigation also turned up a report of a domestic dispute at a Philadelphia hotel where the couple was staying June 4. He said only hotel security had been involved in that case. Police who responded to the Short home a month later informed Megan Short how to seek a protection from abuse order, but the investigation found she never sought such an order, though she had said she intended to file the next day. Officers found the children home during the incident, but Mark Short had left the area before police arrived. Story continues "I don't know that we know specifically as to why this relationship had disintegrated. We don't have any answers to that," Adams said. "Suffice it to say based upon our investigation ... we can tell you he was going through a breakup of a marriage and he was emotional about that, but that's all we can tell you." Mark Short, a loan officer, had also been demoted at his job at the start of August, Adams said. Megan Short had alleged in a Facebook post that she had been abused, a neighbor also said. Adams said, had Megan Short expressed a need to relocate with her children, Berks Women In Crisis, a crisis intervention and victim support group, could have provided them shelter. Police had done all they were legally allowed to do, he said. "I don't know that anything can be learned other than when leaving an abusive relationship, it's often a very dangerous time for a victim. So, we urge anyone who's in a similar situation to develop a safety plan and contact their local domestic violence agency for assistance," Adams said. The Shorts had been featured in news stories about their difficulties getting medication for Willow, who had a heart transplant. The family made headlines in 2014 and were featured in the New York Times in 2015, shortly after 1-year-old Willow received a new heart. Megan Short previously wrote that anxiety related to her daughter's condition had left her with post-traumatic stress disorder and "survivor's guilt" when children with similar problems from other families died. Hundreds attended a funeral Mass for the family Friday. Mark Short was mentioned only in passing during the service. Follow Hannah on Twitter. By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Tuesday it had turned over to the U.S. Congress a number of documents related to its probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. The Democratic presidential nominee has for over a year been dogged by questions about her use of a private email account while she was the nation's top diplomat. Republicans have repeatedly hammered Clinton over the issue, helping to drive opinion poll results showing that many U.S. voters doubt her trustworthiness. The FBI said it had provided "relevant materials" to congressional committees looking into the matter. "The material contains classified and other sensitive information and is being provided with the expectation it will not be disseminated or disclosed without FBI concurrence," the agency said in a statement. The Clinton campaign criticized the delivery of the documents. "This is an extraordinarily rare step that was sought solely by Republicans for the purposes of further second-guessing the career professionals at the FBI," Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement. "We believe that if these materials are going to be shared outside the Justice Department, they should be released widely so that the public can see them for themselves, rather than allow Republicans to mischaracterize them through selective, partisan leaks." A spokeswoman for the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee said in an email that staff for the panel was reviewing the information classified as "secret." "There are no further details at this time," the aide said. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican, said in a statement that an initial review of the material showed most of it was marked unclassified, and urged the FBI to make as much of it public as possible. FBI Director James Comey told Congress last month that Clinton's handling of classified information while using private email servers was "extremely careless." But he said he would not recommend criminal charges be brought against her. Comey's statement lifted a cloud of uncertainty from Clinton's White House campaign. But his strong criticism of her judgment ignited a new attack on her by Republicans, including Donald Trump, her Republican opponent in the Nov. 8 election. 'NOT CLEAR EVIDENCE' The Oversight committee, chaired by Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, had asked the FBI for the complete investigative file from its review of Clinton's use of a private email server. The FBI has also provided documents from its investigation to the House Judiciary Committee, an aide said. Chaffetz and Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, also a Republican, last month urged federal prosecutors to investigate whether Clinton had committed perjury. They said some FBI findings about her email servers were at odds with her previous testimony to Congress about the matter, for example, her statement she had not sent or received information designated as classified. But the FBI, in a letter sent to the committee on Tuesday, said the fact that the agency had uncovered three instances in which Clinton had received emails containing "(C)" markings, which denote "confidential" information, was "not clear evidence of knowledge or intent" to mishandle such material. The letter, which accompanied the FBI's investigative documents, noted relevant emails had been forwarded to Clinton by staff, lacked "header and footer markings" indicating the presence of classified information, and only one email was later determined by the State Department to contain classified information. Clinton's fellow Democrats were scornful that Republicans were refusing to let the matter drop. "The FBI already determined unanimously that there is insufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing," said Representative Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the Oversight committee. "Republicans are now investigating the investigator in a desperate attempt to resuscitate this issue, keep it in the headlines, and distract from Donald Trump's sagging poll numbers." (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by Luciana Lopez in Philadelphia and Eric Beech in Washington; Editing by Richard Chang and Peter Cooney) When you watch the 1959 Ben-Hur, a studio classic so big and stodgy and literal that even the dialogue seems square-jawed, theres something that tugs you right through the endless talk about high ideals and the birth of Christianity and no, its not just the promise that after three hours, youre going to get to see the chariot race to end all chariot races. Its the presence of an actor whos like an oak tree among twigs. As the title stud-slave, Charlton Heston projects a strength thats brawny but internal sturdiness resolved into muscle. Even his soul is clenched. Hes like a Hollywood glamour god sculpted by Michelangelo. Youd think that this sort of gladiatorial hero worship would have gone out of style, but, of course, youd be wrong. Its alive and kicking in a movie like Gladiator, where Russell Crowe turns vengeance into a brooding art form, or in any of the Mad Max films, which are the real heirs to the ancient-world action epic. But in the new Ben-Hur, when you watch the English actor Jack Huston take on the role of Judah Ben-Hur, the wealthy Jerusalem prince who is stripped, by the Romans, of his home and family and turned into a galley slave, you feel nothing primal in his presence. Huston, who comes from showbiz royalty (hes the grandson of John Huston), isnt a terrible actor, but hes soft. He doesnt pop. When hes rowing, in chains, aboard that Roman war ship, he tells his captive comrades that they should no longer care, they should just survive the kind of stoic advice you could imagine coming from Crowes Maximus. Yet when Huston says it, it sounds like a message from Unicef. With his hair grown girlishly long, and a beard to match, and eyes peering out in more sadness than anger, Hustons Judah resembles no one so much as George Harrison on the cover of All Things Must Pass. Hes a slave who has turned himself into a doleful peacenik. Jesus Christ is a full-scale character in Ben-Hur (hes played, with a minimum of heavenly aura, by Rodrigo Santoro), but you almost feel like the casting should have been flipped. Huston, who has a Christ-like beatitude (and physique), is way too saintly to be convincing as a guy who could drive four white horses with a whip and a sneer of death. Story continues Minus a hero who has the macho charisma to wrap a movie around him like he owned it, the new Ben-Hur is an oddly lackluster affair: sludgy and plodding, photographed (by Oliver Wood) in nondescript medium close-up, an epic that feels like a mini-series served up in bits and pieces. Actually, theres one sequence thats better than that, and thats the chariot race. The director, the Kazakh-born kinetic stylist Timur Bekmambetov, who made Night Watch (2006) and the American schlock-on-overdrive movies Wanted (2008) and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012), stages it with some of the same lurchingly explosive instability of the original. Chariots spin around corners on one wheel, drivers get trampled to death, rows of horses fall like dominoes, and mounds of dirt spray at the camera like something out of a sputtering contempo battle sequence. The madly teetering ancient vehicles seem to be joining in the most violent ritual on earth. In 1959, though, this all looked like nothing less than the invention of speed. Thats why the Ben-Hur chariot race is one of the three or four sequences that gave birth to modern action cinema, the others being the crop-dusting sequence in North by Northwest (a movie released the same year) and the car chase in Bullitt (1968). In the new Ben-Hur, were just watching a propulsive rerun, with Judah, his Jesus locks shorn for the race, now looking like Ben-Hur of Beverly Hills. His foe is Messala, his adoptive brother (in the Heston version, they were childhood friends), played by Toby Kebbell, who suggests a lean, glowering Tony Robbins in Roman bangs. He looks malicious enough that you wish the movie didnt need to spend its first half laboriously setting up the estrangement between brothers. Messala storms off to stalk the world as an officer in the Roman Army, and when he returns, in red cape and copper breastplate, after five years of conquering battle, hes a true believer, sniffing out zealots to snuff. Judah, though he tries to stake out the reasonable middle ground, maintains the classic rich-kid view: He doesnt want anything about his society to change because, as Huston plays it, his life is fine as is. (Maybe thats what you project when you come from showbiz royalty.) He doesnt want to rock the boat, and thats why he ends up in the galley, rowing the boat. When the fleet hes forced to join is attacked by the Greek Navy, its a grabber of a sequence, staged from the slaves point of view, though the 3D mostly has the effect of enhancing how CGI-heavy it is. Judah is shipwrecked on a desert commune presided over by Ilderim (Morgan Freeman), who in his luxurious gray dreadlocks looks like a holy man. But really, he just wants to make money sponsoring entries in chariot races. How convenient for Judah. Freeman has a puckishness that momentarily wakes up the proceedings, but the movie cant seem to sustain anything. Even after the high of the chariot race, it plunges back into slipshod soap opera, though with enough time to accent the Crucifixion. The 1959 Ben-Hur was directed, by William Wyler, with a kind of fake classicism, and that was part of its cardboard studio-system majesty. It didnt need to be subtle; it worked as mythological machismo. But the new Ben-Hur tries to humanize everything, starting with Hustons overly moist Judah, and the result is that this story seems a lot less human than it did 57 years ago. Its become a chariot of mire. Related stories Roma Downey, 'Ben-Hur' Cast at L.A. Premiere: The Film is Not a Remake 'Kubo and the Two Strings' Tops TV Ad Spending Roma Downey Receives Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame (Photo: Singapore Civil Defence Force) The Singapore Civil Defence Force said they have extinguished the fire at an industrial building in Tampines that began Wednesday afternoon (Aug 17). The fire was finally extinguished at 6 am, the SCDF said on a Facebook update shortly before 9 am on Thursday (Aug 18). The fire at CK Building has been extinguished at approximately 6am this morning. Damping down operation is currently in progress, the SCDF said in the post. The SCDF added that a firefighter who was injured has been discharged from the hospital and is now on medical leave. No other details were given. The fire, which broke out around 1.30 pm on Wednesday, spread to three floors of CK Building at No. 39, Tampines Street 92. The SCDF sent its largest deployment of resources to the industrial estate to fight the fire and dispatched a total of five fire engines, two Red Rhinos, two fire bikes, 12 support vehicles & two ambulances to the scene. Multiple small explosions were heard in the burning building earlier, believed to be from household aerosol cans. A resident living in Bedok sent Yahoo Singapore this picture showing the plumes of smoke from the fire Occupants from two neighbouring buildings at 37A and 41, Tampines St 92, were evacuated by police as a precautionary measure on Wednesday. Among them was Sharla, 37, who was working at the Steel Industries Building (37A) when the fire broke out. We saw smoke coming out from the building next door. Some of us saw the glass breaking. Later as the fire got stronger, we heard some explosions, she said. An SCDF spokesperson said that there were no casualties from the fire. San Juan (AFP) - More than 500 people were rescued from a burning ferry off the US territory of Puerto Rico Wednesday, with no major injuries reported, authorities said. The Caribbean Fantasy, a passenger and cargo ferry, was abandoned to the flames after firefighters decided that continuing to fight the blaze was too risky. The ship, owned by America Cruise Ferries, ran aground near a small island off San Juan and authorities said it was likely to sink. "The perimeter will be guarded, but unfortunately there is nothing more to be done with the vessel," said San Juan fire chief Angel Crespo. Crespo said no fatalities had been reported and the 510 passengers and crew were taken off the burning ship and brought ashore. The US Coast Guard said the fire was reported to have started in the ship's engine room and was spreading to other compartments when the evacuation got underway. The smoking ferry was visible from the port as passengers arrived on rescue vessels. The Coast Guard said multiple air and surface craft were dispatched to rescue passengers, including a coast guard cutter. Fire, pilot and tug boats also responded from the port, it said. "At this stage the priority is attending to the people," Crespo said. Passengers underwent medical checks as they arrived at port. Crespo, who also heads Puerto Rico's disaster management agency, said the fire has been contained in the engine room but was not yet out. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The Panamanian-flagged vessel was two nautical miles north of San Juan when the fire was reported to the Coast Guard, at about 7:42 am (1142 GMT). Nestor Cidras, the ferry line's vice president for sales and marketing, said the Caribbean Fantasy had left Santo Domingo late Tuesday and was supposed to have arrived in San Juan at 8:00 am (1200 GMT). A state of emergency was declared in Lake County, California by Governor Jerry Brown on Monday, August 15, due to the Clayton Fire. As of Wednesday, August 17, the fire has burned nearly 4,000 acres and is 40% contained. Despite firefighters efforts the Clayton Fire has destroyed 175 structures, including homes and businesses. On Monday, August 15, Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, was charged with arson in connection with several fires, including the Clayton Fire. This video shows a montage of firefighters battling the Clayton Fire. Credit: YouTube/ Matthew Henderson Still undecided? Has the greatest media onslaught of all time (aided and abetted, it must be said, by the candidate himself) failed to convince you that Donald Trump is 1) unstable 2) a bigot 3) in league with Vladimir Putin 4) a demagogue 5) a Nazi or worse? If your mind is still open, here are five reasons why a sane person might pull the lever for Trump. Education. There is no question that our public schools are failing our kids and our minority children worst of all. Hillary Clinton cannot address this issue because the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association the two biggest teachers unions have donated millions to her campaign and she needs those organizations to get out the vote. As an unpopular candidate, that effort will be critical. Related: The Closing of the Millennial Mind on Campus Note that every single speaker at the Democratic convention, including President and Michele Obama, urged people to vote. They know that Hillary has not won the hearts and minds of the Obama coalition and that many millennials and minority voters may simply stay home on November 8. Hillary wants all those millions of teachers ringing doorbells and making phone calls. The words teacher accountability will not be heard from Mrs. Clinton. Upward mobility starts with a good education. Obamacare. Obamacare is collapsing. Premiums for next year are expected to jump 18 percent to 23 percent across the nation; insurers are pulling out, and the exchanges are failing. The system is inherently broken, with too few young, healthy people signing up. Obamacare was sold on a lie, and the lie is being exposed. What will Hillary Clinton do? Her instinct will be to double down on the federal takeover of our healthcare system. In May she floated a buy-in to Medicare for people over 50. Thats a step towards the so-called public option embraced by Clinton years ago and revived by her recently, which would impose an even greater burden on taxpayers. Whats needed instead is to repeal Obamacare and replace it with a combination of health-savings accounts, greater competition amongst insurers, a faster approval process for healthcare innovations, more participation by private companies offering low-cost efficient clinics, and protection of Medicare. Most of these ideas were presented by House Republicans in June, and should be the roadmap for progress. Story continues Related: Obamacare Suffers Another Big Blow as Aetna Pulls Out of 11 States The economy? Americans continue to rate jobs and the economy as their number one concern. Hillary offers four more years of Obamas policies that have brought us slow growth, a real unemployment rate of 9.7 percent and near-stagnant wages. She virtually guarantees a continuation of the same by promising to levy even more regulations on job creators and to raise taxes on corporations and top earners. There have been endless studies linking lower corporate tax rates with higher wages; even President Obama has proposed cutting the rate paid by U.S. businesses. Hillary fans will dismiss her proposals as insincere campaign pledges, but it is possible that running against Bernie Sanders has revealed Hillarys inner socialist the Wellesley girl who revered Saul Alinsky. Her current ad campaign calls for making corporations and the rich pay their fair share. Clinton knows they already are. What she will not admit is that encouraging businesses and growing the economy is the only way to boost wages, secure our entitlements programs and provide the kinds of opportunities that make the United States a beacon for the entire world. Trump has a better plan for growing the economy. Dissatisfaction with government is Americans next most pressing concern. Polling shows the country more confident in local authorities than in the federal government. A Gallup survey shows that the closer to home the power is, the higher the approval of citizens. While only 38 percent think the federal government is doing a good job of handling domestic issues, 58 percent give high marks to their state administration, and 70 percent approve of local authorities. This is an important message, one to which Hillary Clinton is utterly tone deaf. She embraces an ever greater federal reach, extending Beltway tentacles to student loans, energy development, education, to how wages and benefits are set to nearly every aspect of our lives. By definition, this means less efficiency and less accountability in our government something that every American should reject. Trump would check federal overreach and regulation. Related: Bankrupt of Ideas, Clinton Turns to Obamas Big Spending Plans The Supreme Court. As I and many others have argued, no matter what you think of Donald Trumps personality, those who believe in free markets, limited government and in protecting our constitution cannot allow Hillary Clinton to appoint as many as four liberal Supreme Court Justices in the next few years. Her choices for decades will tilt the country even further towards a progressive agenda and weaken the checks and balances, which have powerfully limited the autocratic rule of Barack Obama. This is not acceptable. Trump would work to balance the court and free it ideology. Trump is a deeply flawed candidate who will not personally manage the government. Instead, he will, as Obama and all presidents have done, outsource the direction of our vast federal enterprise. But on the issues noted above, his instincts and the instincts of those who are working with him -- are sounder than Clintons are. And his designated hitters would be more likely to achieve the progress the country needs. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Authorities have speculated the drug "flakka" could be connected to the gruesome case of a Florida couple who were fatally stabbed Monday before the 19-year-old suspect allegedly tried to eat one of their faces. Austin Harrouff, a Florida State University fraternity brother, was found allegedly attempting to bite off chunks of John Joseph Stevens III's face in a Tequesta neighborhood, law enforcement officials confirmed to PEOPLE. Stevens, 59, and his 53-year-old wife Michelle Karen Mishcon had been allegedly stabbed multiple times by Harrouff, authorities said. Harrouff was "abnormally strong" during the alleged attack, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said during a news conference. Harrouff was also making "animal-like" noises, including "grunting" and "growling," Snyder said. He has since been hospitalized after a prolonged arrest in which he allegedly resisted multiple officers. While toxicology reports will determine whether Harrouff was on drugs during the alleged attack, Snyder said he "would not be surprised" if Harrouff was under the influence of flakka. Snyder noted that Harrouff's core body temperature was not elevated, as it would have been if flakka was involved. But he told PEOPLE that Harrouff exhibited several symptoms seen in flakka users, and initial reports found he was not on cocaine, marijuana or methamphetamine. "When you see a case like this where someone is biting off pieces of somebody's face, could it be flakka?" Snyder said at the news conference. "The answer is it absolutely could be a flakka case." What Is Flakka? All About the Drug that May Be Behind Florida Man Allegedly Stabbing, Attempting to Eat Couple| Crime & Courts, True Crime, Substance Abuse What Is Flakka? Flakka is a psychoactive stimulant that has been linked to bizarre behavior and drug overdoses, and it is also known in some parts of the country as "gravel" because it looks similar to the small stones used in fish tanks. "It is a synthetic cathinone, which is the category of synthetic drugs that are often referred to as 'bath salts,' " Jim Hall, an epidemiologist in the Center for Applied Research on Substance Use and Health Disparities at Nova Southeastern University, tells PEOPLE. Flakka is a stimulant, which increases alertness, attention and energy, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Stimulants which also include cocaine and ecstasy are sometimes referred to as "uppers." "Many users didn't like the bad effects they had from the drug," Hall says, "but nonetheless were very compelled by compulsion to keep using the drug, as it's addictive." Flakka was produced first in China, moving to the streets of Europe and the U.K. before eventually crossing into U.S. borders, Hall says. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. The drug is sold in white or pink crystal chunks, which are "foul-smelling," according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Its street name draws from a hispanic colloquial term, which generally refers to a "slender, elegant woman who charms all whom she meets," Hall says. Story continues What Is Flakka? All About the Drug that May Be Behind Florida Man Allegedly Stabbing, Attempting to Eat Couple| Crime & Courts, True Crime, Substance Abuse How Is Flakka Consumed? Flakka comes in many forms, and is sometimes even laced in marijuana cigarettes, Hall tells PEOPLE. It can also be vaporized in e-cigarette devices, Hall says, but is most typically dissolved in the mouth or snorted. Hall says that the drug is particularly popular with people in their 20s and 30s, but is used across all age spectrums. "The adverse effects were seen in individuals who had a long lifetime history of, in particular, crack cocaine abuse," Hall says. "The drug is a cheap $5 drug intentionally marketed to what was traditionally the street drug crack cocaine market specifically targeted to homeless populations." What Other Reactions or Side-Effects Can Flakka Cause? Adverse effects of flakka, which Hall calls a "second-generation bath salt," can include severe agitation, aggressiveness and a medical condition known as "excited delirium." Excited delirium, Hall says, is when "the body temperature climbs to 105 degrees or higher and the individual becomes extremely paranoid, and often rips off their clothes because of the high heat." "[The user] runs outside fearing they are being chased by imaginary wild animals or people who want to kill them, and they exhibit adrenaline-like strength which makes it difficult to capture them and to give them medical attention," Hall says. This extreme strength was exhibited by Harrouff on Monday as officers attempted, repeatedly, to restrain him, Sheriff Snyder said. Harrouff was also half-dressed when officers arrived. What Is Flakka? All About the Drug that May Be Behind Florida Man Allegedly Stabbing, Attempting to Eat Couple| Crime & Courts, True Crime, Substance Abuse Where Have We Seen Flakka Before? Hall tells PEOPLE that flakka can be sold for as low as $3-5 a dose, and is quite addictive. "Alpha PVP became illegal in early 2014 in the U.S. even before we had any major episodes with it," he says. "It first really came on to the scene intensely in the fall of 2014 in Broward County, Florida, and then had a year-long period of active use and problems." In Broward County last year, a Florida man was reportedly found running through the streets, naked, after smoking flakka, according to the Sun Sentinel. The Sun Sentinel, reported, at the time, that the Drug Enforcement Administration said flakka cases grew from zero in 2010 to 670 by 2014. Harrouff has been charged with one count of aggravated battery, and will be charged with home invasion and two counts of murder, authorities said. He does not have a lawyer and has not entered a plea but, Snyder told PEOPLE, he could die in the hospital as a result of either "sustained trauma" from officers or a drug overdose. As one of Harrouff's high school friends told PEOPLE exclusively, "Austin is a good kid. People always make mistakes in college and have fun. Whatever happened isn't Austin. He isn't himself now." By Sam Karlin DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (Reuters) - With floodwaters engulfing her home in Denham Springs, Louisiana, over the weekend, Dana Dillon swam to her front door to rescue her cats and found furniture floating in chest-deep water. I lost everything, Dillon said on Tuesday, "I lost my car, I lost my trailer. She was able to save her cats. As the floodwaters receded, Dillon was one of many in the city of about 10,000 people east of Baton Rouge who found their homes were destroyed by what has been described as record flooding in the Southern U.S. state. The deluge also left large parts of Denham Springs underwater. About 90 percent of the homes in Denham Springs took on water, local news reports said, adding few residents had flood insurance. Glynn Moore returned on Tuesday to survey the damage to her small, white house, with a tin roof. The structure was raised on bricks about 5 feet off the ground. It's just amazing, Moore said as she walked down a neighborhood street littered with debris, flood-damaged cars and fences ripped apart. It just came up so quick." Floods hit her neighborhood on Friday, but the family stayed at the house as initial levels receded. Floods came again on Saturday and when the water was thigh-deep outside and approaching the porch, the family evacuated. Nearby, an outdoor deck swept away by floodwaters came to rest atop a white picket fence, turned brown by the muddy water. The smell of stagnant water and floating garbage filled the air. Statewide, at least nine people have died in the flooding that damaged about 40,000 homes, officials said. Almost all the homes in Denham Springs were without power as of Tuesday. At Christ Community Church a few miles from the Moore residence, national guardsmen, fire officials and church members helped a few dozen residents with their medical needs and supplied them with food and clothing. About 1,000 people came through the church on Saturday when homes first took on significant amounts of water and the Federal Emergency Management Agency set up tables to help residents register for federal aid. I've never seen it this bad, said Moore's daughter Aisha, adding the house had been with the family for more than 60 years. (Writing by Jon Herskovitz; Editing by Peter Cooney) (BATON ROUGE, La.) Authorities went door to door and car to car to check for bodies Tuesday, and homeowners began the heartbreaking task of gathering up soaked family photos and mucking out houses dank with bayou mud, as the floodwaters started to recede across parts of southern Louisiana. Even as the water fell in some areas, it was rising in other places downstream, where people furiously filled sandbags and fled to shelters. Officials painted a stark picture of the crisis so far: at least 40,000 homes damaged and 11 people killed in some of the worst flooding in Louisiana history, touched off by as much as 2 feet of rain in 48 hours. Over 30,000 people have been rescued since Friday, with more being brought to safety by the hour. There were scattered reports of looting, and Governor John Bel Edwards said parishes with widespread damage would be placed under curfew beginning Tuesday night. The smell of muddy water hung heavy in the air as people donned surgical masks and began the back-breaking job of ripping out soggy carpet, drywall and insulation. They cleaned out spiders and cockroaches that had bubbled up through the sewer grates. Raymond Lieteau, 48, returned to his home in the Woodlands neighborhood of Baton Rouge to survey the damage Tuesday and begin cleaning up. The water line on a mirror showed that he had more than 5 feet of water inside his home. My furniture is all over the place, he said. Its just amazing. The bedroom floors were buckled and the walls bowed, and the swimming pool, once a crystal-clear blue, was filled with brown water. His wife, Daniella Letelier, put on rubber gloves and began sorting through stacks of family photos, removing them from their sleeves and placing them on a table to dry out. Many of the photos were of her 15-year-old daughter, Olivia. I cant live without her pictures. It breaks my heart, she said. Officials started going house to house to make sure everyone was accounted for and searched the countless cars that had been caught in the flooding. Story continues I dont know we have a good handle on the number of people who are missing, the governor said. More than 60,000 people had signed up for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and 16 parishes were added to the federal disaster declaration, bringing the total to 20. And help was coming from quarters beyond the federal government. Performer Taylor Swift told The Associated Press that she is donating $1 million to flood relief. She said the states residents graciously welcomed her when she kicked off the U.S. dates of her 1989 World Tour in Louisiana last year. The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking, the 26-year-old said in a statement. I encourage those who can to help out and send your love and prayers their way during this devastating time. In Livingston Parish, one of the hardest-hit areas with about 138,000 people, an official estimated that 75 percent of the homes were a total loss. In Tangipahoa Parish, Parish President Robby Miller said at least 7,500 homes had flood damage, meaning they took on anywhere from an inch of water to water up to the roof. That number could go as high as 10,000, he said, which would be about a quarter of the homes in the parish. Officials from Livingston Parish were in Baton Rouge on Tuesday to talk to federal officials about getting some sort of temporary housing for their first responders a sign of the housing crunch thats likely soon too come with so many people out of their homes for weeks and perhaps months. Rivers and creeks were still dangerously bloated in areas south of Baton Rouge as the water made its way toward the Gulf of Mexico. In Ascension Parish, some small towns were already inundated. In St. James Parish, authorities called for volunteers to help fill sandbags. Nearly 800 evacuees were gathered in a makeshift Red Cross shelter established in Gonzales at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center, a multipurpose facility that has hosted rodeos, car and truck shows and concerts. Even more people escaping the flood were at an RV park on the site. Tables were stacked with supplies, and a short line of people waited for medical assistance at the nursing station. Music played outside, while children with hula hoops and other games appeared oblivious to the nearby flooding that threatened their homes. Evacuated cows and horses were housed on the property, along with pets rescued. Jared Henry, 39, a chemical plant worker who raises rodeo bulls at his 35-acre home in Gonzales, had moved his 50 bulls to Lamar Dixon as his property flooded, swimming some of the bulls to safety. Henry said his trailer home was raised off the ground and not damaged, but he wasnt sure if it would remain that way. He lost everything before when a fire destroyed his home. So when I saw this coming, I took the few things of sentimental value, got all the cows, the puppy dogs, Henry said after feeding the bulls a batch of hay. Anything else can be replaced. I care about my animals more than anything in this world. The governor said he is worried about battle fatigue setting in as rescuers and residents deal with day upon day of stress. The trauma was evident among people who went back Tuesday. David Key used a small boat to get to his house in Prairieville and said it had taken on 5 inches of muddy, nasty bayou water. There were fish and thousands of spiders, and mold had started to grow. The backyard was still under water, with only the safety net surrounding his childrens trampoline visible. Im not going to lie, I cried uncontrollably, he said. But you have to push forward and make it through. Like everybody says, you still have your family. Santana reported from New Orleans. Kevin McGill and Janet McConnaughey in New Orleans contributed to this report. By Katy Migiro NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The United Nations plans to halve food rations for 200,000 refugees in Uganda, following an "overwhelming" influx of South Sudanese fleeing attacks, forced recruitment, hunger and rape, the U.N. food agency said on Wednesday. Uganda hosts almost 310,000 South Sudanese, including more than 70,000 who arrived since fighting broke out on July 7 between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing former vice president Riek Machar, raising fears of a slide back to civil war. "We have been left with no option but to reduce food assistance for many of the refugees in Uganda, in order to stretch available resources and prioritise the most vulnerable new arrivals," the World Food Programme's (WFP) acting country director in Uganda, Mike Sackett, said in a statement. Refugees who arrived in Uganda after July 2015, as well as the extremely vulnerable and those requiring treatment for malnutrition, will continue to receive a full ration, WFP said. However, 200,000 refugees who fled to Uganda before July 2015, mostly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be affected by the cuts in food aid. WFP said it needs an extra $20 million to restore full food rations to refugees for the rest of the year. South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, has been rocked by more than two years of ethnically charged fighting that has forced more than one in five of its 11 million people to flee. Some 1,000 South Sudanese refugees are arriving each day in Uganda, down from a peak of 8,000 in mid-July, according to Ross Smith, WFP's head of programme in Uganda. "The number of refugees is overwhelming the available resources," Smith told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "They are fleeing with a lot of luggage so we anticipate that people do not expect to return soon." On some days, up to 95 percent of new arrivals seeking safety are women, children and youth, he said. "The major challenge at the moment is the congestion in some of the reception and transit centres," Ross said, adding that there was limited access to water, sanitation and shelter. "The crowding and the large number of people concentrated in a small space creates a real risk for morbidity and disease transmission." Many of the existing refugee settlements are full so a new settlement is being opened in Yumbe District, he said. Hundreds of people were killed and the United Nations said government soldiers and security forces executed civilians and gang-raped women and girls during and after last month's fighting. South Sudan rejected the accusations. Fighting also broke out in the southwest in August despite a July 11 ceasefire. Uganda hosts approximately 600,000 refugees and asylum seekers and expects to receive at least an additional 35,000 from South Sudan alone before the end of 2016, Ross said. (Reporting by Katy Migiro; Editing by Katie Nguyen; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, womens rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org to see more stories.) arosoft / Shutterstock.com Right now, self-driving cars have a failsafe. They come with controls and must have a human inside at all times to grab the wheel and steer the car out of harms way. Not even Google is ready to ditch the wheel and the pedals just yet. Ford, however, has a plan to do just that, and within the next five years. Ford announced today that it was launching development of a fully autonomous car, piloted and controlled entirely by computer, to be completed by 2021. The auto manufacturer wont be selling it to the general public, however, but to taxi companies and ride-hailing services for use in high-density urban areas, and it may even follow pre-set routes. That makes sense, if you think about it: a robot is probably going to have an easier time with the stop-and-go traffic of a city than trying to navigate even a straight highway. Ford followed up the announcement with a lot of splashy acquisitions, announcing investments in a number of startups that offer range-finding sensors, machine vision, 3D mapping, and other tools. Its a bold idea, not least because self-driving technology has been struggling for good press lately. Tesla has seen several accidents in which its Autopilot technology was involved, although it has denied fault. Still, its undeniable that self-driving features are likely going to be the safety features of the future, and Ford is clearly hoping to leapfrog current technology and beat everyone to fully autonomous cars. Just, hopefully, they wont include any animatronic cabbies. (Via The Verge) TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan, China and South Korea are in talks to hold a meeting of their foreign ministers next week, despite rows between Tokyo and Beijing over China's maritime expansion in the South China Sea and the East China Sea, a Japanese daily said on Wednesday. Last month, a senior Japanese foreign ministry official said Japan was considering holding the meeting in late August, but the flare-up in Sino-Japanese tension had fueled concern it was difficult to have such a meeting now. The Tokyo Shimbun daily said the three countries were making arrangements for the meeting to be held around Aug. 23 and 24 in Tokyo. The foreign ministers' meeting is expected to lay the groundwork for a three-way summit Tokyo is set to host this year. Citing unnamed diplomatic sources, the Beijing-datelined story said it was possible that Japan's Coast Guard rescue of Chinese fishermen last week had warmed China to the idea of sending Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Japan for the meeting. The three-way foreign ministers' and summit meetings are an important framework to discuss pressing regional issues, such as North Korea's nuclear and missile programs. Japanese and South Korea foreign ministry officials said nothing has been fixed yet. The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Tension between Japan and China mounted this month after a growing number of Chinese coastguard and other government ships sailed near disputed islets in the East China Sea. The group of tiny, uninhabited islands, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, is controlled by Japan but claimed also by China. Ties were also strained over the South China Sea dispute, with Japan urging China to adhere to a ruling by an international court that invalidated Beijing's territorial claims there, while China warned Japan not to interfere. (Reporting by Ju-min Park in SEOUL; Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Linda Sieg and Kiyoshi Takenaka in TOKYO; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) By Alana Wise WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Roger Ailes, the Fox News chairman ousted last month after sexual harassment allegations, is not advising Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump before the presidential debates in the fall, the campaign said on Tuesday. "He is not advising Mr. Trump or helping with debate prep. They are longtime friends but he has no formal or informal role in the campaign," the campaign said. Earlier, the New York Times had reported that Ailes was advising Trump ahead of the Sept. 26 first presidential debate with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in a role that could stretch beyond the initial Long Island, New York debate. Ailes resigned from his post as chairman and chief executive of Fox News Channel last month, ending his 20-year reign over the conservative cable news channel, after Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson sued the 76-year-old claiming sexual harassment. Trump has spoken highly of Ailes in the past, calling him "a great guy" in a tweet last month. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu and Alana Wise; editing by Jonathan Oatis and Cynthia Osterman) EXCLUSIVE: In feverish bidding, Fox Searchlight has acquired The Aftermath, a Scott Free-produced adaptation of the Rhidian Brook novel that has Keira Knightley and Alexander Skarsgard in talks to star, with James Kent directing. He helmed Testament Of Youth. Ridley Scott is producing. Numerous companies vied for the package, but Searchlight closed the deal. Race scribes Anna Waterhouse and Joe Shrapnel adapted the screenplay. The book, an international bestseller, is set in postwar Germany in 1946. Rachael Morgan arrives in the ruins of Hamburg in the bitter winter, to be reunited with her husband Lewis, a British colonel charged with rebuilding the shattered city. But as they set off for their new home, Rachael is stunned to discover that Lewis has made an extraordinary decision: They will be sharing the grand house with its previous owners, a German widower and his troubled daughter. In this charged atmosphere, enmity and grief give way to passion and betrayal. Waterhouse and Shrapnel are repped by CAA, Grandview and Curtis Brown UK. Related stories Hollywood's Masters Of Crisis Have Conflicting Advice For Fox Searchlight & Nate Parker's 'Birth Of A Nation' Fox Searchlight, Nate Parker Confront Old Sex Case That Could Tarnish 'The Birth Of A Nation' Three Join Kathryn Bigelow's Detroit Riots Pic; Fox Searchlight Sets 'Wilson' For March By Michel Rose PARIS (Reuters) - When French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron told supporters in a rousing speech in Paris on July 12 that he would carry them to victory in next year's elections, he left them in little doubt that he wanted to run for president. Two days later, a 19-tonne truck mowed down a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing 85 people and destroying the momentum built over months by the youthful minister, as security issues eclipsed all others in the media. "On such tragic events, it's normal to let speak those who can act," a close adviser to Macron told Reuters. "We didn't try to put ourselves forward, it would have been indecent and disgraceful. The responsible thing to do was keep quiet." Months ago, all the talk was of Macron, a 38-year-old unelected former investment banker, as he created his own political movement and refused to confirm or deny that he will run for president in 2017. He made a name for himself criticizing sacred cows of the French "social model" such as the 35-hour working week, iron-clad job protection and civil servants' jobs for life, and in the process became the most popular minister in the Socialist government. COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF REQUIRED But suddenly, voters are looking beyond the sluggish economy and questioning potential candidates' credentials on law and order, where Macron has no experience. "The French are looking for a candidate with shoulders broad enough to tackle this new situation, basically a commander-in-chief," said Jerome Fourquet, analyst for pollster IFOP. More than that, the prevailing mood leaves little room for Macron to step down and challenge his boss for the presidency. "Not only would he be letting down the ones he owes much to, but he would be doing it just as the country is at war, and the government is trying to get out of a very complicated situation," Fourquet said. Macron's views on terrorism also jar with the current tough political consensus. "Someone with a beard or a Muslim-sounding name is four times less likely to land a job interview than anybody else," he was reported as telling the think-tank Les Gracques shortly after Islamist attackers killed 130 people in Paris in November. "We are responsible for some of that, because totalitarianism feeds off the defiance that we allow to take root in our society." That may sound like common sense in other parts of Europe, but he was slapped down by party grandees such as Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who ridiculed those who were looking for "social, sociological and cultural excuses" for jihadists. More recently, President Francois Hollande pointedly derided those who wanted to "pursue a different politics ... as if that existed!". NOT ONLY SECURITY Still, Macron is unapologetic. "He certainly stands by what he said on how the answer to terrorism should not only be more security," his adviser said. "But he can only spell out his thinking once the public debate has calmed down." Macron, whose party has sent volunteers door-to-door across France over the summer to collect voters' grievances, will in September unveil his "diagnosis" for the country. It will include security policies, but his supporters say that, with unemployment around 10 percent, law and order will not be the only issue in the battle for the presidency. They point out that the first Islamist killing in France in more than 15 years, when al-Qaeda inspired gunman Mohammed Merah killed seven people including three children in and around Toulouse, took place just two months before the last presidential election in 2012. Commentators suggested that this would guarantee conservative ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy and far-right leader Marine Le Pen - both likely to run again next year - a place in the runoff. But the winner was a man with no experience on security, who had never been a minister, and was even nicknamed "Flanby" after a brand of wobbly pudding: Francois Hollande. (Reporting by Michel Rose and Jean-Baptiste Vey; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Two-and-a-half months after Freddie Gibbs was arrested in France stemming from an alleged sexual assault that occurred in Vienna, Austria in July 2015, the rapper has formally been charged in the incident. A spokesperson for the Vienna criminal court confirmed the charges of "sexual abuse of a defenseless or psychologically impaired person" Wednesday. "[Gibbs] is alleged to have administered knock-out drops to a woman and then have abused her sexually while she was in a defenseless state," the spokesperson said in a statement, accusing the rapper of spiking a woman's drink, Metro US reports. Gibbs could face 10 years in prison if convicted of the charges. Gibbs' Austrian-based lawyer Thomas Kralik denied that the rapper had any sexual contact with the alleged victim. "He strenuously denies [the accusations]," Kralik said. Gibbs' U.S. lawyer Theodore Simon added in an email statement to Rolling Stone, "While Freddie Gibbs was charged with an offense today, it remains only an allegation, and it does not in any way change the actual facts that Freddie Gibbs is 100 percent innocent ... As the investigation and process continues, Mr. Gibbs remains hopeful that a thorough, searching and complete investigation will reveal the actual facts, including the absence of any scientific, physical, or credible evidence implicating him, thereby paving the way for his exoneration and return to his family and one-year-old child." At the time of Gibbs' arrest in Toulouse, France in June, the rapper's lawyer told Rolling Stone in a statement, "Freddie Gibbs adamantly denies the allegations that have been levied against by Austrian authorities. It makes you wonder why it took almost a year for Austrian officials to bring these charges. Freddie will be fighting the extradition request as these are nothing more than trumped up charges." Gibbs was scheduled to perform in Vienna on May 26th but the concert was cancelled due to "transportation issues." A European arrest warrant was issued for Gibbs days later. Related Content: The 19-year-old Florida State University student accused of stabbing a couple to death and trying to eat one victim's face was once a "kind-hearted" kid but isn't himself now, a friend of the teen tells PEOPLE. A man who says he went to high school with Austin Harrouff, the teen arrested in the gruesome attack, tells PEOPLE that Harrouff lost his way after graduating and began to "play with some things he shouldn't have." "Austin is a good kid. People always make mistakes in college and have fun," the man, who asked to remain anonymous, tells PEOPLE. "Whatever happened isn't Austin. He isn't himself now." Friend of FSU Frat Brother Accused of Trying to Eat Stabbing Victim's Face Says Suspect 'Isn't Himself Now'| Crime & Courts, Death, Murder, True Crime, True Crime Harrouff, an rising sophomore at FSU, allegedly stabbed John Stevens III, 59, and Michelle Mishcon, 53, repeatedly on Monday night as the couple sat in their garage with the door open, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder told PEOPLE. Police arrived at the scene to find Harrouff allegedly trying to bite chunks off of Stevens' face in the garage of the couple's Tequesta home, Snyder said. "The suspect was on top of our victim, clutching him in a bear hug and biting him in the face," Snyder said, calling the incident a "random" and "unprovoked" attack. "It was an impossible task to get him off of the victim." Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. The source says hearing about his friend's alleged crime made his "stomach turn." "Austin is a super kind-hearted kid," the friend tells PEOPLE. "Whatever happened, isn't him." Snyder said he "would not be surprised" if Harrouff, who was "heavily sedated" in a hospital on Tuesday, was under the influence of flakka a psychoactive stimulant that has been linked to bizarre behavior and drug overdoses at the time of the attack. Friend of FSU Frat Brother Accused of Trying to Eat Stabbing Victim's Face Says Suspect 'Isn't Himself Now'| Crime & Courts, Death, Murder, True Crime, True Crime Snyder said that toxicology reports ruled out cocaine, marijuana and methamphetamine, but added that Harrouff allegedly showed signs of "excited delirium." Harrouff has been charged with aggravated battery and will be charged with home invasion and two counts of murder. Police have not determined a motive for the alleged attack, Snyder said. "What pushed our Florida State student into this? We do not know," Snyder said at a Tuesday press conference. LIBREVILLE (Reuters) - Gabon's main opposition parties chose former foreign minister Jean Ping as its candidate in an election on Aug. 27 against President Ali Bongo, who is standing for a second term in one of Africa's leading oil-producing nations. Ping, aged 74, is considered one of Africa's foremost diplomats. His career has included a spell as chairman of the African Union commission and as president of the U.N. General Assembly. He was an ally and protege of the president's father, Omar Bongo, who ruled Gabon for 42 years until his death in 2009. Ping fell out with Ali Bongo, who won a disputed election in 2009, and resigned from the ruling party in 2014. "We think that this event will constitute the real departure point for change in this country and the start of a new Gabon," said Zacharie Myboto, who presided over the signing ceremony at which Ping was chosen over several other possible candidates. Gabon's one-round electoral system is seen as favouring Bongo, though opposition unity could help overcome the president's institutional advantages accrued over the decades his family has held power. (Reporting by Gerauds Wilfried Obangome; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Larry King) With the end of Game of Thrones in sight, one of its producers is setting up his next act. Christopher Newman - who has been with the HBO fantasy drama since its start - is set to explore the story of Wu Zetian, China's only female empress. Newman has signed a deal with Starlight Media and K. Jam Media to develop and produce Empress, which has been commissioned as a 13-episode drama. Producers Starlight Media will fully finance the series - which carries an estimated budget of $70 million - and will shop the project from K. Jam Media to broadcast networks after filming has been completed. Production on the currently uncast project is set to begin in Sichuan, China, in late 2017 with a premiere eyed for 2018. Empress will tell the storied tale of the only female empress in the history of China - Wu Zetian, who ruled during the Tang dynasty (618-906 A.D.), a time of relative freedom for women. She was known for her wit, intelligence and humor as well as being ruthless, cunning and a political force to be reckoned with. The series will follow her ascent through the court of Emperor Tai Tsung; life as his favorite concubine - and ultimately her rise to power. Newman will exec produce the drama alongside Starlight Media chairman Xu Yan, CEO Peter Luo and Beely Lee as well as K. Jam CEO Kia Jam. "I am very happy to announce this partnership and am looking forward to working with this excellent creative team to bring the story of the Empress Wu to a global audience," Xu said Wednesday in a statement. Added Jam: "My partner Chris and I have already started to assemble a world-class team and are thrilled to be in business with our friends at Starlight Media. The story of the empress is a story of intrigue, history and power that provides a deep storytelling well that we hope will have numerous seasons to follow." Starlight Media is a U.S.-based company founded in 2013 by Xu and next has feature Marshall, directed by Reginald Hudlin and produced by Paula Wagner. K. Jam Media is an independent film and TV production company based in Los Angeles and has financed or co-financed more than 20 movies and TV productions. Newman started as a line producer before moving on to co-producer and producer on Game of Thrones. His credits include Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Notting Hill and Love Actually. BERLIN (Reuters) - A man arrested in Germany on Wednesday on suspicion of storing materials that could be used as explosives had items in his apartment glorifying Islamic State, the regional police chief told broadcaster rbb. Hans-Juergen Moerke told rbb that no attack plans had been found but a search of the flat had uncovered pyrotechnics, a gas mask, a replica Kalashnikov, camouflage suits and "many other IS trappings i.e. things that glorify IS". "We don't have concrete connections (linking him to Islamic State) but this person did post photos on the internet in which he posed masked, with this Kalashnikov and Arabic characters," rbb quoted Moerke, Brandenburg state police president, as saying. Nerves are raw in Germany after a spate of attacks on civilians, including two claimed by the Islamic State group and a mass shooting in Munich by a deranged 18-year-old that was also initially seen as terrorism-related. Moerke said the suspicion of terrorism against the 27-year-old German arrested in the eastern town of Eisenhuettenstadt - a man who he said had converted to Islam around seven years ago - "has not yet been ruled out". He said the man was known to police due to drug-related crimes and threats. Earlier in the day a police spokesman said there were no signs the man had been planning a terrorist attack or any indications that he had an Islamist militant motive. The website of German news magazine Focus initially reported that the man had a militant Salafist background and was suspected of plotting to attack a festival in Eisenhuettenstadt, near the Polish border, though it later quoted police sources as saying this was not the case. The annual festival, where there will be a fairground, circus and a variety of musicians performing on stage, will begin with a lantern procession on Aug. 26 and run until Aug. 28. Organizers of Munich's annual Oktoberfest, the world's biggest beer festival, have decided to tighten security in response to the July attacks, with a ban on rucksacks, security checks at all entrances and new fencing. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal, Michael Nienaber, Michelle Martin and Reuters TV; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Madeline Chambers and Robin Pomeroy) Berlin (AFP) - German police on Wednesday arrested a 27-year-old convert to Islam on fears he was planning a bomb attack, but later said they found no evidence to back the suspicion. "The suspicion has not been confirmed," a police spokesman said. "No dangerous objects were found in the (individual's) apartment," he added. The spokesman also rejected media reports that material linked to the Islamic State jihadist group had been uncovered. The man is still being questioned by police. Police had earlier announced the arrest of the unidentified man in the northeastern state of Brandenburg over fears that he had been planning an "explosive attack". Germany suffered two attacks claimed by the Islamic State organisation in July -- 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 an explosive device outside a music festival, killing himself. (Adds details and context) BERLIN, Aug 17 (Reuters) - German police arrested a 27-year-old man on Wednesday on suspicion of storing materials that could be used as explosives but later said there were no signs he had been planning a terrorist attack. Nerves are raw in Germany after a spate of attacks on civilians, including two claimed by the Islamic State militant group and a mass shooting in Munich by a deranged 18-year-old that was also initially seen as terrorism-related. A police spokesman in the eastern town of Eisenhuettenstadt said following a police search of the man's flat that there were no indications he had an Islamist militant motive. Officers only found pyrotechnical products in the apartment and the man was still being questioned, he said. The website of German news magazine Focus initially reported that the man had a militant Salafist background and was suspected of plotting to attack a festival in Eisenhuettenstadt, near the Polish border, though it later quoted police sources as saying this was not the case. The annual festival, where there will be a fairground, circus and a variety of musicians performing on stage, will kick off with a lantern procession on Aug. 26 and run until Aug. 28. Organisers of Munich's annual Oktoberfest, the world's biggest beer festival, have decided to tighten security in response to the July attacks, with a ban on rucksacks, security checks at all entrances and new fencing. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal, Michael Nienaber, Michelle Martin and Reuters TV; Editing by Madeline Chambers and Richard Balmforth) BERLIN (Reuters) - The German military on Wednesday said it had resumed deliveries of weapons to Kurdistan after the government of the northern Iraqi region vowed to ensure the arms did not end up on the black market. A defense ministry spokesman said Germany had delivered 70 tonnes of weapons, including 1,500 rifles, 100 shoulder-fired rockets and three armored vehicles, to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil on Tuesday. Germany halted weapons deliveries in January after media reports that some weapons sent to Kurdistan to help it fight Islamic State militants had later been offered for sale on the black market. An investigation by the Kurdistan government completed earlier this year found that about 30 weapons of over 28,000 delivered by Germany had been sold illegally or lost. Kurdish authorities arrested several people as a result. Kurdish officials have signed a declaration that the weapons delivered on Tuesday will not be resold. Germany has sent over 30 shipments of weapon totaling more than 2,000 tonnes to the Kurdistan regional government since 2014, the ministry spokesman said. Germany's lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, in January agreed to increase the number of German soldiers training Kurdish Peshmerga forces in northern Iraq to 150 from 100. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Andrew Roche) The evergreen bossa nova classic "The Girl From Ipanema" had a boost in current popularity after model Gisele Bundchen strutted to the song at the opening ceremony of the 2016 Rio Olympics. Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto's iconic version of the song -- written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes, released on the classic Getz/Gilberto album in 1964 -- jumped from No. 14 to No. 5 on this week Billboard's World Digital Songs chart. It climbed 654 percent to 3,000 downloads sold during the tracking week ending Aug. 11. Jobim's grandson, Daniel Jobim, performed the song on piano during Bundchen's Olympic catwalk. The younger Jobim is paying further tribute to his grandfather in a series of concerts in Rio's Olympic country houses. The performances also feature American jazz vocalist Alexandra Jackson, who will include this new version of the song on her upcoming Brazil-tinged release, Legacy and Alchemy. Like Ella Fitzgerald and Diana Krall before her, Jackson -- a University of Miami music graduate and daughter of former Atlanta mayor Maynard Jackson -- brings the female gaze to the sensuous song, with lyrics that eye a "tall and tan and young and handsome" boy walking down the Rio street. SAN DIEGO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / Global Payout, Inc. (OTC Pink: GOHE) announced today that following its board resolution, Global Payout has acquired a controlling interest in ISBC Holdings Ltd., the sole management company for International Sovereign Banking Corporation (ISBC). A definitive agreement has been signed by both parties for Global Payout to acquire 80.667% of ISBC Holdings Ltd. in exchange for 278,180,804 shares of Global Payout's restricted common stock. As the parent company of ISBC Holdings Ltd., Global Payout will now assist in the final formation and capitalization of its Private Banking Structure. This acquisition brings together an international private banking structure with cloud based banking technologies allowing individuals, enterprises and governmental organizations to more efficiently and securely process international financial transactions. In the next couple of days Global will also be announcing the addition of new board members. "The completion of this acquisition will now allow ISBC Holdings and Global Payout to officially join their teams to complete the final legal formation, capitalization and deposit products needed to launch this highly innovative Private Banking Institution," says James Hancock, CEO, Global Payout, Inc. "This acquisition will bring FinTech technology to this international private banking structure that will afford the opportunity to generate for its depositors a higher rate of return than most public commercial banks currently offer," says Doug Miller, CEO, ISBC Holdings Ltd. About Global Payout: Global Payout, Inc., www.globalpayout.com, headquartered in San Diego, California, is a Program Manager providing both project management advisory services and direct account provisioning systems that can be offered through Global's eWallet platforms, digital currency management, and prepaid debit card bank programs located throughout the world. This enables end-users of the platform to maximize an expanded suite of financial services and minimize operational costs through integration of state-of- the-art FinTech applications and platforms. About ISBC Holdings, Ltd.: ISBC Holdings, Ltd. (ISBC Holdings) is a domestic and international bank management company acting as the sole manager of International Sovereign Bank Corporation (ISBC), a private international bank. ISBC is a privately owned Sovereign Nation Bank to be held on the Sovereign Tribal land of the Wakpamni Lake Community, Oglala Sioux Tribe located at the Pine Ridge Tribal Reservation in South Dakota. ISBC Holdings has entered into an irrevocable Operations Management Services Agreement with International Sovereign Bank Corporation for a term of 100 years to manage bank products, services and operations. ISBC Holdings has been established as an off-shore company based in Hong Kong and domestically in Nevada, with administrative offices in San Diego and Orange County, California. Forward-Looking Statements Disclosure: This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. In this context, forward looking statements may address the Company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "will" and other terms with similar meaning. These forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. Although the Company believes that the assumptions upon which its forward looking statements are based are reasonable, it can provide no assurances that these assumptions will prove to be correct. All forward-looking statements in this press release are expressly qualified by such cautionary statements, risk, and uncertainties, and by reference to the underlying assumptions. CONTACT: Global Payout, Inc. Investor Relations info@GlobalPayout.com SOURCE: Global Payout, Inc. DailyFX.com - Talking Points: Gold prices unable to sustain gains on hawkish Fed-speak Crude oil prices extend advance on output deal speculation July Fed meeting minutes, EIA inventory data now in focus Gold prices remained locked in a familiar range after another attempt to build upside momentum fizzled intraday. The metal rose against a backdrop of broad-based US Dollar weakness. The move faltered despite disappointing US CPI data on the back of hawkish comments from New York Fed President Bill Dudley, who said the market is complacent about the need to hike rates and under-pricing the scope of on-coming tightening. Looking ahead, minutes from Julys Fed policy meeting are in focus. The central bank asserted that near-term risks to the economic outlook have diminished following the sit-down. Traders will be keen to see more about what lurks behind this assessment to gauge whether priced-in rate hike probabilities are indeed too low, as Mr Dudley argued. Needles to say, a hawkish tone is likely to boost the US Dollar and send gold prices lower. Crude oil prices continued to push higher amid swirling hopes for a possible supply-side deal to boost prices at meeting of OPEC and non-OPEC producers in Algiers next month. Reports asserting that representatives from Iran will attend the sit-down and reports of a formal meeting between Russia and OPEC members in October ostensibly to follow up on any progress previously all fed the rumor mill. A report from API suggesting inventories fell by 1.01 million barrels last week probably helped as well. Official EIA weekly inventories data is on tap ahead, with an increase of 410k barrels expected. What does retail traders gold positioning say about the price trend? Find out here! GOLD TECHNICAL ANALYSIS Gold prices continue to tread water. A break below range support marked by the August 8 low at 1329.79 targets the 38.2% Fibonacci retracementat 1308.00. Alternatively, a daily close above the 1367.15-77.74 area (double top, 38.2% Fib expansion) exposes the 50% level at 1398.45. Story continues Gold Prices May Fall on Hawkish Tone in Fed Meeting Minutes CRUDE OIL TECHNICAL ANALYSIS Crude oil prices extended their winning streak for a fourth consecutive session. A daily close above the 61.8% Fibonacci retracementat 46.88 exposes the 76.4% level at 48.70. Alternatively, a reversal below the 50% Fib at 45.41 targets the 43.94-44.40 area (July 11 low, 38.2% retracement). Gold Prices May Fall on Hawkish Tone in Fed Meeting Minutes --- Written by Ilya Spivak, Currency Strategist for DailyFX.com To receive Ilya's analysis directly via email, please SIGN UP HERE Contact and follow Ilya on Twitter: @IlyaSpivak original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM. By Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece plans to reduce overcrowding at migrant camps on its islands, a government official said on Wednesday, to ease growing tensions and improve conditions that campaigners have called "disgraceful". More than 10,700 migrants are now sheltered on five Greek islands which have capacity for 7,450, according to government data. Charity Save the Children said they were living in "dirty, unsafe conditions ... with no end in sight." Greece now plans to build several new facilities with a capacity of about 1,000 people each, to transfer migrants from the islands and other strained or temporary sites. A government official said the slow processing of requests for asylum - without which migrants face being returned to Turkey - was adding to building frustration at the camps. "We are facing a lot of problems on the islands. People feel trapped and disillusion is growing. They came very close to materializing their dream of reaching Europe but it didn't happen," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We are moving to a de-congestion process while speeding up the processing of asylum requests," the official said. "The new facilities will be better, more permanent, smaller dwellings." Greek authorities said late on Wednesday that they had returned by plane to Turkey eight more men from Syria bringing the total number, under the accord agreed with EU in March, to 476. Including those on the islands, there are 57,679 migrants stranded in Greece, up from about 42,000 in March. Its shelters have capacity for 61,409 people. Flows have slowed since the deal between the European Union and Turkey came into force in April. There has been a small increase in the past few weeks, but nothing on the scale of the hundreds or even thousands arriving daily last year. Save the Children said 3,800 of those on the islands were children. The charity called on the European Union to give more funding to help improve conditions for migrants in Greece. A representative for Arsis, a non-governmental organization providing social support to young people, said there were only 728 beds available for 3,168 registered unaccompanied minors in Greece. "We are constantly looking for space to provide shelter to unaccompanied minors," said Arsis' Katerina Poutou. "Our needs are urgent." (Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Toby Chopra) Guatemala City (AFP) - The main hospital in Guatemala's capital on Wednesday confirmed the country's first case of a Zika-linked birth defect in a newborn and two cases of a related nerve disorder. A 70-year-old man and a five-year-old girl were diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological autoimmune condition which can cause paralysis, Carlos Mejia, head of the infectious diseases clinic in the Hospital Roosevelt, told a news conference. "We have also detected the first case of microcephaly compatible with Zika," he said. Microcephaly is where babies are born with abnormally small skulls and underdeveloped brains. Zika is most commonly transmitted by mosquito, although rarer cases of transmission through sex have been identified. Mejia said tests were being carried out out on two other babies to determine whether their mothers had contracted Zika while pregnant. He added that there have been no confirmed deaths from conditions linked to the virus, but there was a report of a man infected with Zika dying of severe pneumonia. Zika has swept through much of Latin America, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare an international public health emergency in February this year. By Makini Brice PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Haiti has identified its first case of the birth defect microcephaly linked to the Zika virus, a senior health ministry official said on Tuesday. Gabriel Thimothe, director general at the ministry of public health and population, said the case was confirmed on Saturday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Haiti has confirmed 14 cases of the birth defect since March, up from previous reports of two cases, Raymond Grand Pierre, the director of the Department of Health and Family in the Ministry of Health, said. In the other 13 cases, authorities have not established a link to microcephaly although the number may indicate Zika is more widespread in Haiti than previously thought. According to a chart provided by the Centers for Disease Control, Haiti has recorded nearly 3,000 Zika cases. But the World Health Organization says the overwhelming majority of cases of the virus in the island nation are suspected and not confirmed. Thimothe said the baby with Zika-linked microcephaly was born in the city of Mirebalais earlier this summer. Boston-based Partners in Health and its sister organization, Haiti-based Zanmi Lasante, said in a statement on Aug. 9 that two babies had been born with microcephaly in their University Hospital Mirebalais. U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly. The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Haiti's healthcare system is still suffering from the fallout of the 2010 earthquake that killed about 300,000 people and a still-ongoing cholera epidemic that began shortly afterward, killing about 8,600 people and infecting 707,000. Health facilities were also paralyzed this year by a months-long strike by medical residents over pay and working conditions, which Thimothe said had largely ended. (Reporting by Makini Brice in Port-au-Prince; Editing by Sandra Maler and Cynthia Osterman) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f180998%2fc5b9fd5e74a74240aa4fdb6ccadaffbb Surely after the Boaty McBoatface saga, you'd think caution would be exercised when it comes to public naming competitions. Yet the much-loved internet star that is Harambe, the gorilla who died at Cincinnati Zoo, has ended up becoming the name of a water slide in Hobart, Australia. Albeit not for long, it seems. SEE ALSO: Kid dancing behind TV reporter in Louisiana is the news you need today The Doone Kennedy Hobart Aquatic Centre ran a competition on its Facebook page, announcing the winning entry in a post on Tuesday evening. The post has since been deleted, but a screenshot made its way on to reddit. But what the aquatic centre missed is that Harambe is quite the internet sensation, bringing the world plenty of laughter (and sadness) through a litany of dank memes in the months since it passed. Soon enough, the council running the centre "got" the joke, and yeah, you can't say they're pleased. "We were keen to promote a new piece of children's play equipment in our leisure pool and for the public to feel some ownership of it, so we ran a naming competition," General Manager of the City of Hobart, Mr Nick Heath, said in a statement sent to Mashable Australia. "We honoured the winning entry because the meaning behind the name aligned with the centre's commitment to community participation in aquatic and wellness activities. The competition was run in good faith so it is unfortunate that what was intended to celebrate a popular new addition to the pool was hijacked by some." As for the guy who won the naming competition and a family pass to the centre, 16-year-old Jayden Boost, he told Mashable Australia via Messenger that he hasn't been contacted by the council since the posts were taken down. Give the boy his family pass! It's not clear if the council will continue on with the Harambe name, but in the meantime, RIP Harambe, the gorilla who died. On his way home to Singapore, HBO Asias CEO Jonathan Spink has stopped off at Hengdian World Studios, in the Zhejiang Province of China, where HBO Originals is shooting two Chinese TV movies, Master of the Drunken Fist: Beggar So and Master of the Shadowless Kick: Wong Kei-Ying, both based on stories about 18th-century martial artists. We are pursuing the local production route because it works, says Spink. The learning curve for HBO Originals in Asia has been huge from the time of its first TV movie, Dead Mine, four years ago. Weve stopped trying to be pan-Asian, Spink says. The company is no longer seeking universal subjects for its films and wont shoehorn stories to fit the demands of a co-financier. For instance, the first HBO Asia series, Serangoon Road in 2013, was co-produced with the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Set in Singapore and shot in English, it bombed. Now, Spinks says, we are simply looking for things that can work. The Hengdian TV movies are co-produced and co-financed with the state-owned China Movie Channel. A movie-centric, specialty broadcaster, CMC is very similar to us, Spinks says. And its easy to deal with the rights issues. Avoiding the complications of a theatrical release for foreign productions, CMC will broadcast the pictures in China, while HBO transmits them across its Asian franchise. (Theres little doubt that HBO is also making a strategically and politically smart move by partnering with a Chinese government entity.) Shadowless Kick director Guo Jian-yong makes no compromises. Too many intellectual properties these days rely on big special effects, he says. What I want is to make performances as real as possible, which is why Ive cast martial arts champions in the lead roles. He says the genre can help a project cross borders. These may be very Chinese stories, and deal with a very difficult period in Chinese history, notably the Opium Wars, he notes. But the martial arts can help make these appeal even to U.S. audiences. Martial arts is a language that, like music, dance, or sports, can have appeal anywhere. Story continues Even so, Spink admits that the groups Asian output is unlikely to turn up on HBOs domestic roster any time soon. However, he says, HBO U.S. is getting more interested in what we are doing. Related stories Robert Downey Jr., Nic Pizzolatto Eyeing TV Project at HBO (EXCLUSIVE) Global Locations Hope to Attract New Projects After 'Game of Thrones' Ends Jennifer Lopez to Star as Drug Lord Griselda Blanco in HBO Film Moscow (AFP) - It was a desperate plea from then Russian leader Boris Yeltsin that drew Gennady Veretilny to the barricades going up around the White House in central Moscow. "I wasn't a supporter of Yeltsin, I wasn't a liberal or a Communist. I wasn't a party man," Veretilny told AFP, recalling the events of 25 years ago when he was working as a police investigator. "But the appeal by Yeltsin -- freedom, democracy, all of these new words -- the people really believed in this. And I believed in it too, of course." In the early hours of August 19, 1991, tanks had rolled through the streets of the Soviet capital as a group of hardline Communist bosses and security chiefs staged a dramatic putsch. They claimed Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev had been taken seriously ill at his holiday home on the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea and that they were taking over to restore order. In reality, Gorbachev was under de facto house arrest and the coup organisers were looking to roll back reforms that threatened to end the Communist Party's iron grip and had dragged the Soviet Union to the brink of collapse. What the plotters had not counted on was the reaction of ordinary people emboldened by several years of newfound freedoms. As the shocking news spread through the city, crowds flocked to support Yeltsin -- the head of the USSR's biggest republic, Russia -- as he faced down the tanks surrounding the headquarters of his government. "More than 20,000 Muscovites had come to defend Yeltsin. He asked Muscovites to come and support him and they formed a human chain," said Veretilny, now 57. - String of vital errors - Those opposing the coup used old piping, broken fences, city buses and anything else they could find to build barricades. Then they readied for an armed assault by the security forces. "Especially on the night of August 20-21, there was a very anxious atmosphere," said Lev Ponomaryov, a prominent rights activist who was a deputy back in 1991. Story continues "The people were really prepared for there to be an assault." But the feared attack never came. Unbeknown to those on the streets, the putschists were making a string of vital errors, failing to silence Yeltsin or convince crucial military commanders to take their side. When three demonstrators were killed in a confused clash with soldiers, the nerve of those in charge finally seemed to snap. By August 21 it became clear that the attempt to seize power and turn back the clock had begun to collapse. Soon the men behind it were arrested. "We hadn't slept for three days, so we were tired. But joyful as well," Ponomaryov told AFP. "It was a strange mixture of fatigue and joy." - Communism to gangster capitalism - The failure of the coup drove the final nail into the coffin of over 70 years of Communist domination. Yeltsin -- now the real power in the country -- banned the Communist Party, sidelined Gorbachev and signed a pact with the leaders of Ukraine and Belarus essentially breaking up the Soviet Union. On December 25, 1991 Gorbachev resigned and then the USSR formally ceased to exist. For those who had squared up to the attempted coup it was a heady time. But as state-planning gave way to gangster capitalism, millions were left impoverished and hopes quickly faded. In the Kremlin, Yeltsin ruthlessly expanded his powers, presided over rampant corruption and sold off assets to allied oligarchs in shady deals. Eventually he anointed ex-KGB officer Vladimir Putin as his successor "Power changed hands from one bunch of crooks to another," said ex-cop Veretilny, who now lives in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. In a recent poll by the independent Levada centre, only 16 percent of Russians said for sure that they would come out to oppose a coup trying return the country to the Soviet order if it happened nowadays. "The people were naive. We didn't know what was what," Veretilny said. "We didn't know that instead of freedom and democracy we would end up with this wild capitalism." : 9 2013 . 9 . . For Immediate Release Chicago, IL August 17, 2016 Zacks Equity Research highlights Healthways Inc. (HWAY) as the Bull of the Day and SunPower Corp (SPWR) as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Berry Plastics Group Inc (BERY),MarineMax Inc (HZO) and Trinseo S.A (TSE). Here is a synopsis of all five stocks: Bull of the Day : As the American population gets older, the demand for medical services has increased and is expected to continue to increase for the foreseeable future. One such company that provides support programs, and disease management is strategically positioned to capture a large portion of this growing population. That company, Healthways Inc. (HWAY), is the Zacks Bull of the Day. This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company is the leading and largest provider of specialized, comprehensive Health and Care Support programs and services, including disease management and care enhancement services, to health plans, hospitals and government, in addition to outcomes-driven wellness programs to health plans and employers, in states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam. Healthways helps people lead healthier lives while reducing overall healthcare costs. As The Health/Care Trust Channel, Healthways provides people the support they need when they need it to enable them to make better choices and live healthier lives. Recent Earnings Results Healthways reported Q2 16 results last week, and they destroyed the Zacks Consensus Earnings estimate, and posted a +5300% positive earnings surprise. Specifically, the company posted year over year gains in revenue growth from operations +10.2%, net income from continuing operations +85.2%, and operating income +10.3%. Managements Take According to CEO Donato Tramuto, We completed the sale of our Total Population Health Services (TPHS) business to Sharecare as expected on July 31st. Our second-quarter operating results provide a much clearer picture of the strength of the Companys Network Solutions business. Additionally, we have good visibility to consistent quarterly performance for the rest of this year and, as previously stated, we expect the Companys financial profile by the end of 2016 to include annualized revenue greater than $500 million with EBITDA margins in excess of 20% . Story continues Bear of the Day: In late 2015, the U.S. government extended the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) thought 2021, much later than the initial expiration date of December 31, 2016. While this was helpful for companies planning big solar projects, it negatively impacted some solar producers. The producers were expecting large projects to be completed in 2016, but with the extension many companies pushed back their solar plans. This negatively impacted SunPower Corp (SPWR), who is our Zacks Bear of the Day. This Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) company designs and manufactures high-efficiency silicon solar cells and solar panels based on an all-back contact cell design. SunPower's solar cells and panels generate electricity from sunlight for residential, commercial and remote power applications. Its proprietary all back contact silicon solar cell technology produces more power per square foot compared to conventional solar cells. Recent Earnings Results SunPower reported Q2 16 earnings last week, and they came in below the Zacks Consensus Earnings estimate. The company saw year over year declines in gross margins (fell from +18.6% to +9.8%), GAAP net loss (earned $6.5 million in Q2 15, posted net loss of $70 million in Q2 16), Non-GAAP net income (earned of $27.2 million in Q2 15, posted net loss of $30.1 million in Q2 16), and EBITDA fell by -53%. Due to the limited completed projects in the second half of 2016, management reduced revenue, and EBITDA expectations for Q3 16, and FY 16. Q3 revenues (Non-GAAP) were guided down to a range of $700-800 million (below the expected $1.35 billion), and EBITDA was lowered from $180 million to a range of $115-140 million. FY 16 Non-GAAP revenues were cut from a range between $3.2-3.4 billion to a range between $3.0-3.2 billion, and EBITDA estimates were lowered from a range between $450-500 million to a range between $275-325 million. Managements Take According to Tom Werner, President and CEO, However, while the long-term fundamentals for solar power remain strong, we see a number of near-term industry challenges, primarily in our power plant segment, that we expect to impact our business and financial performance in the second half of 2016. The extension of the Investment Tax Credit, as well as the bonus depreciation credit, while beneficial to the long-term health of the industry, has reduced the urgency to complete new solar projects by the end of 2016, with many customers adopting a longer-term timeline for project completion. Additionally, near-term economic returns have deteriorated due to aggressive PPA pricing by new market entrants, including a number of large, global independent power companies. We are also seeing customer project IRRs rising in the near term as buyers have increased their hurdle rates due to industry conditions. Finally, the continued market disruption in the YieldCo environment has impacted our assumptions related to monetizing deferred profits . Additional content: 3 Cheap Growth Stocks Built for Huge Returns Finding companies with the criteria you want isnt always easy. You could spend hours searching ticker after ticker, only to find companies which arent worthy of your hard earned cash. An easier way to navigate through this is by using high quality stock screeners . Screening helps investors narrow down companies to invest in based on their ability to meet every criteria selected. Any company who misses even one of the criteria requirements will be filtered out. This lets one easily choose ideal metrics. Screens are effective because they sift out bad stocks and only keep the cream of the crop in. It isnt always easy to create an effective screen. Our Zacks Premium Screens have helped with this, bringing profits to many investors over time. Our predefined criteria are chosen carefully to capture special kinds of companies. Today, weve dug up three growth stocks using one of our premium screens known as Top Ranked Growth Stocks on the Move. Some of the metrics of this screen requires a stock to have a growth score of B or better in our Style Scores, a Zacks Industry Rank within the top half of all industries, and a positive EPS surprise on our consensus estimate last quarter. One other screening criterion Ive added is a price-to-sales (P/S) under one. When a companys P/S is below this threshold, there is a strong chance that there is value present. Berry Plastics Group Inc-(BERY) Berry Plastics manufactures and markets plastic packaging products and engineered materials. The companys segments include Rigid Packaging, Engineered Materials, and Flexible Packaging. BERY stock is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and it has a B for both value and growth in our Style Scores. The company has a PEG of 0.98 and a price-to-sales of 0.81, so it does not look to expensive by any means. In fact, at these valuation levels, the stock looks like it may be selling at a bargain. Berry looks like a solid investment candidate from a growth perspective. Its sales growth did taper off last year, but the company is looking to find growth once again as revenues are forecasted to grow by 33.79% this year. EPS is projected to grow by 29% in 2016, and this blows the industrys expected earnings growth of 5.75% out of the water. The company is leveraged, but it has done well in improving its balance sheet in recent history. BERY beat our EPS consensus estimate by 36.67% last quarter, posting earnings of $0.82 per share. BERRY PLASTICS EPS Diluted (TTM) | BERRY PLASTICS Quote MarineMax Inc-(HZO) MarineMax is a recreational boat and yacht dealer which operates in the United States. The company sells new and used recreational boats and fishing boats with a focus on premium brands in each segment. MarineMax is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and it has an A in growth, value, and momentum in our Style Scores. With a PE of 22.63, the companys stock may appear as though it is selling on a premium, but the PEG of 0.75 justifies the current price-to-earnings ratio. MarineMaxs price-to-sales is especially low at just 0.57, so this retailer looks especially attractive from a valuation standpoint. Over each of the last five years, MarineMax has seen impressive sales growth, with sales growing by 20% last year. This year looks like another momentous one for HZO, as sales are expected to pick up by 22.82% in 2016. The bottom line (net income) is forecasted to see significant growth in 2016 as well, with EPS projected to increase by 17.4%. It is possible that the company will surpass this level of earnings growth since it has consistently beaten our EPS consensus in each of the last four quarters. Over that time span, MarineMax has beaten our estimate by an average of 78.94% per quarter. MARINEMAX INC Revenue (Quarterly) | MARINEMAX INC Quote Trinseo S.A-(TSE) Trinseo is a global materials company that manufactures plastics, latex, and rubber. Their technology is used by industries such as home appliances, automotive, building & construction, carpet, consumer electronics, and more. TSE stock is a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and it gets a grade of A for value in our Style Scores. Its worth noting that the company doles out a 2.15% dividend. Trinseo may very well be the cheapest stock to buy in this article, as it trades at a forward PE of 7.86. The PEG and price-to-sales ratios are also quite low at just 1.37 and 0.68 respectively. TSEs stock price has nearly doubled so far through 2016, but the company is still cheap relative to its earnings expectations. Trinseo experienced a 22.5% sales decline last year, so it will have to address this issue as it goes forward. In spite of the lagging sales numbers though, earnings are expected to increase this year, with EPS forecasted to grow by 54.34%. Trinseo beat our EPS consensus estimate by a whopping 39.39% last quarter, and hopefully it will continue to surprise when it posts its quarterly earnings results in early November. TRINSEO SA EPS Diluted (Quarterly) | TRINSEO SA Quote Bottom Line One magical screening ingredient which cant be overlooked is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) or better. The rank helps to find companies which look like dependable earnings candidates. In addition to this great metric, the Zacks Premium Screens help you to add other criteria to find the most superior investment choices. While this article outlined potential candidates from one screen, the Zacks Premium service gives you access to the Top Ranked Growth Stocks on the Move and 45 other premium screens designed to give you superior investment returns. To use Zacks Premium Screens to find more stock picks based on criteria thats most important to you plus, gain access to the Zacks Rank for your stocks, mutual funds and ETFs; Zacks Style Scores, Equity Research Reports; Focus List portfolio of 50-longer-term stocks and more start your 30-day free trial to Zacks Premium . Get todays Zacks #1 Stock of the Day with your free subscription to Profit from the Pros newsletter: About the Bull and Bear of the Day Every day, the analysts at Zacks Equity Research select two stocks that are likely to outperform (Bull) or underperform (Bear) the markets over the next 3-6 months. About the Analyst Blog Updated throughout every trading day, the Analyst Blog provides analysis from Zacks Equity Research about the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. About Zacks Equity Research Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term. Continuous analyst coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons. Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Click here to subscribe to this free newsletter today. About Zacks Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. The best way to unlock the profitable stock recommendations and market insights of Zacks Investment Research is through our free daily email newsletter; Profit from the Pros. In short, it's your steady flow of Profitable ideas GUARANTEED to be worth your time! Register for your free subscription to Profit from the Pros. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/zacksresearch Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com 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 HEALTHWAYS INC (HWAY): Free Stock Analysis Report SUNPOWER CORP-A (SPWR): Free Stock Analysis Report BERRY PLASTICS (BERY): Free Stock Analysis Report MARINEMAX INC (HZO): Free Stock Analysis Report TRINSEO SA (TSE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Adds comment from company) By Svea Herbst-Bayliss BOSTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Activist hedge fund Marcato Capital Management is pushing Buffalo Wild Wings Inc to shake up its executive ranks and board, saying the casual restaurant chain's stock price could nearly triple if the company improves its business, according to a filing on Wednesday. Marcato founder Mick McGuire said in a Aug. 17 letter to Buffalo Wings Chairman James Damian that he was "exceedingly optimistic" about the company's future but warned that "substantial changes" were essential for its success. The company needs "the introduction of fresh talent at both the board and management levels," McGuire wrote, saying more expertise in restaurants and corporate finance is needed. Buffalo Wings said in a statement that it will "carefully consider" the hedge fund's letter. The company's share price is down 17.6 percent in the last 52 weeks at $161.33 at Tuesday's close, far short of the $458 Marcato said the company would be worth if it follows his plan to shift toward a more highly franchised model. The stock rose 1.5 percent to $163.69 on Wednesday. Marcato, which owns 5.2 percent of the company and is its fourth biggest investor, has privately told executives that capital was not being used wisely by concentrating on buying out franchisees and opening more units. Now the fund is saying publicly that management should concentrate on boosting same-store sales and raising margins at its restaurants. Most importantly, it wants management to shift strategy toward a more highly franchised business model, which analysts have said could boost the share price. "Suboptimal capital allocation behavior is symptomatic of a larger organizational deficiency: a tendency to favor gut feel and thematic proclamations without tangible evidence or appropriate analytical support," McGuire wrote in the letter. The letter's sharp tone signaled a ratcheting up of pressure on longtime Chief Executive Sally Smith one day after the company said it would increase its share repurchase plan by $300 million without giving details on the timing. Story continues The hedge fund said it wants to weigh in on personnel changes, warning the company that any unilateral moves would be viewed as a "hostile act of entrenchment." Bracing for a fight, the company has hired financial advisory firm Lazard and communications firm Joele Frank. Marcato is also pushing for better technology and says he is concerned that management generally was not moving quickly enough. "This issue is representative of a much larger issue of management's persistent failure to execute," the letter said. (Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Steve Orlofsky) Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 Nick Denton Gawker Media has been sold and with the sale comes questions of what happens next. Late Tuesday, Univision purchased the media company for $135 million following a bidding war with Ziff Davis. With the $140 million verdict from the Hulk Hogan trial hanging over the company, and with Gawker's complicated tax strategy to untangle, the question remains: Who gets all this money? Fortune's John Jeff Roberts did an investigation into Gawker's finances and broke down what will happen once the sale is finalized. For now, the money from the sale will go into a fund that is overseen by the bankruptcy court. Gakwer founder Nick Denton has said Gawker plans to appeal the Hogan verdict, so the money will be used for legal costs or eventual damages if Gawker loses. Any remaining money will go to Denton and Gawker's other investors. But several other factors are at play, Fortune reports: Secured creditors including Silicon Valley Bank will be paid about $22 million. According to a media lawyer interviewed by Fortune, the Hulk Hogan verdict is unlikely to be overturned, but the court may reduce the amount awarded to Hogan. As part of its Chapter 11 filing, Gawker will most likely have to pay some of its shareholders, which will happen after the sale is finalized. Gawker also doesn't have much money left in the bank (unrelated to the proceeds from the sale), as it essentially emptied its coffers three years ago when it paid out dividends from its Hungarian subsidiary's profits. This means Gawker's battles are far from over, despite the $135 million sale. For a deep dive on Gawker's finances and a look into exactly how the company avoids paying US corporate taxes read Roberts' full piece at Fortune. NOW WATCH: Check out the new Apple Store that just opened at the World Trade Center More From Business Insider kid child boy trader new york stock exchange Via Dave Lutz, head of ETFs at JonesTrading, here's a quick guide to what traders are talking about right now: Good Morning! US futures are retreating small as WTI retreats into inventory data and earnings weighs on TGT and LOW. Over in Europe, a swath of red on screens, with the DAX down 1.2% as Miners under pressure and Semis heavy on ASML headers. Fins are retreating from recent run, losing 1.5% across the continent, while in London the FTSE is outperforming, with Bond Proxies of Telecom, Staples and Utes gaining flows. Volumes remain light, with most exchanges trading 20% light to recent trends. In Asia, the Nikkei rose 90bp as the Yen dropped, Shanghai was flat, while Shenzen popped 30bp and Aussie added small, weighed by some heavyweights going ex-divvy. Treasury Yields remain on peaks into Bullard and Hawkish Fed Minutes, while Bunds nearing the zero bound as heavy selling continues. The DXY is continuing to rebound from yesterdays smack, as the Kiwi and Aussie $s are getting hit, while BOJ jawboning helped the Yen weaken, but $/Y 101 just rejected. Ore dropped 2.5% in China, and we have Silver, Copper and Nickel all under pressure, while Gold drops on the popping greenback. In Energy, Oil taking a breather after its best 4day rally since April, while Gasoline is dropping 2% as much larger builds were reported in Stockpiles. Softs look flat to weaker across the board. Ahead of us today, we get the Architecture Billings Index then at 10:30 all eyes on DOE data for Crude, Gasoline and Distillates at 10:30 - Told APIs come in with a bigger draw (-1mm, estimates at +900k) - HUGE builds Gasoline +2.2M (Street looking for -1.8mm) and Distillates (+2.4mm, Street looked for -500k). Cushing draw bigger than expected at -700k. (Genscape looking for a 350k draw from Cushing). At 1pm, Fed's Bullard (hawk, Voter) Speaks in St. Louis, just before the Fed Releases Minutes from July 26-27 FOMC Meeting at 2pm. Story continues NOW WATCH: Heres why Olympic athletes bite their medals More From Business Insider Welcome to the dark side. When the Higgs boson was discovered in 2012, the excitement in the physics world was palpable. The news featured on the front pages of newspapers, and it made the British theoretical physicist Peter Higgs an instant celebrity. Higgs had predicted that a boson, a fundamental particle of the universe, must exist to explain the world as we see it, and after 50 years of experiments, his conjecture was proven correct. Once Higgss theory was confirmed, physicists found themselves facing a new challenge. If the Higgs boson explained a part of our universe, another 20th-century mystery remained: something called dark matter, which makes up 80% of all matter in the universe but could not be explained by the theory that the Higgs boson had proved. Whats worse is that physicists didnt have a good clue about where to even start to explain the existence of dark matter. Ever since the Higgs discovery, scientists have been looking for clues to new physics that could help. One way to kickstart new physics would be to find new particles, and there have been plenty of rumors about their existence. Each time theres a candidate, physicists describe the possibility as something that would completely upend our understanding of the universe or it would be a ticket to Stockholm for the Nobel Prize. But each time they collect more data, their dreams are crushed. Now a group of researchers in Hungary and the US believe they have found a new particle that hints at the presence of new force in the universe. What they are seeing, they claim, is about a sure a thing as can be, with just a chance of 1 in 200 billion of being a fluke. So could they be right? Crawling in the dark Physicists describe the world using something called the Standard Model. If the universe were made of lego bricks, the Standard Model describes each type of brick. Some of these are probably pretty familiar, like the electron and the photon. Everything in the universe is, at its core, made up of these bricks. The Higgs boson was the last brick predicted to be on the Standard Model, which is why its discovery was met with such grand celebrations in the field. Story continues The Standard Model that explains almost everything. The Standard Model that explains almost everything. However, in the period between the prediction and the discovery of the Higgs boson, physicists confirmed that there was an anomaly in their understanding of the world. The particles on the Standard Modeleven if the Higgs were eventually foundcould only account for about 20% of the mass in the universe. They called the remaining 80% dark matter. Its not dark because it is sinister, but because it is invisible. And when physicists say invisible, they mean really invisible. Electrons are invisible to the naked eye but not to physicists, whose powerful detectors and complex equations can spot them. Dark matter, however, is invisible in every possible way that physicists can probe it. They know it exists, because dark matter exerts gravitational force, as does any form of matter, and physicists are able to see the effects of the gravitational force. The Higgs boson discovery meant that the next big challenge for particle physicists was to finally figure out what was at work behind the mysterious veil of dark matter. Mystery bump Their best hope came from the same experiment that had found the Higgs: the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Inside the LHC, scientists accelerate protons to near the speed of light and then they smash them together, for research purposes. After the 2012 discovery, the LHC was shut down for an upgrade. When it restarted in 2015, it was twice as powerful as before. The explosions in the LHC recreate the conditions that existed just after the Big Bang, which created the universe. In those conditions, all sorts of exotic particles roamed freely but then, as the universe cooled down, they decayed into standard particles. The idea behind the LHC is to catch such exotic particles in the act of decaying. When they are able to correctly trace the decay path of a new particle, they are able to confirm its discovery. In December 2015, particle physicists around the world were abuzz. The LHC announced an anomalous bump in data that could mean they had discovered a new particle. The particle, if confirmed, could not have been explained by physics as we know it. Could this be the particle that explains what dark matter is made of? Never have I known physicists to be so ready to tear up textbooks and write new ones. After months of waiting for final results, in August 2016 the LHC announced that, alas, the mystery bump was nothing but noise. This is how science progresses. Scientists make a hypothesis and then they test it with experiments to see if the hypothesis fits. When the data doesnt agree, they are forced to go back to drawing board. The fifth force? Now a group of researchers in Hungary and the US are claiming that they may have found a new particle, without any need for the power of the LHC. And they claim that their discovery, if confirmed, would completely change our understanding of the universe, with consequences for the unification of forces and dark matter. It may also have uncovered a particle that explains the presence of a mysterious fifth force. Like fundamental particles that make up the stuff we can see, touch, and feel, there are fundamental forces that enable those particles to interact and create the world around us. We know of four such forces: gravity (which holds us down to the Earth) electromagnetism (which protects the Earth from harmful solar windsand charges our smartphone batteries wirelessly) strong nuclear force (which holds quarks together to create a proton) weak nuclear force (which explains why uranium eventually becomes lead through radioactivity) Again, the problem is dark matternone of these forces explain the physics behind the stuff. One proposed solution is the existence of the dark photon, which could interact via a dark force. A team of researchers from the Institute for Nuclear Research in Hungary believe theyve found this dark photon. To explain how they got there, lets do a quick brush up on school chemistry. Lithium is the third element in the periodic table (after hydrogen and helium). Its most common isotope has a nucleus that contains three protons and four neutronswhich is why its referred to as lithium-7. Each new element has one more proton than the previous one in the periodic table, so adding one more proton to lithium-7 would turn it to beryllium-8 (four protons and four neutrons). However, the stable form of beryllium has five neutrons, not four, which means beryllium-8 is inherently unstable. Thats exactly what Hungarian researcher team wanted, thoughthey knew that the extra energy added to the atoms nucleus during the addition of a proton would be released from the nucleus in one form or another, and they wanted to see how it would happen. If the decay was as predicted, they would have moved on to other elemental targets. However, as luck would have it, they did see something anomalous. They tried converting lithium to beryllium millions of times. Every single time a beryllium-8 atom was formed, it would emit a particle that would, after traveling a short distance, decay into an electron (negatively charged particle) and positron (positively charged particle), at a small angle, say as much as that of something traveling along the long sides of a pizza slice. In almost all the decays, working backwards from the decay pattern and using complex calculations, they figured that the particle that was emitted from a beryllium-8 was a photon. But physicists are more patient than average people, and once in every million beryllium-8 decays something unusual happened: the angle between the electron and positron would be as much as 140 degrees, which is more than three pizza slices put together. Working backwards from this unique decay pattern, the Hungarian team argued that it could only be observed if the particle released from beryllium-8 was not a photon after all but a new particleperhaps a dark photon. Another group of researchers at the University of California, Irvine re-analyzed the Hungarian teams data. In a new study, just published in Physics Review Letters, they lay out their belief that it may indeed be a new particlebut they dont think its a dark photon. Given the new particles dislike for protons, they are calling it the protophobic boson and their calculations indicate that it acts via a extremely short-range force that could be the fifth fundamental force. Wait a little The failures at the LHC to find new physics make me skeptical of anyone claiming they have found a new particle, let alone a new force. There other reasons to be skeptical. According to an investigation by Quanta Magazine, the Hungarian group has made claims of a new particle before: in 2008, 2012, and 2016. And at every new publication they quietly drop the previous claim. This has made many scientists dubious of the teams work. But the particle has caught the attention of physicists all around the world. They are excited to try to replicate the experiments to check on the validity of this new fifth force. Even the mighty LHC is ready to take on the challenge. More repetitions will tell us whether it is a dark photon, a protophobic boson, or simply noise in the data. It would be crazy not to do another experiment to check this result, Rouven Essig, a theoretical physicist at Stony Brook University told Nature News. Nature has surprised us before! Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande met Pope Francis on Wednesday to thank him for his solidarity with the French people after attacks by Islamist militants, including the killing of an elderly priest in July. A professed atheist, Hollande started his brief, private trip to Rome and the Vatican with a stop in San Luigi dei Francesi, the 16th century church of the French community in the Italian capital. He stood in silence for about 10 minutes in front of a small side chapel that became a place of prayer and remembrance after the wave of Islamist attacks in Paris in November that killed 130 people. To the left of the altar, near bowls where visitors leave notes to honor victims of terrorism, was a photograph of Father Jacques Hamel, the French priest killed on July 25 in the town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. Hamel was saying mass when attackers stormed in, forced the 85-year-old to his knees and slit his throat while chanting in Arabic. Speaking to reporters outside the church before heading to the Vatican, Hollande said he wanted to thank the pope for his solidarity with France over the attacks. He said that in a telephone conversation after Hamel's murder the pope "let me know that he felt like a brother standing alongside the French people". Hollande, who has not ruled out running for re-election next year, said that apart from the attacks in France, he wanted to discuss with the pope the flight of Christians from the Middle East because of war, and the refugee crisis in Europe. Hollande made an official visit to the Vatican in 2014. (Reporting by Philip Pullella; Additional reporting by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Louise Ireland) HOUSTON (AP) -- St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday will have surgery Wednesday on his right thumb, an injury that could sideline him for the rest of the regular season. Holliday was hit by a 94 mph fastball from the Chicago Cubs' Mike Montgomery last Thursday. Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said Holliday could be sidelined through September. ''The procedure was the only chance to potentially get him back this year, so that's a big step to make,'' Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said Tuesday. ''He wants to play.'' The 36-year-old Holliday, a seven-time All-Star, is batting .242 this season with 19 home runs and 60 RBIs in 107 games. He would be eligible for free agency after the World Series if the Cardinals declined a $17 million option for next year and chose to pay a $1 million buyout. Tommy Pham and Brandon Moss have seen time in left field in Holliday's absence. Reliever Seth Maness was put on the 15-day disabled list and will have Tommy John surgery, which likely will sideline him until 2018. The Cardinals recalled right-hander Sam Tuivailala from Triple-A Memphis. Maness was 2-2 with a 3.41 ERA in 29 relief appearances this year. He was on the disabled list May 13 to June 18 due to right elbow inflammation. St. Louis has 12 players on the disabled list, including seven added since the start of August. In a clandestine cultural breakthrough, a film about Anne Frank and the Holocaust was shown Sunday at a secret screening in Iran, whose Supreme Leader is a well-known Holocaust denier. The documentary film, Anne Frank: Then and Now, was screened at a provincial theater full of film students and their professors. It didnt have the approval of the authorities, and out of concern for the Iranians who risked imprisonment or worse for showing and attending the film, the names of those involved and the city where it was screened will not be disclosed. But Deadline has obtained photos of the theater verifying the authenticity of the event. Before the start of the screening, I did an introduction with an explanation about Anne Frank and the Holocaust, the films Croatian director, Jakov Sedlar, told Deadline. After the screening, I had a one-hour conversation with the audience. Those students never ever heard about Anne Frank; just two young people knew something about the Holocaust. We spoke a lot about the influence of art in todays world, he said. At the end, one of students told me: Thanks for teaching us about something new. The film focus on the lives of eight young Palestinian girls and two Israelis as they try out for the role of Anne Frank. Shot in Arabic with English subtitles, it was meant to bring the story of the young Jewish World War II diarist to the Arab world, where many still believe the Holocaust never happened. But while it was filming, the 2014 Israel-Gaza War broke out, which was captured vividly as one of the young actresses takes her mark in front of a destroyed building in Gaza. As she speaks her lines, two men in gas masks run behind her, in and out of frame, darting for cover. Its not in the script, but it couldnt have been scripted any better to illustrate the irony of making a movie about peace in the midst of war. Watch a trailer below. After the screening, Sedlar said he asked the students for a favor. Tell your friends about Anne Frank, he told them. Try to find details of her life; try to learn something about the Holocaust. Story continues That kind of research isnt easy in Iran, where there is no access to Google and where Facebook, YouTube and Twitter are regularly blocked by the authorities. After the screening, the director of this place and two students invited me for coffee, Sedlar said. They told me, We are happy to have better relations with the USA; we like everything that comes from there. I didnt take picture of them because of security reasons for them. Those security concerns are real. Filmmakers there have been arrested for making propaganda against the state. How the authorities would deal with those involved in the unapproved screening of a movie about Anne Frank is unclear. This story will never get the green light from them, Sedlar said. In 2014, Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said, No one in European countries dares to speak about the Holocaust, while it is not clear whether the core of this matter is reality or not. Even if it is reality, it is not clear how it happened. Irans last president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, called the Holocaust a myth and called for Israel to be wiped off the map. According to the U.S. State Departments latest report on human rights, the government of Iranmaintained controls on cinema, music, theater, and art exhibits, and censored those deemed to transgress Islamic values. For this guy who organized the screening, it was not an easy and simple thing, Sedlar said. Basically, it was an illegal screening. Related stories 'American Sniper' Reportedly Criticized By Iranian Supreme Leader; Proves A Hit Across Arab World Iran Shutters Paper Over 'I Am Charlie' Cover With George Clooney Photo: Reports 'Anne Frank: Then And Now' - Exclusive First Look At Gaza-Shot Film incendiary rounds syria russia In a troubling report on Tuesday, Human Rights Watch accused Russian and Syrian war planes of dropping internationally banned incendiary weapons on civilian areas of Syria. The Syrian government and Russia should immediately stop attacking civilian areas with incendiary weapons, Steve Goose, arms director at Human Rights Watch, said in the report. These weapons inflict horrible injuries and excruciating pain, so all countries should condemn their use in civilian areas. The report goes to lengths to establish the use of RBK-500 ZAB-2.5SM incendiary bombs, manufactured in the Soviet Union, as having been used 18 times over the last three months. Each instance cites video evidence, witness testimonies, and sometimes actual physical remnants of the bombs recovered. In one case, Russian state TV actually ran footage of Su-34s taking off on a bombing run with the banned munitions in tow. As Thomas Gibbons-Neff of the Washington Post notes, "Russia is party to a United Nations protocol that bans the use of airdropped incendiary munitions on areas with high concentrations of civilians. Syria, however, is not." In the past, the UN has voiced concerns about the use of banned incendiary and cluster munitions in Syria, but they have not been able to verify it. NOW WATCH: The US is showing its strength against Russia by sending its most advanced warplanes to the Black Sea More From Business Insider By Aaron Ross KINSHASA (Reuters) - A civilian and a police officer were killed in clashes in northeast Congo on Wednesday, police said, during a protest at government failure to stop massacres of civilians by rebel groups. The protests in the town of Beni added to tensions in Democratic Republic of Congo ahead of an election set for November in which the opposition has called for President Joseph Kabila to step down after his allotted two terms. Crowds jeered Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo and two ministers on Tuesday when they came to assess security. On Wednesday, residents of Beni and surrounding towns again chanted against the government and army outside the mayor's office, voicing frustration in a region once considered a political stronghold for the government. In the latest incident, around 50 were killed by suspected Ugandan rebels on the outskirts of Beni on Saturday. More than 700 people have died in similar attacks on civilians since 2014. The government blames the attacks on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist group of a few hundred fighters that has operated in eastern Congo since the 1990s. U.N. experts and analysts say other armed groups, including Congolese soldiers, are responsible for attacks on civilians and Kabila's opponents have seized on the massacres as evidence of government incompetence. The government says the army is rooting out the ADF but its guerrilla tactics make it difficult to counter. National police spokesman Pierre Mwanamputu said five people were injured in the protests aside from those killed. Police made 79 arrests. Teddy Kataliko, president of the Civil Society of Beni Territory, told Reuters the police had shot dead a man when they opened fire on protesters. A medical source in Beni, who declined to be identified, said one man was killed and five people wounded by gunfire. Mayor Nyonyi Bwanakawa told local radio that a third person was killed in Beni on Wednesday by a lynch mob that suspected him of belonging to the ADF. A woman and a young girl were also killed on Tuesday night about 40 km (25 miles) north of Beni by ADF fighters, local army spokesman Mak Hazukay told Reuters. The girl, he said, had been decapitated. (Reporting by Aaron Ross; Additional reporting by Kenny Katombe in Goma; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Andrew Roche) Editor's note: The validity of the pictures in this post has been called into question since this post was published. The Ukrainian government has stated that it will no longer use the work of the photographer, Dmitry Muravsky, who was responsible for the images due to concerns that the scenes were staged. Business Insider ran this post after seeing then-Ambassador to Ukraine Geoff Pyatt share the images on Twitter. Something big may be about to go down in Ukraine. For the Ukrainian soldiers who are stationed on the eastern border with Russia, however, things have already escalated to a conventional conflict. For example, in Shyrokyne, on the Azov Sea coast east of the port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian forces have reportedly been the target of over 200 rounds of mortars and artillery fire in the middle of the night from separatist forces. And the conflict in Ukraine looks like it could be on the verge of boiling over as Russian and Russia-backed forces are encircling Ukraine from the north, east, and south. Ukrainian military photographer Dmitry Muravsky captured the alleged moment of what appears to be Ukrainian forces being fired upon: We don't see much of it in US, but eastern Ukraine is a very real shooting war, people via @MrKovalenko pic.twitter.com/fwCE6MJg8Z Michael Crowley (@michaelcrowley) August 17, 2016 It doesn't seem like things will be tapering off anytime soon, either, since Russia has recently deployed an assortment of ground, air, and naval units around Ukraine. Included in the deployments is the S-400 air-defense system in response to Russian allegations that Ukraine had deployed special-forces troops to the contested region of Crimea in order to commit acts of sabotage. Story continues "We obviously will not let such things slide by," Russian President Vladimir Putin warned. But the US has determined that there is no evidence of a Ukrainian incursion into Crimea. Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine on March 18, 2014, after the peninsula held a referendum on independence. The referendum was held during a Russian occupation. NOW WATCH: We went inside the giant desert base where Marines are trained in artillery warfare More From Business Insider IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Embraer S.A. ("Embraer" or the "Company") (ERJ). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between April 16, 2012 and July 28, 2016 inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the October 7, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline. If you purchased Embraer shares 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, the Company made false and misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material facts, specifically that it paid bribes to Dominican Republic officials to secure contracts for aircraft sales; that Embraer's President and CEO Frederico Curado had knowledge of the bribe; that the fallout from this misconduct would cost Embraer hundreds of millions of dollars; and as a result of the above, the Company's statements about its business, operations, and prospects were false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. In June 2016, the Company announced that its CEO Frederico Curado would be stepping down. On July 29, 2016, Embraer announced a loss of $99.4 million for the quarter after setting aside $200 million in connection with a U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act probe that it was negotiating with the U.S. Department of Justice since May 2015. The Company also reduced 2016 guidance for its executive jet business. When this news was disclosed, Embraer shares fell 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 Bridgepoint Education, Inc. BPI is an education services company that could be an interesting play for investors. That is because, not only does the stock have decent short-term momentum, but it is seeing solid activity on the earnings estimate revision front as well. These positive earnings estimate revisions suggest that analysts are becoming more optimistic on BPIs earnings for the coming quarter and year. In fact, consensus estimates have moved sharply higher for both of these time frames over the past four weeks, suggesting that Bridgepoint Educationcould be a solid choice for investors. Current Quarter Estimates for BPI In the past 30 days, 1 estimate has gone higher for Bridgepoint Education, while none have gone lower in the same time period. The trend has been pretty favorable too, with estimates increasing from 6 cents a share 30 days ago, to 9 cents per share today, a move of 50%. Current Year Estimates for BPI Meanwhile, Bridgepoint Educations current year figures are also looking quite promising, with 1 estimate moving higher in the past month, compared to none lower. The consensus estimate trend has also seen a boost for this time frame, increasing from 18 cents per share 30 days ago to 22 cents per share today, an increase of 22.2%. BRIDGEPOINT EDU Price and Consensus BRIDGEPOINT EDU Price and Consensus | BRIDGEPOINT EDU Quote Bottom Line The stock has also started to move higher lately, adding 7.8% over the past four weeks, suggesting that investors are starting to take note of this impressive story. So investors may definitely want to consider this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock to profit in the near future. 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 BRIDGEPOINT EDU (BPI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. India's top court on Wednesday banned children from taking part in a popular but potentially dangerous religious festival in the country's west that sees young boys scale human pyramids. The Supreme Court barred children aged under 18 from scaling the pyramids and restricted their height to six metres (20 feet) following a string of accidents in recent years. The ruling comes ahead of the annual Dahi Handi festival in Maharashtra state next week that traditionally sees scores of boys hoisted to the top of wobbly pyramids in homage to Hindu child-god Krishna. Crowds flock to the colourful spectacle in the state capital Mumbai where groups try to outperform each other with the highest pyramid, some reaching 13 metres. But the practice has also seen many injuries when pyramids collapse, while a 14-year-old boy reportedly died after falling during rehearsals in 2014. "Krishna didn't do acrobatics ... you cannot risk the lives of children," Justice Nageswara Rao told the court in New Delhi. The ruling followed a petition from a Mumbai social worker who stressed the dangers of the tradition that sees the boys smash jugs of buttermilk once they reach the top. The High Court in 2014 also placed restrictions on the pyramids, touching off a lengthy legal tussle by the Maharashtra government, some of whose lawmakers opposed the ruling. * Palm oil surges a third in a year, narrows discount over soyoil * Indians switch to soyoil, could reduce palm purchases by 12 pct * Soyoil imports seen rising to record 4.25 mln T in 2015/16 By Rajendra Jadhav MUMBAI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The share of palm oil in India's growing edible oil imports is likely to plunge to a record low this marketing year as a rally in prices slashes its discount over rival soyoil. That shift in the world's top palm oil importer could drag on benchmark prices for palm oil that have surged around a third in the last 12 months, while bolstering markets for soyoil. Edible oils are a common ingredient in Indian cuisine, used in everything from curries to samosas, with soyoil seen as more healthy than palm. "Palm oil discounts are consistently reducing over soyoil. At the current price level, Indian refiners are inclined to switch to soyoil," said Govindbhai Patel, managing director at edible oil trading firm GG Patel & Nihil Research Co. Palm's discount to soyoil has more than halved to $70 per tonne, from $171 in August 2015, according to data from Mumbai-based trade body the Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA). India's overall edible oil imports are expected to rise 1.4 percent in the 2015/16 marketing year that ends in October to 14.6 million tonnes due to rising consumption, Patel said, but palm imports will drop 12 percent to 8.4 million tonnes. That will crimp palm's share of total edible oil imports to 57 percent - the lowest since India eased restrictions on such imports in the early 1990s. Palm oil's share of India's edible oil imports stood at 66 percent last year, down from 86 percent in 2007/08. India's monthly palm oil imports fell to 570,051 tonnes in July, the lowest since February 2015. And soyoil imports have jumped as palm purchases have faded. The country has so far in 2015/16 imported a record 3.1 million tonnes soyoil and total purchases in the year to October are set to rise to 4.25 million tonnes, up 42 percent from last year's 3 million tonnes, Patel said. Story continues India mainly imports palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia, while its soyoil comes from Argentina and Brazil. "In coming months, palm oil prices have to fall to remain competitive against soyoil," said an official with a leading edible oil refinery based at central Indian city Indore. He asked not to be identified as he is not authorised to speak with media. "Otherwise palm oil exports will fall gradually and inventory will build up in peak producing months." (Reporting by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Joseph Radford) By Timothy Large HAWKER, Australia (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Enice Marsh remembers the black clouds of "poison stuff" that billowed from the northwest after British atomic bomb tests in the 1950s spread fallout across swathes of South Australia. Now a new kind of radioactivity could head to her ancestral home in the remote Flinders Ranges - a nuclear waste dump. "To me, it feels like a death penalty," said Marsh, 73, standing in the cemetery of the outback town of Hawker, where many of her relatives are buried under red earth. "We are one big family and the land also is family to us. We care for the land just in the same way we care for our family." South Australia is at the heart of a debate over the nation's nuclear future that highlights a familiar tension between quick economic gain and long-term custodianship of land occupied by Aboriginal people for more than 50,000 years. Two separate proposals divide opinion in the state with the country's biggest uranium mine and a history going back nearly 20 years of saying "no" to nuclear dumps. A recent Royal Commission report argues that South Australia could profit by storing high-level waste from nuclear reactors overseas, buried deep underground at a location still to be chosen. As that recommendation is put to a "citizens' jury" for further debate, the government is pushing ahead with plans to build a storage facility for less toxic waste generated domestically, mainly from industry and medicine. It's this above-ground dump for domestic waste that affects the Flinders, known for its haunting landscapes and home to the Adnyamathanha people, one of several hundred indigenous groups in Australia. For the first time, the government says it has found a community at least among non-Aboriginal people willing to host a repository for the 40 cubic meters (125 square feet) of radioactive waste Australia generates annually. Surveys show two-thirds of people in and around Hawker, gateway to the Flinders, favor construction of a dump on scrubland around 30 km (18 miles) northwest of the town. The facility would create at least 15 permanent jobs in a town of just over 200. The government will also put A$10 million ($7.6 million) into local projects if the dump goes ahead after a year of community consultation and environmental studies. "If it brings four or five families to the town, that means we might have an extra schoolteacher, an extra nurse at our hospital, extra staff at the shop," said Ian Carpenter, a member of the Hawker Community Development Board. But Adnyamathanha leaders say the chosen site is sacred. "We know South Australia is not economically strong compared to the rest of the nation," said Enice's daughter, Jillian Marsh, who ran unsuccessfully as a Greens party candidate in Australia's recent federal election. "But we still say it shouldn't come at the cost of cultural genocide ... We've suffered enough. We've had so many of our places sacrificed, abused." WHAT'S IN THE BACKYARD? Rowan Ramsey, federal parliamentarian for the electorate of Grey and newly appointed government whip for the conservative Liberal Party, urged Aboriginal groups to "go through the process and talk to the scientists". He said he would back a plebiscite of local residents to settle the issue. "There's some initial emotion out there," he said at his office in Port Pirie, seat of an electorate that covers 92 percent of South Australia - an area the size of Nigeria. "But of course it takes time for anyone to get their head around an idea and get information about the facility itself." The government says it will commission an independent study to identify and protect indigenous heritage sites near the dump. Costing around A$100 million, the dump would occupy 100 hectares (250 acres) of a cattle ranch called Wallerberdina. It would store low to intermediate-level radioactive material ranging from contaminated gloves and gowns to the byproducts of radio-pharmaceuticals and the re-processing of spent fuel from a research reactor in Sydney. Such waste, enough to fill two Olympic-size swimming pools, is scattered across about 100 locations nationwide, mostly in hospitals and universities. Even before Canberra settled on Wallerberdina for the repository, the state government moved in March to repeal legislation outlawing the storage of radioactive waste in South Australia, a legacy of past opposition to nuclear dumps. The government says almost one in two Australians will be treated with nuclear medicine sometime in their lives. "If you're an indigenous family and your child gets cancer, or if you're a non-indigenous family and your child gets cancer, the concept of 'not-in-my-backyard' is a little bit hypocritical," said Nigel McBride, chief executive of Business SA, the state's chamber of commerce and industry. But Aboriginal leaders say what's in their backyard is not only significant culturally and spiritually but priceless - heritage sites full of archaeological treasures including burial mounds, fossilized bone and countless stone tools. Wallerberdina borders an indigenous protected area called Yappala. As traditional owners, Yappala residents have free access for hunting, ceremonies and other activities. These traditional owners have been working with the state government to document sites of cultural significance, including Australia's first registered "storyline", a path navigated by landmarks learned through songs passed down through generations. "There are sites that have literally thousands of stone tools on them," said Alice Gorman, senior lecturer in archaeology at Flinders University and a heritage consultant. "It's a place located to join some of the dots when we're looking at early Aboriginal occupation of Australia." Yappala and Wallerberdina share a perpetual spring called Hookina Creek, an oasis of reeds steeped in Aboriginal legend that locals say poses a danger to any dump. The semi-arid Flinders Ranges only get around 10 inches of rain a year, but it often comes all at once with catastrophic consequences. Hookina's flood plain is littered with gum trees torn up by raging waters. The ruins of a settlement stand on a cliff, a reminder of a 1955 flood that destroyed the Ghan railway bridge. The region is also prone to earthquakes. "If the project proceeds, the facility will be built to withstand all plausible natural and man-made events based on historical record and future assessment of conditions," said a spokesman for the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science in Australia's capital Canberra, which is in charge of the dump. CONFLICT OF INTEREST? Opponents say the government's process for selecting the site was tainted from the start. Wallerberdina is co-leased by Grant Chapman, a retired Liberal Party lawmaker who in 1995 chaired a Senate committee that called for a central repository for nuclear waste. Last year, the government asked for volunteers to accept the dump. Wallerberdina was among 28 nominations nationwide. In May, the government chose it from a final shortlist of six. "Chapman should understand that that's not his land to make that bid," said Tauto Sansbury, chair of the Aboriginal Congress of South Australia. "He should have negotiated with the traditional owners." In his home office in Adelaide, Chapman denied there was any conflict of interest in offering up his land. "It just happened that I think that country, being isolated, and the nature of the topography and geology and so on, is a suitable spot. So that's why we put it up," he said. He declined to say how much he could profit from the sale. Media reports have said he could make four times the market value of the land. Asked about the possible desecration of sacred sites, he said: "I think it's quite a wild claim to assert that the whole of the property has cultural significance." Back at Yappala, traditional owner Regina McKenzie was dangling her feet in Hookina Creek, whose underground aquifer is so ancient that she says its waters "rained on dinosaurs". "It's racism towards our culture. This is our belief system ... It's like me and my sisters going to the Vatican and saying we want to put a waste dump right under the pillar where they say St. Peter is buried." (Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Gpt46ofCXs for an embeddable video to go with this story. For accompanying photos, please download from https://we.tl/EKxZ0aa2zY) (Editing by Paola Totaro and Belinda Goldsmith.; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, which covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit news.trust.org) MANILA (Reuters) - An Indonesian tugboat crewman escaped from his Islamist militant captors in the Philippines on Wednesday by swimming out to sea after the militants threatened to cut his head off, a Philippine army spokesman said. Members of the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf group captured the Indonesian, Mohammad Safyan, 28, and six other Indonesian seamen from their boat as it was passing through waters off southern Philippine islands on June 23. Residents of Jolo island spotted Safyan floating off the shore after he escaped under cover of darkness, an army spokesman, Major Filemon Tan, told reporters. "We were told he managed to escape by running and swimming to the sea," Tan said, adding that Safyan had said the militants were about to execute him when he escaped. Nine hours later, soldiers, who were sent back to the area where Safyan had evaded his captors, found a second Indonesian crewman, Ismail, chief officer of the same tugboat. He was immediately brought to a clinic for a medical check-up, Tan said. No details were given on how he escaped. Abu Sayyaf rebels operating in Muslim areas of the largely Christian Philippines have developed a reputation as ruthless kidnappers. They have increasingly been turning their attention to vessels passing through busy shipping lanes in the Sulu Sea as security along coasts has been tightened. The rebels, who have vowed allegiance to Islamic State, recently beheaded two Canadians they kidnapped from a beach resort after a ransom deadline passed. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte last week ordered the army to destroy the militants saying if not, the Philippines risked being "contaminated" by Islamic State. Indonesian authorities have said piracy in the area, a major sea lane for the world's top thermal coal exporter, could reach levels previously seen in Somalia. Analysts say $40 billion worth of cargo passes through the waters a year, including supertankers from the Indian Ocean that cannot use the crowded Malacca Strait. The rise of hijackings at sea has prompted Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia to try to coordinate maritime patrols. Tan said the Abu Sayyaf were holding 15 foreign hostages, including a Norwegian, a Dutch, five Malaysians and eight Indonesians. Eight Filipinos were also held in the group's jungle stronghold. (Reporting by Manuel Mogato; Editing by Robert Birsel and Toby Chopra) Maputo (AFP) - Mozambique's government has agreed to a regional power-sharing deal with the main opposition party Renamo, representatives announced Wednesday, the first deal clinched in ongoing peace talks in Maputo. Renamo has refused to accept the results of 2014 elections, when it was beaten once more by the Frelimo party, in power since independence 40 years ago. Clashes between government forces and opposition fighters have intensified in recent months after Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama declared in December that he would take power in six of the country's 11 provinces, which he claims he won in the vote. Peace talks between the two parties began last week under the watch of international mediators. The agreement announced Wednesday -- a concession by the ruling party -- paves the way for legislation decentralising power in the southern African country. "The president's delegation and the Renamo delegation agreed to set up... a sub-committee tasked with preparing a legislative package to come into force before the next election (in 2019)," Jose Manteigas, head of the opposition delegation, told reporters. Temporary provincial governors from Renamo should also be appointed "as soon as possible", he added. European Union mediator Angelo Romano on Wednesday hailed the agreement on Twitter as "important for the peace of Mozambique". But several outstanding issues remain, including a durable ceasefire and the disarmament and integration of Renamo fighters into the regular army and police. Frelimo and Renamo fought a bloody civil war between 1976 and 1992 that claimed one million lives. Tensions have again been on the rise since 2013, with Renamo fighters taking up arms in a battle the party says is against a Frelimo elite which has enriched itself at the expense of the country. Dhlakama has been living in hiding since October 2015 after he escaped two attacks against his convoy. He claims government troops are continuously attacking his stronghold in Gorongosa in central Mozambique in an attempt to lure him out or kill him. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f180967%2fefb41be968ab4bbc93d73e9c07ce42f6 Science is being poorly served by politics. That's hardly a revelatory thought, but it seemed to be the undercurrent in remarks made by a number of Australia's top science leaders at The Australian Financial Review's Innovation Summit in Sydney Wednesday. SEE ALSO: This is one of the best gravitational waves explainers we've seen Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) CEO Larry Marshall has presided over a turbulent period at the national science body since he came on board in late 2014. Addressing his unique situation head on, the former Silicon Valley venture capitalist said "One of the great things about running an organisation like the CSIRO is there is no shortage of people that will tell you how to run it." One of those "people" is presumably the Australian government, which in early August appeared to order Marshall to perform something of a U-turn on climate change research. In early 2016, Marshall caused international furore when he proposed cutting hundreds of climate research roles in favour of science that could be more readily commercialised, deeming the science of climate change largely settled. Nevertheless Australia's relatively new science minister, Greg Hunt, has now directed Marshall to restore 15 climate research positions. Around 20 climate jobs remain on the chopping block, and deep cuts are still being made in other parts of the organisation. Part of the CSIRO controversy has been that Marshall appeared to be emphasising the potential monetary impact of science over curiosity-led research in the public good, such as the impact of global warming. He has not changed his tune there, telling the audience Wednesday, "We don't just do the science, we don't just do the invention. We do the science and we deliver the solution." "About a quarter of our total investment goes into dealing with environmental disruption. But what about disruption to the resources market? What about disruption to health?" Story continues Perhaps Marshall thought his focus on commercialisation would be embraced by the government, which under Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has paid considerable lip service to innovation and little to pure science. Its National Innovation and Science Agenda, rolled out in Dec. 2015, is worth A$1.1 billion over four years. The government doesn't seem disturbed by the loss of top scientific minds, such as climate scientist John Church, who was offered a voluntary redundancy by the CSIRO in May. Something that will surely impact the CSIRO's ability to attract top talent. During the 2016 election campaign, the shadow minister for research and innovation, Kim Carr, accused the government of presiding over the "largest brain drain in Australia's history." While Hunt now says "climate science is important, it's significant, it's critical to our long-term planning," the Liberal government has sent mixed signals, first under Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who slashed the CSIRO's budget in 2014, and now under Malcolm Turnbull. After all, the government may have had a change of heart on climate research, but it has not accompanied it with cash. As Fairfax Media pointed out, those 15 restored climate positions do not come with a fresh budget and must be funded from the existing CSIRO's coffers. Alan Finkel, Australia's chief scientist, also noted Wednesday that individual companies like Apple spend more on research and development than the Australian government spends on science. That's a tragedy, because as he pointed out, "Science turns money into knowledge, then innovation turns that knowledge back into money. And generally a lot more money than the taxpayers put in." When asked what has been the greatest challenge on the job so far, Marshall joked, "How long do you have?" "I've never done politics, and I don't think the head of CSIRO should be a political role," he said. "Science and innovation shouldn't be politicised, it's too important." He should know. ASC4 "Does anyone know where the cloud is?" asks Wilfred Amuri, an engineer in the cloud platform team at Goldman Sachs. About a dozen hands shoot up, the students patiently waiting to be called on to give their answers. Amuri's audience is a group of 25 rising high-school juniors and seniors from the New York area, gathered around a table in a conference room at Goldman's headquarters in downtown New York City. They are engaging in a lively conversation on topics such as infrastructure, virtual machines, application servers, and the cloud. These students, many clad in blazers and ties, are in their fifth week of a six-week summer immersion program run by All Star Code (ASC). ASC is a nonprofit organization founded in 2013 by Christina Lewis Halpern, daughter of Reginald Lewis, the prominent African-American lawyer and businessman who inspired her efforts. The program provides mentorship, tech-industry exposure, and intensive computer-science training to high-school boys of color, hoping to close the opportunity gap in the tech industry for this underrepresented group. Acceptance is need-blind, with more than half of the participating students coming from low-income families. Goldman Sachs is one of the sponsors of the program, and this is the first year the firm has hosted a group of ASC students for a summer program. Goldman provides the classrooms, food, and resources, and it even donates a laptop to every student participant. ASC2 The partnership began three years ago, when Valentino Carlotti, the global head of human capital management for the investment banking and merchant banking divisions at Goldman Sachs, first met Halpern and learned what the organization was trying to achieve. Story continues "She had me at 'Hello,'" Carlotti recently told Business Insider. Carlotti, a black male alumnus of Yale and Harvard Business School, said he didn't see many people like him in the schools he went to. Wall Street, and Goldman Sachs, are also dominated by white men. Only 2.7% of Goldman Sachs' senior executives in the US are black, while 83.6% are white. The partnership also comes as Goldman Sachs pitches itself as a tech company. The bank's technology division makes up more than a third of the firm, or about 11,000 people, and the company is focused on hiring top tech talent. Each week of the ASC curriculum focuses on a different subject, from computing to robotics, video games to graphics, physical computing to apps and APIs, and final projects. Field trips include tours of Yahoo, Uber, and Twitter. The program also offers weekly mentoring sessions, external speakers, and sessions with senior employees across the firm on a range of topics. ASC lines up well with Goldman Sachs' values and mission, Carlotti said, citing "the pursuit of excellence, performing to the best of your ability, being thorough, being rigorous, and having an open mind-set." That is the reason it was such any easy sell to get support for the program from everyone from partners to analysts at the firm. The summer intensive is also sponsored by the firm's internal black, Latino, and Hispanic affinity network. The mission of ASC extends beyond building a skill set of coding and expertise in computer science. ASC gala1 Along with industry exposure comes skills in leadership and resilience. The kids share ideas and learn how to fail. The goal of the program is to provide kids with encouragement and a belief that they can pursue anything that they're passionate about, regardless of race or background. "You approach things in a whole different way when people engage with you that way," Carlotti said. The kids at ASC are taught to celebrate failure. If they code and it doesn't work, or if the program crashes, they are taught to yell out, "I have failed!" and the whole class claps. The mentality is that if you're not failing, you're not pushing hard enough. "It's important to look at failure as a learning opportunity and a step along the way to progress," Carlotti added. Many of the boys have limited resources and access to technology, but Carlotti believes the places they come from often build up a unique strength they can actually leverage. "It could actually be an advantage if you have a different mind-set," he said. ASC1 Aside from pioneering the partnership with ASC, Carlotti is actively involved with the running of the program. He recently gave a fireside chat with another Goldman partner in which they discussed their own careers as well as lessons they learned, challenges, passion, and resolution. He also kicked off the program to welcome participants to Goldman Sachs and has tried a hand at coding himself. He often stops and checks in with them to see how they're getting on. "When I get together with them, it's incredible the amount of inspiration I get, and the reminder of how I felt during my own journey," he said. "You see that in them and it comes right back to you." Earlier this month, on August 6, ASC held its third annual benefit out in East Hampton at the residence owned by the Lewis family, raising almost $800,000 for the program. More than 400 people attended, including 40 to 50 employees from the firm ranging from analysts to partners and about 30 current ASC code students and alumni. The kids set up their final projects and exhibitions at the fund-raiser and mingled with guests. The kids from ASC have gone on to intern in the tech and finance worlds, organize their own hackathons, and form companies. "I think these young men have what it takes," Carlotti said. "I hope I can hire some of them some day." NOW WATCH: Wall Street's deadliest terror attack remains unsolved after 96 years More From Business Insider LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / Lundin Law PC (the "Firm") announces a class action lawsuit was filed against Eaton Corporation plc ("Eaton" or the "Company") (ETN) concerning possible violations of federal securities laws between November 13, 2013 and July 28, 2014 inclusive (the "Class Period"). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares during the Class Period should contact the Firm in advance of the September 23, 2016 lead plaintiff motion deadline. To participate in this class action lawsuit, click here. You can also call Brian Lundin, Esquire, of Lundin Law PC, at 888-713-1033, or e-mail him at brian@lundinlawpc.com. No class has been certified in the above action. Until a class is certified, you are not considered represented by an attorney. You may also choose to do nothing and be an absent class member. According to the complaint, Eaton issued false and misleading statements about the Company's ability to divest its automobile-part manufacturing business. Since 2008, the Company shifted away from its vehicle business and expanded its electrical component businesses. In 2012, Eaton merged with Irish-headquartered Cooper Industries plc, which reincorporated the Company in Ireland. After the merger, Eaton executives assured investors of the continued feasibility of divesting the automobile-part manufacturing business on a tax-free basis. This kept the Eaton stock price artificially inflated. On July 29, 2014, Eaton's CEO Alexander M. Cutler informed investors that the Company could not feasibly divest the automobile-part business until late 2017 because of tax law restrictions related to the merger. Mr. Cutler also revealed that the Company was "well aware" of these restrictions all along. When this news was disclosed, Eaton's stock fell in value, causing investors harm. Lundin Law PC was founded by Brian Lundin, a securities litigator based in Los Angeles dedicated to upholding shareholders' rights. Story continues This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in certain jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. Contact: Lundin Law PC Brian Lundin, Esq. Telephone: 888-713-1033 Facsimile: 888-713-1125 brian@lundinlawpc.com http://lundinlawpc.com/ SOURCE: Lundin Law PC ZHANGZHOU, CHINA / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / China Zenix Auto International Limited (ZX) will host a conference call to discuss the results of the second quarter 2016, to be held Thursday, August 18, 2016 at 8:00 AM Eastern Time. To participate in this event, dial 877-407-0782 domestically, or 201-689-8567 internationally, approximately 5 to 10 minutes before the beginning of the call. You may access the teleconference replay by dialing 877-660-6853 domestically or 201-612-7415 internationally, referencing conference ID # 13643141. The replay will be available beginning approximately 2 hours after the completion of the live event, ending at midnight Eastern on September 18, 2016. About China Zenix Auto International Limited China Zenix Auto International Limited is the largest commercial vehicle wheel manufacturer in China in both the aftermarket and OEM market by sales volume. With a large intellectual property portfolio, the Company offers more than 510 series of tubed and tubeless steel wheels, aluminum and off-road steel wheels in the aftermarket and OEM markets in China and internationally. The Company's customers include large PRC commercial vehicle manufacturers, and it also exports products to over 80 distributors in more than 30 countries worldwide. With five large, strategically located manufacturing facilities in multiple regions across China, the Company has total annual production capacity of approximately 15.0 million units of steel wheels as of December 31, 2015. For more information, please visit: www.zenixauto.com/en. SOURCE: Investor Calendar Since its creation, we have learned about the Islamic State from its enemies. Its story has largely been told by those fighting the group in Iraq and Syria, traumatized civilians who have escaped its brutal rule, and the occasional defector. That is about to change. This is the story of Abu Ahmad, a Syrian operative for the Islamic State who witnessed the groups lightning expansion firsthand and spent months among its most notorious foreign fighters. In this series of three articles, he provides unique insight into how Abu Bakr al-Baghdadis political scheming paved the way for its expansion into Syria, al Qaedas efforts to stem the groups rise, and the terrifying weapons in the arsenal of the self-proclaimed caliphate. Some names and details have been omitted to protect Abu Ahmad. Read part one here. Abu Ahmed told us how the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) came to acquire some of the worlds most fearsome weapons, which were claimed as spoils of war from Syrian President Bashar al-Assads forces months before its creation. Roughly four months before the split between the Nusra Front and ISIS, in December 2012, dozens of Syrian jihadi fighters climbed a hill toward Regiment 111 a large army base near the town of Darat Izza, in northern Syria. That town had been taken roughly five months earlier by a coalition of rebel groups. But while they had besieged Regiment 111 since the summer of 2012, they still had not succeeded in capturing the base from the troops loyal to President Assad. The weather had turned bad in winter, however, making it more difficult for the Syrian Air Force to hold off the rebels with airstrikes. Moreover, the base was huge, sprawling over almost 500 acres, and difficult to protect from all approaches. Syrian Army soldiers inside Regiment 111 successfully defended their base during the first rebel attack in early November 2012, killing 18 Nusra fighters in the process. But the cold December wind only fortified the rebels resolve. The base was a goldmine: home to guns, artillery, ammunition, and vehicles. And deep inside Regiment 111s bunkers lay something even more valuable a cache of chemical weapons. Story continues Jihadists looting the weapons stockpiles in the Syrian army base known as Regiment 111, shown here in a still shot taken from a video posted online. The attack was led by the Nusra Front and supported mainly by Kataib Muhajiri al-Sham, a unit within Liwa al-Islam; Majlis Shura al-Mujahideen; and Katibat al-Battar, which consisted largely of Libyan jihadis. The fighters knew that the base possessed ammunition and other weapons, but did not know in advance it contained chemical weapons. As the rebels climbed the hills near Regiment 111, intense fighting erupted. That day, all of us were full of excitement and revenge, Abu Ahmad told us. Everybody wanted to avenge the 18 Nusra brothers who were martyred during the first attack. People were screaming: This time we will conquer it! Within a day, the combined jihadi forces had broken through the lines of the Syrian Army. Shortly after, Regiment 111 was fully under jihadi control. They found large stocks of weapons, ammunition and, to their surprise, chemical agents. They were, according to Abu Ahmad, mainly barrels filled with chlorine, sarin, and mustard gas. What followed was the distribution of the war spoils. Everybody took some ammunition and weapons. But only the Nusra Front seized the chemical weapons. Abu Ahmad watched as the al Qaeda affiliate called in 10 large cargo trucks, loaded 15 containers with chlorine and sarin gas, and drove them away to an unknown destination. He did not see what happened to the mustard gas. Three months later, both the Syrian government and rebel groups reported an attack in Khan al-Assal, near Aleppo. The international media said that 26 people had been killed, among them 16 regime soldiers and 10 civilians. Both the Syrian regime and opposition claimed that chemical weapons had been used and both accused the other of having carried out one of the first chemical weapons attacks in the Syrian war. Abu Ahmad kept his mouth shut in public, but privately he and some of his Syrian jihadi comrades discussed the matter. Although they did not have any evidence, they wondered whether the material used in the Khan al-Assal attack had been taken from Regiment 111. He knew he couldnt ask Abu al-Atheer for clarification. By now he had learned one of the golden rules of the secretive jihadi movement: When its none of your business, keep quiet. Among our people, it is not done to ask, Abu Ahmad told us. Dutch-Turkish jihadi Salih Yilmaz justifies the use of chemical weapons in response to a question posed to him on his blog and responds to a critique of the Islamic State by saying the jihadist group seized its chemical weapons stockpiles from its opponents. That would be the end of the issue for the next eight months. Beginning in April 2013, Abu Ahmad and his comrades would be preoccupied with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadis expansion into Syria, and the escalating tensions between the newly-created ISIS and the Nusra Front. It was a confused time in the Syrian jihadi world: Many factions within the Nusra Front were breaking off to join ISIS, while the al Qaeda affiliate worked feverishly to maintain loyalty within its ranks. Territory, bases, and weapons were up for grabs like never before. But in mid-August 2013, Abu Ahmed received news that made him think that ISIS had emerged from the split with the Nusra Front in possession of the chemical weapons seized at Regiment 111 and that it was now using them against its enemies. Out of the blue, Abu al-Atheer, the man to whom Abu Ahmed had pledged loyalty and who had in turn pledged loyalty directly to Baghdadi told his own commanders that ISIS had twice used chemicals during attacks against the Syrian Army. The announcement came during a normal conversation between Abu al-Atheer and his men; the ISIS commander told the story happily and proudly. The brothers sent a car bomb with chemicals to a [Syrian Army] checkpoint near al-Hamra village in Hama, Abu al-Atheer claimed, as they sat in their headquarters. Al-Hamra is located roughly 20 miles northeast of the city of Hama. It is still controlled by forces loyal to the Syrian government. Abu al-Atheer spoke of another ISIS chemical attack. We also used one car bomb filled with chemicals against regime forces near to Menagh Airbase, he said. Menagh Airbase is located roughly 20 miles north of Aleppo. After a year-long siege, on Aug. 5, 2013, Menagh Airbase was eventually overrun by jihadis led by ISIS. comingwednesday Again, Abu Ahmed thought back to that cold December day when jihadi fighters overran Regiment 111. Were these the same chemical weapons that he and his comrades had found stockpiled in the base back then? Whether they are or not, the Islamic State appears to still have these weapons in their arsenal. More than two years later, on Oct. 6, 2015, the New York Times published an article describing how the Islamic State used chemical weapons against moderate rebel fighters in the northern town of Marea. According to the Times, the group fired projectiles that delivered sulfur mustard. This substance is more commonly known as mustard gas. READ MORE Washingtons War on the Islamic State Is Only Making It Stronger CLICK HERE Fallujahs Forever War CLICK HERE Libyans Are Winning the Battle Against the Islamic State CLICK HERE Turkey Did Nothing About the Jihadists in Its Midst Until It Was Too Late CLICK HERE The Dutch-Turkish jihadi Salih Yilmaz, a former soldier in the Dutch Army who has joined IS, admitted on Aug. 31, 2015, on his now defunct blog that Islamic State indeed used chemical weapons there. Yilmaz was asked by a reader of his blog why did they accuse [the Islamic State] of recently using chemical weapons in Aleppo province? Yilmaz responded by writing: Where do you think IS got their chemical weapons from? From our enemies and thus we use their own weapons against them. Read part one here. Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - Israeli troops arrested the Hamas representative on the organising committee for October Palestinian municipal elections on Wednesday, the Islamist movement said. Hamas condemned what it called an "attempt to influence" the outcome of the elections, the first in the Palestinian territories since 2012. "We condemn the arrest of Sheikh Hussein Abu Kweik," a Hamas statement said, adding that he had been detained in the early morning in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army confirmed the arrest, accusing Abu Kweik of involvement in "Hamas terrorist activity" without giving details. Elections committee spokesman Fareed Tamallah condemned the "blatant interference in Palestinian local elections by (Israeli) occupation forces," and demanded Abu Kweik's immediate release. The October 8 vote will be only the third Palestinian municipal elections since Israel and the Palestinians signed the Oslo peace accords in 1993. Hamas has agreed to field candidates this time after boycotting the last elections in 2012. Registration began on Tuesday. There have been no Palestinian parliamentary elections since 2006 when Hamas won by a landslide. The following year conflict broke out between Hamas and the rival Fatah faction of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, leading to the ouster of his loyalists from Gaza and the formation of rival administrations. Repeated attempts at forming a unity government to rule both Gaza and the West Bank have all failed. Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel is to beef up security at public spaces in the wake of a deadly June attack in Tel Aviv and last month's seafront killings in Nice, an official said Wednesday. Shoppings malls, railway and bus stations, and public buildings are already closely guarded in Israel, and the new measures will apply to open spaces currently lacking a security cordon, a spokesman for internal security minister Gilad Erdan told AFP. Recommendations by a committee of experts include deployment of armed guards and patrols, searches at entry points and installation of surveillance cameras. The aim "is to create multiple obstacles to prevent a terrorist carrying out an attack similar to the one in Nice," the spokesman said. "The difference between an attack where there are no victims and an attack in which there are many depends on the reaction time of civilians and armed guards, so we must ensure that in busy open spaces there is someone who can respond as quickly as possible," he said. Likely sites for the upgrade include the busy Tel Aviv harbour promenade, Jerusalem's Mahane Yehuda produce market and a complex of hotels on the Dead Sea shore where a pilot programme will be launched. Two Palestinians shot dead four people in Tel Aviv's Sarona leisure district on June 9, prompting Israeli officials to review existing security regulations. The July 14 French Riviera attack, where the driver of a truck crashed into a festive crowd killing 85 people, was also taken into consideration, the spokesman said. JA Solar Holdings Co. Ltd. JASO posted second-quarter 2016 adjusted earnings of 30 cents per diluted American Depositary Share (ADS), missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 59 cents by a wide margin of 49.2%. Earnings, however, improved from the year-ago figure of 27 cents by 11.1%. JA SOLAR HOLDGS Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise JA SOLAR HOLDGS Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise | JA SOLAR HOLDGS Quote Total Revenue JA Solars revenues in the reported quarter were $619 million, missing the consensus mark of $689 million by 10.2%. However, the reported figure improved 51.9% from the year-ago level. The improvement in revenues was driven by strong shipments to key markets, primarily to its domestic market China. Q2 Shipments Total shipments in the second quarter of 2016 were 1,380.3 megawatts (MW). External shipments were 1,229.3 MW, up 55.5% year over year. The year-over-year improvement in external shipments was attributable to a 58.1% upside in module shipment as well as a 29.6 rise in cells and cell tolling. The increase in shipments came on the back of strong demand from China, which constituted 63.9% of the quarters total shipment. Shipments to America jumped to 9.3% of the total, from 0.6% in the year-ago quarter. Europe, however, witnessed a considerable drop, having contributed 3.7% to total shipments, compared with 14.8% a year ago. Asia-Pacific (excluding China) markets also witnessed a slowdown with shipments constituting 12% of the total, a considerable drop from 31.9% a year ago. Highlights of the Release Gross profits were $94.5 million, up 41.4% year over year. Gross margin, however, contracted 110 basis points year over year to 15.3%. Total operating expenses of $66.3 million represented 10.7% of revenues, up 42.6% from the year-ago quarter. Interest expenses were $10.4 million, up from $9.4 million a year ago. Financial Condition At the end of second-quarter 2016, JA Solar had a cash balance of $303 million, compared with $445.1 million at 2015-end. Total long-term borrowings were $489.3 million as of Jun 30, 2016. Guidance JA Solar expects to ship 1.21.3 gigawatts (GW) of cells and modules in the third quarter of 2016. For 2016, the company maintained its earlier expectation to ship 5.25.5 GW of cells and modules. It anticipates module shipment of about 250300 MW to its downstream projects. Peer Releases SolarCity Corp. SCTY, the largest U.S. rooftop solar installer, posted adjusted loss of $2.32 per share in the second quarter of 2016, narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $2.43. However, the figure was much wider than the year-ago loss of $1.61, thanks to the companys rising expenses. First Solar Inc. FSLR reported second-quarter 2016 earnings of 87 cents a share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 58 cents by 50%. The reported number also surged 67.3% from the prior-year figure of 52 cents on the back of higher sales and gross profits. SunPower Corp. SPWR reported second-quarter 2016 adjusted loss of 33 cents per share, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 31 cents by 6.5%. In the year-ago quarter, the company had reported earnings of 9 cents. Zacks Rank JA Solar presently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report JA SOLAR HOLDGS (JASO): Free Stock Analysis Report FIRST SOLAR INC (FSLR): Free Stock Analysis Report SOLARCITY CORP (SCTY): Free Stock Analysis Report SUNPOWER CORP-A (SPWR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Paul Kilby NEW YORK, Aug 17 (IFR) - A sufficient number of JBS bondholders have agreed to amend indentures allowing for a global reorganization of the meatpacker, the company said on Wednesday. Under the plan, the company's global operations and Brazil-based food processor Seara Alimentos will regroup under a new Ireland-based company, JBS Foods International. JBS USA and JBS SA asked holders of notes due between 2020 to 2025 to consent to some parts of the global reorganization proposed by JBS in May. Holders who agreed to the consent solicitation by the expiration date of August 16 will receive a cash payment of US$1.25 per US$1,000 principal amount. The plan, which involves listing JBS Foods International in New York, also requires approvals from shareholders and regulators. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith and Banco Bradesco BBI acted as solicitation agents. (Reporting By Paul Kilby; editing by Shankar Ramakrishnan) Journalist John McLaughlin once said of being the butt of jokes on Saturday Night Live, I like good humor. I like wit and creativity. I think its great. And I like it from a marketing point of view. The McLaughlin Group host died Tuesday at the age of 89, just days after missing his first show in 34 years. He presided over his PBS roundtable with a strict hand, often interrupting his guests midsentence or, as portrayed by Dana Carvey, cutting off pundits even before they had a chance to respond. SNLs McLaughlin parodies included a Japanese version of his show featuring Mike Myers, Phil Hartman, and Rob Schneider as panelists addressing burning issues such as American stupidity, American laziness, and the U.S. auto industry. McLaughlin credited such SNL parodies with diversifying his talk shows audience. The demographics of the program [The McLaughlin Group] have vastly expanded, he told the Chicago Tribune. Ive found that younger people have been clued to the show by Saturday Night Live. Former SNL cast member Seth Meyers was among those exposed to The McLaughlin Groups political banter at a young age. Meyers tweeted Tuesday: RIP John McLaughlin. My parents made us watch him every week which made the SNL sketches all the sweeter. Comedian Orlando Jones was also an avid observer of both McLaughlin and his SNL caricature. Been watching @McLaughlinGroup group for years & thought @danacarveys impersonation was spot on, Jones wrote. RIP John McLaughlin. You will be missed. McLaughlin was in on the joke too. He played himself in a Halloween-themed skit alongside Carvey, Hartman, a black cat, Myers, Kevin Nealon, and Chris Farley, declaring, Sorry, the teasing was getting to me, and I had to take action. Visit Yahoo View for even more Saturday Night Live sketches. Siete isn't as big a number as setenta, but it's still large enough to carry an antitrust lawsuit against American Multi-Cinema forward. The film exhibition giant is facing Sherman Act claims brought by Houston-based Viva Cinemas Theaters, which contends that AMC pressured Disney, Sony, Universal and other studios into withholding first-run films from a competitor. Viva serves the Hispanic community, and what makes this lawsuit unique from the many others challenging so-called "clearance pacts" is the specific allegation that AMC's anti-competitive behavior has deprived Spanish speakers of being able to see Star Wars and other hit films. In reaction to the lawsuit, AMC pointed to the fact that many Hispanics speak English. Attacking the notion that Viva defined a relevant product market, the defendant argued that films in English are "interchangeable" for many Hispanics. According to its math, "Only approximately 7 percent of Houstonians are Hispanic moviegoers who exclusively speak Spanish." How about preferences? AMC used a soda analogy. "Many soda drinkers strongly prefer Coke over Pepsi, and vice versa," argued AMC in a motion to dismiss. "But that 'preference' does not somehow suggest that Coke and Pepsi are in different markets, even if some subset of Coke drinkers might have such a strong preference that they would never switch to Pepsi, no matter how much the relative price of Coke increased." U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett isn't buying the logic. "AMC does not explain why 7% of Houston's population is not a sufficient submarket," he writes in rejecting the dismissal bid. "Viva does concede that there were people capable of seeing movies in both English and Spanish, however, this does nothing to address the 7% (assuming that is the correct number) that cannot observe a movie without dubbing or subtitles." Bennett also finds (here's the opinion) that Viva has plausibly pled a defined geographic market - either Houston or the zones around the parties' theaters in the region. Some exhibitors and distributors have recently backed away from clearance practices. According to the documents in this case, the only time that studios tested AMC on its threat not to show newly released films given to Viva was during the release of Disney's Planes. The judge notes, "True to its word, AMC did not show the movie at its AMC Dunvale location after Disney allowed Viva to show the movie." Stocks in the airline space are being challenged by a wide number of headwinds in the form of the surge in terror attacks, prevailing uncertainty following the Brexit vote, and unit revenue related issues to name a few. Moreover, the fall in average airfares in the U.S. for Jul 2016 was the sharpest in over a year, according to data released by the Bureau of Transportation Services. Airfares declined 4.6% (on an unadjusted basis) from the comparable figure in Jul 2015. Moreover, the reading on airfares for the month showed a 8.5% decline compared to Jun 2016. The sharp drop in airfares is primarily due to soft oil prices. Apart from cheap oil, capacity-related woes, which have been affecting airline companies for quite some time, are also being cited for the substantial slump in July airfares. Even though, the low air fares spell good news for fliers, declining air fares are likely to hurt the top line of airline companies, thereby affecting profits. Oversupply Concerns Led to Sharp Fall in July Oil Prices Oil prices fell sharply in July, nearly 15% according to a Reuters report and this scenario is being mentioned as the primary reason behind the significant fall in air fares in the month. Currently, oil prices are hovering around $45 a barrel. Although, this displays resurgence from the 12-year low of around $26 per barrel hit in February this year, it is nowhere near the $100+ a barrel mark witnessed in mid 2014. With oil prices not expected to be very high in the near term, it comes as no surprise that research firm Hopper believes that airfares will continue to drop through October. Average fare per round trip is projected to come down over 8% from current levels to $213 in October. According to our Earnings Trends report, the transportation sector of which airlines are part of, saw its top line shrink by 1.4% in the second quarter of 2016. This is worse than the 0.9% top line deceleration witnessed in the first quarter of 2016. With carriers already struggling to post significant revenue growth, low airfares mean further concerns for their top lines. Story continues Unit Revenue Woes Continue to Hurt Carriers have been suffering owing to unit revenue issues for quite some time and despite efforts to bring about some improvement on that front, these woes are expected to hurt carriers going ahead. Lower fuel surcharges on international flights due to weak oil prices have hurt the top line of carriers. This is exhibited by the declining key revenue metric passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM: a measure of sales relative to capacity for a carrier). The PRASM-related issues are not a thing of the past and are evident from the 7% drop in the metric at Delta Air Lines DAL in July. The sharp drop was due to foreign exchange woes along with the ongoing supply-demand imbalance in the Transatlantic and softness pertaining to domestic yield. American Airlines Group AAL 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 United Continental Holdings UAL anticipates its consolidated passenger unit revenue to decline in the third quarter in the band of 5.5% to 7.5%. Low-cost carrier Southwest Airlines LUV estimates RASM to decline in the range of 3.5% to 4.5% in the third quarter as compared to the earlier projected range of a decline of 3.0% to 4.0%. Unit revenue issues have impacted other carriers like JetBlue Airways Corporation JBLU also. RASM at JetBlue fell approximately 2.5% in July. Alaska Air Group, Inc ALK, which is expected to acquire Virgin America VA, by year-end, witnessed a 7.7% PRASM decline in the second quarter. The above commentary clearly indicates that unit revenue issues are far from over for carriers and such headwinds will continue to hurt the top line of carriers going ahead. With airline stocks already stressed, the July reading on airfares imply further woes for the carriers on the top line front. The bearish Zacks Industry rank of 239 carried by the Transport- Airline group further highlights the struggles of carriers. Falling Airfares: Encouraging Labor Day Forecast The sharp fall in air fares prompted by weak oil prices is an encouraging piece of news for fliers. This is evident from the bullish Labor Day forecast by Airlines for America. According to the organization, approximately 15.6 million passengers are expected to be transported through U.S. airlines during the Labor Day holiday period this year, up 4% year over year. The forecast translates into 2.23 million fliers per day during the period (Aug 31- Sep 6), an increase of 82,000 over the comparable figure last year. Cheap ticket price is one of the main reasons behind the bullish forecast. According to the organization, air fares slumped 5.2% in 2015. The declining trend has continued this year too with ticket prices down 6% so far this year. We expect investor focus to remain on this burning issue of air ticket prices going forward. 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 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 It looks like a Florida postal worker made an unscheduled delivery over the weekend, but no one was home to accept it. Because it wasn't to a home or business, it was to a Dumpster. Caught in surveillance footage that has members of the community outraged and the entire internet grumbling, the postal worker appeared to toss out an entire crate of mail after driving straight up to a Dumpster in the Fort Myers area Saturday. Watch: Postal Worker Caught Bonding With German Shepherd While Delivering Mail The mail was dumped behind a restaurant owned by Louie Rondao, who witnessed the incident. Among the trashed mail were flyers purchased by a local realtor plus about a dozen personal letters, WINK reports. Not knowing what to do with all the mail, Rondao called the post office. Rondao handed over footage of the incident to investigators on Monday. While an investigation is ongoing, the mail carrier in question has been identified and terminated, officials say. Read: Charges Dropped Against Postal Worker Arrested After Shouting at NYPD Cops Who Nearly Sideswiped His Truck She had been on the job just six months, officials say. As a rather new employee, she was often a substitute mail carrier who didn't always follow a single route. While stressing that the majority of its mail carriers are dedicated and law abiding, the U.S. Postal Service says 1,607 theft, delay and destruction investigations involving mail were undertaken in fiscal year 2015. Of those, 493 arrests were made and 1,220 administrative actions taken. Watch: Postal Worker Allegedly Delivered Mail While Driving Drunk Related Articles: 17 Aug - Actress and TV personality Karylle is set to star in Singaporean drama, "Private Investigator". As reported on Rappler News, the "It's Showtime" co-host first revealed the news after announcing that she will be taking a break from hosting the programme to focus on her new drama, to be filmed in Singapore. Her manager Arnold Vegafria later confirmed the news with a photo of the cast members, and revealed that Karylle was signed up by Singapore's Mediacorp. He revealed that the actress will play the role of a pole dancer who also works as a private investigator in the episodic drama, which reportedly will be released in various Asian countries. "This just goes to show Karylle's world-class calibre as an actress, and I'm very optimistic that this will soon open more doors for her in the Asian showbiz circuit in the months to come," said Vegafria. The drama will be directed by Ian Seymour, and co-stars actor Terence Tay, and Kaidon Jinyan. (Photo source: instagram.com/arnold_vegafria) From Harper's BAZAAR Kendall Jenner found an alleged stalker at the gate of her Hollywood residence when she arrived home on Sunday night, TMZ reports. The man followed Jenner when she continued to pull into her driveway and tried to talk to her. She called the cops and remained in her car until police arrived, according to law enforcement. The model's unexpected visitor, identified as Shavaughn McKenzie, was arrested that night and charged with felony stalking, according to the Associated Press. Records show he has also pleaded no contest to two trespassing cases in May year. .@KendallJenner had a very unwanted guest greet her at home. SCARY.https://t.co/LfF4lD0dUo - TMZ (@TMZ) August 16, 2016 Kendall unfortunately isn't the only member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan who's seen an intruder in her home. Earlier this year, her mother Kris found a stalker walk into her house-and straight into her office. After filing police reports, the Jenner matriarch fired three members of her staff. Kendall Jenner's $6.5 million home, located above the Sunset Strip, boasts six bedrooms, a rooftop deck and a pool, and previously belonged to Emily Blunt and John Krasinksi. Photo credit: Courtesy You Might Also Like South Korea said Wednesday that North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain had defected to Seoul, in a rare and damaging loss of diplomatic face for Pyongyang. The Unification Ministry said Thae Yong-Ho -- the number-two at the North's mission in London -- had defected together with his family and they were now in the South Korean capital. "They are under government protection and are going through necessary procedures with related institutions," ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee told reporters. Jeong declined to reveal Thae's defection route, citing the diplomatic sensitivities involved for the concerned countries. "On his reasons for defection, Minister Thae cited disgust with (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-Un's regime, admiration for South Korea's free, democratic system and the future of his family," Jeong said. Increasingly isolated internationally because of its nuclear weapons programme, North Korea maintains relatively few overseas embassies, and defections by diplomats of Thae's stature are extremely rare. The last such case was that of the North Korean ambassador to Egypt who defected to the United States in 1997. - Elite discontent? - Jeong said Thae's defection reflected the loss of faith among North Korea's elite in Kim Jong-Un's leadership. "Awareness that the North Korean regime has reached its limit is spreading and the solidarity of its ruling class is weakening," Jeong said. It was a pointed comment that was clearly calculated to resonate -- even if Thae's defection falls far short of signalling any imminent collapse of the regime in Pyongyang. Since Kim succeeded his late father Kim Jong-Il as supreme leader in 2011, he has carried out a series of high-level purges aimed at consolidating power and surrounding himself with loyalists. But analysts say continued support is contingent on keeping the Pyongyang elite in the privileged lifestyle to which they are accustomed -- a task made far tougher by tightened UN sanctions. Story continues North Korean defectors have been making headlines recently, largely due to an unusual group defection in April by a dozen waitresses and their manager who were working at a North Korean-run restaurant in China. A North Korean army colonel who had handled spying operations on South Korea was announced to have defected last year. And, in July, an 18-year-old student, who was in Hong Kong for an international maths contest, reportedly sought asylum in the South Korean consulate in the city. Thae was believed to have worked at the embassy in London for 10 years, with one of his main tasks being to counter the image of North Korea as a nuclear pariah state and notorious human rights abuser. - PR coup - Apart from the obvious and extremely damaging PR victory his defection hands to South Korea, Thae is likely to prove a crucial source of up-to-date intelligence on the state of the North Korean leadership and its policy priorities. All North Korean defectors who make it to Seoul undergo an intense, months-long de-briefing at the hands of South Korean intelligence -- largely in an effort to root out any potential spies. In Thae's case, the interrogation will be a lengthy one and he and his family will likely remain in sort of protective custody for some time to guarantee their safety. Over the years, nearly 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression in their country and settled in the South. But the number of defectors -- who once numbered more than 2,000 a year -- has nearly halved since Kim Jong-Un took power after the death of his father and former leader Kim Jong-Il in December 2011. Those who still managed to flee in recent years often had families already settled in the South, or were relatively well-off and well-connected members of the elite in search of better lives. The highest-ranking defector to come to the South was Hwang Jang-Yop, the North's chief ideologue and former tutor to Kim Jong-Il. He made a high-profile defection via the South Korean embassy in Beijing in 1997 and died in Seoul in 2010. What I learned when I refused to say anything negative for a week What I learned when I refused to say anything negative for a week I consider myself an optimistic person. Things dont always go the way I want them to, but I try to keep a hopeful outlook. Despite my efforts to remain upbeat, annoyances that arent really that bad have lately been distracting me from the good things in life. When Im at home doing work that I love I write for websites and magazines, and Im an aspiring author I often get frustrated by what I consider big challenges. These range from the fear that Ill never become an author, to the unstable income of a freelance writer constantly hustling for new gigs. But the smaller challenges also upset me. Take, for example, living in a bug-infested, non-air-conditioned apartment during a hot summer. apt Yes, its super annoying when I write on my couch and feel ants crawl on my feet, but my goal for the week was to not let these kinds of troubles so drastically affect my attitude. I vowed to not say anything negative for seven days. I would look for the positive in every situation and not complain excessively. nikki I started on a Friday morning. I was working on a manuscript revision when I received an email from my literary agent with her notes. I finished my coffee and got ready for a shower, contemplating how I would revise my work once I dropped off the dry cleaning. But then I walked into the bathroom. And I felt it, something crawling on my feet. ANTS. I quickly shook them off me, but then immediately noticed a swarm of ants crawling out of the trash and coming through a small crevice outside of the tub. They were everywhere. I removed the trash cans and sprayed cleaning fluid around the bathroom in hopes of deterring them. I still managed to shower and got ready to run my errands, as planned, but then I felt something moving on my back ANOTHER ANT. I swatted it off, and grabbed my laptop and dry cleaning. Change of plans: Today, I would be working out of a coffee shop. Story continues coffee I didnt text my husband to rant about the ants or our overpriced apartment rent, as I usually would. After running my errands, I noticed that leaving the apartment helped me become more productive. I worked for four and a half hours straight at the coffee shop. I rarely do that at home unless Im on deadline because I get distracted by cleaning or some other task. It was pretty easy to not excessively complain on that first day because I was hyper aware of the goal I had set for myself. That night, I told my husband about the ants and the rest of my day (and suggested we buy a bottle of Raid) and then I dropped it. New Airport Security Screening Procedures Take Effect Amid Holiday Travel I was scheduled to fly home to Nevada the next morning. I arrived at the airport at about 6 a.m.. I went through security and boarded the plane without a problem. But several minutes later, the pilot announced there would be a slight delay. 15 minutes after that, we had to wait for them to fix mechanical problems. Then there was another delay, and another, and so on. The flight staff eventually kicked us all off the plane, extending our wait by hours. It was already the afternoon, and most of us had been stuck at the airport for over six hours. I had only planned to visit home for a few days, and I eventually cancelled my flight. If I hadnt cancelled, about one-third of my trip would have been taken up by 24 hours of waiting. I was told I would receive a full refund, and minutes later, the entire flight was rescheduled for the following morning. On the plus side, I chose to reschedule my visit for a later date when my husband could join me. My family was disappointed, but they were excited theyd get to see my normally very busy husband. During the Uber ride home, I relayed a short version of the events to the driver. He told me he was impressed by how calm and even upbeat I was when retelling the situation. Having not told him about my positivity mission, I was pleased by this, and we spent the rest of the drive talking about his family. As my experiment continued throughout the week, I reflected on what made me the typically optimistic person that I am recent months not included. I grew up in foster care and encountered many struggles before moving in with a teacher from my high school. She later became my official mom when she adopted me. The years spent with my biological family and in the foster system were rough, but I still had a roof over my head even when I experienced homelessness, I stayed in a family shelter or a motel room. I had access to clean water; I had the ability to go to school and improve my life through education. I carry memories of the hard times, and doing so helps me to be grateful for the life I have now. Moving forward, I realize, I need to remind myself to keep perspective. The next day, I had another battle with an army of ants, but it didnt really bother me as much as before. It was pretty difficult to not complain on Wednesday, when I saw a cockroach in the shower. I planned to visit my grandma after I was clean, but instead, I grabbed my clothes and drove to her apartment. As I enjoyed a nice shower at Grandmas without bugs! I noticed her shower chair. She cant stand long enough for a shower without it, and shes visiting my brother later this month. I found a similar chair online and sent my brother a link he didnt know she needed a shower chair. It made me happy knowing that, because of the cockroach, I was able to help make my grandmas upcoming trip more comfortable. To escape the bugs and the heat, I spent more days working at a coffee shop and I attended more yoga classes. I didnt want to complain, so I removed myself from the irritating situations. Yoga Class, Genesee, New York, United States The day before my experiment ended, I finished my manuscript revision. I also received an email from the co-founder of a company who had seen my writing online and wanted to discuss a paid writing opportunity. After my week of not saying anything negative, I reflected on what Id learned. Just before I started to write this article, I got an email from my agent with a link to a cute Corgi video because she knows how much I love Corgis! Seconds later, I received an email confirming my phone call with that companys co-founder. These two emails made me smile, and I carried the good feelings with me for the rest of the day. I would be lying if I said I never complained for a week. My husband pointed out that he caught me whining several times. But I dont think I failed. For seven days, I paid attention to the times I felt negative and I purposely turn those feelings into positive ones. It brightened my mood, helped be more productive, motivated me to exercise more, and reminded me to be grateful. When I keep perspective, I can see that those ants are just little bugs. And I realize I have a lot of things to be grateful for, big and small. Thats what I learned when I refused to say anything negative for a week, and I hope I can take that with me in the future. The post What I learned when I refused to say anything negative for a week appeared first on HelloGiggles. On the evening of July 20, under a tent at a vineyard in St. Tropez brimming to his specifications with booze, billionaires and babes, Leonardo DiCaprio was preparing to host one of the glitziest charitable events of the year: the third annual fundraiser for his Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. Earlier that same day, under far less glamorous auspices half a world away, the U.S. Department of Justice was filing a complaint with the U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles that suggested the recent Oscar winner is a bit player in the planet's largest embezzlement case, totaling more than $3 billion siphoned from a Malaysian sovereign wealth fund called 1MDB. While the complaint does not target DiCaprio - he's referred to twice in the 136-page document and only as "Hollywood Actor 1" - the scandal shines an unfamiliar light on the charitable foundation of the most powerful actor in Hollywood thanks to the way the LDF has benefited directly from DiCaprio's relationship with key figures in the saga. And much like the gala in St. Tropez, with its expressions of one-percenter excess ostensibly in support of saving the environment (guests helicoptering in to dine on whole sea bass after watching a short film about the dangers of overfishing), a closer look at the LDF itself raises questions about its ties to the 1MDB players as well as the lack of transparency often required (or offered in this case) for the specific structure the actor has chosen for his endeavor. From left: Constance Jablonski, Joan Smalls, Doutzen Kroes, Lily Donaldson and Anja Rubik were photographed just before the July 20 Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation gala in St. Tropez. Read more: Bon Vivants and Billionaires: Living Large With Leo Set up not as a nonprofit but instead as a donor-advised fund (DAF) attached to the California Community Foundation, which is a nonprofit, the LDF therefore is not required to file itemized public disclosures about its own revenue, expenditures and disbursements. "It's difficult to characterize the giving of the DiCaprio Foundation because its status as part of the CCF makes it impossible to look at its finances," industry trade journal Inside Philanthropy noted in 2015. Story continues Despite repeated efforts, DiCaprio, 41, the LDF and the CCF all declined to fully answer fundamental questions related to transparency and accountability of the foundation - a decision that disappoints charity experts consulted by THR. "Everything might be perfectly fine, but we don't know," says Aaron Dorfman, president of the Washington, D.C.-based National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy, of the LDF. Among the questions asked: Who pays for the LDF's six-member staff (the CCF is not allowed to cover the expense) as well as underwrites the events and other operating costs? What's the total overhead, and how much of the money raised goes into operations versus charitable grants? DiCaprio (right) with LDF global finance chairman Gatsby at the 2014 gala. Read more: Eva Longoria, Two"Philanthropreneurs" and the Dangers of Hollywood Charity: THR Investigates Also, is the LDF's global finance chairman, Milutin Gatsby - a Serb likely originally known as Gijic - operating under a pseudonym? (Yes, Gatsby-and-Gatsby jokes were on the lips of just about everyone at the St. Tropez event.) The LDF wouldn't make Gatsby available for comment. (It also is unclear whether the DOJ will try to recoup 1MDB assets donated to the LDF. The Justice Department would not comment, other than to say this is an ongoing investigation. THR has learned, however, that charities are not off-limits in such asset-seizure cases.) Multiple attendees who spoke to THR describe the annual LDF galas as freewheeling bacchanals in which wives feel outnumbered by suspiciously predisposed Slavic women in bustiers and couples openly cavort in the bathroom stalls. At the July 20 event in St. Tropez, where tickets started at $11,778 (10,500 euros) DiCaprio greeted a roomful of approximately 500 partygoers, including oligarchs (Dmitry Rybolovlev), supermodels (Naomi Campbell) and plenty of fellow A-listers, among them Bono, Charlize Theron, Tobey Maguire, Robert De Niro, Scarlett Johansson, Jonah Hill, Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett and Arnold Schwarzenegger. From left: Kroes, Saudi producer Mohammed Al Turki, Smalls and Alessandra Ambrosio at the LDF gala. Notably absent this year was Jho Low, 35, the bespectacled Malaysian businessman and party boy at the center of the 1MDB scandal who, at least as early as 2010, became a regular drinking buddy of DiCaprio's (the biggest star on a roster of Low's celebrity friends that includes Paris Hilton, Jamie Foxx and Alicia Keys). Low, notorious for stunts like sending 23 bottles of Cristal to Lindsay Lohan for her 23rd birthday at the club 1OAK in Las Vegas in 2009, is alleged in the DOJ complaint to have used roughly $1 billion in 1MDB funds for a personal shopping spree. This included the acquisition of a $31 million penthouse in Manhattan's Time Warner Center, once occupied by Jay Z and Beyonce, and a $39 million Hollywood Hills mansion a few doors down from DiCaprio. Low, who graduated from Wharton School of Business in 2005, in 2009 was brought into the inner circle of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak as an adviser on a precursor to the 1MDB wealth fund. Despite only earning the bit-part title of "Malaysian Official 1" in the Justice Department complaint, Razak is the key figure at the heart of the scandal. But it's Razak's stepson Riza Aziz who provides the link to both Low and DiCaprio. It was Low who introduced Aziz to Joey McFarland, previously Hilton's party booker, and together they set up Red Granite Pictures. Red Granite eventually would surprise Hollywood insiders by landing the rights to DiCaprio's passion project The Wolf of Wall Street. The DOJ complaint alleges, however, that the financing for the film came from a $238 million pot of money siphoned from the 1MDB fund. (Red Granite maintains it is cooperating with all inquiries; the company still has an office above DiCaprio's own Appian Way in a Sunset Strip midrise opposite Soho House West Hollywood.) The DOJ alleges Low paid for Vincent van Gogh's La Maison de Vincent a Arles using money from the 1MDB fund and an account in Singapore. It was seized by Swiss authorities July 21. Read more: Judge Orders Leonardo DiCaprio to Give Deposition in 'Wolf of Wall Street' Lawsuit The 1MDB saga has been Hollywood-tinged from the start. Tim Leissner, the Goldman Sachs banker who brokered the deal that set everything in motion, is Kimora Lee Simmons' husband. (He since has left the firm.) Low was given a "special thanks" in the film's credits and hailed as a "collaborator" in DiCaprio's 2014 Golden Globes acceptance speech. The Malaysian returned the favor in grand fashion with splashy bromantic gifts - in one instance, according to the DOJ, he and the Red Granite execs brought DiCaprio along on an $11 million gambling bender in Las Vegas; in another, they reportedly laid out $600,000 to gift him Marlon Brando's best actor Oscar statuette for On the Waterfront. (DiCaprio - who has a notable habit of buddying up with smooth dudes who end up in federal prison for money crimes, from late investment adviser Dana Giacchetto to art dealer Helly Nahmad - still was several prestige roles away from finally claiming his own.) They also made donations to DiCaprio's foundation. At the actor's birthday party in 2013, Low and McFarland were among those who reportedly helped raise more than $3 million for the charity by buying marked-up bottles of champagne. Earlier that year, diverted 1MDB funds were alleged by the DOJ complaint to have been used by Low to purchase a pair of artworks (for a total of $1.1 million) by Ed Ruscha and Mark Ryden at a Christie's auction benefiting the LDF (one of many buys during a spending spree that shook the art world). And at the glittering St. Tropez auction held in 2015, with the likes of David Geffen, Paul Allen, Tom Barrack and Harvey Weinstein in attendance, Low offered the LDF a sculpture by Roy Lichtenstein, 1982's Brushstroke, valued at roughly $700,000. But Low wasn't there to see it go under the hammer; instead, he is believed to have fled to Taiwan - which has no extradition treaty with the U.S. - as the net of international investigators began closing in. Roy Lichtenstein's Brushstroke sculpture According to the LDF, the July 20 gala raised more than $45 million in funds for global conservation efforts. Yet the organization would provide no documentation to THR to support these and other claims. Due to its unorthodox structure, the LDF is not obligated to disclose any specifics about its donations and repeatedly has been critiqued in recent years by Inside Philanthropy for its opacity as a prominent celebrity charity. (By comparison, the most recently available 990 IRS nonprofit filing from, for instance, Elton John's AIDS Foundation, runs 101 pages to account for an entity handling just over $10 million in assets.) The LDF did provide a statement from its recently hired CEO, Terry Tamminen. He contends that grants of more than $30 million already have been made so far this year and calls the LDF "an incredibly efficient, highly effective philanthropic organization that, through its relationship to the California Community Foundation, is supporting credible organizations that are carrying out some of the most important work on the planet." In its own statement, the CCF's senior counsel, Carol Bradford, explains that it "strives to preserve the wishes of our many donors, which can often include anonymity or privacy in their giving choices." The LDF wasn't always a donor-advised fund. For its first decade, it was a small nonprofit run by DiCaprio's mother, Irmelin, distributing $1.6 million in 2008, its final year before dissolving its status to join the CCF. (DiCaprio's father, George, and noted economist Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University, rounded out the board.) Low snapped up a Bombardier private jet for $35.3 million. DAFs increasingly have become preferred giving vehicles in the U.S., largely due to their immediate charitable tax deductions, negligible startup costs and the fact that they're not subject to the same annual payout requirements as a private foundation. According to a 2015 report published by the National Philanthropic Trust, the number of accounts launched between 2010 and 2014 jumped 29 percent, bringing the total to 238,293. While the most prominent entrant during this period was Mark Zuckerberg's $2.5 billion charitable effort in 2014, set up at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and greeted with public criticism over its structure, the NPT says the average account size is $300,000. In a fact sheet the LDF provided to THR, its decision to become a DAF is positioned as one of practicality and efficiency - that the well-regarded, century-old CCF (which manages nearly 1,600 charitable entities totaling $1.5 billion in assets) could assist with due diligence regarding grantees as well as expertly handle backend financial and administrative functions pertaining to donations processing. (The CCF also handles funds for a few other Hollywood figures, including Eva Longoria and, as it happens, Foxx.) In general, DAFs' rising popularity, which experts explain also is bolstered by the paucity of red tape in the sector, has brought skepticism. The IRS, according to its web page about the category, now is examining cases (though none are specifically named) of DAFs that "appear to be established for the purpose of generating questionable charitable deductions, and providing impermissible economic benefits to donors and their families (including tax-sheltered investment income for the donors) and management fees for promoters." (THR has no evidence that the LDF is using the DAF structure in such a way.) Viceroy L'Ermitage Beverly Hills was bought by a company called Wynton in January 2010, using funds traceable to Low's bank account, which the DOJ says were misappropriated from the 1MDB development fund. Philanthropy authorities say the LDF, with its possibly subsidized staff and lavish events - as well as, crucially, its international solicitation apparatus - is a relative anomaly among community foundation DAFs, which typically are far more simple: A donor provides his own money and then advises where it should be spent. "It's unusual," says Ann Skeet, a director at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, which examines ethics in businesses and nonprofits. Adds Ray Madoff, head of The Forum on Philanthropy and the Public Good at Boston College Law School, "Typically, Leonardo DiCaprio would gift his own assets to his donor-advised fund rather than using it as a fundraising vehicle." That one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood - whom United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2014 designated as a U.N. Messenger of Peace, with a special focus on climate change - has been sainted by his professional and social circles for his globe-trotting do-gooding may have permitted him to operate with comparatively little scrutiny so far. Notes Daniel Borochoff, president of Chicago-based CharityWatch: "[DAFs'] structure allows them to shirk accountability. They aren't obligated to tell you, as a donor, anything. [DiCaprio's] able to fundraise with one because he's such a huge international celebrity. If you were an unknown, it would be a lot harder because people would quickly start asking questions." Alex Ritman contributed to this report. This story first appeared in the Aug. 26 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. LIMA (Reuters) - A zoo in the Peruvian capital is celebrating the arrival of a lion cub, the first born there in more than 20 years. Chiclayanita was born at Lima's Legends Park in late June and, six weeks on, is in good health. "She weighs 4 kg ... She has weekly check-ups so as not to affect the pack," zoo official Roxana Valdivieso said. Chiclayanita is expected to be the zoo's star attraction. (Reporting By Reuters Television; Editing by Kevin Liffey) Lin-Manuel Miranda (Photo: Matthew Eisman/Getty Images) The Tony Award-winning Hamilton may have made Lin-Manuel Miranda a household name, but hes looking to truly cement his pop-culture legacy with a string of projects made with his favorite studio, Disney including their latest venture set under the sea. As first reported by Deadline, Miranda who recently wrapped his award-winning, box-office record-setting Broadway run with Hamilton will next team with famed composer Alan Menken for a live-action version of The Little Mermaid, another of Disneys attempts to redo their most beloved animated classics with actors (and copious CGI). The story of mermaid Ariel and her blossoming romance with human Prince Eric will feature significant creative input from both Miranda and Menken, the latter of whom wrote both the Oscar-winning songs for the original 1989 animated film (alongside the late Howard Ashman), as well as the additional compositions featured in the 2007 Broadway production (with Glenn Slater). This marks the third upcoming Disney movie for Miranda, who co-wrote songs and music for this Novembers animated Moana and is also costarring in a new Rob Marshall-directed adaptation of Mary Poppins with Emily Blunt and Meryl Streep. Its The Little Mermaid, however, thats clearly the endeavor most dear to the song-and-dance mans heart his son is even named after the crab Sebastian. He told EW earlier this year that it remains his all-time favorite Disney work: [Its] the movie thats probably most responsible for me being here. I started taping the Oscars because I wanted to see Geoffrey Holders performance of Under the Sea. That was the beginning of the end. Or, the beginning of the beginning, depending on how you look at it I could sing you, not only the songs in Little Mermaid, but the music to the score. Thats how important those scores are in my life and in my upbringing. Miranda recently took control of the Mouse Houses Instagram account to sing a medley of famous Disney tunes and it was no surprise that The Little Mermaids The Daughters of Triton was one of his selections. Story continues Daughters of Triton #linstagram A video posted by Walt Disney Animation Studios (@disneyanimation) on Aug 7, 2016 at 11:24am PDT Before The Little Mermaid swims back into theaters, Disney will debut a host of other based-on-animated-movies remakes, including March 17s Beauty and the Beast (starring Emma Watson) and Tim Burtons upcoming Dumbo. And for those clamoring for a Miranda-Disney musical now, Moana co-starring Dwayne Johnson and newcomer AuliI Cravalho debuts in theaters on Nov. 23. A group of Louisiana natives, some of them flood victims themselves, have banded together to form the "Cajun Navy" an armada of volunteers who set sail every morning to rescue neighbors, friends, strangers and pets trapped by the historic Louisiana floodwaters. "We're just out here trying to help," Warren Holmes of Ascension Parish told the Times Picayune. Holmes and his wife Shannon had spent the weekend rescuing people and pets from 7-foot deep water. "What are we supposed to do: Let them die?" Another volunteer, Kyle Page, lost his home in Denham Springs over the weekend. Since then, he's put aside his own suffering to help those in need. "I've got to do something," he told the newspaper, "though I would like to see if I have anything left." Each day, these brave volunteers navigate through streets floating on a mixture of floodwater, gasoline and sewage trying to help any person or animal they can find. "Nothing prepares you for this, but you've got to do something," Shannon Holmes said. "These people need us." On Sunday, three men in a boat saved a woman and her dog from her car that was sinking in to the floodwaters. Over 30 inches of rain fell in southern Louisiana over the past week; Watson, Louisiana, was hit the worst, with 31.4 inches, according to the National Weather Service. At least 11 people have died in the flooding, Louisiana officials confirmed Tuesday. Gov. John Bel Edwards said that 30,000 people had already been rescued but the state did not know how many more people were missing. "We are still very much in an emergency, search-and-rescue response mode for much of the Florida parishes," Mr. Edwards said, according to the New York Times. "Saving life is the most important priority that we have. We're going to dedicate every available response to that effort until it's no longer required." After the news broke that more than 40,000 homes had been damaged hundreds came forward to volunteer their time and boats to bring those who may still be trapped in flooded homes to safety. "It's a good situation when you you're able to be there. A lot of times tragedies unfold in front of you, and you can't do anything," Joe Spinato, who was part of a team that saved more than 600 people stranded in their homes, told the Times-Picayune. "I'm just happy I was able to do something." (Corrects to make clear suspect has not been charged) Aug 17 (Reuters) - City of London police arrested a Sage Group employee on Wednesday at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of conspiring to defraud the British software maker, police said in a statement. The 32-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud in connection with an alleged fraud against the company. She was subsequently released on bail, the police said. Earlier this week, the Newcastle-based company, one of Britain's biggest tech firms, said an internal login had been used to gain unauthorised access to some of the personal employee data of around 280 of its British customers. Sage supplies accounting and other financial software to 3 million small and medium-sized business customers globally. Its payroll-processing software is used by more than half of Britain's companies, analysts estimate. Sage is working to ascertain whether any data has actually been stolen, a source at the company said on Monday. Following the arrest, Sage declined to comment other than to reiterate it was cooperating with the police investigation. The police statement said she was a current Sage employee but provided no further details. (Reporting By Eric Auchard, editing by David Evans) Federal officials say the next generation of FEMA trailer is designed to promote safety and accessibility. (Photo: Courtesy of KRCA-TV) Flood-ravaged south Louisiana residents could soon be in for a familiar sight as government agencies arrive to aid in their recovery: FEMA trailers. But these will not be the infamous formaldehyde-tainted model used in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 toxic trailers that became a symbol of government dysfunction during that storm-relief effort. Danny and Alys Messenger paddle away from their flooded home after reviewing the damage in Prairieville, La., on Tuesday. (Photo: Max Becherer/AP) Earlier this year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency revealed what it calls the new and improved FEMA trailer, though the agency prefers the term manufactured housing unit to trailer. The upgraded model is designed to last longer and includes enhanced safety equipment like fire-detection sprinklers and indoor emergency strobe lights. Were really focusing on safety, FEMA administrator Craig Fugate said during a live video tour in February. This may look like a standard manufactured housing unit on the outside, but its the inside that makes it special. SLIDESHOW Unprecedented flooding slams Gulf Coast >>> More than 40,000 homes have been damaged in the historic rains and flooding in Baton Rouge and the surrounding area. Twelve people have died, and at least 30,000 people and 1,400 pets required rescue. The federal government has issued disaster declarations for 20 of Louisianas 64 parishes. Its unknown how many homes are beyond salvage, but more than 70,000 people have reportedly already registered for federal assistance, and at least 9,000 flood insurance claims have been made. Six thousand people remained in shelters Wednesday, down from more than 11,000 earlier in the week, state officials said. FEMA will first try and find temporary rental homes or apartments for storm victims, but hasnt ruled out deploying the new manufactured homes. This is not the FEMA travel trailers, Fugate told the Baton Rouge Advocate. If we need to bring in any kind of temporary housing units, they are better than theyve ever been. They are all HUD-approved. Debris from businesses and homes damaged in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in June 2006. (Photo: Alex Brandon/AP) The white aluminum FEMA trailers gained notoriety 11 years ago when an estimated 145,000 were purchased by FEMA to house thousands who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Story continues But scores of the 2005 storm victims became ill after staying in the trailers for extended periods. Testing by the Centers for Disease Control eventually identified toxic levels of formaldehyde, a carcinogen that can cause breathing problems. A class-action lawsuit was settled with the trailer manufacturers for $42 million. Fugate called the new models the gold standard. Upgrades also include wider hallways, and kitchens and bathrooms that meet federal accessibility standards. These new units are designed to support the real-world, longer-term needs of disaster survivors, FEMA announced in a web post in February. This next generation of temporary housing meeting the rigid standards created by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. RELATED Taylor Swift donating $1 million to Louisiana >>> A sprinkler-equipped unit costs $56,000 to $69,000 to construct and transport for delivery, a FEMA spokesman told Yahoo News on Thursday. In addition to Louisiana, the newer models have been deployed to disasters in California and West Virginia. About 60 of the upgraded trailers were sent to California last fall for the victims of the Butte and Valley wildfires. A story in the Sacramento Bee described them as clad in white vinyl siding, range from about eight feet to 14 feet wide and have one to three bedrooms. They have simple kitchens and bathrooms, and come with a sofa, a kitchen table and beds. (This story has been updated since it originally published.) Jason Sickles is a national reporter for Yahoo News. Follow him on Twitter (@jasonsickles). Madonna celebrated her 58th birthday on Tuesday by dancing with one special partner her 16-year-old son Rocco! The "Material Girl" is currently in the " hot streets" of Havana, Cuba, where her birthday celebrations included a "family mambo, Cuban style." She shared video of the party on Instagram Tuesday night. The black-and-white clip shows Madonna and Rocco hand-in-hand, each taking turns spinning the other around in the packed restaurant while a happy crowd claps in time to the music. Mother and son are all smiles, embracing at the end in a big hug. Family Mambo Cuban Style! A video posted by Madonna (@madonna) on Aug 16, 2016 at 6:25pm PDT Now that Madonna and Rocco have settled their differences following a custody dispute also involving father Guy Ritchie, the two seem to be inseparable. After a happy family reunion in London, they went on a family vacation to Africa to raise awareness for charity. Madonna even took to social media last week to celebrate Rocco's birthday. "Happy Birthday to my first born son," she captioned one shot of Rocco with David. "A true warrior with a beautiful heart. Let the sun shine!" Happy Birthday to my First Born Son! A true Warrior with a beautiful Heart. Let the Sun shine! A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on Aug 11, 2016 at 1:50am PDT "Happy Birthday Wild Child," she wrote in another adorable photo, showing a young and older Rocco photoshopped together in the same shot. "Time waits for no one." Happy Birthday Wild Child! Time waits for no one!! A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on Aug 11, 2016 at 10:11am PDT Perhaps the most emotional of all her birthday tributes was a throwback photo she posted of herself holding a toddler-aged Rocco. Once my baby always my baby. Happy Sweet 16! A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on Aug 11, 2016 at 7:54am PDT "Once my baby always my baby," she said. "Happy Sweet 16!" RELATED VIDEO: One Big Family! Madonna Posts Happy Shot of Son Rocco and Daughter Lourdes During Dinner Date in London While they each had birthdays to celebrate during their dance together Tuesday night, fans all over the world including Demi Lovato, Victoria Justice and Paris Hilton paid tribute to the birthday girl using Snapchat's custom Madonna filter. Thank you to.all my fans and everyone who is in my gang for all your birthday Wishes!!!! You know how to make a girl feel special!! A photo posted by Madonna (@madonna) on Aug 16, 2016 at 3:45am PDT "Thank you to all my fans and everyone who is in my gang for all your birthday wishes!!!!" Madonna said later, on Instagram. "You know how to make a girl feel special!" (Adds nationalities of companies, background) CARACAS, Aug 16 (Reuters) - President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday that Venezuela had struck $4.5 billion in mining deals with foreign and domestic companies, part of plan to lift the OPEC nation's economy out of a deep recession causing food shortages and social unrest. Maduro said the deals were with Canadian, South African, U.S. and Venezuelan companies, but did not specify whether contracts had been signed or just initial agreements. The socialist leader, whose popularity hit a nine-month low in a survey published this week, said he expected $20 billion in mining investment contracts to be signed in coming days and that 60 percent of the income Venezuela received would be spent on social projects. Maduro hit back at critics from the left who accuse him of riding roughshod over environmental rules and indigenous rights in the Orinoco mineral belt in Venezuela's south in his rush to shore up his government's precarious finances. Venezuela has rich veins of gold and exotic minerals like cobalt, but the reserves have mostly been extracted until now by wildcat miners because of a long history of failed ventures and government intervention in the industry. Venezuela recently settled a long-standing dispute with Canadian miner Gold Reserve over the country's giant Las Cristinas and Las Brisas concessions. (Reporting by Diego Ore; Writing by Frank Jack Daniel; Editing by Sandra Maler and Peter Cooney) malcolm gladwell BI portrait 2 Donating money to a university sounds like an inherently positive action, or at least a benign one but that's certainly not always the case, Malcolm Gladwell argues. The best-selling author and host of the hit podcast "Revisionist History" made what he perceives to be the moral injustice of gifts to wealthy universities one of his crusades last summer when he attacked billionaire hedge fund investor John Paulson after Paulson donated $400 million to Harvard University's engineering school. It's the largest donation in the university's history, and Harvard renamed the school the John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in his honor. Gladwell went on a tweetstorm after the news broke, sarcastically writing, "If billionaires don't step up, Harvard will soon be down to its last $30 billion." A year later, he dedicated a podcast episode to resuming the argument, alleging that large gifts to wealthy schools increase the gap between elite institutions and the rest, further cementing what he considers to be an unfair college system in the United States that denies too many smart poor kids a chance at success. "You know, John Paulson thought deeply and brilliantly about the mortgage meltdown of 2007/2008," Gladwell told Business Insider in a recent interview. "If he devoted even a fraction of the time, energy, and thought to this philanthropy as he did to that, the world would be such a better place." To be fair, Paulson has donated millions of dollars to other organizations through his foundation, including New York City charter schools and the Central Park Conservancy, but Gladwell's beef is based on the act of giving to schools like Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford in general, schools with billions in the bank. In his podcast, Gladwell held up the late Hank Rowan as a hero because in the early 1990s Rowan donated $100 million to Glassboro State University, a small school that was nearly bankrupt. Story continues After Gladwell went on his Twitter rant last June, former Business Insider reporter Julia La Roche gathered statements in defense of Paulson from eight power-player investors, including T. Boone Pickens, Bill Ackman, and Marc Andreessen. Gladwell saw the article and said it made him laugh. "That was hilarious," he told us. "Round up all these incredibly, really smart and sophisticated investors who have made billions of dollars and get them talking about a relatively complex social issue, and they sound like idiots! "They give money to Harvard or Stanford because all their friends pat them on the back, they get their name on a prestigious building, and they get associated with all of the incredible brand value of those institutions, but they haven't thought, clearly, about the social justice implications of what they're doing. And they get uncomfortable when someone says, 'Well, wait a minute, you have not thought as seriously about your philanthropy as you have about your investment decisions, and maybe you ought to take it as seriously.'" He said that he would go so far as to say that giving money to such an institution and therefore withholding that money from a less fortunate institution is nothing less than a "moral crime." "Take Princeton, for example it has more money on a per capita basis than any educational institution in the history of educational institutions," he said. "There is no scenario where it can spend all the money its endowment generates every year. If there is anyone who gives a single dollar to Princeton, they have completely lost their mind. I will say that without reservation." NOW WATCH: MALCOLM GLADWELL: Anyone who gives a single dollar to Princeton has completely lost their mind' More From Business Insider Bamako (AFP) - Malian customs officials have made one of the country's biggest ever drug seizures, impounding 2.1 tonnes of cannabis detected along a new smuggling route that stretches down the west African coast. The chief of Mali's mobile customs unit Ibrahim Diakite told AFP 1,254 bricks of cannabis were discovered Tuesday in Zantiguila, close to the capital Bamako, in a truck refitted to transport the illicit cargo. The total value of the cannabis was estimated at 3.5 billion FCFA, or around $6.01 million. "The length of the vehicle inside and outside didn't match," Diakite explained. "It's the biggest drug seizure by Malian customs ever," he added. Four Malians were arrested, according to Diakite. The drugs came along a newly established route from Burkina Faso which was being used to transport drugs of the same quantity once or twice a month, the customs official said. Mali is becoming a hub for stocking drugs to be resold in neighbouring Guinea and Senegal, according to the country's customs officials. Mali's anti-drug squad seized a record 2.7 tonnes of cannabis in the same area in May, uncovering the existence of the network. Wednesday's seizure was a record for customs agents, who was not involved in the previous operation. Africa is the world's second largest cannabis producer after the Americas, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, with some of the highest per capita use of the drug globally. For the first time in his young life, Dakota Privette has discovered how it feels to stand up and walk. At age 20 he took his first steps, courtesy of an "exoskeleton" robotic device made by Rex Bionics, an overseas firm with facilities in Great Britain and New Zealand. Read: Thanks to His Dad, 8-Year-Old With Cerebral Palsy Rips Up Skateboard Park on Four Wheels He just kept saying This is amazing! This is amazing! Im standing! Im moving! his mother, Donna Funderburk, told InsideEdition.com on Wednesday. The futuristic device that allows Dakota to walk is not yet available for sale in the U.S., but his mother has established a GoFundMe account, hoping to raise $160,000 to buy one after the FDA completes its testing of the machine. Privette has an identical twin who suffers none of the ailments that have made the young mans life a series of trials. He was born with severe scoliosis, cerebral palsy and other afflictions. Doctors suggested letting Dakota perish, to better the survival odds of twin Elijah, when they were born at 29 weeks. We decided to go for both, their mother said. Dakota has seen his brother doing things over the years that he couldnt, she said. It was hard for him, and I know it hurt him. He was never OK with not being able to walk. He searched the internet for ways that he could walk, his mother said. Then he discovered Rex Bionics, and his parents learned the device was being tested in Tampa, Florida, an 11-hour drive from their South Carolina home. The family made the trip earlier this year. Dakota was fitted with the exoskeleton and as his parents watched and wept, he took his first steps. Read: High School Athlete Carries Brother With Cerebral Palsy 111 Miles to State Capitol He was so excited, his mother said. Hes spent his lifetime sitting in a wheelchair with people looking down at him and him having to look up. Story continues Dakotas scoliosis was so severe he had to undergo multiple surgeries to implant rods in his back, and then extend those rods as he grew taller. He also suffers from a lung disease that causes him to get sick very easily, his mother said. But he has a conquer all attitude, she said. He doesnt feel sorry for himself. Hes had to fight really hard to be here, she said, and now he wants the device that allows him to walk tall. Hes obsessed with it, his mother added. Watch: Son With Cerebral Palsy Trains With His Dad Every Day For Grueling Ironman Race Related Articles: An Alabama inmate recently convicted for shooting a cop is now on the run after authorities say he overpowered a jail guard and escaped. Eric Washington, 23, of Eutaw reportedly fled on foot after forcibly taking staff members' keys at the Greene County Jail Tuesday night. Washington was recently found guilty of shooting a law enforcement official and is believed to be armed and dangerous, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in a statement. Read: Accused Church Shooter Dylann Roof Attacked by Fellow Inmate in South Carolina Jail The officer survived the incident. Local law enforcement agencies from neighboring jurisdictions are assisting with the search. Watch: Judge Cries After Permitting Inmate To Meet His One-Month-Old Baby In Courtroom Washington who is described as a black male, approximately 511" and 155 pounds was last seen wearing black shorts with no shirt. Anyone with information on Washington and/or his whereabouts is asked to contact the Greene County Sherriffs Office at 205-372-3152 or the SBI crime tip line at 800-392-8011. Watch Below: Florist Chased Dylan Roof Until Arrest: 'I Couldn't Believe It Was Him' Related Articles: VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / August 17, 2016 / Maritime Resources Corp. (MAE-TSX Venture, "Maritime") is pleased to announce that with the Prefeasibility Study ("PFS") well underway the Company has engaged independent Stantec Consulting Ltd. ("Stantec") to initiate the permitting process on Hammerdown, Rumbullion and Orion gold deposits located on the Company's Green Bay Property in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As the Hammerdown mine recently closed in 2004 this is considered as a Brownfield's status project with minimal environmental impact. Santac's scope of work will include the environmental planning and permitting required to support the re-activation of the past producing Hammerdown Mine. About Stantec Consulting Ltd.: Stantec employs approximately 22,000 employees working in over 400 locations across six continents. They collaborate across disciplines and industries to bring buildings, energy and resource, environmental, and infrastructure projects to life. Through more than 40 years of operation in Newfoundland & Labrador, Stantec has developed an Environmental Services team with extensive project experience which includes EAs, associated baseline and life-of-project environmental monitoring for mining projects and other industries. Stantec's local team has been involved in projects throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, and across the country, providing in-depth understanding of environmental and regulatory issues, and associated solutions, relevant to Maritime's re-activation of the Hammerdown mine. In addition, Stantec's experienced mining engineering team provides Maritime with access to top notch expertise in this field, available if and when required. About Maritime Resources Corp: Maritime has engaged independent third party engineering firm WSP Canada Inc. ("WSP") to complete the PFS and evaluate the mining potential of the past producing Hammerdown deposit. The economic assessment and prefeasibility engineering is estimated to be completed by calendar Q4 2016. Story continues The Company has also entered into a Engineering, Evaluation and Services Agreement ("Agreement") with Rambler Metals and Mining PLC (AIM:RMM, RAB-TSX Venture) ("Rambler") to evaluate the economic potential of re-opening the past producing Hammerdown gold mine located within Maritime's Green Bay Property, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Maritime Resources holds 100% of the Green Bay property, located near Springdale, Newfoundland and Labrador. The property hosts the past producing Hammerdown gold mine and the Orion gold deposit, separated by a 1.5 km distance. An initial Independent Mineral Resource Estimate for the Green Bay Gold property was prepared in accordance to the requirements of NI 43 101 and released in early June 2013. The study estimates the property to contain in excess of 425,000 ounces of gold (727,500 tonnes @ 11.59 g/t Au at Hammerdown and 1,096,500 tonnes @ 4.47 g/t Au at Orion) in the Measured and Indicated categories and in excess of 660,000 ounces (1,767,000 tonnes @ 7.58 g/t Au at Hammerdown and 1,288,000 tonnes @ 5.44 g/t Au at Orion) in the Inferred category, both at a 3 g/t cut-off grade. The estimate was compiled by Tetra Tech of Ontario. The Hammerdown gold deposit was successfully mined by Richmont Mines between 2000 and 2004 while gold prices averaged $325/oz. During its operation, a total of 291,400 tonnes of ore were mined and milled, at an average grade of 15.83 g/t gold with a cut off grade of 8 grams / t Au, recovering a total of 143,000 ounces of gold. All of the ore was processed at the Nugget Pond mill, now owned and operated by Rambler Metals and Mining Canada Limited, with an average gold recovery of 97.1%. Mining terminated in 2004 due to low gold prices with extensive gold mineralization remaining, although uneconomic at that time. The Orion gold deposit consists of two main vein systems, both of which are open along strike, and down plunge to the northeast. Further information on the Green Bay Gold Property can be found on our website along with the NI43-101 compliant Technical Report filed on SEDAR on July 11, 2013 at www.maritimeresourcescorp.com. Bernard H. Kahlert, P.Eng. is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this release. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Doug Fulcher President, CEO For further information, please call: Cathy DiVito, Investor Relations Telephone: (604) 336-7322 info@maritimeresourcescorp.com The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Statements in this press release, other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in resource exploration and development. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Maritime Resources Corp. European leaders and markets have something in common when it comes to acknowledging financial and economic risk emanating from the continent, Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz told CNBC on Wednesday. They have their heads in the sand. Following a brief dip in the wake of Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union, U.K. stocks have moved sharply higher, and U.S. equities have struck new all-time highs. But markets are underpricing risks that include growing distrust of pro-EU centrist leaders amid widespread youth unemployment and a euro that has been proven a failure, Stiglitz said on CNBC's "Squawk Box." He criticized European leaders, including European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who appear set on pushing a message that any country that leaves the union will be punished. "That's the kind of idea that says the only way we're going to keep people together is not through the benefits we give, but through the fear of leaving. That's not a healthy attitude, and that will speed the breakup," he said. Further, Stiglitz said European economic statistics since 2008 have been "dismal." "The best-performing country, Germany, would be given a D if it were not for comparison with how bad the rest of Europe is doing," he said. "In that context, it's inevitable that there's going to be large fractions of the population that are going to be upset." Stiglitz said this has not always been the case, but the European Union's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse since the 28-nation bloc adopted a common currency, which he blames for much of the continent's present-day woes. In using the United States as an example of a successful union, European leaders didn't look close enough, Stiglitz said. He noted that critics of the euro long ago said the true test of the currency would be a shock to the system, and that shock came during the 2008 financial crisis, from which Europe's rebound has lagged the recovery in the United States. Story continues "There are many factors that go into the success of a country or region. What we're talking about here is one single policy change, the creation of single currency, which has had a devastating effect," he said. In years past, countries facing economic crisis have devalued their currencies to stave off financial collapse, but the adoption of the euro took that measure off the table, complicating the response for countries with vastly different growth rates and economies across the EU. The EU made a mistake by prioritizing the formation of a currency union over democratizing decision-making and forging a stronger European Parliament to balance the power of the bureaucracy, he said. As a result, he added, the EU is seen as little more than a bureaucracy. Stiglitz said he is pessimistic European leaders can summon the political will to take relatively simple economic steps to save the euro, such as a creating banking union and coordinating fiscal policy. In his view, one alternative to a divorce is a "flexible euro" that would bind smaller regions of Europe with more similar economic growth rates into smaller currency unions. That could result in the adoption of a northern and southern euro, he said. In that scenario, the greater European Union could revisit the idea of a broader currency union if the requisite institutions develop and if exchange rates between the multiple euros converge, he said. There's an old adage that goes, "Love is like eggs - best when fresh," and for one Married at First Sight couple the expiration date on their marriage appears to be 5 days. Derek Schwartz and Heather Seidel were on the second day of their honeymoon in Puerto Rico when a confrontation arose over Schwartz's smoking habit. Seidel said, "The amount of smoking, that's a huge concern. Derek has been smoking every single day that we've been together." Schwartz claims to be an "occasional smoker," saying that he does not normally smoke during the week. While acknowledging that he has smoked everyday he chalked it up to being vacation. He told Seidel that he doesn't think she is an alcoholic despite the fact that she has drank alcohol every day that he's known her. Which seems like a valid point. However Seidel, who claims to be okay with occasional smoking, told him, "I'm super uncomfortable with it." Schwartz attempted to patch things up but it did not go over very well, judging by all the tears that poured out of Seidel's eyes. Some legends die, others are reborn. Thus is the story of Matt Damon's lustrous man bun. The Jason Bourne star attended a press conference in Beijing, China, on Tuesday, sporting his lengthy locks. WATCH: James Corden Plays Matt Damon's 'Bourne' Stunt Double, Falls Off a Building and Gets Hit by a Train And if the world couldn't handle Damon's ponytail from last year, it's certainly exploding over his new man bun. It's unclear if the Oscar winner managed to grow his luscious hair in just a month or if he is once again sporting hair extensions. The action star rocked the lengthy look last year while filming his controversial upcoming film, The Great Wall. WATCH: Constance Wu Slams 'Racist' 'Great Wall' Movie for Casting Matt Damon: 'We Don't Need You to Save Us' "I did a movie in China so I was there for about five months with that thing, and we did a press conference at the very end. It was hair extensions," Damon revealed on The Graham Norton Show last fall. "There were 700 hair extensions. It was a full day to put them in. They flew somebody all the way to Bejing to put them in. Then I had to manage that hair. I have a whole new appreciation for my wife and daughter." At the time, Damon's ponytail caused such an online stir that it even got its own Twitter account. The handle celebrated the return of the actor's full head of hair by simply tweeting, "I'm baaaaack!" Related Articles Matt Damon has brought back the bun. In Beijing promoting Jason Bourne on Tuesday, the actor was rocking a throwback do his man bun. Suited up for a press conference, he had his locks pulled back into a low updo, similar to the look he sported last year, in the same city, at a presser for his controversial role in The Great Wall. Its a case of now you see it, now you dont. Just a few weeks back, Damon, 45, had his signature supershort cropped hairstyle while promoting Bourne domestically. Reshoots for Great Wall required the longer locks. Getting the bun back in isnt easy. During an appearance on the Graham Norton Show in September, the dad of four talked about getting hair extensions for the role. He said it took a full day to have 700 extensions put in and his hair was like that for five months, the duration of filming. A hairstylist from London was flown to Beijing for the job. Then I had to manage that hair, he said. I have a whole new appreciation for my wife and daughters. Its very hard to do. In the interview, it was also discussed how his ponytail became an Internet sensation, complete with its own Twitter account. When some of the tweets about his hair were read, Damon turned several shades of red. Needless to say, the person behind the Matt Damons Ponytail Twitter account is rejoicing today. Not everyone is, though. Wed say the majority of the tweets like Matt Damon as Matt Damon. As in, no Jared LetoLeonardo DiCaprio do. Why does Matt Damon have a man bun? This is not ok (@kaseylouise16) August 17, 2016 you guys know I love Matt Damon, but I dont know if I can get behind this man bun abigail (@abigailsonger) August 17, 2016 Matt Damons man bun is exactly the kind of thing that nightmares are made of. Linda Rosenblum (@linda_rosenblum) August 17, 2016 The good news? Hair today, gone tomorrow. It will be short again in no time. Medical research on marijuana probably won't get any easier, experts say, despite a new government policy aimed at boosting the supply of the drug for medical studies. That means the types of studies that are needed to address the safety and effectiveness of the drug as a medicine could still be a long way off. Marijuana's legal status as a "Schedule I" drug, which makes it an illegal drug on the federal level, "severely constrains the access and the number and type of people who can do research with cannabis," said Ryan Vandrey, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine who studies marijuana. "The unfortunate result of that is that we're now in a situation where you have literally millions of people using a drug for which we don't have established safety or efficacy data," Vandrey said. [11 Odd Facts About Marijuana] On Thursday (Aug. 11), the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that it will allow more universities to apply to grow marijuana intended for use in medical studies, with the hope of providing researchers with a "more varied and robust supply" of medical marijuana, the agency said in a statement. Currently, the University of Mississippi is the only place in the United States that is allowed to grow and supply marijuana for use in research. The DEA said the change was intended to "foster research" on marijuana. But that same day, the agency denied two petitions from U.S. governors to reclassify the drug into a different category, meaning marijuana remains an illegal substance, like heroin and LSD, subject to the most stringent drug regulation. The agency said it made that decision because there is a lack of evidence showing the effectiveness and safety of the drug for medical purposes. But marijuana's illegal status makes it very difficult to carry out rigorous studies on the drug the exact type of studies that are needed to definitively test its merit as medicine. Story continues "Every research protocol we design and want to do has to go through a number of extra regulatory approval before we can do them," Vandrey told Live Science. "The consequence of that is, we have major delays in getting done what we need to get done." The supply of marijuana available for research doesn't change any of that, he added. Vandrey said it took him a year and a half to get all of the necessary regulatory approvals for a recent medical marijuana study involving 76 people at two research facilities. Larger studies involving more hospital sites the kind of studies that are generally looked upon as a gold standard for research in testing out any new drug would be incredibly difficult, he said. Before a facility can carry out a medical marijuana study, the researchers need to apply for a "Schedule I license," which involves an evaluation for safety and security. Many hospitals wouldn't be able to meet the criteria for a Schedule I license because they don't have the security or infrastructure required for it, Vandrey said. The new policy allowing more universities to apply to grow marijuana "doesn't change how easy research generally is, because it doesn't change the regulation required for research," Vandrey said. Dr. Jacci Bainbridge, a clinical pharmacy specialist at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Colorado Anschutz in Aurora, who studies medical marijuana, agreed. The new DEA policy "might not make it more feasible to do the research, because there are other regulatory hurdles that may prevent you from doing the research the way you would want to do it," Bainbridge said. Bainbridge cited hurdles to marijuana research within university systems, which can exist because many universities receive federal funding. For example, in the studies of marijuana that Bainbridge and her colleagues conduct, they cannot have study participants take the drug on campus, and researchers cannot witness participants taking it. In addition, researchers cannot test the marijuana product themselves in order to know the strain or potency of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC, the main active ingredient in marijuana) or whether it has contaminants, Bainbridge said. The product needs to be sent to an outside lab for testing. "It's so difficult, because we can't really thoroughly do a good job studying what our patients are actually taking," Bainbridge told Live Science. "You feel like you just can't do those great, high-quality trials" that researchers do with other drugs, she said. [Marijuana Could Treat These 5 Conditions] The new DEA policy would have been helpful if it had produced a type of marijuana product that's not currently available to researchers to study, like a marijuana patch, Vandrey said. But it's not clear if that would happen as a result of the changes. It's also not clear if other universities will actually apply to grow medical marijuana under the new policy, because the cost to set up a facility and maintain security would be extraordinary, Vandrey said. Last year, the University of Colorado voted down the idea of growing its own medical marijuana, mainly because of the cost, Bainbridge said. The DEA said it is working on other measures to support marijuana research, such as building an online application system for researchers to apply for the registrations needed to study Schedule I drugs. Last year, the DEA also said it would waive certain regulatory requirements for studies involving cannabidiol (CBD), a chemical in marijuana that does not have mind-altering effects. 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. chototel-front-render For people who can't afford rent, let alone buy their own apartment, what's the best recourse? Get placed in a housing project? Sign up for a housing lottery? How about a hotel? Rhea Silva is the 24-year-old founder of Chototel, a chain of super-budget hotels where the price per night can range from $2 at the cheapest to a surge price of $5 at its most expensive. Her company is piloting four hotel buildings in Nagothane, a small Indian town about 72 miles outside of Mumbai. The first is opening next month, while the other three are coming in the following four months. Each building holds 60 flats each. Each of the flats, as seen in the renderings below, is outfitted with a loft bed, closet space, sink, and a TV. chototel-room-side-view There's also a bare bones kitchen setup with a hot plate, dish rack, and counterspace. chototel-room Silva says Chototel's flexible model is enticing because our attitudes toward homeownership have changed. "We recognize that people no longer want to buy a house they want to be able to stay in a place that's close to [their] work," she told Business Insider. "They want to be able to stay in a place that's not a three-bedroom mansion, but rather just their own little studio apartment where they have privacy." You can already see traces of this downsized domesticity in the tiny home trend, which are shifting more and more to uniform and quickly buildable designs while still making efficient use of space. The big difference is that the audience Chototel is appealing to isn't well-heeled tenants looking to downsize it's people who won't necessarily be able to afford rent on a monthly basis, but can likely pay it little by little. "People like to stay in places where they're not spending 50% to 60% of their income on housing," she said. "Homeownership has dropped to its lowest rate since 1965. And that's because people, aren't possessive about the idea of owning a house anymore. They're more into the idea of convenience." Story continues Of course, nightly rent isn't the only way the hotel will make returns. There are also utilities, which are all metered and charged by usage. So, theoretically, you could stay a night without turning on a light or using water or heat and pay around $2 for the benefit of having a clean room with a bed and free Wi-Fi. But if you need those utilities, there are tools that can help you save on usage and costs. Silva says that the rooms are outfitted with microbots, which take in several data points to report back to the hotel and the tenant. That way, there's a transparent two-way exchange of information about the tenant's consumption and habits. The tenants can also monitor their consumption through a smartphone app, which, like with a smart home system, also allows them to turn off a utility remotely. chototel-birds-eye-render And what if you don't have a phone? Is there any way to track your usage then? While you might think the sort of person who can't afford rent can't afford a smartphone, Silva thinks differently. "Smartphones today are very, very cheap and very affordable and a lot of people use their smartphone as a means for communication," she said. Indeed, India is the world's second-largest market for smartphones, and they're still getting cheaper. So it's likely many of Chototel's tenants will at least have a device that's able to run the app. The amount of fine tuning and flexible scheduling Chototel allows for puts it squarely between a budget hotel and affordable housing. Silva avoids the latter term because she says she wants people to feel the privilege and comfort of saying they're staying in a hotel rather than call it a project. And while the first few pilot hotels are being funded through the company's own equity, Chototel is planning on raising finances in the public market in the next month to fund the next few expansions. The pilot will kick off with these four hotels, but Silva says that if they prove sustainable, her company will raise funds to scale up, massively. She says that her next location in Mumbai, if Nagothane proves useful, could house up to 10,000 occupants. And that flexible model, which isn't as easily replicable in public housing, is winning some public support from local municipalities, too enough that the company is planning on several expansions within the next few years. The company is looking to Dubai, Lagos, Mumbai, and Bristol for their next locations. NOW WATCH: What it's like to go 'glamping' for $2,500 a night on top of a luxury hotel in NYC More From Business Insider From Town & Country My first encounter with Laurent Ponsot was a memorable one, though I had no idea at the time how significant it would become. I was attending an auction at Cru, a downtown New York restaurant that was a mecca for wine buffs before the financial meltdown of 2008, intimations of which were in the air that April night. Bear Stearns had recently collapsed, though you wouldn't have known it from the merriment on display- which included a well-known collector in a pink Kiton jacket slicing the top off a jeroboam of 1945 Pol Roger with a saber. A few minutes earlier Ponsot, a slender figure with salt-and-pepper hair tied in a ponytail, had taken a seat in back. Amid the revelry he seemed like Banquo's ghost, a messenger from another world. The fourth-generation scion of one of Burgundy's most admired domains, Ponsot was a figure I'd heard of but not met. (The 1985 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche, a wine he'd made with his father, had converted me forever to the wines of France's Cotes d'Or.) At the Cru auction, a large parcel of bottles purported to be old Domaine Ponsot vintages were on offer; Ponsot, knowing they were counterfeits, had flown in to prevent their sale. Soon enough the auctioneer announced that the lots had been withdrawn. After the groans and boos died down, Ponsot exited, his mission accomplished, at least for the moment. The longer-term project, which he pursued for years, was to find out who was counterfeiting his wines. The vendor of the bogus bottles was a 36-year-old Indonesian named Rudy Kurniawan, who would eventually be sent to prison for fraud, thanks to Ponsot and the billionaire investor Bill Koch. A few months after Kurniawan's conviction, in August 2014, I visited Ponsot at his winery in the sleepy town of Morey-Saint-Denis. Shaking my hand at the door, he introduced himself as the head of the French bureau of the FBI. "That stands for Fake Bottle Investigation," he said. Inside, we tasted Ponsot's 2013 vintage. "When I saw a 1929 in the catalog, I knew it was fake," he told me. "My grandfather didn't start estate bottling until 1934." Also on offer at the Cru auction were assorted vintages from '45 to '71-all fake. Story continues When I saw a 1929 in the catalog, I knew it was fake," he told me. "My grandfather didn't start estate bottling until 1934. Last spring I visited Morey- Saint-Denis again and tasted the 2015, which is already heralded as a landmark. Ponsot, whose demeanor is at times professorial and at others more like that of a secret agent, told me about the Grand Cru vineyards he has added to his portfolio via lease arrangements. (He would not divulge the names of the vine- yard owners.) He now makes 12 Grand Crus-the highest classification in Burgundy- more than any other domain. He is definitely a maverick. Although Domaine Ponsot dates back to 1872, his winery is thoroughly modern. "I hate the word tradition," he says, "and I don't like old things." Except barrels, apparently: The winery's oak fermentation vats are 150 to 200 years old. Ponsot is almost unique in eschewing new barrels, which can impart tastes like vanilla. Such wines he calls "beverages." Paradoxically, he is also among the most non- interventionist of winemakers, refusing to add sulfur, an almost universal protection against spoilage. "Why would you take aspirin if you don't have a headache?" he says. "I only treat a barrel if it developsa problem." He also rejects the use of cork, which, as every seasoned wine lover knows, often lets in too much oxygen-or, worse, trichloroanisole, a compound that results in a stinky wet cardboard taint when present in high quantities. (In my experience, trichloroanisole affects more than 5 percent of bottles.) After suffering a particularly high rate of cork taint in the late '90s, Ponsot set out to find a solution. "I tested more than 4,000 bottles," he told me. (Not his own wine initially-too valuable.) The result, a new enclosure called Ardea Seal, is made of three poly- mers, including one used in artificial hearts, and has a corklike feel and permeability but controls the flow of oxygen. He began bottling his wines with it in 2008; others have been slow to follow. "The problem," he says, "is it's not traditional." He picks up one of the white stoppers, holds it out, and winks. "That and the fact that it looks like a suppository." Such innovations sometimes seem to annoy his peers, possibly because of the media attention he receives, including his role in the upcoming documentary Sour Grapes, about the Kurniawan scandal. (The movie is to be released this fall.) Although it's been almost a decade since Kurniawan was exposed, Ponsot hasn't given up his investigation. I was astonished when he told me he'd gone to Indonesia and found Kurniawan's parents. He told me that a woman living in Kurniawan's house in Arcadia, California, whom Kurniawan identified as his mother, was also a fraud. "He did not act alone," Ponsot explained. However, when I pressed him for details, he turned reticent, becoming 007 again. "It will all be in my book," he said. Which I will wait for while contenting myself with his wines, some of the purest and most delicious in all of Burgundy. NEUSTRELITZ, Germany (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday refugees had not brought terrorism to Germany, adding that Islam belonged in the country as long as it was practiced in a way that respected the constitution. More than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere arrived in Germany last year. The mood towards them has soured after a spate of attacks on civilians last month, including three carried out by migrants. Two of those attacks were claimed by the Islamic State militant group. "The phenomenon of Islamist terrorism, of IS, is not a phenomenon that came to us with the refugees," Merkel said at an election campaign event for her Christian Democrats in the eastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern ahead of a regional vote on Sept. 4. Merkel said many people had traveled from Germany to Syria for training with Islamist militants. In June Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said a total of more than 800 were believed to have gone to Syria and Iraq. "This group has worried us for several years," she said at the event in Neustrelitz, a town 100 km (60 miles) north of Berlin. Merkel's popularity has suffered in the wake of the attacks and 52 percent of Germans think her migrant policy is bad, a poll published last week showed. The influx of migrants, many of whom are Muslim, has boosted support for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is expected to perform well in elections in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Berlin. "We have said clearly that an Islam that works and lives on the basis of the constitution ... belongs to Germany," Merkel said. She added that a type of Islam that did not stick to the constitution or accept equal rights for women had no place in the country. (Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Michelle Martin; Editing by Andrew Roche) MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Tuesday he was willing to meet with Donald Trump, months after comparing the Republican presidential candidate to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. "Yes, I would meet with him," Pena Nieto said, referring to Trump in a pre-taped television interview broadcast on Tuesday night. "I have never met him. I can't agree with some of the things he has said, but I will be absolutely respectful and will seek to work with whomever becomes the next president of the United States." Trump has sparked outrage in Mexico with his campaign vow to build a wall along the southern U.S. border to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and to make Mexico pay for it. In a Mexican newspaper interview in March, Pena Nieto said Mexico would not pay for the proposed wall under any scenario, likening Trump's "strident tone" to the World War II era dictators. But at a June summit in Canada, Pena Nieto said he only drew the comparison as a reminder of the devastation wreaked in the past. (Reporting by Anahi Rama and Alexandra Alper; Eduiting by Nick Macfie) Michael Moore penned an essay for his website in which he claims that Donald Trump ran for office as a way to gain negotiating leverage over NBC, and after his presidential campaign became an unexpected success, he is now looking for a way out. Donald Trump never actually wanted to be President of the United States. I know this for a fact. Im not going to say how I know it, Moore wrote in an article posted to his site on Tuesday. He also theorizes that Trump is sabotaging his own campaign. Maybe its all part of his new strategy to get the hell out of a race he never intended to see through to its end anyway, he writes. Because, unless he is just crazy, the only explanation for the unusual ramping up, day after day, of one disgustingly reckless statement after another is that hes doing it consciously (or subconsciously) so that hell have to bow out or blame others for forcing him out. The motive behind Trumps presidential bid, Moore wrote, was to get a better deal from NBC for hosting Celebrity Apprentice. Moore wrote that before Trump launched his campaign, he had begun talking to other networks about moving his show. This was another way to get leverage the fear of losing him to someone else and when he quietly met with the head of one of those networks, and word got around, his hand was strengthened. He knew then that it was time to play his Big Card. He decided to run for President. Instead, after launching his presidential bid, Trump quickly gained a following and was moving up in the polls. He recently officially accepted the Republican nomination for president. Related stories Donald Trump Taps Breitbart Executive for Top Campaign Post NBC Boss Bob Greenblatt Slams Donald Trump as 'Toxic' and 'Demented' Roger Ailes Advising Donald Trump's Campaign on Debates (Report) Michael Reagan, the son of Ronald Reagan and actress Jane Wyman, is a writer and former radio talk-show host. The conservative activist, 71, spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the presidential race, the recent release of the man who tried to kill his father, accusations that his dad suffered from Alzheimer's while president and the accuracy of Bill O'Reilly's??Killing Reagan. See video of O'Reilly sparring with George Will over the Alzheimer's controversy below. Are you supporting Donald Trump? (Laughs). Yes. I'm supporting him with reservations. Does he have what it takes to sit down with world leaders? You can't treat them like you treat Jeb Bush. So are you officially endorsing Trump? Well, I'm voting for him over Hillary Clinton. But I would like to see the Libertarians be allowed into the debate. Between the three major parties, the Libertarians are the only adults in the room. So it sounds like you're stopping short of an endorsement. I'm voting for him, but he's running a terrible campaign, and everyone sees that. In lieu of him asking me for ideas - I tweet my thoughts everyday and I catch hell from social media - but I'm just trying to help him get to the next level. You catch hell from his supporters? Oh yes. The people who support Trump on social media are psychotic. Give me an example. They attack my birthright. "How dare you! You're not even a real Reagan! You were adopted!" They forget where I was for 50 years of my life. I'm the one Ronald Reagan called to fire Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, John Sears and Charlie Black. People think when your parents are so infamous you've never done anything. Why do you say "infamous?" Because my sister Maureen and I are the only people ever born and raised in a family with an Academy Award-winning actress and a president of the United States. Nobody else has had that life. Read more: Michael Moore Says He Knows "For a Fact" Donald Trump Does Not Want to Be President Story continues What does Donald Trump have in common with Ronald Reagan? Absolutely nothing. Nothing at all? Not one thing? Well, they're both males. But I'm tired of people equating Trump to Ronald Reagan. If Ronald Reagan acted like Donald Trump, Nancy would have never married him. We're not going to find another Ronald Reagan. Remember, it was Ronald Reagan who was first saying "make America great again," not Donald Trump. Is the media covering Trump fairly? No, but they never covered Ronald Reagan fairly, either. Conservatives gripe and bitch about the mainstream media, but that's not new news. You have to find your way around them with a great message. Ronald Reagan had that great message. But Donald Trump would be better off if, really, seriously, they locked him in a closet until Nov. 9 and let his kids campaign for him. Did your dad complain of specific members of the media? We talked about it, but he always attacked them in a fun way. I'm not surprised that a liberal media supports a liberal candidate. Many in Hollywood, most recently??Martin Sheen and Norman Lear, have suggested Trump is stupid, unstable, dangerous. How do you defend him? He's not stupid. He's a great business man, but business and politics are two different animals. Martin Sheen and the others are great actors, but I think they're stupid for the way they think! Everything they want to be put into place is on display already. Look at Detroit, run by Democrats. Look at California, it's a mess, run by Democrats. What have Democrats done to make things better? Things are in decline in this state. Read more: NBC's Bob Greenblatt Criticizes Trump on Facebook, Deletes Comments Do you think California will ever have another Republican governor. No. Basically, there's no Republican party in this state. It hides under a rock. If you can't find somebody to run for governor, you've got problems. I was having lunch with Rep. Brad Sherman, who has been a great help to me on issues like sexual abuse and human trafficking, and he asked if I knew any Republicans who would run against him for Congress. I asked him why, and he said he can't raise money, do town-halls, or anything else unless someone is running against him. What's wrong with a President Hillary Clinton? What's not wrong with Hillary Clinton? No one can put their finger on anything she actually accomplished. All right, she got elected senator twice, but what did she do for the state of New York? This whole thing has been a process to reach the presidency. The foreign policy under her as secretary of state has been abysmal. She is a trainwreck when it comes to international policy and keeping America safe. There are a few movies in the works about your dad. Are you participating in any of them? No. It's interesting, people make movies or write books about my dad but never call any members of the family to find out the back stories. Did Bill O'Reilly talk to you about his book and TV movie, Killing Reagan? No. Did you read the book? No. I lived it. People think I read books about Ronald Reagan, but I don't read political books; I read murder mysteries. I know O'Reilly said in the book that my father didn't vote for Gerald Ford, but that's just not true. My dad would tell people he wasn't voting for him because Nancy didn't want him to, and he wasn't about to have a full-fledge war over the election with his wife. He didn't want to sleep on the couch. Read more: Trump Campaign Denies Roger Ailes Is Working With Candidate Ahead of Debates O'Reilly and George Will had an argument about whether your dad had Alzheimer's while still in office. You see it? No, but it's really interesting. Look at the things he accomplished, with the Soviets and the Berlin Wall. If it's true, then all our presidents should go into office with Alzheimer's. John Hinckley Jr., the man who shot your dad, was released. What do you think about that? I have no problem with him going free. This has been 20 years in the making. Remember, he was found not guilty by reason of insanity, and because of that the laws changed. If he did the same thing today, he'd be in jail the rest of his life. The reality is, my father forgave Hinckley. In fact, he wanted to see Hinckley, but Hinckley's doctors thought it was a bad idea. Do you have any desire to see him? If he wanted to see me, I'd see him. But, you know, all my father wanted from the family was for them to buy him a new suit. It was a brand new suit he was wearing that day, and they cut it off of him and threw it in a corner. He bought his own suits? The taxpayers didn't buy them for him? He bought his own clothes. Did you ever talk to Jodie Foster about this stuff? Any interest in speaking to the various players in this drama at all? No. No reason to. It's what it was. Was I angry at the time? Yes. I asked Mike Lute, my agent in charge that day, "How the hell can you guys allow this to happen with so many Secret Service agents around my father?" He said, "Michael, it's real simple: we train to protect your father and you and others, but what we can never train enough for, is for the crazies." Was there any time you needed the security you were provided as the son of a president? Well, sometimes they wouldn't tell me what they were doing. But when people would come into my backyard, they'd be arrested and taken out. So, in light of Hinckley shooting your dad, what are your thoughts on gun control? Gun control doesn't solve these problems. I told my liberal friend who thinks clips shouldn't hold 10 rounds, "You're not arguing for gun control, you're arguing for death control. So you're okay with seven dead but not 10 dead? Okay, you choose the seven that should die." The Brady Bill would not have stopped Hinckley from doing what he did. Read more: Martin Sheen Calls "Don Trump" an "Empty-Headed Moron": "He Has No Chance" You ever talk politics with Patti Davis and Ron Reagan Jr.? We don't talk. But I don't have to, because I keep reading in the news that we disagree on every issue. When was the last time you spoke to them? The reading of my dad's will - and my kids saw them at Nancy's funeral. But we have nothing in common, except we share the same father. I was Jane's son. They'd say the same thing: I don't have a relationship with them, they don't have one with me. It's always been that way. Anymore acting in your future? No. I did a game show and about six episodes of Falcon Crest. I got home one day and my mom called me and said, "I need a concierge. Put on a suit and come on over." So I did. I played a concierge at a spa. It was kind of cool acting with my mother, but I can't act. I'm terrible. What are you doing nowadays? I have the Reagan Legacy Foundation: we opened a Reagan exhibit at Checkpoint Charlie Museum and we just dedicated a Ronald Reagan conference center in Normandy. We have a scholarship program, and we produced a documentary film about D-Day and Ste. Mere-Eglise, France. If you've ever seen The Longest Day, Red Buttons is hanging from a church steeple in a parachute at Ste. Mere-Eglise. Tell me about your experiencing sexual abuse. It was a day camp counselor in Beverly Hills. He died when he was 83. Did you accuse him before he died? No. Kids don't. Nobody understands it. I didn't tell my family until 1987. Kids who say they've been sexually abused, It takes seven times before the first person listens. I was 8. It's not in your lexicon. You're scared to death. It takes everything good in your life and in your heart and throws it out the window. Most become alcoholics or abusers themselves. Death is an option, and it only takes one time. A lot of us commit suicide. And when you read about a sexual abuser, the average number of kids they've abused is 150 in their lifetimes. Well, can we end on a happier note, here? Hey, you're the one asking the questions. But things are great now. I've got a granddaughter, Marilyn, I've got my son happily married, my daughter teaching school, my wife running her travel business and I'm raising money for our scholarship program. Give me a prediction for the election. Who will win? If things don't change, Hillary. What's your best advice for Donald Trump? Quit looking for applause and start looking for votes. Mikhail Baryshnikov has never publicly endorsed a political candidate before, until now. The Russian-American dancer, choreographer and actor - he played Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) sixth-season love interest Aleksandr Petrovsky in Sex and the City - endorses Hillary Clinton and strongly denounces Donald Trump in a video for the Humanity for Hillary social media campaign. "Forty two years ago I left a country that built walls to come to a place without them," says Baryshnikov in the new video, called #ITrustHer. "But today, as a citizen of the United States, for the first time, I'm hearing rhetoric that reminds me of the Soviet Union of my youth, where it was a crime, and continues to be, a crime to be different." Baryshnikov says the America he loves welcomes people "of all nations, all religions and supports all forms of human expression." He said his life has been made possible by America welcoming him as an immigrant, and says he trusts Hillary Clinton with America's future. "Hundreds of thousands of people like me have fled from countries led by dangerous totalitarian opportunists like Donald Trump," says Baryshnikov. "Don't let that happen to our beautiful United States of America." Read more: Lena Dunham, 'Orange Is the New Black' Stars Unveil "Revolution" Video Supporting Hillary Clinton Baryshnikov released a statement alongside the video, saying, "While watching the presidential election unfold, and hearing Donald Trump's flirtations with the Kremlin, I feel compelled to add my voice to the mix - specifically regarding immigration - something I am obviously familiar with. I have never publicly endorsed a political candidate before, or inserted myself into politics in any way other than by voting, but this video is a direct call to action: We must elect Hillary Clinton as president in November." Humanity for Hillary co-founder Laura Dawn said her organization was honored to work with Baryshnikov, whom she calls "Russia's most celebrated artist-in-exile." She said, "Donald Trump's supporters should know that Putin's Russia is a country where artists, activists, journalists, and LGBTQ people have been beaten, arrested and killed. Yet Donald Trump speaks glowingly of Putin and, as we just learned, Trump's campaign chair Paul Manafort has troubling pro-Russian ties." Story continues Dawn is referring to Manafort's work as an international consultant. The New York Times reported that $12.7 million dollars in cash was earmarked for Manafort by the pro-Russia political party of Viktor Yanukovych, the former president of Ukraine, in 2007 to 2012. Manafort denies receiving such payments and called the report silly." The Humanity for Hillary campaign recently released a video entitled #ThisIsWhatMyRevolutionLooksLike starring Lena Dunham, Uzo Aduba, Rosie Perez and more. Read more: Clinton Campaign Slams Trump's Campaign Manager for Reported Secret Ledger In the wake of riots after a police shooting in Milwaukee last weekend, Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric traveled to the community and spoke to Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wis., who has lived there her entire life. "The last few days have been really, really sad for me because we've seen this powder keg develop over time," Moore says of the violence. Questions remain about why Sylville Smith, 23, was pulled over in the first place. The issue is, was he being stopped, like most African-American men feel like they experience in this community, that theyre being stopped simply for driving while being black? By Rina Chandran MUMBAI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Several Indian states are adopting a model land leasing law aimed at giving poor tenant farmers greater access to benefits, such as credit, while also protecting the rights of land owners. Madhya Pradesh drafted a law on land leasing last month based on recommendations from government thinktank Niti Aayog. States including Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, Punjab and Bihar are expected to follow suit. The model Land Leasing Act, proposed by Niti Aayog in April, recommends that all lease arrangements be made formal, and gives tenant farmers access to benefits including farm credit, insurance and compensation for crop damage. It also protects the landlord's ownership of the land. At least a fifth of India's land holdings are managed by tenant farmers and in some states, it is as much as half. Most states ban or restrict leasing of agricultural land to prevent the abusive tenancy arrangements of the past. But the result is that leases are either informal or concealed, with few rights for tenant farmers. "So productivity remains low and tenant farmers are poor. We can't afford this," said T. Haque, chairman of the land policy department at Niti Aayog in New Delhi. "For poor farmers, leasing is a way to increase the size of the land holding, improve their livelihood, and give them security of tenancy," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. UNCULTIVATED LAND Tenant farmers are mostly landless labourers who try to eke out a living from growing crops on someone else's land. They pay the landlord a percentage of the output in rent. While nearly 60 percent of India's population is dependent on agriculture for a living, land holdings are small and fragmented, and productivity is among the lowest in the world. The model law can help consolidate farm holdings and increase productivity, said Haque, who is also persuading states to digitise their land records. The law offers several benefits to land owners too, he said. Story continues "Some land owners don't lease out their land because they are afraid tenant farmers will claim ownership," said Haque. "So the land goes uncultivated, and owners have no occupational mobility as they are tied to the land," he said. Some states including Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat and Maharashtra give tenants the right to purchase leased land after a period of tenancy. This has discouraged landlords from leasing their land in some of the most fertile areas, Haque said. The model law proposes quicker litigation in case of disputes. Matters related to land and property make up about two-thirds of all civil cases in the country, according to a recent study by Bengaluru-based Daksh, a legal advocacy group. Fear of lengthy court cases may discourage land owners from signing on, said Aruna Urs at the Takshashila Institution thinktank. "Instead of cajoling the unwilling landowners, a financing scheme should be designed for tenants to buy out the land," he wrote in a recent blog. Activists also fear that the law may make it easier to lease land for industrial purposes. "There should be a viable ceiling on land to be given on lease and it should be given only to landless, agriculture labourers or unemployed youths," Sunilam at Bhoomi Adhikar Aandolan said in development blog Down to Earth. (Reporting by Rina Chandran @rinachandran, Editing by Katie Nguyen. 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.) From Esquire Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane was convicted on all charges today, including perjury and criminal conspiracy. A jury found her guilty of "leaking grand jury information, and then lying about it, in an effort to discredit a political rival," according to The New York Times. The decision was an ignominious conclusion to a remarkable career-and to a winding tale of intrigue at the highest levels of Pennsylvania state government. In February, Esquire published a detailed account of Kane's story and called it "The Great Pennsylvania Government Porn Caper." The first chapter of the story is below; you can read the full piece after the jump. Kathleen Kane was stuck in her not-so-happy place. She preferred to avoid Pennsylvania's capital, the nerve center of its incestuous, dysfunctional political system. It seemed to change people, she thought, throwing their moral compass askew. But here she sat in her Harrisburg office in early 2014, a year into her tenure as the state's attention-grabbing attorney general, feeling the flawlessly arranged bookcases and canary-blue walls closing in. A staffer marched into the office and beelined to Kane's desk, pressed into the corner of the room. Kane's steely blue eyes fell to a disc that was resting in the staffer's hand. "We're putting this on your computer because the information is important," he said bluntly. "But I recommend that you not look at these." Why? Kane thought. It wasn't like the disc contained nuclear codes. All that was on there were old emails that had been sent and received by members of the attorney general's office before Kane occupied it. So of course she opened up the files. She wasn't some wilting flower; she'd seen dead bodies and worked rape cases, and she prided herself on not being treated like the girl in the room. But when she started clicking, she was at first shocked, then repulsed, then a little-just a little-curious. Story continues Loads of pornography littered the exchanges between government officials like so much cow shit in an open field. Office-secretary porn. Sarah Palin-Photoshopped porn. Hardcore, objects-stuck-in-a-woman's-every-orifice porn. The more she clicked, the worse it got. Fat jokes. Gay jokes. Racist jokes. Domestic-violence jokes.The bulk of which were sent on state computers, on state time, from one state employee to another. The emails on the disc were just the tip of the iceberg; the full scope wasn't immediately clear. In time, Kane and everyone else in the state would come to realize the emails were like strands of a spiderweb, stretching out in every possible direction, connecting small-town attorneys to big-name prosecutors to State Supreme Court Justices. For now there were just the emails. They were an opportunity, a gift; digital dynamite, powerful and potentially destructive. And with them came an unspoken question: How should they be used? The answer was easy: They should be made public. Kane had run for office as a tough-as-nails outsider who wanted to shake up the male-dominated world of Pennsylvania politics. She earned a staggering three million votes in the 2012 general election-more than even President Obama managed to attract in the state that year-and was the first woman and first Democrat to become state attorney general since the position was made an elected office in 1980. Expectations were high. She was also a political newcomer, having never held elected office or been in charge of an operation as large and politically volatile as the attorney general's office. But she flourished from the very beginning, making headlines from coast to coast for refusing to defend the state's ban on same-sex marriages. She was a rising star in the Democratic party. "For about a year there, she really was the darling," says former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, who still wields enormous influence in the state's political circles. "There was talk that she'd run for governor or even president." Kane might have stayed on that path, even thrived, strengthening relationships in the state's old-school, ossified circles of power. But these emails changed everything. Each piece of correspondence shattered her respect for the legal community just a bit more. One photo collection titled "Blonde Banana Split" contained more than 30 images of two women stuffing bananas inside each other's every hole. Another photo of a busty woman wearing a black-and-white veil was subtitled "Nuns: They have tits too." "Some pictures might be close enough to make those taste buds tingle!" read the introduction to another thread, containing close-ups of women's genitals. Kane had run for office as a tough-as-nails outsider who wanted to shake up the male-dominated world of Pennsylvania politics. The men-they were almost all men-exchanging these images were among the most prominent names in the state's judicial system. And they'd been doing it for years, with no fear of being reprimanded. No, Kane thought. This is wrong. All wrong. She had to blow the whistle, to show Pennsylvanians the true personas of men they could someday face inside a courtroom. At first, Kane identified only a handful of top figures on then-Governor Tom Corbett's staff. Corbett condemned the exchanges and called on the participants to resign. But the list of the participants kept growing. And growing. This should have been the beginning of a celebrated landmark achievement for the tenacious A.G. She was unraveling disgusting misbehavior at the very highest levels of Pennsylvania politics, proving that the good ol' boys network-"women haters," as Kane called them-truly did exist. She should have been the hero. But Porngate, as the saga became known, was only getting started. By the time the scandal's scope was in full view, Kathleen Kane, the state's top legal official, no longer had the right to practice law in Pennsylvania by decree of the State Supreme Court. Click here to continue reading the whole story. You Might Also Like Montreal (AFP) - US R&B star Usher and Canadian indie rock groups Metric and Half Moon Run will headline a free concert in Montreal next month aimed at ending AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. Advocacy group Global Citizen, the concert sponsor, said the September 17 show would be held at the city's Bell Centre a day after an international donor conference to raise money for the fight against the epidemics. Global Citizen said that some 10,000 tickets will be distributed to anyone who has helped in the fight by signing a petition or writing to a lawmaker to urge them to support the fund. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to attend the concert. Trudeau is hosting the Global Fund Replenishment conference in Montreal on September 16. The fund is mainly supported by governments and spends nearly US$4 billion annually in its fight to eradicate HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis by 2030. The organization has set a fund-raising target of US$13 billion for its next three-year cycle, from 2017 to 2019. Canada has already pledged about US$600 million for the coming three years. Other countries that have offered aid include Japan, at US$800 million, and France, at US$1 billion. The militarys march toward guerrilla war in the sky has taken another step forward with the Air Force placing a $371 million order for a new fleet of killer drones. Related: 5 Attack Planes That Could Replace the A-10 Warthog The contract with California-based General Atomics calls for delivery of 30 MQ-9 Reapers by the spring of 2019, according to the Air Force Times. The Air Force describes the MQ-9 as a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) that provides a unique capability to perform strike, coordination, and reconnaissance against high-value, fleeting, and time-sensitive targets. In other words, when American video warriors want to take out an ISIS commander hustling down the highway in his SUV, they send in a MQ-9 Reaper. The MQ-9 can be equipped with a laser-guided smart bomb such as the 510-pound GBU-12 Paveway II or employ four Hellfire air-to-ground missiles. It is larger and more lethal than the MQ-1 Predator, which is primarily used for surveillance, although the MQ-9 can also pull reconnaissance duty. The Air Force Times also said that the service is expected to train more than 330 new RPA pilots this year. The drones are controlled from an air base in Nevada, but the Times said the Air Force is considering putting RPA-control wings at other bases. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Lisa Rapaport (Reuters Health) - Scientists are testing an experimental medicine thats designed to have the painkilling power of morphine without some of the dangerous side effects that can lead to overdose deaths. The compound is so new it doesnt have a name, just a number. Its only been tested in mice, and it needs years of additional animal studies before researchers can even start trials to see if it works safely in humans. But initial results in mice suggest the new drug might be less addictive than morphine and other opiate painkillers and avoid a side effect known as respiratory depression that results in overdose deaths, scientists say. Thats because the compound activates nerve-cell surface receptors responsible for morphines painkilling effects without activating receptors involved in controlling breathing or in releasing the pleasure-related chemical dopamine. So unlike opiates, the new medicine might not trigger a surge in dopamine, a brain chemical involved in emotions like addiction, pleasure and pain, said Brian Shoichet, senior author of a paper on the new drug published on Wednesday in Nature. The dopamine circuit is one of the primary reward circuits in the brain, and its over-activation leads to repeated seeking of the reward stimulus in this case, morphine (or related opioids), said Shoichet, a researcher in pharmaceutical chemistry at the University of California, San Francisco. This ultimately becomes addiction, Shoichet added. Early animal results suggest the new compound does not stimulate the dopaminergic circuit. Another potential advantage of the new medicine is that tests so far in mice suggest it may not turn on cellular signals that suppress breathing, a leading cause of overdose deaths. Globally, an estimated 15 million people are addicted to morphine and other opiates, according to the World Health Organization. About 69,000 people die from overdoses of these drugs each year. Opiates include morphine and the prescription painkillers codeine, oxycodone, oxycontin, hydrocodone and fentanyl as well as illegal drugs such as heroin. Scientists have been searching for years for alternative painkillers that might be less addictive, harder to abuse and safer. Shoichet and his colleagues took advantage of computer modeling to test more than 3 million known chemicals against the structure of human cell receptors that are activated by morphine. They narrowed down these leads to the most promising one, then chemically tweaked it to further refine its ability to activate only the desired receptor subtypes. Even the most promising experimental medicines in mice, however, rarely prove safe and effective in humans and reach the market, noted Pinar Karaca-Mandic, a health policy researcher at the University of Minnesota. Often, these medicines never cross the first hurdle getting from animal tests to preliminary human trials, Karaca-Mandic, who wasnt involved in developing this new pain medicine, said by email. At best, the odds seem to be 1 in 10, Karaca-Mandic said. More tests in animals need to explore whether this compound, known for now as PZM21, is safe and effective before it could move to human trials, said Shoichet. Additional tests in animals are being done by San Francisco-based Epiodyne, a biotech company founded by Shoichet and three other authors of the paper in Nature. Epiodyne has funding from Brook Byers of Kleiner Perkins Caufiled and Byers, and by Doug Crawford of Mission Bay Capital, Shoichet said. Work to date has been done by a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, Stanford University, the University of North Carolina, and Friedrich Alexander University in Erlangen, Germany. SOURCE: http://go.nature.com/1iup1Md Nature, online August 17, 2016. All eyes are on the presidential race, but a dramatic set of Senate races has also begun to emerge. Indeed, this year may be the most interesting and unpredictable one in a long time perhaps since 1986, when newbie Republican senators needed to defend their seats for the first time following Ronald Reagans landslide win in 80. Theres a ton to watch: 34 seats are up and a full 24 are held by Republicans. To win control of the Senate, the left will have to pick up a handful of seats and reverse the 2014 Republican wave. Who will prevail? Having traveled across the country, both on and off the campaign trail, I am expecting a bunch of upsets, near misses and the emergence of some new stars. The Encore Politicos This years Senate races feature the daring return of not just one, but three former (or almost former) senators. Former governor and senator of Indiana and a one-time presidential dreamboat who made early motions to campaign for an 08 run 60-year-old Evan Bayh is one to watch. Bayh surprised everyone in the Hoosier State last month when he said the heck with private life and jumped back into the arena to compete for his states open seat. Yet, like some other candidates, hes getting hit by opponents accusing him of being in the pocket of special interest groups. (Bayh is bought, theyve said.) Meantime, former Rhodes scholar and fellow presidential wannabe Russell Feingold swapped sunshine for cheese when he returned to the Dairy State after living in California. But the man hes challenging Ron Johnson beat him six years ago, and that race is going to be a humdinger. Either side could win in Wisconsin, though Feingold leads. Down in Florida, Miamian Marco Rubio looked like he wouldnt be running for a while, but returned to the race after being trumped in the GOP presidential primary. Like Bayh, Rubio seems a good bet at the moment to win re-election. Could we see a trio of comebacks? Why not. The Nail-Biter Races In New Hampshire, Kelly Ayotte, a rising GOP star and junior senator, is being challenged by her states governor, Maggie Hassan. She has a real shot, though Hillary Clintons polling bests Donald Trump in this state, which could give a boost to Hassan. Plus, Ayotte and Rubio, for that matter has also taken jabs for what some call truancy, and shes been accused by Hassan of siding with her party leadership in obstructing the Supreme Court confirmation process. Story continues Meanwhile, some incumbents are facing a difficult fall. In Ohio, Republican Rob Portman was getting and may still get a real challenge from former Gov. Ted Strickland. And, in Illinois, first-term Republican senator Mark Kirk seems to be in the toughest race of them all. His state looks solidly blue, and Tammy Duckworth is a strong Democratic competitor whos out-fundraising Kirk right now. We might even see the stalwart Sen. John McCain lose his seat in the process of a changing of the guard to the tune of four or five seats swinging in favor of the Dems. In each of these cases, the GOP senators are struggling with how to deal with Trump. (Kirk was the first Republican to rescind his endorsement of Trump after the billionaire criticized a judge for his Mexican heritage.) For now, the strategy seems to be: Keep your distance. But that doesnt mean Trump is keeping his; he recently endorsed Ayotte. Stars in the Making Like Barack Obama when he entered the Senate in 2005, and JFK when he took office there in 53, this years election has its own fair share of up-and-coming contenders. A couple of Republican senators who won special elections in 2014 could have breakout terms if they win their first true race: Tim Scott, from South Carolina, and James Lankford of Oklahoma. Their races look secure, barring any surprises, and theyve even teamed up to begin a national conversation on race. On the Democratic side, Kamala Harris, Californias Oakland-born attorney general, is drumming up big support in her left-leaning state. The 51-year-old might just be a future VP candidate (Cory BookerHarris, perhaps), or even a presidential candidate. In Illinois, Rep. Duckworth looks poised to take office as well. Like Hawaiis Tulsi Gabbard, shes another woman with a history in the military and could be an important voice on homeland security. But one Dem could make a historic run: Catherine Cortez Masto, Nevadas former attorney general, who seems to be getting some serious love from Emilys List, the political action committee that supports pro-choice women for office. If she were to pull off a victory for Harry Reids seat, shed become the first Latina senator in history. Joe Heck, Cortez Mastos competition for Reids seat, is a possible spark plug. The physician, whos also a brigadier general in the Army Reserve, is running on his record for public service and moderation, and hes in a close race against Cortez Masto. The Election Effect Some states are in play this year that havent been in recent history. A big turnout for Hillary could spell trouble down the ballot for the GOP. To counter this, in states like Pennsylvania, were seeing money from the Koch brothers being sent to the GOP Senate campaigns, rather than to the Big One. And we could see this presidential race tip the scales in Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Nevada and Arizona. So be prepared for some major game changers later this year. But not so fast. Even if the Dems can pull off a majority in the Senate this election, therell be an uphill battle to retain that lead. By 2018, key factors will shift: 33 seats will be up, and 23 will be coming from the Democrats. Wisconsins Tammy Baldwin and New Jerseys Bob Menendez are just a couple of those who are vulnerable to being on the chopping block. A special election for Tim Kaines seat in Virginia, should he become VP, might add another Republican to the list even sooner than that. What do you think could happen? Did I miss anything? Send me a note at carlos.watson@ozymandias.com. From Harper's BAZAAR Which was the better Game of Thrones scene: the Battle of the Bastards' bloody combat or the tumultuous opening sequence of the finale? For showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the answer is simple-both. The show's co-creators revealed to The Hollywood Reporter what they thought was the most rewarding scene to see completed on GoT, but they couldn't choose just one. According to Weiss, it's a toss-up between the Jon-Ramsay battle in the penultimate episode and Cersei's violent plot unfolding in the last. "The 'Battle of the Bastards' turned out better than we ever could have expected, thanks to outrageously hard and great work by everyone: Miguel Sapochnik and his team, the cast and the VFX and stunt guys," Weiss said. That battle scene was a major production. By the numbers, it totaled 600 crew members, 500 extras, 25 stuntmen, 70 horses and even 160 tons of gravel. It's no wonder the producers found it so rewarding to see that scene come into fruition. Photo credit: HBO "But in terms of exceeding already high expectations, the opening sequence of the finale may have outstripped it - thanks to the powerful visuals, the artful way in which they were arranged, and to Ramin Djawadi, whose music for that sequence is probably our favorite since the main title theme," Weiss added. So much happened in the introduction of the finale alone: Cersei Lannister burned down the Sept with wildfire. The High Sparrow, Margaery and Loras Tyrell, Lancel Lannister and everyone else in the building went down with it. Cersei tortured the Septa Unella. And King Tommen, distraught from the destruction around him, killed himself. All that, over the tune of this haunting Djawadi composition. Here's to hoping for more epic moments like these in season seven-when Game of Thrones returns next summer. Photo credit: Courtesy You Might Also Like A Florida mother is outraged after her 2-year-old son was left bloodied and scarred in a vicious attack by a peacock in a public park. Read: Twin Sisters Defend Pet Dog That Mauled Them and Almost Attacked 3-Year-Old Boy Laura Brown of Apopka said she and her son arrived at Magnolia Park just before noon, hoping to spend a day playing in the sun. "We got out of the car and the peacocks came to us," Brown said in an interview with WKMG. "I look down for one second, and I turned around and the peacock was on top of his head with its talons, flapping his wings." The mom rushed over to help, but the bird wouldn't back off, she said. Moments later, the 2-year-old was bloodied, and wounded. His mom said the peacock's claws tore through her boy's head, and one of the scratches narrowly missed his eye. "It was just so scary to see your child in the talons of a peacock," Brown said. Brown immediately took her son to an urgent care facility, where doctors used surgical glue to close the gash. Little Jackson will also be taking antibiotics for the next week. While the scars will heal, little Jackson appears to be traumatized by the attack, repeating, "not nice birdie." "He's going to be scared by peacocks for the rest of his life," Orange County Public Information Officer Doreen Overstreet speculated to InsideEdition.com after hearing about the attack. "They're so pretty, but I've heard peacocks are really feisty." Overstreet said Magnolia Park, home to 12 peacocks, is the only park in the region with peacocks. She said she is not sure how they got there. "Patrons do feed the peacocks," Overstreet said. "This does cause wildlife to become too comfortable around people." While the city has no plans to banish the peacocks, she told InsideEdition.com they are working with park rangers to set up temporary signs warning people not to interact with the wildlife, before permanent signs are installed. Story continues "We're monitoring the options," Overstreet said. Read: 9 Frightening Animal Encounters: When a Day at the Zoo Becomes a Nightmare But, the concerned mother said that's not enough: "I think that having an animal around where the children's play equipment that has already attacked a child, that's unacceptable." According to Overstreet, another child was pecked by a peacock about a year ago. Watch: 4-Year-Old Boy Was Dragged Into Yard by Pit Bull Before 3 Dogs Mauled Him to Death Related Articles: Aug 17 (Reuters) - The following financial services industry appointments were announced on Wednesday. To inform us of other job changes, email moves@thomsonreuters.com. DEUTSCHE BANK AG Neil Abromavage, the German bank's equity capital markets origination banker, has exited after roughly 16 years, sources told IFR. ING GROUP The Dutch financial services company has poached two senior bankers from rival ABN AMRO to bolster its equity capital markets franchise in the Benelux. GUNVOR GROUP The Swiss commodities trading house has hired Chris Morran, a treasurer for rival commodities firm Mercuria Energy Trading, in the latest move to expand its footprint in the United States, according to sources familiar with the matter. THOMA BRAVO LLC The private-equity firm said Hudson Smith joined the firm as a partner. PERELLA WEINBERG PARTNERS LP The financial services provider named Mauro Rossi as a managing director in its advisory business. INTEGRO INSURANCE BROKERS The broker and risk management firm hired Tony Sandfrey to head the firm's environmental practice. (Compiled by Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru) BERLIN (Reuters) - Organizers of the world's biggest beer festival, Munich's Oktoberfest, have raised security after Islamist attacks in Germany last month, including banning rucksacks, introducing security checks at all entrances and erecting fencing. Drawing some 6 million tourists, the Oktoberfest is a major highlight of the year for residents, who often wear traditional lederhosen or dirndls, and visitors from all over the world travel there. This year's festival runs from Sept. 17 to Oct. 3. However, Bavarians are on edge after jihadist militant group Islamic State claimed two attacks in July, one on a train near Wuerzburg and one at a music festival in Ansbach, in which asylum-seekers injured 20 people. On top of that, an 18-year-old German-Iranian killed nine people in a shooting rampage in a shopping center in Munich. "We want to do everything we can in terms of security so that the people of Munich and their guests can revel in a relaxed way. We looked at all options," deputy Munich mayor Josef Schmid told reporters. The city has increased the number of stewards to as many as 450 from 250 last year and erected a two-meter high metal fence around Theresienwiese, the open ground where the Oktoberfest is held, to ensure nobody can avoid the checks, he said. The main Munich breweries have their own tents with long beer tables and bands. Last year they served 7.3 million liters of beer, as well as huge quantities of sausages, bretzel and whole spit-roasted bulls. The Oktoberfest has its origins in the wedding in 1810 of Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The public festivities went on for five days and were so popular they have been repeated annually. (Reporting by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Louise Ireland) The Recording Academy's MusiCares foundation is ready to help musicians from flood-wracked southern Louisiana, where thousands of displaced people have begun the process of picking through their damaged or destroyed homes after days of flooding. Local musicians in need can contact MusiCares (877-626-2748) and apply for their Emergency Assistance Program, which provides a safety net for music professionals in times of need. MusiCares' services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies. To qualify, participants must be able to provide documentation showing five years of music industry-related employment or proof of credits to at least six commercially released recordings or videos. The Associated Press reports that at least 40,000 homes have been damaged and 11 people killed in some of the worst flooding in Louisiana history. About 60,000 people have signed up for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and 20 parishes were included in the federal disaster declaration. Celebrities are beginning to take notice of the disaster as well, with Taylor Swift saying she'll donate $1 million to flood relief. Lady Gaga also said she is donating an unspecified amount to relief efforts. By Maiya Keidan LONDON (Reuters) - Asset manager Muzinich & Co has hired four portfolio managers from London hedge fund ECM Asset Management who collectively ran 775 million euros (670.3 million pounds), two sources told Reuters. Credit-focused Muzinich has hired Torben Ronberg, Alex Woolrich, Sam McGairl and Stuart Fuller to expand its small loan offering, one source told Reuters. Muzinich was founded in New York in 1988 and offers alternative credit and absolute return strategies. It invests across senior loans and high yield bonds in developed and emerging markets. ECM this year shut down its Absolute Return Credit Fund which had peaked at 143 million euros in February 2013, a spokesman for Wells Fargo, which owns ECM, said. Ronberg, Woolrich, McGairl and Fuller collectively ran both the 318 million euro ECM Senior Secured Credit and the 457 million euro ECM Loans strategies, according to documents reporting 2015 assets under management on its website. Investors were notified last week that the portfolio managers were leaving ECM, one source told Reuters. The ECM Senior Secured Credit Strategy, which invests in bank loans and bonds, has made gains of 4.74 percent since its inception in 2012. The ECM loans strategy, which invests mainly in sub-investment grade credit, has returned 5.07 percent since inception in 2006. Credit hedge funds have made average gains of 4.14 percent over the past five years, data from industry tracker Hedge Fund Research shows. McGairl declined to comment when contacted by Reuters while the Ronberg, Woolrich and Fuller did not respond to repeated requests for comment. A spokesman for Wells Fargo declined to comment on what will happen to the $873.35 million in assets managed by the four portfolio managers. ECM had a 22-strong investment team prior to the news of the departures, according to its website. (Editing by Jason Neely) Belen, who works at Narnia, wears juxtaposing patterns: a Jean Paul Gaultier top from the 1990s, Z Cavaricci trousers from the 1990s, and Balenciaga shoes. Belen, who works at Narnia, wears juxtaposing patterns: a Jean Paul Gaultier top from the 1990s, Z Cavaricci trousers from the 1990s, and Balenciaga shoes. Photography by Roy Beeson for Yahoo Style At Narnia Vintage, in Brooklyns hip Williamsburg neighborhood, shoppers often describe their experience at the small, hidden boutique as magical. This is perhaps in part because of its spiritual decor crystals outlining the stores walls, crocheted tapestries, and once even a yurt in the backyard where people could meditate on hot summer days. But its also a destination for fashion lovers, who can score some serious one-of-a-kind pieces, like an archival Yves Saint Laurent jacket (long before Hedi Slimane and Stefano Pilati) or that never-been-seen Maison Margiela dress circa sometime in the 1990s. Narnias owner, Molly Spaulding, calls her shoppers treasure hunters and rightfully so, as many of them tend to keep Narnias treasure chest of designer vintage a secret. The highest compliment Ive received was from a shopper, who admitted that they wont tell any of their friends about the store, Spaulding said, as they wanted the clothes all to themselves! Yahoo Style caught up with Spaulding, who dished on her favorite vintage haunts and important tips for clothing collectors. Yahoo Style: How long have you owned Narnia? Molly Spaulding: Narnia opened its doors in 2002. It opened with a partner under another name originally, but after two and a half years, I became the sole owner of the shop, renaming it Narnia. YS: What do you look for when buying vintage pieces for the store? MS: Theres generally a feeling or sensation of some kind that draws me to a specific piece a pattern, stitch, or texture and the evidence that someones hands have touched the garment. YS: Whats the most coveted piece in your shop? MS: Thats tricky! Id say that it changes very often, but this pair of Z Cavaricci pants [pictured], as I love the marriage of patterns and shapes. I have also been very drawn to sheer Jean Paul Gaultier shirts, dresses, pants, and skirts. YS: What are your tips for someone whod like to collect vintage? MS: Clothes are for wearing. People should look for something that they love, bottom line. They should love to look at it, love the way it feels on, feel comfortable and, it should transport them to another aspect of life. Story continues YS: Vintage rocker T-shirts seem to be making a comeback, but theyre retailing for $300 to $500. How do you justify spending that much on a T-shirt? MS: Ill never tell someone how to spend their money, but I definitely have paid unreasonable amounts for something that held some perfection in my eye. Its difficult to beat a soft, worn T-shirt. Though I can acknowledge that its exorbitant. YS: What are some of your favorite vintage shops? MS: La Rena, which was on Avenue C in Manhattan. I am also really loving Anna Corinna in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Its a mix of objects and textiles that feel very personal. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed every day. GRAND FORKS, ND--(Marketwired - Aug 16, 2016) - North Dakota's role in NASA research aimed at the safe integration of small and large unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) into the national airspace will be discussed during the 10th Annual UAS Summit & Expo Aug. 22-24 at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D. On Tuesday, attendees will hear from John Cavolowsky, director of NASA's Airspace Operations and Safety Program, and a panel of experts who have partnered with NASA's UAS Traffic Management (UTM) program. Cavolowsky will speak from 8:50-9:20 a.m. in Ballroom 5 on NASA's UAS goals. The panel discussion will include large and small business leaders who have participated in NASA's UTM program. The panel will be led by Shawn Bullard, president of the Duetto Group LLC in Washington, D.C. He serves as the federal advisor to the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in North Dakota, one of six Federal Aviation Administration-approved sites in the nation. Panelist include Jaclyn Louis, director of government relations and senior counsel for Intel Corp., San Francisco; Craig Marcinkowski, director of strategy and business development for Gryphon Sensors, Syracuse, N.Y.; Chris Theisen, director of research, development, test and evaluation with the Northern Plains UAS Test Site; Joseph Burns, CEO of Sensurion Aerospace, Minneapolis, Minn.; and Terri Zimmerman, CEO of Packet Digital and Botlink, Fargo, N.D. Developing the UTM System With Industry's Help Cavolowsky noted that NASA's UTM program covers the airspace below 500 feet where small UAS will be used for a myriad of applications, such as search and rescue, precision agriculture, surveying and mapping, infrastructure inspection, photography and videography. "On the small UAS side, the community is still coming together," he said. "Standards for technology are evolving so fast that we're working a different part of the problem, which is the concept and systems work necessary to figure out how to allow small UAS to be integrated safely. These will eventually be developed into proper procedures and standards." Story continues Above 500 feet, large, long-range UAS such as the General Atomics Predator and Northrop Grumman's Global Hawk will operate with manned civil and commercial aircraft. NASA recently concluded the first phase of a research project. Test flights at the NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center in California were conducted with the FAA, General Atomics, Honeywell International and a special committee of the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA). "We have to make sure that whether you're talking about flights a few hundred feet off the ground or at 50,000 feet, there's access across that entire integrated airspace for safe operations," Cavolowsky said. Marcinkowski said that Gryphon Sensors -- an early participant in NASA's UTM project and now one of its more than 250 collaborators -- has benefitted in a number of ways from the partnership. The company develops ground-based radars to detect low- and slow-flying UAS and is working with the FAA on airport security technology. "We've learned about where the market is going and where some of our solutions can fit in," he said. "We've also met other businesses out there that led to relationships for us outside of UTM. That's a side benefit of how NASA has brought the UAS community together." The Future For Beyond Visual Line of Sight Flights Nick Flom, director of safety for the Northern Plains UAS Test Site, said that for a variety of reasons, North Dakota is uniquely positioned to assist NASA with research, both for small UAS at lower altitudes and larger, more advanced UAS at higher altitudes. Working with Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and other members North Dakota's congressional delegation, the test site has requested that the FAA issue a certificate of authorization (COA) for beyond visual line of sight UAS operation. The request is for unmanned flights from the Grand Sky UAS Aviation and Business Park adjacent to the Grand Forks Air Force Base where Northrop Grumman and General Atomics are constructing facilities. Flom said the plan is to conduct operations within a 60-mile radius to the west of Grand Sky all the way up to a flight level of 29,000 feet without using a chase aircraft. "That's where NASA comes into play with the type of flight testing they're doing to support the detect-and-avoid work that is being conducted on behalf of the FAA through the RTCA," Flom explained. "They're about to go into phase II of that testing. We're hoping that we can provide the airspace for them to do that type of testing." At last year's UAS Summit and Expo, the question of when the FAA would allow UAS to fly beyond visual line of sight was a hot topic. The summit also provided the opportunity for state officials to begin discussions on the subject with the FAA. Nearly a year later, North Dakota is on the verge of becoming the first state where beyond-line-of-sight operation will occur. Hoeven has said he expects a decision from the FAA before year's end. Theisen recently attended two events at the NASA Ames Research Center. One was on using and integrating weather information into the UTM system. The other included meetings with NASA, the FAA and industry on protocols needed to properly share data among all UAS flights. In addition, the Northern Plains UAS Test Site was among those participating in the testing of the first build of NASA's UTM system earlier this year. "The concept of UTM is evolving and industry's role is becoming more important as this is pushed forward," Theisen said. "It will be truly exciting to see how UTM evolves in the next few years." Cavolowsky said the UAS Summit and Expo brings together all aspects of the UAS community, from well-established, mature aviation companies to the burgeoning small UAS community he encountered during a visit to North Dakota in the spring. "This conference is just a great place to bring that community together and have these kind of open discussions on the challenges and how we can move forward quickly, but safely and effectively as well," he said. The agenda can be viewed here: UAS Summit & Expo About UAS Magazine For commercial manufacturers and operators, UAS Magazine is the only quarterly publication, exclusively highlighting the most critical developments and cutting-edge technologies for unmanned aerial systems in the civil, agriculture, defense and commercial markets worldwide. UAS Magazine's readership includes executives, directors, managers and operators from companies and organizations focused on expanding their knowledge of unmanned aerial systems. UAS Magazine is an industry hub connecting decision-makers, who are looking for new technologies, with the most innovative companies. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3046011 Liftoff for NASA's first-ever asteroid-sampling mission is just three weeks away. The agency's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft is scheduled to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Sept. 8 from Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. If all goes according to plan, the probe will return a pristine sample of the potentially hazardous space rock Bennu to Earth in September 2023. "We seek samples that date back to the very dawn of our solar system," OSIRIS-REx principal investigator Dante Lauretta, a professor of planetary science and cosmochemistry at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, said during a news conference today (Aug. 17). [OSIRIS-REx: NASA's Asteroid Sample-Return Mission in Pictures] "We want to get those back into our laboratories to understand the processes that may have led to the origin of life, and to the habitability of our planet," Lauretta added. 'The gift that keeps on giving' OSIRIS-REx will take a circuitous path toward Bennu, finally meeting up with the 1,600-foot-wide (500 meters) space rock in August 2018. The spacecraft will study Bennu from orbit for about two years. Then, in July 2020 or so, it will head down and grab at least 2 ounces (60 grams) of asteroid material. "We don't technically land on Bennu, but we make contact with it for about 5 seconds," Jeff Grossman, OSIRIS-REx program scientist at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., said during today's news conference. During these 5 seconds, the probe will blast the asteroid's surface with gas and collect the material that's blown out, Grossman explained. Current plans call for OSIRIS-REx to leave Bennu for Earth in March 2021. In September 2023, the spacecraft will eject the sample capsule, which will land with the aid of parachutes in the Utah desert. (OSIRIS-REx, meanwhile, will be put in a stable "parking orbit" around the sun.) Story continues The asteroid material will be studied for years to come by scientists around the world, much as the moon rocks returned by NASA's Apollo astronauts have been analyzed, Lauretta said. "Sample return is the gift that keeps on giving," he said. Though OSIRIS-REx is NASA's first asteroid-sampling mission, it isn't the first one in history: Japan's Hayabusa probe sent home tiny pieces of the space rock Itokawa in 2010. (And Hayabusa 2 launched in December 2014 to collect material from another asteroid, known as Ryugu.) An ambitious mission The OSIRIS-REx team is keen to hunt for organic molecules the carbon-containing building blocks of life as we know it in the material the spacecraft sends home. But learning more about the solar system's early days and how life on Earth may have gotten its start isn't the only goal of the $800 million mission. Its full name Origins-Spectral Interpretation-Resource Identification-Security-Regolith Explorer makes that clear. For example, OSIRIS-REx which carries five scientific instruments aims to learn more about the valuable resources that Bennu-like asteroids may possess, team members said. The probe will also provide a detailed characterization of the Yarkovsky effect, which describes how small objects' paths through space are altered by the solar energy they radiate away as heat. "When that happens, it acts like a thruster and changes the trajectory of the asteroid," Lauretta said. "If you want to be able to predict where an object like Bennu is going to be in the future, you have to account for this phenomenon, and we're going to provide the best-ever scientific investigation of this fascinating concept." Such information is particularly relevant for potentially hazardous asteroids such as Bennu. There's a 0.037 percent chance that Bennu will hit Earth in the late 22nd century, NASA scientists say. Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 SPACE.com, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Nate Parker has issued a statement on the sexual assault case shadowing The Birth of a Nation director-writer-star. "I write to you all devastated," he began in a lengthy post on his Facebook page Tuesday night. "Over the last several days, a part of my past - my arrest, trial and acquittal on charges of sexual assault - has become a focal point for media coverage, social media speculation and industry conversation. I understand why so many are concerned and rightfully have questions." Parker found himself in the middle of a media firestorm after speaking out about the rape accusations he faced while in college at Penn State in 1999. He was acquitted of the charges while his Birth of a Nation co-writer Jean Celestin (his roommate in college) was originally found guilty. Celestin's conviction was later overturned. On Tuesday, it was revealed that the accuser, a woman also attending Penn State at the time, had later dropped out of school and eventually made several suicide attempts. She died at the age of 30 in 2012. Parker went on to say that as a father, husband, brother and "man of deep faith," he understands the pain that the incident has caused, especially to the family of his accuser. "I myself just learned that the young woman ended her own life several years ago and I am filled with profound sorrow," he wrote. "I can't tell you how hard it is to hear this news." He continued, "While I maintain my innocence that the encounter was unambiguously consensual, there are things more important than the law." The woman's family responded in a statement to The New York Times, saying, "We appreciate that after all this time, these men are being held accountable for their actions. However, we are dubious of the underlying motivations that bring this to present light after 17 years, and we will not take part in stoking its coals. While we cannot protect the victim from this media storm, we can do our best to protect her son. For that reason, we ask for privacy for our family and do not wish to comment further." Story continues The accuser's sister, however, said that the above statement did not represent other family members, or perhaps the woman herself, adding that "I know what she would've said, and that would be, 'I fought long and hard, it overcame me. All I can ask is any other victims to come forward, and not let this kind of tolerance to go on anymore,'" saying "these guys sucked the soul and life out of her." Parker's Birth of a Nation, which he wrote, produced, directed and starred in, became a sensation at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was sold to Fox Searchlight for a record $17.5 million after an all-night bidding war. Since then, Parker has been promoting the film months ahead of Fox Searchlight's planned Oct. 7 release and expected awards-season campaign. The film centers on slave Nat Turner, who led an uprising in 1831. As The Hollywood Reporter previously reported, publicly available legal documents and numerous news reports and social media postings have shown that the accuser tried repeatedly to commit suicide in the weeks and months following her accusation against Parker and Celestin and her eventual withdrawal from Penn State. According to an interview with the woman's brother, the woman committed suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills. "She became detached from reality," he told Variety. "The progression was very quick and she took her life." Read more: 'Birth of a Nation' Director Nate Parker's College Rape Accuser Is Dead Read Parker's post in full below: These are my words. Written from my heart and not filtered through a third party gaze. Please read these separate from any platform I may have, but from me as a fellow human being. I write to you all devastated Over the last several days, a part of my past - my arrest, trial and acquittal on charges of sexual assault - has become a focal point for media coverage, social media speculation and industry conversation. I understand why so many are concerned and rightfully have questions. These issues of a women's right to be safe and of men and women engaging in healthy relationships are extremely important to talk about, however difficult. And more personally, as a father, a husband, a brother and man of deep faith, I understand how much confusion and pain this incident has had on so many, most importantly the young woman who was involved. I myself just learned that the young woman ended her own life several years ago and I am filled with profound sorrowI can't tell you how hard it is to hear this news. I can't help but think of all the implications this has for her family. I cannot- nor do I want to ignore the pain she endured during and following our trial. While I maintain my innocence that the encounter was unambiguously consensual, there are things more important than the law. There is morality; no one who calls himself a man of faith should even be in that situation. As a 36-year-old father of daughters and person of faith, I look back on that time as a teenager and can say without hesitation that I should have used more wisdom. I look back on that time, my indignant attitude and my heartfelt mission to prove my innocence with eyes that are more wise with time. I see now that I may not have shown enough empathy even as I fought to clear my name. Empathy for the young woman and empathy for the seriousness of the situation I put myself and others in. I cannot change what has happened. I cannot bring this young woman who was someone else's daughter, someone's sister and someone's mother back to life I have changed so much since nineteen. I've grown and matured in so many ways and still have more learning and growth to do. I have tried to conduct myself in a way that honors my entire community - and will continue to do this to the best of my ability. All of this said, I also know there are wounds that neither time nor words can heal. I have never run from this period in my life and I never ever will. Please don't take this as an attempt to solve this with a statement. I urge you only to take accept this letter as my response to the moment. Nate Read more: Sundance: 'Birth of a Nation' Receives Rapturous Standing Ovation at Premiere On Tuesday, North Carolina police believed they found the remains of 3-year-old Jordan Ann Dumont and subsequently filed murder charges against her mother's boyfriend, 21-year-old Billy McCullen. Neighbor Dustee Connard tells PEOPLE the news wasn't a complete shock to her because she'd seen disturbing signs from the home McCullen shared with Jordan and her mother, Jaylene Dumont. "We could sit on our front porch and we could hear [McCullen and Dumont] fighting with the kids in the house. Jaylene was screaming, 'Please stop, please Billy,'" Connard says. Connard says she and her family called police three times in the last six months. In the last three years, 49 service calls were made to McCullen and Dumont's home, police said Tuesday. "[Dumont] would tell police everything was fine, that nothing was wrong," Connard says. "It's just horrible." Connard says she grew worried at the family's Easter egg hunt this year when she saw Jordan with a bruise on her face. "Jordan was a beautiful little girl," Connard remembers. "When she came down here she loved to play around the yard but you would see bruises on her." During the egg hunt, when Connard asked Jordan what happened, she allegedly replied she fell. According to police records obtained by PEOPLE, authorities responded to more than a dozen calls to the home between Easter and her disappearance on Monday. Connard says she never saw McCullen hurt Jordan, Dumont or the couple's 13-month-old daughter, Angel herself. However, she says her daughter told her she saw McCullen allegedly smack Jordan so hard she fell off the house's porch before yanking Jordan up by the arm and bringing her inside. "It just blows my mind," Connard says. "[Jaylene] would say it was nothing. I couldn't even image my girls [being treated like that] and of course I was concerned." Story continues Neighbor of North Carolina Toddler Allegedly Murdered By Mom's Boyfriend Said She Saw 'Bruises' on Girl| Child Abuse, Crime & Courts, Death, Murder, Physical Abuse, True Crime 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. On Monday afternoon, McCullen reported Jordan missing, telling police that at 1 p.m. he put Jordan down for a nap and took a nap himself. He said when he awoke two hours later he realized she was not home and the front door was open. On Tuesday, authorities announced they had found remains they believe belong to Jordan and arrested McCullen for first-degree murder. "It appears the remains are that of Jordan Ann Dumont," the Gaston County Police said in a press release, which added, "Tests will need to be conducted by the medical examiner's office to determine a positive identification of the remains as well as the cause of death." Neighbor of North Carolina Toddler Allegedly Murdered By Mom's Boyfriend Said She Saw 'Bruises' on Girl| Child Abuse, Crime & Courts, Death, Murder, Physical Abuse, True Crime At a press conference, Gaston County Police Chief Joseph Ramey said "further charges could be forthcoming," and that authorities will "see where additional evidence leads us." McCullen has not entered a plea and it is not known whether he has an attorney. * VertuoLine goes to France, Dolce Gusto gets global advert * Nespresso challenged to keep profitability amid rivalry * Nestle to report earnings on Thursday By Martinne Geller, Silke Koltrowitz and Wendell Roelf LONDON/ZURICH/CAPETOWN, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Nestle is giving its instant coffee brand Nescafe and its Nespresso single-serve coffee a shot in the arm as fast-growing rivals with lean cost structures chip away at its global dominance. It was thanks to innovation that Nestle became the world's biggest coffee seller, by introducing the first instant coffee in 1938 and launching the first capsule machines in 1986. While its two megabrands still control nearly 23 percent of the $77 billion retail coffee market, the breakneck rise of JAB Holdings, which has bought nine rivals in four years to grab a 16 percent share, is pushing Nestle to innovate once more. At the higher end of the market, Nespresso VertuoLine is now being rolled out in France with other countries to follow in due course. The single-serve machine was launched in North America in 2014 to make cups of coffee bigger than the original Nespresso machines. At the lower end, Nestle's instant coffee is getting a boost from a high-profile global campaign to promote its Nescafe Dolce Gusto single-serve system. In a new advertisement, American hip-hop artist will.i.am remakes a classic Otis Redding hit to convey how Dolce Gusto remakes classic instant coffee. The steps Nestle is taking to revamp its business are designed to boost sales and profits in emerging and developed markets alike and reflect the struggles of large packaged food producers in general to improve performance. This will be a priority for Nestle's incoming CEO Ulf Mark Schneider, who joins next month before taking the full reins at the start of 2017. Sales have slowed as economic growth worldwide has slowed, putting the spotlight on cutting costs to drive profits. What's more the executives behind JAB are known to keep a close eye on costs, giving them a reputation for earnings growth. Story continues Nestle, which has missed its long-term annual sales growth target three years running, will report first-half results on Thursday. It will be the first financial report since Nestle announced a cost saving programme in May that helped ease concern about its plan to improve profitability that had been unclear to investors up until then. Analysts are expecting 3.8 percent like-for-like first-half sales growth, according to a Reuters poll, taking into account a slowdown in the most recent quarter because low dairy prices and deflation in Europe made it hard to raise prices. Nescafe, popular in emerging markets, and Nespresso, more concentrated in developed markets, both grew in the first quarter and are expected to show continued growth in the second. But Nestle executives acknowledge that being the biggest is no longer enough to ensure success, because a new generation of consumers want healthier fresh foods and unique experiences, and because growing rivals can use economies of scale to boost their own brands. Besides the global ad campaign fronted by will.i.am, Nescafe is also introducing more premium and local products to appeal to increasingly demanding consumers, as well as opening trendy shops in cities such as Tokyo and Seoul. MOUNTING COMPETITION The world's biggest food company faces growing competition on all fronts, but perhaps has the most to lose in coffee due to the rise of JAB. Backed by the billionaire Reimann family, JAB now controls a host of brands including Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Caribou and Keurig. Its swift expansion has earned it comparisons with private equity firm 3G Capital, which made AB InBev into a megabrewer that is now pursuing the biggest acquisition in consumer goods history by taking over SABMiller. 3G, which Nestle's chairman once accused of "pulverising" the food industry, also recently formed Kraft Heinz, giving it control of U.S. coffee brands such as Maxwell House and Gevalia. Putting a brave face on the rivalry, Nestle CEO Paul Bulcke told Reuters in June that he welcomed it, since it created value for consumers by forcing companies to be extra thoughtful. "It is always challenging yourself on doing the right things and putting the resources behind the right ideas," Bulcke said. Nestle's coffee revenue was over $15 billion last year, due largely to the global popularity of Nescafe, which it says is the third most-valuable drinks brand in the world behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi. "All of this is fine, but this is the past," Patrice Bula, the Nestle executive vice president in charge of coffee, told investors in May. "Big doesn't mean you're fast, big doesn't mean you're going to be relevant to the consumer of the future." NO RESTING Following its purchase of U.S. single-serve coffee company Keurig Green Mountain, JAB now has the largest share of the capsule market, which is the fastest-growing part of the coffee business - and the most profitable. Nespresso's industry-leading profit margins have been protected by a closed retail system in which Nespresso capsules can only be purchased in Nespresso boutiques or online. But with 210 rivals producing capsules of other brands compatible with Nespresso machines, and Starbucks due to launch its own pods this autumn, Nespresso margins could come under pressure. "The challenge for Nespresso will be to maintain their exceptionally high profitability because they have to invest more in marketing, promotions and new stores," Vontobel analyst Jean-Philippe Bertschy said. Nestle's Bula said Nespresso was planning 50 new boutique openings per year through 2020 in more than 20 new markets, adding that a large number of them would be in North America. It also recently launched digital and fully automated kiosks that can process capsule orders in seconds. Its Nescafe Dolce Gusto brand has built a new factory in Brazil, its first outside Europe, to support its growth, and Nescafe is introducing a range of new milky, barista-style drinks and rare coffee origins that are harder to copy and command higher prices. Nestle is also tailoring its drinks to new international markets, such as Coffee Viet made with fish sauce popular in Vietnam or Nescafe Arabiana with cardamom in the Middle East. "They know they cannot rest on their laurels," said Virginia Lee, analyst at Euromonitor. (Additional reporting by Angelika Gruber and Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi in Zurich; editing by David Clarke) By Martinne Geller, Silke Koltrowitz and Wendell Roelf LONDON/ZURICH/CAPETOWN (Reuters) - Nestle (NESN.S) is giving its instant coffee brand Nescafe and its Nespresso single-serve coffee a shot in the arm as fast-growing rivals with lean cost structures chip away at its global dominance. It was thanks to innovation that Nestle became the world's biggest coffee seller, by introducing the first instant coffee in 1938 and launching the first capsule machines in 1986. While its two megabrands still control nearly 23 percent of the $77 billion (59 billion pounds) retail coffee market, the breakneck rise of JAB Holdings, which has bought nine rivals in four years to grab a 16 percent share, is pushing Nestle to innovate once more. At the higher end of the market, Nespresso VertuoLine is now being rolled out in France with other countries to follow in due course. The single-serve machine was launched in North America in 2014 to make cups of coffee bigger than the original Nespresso machines. At the lower end, Nestle's instant coffee is getting a boost from a high-profile global campaign to promote its Nescafe Dolce Gusto single-serve system. In a new advertisement, American hip-hop artist will.i.am remakes a classic Otis Redding hit to convey how Dolce Gusto remakes classic instant coffee. The steps Nestle is taking to revamp its business are designed to boost sales and profits in emerging and developed markets alike and reflect the struggles of large packaged food producers in general to improve performance. This will be a priority for Nestle's incoming CEO Ulf Mark Schneider, who joins next month before taking the full reins at the start of 2017. Sales have slowed as economic growth worldwide has slowed, putting the spotlight on cutting costs to drive profits. What's more the executives behind JAB are known to keep a close eye on costs, giving them a reputation for earnings growth. Nestle, which has missed its long-term annual sales growth target three years running, will report first-half results on Thursday. It will be the first financial report since Nestle announced a cost saving programme in May that helped ease concern about its plan to improve profitability that had been unclear to investors up until then. Story continues Analysts are expecting 3.8 percent like-for-like first-half sales growth, according to a Reuters poll, taking into account a slowdown in the most recent quarter because low dairy prices and deflation in Europe made it hard to raise prices. Nescafe, popular in emerging markets, and Nespresso, more concentrated in developed markets, both grew in the first quarter and are expected to show continued growth in the second. But Nestle executives acknowledge that being the biggest is no longer enough to ensure success, because a new generation of consumers want healthier fresh foods and unique experiences, and because growing rivals can use economies of scale to boost their own brands. Besides the global ad campaign fronted by will.i.am, Nescafe is also introducing more premium and local products to appeal to increasingly demanding consumers, as well as opening trendy shops in cities such as Tokyo and Seoul. MOUNTING COMPETITION The world's biggest food company faces growing competition on all fronts, but perhaps has the most to lose in coffee due to the rise of JAB. Backed by the billionaire Reimann family, JAB now controls a host of brands including Jacobs, Douwe Egberts, Caribou and Keurig. Its swift expansion has earned it comparisons with private equity firm 3G Capital, which made AB InBev (ABI.BR) into a megabrewer that is now pursuing the biggest acquisition in consumer goods history by taking over SABMiller (SAB.L). 3G, which Nestle's chairman once accused of "pulverising" the food industry, also recently formed Kraft Heinz (KHC.O), giving it control of U.S. coffee brands such as Maxwell House and Gevalia. Putting a brave face on the rivalry, Nestle CEO Paul Bulcke told Reuters in June that he welcomed it, since it created value for consumers by forcing companies to be extra thoughtful. "It is always challenging yourself on doing the right things and putting the resources behind the right ideas," Bulcke said. Nestle's coffee revenue was over $15 billion last year, due largely to the global popularity of Nescafe, which it says is the third most-valuable drinks brand in the world behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi. "All of this is fine, but this is the past," Patrice Bula, the Nestle executive vice president in charge of coffee, told investors in May. "Big doesn't mean you're fast, big doesn't mean you're going to be relevant to the consumer of the future." NO RESTING Following its purchase of U.S. single-serve coffee company Keurig Green Mountain, JAB now has the largest share of the capsule market, which is the fastest-growing part of the coffee business - and the most profitable. Nespresso's industry-leading profit margins have been protected by a closed retail system in which Nespresso capsules can only be purchased in Nespresso boutiques or online. But with 210 rivals producing capsules of other brands compatible with Nespresso machines, and Starbucks (SBUX.O) due to launch its own pods this autumn, Nespresso margins could come under pressure. "The challenge for Nespresso will be to maintain their exceptionally high profitability because they have to invest more in marketing, promotions and new stores," Vontobel analyst Jean-Philippe Bertschy said. Nestle's Bula said Nespresso was planning 50 new boutique openings per year through 2020 in more than 20 new markets, adding that a large number of them would be in North America. It also recently launched digital and fully automated kiosks that can process capsule orders in seconds. Its Nescafe Dolce Gusto brand has built a new factory in Brazil, its first outside Europe, to support its growth, and Nescafe is introducing a range of new milky, barista-style drinks and rare coffee origins that are harder to copy and command higher prices. Nestle is also tailoring its drinks to new international markets, such as Coffee Viet made with fish sauce popular in Vietnam or Nescafe Arabiana with cardamom in the Middle East. "They know they cannot rest on their laurels," said Virginia Lee, analyst at Euromonitor. (Additional reporting by Angelika Gruber and Brenna Hughes Neghaiwi in Zurich; editing by David Clarke) A newly discovered species of brilliant red songbird has almost certainly already vanished from its home in the Galapagos Islands, in what is the first known songbird extinction on the island chain in modern times. Using genetic techniques, researchers recently learned that the Galapagos vermilion flycatcher was once at least two species: Pyrocephalus nanus, which is still found across most of the island chain, and Pyrocephalus dubius, which hasn't been seen since 1987 but used to live only on San Cristobal Island. That island lends the extinct bird its common name, the San Cristobal Island vermilion flycatcher. Unfortunately, P. nanus, still known as the Galapagos vermilion flycatcher, is now also in decline, said study researcher Jack Dumbacher, the curator of ornithology and mammalogy at the California Academy of Sciences (Cal Academy) in San Francisco. [Flycatcher Gone: Photos of an Extinct Galapagos Native] "Maybe this is a call to arms so we can figure out what the problem is on the other islands," Dumbacher told Live Science. Genetic exploration The instigator of the research was Alvaro Jaramillo, a senior biologist at the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory and a birder who sometimes leads tours to the Galapagos. He'd noticeddifferences in the vermilion flycatcher populations on the islands, as well as the disappearance of the birds from San Cristobal Island. But scientists still lumped all of the Galapagos birds into the same species. The Cal Academy has the largest collection of Galapagos songbirds in the world, including vermilion flycatchers caught on an expedition in 1905 and 1906. "Every specimen that's in the collection is not only an example of that species, but also that time and place," Dumbacher said. Previously, researchers sampled the bodies of the birds in the collection to date the arrival of avian pox on the islands (around 1900, probably carried by someone's pet canary). Story continues By genetically sampling the DNA from the toe pads of the birds, the researchers were able to discover a new species, years after its extinction. "The genetics were very clear that the San Cristobal Island vermilion flycatcher was very distinct from nanus," Dumbacher said. There was even some genetic evidence that the living group, the Galapagos vermilion flycatcher, might also be split into two species, but the researchers elected not to push the data into controversial territory, Dumbacher said. What was perhaps most surprising to the team was that the Galapagos birds descended from a common ancestor nearly as old as the common ancestor of vermilion flycatcher species back on the Ecuadorian mainland. The researchers had expected to find that the island birds descended from the mainland birds; instead, they found the two populations to be sister groups, Dumbacher said. Threatened island ecosystem The San Cristobal Island vermilion flycatcher and the Galapagos vermilion flycatcher also show subtle differences in size, coloration and song, Dumbacher said. Though no one has looked systematically for the San Cristobal bird for many years, rumors of its extinction are probably true, he said the island is populated and developed, and there are many invasive species, like rats, that threaten native bird populations. Another threat to Galapagos birds is Philornis downsi, an introduced parasitic fly that hatches in bird nests and sucks the blood of nestlings, killing them. Avian pox or avian malaria may also have contributed to the loss of the San Cristobal Island vermilion flycatcher. "We may never know exactly what it was that wiped them out," Dumbacher said. But the discovery, published online in May in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, could spur a new interest in Galapagos songbird conservation, he said. "Maybe that's the silver lining in this story, that there are other populations that can still be saved," Dumbacher said. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Abuja (AFP) - Nigeria said Wednesday it has launched a mass campaign of emergency polio vaccinations after reporting two new cases of the disease earlier in August. Both new cases were diagnosed in the northeastern state of Borno, which has been ravaged by Boko Haram insurgents, highlighting the difficulty of providing basic health services in the impoverished region. "So far we have commenced vaccination of children," health minister Isaac Adewole told reporters in the capital Abuja, after the campaign started on Monday. Local authorities in the affected areas "have had their health facilities destroyed by insurgents and accessibility was a barrier to service provision," Adewole said. One of the new cases, a child from the Jere local government area, was diagnosed in a displaced persons camp in Borno state capital Maiduguri after "trekking for two days", the health minister said. The Nigerian vaccination campaign will be coordinated with neighbouring countries with a focus on the Lake Chad region and northern Cameroon. The new cases -- believed linked to a 2011 case of polio in Bama, another town in Borno -- represent a major health setback for Nigeria, which was on track to be certified free of the virus next year. Polio is a highly infectious viral disease which mainly affects young children and can result in permanent paralysis. There is no cure and it can be only prevented through immunisation. A version of this story on Hugh Laurie also appears in the Down to the Wire issue of TheWraps Emmy magazine. The Night Manager is a quietly gripping six-hour British miniseries that aired on AMC and landed a dozen Emmy nominations, including nods for Tom Hiddleston as the title character, Hugh Laurie as a suave arms dealer and Olivia Colman as the dogged British agent determined to bring him down. But it didnt have an easy path from the pages of John Le Carres 1993 novel to the screen. Le Carres novel, about a hotel manager drawn into a shadowy world of arms dealing and espionage, had long resisted the best efforts to put it on screen. Director Sydney Pollack had the rights for years and commissioned a script from the legendary Robert Towne who, according to Laurie, made a rather peculiar pronouncement that le Carre was unsolvable, which I think still slightly nettles the great man. Also Read: Emmy Quickie: 'The Night Manager' Star Elizabeth Debicki Exclusive StudioWrap Portraits (Photos) It also confused Laurie, who had tried to secure the rights to the book before hed even finished reading it when it came out. I just fell in love with it instantly, he said. I was about four chapters in and I tried to option it. To this day I dont know what optioning means, but its a term Id heard grown-ups use. Laurie also saw the film as a vehicle for himself not as the baddie, but as the dashing young hero, Jonathan Pine, who is played by Hiddleston. I admit it, I saw myself as the young stud risking all for the love of a woman and for his country and all that stuff, he said. Because thats what you do at that age. Its probably better that it didnt happen happen, because Tom Hiddleston is absolutely perfect. He fills the studly role to perfection. Also Read: Why 'The Night Manager' Needed an Update From John le Carre's Classic Spy Tale Hugh Laurie Night Manager width=618 height=412 data-credit=des willie/amc srcset=http://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Hugh-Laurie-Night-Manager-300200.jpg 300w, http://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Hugh-Laurie-Night-Manager-340226.jpg 340w, http://www.thewrap.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Hugh-Laurie-Night-Manager.jpg 618w sizes=(max-width: 618px) 100vw, 618px /> Story continues Besides, he said, his interest in the book went far beyond his desire to play the character. What Id fallen in love with, at least as much as the character of Pine, was the world of the story, he said. And although the story was written nearly 25 years ago, it is contemporary. Recently, he said, he read an article about a Polish arms dealer arrested for selling weapons in the Sudan, something Lauries character could well have been involved in. My God, the goings-on were just absolutely eye-watering, he said. He made an absolutely bizarre threat that Id never heard before: He threatened to put his enemies in a glass jar. Isnt that one of the creepiest things youve ever heard? Also Read: Hugh Laurie, Larry King Sing the Blues (Video) Early in the Susanne Bier-directed miniseries, Colmans character describes Lauries arms dealer as the worst man on Earth. Obviously, what you have to strive to avoid is people saying, Oh, hes not that bad, thereby undermining Olivias premise, said Laurie. But at the same time, it gives you freedom. Once that premise is established, you dont necessarily have to show it at every moment. You dont have to be torturing puppies in the very first scene. You can show the civilized veneer on top of this awful mayhem that he creates and profits from. And did he research any current arms dealers, like the guy who threatened to put his enemies in a jar? I had to do research at a distance, and was prohibited by the lawyers from actually approaching any of these people, he said. Once you do that, you are giving them license to sue, to say, I am not the worst person in the world, I am the third-worst. Of course, if youre playing the hero, everybody throws the door open and says, If youre basing this saintly, heroic character on me, can I lend you some clothes? If youre playing the villain, people dont want to return the call much. Also Read: Emmy Quickie: What Tom Hiddleston Knew 'The Night Manager' Was Missing (Exclusive Video) As an executive producer on The Night Manager as well as one of its stars, Laurie added that he has some idea how the filmmakers solved the book that Robert Towne had declared unsolvable. My theory is that that its an English novelist and an English story, and that is how we live, said Laurie, a six-time Emmy nominee for House who hails from Great Britain but now lives in Los Angeles. The English live in six-hour chunks and Americans live in two-hour chunks. Americans anticipate the possibility of lives changing radically. You meet the girl, or you lose your job or you get the job, whatever it might be, and a life is turned upside down. The English are slower. We are not a frothing river, we are a glacier. And maybe long-form television suits us better. See more of TheWrap Down to the Wire Emmys Issue: Emmys Hot List: 50 Shows, Actors and Trends to Watch (Photos) Emmys Hot List Kit Harrington PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATT SAYLES FOR THEWRAP Lena Heady Game of Thrones COURTESY OF HBO People v OJ Simpson PRASHANT GUPTA/FX Julia Louis-Dreyfus COURTESY OF HBO JEFF LIPSKY/ABC 06 Rami Malek PHOTOGRAPHED BY HOLLENDERX2 FOR THEWRAP The Americans CRAIG BLANKENHORN/FX Beyonce Lemonade COURTESY OF HBO Laurie Metcalf PHOTOGRAPHED BY COREY NICKOLS FOR THEWRAP 10 James Corden PHOTOGRAPHED BY CORINA MARIE FOR THEWRAP poeple HBO logo Emmy Statuette The Night Manager MITCH JENKINS/AMC Fargo CHRIS LARGE/FX Anthony Anderson PHOTOGRAPHED BY ELISABETH CAREN FOR THEWRAP 18 John Oliver COURTESY OF HBO Jay Roach NICHOLAS HUNT/GETTY IMAGES FOR HBO Saturday Night Live DANA EDELSON/NBC Aziz Ansari PHOTOGRAPHED BY JUSTIN BETTMAN FOR THEWRAP 21 Tony Hale PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROBBY KLEIN FOR THEWRAP Netflix Logo Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ERIC LIEBOWITZ/NETFLIX PHOTOGRAPHED BY CORINA MARIE FOR THEWRAP Saturday Night Live NBC Sheila Nevins Getty Images Amy Schumer Downton Abbey Julian Fellows PHOTOGRAPHED BY DAN BUSTA FOR THEWRAP House of Cards DAVID GIESBRECHT/NETFLIX Diane Warren Lady Gaga ETHAN MILLER/GETTY IMAGES Alan Menken ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES Kate Miccuci JESSE GRANT/GETTY IMAGES FOR COMEDY CENTRAL Bob Odenkirk PHOTOGRAPHED BY CORINA MARIE FOR THEWRAP Felicity Huffman William H. Macy MACY: WARREN FELDMAN/SHOWTIME / HUFFMAN: RYAN GREEN/ABC Tina Fey Amy Poehler DANA EDELSON/NBC Homeland COURTESY OF SHOWTIME 37 Keegan michael Key PHOTOGRAPHED BY ROBBY KLEIN FOR THEWRAP Making a Murderer NETFLIX Constance Zimmer PHOTOGRAPHED BY MATT SAYLES FOR THEWRAP 41 Documentaries 42 Lily Tomlin Grace and Frankie MELISSA MOSELEY/NETFLIX Fred Armisen PHOTOGRAPHED BY JANA CRUDER FOR THEWRAP Lip Sync Battle LL Cool J PHOTOGRAPHED BY MICHAEL ROWE FOR THEWRAP 45 Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee Baskets Louie Anderson FRANK OCKENFELS/FX Peter Scolari Tom Hanks SCOLARI : COURTESY OF HBO / HANKS: KEVIN WINTER/GETTY IMAGES CHEF'S TABLE PETER SOREL/NETFLIX Phil Dunphy Modern Family COURTESY OF ABC Television Previous Slide Next Slide 1 of 51 TheWraps list of who and whats hot with TV Academy voters this season, from Game of Thrones to Veep to Jimmy Kimmel For the first time, TheWrap has surveyed the entire vast Emmy landscape and picked out the 50 hottest people, shows and themes of this years Emmy season. View In Gallery Related stories from TheWrap: Tom Hiddleston Wants You to Binge-Watch 'The Night Manager' (Video) Emmy Quickie: Why 'Night Manager' Star Elizabeth Debicki Is So Close to Tom Hiddleston (Exclusive Video) Emmy Contender 'The Night Manager': Susanne Bier's Spy Story Goes Big Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f181945%2ffrom_twitter It may look like Abby Bozeman and Lindy Goodson are living in a palace. But they've actually just moved into their dorm at Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. The freshmen went all out to make their dorm room as homey and fancy as possible, and Goodson's original photo went viral on Twitter. SEE ALSO: Kim Kardashians essay about why shes not a feminist doesn't make sense Image: Lindy Goodson and Abby Bozeman Lindy Goodson told Mashable about how the tiny abode came to be. "At our school, nearly all dorms are decorated like ours!" she said. "So many people here are unique and creative and their rooms match. We knew school would get stressful and we wanted a calm space to return to after long days." Goodson and Bozeman, who both plan on majoring in Integrated Marketing Communications, had plenty of time to plan everything out. The pair connected via social media back in September 2015, met during a campus tour a month later, and by December, they began planning their room. After receiving over 6,000 likes and over 3,000 retweets, Goodson made her Twitter private. Image: LindyNicoleG/twitter Most of their goodies came from TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Home Goods and antique stores. Some of it even came from their own bedrooms back home. Image: LINDY GOODSON AND ABBY BOZEMAN Image: LINDY GOODSON AND ABBY BOZEMAN The girls were able to keep a modest budget when shopping by browsing discount stores and adding a little DIY magic. "We don't know a total price of the room but we do know we saved a lot by bargain shopping and using some creativity to make things we already owned work," Goodson said. She added blue ribbons to stools she found at Home Goods, and Bozeman refurbished an antique dresser. They splurged on custom made headboards, pillows and extra long bed skirts. Image: LINDY GOODSON AND ABBY BOZEMAN Image: LINDY GOODSON AND ABBY BOZEMAN The women's favorite part of the room is a little unexpected. "Our favorite pieces are the ostrich and llama paintings above our beds, in frames Abby found at her home," Goodson told Mashable. "We think they are so fun!" Story continues Image: LINDY GOODSON AND ABBY BOZEMAN We hope Lindy and Abby don't let their gorgeous room distract them from studying too much this year. Noble Corporation NE released its latest fleet status update that included information about a new contract as well as an early termination of another. Noble Corp. has contracted its drillship Noble Bob Douglas with Apache Corp. (APA) at an undisclosed dayrate. The contract is for the period AprJun 2017. The drillship will operate in Suriname. On the other hand, Noble Corp. announced that it has reached an agreement with its customer Quadrant Energy for the early termination of the drilling contracts for one of its jackup rig. The contract is now expected to conclude during the second half of Sep 2016. As part of the contract, Noble Corp. will receive a demobilization fee as well as 50% of the operating dayrate through the original contract expiration date from the customer. Noble Corp. provides diversified services for the oil and gas industry. The company offers contract drilling services with a fleet of 30 offshore drilling units (consisting of 16 semisubmersibles and drillships and 14 jackups). The company renders contract drilling services along with provision of labor contract drilling, engineering and consulting, and project management services. The company offers its services in the United States, the Middle East, India, Mexico, the North Sea, Brazil, and West Africa. In addition, Noble Corp. is a leading offshore drilling firm with a robust portfolio of assets. Though the industry has witnessed a setback in the past few months, the company is likely to be less impacted by it than its peers. This is because it enjoys a strong backlog position ($8.1 billion). NOBLE CORP PLC Price NOBLE CORP PLC Price | NOBLE CORP PLC Quote Noble Corp. remains on track to upgrade its fleet through acquisitions and newbuild projects. Moreover, it continues to benefit from its robust position in the ultra-deepwater market. Noble Corp. carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked players from the energy sector are Sasol Ltd. SSL, Enbridge, Inc. ENB and Total SA TOT. All these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report TOTAL FINA SA (TOT): Free Stock Analysis Report SASOL LTD -ADR (SSL): Free Stock Analysis Report NOBLE CORP PLC (NE): Free Stock Analysis Report ENBRIDGE INC (ENB): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research In what is one of the most significant defections from North Korea in several years, the authoritarian nations deputy ambassador in London has deserted his country for South Korea, according to Seouls Unification Ministry. The Ministry said Wednesday that Thae Yong Ho, a deputy to the ambassador who has lived in the U.K. for 10 years, recently defected to South Korea with his family, the Associated Press reports. He disappeared from his West London residence last month. Thae Yong Ho was primarily tasked with raising the profile of North Korea among Western audiences, and is now one of the highest-level North Korean officials to defect to South Korea. His defection could be a coup for British intelligence, potentially providing valuable insights into the isolated nation and its dictator, Kim Jong Un. Defections are a source of bitter contention between the rival Koreas, and South Korea doesnt always make high-profile cases public, AP reports. North Korea often accuses the South of kidnapping or enticing its citizens to defect. Wednesdays announcement came as North Korea has responded angrily to a U.S. plan to place an advanced missile defense system in South Korea. The North has warned of unspecified retaliation and fired several missiles into the sea earlier this month. Earlier today, the North Korean embassy in London would not confirm or deny the defection, with an official telling Reuters that if it is appropriate to give a response, then you might hear about our response. SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea said North Korea's deputy ambassador in London, Thae Yong Ho, had arrived with his family in South Korea, making him the highest-ranking diplomat ever to defect to the South Thae defected to the South due to discontent with the regime and for the future of his child, Jeong Joon-hee, a spokesman at the South's Unification Ministry, told a news conference. Jeong declined to give details on the timing of Thae's arrival or his itinerary. "They are currently under government protection and relevant institutions are going ahead with necessary procedures as usual," Jeong said. (Reporting by Ju-min Park; Editing by Tony Munroe) By James Pearson and Ju-min Park SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea's deputy ambassador in London has defected with his family to South Korea, making him the highest-ranking Pyongyang diplomat ever to flee the isolated regime for the democratic South, South Korea said on Wednesday. The Unification Ministry in Seoul declined to say when or how Thae and his family arrived, or how many relatives accompanied him. Thae defected due to discontent with the regime of Kim Jong Un in North Korea and for the future of his child, ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee told a news conference. It was not clear in Korean whether Jeong was referring to more than one child. "We know that Deputy Ambassador Thae is saying that his distaste for the Kim Jong Un regime and yearning for the Republic of Korea's free democratic system and the future of his child are motives for the defection," Jeong said, referring to South Korea, adding that Thae and his family were under government protection. Impoverished North Korea and prosperous South Korea are technically still at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. The announcement came a day after media report that a high-profile North Korean diplomat, later identified by the BBC as Thae, had defected. Quoting an unnamed source, South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper had said the diplomat embarked on a defection journey "following a scrupulous plan" and was in the process of "landing in a third country as an asylum seeker". An official at the North Korean embassy in London would not confirm the defection on Tuesday, describing reports of the event as "quite sudden". "If it is appropriate to give a response, then you might hear about our response," the official told Reuters. Further calls to the embassy went unanswered. Calls to Thae's mobile phone were redirected to a voicemail inbox. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office did not have an immediate comment after South Korea's announcement. Thae's defection follows a string of recent such flights by North Koreans, including 12 waitresses at a North Korean restaurant in China who defected to South Korea earlier this year. Those waitresses have finished a prolonged period of investigation and have entered into normal society, an official at South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Wednesday. The number of defections by North Koreans to the South this year through July totaled 814, an annual increase of 15 percent, a ministry official told Reuters. Several diplomats from North Korea have defected to the South over the last two years, including one from Thailand, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Wednesday, citing a source familiar with North Korean affairs. Overall, the number of defectors, mostly from the area near North Korea's border with China, has declined since leader Kim Jong Un, a third-generation dictator, took power following his father's death in late 2011. "The bigger picture is that while there have been fewer total defections per year under Kim Jong Un, there have been a higher number of strategically significant and political defections," said Sokeel Park of LiNK, an NGO which works with North Korean defectors. North Korea has become increasingly isolated after conducting its fourth nuclear test in January and numerous ballistic missile launches this year, which resulted in tightened UN Security Council sanctions. IMPASSIONED SPEECHES Among his many responsibilities, Thae was well-known to the British press, acting as the embassy's main point of contact for British correspondents traveling to Pyongyang. Thae lived at or near the North Korean embassy, which is in the leafy west London suburb of Gunnersbury. He spoke regularly at far-left events in London, including meetings of a British communist party where he would make impassioned speeches in defense of North Korea, according to videos of the events. Thae's son, Thae Kum Hyok, who was known as "Kum Thae", was a pupil at Acton High School, a short walk from the embassy. The school term ended on July 22, according its website, around the same time Thae is believed to have defected. The son, 19, has a place at Imperial College, London, to study maths and computer science, according to one of his school friends cited by the Guardian newspaper. Debonair and well-spoken, Thae Yong Ho has over ten years experience working on UK and EU-related issues as a diplomat. He is cited in European Parliament archives as a London-based diplomat joining a North Korean delegation to Brussels. His measured style was a contrast to the bombastic rhetoric often used by Pyongyang's propagandists, although at some events he sang revolutionary Red Army Choir songs in Korean. In regular contact with the media, Thae also spoke publicly about media coverage of the isolated country, including the press appetite for sensationalist stories about North Korea. "I don't blame reporters," Thae said during a speech at a left-wing London bookshop in late 2014. "If they broadcast (North Korea) as it is, the editors of these TV stations and newspapers will (change it). "The more horrifying, the more shocking stories they create, the more they will be viewed by the British public". According to an online search of his name, Thae's son was an avid gamer, and had accumulated 368 hours regularly playing CounterStrike over the last year, under the name "North Korea is Best Korea". The account was last active on July 13. (Addtional reporting by Mike Holden in LONDON and John Walcott in WASHINGTON; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan, Tony Munroe and Nick Macfie) Tehran (AFP) - Iran said Wednesday that Norway had offered the Islamic republic a $1-billion credit line following a meeting between their foreign ministers in Tehran. Borge Brende and Mohammad Javad Zarif signed three "export credit" deals aimed at funding "development and infrastructure projects", Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement. Iran has struggled to tap international finance as many banks fear US penalties if they do business with the Islamic republic. A landmak deal between Tehran and world powers, which was signed in July last year and came into force in January, saw many international sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for curbs to its nuclear programme. European countries have been keen to do business with one of the last frontier markets, but Washington has maintained sanctions related to Iran's human rights record and missile programme. "After the lifting of sanctions, good opportunities have emerged for cooperation and Norway is ready to utilise the post-deal situation to expand cooperation in various fields," Brende said, according to the official IRNA news agency. The Norwegian minister met other top officials during his one-day visit, including Supreme National Security Council secretary Ali Shamkhani, before leaving for Pakistan. By Tom Bergin LA HULPE, Belgium (Reuters) - More than a dozen current and former board directors and senior managers of SWIFT, the bank messaging system that helps transmit billions of dollars around the world every day, have told Reuters that the organisation for years suspected there were weaknesses in the way smaller banks used its messaging terminals but did not address such vulnerabilities. The sources said that until February, when hackers tried to steal nearly $1 billion dollars by breaking into the messaging system at Bangladesh's central bank, SWIFT had not regarded the security of customer terminals as a priority. Top executives either did not receive information from member banks about specific attempts to hack the messaging network, or failed to spot those attempts themselves, the managers said. In SWIFT's annual reports and strategy plans from the past 17 years Reuters could find only one reference to SWIFT helping its users to secure their systems. That reference to helping "our community to strengthen their own infrastructure" was in the 2015 annual report published in June this year, months after the Bangladesh heist, in which the fraudsters ended up making off with $81 million. "The board took their eye off the ball," said Leonard Schrank, who was chief executive of SWIFT from 1992 to 2007. "They were focusing on other things, and not about the fundamental, sacred role of SWIFT, which is the security and reliability of the system." Schrank said he was broadly aware that users' terminals were a weak link in SWIFT's overall security, but paid too little attention to it. "So I am partially responsible," he said. The messaging business failed to act in part because the risks were not properly appreciated, the former directors and managers said. SWIFT did not comprehensively track security incidents or monitor the extent of sloppy security practices among users. It saw smaller banks as a potential but not immediate threat to the security of the network, according to the former managers and directors. Story continues SWIFT never acted, former board member Arthur Cousins said, because the organisation believed bank regulators rather than SWIFT were responsible for ensuring smaller banks' security procedures were robust enough to repel hackers. A spokeswoman for SWIFT, a cooperative owned by banks, defended the organization. "SWIFT and its Board have prioritised security, continually monitoring the landscape and responding by adapting the specific security focuses as threats have evolved. Today's security threats are not the same threats the industry faced five or ten years ago or even a year ago and like any other responsible organisation we adapt as the threat changes." SWIFT was, and still is, dominated by large Western banks, including Citibank, JP MORGAN, Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas, that built the network decades ago. That contributed to the lack of concern over security, said the former directors, because the larger banks tend to have sufficient defences to prevent criminals from hacking into their SWIFT systems. But since the 1990s, many smaller banks in emerging markets have joined SWIFT, and some may have weaker computer security. In all, more than 10,000 institutions are now connected to SWIFT. Gottfried Leibbrandt, CEO since 2012, said it was only with the benefit of "hindsight" that one could see that SWIFT needed to put more focus on security at customer terminals. "Hindsight is always a wonderful thing," he said. "Sometimes it takes a crisis to change things." RISE IN SMALL USERS In the Bangaldesh heist, hackers broke into a computer interface called Alliance Access, a piece of software sold by SWIFT for accessing its central network. It is still unclear exactly how the thieves gained entry. Bank Bangladesh has alleged that a botched upgrade of its system left vulnerabilities in it. SWIFT has rejected any responsibility for the way Bangladesh Bank upgraded its systems. Whatever specific weakness the thieves in the Bangladesh case exploited, former SWIFT directors and managers said the system became more vulnerable as it got bigger. Alessandro Lanteri, a former executive with Italian bank Unicredit who served on SWIFT's board between 1995 and 2000, said security challenges increased when smaller banks in emerging markets joined the SWIFT network. "The difficulty is always to keep the security system very effective when you deal with little banks and emerging countries," he said. "There, it is very difficult to be sure that all the procedures of security are managed in the correct way." The number of countries and territories covered by SWIFT swelled from 126 in 1994 to 200 in 2003 and 212 now. Bigger western banks considered SWIFT more cost effective and secure than alternative means of communication, Cousins said, and encouraged smaller banks to become members. But despite the rise in the number of smaller institutions as members, the big banks continued to dominate SWIFT. The organisation's revenues, which hit 710 million euros last year, are driven by a concentrated number of large western correspondent banks like Citigroup and HSBC, former SWIFT staff said. Traditionally, 90 percent of messaging revenue comes from banks in just 25 countries almost all developed nations data in the decade to 2011, the last year for which SWIFT published a breakdown, shows. Some people working at the coalface spotted evidence of deteriorating security well before this year's Bangladesh case. Two years ago, Martin Ullman, a Prague-based SWIFT consultant, was browsing a LinkedIn forum for SWIFT users when he saw a posting from a recently-appointed technician at the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI). The technician needed to install an upgrade to the bank's SWIFT messaging system but didn't know how. He wanted advice. Ullman emailed the man and told him that raising such issues in a public forum could endanger security and advised him to seek expert help. The technician said the bank couldn't afford it, and said he finally managed to install the system himself. CBSI declined to comment. Reuters was unable to contact the technician to confirm the incident. Yet security was vital: Six former directors of SWIFT said any breach of the broader system could put the bedrock of SWIFT the willingness of banks to accept messages at face value at risk. TRAIL OF INCIDENTS Hugh Cumberland, a former SWIFT executive who now advises banks on payments technologies, said he first saw security risks in 1993. He told Reuters that, when he was working as a technology contractor with BZW, an arm of BARCLAYS, in London. Cumberland arrived for work one day to be met by policemen carrying Heckler & Koch submachine guns. Two staff members had been arrested for attempting to use their access to a SWIFT terminal to send 10 million pounds of "unnamed client money" to accounts controlled by them. Cumberland did not know the outcome of the case. Both SWIFT and Barclays declined to comment. Another incident occurred in 1995, when officials at Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) began sending fraudulent payment instructions to Citibank, telling it to pay money from DIB's account at the U.S. bank into the account of a fraudster, according to a lawsuit DIB filed against Citibank in New York in 1999. More than $150 million was allegedly stolen by DIB executives in collaboration with Foutanga Dit Babani Sissoko, a West African businessman previously jailed for trying to bribe U.S. customs officials. Sissoko was deported from the United State before the DIB allegations were made in court. Reuters could not contact him. A lawyer involved in the case confirmed the messages were sent via SWIFT, which has a near monopoly on such international payment instructions. The court dismissed the claim of negligence against Citibank. The banks declined to comment on the case. (Swift was not involved in the legal proceedings.) More recently, thieves exploiting SWIFT systems stole $250,000 from Bangladesh's Sonali bank in 2013 and more than $12 million from Ecuador's Banco del Austro in 2015. Later in 2015, Vietnam's Tien Phong Bank foiled an attempt to steal money via SWIFT, which was reported by Reuters in May. SWIFT officials said the banks involved in these three cases did not immediately inform it of the incidents, though the banks did confirm them later. The senior management at SWIFT appears to have been unaware of the events. Leibbrandt told Reuters in May that, before the Bangladesh heist in February, he had not been told of any successful or unsuccessful attempt to steal money using SWIFT. Asked why SWIFT had not logged the incidents described above, a spokeswoman said: "SWIFT has always maintained an uncompromising focus on security as evidenced by our track record." CHANGING ATTITUDES Some former SWIFT executives and directors said the failure to spot the security risks around user terminals reflects weaknesses in SWIFT's board. Schrank, the chief executive from 1992 to 2007, said some directors lacked the experience needed to help steer such a big and important enterprise. "Generally the SWIFT board, with very few exceptions, are back-office payments people, middle to senior management," he said. Of 48 current and former non-executive SWIFT directors for whom Reuters could find career histories, only two sat on their employer's management board. Only one sat on the board of a listed company other than their employer. Fritz Klein, a former Credit Suisse banker who served on SWIFT's board from 1998 to 2002, said an even greater concern was the length of tenure of some members, which he said did not encourage fresh thinking. At any time, a third of members had been there for "very long, perhaps too long," he said. A spokeswoman for SWIFT said: "SWIFT's large and diverse group of Board members have decades of experience in operations, management, IT, risk assessment, and various other disciplines. SWIFT's Board composition includes long-standing members with a deep understanding of how SWIFT works, as well as newer members who contribute with a fresh outside view." The board is dominated by larger banks: the six countries which have the greatest messaging volume have the right to appoint two directors each. The next 10 largest user countries can appoint one each. Lanteri, the former Unicredit banker who used to be a SWIFT director, said: "When I was on the board I had no direct contact with the little countries." Board members came from all over the world, he said, but "from the most important banks." The Bangladesh heist has changed attitudes. In May, SWIFT published a new "customer security plan," promising to strengthen security on software tools such as Alliance Access; to develop new tools to spot when an account has been compromised and when a payment instruction deviates from normal patterns; and to allow banks to issue "stop payment" orders quickly. In July, SWIFT announced the creation of a "Forensics and Customer Security Intelligence team," in conjunction with cyber security firms BAE Systems1 and Fox- IT2. The team will gather information on any attempts to commit thefts through SWIFT, analyse the risks these attacks highlight and share the lessons with the wider SWIFT community. (Additional reporting by Andrew MacAskill in London; Edited by Richard Woods and Alessandra Galloni) obama loretta lynch On Monday night, news broke that one of the five largest insurers in the US, Aetna, was leaving 70% of the counties in which it offers insurance through the Affordable Care Act's public healthcare exchanges. The move was seen as a huge blow to the future of the act, making Aetna the third large insurer, after United Healthcare and Humana, to significantly reduce its Obamacare business. Aetna cited the large losses that the company has incurred from the exchange business $200 million in the second quarter alone when explaining its decision to roll back its business. These statements, however, appeared to be a dramatic turnaround from the company's first-quarter earnings call in April, when CEO Mark Bertolini said the firm planned to stay in the exchanges and that the company was "in a very good place to make this a sustainable program." Now, however, it appears a large reason for the shift in tone was the Department of Justice's lawsuit to block Aetna's merger with rival Humana. A July letter, acquired by Huffington Post reporters Jonathan Cohn and Jeffrey Young, outlined Aetna's thinking on the public exchanges if the deal with Humana were blocked. The letter from Bertolini to the DOJ outlined the effect of a possible merger on its Affordable Care Act business. For one thing, Bertolini notes that the cost savings from the Humana deal would allow the companies to further expand coverage into parts of the US. "As we add new territories, given the additional startup costs of each new territory, we will incur additional losses," the letter said. "Our ability to withstand these losses is dependent on our achieving anticipated synergies in the Humana acquisition." Additionally, the letter seemed to foretell the move on Monday. Here's the key passage (emphasis added): "Our analysis to date makes clear that if the deal were challenged and/or blocked we would need to take immediate actions to mitigate public exchange and ACA small group losses. Specifically, if the DOJ sues to enjoin the transaction, we will immediately take action to reduce our 2017 exchange footprint. Story continues "We currently plan, as part of our strategy following the acquisition, to expand from 15 states in 2016 to 20 states in 2017. However, if we are in the midst of litigation over the Humana transaction, given the risks described above, we will not be able to expand to the five additional states. "In addition, we would also withdraw from at least five additional states where generating a market return would take too long for us to justify, given the costs associated with a potential breakup of the transaction. In other words, instead of expanding to 20 states next year, we would reduce our presence to no more than 10 states." In other words, the cost of fighting the DOJ would make Aetna unable to sustain the losses incurred from the public exchanges. According to a letter from the DOJ provided by Aetna, the DOJ asked the company what the effect would be on the firm's Affordable Care Act business if the merger were not completed. Thus, Aetna responded with its letter. A spokesperson for Aetna said the decision to roll back the coverage was not because of the DOJ's lawsuit, but rather realizing the full details of the losses. The statement from the spokesperson reads, in part: "In the time since we submitted our written response to DOJ and provided a courtesy copy to [the Department of Health and Human Services], we gained full visibility into our second quarter individual public exchange results, which similar to other participants on the public exchanges showed a significant deterioration. That deterioration, and not the DOJ challenge to our Humana transaction, is ultimately what drove us to announce the narrowing of our public exchange presence for the 2017 plan year. "If the Humana transaction is eventually blocked, which we don't believe it will be, the underlying logic of our written response to DOJ would still apply with regard to the public exchanges where we will participate in 2017." In the original letter from Aetna to the DOJ, Bertolini said that if the company lost the lawsuit and the deal were eventually scuttled, Aetna would drop its remaining Affordable Care Act business and leave the public exchanges entirely. The DOJ declined to comment. The DOJ blocked the merger between Aetna and Humana, along with the merger of fellow big-five insurers Anthem and Cigna, on the grounds that consolidating the industry would lead to lower competition and higher costs for consumers. "They would leave much of the multitrillion health insurance industry in the hands of just three mammoth companies, restricting competition in key markets," Attorney General Loretta Lynch said when announcing the lawsuit to block the mergers. Typically the number of independent options available to consumers is correlated with lower costs. "If the big five were to become the big three, not only would the bank accounts of the American people suffer, but the American people themselves," Lynch said. The companies countered that the merger would not affect consumers and would allow the combined firms to be more cost-efficient and sustainable. Read the full letter from Bertolini, via The Huffington Post, here NOW WATCH: Couples improved their sex lives in a week with this one simple tip More From Business Insider West Coast fans of revered archival record label Numero Group can celebrate, as the Chicago-based label will travel from Bloomington, IN to Seattle, WA this fall to set up pop-up shops in several cities. According to a statement from the label, "on sale will be every in-print Numero CD, LP, cassette, 45, T-shirt, poster and whatever other additional weirdness they can cram into a 15-passenger van." After debuting in Indiana, the pop-up with touch down in six other cities before wrapping up in Seattle. It will be open for three days each in Los Angeles and Berkeley. Numero was founded in 2003 and is known for archival releases and reissues. "Were on a dirty, labor-intensive mission," the label's website declares, "and its urgent as all hell. Time kills off precious bits of passed-over sound, story, and ephemera every day, just as fast as we can haul this sprawling archive of under-heard recordings along with the musicians, writers, and entrepreneurs who created them out of exile." For several years, Numero has launched a pop-up shop in its hometown in April to commemorate Record Store Day. Since 2014, a Numero outlet has also taken root for a weekend in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. For those feeling left out back home in Chicago, the label recently opened a factory outlet on the city's South Side. Numero has also pressed 500 copies of Amethyst's "Midnight Rendezvous," a seven-inch that will only be available at that location. Numero Group Pop-Up Shop Tour October 7: Bloomington, IN - 213 S. Rogers October 8: Kansas City, MO - Mini Bar, 3810 Broadway Rd. October 10: Denver, CO - Studio C, 2700 Arapahoe St. October 12: Phoenix, AZ - Monorchid, 214 E. Roosevelt St. October 13 - 15: Los Angeles, CA - Rappcats, 5636 York Blvd. October 16 - 18: Berkeley, CA - 651 Addison St October 20: Portland, OR - The Cleaners, 403 SW 10th Ave. October 21: Seattle, WA - Seattle Center, 472 1st Ave. North October 22: Seattle, WA - Seattle Center, 472 1st Ave. North Related Content: A new study suggesting that children have a higher risk of behavior problems if their mothers took acetaminophen (Tylenol and generic) while pregnant has everyone's attention right now. After all, doctors still advise taking acetaminophen for pain and fever during pregnancy because of its presumed safetyas many as 7 out of every 10 expectant mothers takes the drug. So whats a pregnant mom supposed to do instead? For now, the best advice for pregnant women is to first continue to take Tylenol as advised by your physician, say if you have a fever; advises Consumer Reports Medical Director Orly Avitzur, M.D. Its still by far the safest option for most expectant mothers, she says. Otherwise, whenever possible, treat colds and minor aches and pains with nondrug measures, she notes. In the analysis, published online August 15 in JAMA Pediatrics, British researchers looked at more than 14,000 families in the U.K. Mothers reported their use of acetaminophen at 18 and 32 weeks into their pregnancy. Then, when kids were 7 years old, each of the mothers answered questions about her childs behavior issues, hyperactivity symptoms, and relationships with friends. Mothers who took acetaminophen during the third trimester had children with a slightly higher risk of behavioral problems: 6 percent of children in that group had behavior problems compared to 4 percent of those whose mothers didn't take the drug. One strength of this latest study is that it was designed to rule out some genetic and socioeconomic factors, says lead author Evie Stergiakouli, Ph.D., a professor of genetic epidemiology and statistical genetics at the University of Bristol in England. "We found that children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally are at increased risk of multiple behavioral difficulties and the associations do not appear to be explained by unmeasured behavioral or social factors," she says. "That indicates a possible biological effect of the drug. Story continues Use All Meds With Caution Still, the risks acetaminophen poses to a developing fetus seem to be slightif they exist at all, say our experts. And, acetaminophen continues to be a safer option than other pain relievers for most expectant mothers according to a 2015 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report. An FDA spokesperson told us that the agency is continuing to monitor the safety of pain relievers for pregnant women and is reviewing the findings of this newest study. Stergikouli says that her research shouldnt dissuade women from taking acetaminophen when they really need it. She points out that not treating severe pain or fever can harm both mothers and their unborn child. Leaving fever untreated, for example, can lead to premature labor, she says. This new evidence also makes a case for not treating every ache or sniffle with a medication if youre pregnant, says Avitzur. Nondrug measures can go a long way towards alleviating minor symptoms without the risk, she says. Massage, meditation, and relaxation exercises can help ease tension headaches and back pain, for example, and rest, fluids, and your favorite recipe of chicken soup are safer ways to manage cold symptoms. In fact, Avitzur advises women who are pregnant or may become pregnant to be extremely cautious about anything they take, not just acetaminophen. That includes OTC and prescription medications, as well as all vitamins, minerals, and herbals. For more information on the safety of medications during pregnancy, see our report. Editor's Note: This article and related materials are made possible by a grant from the state Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program, which is funded by the multistate settlement of consumer-fraud claims regarding the marketing of the prescription drug Neurontin (gabapentin). 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. Its a tough blow to train for four years to jump over hurdles, only to make it to the Olympics and jump straight through one. Unfortunately for Haitian hurdler Jeffrey Julmis, thats exactly what happened in his 100 meter hurdles semifinal in Rio on Tuesday. Julmis got to the first hurdler and never quite got off the ground. Like, it wasnt even close. As soon as he got to the first hurdle, Julmis kind of just kicked it and then flew head over heels and hit the ground with a thud. If you forget all the hard work hes surely put in to even make it to the semi-finals, its hilarious. In reality, its just as heartbreaking as it looks in this picture. Getty Image The Fort Lauderdale, FL native and Kansas State student was competing for his familys homeland of Haiti, just as he did in the 2012 Games in London where he failed to reach the semi-finals by 0.35 seconds. This time around he was able to advance, only to suffer an even worse fate with his chance to advance to the finals on the line. Despite the blunder, Julmis got up and finished the race, which drew cheers from the Brazilian crowd. He eventually crossed the finish line with a time of 25.56, almost 12 seconds behind the next hurdler, and was later disqualified. BAMAKO (Reuters) - One person was shot dead in Mali's capital on Wednesday and others were wounded as police opened fire to disperse a protest over the arrest of a talk show host who is a critic of the government, three Malian rights groups said in a statement. Police also fired tear gas to disperse the fans of Mohamed Youssouf Bathily, who was arrested on Monday and is due to be brought before a tribunal charged with an outrage against public decency, witnesses said. Bathily, who is known as Ras Bath, presents a show called Cards on the Table on Maliba FM radio, in which he often attacks policies of the government of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. Fresh protests are expected on Thursday, witnesses said. "Our organizations condemn the excessive use of lethal arms to maintain order and call on the authorities to identify and punish those responsible," said a statement from three rights groups including the Malian Association of Human Rights. The protest also reflected public discontent in Mali over corruption, unemployment, the cost of living and insecurity linked to separatist violence in the north of the country and attacks by Islamist militants. (Reporting by Adama Diarra; Writing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg; Editing by Andrew Roche) Donald Trump just shook up his campaign by naming two new executives to lead his campaign, essentially demoting campaign manager Paul Manafort. What does Trump's big campaign shake-up mean? And much more importantly, what should these new campaign handlers actually do? Trump was probably very unhappy with the results of his brief "go straight" strategy that culminated in his economic policy address last week in Detroit. In that speech, Trump made sure to emphasize all the same major talking points the Congressional Republicans and the party in general have emphasized for decades. He did introduce some more marketable new ideas, but the only real message anyone remembered was the same old mantra of cutting tax rates. And more importantly, the speech did nothing to stem his fall in the polls. By giving a leadership role to Breitbart co-founder Steve Bannon, someone who's been a strong critic of establishment Congressional Republicans and particularly House Speaker Paul Ryan, Trump is making it very clear he'd rather stick with the kind of sharp attacks and emotionally-laden rhetoric Breitbart is famous for. It's also the kind of firebrand attack mode Trump rode to the GOP nomination. It also means that same establishment GOP in Congress will now be running an almost completely separate campaign from the Trump forces, and in many cases they might be effectively running against one another. The meaning of Kellyanne Conway's hiring is a bit more nuanced. But it makes the most sense that someone like her with all her experience appearing on TV news is being brought in to be the new leading surrogate and spokesperson for the Trump campaign. In case you haven't noticed, a lot of those surrogates and spokespeople have made more embarrassing gaffes than even Trump himself for months now. Conway has just too much experience on camera not to stem that problem. Okay, that was the easy part. The harder part is trying to figure out what Bannon and Conway should specifically do that is, if Trump's campaign is even salvageable. Story continues The simple answer is that Bannon and Conway clearly aren't going to succeed if they try to change Trump. But there is a tremendous amount of work they can do to make Trump do what he does MUCH better. Let's start with Bannon and the unique skills the Breitbart machine brings to the table. You might think Trump already has no problem making controversial statements and cutting accusations against Hillary Clinton , and you'd be right. But let's face it, Breitbart does it better. It has better writers, a steelier focus, and just stays on message better than almost anyone. Trump may be a natural attack dog, but he's not a professional writer and it shows. If Bannon is allowed to grab copyediting controls over Trump's Twitter feed for instance, it could help. And Conway will need to do something about the still haphazard communications and organization throughout the Trump campaign. On one hand, it's refreshing to encounter a presidential campaign that isn't so slickly produced and a candidate who's willing to say anything without first having it vetted by a dozen advisors. But the Trump campaign goes too far to the other extreme. Communicating with his staff and getting reliable answers from them has been a challenge for months. There's been little evidence of even a minimum amount of coordination on several levels. It's come to the point that there's no reason to believe Trump even has a decent get out the vote plan in place. Conway should at least be able to diagnose that problem and take a stab at making the Trump machine a little less chaotic. Bannon and Conway have the potential to help Trump follow the example Harry Truman set in what looked like his hopeless campaign in 1948. Like Trump, Truman was well behind in the polls to Republican Thomas Dewey and running against a significant portion of his own fractured party. Dewey responded by almost dropping out of sight and confining his public comments to safe and empty platitudes like "Our future is ahead of us!" Clinton seems to be almost exactly copying that Dewey strategy. Truman's brilliant counter was to travel the country and keep pounding the Republican Congress at whistle stop after whistle stop. He never wavered in that focused attack. If Trump wants to recreate that part of Truman's shocking win in '48, hiring Bannon and Conway could be a great move. But if the sum total of Bannon's and Conway's contributions are just honing Trump's verbal attacks and making the staff act more professionally, that still won't be enough. That's because the Trump campaign has reached a major roadblock that Truman or really any other major presidential candidate has never had to face. The always very anti-Trump news media has now successfully begun to filter all of Trump's statements and immediately recast them as foolish or even suicidal. This is a toxic problem that Trump has contributed to and it's not going to go away now, no matter how much nastier or repetitive he gets. And simply delivering more "mainstream" messages won't work either, as the weak response to Trump's economic speech proves. For almost a year, Trump was able to do the most important thing in politics: connect with the voters in an emotional way. But right now, the only emotion Trump is eliciting is scorn. So how do you fix that? When words are literally failing you in politics, it's time to shift to actions and imagery. Trump can achieve that by stopping all the campaigning just from behind a rally podium or on his Twitter account and get out and actually visit some rough neighborhoods and interact with real people and not just shake a few hands at one of his rallies. This isn't just something Trump needs to do, as campaigning for national office by all candidates in recent years has become all about canned events and rallies that aren't even visually interesting, let alone authentic. On Tuesday night, Trump broached the subject of why African-Americans should support him because the Democrats have been bigoted in their lazy demands for the black vote without really doing anything to help minorities improve their lives. But as many critics have pointed out, Trump delivered that message in front of an almost all-white audience. Imagine if Trump went to a poor, black neighborhood in Milwaukee to make that message? Imagine if he pointed to a bombed-out building or crumbling school as he said it? He'd likely be almost surrounded by hecklers or at least people who will never vote for him, but the point of that kind of campaigning isn't to win over the voters in front of you, it's to win over the people watching the video of it at home. That's exactly what happened to Ronald Reagan when he visited the South Bronx in 1980. Yes, he was heckled and probably nobody he met that day from the neighborhood voted for him. But the pictures and video of Republican candidate wading into that territory were worth millions of votes and probably worth more than a billion words. And getting back to Truman, it's important that he crisscrossed the country on that campaign whistle stop tour, speaking in front of the kinds of people who would never go to a pre-planned rally or canned event that pass for "campaigning" today. It wouldn't matter all that much what Trump would say if he did something like this, the TV or smartphone could even be on mute. The real value would be just seeing him interacting with real people in a very real setting. The news media can hate Trump all it wants, and even attack or ridicule these interactions, but it would basically be forced to show that video in the end. Because that kind of imagery really looks presidential. Just sounding presidential, as everyone keeps urging Trump to do, is overrated. Oh and by the way, getting out among the voters in devastated areas would be a great move for Hillary Clinton to do as well as she needs to stop simply being the anti-Trump and look more presidential herself. But I'm doubtful that someone who's built a powerful internet website based on words alone like Bannon, and an experienced studio news show pundit like Conway are the most likely people to even realize they need to execute this crucial shift in the Trump strategy. And yet, this is exactly what Trump should do. Until he finds someone who can convince him to do so and actually amass a staff that can pull it off, no amount of campaign shuffles will change Trump's fortunes. Commentary by Jake Novak, supervising producer of " Power Lunch ." Follow him on Twitter @jakejakeny. For more insight from CNBC contributors, follow @CNBCopinion on Twitter. (Reuters) - The first of 26 people on trial for their roles in a weeks-long takeover of an Oregon wildlife refuge in January has been sentenced to 2-1/2 years in federal prison, the Oregonian newspaper reported. Corey Lequieu was sentenced on Tuesday in federal court in Oregon for conspiracy in connection with the armed takeover of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge, the newspaper reported. In addition to time in prison, he was also sentenced under a plea deal to three years of supervised release, the newspaper said. Lequieu, then 44, was among the armed protesters who occupied the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge from Jan. 2 over grazing and other rights to use federally-owned land in the Western United States. In May, he agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to impede officers of the U.S. government from doing their jobs, court documents show. Leaders of the protest, including ranchers and anti-government activists Ammon and Ryan Bundy, are set to go on trial as soon as next month. Their armed standoff had lasted about six weeks. The Bundys were arrested in January along with nine other protesters on a snow-covered roadside where a spokesman for the group, Robert "LaVoy" Finicum, was shot and killed by Oregon State Police. Authorities later said the shooting was later deemed "justified and necessary." (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, editing by G Crosse) Los Angeles (AFP) - Oscar-nominated director and former Academy president Arthur Hiller died of natural causes in Los Angeles on Wednesday. He was 92. The Canadian-born filmmaker enjoyed a movie career spanning five decades that included the 1964 comedy "The Americanization of Emily," ratings smash "Love Story" -- for which he was nominated for an Oscar in 1970 -- and 1975's "The Man in the Glass Booth." "We are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved friend Arthur Hiller," Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said in a statement. "I was a member of the board during his presidency and fortunate enough to witness firsthand his dedication to the Academy and his lifelong passion for visual storytelling." Born in Edmonton, Alberta, Hiller served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II before embarking on a show-business career on Canadian television and then in Hollywood. A jobbing director at first, he turned out episodes of "Matinee Theatre," "Playhouse 90" and "The Third Man" in the 1950s. His breakthrough into big-budget filmmaking came with Disney's "Miracle of the White Stallions" (1963). Hiller headed the Directors Guild of America (DGA) from 1989 to 1993 before serving as Academy president from 1993 to 1997. The Academy honored him in 2001 with its Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for his work with several charities, educational institutions and civil rights groups. DGA president Paris Barclay described Hiller as "a tireless crusader in the fight for creative rights and a passionate film preservation advocate" whose impact would be felt "for generations to come." "As guild president, Arthur was a warm and nurturing father figure who was deeply concerned with the personal and professional wellbeing of every one of our members," he said in a statement. Story continues DGA national executive director Jay D. Roth described Hiller's presidency as "marked by a singular passion for and deep moral obligation" to protecting members' creative freedom. "His spirited leadership as founding chairman of the Artists Rights Foundation in the early 1990s was instrumental in safeguarding against the physical alteration of our members' creative work, both in film and television," he said. "As Arthur once said with his famously matter-of-fact panache, 'Just because you bought the Mona Lisa, doesn't mean you have the right to paint a mustache on her.'" Hiller is survived by his daughter, Erica Hiller Carpenter, son Henryk and five grandchildren. Gwen Hiller, his wife of 68 years, died in June. Toya Wright couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I got a call from my sister-in-law and she was like, 'Your brothers just got shot,'" recalls Wright, who was hosting a party in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at the time of the call. "The music was loud and I'm [thinking], this can't be real." Wright's brothers Ryan "Rudy" Johnson, 24, and Joshua "Fish" Johnson, 31, were discovered shot to death inside a car in New Orleans' seventh ward on July 31, according to police. "We have not publicly identified a suspect or suspects in the case at this time," police spokesman Tyler Gamble tells PEOPLE. "The investigation is ongoing." On the night of the shooting, Wright, 32, tells PEOPLE she started calling her relatives but no one would pick up the phone. "I guess they didn't want to tell me what was really going on," she says. The Painful Moment Toya Wright Learned Her Brothers Were Killed: 'I Just Knew'| Murder, True Crime, Reality TV Eventually, she spoke to her sister-in-law again, who told Wright that her brothers were still inside the car, the crime scene was cordoned off and no one was allowed near the vehicle. "When she said that," Wright explains, "I just knew." Wright, who is the ex-wife of Lil Wayne and shares 17-year-old daughter Reginae Carter with the rapper, drove to New Orleans to join her family. "It was the worst news ever," she says. "Murders happen every day and this is another dark night in New Orleans. You hear about stories like this all the time, but it doesn't really hit you until you get that call. It hits so close to home." For more on how Toya is healing, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. The Painful Moment Toya Wright Learned Her Brothers Were Killed: 'I Just Knew'| Murder, True Crime, Reality TV The New York Times best-selling author has been trying to stay busy since she buried her brothers on Aug. 5. She appears on WeTV's Marriage Boot Camp and is preparing to release a memoir next month, titled In My Own Words. Although recent events have made life overwhelming at times, Wright is trying to stay strong. "I'm praying day and night because it hurts," she says. "I really understand what it means to have a hole in your heart." By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ali Sawafta GAZA/RAMALLAH (Reuters) - Palestinian political parties began registering candidates for municipal elections on Wednesday, the first step in years toward a democratic vote but one that threatens to re-inflame tensions between the rival Fatah and Hamas movements. The Palestinian Authority based in Ramallah, in the Israeli- occupied West Bank, has called the elections for Oct. 8, with an estimated two million Palestinians eligible to cast ballots. Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, has given its backing to the process and is ramping up its electoral machine, hoping to mount as strong a challenge as possible to the Western-backed Fatah led by President Mahmoud Abbas. In that respect, the municipal ballot is seen as a proxy for legislative elections, which were last held 10 years ago. No new date has been set for either legislative or presidential elections, despite the mandates having long since expired. The electoral process has repeatedly been scuppered by tensions between Fatah and Hamas, which have frequently spilled over into violence, and it remains to be seen whether the municipal vote will in fact go ahead as planned. "If this election succeeds, it will be the first breakthrough toward reconciliation," said Hanna Nasser, the chairman of the Palestinian Central Election Committee. "Better to begin late rather than never." The last municipal ballot was held in 2012, although voting only took place in a fraction of the West Bank's 350 municipalities, and Hamas in Gaza did not recognize it. The last legislative election was held in 2006 and Hamas scored a surprise victory. That laid the ground for a political rupture - Hamas and Fatah fought a short civil war in Gaza in 2007, since when Hamas has governed the small coastal enclave. While some hope local elections will help mend fences between the factions, there are doubts whether either party will recognize the outcome and whether it will foster stability. "Whether they happen or not, it will not change the current status," said Hani Habib, a political analyst based in Gaza. "The same factors that have undermined all previous attempts to end the division still exist, first among them the lack of will by either side to end the division," he said. While registration has only just begun, the rivals are already exchanging accusations. Hamas says the Fatah-backed Palestinian Authority is cracking down on Islamist rivals in the West Bank, arresting some and hindering its campaign there, while Fatah says Hamas has threatened its members in Gaza. "Arrests will only increase the support for Hamas and despite our condemnation, we are determined to go ahead with the vote," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said. Fatah's spokesman, Osama Al-Qawasmi, said: "Hamas must stop sabotaging the election. We want these elections to be a road toward unity and not to prolong division." (Writing by Nidal Almughrabi; editing by Luke Baker/Mark Heinrich) Participant Media plans to shut down its flagging cable TV outlet, Pivot, as the multi-media company continues a makeover that began last fall with the hiring of CEO David Linde. The channel that created shows like Joseph Gordon Levitts crowd-sourced HitRecord will go dark some time in the late fall or winter, a decision the company plans to announce Wednesday morning. Participant founder Jeff Skoll had invested well over $200 million to form the new linear television network, but it launched right at a time that viewers particularly its target audience of millennials were fleeing traditional television for online alternatives. Some of the channels programs won critical favor, like Fortitude, a drama about the oddball denizens of a town in the Arctic, Please Like Me, an Australian relationship dramedy and Secret Lives of Americans, a reality-style show with everyday people exposing their secrets via cameras, cell phones and laptops. But Pivot never found a mass audience or made a significant dent in the popular conscience. Parent company Participant has gotten much more traction with feature and documentary films it financed including An Inconvenient Truth, Syriana, Lincoln and The Help. We must decide how to allocate resources to achieve the companys objectives, Linde said in an interview. We believe in our ability to create compelling content, and to support our mission we want to expand our output to ensure that we have a steady drumbeat of content available to a global audience. That content could be distributed via Participants own digital platform or sold to other cable and streaming outlets. Related Content Former Participant CEO Jim Berk Joins PodcastOne Participant will let the channel go dark, just 3 1/2 years after it paid an unknown amount to buy the Doumentary Channel and the emerging cable network Halogen TV to create pivot. The fact that there is no buyer for the channel underscores the extreme pressure on niche cable channels to survive in a fragmented TV world. Smaller outlets that lack must-have programming are increasingly struggling to hold on to traditional MVPD carriage deals. Story continues Linde said the competitive landscape for a stand-alone, linear TV operation had simply become too difficult. He noted that the reduction in big MVPDs from six to four had reduced the leverage for independent cable operators. The flight of subscribers from cable made attracting an audience even more difficult. Even some of those sticking with linear television have done so via skinny bundles that typically exclude obscure outlets like Pivot. All those demand challenges come as the supply of quality programming has skyrocketed in cost, given the fierce competition in the multi-channel, multi-platform universe. The company did not reveal how many employees would be laid off as a result of the Pivot shutdown. Management was scheduled to meet with the stations staff Wednesday to provide details. Looking at the environment, we asked ourselves, Can we compete in this market as a standalone cable television network? Linde said. The answer was that we would not have been sufficiently competitive to achieve our larger ambition. One-time eBay chief executive Skoll created Participant in 2004 with an eye toward promoting the social good, along with making a profit. Linde said that the impending renewal of some of those deals did not influence the shutdown decision. Over the year that Pivots fate was being decided, Participant hired a consultant to lead a search for a strategic partner, in the way that BBC America struck a deal with AMC Networks. But little-known Pivot was not seen as enough of a lure among potential partners such as Discovery Communications, A+E Networks and 21st Century Fox. Although it became apparent that investing in content was a smarter play than maintaining a legacy linear outlet, Linde said he and Skoll still found it hard to put an end to Pivot. Its always a difficult decision to make any time you have to part ways with good people the CEO said. In a prepared statement, Linde sought to deflect any of the onus for the shutdown from Pivots employees. The networks real achievements can be wholly attributed to the Pivot team, of whom we are incredibly proud, he said. This very talented groups commitment to our broader mission has been absolute, and we are very grateful for their significant contributions to the organization. Cynthia Littleton contributed to this story. Related stories David Linde Talks About His Career, China, the Future of Film at Locarno Ileen Reich Named Senior VP of Publicity at Participant Media TV News: Taye Diggs Joins 'Empire,' 'Gotham' Casts Mad Hatter By Tracy Rucinski and Jim Christie (Reuters) - Bankrupt coal company Peabody Energy won U.S. court approval on Wednesday for agreements with three states to partially cover $1.14 billion in potential environmental liabilities and for a bonus plan for its six top executives. Under the agreements, Wyoming can receive $127 million in cash if Peabody walks away from its mine cleanup obligations in the state while in bankruptcy, while New Mexico would receive $32 million and Indiana would get $17 million. Until now those liabilities were covered by a federal program known as self-bonding. It allows the largest miners to extract coal without setting aside cash or collateral. The program is currently under review. Peabody's agreements with Wyoming, New Mexico and Indiana are similar to deals reached by bankrupt coal miners Arch Coal and Alpha Natural Resources on self-bonds in Wyoming and West Virginia. Peabody also overcame objections by funds affiliated with the United Mine Workers of America to its executive bonus plan. The plan and another incentive plan for non-insider employees proposed setting aside up to $16.2 million in bonuses. Peabody's executive leadership team would be eligible for the bonuses if they hit performance targets through the end of next year. The funds had argued the bonuses for the executives were unfair and retentive in nature. Bonus plans in bankruptcies routinely come under scrutiny, especially by the U.S. trustee, over concerns they are mainly intended to keep insiders from quitting. Bonus plans emerged as an alternative way to reward company leaders after changes to the U.S. bankruptcy code in 2005 essentially abolished retention payments for top executives while companies were slashing payrolls. To win court approval, debtors must prove the plans pay for performance rather than simply substitute for retention payments. Hurt by weak prices for coal and unable to service $10.1 billion in debt, much of it incurred to finance expansion into Australia, Peabody filed for bankruptcy in April. The case is In re Peabody Energy Corp, in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of Missouri, No. 16-42529-399. (Reporting by Jim Christie; Editing by Tom Brown) Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 Kathleen Kane Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane announced on Tuesday that she is stepping down, Reuters reported, following her conviction in a perjury trial. "I have been honored to serve the people of Pennsylvania and I wish them health and safety in all their days," Kane said in a statement. Kane was found guilty on all charges on Monday in a jury trial in which she faced two counts of perjury and 10 misdemeanor counts of abusing the powers of her office. In a separate statement, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf said "[Kane's] decision to resign is the right one, and will allow the people of Pennsylvania to finally move on from this situation." The trial centered on a scandal in which Kane allegedly gave sealed grand jury documents to the press with the intent of damaging her political rival and former state prosecutor, Frank Fina. Kane and Fina's longstanding feud raged on both sides, sometimes manifesting in attempts to subvert one another. Kathleen Kane Separately, Kane was embroiled in a re-examination of the Jerry Sandusky molestation case after she claimed to have found inappropriate emails exchanged between officials involved in the matter. Kane alleged the charges in her perjury trial were levied to prevent scandalous findings surrounding that case from being released, Reuters noted. Bruce Castor, Kane's deputy, will take over as acting attorney general. Kane could face up to seven years in prison. She is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 24. NOW WATCH: INSTANT POLL: Americans viewed Clinton's convention speech more favorably than Trump's More From Business Insider Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 goldfish lake If you've ever dumped a pet goldfish in a nearby body of water and thought your act was harmless, think again. The seemingly innocent creatures are wreaking havoc on ecosystems around the globe. In April 2015, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials faced an infestation of 4,000 goldfish in a lake in Boulder County a few years after someone was believed to have dumped a handful of pet goldfish into a nearby lake. In 2013, wildlife officials in California reported that the fish had begun taking over Lake Tahoe, likely after pet owners had tossed them there. And for the past 12 years, goldfish populations have been surging in the Vasse River in southwestern Australia, where researchers say the public's well-intentioned disposal practice is a big part of the problem. goldfish lake! The problem is not just that tons of tiny goldfish are in streams where there previously were none the fish are also growing to massive sizes, in some cases getting as big as 4 pounds, according to Dr. Stephen Beatty, a professor at Murdoch University who has been leading research on how best to address the problem in southwest Australia. He and his team members regularly found goldfish weighing about 2 pounds, they told Australian radio station 720 ABC Perth. In Lake Tahoe, US Forest Service fish biologists reported being well acquainted with the supersized fish, which often weighed several pounds and measured between 4 and 8 inches. giant fish 2 In each case, local dumping appears to play a serious role. "Perhaps they were kids' pets where the family have been moving house and their parents, not wanting to take the aquarium, have dumped them in the local wetlands," Beatty told 720 ABC Perth. Story continues Since the goldfish are a nonnative species in these area, wildlife officials are concerned that they are threatening the natural aquatic ecosystem. "It's a bad thing it's a really bad thing," Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson Jennifer Churchill told Fox 31 News last year. "They'll start eating up everything that the native fish and the amphibians and the birds are here to eat, and so that can have a really negative effect down the road and this can kill this fishery in a few years." teller lake skitch But questions about how the populations grew to such massive proportions were still boggling scientists. A paper that Beatty and his team published August 12 in the journal Ecology of Freshwater Fish found that goldfish, who were assumed to be pretty limited in terms of how far they could travel, can actually travel long distances to feed and forage, Mashable reported. The researchers also found evidence that the fish are migrating to nearby wetlands and reproducing, which further fuels their population growth. "Just letting go of a pet, no matter how innocuous you think it is in your aquarium or how pretty it is, can potentially cause a lot of damage," Beatty told Mashable. Amanda Macias contributed reporting. NOW WATCH: Forget the gross factor: There are serious health reasons for why you shouldn't pick your nose More From Business Insider On Aug 16, 2016, we issued an updated research report on New Jersey-based Phibro Animal Health Corporation PAHC a leading global diversified animal health and mineral nutrition company. The company provides a broad range of products for food animals including poultry, swine, beef and dairy cattle as well as aquaculture. Ahead of its fourth-quarter fiscal 2016 earnings, we note that, Phibro is advancing well with its Animal Health product portfolio. We are encouraged to note that, Phibro is a leading provider of Medicated Feed Additives (MFA) products and is well poised to capture the huge and growing animal health market worldwide. Data by Vetnosis (a research and consulting firm specializing in global animal health and veterinary medicine) also supports our view with their projected CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of approximately 5.9% (from 20142019) for MFA products. In terms of revenues, Phibro was the third largest business in the MFA sector. Currently, the company is focused on expanding its footprint in the poultry, swine and cattle industries in both the domestic and international markets. The complementary nature of its animal health and mineral nutrition portfolio provides Phibro with unique cross-selling opportunities that can aid in reaching out to new customers or reinforce relationships with existing ones. Moreover, the company has been expanding its share in many significant emerging markets for quite some time now. Of late, the company has ramped up penetration of some of its specialties in the dairy industry in the Latin and South American markets. Currently, the company is expanding its dairy business in the markets of Australia, Brazil and Mexico. However, considerable customer consolidations are anticipated to consequently elevate the product pricing pressures that Phibros business faces. Additionally Phibro also faces competition from generic alternatives of some of its products that may weigh on its future financial health and operational performance. Story continues Currently, Phibro carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Key Picks in the Sector Some of the better-ranked medical products stocks are NuVasive, Inc. NUVA, Quidel Corp. QDEL and GW Pharmaceuticals plc GWPH. All the three stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report PHIBRO ANIMAL (PAHC): Free Stock Analysis Report NUVASIVE INC (NUVA): Free Stock Analysis Report GW PHARMA-ADR (GWPH): Free Stock Analysis Report QUIDEL CORP (QDEL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Renown designer and architect Philippe Starck has made his first move into the world of perfumery, with the launch of his own artisanal fragrance range: "Parfums Starck Paris". Introduced by his licensee, Perfumes y Diseno Group, the first offering from the Parfums Starck Paris range will debut on August 21 as a collection of three eaux de toilettes to be carried exclusively at Neiman Marcus and Neimanmarcus.com. According to WWD, Starck spent almost three years concocting the first set of scents, which have been formulated around out-of-the-box concepts such as "Peau D'Ailleurs", which aims to capture the scent of "elsewhere". Starck also hinted that the next collection of three fragrances will come out next year, with yet another three in the pipeline, slated for release in 2018. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday hit out at "stupid" United Nations' criticism of his controversial crime war that has claimed 1,000 lives, warning the global body not to interfere. The political outsider, who swept to a landslide election victory in May largely on a pledge to kill tens of thousands of criminals, said he would continue his anti-drug crackdown despite mounting criticism, including from UN chief Ban Ki-moon. "Why would the United Nations be so easily swayed into interfering in the affairs of this republic? There are only 1,000 (killed)," he said at an event marking the 115th anniversary of the police force. Ban Ki-moon in June condemned Duterte's apparent support for extrajudicial killings, saying they were "illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms". The UN's anti-drugs office also this month said it was "greatly concerned" by reports of extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users in the Philippines. The UN has made "a very stupid proposition", Duterte said, warning them not to meddle in the country's politics. "What's the problem? You inject politics. Only one thousand died and you put my country in peril, in jeopardy," he said. He told foreign human rights watchdogs not to "investigate us as though we are criminals," and warned they would not be treated well in the Philippines. Duterte, who took office on June 30, ordered a bloody war on crime that has left 1,054 people dead since the May elections, according to the country's largest broadcaster ABS-CBN. This includes people killed in police operations, and more than 400 people murdered by mysterious vigilantes. Duterte won the election on a promise to wage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives. He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist guerrillas to join in the bloodshed. He has repeatedly scoffed at human rights groups opposed to the killings. Papua New Guinea's prime minister Wednesday sought to sooth anger about his government's increased stake in a mine at the centre of a decade-long civil war in Bougainville by giving part of it to the local community. The huge Panguna mine on Bougainville island is one of the South Pacific's largest mines for copper and gold but has been shut since 1989 after continuous attacks by secessionist rebels in a conflict that has cost an estimated 10,000 lives. Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto had a 53.8 percent stake in Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), which controls the facility, but last month said it would gift its share to the PNG government and Bougainville's autonomous administration in a move that would leave both parties with a 36.4 percent stake. It was the first time Bougainville's autonomous administration had owned a stake in Panguna. But the news angered local politicians, with Bougainville President John Morris' saying then that his community could not accept equal or majority control of BCL by Port Moresby. PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill told parliament on Wednesday his government -- which already has a 19 percent share of BCL -- would transfer the 17.4 percent stake gifted from Rio to Bougainville to "help to alleviate some of the legacy issues of the past". "With this transfer, the people of Bougainville will own a combined shareholding of 53.8 percent of BCL," he added. "This ownership will also give landowners and the people direct control over environmental issues of any future mine development that will take place. "By transferring these BCL shares to the people we are further strengthening the confidence of Bouigainvilleans in the peace process." There has been ongoing political sensitivities about Bougainville, which was granted autonomy by the PNG government in June 2005 and is expected to hold a referendum on independence in the next few years. PNG is due to hold national elections next year. Story continues Bougainville's separatist conflict was the bloodiest in the Pacific since World War II, and ended when the New Zealand government helped broker a truce signed by all factions in 1997. Before it was closed, the mine produced copper concentrate for 17 years, which represented 44 percent of PNG's total export earnings at that time. Arguments over environmental damage and compensation from its operation had been central to the conflict. (Adds quote, details) WARSAW, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Poland's KGHM on Wednesday reported a bigger than expected fall in net profit in the first half of 2016 on the back of losses on its foreign assets driven by rising costs and falling copper prices. The state-run miner, which is Europe's No.2 copper producer, reported a 75 percent fall in its consolidated net profit to 296 million zlotys ($77.57 million), while analysts had expected the result to come in at 406 million zlotys. The group said in the half-year the net loss of KGHM International, which includes KGHM's foreign assets, rose to 533 million zlotys in the period from 295 million last year, mostly due to losses in its Chilean copper mine Sierra Gorda. WARSAW, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Net profit at Europe's No.2 copper producer, Polish KGHM, fell 75 percent year on year in the first half of this year, as lower copper prices continued to weigh on results, especially at its overseas assets, it said on Wednesday. The state-run firm posted a consolidated net result of 296 million zlotys ($77.65 million) compared to 1.19 billion zlotys a year earlier and 406 million zlotys expected by analysts. The company did not publish a net profit for the second quarter, but according to Reuters calculations it stood at 135 million zlotys and came in below analysts' expectations at 245 million zlotys. At a stand-alone level, on which KGHM's dividends are based, the miner booked a 49 percent fall in net profit to 668 million zlotys, compared to 704 million zlotys seen in Reuters poll. ($1 = 3.8120 zlotys) (Reporting by Agnieszka Barteczko, editing by David Evans) Perhaps it isn't surprising, given the intense rhetoric of this year's presidential election, that politicians have started throwing around accusations of insanity. In early August, California Rep. Karen Bass, a Democrat, launched the hashtag #DiagnoseTrump and started a change.org petition claiming the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, meets the diagnostic criteria for Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Not long after, Trump called Hillary Clinton "unstable," and at a rally in New Hampshire said, "Shes got problems." The candidates' verbal volley highlights a persistent stigma about mental illness in politics. In the past, an admission of mental health problems was a death knell to political careers. In recent years, a few members of Congress have been open about getting treatment for mental illness, but they remain few and far between. Nevertheless, there's good evidence that even some of the most beloved presidents in American history might have met the modern criteria for mental illness. Heroic ideal? The presidency is a high-pressure job, and one that Americans typically view through almost a fairy-tale lens. [The 5 Strangest Presidential Elections in US History] "Americans have a version of the presidency in mind, the textbook presidency, that bears very little relationship to the actual job of being president," said Jennifer Mercieca a historian of American political rhetoric at Texas A&M University. Political scientists talk about "heroic expectations" for presidents that they'll be generally good-hearted, magnanimous and well-meaning. Their health, both mental and physical, is a part of these expectations, Mercieca told Live Science. "There's definitely a politics of 'fitness' for office," she said. "Using that word as a pun." In not-so-long-ago elections, mental health issues stalled political ambitions. Perhaps the most famous example was Thomas Eagleton, the 1972 vice presidential pick of Democratic Party presidential nominee George McGovern. Only a few weeks after being chosen, Eagleton withdrew from the ticket after it became public that he'd been treated with electroshock therapy for depression. He went on to a successful career in the Senate, and then worked as an attorney and professor until his death in 2007. Story continues Some politicians have sought to be open about their mental health struggles. Lynn Rivers, a Democrat from Michigan, who served in Congress between 1995 and 2003, was open about having bipolar disorder. Sean Barney, a Democrat who is running to represent Delaware in the House of Representatives, has spoken about coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his time in the Marines in Iraq, where he was left partially paralyzed after being shot by a sniper. Ruben Gallego, D-Arizona, is another Iraq-veteran-turned-congressman who has talked about seeking help for PTSD. In the executive branch, however, candidates and presidents have been mum on their own mental health. When John McCain ran in the Republican presidential primary in 2000, he faced a whisper campaign alleging that he was mentally unstable from his time in a Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camp. He released his medical records to the press to counter the rumors. Presidential pressure Attitudes toward mental illness have changed since Eagleton lost his shot at the vice presidency. In 1990, Florida gubernatorial candidate Lawton Chiles disclosed that he was taking the antidepressant Prozac. His competition in the Democratic primary, Bill Nelson, said the prescription raised "serious questions" over whether Chiles would be able to perform as governor. But Chiles won the primary, and went on to defeat the Republican nominee and incumbent governor in the general election. When reached in 2015 by Politico about that race, Nelson said, "Knowing what I know now, I never would have said such a thing about [Chiles] or anyone else." Although the understanding of mental illnesses as biological diseases and no more the result of a character flaw than cancer or lupus has expanded, more subtle forms of bias against the mentally ill persist. Several studies have examined implicit biases against people with mental illnesses. Implicit biases are subtle, and people may not consciously realize they have them. Researchers uncover them with rapid word-association tasks. People with an implicit bias against the mentally ill are quicker to associate the word "depressive" with "unpleasant" than "pleasant," for example. A 2006 study in the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, for example, found more negative implicit attitudes toward people with mental illnesses than people with physical illnesses, even among those diagnosed with a mental illness themselves. A 2011 study in the same journal found that people claimed to have similar feelings about depression and physical illnesses, but were more implicitly negative about depression. Despite all this, there's evidence that some people with mental illness have made it to the White House and even into the pantheon of most-admired presidents. A 2006 study in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders took a stab at evaluating the mental health of 37 U.S. presidents, starting with George Washington and ending with Richard Nixon. With caveats about the difficulty of psychologically diagnosing the dead, three psychiatrists analyzed the biographies of these figures and concluded that 18 of them may have had psychiatric disorders at some point. Ten seemed to have been affected while in office. [Top 10 Stigmatized Health Disorders] Among those 10: John Adams, who may have had bipolar II, a disorder marked by depressions and periods of low-level mania. Franklin Pierce, who saw his 11-year-old son (his last surviving child) crushed in a train accident just after his election, may have had depression and abused alcohol. Abraham Lincoln regularly ranks in the top three greatest presidents of all time in historian polls, Mercieca said. He also had recurrent depression. Like Pierce, Lincoln lost children. One son, Edward, died in 1850 at age 4. Another, William, died in 1862, while his father was in the White House. Teddy Roosevelt may have had bipolar I disorder, featuring more extreme mood swings than bipolar II, according to the 2006 study. William Howard Taft could have had a breathing-related sleep disorder. Woodrow Wilson seemed to display signs of depression during his time in office (he also had a stroke during his presidency). Calvin Coolidge had depressive symptoms during his time in office, as did Herbert Hoover, the researchers wrote. Lyndon Johnson frightened his cabinet with dark moods and may have had bipolar disorder. A 1988 article by his special assistant Richard Goodwin argued that Johnson became pathologically paranoid during his time in office. Finally, Nixon showed signs of alcohol abuse, the researchers wrote. Some of these presidents were bad leaders (Pierce regularly ranks in the lowest quartile in historian surveys) and others were great (Roosevelt almost always shows up in the top 25 percent in historian polls), rankings recently published by the nonprofit policy group The Brookings Institution show. Likewise, the eight presidents who had psychological issues that manifested before, but not during, their presidencies, were a mixed bag, the rankings published by Brookings show. Ulysses S. Grant, whose struggles with alcoholism caused scandals during the Civil War, is low-rated by historians. Thomas Jefferson, who met criteria for social phobia early in life, and James Madison, who at times seemed depressed, are both considered above-average presidents and beloved founding fathers. 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. Correction Appended, Aug 17 2016 If Hillary Clinton became the President of the United States, three out of five Donald Trump supporters in Texas would support a bid by the state to secede from the Union, according to a new poll. Trump is leading in the state with 50% of voters, while the Democrat has 44% of voters, according to the survey released Tuesday by the Democratic pollster Public Policy Polling. According to the poll, 61% of Trump supporters would want the state to secede if Clinton became president. Overall, 40% of Texans would support secession if Clinton is victorious in November. The survey found that Texans have an overall unfavorable opinion of both of the candidates, with 59% for Clinton and 53% for Trump. Trumps lead is based entirely on him holding a 63% to 33% advantage among the states seniors, according to PPP. Clinton leads Trump among voters under 65 by a four point advantage. PPP, known for asking often humorous questions on surveys, inserted fictional candidates Deez Nuts and Harambe, the fallen gorilla who has achieved internet fame since his death, into a four-way poll. Trump received 47% of the vote, Clinton 38%, Deez Nuts 3% and Harambe 2 percent. The survey was conducted August 12th to 14th among 944 likely voters int he state of Texas, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2%. Correction: The original version of this story misstated the polls findings. It found that three out of five Texans who support Trump would want the state to secede if Clinton wins the election. Rome (AFP) - Pope Francis on Wednesday granted French President Francois Hollande a private audience, three weeks after Islamist militants killed an elderly French priest by slitting his throat in front of worshippers. Hollande, accompanied by Interior Minister Bernard Cazenueuve, flew into Rome against the backdrop of a mounting row over moves by French seaside towns to ban burkinis, an issue he described as "not for today." Speaking after a pre-audience visit to the St Luigi dei Francesi (Saint-Louis-des-Francais), France's national church in the Italian capital, Hollande said that was not what he had come to talk about. "I want to discuss religious freedom, secularism and unity with respect for everyone," said Hollande, who has clashed in the past with the Vatican over gay rights issues. "French secularism's message is one which unites, not one that wounds," he said. "The Republic must defend the right to believe and also to not believe. "When a religious figure is assassinated, the Republic is also profaned." Hollande's gay marriage legislation was fervently attacked by the Church and a diplomatic stand-off over the Church's refusal to accept an openly gay man as France's ambassador to the Holy See was only recently resolved. But Hollande said France had been very grateful for the Pope's solidarity following the killing of 85-year-old priest Jacques Hamel by two teenagers claiming allegiance to the Islamic State group. "The pope's worlds were very comforting," Hollande said. "He confided in me that he felt like a brother at the side of the French people." Francis and Hollande spoke by telephone hours after Hamel's murder while he was celebrating mass at his church in a town near Rouen -- Hollande's birthplace -- on July 26. The following day, the pope said of Hamel: "This holy priest who died in the moment of offering prayers for the church is one (victim). But how many Christians, innocents, children?" Story continues Adel Kermiche and Abdel Malik Petitjean slit Hamel's throat in front of a small group of worshippers before both were shot dead by police. The attack, the first committed in the name of IS against a church in the West, came less than a fortnight after a jihadist drove a 19-tonne truck into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day on the seafront in the French coastal resort of Nice, killing 85 people and wounding more than 400. It was Hollande's second visit to the Vatican as president. His first trip was in January 2014. Aides to the Socialist leader have said the latest trip will mark a "tightening of ties". Observers in France say Hollande is also anxious to shore up support amongst Catholic voters ahead of next year's presidential election. From Road & Track A few months back, we reported that Porsche was considering a new coupe based on the redesigned Panamera. That news came from Porsche North America CEO Klaus Zellmer who said in an interview that U.S. customers had been asking for one. But if the latest rumor is accurate, even customer demand might not be enough to make the Panamera coupe a reality. Motortrend reports that Porsche executives considered the idea but ultimately decided to shelve it. The reason? They were afraid a Panamera coupe would take sales away from the next-generation Bentley Continental GT. It's just a rumor from anonymous sources at the moment, so it could easily turn out to be false. But if it's true, that's disappointing to hear. The idea of Porsche turning the Panamera into a modern version of the 928 is appealing, as is the idea of a Porsche competitor for the BMW 6 Series and the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. It's understandable that Volkswagen A.G. doesn't want to compete with itself by selling multiple luxury coupes in the same segment. But if the customers are already asking for it, we say Porsche should go for it. On Aug 16, we issued an updated research report on PPL Corporation PPL. The company has recently reported second-quarter 2016 adjusted earnings of 56 cents per share, topping the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 53 cents by 5.7%. Reported earnings also increased 14.3% on a year-over-year basis. On the other hand, PPL Corp.s total revenue of $1,785 million marginally beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and was 0.2% higher than the year-ago tally of $1,781 million. PPL Corp. continues to follow an organic growth strategy to expand and upgrade its utility systems. The company expects compound annual earnings growth of 56% in the 20172020 timeframe driven primarily by strong rate base hike in regulated operations. While domestic operations are anticipated to record earnings growth of 68%, earnings at UK operations are projected to grow 46% through 2020. PPL Corp.s capital investment plan focuses mainly on infrastructure construction projects for generation, transmission and distribution. The company projects total capital investment of $15.4 billion in the 20162020 timeframe to enhance reliability and resilience of the electrical grid. PPL CORP Price PPL CORP Price | PPL CORP Quote To this end, PPL Corp. has undertaken the construction of a 475-mile transmission line, Project Compass, to benefit consumers in the Northeast with an estimated capital cost of $3$4 billion. Based on planned infrastructure spending, the company expects rate base to grow 3.2% in Pennsylvania Regulated, 3.2% in Kentucky Regulated and 5.4% in UK Regulated through 2020. However, PPL Corp.s operations are subject to service disruptions in form of breakdown of equipment, natural calamities like hurricanes and earthquakes, and sudden outages. Such incidents not only obstruct the uninterrupted transmission of electricity but also increase maintenance costs, thereby adversely affecting the companys cash flows. Story continues Zacks Rank & Key Picks PPL Corp. carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the utility space are Power Corp. KEP, Spark Energy, Inc. SPKE and DTE Energy Company DTE. Both Korea Electric and Spark Energy sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while DTE Energy is a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock. 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 KOREA ELEC PWR (KEP): Free Stock Analysis Report DTE ENERGY CO (DTE): Free Stock Analysis Report PPL CORP (PPL): Free Stock Analysis Report SPARK ENERGY (SPKE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Aug 17 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. - Gawker Media was sold to Univision at auction on Tuesday. Univision bid $135 million to beat out digital media publisher Ziff Davis. http://nyti.ms/2bxbEi9 - Ford Motor's Chief Executive Mark Fields said the company planned to mass produce driverless cars and have them in commercial operation in a ride-hailing service by 2021. http://nyti.ms/2bxaOSD - The Obama administration on Tuesday issued aggressive new emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks. The rules are expected to achieve better fuel efficiency and a bigger cut in pollution than the version that was first proposed last year. http://nyti.ms/2bxbVS2 - African officials say the arrest of a Gabonese man on bribery charges may help pull back the curtain on a long-running foreign corruption scandal. United States authorities on Tuesday arrested Samuel Mebiame, a consultant who worked for a joint venture involving Och-Ziff Capital Management Group. http://nyti.ms/2bxcbk9 (Compiled by Bhanu Pratap in Bengaluru) Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa's main opposition parties said Wednesday they would not form coalition governments in key cities, but vowed to unite to block the ruling ANC from taking majority control following fiercely-contested municipal elections. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) party of Nelson Mandela earlier this month saw its worst poll results since the end of white-minority rule in 1994, losing its majority in the largest metropolitan areas. After days of post-election talks, the liberal centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA) and the radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) vowed to prevent the ruling ANC from taking control of the capital Pretoria and business hub Johannesburg. "We will not be going into a coalition with anyone," EFF populist leader Julius Malema told a news conference, adding that his party however would support the DA. "We will vote for the opposition because the ANC must be removed from power. And this is the start." DA leader Mmusi Maimane told a news conference that "we don't have a coalition agreement with the EFF", even as it formed partnerships with several smaller parties. "It is quite clear that we would never agree on ideological issues" with the EFF "because there are many positions that are so vastly different for these two parties". But Malema said their ideological differences with the DA -- which he repeatedly labelled "racist" -- "doesn't mean there will not be an agreement on matters of national importance". The DA topped the August 3 vote in municipal elections in the capital Pretoria, taking 93 of 214 council seats to the ANC's 89. And with 25 seats, the EFF found itself in the powerful position of kingmaker in the municipality. Coalition talks between the two parties also failed in economic hub Johannesburg, where the ANC missed out on an outright majority with 45 percent of the vote. Story continues A partnership with several other small parties will hand the DA an outright majority in the Nelson Mandela Bay council, a coastal municipality south of the country. - 'Wide and divergent differences' - But EFF leader Malema, who was expelled from the ANC for ill-discipline in 2012, said his party would still back the DA with its votes in both Johannesburg and Pretoria, calling it "the better devil compared to the ANC". "We'll vote for them and be in the opposition benches. The ANC will not get a single vote from the EFF." "We are not co-governing... we are going to vote for the opposition because the ANC must be removed from power and this is the start of removing the ANC from power." The municipal elections were largely seen as a referendum on President Jacob Zuma, whose rule of Africa's largest economy has been dogged by scandal. During talks with the ANC, the EFF had insisted on Zuma's removal as one of several pre-conditions for supporting the ruling party, but "they said it was a no-no," said Malema. "The ANC is a corrupt organisation which subscribes to the kleptocracy." The ruling party suffered its worst result since the end of white-minority rule 22 years ago, garnering less than 54 percent of ballots cast nationally -- an eight percentage point drop from the last local poll in 2011. Of the country's six most populous cities, the ANC won an outright majority in only one: Durban, Zuma's traditional stronghold. But analysts suggest the failure of a solid coalition government might be an opportunity for the ruling party to bounce back. "A minority government that has to cooperate issue-by-issue... may in fact not deliver on the expectations of the voters and that could provoke a backlash," said University of Cape Town researcher Richard Calland. "It's going to be delicate game of cat-and-mouse" The EFF held its press conference on open ground in the middle of a squatter camp in Alexandra township where residents live in shacks and have no flushing toilets. "It's very important that from time to time we sharpen our consciousness... through constant interaction with these types of conditions," Malema told AFP. Washington (AFP) - Defective combat helmets produced for the US military using prison labor in Texas put soldiers' lives at risk, according to a report released Wednesday by a Justice Department watchdog agency. Poorly supervised inmates also used dangerous, improvised tools, including makeshift hatchets, which could easily have become prison weapons, according to the Justice Department's Inspector General. Nearly 150,000 of the helmets were manufactured between 2006 and 2009, a period during which the White House ordered "surges" in combat troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, investigators did not uncover any evidence that soldiers or marines had died as a result of defects in the helmets, which failed ballistics tests and were made with substandard materials. All the helmets were recalled or quarantined by military officials. Total costs to the government amounted to $19 million. ArmorSource, an Ohio defense contractor tasked with making the bulk of the helmets, agreed with the Justice Department in March to pay $3 million for producing the defective equipment under the False Claims Act. Paul Garcia, chief contracting officer at ArmorSource, told AFP that his company had no comment. ArmorSource continues to supply equipment to the Defense Department. ArmorSource subcontracted much of the helmet manufacture to Unicor, a wholly-owned government corporation operated within the US Bureau of Prisons to employ federal inmates. According to the report, Unicor directed inmates to falsify manufacturing records to indicate helmets had passed inspection. In at least one instance, a Defense Department inspector certified entire lots of helmets over a fax machine, according to the report. Workers pried open finished helmet shells to stuff the ear sections with scrap Kevlar and Kevlar dust. They also switched or doctored serial numbers, the report said. An unannounced visit by inspectors in 2010 at a federal prison in Beaumont, Texas found inmate employees using dangerous improvised tools, "degrading prison security," the report said. The Bureau of Prisons told AFP that Unicor had improved quality management and reacted "immediately" upon learning of the manufacturing concerns. Mason Morfit Hedge funds have been getting throttled since the beginning of 2016, and because of that people are starting to ask questions about their worth. As you know, people tend not to ask questions when they are making money. All of a sudden, investors want to know how their money was lost, and what strategies and thought processes contributed to it vanishing into the market ether. They do, after all, pay very high fees for the services of hedge fund managers. And so, in the spirit of pursuing that knowledge, Business Insider's Rachael Levy published excerpts of private due-diligence documents from ValueAct Capital, the almost $16 billion activist hedge fund. It shows you exactly why investors are getting sick and tired of hedge funds. The docs Here's what we learned from the documents. First, ValueAct doesn't think that it has to benchmark itself against any metric in the market. It stands alone on whether it makes you money or not. This is a recurring theme in the hedge fund industry. When they beat the benchmark, they'll point it out as a sign of success. When they fail to beat the benchmark, they'll argue that they offer uncorrelated returns, and they should never have been compared to a benchmark in the first place. In other words, the metric that matters on Wall Street is the one that makes you look good. That's why, according to ValueAct, you should throw your money at them and then just say, "Awesome, thanks." For the record, ValueAct was down 2.2% in 2015. The documents also disclosed that ValueAct invests only in large companies above $3 billion. That leaves a lot of companies, and yet ValueAct's biggest holdings aren't that imaginative. For example, ValueAct's biggest position at the end of the second quarter, according to the fund's most recent 13F, was Microsoft, a stock that is hugely popular with hedge funds. According to Goldman Sachs' hedge fund VIP list, no fewer than 49 hedge funds have Microsoft as one of their ten biggest positions. Story continues ValueAct also has big positions in Baker Hughes and Willis Towers Watson, two other stocks with a high percentage of hedge fund ownership, at around 16% and 17% respectively. It is also a shareholder in hedge fund horrow show Valeant. The last key thing we learned from these documents is that if ValueAct investors want to know where their money is going, then they have to sign a nondisclosure agreement. This makes sense. Hedge funds started out as small, secretive institutions available to only the most elite investors. The last thing any hedge fund manager needed was some loudmouth drunk investor talking about the fund's position at the Maidstone Club some afternoon. But in a world where hedge fund managers are constantly talking to each other at conferences and idea dinners, where long positions are disclosed on a quarterly basis, we see how this could be a bit onerous, too. jeff ubben valueact When they come The questions also tend to come when your hedge fund has to pay an $11 million settlement with the US Department of Justice for failing to properly notify authorities that it was buying shares of Halliburton and Baker Hughes during their proposed merger in order to influence its outcome. ValueAct tried to argue that it was acting as a passive investor not really its thing by definition but the government didn't buy it. This is much like the argument that Bill Ackman and Valeant Pharmaceuticals are making in a California court right now. Both are being sued by investors in Allergan, the drugmaker, on allegations of insider trading. In 2014, Ackman and Valeant teamed up in order to push Allergan into a Valeant hostile takeover. It didn't work, but since Ackman and Valeant had bought a bunch of Allergan stock in order to influence the board to accept the deal, they made a killing anyway when a white knight bought Allergan. Another big investor in Valeant at the time was and still is ValueAct. It had gotten into Valeant before Ackman came along and, according to the insider-trading complaint, Mason Morfit, its president, was part of the team that tried to decide if doing this Valeant-Ackman tag-team deal would be a good idea. From the complaint: "On February 19, 2014, Morfit, members of Valeant's senior management and its audit and risk committee discussed the structure of the contemplated Allergan acquisition with their lawyers from Sullivan & Cromwell and Osler, and formally decided to move forward. The next day, February 20, Valeant and Pershing amended the February 9, 2014 Confidentiality Agreement. Over the next five days, between February 20, 2014 and February 25, 2014, Valeant, Pershing and their respective counsel negotiated the letter agreement and the terms pursuant to which Ackman would acquire the nearly 10% toehold in Allergan common stock." As you probably know, Valeant has since become a hedge fund graveyard. The stock is down around 90% since October, when government scrutiny over the company's high drug prices and accusations of malfeasance from a short seller revealing a secret in-house pharmacy called Philidor forced its collapse. Think about it: Valeant bought the option to buy Philidor for $100 million, consolidated Philidor's revenue into its own accounting, and was allegedly perpetrating insurance fraud with it according to an investigation by US Attorney Preet Bharara and ValueAct, an investor in the company for years, was blindsided by Philidor's existence. Of course, so was much of the rest of hedge fund land. In its documents, ValueAct says that it takes a bottom-up approach to stock picking. First it looks at the stock, then the sector, and so forth. Ideally, one would find a Philidor at the bottom of this approach. Ideally. Two kinds of crowds Part of what is ruining hedge funds, any hedge fund manager will tell you, is that they're all chasing the same ideas these days. It was fine when everyone was also making money being in the same 20 stocks, but now they're not. That is why a bunch of money is getting thrown into passively managed funds. If you're going to make only a few percentage points on your money, then you might as well do it cheaply. ValueAct just announced a $1.1 billion stake in Morgan Stanley. It also said that it doesn't plan to shake up the company in any meaningful way, though analysts have argued that the bank has much to do if it wants to reach its goal of 10% return on equity it's at about 8% now. That lack of action defies ValueAct's name and purpose. Any investor might as well just turn around and buy the stock themselves, really. The conditions for our low-yield world aren't necessarily going away, either, so this is a trend that probably isn't going away. Hedge funds that can't make the cut are going to get stomped out, and documents like ValueAct's show you a little bit of why investors are likely all too ready to tell hedge funds to take a hike. NOW WATCH: Hedge fund manager explains why America does not need to be uneasy about a Trump presidency More From Business Insider Jill Martinelli and Sabine Le Guyader, the designers behind jewelry line Lady Grey, have made it clear that theyre with Hillary or, at least, theyre more into the ideas that the Democratic presidential nominee and former secretary of state stands for than those of Donald Trump. On Tuesday, the artisans shared on Instagram that the Republican candidates daughter and frequent cohort on the campaign trail, Ivanka Trump, had purchased a piece from their online shop. The post contained an image of a handwritten note informing Ivanka that the proceeds of her purchase were being donated to the American Immigration Council, Everytown for Gun Safety, and the Clinton campaign. The caption of the post read, Dear @ivankatrump, #thanksbutnothanks #payitFORWARD. A photo posted by Lady Grey Jewelry (@ladygreyjewelry) on Aug 16, 2016 at 12:15pm PDT In an email to the Cut, Martinelli explained, While we were flattered to receive an order from Ivanka Trump, our social and political views couldnt be further from those of the Trump campaign. When we received her order, we instantly felt compelled to take the money and donate it to a few organizations that were more aligned with our ideals. In a statement shared with Yahoo Style, the Lady Grey duo noted, We strongly feel that everyone and anyone can make a difference through actively supporting the causes that they believe in, no matter how big or small. We decided to share this letter to make that statement, and hopefully inspire people to follow suit. The American Immigration Council, one of the beneficiaries of the cuff proceeds, has been vocal in its opposition to the former reality television personalitys stance on immigration, including his proposal to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Just last month, the group posted on its blog that Trumps immigration policies are not only unsupported by the facts, but they are dangerous as well. If Trumps immigration policies were ever implemented, they would have devastating impacts on American society, the economy, and our standing in the world. The group issued a report this April highlighting polls that show that millennial voters are more likely to reject deportation another critical proposal of Trumps immigration policy and instead support a path to citizenship. Story continues A photo posted by Lady Grey Jewelry (@ladygreyjewelry) on May 2, 2016 at 10:07am PDT Clinton, meanwhile, has promised to introduce a comprehensive immigration reform package, including pathways to full and equal citizenship, within her first 100 days in office. Currently, the home page for Everytown for Gun Safety encourages supporters to Shut Down Trump and the NRAs Dangerous Rhetoric, adding, We have had enough of Donald Trumps violent rhetoric one that the NRA perpetuates and supports. Everytown endorsed Secretary Clinton in June of this year. At that time, Clinton issued a statement in which she said, As a mother and a grandmother, I know nothing is more important than keeping our children safe. And I am honored to receive the endorsement of Everytown for Gun Safety, including Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. They are fighting every day for commonsense gun safety measures and to end the epidemic of gun violence. She continued, The gun lobby may be the most powerful lobby in Washington, but I believe that the American people are more powerful still. We are stronger together. We will not be intimidated. We will not back down. And as long as children anywhere are being killed by gun violence, we will keep fighting because their lives are precious and they deserve a president who stands up for them. In the meantime, however, the designers of Lady Grey have already stood up and strongly. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. Indonesia could become the first country to implement a nationwide ban on alcohol. The move, currently being deliberated by the House of Representatives, could spell a different kind of vacation for holidaymakers in Bali, the country's most popular tourist destination. That is, a dry one. As a predominantly Muslim country, alcohol in Indonesia is already heavily taxed and expensive. But the bill, introduced jointly by two Islamist parties, the United Development Party (PPP) and the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), would ban the production, distribution and consumption of drinks with an alcohol content of one to 55 percent, reports The Jakarta Post. The bill claims its purpose is to "protect citizens from the negative impacts of alcoholic beverages, to raise awareness of the dangers of the beverages, and to ensure order and peace in society, free from disturbances caused by consumers". As outlined by a recent piece in The Sydney Morning Herald, bootleg alcohol has been a scourge for Indonesian health authorities, contributing to the deaths of 12 people in May who died within 24 hours of drinking the poisonous liquor, and another 26 people in February. But a nationwide alcohol ban isn't the answer, warns the hotel industry, which pointed out that such a drastic move would lead to disaster for the tourism sector, particularly as many Bali visitors hail from European countries with a strong drinking culture. Alcohol is already banned in the province of Papua and the Surabaya in Java. The government is expected to vote on the bill in the coming weeks. (Updates prices for close) By Dhara Ranasinghe LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Portugal's 10-year government bond yield rose sharply for a second straight day on Wednesday, hitting its highest for almost three weeks after a warning from credit agency DBRS. DBRS told Reuters on Tuesday that pressures were building on its creditworthiness as a low-growth economy battles to contain high debt levels and contend with strains in the banking sector. It is the only one of the four agencies recognised by the European Central Bank (ECB) to give Portugal the investment grade rating it needs to qualify for the bank's quantitative easing scheme. Portugal's 10-year bond yield rose 12 basis points (bps) to a 2-1/2-week high of 2.99 percent, taking its increases over the past two days to almost 30 bps. On Tuesday, yields posted their biggest daily rise since Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union. The rise in Portuguese yields pushed the gap over top-rated German Bunds back above 300 bps. "The risk around a DBRS downgrade is real but the probability is DBRS keeps Portugal's rating as it is with a negative outlook," Societe Generale analyst Ciaran O'Hagan said. DBRS's BBB (low) rating for Portugal has a 'stable' outlook and is next due for review on Oct. 21. The rating is also significant because an investment grade rating is required for Portuguese government bonds to be used as collateral by banks at ECB lending operations. According to Rabobank, Portuguese banks borrow almost 25 billion euros from the ECB, with Portuguese government bonds (PGBs) probably constituting a large proportion of the collateral used. "This means that if PGBs were no longer eligible it would be a problem for Portuguese banks," Rabobank said in a note. The sharp rise in Portuguese yields contrasted with the rest of the euro zone, where yields were mostly lower. Investors kept a keen eye on Spain where the conservative People's Party mandated its leader Mariano Rajoy on Wednesday to hold talks on forming a pact with the Ciudadanos party. Story continues But significant hurdles remain to breaking an eight-month stalemate, as the two parties would still be short of a majority in parliament and would therefore need the Socialists' backing. Acting prime minister Rajoy urged the Socialists, who have so far steadfastly refused to back him, to compromise. Spanish 10-year yields were 2 bps lower on the day at 0.98 percent, according to Tradeweb. (Additional reporting by John Geddie; Editing by Louise Ireland) London (AFP) - A UK government body on Thursday called for urgent action to tackle race inequality, warning new figures showed the country's reputation for tolerance was under threat following the Brexit vote. In a broad overview of life in Britain for black people and ethnic minorities, the Equality and Human Rights Commission report found the situation has worsened on numerous fronts over the past five years. Race was the motive in 82 percent of hate crimes recorded in England and Wales, while the two nations saw an "unprecedented spike" in hate crimes since Britain voted on June 23 to leave the European Union. Black people were found to be more than twice as likely than white people to be murdered in England and Wales than white people, and three times more likely to be prosecuted and sentenced. Overall white people are more likely to be employed, better paid and in positions of power, the commission said. "Following the Brexit vote, these issues should be of even greater concern. "Our nation's hard-worn reputation for tolerance is arguably facing its greatest threat for decades, as those who spread hate use the leave result to legitimise their views," the report said. Researchers found black workers with degrees are paid on average 23.1 percent less than their white counterparts. The unemployment rates for white British people was recorded as 6.3 percent, compared to 12.9 percent for ethnic minorities. The parliamentary commission said there had been some progress, with an increase in the number of people from ethnic minorities gaining degree-level qualifications. Last year's national elections furthermore saw the proportion of MPs from ethnic minorities increase from 4.2 to 6.3 percent, although the commission said much more progress was needed. "The combination of the post-Brexit rise in hate crime and deep race inequality in Britain is very worrying and must be tackled urgently," said commission chair David Isaac. "If you are black or an ethnic minority in modern Britain, it can often still feel like you're living in a different world, never mind being part of a one nation society," he added. Patrick Hickey, an executive member of the International Olympic Committee, speaks at a conference in 2015. (Getty) Rio de Janeiro authorities arrested IOC executive committee member Patrick Hickey on Wednesday morning, according to multiple reports. The head of the European Olympic committee is being accused of illegally scalping tickets for the Summer Games currently being held in Rio. Brazilian newspaper Estadao reported that Hickey was arrested at the Olympic Family Hotel in Rios Barra da Tijuca neighborhood. There have also been reports that Hickey was taken to the hospital after feeling ill at the moment of his arrest, and that his Olympic credentials were also seized by police. The AP reports that Hickey is suspected of participating in the action with at least six others and that agents have seized more than 1,000 tickets that had been sold for high fees after being allocated by the Olympic Council of Ireland. Another Irish executive was arrested in the same probe last week. Continuing our investigation, civil police discovered the involvement of Patrick in the international scheme of ticket scalping, the Rio police fraud unit told the Associated Press. We are seeking total clarity on the situation before we comment further, the Olympic Council of Ireland said in a statement on its website. A document apparently associated with the act of arrest circulated on Twitter: The act of arrest pic.twitter.com/Sd3K5c0OFl Jamil Chade (@JamilChade) August 17, 2016 Hickey, 71, has been a member of the IOC executive board since 2012 and President of the Olympic Council of Ireland since 1989. Hickey is a former Irish judo athlete. Brazilian reporter Jamil Chade tweeted that his credentials for the hotel where Hickey was staying had been revoked by the IOC. IOC withdrew my acreditation to have access to hotel where hickey was arrested. The pass was valid until 22.08 and given to me on 01.08 Jamil Chade (@JamilChade) August 17, 2016 The IOCs daily press briefing is scheduled for 10 a.m. ET. More to come. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f182289%2frihannastatue If you haven't made the pilgrimage to visit the gigantic statue of a headless Rihanna in Berlin, RiRi has done yet another thing that's cooler than whatever you're up to. She was kind enough to document the visit on Snapchat for everyone who was not in the presence of two Rihannas to enjoy. SEE ALSO: Your hero Rihanna fell off a swan float to save her glass of wine Prior to the visit to the work work work work of art, our hero wisely double fisted beer and champagne. Image: rihanna/snapchat She then played with some children and soaked up the masterpiece, which is probably mostly impressive to her because most mirrors aren't that big. Image: rihanna/snapchat Image: rihanna/snapchat Image: rihanna/snapchat The statue, titled Ewaipanoma (Rihanna), was created by Colombian artist Juan Sebastian Pelaez as part of the ninth Berlin Biennalle for Contemporary Art, and based off a paparazzi photo of RiRi at the beach. Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - The world gymnastics chief has blamed China's "robotic" style in Rio for the once-dominant team's worst Olympics in over 30 years. China failed to take a gold for the first time since 1984 -- winning just two team bronze -- and for the first time failing to get an individual Olympic medal. A Kohei Uchimura-powered Japan toppled China's men, two-time gold medallists since Beijing 2008. China failed to defend any of their titles from London 2012. FIG president Bruno Grandi said the Chinese had failed to move with the times as they dropped to the 11th on the medal table, behind hosts Brazil. "They've remained trapped in a robotic style of training," Grandi told AFP on Tuesday. "They're beginning to change a bit now. Those who have kept pace with the changes are the Japanese. "They (Japan) have improved the construction of their exercises, leaving behind Eastern-style choreographies to move towards the West, that is to say more harmony, imagination, creativity. "I'm not criticising Japanese culture, which is huge, but they have built a nice crowd-pleasing routine for the spectators. "They've moved away from tradition, and the Chinese should do the same. If they stay like they are, they are robots. They are perfect on geometric lines, but eurythmy does not exist." Japan got two gold in the men's team and Uchimura's all-around Rio along with Kenzo Shirai's bronze on the vault. - 'Form of slavery' - Former Italian gymnast Grandi will step down later this year after 20 years as head of the world gymnastics body. He will be replaced by Japanese gymnastics chief Morinari Watanabe. He said one of his greatest achievements had been raising the age limit at which gymnasts could compete. China have often been accused of fielding under-age gymnasts, with controversy surrounding the two previous Olympics. "I fought to raise the age (16 for women and 18 men) - the Chinese held it against me - for finishing with this form of slavery. Story continues "Imagine a boy of seven or eight working seven, eight hours a day." China's last remaining hopes had been on the men's parallel bars -- Deng Shudi finishing fourth with world champion You Hao last in the eight-man final after a fall on his dismount. A shocked Deng said he had an "empty brain" after his performance on Tuesday. "I felt some pressure. I didn't get to sleep until 2am or 3am. I just laid on my bed. I just don't know what happened." Wang Yan finished fourth on the women's floor on the final day, after Shang Chunsong just missed out on the all-around podium. Fan Yilin finished sixth on the beam. Liu Yang, the 2014 world rings champion, was tearful after finishing fourth on the apparatus. "I will keep practicing and I am looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020," Liu said. "Four of our team members are Olympic newcomers. It is inexperienced. Although we have not achieved the goal, we worked very hard as a team," said Liu. The Simone Biles-powered Americans topped the table with 12 medals -- four gold, six silver and two bronze -- their best showing since 1984 Los Angeles when they got 16. Even in trampoline, China's Dong Dong lost his title and Canada's Rosie Maclennan again shut the Chinese women out in the women's event. (Corrects name of project manager in final paragraph to Shi Xin, not He Xin.) * Coal communities sinking into abandoned mines * Mines encroached into communities during 30-year coal boom * Mines responsible for 26,000 "geological disasters" * China needs to move 655,000 in Shanxi province alone By David Stanway HELIN, China, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Deep in the coal heartlands of northern Shanxi province, people in Helin village are fighting a losing battle as the ground beneath them crumbles: patching up cracks, rebuilding walls and filling in sinkholes caused by decades of coal mining. Around 100 pits in Helin - buried in the hilly rural outskirts of the city of Xiaoyi - have been exhausted, and cluttered hamlets totter precariously on the brittle slopes of mines. But while local authorities have begun evacuating hundreds of thousands of residents most at risk elsewhere in Shanxi province, Helin's situation - though serious - isn't yet considered a priority. "We haven't been told to leave yet, but when the government gives us the order, we'll be happy to go," said Wang Junqi, who lives in a one-room tenement with his family. "It isn't safe here and the people who have a bit of money have already gone. It's scary, but what can we do?" Mines that burrowed under villages and towns during China's three-decade coal boom have left the authorities with the need to evacuate hundreds of communities in danger of sinking. Shanxi province alone plans to move 655,000 residents by the end of next year from unsafe old mining regions, with the cost of relocation estimated at 15.8 billion yuan ($2.37 billion). The Shanxi government estimates coal mining has cost the province 77 billion yuan in "environmental economic losses". GEOLOGICAL DISASTERS Mine-induced subsidence is not unique to China, but its problems dwarf those of other countries. A notice board at a deserted Communist Party building in an abandoned village not far from Helin gives an idea of the scale of the disaster. Story continues It lists 19 geological "disaster zones" spread across 23 villages, 55 landslides, 950 cracks in the ground and 808 incidents of mine subsidence -- all in an area of just 13.25 square kilometres (5 sq miles) According to official data, coal mining had already caused as many 26,000 geological disasters by the end of 2014, and as much as 10,000 square kilometres of land has been affected, an area the size of Gambia in Africa, according to some estimates. China's land ministry said last month it would spend 75 billion yuan ($11.27 billion) over the next five years to restore mined land and treat mining waste nationwide. The growing environmental bill comes at a time when China's stricken coal sector faces mounting debts, falling demand and a long-term decline in prices after the boom turned into a bust. BOON TO BURDEN The coal sector, as with other basic industries in China such as steel, is now saddled with overcapacity estimated at around 2 billion tonnes a year, as demand growth slows and the country promotes cleaner forms of energy. China planned to close around 1,000 collieries this year alone, many of them in residential areas such as Helin, as it cuts coal's share of total energy consumption to 62 percent by 2020. During the boom years, as prices and profits soared, miners were encouraged to dig further and deeper, encroaching upon residential areas and farmland. While large state-run firms would often relocate entire villages, smaller private miners, chasing quick profits, simply dug under and around communities. With mining tax revenues surging, local governments were reluctant to impose stricter controls on the industry. The industry helped pay for construction binges like one in Xiaoyi, where Helin is located, topping up local government tax coffers and bestowing the city centre with rows of largely unoccupied luxury apartment blocks. What was once a boon for governments has now turned into a burden: Xiaoyi has already spent more than 6 billion yuan ($901.31 million) to treat subsidence, the government said. Together with the neighbouring city of Luliang, it plans to relocate as many as 230,000 people over 2014-2017. Little of the money to move communities and restore the land is coming from the miners themselves, although that was supposed to be the plan in the beginning. Miners are required to pay "subsidence fees" to pay for the cleanup when their mines close. The Datong Coal Industry Group , the only state miner to give breakdowns, paid just 1.4 million yuan in those fees from January to March this year, or 0.04 percent of its total costs, according to its quarterly report. SOLAR SOLUTIONS Jiang Jian, a legislator from Shandong province, said Beijing needed to draw up detailed measures to determine how much mining firms should pay. Many of the worst-hit sites have been long abandoned, making it harder to decide who is responsible, she noted, so Beijing also needed to set up dedicated funds to help pay remediation costs, including treatment and disposal of mine waste. To help with the clean-up, China is encouraging developers to turn abandoned mining sites into wind and solar power projects. Solar accounted for just 0.6 percent of China's overall electricity generation from January to June, and wind was a mere 3.6 percent. One solar demonstration project has been completed in the eastern outskirts of Datong, also in Shanxi, on ground damaged from mining and not suitable for farming. The area was once a prosperous coal region with more than 1,000 mines, but extraction stopped after the collapse in prices, and the local economy cratered. "Before we got here this piece of land wasn't suitable for any kind of planting, but now at least some of it can be used," said Shi Xin, project manager with the United Photovoltaics Group, which owns and operates a 100-megawatt solar farm at the site. ($1 = 6.6570 Chinese yuan) (Additional reporting by Natalie Thomas and Jason Lee. Editing by Bill Tarrant) Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Two Olympic athletes who helped each other across the finish line after an accidental mid-race collision in the women's 5,000m have been granted places in the final, organisers confirmed. Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D'Agostino were praised for their sporting behaviour after they clashed during Tuesday's heat. The drama unfolded when American runner D'Agostino clipped New Zealander Hamblin with around 2,000m to go, sending both sprawling to the ground. As Hamblin lay on the track distraught, her hopes for an Olympic medal seemingly evaporated, D'Agostino tenderly helped her to her feet and encouraged her to finish the race. "I went down, and I was like, 'What's happening? Why am I on the ground?' Then suddenly this hand on my shoulder, like 'Get up, get up, we have to finish this' and I was like, 'Yup, yup, you're right. This is the Olympic Games. We have to finish this,'" Hamblin said. "I'm so grateful for Abbey for doing that for me. That girl is the Olympic spirit right there. "I've never met her before, like I've never met this girl before, and isn't that just so amazing? Such an amazing woman." D'Agostino suffered an ankle injury in the collision, but Hamblin deliberately hung back in the field to offer encouragement as the two women completed the race. "If I can even give her like one percent back of what she gave me when she helped me get up off the track that would be amazing," Hamblin said. "I can't even put into words how amazing it is that she actually finished. When I turned around at the finish line and she's still running I was like, 'Wow'. "I'm never going to forget that moment. When someone asks me what happened in Rio in 20 years' time, that's my story." Initially it looked as if both women, and a third runner involved in the collision -- Jennifer Wenth of Austria -- had failed to qualify for the final. However a statement by Olympic organisers late Tuesday said all three had been advanced to the final on Friday. Moscow (AFP) - Russia on Wednesday dismissed a suggestion from Washington that Moscow is violating a UN Security Council resolution by using an Iranian air base for its bombing raids on Syria. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied that Moscow could be in breach of a ban on supply or transfer of warplanes to Iran without prior approval of the United Nations Security Council. "There are no grounds to suspect Russia of breaching the resolution," Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow. Russia on Tuesday began flying warplanes from an Iranian airbase in a major switch in its bombing campaign in Syria that the United States condemned as "unfortunate". Washington responded to Lavrov's latest statements on Wednesday, saying it is evaluating Russia's actions. "We're looking at, we're assessing it, we're assessing whether this would constitute a violation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. "It does require a very detailed, legal analysis," he said, adding, "but I stand by what I said yesterday, which is that fundamentally this isn't helpful." Russian forces took off from the Iranian base to carry out a fresh round of strikes on Wednesday morning. Russia has previously flown raids only out of its bases in Syria and Russia. On Tuesday, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia's use of the Iranian base "could very well be a violation" of a UN Security Council resolution that requires its prior approval for the supply, sale or transfer of warplanes to Iran. But Lavrov insisted that "in the case we are discussing now, there was neither the sale, nor supply, nor transfer of warplanes to Iran". "These warplanes with the consent of Iran are being used by the Russian air force to participate in an anti-terrorism operation in Syria at the request of the legal Syrian authorities," he said. "There's nothing even to discuss here." Story continues Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov suggested that Washington needed to brush up on the specifics of the resolution. The US-led coalition's bombing raids on Syria from Turkey's Incirlik air base are not permitted by the United Nations charter, he added. - 'Destroyed two command centres' - Russia sent Sukhoi Su-34 jets from the Hamedan base in western Iran on Wednesday morning to carry out a second group wave of aerial strikes against IS targets in Deir Ezzor province, the defence ministry said, calling the operation a success. High-explosive fragmentation bombs "destroyed two command centres and large field camps for training terrorists in the area of the town of Deir Ezzor, killing more than 150 fighters including foreign mercenaries," the ministry said. Iran also defended Russia's use of the base, with Ali-Akbar Velayati, top advisor to the Supreme Leader, telling Tasnim news agency that "the presence of Iran and Russia at the request of Syrian government is legal". Iran is acting "within the framework of international regulations" and "does not accept the Americans' view," he said. "The only action taking place is that Russian fighters are allowed to use this base to refuel," said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. That does not breach the Iranian constitution which bans foreign deployments on its soil, he stressed. Defence consultancy IHS Jane's said Wednesday that Moscow is apparently expanding its Mozdok airbase in southern Russia, from where long-range bombers had been flying their Syria raids, with a "second runway" being constructed since May or June. Iran and Russia are the two staunchest backers of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, with Tehran commanding thousands of troops fighting for him on the ground while Russia provides airpower. Both oppose calls for Assad to step down as a way of resolving the conflict that has killed more than 290,000 people since it erupted in March 2011. By Alexander Winning and Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia launched a second day of air strikes against Syrian militants from an Iranian air base, rejecting U.S. suggestions its co-operation with Tehran might violate a U.N. resolution as illogical and factually incorrect. State Department spokesman Mark Toner on Tuesday called the Iranian deployment "unfortunate," saying the United States was looking into whether the move violated U.N. Security Council resolution 2231, which prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. Russia bristled at those comments on Wednesday after announcing that Russian SU-34 fighter bombers flying from Iran's Hamadan air base had for a second day struck Islamic State targets in Syria's Deir al-Zor province, destroying two command posts and killing more than 150 militants. "It's not our practice to give advice to the leadership of the U.S. State Department," Major-General Igor Konashenkov said in a statement. "But it's hard to refrain from recommending individual State Department representatives check their own logic and knowledge of basic documents covering international law." Moscow first used Iran as a base from which to launch air strikes in Syria on Tuesday, deepening its involvement in the five-year-old Syrian civil war and angering the United States. Russia's use of the Iranian air base comes amid intense fighting for the Syrian city of Aleppo, where rebels are battling Syrian government forces backed by the Russian military, and as Moscow and Washington are working towards a deal on Syria that could see them cooperate more closely. Russia backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States believes the Syrian leader must step down and is supporting rebel groups that are fighting to unseat him. On Wednesday the State Department reiterated its concern, saying Russia's use of the Iranian base "doesn't help" reach a cessation of hostilities in Syria and that U.S. lawyers were still assessing whether it violated the U.N. resolution. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said earlier any U.S. dismay over Moscow's military co-operation with Iran should not distract from efforts to realize the U.S.-Russia deal on coordinating action in Syria and securing a ceasefire. Lavrov said there were no grounds to suggest Russia's actions had violated the U.N. resolution, saying Moscow was not supplying Iran with military aircraft for its own internal use, something the document prohibits. "These aircraft are being used by Russia's air force with Iran's agreement as a part of an anti-terrorist operation at the request of Syria's leadership," Lavrov told a Moscow news conference, after holding talks with Murray McCully, New Zealand's foreign minister. A graphic illustrating which targets Russia has so far struck from Iran can be seen here: http://tmsnrt.rs/2b458P3 (Additional reporting by Denis Pinchuk in Moscow and David Alexander in Washington; Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Robin Pomeroy) Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - A Russian boxer was wheelchaired out of the arena in agony and floods of tears as her Rio Olympic dream came to an excruciating halt when she injured her arm in the semi-finals on Wednesday. With one minute left of the first round against France's Estelle Mossely, the 23-year-old Anastasiia Beliakova threw a punch at an awkward angle with her left hand and then immediately screeched in pain and stopped. A doctor climbed through the ropes and rushed to her aid, as she stood grimacing in pain and unable to move. She was coaxed gingerly out of the ring and into a wheelchair, and spirited out of the arena as she cried in distress. It was not immediately clear what the injury was, but Mossely said she thought the Russian had dislocated her elbow. Asked by AFP how she felt about getting into Friday's lightweight final in that way, Mossely said: "It's a contrasting feeling because of course I'm very happy but obviously I would have preferred the win was different, but that's the result." Controversy surrounding the Russian collection society RAO has continued as its counterpart RSP, which until recently was closely associated with RAO, has broken ties with the embattled company. RAO's general director Sergei Fedotov remains in custody over allegations that he funneled $7.7 million out of the organization. Meanwhile, RAO has published on its website an outcome of an independent audit, saying that the organization's 2013-2014 real estate deals, which the police say were fraudulent, involved no wrongdoing. "We believe there are no grounds for the accusations," RAO's spokesman told Billboard. RSP, which collects a one-percent tax on imports of electronic devices that can be used for copying content, will from now on take on the task of distributing proceeds from the tax to rights holders, RSP head Andrei Krichevsky said in a letter quoted by the Russian business daily Vedomosti. According to the letter a previous agreement between RAO and RSP had rights holders registered with RAO receiving their shares of the copying tax alongside authors' rights fees collected and distributed by RAO. Sergei Fedotov, Head of Russian Collection Agency RAO, Arrested for Fraud Since 2011, RSP has transferred to RAO over 1.3 billion rubles ($20 million) earmarked for rights holders. RSP also paid RAO a commission of 6.5 million rubles ($100,000), Krichevsky said. According to the International Federation of the Recording Industry's "2016 Global Music Report," Russia is the 28th most-valuable music market, and 22nd in performance rights revenues. RAO's spokesman confirmed to Billboard that the letter has been received and "will be considered." Until recently, the two organizations reportedly had close ties; Fedotov also held the position of RSP's general director until late 2015, when he stepped down to focus on his work at RAO. Police first began investigating RAO in the summer of 2015, following the organization's announcement of a merger with two other collecting societies -- RSP and neighboring rights society VOIS. Story continues At the time police alleged that 500 million rubles ($7.7 million) had been funneled out of the organization in a series of dubious real estate deals. There were also unconfirmed reports that the probe could have been triggered by the floated merger between RSP and RAO, an idea heavily criticized by some in the Russian government. Police took no action until late June 2016, when Fedotov was arrested on suspicion of fraud. Earlier this month, several rights holders registered with RAO called for the organization's management to be replaced and that fundamental changes to its charter be made. In a statement on its website, RAO dismissed the move as an "an unfriendly takeover" attempt. Moscow (AFP) - Heavily-armed Russian special forces on Wednesday raided an apartment building in Saint Petersburg in an operation targeting North Caucasus militants, killing four suspects. The FSB security service said in a statement quoted by Russian agencies that the raid was part of an operation to detain "wanted persons accused of participating in illegal armed groups in the North Caucasus". "Criminals were destroyed by return fire when they attempted to resist," the FSB said. Russia's Investigative Committee added that four suspects -- all of them in the same apartment -- were killed in the raid and their bodies were now being identified. No ordinary civilians or law enforcement officials were injured, it said. Three of the men killed were provisionally named by the National Anti-Terrorism Committee to Russian agencies as Zalim Shebzukhov, Astemir Sheriev and Vyacheslav Nyrov. It said that these three were leaders of the "terrorist underground active in Kabardino-Balkharia" in the north Caucasis' It said that no ordinary civilians or law enforcement officials were injured. TV footage showed heavily-armed men in balaclavas cordoning off the multistorey apartment block on the outskirts of the northwestern city famed for its tsarist-era palaces. "I heard several explosions and then a series of what sounded like gunshots," a man who said he was a resident of a neighbouring apartment building told Rossiya 24 television. Special operations against suspected Islamists are frequent in Russia's North Caucasus region but have been rare in Moscow and Saint Petersburg in recent years. Russia has battled a simmering insurgency in the Caucasus ever since fighting two brutal separatist conflicts with Chechnya. Many Islamists have left for Syria and there has been little violence linked to the North Caucasus spilling out of the region in recent years, with the last such attacks in the southern city of Volgograd in 2013. Hong Kong- and Amsterdam-based sales agent Fortissimo Films is to close its doors after more than 20 years as a pioneer of Asian and art-house cinema. The company filed for voluntary bankruptcy Tuesday in The Netherlands. The filing was accepted by the court and notification posted. Separate filings need to be made for individual subsidiaries. The court has appointed an administrator, known as a curator according to the Dutch system. The curator will decide the next moves. These could range from a refinancing, to the sale of the company to a third party, or its breakup. Staff have been informed of the situation by the existing management. The curator is expected to meet with the Amsterdam-based employees this week. Fortissimo has represented titles by auteurs including Wong Kar-wai, Jim Jarmusch, Peter Greenaway, Tsai Ming-liang, Hal Hartley, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, Brillante Mendoza, Tsui Hark and Pen-ek Ratanaruang. Its catalog spans some 300 titles. With award winners including Berlin Golden Bear recipients Black Coal, Thin Ice (2014) and U-Carmen eKhaylitsha (2005,) In The Mood for Love (Cannes 2000,) Theeb (Venice 2014) and the Jennifer Lawrence breakout Winters Bone (Sundance 2010,) the company has been a regular fixture at festivals and markets for more than two decades. Its current slate includes: The Time of Their Lives, starring Joan Collins and Pauline Collins; fantasy Valley of the Gods, with Josh Hartnett and Charlotte Rampling expected to star; drama The White King with Jonathan Pryce, Agyness Deyn and Greta Scacchi. The demise of the company, which was known for good taste and strong marketing, underlines the ongoing fragility of specialist film sales companies. Other sales agents have quietly gone out of business. Still others have diversified into production, TV or into local distribution in order to survive. Fortissimo was founded in Amsterdam by festival programmers and producers Wouter Barendrecht and Helen Loveridge. Current chairman Michael J. Werner took control of the company following the departure of Loveridge, and the death of Barendrecht in 2009. Although the company kept its legal seat in the Netherlands, along with most of its back office functions, Barendrecht and Werner had already shifted its management base to Hong Kong. Story continues That two-legged structure allowed Fortissimo to keep a close relationship with Asian art-house and emerging talents in Europe and the Middle East. The company also built up an enviable track record in feature documentaries, with its factual catalog including Capturing the Friedmans, Food Inc., Super Size Me, and the Martin Scorsese-directed Rolling Stones picture Shine A Light. Fortissimo is believed to have been looking for financial support for several years, though though those efforts may have been thwarted by the aftermath of the 2008 Great Financial Crisis. More recent changes within the Chinese film industry meant that while there has been a growing volume of available finance, finance was primarily attracted to domestic Chinese and mainstream fare, with relatively little interest in exports of art-house or indie content. Related stories Cannes: Fortissimo Bites Into Child Slavery Documentary 'Chocolate' Cannes Market: Fortissimo Picks Up 'White King' Outsider's Todo Cine Latino, Strand Releasing Acquire Fortissimo's 'The Bride' (EXCLUSIVE) Riyadh (AFP) - Six months after Saudi Arabia said its war in Yemen was winding down, air strikes are again pounding rebels and rockets flying across the border, with no end to the conflict in sight. Facing criticism of its bombing campaign and a budget crunch from low oil prices, Riyadh is keen to bring an end to the intervention it launched last year against Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies, analysts say. But the suspension in early August of UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait, after three months without any headway, has instead led to a major increase in violence. "Both sides now are trying to prove they are better in war than peace," said Farea al-Muslimi, a Yemeni specialist and visiting scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Centre. The Saudi-led Arab coalition launched the air raids in March last year, later sending in ground forces, to support the internationally recognised government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the rebels overran much of Yemen. Riyadh accuses the Huthis, allied with troops loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, of working on behalf of its arch-rival Iran. Coalition warplanes are also supporting pro-government forces against Al-Qaeda jihadists who have exploited Yemen's power vacuum to expand their presence in the country's south and southeast. A year into the intervention, spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Assiri told AFP that coalition forces were "in the end of the major combat phase". A relative lull in the fighting followed, but in late July the most serious fighting for months along the border killed 12 Saudi soldiers. The talks in Kuwait were suspended a few days later and the coalition resumed intense strikes on Sanaa and other rebel-held areas. Rebel attacks also intensified. On Tuesday Saudi Arabia suffered its heaviest civilian losses of the conflict when seven died in a rebel rocket strike on the border city of Najran. "This looks to be a long, continuing war," said Anthony Cordesman of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. Story continues - Criticism of civilian deaths - Saudi Arabia has faced repeated criticism from rights groups over civilian casualties. Deadly air raids on a school and a hospital over the last few days again raised questions about coalition procedures and added to a civilian death toll which the UN puts at more than 3,700 since the intervention began. The coalition has launched investigations into both incidents. The costly operation also comes despite austerity measures and efforts to reorient the kingdom's economy after a deficit-inducing collapse in oil prices. But analysts say withdrawing from such a complicated conflict is not easy. "There are so many different factions and elements involved," Cordesman said, noting divisions among both the Huthi-Saleh forces and the government. That has made peace efforts extremely difficult, analysts say. A source closely following the conflict, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of his position, said the Saudis have been "working very hard" towards a lasting peace and political transition in Yemen. But when the Huthis and their allies on August 6 appointed a council to govern Yemen, Riyadh had little choice but to respond. "That was (an) unexpected move, for the Saudis especially," Muslimi said, adding that Riyadh could not tolerate the threat to the "legitimacy" of Hadi's government. Adam Baron, a visiting fellow and Yemen specialist at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Riyadh still feels it can handle the war "at least for the time being". Since peace talks collapsed, local forces backed by the coalition "appear to have made some gains" around Taez, in the southwest, and Nihm, northeast of Sanaa, Baron said. "The key at the moment is their ability to put pressure on Sanaa itself from the Nihm front," he said. The Huthis would be hard to dislodge. Northern Yemen is their traditional stronghold. They fought six wars against the central government between 2004 and 2010. "It, at this point, seems to be a war of attrition," Cordesman said. This scientist just gave us the greatest lesson on how to deal with mansplainers This scientist just gave us the greatest lesson on how to deal with mansplainers If you are a woman, then you have definitely come in to contact with a mansplainer, and I am so sorry. Just in case youre uncertain of the exact definition: mansplaining refers to the common practice of a man explaining things to a woman without considering that the woman may know plenty about the subject she is discussing. A mansplainer is the man who commits the crime. But fear not, Dr. Katie Mack, an Australian theoretical astrophysicist, has provided a Twitter demonstration on effectively shutting down mansplainers. Dr. Katie Mack researchers black holes, galaxy formation, the cosmos so yeah, she is amazing. Recently, an Australian politician appeared on television and attempted to deny climate change. Dr. Mack was having none of this, and she let her almost 50,000 Twitter followers know. Hard to believe that we are STILL seeing people involved in government doubting the REALLY SETTLED SCIENCE of climate change. #QandA Katie Mack (@AstroKatie) August 15, 2016 And then some fool decided that Dr. Katie Macks position as A THEORETICAL ASTROPHYSICIST somehow did not grant her the knowledge required to make such a statement. @AstroKatie Maybe you should learn some actual SCIENCE then, and stop listening to the criminals pushing the #GlobalWarming SCAM! Gary P Jackson (RAT) (@gary4205) August 15, 2016 Yeah! Learn some science, you THEORETICAL ASTROPHYSICIST. But Dr. Mack said you will not talk to me that way, sir. @gary4205 I dunno, man, I already went and got a PhD in astrophysics. Seems like more than that would be overkill at this point. Katie Mack (@AstroKatie) August 16, 2016 BUUUUURRRRRNNNNNNN When Twitter started going bananas over her quickly composed Tweet, Dr. Mack was a bit surprised. @FinScotty It really didn't seem like that big a thing tbh Katie Mack (@AstroKatie) August 16, 2016 But the Internet continued to recognize it for flawless takedown that it was. @AstroKatie @gary4205 Except y'all are going viral now! Way to beat down the mansplain! APPLAUSE! Mx Lilithe Magdalene (@LilitheMagdalen) August 16, 2016 *puts this line in my pocket my the next mansplainer* https://t.co/H6ROPmnNSY NotThatKindaDr.Kline (@MichelleAKline) August 16, 2016 J.K. ROWLING HERSELF EVEN GOT IN ON IT, STATING THAT IT VALIDATED TWITTERS EXISTENCE The existence of Twitter is forever validated by the following exchange. pic.twitter.com/f3TciHPFFh J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 16, 2016 Dr. Katie Mack told BuzzFeed News that she is no stranger to angry tweets, especially when she discusses climate change. She normally chooses not to engage, but she couldnt help herself in this case: Story continues Mostly I try to just share science, and I think thats more effective than specifically calling out bad science, but sometimes I get really frustrated I know what its like to have lots of angry people jump in your mentions, and I try not to do anything that would likely put other people in that position I just thought it was kind of hilarious that someone was telling me to learn some science. Bow down. The post This scientist just gave us the greatest lesson on how to deal with mansplainers appeared first on HelloGiggles. ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Three Turkish Coast Guard personnel were killed on Wednesday after their vessel collided with a bulk carrier in the Bosphorus strait, forcing officials to temporarily suspend traffic in the busy shipping lane. Their vessel capsized after colliding with the Tolunay, a Cook Island-flagged bulk carrier, which was sailing toward the Black Sea, shipping agent GAC said. Four members of the Coast Guard were in hospital, a spokesman at the Istanbul governor's office said. The collision occurred at 8:40 a.m. (0540 GMT) at the southern end of the strait, it said, adding that traffic was halted until 2:30 p.m. and has resumed. More than three percent of the world's crude supply, mainly from Russia and the Caspian Sea, passes through the 17-mile Bosphorus which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; editing by Daren Butler and Jason Neely) Singapore exports fell more than expected in July from the previous year on softer US and Chinese demand, the government said Wednesday, giving further credence to an economic slowdown this year. Concerns over the weaker global economic outlook prompted the government this month to narrow its growth forecast for this year to 1-2 percent instead of 1-3 percent as projected earlier. Singapore's economy grew a modest 2.0 percent in 2015, the weakest rate of expansion since 2009 due to the effects of a global financial crisis. On Wednesday, the government's trade promotion body International Enterprise Singapore released data showing that the city-state's non-oil domestic exports fell 10.6 percent year-on-year in July. The decline is worse than the 2.4 percent contraction the previous month. It was also worse than the 2.5 percent median estimate of a 2.5 percent decline in a Bloomberg survey of 15 economists. Electronics exports such as semiconductors contracted by 12.9 percent, accelerating from a 1.7 percent decline in June. Non-electronics exports, including pharmaceuticals, petrochemicals and specialised machinery, fell by 9.5 percent from a 2.6 percent fall in June. "Indeed, when it rains, it pours. This will add on to the long list of poor data pointing to the risk of an economic contraction ahead," said DBS Bank senior economist Irvin Seah. "The writing is on the wall. For those maintaining a sanguine view on the near term outlook on the economy, this should be a wake-up call," he said in a note. The "slowdown in China is the main concern but sluggish growth in the US and uncertainties surrounding the Eurozone are not helping," Seah said. But CIMB Private Banking economist Song Seng Wun urged caution in reading the July data. He said the exports decline was due to seasonal factors like the Hari Raya Muslim holidays in Indonesia and Malaysia where companies shut down for a week, as well as the severe flooding in China. Story continues "It's not as bad as the headline numbers would have suggested," Song told AFP, adding he expects exports to rebound in the coming months. "The decline was probably exaggerated by the fewer working days in some of the key markets like Malaysia and Indonesia which celebrated the Hari Raya festivities." Exports to Singapore's top 10 markets declined, except for the European Union which expanded by 3.0 percent. Exports to China fell 16.6 percent and shipments to the United States dropped 19.1 percent, while those to Indonesia shrank 22.6 percent and Malaysia by nearly 17 percent. United Overseas Bank said the data was "disappointing" but expects an export recovery in the second half due to an anticipated pick-up in global trade. Conservative spending rules will safeguard it. Despite the lower real returns of state-run investment entities GIC and Temasek Holdings due to exposure to equities, Singapore's fiscal position is foreseen to endure only a limited impact over the near to medium term. According to Moody's Investors Service report, Singapore has on its arsenal buffers that would help it brave deficits at this time. "Over the near to medium term, conservative spending rules, a large stockpile of existing fiscal reserves, and features of Singapores fiscal framework that work to safeguard them will limit the negative credit impact on the sovereign," Moody's said. With this, the agency noted that the slip in returns from the two government-owned entities would unlikely to impact the country's budgeted fiscal balances over the next year. "Long-term expected real returns from both entities and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), are an important source of revenue to the government's annual budget. However, the fall in contributions will be gradual," Moody's explained. "We assume that the government will meet its fiscal targets for the year. The conservative nature of the government's fiscal rules, which require it to run a balanced budget over its five-year tenure, is an important factor," the agency added. However, if low real returns were to linger, it would weigh on the budgetary balances and limit scope for future fiscal stimulus to boost growth. "We would view lower returns as credit negative if they resulted in persistent fiscal deficits, creation of debt, or an erosion of accumulated reserves all of which would mark a departure from historical trends," Moody's stressed. More From Singapore Business Review Theres no Delta Force residing at the embassy. What happened in Juba, South Sudan on July 11? A few things we know for certain: Forces loyal to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir stormed a compound in the capital city and beat, robbed, tortured, and raped dozens of aid workers for hours. Despite frantic calls from the victims to U.N. troops nearby, and the U.S. Embassy, no one came to help until it was too late. The U.N. is launching an investigation into why its forces refused to help, and a senior U.S. official told FP that we didnt have the personnel with the mission or the capacity to respond to such a wide-scale event. Our response was to engage the government that had the capability to do so. FPs Colum Lynch, Dan De Luce and Paul McLeary have much more on the attack and its political fallout, writing the incident marks a grim moment in a long-standing U.S. effort to help South Sudan achieve its independence from the Arab-dominated Sudanese government in Khartoum. The violence highlighted the degree to which South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has evolved from a valued U.S. friend to the leader of a rampaging army that has now targeted American nationals. Wheels up. Guns down. U.S. and Syrian forces held fire recently when they spotted a convoy carrying as many as 200 Islamic State fighters escaping the Syrian city of Manbij, fearing that hitting the convoy would harm civilians. We did not conduct any strikes because [every vehicle] had civilians in it or on it, and so we watched, we kept track, Army Col. Chris Garver, spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition in Baghdad told reporters Tuesday. Asked where the convoy was headed, Garver was circumspect, saying they went north, adding that the fighters are still being tracked. The U.S.-backed Syrian Defense Forces have taken Manbij back from the jihadist group, prompting the flight, but the move has sparked concern that ISIS might begin using more civilians as human shields in the coming fight for the Iraqi city of Mosul. Bombs over Aleppo. Russian bombers launched a second day of airstrikes on Wednesday against targets in Syria from their new outpost in Iran, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that the strikes dont violate a key U.N. Security Council resolution, as no weapons are being transferred to Tehran. Iranian officials also insist that the Russian base isnt permanent. The Russian bombing campaign in Aleppo and Idlib have raised concerns in Washington over who the strikes are targeting. Col. Garver said Tuesday that ISIS isnt operating in Aleppo and Idlib in any numbers, where the Russians are focusing their bombing runs. We have not struck targets in Aleppo in a very long time. We have not struck targets in Idlib in a very long time, if we have at all. We dont see concentrations of ISIS in those areas, he said. NSA hack. After a group of mysterious hackers claimed to have broken into the NSA and posted a portion of its stolen code online, security researchers were left with a vexing question: Was the material released by the so-called Shadow Brokers actually from the NSA? FPs Elias Groll writes that the answer appears to be yes. On Tuesday, researchers at Kaspersky, the Russian cybersecurity firm, said their analysis of the Shadow Brokers code found a trail of digital breadcrumbs that leads straight back to the NSA. Its all happening. The two main candidates for president of the United States are about to start receiving their intelligence briefings, with Republican nominee Donald Trump up first. Trump will meet with U.S. intelligence officials in New York on Wednesday, bringing New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, former Defense Intelligence Agency chief who has been criticized for his ties to the Kremlin-funded propaganda channel RT, along with him. 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 North Korea A senior North Korean diplomat has jumped ship and defected to an unspecified country, according to the BBC. North Korean officials have apparently been looking for Thae Yong Ho, Pyongyangs number two at its embassy in London, but the Beeb reports that the diplomat has ditched his job in the North Korean government to seek asylum. Where? No one quite knows yet but South Korean media report that Thae isnt looking for refuge in the Republic of Korea. Analysts say Thaes long tenure as a senior diplomat in an important posting like the U.K. likely makes him a desirable source of intelligence on Pyongyangs thinking. Syria United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Tuesday of a coming humanitarian catastrophe in the Syrian city of Aleppo, and pushed Russia and the U.S. to strike a deal on a ceasefire in the besieged city. Fighting in the city which is split between its government-held west and rebel-held east has grown in recent weeks, killing hundreds of civilians while cutting off power, water and food deliveries. In Aleppo we risk seeing a humanitarian catastrophe unprecedented in the over five years of bloodshed and suffering in the Syrian conflict, Ban told the U.N. Security Council in his latest monthly report, according to Reuters. Human Rights Watch says the Russian and Syrian governments have been using incendiary weapons in Aleppo, which burn their victims and start fires, in civilian areas of Syria in violation of international law, the group said Tuesday. Incendiary weapons have been used at least 18 times over the past nine weeks, including in attacks on the opposition-held areas in the cities of Aleppo and Idlib on August 7, 2016. ISIS Court documents unsealed on Monday reveal that an American man from Maine died while fighting for the Islamic State in Lebanon back in 2015. Adnan Fazeli, an Iranian refugee, traveled to Turkey in 2013, just four years after arriving in the United States. FBI informants quoted in an unsealed affidavit say Fazeli grew more radical and distant from those around him while living in Maine. The Lebanese army killed Fazeli as he and other Islamic State members fought in the town of Ras Baalbek near the Syrian border. Somalia American special operations troops on the ground in Somalia helped local forces carry out a raid last week which killed a number of al-Shabaab fighters, the New York Times reports. A spokesman for U.S. Africa Command tells the paper that the commandos tagged along for the attack on an al-Shabaab checkpoint, but didnt join in the fight. American drones and special operations forces have repeatedly targeted al-Shabaab, an Islamist terrorist group which has pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda. Nigeria Ever since Boko Haram kidnapped 276 schoolgirls in 2014, the Chibok girls have been the face of the terrorist groups cruelty. But girls arent the only children Boko Haram has victimized. The Wall Street Journal reports on the roughly 10,000 boys kidnapped by the group and forced to serve as child soldiers. The Islamist militants send captured children to receive military training, reportedly using beatings and starvation as disciplinary tools to ensure discipline. Once trained, Boko Haram used the boys as cannon fodder against artillery, sometimes plying them with drugs, and arming them with little more than machetes. Get you a drone that can do both General Atomics is working on a plan to convert MQ-9 Predator B drones from terrorist hunters in counterinsurgency and counterterrorism campaigns to a missile defense platform in higher intensity conflicts. The defense contractor is working with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to equip Predator Bs with sensors that can track ballistic missiles, according to AINonline. The agency says its planning to use drones and other assets to extend the engagement zone of Standard Missile-3 interceptors. Air Force The Air Force is ordering up 30 more Reaper drones from General Atomics. The deal is worth around $370 million and is expected to be completed by 2019 just as the service retires its fleet of MQ-1 Predator drones. Demand for Reaper drones is also being pushed by the Air Forces plans to increase the number of combat air patrols to 70, up from the current 60. Photo credit: CHARLES LOMODONG/AFP/Getty Images The revamp of 233 escalators will finish by end-2021. Commuters will have to bear some inconvenience in exchange of a better travel experience at MRT stations as SMRT began refurbishing escalators along the North-South East-West Lines (NSEWL). According to SMRT, this is the first major refitting of escalators at stations since the MRT started running in 1987. A total of 233 escalators at 42 stations along NSEWL will turn to newer and more energy efficient escalators as part of SMRTs multi-year, multi-programme initiative to rehabilitate the decades-long facilities. The upgrade, which includes installation of new parts such as traction motors and traffic lights that indicate direction of travel, has been contracted to OTIS Singapore for $47.3 million. It is expected to be completed by end of 2021 with each refurbishment taking eight to ten weeks to complete. To minimise inconvenience to commuters, refurbishment work will be carried out on only one escalator at a time at each station. Construction hoardings will screen off the work areas for safety and carry information on how the escalator refurbishments will be carried out, SMRT assured the commuters. Work at Ang Mo Kio MRT station has already commenced. Joining the first set of stations to have new escalators are Tanah Merah MRT station, where work will begin later this month, and Tanjong Pagar MRT station in November this year. More From Singapore Business Review (Repeats story unchanged) * ANC lost majority in key urban centres in Aug. 3 local vote * Biggest ever defeat for party of Mandela boosts rivals * Coalition governments raise fears of instability * Unlikely coalition councils of centrist and leftist party mooted * Graphic http://tmsnrt.rs/2b0kPdk By Joe Brock and Mfuneko Toyana ATTERIDGEVILLE, South Africa, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Gladys Sithole had voted for the ruling African National Congress (ANC) ever since its long-jailed former leader Nelson Mandela swept to power in South Africa at the end of apartheid 22 years ago. She did not expect much in return, just a toilet. Standing in the doorway of her house in Atteridgeville near Pretoria and wrapped in a blanket against the cold, she explained the sea change among ANC supporters in local elections on Aug 3 which nudged South Africa from post-apartheid one-party ANC rule into a new era of uneasy coalitions. "The ANC promised us many things when they freed us but those things haven't happened," the 64-year-old said at the three-room home she shares with her frail husband and unemployed son in one of the townships blacks were confined to by apartheid. She is pinning her hopes on the Democratic Alliance (DA), formerly the preserve of South Africa's white minority, while others in Atteridgeville support the Economic Freedom Fighters, a radical party vowing to shift wealth from whites to blacks. The ANC still scored the most votes across the country but failed to win an outright majority in key urban municipalities, which means all three major parties are now scrambling to build coalitions, by an official deadline of Saturday. It is a type of politics South Africa has little experience of, requiring compromises so great they threaten to dash the hopes of voters whose patience with politicians is wearing thin. Successful opposition coalitions could show that the ANC's rivals can run local councils, strengthening their credentials to unseat the ANC nationally in 2019. Story continues But they may also descend into wrangling, slowing decision-making or triggering new elections at a time when Africa's most industrialised country teeters on the verge of recession. "No one really knows what's going on. It's confusing," said 20-year-old student Wiseman Siyabonga, who stayed loyal to the ANC because of education and housing grants he benefits from. "The thing with coalitions is no one gets who they voted for." UNREST Atteridgeville, the township on the edge of Pretoria where Sithole has lived since 1970, is typical of dozens on the fringes of South African cities that used to be so dominated by the ANC that opponents barely bothered to campaign. That changed in Atteridgeville after the ANC, without consulting locally, replaced its mayor for the municipality that includes the township after he criticised the party. Residents of the township barricaded roads, looted shops and set vehicles ablaze during riots in June and the ANC's share of the vote in Sithole's ward fell to 54 percent from 88 percent. Nationally the ANC won 53 percent, down from 62 percent five years ago, opening the way for a possible challenge to President Jacob Zuma's leadership before the 2019 parliamentary election, in which the winning party's leader becomes president. ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe told reporters on Sunday the party's leadership was trying to "deal with perceptions of the ANC being arrogant, self serving, soft on corruption and increasingly distant from its social base". Investors have largely welcomed the election results, and the rand has gained around five percent since the vote. But future coalitions face the daunting task of improving the lives of millions of South Africans, with a quarter of the potential workforce unemployed and the jobless rate among black people aged 20-24 at almost half, not to mention poor housing. "It's not nice, especially when it's cold," said Sithole, referring to the rickety cubicles in her own and other yards, which the ANC vowed to replace with inside toilets years ago. There are 27 municipalities out of 278 where no party won an outright majority, including four urban municipalities wielding budgets totalling around 130 billion rand ($9.65 billion). The DA, which elected its first black leader, Mmusi Maimane, last year, won the most votes in the symbolically important Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes the manufacturing centre Port Elizabeth, and Tshwane, home to the capital Pretoria. The ANC narrowly won the largest share in economic hub Johannesburg and the neighbouring industrial region of Ekurhuleni where the main airport is based. Julius Malema's three-year-old Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has been cast in the role of kingmaker, coming third with 8 percent of the national vote. The three parties say they are holding talks with one other and other smaller parties but details have been kept secret. "I think a coalition between DA and EFF could work. They might get something done," said Thabiso Clemenet, 26, an unemployed IT graduate who lives with six family members, aged between 8 and 80, in a two bedroom house in Atteridgeville. Clemenet points at pot-holed roads that have not been fixed and an empty plot of land where a health clinic was supposed to be built three years ago as examples of the ANC's failure. But his reasons for voting for the EFF, a party which has struck a chord with many young black men, hint at the difficulty of coalition building. "The EFF seems to offer the most radical offer of change," he said. "That's what we need." AWKWARD BEDFELLOWS On the surface, it would seem unthinkable that the pro-business DA with a white support base, could partner with the EFF, which proposes nationalising mines and banks and redistributing land from whites to blacks without compensation. The DA and EFF do share common ground, notably an avowed determination not to work with the ANC, and the DA has the track record of a successful coalition with like-minded parties in Cape Town, where it boosted its majority to over two-thirds. "I've no doubt there will be issues but I think a DA/EFF coalition is the best government citizens could get," said political analyst Prince Mashele. "The two parties will watch each other so there is no corruption. They will also pull each other towards the centre and they should both want to deliver to the people if they are going to convince voters in 2019." Lingering inequality is a central issue. Black people make up 80 percent of South Africa's 54 million population yet most of the economy remains in the hands of white people, who account for about 8 percent of the population. "We are going to show what can be done," Solly Msimanga, DA mayoral candidate in Tshwane told Reuters, citing the creation of tax free zones outside townships like Atteridgeville where small businesses like bakeries and mechanics could thrive. "You talk about nursery schools and health clinics. There are budgets for these sort of projects but they are not being spent," Msimanga said of projects neglected in the township. EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has said the party would announce its decision on coalitions on Wednesday and James Selfe, a senior DA executive who has led the party's negotiations, said on Tuesday talks were at an advanced stage. "Everyone is in a position where they know what's on offer, they know what's at stake," Selfe told reporters. "They'll have to take a decision." But in a country where coalitions remain largely untested, there are many who doubt they can succeed. "There's no way the EFF and DA can work together," said student Siyabonga. "They will fight each other and the people will suffer." ($1 = 13.25 rand) (Editing by James Macharia and Philippa Fletcher) By Joe Brock and Zimasa Mpemnyama JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's biggest parties have failed to form coalition governments in major economic hubs following elections this month, they said on Wednesday, raising the prospect of less stable minority administrations. Since the African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority in major municipalities this month, in its worst electoral performance since it came to power nationally at the end of apartheid, the main parties have been attempting to assemble coalitions. The radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the ANC and the main national opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), failed to agree on major policies, EFF leader Julius Malema told reporters. Malema, a fiery former ANC youth leader, said the EFF would vote with the DA at council meetings in order to deprive President Jacob Zuma's ANC of municipalities that it has controlled since the end of white-minority rule 22 years ago. With EFF votes, the DA is now likely to form minority administrations in Johannesburg; the neighbouring industrial region of Ekurhuleni that hosts the main airport; and Tshwane, which includes the capital Pretoria, Malema said. He also said the EFF would assist the DA in the symbolically important Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes the manufacturing hub Port Elizabeth, although the DA said it could rule there without EFF help. Malema sought to stress that the EFF did not support the policies of the DA, which he described as a party of "white racists". "We are caught between two devils. The DA is a better devil than the ANC. We are not in bed with them," he told reporters in the Alexandra township in Johannesburg. "The ANC will not get a single vote from the EFF. We will vote for the opposition because the ANC must be removed from power." Malema said his party would work with the ANC only if it removed Zuma, made education free for all, and nationalised banks and mines, among other things -- policies that it is highly unlikely to agree to. MINORITY GOVERNMENTS The DA's lead negotiator, James Selfe, said his party was confident the EFF would give it the support it needed to form minority governments. He also said the DA would be able to form a coalition government in Nelson Mandela Bay and several other municipalities without the support of the EFF. The EFF and DA both said after the Aug. 3 vote that they would not work with the ANC because their supporters had voted for change - but they are far apart in terms of policy, approach and experience. The DA is pro-business and has a largely white support base, while the EFF wants to redistribute land from whites to blacks without compensation and has been a disruptive political influence since it was formed three years ago. Aubrey Matshiqi, a political analyst at the Helen Suzman Foundation, said it was not out of the question that political instability could trigger re-runs of some municipal elections in two years' time. The DA won 43 percent of the vote in Tshwane while the ANC got 41 percent and the EFF 12 percent. In Johannesburg, the ANC won 45 percent, the DA 38 percent and the EFF 11 percent. The rand was marginally higher after weakening late on Tuesday. (Editing by Kevin Liffey) NAIROBI/JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudans army has executed two soldiers by firing squad for murder in the northwest and detained 19 others for offences ranging from murder to looting in Juba after fighting in July between government and opposition troops, officials said. The government this month rejected a report by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights which cited acts of rape and killing in Juba in July, during and after the fierce fighting But officials on Wednesday said the government took such allegations seriously and was investigating them. "These claims of rapes and human rights violations are serious issues and a number of soldiers have already been punished and capital punishment applied," Vice President Taban Deng told a news conference in Nairobi. Deng did not say how many troops had been arrested. But army spokesman Lul Ruai told Reuters in Juba that 19 men had been detained in the capital on charges of murder, random shooting, looting and other crimes. The two soldiers executed were shot two weeks ago in the northwest town of Wau after being found guilty of murder. The United Nations said on Tuesday it was investigating accusations peacekeepers in South Sudan failed to respond properly to an attack on a Juba hotel by uniformed men who killed a journalist and raped several civilians. South Sudan officials have said the fact the men were uniformed did not mean they were either government soldiers or opposition troops. The vice president told reporters that such allegations were being investigated nontheless (Reporting by Neha Wadekar and George Hakim; Editing by Edmund Blair and Richard Balmforth) By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Southern California wildfire raged unchecked in thick brush on Wednesday after destroying dozens of houses near a highway corridor between Los Angeles and Las Vegas and forcing as many as 80,000 residents to flee their homes, officials said. The so-called Blue Cut Fire ignited on Tuesday in the mountainous Cajon Pass and quickly ballooned to 30,000 acres (12,140 hectares), putting firefighters on the defensive. Fire officials described the blaze as unusually fierce, even for a year of intense wildfires in the U.S. West, where years of drought have dried trees and brush and placed a heavy burden on firefighting resources. "In my 40 years of fighting fire, I've never seen fire behavior so extreme as it was yesterday," Michael Wakoski, the incident commander on the fire, said on Wednesday at a news conference. As many as eight wildland fires were burning in California on Wednesday, three of them scorching thousands of acres as firefighters sought help from emergency responders from other states and the California National Guard. Given the dryness and ongoing warm weather, U.S. government forecasters have said Southern California faces a potential threat from major wildfires until December. Santa Ana winds, which sweep desert air to California's coast while driving the fires, are due to kick up next month, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal-Fire) spokeswoman Lynne Tolmachoff said by phone. September and October are often the peak of the state's wildfire season. The Blue Cut Fire, named for a narrow gorge north of San Bernardino where it started, was zero percent contained as it threatened the town of Wrightwood near a ski resort and other communities in a partly rural area, authorities said. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Authorities said they were forced to close part of Interstate 15, which runs through the Cajon Pass between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area, and to order about 80,000 residents to evacuate. Story continues Thick columns of smoke blocked out the sky above mountain peaks as the fire overran a number of properties, leaving behind barren lots with blackened appliances and vehicles stripped of nearly everything but metal. Louis Penna, a spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department, said in an email an official damage estimate was not available but that dozens of destroyed structures were clearly visible. "There will be a lot of families that come home to nothing," San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig told reporters. The Los Angeles Times reported hundreds of residents of Wrightwood were staying in their houses, despite dire warnings from authorities. "It's to the point where explosive fire growth is the new normal this year," Glenn Barley, a fire chief with the San Bernardino unit of Cal-Fire, told reporters. About 600 miles (970 km) to the northwest, the Clayton Fire, named for a creek near where it broke out, was 40 percent contained after charring 4,000 acres in and around the community of Lower Lake and destroying 175 homes and businesses. That fire destroyed a 150-year-old Methodist church in the community of Clearlake, according to the Los Angeles Times. The Chimney Fire, named for its starting point near Chimney Rock Road on San Luis Obispo County, destroyed 40 structures and burned 7,300 acres by Wednesday afternoon, and was 25 percent contained. As of Aug. 12, California had spent $164 million to combat wildfires this year, Tolmachoff said. That was before the Blue Cut, Clayton or Chimney fires had broken out. (Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento, Calif.; Editing by Alistair Bell and Matthew Lewis) MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish authorities said on Wednesday they had rescued 50 migrants from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa who were found the day before drifting in two boats off Spain's Mediterranean coast. Spain's maritime rescue service said it first spotted an inflatable boat with six Moroccan men stuck in high winds as it tried to cross the from Morocco's northern coast to the southern Spanish region of Almeria. A second boat with 34 men and 10 women from sub-Saharan African countries later was found in the same area. One woman was treated for burns but the rest of the migrants were in good health, the service said in a statement. All of the migrants were taken aboard a medical ship and transferred to Spain. In 2015, 3,845 migrants entered Spain via sea crossings, according to the International Organization for Migration, a tiny fraction of the 956,000 that reached Europe the same way. (Reporting by Angus Berwick, editing by Larry King) Madrid (AFP) - Spain's corruption-hit ruling Popular Party (PP) agreed Wednesday to negotiate with Ciudadanos to try and form a government, just days after the centrist grouping set a series of anti-graft demands as a condition to start talks. The move is a tentative first step towards unblocking the eight-month-long political paralysis that has gripped Spain as squabbling parties remain unable to reach any kind of agreement on a government following two inconclusive general elections. The conservative PP's executive committee "authorised me and party leaders to negotiate with Ciudadanos", acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy told reporters. But the agreement is on shaky grounds, as Rajoy refused to comment on the six conditions set by Ciudadanos last week, prompting the centrist party to question whether these had been accepted or not. "We had hoped that there would be a clear positioning today," said Ciudadanos number two Jose Manuel Villegas. Ciudadanos chief Albert Rivera will nevertheless meet with Rajoy on Thursday to try and clarify the situation, and see whether negotiations can start. "Mr Rajoy for once needs to take the plunge and say whether he accepts the conditions," said Villegas. These include anti-corruption measures such as creating a parliamentary commission to investigate one of the PP's most high-profile scandals. The case centres around former PP treasurer Luis Barcenas, who on top of alleged embezzlement also reportedly ran a slush fund for the party and says Rajoy knew about it, although the acting prime minister denies this. Corruption was a big issue in campaigns before elections in December and again in June but this did not stop the PP from coming first each time, though without an absolute majority. The party won 137 parliamentary seats out of 350 in June's elections, and Rajoy has since been trying to garner support from his rivals to form a coalition or minority government, which he will have to push through a vote of confidence. Story continues In order to do so, he needs a simple majority. But even if Ciudadanos, which gained 32 seats in June elections, accepts to back the PP after negotiations, Rajoy will still not have a majority to push his government plans through. He also needs the support of the Socialists, his traditional rivals, but they refuse to back him. "We will vote against" a Rajoy-led government, Socialist party chief Pedro Sanchez told reporters. "There can only be regeneration if Rajoy is no longer prime minister." By Dhara Ranasinghe LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Spanish bond yields fell from one-week highs on Wednesday ahead of a meeting that could pave the way for the formation of a new government and end eight months of political deadlock. Across the euro zone, bond yields were 2-4 basis points lower as markets recovered some ground after a sell-off the previous session. But the spotlight was on Spain, where interim prime minister Mariano Rajoy meets with his Conservative People's Party (PP) to consider an offer of support from centrist party Ciudadanos for a new government in return for political reforms. The reform package, aimed at fighting corruption and making the voting system more proportional, was proposed by Ciudadanos last week and is widely expected to be endorsed by PP leaders. Spain has been without a proper government since an inconclusive election in December. Rajoy's PP won the most parliamentary seats then, and again in a second ballot in June, but each time it failed to reach the 176 needed to govern alone. "Signs of progress in Spain's political situation are positive and a solution to the stalemate could lead to some outperformance of Spanish bonds, although that's likely to be limited," said Patrick Jacq, European rate strategist at BNP Paribas. Spain's 10-year bond yield was down 3 basis points at 0.97 percent, below one-week highs just above 1 percent. Hopes that Rajoy would be able to form a government have helped Spanish bonds outperform their peers since the June vote, with yields falling more than 60 bps to trade below Italy . The spread between Spanish bond yields and top-rated 10-year German Bund yields is just over 100 bps and holding near its tightest level since April 2015. "I still have doubts about political progress in Spain and negotiations could still go on for weeks," said DZ Bank strategist Christian Lenk. "But markets do seem to like what's coming out of Madrid." Portugal's 10-year bond yield fell 4 bps to 2.83 percent as the market recovered some ground from a sharp sell-off on Tuesday. Portuguese yields posted their biggest daily rise since Britain's vote to leave the European Union, after rating agency DBRS told Reuters on Tuesday that pressures were building on the country's creditworthiness. For Reuters new Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?pageId=livemarkets (Reporting by Dhara Ranasinghe; editing by John Stonestreet) By Tom Bergin LA HULPE, Belgium (Reuters) - More than a dozen current and former board directors and senior managers of SWIFT, the bank messaging system that helps transmit billions of dollars around the world every day, have told Reuters the organization for years suspected there were weaknesses in the way smaller banks used its messaging terminals but did not address such vulnerabilities. The sources said that until February, when hackers tried to steal nearly $1 billion dollars by breaking into the messaging system at Bangladesh's central bank, SWIFT had not regarded the security of customer terminals as a priority. Top executives either did not receive information from member banks about specific attempts to hack the messaging network, or failed to spot those attempts themselves, the managers said. In SWIFT's annual reports and strategy plans from the past 17 years Reuters could find only one reference to SWIFT helping its users to secure their systems. That reference to helping "our community to strengthen their own infrastructure" was in the 2015 annual report published in June this year, months after the Bangladesh heist, in which the fraudsters ended up making off with $81 million. "The board took their eye off the ball," said Leonard Schrank, who was chief executive of SWIFT from 1992 to 2007. "They were focusing on other things, and not about the fundamental, sacred role of SWIFT, which is the security and reliability of the system." Schrank said he was broadly aware that users' terminals were a weak link in SWIFT's overall security, but paid too little attention to it. "So I am partially responsible," he said. The messaging business failed to act in part because the risks were not properly appreciated, the former directors and managers said. SWIFT did not comprehensively track security incidents or monitor the extent of sloppy security practices among users. It saw smaller banks as a potential but not immediate threat to the security of the network, according to the former managers and directors. SWIFT never acted, former board member Arthur Cousins said, because the organization believed bank regulators rather than SWIFT were responsible for ensuring smaller banks' security procedures were robust enough to repel hackers. A spokeswoman for SWIFT, a cooperative owned by banks, defended the organization. "SWIFT and its Board have prioritized security, continually monitoring the landscape and responding by adapting the specific security focuses as threats have evolved. Today's security threats are not the same threats the industry faced five or ten years ago or even a year ago and like any other responsible organization we adapt as the threat changes." SWIFT was, and still is, dominated by large Western banks, including Citibank, JP MORGAN, Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas, that built the network decades ago. That contributed to the lack of concern over security, said the former directors, because the larger banks tend to have sufficient defenses to prevent criminals from hacking into their SWIFT systems. But since the 1990s, many smaller banks in emerging markets have joined SWIFT, and some may have weaker computer security. In all, more than 10,000 institutions are now connected to SWIFT. Gottfried Leibbrandt, CEO since 2012, said it was only with the benefit of "hindsight" that one could see that SWIFT needed to put more focus on security at customer terminals. "Hindsight is always a wonderful thing," he said. "Sometimes it takes a crisis to change things." RISE IN SMALL USERS In the Bangaldesh heist, hackers broke into a computer interface called Alliance Access, a piece of software sold by SWIFT for accessing its central network. It is still unclear exactly how the thieves gained entry. Bank Bangladesh has alleged that a botched upgrade of its system left vulnerabilities in it. SWIFT has rejected any responsibility for the way Bangladesh Bank upgraded its systems. Whatever specific weakness the thieves in the Bangladesh case exploited, former SWIFT directors and managers said the system became more vulnerable as it got bigger. Alessandro Lanteri, a former executive with Italian bank Unicredit who served on SWIFT's board between 1995 and 2000, said security challenges increased when smaller banks in emerging markets joined the SWIFT network. "The difficulty is always to keep the security system very effective when you deal with little banks and emerging countries," he said. "There, it is very difficult to be sure that all the procedures of security are managed in the correct way." The number of countries and territories covered by SWIFT swelled from 126 in 1994 to 200 in 2003 and 212 now. Bigger western banks considered SWIFT more cost effective and secure than alternative means of communication, Cousins said, and encouraged smaller banks to become members. But despite the rise in the number of smaller institutions as members, the big banks continued to dominate SWIFT. The organization's revenues, which hit 710 million euros last year, are driven by a concentrated number of large western correspondent banks like Citigroup and HSBC, former SWIFT staff said. Traditionally, 90 percent of messaging revenue comes from banks in just 25 countries almost all developed nations data in the decade to 2011, the last year for which SWIFT published a breakdown, shows. Some people working at the coalface spotted evidence of deteriorating security well before this year's Bangladesh case. Two years ago, Martin Ullman, a Prague-based SWIFT consultant, was browsing a LinkedIn forum for SWIFT users when he saw a posting from a recently-appointed technician at the Central Bank of Solomon Islands (CBSI). The technician needed to install an upgrade to the bank's SWIFT messaging system but didn't know how. He wanted advice. Ullman emailed the man and told him that raising such issues in a public forum could endanger security and advised him to seek expert help. The technician said the bank couldn't afford it, and said he finally managed to install the system himself. CBSI declined to comment. Reuters was unable to contact the technician to confirm the incident. Yet security was vital: Six former directors of SWIFT said any breach of the broader system could put the bedrock of SWIFT the willingness of banks to accept messages at face value at risk. TRAIL OF INCIDENTS Hugh Cumberland, a former SWIFT executive who now advises banks on payments technologies, said he first saw security risks in 1993. He told Reuters that, when he was working as a technology contractor with BZW, an arm of BARCLAYS, in London. Cumberland arrived for work one day to be met by policemen carrying Heckler & Koch submachine guns. Two staff members had been arrested for attempting to use their access to a SWIFT terminal to send 10 million pounds of "unnamed client money" to accounts controlled by them. Cumberland did not know the outcome of the case. Both SWIFT and Barclays declined to comment. Another incident occurred in 1995, when officials at Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB) began sending fraudulent payment instructions to Citibank, telling it to pay money from DIB's account at the U.S. bank into the account of a fraudster, according to a lawsuit DIB filed against Citibank in New York in 1999. More than $150 million was allegedly stolen by DIB executives in collaboration with Foutanga Dit Babani Sissoko, a West African businessman previously jailed for trying to bribe U.S. customs officials. Sissoko was deported from the United State before the DIB allegations were made in court. Reuters could not contact him. A lawyer involved in the case confirmed the messages were sent via SWIFT, which has a near monopoly on such international payment instructions. The court dismissed the claim of negligence against Citibank. The banks declined to comment on the case. (Swift was not involved in the legal proceedings.) More recently, thieves exploiting SWIFT systems stole $250,000 from Bangladesh's Sonali bank in 2013 and more than $12 million from Ecuador's Banco del Austro in 2015. Later in 2015, Vietnam's Tien Phong Bank foiled an attempt to steal money via SWIFT, which was reported by Reuters in May. SWIFT officials said the banks involved in these three cases did not immediately inform it of the incidents, though the banks did confirm them later. The senior management at SWIFT appears to have been unaware of the events. Leibbrandt told Reuters in May that, before the Bangladesh heist in February, he had not been told of any successful or unsuccessful attempt to steal money using SWIFT. Asked why SWIFT had not logged the incidents described above, a spokeswoman said: "SWIFT has always maintained an uncompromising focus on security as evidenced by our track record." CHANGING ATTITUDES Some former SWIFT executives and directors said the failure to spot the security risks around user terminals reflects weaknesses in SWIFT's board. Schrank, the chief executive from 1992 to 2007, said some directors lacked the experience needed to help steer such a big and important enterprise. "Generally the SWIFT board, with very few exceptions, are back-office payments people, middle to senior management," he said. Of 48 current and former non-executive SWIFT directors for whom Reuters could find career histories, only two sat on their employer's management board. Only one sat on the board of a listed company other than their employer. Fritz Klein, a former Credit Suisse banker who served on SWIFT's board from 1998 to 2002, said an even greater concern was the length of tenure of some members, which he said did not encourage fresh thinking. At any time, a third of members had been there for "very long, perhaps too long," he said. A spokeswoman for SWIFT said: "SWIFT's large and diverse group of Board members have decades of experience in operations, management, IT, risk assessment, and various other disciplines. SWIFT's Board composition includes long-standing members with a deep understanding of how SWIFT works, as well as newer members who contribute with a fresh outside view." The board is dominated by larger banks: the six countries which have the greatest messaging volume have the right to appoint two directors each. The next 10 largest user countries can appoint one each. Lanteri, the former Unicredit banker who used to be a SWIFT director, said: "When I was on the board I had no direct contact with the little countries." Board members came from all over the world, he said, but "from the most important banks." The Bangladesh heist has changed attitudes. In May, SWIFT published a new "customer security plan," promising to strengthen security on software tools such as Alliance Access; to develop new tools to spot when an account has been compromised and when a payment instruction deviates from normal patterns; and to allow banks to issue "stop payment" orders quickly. In July, SWIFT announced the creation of a "Forensics and Customer Security Intelligence team," in conjunction with cyber security firms BAE Systems1 and Fox- IT2. The team will gather information on any attempts to commit thefts through SWIFT, analyze the risks these attacks highlight and share the lessons with the wider SWIFT community. (Additional reporting by Andrew MacAskill in London; Edited by Richard Woods and Alessandra Galloni) (Adds details) Aug 17 (Reuters) - Staples Inc, the biggest U.S. office supplies retailer, forecast its 15th straight quarter of declining sales as it closes stores in the face of intensifying competition. Staples and former merger partner Office Depot Inc are struggling to compete with Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Amazon.com Inc at a time when people are using less stationery. Framingham, Massachusetts-based Staples said on Wednesday its total sales fell 3.7 percent to $4.75 billion in the second quarter ended July 30. Analysts on average had expected sales of $4.77 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Sales at the company's established stores in North America fell 5 percent, worse than the 3.1 percent drop analysts polled by research firm Consensus Metrix had expected. Staples also reported a net loss of $766 million, or $1.18 per share, compared with a profit of $36 million, or 6 cents per share, a year earlier. Apart from trying to buy Office Depot - a deal that fell apart over antitrust concerns - Staples has been responding to tough conditions by closing stores and focusing on serving medium-sized businesses rather than Fortune 500 ones. The company reiterated that it would close 50 stores in North America this year. It closed a total of 242 stores in 2014 and 2015 as a part of its restructuring plan. Staples had 1,907 stores as of Jan. 30. Staples is also focusing on offerings other than office supplies, such as electronics and furniture, and said in May it would step up deliveries to 80 percent of total North American sales within three years in an effort to compete with Amazon. Excluding items, the company earned 12 cents per share, matching the average analyst estimate, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Staples said it expected sales in the current quarter to decrease from the same quarter last year but did not provide a specific forecast. The company said it expected an adjusted profit of 32 to 35 cents per share. Analysts on average were expecting a profit of 35 cents per share. Staples' shares were down 1.3 percent at $9.30 in light premarket trading. The shares have lost about a third of their value in the past 12 months. (Reporting by Abhijith Ganapavaram and Gayathree Ganesan in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza and Ted Kerr) Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 Criteo president and COO Eric Eichmann Things are heating up in the "click fraud" lawsuit between the French public ad tech company Criteo and its US-based competitor SteelHouse. A quick summary of the case so far: Lots of retailers measure the performance of their ad tech vendors using a method called "last click attribution," which gives credit to whichever company served the last ad a user clicked on before landing on a website. Criteo filed a lawsuit in a California court in June that alleged SteelHouse ran a "counterfeit click fraud" scheme which led to "substantial injury and damage" to its business and reputation. Criteo claimed it had lost business because SteelHouse used a method to falsely take last click credit for visits to retailer's web pages. SteelHouse denies the claims. In July, SteelHouse responded by filing counterclaims, alleging the suit was an attempt to "bully a smaller company." SteelHouse said it has a "unique business model," which doesn't just focus on clicks. The countersuit also alleged Criteo "regularly injects adware" into users' personal computers, serves ad impressions through that adware, and buys inventory from "non-reputable sources" in order to drive up its click numbers. On Monday, Criteo filed further documents to support its request for the court to impose an injunction on SteelHouse, which would prevent it from continuing to carry out such alleged behavior. Criteo is also seeking damages. (You can read the reply filed with the courthouse below.) As well as dismissing SteelHouse's counterclaims, Criteo has also persuaded five former clients of SteelHouse to sign declarations to demonstrate how they were, in Criteo's words, "deceived" by SteelHouse's actions. In a statement, Criteo said: "On August 15, 2016, Criteo filed papers in further support of its request to the Court to enjoin SteelHouse from its continued misconduct as well as to dismiss SteelHouses baseless counterclaims, which are nothing more than an attempt to divert attention from SteelHouses own wrongdoing and sham explanations for it. Criteo alleges that SteelHouse used a counterfeit click fraud scheme to trick e-tail clients into thinking that internet users clicked on SteelHouse-placed ads when they did not, and, consequently, to take credit for online sales attributable to Criteo, other online marketing vendors, and from e-tail clients own direct internet traffic. In support of these allegations, Criteo filed a Motion for Preliminary Injunction with substantial supporting evidence documenting SteelHouses behavior. Story continues "In Opposition to Criteos Preliminary Injunction Motion, SteelHouse claimed it was entitled to engage in this conduct and that its conduct is acceptable industry practice. SteelHouse clients have responded with sworn testimony showing that this is false. These clients have offered specific and detailed testimony to explain how they were deceived by SteelHouse, and industry experts have also submitted sworn statements clearly demonstrating that SteelHouses conduct is not acceptable industry practice. SteelHouses conduct has irreparably harmed, and continues to irreparably harm, Criteo, its clients, and the online advertising industry as a whole. Criteo will continue to vigorously prosecute its claims against SteelHouse in an attempt to stop SteelHouses misconduct." SteelHouse provided Business Insider this statement: "Criteos response in its latest filing finally frames the actual debate at hand without the inflammatory accusations. When you boil it down, the debate is about flexibility. SteelHouse offers flexible attribution support; Criteo doesnt." Here is a summary of the five former SteelHouse Client's declarations: VistaPrint channel marketing lead, Elyse Burns: VistaPrint had carried out its own investigation using a web developer debugging system to see whether SteelHouse was falsely attributing clicks. Burns navigated to the VistaPrint site via search and left the browser on overnight. The declaration states she discovered that, without taking any action, the browser had reloaded the webpage on its own. As a result, the visit no longer had tracking code reflecting that she had reached the site by search, but instead reflected the visit occurred as the result of a SteelHouse ad, according to the declaration. Burns declaration claims SteelHouse "stole credit" for those clicks, which led to a reduction in the revenue it distributed to other ad tech vendors. VistaPrint senior specialist in external marketing, Leah Bliss: Bliss' declaration states VistaPrint discovered SteelHouse used "malicious code to make it appear as though an internet user clicked on a SteelHouse-placed advertisement, even though no such click occurred." Upon discovery of this, VistaPrint terminated its contract with SteelHouse, according to the declaration. BodyBuilding.com manager of information delivery and analysis, Aaron Bostrom: Bostrom's declaration states that BodyBuilding.com ran a head-to-head comparison of SteelHouse and Criteo. SteelHouse won the comparison, so BodyBuilding.com stopped using Criteo. But then Bostrom became suspicious. According to the declaration, BodyBuilding.com found more than half of SteelHouse's clicks registered on a second-page visit after a user had previously navigated to that page. That's confusing because usually a click would lead to the first page: you see an ad, click it, and get directed for the site. For a second-page visit to have occured, the user would have to have been on the site already, navigated away, be served an ad, then quickly navigate back. The declaration also claims that these second-page clicks were occurring "rapidly," typically within 80 seconds of a user first visiting the site. "While such behavior is not impossible, it is highly improbable," the declaration says. Bostrom says in the declaration he was told by SteelHouse this behavior was the result of a "bug" that had been fixed in May. But BodyBuilding.com decided to serve SteelHouse a service suspension and demand a full refund. Toms former online demand generation manager, Anna Hordov After being given $15,000 of free media to trial SteelHouse's services, Toms decided to stop using Criteo exclusively and split its budget between the two as a result. For a brief time, Toms paused its activity with Criteo but found that SteelHouse's conversion rates did not improve, despite it being its sole retargeting supplier during the period, according to the declaration. In January, Criteo provided analysis showing that, directly after a click on a different marketing channel, SteelHouse would fire its own code so it would look as though a user had clicked on one of its ads, according to the declaration. Hordov says in the declaration: "I spent months believing that SteelHouses numbers was based solely on clicks and post-click conversions. SteelHouses conduct made it appear to perform better than it actually was performing. Toms made spending allocation decisions and marketing vendor choices based on SteelHouses inflated performance." Deckers director of ecommerce, marketing and merchandising, Jackson Graham McCulloch: Deckers decided to switch from Criteo to SteelHouse after performing a head-to-head comparison between the two, according to the declaration. Criteo then contacted Deckers in May to point out alleged data irregularities within SteelHouse's tracking codes, according to the declaration. Deckers looked at its Adobe log files and found that more than 50% of SteelHouse-attributed clicks followed 10 seconds after a page view, the declaration states. McCulloch says in the declaration this showed an "unrealistic" amount of time for someone to leave the site, go to another site, be served an ad, and then click on it. The declaration states: "SteelHouse's practice of inserting a code into an internet users browser to make a view of an advertisement appear indistinguishable from a click on Deckers Adobe Analytics system is not, in any way, common or acceptable industry practice. Nor should it be because it is deceptive." The case continues. A court hearing is set for August 29. Criteo's reply to SteelHouse's countersuit: Criteo Vs. SteelHouse by Lara on Scribd NOW WATCH: What abandoned Olympic venues from around the world look like today More From Business Insider By Hannah McNeish DURBAN, South Africa (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Tania has to shout to be heard over music blasting out of a brothel in downtown Durban, South Africa, where dozens of sex workers slouch in chairs under the red glow of the bar or lean against walls as they wait for clients. Dressed in a tight top and trousers, the 42-year-old looks younger than her age. Sex work is illegal in South Africa but the trade thrives, drawing women from as far away as Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Mozambique and Botswana to work alongside Tania. Cracking jokes and quick to laugh, Tania said working in a brothel was safer than selling sex on the streets. But even so, the men can be aggressive. Condoms can burst, and when they do, sex workers are often reluctant to seek healthcare. "Some of them are scared of going to the nurse for testing. They discriminate: 'There is that prostitute'. And that name in public, it hurts," said Tania, who declined to give her real name fearing reprisals. In a report published in 2015, researchers found that the HIV prevalence rate among sex workers, one of the most at risk groups, and their clients in Durban was 53 percent - far higher than the national adult HIV prevalence rate of 19.2 percent. Yet stigma is still one of the biggest obstacles to ending the AIDS epidemic three decades after it began, experts say. In South Africa, sex workers speak of nurses that laughed at them, dismissed or shamed them for coming to a health clinic, even in a country with the highest number of people living with HIV - 7 million - and the largest number of people accessing anti-retroviral treatment - 3.5 million. Deputy executive director of UNAIDS Dr Luiz Loures, who saw his first AIDS case in 1981, said medical advances in creating lifesaving drugs to treat HIV were "a historical achievement for humanity". "But when I see how much we progress as societies, in terms of achievements in discrimination, I feel we are still in the 1980s," Loures told the Thomson Reuters Foundation, referring to the start of the epidemic. "Having health systems that discriminate against gay men, sex workers and other key populations (means that) AIDS is coming back, in a very selective way," he said. "WAKE UP THE WORLD" Sixteen years after South Africa first hosted the International AIDS Conference, the biggest gathering of its kind returned to Durban last month. Some of the same campaigners who marched with President Nelson Mandela to break the silence around AIDS in 2000 were back. This time they were voicing alarm over unequal access to HIV treatment. "People with HIV are mostly poor, they're mostly marginalized," said leading activist Mark Heywood from South Africa's Section 27 rights group. "They die in their homes, they die in hospitals," Heywood said as he marched to "wake up the world again" to the AIDS epidemic, which killed some 180,000 people in South Africa last year. South Africa had 380,000 new HIV infections in 2015, accounting for nearly 40 percent of new HIV infections in eastern and southern Africa, according to U.N. agency UNAIDS. International AIDS funding fell for the first time in five years to $7.5 billion in 2015 from $8.6 billion in 2014. Only 17 million of the world's 36.7 million HIV-positive people having access to anti-retroviral treatment, UNAIDS says. Rights activist Nana Gleeson said in neighboring Botswana, health worker prejudice against those on the margins of society like prisoners, foreigners and transgender people was widespread. "It's actually stigma that's killing people. It creates an opportunity for people to then not give people access to treatment or whatever they need," she said. Oscar-winning South African actress Charlize Theron, who runs a HIV charity, has blamed racism, sexism and homophobia for fuelling the epidemic. "We value some lives more than others," Theron told the opening ceremony of the AIDS conference. "We value men more than women, straight love more than gay love, white skin more than black skin, the rich, more than the poor and adults more than adolescents," she said. CRIMINALIZATION Even as some 18,000 people attended this year's AIDS conference, a few kilometers (miles) away, staff at a center for Durban's poor and homeless noticed that its regulars were not coming to the clinic for checkups. "We know the police are regularly told to clear them away," said the manager of the Denis Hurley Center, Raymond Perrier. "Almost half of the people we see in our clinic are refugees, because they tell us they don't feel welcome in government clinics," he added. Human rights activists say the criminalization of sex workers makes them more vulnerable with women working the streets reporting frequent arrest for carrying condoms, attacks and detention by the police. Sex worker and activist Janet sees many sex workers who have given up seeking treatment and are rapidly deteriorating. "Their skin is peeling off and it's like maize-meal when they scratch it," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. Since June, Janet, who like Tania is HIV-positive, has been persuading women who are still negative to start taking Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a daily pill that can cut the risk of getting HIV by up to 90 percent. But the drugs will only work if people have access to them, UNAIDS' Loures said. "The only way to face things like discrimination is through activism. There is no drug that will fix that," he said. Hannah McNeish reported from Durban with the help of the International Reporting Project (Editing by Katie Nguyen. 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 to see more stories) Since Pacific lionfish were first detected off the coast of Florida three decades ago, they have spread around the Caribbean, gobbling up everything that fits in their mouths and reproducing at a phenomenal rate. Scientists have shown that soon after they descend upon a reef, there is a sharp fall in the number of small fish, notably the herbivores on which coral depends for survival. Theyre eating their way through the reefs like a plague of locusts, said Mark Hixon, a lionfish specialist at the University of Hawaii. It is by far the most destructive invasive species ever recorded at sea, and the blight is believed to have started with aquarium fish released off the Florida Atlantic coast in the mid-1980s. However, in the last few months, a set of unrelated trends has resulted in two U.S. supermarket chains, Whole Foods and Wegmans, offering Florida lionfish, which has a white, delicate flesh, to consumers with much fanfare. Early signs suggest that the states fishery might just be big enough to protect the native denizens of at least some reefs from being decimated. If the commercial fishermen can keep their numbers down, we should see an increase in the native species that are being eaten by lionfish, said Lad Akins, the founder of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) in Key Largo, Florida, and head of its lionfish study project. That would be the first time a commercial market controls an invasive species. Popular among aquarium keepers for their stunning russet-and-cream stripes and 18 sharp, venomous spines that spread out like a fishing boats outriggers, lionfish also boast modest space requirements (near stillness is their default state), a surprising resilience, and an awfully good bang for the buck (currently under $50 apiece) in the sometimes stratospheric market of tropical aquarium fish. The lionfish is relatively common in the tropical Pacific but has a negligible effect on reef life there because its never seen gathering in large concentrations, though exactly why this is so remains unclear; no predator has been identified. But in the Caribbean, where reefs are in far worse shape, its a different story. Story continues When Christopher Columbus traversed the New World, marine life was so rich that his chronicler wrote that the crew could almost walk ashore on the backs of swimming turtles. Underwater, marine biologists believe the scenery was then just the opposite of what one can see now: Instead of many multicolored little fish fluttering carelessly around a reef and the blue outline of an occasional shark or barracuda in the distance, large predators made up the bulk of marine life. Little fish were even more numerous, as is still the case near certain pristine Pacific islands. As people settled on reef-fringed coasts everywhere, overfishing decimating a population of a certain species faster than it can reproduce first affected the larger species of edible fish, both carnivores like grouper and snapper and herbivores like parrotfish and wrasse. These grazers played an essential role in the reef: They prevented algae from taking over, leaving space for coral to grow which provides shelter and food for smaller marine life. However, when the big grazers grew scarce, algae blossomed, and coral started to die; then fishermen moved onto the smaller ones, too, accelerating the process. In the 1980s, a mysterious disease wiped out sea urchins, which are algae grazers and friends of the coral. So by the time the lionfish arrived in the Caribbean islands, peeling off the Florida coast to first colonize the Bahamas in the late 1990s, average live coral cover in the region had fallen to 14 percent from more than 50 percent in the 1950s, according to Alan Friedlander, a marine ecologist at the University of Hawaii who has been studying Caribbean reefs for more than 30 years. The lionfish found a reef system that was exceptionally vulnerable, Friedlander said. The reefs are relying almost exclusively on the very fish that the lionfish are taking out. As a result, offshore Caribbean coral reefs are now dying and crumbling faster, reducing the populations of fish that millions of people depend on for healthy, cheap protein and removing a bulwark against storms that will accelerate coastal erosion and the destruction of beachfront communities. At first glance, averting the disaster seems like a cakewalk: Spearing lionfish is so easy it doesnt even require a spear gun; a two-foot shaft with a barbed hook propelled by a piece of rubbed tubing is enough, because the lionfish can usually be approached to within two feet. Some can be found in the first 15 feet of water where snorkelers swim, though most live on the lower end of a scuba divers range, below 100 feet. As they invaded the pretty reefs that recreational divers frequent, the divers started spearing them, keeping their numbers low and the coral healthy, particularly in places with large diving communities like the Florida Keys, Bonaire, the Caymans, and Cozumel, Mexico. But the lionfishs average Caribbean density of four per 100 square meters has generally been too small to make it economical to fish for a living. Most lionfish make up a single portion; some can feed two. But their white, tender meat has led more and more restaurants to put them on the menu as the notion of eating the invader caught the imagination of much of the community press in Florida, to a far greater degree than the invasive (but less damaging) Asian snakehead has on the Eastern Seaboard. Rachel Lynn Bowman, who describes herself on Instagram as a #lionfishhuntress in the Florida Keys, says her average is 50 speared lionfish a day, which she sells to Whole Foods or local restaurants. But until now scientists have believed that the commercial cull, just like that of the recreational divers, was too small to have any effect. Thats changing in the Florida Panhandle, particularly from Mobile, Alabama, to Apalachicola, Florida, where their density has risen more than tenfold to at least 50 per 100 square meters, says Kristen Dahl of the University of South Alabama. They eat pretty much anything that fits in their mouth, and they have a predilection for young vermilion snapper, she said, referring to a popular commercial species. Just when traditional fishermen were complaining that their fish traps were coming up with lionfish instead of the more valuable grouper or snapper, the Monterey Bay Aquariums Seafood Watch program decided to list the lionfish as a best choice, noting that reduction or removal from the Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico will greatly benefit the native species. Whole Foods, which decides what seafood to sell in part based on the aquariums recommendations, swung into action. David Ventura, the companys seafood coordinator for Florida, was aware that his lobster suppliers often caught lionfish in their traps, so he offered them $3.50 a pound in March. They sold faster than we could get them in, he said. In an interview shortly after the April 1 end of the lobster season, he said hed love to get more lionfish but admitted he had no idea where to find them. He learned fast. By mid-May, he had created a network of spearfishing commercial divers who helped him stock the 26 Whole Foods Markets in Florida with lionfish at $9.99 a pound. In an interview at the May 14 lionfish derby in Pensacola, which pulled in over 8,000 fish, more than tripling the previous record, Ventura sounded positively thrilled. He said hed sold more than he expected that weekend and would now be offering it permanently at all the state stores near posters that read, Take a bite out of lionfish be a part of the solution. Almost every customer thats approaching our seafood teams [is] chatting about it, he said. Demand is very strong, and given the dedication of the divers, Im confident the supply will be there. In July, lionfish appeared in some stores in the South, Southwest, Rocky Mountains, and California, added McKinzey Crossland, a Whole Food spokeswoman. Wegmans, which has stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts, has also started selling it. At the Pensacola derby, where several dozen tents displayed everything from lionfish dishes to toys, the mood was euphoric. A small community of divers that had been picking off the fish for years sometimes selling their catch for $10 a pound to restaurants, sometimes eating it themselves felt its time had come. With sales soaring, Rebecca Jones, a former sales executive, invested her savings in a lionfish-fishing operation with Ty McCall, a professional diver. Were pulling in 200 to 300 pounds a day, McCall said. Under one tent at the lionfish derby, waitress Clara Proctor, who has been devoting all her spare time to making and selling a tasty lionfish dip under the brand Edible Invaders, was hoping the lionfishs growing fame would allow her to quit her night job. At another, chef Irv Miller of Jacksons Steakhouse restaurant was serving up a delicious fried lionfish mousse. Ryan Chadwick, who believes hes the first to serve lionfish in New York at his restaurant Normans Cay, now offers it in four other restaurants and has opened a wholesale service. Demand has really gone through the roof since the derby, he said. A couple of years ago, most people hadnt heard of lionfish, said Dahl, the University of South Alabama scientist. Now its almost like theres a race to fish them. But putting a dent in their numbers wont be easy. We know that there are many, many places with big lionfish colonies way beyond the reach of divers, from 200 feet to 1,000, she explained. So that means that a reef thats been fished out can be recolonized quite fast. Akins, of REEF, agrees. The question is: Will the small fish have time to repopulate the reef before the lionfish come back? A trap that works across all depths with minimal bycatch could be the silver bullet weve been looking for, he added. A lot of very bright minds have been working on it, and now all this publicity is making it likelier that someone will come up with the right one. Lionfish have also begun appearing in the Mediterranean, but colder waters there should keep their numbers down, says Friedlander, the marine biologist. But in Gulf and the Caribbean, Its a race against the clock. Photo credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images Nairobi (AFP) - South Sudan's new vice president warned Wednesday that his predecessor and former friend Riek Machar should stay out of politics to allow peace. Taban Deng Gai, a powerful politician and fellow member of the Nuer tribe, was a loyal ally and friend of Machar before seizing the opportunity to replace him as First Vice President after clashes in the capital Juba last month. "Let (Machar) denounce violence, let him work for peace and let him wait for the elections in 2018," Deng said in Nairobi on Wednesday. "It cannot be violence in 1991, violence in 1998, violence 2013 and violence again in 2016," said Deng, referring to a series of rebellions involving Machar over the years. "I think (Machar) should have learned from those mistakes," Deng said. The visit to Kenya -- during which Deng met with President Uhuru Kenyatta -- appeared designed to shore up Deng's position as the most senior Nuer in a so-called government of national unity established in a peace deal that has remained largely unimplemented since being signed by Machar and President Salva Kiir a year ago. It remains unclear how much support Deng has among either the civilian Nuer population or the armed factions who have backed Machar since the start of the civil war in December 2013, many of whom see Deng's elevation as a betrayal. "Wherever (Machar) is let him ask for a peaceful passage. If he decides to stay in the country let him stay in peace in Juba, or if he thinks he cannot stay in Juba let him come to Kenya or to any of the African countries and let him organise his political party and let him wait for the election in 2018," Deng said. Machar's whereabouts have been unclear since last month when deadly fighting flared in Juba and led to his outgunned and outnumbered forces being chased from the city by government troops. Deng insisted he was the man to bring peace to South Sudan, together with Kiir. "This peace is a beautiful peace to the people of South Sudan we are not going to allow it to collapse," he said. Far from the non-stop world of catwalk shows and photo shoots, summer sees models kick back with a well-earned vacation before the next round of fashion weeks starts in September. This summer, Relaxnews is scouring social networks to bring you the hottest fashion and beauty looks from models on vacation. Today, American catwalk queen Karlie Kloss shared a shot of herself rocking a laid-back look that's ideal for strolling the streets of Los Angeles. In a simple but stylish shot, as is often the way with this long-legged blonde, Karlie Kloss can be seen captured from behind, showing off her back and glancing to the right under the sunny skies of L.A. The model's 5.2 million Instagram followers were treated to a glimpse of the star rocking a casual look, with spotless white pants paired with a customized jean jacket embellished with an eye motif and her name. This bespoke look is accessorized simply with a pair of sunglasses. The 24-year-old model and dancer is by no means a newcomer to the fashion world. Having been spotted at a very early age, Karlie Kloss has already walked the runway for the biggest names in the business (Versace, Balmain, Elie Saab, Mugler, Emilio Pucci, Fendi, Tom Ford). She is currently a L'Oreal Paris brand ambassador and has previously starred in campaigns for Swarovski, Liu-Jo, Mango, Topshop, Kate Spade and Marc Jacobs. Taylor Swift has donated $1 million to support the victims of the Louisiana floods Taylor Swift has donated $1 million to support the victims of the Louisiana floods Taylor Swift has donated $1 million to help with relief following the terrible flooding in Louisiana. The floods, which were caused by extreme torrential downpours, have left at least 11 people dead and many thousands more displaced without a home. The flooding is said to be the worst in Louisianas history, with President Barak Obama declaring the state a disaster area, opening it up to federal aid by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Speaking to Associated Press, Swift said that she had felt welcomed by the state when she kicked off her 1989 World Tour there last year. We began The 1989 World Tour in Louisiana, and the wonderful fans there made us feel completely at home, she said in a statement. The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking. The mayor Central City, Louisiana, JR Shelton told press that the flood was one of epic proportions. When we talk about floods now, well talk about the great flood of 2016, he said. Everything else pales in comparison. Local paper, The Advocate, has published devastating pictures that detail the before and after of the flooding in Baton Rouge, which has destroyed over 40,000 homes and businesses. More than 30,000 people have been rescued since the flooding began on Friday, in what The National Weather Service has described as a thousand-year disaster. Continuing in her statement, Swift said, I encourage those who can to help out and send your love and prayers their way during this devastating time. We cant comprehend the devastation in Louisiana, and our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by this immense tragedy. For more information on how you can help those affected, please visit the American Red Cross website. The post Taylor Swift has donated $1 million to support the victims of the Louisiana floods appeared first on HelloGiggles. From Seventeen Taylor Swift announced Tuesday she is donating $1 million to Louisiana to help those affected by the devastating flood that has killed at least 11 people. In a statement to the Associated Press, Taylor said, "We began the '1989' World Tour in Louisiana, and the wonderful fans there made us feel completely at home. The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking." The flooding has damaged at least 40,000 homes, while more than 60,000 residents have registered for disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), according to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards's office. Twenty parishes have also been declared a major disaster area. The AP adds that more than 30,000 people have been rescued since Friday. In related news, Taylor recently made a donation to African Parks, a conservation NGO, on World Elephant Day. The organization called her gift "generous." From Good Housekeeping A 17-year-old high school student recently posed for an absolutely gorgeous photo shoot, but it's her inspirational message about that has us totally obsessed. After finding tumors in her collar bone and chest earlier this year, Texas teen Andrea Salazar was diagnosed with stage 2 nodular sclerosis Hodgkin lymphoma, Buzzfeed reports. She was spending a lot of time out of school in order to keep up with her treatments, so her mom encouraged her to use her spare time to keep up with modeling, a hobby she's loved since she was just 13. Salazar took her mom's suggestion and continued to pose for a number of shoots. Because she had lost her hair during chemotherapy treatments, she used the shoots as a chance to experiment with fun wigs - but even still, she found that her self-confidence wasn't what it used to be. Recently, though, Salazar came to a beautiful realization: Her cancer is nothing she should ever be ashamed of, and her physical attributes can't (and shouldn't!) define her. So, to showcase her inner and outer beauty, she partnered with photographer Gerardo Garmendia for a princess-themed photo shoot, for which she wore a bright turquoise dress - and no wig. The results were absolutely stunning. Cancer doesn't stop me me from being a princess. pic.twitter.com/39RaDuVwkH - Andrea Sierra (@sierraandrea99) August 10, 2016 Salazar's photos have since gone viral, bringing her more than 97,000 retweets and nearly 200,000 likes on Twitter. But more importantly, Salazar has spread a message about beauty and self-confidence that all young girls need to hear. She posted a photo from the shoot to Instagram with the following caption: A couple of months ago when my hair first started to fall out, I would have never imagined being able to go out in public without a wig. I had lost most confidence in myself. But along with many other things, this journey has taught me to love and accept myself regardless of the way I look. I've learned that the hair on someone's head doesn't define who they are as a person, but their actions and the way they treat others. All girls are princesses, and today I feel beautiful inside and out. Story continues Now that's what makes a true princess. [h/t Buzzfeed] Follow Good Housekeeping on Instagram and Facebook. On Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, Yahoo News Guest Anchor Paul Beban talks with Yahoo News National Correspondent Holly Bailey and Yahoo News Chief Washington Correspondent Olivier Knox about the campaign staffing shakeup in the Donald Trump presidential campaign. Trump promoted Kellyanne Conway, a former senior adviser, to the campaign manager position. The executive chairman of Breitbart News, Stephen Bannon, is becoming the campaigns chief executive. Additionally, Trump is scheduled to receive a national security briefing, and the three discuss this development as well. Washington (AFP) - The United States warns of further violence in the already war-wracked Democratic Republic of Congo should President Joseph Kabila hold on to power after his mandate expires in December. Kinshasa, meanwhile, speaks of "chaos" if foreign countries meddle in the crisis. For months, Washington has kept a close eye on the DRC, where tensions are running high ahead of the December 20 deadline for the end of the president's second term. He is barred from running again under the constitution. The opposition and Western powers worry that Kabila is pulling strings to keep his post as head of state, and may try to delay the vote. Kabila took over after his father Laurent was assassinated in 2001, before being elected in 2006 and 2011. In May, the constitutional court ruled that Joseph Kabila could stay in power in a caretaker capacity if elections are not called by September 19 in accordance with the constitution, which requires a vote 90 days before the end of a president's mandate. At this point, staging elections on time looks unlikely. "Sadly, the situation has only deteriorated. Congo today is roughly one month away from a full-fledged constitutional crisis," said Anthony Gambino, who used to head the US Agency for International Development office in Kinshasa. Thomas Perriello, the State Department's special envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa, warned that "in countries where incumbents try to change the rules to stay in power, those countries are five times more likely to face violence and instability." "The good scenarios get less likely as we get closer to these deadlines, and the bad scenarios get more likely. We see this next month as crucial," he added. Perriello, like Gambino, was speaking at the Brookings Institution this week alongside the DRC's ambassador in Washington, Francois Balumuene. - Democratic transitions challenging - US President Barack Obama has pressed for improved democratic transitions in Africa. Story continues "Africa's democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end," Obama said in July 2015 at African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. Noting that he himself is limited to two terms under the US Constitution, he stressed that "the law is the law." Washington has also pressed, unsuccessfully, for Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza and Rwanda President Paul Kagame to respect the laws in place in their respective countries to leave power when their time is up. As for Kabila, "it's not based on personal animosity against a leader but based on a belief that a great product of President Kabila has been to establish a constitutional democracy, and this is an opportunity to turn the corner," Perriello said. The DRC -- which gained independence from Belgium in 1960 when it was previously known as the Belgian Congo, and later became the Republic of Zaire from 1971 to 1997 -- has suffered brutal wars, namely on its eastern front with Rwanda. - 'Implosion and chaos' - Balumuene, the DRC's ambassador, pointed to the repeated economic and security challenges Kabila has faced, including the fight against the Rwanda-backed M23 Tutsi rebels who were defeated in late 2013. He called for an "extension" of Kabila's mandate to address the country's crisis. "We need time after December 20, almost a year, to prepare the elections," Balumuene said, promising that the outgoing president would not run for a new term. "The opposition and certain foreign backers" are trying to "use the street, trigger a mass revolution to oust President Kabila," the ambassador charged. "Then, no one would be able to manage the chaos and its aftermath," he added, speaking in French. "We must avoid at all costs an implosion of the DRC... We do not need another Libya in Central Africa." Gambino retorted that the country's constitution must be followed. "Any solution of what to do after the 19th needs to respect the constitution," he said. "Second, if one does that, that requires the holding of presidential elections if not in 2016 as early as possible in 2017. Delay beyond that is impossible." Having hired sharp-elbowed litigators Skip Miller and Alexander Frid this weekend, fired Criminal Minds star Thomas Gibson looks inclined to launch a lawsuit against ABC Studios. But he might want to call Nicollette Sheridan first. He needs to show the studio fired him for no good reason, a prominent Hollywood lawyer said of the challenges Gibson faces taking on the same studio the ex-Desperate Housewives star has been fighting in the courts for six years. His contract might spell out they need cause, and in court they could spell that out in a million different ways, like putting the studios name in a bad light by his behavior or their obligation to provide a safe workplace environment. Gibson, a Criminal Minds original cast member, first was suspended then cut loose by ABC Studios on August 12, about two weeks after an on-set incident in which the actor supposedly kicked co-executive producer Virgil Williams. It wasnt the first time the actor had been involved in a physical altercation on the set of the long-running procedural, which paid him some $5 million a year. Back in 2010, the actor who played Special Agent Aaron Hotchner was sent to anger-management classes after reportedly shoving assistant director Ian Woolf. Additionally, an unresolved 2014 lawsuit over unpaid commissions from Gibsons ex-manager Craig Dorfman lists several instances of the actors behavior crossing the line. Among them, Dorfman cited verbal altercations with fellow actors Mandy Patinkin and Shemar Moore and a claim the manager talked Gibson out of physically attacking Moore. RelatedCriminal Minds Shemar Moore Speaks Out Following Thomas Gibsons Firing Saying this had happened before and ABC Studios had let him stay on the show will carry little water even with a street fighter like Skip in his corner, the lawyer added of Gibsons past incidents and his newly retained attorney, who has been representing Byron Allen in his multibillion-dollar discrimination suits against AT&T and Comcast. Gibson would need to link his termination to protected basis like gender, race, age or religion, and I dont see that here.With limited legal options, there could be an attempt to reframe the players in the July incident that sparked Gibsons dismissal. The actors team is believed to be looking into Williams background, which includes a reported incident a decade ago on the set of ER. According to a former PA on that show who contacted Deadline, Williams received a one-episode suspension in 2006 after verbally threatening her. There were no further repercussions for Williams, who continued on the medical drama until its 2009 finale. ER producer WBTV would not comment on HR-related matters. Story continues We hear the incident between Williams and Gibson was thoroughly vetted by ABC Studios, including interviews with everyone who witnessed the altercation. We also hear that Williams had been cleared of wrongdoing and will continue as a co-executive producer on Criminal Minds.Observers dont expect deficiencies in ABC Studios investigation given the studios protracted legal battle with former Desperate Housewives co-star Sheridan over her termination. Look at how Nicollette Sheridan is still plugging away with reduced claims and ABC is fighting back even harder, another Hollywood legal heavyweight says of Sheridans roller-coaster battle with the studios over being canned from the primetime soap in 2009 not long after EP Marc Cherry allegedly struck her and she reported it to HR. In that context, you think they would have fired Gibson without making sure all the Ts are crossed? Unlikely. Even more unlikely is that they arent ready to spill a whole bunch of beans on Gibson if he sues them. After a mistrial in 2012 and a number of tries in the courts, Sheridan now is poised for a potential new trial to start next year on a claim of retaliation. Here it was Gibson doing the hitting, not someone hitting him as Sheridan says, so with his history, its going to be a real challenge and probably a long, long haul, the lawyer asserted. Related stories Thomas Gibson Addresses 'Criminal Minds' Firing On Twitter 'Criminal Minds' Shemar Moore Speaks Out Following Thomas Gibson's Firing Fired 'Criminal Minds' Star Thomas Gibson Lawyers Up, Considers Legal Action Thomas Gibson is going to need a major apology tour if he hopes to get his career back on track, a PR expert says. Beyond everything else, he has to sincerely apologize, EKC Public Relations founder Eileen Koch told TheWrap about the former Criminal Minds lead. And he needs to go to anger management or something. Make the attempt. Gibson was let go from Criminal Minds last week following an on-set incident in which he kicked a show writer in the leg. The CBS series lead had appeared on 255 episodes of the popular procedural. Also Read: 'Criminal Minds' Vet Shemar Moore Preaches After Thomas Gibson's Firing: 'I Believe in Karma' The matter was officially taken up with CBS after the writer complained to his agent. Gibson, who was also directing the episode, was put on ice for two episodes before ultimately being released. For his part, Gibson has said he kicked the staffer in retaliation after he became aggressive. I would really tell him, Be humble,' Koch said of Gibson. He should get to the point of saying like, I feel humiliated and embarrassed that I behaved that way, like a kid in school. Even then, its 150 percent wrong.' This is not the first time Gibsons temper has gotten the better of him either. He was previously sent to anger management after an argument with a Criminal Minds assistant director. Also Read: Inside Thomas Gibson's 'Criminal Minds' Downfall: A Timeline He has an issue, like an alcoholic, Koch said. And if he has an issue, he needs to say, I paid a big price. I lost my job and Im not going to let this happen again. Thats all he can doOnce we get this kind of apology, we all tend to forgive and forget. 'Criminal Minds' Star Thomas Gibson and 9 More TV Stars Fired Amid Controversy (Photos) tv stars fired sheen, sheridan, gibson john amos good times mackenzie phillips one day at a time janet hubert fresh prince lisa bonet cosby show Two and a Half Men Charlie Sheen Columbus Short Thomas Gibson tv stars fired Story continues Previous Slide Next Slide 1 of 11 Gibson is the latest television actor to get the heave-ho after misbehaving, but hes certainly not the first "Criminal Minds" star Thomas Gibson, who got the boot from the CBS show following reports that he kicked a writer on set, isn't the only small-screen star to say "sayonara" on the heels of controversy. View In Gallery Related stories from TheWrap: Inside Thomas Gibson's 'Criminal Minds' Downfall: A Timeline 'Criminal Minds' Vet Shemar Moore Preaches After Thomas Gibson's Firing: 'I Believe in Karma' (Video) Thomas Gibson Responds to 'Criminal Minds' Firing Criminal Minds star Thomas Gibson has taken to Twitter to address his exit from the long-running CBS series. Gibson was fired from Criminal Minds on Aug. 12 after the actor allegedly kicked a producer during an altercation on set. He had previously been suspended while producer ABC Studios conducted an internal review into the incident. Gibson joined Twitter on Tuesday to discuss his dismissal from the show, on which he had starred since its premiere in 2005. In his first tweet, Gibson wrote, I wish I could thank each of you for your friendship and support. I love Criminal Minds, and Im disappointed by whats happened. The actor said that he joined the social media service to stay connected and talk directly with his fans, posting a series of messages on Tuesday afternoon. I wish I could thank each of you for your friendship & support. I love "Criminal Minds," & I'm disappointed by what's happened #ThomasGibson Thomas Gibson (@ImThomasGibson) August 16, 2016 I'm here on #Twitter so we can stay connected in the days to come, and talk directly with each other. #ThomasGibson Thomas Gibson (@ImThomasGibson) August 16, 2016 The support you show means the world to me and my family. This is not an ending, but a beginning as well. Thank you all. #ThomasGibson Thomas Gibson (@ImThomasGibson) August 17, 2016 Although Gibsons Twitter account is currently unverified, Variety has confirmed with the actors reps that it is his official account. Sources tell Variety that the events leading up to Gibsons suspension and eventual dismissal were reportedly the latest in a string of incidents, including one confrontation in 2010 in which Gibson allegedly shoved Criminal Minds assistant director Ian Woolf during a late-night location shoot. Gibsons character, Aaron Hotchner, is expected to appear in two episodes of the upcoming season, which premieres Sept. 28, but the actor will not return to film any further episodes. In a joint statement issued Friday, CBS and ABC Studios said, Thomas Gibson has been dismissed from Criminal Minds. Creative details for how the characters exit will be addressed in the show will be announced at a later date. Gibson issued his own statement, expressing his gratitude to his fans: I love Criminal Minds and have put my heart and soul into it for the last twelve years. I had hoped to see it through to the end, but that wont be possible now. I would just like to say thank you to the writers, producers, actors, our amazing crew, and, most importantly, the best fans that a show could ever hope to have. Related stories Thomas Gibson: The Prior Incidents That Led to His 'Criminal Minds' Firing Thomas Gibson Fired From 'Criminal Minds' After Violent Incident Thomas Gibson Reacts to 'Criminal Minds' Suspension After On-Set Altercation Thomas Gibson is beefing up his social media presence in the wake of his firing from Criminal Minds. The actor, who on Friday was dismissed from the CBS procedural after an alleged on-set altercation with a writer, joined Twitter on Tuesday and proceeded to post a series of tweets about the situation. I wish I could thank each of you for your friendship & support. I love "Criminal Minds," & I'm disappointed by what's happened #ThomasGibson - Thomas Gibson (@ImThomasGibson) August 16, 2016 I'm here on #Twitter so we can stay connected in the days to come, and talk directly with each other. #ThomasGibson - Thomas Gibson (@ImThomasGibson) August 16, 2016 The support you show means the world to me and my family. This is not an ending, but a beginning as well. Thank you all. #ThomasGibson - Thomas Gibson (@ImThomasGibson) August 17, 2016 Although the account has not yet been verified by Twitter, Gibson's rep confirms the account belongs to the actor. Gibson was initially dismissed for two episodes after the altercation, which allegedly took place during the production of an upcoming episode, which he was directing. However, a day after news of his suspension leaked, CBS and ABC Studios issued a statement announcing his departure from the drama, on which he had starred since its 2005 launch. Shortly thereafter, Gibson issued his own statement declaring his "love" for the drama. "I had hoped to see it through to the end, but that won't be possible now," he said. "I would just like to say thank you to the writers, producers, actors, our amazing crew, and, most importantly, the best fans that a show could ever hope to have." Gibson has since hired a Los Angeles law firm to pursue possible legal claims against the show's producers. According to CBS and ABC Studios, details about how Gibson's character will be written out of the show will be "addressed at a later date." The actor was one of just three original series regulars left on Criminal Minds, which has remained a solid performer for CBS despite its increasing age. Gibson follows longtime regular Shemar Moore, who left toward the end of last season. In addition to newcomer Adam Rodriguez, the series also will welcome back former series regular Paget Brewster for an arc. Gibson had been under contract for all of the forthcoming 12th season. This was the second incident for Gibson during the course of the series; he pushed another producer several years years ago and had to attend anger management classes, though he was not suspended. Kinshasa (AFP) - Three workers with the Catholic aid organisation Caritas were released Wednesday, a day after their abduction in a troubled region of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the charity said. "The three Caritas-Congo workers kidnapped near Mweso have been released," said Caritas-Congo spokesman Guy-Marin Kamandji, without giving details on the circumstances of the release. The kidnap occurred in an area notorious for attacks by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebel group. The aid group had said Monday that three of its Congolese employees had been abducted after their vehicle was ambushed by suspected FDLR fighters. Shots had been fired at a second vehicle but it got away. One of its occupants, a German photojournalist, was wounded in the leg. Set up in eastern DR Congo after the genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994, the FDLR has been accused of committing frequent atrocities against civilians in areas under its control. Several of its chiefs face accusations of war crimes or crimes against humanity. North Kivu province, which borders Uganda and Rwanda, has been the scene of repeated clashes for nearly two decades, and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. Abductions of aid workers have been a frequent occurrence this year in the areas of Masisi, Lubero, Rutshuru and Walikale, despite fierce condemnation by the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Target Corporation TGT announced its second-quarter fiscal 2016 results Wednesday morning, and the company posted earnings of $1.23 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.14. Nevertheless, shares of TGT are were down nearly 5.8% in morning trading thanks to overall weak sales. Despite an earnings beat, Target missed revenue expectations. The Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company saw quarterly revenues of $16.169 billion, which fell short of our consensus estimate of $16.245 billion. That sales figure also represents a year-over-year decline of 7.2%. Looking further into the report, it becomes clear that Targets main issue is that less customers are making purchases at its stores. Comparable store sales were down about 1.1% in the quarter, while total transactions fell 2.2%. In its earnings conference call following the release of the report, Targets top executives attempted to explain the companys weak sales by pointing to three main problems. 1. Electronic Sales and Apple AAPL Target CEO Brian Cornell detailed a double digit decline in electronics sales, which he at least partially blamed on weak sales of Apple products. Target saw a 20% decline in sales of Apple devices, which contributed to a third of the overall plunge in electronics sales. The drop in electronics was responsible for 70 basis points of the companys overall comparable store sales decline. Target said it was working with Apple to help boost sales in the future, but it did not detail any specific strategies. 2. Grocery Sales Cornell also explained that grocery sales fell in the quarter, which has forced Target to rebalance its marketing and promotional efforts. According to Cornell, Target has to focus more on the pay less portion of its expect more, pay less tagline. Targets executives seemed to suggest that the value of its products may have been lost on potential shoppers. Story continues 3. CVS Partnership Disappoints The final thing that Cornell pointed to was Targets new partnership with CVS Health Corporation CVS. Target recently teamed up with CVS to introduce a number of in-store pharmacies to its stores, and apparently these pharmacies havent been as busy as expected. Cornell said that not many customers have been signing up for new programs at the CVS pharmacies. Bottom Line Earnings conference calls exist to give investors a more in-depth look at the companys earnings results. Target investors today wanted an explanation for why the companys same-store sales disappointed, and CEO Brian Cornell and other members of the management team attempt to provide those answers. Looking ahead, we now have three key areas to look towards for improvement at Target. 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 APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TARGET CORP (TGT): Free Stock Analysis Report CVS HEALTH CORP (CVS): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Family, faith, and forgiveness is the theme of Tyler Perrys newest show and TLCs first-ever scripted series, Too Close to Home. The writer-creator spoke to Variety about moving away from his OWN shows If Loving You Is Wrong, Love Thy Neighbor, and The Have and Have Nots to TLC, noting that Discovery owns part of OWN so there was no major jump between networks, or bad blood. Perry stated, I got a call from [Discovery Communications CEO] David Zaslav saying, Hey, how can we do this together with TLC? He, Oprah, and myself talked about it and were very excited about it, so here we are! Too Close to Home tells the story of a young woman who tries to escape her low-income lifestyle in a trailer park by fleeing to Capitol Hill, and interning at the White House. The main character, Anna, soon finds herself in the middle of a major political scandal involving the President of the United States. In looking at what our audience watches, what our viewers watch they watch a lot of scripted shows, explained TLC president Nancy Daniels. So we decided to dip our toes in and Tyler has the golden touch, so it was a no brainer. Daniels noted that the most amazing part of the show has been the speed at which Perry works and watching the concept come to life. There is no wasting time in a Tyler Perry show, Perry stated during the panel interview following the screening. Too Close to Home received an eight-episode order, and Perry gave the cast and crew just eight days to shoot it. The tall order became the first time a Tyler Perry production was shot completely on the Tyler Perry Studios lot. Too Close to Home debuts with a two-hour premiere Aug. 22 on TLC. Related stories FBI Searches LMNO Productions in Embezzlement Scandal TLC Broadcasts Live Birth on Facebook TLC Renews 'Who Do You Think You Are' and 'Long Lost Family' (Adds codes) By Jessica Dye NEW YORK, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Tobacco companies notched a partial victory in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's authority to require pre-clearance for tobacco products with changed labels or quantities. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday vacated part of an FDA directive stating tobacco companies may need the agency's clearance to market products with significant labeling modifications, such as a change in color or logo. However, Mehta said that the agency could require clearance for marketing a tobacco product with a different quantity - for instance, an increase in the number of cigarettes per pack. The ruling comes in a lawsuit filed last year by subsidiaries of Imperial Brands, Reynolds American Inc and Altria Group over FDA guidelines clarifying what changes to a tobacco product require regulatory approval under the 2009 Tobacco Control Act, which gave the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products. The guidance is not binding, but does indicate the agency's thinking about what constitutes a "new tobacco product" requiring companies to seek approval or face potential enforcement action. Among other things, the FDA directive said significant modifications to a product's label that make it distinct from the original version, or changes to the quantity sold in each package, could require authorization. Tobacco companies argued in part that the FDA's interpretation was not what Congress intended in the Tobacco Control Act. The FDA said its guidance was supported by federal law. Ruling on motions from both sides, Mehta said Congress could have explicitly stated that a labeling modification triggered a regulatory approval requirement, but did not. "The court must presume that that omission was purposeful," he wrote. On the other hand, changing the quantity of tobacco product "necessarily entails a change in the amount of constituent ingredients and additives," and does represent a modification to the product, the judge wrote. Story continues Altria spokesman Brian May said the company was pleased with the decision on labeling changes, calling it the "principle focus of our lawsuit." He said the company was still considering whether to appeal the quantity-change decision. Representatives for Reynolds and the FDA declined to comment, while Imperial Tobacco Group did not immediately return a request for comment. The case is Philip Morris USA v. U.S. FDA, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, No. 15-1590. (Reporting by Jessica Dye; Editing by Anthony Lin and Alan Crosby) A Fox News town hall with Donald Trump planned to air tonight will air Wednesday at 10 pm ET instead. Apparently the town hall, taped earlier, contributed to Trumps lateness for a planned speech in West Bend, Wisconsin, a half-hour from the riot-hit city of Milwaukee. In West Bend, Trump is expected to address the topic of law and order in his latest attempt to re-direct the national conversation away from recent missteps. With the planned speech running nearly two hours behind schedule, the airing of the town hall was bumped until tomorrow. Trumps town hall with Sean Hannity is now set to air Wednesday for the full 10 PM ET hour, from the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee. The interview, says Fox, will focus on ISIS and radical Islam. Hannity said earlier today that Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Sheriff David Clarke also will be on the show. Hannity said tonight that Trump was running late for his West Bend speech in part due to the town hall. Related stories Trevor Noah: Donald Trump Has Hired The Suicide Squad Donald Trump Hires Breitbart Chairman Steve Bannon In Latest Campaign Shakeup NBC's Bob Greenblatt Calls Donald Trump "Toxic," "Pompous," "Demented," After Insisting Network Not Responsible For His Political Success By Barbara Lewis LONDON (Reuters) - Debt in the world's top 30 steel companies totals a record $150 billion, international accountancy firm EY said on Thursday, adding governments' action to support the sector would work only if matched with more radical industry restructuring. Overcapacity and weak steel prices have piled pressure on firms such as Tata Steel (TISC.NS), which is in merger talks with German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE). EY said in a report published on Thursday steel firms took on debt as they fought for market share, notably the Chinese steel sector has added about a billion tonnes of capacity since 2000, helping to take global excess capacity to about 700 million tonnes. The debt of the top 30 companies is dwarfed by China's steel sector debt, estimated at $500 billion. "Many steelmakers are in some form of distress with some teetering on the verge of bankruptcy," Anjani Agrawal, EY global steel leader, said, adding government efforts would only work if the industry had viable business models. Reforms are underway. Thyssenkrupp, the world's 16th largest steel producer by tonnage, has announced the sale of real estate assets as well as embarking on merger talks with Tata. At the end of June, the firm had gearing of 175 percent, versus 124 percent a year earlier, and debt of 4.77 billion euros compared with 4.39 billion the previous year. It aims to reduce its gearing to less than 150 percent by the end of September and told an analysts' call last week it should meet that target. The world's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal (ISPA.AS) has tackled its debt with a $3 billion rights issue. It also sold a $1 billion stake in a Spanish automotive steel group Gestamp in April. Net debt was $12.7 billion at the end of the first half of 2016, down from $17.3 after the first quarter. The group guides for positive cash flow in 2016. China has promised to reduce steel capacity by 45 million tonnes this year, but cuts in the first seven months were only 47 percent of the annual target. Story continues To protect Western firms from Chinese steel, which the United States and Europe says is sold at less than cost price, Washington and Brussels have imposed duties, prompting criticism from China. European steel representatives say Chinese firms should carry out most of the restructuring, given the size of their debts, but they are not assuming that will happen and all measures will be needed for the sector to survive. "For the next 5 to 10 years there will be substantial pain. It should be principally in China, but it will be principally here unless we have effective trade measures," Brussels-based lawyer Laurent Ruessmann, a partner at Fieldfisher, said by telephone. He represents steel firms and is specialised in China and trade law. (Additional reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek in Brussels, Georgina Prodhan and Tom Kaeckenhoff in Frankfurt, editing by David Evans) By Barbara Lewis LONDON (Reuters) - Debt in the world's top 30 steel companies totals a record $150 billion (115.05 billion), international accountancy firm EY said on Thursday, adding governments' action to support the sector would work only if matched with more radical industry restructuring. Overcapacity and weak steel prices have piled pressure on firms such as Tata Steel (TISC.NS), which is in merger talks with German conglomerate Thyssenkrupp (TKAG.DE). EY said in a report published on Thursday steel firms took on debt as they fought for market share, notably the Chinese steel sector has added about a billion tonnes of capacity since 2000, helping to take global excess capacity to about 700 million tonnes. The debt of the top 30 companies is dwarfed by China's steel sector debt, estimated at $500 billion. "Many steelmakers are in some form of distress with some teetering on the verge of bankruptcy," Anjani Agrawal, EY global steel leader, said, adding government efforts would only work if the industry had viable business models. Reforms are underway. Thyssenkrupp, the world's 16th largest steel producer by tonnage, has announced the sale of real estate assets as well as embarking on merger talks with Tata. At the end of June, the firm had gearing of 175 percent, versus 124 percent a year earlier, and debt of 4.77 billion euros (4.13 billion)compared with 4.39 billion the previous year. It aims to reduce its gearing to less than 150 percent by the end of September and told an analysts' call last week it should meet that target. The world's largest steelmaker ArcelorMittal (ISPA.AS) has tackled its debt with a $3 billion rights issue. It also sold a $1 billion stake in a Spanish automotive steel group Gestamp in April. Net debt was $12.7 billion at the end of the first half of 2016, down from $17.3 after the first quarter. The group guides for positive cash flow in 2016. China has promised to reduce steel capacity by 45 million tonnes this year, but cuts in the first seven months were only 47 percent of the annual target. Story continues To protect Western firms from Chinese steel, which the United States and Europe says is sold at less than cost price, Washington and Brussels have imposed duties, prompting criticism from China. European steel representatives say Chinese firms should carry out most of the restructuring, given the size of their debts, but they are not assuming that will happen and all measures will be needed for the sector to survive. "For the next 5 to 10 years there will be substantial pain. It should be principally in China, but it will be principally here unless we have effective trade measures," Brussels-based lawyer Laurent Ruessmann, a partner at Fieldfisher, said by telephone. He represents steel firms and is specialised in China and trade law. (Additional reporting by Robert-Jan Bartunek in Brussels, Georgina Prodhan and Tom Kaeckenhoff in Frankfurt, editing by David Evans) Studio A24 has unveiled a new trailer for Shia LaBeouf's new movie "American Honey", ahead of its release next month. The clip for the upcoming road-trip movie is backed by Bruce Springsteen's cover of Suicide's "Dream Baby Dream", and tells the story of 18-year-old runaway (played by newcomer Sasha Lane) who joins a group of teenagers (Riley Keough, Shia LaBeouf) travelling across America selling magazine subscriptions. The film, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May, marks the first US movie by British director Andrea Arnold and is also set to play at the Toronto Film Festival, before its theatre debut on September 30. In addition to the 1979 song "Dream Baby Dream", the soundtrack to "American Honey" will also feature Steve Earle's "Copperhead Road," Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You" and Lady Antebellum's "American Honey" (via Rolling Stone). Watch the trailer for "American Honey" here: https://youtu.be/d0I6rj0DwGY Montpellier (France) (AFP) - Eight people were seriously hurt in southern France Wednesday when an express train crashed into a fallen tree uprooted by a massive hailstorm, rescue workers said. The impact sparked panic, as some passengers feared a jihadist attack was underway, according to one witness. The regional express was carrying 219 passengers on a service between Nimes and Montpellier when it hit the tree at 140 kilometres (87 miles) per hour, the state rail operator SNCF said. The accident occurred near the town of Lunel, about 28 km southwest of Nimes. A critically-injured individual was airlifted to hospital, according to the head of local rescue services, Christophe Risdorfer. Fifty other passengers suffered minor injuries or shock. "We were on the train when hailstones the size of ping-pong balls started falling, then we heard what sounded like an explosion," said a 24-year-old passenger from Luxembourg who gave her name as Justine. "The train shook for a few seconds and then I saw some people whose heads were covered in blood." Another passenger said some people on the train feared a jihadist attack was unfolding. A string of terror assaults in Europe in recent months has left the continent on edge. "There was panic, some at first thought it was an attack on the train," said the 35-year-old woman named Virginie. SNCF said around 80 rescue workers, backed by helicopters, were deployed to the scene, where "access is very difficult." The tree was a "very tall pine" located on private property next to the railway line, the company said. Despite the impact, the train did not derail and traffic was expected to resume later Wednesday on one of the tracks of the line. STRUGA, Poland (Reuters) - Treasure-hunters said on Wednesday they were optimistic they would find a Nazi-era train believed to be hidden underground in southern Poland as they launched a second day of excavations. According to folklore, the train - dubbed by Polish media the "gold train" because it was carrying jewels and guns looted by the Nazis ahead of advancing Soviet forces - was buried in a tunnel in the lower Silesia region in 1945. Piotr Koper and Andreas Richter said last year they had located a train buried in an embankment near railway tracks connecting the cities of Walbrzych and Wroclaw. A team of Polish scientists later expressed doubts about whether a train was there. Koper and Richter decided to excavate the embankment at several points. Two excavations made on Tuesday have been terminated after reaching solid rock with no sign of a tunnel, but a third dig on Wednesday revealed material put in the embankment by human hand, said Christel Focken, spokeswoman for the project. (Reporting by Reuters Television; Writing by Marcin Goettig; Editing by Andrew Roche) Beni (DR Congo) (AFP) - Three people, including a policeman, were killed Wednesday in clashes in a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after a massacre sparked angry accusations of security failures by the government, local officials said. Several hundred people rallied on the main street of Beni at the end of a three-day mourning period called by civil groups over the murder of dozens of people on Saturday night. At least 50 people were hacked to death, the UN military mission to DRC said Wednesday, in the latest in a two-year string of attacks blamed on rebels. Police and troops fired tear gas and warning shots in a bid to break up the crowd, but the protestors blocked off streets with barricades. In the first fatal incident, "a policeman and a civilian were killed, nine people were injured, (comprising) six civilians and three soldiers", Beni Mayor Edmond Masumbuko said. The head of Beni's civil society movement, Gilbert Kambale, said the civilian fatality was a young man who was killed by a policeman. The casualty "was shot by a bullet which inflicted an entry wound in the back but did not exit the body," Jeremie Muhindo, a doctor at Beni hospital, told AFP. At least six demonstrators were arrested in a violent manner and thrown into a military jeep and taken away, an AFP reporter on the scene said. An effigy of Kabila was burned in the main market, as were flags of Kabila's ruling People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). In the second incident, a woman suspected of being a member of the rebel group was lynched in northern Beni, near where the massacre took place, Masumbuko said. The woman was beaten to death with stones and sticks and her body was then torched, witnesses told AFP. - Crowds boo premier - The massacre occurred just three days after President Joseph Kabila visited Beni and vowed to do everything to ensure peace and security in the troubled region. On Tuesday Prime Minister Augustin Matata was booed by hundreds of demonstrators outside Beni town hall, where he gave a short speech after a three-hour whistle-stop visit. Story continues Matata visited the massacre site along with senior army and police officials. "What did he come for? We don't need humanitarian aid, but peace," said Germain Katembo, a survivor of the weekend massacre who lost three members of his family. Beni and the surrounding area have suffered a series of bloody attacks, most of them involving machetes, leaving some 650 people dead since October 2014. The killings have been blamed by the government and the UN mission in the country on the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a partly Islamist armed group of Ugandan origin. The group has been present in DRC for more than two decades and is accused of a litany of human rights abuses. The ADF, opposed to Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, is thought to be deeply embroiled in criminal networks funded by kidnappings, smuggling and illegal logging. A report published in March by the Congo Research Group at New York University, which looked into the massacres around Beni, claimed that soldiers from the regular army had also participated in the killings. The DRC was a Belgian colony until independence in 1960, when it became the Republic of Congo. From 1971 to 1997, it was called Zaire. Vast and mineral-rich, the country is saddled with a reputation for widespread poverty, corruption and political instability. North Kivu province, where Beni is located, seethes with dozens of armed groups. The United States has warned of more violence in the country should Kabila hold on to power after his mandate expires in December. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f181870%2f7da886a2f46a435dbae13b2405191a6d Just before Justin Bieber deleted his Instagram account, he shared his greatest accomplishment to date: adopting what might be the cutest pup of all pups. Todd is arguably a dog, although Bieber more accurately described him in a now vanished Instagram caption as a "fluff ball." Todd is a furry cherub, a cloud sent from the heavens above that just wants to snuggle. Now, tragically, Todd is a mystery. Please, gentle readers, take a moment to breathe while viewing Todd Bieber's majesty. SEE ALSO: Justin Bieber will probably return to Instagram, if he's anything like other celebs Image: justinbieber/instagram This alleged dog joins Esther and Phil in Bieber's truly top-notch canine crew. Now the very Beliebers that harassed Biebs after he posted too many photos of his new girlfriend, Sofia Richie, must suffer the cruel fate of searching for Todd updates on Richie's Snapchat. The silver lining in all this is that you can still follow Esther on Instagram for pupdates. Donald Trump went on the attack against presidential rival Hillary Clinton again on Tuesday, this time claiming that she is anti-police and panders to African-American voters. We reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton, which panders to and talks down to communities of color and sees them only as votes thats all they care about, Trump said at a rally located 40 miles north of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which was overcome with violence on Saturday following the police shooting of an African-American man. Currently lagging behind Clinton in the polls, the GOP nominee told the crowd, Our opponent Hillary would rather protect the offender than the victim a vote for her is a vote for another generation of poverty, high crime and lost opportunities, the Associated Press reported. Also Read: Michael Moore Knows 'For a Fact' Donald Trump Ran for President to Fleece NBC The violence, riots and destruction that have taken place in Milwaukee is an assault on the right of citizens to live in security and to live in peace, Trump continued to tell supporters at the rally, which was held at the Ziegler Building at the Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center in West Bend, Wisconsin. Law and order must be restored. It must be restored for the sake of all but most especially for the sake of those living in the affected communities, of which there are many. Trumps accusations came after Clinton said she is absolutely bewildered when her rival talks about national security. What [Trump] often says hurts us. It sends the wrong message to friend and foe alike, she said, adding that, while at the Rio Olympics, Team USA is showing the world what this country stands for. Also Read: Donald Trump Campaign Denies Roger Ailes Is Helping With Debate Prep The GOP presidential nominee then directly made his appeal to African-American voters, ABC News reported. The main victims of these riots are law-abiding African-American citizens living in these neighborhoods, said Trump, who has been struggling to attract black voters. Its their job, its their homes, its their schools and communities which will suffer the most as a result. There is no compassion in tolerating lawless conduct for anyone. Crime and violence is an attack on the poor and will never be accepted in a Trump administration. Story continues In the shadow of Trumps speech about race in America, vendors sold Confederate flags to supporters, which ABC reporter Candace Smith captured on camera. WEST BEND, WI- Outside Trump rally in my ongoing series "Confederate Flags Around America." Vendor says he's sold 5 pic.twitter.com/suqlwp7hwv Candace Smith (@CandaceSmith_) August 16, 2016 15 Republicans Who Won't Be Voting for Donald Trump (Photos) Donald Trump and Jeb Bush Ted Cruz RNC Getty Lindsey Graham Getty mitt romney donald trump jimmy kimmel ABC Jeb Bush Getty Barbara Bush sally bradshaw Norm Coleman Glenn Beck Reliable Sources Fox News Bill Kristol CNN erick erickson george will Charlie Baker Michael Hayden Mark Kirk Reid Ribble Previous Slide Next Slide 1 of 16 From Jeb Bush to Glenn Beck, the Trump campaign has prompted many right-wing politicians and pundits to break rank with the GOP While many major Republican figures like Mitch McConnell and John Boehner have towed the party line and pledged their support to Donald Trump, there are some who refuse to back him -- even if it means that Hillary Clinton will become the next President. Here are some notable names who see Trump as an opponent to conservative values. View In Gallery Related stories from TheWrap: Michael Moore Knows 'For a Fact' Donald Trump Ran for President to Fleece NBC NBC Chairman Bashes Donald Trump as 'Demented,' 'Pompous' Donald Trumps campaign chairman helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political partys efforts to influence U.S. policy. The revelation, provided to The Associated Press by people directly knowledgeable about the effort, comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism for his friendly overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It also casts new light on the business practices of campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Under federal law, U.S. lobbyists must declare publicly if they represent foreign leaders or their political parties and provide detailed reports about their actions to the Justice Department. A violation is a felony and can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Trump shook up his campaign organization Wednesday, putting two new longtime Republican conservative strategists as chief executive officer and campaign manager. It was unclear what impact the shakeup would have on Manafort, but he retains his title as campaign chairman. Manafort and business associate Rick Gates, another top strategist in Trumps campaign, were working in 2012 on behalf of the political party of Ukraines then-president, Viktor Yanukovych. People with direct knowledge of Gates work said that, during the period when Gates and Manafort were consultants to the Ukraine presidents political party, Gates was also helping steer the advocacy work done by a pro-Yanukovych nonprofit that hired a pair of Washington lobbying firms, Podesta Group Inc. and Mercury LLC. The nonprofit, the newly created European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, was governed by a board that initially included parliament members from Yanukovychs party. The nonprofit subsequently paid at least $2.2 million to the lobbying firms to advocate positions generally in line with those of Yanukovychs government. Story continues That lobbying included downplaying the necessity of a congressional resolution meant to pressure the Ukrainian leader to release an imprisoned political rival. The lobbying firms continued the work until shortly after Yanukovych fled the country in February 2014, during a popular revolt prompted in part by his governments crackdown on protesters and close ties to Russia. Among those who described Manaforts and Gatess relationship with the nonprofit are current and former employees of the Podesta Group. Some of them spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal details about the work and because they remain subject to non-disclosure agreements. Gates told the AP that he and Manafort introduced the lobbying firms to the European Centre nonprofit and occasionally consulted with the firms on Ukrainian politics. He called the actions lawful, and said there was no attempt to circumvent the reporting requirements of the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. The heads of both lobbying firms told AP they concluded there was no obligation to disclose their activities to the Justice Department. Manafort did not directly respond to APs requests to discuss the work, but he was copied on the APs questions and Gates said he spoke to Manafort before providing answers to them. Political consultants are generally leery of registering under the foreign agents law, because their reputations can suffer once they are on record as accepting money to advocate the interests of foreign governments especially if those interests conflict with Americas. Ironically, one of the lobbying firms Manafort and Gates worked with has strong Democratic ties. The founder and chairman of the Podesta Group, Tony Podesta, is the brother of longtime Democratic strategist John Podesta, who now is campaign chairman for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The head of Mercury, Vin Weber, is an influential Republican, former congressman and former special policy adviser to Mitt Romney. Weber announced earlier this month that he will not support Trump. After being introduced to the lobbying firms, the European nonprofit paid the Podesta Group $1.13 million between June 2012 and April 2014 to lobby Congress, the White House National Security Council, the State Department and other federal agencies, according to U.S. lobbying records. The nonprofit also paid $1.07 million over roughly the same period to Mercury to lobby Congress. Among other issues, Mercury opposed congressional efforts to pressure Ukraine to release one of Yanukovychs political rivals from prison. One former Podesta employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because of a non-disclosure agreement, said Gates described the nonprofits role in an April, 2012 meeting as supplying a source of money that could not be traced to the Ukrainian politicians who were paying him and Manafort. In separate interviews, three current and former Podesta employees said disagreements broke out within the firm over the arrangement, which at least one former employee considered obviously illegal. Podesta, who said the project was vetted by his firms counsel, said he was unaware of any such disagreements. A legal opinion drafted for the project for Mercury in May 2012, and obtained by AP, concluded that the European Centre qualified as a foreign principal under the Foreign Agents Registration Act but said disclosure to the Justice Department was not required. That determination was based on the nonprofits assurances that none of its activities was directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed or subsidized by Ukraines government or any of the countrys political parties. The Podesta Groups CEO, Kimberley Fritts, said the two lobbying firms had coordinated on the legal conclusion that disclosure was not necessary to the Justice Department. If counsel had determined FARA was the way to go, we would have gladly registered under FARA, she said in a statement to the AP. She said the nonprofit provided a signed statement affirming its independence from Ukraines government. People involved in the lobbying project offered contradictory descriptions of how it came about. Podesta told the AP his firm worked closely with the nonprofit and with Gates simultaneously. But Podesta said Gates was not working for Yanukovychs political party and said Manafort was not involved. I was never given any reason to believe Rick was a Party of Regions consultant, said John Ward Anderson, a current Podesta employee who attended the meeting, in a statement provided by his firm. My assumption was that he was working for the Centre, as we were. Gates, in contrast, told AP he was working with Manafort and that both he and Manafort were working for Yanukovychs party. Pointing to Manaforts involvement, Weber told AP that Manafort discussed the project before it began in a conference call with Podesta and himself. The director of the European Centre, Ina Kirsch, told the AP her group never worked with Manafort or Gates and said the group hired the Washington lobbyists on its own. She said she had met with Manafort twice but said neither Manafort nor Gates played a role in its lobbying activities. The center has declined for years to reveal specific sources of its funding. Prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act are generally rare, although a former U.S. congressman, Mark Siljander, R-Mich., pleaded guilty in July 2010 to illegal lobbying under the law and obstruction of justice for his work with a charity in Khartoum, Sudan, that prosecutors said was suspected of funding international terrorism. Siljander served one year in prison. Lobbyists in general prefer not to register under the foreign agents law because its requirements are so much more demanding, making their activities more open to public scrutiny. The Justice Department, for example, requires those who register as lobbyists on behalf of foreign governments or parties to detail the home addresses of lobbyists and descriptions of all receipts, payments, political contributions and details about any lectures, emails, pamphlets or press releases they create. Lobbying records filed in the U.S. Senate, in contrast, such as the ones describing payments to the Podesta Group and Mercury by the European Centre, are far less detailed. The Justice Departments own published guidelines describe foreign political parties as covered under the law. Podestas firm has previously registered its activities with the Justice Department over its work for Albania, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, India, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, the Maldives, Moldova, Morocco, Somalia, South Korea, South Sudan, Vietnam and others. Mercury has disclosed to the Justice Department its work on behalf of government interests in the Cayman Islands, Nigeria, Qatar, Somalia, Turkey, one of the United Arab Emirates, Uganda and others. ___ Associated Press writers Ted Bridis and Maria Danilova contributed to this story. A series of new revelations about Paul Manafort, the chairman of Donald Trumps presidential campaign, may shed some light on why the Republican nominee decided he had to bring in some new blood. In stories published today by the Associated Press and the Times of London, Manaforts work for the Moscow-friendly government of Ukraine in the years before it was overthrown is shown to have been more extensive than was originally known, and possibly counter to U.S. interests. The stories build on a major New York Times revelation from earlier in the week that revealed Manaforts name appears in a ledger the Ukrainian government believes documents illicit cash payments made by the Party of Regions, the political organization that backed deposed Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. Manafort has denied accepting any illicit cash for his work in Ukraine. Related: New Trump Campaign Team Suggests Even More Chaos to Come In its report today, The Times of London describes a memo written by a Ukrainian prosecutor who investigated Manafort as determining that he sabotaged US interests in Ukraine and encouraged Russian nationalism in Crimea. The story adds: The senior Ukrainian prosecutor alleges that in 2006 Mr Manafort orchestrated a series of anti-Nato, anti-Kiev protests in Crimea led by Viktor Yanukovychs pro-Russian Party of Regions now designated a criminal organisation. The protests forced planned Nato exercises there to be cancelled. No charges were pursued because of a lack of evidence after Crimea was annexed. Mr Manafort did not respond to a request for comment. The memo says: It was his political effort to raise the prestige of Yanukovych and his party the confrontation and division of society on ethnic and linguistic grounds is his trick from the time of the elections in Angola and the Philippines. While I was in the Crimea I constantly saw evidence suggesting that Paul Manafort considered autonomy [from Ukraine] as a tool to enhance the reputation of Yanukovych and win over the local electorate. Story continues The AP, meanwhile, reports that Manafort appears to have acted as an agent of the Party of Regions within the United States without filing the required disclosures with the Department of Justice -- a crime punishable by jail time and fines. Related: Who Is Steve Bannon? 13 Things to Know About Trumps New Political Guru According to the AP report, Manafort helped the Party of Regions secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political party's efforts to influence U.S. policy. Among other things, the two firms were paid to lobby against legislation in the U.S. Congress calling for the release of one of Yanukovychs political rivals from prison. While there was no mention of Manaforts activities in Ukraine in the announcement of a major staff shakeup by the Trump campaign late Tuesday night, the installation of a new campaign manager, pollster Kellyanne Conway, and a new CEO, Breitbart News executive chairman Steve Bannon, appears to be a significant demotion for the man who still retains the title of campaign chairman. Trump has taken significant criticism for his admiring comments about Russian president Vladimir Putin and for his criticism of NATO. So it would be no surprise if the revelation of Manaforts questionable dealings with a Kremlin-friendly foreign government and allegations that he helped organize anti-NATO protests in Ukraine spurred the decision to push his campaign chair into the background. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: New York (AFP) - Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's campaign chairman thrust into the headlines this week in connection with a Ukrainian corruption investigation, is a formidable Republican strategist who spent years lobbying for rogues and dictators. The smooth-talking, sharply dressed 67-year-old has become the public face of the most controversial US presidential campaign in living memory: a professional spokesman who never strays off message as he bats aside allegations of a campaign in disarray or a candidate going off the rails. On Wednesday, Trump announced a shake-up of his team as he tanks in the polls. On paper at least Manafort remains chief strategist, but some saw the hiring of Breitbart News executive chairman Stephen Bannon as CEO and Kellyanne Conway being promoted to campaign manager as a demotion. In a 40-year career he advised the Republican presidential campaigns of Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and Bob Dole; he or his firms, such as the now defunct Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly, have been paid millions to lobby for or burnish the reputations of foreign clients. "Name a corrupt despot, and Black, Manafort will name the account: Ferdinand Marcos, $900,000 a year; the now deposed Somalian dictatorship, $450,000; the drug-linked Bahamian government $800,000," wrote Spy magazine in a 1992 article. But the client who has landed the Trump campaign in hot water is Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Kremlin former president of Ukraine whom Manafort helped rebrand until the leader fell from power during a popular uprising in 2014. Others were Angolan warlord Jonas Savimbi, whose rebel group got $250 million under Reagan and Bush in its war against Angola's socialist government, the Philippines president Marcos and the late Zaire dictator Mobutu Sese Seko. His name also appears in connection with a French political scandal known as the "Karachi affair" in which arms contracts that France signed with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in 1994 are believed to have resulted in kickbacks to finance the presidential campaign of France's Edouard Balladur. Story continues In 2013, Manafort admitted being paid by a Lebanese-born intermediary for advising Balladur on his ultimately unsuccessful bid. Another client was the Kashmiri American Council, named in 2011 by prosecutors as a front organization for Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency. Yahoo News says the Council paid Manafort's firm $700,000 between 1990 and 1995. Riva Levinson, who worked under Manafort from 1985 to 1995, likened it in her memoir to "playing one big game of Stratego: building armies and scheming to take over the world... In fact, at times, that is exactly what was going on." - Denies wrongdoing - Originally from Connecticut, Manafort's father was a Republican mayor in the largely Democrat town of New Britain. His grandfather emigrated from Italy and in 1919 founded what became a successful construction company. Manafort graduated from Georgetown University with degrees in business administration and law. Besides working on Republican campaigns, he was a founding partner in two lobbying and consulting firms: Black, Manafort, Stone and Kelly founded in 1980 and Davis Manafort, both now disbanded. Manafort defended his client roster in an interview with Fox News in April. Savimbi, he said, was America's man and working against a "Soviet dictatorship that was put up in Angola." Manafort said in the Philippines he helped a "transition," and in Kiev worked to bring Ukraine into Europe. "And we did," he told Fox. Manafort helped Yanukovych fine tune his image by softening his pro-Russia rhetoric, albeit while being accused of creeping authoritarianism and as Ukraine dropped in global ratings for press freedom. He was credited with persuading Yanukovych to make more effort to win votes in the Ukrainian-speaking west, away from his traditional Russian-leaning heartland, and give speeches in Ukrainian instead of Russian. Yet his ties with the former Ukrainian president, today exiled in Russia, have come under the microscope as Trump defends Russian President Vladimir Putin as a strong leader and calls for a reset in relations with Moscow. The head of Ukraine's newly formed National Anti-Corruption Bureau, Artem Sytnyk, said this week that more than $12 million was earmarked for payment to Manafort from 2007 to 2012, although it was not clear if he received the money. Manafort denies any wrongdoing, saying he had "never received a single 'off-the books cash payment,'" or worked for the governments of Ukraine or Russia. His position on team Trump marks his return to Republican presidential politics after 20 years -- he was reportedly considered but rejected in 2008 by John McCain, allegedly alarmed in part over his Yanukovych ties. Manafort is married, and reportedly divides his time between Virginia, Florida and New York, where he has an apartment in Trump Tower. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump announced a major campaign shake-up late Tuesday night, appointing a new campaign CEO and a new campaign manager while declaring that he is committed to doing whatever it takes to win this election, and ultimately become president. Considering who Trump has selected to run his struggling show, that promise to do whatever it takes to win should not be taken lightly. Related: Trump Miscalculates Again When He Attacks Obama on Foreign Policy Trump named Steve Bannon, the executive chairman of Breitbart News, as his new CEO. Bannon has no campaign experience, but has become a major figure in fringe Republican circles in part because of his stewardship of Breitbart News in the years following the death of its eponymous founder, Andrew Breitbart. Bannons nomination suggests that a months-long effort by senior Republicans, including Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort, to force the GOP nominee to run a less outrageous campaign has failed. Given his approach to politics while at Breitbart, Bannons ascension almost certainly signals the beginning of an even more chaotic fight for the White House. A stew of standards-free reporting and extreme opinion writing, Breitbart News is afforded little or no respect from the mainstream media -- a fact it wears as a badge of honor. The website traffics in thinly-sourced sensationalism and is reliably pro-Trump in virtually every respect. The election has proven to be good for Breitbart, which reported record traffic in July. For a profile published by Bloomberg last year, Bannon told writer Joshua Green about his reaction when one of his reporters conflated then-Attorney General nominee Loretta Lynch with a completely different attorney who had represented Bill and Hillary Clinton during the investigation of the Whitewater controversy in the early 1990s. Breitbart played the story up as a major scoop until the error was pointed out. It had to correct the story, and eventually scrubbed it from the site entirely, but Bannon was unfazed. Story continues Related: Trump Tries to Seize Law and Order Mantle in Outreach to Black Voters Were honey badgers, he told Green. We dont give a s---. Breitbart has in recent months married its lack of interest in the truth with absolute devotion to the Trump cause. Last year, after Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was accused of manhandling a Breitbart reporter at a Trump event, the websites management team took Lewandowskis side in the dispute. Trump also named GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway as his new campaign director. A former attorney with strong conservative connections, Conway is not nearly as controversial a figure as Bannon. She regularly appears as a commentator on cable television and has worked for a number of Republican politicians as well as numerous private businesses. Conway takes the place of Trumps campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, who has been the de facto campaign manager since the dismissal of Lewandowski, who helped Trump through the early primary states but was jettisoned as part of an unsuccessful effort to turn the Trump campaign into something resembling a normal presidential candidacy. Manaforts previous work for dictators and strongmen around the world has increasingly become a distraction for the Trump campaign. This week it was revealed that his name appears in a ledger that appears to detail under-the-table payments made by the political party of former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych. The ledger suggests that Manafort received some $12 million in undisclosed payments from the Kremlin-friendly political operation, which was overthrown in 2014 in a popular uprising. Manafort has strenuously denied accepting any illicit payments. Related: Can Trump Bully His Way Through a Debate with Hillary Clinton? The campaign said that Manafort will remain in his position as chairman. In a statement released by the Trump campaign, Manafort said, It is imperative we continue to expand our team with top-tier talent. Steve and Kellyanne are respected professionals who believe in Mr. Trump and his message and will undoubtedly help take the campaign to new levels of success. Bannon and Conway come aboard as the Trump campaign is widely seen as flailing. The Republican nominee is trailing badly in most national polls, and even states that have typically been seen as battlegrounds in recent presidential elections appear to be lining up solidly behind Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Ginger Gibson WEST BEND, WIS. (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Tuesday delivered his most aggressive call yet to woo African-American voters, vowing to restore law and order, only days after a fatal police shooting of a black man sparked more street violence. Speaking a few miles from Milwaukee, which was rocked by weekend riots, Trump accused his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of "bigotry" and vowed to protect the jobs of minorities from immigrants. Trump has been repeatedly called a "bigot" by his Democratic opponents. "I'm asking for the vote for every African-American citizen struggling in our society today who wants a different and much better future," Trump said. "Jobs, safety, opportunity, fair and equal representation: We reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton which panders to, and talks down to, communities of color and sees them only as votes thats all they care about not as individual human beings worthy of a better future." Earlier, Trump held three events in Milwaukee, a city still reeling from violent protests after the death of Sylville Smith, 23. Authorities said Smith was stopped for acting suspiciously and was shot by police because he was carrying an illegal handgun and refused orders to drop it. Trump encountered only a handful of peaceful protesters while in the city, including some at a closed fundraiser. He held a brief meeting with veterans and law enforcement, including Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and Inspector Edward Bailey. But news media representatives were escorted out and not permitted to hear the discussions. Clarke, who is black and spoke at last month's Republican National Convention, has criticized the protests, writing in an opinion piece for The Hill that they were "a collapse of the social order, where tribal behavior leads to reacting to circumstances instead of waiting for facts to emerge." Trump also taped a town hall meeting with Fox News, in which he blamed President Barack Obama for what he sees as hostility toward police. "He has not been good to the police, simply, and the police are not big fans of his," Trump said. Trump traveled 45 minutes outside of Milwaukee, which is 40 percent black, to deliver his appeal to African-American voters in the suburb of West Bend, Wisconsin, a community that is 95 percent white. He spoke before an almost entirely white audience. "A vote for her (Clinton) is a vote for another generation of poverty, high crime and lost opportunities," Trump said. "Crime and violence is an attack on the poor and it will never be accepted in a Trump administration." Clinton won the Democratic nomination in part thanks to her large victory margins among minorities in nearly every state, including overwhelming support from African-Americans in the South. "With each passing Trump attack, it becomes clearer that his strategy is just to say about Hillary Clinton what's true of himself," Clinton spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri said. "When people started saying he was temperamentally unfit, he called Hillary the same. When his ties to the Kremlin came under scrutiny, he absurdly claimed that Hillary was the one who was too close to Putin. "Now he's accusing her of bigoted remarks - we think the American people will know which candidate is guilty of the charge." Trump also took aim at Clinton's past acceptance of large speaking fees, saying he would force top administration officials to sign a pledge not to accept speaking fees from corporations with registered lobbyists or foreign countries for five years after leaving office. Police violence against African-Americans has set off intermittent, sometimes violent protests in the past two years, igniting a national debate over race and policing in the United States and giving rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump said critics of the police "share in the responsibility for the unrest in Milwaukee and other places in our country." "The war on our police must end and it must end now," Trump said. "The war on police is a war against all peaceful citizens." The shooting of Smith was likely justified, Trump argued in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday morning. "But the gun was pointed at his (a police officer's) head, supposedly ready to be fired. Who can have a problem with that? Thats what the narrative is," Trump said. "Maybe its not true. If it is true, people shouldnt be rioting." SECURITY BRIEFING Officials from the Office of Director of National Intelligence are expected to give Trump a briefing on national security issues this week, an adviser to Trump and a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Presidential candidates are entitled to a briefing of classified information after formally securing the nomination, which Trump did last month. Hillary Clinton, Trump's Democratic rival for the Nov. 8 election, is also entitled to receive a briefing if she requests one. Democrats have criticized Trump's positions on foreign policy and national security, besides some freewheeling remarks. Democratic President Barack Obama has called Trump "unfit" for the presidency and this month warned the Republican candidate that briefing information must be kept secret. (Reporting by Ginger Gibson; additional reporting by John McCrank and Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Editing by Jonathan Oatis, Michael Perry and Clarence Fernandez) People gather on Aug. 14 at the place where Milwaukee police shot and killed Sylville Smith. (Photo: Jeffrey Phelps/AP) WEST BEND, Wis. Campaigning in the suburbs of Milwaukee, a city stricken by violent protests over the fatal police shooting of an armed black man earlier this week, Donald Trump made a direct appeal to African-American voters, arguing Democratic policies have undermined wealth, jobs and safety in the nations inner cities and that, as president, he would rebuild them. The Republican presidential nominee repeatedly accused his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton of taking for granted and taking advantage of black voters, calling her the personification of special interest corruption who cares only about donors and not struggling Americans. We reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton, (who) panders to and talks down to communities of color and sees them only as votes, Trump told a crowd of a few thousand, mostly white, supporters. Thats all they care about, not as individual human beings worthy of a better future. The Democratic party, he added, has failed and betrayed the African-American community. At the same time, Trump repeatedly cast himself an agent of change who is running to represent all Americans especially those living in communities like Milwaukee that have been affected by violent protests. He called for law and order to be restored and vowed that as president he would do so. Slideshow: Violent protests erupt in Milwaukee >>> He pointedly accused Clinton of being an anti-police candidate, and suggested that what he characterized as her failure to more strongly back law enforcement was hurting those who live in crime-stricken communities. The main victims of these riots are law-abiding African-American citizens living in these neighborhoods, he said. Its their homes. Its their schools and communities which will suffer the most as a result. Theres no compassion in tolerating lawless conduct for anyone. At the same time, Trump, who currently polls in the low single digits among black voters, repeatedly cast himself as a voice of compassion and reason and the only person who can bring real change to inner cities. Story continues I am running to listen to your voice, to hear the cries for help from so many people in our nation, the celebrity businessman said. The quiet voices in our society, not the loudest demonstrators, need to have their demands heard. Mocking Clintons campaign slogan Im With Her, Trump repeatedly declared, Im with you. The late-night remarks, which began well after 10 p.m. ET, marked Trumps second scripted speech of the week. In Wisconsin, a state where he trails Clinton by double digits, the GOP candidate had been scheduled to hold one of his raucous rallies. But plans abruptly changed Tuesday morning as Trump aides announced their boss would deliver more focused remarks, timed to the protests in Milwaukee. While Trump echoed many themes hes touted before including trashing Clinton as a corrupt politician and pledging to make America First the GOP candidates cadence and language were notably different. Though he trashed Clinton for supporting immigration reform suggesting its another vehicle for taking away jobs from struggling black Americans he presented his proposals in a less incendiary way and seemed more determined to stay on script. At one point, Trump, as he does during nearly every rally, attacked Clinton for the email scandal that has dogged her campaign, suggesting she had put the country at risk. In response, supporters broke into a chant of Lock her up a chant that has become a mainstay of Trump rallies after the Republican National Convention. But the candidate, who usually pauses, simply continued on with the speech. While it was clearly a speech aimed at boosting support among blacks, Trump offered no specific proposals to help poverty-stricken neighborhoods. He did unveil a few new, if unrelated, ideas, including a promise to ban the spouses of those serving in his administration from earning income from paid speeches. He also said he would make aides sign a pledge blocking them from earning income on the speech circuit for five years after they left the government. No one will be above the law, Trump said. The Virginia man who scaled Trump Tower last week waited until his parents went away on vacation before driving to New York City. Prosecutors said Stephen Rogata, 19, waited until his parents left before driving from Great Falls, Virginia, to New York before his Aug. 10 climb. This was a well-thought-out, planned stunt, assistant district attorney Pierre Griffith said at an arraignment on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. Prosecutors also said Rogata practiced climbing buildings ahead of time and ordered his equipment on Amazon. Rogata faces charges of reckless endangerment, BASE jumping, criminal trespass and trespass after he climbed up the side of Trump Tower using a device made of suction cups last Wednesday. Rogata made his court appearance via video from Bellevue Hospital, where he has been held since he was arrested for climbing the midtown-located tower last week. His three-hour climb up the side of Trump Tower captured widespread attention both among the crowds that gathered in the streets outside the tower and online, as thousands tuned in to livestreams of the stunt. Rogata said in a video posted to YouTube the day before the climb that he wanted a private meeting with Republican nominee Donald Trump and wanted people to vote for the candidate. Rogata is due back in court on Oct. 13. A judge set his bond at $10,000. Donald Trump Tuesday night joined a long line of American presidential candidates who have made the promise to restore law and order a cornerstone of their campaigns. In a speech aimed at the African American community, Trump promised that more and intensified policing in American cities will break up the gangs, the cartels and criminal syndicates terrorizing our neighborhoods. However, Trump, who has notably refused to speak to African American groups like the National Urban League and the NAACP, chose to deliver the speech in West Bend, Wisconsin, a 95 percent white community where only about one in 100 residents is African American. Related: Can Trump Bully His Way Through a Debate with Hillary Clinton? After days of riots over the police shooting of an armed African-American man rocked the city of Milwaukee, some 40 miles away, Trump told the overwhelmingly white crowd, Our job is not to make life more comfortable for the rioter, the looter, the violent disruptor. Our job is to make life more comfortable for the African-American parent who wants their kids to be able to safely walk the streets. In his speech Tuesday night, Trump echoed earlier GOP politicians who have made a detailed litany of the troubles facing African American neighborhoods part of their pitch to their largely white constituencies. Barry Goldwater, Richard Nixon, and Ronald Reagan all campaigned on law and order platforms. There is no compassion in allowing drug dealers, gang members, and felons to prey on innocent people, Trump said. It is the first duty of government to keep the innocent safe, and when I am president I will fight for the safety of every American and especially those Americans who have not known safety for a very, very long time. I am asking for the vote of every African-American citizen struggling in our country today who wants a different future, Trump said. It is time for our society to address some honest and very difficult truths: The Democratic Party has failed and betrayed the African-American community. Democratic crime policies, education policies, and economic policies have produced only more crime, more broken homes, and more poverty. Story continues Related: Joe Biden: Trump Has No Clue How to Lead the Country or Deal With Putin Trump, to be clear, has virtually no chance of winning anything close to a large share of the African American vote. Though he can point to some high-profile African American supporters, like Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, his share of the black vote is minuscule. A recent Fox News poll showed him pulling one percent of the African American vote nationwide. He has posted similar numbers in polls of battleground states. His speech comes at a time when crime rates across the country are down dramatically from historical averages, despite the fact that numerous major cities like Chicago, Baltimore, and Washington, DC are facing sharp upticks in violence. A seemingly endless stream of videos showing police officers needlessly shooting unarmed or incapacitated black men has fed fury in the African American community, leading to protests and riots in cities across the country. Trump, who has made border security a major pillar of his campaign, also suggested that illegal immigration has sucked jobs and opportunities from American cities. Trumps focus on border control has included disparaging comments about Mexicans and repeated promises to build a massive border wall between the US and its southern neighbor. Some African Americans saw the conflation of the troubles in American cities and the immigration issue as an attempt to pit two minority communities against each other. Related: A $3 Raffle? Trumps Unorthodox Pleas for Cash Speaking on CNN, commentator Van Jones said, His message tonight was so shocking in its divisiveness -- trying to pit Blacks against Latinos, which is the worst thing that you can do. "I watched this speech with alarm in my heart that an American leader would walk into a situation like this with so little grace." Trump also attacked his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, who is currently polling near 90 percent among African Americans as a bigot who panders to and talks down to communities of color, and sees them only as votes, not as individual human beings worthy of a better future. While Clinton has had her troubles with the African American community -- she helped spread the myth of the super-predator terrorizing American inner cities in the 1990s -- she and her husband, former president Bill Clinton are generally viewed in a positive light by black voters. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Washington (AFP) - Donald Trump made a pitch to African-American voters, saying Democrats had "betrayed" them and pledged he would revitalize impoverished urban communities. His comments at a rally in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin came as something of a surprise from the Republican candidate who until now has done little to endear himself to minorities. With polls showing the bombastic billionaire trailing his White House opponent Hillary Clinton overall and in battleground states, it appeared Trump was trying to expand his support base beyond his core of working-class white voters. "I'm asking for the vote of every African- American citizen struggling in our country today who wants a different and much better future. It's time for our society to address some honest and very, very difficult truths. "The Democratic Party has failed and betrayed the African-American community." Black Americans tend to vote Democratic and Clinton has a solid lead among the demographic. But Trump said Democrats have "taken the votes of African-Americans for granted. They just assume they'll get your support and done nothing in return for it," he said. "It's time to rebuild the inner cities of America and to reject the failed leadership of a rigged political system." Trump was speaking in West Bend following a spasm of racially charged violence over the weekend in Wisconsin's largest city of Milwaukee after police there shot dead a black man. Officials said the 23-year-old man was armed, but the death angered residents, as it echoes a series of deadly police incidents in the United States involving mainly African American suspects. - Bigotry - Trump's outreach to black voters came after he said earlier Tuesday that he would reject bigotry "in all forms" if elected president. It was another unexpected move from the Republican nominee who during his presidential campaign has vowed to ban Muslim immigrants and erect a wall to prevent Mexican immigration. Story continues "This is my pledge to the American people: as your president I will be your greatest champion," Trump said in a statement posted on Facebook. "I will fight to ensure that every American is treated equally, protected equally and honored equally," he said. "We will reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms, and seek a new future built on our common culture and values as one American people." The embattled Trump has made a successful campaign out of incendiary rhetoric and defying political correctness. But a recent series of gaffes had even members of his own party begging him to reel in the brash remarks. Trump's denigration of the family of a fallen Muslim-American soldier was seen by many as a monumental campaign misstep and a turning point in the contentious 2016 presidential race. The two sides slung criticism at each other, with the soldier's father accusing Trump of Islamophobia and assailing his "ignorance and arrogance". Hillary Clintons campaign manager, Robby Mook, said Wednesday that Donald Trump has won the battle to be himself with his latest campaign shakeup and has surrounded himself with people who will enable him. Whats become clear from this is that no matter how much the establishment wants to clean Donald Trump up get him on a teleprompter and get him on message he has officially won the fight to let Trump be Trump, Mook said on a conference call with reporters. Trumps poll numbers have slid since the conventions, and he now trails Clinton by an average of 6 points in national polls, according to RealClearPolitics. The real estate mogul brought in Stephen Bannon, the executive chairman of the conservative website Breitbart News, as his new campaign CEO and pollster Kellyanne Conway as his new campaign manager. Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign chair, has spent months trying to temper Trumps image and presentation, and the shakeup signaled that Trump is done with that strategy, the Washington Post reported. You know, I am who I am, Trump said Tuesday. Its me. I dont want to change. He added that doing a general election pivot would be dishonest. Clinton echoed this at a rally Wednesday afternoon in Ohio. There is no new Donald Trump, she told her supporters. This is it. Mook accused Bannons Breitbart News of peddling divisive, at-times racist, anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, including birther attacks that claim President Obama was not born in America. He said the Clinton campaign is bracing itself for Trump to deploy more conspiracy theories now that Bannon is in charge. We absolutely expect with this change for Donald Trump to double down on more hateful and divisive rhetoric, more conspiracy theories, Mook said. Mook dryly noted the dysfunction going on in Trumps campaign, saying the candidate has appeared to win out in his quest to be himself. All I can say vis-a-vis the pivot is its absolutely clear that after a long struggle within his organization, Trump has prevailed, he said. Story continues And hes said very clearly that he wants to be himself. He wants to say whatevers on his mind and the things that he believes and that he is going to do that. I think thats how we should expect him to finish out the campaign and he has certainly assembled a group of people around him who will support and enable that. ~~ trump taj mahal workers For six years, New Jersey state auditors and lawyers battled in court for $30 million that the state said Donald Trump's Atlantic City casinos owed in back taxes. The state eventually agreed to accept $5 million from the casinos. The settlement came just a year after Gov. Chris Christie took office, according to an investigation by The New York Times that reviewed the casinos' bankruptcy filings. The tax battle began shortly after the casinos filed for bankruptcy in 2004, when the state noticed that the company should have been paying much more money, namely because of a corporate state tax that went into effect in 2002, The Times reports. The legal battle dragged on for years while the casinos again filed for bankruptcy in 2009 and 2014 until the parties finally agreed to the lower settlement in December 2011, The Times reports. Christie was sworn in as governor in January 2010. A spokesman for New Jersey's attorney general's office told The Times the state accepted the lower settlement because the casino industry had been on the decline since 2006, so it didn't think it would get a higher amount if the court case proceeded. The casinos made Trump millions, a previous Times investigation found, but were largely failed businesses with huge amounts of debt. Trump has since sold his shares in the casinos, but the casinos still bear his name. Christie and Trump have known each other since 2002. NOW WATCH: DATA SCIENTIST: Theres an easy way to tell if one of Trumps tweets came from him or his campaign More From Business Insider ANKARA (Reuters) - A total of 40,029 people have been detained in Turkey in investigations related to last month's failed coup and around half of those have been formally arrested, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Wednesday. In a speech broadcast live on television, Yildirim said that 20,355 people had been formally arrested in relation to the failed July 15 putsch, which Turkey blames on followers of the U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen. Yildirim also said that 79,900 people had been removed from public duty in post coup purges of the military, police, civil service and judiciary. He also said 4,262 companies and institutions with links to Gulen have been shut. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999, has denied the charge and condemned the coup. Turkey is seeking his extradition from the United States. Washington has said it would only do so if it has firm evidence. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Toby Chopra) BERLIN/ANKARA (Reuters) - German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere on Wednesday defended a leaked government report alleging Turkey was a hub for Islamist groups, a charge that has further strained tensions with Ankara, a key partner in efforts to stem mass migration. Turkey and Germany have had a series of disputes in recent months, just as the European Union has been trying to secure Turkey's help in tackling the influx of migrants to Europe, of which Germany has taken in the bulk. Ankara has also been incensed by criticism from the West of its crackdown following a failed coup attempt on July 15. The government report, disclosed by German public broadcaster ARD this week, said Turkey had become a hub for Islamist groups and that President Tayyip Erdogan had an "ideological affinity" to Hamas in Gaza, the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and groups of armed Islamist opposition in Syria. ARD said the report was confidential and commissioned by the Interior Ministry upon a parliamentary request from the leftist Linke party. De Maiziere told German regional broadcaster rbb: "There's nothing to regret," when asked if he regretted the paper. He said the report showed one aspect of Turkey but that there were other aspects beyond that. Earlier in the day, Interior Ministry spokesman Johannes Dimroth said the report was signed by a deputy minister and that neither de Maiziere nor the Foreign Ministry had been involved. "Where people work, mistakes can happen," Dimroth said. Government spokesman Steffen Seibert declined to comment on the report but he said Berlin still viewed Ankara as a partner in the fight against Islamic State. Turkey reacted with fury to the report. "The allegations are a new manifestation of the twisted mentality, which for some time has been trying to wear down our country, by targeting our president and government," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Earlier this year, Erdogan reacted angrily to the broadcast of a satirical song about him on German television and launched legal action against the comedian who wrote it. Another row followed weeks later when the German parliament passed a resolution declaring the 1915 massacre of Armenians by Ottoman forces a genocide. In June, there was another, as yet unresolved rift when Turkey appeared to block a visit by German lawmakers to 250 German soldiers stationed at Incirlik air base in southern Turkey. Turkey's Foreign Ministry said Germany was guilty of double standards and that it should be more supportive of Turkey in its fight against the militant Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist group by the European Union and the United States. "It is obvious that behind these allegations are some political circles in Germany known for their double-standard attitudes in the fight against terror," the ministry said in the statement. "As a country which sincerely fights against terror of every sort whatever its source, Turkey expects that its other partners and allies act in the same way." (Reporting by Tulay Karadeniz in Istanbul and Michael Nienaber in Berlin; additional reporting by Michelle Martin; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky and Peter Cooney) Istanbul (AFP) - Turkey on Wednesday submitted to parliament a deal to normalise ties with Israel delayed by the July 15 military coup attempt, the state-run Anadolu news agency said. The agreement has been forwarded to parliament for ratification before the legislative body goes into summer recess later this month. In June, Turkey and Israel signed a deal to restore their ties which hit an all-time low after the 2010 raid by Israeli commandos on a Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship that left 10 Turks dead. The text of the agreement submitted to parliament reaffirms that Israel will pay Turkey $20 million (17.8 million euros) in compensation within 25 days. The legal case targeting the Israeli commandos who staged the raid will also be dropped, the report said. Israeli cabinet ministers in June approved the deal reached with Turkey, leaving Ankara to make the final ratification step. But the Turkish government failed to send the deal to parliament because of time pressure created by the failed coup attempt by rogue elements in the military, which Turkey blames on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Once the normalisation deal is ratified by parliament, Turkey and Israel will begin the process of exchanging ambassadors to fully restore their diplomatic ties. It is not clear on which day the deal will be debated. Israel had already offered compensation and an apology over the raid but with the agreement it also eased the naval blockade on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, allowing Ankara to deliver humanitarian aid to Palestinians there. ISTANBUL/ZURICH (Reuters) - Turkey's investigation into Novartis is "ongoing", a Turkish health ministry official told Reuters on Thursday, after the Swiss drugmaker said last week it was not under investigation over bribery allegations in Turkey. The Ankara chief prosecutor's office had said in April it was investigating the Turkish unit of Novartis after allegations were made that the company benefited from bribery. Novartis said last week that it had determined the allegations were unsubstantiated and was not aware of any government authority investigating it. It said it considered the matter "closed". However, an official at Turkey's health ministry in Ankara told Reuters that an investigation into Novartis was still "ongoing". The official declined to give further details. In Switzerland, a Novartis spokesman said it considered the matter closed and is no longer seeking information from Turkish authorities. It maintains the allegations were "unfounded" and based on a past complaint. Reuters reported in March that an anonymous whistleblower accused the company of paying bribes in Turkey through a consulting firm to secure business advantages worth an estimated $85 million. (Reporting by Can Sezer in Istanbul and Michael Shields in Zurich; Additional reporting by John Miller in Zurich; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Patrick Markey and Toby Chopra) By Ayla Jean Yackley ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish police have detained at least 24 people working for a pro-Kurdish newspaper since it was banned this week on suspicion of supporting Kurdish militants, the newspaper said. The detentions bring the number of imprisoned Turkish media workers to 99, based on figures from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) media watchdog, making Turkey the world's biggest jailer of journalists. A government official denied the action against Ozgur Gundem was linked to the state of emergency declared after a failed coup on July 15, but an international media watchdog saw it as part of President Tayyip Erdogan's widespread post-coup purge. An Istanbul court on Tuesday banned the left-wing newspaper, which has a circulation of 7,500, after ruling it made propaganda for the banned PKK party and acted "as its de facto news outlet," according to the court document. The PKK is the acronym for the armed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. At least 24 people were detained, Ozgur Gundem said according to its website, most of them on Tuesday in the raid on the paper's Istanbul office. Others were detained at their homes. Four journalists covering the raid for other outlets were also detained. Eren Keskin, a rights activist, lawyer and columnist for the paper whose home was raided, confirmed the arrests. Turkey has closed more than 130 media outlets since a state of emergency was brought in, stirring concern among Western allies and rights groups about deteriorating press freedoms. Turkey blames the cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, for the coup in which 240 civilians and security forces, and around 100 coup participants, were killed. Critics accuse Erdogan of using the purge to crack down on broader dissent. But Turkish officials say they face an internal security threat exposed by the coup plot. "What just happened at Ozgur Gundem, the historical Kurdish daily in Turkey, is unacceptable. Apparently, the authorities are using the post-coup state of emergency situation to attack all critical voices," said EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregard in a statement. Among the detainees was Asli Erdogan, a prize-winning novelist, who wrote a column for Ozgur Gundem, according to the paper's website, which was still accessible outside of Turkey. Authorities seized books at a home belonging to Ragip Zarakolu, a prominent human-rights campaigner and columnist at the Turkish-language daily. Police searched the home of politician Filiz Kocali, who also writes for Ozgur Gundem, and Eren Keskin, a lawyer, told Reuters her home was searched. Calls to four Ozgur Gundem editors went unanswered. It was not immediately clear if they had been detained. Ozgur Gundem focuses on the conflict with Kurdish militants in Turkey's southeast and has faced dozens of investigations, fines and the arrest of correspondents since 2014. The PKK has waged a three-decade insurgency for greater autonomy in the name of Turkey's 15 million Kurds. More than 40,000 people have died in the violence. (Editing by Patrick Markey and Richard Balmforth) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f181277%2fgettyimages-590552916_copy LONDON Laura Trott and Jason Kenny are the most successful Olympic couple in the world. They have a whopping 10 gold medals between them and on Tuesday night they did the nation proud when Trott won the women's omnium and Kenny won the men's keirin, bagging two gold medals for the nation's haul. But, amidst the jubilation, BBC commentator Chris Boardman attracted criticism after suggesting that Kenny might be asking Trott, "What's for tea?" after their victories. SEE ALSO: People are losing their minds over the world's most successful Olympic couple Shes doing all the emotion for both of them really hes looking at her wondering whats for tea! said Boardman during the commentary. After many accused Boardman of sexism, a row erupted on the social network after others defended the pundit's remarks as some felt they had been taken out of context. Boardman took to Twitter to state that his remarks had "nothing to do with gender". But, not everyone was convinced. Others felt that the remarks weren't sexist, and merely referred to Kenny's laid-back demeanor. Suspected militants killed two soldiers and one police officer in an ambush on a military convoy overnight in Indian-administrated Kashmir, an official in the troubled region said Wednesday. An unknown number of gunmen opened fire on the two army trucks and a police vehicle travelling through Baramulla district, 60 kilometres (37 miles) west of the region's main city of Srinagar. "Two soldiers and one police officer were killed and three others -- two soldiers and another police officer were injured," district police superintendent Imtiaz Hussain told AFP. Security forces launched a major search for the militants who fled the scene, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. Military convoys have been travelling through the region more frequently at night in recent weeks to avoid encountering protesting residents. Kashmir has been under curfew since protests erupted over the death last month of a popular young rebel leader, Burhan Wani, in a gunfight with security forces. More than 60 civilians have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces, and thousands more injured in the worst violence to hit the Himalayan region since 2010. Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan along a UN-monitored line of control, but both claim it in full and have fought two wars over its control. A top UN human rights official expressed "deep regret" at the failure of Indian and Pakistani authorities to grant his team access to the separate parts of Kashmir to probe recent allegations of human rights violations, which include use of excessive force and state sponsorship of violence. "Without access we can only fear the worst," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement released in Geneva. India's top-diplomat Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday, blamed Pakistan's continued support for "cross border terrorism" for complicating ties between the neighbours. Story continues "(Pakistan's) attitude towards the use of terrorism as an instrument of diplomacy made it a very difficult partner for all of us," he said. The foreign secretary added that India had made efforts in the last two-years to reach out to Pakistan and find a common ground. Armed rebels have fought Indian security forces in Kashmir since 1989 for the independence of the region or for it to be made part of Pakistan. The conflict has left tens of thousands, mostly civilians, dead. Gunmen shot and wounded 10 police paramilitiaries on Monday who were trying to impose a curfew in Srinagar during Independence Day. One of the troopers later died of his injuries. By Nate Raymond NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Gabonese man who consulted for a joint venture involving a U.S. hedge fund was arrested on Tuesday on charges that he participated in a scheme to bribe officials in Africa to obtain mining rights. Samuel Mebiame, who authorities say worked as a "fixer" for the joint venture and one of its mining companies, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Brooklyn for conspiring to violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The complaint did not name the fund, but its description matched that of Och-Ziff Capital Management, which has been in talks with the U.S. authorities to resolve probes into its involvement in bribes paid to African officials. The complaint said the U.S. hedge fund involved in the case had formed a joint venture in January 2008 with a Turks and Caicos Islands entity. Och-Ziff that same month formed a joint venture in Africa with Palladino Holdings Ltd, an investment vehicle incorporated in the Turks and Caicos Islands founded by South African businessman Walter Hennig. Mebiame, the 43-year-old son of the late former Gabon Prime Minister Leon Mebiame, was arrested in Brooklyn on Tuesday, a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Robert Capers said. His arrest came after he voluntarily met with federal law enforcement in June 2015 to discuss his role in paying bribes to secure mining concessions for the joint venture, the complaint said. A spokesman for Och-Ziff declined to comment on Tuesday, as did Benjamin Tymann, a lawyer for Mebiame. Contact information for Palladino could not be immediately located. Och-Ziff said this month that it was in talks with the U.S. Justice Department and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to resolve the probes and had set aside $414.3 million ahead of a final settlement. Tuesday's complaint said Mebiame admitted supplying cash and cars to two married Niger officials; an S-class Mercedes Benz sedan and rented private Airbus jet to a Guinean official; and travel and shopping expenses for an adviser to Chad's president. Story continues For his work, the complaint said Mebiame was paid at least $3.5 million through 2012. He also believed he would receive an interest in a mining company the venture owned, leading to a dispute over his stake. In an email in 2009, he later threatened to tell the media about its "illegal procedures to secure assets in Africa," the complaint said. In the email, which he sent to an employee of the joint venture, Mebiame claimed it had "used corruption in Africa to get the assets you have." The case is U.S. v. Mebiame, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 16-mj-752. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; editing by Dan Grebler and Diane Craft) The US Coast Guard came across a herd of cows on the move in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as they searched for people stranded by the historic flooding in the state. US Coast Guard officials said they have rescued almost 200 people and assisted nearly 3,000 since the flooding began. The record flooding left at least eleven people dead. Credit: PO1 Melissa Leake, US Coast Guard Atlantic Area The rape and beating of American and Western aid workers in the South Sudanese capital of Juba by government soldiers has struck a devastating blow against two of President Barack Obamas signature foreign-policy efforts: reforming the United Nations troubled peacekeeping program and standing up a stable government in the worlds newest country. The horrific July 11 attacks on the Terrain hotel facility mark a grim moment in a long-standing U.S. effort to help South Sudan build a functioning state after gaining its independence from the Arab-dominated Sudanese government in Khartoum. The violence highlighted the degree to which South Sudanese President Salva Kiir has evolved from a valued U.S. friend to the leader of a rampaging army that has now targeted American nationals. The U.S. and the U.N. gambled on close relations with Salva Kiir, and it turns out that Salva Kiir in an untrustworthy partner who hates the U.N. and increasingly hates the U.S., said Richard Gowan, an expert on U.N. peacekeeping operations at the European Council on Foreign Relations. In the assault last month, uniformed South Sudanese troops singled out Americans for abuse and beatings, shot dead a local reporter while forcing foreign nationals to watch, carried out mock executions, and gang-raped several foreign women, according to a report by The Associated Press, which cited interviews with multiple witnesses on the ground. The grim details of the attack have raised questions about why the nearby U.S. Embassy didnt send American troops to rescue those trapped at the hotel and why Washington kept silent about the incident for more than a month until it was revealed by the APs report. When about 80 to 100 South Sudanese troops stormed the compound and overwhelmed the hotels small security team, foreign aid workers at the facility sent desperate pleas for help to the U.N. peacekeeping mission, located less than a mile away, as well as to the U.S. Embassy. But no U.N. blue helmets ever arrived to stop the nearly four-hour ordeal. Story continues The U.S. ambassador to South Sudan, Mary Catherine Phee, immediately asked the South Sudanese government to send troops deemed trustworthy to intervene, and forces from the National Security Service did eventually arrive, senior U.S. administration officials said. But by then several foreign nationals had been raped, and Americans had been terrorized and beaten. A South Sudanese reporter, John Gatluak, who worked for Internews, a U.S.-funded media development organization, had been hauled out and shot in the head in front of aid workers. The incident carries potentially damaging political overtones for the Obama administration and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, who has faced an avalanche of criticism from Republicans over how she handled a 2012 attack on an American diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya. Two days after soldiers from the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) carried out the assault, the Obama administration rushed dozens of American troops to bolster security for the embassy there. Another 130 American troops were deployed to nearby Djibouti as a quick reaction force. That was too late to help those hurt in the July 11 attack at the Terrain hotel. U.S. officials said the embassy had a small security contingent that was not equipped to carry out a major combat and rescue operation against dozens of armed and disorderly South Sudanese troops. Embassy staff had to move to bunkers more than once during that day due to mortar and small-arms fire around the embassy compound, officials said. With the capital engulfed in violence, the primary mission of the security team as in other embassies around the world was to protect embassy staff and classified material, officials said. We didnt have the personnel with the mission or the capacity to respond to such a wide-scale event. Our response was to engage the government that had the capability to do so, a senior administration official told Foreign Policy on the condition of anonymity. Theres no Delta Force residing at the embassy, the official added. The U.N., for its part, has launched an independent special investigation into reports that Chinese, Ethiopian, and Nepalese peacekeepers failed to respond to calls for help from the hotel. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moons office issued a statement late Tuesday night saying the U.N. chief is concerned about allegations that UNMISS [The United Nations Mission in South Sudan] did not respond appropriately to prevent this and other grave cases of sexual violence committed in Juba. The statement, which was attributable to Bans spokesman, noted that the U.N. chief is alarmed by the preliminary findings of a U.N. fact-finding investigation that probed the July 11 attack on the Terrain hotel, and confirmed that one person was killed and several civilians were raped and brutally beaten by men in uniform. He urged the South Sudanese government to investigate the abuses and prosecute those involved in these unspeakable acts of violence. The latest bout of fighting between government forces loyal to Kiir and those of his vice president-turned-rival, Riek Machar, erupted on July 8 after a cabinet meeting at the presidential compound and quickly spread to several locations around Juba. Researchers from Human Rights Watch visited Juba later that month and found evidence of multiple crimes, according to an Aug. 15 report by the group. The researchers said most of the wrongdoing was committed by government soldiers from the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA). The Obama administration says it is working tirelessly to ensure that U.N. peacekeepers are in a better position to defend civilians in South Sudan. Last week, the United States led negotiations on a resolution that authorizes an additional 4,000 peacekeepers to secure the capital of Juba. The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Samantha Power, condemned the attack in a statement issued late Monday and demanded an inquiry into the response of the U.N. peacekeepers. Power said the United States is deeply concerned that United Nations peacekeepers were apparently either incapable of or unwilling to respond to calls for help. We have requested and are awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the United Nations and demand swift corrective action in the event that these allegations are substantiated. She also defended the U.S. reaction to the attack on the Terrain compound, saying that the U.S. embassy responded to distress calls from the compound and urgently contacted South Sudanese government officials, who sent a response force to the site to stop the attack. The U.S. effort to reinforce the U.N. mission in South Sudan is part of a broader push by the Obama administration to reform peacekeeping operations to make them better suited to protect civilians from atrocities. The U.N.s failures in Juba raise serious doubts about how much progress will have been made by the time Obama leaves office next January. In July 2009, Obamas newly appointed U.N. ambassador, Susan Rice, delivered an address to the U.S. Congress in which she defended the U.N.s often maligned peacekeepers as an essential instrument for advancing American interests around the world. The Obama administration, she pledged, would make their effectiveness and efficiency a key priority. In September 2015, Obama hosted a peacekeeping summit in New York to highlight the U.S. commitment to such operations and to urge other countries to pledge troops and equipment. But more than seven years after Rices speech, U.N. peacekeepers continue to generate damning headlines, including on sexual assault scandals in the Central African Republic and the failure to confront atrocities in Darfur, Sudan. In South Sudan, the U.N.s inability to stem the violence even in its own compounds has raised doubts about the peacekeepers effectiveness. Since fighting erupted in December 2013, more than 50,000 people have been killed and another 2 million displaced, including more than 180,000 people seeking protection in six U.N. compounds. A U.N. board of inquiry this month faulted the world bodys 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 latest allegations about U.N. inaction in Juba have only reinforced those doubts about the missions effectiveness. This is an incredible moment of frustration for the U.S., Gowan said. The U.S. has pushed hard for UNMISS [the U.N. mission in South Sudan] to raise its game since 2013, when the country descended into civil war. But the U.N. has been unable to protect civilians. After the Obama summit and all the emphasis on increased U.S. support to the U.N., it seems that the blue helmets are no better than before, Gowan added. The chaos in South Sudan also marks a major setback for China, which has significant oil interests in the country and has taken a lead role in the peacekeeping effort there. Its a big embarrassment for China, Gowan said. China had invested heavily in South Sudan, sending its first full combat brigade to Juba and doing a lot behind the scenes to try to make the government behave properly. Now, it has not only lost two peacekeepers, but Chinese troops also stand accused of ignoring mass rape near their base. Its unclear what effect the attacks, and the reports of widespread abuses by SPLA soldiers, will have on Washingtons support for the government in Juba. The United States remains the single biggest bilateral donor to South Sudan. In its budget request for 2017, the State Department asked for $30 million to help modernize the South Sudanese army so that it respects human rights, represents its population, is accountable to elected leadership, protects the people of South Sudan, and encourages stability in the Horn of Africa in other words, to ensure it does not carry out the kinds of abuses it stands accused of. Another $132 million was requested for civil society and peace-building programs. Two days after the attack on the Terrain hotel, Obama said in a statement that he was sending into the country an additional 47 U.S. troops equipped for combat who were being deployed for the purpose of protecting U.S. citizens and property. Those troops remain in Juba, along with the 130-strong quick reaction force in Djibouti. A spokesperson for the U.S. Africa Command told FP that there are American military assets positioned within the region that are capable of providing a wide variety of responses when requested by the ambassador but declined to go into detail about what capabilities are available. The State Department declined to say exactly how many American forces or staff were at the U.S. Embassy in Juba on July 11. But, in recent years, the government has said about 50 staff were working out of the embassy. After the outbreak of fighting in Juba and the July 11 attack, the United States helped secure medical treatment for victims of the hotel rampage and organized flights out of the country for 80 U.S. nationals. The State Department also scaled back the embassys footprint to a skeletal staff, officials said. U.S. diplomats and aid workers in South Sudan have faced recurring security threats. In 2013, a U.S. military attempt to evacuate American citizens from a U.N. post in Bor had to be aborted when a CV-22 Osprey aircraft came under machine gun and small-arms fire, wounding several Navy SEALs. Photo credit: CHARLES LOMODONG/AFP/Getty Images (This August 16 story has been corrected to say that the upcoming ballot measures are for medical use of marijuana, in paragraphs 2 and 7) By Dan Levine SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice cannot spend money to prosecute federal marijuana cases if the defendants comply with state guidelines that permit the drug's sale for medical purposes, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday. The ruling, from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, comes as voters in nine more states will consider allowing the recreational or medical use of marijuana this November. Twenty-five U.S. states currently allow for medical marijuana. While the sale of the drug is still illegal under federal law, Congress in 2014 passed a budget rule which prohibits the DOJ from using federal funds to interfere in the implementation of state marijuana regulations. Due to this rule, defendants in 10 cases in California and Washington argued that their federal charges should be dismissed. The 9th Circuit in San Francisco, which covers nine Western states, ruled on Tuesday that the DOJ could not spend money as long as those defendants "strictly complied" with all state regulations. The appeals court sent the cases back to lower courts to determine if the defendants had complied with state law. A Justice Department spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment. In November California and eight other states will consider whether to allow marijuana for recreational or medical use. Colorado, Washington, Oregon and Alaska, as well as the District of Columbia, already permit it for recreational purposes. The unanimous 9th Circuit ruling on Tuesday was issued by a three-judge panel, two of whom are Republican appointees with a history of pro-law enforcement opinions. Despite the outcome, however, Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain wrote that medical marijuana purveyors should not feel immune from federal law. "Congress could restore funding tomorrow, a year from now, or four years from now," he wrote, "and the government could then prosecute individuals who committed offenses while the government lacked funding." (Reporting by Dan Levine; Editing by Alan Crosby) By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two major mergers in agricultural technology and seeds could hurt competition in the industry and make it harder for smaller companies to compete, Senator Charles Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, wrote in a letter on Wednesday sent to antitrust enforcers. Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, urged the Federal Trade Commission, which is reviewing the purchase of Syngenta AG by the China National Chemical Corp [CNNCC.UL], and the Justice Department, which is looking at the merger of Dow Chemical Co and DuPont Co, to coordinate on the two reviews. "It is important that these transactions not be reviewed in isolation," wrote Grassley. "I urge the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to collaborate, as appropriate, with input from the Department of Agriculture, in their analysis of the agricultural biotechnology and seed industry and the impact of these proposed transactions." Dow and DuPont said in December that they would combine in an all-stock merger with plans to then break into three separate businesses. In February, China's state-owned ChemChina [CNNCC.UL] made a $43 billion bid for Swiss seeds and pesticides group Syngenta. The deals by some of farmers' biggest global suppliers concerned Grassley, who represents a largely agricultural state. "I am concerned that the convergence of these proposed transactions as well as others currently being discussed will have an enhanced adverse impact on competition in the industry and raise barriers to entry for smaller companies," he wrote. "I also am concerned that further concentration in the industry will impact the price and choice of chemicals and seed for farmers, which ultimately will impact choice and costs for consumers. Finally, I am concerned that further consolidation will diminish critical research and development initiatives," added Grassley. The letter was dated Tuesday and sent to FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez and Renata Hesse, the acting head of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; Editing by David Gregorio) Kampala (AFP) - Nine Ugandan soldiers have been jailed for illegally selling fuel meant for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), an army spokesman said Wednesday. "The soldiers were part of a racket that was selling fuel to civilians in Somalia," said Henry Obbo, Uganda's deputy military spokesman. He said the convicted men included two majors. "The sentences range from one year to three years," Obbo said, to be served in Kampala after which three of the soldiers will be "dismissed from the army with disgrace" while the others will be demoted. The nine were found guilty by a Ugandan court martial sitting in Mogadishu, the first time such a case has been tried in Somalia since the AU mission deployed nine years ago. "The prosecution has proved all the accusations of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency beyond reasonable doubt," said General Dick Olum, chairman of the court martial, according to an AMISOM statement. This is not the first time Ugandan soldiers in Somalia have been implicated in illegal activities. Human rights groups have alleged cases of sexual misconduct and civilian killings, but when investigations have been conducted by AMISOM, the soldiers are routinely exonerated. In 2013 Uganda recalled 24 officers -- among them the contingent commander Brigadier Michael Ondoga -- for allegedly selling food rations meant for soldiers. After a lengthy trial Ondoga was exonerated by a military court in 2015. Kenyan officers have also been accused or profiting from the illegal trade in charcoal in southern Somalia. Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign chair and convention manager Paul Manafort appears at a press conference at the Republican Convention in Cleveland, U.S., July 19, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri The chairman of Donald Trumps campaign was involved in encouraging Crimean independence from Ukraine, the Times of London reported Wednesday, citing a leaked memo. The Times of London reported on a memo that was said to reveal Paul Manafort's involvement in the campaign to win support for the eventual annexation of the Crimean peninsula, which happened in 2014. According to the UK newspaper, a Ukrainian prosecutor is investigating Manafort for "conspiring with a criminal organization" and "inciting ethnic hatred and separatism." In the international community, the annexation of Crimea is widely considered to be an illegal move by Russia. In 2006, Manafort was behind demonstrations in Crimea against NATO, the Times reported. Viktor Yanukovych's pro-Russian Party of Regions led the protests. Russia is known to stand against NATO, an alliance it is not a member of. The memo from the prosecutor said: "It was his political effort to raise the prestige of Yanukovych and his party the confrontation and division of society on ethnic and linguistic grounds is his trick from the time of the elections in Angola and the Philippines. While I was in the Crimea I constantly saw evidence suggesting that Paul Manafort considered autonomy [from Ukraine] as a tool to enhance the reputation of Yanukovych and win over the local electorate." In the past, Republicans have supported arming Ukrainians to fight Russian forces trying to move in on parts of the country. But since Trump became the Republican nominee for president, language in the party platform that referenced supporting Ukrainian nationalists was removed. People within the party blamed Manafort, who worked as a consultant for Yanukovych's government. Story continues Manafort has also been accused of accepting payments from the Yanukovych regime without disclosing them to the US government, which would be illegal. The Trump campaign had not commented on the Times' report by Wednesday afternoon. For the past two months, Manafort has effectively been running Trump's campaign. But on Wednesday the campaign announced that it hired Breitbart News chairman Steve Bannon to be Trump's campaign manager in a move that is thought to be designed to lessen Manafort's power. Trump himself seems to have been influenced by Manafort's loyalties. He suggested in an interview last month that he supported Russia's invasion of Crimea. "You know, the people of Crimea, from what I've heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were," he said in an interview. The campaign of Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee for president, slammed the Trump campaign's perceived cozying up to Russia in a conference call Wednesday. "We've obviously seen that Trump's own views and the Republican platform itself has notably backed Russian views and Russian policies, so it paints a very disturbing picture and I think the voters need to pay a lot of attention to that," Robby Mook, Clinton's campaign manager, said. Ukraine is still a war zone, with Russian-backed separatists fighting Ukrainian nationalists for control. NOW WATCH: Watch Joe Biden's full speech the most effective Trump takedown delivered at the DNC More From Business Insider Kiev (AFP) - Ukrainian activists on Wednesday held a protest in central Kiev accusing the country's powerful prosecutors of obstructing a newly formed national agency that has exposed massive official corruption. Some 100 protesters gathered outside the office of prosecutor-general Yuri Lutsenko holding posters saying: "Lutsenko, don't stay silent! Your prosecutors are criminals!" Some wore plastic bags on their heads and had their hands tied, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene. The demonstrators were supporting the National Anti-Corruption Bureau, launched last year at the request of Kiev's Western backers. The anti-corruption agency has accused prosecutors of illegally detaining two of its officers last week and using physical violence against them as they carried out an undercover investigation. Pro-Western lawmaker Mustafa Nayyem, who was at the protest, condemned what he called an "open unlawful confrontation" between the anti-corruption agency and prosecutors. "The old schemes are returning," Nayyem said, referring to the corruption that flourished during the rule of ousted Ukrainian president Viktor Yanoukovych. "The attack is on all fronts: accusations of illegal activities, character assassination and sabotage," Nayyem wrote on Facebook on Tuesday. "This is a war, but not against corruption and lawlessness. This is a war by the departing elite to save its looted status quo." Kiev launched the National Anti-Corruption Bureau at the end of last year to meet the requirements of the International Monetary Fund and the European Commission. It has recently uncovered major corruption scandals with its investigators in August catching a highly placed judge in the act of accepting a bribe of $150,000 (133,000 euros). - 'No political will' - It is also responsible investigating financial malpractice by the pro-Russian party of former president Viktor Yanukovych, who was toppled in street protests in 2014. Story continues The bureau confirmed Monday that Yanukovych's party earmarked $12.7 million in undisclosed cash payments to Paul Manafort -- now Donald Trump's campaign chairman -- between 2007 and 2012. It is not clear if Manafort, who was working as a consultant to Yanukovych's party, actually received any of the money, the bureau's chief Artem Sytnyk said. Ukraine's lack of progress in fighting corruption has led the IMF to suspend its aid for a year. At Wednesday's protest, pro-Western MP Sergiy Leshchenko said that "the problem is with the President (Petro Poroshenko)'s office which has no political will to fight corruption". "Every day there is a confrontation between the reformers and the presidential administration," Leshchenko said. The UN's cultural agency expressed concern over the poor maintenance of a centuries-old cave temple in Sri Lanka, which risks being struck off the list of world heritage sites. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said she raised the maintenance issue at the Golden Temple of Dambulla with local authorities during her visit to the island. The Sri Lankan government is bound by international treaty obligations to protect the cave monastery which is home to 2,000-year-old murals and 157 Buddha statues, she told reporters in Colombo at the end of her four-day visit. A team of experts who visited the site in central Sri Lanka last year found the site poorly maintained and warned that new constructions have affected its heritage value, she said. A Buddhist monk at the temple has been resisting Sri Lankan government efforts to take over the maintenance of the temple, but Bokova said it was the responsibility of the Sri Lankan state to ensure that the property was well preserved. "When the World Heritage Committee discusses a report of protection and preservation, it is the responsibility of the government," she said. "We are talking about an international, legally binding document. The state party to the convention is the government of Sri Lanka." The cave temple is one of eight World Heritage sites in Sri Lanka and Bokova said she visited three of them. UN officials have expressed fears that the cave temple could be struck off the prestigious list of heritage sites unless immediate corrective action is taken to preserve frescoes and remove the new construction that has been added by resident monks. The first site to be removed from UNESCO's World Heritage List was the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman in 2007 after the government decided to reduce the size of the protected area by 90 percent -- in contravention of the heritage convention. The only other site to be removed was Germany's Dresden Elbe valley due to the building of a four-lane bridge in the heart of the cultural landscape which meant that the property failed to keep its "outstanding universal value as inscribed." United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United Nations has launched a probe of a hotel attack in South Sudan in which soldiers raped women and assaulted aid workers while UN peacekeepers allegedly failed to act. Civil war broke out in South Sudan in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. The fighting has split the country along ethnic lines and driven it to the brink of collapse. A peace deal signed between the government and rebels almost a year ago has so far failed to end the conflict. And last month Juba was rocked by several days of heavy fighting between Kiir's forces and those loyal to Machar. The abuses now being probed by the UN -- specifically, a July 11 attack on the Hotel Terrain in the capital Juba -- took place during these days of fighting. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said late Tuesday he was "concerned about allegations that UNMISS did not respond appropriately to prevent this and other grave cases of sexual violence committed in Juba." He was referring to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, called UNMISS. Ban said that in the July 11 incident one person was killed and several civilians were raped and beaten by men in uniform. The UN leader said he had launched "an independent special investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding these incidents and to evaluate the Mission's overall response." Ban expressed outrage over violence committed by government and opposition forces in Juba July 8-11. He said that during this period many South Sudanese civilians and two UN peacekeepers were killed. He also called on the government to probe these acts of violence and prosecute those involved. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, reported assaults and rapes of civilians, including humanitarian aid workers and journalists, by South Sudanese soldiers at the hotel. "South Sudan's leaders must investigate this incident and hold accountable the individuals responsible for these cowardly and brutal assaults," Power said in a statement. Story continues At the request of the US, she said, the government sent a response force to the hotel compound. But, she added: "United Nations peacekeepers were apparently either incapable of or unwilling to respond to calls for help." UN troops in South Sudan have come under heavy criticism after last month's fighting, for failing to protect civilians including women and girls raped near a UN base in Juba. The UN says it has documented at least 200 cases of rape in July alone by men in uniform, mainly troops loyal to president Kiir. Human Rights Watch said Monday that dozens of soldiers rampaged through the hotel compound, which houses employees of international organizations and is located close to a UN base. Several foreign workers were raped and a prominent journalist, John Gatluak, was killed, it said. Last Friday the UN Security Council approved a US-drafted resolution to strengthen the 12,000-person peacekeeping mission with 4,000 additional troops drawn from regional armies and equipped with a more aggressive mandate. By David Stanway HELIN, China (Reuters) - Deep in the coal heartlands of northern Shanxi province, people in Helin village are fighting a losing battle as the ground beneath them crumbles: patching up cracks, rebuilding walls and filling in sinkholes caused by decades of coal mining. Around 100 pits in Helin - buried in the hilly rural outskirts of the city of Xiaoyi - have been exhausted, and cluttered hamlets totter precariously on the brittle slopes of mines. But while local authorities have begun evacuating hundreds of thousands of residents most at risk elsewhere in Shanxi province, Helin's situation though serious - isn't yet considered a priority. "We haven't been told to leave yet, but when the government gives us the order, we'll be happy to go," said Wang Junqi, who lives in a one-room tenement with his family. "It isn't safe here and the people who have a bit of money have already gone. It's scary, but what can we do?" Mines that burrowed under villages and towns during China's three-decade coal boom have left the authorities with the need to evacuate hundreds of communities in danger of sinking. Shanxi province alone plans to move 655,000 residents by the end of next year from unsafe old mining regions, with the cost of relocation estimated at 15.8 billion yuan ($2.37 billion). The Shanxi government estimates coal mining has cost the province 77 billion yuan in "environmental economic losses". GEOLOGICAL DISASTERS Mine-induced subsidence is not unique to China, but its problems dwarf those of other countries. A notice board at a deserted Communist Party building in an abandoned village not far from Helin gives an idea of the scale of the disaster. It lists 19 geological "disaster zones" spread across 23 villages, 55 landslides, 950 cracks in the ground and 808 incidents of mine subsidence -- all in an area of just 13.25 square kilometres (5 sq miles) According to official data, coal mining had already caused as many 26,000 geological disasters by the end of 2014, and as much as 10,000 square kilometres of land has been affected, an area the size of Gambia in Africa, according to some estimates. China's land ministry said last month it would spend 75 billion yuan ($11.27 billion) over the next five years to restore mined land and treat mining waste nationwide. The growing environmental bill comes at a time when China's stricken coal sector faces mounting debts, falling demand and a long-term decline in prices after the boom turned into a bust. BOON TO BURDEN The coal sector, as with other basic industries in China such as steel, is now saddled with overcapacity estimated at around 2 billion tonnes a year, as demand growth slows and the country promotes cleaner forms of energy. China planned to close around 1,000 collieries this year alone, many of them in residential areas such as Helin, as it cuts coal's share of total energy consumption to 62 percent by 2020. During the boom years, as prices and profits soared, miners were encouraged to dig further and deeper, encroaching upon residential areas and farmland. While large state-run firms would often relocate entire villages, smaller private miners, chasing quick profits, simply dug under and around communities. With mining tax revenues surging, local governments were reluctant to impose stricter controls on the industry. The industry helped pay for construction binges like one in Xiaoyi, where Helin is located, topping up local government tax coffers and bestowing the city centre with rows of largely unoccupied luxury apartment blocks. What was once a boon for governments has now turned into a burden: Xiaoyi has already spent more than 6 billion yuan ($901.31 million) to treat subsidence, the government said. Together with the neighbouring city of Luliang, it plans to relocate as many as 230,000 people over 2014-2017. Little of the money to move communities and restore the land is coming from the miners themselves, although that was supposed to be the plan in the beginning. Miners are required to pay "subsidence fees" to pay for the cleanup when their mines close. The Datong Coal Industry Group, the only state miner to give breakdowns, paid just 1.4 million yuan in those fees from January to March this year, or 0.04 percent of its total costs, according to its quarterly report. SOLAR SOLUTIONS Jiang Jian, a legislator from Shandong province, said Beijing needed to draw up detailed measures to determine how much mining firms should pay. Many of the worst-hit sites have been long abandoned, making it harder to decide who is responsible, she noted, so Beijing also needed to set up dedicated funds to help pay remediation costs, including treatment and disposal of mine waste. To help with the clean-up, China is encouraging developers to turn abandoned mining sites into wind and solar power projects. Solar accounted for just 0.6 percent of Chinas overall electricity generation from January to June, and wind was a mere 3.6 percent. One solar demonstration project has been completed in the eastern outskirts of Datong, also in Shanxi, on ground damaged from mining and not suitable for farming. The area was once a prosperous coal region with more than 1,000 mines, but extraction stopped after the collapse in prices, and the local economy cratered. "Before we got here this piece of land wasn't suitable for any kind of planting, but now at least some of it can be used," said Shi Xin, project manager with the United Photovoltaics Group, which owns and operates a 100-megawatt solar farm at the site. (This version of the story corrects the name of project manager in final paragraph to Shi Xin, not He Xin) (Additional reporting by Natalie Thomas and Jason Lee. Editing by Bill Tarrant) Lightning The universe is governed by four fundamental forces. Theres gravity and electromagnetism, and then the lesser known weak and nuclear forces. But a group of theoretical physicists at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) thinks there might just be a fifth fundamental force lurking in the shadows. And this force could revolutionize our understanding of physics, unlocking the mysterious dark universe and potentially even leading to a holy grail of physics: a Grand Unified Theory that merges all of the fundamental forces into one. The researchers explain their findings in a paper published August 11 in the journal Physical Review Letters. The four known forces have very obvious jobs holding our universe together, Jonathan Feng, one of the studys authors, told Business Insider. Thats how we discovered them. Gravity holds the planets in orbit around the sun. You see electricity and magnetism in lightning and magnets. The role of this force is going to be much more subtle. If it werent, we would have found it a long time ago. On the hunt for dark matter dark matter It all started in 2015 when a group of nuclear physicists at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences finished an experiment that involved hunting for a particle called a dark photon. This dark photon would signal the existence of the long-sought-after dark matter, which scientists believe could make up about 85% of the mass of the universe. In the experiment, the scientists studied the radioactive decay of an isotope called beryllium 8. As isotopes decay, they disintegrate into other particles. But something funny happened when the beryllium 8 decayed into electrons and positrons (the electrons antimatter nemesis). They behaved in strange ways, disregarding our current understanding of elementary particle physics and shooting out in almost opposite directions. This weird behavior hinted at the existence of a new, undiscovered particle. Story continues A misbehaving particle One interesting thing about this particle is that it would only be about 30 times heavier than an electron, which is extraordinarily light by todays physics standards. The fact that the particle is so light could mean it will be easier to confirm. Many people think if youre going to try to find a new particle you need to build giant enormous collider like the Large Hadron Collider because you have to get lots of energy and smash particles together very fast, Feng said. But this particle is so light that, in principle, it could have been discovered a long time ago. The particle would also be a sort of a backwards version of photons (particles of light). Unlike photons, which couple to protons because of their charge, this particle would interact more strongly with the neutral neutron. But the particle interactions would be extremely feeble, which is why it eluded detection until now. A hidden force 360655main_dark_burst_2_full Looking at the data, along with data from other experiments, the physicists at UCI came to an exciting conclusion. The particle, they said, could be a force-carrying particle. Just like photons carry electromagnetic force and hypothetical gravitons mediate gravity, this particle would carry a hidden, fifth force that the universe has kept secret until now. The force, Feng speculated, might help scientists achieve something theyve been dreaming about for decades the unification of all of the forces. This dream, called the Grand Unified Theory, would give us a simpler, more elegant understanding of the universe, showing that all the interactions we see are different manifestations of one unified force. It might be the tip of iceberg, Feng said. When we start digging down and understanding it more we might actually find that its the key to unlocking the question of unification. The force might also be an entryway into understanding dark matter, mysterious particles making up the bulk of the mass of the universe that have yet to be observed. This force might be acting in a dark universe that somehow leaked over into our universe, Feng said. The next step, of course, is to figure out whether this force actually exists. In the paper, the physicists identified a number of experiments that could be used to follow up and either confirm or refute the existence of this force-carrying particle. Feng anticipates that, depending on how fast other experiments move, we could find out whether or not this mysterious force exists anytime within the next six months to three years. Its clear that if this discovery is real its just mind blowing and revolutionary, Feng said. Its the kind of thing that, if its true, is going to change the way that everyone in the field looks at elementary particles in the universe. NOW WATCH: String theory could be the key to solving the greatest mystery in physics explained in under 60 seconds More From Business Insider Otis Elevator a unit of United Technologies Corp. UTX was recently awarded a contract to provide its elevator and escalator services for a luxurious new Marriott International, Inc. MAR hotel being built in Xiamen, southeast China. The new Marriott hotel will require 30 Otis elevators and escalators, including seven of Otiss SkyRise elevators which are used for high-rises and move at a speed of up to 6 meters per second. As a worlds leading provider of safe and innovative elevator technology, Otis continues working on improving its elevator and escalator services for which it keeps winning such contracts. Marriott is a leading luxury hotel chain with presence across various locations in the world. To date, Otis has worked in various projects of the company. Such projects enhance the companys goodwill and prove its reliability. UTD TECHS CORP Price UTD TECHS CORP Price | UTD TECHS CORP Quote Otis has provided its expertise in iconic high-rise buildings across the globe, some of which include the 828-meter Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the 599-meter Ping'An Financial Center in Shenzhen, the 555-meter Lotte World Tower in Seoul, 553-meter CN Tower in Toronto and one of the Seven Wonders of the World the 324-meter high Eiffel Tower. Earlier this year, the company announced that it would build a new elevator test tower in Shanghai. This test center will be a part of its new global research and development (R&D) facility. The test center is expected to be approximately 270 meters in height and is likely to be the tallest test tower in the world upon completion. The much anticipated R&D facility is likely to be completed and functioning by the end of 2018. Otis is likely to procure more such prime contracts in the near future, given its focus on innovation and expansion. Since it is already one of the most trusted elevator and escalator companies in the world, its sustained R&D focus will augment top-line growth. Story continues The company offers its services to over 200 countries and territories. Alongside, it maintains more than 1.9 million elevators and escalators worldwide. United Technologies carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A couple better-ranked stocks in the industry include Leucadia National Corporation LUK and Swire Pacific Limited SWRAY, 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 UTD TECHS CORP (UTX): Free Stock Analysis Report LEUCADIA NATL (LUK): Free Stock Analysis Report SWIRE PAC ADR A (SWRAY): Free Stock Analysis Report MARRIOTT INTL-A (MAR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research San Francisco (AFP) - Univision won the bidding for embattled Gawker Media, which recently filed for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $140 million to Hulk Hogan for releasing his sex tape. Gawker confirmed to AFP that a deal was made to sell the company to the Spanish-language media giant, but did not disclose the price. US media reports pegged the purchase at $135 million. I am pleased that our employees are protected and will continue their work under new ownership disentangled from the legal campaign against the company, Gawker founder Nick Denton said in an email to AFP confirming Univision as the top bidder. We could not have picked an acquirer more devoted to vibrant journalism. In March, a US jury in Florida ordered that wrestling star Hogan be allowed to collect $140 million in total compensation after Gawker published a videotape of him having sex with a friends wife. Gawker filed for bankruptcy in June in an attempt to sidestep a shutdown from the judgment. For my part, I am proud to have contributed financial support to his case, tech billionaire Peter Thiel, who bankrolled the Hogan lawsuit, said in an op-ed piece in The New York Times Monday. It is ridiculous to claim that journalism requires indiscriminate access to private peoples sex lives. Denton earlier this month filed for personal bankruptcy protection in a bid to stop his assets from being seized because of the judgment. Denton has slammed what he called a personal vendetta and said in a memo to staff that it was disturbing to live in a world in which a billionaire can bully journalists because he didnt like the coverage. While Gawker has come under fire for its no-holds-barred approach to celebrity coverage, the case also raised questions about whether powerful interests can use their resources to silence media for unfavorable coverage. The case drew heightened attention when Thiel, a Silicon Valley titan, acknowledged that he had helped fund the litigation and others against Gawker, a company Thiel has feuded with for years since it outed him as gay. Story continues A filing in federal bankruptcy court in New York lists Gawker assets in a range of $50 million to $100 million, and liabilities between $100 million and $500 million. German-born Thiel was a founder of the online payments firm PayPal, and served as its chief executive before it was sold to eBay. He was also an early investor in Facebook and has been active in venture investing in Silicon Valley. Univision reportedly outbid US digital media company Ziff Davis for Gawker. Continuous Bomber Presence guam andersen On Wednesday, the US Air Force made history by flying all three operational bombers, the B-52, the B-1, and the B-2 over Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, before conducting drills in the South China Sea and Northeast Asia. The unique opportunity to fly these three long range bombers together came when the advanced B-1s and B-2s arrived in the theater to relieve the B-52s that were stationed there as part of operation Continuous Bomber Presence. B-52 B-1 B-2 bomber deterrent nuclear pacific guam andersen air force base Essentially, it is the goal of US Strategic Command (STRATCOM) to constantly station nuclear-capable bombers in the Pacific in a visible effort to deter aggression in the region. But lately, the US has stepped up the presence, pulling out all three big bombers, while China has been acting increasingly aggressively towards their neighbors in the South China Sea. China, for their part, has attempted to establish a "no sail zone," intruded into Japan's territorial waters, and flew bomber patrols of their own over the disputed islands and shoals since the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague ruled against their claims to the South China Sea. Now it would seem the US is answering. This mission demonstrated the US commitment to supporting global security and our ability to launch a credible strategic defense force," Brig. Gen. Douglas Cox, the 36th Wing commander said of the exercises in an Air Force statement. b-52 b-1 b-2 Continuous Bomber Presence Flying all three bombers and training with allies provides the US and partners with the realistic training they need to provide credible deterrence. Story continues "It's been an amazing experience, said Capt. Kaitlin Tardieu and 1st Lt. Ruben Labrador. Weve (been able) to use equipment we wouldn't usually use and integrate with our allies. NOW WATCH: America's B-2 stealth bomber is unlike any military aircraft in the world More From Business Insider Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - United States distance runner Abbey D'Agostino has been ruled out of Friday's 5,000m final after suffering a knee injury in her dramatic collision with New Zealand's Nikki Hamblin. A statement from USA Track and Field (USATF) on Wednesday said D'Agostino had suffered tears to her right anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus and strained ligaments, ending her season. D'Agostino had been granted a place in Friday's final despite finishing outside the qualification places in Tuesday's heat at the Olympic Stadium. The American runner earned plaudits for helping New Zealander Nikki Hamblin back to her feet and into the race in a widely praised gesture of sporting behaviour. "I'm so grateful for Abbey for doing that for me. That girl is the Olympic spirit right there," said Hamblin, who was also granted a place in the final despite not qualifying. Both women eventually limped over the line together after helping each other complete the race. D'Agostino's exploits earned her a front page cover on the New York Post daily on Wednesday, with the tabloid describing the incident as "a story that reminds you there is good in the world". DailyFX.com - Talking Points: - USD/JPY trading near 100, stoking Yen jawboning - All eyes on FOMC meeting minutes as focus shifts to Fed rate hike speculation - US Dollar outperformed overnight, perhaps on prepositioning ahead of the main event The USD/JPY is hovering above the 100 figure after the pair saw a break below the level quickly recover yesterday as hawkish comments from Bill Dudley hit the wires, with the New Yok Fed President saying the market is underpricing the probability of Fed tightening. Around the time of the move to 100, Japans vice Finance Minister Asakawa (responsible for FX markets) noted that they are watching the foreign exchange market with a strong sense of concern. With the Yen getting stronger, risks of actual Yen intervention increase as it looks like the usual Jawboning from Japanese officials are falling short at this time. Looking ahead, all eyes are on the release of minutes from Julys Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting for possible speculation on Fed tightening. Against this backdrop we will form our outlook and look to find short term trading opportunities using different tools such as the Grid Sight Index (GSI) indicator. USD/JPY Hovers Above 100 Ahead of FOMC Meeting Minutes Click Here for the DailyFX Calendar Minutes from Julys FOMC meeting headline the economic docket in the hours ahead. The US Dollar outperformed overnight, perhaps on prepositioning backed by the aforementioned hawkish comments from Dudley. Indeed, markets are now pricing a 51% chance of a Fed rate hike at the December meeting, higher than yesterday, despite a lower than expected CPI reading. With basically a 50/50 perceived chance of a hike in December, there is still scope for the US Dollar to move to either side on fed tightening speculation, possibly implying that if the minutes from the July meeting mirror Dudleys comments, the US Dollar might be in for a sharp move higher after yesterdays sell off. USD/JPY Technical Levels: USD/JPY Hovers Above 100 Ahead of FOMC Meeting Minutes Click here for the DailyFX Support & Resistance tool Story continues We use volatility measures as a way to better fit our strategy to market conditions. The Yen is expected to be the most volatile currency versus the US Dollar (based on 1-week implied volatility measures), but the market is seeing extremely low levels of volatility with measures such as VIX hitting their lowest levels in two years. In turn this may imply that range bound trading plays could be appropriate at the moment, but a significant catalyst like the FOMC minutes could further spur the pickup in activity witnessed yesterday. USD/JPY 30-Min Chart (With the GSI Indicator): August 17, 2016 USD/JPY Hovers Above 100 Ahead of FOMC Meeting Minutes (Click to Enlarge) The USD/JPY is trading above potential support around the 100.50 level at the time of writing, with GSI calculating significantly higher percentage of past movement to the downside in the short term. The GSI indicator above calculates the distribution of past event outcomes given certain momentum patterns. By matching events in the past, GSI describes how often the price moved in a certain direction. You can learn more about the GSI here, and download it for Trade Station Here. Further levels of support might be the big 100 level, a zone below 99.50 and the 99 handle. Possible levels of resistance on a move higher might be 101, an area around 101.50, the 102 handle and the zone above 102.345. We generally want to see GSI with the historical patterns significantly shifted in one direction, which alongside a pre-determined bias and other technical tools could provide a solid trading idea that offer a proper way to define risk. We studied over 43 million real trades and found that traders who successfully define risk were three times more likely to turn a profit. Read more on the Traits of Successful Traders research. Meanwhile, the DailyFX Speculative Sentiment Index (SSI) is showing that about 80.73% of FXCMs traders are long the USD/JPY at the time of writing, on the wrong side of the move lower, apparently trying to pick the bottom. The SSI is mainly used as a contrarian indicator implying possible weakness ahead. You can find more info about the DailyFX SSI indicator here --- Written by Oded Shimoni, Junior Currency Analyst for DailyFX.com To contact Oded Shimoni, e-mail oshimoni@dailyfx.com Follow him on Twitter at @OdedShimoni original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM. By Diane Bartz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Utah company which locates heirs to estates was indicted on Wednesday over allegations that it conspired with a second heir-location firm to divide up the market, the U.S. Department of Justice said. Kemp & Associates Inc and co-owner Daniel Mannix were charged with one felony count for dividing up customers for their business, which is to find heirs of people who died but did not have a will, the department said. The companies earn a contingency fee for this service. Two other companies and three executives were previously charged in the Justice Department Antitrust Division's investigation into the industry, the department said. Neither Kemp nor Mannix could immediately be reached for comment. (Reporting by Diane Bartz; editing by Grant McCool) * Palm resumes upward trend on tight supplies * Strongest gain since Sept 25, highest levels since June 7 * Tight supplies could persist for a month -trader (Updates latest prices, quotes) By Emily Chow KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Malaysian palm oil futures notched up their strongest gains in over 10 months, closing more than 4 percent higher on Wednesday, as tight supplies lent support to the market. A stronger ringgit and a technical correction led palm to snap two consecutive days of gains in its previous session, having earlier climbed to a 10-week high tracking firmer exports and rival oils. A stronger ringgit, palm's traded currency, usually makes the vegetable oil more expensive for foreign currency holders. Benchmark palm oil futures for October on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange rose 4.1 percent to 2,643 ringgit ($659) per tonne at the end of the trading day, charting a third session of gains in four. It earlier reached an intraday high of 2,668 ringgit, its strongest gain since last Sept. 25 and its highest levels since June 7. Traded volumes stood at 76,039 lots of 25 tonnes each on Tuesday evening, surpassing the 2015 average of 44,600. The share of palm oil in India's growing edible oil imports is likely to reach a record low this marketing year as palm's price rally slashes its discount over soyoil. "There is tightness in supply... because of the El Nino effect," said a trader based in Kuala Lumpur, adding that he expected the trend to continue for another month. "Hopefully demand doesn't propel (prices upwards) as now soy prices are also going up." Another trader said today's public holiday in Indonesia reduced the number of sellers in the market, adding to the existing squeeze in supply. Palm oil output in Malaysia, the world's second-largest producer, rose 3.5 percent month-on-month in July to 1.59 million tonnes. Production, however, was at its weakest July level in six years due to El Nino's dry weather effects. (MYPOMP-CPOTT) Story continues The weather phenomenon brings scorching heat across Southeast Asia, damaging crops and lowering palm yields in top palm producers Indonesia and Malaysia. In related vegetable oils, the January soybean oil contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange was up 0.5 percent, while the Chicago Board of Trade soybean oil December contract rose 1.7 percent. Palm, soy and crude oil prices at 1050 GMT Contract Month Last Change Low High Volume MY PALM OIL SEP6 2888 +147.00 2765 2953 1001 MY PALM OIL OCT6 2734 +123.00 2625 2769 7498 MY PALM OIL NOV6 2643 +104.00 2553 2668 32288 CHINA PALM JAN7 5564 +54.00 5466 5594 1167370 OLEIN CHINA SOYOIL JAN7 6382 +30.00 6330 6416 588618 CBOT SOY OIL DEC6 34.41 +0.61 33.63 34.59 23724 INDIA PALM OIL AUG6 570.90 +13.90 561.30 573.7 2116 INDIA SOYOIL AUG6 653.3 +8.30 646.8 655 2990 NYMEX CRUDE SEP6 46.14 -0.44 46.04 46.48 64008 Palm oil prices in Malaysian ringgit per tonne CBOT soy oil in U.S. cents per pound Dalian soy oil and RBD palm olein in Chinese yuan per tonne India soy oil in Indian rupee per 10 kg Crude in U.S. dollars per barrel ($1 = 4.0100 ringgit) ($1 = 66.9220 Indian rupees) ($1 = 6.6338 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Emily Chow; Editing by Richard Pullin and Adrian Croft) Venezuela is in critical condition, suffering simultaneously from economic catastrophe, growing social unrest, looting, violence, and rampant crime. The political opposition has long recognized the gravity of the countrys problems. Now, at long last, the chavista government itself appears to be following suit. Last month, after President Nicolas Maduros appointed Gen. Vladimir Padrino Lopez to a superminister post, with sweeping powers to oversee supplies of food and other basic goods, the general noted succinctly: A government that cannot govern is not a government. The organized political opposition, the Mesa de Unidad Nacional (MUD), won a major electoral victory in last Decembers elections, winning more than two-thirds of parliamentary seats (although less than 60 percent of the popular vote). But this remarkable victory turned out to be largely symbolic, as Maduros government has checkmated the legislatures initiatives and threatened to close it down. The opposition has now focused on a campaign to recall the president and has worked with great determination, despite government obstruction, to meet the complicated prerequisites for this procedure (which is provided for by the constitution). It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that the executive will succeed in putting off the possible recall until after the beginning of January at which point, according to the constitution, a recalled president would be succeeded not by new elections but by the elevation of the sitting vice president, thus thwarting the oppositions aim of ousting the chavistas. Government and opposition have reached a standoff: Each side has important social and electoral bases of support, but neither can impose its will to remove its opponent. The government is demonstrably unable to solve the countrys evident and growing difficulties. Top officials are clearly worried about losing control of the situation, and they are correspondingly insisting on their prerogatives and denying space to the opposition. The chavistas deeply distrust the opposition not an unreasonable stance, given the last 18 years of history. Though freely elected in 1998, Hugo Chavez and his allies were long denied legitimacy and actively attacked by the establishment, which is now in the opposition. Over the years, they have used an attempted coup, a strike at the state oil company, boycotts, and demonstrations to try to topple the government. For their part, the leaders of the opposition likewise do not trust the government, which has used arrests, economic pressure, media manipulation, expropriation of property, and electoral blacklists to maintain its grip on power. Some, perhaps many, reject the very idea of dialogue with the government as a ploy by the regime to gain time and postpone the recall. Opposition leaders are generally inclined to make demands but not to offer concessions. Individual ambitions and competition among the opposition leaders prevent them from developing a coherent strategy and agreeing on tactics. The opposition movement, the MUD, has been less a unified front than a series of parties and personalities in ambivalent search of potential unity. It comes together for elections but then falls apart again. Up to now, the fundamental instinct, both in the government and in the opposition, has been intransigence. Polarization and strident rhetoric have contributed to the daunting impasse. No Venezuelan personality or institution has the stature, convening power, and credibility to begin a process of political negotiation probably not even the Catholic Church, long a respected mediator in other Latin American crises. Even so, a move is underway to find a path to political dialogue, eventual negotiation, and possible future power-sharing arrangements. An international initiative under the auspices of UNASUR (a South American regional organization, headed at present by former President Ernesto Samper of Colombia) is brokering an incipient dialogue between the government and the opposition. Former Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero of Spain has been taking the lead, accompanied by former President Leonel Fernandez of the Dominican Republic and Martin Torrijos, former president of Panama. The European Union has endorsed Zapatero as a mediator, though it has declined to give him a formal title or mission, perhaps because Venezuelan opposition figures, who generally distrust international mediators, have lobbied hard against him. Both the government and the MUD have agreed that the Vatican should play a mediating role. The UNASUR mission also has the backing of the U.S. government, although the Republican-dominated Congress surely would be dubious if it were paying attention. Luis Almagro, secretary-general of the Organization of American States, whose capacity to mediate was compromised by his earlier attempt to invoke the Inter-American Democratic Charter to intervene personally in the Venezuelan morass, apparently accepts Zapateros lead. An important factor promoting this incipient dialogue is the shared interest of several powers including Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, the United States, China, and the European Union in a stable Venezuela that would produce and export large amounts of petroleum, import needed products from its major suppliers, pay its debts, refrain from destabilizing its neighbors, and effectively address its humanitarian crisis. Another is Venezuelas increasing regional isolation due to recent changes in the politics and policies of Argentina, Paraguay, Peru, and Brazil. Elections in the first three countries, and the impeachment process against Brazils president, Dilma Rousseff, have removed or weakened some of Maduros more powerful friends. The MERCOSUR (Southern Common Market) bloc, which had given Venezuela international protection in recent years, has also realigned, distancing itself from the Maduro government. Even in the best-case scenario, building conciliation and mutual tolerance will not be easy in an environment in which, at least until now, both sides consider the current situation more advantageous than conceding anything to the other side. But they can take inspiration in the political courage and flexibility shown by many other leaders around the world, working both within incumbent regimes and in political oppositions, who have helped achieve transitions from authoritarian rule toward democracy. In Brazil, Chile, Poland, Spain, and elsewhere, such leaders have inspired hope by articulating a positive and inclusionary vision of the future without arousing unrealistic expectations of immediate and total change. They have found spaces and means for informal dialogue to explore ways to move forward, such as the talks about talks between the African National Congress and unofficial representatives of the South African government or the Round Table discussions between the Communist government and Solidarity in Poland. They have encouraged those within an authoritarian regime who seek a safe exit that this might indeed be possible, while excluding those among the opposition who reject compromise or threaten the use of violence as was necessary in Brazil, Chile, and Spain. They have improved electoral laws and created independent electoral authorities to build trust in the electoral process, as occurred in Mexico over several years. Notably, successful transition leaders around the world again, from both incumbent regimes and oppositions have had to make compromises, even painful and unpopular ones, preferring modest advance to heroic defeat. In 1988 in Chile, Patricio Aylwin, leader of the united opposition to the Pinochet government, prevailed after bitter disagreement among opposition groups in securing the oppositions participation in a plebiscite, despite the risk of legitimizing Pinochet. This decision made possible the dictators historic ouster. In Brazil in 1986, Fernando Henrique Cardoso and other key opposition leaders succeeded in dialing down the public clamor for direct elections, now, resisted by the military government, agreed to contest the elections under the militarys rules, named a civilian official of the military government as the oppositions vice presidential candidate, and won the indirect presidential elections that ended military rule. And in 1989-90, the leaders of Solidarity and its democratic allies accepted the participation of the Communists in the first democratically elected government of post-Communist Poland. The architects of previous democratic transitions learned the delicate art of mobilizing international support without being perceived as instruments of foreign intervention, as illustrated by the ANC in South Africa and, indeed, by skilled opposition leaders in each of the countries mentioned above. They asserted their commitments to constitutional freedoms while ending gross human rights violations, such as the detention of political prisoners and the threat of incarceration for legal protest. And they developed modes of documenting abuses, recognizing and sometimes compensating victims by appointing Truth and Reconciliation commissions or other such bodies, without seeking revenge or exacting full justice in the fraught conditions of a democratic transition. They found ways to recognize each sides contributions to national progress. And they worked together on necessary economic and social changes, as illustrated by Spains Moncloa pact among political parties, business organizations and trade unions. Often they cooperated with humanitarian relief programs and international financial institutions to begin the process of economic recovery. In most of these countries and especially in Chile, Spain, and Brazil opposition leaders invested time and effort to build unity among the democratic opposition, eliciting personal and party sacrifices to achieve shared goals and developing clear programs for governing. All these challenges face Venezuela today. They are difficult, but they need not be insurmountable. The circumstances of South Africa, Chile, Indonesia, Brazil, and other countries were arguably much more hostile to peaceful democratic transition than those facing Venezuela, but creative approaches were found by those deeply committed to fashioning them. All Venezuelans, as well as the international community, should understand that the prospects for a better future may depend on taking full advantage of the incipient process of dialogue, mediation, and negotiation. All concerned need to bear in mind the importance of compromise, patience, and the ability to listen as well as to pronounce. In the photo, anti-government protesters ride on motorcycles during a rally calling for a referendum on removing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Aug. 4. Photo credit: FEDERICO PARRA/AFP/Getty Images By Jessica Toonkel and Dan Levine Aug 16 (Reuters) - Settlement talks between Viacom Inc Chief Executive Philippe Dauman and controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone have resumed after weeks of stops and starts, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters on Tuesday. Settlement terms discussed include allowing Dauman to present to the board his plan to sell a stake in Paramount Pictures in exchange for his exit, according to two other sources, who requested anonymity because negotiations are confidential. Dauman would be replaced by Viacom Chief Operating Officer Tom Dooley on an interim basis, the sources said, confirming earlier media reports. A settlement would end litigation in Delaware and Massachusetts over the battle for control over 93-year-old Redstone's $40 billion media empire. Dauman's exit would be welcome news to Viacom shareholders who have hoped for change at the top of the company, whose ratings and advertising revenue have fallen sharply. Under Dauman, shares of the parent of cable networks MTV and Comedy Central have tumbled more than 40 percent over the last two years. On Tuesday evening, The LA Times reported that settlement talks had accelerated. The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the situation, reported that one sticking point was when directors would leave Viacom's board. Representatives for Viacom and National Amusements Inc, Redstone's privately held movie theater company, declined to comment. Redstone in May removed Dauman and board member George Abrams from Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Inc Trust, which would control Viacom and CBS Corp when the billionaire dies or is incapacitated. In June, Redstone took steps to remove Dauman, Frederic Salerno and three other directors from Viacom's board. Dauman and Salerno, who claim that Redstone is being manipulated by his daughter Shari Redstone, contested their removals in separate lawsuits in Massachusetts and Delaware. She has denied those charges. Story continues A spokeswoman for Shari Redstone declined to comment. Dauman's employment contract runs through the end of 2018. Under the terms of the agreement, he is eligible to receive up to $72 million in cash if he is terminated without cause or he resigns "with good reason," according to regulatory filings by the company. He could potentially receive nearly $90 million in severance, according to compensation consultant Equilar. A Massachusetts judge has set a Sept. 19 trial date for the litigation over Dauman's removal from Redstone's trust while Salerno's case is scheduled for trial in October. (Reporting by Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Richard Chang) Hillary Clinton picked Virginia Senator Tim Kaine out of a crowded field of vice-presidential hopefuls last month, and he's since joined her on the campaign trail. Many Democrats warmed up to Kaine by hearing about his 100 percent approval rating from Planned Parenthood - but if harmonicas are more your thing, he's got you there too. On Monday night, Kaine joined a local bluegrass band onstage at the Catawba Brewery in Asheville, North Carolina. According to Politico, they performed two songs together: the Carter Family's "My Home's Across the Blue Ridge Mountains" and "Wagon Wheel," written by Bob Dylan and Virginia's Old Crow Medicine Show (and further made famous by Darius Rucker). Read more: Hillary Clinton, Tim Kaine to Release Book Two Months Before Election Below, watch a little bit of "Wagon Wheel," courtesy of NBC: This article originally appeared on Billboard.com. Vietnam cancelled a long-arranged commemoration ceremony for Australian war veterans Wednesday in a move Canberra described as "a kick in the guts" that it is seeking to overturn. More than 1,000 veterans and their families have travelled to Vietnam to mark the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan on Thursday. "We have been working with the Vietnamese government for over 18 months for this, towards making sure that this commemoration took place in a low-key, dignified and respectful way," Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan said. "For us to be given such short notice of the cancellation is, to put it in very frank terms, a kick in the guts," he said from Canberra. The Battle of Long Tan took place on August 18, 1966 and was the most costly single battle fought by Australian soldiers in the Vietnam War. Seventeen Australians were killed in action and 25 wounded, one of whom later died from his injuries. Tehan said he was bitterly disappointed at the decision which he said "should not have occurred". "My hope is that the Vietnamese government will overturn it," he said, adding that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was hoping to speak to his Vietnamese counterpart on the issue. As commemorations marking Long Tan began in Australia, Tehan said Canberra had gone out of its way to ensure the Vietnam event was low-key. "We understand that there are sensitivities still in Vietnam," he told reporters. Tehan said it appeared the decision was based simply on the sensitivities relating to Long Tan, and did not relate to any other aspect of the relationship between Canberra and Hanoi. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said while the Vietnamese authorities had cancelled the commemoration ceremony for Vietnam Veteran's Day at the Long Tan Cross site on August 18, private access to the site may still be permitted. Australian veteran Peter Taylor, who served in Vietnam in 1969-70 after the Battle of Long Tan and who organises battlefield tours in the region, said the decision came as a shock. Story continues "We've only just found out," he told AFP by phone. "I just can't believe it." "We do commemorations every year. There are about a thousand Australians who have come out for this one. There's never been a problem before so we're not sure what has happened." He said there was a planned gala dinner on Thursday night for about 600 people, including up to 80 Vietnamese veterans of the battle. "It's not just the Aussies, there are lots of Vietnamese who come out for these ceremonies. We have a very good relationship with them." Hanoi (AFP) - With an average annual income of around $2,000 most Vietnamese would not consider themselves especially wealthy. But in the afterlife you can be a billionaire thanks to paper offerings made by your scions. In a Hanoi workshop artisans are putting the finishing touches to a nearly life size cardboard model of a Rolls Royce. Close by is a giant paper aeroplane -- a blue Boeing 787 Dreamliner complete with crew members. But these are not children toys. They are "hang ma", paper offerings representing real life items that are burned in the belief they will travel as smoke to the afterlife to be used by the dead. "We believe our dead relatives will receive these assets as soon as we burn them," Nguyen Nam, one of the team members finishing the Rolls Royce, told AFP. "It takes me about two weeks to finish a car like this, with the help of two more men." The burning of votive offerings for use in the afterlife is a common practice in China and nearby countries that have Chinese ancestry or communities such as Vietnam and Cambodia. In Vietnam, hang ma burnings reach their peak during July's mid-lunar festival, which ends on Wednesday. There was a time when such offerings largely revolved around burning paper clothes, fake money and food items. Now the hang ma are just as likely to be iPads, laptops, luxury cars and villas with swimming pools. Dang Xuan Nhi, a 70-year-old maker of votive offerings, says it is vital to provide ancestors with the kind of luxuries and everyday items their offspring either enjoy or hope to have in the future. "Like this life, like the afterlife," he explained. "What we have here on earth, they have the same there." It often take days for artisans to hand-make the paper models, which cost anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred. But it takes only a few minutes for them to burn. According to unofficial reports, up to 50,000 tonnes of paper money and genuine belongings worth millions of dollars are burned every year in Vietnam. Story continues Vietnam's communist authorities have tried to encourage people to spend less on the offerings. But their appeals appear to fall on deaf ears as locals strongly believe that looking after your ancestors will bring real rewards back on earth. "We burn this for our dead relatives so that they feel happy. And if they are happy, they will bless us with good health, happiness and luck," said Do Mai Hoa, a villager on the outskirts of Hanoi. Modern-day witches trained at Fort Salem will lead U.S. military forces into battle in Motherland, a new pilot in development at Freeform. RELATEDFreeform Greenlights Violent Mermaid Drama Pilot From Will Ferrells Gary Sanchez Productions and penned by Eliot Laurence (The Big Gay Sketch Show, TNTs Claws pilot), Motherland is set in an alternate America where witches long ago ended their persecution by cutting a deal with the government, our sister site Deadline reports. RELATEDPretty Little Liars Finale: Whos Dying? Whos Marys Secret Child? And Could Someone Be Pregnant? The project follows three young women who, per the arrangement, conscript at age 18 and train in combat magic at Fort Salem. With gender roles reversed, it is the witches who lead the battle against terrorist threats, wielding supernatural weapons. Is it me or does this wackiness sound promising, borderline cool? But can we ditch the Showtime-sounding title and just go with a straight-forward Fort Salem? Related stories TVLine Items: Billy Crudup Joins Netflix Drama, Powerless Boss Exits and More Pretty Little Liars: Pastor Ted Returns in Season 7B -- Good News For Ashley? Pretty Little Liars Recap: Premonition Impossible As Cersei Lannisters silent but deadly bodyguard on Game of Thrones, the Mountain has become one of the shows most formidable characters. And in real life, the actor who plays the zombified Gregor Clegane, Hafor Julius Thor Bjornsson, is just as able-bodied. The Icelandic strongman broke his own world record in keg tossing Monday while competing at the 2016 Worlds Strongest Man competition in Botswana, clearing a 23.5-foot high bar with a 33-poung keg. He had set the previous record at Marchs Arnold Classic Strongman in Ohio. Watch the amazing video below. Day 3, keg toss. 15kg for 7.15 meters. New world record baby #WorldsStrongestMan #kasane #botswana #thorspower @andreasif @australianstrengthcoach @andrireyr A video posted by Hafor Julius Bjornsson (@thorbjornsson) on Aug 15, 2016 at 8:54am PDT Of course, this is just the latest of Bjornssons feats of incredible strength, as earlier this year he broke a 1,000-year-old weightlifting record by carrying a 30-foot, 1,433-pound log five steps. [h/t BarBend] Chinese internet giant Tencent said Wednesday its profits jumped by 47 percent in the second quarter, buoyed by new users of its popular messaging service WeChat, gaming and digital content. Net profit for the three months to June rose to 10.74 billion yuan ($1.62 billion) from 7.31 billion yuan in the same period last year, beating the average analyst estimate of 9.52 billion yuan according to a Bloomberg survey. Revenue jumped by 52 percent from 23.43 billion yuan to 35.69 billion yuan, the technology company said. Based in the Chinese southern export hub of Shenzhen, Tencent operates China's biggest messaging service WeChat, through which a variety of businesses including gaming, advertising and social networking have flourished in recent years. Monthly active users for WeChat -- known as Weixin in Chinese -- reached 806 million from 600 million in June last year. The company's messaging service is expanding into the corporate sector. The company said Weixin "further penetrated into communication scenarios at work", with 20 million active users registered on its platform for enterprises. Tencent's online games business grew by 32 percent to 17.12 billion yuan in revenues in the second quarter, helped by existing gaming offerings including popular Cross Fire Mobile and Honor of Kings, it said. "In recent months, we have conducted several initiatives to develop our online games and digital content businesses," chairman Ma Huateng said in a statement to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, where it is listed. The company announced in June it had agreed to buy Finnish game-maker Supercell Oy, creator of "Clash of Clans", from Japanese mobile firm SoftBank for $8.6 billion. It said in the statement the deal would be completed by the end of the year. Notice: Array to string conversion in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160816203036/classes/Util/Posts.php on line 494 Wall Street ticker tape 2016 has been a particularly slow year for initial public offerings, especially in the technology sector. The first quarter was the worst for IPOs since the depths of the financial crisis. And while things have picked up since then, the deals have all been smaller ones, barely breaking the $1 billion mark. In tech, for example, the largest IPO of the year that of the messaging app Line raised $1.14 billion in July, though much of that came from investors in Tokyo. But there's an important reason that could all change: takeovers. A recent wave of takeovers has left tech investors flush, as earlier investments are bought out. According to Bloomberg data, there has been about $57 billion in takeovers in the US tech space in the past three months alone. Those deals haven't closed yet, but investors know they're getting that cash (and many may have sold out by now anyway). IPO bankers are betting this translates into demand for new stocks from the very investors who just cashed out with a sale. "As long as the M&A market stays like this, I'm not worried about $5-, $20-billion-market-cap-type companies going public next year," one banker told Business Insider. "There's still plenty of cash left to put to work." Another offered a hypothetical illustration to show how a single takeover could fund multiple IPOs: If a software-as-a-service company gets bought for $2 billion, for example, and has a public float of 75%, that means about $1.5 billion of investor money is freed up to be reinvested (before taxes). Most IPOs are closer to $100 million in size than $1 billion, so that sale alone could give funds enough dry powder to buy into many new deals. Right now, with so few IPOs available, investors are turning to existing software companies like IBM, which is up 23% over the past six months. Story continues While it's typical to see more tech mergers and acquisitions than IPOs each year, the difference has been sharper than usual in 2016. Some recent examples in the software space include Salesforce's $2.8 billion deal for Demandware, Symantec's $4.7 billion acquisition of Blue Coat Systems, and Oracle's $9.3 billion takeover of NetSuite. And that pickup in M&A could be a good sign for the bigger tech companies like Snapchat, Dropbox, Airbnb, and Uber that are expected to go public in 2017 and 2018. NOW WATCH: No one wants to buy this bizarre house in a wealthy San Francisco suburb More From Business Insider Thailands unelected prime minister, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, was taking a stroll through a government science expo Wednesday when he paused to sniff a nanofiber sock, fit snugly over what appears to be the foot and ankle of a mannequin leg amputated at the shin, just in time for a photographer for the news site Khaosod to snap a picture. This wasnt the first odd public moment for Prayuth, the former head of Thailands military and writer of pop song Returning Happiness to Thailand, since he seized power in 2014. His gaffes have at times taken a far less innocuous form: He once joked about executing journalists. Needless to say, the sock photo went viral, with one Facebook user, Supanich Sakcha-um, posing the obvious question engendered by the affair: Why on earth did he has [sic] to sniff that thing???? Heres the Story Behind Photo of Prayuth Smelling a Sock https://t.co/CvpCxqEqMa via @KhaosodEnglish Khaosod English (@KhaosodEnglish) August 17, 2016 Of the other three men who appear in the photo: One seems neutral, one grim, and one bemused. Khaosod posted a story promising to explain the incident, titled Heres the Story Behind Photo of Prayuth Smelling a Sock. However, all it provides by way of explanation is the following: [A] particular nanofiber sock caught the retired generals attention. So he picked it up and gave it a good whiff. Maybe he just wanted to see what it smelled like. I have to admit Im kind of curious myself. Critics of the junta have been detained for voicing their opinions. But that hasnt stopped people from making fun of the photo online. He love [sic] disgusting things , Like this foul sock and his government, one Facebook user wrote. While Prayuths crackdowns on protests and silencing of dissent may be more legitimate grounds for criticism, sock sniffing isnt likely to win him any new fans. Photo credit: LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP/Getty Images By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Amid strain in Indo-Pak ties over the Kashmir issue, Afghanistan today complimented Indias "genuine" efforts to combat terrorism and said use of terror to pursue strategic goals must be stopped. Afghan Ambassador Shaida Mohammad Abdali, without naming Pakistan, said using terrorism as a "tool" selectivity should not be tolerated and that there should be a united fight to deal with the challenge. advertisement "Indias struggle for peace, Indias struggle to ensure a peaceful, a stable region should not be questioned. We have full belief in Indias genuine efforts to fight terrorism," Abdali said. He was responding to a question on Prime Minister Narendra Modis reference, during his Independence Day speech, to the situation in Balochistan, Gilgit and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. "Unfortunately, terrorism is being used as a tool, selectivity in terms of good and bad terrorists. Unless and until we put an end to this miscalculated, misguided, ill- intentions we have in our region, the spread of terrorism and the destruction it causes will double. "So it is high time we join hands and stop using terrorism for our strategic goals, in this region and that we use all civilised ways and means to live in this region peacefully," Abdali added. On Indo-Afghan ties, Abdali indicated his governments keenness to have more military supplies from India. "Efforts from both sides is that we enhance our relationship in all areas, including in defence." The envoy was talking to reporters after receiving a father-son duo from Afghanistan, who have cycled in last 14 months nearly 11,000 kms across 15 countries to spread the message of world peace. "Daesh (Islamic State) as a new phenomenon, looks for much wider presence, influence and control, compared to what they are doing in Afghanistan. So, the current situation and design is beyond Afghanistan when it comes to Daesh," he said. The envoy hoped that countries in the region, especially India, Pakistan, China, Russia and Iran will join hands and work on a common counter-terrorism strategy to fight the menace with full sincerity. "It is a shared future and shared development. We are all in the same boat. And, as a region, if this boat sinks, the whole region will suffer but if we want to swim then that swimming effort requires everyone to be sincere to one another," the Afghan ambassador said. PTI KND RT --- ENDS --- It would seem like a given. After a police officers body camera captures a fatal shooting, law enforcement should release the footage of the incident to the public in the interest of transparency and accountability. But rarely does it happen that seamlessly. For a host of reasons, including entrenched bureaucratic practice, privacy concerns and fear of compromising a criminal investigation, footage from law enforcement body cameras is often sealed away from public view for weeks or months after a shootingif its ever released at all, a roadblock that has often frustrated those who are pushing for more accountability from police. The latest deadly police encounter captured on video occurred over the weekend in Milwaukee, where the fatal shooting of an armed black man by a police officer sparked violent protests in the economically and racially segregated city. Officers say footage from a police-worn body camera clearly shows 23-year-old Sylville Smith holding a gun when he was shot. Releasing the video could go a long way to assuaging protesters who believe Smiths shooting wasnt justified, but the video hasnt been made publicand according to Milwaukees police chief, the choice isnt even up to his department. The patchwork of practices around the country highlights the lack of a standardized national approach to dealing with the increasing volume of footage generated by law enforcement agencies. Indeed, there are multiple conflicting interests that play into the decision of whether to release police body cam footage. Judges may block it because it could affect future trials of officers involved. Prosecutors may lobby against it because it could taint a potential jury pool. Some states have even passed laws making body cam footage exempt from freedom of information requests. There are privacy concerns for bystanders who may have been recorded inadvertently. And in some instances, the decision is up to independent investigative agencies. Thats the case in Wisconsin, where the states Department of Justice is investigating Smiths shooting and will be the one to decide whether to release the video. Read more: Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker Calls Up National Guard After Unrest There are different sets of priorities,says John DeCarlo, a professor of criminal justice at the University of New Haven. Prosecutors and judges look at it and say, I have to try this case and if I put it out, I could hurt my case. But a police chief might say, I want people to know whats going on, especially if its going to stop riots.' To many advocates for greater transparency, the most egregious delay occurred in Chicago, where the police department held on to footage of the 2014 shooting death of Laquan McDonald, a black 17-year-old who was shot 16 times by a white Chicago officer, for more than a year while routinely fighting public requests for its release. City officials were widely criticized for not making the footage public, and a series of protests eventually forced Mayor Rahm Emanuel to fire the citys police chief Garry McCarthy over the handling of McDonalds death. Since then the city has attempted a number of reforms to make the department more accountable. In June, the citys Independent Police Review Authority, tasked with investigating officer-involved shootings, released more than 300 videos of police-related incidents in a move to restore trust between officers and black communities. Earlier this month, officials released nine body cam videos surrounding the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Paul ONeal just days after the incident, an uncharacteristically quick move for the department. Read more: Storing Body Cam Data is the Next Big Challenge for Police But the issue of police-involved shootings is so fraught that sometimes agencies are hesitant to make the video public even if they believe it shows that their officers did nothing wrong. There are concerns sometimes within departments that even when the footage supports the decision made by the police officer, it could still provide ammunition for people who just dont trust the police no matter what it shows, says Michael Rich, an Elon University law professor. Officials may consider other factors, such as the angle at which the footage was taken or if the camera was turned on in the middle of an incident, which may not give a full or accurate account of what happened. There are all kinds of reasons why a police department might not want to release it right away, says Kami Chavis, a professor of law at Wake Forest University who studies police accountability. The key is to developing a comprehensive policy, because you have to balance all of those competing interests. One city Chavis points to as a potential model is Washington, D.C., where the final decision to release body cam footage doesnt reside with the police or prosecutors. Instead, its in the hands of the mayor, whose status as an elected official theoretically makes him or her more accountable to the public than an independent state agency. The mayor now has discretion to release video on a case-by-case basis after conferring with police, the U.S. attorney, and D.C.s attorney general if he or she determines that the release is in the public interest. In June, Mayor Muriel Bower did just that when she ordered video released of the shooting death of 63-year-old Sherman Evans, who was shot three times by officers after refusing to put down what was later found to be a pellet gun. When there is an officer-involved shooting, I think police departments should err on the side of releasing that footage after theyve made sure privacy concerns are protected, Chavis says. Theres been so much distrust and a history of tensions between some communities and police. This can help the public in terms of increasing transparency. A baby was born into a lifetime of free flights, Cebu Pacific Air confirmed to Business Insider. Missy Berberabe Umandal, a passenger on a Cebu Pacific Air flight from Dubai to the Philippines, shared a now-viral Facebook status about a woman who gave birth mid-flight. The womans due date was in October, but she started having contractions five hours into the flight, forcing flight attendants to think fast. From the sound of it, the whole ordeal was handled really well. Two nurses that were passengers on the flight helped the woman give birth in a spacious area in the front of the plane, Umandal wrote in the Facebook post. Flight attendants filled a shelf with mineral water to wash the baby, and another passenger gave infant clothing and supplies they had in their suitcase. Cebu Pacific Air awarded the baby 1 million points as part of its rewards program GetGo. The points can be used on domestic and international flights, have no expiration date, and can be shared with the babys family members. Cebu Pacific Air said the plane was halfway from Dubai to Manila when the baby girl, who was named Haven, was born. It was the first time a baby was born on a Cabu Pacific flight. The flight diverted to Hyderabad, India so the mother and baby could receive medical assistance. Umandal wrote that the nine-hour flight turned into an 18-hour one as a result of the surprise birth. Related: Watch more vidoes at Yahoo View. NOW WATCH: How to land a plane if the pilot has a heart attack More From Business Insider Naagin star Aashka Goradia has apparently a new man in her life. By India Today Web Desk: The news of Aashka Goradia splitting with her boyfriend of over 10 years, Rohit Bakshi had appeared just last month. However, a recent Instagram post of the actress, suggests that she has already moved on and is dating a new guy. Aashka has posted a pic with a firangi guy and the caption says it all. advertisement Also read: Another couple bites the dust: Aashka Goradia, Rohit Bakshi part ways? Their chemistry is palpable and the actress looks in a serene space. Aashka's breakup with Rohit was amicable. The couple had broken up after giving several chances to each other. The former couple still have respect for each other. Career wise, things are going great for Aashka. The actress has been signed on for the fresh season of Naagin. She will be seen as the evil queen of Mashismatis. --- ENDS --- London (AFP) - The world's "largest aircraft" embarked on its maiden flight on Wednesday, four days after a previous attempt was abandoned due to technical issues. The Airlander 10 -- part plane, part airship -- took to the skies amid cheers and applause from crowds gathered at an airfield in Cardington, central England. The successful flight comes 85 years after another airship -- the ill-fated R101 -- took off from the same airfield in October 1930 before crashing in France, killing 48 people and effectively ending the development of airships in Britain. Originally developed for the US army as a surveillance aircraft, the 92-metre- (302 feet-) long Airlander 10, also has potential uses in the commercial sector, such as carrying cargo, according to makers Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV). The firm, which describes the Airlander as the "largest aircraft currently flying", received a British government grant of 2.5 million pounds ($3.7 million, 2.9 million euros to develop the project. The Airlander can fly at up to 4,880 metres (6,000 feet) and reach speeds of 148 kilometres per hour (92 miles per hour), according to HAV. Filled with helium, it can stay airborne for more than two weeks unmanned and up to five days if manned. Its first flight was delayed on Sunday due to a technical fault, which was resolved in time for the aircraft to take off in clear weather conditions for Wednesday's 30-minute flight. HAV CEO Stephen McGlennan said the aircraft was cheaper and greener than helicopter technology. "It's a great British innovation. It's a combination of an aircraft that has parts of normal fixed wing aircraft, it's got helicopter, it's got airship," he said. A project to develop the aircraft for surveillance use by the US military was shelved due to budget cuts. By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Less than a year after the coal industry was declared to be in terminal decline, the fossil fuel has staged its steepest price rally in over half a decade, making it one of the hottest major commodities. Cargo prices for Australian thermal coal from its Newcastle terminal, seen as the Asian benchmark, have soared over 35 percent since mid-June to more than one-year highs of almost $70 a tonne, pushed by surprise increases in Chinese imports. "Chinese regulators have assumed the role that markets traditionally play in bringing oversupplied commodities back to balance," Goldman Sachs said in a note to clients late on Tuesday, reversing a gloomy outlook it issued last September. "Restrictions on domestic production introduced earlier this year have lifted prices globally and turned coal into one of the best performing commodities so far this year." Global mining majors like Glencore and Anglo American, but also regional Asian players like Thailand's Banpu, are reaping the benefits. All three have seen their shares rise sharply this year, particularly in recent months after China in April cut mine operating days by 16 percent in a bid to help meet its target of reducing capacity by 250 million tonnes this year. Banpu, which operates several export mines across Asia-Pacific, said this week that it expects to sell its 2016 coal supplies at an average price of over $50 a tonne, up from a previous target of $47 to $48 per tonne, thanks to the recent rally. The price recovery is an unexpected boon for miners, who were hit hard by a years-long downturn, and stands in sharp contrast to previous calls by Goldman and the International Energy Agency (IEA), who said last year that coal was in terminal decline. As a result of China's surprise move, Goldman said there was now "support (for) global prices for the foreseeable future." The bank raised its three, six and 12 month price forecasts to $65/$62/$60 per tonne for Newcastle coal, up as much as 38 percent from its previous outlook. Story continues WINNERS AND LOSERS Coal has also been garnering support from Asian industrial powerhouses Japan and South Korea, while demand remains firm in India, Vietnam and the Philippines. Japan is burning record amounts of the fossil fuel for electricity generation after the 2011 Fukushima disaster shuttered its nuclear sector, while Korea plans to build 20 new power plants using the cheapest fuel source by 2022. China's power consumption has also risen against expectations, jumping 8.2 percent from a year ago in July to reach 552.3 billion kilowatt hours. "The biggest improvement in the industrial sector (in China) was power generation,... helping demand for coal over the past month," Australia's Macquarie bank said this week. While almost all thermal coal miners were hit by the previous price decline, and most shut or sold assets, those left with the best assets now stand to benefit from the rebound. The biggest winners are those with mines in Australia, thanks to the high average quality of its coal. Shares of Anglo American, a major thermal coal miner in Australia, have recovered from record lows earlier this year of around 2.2 pounds to around 8.7 pounds. Commodity merchant and miner Glencore, the world's biggest thermal coal exporter with huge Australian operations, has also seen its shares soar from around 70 pence early this year to nearly 2 pounds. Glencore was not available for comment ahead of reporting its half-year results on Aug. 24. Anglo American in its half-year results in late June pointed to consistent Indian demand and the unexpected pickup in China. Other miners, however, have not been able to benefit from coal's 2016 boom. Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of thermal coal, has seen its output fall during the lull, and its miners are unable to raise production due to debt constraints. (Reporting by Henning Gloystein; Editing by Richard Pullin) By Gina Cherelus NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York City man appeared in court on Tuesday and denied charges he shot and killed a Muslim cleric and his assistant on a street in the borough of Queens over the weekend. Oscar Morel, 35, faces up to life in prison without parole if he is convicted of killing Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, and Thara Uddin, 64, in a brazen daylight attack on Saturday that horrified the neighborhood's Bangladeshi community. Morel, who was shackled at the hands and feet and wore a tan button-down shirt with black pants, was arraigned at Queens Criminal Court on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. "It's the most horrendous and despicable act that can only be described as a cold-blooded and premeditated assassination," prosecutor Peter McCormack told the court as relatives of the victims looked on. "The defendant ran up behind both of them and pumped numerous bullets into them striking them both in the head ... leaving them lying in the street mortally wounded," he said. Authorities said on Tuesday that the suspect's motive remained unclear, and the possibility it was a hate crime was one theory being explored. Morel, from the borough of Brooklyn, appeared calm and spoke little during his brief appearance. He agreed that surveillance video showed him at the scene of the murders earlier on Saturday, but denied being the killer. Judge Karen Gopee set his next court date for Thursday, when an attorney will be assigned to represent him. Speaking to reporters at the court, Uddin's brother, Mashuk Uddin, said the families of both victims were devastated. "Everybody is very upset," Uddin said, adding that he believes it was a hate crime. "These two people here being killed at one time? What's the reason? There's only one reason (and) that's the hate crime." Story continues Outside court, several relatives of the dead men as well as friends and locals held signs reading "We demand justice." SUSPECT CAUGHT ON CAMERA Robert Boyce, the New York Police Department's chief of detectives, told a news conference on Monday that surveillance video showed the suspect getting into a black sport utility vehicle after the shootings. That vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run three miles (5 km) away in Brooklyn shortly afterward. After officers located the SUV, the suspect rammed a detective's car several times in an attempt to escape, but was arrested, Boyce said. He said the suspect is believed to have worked at a warehouse in Brooklyn. Citing unnamed police sources, the New York Times, the New York Daily News and other outlets reported on Tuesday that detectives who searched Morel's basement apartment in Brooklyn found an unlicensed revolver hidden in a wall that authorities believe he used in the execution-style killings. Police also found clothes in his apartment that matched what the gunman had been wearing, according to the media reports. Police confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that a .38 caliber Taurus revolver was recovered in connection with the investigation, but did not say where the firearm was found. Akonjee and Uddin were shot in the head at close range after leaving Saturday prayers at the Al-Furqan Jame Mosque in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens. Addressing hundreds of mourners at the two men's funeral on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio promised the city would bolster the police presence in the neighborhood. A father of seven, Akonjee emigrated to the United States from Bangladesh several years ago, said Badrul Khan, the founder of the Al-Furqan Jame Mosque. He described the slain imam as a humble man who lived and breathed his religious faith. "His whole life was his job, praying here, then going home," Khan said. (Additional reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco and Daniel Wallis in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and Tom Brown) For Immediate Release Chicago, IL August 17, 2016 Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses the Oil & Gas, part 1, including like Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM), BP plc (BP), Cimarex Energy Co. (XEC), Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (COG) and Range Resources Corp. ( RRC). Industry: Oil & Gas, part 1 Link: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/88457/oil-gas-industry-outlook---aug-2016 Crude Oil U.S. oil futures have been very volatile in 2016 with prices recovering from a 12-year low of $26.21 a barrel in February to $50/barrel mark in early June and then slipping again to under $40. While factors like Canadian wildfires, Nigerian outages/disruptions, production issues in Venezuela and a strike by Kuwaiti oil workers contributed to jump in prices earlier this year that saw the benchmark recover significantly, these issues have largely vanished from the market. As of now, overproduction of crude and a glut of refined products keep the commodity under pressure. At over 520 million barrels, current crude supplies are up 15% from the year-ago period and are at the highest level during this time of the year. As it is, improvement in oil fundamentals remain fragile with the existing stocks of refined product inventories gasoline and distillate remaining at their maximum seasonal levels in at least 20 years despite healthy demand. Piling on the misery is the Baker Hughes report revealing a steady rise in the U.S. oil rig count and pointing to the resurgence in shale drilling activities. A number of major industry players, including Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) and BP plc (BP) have reported sub-standard second-quarter numbers as lower energy prices take a toll. Over the past few trading days, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures have surged around 10% to around $45-a-barrel on renewed expectations of a production freeze from the 14-member OPEC bloc and Russia. However, several analysts have expressed skepticism over this mini-rally, pointing to the last such attempt made in April that failed spectacularly. Story continues Oil is facing the heat on several other fronts as well. Perhaps most important pertains to the mounting worries about Chinas crude demand. In particular, the Asian giants currency devaluation has stoked speculation about soft economic growth in the worlds No. 2 energy consumer. Whats more, in the absence of production cuts from OPEC, the resilience of North American shale suppliers to keep pumping despite crashing prices, and concerns over the effects of Brexit on crude demand., not much upside is expected in oil prices in the near term. Moreover, a stronger dollar has made the greenback-priced crude more expensive for investors holding foreign currency. As it is, with inventories at the highest level during this time of the year, crude is very well stocked. On top of that, the top producers of Middle East pumping at full throttle have indicated time and again that they are more intent on preserving market share rather than attempting to arrest the price decline through production cuts. Therefore, the commodity is likely to maintain its low trajectory throughout 2016. In our view, crude prices in the next few months are likely to exhibit a sideways-to-bearish trend, mostly trading in the $35-$45 per barrel range. As North American supply remains strong and demand looks underwhelming, we are likely to experience pressure to the price of a barrel of oil. Natural Gas "It's cleaner, it's cheaper and it's domestic." - Legendary energy entrepreneur T. Boone Pickens, in reference to natural gas. Over the last few years, a quiet revolution has been reshaping the energy business in the U.S. The success of shale gas natural gas trapped within dense sedimentary rock formations or shale formations has transformed domestic energy supply, with a potentially inexpensive and abundant new source of fuel for the worlds largest energy consumer. With the advent of hydraulic fracturing (or "fracking") a method used to extract natural gas by blasting underground rock formations with a mixture of water, sand and chemicals shale gas production is now booming in the U.S. Coupled with sophisticated horizontal drilling equipment that can drill and extract gas from shale formations, the new technology is being hailed as a breakthrough in U.S. energy supplies, playing a key role in boosting domestic natural gas reserves. As a result, once faced with a looming deficit, natural gas is now available in abundance. Statistically speaking, the current storage level at 3.317 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) is up 361 Bcf (12%) from last year and is 440 Bcf (15%) above the five-year average. Expectedly, this has taken a toll on prices. Natural gas peaked at about $13.50 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) in 2008 but dropped to its lowest level in almost 17 years at $1.611 per million Btu (MMBtu) in the first quarter. Apart from plentiful stocks, which hit an all-time high in November, the selloff was spurred by tepid demand for the fuel due to mild weather spurred by the El Nino phenomenon. In response to continued weak natural gas prices, major U.S. producers like Cimarex Energy Co. (XEC), Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (COG) and Range Resources Corp. ( RRC) have all taken significant cost-cutting measures, including a reduction in their capital expenditure budgets. With production from the major shale plays remaining strong and the commoditys demand failing to keep pace with this supply surge, natural gas prices have been held back. Industrial requirement has been lackluster over the past few years with demand barely rising. In fact, EIA estimates natural gas inventories will reach 4.042 Tcf by the end of October a record level for that time of the year. In the past, winter weather has played a factor in boosting prices with demand for domestic natural gas exceeding available supply. But with no dearth of new supply, even this association is becoming more and more obsolete. Finally, with improved drilling productivity offsetting the historic decline in rig count, we do not expect gas prices to rally anytime soon. ZACKS INDUSTRY RANK Oil/Energy is one the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. We rank all of the more than 260 industries in the 16 Zacks sectors based on the earnings outlook for the constituent companies in each industry. (To learn more visit: About Zacks Industry Rank.) The way to look at the complete list of 260+ industries is that the outlook for the top one-third of the list (Zacks Industry Rank of #88 and lower) is positive, the middle 1/3rd or industries with Zacks Industry Rank between #89 and #176 is neutral while the outlook for the bottom one-third (Zacks Industry Rank #177 and higher) is negative. The oil/energy industry is further sub-divided into the following industries at the expanded level: Oil U.S. Integrated, Oil and Gas Drilling, Oil U.S. Exploration and Production, Oil/Gas Production Pipeline MLP, Oilfield Services, Oil International Integrated, Oil Production/Pipeline, Oilfield Machineries and Equipment, OilC$ Integrated, and Oil Refining and Marketing. The Oil U.S. Exploration and Production is the best placed among them with its Zacks Industry Rank #41, comfortably placing it into the top 1/3rd of the 260+ industry groups, where it is joined by the Oil/Gas Production Pipeline MLP with a Zacks Industry Rank of #65 and Oil International Integrated with a Zacks Industry Rank of #72. The Oil and Gas Drilling with a Zacks Industry Rank #97 moves just out of the top 1/3rd and into the middle 1/3rd. There, it is accompanied by the OilC$ Integrated, Oil Production/Pipeline, Oil U.S. Integrated and Oilfield Services carrying respective Zacks Industry Ranks of #105, #105, #105 and #170. The remaining sub-sectors Oilfield Machineries and Equipment and Oil Refining and Marketing are featuring in the bottom one-third of all Zacks industries with Zacks Industry Ranks of #208 and #240, respectively. The location of these industries suggests that the general outlook for the oil/energy space as a whole is Neutral-to-Negative. 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/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com/performance 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 EXXON MOBIL CRP (XOM): Free Stock Analysis Report BP PLC (BP): Free Stock Analysis Report CIMAREX ENERGY (XEC): Free Stock Analysis Report CABOT OIL & GAS (COG): Free Stock Analysis Report RANGE RESOURCES (RRC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. For Immediate Release Chicago, IL August 17, 2016 Zacks Market Edge is a podcast hosted weekly by Zacks Stock Strategist Tracey Ryniec. Every week, Tracey will be joined by guests to discuss the hottest investing topics in stocks, bonds and ETFs and how it impacts your life. To listen to the podcast, click here: (https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/228243/stocks-to-play-the-agriculture-crash) Stocks to Play the Agriculture Crash Welcome to Episode #45 of the Zacks Market Edge Podcast. Every week, host and Zacks stock strategist, Tracey Ryniec, will be joined by guests to discuss the hottest investing topics in stocks, bonds and ETFs and how it impacts your life. In this episode, Tracey is joined by Jeremy Mullin, editor of Zacks Counterstrike portfolio service. Hes been interested in the agriculture commodities for several months. Tracey has always been a fan of the agriculture stocks. It hasnt been getting much play in the national press, but the farmers are in a tough spot in 2016. In 2011 and 2012, agriculture was booming. The headlines were saying things like you can become a millionaire farmer or Want to make more than a Banker? Become a Farmer. Farm land prices soared to new record highs as corn, wheat and soybean prices rose to new highs. It seemed like it was a new paradigm for the agriculture industry. But those boom times have come to an end as agriculture commodity prices have hit multi-year lows. As the farmers struggle for income, they arent buying combines, planters or tractors either. The downturn has trickled down into the farming equipment companies, who have been laying off workers at their manufacturing plants. In turn, that is putting pressure on the heartland towns and communities that still depend on the farming industry. Who are the agriculture winners and losers in this down cycle? 1. Traders can make bets on the direction of the underlying commodities by trading in the Corn ETF (CORN) and Wheat ETF (WEAT). 2. Jeremy and Tracey give their opinions on the farming equipment companies like Deere (DE), AGCO (AGCO) and Titan Machinery (TITN). Are any of them deals? 3. Could there be winners with corn prices at $3? Jeremy and Tracey dig into Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) and Ingredion (INGR). What else should you know about the downturn in the agriculture sector before investing in the sector? Tune into this weeks podcast to find out. Tracey Ryniec is the Value Stock Strategist for Zacks.com. She is also the Editor of the Insider Trader and Value Investor services. You can follow her on twitter at @TraceyRyniec and she also hosts the Zacks Market Edge Podcast on iTunes. 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/home.php#/pages/Zacks-Investment-Research/57553657748?ref=ts Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates. Media Contact Zacks Investment Research 800-767-3771 ext. 9339 support@zacks.com https://www.zacks.com/performance 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 TEUCRM-CORN FD (CORN): ETF Research Reports DEERE & CO (DE): Free Stock Analysis Report AGCO CORP (AGCO): Free Stock Analysis Report TITAN MACHINERY (TITN): Free Stock Analysis Report ARCHER DANIELS (ADM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia's main opposition party will file a court petition against President Edgar Lungu's re-election to the helm of Africa's second-largest copper producer on Thursday, its vice president said on Wednesday. The United Party for National Development says some electoral officials colluded with the ruling Patriotic Front to rig the vote, handing victory to Lungu over rival and main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema. Both sides deny the charge. "We have been robbed of this election, that is a fact and it shall be proved after 14 days," the party's vice president, Geoffrey Mwamba, told a news conference in the southern African nation's capital. "We have enough evidence to secure us a judgment which has so much being awaited by the Zambian people," Mwamba said. The inauguration of the president had initially been set for Aug. 23, but a law introduced in January says the winning candidate cannot be sworn in if the vote is contested in the Constitutional Court, which has two weeks to decide on such a petition. Secretary to Zambia's cabinet, Roland Msiska, acknowledged the Aug. 23 date would have to be revised because of the petition. "The inauguration will depend on how quickly the Constitutional Court disposes of the case," he told Reuters. The UPND said on Saturday data from its own parallel count showed economist and businessman Hichilema beating Lungu, a lawyer, "with a clear margin" with about 80 percent of votes counted. The election results released on Monday means Hichilema has now lost five presidential elections. The election was fought around an economy suffering an economic slump due to depressed commodity prices that has led to mine closures, rising unemployment, power shortages and soaring food prices which Hichilema, blamed on Lungu's mismanagement. Lungu blames Zambia's economic woes on its over-reliance on copper exports, and says his government has been working to diversify the economy by investing in other sectors like agriculture. (Reporting by Stella Mapenzauswa and Chris Mfula; Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Richard Balmforth) - By Shudeep Chandrasekhar Google's attempts to bridge the gap between itself and the three top providers of cloud-related services has so far been unsuccessful. But it's still early, and the industry itself is a growing one that has the potential to adequately support the earnings needs of all four of these ultralarge tech companies: Google's parent company Alphabet (GOOG)(GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN), IBM (IBM) and Microsoft (MSFT). In the first part of this article I wrote about Google's strengths in the cloud and how it still had a shot at reaching the cloud revenue levels of the other three. Today, I'm going to show you the challenges it will face on this arduous road to becoming relevant in the world of cloud. The footprint problem If you are a cloud infrastructure provider, the first criteria that you need to tick from a chief technology officer's perspective is the number of datacenters you have and their locations. Speed of delivery, computing power and storage are the primary objectives that you need to meet as a cloud IaaS provider. The higher the number of nodes in the network, the easier the path to reach the end point. And in such cases a lack of footprint is as good as not having the supply to meet the demand. More specifically, it's a reason for a client in a particular country not to choose you and instead go with a competitor who does have a local presence. In March this year, IBM opened its 46th cloud datacenter in South Africa while Amazon opened one data center in India recently that adds to its 13 data center clusters around the world. The company has also laid out its plans to add four more. Google on the other hand has most of its cloud data centers in the U.S., and one each in Belgium and Taiwan. The company has said that it will be adding four more regions to the mix this year and 10 more by the end of next year. As of now, however, it's still far behind all three industry leaders when it comes to the geographic spread of datacenters. Story continues "We're opening these new regions to help cloud platform customers deploy services and applications nearer to their own customers, for lower latency and greater responsiveness." - Google blog BCNFFjOBStUuG6KR32WRxZxdrLoOklsfRdh59r2I As you can see from Google's own words, you need to deploy services as close to your customers as possible. Just to give you an example, there are several regulations with respect to where a bank can store its data, and it differs from country to country. If you have a datacenter in the local region, you're more likely to attract such businesses to your client list. But banking is not the only such industry. Data regulation is a serious matter for every security-conscious nation, and governments everywhere are waking up to the reality of data theft and unauthorized data movement. So it's not really a surprise that Amazon opened a new data center in India, where the company is growing its retail business at a rapid pace and is now looking at cloud opportunities in the country. Amazon knows that it cannot convince larger enterprises in India to adopt its cloud infrastructure without the ability to store data locally so it invested there. This is going to be a problem for Google, but it's not insurmountable. Google has plenty of cash on hand and it will build those 12-plus datacenters it's committed to. The real problem is that with each passing day Google will lose thousands of customers in many parts of the world just because it didn't get there early enough. That's not something it can afford at this point in the cloud race. How can Google turn things around? As with any problem, there's bound to be a solution if you look hard enough. In Google's case, what it really needs to do now is to tap into its existing product offerings and push them aggressively into every single market where a datacenter will soon be available. All Google needs to do is to take a page out of Microsoft's book and apply it to its own business. I'm talking about Office 365, Microsoft's runaway success that beat Google Apps, Box (BOX) and Salesforce.com (CRM) last year to become the No. 1 SaaS application in the world. But more relevant to Google's problem is the fact that Microsoft is creating a "bundled ecosystem" where the customer enters at one point - possibly Office 365 or Azure - and is then presented with a plethora of options to choose from. G79id4ENbBZynR7UkyoK1xMRW1P19L_UZJ1rmwC_ In a way, that's been Amazon's and IBM's strategies as well. Amazon lures new customers with attractively priced cloud offers; with IBM it's the draw of SoftLayer and Bluemix that brings in the crowds. But at the end of the day they provide enough add-on services to keep the customer in. Google has yet to master that strategy. If it can create such bundles of its own with office productivity apps (Google Drive, Gmail, Hangouts etc) the way Microsoft has done, there's no reason it can't attract new customers. The middle market (small to medium-sized businesses) has the biggest potential for such applications yet remains largely untapped. In addition, it also needs to exploit the advantage of having Google Maps as well as the world's largest mobile operating system Android. Google does sell productivity apps for businesses, but these are typically standalone services that aren't interlinked in any way. Let's look at this from a different angle. If both were restaurants, then Microsoft would be the one serving combos from which the customer can conveniently pick. Google on the other hand would be offering an impersonal buffet - a great spread but no help for a client trying to choose what to put on his plate. What it really needs to do is exploit the synergies between various components of their as-a-service product line and bundle them as a package for customers. YHASf8nQw_-p0oWfHNr7-rtOgGRTCkfGqQoBUFST Synergies do work Google's lack of aggressiveness in the sales space is one of its biggest handicaps. Microsoft is an expert at sales, and it shows in its Office 365 numbers. But Google is the one with money muscle as well as maximum reach in the middle market, so why isn't it where Microsoft is? It would seem that Google's biggest weakness is its lack of focus. With most of its time being occupied running its core advertising business, the company has become a Jack of all trades but a master of none. To its credit, Alphabet has now recognized this problem and is pushing other bets to be more accountable as stand-alone units. Unfortunately, that may not be enough because it's only talking about the moonshot projects that Google is working on. The parent company has failed to realize that Google's potentially lucrative Apps business is the one that needs a marketing overhaul. And that's the way it stands as of now. The company has some very powerful products that aren't being synergized properly, and that's the gist of Google's struggle with the cloud. Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. Start a free seven-day trial of Premium Membership to GuruFocus. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. A member of the NSA's hacking team took copies of sensitive information and stored them in his home from 2010 until he was caught in 2015 (AFP Photo/PAUL J. RICHARDS) (AFP/File) Washington (AFP) - The US National Security Agency, which gained international notoriety in 2013 after Edward Snowden revealed its data snooping techniques, has itself become the target of an apparent data breach. Mysterious hackers calling themselves the "Shadow Brokers" leaked online what appears to be classified NSA computer code. Several security experts told US media the code appears genuine, and Snowden said "circumstantial evidence" pointed to Russian involvement. As of Wednesday, the NSA still had not responded to multiple requests for comment. The hackers over the weekend posted two sets of files, one that is freely accessible and another that remains encrypted. The Shadow Brokers said they would release this additional information subject to raising 1 million Bitcoins -- digital currency, in this case worth about $575 million -- through an online auction. According to the New York Times, much of the code was created to peer through the computer firewalls of foreign powers like Russia, China and Iran. Such access would enable the NSA to plant malware in rivals' systems and monitor -- or even attack -- their networks. Whoever obtained the code would have had to break into NSA servers that store the files, the Times said. Former NSA employees who worked at the agency's hacking division known as Tailored Access Operations told the Washington Post the hack appeared genuine. "Without a doubt, they're the keys to the kingdom," one former TAO employee told the Post. "The stuff you're talking about would undermine the security of a lot of major government and corporate networks both here and abroad," the employee was quoted as saying. Former NSA contractor Snowden, who has been living in Russia since leaking documents revealing the scope of the agency's monitoring of private data, said the hack could be a warning to the United States after Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign accused Moscow of hacking into Democratic National Committee emails. Story continues "7) Why did they do it? No one knows, but I suspect this is more diplomacy than intelligence, related to the escalation around the DNC hack," Snowden said in a series of more than a dozen tweets about the Shadow Brokers hack. "8) Circumstantial evidence and conventional wisdom indicates Russian responsibility. Here's why that is significant:" he added, explaining that the hack could be an effort to influence US officials wondering how aggressively to respond to the DNC hack. A website initially used by the group to publicize its hack had been taken down as of Wednesday morning. This is so far the lowest number of pilgrims to have visited the cave shrine since 2004. By Ashwini Kumar: Ahead of the culmination of annual Amarnath pilgrimage on Raksha Bandhan on August 18, Shri Amaranth Shrine Board authorities have released final statistics claiming this year the yatra recorded little over 2.2 lakh pilgrims despite worsening law and order situation in different parts of Kashmir Valley. According to shrine board date "On the 47th day of Shri Amarnathji Yatra, 104 Yatris paid obeisance at the Holy Cave. Till date 2,20,399 Yatris had darshan at the Holy Cave". advertisement This is so far the lowest number of pilgrims to have visited the cave shrine since 2004. DECLINING NUMBER OF PILGRIMS Ironically, the yatra concluded a few days after Hizbul Mujahideen Commander and poster boy, Burhan Wani was killed in Kokernag area of Anantnag district on July 8. The number of pilgrims started declining as different parts of Kashmir valley witnessed a cycle of violence and it is still going on unabated. According to the board, since August 2 the yatra was recording less than a 1000 pilgrims and in the last week the pilgrims undertaking the yatra barely crossed the 500 mark. Earlier the yatra always crossed bench mark of 3 lakh pilgrims. At the height of Amarnath land row in 2008, the yatra recorded more than 5 lakh pilgrims and maintained a healthy trend since then. This year the prevailing law and order situation resulted in sudden decline in the number of pilgrims. HEAVY LOSSES Even pilgrims who had registered with an advance booking failed to turn up fearing for their lives. The tourism, hospitality and transport sectors which thrive on annual pilgrimage suffered heavy losses due to declining number of pilgrims. --- ENDS --- Cisco plans to eliminate 5,500 positions, seven percent of its global workforce (AFP Photo/Justin Sullivan) San Francisco (AFP) - Cisco Systems on Wednesday announced plans to cut seven percent of its global workforce as it shifts its focus from networking hardware to software and services. The plan to eliminate 5,500 positions came as earnings reports showed Cisco's profit for the fiscal year climbed to $10.7 billion, 20 percent more than the previous year. The rise in profit came with annual revenue rising three percent year-over-year to $48.7 billion. "I am particularly pleased with our performance in priority areas including security, data center switching, collaboration, services as well as our overall performance," said Cisco chief executive Chuck Robbins. "We continue to execute well in a challenging macro environment." The corporate restructuring aims to cut expenses in "lower growth areas" and shift the money into Cisco priorities such as security, cloud computing, data centers, and the internet of things, according to Robbins. Cisco planned to re-invest a substantial amount of the money saved through job cuts. Elimination of positions was to commence this quarter. Faced with a slowdown in its traditional products such as routers for telecom networks, Cisco has been trying for several years to reorient to fast growing sectors. The company also seeks to increase revenue from ongoing subscriptions for services or software, as compared to sales of equipment. Robbins said Cisco also sees promise for revenue in providing security for networks. Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry believes that Cisco is "just buying time" with its re-focusing of resources and that more job cuts are on the horizon. Cisco built its fortune on hardware for private data centers, but businesses are increasingly turning to "super-clouds" such as Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure which rent processing muscle as needed, according to the analyst. "When you think of computing moving to those highly efficient platforms, the market for on-premise data centers is going to shrink," Chowdhry said. Story continues "Cisco is against the market and industry trend. We don't see any way they can escape this predicament." Cisco chief financial officer Kelly Kramer assured analysts on an earnings call that the company was not giving up on the bones of the internet such as routers and switches. Switches and routers remain a big chunk of Cisco's business. "We are investing in every area of business we have," Kramer said. "We are being very smart about where we are putting our money; that is how we are looking at this." Cisco shares were down slightly more than one percent to $30.30 in after-market trade following the release of the earnings report. The northern California-based Cisco has had waves of job cuts from 2011 through 2014, eliminating a total of more than 17,000 positions. U.S.telecom behemoth Verizon Communications Inc. VZ and leading South Korean wireless communication service provider SK Telecom Co. Ltd. SKM are extending ties to strengthen their 5G network footprint. The telco giants recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to merge their 5G technical specifications on a global basis. This MoU will strengthen the collaboration between the companies. The tie-up will witness a number of joint studies and researches which will further be utilized for the development of 5G technical specifications and innovative use cases. Both the operators have been playing a major role in the emerging 5G environment where industry expects that the first commercial services based on a 5G standard will appear in 2020. What is 5G? 5G or 5th generation mobile networks or 5th generation wireless systems is the next major phase of mobile telecommunications standards after the 4G/IMT standards. According to Next Generation Mobile Networks Alliance, 5G networks allow data rates of tens of megabits per second for millions of users, 1 Gb per second simultaneously to people on the same office floor, increased spectral efficiency compared to improved 4G coverage, signaling efficiency enhanced, latency reduced compared to LTE. Further, 5G is expected to be rolled out by 2020 to meet business and consumer demands. Verizon and SK Telecoms Efforts Verizon, after gaining regulatory clearance from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for fixed 5G deployment before 2018, aims to launch a fixed wireless 5G pilot next year. The company is actively collecting all the pieces it needs to initiate 5G deployment. Moreover, the FCC presumes that Verizon's "aggressive" 5G deployment plans will prove to be beneficial for consumers in America. SK Telecom is similarly aiming for a pre-commercial 5G launch in 2017. It plans to bring together an "end-to-end 5G pilot system in an outdoor environment" using the "key enabling technologies" it has identified for 5G which includes millimeter wave (mmWave) high-frequency radio connectivity for devices and networks, LTE, 5G and WiGig (60GHz) interworking, virtualized RAN, network slicing and a distributed core network by the end of 2016. This will help in the initial assessment of performance. By 2017, SK Telecom plans to perform a large scale pre-commercial 5G deployment for more detailed assessment of the overall 5G system. The operator completed a 5G 28GHz radio test outdoors in Mar 2016. Story continues This latest partnership has been structured on the formation of the 5G Open Trial Specification Alliance which was initially formed by Verizon Communications, SK Telecom, Japan's NTT DoCoMo Inc. DCM and South Korea's KT Corp. KT. However, the omission of NTT DoCoMo and KT Corp from the 5G alliance between Verizon and SK Telecom marks a partnership within a partnership. Both the telco companies arranged a "technical coordination/cooperation meeting" to share 5G-related ideas, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and infrastructure virtualization. This meeting helped the companies work in a more integrated manner. Other Mergers Verizon and SK Telecom are also integrating their efforts in a similar initiative called Mobile Central Office Re-architected as a Datacenter (M-CORD). M-CORD aims to build on the better-known CORD project by benefiting from developments in mobile edge computing and the virtualization of mobile infrastructure components. This need for central offices to function as datacenters is expected to popularize in the 5G era, as operators aim to bring a virtualized 5G core much closer to their customers. The Bottom Line 5G has appealed to the telecom industry and hence similar partnerships are evolving. Nonetheless, there's a lot of discussion on the technology as we know with every new G(generation) entering the wireless technology world, the demand, popularity and excitement increases among users. The signing of the MoU reflects the combined efforts of both the companies to advance 5G deployment and drive technical development toward global commercialization of 5G technology. Verizon currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) while SK Telecom has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). VERIZON COMM Price VERIZON COMM Price | VERIZON COMM Quote SK TELECOM CO Price SK TELECOM CO Price | SK TELECOM CO 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 KT CORP (KT): Free Stock Analysis Report VERIZON COMM (VZ): Free Stock Analysis Report SK TELECOM CO (SKM): Free Stock Analysis Report NTT DOCOMO -ADR (DCM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Case of sedition has been registered against Amnesty International India for organising an event in Bengaluru in which anti-national and 'azaadi' slogans were raised as Kashmir was being discussed. By Maha Siddiqui: It was in February this year that Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi visited the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus and stood in support of students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar who was arrested in a case of sedition. It created quite a furore as the Gandhi scion was accused of supporting those allegedly raising anti-national slogans. The Congress on the other hand sent out a clear message that it will oppose the Centre and BJP's attempts at curbing freedom of speech. advertisement WHAT HAPPENED AMNESTY EVENT Cut to August, it is a Congress-ruled Karnataka in which a case of sedition has been registered against Amnesty International India for organising an event in Bengaluru in which allegedly anti-national and 'azaadi' slogans were raised as Kashmir was being discussed. The Congress is now having to answer for the dichotomy in stand. Party spokesperson and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "Let us be very clear that FIR does not mean that a crime has been established. There is no chargesheet; there is no closure on that basis of the FIR." The party itself seemed to be questioning the very nature of the complaint saying how can a sedition charge be made against a whole body in a blanket manner. Coming out in defence of the Siddaramaiah govenment, Singhvi added, "Somebody has filed an FIR and the government of Karnataka is being accused as if it has accepted sedition. It has not accepted any sedition. I think it is time that we cherish 91-A of Freedom of Speech. Let us cherish the freedom that we have in this country and stop tilting at windmills." AMNESTY REFUTES ALL CHARGES Amnesty has already refuted all charges levelled against it by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP). It claims the event was held as part of a campaign, based on the report "Denied: Failures in accountability for human rights violations by security force personnel in Jammu and Kashmir", published in 2015. In fact Amnesty says, "The People's Democratic Party (PDP), which is part of the current ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir, had welcomed the recommendations of the report when it was published." They also denied that any Amnesty employee raised anti-national slogans. Also read: ABVP students rally against Amnesty International, demand arrest of 'anti-nationals' MHA launches probe into "possible" FCRA violation by Amnesty --- ENDS --- Android is the world's most popular mobile operating system for several reasons. It's open source, free for smartphone and tablet makers to use, it's packed full of great features, and so on. But all that freedom comes at a cost for end users. For example, they have to wait months or even years for Android updates that include new features and crucial security fixes. Beyond that, unless they buy unlocked smartphone models directly from the vendor, they also have to deal with all kinds of bloatware that can often cause the user experience to suffer. Speaking of bloatware, Verizon is one of the worst offenders and now it looks like the company wants to pack even more bloatware onto your next smartphone. MUST READ: Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review According to a new report from AdvertisingAge, Verizon has been holding meetings with advertisers and big app developers about the possibility of shipping smartphones with their apps not just preinstalled on devices, but positioned on users' home screens. The carrier reportedly began approaching companies late last year with the idea. While there's little question that the move would negatively impact subscribers, it's also not a mystery why Verizon is eager to strike deals like this. According to the report, Verizon is seeking between $1 and $2 per device. That adds up to millions in revenue for the nation's top wireless carrier. Meanwhile, the report notes that similar initiatives through Facebook or Google can cost upwards of $5 per impacted user. Unlike most of Verizon's own bloatware, the report notes that users would be able to uninstall any preloaded apps that become a part of this program. That doesn't change the fact that a user's first experience with his or her new smartphone might involve dealing with even more bloat, but it certainly could be worse. Trending right now: See the original version of this article on BGR.com The committee, in its 47-page report, has said that due to the three-day event, the floodplain has lost "almost all its natural vegetation" like trees, shrubs, tall grasses. By PTI: The World Culture Festival extravaganza organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living (AOL) on Yamuna has "completely destroyed" the riverbed, an expert committee has told by the National Green Tribunal. "The committee observes that entire floodplain area used for the main event site i.e. between DND flyover and the Barapulla drain (on the right bank of river Yamuna) has been completely destroyed, not simply damaged. The ground is now totally levelled, compacted and hardened and is totally devoid of water bodies or depressions and almost completely devoid of any vegetation. advertisement THE FEST "The area where the grand stage was erected (and the area immediately behind it) is heavily consolidated - most likely with a different kind of external material used to level the ground and compress it. Huge amount of earth and debris have been dumped to construct the ramps for access from the DND flyover and from the two pontoon bridges across the Barapulla drain," the expert committee, set up by the NGT, told a bench headed by Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar. The tribunal had directed the seven-member expert committee headed by Shashi Shekhar, Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, and senior scientists and experts from National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, IIT, Delhi and other agencies to inspect the site of the World Culture Festival held in March this year. THE REPORT The committee, in its 47-page report, has said that due to the three-day event, the floodplain has lost "almost all its natural vegetation" like trees, shrubs, tall grasses, aquatic vegetation including water hyacinth which provides habitat to large number of animals, insects and mud-dwelling organisms. "These organisms were rendered homeless, driven away by intense activity and many were consigned to graves under the debris. This is invisible loss of biodiversity which cannot be easily assessed and most may never be able to return. Far more significant changes are expected in the micro-organisms which are critical to ecosystem functioning," it said. The report further states that construction of ramps and roads, alteration of water bodies and flattening of the ground has completely damaged the diversity of habitats. "The physical damage in the floodplain and its wetlands include a change in topography which has a direct bearing on the diversity of habitats. Construction of ramps and roads, filling up of water bodies and levelling of the ground together with compaction have almost completely eliminated the natural physical features and the diversity of habitats," the report said. Art of Living mega event on Yamuna floodplain faces fresh trouble advertisement Art of Living event in Delhi exposes neglect of Environmental Law India is not intolerant, maintains Sri Sri Ravi Shankar --- ENDS --- By Ashwini Kumar: Army chief Dalbir Singh along with Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda visited various formations of the Nagrota based 16 Corps to review the prevailing security situation. Defence spokesperson SD Gowswami said that the Army chief was briefed by Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar, Corps Commander 16 Corps about the preparedness of White Knight Corps in dealing with emerging and dynamically changing security situation and the measures taken to thwart any misadventure by the inimical forces. advertisement The Corps commander highlighted the measures adopted to counter any infiltration through employment of an effective counter infiltration grid backed by synergised surveillance and intelligence backed operations. The Army chief also visited Doda, Reasi and Rajouri districts he was briefed on the operational readiness and security situation by the respective general officers. General Dalbir Singh while complimenting the formations for their unflinching efforts in handling the situation reiterated on the continued need to remain vigilant in order to counter the nefarious designs of the inimical elements. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Jammu, Aug 17 (PTI) An army soldier was today shot dead allegedly by his colleague who later surrendered at an army camp in Rajouri district here, police said. Sepoy Drinder Kumar had some argument with his colleague Sepoy Mohmmad Mullah at Animal Transport Company (ATC) unit in Ghambir area here following which he opened fire with his INSAS rifle at Mullah and killed him, they said. advertisement Kumar escaped from the spot but later surrendered, police said, adding a case has been registered against him. The body has been handed over to army after postmortem, they said. PTI AB FAR RT AAR --- ENDS --- Zakir Khan, who was arrested by Afghan intelligence, National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives from Nangarhar province, admitted that the training camp used to be guarded by the Pakistani army. By Mayank Pratap Singh: In yet another revelation of the hands of Pakistan reddened in terrorism, Pakistan's hand in promoting terrorism was yet again proven after an Islamic State (IS) militant arrested in Afghanistan today admitted that he was trained in Kuchlaq area, near Quetta city in Balochistan province. The militant admitted before the National Directorate of Security (NDS) that he was trained in Pakistan. advertisement Zakir Khan, who was arrested by Afghan intelligence, National Directorate of Security (NDS) operatives from Nangarhar province, admitted that the training camp used to be guarded by the Pakistani army. He said he originally hailed from southern Zabul province of Afghanistan and was taken to Kuchlak to receive the necessary training to conduct insurgency activities under the ISIS flag. The terrorist's revelations indicate that Pakistan is indeed facilitating the expansion of the IS army but allowing training activities on their soil. Not only are the terrorists being trained in Pakistan but also in Balochistan, where citizens are fighting for their freedom since 1947. And now Pakistan is playing a dirty game to hinder the freedom struggle. Earlier, local officials in Nangarhar had said that IS militants fighting in Afghanistan are mostly the residents of Orakzai Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. The militant was among three people arrested by the NDS operatives. --- ENDS --- The Congress indicated that it was not their party but the BJP that has changed its stand on Balochistan. Sources in Congress say, the BJP should be questioned on its changing stand not the Congress whose stand has been fairly consistent. Photo: Reuters By Maha Siddiqui: A day after Congress leaders spoke in different tones on the issue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising the issue of Balochistan from the ramparts of the Red Fort, the party tried to get its act together. WE RAISED IT TWICE, SAYS CONGRESS The party seemed to be distancing itself from former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid's statement yesterday in which he said raising Balochistan on India's independence day was a self-defeating exercise. advertisement Congress media cell head Randeep Surjewala said that the UPA government and the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had on two different occasions addressed the Balochistan issue. On December 27, 2005 the MEA spokesperson had stated that the Governemnt of India was watching with concern, the spiralling violence in Balochistan and the heavy military action. MEA added "We hope the Government of Pakistan will exercise restraint and take recourse to peaceful discussions to address the grievances of the people of Balochistan." On March 2, 2006 to a question in parliament, the government had reiterated the same stand. BJP SLAMMED UPA EARLIER FOR THE SAME The Congress in fact indicated that it was not their party but the BJP that has changed its stand on Balochistan. Holding an official press briefing, Jairam Ramesh said "Randeep Surjewala's statement is the Congress party's stand on Balochistan." The party said when the B word was used in 2009 in the Sharm el-Sheikh joint statement, the BJP had accused Manmohan Singh and his government of compromising India's position. Sources in the party said the BJP should be questioned on its changing stand not the Congress whose stand according to them has been fairly consistent. --- ENDS --- Bangladesh Information Minister, who is currently in India on a visit, talks exclusively to India Today about Indo-Pak relations, terrorism and more. By Smita Sharma: Although Bangladesh has been an independent nation since 1971, they haven't quite got rid of Pakistan. Having earlier pointed fingers at Pakistan for the recent terror attack in Dhaka, Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, who is currently on an India visit, said that the Pakistan army continues to attack other nationalities and communities. Speaking exclusively to Smita Sharma from India Today, the Minister discussed the Kashmir issue, Islamic preacher Zakir Naik and the SAARC summit. Here is the transcript: advertisement Q: Narendra Modi spoke about Balochistan in Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Is the situation similar to East Pakistan? A: We never called it East Pakistan from 1947. Pakistanis used to say East Pakistan. We used to say Bangladesh or East Bengal. Pakistan does have a very bad track record over the years. Pakistani authorities and army took a very negative position against other nationalities and religious entities. This is what happened in 1971, when Pakistan very brutally tried to suppress the Bangladeshi nationalism struggle. After that, when we are now a part of the SAARC process and regional cooperation, and we have developed diplomatic relations, Pakistan is still not changing their behaviour. Q: Is it a similar uprising in Balochistan then? A: We have to examine it. Pakistan still has a connection in Bangladesh, and are trying to support many domestic terrorist networks. That is why we recently had to request Pakistani authorities to withdraw their diplomats. These diplomats coming to Bangladesh and working with their terrorists, which is in very bad taste for regional cooperation. Looking at the condition of Balochistan or other situations within Pakistan, Pakistan is already in an unstable position. Every day, there are terrorist attacks. At the same time, the government forces are attacking many nationalities and communities. We are examining the whole thing and after proper information and examination, the Bangladesh government will take a position. Q: Do you think Islamabad has a moral ground to be raising the issue of Kashmir on every international platform, talking about human rights violations when images coming from inside Pakistan are gruesome themselves? A: The Kashmir issue has been more or less thrashed out at the UN floor and it is now outside the UN floor. The Kashmir issue is a domestic issue between India and Pakistan, and not an international issue. Taking it to the international floor will not be of much help. Q: Voices within India question Modi talking about Balochistan. They call it a diversionary tactic to take attention away from the fact that he is not able to stop unrest in Kashmir. Is India right in advocating for Balochistan? A: Mr. Modi, the Prime Minister of India, is taking his position. I don't want to comment. But on the SAARC platform, we are not going to discuss the Kashmir issue. Q: Bangladesh has banned Zakir Naik. The committee is looking into the matter here. Do you think he should be banned in this region? A: Terrorism has a multi-dimensional approach, so it is not by killing one terrorist or arresting two terrorists that the problem will be solved. The Government of India, Bangladesh and the region needs to have a multidimensional approach. Persons who are propagating hate, interpreting Quran and Hadith wrongly need to be taken care of. That is why Bangladesh has taken a bold position about Dr. Zakir Naik, his preaching and teaching and the Peace TV broadcast and network. We are looking towards India that it will take another bold position vis a vis Zakir Naik because we are very close neighbours. Q: Is that something you have conveyed to the Indian Information Minister whom you had a meeting with? advertisement A: That is not a matter of discussion. We have taken a position. India is looking into the matter. Any information that will help us, we will give to the Home Ministry. Q: Arun Jaitley will likely not go to Pakistan for the SAARC finance ministers meet. And there were a lot of cold vibes when Rajnath Singh went. Do you think the SAARC process is in jeopardy because of the India-Pakistan tension? If the situation continues like this, will it be difficult for the Prime Minister or President to go to Pakistan for SAARC summit? A: The SAARC process is always, over the years, a slow process because of certain problems between India and Pakistan. This is why the process is not smooth. These are irritations, but we from a Bangladeshi perspective want the SAARC process to continue. advertisement Q: Is SAARC yielding any results or is sub-regionalism the way forward? And should people stop talking about SAARC since it is hostage to India-Pakistan bilateral relations? A: Politically, we want regional cooperation so we will stand by the SAARC process. But since the SAARC process is slow, we are advocating sub-regionalism because India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan will have an effective result if we cooperate at that level. Q: If the Prime Minister or President of India decide that since Pakistan is not acting against terror groups and hence they will not go, will India be held responsible for derailing the process or will Pakistan be accountable to the other members? A: These are irritations. Not attending a particular SAARC meeting does not destroy SAARC. Pakistan will have to make her position very clear vis-a-vis terrorism. Q: If the Prime Minister or President of any member country does not attend, as per protocol, the summit meeting cannot happen... A: If the Prime Minister or President does not attend, the particular summit meeting will fail, but the SAARC process will continue. advertisement Q: Following the Holey Artisan bakery terror attack, lots of groups have been cracked down upon. Two American citizens have also been detained. Is there any particular lead or information that you have shared with Indian counterparts? A: When it comes to the question of information vis-a-vis the Gulshan attack or the Solakia attack, the Interior Minister did have a meeting with their Indian counterpart. So they took it up. There is an agreement between India and Bangladesh to share information to tackle terrorism. That matter is tackled there. Q: Are you still maintaining that despite the IS claims, the bakery attack was handiwork of local groups, and there is no IS in Bangladesh? A: As far as today, Bangladesh does not have any information about the IS organisational network in Bangladesh. We claim these are homegrown domestic terror networks having no organisational link with any other foreign terror group. Here is the link to video Also Read: Going to Pakistan is like going to hell, says Parrikar; Jaitley cancels SAARC visit --- ENDS --- Ahead of A Flying Jatt's release, Sunny Leone takes up the Beat Pe Booty challenge after Ekta Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan. By India Today Web Desk: It's almost a week before Tiger Shroff's A Flying Jatt releases and seems like the superhero film has caught B-Town's attention by the collar...err...booty and how! Last week, the makers of the Remo D'Souza directorial came up with the #BeatPeBooty challenge wherein film industry people would have to dance to the song and share the video online. advertisement WATCH: Tiger Shroff and Jacqueline Fernandez twerk to Beat Pe Booty ALSO READ: No more sexy, only sanskaari for Sunny Leone? The latest actor to have taken up the challenge is Sunny Leone. The actor along with a few others can be seen dancing to the hookline of the dance number composed by Sachin and Jigar So far, quite a few celebs have danced to the groovy number. Television actors Mouni Roy and Divyanka Tripathi along with A Flying Jatt producer Ekta Kapoor have already danced to the song together. They were soon followed by Kumkum Bhagya actor Sriti Jha. Among Bollywood actors, Hrithik Roshan was seen dancing to Beat Pe Booty along with A Flying Jatt's heroine Jacqueline Fernandez. Watch Sunny Leone dance to Beat Pe Booty: This was funnn!! ???? #beatpebooty @sunnyleone @hitendrakapopara @makeupartistrybyastha @yusuf_911 @tomasmoucka @sunnyrajani A video posted by Karishma Naidu (@karishmanaidu14) on Aug 16, 2016 at 8:07am PDT A Flying Jatt, directed by Remo D'Souza, starring Tiger Shroff and Jacqueline Fernandez releases in theatres on August 25 this year. --- ENDS --- By Akshaya Nath: Bulldozers made a comeback to Bengaluru as authorities relaunched the stalled demolition drive after a 4 day respite. But angry residents have now taken to the streets blaming the civic authorities and corrupt babus for their plight. While Lt Col Niranjan's family were having something to rejoice that though their premises was under the scanner they were given time to rectify the illegal construction, but same is not the case with their neighbours. Residents of Doddabomasandra had taken to the road and have stopped JCBs from resuming the demolition process. advertisement RESIDENTS QUESTION THE SURVEY "We have lived here for more than 20 years. In the earlier surveys that were conducted in these areas none of them had my house under the illegal structures, but the latest survey suddenly has brought my entire house in the illegal structures category," said Gopalaiah, a resident if Doddabomasandra, whose 33 feet of the 37 feet house will be demolished if the BBMP demolition drive continues. It is not just Gopalaiah, a professor, who will be affected by this move of the government. More than 170 houses in the neighbourhood will be grounded soon if no action will be initiated by the government. While it has been time again said that most of the people whose houses have been marked already have proper government documentation and have been paying the land taxes too. "We have been living here for more than 20 to 30 years and if there was a storm water drain then why were we given approval?" questioned, another resident of the area, Rajesh. While allegations are running high that it is the poor and the middle class that are only targeted in what is called the government's face saving stunt, people in the locality have raised questions on the varying survey reports and its authenticity. It is also alleged that none of the surveyed maps or the detailed reports about Dodabomasandara have been published in the BBMP website. NO PRIOR NOTICE TO THE RESIDENTS Adding to this, the residents were also shocked that they weren't given a prior notice and that the government officials appeared before their doorsteps with JCBs to demolish their residence. Meanwhile, as the agitation by the residents started to gain media attention, BBMP joint commissioner Sarfaroz Khan was at the location to assess the situation. He said that the demolition drive will continue tomorrow and also added that it was not needed to intimate anyone to get back government lands. He also said, "we are giving the people the benefit of doubt and hence we will resurvey the entire location only to satisfy those who have made serious allegation against the BBMP." For people like Gopal their only choice is, "If my life's hard work is going to be shattered, I have no other choice but to die." Though today the public managed to keep the government officials and bulldozers at a distance, it need to be seen how far this can be maintained and prevent their dream homes from coming crashing down.Also read - Bengaluru: BBMP mayor stops construction work by big builder for encroaching drain advertisement --- ENDS --- By Rohit Kumar Singh: The hooch tragedy which claimed 13 lives in Gopalganj has exposed the shocking reality of prohibition in Bihar. Even as the district administration and the govt try to cover up the incident by asserting that the deaths have not taken place due to liquor consumption, the local police has recovered hundreds of litres of illegal country made liquor dug inside Khajur Bani locality where the incident took place Tuesday night. advertisement "It is still not clear whether the deaths have taken place due to liquor consumption. Let the postmortem report and FSL report come before we reach to a conclusion. If proved that deaths are due to liquor consumption, strictest possible action will be taken against the guilty", asserted JDU Spokesperson Neeraj Kumar. As the death toll rises to 13, BJP is now gunning for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar's head over the incident. Speaking to India Today, State BJP President Mangal Pandey attacked Bihar CM Nitish Kumar demanding that the CM takes responsibility for the incident. He also said that the deaths in Gopalganj hooch tragedy was failure of Nitish Kumar who claimed that prohibition was strictly enforced in the state and that there was no manufacturing or consumption of liquor but the reality was completely the contrary. "This is failure of Nitish Kumar. He has brought in a draconian law on prohibition but still liquor was been recovered from all parts of state. Bihar CM should take responsibility for the hooch deaths", said Mangal Pandey, Bihar BJP President. BJP MLA Nitin Navin who appeared more aggressive demanded CM's resignation over the 13 deaths. "Nitish cannot escape responsibility. He should resign for the deaths in Gopalganj", said Nitin Navin, BJP MLA from Bankipur. Meanwhile, Gopalganj DM claimed that the death toll was only 10. Also Read: 5 dead in Bihar's Gopalganj, kin allege they consumed spurious liquor Bihar liquor ban has nothing to do with any political party or religion: Nitish Kumar --- ENDS --- . It was not immediately clear how many police and civilians were among the dead and wounded. By Reuters: hree people were killed and 40 were wounded when a car bomb exploded near a police station in Turkey's eastern province of Van near the Iranian border on Wednesday, state broadcaster TRT said, citing the local governor. Police and ambulances were seen rushing in, according to another broadcaster, the privately owned Dogan news agency. The station also serves as a police barracks, TRT said, citing a statement from the local governor. It was not immediately clear how many police and civilians were among the dead and wounded. advertisement Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on live television there had been an attack on a police station in Van but did not elaborate. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. Kurdish militants frequently target police stations and other security force outposts with car bombs. Turkey's mainly Kurdish southeast has been scorched by violence since a two and half year ceasefire between the state and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party fell apart in July last year. --- ENDS --- Many reasons were given for the flood damage that was caused by the rains though the government maintained that it was a rainfall Chennai has never seen in a hundred years. By Pramod Madhav: The havoc caused in Chennai by the 2015 November-December monsoon rains have brought into sharp focus the point that the city is woefully unprepared to handle a flood-like situation. Debates are still brewing if it was a natural calamity or a manmade one. The government gave many reasons for the flood damage caused by the rains saying that the amount of rainfall Chennai received was the highest in a hundred years. However, reports suggest that Chennai had received an equal amount of rainfall in 2005 but at tha ttime the city hadn't suffered this much damage. advertisement Environmental activists attribute the main reason for the flooding to the encroachment of water bodies and the mismanagement of the city's water storage system. Chennai is surrounded by many lakes which also act as water reservoirs and provide essential drinking water to the city's people. Four of these water bodies - Poondi, Cholavaram, Redhills, and Chembarambakkam - are the Metro water reservoirs. On the fateful December night, all of south Chennai was flooded because the Chembarambakkam flood gates had been opened by officials fearing a breach of its walls. Notable places like T Nagar, KK Nagar, Saidapet were submerged under an average of 4 feet of water. In Kotturpuram, the water level rose up to the first floor level of a government head quarters. The line of supply was cut to these parts. People who believed themselves to be safe till then saw the horrors of what a flood could do. Yet, it was the common people who came to the rescue of others followed by the NDRF and the defence forces. Food was airdropped and many heroic rescues were recorded. But has the government learnt its lesson yet? Apparently, the same government which was in power back then is in power now. AIADMK's Edapadi Palanisamy holds the post as PWD minister now. Even Jayalalithaa came back to power stating that crores would be spent in making the city a flood safe zone. A couple of months ago Rs 110 crore was allocated by the Tamil Nadu government to proceed with the desilting of lakes and water bodies. Heavy machines were either bought or hired by the Chennai corporation to clean and remove the debris from the canal systems. Though the government had said in 2015 that encroachments on water bodies would be removed systematically, the ground reports differ completely. For instance, the encroachment of Pallikaranai marsh lands which was 5,000 acres once has shrunk to just 370 acres now. Because of the settlements there, the entire ecosystem is under threat even though it is the only remaining wetland ecosystem on Chennai. Many water bodies, for instance, are used as dumpyards by the government itself. Even after the floods, it seems the government has not taken all this under consideration. advertisement One more lake that has come under such a threat right now is the Villivakkam lake. The lake initially covered 300 acres of land and had a flourishing ecosytem. As encroachments expanded on the lake and the government turned a blind eye, the lake shrank to 80 acres. Of that land nearly, 52 acres is now covered by mud and dirt. During last year's Chennai floods, the 5,000 families living around this lake were so devastated that there were accounts of people starving for three days straight. This happened because the lake that acted as a natural drain system was completely filled with debris. The local residents made it clear that it was the government which was using the lake as a landfill to dump the debris removed from Metro Train Project sites from all over Chennai. Raja, a student residing right next to the lake's wall, says that he saw huge trucks bring in dirt and throw it in the lake all through the night. When the residents quetioned, the authorities initially said they were following orders. Later, when people began protesting, some officials said that the state is planning to construct an interstate bus depot in that vicinity though no officer was ready to confirm this information. advertisement Chandramohan, a volunteer NGO, Arappor Iyakkam said, "Naturally when it rains, the lakes act as storing systems but now as they have closed the entire lake, the entire area was under water and the water level didn't recede for 10-15 days." He claimed that the officials had to come in and break the sewage lines to connect the storm water lines and everything was a total chaos. "There is no water management system in Chennai and if it rains like last year, we are hopelessly in a bad shape," warns Chandramohan. Though desilting and canal cleaning works are being done, Chandramohan said these are being done at a pace much slower than what is required and having less than three months for the monsoon rains, work should commence in a 'war footing' manner. An unfortunate truth is that people who have built houses at such locations which were once lake beds are now stranded as they have put all the fortune in these properties and the government has no plans to compensate them for their loss. Many people lost their cars and home appliances to the floods. It is true that Jayalalithaa announced a common solatium of Rs 5,000 to every ration card holder but what each family lost was in lakhs. That being a reason AIADMK lost its strong seats in many parts of Chennai in the assembly elections. advertisement Tamil Nadu's Chief MInister Jayalalitha has announced various steps and has also released funds for controlling flood damage but no one is ready to answer how they will control the floods without removing the encroachments on the water bodies. Man-made disaster: Look how Chennai built its way to floods --- ENDS --- Mumbai's Govinda Mandals, who have been practicing for the human pyramids day in and out, have expressed disappointment with the apex court order. By Vidya : The Supreme Court today upheld the order of the Bombay high court stating that the height of human pyramids cannot be more than 20 feet. It also barred those below 18 years from participating in these pyramids. Mumbai's Govinda Mandals, who have been practicing for the human pyramids day in and out, have expressed disappointment with the apex court order. advertisement Dahi Handi festivities are set for August 25th this year and with barely eight days to go, the SC order comes as a setback for Govinda Mandals across the city. The Maharashtra government had moved the apex court on August 3, seeking clarification regarding the height of human pyramids after the Bombay HC pulled up the government. Bombay HC had on August 11, 2014, ordered that the height of human pyramids should not exceed 20 feet and children below 18 years should not be allowed to participate in the Dahi Handi function. CASE HISTORY The case was based on a petition filed by a city-based social worker Swati Patil, who is the secretary of an NGO named Utkarsh Mahila Samajik Sansthaa. Patil had alleged that the Maharashtra government and others were not following Bombay High Court's earlier orders on the height of human pyramids. He even mentioned a few leaders who attended some Dahi Handi functions where these pyramids had crossed the height restrictions. MUMBAIKARS DISSAPPOINTED This order seems to have deflated some of the enthusiasm for the festival. "There will be no zeal in the festivities now," Dahi Handi Samanvay Samiti working president Arun Patil said. The group has now called for an emergency meeting. Patil said, "When it was decided that children below 12 years will not participate, we had agreed as we should not involve really young children. But setting the slab at 18 years means only four layers can be added. There will be hardly any fun left in the festivities now." Even after the 2014 order there were many groups that used really young kids, some as young as "seven or eight years as they are light and the pyramid becomes more stable." Govinda mandals claim that seven layers, at an approximate height of 35 to 40 feet, are very common and many groups across the city form at least eight layers. There are only three groups in Mumbai -- from Jogeshwari, Mazgaon and Borivli areas -- which have been forming nine layers of human pyramid, which reaches a maximum height of 45 feet. THIS STOPS EVERYTHING Ram Kadam, BJP spokesperson and organiser of Dahi Handi festivities at Ghatkpar, said, "This order puts a stop to whatever the world has seen (us do) until now. We had been trying to look for every opportunity to reduce accidents and find ways to control damage but with this order, everything has come to a stop. As an organiser, I am already wondering whether I should go ahead with organising the festivities or not." advertisement MLA Pratak Sarnaik's son and organiser of Sanskriti Pratishthan at Thane, Purvesh Sarnaik said, "It is an order o the court and it will have to be respected. We will go ahead with the celebrations and we will not let anyone form human pyramids beyond the height ordered by the Supreme Court. The festivities had taken the shape of a mega even in the last few years but now it will be celebrated only as a festival." Govinda magic: Mumbai comes together for 'Dahi handi' festival --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) A day after kite strings claimed three lives in the national capital, the Delhi government today imposed a ban on the sale, production and storage of glass-coated threads or Chinese manja even as a blame game erupted with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia claiming the Environment Secretary took seven days to clear a notification. advertisement According to the draft notification issued by Environment Secretary Chandraker Bharti, kite flying will be permissible only with a cotton thread and natural fibre free from any metallic and glass components. Violation of directions will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to five years or fine which may be extended to Rs 1 lakh or with both. However, sources in the LG office said the Lt Governor had approved the draft notification on August 8 and sent it back to the government the next day. The AAP government delayed issuance of the draft notification despite the fact that the LG office had sent the notification with his approval to Environment Department on August 9, they said, adding that notification may not make a good impact as the flying kite season is almost over with the wrapping up of Independence Day celebrations. Sisodia said he was writing to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung seeking action against the Environment Secretary for "gross negligence in duty and insensitiveness in Chinese manja case". "Environment Secretary took 7days to issue notification though file was cleared by my & Env Minsters office within minutes on 9th August," the Deputy CM tweeted. A government official said as the LG is in-charge of the Services Department, he should seek clarification for the delay from the officer concerned. Environment Department of Delhi government has sought public suggestions and objections on its draft notification asking them to file the same within 60 days and thereafter, a final notification will be issued. "There shall be complete ban on the sale, production, storage, supply and use of nylon, plastic and Chinese manja and any other kite-flying thread that is sharp or made sharp such as by being laced with glass, metal or other sharp objects in National Capital Territory of Delhi," the notification stated. Yesterday, three-year-old Saanchi Goyal, who was returning with her parents after watching a movie, was killed after a stray kite string slashed her neck in Rani Bagh area when she was looking out of open sunroof in their car. advertisement A four-and-a-half-year-old boy and a 22-year-old man also died after their necks got slit while a Delhi Police sub- inspector was injured in such incidents. "During kite flying, a lot of injury is caused to the people and birds on account of pucca thread made out of plastic or similar such synthetic material commonly known as Chinese thread. These injuries many a times turn out to be fatal causing death of people and birds. "It is, therefore, desirable to protect the people and birds from the fatal effects of the kite thread made out of plastic or synthetic thread as Chinese thread," notification also said. On August 11, the Delhi High Court had asked the AAP government and the civic bodies to issue advisory ahead of Independence Day making the public aware of fatal effect of the use of razor sharp kite-flying threads. PTI BUN ZMN --- ENDS --- This girl lost her parents even before she turned 18 but is an epitome of strength and has a moving message for everyone. By India Today Web Desk: Giving two important messages of how everyone is constantly fighting their own battles and that sometimes tomorrow doesn't come, is the story of this extremely strong girl. In an interview to Humans of Bombay, she described her parents love for each other and how they battled all odds to marry each other. "My parents were soulmates", she said. advertisement Her father worked at a grocery store where her mom went to buy something and it was love at first sight. Her father expressed his feelings through a love letter and her mother agreed to go out on a date. "They had an inter-caste marriage, fighting all odds and in every sense they complimented each other. When dad lost his job at one point, mom supported us and dad took care of me. They were always balancing each other out." But the picture was not all rosy. The girl's father was a smoker for 30 years and passed away one day leaving her mother shattered. "She would send him text messages for days after he was gone, she would talk about him continually." She still talks about him but has become stronger for the sake of her daughter. "I don't think I could have asked for a better mother", the girl told Humans of Bombay in an interview. Also read: Bittersweet love story of a Muslim woman and Hindu man has gone viral for all the right reasons Meanwhile the girl went through a bad phase at school because the other girls called her a 'slut' without knowing her. "I have never hurled those profanities at anyone because I know best that you never know what others are going through." To channelize her energy she developed an interest in photography and that helped in expressing herself. Her mother gifted her a scooty on her 17th birthday and the mother-daughter duo started travelling. On their way to Indore, they met with a car accident. "I was in the back seat of the car fast asleep and before I knew what was happening I woke up with a start and saw blood all over me, all around me. It wasn't mine." Her mother had sustained a severe head injury and multiple fractures. She could not survive. "All of a sudden, at 18 I found myself alone. I can't describe the pain of losing her - my best friend, my strongest support." This 18-year-old girl is living with her maternal grandmother and is taking care of her along with managing finances. "Mom bought me a DSLR on my 16th birthday and this bike on my 17th and I believe it was a subtle message that I should travel and photograph to live my dream, our dream. advertisement Also read: This Humans of Bombay story about two best friends and their unique friendship is #SquadGoals She wishes that her story conveys two messages. First, "don't push plans with your parents to 'tomorrow', sometime that tomorrow doesn't come" and "everyone is going through something, so before calling someone names or tearing their character apart, think about this and show some compassion." The post has received more than 44,000 likes and has been shared over 5,000 times. --- ENDS --- Eight female presenters with Egypt's state-owned broadcaster were suspended for being overweight and were given a month's deadline to get in shape. By India Today Web Desk: Egypt's state-owned broadcaster suspended eight of its female TV presenters this week, saying they'll need to lose weight to keep their jobs. The Egyptian Radio and Television Union (ERTU) has given the suspended women a month's time to slim down so they can appear on air with an "appropriate appearance", according to a BBC report. According to Gulf News, the ERTU move is an attempt to shed the sluggish image of the broadcaster. But women's rights groups in the country are angry, with many not only criticising the move but also questioning the singling out of women. advertisement Khadija Khatab, one of the dismissed presenters, told local media that she wants people to watch her most recent appearances on Egypt's Channel 2 and judge if she is really fat and deserves the suspension. Another presenter said the matter should have been dealt with internally as it has upset families of the anchors caught in the situation. The suspension has sparked a debate among television presenters too, some of whom believe the policy should be applied across local TV stations. Others say the channel should simply focus on improving its content. The conversation on social media was divided too as some voiced support for the suspended anchors, while others resorted to fat-shaming them. In a Facebook post, the country's Women's Centre for Guidance and Legal Awareness condemned the move, saying it violated the constitution and was a form of violence against women. Despite the criticism, however, ERTU maintains that its decision is irreversible, but it added that the women will not lose their pay and benefits. The broadcaster's director Safaa Hegazy was a former anchor herself. --- ENDS --- By PTI: Karimnagar (Telangana), Aug 17 (PTI) Karimnagar Lok Sabha MP B Vinod Kumar today appealed to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to ensure the release of Indians languishing in various prisons in Saudi Arabia. In a press release here, the TRS leader said hundreds of Indian prisoners are lodged in jails in the Gulf nation. The unemployed youth going to Saudi Arabia for jobs are exploited by their employers, who do not pay wages for several months, he said. advertisement Out of desperation, they are forced to find other employment, without documentation, which often leads to their arrest, Kumar said. He appealed to Swaraj to direct Indian embassy in Riyadh to ensure immediate release of such prisoners. PTI COR RSY --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Shakti Sinha, private secretary to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is likely to be appointed as director of Nehru Memorial Museum & Library soon amid speculation that the selection process could be started afresh as dissenting voices were raised on his shortlisting. "The appointment for the director at NMML will be announced soon after Raksha Bandhan... Shakti Sinha will be selected as the new director of the premier institution," a source in the Culture Ministry said. advertisement Controversy erupted over the appointment of NMML director after a prominent member of its Executive Council (EC) Pratap Bhanu Mehta quit allegedly over shortlisting of Sinha, who reportedly until a few days ago was a director in India Foundation, a think tank aligned to RSS. Besides renowned political scientist Mehta, there were five others in the selection committee, headed by Minister of State for External Affairs and vice-chairperson of NMMLs EC M J Akbar who is also on the India Foundation board. Another member of the selection committee Prasar Bharti Chairman A Surya Prakash is also on the India Foundation Board, which also included senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha. A strong dissenting voice also came from Nitin Desai, economist and former Under Secretary General of the UN, at a meeting last week over two names -- Sinha and Indira Gandhi National Open University academic Kapil Kumar. It was, however, widely speculated that government may scrap the whole process of the selection, taking note of the dissenting voices and start the process afresh. "No, the government is not going to scrap the process and will go ahead with the announcement," the source said. The post of director at NMML is lying vacant since last year after UPA appointee Mahesh Rangarajan stepped down after the ruling NDA described his appointment as "illegal and unethical". An IAS officer of 1979 batch from AGMUT cadre, Sinha was considered as a highly influential joint secretary in Vajpayees PMO in the late 1990s. He had also served as private secretary to Vajpayee. He had taken voluntary retirement in 2013 when he was serving as Finance secretary in Delhi government. The advertisement issued for the directors post is also reportedly been modified at the last moment to accommodate Sinha. Established in the memory of Indias first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, NMML is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture. PTI MP ZMN --- ENDS --- Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali are having the time of their lives in Goa. We have pictures to prove it, thanks to Mahhi Vij. By India Today Web Desk: Who doesn't like travelling and spending time in beautiful locales? EVERY ONE. And especially so when the locale in question happens to be Goa. You might wonder as to why we are discussing Goa in particular, sure it is gorgeous, but why Goa of all the places? Also read:Sumona Chakravarti's quiet Goa vacation is making us crave some alone time The Titanic pose, we have all been there. Well, most of us. Picture courtesy: Instagram/mahhivij advertisement Well, everyone's favourite TV actress Mahhi Vij is currently burning Goa with her hotness. The actress is having a gala time vacationing in Goa with her actor husband Jay Bhanushali. The couple are giving everyone travel goals, and making every one exclaim at their chemistry, as usual. Three is company. Mahhi and Jay with a friend. Picture courtesy: Instagram/mahhivij The pout pose. Picture courtesy: Instagram/mahhivij Mahhi has been particularly active in posting pictures on her personal Instagram account and updating everyone on how much fun is she exactly having. Stop it Mahhi, we know you have a fabulous life. The aww-dorable couple. Picture courtesy: Instagram/mahhivij Just look at them staring at each other. Picture courtesy: Instagra/mahhivij By the beach, in the water; the lovely actress is living THE life, and not to mention, looking like a million bucks while at it. Also, setting multiple goals (read travel goals and couple goals). When they met. Picture courtesy: Instagram/mahhivij Keep slaying, Mahhi and Jay. --- ENDS --- By Rohit Kumar Singh: The police on Wednesday recovered 1,000 litres of illegal country-made liquor from Gopalganj's Khajur Vani locality where the hooch tragedy happened. The spurious liquor had led to loss of life of at least 13 people. The illegal country-made liquor was stored in big barrels that was hidden in cavity dug in a farmland. The police have arrested 5 people in this connection, all of them are being questioned. "We have recovered huge quantity of liquor from the locality. Five persons have been arrested. Investigations right now are at a nascent stage", said IG (Muzaffarpur zone) Sunil Kumar. advertisement Police admitted that the liquor recovered from the Khajur Vani locality was manufactured at the same place and hidden underground. However, the cops are still clueless as to who was running this racket and who is the mastermind. "We have not been able to ascertain as to who was running this business here", said Kumar. ALSO READ | BJP guns for Nitish's head in Gopalganj hooch tragedy as death toll rises to 13 --- ENDS --- Supreme Court has sought a response from the Gujarat government on pleas challenging the freezing of the bank accounts of the NGOs belonging to Teesta Setalvad. By Anusha Soni: The Supreme Court today sought a response from the Gujarat government on pleas challenging the freezing of the bank accounts of the NGOs belonging to Teesta Setalvad, Sabrang and Citizens for Justice and Peace. After the Gujarat High Court refused to give any relief, the social activist and her husband Javed Anand had moved the Supreme Court to defreeze the bank accounts belonging to them as well as their NGOs. advertisement The Crime Branch of Ahmedabad had frozen the bank accounts for alleged embezzlement of funds. Seetalvad in her plea had said that her personal accounts have no relation to the current investigation. The Gujarat High Court had dismissed the plea of the duo since the investigation in the case was still on. The High Court had further said that there was no substance in the plea of Seetalvad. The licence of the NGOs belonging to Seetalvad were cancelled by the Home Ministry for alleged violation of Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. Setalvad and her husband have been granted interim protection from arrest from the court and have been asked to cooperate with the investigation. Also Read: Government cancels Teesta Setalvad NGO's licence for foreign funds --- ENDS --- Again spreading venom, Mumbai attacks mastermind Hafiz Saeed urged the Pakistan Amy chief Raheel Sharif to send troops to Kashmir and obey the orders of Mohammad Ali Jinnah. By Press Trust of India: In a fresh rhetoric, Mumbai attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed has asked the Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif to send troops to Kashmir to "obey" the pending order of Pakistan's founder MA Jinnah. Addressing a rally held under the banner of 'Defence Council of Pakistan' in Karachi on Sunday, Saeed claimed, "Kashmiris had announced before the partition that they wanted to remain with Pakistan. But after the partition, India forcibly sent Army to Jammu and Kashmir." advertisement Also Read: Pakistan 'silently' lifts ban, Hafiz Saeed appears on TV pushing Kashmir agenda 'FORM A STRATEGY REGARDING KASHMIR' "On this Quaid-e-Azam, Mohammad Ali Jinnah ordered his commander-in-chief to respond by sending troops but he refused (to obey his orders). Now I ask General Raheel Sharif to send troops in (Jammu and) Kashmir as Quaid-e-Azam's order is pending," Saeed said. He said that he is not asking for a war with India but they (Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Raheel) must form a strategy regarding the Kashmir issue. Saeed, the founder of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, who carries a USD 10-million bounty on his head, asked Prime Minister Sharif to break his silence and respond to Modi's strong statements on Kashmir and Balochistan. 'GIVE IT BACK TO MODI' "Pakistan has become a war zone and innocent Kashmiris are being killed while Modi is talking of separating Balochistan. Why is our Prime Minister silent and reluctant to respond to Modi in the same manner?," he asked. He said Sharif should take relief goods to Chakothi, then the Kashmiris would believe that the Pakistani Prime Minister was with them. A JuD caravan led by Talha Saeed, the son of Hafiz Saeed, staged a sit-in at the Line of Control near Chakothi in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK), demanding that India accept relief materials brought by them for the Kashmiris. Also Read: Doctors, nurses from Hafiz Saeed's JuD apply for Indian visa 'to help Kashmiris' Exclusive: How jihadi sons of jihadi generals spearhead Hafiz Saeed's rallies --- ENDS --- By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Punjab politicians are battle ready for 2017 polls. This was amply clear from Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal's statement at Wagah border today. The minister slammed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for creating disturbance in Punjab. She first made a veiled attack on AAP saying: "People across border are trying to create disharmony in state but unfortunately some political parties playing into their hands and abetting them." advertisement Further, she said it is clear from investigations that AAP MLAs were desecrating holy books and trying to create trouble in the state. She also accused Kejriwal of indulging in "politics of fraud" and not "politics of penance" after he washed utensils at the Golden Temple to seek apology over the youth manifesto controversy. When asked who was Shiromani Akali Dal's (SAD) real challenger, Badal said both Kejriwal and Sidhu were failures. "I have never seen the CM of a state going to another state to make a government over there and not serving the people of his state," she said. While Sidhu barely scraped through the second elections with a bare 6,000 vote margin, both will stand exposed during Punjab elections, she added. "But people of Punjab will teach him a lesson. People of Delhi are also realising what a big mistake they have made. He made promises to people of Delhi and has not been able to fulfil them," Kaur, said. Kejriwal washed dishes in the Golden Temple's community kitchen as an apology after his Aam Aadmi Party drew flak for depicting the image of the Sikh shrine with the party symbol, the broom, in its youth manifesto. --- ENDS --- Aged 93 and 91, Sigi and Hanka Siegreich first met each other in 1944. By India Today Web Desk: Theirs is a story straight out of a fictional, romantic saga. Only it isn't. Sigi, 93 and Hanka Siegreich, 91 have been married for a total of 70 years but their love for each other can be gauged by a mere glance at them. But what is so unique about their story? Having met each other at Poland's Czestochowa camp that was set up by Hitler's army, the couple fell in love from the very first moment they laid eyes on each other in 1944. advertisement Also Read: If this anniversary photoshoot doesn't restore your faith in love, nothing will "When I saw her, the whole world was turning around me. I saw a pair of beautiful eyes and I heard bells ringing," ABC quotes Sigi as saying. Sigi then goes on to mention how before going back to his barrack, he gave her a kiss on her cheek that is still etched in both their memories. After becoming each other's solace at a place that was laden with atrocities, the couple exchanged vows the very next day of the camp's liberation. Smitten with each other even after 7 decades of matrimony, the couple had a proper wedding ceremony in 1971 on the day of their 50th anniversary. Delightfully enough, the celebration was attended by the couple's fellow inmates from the camp who had also been witness to their marriage back in 1945. According to ABC, the couple has already had their gravestones prepared next to each other "for when they leave this world." --- ENDS --- This is just the kind of positivity one needs to start the day off with. By India Today Web Desk: For years, we've been made to believe that getting married is almost a prerequisite for experiencing a sense of completion in life. Characters are scrutinised, judgments are passed and questions are raised when an individual makes a conscious decision to not get married--but this lady's story might just relieve you of all your presumptions. A snippet from the Humans of Bombay series, the post starts with the woman speaking about her career choices, which she refers to as the "great experiences" in her life. advertisement Also Read: Abused, insulted and tortured for 20 years, this woman's tale still reeks of hope "I was a research scientist for a long time, I worked with a Pharma company and when I started feeling a little less challenged I started leaning the Russian Language," she says before mentioning her decision to get married. "Ive never married, but I grew up with the most loving family--4 younger brothers who love spoiling me..till today; even when I'm almost 77!" she adds. The lady then goes on to describe her 75th birthday celebration as her "happiest memory". Also Read: This Humans of Bombay story about two best friends and their unique friendship is #SquadGoals "...they threw a surprise party for me at this huge hall with lots of balloons and a big cake..and I think that has been my happiest memory, just being together with everyone I love so dearly." Lastly, sharing how she's lending her niece a hand in putting together a scrap book for her brother's 75th birthday, she says, "I have about a 1000 of our childhood photos to sift through and some major cutting and pasting to do!" You can read the complete post here. --- ENDS --- Pakistani national, Arshad Mahmood, who was carrying a Bangladeshi passport, was arrested on charges of espionage in 2004. By Ashish Pandey: The Telangana government will be requesting for consular access to a Pakistani national, who completed 14 years jail term. The government will ask the concern authority to deport him from India. Pakistani national, Arshad Mahmood, who was carrying a Bangladeshi passport, was arrested on charges of espionage in 2004. Mahmood was passing sensitive information on to Pakistan's intelligence officers through e-mail. Photographs of army units and locations, sketch maps of army unit locations in Secunderabad-Hyderabad, copies of e-mails and a sum of Rs 31,000 were seized from his one-room rented house in the Muthyalabagh locality of city then. advertisement He was convicted by 1st additional metropolitan session judge Hyderabad U/S 235(2) CrPc for the charges u/S 14 of foreigners act, Section 3 & 9 of official secret act and Section 120B of IPC. Following which, the court had sentenced 14 years rigorous imprisonment. Arshad Mahmood was scheduled to be released today after the completion if his sentence. As per the rule, the government has decided to provide him the consular access for the process of deportation. Earlier too the government had deportated another convict Sher Ali Keshwani to Pakistan in similar manner. Meanwhile, the authority has asked Central Prison Warangal to detain Arshad till he get consular access and further his deportation. --- ENDS --- External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. By India Today Web Desk: Two days after Islamabad invited New Delhi for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the "international obligation" of both the countries to resolve the issue, India has accepted Pakistan's proposal by saying it is willing to send its top diplomat for talks on cross-border terrorism but not Kashmir. Responding to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry's invitation, India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar expressed his willingness to travel to Islamabad to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism which are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir. advertisement Later talking to the media, Jaishankar said India has made great efforts to reach out to Pakistan but it clearly faces a unique challenge in Pakistan's response. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said: "India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali. "Incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan. Earlier, the Ministry of External Affairs had said that it was ready for talks but only on "relevant issues." INDIA REJECTED PAKISTAN'S PROPOSAL India had earlier this month rejected a similar proposal for talks when Pakistan's Prime Minister's advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz spoke about the idea at a press conference on August, 12. Responding to Aziz's proposal, the External Affairs Ministry clearly spelt out the terms of any further talks on Kashmir with Pakistan. PAKSITAN'S DOUBLE SPEAK On one hand, Islamabad sent a concilliatory note by extending invitation for comprehensive talks while on the other, its High Commissioner in Delhi, Abdul Basit toed a line that has the potential to derail talks. Basit said, "Is saal ki Jashn-e-Azadi hum Kashmir ki Azadi ke naam karte hain" (We dedicate this year's Independence Day celebrations to Kashmir's freedom). WAR OF WORDS India and Pakistan have been engaged in a war of words over the statements by Islamabad on the situation in Kashmir which is witnessing unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last month. Wani was described as a martyr by Pakistan, which has also tried to internationalise the Kashmir issue while India has been maintaining that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the Valley is the root cause of the turbulence. ALSO READ | India ready for talks with Pakistan but only on 'relevant issues', says MEA --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Buoyed by Internet penetration in rural areas, the number of web users in India will see a two-fold rise at 730 million by 2020 against 350 million at the end of 2015, a latest report said today. India, whose Internet user base is second largest after China, will remain the fastest growing market, according to The Future of Internet in India report by Nasscom and Akamai Technologies. advertisement The report said that 75 per cent of new Internet users in India will come from rural areas. An overwhelming majority (75 per cent) of new users will consume data in local languages, it said. "Indias Internet consumption has already exceeded the US to become number two globally...By 2020, the Internet is expected to penetrate deeper in hinterlands of the country, helping create more opportunities for everyone," Nasscom President R Chandrashekhar said. PTI MBI MKJ --- ENDS --- By Mayank Pratap Singh: The generation of Chagai in Balochistan have developed genetic abnormalities. It was not the as same as it is today. This all started after May 28 1998, when Pakistan, to balance Pokharan-2 test commenced by India, did series of nuclear tests. This test was done just in haste, as no requisite drill and ground realisation was done, resulting into the destructions of generations. advertisement HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED Just after Pokhran-2 test commenced by India, Pakistan did a series of nuclear test in Baluchistan. May 28 is a day that carries immense significance in the history of Pakistan as the country became a nuclear power on the very same date back in 1998 after a team of nuclear physicists, led by Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, conducted seven nuclear tests at Chagai in Balochistan, thus it the seventh nuclear force in the world and the first Muslim country to achieve this. THE DISASTROUS AFTER-EFFECTS The result of this, the children born are coming with genetic problem such as facial deformities, eye problems, skin diseases, and limb dysfunction. "This has caused a series of damage to the flora and fauna of the area thus resulting to the radioactive effect to every level of ecosystem and hence affecting the human beings who inhabited there," says She Mohammad Bugti, chief Spokesperson of Balochistan Republican party. He adds, "Pakistan has never been worried about the people of Baluchistan, but has only used the land of prosperity for its good only." Due to nuclear tests conducted by Pakistan, the radioactivity has gone into the very soil of the area and has contaminated the ground water. The people who once inhabited the Chagai, are now migrating for better shelter in Pakistan, where they are treated as enemy only. Out homed from their native land, they are left to live a miserable life. Also read: Indian Air Force successfully test-fires land-attack version of BrahMos cruise missile --- ENDS --- A medical study found that the greater the involvement in substance abuse, more severe is the violence and criminality. By Neetu Chandra Sharma: Youngsters addicted to tobacco, drugs and alcohol are more likely to commit violent crimes such as rape and murder, a medical study has found, underscoring a major concern in a country with likely the highest number of street children in the world. The report submitted to the ministries of health as well as social justice and empowerment found that the greater the involvement in substance abuse, more severe is the violence and criminality. advertisement Doctors have noted a growing trend of juveniles committing serious crimes such as rape, murder, attempt to murder and burglary. As there was no reliable data associating substance use and criminality among children in Delhi, the experts decided to do a research study. IHABS REPORT The review was conducted by the city's Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), department of psychiatry at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital and Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute on over 500 inmates at the Prayas observation home for boys. "Out of the total juvenilesunder-enquiry booked under different crimes, over 87 per cent had a history of substance use," said Shridhar Sharma, member, managing committee of Prayas. "Consumption of tobacco and cannabis were higher when compared to other drugs. Consumption of psychotropic drugs though relatively lesser was related with more serious crimes." Sharma, also a former top official in the union health ministry, said a drug-crime correlation was noted among consumption of cannabis with murder, inhalants with rape and opioids with snatching related offences. DRUG ABUSE LINKED TO VIOLENT CRIMES Use of solvents or inhalants such as typewriter thinners and whiteners were reported to be high among the juveniles convicted of rape when compared to other crimes. Similarly, cannabis intake was rampant among those held guilty for murder. Also, consumption of opioids and heroin was higher in convicts of mugging and snatching-related crimes. However, intake of psychotropic drugs was common only with crimes of more serious nature such as murder, rape, snatching, and burglary. LARGEST NUMBER OF STREET KIDS According to the UNICEF estimates, at least 100 million children live in the streets across the world, with indications that the largest number of them are in India. These children can be seen selling trinkets, picking rags, polishing shoes, working in vehicle repair shops, or serving food in roadside restaurants. The national Capital alone has approximately one lakh street children, and substance abuse is reported as a major health problem in this segment of the population. 93 PER CENT STREET CHILDREN CONSUMED DRUGS advertisement A study by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights on substance abuse by kids showed last year that 100 per cent of the children in conflict with the law were drug abusers, while 95.5 per cent of them staying in child care institutions were on drugs and 93 per cent of street children consumed narcotics. The study also said 88 per cent of the children consumed drugs due to "peer pressure". The increasing use of pharmaceutical drugs for addiction prompted the government to separately tackle the menace of alcoholism and medicine abuse. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment two year ago came up with guidelines called the National Policy for Drug Demand Reduction (NPDDR), 2014, to independently address the two challenges. As there is no ban on the sale and purchase of alcohol, except in states where there is clear prohibition, the Centre has formulated separate policies on drug and alcohol abuse. Also Read: Delhi grapples with rise in prescription drug abuse, chemist shops under close watch --- ENDS --- A Kabaddi tournament organised in Gurgaon to promote inter-caste unity turned violent as a Dalit team started winning. At least 10 people were injured in the clash. By India Today Web Desk: As part of the Independence Day celebration, a kabaddi match is organised in Haryana every year, between teams representing different castes. This is done to send out a message of inter-caste unity. But what happened this year in Haryana's Gurgaon sent out the exact opposite message. What started off as a friendly kabaddi match between two teams -- one representing Yadav and one representing Dalits -- ended in an ugly brawl. advertisement The Dalit team outperformed their competitors, and when the results were announced, the Yadavs allegedly attacked the members of the Dalit team so bad that one of them sustained a fracture in his arm and another fellow got a severe head injury. Both of them are recovering at Uma Sanjeevani Hospital in Gurgaon, reports The Indian Express. At least 10 people were injured in the violence. The report also says that the competition, held at the Government Senior Secondary School in Gurgaon's Chakkarpur village, involved a competition between teams from various villages and castes, including Dalits, Yadavs, Jats, Gurjars, Banias, and Agrawals, among others. As the Dalit team began performing better, the Yadavs allegedly abused their competitors, thrashed them and threatened them with country-made guns and even fired in the air. An FIR has been filed at the Sector 29 police station against eight members of the Yadav community for the same. The Indian Express also quotes MCG councillor Sunil Yadav as saying, "The competition was organised by the residents of the village? It had nothing to do with caste. If there were teams with members from only one caste, that's just coincidence." Sadly, irony died a thousand deaths that day. --- ENDS --- Three students from Sri Siddhartha Institute of Technology in Tumkur, run by Karnataka home minister Dr G Parameshwara, have been arrested for raising pro-Pakistan slogans. By Rohini Swamy: Two days after the Bengaluru Police booked Amnesty International on charges of sedition and Kashmiri students for raising 'azaadi' slogans at an event organised by the human rights body, three students from Sri Siddhartha Institute of Technology in Tumkur city of Karnataka have been arrested for raising pro-Pakistan slogans. The college is run by Karnataka home minister Dr G Parameshwara. Karnataka home minister Dr G Parameshwara. (Photo: Twitter@DrParameshwara) advertisement On the night of August 14, three students, Danish Ahmed, Praveen Kumar Singh and Mohit Singh got into a squabble during Mohit's birthday celebration. A minor argument snowballed into a serious situation wherein Praveen and Danish burnt books and clothes in the hostel. The security guard of the hostel complained to the police about the incident. During the argument, Praveen Kumar allegedly raised slogans saying "Pakistan Zindabad". The students who were arrested, during their interrogation denied raising pro-Pakistan slogans and said that they actually had shouted "Pakistan Murdabad". Superintendent of police Tumkur, Karthik Reddy, said that all three students where in an inebriated condition and reacted this way under the influence of alcohol. He also said that it was Praveen Kumar, whose father works in the Indian army, who allegedly raised the pro-Pakistan slogan. Karnataka home minister, Dr G Parameshwara, has said that he has sought an enquiry into the matter and if any one is found guilty, strict action will be taken. Also Read: Bengaluru Police slap sedition charges on Amnesty International after pro-Pakistan slogans at event ABVP students rally against Amnesty International, demand arrest of 'anti-nationals' --- ENDS --- Terrorists ambushed an army convoy at Khwaja Bagh in Baramulla at 2.30 am, a police official said. By Press Trust of India: Two army men and a policeman were killed while three other security personnel were injured today in terrorist attack in Baramulla district of Kashmir, police said. Terrorists ambushed an army convoy at Khwaja Bagh in Baramulla at 2.30 am, a police official said. He said two soldiers were killed and two others were injured. "One policeman was also killed while another cop was injured as their vehicle also came under attack by the militants," the official said. advertisement He said a massive operation has been launched to track down the attackers, who fled the spot. Watch: Pakistan terrorists infiltrating into Kashmir to join Hizbul Burhan Brigade --- ENDS --- Arvind Kejriwal, in a meeting with delegation of Delhi trade unions, said that Congress was in Ambani's pockets and the Modi government is in Adani's pocket. "The Congress government was in the pocket of Ambani and the Modi government is in the pocket of Adani," Kejriwal said. By Manideep Sharma: Delhi chief minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, conspicuously silent ever since returning from his vipassana, has broken his silence and unleashed a verbal assault on the Modi government and the Adani group. Congress was in Ambani's pockets and the Modi government is in Adani's pocket, he said. He made the statement while meeting a delegation of Delhi trade unions, which had gone to meet him over an increase in minimum wages. advertisement POCKETS AND POLITICS The CM said, "We have increased minimum wages by nearly 50 per cent... this is the first time in history that the percentage has been raised on such a large scale because this is not an Adani-Ambani government but a government of poor labourers. The Congress government was in the pocket of Ambani and the Modi government is in the pocket of Adani." Kejriwal also claimed that he had read somewhere that Adani's income had trebled in the last three years. CHOPPER TAUNT He added that if incomes go up, the poor will buy foodgrain, bicycles, but if money goes into Adani's pocket, he'll buy his wife a helicopter. Training his sights on the PM Modi yet again, the AAP leader said, "Modi ji, you've served Adani enough. Now serve the people." Kejriwal celebrated his 48th birthday on Tuesday (August 16) and was wished by PM Modi on Twitter. --- ENDS --- The decision was taken by the government following several complaints of unruly behaviour from places around liquor shops. By India Today Web Desk: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today announced that no new liquor shop with a government licence will be opened in the national capital this year. "No new liquor shops will be opened in Delhi this year. As far as the existing shops are concerned, the Mohalla Sabhas will take the final call if a particular shop needs to be relocated," Kejriwal said in a press conference. advertisement The decision was taken by the government following several complaints of unruly behaviour from places around liquor shops. The Chief Minister also warned that strict action will be taken against shop owners and managers of existing liquor shops if any wrong activities are reported about them. SWARAJ ABHIYAN ATTACKS AAP GOVT Last week, Swaraj Abhiyan, an organisation led by Aam Aadmi Party rebels Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav, had attacked the AAP government over increasing liquor permits in Delhi and demanded the 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 had demanded that places where residents are opposed to liquor shops should be done away with. Bhushan reminded the AAP government that the Swaraj Bill makes it mandatory to take the opinion of 50 per cent women of the area if one has to open a liquor shop. The Swaraj Abhiyan also demanded that the AAP government should consult people before formulating any policy and make the draft public.ALSO READ | Kejriwal reiterates demand for Delhi's statehood --- ENDS --- By PTI: Chennai, Aug 17 (PTI) Global Internet and technology firm, LeEco here today unveiled its content integrated ecosystem televisions, the Super3 series priced up to Rs 1.29 lakh. After launching the latest range of smartphones Le 2, Le Max, the Beijing-headquartered company forayed into TV market with the launch of Super3 Series, Super3 X55, Super3 X65 and Super3 Max65, LeEco India Product Management Head Gautam Shah said. advertisement "TheEcoTV Super3 series are equipped with several features including low latency process, extra ordinary 2.1 speakers and offer best in class experience of internet ecosystem," he told reporters here. While the base variant Super3 X55 is priced at Rs 59,790, the second flagship Super3 X65 is priced at Rs 99,790. The top variant equipped with 3D is priced at Rs 1.29 lakh. The TVs come with four years warranty and the company would begin its formal sale by month end through e-commerce portal Flipkart, a company official said. PTI VIJ ROH BN ABK --- ENDS --- More than 30,000 Muslims from across the world gathered in Hampshire, United Kingdom, to protest against the Islamic State and to reject religious extremism. By India Today Web Desk: To spread the message of "love for all, hated for none", more than 30,000 Muslims from all over the world came together at Oakland Farm in Alton, Hampshire, United Kingdom. In a three-day event, these Muslims rejected religious extremism and protested against the Islamic State, reported the Independent. The event was organised to celebrate the 50th annual Jalsa Salana, an annual convention and gathering for Ahmadiyya Muslims. advertisement Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a sect of Islam and was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian in 1889 in Punjab, British India. Photo: aglimpseoflondon.com The religious movement's philosophy values tolerance over extremism. The community built London's first mosque in 1926 and now has 129 branches across Britain. The global Caliph, His Holiness Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community led everyone in a vow of peace and spoke to delegates during the Pledge of Allegiance ceremony. The ceremony confirmed their loyalty to their home countries. "The only thing the terrorists are achieving is to completely violate the teachings of the Holy Quran and of the Holy Prophet Muhammad", said Hazrat Ahmad. "Let it be clear that they are not practising Islam, rather it seems as though they have invented their own hate-filled and poisonous religion", he added. --- ENDS --- In the video, Suresh Lad, NCP MLA from Karjat constituency is seen assaulting Abhay Kalgutkar, Deputy Collector in charge of the land acquisition. Suresh Lad can be seen assaulting the government official in the picture. By Kamlesh Damodar Sutar: In yet another example of how power drunk politicians misbehave with government officials, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA slapped deputy collector in his office, in Raigad district of Maharashtra. The act was captured on a mobile camera, which is in possession of India Today. In the video, Suresh Lad, NCP MLA from Karjat Constituency is seen assaulting Abhay Kalgutkar, Deputy Collector in charge of the land acquisition. advertisement ALLEGATIONS AND ASSAULT Lad alleges that the deputy collector was deliberately delaying the procedure of land acquisition for farmers. The incident reportedly took place on Friday last week. Suresh Lad along with his supporters reached the Karjat Tehsildar office and started abusing Kalgutkar, after a while the MLA lost his cool and started assaulting the official. He can be seen abusing and daring the deputy collector to come to the police station in the video. NO COMPLAINT FILED YET However Lad's party was quick to distance itself from the shameful act. NCP national spokesperson Nawab Malik said "There is law in the country to protect government officials performing their duty. If the government official was assaulted, he should go and file a police complaint". Meanwhile the Deputy Collector Abhay Kalgutkar has refused to file a police complaint. Speaking to India Today, Kalgutkar said "For personal reasons I am not going to file any police complaint but I have written a letter to my senior authority". Even after several attempts, Suresh Lad remained unavailable for comments. It remains to be seen whether the police will take suo moto cognizance of the incident and file case against the MLA. Watch the video here: Neta's goondagiri: NCP MLA slaps 2 officials in a fit of rage --- ENDS --- A man was caught masturbating on a train by a female passenger. She filmed it and threatened to thrash him. By India Today Web Desk: A man was caught masturbating on a train by a woman. She filmed it and threatened to beat him up. The female passenger filmed the man masturbating on a New York City train and abused him badly. The video shows the woman confronting the man. She initially asked the man what he was up to but unleashed her anger after she saw him staring at her, reported the Irish Mirror. advertisement The woman, who recorded the entire incident, could be heard screaming at the man, abusing him, and asking him to deboard at the next stop. She threatens to thrash the man unless he gets off the train. The terrified man, holds up his hands, and deboards the train. Watch the video here: --- ENDS --- Bihar man who fell in love with his mother-in-law had made news. Now, after getting married, the couple say they regret the decision to be together and has filed a divorce petition. By India Today Web Desk: A few weeks ago, the strange love story between a woman and her son-in-law hit headlines but now there's a whole new twist to the unusual love story. Twenty-year-old Suraj Mahto, from Puraini village in Bihar's Madhepura district, betrayed his wife and married his 42-year-old mother-in-law, Asha Devi. But Suraj recently approached the court and filed a petition seeking divorce to end his new marriage. advertisement The Gulf News quoted Suraj as saying, "I have come to realize my folly now. I admit I have committed a mistake but will never repeat in future. Now, I no longer treat her [mother-in-law] as my wife. Rather, I have started paying her regard as a mother." Suraj's wife who fainted on seeing him and her mother married now lives with her father in Delhi. The guilt ridden Suraj said that he will try his best to convince Lalita to get back with him. Also read: Pyaar in Bihar: Woman ditches husband for son-in-law, daughter faints Suraj is not alone in his decision to separate. Asha Devi equally regrets her mistake; the daily quoted her as saying, "No longer do I treat him as my husband but only as my son-in-law. We have already a filed divorce petition in the court and I want to return to my husband as soon as possible." Suraj Mahto and Asha Devi's love story shocked each and every soul in the village. It all started when Asha Devi went to check on her unwell son-in-law Suraj at his village. The two fell in love and after Asha Devi returned home, the two began talking over the phone for long hours. Suraj's wife tried her best to intervene in their relationship and so did the villagers, but those efforts went in vain. The local Panchayat ended up approving their relationship and allowed them to tie the knot. The court is yet to approve the divorce petition filed by Suraj. --- ENDS --- Aranaya's father Pramod Kumar, a CRPF Commandant, lost his life in a militant attack in Srinagar's Nowhatta region in Jammu and Kashmir. Aranaya saluting her father on his last journey.Photo Courtesy: Anil Giri By Manogya Loiwal : A six year old daughter did what even her mother could not. Saluting a Martyr on his last journey. As Aranaya controlled her tears and consoled her mother too, she kept repeating just one sentence..."My Father is now an Angel". Her father Pramod Kumar, a CRPF Commandant lost his life in a militant attack in Srinagar's Nowhatta region in Jammu and Kashmir. advertisement Pramod was part of the 49th battalion of CRPF that successfully killed two militants in an attack. As his body wrapped in the Tricolour flag was brought just a day after 70th Independence Day, the entire region of Jharkhand including Police Commissioner of Asansol, Durgapur, Laxmi Narayan Meena was present for a guard of honour to the braveheart. Born on 15h October 1972, Pramod had joined CRPF in 1998 and was posted on several strategic locations including the Special Protection Group from 2011-2014. After more than 18 years of service, he was promoted as the Commanding Officer just a few months earlier. The strength that was shown by Pramod in the gun-battle was displayed by his six-year-old daughter Aranaya in his hometown of Mihijam, situated on Bengal-Jharkhand border but as a silent spectator. From saluting her fathers coffin to standing as a pillar by her mother, all she did was make the gathering of thousands proud of what a seven-year-old girl could do. Also Read: CRPF commandant Pramod Kumar served the nation till his last breath: Rajnath Singh --- ENDS --- The probe is being carried out under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to find whether there was any violation of the laws by the India chapter of Amnesty International, a Home Ministry official said today. By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 16 (PTI) Amidst allegations of anti-India slogans being raised at an Amnesty event in Bengaluru, the Home Ministry has launched a probe into the funding of the NGO, its expenses and "possible" violation of FCRA by it. The probe is being carried out under the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) to find whether there was any violation of the laws by the India chapter of Amnesty International, a Home Ministry official said today. advertisement UNDER SERIOUS SCRUTINY The NGO has not been registered under the FCRA and its application for registration under the FCRA is now under serious scrutiny following the Bengaluru event where anti-India slogans were allegedly raised during a discussion on Kashmir on Saturday. PROBE SOURCES OF FUNDING The probe will see whether the India chapter of Amnesty International has received foreign funds and if so under what laws, other sources of funding, it expenses and patterns of expenses, the official said. WITHOUT SUBSTANCE ALLEGATIONS Amnesty International, on its part, has rejected as "without substance" the allegations made by ABVP, the student outfit of RSS, and claimed that none of its employees shouted any anti-India slogans at any point. The NGO was booked under IPC sections, including sedition, by Bengaluru Police. Also Read: ABVP students rally against Amnesty International, demand arrest of 'anti-nationals' --- ENDS --- By PTI: Indore, Aug 17 (PTI) The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court today stayed an order reinstating a lady doctor who was suspended on the charge of negligence following the death of an infant at the district hospital here. A division bench of Justices P K Jaiswal and D K Paliwal stayed the order while hearing a public interest litigation. advertisement "The bench has stayed the June 30 order of the government reinstating Dr Anubha Shrivastava," said the petitioner Zeeshan Khans lawyer, Shanno Shagufta Khan. Besides Dr Shrivastava, a nurse, an attendant and a sanitation worker were also suspended. But the doctor was reinstated within a month without waiting for the report of a magisterial probe, the lawyer said. Sangita Baghel, who lives here, gave birth to a girl on June 3 at the district hospital. Two days later, the newborn was administered a vaccine after which she developed high fever and died on June 6. The parents alleged that negligence of the hospital staff was responsible for the death. They also alleged that her body was left unattended in the hospital mortuary, and ants were found to have eaten a part of it. PTI HWP MAS KRK SC SRE --- ENDS --- Swmkwr Khaklar, the NDFB(S) terrorist was nabbed from the Ai Poali area during a joint operation conducted by the Army and Assam police. By Indrajit Kundu: A hardcore NDFB(S) terrorist has been apprehended by security forces in Assam's Chirang district on Thursday. The hardcore NDFB(S) cadre was nabbed from the Ai Poali area during a joint operation conducted by the Army and Assam Police based on a specific intelligence input. NABBED TERRORIST IDENTIFIED Trained in Myanmar, the nabbed terrorist has been identified as Swmkwr Khaklary alias Saikhlong from belonging to the 40th batch of the NDFB(S). A pistol, one hand grenade and some ammunition was recovered from him. advertisement The apprehended terrorist had joined the banned organisation in August 2013 and got trained in the General Headquarter of the organisation. He had recently come to the area to give a fresh impetus to the activities of the banned outfit. The apprehension comes as a major blow to already dwindling strength of the banned insurgent group. The arrest comes as part of the massive anti-militant operations being carried out by the security forces after the Kokrajhar attack on August 5 in which 14 civilians were gunned down by NDFB(S) terrorists. ALSO READ | Assam terror attack: Kokrajhar remains tense, toll rises to 14 --- ENDS --- By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, Aug 17 (PTI) Allaying concerns over the fall of pro-Beijing Prime Minister K P Sharma Olis government, a top Nepalese leader today said Nepal accords a priority to China in its foreign relations and abides by the One-China policy. Newly elected Prime Minister Prachandas special envoy Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara made the remarks here during his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. advertisement Mahara said Nepal will strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, and implement all consensus already reached between the two countries. His visit comes following anxieties in Beijing over the fate of several projects connecting China and Nepal signed by former Prime Minister Oli to reduce landlocked Nepals dependence on India. Li said China appreciates the importance attached to relations with Beijing by the new Nepalese government. He said China will work with Nepal in the spirit of friendship, sincerity, and mutual benefit, to jointly promote bilateral relations as well as peace, stability and prosperity in the region. China plans to expand bilateral cooperation in such areas as trade, connectivity and infrastructure construction. China will also help Nepal in natural disaster relief and post-disaster reconstruction, Li added. Mahara was visiting Beijing just two weeks after Prachanda was elected as Nepals new prime minister. He also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. China considers Taiwan and Tibet as part of the country and requires other nations to accept it as "One-China" policy. China is also worried over supporters of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama fleeing from Tibet to India via Nepal. PTI KJV ZH AKJ ZH --- ENDS --- By PTI: Boston, Aug 17 (PTI) MIT scientists have developed a technique to help the 2020 NASA Mars rover quickly and non-invasively identify rocks which are more likely than others to hold signs of ancient life on the red planet. In 2020, NASA plans to launch a new Mars rover that will be tasked with probing a region of the planet scientists believe could hold remnants of ancient microbial life. advertisement The rover will collect samples of rocks and soil, and store them on the Martian surface; the samples would be returned to Earth sometime in the distant future so that scientists can meticulously analyse them for signs of present or former extraterrestrial life. Now, scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the US have developed a technique that will help the rover quickly and non-invasively identify sediments that are relatively unaltered, and that maintain much of their original composition. Such "pristine" samples give scientists the best chance for identifying signs of former life, if they exist, as opposed to rocks whose histories have been wiped clean by geological processes such as excessive heating or radiation damage. The teams technique centres on a new way to interpret the results of Raman spectroscopy, a common, non-destructive process that geologists use to identify the chemical composition of ancient rocks. Among its suite of scientific tools, the 2020 Mars rover includes SHERLOC or Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals, an instrument that will acquire Raman spectra from samples on or just below the Martian surface. SHERLOC will be pivotal in determining whether life ever existed on Mars. Raman spectroscopy measures the minute vibrations of atoms within the molecules of a given material. As atoms and molecules vibrate at various frequencies depending on what they are bound to, Raman spectroscopy enables scientists to identify key aspects of a samples chemical composition. More importantly, the technique can determine whether a sample contains carbonaceous matter - a first clue that the sample may also harbour signs of life. Nicola Ferralis, a research scientist in MITs Department of Materials Science and Engineering, discovered hidden features in Raman spectra that can give a more informed picture of a samples chemical makeup. The researchers were able to estimate the ratio of hydrogen to carbon atoms from the substructure of the peaks in Raman spectra. This is important because the more heating any rock has experienced, the more the organic matter becomes altered, specifically through the loss of hydrogen in the form of methane, researchers said. advertisement The study was published in the journal Carbon. PTI SAR SAR --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Telecom regulator Trai is believed to have told the Department of Telecom (DoT) that it does not have any ground to seek compliance from operators, including Reliance Jio, during testing of networks under current rules. "Trai has replied to DoTs letter which asked (it) to seek compliance from telecom operators, mainly RJIL, on duration, subscriber numbers etc during testing of their network. It has said there is no clarity in licence on the basis of which such compliance can be sought," an official source told PTI. advertisement During the test run, Reliance Jio is providing 90 days of unlimited calling and 4G data use on its network for free. It claims to have 1.5 million subscribers during this phase. The company has set a target of achieving 100 million subscribers within a year of commercial rollout of service. DoT had asked Trai to seek compliance from telecom operators on scale, duration of testing, network inter-connection and matters pertaining to subscriber addition. "Trai has told DoT that to address issues around testing of telecom networks, it should seek a reference formally from the regulator on the subject. The regulator will then carry out consultation process to firm up its recommendations," the official said. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) with Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular on board had approached DoT requesting it to immediately ask Reliance Jio to stop all connections provided to 1.5 million users. The industry body alleged that Jio is bypassing regulations by offering full-fledged services under the guise of test connections. Faced with charges of "bypassing regulations", the Mukesh Ambani-led Jio has hit back, saying the claims are "malicious, unfounded, ill-informed and frivolous" and have been made with "ulterior motive" of promoting vested interests of incumbent operators. Jio has accused incumbent players such as Airtel, Vodafone and Idea of "artificially and illegally" blocking its network in "an anti-competitive manner". It is targeting a subscriber base of over 100 million in a year and has been asking for capacity in equipment to inter-connect its services with network of other operators. PTI PRS ANZ ARD --- ENDS --- North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is promoting dog meat as 'traditional stamina food' saying that it has more vitamins than chicken, beef or pork. By India Today Web Desk: The North Koreans call canine meat 'Dangogi', which translates to 'sweet meat,' and state media across the country has been promoting its consumption. The propaganda channels call canine meat as 'traditional stamina food' saying that the meat is good for the intestines and contains more nutrients than chicken, beef, pork and duck put together. The most disturbing part about this propaganda is that it is backed by the leader Kim Jong-un himself. Korean Times, a local news website, claimed that the dogs will be stripped off their fur, and then beaten to death. A woman cooks dog meat at a restaurant in Seoul Photo: Reuters advertisement The report also describes 'dog stew' as the finest medicine; "there's an old saying that even a slice of dangogi can be good medicine during the dog days." "It shows our people's love for dangogi and that it is the finest of all medicines, especially during the dog days when the weather is scorching." Although dog meat is a popular dish in North Korea, animal activists in neighboring South Korea have been raising their voices against the inhuman practice of butchering dogs for dinner. --- ENDS --- By Naseer Ganai: Stating that Pakistan is not an architect of present crisis in Kashmir, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said India was unwilling to own people of Kashmir inspite of stating that Kashmir is integral part of India. "When you say Kashmir is an integral part of India, you are talking about the land, not the people. You need to own the people with the land. It is not good enough to say Kashmir is part of India, what about Kashmiris then. Please own the people, not just the land. If you are unwilling to address the anger, then you are unwilling to own the people," Abdullah said while addressing reporters after chairing meeting of all opposition parties. The opposition parties are going to present a memorandum to the President to urge the Centre to take steps to address present crisis in the Valley. advertisement "DIALOGUE IS THE ONLY WAY FORWARD" Omar Abdullah strongly pitched that a dialogue is the only way forward. "We are supporters of a dialogue, whether it be National Conference, Congress, CPI(M) or any other smaller group. We believe dialogue is the only way forward. Both India and Pakistan should take requisite steps to improve the environment so that a dialogue is possible," said Omar. He said separatist and mainstream parties in Kashmir remain relevant whether Kashmir was undergoing peace or crisis. Citing example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's response to agitation in Gujarat early this year, Abdullah said, "It is mind-boggling that far lesser agitation in Gujarat had no lesser the person in India than the prime minister addressing that state in Gujarati from Delhi because he owned the people, he owned the state. Why is it that we don't get owned, why is that our anger doesn't get owned, why is it that our sentiment doesn't get owned, why is it that we get the feeling that you have to be forced to recognize the problem." OMAR APPEALS TO THE CENTRE "We are appealing to the Centre that it should recognise that there is problem. Please recognise that there is anger and this anger is not created by Pakistan. Yes, they may, as is past practice of fishing in troubled waters but they are not the architects of this problem and they are not the ones to keep it alive. It is our inability to recognise anger in Kashmir and inability to address this anger. We need to first recognise it and accept it and then we can hope this anger dies down," Abdullah said. Abdullah while comparing present protests in the Valley with uprising of 2010 when he was Chief Minister of the State, said that New Delhi's refusal to recognise the problem is complicated. "If the Valley erupted in 2008 against the economic blockade of Kashmir, it was addressed by opening of Srinagar-Muzafferabad trade route," he said. "Today both the Centre and State are turning a blind eye to the situation. If you don't recognise the anger, if you don't seek to address the root cause of the anger, how will the anger die away," Abdullah asked. "Kashmir crisis was only taken into note as the Parliament was in session. Twice the opposition brought this issue for discussion in the Rajya Sabha and once in the Lok Sabha," said Abdullah. advertisement He said unlike 2010 when the PDP actively lobbied for dismissal of his government, he has not sought dismissal of Mehbooba Mufti government. "This is not battle for chairs. This is not about pulling Mehbooba Mufti down so that one of us can get on that chair. This is about safeguarding future generation of Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Also read: India will talk to Pakistan only on cross-border terrorism, not Kashmir India ready for talks with Pakistan but only on 'relevant issues', says MEA --- ENDS --- By Ashraf Wani: National Conference president and formmer chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah has condemned the increasing number of deaths in ongoing unrest in Valley. Expressing profound grief and sorrow over the fresh spate of killings in the Valley, Omar Abdullah expressed alarm over the worsening situation and said both the Central and State Governments cannot absolve themselves of their responsibility to the prevent loss of lives and address the growing alienation. advertisement "We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and express our solidarity with them in their hour of inconsolable loss and grief. The situation in the Valley is grave and tragic", the NC president added. On Tuesday NC said the ensuing Balochistan narrative of a tit-for-tat one-upmanship between India and Pakistan was dangerous and primarily inimical to the prospects of peace and stability in the sub-continent in general and Kashmir in particular. NC Provincial President Nasir Aslam Wani said the current narrative of hostility and acrimony between New Delhi and Islamabad was diametrically and dramatically opposite to what PDP had promised viz-a-viz a sustained dialogue between the two neighbours, a smoke-screen marketed as an alleged 'cornerstone' of its opportunistic and unholy alliance with the BJP. Omar Abdullah has called a meeting of Opposition parties in Srinagar today including Congress on Complete unrest in Valley for last 39 days and no improvement in situation across valley. It is believed that opposition Parties from J&K may approach Now The President Pranab Mukharji. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Lalit K Jha Washington, Aug 17 (PTI) Pakistan must do the utmost to prevent terrorists from carrying out acts of terror not just in the country but elsewhere in the region, the US has said and underlined the need of greater Indo-Pak dialogue and counterterrorism cooperation to combat the menace. "We would encourage greater dialogue and counterterrorism cooperation between both Pakistan and India. Weve said that many times," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters yesterday. advertisement "Its for the good of both countries; its for the good of the region. Frankly, its for the benefit of the US," he said in response to a question and asked Pakistan to act firmly against terrorism. "Its important that Pakistan do the utmost to prevent terrorists from carrying out acts of terror not just in Pakistan, but elsewhere in the region. So its important that theres greater collaboration, greater dialogue," Toner said. "We would encourage any effort in that regard," he said. PTI LKJ NSA --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: It's been five years since Parineeti Chopra made her Bollywood debut. But unlike other actors, she has been linked to more or less only one man in the industry- her first director, Maneesh Sharma. Though, the two have remained silent on their relationship status all these years, recently the news of their patch up started doing the rounds, after a brief break up. advertisement ALSO READ: Sushant Singh Rajput and Ankita Lokhande have broken up? Is Parineeti Chopra the reason? ALSO READ: Is Aditya Chopra miffed with Parineeti Chopra? But the Shuddh Desi Romance actor has finally opened up about her relationship status with Maneesh. In an interview to Hindustan Times, Parineeti has rubbished all the rumours calling them "very funny". "I haven't met Maneesh for over two-three months. I didn't even know that he had gone on a holiday. We spoke on the phone sometime back, and he asked me, 'Apparently, you have been coming to my cabin every day (at producer Aditya Chopra's office) and meeting me. But mera kaunsa cabin hai (which cabin do I have)?'" she said. But the 27-year-old actor also says that such rumours do affect her life as things at times do get out of hands. "Maneesh and I have known each other for six years. And for six years, we have been saying the same thing - we are not dating. It's too much, because my personal life gets affected by these things, which people don't understand," she added. Recently, Parineeti was also linked up to her Shuddh Desi Romance co-star Sushant Singh Rajput and the actor was surprised to hear such rumours as she hasn't met him in a long time. "Such reports do affect our lives. There were some stories about Sushant and me as well, but I have not met him in a year. The stories said that we met one night, and suddenly, his break up happened because of me. I was like, 'Wow, I don't even remember the last time I spoke to him.' People around me were making fun of me, saying, 'Why are these romantic stories being published about you?' Because I don't have a romantic life," she said. On the work front, Parineeti will be next seen in Meri Pyaari Bindu opposite Ayushamnn Khurrana. --- ENDS --- The 53-year-old Payal Abdullah, the estranged wife of Omar Abdullah, has been living in her 7, Akbar Road bungalow with her two sons since 1999. By Sneha Agrawal: City trial court has asked Payal Abdullah, the estranged wife of former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, to vacate her government accommodation in Lutyen's zone. IN BUNGALOW SINCE 1999 The trial court on Tuesday dismissed her appeal against the estate office of Jammu and Kashmir's eviction order. The 53-year-old Payal has been living in her 7, Akbar Road bungalow with her two sons since 1999. advertisement She moved trial court on July 12, against the eviction notice of June 30, claiming that the estate officer of Jammu and Kashmir had illegally issued the notice as the property belongs to the Government of India and only it can get the bungalow vacated. She highlighted security issues because of which Omar Abdullah was allowed to retain the bungalow from 2002 to 2008, when he was neither serving as the chief minister nor a Union minister. MOVE TO DELHI HC Amit Khemka, the counsel for Payal, told Mail Today that they would move Delhi High Court against the trial court order. Sunil Fernandes, the standing counsel for Jammu and Kashmir said, "The trial court took consideration of a letter that was issued on September 9, 2015 according to which the government of India had allotted the bungalow to the government of Jammu and Kashmir. The court, however, observed that there is nothing on record to show that Omar Abdullah was allowed to retain the bungalow due to security threats." OMAR WASHES HANDS OFF "When the eviction notice was sent to Omar Abdullah, he mentioned in his response that he is no longer in occupation of the premises and the estate office is free to take whatever steps are considered necessary for taking the property over." Mail Today had first reported that the state of Jammu and Kashmir is faced with a piquant situation as it did not have an appropriate residence for Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, befitting her position and her security imperatives. While the trial court pronounced the judgment, the High Court which is also hearing the matter, has listed the matter for August 19. Payal had approached High Court claiming that her private apartment is inadequate to accommodate Z+ security for her two sons and Z security for herself. Also Read: Omar's estranged wife Payal should vacate Lutyens' bungalow for CM Mehbooba: J-K govt to court --- ENDS --- By PTI: Ahmedabad, Aug 17 (PTI) Pramukh Swami, the spiritual head of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) sect, was cremated at Swaminarayan temple in Sarangpur this evening with BJP chief Amit Shah, party patriarch L K Advani and Union Minister Arun Jaitley attending the last rites. The cremation were held as per Vedic rituals in an open ground on the premises of the temple in the presence of thousands of devotees and a number of dignitaries. advertisement Saints and devotees bid their final adieu to him with tears amid chants and prayers. The 95-year-old spiritual head had died on August 13 at the Sarangpur temple where he had been residing since the last few years. He had not been keeping well since long due to age-related problems and was being treated at the temple which is around 150 km from here. Swamis mortal remains were kept at the temple till this morning to enable devotees and citizens to have a final glimpse. Reportedly over 20 lakh devotees of the Swaminarayan sect from across the globe visited the temple to pay tributes. Shah, Jaitley, Advani and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu were among the dignitaries who paid their last respects to the departed soul. Shah said it will be impossible to fill the vacuum created by Swamis death. "Since I was born and brought up in Gujarat, I was a witness to Swamis influence on the lives of people of not only Gujarat but also of the country. He did a commendable job of pursuing people to give up smoking and other addictions. I believe that it will be impossible to fill up the void created by his death," Shah said. In his condolence message, Jaitley praised Swami for motivating millions to walk the path of dharma. "For a very long period, Swami persuaded millions of people across the globe to walk the path of religion and sacrifice. He was having the power to motivate people to work for the betterment of the society. I believe that he is irreplaceable," the Finance Minister said. (More) PTI PJT PD NRB AAR --- ENDS --- By Hemul Goel: It's that time of the year again! As Shravan Poornima (the full moon day in the month of Sawan according to the Hindu calendar) nears, so does the festival of Raksha Bandhan, that sees sisters tie rakhi (sacred thread) on the wrists of their brother(s) as a symbol of their love, culminating into the latter's vow of lifelong protection. advertisement Also watch: 5 sisters on the evils they want to protect their brothers from this Raksha Bandhan You have probably already chosen the gifts that will be exchanged and while the sweets are waiting to be devoured, do you know all the legends and the history that cemented the belief in the festival that celebrates the bond between a brother and sister? Indra and Indrani Turns out, Raksha Bandhan wasn't just meant as a symbol of sibling love, as is illustrated by the story of Indra and Indrani. During a war between Gods and demons, wherein Indra was losing to King Bali, Indra's wife Indrani prayed to Lord Vishnu, who gave her a holy thread which she tied around Indra's wrist. Blessed with its powers, Indra won the war and the thread became his protection against any evil. Krishna and Draupadi It's said that after Lord Krishna hurt his index finger while hurling the Sudharshan Chakra at Shishupala, Draupadi tore her saree immediately and tied it around Krishna's finger to prevent it from bleeding. Touched by her unconditional love, Krishna took the mantle of Draupadi's care and protection upon himself, as was also seen during her cheer haran by the Kauravas. Queen Kunti and Abhimanyu Queen Kunti is said to have tied a sacred thread as a measure of protection, on the wrist of her grandson, Abhimanyu--the son of Subhadra and Arjun--during the battle of Mahabharata. Also read: This is how you can make rakhis at home for your beloved bhai King Bali and Goddess Lakshmi According to this website, when a turn of events led to Lord Vishnu disguising himself as the doorman of King Bali--the grandson of Vishnu's ardent devotee Prahlada--Goddess Lakshmi became restless because of his absence in Vaikuntha (their abode). She came to earth in the guise of a Brahmin woman and told Bali, the story of her husband having gone away for some work, due to which she requested for shelter from the King. Bali not only gave her a place to stay, but also took care of her. It's said that on the full moon day (Purnima) of the Shravana month, she tied a thread around Bali's wrist with prayers for his protection and happiness. Touched by her affection, Bali granted her a wish. She requested him to free her husband, the gatekeeper. The incident had Bali confused as he couldn't envision the lady as the doorman's wife. It's then that both Lord Vishnu and Goddess Lakshmi revealed their true selves to the King, who urged Vishnu to return with the Goddess to Vaikuntha. The festival is also known Baleva. advertisement Santoshi Maa On seeing Lord Ganesha celebrate Rakhi with his sister, his sons Shubh and Labh started insisting upon a sister, leading to the creation of Santoshi Maa, from the flames that emerged from his consorts, Riddhi and Siddhi. Alexander the Great's wife Roxana and King Porus Legend has it that during Alexander the Great's invasion of India in 326 BCE, his wife Roxana sent a sacred thread to Porus, requesting him not to harm her husband in battle. It's believed that on the battlefield, the thread on his wrist was a constant reminder of his promise to Roxana, preventing him from attacking Alexander directly. advertisement Rani Karnavati and Emperor Humayun Rani Karnavati--the widowed queen of Chittor--is said to have sent a rakhi to Mughal Emperor Humayun, upon the looming threat of invasion from the Sultan of Gujarat, Bahadur Shah. Though Humayun turned up too late, it's no secret that he honored the sentiment with which it was sent. From Lord Ganesha's sons pestering their father for a sister to Roxana's rakhi--legends like these can't be taken on face value, but they always make the festival a fun affair. --- ENDS --- These outreach workers revealed their HIV positive identity to their families and community believing they had the backing of NACO but soon they were removed from their jobs. By Ram Kinkar Singh: The Delhi Commission for Women received a representation from 15 former outreach workers who are HIV positive, regarding the fact that they had been arbitrarily removed from their jobs. From 2008 onwards, these workers had been employed on a contractual basis on the Prevention of Parent to Child Transmission Program (PPCT) of NACO. In order to effectively carry-out their roles as outreach workers, these individuals had self identified to the community and their families as HIV positive, risking social marginalisation, as they believed that they had the support of NACO. advertisement However, since December 2015, these 15 outreach workers have been in dire straits because the NACO grant for their project was transferred out of Delhi, an executive decision regarding which the real stigmatised population in question, these outreach workers, were never consulted. In their presentation to the commission, these Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) had informed us that they had no livelihood and no means of support, and that their health status was deteriorating rapidly as they could not afford good food, vital for their regimen. The commission subsequently wrote to the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS) and was informed that DSACS had no funding to support these PLHIV as the same had been suspended from NACO. When the commission wrote to NACO for reinstatement of these workers, NACO provided a non-committal response, which forced the commission to approach the Health Minister of India J.P Nadda about the issue. In a positive turn of events, the commission is in receipt of a letter from Nadda which assures us that he will be looking into the matter. The commission will try and meet the health minister along with representatives of the outreach workers, to help with the reinstatement process. The commission also plans to pursue the disabilities faced by HIV positive women in a sustained dialogue with the union health ministry. Also read - 182 people in Maha got HIV from blood transfusion: Government --- ENDS --- Russia's Defence Ministry said that SU-34 fighter bombers flying from Iran's Hamadan air base had struck Islamic State targets in Syria killing more than 150 militants. By Reuters: Russia used an Iranian air base to launch air strikes in Syria for a second day running on Wednesday, rejecting US suggestions its co-operation with Tehran might violate a UN resolution. Russia's Defence Ministry said that SU-34 fighter bombers flying from Iran's Hamadan air base had struck Islamic State targets in Syria's Deir al-Zor province, destroying two command posts and killing more than 150 militants. advertisement Moscow first used Iran as a base from which to launch air strikes in Syria on Tuesday, deepening its involvement in the five-year-old Syrian civil war and angering the United States. WASHINGTON CALLS THE MOVE "UNFORTUNATE" Washington called the move "unfortunate" and said on Tuesday it was looking into whether Russia's move had violated UN Security Council resolution 2231, which prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday there were no grounds to suggest Russia had violated the resolution, saying it was not supplying Iran with aircraft. "These aircraft are being used by Russia's air force with Iran's agreement as a part of an anti-terrorist operation at the request of Syria's leadership," Lavrov told a Moscow news conference, after holding talks with Murray McCully, New Zealand's foreign minister. REASON BEHIND RUSSIA'S MOVE Russia's use of the Iranian air base comes amid intense fighting for the Syrian city of Aleppo, where rebels are battling Syrian government forces backed by the Russian military, and as Moscow and Washington are working towards a deal on Syria that could see them cooperate more closely. Russia backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States believes the Syrian leader must step down and is supporting some rebel groups which are fighting to unseat him. Also read: Russian warplanes take off from Iran to target Islamic State in Syria --- ENDS --- Sakshi Malik brought an end to India's long wait for a medal at the ongoing Rio Olympics, clinching bronze in the Women's Freestyle 58kg category. Sakshi Malik became first Indian female wrestler to win a medal. (AP Photo) By India Today Web Desk: Sakshi Malik brought an end to India's long wait for a medal at the ongoing Rio Olympics, clinching bronze in the Women's Freestyle 58kg category with a spirited comeback victory over Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan. (Wrestler Sakshi Malik gives India first medal in Rio Olympics 2016) The 23-year-old from Rohtak overturned a 0-5 deficit in a hectic second period to win 8-5 in the bronze medal bout at the Carioca Arena 2 on Wednesday. (Sakshi Malik becomes first female Indian wrestler to win an Olympic medal) advertisement Back home in India, people took to Twitter to congratulate the Indian wrestler. Karma!! It took a woman athlete to slap Shobhaa De !! Thank you Sakshi Malik#wrestling #Rio2016&; PhD in Bak*****? (@Atheist_Krishna) August 17, 2016 Its #RakshaBandhan folks. And look at the way #SakshiMalik rescued Indian Tally. She did what brothers couldn't do. #BetiBachaoBetiPadhao&; Yashwant Deshmukh (@YRDeshmukh) August 17, 2016 Hopefully @VijayGoelBJP isn't going to tweet congratulations to Sakshi Dhoni or Anu Malik for winning the 1st medal for India. #SakshiMalik&; Preeti Sharma (@preetiaugust5) August 17, 2016 What an elation in the middle of the night!! Difficult to sleep with so much adrenaline in my system after a nail biting match #SakshiMalik&; Heena sidhu (@HeenaSidhu10) August 17, 2016 Thank you #SakshiMalik for our first medal of #Rio2016 campaign! We all salute your courage & determination! Stellar effort! #wrestling&; Rupinder Pal Singh (@rupinderbob3) August 17, 2016 Wowwwwww amazing amazinggggg #SakshiMalik Take a bow ????????&; Gutta Jwala (@Guttajwala) August 17, 2016 The wait is over #SakshiMalik makes us proud. Our first medal,a bronze in womens wrestling #Rio2016 #KheloIndia pic.twitter.com/MFAUxoGMzo&; Vijay Kumar Singh (@Gen_VKSingh) August 17, 2016 --- ENDS --- "Ye ek anari ki foreign policy hai," Khurshid said today, two days after Modi lashed out at Pakistan over freedom for Balochistan and its human rights abuses in (PoK). By India Today Web Desk: Congress leader Salman Khurshid has hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Balochistan and PoK barbs aimed at Pakistan, calling it an "anari ki foreign policy" (an inept foreign policy). "Ye ek anari ki foreign policy hai," Khurshid said today, two days after Modi, in his third Independence Day speech at the Red Fort, lashed out at Pakistan over freedom for Balochistan and its human rights abuses in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). advertisement MODI'S COMMENTS "The world is watching. People of Balochistan, Gilgit, Baltistan and occupied Kashmir have thanked me a lot in the past few days. I am grateful to them," Modi said, referring to his comments last week on excesses in Pakistan's largest province and in the Kashmir it holds. On Monday, shortly after Modi spoke, Khurshid had slammed the Prime Minister for referring to Balochistan in his speech, saying it will give Pakistan a reason to interfere in India's internal matters. "Balochistan is a different thing from PoK (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir). We have every right to speak about PoK because it is our matter. Balochistan is not," Khurshid, a former Foreign Minister, had said. "When the question is about a sovereign nation, we should maintain a sense of restraint," he said. CONGRESS' TAKE The Congress feels Modi's comments on Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan were an attempt to whip up jingoism. "This is another attempt by Modi to whip up patriotism. And this is not patriotism, this is jingoism," Congress spokesman Jairam Ramesh had said. On Tuesday, the government had appealed to all the political parties to speak in a united voice on "international issues". "I appeal to all parties, do not make statements which hurt India. As far as international issues are concerned, India should speak in one voice," Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said. Modi stumps Pakistan, refers to Balochistan, Gilgit and PoK from Red Fort --- ENDS --- There has been a spike in intelligence inputs regarding terror alerts on Indian airports after the attacks in Istanbul and Brussels. By Abhishek Bhalla : Indian airports are soft targets for drone attacks as buildings, slums and other unregulated adjoining areas provide easy access to threats, according to a detailed analysis by government agencies that has prompted the Centre to consider a sweeping revamp of the security apparatus. The development comes against the backdrop of deadly terrorist attacks this year at airports in Turkey and Belgium as well as Punjab's Pathankot air force station. advertisement GAPING HOLES The government announced a high level security audit after the Intelligence Bureau and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) - that safeguards all Indian airports- flagged gaping holes in the system. The study also listed cargo handling as one of the factors that needs better monitoring to ensure foolproof security. "The security mechanism at all airports needs an overhaul as all airports are highly vulnerable to terror strikes," said a government official. "There are several gaps that need to be plugged without delay." SPIKE IN INTELLIGENCE INPUTS There has been a spike in intelligence inputs regarding terror alerts on Indian airports after the attacks in Istanbul and Brussels. Spotting of an unidentified flying object near the Delhi airport last year raised concerns, following which a draft policy on UAVs and drones was prepared. HIGH-LEVEL MEETING At a high-level meeting chaired on August 5 by minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju and MoS for civil aviation Jayant Sinha, a roadmap for enhancing security measures was planned in view of the worries cited by agencies. This includes drafting of standard operating procedures for detection of drones. National security adviser Ajit Doval raised concerns about the height of buildings in areas adjoining airports, a domain of the civil aviation ministry, for which guidelines are not being implemented. Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma pointed out that slums located around airports allow easy access to unauthorised people. "Fear of a bold attack from the city side, attack through cargo and perimeter security," were listed as three major risks that airports are exposed to. A parliamentary panel report last week revealed how Delhi and Mumbai airports were sitting ducks and vulnerable to terror strikes. The panel concluded that the luxury travellers' hub Aerocity near Delhi airport is a threat as the security of the hotels in the area could be compromised. SLUMS HIGH SECURITY RISK The standing committee on civil aviation also raised the risks posed by slums around Mumbai airport. The audit team that comprises officials from the IB, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), MHA and CISF is expected to give its first report on "things to be done" by August 25. advertisement "The changes needed should be put in place at the earliest to revamp the security mechanism at airports," a government official said. MEASURES DISCUSSED Sources said measures such as random security checks for incoming vehicles, regular monitoring and patrolling of the cargo area that is currently handled by airport staff, and regulatory mechanism for drones were discussed at the meeting. Since the cargo areas are vulnerable to terror attacks, high-tech luggage checking machines should be installed there and armoured vehicles need to be deployed at airports, they added. Keeping in mind the high security threat to airports, the home ministry also rejected an old proposal of the civil aviation ministry to set up an exclusive aviation security force working under the BCAS. The security of airports across the country will remain with CISF, sources said. Also Read: Crores spent on renovation, Chennai airport records its 67th mishap --- ENDS --- By India Today Web Desk: Actor Suriya, who is rigorously shooting for his upcoming actioner Singam 3, took a break from shooting only to engage himself in social activities. As a part of Pasumai Avadi (Green Avadi) initiative, Singam actor Suriya was spotted cleaning the trash and also planted tree saplings in Avadi. ALSO READ: Confirmed- Keerthy Suresh to romance Suriya in his next advertisement ALSO READ: Singam 3- Shruti Haasan plays a journalist in the upcoming sequel A source close to the actor was quoted by The Times Of India as saying, "Suriya was spotted in Avadi, clearing the trash in that locality. After cleaning the place, he planted fresh saplings in that area. He did this as a part of Pasumai Avadi, an initiative that he has taken to clean Avadi and make it a greener one. Also, ever since, the Chennai floods, he has been actively part of 'Yaadhum Oore', an initiative by the actor, of adopting localities in the city to clean it." Picture source: The Times Of India Meanwhile, actor Suriya was supposed to team up with Kabali director Pa Ranjith for a film. But it seems like the project has been pushed to next year. Suriya's upcoming film with director Muttiah is said to be an action drama based on a father-son relationship, set in the rural backdrop of Tamil Nadu. Actor Rajkiran, who previously featured in the director's Komban, has been approached to play Suriya's father in the film. --- ENDS --- After SRK's detainment at the LA airport, we finally know the reason behind the US trip for the Khan family. By India Today Web Desk: It's out in the open why Shah Rukh Khan flew to LA after all. It's not another vacation for the Khan family, in fact it's time for college for eldest Aryan Khan. Aryan will be attending the film school at University of Southern California (USC), for which his superstar father accompanied him for the orientation. ALSO SEE: Shah Rukh Khan responds to apology, 'Respect protocol, but inconvenient.' Wanted to see the King khan at least once and very far away from home I get to see him here at the campus. Thanks to that random girl who tapped my phone up in the air missing out on a pic! #shahrukhkhan #USC #losangeles #bollywood #srk A video posted by Raja Venkatapathy (@myhighwaytales) on Aug 15, 2016 at 6:48pm PDT advertisement The Badshah of Bollywood was his usual charming self, as he indulged his son's future classmates with selfies, and spoke to one and all present at the orientation programme of the University. As reported by a Filmfare Magazine, Shah Rukh was quoted as saying, "I am showing Aryan a lot of films because he is going to film school now." #SRK #GauriKhan #USC #LADiaries A photo posted by Abhishek Megotia (@abhishekmegotia) on Aug 15, 2016 at 4:39pm PDT He also said, "I have made a folder with all the great English classics like The Untouchables, Goodfellas and Michael Douglas' Falling Down. I am showing him English films now but I have also made another folder that has Hindi classics like Sholay, Do Aakhen Barah Haath and Devdas - both Dilip saab's and mine. I want him to see more films." Aryan recently graduated from Seven Oaks High School in London, where both son and father looked dapper in black suits during the son's graduation ceremony. Aryan is expected to join films, after he's studied them in his under-graduate. Shah Rukh was quoted as saying, "I had done my masters and my kids are pursuing their graduation. As far as following my footsteps as an actor is concerned, it is up to them what they want to do." --- ENDS --- Federation of Tamil Nadu Agriculturists Association, after a meeting, have put out a resolution urging the state government to declare the state as 'drought-hit'. By Akshaya Nath: After the December floods in Chennai, mass prayers were on for the sun to shine again in its glory. Unfortunately, this prayer has come as a bane to the farmers in the state. The regular South West Monsoon that hits the state from June for 120 days has not hit the state. Of the 75 days that the state received rainfall, it was below the normal rains and farmers claim that there is a drought like situation in the state. advertisement Federation of Tamil Nadu Agriculturists Association, after a meeting, have put out a resolution urging the state government to declare the state as "drought-hit". The Federation Secretary S Nallasamy after the meeting has said that the low rainfall has led to the lesser inflow of water into the water bodies and also caused water shortage for irrigation and drinking purposes. In the remaining 45 days that is left in the south west monsoon the hope for adequate rainfall is less, and the water dispute that the state faces ensures that the required water will not be available for the farmers. According to the information that was presented in the Rajya Sabha 266 districts in 11 states were declared as drought affected in 2015-2016. The National Disaster Relief Force had also provided a total of Rs 13497 crore rupees as drought relief. Last year, Tamil Nadu was not among the severely drought affected states. --- ENDS --- Under pressure to collect bribe money worth Rs 50 lakh, a sub inspector of Telangana Police shot himself dead in Medak district of the state. By Ashish Pandey: Under pressure to collect bribe money worth Rs 50 lakh, a sub inspector of Telangana Police shot himself dead in Medak district of the state. Ramakrishna Reddy, 38, committed suicide at his residence in the wee hours of Wednesday using his own service revolver. Reddy, 38, a 2009 batch officer, took the drastic step around 1.50am early on Wednesday morning. Before Reddy shot himself in the forehead, he reportedly called some of his colleagues and told them of his decision to take the extreme step. Soon after getting the information about Reddy's plans to commit suicide, a police team from Kuknoorpally rushed to his residence. By the time they reached there, Reddy had already shot himself. His body was shifted to hospital in Gajwel where he was declared brought dead. advertisement The police team has found a suicide note in which he has blamed his superior officers for his death, including DSP Sridhar and Circle Inspector Venkatiah. SUICIDE NOTE In the suicide note, Reddy alleged that the Circle inspector and DSP were forcing him to collect bribe money worth Rs 50 lakh and that he was facing immense pressure from his senior officers. The DIG, Hyderabad Range Akun Sabharwal confirmed the allegation made by the dead sub inspector against his seniors and said, "We are verifying the facts with the family. An inquiry has been ordered. An ACP from another district will head the investigation." Ramakrishna Reddy was a native of Bakkamantram Gudem village in Mathampally madal of Nalgonda district. He had sent his wife and two children to their parental home two days back. Before joining the police force, he had also worked in the Army. The aggrieved family has demanded strict action against the Circle Inspector and DSP who forced him to commit suicide. Karnataka: Senior cop hangs himself, alleges harassment by senior cop, politician --- ENDS --- The little girl in recorded video message says, "Thank you Modi sir.... for supporting Balochistan, we need your help, I love Baluchistan, I love India, Azad Baloch, thank you." By Anil Kumar: Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the atrocities being carried out on the people of Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on August 15, a little girl from Balochistan, wearing Indian flag eye mask and holding Balochistan flag in hand, thanked Indian Prime Minister in a very innocent manner. The little girl in recorded video message says, "Thank you Modi sir.... for supporting Balochistan, we need your help, I love Baluchistan, I love India, Azad Baloch, thank you." advertisement On Independence day, PM Narendra Modi sent a strong message to Pakistan saying don't glorify terrorist. The PM also showed gratitude to the people of Balochistan, Gilgit and PoK for thanking him. "The way these people have showed respect for me, they have showed this respect for 1.25 billion Indians," said Modi. Also read: NC, Hurriyat hit out at Centre, say govt looks towards Balochistan while brutality continues in Kashmir The PM was referring to his speech on August 15 where he slammed Pakistan for the atrocities against the Baloch community. Raking up the atrocities committed by Pakistan in his speech, Modi said that time has come when Pakistan will have to answer the world for the atrocities it has committed against people in Balochistan and PoK. After this message, lots of Baluchistani activists welcome and thanked Modi and saying "We love you, we are happy that you are supporting a nation that is facing slavery since 1948. We love our every friend who is supporting us. If you know what slavery is and if you know the relish of freedom, then please support us." Also read: Anari ki foreign policy: Salman Khurshid on Modi's Balochistan, PoK remark Watch the full video here: --- ENDS --- Dr Santosh Pol's accomplice, nurse Jyoti Mandre, confessed to having an illicit relationship with him and divulged details of the murders committed by him. By Pankaj P. Khelkar: More skeletons are tumbling out of the closet for serial murder accused Dr Santosh Pol, 48, who was arrested by the Wai police on August 11. Dr Pol's accomplice, nurse Jyoti Mandre, has confessed to having an illicit relationship with him and has also divulged details of the murders committed by him. HOW POLICE NABBED THE SERIAL KILLER On June 15, Anganwadi teacher Mangala Jedhe went missing. In the missing persons complaint lodged at the Wai Police station, her family suspected Dr Pol of having a role in her disappearance. Initially, considering Dr Pol's good reputation in society, the Wai Police was wary of taking any major action against him and had to treat the case with kid gloves. Dr Santosh Pol had exposed a number of corruption cases as a social worker and had also levelled corruption charges against a serving officer at the Wai police station. advertisement When the police procured the missing teacher's call records, they found that the last call to her phone was made by Dr Pol. With enough evidence the police summoned him for interrogation. However, Dr Pol handled the interrogation with ease and revealed that it was possible that he had exchanged calls with his patients. During the course of the subsequent investigation, the police discovered that while she was missing, calls were being made from her cellphone. When the police began tracking Mangala Jedhe's cellphone locations, it led them to nurse Jyoti Mandre who had been using the phone to mislead the investigation teams. During her subsequent interrogation, Jyoti Mandre confessed to having an illicit relationship with the doctor. She also divulged that Dr Pol had murdered Mangala Jedhe. On the basis of Mandre's confession, the police obtained an arrest warrant for Dr Pol and arrested him from Mumbai. During his interrogation, Dr Pol confessed to having murdered Jedhe at his farmhouse by administering anesthesia and then burying her alive while she was unconscious. He justified his crime by claiming tha the had been in a clandestine relationship with her. FREAKY FARMHOUSE Mangala Jedhe's remains were later exhumed from his farm house. The police also recovered an ECG machine, some syringes and RTI documents from the single room of his 2-acre farm near Dhom village. Apart from Jedhe, Dr Pol confessed to having murdered five people of which four were women. IG Kolhapur range, Vishwas Nangre Patil, who visited the murder spot described the crime as preplanned, premeditated, cold-blooded murders. He said that Dr Pol was a cunning man who had brainwashed his accomplice Jyoti Mandare to immolate herself in front of the judicial magistrate. He said that Dr Pol was planning to finish off Mandre and bury her in one of the many unused pits at his farmhouse so that there would be no evidence of his wrongdoings. The accused claimed that he had clandestine relationships with all the women he murdered. IG Patil said that the investigation team was trying to gather enough evidence to corroborate his claims. POSSIBLE KIDNEY RACKET When asked if the accused ran a kidney racket, IG Patil said that it seemed unlikely as the murders were committed in a filthy farmhouse and that a kidney transplantion in such a place seemed unlikely. However, he stated that financial transaction could be one of the motives behind the murders. Patil stated, "As of now, Dr Santosh Pol has murdered six people who used to stay in villages around Wai tehsil. Although the last murder was committed in June 2016, the first murder that he confessed to was committed in 2003." advertisement THE VICTIMS Mangala Jedhe, Salma Shaikh, Jagabai Pol, Surekha Chikane, Vanita Gaikwad and Nathmal Bhandari his neighbor are the people who were administered a lethal drug overdose and then buried alive. Only one woman Vanita Gaikwad's body was disposed in the backwaters of Dhom dam. NOT A QUALIFIED DOCTOR Dr Vidhyadhar Keshav Ghotavdekar, who had earlier worked with Dr Santosh Pol, spoke to India Today and revealed that Dr Pol was not a qualified doctor and that he did not have an MBBS degree nor was he a registered medicinal practioner. Dr Pol was just a graduate in Electrohomeopathy and surgery. He merely worked as a helper. However, the way he behaved with patients and the way he worked, people around him started referring to him as doctor. Dr Ghotavdekar who appeared petrified by the image of Santosh Pol said people were under pressure because of him and his close proximity with the ACB. Santosh was appointed by Dr Ghotavdekar in 2008 as his helper and was impressed with his work. advertisement Due to the number of RTI cases filed by the murderer against government staffers and his close proximity with the ACB, Ghotavdekar claimed he was under tremendous stress and asked Pol to leave halfway through 2014. When asked if there was a possibility that the alleged serial killer stole anesthesia from his hospital, the doctor was unable to answer. He said that Santosh was well versed in the all the drugs used in the operation theatre as he was the first helper in the hospital who used to arrange the perfect number of required drugs in case of an emergency. The hospital owner stated that there are CCTV cameras present so anything strange would have shown up. However, no one till date has asked the administration to review the footage. After Santosh was asked to leave, he pressurised Dr Ghotavdekar that he be allowed to keep an ambulance. It's also surprising that the doctor bought the ambulance in his name and Santosh Pol used to manage the operations of the ambulance. When Santosh did not pay the instalment for eight months, Dr Ghotavdekar asked him not to use the ambulance. A month ago, Santosh Pol stole the ambulance from the hospital. The hospital had registered a robbery case against Santosh Pol at the Wai police station. There is also a possibility that Dr Pol might have used the same ambulance for some of his crimes. advertisement POSSIBILITY OF MORE WOMEN MURDERED With 11 missing complaints of women in the Wai Tehesil, police are now looking into the disappearance of the remaining 6 women. The unused pits at the alleged killer's farmhouse also raise a question, had he planned to murder someone else whom he might have lured? --- ENDS --- Tintu Luka clocks best season timing of 2:00.58 minutes as she finished 6th in women's 800m heats. By Indo-Asian News Service: Despite clocking her season's best timing, double lap runner Tintu Luka finished sixth in the 800 metre heats at the Rio Olympics here on Wednesday. Tintu started off well but her strategy backfired to finish with a timing of 2:00.58 minutes in Heat 3. Tintu finished overall 29th in the qualification round. (RIO 2016 FULL COVERAGE) advertisement The qualification round was topped by Canada's Melissa Bishop followed by Marina Arzamasova of Belarus and Habitam Alemu of Ethiopia respectively at second and third spots. --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Anisur Rahman Dhaka, Aug 17 (PTI) Heat-induced heart failure was the cause of death of an Indian wild elephant that was swept into Bangladesh by raging flood waters, doctors said today after an autopsy. Doctors, who conducted the autopsy of Bangabahadur, meaning Hero of Bengal, said the four-tonne elephant died of heat-induced heart failure at around 7 AM yesterday at Koyra village in northern Jamalpur district, about 200 km from the capital Dhaka. advertisement The Sharishabarhi Upazila chief executive had formed a three-member committee, led by veterinary surgeon Mostafizur Rahman of Bangabandhu Safari Park, to conduct the elephants autopsy and find out the cause of death. "Bangabahadur died from heart failure triggered by insufferable heat," Rahman was quoted as saying by bdnews24. The animal was laid to rest at Koyra in the evening. Tapan Kumar Dey, a former forest conservator who led the rescue attempts, said, "We tried our best to rescue Bangabahadur and keep the elephant alive. Its death has also pained us". Bangabahadur was separated from its herd on June 27 in Assam - where monsoon floods have made life difficult - and got washed away in the streams of mighty Brahmaputra to downstream Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, after it was thought to have travelled for nearly 1,700 kilometres, Bangabahadur was rescued on August 11 by a forest team following six weeks of frantic efforts. On its way from India, it was forced to stay in marshes as the highlands were occupied by flood-hit people who were unwilling to let the frightened animal share their shelters. The elephant entered Bangladesh through Roumari frontiers of northwestern Kurigram and then travelled miles to Jamalpur. It appeared agitated after being tranquilised more than once and moved indiscriminately for nearly an hour before it fell into a ditch unconscious during rescue efforts. Forest officials and villagers dragged him off the ditch. It died as a process was underway to shift it to the Bangabandhu Safari Park from the remote village. Officials had planned to bring in two trained elephants to support the transportation. Witnesses and people in the neighbourhood suspected that excessive tranquillising might have partly led to its death. They alleged Bangabahadur was provided less than what it deserved to eat as officials feared with regained strength, it could break the shackles and pose threat to the neighbourhood. Without proper food it gradually lost its strength. Earlier, an expert team from India led by a retired chief forest conservator on July 4 joined the Bangladeshi team in rescuing the elephant but left the scene three days later. PTI CPS AKJ CPS --- ENDS --- advertisement Three security force personnel were killed and at least five army men along with two cops were injured in the attack on Srinagar-Baramulla highway in north Kashmir today early morning. The officials said the heavily armed militants lobbed grenades and fired indiscriminately on five vehicles of the convoy, killing two army jawans and a policeman. Photo: Reuters By Naseer Ganai: Three security force personnel were killed today early morning in a militant ambush on an army convoy at Khwajabagh on Srinagar-Baramulla highway in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, officials said. At least five army men and two cops were injured in the attack on the highway. Officials said the attack took place around 2.30 a.m. when an army convoy was on its way to Baramulla from Srinagar. advertisement HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED The officials said the heavily armed militants lobbed grenades and fired indiscriminately on five vehicles of the convoy, killing two army jawans and a policeman. The policeman killed in the attack was traveling in a police vehicle along with the army convoy. The police vehicle was carrying tear smoke shells and riot gear equipment to Baramulla. Even though the army men retaliated the firing, the militants, believed to be three in number, managed to escape taking advantage of the darkness, the officials say. "During the intervening night of August 16 and August 17, militants fired on an army convoy near a petrol pump at Khoja Bagh, Baramulla. At the same time a police vehicle was also passing by. In this incident, five army personnel and two policemen were injured," a police spokesman said. Also read - Pakistan not architect of Kashmir crisis, India unwilling to own Kashmiris: Omar Abdullah INJURED SHIFTED TO ARMY HOSPITAL "All the injured were shifted to Army Hospital Baramulla where two army jawans and one police man were identified succumbed to their injuries. The injured were then referred to 92 Base Hospital Badami Bagh, Srinagar for further treatment," the spokesman added. ARMY CHIEF REVIEWS THE SECURITY SITUATION Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh, accompanied by the Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda visited various formations of the Nagrota based White Knight Corps to review the prevailing security situation, Udhampur based defence spokesman said. "The Army Chief was briefed by Lt Gen RR Nimbhorkar about the preparedness of White Knight Corps in dealing with the emerging and dynamically changing security situation and the measures taken to thwart any misadventure by the inimical forces," the spokesman said. "The Corps Commander highlighted the measures adopted to counter any infiltration through employment of an effective counter infiltration grid backed by synergised surveillance and intelligence backed operations," he added. "The Chief also visited Doda, Reasi and Rajouri wherein he was briefed on the operational readiness and security situation by the respective general officers. General Dalbir Singh, while complimenting the formations for their unflinching efforts in handling the situation, reiterated on the continued need to remain vigilant in order to counter the nefarious designs of the inimical elements," he said. advertisement Also read: India will talk to Pakistan only on cross-border terrorism, not Kashmir --- ENDS --- Union Minister for Food Processing, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, tied rakhis to five BSF jawans deployed at Attari border in Punjab. By Kamaljit Kaur Sandhu: Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal tied rakhis to five Border Security Force (BSF) personnel deployed at Attari border, yesterday. Accompanied by many girls from schools and colleges, Badal tied rakhis and distributed sweets to the officers and jawans of the force. The minister also sang the song 'Mere desh ki dharti' and danced with children and women BSF personnel. advertisement The ceremony took place near the border gates of India and Pakistan in Amritsar's Attari village. In her message to the jawans, Badal said that the prayers of millions of sisters are with the brave jawans of the Indian forces. She also said that Pakistan's attempt to fish in troubled waters would not succeed. Badal's idea of tying rakhis comes at a time when the Shiromani Akali Dal has accused the BSF of conspiracy in the Pathankot attack. The SAD government questioned how could six Pakistani-based jihadists enter the Air Force base despite the presence of the security personnel. Badal said, "Unfortunately, people see a political motive in everything. Our protest was not against the BSF but the anti-social elements". Also read: BJP Mahila Morcha celebrate Raksha Bandhan with Indo Tibetan Border Police in Haryana --- ENDS --- Bharti Singh has alleged that her nephew's friend Pradip Chauhan recorded her private conversations using unfair means and is now demanding a sum of Rs 2 crore in return for discretion on his part. By India Today Web Desk: Union Minister VK Singh's wife Bharti Singh has lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police alleging that she was being blackmailed by a man with doctored recordings of her phone conversations. Bharti Singh has alleged that her nephew's friend Pradip Chauhan recorded her private conversations using unfair means and is now demanding a sum of Rs 2 crore in return for discretion on his part. THREATENS TO MAKE CONVERSATION PUBLIC advertisement Chauhan has allegedly threatened to upload the contents on social media if the money was not paid. He also threatened her family with dire consequences, claiming the minister's wife would pay with her life if the money was not paid. A complaint has been registered at Tughlaq Road Police Station in this regard. In her statement to the police, Bharti Singh said since Chauhan owns a revolver, there is a threat to her family. She also said she was unsure of the content of those clips. Delhi Police have refused to divulge any details on the issue. V K Singh retired as the chief of the Indian Army in 2012 and subsequently joined the BJP. He is one of two ministers of state for Foreign Affairs. --- ENDS --- By Anindya Banerjee: Nehru memorial museum and library has been headless for almost a year since UPA appointee Mahesh Rangarajan was made to quit citing procedural flaws. But not anymore. Sources in the ministry of culture have told India Today that the ministry has finalised Shakti Sinha's name as the memorial's next director. Sinha was a 1979 batch IAS officer. He served as joint secretary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee's PMO. He has sought to leave the service. This influential bureaucrat also served as private secretary to Vajpayee. advertisement Sources say the Ministry has given a go ahead on his appointment. File in this regard has been moved as well to formalise his appointment. But this decision couldn't come without its share of controversy. Pratap Bhanu Mehta who was a member of the six member selection body resigned from the executive council citing the method in which Sinha is being appointed. From the very beginning Nehru Memorial has been a matter of contention for this government. Right after coming to power in 2014, BJP led NDA made it clear they want the focus of this Museum not to be solely on India's first PM but all leaders of national stature. And now the government is all set to appoint an old horse who, the government trusts, can execute it's vision. --- ENDS --- Nationalist Congress Party leader and MP Vandana Chavan turned tables on her neighbour who had accused her of animal cruelty, slapping a defamation notice of Rs 5 crore on him. By India Today Web Desk: Vandana Chavan, a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP from Pune, found herself in the eye of a storm when her neighbour filed charges of animal cruelty against her and her sister-in-law in 2014. But days after the Court of the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Pune, issued summons to Chavan regarding the case earlier this month, Chavan filed a defamation case against neighbour Vijay Navdikar for 'tarnishing her reputation'. advertisement Chavan accused Navdikar, a Pune-based professor, of 'wilful slander' and has demanded a compensation of Rs 5 crore. Also read: Court issues notice to NCP's Rajya Sabha MP over animal cruelty Here's what happened in 2014 Navdikar is a third-floor resident in the apartment where Chavan lives on the ground floor. Owner of six cats, he said Chavan had always had a problem with his pets. As per Navdikar's complaint from 2014, the incident took place on July 4, when he and his daughter had heard "the loud cries of his cats". "All the cats were missing," reads the complaint. "He and his daughter immediately rushed to the ground floor of the apartment and saw two male cats maimed and crawling. The accused (Chavan) threw away wooden sticks and iron rods and ran inside the house." Navdikar has also alleged that Chavan has used her political influence with the police department and the PMC officials to harass him multiple times. Chavan's side of the story Chavan, of course, denied all charges of animal cruelty, claiming that the cats had gotten injured due to some other reason. "The allegations made by Navdikar are completely false," she said. Adding to that, Chavan had also accused the Navdikar's pets of being health hazards and a "public nuisance". "There are health concerns as the owner of the pet cats does not manage them properly," Chavan said. According to Chavan, the freely-moving cats created an unhygienic condition and that was creating trouble for the entire housing society. The MP had also filed a chapter case against Navdikar under Section 133 of CrPC for causing 'public nuisance', after which the police ordered him to get rid of all the cats within 48 hours. Navdikar is yet to respond to the defamation charges. But judging by the compensation amount demanded (a whopping Rs 5 crore), this will obviously be an unpleasant piece of news. Source: Instagram/ worried_cat_aka_bum --- ENDS --- Former CAG Vinod Rai has come in for flak over defending the babus visiting abroad on private trips By India Today Web Desk: Banks Board Bureau chief and former CAG Vinod Rai has come in for flak over defending the babus visiting abroad on private trips at the tax payers' money. Congress Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Choudhury said Rai has got exposed after making this controversial statement. "He has finally woken up to reality. He now justifies cheating the government. Somewhere, he has come full circle," she said. advertisement News reports quoted Rai as suggesting that going abroad on tax payers' money was one of the privileges of being a civil servant. It is not hidden from anyone how the government officials misuse the public money by making a personal visit abroad on public exchequer. However, Rai blatantly defended it, saying it is a perk of working in a government service. "So what! I mean, really so what...What other facility or perk does a government give me?" he said. Rai shot to limelight for releasing the damning report on 2G spectrum allocation and coal block allocation scams which proved the Congress-led UPA government's nemesis. On superannuation, the Modi government appointed him as chairman of Banks Board Bureau in February 2016. "I mean a colleague's daughter was getting married and I can't afford to buy an airline ticket... certainly not when I was in the job...I created a duty and went there, attended the wedding also incidentally and came back and you are wasting your time looking at my travel allowance bill," said Rai to buttress his case. A couple of senior BJP leaders refused to comment on the issue. They could not afford to attack someone who has been appointed on a coveted post the Modi government after his retirement. However, Renuka Choudhury came down heavily on Rai for defending the indefensible. She said as an MP, she does not enjoy privileges and expressed shock that the babus can indulge in blatant waste of public money. "Now we have to question all the things he did earlier. We may search some more and will get more surprises," she said. --- ENDS --- TO BE HOPEFUL in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our livesIf we remember those times and placeswhere people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we dont have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory. --Howard Zinn I refuse to accept despair as the final response to the ambiguities of history. I refuse to accept the idea that the "isness" of man's present nature makes him morally incapable of reaching up for the eternal "oughtness" that forever confronts him. --Martin Luther King Jr. True religion consisted in an inward life, wherein the heart does love and reverence God the Creator, and learns to exercise true justice and goodness...I found no narrowness respecting sects and opinions, but believed that sincere, upright-hearted people, in every society, who truly love God, were accepted of him. --John Woolman Love each other as I have loved you.. I call you friends because I have made known to you everything I heard from my Father. --Jesus in John 15: 12-15 ...Love God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind and your neighbor as yourself. You have answered right, said Jesus, do this and life is yours... Who is my neighbor? Jesus replied with the Parable of the Good Samaritan [heretic, outsider, enemy]. --from Luke 10:27-37 Religion has been emphatically embodied, not in speculative theories, but in practical righteousness, in active virtues, in reverence to God, in benevolence to man- the latter being the only sure test of the former. --Thomas M'Clintock ...It is safer to approach God through the Holy Spirit than through the door of theology. We can identify the Holy Spirit whenever it makes its presence felt. Whenever we see someone who is loving, compassionate, mindful, caring, and understanding, we know that the Holy Spirit is there. --Thich Nhat Hanh Gobadi said, This trip takes place amid a wave of mass executions in Iran. Just today the regime carried out five public executions. Two weeks ago the regime mass executed 25 Sunni political prisoners in one day, prompting a condemnation by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. There is now evidence which shows that the victims had been tortured prior to their execution. Furthermore, an audio tape has been published for the first time of Hossein-Ali Montazeri, Khomeinis former heir, shedding new light on the scope and pace of the 1988 massacre of at least 30,000 political prisoners, the overwhelming majority of who were activists of the main opposition Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI / MEK) that had already been serving their prison terms. According to Amnesty International and other Human Rights groups, at least 2,600 people have been executed in Iran during Hassan Rouhanis three-year tenure. At the same time, the regime has stepped up its conduct in the region, including its military, financial and political support for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. The concern regarding Brge Brendes, upcoming visit, is that the Iranian regime uses such trips for propaganda purposes and to justify its repressive policies at home and its support for international terrorism and Islamic extremism. Moderation under Rouhani is a fiction, and there is consensus among the factions of the regime regarding human rights abuses and the export of terrorism. Improvement of relations with the Iran should be preconditioned upon improvement in human rights and a halt to executions in Iran. The regimes human rights abuses should be addressed during this trip. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), described the audio recording as a historical document. She said the recording attested to the Mojahedin (PMOI/MEK) political prisoners brave allegiance to the Iranian people. A majority of the massacre victims were affiliated to the main Iranian opposition group Peoples Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI or MEK), Their affiliation and their refusal to renounce their opposition to the mullahs rule was the reason for their executions. The recording is also irrefutable evidence that leaders of the mullahs regime are responsible for crimes against humanity and the unprecedented genocide, Mrs. Rajavi said. On the day before they were to be put to death, the condemned prisoners were removed from prison wards to an undisclosed location, where they were shackeled, had their mouths taped shut, and bags placed over their heads. Its been reported that they were severely tortured. In fact, according to their families, signs of torture were very apparent on their bodies, which were covered in bruising from beatings, and some had compound (open) fractures of their hands and feet. The Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) has forbidden families from holding ceremonies for their children, and threatened them against publishing news. They also summoned a number of religious figures and protesters to the execution, telling them that they would not be allowed to issue statements or to meet with the families. The execution of political prisoners particularly after their brutal torture is a crime against humanity toward which silence is absolutely unacceptable, according to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). For these critics, the plans for additional nuclear power serve as another reminder that Iran is effectively being permitted to actually expand its nuclear capabilities over the long term. The construction plans and the Obama administrations acknowledgment of them comes only weeks after it was revealed that supplementary international nuclear agreements would allow Iran to install more advanced nuclear enrichment centrifuges years before the JCPOA is set to expire. Iran has made it clear that it has every intention of utilizing that permission to its fullest extent. Even the Iranian architects of the nuclear agreement, led by supposedly moderate President Hassan Rouhani, have participated in public commentary lauding the Iranian nuclear program and the countrys prospects for expanding upon its current capability. As the Washington Free Beacon reported on Friday, it was Rouhani himself who ordered the construction of the nuclear plants. As it becomes increasingly apparent that the White House knew more about Irans long-term nuclear plans than it was willing to admit to Congress, the opponents of the deal are increasingly able to argue that the Obama administration has turned a blind eye to Irans acquisition of nuclear technology and know-how that could conceivable contribute to the eventual development of a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, many of the same critics have insisted that this is likely to be Irans ultimate goal. The Free Beacon quoted Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz as saying, Secretary [of State John] Kerry seems to think that the mullahs are interested in curing cancer and civilian energy production, but their rapid progress in ballistic missile technology suggests they are far more determined to develop the nuclear weapons these projectiles are designed to deliver. These specific criticisms of the administrations handling of the nuclear issue are supplemented by related criticisms of its general handling of Iran policy. For instance, even as debate ramps up around the issue of the forthcoming nuclear plants, American lawmakers continue to focus attention on the matter of a supposed ransom payment that was made for American hostages who were released from Iran around the same time as the implementation of the nuclear deal. The Hill reported on Monday that Representative Mike Pompeo, a Kansas Republic and member of the House Intelligence Committee, had declared his plans to send a letter to the Treasury Department, seeking answers to a series of questions about the 400 million dollar cash delivery that the Obama administration insists was nothing more than the first payment toward the settlement of a longstanding debt to the nation of Iran. The transfer naturally caught the attention of the media owing to its illicit appearance, having taken the form of stacks of Swiss francs and other foreign currency obtained by the US executive and shipped to Iran in the middle of the night. State Department officials refused to answer journalists queries over whether the Iranians had waited for the arrival of that money before releasing the four US hostages who had been traded for the release of seven Iranian nationals imprisoned in the US, plus the dropping of charges on 14 others. The administration has explained, however, that this approach was necessary because existing sanctions prevent direct transfers of money from US banks to the Islamic Republic. But according to The Hill, Pompeo is not satisfied with this explanation and remains concerned that laws may have been broken. There is a prohibition on the transfer of U.S. assets to Iran, he explained. And that would include indirect transfer of assets, presumably including transfers via the foreign capital obtained for Iran in January. The controversy surrounding the 400 million dollars will remain alive at least until Pompeos questions are answered, and likely even beyond that. But even in absence of this additional issue, the prisoner exchange itself would remain as a source of anxiety among the critics of Obama administration policy. This fact was highlighted anew on Monday when ABC News reported additional details regarding the case against Arash Ghahreman, one of the Iranian citizens released from US prisons in exchange for the American hostages. The exchange was defended by White House officials partly on the basis of claims that the Iranians in question were serving sentences for the violation of sanctions that would be suspended under the JCPOA. But it is not clear that this is the full story, and in any event the ABC report indicates that whatever Ghahremans intentions were, there is a chance that his transfers of merchandise to the Islamic Republic would have been harmful to national security, as by providing the Iranian government with materials needed for electronic warfare. If the recent dispatch of Russian bombers from Iranian territory represents a new general arrangement, it stands to significantly reduce the time involved in getting Russian aircraft to their targets, while also avoiding logistical difficulties involved in resupplying and operating directly out of an airbase inside war-torn Syria. And this improvement in Russias regional capability comes at an apparently crucial time, since it has been reported that bombing is intensifying around Aleppo, where loyalist forces are struggling to capture a major Islamic State stronghold. The coincidence of these two developments is possibly indicative of a growing need for Russian assistance as Syrian and Iranian forces fall short of desired outcomes. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps is either directly participating or assisting local forces in at least three conflict areas at the present moment. It is fighting the Islamic State, the Al Nusra Front, and other, more moderate Sunni rebels in Syria and Iraq. Meanwhile, it continues to support the rebellion against Yemeni President Abed Rabu Mansour Hadi, an ally of the West. At the same time, the IRGC has been implicated in the terrorist plots that were recently disrupted in Kuwait and Bahrain. Opponents of the Iranian regime, such as the National Council of Resistance of Iran have asserted that Iran has stretched its forces to the breaking point in lieu of withdrawing its influence from any of these areas. Coupled with signs of an escalating crackdown at home, this may suggest that Irans material commitments are at risk of outpacing its economic recovery following the nuclear agreement with six world powers including the US and Russia. Suleimanis appeal to Iran last year may be interpreted as further evidence that Iran needs Russian support in order to keep up with these commitments. And now, the newfound opening of Iranian military bases to Russian forces gives the same impression, especially considering that it is virtually unheard of for the notoriously insular Islamic Republic. Reuters notes that this is reportedly the first time Iran has allowed any foreign military to operate out of its territory since the 1979 Islamic revolution. But although this apparent change in policy may be indicative of the difficulties that Iran is facing in maintaining its interventionist foreign policy, Reuters acknowledges that it is also a sign of the steadily expanding cooperative relationship between the two countries. And this is a source of anxiety for policymakers and analysts who are concerned about the possible development of an eastern bloc led by Russia, China, and Iran, which would be at odds with Western interests. Those anxieties are in some respects amplified by the similar problems that these countries have with human rights. Russia has been increasingly ostracized within the world community as a result of its plainly aggressive incursion into Ukraine, as well as its treatment of some domestic groups, particularly homosexuals. In Iran also, homosexuals are subject to the death penalty and as mentioned above, Iranian crackdowns on domestic dissent have evidently intensified in recent years. This has included noticeable persecution of religious and ethnic minorities and dual nationals. The NCRI and other critics of the Iranian regime have also taken the Islamic Republic to task for its disregard of human rights in the midst of its defense of the Assad regime. Assad himself reportedly used chemical weapons in the past and continues to use barrel bombs against civilian populations. Meanwhile, Irans Shiite proxies in both Syria and Iraq have been accused of violent reprisals against Sunni civilian communities, with human rights abuses often rivaling those of the Islamic State. The Washington Post indicated on Tuesday that Russia has only contributed to this record via the tactics used in its air support. The newspapers coverage of the expansion in Iranian-Russian collaboration included reports stating that Russia is still striking civilian populations with incendiary weapons that are banned under international law. [August 16, 2016] Frequently Asked Questions About a China CDN SAN JOSE, Calif., Aug. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As of 2016, there are more than 1.3 billion internet users in China (Internetlivestats) just over 50 percent of the total population and that number is only expected to grow over the next few years. Already a powerful market, international-minded businesses should be thinking about how they will most effectively reach this large audience and leverage its collective buying power. However, there are challenges for those looking to enter China's online market. A content delivery network (CDN), specifically one licensed in China, could help overcome some of the barriers of entry into the marketplace. We've put together some of the most frequently asked questions relating to China CDNs. Let's take a look: Q: What is the "Great Firewall" of China? A: The Great Firewall of China is part of the greater effort dubbed as the "Golden Shield Project." Implemented in 2006, the Great Firewall is a sophisticated internet filtering system. Websites have to be licensed and all content has to adhere to Chinese regulations. As a result, working with the right partners ones with existing relationships with Chinese agencies and authorities as well as deep knowledge of the country's unique rules is essential to both understand and comply with the government regulations. Q: How do I know a CDN provider offers reliable delivery in China? A: There are several ways to determine whether a CDN provider will work for you in China. First, is the CDN provider licensed to deliver content in China and does it have infrastructure on the mainland? Some CDN providers try to reach China from Hong Kong; however, Hong Kong's network is separate from the rest of mainland and can result in an extra barrier to entry and 50 percent slower performance. Second, look to see how many points of presence (PoPs) there are on mainland China and where they are located. Are they dispersed throughout the country or concentrated in large metropolitan ares? If a real-world test run is desired, many CDN providers offer short-term trials so companies can gauge how well a CDN will work in China and other global markets. Those on the fence about partnering with a China CDN should understand that a non-Chinese hosted webpage takes an additional 10-15 seconds when accessed in China a lag time that can potentially deter customers. Q: How important is web performance to users/customers in China? A: A recent survey found more than 90 percent of shoppers in China will stop shopping online if they encounter a slow loading site and more than 60 percent will go directly to a competitor's site to purchase the product. Clearly, ensuring accelerated delivery of content is one of the hallmarks of a successful ecommerce shop in China. Q: Besides performance, how should I prepare my website for a Chinese audience? A: A straightforward translation of a U.S. website will not succeed in the Chinese market. Chinese web surfing behaviors are vastly different than western consumers. Tailoring a website to Chinese consumers, both in design and content, will go a long way in terms of winning cross-border sales. Q: What is an ICP (internet content provider) license and does my business need one? A: There are several mandated licenses for websites in China. All websites are required to have an ICP Beian and PSB (Public Security Bureau) Beian in order to operate in China. Additionally, an ICP license is a requirement for all websites that "make money" on their site (i.e. ecommerce). For more information on the required licensing in China, take a look at this resource. Q: What is a global CDN? A: A global CDN is one that can deliver content within milliseconds all over the world. It typically has points of presence (PoPs) on every continent to lower latency and accelerate loading times for hosted websites. When considering entering the market in China, be aware not all "global" CDNs are registered to deliver content in China. A truly global CDN provider not only is able to deliver content beyond the Great Firewall, but also to every corner of the world. Q: Will a CDN also work to accelerate dynamic content/web applications in China? A: Yes, it's possible, but not all CDNs have the capability. Most CDNs have the ability to cache content (i.e. photos, text) throughout their network for quicker delivery to users. Dynamic content (i.e. games, applications, payment transactions or any sort of interactive software) cannot be cached and must be delivered directly from the origin server. Dynamic acceleration, typically available through tier-one CDNs, enables data from the origin server to bypass standard internet nodes and be delivered through a more direct and efficient path, reducing load time and improving responsiveness. CDNetworks has a robust CDN/ADN (application delivery network) that optimizes content and application delivery across China's multiple internet service providers. Q: Is a mobile site important in the Chinese market? A: Mobile is critical to success in China and is one of the primary drivers for ecommerce growth. Mobile adoption is growing at an incredible rate and more shoppers are turning to mobile devices to both research products and purchase goods. A mobile-friendly website is essential to capture this piece of the pie. Have more questions? Contact CDNetworks, we'd be glad to answer them! CDNetworks was the first fully licensed China CDN vendor approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and has been accelerating websites in China since 2006. With 21 PoPs across mainland China, CDNetworks has the infrastructure and bandwidth to reliably accelerate content to customers. To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/frequently-asked-questions-about-a-china-cdn-300314256.html SOURCE CDNetworks [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2016] Terra Verde and MicroAge form Strategic Partnership to Deliver Cybersecurity, Compliance and Managed Security Solutions SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Terra Verde, a leading provider of cybersecurity and risk management solutions, has announced a strategic partnership with MicroAge, a leading technology solutions provider headquartered in Tempe, Arizona. The strategic partnership with Terra Verde enables MicroAge to provide a comprehensive portfolio of cybersecurity, compliance consulting and managed security solutions to the market including: Assessment & Penetration Testing Services Assessment & Audit Services Security Strategy Services Business Risk Services Security Technology Integration & Training Services Managed Security Operations Center Services (TruSOC) Managed Phishing Services Managed 3 rd Party Vendor Risk Assessment Services Party Vendor Risk Assessment Services Managed Security Education Training & Awareness Services "The Terra Verde suite of services and solutions aligns closely with our focus on security and networking," said Wyat Bowman, MicroAge Director of Solutions Engineering. "We have built a robust practice around the security and networking space to help our clients stay protected and in compliance and we believe that partnering with Terra Verde will strengthen our security practice portfolio." Since 2008, Terra Verde has provided security, risk and compliance services to small, mid-size and Fortune 500 businesses across the U.S. Founded in 1976, MicroAge provides IT and data center solutions to clients across the country within dozens of industries, including small, mid-size, Fortune 500 and public sector. "MicroAge is a well-known and respected IT solution provider that is expanding its business and offerings in order to help customers proactively address cybersecurity threats and regulatory compliance," said Edward Vasko, Terra Verde CEO. "We are excited to have MicroAge as a strategic partner and we look forward to helping customers across the U.S. with their cybersecurity and compliance needs." About Terra Verde: With offices in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona, Terra Verde provides security and risk management solutions to clients in various industries, worldwide. The company has been trusted by government agencies, medium-sized businesses and publicly traded companies to deploy sustainable security and compliance programs and services. Terra Verde partners with the public, private and higher education organizations to recruit, develop and employ IT and security professionals that have an average of years of hands-on security and compliance experience, are recognized experts in their field, and hold multiple security and professional certifications. Terra Verde has invested heavily in testing and developing methods, best practices and a portfolio of managed security services that are modified to support each customer's unique business, financial, regulatory compliance, goals and objectives. For more information, please visit http://www.TVRMS.com. Contact Information Public Relations Terra Verde Phone: 1.877.707.7997 Email: [email protected] Public Relations MicroAge Phone: 1.480.366.2121 Email: [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398620LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/terra-verde-and-microage-form-strategic-partnership-to-deliver-cybersecurity-compliance-and-managed-security-solutions-300314395.html SOURCE Terra Verde [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 16, 2016] MAINGEAR Partners with Hewlett-Packard to Introduce the OMEN X MAINGEAR, an award-winning PC systems integrator of custom gaming desktops, notebooks and workstations, today announced an exciting partnership with Hewlett-Packard (News - Alert) (HP) to develop the OMEN X - Crafted by MAINGEAR, the ultimate configuration in HP's new OMEN X line of PCs. MAINGEAR's exclusive customized edition of the OMEN X is the first product born from this exciting new partnership that pairs MAINGEAR's award-winning build quality and high-performance custom gaming PCs with HP's expertise as the world's leading PC manufacturer. With remarkable aesthetics, both inside and out, the OMEN X (MSRP - starting at $2,999 USD) is a powerhouse of performance and design, and is now available at www.maingear.com. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160816006119/en/ The OMEN X - Crafted by MAINGEAR (Photo: Business Wire) Each OMEN X is hand-assembled by a single master MAINGEAR craftsman in New Jersey. Modern masterpieces, the systems are artfully built with internal Origami Wiring and options for beautiful handcrafted hardline liquid cooling. With options for their renowned luxury automotive paint finishes, MAINGEAR brings to the OMEN X an unprecedented level of craftsmanship. Featuring a radical, revolutionary design, the OMEN X offers unprecedented upgradability with an incredibly spacious tri-chambered interior. This design, which separates hot components into their own thermal systems, provides dedicated cooling for each section and optimal thermal management. Angled at 45 degrees for easy access to internal components, the OMEN X is fully customizable, allowing consumers to add whatever level of power and performance they require. "MAINGEAR is known for exceptional build quality and being at the forefront of innovation when it comes to building custom PCs for high-end, enthusiast gamers," said John Ludwig, HP Gaming PC Product Manager. "We're continuing to reinvent personal systems and we're excited the collaboration with MAINGEAR allows us to offer a truly custom PC experience that traditional OEMs don't typically offer." For gamers and PC Power Users, the HP OMEN X allows for maximum personalization with incredible graphics options from NVIDIA and the latest Intel (News - Alert) Core i7 processors. The HP OMEN X offers incredibly fast and reliable storage options with four hot swap hard drive bays supporting the latest NVME SSD's as well as massive 10TB HDD's. Additionally, memory options allow for up to 64GB of premium Kingston DDR4 memory. MAINGEAR Online Press Kit: Here About MAINGEAR MAINGEAR is a high performance PC system integrator that offers custom desktops, notebooks and workstations. Each system is hand crafted for precision performance and uncompromised quality. With a passion to build the best and most innovative high performance computers, MAINGEAR sets the standard among system integrators. For more information, visit www.maingear.com or follow us on Facebook (News - Alert) at facebook.com/maingear and Twitter (News - Alert) at twitter.com/MAINGEAR. About HP Inc. HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions, and services, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. is available at http://www.hp.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160816006119/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [August 17, 2016] HyTrust Unveils Enhanced Workload Security Solutions for the New Multi-Cloud World HyTrust Inc. today announced enhanced capabilities for its workload security platform to support organizations with virtualized, public, private or multi-cloud environments for popular cloud technologies including Amazon Web Services, IBM, EMC, Intel, Microsoft (News - Alert) and VMware. This release includes HyTrust DataControl 3.2 and HyTrust CloudControl 5.0, both of which address key operational and security risks facing the next generation of data center transformation. With the HyTrust platform, organizations can reduce risk, automate compliance, reduce costs and ensure availability in virtualized and cloud environments. As software-defined data centers (SDDCs), hyper converged infrastructures, and multi-cloud environments become the building blocks for data centers, organizations must implement security solutions that allow for seamless deployment in complex public and hybrid cloud environments. At the same time, they must also protect organizational data and operationalize secure workflows. New data center build-outs often highlight security issues and the gap that often exists between the needs of infrastructure, operations and security teams. By breaking down the barriers between these teams, HyTrust eliminates alignment gaps between departments to allow security to be built into infrastructure and meet the demand for agile, secure and scalable workload deployment. "IT environments are getting more complex. The industry has moved from a one cloud fits all to a multiple cloud approach," said Eric Chiu, president and founder, HyTrust. "HyTrust's workload security solutions make these fairly unexplored, multi-cloud environments a more trustworthy place for enterprises to operate. With the latest enhancements to DataControl and CloudControl, we are strengthening trust within a multi-cloud infrastructure and the SDDC, providing modern IT organizations with the solutions they need to remain secure in today's rapidly evolving environment." The HyTrust workload security platform allows organizations to take full advantage of SDDC and multi-cloud environments without jeopardizing security. By providing support for leading virtualization, public cloud and hyper converged infrastructure, HyTrust assures organizations that they can deploy SDDC security controls and encryption with flexible key management across the leading cloud and virtualization platforms. HyTrust DataControl - offers powerful encryption with easy to use, scalable key management to secure the entire compute, network and storage stack throughout its lifecycle, from deployment and migration to sanctioned decommission. It's the only encryption/key management solution that allows an organization to dynamically encrypt and rekey virtual machines. HyTrust DataControl accelerates workload encryption by using technologies like Intel AES-NI to make encryption a transparent operation that doesn't impede performance and availability. New capabilities in HyTrust DataControl include: Any-cloud ready: Easy to deploy, manage and run in any type of cloud environment, whether it's private, public or hybrid. HyTrust supports public clouds like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, IBM (News - Alert) SoftLayer, VMware vCloud, as well as private clouds such as VMware (NSX and ESX), and hyper-convergence private clouds such as EMC, Nutanix and Simplivity. Zero downtime, zero touch encryption: Empowers IT organizations to consistently meet system-level agreements by never requiring applicaions to go offline and using policy-based intelligence to ensure re-keying of workloads happens automatically. Real-time forensics: Analytics ensuring data risk exposures are highlighted quickly and easily for operator override action or automatic scheduling. Secure boot protection: Protects organizational data by not allowing any system to boot or access data disks for unauthorized virtual machines or users. Military-grade data encryption: HyTrust DataControl Encryption is FIPS-140-2 Level 1 Certified and FIPS-140-2 Level 3 capable with built-in HSM support providing government agencies and security savvy enterprises confidence that their data is safe in the cloud. HyTrust CloudControl - the standard for advanced access controls, forensic logging and policy enforcement in VMware environments, allowing organizations to automate security and compliance requirements mandated by a broad range of industry standards including PCI (News - Alert)-DSS, HIPAA, NIST and SOX. HyTrust CloudControl enables the use of technologies including Intel Trusted Execution Technology (TXT) and CIT (Cloud Integrity Technology) to ensure enterprise-class controls and policy enforcement for workload integrity. New features in HyTrust CloudControl 5.0 include: New security posture dashboards (with drill downs): Provide analysis and trending of privileged user access, compliance and protection of resources. Enhanced logging and reporting functionality: Includes heat maps, automatic capture of configuration changes, snapshot views and simplified formatting of log data providing our customers deeper and richer analytics and trending of privileged user access, compliance posture and level of resource protection. Secondary workflow approvals for NSX: Supports a second level of approval to sensitive actions, made by privileged users within the NSX environment. Extended capabilities for NSX REST APIs: Allows for enhanced security operations. "HyTrust has been focused on securing virtualization since it's founding. With its CloudControl and DataControl portfolio, it continues to help customers enable multi-cloud workload security for a breadth of data center platforms," said Jon Oltsik, senior principal analyst, Enterprise Strategy Group. To learn more please visit: https://www.hytrust.com/products/datacontrol/ https://www.hytrust.com/products/cloudcontrol/ About HyTrust HyTrust's mission is to make private, public and hybrid cloud infrastructure more trustworthy for enterprises, service providers and government agencies. HyTrust provides solutions that automate security controls for software-defined computing, networking and storage workloads to achieve the highest levels of visibility, granular policy control and data protection. HyTrust customers benefit from being able to accelerate cloud and virtualization cost savings while improving their security posture by automating and enforcing security policies in real time, adapting quickly to compliance requirements, and preventing unplanned outages. Headquartered in Mountain View, CA (News - Alert), HyTrust is backed by the leading providers of strategic IT infrastructure including VMware, Cisco, Intel and Fortinet; by the vanguard of innovative solutions for the intelligence community, In-Q-Tel; and by a world class group of financial investors including AIT Ventures, Granite Ventures, Trident Capital and Vanedge Capital. HyTrust was recently named one of CRN's "20 Coolest Cloud Security Vendors," a recipient of VMworld's 2015 Gold Award for Security/Compliance and Virtualization, and the Most Innovative Cloud Company at Intel Security (News - Alert) Focus 2015. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160817005266/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Itongadol.-Postal services in various countries are starting to adopt drones as a delivery method, and companies like Amazon are on the hunt for the best drone tech. One of the countries leading the surge in drone innovation is Israel. According to Yariv Bash, founder of drone delivery startup Flytrex, as well as SpaceIL (the Israeli team trying to land a craft on the moon for Googles space competition Lunar XPRIZE), the number of drone startups in Israel exceeds 30. Its really not surprising that Israel has become a hub when it comes to drones, Bash tells NoCamels. Much of the technological know-how that todays Israeli drone developers have acquired comes from the military. In fact, many of them served in Unit 8200, an Israeli Intelligence Corps unit responsible for collecting signal intelligence (SIGINT) and code decryption. According to Bash, Israel exports some 60 percent of the worlds military drones. However, as the proliferation of drones for commercial use increases, demand in the non-military sector will increase as well. Delivery by drone The advantages of delivery by drone are many. Drones can deliver packages much quicker than regular messenger services, as they dont have traffic to contend with. In fact, the Ukrainian postal service has teamed up with Yariv Bashs Flytrex to begin testing delivery drones in Ukrainian cities for the first time. A drone costs much less than a delivery truck and operates on batteries instead of costly fuel. Plus, maintenance for drones is also much cheaper, Bash says. There is also the added benefit of safety. Imagine if we could replace many of the delivery trucks and bike messengers on our roads which are involved in far too many accidents with drones. Not only would delivery be cheaper, faster, and more efficient, it would be safer too. Delivery by drone is even spreading to Africa, where it is being considered as a more efficient solution for transferring medical supplies between remote villages, as medicine is so lightweight. Israel: Drone home Israels many drone startups are not all doing the same thing. One such company, Airobotics, is building a drone platform that will allow companies to operate drones themselves, without the need for expensive and skilled drone operators. The Airobotics system is a patrol drone comprised of three components. Theres the drone itself, the base station known as the Airbase, and the command software that takes the place of human brains (or at least, their functions). Capable of flying with a 1 kilogram load for half an hour at a time, the drone can patrol an area, then land itself on its base station autonomously. From there, a robotic arm comes in to change its battery and relieve the drone of its payload sort of like a robotic pit crew. Airobotics currently has 70 employees and has so far raised a total of $28.5 million in funding. Arbe Robotics, which won first place at the TechCrunchs first-ever Tel Aviv Startup Pitch Off in June, has developed a solution that uses radar technology radio frequencies to help drones detect objects and avoid collisions. A mix of hardware and software, their product can be connected to all kinds of existing drones. It will enable the craft to read the 360-degree space around it and will allow a visual range of up to 200 meters. Today drones are not allowed to fly in areas in which a collision could be dangerous, Kobi Marenko, the Co-Founder and CEO of Arbe Robotics said in an interview. Our system tells the drone to automatically avoid the obstacle, and it can also include an alarm mode to alert the operator about an imminent danger. Another innovative Israeli drone startup is Rosh Haayin-based Percepto, which is putting military-grade tech at the service of the renewable energy sector. It uses machine vision that allows drones to check and inspect windmills in remote areas. The project has won the financial backing of billionaires such as Mark Cuban, Richard Parsons, and Xu Xiapong. Percepto has raised $1 million in funding so far. Monitoring by drone can be life-saving Drones are also being used for monitoring agriculture, livestock, farming, and irrigation. Bash points out that drones are much safer to use when checking things like power lines or monitoring crops. A pilot can only get so close without risking his own safety, Bash explained. Drones can get much closer without endangering human life. However, replacing human delivery with drones has some drawbacks. One issue the industry is grappling with is how to drop off a package. Some companies have tested landing on a customers doorstep while others have tried lowering packages down on a line. But global-positioning-system data can be inaccurateenough to put a drone at the wrong house or over a swimming pool. A drone in every home? Asked whether he believes that soon each family will have their own personal drone, Bash was not prepared to go that far. Drone adoption will indeed happen gradually, within the next 5-10 years , but I dont believe it will lead to a world where everyone will have their own drone, Bash said. Rather, drones will be commercial. If you order a pizza, it will be delivered to you by drone. If you are expecting a package, instead of a delivery truck pulling up to your home, a drone will land in your yard. The companies will be owning and using the drones, but the general public will be benefiting from it. Nothing to fear Asked if mass drone adoption is something we should dread, Bash dismissed the notion. A hundred years ago people feared cars in the streets, until it became the norm. The same initial fear applied to air travel, but now flying in a plane is even safer than driving a car. As far as drones go, in the not too distant future, delivery by drone will seem like the most natural thing to all of us. anterior BDS:Danny Danon asegura que hay que boicotear a los boicoteadores Este sitio utiliza cookies para mejorar la experiencia de usuario. Aceptar Ver mas Gov. Pete Ricketts and Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley appealed again Wednesday for Sen. Bill Kintner to resign now so District 2 voters can have their say. In a letter, the two said if Kintner resigns now, he could petition to stand for election in November and see if he still has the trust of constituents in Cass, Sarpy and Otoe counties. Kintner, who has been fined by the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission for using his state laptop to have cybersex, has stubbornly refused to quit. He says God and his wife have forgiven him, and he believes God wants him to stay in the Legislature. "As you know, if you resign before Sept. 8, the governor is required to appoint a replacement within 45 days, but the voters would have the opportunity to vote for the person they trust to represent them ... ," Ricketts and Hadley wrote in the letter to Kintner. After Sept. 8, a person appointed by the governor will not be able to run in November. "We believe everything possible should be done to restore the faith of voters in the system, and encourage you to let your voters be heard by giving them the chance to vote," the letter says. A resignation now would give anyone who wants to run in November until Sept. 1 to submit the approximately 1,300 petition signatures required to get on the ballot, they said. Ballots must be certified by Sept. 16. "You have repeatedly said you feel called to remain in office to serve the people of your district," the letter says. "Current law would not prohibit a senator who has resigned from seeking the same office by petitioning onto the ballot." In their appeal, Ricketts and Hadley said public service is a noble profession and high calling and that Kintner's misconduct violated the trust voters placed in him. "This incident continues to be a distraction for individuals who serve taxpayers and Nebraska residents, and will consume additional time and resources this week as the Legislature's Executive (Board) prepares to meet," they wrote. The board meets Friday, and its chairman, Sen. Bob Krist, has asked Kintner to step down before then. When it meets, the board could discuss sanctions including taking away his staff, office, parking and committee memberships. Kintner had no comment on Wednesday. Death penalty supporters launched a website Tuesday, voterepeal.com. The site launched by Nebraskans for the Death Penalty includes highlights of crimes committed by Nebraskas death row inmates and narrated by "Law & Order" TV series voice actor Steve Zimkilton. We know a majority of Nebraskans support the death penalty and our new video reinforces the reasons why, said Chris Peterson, campaign manager of Nebraskans for the Death Penalty. The website reinforces the message that to keep the death penalty in Nebraska, people must vote to repeal the law (LB268) that did away with it. On the video, Zimkilton talks about why Nebraska has a death penalty before urging a repeal vote to keep it. Nebraskans who want to retain the law enacted in 2015 also have a website:retainajustnebraska.com. Colleen Burden was lost to us on July 17, 2016. Colli, as most people knew her, was born Marjorie Colleen Kelly on October 1951. Colli grew up around ideas presented to her by her intellectually active parents, magazines, informational TV programs and newspapers. Colli's dad often put her and her sister in the back seat of their car and took them for outing drives around Lincoln and regularly to drive-inns to eat at. Colli had public home school teachers take her through high school. Colli and Jonie had an almost daily social interaction with many close interesting family friends at their parent's home. She grew up communicating with nearly all adults. Colli started without help making photographic realistic oil paintings, as an expression of her sense of beauty, until to the time she could no longer support the brushes. Colli grew up entertaining guests, working on craft projects and painting from her bed. At age 25 she got her first wheel chair and moved out with more independent mobility into the larger world, soon having a motorized chair she could go for miles by herself. Colli then traveled everywhere with her husband, Jim, coast to coast with her wheel chair on Amtrak, airplane, commercial truck, van, boat, bus, and vintage train trips, seeing most of the U.S. in great detail. Colli grew up in a Christian Science family in which she pursued studying the intricacies of this knowledge with the research concentration of a particle physicist. This shaped her further interest in everything. She traveled yearly to Christian Science events, historic sites, and in the last 20 years to regular association meetings and lectures. The friends she met through the church were of many interests and accomplishments for which infinite possibility was at hand and not a distant promise. This mutual and self encouragement made any undertaking seem immediately possible making the many challenges of the last ten years not diminishing of her up beat personality. Up to the day before she passed she was sharp in memory and loving. Colli met and conversed with tens of thousands of people. She sold everything to her many customers in the earnest hope of helping them get what they wanted or would benefit from. Collie did phone sales, interview and cold call work and was a receptionist with three companies and Nebraska Game and Parks where she worked for 23 years. Considering some days she worked up to 11 long hours on the phone struggling to get people to where they wanted to go and what they wanted from their calls of every type and level of urgency. She worked up to the time work was too tiring for her to make it through a long day. Colli worked hard, occasionally holding down two jobs plus making constant active household, personal, business decisions and inquiries. Colli thought of others before herself, adopting two kids, Josh and Beth, raising them towards improvements in their lives. She insured that everybody was taken care of as much as she could provide for them. Often when she had little money to spare she would loan people money to get them by, making it hard to pay her bills. Colli was the bookkeeper the arranger, the director of actions, not waiting for some one to lead her. Her life was full of thousands of adventures, struggles and activities of all kinds. Colli loved to collect art and beautiful things, starting the Bed and Breakfast to "offer beauty to people," in her words. Colli loved people. She took in and remembered the details of their lives. Colli is survived by the members of the Jim Burden family, cousins, and all the hundreds of friends who's lives she personally touched and added to. Colli we will greatly miss the irreplaceable unique you. There will be a memorial service and picnic for Colli at 4 p.m. on Aug. 21 at Westview, her home of 38 years, located at 7000 NW 27th, Lincoln. Hot and cold, sweet and salty -- there is a holiday for every taste in the week ahead: Aug. 17 -- National Vanilla Custard Day. On Aug. 8 we celebrated custards frozen counterpart. This day is for the original mixture, which is a cooked combination of milk or cream and egg yolk. The Romans get credit for this delicacy, which hundreds of years later found its way into Americans stomachs thanks to Alfred Birds (egg-free) Custard Powder. FYI: Custard should never be lumpy, according to cooksinfo.com. Aug. 18 -- National Ice Cream Pie Day. From mudslides to peanut butter to peppermint candy cane -- Americans love their ice cream pies. Searches came up empty on who first put ice cream in a pie crust, but the first to put ice cream on pie was Charles W. Townsend, a regular at New Yorks Cambridge Hotel. Townsend always ordered his apple pie with vanilla ice cream. When nearby diner Mrs. Berry Hall asked what the dish was called, Townsend had no idea. So she dubbed it pie a la mode, according to various newspaper accounts. Aug. 19 -- National Soft-Serve Ice Cream Day. According to Forbes magazine, soft-serve ice cream is the most popular form of ice cream in the U.S. Just who created soft-serve is unclear -- with ice cream giants Carvel and Dairy Queen each laying claim. Carvels story is soft served happened by accident when his ice cream truck broke down on a hot day. Dairy Queen founder J.F. McCullough and his son, Alex, purposely served ice cream at 23 F because it tasted better. Aug. 20 -- National Bacon Lovers Day. Bacon is one of the oldest processed meats in history. The Chinese began salting pork bellies as early as 1500 B.C., according to foodimentary.com. Today, more than half of all homes (53 percent) keep bacon on hand at all times, and each year Americans consume more than 1.7 billion pounds of bacon. Aug. 21 -- National Sweet Tea Day. There are two traditional teas in the United States and the only difference between them is sugar, according to WhatsCookingAmerica.net. The oldest sweet tea recipe in print comes from a community cookbook called Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree, published in 1879 which calls for steeping tea in the morning, and serving it over ice and two teaspoons of granulated sugar at dinner. Aug. 22 -- National Eat a Peach Day. The peach is the state fruit of Georgia and South Carolina. The peach blossom is the state flower of Delaware. The peach originated in China and has been cultivated at least since 1000 B.C. In Chinese culture the peach tree is said to be the tree of life and peaches are symbols of immortality and unity, according to TheNibble.com. Aug. 23 -- National Spongecake Day. Once considered the most decadent cake in the world, spongecake is thought to be one of the first non-yeasted cakes. Food historians generally agree that sponge cake (as we know it today) was probably a European recipe invented in the early 19th century. Prior to this there were recipes for "biscuit bread" or "sponge fingers" which would have produced a similar product, according to FoodTimeline.org. A 20-year-old man faces felony child sexual assault charges after Lincoln police say he raped a 13-year-old girl in July, according to court documents. Franklin R. Corado Diaz has been charged with first-degree sexual assault of a minor and third-degree sexual assault of a child. The girl's mother reported her suspicions of sexual abuse July 25, according to an affidavit for Corado Diaz's arrest. In an interview at the Child Advocacy Center, the girl, who knows Corado Diaz, said the two had sexual intercourse three times in July. In Nebraska, children younger than 16 cannot legally consent to sex. Police arrested Corado Diaz Monday. On Tuesday, a judge set his bond at $500,000 and ordered him not to have any contact with the girl or anyone younger than 16. He remained in jail Tuesday night. A Lincoln man accused of being the getaway driver in an April robbery that left a man dead and another paralyzed went to prison Tuesday for his part in a home-invasion robbery a year earlier. Terique Jackson, 24, pleaded no contest to terroristic threats in connection to the robbery at a townhouse near 27th Street and Yankee Hill Road on May 7, 2015. In court records, police say he was the getaway driver. That day, two 19-year-olds told Lincoln police they were smoking pot in the basement when the door was forced open and two men came in, one with a gun, and demanded money. One of the teens was pistol whipped and had a shot fired inches from him into a couch cushion. As the men fled, one of the victims got a photo of the car, which police say was registered to Jackson. Jackson later entered the plea but failed to appear for sentencing May 24. On July 3, he was arrested in Colorado on charges of aiding and abetting Christopher Coleman's murder and robbery. Police believe he drove the getaway vehicle in the April 18 homicide at 1966 Euclid Ave. On Tuesday, Lancaster County District Judge John Colborn sentenced him to 20 months to five years in prison in the 2015 case. The judge gave Taylor Arizola, 22, the same sentence in April. Police said he was identified as the man who didn't have a gun. A University of Nebraska-Lincoln student remained in critical condition at a Texas hospital Tuesday, as Corpus Christi police continued to search for the driver who hit her and her boyfriend early Sunday. Maria Anderson, 21, and Tyler Sheets, 23, were walking south near a Sonic Drive-In on Padre Island when they were hit about 1:30 a.m. by an older model Dodge Ram pickup, Officer Kirk Stowers told the Corpus Christi Caller-Times. The driver of the southbound pickup fled the scene, and Anderson and Sheets were taken to the hospital. Anderson had surgery for a brain injury and has several broken ribs, a cousin wrote on an online fundraising page. Sheets suffered a concussion and other minor injuries, his grandmother Mary Alice Sheets said Tuesday. He has seen Anderson at the hospital and noted some improvements in her condition, his grandmother said. "When Tyler talks to her, her heart rates goes up, she said, adding that small sign is heartening. Investigators have released images captured by nearby surveillance video of a gray or silver pickup they believe was involved in the collision. Anderson, a psychology student, was in Texas visiting Sheets, a UNL graduate, who is in Navy pilot school there, his grandmother said. The fundraiser to cover Anderson's medical expenses had raised more than $13,000 by Tuesday afternoon. "Besides any donations, we are asking for prayers," Anderson's cousin Morgan Kneip wrote on the fundraising page. "Prayers of strength and healing for Maria and Tyler, prayers of wisdom for their doctors and prayers of comfort for our families as we lean on each other through this difficult time." Lincoln City Council members who dont want a property tax rate hike can be compelled to approve one, according to an opinion from the city law department. The opinion becomes important as the four-member Republican majority on the council and Mayor Chris Beutler, a Democrat, head toward a potential budget showdown next week. The council amended Beutler's proposal, cutting it to eliminate the need for a property tax hike. It is expected to give final approval to the amended budget, which could then face a mayor's veto. Republican council members say they disagree with the legal opinion, and some are seeking a second opinion. Several of them also said it appears Beutler has been preparing for this kind of a conflict for several years, since the opinion on the veto and resulting tax rate hike was written in 2009. In it, then-City Attorney John Hendry describes the budget veto scenario and what would happen if the city ends up with a budget requiring a higher property tax rate. The council has a duty to enact a tax levy increase, if the final budget requires it, the opinion says. And if the council majority refuses to approve a higher tax rate, the city can go to court and compel it to do so through what is called a writ of mandamus. The city must have funds to operate and the failure or refusal of the council to perform its obligation cannot be permitted to create a crisis, Hendry wrote. Here is how the veto situation would work, based on the opinion and the potential pending confrontation between the mayor and council Republicans. If the council majority passes its version of a final budget Monday and Beutler vetoes it, the council needs five votes to override. If it doesn't have them, the mayor's original version of the budget stands. It's unlikely the majority could muster the five votes because one Democrat would have to vote with the four Republicans, and so far the Democrats have lined up solidly behind the mayors plan. So, if the veto stands and the budget reverts to the plan proposed by Beutler in early July, a tax hike of about 1.17 cents per $100 valuation, or about $18 a year on a $150,000 home, would be required. And based on the Hendry opinion, the council must approve the tax hike. The adopted budget, as law, imposes a duty upon the council to enact the tax levy increase, he wrote. If the seven-member council cant get four votes to approve a property tax levy hike, the city administration can take the issue to court, seeking to compel council approval. The specific duty of the council to pass the tax levy resolution is clear and plain by Article IX, Section 26 (city charter), leaving no discretion for the council to exercise," Hendry wrote. "Therefore council can be compelled by mandamus action to perform this ministerial duty. Hendry, who retired as chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court before taking the job as city attorney, wrote the opinion in April 2009 as the city faced the aftermath of the stock market crash and recession. Jeff Kirkpatrick is city attorney now, and he agrees with Hendry's analysis. He shared the Hendry memo with the City Council after members asked for it early this week. The memo also refers to a 1998 opinion from then-City Attorney Bill Austin that addresses the veto override issue. Hendry said he agreed with Austins assessment of the veto situation -- where the budget would revert to the mayors original proposal if there were a successful veto. Then, Hendry went on to look at the question of what happens if the council is unwilling to pass a tax increase resolution. City Councilman Jon Camp, an attorney, disagrees with the memo and said he is getting some other people to review it. Councilwoman Cyndi Lamm, too, plans do do her own research on the questions. "It's incorrect," said Lamm, an attorney. "I think it's based on a faulty premise." Councilman Trent Fellers said it looks like the Beutler administration has been planning for such an impasse. Beutler has been mayor since 2007. They had this (opinion) in their back pocket in case there was some different balance on the council, Fellers said. Ive been around enough that Ive seen lawyers draft opinions to fit with what their boss wants to happen, he said. Two years ago, Fellers voted with the Democrats to pass the mayors proposed budget when Democrat Councilman Doug Emery was out of town on business. But this year, he wrote the first set of cuts that removed enough spending from Beutlers plan to eliminate the need for a property tax increase, and he has consistently voted with the Republican majority. The opinion exposes a major flaw in the city budget process, said Fellers. When the mayor can veto back to his original proposal and require the council to raise the property tax, he has no incentive to negotiate, he said. Republicans have complained throughout the spring and summer that they did not get enough information early enough in the budget process to have much effect on it. He can form a budget and can raises taxes with no input from the people, Fellers said. The council is charged with holding a budget hearing and listening to peoples thoughts. People who came to the hearing said they didnt want their taxes raised, and the mayor was not responsive to that, Fellers said. Camp said the Beutler administration has a very disruptive approach to city governance." "They are just fighting everything. They have to win every time. And it is very disappointing. 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 A group representing the Lincoln Indian Center and the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska would like Lincoln leaders to create a new city holiday: Indigenous Peoples' Day. "Many people celebrate Columbus Day, a day that is not celebrated by Native Americans for obvious reasons," said Clyde Tyndall, executive director of the Indian Center. "In its place we propose the city establish Indigenous People's Day," he told the City Council Monday during the open mic period. Indigenous Peoples Day would fall on Columbus Day, which is Oct. 10 this year, and would honor contributions Native Americans have made to this city, Tyndall said. City Councilman Carl Eskridge said he would like to see the council approve a resolution setting aside Columbus Day as Indigenous People's Day. "I think that is the right thing to do. It is intended to be a positive day of affirming Native American culture and history. Eskridge said the timing is good, starting to celebrate Indigenous People's Day just before Nebraska begins celebrating its 150th anniversary. "It recognizes that the Native Americans were here first," he said. At least nine other cities celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, including Seattle; Denver; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Portland, Oregon; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Berkeley, California, Tyndall said. The resolution offered by the Indian Center recognizes the fact that Lincoln is built on the homelands and villages of indigenous people, values the contributions of indigenous people that shaped the character of the city, acknowledges the responsibility to oppose systemic racism toward indigenous people and promotes the closing of the equity gap. Columbus Day is not a recognized city holiday, but it is one of 11 state holidays on which state government offices are closed. Out with boarding houses My husband lived in a boarding house for a year while attending college in Lincoln. He and his brother shared a bedroom on the second floor of a large old home in what is now known as the Near South. The widow who owned the home also cooked dinner for the young men who rented rooms there. But boarding houses are gone, replaced by shared apartments, including more than 5,000 beds in large apartment complexes for students in the downtown and Haymarket areas. Soon the last trace of old-fashioned boarding houses will be eliminated from the citys zoning ordinance as part of a purge on ordinances now before the City Council. In 1999, the council eliminated references to boarding houses in the zoning law after someone set up what was really a group home for multiple individuals but without any services or supervision and called it a boarding house. Since the city no longer had any true boarding houses, references were removed from the ordinance, said Stephen Henrichsen, with the Planning Department. But the definition remained on the books, until now. Boarding houses may be out, but Airbnb-type room-rental arrangements are allowed. Current city zoning rules allow such arrangements in residential districts, where people can rent out a room or two to travelers. Renting out rooms falls under the citys home occupation rules, originally intended for people like hair stylists who want to work out of their homes. But short-term bedroom rentals also fit within the rules for a home occupation. One note -- you can't rent out your whole home in the short term in residential areas. You do have to live there. You cant have any outside employees. And you cant rent out more than 20 percent of the house, Henrichsen said. A church, a temple Minor changes to the zoning ordinance also include a move toward inclusiveness. The word church will be replaced with "place of religious assembly throughout the zoning ordinance. Although church, within city code, has been used as a generic reference to all houses of worship, it implies Christianity. The new language is designed to be more inclusive, said to Rachel Jones, with the Planning Department. Practically speaking, the change has no effect. None of the citys rules applying to churches, aka places of religious assembly, has changed. Lincoln allows these buildings in almost every area of the city and provides some exemptions from rules. For example, a place of religious assembly can have a spire taller than surrounding buildings. A bad air day The July 4 holiday period is almost guaranteed to provide polluted air, what with everyone shooting off fireworks for hours each night. But this year's holiday was especially bad. Particulate levels recorded in Lincoln July 3-5 were almost double the highest levels recorded in 2013 and 2014, and were higher than last year, according to the local Health Department. City leaders don't know if more fireworks were set off this year, since there's no data for that. But the weather could be to blame. A very moist, stale air mass persisted over Lincoln during peak fireworks hours, effectively blanketing all of the pollution. Lincoln's Air Quality Index fell to "very unhealthy levels" for several hours during that period. But it was worse in the Omaha area, with peaks in the hazardous level, which generally triggers health warnings. The following editorial appeared in the Chicago Tribune. Remember when bungee jumping was so rad? Well, put it in the passe drawer. At the top of a waterfall on the southeast coast of South Africa, thrill-seekers can strap on a harness attached to a thick cord and swing downward 55 stories into the maw of the Oribi Gorge. If that doesnt palpitate to your liking, all over the world you can find what are known as Suspended Catch Air Devices, which free-fall people from as high as 220 feet onto nets suspended about 40 feet above the ground. Roller coasters that corkscrew arent enough the Kingda Ka roller coaster at a Six Flags park in New Jersey reaches 128 mph in 3.5 seconds and terrorizes from a height of 456 feet. Its hard to imagine that water slides and roller coasters could thrill at even greater speeds and from higher heights than they do now, but you can bet amusement park designers will find ways to ratchet up the thrill quotient. Its innately human to thirst for that adrenaline swoosh that flutters the heart and tingles the skin. That feeling we got when we took our first saucer ride down a sled hill as a toddler embedded itself in our psyche, and every once in a while we feel the urge to dust it off and take it for a spin. But just as innate is our sense of survival, and there are times when the urge to succumb to thrills needs a reality check. Do the handful of seconds that comprise a deaths-door free-fall at a SCAD attraction really make your day? For many, the answer is, Well, yeah, of course, dude! And if thats the case, then by all means, plunge earthward. But before you strap on your harness or pull down that safety bar, ask yourself: Does hurtling toward oblivion really define exhilaration? Isnt it worthwhile to apply some common sense and assess the risk? Common sense is particularly called for when you consider a mainstay of the amusement ride clientele: children. The Verruckt German for insane is the water slide at Schlitterbahn Water Park in Kansas City, Kan., where 10-year-old Caleb Schwab died Aug. 7 from a neck injury. The rafts on the ride seat three people and reach speeds of up to 70 mph as they make a 168-foot drop, followed by a second, 50-foot descent. Riders are harnessed in with seat belt-like restraints that are secured with Velcro-like straps rather than buckles. The son of a Kansas state lawmaker, Caleb was on the ride with two women. Witnesses say when they saw his body at the finishing pool, it appeared his neck was broken. After Calebs death, people who have ridden the slide before have reported that their straps came loose during the ride. The water park as well as the Verruckt passed the annual inspections that Kansas law requires. In hindsight, its apparent that the ride had safety issues. Steps can and should be taken to improve the states inspections system. Nevertheless, nothing certainly no thrill ride that involves rapid movement can be made fail safe. Thats the deeper lesson in Calebs death. We need to draw a thick black line between whats thrilling and whats irrationally risky. And we cant rely on a government inspection report to make that call. We should think about that demarcation ourselves and we should think about it for our children. How would Donald Trump assess Donald Trump's candidacy? As he might put it: A lot of people are saying his campaign is an operation on behalf of the Democratic Party to destroy the Republicans. "A lot of people are saying"? That's not a very high evidentiary standard. What else? Well, to start there is the photo. You know the one, where Trump and his new bride Melania are rubbing elbows with the Clintons. Bill Clinton spoke with Trump right before Trump announced his candidacy. Trump has of course contributed to Clinton campaigns in past years as well. This doesn't even get into the fact that Ivanka Trump and Chelsea Clinton are friends. All of that adds up to a lot of conjecture and coincidence. It's more likely there is a less sinister explanation for Trump's obvious political errors in the general election: An isolated egomaniac rejects the advice of political professionals. And yet the "Trump is a plant" theory has more compelling evidence than Trump could amass for claims like "Obama founded ISIS" or his allies could muster for "Democrats murdered a DNC official because he leaked e-mails" (which by the way most security experts say were pilfered by Russian intelligence). The Republican candidate's wild lunges and errors in recent weeks, particularly on national security, certainly do more harm to his own adopted party than to those he purports to target. This is not just because Trump's comments about the Islamic State, the Iraq War, and the Khan family (to name just three) are comically false. They also let President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton off the hook. It's easy to dismiss a crazed accusation about Obama being the founder of a jihadi organization; it's much harder for the administration to respond to serious and pointed criticism of its foreign policy. Let's start with the Iran deal. The Wall Street Journal reported this month that $400 million in cash arrived in Iran just as the Iranians were releasing Americans they had detained. Republicans in Congress are now following up. On Aug. 12, Senators Mike Lee and Ted Cruz wrote a scathing letter to Obama asking him whether the payment to Iran violated U.S. prohibitions against financial interactions with Iran. This is the kind of fodder that a typical Republican presidential campaign would seize upon. Trump's campaign doesn't even seem to be trying. Then there is a report released last week from House Republicans on the Intelligence, Armed Services and Appropriations Committee. It didn't get much airtime because the political conversation was dominated by Trump giving Clinton and Obama the ISIS MVP award and musing about the "Second Amendment people." The report found that in 2014 and 2015, U.S. Central Command intelligence analysts' accurate and pessimistic assessments of Obama's new war against the Islamic State were often edited out of the finished product. "I believe the reporting out of U.S. Central Command, which showed a rosier picture about U.S. efforts against ISIS, led the United States to inadequately provide resources to take on the threat that has now grown and metastasized against the U.S.," Rep. Mike Pompeo, an author of the report and a Republican member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, told me. This falls into a pattern. Obama, like most modern presidents, engages in selective disclosure of state secrets. Filmmakers are provided extraordinary access to research a movie about the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. At the same time, the White House slow- rolled House oversight committees in their investigation of the 2012 attack at Benghazi. So far, the few documents released from the 2011 bin Laden raid to the public paint a picture of an antagonistic relationship between bin Laden and Iran. Former officials who have studied them, like former Defense Intelligence Agency director Michael Flynn, say there are still classified documents from the raid that show Iran and al Qaida enjoyed a much cozier relationship. This critique of Obama is not as bold as calling him the founder of the Islamic State. But it has the benefit of being true. Trump's current approach has the benefit of helping his political opponents. So again, it's worth asking who in the end really gains from Trump's paranoid, fact-free campaign style. After all, a lot of people are saying it's Hillary Clinton. Before he did research into how much the death penalty costs taxpayers, Creighton University Economist Ernie Goss was like a lot of Nebraskans; he wanted to reinstate capital punishment. After looking at the facts, Goss said, he now leans the other way. He told the Journal Star editorial board he is fairly certain he will vote against the death penalty. In a report for Retain a Just Nebraska the organization leading the fight against the death penalty Goss determined that the state would save $14.6 million a year if the death penalty is replaced by life imprisonment. Gosss study the first of its kind -- provides a mountain of Nebraska-specific evidence for what is often called the conservative argument against the death penalty. Its a government program that is costly and doesnt work. Nebraska has executed only one person in the past 19 years, even while the costs added up year after year. Nebraska voters who fancy themselves as conservatives should pay special attention to Gosss findings. Goss has earned the trust of a wide variety of political types. Notably, the conservative Platte Institute for Economic Research has hired Goss to do studies in search of evidence to support its positions. Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln, a Republican who led the fight in the Legislature to replace the death penalty with life in prison, said that some of the senators who voted in favor the bill were convinced that the state was wasting money in keeping the death penalty on the books, but they didnt know how much. Now they have particulars. Bob Evnen, spokesperson for the pro-death penalty campaign, tried unsuccessfully to challenge Gosss findings by pointing to a fiscal note that was attached to the death penalty repeal bill. The fiscal note is one of hundreds posted during a legislative session. Gosss study is far more authoritative. So what could the state do with the $14.6 million? For starters, they could give it back to taxpayers. Or they could set it aside for crime victims. When you look at what the other 49 states are doing for crime victims, Nebraska is at the bottom, Coash said. Sen. Kate Bolz of Lincoln suggested that the state might use the money for programs to fight domestic violence. Gosss study clearly shows that its the death penalty itself that is the cause of unnecessary expense, rather than other related factors. Court decisions have established so many requirements that there is nothing that lawmakers can do to avoid them. If conservative Nebraskans take the time to study the issue as thoroughly as Goss, theyll come to the same decision that Republican state senators came to. Replacing the death penalty with life in prison is something that conservatives should support. The Nebraska agency that oversees branding of most of the state's cattle took a step toward modernity Tuesday by agreeing to a contract to get its bookkeeping computerized, a move that comes in response to a searing state audit. The five members of the Nebraska Brand Committee met via telephone and voted unanimously to approve contract terms with Nebraska Interactive, the state's computer application designer, to develop web-based software that will track the work of brand inspectors, keep records, accept payments in the field, improve checks and balances, as well as provide other features. A few details of the contract, which is expected to be signed early next month, have yet to be finalized but the committee agreed to cost, scope of the work and some timeline parameters. David Wright, president of Independent Cattlemen of Nebraska, questioned whether the meeting by telephone for a nonemergency purpose violated state open meeting statutes. Committee member Jaclyn Wilson of Lakeside said in an interview following the meeting that an attorney is checking into the accusation and said a revote will happen if needed. The committee held the special meeting Tuesday afternoon in a push to get the contract finalized before the Sept. 28 meeting of the Nebraska Records Board, which oversees and manages electronic access to state government information. Created in 1941, the Brand Committee keeps records of cattle brands, inspects cattle to verify ownership and investigates missing and stolen livestock. The committee's board is appointed by the governor to four-year terms. The committee says the new computer program will make its employees more efficient and address numerous clerical and accounting deficiencies noted in a recent report from Nebraska's Auditor of Public Records, Charlie Janssen. The audit took the Brand Committee to task for procedures its nearly 100 employees follow, including handling check deposits, employee vehicle mileage, payroll issues and lack of controls for handling the sale of animals with no known owner. The audit report noted thousands of dollars worth of checks had been lost by committee employees. Tyson Fresh Meats earlier this year wrote the Brand Committee to let it know of several uncashed checks, which the agency hadn't realized were missing until receiving the letter. The committee eventually asked Tyson to reissue $20,000 in checks that couldn't be found. A significant portion of the audit focused on Shawn Harvey, who resigned as the Brand Committee's executive director earlier this month but was immediately offered another position with the same salary, $70,932 plus benefits, as interim chief investigator and director of field operations. The audit report raised concerns about Harveys management of the agency and alleges he drove a state-owned pickup for personal business, backdated an employee's disciplinary form and approved the sale of livestock without proof of ownership by a man with a criminal record. Possible violations of state law have been forwarded to the Nebraska Attorney General's Office, which is reviewing the information. Regarding the new computer system, committee members agreed that once it's launched, tentatively set for July 1, 2017, Nebraska Interactive will begin receiving 6 cents for every head of cattle the Brand Committee inspects, which was 3.43 million in fiscal year 2014-15. The Committee inspects cattle when they move in or out of the brand area, which covers roughly the western two-thirds of the state, or are sold. It charges $1 a head for the inspection, which will not change. The Committee negotiated the price for the software down from a previously proposed $.07 per head. The price will revert to the higher number if the Brand Committee fails to meet certain deadlines for providing Nebraska Interactive with information needed to create the system. "It puts the pressure on us to make sure we get everything to them on time," said Wilson. There are no upper or lower criteria related to the number of cattle inspected. Nebraska's cattle numbers have increased the past couple years, and officials based cost estimates on the assumption of 3.6 million being inspected each year. At that rate, the brand committee would pay the software company $216,000 annually. The contract lasts through Dec. 31, 2021, and likely will cost the committee about $1 million over that time. "Rather than have us pay up front and have all that money on hand, we're able to pay as we go," Wilson said. Also included in that cost is maintenance and support for the system, more than 90 iPads with protective cases for the committee's inspectors and 27 business printers to be housed at sale barns. Brand Committee Chairman Jerry Kuenning previously said other software companies had been contacted about bidding on the project but Nebraska Interactive is the only one that chose to do so. The proposal includes the creation of a database system that will house data about inspections, producers, sales barns and violation data. It will also modernize certification processes, internal tracking of data, audit reporting, as well as manage all brand-related tasks, including new brand applications, transfers and renewals. During the conference call, Wright also criticized the Brand Committee for what he said is lack of diversity on a five-person work group that is evaluating needed policy and state legislative changes related to brand issues. The work group he criticized includes two members of the Brand Committee, Wilson and Jeff Metz; Melody Benjamin of the Nebraska Cattlemen; a Brand Committee employee, Harvey; and Nebraska Legislative staff member Rick Leonard. Wright questioned why none of the members are from the Independent Cattlemen and the Nebraska Farmers Union, groups that have been critical of the committee's decision to keep Harvey as an employee. RACINE As a new school year approaches, community members and groups often pitch in to help needy families with the back-to-school expenses by donating necessary school supplies. To assist with such efforts, the Racine County Bar Association launched Class Action this summer. A partnership with the Community School Pilot program, the project has consisted of placing school supply collection boxes in area law firms, at the Racine County Courthouse and at the Racine County District Attorneys and Public Defenders offices. Most of the boxes, which were decorated by children of the bar association members, were picked up in late July, but some boxes will stay in the community through Thursday. We have had a terrific response to Class Action, not only in the raising of school supplies for students, but also supplies for teachers who we know spend a great deal of their own money purchasing needed supplies," said Robert Keller, president of the Racine County Bar Association, in a press release. "We know thriving students mean a stronger community. We want to do what we can to help the Community School Pilot (program) be successful." SOMERS Several Racine County departments helped Somers firefighters battle an early-morning barn fire on Wednesday, officials reported. The fire was reported at 3:44 a.m. at 7104 38th Street (Highway S), just east of Highway EA (72nd Avenue). First responders found the barn engulfed in flames upon arrival, according to a Kenosha County Sheriffs Department press release. The fire caused 38th Street to be closed between Green Bay Road (Highway 31) and 72nd Avenue for several hours, according to Sheriffs Department Sgt. Eric Klinkhammer. The road was open by about 10:45 a.m., Klinkhammer said. Because there were limited fire hydrants in the area, many area departments were called for assistance to provide water and manpower. South Shore, Caledonia, Raymond, Union Grove-Yorkville, Kansasville and Town of Burlington were Racine County departments that responded to help either at the scene or by manning the Somers fire station, Somers Fire Chief Carson Wilkinson said. Units also responded from the Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie, Bristol, Salem and Paris fire departments in Kenosha County and from the Zion and Newport fire departments in Illinois, according to Wilkinson. The Racine Fire Bells emergency canteen also responded. Firefighters were told the barn contained 5,000 bales of straw, farm equipment and recreational vehicles, the release said. Wilkinson said the cause of the fire remained under investigation as of Wednesday evening. No injuries were reported, Wilkinson and Klinkhammer said. CALEDONIA The village Police Department is pretty doggone close to buying its first K-9 police dog. Thanks to fundraising, donations and other help, the department since April has collected about $21,000 for a K-9 close to the amount needed to buy a canine and train both an officer and the dog, officials said. The Caledonia Village Board chipped in this week by approving a request from the Police Department to put proceeds from the sale of seized and lost items toward the K-9 program. The Police Department auctions all lost, stolen and abandoned property by online auction throughout the year. The money collected so far this year totals about $2,300, said Police Chief Daniel Warren. The village has scheduled the K-9 officer training, said Village Administrator Tom Christensen. We feel very good about this project, he said. We are moving forward. Police officials in April said they wanted to get a K-9 unit. Almost every other department surrounding Caledonia has at least one canine unit. The dogs can cost up to $20,000. With training, special equipment and other items, the total cost is close to $28,000. Multiple sources To raise funds, the department is conducting a variety of special events and sales. The department held a fundraiser in June at Cham Tap North, 4653 Douglas Ave. The department also is selling We Support Law Enforcement yard signs and Caledonia K-9 T-shirts to fund the effort. The village this November will participate in the third annual Racine Policemans Ball, an event specifically held to raise money for police K-9s in the area. The first two balls helped the Racine Police Department buy two new police dogs and assisted K-9 programs at the Racine County Sheriffs Office, Mount Pleasant Police Department and the Police Pals Mentoring program. It is our goal to assist the Caledonia Police Department in acquiring their very first K-9 team member, the balls website said. With the fundraising, the village has a chance to get a canine at no additional cost to taxpayers, Christensen said. MOUNT PLEASANT A Mount Pleasant man is facing felony charges after allegedly overdosing and then escaping from police custody at the hospital. Scott A. Bugalecki, 28, of the 5800 block of Joanne Drive, reportedly overdosed in his apartment at about 10:08 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 11. A relative called police to report it, according to the criminal complaint. Bugalecki was found by officers on his back and breathing. Officers administered Narcan,a counteracting drug, to Bugalecki. South Shore Fire Department paramedics assumed care for Bugalecki after their arrival, the complaint said. Investigating after rescue personnel left the scene, officers allegedly discovered a spoon and dirty cotton ball in a drawer near where Bugalecki was found, according to the complaint. Bugalecki was transported to Wheaton Franciscan-All Saints hospital, where he was taken into custody on pending charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and bail jumping, the complaint said. Outside the treatment room at the hospital, officers were completing paperwork. They wanted to check Bugaleckis pants to see if there was any contraband or weapons. Upon entering the room, Bugalecki was gone, police reported. Surveillance footage showed him allegedly leaving the hospital at 11 p.m., according to the complaint. Officers went to Bugaleckis apartment Friday, Aug. 12, and found him there. Bugalecki was taken into custody, the complaint said. Bugalecki faces two felony charges for bail jumping, a felony charge for escape and a misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia. He is scheduled for an initial appearance at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center on Thursday, Aug. 18. He remained in custody as of Tuesday night at the Racine County Jail, online records indicated. RACINE A Racine man is facing drug trafficking charges after he was arrested Monday following a long-term investigation by multiple law enforcement agencies. Barry T. Thompson, 34, of the 1700 block of Howe Street, was the focus of an investigation by the Racine Police Department Special Investigations Unit and the Racine County Sheriffs Offices Metro Drug Unit, according to the criminal complaint. Thompson was suspected of large-scale controlled substances sales after witness statements and countless hours of surveillance were conducted, the complaint said. At about 2:15 p.m. Monday, law enforcement conducted surveillance on Thompson, according to the complaint. He was located at his fathers automotive garage. Thompson left with another passenger in his car. When they arrived at A&D Petroleum in the 1800 block of 16th Street, both were detained and searched by police. The search uncovered $344 in cash, two cellphones and 1.3 grams of THC wax, according to the complaint. While this was occurring, other law enforcement officers began to search the residence of Thompsons girlfriend after obtaining a search warrant. Thompsons girlfriend ran a daycare in the home, but had stepped out leaving children still in the home, the complaint said. Marijuana was allegedly discovered in numerous parts of the home as well as an electronic scale, boxes of plastic bags and multiple vacuum-style bags, which indicated that Thompson was receiving large amounts of high-grade marijuana, according to investigators. A Springfield Arms semi-automatic handgun with a round in the chamber and no trigger lock was also discovered. The gun was within a childs height reach and the door to the room where the gun was located was unlocked, making the gun easily accessible to a child, the complaint said. Thompsons phone was also searched and it contained multiple texts that allegedly showed Thompson was allegedly actively involved in controlled substances sales, according to the complaint. Thompson faces felony charges for manufacturing and delivering marijuana and maintaining a drug trafficking place. He is scheduled to appear on Aug. 24 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., for a preliminary hearing. He remained in custody as of Tuesday night at the County Jail, online records showed. RACINE A waiter at Iron Skillet restaurant who handed out close to $5,000 in free meals over a seven-month period has managed to avoid jail time for the crime. Prosecutors charged Korey Hintz, 24, of the 17100 block of Durand Avenue in Yorkville, in January with felony theft in a business setting as well as possession of a controlled substance, after Iron Skillet management said Hintz cost the restaurant $4,743.37. On Tuesday, Hintz pleaded guilty to the drug possession charge, which stemmed from the fact that deputies found illegally obtained amphetamines in his possession on the night of his Jan. 15 arrest. The felony theft charge was dismissed but read into the record. According to the criminal complaint, the manager of the Iron Skillet, 717 S. Sylvania Ave. in Yorkville, was informed by an employee that third-shift employees were giving out half-price dinners. The manager checked computer records and observed that several of Hintzs transactions had been discounted down to a bill of $0, deputies said. Hintz allegedly did this by utilizing a $2-off button, created for a promotion the restaurant had not used in over a year. All of the transactions took place during third-shift hours when only Hintz and a line chef were working, the criminal complaint states. On Tuesday, Racine County Circuit Judge Mark F. Nielsen sentenced Hintz to one year probation for the drug possession charge, according to online court records. An additional punishment of 60 days in jail was stayed by the court under the requirement that Hintz obey all the rules of his probation. Nielsen also ruled that the violation could be expunged from Hintzs record as long as Hintz follows the terms of his probation and pays restitution to Iron Skillet. If convicted of the theft charge, Hintz faced up to two years and six months in prison, as well as another two years of extended supervision and fines of up to $15,000. MOUNT PLEASANT Temporary measures to stabilize the bluff in the Lake Park neighborhood have begun while officials, including U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, await word on federal funding. Residents and local officials met Tuesday with Baldwin, who toured the area along the lake east of Sheridan Road. The neighborhood has been hit hard by severe bluff erosion, which has threatened up to 20 homes in Mount Pleasant and others throughout the region, as well public utilities and infrastructure. Its amazing what Mother Natures capable of and sort of shocking to see the erosion thats occurred very recently, Baldwin, D-Wis., told reporters. Im seeing the enormity of it, the threat that still exists because theres no reason to believe its come to a stop. Baldwin and other state and federal officials have asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for help through the agencys Section 14 emergency authority, which would allow the corps to expedite construction of bluff protection measures. The first step is getting approval for a $100,000 study, said Robert Stanick, chief of operations for the Lake Michigan Army Corps office. It would then compete for funding with other projects. If successful, up to $5 million could be awarded for the project, Stanick said, adding that local government would pick up 35 percent of the cost. The process will likely begin this fall when officials begin prioritizing projects. But it will be some time before any funding determination is made. Many years ago, the Army Corps undertook emergency bluff stabilization measures near the former Lake Park fire station, 3809 Sheridan Road. The time from contacting the corps to construction was about three years, Stanick said. Its definitely not a quick process, he said. Not when youre talking federal dollars. Baldwin said she and others will continue to press for emergency funding. In the interim, concrete has been donated and shipped to the neighborhood for residents to install at the bottom of the bluff to temporarily halt erosion. Several property owners have started laying concrete or are about to start, County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said. Delagrave was encouraged by Baldwins visit, saying he hoped to bring more attention to the problem. The more people that we can bring here to see this, it brings light to the problem that these homeowners are facing in more real terms, he said. A picture does tell some of the story, but not all of the story if youre here in person. Death at $40 a gram and its available on the internet with a few keystrokes and a credit card. Legally. Thats the disturbing news here in Racine County and across the country over the new influx of a synthetic opioid called U-47700 that already is sending people to the morgue in several states with overdoses. That includes the deaths of two men here in Racine County this summer, according to Racine County Medical Examiner Michael Payne, who put the drugs effects simply enough: U-47700 will kill you. Its something to be considered at this point to be a health hazard to people who elect to try this or use this. Thats echoed by Michael Bell, the Drug Enforcement Administrations Milwaukee assistant special agent in charge, who told a Journal Times reporter, Experimenting with them (synthetic opioids) is like playing Russian roulette. You dont know what you are getting and the first time could be the last. The drug, which is reportedly eight times more potent than morphine, has caused an estimated 50 overdose deaths in the United States in recent months and has states scrambling to add it to their controlled substances list. Three states Ohio, Wyoming and Georgia have already done so and Wisconsins Controlled Substances Board is slated to take up possible scheduling of U-47700, but not until its meeting on Sept. 20. That seems to us to be a bit slow on the response, but it points out the difficulties at both the state and federal levels in dealing with synthetic drugs that are continually being tweaked and having their formulas changed just slightly from drugs that are on the controlled substance list and banned from being sold or possessed. The U in the name U-47700 stands for Upjohn pharmaceuticals which developed the drug back in the 1970s in a search for a pain-killer that was less addictive and didnt affect the respiratory system as much. According to news reports, it was one of many such drugs developed and patented by the since-acquired pharmaceutical company, but not necessarily put into production. Today chemical companies mainly in China are searching through patent records and scientific literature from that time to find those formulas and how to produce them and then marketing the drug online. When a new synthetic drug is banned, those chemical companies move on to market a new one, which always leaves law enforcement and public health agencies operating from behind. That is not to say the government of China has not cooperated with the U.S. according to an Associated Press report China banned 116 new psychoactive substances last year at the urging of the United States. Thats a porous system that needs to be addressed by Congress at the federal level to better control these death-dealing drugs that are too easily marketed online. Wisconsin, meanwhile, should expedite its system of scheduling and banning once-off drugs before the body count continues to rise. The neighborhood rocked by violent protests after a black officer fatally shot a black man was calmer after police pledged to strictly enforce a curfew for teenagers in Milwaukee, the latest place where authorities have invoked decades-old, often little-enforced laws to try to tamp down unrest. But the measures are controversial, with some people saying curfews violate civil liberties. Researchers also argue theres little to no evidence that the laws work, particularly when it comes to curbing juvenile crime. And in some cases, they say, the laws only make problems worse in the long term. The most useful aspect of a curfew is it gives the public an impression that the police are doing something, said Kenneth Adams, a criminal justice professor at the University of Central Florida who has studied the laws. Its sending the message that We the police are serious about restoring order, and were going to take steps. Authorities in Ferguson, Missouri, issued curfews for all residents in 2014 in response to violence that erupted after a white officer shot and killed a black 18-year-old, a move that angered many in the community who saw it as further mistreatment of blacks. After a man died in police custody in Baltimore in 2015, the citys mayor imposed a weeklong curfew, saying she did not want to see the city destroyed by thugs. Milwaukees enforcement was aimed at teens and followed riots that started after the Saturday shooting of Sylville Smith. Police say the 23-year-old was fleeing a traffic stop and had a gun in his hand when he turned toward the officer, who opened fire. While the state is investigating, the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin is pressing for the release of body-camera video. Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn has cited the video as backing up the police account of the shooting. Smith and the 24-year-old officer, who has yet to be named, knew each other from high school, Smiths sister, Sherelle, told Fox6-TV. Peaceful protests turned violent Saturday night and continued on Sunday evening. Some businesses were set on fire, one person was shot and multiple officers were injured. Milwaukee has had a curfew law on its books since 1943. It prohibits people under age 17 from loitering in public places between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the summer months, and from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday during the school year. The proclamation Mayor Tom Barrett issued Monday expanded the curfew to apply to anyone under 18. It also took effect an hour earlier, at 10 p.m. Your teenagers better be home or in a place where theyre off the streets, he said at a news conference Monday. This is not the place where you go to gawk. This is not the place where you go to take pictures. This is not the place where you go to drive your car around. Police said Monday night was markedly more peaceful, with what the police chief called some heated confrontations and six arrests but no destruction of property. Last night was a much better night, said Milwaukee Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton. Im hoping we continue down that path. Between Saturday night and Monday morning, police reported 31 people were arrested, including three juveniles. After Barrett announced the curfew Monday, 10 people were arrested. One was a juvenile. Experts caution that while the youth curfew may have had an impact temporarily, they are not generally an effective crime-fighting tool. Little juvenile crime occurs overnight, said Adams, adding that youd get a better bang for your buck in most communities if a curfew were imposed from 3 to 6 p.m. when kids are out of school, parents are less likely to be around and young people are more likely to cause trouble. Enforcing curfews also requires significant resources that could be better put toward other efforts, researchers have found. There are concerns that they are not uniformly or fairly enforced, with minorities and people in low-income neighborhoods tending to be disproportionately targeted. Enforcement also tends to ebb and flow. After a notable crime or a spike in criminal activity, authorities or elected officials will make the often politically popular step of beefing up enforcement. But officers quickly grow tired of it, or priorities shift. In Milwaukee, for example, the number of charges filed against minors and their parents has dropped significantly in the past few years. In 2011, 539 minors and 23 parents were charged with violating the curfew law. Last year, charges were filed against 148 minors and eight parents. The numbers are on pace to be even lower this year. Mike Males, senior researcher at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, said theres another problem: Curfews dont target the people who are committing crimes. In Ferguson and Baltimore, he said, authorities blamed teenagers for much of the unrest. But arrest logs showed few people taken into custody were teens. Targeting that younger population, he added, serves only to antagonize them. It also allows public officials to avoid addressing larger problems such as longstanding racial disparities and poverty. Its an easy population to blame, Males said. Sharlen Moore, a mother of three who lives in the Milwaukee neighborhood where the shooting and subsequent unrest happened, said imposing a youth curfew was just putting a Band-Aid over a gushing wound. Its a temporary solution to a bigger problem. Moore said her children are younger and she personally transports them, so the curfew has not directly affected her family. Because of that, she said, her children are not put in unnecessary harms way with police or other people. There are people in our community who dont have that privilege. Associated Press writers Andale Gross and Gretchen Ehlke contributed to this report. Chicago Police Chief Can't Say the "G" Word After 52 Weekend Shootings By Robert Farago. August 16th, 2016 Article Source "Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson expresses frustration at the pace of gun violence in the city." That's the terse some-might-say jaundiced description provided by The Chicago Tribune underneath their YouTube excerpt of Sup. Johnson's most recent press conference. A PR event stimulated by a weekend wherein 52 people were shot. The city's outpacing last year's shooting total by a long chalk. Last year, 2,988 Windy City residents were ballistically perforated. So far this year, 2600 suffered the same fate. Regardless, notably absent from both the Superintendent and the Trib: any mention of the "g" word. "Year-to-date, 2016, nearly 85 percent of our shooting victims, both fatal and non-fatal shootings, have had prior contact with the police," Johnson reveals. Speeding tickets? I don't think so. Hello? We're talking gang bangers banging. Period. "We've identified that small segment of individuals behind this violence," Johnson reveals. But their days are numbered, he promises. There"ll be more prosecutions of...gang members! Only Superintendent Johnson can't bring himself to mention the criminal segment\s group affiliation by name. They are the Black Disciples, Insane Popes, La Raza, Maniac Latin Disciples, Simon City Royals, Spanish Gangster Disciples and Spanish Lords. There. That wasn't so hard, was it? Maybe not as easy as calling for gun control, but easy enough. The left controlled Windy City continues its unabated gang shootings... all the while keeping good people from gaining their carry rights. The gang problem has long been out of control and the 'small segment' referred too is hardly small! It seems some priorities may be a bit skewed. "You don't have to be Jewish to fight by our side." 2016 JPFO All rights reserved. jpfo@jpfo.org 1-800-869-1884 Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership 12500 NE 10th Pl. Bellevue, WA 98005 USA Americas most aggressive civil rights organization We make the NRA look like moderates Join JPFO Back to Top 137 arrested in 5 years for running VoIP racket The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested 137 people, including 31 foreigners, in the past five years on charge of running Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) racket. Bdesh mission observes Natl Mourning Day The Embassy of Bangladesh in Kathmandu on Monday organised a programme to commemorate the countrys National Mourning Day and the 41st anniversary of martyrdom of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who is revered in Bangladesh as the Father of the Nation. Beijing says no change in its Nepal policy China has assured Nepal that the recent change in Nepals political order will not affect Nepal-China relationship. Biopic on Maithali king announced The movie will be based on the life and times of the legendary king Salahesh China is willing to increase investment in Nepal: Mahara China is willing to increase investment in Nepal: Mahara Donald Trump defends Milwaukee police shooting US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said initial evidence suggests the shooting of a black man by police in Milwaukee was justified. Anil Giri is a reporter covering diplomacy, international relations and national politics for The Kathmandu Post. Giri has been working as a journalist for a decade-and-a-half, contributing to numerous national and international media outlets. Dr KC urges PM Dahal to address his demands Dr Govinda KC has urged Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to address the agreements reached with him before he ended his eighth fast-unto-death. House panel to select proposals for discussion Speaker Onsari Gharti on Tuesday formed a nine-member subcommittee to select the proposals registered by lawmakers for discussion in the Legislature-Parliament. International carriers to boost Nepal frequency Most international airlines serving Nepal have planned to increase their frequency in anticipation of swelling demand from September, leading the tourism industry to see good times ahead. Issues causing low spending should be resolved, MPs say Issues resulting in low expenditure in donor-funded project should be addressed, lawmakers and the government officials have said. Kin refuse to receive bodies, seek succour Relatives of the passengers killed in the Kavre bus accident have refused to receive the bodies, demanding adequate compensation and legal action against the guilty. Landslide drives out 25 families in Dhading village At least 25 families living in Darkha VDC-8 of Dhading district have been displaced after a landslide struck just above their settlement on Sunday night. Let people decide Direct democracy would have been more suitable for Nepal Mahara to meet Chinese premier today Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara is scheduled to call on Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday. Ministry intensifies market monitoring After Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal instructed officials to take immediate action against those involved in black-marketeering and artificial price hikes, the Supply Ministry has intensified market monitoring in the Kathmandu Valley. NA plans to invest in hydel sector The Nepal Army (NA), which has invested billions of rupees in the education and health sectors through its welfare fund, is planning to put money into the hydropower sector. Nepal, Bangladesh likely to sign power trade agreement Nepal and Bangladesh have intensified interactions expected to lead to a power trade agreement with the Energy Ministry preparing a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation. Not enough reporting about cybercrime in BFIs: Police Nepal Police has said it has not received enough reporting about cybercrime in banks and financial institutions, which has contributed to a rise in such illicit activities. NSU to elect its new leadership today The Nepal Students Union, a sister organisation of Nepali Congress, is all set to elect its new leadership and central body after nearly a decade on Wednesday. NSU voting to continue till midnight, results likely by Thursday morning (with photos) Representatives of Nepali Congress (NC) student wing, Nepal Students Union (NSU), were busy casting their votes at the party headquarters in Sanepa, Lalitpur on Wednesday. Parties in bid to forge consensus in 15 days Three major partiesthe CPN (Maoist Centre), Nepali Congress and CPN-UMLand the Sanghiya Gathabandhan, an alliance of Madhesi and Janajati forces, have agreed to expedite discussions to arrive at consensus on restructuring of the local bodies within next two weeks. PM wants more rigour in security assessment Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed the authorities concerned to make rigorous assessment of potential security risk before allowing Nepali migrants to go to work in Afghanistan. Ambassadorial nominees: SC issues show cause to govt The Supreme Court has issued a show cause notice to the government seeking reasons for withdrawing the ambassadorial nominees recommended by the erstwhile government. Taragaon hosts Imago Mundi exhibit Taragoan Museum in the Capital hosted a one-day exhibit of the Nepali artworks featured in the Imago Mundi collection on Monday. Two held on charge of Khukuri attack on Roj Rana Police on Tuesday arrested two persons on charge of attacking filmmaker Roj Rana with Khukuri in Old Baneshwor, Kathmandu. US election 2016: Trump overhauls campaign team again Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has overhauled his election campaign team for the second time in two months, bringing in a new manager and CEO. Writ filed at Supreme Court against govt dole A writ petition has been filed against the government doling Rs 200,000 out to each disqualified discharged soldier of the People Liberation Army, an arm wing of the former rebel party,demanding annulment of the decision. 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 President Yoweri Museveni has directed public university non-teaching staff to call off their strike. This follows last evenings meeting with the president at State House Entebbe over their ongoing strike over nonpayment of salary arrears enhancement amounting to Sh 28bn. The chairperson of Non-Teaching Staff Association Jackson Betihama says they have now called a General Assembly that will take a decision on whether or not to heed to the presidents directive. Betihama says the president talked them out the strike after promising to have their arrears and enhance salaries paid up in October. State Minister for Tourism Hon.Godfrey Kiwanda has today officially launched the Kampala Rolex Festival. A Rolex is a traditional delicacy of Ugandan origin that started out as a road side snack made of eggs and chapatti. The Rolex has this morning been endorsed as a proudly Ugandan product that is also enjoyed by many tourists who visit the country. Meanwhile we spoke to a cross section of members of the general public who have expressed mixed reaction about the Rolex, with some saying its a waste of time because there is nothing special about it while others think it can be one of the ways to support the young people to get economically independent. The launch was witnessed by local musician Maro, who hails from Busoga where the Rolex was invented. Minister Kiwanda has also told journalists that a Parliamentary Rolex challenge cocktail will be held at parliament tomorrow in bid to celebrate it and empower communities. Story By Elizabeth Muwombi ANGOLA The Metropolitan School District of Steuben County schools welcome around 2,800 students back to class today. The school board met Tuesday night at the McCutcheon Administrative Center. The board hired several new teachers and instructional assistants and approved numerous other in-school and extracurricular assignments. They include moving John Curtis from a teaching position at Carlin Park Elementary School to an assistant principal and guidance counselor role at Ryan Park Elementary School. Also introduced Tuesday night was a new choir director for Angola High School and Angola Middle School. Erin Bean is currently employed at East Allen County Schools and will make the move to MSD in about a month. She has 10 years of experience and was the 2014 Fort Wayne Philharmonic Teacher of the Year in the the primary division. I would like to use the students passion to explore all different styles of music, Bean said. Determining the direction of the choir program will be a process, she said. Colleen McNabb Everage stepped down from the choir director position this summer. In other business, the board voted for a change in the superintendents contract that would end an automatic five-year extension on an annual basis. The motion was made by Brad Gardner with three votes for the change and one, board president Kevin Beard, against it due to potential legal issues. Board member Kim Hutchins was absent. Per the boards direction, Superintendent Brent Wilsons contract runs through June 30, 2021, at which point it will be up for review and extension. I want to make it abundantly clear, said Gardner, that it is in no way an expression of dissatisfaction in Dr. Wilson. Wilson has consistently received good evaluations, said Beard. In other business, the board approved its fourth annual Secured School Safety Grant, which will provide $25,000 toward school resource officer Bradley Scare and other law enforcement security needs at school activities. heard about an Art Dekko grant received by the AHS ceramics program after art teacher Jonathon Vogel wrote for a grant to the Dekko Foundation. It will provide funds for new bats for the pottery wheel and other tools. learned that the transportation department received a 97 percent rating by Indiana State Police inspectors during a required pre-school year, 140-point check. One route was cut this year, said transportation director Scott Poor, noting that the number of riders had dropped but appears to be increasing. MSD bus drivers log around 1,400 miles a day. got a good report on progress on a major renovation in the high school gym, which should be available for use in about a month, said facilities director Heath Wagner. A new maple floor is being laid. A lot carpeting and other updates this summer were made possible through a bond issue, and kept the MSD campuses looking great and ready for a new school year, said Wilson. INDIANAPOLIS When Matthew Troyer went to Whitley Countys feeder calf sale to pick out his animal earlier this year, he didnt pick out the calf everyone else was after. Not a lot of people saw him at the sale but when I saw him, I liked him, Troyer said. He wasnt as big as some of the others. He took a lot of work and a lot of time. That hard work paid off for Troyer, as he won his fourth show this summer with his calf the Indiana State Fair feeder calf show. Troyer said he and his brothers took a lot of time to research the best feed for his calf. We had to know what to feed him and how to feed him, Troyer said. The Churubusco High School senior is missing his first five days of class, but he doesnt mind if he has to do catch-up work. I love the experience at the state fair, Troyer said. Troyer won the Noble County 4-H show, Noble County open show and Allen County open show with the calf, whos not his anymore. I sold him to a guy in Columbia City whos going to feed him out for his daughter for the Whitley County fair next year, Troyer said. Jeff Cormany bought the calf for his daughter Elise, and Troyer said he knows hes in good hands. He knows how to feed a steer, Troyer said. Troyer lives on his family farm where they raise dairy heifers for his uncle Tim Troyers milking operation. Matthew also works at a dairy farm in Wolf Lake, Hively Farms. The nine-year 4-H member with the Green Township Aggies said his family has been a big part of his success. It was like a science experiment figuring out what supplements to put in my calfs feed, Troyer said. My brother Lukus was a huge help. Troyer is the son of Randy and Lori Troyer. Ott shows reserve grand market steer Warner Otts Chianina steer, Ranger, was the reserve grand champion market steer at the Indiana State Fair. Ranger was raised by Pettigrew Farms and Barney Dice. While at the state rair, Ott also earned top honors as the grand champion junior barrow showman and champion junior Chi steer showman. Ott is the son of Mike and Jenna Ott of Avilla. His grandparents are Larry and Chris Ott, also of Avilla, and Jack and Jeannine Fairchild of Columbia City. Warner Ott is a fifth- grader at Churubusco Elementary School. No Yes, a light case Yes, two or more light cases One serious case Two or more serious bouts Vote View Results HUNTERTOWN For 17 years I have cranked out clues and hidden the treasure. I think it has been as much fun for me as it has been for you treasure hunters. As a kid, I enjoyed my big sisters Nancy Drew mysteries and got my start on ciphers with Edgar Allan Poes The Gold Bug. Thank you for hunting. I will now endeavor to explain my somewhat convoluted clues. Clue 1 Seventeen years and it seems like just yesterday. Treasure seekers know its time to come out and play. You wont need a ladder or even a rope. Reasonable shoes are good. Flip flops a nope. Last years hiding spot lays a ways to the south. Get your clues from the News, not by word of mouth! So look closely for the Treasure to be found. This year it may better blend with the background. You can reach the Treasure just standing. Terrain by it may be uncomfortable for the nearly shoeless. It is well north of Hathaway Road. The canister is wearing a camo duct tape coat. Clue 2 The Treasure awaits you, should you find where it hides. Youll want to know breezes can caress every side. Last year it was close to the County Fairgrounds. This year it resides in Old Town Huntertown. Its not on the parade route, but not too far. Where its presently at it may hear a car. Walking outside makes you feel alive. Its found north of moon mission drive. The canister is suspended in the air. It is not in the newer, far-flung areas of Huntertown. It is close to Old Lima Road, but not right next to it. It is within earshot of a road. It is north of Apollo Drive. Clue 3 Leaping llamas, snoozing pigs, and ice cream cones, The County Fair is over. Lets look in the Zone. The Zone is the region where lays the Treasure you seek. Its bordered on both north and west by Willow Creek. Two boundaries with one feature. Thats kind of fun! The south edge of the zone is run forest run. The east line goes from the last bag before home Down to a watering hole the Creek calls its home. The Treasures no diva despite wearing camo. The location is safe. You will not need ammo. So get out treasure maps and stack up the clues. The winner of the money this year could be YOU! The canister lies in an area bordered by Willow Creek, Gump Road (run forest run), and a line that can be drawn from The Third Place (almost 3rd base) and The Willows Restaurant and Bar. It is in a safe location and it is camouflaged. 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! Move back one letter in the alphabet for each letter in the coded message and you will see that it says: Cedar Canyon Rd tree. You can reach the canister while standing. Two pine trees stand a few feet apart. They are on the south edge of the field at the NW corner of Lima Road and Cedar Canyon Road. That field is owned by the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend. There was a recent news story that stated that the Diocese decided not to build a new Catholic church there. The trees stand across the street from Stoners Mill Parkway. A sign 25 yards straight east of the trees declares that the soy beans planted in the field are seed variety P26T76R. The canister was on the north side of the easternmost tree. As one faced the tree to obtain the canister, it is likely that the derriere of that person would come into contact with a soy bean leaf. There you have it. Thanks for sleuthing and I hope to see you next year. Hal Atkinson is a dentist at Lima Road Dentistry, located at 9019 Lima Road in Fort Wayne. He has organized the Huntertown Treasure Hunt since 2000. FORT WAYNE Details of a federal investigation into drug trafficking in northern Indiana were released during a news conference Wednesday, Aug. 10 in Fort Wayne, our news partner, NewsChannel 15, reported. U.S. Attorney David A. Capp said 17 of the 18 people targeted in the investigation were taken into custody in multiple raids Tuesday, Aug. 9 by the FBI and other law enforcement officials. Over the past 36 hours, a major drug distribution (network) has been taken off the streets of northern Indiana, Capp said during Wednesdays news conference. The investigation began in January 2015 and escalated as authorities gained more information into the drug network that involved Fort Wayne, South Bend and Elkhart, Capp said. We started making some buys out on the streets, and people start talking, and you just start piecing it together one small step at a time, Capp said about early stages of the investigation. The people allegedly involved in the network moved cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. Capp said Jose Razo, 43, was at the top of the drug ring. The others involved allegedy were dealers and buyers. During the raids, authorities confiscated 11 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated value of $30,000 to $40,000 per kilogram. They also found large amounts of heroin and methamphetamine as well as $600,000 in cash. The FBI also took possession of 13 vehicles, including a Bentley and a Corvette, as well as 13 firearms. The principal indictment alleges a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin was committed by six people from Fort Wayne: A federal grand jury indicted two men for allegedly distributing heroin, cocaine and marijuana from a home in the Autumn Ridge subdivision in Fort Wayne, where FBI agents and other law enforcement officers conducted a raid early Tuesday. Aug. 9. The Autumn Ridge home was one of several locations raided by federal agents Tuesday morning, including the American Quality Body and Paint shop on Wallace Street in Fort Wayne. The Engen family has been farming in Houston County for more than 60 years and is being recognized because of it. This year, they were chosen as the 2016 Houston County Farm Family of the Year by the University of Minnesota. The Engen family farm began in 1958 when Stanley and Eleanor Engen purchased a farm from Stanleys uncle outside Caledonia. One of the conditions of the sale was that they had to buy half of the livestock, which was dairy cattle at the time. The Engens kept the cattle for a year, but then converted the farm into a beef cattle operation in order to save money. I was more satisfied buying and selling beef cattle than dairy cattle, Stanley Engen said. The farm would continue to change in the 60s, as the family purchased an adjoining farm, along with 40 extra acres of farmland. In 1964, the Engens built a large pond on their land, as well. Stanley Engen left his mark on Houston County in the silos of local farms. Engen sold Madison Silos for a time and put a white piping on the outside of them so he would know which ones he helped put up around the area. A lot of the silos around here Ive been on, Stanley said. I wanted to put that piping on there so I could look and know which ones Ive been on. Today, the Engen farm has a beef herd, along with Angus cattle, corn, soybeans and hay. It is managed by Stanley and Eleanors son, David Engen, who lives on the neighboring farmstead. Davids son, Tyler, lives with his family on the home farmstead. Its been our home since 1958, so its nice to see it stay in the family, Eleanor Engen said. When the Engens found out they had been selected as the Houston County Farm Family of the Year, they were a bit surprised. At first, we thought they had made a mistake, said Eleanor, with a laugh. Its nice because its stayed in our family the whole time and we never rented our land out or anything like that. In a release, the University of Minnesotas Dean of Extension Bev Durgan had the following to say about the farm families of the year: The farm families receiving this years honors exemplify what makes Minnesota agriculture strong, she said. They bring innovation, science and hard work to farming. They care greatly about the land and animals and delivering quality products to consumers worldwide. In a separate release, State Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, said he, too, was happy with those selected for the honor. These folks continue to make a positive impact in our communities while upholding the tradition of family farming. While the farm is no longer under the supervision of Stanley and Eleanor Engen, they said they trust their family with what happens next. Being named Houston County Farm Family of the Year is an honor they can share with multiple generations, and one they hope they can continue to share with more generations to come. Moe Hardware Hank & Sporting Goods in downtown Black River Falls has survived by changing with the times in the 120 years that its been owned by the Moe family. When Bill Moe and his wife, Sally, bought the business from his father, Alvin Moe, in 1976, hardware accounted for about 90 percent of the stores sales and sporting goods for about 10 percent. Forty years later, sporting goods account for about 70 percent of the stores sales, while hardware accounts for about 30 percent, Bill Moe said. Weve tried to find niches, he added. In the past 20 years, the store has become best known for its large inventory of guns, Moe said. Its also known for large inventories in general, as well as its large selections of bird seed and deer feeding supplies. Moe Hardware Hank & Sporting Goods has about 3,000 new guns in stock, as well as 200 to 300 used guns, Moe estimated. When he and Sally bought the business, it had a small selection of sporting goods, including guns. He immediately began expanding the sporting goods part of the business. I wanted to get sales volume up for the store, Moe said. And I thought if a guy came in here to buy a gun, he also would buy something else. Theres always add-on sales. Moe said he also looks for new inventory in hardware. We always look at new products and try to get in on the cutting edge. Youve got to know when to get in and when to get out, he said of carrying a particular hardware product. He learns about new products partly by attending two Hardware Hank shows each year. The Black River Falls store has been at its current location, 33 Main St., since Bill and Sally Moe moved into it in 1989. The hardware business began in the 1850s. Its been in the Moe family since Bills grandfather, Peter Moe, became majority owner in 1896 and renamed it Moe Hardware. Peter Moe had come to the United States from Norway in 1880 and began working at the store in 1883. With his death in 1947, his sons Alvin and Rollin inherited the business. Rollin died in 1974, and current owners Bill and Sally Moe bought the business from Alvin in 1976. Its been part of the Hardware Hank retailer-owned hardware cooperative since 1977. Bill and Sallys son, Pete Moe, works at the store and soon will take over the business from his parents. By the end of the year, I hope, Bill Moe added, noting hell likely work part time after that. Pete has been working at the familys store for the past 10 years. Before that, he worked at the Ace Hardware distribution center in La Crosse. Hes very meticulous about keeping things on order, Bill Moe said of Pete. Hes very well liked and doesnt have a short fuse. Bill Moe, who recently celebrated his 67th birthday, said he has been working about 70 hours a week at the hardware and sporting goods store and would like to cut back to perhaps 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. five days a week. He then could have off in the afternoons and have more time with family and for hobbies and volunteering. Bill Moe also enjoys history. In fact, thats what he taught from 1971-75 at Antigo High School in Antigo after graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in 1971. His uncle Rollin died while Bill was still teaching in Antigo. Thats when Bills father, Alvin, told Bill that he wanted to retire as soon as Bill could tell him whether he wanted to take over the family hardware business. Sally and I had just gotten married and talked it over, Bill Moe recalled. He decided to leave teaching and return to the familys hardware store partly for financial reasons. And I wanted to come back to Black River, and loved the hardware business. A $20 million cranberry processing facility has opened near Warrens. Local and state officials, including Gov. Scott Walker, were on hand for Cranberry Growers Cooperatives ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday, where they celebrated its impact to independent growers and Wisconsins economy. What a pleasure it is to be here today, said Walker, who shared stories of his own love of cranberry juice. Cranberries are a key part of our states economy. Today, this is really what its about its about the future. The plant, also referred to as CranGrow, is the result of a vision of independent growers and is used to process member fruit into a variety of cranberry products, including dried cranberries, juice concentrate, whole frozen berries and cranberry seed pomace at its Aspen Avenue site in the town of Lincoln. The operation is believed to be the largest independent co-op in the world with its 30 family-owned cranberry farms that supply fruit to CranGrow, which got work under way just days ago by processing berries from 2015s crop. This years fall harvest will begin processing this winter. Today is our day, said Fred Prehn, a member who has a 160-acre cranberry farm outside of Tomah. Today, lets reflect on what weve accomplished. CranGrow has 50 employees and will have the ability to expand to double its workforce as production moves forward. Officials also thanked the village of Warrens, which was granted permission by the Wisconsin Public Service Commission to sell water to the plant despite being outside of its normal utility service area. The facility will work to distribute its products to areas of the country that dont have ready access to cranberries, and it also will expand its reach to 30 countries across the world. Were looking to reach where people should have the opportunity to (have) cranberries but dont, said Jim Reed, CranGrows CEO, who started in his position in April. This is an amazing deal. Sean Duffy, who represents Wisconsins 7th Congressional District, praised the co-op members for their efforts to launch the facility, an endeavor he noted didnt require government assistance or funding. This is a great day, said Duffy, whose district includes a portion of northern Monroe County. This is how its done. This is fantastic. Is the strategy in the state to move all funding for schools to the local level? a local school official asked me. I hesitated. No one in Madison that I know intentionally wanted to increase property taxes. However, one result of historic state cuts to schools is an increase in property taxes. Ironically, taxpayers themselves are voting by way of referenda to raise their property taxes. But they are doing so because state law has left cash-strapped schools no other options. Schools are under strict state-imposed revenue caps. They cannot just raise local taxes to offset less state aid, but voters can override the revenue cap by passing a referendum to raise property taxes. Many communities are voting to approve school referenda. According to Department of Public Instruction records, voters are on track to consider over 100 different school referenda in 2016. The process is not new. However, 25 years ago the reason voters passed a school referendum was to borrow money for construction projects, for example to build a new school. About 10 years ago, school referenda for operating costs the routine expense of running the school began to replace debt as the majority of referenda in our state. Even as school boards sought money from taxpayers to operate schools, actually passing the referenda a decade ago was roughly a 50-50 chance. Now voters approve 78 percent of all school referenda. Referenda specifically to increase taxes to pay for school operating costs passed at a rate of 82 percent this year. Many of us just wrote a check for the second half of our property taxes due the end of July. The memory of a big check you wrote may be fresh in your mind. Property tax is the largest single tax we pay in Wisconsin. The state uses the value of property to determine how much state aid your local school district receives. The higher local property values the less aid your district gets from the state. Many of you may remember Gov. Tommy Thompsons promise about state school aid back in the mid-1990s. Thompson promised that two-thirds of the school costs would be picked up by the state. He then gained legislative support for over $1 billion new state dollars for schools. This action had a direct impact on property taxes. In tax year 1996, the school portion of property taxes dropped by 16 percent leading to a decline in overall property taxes of over 6 percent. Today the state contributes almost half of the money for local schools well short of the two-thirds funding from years ago. For taxes paid this year, 2015 tax year, overall property taxes increased 2.3 percent to the highest level $10.6 billion in the history of our state. When the referenda passed this year kick in, next years property taxes in those districts will be higher. With eight out of 10 referenda passing and state school aid below 2006 levels, I find it not surprising that people suspect state lawmakers are going to put the whole cost of schools on local taxpayers. Many Wisconsin residents look to Minnesota and see that the state contributes almost 70 percent of the total aid for schools. Property taxpayers in Minnesota only contribute one-quarter of all school costs. Wisconsinites say if Minnesota can do it, why cant Wisconsin. To substantially lower property taxes in Wisconsin, the state would need to contribute a much larger portion of school costs. We can solve our school funding problems at the state level. I did the math. I constructed an alternative budget that fully funded State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Evers Fair Funding for our Future, which would reform our school funding formula. Property taxpayers are committed to their local schools but cannot continue to pick up more of the costs of school. The solution requires a commitment by lawmakers to adequately fund public education for the sake of property taxpayers and our childrens future. It seemed, last week, we were all about to take an involuntary boat trip to Louisiana with the boat being optional. There we were, minding our own business, and the sky turns black and the rain starts gushin down that is unless it was night and the sky was black to start with. In any case, as the Good Book says, The floodgates of the heavens were opened, though it did let up well short of the Biblical 40 days and 40 nights. Even so, there was no question that I could go a few days without watering the begonias. There for a few hours, Venice had darn little on much of Winona about all that was missing were the guys with the striped shirts and straw hats poling their boats down Broadway. For a while there, it looked as though I were about to become the dismayed possessor of riverfront property, as first the street, then my neighbors front lawn, vanished under water. And compared with folks across the river and upstream, we just had a little summer shower. Roads washed out, serious property damage, life-threatening flooding pretty much shut down a couple of counties, and out west in Minnesota, Olivia was left bailing out after 13 inches of rain turned the Seed Corn Capital of the World into a tri-county rice paddy. Every year it seems more likely that a few years down the road four seasons wont be sufficient to winter, fall, spring and summer, were gonna have to add monsoon. No, its not anybodys imagination. As my friend Jim Armstrong pointed out in a column in Tuesdays Daily News, since records have been kept in Minnesota there have been a dozen mega-rains a 6-inch rain that covers more than 1,000 square miles and dumps more than 8 inches on the spots hardest hit and of that dozen, five, nearly half, have happened in the past 16 years. All in all, heavy rains have increased by 37 percent over the past century and, closer to home, between 2004 and 2010 our region has been swamped by three 1,000-year floods. Its no coincidence, Jim wrote, that Minnesota has warmed over the past century by about 2 degrees. Robert Ripley would have added his trademark tagline, Believe it or not. Im not going to offer that option because, like gravity, solar flares and Newtons Third Law of Motion its not a matter of belief. It simply is. Just as overwhelming evidence based on observation, experience and assumptions posited on known and understood natural laws and physical and chemical properties predict that touching a lit match to a gasoline-soaked rag will set it ablaze, greenhouse gases generated by human activity are trapping increasing amounts of solar energy, which is rapidly changing the climate of the earth. Yeah, I can see the folks reaching for their keyboards now ... I dont believe ... Well, there are also people who dont believe that Mohamed Atta and his band of pranksters flew airliners into the World Trade Center. There are people who dont believe Lee Oswald shot John Kennedy. Some people dont believe Neil Armstrong landed on the moon. I dont know about you, but Ill take NASAs evidence over theirs on that last one. And the evidence supporting human-caused climate change is just about as strong. Ask the more than 40,000 people in Louisiana who are hip-deep in that evidence right now. Believe in the Ark or not, a hard rains gonna fall. La Crosse County is becoming a beacon in the national Campaign to Change Direction, according to the founder of the movement to enlist communities in the quest for mental health. Since the national crusade was launched on March 5, 2015, and the La Crosse County effort three weeks later, the county has begun to change the culture of mental health for your community and create a model for replicating it in community after community, Barbara Van Dahlen told about 100 people at a leadership breakfast in La Crosse Tuesday. The entire state of Massachusetts is modeling its Change Direction effort in part on La Crosse activities that have enlisted not only health care organizations but also businesses, faith communities, schools and other groups, she said. Change Direction is not an anti-stigma campaign because we found out there is a stigma with stigma, Van Dahlen said. This is about what you do yoga, therapy, exercise, or whatever for your mental health. Beyond that is the campaigns overall thrust to help everybody learn the five signs of emotional suffering personality change, agitation, withdrawal, poor self-care and an air of hopelessness so they can recognize them in friends and acquaintances and steer them toward help, she said. The campaign has enlisted notables ranging from First Lady Michelle Obama and Prince Harry of Great Britain to actor Richard Gere to encourage people to learn the signs so they can help others who may be suffering in silence. Gere is so passionate about homelessness that he walked the streets of New York City disguised as a homeless man, with people stepping around and past him, not recognizing him or caring about what his plight might be, Van Dahlen said. Van Dahlen cited her daughter Mira as an example of such awareness and action. Mira happened upon a razor blade in the drawer of one of her high school friends and became concerned that the girl might be considering self-harm. Mira talked to the friend about her emotional challenges and helped connect her with a counselor, Van Dahlen said. That is the power of education and then it is up to the community to tap into the resources, of which La Crosse has many. The critical element is early intervention and prevention, said Van Dahlen, whom Time magazine included on its 2012 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Kids are social change agents, and we also want kids acting, Van Dahlen said. We want them to be able to say, I love you, but you drink too much. I love you, but you seem to be angry all the time. People hesitate to talk about mental health issues, although they freely discuss other illnesses, she said. Before people knew the signs of heart attacks, more people fell victim to them, while awareness has led to earlier diagnosis and treatment, she said. Statistically, 1 in 5 people has a diagnosable mental illness, she said, but a comprehensive survey found that, If you ask people if they had a mental health challenge in the past year, 1 out of 2 said yes. We need to change the conversation. Doing so includes changing people to think compassionately, she said. At least say hi to people. Wherever you have a passion (like Gere does), go there, and it will have a ripple effect. Evidence that the conversation may be changing locally because of the campaign came from Mary Mundt Reckase, director of Great Rivers 211, an information, referral and crisis line serving Coulee Region residents 24 hours a day. The highest areas of calls are mental health, Reckase told the broad audience attending the breakfast. Great Rivers 211 chronicled 5,100 mental health-related calls from La Crosse County residents between April 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016, including 108 potentially life-threatening, suicidal calls and another 362 crisis calls that were not life-threatening, she said. That was 50 percent higher than the year before, Reckase said, explaining that she had tallied spring-to-spring statistics because theyre within the time Change Direction has been in existence and can help gauge the willingness of people to acknowledge the issue. Although it is difficult to attribute the increase specifically to the campaign, the coincidence is worth noting, she said. System-wide, including La Crosse and 20 other counties Great Rivers 211 serves, the nonprofit agency handled 8,300 mental health-related calls, including 212 potentially life-threatening. Weve been taking a lot more calls, so we have been helping a lot more people, she said. Don Weber, the founder of Logistics Health Inc. in La Crosse and one of the moving forces with Van Dahlen behind Change Direction, said 1.4 million of 22 million veterans in the United States have service-related injuries, including many with post-traumatic stress disorder. Change Direction evolved in part from Van Dahlens Give an Hour, a national nonprofit organization in which she has enlisted more than 7,000 mental health professionals to donate an hour a week to provide services to veterans, Weber said. That saved a cost of $15 million in fees, he said. Regarding behavioral health, Im a very simple person, and I never got to college, said Weber, who grew up on a farm. I barely got myself out of high school. But under his parents careful guidance and his experience as a Marine during the Vietnam War era, Weber said, I learned that nothing is of greater value than people, and (businesses) should take care of your people and their well-being. Behavioral health is not a stigma, Weber said. Its a health issue. Sam Van Riper, pricing director at Trane Co. and a member of the Campaign to Change Direction Steering Committee, opened the breakfast program. We have a saying at Trane that we want this to be the best place to work. With Changing Direction, we think we can make this the best place to live, he said. Yes, college debt is a substantial burden and well-paying jobs do not come easily to graduates now. But if you believe that adult life ought to begin debt-free with financial security, I want to know what planet youve been living on. Ive read books written by college graduates like James Altuchers Choose Yourself which urge you to skip college, denying that university years are worthwhile as the authors laud the current entrepreneurial frenzy emphasizing social media presence, not financial well-being. Americans with a college experience are more capable of understanding the complexities of human beings and the world. This capacity is built piecemeal, across learning in differing disciplines: think of neuroscience pairing with poetry, engineering with psychology. And it builds through social interactions across nationalities, religions and political dispositions that campuses provide. It will become your lifelong deterrent to succumbing to a Siren Song (sorry, Homer): that youre entitled to live free of worry and insecurity. College will ruin your dream that life will be a clear-cut journey, but it will instill in you that its an awesome one, each and every day. No home mortgage, SUV or grand tour of New Zealand is worth more. WEST BEND Responding to rioting and violence in Milwaukee in recent days, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made an appeal to black voters and said the country needs more police officers during a rally here Tuesday night. "Law and order must be restored for the sake of all, but most especially for the sake of those living in the affected communities," Trump told more than 3,000 supporters at the Washington County fairgrounds. "The main victims of these riots are law-abiding African-American citizens living in these neighborhoods." Declaring "the war on our police must end and it must end now," Trump blamed decades of Democratic leadership for crime and poverty in major cities. He called Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton anti-police and held up as a model the tough-on-crime approach of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was one of the speakers who introduced Trump. "Ill make sure we deliver safe neighborhoods in Milwaukee," Trump said, reading from a teleprompter. "The world is watching, right here in Milwuakee, but also across the country." The Trump rally took place in heavily Republican Washington County, about a 45-minute drive from downtown Milwaukee. The capacity crowd of 3,600 which tapered off a bit as Trump was more than an hour late was overwhelmingly white. Trump was introduced by Giuliani, Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, of Kenosha, and Gov. Scott Walker. Walker was scheduled to participate in an event with the Aspen Institute in Colorado on Tuesday night but canceled early Monday, a spokeswoman for the event said. "There are two names and only two names on the ballot who can be elected the next president of the United States," Walker said in introducing Trump. "One is Hillary Clinton. The other is Donald Trump. It is clear, the American people, the people in this state, as well as people across this country, we want change." Other top state Republicans were absent from the Trump rally. House Speaker Paul Ryan is out of state on a previously scheduled trip supporting House Republicans and Sen. Ron Johnson was attending prior commitments in northern and central parts of the state, their campaigns said. Attendees chanted "lock her up" and "crooked Hillary" as state representatives and members of Congress warmed up the crowd at 7:30 p.m. as it waited for Trump to arrive from the taping of a town hall event at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee with Fox News host Sean Hannity. Speaking to a crowd waving Trump-Pence signs to keep cool, state Rep. Dan Knodl, R-Germantown, acknowledged "it has been a tumultuous campaign already, one that can be uncomfortable and unsettling," but he said it is imperative that Republicans defeat Clinton. "(Clinton's policies) will drive businesses out of the United States," Knodl said. "Donald Trump, he builds businesses. The kind of businesses we want to stay here." Jacquelyn Adamicki, 20, a University of Minnesota student from Waukesha, said she agrees with many of Trump's policies, especially on lowering taxes, but thinks building a wall along the Mexican border would be a waste of money. With family in Poland who have had difficulty immigrating legally to the United States, Trump's hard line on immigration still resonates with her. "He wasn't my first choice, but he's our candidate now," Adamicki said. In holding a rally in very conservative Washington County, Trump's campaign signaled it recognizes the reason he is trailing Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton by 15 points among likely voters and 10 points among registered voters statewide is because of dampened support in the reliably Republican counties surrounding Milwaukee. The last three Marquette Law School polls show Trump leading Clinton 45-35 among registered voters in Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties. In 2012, Republican nominee Mitt Romney won those counties 67-32. Meanwhile Clinton, who has yet to visit the state since accepting the nomination, leads in the Democratic stronghold of Milwaukee 72-13. President Barack Obama won the city 79-20 in 2012. Former Gov. Tommy Thompson, who has embraced Trump since he clinched the nomination in May and met with him on Tuesday, said the key reason for Trump's poor showing in the Milwaukee suburbs has been the resistance to his candidacy among some conservatives, such as prominent talk radio host Charlie Sykes. Thompson said it's still too early to write off Trump's chances in Wisconsin and nationally. He said the debates in late September and early October will sway the election more than any day-to-day stumbles on the campaign trail. "When the debates start, youre going to see the base start shouting and the base is going to come back to Republicans," Thompson said. "Southeast Wisconsin is going to come back for Trump. Put that in your pipe and smoke it." Brandon Scholz, a Republican strategist who is anti-Trump, said Trump's two visits and his running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence's three visits to the state, including a joint appearance in Green Bay on Aug. 5, suggest the campaign's internal polling shows a closer race than the latest Marquette poll. Trump's last visit (and the poll) came after a week in which he refused to endorse Ryan in his primary election that he won by nearly 70 points. Trump ended up endorsing Ryan while reading from cards during his Green Bay rally. Since then Trump has given speeches laying out his plans for the economy and defeating the Islamic State. In addition to the West Bend rally and ticketed town hall event in Milwaukee, Trump attended fundraisers in La Crosse and Milwaukee and met with Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke. State Senate Democratic leader Jennifer Shilling, D-La Crosse, issued a statement Tuesday pushing back against Republican legislators embracing Trump. "Wisconsin families have seen enough," Shilling said. "From suggesting we should abandon our allies to advocating the use of torture, Trumps policies would make us less safe. He lacks the temperament, experience and moral judgment to keep us safe." Trump, in an interview Tuesday with the La Crosse Tribune, said his temperament is one of his greatest assets. "Ive won all my life, Ive been winning," Trump told the newspaper. "I always thought that temperament I mean I have always felt and been told that my single greatest strength is temperament." Right here in Viroqua, Community Hunger Solutions (CHS), a project of the Vernon Economic Development Association (VEDA), is tackling two immense problems: food waste and hunger that both stem from misallocation of precious global resources. National Geographic magazine (March 2016) estimates that 20-50 percent of U.S. fruits and vegetables (6 billion pounds) go unharvested or unsold, while at the same time, 1 in 7 people suffers from an inability to purchase sufficient food at least once per year (food insecurity). In the last decade, poverty has increased significantly in our country. In Wisconsin, over 50 percent of schoolchildren now qualify for free lunches. Since 2013, CHS has been developing community partnerships to help channel excess food from our rich Driftless Region to those in need. To date, CHS has supplied food pantries with 420,000 pounds (equivalent to 350,000 meals) of seconds produce (i.e. produce not meeting stringent retail standards, but still containing 100 percent of the nutritional value.) CHS has also conducted over 50 cooking demonstrations at pantries and created and made available thousands of recipe cards to encourage new habits of healthy eating. All this would not be possible without the Food Enterprise Center, VEDAs food hub in Viroqua, supplying the necessary loading docks, storage and refrigeration to receive bulk produce deliveries from farmers and have orders prepared by CHS for distribution. CHS then delivers this food to 15 local meal sites within 30 miles of Viroqua on a weekly basis. These include Living Faith Food Pantry, Bethel Butikk, Cashton Cupboard, and, new this year, the Sparta Food Pantry that is supported by Couleecap. Hunger Task Force of La Crosse and Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin also distribute this food to over 300 meal sites in southwest Wisconsin. Many community organizations and funders have been very generous in underwriting CHS work. These include the Walmart Foundation, Organic Valley, Food for All Coalition of La Crosse, Franke Foundation, United Way, Bader Philanthropies, Viroqua Food Co-op, Viroqua Foundation, Empty Bowls, WDRT and many other local businesses and individuals. In addition, Sue Noble, VEDAs executive director, has provided CHS with countless hours of grant writing and financial mentorship that has been invaluable. This work is also made possible through partnerships with the 60-plus generous farms that either donate or sell (at discount prices) their high quality produce to CHS. Some of these include Driftless Organics, Harmony Valley, Small Family Farm, Second Cloud on the Left, Ridgeland Harvest, Knapp Creek Farm, EZ Farming, Kruizenga Farm, Deep Rooted, Keewaydin Organics, Thimmesch Farm, Glick Farm, Ella Bella Farm and many Amish growers. In turn, CHS produce purchases totaling over $50,000 since 2013 have helped the economy of area farmers by providing a reliable market for the excess produce they have invested so much in growing. Where does CHS go from here? This will be the topic of an Open Community Conversation from 6 to 8 p.m. at the conference room of the Food Enterprise Center on Thursday, Aug. 25. Please join us for a discussion with others who share your interest, experience and vision for this project. VEDA is very proud of CHS work. As noted by Sue Noble, Community Hunger Solutions fits well with VEDAs focus to improve the quality of life in our region and increase the business capacity of area farmers by providing access to new markets. If you would like more information, you may contact Daniel Chotzen at daniel@community-hunger-solutions.org or 606-1910 or Gary Thompson at gary@community-hunger-solutions.org or 632-2163. You may also visit the CHS website at www.community-hunger-solutions.org. Dawn Simonson Last month, VEDA lost a respected colleague when Dawn Simonson passed away July 7. Dawn had served on our board of directors from May 2008 until the time of her death. She held a number of leadership roles within our organizations executive committee the entire time she was on our board. She served as our board secretary from 2008 to 2010, our vice president from 2010 to 2011, and our president from 2011 to 2013. We are grateful for her years of service to VEDA. Her passing is a tremendous loss to our community. Sept. 17 farmers market VEDA is happy to have the Viroqua Farmers Market use the FEC parking lot at 1201 N. Main St. on Saturday, Sept. 17. The Vernon County Fair will be at the fairgrounds that weekend. Plan to attend to visit your favorite local food vendors! The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced a special Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding opportunity for agricultural producers and landowners under the Mississippi River Basin Healthy Watersheds Initiative (MRBI) to improve water quality in the Kickapoo River Watershed and ultimately, the Mississippi River. Special funding under EQIP-MRBI will be available specifically in selected subwatersheds, including West Fork Kickapoo, Tainter Creek, Trout Creek-Kickapoo River, Caswell Hollow-Kickapoo River, Halls Branch, Goose Creek-Kickapoo River, Otter Creek, Plum Run-Kickapoo River, Wester Creek and Knapp Creek-West Fork Kickapoo River of the Kickapoo River in addressing nutrient and sediment losses from cropland and degraded pastures. Citizen water quality monitoring from the Valley Stewardship Network volunteers will provide data to support load-reduction goals. Applications are due to Vernon, Crawford or Richland county NRCS Service Center offices Sept. 2 to be considered for funding in 2017. NRCS plans to invest more than $2 million in fiscal year 2017 as part of an over $5 million commitment in the watershed over three years. Targeted conservation work in the Mississippi River Basin will unite the USDA, farmers, and local organizations to help clean waterways that flow into the nations largest river. USDAs NRCS is investing funds nationwide in high-priority watersheds, like the Kickapoo River, that will help improve water quality and strengthen agricultural operations. Putting NRCS conservation practices on the ground helps clean and conserve water, makes agricultural operations more productive and resilient, and stimulates rural economies by tapping into help from biologists, foresters, grading contractors, welders, engineers, and many more professions during the implementation process, said Jimmy Bramblett, State Conservationist in Wisconsin. Vernon County landowners interested in applying should contact the NRCS office at the USDA Service Center in Viroqua at 608-637-2183, ext.3. For more information, visit www.wi.nrcs.usda.gov. VIROQUA Harold C. Sturgill, 97, of Viroqua passed away Monday, July 25, 2016, at the Bethel Home in Viroqua, where he had been a resident since May 3, 2016. He was born Aug. 11, 1918, to Walter and Edna Sturgill in Ashland, W.V., and graduated from Elkhorn High School in Elkhorn, W.V., in 1935. Harold began working for the Appalachian Power Company until 1937. Later he began working as an inside coal miner at the Consolidated Coal Company in Bartley, W.V., until he volunteered for the U.S. Army in early 1942. He served in the U.S. Army in the North Africa campaigns with General George Pattons Third Army, serving in southern Italy, as a signal corpsman until the war in Europe ended in 1945. Following his army tour of duty he returned to War, W.V., to resume his career in the coal industry as an electrician and later as mining engineer. Harold was very fond of automobiles and motorcycles. He often rode his Norton motorcycle on the mountain roads of West Virginia, and even made several trips to Hot Springs, Ark. In 1950, he married his beloved wife, Effie White, and they remained in War, until 1965. He then accepted an engineering position with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, in Viroqua. Harold and Effie moved to Viroqua, and quickly became a part of the Viroqua community, making lots of new friends. Effie in particular was very instrumental in developing many lasting relationships. His duty with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was to survey land areas adjacent to the Mississippi River to develop wash basins to retain water for flood control of the Mississippi River. He did this until his retirement in 1983. After suffering a long illness of diabetes, Effie passed away in 1984. She was dearly missed by Harold. Harold was very active in the Westby United Methodist Church, until he became disabled due to macular degeneration. During this time he continued to live alone with much support from the Gary and Judy Gilbertson family, neighbors and other friends. He was a great storyteller and was very fond of telling about his experiences in the coal industry and his service in the army during World War II. Due to his macular degeneration he was not able to read or watch TV, however, he loved listening to his Bose radio to keep current with the news of the world, and could converse on about any subject right up until his passing. Harold was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Edna Sturgill; wife, Effie; sisters, Helen Aker, Gladys Thompson, Evelyn Landford and Marilyn Sturgill. He is survived by his brother, Richard (Dawn) Sturgill of Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and several nieces and nephews. Blessed be his memory. Harold appreciated the kindness shown to him during his lifetime, from his many friends including Brenda Turben, Lynn Bambenek, Susan Williams, Betty Nigh, along with Pastor Don and Mary Greven. A special thank you to Dr. Duane Koons and his staff at Hirsch Clinic over the past 25 years, for their understanding, kindness and support, which was unsurpassed. Harold also really appreciated the wonderful care he received in his last days, from the entire staff at the Bethel Home. Memorials may be given to the Bad Axe Lutheran Church Word of Life Radio Show, which Harold enjoyed every Sunday; the Bethel Home, Viroqua; or the Vernon County Aging Unit Meals on Wheels Program. Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, at the Thorson Funeral Home in Viroqua, with Pastor Donald Greven officiating. Burial was in West Virginia. Online condolences may be sent to info@thorsonfuneralhome.com. There is no lack of quaintness at the Joshua Sanford Field Airport. Those who land at the city-owned airstrip are asked to sign in on a faded yellow legal pad protected by Plexiglas in a self-serve kiosk constructed by Ian Collins, an Eagle Scout with Boy Scout Troop 83. The plaque doesnt say in what year Collins built the structure. The 3,600-foot-long and 50-foot-wide paved, lighted runway hasnt been resurfaced in nearly 20 years and is sprouting weeds. There is no terminal, maintenance shed or a place to buy fuel just two hangars that over the last few years have housed only a few aircraft. And while the number of regular users at the airport can be counted on two hands, its not uncommon for those that do land to walk across the street for rings of bologna, two-pound rolls of butter and chunks of Muenster, Swiss and Colby at Janet Helgersons Cheese Store & More. This is where a sign above the three-door cheese cooler states We ID Limburger Cheese Customers! Everything I get is as local as possible, said Helgerson, who has worked at the store for 37 years and bought the place in 2003. The economy is tough. So goes the farmer, so goes everything else in town. And with all the small farms closing down, everyone has to go someplace else to work. But there are mixed feelings in this Vernon County city of about 1,400 people about a project at the Land OLakes butter factory that is bringing economic development to the community, located 23 miles northwest of Reedsburg. The plant, purchased earlier this year by Land OLakes, makes quarter-pound, one-pound and 55-pound blocks of butter along with vats of butter oil used by commercial bakers and candy makers. But the facility is located at the southwest end of the airports runway, and an addition will create a safety hazard for airplanes. That has forced the city to close the little-used airport in exchange for jobs and tax base. The 20,000-square-foot addition to the 28,000-square-foot butter plant will include a refrigerated warehouse, new employee entrance, locker and changing rooms, a break area and conference space. The project is part of $15 million worth of improvements planned for the facility through the end of 2018 that could also see the companys Hillsboro workforce grow beyond its existing 30 employees, the company said in an email. We worked closely with the city to identify the best option to meet the needs of our growing business while helping to ensure the safety of our employees, company spokeswoman Rebecca Lentz wrote. This option was the one that met those needs. In January, the Hillsboro City Council approved a memorandum of understanding and a development agreement with Land OLakes. The city then floated a plan to close part of the runway and make it a restricted-use facility, but the hangar owners, Henry Peterson and Bill Lesnjak, threatened to sue the city, saying it would affect their operations. They dropped their case when Land OLakes paid Peterson $60,000 and Lesnjak $29,000 for their hangars that are in a flood plain thanks to the nearby West Branch of the Baraboo River. The state Bureau of Aeronautics urged the city to prevent any incompatible land uses but had concerns about adding new structures and moving the runway protection zone. The Federal Aviation Administration also studied the issue and told the city that a hazard designation could only be removed if the 40-foot-tall Land OLakes addition was only 6 feet tall. So, after months of debate and haggling, the city informed the state late last month that it was closing the airport. Bulldozers were at work last week moving earth for construction at Land OLakes, but mowing has stopped alongside the runway and takeoffs and landings will be prohibited by this fall. Was it an easy decision? No, said Adam Sonntag, Hillsboros city administrator. This has been six months of trying whatever we could in working with the state (Bureau of Aeronautics) and working with the FAA to come to some sort of reasonable solution. It was frustrating. These things have existed next to each other for the last 30 years and all of a sudden they cant because somebody wants to add to it? It doesnt make any sense to us. Its unclear what will become of the airport property, which is along a bike trail. The flood zone eliminates the potential for development, although Sonntag said it could be used as parkland or a test track, or for other uses that require minimal facilities. Wisconsin is home to eight commercial airports, including Dane County Regional Airport in Madison and General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee, but 90 airports are considered general use. They support activities like personal and business travel, charter services, tourism, sky diving, medical aircraft, flight training and agricultural spraying, according to the state Department of Transportation. That count does not include scores of private airstrips around the state, most of which are rural grass strips. The airport in Hillsboro began as a pea gravel strip, has been both private and public over the years and was used by the Kickapoo Oil Co. founded in 1959 by Raymond Knower. Kickapoo, which grew to more than 60 stations before it sold to Kwik Trip in 1988, is credited with having the first self-serve gas pumps east of the Mississippi after it convinced the state legislature to change the law that required gas to be pumped by service station attendants. The airport was taken over by the city in the 1980s and in 1993 was named after Joshua Sanford, a Native American World War II fighter pilot. He was twice wounded but highly decorated for his flying exploits that included 102 combat missions. He was also officially credited with downing eight enemy planes and was shot down or ditched his own plane 12 times. Sanford, who was born near Friendship and graduated from Viroqua High School before attending UW-Madison, lived in Hillsboro after the war from 1948 to 1956 before moving to Reedsburg. Sanford died in 1962 from complications of war injuries. He was just 43 and is buried at Mount Vernon Cemetery on Hillsboros southwest side. I am deeply saddened that proposed construction by your company is going to be at the expense of our local airport, Patti Bruha wrote in an open letter dated July 11 to Land OLakes and sent to the FAA, city, state and Ho Chunk Nation plus to media, including the Wisconsin State Journal. Bruha, 66, was born and raised in Hillsboro, has a pharmacy degree from UW-Madison and is training to get her pilots license. When she was in high school, she took an aviation course, as did many of her classmates. Now shell have to go elsewhere to train. We want the tax base from Land OLakes. We want the jobs, the city needs that, she said. But I think the city needs the airport, too. Cant we just co-exist together? Peterson, who served as the airports manager and owns L.G. Nuzum Lumber Co., a firm founded by his grandfather in 1902, said he has moved his two Cessna airplanes to Reedsburg. The change will make flying less convenient for him, while the closure of the airport will take away part of the citys character. I know jobs are important. Im a small businessman, Peterson said as we walked the runway. Theres always traffic in and out of here. How lucky is a small town like Hillsboro to have an airport? Look at all the other communities that dont have an airport. Vernon Countys only circuit court judge, Michael Rosborough, plans to retire in July of 2017 after 31 years behind the bench. Rosborough informed the county board of his decision earlier this year. He reflected on his career in the law last week. A native of Elgin, Ill., Rosborough graduated from the University of Illinois with his undergraduate degree and received his law degree from that school in 1973. He then worked in the office of the state appellate defender in Mt. Vernon, Ill., and eventually became the supervising attorney in that office. Wisconsin went through court reform in the late 1970s. Rosborough and his wife had always been interested in gravitating to the upper Midwest, they liked the culture and the recreational opportunities. I became aware of the creation of this new state public defenders office and I knew some people who either had worked for me or with me in Illinois, who had moved up to this system, Rosborough said. They suggested If youre tired of doing appellate work why dont you consider applying up here? Rosborough did apply and was offered a position in La Crosse in 1979. In a few years, he was the supervising attorney in the La Crosse Public Defenders Office and he and his wife Ellen lived in northern Vernon County. Rosborough became circuit court judge by appointment of Wisconsin Gov. Tony Earl in 1986 after the retirement of Judge Walter Block. Rosborough successfully defended his appointment in the next election and has run uncontested ever since. When Judge Block decided to retire he spoke with me and said, If youre interested in this you can probably do it for the next 20 years he was wrong about that its going to be 31 by the time I give it up next year, Rosborough said. Rosborough said becoming a judge was an easy transition. I recall one individual lawyer who was kidding with me when he learned I had been appointed judge, Rosborough said. So now youre going to switch sides, he said. And I said, No, now Im going to climb up on the fence. And thats the way I looked at it and thats what I did. Rosborough said he believes a judge is a neutral arbiter who has to listen to both sides of everything. Because of the neutrality required, especially in a small community, Rosborough said that becoming a judge is an isolating job. You cant interact with the public in perhaps the same way that you did previously, Rosborough said. Thats probably the main thing that comes to mind. Over the years a lot of people know who you are, but you you either dont know or dont remember who they are. Rosborough said the situation plays itself out when he walks down the street in Viroqua and some people say, Hi Judge, how are you? ... and some people cross to the other side of the street. He said a judge often gets too much credit for good things and too much inappropriate blame for bad things. Rosborough said the fuel that has kept him going is that hes always found the job both interesting and challenging. If youre going to be a judge theres no better place to do it than in Vernon County in a one-judge county, Rosborough said. You have a tremendous amount of autonomy. Rosborough said hes been fortunate in the people he has worked with in the court system. That includes the people here in the courthouse, the people in law enforcement, the sheriffs and the county board, Rosborough said. I look around at other counties and see some of the difficulties other counties have had with working with their county boards on things like remodeling or creating new court facilities. When we identified the need to do that in this county back in the 1990s the county board was completely on board with it and made appropriate and cost-effective decisions. Rosborough said his interaction with the county board was one of the things, in addition to his courtroom work, that led him to believe in his job that from time-to-time you have a positive influence in the lives of people especially families and children. While Vernon County has all of the problems that any of the large cities have, major crimes are few here and there is an opportunity to have a greater positive role in the community as a judge, Rosborough said. I never set out to become a judge, but I never regretted becoming one and I certainly am glad that Ive done this for the time that Ive done it, Rosborough said. Rosborough has seen a number of technological improvements which have led to better uniformity and overall justice. He is an associate dean at the judicial college where he teaches case and calendar management. He has served terms as a regional chief judge and a regional assistant chief judge. While he has worked on numerous committees and helped with judicial reforms at the national level, he has seen dwindling funding at the national level for more judicial education. Rosborough and his wife, Ellen, have two children, Christofer and Megan, and three grandchildren. Both of their children are graduates of UW-Madison Law School and his oldest grandchild is beginning college this fall. Hes looking forward to spending more time with his family after retirement. Rosborough said he will miss the people he works with daily in the courthouse and he will miss the give-and-take in the courtroom. He wont miss having his schedule so regimented from day-to-day. Rosborough looks back on his judicial career and says hes left behind a culture of how cases efficiently move through the system. I let lawyers know, I wont waste your time if you dont waste mine, Rosborough said. ...I think myself, with the staff here and the attorneys that appear most often in our court system, have come to understand that I have expectations that things will move along. That they wont be rushed through, but well separate the wheat from the chaff and hear what really needs to be heard. We wont schedule jury trials just to schedule them and then inconvenience a bunch of jurors, Rosborough continued. Thats the kind of culture that Ive established here over 31 years and I would anticipate that someone who succeeds me would follow with something like that and its likely to continue. I loved my family reunions when I was a child. I got to play with my cousins for days as we camped for a week at Ham Lake in northern Wisconsin. This was an extended family reunion for my fathers family, which branched underneath my great-grandfather who had 11 children. Many of them lived in the Milwaukee and Madison area. Going to Ham Lake became a tradition, as it had a campground that we could basically take over and we had cookouts every night. As a kid I was welcome at every campsite. I learned and saw all sorts of new ways to camp out and cook food. My cousin Donald was the first person I saw grill sweetcorn. Before I helped him grill up a batch, I had thought the only way you could prepare it was by boiling it. In fact, as he mixed himself a drink and sat in a lawn chair, he supervised as I prepared and cooked about four dozen ears of corn for him . I was about 10 years old. He started calling me the little chef. I felt 10 feet tall, and, of course, he got to put his feet up, talk with those around the grill and watch me work. I loved it. The reunion was great, too, because I was surrounded by friends. I had all sorts of first cousins once removed, and second and third cousins all over the place. Wed play games and go hiking. On rainy days wed hang out in somebodys camper and play board games or read comic books. Those are moments I remember during which I got to know my cousins and they got to know me. Early one evening, after dinner just before the main nightly campfire, I was at my Great-Uncle Claudes campsight near the woods on the north side of the campground. From about 100 yards away inside the woods we heard the most awful, tortuous howling as if a predator had caught its prey and began its dinner before the prey was dead. As I stood with my mouth agape my dad and several of my great-uncles appeared at the campsite toting shotguns. When we went camping to Ham Lake we always had a shotgun behind the front seat and I never knew why. But my dad and great-uncles had hunted and spent many years in these woods. Not only were bears a concern, but there were other things in the woods much more nasty than a bear. What exactly caused the incident was never revealed. Other than that rare dramatic incident, the family reunion was a series of euchre and sheepshead card tournaments, endless games of lawn darts and horse shoes and circles of people sitting in lawn chairs and enjoying themselves. The final Saturday night of the reunion was a big party. For the adults there was a full bar and a keg of beer. For the kids there were metal bins filled with ice and every flavor of Jolly Good pop. As you can guess, food was overflowing. The official meeting was held in which the family officers were elected to set up the next years event. The party included music, dancing and the telling of a great many stories. I went to bed hours before it was over. Sundays breakfast was always a sad time. Over scrambled eggs and bacon my cousins and I tried to have fun although I knew in many cases I would not see them again for a year. The reunion at Ham Lake came to an end for my family in the mid-1980s. My folks had a vacation property they liked to visit in Adams County and slowly-but-surely, the weeklong family get-together faded off into the summer sunset. Whenever I think of summer, a splash of many beautiful, positive memories comes back to me. These memories are vivid and sharp, like watching the fireworks display just before kids bedtime arrived at the family reunion. Part one of 2... One of the U.S. Armys more distinct units during world War II was the 99th Infantry Battalion. In 1942, the United States Army senior American officers and civilian leaders considered it a moral obligation to open a Second Front to relieve pressure on the Soviet Union as quickly as possible. Nazi-occupied Norway was a favorite target of some planners. In January 1942, Winston Churchill pushed hard for Operation Jupiter, a landing in far northern Norway. This operation would capture the bases used by the air and surface raiders then attacking the convoys to Murmansk. Operation The Norwegian segment, called Operation Plough, featured large-scale commando raids rather than a full invasion. King Haakon of Norway and his exiled ministers opposed the large-scale economic devastation of their country, and preferred that the Germans be driven out with small scale commando raids. On the 9th May, 1942, the American War Department issued an order to the Commanding General, Ground Forces: 1. It is desired that you take the necessary steps to organize at the earliest practicable date a battalion of Norwegian nationals to serve as part of the US Army. 2. This unit would be organized as an Infantry Battalion... to carry out that commando raids in Norway. In the summer of 1942 the U.S. Army set up the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) to be ready for such operations. The men would be Norwegians, Norwegian immigrants, and second-generation Americans of Norwegian descent. All would be fluent in Norwegian. Most of the men who were transferred, or volunteered, to the 99th battalion, came from the Norwegian areas in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The 99th Battalion was to consist of a mixture of infantry,- parachute,- and mountaineer specialists, and their insignia was a shield with a Viking ship, in the Norwegian national colors red, white and blue. While the unit often flew the Norwegian flag and its men made a habit of speaking Norwegian rather than English even when fluent in both, it was a formal part of the U.S. Army in all respects. The War Department had been adamant that this was not a foreign military unit in the United States. The troops gathered in July 1942 at Camp Ripley in Minnesota, to receive their standard infantry training. On 17 December 1942, the battalion was transferred to Camp Hale, Colorado. Getting off the train and realizing that the snow was 6 feet deep, many soldiers wondered what they had really gotten themselves into. They soon found out. They received mountain specialist commando training. Carrying equipment weighing up to 90 pounds, the unit spent much of the winter training in the mountains on skies and snowshoes, and developing winter survival skills. In the spring when the snow melted the men received extensive rock climbing training.Many of the instructors were officers from the Royal Norwegian Army. It is said that this unit got the best winter warfare education ever given in the US Army. A Revised Mission In 1943, after the troops had been trained, the feasibility of ground operations in Norway was reconsidered, and it was determined that large unit operations would not be productive. Ground troops, once deployed, could not be recovered. The Norwegian government worried that the damage caused would hurt the Norwegian people and economy far more than the German occupation. The 1st Special Service Force therefore lost its Norwegian mission. The OSS organized Operational Teams to infiltrate into Norway and conduct unconventional warfare operations. About one hundred volunteers were recruited from the 99th to form these OSS Teams. In August the remainder of the 99th Battalion received orders for overseas deployment. They moved to Camp Shanks, NY, and on 5 September 1943 they boarded the SS Mexico and departed for England. They arrived in Scotland on 16 September and boarded trains for a 16-hour train ride to Perham Downs Camp, Tidworth area, Wiltshire, England. The battalion eventually became the palace guard for First Army headquarters. Lt. Col. Harold D. Hansen commanded the 99th. Battles that the 99th was engaged in: The Normandy Campaign, The North France Campaign, the Battles at Wurzeln / Aachen, and the Battle of the Bulge. About 300 men were killed or heavily injured, and these were replaced by new Norwegians. On 17 June they departed England for France. Due to bad weather they were unable to land on Omaha beach until 21 June. Tom Skattum was in the first landing craft to go ashore from the 99th. They spent time training and on security duties. Not until late August did the Norwegians see limited combat duty, attached to the 2nd Armored Division. Through September and October they fought alongside 2nd Armored and 30th Infantry divisions, but higher headquarters still seemed to be lacking an appropriate mission. Throughout November the 99th served in First Armys rear areas, on the lookout for nonexistent German paratroopers. Continued next week... 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14 (3) Aug 13 (5) Aug 12 (10) Aug 11 (5) Aug 10 (4) Aug 09 (5) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (5) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (5) Aug 01 (7) Jul 31 (5) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (4) Jul 28 (3) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (5) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (5) Jul 23 (5) Jul 22 (7) Jul 21 (5) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (5) Jul 18 (6) Jul 17 (5) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (6) Jul 14 (4) Jul 13 (3) Jul 12 (2) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (4) Jul 03 (3) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (8) Jun 30 (6) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (6) Jun 27 (6) Jun 26 (6) Jun 25 (6) Jun 24 (6) Jun 23 (4) Jun 22 (4) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (5) Jun 18 (8) Jun 17 (6) Jun 16 (5) Jun 15 (5) Jun 14 (5) Jun 13 (4) Jun 12 (4) Jun 11 (6) Jun 10 (4) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (5) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (3) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (3) Jun 02 (3) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (2) May 29 (2) May 28 (2) May 27 (4) May 26 (4) May 25 (3) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (5) May 20 (4) May 19 (2) May 18 (3) May 17 (3) May 16 (3) May 15 (4) May 14 (5) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (3) May 10 (4) May 09 (4) May 08 (4) May 07 (3) May 06 (2) May 05 (3) May 04 (4) May 03 (2) May 02 (3) May 01 (3) Apr 30 (3) Apr 29 (4) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (4) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (3) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (4) Apr 20 (4) Apr 19 (5) Apr 18 (7) Apr 17 (6) Apr 16 (10) Apr 15 (5) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (4) Apr 12 (5) Apr 11 (4) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (7) Apr 08 (4) Apr 07 (7) Apr 06 (4) Apr 05 (7) Apr 04 (5) Apr 03 (4) Apr 02 (5) Apr 01 (5) Mar 31 (5) Mar 30 (5) Mar 29 (7) Mar 28 (6) Mar 27 (5) Mar 26 (5) Mar 25 (6) Mar 24 (5) Mar 23 (5) Mar 22 (5) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (3) Mar 19 (6) Mar 18 (6) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (4) Mar 15 (5) Mar 14 (4) Mar 13 (5) Mar 12 (5) Mar 11 (4) Mar 10 (4) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (5) Mar 07 (4) Mar 06 (3) Mar 05 (4) Mar 04 (6) Mar 03 (4) Mar 02 (4) Mar 01 (5) Feb 28 (6) Feb 27 (4) Feb 26 (4) Feb 25 (6) Feb 24 (2) Feb 23 (3) Feb 22 (4) Feb 21 (6) Feb 20 (2) Feb 19 (6) Feb 18 (4) Feb 17 (2) Feb 16 (3) Feb 15 (6) Feb 14 (6) Feb 13 (6) Feb 12 (9) Feb 11 (5) Feb 10 (3) Feb 09 (4) Feb 08 (4) Feb 07 (7) Feb 06 (3) Feb 05 (4) Feb 04 (5) Feb 03 (4) Feb 02 (3) Feb 01 (3) Jan 31 (4) Jan 30 (4) Jan 29 (3) Jan 28 (2) Jan 27 (2) Jan 26 (3) Jan 25 (4) Jan 24 (4) Jan 23 (2) Jan 22 (2) Jan 21 (5) Jan 20 (4) Jan 19 (5) Jan 18 (4) Jan 17 (4) Jan 16 (3) Jan 15 (4) Jan 14 (3) Jan 13 (3) Jan 12 (3) Jan 11 (2) Jan 10 (8) Jan 09 (6) Jan 08 (2) Jan 07 (2) Jan 06 (3) Jan 05 (2) Jan 04 (2) Jan 03 (2) Jan 02 (2) Jan 01 (2) Dec 31 (2) Dec 30 (3) Dec 29 (3) Dec 28 (3) Dec 27 (2) Dec 26 (2) Dec 25 (2) Dec 24 (2) Dec 23 (2) Dec 22 (2) Dec 21 (2) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (2) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (2) Dec 16 (2) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (2) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (5) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (2) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (5) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (4) Nov 29 (4) Nov 28 (2) Nov 27 (2) Nov 26 (2) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (2) Nov 23 (2) Nov 22 (2) Nov 21 (2) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (2) Nov 17 (2) Nov 16 (5) Nov 15 (5) Nov 14 (4) Nov 13 (2) Nov 12 (2) Nov 11 (2) Nov 10 (2) Nov 09 (2) Nov 08 (2) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (6) Nov 05 (4) Nov 04 (5) Nov 03 (5) Nov 02 (3) Nov 01 (5) Oct 31 (7) Oct 30 (5) Oct 29 (4) Oct 28 (3) Oct 27 (2) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (4) Oct 23 (4) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (2) Oct 20 (3) Oct 19 (2) Oct 18 (2) Oct 17 (3) Oct 16 (5) Oct 15 (4) Oct 14 (2) Oct 13 (2) Oct 12 (4) Oct 11 (5) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (3) Oct 06 (2) Oct 05 (5) Oct 04 (5) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (4) Oct 01 (5) Sep 30 (2) Sep 29 (2) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (6) Sep 26 (2) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (2) Sep 22 (2) Sep 21 (2) Sep 20 (2) Sep 19 (3) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (2) Sep 15 (4) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (5) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (6) Sep 10 (2) Sep 09 (5) Sep 08 (5) Sep 07 (5) Sep 06 (4) Sep 05 (4) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (2) Sep 02 (3) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (2) Aug 30 (2) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (6) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (2) Aug 25 (2) Aug 24 (3) Aug 23 (2) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (5) Aug 20 (4) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (2) Aug 17 (5) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (4) Aug 14 (5) Aug 13 (2) Aug 12 (2) Aug 11 (2) Aug 10 (2) Aug 09 (2) Aug 08 (5) Aug 07 (5) Aug 06 (6) Aug 05 (2) Aug 04 (5) Aug 03 (2) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (2) Jul 31 (4) Jul 30 (2) Jul 29 (2) Jul 28 (2) Jul 27 (2) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (4) Jul 24 (2) Jul 23 (3) Jul 22 (2) Jul 21 (3) Jul 20 (4) Jul 19 (2) Jul 18 (3) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (5) Jul 15 (2) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (2) Jul 12 (3) Jul 11 (2) Jul 10 (2) Jul 09 (2) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (2) Jul 06 (2) Jul 05 (2) Jul 04 (2) Jul 03 (2) Jul 02 (2) Jul 01 (3) Jun 30 (3) Jun 29 (7) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (2) Jun 26 (3) Jun 25 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (3) Jun 20 (2) Jun 19 (2) Jun 18 (2) Jun 17 (2) Jun 16 (2) Jun 15 (2) Jun 14 (2) Jun 13 (3) Jun 12 (3) Jun 11 (3) Jun 10 (2) Jun 09 (4) Jun 08 (2) Jun 07 (4) Jun 06 (5) Jun 05 (3) Jun 04 (3) Jun 03 (2) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (4) May 31 (2) May 30 (3) May 29 (3) May 28 (3) May 27 (2) May 26 (2) May 25 (2) May 24 (2) May 23 (2) May 22 (3) May 21 (3) May 20 (2) May 19 (2) May 18 (4) May 17 (7) May 16 (2) May 15 (2) May 14 (4) May 13 (3) May 12 (4) May 11 (4) May 10 (4) May 09 (3) May 08 (2) May 07 (2) May 06 (2) May 05 (1) May 04 (2) May 03 (4) May 02 (3) May 01 (4) Apr 30 (1) Apr 29 (3) Apr 28 (2) Apr 27 (3) Apr 26 (2) Apr 25 (2) Apr 24 (4) Apr 23 (2) Apr 22 (2) Apr 21 (2) Apr 20 (3) Apr 19 (3) Apr 18 (4) Apr 17 (5) Apr 16 (4) Apr 15 (4) Apr 14 (3) Apr 13 (3) Apr 12 (3) Apr 11 (3) Apr 10 (4) Apr 09 (4) Apr 08 (3) Apr 07 (2) Apr 06 (3) Apr 05 (3) Apr 04 (1) Apr 03 (1) Apr 02 (1) Apr 01 (2) Mar 31 (2) Mar 30 (3) Mar 29 (2) Mar 28 (3) Mar 27 (3) Mar 26 (3) Mar 25 (3) Mar 24 (2) Mar 23 (3) Mar 22 (3) Mar 21 (4) Mar 20 (2) Mar 19 (3) Mar 18 (1) Mar 17 (2) Mar 16 (2) Mar 15 (1) Mar 14 (3) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (2) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (3) Mar 09 (2) Mar 08 (1) Mar 07 (1) Mar 04 (2) Mar 02 (2) Feb 28 (1) Feb 24 (1) Dec 31 (4) Dec 30 (4) Dec 29 (4) Dec 28 (5) Dec 27 (3) Dec 26 (3) Dec 25 (4) Dec 24 (3) Dec 23 (3) Dec 22 (4) Dec 21 (3) Dec 20 (3) Dec 19 (3) Dec 18 (3) Dec 17 (3) Dec 16 (3) Dec 15 (3) Dec 14 (3) Dec 13 (3) Dec 12 (3) Dec 11 (3) Dec 10 (3) Dec 09 (3) Dec 08 (3) Dec 07 (3) Dec 06 (3) Dec 05 (3) Dec 04 (3) Dec 03 (4) Dec 02 (3) Dec 01 (3) Nov 30 (3) Nov 29 (3) Nov 28 (3) Nov 27 (3) Nov 26 (3) Nov 25 (3) Nov 24 (3) Nov 23 (3) Nov 22 (3) Nov 21 (3) Nov 20 (3) Nov 19 (3) Nov 18 (3) Nov 17 (3) Nov 16 (2) Nov 15 (3) Nov 14 (3) Nov 13 (3) Nov 12 (4) Nov 11 (3) Nov 10 (4) Nov 09 (4) Nov 08 (4) Nov 07 (3) Nov 06 (3) Nov 05 (5) Nov 04 (4) Nov 03 (3) Nov 02 (4) Nov 01 (4) Oct 31 (4) Oct 30 (3) Oct 29 (3) Oct 28 (2) Oct 27 (4) Oct 26 (4) Oct 25 (4) Oct 24 (3) Oct 23 (3) Oct 22 (3) Oct 21 (4) Oct 20 (4) Oct 19 (3) Oct 18 (4) Oct 17 (4) Oct 16 (3) Oct 15 (3) Oct 14 (3) Oct 13 (3) Oct 12 (3) Oct 11 (3) Oct 10 (4) Oct 09 (3) Oct 08 (3) Oct 07 (4) Oct 06 (3) Oct 05 (4) Oct 04 (3) Oct 03 (4) Oct 02 (5) Oct 01 (3) Sep 30 (4) Sep 29 (3) Sep 28 (3) Sep 27 (4) Sep 26 (3) Sep 25 (3) Sep 24 (3) Sep 23 (3) Sep 22 (3) Sep 21 (3) Sep 20 (3) Sep 19 (4) Sep 18 (3) Sep 17 (3) Sep 16 (4) Sep 15 (3) Sep 14 (3) Sep 13 (3) Sep 12 (4) Sep 11 (4) Sep 10 (4) Sep 09 (4) Sep 08 (4) Sep 07 (3) Sep 06 (3) Sep 05 (3) Sep 04 (3) Sep 03 (3) Sep 02 (4) Sep 01 (3) Aug 31 (3) Aug 30 (4) Aug 29 (3) Aug 28 (3) Aug 27 (3) Aug 26 (3) Aug 25 (4) Aug 24 (4) Aug 23 (5) Aug 22 (3) Aug 21 (3) Aug 20 (3) Aug 19 (3) Aug 18 (3) Aug 17 (3) Aug 16 (3) Aug 15 (3) Aug 14 (3) Aug 13 (3) Aug 12 (3) Aug 11 (4) Aug 10 (5) Aug 09 (3) Aug 08 (3) Aug 07 (4) Aug 06 (5) Aug 05 (4) Aug 04 (3) Aug 03 (3) Aug 02 (3) Aug 01 (3) Jul 31 (3) Jul 30 (4) Jul 29 (3) Jul 28 (5) Jul 27 (3) Jul 26 (3) Jul 25 (3) Jul 24 (3) Jul 23 (4) Jul 22 (3) Jul 21 (4) Jul 20 (3) Jul 19 (3) Jul 18 (4) Jul 17 (4) Jul 16 (4) Jul 15 (3) Jul 14 (3) Jul 13 (4) Jul 12 (5) Jul 11 (4) Jul 10 (4) Jul 09 (3) Jul 08 (3) Jul 07 (3) Jul 06 (5) Jul 05 (3) Jul 04 (3) Jul 03 (4) Jul 02 (3) Jul 01 (6) Jun 30 (4) Jun 29 (4) Jun 28 (3) Jun 27 (4) Jun 26 (4) Jun 25 (5) Jun 24 (4) Jun 23 (3) Jun 22 (5) Jun 21 (5) Jun 20 (4) Jun 19 (4) Jun 18 (5) Jun 17 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(2) Sep 15 (1) Sep 13 (1) Sep 12 (1) Sep 08 (1) Sep 02 (2) Aug 31 (1) Aug 28 (1) Aug 27 (2) Aug 24 (1) Aug 21 (1) Aug 20 (1) Aug 18 (3) Aug 16 (1) Aug 15 (1) Aug 14 (1) Aug 11 (1) Aug 08 (1) Aug 07 (1) Aug 03 (1) Jul 27 (1) Jul 26 (1) Jul 24 (1) Jul 22 (1) Jul 21 (1) Jul 19 (1) Jul 15 (1) Jul 14 (1) Jul 13 (3) Jul 10 (1) Jul 08 (2) Jul 07 (1) Jul 06 (1) Jul 03 (1) Jul 01 (1) Jun 28 (1) Jun 24 (2) Jun 20 (1) Jun 19 (1) Jun 18 (1) Jun 15 (1) Jun 14 (2) Jun 11 (1) Jun 09 (3) Jun 08 (1) Jun 07 (1) Jun 06 (1) Jun 04 (2) Jun 03 (1) Jun 02 (2) Jun 01 (1) May 31 (3) May 30 (1) May 29 (1) May 28 (2) May 26 (1) May 25 (1) May 18 (1) May 17 (1) May 15 (1) May 09 (1) May 07 (2) May 02 (1) May 01 (1) Apr 30 (1) Apr 27 (1) Apr 26 (2) Apr 23 (1) Apr 22 (1) Apr 19 (1) Apr 18 (1) Apr 12 (1) Apr 11 (1) Apr 09 (1) Apr 07 (1) Apr 05 (1) Apr 01 (1) Mar 30 (1) Mar 27 (1) Mar 25 (1) Mar 22 (2) Mar 19 (1) Mar 18 (1) Mar 16 (1) Mar 15 (2) Mar 13 (1) Mar 12 (1) Mar 11 (1) Mar 10 (1) Fifteen people are no longer prisoners at the United States militarys prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Twelve detainees from Yemen and three Afghans were released to the government of the United Arab Emirates. The release was announced on August 15. It was the largest transfer of detainees from the prison during the nearly eight- year presidency of Barack Obama. The move comes during a renewed push to reduce the number of people jailed at Guantanamo. The U.S. Department of Defense said on Monday that 61 detainees are still held there. The prison has mostly been used to hold those captured by the governments war on terrorism. President Obama is facing his own deadline to close the prison. Obama will leave office in January 2017. He promised to close Guantanamo when he was first elected in 2008. The president faces opposition about the future of the prison from many members of Congress. A top official with the rights group Amnesty International believes Guantanamo will remain open. "[T]here is a significant possibility this is going to remain open as a permanent offshore prison to hold people, practically until they die," said Naureen Shah, Amnestys U.S. director for security and human rights. One of the detainees who just left Guantanamo spent more than 13 years there. He was identified as an Afghan national named Obaidullah. He had been accused of hiding and storing mines to be used against U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Im Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb wrote this report. Jim Dresbach adapted her report for Learning English. Additional information came from the Reuter news service. George Grow was the editor. What should be done with the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story deadline n. a date or time when something must be finished; time limit transfer n. an act of moving someone or something from one place to another offshore adv. at a distance from the coast; outside the country American photographer Joel Sartore is taking pictures of animals in his effort to save them. He calls the effort, Photo Ark. The National Geographic Society is providing financing for the project. The term ark comes from the large boat in which Noah, his family and many creatures were saved from a great flood in ancient times. The flood is described in the writings of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Joel Sartore hopes to photograph about 12,000 animals. They all are in danger of disappearing forever because of hunting, loss of habitat and climate change. Sartore launched the project in 1995. He has taken pictures of about half the animals. He told VOA by email that he began thinking about endangered creatures when he was a teenager. He remembered reading a book about the North American wild pigeon. The bird is extinct now because it was hunted and its habitat was destroyed. He said the story had a strong effect on him. The last passenger pigeon died in her cage at the Cincinnati Zoo in Ohio, he said. She died in 1914, and the species went from billions to none. I couldnt get over that -- still cant. As Sartore grew up, he often thought of that last passenger pigeon. He noted, I never dreamed Id be meeting face to face with other species like frogs, birds and even rhinos that are down to the last of their kind. But thats exactly whats happening now, and I feel like Ive got to do something to turn things around, while theres still time to save species. Some animal species he will never see again. One example is the Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, which he photographed just before she died. It was the last of its kind. Sartore said that when he takes pictures, I hope the animal glances back at me and makes eye contact. It doesnt always happen, but when it does, thats exactly the connection Im hoping to make. The Photo Ark project began at a small zoo in Lincoln, Nebraska, Sartores home. He has now traveled to more than 40 countries for the photography project. He said the animals most at risk are in Asia and Africa because of what he describes as human overpopulation. He recently visited the West African nations of Gabon and Cameroon. He said he saw major problems with habitat destruction from logging, farming and poaching due to overpopulation. In Cameroon, he searched for the Cross River gorilla and the goliath frog. He said he never saw the frog. They had all been caught and eaten by local people -- and we saw just one of the gorillas, in a rehab center, he noted. He said people are often so hungry that they eat animals they normally would not. Even small birds are killed for food. People are even eating bats, he noted. Sartore hopes his photos will persuade people to take steps to save the animals. He told VOA half of them could become extinct by the year 2100. I hope the public will finally stop and pay attention to the fact that were all in this together, he said. Theres still time to save the majority of species on the planet, but we must care, and act now. As other species go extinct, so could we. Sartore is 54 years old. He hopes he will be able to finish the project. But he has a plan if he cannot. His oldest son is 22 years old and helps him from time to time. The young man has promised to continue the project if his father cannot. Im Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth. VOAs Deborah Block reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted her report for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section, or visit our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story habitat n. the place or type of place where a plant or animal naturally or normally lives or grows teenager n. someone who is between 13 and 19 years old extinct adj. no longer existing species n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants; a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus glance v. to look at someone or something very quickly log v. to cut down trees in an area for wood poach v. to hunt or fish illegally; to catch or kill an animal illegally rehab center n. a place where injured animals are cared for You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close The memory of a beloved pet inspires one couple's fight against injustice. United States Senator Ben Sasse stopped briefly in Lexington Monday evening to visit with constituents. While Sasse said he wanted to keep the discussion focused on constituent services, the audience was more interested in questioning Sasses stated lack of support for Donald Trump and the Tran-Pacific Partnership, a stalled trade deal. Sasse had a number of staff on hand to help constituents with a broad range of issues, from flag requests to Veterans Affairs issues. Nebraskas junior senator arrived at the Lexington Opportunity Center approximately 15 minutes late, which he attributed to construction on Highway 283 on his trip to Lexington from McCook. He told the audience at the start of his comments that he anticipated almost no legislative action from Congress through the fall. Historically, Congress does almost nothing in a presidential election year, Sasse said. Thats not to be pessimistic, its just reality. So the purpose of meetings like this is to continue working for constituents. Keep draining the swamp. Sasse drew national attention earlier this year when he said he would not support either of the major presidential candidates. He told the audience that one of the fundamental issues is that young Americans do not understand the role the nations founders intended the government to play. We are not teaching the younger generation what America means, he said. The dignity of the people is prior to the government. The purpose of government is to protect fundamental rights. It is not the source of rights. Kids believe the government comes first. We want a country where the American people come first, Sasse concluded. Sasse said many people misunderstand what Congresss role is. Its not our job just to pass new laws, he said. Of all the problems facing America, its not because there arent enough laws. There are a bunch of bad laws, and we should repeal them. Following Sasses remarks, he fielded questions from the audience. One man said hed like to see an annual report on the efficiency of government (the notion of government efficiency drew some chuckles from the audience). Sasse responded that auditing the government is a difficult task because of how vast it is. They cant even tell you how many welfare programs there are, he said. The best guess is there are 98 different programs. Sasse said welfare programs could be better handled at the state level. Even if its inefficient at the state level, youd rather have it inefficient 50 times at the state level than a massive, one-size-fits-all federal solution. The next speaker challenged Sasse by accusing him of supporting Democratic presidential candidate by virtue of refusing to support Republican nominee Donald Trump. Sasse responded that he cant in good conscience support either candidate, and described himself as the member of the Senate whos been most critical of Clintons dishonesty. He said Clintons handling of classified information set a terrible precedent which will either cheapen the standards for handling classified information, or create a system where there are different standards for the powerful. However, Sasse said both Clinton and Trump embrace President Barack Obamas view of governance, in which the executive branch governs through executive order without the consent of Congress. As for concerns that Clinton would appoint liberal Supreme Court justices should she win the presidency, Sasse said the answer is for the court to return to its traditional role of calling balls and strikes, not legislating from the bench. Both candidates affirm Obamas view of governance, he said. Sasse also spoke at some length about the Trans- Pacific Partnership, a trade deal negotiated by the Obama Administration that has come under considerable fire, particularly from Trump. I foresee no chance of TPP being discussed prior to the election, Sasse said. There is some chance it may be passed in the lame duck session, but not a majority chance. Sasse is a supporter of free trade deals like TPP. On net, free trade is good, but individual sectors of the economy might lose out, he acknowledged. Consumers win if theres more Asian trade. If you are concerned about Chinas influence in the future, then you should support TPP. Sasse said there is a lot of anti-trade rhetoric right now that is hard for TPP supporters to overcome. There are a lot of urban legends, a lot of stuff on the internet, he said. Sasse said there are a lot of messy issues with TPP and theres both good and bad in the deal. I suspect there is more good than bad, but Ill reserve final judgment until it comes before the Senate for approval, he said. Following the question and answer session, Sasse spoke for a few moments with constituents and departed. There are reports in the Salvadoran press that El Salvador's Supreme Court will refuse to extradite former military officers to Spain in connection with the 1989 Jesuit murders. At the moment the court's written ruling does not yet appear to be available, so there is some speculation about the reasoning of the Court. A La Prensa Grafica report today indicated that the Court would not allow extradition of Colonel Guillermo Benavides because he had already been tried and sentenced to 30 years in prison in 1992. Benavides was subsequently released after publication of the UN Truth Commission report which criticized the faulty trial which suppressed evidence of the responsibility of more senior officers. There is a suggestion that Benavides might have to finish the rest of his sentence.In a story in ContraPunto , human rights lawyer Benjamin Cuellar pointed to the recent overturning of El Salvador's amnesty law by the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court. According to Cuellar, some judges cynically opposed extradition so the accused can continue manipulating the weak judicial system in El Salvador, while other judges opposed extradition because they optimistically believe that El Salvador's judicial processes should now be allowed to work. Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who awaits the release of his forthcoming Malayalam drama Pinneyum, has come down heavily on the very notion of censorship. He said that it is high time to scrap censorship. "In a democracy, censorship has no place. Censorship works only in dictatorships, not in democracy. I am opposed to any kind of censorship," Gopalakrishnan said while promoting his film at the Press Club in Mumbai on Tuesday. "I don't want anyone to tell me what to do and what not to do," he said. Talking about piracy, which has plagued the film industry, the multiple National Award winning filmmaker said that there should be severe punishment for those who commit piracy. "It is because of a lack of stringent punishment that people indulge in releasing films in the internet even before the official release of the films," he said. Gopalakrishnan also said that it's wrong to address non-Hindi films as regional cinema. "Every film is a national film. Nobody called Satyajit Ray as a Bengali filmmaker. Globally, Bollywood films have been identified as Indian films, which is totally wrong. Bollywood doesn't represent Indian films," he said, and rued that many good regional films don't get the recognition and adulation they deserve as they get overwhelmed by Bollywood films. "In one of the international film festivals, a foreign filmmaker was really surprised to know that we make good non-Hindi movies in India. It is very common to identify Hindi cinema for Indian cinema," he said. Talking about his new film, which stars Dillip and Kavya Madhavan in the lead, he said it is for the first time that his movie is getting released outside Kerala. It will be released in all metros and major cinemas. "This movie is about human relationships, crime, family, love and the human craving for material wealth while basic human values are being sacrificed," he said. The master craftsman decorated with numerous national and international awards has completed half-a-century as a filmmaker. The 75-year-old, popularly known as Adoor, has never been in a hurry to make films. In a career that began way back in 1965 with a 20-minute short fiction film titled A Great Day, he has scripted and directed eleven feature films and about thirty short films and documentaries. The last film that he directed was in 2008 which was Oru Pennum Randaanum (A Climate for Crime) which was a 115 minute long feature film. Adoor did his graduation from Gandhigram Rural University in 1960 and left the government job of a statistical investigator to study cinema at the Film Institute of India, Pune in 1962 and since graduating from there in 1965. In his career, he has won the National Film Award 16 times besides numerous international awards and also the coveted Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2004. The international recognitions that have come his way include a French order, the highest decoration in France in 1984, Lifetime Achievement Award at Cairo International Film Festival, honour at the London Film Festival, the British Film Institute awards to mention a few. While all his films have won rave reviews, some of the most acclaimed films include Elippathayam, Mukamukam, Anantharam, Nizhalkuthu and Swayamwaram. In 1984, Adoor won a Padma Shri, to which was added the Padma Vibhushan in 2006. His only daughter Aswathi is an IPS officer belonging to the Maharashtra cadre. Now that actress Amala Paul and director AL Vijay have officially filed for divorce, fresh rumors about the actress facing an unofficial ban from the Tamil industry are doing the rounds. Reports suggest that post-divorce several producers are "hesitant" to cast the actress. Vijay's father Alagappan is said to be the main reason behind this move, as most of these producers have close relations with the director's family. The actress however is currently working with Dhanush for Vada Chennai and is also shooting for Hebbuli, a Kannada film. The couple have been the talk of the town ever since rumours about the divorce popped up and with recent confirmations, the propaganda around the issue just got bigger. Previously, Alagappan had blamed Amala's signing spree and work as the reason behind the divorce. While this received a lot of flak, Vijay soon clarified these assumptions, stating there was no truth to them. According to News18, Vijay ruled out the fact that the divorce was related to Amala's career in any way and stated that nothing of that sort was claimed by him or his family. The director strongly advocates freedom of choice for women, and pointed out his support of Amala's career choices in the past. Vijay expressed concern about the separation which has led to false assumptions being circulated. "With lot of pain in my heart, I have decided to move on in life in a dignified manner. The gender bias in certain sections of the media without knowing the actual facts damages my personal and professional integrity, which is much more painful than the original episode of (parting)," he said. Amala and Vijay got married in June 2014 and Vijay's statements came few days before the couple filed for divorce by mutual consent at a family court in Chennai, 6 August. According to The Hindu, the hearing of the divorce case has been adjourned to 11 February,2011. New Delhi: Government may disburse Rs 34,600 crore to its employees in August salary as arrears because of implementation of the 7th pay panel recommendations, India Ratings and Research said Wednesday. The government had last month announced that it will pay its employees arrears arising out of implementation of the 7th Pay Commission award at one go in August salary. "The combined outgo for the Centre on account of arrears for January to July and payments for August will total Rs 34,600 crore," Ind-Ra said in a statement. The outgo due to the hike in salary and pension is unlikely to cause significant systemic liquidity disruption, it said. The government has already notified the 2.57-time hike in basic salary for 1 crore government employees and pensioners as per the 7th Pay Commission recommendations. The pay hike has been made effective January 1, 2016. According to Ind-Ra, the banking system liquidity will experience transient frictional tightness ahead of the payment of arrears. "The government is likely to go slow on spending as it gears up to meet lumpy payments. Temporal adjustments notwithstanding, the overall liquidity conditions will be cushioned as RBI will transfer its profit to the government of India," it said. In the current fiscal, the Reserve Bank will transfer its surplus profit of Rs 65,876 crore. Out of the Rs 1.02 lakh crore gross impact of the 7th Pay Commission on the exchequer, the Budget has made a provision to the extent of Rs 93,325 crore. "Any shortfall arising out of the arrears' payment is likely to be marginal and will not significantly affect the country's fiscal position," the rating agency said. The minimum pay in the central government with effect from January 1, 2016 will now be Rs 18,000 per month, up form Rs 7,000 per month. At the highest level of the Cabinet Secretary, the salary will go up to Rs 2.5 lakh, from Rs 90,000 a month. There shall be two dates for grant of increment - January 1 and July 1 every year - instead of the existing July 1 only. The proposal for hikes in allowances has been deferred and will be taken up by a committee later. United Nations: India has been ranked the world's top exporter of information and communication technology in a UN agency report that recommended that the country leverage this lead to innovate in emerging areas where biology and materials sciences intersect with computing. Overall, India leapt 14 places from the 85th rank last year to the 61st in the latest Global Innovation Index (GII) released in Geneva by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in partnership with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Monday. India ranked 8th in the world for producing graduates in science and engineering and showed the most significant improvements in human capital and research moving up 40 places to 63. WIPO, a specialised agency of the UN, worked also with Cornell University and INSEAD, the international business school, to prepare the ninth edition of the index. In a nod to India's "jugaad" tradition of innovation, the report said that its culture of "frugality and sustainability" can help it capture global markets. "For this to happen, however, India's industries need to have the hunger to be at the top of the value chain, its customers have to be more demanding, its policies have to be more transparent, and its talent pool has to get more hands-on experience while simultaneously growing to leverage the global talent pool," the report said. WIPO quoted CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee as saying: "The commitment of India to innovation and improved innovation metrics is strong and growing, helping to improve the innovation environment. This trend will help gradually lift India closer to other top-ranked innovation economies." Areas where India is lagging include the business environment, where it is ranked 117, and education at the 118th spot. To leapfrog into the emerging areas that combine biology, computing and material sciences, the report recommended that the industry double its research and development (R&D) investment and the government provide R&D grants to industry. "Investing in innovation is critical to raising long-term economic growth," WIPO Director-General Francis Gurry said while presenting the report. "In this current economic climate, uncovering new sources of growth and leveraging the opportunities raised by global innovation are priorities for all stakeholders." Another recommendation was to developing the research capabilities of universities. "Industry and government should team up with universities to create meaningful graduate research programmes utilizing global collaboration models where appropriate," the report said. In these emerging fields, the report said: "Applications include developing sustainable fuels for transportation, predicting and preventing disease, determining ways to improve wellness, and delivering better nutrition" - areas that meet immediate needs of India. The report cited the US-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue as initiatives that had the potential for bilateral funding of R&D. Among innovators in India measured by the number of patents obtained in the last five years, Infosys led with 281; it was followed by TCS with 244, Ranbaxy 196, Wockhardt 160, and SunPharma 84. During this period, about 2,000 patents received by GE had Indian inventors, the report said. IBM came next with Indians involved in nearly 1,900 patents. Overall, Switzerland ranked first globally as the most innovative economy on the index. It was followed by Sweden, Britain, the United States, Finland and Singapore. China for the first time muscled its way into the ranks of the top 25, just landing the spot. Baba Ramdev, whose claim to fame is yoga, has upset Christians with a picture of the Holy Cross while referring to the East India Company and asking people to boycott foreign goods. Baba Ramdevs Patanjali brand has been aggressive about its desi identity while pitching MNCs as `thieves. Patanjali has compared its global rivals to the East India Company, which has since become a symbol of colonisation and oppression in India. "Though we got political freedom 70 years back, economic freedom is still a dream," the print advertisement states. "The way East India Company enslaved and looted us, multinational companies are still doing the same by selling soap, shampoo, toothpaste, cream, powder and similar daily items at exorbitant price," it says. In the commercial, Baba Ramdev has depicted the Cross, the very symbol of the Christian faith, and called upon Indians to boycott all foreign products. The commercial has the potential to destroy the very moral and secular fabric of India, eventually disrupting communal harmony. We have petitioned the president, prime minister, finance minister, minister for information and broadcasting, minister for corporate affairs and Advertising Standard Council of India demanding that this commercial advertisement be withdrawn forthwith and banned immediately from being screened on any public domain, said Dr Abraham Mathai, president, ICV. The Christian community has no objections to the boycott he seeks, but we strongly object to the misuse of the Cross in the ad. The commercial has smartly depicted the Cross to show the British rule in India, in a bid to enable Baba Ramdev to arguably propagate his agenda of targeting a particular minority community. Such demagoguery will definitely result in increased attacks on churches, he added. Such demagoguery would definitely result in increased attacks on churches and Christian institutions in India, Mathai pointed out. He added that ICV was writing to President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other concerned officials and departments on the objectionable commercial. The latest commercial shows a black-and-white clip depicting the pre-Independence 'Swadeshi' movement and suddenly zooms to a map of India with three crosses jutting out in three directions. Between the crosses the words E, I and Co. are shown to represent the East India Company which subsequently paved the way for British colonial rule in India. The ICV chief said that by obliquely singling out a particular minority community would make them vulnerable to hate attacks and extremism. "All Indians of all communities have been living harmoniously side by side for centuries. The last thing we need is someone trying to make us a 'one-religion' country. Baba Ramdev and his followers would do well to understand the beauty of Indian democracy and brotherhood," Mathai said. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: E-commerce major Snapdeal will shut down Exclusively.com and will integrate the latter's catalogue with itself, about 18 months after acquiring the premium branded fashion and lifestyle products marketplace. "Snapdeal has completed the integration of Exclusively with itself. The entire catalogue of Exclusively, including fashion and lifestyle products, footwear, accessories will be available on Snapdeal and will be fulfilled through Snapdeal's logistics network," Snapdeal said in a statement. A Snapdeal spokesperson said the company has absorbed all the employees of Exclusively.com and they will continue with their existing business responsibilities. She, however, did not comment on the number of employees Exclusively.com has. The Exclusively.in website will cease to exist in a few weeks as a standalone portal and will not accept orders from users, she said. In February last year, Snapdeal had acquired Exclusively for an undisclosed amount. Exclusively offers products from designers and brands like DKNY, Armani, Michael Kors, Porsche Design, Marc Jacobs, Vera Moda, FCUK, Biba, AND, WLS, Being Human, UCB, Puma and Clarks. "This integration will ensure a wider access for the fashion and lifestyle products available on Exclusively, as now all Snapdeal users will have access to the same. This move comes as Snapdeal adds more depth and brands to the fashion category," it said. Fashion is important for e-commerce category with players like Snapdeal, Flipkart and Amazon battling for leadership as high margins are higher in the category compared to mobile phones and books. According to a report by Google-AT Kearney, fashion is expected to overtake consumer electronics as the largest category at 35 per cent of the total online spending by 2020. In July, Snapdeal was in race to acquire online fashion retailer Jabong before the deal was clinched by bigger rival Flipkart. Flipkart-owned Myntra bought Jabong for USD 70 million in an all-cash deal to consolidate poistion in online fashion market in India. New Delhi: Steel demand in India will outpace the regional average while profitability of domestic steel companies will outperform regional peers on account of increase in domestic demand, Moody's today said. "In particular, steel demand in India will outpace the regional average as the countrys GDP growth of around 7.5 per cent in 2016 and 2017 based on Moody's forecast, remains among the highest in Asia," Moodys Investors Services said in a report. India's reform and policy support for infrastructure and manufacturing, as well as increasing urbanisation, will drive steel consumption, said the report "Steel Asia: Lower Earnings Keep Outlook Negative". The profitability of Indian steel companies such as Tata Steel and JSW Steel will outperform that of regional peers owing to rising domestic demand and Indian government's protectionist measures in the form of minimum import prices and anti-dumping duties, it said. In addition, the expected ramp-up of Tata Steel's greenfield Kalinganagar operations and JSWs brownfield expansion will help raise the companies earnings in 2016. "We expect the profitability of the rated steel producers to remain higher than the regional industry average, because most of them are leaders in their respective countries, sell high-margin premium steel products and benefit from business integration and diversification, it said. "We expect Asian steel demand will continue to decline by a low-single-digit percentage in the next 12 months owing mainly to slowing demand from China's manufacturing and property sectors," it added. Indian and Southeast Asian demand will rise but would not offset the decline in China, which accounts for about 70 per cent of Asian steel consumption, Moody's report said. "We expect the volume of steel exported from China will grow by a low-single-digit percentage in the next 12 months and flatten out towards the end of 2017, down from 20 percent year-on-year growth in 2015," it said. Countries are taking steps to limit the import of cheap steel, primarily from China, in an effort to protect their own steelmakers. The growth in Chinese steel exports slowed to 9 percent during the first half of 2016, according to China's General Administration of Customs. China exported about 14 per cent of the steel it produced in 2015. Production in other major Asian steel-producing countries will also decrease, except for India. Japan, Korea and Taiwan, which export around 40-50 per cent of their steel output, have reduced their production due to flat domestic demand, the lower demand from China, overseas price competition and trade barriers. India, which accounts for 8 per cent of Asian production, will increase steel production to meet rising domestic consumption, but this increase would not be enough to prevent the aggregate regional production decline. To understand the importance of a teacher, consider this: A fully educated person spends around 15 years of his or her life in a school or college in India. In those 15 years, excluding the holidays and the weekends, he or she spends around six to eight hours everyday in a school or college. For at least six hours everyday for 15 years, that person is under the supervision of many teachers. So, he or she spends almost as much time interacting with teachers as he or she does with parents. Teachers have the potential to affect us almost as much as our parents. Yet, there are many teachers in our country who abuse that power. On 11 August, PTI had reported that a class 5 girl student of an MCD school in Aman Vihar area of outer Delhi was allegedly molested by her teacher and her father was thrashed by the accused alongwith his colleagues when he tried to lodge a complaint. A 14-year-old class 9 student committed suicide after teachers from her school in Ghaziabad humiliated and harassed her father and family in full public view because the father could not manage to pay tuition fee dues of Rs 12,000 to the school. The infamous sexual assault on a six-year-old girl in Vibgyor school in Bengaluru in 2014 had led to protests in the state. Unfortunately, such criminal incidents are common in our country. But at least the society strongly condemns such incidents and punishes those held responsible. However, the suicide of 21-year-old BA LLB student Sushant Rohilla from the Amity Law School in Noida and the poignant reactions by people on social media who recounted their own incidents of abuse at educational institutions point out something else which is disturbing but often overlooked by the society. It is the fact that a type of abuse or wrongdoing exists even in the so-called harmless practices going on in our schools and colleges which are accepted, and even encouraged in some cases, by our society as some form of tough love or playful teacher-student interaction. In Rohilla's case, it was the fact that the college authorities thought it was right to debar a student from semester examinations due to low attendance, despite the fact that the student had informed the college about a severe foot injury because of which he could not come to college. In fact, Teerth Waraich a friend of Sushant Rohilla alleged that the college forgave attendance for a Miss India contestant. It is only Rohilla's suicide which has now raised questions about this practice adopted by the college. Without this shocking tragedy, probably no one would have questioned the right of the college to debar students on such flimsy grounds because normally, such practices are accepted by the society. As AIB comedian Rohan Joshi also pointed out, the teacher at his college who made him redo an assignment 20 times (which he said got a "near perfect score" from the Head of Department) was probably still "lording it over his fiefdom, wrecking careers, tearing apart kids' interest in his subject." And as he very aptly described, the reason that teacher was probably still in his college was because we brush off such practices as "tough love teaching methods". Indian colleges have some great teachers, but also a ton of pond scum. Bitter, broken, awful people who should not be allowed near kids. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 He made me redo one particular assignment 20 times, I went to college four times during our scheduled study leave just to submit Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 And I bet he's still there, lording it over his fiefdom, wrecking careers, tearing apart kids' interest in his subject. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 If you're a student and you're going through anything even remotely similar to this, please talk to someone. Because this is abuse Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 In Bihar (where I spent 13 years), corporal punishment is so common in schools that we students used to joke about how you've not been fully educated until you've received a good thrashing by a teacher. We used to rationalise the beating we would get by calling them the teacher's 'prasad' (blessings). In 2012, a survey across seven states by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights revealed that 99 percent of students had got corporal punishment, according to Quartz. In a school in south Mumbai where I spent two years, one of the most respected and feared teachers gave a high-five to a student after he cracked a bad joke about another student who was stuttering during an elocution competition. The teacher gave that high-five in front of a hall full of students and, more importantly, in front of the student stuttering on stage. Yet, all these incidents are either accepted or ignored by our society. There are countless such incidents which take place in the name of education in schools or are ignored by schools in our country. @mojorojo I have ADHD and teachers all through my schooling only called me a "troublemaker" and treated me like I was dirt. sita (@arte_vandelay) August 16, 2016 @mojorojo Damn. I had a teacher who was recently divorced who made me do 100 situps with badly skinned knees. Couldn't walk for a week . (@meownologue) August 16, 2016 There's something inherently broken in ALL facets of the system w/ teachers, w/ students, our treatment of mental health & our expectations Aditi Mittal (@awryaditi) August 16, 2016 @mojorojo Discovered once a teacher used to call me Genda behind my back Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) August 16, 2016 @mojorojo My teacher used to say things like 'She is an OBC. That's how they are' in ref to my best friend. In front of everyone. Gayatri (@gayatrikotbagi) August 16, 2016 @mojorojo I was asked to sit in the library once (alone) till midnight as punishment because I was hanging out in the premises beyond 4 pm. NavD (@NavdhaD) August 16, 2016 if we don't talk about the things they don't teach at school @mojorojo, who will? pic.twitter.com/l3hnNrm3Ol Solo (@bigeyedsol) August 16, 2016 Such incidents traumatise children, have a long-term impact on their personality and encourage other children to repeat the mistakes of their teachers. The reason the society does not condemn incidents like these is because teachers are usually given too much power in India. "Theres an institutionalised problem with student-teacher relationships in Indias schools. Teachers are revered authorities whose job is to discipline and punish. The classroom atmosphere is authoritarian. Students are encouraged to be afraid of teachers," said the Quartz article. Tragedies like the suicide of Sushant Rohilla will not stop unless we start listening to the children and realise that teachers are just human beings and not demigods. With inputs from agencies New Delhi: Congress today distanced itself from the remarks made by its senior leader P Chidambaram on Kashmir, terming them as "personal and individual views" even as the party highlighted the "contradictions" in the PDP-BJP government in the state. "Obviously, unless any party line is announced, it is his individual view. But an individual view is not to be seen the way you are seeing it...Somebody has expressed a hope and that is his personal view," Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said. At the AICC briefing, he said, "A person is free to write and speak, so long as he is expressing a personal opinion -- a hope, a wish, a desire and not going against any established party opinion." Singhvi said the point is there is no contradiction in what the party is saying and what is Chidambaram's desire and the real issue is that the arrangement between PDP and BJP for the last two years is "ridden with contradictions". "Today, he (Chidambaram) has expressed his opinion. We have also said that unless we have the mandate, we will not meddle in Kashmir affairs. Tomorrow, we may have the mandate who knows, we will go and govern Kashmir and we will show better governance than what is there today," he said. Highlighting the "differences" within the ruling PDP-BJP combine in the state, the Congress leader said, "One cannot have a situation in India where there will be one government in Jammu and another government in Kashmir. "We can't have a coalition which does not talk to each other. When something happens, BJP locally attacks it, the central government attacks it and then they go and sleep together in a coalition government," he said. Singhvi said, "Therefore, that is the real issue today. Tomorrow what happens is not for us to say. There is no such talk, there is no such policy, there is no such election." New Delhi: Two children and a youth died on Independence Day as Chinese kite string (manja), coated with powdered glass, slit their throats in separate incidents across the national capital, prompting the Delhi government to finally ban the killer thread. All the incidents took place within a span of four hours on Tuesday. In another case, a Delhi Police Sub-Inspector sustained minor injuries as a kite string grazed his neck when he was returning to Anand Vihar police station after Independence Day duty. The first incident took place around 6.30 pm on 15 August, a day that sees frenzied kite flying across the city, when three-year-old Saanchi Goyal was returning home with her parents after watching a movie in Naraina. The girl was peering out of the open sunroof of the car when her neck got slit by a hanging thread in the Rani Bagh area, a police officer said. She was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her dead. "A case has been registered under section 304(A) (causing death by negligence) and we have to determine whether it was Chinese manja that took the girl's life," said Vijay Singh, DCP (Northwest). Neighbours said that Saanchi was the only child of her parents. Her father, Alok Goyal runs a wood business while her mother is a homemaker. She was a nursery student of Bal Bharati School Pitampura. The other child identified as four-year-old Harry had a similar end as manja-laden thread connected to a stray kite inflicted fatal injuries on his neck. He was looking outside the sunroof of the car at the Tilak Nagar area when the thread got wrapped around his neck leaving him profusely bleeding. Police has registered a case under Section 304 A (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of IPC in the case. "The child accompanied by his parents and six-year-old sister was returning home around 8 pm when the incident occurred on the flyover near Janakpuri district centre. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead," said a senior police officer. In west Delhi's Vikaspuri area, a 22-year-old man, Zafar Khan, lost his life as his neck was slashed by a the lethal thread while he was riding motorbike on a flyover. The family members, who are in a state of shock, could not even interact with the cops to furnish details, police said. Former head of Amnesty Internationals gender unit, Gita Sahgal has reportedly slammed the NGO for its continued support to Kashmiri terror groups, while also condemning the sedition charges registered against the India sector. According to a report by The Times of India, she called on Amnesty and other human rights NGOs "to live up to the standards they demand of others: be transparent, accountable and impartial". To defend human rights in the future, organisations must be able to look at their own institutional failure, she added. Regarding the sedition case, she said that it was dangerous and designed to shut down organisations like Amnesty. Sahgal was referring to the recent FIR registered against Amnesty International's India chapter under various IPC sections, including sedition, in connection with the alleged raising of "independence" slogans by "pro-freedom" Kashmiris who had entered into heated arguments with a Kashmiri Pandit leader for hailing Indian Army. The event called 'Broken Families of Kashmir' was organised at the United Theological College on Monday. ABVP activists had called the Amnesty event "anti-national", and on Monday had filed a complaint with the police, along with a CD containing video recording of the event. Sahgal's stint with Amnesty Sahgal was the head of Amnesty Internationals gender unit but was suspended in 2010 after an eight-year association, accusing it of "ideological bankruptcy" over its relations with Islamist terror groups. She also accused the organisation of being misogynist. Slate reported that Amnesty suspended Sahgal soon after her statement, "To be appearing on platforms with Britain's most famous supporter of the Taliban, whom we treat as a human rights defender is a gross error of judgment" She was objecting to Amnesty's dealings with Cage, an Islamist advocacy group headed by Moazzam Begg, a former Guantanamo Bay detainee and Britain's most famous supporter of the Taliban, The Guardian reported. Begg was arrested in Pakistan after fleeing Afghanistan. He was imprisoned in Guantanamo Bay and then released, according to Slate. He is the moving spirit of an organisation called Cageprisoners. Asim Qureshi, another senior member of the organisation, has also spoken in defense of jihad at rallies sponsored by the extremist group Hizb-ut Tahrir at several occasions. Cage also had close relations with Mohammad Emwazi, infamously known as Jihadi John. Despite this, Amnesty International includes Begg and his organisation in delegations that petition the British government about human rights. They released a statement soon after Sahgals allegations, saying Begg speaks powerfully from personal experience about the abuses there. Sahgal said that Amnesty has always fought between people promoting jihadis and trying to get them included on research missions and treat them as human rights defenders. She also referred to Amnestys history with Palestine while talking to The Times of India. It (Amnesty) gives space to Hamas supporters rather than secular and human rights voices from Palestine, she said. Amnesty international India in its defense said on Tuesday that none of its employees had shouted any anti-India slogan at the event and the allegations of ABVP were without substance. Sahgal lashed out at Amnesty for this statement, saying that its typical of the NGO to claim to be neutral on `the right to self-determination' while giving more space to people who give it political support." With inputs from PTI. New Delhi: The government has acceded to some demands of the collegium including removing the cap on the number of jurists and lawyers who can be appointed to the Supreme Court as judges, even though it has hardened its stand on certain key clauses of a document which guides the process of appointments to the higher judiciary. Sources in the government said that in the revised draft of the memorandum of procedure (MoP) a document which guides the appointment of judges to the apex court and the 24 high courts the government has acceded to the demand that there should be no limit on the number of lawyers and jurists to be appointed as judges. In the draft MoP sent to Chief Justice of India T S Thakur in March, the government had referred to the issue of appointment of lawyers and jurists as judges of the SC. The March draft had said that "up to three" judges in the Supreme Court should to be appointed from among the eminent members of the Bar and distinguished jurists with proven track record in their respective fields. The collegium had felt that the cap should be removed and the government has agreed to the proposition. As the government and the judiciary are trying to finalise the MoP, the Supreme Court had on Friday observed that the justice delivery system is "collapsing" and sent out a stern message to the Centre over non-execution of the Collegium's decision to transfer and appoint chief justices and judges in high courts, saying it will not tolerate the "logjam" and intervene to make it accountable. A bench headed by Justice Thakur said, "We won't tolerate logjam in judges' appointment which is stifling its judicial work. We will fasten accountability". In the 3 August letter to the CJI, cleared at the highest level, the government has also agreed to seniority being be the main criteria for elevation. In the earlier draft, the government had insisted on merit-cum-seniority. In the revised draft, the government has, however, reiterated that it should have the power to reject any name recommended by the Collegium on grounds of "national security" and "public interest". In May, the Collegium had unanimously rejected the clause saying it amounted to interference in the functioning of the judiciary. While in the March draft, the government had refused to grant authority to the Collegium to send the same name again after it had been rejected, the new one says the government will inform the collegium about the reasons for rejecting its recommendation. Srinagar: Two Army men and a cop were killed, while three other security personnel were injured on Wednesday in a militant attack in Baramulla district of Kashmir, police said. 3 security personnel including 2 Army men killed in a terrorist attack in Baramulla district of J&K ANI (@ANI_news) August 16, 2016 Militants ambushed an Army convoy at Khwajabagh in Baramulla at 2.30 am, a police official said. He said two soldiers were killed and two others were injured. "One policeman was also killed while another cop was injured as their vehicle also came under attack by the militants," the official said. He said a massive operation has been launched to track down the attackers, who fled the spot. The UN human rights chief has urged India and Pakistan to grant "full and unhindered" access to Kashmir given the recent allegations of human rights violations stating that without access "we can only fear the worst". "I deeply regret that our requests for access have not been granted," the High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Raad Al Hussein said in a statement on 17 August. "Given the seriousness of the allegations of the use of excessive force, allegations of state sponsorship of violence, as well as the number of people killed and the very large number of people injured, the continuing unrest and the almost daily reports of violence in the region, it is unfortunate that our sincere attempts to independently assess the facts in relation to reports of human rights violations have failed," he said. The UN rights chief said that he has been engaging with both Indian and Pakistani authorities since July for access for a team comprising independent observers to visit both Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir. The team would look into violations of international humanitarian law, through interviews with affected individuals including victims, witnesses, security forces, "given the conflicting and competing claims on both sides". The Kashmir Valley has seen violent clashes between security forces and civilians after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was shot dead in an encounter nearly six weeks ago. The latest clashes on 16 August resulted in the killing of five civilians, including two teenagers and injuring 15 others taking the death toll to 65 since 8 July when unrest broke out after Wani was killed. Many protesters have also been injured by pellet guns drawing widespread condemnation from various quarters. A number of specific international standards and codes, including the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials guide the conduct of law enforcement officials, as per the UN rule book. Businesses, shops and schools have remained closed due to shutdowns called by protesters and curfew imposed by the administration. The situation has also escalated a war of words between India and Pakistan on Kashmir. Such access would enable us to provide an independent and fact-based analysis of the situation, which is so crucial in volatile, politically-charged situations, the High Commissioner said. Without access, we can only fear the worst. I reiterate our request for access, Zeid said. India is witnessing the dawn of a new era. In a country where peoples representatives were rather famous for being unapproachable after winning, the present dispensation under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is setting new records every day in its responsiveness to people in general. It takes suggestions via MyGov and especiall responds to any citizen in distress via Twitter and Facebook. @RailMinIndia and @MEAQuery are leading in providing assistance to train passengers and overseas Indians through #TwitterSewa. Every single minister is putting best efforts to provide maximum help to people through innovative and extensive use of social media. This kind of participative governance and digital empowerment is exemplary and represents the #DigitalDNA of the Modi government. One minister who stands apart in this is undoubtedly Union Minister for External Affairs Sushma Swaraj. From airlifting Indians in distress from war-torn Syria and Libya to providing food to Indian employees in Saudi Arabia, Swaraj has taken social media as a medium of social communication to great heights. She engages with the youth with her witty responses as well as global leaders using tweet diplomacy with ease. The recent case of EAM Swaraj helping a person called Faizan Patel who was compelled to go alone on his honeymoon as the passport of his wife had been misplaced is very intriguing and worth a study: Just two days before our trip, my wife's passport goes missing!!! Faizan Patel (@faizanpatel) August 4, 2016 Seems like I am travelling alone tonight via @TurkishAirlines. My wife has her passport misplaced. Fingers crossed that we find it soon. Faizan Patel (@faizanpatel) August 6, 2016 Though after reading the below tweet, it is difficult to assess Faizan's real intentions. The question this case poses is whether the government of India is responsible for one's negligent behaviour. This is a case of negligence when you lose your passport a few days before a trip, don't even have a Visa and suddenly start tweeting to a Minister, praising her after abusing her with choicest of sexist remarks over the past years. Nevertheless, Swaraj, in her graciousness and expected behaviour, responded to his tweet and assured that his wife will get a duplicate passport at the earliest, which she did. Ask your wife to contact me. I will ensure that she is with you on the next seat. pic.twitter.com/sktnOMkg0a @faizanpatel Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 8, 2016 My office has reached you already. You will get a duplicate Passport tomorrow. @faizanpatel https://t.co/FV6BisvqgP Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 8, 2016 As soon as the Minister tweeted that she hoped the couple will be together soon, both of them were full of praise for Sushma Swarajs efficiency and promptness. Minister par excellence @SushmaSwarajBJP I am glad we have you. You're a beacon of hope. Regards, - Sana & Faizan Faizan Patel (@faizanpatel) August 9, 2016 Ministers like Suresh Prabhu, Sushma Swaraj get flooded via Twitter mentions. According to some estimates, EAM gets tagged on a couple of thousands tweets on a daily basis. For her and her staff to be able to intervene in genuine emergencies, they need to make quick decisions and we, as citizens, need to use these open government tools with caution. Technology is there to help but this level of intervention requires highest level of decision-making and operational followup. Taking a request from social media or website is the beginning of workflow and many moving parts need to be aligned for the issue to be resolved. This instance should be used to debate the role of digital citizens in ensuring success of these platforms for helping public at large. For a government that believes in these open government tools, these instances pose a double whammy, on how to balance between "celebrity" social media users who seek a lot of attention and ordinary citizens of India who seek support from their government. We need to mature as digital natives on when and for what we call for support from our government to keep these platforms relevant and available for all. EAM Sushma Swaraj has led from the front on her usage of technology with compassion, she has intervened in as many calls for help, with all resources possible. She could have ignored the request after finding out about the words used by this alleged celebrity against her but she fulfilled her duty. It is indeed the true manifestation of the Modi government's #SabkaSathSabkaVikas ideology. Arvind Gupta (@buzzindelhi) is a graduate of IIT-BHU, University of Illinois, and Eisenhower Fellow for Innovation. He currently heads the BJP's Information and Technology Group. Rahul Kaushik (@kaushrahul) is a Digital Native and social media enthusiast. Ahmedabad: The mortal remains of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, head of the Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), were consigned to the flames at the Sarangpur Mandir campus around 3 pm on Wednesday in the presence of a galaxy of political leaders and thousands of followers. BJP President Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Kathakar Morari Bapu, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh, businessman Anil Ambani, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, state BJP President Jitubhai Vaghani, and state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki, among others, were to the first to reach the Sarangpur Mandir in the morning. They were followed by Bharatiya Janata Party patriarch LK Advani, who reached Ahmedabad around the same time and left for Sarangpur. Meanwhile, 'palkhi yatra' (palanquin procession)' of Pramukh Swami's body had to be cancelled due to the alterations in his body which was kept under minus 10 degree temperature in a glass container since August 13 evening after he passed away. The 'darshan' for general public had been closed. Amit Shah, who attended the godman's cremation, told reporters that the Swami had been a divine help in his life whenever he felt 'broken'. "Bhagwan Badhu Saru Karshe (God will set right everything) is what he would say and I would feel great solace and my hope would be restored," he said. "The great saint dedicated his entire life for his cause, but I want to reveal something personal today. In one's life, there are moments when one feels broken. When I went through such times in my life, he would be the first person to call me," Shah said. He said the Pramukh Swami had done a lot to institutionalise the saint tradition, getting crores of people to give up addictions and inculcating 'samskara' in children through his organisation. Jaitley said the deeds of Pramukh Swami would set an example in the history of this time. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Theresa May had on Tuesday expressed her condolences to the British Hindu community over the death of Swaminarayan sect's spiritual head Pramukh Swami Maharaj. "I would like to pay my condolences to the British Hindus, especially the BAPS, on the passing away of Pramukh Swami Maharaja," May said. "Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired millions with his powerful motto: In the good of others lies our own. This legacy of selfless service will continue to benefit humanity for a long time to come," she said. He was a doctor and an anti-corruption activist for the locals in Satara till the police arrested him last week in connection with the murder of an anganwadi teacher this June. Forty-two year-old Santosh Pol from Wai, in Maharashtra's Satara district, on Tuesday told the police that apart from killing Mangala Jedhe the anganwadi teacher he had murdered five others, including four women, between May 2003 and August 2016. Pol even tried to mislead the investigators probing the "disappearance" of Jedhe, by giving a written complaint to police saying Jedhe had duped him of 233.3 gram of gold on the promise of doubling it. "Pol confessed to committing multiple murders during interrogation in the case of 47-year-old Jedhe's death, following which police exhumed four bodies, apart from Jedhe's, from his farmhouse last night," Sandip Patil, superintendent of police, Satara, told PTI. Pol, who is being dubbed as 'Dr Death', will be in police custody till 19 August. He was arrested on 11 August. Pol allegedly kidnapped and murdered Jedhe, president of Maharashtra Purva Prathmik Shikshika Sevika Sangh, on 16 June. According to the police, Pol and his aide Jyoti Mandre, a nurse who allegedly had an illicit relationship with the accused, kidnapped Jedhe and killed her by administering a lethal injection and buried her near Pol's farmhouse. "Pol and Mandre had kidnapped Jedhe from a bus stop in Wai on 15 June, when she was on her way to visit her daughter in Pune, and took her to his poultry farm near Dhome village, where she was murdered by administering an overdose of lethal medicine and was buried," Patil said in a press release. "However, in order to mislead the police, Pol approached the local crime branch and filed a written complaint, accusing Jedhe of duping him by taking his 20 tolas (233.3 grams) gold with a promise that she would double it," he said. Police also said he registered a case with the local police that unidentified people had attacked him after the "needle of suspicion turned towards him". In the past 13 years, whenever a missing persons report was filed by the victims' relatives, police would pick up Pol on suspicion and interrogated him on multiple occasions, but he was never arrested. The police further said that while investigating Jedhe's murder, whenever the needle of suspicion turned towards Pol, he would try and distract everyone by holding protests against corruption. After checking the call details of Pol and Mandre, police came to know that Jedhe was in contact with them and zeroed in on the latter, who later spilled the beans. Police then picked up Pol on 11 August. He later showed the place where he had buried Jedhe. During interrogation, Pol told police that besides Jedhe, he had killed four women and one man in a similar manner between 2003 and 2016. "Pol had killed Surekha Chikane on 20 May, 2003. In August 2006, one Vanita Gaikwad became his victim. On 13 August, 2010, he killed one Jagabai Pol. A jeweller named Nathamal Bhandari was killed on 7 December, 2015 and on 17 January, 2016, he murdered one Salma Shaikh. And Jedhe was murdered on 16 June this year," police said. Out of the six, Chikane's body was buried near the doctor's house in Dhom and those of Jagabai, Nathmal, Salma and Jedhe near his farmhouse, whereas the body of Gaikwad was thrown into a reservoir. "After Pol's arrest, we exhumed Jedhe's body and after his confession, skeletons of four victims, buried at farmhouse and near his house were also exhumed," police said. Special Inspector General of Police, Kolhapur Range, Vishwas Nangare Patil said the motive behind all the murders is still to be probed and that Pol is not cooperating in the investigation. "However, it looks that there could be a financial angle behind all these murders. We will probe each and every angle," he said. SP Sandip Patil said Pol was also planning to eliminate Mandre, who was a witness to Jedhe's murder. "In this act, which appears to be serial killings, there could be a different motive behind each murder. Prima facie, we feel gold was one of the motives," Special Inspector General of Police (Kolhapur range) Vishwas Nangre-Patil told The Indian Express. Primary investigations revealed Pol and Mangal knew each other since 1998. "Therefore, with the help of Jyoti, who is a nurse, Pol administered anaesthesia to Jedhe and then buried her body in his poultry farm land in Dhom village on 15 July," said a police officer. According to Mid-Day report, two pits five to six feet deep were found a few feet away from the place where Pol had allegedly buried four of his victims. "The probe team was shocked to find the two open pits," said the senior official. "When questioned, Pol admitted Jyoti was next. While investigating Jedhes disappearance, call data records showed us the last caller was Jyoti and we decided to call her for questioning." "He had dug up a place near his poultry farmhouse, where he was supposed to bury her after killing her. It was Mandre, who led us to him and he was apprehended," he said. Taking cognisance of a series of murders by Pol, Satara police have made an appeal to the residents living in and around Dhom village to come forward and report if their family members have gone missing after visiting Pol's clinic. "After our appeal, two people have come forward and informed the police that their respective family members are missing and suspected Pol's involvement in their disappearance," Patil said. According to Hindustan Times, Pol was known to pick quarrels with the villagers. Most of the people in Dhom, therefore, preferred to stay away from him. Pol had also contested the gram panchayat election a few years ago but could not win it. In 2013, he said an assistant police inspector (API) attached to Wai police station had died in an accident and there was talk that Pol might have been behind his death. "The API had initiated action against Pol's criminal activities and police suspect that Pol might have gotten him killed in that accident," Patil added. "Now, we will start investigating that case and see whether he (Pol) has anything to do with the accident," he said. According to the SP, they would start an internal inquiry to ascertain why the missing cases were not done probed properly. "I took charge in June this year and got to know that Pol used to bring pressure on police officers by threatening them of going to anti-corruption bureau," said Patil. "Pol was such a terror in the area that after his arrest, people congratulated police and heaved a sigh of relief," he said. With inputs from PTI New Delhi: Hitting out at the Narendra Modi government for its inconsistent foreign policy, the Congress party on Wednesday said the government must refrain from knee-jerk reactions vis-a-vis Pakistan. This government's foreign policy changes faster than the weather. It has become almost impossible for our party to track its foreign policy as well its policy towards Pakistan, Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi told media persons in the national capital. One day they are sulking, the next day Prime Minister would suddenly land in Lahore. One day there are no talks, the next day there would be talks at the highest level, he added. These knee-jerk reactions should stop. We are ready to go along with the government if there is a consistent, stable, long-term policy on these issues, Singhvi said. He said that the Prime Minister spoke about Balochistan, but said nothing about the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Won't your remarks sound more genuine and real if you were able to tackle the problem in your own backyard in Kashmir? The Chief Minster of Jammu and Kashmir, your coalition partner, has accused the central government for all the ills of Kashmir." Singhvi said, The real problem is that you have not sorted out the internal contradictions in the lust for power." "We have a huge problem at hand in Kashmir which you did not touch upon in your 95 minutes speech on Independence Day. New Delhi: Making a strong pitch for dialogue to contain the ongoing violence in Kashmir, Congress on Wednesday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should ensure that the situation in the Valley is brought under control before "talking about other things" like Balochistan. The Prime Minister is talking about something else when "the house is on fire", senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said and called for "saving the crown" of the country by talking to the local people. "Our Prime Minister is international. (While visiting foreign countries) he should also pay attention to what is happening here. He should focus on where the situation is bad," the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha told reporters at the Congress headquarters. Asked about the Prime Minister's reference to Balochistan and PoK in his Independence Day speech, Azad said Modi should first ensure that the situation in the Valley is brought under control before "talking about other things". "There have been deaths of a few persons daily, may it be of civilians or security forces... They are our own people. He does not speak a word about it," he said. A former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Azad said Modi started doing politics over Pakistan even before taking oath as Prime Minister by rolling out the red carpet to its Premier Nawaz Sharif. Modi had even attended a wedding in Pakistan. "But he will not say anything on saving the crown (sir ka taj) of the country," he said. He had got as many as six opportunities in the just concluded monsoon session to speak about Kashmir, but "he remained in his room", Azad said. "It goes to the credit of the opposition to force debate (on Kashmir) in Parliament. But there is no follow up, no dialogue. Have a dialogue with our own people," he said. Replying to a question, Azad said he has not seen the statement of senior party leader and former Home Minister P Chidambaram that Congress, National Conference and, "if willing", the PDP should come together to find a solution to the unrest in the valley. Mumbai: A video purportedly showing NCP MLA from Karjat, Suresh Lad allegedly slapping a deputy collector in Maharashtra's Raigad district has gone viral on social media, even as the legislator denied having assaulted the official. The Nationalist Congress Party MLA was caught on camera allegedly slapping Deputy Collector (land acquisition) Abhay Kargutkar, reportedly after a disagreement over compensation to farmers for land acquisition. The incident took place last Thursday during a meeting called by Kargutkar to settle disputes about land acquisition for an oil pipeline. NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told PTI that the MLA has denied slapping the official. "Why is the official silent? Why hasn't he lodged any police complaint, if he was indeed assaulted," Malik said. The location where the alleged incident took place was not a government office but the premises of a leading corporate house, another NCP leader said. "Maybe that's why the official, who was acting as an agent of that corporate, is keeping mum," he said. Meanwhile, an official said that Kargutkar has lodged a complaint with Palghar District Collector over the alleged assault by NCP MLA. In a letter to the Collector, Kargutkar has said he was assaulted by Lad. New Delhi: Amid escalating bilateral tension over the unrest in Kashmir Valley, India on Wednesday said that Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar will go to Islamabad for talks with his Pakistani counterpart, but will focus on "aspects" related to cross-border terrorism. According to sources, while accepting the invite by Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry, India has conveyed that it "rejects the self-serving allegations (of Pakistan) over Jammu and Kashmir in totality" and asserted that the northern state is an integral part of India "where Pakistan has no locus standi". While we all agree that we should move forward, it doesn't always go very smoothly: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar pic.twitter.com/xyZaNtvxTg ANI (@ANI_news) August 17, 2016 "Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, we have proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focussed on them," the sources said. On Monday, Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale was handed over an invitation addressed to Jaishankar to visit Pakistan "for talks on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute that has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan". Jaishankar's acceptance of the invite comes as Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday commented that going to Pakistan was akin to "going to hell". The Foreign Secretary's would be the second high-ranking visit after that of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh who was in Islamabad early this month for a Saarc ministerial. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's scheduled visit to the neighbouring country to attend a two-day Saarc finance ministers meet later this month is still under a cloud. The conference is on August 25-26 in Islamabad. Rajnath Singh's visit was clouded in controversy after he landed amid anti-India protests by several groups. He also faced-off with his counterpart Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan over Jammu and Kashmir during their respective speeches, and skipped a dinner invite to Saarc ministers. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and training militants fighting in Jammu and Kashmir. India-Pakistan ties have become frosty after large scale violence broke out in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of popular militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8. Over 60 people have died in clashes with security forces in Kashmir Valley. Amid the frostiness, three Indian MPs are visiting Islamabad for the first South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (Saarc) Young Parliamentarians' Conference. Indian lawmakers Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo of Biju Janata Dal of Odisha, Devji Patel of Bharatiya Janata Party and Alok Tiwari of Samajwadi Party are participating in the event. The two-day conference is aimed at offering young parliamentarians' a narrative in the run-up to the Saarc Summit Pakistan is to host in November. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to attend the Saarc Summit. Washington: Balochistan is Pakistan's most complicated region and significant parts of the restive province are not necessarily controlled by the government, according to a former Pakistani diplomat. "Balochistan is Pakistan's most complicated region, and unfortunately people try to simplify the problems there. It is not all about the mistakes of the Pakistani military, or the corruption of civilians in power, or the nationalists, or the presence of the Taliban. It is all those things," the former Pakistan Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, said in an interview to The Atlantic magazine. Noting that significant parts of Balochistan are not necessarily controlled by Pakistan's central government, Haqqani said the ethnic Baloch areas have a greater sympathy for nationalists who would like to see either an independent or autonomous Balochistan. "The army tries to suppress them, sometimes with the help of religious extremists," he said. "Also, the elected government in the province did not get significant mandates because the Baloch parties boycotted the last election and many people were elected with the low turnout of 10, 12, in some places 15 per cent. So these political leaders are seen by the majority of Baloch as the puppets of Islamabad," he added. Responding to a question on freedom movement in Balochistan, Haqqani said this goes back to the country's creation, when the Muslim majority part of India left and became Pakistan. "Some Baloch leaders say Balochistan's integration into Pakistan was done forcefully. But more important than that is the neglect. This is a resource-rich province, and instead of the people benefitting from those resources, they end up in other parts of Pakistan," he said. The Pakistani military, he said, has to have a clear definition of who it considers the enemy. Instead of cultivating one group of jihadi and fighting others, it needs to go after all jihadi and extremist groups. "It also needs to start a process of reconciliation with the Baloch nationalists. These are citizens of Pakistan who feel they have been neglected, and therefore are feeling restive and unhappy. Putting in more troops is only going to escalate the violence. Not end it," Haqqani said. Dubai: The son of Al-Qaeda's slain founder Osama bin Laden has urged Saudis to "overthrow" the kingdom's rulers in order to "free" themselves from US influence, SITE Intelligence Group reported on Wednesday. In an undated audio message, Hamza bin Laden urged Saudi youth to join the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to "gain the necessary experience" to fight, according to SITE. Classified by the United States as the network's deadliest franchise, AQAP was formed in January 2009 as a merger of the Yemeni and Saudi branches of Al-Qaeda. Director of SITE Intelligence Group, Rita Katz tweeted: 2) This is Hamza bin Laden's 4th speech since Aug 2015. Last from July threatened revenge on US for father's death pic.twitter.com/sb9wwGon8S Rita Katz (@Rita_Katz) August 17, 2016 Yemen is the ancestral home of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who was killed in Pakistan in 2011 by an elite team of US Navy SEALS after a decade on the run. US intelligence officials have said that 23-year-old Hamza was the favourite son of the 9/11 mastermind who had been grooming him to take over as Al-Qaeda's leader. On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death, experts have noted Hamza's increasing prominence among jihadists in comparison to that of Egyptian Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. A Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed rebels in Yemen as well as Sunni jihadists who have joined AQAP and the Islamic State group. Saudi authorities in 1994 stripped Osama bin Laden of his nationality after he issued fatwas, or Islamic religious pronouncements, denouncing both the royal family and the US. Its been barely a month since India-origin politician Priti Patel was appointed secretary of UKs important Department for International Development (DFID) by Prime Minister Theresa May. The DFID steers the UKs work to end extreme poverty and build a more prosperous world with India being a significant beneficiary of funding. A prominent Brexiteer as minister for employment under former prime minister David Cameron, the 44-year-old Cabinet minister who recently visited India, told Firstpost in an interview that the UKs exit from the European Union will help it move on trade deals with India. Excerpts follow: What does Britains exit from the EU mean for the future of India-UK relations, especially in the backdrop of concerns that India may have about Brexit? I dont think those concerns have foundations. For example, there are great opportunities for the UK. More recently, I was in China for the G-20 in my former capacity as employment minister and there are many, many countries that want to be in the front of the queue to engage with the UK on the prospect of trade and new commercial opportunities. And thats exactly the sentiment Im picking up here in India. And when you look at India, there is the whole economic reform agenda, development and prosperity. One of the frustrations for India has been the fact there has been no progress at all on trade deals with the European Union and that is part of the problem that everything has to be negotiated through a bloc of 28-countries where nobody can agree. So certainly, from a UK perspective there will be future engagement opportunities and dialogues that will take place. I think youll see in Delhi and across India, many other British ministers engage on this very important issue with their Indian counterparts. In 2013, youd suggested said that DFID should be scrapped and replaced with with a department for international trade and development to enable the UK to focus on enhancing trade with the developing world. How would you address concerns about you wanting DFID to change direction? We have a very clear remit when it comes to international development and aid. Lets not forget that a year ago, my government was elected with a majority based on a manifesto that had some very clear commitments to aid such as the spending of 0.7 percent of national income on foreign aid, such as our commitment for women and girls and dealing with big diseases like malaria, tuberculosis. These are manifesto commitments and we will obviously continue to deliver on these. Secondly, its important to note this: There is a new administration and obviously that is why Im in this role too. The new government in London has created two new government departments. One that looks at withdrawal from Europe (Brexit department) and one that looks at international trade. My point is that we have to leverage our international footprints to work to broaden our dialogue to create economic dialogues, bilateral dialogues on trade and prosperity in particular. My department has a role to play in economic development, development in poor countries, poor economies and of course, commerce and trade become part of that. The UK had in 2012 announced that DFIDs aid programme for India would end by 2015. What is the current status on this? Aid-spending is different to support, for example, for prosperity and economic development. And its not just spending from my department. I should really put this in the context of what the British government is doing across departments to support India. My visit has focused on the strength of the India-UK relationship, many of the commitments that were made between Cameron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi last November on the big issues of development, urbanisation, smart cities, on access to finance through our financial markets such as the City of London, the issuing of bonds on the London Stock Exchange. That is what I have been doing in India. Ive not been here just in my department's capacity. Ive been here working across the board which is exactly what Ive done in all my previous visits. Previously, Ive been a minister in other departments, but Ive also been the Indian diaspora champion where Ive worked with the government to enhance the India-UK relationship. Youve focused on the two countries working together on economic development, boosting trade and developing smart cities in India in your discussions here. Has India specified what it expects from the UK in your meetings with Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu? Weve been taking further the pledges and the commitments made last November. We agreed on 9 billion ($11.7 billion) worth of deals between our two countries then. There were clear commitments and requests from the Indian government for support on urbanisastion, smart cities, on access to finance through the City of London. In the last month, weve had two bonds launched on the London Stock Exchange. These are masala bonds for investment in the energy and infrastructure sector in India. Both were oversubscribed which says a great deal obviously about the level of interest from investors to invest in India. The City of London is the great vehicle through which you can raise capital and create investment opportunities for India. These have been part of my discussion with Jaitley and Modi. Weve discussed the skills agenda, 'Start Up India'. Recently, I launched two venture capital funds which are very much part of the 'Start Up India' agenda, innovation and entrepreneurship and spreading prosperity and economic development in different states of India. On the skills side, Ive met with Indian and British companies to look at how we can enhance collaboration on the skills agenda, certification, mutual recognition of skills, looking at skills-training courses. India has a huge demand through the labour market for skills. In the meetings that Ive had, weve also recognised the people-to-people ties between the UK and India. Modi spoke very fondly of his visit to London last November, but also the depth of the relationship with the diaspora. The UK diaspora too is taking quite a bit of interest in how the UK-India relationship is developing. Beijing: Despite his anti-China rhetoric, Beijing may prefer US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for his promised anti-terror campaign against Islamic State, which is reportedly attracting militant groups from its Muslim-majority Xinjiang region, state media reported on Wednesday. "Trump's foreign policy, which centres around fighting what he calls 'radical Islamic terrorism,' will to some extent ease the current sour China-US ties," Liu Weidong, a researcher at the Institute of American Studies of the China Academy of Social Sciences, told state-run Global Times. "China and the US share a lot in common on fighting terrorism and Trump's policy seems to shift from the present focus on competition between major powers, which mainly targets China to anti-terrorism," Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Centre for US Studies at Fudan University said. China regards East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which is active among Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang bordering Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Afghanistan as the main threat to the stability of the strategically-located province. Trump said on Monday that his administration will "aggressively pursue joint and coalition military operations to crush and destroy Islamic State. It would go for international cooperation to cut off their funding, expand intelligence sharing and use cyber warfare to disrupt and disable their propaganda and recruiting". Observers said ETIM, which was previously aligned with Al Qaeda, reportedly shifted its allegiance to Islamic State as substantial number of Uyghurs, a Turkik speaking Muslims from Xinjiang, made their way to Syria to fight along with it. Chinese officials apprehend that many of them may return with heavy training and battle experience posing a major challenge to Chinese security forces. While Pakistan has conducted military operations against the ETIM bases in its tribal areas, recent bombing in Balochistan's Quetta, purportedly by ISIS, caused concern here amid reports that many of the Sunni Islamic militant groups in Pakistan as well as sections of Taliban shifted allegiance to it. In a bid to prevent infiltration of militant, the armed forces of China and Pakistan recently launched joint patrolling along the PoK-Xinjiang border while Beijing formed a Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter Terrorism involving Afghanistan-China-Pakistan- Tajikistan Armed Forces to guard against militants threat to Xinjiang and the region. Its first meeting was held in Urumqi, the provincial capital of Xinjiang on 2 August. Beijing: India and China have had "candid" exchange of views on some "specific issues" and they agreed not to let the "differences" affect their overall ties as they vowed to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday. "Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India just before the G20 Hangzhou Summit and the eighth Brics leaders meeting, with the main purpose of having strategic communication with India," the ministry said. "The most important consensus reached by the two sides during the visit was that the two agreed to support each other in making" both the summits a "success", the ministry said in a written response to a question from PTI on Wang's visit. Besides visiting Goa to see arrangements for the Brics, (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit which is due to take place there in October, Wang held talks with his counterpart Sushma Swaraj on 13 August in New Delhi and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The two sides also had candid exchange of views on some specific issues emerging in the course of exchanges between China and India," it said. "Both (sides) agreed that the two countries have far more common interests than differences, far more aspects of cooperation than competition, and thus should place specific differences at a proper position in bilateral relations so as not to impact the overall friendliness," it said. "Meanwhile, the two sides should continue to work on solutions to specific problems through dialogue and consultation," it said, apparently referring to differences over India's admission to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and listing Masood Azhar, the head of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad, as a terrorist by the UN. "The most important consensus reached by the two sides during the visit was that the two have agreed to support each other in making the G20 Hangzhou Summit and the Brics leaders meeting in Goa a success, in a bid to enhance cooperation and solidarity among developing countries and elevate the status of emerging markets in global governance," it said. "The two sides reiterated that they attach great importance to developing bilateral relations, and believe that the mainstream of China-India relationship is good, and that the two sides should bear in mind the larger picture of friendly cooperation between the two countries, press firmly ahead with pragmatic cooperation and build a closer China-India partnership of development," it said. Los Angeles: A fire raging east of Los Angeles spread rapidly on Wednesday, posing a threat to more than 82,000 people and prompting the governor of California to declare a state of emergency. More than 1,300 firefighters were battling the giant blaze and more were on the way, but as of early Wednesday they had been unable to contain the inferno. It is still unclear what caused the fire. "We have very, very dry brush, thick fuel, it helps move it along very quickly," Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for state firefighting agency Cal Fire, told AFP. "It is very dangerous to the public and also to the firefighters." Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, just 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, where the so-called Bluecut Fire was quickly growing. It began around 10:30 am (1730 GMT) Tuesday and has already burned through 30,000 acres (more than 12,000 hectares), according to the multi-agency Inciweb information site. More than 34,500 homes were threatened and 82,640 people were under evacuation warnings. "There is imminent threat to public safety, rail traffic and structures in the Cajon Pass, Lytle Creek, Wrightwood, Oak Hills and surrounding areas," Inciweb said. "Please follow the evacuation instructions, as this is a very quickly growing wildfire." Among the equipment already deployed were 152 fire engines, eight air tankers plus two Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs), and eight helicopters, including night flying helicopters. The inferno has claimed one high-profile victim so far: the Summit Inn, an old-fashioned diner on the world-famous Route 66 that counted celebrities like Elvis Presley and Clint Eastwood among its clientele. There was little left than the sign, hanging above the smoldering ashes. Two firefighters were slightly injured after being surrounded by flames. They were treated at a hospital and released, and were back on the line fighting the blaze, Inciweb said. The wildfire poses "imminent threat to public safety, rail traffic and structures," according to the website. Several area roads were closed, as was the Mountain High ski resort in Wrightwood, which hosts hiking and other outdoor activities in warmer months. Tolmachoff said it was rare to have so many people evacuated. Some are holding out. "We do have people who chose not to evacuate. They cause trouble," she said. California is in its fifth year of a record drought and parts of the state are sizzling in a heatwave with temperatures topping 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius). Beijing: Allaying concerns over the fall of pro-Beijing Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's government, a top Nepalese leader on Wednesday said Nepal accords a priority to China in its foreign relations and abides by the 'One-China' policy. Newly elected Prime Minister Prachanda's special envoy, Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara made the remarks during his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Mahara said Nepal will strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, and implement all consensus already reached between the two countries. His visit comes following anxieties in Beijing over the fate of several projects connecting China and Nepal signed by former Prime Minister Oli to reduce landlocked Nepal's dependence on India. Li said China appreciates the importance attached to relations with Beijing by the new Nepalese government. He said China will work with Nepal in the spirit of friendship, sincerity, and mutual benefit, to jointly promote bilateral relations as well as peace, stability and prosperity in the region. China plans to expand bilateral cooperation in such areas as trade, connectivity and infrastructure construction. China will also help Nepal in natural disaster relief and post-disaster reconstruction, Li added. Mahara was visiting Beijing just two weeks after Prachanda was elected as Nepal's new prime minister. He also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. China considers Taiwan and Tibet as part of the country and requires other nations to accept it as "One-China" policy. China is also worried over supporters of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama fleeing from Tibet to India via Nepal. Seoul: North Korea on Wednesday labelled South Korean President Park Geun-Hye a "psychopath" after she made a speech slamming Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and defending the deployment of a US anti-missile system. In her televised address on Monday, Park had stressed that deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was an act of "self-defence" in response to the North's expanding nuclear weapons programme. A spokesman for the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country said Park's argument was "preposterous" and unfounded. "This is just a lame excuse and she should know that no one will be taken in by such sophism of a puppet that can do nothing without an approval of her US master," the spokesman said. "This is no more than nonsense talked by a psychopath," he added in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. North Korea has threatened to take "physical action" against the THAAD deployment, saying any South Korean ports and airfields hosting US military hardware would become a target. Beijing is also opposed to the move, seeing it as a US bid to flex its military muscle in the region and undermine China's own missile capabilities. US Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, addressed those concerns during talks on Tuesday with his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng in Beijing. THAAD is "not a threat in any way to China," Milley told Li according to a US Army statement. Deploying the system "is a defensive measure to protect South Koreans and Americans from the North Korean ballistic missile threat," he added. Milley was due to hold talks with top South Korean military officials in Seoul on Wednesday. Pakistan's powerful military is not prepared to bring down the civilian government but would maintain its 'dominating influence', prominent US scholars have said amid efforts to find a successor to army chief General Raheel Sharif. The chances of a sudden change of government in Pakistan are remote as the military is not prepared to bring down the civilian set-up, according to Ambassador Robin Raphel. The former US assistant secretary of state for South Asia was among half a dozen American scholars who analysed the current political situation in Pakistan at a recent seminar in Washington, Dawn newspaper reported on Wednesday. The speakers highlighted different weaknesses and strengths in the current political set-up and its relations with Pakistan's powerful military establishment. All agreed that the military would retain its 'dominating influence' over the civilian set-up but would not bring it down. "The military does not want snap elections," said Raphel, a respected Pakistan sympathiser in Washington who recently faced an FBI investigation for her alleged friendly relation with Pakistani diplomats. In June, she was cleared of charges. Raphel thinks that if elections are held now, "likely beneficiary will be Imran Khan" but the elections will take place as scheduled, in 2018. While ruling out the possibility of a military takeover, Raphel warned that the "military may move in if there is a major public disorder in the country". The chances of a takeover, however, were remote, she added. "Like the military, the public too has changed and may resist any abrupt move." Military dictators have ruled Pakistan for more than half its 70-year history, and the armed forces are widely seen as controlling the country's foreign and defence policies. But she underlined "some erosion in public support for democracy", which she said was worrying and might lead to a situation where the people might be forced to welcome an abrupt change, as they did in 1999. "If it happens, the United States will weigh its options and will take a decision that is compatible with US interests in the region," she said. Anjem Choudary, the UK-based radical preacher and televangelist, political Islamist activist, co-founder of the banned organisation al-Muhajiroun and the spokesman for the extremist outfit Islam4UK, is again in the news. According to a recent report, Choudary, known for his radical views, has been found guilty of supporting the global terrorist faction, Islamic State, and hence has been sentenced to the imprisonment in Britain for 10 years. That the radical preacher will face up to 10 years in jail for inviting support for the proscribed outfit in the UK Islamic State is a wake-up call for India. The report further details that Anjem Choudary will be sentenced on 6 September. Prosecutor Richard Whittam is reported to have stated that, "The terrorist organisations thrive and grow because people support them and that is what this case is about. Do not confuse that with the right of people to follow the religion of their choice or to proclaim support for a caliphate," he said. According to the sources, 22-year-old Nibras Islam, who was also one of the Dhaka attackers, used to follow the Pakistan-origin British preacher on Twitter. If we take cognizance of a similar situation in India, it can be observed that a considerable number of sympathisers of the terrorist organisations live freely in the country and abroad. Radical televangelist and Saudi-backed radical Islamist preacher Zakir Naik, who categorically supported Osama Bin Laden for his war on America, has fully enjoyed the civil liberties and equal rights to the profession and propagation of the religion. Naik, who is not of the Pakistani descent like Anjem Choudary, however, misused the rights to further his nefarious extremist designs and radical thoughts. Unlike Zakir Naik who although being exposed by the Indian media has not faced any legal action yet Anjem Choudary stayed just within the law for years and was arrested in 2014 after his allegiance to the militant group was proved. He was picked up on his tacit and open support to the proscribed organisations which he helped to run for radicalising young Muslim men and women. Initially, the British media ignored the jihadist threat Choudary posed to the country. Not even the leading newspapers like New York Times and Washington Post could decipher this imminent danger. It was only when Choudary unraveled his pan-Islamist dream of the 'Islamic flag flying over the White House, some British media outlets like ABC and Britains Sunday Times spoke out against him. Sunday Times called him the leader of the now-outlawed extremist group Islam4UK, as the UK-based Media Research Centers vice-president Dan Gainor writes in his opinion piece in Fox News. The latest British crackdown on Choudary should be a sigh of relief for the people of India, as he posed a serious jihadist threat to the democratic ethos of Muslims of our nation. In 2012, a Firstpost article noted that Anjem Choudary had launched his website shariah4hind.com, which has since been blocked in India, but can be accessed using a proxy server. Choudary had promised that the shariah4hind project will continue unhindered until sovereignty and supremacy are returned to Allah and the authority is for the Muslims alone. Choudary further stated: Do not obey any man-made law and any attempt to silence calls for the Sharia, whether by banning court hearings, will never be successful. However, this call for the Sharia in India was not new. It echoed in a number of the countrys Islamic magazines which were largely circulated and published in Urdu and Arabic. One of the most fervent mouthpieces of the Sharia in India is the Urdu Islamic monthly, Allah Ki Pukar (the call from Allah) which was launched in New Delhi as a quarterly magazine and edited by Prof Mohammad Khalid Ali Hamidi, an alumni of Jamiatul Falah. Jamiatul Falah is a madrassa in Bilariyaganj town of Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district known for its adherence to the thoughts of Maulana Abu Aala Maududi the founder-ideologue of political Islamism in the Indian subcontinent. Khalid Hamidi himself has written a biography of Maulana Maududi, Maulana Syed Abul Aa'la Maududi: Halaat, Dini Khidmat, Akhri Safar. It is a compilation of many articles written by different writers on Maududis life and religious works with a foreword by Hamidi. Inspired by Maududi, the Indian Islamic scholar, Professor Khalid Hamidi opines that democracy transfers Allahs sovereignty (hakimiyat-e-Ilah) to the common people, so it should be seen as adverse to the Islamic Sharia and divine principles of governance. In his writings, Maulana Maududi advocated an Islamic state where the so-called Islamic Jihad should be incumbent upon every Muslim until the authority of God is established on the entire earth. In his book al-jihad fil Islam (Jihad in Islam), he encouraged Muslims to fight democracy and secularism as an evil and go to the extent of laying down their life, possessions, powers, wealth and health in the fight against evil forces of the world. He wrote: But the most important - indeed the most basic - ideal of the revolutionary doctrines of that Revolutionary Party known as Muslims is to expand all the powers of the body and soul, life and possessions, in the fight against the evil forces of the world; not so that, having annihilated them, we should step into their shoes, but so that evil and contumacy may be eradicated and Allahs Law enforced on earth. This is the significance of Jihad fi Sabilillah (Jihad for the cause of Allah). In his editorials in Allah ki Pukar, Professor Hamidi has often declared the Indian democracy akin to kufr (infidelity) and participation in the elections and voting as shirk (polytheism, the gravest sin in Islam). Since its inception in the mid 90s, the magazine carried editorials buttressing this takfirist viewpoint in so many words. A few specimens could be cited as the following: 1) Allah Ke Nam Se (in the name of Allah), published in Quarterly Magazine 'Allah ke Pukar, New Delhi, Vol. 1, issue 1, April-June, 1997. 2) Allah ki Mohabbat Bhari Pukar (a lovely call from Allah), published in Quarterly Magazine 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol.1, issue 1, April-June, 1997 3) Islam: Allah ki Ghulami (Islam: slavery of Allah), published in Quarterly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 1, issue 3, October-December 1997. 4) Deen Mein Tabdeeli Aor Us Ki Saza (change in the religion and its punishment) published in Quarterly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 1, issue 3, October-December 1997. 5) Allah Ki Barai Wa Kibriyai Aor Azmaishi Lamhat (glorification of Allah and the trying times), published in Quarterly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 2, issue 4, January-March 1998. 6) Allah Ki Kitab Se Ghaflat Ka Anjam (the consequence of the oblivion to Allahs book), published in Quarterly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 2, issue 5, April-June, 1998. 7) Allah Haqiqi Badshah Aor Hakim (Allah is the real king and the ruler), published in Quarterly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 2, issue 5, April-June, 1998. 8) Islami Dawat-e-Jihad Aur Uski Bunyaden (Islamic call for jihad and its bases), published in Quarterly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 2, issue 7, October-December, 1998. 9) Allah-o-Akbar Ko Apni Zindagi Mein Utaryen (emulate Allah-o-Akbar in your life), published in Monthly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 3, issue 9, April 1999. 10) Muslim Aur Uski Haqiqi Jaddo Jahad Aur Koshish (the true struggle and effort of Muslims) published in Monthly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 3, issue 10, May 1999. 11) Mulk Key Khatarnak Tareen Dushman (the most dangerous enemies of the country), published in Monthly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 3, issue 12-13, July-August 1999. 12) Hijrat Aur Jihad (Islamic migration and jihad), published in Monthly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 3, issue 12-13, July-August 1999. 13) Tasleem Karo Keh Allah Hi Hakim Hai (accept that Allah is the only ruler) published in Monthly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 3, issue 16, November, 1999. 14) Kiya Yeh Shirk Nahin Hai? (Is it not shirk?), published in Monthly Magazine, 'Allah ki Pukar', New Delhi, Vol. 3, issue 14, September 1999. Since its beginning until today, this Islamic magazine ('Allah ki Pukar') has the widest circulation in the valley of Kashmir. It often derides other communities and declares Muslims of other denominations as Mushrik (infidel). The cultural feasts, celebrations and even the spiritual Islamic occasions like Shab-e-Barat (the night of forgiveness) are abhorred in its editorials. For instance, one editorial in 'Allah ki Pukar' titled Shab-e-Barat Aur Uski Haqiqat (the night of forgiveness and its truth) simply rejects the faith and practice of the mainstream Indian Muslims as synonymous with the Hindu worship. It is in full accordance with the notion of Islamic State that Maulana Maududi propounded in India. In this sub-continent, he espoused an Islamic state where the rights of non-Muslims would be limited and they would not be permitted to practice the faith, rituals of worship or social customs which fatally affect the public interest from the viewpoint of Islam. Maududi laid out in his writings that Jihad would not recognise their (non-Muslims) right to administer state affairs, because, their access to governance is an evil, and every evil must be eradicated by the Islamists by force and arms. Anjem Choudary had planned his project of the Sharia for India in 2011, much later than the idea of Maududi was imparted to a larger section of the Indian Muslims and in January 2012, the website shariah4hind.com went live. At first, Choudary designed some areas in London as Shariah-Controlled Zones but when his extremist ideology was proscribed in the UK, he sought to bring it into India with sharia4hind. In his press statement on January 2, 2012, he urged Indian Muslims to influence people in favour of Sharia and unite them to re-establish the Islamic Khilafa in India. Lured into this ideological influence, the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which is banned in India, organised nationwide Khilafat conferences to promote the idea of a world-wide caliphate. A few excerpts from the press statement of the Sharia For Hind reveal the ill-intended expansionist designs of Anjem Choudary in India: The whole of India is, in fact, a Muslim land, the authority belongs to them and they should take it from the current ruling party to implement the Sharia. Instead of begging for rights from the Hindus, the Muslims in India must govern by the law of the creator Allah. "In fact, it is an act of shirk [polytheism] to be ruled by other than what Allah has revealed or to ask another to do so (i.e. by voting for them)".."There is no Islamic justification for the Deobandis or Barelvis (the two largest Muslim sects in India) to participate in the kufr (non-Islamic) electoral system to elect someone who will violate the sanctity of Allah by ruling according to man-made law. This is an act of apostasy from any Muslim which must be condemned." Anjem Choudary on Kashmir In his videos and statements, Anjem Choudary claimed that once Sharia is imposed in India, the Kashmir issue will be resolved. Some of the many problems that a united Indian sub-continent will resolve are the troubles in Kashmir, the problem of Babri mosque, the discrimination in Gujarat, exploitation, and widespread bribery, the presence of foreign forces, public idolatry, the inhuman caste system, and bust of the capitalist economic model., he stated. In his popular YouTube video which is now banned, he provoked the global Muslims about the plight of Muslims in Kashmir and in the rest of India, and dwelled on an Islamic vision of India under the Sharia rule. The Sharia flag proclaiming La Ilaha Ill Allah (There is no god but Allah) will flutter over the Indian Parliament, he averred. It was quite identical to what he spoke on the American Sean Hannity TV: Islamic flag will be flying on the White House soon. The British counter-terrorism agency has spent almost 20 years in its bid to bring the radical Islamist preacher to the book. Lets wait and watch what the Indian anti-terrorism agencies learn from this arrest. New Delhi: A simple reference towards the end of his Independence Day speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thrown open Pakistan's festering Balochistan wound, rattling a neighbour India has for decades blamed for stoking trouble in Jammu and Kashmir. Modi, in tit-for-tat tactics, has thrown open a Pandora's Box that has geopolitical implications and holds the potential of changing the direction of India's foreign policy. Balochistan has been as troubling for Pakistan as Kashmir has been for India. But Pakistan's largest province has not received as much international attention as Kashmir -- mostly because the region, often described as a "black hole", is "no-go area" for journalists -- unlike Kashmir. On the other hand, Pakistan has always raked up the Kashmir issue globally and spoken about the alleged rights violations in India's only Muslim-majority state. The Pakistani province -- almost the size of France -- is rich in gas, gold, copper, oil and uranium, but it has been plagued by an unending cycle of violence and underdevelopment since the 1947 division of the sub-continent and the formation of India and Pakistan as separate nations. The restive province, spread over 40 percent of Pakistan's total land mass but consisting of less than four percent of its population, has never made global headlines despite activists alleging that security forces have been committing alleged genocide of Balochis to kill their aspirations for a free, sovereign nation. The history of the region is that of broken promises, rights abuses, induced poverty and repressive rule of elite Punjabis. Pakistan has been alleging that India's spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), has been stoking trouble in the region by sponsoring the separatist campaign there. India has always denied such allegations. Historically, Balochistan has never been part of the sub-continent and consisted of four princely states -- Kalat, Lasbela, Kharan and Makran -- under the British Raj. The region finds more similarities with Afghanistan and Iran than India or Pakistan. It is generally believed that Pakistan's first governor-general Mohammad Ali Jinnah coerced the last independent Baloch ruler Mir Ahmad Yar Khan to sign an instrument of accession. Some historical accounts, disputed by critics, says that three months before Pakistan was formed Jinnah had negotiated the freedom of Balochistan from the British. In fact, a communique dated 11 August, 1947, stated that a standstill agreement had been made between Pakistan and the region, and discussions would take place between Pakistan and Khan with a view to reaching agreements on Defence, External Affairs and Communications. Despite the standstill agreement, the Pakistan Army, on 26 March, 1948, moved into Baloch coastal regions. Days later, it was announced in Karachi that Khan has agreed to merge his state with Pakistan. What followed is a chronicle of bloodshed, denial of basic rights and acute deprivation amid military operations to crush any voice raised for freedom of the region. "The human rights situation in Balochistan is drastically deteriorating, with the region's respective governments failing at their most basic duty -- to protect the safety of their citizens and enforce the rule of law," says a report compiled after a last year Geneva conference titled "Balochistan in the Shadows". Angry over Pakistan's exploitation of the resources and its repressive rule, Balochis have so far launched five low-intensity armed insurgencies since 1948. A prominent Baloch activist, Naela Quadri, in an interview to IANS in April, accused Pakistan of resorting to "genocide" in response to the "political, democratic and secular" freedom struggle. "They have killed some 2,00,000 Balochis in the last decade. The Pakistan Army has participated in enforced disappearance of 25,000 people, including men and women," Quadri said. "They are using all the eight UN indicators of genocide, including dehumanisation, polarisation, extermination and denial." New Delhi: India on Wednesday rejected Pakistan's proposal to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks on Kashmir and made it clear that terrorism was "central" to its relations with Islamabad, whose different view and attitude has made it difficult for bilateral ties to grow. Responding to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry's invitation, India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar expressed his willingness to travel to Islamabad to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism which are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The response, which was handed over to Pakistan Foreign Ministry by Indian envoy to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale, also maintained that the neighbouring country has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in J&K, which is an internal matter of India, except to put an end to cross-border terrorism and infiltration. Later talking to the media here, Jaishankar said India has made great efforts to reach out to Pakistan but it clearly faces a unique challenge in Pakistan's response. "Terrorism issue has become so central to the relationship that it makes the ties difficult to grow," the Foreign Secretary said. He also hit out at Pakistan, saying while rest of the region is with India in wanting a much more cooperative and connected South Asia, a "standout country's" view and attitude towards terrorism as an instrument of policy of diplomacy makes it a "difficult partner" in the region. Noting that India has faced a number of cross-border infiltrations and attacks, Jaishankar said during one such assault a Pakistani terrorist was also caught, clearly showing the neighbour's involvement. Earlier, while rejecting Pakistan's offer for talks on Kashmir, government sources said that since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in J&K, India has proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focused on them. "We have also conveyed that Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi," the sources added. Pakistan had on Monday invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the "international obligation" of both the countries to resolve the issue. The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the continuing unrest in Kashmir. India and Pakistan have been engaged in a war of words over the statements by Islamabad on the situation in Kashmir which is witnessing a turmoil following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last month. Wani was hailed as a martyr by Pakistan, which also tried to internationalise the Kashmir issue with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the country's foreign office writing to a host of countries besides the United Nations, while India has been maintaining that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the Valley is the root cause of the turbulence. Turkey issued two decrees under emergency rule on Wednesday in which it dismissed more than 2,000 police officers and hundreds of members of the military and the BTK communication technology authority over last month's attempted military coup. Those dismissed were described as having links to US based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed putsch on 15 July. Gulen denies involvement in the coup. The decrees, published in the country's Official Gazette, also included a decision to close the TIB telecoms authority and another decision under which the president will appoint the head of the armed forces. Under previous emergency rule decrees, Turkey had already dismissed thousands of security force members as well as ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions suspected of links to Gulen. The latest dismissals included 2,360 police officers, more than 100 military personnel and 196 staff in the BTK technology authority, according to the decrees, issued under a three-month state of emergency which came into force on 21 July. Alongside tens of thousands of civil servants suspended or dismissed, more than 35,000 people have been detained in a massive purge since the failed coup, when a group of rogue soldiers commandeered tanks, warplanes and helicopters in an attempt to overthrow the government. London: One of Britain's best-known radical Muslim preachers, Anjem Choudary, has been convicted of encouraging support for the Islamic State group. Choudary faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced 6 September. Choudary and co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman were convicted last month, but the verdict could not be reported until Tuesday because of court-imposed restrictions. The 49-year-old firebrand has been one of the best-known faces of radical Islam in Britain for years, leading groups under names including al-Muhajiroun, Islam4UK and Muslims Against Crusades banned one after another by the British government. He gained attention for headline-grabbing statements and stunts that provoked outrage but stayed on within the law, such as protesting outside the US Embassy on the anniversary of 11 September and burning memorial poppies on Remembrance Day. Choudary was arrested in 2014 after his name appeared on an oath recognizing the "proclaimed Islamic Caliphate State." The London-born preacher denied encouraging his followers to back IS and said the oath had been made without his knowledge. He said during the trial that he did not support the Islamic State group's call for attacks on the West. "I was asked about it and said no, we live with people, our neighbors, so we differ with the people in IS," he said. Several people who attended Choudary's meetings and rallies have been convicted of violent attacks, including Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, the Al-Qaeda-inspired killers of British soldier Lee Rigby. Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Police counter-terrorism command, said Choudary and Rahman "stayed just within the law for many years, but there is no one within the counter-terrorism world that has any doubts of the influence that they have had, the hate they have spread and the people that they have encouraged to join terrorist organizations." "Over and over again we have seen people on trial for the most serious offenses who have attended lectures or speeches given by these men," he said. Juba: The United Nations secretary-general is launching an independent investigation into allegations that UN peacekeepers did not respond to prevent multiple cases of abuse and sexual violence against civilians and foreigners in South Sudan's capital. Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said late on Tuesday that the UN chief is alarmed by reports of the 11 July attack on a compound popular with foreigners in Juba. The Associated Press this week reported that South Sudanese troops went on a nearly four-hour rampage through the compound in one of the worst targeted attacks on aid workers in the country's three-year civil war. Several witnesses told the AP that soldiers shot dead a local journalist while forcing the foreigners to watch, raped several foreign women, singled out Americans, beat and robbed people and carried out mock executions. Separately, several witnesses also told the AP that UN peacekeepers in Juba did not stop the rapes of local women by soldiers outside the UN's main camp last month. The UN chief "urges, once more, the government of South Sudan to investigate these human right violations and to prosecute those involved in these unspeakable acts of violence," his spokesman said in a statement. South Sudan President Salva Kiir told lawmakers on Monday that his government is also investigating the attack at the compound. Kiir also said the country's military was not "completely subordinate to the authority of a civilian government" and that the government "will show zero tolerance" toward sexual assault. GET OUR APP Our Spectrum News app is the most convenient way to get the stories that matter to you. Download it here. The Exhibition of Artworks of the Members of Macau Artists Society 2016 commenced on Monday at the Nam Van Old Court Building, featuring a total of 169 works by members of the Society. The opening ceremony was officiated by several bodies, the representatives of which included the president of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ung Vai Meng and president of the Macau Artist Society, Lai Ieng. The exhibition this year celebrates the Societys 60th anniversary, and brings together different art forms including watercolour, oil painting, sketch, ink wash painting, calligraphy and sculpture. The exhibition will be open until September 7 at Nam Van Old Court Building. Chinese tourists shift to Cambodia Mainland Chinese tourists are heading to Cambodia due to its lower travel costs, causing Phnom Penhs only casino to experience an income upsurge during the first half of the year. NagaCorp, the operator of NagaWorld, recorded a USD125 million net profit for January to June 2016, a 24 percent year-on-year rise in sharp contrast to the ongoing downturn in Macau casinos. Cambodias Ministry of Tourism stated that the number of visitors from China had increased by 12 percent, leading to a 2 percent rise in the countrys visitor arrivals for January to May 2016. Lau Siu Cheung of Prudential Brokerage told Nikkei that Macau and Phnom Penhs casino offerings are essentially the same. However, NagaCorp Chairman Timothy Mcnally said food and lodging in Cambodia is relatively cheaper. Consumer Council launches Macau price platform app To make it convenient for consumers to check prices of goods at local supermarkets and wet markets, as well as fuel prices, the Consumer Council launched a new mobile phone app named Macau Price Platform. The council consolidated the previous Supermarket price information platform and Fuel price information platform, and enhanced the new app by adding daily price data of wet markets from IACM. According to a press release issued yesterday by the CC, the new app offers a one-stop platform for consumers to check prices. Prime Minister Theresa May is attempting to allay disquiet about her surprise delay to a Chinese-backed nuclear power plant by reassuring Chinas leader that Britain wants strong relations with Beijing. Foreign Office Minister Alok Sharma delivered a letter from May to President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing. Mays office did not publish the letter, but said yesterday it was about reassuring the Chinese of our commitment to Anglo-Chinese relations. Chinas ambassador to Britain, Liu Xiaoming, warned last week that relations were at a crucial historical juncture following the U.K. governments delaying of a decision on the Hinkley Point power plant. May last month announced a review of the power project, financed by a Chinese nuclear power provider and French energy giant EDF. The soldier pointed his AK-47 at the female aid worker and gave her a choice. Either you have sex with me, or we make every man here rape you and then we shoot you in the head, she remembers him saying. She didnt really have a choice: By the end of the evening, she had been raped by 15 South Sudanese soldiers. On July 11, South Sudanese troops, fresh from winning a battle in the capital, Juba, over opposition forces, went on a nearly four-hour rampage through a residential compound popular with foreigners, in one of the worst targeted attacks on aid workers in South Sudans three-year civil war. They shot dead a local journalist while forcing the foreigners to watch, raped several foreign women, singled out Americans, beat and robbed people and carried out mock executions, several witnesses told The Associated Press. For hours throughout the assault, the U.N. peacekeeping force stationed less than a mile away refused to respond to desperate calls for help. Neither did embassies, including the U.S. Embassy. AP interviewed by phone eight survivors, both male and female, including three who said they were raped. The other five said they were beaten; one was shot. Most insisted on anonymity for their safety or to protect their organizations still operating in South Sudan. The accounts highlight, in raw detail, the failure of the U.N. peacekeeping force to uphold its core mandate of protecting civilians, notably those just a few minutes drive away. AP previously reported that U.N. peacekeepers in Juba did not stop the rapes of local women by soldiers outside the U.N.s main camp last month. The attack on the Terrain hotel complex shows the hostility toward foreigners and aid workers by troops under the command of South Sudans President Salva Kiir, who has been fighting supporters of rebel leader Riek Machar since civil war erupted in December 2013. Army spokesman Lul Ruai did not deny the attack at the Terrain but said it was premature to conclude the army was responsible. Everyone is armed, and everyone has access to uniforms, he said. Jason Patinkin, Nairobi, AP UN is investigating Eventually, South Sudanese security forces entered the Terrain and rescued all but three Western women and around 16 Terrain staff. A private security firm rescued the rest the next morning. Asked why U.N. peacekeepers didnt respond to repeated pleas for help, the U.N. said it is investigating. TWIN FALLS Soon, signs will go up at the main roads into Twin Falls declaring this is a Purple Heart City. There will be a dedication ceremony in Twin Falls City Park on Saturday, Aug. 27, honoring the new designation and unveiling one of the signs. These guys need to be recognized, and people just arent recognizing them anymore, said Tami Billman, who organized the sign dedication. The signs are going up at the five major entrances to Twin Falls at the Perrine Bridge, Washington Street South, Addison Avenue West and East, and Kimberly Road, said city spokesman Joshua Palmer. A different version of the signs will also be put up at the new City Hall at the former Banner furniture building. Theyre beautiful, beautiful signs, Billman said. The Purple Heart is given to military members who were wounded in combat, or, if they are killed, posthumously to their families. It is the oldest U.S. military award still given out, and is descended from the Badge of Military Merit first given out by George Washington in 1782. About two dozen cities in Idaho have passed resolutions declaring themselves Purple Heart cities since 2015, as have Idaho State and Boise State universities and the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. The state Legislature passed a Purple Heart State resolution this year. Other cities and counties throughout the country have been passing similar resolutions, too. In Twin Falls, Jim Woods, a Purple Heart recipient himself, brought the idea earlier this year to City Councilman Don Hall, who helped him to get the ball rolling. Its a fairly recent movement to try and celebrate and remember, not only those who paid the ultimate price, but also being wounded at the hands of the enemy in wartime, said Hall, who is a Marine Corps veteran and will speak at the dedication ceremony. Its just a way to encourage folks to show their appreciation for the sacrifices. The City Council passed the resolution on May 2 declaring Twin Falls a Purple Heart City, which will be read at the ceremony in the park. In becoming a Purple Heart City, you are honoring the sacrifices of those who have served our nation, and those who are wounded or killed in action, Miguel Dominic, commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Scenic Idaho Chapter, said at that meeting. Dominic was deployed during Operation Iraqi Freedom and received a Purple Heart after being wounded by an IED explosion. Billmans father was in the Air Force before she was born. Her parents divorced when she was 2 years old, but Billman said her mother made sure she was aware, growing up, of what military service represented. She described herself as an American Legion Auxiliary brat growing up, and said she used to sell poppies and put crosses and American flags on veterans graves on Memorial Day. They have given so much, Billman said. They have given me the right to do what I want to do. Theyve given us all the right to do what we want. Billman said she cant believe how many people have been willing to help her put the event together and promote it. She said Cliff Lockhart, director of the Magic Valley POW/MIA Awareness Association, helped to point her in the right direction to get started, and that the POW/MIA group would be at the dedication with flags representing every one of Americas wars. Shane Hall, with Slavedragon Studio, designed the posters advertising the event for her free of charge, and Five Fish Press printed them up for free. One of the Boise TV stations helped her out with a spot advertising the event, and Lee Family Broadcasting is also helping her out by advertising it on its stations. Its just gone from this little thought of something I really wanted to do for our guys to something thats going to happen, Billman said. An emergency dispatcher said two crashes happened about the same time. One did not have an injury, but one person was injured in a crash involving a motorcycle, the dispatcher said. TWIN FALLS The man who shot himself after leading police on a frantic chase Tuesday has died, Twin Falls County Coroner Gene Turley said. The coroner identified the man as Roger David Vulgamore, 24, of Buhl. Vulgamores family was with him at St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center when he died, and most of his organs were harvested for donation, Turley said. He gave his organs to be donated, so at least something good came of this, Turley said. The coroner said Vulgamore shot himself in the head; his body will be taken Thursday to Boise for an autopsy. Details of the chase and shooting are still hazy as investigators continue to reconstruct the frantic, wide-ranging pursuit that began in Kimberly, entered Twin Falls on Kimberly Road, headed north on Eastland Drive and wound at least as far west as Washington Street and at least as far north as Pole Line Road. What is known for sure is it began some time before 5:50 p.m. in Kimberly and ended about 6:10 p.m. near Carriage Lane and Indian Trail, south of Clyde Thomsen Park, in Twin Falls. It was on Carriage Lane, a dead-end street in a quiet neighborhood, where a Twin Falls police officer driving a marked SUV intentionally crashed into the back of the brown four-door sedan using what police call a PIT maneuver, or pursuit intervention technique. At that point the pursuit ended, and when officers approached the vehicle, they found the suspect in the vehicle with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Twin Falls Police spokesman Joshua Palmer said Tuesday evening. Vulgamore was still alive at the scene and was rushed to St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, Palmer said. Because the pursuit involved so many local agencies, a police crash and a shooting Kimberly police, Twin Falls County Sheriffs deputies and Twin Falls police were all involved outside investigators were brought in to help. Twin Falls Police asked for an outside investigation, Jerome County Sheriff Doug McFall said Wednesday. Were the lead agency. Idaho State Police, Jerome Police, Rupert Police and the Minidoka County Sheriffs Office are all assisting in the investigation. McFall said Vulgamore was on life-support late Tuesday night. The Jerome sheriff and three investigators from his office were at the crash scene until well past midnight into Wednesday morning, McFall said. The vehicle involved in the chase was taken by ISP for further investigation. Particulars of the case will be forthcoming and will be coordinated with the Twin Falls Prosecutors Office, McFall said. Palmer on Wednesday confirmed the vehicle was a brown, four-door sedan. He said earlier the vehicle appeared to be similar to the brown sedan described as possibly a Buick wanted in connection to an attempted robbery Monday at KJs Super Store at 1612 Blue Lakes Blvd. N. Palmer said it was too early to say if its the same vehicle. The Kimberly Police Department, the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office and the Twin Falls Police Department were all involved in the pursuit. By the time it ended, more than 20 law-enforcement vehicles had swarmed the scene while SWAT officers paced the area dressed in body armor and holding assault rifles. About an hour later, many of the patrol officers and SWAT officers had dispersed, but Police Chief Craig Kingsbury and much of his command staff was still on scene along with City Manager Travis Rothweiler. Meanwhile, neighbors looked on in disbelief that something like this happened in their quiet neighborhood, with many of them assuming the suspect must have reached the neighborhood by accident if he was heading south on the dead-end Carriage Lane. TWIN FALLS A suspect in a police chase shot himself Tuesday on a dead-end road in a quiet Twin Falls neighborhood after leading officers on a frantic pursuit that started in Kimberly and wound through rush-hour traffic in Twin Falls. The pursuit ended about 6:10 p.m. when a Twin Falls police SUV intentionally crashed into the back of the sedan to stop the suspect on Carriage Lane South, south of Clyde Thomsen Park, police spokesman Joshua Palmer said. At that point the pursuit ended, and when officers approached the vehicle they found the suspect in the vehicle with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Palmer said. Palmer acknowledged the sedan involved in the chase appeared to be similar to the brown Buick sedan that was wanted in connection to an attempted robbery Monday afternoon at KJs Super Store, a gas-station convenience store on Blue Lakes Boulevard North, but he said it was too early to say if its the same vehicle. It was not immediately known what kind of gun was used or where he shot himself, but Palmer said it was certainly above the shoulders. The man was alive and was rushed to St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, but his condition was unknown when Palmer briefed reporters more than an hour after the crash. It also wasnt clear how or what time the chase started, Palmer said, but Kimberly Police began pursuing the car some time before 5:50 p.m., according to police radio traffic. Were still trying to determine the exact route, but ultimately three agencies were involved the Kimberly Police Department, the Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office and Twin Falls Police Department, Palmer said. Radio traffic indicated police chased the man west on Kimberly Road and north on Eastland Drive before pursuing him at least as far west as Washington Street and as far north as Pole Line Road. A woman who witnessed part of the chase while driving on Washington Street was surprised to return to her neighborhood a half-hour later to find the pursuit ended blocks from her home. Something like this is very unusual for this neighborhood, Lucy Wills said. Wills described the area as very nice with well-manicured lawns and families who keep mostly to themselves. But, she guessed, the driver of the sedan must not have been from the neighborhood or he wouldnt have gone down the dead-end road where police ended the chase. Nearly two dozen law-enforcement vehicles swarmed the scene in the minutes after the chase ended. SWAT officers paced the area holding assault rifles while patrol officers and deputies mingled with plain-clothes detectives. Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury arrived about 6:40 p.m. followed soon after by the departments crime scene van. Palmer said a Critical Incident Task Force from a law-enforcement agency not involved in the chase would handle the full investigation. Carriage Lane South just south of Indian Trail was expected to be closed for several hours during the investigation. TWIN FALLS A 19-year-old Twin Falls man charged with raping a 17-year-old girl and molesting a 14-year-old girl has pleaded guilty to a lesser felony charge and could avoid prison if he successfully completes a therapeutic rehabilitation program. Jacob Edward Morgan was charged in March in separate cases with felony counts of rape and lewd conduct with a minor. On Monday, as part of a plea agreement, prosecutors dismissed the rape charge and amended the lewd conduct charge to the lesser charge of sexual abuse of a minor under 16. Twin Falls County Prosecuting Attorney Grant Loebs said that given the evidence that existed, this was the best way to resolve both cases. This allowed us to get an appropriate resolution, Loebs said Tuesday. Its probably the same outcome we would have gotten if we went to trial All this was discussed with the victims so they understood the logic of why we did what we did. Morgan will have to register as a sex offender and agreed to a prison sentence of five to 15 years, but he could avoid prison and be placed on supervised probation if he successfully completes Idaho Department of Corrections year-long retained jurisdiction program, commonly known as a rider. He should undergo the most intense of the riders, given the charge and the extra evaluation needed, Loebs said. Morgan, who has been in custody in the Twin Falls County Jail since his March arrest, also agreed to pay restitution to his 14-year-old victim and agreed to a no-contact order with her and the 17-year-old who accused him of rape. He also must undergo a psychosexual evaluation prior to sentencing. Morgan was wanted by police since last August when a 14-year-old girl told officers he forced her to give him oral sex behind a business on Shoup Avenue. Police investigated the complaint but couldnt find Morgan to question him at the time. In March, a 17-year-old girl told police Morgan raped her March 14 inside a studio apartment in a Twin Falls trailer park. As part of that investigation, Morgan went to the Twin Falls police station voluntarily, where he was arrested on the rape charge and detectives finally interviewed him about the incident with the younger girl. He was charged with both crimes and held on $100,000 bond on each charge. Asked in a plea advisory form why he was pleading guilty to sexual abuse of a minor, Morgan simply wrote because I did it, admitting to the sexual contact with the 14-year-old when he was 18. The prosecutor said the difference between the original lewd conduct charge and the sexual abuse charge is that the conduct is usually worse in a lewd conduct case. We decided the conduct (with the 14-year-old) could be appropriately addressed as part of the amended charge, Loebs said. As for the rape charge that was dropped, the prosecutor said its not an acknowledgment that the rape didnt happen, but that based on the evidence available it was the best resolution. Morgan is set to be sentenced Sep. 22. TWIN FALLS The Twin Falls Public Library will host a national traveling exhibit, Explore Earth: Our Changing Planet, exploring a global view of the changing environment. It will be on display from Aug. 24 through Oct. 21. The free exhibit is available to tour during normal library hours. Getting people interested in science can be a challenge, but Explore Earth: Our Changing Planet strives to make it fun with a focus on local earth science topics such as weather, the water cycle and ecosystem changes. Twin Falls Public Library will also offer a related series of public events to bring science, technology, engineering and math programming to children, teens and adults. Events will include several expert presentations on local geological/historical topics, two Saturday outdoor family events, book discussions, and activities for children and teens. Explore Earth will kick-off with a presentation on Mining in Idaho by former College of Southern Idaho professor and current Idaho State Historical Society trustee Tom Blanchard. This event is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25. Blanchards appearance is sponsored in part by the Idaho Humanities Council. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy TWIN FALLS With one neigh vote, the City Council decided Monday on a statue of a horse to welcome people to downtown Twin Falls. The horse sculpture will go at the Five Points intersection, on the triangular traffic island bordered by Shoshone Street North, Addison Avenue and 11th Avenue. It will pull a historic Fresno scraper donated by the Twin Falls County Historical Museum. Its a piece of equipment that was used to help create the canals, said Carolyn White, executive director of the Magic Valley Arts Council. The arts council helped to develop the concept, along with a public arts subcommittee of the City Council. The sculpture and the landscaping are meant to represent how our valley became magic, White said that is, the irrigation process at the beginning of the 20th century that turned the sagebrush desert into a fertile agricultural region. Part of whats going to bring this whole piece of art to life is depicting the impact of water on the Magic Valley and the transformation of the landscape as that happened, Parks and Recreation Director Wendy Davis said. The horse, which was built by local artist Greg Bartlett, will cost the city $25,000, and the Council voted to allocate up to $20,000 more for the landscaping, lighting and other work. The Twin Falls Canal Company will donate some landscaping, including a head gate and a canal made of basalt, and the cost of the rest of the project could end up being less than $20,000. The Council voted 6-1 to put the statue up. Mayor Shawn Barigar was opposed, saying the Council should have a more general discussion on the vision for public art in the city before spending so much on one project. The fund paying for the project was created in 2007 and has about $55,000 in it. Barigar also didnt think the location in the middle of a busy intersection was good for an educational statue. I am hesitant to basically spend the entirety of our public art fund on a single piece that, while I think its important, I think its in the wrong location, Barigar said. I think if its designed to be a teaching tool, its inaccessible. The rest of the Council, though, favored putting up the statue. Councilman Chris Talkington said it would help to teach people about how Twin Falls was carved out of the desert, a story which, he said, isnt well understood by many residents, both transplants and people who were born here. I think its going to stand the test of time, he said. KETCHUM There will be a meeting at the Community Library on Thursday to hear Idaho Power discuss issues and alternatives to a proposed transmission line to serve the Wood River Valley. The meeting will go from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., and the Ketchum and Sun Valley city councils and Blaine County commissioners will be there. The proposed 138-kilovolt line would go north along Idaho 75, from the Wood River substation north of Hailey to Ketchum and Sun Valley, according to Ketchums city newsletter. It could go underground through Ketchum to the existing substation on Sun Valley Road. The new line would provide redundant electric power to the north valley. The existing line runs from Hailey to Ketchum through Elkhorn and over Dollar Mountain. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the need for and purpose of the project, talk about the reliability, economic and environmental impact, and discuss location alternatives, fiscal impact, and the methodology for distributing costs. Discussions will be open to the public. TWIN FALLS A local salon is offering free haircuts for children as they head back to school. Lux Salon, 618 Filer Ave., will offer haircuts 2-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Monday and Tuesday. Salon owner Melinda Leon said she wants to give a confidence boost to children whose parents might not be able to afford to get their childs hair cut. Theres a lot of kids who they go to school not able to get a cut so theyre discouraged, she said. The best way to make an appointment is through a message to the salons Facebook page: facebook.com/luxmagicvalley. The free haircut is available to children ages 5 to 17. The community has taken really good care of us and supported us throughout the years, Leon said. Its important for the whole shop to work together to give back. HANSEN Thousands of acres of crops, hit hard by a summer hailstorm, are struggling to recover before the fall harvest. Crops resumed growth after the July 10 storm, but many had to start over nearly from scratch. Bean crops planted for dry seed near Hansen and Kimberly had closed rows meaning the plants had grown a canopy over the field, blocking sunlight from reaching the soil when the freakish wind- and hailstorm hit. The storm, which started near Castleford and traveled straight east along 3600 North nearly to Burley, left a mile-wide swath with varying degrees of damage in its path. Craig Giles of Giles and Meyers Farms grows crops on the Hansen Butte west of Murtaugh. The storm reduced his bean plants to stubs, heavily battered his grain, and shredded his cornstalks. Giles damaged beans show regrowth and some are starting to bloom but whether enough time is left this season for seeds to mature is up to Mother Nature. In addition, Giles is fighting a weed infestation where bean canopies were destroyed, and has had to hire extra labor, substantially increasing his weeding bill. His corn for silage was stunted but is recovering. Not far west of the butte, Steve Gibson lost 90 percent of his barley. I got 17 bushels per acre, Gibson said Tuesday. Id normally get 160 bushels. Winter wheat was about a 60 percent loss. Hell thresh high-moisture corn for feeder cattle soon and expects his loss at about half. The field corn got hurt bad, Gibson said. But I wont know how bad until I get the combine out. His second cutting of alfalfa, the preferred cutting for horses, yielded about 12 to 15 percent of normal. Thousands of acres across the valley were impacted, said Paula Stephens, county executive director for the U.S. Department of Agricultures Farm Service Agency in Twin Falls. Crops on the west side of Twin Falls County were hit, but not as hard as crops near Hansen and Kimberly. The storms swath through the Castleford area was narrow, Stephens said. But what got hit was hit hard. A hailstorm was a rare occurrence for that area, she said. About half of the growers Ive talked to in the Castleford area didnt have hail insurance, she said. If you havent had a hail event in 40 or 50 years, it wouldnt be logical to buy hail insurance every year. I got 17 bushels per acre. Id normally get 160 bushels. Steve Gibson, Hansen grower, talking about his hail-damaged barley. Its back-to-school time across the Magic Valley, perhaps to the chagrin of some students and joy for their parents. Hundreds of students in Twin Falls will be attending brand-new elementary schools when classes resume Thursday, Rock Creek Elementary just north of St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, and Pillar Falls Elementary at Stadium Boulevard and Hankins Road. Most students in Twin Falls are starting their school days a little earlier this year, 8:15 a.m. Dont forget to set your alarm. College students, too, are soon heading back to classes. The College of Southern Idaho opens classes Monday. Its an exciting time for thousands of students across the Magic Valley, full of new possibilities and hopes. We wish them and their families a successful school year. Its also a time for all of us to think more about safety, especially in the neighborhoods with new schools, which for the first time will experience the rush of traffic and walkers that come with hosting a neighborhood school. About 150,000 people in the United States are treated in emergency rooms each year after being struck by cars. And nearly 5,000 are killed about one every two hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One in every five children 13 and younger killed in traffic crashes are pedestrians. Those are sobering statistics but entirely preventable if we can be more vigilant about safety. And that includes students, too. Learning to look both ways is just as important as ABCs. There are also new bus routes in Twin Falls this year, meaning some motorists will encounter school buses not usually seen on their morning and afternoon commutes. Consider this a gentle reminder to slow down, watch for children and most important show a little patience, especially over the next few weeks as we adjust to life back at school. We also encourage lawmakers not to lose focus on their work over the past two sessions to boost school funding and develop new programs aimed at improving the educational experience for all our students. Yes, funding has been restored to pre-recession levels, but many districts across the state have taken on more and more new students, and that includes Twin Falls. The state also has a long way to go toward reaching its benchmark of 60 percent of the states 24-to-34-year-olds with a post-secondary degree by 2020. Its about only 42 percent now. But no goal seems too lofty at the beginning of a new school year. Lets set our sights high and get down to business. There only 178 school days to go before next summer. Yeah, Im totally calling you a dumbass, Golds Gym. And it feels so good becausewell, its true. Whoever is running your shit over in Egypt, where this original image was created, is embarrassing you. Actually, they may lose you a ton of money from all the pissed off pear-shaped goddesses out there flipping you the bird. Youll also be losing a ton of respect, street cred, humanity and all sorts of other intangible things you want to run a successful business. Bottom line: you suck. This may possibly be THE example of why you need good rules of how to not be an asshole online and piss off all potential customers playbook for the marketing departments for franchisescause they may not all be on the same level. And, you can end up looking like a dumbass. Like Golds Gym. It literally says dumbass on the image so it must be true. Heres the original image, which might I add is borderline eating disorder promoting. But I guess if you obsessively exercise because you are trying to look more like NOT A PEAR then Golds Gym is for you. Or not. Who knows. What I will say other than the fact that they are all dumbasses over there.is if you have a pear-shaped body, YOU ARE A GODDESS. Dont let these assholes make you feel like you are less of a person because you are not. If you look like a beanpole, YOU ARE A GODDESS. Dont let those assholes make you feel like you are less of a person because you are not. If you have an apple shaped body, YOU ARE A GODDESS. Dont let those assholes make you feel like you are less of a person because you are not. Actually, whatever shaped body you have YOU ARE A GODDESS. Dont let those assholes make you think you are less than a person because you are not. Evidently this is NOT the first time Golds Gym has been in the hot seat for offending women. If you are a breastfeeding mother in Virginia or Wisconsin, you may want to stay clear of Golds Gyms owned by Lowell Management Group. You cant breastfeed your baby over there without getting kicked out and then verbally abused by the owner via email. And this is also NOT the first time we have called out a gym for disgusting weight bias messages. Anytime Fitness CEO in 2011 decided that money is allergic to fat people to get attention for his failure of a book. That was interesting to say the least. He got attention. Perhaps not the kind he wanted. I especially loved the part where I got attacked by his PR team for calling him on it. #freedomofspeechbeeeeyach I met the Corporate Vice President of Marketing for Gold Gym on a plane once. This was like six years ago. Im wondering if hes still there. When Im done with this post, Ill email him to see if hes gotten canned or not. If not, these choice little nuggets are for him. When bored with playing online casinos for free, you can find a section "Registration to Vulkan Bet" , follow a few simple steps and start playing slots online for real money Dumbass Mistake #1: Women Who Work Out Dont Have Pear-Shaped Bodies Actually, I think women who have pear-shaped bodies wont be working out at Golds Gym. *snort* (Updated 8.17.16: Golds Gym corporate has since fallen on the sword to apologize to all the women out there. But Im HIGHLY recommending that they moderate their comments more on their Facebook wall. Right now its free reign on sexist pigs abusing women in there still.) Dumbass Mistake #2: Apologizing WHILE You Are Offending I think someone at Golds Gym may not understand what an apology actually is. I know what happened behind the scenes in dumbass land. It went like this. Marketing dumbass: Hey I got an idea. Lets offend half of American women and then apologize WHILE doing itthat way we can get all that unpleasant stuff out of the way beforehand. And then we can just all move on quicker. Dumbass in Charge: Hey that sounds like a great idea! (Updated 8.17.16: Since this post was created the Golds Gym Dreamland Facebook Fan page has been shut down so you cant see everything now. But they were apologizing in the status update where they were also hosting the image above. It was like Im going to offend you AND apologize at the same time kinda thing. Very weird.) Dumbass Mistake #3: Continuing to Promote Image After Everyone Says Your Apology Sucks I think they must not be on the uptake over there. Perhaps at that specific gym location people arent very abundant up north. Ill let them go ahead and interpret that word salad to their colleagues. The ones who get it are saved. (Updated 8.17.16: The original page has been taken down so you cant see how the owner was defending his position after apologizing for it. Very weird. And again, Im not sure they understand what an apology is in Dreamland land.) Feel free to share, steal, and promote this image. I think dumbassery ESPECIALLY when it promotes eating disorders need to be called out for what it is.dumbassery. Update 8.17.16 Gold Gym released a statement and we are honoring that here below. I would also like to state that in the comments below this statement online there are some very heavy sexist trolls that are given free reign to abuse and call other commenters names. If Golds Gym really wants to make a statement, they should back it up by moderating their page starting now. I hope that by the time you read this, its fixed. Dear Golds Gym Members, Followers, Franchisees and Team Members Around the World, Words cannot express how shocked and appalled we were by the recent posts of Golds Gym Dreamland, a sub-franchise in Cairo, Egypt. Not only were they offensive and disgusting, they go against everything we believe in and stand for. For years we have been dedicated to helping people feel empowered by fitness, not intimidated or ashamed by it. We believe that strength comes in many formsbe it physical, mental or emotionaland that our purpose (and rallying cry) is to help people Know Their Own Strength. Speaker of the Iranian parliament Ali Larijani flatly denied reports of Russian warplanes using an Iranian airbase to launch attacks on the Islamic State in Syria. No base has been given to the Russian military forces the speaker clarified when answering a question by Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh, a member of the parliaments Foreign Policy and National Security Committee. Falahatpisheh reminded him that it would be a violation of article 176 of the Constitution, which bans the country from serving as a base for foreign troops even when on peaceful missions. There were reports that the Noje Airbase was used by Russia to launch attacks against ISIS in Syria. The Russian Defense Ministry actually announced on Tuesday that it has deployed some warplanes in the area and they carried out group airstrikes against targets belonging to the ISIS and Nusra Front terrorist groups in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib. Using the Iranian airbase can reduce the flight distance of the warplanes from 2000km to 700km. Falahatpisheh wants Tehran to be careful with its foreign policy because, he said, the world powers follow their own interests in their foreign policy and they have indicated that whenever the Islamic Republic is faced with a crisis, they stand against our country. He opined that Russia has a different and volatile foreign policy. The head of Irans Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, said cooperation between the two countries in fighting terrorism in Syria is strategic and we exchange capacities and facilities in this regard. He did not specify if the reports about Noje Airbase were true. US State department spokesman Mark Toner said the reports are a continuation of a pattern weve seen of Russia continuing to carry out air strikes, now with Irans direct assistance, that predominantly target moderate Syrian opposition forces. He said the new development, if confirmed, would be unfortunate. Russia and Iran are supporting Assad while the US and other Arab states are backing the rebels and want Assad to step down. A report leaked through broadcaster ARD has revealed that the German government is cautious in its dealings with neighboring Turkey because as a result of the step-by-step Islamization of its foreign and domestic policy since 2011, Turkey has become the central platform for action by Islamist groups in the Middle East. The report, meant to be confidential, is reportedly the written reply by Germanys interior minister to a question from the left-wing Die Linke party. The document pointed out that the many expressions of solidarity and support actions by the ruling AKP and President Erdogan for the Egyptian MB (Muslim Brotherhood,) Hamas and groups of armed Islamist opposition in Syria emphasize their ideological affinity with the (broader) Muslim Brotherhood. This is the first time that Germany has linked the Turkish state to terror and extremist groups. Ankara is yet to react to the report. After last months failed coup, President Erdogan had also accused Germany of supporting terrorism warning that let them feed the terrorists. Like a boomerang, it will hit them. Member of the bundestag, Sevim Dagdalen of the Die Linke party, questioned Berlins policies towards Turkey. The German government cannot publicly designate the godfather of terrorism Erdogan as a partner, while internally warning about Turkey as a hub for terrorism. Relations between the two countries have been on the low especially after the German parliament recognized the 1915 massacre of Armenians by the Turkish Ottoman as genocide. The developments that followed the July 15 failed coup dEtat in Turkey have further strained the two countries relations. Germany is home to the largest Turkish diaspora in the world with around 3 million people of Turkish origin and estimates have claimed that 25% of German citizens who have left to fight for the Islamic State are from that quota. Egypts foreign minister Sameh Shoukry arrived in Lebanon late Monday to help the country end the presidential deadlock that has been going on for more than two years. Shoukry who insisted that Egypts role is that of a facilitator, held separate meetings with the Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam and foreign minister Gebran Bassil. He told reporters after the meetings that Cairo is keen on continuous communication with all the Lebanese factions and will provide the needed support to help Lebanon out of its political crisis. A statement released by the Egyptian embassy said the meeting between Shoukry and the different Lebanese authorities highlights the countrys deep concern to see the Lebanese agree on a President in the nearest time possible. The political deadlock in Lebanon has been ongoing since former president Michel Suleimans termed ended in May 2014. The parliament has failed to elect a successor on 43 attempts due to systematic boycotts of sessions to prevent reaching the necessary quorum. Some political parties are hoping that the dialogue scheduled to be held next month could end the standoff. Shoukry expressed Cairos readiness to make the dialogue a success. Secretary General of the powerful Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) Houcine Abassi met with Prime minister-designate Youssef Chahed on Tuesday, part of consultations for the formation of a national unity government. Abbasi said the union is not interested in power but cautioned Chahed that merely picking two or three parties to form the new government does not achieve the leap Tunisia needs at this stage. His statement could be seen as a reply to Ennahdas call for taking into account the results of the parliamentary elections when forming the new government. Ennahda and the ruling Nidaa Touness are the majority parties in the parliament. Today, Tunisians must know those who put the national interest above all other considerations and those who serve other agendas, the UGTT secretary general said. He insisted that it is no longer possible to deal with some ministers in the outgoing government like the Ministers of religious affairs and of finance. The UGTT holds the finance minister responsible for the increasing crisis at the state-owned Tunisian Tire Industries Company (STIP). Abassi did not state if the union would propose candidates outside of its scope to be part of the government. While Prime Minister-designate Chahed is racing against time to present his cabinet to the parliament for approval, divisions between members of the consultative body that spearheaded the presidential initiative to form a unity government have surfaced and critics are already concluding that the government of national unity will fail. International Financial Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, approved last year $839 million loans to banks in North Africa & Middle East region to help them provide trade financing for their clients, boost cross border trade and foster economic development in this region. In fiscal year 2016, IFC signed three trade financing agreements with leading banks in North Africa & Middle East to help their clients access international markets and import critical commodities, including raw materials, pharmaceuticals, fertilizers, spare parts, and capital goods. These included Lebanese Societe Generale de Banque au Liban (SGBL) and two banks in Egypt NBK Egypt and Al Baraka Bank. The three banks, in addition to another 29 banks in MENA, are part of IFCs Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP), which offers global and regional banks guarantees covering payment risk against letters of credit and other trade-related transactions. The $5 billion program extends and complements the capacity of banks to deliver trade financing by providing risk mitigation in new or challenging markets where trade lines may be constrained. The facility also offers partner banks access to trade funding for post-shipment finance to their clients. Supporting cross-border trade in this region is a priority for IFC , said Mouayed Makhlouf, IFC Regional Director for North Africa & the Middle East. Linking local markets with global economies can help foster economic growth and drive development. Over the years, IFCs Global Trade Finance Program (GTFP) has been engaged in the low-income economies classified as International Development Association (IDA) countries and Fragile and Conflict-Affected States (FCS). Since its inception, GTFP has supported over $6.8 billion in MENA through over 8,250 trade transactions, of which around $3.2 billion of trade was supported in IDA countries and $2.9 billion in FCS countries. The main countries covered include Lebanon, Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Afghanistan, and the West Bank and Gaza. IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. In FY16, IFC long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $19 billion, which helped the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. Georgias wine exports up 42% in July Georgia is reaping the benefits of $92.3 million USD flowing into the economy from increasing wine and brandy exports to markets all over the world.Today, the National Wine Agency of Georgia released latest information about the export of Georgian alcoholic beverages in July 2016. Figures showed Georgia exported 42 percent more wine last month than in the same period of 2015.In July 2016, Georgia exported 23,932,067 bottles of wine to 44 countries, which generated $55.3 million in revenue for Georgia.The top five countries that imported the most Georgian wine in July 2016 were: Russia 12,748,273 bottles; Ukraine 2,595,947 bottles; China 2,475,557 bottles; Kazakhstan 1,924,046 bottles; Poland 1,190,926 bottles.Year-on-year exports of Georgian wine increased to: China 152 percent (2,475,557bottles); Belarus 122 percent (575,166bottles); Kirgizstan 107 percent (163,966 bottles); Ukraine 72 percent (2,595,947 bottles); Estonia 57 percent (379,650bottles); Russia 50 percent (12,748,273bottles); United Kingdom 44 percent (58,618 bottles); Poland 29 percent (1,190,926 bottles); Germany 21 percent (174,166 bottles); Japan 12 percent (101,448 bottles).The most popular Georgian wines exported in July 2016 were: Kindzmarauli 3,210,280 bottles; Mukuzani 1,230,522 bottles; Tsinandali 1,016,107 bottles; Akhasheni 518,170 bottles; Khvanchkara 169, 371 bottles.Meanwhile brandy exports also increased in July 2016. The Wine Agency said Georgia saw a 32 percent increase in brandy exports y/y.In total Georgia exported 4,303,645 bottles of brandy, worth $9.9 million. Frequent changes of defence ministers is unacceptable By Messenger Staff President Giorgi Margvelashvili has criticized the frequency of the replacement of Georgia's defence ministers. According to him, the appointment of four ministers in as many years is not an ideal solution.As for the new minister, Levan Izoaria, Margvelashvili said he is a man with whom he must work."Ive met him. I shared his plans. Our main topic of discussion was the implementation of NATO's substantial package. We had a very intensive and constructive conversation. We talked about how we see the future, said the President.As for the confrontation between the former and incumbent defence ministers, the President said it is not useful for the army."I do not think I should comment on ex-Minister Tinatin Khidashelis statements. My goal is to help the Defence Ministry strengthen our country's defence capabilities and help the army to become more efficient.I saw that there was some debate between the former and current defence ministers. I think it is not useful for the Georgian Armed Forces. We will have elections soon, and the army and the Armed Forces should be de-politicized, stated the President.Khidasheli criticized the appointment of a security official as Georgias new Defence Minister, as Izoria previously served as Georgias Deputy head of the State Security Service.Meanwhile, Izoaria said he had already encountered many problems in the ministry when he was appointed to his new post.It is hard not to agree with the President that changing the Defence Minister so frequently is hardly beneficial to the country.Such reshuffles damage both the functioning of any affected ministry as well as Georgia's international image.The Prime Minister and all relevant institutions must be very cautious when selecting ministers and ensure that they do not serve for a short period of time before their abrupt replacement. The News in Brief Paata Burchuladzes party spends most of its money on election advertising The most amount of money on advertising has been spent by Paata Burchuladzes movement, the State for People, among all currently active political parties. As InterpressNews was told by the Financial Monitoring Service of Political Parties, according to six weeks of data covering the period from June 8 to 19 July, the State for People spent 512,009 GEL on advertising. The movement is followed by the Georgian Dream, which spent 345,032 GEL. The third on the list is Giorgi Vashadzes New Georgia with 184,550 GEL and fourth is Patriotic Alliance with 183,382 GEL. The United National Movement spent 3,082 GEL on ads. The spending of other parties on commercials is as follows: Girchi - 9 275 GEL, United Democratic Movement - 2 000 GEL, Left-wing Alliance - 501 GEL, Labour Party - 320 GEL, Republican Party - 250 GEL. No money had been spent on advertising during the mentioned period by Free Democrats, Conservatives, National Forum and New Rights Party. The total amount of money spent by political parties on their election campaigns in the 6-week period is 4,66, 091 GEL. (IPN) CEC: Number of Voters 3.45 Million The number of Georgias voters stands at 3,452,093 according to updated figures released by the Central Election Commission (CEC) on August 6. The CEC is responsible for compiling voter lists based on data provided four times in a year by the relevant authorities, primarily the Justice Ministrys Public Service Development Agency. The election commission will have to release updated figures on number of voters no later than October 3, five days before the parliamentary elections. Data released by the CEC also includes number of voters in each of the 73 election districts. Election districts were redrawn earlier this year to narrow huge discrepancy in size of single-mandate constituencies by merging some small districts and dividing larger ones. As a result boundaries of single-mandate constituencies no longer coincide with those of administrative borders of municipalities. Number of voters in each election district varies from 41,364 in the smallest one (Tbilisis single-mandate constituency covering mostly the capital citys Vake district) to 53,480 in the largest one (Gurjaani single-mandate constituency in eastern Georgian region of Kakheti). Before the redistricting, number of voters was ranging from over 150,000 in the largest one to less than 6,000 in the smallest one. Lawmakers from the opposition UNM challenged the electoral redistricting in the Constitutional Court, claiming that the boundaries were redrawn to the detriment of opposition parties. The Constitutional Court rejected the complaint in a ruling on July 20. (Civil.ge) National Forum office robbed in Tbilisi The office of the National Forum, a right wing political party which recently split from the Georgian Dream coalition, was broken into overnight in Tbilisi. Members of the party say that the investigation is in progress and it is hard to say whether political motives are behind the robbery. The NF stated that computers had been taken from the office. It could be an ordinary crime and may have nothing in common with politics, Ani Mirotadze, a member of NF faction at the parliament said to Interpressnews. Law enforcers worked on-site during the night. Channel 1 reports that the owner of the building witnessed the robbery. The owner noticed the robber when he was escaping but no further details have been released to the public at this time. (DF WATCH) President launches campaign for encouraging voters to go to polls President Giorgi Margvelashvili has launched a campaign to encourage voters to go to the polls. As he told Maestro TV, the campaign will not support any political party, but will be directed to ensure that voters go to the polling stations. "For me, one of the important political experiences is democratic elections. One of the main indicators of democracy is turnout of voters. I am launching a campaign focused on making voters active. It will not support a single political party. It will be a campaign made up of young people and we will try to encourage voters to go to polls. Apparently, the most passive voters are those aged 18-35 and we will focus on this segment, Margvelashvili said. As for the election environment, the President said that the 2016 elections can in no way be compared with the 2012 elections. "Now is qualitatively better election environment. I am concerned about the Kortskheli incident, but in 2012 we had similar incidents every day. And the media today is much freer," said the President. (IPN) THE STAGGERING COST OF ALL THAT 'CHEAP' LABOR: Encouraging both legal and illegal mass immigration continues to be a primary aim for both politicians and organizations on the left. Breitbart News previously revealed that the wealthy Ford Foundation poured an astonishing $114 million into organizations that push for mass immigration and amnesty. Spencer Lindquist Michael-in-Norfolk disclaims any and all responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, completeness, legality, reliability, operability, or availability of information or material displayed on this site and does not claim credit for any images or articles featured on this site, unless otherwise noted. All visual content is copyrighted to it's respectful owners. Information on this site may contain errors or inaccuracies, and Michael-in-Norfolk does not make warranty as to the correctness or reliability of the site's content. If you own rights to any of the images or articles, and do not wish them to appear on this site, please contact Michael-in-Norfolk via e-mail and they will be promptly removed. Michael-in-Norfolk contains links to other Internet sites. These links are provided solely as a convenience and are not endorsements of any products or services in such sites, and no information or content in such site has been endorsed or approved by this blog. HOUSTON (AP) Mexican-born Maria Dawood grew up Catholic, but the church never fit her heart. Her questions about its teachings brought only certitudes. Rituals grew meaningless. Even the stylish attire of female worshippers annoyed her. Spiritual but doctrinally untethered, Dawood's life centered on a search for God. In Houston, Dawood sampled Pentecostalism. Then a Muslim friend loaned her his Spanish-language Quran. From the Islamic holy book's opening lines, Dawood knew she had found a religious home. "I couldn't stop," she said. "I continued reading. Once I finished, I started again. Every time I read it I found something new. This is what I had been looking for." Dawood's conversion came almost 40 years ago, a time when resources for Houston's Spanish-speaking Muslims were few. Now, with the opening earlier this year of Centro Islamico, Texas' and possibly the nation's only Spanish-language mosque, the city is poised to become a center of Hispanic Muslim teaching. Located in a bank building on Houston's far southwest side, the mosque is a project of Islam in Spanish, a producer of religious educational materials. Founded 15 years ago, the nonprofit has spawned similar organizations in Dallas, California and New Jersey. In its first months, Centro Islamico welcomed 28 new converts to Islam, said Alex Gutierrez, Islam in Spanish's development and operations director. "They were all Latinos families, single mothers, couples with children. We've had 10-year-old sisters; we've witnessed a grandmother accepting Islam." Gutierrez, himself a former Catholic, estimated as many as 1,000 Hispanic Muslims live in the Houston area. Nationally, by some estimates, as many as 300,000 Latinos follow Prophet Muhammad's teachings. Demographics may tell the tale To date, Islamic inroads into the U.S. Hispanic population have been small. Fifty-five percent of Hispanics are Catholics, Pew Research Center reports. Slightly more than 1 in 5 are Protestants; only 1 percent adhere to non-Christian religions. Still, demographic trends may foretell Islam's growth. Latinos now comprise almost 40 percent of the population in Texas and 20 percent in the U.S. Pew reports that almost 1 in 4 identify themselves as former Catholics. By the second half of the century, Islam is projected to become the world's dominant religion. Islam in Spanish was created to supply Spanish-language religious materials for a new wave of converts. In its early years, it issued more than 500 audio books and 250 videos, most of which were aired on public access television. More recently, it has directed attention to the internet. Sunday classes are streamed live, offering a worship option to Muslims unable to travel to the Houston mosque. "We reach viewers in Brazil, Spain, Argentina," Gutierrez said. "We've had people tune in from Germany and Paris. We're open to anybody, any Latinos anywhere in the world who are open to Islam." In December, the nonprofit will host the nation's first Latino Muslim convention as part of the 2016 Texas Dawah Convention at the George R. Brown Convention Center. Values that reconcile with childhood teachings Each conversion is unique, but Dawood's path to Islam is familiar to many Hispanic Muslims. Like Dawood, Nahela Morales, 40, was born in Mexico to a Catholic family. "As far back as I can remember, I was always looking for God," she said. But when she sought religious guidance from the most devout member of her family, her grandmother, she simply was admonished to "always believe." "By my mid-20s, that wasn't good enough," said Morales, who today is "brand ambassador" for Islam in Spanish. Morales attended Mormon, Baptist and Jehovah's Witness services. She talked religion with a Jewish friend. In 2001, she moved to New York City. When terrorist-piloted airplanes slammed into the World Trade Center, she, with millions of other Americans, was enraged. Then she bought a Quran to better understand Islam. What she found was surprising. "When I came across Islam, I was encouraged to ask questions. All my questions were answered," she said. "I got a Bible to compare with the Quran. When I found that Islam didn't disregard Jesus, that was a big deal with me. Islam doesn't disregard any of the messengers and prophets there's room for Adam, Noah, Jesus and finally the Prophet Muhammad, peace be to them all." For Dawood, the values of Islam comported with what she had been taught in her Catholic girlhood. "It teaches love and peace," she said. Islam, she said, offers direction on how to treat people, get along with parents, to engage in charity without judging the recipients. "When I travel and see someone in need, I give a dollar. What they do with it is up to them," she said. Islam in Spanish founder Jaime Muhajid Fletcher was a searcher, too. Classes at west Houston's Elfarouq mosque brought him to the faith, and, arguably, saved his life. A one-time Houston gang member, Fletcher, 39, was traveling this week and unavailable for comment. In a 2008 Houston Chronicle article, though, the Colombian native explained the transformative nature of his found faith. "I didn't drink anymore. I didn't smoke anymore. I didn't go out," he said. "Not because someone told me to stop, but because I would have felt dirty if I'd done it. It was a total change. Deep inside, I wanted peace, and I wanted justice and for God to have given me Islam it is what I hoped for all along." Conversion and conflict The roots of religion run deep, and conversion often doesn't come without pain. In Hispanic families, said Gutierrez, a move from Christianity to Islam can be perceived as betrayal. "Latino families associate Islam with a certain culture and people," he said. "When you embrace Islam, it's as if you had rejected your own people." Gutierrez, related to Fletcher by marriage, said his family's acceptance of his conversion at first was "a struggle." "My mother really was very rejecting," he said. "She would say things like 'I won't go with you.'" Morales agreed. "Family members can feel betrayed until they see that this new path is only enhancing and bettering you," she said. "When I moved to New York, my parents worried that I would be clubbing and drinking. When I embraced Islam, it almost came as a relief to them." Morales, who wears a Muslim scarf, even reconciled her new belief with her devout Catholic grandmother. "My grandmother in Mexico, actually, wears a scarf, covers her head, upon entering the church. The older generation does that," Morales said. "When I struck up a conversation about my hijab with her, it wasn't an alien concept." On one torrid Mexican day, she recalled, the grandmother-granddaughter head coverings even inspired a moment of weary commiseration. "Oh," the older woman sighed, "it's so hot." When thinking about what to cook for dinner I let vegetables lead the way. With local farmers markets in full swing, the choices are huge, but for a stir-fry I narrow my options down to flavor, texture, and color contrasts. What combination will give me a good bang for my buck in all those departments? A few days ago, while roaming around the various vegetable stalls and chatting with the farmers I decided on broccoli, sugar snap peas, yellow and green zucchini, scallions, and carrots. The one absent food that also called to me was cremini mushrooms. I couldve settled for farmers market oyster mushrooms, but the texture wasnt right: too soft and flabby. Why not shiitake youre asking? The dried ones are too strongly flavored for the dish I was planning, and the fresh shiitake too bland. Fresh garlic, in abundance at the farmers market, also made it into my shopping bag. I bought a knob of fresh ginger, definitely not a local product, at my supermarket. And for meat, I opted for chicken breast. A key part of an Asian stir-fry is the sauce. How to decide what will go well with all the vegetables and chicken? For heat I opted for chili paste with garlic and for meatiness, oyster sauce. Soy sauce and roasted sesame oil rounded out the flavors. One problem with chicken in a stir-fry is that it has this tendency to become dry and chewy. The solution? Velveting. Irene Kuo, in her seminal book, The Key to Chinese Cooking, says to combine slices of chicken with egg white, cornstarch, oil, sherry, and salt and let the combo refrigerate for about an hour. When ready to cook the stir-fry, add the chicken to a saucepan of simmering water, cook for a minute or two, then drain and stir-fry with the vegetables. The chicken becomes especially tender and has an opaque white color. So use this recipe as a springboard for your own ideas. Try to stick to vegetables in-season, mix and match them according to your tastes, and remember to season the sauce so that it packs a punch of flavor. And feel free to use tofu, beef, or pork instead of chicken. Or just stick to the vegetables. After all, theyre the ones that lead the way! Stir-Fried Summer Vegetables with Chicken Prep the chicken first. While its chilling, get the veggies and sauce ready. Velvet the chicken and move on to the stir-fry. Serve with boiled rice, preferably short-grained, which sticks together and will hold in chopsticks. The Chicken and Velvet Coating 1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts 1 large egg white 1 tablespoon dry sherry 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil Vegetables for Stir-Fry 3 scallions, trimmed and sliced 1/4-inch-thick 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger 3 garlic cloves, chopped medium-fine 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, strings removed and pods cut in half on the bias 2 cups broccoli florets (about 1/2 pound) 1 small green zucchini (about 4 ounces), diced 1 small yellow zucchini (about 4 ounces), diced 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced into half-moons 1/2 to 3/4 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and diced Sauce for Stir-fry 1/3 cup water 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon dry sherry 2 tablespoon oyster sauce 1 to 3 teaspoons chili paste with garlic 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil For Cooking Peanut, safflower, or sunflower oil, 4 tablespoons For the chicken, slice the breasts crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg white until foamy. Whisk in the sherry, cornstarch, salt, and oil until completely smooth. Add the chicken, stir well, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour (or for a few hours). Have all the vegetables ready and within reach. For the sauce, put the water into a small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch until dissolved. Whisk in the soy sauce, sherry, oyster sauce, chili paste with garlic (use 3 teaspoons for a comfortably spicy dish), and the roasted sesame oil. To velvet the chicken, bring about 1 1/2 quarts water to the simmer in a medium saucepan. Add the chilled chicken to the water. Give a big stir and cook at the simmer for about 2 minutes. Chicken will turn an opaque white. Drain well. To cook the stir-fry dish, set a wok or large skillet over high heat. When hot, add 4 tablespoons oil, swirl the pan, and add the scallions, ginger, and garlic. Stir and cook 30 seconds. Add all the remaining vegetables at once. I dont stand on ceremony, so in they all go. Stir and toss constantly for a few minutes until the vegetables are crisp tender. Add the velveted chicken and cook, tossing, another minute or two. Give the sauce a stir and pour into the cooking pan. Cook and toss until sauce is thickened and coats vegetables and chicken. Turn into a serving dish and serve with hot boiled rice. Makes: 4 servings. The Missoula County Attorneys Office is in full compliance with an agreement made two years ago to improve the way sexual assault cases are handled by local prosecutors, Montana Attorney General Tim Fox announced Wednesday. His office's oversight of the issue has ended, Fox said. In June 2014, Foxs office entered into an agreement with then-County Attorney Fred Van Valkenburg and the U.S. Department of Justice, ending a feud between the county prosecutor and the federal agency. This is a big day for her and the team," Fox said of County Attorney Kirsten Pabst, elected after Van Valkenburg retired. "I think this is a big day for the community. This all began in a way that felt like the black cloud. We found the silver lining. In 2012, the Department of Justice launched an investigation into the way the county attorneys office, as well as the Missoula Police Department and University of Montana, responded to sex assault reports. On Wednesday, Fox said news stories about rape and sex assault cases originally drew the federal agencys attention to Missoula. The issue became the subject of a 2015 book by Jon Krakauer Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town. In 2013, UM and the city police department entered into agreements with DOJ that listed a series of stipulations, trainings, procedure overhauls and audits they were required to undergo. Last year, the DOJ announced both agencies had fulfilled their obligations. Since signing onto the agreement the county prosecutor's office, under Pabst, has developed better policies for handling sexual assault cases, participated in additional training for its attorneys, formed a special victims unit to prosecute sex crimes and hired additional staff to better communicate with victims. With all of its changes and reforms, Fox said he believes the Missoula County Attorneys Office represents the model for the rest of the country, not just Montana. Pabst said the special victims unit, which she formed after taking office at the start of 2015, will add a fifth attorney in October. These cases take exponentially more time and preparation to handle, Pabst said. Its a skill set nobody is born with, you have to learn that. Since starting the special victims unit, Pabsts office has located one of its attorneys at the Missoula Police Department, helping investigators in the early stages including meetings with victims and writing search warrants. The police have gone out of their way to commit to doing things right, Pabst said. One of the victims unit attorneys, Suzy Boylan, also compiled a guide for handling of sexual assault cases that Fox said has since been distributed to prosecutors offices across Montana. Attorneys in the victims unit are also taking part in training sessions for law enforcement and prosecutors in the state. As part of the agreement, Pabst hired an investigator and a victim witness coordinator who connects victims of sex crimes with services and acts as a point of contact. Jenny Daniel, coordinator of the multi-agency JUST Response program that focuses on sex assault, domestic violence and child abuse in Missoula, said Pabsts office has been a very active contributor. Theyve been really involved, they are at all of our meetings and work on training and providing a prosecutor's perspective on these important issues, she said. In a letter sent to Fox at the end of June, Anne Munch, hired to assess the progress made by the Missoula prosecutors office, congratulated Pabst and her staff on their efforts and accomplishments, in particular saying they have dramatically improved the way they treat victims. In 2014, during the first quarter Munch monitored cases in Missoula, she found prosecutors took an average of 35 days to contact a victim after a case was referred to them. In her most recent quarterly report, issued in February, Munch said that time period had shrunk to less than a day. Under the agreement, the county attorneys office was required to undergo an independent review by Foxs office, a process Pabst and the attorney general said they intend to continue. Pabst said her office has also contracted with a trauma counselor both to help them better understand the behaviors of the victims of sexual violence and to work with attorneys on how to handle the stress of working on such cases. While the attorney general and county attorney said Wednesdays announcement was a milestone they added there is still a lot of work to be done. Today is truly a celebration but its also the starting line, Pabst said. Fox said a continued focus on outreach and education, as well as reexamining sex crime laws in Montana, are paramount, points Munch also highlighted in her letter as areas Pabst's office should continue to work on. Societal bias, misconceptions and victim blaming make these hard to prosecute, Fox said. Pabst said the prosecutors in her office take every opportunity they get to go to schools and social organizations to discuss domestic violence and sex crimes. Fox said his office will support bills in the next Legislature to reform criminal laws, including a better definition of consent in sexual assault and rape cases. Pabst said it would be helpful to change the law from having to prove a negative to simply having to show that affirmative consent was given. She said her office also supports changes in what it means for a person to be incapacitated and therefore not able to provide consent. Under the current statute and how courts have interpreted it, Pabst said to show a person was incapacitated due to drugs or alcohol, We have to show essentially that they are passed out. Firefighters from around the region are expected to attend a public memorial service for Lolo Hotshot Justin Beebe on Saturday in Missoula. Beebe died on Aug. 13 while fighting the Strawberry fire in Great Basin National Park, Nevada. He was killed by a falling tree. A resident of Bellows Falls, Vermont, he was working his first year with the Missoula-based Lolo Hotshots. He was 26. A funeral procession through Las Vegas on Wednesday included more than 100 officials from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Clark County, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and many other affected agencies. The Las Vegas Review Journal reported dozens of firefighting and law enforcement vehicles participated in the procession to North Las Vegas Airport. Intersections and streets along the 6-mile route from the funeral home to the airport were closed during the procession. He was saluted by colleagues as his casket was borne by an honor guard aboard a twin-engine National Park Service "smokejumper" aircraft at the airport. Beebe's body has been flown to his family's home in Vermont. Hotshot teams are elite 20-person crews tasked with the most dangerous or complex jobs in forest fire ground actions. He wanted so much to be a Hotshot, so he hit the road to meet with many crews and left them each with a can of his familys homemade maple syrup so the superintendent would remember the Vermonter," said a note published by Beebe's family. " He truly was living his dream, thanks to the Lolo Hotshots. The Missoula memorial service starts at 11 a.m. Saturday in Ogren Park at Allegiance Field, 700 Cregg Lane. The public is invited. Additional information may be found at justinbeebememorial.blogspot.com. Condolences may be sent to justinbeebememorial@gmail.com. *** The Associated Press contributed to this article. The Missoula County-approved project to build a new bridge across the Bitterroot River rolls on, but its under threat of a lawsuit. The Maclay Bridge Alliance, a vocal opponent of the South Avenue Bridge project, said the refusal by state transportation officials to conduct an environmental impact study that includes a less costly option of rehabilitating the one-lane Maclay Bridge downstream might prompt court action. We think the alternatives that considers fixing Maclay Bridge has to be considered in this decision, said Fred Stewart of the alliance. Nearly 100 people were in attendance Tuesday night as project manager Dan Harmon and his associates at HDR Engineering held the second of three scheduled public informational meetings at Big Sky High School. The first was held in September 2015 and the final one should occur in late October or early November in the form of a county commissioners hearing. Thats pending completion of an environmental document known as a categorical exclusion, which opponents insist isnt sufficient review for such a far-reaching project that would extend South Avenue across the river in a northwesterly angle and tie in with River Pines and Blue Mountain roads. A preferred alternative has been settled on. Its projected to cost $13.1 million, including $300,000 to remove Maclay Bridge. Its a balanced span configuration that misses by just $26,000 being the most inexpensive of seven original alternatives on the board the most expensive coming in at over $29 million. A disadvantage is that the design calls for two piers in the active river channel. Missoula County has taken the lead in the bridge project, but the funding comes from the Federal Highway Administration by way of the Montana Department of Transportation. Erik Dickson, the countys project manager, said MDT has said the money wont be available until 2020 at the earliest. Tuesdays meeting was set back three months after a helicopter survey discovered that federal floodplain mapping was incorrect. Harmon said its still wrong, but HDR eventually got the go-ahead to use its own mapping. Geotechnical, hydrology and cultural resource studies are all but finished. Everything is completed to this point, including noise monitoring, as far as we can do, said Harmon. We were only able to go out on properties that we could legally access There may be a need once the project goes further along and gets to the final design to get more access to properties. That leaves drafting and finalizing an environmental report. And that is leaving many South Avenue neighbors cold. The new bridge the first in a new location over the Bitterroot River in decades would be an accident waiting to happen, Dani Headapohl said. Headapohl, a Missoula physician, said while she sees some cultural insensitivity, her main concern is safety. We are now converting a dead-end street to a high-speed highway and the scope of the project doesnt allow them to look at what happens to the kids at the top of the hill or what happens to the high-school student whos hurrying on his way to work and now that hes not slowed by Maclay Bridge he can go really fast, she said. Its a concern I think thats echoed by virtually every woman I know who has children or grandchildren or friends who have kids in that entire area. Stewart said a categorical exclusion to build a new bridge in a new location doesnt even come close to federal guidelines. The Maclay Bridge Alliance has hired a historic bridge consultant from Pennsylvania to inspect Maclay Bridge. Dr. Jai B. Kim will be in Missoula Sept. 18-21 and deliver his findings on Sept. 20 in the county administration building in the afternoon and at Target Range Elementary School at 7 p.m. Kim is a professor of civil engineering emeritus at Rutgers University who has examples of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places that hes successfully worked to rehabilitate, Stewart said. He has a way of introducing structural components on a bridge to bring it to a higher load rating and get rid of fractured bridge design all reasons people give as to why Maclay Bridge cant be fixed. In a news release issued Monday, the Maclay Bridge Alliance said county commissioners signed off on the South Avenue Bridge project last year after being told that Maclay Bridge was obsolete and could not be considered for rehabilitation. MBA strongly disagrees. Reconsidering the old bridge is the most important omission for the majority of our neighborhood residents, Stewart said, adding those in the South Avenue neighborhood are ready to draw a line in the sand and say, No more. If it becomes necessary, he added, in spite of our attempts to avoid it, we will use our right for judicial review. An 18-year-old Missoula man already accused of raping a 15-year-old girl pleaded not guilty Tuesday to new charges that he had sex with two other minors, and solicited and received explicit photos from teenage girls. Justin Robert Wieder was arrested in June on a charge of sexual intercourse without consent after a girls father reported to law enforcement that his daughter and Wieder had been involved in a sexual relationship. The girl told authorities she had been introduced to Wieder about six months earlier and they began having sex after about two months. Wieder pleaded not guilty to the charge in July. In early August, prosecutors filed four new felony charges against Wieder, two for sexual intercourse without consent and two for sexual abuse of children. Although the charges were filed after Wieders arrest in his other case, they accuse him of criminal acts that allegedly occurred in 2015. According to a court affidavit, the principal of Frenchtown Junior High told a Missoula County sheriffs deputy in October 2015 that two girls at the school, ages 12 and 13, reported Wieder asked them to send nude photographs of themselves to him. The girls reported that Wieder allegedly said he had sex with a friend of theirs and that if they did not send him photographs, he would turn her in, adding that she would be in trouble, according to the affidavit. One of the girls told a detective the requests began around the start of October, and that she eventually sent him several nude photographs. The girls friend said she had sex with Wieder during a weekend in the spring of 2015. The affidavit said after the first time she was freaking out and scared but that Wieder would not let her go home. In an interview with law enforcement, Wieder allegedly said he thought she was 14 or 15 years old, but later learned she was 13. The age of consent in Montana is 16. Wieder said he also received nude photos from another 15-year-old girl that he had started dating in September 2014, and allegedly had sex with while she was underage, according to the affidavit. Montana law allows, and prosecutors have chosen, to charge Wieder as an adult in both cases. During his arraignment hearing Tuesday, Wieders public defense attorney Jennifer Streano requested a transfer hearing to determine if his criminal cases will remain in Missoula County District Court or be moved to juvenile court, because Wieders alleged offenses occurred when he was 17 years old. LAS VEGAS Nevada, which calls itself the "Battle Born State," actually was born prematurely because of Republicans' anxiety. Now, 152 years later, it again is a subject of their anxiety. Entering 1864, Abraham Lincoln and his party were intensely, and reasonably, in doubt about his re-election. So, scrambling for every electorate vote, Republicans decided to conjure three from thin air thin desert air. They began the process of admitting Nevada to the union, even though the 1860 census said its population was 6,857, far short of the 60,000 ostensibly required for statehood. Nine days before the election, the Republican-controlled Congress made Nevada a state (although Gen. Sherman's Sept. 2 capture of Atlanta probably guaranteed Lincoln's victory). On election night 2016, the nation's attention might be focused on Nevada, where Republicans have their most promising, and probably their only realistic, chance to capture a Democratic Senate seat. Harry Reid, Senate minority leader, is retiring, and Republicans' hopes of retaining their majority might depend on Joe Heck replacing Reid. He is a strong candidate for his party, as his opponent is for hers. Catherine Cortez Masto is a former two-term state attorney general who won re-election even against the 2010 anti-Democratic wave. She would be the Senate's first Latina. Heck, an emergency room physician and a brigadier general in the Army Reserve, is a third-term congressman from the Las Vegas metropolitan area, where 75 percent of Nevada voters live. His district, where he defeated his 2014 Democratic opponent by 24.6 points, is 19 percent Hispanic and 16 percent Asian-American. The state's non-Hispanic white population was 79 percent in 1990 and is now 54 percent. There are about 70,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans, down from 90,000 in 2012, when Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney here by 67,806 votes. According to the Almanac of American Politics, Nevada was the fastest-growing state in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and from 2000 to 2007, before the economy cratered. Since 1990, the population of Henderson, a Las Vegas suburb, has quadrupled to 286,000, the size of Cincinnati. Heck says many people come to Nevada, which has no income tax, in flight from Democratic governance in contiguous California but some come with, and retain, Democratic attitudes. Only 24 percent of Nevadans were born in the state, the lowest percentage of any state, which is one reason Nevada was devastated by the subprime mortgage crisis, which left 62 percent of Nevada homeowners "underwater" owing more on the mortgages than their homes were worth. Today, only 24 percent are, but Cortez Masto is picking at the scab of the post-2008 trauma with ads accusing Heck of putting the "big banks before Nevada families," partly because he has received contributions from the financial industry. Heck notes that Trump's candidacy has energized Nevada Republicans. He says their February caucuses on a Tuesday evening attracted more participants than the 2008 and 2012 caucuses combined. Which is good for Heck, unless it isn't: Trump might similarly energize the Hispanic 17 percent of the electorate against Trump, with Heck as collateral damage. Nevada has a senator from each party and a split (three Republicans, one Democrat) House delegation. Polls show a close contest between Heck and Cortez Masto. Today, there are 54 Republican senators, seven of whom are in difficult re-election races: Arizona's John McCain, New Hampshire's Kelly Ayotte, Pennsylvania's Pat Toomey, Ohio's Rob Portman, Missouri's Roy Blunt, Wisconsin's Ron Johnson and Illinois' Mark Kirk. Johnson and Kirk are currently trailing by five or more points. If Hillary Clinton becomes president, Vice President Tim Kaine will vote with Democrats to organize a 50-50 Senate. Republicans, needing 51 seats for control, must have a net loss of no more than three. If, in October, Clinton seems headed for the presidency, Heck may need to convince many Nevadans who are tepidly for Clinton to vote strategically supporting him so a Republican Senate can restrain her. Reid is determined to keep his seat Democratic, but Heck says that in 2014 Reid's celebrated turnout machine was "an utter disaster." In 1908, the Silver State (another Nevada nickname, a legacy of the long-since-depleted Comstock Lode) voted for a third and final time for the Democrats' presidential nominee William Jennings Bryan, who favored free coinage of silver. Since then, only once (in 1976, when it favored President Gerald Ford) has Nevada not supported a winner. Which is another reason the nation will be watching Nevada late on Nov. 8. Political parties change over time, sometimes reversing roles, sometimes disappearing. Todays GOP has undergone many transformations since its birth in the 1850s as the successor to the Whig Party. The Republican Party was founded on and ultimately found its legitimacy as the abolitionist, anti-slavery party prior to and after the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln, Americas 16th and arguably greatest president, was its voice and identity. Today we wonder if the GOP is going to be Abraham Lincolns party or Donald Trumps. In the years following Lincoln, because of the Republican commitment to ending slavery and reforming the south, and because of the vestiges of slavery/racism in Americas south, we saw a century in which the solid south was solidly Democratic. Republicans didnt stand a chance in the south, but their party led the rest of the nation in the progressive era, peaking in the period of Republican President Teddy Roosevelt. As the Democratic Party sought to support in northern cities, it struggled for an identity not based on the Jim Crow racism of the south often cloaked in the rhetoric of states rights. The crisis period that changed the Democratic Party came between 1948 and 1968. In the 1948 Democratic National Convention, Hubert Humphrey urged the Democratic Party to "get out of the shadow of states' rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights." Strom Thurmond Dixiecrats bolted the party. Yet, in the 1950s it was still a Republican president, Dwight Eisenhower, who sent the federal troops into Little Rock to enforce school desegregation. Real change, the role reversal based on civil rights, began during the 1960 campaign when John F. Kennedy called up Coretta Scott King when she was fearful for Martin Luther Kings life when he was held in Georgia State Prison for probation violation. Then-Vice President Richard Nixon, the GOP presidential candidate, decided not to make that phone call. Following JFKs 1960 election, he tried to walk a line between southern and northern Democrats, but ultimately bent toward that sunshine of human rights. After Kennedys assassination, Lyndon Johnson, a southerner, became a profile in courage when he pushed through the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Racially tinged southern Democratic opposition to that legislation and to the direction of the party led to a long-term loss of Democratic strength in the South. Meanwhile, the noble history of Lincolns GOP was radically altered in 1968 by politically reincarnated Richard Nixons electorally driven southern strategy, which used racial code words, dog whistles and states rights rhetoric to secure, long-term, the southern vote for Republicans (described in Kevin Phillips 1969 book "The Emerging Southern Majority"). Its been a while since the GOP was Lincolns party. A Republican Party identity crisis looms today, thanks to Donald Trump, who has gone way beyond dog-whistle politics to outright appeals to racism and intolerance and who strikes out at all kinds of people and peoples. In her book, "Team of Rivals (The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln)", historian Doris Kearns Goodwin notes Lincolns extraordinary array of personal qualities and that in the hands of a truly great politician (Lincoln) the qualities we generally associate with decency and morality kindness, sensitivity, compassion, honesty, and empathy can also be impressive political resources. She points out that under appalling pressures, Lincoln refused to be provoked by petty grievances, to submit to jealousy, or to brood over perceived slights. Goodwins book, written in 2005, could not have anticipated the GOP ascendancy of Donald Trump. Yet the very attributes Goodwin described as supreme assets for Lincoln represent potentially fatal flaws in Trump, who can be baited by a tweet to react in ways that are not just counter to his own good but also to the good of the country. Trumps instability and uncontrollable reactivity contrasts directly with Lincolns studied calmness in the face of the most strenuous assaults. So, has the GOP just lost its way? Will it, following this election, find itself returning to being the party of Lincoln, or even the party of Nixon? Or will it find itself, in Trump victory or defeat, permanently changed, having lost its soul? And, if so, will good-hearted Republicans stay with such a party? I sat in on a meeting being held at the City Club, where the Republican candidate for governor, Greg Gianforte, spoke. I immediately could tell that this conversation was going to be centered around technology and the economy, but there was one prying question I needed to ask. When it was my turn, I told Gianforte that I was a patient at Planned Parenthood and I asked him if he would defund them if he were to become governor. His response did not take me by surprise based on the fact that since 2014 he has donated over $2 million to anti-choice organizations. He responded by saying that he has not put "any specific proposals out and that he is pro-life and will defend it here in the state. Although this was the answer I expected, it is not the answer I deserved. As a citizen in the state of Montana, I deserve to have correct and complete answers from the people who represent me. I also deserve a governor who will not give into fear and will continue to fund this health care facility that not only helps me get affordable birth control, but also provides important services to women and men. In November, I plan on voting for the governor who continually votes in favor of womens health. I plan on voting for the governor who always goes to bat for people like me who get their health care from Planned Parenthood. I plan on voting for Gov. Steve Bullock and I hope you do to. Mariah Welch, Missoula Montana has a vibrant and growing technology industry. A growing number of its leaders and participants are backing Steve Bullocks re-election campaign. The reasons are clear: Montana is a great place for technology companies and they want to keep it that way. Montana has a favorable tax structure and business environment for technology companies and other business. The conservative Tax Foundation ranks Montana as the sixth-best state in the nation for our business tax climate. We also have other features that are key to recruiting and retaining employees: amazing public land access, a culture and government policies that welcome diversity regardless of ethnicity, gender orientation or religious beliefs and a strong public school system. A growing number of technology leaders see Greg Gianforte as a potential threat to their industry because of his positions on diversity, public lands and public schools. A group of technology leaders have come together to voice their concerns and create a forum where others can join them. They are sending a message to Montana voters that Bullock is the better choice for their businesses. You can see their message on a newly created website at www.opensourcemt.org. Please check it out and see why a growing number of Montanas technology leaders are supporting Governor Bullock. David Kendall, Missoula BILLINGS - Victims of crime willing to speak out about their experience with the justice system are invited to share their thoughts with Montana Attorney General Tim Fox. Fox is hosting a crime victims forum Thursday at the Billings Public Library. Fox said victims who attend will be given a chance to inform state and local officials about the experiences they had going through the criminal justice system, according to a news release from Fox's office. The forum is meant to discuss three things; the personal experiences victims had with the justice system; the way they were treated by law enforcement, prosecutors and other staff employed through the criminal justice system; and where crime victims see a need for improvement. Fox, Montana Department of Justice officials, local law enforcement agencies and victim advocates will be attending the forum. The Billings Public Library, 510 N. Broadway, will be hosting the forum in the library's community room from 11 a.m. to noon on Thursday. The public is invited to attend the forum. Questions and RSVPs can be directed to Fox's Deputy Communications Director Anastasia Burton. She can be reached by phone at 406-444-2026 or by emailing aburton@mt.gov. HAMILTON A Corvallis woman faces felony child endangerment charges after her mother called the sheriffs office to report that her daughter was neglecting her 10-month-old twin daughters because of her drug use. Raquel Ranae Murray, 20, appeared before Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey on two counts of child endangerment and felony charges of criminal distribution and possession of dangerous drugs. According to the charging affidavit, Murrays mother called the Ravalli County sheriffs office on Aug. 13 to report her concerns about Murrays twin daughters. According to court documents filed in the case, Murrays mother reported her daughter to Child Protective Services and turned syringes and other drug items over to the sheriffs office. In an unrelated case, Keith Richard Sines was arrested on warrants out of Wyoming. A search of his cellphone yielded text messages between Murray and Sines in which Murray allegedly offered to sell methamphetamine for $50 in the parking lot of her residence. Bailey set bail at $10,000 with a requirement that Murray be monitored for drugs if released from detention. BUTTE - A Butte graphic artist is part of an Emmy-nominated team for work on a 90-minute documentary featuring the history of rock-climbing. The Discovery Channel has aired it. Wesley Meeks, 27, is one of five Missoula residents and two out-of-staters nominated for visual effects in Valley Uprising in the Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction category. Its a crazy feeling, said Meeks, a three-dimensional animation artist and 2007 Butte High School graduate. I cant really describe it; its surreal. I never thought it would get a nomination. Its really unbelievable. The 37th annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards take place at Lincoln Center in New York City on Sept. 21. The teams collaborative animation, composition and design graphics are lumped in with heavy hitters HBO Documentary Films, NOVA and POV Point of View and 'David Attenborough's Rise of Animals' on the Smithsonian Channel. Based mostly in Missoula, the team, Meeks and project head Barry Thompson are psyched about the nomination. I think it has a really good chance of winning, said Thompson, art director and lead motion designer. Thats just me thinking positive, though. The film portrays the hard-core climbers in Yosemite and their counterculture lifestyle of Dumpster-diving and wild parties that clashed with the conservative values of the National Park Service, as filmmaker Sender Films of Boulder, Colo., describes the plot on IMDB.com. Its really a fringe of rock-climbing, Thompson added. Its a part of Americana overlooked in general. Thompson, a 16-year graphic artist who taught Meeks at the University of Montana and Half Wild designs owner, said a portion of the film includes rock-climbings Golden Era of the 1950s and 1960s up to the late 1970s. Meeks built many of the 3D models in the process, then handed them to Thompson and colleagues to composite, said head compositor/animator Gregg Twigg, UM professor in the Media Arts department. We all had different roles that we played, said Twigg. Wes was a little more responsible for 3D mapping on some composite shots. It was a big undertaking. After combining 2-dimensional and 3D images together from a photograph, Thompson and Twigg combined layers to create various mind-blowing effects. From a straight photograph of Lost Arrow Spire in Yosemite adjacent to Upper Yosemite Falls Meeks helped create a 180-degree twist or computer-generated moving camera shot around the pillar. Now, with what Wes did to bring in our skills, we could go around the rock, as if a camera is going around it, said Thompson. It is super-dynamic and includes birds flying by. It really turned out stunning. The film encompasses a half-century of rock-climbing tradition in the park. The artists created the effects from all vintage photographs. Wesleys shots are definitely two of my favorite in the film, said Thompson. Theyre fantastic. Meeks earned an undergraduate degree in media arts, then a masters in integrated digital media from UM. He taught himself design principles and 3D animation. He lives in Lolo but works at Warm Springs Productions in Missoula. At the time I worked on Valley Uprising, I was a student and it was pretty much my first professional freelance job, said Meeks. His mother, Elizabeth Wing Spooner of Butte, credits local 4-H club photography leaders with launching his keen interest in the graphic arts. They did some remarkable activities with those kids, she said. Fast forward to the Emmys, which Meeks, Thompson, Twigg and spouses plan to attend. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences nominated a variety of projects in 46 categories. Thompson said Valley Uprising has already won numerous outdoor adventure film awards. But then, the directors sold the rights to the Discovery Channel to broadcast it, Thompson added. So for this nomination, Discovery entered it under Outstanding Graphic Design and Art Direction. Most likely, the Discovery Channel entered it in a couple other sections, but this is the category the Academy locked on. Marty Blumen of New Zealand and Mark Palkoski of New York comprise the rest of the project team. Wing Spooner offered to help pay for the trip to the Emmys for her son and daughter-in-law, Chandra Moles. No matter what, Valley Uprising and its special effects wizards will be in fine company at the big-city gala. Its not easy, said Twigg. Were up against the best of the best. HBO has some of the best art direction, while were just a small shop, people living normal lives. Twigg taught Meeks, too, in college. Hes glad to have him on board the Emmy train. Its kinda cool to work on some projects with a former student and colleague, added Twigg. HELENA The Montana Public Service Commission on Tuesday voted 3-2 to stop NorthWestern Energy from passing on to ratepayers the costs related to a 2013 outage at the Colstrip power plant. After a malfunction shut down Unit 4 at Colstrip, NorthWestern Energy had to buy $8.2 million of electricity on the market to make up for the loss of power and meet Montana consumers demands. The utility is allowed by law, with commission approval, to recover by raising rates for costs incurred while serving customers. But the commission last March found that the $8.2 million NorthWestern spent to buy power on the market didnt meet requirements to be passed along to consumers. Commissioners Brad Johnson, R-East Helena; Roger Koopman, R-Bozeman; and Travis Kavulla, R-Great Falls, voted to reject NorthWesterns request for reconsideration. Commissioners Bob Lake, R-Hamilton; and Kirk Bushman, R-Billings, dissented. Im not sure what part of no NorthWestern doesnt understand, Koopman said in a news release. Certainly, they had a right to bring this before us again. But as strong as some of us felt that the outage was avoidable, and that the utility should have exercised greater prudence, the company needed to bring us some very compelling new arguments. Clearly, they did not. Koopman is running for re-election in District 3 against Democrat Pat Noonan and Independent Caron Cooper. Lake is running for re-election in District 4 against Democrat Gail Gutsche. NorthWestern spokesman Butch Larcombe said the utility doesnt agree with the decision. The utility didnt have outage insurance that would have covered some costs because it believed the price of the insurance was prohibitive. The Montana Consumer Counsel and the Montana Environmental Information Center argued NorthWestern should have explored outage insurance to protect ratepayers and investigated making the manufacturer, Siemens, pay for the electricity the utility had to buy. The core malfunctioned after routine maintenance. Larcombe said NorthWestern doesnt agree with those opinions. He said other owners at Colstrip asked their states public service commissions to let them to pass along some of the costs and those commissions allowed it. NorthWestern hasnt decided how to proceed after Tuesdays vote. In dissent, Lake said, I fully support legitimate reasons to reduce electricity rates for consumers, but I do not believe the commission had the legal authority to do what we did in this situation. A Montana Tech official has confirmed that 15 students enrolled in summer school have been expelled for cheating. There were students who participated in academic dishonesty practices that have been permanently dismissed from Montana Tech, Doug Abbott, vice chancellor for academic affairs, confirmed for The Montana Standard on Wednesday. Abbott declined to release further information about the incident and the dismissed students, including the specific classes in which the cheating occurred; the grade status, major or gender of the students; and whether they were international students. We dont release student information, Abbott repeatedly said. Montana Tech has high academic standards and we take academic dishonesty very seriously. I think the permanent dismissal of these 15 students is evidence of the quality education that we give at Montana Tech, he added. An email obtained by The Montana Standard detailed several alleged specific cheating strategies used, including scanner pens, phones hidden in calculators, hand signals, and diversion tactics. Engineering calculators and other discipline-specific calculators are used in Techs science-heavy classes. Most cell phones have general calculators, as well. Abbott would not confirm the use of electronic devices or any other specific cheating techniques used, but said that the students who were dismissed violated rules in the student handbook. If you go to our website, theres a list of five things that we consider academic dishonesty, he said. Its one of those five things. They include: Aiding another student Copying from the paper of another student while taking an exam Plagiarism Unauthorized signatures; that is, using a persons signature without permission Using unauthorized aids to pass an examination, including crib notes, electronic devices (e.g. cellphones), books, or any other material to assist ... in passing the examination unless the instructor of the class has specifically given permission to use such materials. It is up to individual professors to establish cell phone usage policies in their classes. When asked if the cheating was a coordinated group effort, Abbott declined to comment. Summer sessions are broken into three sections: from May through June, from July to August and from May through August. Abbott did not say which section the cheating occurred in, or who reported the infractions to his office. Student policy dictates that professors report cheating directly to Abbotts office: If it is determined that a student is deliberately cheating on an examination or a written or oral assignment, he or she should receive a grade of F on that examination or assignment as a minimum penalty. The instructor may drop the student from the course with an F grade. Furthermore, the policy states: In reported cases of repeated cheating, the Academic Standards Committee may consider applying additional penalties beyond those imposed by the individual instructors, up to and including expulsion. Abbott characterized the cheating and subsequent expulsions as a one-time incident. Its not an ongoing phenomenon, he said. It is an isolated occurrence. Its a tough week here in Butte as two Butte guys of note passed away. Both Joe Quilici and Bob OBill made a mark on their town, its people, its history. Although they both greatly impacted Butte, they did it in totally different ways and their respective accomplishments demonstrate that there are many ways to make a difference. And to understand these two men is to understand Butte. Joe Quilicis path was very public. Elected to the Montana House of Representatives in 1970, he began service there on behalf of Butte in the 1971 legislature, the first session in which I was involved. While many longer serving legislators moved from the House to the Senate, Joe never left the House for the thirty years he served. He was glad to wield his influence on behalf of Butte in the junior chamber where his seniority served him and Butte well until he was term-limited out under that ill-advised law. Joe was a key member of the Butte-Anaconda-Southwest Montana team that had influence in Helena far greater than their number would warrant. There is a very long list of projects and priorities that have the fingerprints of Joe and his fellow area legislators on them. Those have been only partially listed in news stories, obituary and memorial statements and I wont try to list them all here. Joe always was part of a team that put Butte first. He enjoyed accomplishing things for Butte but he always saw those accomplishments as team accomplishments, often done with help from both sides of the aisle, for Joe would work with anyone who could help get the job done, especially if it was for Butte. When I moved to Butte from Helena in June of 1979 I had already worked with Joe and the Butte delegation for five sessions. But it wasnt until I had become part of Butte, and Butte part of me, that I understood the drive that Joe and the delegation had for the city and its people. As it is in politics, we sometimes disagreed but more often than not we found ourselves in harness together, especially when the issue pitted Butte against the rest of the world. When he was forced out of the Legislature, Joe served four years as a member of the Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners. Joe was a truly public person, involved in his community. One of his involvements for many years was as a Board member for Our Lady of the Rockies. That Board, that effort, was the nexus where Joe Quilici and Bob OBill found common cause. Since December 1985, each day Bob OBill could look up to the top of the East Ridge and see the fruits of his commitment Our Lady of the Rockies. This inspiring story of Bob and Joyce OBill has been told many times over in many different ways. A story of personal love and commitment and faith, Our Lady of the Rockies helped fuel the faith of all of Butte as the Mining City suffered through economic dislocation that would have destroyed a lesser town, a lesser people. Bobs vision and its implementation channeled the efforts, hearts and spirits of skilled miners and tradesmen who were suffering a great loss. Instead of falling to depression, the individuals and community rose up and found a positive outlet, an inspiration to which they could aspire on a daily basis as their beloved town tried to get itself on solid footing and survive. Our Lady was a symbolic aspiration for a town and people who needed to move tenaciously and hopefully forward. The struggle to complete the Lady was not easy, just like the struggle for Butte to survive was not easy. But quitting was not in the make-up of Bob OBill and his friends just as it was and is not in the makeup of Butte. Like most everyone in Butte, I supported the efforts of these unemployed miners in small ways hoping to make a difference, hoping to contribute to the Lady on the mountain and a better future. The lessons of what it is to be Butte proud, Butte resilient are embodied in the efforts of Bob OBill in that symbol at the top of the East Ridge. After many years and over a quarter of a million hours of voluntary Butte hours, when she finally looked out over the Summit Valley on December 21, 1985, the fortunes of her people began improving. Both Joe and Bob, in their own way, were men in the arena. Teddy Roosevelt said it best: It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. Joe and Bob had both been in the arena of dedication, commitment and accomplishment. Butte too, as a city, as a culture, has always been in that arena as well. In Joes case, the arena was very public with many visible accomplishments. In Bobs case, it was a little less public, but no less notable, with his most visible accomplishment hovering forever above his beloved city and people. In the arena of accomplishment they both stood tall. Georgia Quilici and Joyce OBill stood tall with Joe and Bob as inspirations, support and guidance. Butte is thankful to all four of them as their community and fellow Buttians are better for their presence among us. May all of Butte aspire to be in the arena of accomplishment in some manner in the mold of Joe Quilici and Bob OBill. God speed. I would like to take this opportunity thank everyone involved in this the 14th An Ri Ra Irish Festival. Thanks to all of our committee members, volunteers, performers and all of the people who came out to help make this years festival one of the best ever. A special thank you to all of our sponsors, with out you none of this could ever happen. Finally the weather gods smiled down on us. What a beautiful weekend. The bands and dancers were unbelievable and were willing to help out with anything we would ask of them. So thank you Butte for helping us continue on with this great tradition. See you next year. Tap 'er Lite. -- Frank Walsh, chairman, 2016 An Ri Ra Irish Festival We arent native Montanans, having moved to Red Lodge in 1998. But over 18 years, its appeared to us that Montanans value maturity, responsibility and restraint. As such, it makes sense for Montana voters to deliver a resounding loss to Donald Trump in November. At first, Trumps claim that he alone can fix Washington may seem refreshingly independent. But his ignorance of government process and international realities should be alarming to anyone who understands that change requires knowing how things actually are now. The Montanans we know have a good sense of when someone doesnt know what hes talking about. Trump complains that theyre unfair to me the courts, the media, his Republican primary opponents. The Montanans we know rise to their responsibilities and accept the consequences. We dont know Montanans who continually call attention to themselves, put their personal victories ahead of all else and threaten those who disagree. We are by no means enthusiastic about Hillary Clinton, who has been disingenuous at best on important issues. Nor are we complacent about upheaval in the world. But we prefer a president whos been praised by Republicans for working across the aisle, as Clinton has been, over a president who cant get along, even in his own sandbox. We hope Montanas values will lead voters to reject Donald Trump. -- Dave Stauffer and Sue Bury, Red Lodge HELENA A former employee has filed a lawsuit against the hospital in Fort Benton, claiming the facility didnt acknowledge or properly respond to a scabies outbreak and that the infestation spread while leadership at the hospital lied about it. Shannon Walden, a former infection control coordinator, was fired Sept. 1, 2015, after she said she sent an email correcting the Missouri River Medical Centers director of nursing over what Walden said was incorrect information about the outbreak. Scabies is an infestation of the skin by the human itch mite, which burrows into upper layer of skin where it lives and lays eggs. It is transferred by skin-to-skin contact or contact with contaminated surfaces. It causes rash, bumps and blisters and severe itching. Those infected can have no symptoms for the first two to six weeks, but can still spread scabies during that period. Walden is suing for wrongful discharge, saying she was terminated in retaliation for reporting a violation of policy and her firing was without cause. She is asking for four years of lost wages, benefits and interest. She was earning $15,000 annually, including benefits, when she was let go. Her job at the center was to oversee the prevention, spread and management of infectious disease among residents, patients and staff. Walden was supervised by director of nursing Janice Woodhouse and CEO Louie King. The center is a critical-access facility, with a hospital and emergency room. There are seven acute-care beds. It also houses a 45-bed nursing home. Woodhouse, acting CEO at the center, didnt return a call for comment Tuesday. Waldens attorney, William P. Rideg, of Missoula, said he couldnt comment on the case, which was filed in the 12th Judicial District Court in Choteau County. In March 2015, according to the lawsuit, Walden learned residents and staff at the center had scabies. She recommended the center proactively treat all residents, patients and staff, as recommended by guidelines published by the Centers for Disease Control, as well as dermatologists at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls. Walden, in court documents, said the center ignored her recommendations and the outbreak grew to affect between eight and 10 residents and staff. People in the community complained about the outbreak to the state Department of Health and Human Services, according to court documents. Officials from that agency made a site visit May 11, 2015. During that visit, Walden said she told the state investigator she was concerned about how the outbreak was being handled. According to documents, Walden told the investigator that the director of nursing was concerned about the cost of treating the outbreak and not following CDC guidelines. On June 23, 2015, Walden contacted the Occupational Safety and Health Administration over continued lack of response from the center. OSHA, a federal agency tasked with ensuring workers safety, visited the center a day later and had a meeting with the DPHHS inspector as well as Walden to review the scabies case log and discuss Waldens concerns, including using scabies medication to treat what the center called rashes, despite recommendations to label the rashes as scabies. By July 16, 2015, Walden had contacted OSHA again and an investigator made another visit July 22. In the lawsuit, Walden cites these visits as the cause of friction with her employer. Ms. Waldens ongoing questioning of The Centers response, and her repeated engagement with DPHHS and OSHA was looked upon unfavorably by The Centers administration, court documents say. Things had not improved a month later, when on Aug. 24, 2015, Walden sent an email correcting statements made by Woodhouse, the director of nursing, during a conference call with physicians and the infection control department at Benefis in Great Falls. According to court documents, Walden sent an email saying that Woodhouse had lied about the number of scabies cases at the center. That same day, the centers Board of Directors held a meeting with several administrators and staff. According to documents, at that meeting the directors decided to fire Walden. Documents say the firing was because of a required reduction in workforce and budgetary shortfalls. Walden was not at the meeting, nor given immediate notice of the action. Walden was told Sept. 1 that she had been fired and asked to leave the center immediately. According to documents, the centers policies call for two weeks notice prior to termination. The center has never given Walden written justification supporting her termination, she said. Walden was hired by the center in March 2004 and was promoted to the position of infection control coordinator, a job she held for six years. Documents say she received positive performance reviews and bonuses. A report from the DPHHS Certification bureau summarizing deficiencies at the center provides more information about the scabies outbreak. Of six residents sampled, all six showed signs of scabies. Most of the residents infected had lived at the center for at least two years and one had been there nearly six. Residents were treated with several creams, some of which are specifically for scabies and some meant to address general skin issues such as crustiness and scaling. Some residents treatment was designated as prophylactic. The report notes that medical records were not detailed or well kept for some patients and often didn't note the progress of treatments or initial assessments of rashes. For example, the report shows a resident who had lived at the center almost two years was ordered to be treated with a cream used to treat itching, crusting and scaling, though not specifically scabies. That was applied on May 10, 2015. On May 21, a doctor ordered a scabies screening, but it was canceled and the doctor instead completed a skin-scraping procedure to test the skin infection. After, the doctor ordered a cream used to treat scabies be applied to the residents skin. The doctor did not clarify in medical records what the skin test was for and a nurse documented the test was positive, but did not clarify what it was positive for. The report shows a lack of isolation measures, including one resident who left the facility for a community function after being treated for a skin infection. A certified nursing assistant who was tested and treated for scabies thought she was infected while caring for a resident. A housekeeper voiced concerns at a facility management meeting regarding lack of precaution signs posted in resident rooms, according to the state report. That person also said the housekeeping department had delays in communication regarding cleaning and sanitizing needs for residents with transmittable cases. A nurses chart for one resident said the resident had a confirmed case of scabies, but documentation didnt show if steps were taken to ensure bedding, clothing and other items were cleaned and sanitized to avoid cross-contamination. The facility identified the resident had scabies in the morning but that person was not put into isolation until several hours later. Records show the director of nursing and assistant director of nursing believed one resident was exposed to scabies from a bathroom she shared with another resident. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid designates the state Certification Bureau to serve as the state survey agency. The bureau conducts surveys at Montana facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid payments to make sure these facilities meet federal regulations. The bureau conducts three types of surveys; the one at the Fort Benton facility was a complaint survey, which is done after the bureau receives a complaint. The man accused in the serious assault of an East Moline police sergeant had encountered the officer at the police department shortly before the attack. WEST LIBERTY, Iowa Community input is playing a major role in updating West Liberty's comprehensive plan. Chicago based HBK Engineering was tabbed by the city council earlier this year to update the 2006 plan. Vanessa Fixmer-Oraiz and Steve Long from HBK's Iowa City office updated the council during a work session preceding Tuesday night's regular council meeting. Fixmer-Oraiz said results from community research and outreach have been overwhelmingly positive. "It's been really good interaction," she told the council. "We've gotten a lot of information from the public. We feel pretty confident moving forward." Data indicates the top three interest areas to be parks and trails, improved services and infrastructure, and economic investments, Fixmer-Oraiz told the council. "People want to bring more business downtown," she said. "Also at the industrial complex." Fixmer-Oraiz also said the best place for new development is the northwest corner of town because it's not in a flood plain. City Manager Lawrence McNaul commented that water and sewer service are important, but people are interested in recreation. "We have a lot of kids going to West Branch every night to play sand volleyball," he said. "We really missed the boat." McNaul also said affordable housing is important, and developers should be encouraged to provide it. "We are short on housing," said McNaul. "We know north is the place to go. It's just getting somebody to make that move." "When we bought our first house here in '76, there were three houses for sale and nothing to rent," Council Member Diane Beranek commented. "The problem has not changed." Without specifically mentioning West Liberty's large Hispanic population, Fixmer-Oraiz said the community is almost two towns. "There are certain underserved populations that are not thinking of trails," she said. "They're thinking of basic necessities. But they're proud to be here. West Liberty is different from other towns in the midwest. Really celebrate that." INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS During the regular meeting, the council approved Pay Estimate No. 8 of $42,604 to Ricklefs Excavating of Anamosa for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project. "They've got a lot of work to pour in the next month, but they've been pretty good about getting it done," said City Engineer Leo Foley. Over $1.7 million has been paid so far on the $3.1 million project. The council also awarded a contract totaling $267,790 to LL Pelling Company of North Liberty for the Spencer Street Improvements Project. IN OTHER BUSINESS The council approved payment of claims totaling $497,623. The council approved a request from the Chamber of Commerce to hold a 5K run/walk event on designated city streets on Sept. 17. The council approved a request to extend the time for the Fiesta Latina, originally approved for 3-9 PM Sept. 17, to 10 PM. MUSCATINE, Iowa Teachers at Muscatine High School learned through painting Wednesday morning. Muscatine High School Principal Jared Smith wanted to begin the year creating discussions with teachers about how to shape their mindset and encourage their students to believe in themselves. I think its going to change the mindset when a student has had minimal success, maybe theyll think back to this art activity and think, You know what, I was in their shoes, I was getting Ds and Fs, but these turned out pretty darn good. And if you have the right environment, youre excited and refreshed, anythings possible, Smith said. Smith said he got the idea from a wine and painting night he attended with his fiance, when he doubted his art abilities. I was really dreading it, he said. But with the help of Kim Blakesley, who owns Cedar Valley Art and Wine, he realized that once he stopped doubting himself, he painted well and had fun. Blakesley compiled a class to help teachers put themselves in their students' shoes. She took the teachers step by step through the process of painting a night scene with trees, a colorful sunset and stars. The teachers doubted their abilities when they began, and Blakesley said that feeling was similar to what many students experience. It was all meant to represent that each student comes into a classroom with different backgrounds, different knowledge, different experiences, different tools, and so everybody used different tools while they were painting, yet they were similar and all had good results, she said. A new Spanish teacher at MHS, Dustin Miller, of Mediapolis, said the exercise helped him to think about ways to clearly describe topics in his classes. I thought it was a really good way of showing people that even if its something youre not familiar with, there are ways to explain things and describe things and demonstrate them in ways that are more tangible for the students and makes them so theyre more comfortable with what theyre doing, he said. Miller also said remembering his experiences with the painting class will help him understand what his students may feel. Itll help me to see where the kids are coming from as far as not understanding something, and then I can put myself in their shoes and be like 'OK, if I didnt know anything what would be something that would help me too?' he said. Special Education teacher Mike Truitt, who is at MHS for his second year, said Blakesleys instructions provided him with a valuable teaching example. Going step by step when they dont know how to do something, take the time, show them how to do it and then allow them do it, he said. Kelly Robison, who teaches transition, a kind of Special Education, said she enjoyed spending time with her colleagues, as well as learning teaching methods. I think it was a nice way to bring people together, something fun to get the year started on a positive note. And it points out that people, if given the opportunity, can do more than they realize, she said. When asked if they thought they couldnt paint, a majority of the teachers raised their hands, but most also raised their hands when asked if the painting went better than they had expected. Smith said the painting exercise showed the difference between a fixed mindset and growth mindset. In a fixed mindset, he said, people believe their basic abilities are fixed traits, and in a growth mindset, people believe their abilities can be developed. Blakesley said a fixed mindset is common when people talk about art. "People believe they cannot do art," she said. As a former educator, principal, and superintendent, and with a doctorate in educational leadership and supervision, Blakesley said she hoped to help deepen teachers' understanding of their students. "I built this particular experience to help teachers understand the difficulties, the mindset that different students come in with," she said. Allison Coffman, a Biology teacher at MHS, said she was concerned with holding on to childhood excitement. "As we get older we're told we aren't good at things, so your life experiences are going to shape what you pursue," she said. Children, she said, will often be excited to paint or dance, but as they get older and compare themselves to others or are told they are not good at something, the excitement fades. Coffman had a similar experience with the painting. She felt her painting was not going to be good, but once she began she started to regain her excitement about art. "So you find ways to get them excited again, get them in that mindset they had when they were younger," she said. "With science they might say 'I don't like science, I'm not good at science,' but if you teach them that they can do science that excitement's going to come back." MUSCATINE, Iowa The Muscatine County Secondary Road Department has announced that 180th Street from Verde to Vail Avenues is now open to traffic with the completion of a bridge replacement project. Another project underway has 100th Street (also known as Cedar/Muscatine Road) closed from Highway 38 to Plum Avenue. The street was closed Monday to accommodate a crossroad culvert replacement project and was expected to be reopened Wednesday afternoon. Access to the Hy-Line plant will not be affected but all residents west of the closure will need to use Plum Avenue to 330th Street as the alternate route of entry. NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa Anthony Derayunan Rodriguez died unexpectedly Saturday Aug. 13, 2016. Those who knew and loved him called him Tony. He called everyone friend. Tony was born May 7, 1963, in Manila, Philippines, to Rick and Hope Rodriguez. The family immigrated to the United States in Dec. 1968 for Ricks work as a civil engineer. They settled in Chicago to be near extended family. A professor at the University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee, where Tony earned his bachelors degree, recognized his innate abilities to serve others through the art and craft of mental health therapy. With this support, Tony went on to graduate from Loyola University, Chicago, with a masters of social work degree. He then became a licensed clinical social worker, which was his calling and passion. Tony met his wife, Jennifer Gail Ohman, on Oct. 1, 1994. They married on Aug. 5, 1995. Tony and Jennifer welcomed two beloved sons into their union, Ricardo Ricky Ohman Rodriguez in July 1997 and Paul Anthony Rodriguez in Dec. 2001. Tony and Jennifer were married 21 years. In 2003, Tony felt called to serve, through therapy, adult men surviving childhood sexual abuse and violence. He opened his business, The Mens Center, with the tag line A place for healing, mindfulness, and possibilities the following fall. During this time, Tony served as a board member for the international group, Male Survivor. He expanded his work a few years later to serve people living with and suffering from sexual addictions and compulsions. In 2011, Tony and two colleagues wanted to fill a gap in the therapeutic literature realizing the need for a resource for partners of people suffering from sexual addictions. They wrote and published Facing Heartbreak: Steps to Recovery for Partners of Sex Addicts. This book is widely used throughout the world. Tony presented workshops, too many to name, for other therapists throughout the United States. Tonys work, the work he felt called and compelled to do, impacted many lives. Tony leaves a great hole in his passing. He was a man of great faith in a loving and grace-giving God, as well as in the ability of people to heal, and the primacy of relationships in our lives. He loved with a whole heart, worked to eradicate the shame surrounding sexual violence and sexual addictions, and lived each day with integrity, a warm smile, and the willingness to keep loving and building his relationships and to help others to do the same. With his passing, Tony leaves his wife and partner, Jennifer; sons, Ricky and Paul; parents, Rick and Hope Rodriguez; sister, Riphanie Rodriguez Salgado and her husband, Michael Salgado; nieces, Marissa, Christina, Angela, Cassandra, Matilda, and Grace; nephew Joseph; aunts, Dr. Salud Rodriguez-Roque and Marilyn Derayunan; uncle, Jun Derayunan; godfather, Dr. Augusto Abeleda; mother-in-law, Gail Ohman; brother and sister-in-law, Peter Ohman and Jamie Ettelson; and many, many members of his extended family. Tony is preceded in death by his grandparents, aunt, Lourdes Rodriguez-Alaras; godmother, Naty Rodriguez; and father-in-law, Paul F. Ohman. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, at St. Patricks Catholic Church in Iowa City by pastors of the Lutheran faith. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Thursday at Gay and Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in Tonys memory. To share a thought, memory or condolence, please go to the funeral home website at www.gayandciha.com. WILL OF THE PEOPLE WORLD TOUR 2023 Les emplois a Rennes sont abondants et varies. Il y a quelque chose pour tout le monde. Que vous soyez a la recherche dun emploi [] Les blattes ou cafards (Blatta orientalis) sont des insectes qui appartiennent a la famille des Blattoptera. Ils se caracterisent par leur forme allongee, leurs ailes [] The National Energy Regulator must review its decision to allow Eskom to hike prices from 1 April, according to a report by Bloomberg. The High Court in Johannesburg made the ruling after a group of businesses argued that Eskom needed to be more open about its expenses. The regulator granted Eskom permission in March to recoup expenses it hadnt budgeted for in 2014 by raising tariffs by an average of 9.4%, starting 1 April. A group of companies alleged the permission was unlawful and that Eskom must provide regular updates on its financial situation. The court said judging price applications isnt part of its competency and sent the decision back to the regulator. Eskom is currently studying the judgment. More on Eskom Eskom can cut off your power: Madonsela Eskom strike averted Advertise Here Be seen advertise here. Contact us. MOSCOW The Russian foreign minister on Wednesday rejected allegations that its use of Iranian military bases for airstrikes in Syria violates United Nations sanctions on Iran. Russia on Tuesday announced that it had launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria. The defense ministry on Wednesday announced a new wave of airstrikes out of Iran, saying its jets took off earlier in the day from a base southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to strike targets in the east of Syria. It is virtually unheard in recent history for Iran to allow a foreign power to use one of its bases to stage attacks. Russia has also never used the territory of another country in the Middle East for its operations inside Syria, where it has been carrying out an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar Assad's government for nearly a year. Iran is also a major supporter of Assad. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday denied allegations by U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner, who the day before said Russia's operation out of Iran could violate the U.N. resolution that prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran unless approved by the Security Council. "In the case we're discussing there has been no supply, sale or transfer of fighter jets to Iran," Lavrov told a news conference. "The Russian Air Force uses these fighter jets with Iran's approval in order to take part in the counter-terrorism operation" in Syria. The minister also called on the U.S. not to "nitpick about what is happening in terms of the remaining restrictions on trade and ties with Iran." In Syria, seven civilians were killed and nine were wounded by rocket rounds fired by armed groups on a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo, Syria's state-run news agency said on Wednesday. SANA reported that the rockets struck the Salaheddine residential district in the northern city, which has been divided into a rebel-held eastern part and a government-controlled western part since 2012. On Tuesday, nearly 20 civilians were reported killed in airstrikes in eastern districts of Aleppo, Syria's largest city and its former commercial center which has become the focal point of the country's ruinous civil war. Iran allowing Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to bomb targets in Syria was an unprecedented move, underscoring the deepening cooperation between two powerhouses heavily invested in the Syrian civil war. Ali Larijani, the speaker of Iran's parliament, insisted on Wednesday that Russia does not have a permanent military base within the Islamic Republic. His comments were geared at easing domestic concerns over the strikes. Iran's constitution, ratified after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, bars foreign militaries from having bases within the country. In his remarks, reported by the state-run IRNA news agency, Larijani did not directly discuss the strikes, though he said Iran has "cooperated with Russia, as it is our ally on regional issues, especially on Syrian issues." Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, told reporters at the Pentagon that the Russians activated a communications link with coalition officials just ahead of the first bomber mission on Tuesday. "The Russians did notify the coalition," he said, adding that they "informed us they were coming through" airspace that could potentially put them in proximity of U.S. and coalition aircraft in Iraq or Syria. Asked how much advance notice the Russians gave the U.S., Garver said, "we did know in time" to maintain safety of flight. "It's not a lot of time, but it's enough" to maintain safety in the airspace over Iraq and Syria, he said. That raises questions about whether the move was a strategic necessity or a political message from the Kremlin to Washington. The announcement from Russia marks the first significant stationing of its troops in Iran since World War II. NEW YORK A handgun was found stashed in the wall of the basement apartment of the man suspected of gunning down an imam and his friend as they left evening prayer at a mosque, New York City police said Tuesday. New York Police Department investigators were testing the .38-caliber revolver to see if it matches forensic evidence from the ambush slayings of Imam Maulana Alauddin Akonjee and Thara Uddin near the Al-Furqan Jame Masjid mosque in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens. Oscar Morel, a 35-year-old porter at a Manhattan college, was awaiting a court appearance on murder charges as authorities sought to determine a motive. In a statement, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the killings were being viewed as a possible hate crime. Morel "is accused of the murder of a highly respected and beloved religious leader and his friend as they walked home from an afternoon prayer service," said Brown, who met with family members of the victims on Tuesday. "Their deaths are a devastating loss to their families and the community that they served as men of peace." It was not immediately clear if Morel had an attorney who could comment on the charges. The killings have stoked fear and anger in the largely Bangladeshi Muslim community in Queens and Brooklyn, where residents have described harassment in recent months by people who shouted anti-Muslim epithets. Mohammed Nuruzzaman, 31, said the community was anxious to know more about why the men were targeted. "Why he did it that's the very important thing. What is the motive?" he said. "Did he really do it or is somebody behind it? That's the kind of thing we want to know." Police said officers searching the Brooklyn home where Morel was arrested late Sunday found the suspected murder weapon as well as clothes they believe he was wearing at the time of the shooting behind a section of the wall that had been cut out and reinstalled with screws. Amado Batista, a maintenance worker at Morel's building, said Morel worked night shifts and had lived in the apartment for eight months. Batista said Morel kept to himself. The New School confirmed that Morel had worked there since November 2013 and that the college was cooperating with the investigation, but declined further comment. Police believe Morel was waiting on the block near the mosque for several minutes on Saturday before he shot each victim in the back of the head, then fled in a black GMC Trailblazer. They later learned that a car matching that description struck a bicyclist nearby only 10 minutes after shooting. After finding vehicle parked on the street, police waited for Morel to return. He was captured after getting into the car and ramming a police car while trying to flee. The council approved on Tuesday giving funds in the amounts of $1,000 to $10,000 to eight community groups seeking grants. The city set aside $29,500 in its budget for the Community Enrichment Grant and will hand out $28,600, leaving $900 for emergency requests. The recipients and the grant amounts are as follows: Hearts and Hands Preschool, $10,000; Calistoga Art Center, $6,000; Boys & Girls Club of St. Helena and Calistoga, $4,000; UpValley Family Centers, $3,000; Rianda House, $2,100; Napa County Fair Christmas Faire, $1,500; Calistoga Cares food bank, $1,000; and Soroptimist International of Calistoga Read Aloud Program, $1,000. We had more requests than we had funds available, said City Manager Dylan Feik. Councilmembers Gary Kraus and Jim Barnes formed the subcommittee that reviewed the requests and determined the amount each organization would receive. Not all the groups received their requested amounts, which totaled $37,570, $8,000 more than the grant funds allotment. As usual it was a hard job, Kraus said of divvying up the money. We didnt allocate every penny we had. Jim and myself felt that maybe something might come up later in the year, some kind of emergency. If the money isnt used in this fiscal year it can be rolled over to the next, he said. A crew of teenage Scouts and their leaders from American Canyon made a life-changing summer trek through the Sangre de Cristo Mountains at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. Philmont covers 214 square miles of vast wilderness with trails that climb from 6,500 feet to as high as 12,441 feet. During their trek, members of Troop 62 hiked more than 80 miles over 11 days. Philmont Scout Ranch is the Boy Scouts of Americas premier high-adventure camp and the largest youth camp in the world serving more than 1 million participants since 1938. The group of Scouts and their advisers carried everything they needed to survive during the trek on their backs. They participated in backcountry programs along the way including blacksmithing, mountain biking, black powder rifle shooting and horseback riding. They also got to see the worlds first confirmed tyrannosaurus rex track and Native American petroglyphs. Their load was lightened for a couple of days by a burro that the Scouts had to learn to properly pack and care for. The trek included a conservation project where the Scouts learned and participated in the upkeep of Philmonts ecosystem. Along the trek, Scouts endured tough challenges including backpacking in bear and mountain lion territory, steep climbs, and often-inclement weather. According to crew leader and Life Scout Evan Dion, The Philmont trek is a series of high points and low points. Sometimes the low points make you want to give up, but when you persevere and reach that next high point you feel like you can do anything, and thats what Philmont is about. Adult adviser Ed Shollenberger said, It was wonderful to work with these young men not only during this trek but the year and a half preparing for their journey. We had a small crew of only four this time, but I knew these Scouts work well together and were always supportive of each other even through the tough times. I am very proud of all the participants and honored to have been a part of this life changing experience. Troop 62 meets Tuesday evenings at the American Canyon Boys & Girls Club, 60 Benton Way from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Anyone interested in Scouting is welcome to attend. A small group of homeless children, some with mothers, some without, spent Monday in American Canyon experiencing the joy of horseback riding. Those who made this opportunity possible had gone through their own hard times earlier in life, making it important for them to give something back. The day of riding and other activities took place at SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a small, unassuming ranch located near the American Canyon wetlands. SpiritHorse is a nonprofit organization dedicated to horse therapy for kids dealing with developmental, emotional, social or physical challenges. Mondays visitors to the ranch were from Vallejos Christian Help Center and Reynissance Family Center, where some of the families have been living to avoid being on the streets. It was apparent the visitors, both young and old, had a good time, gauging from the widths of their smiles. Look at me! shouted a little boy named Malachi Johnson-Adams during his first-ever ride on a horse. Yee-haw! he squealed. Jimilia Davis, 40, was thrilled to watch her 7-year-old son, Jamarie Goins, laugh and smile along with the other kids. Look at them go! Look at them go! said Davis, her cherry-red hair and silver cheek piercing glinting in the sun. They get to be themselves today. Davis quietly reflected on the difficulties that had led her family and the others to becoming homeless. But on this day all of their troubles were forgotten. Being at SpiritHorse put normality back in their life right now, Davis said. Theyre in their place, their child place, she added, not having to worry about nothing. We just wish this day could last forever. Davis enjoyed being around the horses, particularly a 3-year-old quarter horse named Goose who rested his head on her shoulder while she brushed him. He was snuggling up to me, she said. He even made me feel good, he helped me a little bit. Christine Walker could relate to Davis and the positive impact of bringing her own child, 8-year-old Lena Ross, to the ranch. Look at Lena, shes jumping up and down. Shes having a blast, said Walker, who noted how much her daughters mood and attitude had changed in just a couple of hours. Its her first time [on a horse], Walker said. She kinda got scared at first, was kinda shy. Walker got to experience her own first time on a horse. It was adventurous, if not a little painful, she said. Now I know why they walk like this! Walker yelled after dismounting, displaying a little bowleggedness. Gosh, that was fun! Thats what Charlotte Dougherty was hoping to hear. Dougherty, 50, the founder and executive director of SpiritHorse, said she started the 501(3) organization after a life of being around horses and enduring her own hardships. There was a time when I took the wrong path, said Dougherty, who avoided specifics. She said she turned her life around seven years ago. Five of these past seven years have been spent developing SpiritHorse. Its my passion to teach, said Dougherty, who informed the visitors from inside the horse arena that the ranch was both a place to have fun and to learn. I was looking for something when I was on the wrong path, she said. This is where Im supposed to be. This is truly what Im supposed to be doing in life. Just as the two mothers, Davis and Walker, could relate to what SpiritHorse had done for them and their children, Larry Dudley could relate to why Dougherty was there. Dudley, 58, whom some called Cowboy Larry, spent the day teaching the children how to lasso. These kids here, they probably dont have a very easy life, said Dudley, sporting a cowboy hat, chaps and leather gloves. Dudley has known tough times, as a child and as an adult. The self-described hick from a small town in Oregon spent time in foster homes and emancipated himself when he was 15. His twenties and thirties were spent logging trees and driving trucks, from Alaska to Arizona. That is when he wasnt drinking. I went through enough relationships, and enough booze, he said. His life nearly ended in a motel room 20 years ago with a gun. Instead, he stopped drinking, started figuring out how to be content within himself, and settled down. He now lives on a 5-acre spread outside Vacaville with his wife, three horses, a sheep, and two dogs. Dudley helps SpiritHorse because it gives him the chance to give back to kids who, like him, have had a rough youth. One positive thing we do here today could form them for the rest of their lives, he said. Walt Ranch has made its peace with the city of Napa, but not with opponents who have appealed the controversial vineyard project approval to the Napa County Board of Supervisors. The city previously stated that creating Walt Ranch vineyards in the eastern hills could send pesticides and fertilizers into the citys Milliken Reservoir. Improving the reservoirs filtration system to deal with these substances could cost $20 million. Since then, the city has worked with the Walt Ranch developer and county on an agreement that involves Walt Ranch enacting a water quality monitoring program going beyond that required by the county. It wants the county to add the expanded program to the Walt Ranch approval. Once that is done, were satisfied our concerns have been addressed, Napa City Manager Mike Parness said Monday. But others still have concerns. The Center for Biological Diversity, Napa Sierra Club and St. Helena resident Lois Ann Battuello have filed notices of intent to appeal the countys Walt Ranch approval to the Board of Supervisors. Attorney Aruna Prabhala with the Center for Biological Diversity called Walt Ranch a severe threat to the local environment. Mike Reynolds of Walt Ranch said some people will be satisfied only by having no project whatsoever. We think this is a good project, Reynolds said. We are planting a vineyard in an agricultural zone, nothing more. The 2,300-acre Walt Ranch is located in the mountains between the city of Napa and Lake Berryessa along Highway 121. Hall Brambletree Associates asked to create 356 acres of vineyards within a 507-acre total development area. The development area includes such things as roads. Napa County cut the project to 209 acres of vineyards within a 316-acre total development area to further protect rare plants and certain trees. County Planning, Building and Environmental Services Director David Morrison tentatively approved the project erosion control plan on June 13 and the decision became official on Aug. 1. But Walt Ranch has landed amid growing controversies about cutting down trees in the hills and adding vineyards to areas that are watershed draining into reservoirs, creeks and the Napa River. The city of Napa first voiced its concern in December 2014. Part of the Walt Ranch project includes the watershed for the small Milliken Reservoir and the city didnt want taxpayers stuck with that possible $20 million filtration system upgrade. That cost should be borne by the new land development project that threatens to compromise the high quality of the Milliken reservoir water supply not by the existing water customers, Water General Manager Joy Eldredge wrote to the county. Walt Ranch officials had a different view of the situation. They pointed to the project environmental report that said the proposed vineyard project would, with the proper steps taken, not harm water quality. Parness said the city worked with the Walt Ranch developers and the county for the past month or so. Walt Ranch will monitor runoff water quality at nine locations and take steps to deal with problems that might arise. We appreciate the property owner has worked with us to come up with a plan we both can support, Parness said. Reynolds said Walt Ranch will deal with any water quality issues discovered by the monitoring. But, he added, he doesnt expect there to be any. Thankfully, the city of Napa was willing to meet with us, Reynolds said. We talked, and we were able to address their concerns. I think thats the way things should be able to get done. Napa County can add the expanded water monitoring program to the Walt Ranch approvals during the appeals hearing. But that assumes the Board of Supervisors upholds Morrisons decision and allows the project to go forward. The Center for Biological Diversity said in a press release that the environmental impact report for the project is inadequate. The group is concerned that the vineyards will hurt wildlife, water supply and air quality. Walt Ranch vineyards will destroy habitat for the threatened California red-legged frog, valley elderberry longhorn beetle and Contra Costa goldfields, the group said. Fencing will restrict wildlife movement. Prabhala said on Tuesday that shes followed the Walt Ranch project on behalf of the Center for Biological Diversity for several years. The organization has members in the area who expressed concern. The three appellants have yet to file texts of their appeals with the county. They merely filed brief notices of intent ahead of Friday's appeal deadline. Prabhala said her groups appeal should be available next week. Reynolds seemed unsurprised that the Walt Ranch project has been appealed. We have created probably the most complete and far-reaching account environmental report thats ever been done in Napa it concludes there is no significant impact, Reynolds said. If that doesnt convince people, nothing will. Napa County has yet to announce a date for the appeals hearing before the Board of Supervisors. George Yount lent his name to the settlement that was born in the 19th century, when oaken forests carpeted much of the Napa Valley. In the coming months, those trees will become the motif of a pair of murals greeting thousands of visitors to Yountville. The Memory of a Tree, one of four designs offered by the artists Sofia Lacin and Hennessy Christophel, won final approval from the Yountville Town Council and Arts Commission at a Tuesday joint meeting. The twin paintings each 94 feet wide, 12 feet tall and covering the abutments of the Highway 29 underpass at California Drive are scheduled for completion by years end. Drawing on the imagery of the valleys pre-vineyard landscape, The Memory of a Tree will be executed mainly in blues and browns to depict the oaks that Yount encountered when he founded the first Euro-American settlement in what would become Napa County. The imagery will demonstrate to visitors how many of us are rooted to this land through generations, Christophel and Lacin wrote in a presentation to the Arts Council last month. The selection of the mural ends more than two decades of attempts by the town to beautify the freeway crossing, the main point of entry for tourists entering the Upvalley town of resorts, hotels and high-end restaurants. After various efforts by Yountville officials and boards came to naught, the Arts Commission last year recruited more than 40 artists to offer designs and then chose three finalists. LC Studio Tutto, the partnership of Lacin and Christophel that has created more than 70 public art installations around California, won a vote of residents at a January open house. The artists then created four options for public review including Memory, which garnered 203 votes 43 percent of the total in a selection campaign conducted online and at a July forum. Among the other mural proposals, Influence of the Earth, an abstract work with an overlaid quotation by Henry David Thoreau, finished second with 23 percent of the vote. Clay Earth, a mixture of oak leaves, grapevines and ancient Greek pottery motifs, gained 15 percent and Vayots Dzor, inspired by signs of prehistoric winemaking at a 6,100-year-old Armenian archaeological site, recorded 9 percent. Ten percent of voters declined to support any of the designs. After gaining approval from Caltrans for the murals, Lacin and Christophel, who will receive $85,000 from Yountville for their artwork, plan to lay down the murals using acrylic Nova Color paint, a common material for outdoor art because it wont fade in light. The Napa Valley Unified School District is seeking residents to help oversee the spending of Measure H, the $269 million school bond approved in the June primary election. Residents who live within the boundaries of the district are eligible to apply for membership on the Measure H Bond Oversight Committee. The committee, responsible for informing the public about the expenditures of bond proceeds, will review and report on the proper expenditure of taxpayers money for school construction and advise the public as to whether NVUSD is in compliance with the law. Membership for the committee must include at least seven people, five of whom provide the following representation: One business member active in a business organization within the school district; One member active in a senior citizens organization; One member active in a bona fide taxpayer association; One member who is a parent or guardian of student enrolled in the district One member who is a parent or guardian of a district student and is active in a parent-teacher organization. Member terms are two years without pay. They can serve no more than two consecutive terms. Meeting dates, times and sites will be determined by the committee at its first meeting. Anyone interested should complete the two-page application form and submit it by 4 p.m on Sept. 9 to the NVUSD Business Services office, 2425 Jefferson St., Napa, Room 121. Download the application at www.nvusd.org" href="http://www.nvusd.org" target="_blank">www.nvusd.org, pick up a hard copy at the district office, or call 707-253-3533 to have one mailed to you. For the final oversight committee reports from previous NVUSD bond measures, visit www.nvusd.org and search local bonds. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will hold an Aug. 29 fundraiser in wine country with tickets ranging from $5,000 to $446,700. The Washington Post reported on Aug. 4 that Trump would hold a Napa Valley fundraiser. Now an invitation to the event has emerged. Details on the invitation are few. An Evening with Donald Trump is to be held in Wine Country, CA at a location to be revealed to those who sign up to attend. No local names are listed. Rather, the invitation is issued under the names of Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, Trump Victory Finance Chairman Lewis Eisenberg and Donald J. Trump for President Finance Chairman Steven T. Mnuchin. The cheapest ticket price of $5,000 allows a person to attend a reception with Trump. A $10,000 ticket buys a couple entry to the reception and a Trump photo opportunity. A $25,000 ticket buys a person entry to the dinner, the reception and a Trump photo opportunity. Other prices add to the dinner, reception and photo opportunity package. Couple paying $100,000 are event vice-chairs, couples paying $250,000 join the chairmans circle and couples paying $446,700 join the Trump Victory Council, with none of these honors defined. Money goes to Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee among Donald J. Trump for President, Inc., the Republican National Committee and 11 state parties. How the money from an individual donor is allocated is governed by laws limiting contributions. Trumps campaign receives the first $2,700, the Republican National Committee the next $133,600, the state parties the next $110,000 and the Republican National Committee the final $200,400, for a total of equaling the top ticket price of $446,700. The San Diego Union-Tribune described a private July 13 Trump fundraiser event at the Del Mar Country Club in Rancho Santa Fe with similar ticket prices. About 50 people attended. Trump reportedly arrived at 6 p.m., didnt interact with the media gathered outside and left shortly after 8 p.m. Trump is unlikely to linger in wine country. The Washington Post reported the campaign is having a fundraising swing from Aug. 29-31 through Napa, San Francisco, Seattle and Portland. This will be the third significant fundraising event of the 2016 presidential campaign in wine country. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton came to the Hall Winery in November 2015 and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, came to Craig and Kathryn Halls Rutherford home on Friday. An environmental advocate who filed a claim against the city of St. Helena in May has now sued the city for allegedly failing to bypass enough water into Bell Creek. According to a lawsuit filed Aug. 10 in Napa Superior Court by Water Audit California, the city has violated state regulatory limits on the diversion of water into Bell Canyon Reservoir, one of the citys primary water sources, and failed to install state-mandated equipment to monitor water flows at Bell Canyon dam. Water Audit California is a public benefit corporation affiliated with Grant Reynolds, a San Diego man who made similar allegations against the city of Calistoga, which spent years fighting Reynolds in court at great expense. The suit against the city of St. Helena is signed by Reynolds, who describes himself as a director of Water Audit. The plaintiff is represented by attorney William McKinnon, who worked with Reynolds on some of the Calistoga litigation. The St. Helena City Council discussed the suit in closed session on Wednesday. City Manager Jennifer Phillips could not be reached for comment before the Stars deadline. The suit claims that the citys failure to bypass enough water into the creek contributed to the decline of steelhead, which havent been spotted in the creek downstream of Bell Canyon Dam since before 1990. The suit seeks a judgment forcing the city to stop diverting water between April 16 and Nov. 14, post online the dams daily operational data, install flow monitoring equipment by Nov. 1, meet certain interim bypass requirements pending the results of a study determining the amount of water that must be bypassed to support fish, and pay a court-appointed water master to monitor dam operations for five years. The suit does not request monetary damages, but it does seek reimbursement for the plaintiffs legal expenses. In addition to violating the citys regulatory permit, the operation of the dam also violates the public trust doctrine, which requires sufficient bypass to support fish, the suit alleges. In June, Reynolds told the Star hes a fly fisherman with a passion for fish. He said Water Audit was formed to ensure that dams throughout California are operated legally. What we want to do is protect the environment, and one of the ways to do that is to make people, including municipal corporations, obey the law as it pertains to the environment, Reynolds said at the time. The legal filing does not specify a court date. When Napa Valley Publishings new multimedia account executive Mitch Pitter isnt walking up and down Upvalley streets, hes liable to be jumping out of an airplane. Pitter, 22, said he loves to stand on the edge of an airplane, look down and know hes about to jump. The rush, he said, is pretty awesome. He said hell free-fall for somewhere between 30 and 55 seconds it goes by pretty fast and then hell pull the chute and enjoy five or six minutes of canopy flight, which is also fun to do. Pitter has made five or six jumps in Davis, and with a couple more jumps, hell be certified and will be able to jump wherever he likes. Pitter grew up in Bolingbrook, a western suburb of Chicago, and graduated from Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville in 2012. Four years later, he graduated from Michigan State with a managerial/advertising degree. I always wanted to come to California after graduation, because its a beautiful state with beautiful weather, he said. I wanted to get away from the Midwest snow. Additionally, he said he wanted to do something with advertising because of his schooling, and found the job with Napa Valley Publishing online. His first day on the job was July 13. The account executive for Upvalley accounts said his responsibilities include consulting and advertising sales for newspapers and online for the Napa Valley Register, St. Helena Star and The Weekly Calistogan. Im still getting the hang of everything, he said, but added his new job is awesome. I love it, its what I went to school for and its exactly what Im looking for. I feel my degree prepared me for this. He adds he loves the Napa Valley and its beauty, both weather-wise and visually, being surrounded by vineyards and mountains. Theres nothing like this in the middle of Michigan where I went to school, he said. Beyond skydiving, Pitter said he loves to travel and spent six months living in a city of 100,000 people about 90 minutes from Amsterdam in the Netherlands, where he studied marketing, advertising and communication. He also likes to ride motorcycles and is in the process of buying a Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight. I know exactly which one Im getting, he said. Ive had the same one planned for years now. Its finally time to experience roads in California, which is the best riding state in the country. Pitter lives in Napa. To reach him call his cell, 630-335-4753, or email mpitter@napanews.com. If youve lived in St. Helena for any length of time at all, the words Craig Bond evoke the highest standards of musical excellence and pure sonic pleasure. How delighted I was to open my mailbag and see his name. *** Two of Craigs signature choirs the St. Helena Childrens Chorus and the St. Helena Teen Choir are starting up next week. The Childrens Chorus meets at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, at Grace Church, and the Teen Choir starts at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24, also at Grace Church. Interested in joining? Call Craig at 963-7712 for information and to set up an audition (at least for the Childrens Chorus no audition is required for the Teen Choir). I cant wait to hear what Craig has in store this year. *** Caffeine-oholics, take note: Sogni di Dolci will be closed from 7 to 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 22, for the filming of Sailing Lesson, a short film produced by American Zoetrope. Word at the front counter has it that Eleanor Coppola is going to be involved. Eleanor seems to be quite busy, what with her romantic comedy Paris Can Wait premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. It will be her first feature-length directorial credit since 1991s Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmakers Apocalypse, a riveting behind-the-scenes documentary about her husband Francis classic Apocalypse Now. Good luck with your latest projects, Eleanor. *** You might have heard of an organization called Napa Valley Resolved to End Sexual Exploitation & Trafficking. The members go by the name NVRESET, and theyre screening the film Sold on Thursday, Sept. 8, at the Cameo Cinema. Based on true stories, the movie tells of a girl named Lakshmi whos taken from a pastoral village in Nepal to a prison-like brothel called Happiness House in Kolkata, India. Tiffany LaVoie, education director for 3 Strands, will provide an introduction, followed by the film at 7 p.m. There will then be a Q&A with LaVoie and Jane Clark, a founding member of Stolen Youth. Organizers hope the film will inspire people and spread awareness of the scourge of human trafficking, which affects millions of children every year. Tickets are $20 and benefit 3 Strands, a nonprofit whose noble mission is a world free of human trafficking. For tickets go to CameoCinema.com. Theres more information at nvreset.org. *** Craig and Kathryn Hall of Hall Wines have written a new book, A Perfect Score: The Art, Soul, and Business of a 21st-Century Winery. According to the winerys website, the book weaves the vibrant tale of the Hall brands rise to success, Napa Valleys tug-of-war between localism and tourism, and the evolving nature of the wine industry as a whole. The book will officially be released on Sept. 13, but advance copies will be included with tickets ($90) to the release party for Halls 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon at noon Saturday, Sept. 10, at the south St. Helena winery. *** The quote in that last item reminds me of an issue thats always vexed me (and maybe a half-dozen other word geeks): Does one speak of Napa Valley, or of the Napa Valley? I prefer to include the the, but other quite literate people dispense with the article. I suspect that, as with so many of lifes questions, its one on which decent people can respectfully disagree without resorting to fisticuffs. Cold War: U.S. considered secret plan to place nuclear weapons in Iceland (NationalSecurity.news) The United States government once considered stockpiling nuclear weapons at a base in Iceland without that governments knowledge or permission, but backed off the plan after American diplomats objected. According to a newly declassified State Department document from the National Security Archives, although the U.S. never went through with the Cold War deployment of nukes to Iceland, diplomatic and administration officials nevertheless debated the possibility, including deploying the weapons in secret. A 1960 letter from U.S. Ambassador to Iceland Tyler Thompson rejected the deployment proposals, but the revelation of internal discussions on the subject ties in the broader issue of the practice of U.S. nuclear deployments overseas during the Cold War, the National Security Archive noted. Thompson was aware that authorities in Iceland wondered if the U.S. had indeed placed nuclear weapons in their country. Aware that Icelands ties to NATO and the Western security system at the time were fragile, he argued in his letter that if Reykjavik found out about a secret nuclear deployment, it could leave NATO altogether. Further, he said, a dramatic row could be expected to have an unfortunate effect on our friends and allies, to affect adversely our interests as far as neutrals are concerned, and to provide a propaganda field day for our enemies. Though the fact that the U.S. never deployed nuclear weapons to Iceland is settled, that doesnt mean there were no nuclear plans for the country. Previous research found that during the Cold War Iceland was considered a potential nuclear storage site. One researcher, Valur Ingimundarson, found that at the end of the 1950ss, the U.S. Navy ordered construction of a facility that would house nuclear depth charges an Advanced Underseas Weapons (AUW) Shop on the outskirts of Keflavik airport. The facility was built by local Icelander workers who believed it was going to be a storage facility for standard torpedoes. It wasnt clear if Thompson kenw about that facility or the plans for it, however. During the 1980s researchers noted that a presidential directive from the Nixon era considered Iceland as one of several Conditional Deployment locations, where nuclear weapons may be stored if war broke out with the Soviet Union. An AUW storage facility would make sense in that context. Nevertheless, all such arrangements were kept deeply secret because of the political sensitivity of the U.S. military presence in Iceland, said the Archives. The Thompson letter was heavily redacted upon release, which means the U.S. National Security community has not formally acknowledged that Iceland figured in the Pentagons nuclear weapons strategy. This is not surprising because the U.S. government has not acknowledged the names of a number of other countries which directly participated in the NATO nuclear weapons stockpile program during the Cold War (and later): Belgium, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey (only West Germany and the United Kingdom have been officially disclosed), the Archives reported. More: NationalSecurity.news is part of USA Features Media. YEREVAN. Writing a letter to the European Peoples Party (EPP) leadership, and demanding that the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) be expelled from EPP membership is far from political logic. Ruling RPA MP Artak Zakaryan, who is also Chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am. He noted this commenting on the open letter which several civil initiatives of Armenia had addressed to European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Parliament President Martin Schulz, and with a request that the RPA be removed from the EPP. The RPAs being in the EPP is not an end in itself, and it [i.e. the RPA] carries out its activities for the sake of the interests of the state and our citizens, said Zakaryan. That letter cant have any result because the Republican Party carries out its activities in the EPP family fully under the EPP programs and ideas, proceeding from the interests of our citizens. Unless it finds it expedient to stop its activities there, the RPA will continue its activities in this family, in the status of an observer. The abovementioned letter specifically reads: We are voicing our concerns about the unlawful detention of peaceful demonstrators who were arrested during the protests in Armenia on July 29, 2016. We are specifically concerned about the arrest, beatings and detention of the following individuals: Mr. Hovsep Khurshudyan, Heritage Political Party, PR; Mr. Davit Sanasaryan, Heritage Political Party, Spokesperson; Mr. Armen Martirosyan, Heritage Political Party, Vice President. Mr. Andrias Ghukasyan, Rise up, Armenia, Founder, former 2013 Presidential Candidate of Armenia; Mr. Davit Hovhannisyan, Rise up, Armenia, Member. In our letter [to EPP President Joseph Daul] we also urged EPP to use all its leverages and apply all possible sanctions, including but not restricted to officially exclude criminal ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) from EPPs membership, and demand RPA to immediately stop its orchestrated violations. We await your immediate actions. Armenians all over the world are waiting for your efforts. 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 The US is troubled by the arrests of opposition representatives in Azerbaijan, and it will ask the Azerbaijani authorities to submit the constitutional amendments for the views of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). Mark Toner, Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, noted about the aforesaid at Tuesdays press briefing. And so we would also urge the government to submit the constitutional amendments for a joint Venice Commission and ODIHR [i.e. the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights] opinion as well, Toner said, in particular. In addition, Washington is concerned by the August 12 arrest of Natig Jafarli, secretary of the REAL movement of Azerbaijan, as well as the additional arrests of other activists, according to RIA Novosti news agency of Russia. Pursuant to the draft constitutional amendments submitted by President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan will also have a First Vice President as well as other vice presidents. These constitutional amendments also propose the extension of the presidents term in office from five to seven years. Turkey issued two decrees in which it dismissed more than 2,000 police officers and hundreds of members of the military and the BTK communication technology authority over last months attempted military coup in the country, RIA Novosti news agency of Russia reported citing Reuters news agency. The decrees, published in the countrys Official Gazette, also included a decision to close the TIB telecoms authority and another decision under which the president will appoint the head of the armed forces. Over 27 thousand representatives of the education sector were sacked earlier in Turkey. In addition, it was announced that around 60 thousand people were dismissed, but their professions were not mentioned. A group of military servicemen attempted a coup in Turkey, from late night on July 15 to early morning on July 16, but it failed. The main confrontations took place in capital city Ankara and in Istanbul. A total of 246 people died as a result of the clashes. Ankara accuses Turkish Islamic theologian and preacher Fethullah Gulenwho resides in the US since 1999, and his Fethullah Gulen Terrorist Organization (FETO)of orchestrating the failed putsch. YEREVAN. Results of the Armenian and Russian presidents August 10 meeting in Moscow show that the disagreements between the two countries have become public. Armenian Center of Political and International Studies analyst Ruben Mehrabyan stated the aforesaid at a press conference on Wednesday. During the talk with [President of Armenia Serzh] Sargsyan, [President of Russia Vladimir] Putin said Russia is ready to become a guarantor of securitywith some OSCE Minsk Group countriesin the [Nagorno-]Karabakh conflict zone, stressed Mehrabyan. Its not hard to imagine that Putin could not utter the word [Minsk Group] co-chairs. The phrase, some countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, has no other meaning than Turkey. The analyst noted that Russia has not denied the Turkish presidents and FMs statements that the Armenian party to the conflict needs to cede lands. The Armenian side publicly said no to Russia, added Ruben Mehrabyan. When meeting of the Defense Ministers Council of the CSTO member countries was being held yesterday [i.e. Tuesday] in [Armenias capital city of] Yerevan, Serzh Sargsyan was in Brazil, watching the Olympic Games. The analyst expressed a conviction that this also means a lot of things. An operative team from the armed forces of Armenia is in Russia to partake in the Cooperation 2016 joint military exercises, which are held within the framework of the Collective Rapid Reaction Force of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Opening ceremony of the event was held on Tuesday. Around 7,000 military servicemen from the CSTO member states are participating in, and about 1,000 military equipment will be used during, these exercises. The officers representing Armenia are included in the leadership and command units of this event. The Armenian army team is partaking in these exercises within the framework of the 2016 plan of the CSTO Collective Security joint events. During the meeting between Russian and Armenian presidents in Moscow, interesting diplomatic notes could be heard, Chairman of Armenias Republican Union of Employers Gagik Makaryan said at a press-conference on Wednesday. In his words, when speaking about Armenias success in the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), Putin first of all wanted to say that this is useful: this was a message to Azerbaijan, since Russia is currently in the stage of romantic relationship with Baku. Apart from this, according to Makaryan, Putin wanted to show that the EAEU is an institution which justifies itself. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan also behaved very diplomatically, he continued. The example of the sportsmen wasnt accidental. It is always a common talk that the Armenians in Russia work and send the money earned to Armenia, that is they give no benefit to Russia. The Presidents message was that the sportsmen of Armenian origin bring medals to Russia. But the most important message was when he said: A healthy mind in a healthy body. I think the President thereby expressed hope that the Eurasian Union will become an institution of healthy states, and not sick and corrupt countries, the NGO head said. The Armenian and Russian presidents met in Moscow on August 10. Armenian PM Hovik Abrahamyan paid an official visit to the countrys Meghri region on Wednesday. The PM first visited the Meghri customs point of the Syunik regional customs, the Government press-service reports. Abrahamyan was briefed on the work of the customs house and the services it provides. The customs house works 24 hours a day. The organization of the passage of citizens and economic entities by the customs point takes at least 10-15 minutes. It was also noted that the passenger transportations have significantly increased as a result of abolishing the visa regime with Iran. In connection with this, the PM instructed to bring down to minimum the period of time required for passenger and cargo transportation, as well as continue improving the quality of the provided services. Thereafter, Abrahamyan visited the site in Meghri region where a free trade zone is planned to be established in near future. The latter is expected to make more substantive the trade and economic, as well as industrial policy with Iran, contributing to the deepening and expansion of bilateral economic ties. Services which will allow to smoothly enter the market of the Eurasian Economic Union and Iran will be organized. The PM underscored the importance of establishing a free trade zone near the Iranian border, which will enable to organize new productions, increase export, start new processing companies and create new workplaces. According to the Armenian Economy Minister Artsvik Minasyan, the establishment of the free trade zone in line with the key directions of Armenian economy will open up new and wide opportunities for Armenia, especially for the Meghri region. Minasyan also noted that upon the instruction of the PM, the project of setting up the free trade zone near the Iranian border has been sent to all the agencies concerned. This free trade zone, which will include both industrial and infrastructure constituents, as well as services, is expected to be established in a short period of time, the Minister added. Abrahamyan also visited Agarak and Meghri communities. He met with the local residents and got familiarized with the problems of their concern. In the framework of the visit, Abrahamyan was briefed on the implementation of programs in the communities, as well as issues requiring urgent solution. By the end of his visit, the PM held a consultation with the community heads of the Meghri region. He informed that Government is going to implement large infrastructure projects in Syunik province, which will definitely contribute to the economic invigoration of the communities and the overall province, as well as attraction of new investments. The opening of new workplaces in our country is one of the key issues of the Government, and our policy is aimed at creating new workplaces in the provinces, Abrahamyan concluded. YEREVAN. - The bridge between the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and Iran has not been laid, since the Armenian Government is as usual acting slowly. Chairman of Armenias Republican Union of Employers Gagik Makaryan said the aforementioned at a press-conference on Wednesday. In his words, the Europeans have jumped ahead of Armenia. We are falling behind. But if we manage to solve the issue of visa liberalization and lowering of customs duties for the Armenian goods exported to Iran, this will strengthen our positions. Armenia should hold talks with the Iranian side so that the Armenian goods can have exclusive opportunities of export to Iran, like GSP+ regime which is applicable for Armenia while exporting goods to the European countries, Makaryan noted. According to the Chairman, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia have managed to unite; therefore Armenia didnt possess relevant diplomatic information. We showed that we again failed to use diplomacy. And here it was necessary to use exactly the diplomatic language, Makaryan added. A trilateral summit between the presidents of Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan took place in Baku on August 8, during which a number of agreements on the cooperation in different sectors of economy were reached. One of the sons of al-Qaeda terror group founder Osama bin Laden, Hamza, has urged the Saudi Arabia nationals to overthrow the power in the kingdom. In his words, this will enable "to get rid of the U.S. influence," reports SITE informational portal, which deals with monitoring the activity of Islamist fighters in the Internet. In an audio message, Hamza bin Laden called on the Saudi youth to join Yemen-based "al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula" to "acquire necessary experience of running military actions," Lenta reports, citing the portal. On July 10, bin Laden Junior promised to revenge the United States in an audio message called "We are all Osama". In May, he disseminated another audio message, in which he urged the fighters in Syria to unity and "jihad against Israel and its American patrons." According to CNN, the analytics think that the young man will at some point try to take the lead of al-Qaeda. Despite the hubbub about pluripotent stem cells potential applications, when it comes time to introduce products into patients, the stem cells are actually impurities that need to be removed. Thats because this type of stem cell is capable of becoming teratomas tumors when transplanted. For quality control, researchers want to figure out how to ensure that the stem-cell-derived cardiac muscle or neural progenitor or pancreas cells (or whatever) are as pure as possible. Put simply, they want the end product, not the source cells. Stem cell expert Chunhui Xu has teamed up with biomedical engineers Ximei Qian and Shuming Nie to develop an extremely sensitive technique for detecting stray stem cells. The technique, described in Biomaterials, uses gold nanoparticles and Raman scattering, a technology previously developed by Qian and Nie for cancer cell detection (their 2011 Cancer Research paper on circulating tumor cells). In this case, the gold nanoparticles are conjugated with antibodies against SSEA-5 or TRA-1-60, proteins that are found on the surfaces of stem cells. Co-first authors of the Biomaterials paper are Jingjia Han and Ximei Qian. The authors report that their Raman scattering technology can identify one stem cell out of a million differentiated cells. That level of sensitivity is much better than standard flow cytometry and enough to detect stem cells at the scale needed for clinical applications. Of course, another rigorous way to test for tumor-forming cells would be to implant a cell preparation into animals and wait. Because of their remarkable sensitivity, these SERS assays may facilitate safety assessment of cell preparations for transplantations that require a large quantity of cells, which is unachievable using flow cytometry or the teratoma assay in mice. In addition, these assays are cost-effective, easy to use, and can be done within an hour, which is much faster than the traditional teratoma assay, the authors write. In complementary research, Young-sup Yoon and Gang Bao described in 2013 a method for positively selecting a desired differentiated cell type, such as cardiac muscle cells, away from stem cells using fluorescent molecular beacons. Xu and her lab are in the Childrens Heart Research and Outcomes Center within the Emory-Childrens-Georgia Tech Pediatric Research Alliance. Xu, along with Qian and Nie, are also part of the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. In their experiments, the researchers used both induced pluripotent stem cells and human embryonic stem cells, originally derived by Thomson and colleagues in the 1990s and approved for research by the National Institutes of Health. The research was supported by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (R21HL123928), the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (UL1TR000454) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China. United States President, Barack Obama, has made the single largest transfer of prisoners out of the Guantanamo Bay Prison under his administration, as part of his efforts to close down the maximum security facility. The United States says 15 detainees- 12 Yemeni's and 3 Afghans- from Guantanamo have been sent to the United Arab Emirates. According to the pentagon, the transfer brings the total number of prisoners down to 61 at the US facility in Cuba. Most of the inmates there have been held without charge or trial for more than a decade. Obama revealed his plans to close the prison in February, but many Republican lawmakers as well as some fellow Democrats have opposed his decision. "In its race to close Gitmo, the Obama administration is doubling down on policies that put American lives at risk," Republican Representative Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said in a statement. "Once again, hardened terrorists are being released to foreign countries where they will be a threat," he said. Meanwhile, the Amnesty International's U.S. Director for Security and Human Rights, Naureen Shah, said keeping Guantanamo open gave cover to foreign Governments to ignore human rights. "I think we are at an extremely dangerous point where there is a significant possibility this is going to remain open as a permanent offshore prison to hold people, practically until they die," Shah told Reuters. "It weakens the U.S. government's hand in arguing against torture and indefinite detention". While receiving the executive members of the Association of Africa Automotive Manufacturers led by the Chairman, Mr. Jeff Nemeth, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Tuesday, President Muhammadu Buhari stated the reason Nigeria had not achieved much results. According to Buhari, although Nigeria recognised her problems early enough, the country remained a potential for too long. This, he said, made the country not to achieve much results. The Presidents comments were made public via a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina. Buhari reportedly said in order to reverse the trend, the Federal Government must avoid the mistakes of the past. "We must avoid the mistakes made in the past by both Government and manufacturers, and we are ready to get investment from all quarters, so that we can improve the lives of our people," he said. The President lamented that Nigeria failed to develop on automobile initiatives started in Bauchi, Kaduna and Ibadan, and depended too much on oil as the mainstay of her economy. He said, "We are making efforts to start our steel industry all over again. I see vast opportunities for both the country and those who invest here." While speaking, the Chairman, Jeff Nemeth, said the association comprised of potential investors who were ready to unlock investment potentials on the African continent. He thus, sought the support of the Presidency in the realization of the vision and mission of the association. Nemeth said, "We are ready to offer strategic partnership with Nigeria. We want to promote investor-friendly regulatory frameworks and sustainable manufacturing. "We will equally promote infrastructure development, job creation, and skills transfer." 22:04 US President Barack Obama will travel to China next month to attend the G-20 Summit which will also be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This would be Obama's 11th trip to Asia after he became the US President in January 2009. Two of these trips have been to India in November, 2010 and January 2015. "This trip will highlight the Presidents ongoing commitment to the G-20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation as well as the US Rebalance to Asia and the Pacific," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement. On the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, Obama among others is likely to meet Modi, which would be the eighth meeting between the two leaders after he became Prime Minister in May 2014. While there has been no word of confirmation from the White House on this, Modi during his joint White House media interaction in early June had said that the two leaders would be meeting in China in September. "Security forces in crackdown against militants in Khan Abad and Chardara districts of Kunduz province have killed 19 rebels including notorious Taliban commander Qari Zabihullah," Xinhua news agency quoted the statement, adding that the operation was still on. Zabihullah was a key Taliban commander who had organised subversive activities, roadside bombings and attacks on government forces across the embattled province in northern Afghanistan. --IANS sm/ahm/dg ( 101 Words) 2016-08-17-16:58:03 (IANS) New Delhi, Aug.17 (AN-Newsvoir): Indian travellers are the world's biggest holiday bargain hunters and they want more ways to pay when buying travel online - this according to new research from Worldpay, the global leader in payments. For its Why Do They Pay That Way? Report, Worldpay polled 2,000 travellers in each of the six markets studied. In India, the survey revealed that more than three quarters of Indians (76 percent) selected their travel destinations because of a sale of cheap flights and holidays. What's more, although 49 percent of Indian travellers planned to use a credit card to book their next holiday, a stunning 96 percent of Indian credit and debit card users said they would, in reality, prefer to book their package holiday using Net banking. Phil Pomford, General Manager Asia Pacific, Global eCommerce, Worldpay, said: "Despite India's relatively slow growth in travel spending, online travel sales are forecast to experience a significant rise in the coming years. To gain the loyalty of Indian shoppers, online travel agents must recognise that travellers in India are on the lookout for both bargains and new ways to pay online. Merchants, who offer alternative payment methods, rather than just credit or debit cards, will be in a strong position to get more sales now and attract new shoppers as India's middle class and online spending power continue to expand." Although India has yet to match other emerging markets in internet and mobile penetration - there are just 18 internet users and 1.24 fixed broadband subscriptions for every 100 people The country's potential for growth is staggering. India's GDP grew 7.6 percent in the 2015/16 fiscal year. eCommerce spending is predicted to triple by 2019. Worldpay's research affirms this trend, with the majority of travellers saying they prefer to do holiday research online (87 percent). Amongst the six markets surveyed, India also leads the way on m-commerce adoption with 65 percent of travellers saying would be happy to use their smartphone to buy travel on the move. As India's internet penetration and middle class continues to grow, online travel agents can expect to see more and more travellers booking holidays online. It's also important for online travel agents to recognise that Indian travellers are the world's most likely to save for a holiday. 67 percent of Indians said they had paid for last holiday out of savings, making their spending habits similar to those in Brazil, another BRICnation. 41 percent of Indian travellers prefer their holiday payments to go out of their current accounts, either by debit card (25 percent) or Net banking (16 percent). At the same time, 85 percent said they were interested in paying for their next holiday by instalments - indicating that India's savings culture may be changing. Pomford added: "Payment preferences in India vary greatly from consumer to consumer. Many travelers are credit-wary and prefer to save up before buying a holiday; others turn to credit cards because they are simple to use and offer discounts or rewards; and still more look to installment plans to spread the cost of a pricey holiday. These varying trends, along with the fact that over 95% of card users said that, if given a choice, they would prefer to book their next flight or holiday package using Net banking, should make online travel agents pause for thought." "In order to answer the demands of this diverse group of travellers, online travel agents must offer them variety. That way, every shopper gets the payment method they want. By acting as an innovator and catering to a wide variety of payment demands, online travel agents can gain a foothold in India and be well situated to secure future sales in this dynamic and emerging market." (ANI-Newsvoir) Jaya Bachchan hates being clicked, proved her appearance at a college fest yesterday. Known for her strict and disciplined nature, the 68-year-old actress turned politician lashed out at the audience, who ever busy clicking her snaps, during an interactive session. "Please stop taking pictures. I hate it because it's right into my eyes. These are basic manners which Indians have to learn. Just because you have a camera and a mobile, you get the freedom of take anyone's picture anytime, without asking that person! These are basic educations that all colleges and schools and parents at home should teach their children," she said, letting up her chat with the host on stage. "It's very annoying. I have a freedom to say no from being photographed. I am trying to chat here. You are sitting right in front of me clicking right into my eyes. I hate indiscipline," she added. Further speaking about her punctuality, during the session, the Padma Shri recipient said, "I like to be on time to honour the person who has invited me." (ANI) The makers of "Pellichoopulu" organised a special screening of the film for Rao on Tuesday. "Watched an exceptionally well made movie 'Pellichoopulu', which breaks new grounds on many counts. Kudos to Tharun and entire team. Must watch," he wrote on his Twitter page. He was especially happy that the movie gives a message without being preachy, and shines the spotlight on unconventional professions, women empowerment and entrepreneurial spirit. Directed by Tharun Bhascker Dhaassyam, "Pellichoopulu", which released in cinemas on July 29, has become a runaway hit both in domestic as well as overseas markets. In the US, it is inching close to the prestigious million dollar club. Starring Vijay Deverakonda, Ritu Varma and Priyadarshi Pullikonda, the film is about the journey of a boy and a girl who are brought together by a business venture. --IANS hp/rb/vm ( 172 Words) 2016-08-17-12:28:01 (IANS) A 36-year-old Filipino woman delivered a baby aboard a Dubai-Manila flight, which had to make an emergency landing at Hyderabad airport. The incident took place on August 14 on Cebu Pacific Air flight, which was passing through Indian airspace while on its way to Manila. Sources at Hyderabad airport told IANS that the flight had to land because of medical emergency. The flight resumed its journey after the woman and the new born baby girl were shifted to a hospital in the city. "They were in slightly bad shape when brought to medical centre at the airport because it was a premature delivery," sources said. They were later shifted to Apollo Cradle Hospital. According to doctors, the mother is stable but the new-born was suffering from jaundice. The hospital authorities declined to share the name and other details of the woman. Missy Berberabe Umandal, one of the passengers on the flight, posted on Facebook that the lady near her seat started having contractions mid-flight. According to her, it surprised even the woman as the delivery was due in October. Two nurses who were among the passengers came to help as flight attendants started calling for medical assistance. The more spacious front portion of the plane was turned into a makeshift delivery room. "We only heard one semi-loud screech, and a few seconds later, there were tinier, cute screeches, and it was when we knew the baby was born, Umandal posted. "The flight attendants took a shelf from the cabinets and filled it with mineral water, which became a makeshift wash basin to clean the baby in. She also posted a picture of the woman with the baby in her arms. She described the girl as lucky as she will get free travel for lifetime for being born in a Cebu Pacific flight. --IANS ms/ahm/bg ( 316 Words) 2016-08-17-23:08:03 (IANS) AAP Trade Wing convenor Brijesh Goel has said he stands by industries and traders, who are concerned with the Delhi Government's decision. The AAP Trade Wing said it supports traders and industries against their own government's decision. Meanwhile, the industries warned the government that they would be forced to move out of Delhi if the government increased the minimum wage. Members of industries and trade are likely to go on a strike against the decision to hike minimum wages. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had August 15 announced to increase minimum wages of workers in Delhi by around 50 percent. (ANI) Asserting that action should be taken against those responsible for the delay behind implementation of the Chinese manjha ban, the Congress on Wednesday said that the Delhi Government should carry out an extensive research and come out with an innovation to address this concern. Dubbing the incident as heart wrenching, Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit condoled the loss of lives. "The manjha issue has come up many times. Flying kites in the month of August and especially on 15th August. The incident which took place is heart wrenching and I would like to express my grief. Now, whether it was Chinese manjha or not that the government would know. But the point is that if it was banned in advance and if delay was made in implementation of the rule then action must be taken against the defaulters," said Dikshit. "I would also appeal to the government that it should check all kinds of manjhas and try and hatch a way out and come up with some safer kind of manjha," he added. Following the loss of lives in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government put a ban on the sale, production and storage of glass-coated threads or Chinese manjha. A blame game has begun after kite strings claimed three lives earlier on Monday with Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accusing Environment Secretary Chandraker Bharti of taking seven days to clear a notification. Sisodia also wrote to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung seeking action against the Environment Secretary for 'gross negligence in duty and insensitiveness in Chinese manja case'. "Environment Secretary took 7days to issue notification though file was cleared by my & Env Minster's office within minutes on 9th Aug," Sisodia tweeted. "Chinese manja and other kite flying thread which is made of glass, sharp material is dangerous. Safety of our citizens is non-negotiable," he said in a series of tweets. The Lieutenant Governor's office has, however, according to reports said that Jung had approved the draft notification on August 8 and sent it back to the government the next day while accusing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of delaying issuance of the draft notification despite the fact that he had sent the notification with his approval to the Environment Department on August 9. According to the draft notification issued by the Environment Secretary, kite flying will be permissible only with a cotton thread and natural fibre free from any metallic and glass components. Violation of directions will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to five years or fine which may be extended to Rs. one lakh or with both. (ANI) To demand implementation of laws to protect indigenous people of Manipur a relay hunger strike began here today led by former Convenor of Joint Committee of Inner Line Permit (JCILPS) Kh Ratan.Large numbers of people took part in the hunger strike at Keishampat along with Ratan. They demanded introduction of Inner Line Permit, passing of appropriate laws and implementation of all agreements reached with the government to protect indigenous people.Festoons were also put up denouncing declaration of Ratan as a wanted man. Similar protests were also taken out in different parts of the state. BJP also organized a sit in protest at Uripok to support the movement.Manipur government is preparing to present a Bill in the next session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly scheduled to be held on September 2 next. It has already issued a draft bill and has invited suggestions from all parties and civil organisations.Three Bills were passed in Aug last year and a Bill was returned while two others Bills were not yet given assent by the Central government. Manipur government has drafted the Regulation of Non-Local People Bill 2016 and has asked all to help in passing of the Bill smoothly. The government had earlier decided to declare all those who settled before 1951 as indigenous people which was objected by various hill organisations. The organisations suggested 1971 so the time period may be fixed around 1971.The Government is ready to take all suggestions till August 24 .UNI NS SHS ADG 1335 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0431-890951.Xml The cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, today took several important decisions including hike in the salary and allowances of the legislators, approval of exorbitant Rs 25,000 crore supplementary budget, approval of DPR of Allahabad metro and nod to the proposed Samajwadi Expressway from Lucknow to Ballia through (Engineering, Procurement, Construction) EPC mode.The annoyed State minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, uncle of the Chief Minister, skipped the crucial cabinet meeting. He was in Moradabad, attending a function to distribute Kanya Vidya Dhan. The Chief Minister refused to speak on the controversial issue after the meeting. He claimed that the Samajwadi Party government will retain power in the state with its development agenda. The CM also announced that some of the new ministers who could not take oath earlier, would be doing the same very soon. The Cabinet meeting approved the long pending demand of the legislators to hike their salaries and allowances.According to sources, the salaries of the legislators have been hiked by around 40 per cent and would be at par with some other states. The new wages and perks would be applicable after the amendment in the Act in the state legislature, slated to meet for the Monsoon session commencing from August 22. The government also approved a new legislation for allotment of bunglows for ex-chief ministers and others after the Supreme Court quashed the government order of 1997 and thereafter.The UP government also approved around Rs 25,000 crore supplementary budget to be passed in the Monsoon session of the state legislature. The government also approved the ambitious Samajwadi Expressway from Lucknow to Ballia through EPC mode, for which Rs 5000 crore have been earmarked in the supplementary budget. The state government also approved the new Apartment Act besides giving its nod to provide free school bags to the students from class one to eight in government schools.After approval of Kanpur and Varanasi Metros, the state government gave its nod to Allahabad Metro DPR. The other decisions of the state cabinet were setting up of a cultural centre at the Kaifi Azmi Academy, multi-level parking at Jawahar and Indira Bhawans in Lucknow and free land for construction of 132 KVA sub-station in Rampur.UNI MB RSA ADG 1325 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0431-890954.Xml "A BSF jawan namely Constable Rajiv Ranjan of 89 Bn BSF, who had stabbed his colleague at forward post Beli Ajmat on July 24, this morning surrendered before his officers at Battalion HQ in Akhnoor," police sources here said. They said the jawan was being questioned while was yet to be handed over to the police for further action. "The LMG, 10 magazines and 250 rounds, which he took along, were already recovered by the Punjab Police near his native place," sources added. They said the matter was being investigated.UNI VBH RSA ADG 1345 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0431-891001.Xml According to police sources, the Ghaziabad MP's wife Bharti Singh was reportedly being blackmailed by a relative's friend named Pradip Chauhan. In her complaint, Ms Bharti Singh alleged that the blackmailer was demanding Rs 2 crore from her. The police have registered a complaint at Tughlaq Road police station in this regard. As per the complaint, Pradeep, who has been calling the minister's wife, threatened her that he would release some audio and video clips on social media platforms, which would ruin her husband's reputation. While the Delhi police is remaining tight-lipped about the case, sources said a special team has been formed to nab the culprit.UNI SM/AR SW RSA 1436 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0092-891092.Xml AGS Health, a global provider of Revenue Cycle healthcare, healthcare analytics and medical coding services provider today announced that it will be hiring 1,500 professionals to work in India during next one year. Talking to newsmen here on the occasion opening its second centre after Begumpet in the city, AGS Health Chief Executive Officer Devendra Saharia said that the company has 4,800 employees working in 13 centers across USA and India cater to 50 US-based clients."The AGS Health continue to be a market leader, servicing the 30 billion dollar US revenue Cycle management ( RCM) Industry," he said. All the employees except 28 were working in India. The company has centres at Chennai, Hyderabad, Vellore and Noida, he said. Mr Saharia who is also the Founder of the company said that the new centre opened at Hitech City area in the city was the largest delivery centre in India with a capacity to set over 1000 employees and dedicated 150 seat cutting edge recruitment center. The new facility has also 90 seat world class in-house training academy. The new state-of-art facility will help the company service their growing base of blue chip clients, while expanding their national footprint to access the best and brightest talent in and around Hyderabad. He said, "We are delighted to expand our operations in Hyderabad as the city plays a vital role in our business strategy owing to its vibrant entrepreneurial culture, business friendly government policies and highly qualified talent pool". The company's annual cumulative growth was 45 per cent, Mr Sahari said and added the company's revenue stood at 40 million dollar during 2015-2016 and expecting USD 50 million current fiscal (2016-2017).UNI VV ADP 1702 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-891414.Xml Sources said the flight from Mumbai made the emergency landing as the pilot doubted malfunctioning of the front wheel. However, all the 161 passengers in the flight are safe as the flight landed safely, it added.UNI DS DS RSA 1722 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-891447.Xml Sonalika ITL, one of the top 3 players in India, today unveiled 'Solis 120' a 120 HP tractor, under its international brand name 'Solis'. Sonalika ITL is the first and only Indian company to indigenously develop & manufacture 120 HP tractors with the aim to strengthen and increase its presence in Indian and overseas market. Commenting on launch, Deepak Mittal, MD, Sonalika ITL, said Solis 120 is ergonomically designed to cater the need of its end user with international styling and built with 6 cylinder, turbo charged engine with 24+24 gear box ensuring 4500KG of huge lifting capacity. He added that Sonalika ITL has been a pioneer from India in introducing newer technologies like CRDi technology complying with the European and American emission norms. Under sub- compact range Solis 20 - Solis 26 tractors are a huge success in EU markets, narrow tractor range Solis 60 to Solis 90 is best suited for orchard and vineyard application. Sonalika ITL has also pioneered the introduction of higher HP tractors like 110- 120HP by providing 'Sonalika 110' to Global customers before any other company of Indian origin."Sonalika ITL is the only Indian company to export to more than 24 European countries, making it the top Indian brand in Europe. The company takes pride in being the No.1 brand in Africa apart from being market leaders in countries like Algeria with around 60 per cent market share, Nepal with 22 per cent, Bangladesh with 20 per cent per cent etc. In the last 4 months, the company witnessed a growth of 24 per cent with exports numbers surpassing 4000 tractors vis--vis a 3 per cent decline in tractor industry exports," he said. "Sonalika group, from past two decades, has always endeavored to empower the farmers by providing complete agricultural solution that will enhance their agricultural productivity. Sonalika ITL is one of the finest Indian tractor company which exports to 24 European markets and takes pride being market leaders in many countries. Through this 120 HP tractor, the company is focusing on commercial farmers, by providing an ease in doing arduous work."In next five years as part of our growth strategy, we are aiming to gain a respectable market share in China and US, the second largest and third largest tractor markets respectively, he added.According to the TMA data, in the month of July Sonalika ITL became the leading exporter of tractors by shipping 1534 tractors as compared to 1256 tractors by TMTL, 1173 by John Deere, 1100 tractors by Mahindra, 720 tractors by New Holland and 82 tractors by Escorts.Sonalika ITL exported more than 65000 tractors since its inception in international market in 2012 and has assembly plants in several countries (Brazil, Argentina, Algeria, Iran, and Cameroon). For quality after sales service, Sonalika ITL has set up a centralized spare parts center in Czech Republic to facilitate dealer's request from European and neighboring nations. UNI ADP SW 1726 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0429-891473.Xml Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly Vijender Gupta today blamed the Delhi government for not banning the deadly Chinese manjha with affect from August 15, leading to death of three people in Delhi.Addressing mediapersons, he said, ''The deadly Chinese thread cut throat of an inspector and a toddler. As many as 35 children wounded by manjha are struggling for life in hospitals. BJP will raise this matter in the Assembly session beginning on August 22 and question the Delhi government on the issue.''Mr Gupta also demanded constitution of an impartial judicial commission to investigate the reason for not banning the manjha and strict action against those found guilty.''In May 2016, a petition was filed in the Delhi High Court, requesting to ban the Chinese manjha. On August 2, Delhi government told the Delhi High Court that the sxame cannot be banned because a notification will have to be issued for six months, whereas the petitioner said since the matter concerns life and property of the people and therefore, sale of manjha should be banned immediately. ''Thereafter, file relating to the draft for issue of notification was sent to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on August 8, 2016. Considering the seriousness of the issue, Mr Jung signed the file on August 9, 2016 and returned it to Delhi government,'' the BJP leader recalled.Mr Gupta alleged that if the government wanted, it could have called a special session of Assembly on August 10 or 11 to pass the Bill, permanently banning the manjha and send it to the LG to make it a law, but because it was in collusion with the manjha mafia, it took no action. Now, Environment Secretary of Delhi Chandrakar Bharti is being made a scapegoat to protect the real culprits. The government is finding new excuses for not banning sale of Chinese manjha, the BJP leader further alleged. On the LG's part, he had alerted the Delhi government to run awareness campaign to warn the people not to use the deadly Chinese manjha, but it released no such ad. Now, it is shedding crocodile tears to mislead the public by talking about banning the manjha, he charged. Manjha has not even spared birds. Total 385 birds injured by the Chinese manjha are undergoing treatment at Jain Charitable Bird Hospital and according to the head of this hospital, wounded birds continue to come to the hospital and the number is likely to cross 500.There is a tradition of flying kites on Independence Day as a symbol of freedom. Business of crores of rupees is transacted and it appears that due to greed for revenue, Kejriwal government intentionally did not ban the Chinese manjha and kite flying till August 15 and played 'Holi' with the blood of innocents, Mr Gupta further alleged.UNI SY RJ SW 1847 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0093-891629.Xml They denied the permission to carry out state-level vehicle procession " Azadi Express " a Kala Jatha led by CFI state president C A Rauf from Kasargod to Thiruvanthapuram from August 16. The main slogan of the Kala Jatha is "Against fascism and whistle for freedom". Actually, the Jatha scheduled to start from Kasargod on August 16, but police deny the permission and later CFI leaders shifted the starting point to Kannur. The Kasargod district police chief denied the permission to start the Jatha from Kasargod, yesterday, citing the police intelligence report that cause tension across the state. Later, the CFI, authorities decided to shift the it Kannur to Thiruvanthapuram on today morning. Kannur district police chief also denied permission and large number of police were deployed at old bus stand, here, where the Jatha scheduled to start, to block at starting point. Some CFI activists and media persons also assembled here since 1100 hrs and suddenly they decided to change the venue and start from Caltex junction near KSRTC bus stand and it began around 1145 hrs. Police rushed to the spot and a scuffle is reported with CFI, when they forcibly arrested eight state leaders including C A Rauf, vice president K A Muhammed Shameer, treasurer Shafeek Kallayi, district president Muhammed Rifa, jeep driver Jaffar Kuttipuram and taken them in custody. Later, hundreds of CFI activists carryied out procession from Caltex junction to railway station violating the police order. However, police registered case against hundreds of CFI activists. They shouted slogans as "Azadi from RSS and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan" when police denied the permission. UNI AK DS SW 1858 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-891702.Xml Granting relief to 38 home buyers who were not given flats, the Supreme Court today directed Gurugram-based real estate major, Unitech, to refund Rs 15 crore to them in their much-delayed housing projects -- Vistas and Burgundy -- in Gurugram and Noida respectively."We direct the real estate firm, Unitech, to refund Rs 15 crore to these 38 home buyers," a two-judge division bench, headed by Justice Dipak Misra and also comprising Justice Uday Umesh Lalit, said.The builder has been given two weeks time by the Apex Court to deposit Rs 5 crore and the rest of the amount by September 30.Today's Apex Court direction came after it heard a plea filed by three flat buyers who are yet to get possession. Earlier last month, the Supreme Court had asked the real estate major to pay interim compensation of Rs 5 crore to buyers by August 12. The court had also came down heavily on Unitechr and said that in case Unitech does not compensate the flat buyers within the given time, its directors could be sent to jail.Unitech has been under fire for delay in possession of apartments in their Noida and Gurugram projects, which were to be delivered to buyers in February 2013.Affirming that it is pained that so many investors are suffering, the Apex Court said that the interest aspect on the principal amount will be dealt with subsequently. The next date of hearing in the case in the Supreme Court is on October 4.Senior advocate, Jayant Bhushan, represented around 30 home buyers in Unitech Vistas who wanted a refund. Lawyer, Ashwarya Sinha, also represented a few buyers in the case.In the last hearing, Unitech's lawyers told the Top Court that it did not have the money to refund to buyers and if it had the money it would have completed the project instead.UNI XC RP1920 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0177-891819.Xml The second meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa) Ministers for Disaster Management will be held in Udaipur, Rajasthan on August 22-23. The two-day meeting will focus on two distinct but inter-related themes--Flood Risk Management and Forecasting of Extreme Weather Events in the context of Changing Climate. It is a follow up of the first meeting of the BRICS Ministers for Disaster Management convened by the Russian Federation in St Petersburg on April 19-20, an official statement said. Recognizing the common challenge posed by natural and man-made disasters, BRICS countries have identified Disaster Management as an important area of collaboration. The Ufa Declaration signed by BRICS Nations at the 7th BRICS Summit on July 9, 2015 identified the need to promote cooperation in preventing and developing responses to emergency situations. The Declaration also acknowledged the fruitful discussions on natural disasters within the context of BRICS cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation. It also reiterated BRICS commitment to mitigate the negative impact of climate change. All the five BRICS countries have signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. They are also parties to the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in March, 2015 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015. A number of SDGs have specific targets related to Disaster Risk Management (DRM). The country delegations to the Udaipur Meeting will be led by the Ministers of Disaster Management from the respective BRICS countries and other senior officials/ technical experts from Disaster Management Ministries/ Departments. UNI NY CJ RJ 2004 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0099-891949.Xml In a combined operation, the Commissioner's task force teams from North and West Zone arrested the Nigerians nationals at two different places in the state capital of Hyderabad and seized drugs worth Rs 3.5 lakhs in the International market from their possession, according to task force DCP B Limba Reddy . Besides drugs, also seized Rs 33,600 cash two laptops and 15 cell phones from the accused, who are all businessmen, the DCP said. The accused were identified as -- Ejeana Raphael Chidera, C Akuabata, U Solomon Ubabuko, Obiora Chukwuemeka Peter, O Samson C, E Christian Chuku and U Promise Chukuwudi. The accused came to India on business Visa and have established a drug network all over the metropolitan cities and operatives of drug suppliers from Goa, the police officer added.UNI KNR CJ RJ 2123 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0400-892078.Xml The body of Madison Ch Marak, assistant teacher in Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) Lower Primary School in East Garo Hills district, was recovered from Jingamgre area. "Our initial investigation indicates that the teacher was beaten to death by GNLA (Garo National Liberation Army) militants suspecting him to be a police informer," Davies Marak, the district police chief of East Garo Hills, told IANS. He said the police are on the lookout to nab the militants involved in the killing of the schoolteacher. Condemning the murder of their colleague, the teachers under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Teachers Association, East Garo Hills demanded immediate justice. This incident has sent a shockwave and has made the teachers, especially those that are working in interior villages and hostile regions, feel insecure," the teachers' association said. The GNLA, which claims to be fighting for a separate 'Garoland' in western Meghalaya, is headed by police officer-turned-rebel Champion R. Sangma, who is lodged in the Shillong jail after being arrested from near the India-Bangladesh border in 2012. --IANS rrk/lok/bg ( 200 Words) 2016-08-17-22:24:02 (IANS) Though authorities termed it a routine check up, hospital sources told IANS that Gandhi had not been keeping well since her discharge on Aug 14. "Though it was a routine check up after her over 11 days treatment, she has also undergone some small medical procedure for her back. Her condition did not seem well," said a doctor at Ganga Ram Hospital, who did not wish to be named. Sources said that Gandhi left the hospital after the minor medical procedure. She had come to the hospital around 3 p.m. Gandhi was admitted to the Ganga Ram Hospital on August 3 afternoon with fever, dehydration and shoulder injury, for which she underwent a surgery. She fell ill during a rally at Varanasi, and was initially admitted to the Army Research and Referral Hospital. --IANS rup/rn/bg ( 185 Words) 2016-08-17-22:44:05 (IANS) Russia and the United States are close to starting joint military action against militants in Syria's Aleppo, Russian news agencies today quoted Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu as saying.Fighting for control of the divided city of some 2 million people has intensified in recent weeks and there have been some gains for rebel groups battling Syrian government forces .Russia backs Syrian President Bashar al Assad in the five-year-old Syria conflict, while the United States wants to see Assad step down. But both are participating in talks to try to find a political solution to end the civil war.Senior Russian and US military officials have held Geneva negotiations on Aleppo and on restoring an overall ceasefire, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said last Thursday."We are now in a very active phase of negotiations with our American colleagues," the RIA news agency cited Shoigu as saying. "We are moving step by step closer to a plan - and I'm only talking about Aleppo here - that would really allow us to start fighting together to bring peace so that people can return to their homes in this troubled land."Asked about Shoigu's remarks, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters in Washington: "We have seen the reports and have nothing to announce ... We remain in close contact (with Russian officials)."Trudeau said the United States continued to push for a broader cessation of Syria hostilities accord with Russia.The battle for Aleppo is "one of the most devastating urban conflicts in modern times," Peter Maurer, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said today."No one and nowhere is safe. Shellfire is constant, with houses, schools and hospitals all in the line of fire. People live in a state of fear. Children have been traumatized. The scale of the suffering is immense," Maurer said in a statement.The ICRC reiterated its call on all warring parties to allow humanitarian agencies to deliver supplies to civilians in desperate need of food and clean water across Aleppo.Russia has delivered aid to Aleppo and is helping to rebuild damaged water pumping stations, Shoigu said. About 700,000 people are still living in Aleppo and residents in the eastern part of the city were "hostages of armed groups", he added.Earlier today, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Syrian militants had used a temporary ceasefire around Aleppo to regroup.Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia should play a more active role in helping to resolve the Syria crisis."(They should) sit down at the table and negotiate," Bogdanov told RIA news agency, saying he would meet representatives of the Syrian opposition in the Qatari capital, Doha, on August 16.But the official spokesman for the Syrian opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC), Riad Nassan Agha, said today the HNC was unaware of this meeting. He said it did not know which "opposition" Bogdanov was referring to. REUTERS PS 0040 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-889160.Xml Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said today he would work closely with NATO allies to defeat Islamic State militants if he won the election in November, reversing an earlier threat that the United States might not meet its NATO treaty obligations with allies."We will work closely with NATO on this mission," against Islamic State, Trump said in a foreign policy speech in the swing state of Ohio. His remarks about NATO earlier this summer drew heavy criticism from allies. REUTERS PS 0114 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-889167.Xml Armed men kidnapped a group of people from a restaurant in the heart of Mexico's major Pacific tourist resort of Puerto Vallarta early today morning, the state attorney general's office said.Puerto Vallarta, in the state of Jalisco, is one of Mexico's top vacation destinations, luring all-inclusive tourists and high-end sunseekers to its beaches. The state is also home to the Jalisco New Generation cartel, which has become one of the country's most powerful drug gangs in recent years.In a statement, the state's attorney general's office said the victims were sitting in a restaurant in a major boulevard at 1 a.m. CDT (1130 IST) today, when gunmen arrived in two pickup trucks and took them.The statement did not clarify how many people were taken, but local media reported as many as 16 people were seized. The prosecutor's office said it was investigating the incident.REUTERS PS 0228 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-889177.Xml Republican Donald Trump said today he would work closely with NATO allies to defeat Islamic State militants if he wins the White House, reversing an earlier threat that the United States might not meet its obligations to the Western military alliance.In a policy speech, Trump said he would wage a multi-front "military, cyber and financial" war against Islamic State, although it was not clear how this would differ from the Obama administration's fight with the jihadist group."We will also work closely with NATO on this new mission," said Trump, whose remarks about the defense organization earlier this summer drew heavy criticism from allies and even some of his fellow Republicans.Trump said a newly adopted approach to fighting terrorism by the organization had led him to change his mind and he no longer considered NATO obsolete. He was apparently referring to reports the alliance is moving toward creating a new intelligence post in a bid to improve information sharing.While Trump appeared to claim credit for prodding NATO to focus more on the threat of terrorism, the 28-nation alliance has been grappling with the issue for more than a decade. NATO invoked Article 5, its collective self-defense mechanism, for the first time in its history to offer support to the United States after the September 11, 2001 attacks.Trump called for shutting down access to the Internet and social media for those who are aligned with the Islamic State, which holds territory in Syria and Iraq, but said he did not want to detail military strategy because it would tip off potential foes."We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism just as we have defeated every threat we've faced at every age and before," Trump said, blaming his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, and President Barack Obama for aiding the rise of Islamic State.In a speech in the swing state of Ohio, Trump also said that in implementing his call for a temporary ban on Muslims immigrating to the country, he would institute "extreme vetting" and develop a new screening test to try to catch people who intend to do harm to the United States.As president, he said, he would ask the US State Department and Department of Homeland Security to identify regions of the world that remain hostile to the United States and where normal screening might not be sufficient to catch those who pose a threat.Reading from a teleprompter, he said Clinton does not have the judgment and character to lead the country."Importantly, she also lacks the mental and physical stamina to take on ISIS and all of the many adversaries we face," he said.Trump, a wealthy New York businessman whose volatile campaign has alienated some in the Republican establishment, faced a fresh rebuke on Monday as he falls behind Clinton in opinion polls ahead of the November 8 election.The Wall Street Journal, a leading conservative voice, said in an editorial he should fix his campaign within weeks or step down. Echoing growing alarm about Trump's candidacy among many leading Republicans, the newspaper said Trump had failed to establish a competent campaign operation.'STOP BLAMING EVERYONE ELSE'"If they can't get Mr. Trump to change his act by Labor Day, the GOP will have no choice but to write off the nominee as hopeless and focus on salvaging the Senate and House and other down-ballot races," the newspaper said.Labor Day, which falls on September 5 this year, marks the end of US summer vacations and traditionally launches the final phase of the long US election season."As for Mr. Trump, he needs to stop blaming everyone else and decide if he wants to behave like someone who wants to be president - or turn the nomination over to Mike Pence," it said, referring to the Indiana governor, who is Trump's vice presidential running mate.Adding to Trump's woes this week was the news, first reported by The New York Times, that the name of his campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was on secret ledgers showing cash payments designated to him of more than 12 million dollars from a Ukrainian political party with close ties to Russia.Manafort denied any impropriety in a statement on Monday. "I have never received a single 'off-the-books cash payment' as falsely 'reported' by The New York Times, nor have I ever done work for the governments of Ukraine or Russia," he said.Artem Sytnik, the head of Ukraine's anti-corruption bureau, confirmed in a briefing with reporters that Manafort's name appeared on a ledger and that more than 12 million dollars had been allocated as an expenditure, referencing Manafort.But Sytnik said that the presence of Manafort's name "does not mean that he definitely received this money."The Clinton campaign said the news was evidence of "more troubling connections between Donald Trump's team and pro-Kremlin elements in Ukraine."Trump has spoken favorably in the past of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Last month he invited Russian hackers to find "missing" emails from Clinton's time as secretary of state, when she used a private email server to conduct government business, although he later described that comment as sarcasm.The current RealClearPolitics average of national opinion polls puts Clinton 6.8 points ahead of Trump, at 47.8 percent to Trump's 41 per cent. Polls also show Trump trailing in states such as Pennsylvania that are likely to be pivotal in the election.REUTERS PS 0320 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-889179.Xml US officials said 15 inmates from the Guantanamo Bay prison were transferred to the United Arab Emirates, the single largest transfer of Guantanamo detainees during President Barack Obama's administration.The transfer of the 12 Yemeni and three Afghan citizens brings the total number of detainees down to 61 at the US naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Most have been held without charge or trial for more than a decade, drawing international condemnation.Obama, who had hoped to close the prison during his first year in office, rolled out his plan in February aimed at shutting the facility. But he faces opposition from many Republican lawmakers as well as some fellow Democrats.While Obama's plan for shuttering the facility calls for bringing the several dozen remaining prisoners to maximum-security prisons in the United States, US law bars such transfers to the mainland. Obama, though, has not ruled out doing so by executive action."I think we are at an extremely dangerous point where there is a significant possibility this is going to remain open as a permanent offshore prison to hold people, practically until they die," said Naureen Shah, Amnesty International's US director for security and human rights.Shah added that keeping Guantanamo open gave cover to foreign governments to ignore international human rights."It weakens the US government's hand in arguing against torture and indefinite detention," she said.One of the detainees who was transferred is an Afghan national, identified as Obaidullah, who has spent more than 13 years at Guantanamo. He had been accused of hiding and storing mines to be used against American forces in Afghanistan."The continued operation of the detention facility weakens our national security by draining resources, damaging our relationships with key allies and partners, and emboldening violent extremists," Lee Wolosky, the State Department's special envoy for closing the Guantanamo detention center, said."The support of our friends and allies - like the UAE - is critical to our achieving this shared goal," Wolosky said.A US State Department official speaking on condition of anonymity said the UAE had resettled five detainees transferred in November 2015.REUTERS PS 0457 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-889190.Xml North Carolina asked the US Supreme Court to allow a state law requiring voters to show identification to remain in effect for the November 8 US election despite an appeals court decision that the measure discriminates against minority voters.Lawyers for Republican Governor Pat McCrory said the status quo should be maintained so close to the election, citing court precedent in their favor. The law, which also limited early voting, was enacted in 2013.The Richmond, Virginia-based 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on July 29 that the law intentionally discriminated against minority voters. The same court refused to put its decision on hold for the November election.Critics say such laws, passed in Republican-governed states, make voting harder for minorities such as African-Americans and Hispanics, who tend to support Democrats. Backers say the laws are necessary to prevent voter fraud.The state directed its request to Chief Justice John Roberts, who has responsibility for emergency requests arising from the federal appeals court that covers the state. The state is not seeking to restore all provisions of the law that were invalidated, meaning some provisions will not be in effect for the election whatever the high court does.REUTERS PS 0519 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-889197.Xml Imam Maulama Akonjee was a devout spiritual leader beloved by his Bangladeshi Muslim community, according to those who knew him in the New York City neighborhood where he lived, worshiped and died violently.Nearly everyone who knew the cleric and his religious associate Thara Uddin asked the same question: What reason would anyone have to gun down two revered, humble men as they left their mosque in the Ozone Park section of Queens on Saturday?In a diverse neighborhood with a reputation for tolerance and relatively low crime, the mystery has raised suspicions among many residents that the brazen, daylight murders were inspired by hatred of their religious or ethnic identities. An outdoor funeral was held for the two men yesterday.Badrul Khan, founder of Ozone Park's Al-Furqan Jame Mosque, said he had known Akonjee for a long time. The 55-year-old cleric, a father of seven, emigrated to the United States from Bangladesh several years ago, he said.Judging from what he knew about the imam, Khan said he could think of only one reason the fatal shooting could have happened: "This is a hate crime, nothing else."Police say the gunman stalked the men, who were dressed in religious garb, as they left Al-Furqan on Saturday afternoon and then shot them point-blank in the heads before fleeing.A man was being questioned by detectives yesterday, but he had not been charged in connection with the killings. A motive had not yet been established, and police had not discovered a connection between the suspect and victims.Khan, who spoke at the funeral for the two men in Ozone Park yesterday, told Reuters that the imam was a man of simple routines who lived and breathed his religious faith."This imam is a speaker, a translator for us," Khan said, referring to the cleric's role on interpreting the Koran. "His whole life was his job, praying here, then going home."Akonjee never expressed political views in public, but instead was known for his kindness, humility and abhorrence of violence, Kahn said.Rana Miah, 38, said he had known Akonjee since 2003. Miah's brother is married to the imam's daughter."He taught people at the mosque and visited them at their homes to teach them, with what time he had. He also used to cook for his family," Miah said.Miah said Akonjee and Uddin used to walk together from the mosque to the block where they both lived. Akonjee had booked a ticket to return to Bangladesh at the end of the month to visit his mother, who is ill, Miah said.Hasina Aktar, 33, a stay-at-home mother, said her father and husband both go to Al-Furqan mosque to pray.She described the imam as a "nice, decent" man of strong faith, and she couldn't imagine why anyone would target him."He never fought. He encouraged Muslims in the community to pray, encouraged us to pray five times every day, to come to the mosque, to remember Allah."POLITICAL OVERTONESAbsent any other good explanation for the crime, she said she was inclined to think the murders were motivated by hate. Aktar said she has become afraid to wear her hijab in public, not because of the killings but because of what she sees is an escalating national anger against Muslims.The funeral took on political overtones given the circumstances of the killings. The mayor and other elected officials condemned the shooting, and dozens of men in a sweltering parking lot held placards demanding justice.To be sure, not everyone in Ozone Park believed the murders were linked to the men's religion or ethnicity.Tyrone Fields, 51, who works at a nearby hospital, emigrated from Barbados but has lived in Ozone Park for years, he said."People really keep to themselves here. This is a nice neighborhood," he said. "I think it must have been something personal." REUTERS PS 0547 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-889200.Xml A jury found Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane guilty on Monday of perjury and all other charges in her trial on allegations that she leaked grand jury information to a reporter, local media reported.Kane's conviction was reported by Philly.com and ABC's WPVI-TV. She had faced charges of perjury, obstruction of justice, false swearing and official oppression in the trial in Norristown, a suburb of Philadelphia. REUTERS PS 0710 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-889208.Xml Brazil's Foreign Ministry summoned Uruguay's ambassador today to explain comments reportedly made by Uruguay Foreign Minister Rodolfo Nin Novoa, who accused Brazil of trying to block Venezuela from taking the presidency of the Mercosur trade bloc.Uruguayan media reported that Nin Novoa said the Brazilian government tried to "buy" Uruguay's vote to prevent Caracas from leading the regional group that also includes Argentina and Paraguay."The Brazilian government received with a profound discontent and surprise the statement from Chancellor Nin Novoa," Brazil's foreign ministry said in a statement.The leadership spat in the group has raised tensions and opened ideological fault lines in a region struggling with a drop in commodity prices and political turmoil.Since Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff was suspended in May, her replacement Michel Temer has moved the country away from leftist allies such as Venezuela and toward traditional allies the United States and Europe.Argentina and Paraguay, once close allies to Caracas, have also moved to undermine Venezuela as the country struggles with economic and political crises.Rousseff and her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva supported Venezuela's former President Hugo Chavez and his successor Nicolas Maduro, who took office when Chavez died in 2013.REUTERS PS 0226 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0421-890654.Xml Tension eased in Milwaukee, as teenagers respected curfew to deter a third night of the rioting that hit the US Midwestern city following the police shooting of an armed black man.Milwaukee is the latest American city to have been gripped by a trend of violence over the past two years in response to fatal police confrontations with black men.However, by 0830 IST, the situation in the city appeared calm, city and police officials told reporters, although there had been several arrests earlier in the evening."We think we are in, comparatively speaking, a positive place," Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn said, within an hour of the start of the curfew. The situation could change rapidly, however, Flynn warned.Late yesterday afternoon, dozens of police, some in riot gear, cordoned off Sherman Park, the center of the neighborhood where the weekend shooting and subsequent disturbances took place. Nearby, about 100 people held a picnic in a grassy area.As the sun set, pedestrians thinned out ahead of the 0830 IST curfew in the area, where police vehicles were seen parked in alleys and along major thoroughfares."There is a curfew that will be more strictly enforced tonight for teenagers," Mayor Tom Barrett told a news conference. "So parents, after 10 o'clock, your teenagers better be home or in a place where they're off the streets."Barrett renewed his call for state officials to release a video of Saturday night's shooting in hopes it would convince angry protesters that deadly force against Sylville K. Smith, 23, was justified.Milwaukee, famed for its breweries, is also one of the most segregated cities in America, with a black population plagued by high levels of unemployment absent in the mostly white suburbs.Such inequality has afflicted many US cities over the past three decades, sometimes stoking unrest when police use deadly force.Police say Smith was stopped on Saturday afternoon for behaving suspiciously and he then fled on foot between two homes. Smith was carrying a stolen handgun he refused to drop before he was killed, police said.The shooting led to a first night of violence in which gunshots were fired, six businesses were torched and 17 people were arrested. Police reported four officers were injured and police cars were damaged before calm was restored.On Sunday night, when police in riot gear faced off with protesters throwing bottles and bricks, four officers were hurt and one person suffered a gunshot wound, police said. Three police squad cars were damaged and 14 people were arrested, authorities said.'I WANT THE VIDEO RELEASED'Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker activated the National Guard on Sunday in case more trouble flared, but despite the violence, police said the guardsmen were not called in.The weekend shooting in Milwaukee was distinct in that the person killed was armed, according to the police account. The officer who fired the deadly shot was also black.The mayor wants Wisconsin state officials to make the video public so as to corroborate the police account. State law that requires police shootings to be investigated by an independent state agency gives the state control over such evidence."I want the video released. ... I'm going to urge that it be released as quickly as possible," said Barrett, who has yet to see it.Video from the officer's body camera showed Smith had turned toward the officer with a gun in his hand, Flynn said on Sunday.The video appeared to show the officer acting within the law, Flynn said, but because the audio was delayed, it was unclear when the officer fired his weapon.Police had stopped Smith's car, leading to the chase on foot.Police said the car was stopped because Smith was acting suspiciously, raising skepticism within largely African-American neighborhoods where people report racial discrimination from police. Smith also had a lengthy arrest record, officials said.REUTERS SDR PM1100 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-889321.Xml Turkish police launched simultaneous raids on 44 companies in Istanbul today and had warrants to detain 120 company executives as part of the investigation into last month's attempted military coup, state-run Anadolu agency reported.It said the companies were accused of giving financial support to the movement of US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of orchestrating the July 15 putsch. He denies the accusation.None of the companies involved were named. Police began searches in the Uskudar and Umraniye districts of Istanbul, including buildings belonging to an unnamed holding company, the agency said.Since the coup, more than 35,000 people have been detained, of whom 17,000 have been placed under formal arrest, and tens of thousands more suspended in a purge of Turkey's military, law-and-order, education and justice systems.REUTERS SDR PM1100 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0431-889326.Xml The Government of Bangladesh will soon be sending a team to New York to interact with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Department of Justice in connection with the cyber theft of USD 81 million from the Bangladesh Central Bank in February thsi year. The Dhaka Tribune quoted sources, as saying that the meetings would discuss what led to the heist, carried out by unidentified hackers, and how such events can be prevented in the future. In one of the largest cyber heists ever, hackers penetrated Bangladesh Bank's systems and sent the New York branch of the US central bank dozens of payment requests from an account it maintained for Bangladesh. They sought nearly USD one billion, and USD 81 million was paid out and lost. (ANI with inputs) The two top most diplomats on Tuesday discussed the situation in Aleppo, where the Syrian government forces are carrying out a large-scale humanitarian operation with Russian support, Xinhua news agency quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying. They discussed in detail preparations for implementing the agreement reached during Kerry's visit to Moscow on July 15 that called for coordinating efforts to combat terrorist groups in Syria and ensuring the cessation of hostilities, the ministry said. Flying with a full bomb load from the Hamedan air base in Iran, the warplanes on Tuesday conducted a group air strike against targets of the Islamic State and Jabhat Fath al-Sham terrorists in Aleppo, Dayr al-Zawr and Idlib province, it said. --IANS sm/py/vt ( 149 Words) 2016-08-17-14:22:02 (IANS) Turkey will release some 38,000 prisoners under a penal reform announced today as the arrests of tens of thousands of people suspected of links to last month's attempted coup burden overstretched jails.The reform, extending an existing probation scheme, was one of a series of measures outlined today in two new decrees under a state of emergency declared after the July 15 failed putsch during which 240 people were killed. The government gave no reason for the reform.Turkey's Western allies worry President Tayyip Erdogan is using the crackdown to target dissent. Angrily dismissing Western concerns over stability in the NATO member, Turkish officials say they are rooting out a serious internal threat.The decrees, published in the country's Official Gazette, also ordered the dismissal of 2,360 more police officers, more than 100 military personnel and 196 staff at Turkey's information and communication technology authority, BTK.Those dismissed were described as having links to US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the putsch when rogue troops commandeered tanks and jets in an attempt to overthrow the government. Gulen denies involvement in the coup.Under the penal reform, convicts with up to two years left in sentences are eligible for release on probation, extending the period from one year. The "supervised release" excludes those convicted of terrorism, murder, violent or sexual crimes.To be eligible for the scheme, prisoners must have served half of their sentences. Previously they were required to have already served two thirds of their sentence."This measure is not an amnesty," Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag wrote on Twitter of the penal reform. "Around 38,000 people will be released from... jail in the first stage as a result of this measure."He did not say why the reform was needed but Turkey's prison population has trebled over the last 15 years. There were 188,000 prisoners in Turkey as of March, some 8,000 more than the existing capacity.Another measure said the president could appoint as head of the armed forces any general or admiral, removing the requirement that the military chief be a top commander of the army, navy or air force. Under another move, the TIB telecoms authority will be closed.TEACHERS, JUDGES, EXECUTIVESAlongside tens of thousands of civil servants suspended or dismissed, more than 35,000 people have been detained in the purge. Judges, journalists, police, and teachers are among those targeted for suspected links to Gulen's movement.Turkish police yesterday searched the offices of a nationwide retail chain and a healthcare and technology company, detaining executives who authorities accuse of helping finance Gulen's network.Erdogan, already accused by critics of creeping authoritarianism before the coup bid, says Gulen and his followers infiltrated government institutions to create a 'parallel state' in an attempt to take over the country.Western criticism of the purge and Ankara's demands US officials extradite Gulen have already frayed ties with Washington and the European Union, increasing tensions over an EU deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants.Incensed over a perceived lack of Western sympathy over the coup attempt, Erdogan has also revived relations with Russia, a detente Western officials worry may be used by both leaders to pressure the European Union and NATO.Measures in today's decrees will also enable former air force pilots to return to duty, making up for a deficit resulting from the dismissal of military pilots in the wake of the putsch attempt.Turkey declared a three-month state of emergency on July 21.Under previous emergency rule decrees, Turkey had already dismissed thousands of security force members as well as ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions suspected of links to Gulen.REUTERS DS RK1418 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-891071.Xml Russia used an Iranian air base to launch air strikes in Syria for a second day running today, rejecting US suggestions its co-operation with Tehran might violate a UN resolution.Russia's Defence Ministry said that SU-34 fighter bombers flying from Iran's Hamadan air base had struck Islamic State targets in Syria's Deir al-Zor province, destroying two command posts and killing more than 150 militants.Moscow first used Iran as a base from which to launch air strikes in Syria yesterday, deepening its involvement in the five-year-old Syrian civil war and angering the United States.Washington called the move "unfortunate" and said yesterday it was looking into whether Russia's move had violated UN Security Council resolution 2231, which prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran.Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said today there were no grounds to suggest Russia had violated the resolution, saying it was not supplying Iran with aircraft."These aircraft are being used by Russia's air force with Iran's agreement as a part of an anti-terrorist operation at the request of Syria's leadership," Lavrov told a Moscow news conference, after holding talks with Murray McCully, New Zealand's foreign minister.Russia's use of the Iranian air base comes amid intense fighting for the Syrian city of Aleppo, where rebels are battling Syrian government forces backed by the Russian military, and as Moscow and Washington are working towards a deal on Syria that could see them cooperate more closely.Russia backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the United States believes the Syrian leader must step down and is supporting some rebel groups which are fighting to unseat him. REUTERS DS PR1616 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-891316.Xml Ten Muslim women wearing burkinis to the beach have been apprehended by police in the southern French city of Cannes in the three weeks since it imposed a temporary ban on the full body swimsuit, a local official said.Arguing that the burkini defies French laws on secularism, Cannes is one of three cities in France to have banned the garment amid tensions after an Islamist militant attack in nearby Nice killed 85 people on Bastille Day on July 14.The moves have sparked an intense public debate, with Muslim groups calling them unconstitutional, divisive and Islamophobic. The Conseil d'Etat, France's highest administrative court, will rule on the legality of the burkini bans in coming days.In an interview with daily La Provence, Prime Minister Manuel Valls backed the municipal bans but said he saw no need for nationwide legislation. The women's rights minister has also backed the ban.The burkini -- a conflation of the burqa and bikini -- is designed for Muslims who believe that Islam requires women to conceal everything except the face, hands and feet from all men who are not their husbands or unmarriageable kin.A Cannes townhall spokeswoman told Reuters today that since the burkini ban was put in place on July 28, 10 burkini-wearing women have been controlled by police. Six left the beach, four were fined 43 dollar, she said.Police cannot oblige women to leave the beaches for wearing a burkini, and the same person can only be fined once a day. The ban will end on August 31."Following the attacks, the atmosphere is very tense and the burkini is seen as an ostentatious display that can threaten public order, that is why we took the measure," she said.French citizens are on edge following a string of deadly attacks claimed by Islamic State, including attacks in Paris in November 2015 when 130 people were killed and the July 14 attack in Nice in which 85 people died when a militant plowed a truck into a crowd.Abdallah Zekri, head of the National Observatory against Islamophobia told BFM television that some French politicians were using the burkini debate to stigmatize Islam."It is terrible to see that the prime minister stokes the fire rather than trying to put it out," Zekri said.The Cannes official said that burkinis first appeared on Cannes beaches last year and that their number was growing. The mayors of Le Touquet and Oye-Plage on the Atlantic coast and Leucate on the Mediterranean have also announced plans to ban the burkini.The mayor of Le Touquet, Daniel Fasquelle, said he had not seen burkinis on his beaches but that he would impose a ban to send a message that "people with that kind of outfit are not welcome here".In neighbouring Italy, Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said there would be no burkini ban, describing it as counter-productive.In an interview with Corriere della Sera daily, Alfano said the best way to counter the threat of Islamist militancy was to expel radicals, adding that he wanted all Italy's imams to be trained in the country to ensure they worked within clear cultural norms. REUTERS AKC PR1800 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-891583.Xml Turkish police have detained at least 24 people working for a pro-Kurdish newspaper since it was banned this week on suspicion of supporting Kurdish militants, the newspaper said.The detentions bring the number of imprisoned Turkish media workers to 99, based on figures from the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) media watchdog, making Turkey the world's biggest jailer of journalists.A government official denied the action against Ozgur Gundem was linked to the state of emergency declared after a failed coup on July 15, but an international media watchdog saw it as part of President Tayyip Erdogan's widespread post-coup purge.An Istanbul court yesterday banned the left-wing newspaper, which has a circulation of 7,500, after ruling it made propaganda for the banned PKK party and acted "as its de facto news outlet," according to the court document.The PKK is the acronym for the armed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is considered a terrorist organisation by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.At least 24 people were detained, Ozgur Gundem said according to its website, most of them yesterday in the raid on the paper's Istanbul office. Others were detained at their homes. Four journalists covering the raid for other outlets were also detained.Eren Keskin, a rights activist, lawyer and columnist for the paper whose home was raided, confirmed the arrests.Turkey has closed more than 130 media outlets since a state of emergency was brought in, stirring concern among Western allies and rights groups about deteriorating press freedoms.Turkey blames the cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, for the coup in which 240 civilians and security forces, and around 100 coup participants, were killed.Critics accuse Erdogan of using the purge to crack down on broader dissent. But Turkish officials say they face an internal security threat exposed by the coup plot."What just happened at Ozgur Gundem, the historical Kurdish daily in Turkey, is unacceptable. Apparently, the authorities are using the post-coup state of emergency situation to attack all critical voices," said EFJ President Mogens Blicher Bjerregard in a statement.Among the detainees was Asli Erdogan, a prize-winning novelist, who wrote a column for Ozgur Gundem, according to the paper's website, which was still accessible outside of Turkey.Authorities seized books at a home belonging to Ragip Zarakolu, a prominent human-rights campaigner and columnist at the Turkish-language daily. Police searched the home of politician Filiz Kocali, who also writes for Ozgur Gundem, and Eren Keskin, a lawyer, told Reuters her home was searched.Calls to four Ozgur Gundem editors went unanswered. It was not immediately clear if they had been detained.Ozgur Gundem focuses on the conflict with Kurdish militants in Turkey's southeast and has faced dozens of investigations, fines and the arrest of correspondents since 2014.The PKK has waged a three-decade insurgency for greater autonomy in the name of Turkey's 15 million Kurds. More than 40,000 people have died in the violence. REUTERS AKC PR1821 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-891642.Xml Hundreds of firefighters were battling a wildfire raging out of control in drought-stricken Southern California today after flames forced more than 80,000 residents to flee and charred more than 30,000 acres (12,140 hectares) of heavy brush, officials said.The Bluecut Fire, which erupted yesterday morning north of the city of San Bernardino in an area called the Cajon Pass, was zero per cent contained and has destroyed an unknown number of structures, fire officials said.Authorities yesterday issued evacuation orders for some 34,500 homes near Interstate 15, the main freeway between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area, a stretch of which was closed indefinitely.Smoke from the fire could be seen and smelled as far away as Las Vegas, more than 321 km northeast, fire officials in the area said early today.Six firefighters were trapped for a time by flames in the effort to evacuate residents and defend homes, but managed to escape after two of the firefighters suffered minor injuries, federal and local officials said in a statement. The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.About 970 km to the northwest, crews made headway against a Northern California wildfire that has destroyed more than 175 homes and businesses.The so-called Clayton Fire was 40 per cent contained today morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It has charred 4,000 acres (1,620 hectares) in and around the community of Lower Lake since Saturday evening, forcing hundreds to flee.Damin Pashilk, a 40-year-old arrested on suspicion of setting that blaze, and several others in the area over the past year, is set to appear in court today.California Governor Jerry Brown yesterday declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County for the Bluecut Fire, which allows state agencies to come to the assistance of local officials. He had issued emergency declarations on Monday for the Clayton Fire and another in Central California, the Chimney Fire. REUTERS AKC PR0941 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-892056.Xml Zambia's main opposition party will file a court petition against President Edgar Lungu's re-election tomorrow, its vice president said today."We have been robbed of this election, that is a fact and it shall be proved after 14 days," United Party for National Development vice president Geoffrey Mwamba told a news conference in the southern African nation's capital. REUTERS AKC AN2129 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0432-892095.Xml An Afghan security force member takes position during a military operation in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, Aug. 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Sanaullah Seiam) KABUL, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- About 82 militants had been killed and 64 others injured as Afghan security forces launched wide-scale operations within last 24 hours in 17 of the country's 34 provinces, the country's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. In one operation, 36 Taliban militants were killed and 24 others wounded after troops struck militants positions in Chamkani and Jani Khel districts of eastern Paktia province, the ministry said in a statement providing daily operational updates. "A total of 32 terrorists were killed and 20 others wounded during a cleanup operation in Dahana-i-Ghori district of northern Baghlan province," the statement added. Sporadic clashes have been continuing around Dahana-i-Ghori district since weekend after Taliban capture the district's center and took control of all government office buildings there. The joint forces supported by the army's artillery and warplanes also detained 12 militants during the above raids, the statement noted. The statement confirmed loss of seven army personnel over the same period. Some 14 other militants had been killed and 20 wounded in southern and northern provinces. In addition, 12 Taliban were killed and two militants' heavy machine guns were destroyed after Afghan army warplanes struck Taliban positions in Want Waygal district, eastern Nuristan province on Monday, a provincial source told Xinhua earlier on Tuesday. The Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations and NATO-led forces increased drone attacks against militants since April after Taliban started their so-called annual offensive and stepped up attacks across the country. The Taliban has yet to make comments. A cargo ship is seen anchored at Qingdao port in Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 8, 2016. China's exports in yuan-denominated terms rose 2.9 percent year on year in July, an improvement from June's 1.3-percent increase. (Xinhua/Yu Fangping) BEIJING, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- China will reinforce existing policies and streamline administrative procedures to steady foreign trade growth, the government announced Tuesday. Tuesday's State Council meeting, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, focused on key problems concerning trade policy implementation and measures needed to address them. During the meeting, while acknowledging the economy's outstanding performance in the first half of this year, Li pointed out that the sluggish global outlook and weak overseas demand have undermined increased efforts to shore up China's trade volume. Rising domestic manufacturing costs also have consequences for China's imports and exports. A series of policies has been released by the Chinese government since 2013 to encourage the steady growth of foreign trade, and China has remained the world's largest nation in terms of trading goods in recent years. Yet due to the impacts of the world financial crisis as well as faltering global growth, China's foreign trade growth has started to lose momentum. "We should enhance steady growth both in exports and imports to advance the country's industrial upgrading to attract new foreign investment on top of the foreign investment already in the Chinese market," Li said. "An increase in this year's imports could bring higher exports next year," he added. An evaluation was done recently on the implementation of these policies to see how well they have boosted China's foreign trade. The evaluation was mainly overseen by the Ministry of Commerce, China's National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance. The evaluation revealed that while existing measures have contributed substantially to promoting China's trade growth via financial support measures such as tax reduction and encouraging new types of trade such as e-commerce, there are still certain problems. High financing costs for companies remain a major obstacle in maintaining trade growth. Other problems include sluggish trade policy implementation as well as outdated management methods. A third-party evaluation was conducted by the Development Research Center (DRC) of the State Council in July, through field research in enterprises in nine cities. The evaluation report shows China's trade faces combined headwinds caused by the in-depth adjustment of the global economy plus China's economic transition. Besides problems such as high financing costs for enterprises, the DRC evaluation reveals some other problem affecting trade growth. For example, officials are not sufficiently aware of the problems encountered during these policy implementations. Also, while domestic labor costs continue to increase, the country has not managed to firmly establish its competence in technology, branding and marketing in the global market. In some areas, existing policies need to be updated to accommodate a larger variety of foreign trade businesses. Statistics from China customs show that in the first half of 2016, China's foreign trade stood at 11.13 trillion yuan (1.7 trillion U.S. dollars), a drop of 3.3 percent year-on-year while exports amounted to 6.4 trillion yuan (0.98 trillion dollars), down by 2.1 percent. Imports decreased by 4.7 percent to 4.73 trillion yuan (0.72 trillion dollars) but the country's trade surplus increased by 5.9 percent to 1.67 trillion yuan (0.25 trillion dollars). Li highlighted the importance of further opening up various sectors to market competition. He also required related government departments to enhance efforts to provide greater efficiency in facilitating customs clearance and financing channels. More measures will be introduced to ensure a steady growth of China's foreign trade after the meeting. First, detailed adjustments will be made to existing polices to better facilitate foreign trade development and better streamline procedures in trade gateways. Second, financial institutions are encouraged to provide more financial and credit support to enterprises with substantial business profit, and export credit insurance will cover a wider range. Third, procedures for tax reimbursement for exports will be made more efficient, and unnecessary costs in harbors and shipping will be reduced, creating a fair market for competition. Fourth, policies will be further adjusted to facilitate new types of trade, such as cross-border e-commerce. Fifth, bilateral investment will be further encouraged to boost foreign trade by promoting the country's Belt and Road Initiative as well as international cooperation on production capacity. "China is now deeply integrated with the world economy, and our international competitiveness will be better enhanced through opening up," Li said. "China has opened its door to the world. The door will be never closed again, and will be opened even wider." ARUSHA, Tanzania, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian authorities on Tuesday described tanzanite auctioning as one of the important ways of controlling smuggling of the blue gemstones, which are only found in the east African nation. Joel Bendera, Regional commissioner for Manyara said: "We came to learn that tanzanite auctions help a lot in controlling smuggling... this needs to continue for the gemstone to remain an important contributor to the country's economy." He was speaking at the four-day gemstone auction held in the Tanzania's northern capital of Arusha. "This has proved to be an effective tool towards reducing smuggling of the gemstones as miners and dealers can get better price within this area," the official said, assuring tanzanite miners that the Tanzanian government would continue to guarantee safety and security of the gemstones against smugglers. Bendera said that peace and stability in the mines were aspects that amplified the productivity, saying the government would make sure that mining activities were carried out peacefully. During the event, tanzanite stones worth 4.3 million dollars were sold in four days, earning the government 173,203 dollars in royalties. James Mdoe, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, said through the auction, revenue would be collected more easily since the auction takes place in one area. He said through auctioning, the problem of trafficking tanzanite to neighbouring countries would be contained because buyers would have the opportunity to come and purchase them personally. Prof. Mdoe said the Tanzanian government would continue to improve the next auctions to ensure the country benefits from the minerals. Reports say that Tanzania lose millions of U.S. dollars in tax revenue due to smuggling and illegal mining of tanzanite. UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday reported that Iraqi migrants to Europe, who have opted to return to Iraq, have done so because of asylum delays, inability to support themselves and disappointment with Europe. "The study, based on interviews in Europe, and with Iraqis who returned home, said returnees reported that life in Europe had been idealized and that the reality was more difficult than expected," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, said at a daily news briefing here. The agency said it had assisted some 9,600 Iraqis to return home last year and through June of this year, but the total number was assumed to be higher because many return without IOM help, he said. Over a similar period, the Greek authorities registered more than 112,000 Iraqis arriving in Greece alone. "The IOM said the main reasons to return to Iraq were extended waiting time for asylum application processing, compounded by uncertainty about the outcome of asylum applications and inability to support themselves; disappointment with the overall experience in Europe; and unexpected need to return to Iraq due to tragic or exceptional family events," the spokesman said. CAPE TOWN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Tuesday called on all South Africans to draw lessons from the Marikana tragedy about the importance of peaceful resolutions to conflicts in the workplace. The party made the appeal while joining the nation in remembering the tragedy, in which 34 miners were shot dead by police four years ago. August 16 marks the four year anniversary of the event, the biggest tragedy in the mining sector in the post-apartheid era. The tragedy took place during labour unrest at Lonmin Mine in Marikana, North West Province. Drawing lessons from the tragedy would ensure that the country would never experience a similar incident, ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said. "We must never forget that a genuine campaign for workers' rights, including decent working and living conditions, was at the heart of the Marikana conflict," he said. It is for that reason that the ANC calls on all stakeholders to use this occasion to work together and refocus their energies towards bringing lasting stability in the area, said Kodwa. This can only be achieved by meaningfully redressing structural inequalities that still persist in the workplace, especially in the mining industry, he noted. "We urge government to partner with the mines to accelerate the program of revitalizing mining towns, which will prioritize housing, access to services and development of local economies. We also call on Lonmin to fast-track its transformation and social responsibility agenda to build better living conditions around the mining area," Kodwa said. The ANC, he said, will continue to work with the Marikana community to build social cohesion. "Working together we can transform Marikana into a beacon of hope, in honour of those we lost," Kodwa said. Also on Tuesday, the government issued a statement, pledging to address existing socio-economic challenges facing the mining sector. The government has been hard at work to address the revitalization of distressed mining communities, and to find sustainable solutions that are of benefit to all, the statement said. The government is also continuously engaging mining companies to assess the implementation of the provisions of the Mining Charter to improve living conditions of workers, said the statement. Vice president of the United States Joseph Biden (L) and Serbian prime minister Aleksandar Vucic inspect honour gard in Belgrade, Serbia, Aug. 16, 2016. Biden arrived in Belgrade Tuesday and held separate meetings with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and President Tomislav Nikolic, with whom he discussed bilateral relations, issues of regional peace and stability as well as the country's progress in European integrations. (Xinhua/Predrag Milosavljevic) BELGRADE, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Serbia is a key country to regional peace and stability and the United States are ready to help on its EU path, visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday. Biden arrived in Belgrade Tuesday and held separate meetings with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and President Tomislav Nikolic, with whom he discussed bilateral relations, issues of regional peace and stability as well as the country's progress in European integrations. Commending Serbia for recent moves in warming up relations with neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia, Biden said the country is the political and economic "cornerstone" of the region and it has high importance for the peace and stability of Western Balkans. "I congratulate to you and wish that Serbia opens new chapters in EU negotiations," he said at a press conference after meeting with Vucic. The United States have decided to help support reforms that the Serbian government initiated as well as to assist Serbia on its EU path, said Biden. Biden suggested Serbia has to become a "democratic part of the EU", which is in the interests of both Serbia and the EU, and because it is of key importance that the region remains united and peaceful. He offered his condolences to all families who lost their members in the 1999 NATO campaign against Serbia, calling it a "tough and painful moment" in the history of the two countries. Suggesting that recently a new chapter has opened in relations between the United States and Serbia and that these relations will become much deeper in the future, he said direct investments in Serbia will increase along with development of ties between the two countries. Biden said he is sure of future progress of the "Brussels dialogue" between Serbia and Kosovo and Metohija (the Serbian south province unilaterally proclaimed independence in 2008) despite the fact that the process will take "a lot of work and political will". Vucic expressed good will and revealed plans to meet Albanian PM and representatives from the southern province next month to discuss future moves. Revealing that the biggest topic on the table today was regional stability, Vucic said that he expects help from the United States in maintaining peace and stability in the region, while Serbia is also ready to contribute to this goal as much as possible. He stressed that key aspects for achieving stability in the region is to secure better life for the people, and Serbia will work on further developing rule of law so that it can attract even more U.S. investors. Vucic thanked Biden for his support to the country's EU path and said he hopes Serbia will manage to fulfill all its responsibilities in that regard. After visiting Belgrade, Biden flew to Pristina, capital of the Kosovo and Metohija province, where he will on Wednesday meet leaders of the region. ANKARA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The death toll has risen to eight on Tuesday after a car bomb attack occurred in southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir, Dogan News Agency reported. The attack was launched on Monday by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants against a police station, said the report. Five police officers and three civilians were killed in the attack when the PKK militants detonated a bomb-laden truck outside the Murat Ucar Regional Traffic Inspection Station in the Sukurlu village of Diyarbakir. A cleaning worker heavily wounded in the attack passed away at a military hospital on Tuesday. The ongoing investigation showed the truck was from the southeastern province of Mardin and was loaded with over 10 tons of explosives. Diyarbakir police were on high alert as Aug. 15 marked the 32nd anniversary of the PKK's first armed attack in Siirt's Eruh district in 1984. Over 500 members of Turkish security forces and thousands of PKK members have been killed in confrontations inside Turkey and northern Iraq since July 2015. More than 40,000 people have lost their lives in clashes with the PKK since 1984, when the group started anti-government attacks. The PKK was listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Turkey. DAMASCUS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- After a long truce, clashes erupted Tuesday between the Syrian army and armed rebels in a western town of the capital Damascus, eye witnesses told Xinhua. Sounds of shelling were heard echoing from Qudsaya, as the armed rebels have engaged in a shootout with military checkpoints besieging the area. It wasn't immediately clear what has triggered the gun battle that was followed by shelling on the rebel positions inside Qudsaya. The area has witnessed a truce over the past few months, amid ongoing efforts to establish a full reconciliation. However, several security issues have taken place in Qudsaya, prompting the Syrian forces to strike a siege on that area. Government employees were allowed to leave and enter the town on foot, with very few food supplies allowed during the months-long siege. It's believed that the siege was one of the main purpose behind Tuesday's escalation. Last May, Minister of National Reconciliation Ali Haidar visited the town's government institutions amid reports that the situation was becoming better. Now, people in nearby areas in western Damascus are hearing the sounds of shelling. Further details about the escalating violence are still forthcoming. UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- One of the largest emergency vaccination campaigns ever attempted in Africa will start in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) this week, a UN spokesman said here Tuesday. The campaign came as the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners were working to curb a yellow fever outbreak that has killed more than 400 people and sickened thousands more. "The yellow fever outbreak has found its way to dense, urban areas and hard-to-reach border regions, making planning for the vaccination campaign especially complex," the deputy UN spokesman, Frahan Haq, said at a daily news briefing here. Emergency yellow fever vaccination campaigns have already reached more than 13 million people in Angola and more than 3 million in the DRC, he said. But some areas are still considered at high risk and preventive vaccination campaigns are planned for the capital city of Kinshasa in the DRC and along the country's border with Angola, which spans more than 2,600 km, he said. The WHO is coordinating 56 global partners in more than 8,000 locations. The UN health agency underscored that approximately 17.3 million syringes and 41,000 health workers and volunteers were needed for the campaign. According to the WHO statement, more than 500 vehicles will be used to transport the teams and supplies, which will be dispersed across more than 8,000 vaccination sites in Kinshasa and along the Angola-DRC border. The fractional dose campaign in Kinshasa hinges on the availability of vaccines donated by the Brazilian government and manufactured by Bio-Manguinhos, the Immunobiological Technology Institute, WHO said. It also requires the purchase and shipment of 10 million specialized 0.1ml syringes to ensure the right amount is used for every vaccination. The UN agency developed guidance and materials to train thousands of health workers and volunteers prior to the campaign -- with those in Kinshasa needing specific instructions on how to vaccinate people using the fractional dose. Yellow fever is not highly contagious and is easily prevented with vaccines. The mostly mosquito-spread virus was largely wiped out from the West following the development of two vaccines in the 1930s, but still sparks epidemics in Africa and Latin America. The virus is transmitted by the same species of mosquito that spreads Zika, dengue, and chikungunya. Once infected, people often fall ill with fever and muscle pain, but many recover after several days. Others reach the more toxic phases, with possible bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, organ failure and the jaundice which originally gave the disease its name. Kelebert Nkomani (2nd R), the Zimbabwean ambassador and the dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Kenya, visits a construction site of the China-funded Mombasa-Nairobi railway, in Nairobi, Kenya, on Aug. 16, 2016. The China-funded Mombasa-Nairobi railway in Kenya, which will eventually extend to the entire East African region, has won acclaims from African diplomats. (Xinhua/Pan Siwei) NAIROBI, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The China-funded Mombasa-Nairobi railway in Kenya, which will eventually extend to the entire East African region, has won acclaims from African diplomats. Thirteen African countries' diplomats in Kenya on Tuesday visited construction sites of the China-funded Mombasa-Nairobi railway in the country, hailing it as an embodiment of thriving China-Africa ties. Ambassadors or high commissioners of Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ghana, Algeria, Senegal, Mozambique and Rwanda attended the event at the invitation of the Chinese embassy. Joined by Kenyan officials and the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Liu Xianfa, the diplomats visited construction sites of the Athi River bridge and the Nairobi terminal. During the visit, the Rwandan High Commissioner to Kenya, James Kimonyo, said he was impressed by the high levels of involvement of Kenyan engineers and technicians in the project. The China-funded standard gauge railway (SGR) will run from the port of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi, replacing a track built a century ago during the British colonial rule. The project is being carried out by the China Road and Bridge Corporation. In the second phase, the railway will reach Kenya's western border with Uganda, and the rail is expected to eventually extend to other East African countries. At a meeting after the tour, the Zimbabwean ambassador and the dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Kenya, Kelebert Nkomani, said the SGR dovetailed with Africa's blueprint on socio-economic transformation, saying it would unleash huge benefits in Kenya and across the Eastern African region upon completion. "The SGR is an extremely vital project that addresses transportation of goods from the port to the interior. It will greatly improve efficiency in trade," Nkomani said. Nkomani said the Mombasa-Nairobi railway presented other African countries with sound insight on how to modernize their transport systems. "The SGR project is a case study in adherence to high degrees of professionalism and inclusiveness. Local people have benefited from the project," said Nkomani. Construction of the railway has created more than 40,000 jobs for locals, with some 20,000 local employees having received skills training. Nkomani said sourcing of local materials, job creation and transfer of expertise in the work on the railway had benefited Kenya's economic development, and were worth emulating by other African countries. "We have so much to learn from the SGR project. It has offered vital lessons like inclusiveness in terms of sourcing alongside adherence to environmental standards," Nkomani said. Ambassador Liu told the diplomats the SGR would promote economic prosperity and social development, adding the design of the rail ensured free movement of wildlife animals. He described the SGR as a model of win-win cooperation between China and Africa. The 472km Mombasa-Nairobi railway is expected to be put into use at the end of 2017. BRASILIA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The campaign for Brazilian municipal elections in October kicked off on Tuesday, as the country braces for elections for mayors and city councils in all its 5,568 municipalities. The campaign will be the shortest for 18 years, lasting only 45 days as opposed to 90, after modifications passed by Congress in 2015. Last year, during what was dubbed a "mini-electoral reform", legislators argued that reducing the campaign period would be cheaper for candidates and political parties. These elections will be the first since the political crisis which saw the suspension of President Dilma Rousseff for alleged fiscal irregularities. The last phase of her impeachment process will begin on Aug. 25 and conclude in early September, a month before Brazilians go to the polls. Rousseff will be put on trial in the Senate and a two-thirds majority vote would see her permanently impeached. The first round of the municipal elections will take place on Oct. 2. On Tuesday, candidates can begin holding public events, distributing flyers and organizing rallies. However, in another change passed by Congress, radio and television advertising will only be allowed from Aug. 26, just 35 days before the elections. According to Brazil's Superior Electoral Court, 144 million Brazilians will be eligible to vote, ranging from Sao Paulo, with 8.8 million voters, to the town of Araguainha in the state of Mato Grosso, with just 954 voters. by Alexia Vlachou ATHENS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- A sea tragedy with four dead and five injured occurred after boat crash off the Greek island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf on Tuesday, according to the latest information by Greek authorities. An eight-meter-long speedboat rammed into a tour boat, cut it in half and turned it over. As a result, all passengers fell into the sea, with four of them losing their lives and many getting injured. Among the casualties were the captain of the tour boat, a 5-year-old girl and a man who has not been identified yet. The dead body of the fourth victim was found sunk 20 meters below the surface. According to the Greek Coast Guard, 20 passengers were rescued, five of them were injured and airlifted to hospitals in Athens. Of the injured, two were in a critical condition: a man suffering from respiratory problems and a woman that underwent amputation on her left lower leg. The rest of the passengers, who were in a state of shock, were transferred to Aegina's Health Center for first aid. The 78-year-old speedboat captain was arrested and testifying before coast guard officials. According to local media, he claimed that he did not understand how the accident happened and that he didn't see anything. Along with the captain, three people were on board and were taken to the island's coast guard. The tour boat was transferring passengers from Perdika village in the southwest of Aegina to a beach on a near islet Moni for swimming. Private vessels along with three patrol boats of the coast guard rushed into the scene and collected survivors from the sea. Search and rescue operation continued with the assistance of a military helicopter to locate any missing passengers of the tour boat. The circumstances of the collision remain unclear. "We express our deepest sorrow for the tragic accident in the maritime area of Aegina," a statement from the ruling Syriza party read. "Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the injured. The need to investigate the circumstances that led to the collision of the two vessels is imperative," said the statement. LONDON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Britain's business and energy secretary Greg Clark gave the go-ahead Tuesday to what will be the world's largest offshore wind farm. The minister gave development consent to the Hornsea Project Two offshore windfarm after a recommendation from the country's planning inspectorate. When complete, the windfarm will deliver up to 1,800 megawatts of low carbon electricity to around 1.8 million British homes. A spokesman for Greg's department said in London: "The windfarm would create up to 1,960 construction jobs and 580 operational and maintenance jobs. If built to the full capacity, the investment would total around 6 billion pounds (7.8 billion U.S. dollars) providing a great opportunity for economic growth in the Humber region and beyond." Secretary Clark said: "The UK's offshore wind industry has grown at an extraordinary rate over the last few years, and is a fundamental part of our plans to build a clean, affordable, secure energy system." "Britain is a global leader in offshore wind, and we're determined to be one of the leading destinations for investment in renewable energy, which means jobs and economic growth right across the country," said Clark. Located in the North Sea approximately 89 km off the Yorkshire coast, the windfarm will comprise up to 300 wind turbines and will connect to the power grid at North Killingholme in North Lincolnshire. A business department spokesman said: "The British government is making 730 million pounds (948 million U.S. dollars) of financial support available for renewable electricity generation this parliament, sending a clear signal that the UK is open for business." LANZHOU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A fire at a limestone mine in northwest China on Tuesday afternoon has killed 12 people, including three rescuers, local authorities said. The fire occurred at the limestone mine in Zhangye City in northwest China's Gansu Province at 4:15 p.m., trapping nine miners. Firefighters and a rescue team rushed to the scene after the fire occurred. The trapped were pulled out as of 4:06 a.m. Wednesday, and confirmed dead. Another three rescuers fainted during the operation and died despite treatment. The mine is operated by the Jiuquan Iron and Steel Group (JISCO). China launches the world's first quantum satellite on top of a Long March-2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Jiuquan, northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 16, 2016. The world's first quantum communication satellite, which China is preparing to launch, has been given the moniker "Micius," after a fifth century B.C. Chinese scientist, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced Monday. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang) BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- "Beam me up, Scotty." The famous "Star Trek" catchphrase has launched teleporting daydreams among science-fiction junkies the world over. With China's successful launch of the world's first quantum communication satellite on Tuesday, Chinese scientists will conduct an experiment in transmitting quantum information from a ground station in Ali prefecture, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, to the satellite 500 kilometers above the earth, without having to move a physical particle. Some believe that the experiment could be the first step to making the dream of teleportation through space a reality. ENTANGLED PARTICLES Quantum physics is the study of the universe's basic building blocks at a scale smaller than atoms. These tiny particles behave in a way that could overturn assumptions of how the world works. Entanglement is one of the strange properties of quantum physics that so confounded Albert Einstein that he described as "spooky action at a distance" in 1948. Scientists found that when two entangled particles are separated, one particle can somehow affect the action of the far-off twin at a speed faster than light. Some scientists liken it to two pieces of paper that are distant from each other; if you write on one, the other immediately shows your message. In the quantum entanglement theory, this bizarre connection can happen even when the two particles are separated by a galaxy. This magic-like connection has inspired the idea of quantum teleportation. BREAKTHROUGHS The first paper expounding the idea of quantum teleportation was published by six physicians in 1993. In 1997, Austrian quantum physicist Anton Zeilinger succeeded in the first experimental verification of quantum teleportation. Since then, scientists have demonstrated quantum teleportation with different physical systems such as atoms, ions, electrons and superconducting circuits. Meanwhile, the record distance for quantum teleportation is constantly growing. Chinese scientist Pan Jianwei's research team was awarded the Physics World 2015 Breakthrough of the Year "for being the first to achieve the simultaneous quantum teleportation of two inherent properties of a fundamental particle - the photon," according to PhysicsWorld.com. Pan regards the achievement as a step towards the teleportation of more complex quantum systems. Despite the progress, Pan says the prospect of using it to beam people is still a distant dream. The technology is now mainly applied in the areas of quantum communication and computing. But like most sci-fi fans, Pan hopes that day will come: "It's a common dream to see what's beyond our solar system. However, our life is limited, and we could grow old before we get out of the solar system in a spacecraft." But as a vehicle to the stars, quantum teleportation might carry the generations to come, Pan says. NEW DELHI, Aug.17 (Xinhua) -- An Indian doctor has been arrested on charges of injecting six people to death and burying them at his farmhouse, local police said Tuesday. The recent disappearance of a victim triggered investigation which led to the arrest of 42-year-old Santosh Pol in a town in the Maharashtra State. Upon interrogation, Pol confessed that he has killed six people by injecting a lethal amount of drugs into their bodies. Five of the victims were women. Local police have recovered four bodies from Pol's farmhouse, but have not determined the doctor's motives. "He has been constantly changing his statements during interrogations, which makes it difficult for us to understand his motives," police inspector Padmakar Ghanvat said. Pol's nurse has also been taken into custody on suspicions of assisting Pol with the murders. CARACAS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- China and Venezuela on Tuesday agreed to bolster cooperation on logistics and energy at the conclusion of the meeting of the 5th Technical Secretariat of the Venezuela-China High-Level Mixed Committee (CMAN). Venezuelan Minister for Planning and Knowledge Ricardo Menendez held the meeting with the Chinese delegation led by Wu Hongliang, secretary of the CMAN, and Zhao Bentang, Chinese ambassador to Venezuela. At the closing ceremony, Menendez said 5,000 vans and 1,900 heavy refrigerated trucks from China will be added to the distribution fleet under a state program to deal with the shortage of food and medicine supply. Menendez expressed gratitude to the Chinese side, saying Venezuela was deeply satisfied with the results of the meeting, which also discussed Venezuela's current pharmaceutical capacity. Wu said China is paying close attention to its cooperation with Venezuela and other Latin American countries. Venezuela and China are making efforts to transform their economies and boost growth, Wu said. "Through these talks, we have reached agreements and recognized the important role of CMAN," he said, adding the two sides will promote bilateral strategic partnership. The two-day meeting also served as a preparatory meeting for the 15th gathering of the Venezuela-China High-Level Mixed Committee scheduled for late 2016. CANBERRA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Australian police are desperately trying to shut down an internationally-based porn ring, after it was revealed Australian high school students were having nude images shared by on a deep-web website. According to media reports on Wednesday, the website featured nude images of underage girls - some with their names attached - with a rating system so users can rank the photos. Police in the states of New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) are investigating claims by victims, while it's thought up to 70 of schools across the nation have asked for police to intervene. Victoria's Education Department has labeled the website as "disgraceful online exploitation," while police in Queensland believe the site could be "moved to another location" in order to evade authorities. It is reportedly difficult for Australian police to act on the website as it is hosted overseas. News Corp reported more than 2,000 photos of underage girls have been posted to the site since its foundation in December, while male members have been accused of "hunting" girls, and putting schools on "wanted lists." The site also encourages its users to post the locations of the subjects, so other users can identify the girls they may know in real life. Police have said it could take "months" to track down the perpetrators, with a spokesperson from Queensland Police telling the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) they will work with other state authorities to ring an end to the "highly offensive" site. "This could take months and months to identify individuals, identify what imagery we have to look at and go from there," the spokesperson said. "We're not talking something that's going to be resolved this week or this month, it's going to be an extremely long-term investigation." The news follows a number of local scandals in recent months, in which high-profile private schools have been busted with their own, localized porn rings. MEXICO CITY, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Latino vote will play a big part not only in the U.S. elections in November, but also in many dimensions between Mexico and its northern neighbor, according to Mexican academics. "The participation of compatriots residing there (in the United States) in the (political) contest is a way of guaranteeing their human and political rights and it is enormously relevant to Mexico, not just for political issues, but also for trade, economic and cultural ones," said Pedro Salazar Ugarte, director of the Institute for Judicial Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, on Monday. When inaugurating a forum entitled "The Latino Vote in the 2016 U.S. Elections -- Implications for Mexico," Salazar Ugarte said the forum is part of a series of activities undertaken by the university to have a balanced, critical and proactive point of view surrounding this event. During the inauguration ceremony, Silvia Nunez, director of the university's Center for North American Studies, said the U.S. electoral process has been characterized by an absence of respect, since racism, anxiety and fear promoted by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump have surprised the world as a whole, as well as millions of U.S. citizens. "In this forum the importance of the Latino vote and the Mexico-U.S. relationship will be analyzed. Over two days, we will talk about politics, civil society, media and other topics of academic interest," said Nunez. Lorenzo Cordova Vianello, director of the National Electoral Institute, said Hispanic migrants represent the largest minority in Mexico's northern neighbor. "They should overcome three essential filters to influence the decision on who will be the next U.S. president," he said. The first thing potential Latin American voters should do in order to vote in the U.S. elections is to find out about the registration process and deadlines in their respective states. Secondly, it is important to achieve a majority in the states with more electoral votes assigned, something that is only possible if Latino voters join the campaign that is most favorable to migrants' interests. Thirdly, Latino voters need to put fear and cultural atavism to one side since they come from countries where political participation and going to vote are not encouraged, said Vianello. David R. Maciel, professor emeritus at the University of California, said this forum focuses on a crucial fact: migrants are one of the main talking points for the U.S. presidential candidates. The most renowned analysts, including conservatives, believe that neither of the candidates will win the presidency without the Latino vote and this prediction will be analyzed thoroughly in this academic space. Furthermore, this will serve to reflect on the significance and consequences that this electoral event could have for Mexico, Maciel added. WASHINGTON, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Tuesday sent to U.S. Congress documents related to its investigation into Hillary Clinton's private email setup. The documents were submitted amid Republicans' assertion that Clinton may have committed perjury during her congressional hearing last October. A statement released by the FBI did not elaborate on what documents had been sent to Congress, but a report by The Wall Street Journal on Monday said notes of the FBI's interviews with Clinton and her several senior aides, as well as copies of the 110 emails that contained classified information at the time when they were sent or received via Clinton's private email system, were expected to be among the files. All material could not be released publicly and was presented to U.S. lawmakers as classified information. "The material contains classified and other sensitive information and is being provided with the expectation it will not be disseminated or disclosed without FBI concurrence," said the FBI statement. However, the Clinton campaign soon expressed concerns that Republicans would cherry-pick the material to discredit Clinton, who is still scrambling to erase a trust deficit among voters. "We believe that if these materials are going to be shared outside the Justice Department, they should be released widely so that the public can see them for themselves, rather than allow Republicans to mischaracterize them through selective, partisan leaks," said the Clinton campaign in a statement. During her hearing last October at the House Select Committee on Benghazi, Clinton, now the Democratic presidential nominee for the 2016 U.S. presidential election, said there was nothing "marked classified on my emails, either sent or received." During a congressional hearing in July, FBI Director James Comey disclosed that three emails were marked "classified" when handled via Clinton's private email system. He later acknowledged that all the three emails were not properly marked, which may lead to the impression that they were not classified. ' As a result of the disclosure, Republicans had since July asserted that the FBI investigation documents would show that Clinton committed perjury in her congressional hearing last October. In March 2015, Clinton acknowledged that she had exchanged about 60,000 emails from her private email account during her stint in the Obama administration, among which about half were personal and thus deleted. All emails were sent and received via a private email server based at Clinton's home. In response to requests from the State Department, the Clinton camp turned over the other half, roughly 30,000 emails in total, to the State Department in December 2014. The controversy surrounding Clinton's email practices burst into public view in August 2015 after the inspector general for the intelligence community revealed that two of the thousands of emails held by Clinton contained top-secret information. That finding triggered the FBI investigation into whether Clinton and her aides mishandled classified information via the private email setup. After a yearlong probe, Comey said in July his agency would not recommend criminal charges against Clinton. However, he reproached Clinton and her team for being "extremely careless" in handling sensitive information. UNITED NATIONS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Tuesday night condemned "in the strongest terms" the killing of at least 50 civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The massacre took place on Saturday night at the eastern village of Rwangoma on the outskirts of the Beni city. Rebels of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an armed group of Ugandan origin, were suspected to be responsible for the attack. In a press statement issued here, the 15-nation council called on the DRC government to take further military action against threats posed by the ADF and all other armed groups operating in the region. The eastern part of the DRC has been plagued for two decades by chronic instability caused by local and foreign armed groups who have perpetrated ethnic violence while fighting for mineral resources. According to local authorities, more than 1,000 people have been killed in the province of North Kivu since last year. SANTIAGO, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chile is driving for more integration between the Pacific Alliance and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), La Tercera daily reported on Tuesday. "Chile understands the benefits of greater commercial openness and has positioned itself as a natural leader for the convergence of the Pacific Alliance and Mercosur," Fernanda Perez, a Chilean journalist, wrote in an article entitled "Chile: Pacific Alliance and Mercosur", published by the daily. The Pacific Alliance is made up of Chile, Peru, Colombia and Mexico while Mercosur has five members -- Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. The Pacific Alliance has made important strides since it was launched in 2012, and this is particularly impressive compared with "negative responses" to the the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), according to Perez. After years of a protectionist mentality, the Mercosur countries are becoming increasingly receptive to the Pacific Alliance, Perez believed. "While some in Europe or the United States are questioning and denying the benefits of integration, many in Latin America welcome them," Perez continued. "Chile's long-term vision is that a larger convergence with Mercosur is of high strategic importance. These actions are particularly valuable, especially at a time when the world is moving in the opposite direction," she wrote, mentioning Britain's exit from the European Union. "The countries of the Alliance understand that, to navigate today's uncertain difficult world, strength lies in unity, especially in negotiations with other blocs and regions," she added. BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland's imports from Hong Kong reached 9.99 billion U.S. dollars in the first half (H1) of 2016, up 130 percent year on year, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday. The mainland's exports to Hong Kong hit 132.7 billion U.S. dollars, a decrease of 4.8 percent year on year, ministry figures show. Trade between the mainland and Hong Kong totaled 142.69 billion U.S. dollars in the first six months, down 0.7 percent year on year. The figure accounted for 8.3 percent of the mainland's total overseas trade in H1. The mainland approved 6,333 Hong Kong-invested projects from January to June in 2016, with the actual use of Hong Kong capital reaching 42.55 billion U.S. dollars, up 8.8 percent from the same period of last year. As of the end of June, 392,546 Hong Kong-invested projects had been approved by mainland authorities and the actual use of Hong Kong capital had totaled 875.87 billion U.S. dollars. The mainland's non-financial outbound direct investment in Hong Kong hit 45.57 billion U.S. dollars in the January-June period. Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi (Front) prepares to leave for China at the Yangon International Airport in Yangon, Myanmar, Aug. 17, 2016. Aung San Suu Kyi left Yangon on Wednesday for Beijing, starting a five-day official visit to China. (Xinhua/U Aung) YANGON ,Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi left Yangon on Wednesday for Beijing, starting a five-day official visit to China. Aung San Suu Kyi is the first Myanmar leader visiting China since the Southeast Asian nation's new government took office on April 1. Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also the foreign minister, is expected to meet Chinese leadership and exchange views on furthering the bilateral relations and cooperation. She is to visit Chinese cities besides Beijing during her tour. SEOUL, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's crude oil imports from Iran more than doubled in the second quarter due to the lifted sanctions on the Persian country, a government report showed on Wednesday. Imports of Iranian crude oil reached 25.35 million barrels during the April-June period, up 123.3 percent from 11.35 billion barrels tallied in the same period of last year, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. It came after Iran and world powers reached a framework nuclear agreement to remove all economic sanctions. Before the sanctions, the Persian nation was South Korea's largest source of oil imports. The country's combined oil imports increased 4.5 percent from a year earlier to 266.38 million barrels in the second quarter thanks to an increase in Iranian oil imports. Imports of oil products from overseas amounted to 77.01 million barrels during the quarter, up 15 percent from a year ago. Meanwhile, oil product exports expanded 9.5 percent to 124 million barrels during the cited period. In terms of value, oil product shipments dropped 23.6 percent to 6.22 billion U.S. dollars on the back of lower oil prices. Oil product consumption here rose 7.3 percent over the year to 217.13 million barrels in the second quarter. Consumption of gasoline and diesel increased 6.7 percent, with LPG consumption jumping 29.5 percent. Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff reacts during a signing ceremony for new universities at Planalto Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil on May 9, 2016. The acting speaker of the lower house of Brazil's Congress announced Monday the decision to nullify the chamber's vote for an impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff and called for a new one. (Xinhua/Wilton Junior/AGENCIA ESTADO) BRASILIA, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's suspended President Dilma Rousseff proposed on Tuesday to hold a plebiscite on calling an early presidential election if she would be restored to power. The proposal was made more than a week ahead of a Senate impeachment vote against Rousseff on Aug. 25, four days after the end of the Olympics being held in Rio de Janeiro. It is seen as her last-ditch effort to avoid a permanent removal from office. In a long letter read out in Brasilia "to the federal senate and Brazilian people", Rousseff repeated her proposal for the South American country to hold early elections to enable political and electoral reforms which would overcome "the fragmentation of parties, make campaign financing moral...and give more power to the voters." "The full restoration of democracy requires that the population decide what is the best way to...perfect the Brazilian political and electoral system. It is the only way out of a crisis," said the suspended president. Rousseff vowed to call a plebiscite on whether to hold early elections if she comes back to power. Rousseff was suspended in May over accusations of violating fiscal rules to cover up a tremendous budget deficit during her 2014 re-election. In the letter, she reiterated her denial of the accusations, adding that her forced removal from office would amount to "a coup." "I am innocent," she noted. "There is no injustice more devastating than to condemn an innocent person." Rousseff admitted her administration made mistakes and that she accepted "with humility and determination" "tough criticisms" of the errors. Her current term ends in 2018. If she fails to survive the impeachment, interim President Michel Temer will serve out the term. Amid growing discontent at Temer's interim administration, the idea of early elections has been gaining popularity and won 62 percent at a Datafolha poll in July. However, holding an early election requires a constitutional amendment, and faces opposition from within Rousseff's leftist Workers' Party. The final phase of Rousseff's impeachment process is expected to last for about five days, and the actual judgement vote is reported to likely take place on Aug. 30 or 31. A two-thirds majority in the Senate vote is needed to remove Rousseff from office. Rousseff's second administration beginning in 2014 has been troubled with economic decline, rising unemployment and political crises including the impact of a huge corruption scandal that has implicated both her allies and members of the opposition. Apart from the impeachment vote, Rousseff is now also facing extra pressure as a Brazilian Federal Supreme Court justice has authorized the opening of an investigation into her alleged obstruction of the course of a sweeping corruption probe, according to a GloboNews report on Tuesday which did not disclose the source of the information. She is accused of trying to appoint her predecessor Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to a cabinet post in order to help him avoid prosecution. Lula is also Rousseff's political mentor and the founder of Workers' Party. In a statment, Rousseff's aide denied the accusation, saying the investigation against Rousseff and Lula will allow "the truth to prevail." WELLINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- More than 50 New Zealand Army cadets are receiving tropical jungle training in a joint exercise with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the New Zealand Defense Force (NZDF) said Wednesday. Exercise Kepimpinan, a three-week drill conducted in the Bruneian jungle, would provide close-country training in a tropical environment, NZDF Land Component Commander Brigadier Mike Shapland said. Platoon groups would be mixed between the two countries, enabling the New Zealand personnel to learn from their Bruneian counterparts. "The cadets will be tested by a fictional enemy party as well as the jungle environment, developing their close-country jungle warfare and giving them experience in platoon command in an unfamiliar setting," said Shapland. "The exercise also provides experience in the conduct of an overseas deployment and reinforces the New Zealand Army's longstanding links with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces," he said. The exercise runs until Sept. 8. BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Trade between the Chinese mainland and Macao dropped by 21.3 percent year on year to 1.68 billion U.S. dollars during the first half of 2016, according to figures from the Ministry of Commerce. The mainland's exports to Macao decreased by 21.3 percent year on year to 1.6 billion U.S. dollars during the first six months. Macao's exports to the mainland were at 80 million U.S. dollars, a decrease of 22 percent year on year, according to the ministry. Guo Wanda, vice president of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said on Wednesday that less travellers to macao and declining lottery industry caused the decrease of the mainland-Macao trade. Mainland authorities approved 169 investment projects from Macao entities during the period, with the actual use of Macao capital reaching 540 million U.S. dollars, up 5.4 percent from the same period last year. MANILA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Death toll in Philippines due to monsoon rains rose to 13 as displaced persons also climbed to over 262,000, the state disaster response agency said Wednesday. Aside from those who perished, six others were injured and nine were reported missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said. Of the affected 55,963 families or 262,271 persons, 4,487 families or 17,896 individuals from six regions in the northern part of the country, including the National Capital Region, were still housed in 77 evacuation centers. The government has extended relief assistance worth 6.3 million pesos (134,000 U.S. dollars) to the affected families. Classes in public and private schools in some areas in seven provinces and in Metro Manila were suspended. The state weather forecasting agency warned that monsoon rains, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides, will be experienced over Ilocos Region and the provinces of Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac and Pampanga, all in northern part of the country. Southwest monsoon, which brought massive rains, have been affecting some parts of the country since Aug. 8. MOSCOW, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Syria over the phone Tuesday evening, said the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two diplomats discussed the situation in Aleppo, where the Syrian government forces are carrying out a large-scale humanitarian operation with Russian support, the ministry said in a statement. They discussed in detail preparations for implementing the agreement reached during Kerry's visit to Moscow on July 15 that called for coordinating efforts to combat terrorist groups in Syria and ensuring the cessation of hostilities, the statement added. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed Tuesday the deployment of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 strike fighters in Iran. Flying with a full bomb load from the Hamedan air base in Iran, the warplanes on Tuesday conducted a group air strike against targets of the Islamic State and Jabhat Fath al-Sham terrorists in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Dayr al-Zawr and Idlib, the Defense Ministry added. MOSCOW/WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russia said Tuesday its bombers took off from an Iranian airbase to strike terrorist targets in Syria, in an unprecedented move that deepens its involvement in the Middle East and underscores Moscow's increasingly close ties with Tehran. Russian defense ministry said that Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 frontline bombers took off from Hamadan base in western Iran and "carried out a group air strike against the Islamic State (IS) and Nusra Front terrorist groups' targets in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib." Su-30cm and Su-35s fighters, based in Hmeimim air base in Syria, provided cover for the mission, according to the ministry. Five large warehouses with weapons, ammunition, fuel and lubricants, three command posts and several training camps have been destroyed, and a significant number of terrorists have been killed in the campaign, the ministry added. It was the first time Russia has used the territory of another nation, apart from Syria itself, to launch such strikes since Moscow launched a bombing campaign against IS targets inside Syria last September. The Iranian deployment will boost Russia's image as a central player in the Middle East and allow the Russian air force to reduce flight times and increase bombing payloads. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Tuesday that Iran and Russia are "strategic" allies in fighting terrorism in Syria. "Tehran-Moscow cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Syria is strategic and we exchange capacities and potentialities in this field," Shamkhani said. Shamkhani also said that Iran will continue to provide military advice to countries plagued with terrorism, including Syria. The Pentagon on Tuesday confirmed that the Russian military notified the U.S.-led coalition currently fighting the IS before Russian bombers carried out airstrikes in Syria from Iran. "The Russians did notify the coalition as per the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for safety of flight," said Pentagon spokesman Christopher Garver, referring to the U.S.-Russian MOU signed last October to avoid an inadvertent clash in Syrian airspace during their own airstrikes against terrorist targets there. "They (Russians) activated that system, as we have in the past. They informed us they were coming through and we ensured safety of flight as those bombers passed through the area and toward their target and then when they passed out again," Garver said at a press conference. While he insisted that U.S.-led coalition operations in either Iraq or Syria were not impacted during the time, Garver refused to comment on whether U.S. aircraft had to be moved out of the path. "We knew in time when they activate the safety of flight memorandum of understanding instructions. It's not a lot of time, but it's enough, and it was enough time to make sure that we could ensure safety of flight," said Garver. Garver also declined to comment on whether the United States was aware of any major preparations on the Iranian base beforehand. SYDNEY, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea said efforts are being made to close Australia's immigration processing center on Manus Island following a meeting with Australia's Immigration Minister Peter Dutton on Wednesday. Papua New Guinea has asked Australia to make alternative arrangements for asylum seekers at the controversial Australian-run immigration processing center after PNG's Supreme Court declared its existence unconstitutional in April. "Both Papua New Guinea and Australia are in agreement that the centre is to be closed," Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement following a meeting with Dutton in Port Moresby. O'Neill did not indicate an exact time table but said "series of options are being canvassed and implemented." "It is important that this process is not rushed but carried out in a careful manner," O'Neill said. Though the number of refugees trying to reach Australian shores pales in comparison to those that attempted to enter Europe, the authorities controversially ship asylum seekers to two Australian offshore immigration processing centers on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island and the island nation of Nauru. The policy, adopted in 2013, is designed to stop the flow of asylum seekers using people smuggling operations to reach Australia by boat following a spate of tragic deaths at sea. O'Neill has become less enthusiastic to host the controversial Manus Island processing center over the past years, claiming his country's reputation has suffered as a result and that the struggling nation could ill-afford the cost of refugee resettlement. "I look forward to further updates as the process of closing the centre moves forward," O'Neill said. A spokesperson for Dutton did not immediately respond to Xinhua's questions on where the detainees would be transferred. The news comes as the United Nations continues to urge Australia to expeditiously end the model of refugee processing following the leak of over 2,000 incident reports alleging wide spread abuse at Australia's Nauru facility. "It is not clear to what extent the alleged incidents were properly investigated either by the companies contracted by Australia to run the regional processing centre or by the Nauru police force," spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ravina Shamdasani, told Xinhua in a statement. "We have urged (Australia and Nauru) to promptly put in place measures to prevent the kinds of incidents revealed in the reports from occurring and to ensure that the physical and mental integrity of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers is protected." A joint investigation by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International released earlier in August alleged the failure to address systemic abuse was a deliberate policy to deter asylum seekers from arriving in Australia. PHNOM PENH, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese man has been arrested when arriving at Cambodian capital airport with more than 4 kg of rhinoceros horns in his luggage, the Cambodia Daily reported Wednesday, citing an official. The man was traveling from Namibia but arrived at Phnom Penh International Airport on Sunday afternoon on a Qatar Airlines flight that originated in Doha, said Leang Hay, chief of customs at the airport. "We decided to check the target after we learned what country he'd been traveling from," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The seizure--eight pieces of horn weighing 4.38 kg--was the fifth major seizure of rhino horn at a Cambodian airport since 2012, he said. KUNDUZ, Afghanistan, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least eight militants were killed after Afghan security forces repelled Taliban attacks in the country's northern province of Kunduz on Wednesday, officials said. In one attack, eight Taliban were killed after unknown number of militants stormed troop's positions in Duhbandi, in outer side of Chahar Dara district, western of provincial capital Kunduz city, district Governor Zulmai Farooqi told Xinhua. "The militants tried to run the district center but the security forces were aware of the attack. Sporadic clashes were still going on there. So far, eight militants lost their lives and no security force member was hurt in exchange of fire," Farooqi told Xinhua. The second attack also occurred before dawn when dozens of militants attacked security checkpoints along a main road in Khan Abad district, east of Kunduz city, sparking heavy clashes. Qudratullah Safi, district executive officer, told Xinhua that several militants were killed and the gunfight has led to temporary blockage of the road connecting Kunduz city to the neighboring Takhar province. However, he could not give immediate report about casualties, but he confirmed that several Taliban militants were killed and wounded during the clashes. The province, 250 km north of Afghan capital of Kabul, has been the scene of heavy clashes between security forces and Taliban over the past couple of months. The Taliban-led insurgency has been rampant since early April when the militant group launched its annual rebel offensive in different places of the country, which had claimed hundreds of lives including militants, security personnel and civilians. The Taliban urged civilians to stay away from official gatherings, military convoys and centers regarded as the legitimate targets by militants besides warning people not to support the government. NEW DELHI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least three Indian security forces were killed and three others injured in a terror attack in Indian-controlled Kashmir on Wednesday, a senior police official said. "The incident took place in the northern state's Baramulla district around 2.30 a.m. (local time) when a group of terrorists ambushed a convoy of the Indian Army at Khwaja Bagh in Baramulla," he said on condition of anonymity. While two Indian soldiers died, two others were injured in the attack, the official said, adding that one policeman was also killed and another injured as their vehicle, which was part of the Army convoy, also came under attack. "A massive search operation has been launched to track down the terrorists who managed to flee the spot," he said. This is the third terror attack in the last 36 hours in the restive region, which has been on the boil since the killing of 22-year-old Burwan Wani, terror outfit Hizbul Mujahiddin's poster boy for new militancy, by Indian security forces in July. On Tuesday evening, militants attacked a police post with grenades, injuring five cops, at Kakpora village in the region's Pulwama district. And a day before, when India was celebrating its 70th Independence Day, terrorists attacked Indian security forces in capital Srinagar, killing one and injuring eight others. Two militants were later gunned down in retaliatory action. India blames Pakistan or Pakistan-based terror outfits for most of the attacks in Kashmir over which the two countries have fought at least three major wars in the past 65 years. MOSCOW, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Russian fighter-interceptors MiG-31 and Su-24 bombers stationed in the Urals and Western Siberia have been relocated to the Perm region for military drills, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday. "The pilots are practicing reacting to a massive missile strike, as well as protecting aircrafts from air attacks in the Central Military District. Crews of MiG-31 will perform the role of an imaginary enemy," the ministry said. The drills, involving 16 aircraft vehicles, 26 aircrews and about 100 technical staff, will last for one month. After the training, the crews of the fighter aircraft will be relocated to Domna airbase in the Trans-Baikal region. ISLAMABAD, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least two security personnel were killed and seven others injured in an explosion at their vehicle in Pakistan's northwest tribal area of Khyber Agency on Wednesday afternoon, local Urdu media reported. Dawn News said that the blast happened when the forces'vehicle hit a landmine in the restive Tirah Valley area of the Khyber Agency, a semi-autonomous tribal area along Pakistan-Afghanistan border. The injured troops were shifted to a nearby hospital. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet. The blast happened one day after the Pakistani army launched an operation in the Tirah Valley area of Khyber Agency to reinforce troop deployment for effectively checking and guarding against movement across the porous border of the Agency. The army also killed 14 militants and injured 11 others in aerial, ground operations in the valley on Tuesday, the army's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, said. HANOI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's domestic steel prices are expected to rise in the near future, thanks to increasing consumption demand, according to Vietnam Steel Association (VSA) on Wednesday. Nguyen Van Sua, VSA's vice chairman said the selling price of steel billets and bars in Vietnam had risen since July. Specifically, steel billet prices increased from 300-310 U.S. dollars per ton in July to 315-325 U.S. dollars per ton at the beginning of August. The prices of steel bars also climbed from 308-315 U.S. dollars per ton to 330-338 U.S. dollars per ton, Vietnam's state-run news agency VNA quoted Sua as saying on Wednesday. The insider said steel prices could go up further in the final months of this year thanks to rising steel billet prices, real estate market's recovery and high construction demand. Reports from VSA showed that the steel output of its members in July reached 1.4 million tons, up 13.6 percent year-on-year. Meanwhile, steel sales in July reached more than 1.2 million tons, up 27.3 percent year-on-year, and 20 percent higher over June. Sua said the surge in both steel production and consumption showed that domestic steel producers could meet the demand for construction steel. However, steel businesses should further improve their products' quality and reduce production costs to offer more competitive prices, Sua proposed. In July, Vietnam's exports of steel products posted a 57 percent year-on-year rise to reach 246,500 tons. In seven-month period, the country earned some 988 million U.S. dollars from exporting 1.783 million tons of steel. SYDNEY, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Australians will get their "appetite for destruction" when iconic American rockers Guns N' Roses kick start their Australian tour in February. Local media reported on Wednesday that majority of the band made famous with their "Use Your Illusion" and "Appetite for Destruction" records will tour Australia as part of their "Not In This Lifetime" tour currently rocking through the United States. The tour will mark the first time that founder Axl Rose and former members, Slash and Duff McKagan have played together for Aussie fans since their 1993 "Use Your Illusion" tour. It looks like Aussie fans will be taking the midnight train home from its first stop in Brisbane, before hitting Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and finishing off in Perth. Paul Dainty, president and chief executive of music promoter TEG Dainty confirmed on Wednesday the band's founder Axl Rose and former members, Slash and Duff McKagan, will kick start the Australian leg on Feb. 7. BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese businesses saw a surge in service outsourcing contracts in the first seven months despite a slowing economy, latest data from the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) showed Wednesday. Chinese companies inked service outsourcing contracts worth 560.8 billion yuan (85 billion U.S. dollars) in the period, up 32.1 percent year on year, the MOC disclosed at a press conference. Among the deals were offshore service outsourcing contracts valued at 387.4 billion yuan, surging 44.6 percent year on year. Cooperation in service outsourcing with countries along the Belt and Road saw quicker growth, with contracts valued at 67.96 billion yuan for the January-July period, rising 24.1 percent from a year ago. China's service outsourcing sector was described by the State Council as a "green industry" that will be a new engine for tertiary industry and a boon to increasing employment. DUBAI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A firm owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Wednesday that it is halfway through with the construction of a 16.6 megawatt (MW) solar powered plant network in Mauritania. The company, Masdar, said the project, once completed, would bring the total of the UAE's contribution to Mauritania's renewable energy capacity to 31.6 MW. A previous project built by the UAE, Sheikh Zayed Solar, located in the Mauritanian capital city of Nouakchott, has a capacity of 15 MW. The new project, which comprises a network of eight solar powered plants, was launched last December in the northwestern African country, it said in statement. "Handover of this innovative network will provide electricity to thousands of families for the very first time, improving their lives hence enabling further socio-economic development," said Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi. The plants will supply 30 percent of the electricity needs of the remote communities of Boutilimit, Aleg, Aioune, Akjoujt, Atar, El Chami, Boulenour and Bani Chab. Currently, none of these communities are connected to Mauritania's national grid. Ramahi said the new project was based on Sheikh Zayed Solar Power Plant. When completed in 2013, it was then the largest solar power installation in Africa and Mauritania's first utility-scale solar power project, accounting for over 10 percent of the country's grid-connected capacity, said Masdar. Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress (NPC), presides over a chairpersons' meeting in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 17, 2016. According to a statement issued after the meeting Wednesday, the 22nd session of the 12th NPC Standing Committee will be convened from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The top legislature of China will convene its bi-monthly session from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3, according to a statement issued after a chairpersons' meeting Wednesday. Attendees of Wednesday's meeting, which was chaired by Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), suggested that at the upcoming 22nd session of the 12th NPC Standing Committee, legislators should deliberate on draft laws on national defense transportation, the movie industry, and traditional Chinese medicine. Legislators will also study and discuss proposals, including a review of the draft amendments to the law on foreign-invested companies, the law on protection of marine environment, and the proposal to review and ratify the Paris Agreement. Also, legislators will consider reports on national economic and social development, budget implementation, reform and development of higher learning, among others. CONAKRY, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Violence broke out during Tuesday's protests by Guinean opposition parties in the capital Conakry, leaving one person dead and two others seriously injured after being shot at by police, civil society sources said. The victim, 20-year old Thierno Hamidou Diallo was shot during violent clashes between the security forces and protesting youths at Bambeto roundabout which is within the opposition stronghold. Police officers who had camped at the roundabout used tear gas to disperse opposition supporters. Opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo later visited "Mere et Enfant" clinic in a Conakry suburb to view Thierno Hamidou's body. He urged the government to immediately launch investigations to identify the officer who shot at the young protester. Diallo accused the police of using excessive force against his supporters who were peacefully returning to their homes after the protest that was considered peaceful. A few hours before the shooting incident, Government Spokesman Albert Damantang Camara hailed the peaceful climate that had prevailed during Tuesday's opposition protest. He noted that if all players act responsibly, protests will always go on without violence and in a totally democratic manner. GOMA, DR Congo, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Three workers of a Catholic humanitarian organization, Caritas, were kidnapped by armed men on Tuesday in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), security sources said. Police sources in North Kivu said a convoy of two vehicles that were transporting the three workers was ambushed by armed men and the three Caritas workers were kidnapped and taken to a nearby forest. "One of the vehicles came under fire, but was able to turn around," the source said, adding that there were two German journalists in the vehicle and one of them was wounded in the leg. Father Arsene Munembwe of Mweso diocese in North Kivu province, who was contacted by Xinhua, confirmed the incident, adding that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of 20,000 U.S. dollars to release the hostages. GOMA, DR Congo, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) President Joseph Kabila on Tuesday sent a delegation comprising of Prime Minister Matata Ponyo and members of the defense council to Beni, North Kivu province, where about 50 people were massacred by a Ugandan rebel group over the weekend. On Tuesday morning, Kabila held a meeting with members of the supreme defense council in Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. The meeting was attended by the prime minister, senior army officers and police chiefs. "It was a case of terrorism. We must understand what is terrorism. It is not just in DR Congo where this kind of massacre occurs," Ponyo said after arriving in Beni. "It is an exceptional mode of operation. I believe we need an exceptional response plan because we are fighting an asymmetric war," he said. The prime minister said the delegation will examine all possibilities to respond to this exceptional situation, and that exceptional measures will be taken soon once the president has been briefed. On Sunday, Kabila told the media the terrorist attack in Beni by Uganda's Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), was not different from those carried out in Mali, Cameroon, Nigeria, Somalia and even Belgium, the U.S. and France. The ADF rebels who have been active in eastern DR Congo since 1994, have been accused of killing over 600 civilians since October 2014 in Beni town. VIENTIANE, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Complex world situation and its challenges make it imperative for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China to put all efforts into seeking cooperation and development while minimizing all possible impediments, Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khaphao Eunthavanh said here Wednesday. The deputy minister made the comments in an address to academics and researchers gathered in the Lao capital for the third Network of ASEAN-China Think Tanks seminar, state-run media Vientiane Times reported. China's capabilities in various spheres, including capital, human resources, and technology would continue to contribute to development in ASEAN members states over coming decades, said Khaphao. "As a result, if the two sides could collaborate with each other and enhance their cooperation through the existing mechanism such as Belt and Road initiative, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, or other forthcoming projects, it is believed that this will contribute to significant and outstanding development of our region." Director of Institute of Asian Studies at China Foreign Affairs University Professor Wei Ling noted cooperation between China and ASEAN in peace and security, with China the first country outside the region to sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia as well as to support the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone and be upgraded from dialogue partner to strategic partner. She said both China and the members of the 10-member ASEAN bloc share the aspirations for progress and prosperity while being pragmatic in the design and conduct of cooperation measures. Director General of Institute of Foreign Affairs of Laos Yong Chanthalangsy mentioned the fruitfulness of ASEAN-China relations, which he said resulted from the commencement of the bilateral dialogue partnership in 1991, which further upgraded to full dialogue partnership in 1996 and strategic partnership in 2003. "As a result, China and ASEAN have enjoyed rapid growth in the fields of trade, political understanding, as well as cultural and educational exchanges," Yong said. The file photo shows Ugandan soldiers of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia, 2007. (Xinhua/Abdurrahman Warsameh) MOGADISHU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Nine Ugandan soldiers accused of misconduct while serving the Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) were found guilty by court martial sitting in Mogadishu. A statement from AMISOM said on Tuesday that the Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) Divisional Court Martial sitting in Mogadishu handed sentences ranging from a year to three years in prison. The nine are part of 18 soldiers who were earlier arraigned before the same court for selling fuel belonging to the mission. They were charged after five soldiers were arrested in June, in connection with the illicit sale of fuel in a scam involving civilians in Mogadishu. However, out of the 18, two pleaded guilty and were immediately charged, six were acquitted and one turned into a state witness, leaving the nine, who had denied any wrongdoing, to face trial. The soldiers were found guilty of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency of the UPDF. They will serve imprisonment in Uganda, but three of them were dismissed with disgrace from the army. The chairman of the court, Brig. Gen. Dick Olum, who handed over the sentences, also warned that the Ugandan military will not tolerate any incident of misconduct among its officers serving in peacekeeping missions. "The prosecution has proved all the accusations of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency beyond reasonable doubt. The accused persons are hereby convicted of the charges against them," Olum said. Olum defended the penalties, saying the soldiers had not only damaged the image of the UPDF and AMISOM but had also endangered the lives of others. "The sentence ... is a deterrent sentence. It is a sentence that sends out a message to the rest of military personnel whether back at home or in any other mission out of the country," he said. NEW DELHI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 13 people have died after drinking illicit liquor in the dry state of Bihar in eastern India, a senior police official said. The death toll may go up as some five others are battling for their lives at a government hospital, the official said on condition of anonymity. "The incident took place in Gopalganj district Tuesday evening after the victims complained of breathlessness, followed by stomach pain and vomiting, after consuming toxic alcohol," he said. The official added: "The condition of 13 deteriorated late last night and they died within an hour in the hospital. The condition of five are said to be serious." The state government has ordered a probe into the deaths, which have raised an alarm in Bihar where liquor is banned since March this year as part of poll promise by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. So far, the police have arrested over 4,000 people across the state for flouting the ban, though no one has been arrested yet for the suspected illicit liquor tragedy. "Anyone found guilty in the probe will be arrested," the police official said. NEW DELHI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- India on Wednesday rejected Pakistan's invitation for foreign secretary-level talks on Indian-controlled Kashmir. Highly placed sources said that Indian Envoy to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale has handed over New Delhi's response to Pakistan Foreign Office on Islamabad's invitation for talks on Kashmir. Two days ago, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary invited his Indian counterpart to visit Islamabad for talks on Kashmir, saying it's the "international obligation" of both nations to resolve the issue. Indian-controlled Kashmir has been on the boil since the killing of 22-year-old Burhan Wani, terror outfit Hizbul Mujahiddin's poster boy for new militancy, by Indian security forces in July. In the unrest, some 64 civilians have been killed and thousands injured so far in the northern region. Some security forces personnel also sustained injuries in the violence. India has accused Pakistan of provoking the violence in Kashmir and warned that "Pakistan's dream of getting Kashmir will not be realised till the end of eternity". India and Pakistan both stake claim to the disputed region. Photo shows a piece of welded steel rails at a rail-welding base in Wuhu, east China's Anhui Province. Lacking their own steel capacity, some African countries rely heavily on imports. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) NAIROBI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Wang Shusheng, from Hebei Province of Northern China, is occupied with his steel plant in Tanzania set to go into operation in October. Wang is the manager of Kiluwa Steel Group Co. Ltd, which covers an area of 300 acres, located in a remote land in Kibaha District, eastern Tanzania. The factory mainly produces screw-thread steel and wire rod, with a first-phase investment of about 200 million yuan (about 30 million U.S. dollars). In underdeveloped Africa, infrastructure construction is the guarantee for development and it requires rebar, cement and electric power, Wang said. In Tanzania, the quality of local rebar cannot meet the requirement of building skyscrapers or bridges. As a result, 70 percent of rebar in the country are imported. Wang is among an increasing number of Chinese entrepreneurs who are turning their eyes to Africa to seek business opportunities. Partial statistics show that China and Africa have signed over 180 various cooperation agreements with a total value of 32.5 billion U.S. dollars since the Johannesburg Summit of The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation last December. This includes 29.1 billion dollars of commercial loans, accounting for nearly 90 percent of the total amount. Investment-led cooperation is becoming a main driver for business cooperation, marking a new stage of higher quality of economic cooperation and trade between China and Africa, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Plenary Session of the Coordinators' Meeting On the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of The Johannesburg Summit in July. Shi Jiyang, CEO of China-Africa Development Fund (CAD Fund), noted that Africa is a new horizon of global economic growth, the most dynamic economy second only to East and South Asia. There is an enormous potential of China-Africa cooperation, particularly in terms of investment. Shi said more and more Chinese enterprises will invest in Africa, along with the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Ten Cooperation Plans as put forward at the Johannesburg summit. According to the statistics from the CAD Fund, trade between China and Africa reached 222 billion dollars in 2014 and is projected to hit 400 billion dollars by 2020; the stock of Chinese investment in Africa amounted to 32.4 billion dollars in 2014 and is expected to reach 100 billion dollars by 2020. China has been a transformational partner from the standpoint of Africa's development, Prof. Lemma Senbet, executive director of African Economic Research Consortium said on Friday in Mombasa, Kenya. Senbet said at the China-Africa Media & Think-Tanks Symposium that China has emerged as Africa's largest trading partner, but China's engagement with Africa is not just limited to minerals and oil. "It is multifaceted and multilayered," he said. He also said it is important that China and Africa should foster relationship in other spheres apart from that fostered by government actors. "China could provide some public-private partnership to interface the private sector in Africa and also use that as a pattern of investment. That would be win-win," added Senbet. MANILA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday implicated a female senator in illegal drugs, accusing the unnamed senator of using drug money to finance her campaign during the May elections. In a speech before policemen at the main headquarters of the Philippine National Police in Quezon City, Duterte also accused the woman senator, whom he did not name, of adultery. "Here's a senator complaining. One day I will tell you that her driver himself, who was her lover, was the one collecting money for her during the campaign," Duterte said. He called the lawmaker an "immoral woman" who flaunts her alleged illicit relationship with a married driver. "As far as the wife of the driver was concerned, it's adultery," he said. "Here is a woman who funded the house of her lover and yet we do not say any complaint about her. Those money came readily from her," he added. But Duterte later clarified that he was unsure whether the driver gave the money he collected to the woman senator. "But in fairness, I would never say here that the driver gave the money to her. But by the looks of it she has it." He said the senator has no moral authority to criticize the spate of killings happening in the country, victimizing people who are suspected to be involved in illegal drugs. He blasted the senator for "political posturing," adding "you yourself has a very sordid personal and official life." Last week, Duterte vowed to "destroy in public" a woman government official whom he described as a "human rights stalwart". Very much bothered by the drug menace affecting the country, the president said there are about 3.7 million Filipinos who are dependent in drugs roaming around the country, preying on children and youths. "Now, we are seeing our country devastated by drugs. It has not only affected millions but a lot of them no longer viable as human beings in the planet," he said. Duterte has intensified his election campaign to "kill" illegal drug protectors, users and pushers. So far, he has implicated almost 200 people in the so-called "name-and-shame" campaign, including judges, policemen and local officials. One of the lawmakers who met with Duterte in the Malacanang presidential palace on Monday told reporters that Duterte is set to release a new list of politicians allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. It was not clear if the name of the female senator is included in the forthcoming list. Philippine media have tallied nearly 700 vigilante-type killings related to illicit drugs since Duterte assumed the presidency in June. Local reporters sought the reaction of Senator Leila de Lima, a known critic of Duterte, if she felt alluded to by Duterte's statement. She said she was surprised by Duterte's statement "but I won't be cowed." "I don't want to dignify that. To me t's very foul. It's character assassination. That is a very clear case of character assassination and I do not expect the president to do that," she said. "I hope (Duterte verifies) his facts and sources. He needs to double check the facts. I also hope that he announces the sources of this information." JERUSALEM, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel's security forces arrested overnight a Hamas official in the West Bank, the Shin Bet security agency said on Wednesday. Hussein Abu-Kweik, a high-ranking Hamas official based in the West Bank, was arrested in an overnight raid between Tuesday and Wednesday, carried out by the Shin Bet and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) near Ramallah, according to the Shin Bet's statement. Abu-Kweik was arrested for his alleged "involvement in security related activities" and "presenting a threat to the security in the area," the Shin Bet said, adding he had served as Hamas' campaigner ahead of the Palestinian elections in October, and accusing him of "incitement." He was arrested along with two other suspects in the el-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah. The Islamist Hamas group condemned the arrest, accusing Israel of meddling in Palestinian internal political affairs ahead of the upcoming elections. Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip territories in the 1967 Middle East War, and it withdrew its soldiers and settlers from Gaza in 2005. Following the evacuation and amid a falling out with the rival Fatah party, Hamas took over the strip in 2007. Israel and Hamas are staunch enemies that have fought several rounds of wars in the past decade. The overnight arrests came amid a wave of violence between Israelis and Palestinians, which started in October and has since claimed the lives of 34 Israelis and 220 Palestinians. On Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a Palestinian teenager, Mohammed Abu Hashash, was killed in clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians at the al-Fawar refugee camp near Hebron, and dozens more were injured. The clashes followed an operation by the Israeli security forces in the camp, searching for wanted Palestinians who allegedly planned attacks against Israel, according to Israel Radio. The IDF spokesperson would not confirm or deny the report. Israeli leaders accuse the Palestinian National Authority of inciting violence, whereas the Palestinians say it is the result of 49 years of Israeli occupation and the dim prospects of establishing an independent Palestinian state. KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The disappearance of a Malaysian oil tanker, which was reported missing on Tuesday and was believed to be hijacked to the Indonesia's Batam Island after leaving a Malaysian port, may be due to "commercial dispute". The oil tanker MT Vier Harmoni, which was carrying 900,000 liters of diesel worth 1.57 million ringgit (390,000 U.S. dollars), could have been "deliberately taken to international waters due to a commercial dispute," the Star reported on Wednesday afternoon, citing Rear Admiral Adon Shalan of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA). According to Adon, MMEA has called off search operations after the vessel was found near Batam with the help of Indonesian authorities. Adon said initial investigations showed that the company had yet to make bond payments to Malaysian authorities for the ship to embark on its journey. "We tried to contact the ship but it went unanswered while we believe the ship's captain might have turned off its tracking system as we could not trace it on our radar," he was quoted as saying. ISTANBUL, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- One Turkish coast guard was killed and another went missing on Wednesday morning when their boat capsized in the Bosphorus Strait after crashing into a cargo carrier, Turkish media reported. Five other coast guards were rescued in the accident that occurred off Istanbul's historic Sarayburnu neighborhood in Fatih district, Dogan news agency said. It said the cargo vessel headed north to the Black Sea after the episode, and traffic in the strait was suspended. The Bosphorus, linking the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, is a key international shipping lane for oil and grain. SYDNEY, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Queensland state government has given the green light to American producers to film Thor: Ragnorak on the streets Brisbane's, prompting road closures for long hours and causing other interruptions within the city. The Brisbane Times reported on Wednesday that businesses and residents in the area had been warned "to expect short delays due to traffic detours and stop-go traffic flow as filming takes place from Monday to Thursday. A letter sent out by the movie producers to Brisbane residents said the road closures were expected as the latest installation of the movie production takes shape on the iconic Gold Coast. "Traffic, deliveries, pedestrians and hotel guests will have access to businesses during the closures, although there may be short delays for public safety reasons." "The producers promise to keep the disruptions as brief as possible, and have asked for understanding and support," the report said. The movie stars Australians Chris Hemsworth and Cate Blanchett alongside Tom Hiddleston, Jamie Alexander and Anthony Hopkins. Thor: Ragnarok is an American superhero film featuring Marvel Comics character Thor. It is slated to be released in cinemas worldwide in November 2017. RIYADH, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Saudi policeman was shot dead by an unidentified assailant in Qatif, a city in the country's Eastern province, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Wednesday. Four masked gunmen were involved in the shooting in the early hours of Tuesday, and the victim died on his way to hospital, SPA said, citing a police spokesperson. The incident occurred days after the authorities' announcement of the arrest of a Yemeni national suspected of killing a policeman in Bisha in southwest Saudi Arabia. The arrested Yemeni suspect confessed to being a member of the Islamic State (IS) militant group. Qatif is one of Saudi Arabia's troubled areas where minority Shiite youths clashed with police in the past. In 2014, Saudi Arabia announced the arrest of 135 suspected terrorists, 17 of whom for rioting, vandalism and attacking security forces in Al-Awamiya, also in Eastern province. MADRID, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A seven year old girl was taken to hospital in Zaragoza, central Spain, after being gored by a bull during a traditional bull-running event in the town of Alfamen on Tuesday evening, the Spanish press reported. The girl was reported to be in a "serious but stable" condition after being gored in the buttock and the abdomen by a bull which was able to force its way through a barrier and a door which were meant to separate it from the watching public. The girl was only able to escape further injury, and perhaps saved her life, by hiding underneath a car which was parked nearby. Mayor of Alfamen, Alejandro Gil, described the incident as an "accident which was unfortunate but impossible to predict." Gil said that "before the running of the bulls, we had checked all of the routes, something can always happen, but we have fulfilled all of the regulations which the (regional) Government of Aragon requires for this kind of event." He also said that security at the event had been stepped up over the past five years. The bull running at the San Fermin Festival in Pamplona is perhaps the best known of the events, known as "encierros", to be held in Spain, but "encierros" are held in hundreds of small towns and villages in Spain over the summer as they celebrate their local "fiestas". 2015 saw over a dozen people lose their lives after being gored by bulls in such events and increasing numbers of local authorities are either cancelling events involving bulls or holding referendums to decide whether or not they should continue in the future. An Afghan policeman searches the body of a passenger on the Kunduz-Takhar highway in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, Aug. 17, 2016. Afghan security forces have beefed up security operations against insurgents in northern Kunduz province, as 19 militants including a Taliban key commander Qari Zabihullah have been killed during those operations on Wednesday, according to Interior Ministry. (Xinhua/Ajmal Kakar) KABUL, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Taliban key commander Qari Zabihullah is among 19 militants killed in the northern Kunduz province on Wednesday, Interior Ministry said in a statement released here. BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- As the annual Group of 20 (G20) summit is only some half a month away, world media have been paying more attention to China's preparations for the summit and who will attend the gathering. First, Chinese President Xi Jinping will deliver a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the summit, which will be held on Sept. 4-5 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. As regards the agenda of the summit, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong said on Monday that the summit is purely about global economic governance, trade and investment and that thorny political issues had no place at the summit. As for who will attend the G20 summit in Hangzhou, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post said Russian President Vladimir Putin will again feature prominently alongside Xi in Hangzhou next month. U.S. President Barack Obama, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be present, among others. Reuters reported that British Prime Minister Theresa May had written to China's president and premier seeking to enhance trade and cooperation amid a dispute over London delaying a 24-billion-U.S.-dollar nuclear project. Alok Sharma, parliamentary under-secretary of state in the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, said May looked forward to attending next month's G20 summit in China. As part of China's preparations for the summit, all Hangzhou markets will stay open during the two-day G20 summit, South China Morning Post reported. All medium- and large-sized supermarkets, agricultural product markets and wholesale food markets will stay open during the G20 summit, according to a statement issued by the city government on Tuesday. If necessary, the markets will extend their business hours to meet consumers' shopping demands, the government added. Hangzhou has been massively upgrading the city's infrastructure with such improvements as repaving roads and expanding its subway system for the G20 summit over the last couple of years. Security measures across the city have also been beefed up. The G20 is an international forum for the world's 20 biggest economies. It groups Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States, along with the European Union. G20 summits have been held annually since 2011. Photo taken on Aug. 14, 2016 shows fighters of a splinter Taliban group take part in a gathering in Zabul province, south Afghanistan. Another breakaway Taliban group "Dadullah Mahaz" which means Dadullah front announced its existence in Afghanistan's southern Zabul on Monday, a source close to the newly emerged armed group Mawlawi Nematullah Samim said Wednesday. (Xinhua/Manan Arghand) KABUL, Aug.17 (Xinhua) -- Another breakaway Taliban group called "Dadullah Mahaz" which means Dadullah front announced its existence in Afghanistan's southern Zabul province on Sunday, a source close to the newly emerged armed faction Mawlawi Nematullah Samim said Wednesday. According to Samim, the newly splinter Taliban group is headed by Imdadullah Mansoor, the nephew of Taliban dreadful leader Mullah Mansoor Dadullah who was killed in infighting in Khak-e-Afghan district of the troubled Zabul province 10 months ago. Meantime, observers familiar with the Taliban developments believe that the new splinter group demonstrates more fragmentation within the Taliban rank and exposes failure in the armed outfit's leadership to keep the militant outfit united. "More fragmentation within Taliban rank means more weakness of the armed group," a political expert in the southern Kandahar province told Xinhua. Declining to reveal his name due to security reasons, the analyst said that Taliban's division into two groups and then to three rival factions will undermine the group's advocacy for its so-called Jihad or holy war among its supporters. "Taliban ideology's credibly for the continuation of jihad or holy war would be questioned by its supporters and they would ask if the group is right in fighting against the government, why is it facing internal differences and infighting?" the observer asserted. Mawlawi Akhtar Mohammad Mansoor succeeded Taliban founder Mullah Mohammad Omar after the confirmation of Omar's death in August last year, but his succession was challenged by Mawlawi Mohammad Rasoul Akhund as illegitimate. Akhtar Mansoor was killed in U.S. drone strike in May this year and his deputy Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada succeeded him as new leader of the hardliner group. However, Rasoul Akhund challenged Haibatullah's leadership as illegal and since then hundreds of fighters from both sides have been killed due to infighting between supporters and opponents of Haibatullah. The emergence of new breakaway Taliban group under Imdadullah Mansoor is the third splinter group that has been emerged since the confirmation of the death of Taliban founder Mullah Omar in August, last year. Imdadullah Mansoor, the leader of newly emerged Taliban group, is the nephew of Taliban dreadful commander Mullah Mansoor Dadullah who was killed in infighting by Akhtar Mansoor's men in Khak-e-Afghan district of Zabul province in November. The young and inexperienced Imdadullah Mansoor in his maiden speech among his supporters released in a video called for trial of those behind the killing of his uncle Mansoor Dadullah. Mawlawi Nematullah Samim who is serving as deputy to the leader of new splinter group "Dadullah Mahaz" in the video demanded the trial and punishment of all those involved in the murder of late Taliban leader Mansoor Dadullah and his comrades. "The remarks of the leaders of newly emerged Taliban group Dadullah Mahaz virtually convey the message of more fighting among Taliban rival factions," the analyst maintained. With regard to peace talks with the Afghan government, Mawlawi Samim said in the video that his faction is supportive to peace talks, a process which has been opposed by Haibatullah as meaningless practice. Emergence of new Taliban faction is taking place amid ongoing fierce fighting between Taliban main faction led by Haibatullah and government forces in several parts of the conflict-hit Afghanistan. "The new splinter group and its remarks would definitely weaken the embattling Taliban militants on the battle ground, eventually facilitate the government to exploit the situation for its interests," political analyst and editor-in-chief of the Daily Afghanistan told Xinhua. BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua)-- Sluggish economic growth, instead of global trade, should be blamed for the European Union's steel woes and protectionism is not a solution, China's commerce ministry said Wednesday. China is concerned about the EU's trade remedy practices taken against Chinese steel products, which account for less than 5 percent of the EU steel market share, said Shen Danyang, spokesperson with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), at a press conference. The European Commission on Aug. 4 decided to impose duties ranging from 19.7 to 22.1 percent on cold rolled steel products imported from China, the second bout of anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel products in that week. The EU should avoid abusing trade remedy measures and be aware of the message it is sending with its behavior, according to Shen. China and EU members have benefited from steel trade as China imports a considerable amount of steel products from the EU annually while China's steel exports to the EU helped support its infrastructure development, Shen pointed out. The Group of 20 (G20) trade ministers reached a consensus against trade protectionism at a meeting in Shanghai last month. Protectionism and other practices that stem fair market competition are not the right path for the EU steel sector and all involved parties should ease trade frictions via more exchange and cooperation, Shen added. NAIROBI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's government said it will complete the process of merging government and opposition troops by the end of May 2017. First Vice President Taban Deng Gai made the remarks on Wednesday during his visit to Kenya where he briefed President Uhuru Kenyatta on the progress of the implementation of the South Sudan peace agreement. "South Sudan President has directed that the government and Sudan People's Liberation-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO) armies to be organized as one army and this will be a big achievement for us," Gai told a media briefing in Nairobi. Renewed fighting erupted in early July in South Sudan's capital Juba between government troops led by President Salva Kiir and SPLM-IO forces loyal to former First Vice President Riek Machar. Gai said the existence of two parallel armies was what caused the latest crisis in South Sudan. He said the government would set up cantonment sites to integrate members of the SPLM-IO forces. It however remains unclear whether Machar and his followers will heed the directive from the government. Machar disappeared from Juba following the July fighting. He was later replaced by Gai, his former chief peace negotiator, after Machar failed to obey a 48-hour ultimatum demanding his return to Juba. Machar said he would only return to Juba after a regional protection force proposed by the African Union was deployed to the capital city to buffer the rival factions. Early this month, the South Sudan government agreed to the deployment of the protection force after a crucial regional summit held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa attended by East African leaders including President Kenyatta. Gai said details on the size of the protection force and the countries that will contribute troops "will soon be discussed in Juba." Kiir and Machar had fought a civil war which broke out in December 2013 and left tens of thousands dead. The peace agreement signed by Kiir and Machar last August under UN pressure ended the war but failed to quell the renewed violence. BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Apple announced on Wednesday that all 14 of its final assembly sites in China are now compliant with UL (Underwriters Laboratories) zero waste standards. "It means that all the manufacturing waste from the 14 facilities is either reused, recycled or composted," said Lisa Jackson, vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives at Apple. The tech giant now has a total of 18 final assembly plants in the world. The zero waste program began in January 2015 and has helped divert more than 140,000 metric tons of waste from landfill to more environmentally sound procedures, Jackson said. The UL standards, set by a well-known US safety consulting and certification company, are widely adopted in safety-related testing and validation around the world. "It's the same standards that Apple uses," Jackson said. "All the factories submitted plans to get the verification." One of Apple's top suppliers, Foxconn saw its two sites, one in Shenzhen, southern China's Guangdong Province, and the other in Taiyuan, northern China's Shanxi Province, become the first to get the zero waste validation, earlier this year. "If you visit our final assembly plants, you will see a lot of materials stacked up to be shipped back to the vendors so that they can be reused," Jackson said. According to Jackson, packaging that goes back to vendors undergoes a cleaning process to get refreshed and is then inspected to make sure it is still good enough to be used again. In recent years, Apple has made clear efforts to improve the environmental impact of its supply chain, which is responsible for 77 percent of its total carbon footprint. Apple is also looking at its energy usage, and on Wednesday the company announced a commitment from its major supplier Lens Technology to run its Apple operations entirely on renewable energy by 2018. Lens, a company based in central China's Hunan Province, produces cover glass, home buttons and cameras for Apple, and consumes about 500 million kilowatt hours per year, according to Lens CEO Zhou Qunfei. To fulfill the commitment, Lens will continue to build solar panels and purchase wind power from local companies, Zhou said. Lens is the first supplier to make a clean energy commitment for all of its Apple production, which will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 450,000 metric tons per year, equivalent to the energy use of 380,000 Chinese homes, Jackson said. "We are very excited, not because it is something that Apple is doing, but because it's great to see our suppliers show leadership on clean energy, clean water and clean skies," she said. "It's really a sign of advancement and the transformation to green manufacturing is also very important to China right now." Apple, which has 346 suppliers in China, has committed to partnering with Chinese suppliers to build more than two gigawatts of solar power projects by 2020, which will help cut 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas pollution. "We are already sponsoring the development of 200 megawatts of solar power projects in China, with 170 megawatts in Inner Mongolia," Jackson said. Foxconn will finish building 400 megawatts of solar power projects, starting in Henan Province, by 2018. It is currently on its way to constructing the first 80 megawatts. "Environment is our core value," Jackson said. "We make beautiful products, but we should also leave the planet beautiful." PARIS, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Wednesday defended several mayors banning the full body-covering Muslim burkini swimwear, calling for calm after tensions rose between communities mainly in the French island of Corsica. "I understand the mayors who, at a moment of tension, have the reflex to look for solutions to avoid disturbances to public order," Valls told regional newspaper La Provence. "The beaches, like any public space, must be protected from religious claims. The burkini is not a new range of swimwear fashion. It is the expression of a political project hostile to society and founded notably on women's oppression," he added. Since last weekend, six coastal towns including Cannes, Villeneuve-Loubet, Sisco on the island of Corsica, Le Touquet, Leucate and L'Oye-Plage imposed a ban on the burkini which leaves only the face, hands and feet uncovered. Valls backed the ban on burkinis saying he encouraged people "to live together and not with ulterior political motives." The municipalities' decision came after a brawl broke out last Saturday between Muslim families and a group of young Corsicans in Sisco after a tourist took pictures of women bathing in a burkini. Five people were injured and two others taken into custody, according to media reports. Amid growing tensions, Valls called for calm, saying "it is not for people to take justice by themselves." He also added that "regulations on prescribing clothes cannot be a solution." The burkini ban is a sensitive debate after a recent attack claimed by Daesh left 84 victims in Nice city on July 14. Few days later, two teenagers slaughtered an elderly priest in northern France. On Tuesday, the National Observatory of Islamophobia in France, filed a complaint against the bans with France's highest administrative court "to defend the victims of this clear violation of fundamental freedoms." France, home to Europe's largest Islamic community at 5 million Muslims, bans Muslim headscarves and other religious symbols from schools. JAKARTA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Maritime authorities from Indonesia and Malaysia continue searching for a missing Malaysian fuel tanker, which was previously reported to be hijacked after it left a port in the country, Indonesian navy said here on Wednesday. The captain of MT Vier Harmoni tanker contacted his agent at 12:00 a.m. local time Wednesday, but did not tell the position of the vessel, commander of the Indonesia's western naval command Admiral S. Irawan said. "Until now, WFOR (Indonesian maritime authorities) and MMEA (Malaysian maritime authorities) continuously coordinate and search for the missing MT Vier Harmoni tanker," he said in a statement. Vier Harmoni tanker carrying 900,000 liters of diesel fuel reportedly disappeared from a seaport in Kuantan of Malaysia on Tuesday. After coordinating with the Malaysian maritime authorities, Admiral Irawan said that the tanker operated by PT Vierlines has not been hijacked, but it has been likely taken over by its own crew in a dispute with the management of the company. "(Our) temporary conclusion is that the tanker was not hijacked, but it has been taken over by its own crew, and was turned back to Batam Island (Indonesia)," the admiral disclosed. "The captain of the vessel has twice contacted Malaysian maritime authorities, saying that the tanker will be taken back into Batam because of an internal management problem," Irawan added. For years, small fuel tankers sailing off Southeast Asian coast have been targeted by groups of armed thieves, with the aim of stealing and selling the oil, and recently abduction perpetrated by Abu Sayyaf group in the Southern Philippines has also been on the rise in the area. This year, a total of 25 Indonesian seamen have been kidnapped by the group, which always demand ransoms; so far only 14 have been released. BRATISLAVA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Slovakia will sign the Additional Protocol to the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism, which is a response to so-called foreign terrorist fighters. That move has been approved by the Slovak government during a session on Wednesday. The protocol defines such fighters as people who enter conflict zones with the intention of committing terrorist acts there or of participating in armed conflicts. Slovak Justice Ministry legislation section director Juraj Palus explained that the protocol is aimed against the financing of individual terrorism and foreign terrorist fighters. "Slovakia adopted some of the measures stemming from the protocol as part of an anti-terrorist package last year," added Palus. ANKARA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- An agreement to normalize ties between Turkey and Israel was presented to Turkish parliament on Wednesday, local media reported. Under the deal, Israel will pay 20 million U.S. dollars in compensation for lives claimed during Mavi Marmara flottila raid in 2010, daily Sabah reported. In return, Turkey will drop all cases regarding the deadly incident and Israeli soldiers will be exempted from legal and criminal responsibility, according to the report. Relations between Tel Aviv and Ankara soured after an Israeli naval ship raided Turkey's Mavi Marmara flotilla that was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in May 2010. Ten people were killed in the attack. Attempts to mend ties were initiated in 2015. Negotiations were conducted throughout 2016 until June 26, when the two sides met in Rome to agree on the latest draft of the agreement. MOSCOW, Aug. 17 (Xinhua)) -- Russia is trying to coordinate with the United States in Syria and has denied any violation of UN resolutions in its use of an Iran air base, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "The main task is to finally establish coordination in resolving the Syrian crisis...We are discussing this through military, intelligence and foreign ministries," Lavrov said Wednesday at a press conference after meeting with his New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully in Moscow. Lavrov said the talks were focused on specific mechanisms to implement agreements reached during a visit by U.S. State Secretary John Kerry to Moscow last month. He said Moscow and Washington are discussing with the United Nations the possibility of opening additional humanitarian corridors in the northern city Aleppo and its vicinity controlled by the Syrian army and opposition militants. The two countries were also examining the prospect of increasing control over cargo crossing the Turkish-Syrian border to prevent supplies from reinforcing the terrorists, Lavrov said. However, the top Russian diplomat added it would have been easier to reach a settlement in Syria if the United States had kept its promise to separate moderate opposition groups from the terrorists. Meanwhile, Lavrov denied that Russia had violated any UN Security Council resolution in its use of an Iranian air base for its campaign in Syria. He said Russian warplanes were used with Iran's consent within the framework of an "anti-terrorist operation on the territory of Syria at the request of the legitimate Syrian government." On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said Russian long-range bombers took off from Hamadan air base in Iran to launch strikes against terrorist targets in Syria. Chinese peacekeepers patrol at the refugee camp in Juba, capital of South Sudan, Aug. 11, 2016. The UN Security Council voted for a resolution to deploy 4,000 strong troops to strengthen peacekeeping in South Sudan after renewed fightings in Juba. (Xinhua/Li Baishun) NAIROBI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- South Sudan's government said it will complete the process of merging government and opposition troops by the end of May 2017. First Vice President Taban Deng Gai made the remarks on Wednesday during his visit to Kenya where he briefed President Uhuru Kenyatta on the progress of the implementation of the South Sudan peace agreement. "South Sudan President has directed that the government and Sudan People's Liberation-In-Opposition (SPLM-IO) armies to be organized as one army and this will be a big achievement for us," Gai told a media briefing in Nairobi. Renewed fighting erupted in early July in South Sudan's capital Juba between government troops led by President Salva Kiir and SPLM-IO forces loyal to former First Vice President Riek Machar. Gai said the existence of two parallel armies was what caused the latest crisis in South Sudan. He said the government would set up cantonment sites to integrate members of the SPLM-IO forces. It however remains unclear whether Machar and his followers will heed the directive from the government. Machar disappeared from Juba following the July fighting. He was later replaced by Gai, his former chief peace negotiator, after Machar failed to obey a 48-hour ultimatum demanding his return to Juba. Machar said he would only return to Juba after a regional protection force proposed by the African Union was deployed to the capital city to buffer the rival factions. Early this month, the South Sudan government agreed to the deployment of the protection force after a crucial regional summit held in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa attended by East African leaders including President Kenyatta. Gai said details on the size of the protection force and the countries that will contribute troops "will soon be discussed in Juba." Kiir and Machar had fought a civil war which broke out in December 2013 and left tens of thousands dead. The peace agreement signed by Kiir and Machar last August under UN pressure ended the war but failed to quell the renewed violence. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Syria over the phone on Tuesday. (Russian Foreign Ministry Photo) MOSCOW, Aug. 17 (Xinhua)) -- Russia is trying to coordinate with the United States in Syria and has denied any violation of UN resolutions in its use of an Iran air base, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. "The main task is to finally establish coordination in resolving the Syrian crisis...We are discussing this through military, intelligence and foreign ministries," Lavrov said Wednesday at a press conference after meeting with his New Zealand counterpart Murray McCully in Moscow. Lavrov said the talks were focused on specific mechanisms to implement agreements reached during a visit by U.S. State Secretary John Kerry to Moscow last month. He said Moscow and Washington are discussing with the United Nations the possibility of opening additional humanitarian corridors in the northern city Aleppo and its vicinity controlled by the Syrian army and opposition militants. The two countries were also examining the prospect of increasing control over cargo crossing the Turkish-Syrian border to prevent supplies from reinforcing the terrorists, Lavrov said. However, the top Russian diplomat added it would have been easier to reach a settlement in Syria if the United States had kept its promise to separate moderate opposition groups from the terrorists. Meanwhile, Lavrov denied that Russia had violated any UN Security Council resolution in its use of an Iranian air base for its campaign in Syria. He said Russian warplanes were used with Iran's consent within the framework of an "anti-terrorist operation on the territory of Syria at the request of the legitimate Syrian government." On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said Russian long-range bombers took off from Hamadan air base in Iran to launch strikes against terrorist targets in Syria. DUBAI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The total amount of personal loans in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) climbed during the second quarter of 2016 by 7.5 percent to 117.16 billion U.S. dollars, up from 109 billion dollars year on year, daily Gulf News reported Wednesday. The average resident in the Gulf Arab state, with a total population of around 10.1 million people, now carries a debt burden worth 11,600 U.S. dollars as of June 30, 2016, said the report, which is based on debt data provided by the UAE's second largest lender, National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD). The loan-to-deposit ratio has reached 103.4 percent in the UAE, Alp Eke, senior economist at NBAD, was quoted as saying. In addition, banks in the UAE suffer losses from bad loans as insolvent business owners flee the country without settling their outstanding debts. Small business owners who fled the country in 2015 left a total amount of unpaid debts worth 1.4 billion U.S. dollars, UAE Banks Federation Chairman Abdulaziz Al-Ghurair said. Due to the absence of a bankruptcy law, which is poised to be issued in the UAE by this year, unpaid debt is regarded a criminal offense under the Gulf state's law. COPENHAGEN, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Danish brewer Carlsberg saw sales decline in the first half of 2016, largely due to adverse currency movements in most markets, the company said Wednesday. Carlsberg's net revenue for the first six months of 2016 dipped by 4 percent to 31.2 billion Danish kroner (4.7 billion U.S. dollars), down from 32.4 billion kroner for the same period last year, it said in the interim financial report. Organic operating profit rose 8 percent to 3.44 billion kroner but slid 4 percent when taking into account a negative currency impact of 389 million kroner. Total volumes declined by 1 percent in H1 2016, mainly due to anticipated lower beer volumes in Britan, Finland and Poland, a negative volume development in Eastern Europe in the second quarter and a continued market decline in China, it added. While Carlsberg reported flat turnover growth in western Europe, the sales in eastern Europe and Asia declined 15 percent and 4 percent respectively as compared to the same period last year. Carlsberg CEO Cees 't Hart said in a statement that the results were satisfactory and in line with expectations, noting that the company achieved a solid revenue and profit development as well as a strong improvement in cash flow. Meanwhile, the full-year guidance of low-single-digit percentage organic growth in operating profit is maintained, with a negative translation impact on operating profit expected to be around 600 million kroner as against a 550 million kroner last year, based on currency rates as at Aug. 15. "With the satisfactory execution of our plans so far, we maintain our full-year outlook for organic growth in operating profit," Hart said. (1 U.S. dollar=6.62 Danish kroner) ANKARA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday slammed reports in Germany saying that Turkey has become "the central platform of action for Islamist groups" in the Middle East. The reports, made by German ARD public television, disclosed a German government document that says the domestic and foreign policy of Ankara has been "Islamized" since 2011. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry demanded that German authorities provide explanations on the the claims, describing them as "a new indication of the distorted mindset" that attempts to weaken Turkey. The statement said that Turkey sincerely fights against all kinds of terror "no matter what their roots are," and that it expects from its partners and allies to act in the same way. Tension between Germany and Turkey has been building up since Ankara stepped up its crackdown on those with suspected links to the July 15-16 coup attempt. Turkey also demands that Germany extradite supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric Ankara accused of masterminding the failed coup. On June 2, Turkey recalled its mission chief after the German parliament adopted a resolution recognizing the 1915 killing of Armenians as "genocide." Turkey acknowledges that many Armenians were killed in 1915 but insists that the killings did not amount to a "genocide." COLOMBO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Australian High Commission in Colombo said Wednesday that Australia and Sri Lanka will continue to work closely to stop the criminal activity of people smugglers. The High Commission said that it has cooperated closely with Sri Lankan authorities to return people who have tried to enter Australia illegally. It confirmed that a people smuggling boat carrying six Sri Lankan nationals attempting to travel illegally has recently been intercepted and the occupants have all been returned to Sri Lanka. The High Commission said that the return shows that there has not been, and will not be, any change to Australia's border protection policies. Since Operation Sovereign Borders began in 2013, every Sri Lankan boat that has attempted to reach Australia illegally has failed. The High Commission said that anyone who attempts to travel illegally by boat to Australia will be turned back and will waste their time and money, and will risk their life. "Don't believe the lies of people smugglers - the journey is long and extremely dangerous and people should not risk their lives in unsafe boats," the High Commission said. HELSINKI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The export of the Finnish sawn timber started to grow and the sales to China almost doubled in the second quarter of 2016, Finnish national broadcaster Yle has reported. According to the Finnish Sawmill Industry Association, the export of saw timber has returned to the level of the last decade, and the growth rate in the first half of this year was 16 percent. The major reason was the robust growth in the Chinese market with the export volume to China nearly doubling. Jyri Nenonen, CEO of Kinnaskoski, a sawmill in western Finland, explained to Yle that the marketing efforts in China were strengthened and the demand of saw timber for the furniture industry in China was strong. Because of the summer holiday season, the trend of growth will slow down in the rest of this year, but the export volume to China in the whole year of 2016 is still expected to surge by 60 percent to 70 percent. The export to Japan also increased by 15 percent. Meanwhile, the export to Britain was problematic as Brexit brought confusion to the British market and dramatically affected the Finnish forest industry, particularly the sawmill sector, said Nenonen. About 10 percent of export of Finnish sawn timber was sold to Britain. The export of Finnish sawn wood is the fourth largest in the world. Its export volume was 7.9 million cubic meters in 2015, making up 75 percent of its annual production of 10.6 million. TAIYUAN, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- An inspector team composed of 10 monks have helped expose more than 600 fake monks at Mount Wutai in order to curb impostors and fraud at the holy mountain. The famous Buddhist sanctuary in north China's Shanxi Province draws millions of believers and tourists every year. It is also known for fake monks who hustle for money by fortune telling, begging for alms and performing street shows. "We've tried ways to crack down on the scams, and the monk inspector team has proved to be the best way," said the office director with the religion affairs bureau of Mount Wutai, who only gave his surname as Lyu. According to Lyu, the team was established in March and the members, wearing special badges around their necks while on duty, performed regular patrols or surprise checks over the following months. Master Yiliang, head of the team, said they recognize the local monks, and they ask unfamiliar monks their identities and details about their visits. "If they cannot show us the Buddhist certificate, we will take away their robes, ask them to leave and report to the police," he told Xinhua, adding Mongolian and Tibetan monk inspectors have helped communicate with visiting monks from minority regions. To date, the team has discovered over 600 fake monks and confiscated over 500 monk robes since it was established. The team also discovered more than 100 cases of monks who have violated religious codes of conduct, according to Master Yiliang. People protest against Donald Trump on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 18, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) MEXICO CITY, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Latino vote will play a big part not only in the U.S. elections in November, but also in many dimensions between Mexico and its northern neighbor, according to Mexican academics. "The participation of compatriots residing there (in the United States) in the (political) contest is a way of guaranteeing their human and political rights and it is enormously relevant to Mexico, not just for political issues, but also for trade, economic and cultural ones," said Pedro Salazar Ugarte, director of the Institute for Judicial Research at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, on Monday. When inaugurating a forum entitled "The Latino Vote in the 2016 U.S. Elections -- Implications for Mexico," Salazar Ugarte said the forum is part of a series of activities undertaken by the university to have a balanced, critical and proactive point of view surrounding this event. During the inauguration ceremony, Silvia Nunez, director of the university's Center for North American Studies, said the U.S. electoral process has been characterized by an absence of respect, since racism, anxiety and fear promoted by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump have surprised the world as a whole, as well as millions of U.S. citizens. "In this forum the importance of the Latino vote and the Mexico-U.S. relationship will be analyzed. Over two days, we will talk about politics, civil society, media and other topics of academic interest," said Nunez. Lorenzo Cordova Vianello, director of the National Electoral Institute, said Hispanic migrants represent the largest minority in Mexico's northern neighbor. "They should overcome three essential filters to influence the decision on who will be the next U.S. president," he said. Delegates supporting Donald Trump cheer on the second day of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, the United States, July 19, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) The first thing potential Latin American voters should do in order to vote in the U.S. elections is to find out about the registration process and deadlines in their respective states. Secondly, it is important to achieve a majority in the states with more electoral votes assigned, something that is only possible if Latino voters join the campaign that is most favorable to migrants' interests. Thirdly, Latino voters need to put fear and cultural atavism to one side since they come from countries where political participation and going to vote are not encouraged, said Vianello. David R. Maciel, professor emeritus at the University of California, said this forum focuses on a crucial fact: migrants are one of the main talking points for the U.S. presidential candidates. The most renowned analysts, including conservatives, believe that neither of the candidates will win the presidency without the Latino vote and this prediction will be analyzed thoroughly in this academic space. Furthermore, this will serve to reflect on the significance and consequences that this electoral event could have for Mexico, Maciel added. CAPE TOWN, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- South African wine exports reached 313 million litres in 2015 and are projected to further grow over the next decade, authorities said on Wednesday. The South African wine industry includes 100,000 hectares, and is comprised of 3,300 producers, supporting employment of around 300,000 residents, directly and indirectly, according to a report by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP). "Wine exports are up from 122 million litres in 2000 to 313 million litres last year. We are exporting to markets across the world. The bulk of our exports are destined for the European Union and the United Kingdom. Exports to key markets in the rest of Africa, the United States of America and China are growing," said Alan Winde, Minister of Economic Opportunities in the Western Cape Province, the major producer of wine in South Africa. The South African wine industry has formulated the Wine Industry Strategic Exercise which sets clear goals for the sector. This includes increasing jobs to 375,000 by 2025 and growing the value of wine tourism. "As part of our Project Khulisa growth strategy, we have set the goal of boosting wine exports to strategic markets and the latest trends are excellent indicators," Winde said. Removing tariffs in key markets would be a key contributor to increased wine exports, the BFAP report said. The industry is also focused on shifting export product from bulk to packaged, and on boosting value through a focus on quality and targeted marketing drives. Residents travel in a bus of Yutong made in China, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Apr. 3, 2015. (Xinhua/Boris Vergara) CARACAS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- China and Venezuela on Tuesday agreed to bolster cooperation on logistics and energy at the conclusion of the meeting of the 5th Technical Secretariat of the Venezuela-China High-Level Mixed Committee (CMAN). Venezuelan Minister for Planning and Knowledge Ricardo Menendez held the meeting with the Chinese delegation led by Wu Hongliang, secretary of the CMAN, and Zhao Bentang, Chinese ambassador to Venezuela. At the closing ceremony, Menendez said 5,000 vans and 1,900 heavy refrigerated trucks from China will be added to the distribution fleet under a state program to deal with the shortage of food and medicine supply. Menendez expressed gratitude to the Chinese side, saying Venezuela was deeply satisfied with the results of the meeting, which also discussed Venezuela's current pharmaceutical capacity. Photo taken on Aug. 4, 2016 shows the Jose Processing Plant, part of the Chinese-Venezuelan joint company SINOVENSA S.A. in the Orinoco Petroleum Belt in Anzoategui state, Venezuela. State-run oil companies of Venezuela and China are joining hands to boost oil output from the Orinoco oil belt in southeastern Venezuela, which boasts one of the world's largest oil reserves. (Xinhua/Boris Vergara) Wu said China is paying close attention to its cooperation with Venezuela and other Latin American countries. Venezuela and China are making efforts to transform their economies and boost growth, Wu said. "Through these talks, we have reached agreements and recognized the important role of CMAN," he said, adding the two sides will promote bilateral strategic partnership. The two-day meeting also served as a preparatory meeting for the 15th gathering of the Venezuela-China High-Level Mixed Committee scheduled for late 2016. Photo released by Cambodia's General Department of Immigration shows Spanish woman Margarita Lorrto (R) checked in for a flight to Bangkok at Phnom Penh International Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Aug. 17, 2016. Cambodia on Wednesday night deported a Spanish woman for her involvement in a government-banned "Black Monday" protest, a senior immigration police official said. (Xinhua) PHNOM PENH, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia on Wednesday night deported a Spanish woman for her involvement in a government-banned "Black Monday" protest, a senior immigration police official said. Margarita Lorrto, 40, was expelled from Cambodia at 9:00 p.m. local time through Phnom Penh International Airport by taking a Thai Airways flight to Bangkok, said Uk Heisela, chief of investigations at the General Department of Immigration. He said the woman, who identified herself as a Spanish university researcher, was detained on Monday for joining a "Black Monday" protest in Phnom Penh's Boeung Kak village. "She is a foreigner, but ... had joined 'Black Monday' protests with Cambodian activists for many weeks," he said. "Her action affects public order and social security." The "Black Monday" campaign was launched 14 weeks ago by a handful of non-governmental organizations to call for the release of four officers at local rights group Adhoc and an election official who were jailed in a sex scandal. The government considers the campaign as a provocative move to create social chaos. On Wednesday afternoon, the Phnom Penh Municipal Court charged two Cambodian activists - Tep Vanny and her colleague Bov Sophea - with "inciting to commit crimes" after they led the "Black Monday" protest, the court spokesman Ly Sophanna said. The two female activists were arrested on Monday evening as authorities broke up a "Black Monday" protest in Phnom Penh's Boeung Kak village. Under the charge, the two activists could be imprisoned from six months to two years if convicted. MOGADISHU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Wednesday refuted reports that its peacekeeping troops fired rounds of mortars on residential areas near the southern port city of Marka. In a statement, AMISOM said its routine weapon testing exercise had the impact site pre-determined and was carried out far away from residential areas. "The local administration was also aware of the planned weapons' testing," it said. The statement comes after residents in Marka claimed that AMISOM troops shelled residential areas on Tuesday. There were reports that AU forces stationed at Ayub camp bombed villages located on the outskirts of Marka, causing casualties and property damages. AMISOM forces, alongside the Somali army, has been battling the Al-Shabaab Islamist group. They have recently stepped up the fight against the militants believed to have been hiding in remote regions in southern Somalia. ACCRA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ghana has introduced an exercise to enhance, manage and control the proliferation of weapons ahead of the general election on December 7. The month-long limited weapons amnesty exercise instituted by the Ministry of the Interior in collaboration with the Small Arms Commission is expected to offer all persons who desire to regularize the ownership of their small arms and the opportunity to voluntarily register their weapons without fear of being sanctioned. The Interior Minister, Prosper Bani, told a press conference on Tuesday that beyond the 32-day amnesty period which begins on August 22, anyone found to be in possession of an illicit weapon would face the full rigors of the law. In Ghana, it is unlawful to possess weapons without police license and offenders face a sentence of a minimum of 10 years. It is estimated that there are 2.3 million weapons in civilian hands in Ghana, with only 1.2 million of that number having been registered. The number of illegal firearms in wrong hands means that for Ghana's 27 million people, the ratio of illegal arms to the population is 1:25. TAIPEI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A 44-year-old Taiwanese woman who visited Miami in the United States from July 31 to August 11 was confirmed to have been infected with the Zika virus, Taiwan's center for disease control said Wednesday. It is the sixth case of imported Zika virus infection in Taiwan and the third involving a local resident. The woman returned to the island on Aug. 12 and sought medical assistance after developing a rash on her legs and abdomen, according to the center, which added the woman's symptoms have subsided and she is currently in good health. The center announced on Aug. 12 that a 27-year-old man who returned to Taiwan from St.Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean was confirmed to have been infected with the Zika virus. The first case involving a local resident was reported on Aug. 4. The other three imported cases involved residents from Thailand and Indonesia. JAKARTA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian foreign ministry has called on Philippine military and Abu Sayyaf group to establish a ceasefire in a bid to ensure the safety of Indonesians held hostage by the bandit group, an official said here Wednesday. The call comes as one of the seven Indonesian hostages has escaped from the Abu Sayyaf group, which plots to behead him, in Sulu province of the Philippines. "(Indonesian) foreign minister has communicated with her Filipino counterpart, asking for a ceasefire for the safety of the hostages," said Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, director for protection of Indonesian nationals and entities abroad of the ministry. "For Indonesia, the safety of the hostages is a priority," he said at the foreign ministry. On Aug. 13, the Filipino military launched an offensive against the group in southern Philippines where the Indonesians are believed to be kept. The director confirmed that the ministry has got a report that Mohammad Sayfan, 28, had escaped from the group in Luuk, southern Philippines. Sayfan was abducted along with other sailors from a tugboat in waters bordering the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia in June. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (back C) speaks during a seminar with counsellors of the State Council and researchers of the China Central Institute for Culture and History in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 17, 2016. Li presented certificates of appointment to newly-appointed counsellors and researchers and attended a seminar with them.(Xinhua/Li Tao) BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday urged counsellors of the State Council and researchers of the China Central Institute for Culture and History to help address challenges in the country's economic and social development by offering targeted and feasible research results. Li presented certificates of appointment to newly-appointed counsellors and researchers and attended a seminar with them. Given increased domestic and international challenges, old and new contradictions, and downward pressure, counsellors and researchers should focus on challenges in development and produce insightful, targeted and operable research, Li said at the seminar. He suggested they make greater efforts to study new patterns and trends in the global economy as well as how to balance stable growth and restructuring, push forward supply-side structural reform, promote structural upgrades and enhance competitiveness through continued innovation. The premier also urged counsellors and researchers to play an active role in spreading traditional Chinese culture, promoting morals and boosting development of Chinese civilization in the contemporary era. All departments of the State Council should carefully study and learn from their research and policy recommendations to improve government performance and capability, Li stressed. Moreover, he asked counsellors and researchers to pool wisdom of experts and the public and build a high-calibre advisory body for the government. Counsellors and researchers are appointed by the premier. Most of them are members of non-Communist parties or people with no party affiliation. They are mainly tasked with consulting on state affairs, making recommendations, recording history, and promoting the united front. BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have nabbed 409 fugitives hiding overseas as part of its "Fox Hunt 2016" campaign, including 15 listed in an Interpol red notice, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Wednesday. The campaign has seen the arrest of 272 fugitives and 137 others have been persuaded to return from 61 countries and regions, according to the MPS. The MPS has sent 33 work groups overseas and they have managed to capture fugitives in Madagascar, Thailand, Peru, the Philippines, Ecuador, the Republic of Korea, Cambodia, and Spain, among others. Of the 409 fugitives, 38 are implicated in duty-related crimes, and 14 in smuggling crimes. Thirty-three of them were at large for more than five years, including 12 for over 10 years, the MPS said. PYONGYANG, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday slammed the United States for causing a nuclear arms buildup in the Asia Pacific. A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry denounced the United States in a statement for dispatching strategic bombers like the B-1B and B-2A in early August to the Anderson Air Force Base in Guam for the first time in ten years, according to the state news agency KCNA. Sending more strategic nuclear bombers to Guam right after the joint decision by Washington and Seoul to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) in South Korea proves that the "U.S. plan for a preemptive nuclear strike at the DPRK has entered a reckless phase of implementation," the statement said. "Such military moves of the United States are part of its sinister strategy to contain Russia and China in the Asia Pacific and maintain its military hegemony in the region, not just aiming at a surprise preemptive nuclear strike at the DPRK," the statement added. The statement warned that the DPRK, instead of being an on-looker to U.S nuclear threats, will "whet more sharply the treasured sword of nuclear weapons" to defend the sovereignty and security of the country. On July 8, South Korea and the United States announced the deployment of one THAAD battery in South Korea by the end of next year. Five days later, the deployment site was designated at Seongju county, some 250 km southeast of Seoul. The decision has triggered widespread criticism and strong opposition in the country and from neighboring countries China and Russia. China has voiced resolute opposition to the THAAD deployment on the grounds that it will harm its security interests and disrupt the region's security balance, while Russia has indicated a military response by deploying a missile unit in the Far Eastern region. In early August, the DPRK fired two ballistic missiles into eastern waters in an apparent protest against the anti-missile shield. RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Brazilian judge has reportedly barred US swimmers Ryan Lochte and James Feigen from leaving the country amid an ongoing investigation into their robbery during the Rio Olympics. Judge Keyla Blanc ordered the athletes' passports be seized after they gave conflicting versions of Sunday's incident, the Globo newspaper reported. It was unclear if the swimmers had already returned to the US. Lochte and Feigen said they were with fellow US swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger when their taxi was stopped by thieves posing as police. The athletes were returning to the Olympic Village after celebrating the end of the swimming competition at the Rio Games. An unnamed legal spokesperson for Lochte told Globo the swimmers were shocked by Blanc's decision. "It's surprising to know that they have taken these measures to continue the investigation," the spokesperson was quoted as saying. "He [Lochte] cooperated with authorities and explained his version of events." Lochte, 32, has won six Olympic gold medals, including his victory with the USA's 4x200m freestyle relay team in Rio. SKOPJE, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Macedonia marked a slight decline in terms of the new credit flows, the National Bank of Macedonia reported on Wednesday. Preliminary data for July confirmed a decline in loans to the corporate sector while on the other hand, a further increase in household lending. According to the country's National Bank, this adjustment in lending was followed by the solid growth in total loans to the private sector in June. Results of the latest lending survey of central bank for the second quarter 2016 showed a further easing of overall credit terms in both sectors, amid moderate net reduction in demand for corporate and housing loans. "Lending activity so far is in line with the forecast, but given the weaker performances in the deposit potential and present uncertainty, there are risks to the dynamics of lending activity in the next period," the report said. The Macedonian National Bank is expecting a continuation of economic growth in second quarter, but at a slower pace compared to the first quarter. Taxi drivers take part in a protest against the Uber private transport service in Buenos Aires city, Argentina, on April 15, 2016. (Xinhua/Martin Zabala) HELSINKI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Finnish law enforcement is tightening its grip on drivers who take paying customers as Uber service providers, the police said on Tuesday. The Helsinki police told local media that from now on a criminal investigation will be started in all cases when an alleged Uber driver is apprehended. The practice has been agreed with prosecutors. Before the latest decision, police issued direct fines in most cases. The new system is likely to lead to fines in most cases, but also opens the way to imprisonment up to half a year for the crime of running illegal cab services. Criminal Police Inspector Pekka Seppala told national radio Yle that if the investigation shows that a person has driven for the organization for a longer period, he or she will have to surrender the earnings to the state. There are currently some 50 cases under investigation. Notices are reaching the police at an increasing rate, but Seppala described the phenomenon as "marginal." While the drivers may face harder allegations, the Finnish court system has faced problems in prosecuting the organization. Prosecutor Kaisa Ahla has recently suspended an initial investigation into the business activities of the Finnish Uber organization. She explained in a written decision obtained by the internet news service Uusi Suomi that further investigation would be too costly as the people responsible were abroad. The CEO of the Helsinki Cabs Anssi Roitto criticized the decision of the prosecutor. Roitto told newspaper Uusi Suomi that the cab industry attributes the problem to the Uber organization, not individual drivers. "But now this illegal activity can continue with a tacit consent," Roitto said. According to prosecutors, Uber Finland does not consider itself as the actual operator, but the drivers in Finland sign contracts with a Dutch subsidiary of Uber. The company in Holland also handles the payments. In a case in Finland earlier this year, an Uber driver said he had made 3,500 euros (3,940 U.S. dollars) a month and the organization had taken 20 percent as commission. The driver worked five or six days a week. HANOI, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese people are now observing "ghost month" which falls in the seventh lunar month annually and is, as tradition holds, believed to be the time when ghosts and spirits depart the lower realms and rise to visit the living. With the festival reaching its peak on the day of the full moon, the festival, known locally as "Vu Lan," has become exceedingly popular in Vietnam and is closely connected to the country's tradition of ancestor worship and filial piety, according to Nguyen Hung Vi, a senior Vietnamese cultural expert. "During the lunar month, Vietnamese people think that the realms of heaven, hell and the living fade away, so ghosts are free to wander everywhere," said Vi, adding that "with such belief, Vietnamese people tend to avoid doing certain things to get rid of bad luck." "They tell each other not to stay up late and go out at night, not to shout out other people's names, not to pick up money dropped on the street, and other such taboos during the month, to avoid bad luck," the expert said. The taboos, in fact, span normal socio-economic activities of local people. "They also avoid starting businesses, and holding groundbreaking and inaugural ceremonies during the month. Most Vietnamese people do not get married at the time as they say it is the month of lonely spirits," Vi explained. During the festival, in Vietnam, pagodas are decorated beautifully and people gather to listen to the wise sayings of monks, who teach followers the virtues of filial piety, the cultural polymath told Xinhua of how Vietnamese people celebrate the festival. "Almost all families across the country offer food, five kinds of different fruit, paper clothing and other items to the hungry spirits in the month," said Vi. During the festival in Vietnam, it is commonplace to see people burning joss paper in front of their houses, in their residences or on the sidewalks. Some families even spend hours on burning all the joss papers they prepared. Phan Minh Thu, a resident in the capital city of Hanoi, told Xinhua that "the Vu Lan festival is a chance for the living to carry out deeds of filial piety for their ancestors and the dead. My family always prepares joss papers, clothes, shoes, and household items made from paper to offer to the spirits." This year for ghost festival, which began on Aug. 3 and will end on Aug. 31, Thu spent around 500,000 Vietnamese dong (about 22 U.S. dollars) on buying multiple offerings. "Originally, the meaning of the festival is to make offerings to parents as well as holding an absolution ceremony for all spirits to pray for their salvation," said the expert. However, during the ghost festival nowadays, these activities have been exaggerated and have become overly costly and complicated, as people usually spend a large amount of money on their offerings to the dead, Vi assessed. "A ritual aiming to show respect to ancestors has been turned into an expensive and wasteful occasion to try and 'bribe' Buddhists and the spirits," said Vi. Echoing Vi, Thich Duc Thien, general secretary of Vietnam Buddhist Shangha said the Vu Lan festival reminds each person of the merit of their parents, grandparents and ancestors. "Burning too much joss paper during the festival will damage its beautiful meaning," said the monk. Originating from India, the story of honoring the dead reached China and the Chinese incorporated certain Buddhist teachings into their ceremonies. Strongly influenced by the traditions of its neighbors, Vietnamese families began celebrating Vu Lan. In China on the occasion, people usually release paper boats and lanterns on the water and visit the graves and tombs of their ancestors. "In China nowadays, rituals have been made simpler to be less costly," said the expert, adding that this fact is worth taking into account in Vietnam. Demonstrators hold anti-Israeli placards and a Palestinian flag during a demonstration to mark the annual al-Quds Day, or Jerusalem Day, during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan in Istanbul, Turkey, July 1, 2016. The placards read, "Free Jerusalem, a World without Israel" (L) and "Down with Israel". (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) ANKARA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- An agreement to normalize ties between Turkey and Israel was presented to Turkish parliament on Wednesday, local media reported. Under the deal, Israel will pay 20 million U.S. dollars in compensation for lives claimed during Mavi Marmara flottila raid in 2010, daily Sabah reported. In return, Turkey will drop all cases regarding the deadly incident and Israeli soldiers will be exempted from legal and criminal responsibility, according to the report. Relations between Tel Aviv and Ankara soured after an Israeli naval ship raided Turkey's Mavi Marmara flotilla that was carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza in May 2010. Ten people were killed in the attack. Attempts to mend ties were initiated in 2015. Negotiations were conducted throughout 2016 until June 26, when the two sides met in Rome to agree on the latest draft of the agreement. Turkish anti-riot police officers block streets leading towards the headquarters of newspaper "Ozgur Gundem" in Istanbul on August 16, 2016, after a Turkish court had ordered the temporary closure of the newspaper. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) ANKARA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday slammed reports in Germany saying that Turkey has become "the central platform of action for Islamist groups" in the Middle East. The reports, made by German ARD public television, disclosed a German government document that says the domestic and foreign policy of Ankara has been "Islamized" since 2011. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry demanded that German authorities provide explanations on the the claims, describing them as "a new indication of the distorted mindset" that attempts to weaken Turkey. The statement said that Turkey sincerely fights against all kinds of terror "no matter what their roots are," and that it expects from its partners and allies to act in the same way. Tension between Germany and Turkey has been building up since Ankara stepped up its crackdown on those with suspected links to the July 15-16 coup attempt. Turkey also demands that Germany extradite supporters of Fethullah Gulen, a U.S.-based cleric Ankara accused of masterminding the failed coup. On June 2, Turkey recalled its mission chief after the German parliament adopted a resolution recognizing the 1915 killing of Armenians as "genocide." Turkey acknowledges that many Armenians were killed in 1915 but insists that the killings did not amount to a "genocide." VIENNA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz on Wednesday reiterated his support for the "Australian model" in tackling the asylum seeker issue. In an interview with the Austria Press Agency, Kurz said he still agrees with the Australian stance despite the announcement on the same day of the closure of the latter's controversial immigration processing center on Manus Island. The minister said in his view the asylum deal that the EU had negotiated with Turkey is "not morally superior." In addition, he said he had never suggested the EU should copy the Australian model exactly, but rather that the basic principle behind the Australian stance counts, and that is that asylum seekers travelling illegally cannot choose which country they wish to apply for asylum in. QUITO, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ecuador's Vice President Jorge Glas has inaugurated Ecuador's first fiber-optic cable, built with Chinese assistance, in the southern province of Guayas. The plant, named Latamfiberhome, is the result of a joint venture by Ecuador's Holding Telconet and China's Fiberhome Technologies. "With the infrastructure ready, we only need to begin using the plan to set up the brilliant future which awaits us," said Holding Telconet's Executive President Tomislav Topic, at the plant's opening ceremony Tuesday. Glas said this plant "strengthens cooperation between China and Ecuador," helping to change the country's production matrix. "Starting from today, we will be able to export fiber-optic cables made in Ecuador, with Ecuadorian talent and manpower as well as Chinese technology," added Glas. Wang Yulin, China's ambassador to Ecuador, and leading Ecuadorian government figures were also in attendance. The plant is projected to manufacture 1 million kilometers of fiber-optic cable a year once it is fully operational in 2019. Ecuador, which currently imports cables worth around 15 million U.S. dollars a year, estimates that it will export cables worth 20 million dollars a year. DUBLIN, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Transnational dairy food company Glanbia said on Wednesday its pre-tax profits for the half year reached 176.5 million euros, an increase of over 11 percent on the same period in 2015. The company, primarily based in Ireland, attributed the increase to its performance nutrition business, where pre-tax earnings amounted to 81.7 million euros, a 35 percent increase on prior half year on a constant currency basis. In its interim report, the company said its group revenue was just below 1.84 billion euros, down around 2 percent on the same period last year. Despite weak global dairy markets, the company reiterated its guidance for full year growth in earnings per share of 8 percent to 10 percent. "Global dairy markets remain weak and continue to be a challenge for parts of the business, however the diversity of the Glanbia portfolio has enabled us to navigate this and we reiterate guidance for the full year of adjusted earnings per share growth of 8 percent to 10 percent on a constant currency basis," said Glanbia Group Managing Director Siobhan Talbot. Irish dairy products have a reputation of being natural and wholesome, because the country has some of the best grazing land for cattle in Europe along with a favourable climate for dairy production. Ireland now produces around 6.4 billion litres of milk per year. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Over six in 10 Americans say racism against blacks is widespread in the United States, while 41 percent say racism against whites is widespread, Gallup found in a poll released Wednesday. The poll shows that 61 percent of Americans believe racism against blacks is widespread, up by one percentage point over 2015; the percentage of Americans saying racism against whites is widespread increased by eight points over last year. Now, 82 percent of blacks and 56 percent of whites say racism against blacks is widespread, reflecting increases of 10 and seven percentage points, respectively. At the same time, 43 percent of whites and 33 percent of blacks believe racism against whites is widespread, according to the poll. The latest results are based on Gallup's Minority Rights and Relations survey, conducted June 7-July 1 with 3,270 U.S. adults, including 1,320 non-Hispanic whites and 912 non-Hispanic blacks, Gallup said. Americans' perceptions of widespread racism against blacks remain elevated this year after an uptick last year, likely in response to the highly publicized incidents in which black men were killed in confrontations with white police officers in 2014 and early 2015, Gallup found. There have been more recent deadly encounters between police and citizens this summer, including incidents in Texas and Louisiana last month, in which black men shot and killed eight white police officers, but those incidents occurred after interviewing for the poll finished July 1. Both blacks and whites are more likely to say racism against blacks is widespread today than they were in October 2009, during the first year of Barack Obama's presidency, Gallup found. Perceptions of racism against U.S. blacks were already high before several deadly confrontations between police and black citizens in 2014 and 2015 led to increased concerns about race relations in the U.S., but they have increased modestly since then. Americans' belief in equality of opportunity for blacks in being able to find good jobs, a quality education, and any housing they can afford are the lowest they have been since at least the 1990s. These trends underscore that Americans perceive the situation for blacks as worse than it has been in the recent past, Gallup said. by Denis Elamu JUBA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Humanitarian agencies in South Sudan say they are finding it hard to access those in need after renewed fighting between warring factions broke out in the capital Juba and then spread to other areas. Relief groups told Xinhua on Wednesday in Juba that the fighting had strained humanitarian access to those in need in areas like Wau, Leer in Unity state and hitherto peaceful Equatoria region where intense fighting in Yei area was reported in recent weeks. "We are being denied access to thousands of people in desperate need by warring parties. Tens of thousands of displaced people in Wau, Leer and the Equatoria states are suffering largely out of sight as we and other humanitarian actors are not permitted to assist them," said Ton Berg, the head of mission for Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) South Sudan. The July fighting between troops led by President Salva Kiir and those loyal to Vice President Riek Machar killed at least 272 people and forced over 100,000 to seek refuge in neighbouring countries. Berg said clashes in parts of the country were hindering MSF's ability to respond to humanitarian needs. The medical charity says there was a deterioration of respect for international humanitarian law recently. "Two MSF clinics were destroyed during the fighting in Greater Upper Nile region three weeks ago," Berg said. He however said MSF had set up mobile health clinics and surgeries for the wounded, and started a cholera vaccination campaign with a cholera treatment center established in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. The World Food Programme (WFP)'s main warehouse in Juba was looted in the wake of the July fighting and 4,500 metric tonnes of food that would have fed 220,000 people for a month was lost. "Declining donor funding and procurement delays mean it will take months to restock these supplies, and longer still to transport them to those South Sudanese outside Juba who need them the most," said Rama Antony, the acting South Sudan director of Oxfam, a UK-based charity group. He told Xinhua that the arrival of newly displaced people seeking shelter had led to increased challenges. "The more people you have in a community, the more use of available facilities, which in the case of water and sanitation facilities for example, can increase the risk of infection and disease," he said. Rama also said that if the security situation deteriorated further anywhere in the country, provision of assistance would be hampered. "Humanitarian aid has probably already prevented famine in hard-to-reach parts of South Sudan but if aid agencies cannot operate fully, the consequences could be catastrophic," he said. On the other hand, army spokesman Lul Ruai Koang denied any knowledge of the government troops blocking aid delivery. Minister of Information Micheal Makuei told journalists in Juba that the number of those in need of assistance was being exaggerated by aid groups. "These are reports written by humanitarian organizations in order to raise more funds and we are not told how these funds are used," Makuei said. The government this year passed a controversial NGO bill that restricts movement and operation of most humanitarian agencies in the country. NGOs had complained of the restrictions, while in the aftermath of the July fighting, more hurdles appeared. "We have never objected to unhindered humanitarian access but we encourage them to follow the process," Makuei said, hinting that government troops should not be blamed for the hinderances. Kiir and Machar's forces had fought a civil war which broke out in December 2013 and left tens of thousands dead. A peace deal signed in August 2015 by the rival leaders under UN pressure failed to quell the renewed violence. Machar, whose whereabouts remain unknown, has vowed to fight on and overthrow President Kiir's government unless a protection force agreed upon by the African Union and the UN is deployed to the war-torn country. MOGADISHU, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Africa Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on Wednesday vowed to help Somalia hold successful elections slated for September and October and called for support from the international community. The Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, Francisco Madeira, said a successful electoral process will not only be a victory for Somalia but also the pan-African body and the international community. Madeira, who is also the head of AMISOM, said that the political progress in Somalia was testament to what can be achieved through cooperation among members of the international community in tackling terrorism as a global threat and not an isolated problem in Somalia. He was referring to activities by the Al-Shbaab Islamist militant group in Somalia. AMISOM forces have been helping the Somali government battle the militants which carry out periodic attacks mostly in the country. He reiterated that AMISOM will work together with the Somali National Security Forces to ensure the electoral process is successful. "I would like to stress the commitment of the African Union to support Somalia and work with the Somali National Security Forces in securing the forthcoming election," Madeira said in a statement. He stressed that efforts would be intensified to defeat Al-Shabaab militants, adding that the focus will be on clearing main supply routes and opening up rural areas to enable residents to move freely. "Al-Shabaab militants have fled from the towns we have captured, hiding in the bushes, from where they continue to terrorize the Somali people," he said. "This time, we will not only capture territory but will also aim at disrupting, degrading and destroying Al-Shabaab terrorists and their fighting capacity," he added. He appealed to the Somali public to support the security forces in executing their mandate. Madeira said the AU would provide training to members of Somalia's Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation Team and send observers for the elections. Somalia is preparing to hold indirect elections in September and October which will culminate in the election of a new president who will lead the country in the next four years. File photo taken on July 16, 2016 shows Donald Trump speaking during a campaign event in New York, the United States. New York billionaire Donald Trump clinched enough delegate votes to be officially selected as Republican presidential nominee Tuesday evening in the roll call voting at the ongoing Republican National Convention. (Xinhua/Li Muzi) By Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- While U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's strong point is his tough stance on fighting terrorism, he is having trouble staying focused on the issue as his temper continues to be distractive, experts said. It seems Trump's temper causes him to get into all sorts of minor scrapes and verbal punch-ups against his critics. If he continues to allow himself to be distracted, it could seriously damage his efforts to win the White House in November. Trump gave a major foreign policy speech on Monday, spelling out how he would tackle and destroy the radical Islamist group Islamic State (IS), which has overtaken vast swaths of territory in the Middle East and carried out or influenced deadly terror attacks in the West. "Trump's strong point is being tough on terrorism. Voters see him as willing to stand up to terrorists and wanting to try unconventional tactics. They think he understands the dangers America faces around the world," Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution, told Xinhua. But Trump's problem is how to stay on this message and not get distracted by minor issues. He often steps on his own message and gives independents reasons not to like him, West said. "He has to correct those tendencies in order to turn around his campaign," he said. Indeed, it seems that every time Trump is about to turn a corner and start acting more "presidential," he then turns around and makes an offensive comment. In his recent speech on the economy, the candidate came across as measured and reasonable as he read the speech from a teleprompter and avoided making any off-the-cuff offensive remarks that so often get him in trouble. But days later, he erased any gains he might have made by returning to his old self, calling Democratic rival Hillary Clinton "the devil" and saying she and U.S. President Barack Obama are the founder and co-founder of IS. Trump also gets in trouble when responding to the latest criticism against him, as he stoops to name calling and over-the-top soundbites. Those continue to promote the narrative about him that he is hot-headed and impetuous. On Monday, Trump tried to change his image by delivering a major foreign policy speech on national TV. It was a clear attempt to provide substance, more restraint and less bombast, for which he has been slammed not only by Democrats but also by those in his own party. Trump made a well-organized argument that the administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has allowed the Middle East to unravel and to allow IS to spread unhindered - much of which happened while Clinton was secretary of state. Trump kept his cool while he went down a laundry list of threats from the Middle East and argued that they have been the outcome of an administration that is weak on terrorism. Trump described Obama as a president who has been misguided in his foreign policy, while hammering Clinton on her overall record as top U.S. diplomat, highlighting her many perceived missteps while she was secretary of state under Obama. Analysts said if Trump can continue to show this more moderate side of himself, he will be more effective in generating enthusiasm from those outside his base. But it remains unknown whether Trump can muster up the discipline to do this, as the candidate thrives on getting on stage and riling up his supporters with his bombastic remarks. On policy, some of his stances may also turn off moderate voters, such as his calls to prevent people from nations rife with radical Islam from entering the United States. In Monday' s speech, Trump continued those calls, but softened the message a bit, saying he would halt immigration from places where the screening of immigrants is not possible. That' s a less harsh message than his initial one, which was a call for a blanket ban on Muslims from entering the United States. Dan Mahaffee, an analyst with the Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress, told Xinhua that Trump' s proposals to bar people from entering the U.S. play well with his base. However, moderate independents and some conservatives see this as betrayal of U.S. principles related to religious freedom and humanitarian values, he said. KAMPALA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has urged the European Union (EU) to remove subsidies on agriculture inputs to its member states if the East African Community is to benefit from its market. "Africa will benefit much more if subsidies on agriculture inputs are removed to have a break through on agro-processed products' exports," Museveni said, according to a State House statement issued late on Wednesday. Museveni, who was meeting the Speaker of the East African Legislative Assembly Dan Kidega, said the East African region should also cut the costs of production in order to regulate prices of products from both areas. He urged the region to focus on products with value addition like textiles, leather, milk, wood, cooking oil products and processed coffee. The EU has an agreement with African countries whereby they can export their products to the EU market tariff and quota free. Some African countries have however argued that the agricultural subsidies EU gives to its member countries render African products non-competitive because of the high costs of production. PARIS, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Six people were injured, one seriously, on Wednesday after a French regional train TER crashed into a fallen tree on track in the southern region of Montpelier, railway company SNCF said. Violent storm in the region uprooted the tree, which caused the accident, according to the state-run railway company. The train, carrying about 200 passengers, ran at a speed of 140 km per hour when the accident happened in Saint-Aunes, east of Montepelier, BFMTV news channel reported. According to preliminary reports, the train's engine, bumper and windshield were damaged. Emergency services including ambulances, helicopters were immediately dispatched to the accident scene, according to the report. The rail traffic is completely interrupted between Montpellier and Nimes, according to regional authorities. KAMPALA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- UN relief agencies in Uganda have warned that they are cutting food aid to refugees in the east African country by 50 percent due to funding shortages. The agencies in a joint statement with the Ugandan government on Wednesday said up to 200,000 refugees who arrived in the country prior to July 2015 would be affected by the move. "Low levels of funding, together with a large number of new arrivals fleeing to Uganda from South Sudan since July 7, has left the refugee response with no choice but to re-prioritize their focus on those refugees in greatest need," the statement said. The World Food Program (WFP) said about 7 million U.S. dollars is needed every month to provide life-saving food assistance to refugees in Uganda. The food aid agency said an additional 20 million dollars is need to restore full food rations to the refugees for the rest of the year. "We have done everything we can to avoid this, but we have been left with no option but to reduce food assistance for many of the refugees in Uganda, in order to stretch available resources and prioritize the most vulnerable new arrivals," said Mike Sackett, WFP's acting Country Director for Uganda. "We hope that this is temporary, and we are working as hard as we can to raise the resources needed to restore the full level of food assistance for as many refugees as possible," he added. Bornwell Kantande, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative in Uganda, said although there have been generous donations from the international community, more is needed to save the dire situation. Humanitarian agencies say the escalating fighting in neighboring South Sudan is worsening the already severely underfunded relief response. According to UNHCR, since the outbreak of violence in Juba, South Sudan capital on July 8, more than 70,000 people have crossed the border into Uganda. Uganda is host to more than 600,000 refugees and asylum seekers, making it the third-largest refugee hosting country in Africa and the eighth-largest in the world. TEHRAN, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Iran will resume to swap the Caspian crude oil through Persian Gulf ports, which was halted in 2010, an Iranian energy official was quoted as saying by Press TV on Wednesday. Iran will swap at least 100,000 barrels per day, and the volume will increase in the future, said Pirouz Mousavi, the managing director of the Northern Oil Terminals Company of Iran (NOTCI). Russia and Kazakhstan have voiced readiness to deliver their crude oil to Iran in its northern terminals and receive equal volumes in the south, Mousavi said, adding that talks with other Caspian Sea countries over the project are underway. European oil companies active in Central Asia are interested in the swap scheme with Iran to sell their oil to international markets, he said. According to the report, Iran's contracts with Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, to swap their crude were halted in 2010 after Iran raised its operating fees. LJUBLJANA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Slovenian police have deported eight illegal migrants attempting to cross the Croatian-Slovenian border on Tuesday, police authorities announced on Wednesday. The illegal migrants, including four from Algeria, two from Morocco and two from Libya, were onboard a freight train at the border crossing of Dobova, when they were detected. Police have handed over the migrants to the Croatian authorities, according to regional police administration in Novo Mesto in southeastern Slovenia. The latest police data show the number of illegal border crossings registered by the Slovenian police has been on the rise. The Slovenian police have dealt with 244 illegal migrants in the first five months of the year, up 60.5 percent from the same period in 2015, when the number stood at 152. ANKARA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Three civilians were killed and 40 others injured in a car bombing and gunfire attacks on the police headquarter in eastern Turkish province of Van on late Wednesday, Dogan News Agency reported. The report said the outlawed Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) militants carried out the attack. The police headquarter in downtown of Van city was attacked by car bombing at around 23:00 local time (2000 GMT) on Wednesday. Locals in the city center heard gunfire after bombing. Many ambulances and reinforcement of security forces have been sent to the scene. So far three civilians lost their lives, 40 people including 2 police officers were injured. Blast broke windows of several buildings, while the bombing car's parts were scattered hundreds of meters away. The injured were mostly civilians and have been sent to local hospitals. Operations to capture the fleeing suspects have been launched. 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. 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. People visit the Liuxu Spring in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 17, 2016. All the 72 well-known springs spray water again thanks to continuous rainfalls in Jinan. The Sprouting Spring (Baotu Spring) and Black Tiger Spring (Heihu Spring) are among the most famous springs in Jinan, dubbed as "City of Springs". (Xinhua/Zhu Zheng) BEIRUT, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The visiting Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukry said on Tuesday that his country will help Lebanon to overcome its political crisis. "We will provide the needed support to help Lebanon out of its political crisis," Shukry said after separate meetings with Lebanese Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Tammam Salam and Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil. Shukry said Egypt seeks stability and peace in the world and region, reiterating his country's keenness for constant contacts with all Lebanese factions. "We are keen on continuous communication with all the Lebanese factions," the diplomat said after meeting Speaker Nabih Berri. In a joint press conference with the Lebanese foreign minister, the Egyptian top diplomat said "we look forward to closer bilateral ties in all areas between Egypt and Lebanon. We must meet the challenges facing the Arab nation through boosting joint action between our countries." "We feel with Lebanon and what it's enduring as a result of the presidential vacuum. Egypt is ready to provide any support that contributes to reaching a solution," he added. Shukry arrived in Beirut late Monday in an attempt to help Lebanon overcome the impasse of electing a head of state. Lebanon has been without a president since May 2014 when the six-year tenure of former President Michel Suleiman ended and the parliament failing since to convene to elect an incumbent. NYLO interns go to court With notebooks and camera, the trio witnessed three young persons being sentenced by a magistrate. They chatted with attorneys, police officers, shook hands with a Justice of the Peace, and, even caught a glimpse of the prisoners holding bay cells. Chequana Wheeler, Raziah Mohammed and Giatri Lalla, sat in the Fourth Court where magistrate Natalie Diop presided and heard the complaints of prisoner, Nicholas Raymond, He told the magistrate that he was arrested last week Monday and but police promised to take him to court, but they never did until yesterday. The interns then went over to the First Court where Senior magistrate Nanette Forde-John presided. They sat at the press table and listened to a matter in which three teenagers, 16, 17 and 18-years-old, pleaded guilty to a charge of robbery. After Forde- John passed sentence and adjourned matters for the morning period, the interns seized the opportunity to question the prosecutor and PC Crawford on what three years probation and 200 hours community service would mean for the accused teens. NYLO is an education literacy partnership between Newsday and the Ministry of Education to engage students who are interested in writing and communicating effectively with others via the news media. Wheeler, Mohammed and Lalla, introduced themselves to veteran Justice of the Peace Ezra Dubay, on the corridors of the courthouse, as well as to Spanish interpreter Carmelita Robertson and WPC Hema Singh the latter two assigned to the Immigration Department of the Ministry of National Security. The interns commented that yesterdays day in court, was an eye-opening experience for them on how the judicial system operates as part of their larger society. Father fined for dead sons gun The accused man of Enterprise Street in Chaguanas said that the firearm and ammunition were hidden in the family home by his son. The accused was taken before Magistrate Sharon Gibson to answer to the charges of possession of a black Glock 21 firearm and a magazine containing eight live rounds of .45mm ammunition. He pleaded guilty to the charges in the Chaguanas First Magistrates Court. Police prosecutor Sgt Ken Ali told the court that about 5.45pm on Sunday, police constables Sammy, Roberts and Meighoo responded to a report that a man was armed with a firearm at Joseph Street, Enterprise. The officers went to the location where they searched the suspect. Gibson heard that the firearm and ammunition were found inside the mans front right pocket. He was arrested and later charged. Attorney Shiva Boodoo, who represented the man, said that his client was remorseful but had also become depressed since the death of his son in September 2015. The mans son was shot to death in the central area. The accused told police officers that just before his son died, he was told by his son that a gun was hidden in the home, but he didnt take it seriously, Boodoo said. The attorney further explained that it was only while cleaning the family house, the father found the firearm and ammunition. He is sorry for making such a grave mistake, Boodoo said. The accused was fined $8,000 or in default of payment serve four years in prison on the charge of possession of a firearm and $4,000 for possession of the ammunition. In default of paying that fine, he will serve three years in prison. He was given 50 days to pay the money. Venezuelan remanded for entering T&T Juan Jose Moya Moya, 21, appeared before Magistrate Natalie Diop in the San Fernando Magistrates Court and, through interpreter Carmelita Robertson, the charge was read to him. Robertson stood next to Moya Moya, but magistrate Diop asked her to go into the witness box and take an oath. She answered, yes to a question put by the magistrate as to whether she was employed by the Immigration Department of the Ministry of National Security. When asked by the magistrate if he was guilty or not guilty, Robertson related those words in Spanish to Moya Moya. He paused and then answered in Spanish that he was not guilty. Kamla sends greetings to India, Pakistan In a statement on behalf of the United National Congress, of which she is political leader, Persad-Bissessar said, Tens of thousands of our citizens have a connection to the ancestral homeland through our shared history of British colonialism. The former prime minister observed, During the period of Indian indentureship (1845-1917), more than 143,000 Indians arrived in Trinidad to work mainly on sugar plantations. While many were repatriated, tens of thousands chose to remain in the colony and make Trinidad their home. She said through their resilience and determination, these people achieved success, settled in their new home and their descendants have moved from the periphery to the centre and risen to the nations highest offices in our country. She added, Those of us who have Indian ancestry have not only preserved a rich and ancient heritage, we have also helped build a modern democratic state in which all of us live in harmony and celebrate our diversity. Per sad-Bi s s es sar concluded, Today, we continue to have shared interests in religion and culture as well as commerce. We have always enjoyed a friendly relationship with both States and look forward to that growing in the years ahead. Works Minister gives sober update on Point highway Hinds said it was contrary to, what he described as, the chaotic and wasteful and reckless situation embarked upon by the last government. We promised you sobriety. We promised you good judgement and sense. You must agree with me that the approach I have just outlined is characterised by those attributes, Hinds said. He was speaking with reporters yesterday while at Southern Main Road, Chatham, where he, together with the MP for Point Fortin, Edmund Dillon, made a site visit to a major landslide along the road. Hinds recalled that government had terminated the contract with Brazilian firm OAS Construtora, the main contractor in the construction of the highway from San Fernando to Point Fortin. Having done so, it was open to the company to challenge that notice of termination. Hinds noted that he was instructed by the leadership of the National Infrastructure Development Companys (Nidco) on Monday afternoon, that OAS Construtora has begun some of these manoeuvres. We are watching to see how those play out. In the meantime, we are proceeding to recover some money that would have been put up in the form of bonds by that contractor in respect of the work. Nidco is the project manager of the project. Hinds noted that government has engaged the services of professionals to conduct an assessment of the work already done on the project. In addition the professionals will cost it and more importantly now assess exactly what has to be done to complete the design. He added that government will break up the remainder of the work into a number of packages. These, Hinds said, will be made available for open tender to local operators in the construction and road development field. Hopefully, upon successful completion of that phase, these contractors will be put to work and we expect that within twoand- a-half to three years, the highway will be completed. In March, following weeks of intense protests for outstanding wages, more than 800 workers of financially embattled Construtora OAS were laid off by the company. What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames news Hillary Clintons link to terrorism: WikiLeaks CONFIRMS arms deal made with ISIS In the 1980s during the Reagan administration, various officials within the government and national security structure set up an operation whereby the United States would sell arms to the government of Iran in exchange for the release of some U.S. hostages. Following the sale, the money was then transferred to Contra rebels who were fighting the communist-dominated government of Nicaragua. There was one major problem with the operation, however: Every phase of it was illegal. U.S. statutes forbade the sale of weapons to Iran, an enemy even back then, and Congress had barred the administration from providing any funding and support to the Contra rebels. It seems that, in the 2000s, little has changed except the names of the major players. Enter then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. According to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, his organization has obtained a trove of Clintons emails that indicate she was at the center of a weapons transfer operation in which many of them wound up in the hands of the Islamic State, otherwise known as ISIS. As reported by Democracy Now, in March WikiLeaks launched a searchable archive for more than 30,000 emails and attachments that were sent to and from Clintons private email servers that she set up and used while at the head of the State Department. The operation managed to retrieve roughly 50,000 pages of documents that span from June 2010 to August 2014. Of those, 7,500 documents were sent by Clinton. The State Department had released the emails as part of a Freedom of Information Act request. In an interview, Assange who described WikiLeaks as a rebel library of Alexandria, said that Clintons emails were mated with diplomatic cables with other Clinton materials he has already published on the site, creating a rich picture of how the Democratic presidential nominee functions in office. More broadly, Assange said, the emails and other documents provide insight into how the State Department in general operates. So, for example, he said, the disastrous, absolutely disastrous intervention in Libya, the destruction of the Gaddafi government, which led to the occupation of ISIS of large segments of that country, weapons flows going over to Syria, being pushed by Hillary Clinton, into jihadists within Syria, including ISIS, thats there in those emails. Theres more than 1,700 emails in Hillary Clintons collection, that we have released, just about Libya alone, Assange added. What hes saying is this: The Obama administration, via Clintons State Department, supplied weapons to the worlds foremost terrorist power, and Clintons emails prove it. Assange is, in effect, confirming what the Citizens Commission on Benghazi has said: That the Clinton-led policy in Libya during the so-called Arab Spring ultimately allowed U.S. weapons to flow into the hands of not only ISIS but also elements of Al Qaeda in Syria. Former CIA operative Clare Lopez, who was a co-author of the report, also noted that scores of other operatives were involved in a sort of gun-running scheme, and that a group of lawmakers known as the Gang of Eight, at a minimum, were aware of the operation. The evidence is clear that Clinton not only made the wrong decisions regarding U.S. policy in Libya and Syria, but that her actions led to the arming, aiding and abetting of an enemy. One other recent development that seems to indicate Clinton is with the terrorists, not Americans. During a campaign speech in Orlando, Fla., this week, Seddique Mateen, father of the Orlando shooter, was seen sitting in the crowd behind her, cheering her on. To date, Clinton has not disavowed Mateen or what his son did. And for the record, Mateen supports the Afghan Taliban. Sources for this story include: Breitbart.com AIM.org [PDF] DemocracyNow.org TownHall.com DailyCaller.com Breitbart.com Submit a correction >> 739 cities to achieve ODF status this financial year: Venkaiah Naidu New Delhi, Tue, 16 Aug 2016 NI Wire Shri Venkaiah Naidu inaugurates two day Workshop on Scaling Up Citizens' Participation in SBM (U) The union Minister for Urban Minister Shri Venkaiah Naidu inaugurated a consultative workshop on Scaling Up Citizens' Participation in Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) {SBM(U)} to a 'Jan Andolan' in New Delhi today. The two day workshop is being organised jointly by Ministry of Urban Development and Tata Institute of Social Sciences. On the occasion, Shri Venkaiah Naidu said that with the participation and involvement of all the stakeholders, the SBM will transform rapidly into a full-scale Jan Andolan' of citizens. Shri Naidu said that, in India, there are different culture, different tradition, different languages and different habits, which poses a huge challenge in communicating to the masses. He said that, this workshop will help to share ideas, experiences and also to know the good practices which will help to bridge the gaps in SBM. Shri Naidu said that the Mission has reached a new heights in its journey and pointed out some of the inspiring examples, like A doctor couple from Chalapalli district have been undertaking cleanliness drives in their surroundings every day of the year. A 104-year old lady in Ahmedabad devotes her time selflessly to educating shopkeepers against littering. Women and girls are taking a stand against marriage into families without toilet facilities. Celebrity icons are coming forward to contribute their time and efforts to the cause of the SBM. Highly qualified professionals are giving up lucrative careers to devote time and efforts to swachhata'-related technology and services, Media houses are devoting programs and channels to the cause of SBM. Religious leaders and monks are devoting time and energy in motivating followers and volunteers to take up cleanliness drives. Corporates are building in swachhata' related initiatives as part of their business practices RWAs are proactively taking up decentralized composting and waste management initiatives School children are becoming more aware of the concept of cleanliness and motivating their parents to adopt sanitary habits and practices. Shri Venkaiah Naidu said that all these instances and along with some of the initiatives, such as the Swachh Survekshan, thematic drives with citizen participation, engaging students and Self-Help Groups to be the drivers and change agents for social behaviour change, engaging nearly 20,000 swachhagrahis across the country to motivate communities to stop open defecation, intensive PR and social media campaigns being run continuously to engage with citizens to trigger and sustain their motivation to participate in cleanliness drives, reinforces the fact that citizens are becoming active participants. The Minister said that, along with these initiatives, the creation of infrastructure is also important, be it construction of individual and community / public toilets, facilitate waste processing into value-added products, setting up technology-enabled collection and transportation systems for solid waste, setting up waste-to-compost and waste-to-energy plants for waste processing. Speaking on Waste to Compost and Waste to Energy, Shri Naidu said that, the Cabinet has introduced a series of policy interventions to promote the processing of waste. He said that, to encourage production of city compost from solid waste, it has now been made mandatory for fertilizer companies in states to purchase the compost produced by city compost manufacturers. He said that India is now looking at a potential compost production of 23 lakh MT per annum by March 2017, which is likely to go up even further. Shri Naidu said that 122 cities have achieved Open Defecation Free (ODF) status so far and a total of 739 cities will achieve ODF status in this financial year. He said that three States Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Kerala have committed to be 100% ODF by March 2017. The Minister said that 21 lakh individual household toilets and 90,000 community and public toilet seats have been constructed so far and another 21 lakhs individual household toilets and 1.4 lakh community and public toilet seats are under construction. The Minister said that there is a need to scale up citizen engagement and participation, in a more structured and institutionalized manner. He said that, for SBM to become a true people's movement', it will have to become institutionalized within the Mission framework itself, with necessary policy interventions, and supplemented by capacity building of the states and cities in engaging people's participation. PM Modi addresses nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort on 70th Independence Day New Delhi, Tue, 16 Aug 2016 NI Wire The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, yesterday addressed the nation from the ramparts of the . Shri Narendra Modi paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and countless people, who sacrificed their lives so that Swarajya could be attained. He said that 125 crore Indians have now resolved to complete the journey from Swarajya to Suraj. He said the achievement of Suraj will require sacrifice, hard work, discipline, dedication and courage, and added that every institution from Panchayat to Parliament must work unitedly towards this goal. The Prime Minister said that there was a time when allegations engulfed the Government. He said that this Government, instead, is surrounded by expectations. He said that when hope gives rise to expectations, it gives us energy to move faster towards Suraj. The Prime Minister said that he wishes to focus not on the work done by the Government, but on its work-culture. The Prime Minister defined various attributes of Suraj, such as Sensitivity, Responsibility, Accountability, Transparency, Efficiency and Good Governance. He illustrated each of these attributes through examples of the working of the Union Government, in areas such as online registration in major hospitals, promptness of income tax refunds, speeding up the process of passport delivery, faster company registrations, and ending interviews for Group C and Group D positions in the Government. The Prime Minister mentioned how the speed of delivery in vital areas of governance had increased. In this context, he gave examples such as rural roads construction, renewable energy generation capacity, laying of transmission lines, and cooking gas connections. The Prime Minister spoke of the scale on which work had been accomplished in certain areas, such as opening of 21 crore bank accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana, construction of 2 crore toilets in rural areas, and electrification of 10,000 unelectrified villages in a short span of time. On the subject of LED bulbs, the Prime Minister mentioned that their price had been brought down substantially to make them more accessible to the common man. He said that the widespread use of LED bulbs would result in huge saving of electricity. The Prime Minister appreciated the farmers for ensuring sufficient foodgrain production despite two successive droughts. He said that the area under pulses cultivation has increased substantially this year. He explained the integrated approach that the Government has taken towards the agriculture sector, which includes focus on soil health cards, irrigation, solar pumps, seeds, fertilizers, and crop insurance. Shri Narendra Modi said the focus of the Government has been to build a national identity. He said the Government aims to Reform; Perform; Transform. He said the the Government is more attentive to substance, rather than symbolism; integrated development rather than isolated development; and empowerment rather than entitlement. The Prime Minister explained how his Government has been working to complete stalled or long pending projects, and is shortening the time required for project approvals in important sectors. Giving illustrations of effective delivery, the Prime Minister mentioned clearance of sugarcane arrears, new LPG connections, and PSUs such as Air India and BSNL reporting operational profits. Mentioning the emphasis on transparency, the Prime Minister said subsidies are being better targeted to those that need them. He said international rating agencies have acknowledged the progress in key areas of governance. The Prime Minister said the Government has taken a holistic, integrated approach towards welfare of women, which includes elements such as Beti-Bachao, Beti Padhao, Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana, and Ujjwala Yojana, to ensure the physical, educational and financial well-being of women. He mentioned several other Government initiatives in this regard. In a strong message for social cohesion (Samaajik Ekta), the Prime Minister said every Indian must abide by the message of peace, oneness and brotherhood, given by great saints, philosophers and thinkers, such as Ramanujacharya, Mahatma Gandhi, and Babasaheb Ambedkar. The Prime Minister said that various initiatives and programmes of the Government are all contributing to employment generation for the youth. He said that the Model Shop and Establishment Act will facilitate opening of shops on all days. The Prime Minister said the Union Government does not hesitate in taking major decisions. In this context, he mentioned grant of One Rank, One Pension, declassification of files related to Netaji, and the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh. The Prime Minister strongly condemned those who were attempted to glorify terrorists as martyrs. He said the world will appreciate Indias humanitarian approach, and uniform condemnation of all terrorist activities. The Prime Minister called upon the people to work with a common resolve to take the nation forward. The Prime Minister announced some new initiatives. He said the pension for freedom fighters would be enhanced from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000 per month. He said the Government would work towards creation of museums and memorials dedicated to the Adivasi freedom fighters across the country. Government would bear expenses upto one lakh rupees for the poor, towards meeting the cost of hospitalization. Source: PIB Share It may be stating the obvious, but with conservative estimates about the number of connected devices that the Internet of Things (IoT) era is ushering in placed at the tens of billions (that is billions with a B) in just the next few years, the prospects for managing them is going to be, in a word, complicated. From securing data at rest and in motion to understanding changes in status state of devices (alarms as well as for maintenance) to delivery of software upgrades and Everything in between, realities are that the number of capabilities that already need to be monitored and managed is daunting on a variety of fronts. And, we are still on the bottom of the on-ramp of the learning curve when it comes to IoT. The good news is there is intense appreciation by solutions vendors that if IoT is to fulfill even a fraction of its promise, the platforms and tools needed to assure things like agility, accessibility, security, reliability, sustainability, etc., need to be state-of-the-art. In fact, they need to be, hopefully surpass, what we in the communications industry like to call carrier-grade. In fact, such solutions are already in place and doing their tasks quite nicely. On such solution is Nokias (News - Alert) Motive Connected Device Platform (CDP). As Nokia describes the CDP, it is: A multi-tenant, converged cloud platform that securely manages all types of connected devices. You can use its robust features, scalable architecture, and comprehensive device lifecycle management capabilities to: Lower device-related operations, marketing and support costs Onboard devices and services faster Roll out security updates more efficiently Speed time to market for services such as VoLTE, VoWi-Fi and RCS Optimize the customer experience on all devices before you launch new services Activate services on physical or virtual SIMs In short, it is a mobile network Swiss Army Knife for monitoring and managing massive numbers of devices. In fact, Nokia is no stranger to the field, with 10 years of experience and an estimated 1.5 billion devices under management for 300+ customers worldwide. The context for the above is that Nokia is going to be sharing how to manage efficiently and effectively IoT initiatives in a series of upcoming webinars of note. To be held September 13, 2016, 9:00 a.m. Singapore, and on the same date 11:00 a.m. New York and 4:00 p.m. London , you are invited to join Nokia subject matter experts Daisy Su, Marketing Director for the CDP, Arbinda Bose, Director of Product Management for Nokias device management portfolio, and Richard Crowe, Head of Marketing-Customer and Network Operations, as they delve into the details of the topic of how to, Manage, Secure and Take Control of Billions of Connected Things. While IoT may be about things, it is just as, if not more, importantly about what those connected things can do for us both personally and professionally. Just because the plethora of things that need to be managed is complicated does not mean the actual management of them has to be. Edited by Alicia Young Leaves are falling, the air is crisp and deer season is right around the corner. Anyone who knows me knows how much I love this time of year. Becoming involved in hunting a few years ago gave me yet another reason why I look forward to fall. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. It seems that the Algerians are not happy at all about the decision made by their neighboring Tunisia to impose a 30 TD tax (about 13) on any Algerian wishing to enter the country with his vehicle. Tension at the border between the two countries is rising and there is no sign it is abating. At the diplomatic level, Deputy Head of Mission of Tunisia in Algeria was summoned Tuesday to the Algerian Foreign ministry where he was received by the Secretary General of the ministry on the issue. According to press reports, a group of angry Algerians in Tebessa province staged a protest in front of the Consulate of Tunisia. Yet, Tunisian ambassador in Algiers Abdul Majid Ferchich said his country would not repeal the tax, noting that more than half a million Algerians crossed the Tunisian border for the summer holidays during the past two weeks. He also said that the number of Algerians flocking to Tunisia rose by 158 per cent since the start of the summer season. Border crossings recorded very large flux during this holiday season. According to experts, Tunisia needs financial backing to support its battered economy due to terror threats. The North African country, which stands out in the Maghreb as a nascent democracy for its successful transition from autocracy to democracy following the 2011 revolution, has seen its democratic efforts challenged by waves of terrorist attacks and threats. Considered as one of the countrys major economic sectors, the Tunisian tourism industry is battling to recover after the 2011 revolution, which overthrew former leader Ben Ali, now in exile in Saudi Arabia. With the number of traditional tourists [from France, Germany, UK] dwindling, Tunisian tourism authorities are pinning high hopes on Algerian and Russian tourists. Around 450,000 Russian tourists are expected his year while authorities expect to attract around 1.5 million Algerian visitors. Thirteen anti-slavery activists on trial in Mauritania said they have been tortured during their detention, their lawyers said. The activists, on trial for rebellion and use of violence, were arrested last month after riots in a Nouakchott slum community that was being forcibly relocated as the west African country prepared for an Arab League summit. One by one, the 13 spoke out against the forms of torture they had been subjected to in custody, according to lawyer Brahim Ould Ebetty, representing the members of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement. The riots started when security forces stormed the slump dwellings occupied for decades by the Haratin ethnic group, many of them former slaves. The authorities accused the members of the Initiative for the Resurgence of the Abolitionist Movement (IRA) of instigating the riots ending with the arrest of senior leaders of the anti-slavery movement. The whereabouts of the arrested remain unknown. These massive arrests came at a context when Mauritanian slavery abolitionists are staging an international awareness raising campaigning to shed light on the ordeal of the enslaved Haratin. Soon after their liberation on May 17, IRA President and Vice President, Birame Dah Abeid and Brahim Bilal Ramadan respectively, went on a tour in the US after spending 19 months in a Mauritanian prison. During their visit to the US the two anti-slavery activists received the Hero Award from United States Secretary of State John Kerry on June 30 at the US State Department in Washington D.C. This distinction adds to the IRA international recognition. In early June 2016, IRA received the James Lawson prize for Non-Violent Conflict from Tufts University. The United Nations honored Mr. Abeid in 2013 with the U.N. Human Rights Prize. Mr. Abeid also won the Frontline Defenders Prize in human rights. IRA is the largest anti-slavery organization in Mauritania, with members throughout the country who regularly mobilize to protest slavery and state endorsed discrimination based on race, caste and gender. Mauritania was the last country in the world to abolish slavery in 1981 and it was not until 2007 when it passed a law that criminalized the act of owning another person. Yet, enslavement continues to be practiced with estimates of enslaved people ranging from 10% to 20% of Mauritanias 3.4 million strong population. Ryan Lochte. Photo: Matt Hazlett/Getty Images Brazilian police revealed new evidence Thursday that tore apart the story Ryan Lochte and his U.S. swimming teammates told about being mugged at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro. Now Lochte, the man at the center of it all, has issued an apology about the incident on Instagram. In it, he apologizes for not being more careful and candid in how he described the events, but adds that it was traumatic to have a gun pointed at him and his teammates, especially given the language barrier. I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons, he writes. Brazilian police had recommended late Thursday that Lochte and his teammate James Feigen be charged with falsely reporting the crime and lying to authorities. (Lochte and Feigen are the only two of the four swimmers involved who initially talked to investigators about the incident.) Prosecutors had to decide whether to indict the two Olympians, though it appears that at least Feigen has reached an agreement with prosecutors to avoid indictment. Feigen, who was initially barred from leaving Rio de Janeiro, has reportedly cut a deal with Brazilian authorities to donate $11,000 (or 35,000 Brazilian real) to a charity to have his passport returned so he can head back to the United States, according to his attorney. Its not clear yet which organization will receive those funds. Lochte arrived back in the United States earlier this week. Jimmy Feigen. Photo: Tom Pennington/Getty Images The controversy over whether the swimmers were actually robbed took a bizarre turn Thursday. Brazilian police have indicated that the mugging never took place, but instead involved a confrontation at a gas station with armed security guards. Authorities have a surveillance video that reportedly shows the swimmers damaging the door of a gas-station bathroom and getting into a dispute with gas-station guards on the night they claimed they were mugged. They apparently trashed the bathroom, in addition to damaging the door, and the gas-station manager demanded cash for the destruction and the swimmers paid up, according to Reuters. G1, a Brazilian TV station, aired the footage from the gas station, in Barra de Tijuca, en route from Club France, where the swimmers were partying, and their dorms in the Olympic Village. The video shows what is apparently the swimmers trying to get into a locked bathroom. At least one of them manages to get in (though it doesnt show any vandalism). Soon after, a gas-station guard confronts the Olympians. Brazilian police now say that two security guards did, in fact, point guns at Lochte and his teammates. Officers interviewed the security guards, who confirmed that they brandished their weapons when they went to check out the commotion near the bathroom. (Earlier reports suggested that the guards were armed but never took out their firearms.) Fernando Veloso, the chief of Civil Police, said no robbery occurred, and that the swimmers were not the victim of the criminal act they described. At some point after that confrontation, the swimmers returned to their taxi, but the driver did not pull away. According to G1, the gas-station manager called police, but officers were slow to arrive. So the gas-station manager found a customer to translate, and the swimmers agreed to pay for their vandalism apparently offering 2o dollars and 100 Brazilian real (one real is a little more than 30 U.S. cents). Its unclear if thats the sum the swimmers paid, but eventually they did turn over cash. The police never showed up. The swimmers got into the taxi and left. Brazilian police first indicated that Lochte made up the entire mugging story to cover up this gas-station episode. Lochte had original said armed men with police badges had held them up at gunpoint and took money, but not cellphones. Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz, the two swimmers pulled from their U.S.-bound planes on Wednesday, reportedly spoke with Brazilian police and said Lochte had made up the assault. Veloso had said previously that the athletes owed Rio de Janeiro an apology. The only truth that they told is that they were drunk, he said earlier. Others are demanding apologies from the swimmers and the U.S. Olympic Committee for fueling this extreme story about street crime, a sensitive subject for the country, which was heavily scrutinized about its security preparations ahead of the Games. The U.S. Olympic Committee, which had stayed largely silent, finally issued an apology late Thursday about the distracting ordeal: The behavior of these athletes is not acceptable, nor does it represent the values of Team USA or the conduct of the vast majority of its members. We will further review the matter, and any potential consequences for the athletes, when we return to the United States. Earlier Thursday, Rio 2016 spokesperson Mario Andrada defended Lochte and his teammates. These kids tried to have fun, they tried to represent their country to the best of their abilities, Andrada told reporters. They competed under gigantic pressure. Lets give these kids a break. Sometimes you take actions that you later regret. They had fun, they made a mistake, life goes on. The Brazilian authorities certainly took the events seriously, which turned into an international incident on Wednesday when Conger and Bentz were removed from their flight back to the United States. Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger leave the police headquarters at International departures of Rio de Janieros Galeo International airport on August 18, 2016 in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. Photo: Chris McGrath/2016 Getty Images The two swimmers were awaiting takeoff when agents from Brazils Federal Police, which oversees the nations borders, boarded the plane. Video that aired on the Globo TV network showed Conger and Bentz being escorted to the police station in the airport, according to the Washington Post. Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were detained Wednesday night shortly before their flight was scheduled to depart from Rio, the U.S. Olympic Committee said in a statement. They were released by local authorities with the understanding that they would continue their discussions about the incident on Thursday. James Feigen is also communicating with local authorities and intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well. Earlier on Wednesday, Judge Keyla Blanc de Cnop ordered police to seize the passports of Ryan Lochte and fellow American swimmer Jimmy Feigen as the investigation into their alleged mugging on Sunday night continued. However, Lochte had already returned to the United States, and Feigens whereabouts were unclear. Blanc de Cnop did not mention Conger and Bentz, but Brazils G1 news reports that another judge ordered that their passports be seized as well. Judge Blanc de Cnop handed down her order in light of contradictions in the swimmers reports, according to a statement from the court, and their seemingly chipper demeanor on surveillance footage taken not long after they say they were mugged. This comes just a day after an Associated Press report that said police looking into the robbery claims have found no evidence supporting the account, and had trouble getting the swimmers to provide many details in interviews. So, did Lochte make this whole thing up? His lawyer says no. This happened the way he described it, Jeff Ostrow told the AP. The problem is that Lochte and the others swimmers had described it differently. On NBCs Today last Sunday, Lochte said: We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing, just a police badge, and they pulled us over. They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like, We didnt do anything wrong, so Im not getting down on the ground. And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead, and he said, Get down, and I put my hands up, I was like, Whatever. He took our money, he took my wallet he left my cell phone, he left my credentials. This is different from the story Lochte told police (in that version there was one mugger) and different from the story Feigen told police (in that version there were multiple muggers but only one gun). Lochte tweaked the story again on Wednesday. NBCs Matt Lauer said on air that in a phone conversation Lochte did not describe being pulled over. He said the muggers emerged when their taxi was stopped at a gas station. He also said the gun was pointed in his direction, not placed on his forehead. Lauer said Lochte insisted that the mugging occurred, and this is not just a story concocted to cover for some sort of misbehavior. Those contradictions are only half of the reason Brazilian authorities were suspicious of the swimmers story. The other half comes from surveillance footage showing Lochte, Feigen, Conger, and Bentz arriving back at the Olympic Village with their psychological and physical integrity unperturbed, the judge wrote. The video also shows the swimmers wearing watches and removing wallets and phones from their pockets to pass through a metal detector. Not exactly the possessions one would expect on people who were just mugged. Further doubt had been cast on the story because none of the four swimmers reported it to police. They said that was because we were afraid wed get in trouble. It was only after Lochte told his mother, who mentioned it to the media, that Rio police found out about the robbery. They then began an investigation that included interviews of the swimmers, who admitted that details of the night were hazy because they had been drinking. This post has been updated throughout. Aetna HQ. Photo: Ron Antonelli/Bloomberg via Getty Images Aetna dealt a blow to the Affordable Care Act this week when the insurance giant announced that it was drastically reducing its participation in the laws health-care marketplaces. The company had been providing coverage in 15 states but will now serve only 4. In many places, the move will reduce insurer competition, likely allowing other providers to jack up their rates; in one county, it could mean that there wont be any insurers slated to offer coverage via Obamacare in 2017. Officially, Aetnas decision was motivated by the fact that participating in the state exchanges was losing the insurer money. Which is a highly plausible reason why a for-profit entity might pull out of a marketplace. Aetna is far from the only insurer who has discovered one of Obamacares central flaws: People willing to go through the hassle of signing up for health insurance through the program are sicker than the general population. This problem was supposed to be mitigated by the individual mandate, which levels a punitive tax on young, healthy people who chose to forgo coverage. Unfortunately, that tax has proven too small to get unemployed millennials to stop playing Pokemon Go long enough to buy health insurance. But the Huffington Post reports that there may have been a second motivation for Aetnas move: revenge. Aetna is currently pursuing a merger with fellow insurance titan Humana. Last month, the Justice Department announced that it plans to prevent them from doing that. For most Americans, health insurance is not luxury but a necessity, Attorney General Loretta Lynch told reporters. Health insurance can mean the difference between life and death. If the big five were to become the big three, not only would the bank accounts of American people suffer, but the American people themselves. Weeks earlier, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini essentially told the Obama administration, Nice insurance exchanges you got here. Would be a shame if something made them less competitive. In a letter to the DOJ, obtained by the Huffington Post, Bertolini wrote of his companys planned merger: [I]f the deal were challenged and/or blocked we would need to take immediate actions to mitigate public exchange and ACA small group losses. Specifically, if the DOJ sues to enjoin the transaction, we will immediately take action to reduce our 2017 exchange footprint. On the one hand, this doesnt necessarily undermine Aetnas official story: Merging with Humana would have made it easier for the company to continue sustaining ACA losses. Thus, by telling the DOJ what the likely result of a failed merger would be, Aetna was merely being transparent. From another angle, however, the letter appears to show a corporation threatening to use its massive market share to undermine public policy unless the government agrees to let it drastically expand that market share. Threatening to use your market power to sabotage public policy in order to demand merger approval is...gutsy? https://t.co/Z8mEfaYLWq Zach Carter (@zachdcarter) August 17, 2016 Regardless, it appears that relying on for-profit enterprises to provide affordable insurance over subsidized marketplaces might not be the best way for a government to guarantee universal health care. Advertisements by Trump. Photo: Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images Until this week, the Republican nominee had spent $0 on television advertisements during the general-election campaign. His Democratic rival has spent $61 million. This state of affairs was bizarre for a number of reasons. Its not every election cycle that the Green Partys standard-bearer outspends the GOP nominee on the airwaves. And its not like Donald Trump doesnt have the money to spend or a pressing need to change public opinion about his campaign. Trump raised $80 million in July, with the help of the Republican National Committee, and appears to have spent only a fraction of that sum on building a ground game in swing states. Meanwhile, his standing in the polls has eroded to the point that election forecasters are giving Clinton a roughly 80 percent chance of moving into the Oval Office next January. And the longer a candidate waits to take out an ad buy, the more expensive airtime becomes. Thus, for many GOP strategists, Trumps inaction has been exasperating. But in a conference call with Republican House members this week, Trumps campaign announced that it would begin airing ads Friday in Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. Trumps campaign advisers told The Wall Street Journal that the ads would build on the focused, policy-based messages Trump articulated in his recent speeches on the economy and national security. Trump trails Clinton by nearly double digits in Pennsylvania, and recent polls have showed her up by nine in Florida and North Carolina. However, other polls have shown a tight race in those southern states, and the contest in Ohio has been consistently close. If youre worried that all of these scripted speeches and issue-focused TV ads are going to make Trump into just another boring politician, fear not: On Wednesday, the executive chair of alt-right newsletter Breitbart News became the chief executive of Trumps campaign. And he appears to believe that the GOP nominees main problem as a politician is that he is too unwilling to court controversy. Flames burn structures and vehicles as the Blue Cut wildfire rages near Cajon Pass, north of San Bernardino, California on August 16, 2016. Photo: Ringo Chiu/AFP/Getty Images Californias drought has turned parts of the state into a tinderbox, with parched land, high temperatures, and scant rain fueling brush fires this summer. Now San Bernardino County in Southern California is under siege from a rapidly burning blaze. The Blue Cut fire was first spotted Tuesday morning, at around 10:30 in Cajon Pass, between the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains and about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. The fire, which began in a five-acre swatch near Interstate 15, has grown and intensified. As of Thursday morning, the fierce inferno has swelled to more than 31, 000 acres. The #BlueCutFire in the Cajon Pass in So. California is now 25,626 acres & 4% contained. I-15 In area still closed. pic.twitter.com/xUMTXYwaA7 Mick Akers (@mickakers) August 18, 2016 Tall flames rise near a high-voltage power line tower at the Blue Cut fire on August 17, 2016, near Wrightwood, California. Photo: David McNew/Getty Images The blaze is now 4 percent contained, but it is still sweeping perilously close to communities including Wrightwood, a ski-resort town with a population a little over 4,200 people. It hit hard. It hit fast. It hit with an intensity that we havent seen before, San Bernardino fire chief Mark Hartwig said about the fire. The flames have already swallowed some homes and structures in rural San Bernardino County, reports the Los Angeles Times, though the full extent of the damage is still unknown. There will be a lot of families that come home to nothing, Hartwig said. If theres a bright side there are some homes that were saved. Firefighters battle the Blue Cut wildfire. Photo: Ringo Chiu/AFP/Getty Images/This content is subject to copyright. Photo: Ringo Chiu/AFP/Getty Images/This content is subject to copyright. Officials went door-to-door, urging people in residential areas to get out. So far, more than 83,000 people have evacuated, some mandatorily, under threat of the fast-moving flames. Major thoroughfare Interstate 15 and other routes are starting to reopen after being shut down Wednesday. The smoke-filled air forced multiple school closures. If its lost, its lost, Anthony Botello, who voluntarily left his home, told the Los Angeles Times, as he was hunkered down outside the evacuation center. You got your life. Its only physical things. More than 1,500 firefighters are now battling the blaze from the ground and the sky. Crews also must contend with trying and unpredictable conditions: The area will stay dry, with triple-digit temperatures and at least ten-mile-per-hour wind gusts. On Tuesday, six firefighters became entrapped by the fire. They reportedly survived by sheltering in place in a nearby structure. Two sustained minor injuries, but were treated, released, and returned to the front lines. Firefighters battle the Blue Cut wildfire near Cajon Pass, north of San Bernardino, California, on August 16, 2016. Photo: Ringo Chiu/AFP/Getty Images/This content is subject to copyright. Flames flare up next to electric poles from the Blue Cut wildfire near Cajon Pass, north of San Bernardino, California, on Tuesday. Photo: Ringo Chiu/AFP/Getty Images/This content is subject to copyright. Winds blowing Tuesday apparently stirred up a firenado a real phenomenon where winds whip flames or smoke and send them spiraling into the air. A fire tornado forms near cars parked on a country road at the Blue Cut fire on August 17, 2016, near Wrightwood, California. Photo: David McNew/Getty Images California governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency. Two other wildfires are burning across the state, the Clayton Fire, in Northern California, and the Chimney Fire, in a resort area in San Luis Obispo County. The Chimney Fire began Saturday; it now stretches 8,300 acres, and fire crews have the flames about 30 percent contained. The Clayton Fire, about 100 miles north of San Francisco, is now 55 percent contained, but has charred more than 170 structures across 4,000 acres since Saturday. It was allegedly set by a serial arsonist, who was arrested Tuesday. The accused, 40-year-old Damin Anthony Pashilk, is suspected of setting at least 17 other fires, maybe more. This post has been updated throughout. Stephen Bannon works on Breitbart News Daily on SiriusXM Patriot on July 20, 2016. Photo: Kirk Irwin/2016 Getty Images Donald Trump is finally listening to the many Republicans who say he must pivot to save his campaign but hes decided to turn in the opposite direction. The Wall Street Journal reported early on Wednesday morning that Trump has hired Stephen Bannon, the executive chair of Breitbart News, as the campaigns chief executive, and promoted Kellyanne Conway, a senior adviser and pollster to his running mate Mike Pence, to campaign manager. The move follows campaign chair Paul Manaforts failed months-long push to make Trump tone his rhetoric down and behave like a somewhat normal presidential candidate. The Washington Post reports that Bannon and Conway represent a return to the let Trump be Trump mantra of former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who was fired on June 20, then hired as a paid CNN contributor. Manafort will remain campaign chair but campaign sources say the shake-up is a major demotion. Lewandowski posted the news on Twitter with no comment, just as he did on Sunday when a report described secret payments Manafort may have received from Ukraines pro-Russia party. Bannon, a former banker, has never worked on a political campaign. Hes no fan of the Republican Establishment, and according to the Post, he spent the past few months urging Trump to run a campaign that makes GOP donors and officials uncomfortable which means embracing his role as an outsider and an unabashed nationalist. When Breitbart reporter Michelle Fields accused Lewandowski of manhandling her at a Trump rally, the conservative media outlet sided with the Trump campaign. Ben Shapiro, one of the staffers who resigned in protest, said in his resignation letter: In my opinion, Steve Bannon is a bully, and has sold out Andrew [Breitbart]s mission in order to back another bully, Donald Trump; he has shaped the company into Trumps personal Pravda, to the extent that he abandoned and undercut his own reporter, Breitbart News Michelle Fields, in order to protect Trumps bully campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who allegedly assaulted Michelle. Conway has worked for many notable Republicans including Jack Kemp, Dan Quayle, Fred Thompson, and Newt Gingrich but she has never worked on a general election campaign. She denied reports of a shake-up, telling the New York Times, Its an expansion at a busy time in the final stretch of the campaign. Conway is said to be well-liked by Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner. Trumps children reportedly believed Lewandowski was spreading negative stories about Kushner, and sources told the Times they would try to prevent him from rejoining the team. Its been clear from Trumps actions that he has no interest in becoming more moderate, and in the past few days, hes admitted as much. I am who I am, he told a local station in Wisconsin. Its me. I dont want to change. Everyone talks about Oh, are you gonna pivot? I dont want to pivot. I mean you have to be you. If you start pivoting, you are not being honest with people. Despite theories that Trump never even wanted to be president, he told the Journal, I want to win, and Thats why Im bringing on fantastic people who know how to win and love to win. Not a fan of intelligence. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images To ensure that the next president is prepared to meet our nations security challenges from day one, Americas intelligence agencies provide major-party nominees with classified briefings. On Wednesday afternoon, the CIA will give Donald Trump the top-secret skinny for the first time ever. On Tuesday night, Trump informed the agency he doesnt trust them. The remark came after the GOP nominee revealed that he would be bringing an adviser with him into the hearings former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency Michael Flynn. Hes been a real fan of mine and defender of mine and hes a terrific guy, a terrific general tough, smart, Trump said of the Putin-friendly former general who co-authored a book with Americas foremost defender of Italian fascism in an interview with Fox News. He wants to make sure the right people are coming into our country, not the people that were probably taking in right now. This prompted Fox News anchor Ainsley Earhardt to ask if Trump trusts American intelligence information. Not so much from the people that have been doing it for our country. I mean, look whats happened over the last ten years. Look whats happened over the years. Its been catastrophic, Trump replied. You look at Iraq. You look at the Middle East. Its a total powder keg So, no, I have great people, and General Flynn is one of them. The intelligence community, for its part, doesnt trust Trump either. One Army intelligence officer told Politico that, while his colleagues understand how it might be emotionally satisfying to deliberately murder the wives and children of terrorists, as Trump has proposed, many are troubled by the right versus wrong component of the policy. Others described significant trepidation throughout the intelligence world over the prospect of a Trump presidency. Beyond the candidates appetite for war crimes, Trumps indifference to the views of American allies in NATO and the Muslim world makes our nations spy community anxious. Most people assume that even if he got in he would be forced to moderate because of the realities of your office and the inevitable restrictions on your power, a terrorism expert at a D.C. think tank told the news site. But the president has the lead on foreign policy and security. The president can do a lot without any sort of restraints from Congress. So, it does not appear that Trump and the CIA will have an ideal working relationship. But at least it will likely be a short one. Donald Trump delivers his first big race speech in a virtually all-white exurb of racially divided Milwaukee. Photo: Gerald Herbert/AP If all you knew about Donald Trumps speech in Wisconsin yesterday was harvested from a headline or a quick TV report, it might have really amazed you: The GOP nominee goes into violence-torn and racially divided metro Milwaukee and makes a direct appeal to African-American voters! And before saying anything else, let it be duly noted that any gesture of personal interest in African-Americans, or of determination to compete for their votes, coming from any recent Republican presidential nominee, much less this one, is an impressive and welcome development. But when you look at Trumps speech more closely, much of the value of the cross-racial gesture by the candidate of white-identity politics is eclipsed by the context and details of what he said: First of all, the speech was delivered in West Bend, Wisconsin, a nearly all-white exurb of Milwaukee, and thus at the honkified end of the spectrum in one of Americas most racially polarized metropolitan areas. West Bend is the county seat of Washington County, a jurisdiction that gave 70 percent of its votes to Mitt Romney. Trump was introduced by one of the great symbols of that polarization, Wisconsin governor Scott Walker. So its not like Trump waded into an inner-city neighborhood to speak truth to power or anything. As ABCs David Caplan noted, the GOP nominee has recently turned down opportunities to speak directly to African-American audiences at the NAACP and Urban League. Second of all, there was no hint in the remarks as prepared for delivery (and it was delivered from a teleprompter) of any request that white Americans other than Hillary Clinton and other Democrats had a single thing to do with the plight of inner-city black families and children or the racial tensions gripping places like Milwaukee. Trump stood unambiguously with the forces of law and order in every racially charged incident in the news, and called unambiguously for more police deployed more aggressively in every city. To the extent he was reaching out, it was to a purported segment of African-Americans who do not support protests about police brutality or, indeed, the liberal policies favored by virtually all African-American elected officials. He was basically telling his all-white audience that he and they were in solidarity with a silent majority of the black people for whom he presumed to speak. Third of all, Trumps fundamental pitch to African-Americans was the hoariest of all conservative cross-racial appeals: the plantation meme whereby black folk are scolded as suckers for supporting a Democratic Party interested only in their votes and in keeping them dependent on government. Hillary Clinton, Trump told his supporters, doesnt care about black people, and her policies have simply mired them in poverty and ignorance and crime-ridden neighborhoods. This might have sounded a bit more sincere had Trump made any acknowledgement of his own partys indifference and hostility to civil rights and voting rights and anti-poverty measures as one factor contributing to the extraordinary (and, in this campaign, almost unanimous) levels of African-American support for Democrats. And for all the advertising of this speech as something new, its notable Trumps Hillary-bashing included a dog-whistle reference to conspiracy theories about her health: To defeat crime and radical Islamic terrorism in our country, to win trade in our country, you need tremendous physical and mental strength and stamina. Hillary Clinton doesnt have that strength and stamina. Fourth of all, the details of Trumps agenda for succoring (rather than suckering) African-Americans was the equally hoary conservative menu of encouraging private investment in distressed communities via tax cuts and deregulation, subsidizing private schools. There was, additionally, the signature Trump promise to enrich the entire country, including the inner cities, by trashing trade agreements, turning the tables on wily foreigners, and keeping out (or deporting) illegal immigrants. But his proffer to the black electorate lacked any novelty or imagination; he said not a word about the red-hot issue (to most African-Americans, anyway) of criminal-justice reform, the one recent bipartisan initiative aimed at redressing the baleful effects of an earlier generation of law-and-order rhetoric. Perhaps that is because his first and most important congressional supporter, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, has all but personally killed legislative progress on criminal-justice reform in the Senate. And Trumps speech, of course, was thoroughly laden with misleading statistics emphasizing a very recent spike in homicides in many cities while ignoring the decades of declining violent-crime rates (particularly during the Clinton administration) that preceded it. All in all, Trumps West Bend speech was almost certainly aimed at white voters worried (or angry) about being labeled as racists. If it also spurs some black voters to give his candidacy a second look, that couldnt hurt; Trump is currently running more or less even with Barry Goldwaters historically awful performance among African-Americans. Even a high-single-digit level of black support might be crucial in close states. At some point before the end of this campaign, Trump might even want to make an appeal to black voters in person, and without insulting them for their past allegiances. That might indeed constitute a minor breakthrough for the most divisive campaign cycle in living memory. Rick Kern/WireImageThe Global Citizen Festival is headed up north. Canada will host its first-ever edition of the annual benefit concert on September 17. Toronto's own Metric will perform. Global Citizen Canada will also feature Montreal band Half Moon Run and Vancouver native Grimes. R&B star Usher will headline the festival. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will host the event, which will be held at the Bell Centre in Montreal. To obtain free tickets, you need to take "actions" in the fight against AIDS/HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. For more info, visit GlobalCitizen.org. Meanwhile, the U.S. edition of the Global Citizen Festival, held annually in New York City's Central Park, takes place September 24 and will feature performances from Metallica, Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder and Coldplay's Chris Martin. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. The ethnic makeup of Milwaukee. Green dots are black people, blue are whites. On Saturday, Sylville Smith, a 23-year-old armed black man, was shot and killed by a police officer after he pulled away during a traffic stop. Protests turned into riots over the weekend. On Monday, the city declared a 10 p.m. curfew for teens. Police chief David Clarke, who has criticized Black Lives Matter and become something of a darling to the alt-right, said that people slamming cops have it wrong. Stop trying to fix the police, he said, fix the ghetto. To Clarke, who is African-American, the unrest is evidence of black cultural dysfunction. Yet his city is the foremost case study in one of the United States gravest societal ills: segregation. Whether its across ethnicities or just between whites and blacks, analyses find that Milwaukee is the most segregated city in the country. Part of that is due to the Wisconsin citys unique history: Long a town made up of distinct cloisters of Poles, Germans, and Jews, it missed out on many black transplants during the Great Migration; many more settled a hundred miles south, in Chicago. Blacks didnt really start arriving in Milwaukee until the 1960s, when the city was already going the way of the Rust Belt. For locals, theres an old joke that the 16th Street Viaduct, which connected the traditionally black and white communities, was the longest bridge in the world, since going over it meant going from Africa and Poland. Across the U.S., the cities with the greatest geographic segregation tend to have the highest rates of violence. Among cities with over 250,000 people, the FBI says that Detroit has the highest violent-crime rate, followed by Memphis, Oakland, St. Louis, and Milwaukee. According to analysis of the latest census, Milwaukee is the most segregated city, followed by Detroit, Cleveland, New York City, Buffalo, and St. Louis coming in sixth. Thats a strong correlation, and from what sociologists say, theres a lot of causation. With isolation, poverty, and political impotence on top of each other, that produces a series of cultural responses that can, in a variety of ways, intensify peoples economic hardship and can also contribute to criminality and gang formation, says Brooklyn College sociologist Alex Vitale, noting that the same doesnt carry over for wealthy people living in geographically isolated communities that are nonetheless connected with education, transportation, and other resources. In Milwaukee, you have entrenched physical segregation but also enforced social segregation, so these folks are cut off from all kinds of institutions. This is what Milwaukee looks like today, according to the 2010 Census, as visualized by the University of Virginias Racial Dot Map: Milwaukee. Photo: Courtesy of the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. Green dots represent black people, blue represent whites, yellow represent Hispanics, and red represent Asian, with brown as a catchall for everybody else. Today, very few whites live within Milwaukee proper; theyre in the suburbs. Coincidentally, thats where Donald Trump went this week to publicly address the problems within inner cities. Milwaukees geographic segregation is coupled with further structural disadvantage. As Kenya Downs reported for NPR, over 50 percent of black men in their 30s and 40s have been incarcerated in Milwaukee County, and Milwaukee has the most black students in a state with the biggest achievement gap between black and white students in the country. It has also seen a huge uptick, contra to Clarkes claims, in cops use of force: The Milwaukee Police Department saw a 200 percent increase in police shootings from 2014 to 2015. Add all this up and you get what sociologists call Neighborhood-Level Effect, where the neighborhood you live in is predictive of how your life takes shape. An initiative in Philadelphia where young mothers were given housing for committing to public education provides a recently analyzed case study. When the moms were placed in low-poverty neighborhoods, they earned more college credits compared to the control group living in high-poverty neighborhoods. In these isolated parts of Milwaukee or Chicago or Baltimore young people have to have to adopt protective behaviors to survive daily life, Vitale says, like traveling in groups, being prepared to use violence, and fitting into street culture. Yet those same behaviors make it harder to be successful at school or to enter the labor force. Add in intensive policing and criminal records, and isolation increases. Detroit, the most violent big city in America, is almost perfectly divided by ethnicity by its immortalized Eight Mile Road, which forms the northern border of the city limit. Notice how the green dots signaling black residents end at that line, with blue dots white folks on the other side of the divide. Detroit. Green dots represent black people, blue represent whites, yellow represent Hispanics, red represent Asian, and brown is everyone else. Photo: Courtesy of the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. Segregation changes peoples networks, Yale University sociologist Andrew Papachristos tells Science of Us. He has studied Chicago, Americas seventh-most segregated city, and found that between 2006 and 2012, 70 percent of all nonfatal gunshot injuries an index for people participating in violence happened within a network that accounted for about 6 percent of the citys total population. Violence travels within these relatively closed-off networks like an STI. While the isolation keeps violence inside, he says, things like access to social networks, political networks, and professional networks stay outside. If youre segregated from transportation, it will affect employment: You can see it in how poor kids who grow up in better-connected neighborhoods have a better shot at climbing the economic ladder. If youre in a food desert where youre a mile or more from the nearest grocery store it will affect your health. If you dont have transportation, youre spending all your income on shitty food from the bodega, he says. Segregation didnt come from nowhere. In 1910, a black lawyer opened up an office in Baltimore in a house that he bought from a white woman. That same year, the Baltimore city council passed an ordinance that prohibited blacks from moving onto white residential blocks and whites to move to black blocks, as Antero Pietila records in his Not in My Neighborhood: How Bigotry Shaped a Great American City. Through the rule of law, city-wide separation of ethnicities was achieved, an innovation that was exported to Atlanta, St. Louis, New Orleans, and other American cities facing influxes of black migrants. Writing about the legislation last year, Matthew Yglesias quipped that after you corral a minority group into a confined geographical space, a city isnt going to follow up by investing in best-in-class parks, schools, transportation, and policing to that same area. Baltimore. Green dots represent black people, blue represent whites, yellow represent Hispanics, red represent Asian, and brown is everyone else. Photo: Courtesy of the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service. The systemized discrimination only gathered steam with the Federal Housing Administration, who from 1934 to 1968 guaranteed home loans to white people while refusing explicitly to do the same for black people, or people who lived near black people. The practice is called redlining, and as Ta-Nehisi Coates wrote in 2014, it destroyed the possibility of investment wherever black people lived. Its crucial to note that segregation isnt just a historical legacy that hasnt worked itself out yet, says Vitale, the Brooklyn College sociologist; its an actively produced dynamic that requires constant reproduction by real-estate owners and brokers, banks, police, and other groups. While theres isnt explicit, formalized redlining today like there was decades ago, there are still implicit practices. Take credit-risk assessment, for example. You cant get a loan, not because youre black but because you have a low-paying job and got arrested for pot one time, Vitale says, and thats because you live in a heavily policed neighborhood. No white kid in suburbia is arrested for pot, so they dont have a pot arrest on their record. Getting neighborhood-level effect to change is a bewilderingly complex issue; you cant arrest your way out if it. Most interventions have been focused on individuals. As mentioned above, you give housing to single mothers in Philadelphia in better neighborhoods and they earn 50 percent more college credits. You teach Chicago teens to become mindful of the reactions theyve been acculturated to and violent crime falls by 44 percent. The most lethal young men in Richmond, California, are given stipends if they commit to not being involved in gun violence and to follow a life plan, and the citys murder rate plummets by over 70 percent over seven years. Top-down, neighborhood-wide interventions are rare and expensive. The Harlem Childrens Zone is a notable exception: Starting on one block in the 1990s, it now covers 97 blocks in Central Harlem, serving 13,000 youth and 13,800 adults with early childhood and K12 education, college prep, and community centers. While the program reports that it had an overall 93 percent college acceptance rate in 2015 and has kept over 1,000 families out of foster care since 2010, critics question its cost and whether the model can truly be replicated in other contexts. Immigration works. Photo: Jeremy Woodhouse It might be that the best way to end segregation and with it, concentrated poverty and crime is immigration. First-generation immigrants are involved in way less crime than their socioeconomic status might indicate, and their kids overachieve in school. A 2010 study found that the U.S. cities that received the most immigrants between 1990 and 2000 saw the biggest drops in violent crime. San Diego neighborhoods with more immigrants later had fewer murders; Chicago neighborhoods with more languages spoken in the 1990s saw fewer homicides in the 2000s; and and in New York, a one-percent increase in immigrants in a precinct between 1975 and 2013 predicted a 966 fewer crimes per year. As has been shown in places like Washington, D.C., immigrants move into depressed, isolated neighborhoods, creating wealth for everybody. This leads to increased safety and perception of safety. Economic development follows, and soon enough gentrifiers and investors start coming, too. Just as segregation is the product of myriad forces, so is integration. In what may be surprising news to Mr. Trump, immigration is one of the best levers America has. Following a daylong auction yesterday, the groundbreaking blog network Gawker Media, which declared bankruptcy last month, was sold to Univision for the sum of $135 million. The only other bidder was the publishing company Ziff Davis. That Univision, the conglomerate operator of the largest Spanish-language broadcast network in the country, would acquire a famously confrontational (and English-language) collection of upstart blogs seems odd. But it makes sense for Univision and might be Gawkers best outcome, too. Gawker is a profitable and growing business Its important to clarify that Gawkers debts were the result of legal action, not operational dysfunction: Absent a vindictive tech billionaire, the company is profitable. In 2014, Gawker brought in $43.8 million in revenue, a figure that rose to $48.7 million last year and is on track to rise similarly this year (figures according to founder Nick Denton). Univision paying $135 million for a company expected to bring in more than $50 million in revenue this year that is, in the midst of a major lawsuit and bankruptcy is, to put it lightly, a very good deal. Univision doesnt exactly need Gawkers income; according to Forbes, its revenue last year was $2.9 billion. But Gawker has been making money in interesting ways that lots of publishers would like to match in particular, e-commerce, which has grown quickly as a source of revenue for the company during the last several years. In 2014, the company earned $10 million through referral commissions from sites like Amazon for links to products on both its its news sites, and a separate blog called Kinja Deals; now, according to Denton, the Deals division covers all of Gawkers editorial spending. Univision wants millennials (and traffic) and has had trouble finding them Money matters aside, Univision clearly wants to have a digital media presence untethered from its Spanish-language media, if its previous acquisitions are any indication. In May of 2015, it picked up the Root, a website aimed primarily at a black readers. At the beginning of 2016, Univision bought a controlling stake in the Onion, which also runs pop-culture site the A.V. Club and bizarro BuzzFeed parody Clickhole. And then, of course, there is Fusion. Originally a collaboration between Univision and Disney meant to reach, uh millennials(?), the cable network and digital-media operation soon became known for spending large sums to hire away prominent names in media in order to build up an underperforming website and television schedule. Fusions lethargic start wasnt doing it for Disney, so they divested, giving full control over to Univision. By all accounts, its still giving Fusion plenty of runway to build something. Just over half of Gawkers audience are millennials, according to Digiday, making the acquisition an easy way to boost younger readership. Gawker could use the resources If Univisions commitment to sinking millions of dollars into Fusion is any indication, Gawker now has a corporate benefactor with deep pockets and a willingness to fund unprofitable ventures. Funding a competitive digital-media company in this environment requires a lot of cash; in particular as advertisers and distribution channels have begun to focus on expensive-to-produce video. Large organizations like BuzzFeed and Vox Media have stabilized themselves by selling stakes to media conglomerates like Comcast and NBCUniversal; HBO is the largest investor in Bill Simmonss new site the Ringer. From that perspective, the Univision deal looks pretty familiar. That being said, Gawkers coverage of Fusion thus far has been pretty unflattering (headline: Fusion Is Losing a Shit Ton of Money), so its probably for the best that Univision also agreed to take over Gawkers lease on its Union Square offices, rather than move them uptown. Univision is more willing to take risks than Ziff Davis Lastly, even if Univision wasnt a good fit for Gawker, theyd sure as hell be a better fit than other bidder Ziff Davis, which owns PC Magazine, gaming website IGN, AskMen.com, and a whole bunch of other odds and ends, like speedtest.net. Ziffs portfolio of past and current properties heavily skews towards the dudebro/tech/gamer readership, which would have been bad news for sites like Jezebel, the newly politics-focused Gawker.com, and possibly even Deadspin. Announcing that they had pulled out of the auction, Ziff CEO Vivek Shah stated that we would have been excited to add Gizmodo, Lifehacker and a few of the other properties to our portfolio. Ziff was clearly only interested in parts of the company, never the whole thing. With Univision, every Gawker site stands a fighting chance. Update: Well, most Gawker sites stand a fighting chance. CNNs Tom Kludt is reporting that Univision has three days before the close of sale to decide what to do about Gawker.com, the namesake site that is now considered a toxic brand (granted, a toxic brand that brings in 16 million readers a month). Univision has reportedly agreed to retain 95 percent of Gawkers staff, so even if the site is shuttered, the employees need somewhere to go possibly putting their political muscle to work at Fusion. Following the sale, Denton himself is, per The Wall Street Journal, out altogether. A surfer wearing a burkini in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Matt King/Getty Images On Wednesday, French prime minister Manuel Valls supported local mayors who recently banned the burkini, describing the full-body swimsuit worn by some Muslim women as an unpatriotic garment based on the enslavement of women. He spoke with the newspaper La Provence after three French cities along the Mediterranean Coast banned the burkini in the past week. Three more towns are expected to join them. Prime Minister Valls said the burkini is not compatible with the values of France and the Republic. He said he wouldnt support a national law forbidding the swimsuit, but that beachwear shouldnt be associated with religion and politics. The burkini is not a new range of swimwear, a fashion, he told La Provence, according to The Independent. It is the expression of a political project, a counter-society, based notably on the enslavement of women. Considered reactionary, the local burkini bans reflect growing fears of Islamic extremism in France amid the countrys recent terror attacks in Normandy, where two ISIS supporters murdered a Catholic priest, and in Nice, where 85 people were killed on Bastille Day. The mayor of Cannes first banned the burkini from the citys beaches last week, calling the swimsuit the uniform of extremist Islamism, not of the Muslim religion and disrespectful of good morals and secularism. The village Villeneuve-Loubet soon followed for hygienic reasons, the mayor said (um, what?), adding that In France, one does not come to the beach dressed to display ones religious convictions, especially as they are false convictions that the religion does not demand. Sisco, on the island of Corsica, became the third town to join them on Monday, immediately following a violent beach brawl between local teens and three Muslim families the day before. In a country that already enacted a burqa ban forbidding full-face veils, the seaside resort towns Leucate, Oye-Plage, and Le Touquet are expected to also ban the burkini. As the Washington Posts Kathleen Parker wrote, some feminists and the enlightened French see the burkini as a visual face-slap to womens egalite. But others, including Muslim and anti-discrimination groups, have harshly criticized the measures, insisting that women should be free to dress themselves. Feiza Ben Mohamed, a spokeswoman for the Southern Federation of Muslims, responded to the Cannes burkini ban last week, telling the Local: The mayor talks about protecting public order, which means he thinks the presence of a Muslim woman on a beach will cause trouble. He also invokes the fight against terrorism, so he is basically saying a Muslim woman who wears a burkini is a terrorist. Theyre not in federal prison like Piper Kerman. Photo: JoJo Whilden/Netflix Unlike Orange Is the New Blacks Piper Kerman, who goes to federal womens prison, the fastest growing group of American women behind bars are now housed in local jails. A new report shows they face many of the same issues addressed in the show: a system designed for men, getting tampons, and abortion access. The main takeaway from the study, released Wednesday by the Vera Institute of Justice and the Safety and Justice Challenge, is stunning: In 2014, there were 14 times more women in local jails than in 1970 (110,000 women, up from under 8,000) representing half of all incarcerated women. The majority of them are women of color (64 percent, mainly African-American or Latina), and most have struggled with drug or alcohol abuse (a vast 82 percent). Most didnt do anything violent: 82 percent committed property, drug, or public order offenses. Unlike incarcerated men, women in jail are often primary caregivers: Nearly 80 percent are mothers, most single parents. Theyre more than twice as likely to suffer from a serious mental illness as jailed men. If they were abused (86 percent of these women survived sexual violence at some point in their lives), theyre prone to the gendered trauma youve seen on Orange Is the New Black and procedures that can trigger PTSD: full-body searches for contraband, or male-guard supervision while showering, dressing, or using the bathroom. Designed to help men, many pretrial supervision and probation programs actually keep women in jail as an example, the report spotlights the mom who misses appointments with her parole officer because she cant afford day care. The solution? Researchers describe an urgent need for more studies in order to move beyond an almost solely male-focused criminal justice reform landscape. Jail should become a last resort instead of a stopgap social-service provider, with more constructive alternatives to arrest instead. The study suggests three current programs as models: a specialized family- and community-based probation unit in Connecticut, a Milwaukee program that finds alternatives for low-level offenders, and a Philadelphia pre-trial diversion program that shifts away from jailing poor women only because they cant afford bail. You can read more here. Photo: JEAN BAPTISTE LACROIX/Getty Images The woman who accused The Birth of a Nations Nate Parker of rape back in 1999 committed suicide in 2012, when she was 30, according to a statement her brother gave to Variety today. The man gave only his first name, Johnny, citing his late sisters desire to remain anonymous. She became detached from reality, Johnny told Variety, explaining that she committed suicide by overdosing on sleeping pills and had suffered depression in the wake of the alleged assault. The progression was very quick and she took her life. The victims death certificate, also obtained by Variety, says she suffered from major depressive disorder with psychotic features, PTSD due to physical and sexual abuse, polysubstance abuse In 1999, the victim accused Parker and his roommate Jean Celestin, who co-wrote The Birth of a Nation, of raping her in their apartment when she was unconscious. All three were students at Penn State at the time, and the two men were on the school wrestling team. Parker and Celestin claimed the sex had been consensual. Parker was acquitted, and Celestin was initially found guilty but later had his conviction overturned. According to a civil suit against Penn State by the Womens Law Project, Parker and Celestin then launched an organized campaign to harass [Jennifer] and make her fear for her safety. The suit alleges that Parker and Celestin hired a private eye who exposed her identity by plastering a photograph of her around campus, in addition to harassing her via the phone and constantly hurl[ing] sexual epithets at her. The victim received a settlement of $17,500 from Penn State and did not graduate, and Johnny says that the ghosts of the alleged assault continued to haunt her. If I were to look back at her very short life and point to one moment where I think she changed as a person, it was obviously that point, he continued. The trial was pretty tough for her. Johnny also says that he thinks the case would have turned out differently had it happened to day. I think by todays legal standards, a lot has changed with regards to universities and the laws in sexual assault, he said. I feel certain if this were to happen in 2016, the outcome would be different than it was. Courts are a lot stricter about this kind of thing. You dont touch someone who is so intoxicatedperiod. Recently, the case has made headlines again, with Parker addressing the allegations in an effort to fend off controversy ahead of his forthcoming Oscar campaign for The Birth of a Nation. Parker wrote, produced, directed and starred in the buzzy film about Nat Turners 1831 slave rebellion, and which fetched a record price at Sundance. Seventeen years ago, I experienced a very painful moment in my life, Parker said in a statement to Variety last week. It resulted in it being litigated. I was cleared of it. Thats that. Seventeen years later, Im a filmmaker. I have a family. I have five beautiful daughters. I have a lovely wife. I get it. The reality is I cant relive 17 years ago. All I can do is be the best man I can be now. It remains an open question how the incident will affect the films reception, and whether viewers can and indeed, whether they should separate the art from the artist. I dont think a rapist should be celebrated, Johnny said. Its really a cultural decision were making as a society to go to the theater and speak with our dollars and reward a sexual predator. These are my words. Written from my heart and not filtered through a third party gaze. Please read these separate from any platform I may have, but from me as a fellow human being. I write to you all devastated Over the last several days, a part of my past - my arrest, trial and acquittal on charges of sexual assault - has become a focal point for media coverage, social media speculation and industry conversation. I understand why so many are concerned and rightfully have questions. These issues of a womens right to be safe and of men and women engaging in healthy relationships are extremely important to talk about, however difficult. And more personally, as a father, a husband, a brother and man of deep faith, I understand how much confusion and pain this incident has had on so many, most importantly the young woman who was involved. I myself just learned that the young woman ended her own life several years ago and I am filled with profound sorrowI cant tell you how hard it is to hear this news. I cant help but think of all the implications this has for her family. I cannot- nor do I want to ignore the pain she endured during and following our trial. While I maintain my innocence that the encounter was unambiguously consensual, there are things more important than the law. There is morality; no one who calls himself a man of faith should even be in that situation. As a 36-year-old father of daughters and person of faith, I look back on that time as a teenager and can say without hesitation that I should have used more wisdom. I look back on that time, my indignant attitude and my heartfelt mission to prove my innocence with eyes that are more wise with time. I see now that I may not have shown enough empathy even as I fought to clear my name. Empathy for the young woman and empathy for the seriousness of the situation I put myself and others in. I cannot change what has happened. I cannot bring this young woman who was someone elses daughter, someones sister and someones mother back to life I have changed so much since nineteen. Ive grown and matured in so many ways and still have more learning and growth to do. I have tried to conduct myself in a way that honors my entire community and will continue to do this to the best of my ability. All of this said, I also know there are wounds that neither time nor words can heal. I have never run from this period in my life and I never ever will. Please dont take this as an attempt to solve this with a statement. I urge you only to take accept this letter as my response to the moment. laughing @ the "he's a racist" headline Reply Thread Link then he belongs with gwen. Reply Parent Thread Link They really should just have a 12-issue side magazine with that title and various people in hollywood. Reply Parent Thread Link omg @ that blake cover. (those recipes look so good, tysm!!!) Reply Thread Link Jinger, no. No. But yes to the food, even though I have a chicken avocado wrap ready. Reply Thread Link http://www.closetcooking.com/2015/04/tagliatelle-bolognese.html and then eating some publix cool mint cookie ice cream. praise them. i'm making this tonight:and then eating some publix cool mint cookie ice cream.praise them. Reply Thread Link I LOVE tagliatelle Reply Parent Thread Link come over, and bring me some wine. Reply Parent Thread Link He always has the best recipes over there Reply Parent Thread Link loling@the duggar exclusive. they need the money, ofc they're gonna give that magazine the story. oh and the little side piece of justin and selena being in a feud, man, he looks so ugly. glad that asshole supposedly deleted his instagram. Reply Thread Link Gwen is so desperate to be in a relationship, but it's actually fitting given her history. I wish Clooney would go away forever. Reply Thread Link OK, the new Duggar husband actually looks bangable though... not at all like the typical fundie losers these poor girls get stuck with. Reply Thread Link i mean he doesn't look inbred which is nice but still it's not all that much better lol Reply Parent Thread Link That bar is low to begin with. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link idk they look really weird together. Reply Parent Thread Link that pic of amal is interesting... could it be shopped? bad angle? these mags are never on point lol Reply Thread Link ate something ? Reply Parent Thread Link I had some rice with a coconut milk & vegetable curry sauce, so delicious. Reply Thread Link Blake's a good ol' boy... of course he's racist. I missed this scandal though. What happened? Post mortem Natalie Wood photo... keepin' it classy as always, right, Enquirer? Jesus. And damn, Michael Douglas's son. Can one actually join the Mafia while in prison? I had no idea. Can we stop plastering women on the cover of these things with a big old arrow pointing at their food baby saying OMG PREGNANT!!!! Honestly. Love seeing that kick ass Women's Gymnastics Team on the cover of People!! You go, ladies! GTFO Duggars. Edited at 2016-08-17 09:59 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link Love that picture of Selena looking alone and miserable. Fuck her. Reply Thread Link Not kissing someone until your wedding day sounds like a REALLY bad idea. You can always improve your sexual technique, but some people are just naturally bad at kissing. Reply Thread Link BUT KISSING WHEN NOT MARRIED IS A SIN!! Your icon is killing me. I fucking love Pugs <3 Reply Parent Thread Link plus everyone's gonna see you bonk noses with eachother. Reply Parent Thread Link omg those cinnamon buns look amazing. Today is one of those days where I'm not hungry, but I want to eat everything. Reply Thread Link The Duggar's aren't allowed to kiss before getting married? What? Reply Thread Link They can't even hold hands until they're engaged. Reply Parent Thread Link 34 though? Reply Thread Link toni collete, ha impact Reply Parent Thread Link you're being a suppressive person imo! Reply Parent Thread Link lol Reply Parent Thread Link om stop!!!!!!!!!!! Reply Parent Thread Link I had to read it like 5 times Reply Parent Thread Expand Link it's all I could focus on. no way. Reply Parent Thread Link It's all I got from this article. I'm deeply puzzled....34!?!?!! Reply Parent Thread Link Exactly. I haven't even finished the rest 'cause I was like, "Uh, what now?" Reply Parent Thread Link MTE like what??? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link He was in his twenties in the 80s.. more like 54 Reply Parent Thread Link It's the twentieth anniversary of his 34th birthday! Reply Parent Thread Link lmao i was gonna be pissed if this wasn't the first comment Reply Parent Thread Link I'm sitting here like " he is for sure not younger than me" lmao Reply Parent Thread Expand Link lmao I had to Google his age even though I know damn well he's not 34 ! I actually hesitated between 44 and 54 though Reply Parent Thread Link Yeah... what was that? Reply Parent Thread Link MTE. I'm glad this is the 1st comment. He looks good for 54, but 34?! Reply Parent Thread Link They must mean that other Tom Cruise. The one we all know is 54 Reply Parent Thread Link I straight up squinted like "did they mean Tom but mentioned Katie's age instead but isn't she 40?" Mess. Reply Parent Thread Link The 34-year-old actor... UH? Reply Thread Link That copy and paste realness. This same item gets posted every anniversary of "Tom hasn't seen Suri" time of the year. Reply Parent Thread Link Even so, he hasn't been 34 in 20 years... Reply Parent Thread Link LOL i didn't even question that till now Reply Parent Thread Link That's actually good for her Reply Thread Link lol MTE Reply Parent Thread Link right Reply Parent Thread Link *shrug* I think it's best for Suri tbh. Cruise is out of his fucking mind and he's already messed up his other two kids. lmao @ 34 year old. Not with those botched injections. Reply Thread Link The 34-year-old actor ha stopped reading Reply Thread Link mte stopped taking seriously water was read. Reply Parent Thread Link Why is he referred to as "The Vanilla Sky actor" when that movie was a flop? Reply Thread Link he was in it, wasn't he? Reply Parent Thread Link Got me there, sis! Coming at me with #facts Reply Parent Thread Expand Link It was actually #1 at the box-office for two weeks, so not really a flop. It did get mixed reviews though and is a bit divisive. That said, he's usually referred to as 'the Mission: Impossible star' from these kinds of articles, so it is a random film reference, lol Reply Parent Thread Link It's a cult classic, I think. Reply Parent Thread Link lol i love vanilla sky Reply Parent Thread Expand Link But it's honestly my fave Cruise movie. Reply Parent Thread Link would you prefer "The Rock of Ages" actor? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Its shade. . Reply Parent Thread Link he's not 34. LOL. Reply Thread Link He is in Scientology years. Reply Parent Thread Link lmao Reply Parent Thread Link ha thetans are ageless! Reply Parent Thread Link this is why i'm always side eyeing tom get out of scientology for your child you just know that bastard david miscaviage is seething that he doesn't have a bio child of tom to manipulate against katie Reply Thread Link Damn, I missed it. lol Reply Parent Thread Link give us more of a hint so i can stay away Reply Parent Thread Link I'm curious. What kind of brainwashing techniques did they use? Reply Parent Thread Expand Link What kind of brainwashing? What did they do? Reply Parent Thread Link I think I know what you're talking about!!! Reply Parent Thread Link Are there any semi famous tv actresses associated with it? "Congratulations" isn't the right word, but it's the closest I can think of at the moment. Congratulations for getting out. Stay safe. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Was it northern lights? Jk that was just the mess of the venue I used to frequent when visiting my friend at uni and seeing emo bands ages ago Reply Parent Thread Link Omg. Good thing you made it Reply Parent Thread Link I'm glad you could get out of there! Reply Parent Thread Link i think i know what you're talking about Reply Parent Thread Link Whaaaaaat, my parents live in Albany!! wtf? deets plz. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link glad you escaped sis! Reply Parent Thread Link how did you escape? Reply Parent Thread Link if it's what i think it is then you should delete this tbh they're monitoring some stuff about them now. esp since they aren't perceived as negatively as they used to be Reply Parent Thread Link Suri's Burn Book, though. Reply Thread Link that's fucked up. also: "The 34-year-old actor" LOL he wishes Reply Thread Link Lmao, Suri be glad talk to your mom and Nicole Kidman about the who ordeal and they would say the same. Never forget Nicole's pictures after finalizing her divorce from this crazy ass. Reply Thread Link Lmao what is this article? 34 year old Tom Cruise? Name dropping Vanilla Sky??? Reply Thread Link What's funnier is he was 39 when VS came out, lol. Jerry Maguire would've been his big movie when he was 34. Edited at 2016-08-17 10:02 pm (UTC) Reply Parent Thread Link Shit if he's still 34 that means I'm still 11 and I have to do middle school all over again :( Reply Parent Thread Link the 34-year-old actor. Damn, by the light of Xenu is he pulling a Benjamin Button? Reply Thread Link Iran has not yet made a decision on whether or not it will join the OPEC meeting next month, and according to officials there, production levels have not reached a point at which the country can ink an output agreement. This time around, Septembers OPEC meeting is an informal one set to take place in Algiers, with a main agenda of talks surrounding the tightening of oil output. A spokeswoman for the nations oil ministry said that no decision has been made about attending the meeting, and that the country has not made a decision on joining an output cap. That spokeswoman said that the country would probably not reach pre-sanction production levels prior to the September meeting. The oil market fluctuated a bit in reaction to the news. US crude futures closed on Tuesday at $46.62 a barrel. Brent closed just above $48.50 per barrel. Iran was the holdout in creating a cap agreement in April, citing production levels in January that were far below historic levels. Iran has previously said that it will not consider a cut in production until its exports increase by 1.5 million barrels per day, above the current level of 1.1 million per day. Iranian officials added that they would not support an emergency meeting unless there was a consensus on what would be done. One oil official said If the meeting takes place and there is no agreement, it will have a negative impact on prices. That same official said that the country might support such a meeting if the country was not asked to reduce its production. Iran is still in the process of recovering from the effects of nuclear sanctions. Iran had said that it planned to increase production by 500,000 barrels per day in short-term production, with a goal of reaching 1 million barrels per day by the end of the year. Related: What The Fall Of OPEC Means For Global Oil Markets Giant oil producer, but non-OPEC member Russia has shown more interest in discussing a production freeze. Energy minister Aleksandr Novak said in an interview published on Monday that the discussion between Russia and key OPEC member Saudi Arabia is developing in a tangible way. Although OPEC production is expected to fall back a bit in August after having reached an 8-year peak in July as a result of increased Saudi output, storage levels remain elevated. And as absurd as it may sound, OPECs big players might again not be interested in a production freeze as they might just not need it as much as markets continue to rebalance due to reduced supply from Nigeria, Venezuela and Libya. (Click to enlarge) Lincoln Brown for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Today's weekly EIA inventory report has provided a very (very) welcome distraction from the production freeze jawboning. A solid draw to crude stocks, helped in large part by another large draw to the West Coast (h/t low imports) has been a supportive element, as has a solid draw to gasoline. Refinery runs hit their highest level for the year to boot...hence oil has pared losses. Hark, here are five things to consider in oil markets today: 1) The last couple of days we have been looking at the exports of various members of OPEC. The chart below aggregates all those members ex-Middle East. It illustrates that since the beginning of last year, exports from these various cartel members have dropped by ~1mn bpd, or some 13 percent. This weakness is led by Nigeria of late, as well as Venezuela. While Middle East producers are ramping up exports like crazy, they are helping to offset the export losses from elsewhere: (Click to enlarge) 2) Graphic of the day is the below, which highlights how Big Oil is lagging in terms of unconventional production in the U.S. oil patch. BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Exxon and Chevron are one third less productive than the top ten operators. Big oil companies don't have a great track record in terms of U.S. shale ventures; Shell wrote down $2 billion in assets back in 2013 - long before the oil price drop - while Exxon and Total have also made writedowns. BP, however, is trying to make headway in the space - after previously having to sell off holdings in the Permian Basin to fund legal action and penalties due to the Deepwater Horizon accident. BP has reduced well costs by almost two-thirds in Oklahoma and Texas, taking 37 days on average to drill a well, compared to 67 in 2013, while wells are set to produce 44 percent more natural gas than those drilled three years ago; BP believes it can produce as much as 7.5 billion barrels economically. Just as other shale producers have had to buckle down and boost efficiencies, Big Oil appears to be on the right path too now. 3) Stat of the day comes via RBN Energy's Rusty Braziel in this podcast with the Center on Global Energy Policy. He says 60 percent of U.S. rigs are concentrated in just 20 counties. Wow. 4) These increasing efficiencies - or high-grading - in the U.S. oil patch is typified by the key shale plays of Permian, Eagle Ford and Bakken. According to EIA, new-well drilling productivity per rig is the highest in the Eagle Ford, projected at 1,089 bpd for next month. Since the end of 2014, however, Permian has seen the biggest increase in productivity per rig, climbing 140 percent (to 522 bpd); Bakken is up 79 percent to 875 bpd, and Eagle Ford up 60 percent. (Click to enlarge) 5) Our ClipperData show that we have seen 20 U.S. LNG export loadings from Sabine Pass in the period February to July, with volumes heading to 11 different countries. We have seen an additional four loadings so far this month, ramping up recently as a second LNG train has just started up at the end of July. Argentina has been the recipient of a number of cargoes, but breaking down the costs involved, it seems these deliveries may not be economic. The delivery arriving at the Bahia Blanca terminal in Argentina in June had a delivered price of $4.18/MMBtu, according to Enarsa, Argentina's state power company. However, according to Argus, a liquifaction fee of $2.25/MMBtu plus $1.963/MMBtu commodity costs (115 percent of final settlement price of June Henry Hub contract) totals $4.51/MMBtu. This means a loss of as much as $3.25mn was incurred, largely driven by a low natural gas price in late May. Rising prices since mean cargoes are more economical. A spot voyage from the U.S. Gulf coast to Argentina is seen at $0.70/MMBtu. (Click to enlarge) By Matt Smith More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: A millionaire oil trader at Geneva-based Trafigurathe world's third-largest private oil and metals traderis jumping for a medal in the Rio Olympics, competing for Argentina in an equestrian event, Swiss financial news website finews.ch reports. Forty-seven-year-old Jose Larocca is board member and head of oil trading at Trafigura, but his ambitions lie beyond oil, gas and gasoline: he vies for a medal at the ongoing Olympics. Switzerland-born trader Larocca is part of the younger generation of traders who received Trafigura shares in an ownership reshuffle two years ago. Speaking to finews.ch about the Olympic ambitions of its head of oil trader, Trafigura just said that he keeps that part of his life separate from his working life. In June, Trafigura reported its first-half figures for the period ended March 31, 2016, saying that trading was especially strong in its oil and petroleum products division, with volume traded daily topping 4 million barrels for the first time on record. Clearly Trafigura has an overachiever on their hands, on multiple fronts. And in July, Trafigura hit the headlines by taking part in the shipment of Irans first oil to Chinas small independent refineries, the teapots. Irans National Oil Company (NIOC) had sold some 2 million barrels to Trafigura in June, making Trafigura the first among its peers to start selling crude to Chinese teapots. Related: OPEC Rumors Continue To Pull Oil Prices Higher Last week, Bloomberg reported that the NIOC was in talks to sell more crude to Trafigura bound for the Chinese teapots, including under a possible long-term agreement. Talks are ongoing, and no deal has been finalized, Bloomberg quoted its sources as saying. In addition, Trafigura is competing to grab a larger chunk of the global bitumen market, which is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of four percent until 2020. Now, Trafiguras head of oil trading Larocca may miss a couple of multi-million deals these days, but he will certainly have more accomplishments under his belt than the average trader; he will have competed in the Olympics. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Weve entered the dog days of summer, and Sendiks is celebrating with a special offering: Hatch chile peppers from New Mexico. These unique peppers, which are common in Southwestern cooking, offer variable heat (mild to hot) similar to an Anaheim pepper, along with a buttery texture once roasted. Grown exclusively in the Mesilla Valley of New Mexico, Hatch chiles have a relatively short season, which peaks in mid- to late-August. And youll rarely if ever find them in Wisconsin in their fresh form. However, over the next two weekends, Sendiks locations in Franklin, Whitefish Bay, West Bend and New Berlin will host Hatch chile pepper roasting events during which both roasted and unroasted peppers will be available for purchase. Hatch chiles will be roasting between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on the following days: Saturday, Aug. 19: Sendiks Franklin, 5200 W. Rawson Ave., and West Bend, 280 N. 18th Ave. Sunday, Aug. 20: Sendiks Whitefish Bay, 500 E. Silver Spring Dr., and West Milwaukee, 1740 Miller Park Way Saturday, Aug. 26: Sendiks New Berlin, 3600 S. Moorland Rd., and Grafton, 2195 1st Ave. Sunday, Aug. 27: Sendiks Greenfield, 7901 W. Layton Ave., and Waukesha-Meadowbrook, 701 Meadowbrook Rd. During the events, unroasted Hatch chile peppers (medium or hot) will be available for $2.99 per pound at all Sendik's stores. Roasted Hatch chile peppers will be $3.99 per pound and will only be available at select locations listed above. Shoppers also have the option of purchasing a 25-pound case of roasted Hatch chile peppers, as well as a variety of items made with the peppers, including bacon Hatch flatbread pizza and roasted Hatch pepper corn salad. Customers who wish to e-order Hatch chiles in quantity are encouraged to visit sendiks.com/hatch. Freezing and storage instructions are also available online. Days after endorsing Hillary Clinton for president, Mike Morell, former acting director of the CIA, said the U.S. should covertly kill Russians and Iranians in Syria, and that the U.S. should bomb Syrian government offices, aircraft and presidential guard positions. Here are Morell's exact words: "I'd give (the "moderate opposition") the things that they need to both go after the (Syrian President Bashar) Assad government, but also to have the Iranians and Russians pay a little price... we need to make the Iranians pay a price in Syria, we need to make the Russians pay a price." The interviewer, Charlie Rose, then asked Morell, "OK, we make them pay a price by killing Russians, and killing Iranians?" Morell responded, "yes, covertly. You don't tell the world about it, right. You don't stand up at the Pentagon and say we did this, right. But you make sure they know it in Moscow and Tehran." Morell continued, "I want to go after those things that Assad sees as his personal power base, right, I want to scare Assad. So I want to go after his presidential guard. I want to bomb his offices in the middle of the night. I want to destroy his presidential aircraft on the ground. I want to destroy his presidential helicopters. I want to make him think we're coming after him." Isn't that terrorism? The FBI defines terrorism as "the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives." Is a person who calls for acts of terrorism, but doesn't personally carry out such acts, a terrorist? A report by Human Rights Watch details dozens of cases in which Muslim-Americans have been convicted of terrorism-related charges without carrying out an actual act of terrorism. The 57-year-old Morell is the person who "coordinated the CIA review" of Colin Powell's infamously bogus speech to the UN in 2003 pushing for war on Iraq, according to former CIA director George Tenet. Morell, who resigned from his job as a national security analyst at CBS in order to publicly support Clinton, stated that he would be part of Clinton's national security team. Morell would appear to fit right in with Clinton, who, according to former US Army Psychological Warfare Officer Scott Bennett, is "a psychopathic war hawk, is obsessed with war with Russia, is obsessed with war with Iran and she is going to do everything she can to enable it." Morell joins a long list of war hawks who have endorsed Clinton, including Leon Panetta, Robert Kagan, Richard Armitage, Madeline Albright and other neoconservative and "liberal interventionists". Reprinted from Consortium News Over the past few decades, the U.S. mainstream media has failed the American people in a historic fashion by spinning false or misleading narratives on virtually every important global issue, continuing to this day to guide the nation into destructive and unnecessary conflicts. To me, a major turning point came with the failure of the major news organization to get anywhere near the bottom of the Iran-Contra scandal, including its origins in illicit contacts between Republicans and Iranians during the 1980 campaign and the Reagan administration's collaboration with drug traffickers to support the Contra war in Nicaragua. (Instead, the major U.S. media disparaged reporting on these very real scandals.) If these unsavory stories had been fully explained to the American people, their impression of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush would be far less favorable and the rise of Reagan's neocon underlings might well have been halted. Instead the neocons consolidated their dominance over Official Washington's foreign policy establishment and Bush's inept son was allowed to take the White House in 2001. Then, one might have thought that the disastrous invasion of Iraq in 2003 -- justified by a legion of lies -- would have finally doomed the neocons but, by then, they had deeply penetrated the national news media and major think tanks, with their influence reaching not only across the Republican Party but deeply into the Democratic Party as well. So, despite the Iraq catastrophe, almost nothing changed. The neocons and their liberal interventionist chums continued to fabricate narratives that have led the United States into one mess after another, seeking more and more "regime change" and brushing aside recommendations for peaceful resolution of international crises. Cognitive Dissonance As part of this phenomenon, there is profound cognitive dissonance as the rationales shift depending on the neocons' tactical needs. From one case to the next, there is no logical or moral consistency, and the major U.S. news organizations go along, failing again and again to expose these blatant hypocrisies. The U.S. government can stand for a "rules-based" world when that serves its interests but then freely violate international law when it's decided that "humanitarian warfare" trumps national sovereignty and the United Nations Charter. The latter is particularly easy after a foreign leader has been demonized in the American press, but sovereignty becomes inviolate in other circumstances when Washington is on the side of the killing regimes. George W. Bush's administration and the mainstream media justified invading Iraq, in part, by accusing Saddam Hussein of human rights violations. The obvious illegality of the invasion was ignored or dismissed as so much caviling by "Saddam apologists." Similarly, the Obama administration and media rationalized invading Libya in 2011 under the propagandistic charge that Muammar Gaddafi was planning a mass slaughter of civilians (though he said he was only after Islamic terrorists). But the same media looks the other way or make excuses when the slaughter of civilians is being done by "allies," such as Israel against Palestinians or Saudi Arabia against Yemenis. Then the U.S. government even rushes more military supplies so the bombings can continue. The view of terrorism is selective, too. Israel, Saudi Arabia and other U.S. "allies" in the Persian Gulf have aided and abetted terrorist groups, including Al Qaeda's Nusra Front, in the war against the largely secular government of Syria. That support for violent subversion followed the U.S. media's demonization of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Thus, trying to avoid another Iraq-style morass, President Obama faces heavy criticism from neocon-dominated Washington for not doing more to force "regime change" in Syria, although he actually has authorized shipments of sophisticated U.S. weaponry to the supposedly "moderate" opposition, which often operates under Nusra's command structure. In other words, it's okay to intervene overtly and covertly when Official Washington wants to do so, regardless of international law and even if that involves complicity with terrorists. But it's different when the shoe is on the other foot. 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). Hardly a day goes by without an ISIS-inspired attack somewhere in the world, as states appear ever more helpless. Recently, the man in charge of security in France stated bluntly that 'We'll be living with terrorism for the foreseeable future." That remark enraged the public, who took it for a lack of determination. But the minister was right for one very simple reason: terrorism is the result of runaway energy flows through the world-as-system. A system is a group of related elements in which a change in one element modifies the whole. In a system, energy organizes molecules to do work. Lack of energy leads to entropy, meaning that nothing happens. Between these two states is one which is 'just far enough from equilibrium' (or entropy) to keep the system working smoothly. It's also the ideal state for political systems, with potential conflicts resolved through negotiation. There are two kinds of systems: open and closed. Open systems are those which communicate with their environment, receiving a constant flow of energy/information and rejecting waste. Closed systems are those that do not communicate with their environment.. Oligarchical political systems - or kleptocracies - are closed systems that neither respond to inputs from society nor automatically recycle their waste. The expression 'stable state' is usually thought to mean one that is immobile. In fact, a stable state is "just far enough from equilibrium" to allow things to happen. But any number of factors can cause the flow of energy to increase to the point where change becomes uncontrollable, moving the system so far from equilibrium that it reaches a bifurcation, or tipping point, followed by dissipation and the creation of a new system at a higher or lower level of organization. The irreversible process that leads to a tipping point makes open systems unpredictable, and depending on their previous history, the resulting new level of organization may or may not represent a higher level of civilization. The current world situation is very far from equilibrium, a situation likely to continue for several years before bifurcating to a new level of organization. If we are living the 'history' that will eventually lead to the next tipping point, the result is not likely to be a higher level of civilization. The increase in terrorist attacks, both in number and location, result from the uncontrollable energy inherent in the war waged by the 'developed, Judeo-Christian white' world in order to secure the oil on which it runs, against the 'developing, brown, Muslim' world that largely owns it. The acceleration of energy through the world-as-system in the form of war provokes a corresponding acceleration of energy on the part of groups determined to put an end to victimization. Demonstrations of occupied Palestinians, Greek workers or American students also show that the planet is so far from equilibrium that bifurcations are inevitable. And here's the kicker: in physics, the arrow of time is irreversible, meaning that once popular discontent reaches a certain level, it will more likely lead to revolution than revert to a peaceful situation (otherwise known as putting the genie back in the bottle). Revolutions are catalysts that turn a state of extreme order into one of extreme disorder. The common-sense notion that the only way to end terrorism is to end the developed world's interference in the developing world, is confirmed by systems analysis. Viewing war and terrorism as runaway energy flows enables us to realize that we are all part of the same system and that we need to replace the uncontrollable energy of war and terrorism with negotiations, i.e., a higher level of open system that is just far enough from equilibrium to work smoothly, equalizing access to wealth. If we cannot do this, the tit for tat will continue. Reprinted from Campaign For America's Future (Image by CPR) Details DMCA Hillary Clinton has appointed Former Colorado Sen. Ken Salazar, a big supporter of TPP, to lead her transition team, should she be elected President. Politico has more, in Clinton campaign transition chief has pushed for TPP: "The new chairman of Hillary Clinton's transition team has been an outspoken supporter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and works for a firm that lobbied for trade policy issues as recently as this spring, a review of congressional lobbying records and articles shows. "[...] Salazar's employer since 2013, the law firm WilmerHale, has also been an active participant in the debate on Capitol Hill over TPP and other trade policy issues. In late 2014 the firm spent at least $30,000 lobbying for renewal of 'fast-track' Trade Promotion Authority and on issues related to the TPP on behalf of the Business Roundtable, an influential group of top executives from major U.S. corporations, the congressional disclosure database shows. More recently, between April and June of this year, it spent $50,000 lobbying on trade policy and regulatory issues more generally on behalf of the building materials company Owens Corning Corporation, records show." Salazar was also a member of the pro-TPP corporate front-group "Progressive Coalition for American Jobs." Two March, 2015 posts, "A Trade Campaign Built On Four Pinocchios" and "Deval Patrick, Others To Advise AstroTurf Pro-TPP/Fast Track Group" exposed this group as a pro-TPP front. Someone needs to ask Salazar and Clinton to explain what this says about Clinton's support/opposition to a lame-duck vote on TPP -- as well as future job-killing trade deals. Another accident, this one just a random release in Bay Area, California. (Image by open) Details DMCA Monarchical exploits initiated global shipping institutions. Monopolization and institutionalization expanded all around the world. The sun never set on the British Empire and other European monarchies violently tried to keep up. The world was becoming globally interdependent with global institutional entities. To question the authority of oligarchical institutions was a veritable death sentence in most places. To suggest that their power was not absolute and not absolutely derived via God, could get one absolved of life. Yet people the world over began to question. At first in whispers over tea and eventually people boldly and loudly questioned the institutions among them. People broke free from the shackles of fear holding their tongues. FACT: Caffeine is a psychoactive stimulant. In small doses it can have a positive effect on one's physical performance and stimulate mental focus. It also produces faster reaction time and heightened short-term memory. It is hypothesized that caffeine and the cafe were essential in the advent of free thinking and open communication of enlightened ideas, ideas of liberty. The cafe provided just the right stimulant, in just the right environment to enable discussion of questions. The cafe was a gathering place for the community to come together and communicate. The cafe may have been the first place where people openly proclaimed their resentment of monopolization and special privileges of the royalty, nobility and clergy. CAFFEINE HISTORY 3000 BC: Chinese began steeping and drinking tea. Yerba mate and cocoa consumed by South Americans for unknown thousands of years. ~1500 AD: The Sufis began to drink coffee to stay awake and meditate. December 1600: Queen Elizabeth I commissioned The British East India Company for expeditions to Asia. They were to seek out the best tea, opium and other spices to bring back to the British Isle. For years tea is so expensive only royalty partakes. 1601: The Company embarked as the world's first multinational corporation. It extorts, enslaves, and murders for profit until 1858. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. Step aside, Sam Spade. Move over, Philip Marlowe. You want noir? Skip the famed private eye novels and films of the 1930s and 1940s and turn to our present American world and to neighborhoods where the postman doesn't ring even once, but the police are ready to shoot more than once, often on the slightest excuse. It's a world that TomDispatch regular Judith Coburn, whom I've known since the Vietnam era when she was a war correspondent, enters regularly. It's her job. It may not be Afghanistan or Iraq, but in its own way, it's close enough. Think of Coburn as today's Sam Spade and let her take you deep into an American world in which justice couldn't be blinder. Tom America's Criminal Injustice System The Annals of a Private Eye By Judith Coburn Once upon a time, I was a journalist, covering war in Indochina, Central America, and the Middle East. I made it my job to write about the victims of war, the "civilian casualties." To me, they were hardly "collateral damage," that bloodless term the military persuaded journalists to adopt. To me, they were the center of war. Now, I work at home and I'm a private eye -- or P.I. to you. I work mostly on homicide cases for defense lawyers on the mean streets of Oakland, California, one of America's murder capitals. Some days, Oakland feels like Saigon, Tegucigalpa, or Gaza. There's the deception of daily life and the silent routine of dread punctured by out-of-the blue mayhem. Oakland's poor neighborhoods are a war zone whose violence can even explode onto streets made rich overnight by the tech boom. Any quiet day, you can drive down San Pablo Avenue past St. Columba Catholic Church, where a thicket of white crosses, one for every Oaklander killed by gun violence, year by year, fills its front yard. Whenever I tell people I'm a private eye, they ask: Do you get innocent people off death row? Or: Can you follow my ex around? Or: What kind of gun do you carry? I always disappoint them. Yes, I do defend people against the death penalty, but so far all my defendants have probably been guilty -- of something. (Often, I can only guess what.) While keeping them off death row may absolve me of being an accessory after the fact to murder, it also regularly condemns my defendants to life in prison until they die there. And I find spying on people their ex-spouses fantasize about killing much sleazier than actual murder. Finally, I'm a good shot, but I don't carry a gun because that's the best way to get shot. I work on the low-profile cases: poor people charged with murder, burglary, or robbery, who don't have the money for a lawyer or their own P.I. (I'm paid, if you can call it that, by the state.) Then people invariably want to know: How can you help defend a murderer? The law school answer is: the constitution guarantees everyone a fair trial. For me, however, if it's a death penalty case, it's simple: I'm against the death penalty no matter what the accused did (or didn't do). But in this age of stop and frisk, racial profiling, mandatory sentencing, the death penalty, and life without parole, not to mention execution-by-cop, the real answer is: I can't. Defend anybody, that is. Not really. I'm just a tiny cog in America's vast Criminal Injustice System. One of the lawyers I work for sometimes calls himself "just a potted plant." My defendants may be guilty -- but seldom of what they are charged with. They are rarely convicted of what they actually did and are never sentenced fairly. "He Snapped" One day recently, I was getting ready to hit the Oakland streets in search of a witness to a murder when I found in my email Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissent in the Supreme Court Case of Utah v. Strieff. It had been forwarded to me by a psychologist with whom I once worked on a death penalty case. Anyone lulled into thinking the new coalition of liberals and conservatives who hope to reform the criminal justice system will actually get somewhere should read Strieff. The facts are the following: a Salt Lake City cop was watching a home rumored to house methamphetamine dealers. When Edward Joseph Strieff left the house, the cop stopped him, questioned him, and checked his record. When the cop found a warrant for an unpaid parking ticket, he searched Strieff, found meth in his pockets, and arrested him for possession of drugs. In Strieff and other cases leading up to it, the Supreme Court has now decreed that evidence gathered in an illegal search isn't "the fruit of the poisoned tree" as Justice Felix Frankfurter put it in 1939, and so no longer must be suppressed. Even though gathered illegally, evidence can be used at trial against a defendant. Congress Switchboard: 202-224-3121 "Rob Kall has been the center of a vast, decentralized conversation for years, letting us hear in interviewees' own words the power of connection in every realm. His new book brings it all together, showing us that the old order is broken and fast being replaced from the bottom up. The old power elite may not know it yet, but millions of us -- organizers, artists, thinkers and doers -- have gotten the message. So should you, by reading Bottom-Up." Arlene Goldbard, author of The Culture of Possibility: Art, Artists & The Future By Steve Buckstein National Employee Freedom Week (NEFW, August 14-20, 2016), aims to educate union members across the country about their rights to opt out of union membership and stop paying some or all of their dues and fees to unions they do not support. NEFW has conducted various surveys of union members and union households over the last several years. One of this years significant findings is that a strong majority of union members nationwide agree that if members opt out of paying all union dues and fees they should represent themselves in negotiations with their employer. Over two-thirds of union members nationwide agree. By the same margin, 66.9% to 33.1%, Oregonian union members agree with this proposition. This would end the so-called free-rider problem unions hide behind (really a forced-rider problem), arguing that labor laws require them to continue representing workers even after they stop paying all dues and fees. Oregon labor law is similar to that of many states that dont allow individual workers to represent themselves if a union has organized their workplace. Now we know that two-thirds of Oregon union members want this to change. They want workers to be able to represent themselves, and they dont want to force unions to represent these non-dues payers. You would think the unions would be all over this solution, known as Workers Choice; but they arent. Unions want to be forced to represent all workers because under current labor law, states like Oregon that are not Right to Work states require that non-union members still contribute the non-political portion of dues to their unions to cover bargaining and representation costs. The unions want the money, pure and simple. A case heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in January (Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association) could have freed all public sector workers nationwide from paying compulsory union dues based on the argument that such compulsion violates their First Amendment rights to free speech and free association. Before the case could be decided, Justice Antonin Scalia died, leaving a four-four tie vote in the Court. This resulted in upholding a lower court decision denying ten California public school teachers their rights to be free of union compulsion. This union compulsion brings to mind the well-known statement by Thomas Jefferson, To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. That is what the Court left in place, the right of public sector unions to compel workers to fund the propagation of ideas they disbelieve. An Oregon initiative measure that would have allowed public sector workers to opt out of all union dues and represent themselves did receive a ballot title this year, but did not collect signatures to be placed on the November ballot. Backers were hoping that the national Friedrichs case would have made their effort unnecessary, but for various reasons they were unable to mount a successful campaign. It remains for future court decisions, or other political efforts, to end this union compulsion in Oregon and nationwide. Until that happens, National Employee Freedom Week will continue to bring this injustice to the attention of union members and the public. Steve Buckstein is Founder and Senior Policy Analyst at Cascade Policy Institute, Oregons free market public policy research organization. Google is ready to take on Apple's Face Time, Microsoft's Skype and Facebook's Messenger with its newly launched video chat app 'Duo'. "Today, we're releasing Google Duo - a simple 1-to-1 video calling app available for Android and iOS. Duo takes the complexity out of video calling, so that you can be together in the moment wherever you are," the company posted on its official blog. To get started on Duo, all you need is your phone number and you'll be able to reach people in your phone's contacts list. No separate account is required. The company claims that the video chat app will switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data automatically without dropping your call. Duo comes with a new feature called 'Knock Knock' which gives you a 'live video' of your caller before you take the call. The new app, originally announced in May, is being released as a free service for phones running on Google's Android operating system as well as Apple's iPhones. Google claims that all Duo calls are end-to-end encrypted. Contact Oyster Radio any time: We can be reached at 850-670-8450. You can also e-mail us at Indian forces shot five ppl in IHK SRINAGAR: Indian forces shot dead five people and wounded another 20 during protests in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK) on Tuesday, according to witnesses and security sources. The day also saw Indian police registering a sedition case against Amnesty International, a rights group, after some people allegedly raise anti-India slogans at its event in Bangalore on the weekend. In IHK, four people were killed in Aripanthan village after residents took to the streets to protest the aggressive tactics by members of the Indian forces during an overnight patrol designed to enforce a curfew. A resident said that a protester was killed immediately after members of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) opened fire and another three died of their injuries. At least 12 other protesters were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The identities of the four who died were not immediately known, but all were young men. Speaking on condition of anonymity, a security official said, A patrol party fired at the protesters. Four have died. Another protester was shot dead in Larkipora village in south Kashmir after residents clashed with paramilitary troopers, according to witnesses. A senior police officer in the region said that forces fired live rounds during the protests that left eight people injured. The deaths come a day after a total of eight innocent people were killed in a series of clashes and gun battles across the region. Meanwhile, Amnesty International denied that its staff made anti-nationalist comments at one of its events on Indian-held Kashmir after the rights group was slapped with sedition charges. Police in the southern Indian city of Bangalore filed the initial charges against Amnesty on Monday following complaints that event participants called for independence of Held Kashmir. Sedition charges, which carry a maximum penalty of life in prison, have been used previously against supporters of independence for IHK. No Amnesty International India employee shouted any slogans at any point, Amnesty International India said in a statement on Saturdays event in Bangalore. The focus of the event was squarely on allegations of human rights violations and the denial of justice in Jammu and Kashmir. Rights campaigners have long accused New Delhi of using the British-era sedition law to clamp down on dissent, although convictions are rare. The charges come as foreign charities are under intense pressure in India, with the government saying last year it has cancelled the overseas funding licences of around 9,000 non-governmental organisations in a major crackdown. The complaints were lodged with police by a Hindu nationalist student organisation, some 200 of whose members staged protests outside the Amnestys offices in Bangalore. We want the organisers and those who raised anti-India slogans to be arrested and jailed, student organiser Prem, who uses one name, told reporters, as police dragged scores into buses and vans to break up the rally. Bangalore police said they were probing the complaint and studying footage of the event at the citys United Theological College to identify those who shouted anti-India slogans. We have booked a case of sedition and rioting under various sections of the Indian penal code against Amnesty on a complaint that anti-India slogans were raised at an event it organised, Deputy Police Commissioner TR Suresh told AFP. In an earlier statement, Amnesty International said the police had been invited to monitor Saturdays event, at which Kashmiri families spoke of alleged abuses of relatives by security forces. The filing of a complaint against us now, and the registration of a case of sedition, shows a lack of belief in fundamental rights and freedoms in India, Amnesty International India chief Aakar Patel said. From Greg Swank, 12-4-2 You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the halls of our great Capitol back in 1963. As... Meteorologist Paul Douglas writes about Minnesota weather daily, trying to go beyond the "highs" and "lows" of the weather story to discuss current trends and some of the how's and why's of meteorology. Rarely is our weather dull - every day is a new forecast challenge. Why is the weather doing what it's doing? Is climate change a real concern, and if so, how will my family be affected? Climate is flavoring all weather now, and I'll include links to timely stories that resonate with me. Of course. You would have to be be barking mad to want to bring this rabble to NZ. But then socialists are mad by definition. It's not as if we don't have... National Geographic Cover story on 1990 Exxon Valdez oil spill. Garrett brought to National Geographic more journalistic (and sometimes controversial) stories, such as this January, 1990 cover story on the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Wilbur Bill Garrett, who methodically raised the standards for photography at National Geographic and pushed for coverage of timely and sometimes controversial subjects during his tenure as editor in the 1980s, died at his home on August 13, National Geographic has reported. He was 85. Garrett began pushing for a more photojournalistic approach to Geographic photography as soon as he joined the magazine as a photo editor in the mid 1950s. A protege of former editor Melville Bell Grosvenor, Garret served for a number of years under legendary director of photography Robert Gilka. By the early 1960s, Garrett had helped banish most of the staged photographs that dominated the magazines coverage throughout the 40s and 50s. He favored a straightforward documentary approach instead. And he pushed photographers with high expectations and sparing praise. [B]y and large good, he told Jim Blair of his 1961 take on Bulgaria, before adding that Blair had shot only a few outstanding pictures. In recounting that story in his biography titled Being There, Blair said, [Garrett] should have had a stamp made up stating that; it would have saved him the trouble of writing it so often. After he became editor of National Geographic in 1980, Garrett continued to push the magazineand its board of directorsin a more progressive direction with stories about AIDS, the Exxon Valdez oil spill (above), and other topics that were controversial at the time. He began to introduce much edgier stories, much more journalistic stories, and he got pushback from the board, says Cary Wolinsky, a former contributor. At times, there was blood on the floor. With Gilkas help, Garrett also continued to push the quality and style of Geographic photography, which had been predominantly literal and descriptive. He gradually gave more room to the distinctive visual voices of staff photographers and long-time contributors, among them William Albert Allard, David Alan Harvey, Jodi Cobb and other Geographic stars. At the same time, he saw the value of strengthening the photography presented by National Geographic by adding top freelance talent to complement the magazines roster of staff photographers, says Thomas Kennedy, who served under Garrett as director of photography in the late 1980s. Long simmering tensions between Garrett and Geographic board chairman Gilbert Grosvenor erupted in April, 1990, and Garrett was abruptly fired. The disagreements were partly over eyebrow-raising production costs, but mostly about philosophical differences between the two men. As Mr. Garrett took the magazine in a more realistic direction, an anonymous editor told The New York Times, Mr. Grosvenor wanted it to be like the old days, with a rosy view of the world. In National Geographics account of Garretts life and legacy, current director of photography Sarah Leen says, He helped to create a generation of highly accomplished photojournalists and photo editors whose influence can still be felt today. More information is available on National Geographics website. Residents of Sekyikrom in the Nsawam/Adoagyiri constituency in the Eastern region whose property were destroyed during the construction of the Nsawam-Kumasi by-pass have threatened to block the road if government continues to delay in making full payment of compensation to them. According to some of the affected residents who spoke to Peace FM in an interview today, only 8% of the compensation has been paid to some of the them since the year 2000. They said though the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) and the Land Valuation Board have completed the necessary documentation for the full payment of the compensation to them, the GHA continues to delay in fulfilling its promise. They complained of going through serious hardship as a result of the destruction of their properties (buildings). Source: Emmanuel Akorli/PeaceFM's Parliamentary Correspondent 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 new study of the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Marine Park has found that further protection may be needed to shield the reef against the impacts of climate change. Murdoch University led a collaborative study to map the most resilient sections of Ningaloo Reef. It showed that, while most of the important areas were already sufficiently protected within no-take sanctuary zones, some critical habitats were still missing out on protection. "Ningaloo Reef is the jewel in Western Australia's natural crown but one of the biggest threats it is facing is climate change," lead author Ms Harriet Davies said. "By ensuring the no-take sanctuary zones are protecting the most resilient areas of the reef, we would be doing the best we can to ensure Ningaloo's survival." The main finding of the study was that some existing sanctuary zones should be expanded to cover the deeper areas, mostly in the south of the marine park said Ms Davies, who undertook the research for her BSc Honours project at Murdoch University. The researchers used data from hyperspectral imagery, a technique that allows mapping of the depth, structural complexity and diversity of the reef. The researchers also analysed spatial habitat models and aerial survey data of human use of the reef. The research builds on previous work by Murdoch University and the Australian Institute of Marine Science, which mapped the biodiversity and human use of the marine park. "We assessed how exposed different sections of the reef would be to warming temperatures and increasing human activity," said co-author Professor Lynnath Beckley. "For example, some the least exposed areas (and thus more resilient areas) would be areas with high structural complexity, in deeper water or with more water movement, such as in reef passes". "The results should provide valuable decision support for the next review of the Ningaloo Marine Park management plan," said Professor Beckley. "One of the most pleasing aspects of this study was the collaboration between researchers at Murdoch University, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa." Explore further Drawing connections between Ningaloo and Great Barrier reefs More information: Harriet N. Davies et al. Integrating Climate Change Resilience Features into the Incremental Refinement of an Existing Marine Park, PLOS ONE (2016). Journal information: PLoS ONE Harriet N. Davies et al. Integrating Climate Change Resilience Features into the Incremental Refinement of an Existing Marine Park,(2016). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161094 Managing traffic the smart way for less congestion and better air quality. Credit: Telefonica Deutschland Fraunhofer IAO and Telefonica Deutschland are investigating how cell phone data could benefit traffic planning. Researchers at Fraunhofer IAO are carrying out a study to determine whether data from cell phone networks could offer a reliable source of information for traffic planning and an improvement over current data collection methods. Telefonica Deutschland is supporting the research project by providing anonymized cell phone data. Stuttgart is facing major challenges in regard to mobility and traffic. The city is struggling with congestion, excessive noise and stress, and there is a clear need to improve air quality. This deteriorating situation has prompted the state capital of Baden-Wurttemberg and a growing number of other cities to seek out new ways of optimizing transport planning and mobility management. Access to accurate transport data is one of the key prerequisites for taking concrete action. Collecting this data is a time-consuming business, however, and the results of these measurements frequently fail to reflect the huge variations in real-life situations. Creating anonymized mobility profiles using cell phone data This is where the intelligent analysis of cell phone data can make a big difference. This data is collected automatically during the normal course of business at Telefonica Deutschland for example when a cell phone communicates with a cell tower to make a call or surf the Web and it can be used to create anonymous mobility profiles. Using cell phone data for transport planning and design would be an economical option that would offer round-the-clock availability and relatively easy access to broad samples. What's more, the data could give cities the opportunity to tailor specific infrastructure projects more closely to people's real needs by providing more accurate information on when and where people travel. Fraunhofer IAO study to stretch over several months As part of a three-and-a-half month research project, Fraunhofer IAO is conducting a study to investigate whether mobility data is suitable for measuring traffic flows in cities and whether it is superior to other methods of collecting data. The first step is for the researchers to analyze the status quo of traffic measurement methods based on case studies and interviews with experts. The next step for the research team will be to shift their emphasis to Stuttgart by comparing the data from existing traffic surveys conducted in the region with the insights obtained from the city's cell phone data. One of the key things the researchers will be focusing on is the real-life variation caused by factors such as heavy rain or major events being held in the region. The hope is that this study will reveal how much potential this data source offers in comparison to other data collection methods. Data on the move from smartphone to anonymization to traffic measurement Telefonica Deutschland is the research partner who will be providing the required cell phone data. This data is anonymized in a three-step process certified by TUV Saarland, which ensures that customers' personal data is fully protected. This process makes it impossible to link the data to individual customers. Markus Haas, Chief Operating Officer of Telefonica Deutschland, hopes that the study will provide impetus for further projects in the field of advanced data analytics: "As a network operator, our core business yields huge quantities of data. We're pleased that such a prestigious institute is investigating whether we could contribute toward improving transport planning by analyzing this data." Stuttgart the perfect test city Back in 2013, Stuttgart's mayor Fritz Kuhn led an initiative which saw the state capital develop a new sustainable mobility action plan known as "Nachhaltig mobil in Stuttgart." The plan included details of the key measures to be taken by the local authorities in nine fields of action. This is exactly the kind of scenario where the Fraunhofer IAO study can provide vital information in regard to issues such as upcoming roadworks and the availability of public transport. Dr. Michael Munter, who heads up the strategic planning and sustainable mobility department at Stuttgart city council, explains why the study is important: "Many people understandably wish to have as much individual mobility as possible. We need to achieve an acceptable balance between people's individual mobility needs, environmental concerns, and the interests of the city and the people who live here. Our action plan to promote sustainable mobility in Stuttgart aims to highlight innovative urban mobility projects that have a promising future. That's why we're looking forward to getting the results from Fraunhofer IAO on how we can use cell phone data for transport planning and design in Stuttgart." The potential of data analytics for traffic and the environment Telefonica Deutschland hopes that the results of the study will provide it with further valuable insights for its work in the field of advanced data analytics. The telecommunications company is already running a pilot project in Nuremberg to investigate the extent to which air pollution can be calculated on the basis of cell phone data. The results of Fraunhofer IAO's project will provide further insights into the potential benefits of data analytics for transport and the environment. Prof. Anette Weisbecker, deputy director of Fraunhofer IAO, explains how the study will help: "It's a complex business getting precise measurements of traffic flows in cities. Our study will reveal the extent to which transport planners could use mobile phone data to achieve more accurate, efficient and cost-effective results." The study forms part of the broad array of research conducted by the Fraunhofer IAO in the mobility arena. The Institute is carrying out numerous studies to determine how people choose to be mobile, both now and in the future. It uses its expertise in this area to help companies and institutions introduce new business models and efficient processes. Explore further Full speed ahead for electric vehicles The kudzu bug, though small, decimates on average 20 percent of crop yields in South Carolina and Georgia. Credit: Maria Ortega. Adam Bray has spent a lot of time with kudzu bugs. "At night I would see them crawling when I closed my eyes," he jokes. The kudzu bug originated in east Asia and India and showed up in Georgia, Bray's home state, in 2009. And like its viney plant namesake, the kudzu bug has earned a negative reputation. "Everybody in Georgia knows about the kudzu bug," Bray says. Since the bug is attracted to white surfaces, "Anyone with a house painted white has tons of bugs all over it." The pest, with its piercing, sucking mouthparts, also brings a taste for soybean plants, a cash crop worth $40 billion a year in the United States. The bug's invasion has led to crop losses of almost 20% in states like Georgia and South Carolina. Bray's research through the University of Georgia investigated the bug's destruction of soybeansand how to protect the crop. Some wild relatives of soybean have developed resistance to insect pests after being exposed to them over the long term. The adapted plants have slowly built defense mechanisms against pests. Some damage a bug's ability to reproduce or to get enough nutrition. Others have altered their appearance, smell, or taste so bugs don't find them appetizing anymore. Bray carefully collects kudzu bugs for counting. Credit: Wayne Parrott. Bray hoped the soy wild relatives would also be able to protect themselves against the kudzu bug. Through his field experiment, Bray discovered that a few strains were able to fight the kudzu bug by limiting the ability of its nymphs, or young, to survive. Bray says the next step is to identify which gene gives the soybeans this defense mechanism. Scientists study plant resistance in the hopes of cultivating and nurturing plants that can survive the onslaught of pests without a heavy dose of chemicals. Not only is a plant's natural defense less toxic to the wider environment, it's less expensive. These are important factors to consider since insecticide use on soybeans quadrupled from 2004 to 2014. Bray also developed a kudzu bug damage rating for soybeans. This will help plant breeders and farmers get a picture of how resistant a particular strain is to the pest. "I wanted to develop a visual scale so that a soybean breeder could easily walk out into the field and say on a scale of one to 10 what's the most stem-damaged plant and what's the least," explains Bray. In order to develop the damage scale, Bray, with the help of many lab members, meticulously counted the number of kudzu bugs on each plant. In the past, researchers have shaken the plants over white sheets to count them. "But these guys fly around, so it's hard to get an accurate count," Bray says. His technique was to dip the plant in a bucket of water and immobilize the bug. "Going forward other breeders can just use our rating scale instead of counting every single bug." Despite this unpleasant task, studying the kudzu bug did have some perks. It allowed Bray to travel to China to learn from other scientists working with similar species. "The bug offered a lot of opportunities for me to learn, even if it's a pest," he said. Explore further Tracking the kudzu bug in Maryland More information: Adam L. Bray et al, Phenotyping Techniques and Identification of Soybean Resistance to the Kudzu Bug, Crop Science (2016). Adam L. Bray et al, Phenotyping Techniques and Identification of Soybean Resistance to the Kudzu Bug,(2016). DOI: 10.2135/cropsci2015.09.0536 A 1.2-metre diameter footprint of a dinosaur found in Maragua Marka Quila Quila, 64 km northeast of Sucre, Bolivia on August 8, 2016 It's not easy following in the footsteps of the largest animals ever to roam Earth. There are no roads or even footpaths to get to the spot in Bolivia where researchers recently discovered a huge dinosaur footprint measuring 1.15 meters (nearly four feet) wide. But Bolivian paleontologist Omar Medina hopes to turn this remote corner of southern Bolivia into a magnet of paleontology that will attract visitors from around the world. The enormous footprint, roughly 80 million years old, was discovered last month by local guide Grover Marquina, who specializes in fossil tours. It was left by an abelisaurid theropod dinosaur, a carnivorous biped that Medina estimates would have been about 15 meters tall. The size and quality of the print are "impressivenever seen before," Medina said. "It allows us to position ourselves as a mecca of paleontology." The footprint, which dates to the Late Cretaceous Period, is just the most recent find in Bolivia's Chuquisaca department, a hot bed of dinosaur fossils. Visitors can also see dozens of dinosaur footprints that appear to scale the wall of a cliff. They were in fact left when the sheer rock face was flat ground, before the churning of the Earth's plates turned it upright. Tourists look at dinosaur footprints at the Cal Orcko Cretaceous Park in Sucre, Bolivia on August 7, 2016 There are also fossils from what may have been the world's last glyptodon, an enormous armadillo-like animal that lived during the Pleistocene era (11,700 to 2.6 million years ago). "Every discovery is very important because every fossil we find isn't just another fossil, it's an icon for the world," Medina told AFP. Today, Chuquisaca sits in the landlocked South American country's southern highlands, but millions of years ago it was a hot coastal region. Paleontologists from around South America will visit Chuquisaca in October to study the region's fossil treasures. Bolivia is already known for the region's Cal Orcko Park, one of the world's largest beds of fossilized footprints, which has more than 10,000 prints left by nearly 300 species of dinosaur. But Maragua, where Marquina discovered the giant abelisaurid theropod print, is far more remote. "There are no basic services to bring people here to show them these paleontological riches," Marquina said. "We have to blaze a trail." Explore further Huge dinosaur footprint found in Bolivia 2016 AFP The Globe of Science and Innovation is seen at the entrance of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has launched an investigation into a video filmed at night on its Geneva campus depicting a mock ritual human sacrifice, a spokeswoman said Wednesday. The bizarre video which has circulated online for days shows several individuals in black cloaks gathering in a main square at Europe's top physics lab, in what appears to be a re-enactment of an occult ceremony. The video includes the staged "stabbing" of a woman. "These scenes were filmed on our premises, but without official permission or knowledge," a CERN spokeswoman told AFP in an email. "CERN does not condone this type of spoof, which can give rise to misunderstandings about the scientific nature of our work," she added. The "investigation" under way was an "internal matter", she said. The video has raised questions about security on CERN's campus. Asked to detail the security procedures surrounding access to the campus, the CERN spokeswoman said: "CERN IDs are checked systematically at each entry to the CERN site whether it is night or day." She further indicated that those responsible for the prank had access badges. "CERN welcomes every year thousands of scientific users from all over the world and sometimes some of them let their humour go too far. This is what happened on this occasion," the email said. The spokeswoman was not available to comment the possible identity of those responsible. Geneva police told AFP they had been in contact with CERN about the video but were not involved in an official investigation. CERN hosts machinery carrying out some of the world's most elaborate particle research, including an enormously powerful proton smasher trying to find previously undiscovered particles. Explore further CERN votes to admit Israel as newest full member 2016 AFP Mysterious hackers calling themselves the "Shadow Brokers" leaked online what appears to be classified NSA computer code The US National Security Agency, which gained international notoriety in 2013 after Edward Snowden revealed its data snooping techniques, has itself become the target of an apparent data breach. Mysterious hackers calling themselves the "Shadow Brokers" leaked online what appears to be classified NSA computer code. Several security experts told US media the code appears genuine, and Snowden said "circumstantial evidence" pointed to Russian involvement. As of Wednesday, the NSA still had not responded to multiple requests for comment. The hackers over the weekend posted two sets of files, one that is freely accessible and another that remains encrypted. The Shadow Brokers said they would release this additional information subject to raising 1 million Bitcoinsdigital currency, in this case worth about $575 millionthrough an online auction. According to the New York Times, much of the code was created to peer through the computer firewalls of foreign powers like Russia, China and Iran. Such access would enable the NSA to plant malware in rivals' systems and monitoror even attacktheir networks. Whoever obtained the code would have had to break into NSA servers that store the files, the Times said. Former NSA employees who worked at the agency's hacking division known as Tailored Access Operations told the Washington Post the hack appeared genuine. "Without a doubt, they're the keys to the kingdom," one former TAO employee told the Post. "The stuff you're talking about would undermine the security of a lot of major government and corporate networks both here and abroad," the employee was quoted as saying. Former NSA contractor Snowden, who has been living in Russia since leaking documents revealing the scope of the agency's monitoring of private data, said the hack could be a warning to the United States after Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign accused Moscow of hacking into Democratic National Committee emails. "7) Why did they do it? No one knows, but I suspect this is more diplomacy than intelligence, related to the escalation around the DNC hack," Snowden said in a series of more than a dozen tweets about the Shadow Brokers hack. "8) Circumstantial evidence and conventional wisdom indicates Russian responsibility. Here's why that is significant:" he added, explaining that the hack could be an effort to influence US officials wondering how aggressively to respond to the DNC hack. A website initially used by the group to publicize its hack had been taken down as of Wednesday morning. 2016 AFP An obituary was in our paper today for Richard "Dick" Paris, the local man who was at the helm of the Ethan Allen tourboat when it sank on Lake George in October 2005, killing 20 passengers. Paris was a retired state trooper, Army Ranger and had worked for Shoreline Cruises for more than two decades when the capsizing happened. His actions were intensely scrutinized, and he and the company ultimately pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for not having sufficient crew members on the boat. Despite the media firestorm that descended on him, Paris was always nice and congenial whenever I spoke with him. I always felt a little sad for him, frankly. People who knew him spoke highly of his State Police career and his character. He seemed like a nice guy who was put in a situation where he was a victim of circumstances, to a large degree. That boat never should have been on the water with anywhere near that many people on it, but had operated like that for decades. It was really a matter of time before its balance was thrown off and it went over if it continued to take that many people out. I never believed he was impaired, like some speculated. While he was known to frequent a local watering hole, as many of us do, the officers who I know who were on the scene with him that day have consistently said he did not appear to have been under the influence. (Blood tests nearly two days after showed no alcohol present, but urine tests indicated he had drank alcohol in the prior 80 hours). It was clear from talking to Paris occasionally after the capsizing that he was deeply affected, even devastated, by what happened, even years later. And really, from everything I know of what happened that day, it appeared he was just a man who was involved in a tragic accident, an accident that claimed 20 lives, but probably would have occurred no matter who drove that boat that day. -- Don Lehman As he runs for re-election, state Assemblyman Dan Stec, R-Queensbury, is being praised across the political spectrum for championing legislation to remove state pensions from corrupt government officials. Hes been out front on the pension forfeiture issue, which I applaud and I agree with, said Warren County Democratic Chairwoman Lynne Boecher, speaking specifically on that issue and not in the context of a candidate endorsement. Robin Barkenhagen, Stecs Green Party opponent, also praised Stec for his diligence on pension forfeiture, but said its only a first step in election reform. If hes really serious about ethics reform, then get behind publicly funded elections, said Barkenhagen, a retail shop owner and musician from Glens Falls. The Democratic Party did not field a candidate in the race. Barkenhagen said a state public campaign finance system, similar to a system already in place in Maine, would bring more candidates into the political system and reduce the influence of political donors. If you dont know who is funding your campaign, then youre not beholden to anybody, he said. Stec said he flatly rejects the concept of public campaign financing. Most people I have talked to, they reject the idea that they would be forced to have their tax dollars used for candidates that they completely disagree with that they find objectionable, he said. Barkenhagen said public funding already is used, essentially, to promote political candidates when incumbents send out Assembly office mailers during an election year. Assembly rules prohibit mailings 30 days before a primary or general election. Barkenhagen said publicly funded mailings should be prohibited once candidates file nominating petitions in early June. As a gentleman, I think once you have an opponent announced, that should be it (for publicly funded mailers). But as a legal standpoint, I would say once you are on the ballot, he said. Stec said he opposes a state public campaign finance system, even if it is state-managed but privately funded, as the federal presidential public funding system is. New York City has a public finance system on their elections. And I dont think anyone would try to make the argument that has cleaned up corruption issues and ethical issues in New York City, he said. Barkenhagen said the only way third parties can be viable is with a public campaign finance system. We need to see elections in a different light going forward, he said. Stec, a two-term incumbent, formerly was a Queensbury supervisor and town councilman. I ran on the record of establishing myself as a worker, a hard worker, that represents his constituents well and certainly not one to embrace status quo, he said. In the last four years, I have demonstrated that. Stec said he has successfully advocated for legislation to hold referendums on three constitutional amendments, the pension forfeiture amendment and three amendments relating to Adirondack Park land use. Barkenhagen previously ran for state Assembly in 2002 and received 624 votes to place fourth in a six-way race. Barkenhagen said he could be more effective than Stec in the Assembly by working with Democrats in the majority instead of against them. As a Green, I would do a better job of reaching compromise with the other side, he said. Stec said a minority party voice is important. The thing is you want someone who is able to challenge, he said. More people agreeing with the Democrats is not necessarily a good recipe for New York state. Stec said his endorsement from New York State United Teachers, a union that more often endorses Democrats, shows he can work across party lines. Barkenhagen and Stec disagree on legalizing recreational marijuana use. Barkenhagen said it would free up police manpower and funding to focus more on heroin- and opiate-related crime. If you remove marijuana from the taboo of being the same thing as heroin, then we can really start to discuss what needs to be done, he said. Stec opposes legalizing recreational marijuana use. Its a gateway drug, he said. The cops and the prosecutors, theyre all against it. The 114th Assembly District includes Warren, Essex and parts of Washington and Saratoga counties. Boecher, the county Democratic chairwoman, said a Democrat from Essex County explored entering the race, but decided against it because of a change in employment. She said neither Stec nor Barkenhagen has asked for the county Democratic Committees endorsement, and she is not personally endorsing a candidate. Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether Read more Russian giant Antonov An-124 air freighters are ready to take off Wednesday, Aug. 17, carrying an array of advanced S-400 and S-300 air defense missiles bound for the new Russian air base just completed at Noji, 50 km from the western Iranian town of Hamedan (Biblical Shushan). Moscow is getting set to explain to concerned Americans and Israelis that the sophisticated missile systems will not be put in Iranian hands but serve exclusively for defending he new Russian air base just established in Noji to house heavy bombers for air strikes against Islamist terrorists in Syria. This is the first time since the 1979 Islamic revolution that Iran has allowed a foreign military to set up a base on its soil. Widely reported by the Western media Tuesday were the first sorties of Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 tactical bombers from the new Iranian air base for what the Russian Defense Ministry designated concentrated airstrikes against Islamic State and Islamist Nusra Front ammunition depots and command-and-control centers in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir Ez-Zour and Construction work on the Noji air base began in the second week of July. Joint Russian-Iranian engineering teams extended the existing landing strips to accommodate the heavy Tupolev 22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 escort fighters. They also set up maintenance workshops and living quarters for the Russian air and ground crews. Russia deployed Tupolev Tu-22M3 supersonic long-range strategic bombers to the Hamadan airfield in Iran to cut flight times, increase bomb capacity and improve response capabilities of its aircraft taking part in the operation to liberate Aleppo since the outcome of this battle could well determine the future of Syria. The Tu-22M3 deployment "does not merely help to save time and fuel," Svobodnaya Pressa reported . "Missions launched from the Hamadan airfield allow Russian aircraft to significantly increase bomb capacity of each plane." They are estimated to be capable of carrying three times greater payload. On August 15, an undisclosed number of the Tupolev Tu-22M3s and the Sukhoi Su-34s left the airfield in the Russian town of Mozdok located in the Republic of North OssetiaAlania and landed at the Hamadan airfield in Iran. Some have questioned why the Tu-22M3s bombers were not deployed to Hmeymim since the Russian airbase in Syria is closer to Aleppo then Hamadan . The reason is simple. The Tu-22M3s are too heavy to use the airstrip in Hmeymim. But the base played a major part in the latest counterterrorism offensive. The Su-30SM and Su-35S aircraft that provided cover for the Russian bombers deployed to Iran took off from the base in Syria. This tactic paid off. On August 16, Russian airstrikes destroyed five large ammunition depots with weapons, munitions and fuel, as well as militant training camps near the cities of Serakab, Al-Ghab, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor cities. In addition, Russian bombers razed to the ground three command and control centers near the cities of Jafra and Deir ez-Zor. A "significant number of militants" were killed in what the Russian Defense Ministry described as a "concentrated airstrike." Russian Su-34 strike fighters deployed at the Hamadan airbase in Iran carried out airstrikes against Daesh targets in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor and destroyed two command centers, a Daesh training camp. Some 150 Daesh terrorists, including foreign fighters, have been killed as a result of Russia's strikes on Wednesday, the ministry said. "On August 17, 2016, Russian Su-34 bombers carried out strikes from the Hamadan airfield on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran against targets of the Daesh terrorist group in the province of Deir ez-Zor . Aircraft carried h igh-explosive bombs OFAB - 500 . " All aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces returned to their home bases after carrying out airstrikes on Daesh targets in Deir ez-Zor, the ministry said. "The Su-35S aircraft based at the Hmeymim airbase [in Syria] provided fighter-bomber air cover for the bombers. After successfully conducting combat missions, all Russian aircraft returned to their home bases." The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed on Tuesday that it had deployed Tu-22M3 bombers and Su-34 strike fighters in Iran and these aircraft have already been used to carried out airstrikes against Daesh in Syria. The Su-34 fighter-bomber has been tested in the war against Islamist radicals in Syria where the aircraft arrived among the first Russian forces in 2015. ABC/Randy HolmesNext year, Eric Church will forego an opening act on his Holdin My Own tour, but that was not the case at one of his recent sold-out shows at Red Rocks in Colorado. In the starting spot? Burning House hitmaker Cam. Calling her one of his favorite artists out right now, Eric also brought the California native onstage to do his single Like Jesus Does with him. Ive belted out his songs in my car for the past four years, Cam confesses, and his album Chief hasnt left the car since it came out. So to find myself actually harmonizing with Eric onstage thats a memory Ill carry with me forever. Cam also injected a little of her signature style into the show, sporting aviators and a leather jacket in her trademark shade of yellow to emulate Erics standard fashion choices. You can check out their collaboration in a YouTube video uploaded by a fan. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. Shipping lines such as Pacific International Line (PIL), Maersk Line, Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), CMA CGM, Arkas Lines and UASC want to impose an average $150 as a Terminal Handling Charge for 20-footer container and $265 for a 40-footer. The Ministry ordered the suspension of the THC last week after a meeting with ship owners and agent association. In a petition to the ministry, the coalition said the "THC would cost the already burdened Ghanaian shippers over $78 million per year and, knowing the history of these local charges, this figure will definitely increase astronomically." READ MORE The ministry further directed the Maritime Authority to constitute a committee to investigate the issue. Sampson Asaki Awingobite, Chief Executive of Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, confirmed the development in a media interview. He told Citi FM we are very much surprised that some shipping line companies were still collecting fees of the THC. According to the Chairman of the IFS capital management limited, Mr. Samuel Kwadjo Agyapong Appenteng, returns on banking stocks keeps dwindling, adding that debtors are not honouring their debt obligations which makes banking stocks risky. READ MORE You know historically the banks were quite a juicy area, he told Citi FM. But the way the economy has performed over the last couple of years or so, youd find that banks are having a huge NPLs [Non Performing Loans] which means that their performances is beginning to have challenges. He continued: Debtors are not really honouring their obligations so it is an area we find risky at this point. Eight local insurance companies who run the risk of losing their license, while 10 out of the 46 insurance companies operating in the country are yet to meet the recapitalisation requirements. Deputy Commissioner at the National Insurance Commission, Simon Nerro Davor says the commission will not hesitate to revoke the license of the companies should they fail to meet the recapitalization requirements. As at now we are of the view that any insurance company who is not able to meet the minimum requirement which was issued in our solvency framework last year by the end of the third quarter of this year, we will have to take action against. Sheas most valuable part however is the shea butter and its derivatives exported in large volumes to France, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Denmark, North America and Japan where it is processed into a wide range of food products including chocolate as well as the ever increasing use in the cosmetic industry. In the 2000s shea butter became one of the six vegetable fats allowed by the EU to serve as a Cocoa Butter Equivalent (CBE) for use in the manufacturing of chocolates. Sheas advantage in the use as CBE stems from the fact that it has the characteristics to increase the melting point of chocolates. Typically, shea trees grow naturally in eighteen different countries which include: Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Chad Cameroon, Central African Republic, Uganda, Congo, Kenya and Sudan. READ MORE:ADB Four Simple steps to acquire funding for your Agric venture The Agricultural Development Bank has provided financial intermediation to actors in the shea value chain. At the center of ADBs shea financing is the support to two major sister processors, International Oil and Fats Limited and Ghana Nuts Limited situated at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region to purchase and process shea nuts into shea butter and subsequent fractionation into stearin, olein and gum. Support to these processors has increased demand for shea nuts, enabling women in the North to easily sell their picks at more competitive prices. The bank has also provided financing to a number of aggregators to purchase the shea nuts from the pickers for sale to both exporters and processors. Aggregators such as K. Issah Nut Trading Enterprise and MM AWAL Limited have been financed to act as offtakers to several pickers. ADB has so far invested about US$15.0 million in the shea value chain and would continue to increase its investment, taking cognizance of the special role the crop plays in poverty alleviation especially in the three Northern Regions. This is according to the latest report by the Media Foundation for West Africas (MFWA) media ethics monitoring project which is aimed at encouraging people to be measured in their use of language by naming and shaming those who use abusive languages on media airwave. A member of the NPP communication team Hopeson Adoye and a member of the National Labour Party (NLP) Listowel Nana Poku topped the list of individuals who used intemperate languages during the month of July with 5 indecent comments each. The report also named Accra-based Happy FM and Montie FM, as the worst offender of ethical desecrations on their platforms with 7 indecent languages each out of the 44 indecent expressions recorded; followed by Zaa Radio and Okay FM with 4 each. The 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 Supreme Court judges who sat on the Abu Ramadan and Gary Nimako versus the Electoral Commission case. But the former Attorney General believes the Supreme Court was wrong in jailing the three as the act in question occurred outside court. I take the humble view that even though the courts powers for committing for contempt of themselves have often been described as almost arbitrary, that may only approximate the truth when one is dealing with contempt committed in facie curiae in the face of the court or in court, so to speak to be dealt with on the spot. However, when the contempt is a criminal contempt committed ex facie curiae (out of Court) the Court has no power or authority under the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by 1992 Constitution to proceed as the complainant, prosecutor, judge and jury in its own cause. The trial must be adversarial and comply with due the process of law of a fair trial. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution, he said in an opinion piece copied to citifmonline.com. He believed lawyers for the contemnors failed to argue out the case of their clients properly in respect of their constitutional rights. Below is the full statement: MONTIE FM CRIMINAL CONTEMPT MARTIN AMIDUS TAKE INTRODUCTION I read pieces of what has now become popularly known as the Montie 3 contempt of court contempt proceedings, convictions, and sentencing ruling and decision or orders on the web particularly the Ghana Web. True to my self- imposed embargo upon the demise of my dear mother on 6th March 2016 to mourn her and stay out of the eyes of the media for some time, I defied the temptations put on my path by media houses and fellow citizens insisting on hearing my comment or urging me to proffer my written views on those proceedings. I excused myself with not having read the sentencing ruling and decision of the Supreme Court. A contemporary of mine at Law School and in Government baited me by e-mailing to me scanned certified true copies of both the sentencing ruling and decision with the request that I acquaint him with my opinion of the case after I had read it. This paper is the result of that understanding. I have consequently read a certified true copy of the sentencing ruling, and the decision in the Owners of the Station Montie FM criminal contempt of court case and come to the considered conclusion that it raises several issues of constitutional, professional, and public importance. It is beyond argument that the Supreme Court is clothed with the power to commit for contempt of itself under the 1992 Constitution. But the same Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court to exercise all its powers in accordance with the due process of law and to respect the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under it. I take the humble view that even though the courts powers for committing for contempt of themselves have often been described as almost arbitrary, that may only approximate the truth when one is dealing with contempt committed in facie curiae in the face of the court or in court, so to speak to be dealt with on the spot. However, when the contempt is a criminal contempt committed ex facie curiae (out of Court) the Court has no power or authority under the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by 1992 Constitution to proceed as the complainant, prosecutor, judge and jury in its own cause. The trial must be adversarial and comply with due the process of law of a fair trial. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution. I came to the conclusion that the lawyers for the accused persons did not help the Court and the accused persons when they failed or refused to raise all the constitutional and legal defences against the charges and arraignment processes. They led their all trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticize the Court for interfering with the contemnors right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court. I also take the further view that if the lawyers for the accused persons had insisted on the constitutional rights of the accused person to a fair trial throughout the proceedings the situation where the ambiguous 1st contemnor called Owners of the Station Montie FM was transformed into Network Broadcasting Company Limited, and Zee Zee Media Limited and each director and officer of the corporate persons hauled individually, arraigned and personally convicted in addition to the conviction of each company would have been avoided. THE LAWYERS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ACCUSED AND TO THE COURT It does not appear from the sentencing ruling of the Supreme Court that the lawyers for the accused contemnors raised any preliminary objection, at the arraignment of the accused to plead to the criminal contempt charges, to the lack of constitutional jurisdiction in the Court to try the accused persons inquisitorially. The lawyers responsibility to the court and to his client is to put up all the best objections and defences for his client. The Court could have been persuaded that the non-adversarial manner by which it had brought the contemnors to the Court was inconsistent with the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) thereof. The outline of the argument could have been that the process by which the contemnors were brought to the Court deprived them of their right to a fair trial under Article 19 of the Constitution as the process adopted by the Court presumed them guilty contrary to clause 2(c) thereof which enjoins that he be presumed to be innocent until he is proved or has pleaded guilty. It could also have been contended that the summary manner the Court was proceeding was depriving the contemnors of their constitutional right to be informed in detail of the nature of the offence charged and consequently being deprived of adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence contrary to sub-clauses (d), (e), and (g) of Article 19(2) thereof. It could further have been submitted to the Court that the manner it was proceeding summarily in the criminal contempt by calling upon the contemnors to show cause why they should not be committed for criminal contempt of court offends Article 19(10) which enjoins that: No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial. The Court could have been reminded that Article 19(12) of the 1992 Constitution makes only one exception for the Court when trying criminal contempt of court by excluding only the application of Article 19(11) which requires that: no person shall be convicted for a criminal offence unless the offence is defined and the penalty for it prescribed in a written law. It would have been obvious to the Court that if the framers of the Constitution had intended the courts to try offences of criminal contempt inquisitorially contrary to the other guaranteed fair trial clauses of Article 19 of the Constitution they would have specifically said so in Article 19(12). The foregoing submission could have been inextricably interwoven with submissions on the guaranteed freedom of speech and expression which includes the freedom of the press and other media under Article 21(1)(a) of the Constitution. It could have also been contended that the inquisitorial approach of the discredited Star Chambers of old in punishing non-adversarially for criminal contempt have not only be discarded in all civilized democratic countries but that Articles 12 and 33(5) of the Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court of Ghana to protect, defend and guarantee the rights, duties, declarations, and guarantees not specifically mentioned which are considered to be inherent in a democracy and intended to secure the freedom and dignity of man. It could have been submitted with the aid of decided cases (including the Supreme Courts Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others: Ex Parte Attorney-General [1995-96] 1 GLR 377) that even the Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence which we inherited has long considered prosecutions for criminal contempt as being inconsistent with rights inherent in a democracy let alone an inquisitorial approach long discarded by our colonial masters who introduced us to it. In accordance with the doctrine of judicial precedent the case of the Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu alone would have provided material on which to anchor strong constitutional and legal arguments why the procedure by which the contemnors were brought to the Court was unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Courts jurisdiction under the Constitution. The case of the Republic v Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 could also have been persuasive. These are examples of ex facie contempt tried adversarially and not inquisitorially. The Liberty Press Ltd case upon which the Supreme Court apparently relied in formulating parts of its sentencing ruling and the binding Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu case, which the Court overlooked, show that the trial of any charge of criminal contempt of court partakes of the same characteristics as the trial of any other criminal offences with the prosecution having the burden of proving the guilt of the accused persons beyond a reasonable doubt including all the presumptions of innocence etc. These cases would have been helpful in formulating the submission to the Court as a preliminary objection to the inquisitorial summons by which the contemnors or the accused persons were brought before the Court. In the very scheme of our Constitution, the Court would have been compelled to decide the preliminary objection to the inquisitorial procedure adopted to try the contemnors for the offences charged. The beauty of our judicial process is that the Court even if it overruled all the preliminary objections would have been compelled to assign considered reasons for rejecting them. The ruling or judgment will be a public testament of the Courts decision in such important Constitutional and democratic matters to which the justices will eternally be judged. No court or judge wants to be associated with indefensible rulings touching the fundamental rights and freedoms in democracies such as ours. Both the legal arguments or submissions, and the courts ruling act as a restraining factor on the contempt of court powers which have already been recognized as being arbitrary. The lawyers in Liberty Press Ltd, and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu knew this and took their chances and even though the accused in the Liberty Press Ltd case later changed their pleas to guilty and those in the Mensa-Bonsu case eventually lost the trial the public and the legal profession will continue to judge the conduct of the justices in those cases. The preliminary objection to the procedure and the charge of criminal contempt has nothing to do with the guilt or innocence of the contemnors. The accused person had a constitutional right to challenge the Republic in whose name the crime of criminal contempt was being prosecuted by the trial court on its own motion to prove his guilt adversarially and beyond a reasonable doubt. The lawyers unfortunately failed or refused to discharge their responsibilities to the accused persons and to the Court. THE RULING AND SENTENCING DECISIONS OF THE COURT The contempt for which the accused persons were hauled to the Court was committed ex facie curiae out of court. I was consequently interested in the title of the criminal contempt case. Contempt of scandalizing the court with which the accused persons were charged is a criminal offence and like all criminal offences must under Article 88 of the Constitution be prosecuted in the name of the Republic and by the Attorney-General or any other person authorized by him in accordance with law. But because the Court had assumed the arbitrary power of being the complainant, prosecutor, and judge in its own cause the title of the case was Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako vrs. 1. Electoral Commission 2. The Attorney General, In Re: 1. The Owners of the Station Montie FM, 2. Salifu Maase @ Mugabe (3) Alistair Nelson (4) Godwin Ako Gunn as though the criminal contempt was committed in facie curiae. In the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 and Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others both of which were ex facie curiae contempt, the prosecution for contempt was initiated and conducted by the Attorney General in the High Court and the Supreme Court respectively and gave the accused persons the right to a fair trial. The reason why the appropriate procedure promotes fairness and justice was aptly indicated in the ruling of Akufo-Addo CJ (as he then was) sitting as an additional High Court judge as follows: In so far as my decision embodies any general conclusions affecting the jurisdiction of the courts in contempt matters, it is referable only to contempt ex facie curiae (out of court) as distinct from contempt in facie curiae which is always dealt with on the spot, so to speak, without any intervention of the Attorney-General applying for a writ of attachment. The Supreme Court in Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu underscored the difference between contempt in the face of the court and the prosecution of ex facie criminal contempt of court cases and arrived at the same conclusion. Regrettably such an important issue was not raised by the accused persons as a preliminary point to jurisdiction at their arraignment. And as the ruling shows the Court was exasperated by the Attorney-Generals lack of responsiveness to the execution of her constitutional duties that it decided unwittingly to treat the matter as though the contempt was committed in court and was being dealt with on the spot so to speak. In the rulings in Liberty Press Ltd, and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu the rulings adequately state not only the charges but also in detail the particularly of the charges faced by the accused persons. The sentencing ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case does not state the particulars (let alone in detail) of the nature of the offences charged, to have enabled the accused persons to have known the details of their crime to enable them plead knowingly to the charges. It only states that they were brought before the court for contempt of court on three grounds namely: (a) Scandalizing the court (b) Defying and lowering the authority of this court and (3) Bringing the authority of this court into disrepute. What is stated as three separate offences are not mutually exclusive offences one of the other and without detailed particulars accompanying each offence the charges were on their face bad for duplicity and also inconsistent with Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution on fair trial. Reading the sentencing ruling of the Court one gets the impression that the summons for the accused persons and the directors and officers of the two corporations to appear before the Court to answer the allegations of criminal contempt did not contain particulars of the contumacious words, the date and the venue at which they were spoken or broadcast so as to enable the accused persons to be informed in detail of the nature of the offences charged in accordance with Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution. The lack of particulars of the crime to the accused persons is brought out in the ruling when the Court stated that it was shocked and saddened to hear each of the directors as well as their Company Secretary say that, until a recording of the offending programme was played in Court they had not listened to nor heard the reprehensible utterances, despite the fact that, for a couple of weeks both the print media and radio stations had been full of discussions of the diatribe that was aired by their station, Montie FM. Far from being an indictment on the accused persons it demonstrates that they were arbitrarily hauled before the Court without any semblance of the due process of law in criminal justice administration as mandated by the Constitution. Their criminal charges were clearly bad for lack of particulars at arraignment. It follows from the foregoing that the constitutional rights of the accused person under Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution enjoining the Court that the accused be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence was also violated. Owners of the Station Montie FM not legal persons for personal service of chargs The first contemnor in the Montie case is called: Owners of the Station Montie FM and not even simply Montie FM. It is trite learning that because criminal contempt can be proceeded against only natural or legal persons as defined in our laws the names of each of the accused persons must be specifically and unambiguously stated in each count and detailed particulars of the charge provided to the accused. It is also trite law that in criminal contempt proceedings each accused person must be served personally with the summons, motion or process to appear before the court. The name Owners of the Station Montie FM is not the name or names of any person who could have been served personally with the summons or processes for criminal contempt ordered by the court which was making its own complaint, prosecuting same, judging same and being jury for same. How parties are summoned to a court is as important, and part and parcel of the delivery of justice under our constitutional protection of human rights and freedoms binding upon the Court. The Court recognized in its ruling that there were no natural or legal persons called Owners of the Station Montie FM upon whom service of the notices or summons for contempt could have been personally served. This was why the ruling of the Court states that the court summoned the directors and secretary of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd because, as owners of Motie FM, the company provided the physical facilities for the contemptuous statement to be aired to the public and it is the directors and officers who answer for it when it is held in contempt. The Court then states the fact that for an unincorporated body the members of the body answer for it. The Court supports its conclusions as follows: Hence in the case of the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd (supra), it was the Managing Director of the Liberty Press Ltd, the printer and 28 professors and lecturer who were members of Legon Society on National Affairs, publishers of Legon Observer, who answered for the publication in that magazine that scandalized the judiciary. That is what happened in Liberty Press Ltd with the difference that each of the 28 professors who were members of the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs were specifically named and served personally with the criminal contempt process the pursuant notices to each appear to answer the charges against them. The Managing Director of Liberty Press Ltd represented the legal person Liberty Press Ltd and not each of the directors and officers of Liberty Press Ltd under the name Owners of the Printing Press Liberty Press Limited. A careful reading of the ruling of the Supreme Court in Owners of the Station Montie FM leaves one in no doubt that the Network Broadcasting Co. Lt. or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd referred to in the ruling were never served personally with any processes for criminal contempt of court to commence any contempt proceedings against them. One walks away with the unavoidable impression that when the Supreme Court decided to summon the suspects called Owners of the Station Montie FM before it, the Court did not even know the legal status of Montie FM or the specific identity of its owners and therefore resorted to the arbitrary power of fishing at large for whosever would be caught by the phraseology the Owners of the Station Montie FM. It then discovers that two limited liability companies Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd own the physical infrastructure and frequency respectively. The Court then proceeds to summon the Secretaries and directors of the two companies without apparently first formally summoning and serving the two companies in name as accused contemnors. Such fishing by the Court for evidence of identity of the accused persons is clearly unconstitutional. The ruling cites Liberty Press Ltd as an example and to justify the manner it summoned the Secretaries and Directors of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd to appear before it. Unfortunately the analogy flies in the face of reason. In Liberty Press Ltd on which the Court relied for its propositions of law the Managing Director is the only person stated in the report of that ruling to have represented the company. It is axiomatic that once there was a Managing Director the company also had a Board of Directors and other officers but they were not summoned as it was superfluous for them to appear before the court individually and personally to answer the companys charges of criminal contempt. Harry Zakour is recorded on the sentencing decision of the Court made on 27th July 2016 as present for 1st Contemnors The Owners of the Station Montie FM. The Supreme Court both in the sentencing ruling and decision recognize that: It is trite law that where a corporation is held in contempt of court, it is the directors and officers who answer for it, since they constitute the human face of the legal entity and consequently made the following orders in respect of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd: 3. Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd are each hereby ordered to pay a fine of GH30, 000.00 by close of 28th July 2016. The officers of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd shall be respectively held personally liable to imprisonment for any failure to comply with any of these orders. The second sentence in the decision or order No. 3 is superfluous because it merely states what the law in respect of the liability of all corporations for contempt is. But the person convicted is the company as the decision of the Court shows. It is also trite law that incorporated companies in contempt of court are fined and not imprisoned because the artificial legal person represented by the company is a notional concept and not physically available for imprisonment. But it is also trite law that whosoever pleads to a charge of contempt of court on behalf of such a legal person does so with proper authority to represent the company. A corollary of the trite law referred to by the Court is that the legal person in contempt is the company and not its officers who are only vicariously liable for paying the fines or going to prison on behalf of the company. From the Supreme Courts own statement of the law in Liberty Press Co Ltd the directors and officers of a company are not personally the contemnors as was the case with the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs where each of the 28 professors and lecturers who were its members were individually charged and pleaded to the charge in person and were individually convicted. The position would have been the same even if Montie FM was said to be an unincorporated body. The corporations and not its officers individually would still be the owners. Consequently, any disclosure in the record of proceedings in Owners of the Station Montie FM showing that each of the directors and officers of the corporations were individually summoned by the Court and forced to each plead to the charges against the corporation in person and each convicted is clearly a violation of statement of the trite law by the Court and also of the 1992 Constitution. Ato Ahwoi the Endnote The foregoing analysis and statement of the triteness of the law by the Court itself on this matter is what makes it absurd that the sentencing decision of the Supreme Court has an end note stating that one of the Directors of the 1st Contemnor in the person of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, who was absent on the days the matter was heard, appeared and pleaded liable with explanation. Mr. Ato Ahwoi by the Courts own statement of the law is a director of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, a legal person in its own right. Without any evidence that the company was properly served with contempt proceedings, an authorized representative of the company had already appeared before the Court and pleaded on behalf of the company upon which the company had already been convicted. After the conclusion of the sentencing the Network Broadcasting Company Limited and the other contemnors for criminal contempt of court, the Court is informed that one of the directors who was absent from the jurisdiction is in court in obedience to an order or request by the court that all directors of the company should appear before the Court apparently so that they will know how the legal person they collectively represent is to be dealt with. Without further ado the Court takes the plea of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, a director of the already convicted and sentenced Network Broadcasting Company Limited without any record that the charges were read and explained to him. There is also no record in the end notes which represents the record of proceedings on this director, Mr. Ahwoi, to show that he was represented by a lawyer or that he had opted to represent himself in person. He pleads guilty with explanation. At worst this plea of guilty with explanation on the triteness of the law was being entered by Mr. Ato Ahwoi on behalf of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited which had already been convicted and sentenced before he was called upon in the end note to plead again to an offence which had already been dealt with. The Court without giving any reasons why the explanation of Mr. Ato Ahwoi constitutes an unequivocal plea of guilty convicts him in the following words: By Court: Mr. Ato Ahwoi is hereby convicted on all the charges on his own plea of liability. The purported conviction of Mr. Ato Ahwoi as a director for an offence which the limited liability company in which he is a director had already been convicted and sentenced to a fine of GH30,000. 00 is a fundamental error of law that has occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice to him. The triteness of this law is that once the trial, conviction and sentencing of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited had been completed the Network Broadcasting Company Limited could not under Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution be charged with the same offences again. It follows that Mr. Ato Ahwoi who was merely one of the directors of the company benefits from the immunity acquired by the company and could not also be tried personally for the same offence a second time. Regrettably, and unfortunately, because the Supreme Court choose to prosecute and judge a contempt ex facie curiae by itself, it unwittingly failed to allow Mr. Ato Ahwoi the basic right to a lawyer before taking his plea, follow the due process of law, and convicted him when it should have been trite that he was being put in double jeopardy for the same offence after the earlier conviction and sentencing of the company for which he is director. It is instructive that after purporting to convict Mr. Ato Ahwoi, the Court found itself unable to sentence him personally for the alleged criminal contempt of court. The purported arraignment and personal conviction of Mr. Ahwoi as a director of the company in addition to the earlier conviction of the company itself was inconsistent with and in contravention of Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution. Precedent of the Presidential Election Petition Contempt Convictions There are those who would be tempted to raise the issue of the purported convictions for criminal contempt in the Presidential Elections Petition of persons from the two largest political parties in Ghana as precedent for the Courts procedure in this case as well. My answer to them is that if those proceedings also suffered from the same violations of the 1992 Constitution as I have demonstrated in this paper then those convictions were inconsistent with provisions of the Constitution and also void. In this regard the wisdom contained in the dissenting opinion of the late eminent and very distinguished Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Justice Adade, in Bilson v Apaloo [1981] GLR 24 at 69-70, comes to mind. He said that: .But it is said that the Court of Appeal has been sitting five all the time, and no one has raised a finger. That does not mean that a finger can never be raised. It has been raised now, and we cannot force it down. If in my reckoning, an error was committed then, there is no reason why that error should be perpetuated simply because it has been done with impunity in the past. Public policy and commonsense pleaded by the defendant, cannot be suffered to oust the operation of what, in my view, are the clear prescription of constitutional provision. I say also that in so far as the Supreme Court did not avert its mind to the constitutional standards laid down in the criminal contempt case of Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu on the procedure and burden of proof for the criminal contempt of scandalizing the court, the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case was rendered in disregard of the Courts own previous and binding decision. In accordance with Article 129(3) of the Constitution the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM was given per incuriam and consequently void under the Constitution. The Common law Tradition I wrote a case review in the 1989-90 Review of Ghana, at pages 317-337 on Bail in Murder Cases in which I argued that the prohibition allegedly imposed by section 96(7)(a) of Act 30 on the granting of bail to accused persons in murder and related offences were unconstitutional and void under the 1979 Constitution, and could not have been revived by the abrogation of that Constitution. The Supreme Court came to the same conclusion this year in Martin Kpebu v Attorney-General, 5th May 2016, several years after my case comment. What I said in that case comment defending the liberty of the individual to a fair trial seems appropriate even today to bear repetition. I wrote amongst other things that: .It would be a sad day in the legal history of Anglo-Ghanaian jurisprudence when the liberty of the individual becomes a clarion call for anarchy or a means of seeking judicial self-glorification per se. Mr. Justice Cardozos admonishment to judges of the common law tradition not to be knight-errants ought to be remembered by all those whose business is to judge. In pointing out the difference between le phenomine Magnaud and justice according to law he said: The judge, even when he is free, is still not wholly free. He is not to innovate at pleasure. He is not a knight-errant, roaming at will in pursuit of his own ideals of beauty or goodness. He is to draw his inspiration from consecrated principles. He is not to yield to spasmodic sentiments, to vague and unregulated benevolence. He is to exercise his discretion informed by tradition, methodized by analogy, disciplined by system, and subordinated to the premodial necessity of order in social life. THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY PRESIDENTIAL PARDON I find the immediate resort by the lawyers for the contemnors to petitioning the President for pardon for the contemnors revolting having regard to the context of the case, the background of the contemnors, and their association with the Government of the day. It embarrasses and encumbers the Presidential power of mercy which he may exercise in respect of any conviction for crime including the offences constituting criminal contempt of court after consultation with the Council of State. As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the Presidents powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Courts judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy! : to grant to a person convicted of an offence a pardon. Etc. Anybody acquainted with the judicial process should know that there have been instances in which courts themselves have invited the President to consider exercising his powers of mercy by pardoning the convicted. It will be an insult to the integrity, professionalism and maturity of our judicial system to say that the Court will be offended by any exercise of the powers of mercy by the President, simply because the conviction was for contempt of the court. The advocates against the exercise of the Presidents powers of mercy in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case may be ignorant of the fact that various Presidents under the 1992 Constitution have in the past exercised the power of pardon in favour of some convicted criminal contemnors whose cases arose from or as a result of constitutional litigation in the Supreme Court or other lower courts without any objection or bother from the judiciary. Why should the Owners of the Station Montie FM case be an exception? The problem is that most convictions and sentences for criminal contempt arising from or associated with the conduct of constitutional cases in the courts invariably take on a partisan political flavor in this country, let alone in an election year. A dispassionate observer will not fail to see that with a few exceptions the arguments for and against perceptions of fairness of how the Owners of the Station Montie FM case were tried; and whether or not the President could consider exercising his power of mercy at any appropriate time of his choice has been clouded by political party interest with an eye towards campaign rhetorics for the coming elections. In my respectful view the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court. The Court cannot be the Respondent in an application for review. It is also absurd to suggest that the Attorney-General who did not initiate or conduct the contempt prosecutions can now be a Respondent to a review application on their behalf. The matter is complicated by the fact that jailing the accused at the close of the legal year unwittingly ensures that any application brought on their behalf may not be heard until after the vacation in October by which time they might have served almost the whole term of imprisonment. But as is usually the case with most constitutional conflicts with partisan political undertones timing in whatever a President does is important for purposes of managing perceptions and wounded feelings. The strategic resources at the disposal of every President are intended to guide him in taking decisions that meet his strategic vision for a nation and its public interest. CONCLUSIONS I take cognizance of the fact that the convicted and imprisoned accused contemnors were convicted upon their own plea of guilty. But as I have demonstrated herein those pleas were procured in contravention of the fundamental rights and freedoms, and other provisions of the 1992 Constitution. I share all the sentiments expressed in Liberty Press Ltd, Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu and the sentencing ruling in Owners of the Station Montie FM on the sanctity and respect to be accorded by the citizen to the judiciary and the individual judge. It was for some of these reasons that I initiated, and conducted in person as the then Deputy Attorney-General the Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu criminal contempt prosecution in accordance with the due process of law and secured convictions and sentences. As the longest served former Deputy Attorney-General, and a former Attorney-General of Ghana, I have a history of ardently fighting against any attempt to bring the judiciary into contempt and disrepute in any form whatsoever. I believe that the Constitution mandates every citizen to defend the judiciary within its permissible prescriptions. The sentencing ruling and decision of the Owners of the Station Montie FM case, however runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. It is, therefore, with great reluctance that I write this considered paper in defence of the 1992 Constitution. In Kumbungu in the Northern region, the protest turn chaotic after the police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. The police fired the tear gas after the crowd wanted to deviate from the designated protest roots to the premises of the District Assembly. The agreement was that the leadership of the protestors will enter the premises of the assembly to present the petition to the assembly authorities. The protestors, largely drown from the Takla, Hodzo and Kpanoe Traditional areas, were cladded in red and wielding placards to express their anger. Some of the placards read "no roads, no vote", "Our roads, our roads" among others. According to him, the courts judgment failed to bring clarity or certainty in how Ghanas elections must be conducted. The Supreme Court on August 29, 2013, upheld President John Mahamas victory in the 2012 elections, following a petition filed by the opposition New Patriotic Partys 2012 presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, together with his two-time Running Mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and party Chairman at the time, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey. They prayed the Court to annul Mahamas victory with reason that the elections were marred by widespread irregularities. But their petition was dismissed. The Court, however, ordered the Electoral Commission to implement certain reforms to ensure future elections are devoid of infractions. But Kofi Bentil, who is also the Vice President of Imani Centre for Policy and Education, believes the Supreme Court ruling on the election petition failed Ghana and put it into a dangerous situation, particularly when it comes to organising elections. He said: The effect of the Supreme Court ruling is that today there is no law, no law regulating elections in Ghana. It does not matter if you are verified or not; it does not matter if there is over-voting; it does not matter if officials dont sign, it does not matter because according to the wisdom of our justices, once the vote has been declared, that is the end of it, go to court and unfortunately that itself is a problem. Because going to court you have nine Justices, five of them declared that there have been irregularities. In law, you cant declare that there have been irregularities and not have a remedy. The remedies are quite a few; you can cancel the whole election, you can cancel the election for that polling station alone or ask them to do a re-run, he said. Kofi Bentil subsequently charged electorates to ensure they vote on December 7 and make an effort to police the vote, by having what he calls a filming chain that will videotape everything that happens at the polling station. Starting his campaign in the Western Region Tuesday, president Mahama said the NPP flagbearer probably slept during his tour of the region that is why he did not see good roads in the region. READ MORE He said: I promised that we will invest monies into cocoa roads. So if you realise, the majority of roads we are doing are all in the western region. "They said someone came here recently and said he did not see any [good] road. He was probably sleeping. Mr Boadu noted that we all know that John Mahama is too sensitive to fair criticism but it gives him no excuse to use unpresidential language against his opponent, chiefs and the people of the Western Region. Earlier, the spokesman of Akufo Addo, Mustapha Hamid, criticized the president for downgrading the level of political discourse in the country. I am very sad because presidential discourse is supposed to be a discourse of reasoning, a discourse of logic, a discourse of intellectual depth,' He said. For a president to reduce political discourse to such gibe description is flighty and unpresidential. Welcome to the Pulse Community! We will now be sending you a daily newsletter on news, entertainment and more. Also join us across all of our other channels - we love to be connected! The investment summit will underpin Nigeria as a hub for regional gas development as well as an important market for clean and renewable energy. Key themes of the conference include how to diversify Nigerias energy mix, regulation policy to promote international investment in renewables, and examining Nigerias off grid energy market- promoting energy access for everyone. This meeting follows EnergyNets recently concluded 18th Africa Energy Forum (AEF) in London this June, which welcomed 2,200 vetted investors from the Americas, Europe and Asia, and government representatives from 30 African countries. ALSO READ: Country aims to double oil and gas output by 2020 Major deals were signed at the meeting including a merger between Harith General Partners and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), KFWs US$150 million 15 year loan facility to AFC, Access Powers US$7 million award to three renewable developers, Mainstreams US$117.5 million Africa Clean Energy Equity Funding and DFIDs two Compacts in Kenya and Sierra Leone, to name a few. For 24 years EnergyNet has supported governments across the continent playing an advisory role helping policy makers meet the very best private sector investors. Our role is not unique; however our approach is as individual as a thumbprint, highlighted by the trust the World Bank, Power Africa, IFC, FMO, Proparco, DFID, AfDB and many more who place their trust in EnergyNet, which supports our position as a market-shaper when it comes to global energy development, says Simon Gosling, Managing Director of EnergyNet. This seems to be the case of the 22-year-old Canadian pop sensation Today he is vilified for walking around without a shirt and having many tattoos and the next day he is praised for putting out some of the best music presently. His fourth studio album was widely praised and has sold 1.7 million copies in the United States alone. ALSO READ: Justin Bieber pictured nude again When the music dies down and Justin Bieber goes around having a great time he suddenly becomes public number one again. It seems most of his fans and critics can only see him in a positive light when he is singing. The moment he drops the mic they start throwing stones at him. Now Bieber is in the spotlight for associating himself with Sofia Richie, the 17-year-old daughter of music legend Lionel Richie. The two have been spending sometime together and it has been well documented on Twitter and by the paparazzi. Justin Biebers own cult of fans notoriously known as Beliebers are not down with their gods new love interest and they have been quite vocal about it. His Instagram comment section has been attacked with hate bombs. The poor chap was disturbed by the negativity that he threatened to make his Instagram account private if the hating continued. I'm gonna make my Instagram private if you guys don't stop the hate. This is getting out of hand, if you guys are really fans you wouldn't be so mean to people that I like he wrote on his Instagram page. Unfortunately that did not stop the Beliebers. His statement also attracted the comment of a popular ex-lover of his Selena Gomez. Adding fuel to the flame she wrote If you can't handle the hate then stop posting pictures of your girlfriend lol it should be special between you two only. Don't be mad at your fans. They love you. They were there for you before anyone. Since there is nothing as flammable as two former lovers arguing, Gomezs statement led to a back and forth between the two. At the end of the day she apologized but that did not stop Justin Bieber from deleting his Instagram account that had 77 million followers. Why cant the world let Justin Bieber breathe? When he first came out the scene he was mocked for being soft and weak. Now that he is into the bad boy image the attacks still continue. The world should get off the back of Justin Bieber and let him do him. He is a young man trying to find his way. Having a relationship with a 17-year-old girl might seem odd but I dont see any pitchfork in front of Tyga and Kylie Jenners home? Multiple reports have it that Tom Cruise has had almost no contact with the 10-year-old daughter he shares with ex-wife Katie Holmes. US Weekly reports Tom hasn't seen or even called Suri in about three years. Family sources say "Tom has no relationship with Suri." According to them, the last time Cruise and his youngest daughter were photographed publicly was in August 2012, when he took her to Disney's Typhoon Lagoon Water Park in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Holmes and Cruise began dating back in 2005 and announced their engagement in June that year. They welcomed Suri the following April, and tied the knot in front of more than 150 guests at a wedding at the 15th-century Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy, on November 18, 2006. 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! Ndubusi told the court that he had been footing the school fees of the children she had from her previous encounter with men, and as a result no longer wants to be with her. My wife had two boys from two men but did not tell me before we married." After our marriage, she brought them to live with us and I was paying their school fees. My wife is promiscuous, she dates different men, he said. According to the Daily Post, the aggrieved man, who had been with the woman for four years, revealed that he has on several occasions caught her with numerous lovers. She found out about the affair with their pastor when her phone rang and she had to leave the room they were both occupying to answer the call. ALSO READ: Wife begs court to stop her husband from divorcing her My wife is a flirt, she dates different men. I have caught her severally with some of her lovers." She is also having an illegal affair with our pastor." I got to know when her cell phone rang and she left our room to receive it." I trailed her behind without her knowing and l eavesdropped; she ended the call with, I love you." When she returned, I secretly copied the number unknown to her and saved it on my cell phone." When I dialled the number on my cell phone, it was our pastors name that appeared on its screen. According to Ndubisi, he had done everything possible to satisfy his wife, despite this, she still engages in stealing money from him. The defendant, Saraphina, has however denied the allegations leveled against her. She told the court that contrary to her husband's comments, she has been the victim in the marriage. Apart from the officers, the masterminds of the sordid act, Ogbonnaya Ene Odii, the Coordinator of the Ohaozara Development Centre, his younger brother, Enekwachi Ene Odii and a third member identified only as Martins, have all been arraigned at the Okposi Chief Magistrates' Court on charges of abduction, torture, stripping and dehumanization. The officers who were dismissed following intensive orderly room trial conducted at the State Police Command headquarters, are Cpl Paulinus Nwodom, Cpl Monday Nweke and Cpl Obinna Ironsi, and have also been arraigned in court for their parts in the crime where the girl was stripped naked, beaten to stupor while a video of the incident was made and posted on social media. The incident drew a lot of condemnation from Nigerians, women and child rights groups, especially the member of the House of Representatives representing Onicha, Ohaozara and Ivo Federal Constituency, Hon. Linus Abaa Okorie, who vowed to fight the cause of the girl till justice is done. The State Governor, Engr. David Umahi Nweze, had also promised that the culprits would never go unpunished while the no-nonsense Commissioner of Police in the state, Peace Ibekwe Abdallah also vowed to make sure the officers face the full wrath of the law if they are indicted by the orderly room trial. Health officials expect to vaccinate 14 million people over the next 10 days including some 8.5 million in the densely populated Congolese capital, Kinshasa, where the disease's presence has sparked fears of a far wider spread. Vaccinations started in Angola on Monday and about 41,000 health workers have been deployed across more than 8,000 sites with 17.3 million syringes available regionally, WHO said on Tuesday. There are about 6,000 suspected cases in the region. A small but significant fraction of cases die from jaundice, bleeding and multiple organ failure. More than 400 people have died of the virus since December. The campaign is being accelerated to try to stop it spreading before the rainy season starts in September and makes more remote parts of the region inaccessible. Other challenges include a lack of reliable power to keep vaccines cold. "By the end of this vaccination campaign ... we are going to put an end to the progression of yellow fever," Congo's Minister of Health, Felix Kabange Numbi Kabange, told reporters on Tuesday at a ceremony to mark the start of the campaign. China and Japan, the World Bank, WHO and the U.N. Children's Fund as well as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization are financing the campaign, WHO spokesman in Congo, Eugene Kabambi, said. About 2 million people were vaccinated in Kinshasa during campaigns in May and July. Overall, some 13 million people in Angola and 3 million in Congo have been vaccinated this year. "The WHO Emergency Committee will reconvene in coming weeks (and) will re-evaluate the situation but we think that the outbreak is manageable if we can protect enough people with the vaccine," he told reporters in Geneva. The campaign also marks the first time that fractional doses of the vaccine will be given in order to stretch limited supplies amid a global shortage. Bolori, who turned himself in after he was declared wanted, was said to have regained his freedom on Wednesday, August 17. Bolori, alongside Ahmed Salkida, a journalist, and Aisha Wakil were declared wanted by the military following the release of the latest Boko Haram video, which showed some of the kidnapped chibok girls. A civil society group, Stand Up Nigeria (SUN), had accused the trio of supporting the terrorists instead of carrying out their jobs as journalist, negotiator and activist. The group said the move is part of the restructuring that it has been calling for, adding that it will boost Nigerias economy. According to Daily Post, the Secretary-General of Afenifere, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa, said There is nothing wrong if they find oil in the north. That is why we are calling for restructuring, if that is his (Buhari) own restructuring agenda, it is okay. We already have oil in the south and if he orders for prospect for oil in the north, there is nothing wrong in that. If that is what we hasten the restructuring of the country, he should go ahead. All we saying is that the country must be restructured. We have said that any state that has oil should work on its oil and let other states without oil find their own natural resources to work on. God has endowed every state in this country with natural resources so let every state go and do something on them, the only thing is that the Federal Government should assist in taking off. If it is NNPC that was given the assignment, let them go ahead, there is nothing wrong with it but if it is the foreign firm I can say may be there is a hidden agenda somewhere. Dr Sunday Ola Makinde, a former Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria also said According to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, some persons are using the name of the President and those of his family members to solicit contracts at government owned organizations. Mohammed, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, August 17, by his aide, Mr Segun Adeyemi, disclosed that the questionable characters have been going from one government organisation to another with notes purportedly recommending them for contracts and other patronage. He said Buhari did not authorise any government official to write notes recommending anyone for contracts or any form of patronage. He warned those involved in such fraudulent activities to stop immediately or face arrest and prosecution by security agents. In a congratulatory message, personally signed by Buhari and and addressed to Babangida, saluted IBB for his "commitment to oneness and indivisibility of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, made the congratulatory message available to newsmen in Abuja. He prayed to Almighty God to grant Babangida many more fruitful years. The message read: "On behalf of myself, my family, the government and people of Nigeria, I wish to heartily congratulate you on the milestone of attaining 75 years. "I equally wish to congratulate you on your service to the country, and your commitment to oneness and indivisibility of the Federal Republic of Nigeria." According to a statement released by Buharis Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the president said: We must avoid the mistakes made in the past by both government and manufacturers, and we are ready to get investment from all quarters, so that we can improve the lives of our people. Buhari was referring to the failure of previous governments to develop automobile initiatives started in Bauchi, Kaduna and Ibadan, due to the countrys over-dependence on oil. ALSO READ: Buhari praises Babangida as he turns 75 We are making efforts to start our steel industry all over again. I see vast opportunities for both the country and those who invest here, Buhari said. Speaking on Wednesday, August 17, President of the National Youth of Ugborodo community, Mr. Ofe Nene, accused Chevron of failing to develop their land and better the lives of their indigenes. He said their demands include the development and provision of basic amenities to their community, employment of their indigenes, enthroning of better working condition and pay for indigenes already working in Chevron and abolishing of casual workers policy. He, however, thanked the state Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, for his mediation on Monday, August 16. In a letter thanking the Governor for his intervention, Nene said: We are not out in Chevron Nigeria Limited facility gate, both day and night since Monday the 8th of August, 2016 till date. Not because we enjoy the torrent and very dangerous sea breeze of the Atlantic Ocean, but because we need the above stated changes to be effected in our community. Except the issues are addressed, we shall not leave or move an inch from Chevron Nigeria Limited tank farm gate in Ugborodo. Because we cannot continue with this same old pattern of Chevron Nigeria Limited always going to negotiation table with Ugborodo community to cover prominent and pressing issues with other issues, thereby attending to the colossal issues partially. The major reason for the protest as stated categorically by the youths of Ugborodo community at the aforementioned meeting is yet to be addressed. These issues include the development and provision of basic amenities to our community, employment of our indigenes, enthroning of better working condition and pay for our indigenes already working in Chevron Nigeria Limited and abolishing of casual workers. Conversion of all our indigenes working in the company as casual workers to staff and finally,the relocation of Chevron Nigeria Limited Administrative headquarters to Warri Kingdom. He added: Sir, it will interest you to know that in Ugborodo today, ordinary headache kill people because there is no single health centre in the community. I can categorically state that most indigenes of the community have only seen a tarred road in the television because there is no motorable road in the community, there is no good school, potable drinking water or even good housing for people to stay because Chevron Nigeria Limited have abandoned the Ugborodo New town Project they promised the community. As I write you now, the average life span of indigenes of Ugborodo is now 45 years as a result of the highly polluted environment we live in, which is caused by the exploration and exploitation of the crude oil in our land by Chevron Nigeria Limited. This same company has refused to employ our indigenes and the few they employed have been relegated to casual workers without any condition of service, hence they are been treated like animals. These workers do not have stable salary;hence, they cannot plan or save because they do not know what their next salary will be." You will bear me witness that the issues that have led most Niger Delta youths into restiveness and militancy is not different from this, but we are civil people and will continue to push for our right peacefully with all possible ways within the ambit of the law. In his appreciation to the Governor, he said: I thank you for your intervention to settle the ongoing protest by the Ugborodo people against the marginalization,oppression and the conscious actions and inactions of Chevron Nigeria Limited, which has brought underdevelopment, poverty and impoverishment to the community. ALSO READ: Finally, Avengers agree to negotiate with FG The Commissioner of Police, Mr Taiwo Lakanu, who presented the suspect to newsmen on Wednesday in Owerri, said the culprit (name witheld),was the leader of an armed robbery gang known to operate along Oha-Asa in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area. Lakanu said that the soldier and his gang were intercepted by operatives of the police command in the area as they flagged down vehicles and robbed people of their belongings. We are ever ready for criminals and I assure the people of the state that the police will fish out all of them from their den, he said. The commissioner said with the community policing strategy and the introduction of the Eminent Persons Forum by the Inspector-General of Police , no criminal could successfully operate in Imo. Meanwhile, the soldier, in an interview with NAN, said that he got involved in armed robbery due to frustration. I went into armed robbery to meet with my financial obligations. I am sorry for myself, the Nigerian Army and my family, because what I have done is a shame to my person, he said. NAN reports that another suspect, (name withheld) was also shown to newsmen for his alleged involvement in kidnapping. The suspect told NAN that his friends lured him into kidnapping. I was not a bad boy, but my friends introduced me into this kind of job and we have done it severally without being caught. The commands Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed this while briefing newsmen at the commands headquarters in Lagos. She said that the police, acting on complaints by some of the victims, cordoned the area which led to the arrest of the suspects. According to Badmos, a 15-year-old girl (name withheld) residing in the area reported to the police that she was a victim. "On Aug. 12, at about 8.00 a.m. the police at Oworonshoki Division received complaints from one 15-year-old girl (name withheld) who lives at Oworonshoki Area that she has been raped. "She reported that on Thursday at about 10.30 p.m., she was running an errand along Akerele Street, Oworonshoki, when suddenly the suspects, riding on a motorcycle, accosted her. "She said the suspects forcefully whisked her away on their motorcycle to Bariga by Murtala Bus Stop and raped her till the early hours of Friday, threatening to kill her if she shouted. "Following the victim's report, the Anti-Crime Patrol Policemen from Oworonshoki Division quickly mobilised to the address and in a raid arrested two men, 26-year-old Joseph Agbo, and 20-year-old Balogun Damilola," Badmos said. She said that the police recovered a pair of army camouflage uniforms, two berets, two mobile phones and four ATM cards from different banks from the suspects. "Other items recovered from them are army accoutrements and 17 ID cards bearing different names, he said. The spokesman of Plateau Police Command, Mr Terna Tyopev, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos that the van was ambushed by the robbers. He said that three other policemen attached to the bullion van were injured. He said that the bullion van was carrying money from Jos to Lafia in Nasawara State. "It was a clear case of ambush; they were attacked unexpectedly. "Policemen escorting the bullion van repelled the attack; unfortunately we lost two of our men on the spot, while three other were badly injured,'' Tyopev told NAN. Confirming the development in a statement on Wednesday, August 17, in Abuja, spokesman for the Dialogue Group, Mr Ballantyne Agiri, said the militant group has constituted a contact and dialogue group to engage the government in meaningful dialogue as part of the initiatives to resolve the crisis. Agiri noted that the NDA is determined to come out with results that would yield lasting peace, equity, justice and harmony among all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. The body has collectively and willingly agreed to heed the clarion call of eminent Nigerians and international community to dialogue with the Federal Government, he said. He urged Nigerians and the international community to follow developments on the issue closely and watch out for which side would violate the terms, rules and spirit of the dialogue. The Federal Government should from the inception of the dialogue rule out from the agenda any monthly monetary inducement or stipend for the NDA. The Federal Government should be ready for structural changes that should be human and development-oriented. Members of the avengers group (who will participate in the dialogue) have already been selected, each based on his integrity, forthrightness, honesty and life track records," Agiri said. ALSO READ: Niger Delta Avengers warn foreigners to leave oil fields Obasanjo said the actions of various armed groups has caused some fracture in the fabric of the nation. The former President also called on members of the press to use their platforms to preach peace and unity. The ex-President who was represented by Prof. Peter Okebukola, also said The press should mobilise the masses to strengthen the democratic process and play a crucial role in promoting a culture of tolerance, non-violence and mutual co-existence For me, this Summit will only be successful if we find a niche for the press in our march to ensuring greater national cohesion, especially at this time in our history. Our strength as a nation lies in our unity and national cohesion and I want to entreat you (the media) to begin to preach the gospel of unity in diversity and unity of purpose and cohesion. According to the ex-President, At no time in our history, except probably during the civil war, has Nigeria been so fractured in the feeling of oneness and belongingness by the citizenry, he noted. In the last four months, we have an average of twenty hotspots across the country with huge potential for national disintegration. Reacting to the budget padding scandal currently rocking the House of Representatives, Obasanjo reportedly said the lawmakers are thieves. The party has been at loggerheads following failed talks between the Ahmed Makarfi and Ali Modu Sheriff. The PDP convention, which is slated to hold today, Wednesday, August 17, 2016, was suspended by an order issued by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High court in Abuja. The Lagos Sate Chapter of the party also described the court order as a "black market" ruling. Speaking on the security arrangements for the convention, the Rivers state police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, said The command is prepared for the convention; necessary deployments have been carried out and we are prepared for the convention. Remember, that there are other Nigerians living in the state. The command is aware of this fact and will provide security for all including those attending the convention and others living in the state. Governor Nyesom Wike, while speaking to newsman on Tuesday, August 16, 2016, said all is set for the PDP convention. For today, August 17 2016: THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER Why OPEC members are cutting petroleum prices The current practice by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members of cutting the prices of their crude oil goes beyond just retaining market share. READ MORE Crisis over PDP national convention rages Will the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State today? READ MORE IGP enlists eminent persons to fight crime The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Idris Ibrahim, has inaugurated the Imo State branch of the eminent persons forum, consisting of monarchs, religious groups and others. READ MORE THE VANGUARD NEWSPAPER Budget padding: Reps head for court to seek interpretation of legislative powers ABUJA As the controversy over the alleged padding of the 2016 Federal Government budget rages, some current and former members of the House of representatives, yesterday, dropped hint of heading to court for judicial interpretation of the Legislative Houses Powers and Privileges Act. READ MORE Trader arrested for naming pet dog Buhari Sango-otaA 30-year-old trader has been arrested by the police in Ogun state for naming his pet dog Buhari. READ MORE BDCs can now access $50,000 from Banks weekly CBN ABUJAThe Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised the amount of foreign exchange that Bureaux de Change (BDCs) can access from banks to $50, 000, per week. It was pegged at $30, 000,penultimate week. The decision to raise the bar was reached at the Bankers Committee Meeting in Abuja, yesterday. THE PUNCH NEWSPAPER PDP convention: We dont know which judge to obey, says INEC The leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday was confused on whether to monitor or stay away from Wednesdays (today) national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. READ MORE Again, Buhari orders NNPC to search for oil in North For the second time in three weeks, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has received an express order from President Muhammadu Buhari to explore for oil in the North. My message not for everybody Adeboye Against the background of the criticisms that greeted one of his sermons at the yearly convention of the Redeem Christian Church of God, its General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has said his messages are not for everybody. READ MORE THE NATION NEWSPAPER CBN raises BDCs weekly dollar sales to $50,000 The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday increased banks weekly Diaspora-related foreign exchange (forex) sales to Bureaux De Change (BDCs) from $30,000 to $50,000. Abused girl gets new family A businesswoman, Ms Rita Nnenna Anoh of Veroz Group, has adopted Miss Uzoamaka Chukwu, the girl who was stripped and flogged by some residents of her hometown in Ebonyi State. READ MORE Confusion over PDP Port Harcourt convention There was confusion yesterday over the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention slated for Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, today. READ MORE THE BUSINESS DAY NEWSPAPER NAICOM, CBN lock horns over bancassurance The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are locked in a serious dispute over the right model for the implementation of bancassurance in Nigeria, BusinessDay can reveal. Banks increase weekly FX sales to BDCs to $50,000 The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and banks agreed on Tuesday to increase the amount weekly dollar sales from banks to Bureau De Change (BDC) operations from $30,000 to $50,000, in a new measure to spur liquidity and help the local currency. How to revive Nigeria's troubled oil sector According to the actress, she chose to equip herself because she saw acting as a career she wanted to take serious. "Most universities in Nigeria don't focus on acting for screen. Although some of them may have that as a different course form acting on stage. In the University of Port Harcourt, I didn't have the chance to be taught acting for screen, we just focused on stage. Because I knew that this is a part I want to take serious as a career, I had to still go ahead and equip myself. So I decided to go study acting for screen in Del York. The former minister made the comment while reacting to a Facebook post by , a senior special assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on public affairs titled: "Failed PDP convention: APC, Buhari Not to blame" "If you remember I warned the governors about Sheriff when they imposed him on us," Fani-Kayode said. "The PDP Ministers Forum rejected him as did the PDP Board of Trustees but the governors would not listen. Now we have been vindicated because everything that we said would happen has come to pass. ALSO READ: PDP National Convention: Were only protecting lives and property in Rivers, Police say"The imposition of Sheriff by the Governors Forum was the biggest mistake that we have made since conceding the election to Buhari and frankly, as I wrote at the time, I believe that he bewitched the governors that brought him and indeed those in the party that accepted him and agreed to work with him. "Now the power of the spell has worne off and their eyes have opened. Sadly though things will get worse because Sheriff is under orders: he is working a script and that script was crafted by those who commissioned him to divide, weaken and kill our party. "When you open your doors for a snake what do you expect? I am not surprised by all he is doing because he is acting true to type: he is a green snake who has dipped his fangs deeply into our flesh and whose poison is killing us slowly. "Truth is that there can never be any compromise with Sheriff. You cannot compromise with the devil or a snake. You cannot wine and dine or attempt to cohabit with a creature that the great writer and teacher, Mr. David Icke, describes as a 'shape-shifting sociopath and reptilian'. "There can be no fellowship between light and darkness even in politics. You cannot negotiate with a narcissistic megalomaniac who wants your head to be cut off and served to him on a silver platter. Sheriff is working for Buhari to destroy the PDP and he has almost succeeded in his mission. "The only answer is for us to continue to fight him in the courts and elsewhere and, if push comes to shove, form another party, get our members and supporters to join that party and leave the bastard with the carcass of the old PDP. "Very few people will stay with him because carcasses tend to stink and because he is the quintessential plague. After some time even his most die-hard supporters will get sick of him and abandon him," he added. The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Monday, August 15, 2016 suspended the PDP convention planned by the Ahmed Makarfi faction of the party. Similarly, Justice Okon Abang ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to desist from monitoring the convention. Fani-Kayode reacted to the incident via a post on his Facebook page. He said: When I warned our people about Buhari and what he would do with power no-one listened. When I warned PDP Nigeria and particularly our PDP governors about the dangers of making Ali Modu Sheriff National Chairman they would not listen. I also told them that the government would NOT allow the convention to hold because Sheriff is working for them." Now look at what they are doing in PH in collusion with some corrupt judges just to destabilise, destroy and silence the opposition. Governors put under house arrest. Convention venue sealed off. It is shameful. Let me make another prediction: this is just the beginning of their tyranny. It will get far worse. Meanwhile, the PDP has postponed the convention and extended the tenure of the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee by one year. The convention, which was slated to hold today, August 17, 2016, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, was postponed after security agents sealed off the original venue, Sharks Stadium. The meeting at which the decision was reached was eventually convened at the Rivers State Government House. Okupe made his comments via a post on his Facebook page. He said: The failed PDP convention cannot and should not be blamed on our political adversaries. Rather, the blame should rest squarely on the failure of internal conflict resolution machinery of the PDP, the surprising naivety and desperation of many to seize power and control the party, and the gullibility of majority of the followership, who have become entrenched in the cesspool of pervasive impunity of our leadership over the years. However, it is commendable that the NEC threw sentiments aside and extended the tenure of the controversial caretaker committee by one year and allowed for future expansion of the membership of the committee. The import of this is that the party has now officially jettisoned the microwave strategy, hitherto employed by the leadership, and allowed for ample time to address all issues. By allowing for new inclusions into the members of the caretaker committee, the leadership obviously has made room for possible reasonable negotiation with Senator Ali Modu Sheriffs group, which is inevitable and a political imperative, if the party must remain united. Again, this is neither the time for victory songs nor a season for political vendetta. This is time for seeking lasting and honest peace, time to rebuild from the current ashes of flames of the inferno of political opportunism, greed, selfishness and blatant brigandage and impunity. There may just be another chance to do it again especially now that our adversaries are burning their political access card. Sources say all roads leading to the Sharks Stadium were cordoned off by the security operatives as early as 5m today, Wednesday, August 17, 2016. According to The Cable News, vehicles are not allowed to enter the street leading to the PDP convention venue, and those walking are being questioned. Governor Ayo Fayoses aide on New Media, Lere Olayinka, when contacted by Pulse News, declined to give any personal comment. Moreover, on his Facebook timeline, Olayinka said "Here in Port Harcourt, even State Governors are under HOUSE ARREST. Roads leading to Old Presidential Lodge where the Govs are accommodated have been blocked - No going in, No coming out!" Justice Okon Abang gave a ruling suspending the convention and also stopping the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring the election. The PDP had earlier dismissed the ruling, citing the ruling of a Federal High court in Port-Harcourt, giving them the go-ahead to hold the convention. Policemen who spoke under condition of anonymity, said they were asked to enforce the ruling of Justice Abang, Eagle Online reports. At the party's aborted convention of Wednesday, August 17, it was decided that the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee will oversee the affairs of the party till the next 12 months, with the hope that the ongoing power tussle in the party would have been resolved by then. The party did not elect members of its National Executive Council (NEC) at the purported convention due to conflicting court orders which trailed the event. In reaction, Sheriff said the meeting breached section 31 sub section 4 of the PDP constitution. The section provides that: The NEC shall meet at least once in every quarter at the instance of the national party chairman or at the request of two-third of its membership, who shall notify the chairman at least seven days prior to the meeting; and an emergency meeting be summoned by the national chairman having regard to all the circumstances of the agenda. Speaking through his spokesman, Mallam Inuwa Bwala, Sheriff urged PDP members to ignore the NEC resolutions. He said: Even in an emergency situation, one week notice must be given to the national chairman, who has the sole responsibility to convene the NEC meeting. It is sad that, in the face of obvious disregard to court orders, which halted the convention, some individuals are bent on perpetrating impunity by taking steps to install another contraption on the PDP. However, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, today, August 17, re-affirmed the sack of Sheriff as the PDP Chairman. Members of the party were redirected to the Government House where Governor Nyesom Wike presided over a meeting where the decision to cancel the convention was reached. The event has been the centre of controversy due to conflicting judgments from courts in Abuja and Rivers, one halting it and the other permitting it to hold. The PDP was expected to elect members of its National Executive Council (NEC) at the convention, but instead the party extended the tenure of its Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, by one year. Meanwhile, the PDP has accused security officials of attacking Wikes convoy in a bid to prevent him from attending the convention. Per the deal, Scatec Solar will develop, build, own, and operate the solar power plant in Jigawa. The whole thing is expected to reach financial close in 2017 and start commercial operations 12 months after that. This follows the 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) which the Nova Scotia project company signed with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) on July 21, 2016. "Solar power in Nigeria has significant long-term potential, and we want to take part in the development of this new market. This investment is the culmination of an extensive review during which the Nova Scotia Power project stood out thanks to its exceptional fundamentals. With the quality of its site, development standards and equity funded by Scatec Solar and its partners, the project is ideally positioned to progress rapidly to financial close," said Raymond Carlsen, CEO of Scatec Solar. Ping, aged 74, is considered one of Africa's foremost diplomats. His career has included a spell as chairman of the African Union commission and as president of the U.N. General Assembly. He was an ally and protege of the president's father, Omar Bongo, who ruled Gabon for 42 years until his death in 2009. Ping fell out with Ali Bongo, who won a disputed election in 2009, and resigned from the ruling party in 2014. "We think that this event will constitute the real departure point for change in this country and the start of a new Gabon," said Zacharie Myboto, who presided over the signing ceremony at which Ping was chosen over several other possible candidates. Speaker of the lower house Alex Tyler has been on bail since his May arrest by police investigating a bribe worth $75,000 he allegedly took to facilitate the passage of legislation favourable to a British mining firm. "We are still soliciting signatures and very soon we will have the number required to remove the speaker," Hans Barchue, presiding officer of the anti-Tyler group, said during the session. The anti-Tyler grouping held their first parliamentary session without him or his supporters on Thursday, with 34 of the chamber's 73 representatives present. Those agitating to remove him drew 36 deputies to Tuesday's session, held at a different time and away from the main chamber, with the first order of business getting him to step down. According to campaign group Global Witness, Tyler was a key player in pushing through a 2010 law allowing the mining minister to declare some mining concessions "non-bidding" areas that could be handed out without a tender process. Global Witness said the payment was made to Tyler by London-listed Sable Mining in return for his help, with the aim of securing potentially lucrative iron ore deposits. "We cannot keep a speaker who is indicted for corruption. That is unacceptable," Barchue said during Thursday's meeting. Tyler is a member of the ruling Unity Party of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and despite being investigated by a taskforce convened by Johnson herself the speaker has refused leave his post. Rebels have been fighting the Sudanese army in the southern regions of Kordofan and Blue Nile since 2011, when South Sudan declared independence. Conflict in Darfur, in the west, began in 2003 when mainly non-Arab tribes took up arms against the Arab-led government based in the capital Khartoum. Last week, rebel and opposition groups agreed to a road map for ceasefire talks and political reconciliation brokered by the African Union and already accepted by the government - the first such agreement since the fighting began in the south of Sudan. Ceasefire talks began immediately after. "Peace talks failed because of the lack of seriousness of the armed movements to reach a ceasefire agreement ... they are warlords invested in war," Ibrahim Mahmoud, the government's lead negotiator, said at Khartoum airport after returning from the peace talks in Addis Ababa. "The main reason the negotiations broke down was the rebels' deal-breaking request that, following the ceasefire, humanitarian aid be delivered by airlift to rebel areas in South Kordofan and the Blue Nile from Ethiopia, South Sudan and Kenya. This was wholly rejected by the government delegation." A spokesman for the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-North) said the talks had failed because "the government didn't want peace ... we put forward major concessions but the government remained set on its positions and was unwilling to concede anything". The road map sets out a process for reaching a permanent ceasefire and provides for a national dialogue between the government and both political and armed opposition groups. It also included provisions for immediate humanitarian assistance. The signatories included two of the most prominent rebel groups -- the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the SPLM-North -- as well as the largest political opposition group, the Umma Party. Supporters of opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema took to the streets in Southern Province after the election results were released Monday, blockading roads with logs and burning tyres. "The people of Southern Province were very sure that Hichilema was going to win... and this sparked riots... resulting in the arrest of 150 people," the province's police commissioner Godwin Phiri in a statement. Hichilema, who heads the United Party for National Development (UPND), has rejected Thursday's poll as rigged and the party said it would formally challenge the result. The 54-year-old self-made businessman hails from the south and enjoys widespread support in the region. Hichilema, who was making his fifth bid for the presidency, claimed there were clear signs of fraud and vote rigging over the four days it took to release the results. The poll results put Lungu narrowly ahead with 50.35 percent of the vote against 47.63 percent for Hichilema, a difference of about 100,000 votes. The outbreak of violence prompted Lungu to call for calm, telling supporters his swearing-in would be delayed due to the rejection of the results by the opposition. "I am appealing to you to be peaceful," Lungu told supporters at a rally to thank them for delivering him victory. - Swearing-in delayed - "We have a bit of time before I am sworn in, because I hear some people have gone to court." "This is not to say the election was fraud," he added. "By going to court they cannot frustrate the will of the people. I'm sure Zambians are very magnanimous. They will wait for the judicial process to be exhausted until their president is sworn in." Police said calm had been restored in the southern towns but that protesters had indicated they would continue demonstrating. In the capital Lusaka, police decked in riot gear maintained a heavy presence in the streets but no violence was reported. The run-up to the poll was tense, with clashes between Lungu's Patriotic Front and UPND supporters leaving at least three people dead. But election day was largely peaceful. The UN has applauded Zambia for holding "peaceful and orderly" elections, urging all parties to reject violence. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reminded "all parties, especially political leaders and their supporters, of their responsibility to reject violence and to refrain from the use of inflammatory and incendiary language," spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Zambia, which gained independence from Britain in 1964, has a long history of peaceful power transitions. Turning the ship before it hits the iceberg Finding Peace of Mind: Discover These Five Places in Europe to Unwind From two employees back in early 2015 to a workforce of almost 70, startup pharmacy divvyDOSE is demonstrating what being cool, creative, connected and prosperous in the Quad-Cities looks like. As Dr. Arvind Movva, divvyDOSE's founder and CEO, talked of his decision to open the new business in Quad-Cities, the physician, said, "Why not here... There's no reason for all the excuses, why not here?" The Rock Island pharmacy, which received a new Break the Rules Award from the Quad-Cities Chamber of Commerce, stood as an example of the region's economic growth last year. DivvyDOSE revolutionized the pharmacy industry, by providing pre-sorted and pre-packaged prescriptions that clearly indicate what day and time to take them. The startup was celebrated for its growth and investment as the chamber rolled out economic development results of fiscal 2015-2016 at its annual meeting Wednesday. Almost 1,000 business, community and elected leaders packed the iWireless Center, Moline, as chamber leaders celebrated the past year's investments, new jobs and the launch of the Q2030 Regional Plan, as well as looking to the future. In her final report, Kelli Grubbs, the chamber's outgoing chamber board chair, announced that Quad-City chamber assisted companies created 1,409 new and retained jobs, making $205.5 million in capital investments last year. In addition, the Quad-Cities celebrated 105 ribbon-cutting and ground-breaking events across the private and public sector. Those projects represented 723 new jobs and $287.6 million in capital investment. The chamber, which merged in 2011, she said, "Just completed its most impactful year since its inception." Chamber leaders called the Kraft-Heinz investment the No. 1 deal last year when the company announced plans for a new Oscar Mayer plant in Davenport to replace its existing downtown facility. Since the merged chamber's inception, it has closed more than 60 economic development deals that represent a total of 6,066 jobs and $2.14 billion in economic impact. With an eye toward the future, Chamber President and CEO Tara Barney said, "The companies that thrive in the near future will be the ones that not only embrace change, but are the first to break the rules." She pointed to the chamber's Regional Opportunities Council, made up of 100 area business leaders, as well as the new Q2030 initiative as strategies that broke the rules. "The premise behind Q2030 challenges conventional thinking from the get-go: We are taking control of our own destiny in the Quad-Cities not leaving it to Des Moines or Springfield, or Washington, or chance," Barney said. "We own this region and we are fully capable of turning it into the kind of cool, creative, connected and prosperous place the comes with bragging rights." She also promoted the chamber's Quad-Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub as "an out-of-the-box strategy in 2016." With a $5.5 million federal grant awarded last year, it will develop a supply chain diversification strategy and technology road map. The work, Barney added, "will provide manufacturers with access to national research, expertise and those skills and capabilities they really need to compete in a global marketplace." The meeting's keynote speaker, futurist and author Mike Walsh, also supported the notion that businesses that will thrive in the 21st Century will be those that break the rules. The CEO of Tomorrow, a global consultancy on designing 21st century businesses, he urged leaders and companies to be ready for an era of disruptive technological change and a generation of "mobile-centric" workers. "You know these people, they are your own kids. Your kids will be the first generation to be raised partially by artificial intelligence," he said. It is a generation that has grown up with a cell phone, computerized toys that talk back to them and turn to Google and Siri (the mobile app) when they need answers. "Twenty-first century leaders need to upgrade their skills and mindset not just to be relevant, but to lead the transformation that is going to happen,'' he said. "I don't believe the future is an upgrade on the present, but an invitation to think in a new way." Growing up in Galva, Illinois, Nik Grafleman didn't have much to do for fun. "The Quad-Cities was 45 minutes away, and that was a big trip," he said. "Like once a month, you get in the car and go to the mall. "I'd look at all of these things I wanted to do that just were too far away. And in this town I loved, there was nothing." He and his friends would go on walks or drives and dream about having something to do, anything really, right in their backyard. It wasn't until a decade or so later, after Grafleman moved away, that he and his friend Tyler Glaser revisited that dream. "We've always been fans of live music, and we go on road trips for like 15 concerts a year together," Grafleman said. "That's just what we do." After going to a Jimmy Buffet show one night, they thought: "What if we put on our own show?" They called up the manager of their favorite band, The Avett Brothers. They basically laughed at us," Grafleman said. "They gave us some pointers and told us, Heres what you need to do, and here's where you need to start. Through "countless more phone calls," the duo learned enough to put on the first Back Road Music Festival in 2014, which attracted artists such as Frankie Ballard, Rodney Atkins and Joe Diffie, plus 2,000 people to the Galva Park District. Last year, Love and Theft, Josh Thompson and Joe Nichols joined the lineup. This year, the one-day country festival is getting bigger with Easton Corbin, Chris Lane, The Swon Brothers and David Lee Murphy, whom Grafleman "coaxed over and over to say yes." "He doesn't even really tour anymore," he said. "So, it's just about luck sometimes." Easton Corbin, with hits such as "Baby Be My Love Song" and "All Over the Road," doesn't mind a small-town venue. He was born in Trenton, Florida, which has a population of less than 2,000 people. Galva sits at about 3,000 people. "You grow up in a place like that, and you keep those roots," Corbin said, during a phone interview last week. His hometown wasn't bustling, but it was all about classic country. "I heard George Jones for the first time and fell in love with that sound," he said. "Since I was a kid, he really spoke to me." Corbin, who recently toured with Carrie Underwood, has played in front of crowds of 20,000, but he'll play for country fans no matter the crowd's size. "That's what it's all about, making fans everywhere you go," he said. This Saturday, Grafleman, who lives in Peoria and manages restaurants full time, expects 5,000 people to pack into Galva. For the show to go on, he'll have "about a million last-minute details" on his list. "Sometimes, it feels surreal," Grafleman said. "Just what it takes to launch an event like this is insane, but we brought it on ourselves." The crowd will be a blend of longtime Galva residents "with a family reunion feel" and people from faraway states, all gathering in a grassy field surrounded by cornfields. "It's cliche, but the stage is literally in the country and almost in the middle of nowhere," he said. "It's usually just a small town with hard-working people, and it's quiet most of year." But this weekend, even just for a day, Galva will be on the map. "These small towns are just as good as the rest, and they have something to offer," Gralfeman said. "That's what we want to show people." Joe Dooley is breathing a sigh of relief now that the Irish Memorial in downtown Davenport nears its full restoration after a car crashed into it last month. Dooley, president of the St. Patrick Society of the Quad-Cities, said the stone wall of the memorial at West 2nd and Harrison streets was fully repaired last week. "The wall is back up, and we're happy for that," he said. At the moment, Dooley said, he does not have the cost of repair but noted that fixing the damaged wall could cost around $3,200 and the "Irish Memorial" signs could be around $600. The sign on Harrison street was destroyed in the crash, Dooley said. The memorial was damaged after a car slammed into it on July 6, Davenport police said. Deavian Ray Orr, 26, and Montreze R. Orr, 30, were in a black 2016 Chevrolet Malibu when they crashed at 8:44 p.m., according to an arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Cpl. James Quick. The two men were arrested on drug and gun charges, police said. Each of the men was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of marijuana. The firearms charge is a Class D felony that carries a prison sentence of up to five years. The marijuana charge is a serious misdemeanor that carries a jail sentence of up to one year. A criminal history check showed that both Devian Orr and Montreze Orr are convicted felons. Both men were released July 7 after posting bail through a bond company. Prior to their release, they were held on a $5,000 bond. Both men are facing trial at the Scott County Courthouse. Deavian Orr's attorney filed a written plea of not guilty on July 29 and waived his rights to a speedy trial. Montreze Orr's attorney filed a written plea of not guilty on Aug. 11. The pair are scheduled for a pretrial conference on Sept. 9. Initial plans of laying reinforced concrete posts near the memorial was abandoned by the Society because of difficulties with the idea, Dooley said. "We had talked about some concrete barriers behind the walls, so it wouldn't be visible to the street," he said. "But we found that we had to go down way too deep to get footing, so we weren't able to put those in." Although a stone wall and signs were destroyed and damaged in the crash, the life-sized bronze statue that depicts an Irish father, mother and child remained intact. "The fact that it's there to honor the people that came from Ireland and settled in the Quad-Cities and have a completely irresponsible act destroy it, you feel sick to the stomach," he said. The memorial, Dooley said, is significant to the Irish and people of Irish descent in the Quad-Cities, because it reflects the hard work that their ancestors put in to better their lives. He added that his organization is looking to improve the memorial's landscape next year by adding some grass and a clover cover in the area. Although renovations are under way, Dooley said, he's unsure when the entire memorial will be completely fixed. For now, he said he and others from the Irish community are happy with the current fix. "Now that the wall is back up, we're feeling pretty good about it again," he said. "We got it fixed, and hopefully, nothing like this happens again." A major player in the Affordable Care Act marketplace in Iowa says it will continue selling policies in the state in 2017, even as it is dropping out of most other places. Aetna is the latest large insurer to back away from the Affordable Care Act exchanges in the face of challenging financial results. Providing affordable, high-quality health care options to consumers is not possible without a balanced risk pool," Aetna Chairman Mark Bertolini said in a statement posted on the company's website. Bertolini said 55 percent of its individual on-exchange is new this year, and in the second quarter, the company saw a larger share of that membership seek "high cost care." Following a thorough business review and in light of a second-quarter pretax loss of $200 million and total pretax losses of more than $430 million since January 2014 in our individual products, we have decided to reduce our individual public exchange presence in 2017, which will limit our financial exposure moving forward," he said. Aetna announced that it is reducing the number of counties it will offer policies in from 778 to 242. It is continuing in Iowa, Nebraska, Delaware and Virginia. Earlier this year, Aetna filed with Iowa regulators seeking an average premium increase of 22.6 percent. As in Iowa, the company's latest statement pointed not only to rising medical costs but also an inadequate mechanism to adjust risk, which it said is contributing to higher premiums. Asked why it was continuing its business in Iowa, Aetna said it had analyzed numerous factors. "We are focusing our individual on-exchange presence where we believe we are best positioned to provide access to quality care at an affordable cost," the company said in an email. Enrollment for 2017 insurance plans will begin Nov. 1. In Illinois, Aetna participated in the marketplace in the Chicago area in 2016, but Illinois is not one of the states where the company said it would continue to have a presence. When the exchanges first opened, in 2014, Aetna offered policies in the Illinois Quad-Cities. Aetna joins other insurers UnitedHealth Group and Humana Inc. that have reduced their participation in the Affordable Care Act exchanges. UnitedHealth Group announced in April it would leave most markets, including Iowa. Humana made its announcement in July. Aetna that it will continue to sell individual policies off the exchange. However, people have to buy insurance in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces to be eligible for the subsidies that help lower costs. The news of Aetna's pullback comes as it and Humana are seeking to merge. The Justice Department has filed suit to oppose it on anti-trust grounds. Last month, I helped coordinate a trip to Washington for a group of southern Illinois residents to speak out against the New Madrid Levee Project, a project that threatens the health of the Mississippi River in the boot heel of Missouri. The project, which is proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers, would cost $165 million in taxpayer dollars to drain an area of wetlands 250 times larger than Nahant Marsh. It would also rob us of the most important backwater fisheries habitat in the Middle Mississippi River, and increase the risk of catastrophic flooding for dozens of river communities in Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky. Those southern Illinois residents that joined me in Washington are the people at risk of losing everything if the New Madrid Levee Project moves forward. These people lost their homes and businesses in the 2011 flood and the proposed project if implemented would exacerbate their flood risk during future wet weather events. Upon hearing these stories, Sen. Mark Kirk asked the Army Corps of Engineers for a swift end to this harmful project. Thank you, Sen. Kirk. Olivia Dorothy Rock Island Dorothy is associate director of Mississippi River management at American Rivers. Burke/Triolo Productions/Thinkstock Brandy Clark kicks off a four-city tour of the United Kingdom September 20 in Birmingham, England. Look for Old Dominion to perform their latest single, Song for Another Time, Monday during their appearance on ABCs Good Morning America. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are on the cover of the September issue of Southern Living, discussing their upcoming gig hosting the 50th annual CMA Awards. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. A bowhunter education class has been scheduled for people considering archery hunting. A National Bowhunter Education Foundation certification is required for all South Dakota archery elk hunters and for all first time archery hunters within South Dakota. This class meets the requirement. Class sessions run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at the Center of the Nation Sportsman's Club classrooms at the range northwest of Belle Fourche on Highway 212 to 3VVV Road, then about three miles west on 3VVV. Belle Fourche-based Conservation Officer Bill Eastman said that on-line registration is required at http://gfp.sd.gov/hunt-ed at the Belle Fourche class listing. There is no charge for the classes, and all materials will be provided. Students must be 12 years of age or older. Students 11 years old may attend if their 12th birthday occurs on or prior to April of 2017. Youth registration requires that a parent or legal guardian register the student, and a parental release form is required Eastman said anyone with questions many contact him at 605-391-1575. A 31-year-old man from Kenel in north-central South Dakota was sentenced in federal court Monday to 30 years in prison for an extended assault of his girlfriend that included dumping bleach on her. A jury in Aberdeen had earlier convicted Denny Johnson Sr. of assault with a dangerous weapon, simple assault, domestic assault by a habitual offender and two counts of aggravated sexual abuse. Kenel is a small town about 25 miles north of Mobridge, just west of the Missouri River. The convictions stemmed from incidents within a two-week period starting Dec. 29, 2013, when Johnson physically and emotionally abused his girlfriend, according to federal authorities. The couples decade-long relationship was described as tumultuous and violent. That day, Johnson began attacking the woman as she was leaving their home following a disagreement, according to a media release from the U.S. Attorneys Office. He jerked her to the floor, kicked her on the small of her back that had been injured and began throwing household items at her. Johnson used a large army knife to cut off her clothes, and threw her to the ground, the release said. He threw the knife at her, sticking it in the floor beside her, and he told her to kill herself because he could not do it. The victim refused, stating she had her children to live for. He kicked her as she tried to crawl away, and threatened to kill her. He urinated on her, then ordered her to get in the shower because she smelled. He turned on the cold water only and forced her to stay under the water as he poured shampoo, soap, liquid hand soap, dish soap, a bottle of Mr. Clean and some Clorox on her head and face, the release said. The victim was pleading with him to stop, but Johnson grabbed a mop bucket with dirty water in it and dumped that on her as well. Afterward, he repeatedly raped the victim in the bedroom. During the sexual abuse, he hit her in the face and held a knife to her throat. Johnson was charged in June of 2014, and chose to take the case to trial. In May, on the third day of the trial, a federal jury returned guilty verdicts after deliberating for less than three hours. District Judge Charles Kornmann handed down 30 years for each count of sexual abuse, 10 years for assault with a dangerous weapon, five years for the domestic assault charge and six months for simple assault. Johnson's sentences were ordered to run concurrently. Johnson was also charged with kidnapping, but was acquitted of that and three additional counts of aggravated sexual abuse. He has been turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Is our Gov. Daugaard being dismissive or just not paying attention? On hearing the news a few days ago that the U.S. Board on Geographic Names decided that henceforth Harney Peak will be known as Black Elk Peak, Daugaard said in a press release that he was "surprised by this decision as I have heard very little support in South Dakota for renaming Harney Peak." Considering that the state's Democratic Party, which speaks for about a third of S.D.'s registered voters, a year ago made a strong statement in support of the name change (part of a conversation that captured the attention of USA Today, where it got extensive coverage last September), Daugaard's reaction seems disingenuous or simply reveals his indifference toward an issue that has much social and emotional significance to South Dakotans. Judging from the extraordinarily high number of reader comments that this story got in the Journal's report on it last Friday, there's no doubt that feelings on this matter are strong. How could Daugaard have missed the underlying tensions regarding the name change? Seems like a lack of leadership and empathy to me. In his press release, Daugaard says that the change "will cause unnecessary expense and confusion," because he "suspects that few people know the history of Harney or Black Elk." That compels the question if more people actually knew the history of Harney, would they tolerate honoring his name by placing it on South Dakota's highest peak? Here's what the Nebraska State Historical Society has to say about Harney's actions (known as the "Harney Massacre") at an Indian village in 1855 at Blue Water Creek, south of the Black Hills: "While engaged in a delaying parley with Chief Little Thunder" Harney's troops "circled undetected" toward the village "where the infantry opened fire and forced the Indians toward mounted soldiers, who inflicted terrible casualties. 86 Indians were killed, 70 women and children were captured, and their tipis were looted and burned." This is the same William Harney who was called "A MONSTER!" by the Cincinnati Journal in 1834 for having beaten his female slave Hannah to death. Her oversight? Misplacing a set of his keys. Call me old-fashioned, but I don't think behavior patterns like these are the stuff of glorification, especially in this day and age where information gets disseminated instantaneously to the public, generally, and our kids, particularly. I pity the poor history teacher who has to explain how a sadistic madman has been honored in perpetuity by having his name festooned to one of the most notable mountains in the United States. And by the way, don't tell me that we shouldn't be judging his 19th century behavior through our 21st century moral lenses. In 1864, outraged Congressional investigators called the perpetrators of the Sand Creek Massacre "foul and dastardly." I'm not a situation-ethicist, nor do I believe 19th century moral standards tolerated massacres like the one at Blue Water creek. What I do believe is that expunging Harney and replacing it with Black Elk is a matter of common decency. Is there room for hope for the troubling situation in Whiteclay, Nebraska? After decades of heartache and frustration, there's a reasonable chance the pieces can come together soon for coordinated action. An 11-member task force appointed by Gov. Pete Ricketts has been developing worthwhile ideas. State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln, who heads a legislative study group on Whiteclay, voices confidence for progress on action during the 2017 session. The University of Nebraska Medical Center is willing to help efforts to combat fetal alcohol syndrome and alcoholism stemming from the Whiteclay problem. Bob Batt, chairman of the State Liquor Control Commission, offered a promising option last year: State lawmakers should explore reviving a proposal letting the state and localities create "alcohol-impact zones" where liquor license restrictions can be imposed if the area is shown to be disproportionately affected by alcohol. No one claims a magic solution to Whiteclay, the 14-resident community where more than 3 million cans of beer are sold annually, primarily to residents who come down from the Pine Ridge Reservation just across the border in South Dakota. One of the most alarming sights in Nebraska is that of men passed out in Whiteclay or staggering drunkenly to or from the reservation, mesmerized by the dangerous allure of high-alcohol Whiteclay beer. Still, the discussions have been constructive, with a commendable emphasis on identifying sensible initial steps. Ricketts set an appropriate tone last year when he wrote to a constituent regarding Whiteclay: "I am determined to address this important set of problems during my administration." The governor's 11-member task force including Whiteclay business owners, elected officials, law enforcement and religious leaders has put together a set of sensible options that the governor is considering. Among them: Creating a detox/treatment center (a proposal to be cheered). A full-time law enforcement officer. Elimination of abandoned buildings and other public health hazards. Crafting of an economic development plan for Whiteclay. Getting legislative authority to enact county ordinances to address panhandling, vagrancy, loitering, urinating and defecating in public. Improving relationships between Nebraska and the Oglala Sioux Tribe. "I think there is a lot of hope about what we can do in this area," Pansing Brooks says. It's encouraging to see this positive spirit. It's time for collaborative efforts to begin to tackle one of the most disturbing problems in the Great Plains. Russian billionaire drops lawsuit against Yandex ST. PETERSBURG, August 17 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) The Kuibyshevsky District Court in St. Petersburg stopped proceedings over lawsuits filed by Russian billionaire Yevgeny Prigozhin over Yandex refusal to delete information about him, the courts press service told RAPSI on Wednesday. During the hearings representatives of Prigozhin announced that they abandon all claims against Yandex. Motives behind this decision are unknown. Earlier, Prigozhin asked Yandex to delete links to information concerning him, but his claims were dismissed. Therefore, he lodged several lawsuits with the court seeking to oblige Yandex to delete information about him in accordance with the law. The law on penalties for refusal of search engines to delete links to unreliable information sources at the request of individuals took effect on January 1, 2016. This law obligates companies providing Internet search engine services to delete links to unlawful, unreliable and irrelevant information about a person from the search results if the person in question files a claim with the company. However, this does not include information about the events related to criminal offenses with a valid statute of limitation, or information about the crimes for which sentences have not been overturned or served. Earlier, Prigozhin has filed similar lawsuits against Google Inc. and Mail.ru. The lawsuit against Google has not been set for hearing. The claim against Mail.ru has been considered but the case has been closed. Yevgeny Prigozhin is the owner of Concord Catering, Concord-M companies as well as Kupetz Eliseevs Food Hall and Museum of chocolate. In May, tuple of two of Prigozhins automobiles were stopped by traffic police and the Federal Security Service for the use of state symbols and special sound signals. Protocols on administrative violations have been drawn up against the guard-drivers. ST. JOSEPH, Mo. It may not be a combination that people typically think of, but it's one that's working. In its second year, the Brews & Views conversation series, sponsored by the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), is bringing together people outside the church to discuss important faith and life topics over drinks. "It's more of a relaxed setting. Everybody is welcome to just walk in and it's a great place to have conversations about important issues," said the Rev. Brian Kirk, lead pastor at First Christian Church. "It's both a chance to come and have a drink but also to share your views on different topics." Kirk said the idea stemmed from a nationwide program called Pub Theology. The First Christian Church program is held for a limited number of weeks at Foster's Martini Bar in downtown St. Joseph and features different guided conversation topics. "It basically is to open up dialogue so maybe people who were open to the conversation may be able to get more understanding or maybe even have paradigm shifts," said Patrick Hall, outreach director with First Christian Church. "Even though we may be different and have different ideals, we can learn from each other. That was really the principle." Recently, the group discussed the question "Is there anything wrong with believing in God?" "A lot of people said, 'What do you mean by that question? Kirk said. "... Your answer could be that there is nothing wrong with believing in God. Then some people said they think there are some problems with how some of us think about God. Then off and running was the conversation." Although the discussion topics vary, faith usually plays a role, the Rev. Kirk said. "Sometimes the conversation is more around art. It could be around sexuality. Politics certainly comes into the discussion about every time we get together," he said. "It's very wide-ranging. Because it's sponsored by a church, faith always finds its way into the conversation, but that's certainly not the whole intent of what we are doing." Andrew Kar attended a recent session where the topic was "What Is Your Sacred Text?" "For me, it's an opportunity to talk about a topic that consumes me," he said. "I love talking about theology and faith and its relationship to all aspects of life. It really encompasses everything." *** The goal of the discussions, led by a church facilitator, isn't to reach a consensus or change opinions, Kirk said: "Our goal is not to say by the end, 'OK, what have we all figured out and learned here tonight?' It's simply to just have that open discussion." The bar setting helps encourage conversation and open up the meeting for everyone, he said. They have church members and nonmembers at the meetings, as well as people of a variety of ages and viewpoints. "We do feel like doing it in a bar is kind of a place where you drop all your pretenses about what you maybe can or can't say in a church," he said. "Sometimes, in a church building, we are reluctant to be completely open and honest." The reception has been predominantly positive, Kirk said. They have seen an average of 15 to 20 people at each gathering. "I think it has been an asset," he said. "It intrigues people. A few people in our church said, 'Really? We are going to do an activity in a bar?' But I think even then it was like, 'That's interesting. It's a model for success as the church is changing and now requires work outside the physical building, Kirk said. Brews & Views is one way to help reach out to "meet people where they are," he said. "The model, going back 50 years ago, would be to have a building and people will walk in," he said. "That certainly is not the way it is anymore. We know that folks want to know if your faith community is engaged in the wider things that are going on in the community that they live in. ... That's exciting." He hopes to see more churches joining in on similar conversations as the program grows. "We are trying to look for different ways to be an expression of church, an expression of justice and peace and compassion and love in the community," he said. "This may just be the first idea that will springboard into other ways of how church might look in the coming decade." UNIONTOWN, Pa. In a busy holiday season, the Nativity scene delivers a quiet but strong message. "It's a reminder of what Christmas is all about," said Audrey White of Franklin Township. "When I'm putting them out, I think it's inspirational and it makes me feel close to Christmas as that's what Christmas is all about," said Mary Tickner of Uniontown. The Nativity scene recalls the Gospel story of Christ's birth, complete with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, shepherds, Wise Men, angels and animals. As Tickner recalled, the first Nativity scene was put together by St. Francis in the 13th century. It was live with people and animals. In the ensuing years, artisans began making Nativity sets that could be put on display for weeks at a time. Now a staple of the Christmas season, Nativity sets are usually viewed at churches and sometimes in community displays. But Nativity scenes are also a traditional way of celebrating Christmas in the home. Both White and Tickner each have their own extensive collection of Nativity sets, dear to their hearts and happily shared in their own Christmas decorations. White, who is retired from teaching preschool at Asbury United Methodist Church in Uniontown, owns about 400 Nativity sets that she has collected throughout her lifetime. She puts about 80 of them on display each year in the 1870 farmhouse where she resides with her husband Duane. White's favorite Nativity set is one she purchased from Sears in 1971, the first year of her marriage, just like her mother did before her. This Nativity is stationed, as always, under the family Christmas tree. She is also fond of a set her husband made at Sunday school when he was 7. White's collection includes several wooden sets that she made herself and one she etched on an emu egg. While she displays favorites each year, she rotates out other sets, including ones featuring rabbits, bears and mice. White has slowed down her collecting in recent years, now purchasing one set each Christmas and usually receiving one as a gift from a family member. Each set is carefully boxed and marked with information about when and where she received it. *** Tickner, who is principal at Charleroi Middle School, owns 79 Nativity sets that she displays at her pre-Civil War farmhouse where she lives with her husband, Paul, who teaches at Laurel Business Institute. The couple also has four grown children and five granddaughters. While she always enjoyed Nativity sets, Tickner's collecting began in earnest about 15 years ago. Her latest set was purchased at an antique shop in Uniontown this fall. Tickner spends time deciding where to place each set, usually changing the locations each year. "It's a lot of work and a lot of time but once it's done, I enjoy looking at them," she said. One of Tickner's favorites is a set from the 1920s made of hard plastic that she found in a shop in New Jersey and is probably her oldest set. "It seems so natural and flawless," she said. "There's not much to it, but it's inspirational." Another favorite is a 1930s set made of hard rubber. "The pieces are very interesting and the facial expressions are very individualized," Tickner explained. *** Both women have Nativity sets made in a variety of materials, including pewter, plaster, porcelain, paper, metal, clay, coal, grapevines, wood and wax as well as those stitched onto cloth, painted on stacked boxes, placed inside water globes, on top of music boxes and engraved on ornaments or jewelry. While their outside Nativity sets are large, some located inside are only inches tall and might be found inside another object, such as a small statue of a Christmas tree. Paul Tickner commented about the differences in Nativity sets, "I like that there's a multitude of ways to portray it different styles, different approaches." In addition to whole sets, Tickner often buys separate Nativity pieces that she finds in different shops, having the patience to look for mates that she can match and put together. "Finding pieces that go together is like a puzzle," she said. Both Tickner and White have Nativity sets from other countries, some given as gifts or others that they purchased while traveling. Tickner has a Nativity set on a plaque from Bethlehem, a small, one-piece set from Italy, and one from a mission church in California that shows a Spanish-Mexican influence. She also has an angel she purchased in Montreal, Canada to add to a set. "We went to see a Passion play in Germany three years ago, and I picked up one made out of a nutshell and one made of wood," said White, who also has a set made out of olive wood from Bethlehem, one carved in stone from Egypt and one made out of clay that a friend brought her from a trip to Peru and Argentina. Others include a set from Italy and one from New Mexico. Sharing her collection with others, Tickner hosts a Christmas party each year where guests can browse through the Nativity sets to find their favorites as well as new additions. White is placing many pieces of her collection on display at Asbury United Methodist Church on Sunday, Dec. 28, as part of a Uniontown walking tour of churches. For many, Nativity sets represent the meaning of this season of kindness and goodwill. Said Tickner, "I think it's a nice time a peaceful time and it should be like this all year." HELENA Fish sensing the approaching net took to the air, leaping with space running thin as waiting hands scooped them up and escorted them to safety. The back channels of Spring Meadow Lake have run especially low this summer the lowest many of those familiar with the park can remember. Cut off from the main lake, hundreds of fish were left trapped in the receding stagnant water. On Tuesday evening the Lewis and Clark County 4-H Sport Fishing program came to Spring Meadow with a plan. After the group secured permission from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks and borrowed a seining net from biologists, the captured trout, bass and panfish went for a quick ride to the main lake. The community helps us so much that we want to help out by saving these fish, said Irene Edwards. Irene volunteered for Tuesdays project along with her siblings Gabriel and Garrison. Other volunteers included Jacquelyn and Sylvia Putchet, Austin Gransbery, Aurora Armstrong, Carson Bollinger, Sean Xavier and Mathew Kersten. The club started meeting in April, focusing on several aspects of fishing including fishing first aid, tying flies and casting. Then they took to the water, hitting angling spots throughout the county to learn about different fish and methods. It was during one of those fishing expeditions when the aspiring anglers came across the many fish stuck in Spring Meadows disappearing water. They caught a bunch of fish out of these little pools and before they dry out and the fish die, we thought itd be a great opportunity for them to learn about the environment in this paradise we get to live in, said 4-H leader Guy Rainville. With a net strung across the narrow pool, the group worked in coordination to herd the fish into the shallows. As they approached the bank, the fish boiled and jumped out of water, and then it was a mad dash to get them in buckets and a short ride to their release. The hardest part is the mud, said junior 4-H supervisor Austin Gransbery. The flying fish were no easy task either, as Austin was one of several netters hit by a jumping bass. Getting the chance to fish is the best part of the 4-H program, he said. Jacquelyn Putchet agreed that the mud was a major challenge. But catching the fish was still a good time. I know we got over a hundred, she said. The funnest part was collecting the fish. 4-H is a lot of fun and Ive met a lot of new friends. The hardest part was catching the fish they kept flopping, Sylvia Putchet said, adding that cutthroat trout are her favorite fish. The fish tally saved on Tuesday ran into the hundreds, with tiny panfish and bass making up the bulk of the catch. A few larger bass and rainbows were also the beneficiary of the groups work. At first I didnt think wed find much, and then it was clear we were moving quite a few fish, said Ryan Schmaltz with FWP. It was a really amazing thing to see, and this really is one of the best outdoor clubs in Helena. With the recent attention given to so-called bucket biology leading to illegal introductions of fish in Montana, it is important to emphasize that the 4-H group had permission and assistance from FWP, he said, and that the public should not transport fish unless within the law. Education about illegal fish introductions is an important component of the 4-H program, he added. For more information on the 4-H Sport Fishing program, email C.J. Lassila at siege1234@bresnan.net. A Corvallis woman faces felony child endangerment charges after her mother called the sheriffs office to report that her daughter was neglecting her 10-month-old twin daughters because of her drug use. Raquel Ranae Murray, 20, appeared before Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey on two counts of child endangerment and felony charges of criminal distribution and possession of dangerous drugs. According to the charging affidavit, Murrays mother called the Ravalli County sheriffs office on Aug. 13 to report her concerns about Murrays twin daughters. The affidavit gave the following account: The woman said Murray had been on drugs for quite some time and that she had attempted to intervene several times. About two weeks before her call to the sheriffs office, the woman said she had gone to her daughters home in Corvallis and found the door wide open. Inside, the house was beyond trashed. There was no place to walk due the garbage and clutter on the floor. One of the twin girls was about to fall out of a swing. Murrays mother said the young girl had the worst dirty diaper that she had ever seen. Murray was found passed out in a back room by her mother. At that point, Murray couldnt remember where the other child was. Later she remembered the girl might be with a babysitter, the affidavit said. Murray told her mother that she was deep into drugs and that she needed to get them out of her house. Murray began to break all the needles in the home and asked her mother to take them out of the house so she wouldnt be tempted anymore. The woman told sheriffs deputies that her daughter had lost 30 pounds in the last few months and that she had track marks all over her arms. Murrays mother left the home for about 30 minutes to drop the child off with a family member. When she returned, Murray was gone. Her mother believed she had left to buy more drugs. At that point, Murrays mother took custody of the children and removed the childrens possession from the home. She also took a black purse that contained syringes and baggies with drug residue. Murrays mother then reported her daughter to Child Protective Services and turned the syringes and other drug items over to the sheriffs office. The items turned over the sheriffs office included syringes inside a baby snack container, as well as a cooking spoon, baggies with methamphetamine residue inside and a meth pipe. In an unrelated case, Keith Richard Sines was arrested on warrants out of Wyoming. A search of his cell phone yield text messages between Murray and Sines in which Murray allegedly offered to sell methamphetamine for $50 in the parking lot of her residence. Murray was located at about 6 p.m. while driving on the Eastside Highway. When she was pulled over, Murray asked the officer if she was being stopped as an escort to see her kids. The deputy told her no and then arrested her for possession of dangerous drugs. The officer asked Murray if there was anything illegal in the vehicle. Murray said yes and then allegedly turned over .75 grams of methamphetamine, 55 used baggies, a syringe, a cotton ball with residue, and other baggies with residue. After being advised of her rights, the affidavit said Murray agreed to speak with the deputy. She allegedly admitted that she used about a half-gram of methamphetamine intravenously a day and that she dealt the drug to make ends meet. A syringe was later located in Murrays bra. Bailey set bail at $10,000 with a requirement that Murray be monitored for drugs if released from detention. America must return to conservative principles of less government,reduced taxes, less spending and a balanced budget! Cut,cap and balance! This year's Global Citizen concert in Canada will welcome Usher as a headline performer. Global Citizen has welcomed artists such as Beyonce and Coldplay to entertain audiences on stage for a charitable cause. Fans can earn tickets by volunteering in several ways, such as signing petitions and emailing world leaders, in order to raise funds and bring awareness to the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. Once all volunteering actions have been completed, a person can enter the ticket lottery drawing to win concert tickets. The Global Citizen festival will take place in Montreal, Canada's Bell Centre on September 17. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. CPN Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal With the formation of the government under the leadership of CPN Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the people in general have cautiously been watching that how can Prachanda be to settle the existing constitutional as well as political impasse of the country. Though about one week period would not be sufficient to comment, it is likely that Dahals repeatedly made commitment to amend the constitution to address the grievances of the agitating Federal Alliance (FA), would not be materialized due to hindrance from the UML. The UML has already made clear that it would not allow amending the constitution to change in the proposed federal structures though it was the prime demand of the agitating Madhes based parties. The recent impediment emerged ahead of Prime Minister Dahal is amendment of constitution, which is not possible without two third majority to which UML support is indispensible. However, there are many things that have to be done to prove his second inning as the Prime Minister. The remaining another challenge is holding of local body elections, which is also entirely interrelated with the amendment of the constitution and consensus among the parties. The challenges of Dahal are also the opportunity to prove himself the second inning as the Prime minister before handing over the reins to the Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba within March 2017 as per the power-sharing deal, in order to hold national and provincial elections. Prime Minister Dahal has to do many things within the limited period, though the people do not seem optimistic with the second inning of Dahal as of 2008, when he had elected as the first Prime Minister after holding of the historic election for the Constituent Assembly (CA) doubled legislative parliament. Prime Minister Dahal and his party would have also realized that the public confidence is much reduced now as the Maoist party and its leaders not only failed in the delicate task of completing the peace process but also made complicated in some extend. The lost faith is now hanged with the implementation of the new Constitution by holding elections and taking the agitating and opposition parties into confidence. As Dahal elected as the Prime Minister replacing CPN UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli with backing from the Nepali Congress, Madhesh-based parties and other fringe parties, Dahal has to do much more things not only inside but also outside of Nepal too. The souring relationship with neighboring India also needs to be mentioned with equal balance of power even with the northern neighbor China. If Dahal wants to be successful in his second innings, we have already mentioned that he needs to learn from his past mistakes. As his rein is made at a time when Nepal is facing serious internal and external challenges, he needs to prepare a clear political roadmap to succeed. While preparing such a roadmap, he should make a note of past mistakes that had committed during last tenure. Where he realizes or not, attempt to sack out then Nepal army chief Rukmangad Katawal from the post, not making then Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala the president and failure to realize that his party had no political experience in running the country were the prime mistakes, which had forced him to resign within nine months. As some demands raised by the FA, which would never be fulfilled, were provoked by the Maoist in the past, need to be settled internally before entering in the process of other demands raised by the disgruntle forces that would be settled through the amendment in the constitution. The economic loss caused due to the devastating earthquake, months long strikes in Madhes and the unofficial blockade of India also needs to be incurred during his tenure. NEW DELHI: India is willing to send its top diplomat to Pakistan for talks focused on fighting cross-border terrorism, sources at Indias foreign ministry said on Wednesday, after a spike in tension in the disputed northernmost region of Kashmir. Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was willing to attend talks on the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart, the sources said, adding that they should focus on the situation in Kashmir. The olive branch comes after 40 days of violent protests in Indian-ruled Kashmir that were sparked by the killing by security forces of a field commander of Pakistan-based Islamic militant group Hizbul Mujahideen who enjoyed wide support. At least 64 people have died and thousands been injured in clashes with security forces that have been denounced by Pakistan, which also claims the right to rule Jammu & Kashmir in a territorial dispute that dates back to partition in 1947. In the latest clash on Wednesday, militants killed three members of the security forces when they ambushed an army convoy and then fired on a police jeep that came to the scene. The Indian sources made it clear, however, that India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India. Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is the name of the Indian state that includes the disputed Kashmir region. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ratcheted up tensions in his annual Independence Day speech on Monday, accusing Pakistan of glorifying terrorism. And, in a tit-for-tat escalation in the war of words between the nuclear-armed neighbours, Modi said he had received messages of support from leaders in restive regions of Pakistan, in particular the troubled southwestern province of Baluchistan. India accuses Muslim Pakistan of supporting Kashmiri fighters while Pakistan accuses India of meddling in Pakistani trouble spots, in particular of helping separatists fighting the Pakistani state in resource-rich Baluchistan. Both sides deny the accusations. KATHMANDU, Aug 17: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Krishna Bahadur Mahara and Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang held a meeting at latter's office at Zhongnanhai in Beijing on Wednesday morning. During the courtesy meeting, the Chinese Prime Minister thanked DPM and Finance Minister Mahara for the kind invitations extended to Chinese President, Xi Jinping, and the Premier himself of the People's Republic of China. On the occasion, the Chinese PM said that he and Chinese President Xi are positive for visiting Nepal and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the two countries would stay in touch for necessary coordination, the Embassy of Nepal, Beijing stated in a press release. Similarly, DPM Mahara expressed his gratitude for the Prime Minister's valuable time and appreciated the government and people of China for their generous support and cooperation in Nepal's socio-economic development. The Chinese PM Li assured the visiting DPM Mahara about China's willingness to extend all possible cooperation for Nepal, saying China and Nepal have always developed pragmatic relations. DPM Mahara was accompanied by Jhabindra Aryal, Joint-Secretary and Head of Northeast Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Harishchandra Ghimire, Charge d' Affairs, a.i., Binod Prasad Acharya, Minister (Economic) and Sabitra Oli, Second Secretary of the Embassy of Nepal in Beijing. RSS Kathmandu, Nepal: The Supreme Court (SC), the apex Court of the country, has stayed the governments decision to scrap the nomination of ambassadors recommended by the erstwhile government. A single bench of Chief Justice Sushila Karki issued the show cause notice in the name of government on Wednesday seeking reasons why the Cabinet decided to withdraw names of 14 ambassadorial nominees from the parliamentary hearing. The bench has also ordered that the government not to implement the order till August 24 as the bench has summoned both the petitioners and the defendants to present themselves before the Court to discuss whether an interim order should be issued in response to the writ. A cabinet meeting had cancelled the recommendation of 14 ambassadors made by the erstwhile government on the basis of their political background. Challenging the cabinet decision, four Ambassador Nominees had moved to the Court demanding a writ of certiorari against the government decision. Kathmandu, Nepal: The CPN UML, the main opposition party and the second largest party in the parliament has emphasized for the timely elections of local, provincial, and federal. The leaders speaking at the ongoing Standing Committee meeting have stressed that the party should press the government for timely elections at local, provincial and federal level. Party Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai has stated by issuing press statement on Wednesday that the party leaders have emphasized to play an active and effective role as the main opposition in the Parliament to ensure timely elections and implement the Constitution. It is said that partys senior leaders including Jhala Nath Khanal, Vice-Chairperson Ashtalaxmi Shakya, Secretary duo Gokarna Bista and Yogesh Bhattarai had spoken at the meeting today. Contact: Mostly, the Rude Pundit doesn't give a shit what you have to say, but, if you have to say it, you can write to Lee Papa here: rudepundit(at)yahoo(dot)com Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Vividly re-imagined, the new Ben-Hur is a lot of fun to watch, in part because it follows the outline of William Wyler's famed film while injecting fresh new elements. It's not a classic, by any means, but it certainly exceeds expectations. Some things can't be improved upon, such as the legendary chariot race. To be fair, that epic sequence from 1959, directed by Yakima Canutt and Andrew Marton and influenced heavily by the 1925 silent version, is burned into my brain from more than two dozen viewings and still sends chills down my spine, so I can't imagine any restaging would ever come close. Taken as a whole, however, this is a more than respectable staging of the material. It all started with Lew Wallace's novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ. Published in 1880, it became a bestseller, though it defies easy modern consumption. (I have a paperback copy and have been unable to get through more than two pages.) Due to its success, it was adapted into a stage play, which was also quite popular. The basic plot points have remained the same through three film versions, including the 1925 silent version. It's set in and around Jerusalem in the first century, during the time of Jesus Christ's presence on Earth. Childhood friends Ben-Hur and Messala reunite later in life and realize both have changed. Ben-Hur is falsely accused of a crime by Messala and is sentenced to life as a galley slave. Ben-Hur escapes slavery and returns to Jerusalem to seek revenge against Messala in a chariot race. Timur Bekmambetov directed the new version from a screenplay credited to Keith R. Clarke (The Way Back) and John Ridley (12 Years a Slave). It begins with hints of the chariot race to come -- no sense ignoring the elephant in the room -- before starting its story in 25 C.E. Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) and his adopted brother Messalah (Toby Kebbell) are introduced as the closest of friends, true brothers. Judah and his family are wealthy Jews in Jerusalem. They're aware of the unhappiness in the city because of the tight governance of the Romans, and the activity of Jewish zealots against that rule. Messalah is unhappy, too, though this has more to do with his desire to establish his own name and create his own wealth. He heads off to join the Roman army. Three years pass before he returns and has a series of encounters with Judah and his family that end with Judah in slavery and the family completely torn apart. What makes the familiar feel fresh is the screenplay, which provides strong reasoning and motivation for the actions of the lead characters, not only Judah Ben-Hur and Messala but also Esther (Nazanin Boniadi), who becomes Judah's wife. Huston and Kebbell bring true grit and ferocity to their performances, supported by Boniadi and others, including Sofia Black-D'Elia as Tirzah, Judah's sister and Messala's love interest, and Rodrigo Santoro as a firmly convincing version of Jesus. The great Pilou Asbaek (A War) portrays a hissable Pontius Pilate and Morgan Freeman, looking a bit like the Predator, lends his usual wisdom and grace. Director Timur Bekmambetov (Night Watch, Wanted, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) keeps the story moving fluidly through the various scenes of dialogue and exposition, exercising restraint that is later unleashed fully during the extended action sequences. The pace is lively, and Bekmambetov's point of view is nearly constantly in motion. Things become unmoored (and incomprehensible) during one of the major set-pieces, but I was pleasantly engaged during the chariot race, and appreciated the nods to the 1959 movie. And let my prejudices be clear: as much as I revere that 1959 chariot race sequence, much of the remainder of that movie is stodgy, self-important, and a chore to watch. The new version certainly has its faults -- for one thing, let's not talk about the ending -- but it's altogether enjoyable to watch, the kind of pulp fiction that breezes by on its way to a much anticipated climax. The film opens in many territories in South America, Europe and Asia on Thursday, August 18, and in theaters throughout North America on Friday, August 19. Visit the official site for more information. Check local listings for theaters and showtimes. 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). The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival gang is at it again, teasing a whole batch of new additions to the musical lineup for their 2016 festival (September 30 - October 2). After an initial lineup announcement last week that included Cake and Roseanne Cash, the iconic free annual music festival has just released a second mystery music medley that adds 12 new confirmed acts to this years foot-stomping, banjo-picking frolic that will once again do it doggy-style on seven stages in Golden Gate Park. The second #HSB16 medley has just been posted on https://t.co/imKS7HBUEQ - can you guess them all!? pic.twitter.com/HldUaJJRfF Hardly Strictly (@HSBFest) August 14, 2016 These acts are announced in the form of a name-that-artist guessing game, not a formal announcement. I used the music identification app Shazam to confirm the identity of the artists and included a YouTube video of the exact track included on the medley. Admittedly, there is one that I absolutely could not figure out, even with Shazam. Otherwise, the acts are listed in the reverse order of their placement on the teaser medley, because this time they saved their biggest name for last Cyndi Lauper Whoa, Cyndi Lauper just put out a country album? She did, its called Detour, and as you'll notice in the above video, her voice works surprisingly well within the genre. Note: Shazam and I are both stumped by the penultimate 11th track in this medley, and a Google search of its lyrics Silent the night/but for my cry do not produce any identifying results. You got us on this one, Hardly Strictly. Nahko and Medicine for the People Im including YouTube links to whatever songs Hardly Strictly Bluegrass included in their latest medley, and in most cases I personally would have chosen a different song. But the above video San Quentin from global fusion band Nahko and Medicine for the People, telling the true story of Nahko meeting the guy who murdered his father, is the most powerful piece of pop Ive heard in months. Twin Limb If youre broken up over Broken Social Scenes hiatuses and irregular appearances these days, the baroque pop band Twin Limb is definitely worthy of your consideration as a possible new fave. High Bar Gang The High Bar Gang are apparently quite the phenom in their native Canada, but well see how their contemporary Christian music themes go over here in hedonistic and godless San Francisco. Chris Isaak He played for free at the Super Bowl City festivities this past January, now HSB2014 festival veteran Chris Isaak returns to strum up another free show for his Bay Area fans. C.W. Stoneking You wouldnt know C.W. Stoneking was a white guy from Australia the way he plays and sings the old-style American blues. Jim James Fans of the psychedelic indie rock outfit My Morning Jacket will want to throw on an extra layer and catch their frontman Jim James on his new solo excursion. Jonny Two Bags Social Distortion guitarist Jonny Wickersham will grace the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass stage in the incarnation of his new solo act Jonny Two Bags. Delta Rae They may sound like a female solo artist, but Delta Rae is a six-member blues-folk act out of Durham, North Carolina. The Steeldrivers The Steeldrivers won a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album this past February, so fans of the old-timey bluegrass will surely find them worth watching. Margaret Glaspy (NSFW Lyrics in the above video!) Fairly catchy solo guitarist Margaret Glaspy seems like a pretty promising act worth penciling into your bluegrass festival weekend schedule. No mention of MC Hammer and his traditional Friday kickoff-slot kids' show, so we'll provide updates if the Hammerman or any additional acts are announced. Related: Cake, Roseanne Cash, Mavis Staples Confirmed On Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2016 Teaser Lineup Elderly NIMBY And Her Cats Enraged By Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Though originally investigated as a homicide, the death of 28-year-old San Francisco chef Frank Galicia has been reclassified as merely "suspicious." SFPD announced the reclassification yesterday, though KRON 4 reports that the cause of Galicia's death is still unclear according to the medical examiner and detectives. At the moment, it doesnt appear to be a homicide, but it doesnt appear to be a natural death either, said police spokesperson Officer Giselle Talkoff. Galicia, who was a line cook at the celebrated high-end restaurant Sons & Daughters, hailed from Los Angeles. His body was discovered near the Jessie Street entrance to the Westfield Centre. A GoFundMe.com page to raise funds for his family during this difficult time has been created by Sons & Daughters chef-owner Teague Moriarty. "Frank was a free spirit; his persona was very laid back," his brother, Louis Galicia, tells Moriarty. "He just went with the flow; he never had any beef or disgruntled situation with anyone." Galicia's girlfriend, Ariel Mittag-Degala, told ABC 7 this week that Galicia had gone to the mall to buy a pair of jeans, and she didn't hear from him after that. Further, Galicia's brother investigated the stairwell where the body was found, and discovered that a surveillance camera had been spraypainted over with red paint. Inside the stairwell where Frank Galicia's body was found - a surveillance camera covered in spray paint pic.twitter.com/cJVufnmZCJ Melanie Woodrow (@MelanieWoodrow) August 15, 2016 While the case isn't being investigated as a homicide, it may yet have been one, with Officer Talkoff telling the Chronicle the investigation "doesnt necessarily totally rule [homicide] out. As of January, that stretch of Market Street between Fourth and Fifth was hailed as the city's most crime-ridden, generating the more crime reports than any other block in San Francisco. That didn't simply indicate that it was dangerous, as many crimes included petty theft. But still, "The location makes it easier to commit crimes, Berkeley criminologist Barry Krisberg said. You can get there on public transit easily; you can get away pretty quickly; the large crowds permit a level of anonymity where property crimes flourish; and the victims are preoccupied, theyre shopping, theyre not worried about protecting their valuables. Previously: Westfield Mall Homicide Victim ID'd As Sons & Daughters Chef Body Found At Westfield Centre From September 8 - 18, 2016, PICA's Time-Based Art Festival will activate Portland, Oregon, with contemporary art projects that bring artists and audiences together, creating a vibrant community through live performances, music, film screenings, workshops, talks, and visual art installationsactivating the city with the art of our time. TBA is resolutely interdisciplinary, it and champions those artists who are challenging forms and working across mediums, from dance to performance to visual art. The 14th edition of TBA features artists from near and far that urgently reflect our current cultural moment. Global in scope, TBA exposes artists from regions not normally presented in the US, with projects hailing from Lebanon, Bulgaria, South Korea, France, Germany, and beyond. For the full line-up, tickets, and passes, please visit the festival website. This post is brought to you by PICA. 4' alligator sighted Monday in Ala. Co Creek @ACSOSheriffs lead agency with jurisdiction of waterway. Pls avoid area pic.twitter.com/3kN0q5cVGW Fremont Police Dept (@FremontPD) August 16, 2016 The life of an East Bay alligator was brought to an untimely end yesterday morning after wildlife officials shot and killed the creature as it sunned on a rock. NBC Bay Area reports that the four-foot reptile was chilling in a Fremont creek, near Niles, when a California Department of Fish and Wildlife warden used a state-issued riffle to dispatch the gator. The death brought to conclusion a 24-hour search by Alameda County sheriffs deputies following an alligator sighting near the Alameda Creek Regional Trail early Monday morning. "When it's a pubic safety issue we don't want to take a chance of losing it," Captain Sheree Christensen of Fish and Wildlife told the channel. "It's very difficult to tranquilize an alligator from a distance. A lot of people hike in this area, and they are not expecting an alligator to be there." Indeed, the question of what the alligator was doing in the East Bay creek in the first place is still an open one. Its just strange, one area mountain biker, Garrett Peardon, told the Chronicle. An alligator in Fremont? This is not Florida. Officials say it was likely an illegal pet, and they guess the owner released it after he or she realized the animal was too much to care for. This specific alligator was determined to be an American Alligator, the East Bay Times reports, and can grow between 8.2 and 11.2 feet long depending on the sex. "You really limit our decision-making when you put it out into the wild, you handcuff the agency of what we can do," Fish and Wildlife spokesman Steve Gonzalez told the Times. "What we want to communicate to the public is this didn't have to happen. No one wanted this outcome but in the end it's about public safety for us." Related: Police Seek Witnesses As Multiple Animals Shot In Berkeley Whoor whatis a Quasimondo? No, not a character in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Well, this is the right time for you to know that Quasimondo Milwaukee Physical Theatre is a Milwaukee theater company that writes, produces and stages its own works, doing so with a particular emphasis on breaking new theatrical ground and involving several different performance and visual arts; better put, perhaps by themselves as an ensemble of multidisciplinary artists committed to creating original work through inter-arts collaboration. Quasimondo blends varying modes of expression and bucks theatrical conventions in order to provide their audiences with innovative work that is aural, kinetic, visual and visceral. All those attributes will be evident in their upcoming production. Quasimondo Milwaukee Physical Theatres artistic director Brian Rott and associate artistic director Jessi Miller collaborate to bring the theatergoing public The Nautical Tragedy of Dick III. Rott and Miller are, in fact, Quasimondos cofounders who have worked together through five successful seasons thus far; under their leadership, Quasimondo has collaborated in past productions with many local art scene staplesthe Milwaukee Art Museum, Villa Terrace, Wisconsin Historical Society and Old World Wisconsin, to name a few. Last year, Quasimondos Kamikaze Cutesauce: Cosplay Club was performed at New Yorks International Fringe Festival. So, what of The Nautical Tragedy of Dick III? Not wishing to give away too many details, Quasimondo explains just enough about this new production to peak your interest and curiosity. Set in the epic, colorful and pirate-filled Age of Sail, we find ourselves aboard the Seaharse where we encounter her master, Captain Richard II Hooks, and marauding radicals, ravenous cannibals [and] pirating queens. As is their wont, Rott and Miller utilize a multi-discipline approach in telling their tale of misfit mariners and twisted missionsthe production includes puppetry, clowns, dance and song. Stay on top of the news of the day Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays. SIGN UP Clowns and Puppets? Indubitably! Rott has been recognized for his clown work as well as his puppet adaptation of George Orwells Animal Farm (acclaimed as one of the most daring performances of 2014 by the Milwaukee Theater Examiner). Jessi Miller has taught clowning and has previously directed Americlownan expose of U.S. Homeland Security. Quasimondo Milwaukee Physical Theatres production of The Nautical Tragedy of Dick III runs Aug. 25-Sept. 10 (the Aug. 27 performance takes place at the MKE Fringe Fest and the Aug. 31 show is Pay-What-You-Can). Apart from the Aug. 27 show, the performances will be in Studio Q upstairs from Company Brewing, 731 E. Center St. For more information, call Quasimondo at 414-702-0392 or visit quasimondo.org. Theatre Happening: A sure sign of a works success is how many versions of it have arisen since its debut. That being the case, The Odd Couple by American screenwriter, author and playwright Neil Simon (b. 1927) is by all accounts a massive success story. The 1965 stage original won four Tony Awards; it spawned a highly acclaimed feature film (with Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon) in 1968 and a 1970-75 TV series starring Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. Stage revivals are aplenty and, indeed, the clash of slob and neat freak is a timeless one perfectly relatable by so many of us. SummerStages production of this Neil Simon classic takes place at Kettle Moraine State Forests Lapham Peak (W329 N846 County Highway C, Delafield), Aug. 25-Sept. 10. Everything seemed to be going so very well for democracy lately that we almost forgot there were still powerful, anti-democratic forces in high places eager to put a stop to protecting voting rights. In just a few weeks, federal courts in six states struck down Republican-backed voting restrictions intentionally making it harder for minority groups and other voters who support Democrats to exercise their right to vote. They included two Wisconsin federal courts and federal judges in Texas, North Carolina, Michigan, North Dakota and Kansas. But just as a clear legal pattern emerged nationally eliminating dishonest Republican tactics of voter suppression, three Republican-appointed judges on the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago abruptly reminded us every Americans right to vote wasnt fully guaranteed yet. For the second time in two years, a three-judge panel of Republican-appointed justiceswith former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Diane Sykes on bothstruck down a decision by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman that eliminated some voting restrictions in Wisconsin. Sykes role in reinstating Republican voting restrictions is significant because Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has named Sykes as one of the judges he would consider appointing to the U.S. Supreme Court. (Full disclosure: I worked with both Diane and her former husband, Charlie Sykes, a right-wing radio talk show host, at The Milwaukee Journal and consider them to be personal friends. Yes, I have friends with varied political beliefs, but Im sure she understands why I would dread to see her on the Supreme Court.) In 2014, a Sykes panel reinstated Wisconsins strict photo ID law for voting that Adelman ruled violated both the Voting Rights Act and the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. The U.S. Supreme Court reversed that appeals court decision before the midterm election, reinstating Adelmans injunction against the law. The most recent appeals court decision by Sykes and two other Republican appointees overruled another Adelman decision permitting voters who had difficulty obtaining a state voter ID to vote after signing a sworn affidavit. That decision also is likely to be appealed. Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE Republican legislators in Wisconsin and elsewhere claim their voting restrictions prevent vote fraud, but that claim itself is fraudulent. The restrictions are aimed at specific racial groups with almost surgical precision, in the words of one court decision. The other Wisconsin voting rights decision by U.S. District Judge James Peterson blocked Republican restrictions on the use of college student IDs and reductions in early voting, including the elimination of weekend and evening voting hours. Those restrictions had nothing to do with voter fraud. They simply created obstacles to voting and longer lines on Election Day in densely populated Democratic urban areas. No Evidence of Voter Fraud Republicans never produce evidence of much voter fraud in America because there isnt any. Ari Berman, the author of Give Us the Ballot: The Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America, cites a 2014 Loyola University Law School study that found only 31 credibly documented incidents of voter impersonation out of more than 1 billion votes cast in the U.S. since 2000. About 30 people die every year as a result of being struck by lightning. But in Sykes big fan Donald Trump, Republican legislators have a presidential nominee whos an even bigger liar about voter fraud than they are. After all those court decisions eliminating Republican voting restrictions, Trump said: We may have people vote 10 times. . . . Why not? If you dont have voter ID, you can just keep voting and voting and voting. Hardly. As Berman wrote recently in The Washington Post, if Trump wanted to vote 10 times in New York, which requires registered voters to sign their names at the polls, hed have to vote in 10 different places, know the names and addresses of nine other registered voters in nine other precincts, forge their exact signatures and know that they hadnt voted yet. And heres the biggie, each fraudulent vote would carry a penalty of five years in jail, a $10,000 fine and additional state penalties. Very few political supporters are dim-witted enough to risk years of incarceration for a few meaningless fraudulent votes that would make little difference in a national election. That hasnt stopped Trump from using voter fraud as a convenient excuse to explain away what both Republican and Democratic political professionals expect could be a historically massive defeat for the vicious, offensive Trump in November. While campaigning in Pennsylvania, Trump said, the only way he could lose Pennsylvania is if cheating goes on. Most other people believe Trump trailing Hillary Clinton by double digits in nearly every battleground state should be enough to do it. After November, a fully stocked U.S. Supreme Court is expected to continue the pattern of upholding the constitutional right to vote. America will then dodge all the potential horrors of a Trump presidency including roving NRA death squads, the Trump-Putin Anti-World Alliance and Justice Sykes on the Supreme Court. At precisely 3:38 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 3, a scary-sounding press release was sent to the media by the state Department of Health Services (DHS). According to DHS, the state Office of Inspector General found that family planning clinics theyd audited were significantly overpaid for services they provided to their clients who use Medicaid. In fact, the inspector general ordered that nearly 50% of Medicaid payments were in error and needed to be recouped. The problem? The family planning clinics in question didnt know about the inspector generals findings. Nicole Safar, public policy director for Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said her organization got a heads-up from a reporter who called for a comment after receiving DHS press release. As far as Safar knew, the organization was still in the preliminary audit phase and was waiting for the final report. DHS put out this press release saying that these clinics have to pay back all of this money and they hadnt even told us yet, Safar told the Shepherd. That is something that is highly unusual. DHS spokeswoman Elizabeth Goodsitt didnt explain why the clinics werent told first, emailing, The final notices of intent to recover were sent on August 3rd. So why these crossed messages? Safar explains that the audit news broke that same day that Planned Parenthood and its allies were asking a judge to be reimbursed for the legal expenses the groups racked up fighting Gov. Scott Walkers new, restrictive hospital admitting regulations for abortion providers. A similar Texas law was struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court in June and the justices refused to review Wisconsins request to hear an appeal of this states law. That in effect struck down Wisconsins law and the plaintiffs, including Planned Parenthood, say that they are entitled to be reimbursed for their legal fees, estimated to be $1.8 million. I think I certainly dont have to make the argument that we are being targeted, Safar said. That is not a coincidence. Whats the Cost? The state DHS is asking to recoup what the state says a handful of family planning clinics overbilled for Medicaid-paid services. The state pays 10% of these types of Medicaid expenses while the federal government covers 90%. The services in question are typical reproductive health services for low-income men and women, such as annual exams, dispensing of birth control and STD testing and treatment. The Office of Inspector General began auditing a few family planning clinics a few years ago and preliminary audit findings in 2014 indicated they had overbilled the state a whopping $3.5 million in 2010 and 2011. When the clinics provided their rebuttals, that number dropped significantly. Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE According to DHS summary findings from another round of audits conducted in 2015, the state is attempting to recoup $63,812 from eight clinicsincluding Planned Parenthood clinics in Appleton, Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukeefor services provided in 2014. An estimated $5.5 billion of Wisconsins general purpose revenue is to be spent on all Medicaid services in the current two-year budget, so the family planning clinics alleged overpayments represent just a fraction of a drop in the bucket of Medicaid spending. Although the details of the clinics recent audits havent been released publicly, the auditor found that the overpayments were due to, for example, errors in quantity of prescriptions billed or dispensed, medical coding issues, lack of a prescription and reimbursement for a drug that wasnt medically necessary. No waste, fraud or abuse was found. Jacquelyne Bodden, president of the Wisconsin Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, released a statement supporting the organizations members. Based on the preliminary audit findings, it is believed that the auditors based some of their findings on misunderstandings of Medicaid policies and directives, Bodden wrote. Further, the Department wrongly claims that it is entitled to recoup payments for services that were provided, merely due to perceived documentation shortcomingswhich do not call into question the actual provision of the service. Planned Parenthood is preparing to ask an administrative law judge to review the audits findings, Safar said. We are looking for some clarity on how the law should be applied and also an affirmation that if we are providing the services to eligible patients these minor imperfections in documentation are not reason to take back all of the money, Safar said. Lets fix the imperfections. Photo via alamosbasement, Flickr CC The faith-based social justice organization WISDOM and its allies are supporting prisoners at Waupun and Fox Lake correctional institutions by attempting to donate bottled water to them. According to news reports and testimony from current and former inmates, the water is contaminated with lead and copper, making some inmates sick. In April, Wisconsin Watchs Dee J. Hall reported that inmates and staff at both Dodge County facilities have complained of drinking yellow or brown, foul-smelling and sediment-filled water, possibly due to aging pipes. The state Department of Natural Resources (DNR) ordered Fox Lake officials in 2014 to reduce the amount of lead and copper in that facilitys water, and Waupuns lead and copper levels have also exceeded federal safety levels within the past decade, Hall reported. Last Thursday, members of WISDOM and partner groups gathered at St. Francis of Assisi Parish on North Fourth Street to rally around the inmates and build support for solving Wisconsins mass incarceration crisis. As part of their Thirsting for Justice initiative, the groups accepted a truckload of donated bottled water, which they hoped to deliver to Waupun prisoners on Saturday. But Wendel Hruska, executive director of Project Return, warned the packed church that Department of Corrections (DOC) policy prohibits donations of food or beverages for prisoners. Prisoners can buy a 24-bottle case of water for $7.60, according to Halls reporting. We are hopingwe are hopingthe Department of Corrections makes an exception because of the dire water availability in these institutions, Hruska said Thursday night. So we are still pushing forward with this. Prisons Refused Donated Water Bernie Gonzalez, lead organizer for the Waukesha-based WISDOM affiliate SOPHIA, told the Shepherd on Monday that volunteers had attempted to donate a truckload of water to the Fox Lake and Waupun facilities on Saturday. At Waupun, Gonzalez was greeted by about 50 WISDOM allies who were rallying in support of the water donation. The water was refused at both locations. To me, its just common sense that they should accept the water, he told the Shepherd. Gonzalez said the donated water would be given to those cleaning up the Sherman Park neighborhood following the weekends unrest and also donated to local churches to raise awareness of the water crisis in Wisconsin prisons. Prior to the Saturday caravan to Waupun, DOC spokesman Tristan Cook confirmed to the Shepherd that the DOC does not accept unsolicited donations of food or drink, including bottled water. Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE Cook also stated that the water at the Waupun and Fox Lake facilities is safe to drink. Both Waupun Correctional Institution and Fox Lake Correctional Institution are following state and federal requirements of the federal Safe Drinking Water act to provide safe water for drinking, cooking and bathing, Cook emailed. Recent testing at both facilities has shown lead and copper levels are below action levels. Cook pointed to the DNRs drinking water database, which appears to show that both Waupuns and Fox Lakes lead and copper levels are in compliance with safety regulations. Theyre Being Poisoned The DOCs assurances that the water is safe were contradicted by recently released prisoners and their supporters Thursday night. Carl Fields of Ex-Prisoners Organizing (EXPO), recently released from Oakhill Correctional Facility in Dane County, said he spent one year drinking contaminated water, which finally broke his spirit. He said that prisoners run the tap to try get clear water, but even the clear water contains substances meant to flush out the sediment. The water was so bad, so polluted, that every 20 minutes when you turn on the faucet and it runs its brown and its so thick with metal and toxins that I think I might have cried twice when I was there, Fields said. Fields said that the guards knew that the water was unsafe but that the inmates did not. He called the contaminated prison water our own Flint, Michigan, right here in Wisconsin and nobody knows about it. He said he had promised his fellow inmates that he would speak out about the water once he was released from prison. This kind of inhumane treatment has been going on for some time, Fields said. Its not a secret. Everybody knows this. Former Fox Lake inmate James Morgan, re-entry coordinator for MOSES, WISDOMs Madison affiliate, called the reports that inmates are forced to drink and use contaminated water a lie. Theyre not being forced to drink contaminated watertheyre being poisoned, Morgan said. Human beings are being poisoned in our midst. And people are sitting back pretending like thats not an issue. These are our brothers and sisters. He said all of us are impacted by the contaminated water when ex-offenders leave prison and return home. When they come home and they have nervous conditions and they have health conditions, they have rotting teeth and other deterioration of their bodies from having been forcedhaving been poisoned by the state of Wisconsin, Morgan said. Morgan said the prisons contaminated water reminded him of the infamous Tuskegee experiments, during which the U.S. Public Health Service failed to treat African American men for syphilis as part of a decades-long clinical study. I thought about what goes on behind doors when we dont have powerful people in our communities who examine what they are doing and hold them accountable, Morgan said. The Aug. 11 meeting also explored the other issues WISDOM is addressing in the states criminal justice system, including the mass incarceration of African American males, overreliance on solitary confinement, not granting parole for those who are eligible and not granting compassionate release for older and seriously ill prisoners who pose no threat to society. Rev. Willie Brisco, president of Milwaukee Inner-city Congregations Allied for Change (MICAH) and co-vice president of WISDOM, urged attendees to hold their elected officials responsible for the states mass incarceration crisis. He said ex-prisoners should come out of the system corrected, not infected. Wisconsin has a bad reputation of electing the same officials over and over and over and over again, but we expect different results, Brisco said. What is that called? Insanity, the audience responded. I dont want to be insane for the rest of my life, Brisco continued. I want to hold some officials accountable. Power concedes nothing without an ask. And Wisconsin, you need to get off your ask. We at the Shepherd are distressed, saddened, angry and frustrated about Saturdays police shooting of Sylville Smith and the violent uprising following it in the otherwise model neighborhood of Sherman Park. We send our condolences to Smiths family and friends and offer our thanks to those who helped to restore peace and clean up the neighborhood. Although this has been a difficult few days, we remain very optimistic for Milwaukees future as it strives to be one of Americas great cities. In the days and weeks ahead we are calling for calm, reasoned discussions about what actually transpired in the past few days and why and how we can try to come together to continue to move Milwaukee forward. And then we need to act. To set the record straight, we support police officers who put their lives on the line every day to keep our neighborhoods safe. Actually, several years ago, the Milwaukee Police Association awarded the Shepherds publisher, Louis Fortis, its Media Person of the Year Award. At the same time we strongly support the right of individuals to protest peacefully to make their frustrations and anger known. But what we cannot support are violence against people, both black and in blue, as well as the decisions, both big and small, made by individuals, organizations or units of government, including the state of Wisconsin, that prevent all Milwaukeeans from living healthy, productive and satisfying lives. As much as we deplore a violent uprising, we cant just treat this as hooliganism and arrest a few individuals and continue the status quo. We need to interpret these unfortunate events of the last few days as a manifestation of a communitys frustration and cry for some real change. We have some serious problems in our central city that have gotten much worse over the past 30 years with the de-industrialization of the Upper Midwest. With the loss of tens of thousands of well-paying manufacturing jobs in Milwaukee, which was one of Americas premiere industrial cities, Milwaukees central city went from a community with a strong and growing black middle class to one with very high unemployment and very little hope. This has to change. We need balanced economic growth in our city. To be fair, there are a number of new and exciting business projects in the central city, but they are small compared to the projects in the Downtown area, so they dont get much attention. We need to significantly increase the numbers of these new central city business projects to bring some hope to the neighborhoods. This is not going to be easy, but it must be done. Friends of the Shepherd Help support Milwaukee's locally owned free weekly newspaper. LEARN MORE Job creation and economic development are absolutely critical, but there is more to be done. The big decisions that keep Milwaukee mired in poverty and segregation involve education, economic investment, transit, environmental protections andyesprofessional law enforcement and an effective criminal justice system. These are the decisions made by federal, state and local policymakers who need to find the will to do whats right for the people of Milwaukee. All of usand that includes the Shepherdneed to push our leaders to pay attention to struggling Milwaukeeans and make them use their official power to do whats right for those who have been overlooked for too long. In addition to the big-picture issues, the small, everyday decisions made by individuals also impact the wellbeing of Milwaukee. These decisions include who we befriend, how we talk about and act toward others, whether we engage in unlawful or ethical activities, whether we can offer a helping hand or a sympathetic ear, whether we defuse a fight or react with violence, or whether we are part of the problem or part of the solution. If we Milwaukeeans are going to thrive, then we must be part of the solution. We cant just sit back and blame others, whether they are elected officials or the victims of the policy-makers big decisions when they act out. It will be challenging, but it will also be incredibly rewarding to be part of helping move Milwaukee forward. We must also be wary of the simplistic solutions from some of our leaders who will use the weekends events to try to grandstand for their political gain at the long-term expense of our community. Whats happening in Milwaukee isnt going to be solved by, say, more police, or more gun ownership, or going back to the good old days. The good old days are gone and we need to deal with the now, which requires multifaceted solutions to the complex problems were facing in Milwaukee. Those solutions will take time, but there are things we can do today. There are many nonprofit organizations in the central city making real changes with a few kids or a few families. These organizations can use help and they need us all to volunteer. We all gain when were engaged, both the clients of the organizations and the volunteers. If you are active in a faith community, help organize a sister faith group with a faith group that is very different from yours, whether it is by race, economic class or religion. The more we know and understand others, the better and stronger our community will be. All of us need to be part of the solution. Come on Milwaukeewe know that we can do better if all of us work together. In December, Lord willing, I will complete my 18th year of writing this column. As many have said before me and many will say after me, time flies. Of course, while I was living out these moments and weeks and years, they seemed to progress at a normal rate. The 70s were the decade-long equivalent of March. It came in like a lion and went out with a mirrored disco ball. In between was a national malaise and a long, national nightmare. It was the best time for movies and the worst time for fashion. And we were more concerned about the price of oil than the fact that, for two full years, we had both a president and a vice president who had not been elected to their positions. We got out of Vietnam, but we got into polyester. In the culinary world, though, things were not that bad. In the 70s, people began to think more seriously about eating for their health; the health-food fad began in earnest and has yet to fade away. Yogurt became popular, and so did granola. Two culinary events in the 70s changed forever the way we look at food. The iconic restaurant Chez Panisse opened in Berkeley, California, in 1971, eliminating the stuffiness previously associated with fine dining and igniting a revolution of cooking with the best possible, local ingredients. The other cuisine-altering event was the 1977 publication of Moosewood Cookbook. One of the best-selling American cookbooks of all time, Moosewood Cookbook moved vegetarian food from something of a punchline into a viable and even popular way to cook (though Moosewood author Mollie Katzen, who originally self-published Moosewood in 1974, gives more credit to Anna Thomas, who came out with The Vegetarian Epicure in 1972). So for my culinary sojourn through the 1970s, I turned to my favorite recipe in Moosewood Cookbook, Hungarian Mushroom Soup. I had remembered liking it, but I did not recall just how staggeringly rich and filling it was. As the books recipes often did, this one calls for tamari or soy sauce to create an earthy, umami flavor to make up for a lack of meat. A shot of lemon juice, too, brightens the taste. The soup has the expected mushrooms, onion, stock and milk, plus a hefty dose of paprika and dill for that authentic Hungarian piquancy. It also has lots of butter and sour cream health food may have come into its own in the 70s, but plenty was still being served that wasnt healthy. Like Quiche Lorraine. Quiche Lorraine was everywhere in the 70s; any luncheon was bound to have it. And why not? With a filling made from eggs, cream and shredded cheese, it is basically a custard set inside a tart shell with bacon. Sales dipped dramatically after the 1982 publication of the book Real Men Dont Eat Quiche, but maybe it is time to bring them back up again. Its hard to get any better than cheesy custard, crust and bacon. Every bit as ubiquitous as Quiche Lorraine in the 70s was, perhaps surprisingly, guacamole. Although it had been available in certain places for decades, when the country discovered it as a whole in the 70s it suddenly became a part of every summertime gathering. Because everyone makes pretty much the same guacamole as everyone else (some use garlic powder and onion powder, some dont), I decided to go back to the basics with mine. I made it without lime juice. That may not be the 1970s way to do it, but apparently it is the authentically Mexican way. And I have to say I loved it, even though I am also a huge fan of limes. With just five ingredients (avocados, serrano chiles, cilantro, chopped onion and salt), this limeless version really lets the avocado flavor shine through. With guacamole, the avocado should always be the star. The 70s simply would not have been the 70s without crepes. Crepe restaurants sprang up all around the country, most notably the Magic Pan, a chain that was owned by Quaker Oats throughout the decade. The great thing about crepes is you can use them for practically everything. Their popularity soared when people realized they could be used to make a fancy presentation of leftovers, but they are also great with vegetables, chicken or seafood try any of these with a simple white sauce. Just add a little sugar to the batter for dessert, and fill them with ice cream, whipped cream, or jam. Or just eat them fresh off the pan, as I did. Well, some of them. CHEROKEE, Iowa | Three men are now facing charges in connection with a robbery and assault that occurred two weeks ago at the Creek Fest country music festival in Cherokee County. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office reports that 25-year-old Douglas Ashley, of Cherokee, 22-year-old David Herwig, of Rembrandt, and 18-year-old Khadafi Dailey, of Cherokee, are believed to have assaulted a man and stole his billfold during Creek Fest. The man's credit card was later used at a gas station. Authorities received word of the incident July 29. Upon investigation, authorities found Herwig had contacted a witness to the incident, asking the person to lie to authorities, a news release said. Authorities said Tuesday evening they had taken the three men into custody without incident. All were charged with second-degree robbery and assault with injury. Herwig was also charged with tampering with a witness and unauthorized use of a credit card. All three have been booked into the Cherokee County Jail, where Herwig and Ashley were being held on $10,000 bond, and Dailey was being held on $5,000 bond. SIOUX CITY | Staff from Iowa State University will present "Parenting: It's a Life," a training session for teen parents, Wednesday at Girls Inc. The event begins at 1 p.m. Attendance at the training will be free to all regional organizations' staff and board members. The curriculum is designed for grades 7 through 12. It introduces teens to such issues as financial responsibilities, responsible decision making, healthy relationships, peer pressure and paternity and child support. Teens discover just how much of a financial commitment it is to raise a child, said Mandy Engel-Cartie, executive director of Girls Inc. Theres no subjectivity when it comes to money. 'PIAL' makes the costs very clear, in a hands-on way. The curriculum is divided into 10 modules that can be used independently. Staff and teachers can use, adapt or incorporate any of the materials as they see fit. The PIAL team makes classroom visits to present the curriculum directly to students at no cost to the schools. SIOUX CITY | A half dozen people Tuesday advocated forming a county-commissioned task force to address the possibility of raising the minimum wage in Woodbury County. They spoke during the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors meeting. Their effort was spurred by the findings of a United Way study in late June that showed 42 percent of Woodbury County families struggle with basic expenses. "The study pointed to some reasons for that, and it was obvious that one of the main reasons was low wages. We can do something about that," Al Sturgeon said. "We can increase the minimum wage in Woodbury County to help these four out of ten of our citizens to have a better chance for making a living. It is not a panacea, but it is one tangible thing we can do to help to push these people out of poverty." Sturgeon, of Sioux City, is a local attorney and former Democratic state lawmaker. But he said he came to the meeting as a "local activist." "We can't wait any longer for the state or federal government to do it. They are not willing to do it and they haven't done it," he said. Board chairman Jeremy Taylor said he is for forming a task force, but said the issue should not be looked at with county time and funds. Taylor also referred to when the board nixed a similar plan in June, in a 3-2 vote. At that time Supervisor Jackie Smith raised the issue to create an advisory committee to look into whether the county minimum wage should be above the $7.25 per hour state threshold. After hearing citizens who supported the idea, the board on Tuesday remained at 3-2 to reject the motion to make forming a task force an agenda item at their next scheduled meeting. Supervisors Matthew Ung, Mark Monson and Taylor voted against, and Larry Clausen and Smith voted in support. "I agree minimum wage should be more than $15, and I agree that there should be a task force put together, but I do not agree it is a county issue," Monson said. "It is a state and federal issue. Maybe they should ask the city." Johnson, Polk and Linn counties in Iowa have taken steps to raise their minimum wages this year, and Sturgeon said he believes Woodbury County should follow suit. "I'm disappointed but not surprised," Sturgeon said after speaking. "You would think that the board, or majority of the board, would think enough about the 40 percent of the citizens who are struggling to make ends meet to at least give this an open and fair hearing." STORM LAKE, Iowa | A Storm Lake man has been placed on probation for making methamphetamine in an apartment where a 3-year-old girl was living. Alan Coleman, 23, pleaded guilty in June in Buena Vista County District Court to two counts of possession of a precursor with intent to manufacture and one count of child endangerment. On Monday, District Judge John Duffy suspended a five-year prison sentence and placed Coleman on three years probation. Coleman will be required to live in an area residential treatment facility, once space becomes available, during a portion of his time on probation. Coleman was arrested March 14 after police responded to a report that he and Kelli Bendixen were smoking marijuana in their apartment in the 700 block of Lave Avenue while the 3-year-old was there. During a search of the apartment, police found a meth lab in Coleman's bedroom. Bendixen, 30, received a two-day jail sentence and two years probation for child endangerment and drug charges. OMAHA | A Winnebago, Nebraska, woman has been sentenced to 30 days in jail for stabbing a man with a piece from a broken mirror. Aurora Goodman, 22, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in Omaha to a misdemeanor count of assault by striking, beating our wounding. As part of a plea agreement, felony charges of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm and assault resulting in serious bodily injury were dismissed. Goodman was given credit for 30 days served in custody and was placed on supervised release for one year. Goodman admitted that on May 5 on the Winnebago Indian Reservation she struck and stabbed the man in the neck with the piece from the mirror. CHICAGO -- When President Obama leaves office in January, his legacy -- in many Hispanics' minds, at least -- will largely be defined by his record number of deportations. Despite his executive actions to keep certain unlawfully present immigrants from being deported, Obama has distinguished himself by sending more than 2.5 million unauthorized immigrants back to their native lands. Hopefully, history will also remember that Obama has done an admirable job of putting Hispanics into high-visibility positions in both his administration and in other top government posts. He currently has four Cabinet or Cabinet-level Latino office-holders -- Labor Secretary Thomas E. Perez, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro, Education Secretary John King, and Small Business Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet -- out of a total of 23 such positions. Amazingly, at 17 percent, the number of the president's Latino executive department heads accurately reflects the percentage of Hispanics in the U.S. population. Kenneth Romero-Cruz, executive director of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators (NHCSL), an organization representing Hispanic state legislators, wants to keep it that way. His group has vowed to act as a watchdog on the next president's administration to ensure that Latinos lose no ground. "Whoever the next president is, we will be requesting at least four Cabinet positions for Hispanics," Romero-Cruz told me. "And that number should be a benchmark, a floor, not a ceiling. We want to at least keep the level of representation we have now." Romero-Cruz underscored how important it is that top government positions reflect the nation's demographics -- so that institutions can be responsive to the needs of particular communities -- not simply for the sake of fulfilling a quota. But in the federal workforce as a whole, the picture is much different. By NHCSL's count, Latinos are the most underrepresented minority in the federal workforce. "Even now, though we are 17.6 percent of the U.S. population, we are just 8.4 of the federal workforce," Romero-Cruz said. "The Office of Personnel Management issued its first diversity and inclusion report in 2002 and Latino underrepresentation was seen as chronic even back then. But if you take the percentage of Latinos in the federal workforce then, in the context of their smaller population in the U.S., and compare it to now, we've seen less than a 2 percent increase in over a decade." By his estimate, if this continues at the same rate, it will take close to 60 years for Hispanic federal employees to match the proportion of their population. This is troubling. And another thing to consider is that this is more than a numbers game. It is symbolically important to have Hispanics in roles that have, effectively, nothing to do with being Latino because for most Hispanics -- a majority of whom are U.S.-born -- their identities and life goals are not defined exclusively by where their parents came from. It's a distinction that might not be obvious to people who aren't underrepresented in their professions: well-educated, highly qualified experts who just happen to be minorities don't strive to do their jobs just for those who share their race or ethnicity. They want to serve everyone. Sure, it makes sense that the Small Business Administration, Education and Housing and Urban Development are led by experts who resemble the largest constituencies of their departments. For instance, according to Stanford University, the number of Latino-owned businesses grew by 46.9 percent between 2007 and 2012, compared with just 0.7 percent for non-Latino owned businesses. And in the realm of education, one in every four elementary school students is Hispanic. But it would be extra thrilling to see, for instance, a Hispanic female treasury secretary or a Latino secretary of defense. Same thing for a Hispanic head of state, commerce or transportation because, unfortunately, when many people think of Hispanics, they conjure up images of lawn maintenance workers and maids, not of finance executives or military experts. We need to flip these scripts. First things first, however. Romero-Cruz says the top Latinos we do have are breaking important ceilings for others. "A decade from now we will hopefully see more internship opportunities, more pipeline development from these barrier-breakers who will be looking for new talent to come up behind them." For now, there's only hope that the two presidential candidates -- who openly boast about how close to or popular they are with Hispanics -- will actually prove it when they form their administrations. WASHINGTON -- Like shipwrecked mariners clinging to a floating mast, many Republicans rationalize supporting Donald Trump because of "the court." This two-word incantation means: Because we care so much for the Constitution, it is supremely important to entrust to Trump the making of Supreme Court nominations. Well. In a Republican candidates debate, Trump complained that Ted Cruz had criticized Trump's sister, a federal judge. Trump said: "He's been criticizing my sister for signing a certain bill. You know who else signed that bill? Justice Samuel Alito, a very conservative member of the Supreme Court, with my sister, signed that bill." Trump, the supposed savior of the Supreme Court, thinks federal judges sign bills. The mast-clingers say: Well, sure, he knows nothing about American government, including the Constitution, which he vows to defend all the way to "Article XII." He will, however, choose wise advisers and humbly defer to them. This does not quite seem like him, but the mast-clingers say: Don't worry, he already has compiled a list of admirable potential nominees, and, stickler that he is for consistency and predictability, he will stick to this script written by strangers. This, too, does not quite seem like Trump, but the mast-clingers say: Don't worry, he has said enough to reveal what his "instincts" are. Indeed he has. The court's two most important decisions in this century are Kelo and Citizens United. Conservatives loathe Kelo; Trump loves it. Conservatives celebrate Citizens United; Trump repeats the strident rhetoric of its liberal detractors. Kelo did radical damage to property rights. The Constitution says private property shall not be taken "for public use" without just compensation. Until Kelo, the court had held that "for public use" meant for something used by the general public (e.g., roads, public buildings) or to remove blight. In Kelo, the court held, 5-4, that the government of New London, Connecticut, behaved constitutionally when it bulldozed a residential neighborhood for the "public use" of transferring the land to a corporation that would pay more taxes than the neighborhood's residents paid to the government. Trump's interests as a developer and a big-government authoritarian converge in his enthusiasm for Kelo. Citizens United said that Americans do not forfeit their free speech rights when they band together in corporate form to magnify their political advocacy. The court held that the First Amendment protects from government restriction independent (not coordinated with candidates' campaigns) candidate advocacy by Americans acting collectively through corporations, especially nonprofit advocacy corporations such as the Sierra Club, the National Rifle Association, etc. Hillary Clinton favors amending the First Amendment to empower government to regulate the quantity, content and timing of campaign speech about the government's composition and conduct. It would do this by regulating campaign spending, most of which funds the dissemination of speech. The rationale for this, and for the broader liberal objective of replacing private funding with public funding of politics, is the theory that politicians are easily bought and that private contributions breed quid pro quo corruption. Trump loudly voices this proposition. The court has said that campaign-speech regulations can be justified to combat corruption or the appearance thereof. Trump says he has made innumerable contributions to members of both parties because, "When you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do." Before he decided to solicit contributors, he said his wealth made him the only candidate impervious to corruption. It is unlikely that he would nominate to the court persons who believe that the First Amendment, properly construed, requires the deregulation of political speech. The mast-clingers should remember that Trump's hostility to First Amendment values is apparent in his desire to "loosen" libel laws, thereby making it easier to sue or intimidate people who criticize people like him. Most mast-clingers are properly dismayed by President Obama's anti-constitutional use of executive orders to implement policies Congress refuses to enact. Trump promises more executive orders: "I'm going to use them much better, and they're going to serve a much better purpose than he's done." So, mast-clingers straining to justify themselves by invoking "the court" are saying this: Granted, Trump knows nothing about current debates concerning the court's proper role. We will, however, trust that he will suddenly become deferential to others' preferences about judges. And we will ignore his promise to continue Obama's authoritarian uses of the executive branch that will further degrade the legislative branch. We will do this because we care so very much for the Constitution. ORANGE CITY, Iowa | The Orange City Fire Department will break ground Friday on a $3.15 million expansion that will nearly quadruple the size of its station. The project will expand the station from its current size of approximately 4,000 square feet to nearly 15,000. Crews will remodel approximately 3,840 square feet of the existing structure, which was built in 1973. The groundbreaking, to be held at 10 a.m. Friday, follows the Orange City Council's approval of a $2.64 million construction contract Monday. "It's another big step forward," said Orange City Fire Chief Denny Vander Wel. "You get these hurdles and you go through them, and then you get the real positive feeling that everything just seems to click." Vander Wel said the current station's size limits the fire department's work space, training space and storage space for larger, newer equipment. The renovations will bring the station back up to national health and safety codes, increase ventilation and decrease risk of injury for firefighters, who currently pull on their gear next to moving trucks. "Were very tight," Vander Wel said. "Were going to free up some storage room, and it will be a lot healthier environment." Vander Wel said the expanded structure will include showers and a larger laundry room fitted with the appropriate machinery to clean firefighting attire. The fire department is currently raising funds to furnish the machines and other equipment costs. Vander Wel said he expects they will need to raise about $325,000. City Administrator Duane Feekes said all told, the project is estimated to cost $3.15 million. It will be paid for by a $2.7 bond issue that received a resounding 83.7 percent approval from voters in March, along with $700,000 in city funds and the funds raised by the Orange City Fire Department. Feekes said he is pleased with the project's progress. "Its really neat," he said. "It was great to have to take the time and look at some of the fire stations in the area and also to have a nice, supporting vote for the public for the facility." Feekes said the project will start with demolition of the old station's meeting rooms. Construction is expected to begin the first week of September. The project will be complete in fall of 2017. The fire department will continue to use the existing portion of the station during the construction. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa | A heavy contributor to Republican candidates denies being named to Donald Trumps Agricultural Advisory Committee is part of a plan to land an appointment as Secretary of Agriculture. Its a step in the direction of providing ag policy, which is something Ive had an interest in my whole life and its really important to Iowa, said Bruce Rastetter of Alden, president of Summit Ag Group and president of the Iowa Board of Regents that oversees the state universities. He has given millions to GOP candidates, including Gov. Terry Branstad, who also was appointed to the Agricultural Advisory Committee, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie a Trump confidante. There are a host of issues on the agricultural front and rural issues, but renewable energy will be an important part of the advice that Branstad offers Trump, the governors spokesman, Ben Hammes, said. Rastetter, Branstad and four other Iowans have been named to the committee, which according to the campaign, will provide pioneering new ideas to strengthen our nations agricultural industry as well as provide support to our rural communities. Rastetter, who is invested in corn and soybeans, which are used to make ethanol and biodiesel, respectively, expects to advise Trump on "how important open markets and trade are to U.S. ag across the globe. The importance of accessing growing markets for grain and protein is pretty critical. Beyond that, the importance of ethanol to agriculture in general and as a component of U.S. energy should be part of a national policy, he said. Although Trump has frequently criticized trade agreements, Rastetter is confident he understands the need for trade. We just need to make sure its fair and on a level playing field, that U.S. producers have access to those markets without caveats that limit access to those markets, Rastetter said. Branstad has been very supportive of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Hammes said. Donald Trump is just saying he thinks he can get us a better deal. We agree that if he can get us a better deal were all ears. Other Iowans named to the Trump ag advisory panel are Annette Sweeney of Alden, a former state legislator, farmer and ag advocate; Ron Heck, a farmer and past president of the American Soybean Association; and Iowa Secretary of Ag Bill Northey. Sam Clovis of Hinton, national chief policy adviser to Trump, also will serve on the committee. Four Nebraskans also were named to the agricultural and rural advisory committee. Charles Herbster of Falls City, Neb., heads the committee. Other members include Gov. Pete Ricketts, former Gov. Dave Heineman and state Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha. CEDAR FALLS, Iowa | U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, got an earful from Iowas veterans about their problems with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. More than 50 people came from across the region to a veterans roundtable Ernst held Tuesday morning at the University of Northern Iowa campus. Their frustrations ranged from wait times to problems with using the Veterans Choice Program to their treatment at the Iowa City VA hospital. But for many, their problems could be summed up in just one sentence. Weve got to get back to the old way where the VA was started to take care of us, to take care of the widows and the orphans, and weve forgotten that, and until that changes, we can have these (forums) every day, said Black Hawk County VA Director Kevin Dill. Dill joined Lyman Campbell, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran from Waverly, in expressing a frustration about seeing a new doctor each time they visit the VA to see a specialist. Dill explained how a new doctor comes up with a new diagnosis or enters something wrong into the patients record. Each time that happens, Dill said, it bogs down the system. Donald Shellenberger, with Waterloos AMVETS organization, added that hed like to see specialists travel to regions occasionally rather than have veterans regularly travel hundreds of miles round trip to access care in Iowa City. The issue of veterans' mental health did not come up during the forum, but Ernst made clear during a brief press conference that she is continuing to push for answers to better address mental health care through the VA. Ernsts advocacy has come to light especially after the death by suicide last month of U.S. Marine Corps veteran Brandon Ketchum of Davenport, who had been struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. Nothing will ever bring him (Ketchum) back, but what we need to do is look forward and find a way to correct this epidemic, Ernst said, of the estimated 20 veterans who die by suicide each day. Veterans at Tuesdays forum, however, were focused on frustrations with the top levels at the VA administration, both here and nationally, as well as their ability to access care through the system in Iowa City. We have some of the very finest receptionists and lower level people in the system in Iowa City and this area up here; the administrators above them, to my way of thinking are the problem, Shellenberger said. Ernst said she sees those problems as starting at the top of the VA with its head Secretary Robert McDonald. Though McDonald was confirmed before Ernst was elected to the U.S. Senate, Ernst said her initial impression of him was that he would be a go-getter and someone that would change the system. But since then she said shes seen little follow through and now advocates for his removal. They have forgotten that the VA exists for the veterans, so we need someone that truly believes that and well make sure that the best interests of the veterans are taken to heart, Ernst said of a possible replacement to McDonald in the next administration. Most veterans focused on frustrations, none of which Ernst said she was surprised to hear after holding similar forums across Iowa. But Ernst said part of the reason for holding the discussions is to invite examples of success or proposed solutions. Cory Champagne, a U.S. Navy veteran, voiced concerns, but he also offered the few positive comments on the VA system. Champagne moved to Waterloo from the Baltimore, Md., region last April, and he said the system here is much improved from his dealings with the VA in Maryland. I want to comment and praise the way things are done differently here than in Maryland, Champagne said. Its night and day in terms of how fast you can get things done there and that you can get things done here. DES MOINES | Landowners in the path of an underground oil pipeline being built across Iowa were joined by protesters Tuesday calling for the Iowa Utilities Board to address permit violations, establish a liaison to handle complaints and halt construction when proper methods are not being followed. Mahaska County landowner Pam Alexander said Iowans' property rights are being trampled by a Texas-based company that was granted an IUB permit last March as part of a 1,168-mile interstate crude oil pipeline from North Dakota's Bakken oil fields, through South Dakota and Iowa, to a distribution hub in Illinois. Dakota Access officials plan to complete the $3.8 billion pipeline by the end of the year. "Landowners who signed voluntary easements are not being treated right," Alexander said during a protest held outside the IUB headquarters. "The IU Board needs to appoint someone to take care of our concerns. We need someone to stand up for Iowans who live here, pay taxes here and love this state dearly." Likewise, Dick and Judy Lamb, a farm couple with land west of Ames that will be cut diagonally by the pipeline, said they were informed Monday that their crops had been cut, but were told they would not be notified 48 hours prior to pipeline construction commencing on their land. "There just aren't words to describe having the government seize your land and destroy it and have no recourse and nothing you can do. It's an anger and a hopelessness that I have difficulty expressing," Dick Lamb said. Landowners and protesters delivered petitions Tuesday demanding the Iowa Utilities Board respond to complaints over violations they alleged have been committed by construction crews building the pipeline in Iowa. "The fault rests here with the Iowa Utilities Board and the government of the state of Iowa. They allowed this to happen, they enabled it to happen and now they're washing their hands of it, walking away and not even listening to our complaints or the violations," he told the protest rally. "We're not pleading, we're not begging, we're demanding it. They need to set up somebody to deal with the infractions." Dakota Access spokeswoman Lisa Dillinger rebutted the claims made during Tuesday's protest rally. "We are constructing this pipeline in accordance with applicable laws, and the local, state and federal permits and approvals we have received," Dillinger said in a statement. "This is an important energy infrastructure project that benefits all Americans and our national economy." However, Carolyn Raffensperger of the Science and Environmental Health Network in Ames said there is evidence construction crews - most from outside of Iowa - have ignored accepted practices of not working dirt when it's too wet, mixing clay and topsoil, contributing to river sedimentation and other concerns documented by "watchdogs" monitoring pipeline work. The opposition groups say state regulators have been missing in action after approving the project permits. "The basis of legitimate government is the consent of the governed and we are here to tell you that we have withdrawn our consent," Raffensperger said. "You do not have our consent to take landowners' land, to pollute our water and to threaten the future of future generations." ABC News(WEST BEND, Wis.) Donald Trump made an unlikely appeal to African-American voters in his latest speech, weaving his support for the community in with a call for more police officers. He addressed a largely white audience in West Bend, Wisconsin, on the heels of rioting in Milwaukee after the deadly shooting of a black man by a black police officer. Every time we rush to judgment with false facts and narratives, whether in Ferguson or in Baltimore, and foment further unrest, we do a direct disservice to poor African-American residents hurt by the high crime in their community; a big, big unfair problem, Trump said Tuesday night at a campaign rally. Trump acknowledged that the weekend unrest in Milwaukee and the protests against police before discussing shootings in Chicago. He then called the war on police a war on all peaceful citizens who want to be able to work and live and send their kids to school in safety, adding African-Americans to that group. "Our job is to not make the job more comfortable for the rioter or the robber or the looter or the violent disrupter of which there are many, Trump said. "Our job is to make life more comfortable for the African-American parent who wants their kids to be able to safely walk the streets and walk to school, Trump said. Past Appearances, or Lack Thereof The decision to give such a speech in West Bend, Wisconsin, which is 94.8 percent white, has raised eyebrows. The vast majority of the crowd at the event itself was white. Trump has not held any events geared to reaching out specifically to African-American voters during the campaign, and he has declined several invitations to speak to groups such as the NAACP, the Urban League and a joint conference this month of the National Association of Black Journalists and National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Clinton addressed both the NAACP and the NABJ-NAHJ events, and her running mate, Sen. Tim Kaine, spoke to the National Urban League Conference. But Trump has held meetings with different groups of African-American pastors, most of whom are now part of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump. Omarosa Manigault, who first shot to fame as part of Trump's reality show, The Apprentice, was named the director of African-American outreach for the Trump campaign during the convention in Cleveland last month. There was a stretch of several weeks where Trump regularly mentioned black youth unemployment in his stump speeches, claiming the 58 percent of African-American youth are unemployed, but he has since stopped using that statistic. His campaign had based that number on 2015 Bureau of Labor Statistics data and included not only the number of black Americans aged 16 to 24 who were unemployed but also those whom the federal government doesnt count in the labor force, which at that age would likely include a number of full-time students not seeking work. By the Numbers Trumps appeal to black voters comes as his poll numbers within the demographic dropped after the July conventions, according to the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll released Aug. 7. Before the convention, Clinton received support from 89 percent of registered black voters who were polled over a two-way race while Trump got only 4 percent. After the convention, that gap widened, with Clinton receiving 92 percent of black support and Trump receiving only 2 percent, according to the ABC News/Washington Post poll. This marks the biggest gap from the poll of any demographic, even bigger than Democrats after the convention, who aligned themselves 92 percent with Clinton and 5 percent with Trump. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. CHICAGO Jason Hammel threw seven innings of two-hit ball, Anthony Rizzo jumped onto a wall to make a remarkable catch of a foul ball, and the Chicago Cubs beat the banged-up Milwaukee Brewers 4-1 on Tuesday night to sweep a day-night doubleheader. Javier Baez hit a two-run homer while Hammel (13-5) struck out seven to extend his scoreless streak to 22 innings. Rizzo wowed the fans when the first baseman jumped on the wall with both feet, leaned into the crowd and made a one-handed grab of Keon Broxton's popup. In the opener, Trevor Cahill came off the disabled list to throw five innings of two-hit ball in his first start in nearly 16 months in Chicago's 4-0 win. DODGERS 15, PHILLIES 5: Chase Utley got curtain calls after each of his two home runs including a grand slam in his first game in Philadelphia since last season's trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Those cheers came after fans greeted him with a 1 1/2-minute ovation before he struck out leading off the Dodgers' 15-5 rout of the Phillies on Tuesday night. REDS 6, MARLINS 3: Tucker Barnhart's first career grand slam capped the Cincinnati Reds' five-run first inning, giving Anthony DeSclafani all the support he needed to beat his former team in a 6-3 win over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday night. Scott Schebler had three hits and Joey Votto a sacrifice fly as the Reds beat the Miami for the first time in five tries this season. American League ROYALS 6, TIGERS 1: Danny Duffy allowed one run in 7 2/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals hit four homers in a 6-1 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. Raul Mondesi, Alex Gordon and Eric Hosmer all homered off Justin Verlander (12-7), while Kendrys Morales went deep off Mark Lowe. RED SOX 5, ORIOLES 3: Mookie Betts homered twice and drove in five runs, helping the resurgent Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 5-3 Tuesday night for their fifth straight victory. Betts hit a three-run drive in the fifth inning and added a tiebreaking two-run shot in the seventh. He's batting .426 with 12 homers and 18 RBIs in 11 games against the Orioles this season. INDIANS 3, WHITE SOX 1: Corey Kluber allowed one run in six innings to win his fourth consecutive start, and the Cleveland Indians defeated the Chicago White Sox for the seventh straight time. Kluber (13-8) struck out seven and walked two, allowing his only run on Justin Morenau's one-out homer in the sixth. Kluber is 5-0 with a 1.80 ERA in seven starts since a July 3 loss at Toronto. BLUE JAYS 12, YANKEES 6: Russell Martin homered twice, including a go-ahead shot in Toronto's eight-run eighth inning, and Troy Tulowitzki had four hits as the Blue Jays erased a six-run deficit Tuesday night in their 12-6 victory over the New York Yankees. Interleague TWINS 4, BRAVES 2: Ervin Santana scattered four hits over seven scoreless innings, Joe Mauer homered and the Minnesota Twins beat the Atlanta Braves. In a matchup of the two worst teams in the major leagues, Minnesota improved to 48-71, four games better than the Braves. Santana (6-9) walked two and struck out six, throwing 64 of his 107 pitches for strikes to win his third straight start. RAYS 15, PADRES 1: Brad Miller hit two of the Tampa Bay Rays' five home runs in a 15-1 win over the San Diego Padres. Evan Longoria had three hits and his 27th homer while tying Carl Crawford atop the Rays' career list with his 1,235th game played. Conventional wisdom says that trends are slow to come to Nebraska. Sometimes thats a good thing. Maybe the state will have time to stem the tide of opioid abuse that has risen to epidemic levels elsewhere. State officials have begun putting in place new programs and practices to curb and prevent opioid addiction. If the implementation is successful and officials follow through, the chances are good that overdose deaths will be prevented and fewer lives ruined. Nationally drug overdoses including opioids, heroin and other prescription drugs -- last year surpassed car crashes as the leading cause of injury-related death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In comparison, Nebraska consistently has ranked among the lowest five states in the rate of fatal opioid overdoses, according to the Centers for Disease Control. In 2015 Nebraska recorded 145 drug overdoses, far below the 242 traffic fatalities that year. Fifty-two of the drug overdoses involved opioids. The challenge is to keep the states ranking on overdoses near the bottom. Nebraska can be proactive, rather than reactive, and learn from other states. One important measure to be implemented soon is a new limit set by the state Department of Health and Human Services on the amount of immediate pain medication allowed to any one Medicaid patient. Effective Oct. 1, Medicaid patients will be limited to 150 pills per month. Currently 1,700 Nebraskans are receiving more than that, and will need to use other strategies to cope with chronic pain. Another important anti-abuse program launching Jan. 1 is the states comprehensive prescription drug monitoring program aimed at stopping patients from doctor shopping to find one willing to prescribe drugs. Some physicians are worried that the system may not function well, especially when it comes to connecting with data in bordering states. In mid-October a statewide summit on opioid issues will be hosted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center, along with the Nebraska attorney general, Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Earlier this year the CDC issued guidelines advising physicians treating chronic pain to first try alternatives like physical therapy or massage. Then physicians should consider anti-inflammatories. Opioids are to be used as a last resort. One theory on why Nebraska has such a low ranking on fatal opioid overdoses is that doctors here have been more conservative in dispensing the addictive drugs. If so, the new CDC guidelines should find ready acceptance and bolster physician commitment as the first line of defense against opioid abuse in the state. Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star AUGUST 1 - Kelli Newman, Laura Cheek, Jordan Bell, Jason Karten 2 Ashley Bravin, Margaux Cowden, Fred Smith, Teresa Osso 3 Disney Samutsakorn, Samantha Harder, Heather Levinson, Steve Wasserman, Cory Holtzman 4 David Trigger Ortiz, Kyle Burdges 5 Elizabeth Zimmerman Calderwood, Robert Nero, Chris Michael, Amy Rice, Sean Dunn 6 Joe Tomola, Jeff Greenwood, 7 Bodio-Jodi Hews Shultz, Michelle Charalambopoulos, Xinyan Zhang 8 - Jennie Wilson 9 Cassie Winters 10 - Wally Newman, Miguel Garcia, Lisa Marie Bauman, Tim Emery, Victoria Lobanov, 11 Laura Windell 12 - Josh Hammock, Javier Navarro, Laura Konowalski, Leah Frances Turano 13 Madi Swayne, Elle Michelle, Alannah Blanco 14 Nancy-Jo Webster White, Georgio Mahmood, Fia Fasbinder 15 - Joe Schmal, Kat Latona 16 Oliver Putnam, Charee Wagner, Brian Gardner, Jake Dieringer 17 Julie Kelley, Margo Cramer, Gene Shabinaw, Warunee Ngennak 18 Aaron Spiwak, Emily Joyce Phillips, Stacey Cambers 19 - Stephanie Olsen, Shelby Moran 20 - Brenda Bennett, Samantha Tang, Neil Reinhold, Richard Berentsen, Christina Rico Ricafort 21 - Jill Rudberg, Anders Strand, Melinda Bracken-Hof, Kayla Babb 22 Josh Schulman, Alberto Izarraraz, Cybele Parsignault 23 Eden Allegra Young 24 Keith Andreen 25 Serena Wong, Audrey Frenzel, Ashley Poole, Austin T-Rex Divine, Alex Campbell 27 Rose Angulo, Dave ONeill, Mary Jean Bustard 28 Tony (I-thought-you-said-pickets) Arlyn, Corky Cronin, Jasmin Newberry 29 Charlie Silveria 30 - Beth Beltramo 31 Debra Simons, Maggie Harris, Beth Lee, Zac Araneta, Kristen Casalenuovo (if you'd like to be included in this list, email me - skip@skiptucker.com) Halil D. was accused of plotting to attack a bicycle race in Frankfurt. At the time of his arrest, German police found an arsenal of weapons, including a pipe bomb, in his basement, as well as Islamic State propaganda materials on his computer. The court said there was insufficient proof that Halil D. was a terrorist. "She took her Muslim student seriously. She did not try to bend him to adapt to a supposedly German way of doing things. She understands that respect is not dependent upon a handshake, and that not everyone who does not want to shake hands is a misogynist extremist." "The events of the past few days show that the acceptance and integration of a large number of refugees and migrants presents significant problems. It is much more difficult than Merkel tried to persuade us last fall with her reckless 'We can do it' ['Wir schaffen das']. The government must now do everything possible to ensure that people in our country can feel safe again." "No one should delude themselves: We obviously have imported some brutal people who are capable of committing barbaric crimes in our country. We have to say this clearly and without taboos. This also means that we must deal aggressively with Islamism. If we do not, we risk that German politics will be perceived as being detached from reality." Soeren Kern is a Senior Fellow at the New York-based Gatestone Institute. He is also Senior Fellow for European Politics at the Madrid-based Grupo de Estudios Estrategicos / Strategic Studies Group. Follow him on Facebook and on Twitter. His first book, Global Fire, will be out in 2016. July 1. A court in Bavaria ruled that a law that prohibits Muslim legal trainees from wearing headscarves is illegal. The district court in Augsburg ruled in favor of Aqilah Sandhu, a 25-year-old law student who filed a lawsuit against the state for barring her from wearing the headscarf at public appearances in court while performing legal training. The ruling said there was no legal basis for the restriction and "no formal law that obligates legal interns to a neutral worldview or a religious neutrality." Bavarian Justice Minister Winfried Bausback, arguing that legal officials as well as trainees in the court needed to present the appearance of impartiality, said he would appeal the ruling.July 3. A 24-year-old woman, raped by three migrants in Mannheim in January, admitted to lying about the identity of her attackers. Selin Goren, a Turkish-German woman, initially said that her attackers were German nationals, when in fact they were Muslim migrants. In an interview with, Goren, the spokeswoman of Germany's left-wing youth movement, Solid, said she lied because she was afraid of fueling racism against migrants.July 4. The newspaper, reported that the 30 biggest German companies listed on the DAX blue-chip stock market index have employed only 54 refugees, including 50 who were hired as couriers by the logistics provider, Deutsche Post. The report casts doubt on Chancellor Angela Merkel's promise to integrate the 1.1 million migrants who arrived in Germany in 2015 into the German labor market as quickly as possible. Company executives say the main problem is that migrants lack professional qualifications and German language skills.July 4. A court in Frankfurt sentenced a 35-year-old German-Turkish Salafist to two-and-a half-years in prison for weapons possession, but absolved him of charges relating to terrorism. Halil D. was originally accused of plotting to attack a bicycle race in Frankfurt. At the time of his arrest, police found an arsenal of weapons, including a pipe bomb, in his basement. Halil D. claimed he built the bomb to spring open the contents of a cigarette vending machine. Police also found Islamic State propaganda videos, as well as copies of, the Islamic State's online magazine, on his computer. At the time of his arrest, Halil D. said: "I believe in the Sharia. German laws do not apply to me." The court said there was insufficient proof that Halil D. was a terrorist.July 7. The Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, unanimously approved changes to the criminal code to expand the definition of rape and make it easier to deport migrants who commit sex crimes. Under the bill, also known as the "No Means No" ("") law, any form of non-consensual sex will now be punishable as a crime. Previously, the only cases punishable under German law were those in which the victims could show that they physically resisted their attackers. As Germany's politically correct justice system, is notoriously lenient when it comes to prosecuting, sentencing and deporting foreign offenders, however, the reforms are unlikely to end Germany's migrant rape epidemic.July 7. More than six months after mobs of Muslim men sexually assaulted more than 1,000 women in Cologne and other German cities on New Year's Eve, a German court issued the first two convictions: The District Court of Cologne gave a 20-year-old Iraqi, identified only as Hussain A., and a 26-year-old Algerian, Hassan T., a one-year suspended sentence and then released both men. Hussain, who was 20 at the time, was sentenced under juvenile law and was ordered to attend an integration course and do 80 hours of community service. The newspaper, published photographs of a jubilant Hassan smiling as he left the courtroom. An observer said the light sentence was a mockery of justice and would serve as an invitation for criminal migrants to do as they please with German women.July 8. Teachers at the Kurt Tucholsky secondary school in Hamburg boycotted this year's graduation ceremony to protest a Muslim student who refused to shake hands with a female staff member. The school's director Andrea Ludtke, sided with the student: "I accept his decision," she said. A German columnist, Heike Klovert, defended Ludtke by arguing that teachers should not be tasked with integrating students:July 10. A Federal Criminal Police Agency (BKA) inquiry into the sex attacks in Cologne, Hamburg, Stuttgart, Dusseldorf and other German cities on New Year's Eve found that more than 1,200 women were victims of attacks, which were perpetrated by more than 2,000 men, many of whom are believed to be from North Africa. BKA President Holger Munch admitted : "There is a relationship between the attacks and the strong wave of migration in 2015."July 10. More than a hundred Shia Muslims took to the streets of Bonn to commemorate the death of Ali, the cousin and son-in-law of Mohammed. Ali was assassinated in 661. Evoking scenes from seventh century Iraq, 130 shirtless men, hypnotically beating their chests and chanting to beating drums, wound their way through downtown Bonn for more than five hours (pictures here ). Local health officials reminded doctors they had a legal responsibility to treat anyone with self-inflicted injuries.July 11. In a new survey, the Pew Research Center found that 61% of Germans believe the recent influx of refugees will "increase the likelihood of terrorism in our country." The survey also found that 61% of Germans believe Muslims in their country "want to be distinct from the larger society."July 13. The Platanus-Schule, a private bilingual school in Berlin, apologized to a Muslim imam after a teacher at the school called him "misogynistic" and "ill-adapted to German life" because he refused to shake her hand. The imam's lawyer said the apology was insufficient; critics accused the school of "capitulating" and endangering the principle of gender equality in Germany. CDU politician Philipp Lengsfeld wrote on Twitter: "The essence of the handshake debate is not about religion or an individual's opinion, it is about the authority of the state and gender equality."July 14. Figures released by Destatis, the government's statistics agency, showed that more than 2.1 million people migrated to Germany in 2015. More than 633,000 arrived from Asia, including 309,000 from Syria, 84,000 from Afghanistan and 65,000 from Iraq. More than 113,000 migrants arrived from Africa.July 14. During a parliamentary investigation into the migrant sex attacks in Cologne on New Year's Eve, it was revealed that one of the women who was raped became pregnant. She failed to report the attack to police because she felt ashamed.July 14. Ruprecht Polenz, a former secretary general of the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU), said that the German law which regulates name changes () should be amended to make it easier for Muslim migrants in Germany who feel discriminated against to change their legal names to Christian-sounding ones. German law generally does not allow foreigners to change their names to German ones, and German courts rarely approve such petitions. By custom and practice, German names are only for Germans.July 15. At least 24 women were sexually assaulted at a music festival in Bremen. The attacks were similar to the "[collective harassment] attacks in Cologne on New Year's Eve. Police have been able to identify only five perpetrators, all of whom are migrants from Afghanistan. Harald Luhrs, the lead investigator for sex crimes in Bremen said: "We have never experienced such massive attacks in Bremen. That groups of men surround women in order to grope them, this has never happened here in this magnitude. This is a new problem that the police have to deal with."July 16. A document leaked to the newsmagazine, revealed that more than 33,000 migrants who are supposed to be deported are still in Germany and are being cared for by German taxpayers. Many of the migrants destroyed their passports and are believed to have lied about their countries of origin to make it impossible for them to be deported. Others have gone into hiding so that immigration police cannot find them.July 17. An investigative report by Bavarian Radio BR24 found that deradicalization programs in Germany are failing because many Salafists do not want to become deradicalized. The report also showed that many jihadists who have returned to Germany from Iraq and Syria are producing propaganda videos for the Islamic State.July 18. An Afghan asylum seeker wielding an axe was shot dead by police after he injured five people on a train in Wurzburg. The man shouted "Allahu Akbar" ["Allah is the Greatest"] during the attack. Green Party MP Renate Kunast criticized the police for using lethal force. In a tweet, she wrote: "Why could the attacker not have been incapacitated without killing him???? Questions!" Kunast's comments provoked a furious backlash, with many accusing her of showing more sympathy for the perpetrator than for the victims. The outpouring of anger against Kunast indicates that Germans have had enough of their politically correct politicians.July 18. Lutz Bachmann, the leader of the anti-migration Pegida movement, announced the formation of a political party, Popular Party for Freedom and Direct Democracy (). The move is in response to government threats to ban the Pegida movement.July 19. Three teenage jihadists who bombed a Sikh temple in Essen on April 16 were formally charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and "bringing about an explosion." The teenagers, who said they were upset about the way Muslims are being treated by Sikhs in Northern India, were not charged with terrorism offenses.July 19. The managers of a German Red Cross refugee shelter in Potsdam were accused of covering up the sexual abuse of women at the facility.July 20. The Federal Labor Office ( reported that the educational level of newly arrived migrants in Germany is far lower than expected: only a quarter have a high school diploma, while three quarters have no vocational training at all. Only 4% of new arrivals to Germany are highly qualified.July 22. Ali Sonboly, an 18-year-old Iranian-German who harbored hatred for Arabs and Turks, killed ten people (including himself) and wounded 35 others at a McDonald's in Munich.July 23. A mob of men shouting "Allahu Akbar" barged into a nudist beach in Xanten and "insulted and threatened" the beachgoers. Police kept the incident hidden, apparently to avoid negative media coverage of Muslims "in these sensitive times."July 24. Mohammed Daleel, a 27-year-old migrant from Syria whose asylum application was rejected, injured 15 people when he blew himself up at a concert in Ansbach. The suicide bombing was the first in Germany attributed to the Islamic State. Daleel had fought with the Islamic State and al-Qaeda in Iraq before coming to Germany. In a cellphone video made before the attack, Daleel vowed that Germans "will not be able to sleep peacefully anymore." Although German authorities had tried to deport Daleel in early 2016, the effort was blocked by German Left Party MP Harald Weinberg, who demanded that Daleel get medical care for a knee injury. "After everything I knew at that time, I would decide the same today," Weinberg told the newspaperJuly 24. A 21-year-old Syrian asylum-seeker murdered a 45-year-old Polish woman and her unborn baby in a machete attack in Reutlingen.July 24. A 40-year-old migrant from Eritrea raped a 79-year-old woman in a cemetery in Ibbenburen. The woman, who lives in a local nursing home, was visiting the grave of her late sister at 6AM when the attack occurred. The migrant, who has been living as a refugee in Germany since 2013, was arrested at the scene. He is unlikely to be deported, however, because Eritrea is considered a conflict zone.July 25. A 45-year-old Palestinian brandishing a "Rambo knife" and shouting "Allahu Akbar" tried to behead a doctor in Bonn. The attacker's 19-year-old son had complained about the doctor's treatment for a fractured leg. While holding the doctor down on the floor, the man said: "Apologize to my son. Go down on your knees and kiss his hand." The attacker was arrested and then set free.July 25. Sahra Wagenknecht, the leader of the Left Party (), lashed out at Merkel's open-door migration policy:July 25. Frank Henkel, a CDU Senator from Berlin, said July 25. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere revealed that German authorities are currently investigating 59 refugees because of the "suspicion that they are involved in terrorist structures."July 25. Following a series of Islam-related attacks in a week, the President of Bavaria, Horst Seehofer, said : "We must know who is in our country."July 26. Seehofer, said : "Islamist terrorism has arrived in Germany."July 27. Police raided a mosque in Hildesheim. They also searched eight apartments belonging to members of the mosque. Boris Pistorius, the interior minister of Lower Saxony, said: "The mosque in Hildesheim is a national hot-spot for the radical Salafist scene. After months of preparation, with these raids today, we have taken an important step towards banning the group."July 27. Police in Ludwigsburg arrested a 15-year-old who they said was planning a mass-shooting similar to the July 22 attack in Munich. During a search of the teenager's home, police found more than 300 rounds of ammunition, as well as knives, chemicals and bullet-proof vests.July 28. Speaking at an annual summer press conference in Berlin, Merkel insisted there would be no change to her open-door migration stance: "We decided to fulfill our humanitarian tasks. Refusing humanitarian support would be something I would not want to do and I would not recommend this to Germany.... Anxiety and fear cannot guide our political decisions." She also said : "Let me be clear, we are at war with Islamic State; we are not at war with Islam."July 29. Thomas Jahn, the vice chairman of the Christian Social Union (CSU), lambasted Merkel's open-door migration policy: "We need to control our borders. That is the most important thing at the moment. And we need to send the dangerous people with Islamist ideology back to the countries outside Europe and the European Union."July 30. CSU politician Jens Spahn said : "My impression is that we all underestimated a year ago what was in store for us with this big refugee and migration movement. Integration is a Herculean task that does not end with a three-week language course." He also called for a burqa ban: "A ban on the full body veil that is the niqab and the burka is overdue... I do not want to have to encounter any burqa in this country. In that sense, I am a burqaphobe." 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. For nearly 25 years, Bruce Williams worked halfway across the country doing a job he loved. Then he was fired for being gay. Unemployed in his 60s, he made his way to The Pride Center in Wilton Manors. Now he runs the largest LGBT senior citizens gathering in the country. Ten years ago, Bruce Williams was working as an Executive Director for a retirement community in Houston. Right before his 25th anniversary with the company, it was sold. Then Bruce was fired for being gay. Texas is a right-to-work state, which means employees can be fired without being given a reason. Williams while professional and respectful never hid his sexuality. One new owner wasnt happy with Williamss lifestyle and made it known. That was the end of Bruce in Houston. After dedicating nearly a quarter of a century of my life to the same company, I found myself unemployed in my early 60s and looking for work during one of the most disastrous periods of our nations economic history, he said. Out of work and health insurance, Williams took out COBRA coverage to tide him over. But thats only temporary and was more expensive than health insurance with his employer. While he had a bit of money stashed away for his retirement, he watched his savings deplete as he was struggling to find work and affordable healthcare in his early 60s. It would be a couple years before he was eligible for Medicare and he couldnt fathom the idea of being without insurance at his age. Related: Impact Broward Gives First Ever Lifetime Achievement Award to Pride Centers Senior Services Coordinator Small health issues wiped out all the savings I had, he said. I lost a lifetime of resources including pension benefits, savings, real estate holdings and even the sight in my right eye. Because of his health concerns, Bruce eventually accepted early retirement Social Security benefits, but at a 25 percent reduction. He knows this will be a problem for him later in life. Here I am, a 69-year-old gay man who has led a productive and responsible life but who now has to work full-time just to survive, he said. It has a devastating effect and working with LGBT seniors, I found out its incredibly common. Now, Williams is the Senior Services Coordinator at The Pride Center in Wilton Manors. He knows how difficult it is for LGBT seniors to have access to resources they need in their golden years. A few years ago, he showed up to the Centers weekly Coffee and Conversation events when it was only a handful of attendees. Now hes running the largest weekly gathering of LGBT seniors in the country. I look forward to Tuesday mornings. If Im having a bad week, the thought of Tuesday morning gets me through it, he said. Its wonderful to be around that group of people. The support and the concern for one another is just incredible. And business is booming. Before Williams started working there, there were 30-40 visitors on any given Tuesday. Now, theres usually between 180-200 visitors weekly. Even with this huge accomplishment, Williams wants to do more to help LGBT seniors, especially when they dont have enough help themselves. Its widely known that generally, older LGBT seniors have less family support than hetero couples. Some children are wonderful resources and some dont know you exist, he said. Overall, LGBT seniors have fewer support systems, lesser income and fewer resources. When he first started volunteering with the Center, Williams was looking to start an assisted living project for LGBT seniors. Eventually, that project turned into the Senior Health Expo, which keeps hitting record numbers year after year. Since LGBT seniors have less resources than their hetero counterparts, community support is vital. Thats why hes constantly working on events and projects for seniors at The Pride Center, hoping to make a bigger impact than yesterday. As a society, we have made great strides in LGBT awareness and rights that todays LGBT seniors never expected to see in their lifetimes, he said. The fight is far from over and I fear we need to prepare ourselves for a significant backlash in response to the gains we have attained. While same-sex marriage is a huge gain, Williams thinks theres more to be done. We now need to focus our efforts toward gaining equality in areas of healthcare, housing and employment so that old people like me dont have to go to bed at night hoping to die in their sleep. Donald Trump is correct when he says there has never been a candidate like him ever before. He is the most repulsive and vulgar man ever to seek the presidency. In every speech, at every turn, and in every breath, the Republican nominee for the Oval Office reveals himself to be crude and condescending, mean and mendacious. Donald Trump is a threat to democracy; a demagogue who would be a dictator. He does not just threaten a free press, he jeopardizes the security of our society. No folks, it is not Hillary Clinton who is unhinged, imbalanced or unfit to lead this nation. It is Donald J. Trump. There is a reason even the most conservative of newspapers have condemned him, why political leaders from the Republican Party have steadfastly disavowed him. It is not the media. It is his mindless message and his manners; his myopia and his madness. Please don't give Trump any more credit for manipulating the media. We have caught up to him. We are exposing every lie, revealing each inconsistency, and shedding light on his fear-mongering, his bigotry and his frauds. Related: OpEd: Naked Journeys into Hedonism The YouTube video, Trump on Trump, with 20 million views, showcases the candidate's shocking duplicity, altering his views on issue after issue, day after day, month after month, year after year. He is a transparently dishonest and disingenuous person. He is a man of irreconcilable inconsistencies. Trump wants to be a ruler, an imperial King, and a man who has people swear allegiance to his throne. He calls for loyalty oaths, complete submission to his rule, and sworn fidelity to his abhorrent causes. To fail to do so gets you excoriated and exiled, condemned and censured. He is unconscionable and unscrupulous. We come together as a society to secure the rights of all, not to restrict the rights of any. The law and order Trump proposes is fascist and fanatical, violent and vitriolic, autocratic and authoritarian. Make no mistake about it. When he says he wants his 'second amendment people' to do something about Hillary, he is calling for bullets, not ballots. When he questions Clinton's 'physical fitness' for office, he is being misogynistic, intimating as a man he is much stronger than a woman. When he scoffed at the silence of a gold-star mother standing on the podium in the Democratic convention, he meant to demean all of Islam, Muslims and religions where women are still struggling for equal rights. When he referred to Megan Kelley's menstrual cycles or his manhood in presidential debates, he meant to show off his 'machismo' but instead showcased his chauvinistic insensitivity. When he says the voting system is 'rigged' and he will only lose if he is 'cheated,' he is telling us in advance he is a crybaby, a sore loser, and has the immaturity of a child in a sandbox. When he mocks disabled reporters or a senator and soldier who was a prisoner of war, he reveals a cruel underside that has no compassion or concern for the country he seeks to serve. When he claims to support veterans but spent years avoiding the Vietnam War as a draft dodger seeking student deferments, claiming a bogus injury of a 'bruised heel,' he reveals his history of hypocrisy, dating back to the 1960's. Related: OpEd: There is Too Much of 1968 in 2016 When he said he knows more about ISIS than the generals,' he instead revealed his unbridled arrogance. He is a man who probably can't even name the governors in America, let alone the rulers in Afghanistan or Pakistan. He thinks the Nuclear Triad is a new social app. When he is willing to sacrifice the good of the nation for the applause of a crowd, when he is willing to incite violence against protestors to get the adulation of an audience, he is shedding a light not only on his nasty and narcissistic personality, but his willingness to advance his own popularity at the expense of dignity and decency in the public square. When he threatens to 'open up the libel laws,' calls the media a 'disgrace to humanity,' he is attempting to intimidate independent journalists and call into question historical judicial precedent. When he revokes press credentials of respected newspapers and denies them to others he is demanding absolute allegiance to toxic Trumpian policies which poison the political system. He is attempting to hold journalism hostage to his dictatorial demands. When he talks about 'extreme vetting,' 'taking out family members of terrorists' or that 'water boarding is the least people have to worry about' he is recommending torture and terror tantamount to the very violence we are opposing as a society. Trump is attempting to make us as vicious and despicable as the very causes we are fighting. He is calling upon us to suspend the United States Constitution for foreigners today, and our countrymen and citizens tomorrow. Interesting, because he has probably never read it. Or 2 Corinthians. When he talks about knowing more about economic policy than all the candidates combined, he means he knows how to exploit the system for his own pecuniary advantage, from not paying taxes to filing multiple bankruptcies in order to avoid paying legitimate debts to hard working employees. This is a man saying he wants to return jobs to America tomorrow while exploiting workers in China today. When he bullies and personally demeans his political adversaries in public discourse by calling them nasty names, and reducing their stature, he demeans the office of the presidency. This behavior is downright juvenile, and poisons the political process, reducing it to a schoolyard sand throwing contest which is where he belongs. I am not worried about Barack Obama anymore. I want proof Donald J. Trump was born in America. I want to know how a man raised in the dynamic melting pot and diversity that is New York can become so fundamentally anti-American. He is a traitor to dignity, decency, and democracy. But ask me how I really feel. Yes, America needs a wall built. It needs a wall built between Donald Trump and the Oval Office, our nuclear codes, and 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Between now and November, that is how I intend to spend my time. I encourage you to do the same. Here's what you need to know this week for lesbian, bisexual, and trans news! Lesbian New Jersey Proposal Expands Infertility Coverage to Lesbians (AP) A federal lawsuit brought by a New Jersey lesbian couple who want to have a baby may mean insurance coverage for women who currently don't meet the state's definition of infertile. Erin Krupa was denied insurance coverage for infertility treatments essentially because she failed to show she couldn't get pregnant by having sex with a man. New Jersey law for insurance purposes defines infertility as the result of failure to conceive after a certain period of unprotected sex. Krupa's insurer eventually agreed to the coverage, based on her doctor's diagnosis, and she has incurred nearly $25,000 in out-of-pocket medical expenses. But she and Marianne Krupa say in their lawsuit that they are pursuing the case as a civil rights issue, the right of all New Jersey women who dream of becoming mothers to access the reproductive health care they need to realize that dream on an equal basis.'' Meanwhile, some state lawmakers plan to advance legislation to change the law when legislators return from break in September. The proposal would revise the definition of infertility to include lesbians, women without partners and those who have protected sex. "The law needs to be changed,'' said Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, a Democrat and the bill's sponsor in the Senate. "It's just time to push this to the forefront.'' Bisexual LGBT High School Students Raped, Attacked More Often (EDGE) Gay, lesbian and bisexual high school students are far more likely than their classmates to be raped or assaulted in a dating situation, according to the first national survey of its kind. The research also found gay teens were far more likely to have attempted suicide, taken illegal drugs and engaged in other risky behaviors. The finding echoes results of smaller surveys and findings from advocacy groups, but it is the first nationally-representative government survey to look at the issues. For years, advocacy groups have been saying gay and lesbian kids are more often bullied, ostracized and at high risk for many other problems. But earlier research by the government was limited to a small number of states and cities. The new survey includes students in rural areas and other parts of the U.S. "This is the first time we can say that nationwide these are consistent challenges faced by lesbian, gay and bi- youth," said David W. Bond of The Trevor Project, a national suicide-prevention organization focused on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth. Shontay Richardson says the survey reflects her experience in high school. "There's of course the physical bullying, but also the emotional bullying that takes place," she said. Transgender Texas Court Says Transgender Man Has No Right to Change Gender on ID A post-operative transgender person who is seen as a man and consistently considered male apparently does not have enough evidence to legally change his gender identification in the state of Texas, according to LGBTQ Nation. He elected to have his name withheld. An appeals court last week decided that he was not entitled to change his drivers license to reflect his correct gender. Judge Martha Hill Jamison wrote that even if Texas law provided for gender change orders, the petitioner did not present any evidence in the trial supporting the proposition that [his] current gender designation is inaccurate. Ive paid like $2,000 to still have a big fat F on my drivers license, despite being seen completely as a completely as a man as well as being post-operative, the petitioner told the Texas Observer. its honestly jarring and heartbreaking. Le Collectif Cheikh Yassine a organise un certain nombre dactivites et de festivites pour les enfants de Gaza sous le theme La joie des enfants de Gaza pour lAid . Ces activites ont commence le premier jour de lAid et continue jusquau 4eme jour de lAid dans la bande de Gaza. Plusieurs activites, ont ete organisees parmi lesquelles : des competitions recompensees par des prix, des jeux, des animations et des chants presentes par un groupe ainsi que des distributions de cadeaux et daides financieres. Acadia National Park NASA Acadia National Park is one of the most visited parks in America, drawing more than 2.5 million visitors per year to the craggy, jagged coast of Maine. The park is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016. On September 6, 2015, the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on the Landsat 8 satellite acquired these images of Acadia National Park and its surroundings. Mountains and hills roll right up to the Atlantic Ocean in this rocky landscape carved by glaciers at the end of the last Ice Age. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, the park has been pieced together by donations and acquisitions of once-private lands, and it is still growing. Of the parks 47,000 acres, more than 12,000 are privately owned lands under conservation agreements, while the rest is held by the National Park Service. Mount Desert Island is the focal point of the park, which also includes lands around a former naval base (Schoodic Peninsula), Isle au Haut, and several smaller islands. Mount Desert Island is the largest in Maine and the second largest on the East Coast. It looks like a big lobster claw, said Lynne Dominy, chief park ranger for interpretation at Acadia. Its both ironic and iconic, as we are surrounded by lobsters living in the Gulf of Maine. Efforts to preserve Acadia began around 1901, led by conservationist George Dorr, who began cobbling together acquisitions and donations of land. Dorr and the Hancock County Trustees of Public Reservations turned over 6,000 acres to the U.S. government, with President Woodrow Wilson creating Sieur de Monts National Monument in 1916. In 1919, the parcels of the Maine coast were desginated Lafayette National Park in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette. In 1929, the name was changed to Acadia, recalling the name of the original French colony in the region. Due to the public-private nature of the land holdings, it was not until 1986 that the U.S. Congress finally established official borders for the park. Larger image Lake Powell EarthKam/NASA The remotely controlled Sally Ride EarthKAM aboard the International Space Station acquired this photograph on July 14, 2016, as the orbiting laboratory flew over Lake Powell and the border of Utah and Arizona. Located on the Colorado River, Lake Powell (annotated image) is the second largest artificial reservoir in the United States. The EarthKAM program allows students to request photographs of specific Earth features, which are taken by a special camera mounted on the space station when it passes over those features. The images are posted online for the public and students in participating classrooms around the world to view. EarthKAM is the only program providing students with such direct control of an instrument on a spacecraft orbiting Earth, teaching them about environmental science, geography and space communications. The project was initiated by Dr. Sally Ride, Americas first woman in space, in 1995 and called KidSat; the camera flew on five space shuttle flights before moving to the space station on Expedition 1 in 2001. Larger image 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. The organization plans to compensate for this deficit by using a fifth of a dose per person, which would help stretch the vaccine supply, but would also only be effective for a period of about one year. Emily Baumgaertner, writing for the Scientific American, reporting from the DRC, noted that regional hospitals were not testing patients to see whether they had yellow fever. Baumgaertner stated that it had been over a month since a yellow fever diagnostic test had been conducted. The WHO is racing against the clock as the approaching October rainy season will bring more mosquitoes to breed and infect more people. Some 10 million people are at risk for yellow fever in the DRC capital city of Kinshasa. Stephen Ngila, 34, who lives in a small village not far from the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, was charged with attempted murder following a brutal attack on his wife Jackline Mwende on July 23, 2016. According to Mwende, her relations with Nglia lasted for seven years, five of them in marriage. Despite that the first days of our marriage were happy days, Mwende said in an interview with LA Times, relationship with the spouse deteriorated after they were not able to conceive. In 2014, the couple turned to doctors for help. It was a big surprise for both to discover that it was the husband who was sterile. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The landlocked country has been struggling to emerge from the civil war that broke out in late 2012. Having assumed office last March, President Faustin Archange Touadera has urged both Muslim rebels and Christian vigilantes to stand down. "My priority is to restore peace," Touadera said. "All armed groups must be disarmed. We need to start disarming, demobilizing, reintegrating and repatriating former combatants." He added that the government needs to urgently beef up its national security forces to regain control of large parts of the country. The country's authorities are in talks with rival Muslim and Christian militia leaders to restart dialogue on a ceasefire, Touadera said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A UN report leaked in April 2015 and witness evidence that emerged more recently implicate French troops and some UN peacekeeping forces in sexual violence against children in camps for the internally displaced. France opened a judicial inquiry into the allegations in May 2015 but there has been little progress to date. "France must see to it that justice is done. We want victims rights to be observed and we have spoken about it with France so that they see a fair judgment delivered. We are watching this case," President Faustin Archange Touadera said. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Libyan government forces freed one of three Sirtes districts remaining under Daesh control on Tuesday, the official said in an interview. "Now there is ongoing fighting in one part of District 1. Districts 1 and 3 are both residential areas adjacent to each other and we will soon advance on them There are about 150 to 200 terrorists still in these districts There is no room for them to escape. They will fight until the last bullet. They had an opportunity to escape earlier but now they are surrounded," Shukri told CNN. He said that the operation in Sirte was being carried out with the support of the US Air Force. MOSCOW (Sputnik) An armed ethnic conflict erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, when President Salva Kiir accused Vice President Riek Machar of preparing a military coup, which was one and a half years after the nation gained independence from Sudan. Over a million people have fled their home due to the conflict. "Last months return to violence underscores the need to seek accountability for the horrendous crimes committed and should bolster, not undermine, the pursuit of justice," Amnesty International South Sudan Researcher Elizabeth Deng said. Hundreds of vehicles have been set alight in towns and cities across Sweden since the beginning of summer. The spate of car fires started in Malmo (where over 105 cars were torched since early July), only to spread to nearby cities and reach the capital city Stockholm. In Malmo, Sweden's most "multinational" city, cars were set alight for the ninth consecutive night. Last night alone, police received reports of cars on fire in nine different districts within half an hour. Recently, the car arson epidemic spread to the Swedish city of Norrkoping, where 20 cars were destroyed. In Sodertalje, 40km south of Stockholm, a biogas car was set alight, whereas in Boras in western Sweden, rescue services put out fires that had engulfed a motorbike and two mopeds. Remarkably, police made no arrests in any of the overnight cases. What most of the fires have in common is that they occurred in blighted immigrant areas, which are commonly dubbed "no-go zones" and which police and emergency services tend to avoid due to the danger posed by the area. Whereas the immigrants are commonly blamed for the wide-spread pyromania, this has not been proven officially, since no suspects have been apprehended. Although tasty and health-giving berries such as bilberry, whortleberry and salmonberry abound in Nordic forests, picking them in swampy and mosquito-infested Finnish woods is quite a challenge. Traditionally, the Finnish berry-picking industry has been dominated by foreign labor. Last year's influx of asylum-seekers from the Middle East led to a marked increase in Iraqi laborers toiling in Finnish Forests. At the beginning of the summer, Rovaniemi-based health food manufacturer Arctic Warriors was in trouble. The company was launching a new product, for which thousands of kilos of spruce tips were needed, but was left stranded with a lack of personnel. Luckily for them, local asylum accommodation in Ranua stepped in and filled the void. According to Arctic Warriors product manager Katja Misikangas, school was already over and underage asylum-seekers basically had nothing to do, so they were really keen about the job offer. "They were really enthusiastic about the job. Just for the sake comparison: Finnish pickers harvest about 80 kilos of spruce tips on the average, whereas asylum-seekers got over 1,200 kilograms," Misikangas pointed out to Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti. The vessel, called the Huai'an, became the 27th Type 056 ship to enter into service with the Chinese naval forces. Introduced in 2012, ships of this class are the most numerous vessels in the PLAN. The US Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) assessed that China is preparing to build up to 60 similar corvettes to serve in territorial waters. Reports suggest that the keel of the 31st corvette was laid in December 2015. Huai'an, under operational number 509, will likely be deployed to the 22nd light frigate squadron at a base at Putuoshan, IHS Janes reported. The 1,500-ton corvette is fitted with four YJ-83 anti-ship missiles, a 76 mm gun, two triple-barrelled lightweight torpedo launchers, and an eight-cell HQ-10 short-range surface-to-air missile launcher. BALI (Sputnik) On July 5, the suicide bomber attacked a police station in the city of Solo, killing himself and injuring one officer. The attack was reportedly plotted by a network coordinated by Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian believed to be fighting alongside the Daesh jihadist group banned in Russia. "The suspect also has close contacts with Bahrun Naim and is ready to launch bomb attacks," Agus told reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by the Jakarta Globe newspaper, referring to one of the detainees. On Monday, local authorities arrested the second alleged terrorist for unlawful trade of firearms to suspected terrorists in Indonesia, the media outlet added. NEW DELHI (Sputnik) The incident occurred in the state's Baramulla district sometime around 21:00 GMT on Tuesday. The attackers ambushed the convoy on the Srinagar-Baramulla motorway, with the ensuing firefight lasting more than 20 minutes and the militants escaping afterward, The Indian Express newspaper reported. "Two army men and a police constable were killed in the attack, there are some injuries as well," an army spokesman told the newspaper. The incident comes amid growing anti-Indian protests and escalating violence in the disputed region. On Tuesday, deadly clashes between police and protesters continued, with the death toll rising to 64. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Papua New Guinea and Australia have agreed to close the migrant detention center on the Manus Island, after the PNG Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional, PNG Prime Minister Peter ONeill said Wednesday. "Both Papua New Guinea and Australia are in agreement that the center is to be closed," ONeill said after a meeting with Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. The campaign against the use of offshore companies was initiated by the ministry and supported by the People's Bank of China and the country's State Administration of Foreign Exchange The ministry said illegal banking activities had decreased but were still "rampant" and the government would keep up its efforts to address the issue. NEW DELHI (Sputnik) On Monday, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry extended a formal invitation to his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar to hold talks over the issue in Islamabad. New Delhi declined Islamabad's offer, saying it was "ready for talks on terrorism but Kashmir is India's internal matter," the Times Now broadcaster said, citing sources. Sources told Sputnik that the Home Minister and other top officials discussed how to put an end to the growing protests and blamed Pakistan for stoking tensions in the region. Kashmir has been under strict curfew for several weeks, however, protestors have paid little attention to the warning, taking the to streets on almost a daily basis against the Indian government. TOKYO (Sputnik) According to the media, this is the first time official confirmation is received that the Yongbyon complex is being used for weapons-grade plutonium production since the reactors re-launch in 2013. "We have reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reactor," the Atomic Energy Institute told the Kyodo news agency in the first-ever interview with foreign media. The group prevented parliament from passing a resolution with an official apology to the countries, which fell victim of Japanese aggression during WWII. Tokyo eventually offered its apologies in an August 15, 1995 address by then Prime Minister Tomiicho Murayama, but no concrete steps were made to actually adopt an official resolution to this effect. I believe that Shinzo Abe owes his reelection to Nippon Kaigi and the Society of MP members of Nippon Kaigi, Tawara Yoshifumi said. On September 26, 2015 Shinzo Abe was elected to the head of the ruling Liberal-Democratic Party prevailing over his main rival ex-Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba. When asked why almost 300 Japanese lawmakers happen to be members of Nippon Kaigi, Tawara said that the ruling party and parliamentary organizations hold the key to virtually any political motion made on the parliamentary floor. In August 2005 the upper house of the Japanese parliament rejected a bill to privatize the countrys postal service tabled by former Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro forcing him to dissolve the legislature and call new election under the slogan Lets Ask the People! One shouldnt underestimate the role played by the parliamentary groups, which, apart from the Society of MP members of Nippon Kaigi, also include the conservative group Nippon and the Association of Shinto Political Leaders, both headed by Shinzi Abe. I dont think that politicians who are not members of any of these groups has any chance to stay in parliament, Tawara Yoshifumi said. Nippon Kaigi describes its aims as to "change the postwar national consciousness based on the 1946 Tokyo Tribunals view of history as a fundamental problem" and to revise the countrys 1947 Constitution, and sees its mission to promote patriotic education, restore the status of the emperor and rebuild the might of the armed forces. Nippon Kaigis allied People's Association for Creating a Constitution for Beautiful Japan sticks to a similar ultraconservative agenda and some of its members hold senior positions in both organizations. TOKYO (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo held a meeting with representatives from Seongju county, which was initially chosen for the THAAD deployment. "The defense minister said the government will give consideration to an alternative site (for THAAD) if local residents reach an understanding on a new location," the Ministry of National Defense said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency. According to the minister, a full consensus among residents is needed for choosing the alternative site, though the military consider Seongju county to be the "the most optimal" location for THAAD deployment. The average daily losses of the Afghan army amounted to four soldiers killed mainly by improvised explosive devises, according to the media outlet. Afghanistan is in a state of political and social turmoil, fighting the continuing Taliban insurgency, with other extremist groups such as Daesh (outlawed in Russia) expanding their activities in the country as well. Kite flying is a favorite sport among Indian youths, especially during festivals. However, this traditional sport is fast turning into a menace with many people being killed by kite strings. A Chinese import, sturdy kite strings laced with powdered glass or metal have gained a strong footing in the Indian market as they are a cheap and highly efficient prop in the sport that involves bringing down kites of competitors by slitting each others kite strings. On August 15, India's Independence Day, in the capital Delhi, two toddlers and a man were killed in separate incidents involving kite strings. According to family members of four-year-old Harry, he was enjoying the pleasant weather, peeping out of his family car's sunroof when a kite string slit his throat, causing profuse bleeding and instant death. In a repeat of the exact scene, but in a different location in Delhi, three-year-old Sanchi lost her life. Meanwhile, 22-year-old Zafar Khan was found dead with his throat slit with a kite string. According to police, he was probably riding his motorbike when the fatal accident happened. The Cabinet Committee on Security Affairs has already cleared a regiment of BrahMos supersonic missiles for Arunachal Pradesh. To strengthen the air power the Pasighat Advanced Landing Grounds in Arunachal Pradesh will be inaugurated on August 19 in West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The Pasighat ALG is capable of operating aircraft and helicopters and will allow fighter aircraft like the Su-30 to land and take off. It will be one of the operating bases under the Eastern Air Command. Activation of this Advanced Landing Ground will not only improve the Indian Air Force response time for various operational situations but also efficacy of the air operations in the eastern frontiers. The Advanced Landing Grounds was also activated earlier in Daulat Beg Oldi and Nyoma in Ladakh. Pasighat is the fifth Advanced Landing Ground to become operational in Arunachal Pradesh. Ziro, Along, Mechuka and Walong Advanced Landing Grounds are already operational. Advanced Landing Grounds in Tuting in Tawang will be ready by December 31 and April 30 next year respectively. The Indian Army had earlier raised two new infantry divisions of about 36,000 soldiers at Assams Likabali and Missamari to counter the Chinese military buildup. An all new Mountain Strike Corps of about 90,274 soldiers will be fully raised by 2021 which will be skilled in mountain warfare. India is gearing to counter China and its aggressive designs not only along the border but also in South Asia. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Daily Sabah newspaper, the men were detained during a secret meeting. The detained men were active in Turkey's provinces of Adana, Bursa, Tunceli, Antalya, Elazg-Malatya, Gaziantep, Mersin, Diyarbakr and Eskisehir. DHKP-C is a Marxist-Leninist party created in 1978. The party strongly opposes US and NATO influence on Turkish politics and has been notorious for a number of suicide bombings. Among most recent attacks, DHKP-C claimed responsibility for the attack on a police station in Istanbul, when two female perpetrators were killed by special forces. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Univision agreed to pay $135 million for the Gawker network including its seven websites, ReCode and the New York Times reported, citing sources, on Tuesday. "Gawker Media Group has agreed this evening to sell our business and popular brands to Univision, one of America's largest media companies," Denton stated on Tuesday. Denton placed the company for sale after losing a $140 million privacy lawsuit to US entertainer Hulk Hogan in March 2016. Denton declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Moscow-Ankara relations improved since the downing of a Russian jet by Turkey last fall following an apology and a reconciliatory visit to St. Petersburg by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this summer. "Of course, it already had an impact. It is not a matter of profit, but the stability and sustainability of our work there Any improvement of political relations certainly has a very positive impact on our business there. Everything has become much more relaxed now," Gref told reporters. He forecast that if natural gas and nuclear projects serviced by Denizbank would resume, "it would have a direct impact on our financial performance." MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Mohsen Qamsari, last month, Iran exported over 2.1 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil, which is less than before the anti-Tehran sanction, when crude exports were at 2.3 million bpd, the IRNA news agency reported. A fourth of all crude oil exported by Iran goes to Europe, while the rest of the crude, along with all condensate exports, goes to Asian states, Qamsari reportedly said. After Iran made a nuclear deal in July 2015 with the P5+1 group of countries including the United States, Russia, France, China and Britain plus Germany guaranteeing the peaceful nature of Tehran's nuclear program, the European Union, the United Nations and partially the United States lifted sanctions against Iran, enabling it to restart oil supplies to the global market. "If that goes through, that would be China setting the rules for trade in that part of the world," Abney added. Meanwhile, currently even close allies doubt that the US will determine the rules of the global trade. The role of the global trade leader will soon be vacant, said Alexander Salitsky, an expert at the Institute of Global Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences. However, China does not want to be a trade hegemon and would like to assume the leading role, he said. "Chinese capital does not fit in the domestic market anymore. There are major state-owned companies in China, but private companies are also getting strong. Chinese private capital is now crossing the borders. More actively than American capital," Salitsky told Sputnik. According to the expert, American capital is mostly financial and cannot provide appealing forms of partnership to other companies. At the same time, Chinese private companies are ready for expansion. "China is ready to write the global trade rules. Moreover, Beijing can handle all current global trade tools, including within the World Trade Organizations. Many Chinese companies do not just copy. They have own intellectual property rights and defend them against American and South Korean firms. Were witnessing the transition of global trade and financial leadership from the US to China," the expert said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Moscow and Tehran reached a preliminary agreement in November 2015 to allocate a $5-million loan to Iran, part of which the head of Rostec state technologies corporation said would be used by Technopromexport to construct a thermoelectric power plant in Iran. Rostec is Technopromexport's parent company. "A two-stage hard-copy competition has been opened on the right to sign an agreement to perform a set of operations as General Designer in the construction of the Hormozgan TPP facility," the document states, naming the sum of 1.6 billion rubles. The plant near the city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province is expected to consist of four units with the total capacity of 1,400MW, according to the procurement document. According to him, meetings between OPEC members and non-OPEC producers would help the oil market. "Oil is still the main energy source in the world. I think that alternative energy sources are too expensive and not very popular so far," the expert pointed out. "It is too early to say that the oil era is coming to an end," Al-Zamel added. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The starting price of the design contract amounts to nearly 1.7 billion rubles ($ 26.6 million), according to the portal. The 1400-megawatt power plant which is set to consist of four units will be built near the city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province in accordance with contract agreement signed with Iranian energy corporation in November 2015. The silence is in spite of the fact that Western governments are profiting massively from supporting the Saudi military actions in its southern neighbor. Where is the presumed high-minded Western journalism to investigate this horror? In the latest atrocity, on Monday, more than 10 civilian patients and one staff at a hospital were killed when Saudi warplanes bombed the facility in the northern province of Hajjah. The hit was confirmed by French-based medical charity, Doctors Without Borders, which runs the hospital. It was the fourth time over the past year that a DWB facility in Yemen was targeted in air raids. Only days before the latest hospital strike, 10 children were killed when their school was hit again reportedly by Saudi warplanes in the adjacent province of Saada. "Every month so far this year has been record hot," Andrea Thompson Climate Central non-profit said. July outpaced record-hot July 2015 by 0.1 degrees Celsius, and marked the tenth month in a row to set new temperature highs. According to NASA data, October 2015 was the first month that was more than 1C hotter than average." "These record breaking extremes are the result of a cocktail of weather phenomenon and human activity," said CCCS head Jean-Noel Thepaut. "There are higher than average temperatures over the vast majority of land and sea masses." The statistics confirm that 2016 will be the warmest year on record," Schmidt added. 'Ethnic, Bloody, Barbaric' He said the situation in Iraq post-war is still unstable. "It's a sectarian civil war. It's absolutely hellish. People are butchering each other. A couple of weeks ago, there was the biggest ever loss of human life in one day when a car bomb went off and killed 250 people shopping in a bazaar. It didn't even make the news. "What Toy Blair has left behind in Iraq is an ethnic, bloody, barbaric civil war. It's absolutely shocking and it's almost like a living testimony to what George W. Bush and Tony Blair did to the world. It's appalling," he told Sputnik. Chilcot also blamed flawed intelligence for the decision to go to war. "The Joint Intelligence Committee should have made clear to Mr. Blair that the assessed intelligence had not established 'beyond doubt' either that Iraq had continued to produce chemical and biological weapons or that efforts to develop nuclear weapons continued." If you're coming down to #IraqOutLoud to read the #ChilcotReport at #venue212 this is what you're looking for. pic.twitter.com/prafKEYwwS IraqOutLoud (@IraqOutLoud) 15 August 2016 The creator of the show, Bob Slayer, told Sputnik the idea behind staging the mass readout of the Chilcot report: "People are coming out of [the readings] saying, 'Oh! We actually got a juicy bit there,' thinking that was perhaps a one-off. But a lot of the subject matter is a lot of testimonials with individuals who were involved, so you get their complete picture, so you can sit there and, in an hour, get a certain person's complete picture of what went on." MOSCOW (Sputnik) The businessman named conservative news website Breitbart News Executive Chairman Stephen Bannon campaign CEO and Republican strategist and pollster Kellyanne Conway campaign manager, local media said Wednesday. "Its an expansion at a busy time in the final stretch of the campaign," Conway said after confirming the new appointments, The New York Times newspaper reported. Trump left Paul Manafort as campaign chairman and Mike Pence as his running mate. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The aircraft reportedly crashed in the vicinity of the Ahimehmet village after taking off from Corlu airport. One of the victims is a trainer pilot, the second is his student, according to our information, a local district governor said as quoted by the Hurriyet newspaper. "There cannot be any cherry picking. The free movement of workers is a highly prized right in the European Union and we don't want to wobble on that." Both British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have immigration on their agendas, but for totally differing reasons. The Brexit referendum was fought largely on the grounds that the UK wanted to control the level of immigration in Britain and that remains high on the public agenda. However, Merkel despite the current failure to agree a common EU immigration policy will fight for the freedom of movement of people a fundamental tenet of the EU. PM: While the UK is leaving the EU, we are not leaving Europe. Britain will remain an outward-looking nation. pic.twitter.com/mMaQ2p1pT4 UK Prime Minister (@Number10gov) 30 July 2016 Strong Links Despite this, Merkel and May know that whatever the outcome of Brexit the London-Berlin axis is strong and needs to be accommodated within the EU. The UK is Germany's third largest trading partner, after the United States and France. Trade between the two nations goes back as far as the 13th century to the Hanseatic League, an alliance of largely sea-bordering merchant towns from the Baltic to the North Sea. The Hansa States were originally centered on the North German town of Lubeck, which became known as 'Queen of the Hansa' as it lay at the center of the considerable shipping movement from the Baltic to the North Sea. In a letter to the Minister Groupe de Secours Catastrophe Francais (GSCF), a public association helping homeless people, protested against the proposal, insisting that, instead of prioritizing help to migrants, the government should launch a program to help those who accommodate homeless people. In an interview with Radio Sputnik GSCF president Thierry Velu said that humane as it was, the proposal should have come much earlier to prevent certain tragedies and the overall mess that is now happening in Calais. Its been five years that we have been fighting the government which completely ignores the homeless people who need help to return to normal life. We argue that if there are not enough shelters to take them in, let individual citizens host them, but the government keeps mum. And now they are telling people to accommodate the refugees and offer incentives to charities that help house these migrants, Thierry Velu complained. And in April, a fool-hardy kitten jumped straight into the engine of a British Gas van, resulting in the closure of a busy west London road, as fire crews spent three hours trying to extricate him. Tiny kitten named Wolfie after firefighter who saved him from van engine w/ @RSPCA_official https://t.co/gZ3wC5z9XC pic.twitter.com/2wBHm2Z0wA London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) April 5, 2016 In all, 277 cats cost US$133,356 to save. Does anyone know if the london fire brigade charge to get a cat out of a tree? Frosty_Cockapoo (@frosty_poo) September 17, 2015 Pet owners aren't charged for animal rescues by the fire crews. London Fire Commissioner, Ron Dobson, is calling on the public to not immediately assume firefighters are needed for every animal mishap. "If there is a cat up a tree, or an animal stuck anywhere, the first port of call should always be the RSPCA, not the emergency services." "Pet owners need to keep a close eye on their animals in a bid to avoid some of these situations happening." However, even with the best intentions of the public, it seems some animals will always be beyond our control. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in August, municipal authorities in a number of French coastal cities prohibited the burkini , which refers to swimsuits that cover most of the body to comply with the Muslim instruction to dress modestly, due to security concerns. "It does not seem to me, alas, that the French model worked out for the best," Alfano told the Corriere della Sera newspaper when asked about French cities outlawing the burkini. He added that the government plans to tighten security with stricter control over Muslim religious activities in the country. "The President of the Republic convened the Defense and Security Council meeting devoted to protection from the terrorist threat and monitoring of measures, taken during the summer season across the country. The Council also considered security measures, which will be implemented in autumn the Council discussed operations against terrorist groups abroad with participation of our forces," the presidential office said in a statement. France has been in a state of emergency since the Paris attacks last November. It was prolonged for six months in July after a truck attack in the seaside resort of Nice killed 84 people. Later that month, two radicalized men murdered a priest in a church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray near Rouen. What may be bitterly ironic for the North Korean authorities, is that Mr Thae was responsible for keeping track of North Korean defectors in and around London, and promoting the image of North Korea to British audiences. International media is instead focusing on his defection as being yet another blow to the increasingly isolated nation. It's expected that South Korean and western intelligence agencies will want to question Mr. Thae on North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's leadership, and about allegations that previous government members were executed. Deputy ambassador to the UK Thae Yong Ho, believed to have recently defected, is an eloquent and articulate. man https://t.co/kRVq7qfwry James Pearson (@pearswick) August 17, 2016 Kim Jong-un has a reputation for bloody purges. South Korean media reported in February that he executed the army's chief of the General Staff, Ri Yong-gil. In 2013, North Korean propaganda infamously announced the execution of Kim's uncle, Jang Song-thaek, a high-level official. He was accused of "anti-party, counter-revolutionary factional acts." And last year, the South Korean National Intelligence Service, claimed that North Korean Defense Minister, Hyon Yong-chol, was removed from his post and reportedly killed with anti-aircraft fire for insubordination. His death remains unconfirmed, but Hyon has not appeared in North Korean state media since. "I killed Hyon Yong-Chol with an anti aircraft missile for falling asleep, SO DO NOT NOD OFF" #KimJongUn https://t.co/5LPEZafLkg Sugar Way (@SugarWayNHW1) February 3, 2016 Mr. Thae's sensational move comes on the same day that authorities in Seoul have released a group of 13 North Korean restaurant workers from detention, who defected earlier this year. They are now being allowed to start resettlement applications in South Korea. The UK parliament is still in summer recess; the politicians are enjoying their vacations in a period what's known in British media as "silly season." However, the statistics revealed once again by women's charity Refuge are no laughing matter. Yet despite the lack of political news making the media's agenda, a British MP has made headlines following his arrest on holiday in Spain on domestic abuse allegations. MP Simon Danczuk 'did not hit wife Karen in Spain and was not drunk'https://t.co/a1s8vq9utW Manchester News MEN (@MENnewsdesk) August 16, 2016 However Simon Danczuck, the Labour MP, walked free form a Spanish court following his arrest on suspicion of domestic violence after an incident that left his wife needing hospital treatment. So #Simon Danczuk source says he was not drunk & did not hit his wife. Umh so what caused him to be arrested & his wife go to hospital? Mark Williams-Thomas (@mwilliamsthomas) August 17, 2016 Meanwhile, Hollywood couple Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have agreed on an out of court divorce settlement following a separation embroiled in allegations of domestic abuse. In court papers filed by A-lister Amber Heard, she accused Depp of being physically violence during their four year relationship. Heard said Depp had a "history of drug and alcohol abuse" and had been "verbally and physically abusive" for all of their four-year-relationship. Actor Jonny Depp strongly denies all accusations. The couple has since reached an out of court agreement with Heard reportedly settling for US$ 10 million. The actress is said to be donating the majority of the money to charity. It bothers me that everyone would rather believe that Amber Heard is divorcing Jonny Depp for his money than believe he abused her. becca fay (@chewbeccaa_) August 17, 2016 #Givethemrefuge is a campaign being led by women's charity Refuge to highlight the plight of the thousands of children in the UK who are living with the legacy of domestic abuse; and a plea for more donations to preserve the services it provides. One in five children in the UK witness domestic violence every year #givethemrefuge Refuge (@RefugeCharity) January 15, 2016 In response to the UK government's Violence Against Women and Girls strategy and a pledge of US$104 million for the domestic abuse sector announced in March 2016, Sandra Horley chief executive of Refuge said: "Refuge welcomes the US$104 million of funding.however when you take into account the gaping hole left by year-on-year reductions in funding from local authorities, it is clear this will not bridge the gaps nor bring back the services which have been wiped out in recent years." "Since 2011, Refuge has experienced cuts to 80 percent of its services, with some being cut by up to 50 percent. Domestic violence costs this country almost US$20 billion a year. If we are ever to see a reduction in that cost, the government needs to plough investment into the domestic violence sector," Horley said. The Reaction: Whose Rights Are Violated? The Collective Against Islamophobia in France (Collectif contre l'Islamophobie en France, CCIF) appealed the ban on wearing burkinis. The human rights association said that together with Muslim groups they will take legal action against the mayor of Cannes for issuing the banning decree. The activists claimed that it violates the women's rights, and reminded that a third of those killed in the Nice attack were Muslims. However, the court rejected the appeal, stating that in the current circumstances, wearing a burkini can be seen not just as a "religious symbol." The court ruling also recalled that secular rules of social behavior in public places have the priority over religious traditions in the French Republic. The decision was greeted with enthusiasm in many French municipalities, which believe that the religious attributes are not allowed in public places such as beaches and swimming pools. The law that prohibits the wearing of face-coverings in public places was introduced in France in 2010, applies to all religions and its violation is punishable by a fine of 150 euros. French authorities consider that people need to clearly follow this law. However, not everyone in the country agrees with this court order. On August 16, French-Algerian businessman and political activist Rachid Nekkaz promised to pay the fines of women who come to the beach in burkinis. "I believe that nobody has the right in a democracy to prevent a person wearing the garment of choice when it does not represent a danger to the freedom of others or the security of the territory," he told French media. Ripple Effect: Switzerland, Austria and Germany BERLIN (Sputnik) Neither Europe, nor Germany have a reason to question the EU-Turkey migrant deal after Ankara ties with Islamists have been revealed, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert said Wednesday. "Neither Germany, nor Europe have a reason to question this significant agreement," Seibert said, answering a question if the German assessment of the deal would change following media reports that Turkey was described as "platform of action for Islamist groups." On Tuesday, German media reported citing a note by the federal government that Turkeys ruling party and its president have been supporting for years Islamists in Syria, Egypt and Palestine. The Turkish Foreign Ministry denied the allegations and described them as "attempts to weaken our country through attacks on our president and government." The Red Cross official further said that people living in these camps have suffered trauma and huge psychological ordeals as well and that is most acute in Greece because that is where people have been stranded the longest. Camp setting is not a solution for people for long time. It is not a sustainable option for living. Our agency along with other agencies is encouraging the government to consider other long term solutions, Jones said. One volunteer, working at Softex camp on the outskirts of Thessaloniki, which hosts 1.400 Syrian migrants, alleged that girls have been effectively groomed by male gangs. The volunteer, who asked to remain anonymous, said family members were so demoralized that they were planning to leave the European Union and return to the country they fled. The official said that the security inside the camp and management is ultimately the responsibility of the Greek government. One of the camps near Athens is located in a port so that is the responsibility of the Greek navy. Some of the camps are tents and you can imagine this time of the year with the heat, its really difficult for the people who are living there. There are people living inside steel containers. Its extremely difficult for people and we are concerned with the long term psychological effects on the people. People have no idea what is going to happen to them. They feel stranded, they feel voiceless and these are the people who fled violence and persecution around the world, so they really need support and deserve a lot better, concluded Jones. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A dual Swiss-Tunisian national was arrested in Geneva airport on return from nine-month trip to Turkey on terrorist group-links suspicion, local media reported Wednesday, citing Swiss public prosecutor. "These arrests demonstrate the rigorous prosecution of all persons in Switzerland who are suspected of trying to participate in terrorism as a part of the jihadist movement," a spokesman for the Swiss public prosecutors office told Le Tribune de Geneve newspaper. "We need to find the track and the entrance to the railway tunnel. If there is one, it is likely to have the train in it," spokesman for the search group Andrzej Gaik said, as quoted by Polish television TVN24. He also noted that representatives of various companies, who operated at the search site, examined the terrain using ground penetrating radars, and their results were "very promising." . 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. Concerns have also grown in Northern Ireland over the status of its border with Ireland after Brexit. The option of moving any hard border checks from the Irish border to UK mainland points of entry have been considered. "I don't agree with any suggestion that there would be any such hard border and [UK Prime Minister] Theresa May has made it clear that that won't be the case in Ireland and I'm sure the same would apply in the case of Britain," Mackay said. The Scottish government has been looking for ways to secure the nations place in the European Union after the June 23 UK nationwide referendum, in which 51.9 percent of UK voters supported the country withdrawing from the European Union. Some 62 percent of Scottish voters backed remaining within the EU and the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, has convened an expert panel to come up with a number of constitutional options for Scotland following the result. Their positions are similar to supporters of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) and Eurosceptic political parties and Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the West (PEGIDA). Respondents notions of morality are more conservative compared to views of indigenous German people. Refugees social and public values are more equitable to of German society in the 1950s. MADRID (Sputnik) Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) leader Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday that his party would not support acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy as the head of government. "There can be democratic changes in Spain only if Rajoy stops being the prime minister," Sanchez told reporters, adding that the acting prime minister "did blackmail" instead of dialogue. In June, Spains center-right PP, headed by Rajoy won the most seats in the parliamentary election, with PSOE finishing second. None of the political forces has an absolute majority and thus cannot form a government on their own. Following the elections, Rajoy initiated negotiations to form a government, but they have yielded little results. WASHINGTON, August 17 (Sputnik) On Tuesday, an Istanbul court ordered the temporarily closure of Ozgur Gundem on the grounds that the newspaper acts as propaganda machine for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Turkey considers the PKK to be a terrorist organization and has outlawed it. "This unacceptable measure has dealt a new blow to pluralism and sent a strong intimidating signal to all journalists in Turkey. We call on the authorities to lift the measures taken against Ozgur Gundem," Bihr stated. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) said on Wednesday it had registered a high number of explosions in Ukraines Donetsk region and continued fighting in the area of Yasynuvata-Avdeevka. "The SMM observed a continued high number of explosions recorded in Donetsk region, and noted continued fighting in the area of Yasynuvata-Avdiivka, including Grad multiple-launch rocket system fire. There was an increase in the number of explosions recorded in Lugansk region compared with the previous day," SMM said in a statement. The SMM said it heard 143 undetermined blasts in the Donetsk city center on the night of August 15 16. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Hickey was arrested at a hotel and is suspected of organizing the passing of tickets to a company that would later sell them in Ireland, a process managed through the OCI, the Globo G1 news website reported, citing Brazilian police. THG Sports, owned by UK businessman Marcus Evans, is now under investigation as the intermediary in the speculation scheme, according to the media outlet. "We arrived to a hotel in Barra da Tijuca, in which this company would deliver the tickets to the buyers and would take them to the Maracana [stadium]. There, the police acted," the police officer responsible for the operation said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) It also added that the humanitarian situation in the western part of the city of Aleppo is under the control of the Syrian government troops. According to the bulletin, first aid centers and posts with hot meal continue their work in the humanitarian corridors. Low-income families of the Ain-al-Beida (Latakia province) and Al-Baas (Al-Quneitra province) inhabited areas have received more than 5 tons of humanitarian cargos with rice, sugar, tea, canned meat and fish. Aircraft of the Abakan Air, Russian aviation company, has dropped 21 tons of UN humanitarian cargos with corns, salt, and sugar on Deir ez-Zor, which had been besieged by ISIS [Daesh] terrorists, the bulletin said. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups. According to the media outlet, police have obtained arrest warrants for a total of 120 people. Approximately 26,000 people have been arrested since the July 15 attempted overthrow of the Turkish government that led to over 260 deaths. Ankara has requested the United States to extradite Gulen, who denies the accusations of masterminding the plot, to face charges in Turkey. This operation is part of the preliminary stage of the offensive aimed at liberating Mosul. Meanwhile, Daesh launched an attack on Peshmerga close to the city of Sinjar that was under the militant control from August 2014 until November 2015. Sinjar prefect Mhemed Xelil told Sputnik that Daesh targeted an area located 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) away from the city center and a cement factory. The attack took place at dawn. "The standoff lasted for several hours. More than 100 militants were killed. Peshmerga did not lose a single fighter, but five soldiers were wounded. They are currently being treated," he said. "The area that Daesh attacked is currently under Peshmerga control." Daesh captured Mosul and large parts of northern and western Iraq in June 2014 in a blitz offensive that shocked the world. The militants are estimated to have lost two thirds of their territories due to the efforts of Iraqi security forces, Kurdish fighters and the US-led coalition. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The militants' convoy left the town after being guaranteed safe passage by the SDF, which had Daesh-held Manbij encircled since June, a senior US defense official told the USA Today newspaper on Tuesday. The militants left the city on Friday while being monitored by US drones, the same day when the US Department of Defense announced that the liberation of Manbij was in its final stages. The liberation of Manbij was announced by the Pentagon on Saturday, with militants alleged to have tried fleeing the city and mixing with civilians. She also said that Helmands proximity to Pakistan allowed the Taliban fighters to easily cross into the neighboring countrys border regions and then move back. I have no proof of Pakistani nationals fighting alongside the Taliban militants but many say they are. The government forces cant afford letting Helmand fall because this could set off a chain reaction and Uruzgan and Herat provinces could follow suit. Liberation of Helmand is absolutely imperative if we want to preserve the territorial integrity of our country, she emphasized. An estimated 30,000 people have already fled the southeastern and southern parts of the province and moved to Lashkar Gah. Many of them need medical help, but their predicament has been largely ignored by the government. Helmand province was not an economic powerhouse before this war broke out, but now the situation here is worse than ever, Nasima Naiazi said in conclusion. The militants have seized areas just a few kilometers away from Lashkar Gah and control all roads leading to the city. If Lashkar Gah falls to the Taliban, it would be the second provincial capital captured since being ousted by the US-led invasion in 2001. Afghanistan is in a state of political and social turmoil, fighting a continuing Taliban insurgency, with other extremist groups such as Daesh, expanding their activities in the country as well. This tactic paid off. On August 16, Russian airstrikes destroyed five large ammunition depots with weapons, munitions and fuel, as well as militant training camps near the cities of Serakab, Al-Ghab, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor cities. In addition, Russian bombers razed to the ground three command and control centers near the cities of Jafra and Deir ez-Zor. A "significant number of militants" were killed in what the Russian Defense Ministry described as a "concentrated airstrike." These facilities, the ministry added, were used to support and assist radical groups fighting near Aleppo. "The Russian Armed Forces have never carried out such a major and well-coordinated operation in terms of timing, multiple fronts and targets," the media outlet observed. Defense analyst Anatoly Nesmiyan told Svobodnaya Pressa that the decision to deploy bombers to the Hamadan air base could have been made "in response to Iran's discontent with the situation around Aleppo." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah, he added, were not happy that air cover did not arrive as fast as they needed it. "Perhaps, Iran allowed Russia to use its air base under condition that Russian aircraft will focus more on bombing rebel-held areas in Aleppo." Russian Su-34 strike fighters deployed at the Hamadan airbase in Iran carried out airstrikes against Daesh targets in the Syrian province of Deir ez-Zor and destroyed two command centers and two Daesh training camps. Some 150 Daesh terrorists, including foreign fighters, have been killed as a result of Russia's strikes on Wednesday, the ministry said. "On August 17, 2016, Russian Su-34 bombers carried out strikes from the Hamadan airfield on the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran against targets of the Daesh terrorist group in the province of Deir ez-Zor. Aircraft carried high-explosive bombs OFAB-500." MOSCOW (Sputnik) A Saudi airstrike on the MSF-run hospital was the fourth attack on its medical facility since the start of this year, the charity said. The bombing killed an MSF aid worker and 13 patients on Monday and wounded more than 20. "We demand a prompt investigation into the incident," the spokeswoman said, adding the German government believed there could be no military solution to the conflict between the government and Shiite opposition. The business daily maintained that spying appears to have become a major issue since some radical groups fighting in Syria have lately succeeded in hiding from incoming Russian airstrikes. This, according to the media outlet, seems to indicate that someone has been tracking Russian strategic aircraft and sharing this information with the militants. "We would rather not point fingers but jihadists and 'moderate' rebels who joined them have managed to hide from Russian warplanes suspiciously too often. This could only be done if they have access to satellite surveillance data," the business daily suggested. Vzglyad emphasized that radical groups lack equipment, particularly satellites and electronic warfare systems, needed to track long-range bombers as they take off from the Engels Air Force Base located east of the Russian city of Saratov. However, the grand plans will also result in a rather grand price, with the overall project expected to cost US$3.5 billion. The huge construction is located two kilometres from the world's largest mosque, the Masjid al-Haram, which attracts around 5 million Muslim visitors each year as they take part in either Hajj or Umrah pilgrimages. While the Abraj Kudai building will be open to the public, it has been reported that five floors will be reserved for the Saudi royal family, to be used as holiday accommodation. In terms of global comparisons, the Abraj Kudai's 10,000 rooms, once completed, will overtake the First World Hotel in Malaysia (7,351) and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (5,044) to be the world's largest hotel by room count. Earlier in summer, Saudi Arabia has been hit by a series of terror attacks. On July 4, an assailant set off an explosive device at the Prophets Mosque parking lot in Medina, targeting security forces reportedly breaking their fast on the second-to-last day of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, according to the Al Arabiya network. The deadly blast followed two explosions in the eastern Saudi city of Qatif, and came 24 hours after another suicide attack in Jeddah. Syria's Minister of Agriculture also explained that the research center of the ministry has made a study of the Green Corridor, which connects the Syrian port with the Russian Novorossiysk port. This study was officially sent to all of the parties interested in export business. The main factor in the successful implementation of the Green Corridor and increase of the bilateral trade turnover is to establish a systematic sea route, which will increase the export of Syrian goods to Russia, the minister said. Al-Qaderi further spoke about how 2015 became an effective year for Syria in terms of sale of agricultural products to the Russian market. This result was achieved not only by Russian sanctions on Western and Turkish products but also due to the coordinated work of the Syrian and Russian parties in export business. The products we supplied to Russia, enjoyed good demand from the Russian retailers and Russian consumers. This year, we are preparing for the new season to increase last year's export performance in Russia, as there are private companies that provide transportation by sea for a very large number of goods, the minister said. He added that it is mainly a question of the export of citrus products that are distinguished by organic production without any use of chemicals as crop fertilizers. Last week, a meeting was held between Syrias Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Economy, Exporters Union, Committee on the Export Development, Ministry of Commerce and Ministry of Internal Affairs, during which the issue of export of goods to the Russian market was thoroughly discussed. The first combat sorties from the Hamadan airfield in Iran were conducted on August 16. According to the Defense Ministry, aircraft bombed positions of Daesh and al-Nusra Front terrorists in Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib. Russian Tu-22M3 strategic bombers have been involved in the Syrian operation since last fall. The use of strategic bombers from Hamadan would reduce the flight time and increase payload, military analyst Anton Lavrov said. "Su-24 bombers is less effective than the Tu-22M3. One Tu-22M3 can carry up to 12 tons of missiles and bombs to 2,000 km. The distance between Hamadan and Aleppo is less than 1,000 km," he told RBK. Flights of Russian strategic bombers from the Hamadan base would increase the intensity and efficiency of Russian airstrikes, Alexander Khamchikhin, head of the Institute for Political and Military Analysis, pointed out. The Tu-22 bombers deployed in Iran conducted the first airstrikes in the Syrian province of Aleppo where al-Nusra Front militant hold positions, according to the Defense Ministry. "Aleppo is much as important as Damascus. This is why all participants of the conflict want to take positions there to decide the battle," Egyptian military analyst Hossam Suweilam told RIA Novosti. According to the expert, despite the fact that airstrikes have been intensified actions on the ground are needed to defeat the terrorists. "Militants in Aleppo are holding positions on the ground and airstrikes are not that effective against them," he said. Egyptian military expert Gamal Mazlum noted that the use of the Hamadan airfield is part of the support by Tehran for Syrian President Bashar Assad, including with troops, military specialists and equipment. "This airfield is closer to the battlefield. Previously, Russia used strategic bombers from its airfields. The use of the Hamadan airbase is aimed at supporting Assads government in Syria," Mazlum suggested. Originally from the US state of Maryland, Savage joined the Kurdish fighters in 2015 and had participated in a number of anti-Daesh operations. He adopted the Kuridsh name Amed Kobane. Savage is the fourth US citizen to be killed while fighting alongside Kurdish forces in Syria. On July 21, the YPG announced that Nevada-born volunteer Levi Jonathan Shirley was killed in the Manbij operation. In areas controlled by the rebels, civilians are being used as human shields. In order to prevent people from running away for their lives the militants have resorted to the most common method of retention, by positioning militants in high concentration in the residential areas. Simultaneously, local residents who are living in the area are under the constant threat of punishment from the terrorists because if they attempt to flee they can be prosecuted. The militants use the civilians as human shields in the event of clashes with the Syrian Army. Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with government forces loyal to President Bashar Assad fighting a number of opposition factions and extremist groups. Daesh, which is outlawed in many countries, including the United States and Russia, took over parts of the country in 2014. The US-led coalition has been conducting anti-Daesh airstrikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014. The SDF was formed in 2015 and includes the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG). Savage, originally of the US state of Maryland, joined the Kurdish fighters in 2015 and had participated in a number of anti-Daesh operations. He adopted the Kurdish name Amed Kobane. Savage is the fourth US citizen to be killed while fighting alongside Kurdish forces in Syria. On July 21, the YPG announced that Nevada-born volunteer Levi Jonathan Shirley was killed in the Manbij operation. The Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) recaptured Manbij on August 13 after a 73-day campaign against Daesh. Daesh is outlawed in Russia and many other nations around the world. He noted that Resolution 2165 adopted by the UN Security Council prescribes establishing control over humanitarian supplies and deploying observers to the border area. According to former Turkish diplomat Metin Corabatir, Ankara will have to agree to deploy UN observers to the border and establish an outpost at the Syrian border. "Of course, the issue is now being discussed. This discussion was intensified by the normalization between Moscow and Ankara, especially after President Erdogans visit to Russia. Turkey is now in a weak position and has to find ways to reach a consensus with Russia over Syria. This is why Ankara will have to agree to deploy observers at the Syrian border," Corabatir told Sputnik. Cooperation between Russia and Turkey against terrorists in Syria is getting even more important after Iran authorized the use of its Hamadan airfield for Russian strategic bombers in Syria. However, Moscow and Ankara are unlikely to discuss the possibility of using the Incirlik airbase for Russian airstrikes against terrorists in Syria, political analyst Prof. Hasan Ali Karasar said. The analyst suggested that Ankara will not come up with the initiative. "Russia already has a strong military presence in the region so it has no need to use Incirlik. Moscow and Ankara are unlikely to discuss the issue," he told Sputnik. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On May 21, the SDF, backed by the US-led coalition, began an offensive to retake the northern Syrian town of Manbij, considered a key smuggling hub for Daesh militants. Earlier this week, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces made an agreement with Daesh, letting some 200 of its fighters escape from the town of Manbij in exchange for them laying down their weapons, US media reported. "The US-backed Democratic Syrian forces obviously made a deal with Daesh fighters, letting them escape from the town of Manbij. It means that the United States does not intend to fight Daesh, instead they continue to use the religious and ethnic tension and unrest in the region for their geopolitical goals, including fueling unresolved conflict related to the establishment of an independent Kurdistan on parts of the Iraqi, Turkish and Syrian territories," Ahmad said. He believes that the United States supports the idea of an independent Kurdistan that may become a US political ally and aims to establish such a state in the northern provinces of Syria to further connect it with the Kurdish state in Iraq and, possibly, with Kurdish territories in Turkey. Ankara believes that US-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen and his supporters were seeking to overthrow the current government. The Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO) is designated as a terrorist organization by Ankara. "40,029 detained, 20,355 remanded following July 15 coup attempt," Yildirim said, as quoted by Anadolu news agency. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The contract also includes orders for mortar mounts, baseplates, direct support tools, basic issue items, and additional items to be provided over the next five years with an estimated completion date of August 16, 2021, the release added. Connectec Company [of] Irvine, California, was awarded a $96.7 million contract for 60mm mortar weapon components, 81mm lightweight mortar weapon components, and 60 mm, 81mm and 120mm support equipment, the release stated on Tuesday. US combat troops have used mortars widely in recent combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. "We could defend the country at lower cost if we managed to figure out how to get the services to end needless competition and rivalries over roles and missions." McPeak said. "We have tried over and over again but the military services are too powerful institutionally to be backed down from these practices." US Navy and Marines provide just a fraction of the air power in combined US air campaigns, McPeak claimed, including Desert Storm and operations against the Daesh in Iraq, Syria and Libya. iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- The United Nations' secretary-general is launching an independent special investigation into harrowing allegations that U.N. peacekeepers did not respond to prevent the abuse, rape and murder of several civilians and foreigners, including Americans, in South Sudans war-torn capital. Ban Ki-moons spokesman said late Tuesday the U.N. chief is alarmed by the disturbing reports of the July 11 attack on a hotel complex popular among foreigners in Juba and allegations that the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) failed to respond appropriately. One person was killed and several civilians were raped and brutally beaten by men in uniform, the spokesman said. Due to the gravity of these incidents, related allegations and the preliminary findings by UNMISS, the Secretary-General has decided to launch an independent special investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding these incidents and to evaluate the Missions overall response, Ban's spokesman said in a statement Monday. The Secretary-General urges, once more, the Government of South Sudan to investigate these human right violations and to prosecute those involved in these unspeakable acts of violence. The U.N. said at least 73 civilians were killed last month after heavy fighting broke out between rival forces in Juba. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people have fled South Sudan since the fresh cycle of violence erupted in and around the capital on July 7. During a press briefing Monday, U.S. State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau could not say whether Americans or other nationalities were singled out during the attack. What I can say is the attackers in this incident wore uniforms and they were armed, Trudeau told reporters, adding that its still unclear whether they were government- or rebel-affiliated. The area where the hotel complex is located in Juba was under the control of the South Sudanese army at the time of the attack, she said, but there were clashes between government and opposition forces throughout the capital that day. Trudeau said the U.S. Embassy in Juba actively responded to the July 11 attack on Terrain compound and U.S. Ambassador to South Sudan Mary Catherine Phee immediately herself contacted South Sudanese government officials to intervene, including the national security service and the presidential guard. But by the time government forces arrived on scene, civilians had been raped and beaten. Since the attack, the U.S. embassy has provided emergency services for those in need and assisted in the departure of more than 80 Americans last month, Trudeau said. Following the attack and in the midst of ongoing fighting and violence throughout Juba including in the immediate vicinity of the embassy, the U.S. embassy ensured that the U.S. citizens and foreign nationals affected by the attack were moved to safety and provided emergency medical assistance, Trudeau told reporters Monday. We condemn these attacks. We have called for accountability for those who were involved in the violence. She said the U.S. State Department has also contacted top U.N. officials about the allegations that U.N. peacekeepers failed to respond. We have raised the incident with senior officials in the U.N. department of peacekeeping operations as well as the secretary generals staff. We will continue to seek clarification of the U.N.s response to the events on July 11, Trudeau said. Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said U.S. embassy officials in Juba responded to distress calls from the Terrain compound on July 11 amid fighting throughout the capital and urgently contacted South Sudanese government officials, who sent a response force to the site to stop the attack. We are deeply concerned that United Nations peacekeepers were apparently either incapable of or unwilling to respond to calls for help, Power said in a statement Sunday. We have requested and are awaiting the outcome of an investigation by the United Nations and demand swift corrective action in the event that these allegations are substantiated. Power called for a more robust international peacekeeping presence in South Sudans besieged capital. Last week, the U.N. Security Council authorized the deployment of 4,000 additional peacekeepers to join its existing force in the landlocked African nation. South Sudanese President Salva Kiir told lawmakers Monday that his government is also looking into the July 11 attack and a commission of inquiry will be appointed to handle the investigation. He invited the U.N. and member states of a regional bloc to assign a representative to join the commission. There have been allegations and reports of various cases of sexual assault. This is a serious matter. I would like to unequivocally stress: We have already begun an initial investigation and we are reviewing medical reports, and intend to prosecute those who will be found involved, Kiir said from Juba. "We will establish an official commission of inquiry to fact-find and investigate the causes, context and immediate reasons for the outbreak of violence last July. A former judge will head this commission and its members will be carefully selected mainly on the criteria of objectivity and impartiality. My office will ensure that the commission has unhindered access to information. Not long after gaining independence and emerging from civil war, South Sudan was plunged back into conflict in Dec. 2013 when Kiir sacked his then-deputy Riek Machar and accused him of plotting a coup. The personal rivalry sparked fighting between forces loyal to the president and rebels allied with Machar. It also deepened a rift between two of South Sudans largest ethnic groups -- Kiirs dominant Dinka and Machars Nuer people. Facing sanctions and mounting pressure from the international community, the sparring sides signed a power-sharing agreement in Aug. 2015 with the promise to end nearly two years of ruinous war. More than two years after fleeing the capital, Machar returned to Juba in April and was reinstated as the presidents deputy under the terms of the peace deal. Kiir welcomed the rebel leader, whom he even called brother, during the swearing-in ceremony. Power described Machar's arrival as "the best hope that South Sudan has had in a very long time. But Machar fled again to an undisclosed location last month when fighting broke out between his forces and Kiirs. The president gave his first vice president 48 hours to return to Juba before replacing him with Gen. Taban Deng. Machars spokesman James Gatdet Dak declared in an online statement that Kiir violated and destroyed the August 2015 peace agreement by illegally dismissing his peace partner. He said the presidents forces are on offensive against Machars armed opposition and the rebel leader will return once a third-party force is deployed. According to U.N. figures, the latest upsurge in violence has brought the mass exodus of South Sudanese refugees to neighboring countries since Dec. 2013 to almost 900,000. U.N. officials said local militias have been taking advantage of the turmoil in South Sudan, where more than 2.6 million of its citizens are forcibly displaced. Copyright 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved. TOKYO (Sputnik) According to the Chunan Ilbo newspaper, the South Korean Navy has signed a deal with the US arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin on equipping warships with missiles capable of intercepting North Korean ballistic missiles. Currently, Seouls ships are able to detect missiles thanks to the SPY-1D radar, but cannot intercept them. "Next destroyer [to enter South Korean Navy] will have that ability," the newspaper quoted its military source as saying. MOSCOW (Sputnik) US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said in a press briefing on Tuesday that Russias use of the Hamadan airbase was "unfortunate," adding that it could be in violation of the UNSC Resolution 22311, which outlaws supplies of military equipment to Iran without UN approval. "Indeed, in Paragraph 5 of Annex B of the resolution, it is stated that if the supply of military equipment, including combat aircraft, is carried out to, and I quote, 'Iran, or for the use in or benefit of Iran, that would require a prior approval of the Security Council. But let me ask, what does it have to do with Russian long-range bombers using the base on the Iranian territory to carry out airstrikes against Daesh and al-Nusra [outlawed in Russia] in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib?" Kosachev said on Facebook. According to Kosachev, Russia, unlike the United States, never violates its commitments to the United Nations. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The liberation of Manbij was announced by the Pentagon on Saturday, with militants alleged to have tried fleeing the city and mixing with civilians. "Manbijs liberation is a significant development in the fight against Daesh in Syria. The RAF [UK Royal Air Force] supported the liberation with airstrikes over recent weeks, alongside our Coalition partners," Penning said as quoted in the press release. "Russia has deployed up to four Sukhoi Su-30SM supermaneuverable fighter aircraft to Hmeymim. They have been tasked with providing air cover for bombers and strike planes taking part in the counterterrorism operation in Syria," Ishchenko noted. Russia, he added, apparently decided not to send more Su-30SMs to the region because there are no aerial adversaries that it needs to fight. If needed, additional deployment could be completed in approximately 24 hours. Ishchenko maintained that there are grounds to assume that Russia is already using the Hmeymim base to protect its ships in the Mediterranean. "For instance, the Tupolev Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft landed at Hmeymim in June. Clearly it did not land in Syria to fight against Islamists, but was busy performing its main task, searching for submarines of a potential adversary in the eastern Mediterranean," the analyst explained. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US-led coalition of more than 60 nations has been conducting anti-Daesh airstrikes in Syria and Iraq since 2014. The airstrikes in Syria, however, are not authorized by the legitimate government of President Bashar Assad or by the UN Security Council. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 16 strikes using bomber, ground-attack, attack, and fighter aircraft against ISIL [Daesh] targets, the release said on Wednesday. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted eight strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Three US Air Force strategic power projection bombers the B-52, B-1 and B-2 participated in their first integrated operation in the South China Sea, the US Pacific Command (PACOM) said in a statement on Wednesday. "[T]his was the first time all three bombers flew a formation pass over Andersen Air Force Base, dispersed and then simultaneously conducted operations in the South China Sea and Northeast Asia," PACOM stated. On August 15, several B-1 bombers and more than 300 US Air Force personnel arrived at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam to replace a B-52 squadron. He said that due to Russias geographical distance, the Aegis system cannot be intercepted. The only thing that may be possible is to attempt to intercept ballistic missiles on the Russian submarines. Nevertheless, even for that to happen the submarine needs to quickly arrive close to the submarine which is again a distance of thousand kilometers, so that is also quite unlikely. Therefore, this threat is quite hypothetical, according to Yevseyev. Some experts believe that to ensure the efficiency of the US missile defense system, one must have robust satellite constellation, but according to Yevseyev, this is not the case here. The satellite constellation, indeed, can give the relative success in intercepting warheads of intercontinental ballistic missiles. But we must understand that as soon as warheads are released, they are reliably covered with anti-missile defense complex, hence, the satellite constellation will have a very low efficiency of combat capacity, the expert noted. Furthermore, it is important to keep in mind that the information that comes from satellite constellations, in any case, must always be confirmed by at least one or two satellites, the expert noted. Russia today is sufficiently using Voronezh-M type radar station, which allows information on intercontinental ballistic missiles, warheads and the direction of their movement to be received, the expert concluded. The Type 001A will be the first aircraft carrier designed by the Chinese and the second ship of its type in the PLAN fleet, indicating to defense analysts that Beijing has crossed a major threshold in its ability to project aerospace and naval power throughout the region, potentially contesting a longstanding United States defense hegemony in the Pacific. In addition to the anticipated completion of the Type 001A CV, work on three Type 052D Luyang guided-missile destroyers, known as the "Carrier Killer" or "Chinas Aegis," is ongoing. The addition of the destroyers will further enable China to project its influence, in the wake of an unfavorable South China Sea ruling against Beijing by the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. The recent ruling, refuted by Beijing, has isolated the country from an increasingly unfriendly international community, led by a push from the Obama Administration. The ruling is based on a court case brought by the Philippines, reportedly at the behest of the White House, and calls for China to stand down from its claims over the South China Sea waters and islands. Beijing faces mounting pressure from Western leaders, as well as regional rivals, including Japan and Australia. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Raytheon explained that the SeaRAM engaged an inbound drone target and intercepted it with a RAM Block II missile in a mid-July test. "The US Navy conducted its first firing from the SeaRAM anti-ship defense system produced by Raytheon on the USS Carney stationed in Rota, Spain," the release said. BELGRADE (Sputnik) Biden met Nikolic in the Serbian capital of Belgrade during his three-day trip to the region that will include a visit to Kosovo. "We cannot introduce sanctions against Russia if it means [Serbias] harmonization with EU foreign policy. We are tied to Russia, we are bound with the United States where a large Serbian community lives," Nikolic said Tuesday. This tendency had become more pronounced, not less in recent years, Sheehan warned. Most recently, [former US Vice President] Dick Cheney was known to go to CIA headquarters to cherry-pick intelligence to justify the invasion of Iraq in 2003. US intelligence agencies and their senior analysts were under continual pressure to exaggerate alleged threats to the United States in order to justify expensive arms build ups and the enormous profit margins that went to major domestic military contractors, Sheehan explained. There must always be an enemy to keep the wheels of the war machine greased and to keep the pockets of the profiteers full. US Navy Commander Kyle Raines told Sputnik on Thursday that CENTCOM was looking into the congressional report. Sheehans son, US Army Specialist Casey served in the First Cavalry Division and was killed in action on April 4, 2004. On Sunday, the attorney generals office explained that Jafarlis arrest was prompted by his receiving a $94,565 grant from the US-based National Endowment for Democracy, which he allegedly used for personal gain. Earlier on Tuesday, the Baku Court of Appeals announced that Jafarli will have a closed court hearing on August 17. MINSK (Sputnik) He added that Shengen visa was a good example which "could be taken into service." "There is an order to prepare a road map [on the single visa]. Now this issue is being worked on by the experts of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus," Rapota told the Belarus-1 broadcaster on Tuesday. The state secretary stressed that the two countries would retain the right to issue national visas should the single visa initiate be implemented. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) McAuliffe and other state officials will hold more than 40 meetings with business and government leaders in the Colombian capital of Bogota, the statement noted. "To help build the new Virginia economy, we must look for sales opportunities around the world for Virginia businesses, while also recruiting new investments to the Commonwealth," McAuliffe stated. "Missions like this one are critical to our efforts to spur new exports and economic development." The two-day trip is intended to strengthen ties between Virginia and Colombia, recruit investors and find new markets for the states agriculture and forestry products. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The two foreign ministers are meeting in Moscow on August 17 to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation within international organizations. "We are on good terms personally and it helps strengthening contacts, of course, bilateral contacts in a whole range of areas have cooled in light of external factors, which have nothing to do with bilateral ties. I expect that today we will discuss the prospects of restoring normal ties, especially given we feel the interest on New Zealand's part," Lavrov said at the meeting. He added that the sides would also discuss the international issues concerning the Pacific Rim region. MOSCOW (Sputnik) McCully and Lavrov met in Moscow earlier in the day to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation within international organizations. "We had very good talks, we decided to start again our full-format cooperation," Lavrov told reporters after the meeting. According to the Russian official, Moscows and Wellingtons approaches on many international issues coincide. Following the news, the US State Department said that it is studying whether Moscow violated a UNSC resolution by deploying jets to an Iranian airbase. "If someone wants to find [violations] concerning the remaining restrictions on trade and other communication with Iran, we should also study how a huge amount of cash from the US made it into Iran, why bank transfers from the US to Iran in dollars were made that is absolutely prohibited by the US law," Lavrov emphasized. Lavrov added that parties involved should aim to find a solution to the Syrian crisis. The main task in Syria is to achieve coordination between Russia and the United States, the Russian top diplomat said. Speaking of his phone conversation with US State Secretary John Kerry on Tuesday, Lavrov confirmed that specific mechanisms to bring to life the agreements reached during Kerrys July 15 visit to Moscow are discussed across a range of formats. Russia is discussing with the United States and the United Nations the possibility of creating additional corridors to deliver humanitarian relief to the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo, he added. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) was subject to a cyber-intrusion and massive email leak last month that Democratic officials immediately blamed on Russian hackers. Reports appeared last week suggesting the hack additionally targeted the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and at least 100 party officials. Moscow has called the allegations "absurd." "These are unscrupulous methods. The Americans themselves, objective observers, refer to the current election campaign the dirtiest in US history," Lavrov told reporters alongside New Zealand's Foreign Minister Murray McCully. There is no point in commenting on any "pseudo-sensations," he added, "be it regarding hackers who allegedly broke into everything on the US internet, or other means to lift up one US candidate and work against another." "[Russian President Vladimir] Putin has repeatedly voiced our position, stating publicly that we never interfere in other countries' internal affairs, never attempt to help a certain political force, and we respect the choice of any people, as we will respect the choice of the American people. We will be ready to work with any president, regardless of political party," the foreign minister underlined. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Ankara and Tel Aviv signed the agreement to end six years of tensions on June 28 in Rome after Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim made the announcement. The pact enters into force after ratification by both countries lawmakers and an exchange of envoys. The normalization agreement, according to Turkeys NTV broadcaster, requires Israel to compensate Turkey $20 million within 25 days for a 2010 raid on a Turkish flag-bearing vessel that killed eight of its citizens. The so-called Freedom Flotilla incident resulted in the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador from Turkey, withdrawal of its own ambassador from Israel, as well as the demand for a formal apology and compensation. After the agreements ratification, Turkey undertakes to waive all criminal or legal claims against Israeli service members, according to the news channel. Pirate Party in Iceland is maybe popular but it is not a populist party, not anti establishment but functional for all establishment. Birgitt Jonsdottir (@birgittaj) August 10, 2016 Iceland's Pirate Party was founded in 2013 by a group of hackers and protesters against the copyright laws. The party remains strictly anti-EU and promotes freedom of expression and free access to information. In an attempt to win the minds and the hearts of the Icelandic youth, the Pirate Party aims to persuade the company developing Pokemon Go in Iceland to turn polling stations into Pokestops. @PiratePartyIS want to design PokeStop at polling stations to increase voter turnout among young people #lol https://t.co/NQwyjRJ9Jy Sigriur Tulinius (@sigridurtul) August 5, 2016 In a recent parliamentary election, the Pirate Party harvested 5.1 percent of the popular vote, making its debut in the Althing and winning three out of 63 seats. This also marked the first time a pirate party ever entered a national parliament. Since April 2015, they have consistently polled above 30 percent, with no other party reaching that level. Icelands Pirate Party @PiratePartyIS wants to hijack creation of legislation for ordinary people https://t.co/kxe9KbtAWm @birgittaj Dr.Arif YILDIRIM (@netievalage) August 3, 2016 Curiously, their colleagues and confederates in other Nordic countries did not fare particularly well. Sweden's Pirate Party collected a surprising 7.1 percent of the vote to the European Parliament election in 2009, its sudden popularity giving rise to like-minded parties with the same name and similar goals in Europe and worldwide, forming the International Pirate Party movement. However, the party's popularity has languished in recent years. As Sweden's Pirate Party progressed from a single-issue party to a broader political agenda, it happened to merge with Sweden's libertarian forces and lost its momentum. In late 2014, the party's figurehead Anna Troberg resigned due to allegations that her fellow party members opposed her attempts to focus on feminism, LGBT issues and cultural diversity. The botched military coup that rocked Turkey in mid-July has reinforced this trend. The unsuccessful putsch "sparked tensions between Ankara and Western countries, primarily the US due to its muted response" to what transpired on July 15, she observed. "On the other hand, support from Russia and Iran helped to speed up the rapprochement with this camp." As a result, Ankara has warmed up to Moscow's approach to resolving the Syrian crisis. Moreover, Turkey was apparently ready to cooperate with Russia and the US on the issue months ago. "Prior to the Su-24 downing on November 24, 2015, Ankara and Moscow reached an agreement," Ozer said, citing an unnamed high-ranking official. "Turkey, Russia and the US were supposed to cooperate in the fight against al-Nusra Front. The political transition in Syria would have been faster. Other regional powers that welcomed these efforts would have supported this initiative." The journalist explained that by regional powers the source most likely meant Iran. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Central African Republic (CAR) and Russia have a history of strong cultural ties which they need to restore, CAR President Faustin Archange Touadera told Sputnik in an interview. "We have very good relations with Russia," Touadera said. "But wed like our relationship to become more robust to increase cooperation because we used to have very good cultural ties in the past in terms of educating students and teachers. So I think there is room for improved cooperation." MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Tuesday, the ARD broadcaster revealed a classified response by the German Interior Ministry to an opposition faction, alleging that Turkey had become "the central platform of action for Islamist groups" in the Middle East and that Turkeys ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) seemed to support the ideology of Egypts Muslim Brotherhood extremist group. "[Ankara] requires an explanation about the statement, to which the ARD news report referred, to be presented by the German authorities," the Turkish Foreign Ministry said, adding that the claims were "another indication of [the Wests] distorted mindset which has been attempting to weaken our country." "I think we're still trying to assess exactly what they're doing," a State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner told journalists as quoted by the media outlet. Western pundits drew attention to the fact that it is the first time since 1979, that Iran has allowed a foreign power to carry out military operations from its soil. "Not since the revolution in 1979 has Iran allowed a foreign power to conduct military operations from its territory. The presence of the bombers is a visible demonstration of the alliance between Russia and Iran," David Blair of the Telegraph stressed. Indeed, in his Tuesday interview with state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) Iran's Secretary of Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani underscored that "Iran and Russia enjoy strategic cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Syria, and share their facilities and capacities to this end." Head of the Center for Strategic Studies affiliated to the Expediency Council Ali Akbar Velayati echoed Shamkhani Wednesday, saying that "Iran and Russia enhanced level of cooperation in line with international campaign against terrorism," according to IRNA. David Blair points out that as aresult of the recent developments Moscow's armed forces are now present in two Middle Eastern countries, while previously Russians "possessed nothing in the region aside from a small naval base in Syria." BELGRADE (Sputnik) Earlier this week, Biden started a three-day trip to the Balkan region. Earlier in the day, he held closed-door meetings with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa. "I want you to sign the agreement you negotiated with Montenegro, as an example of your leadership This is important. It is a fair agreement, and your commitment will have a very positive impact," Biden told reporters. He was referring to the Agreement for the Border Demarcation between Kosovo and Montenegro, which was signed by Thaci and his Montenegro counterpart Igor Luksic in 2015. The agreement is expected be ratified by the assemblies of both respective countries in order for it to be implemented and come into force. Montenegro has repeatedly stressed that Podgorica has honored its side of the deal. BEIJING (Sputnik) Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang urged Iran on Wednesday to take their bilateral cooperation to the next level, at a meeting with visiting Iranian Finance Minister Ali Tayyebnia, local media reported. "The two sides shouldstep up pragmatic cooperation in all sectors to push bilateral cooperation to a new high," Wang was quoted by the Xinhua news agency as saying in Beijing. It should be noted, that besides Russia, Iran, India and Azerbaijan the North-South Corridor project is expected to include Armenia, Belarus, Ukraine, Greece, Bulgaria, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Iraq, Oman, Syria and Turkey. PolitRussia.com notes that given Turkey's close relations with Azerbaijan the new route is likely to benefit Ankara a lot. On the other hand, it would bolster the Russo-Turkish rapprochement. The media outlet calls attention to the fact that a 2015 "adventurous anti-Russian" project which envisioned the creation of the route from China to Turkey bypassing Russia appears to be less attractive in the eyes of Ankara than the North-South ITC. Meanwhile, the security of the Caucasus and the Middle Eastern region has acquired a new meaning in the context of the new transport corridor implementation. Thus far, the establishment of the permanent Russian airbase in Syria will play an important role not only for Moscow's military and humanitarian missions in the region but will also serve as a key for sustainable economic growth of the Middle East. Along with the New Silk Road (One Belt, One Road) initiative, the North-South International Transport Corridor will boost the integration of the Eurasian space, ensuring the rapid economic growth of Eurasia's regional players as well as stability and security on the continent. There are some logistic benefits to come at the enemy from that side. It is also a demonstration of how closely Russia is working with Iran. It is a political statement demonstrating that this alliance is a powerful one. Anderson further spoke about Turkeys offer to let Russia use its airbase to launch sorties against the terrorists in Syria. The analyst said that right now it is hard to say whether that would be the case because there has been a lot of double talk from Turkey earlier. Earlier on Tuesday, the Ministry said that it had deployed bombers and strike fighters in Iran, adding that the jets had already been used in Syria. Following the announcement, the US State Departments deputy spokesperson Mark Toner called Moscows decision to carry out airstrikes from Iran as unfortunate but not unexpected. Western media also gave a cold shoulder to Moscows move, once again claiming that Russia's strikes allegedly target moderates or civilians. However, Moscow has denied those claims, noting the airstrikes have always targeted only terrorist positions. Earlier, Iraq, which lies between Iran and Syria, gave Russia permission to conditionally use the country's airspace for anti-terrorist operations. Talking about relations between Washington and Moscow following this recent development, Anderson said that Washington is on a losing streak and Russia may put an end to this conflict and in the future it is possible to see some serious diplomatic breakthrough between the two countries. NEW YORK (Sputnik) On Tuesday, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed its Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 strike aircraft took off from the Hamadan airfield in Iran to stage airstrikes against terrorists in Syria. "It is yet again another complication in an already extremely complex environment," James said, adding Russias use of the base is not a welcomed development from the standpoint of the United States. US Got Short Notice of Russia's Launching Strikes From Iran Air Base WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Earlier this month, the second ministerial meeting of the C5+1 countries comprising of the five Central Asian countries Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan and the United States took place in Washington, DC. "The United States welcomes Kazakhstans commitment to a broader and more preventive approach to terrorism, and we stand ready to work with partners who will join us to turn back this shared threat," Sewall stated. The ministerial focused on strengthening mutual efforts against counter-transboundary threats and trafficking of weapons. The transfer is the largest such move under the Obama administration, but what will happen to the 61 prisoners still remaining at the Guantanamo detention center, and why did President Obama not fulfil his promise to close the facility? Is Guantanamo a step closer to closing or will the number of prisoners increase under the next president? Milwaukee was the scene of an uprising over the last few days after the police killing of 23 year old Sylville Smith on Saturday. But Milwaukee is far from a unique case. Black communities around the country are resisting as daily harassment and deprivation push people into the streets. Eugene Puryear, host of Radio Sputnik's By Any Means Necessary, joins the show. Hillary Clinton has been on an offensive to capture blue collar votes in swing states for her campaign for the White House. As she attempts to show herself to be the candidate for the working-class, the hypocrisy is deafening. Jeff Bigelow, a public sector worker's union representative, and Walter Smolarek, producer of Loud & Clear and co-author of an upcoming book on the Clintons, discuss why Clinton is far from a representative of workers around the country. Todays main stories: The Australian Government has announced that it will be closing its refugee detention centre on Manus Island, though the government has insisted that none of those detained will be settled in Australia. We speak with Adam McKerrow, former aid worker with Save the Children in Nauru and Manus Island. The Uruguayan foreign minister this week expressed anger at supposed "bullying" from northern neighbours Brazil, over its desire to block Venezuela from the Mercosur trading block we talk to Francisco Dominguez, the head of Latin American Studies research at Middlesex University. You can find previous editions of World in Focus here. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) personnel with National Guard backing detained three militants in one of the city of St. Petersburg s residential neighborhoods, a law enforcement source told RIA Novosti on Wednesday. During the operation, officers arrested three suspected militants. However, the figure is inaccurate: there may be more. The condition of those detained is unknown, the source said. Unconfirmed reports appeared earlier that one person has been carried out of the residential building on a stretcher. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Two militants were killed and two were detained in a special operation in a St. Petersburg residential building, a law enforcement source said Wednesday. "According to preliminary information, officers eliminated two militants. Another two gang members who were hiding in the building were detained," the source told RIA Novosti. The BTR-82s will now carry the AU-22M Baikal remotely-controlled combat artillery module, which will considerable add to its firepower, the newspaper quoted a Russian Defense Ministry official as saying. The BTR-82 is an upgraded version of the BTR-80A wheeled armored vehicles which were armed with a 2A72 30 mm automatic cannon, modern sights, digital communications gear and better anti-mine defense. More than a thousand BTR-82s are currently in service. Apart from armored infantry brigades and division they are also used by combat reconnaissance units, Marine brigades and Special Operations forces. MOSCOW (Sputnik) FAS fined Google an equivalent of $6.7 million for violating the mobile application market last week, setting the payment deadline at two weeks. Last September, FAS found the company in violation of a number of Russias anti-monopoly laws, including abuse of dominance on the pre-installed Android software applications market. "Google has eight days to carry out the FAS order in its entirety from the day of the court ruling. Otherwise, they face a new penalty," Elena Zayeva said in a statement. A Moscow court dismissed Googles appeal earlier in the day in a market dispute that the sides failed to settle out of court. NALCHIK (Sputnik) Russia's Investigative Committee said earlier on Wednesday that four suspected militants on a wanted list for suspected militant activities in Russia's North Caucasus had been killed in special police operation in St. Petersburg. "According to preliminary reports, 29-year-old Zalim Shebzukhov, the leader of the militant underground in Kabardino-Balkaria, was among the militants eliminated in St. Petersburg," the source told RIA Novosti. Russian state company Rosatom is actively working to improve the competitiveness of its nuclear projects proposed for construction abroad in order to fix its leadership in the global market. As noted in the roadmap, one of Rosatom's long-term objectives is to "ensure the creation of a nuclear power plant that will exceed projects of the foreign competitors by economic parameters." The term energy efficiency refers to the value of the produced kilowatt-hour of electricity. "Nuclear experts are always proud of the fact that the cost of nuclear power generation is lower than in any other type of generation," Head of the Russia's National Energy Security Fund is Konstantin Simonov told online media. "However, the main problem and the hidden cost of nuclear power generation are enclosed in the forthcoming disposal of NPP." The 12-meter long ship consists of around a million Lego bricks. All employees helped to build it on the occasion of the company's 150th anniversary, which will be celebrated this year, Danish TV-channel TV2 reported. "Although we are a big company with nearly 7,000 employees in 21 countries and on board a number of ships, we all have participated with great commitment and creativity. We are proud to have created this great bid for a world record with fingerprints of our employees from all locations," DFDS CEO Niels Smedegaard told Danish news outlet Sfart. DFDS' employees from all of the company's offices and ships jointly built the Lego ship presented to the public. The goal was to make it in to the Guinness Book of Records. "Im glad its all done. Im pleased with the outcome," said Gurleys girlfriend, Kimberly Ballinger, according to Raw Story. According to Scott Rynecki, the entire sum will be placed in a fund for Gurleys 4-year-old daughter, Akaila, and kept off-limits until she is 18. The money will be invested to provide roughly $10 million over Akailas lifetime. The attorney also indicated that Ballinger may appeal to the court to receive a monthly allowance from the settlement. "They are hardened terrorists who wished and still wish to do us harm," Corker stated in the statement. On Monday, the Obama administration announced that 15 detainees held at the Guantanamo bay detention center had been transferred to the United Arab Emirates, reducing the facilitys population to 61. The US presidential election is scheduled to take place on November 8. "I am going to break up the gangs, the cartels, the criminal syndicates terrorizing our communities all over our country," Trump told a rally in West Bend in the US state of Wisconsin on Tuesday night. "To every criminal I say, Your free reign will soon come crashing to an end." NEW YORK (Sputnik) Governor Christie, a staunch supporter of Trump, and the candidates top military advisor Michael Flynn are expected to join Trump during the meeting, according to the media outlet. "[Trump] is scheduled to receive his first classified briefing as the Republican Partys presidential nominee," sources notified of the upcoming visit told ABC News on Tuesday. Christie is rumored to be Trumps top choice to become US Attorney General if the Republican candidate wins the race for the White House on November 8. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The poll stressed that this year white respondents are more likely than last year to perceive racism against white people as "common." "Six in 10 Americans say racism against blacks is widespread in the US, similar to the percentage measured last year but higher than what Gallup found in 2008-2009, the most recent prior measures," the Gallup survey reads. This year, both white and African-Americans respondents are more likely to say racism against black people is widespread than they were in October 2009, during the first year of Barack Obama's presidency, the poll said. In particular, 82 percent of black and 56 percent of white respondents say racism against black people is widespread, "reflecting increases of 10 and seven percentage points, respectively." The officer has been on administrative leave following the incident, according to media reports. On Saturday, about 100 protesters clashed with police near the scene where, earlier in the day, a 23-year-old Black man with a stolen semiautomatic handgun was shot dead by police. Later that day, the local authorities arrested 17 people after rioters injured four officers, damaged seven squad cars and set six businesses on fire. SIMFEROPOL (Sputnik) The Helsinki Final Act was signed by 35 countries in August 1975, in an attempt to improve relations between the then-communist bloc, comprising the Soviet Union and the countries of the Warsaw Pact. The humanitarian part of the Helsinki accords includes states' obligations to ensure people's rights to free movement, exchange of information, education, cultural contacts, medical care and others. "I want to call on the European Union to stop violating the Helsinki Final Act and not to block family ties of our Crimean communities with their fellow citizens, who are living abroad. They are not granting visas, they are impeding communication between relatives that is a direct violation of the Helsinki Final Act. That refers to Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and many other EU states," Muradov said at a press conference in the Crimean office of the Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency. Crimea became part of Russia after almost 97 percent of those who voted in a local referendum on the issue in 2014 supported the move. Ukraine did not recognize the outcomes of the referendum in Crimea and accused Russia of annexation. Tokyo and Seoul worry about North Koreas missile program, while Americas European allies fear that with the first nuclear strike doctrine gone, some countries might be tempted to use chemical and biological weapons against their enemies. Others fear that the landmark declaration could increase the risk of a conventional conflict with countries like North Korea, China and Russia. In an interview with Sputnik Alexander Perendzhiev, an independent Moscow-based military expert, said he didnt have much faith in The Washington Posts report. Even if Obama really makes such a statement, there is nothing new about this. China and then Russia have previously pledged not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. The missile shield system, which is now in place, was developed to defend against a nuclear strike, but Obama makes no mention of this. But even if he goes ahead with this declaration, we cant be sure that Britain and France will follow suit, Alexander Perendzhiev said. He also mentioned other nuclear states that might likewise be unwilling to go along. India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea also have nukes. How about them? Maybe this is just an election race publicity stunt or maybe this is how Obama wants to go down in history as a peacemaker just to justify his Nobel Peace Prize? Perendzhiev wondered. Meanwhile, The Japan Times has quoted unnamed government representatives in Tokyo that the United States is studying different options. As long as there has been no political decision made to this effect we cannot comment on every piece of news that comes along. President Obama has admitted it's an attempt by the US to exert control over global economics in the future, saying he wants Washington, rather than Beijing, to lay the foundations for "21st century trade rules." "When more than 95% of our potential customers live outside our borders, we can't let countries like China write the rules of the global economy. We should write those rules," President Obama said. To take effect, the deal must be ratified by February 2018, by at least six countries, which also account for 85% of the group's economic output. This means both US and Japan will need to be on board. Heard Obama will be out in the Midwest touting TPP. Maybe he can use that "every family will save $2,500" line again. That was swell. Paul Nehlen (@pnehlen) August 17, 2016 With so much opposition in Congress, it's unclear whether there is enough support for this to happen in the next two years, let alone in the remaining six months of President Obama's presidency. Even cautious TPP-backer and Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Paul Ryan, said this month in an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio, that he doubt's a deal could be struck in 2016. "The sands are burning through the hourglass pretty fast, I don't see how they'll ever get the votes for it." @Ricky_Vaughn99 Paul Ryan shedded policy he believed in just 2 get elected. Makes him just as dangerous and despicable as before dumping tpp Mike Gilmore (@MikeKGilmore) August 10, 2016 "I have my own problems with TPP. It is not ready, the president has to renegotiate some critical components of it," Mr. Ryan said. So Bionically Crooked Hillary and Paul Ryan are *cough* against TPP. Anyone out there with a log-scale BS meter? Paul Nehlen (@pnehlen) August 17, 2016 If Obama fails to see the TPP ratified, it would be a hammer blow to US prestige, and may undermine another key US trade pact, this time with the EU: the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal or TTIP. MOSCOW (Sputnik) During a web chat organized by the embassy on its official Facebook page, one of the participants asked "is it true that after visiting Crimea there could be problems with [obtaining] a US visa?" The embassy replied that visiting Crimea "will not affect the chances of getting a US visa." Crimea became part of Russia after almost 97 percent of those who voted in a local referendum on the issue in 2014 supported the move. Ukraine did not recognize the outcomes of the referendum in Crimea and accused Russia of annexation. Lochte, 32, reported that he and three other swimmers were held up by robbers posing as police on their way to a party early Sunday morning. "We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over," Lochte told NBC. "They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn't do anything wrong, so I'm not getting down on the ground. And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, 'Get down,' and I put my hands up, I was like 'Whatever.' He took our money, he took my wallet he left my cell phone, he left my credentials." The Navy will test a software patch that engineers hope will solve the issue of the green glow. Trials will be conducted aboard the USS George Washington soon, but early tests have shown positive signs. Officials are waiting for a moonless night to conduct further landing tests. "So were going to go out on a really dark night and were going to do our final evaluation on the green glow," Briggs said. "And we think that that problem is solved." Trials will also test a number of other F-35C features, as the Navy scrambles to perform final evaluations. The aircrafts Electronic Warfare capabilities will be assessed, as well as the software used to implement the onboard device that grabs the landing wire on the deck of the ship. Bergdahl is said to have related this information to Cross hours before he walked off his post. Facing charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, Bergdahl and his attorneys have claimed that his goal in leaving his post was to alert Army leadership to systemic problems within his unit. Crosss statement will be used by prosecutors to portray the sergeant was driven by unrealistic and romantic goals. "When viewed in the context with the accuseds statements about his desire for adventure and boredom with the mission, the evidence of prior acts support that the accuseds behavior was intentional," reads a motion filed by prosecutors. In March, documents revealed that Kim Dellacorva-Tate, an old friend of Bergdahl, told investigators that the latter attempted to join the French Foreign Legion, flying to Paris in 2005. Boston police officer Stephen McNulty said that the officers refusal to volunteer constitutes a breach of the deal. "Not getting volunteers also violates the agreement," he said. Some of Bostons Black community leaders suggest that officers unwillingness to wear body cameras is a slight toward communities where police misconduct is a major concern. The police union has been accused of using body cameras as means of gaining leverage in a new service contract, after the current one expired in June. Marcus Gutierrez (@notmarcguti) August 17, 2016 Michael Curry, president of the Boston NAACP said, "We are deeply disappointed by the unions unwillingness to respond to what residents are calling for, with the adoption of this technology," and that, "It has been clear that they are unwilling to evolve and thereby avoid what we are seeing across the country. This issue of body cameras should not be used as a political carrot in their efforts to renegotiate their contract." Curry said he understands how some may want to volunteer but dont, out of fear of being ostracized by fellow officers. "But," he states, "as we are fond of saying, courage will not skip this generation. In the police department we need some courageous officers who are not afraid of more transparency and accountability. We believe that history will receive them kindly." 3,650 Guardsmen involved in flood response operations. [To the date], 11,085 citizens and 1,400 pets rescued, the statement said. Earlier on Tuesday, American Red Cross workers have joined state officials in efforts to provide shelters and meals for Louisianas residents. The organization announced that they have mobilized over 1,000 people from all 50 states. The White House has now announced the release of some 15 detainees to the United Arab Emirates, but many fear that the precedent set by the Bush White House will continue to allow for future US agencies to engage in similar programs of detention and torture. On Wednesday, Loud & Clears Brian Becker sat down with Jeremy Varon, a professor at the New School and leader of the non-profit group Witness Against Torture, and Raha Wala of the Human Rights First organization to talk about the developments and dangers. Why did the Obama Administration choose to do this? "I mean above all, the transfer demonstrates at last the seriousness of the Obama Administrations effort to make good on its day one promise of closing the prison," said Varon. "That goal may not be reached, but the administration is very intent on lowering the population by doing transfer diplomacy and finding places for the men at the prison to go, and some of them were brought there upon the advent of Guantanamo." Is Guantanamo Bay a torture center as the UN has classified it? "There is no doubt that a number of detainees who have been held at Guantanamo have been tortured. That program of so-called enhanced interrogation has been ended by the Obama Administration, but there are a number of troublesome practices that continue at the facility including the forced feeding of detainees at Guantanamo," stated Wala. "The bigger picture here is that Guantanamo was established to be the legal equivalent of outer space. Where laws would not apply, where there would be no opportunity for detainees to access lawyers, no rights to a trial," said Wala. "By and large, throughout the years, Guantanamo has stood for the premise that you can hold people indefinitely at an offshore facility with little or no legal recourse." The study, conducted by researchers from the University of California, suggested that people of nationalities tied to Latin America age more slowly at the molecular level, despite the fact that they normally have higher rates of life-threatening diseases. "Latinos live longer than Caucasians, despite experiencing higher rates of diabetes and other diseases," said Steve Horvath, professor of human genetics and lead author of the study, adding that scientists refer to the phenomenon as the 'Hispanic paradox.' MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Tuesday, Berdniks daughter Irina Bessmertnaya confirmed to Sputnik that the Ukrainian Security Service (SSU) had detained her mother following searches at her home. The SSU has so far denied the claims of Berdniks detainment. "We will send Ukrainian Human Rights Ombudswoman Lutkovska a request to check this information and, in the case Miroslava Berdnik is indeed in detention, to check the validity of the detention and the charges," Brod, of the Moscow Bureau for Human Rights, told RIA Novosti. Vonn also observed that providing access to photos, data, messages and other deeply personal information that is not pertinent to a criminal investigation would be "tricky constitutionally." Tamir Israel, a lawyer for the Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic at the University of Ottawa remarked, "It's rare to force people to help police investigate themselves, and for good reason," Israel continued. "It shifts the focus of criminal condemnation away from actual criminal activity and onto compliance. So if an individual legitimately objects to handing over their password, that alone makes them criminal." As background for the proposed law, the CACP referenced a report published by the International Association of Chiefs of Police called, "The challenges of gathering electronic evidence," offering that such a law would prove useful in situations like the FBIs attempt to compel Apple to provide the tools to gain access to a cell phone belonging to the employer of one of the San Bernardino shooters last year. The CACP, taking it a step further, want police to have access to telecom subscriber information without a warrant and in real time. Scotch Mcewan romped to victory in Tuesdays third leg of Ohio Sires Stakes action for driver Josh Sutton and trainer Bill Dailey, pacing in 1:53.2, just slightly slower than the 1:52.3 track record he had set on July 28. A total of nine $40,000 Ohio Sire Stakes divisions for two-year-old trotting and pacing colts were contested at the five-eighths mile oval on a rainy and steamy Tuesday afternoon. The bay geldings 1:52.3 clocking and this latest sizzler didnt come as a surprise to breeders Brad Wallace or Kevin Greenfield, who own and operate Hickory Lane Farm in Findlay, Ohio, where the colt was born and raised. Rebecca Ewing, who bred Scotch Mcewan is the wife of Leonard Buckner, who owns Hickory Lane in partnership with us, Kevin explained. Were not surprised at this colt as he just doesnt seem to know how fast he is yet. In his last start he was parked out the entire mile and staved off three challenges. Josh (driver Sutton) said the colt wasnt really even paying attention at the end of the mile, either, or he might have gone faster. Brad agreed. When this colt was in the yearling sale, a lot of trainers passed him up, and didnt seem to like him for whatever reason, Brad admitted. Kevin and I were both kind of surprised because we really felt he was something special from day one. Scotch Mcewan brought a final bid of $30,000 at the 2015 Ohio Select Yearling Sale. We raised and raced his dam, Forever Ivy, Brad noted. She was a gutsy, tough race mare who took a mark of 1:50.3 as a five-year-old and earned $355,291. So were not really surprised that this youngster would be fast as well. Scotch Mcewan is the first foal out of Forever Ivy and is from the first Ohio crop by Mcardle, who stands at Hickory Lane Farm. Forever Ivy is by Stand Forever and is out of the Ruffstuff Baker broodmare Shes A Ruff One p, 4, 1:53f ($137,549). Interestingly enough, Forever Ivy is also a half-sister the two-year-old pacing filly Lorennas Ruffian (also by Mcardle), who captured a Leg 1 Ohio Sires Stakes on July 3 at Northfield Park in 1:56.2. Scotch Mcewan now has $60,800 in his career bankroll from three wins and one third in five starts. He had captured Leg 1 of this series on July 4 at Scioto Downs in 1:55.2 by nearly five lengths, then finished third in Leg 2 at Northfield Park on July 11, timed in 1:54.1, before winning that Ohio Fair Stake at Scioto on July 28. The two-year-old trotting colt Buckeye Boss and the freshman pacing youngster Drunk On Your Love both continued their sweep of the series by winning their third OSS legs Tuesday at Scioto. Buckeye Boss, a Chris Beaver trainee, romped to a 1:58.2 victory for Aaron Merriman. The son of Triumphant Caviar had prevailed in Leg 1 on July 4 at Scioto in 1:59 and on July 12 in Leg 2 at Northfield in 1:57 by nearly seven lengths. He then won an Ohio Fair Stake at Scioto on July 28 in 1:56.2. The winner of $82,750 is owned by Beaver along with Ohio-based breeder Marion Beachy and Synerco Ventures of Ontario. Drunk On Your Love is a Foreclosure N colt who notched career win three in 1:55. Trained by Bill Dailey for Richard Lombardo, Carl & Melanie Atley and Josh Green, Drunk On Your Love won OSS Leg 1 at Scioto on July 4 in 1:54.3 and Leg 2 at Northfield on July 11 in 1:56.1. All of this youngsters triumphs have come in front-stepping fashion. Ohio Sires Stakes return to Scioto Downs on Friday night, August 19, featuring three-year-old filly trotters vying in Leg 4 of this series. (OSDF) Despite getting away next-to-last in Tuesdays $11,000 Preferred 2 Trot at Georgian Downs, In Secret staged a late rush and took home all the marbles in the featured affair. With Bob McClure at the lines, In Secret got away seventh, but advanced to be fifth as the field slipped past the half in :57. McClure had his charge tracking cover while racing third on the outside at the three-quarter pole in 1:26.1, and when he cut the gelding loose in the lane the trotter stepped home in :29.4 to win by 1-1/2 lengths over Missys Ga Ga in 1:56.1. Third prize was earned by Delcrest Massy. Per Henriksen trains the four-year-old son of Deweycheatumnhowe-Secret Magic for Andrea Lea Racingstables Inc of Lakefield Gore, QC and ASA Farm of Norwood, Ont. It was the 11th lifetime score for the career winner of $155,870. Summit City Nate took a similar approach to winning the $7,500 Preferred 3 for trotters. Alfie Carroll was in no hurry in the early stages of the mile with the gelding, who chipped away throughout the mile before kicking home in :29.1 to post the win by 2-3/4 lengths over Severus Hanover in 1:57.3. The show dough went to Sim Brown. Sent off as the 7-5 favourite, the Victor Puddy pupil won for just the second time this season in 23 tries for partners Keith Cassell, Dr. John Tobin and Limco Inc. The 11-time winner has banked more than $115,000 to date. To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results Georgian Downs. The red carpet was rolled out at Red Shores at Charlottetown Driving Park during Tuesdays card of racing to honour a very special guest none other than the nation's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. According to CBC.ca, Trudeau was a busy man during his visit to PEI. He scooped ice cream for customers at Cows Creamery, he took selfies with adoring fans and even photo-bombed a winners circle presentation to Atlantic Sires Stakes winner, BJ Savanah. Trudeau had visited Bridgetown, N.S, earlier in the day to announce there would be $116 million in federal funding for water and transit projects. Six divisions of the Atlantic Sires Stakes went postward Tuesday evening, and the aforementioned BJ Savanah kicked things off with a 2:08.3 in her $6,340 division for two-year-old trotters. The daughter of Bo W-Orientation marched right to the lead from Post 4 for driver Brian MacPhee and she successfully led the group through panels of :32.3, 1:04.4 and 1:36.4 before using a :31.4 kicker to seal the deal. She won by a length over Talk Of Windemere, with Mile Hill Mac winding up a well-beaten third. Bert Honkoop of Montague, PE bred, owns and trains the rookie who nabbed her first paycheque thanks to the maiden-breaking win. Majian Tango took the second division for the freshman trotters thanks to his 2:05 triumph for trainer/driver James Ripley. The son of Tad The Stud-Askmetodance was second to the quarter pole before charging to the front and taking matters into his own hands. He led the group through middle splits of 1:02.1 and 1:33.2 before cruising home in :31.3 to win by 3-1/4 lengths over Miss Kennedy. Play Along was third in the three-horse affair. Sent off as the 1-5 choice, the gelding made it back-to-back wins in the ATSS for owner/breeder Marylea Ripley of Amherst, NS. The rookie owns a 2-2-1 record from five trips to the track and his earnings climbed over $10,000. Windemerepartyman earned a new speed badge thanks to his 2:08.2 triumph in the third division. The son of Nureyev-Windemere Spirit sat second for the first half before rushing to the lead in the backstretch and taking the field to the three-quarter pole in 1:37.1. A :31.1 closing panel was enough to win by a half-length margin over BJ Lorado. Glencove Carter finished third after parking every step of the way. Co-owned and driven by Jack Panting, it was the second lifetime win for the youngster who is co-owned by trainer Ralph Annear. Oceanview Pancho captured the first ATSS division for the three-year-old trotters, much to the delight of the chalk players that made him the 1-5 favourite in the $6,180 event. Walter Cheverie had the colt parked while sitting third at the quarter pole, but they eventually found the pylons and wound up being able to work out a two-hole trip through middle panels of 1:02.1 and 1:33. Oceanview Pancho found late clearance and used a :30-second closing quarter to win by 1-1/2 lengths over B J Classic in 2:03.2. Time Warp was third. Trainer Paul Larrabee of Belle River shares ownership on the homebred with breeder William Roloson of Belfast, PE. It was the third lifetime tally for the son of Neal-Rose Run Frances. Howmac Gypsy clicked in the second division, and in doing so gave driver Jack Panting and trainer Ralph Annear their second stakes victory on the card. Panting hustled the daughter of Nureyev-Busta Balls through fractions of :29.4, 1:01.1 and 1:32.4 before kicking home in :29.4 to win by a half-length margin over Wheres The Partyat in 2:02.3. Cardigan Jack was third. Annear co-owns the filly with Steven Sorrie of Montague, PE. It was the third lifetime tally for the career winner of close to $20,000. Mr Bower and Craigh Na Dun dead heated for the top spot in the final division, but the latter was then set back for an interference fraction from earlier in the mile. Mr Bower, who was riding a four-race winning streak coming into the $6,180 affair, shot to the top and carved out fractions of :29.2, 1:00 and 1:31.2 for trainer/driver Kenny Arsenault, but he couldnt shake off Craig Na Dun. They were inseparable until the Judges intervened in 2:01.3. Craig Na Dun was placed third for causing interference to Oceanview Lefty shortly after the start. Oceanview Lefty crossed the line third, but was placed up to second. Sent off as the 1-5 favourite, Mr Bower improved this years record to 5-3-0 from eight trips postward for owner Wade Peconi of Stanchel, PE. The son of Meadowagogo-Credibility is now a six-time winner with earnings of close to $20,000. To view results for Tuesday's card of harness racing, click the following link: Tuesday Results Charlottetown Driving Park. On February 17, officials with Edmontons Albertas Northlands Park announced that 2016 would be the tracks last year in the live horse racing business. Fast forward almost six months to the day, and word from the track is that anything is possible. It was back in February when Northlands Park held a press conference and unveiled its vision/proposal that intended for the raceway to be redeveloped into a multi-purpose public park that would have the ability to host tens of thousands of people for large-scale festivals and outdoor concerts. During the February press conference, Northlands President & CEO Tim Reid was also clear to state the following: None of these pictures (that were displayed in the presentation) are final. Theyre just images and theyre thoughts and theyre conversation starters. We have been clear with the horse racing industry that we think we need to progress beyond horse racing to activate that 52-acre site. That being said, if the discussions between the province and the HRA (Horse Racing Alberta) came back and the business model changed dramatically, wed be very thankful we had pictures and not final decisions. And, so, were willing to work with the industry, and we have all along, and we are very interested in what the outcome of that conversation will look like, but our sense on it right now is (that) we need to build on a future sustainability of Northlands, and not hedge our decision on what happens between the province and HRA. Reid re-addressed the issue yesterday morning (Tuesday, August 16) during the tracks press conference for Canadian Derby, which has annually been one of the premier Thoroughbred races in western Canada. An article by the Edmonton Journal has cited Reid as saying that Northlands decision to get out of the business of live racing is not definite at this point. Anything is possible, Reid was quoted as saying. It will all be based on our meetings this fall with the City when our report goes to Council and we begin our next round of conversations, adding, theres always a chance. Reid went on to say, We have made it clear that our plans are not to continue racing at this site. But weve also got to listen to our stakeholders the owners, trainers and jockeys and be considerate of their industry. Monday, August 8, 2016, at 3:00 p.m. marked the close for the Request For Proposal (RFP) to build, own and operate an 'A' Horse Racing Facility in or near Edmonton. At the time of closing, Horse Racing Alberta (HRA) had received four (4) RFP documents. The RFP documents have been provided to the selection committee for their review and recommendation to the board of HRA. Horse Racing Alberta anticipates mid-September for completion of the evaluation and recommendations, however, no firm timeline has been established for this process. The Edmonton Journal article has quoted HRA Chair Shirley McClellan as saying that Standardbreds, Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses will all be racing in the province in 2017, regardless of what shakes out at Northlands. She cited Century Downs (located in Calgary), the Rocky Mountain Turf Club (Lethbridge) and Evergreen Park (Grande Prairie) specifically in her quote. What we dont know about is Northlands; I dont think anyone knows for sure what Northlands is going to do until they go to the City, McClellan was quoted as saying. Its all guessing right now. Northlands is the unknown, which is disconcerting to the racing industry because they dont know how this is all going to come down. (With files from the Edmonton Sun) Summer may be winding down, but things will be heating up this Saturday night (August 20) at Hanover Raceway. A diverse and exciting card of racing will be on tap. The program will feature racing under saddles' return to the oval (Race 7). The Walker Invitational Trot is set to go behind the gate for Race 11, which will be the final race of the night. Race 3, Race 5 and Race 8 will feature the eliminations for the tracks annual Balanced Image stakes event. Be there early for a back-to-school draw for one of two backpacks filled with school supplies valued at $80, each of which are sponsored by RUS Ontario and thestable.ca. The racing under saddle women will be in the grandstands for a meet-and-greet with the spectators before the races and following Race 7. Retired racing under saddle winner Tragically Shipp will be present to greet fans on the tarmac for photos and a hands-on experience with one of RUS Ontario's most memorable trotters. The under saddle field should prove to be an exciting start, as three horses will make their debut without a race bike. Lexis DJ, a classy nine-year-old, will make his first under saddle start following a strong qualifier over Grand River Raceway back in July. MAD Barn-sponsored rider Sarah Town will pilot the gelding from the rail for trainer Shane Arsenault. Don Wan Veeba will make his first start for Danish rider Karoline Neilsen for trainer Gord Campbell from Post 3. The six-year-old gelding comes off a win last Saturday at Hiawatha Horse Park. Xtra Perfect and owner/rider Nadine Habke will arrive from Ohio for their first start together from Post 4. Habke, who is Northfield Parks regular outrider, finished fifth with Callie Magoo on Industry Day at Grand River (August 1). Gracies Harmony and her regular rider, Marielle Enberg, will return for owner/trainer Jim Tropea from Post 2. This pair shocked on Industry Day with a wire-to-wire win that blew up the tote board at 40-1. Southwind Alice and Evelyn Harmes, a three-time under saddle winning pair for trainer Dave Dowling, will look to add to their strong season from Post 5. Veteran under saddle mount Callie Magoo will return for John Braid. Last seasons top point-earning rider, Natalie Elliott, will make her first start of 2016. Rounding the field is a second entry from the Arsenault Stable. Osprey Vision and Amber Lawson will start from Post 7 and are hoping to repeat a strong finish, as they brought home the show dough during the pairs first start against the Industry Day field of trotters. The card will kick off with a 7:15 p.m. first-race post time. To view the harness racing entries for Saturday at Hanover, click the following link: Saturday Entries Hanover Raceway. (RUS Ontario) Dinesh D'Souza Joins Brian Kilmeade and Todd Starnes at Celebration of Justice Contact: Brad Dacus, Pacific Justice Institute, 949-422-0395 ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., /Standard Newswire/ -- Dinesh D'Souza, best-selling author and filmmaker of Hillary's America, has joined an all-star line-up for Pacific Justice Institute's fourteenth annual Celebration of Justice: In God We Trust. Brian Kilmeade, Fox & Friends co-host and New York Times Best Selling author, as well as Todd Starnes, award-winning host of FOX News and Commentary, round out the talented set of hosts for the festive and unforgettable evening. "We are elated to have such talented and honest individuals join us in honoring distinguished attorneys and community leaders for their outstanding work and demonstration of an exceptional commitment to faith and family," said Brad Dacus, PJI President and Founder. This year's Celebration of Justice will host a rare trio of renowned truth seekers and informers in America today. Starnes, known for being the most straight forward journalist at Fox News, will be the Master of Ceremonies. Kilmeade will speak on terrorism and the Islamic regime. D'Souza will focus on government corruption and its effect on religious freedom. The event will take place Saturday, October 8th at 7:00 p.m. at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. To purchase tickets or reserve a table, please visit PJI.org/COJ. For more information about Celebration of Justice: In God We Trust, please contact Melissa Holloway at (916) 396-5990 or mholloway@pji.org. 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. It's Election season and our editor's mailbox is overflowing. Who do your neighbors support? Read about it here. Four year-old Adaleah Jo Cliffton of Longview passed away Aug. 8, 2016, at home surrounded by family. She was born April 6, 2012, in Longview, to Aaron and Melissa Cliffton. Addy Jo was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia at the age of 2, she was a courageous cancer warrior for most of her life. Addy Jo took any challenge put before her and conquered it with a smile on her face. As a self-proclaimed ninja warrior ballerina princess, her Addy-tude was a bright light, not only for her family, but an inspiration for the community as well. She was not only brave, courageous and full of life, she was also the best sister, daughter and granddaughter anyone could ask for. In between her treatments with cancer, her time was filled with many family adventures: fishing, hiking, swimming, washing her Dads motorcycle, visiting The Oregon Zoo and a Make-A-Wish trip to Hawaii where her love of aquatic animals, and the desire to be a mermaid, blossomed into the hope of becoming an aquatic animal doctor when she grew up. Addy Jo is survived by her parents, Aaron and Melissa Cliffton; a brother, Jerry Neighbors; and her grandparents, Dan and Cheryl Cliffton, Pam and George Lomasney, Donald Neighbors and Darina Shellman. A public celebration of Addys life is planned for 5 p.m. Saturday at the First Baptist Church, 747 Wheeler St., in Longview. Arrangements are by Steele Chapel at Longview Memorial Park. Condolences may be mailed to the family at P.O. Box 2567, Longview, WA 98632. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made via the P.O. Box to assist the family with expenses or to Candlelighters of Portand in memory of Addy Jo to benefit other families with children who have cancer and may be struggling. Dana Clayton has known for decades that shed need a kidney transplant some day. The 44-year-old Kalama woman was diagnosed nearly 20 years ago with polycystic kidney disease, which causes cysts to form on the organ and, over time, compromise its function. On Monday, Clayton received a long-awaited transplant at Legacy Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland from her best friends husband, Brad Yoder, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Firefighter/EMT. Shed been on the transplant list since November, when her kidney function dropped to 18 percent. Doctors originally told Clayton it would take years to find a matching donor. She was one of nearly 122,000 people nationally waiting on the organ, according to the National Kidney Foundation. More than 3,000 patients are added to the waiting list each month, and the testing of potential donors takes months. But Clayton was fortunate. Yoder immediately offered to donate his kidney. He quickly moved through the testing what takes most people six months took him four. This past spring, doctors discovered his kidney was a perfect match. Yoder, overjoyed at the discovery, visited Clayton at work at and told her the news in person. She was pretty astonished, he said. I think she was pretty overwhelmed. I think we all were because I dont think we realized that it would happen as fast as it did or I would be a viable candidate. Clayton said that to find a perfect match in someone who is not a family member is like winning the lottery. And to be my best friends husband is even more amazing, said Clayton, the branch manager at the Ferguson plumbing and lighting supply store in Longview. On Monday, Clayton and Yoder both underwent surgery to transfer one of Yoders healthy kidneys to Clayton. In six months, Clayton will undergo a second surgery to remove her old kidneys which have both grown to about eight to 10 pounds each due to the cysts. She said the enlarged kidneys have caused myriad health problems, including trouble breathing, hiccups and nausea. She hopes to regain energy once theyre removed. Theyre about the length of a ruler, and they should be the size of your fist, so they just kind of take over your whole body, she said. Yoder said several days before the surgery that it was an easy decision to donate to Clayton. For me, its not very difficult, he said. Its pretty natural. I grew up in a Christian home with our faith. ... Growing up it was always about helping other people and doing right by other people. Thought he said he had some pre-surgery jitters, his job as a firefighter helped soothe them. If I go to work tomorrow, and I have to pay that ultimate price, you do, he said. Every day that I work I have that same mentality so taking on something this big is OK. Yoder said he wanted to donate his kidney as soon as possible to prevent Clayton from having to undergo dialysis. Doctors placed a fistula the port for dialysis in her arm in December. The surgery was meant to prepare her for dialysis, which is a treatment that performs the waste-clearing function healthy kidneys perform, while she waited for a new organ. However, Yoder said he wanted to make sure she never needed to use it. I just told (the doctors) that she wont spend a minute in dialysis, he said. A report on how the surgery went was not avalable Monday afternoon. Yoder is expected to take eight to 10 weeks to recover before returning to workslightly longer than most people because of the physical nature of his job. He said his colleagues donated sick time and offered to cover his shifts to make it possible for him to donate. He said his family has been similarly supportive. His daughter, he said, was nervous in the beginning, but he said his family understands how important his donation is for Clayton. We talked about it just because any time you go through a surgery of this magnitude, theres always a risk associated with it, but those risks are very slim, he said. But we talked about if something was to happen, its OK because Dana lives. Weyerhaeuser Co. has declined to appeal a decision from a federal judge that found the timber company discriminated against a top union official for his labor organizing. An administrative law judge ruled in March that Weyerhaeuser demonstrated an antiunion animus when it abruptly revoked Greg Pallesens leave of absence in 2015 after more than decade of service as vice president of Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers. AWPPW represents about 450 hourly employees at Weyerhaeusers Longview operations. Union leaders held off on announcing the ruling until last week because they wanted to see if the Weyerhaeuser would appeal the decision, Pallesen said Monday. Notice of the judges ruling was posted in the Longview mill last week. Weyerhaeuser confirmed Monday it is complying with the judges orders to reinstate Pallesens leave of absence until January 2017, among other requirements. However, the company declined to comment further. Pallesen was a technician in Longview when he went on a long-term leave of absence to take on the union leadership role in 2003. He has been re-elected to a senior AWPPW leadership positions many times. Under his leave, Pallesen does not receive pay or medical benefits from Weyerhaeuser, but he does receive reimbursement for steel-toed shoes and a pension plan, he said. According to court documents, Pallesen historically has not had a close working relationship with the mills leadership. He became more involved in the mill, though, when AWPPW began filing several unfair labor practice charges against the company in late 2014. In December 2014, when former human resources manager Diana Zolotko claimed that another union official was cyberbullying her with requests for information, Pallesen intervened. He asked to know how a routine request for information was considered cyberbullying; and Zolotko responded with the same message. The exchange was repeated at least once again. Less than two months later, Zolotko notified Pallesen that the company would terminate his leave of absence, almost two years before the union understood his leave was slated to end in January 2017. The company argued it was merely following policy and said that his leave of absence was supposed to end at the same time that a 2007 collective bargaining agreement with the union ended. Pallesen was told to show up at the mill in March 2015 ready to work again, but this time under a lower position and at lower pay. He would also have to complete a drug test, physical examination and new employee training, the company said. Judge Gerald Etchingham rejected the companys argument that Pallesen only had token involvement in the mills labor organizing and that the company somehow was unaware of his union activities in late 2014 to early 2015, at the time the his leave of absence was revoked. By discriminating against Pallesen, (Weyerhaeuser) has acted illegally thereby discouraging membership in a labor organization by employees, because Pallesen assisted the union and engaged in protected concerted activities, Etchingham wrote. Even after this, though, Pallesen said he will seek re-election as vice president in the fall. I believe in organized labor, where people have a voice in the workplace. Organized labor is the only real voice people have; without it corporations would run all over us, he said this week. Separately, Pallesen said the union is awaiting a decision from an appeals court in Washington, D.C., regarding another unfair labor practice complaint against Weyerhaeuser. That involves the new food safety rules at the Longview mill which the union argues created additional duties that were never bargained over. An administrative law judge sided with the union in that case, but Weyerhaeuser appealed the decision. Test scores for the Washington state Smarter Balanced assessment were released on Tuesday, with statewide passing rates rates up 2 to 3 percentage points. However, local schools continued to lag behind state averages. Scores in Cowlitz County fluctuated, with pockets of improvement in some areas, especially in English and language arts, while others remained stubbornly the same. This is the second year that Washington students have taken the electronically delivered Smarter Balanced Assessment. Fourteen other states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Bureau of Indian Education also administer the test. Washington State is the first to release its scores out of all of the assessment consortiums members, so state-to-state comparisons will have to wait until those are released. Seven grade levels (3-8 and 11th grade) were tested in each of the district in two subjects, English/Language Arts and Math, so that each district had 14 different proficiency rates with which to measure progress. Both Kelso and Longview school districts saw passing rates increase in nine of the 14 groups, while Castle Rock and Toutle lagged behind with improvement in seven and eight categories, respectively. Woodland saw the least improvement, with passing rates increasing in only four areas. The Kalama school district saw the greatest improvement, with improved passing rates in 10 of the 14 categories including English/language arts increases across every grade level. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn was pleased with this years results. We see the growth from last years baseline (first year) scores across the board in both (language arts) and math, he said during a televised press conference Tuesday morning. Thats a testament to the great work done by all school employees and by our students. Kelso and Longview school districts scores remained stubbornly below state average. The only exceptions were 11th grade math scores in Longview; 8th and 11th grade language arts scores in Kelso; and 11th grade math results in Kelso. High county schools a saw improvements in 11th grade test scores. Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock, Toutle Lake, and Woodland high school juniors improved in either one or both subjects. With the new assessment last spring came new requirements: juniors must pass the English/Language arts exam to graduate. The required score to graduate is approximately 2.5, significantly lower than the score of 3 to 4 that indicates a student is college ready. This might explain the increase in proficiency and participation levels across the state. 88% of Washington juniors participated in the Smarter Balanced assessment this year, an improvement from 2015, when only half the juniors participated. Those who opted out were automatically given zeros, lowering average scores for that group dramatically. Kelso school districts Director of Student Support, Don Iverson, said that he was happy with the districts results. We have a growth mindset here in Kelso. We want to see growth across the system. It could be as small as 1 percent or as big as 8 or 9. Iverson also claimed that the Kelso school district had fewer juniors opt out of the test than the rest of the state, though the exact number of was not available. We always want kids to take the assessment. It gives us an idea how well were doing as a system, Iverson said. We want them to take the tests whenever possible. Executive Director of Leadership and Learning for the Longview school district Ken Hermanson was not available for comment on Longviews scores or participation Tuesday afternoon. Iverson commented that there is not one factor contributing to score improvement, but rather is attributable to a number of reasons including the fact that this is the second year students have seen the Smarter Balanced assessment. Kids are just more familiar, Iverson said. Theyve been around the block and had more experience. NASAs Van Allen probes have captured rare effects of supercharged Van Allen radiation belts. These doughnut-shaped radiations are extremely powerful and emit charged particles in massive numbers. In the month of March, Earths magnetosphere was hit by coronal mass ejection or CME which led to one of the greatest geomagnetic storm. One of the most common forms of space weather, a geomagnetic storm describes any event in which the magnetosphere is suddenly, temporarily disturbed. Such an event can also lead to change in the radiation belts surrounding Earth, but researchers have seldom been able to observe what happens. But on the day of the March 2015 geomagnetic storm, one of the Van Allen Probes was orbiting right through the belts, providing unprecedentedly high-resolution data from a rarely witnessed phenomenon. A paper on these observations was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research on Aug. 15, 2016. Researchers want to study the complex space environment around Earth because the radiation and energy there can impact our satellites in a wide variety of ways from interrupting onboard electronics to increasing frictional drag to disrupting communications and navigation signals. We study radiation belts because they pose a hazard to spacecraft and astronauts, said David Sibeck, the Van Allen Probes mission scientist at NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, who was not involved with the paper. If you knew how bad the radiation could get, you would build a better spacecraft to accommodate that. Studying the radiation belts is one part of our efforts to monitor, study and understand space weather. NASA launched the twin Van Allen Probes in 2012 to understand the fundamental physical processes that create this harsh environment so that scientists can develop better models of the radiation belts. These spacecraft were specifically designed to withstand the constant bombardment of radiation in this area and to continue to collect data even under the most intense conditions. A set of observations on how the radiation belts respond to a significant space weather storm, from this harsh space environment, is a goldmine. The recent research describes what happened: The March 2015 storm was initiated by an interplanetary shock hurtling toward Earth a giant shockwave in space set off by a CME, much like a tsunami is triggered by an earthquake. Swelling and shrinking in response to such events and solar radiation, the Van Allen belts are highly dynamic structures within our planets magnetosphere. Sometimes, changing conditions in near-Earth space can energize electrons in these ever-changing regions. Scientists dont yet know whether energization events driven by interplanetary shocks are common. Regardless, the effects of interplanetary shocks are highly localized events meaning if a spacecraft is not precisely in the right place when a shock hits, it wont register the event at all. In this case, only one of the Van Allen Probes was in the proper position, deep within the magnetosphere but it was able to send back key information. The spacecraft measured a sudden pulse of electrons energized to extreme speeds nearly as fast as the speed of light as the shock slammed the outer radiation belt. This population of electrons was short-lived, and their energy dissipated within minutes. But five days later, long after other processes from the storm had died down, the Van Allen Probes detected an increased number of even higher energy electrons. Such an increase so much later is a testament to the unique energization processes following the storm. The shock injected meaning it pushed electrons from outer regions of the magnetosphere deep inside the belt, and in that process, the electrons gained energy, said Shri Kanekal, the deputy mission scientist for the Van Allen Probes at Goddard and the leading author of a paper on these results. Researchers can now incorporate this example into what they already know about how electrons behave in the belts, in order to try to understand what happened in this case and better map out the space weather processes there. There are multiple ways electrons in the radiation belts can be energized or accelerated: radially, locally or by way of a shock. In radial acceleration, electrons are carried by low-frequency waves towards Earth. Local acceleration describes the process of electrons gaining energy from relatively higher frequency waves as the electrons orbit Earth. And finally, during shock acceleration, a strong interplanetary shock compresses the magnetosphere suddenly, creating large electric fields that rapidly energize electrons. Scientists study the different processes to understand what role each process plays in energizing particles in the magnetosphere. Perhaps these mechanisms occur in combination, or maybe just one at a time. Answering this question remains a major goal in the study of radiation belts a difficult task considering the serendipitous nature of the data collection, particularly in regard to shock acceleration. Additionally, the degree of electron energization depends on the process that energizes them. One can liken the process of shock acceleration, as observed by the Van Allen Probe, to pushing a swing. Think of pushing as the phenomenon thats increasing the energy, Kanekal said. The more you push a swing, the higher it goes. And the faster electrons will move after a shock. In this case, those extra pushes likely led to the second peak in high-energy electrons. While electromagnetic waves from the shock lingered in the magnetosphere, they continued to raise the electrons energy. The stronger the storm, the longer such waves persist. Following the March 2015 storm, resulting electromagnetic waves lasted several days. The result: a peak in electron energy measured by the Van Allen Probe five days later. This March 2015 geomagnetic storm was one of the strongest yet of the decade, but it pales in comparison to some earlier storms. A storm during March 1991 was so strong that it produced long-lived, energized electrons that remained within the radiation belts for multiple years. With luck, the Van Allen Probes may be in the right position in their orbit to observe the radiation belt response to more geomagnetic storms in the future. As scientists gather data from different events, they can compare and contrast them, ultimately helping to create robust models of the little-understood processes occurring in these giant belts. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, built and operates the Van Allen Probes for NASAs Heliophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate. The Van Allen Probes are the second mission in NASAs Living With a Star program, an initiative managed by Goddard and focused on aspects of the sun-Earth system that directly affect human lives and society. hidden Targeting smartphone chipmakers like Qualcomm and potentially Apple, Intel has entered into a new licensing agreement with rival ARM Holdings to produce 10-nanometre ARM chips. South Korean consumer electronics company LG will be one of the first customers to use Intel's new service, the chip giant announced at the ongoing Intel Developer Forum here. "LG Electronics will produce a world-class mobile platform based on Intel Custom Foundry's 10 nm design platform," said Zane Ball, co-general manager of Intel Custom Foundry at Intel Corporation. Intel Custom Foundry has developed full-featured design platforms on Intel's 22 nm, 14 nm and the forthcoming 10 nm FinFET process. "Our 10 nm technology will provide improvements in transistor scaling and offer new performance, power and cost benefits as well as a wide range of device features to meet different product requirements," Ball added. The 10 nm design platform for foundry customers will now offer access to ARM Artisan physical IP. "Optimising this technology for Intel's 10 nm process means that foundry customers can take advantage of the IP to achieve best-in-class PPA (power, performance, area) for power-efficient, high-performance implementations of their designs for mobile, IoT and other consumer applications," Bell said. IANS Yishai Schlissel, the ultra-Orthodox Jewish man serving a life sentence for the murder of 16-year-old Shira Banki at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade last year, is being kept away from other inmates at the Ayalon Prison after a physical altercation with a fellow prisoner left him hospitalized. Last month, Schlissel tore up photos of another inmates daughters he had hanging in his cell, saying the girls were dressed immodestly. Enraged, the prisoner beat Schlissel until prison guards separated the two. Schlissel was hospitalized for unspecified injuries. The Ayalon Prison warden placed Schlissel in solitary confinement for a number of days as a disciplinary measure. After an evaluation by prison officials, the warden decided to give Schlissel a separate cell citing his volatile behavior. The Israel Prisons Service confirmed the decision in a statement, saying that Schlissels taunts, inappropriate behavior and damage he caused another inmates property necessitated the move. An initial investigation into Wednesday afternoons incident found that guards allowed Schlissel to go out into a courtyard of the prison wing together with two other prisoners serving sentences for convictions relating to organized crime. An argument developed between Schlissel and the other two prisoners, apparently over the murder of Banki at the 2015 parade. The two prisoners began punching Schlissel in the face until guards hearing the commotion rushed in to separate them. The convicted Haredi murderer Yishai Schlissel is still making some eyebrow raising headlines , as it's revealed he shredded another prisoner's pictures of his daughters because he despised how they were dressed:Now I don't know what the other prisoner was in jail for or how severe his own crime was, but Schlissel's act in itself was offensive and an act of hatred towards people who could otherwise be innocent. And assuming the daughters were of legal age, how fascinating that somebody who was hell-bent on slaughtering homosexuals at the parade has such a problem with pictures of ladies hung in his cell. He could be bitter at the realization he threw away his future and will never be able to lead a relationship with women again after the violent crime he committed against one. But it sure seems for now like he's become an isolationist in the worst possible way, and has rejected being part of the human race (remember, this was somebody who even refused legal counsel and doesn't recognize the state laws).Frankly, he deserves whatever he got for violating the Commandment of Thou Shalt Not Commit Murder. No matter how distasteful homosexuality is, it's no justification for savagery like what he committed last year.Update: oh, there's also this report that's worthy of note Of course, one can only wonder if he wanted this kind of physical hell heaped upon him as well. How about that, even racketeers have more honor than a scumbag like Schlissel does. Labels: haredi corruption, Israel, Jerusalem, misogyny, Moonbattery JnU students call strike for Thursday Students of Jagannath University (JnU) called a 24-hour strike for Thursday at the university demanding construction of residential halls for them on the empty land of Dhaka Central Jail. The JnU students came up with the announcement while staging demonstrations in front of the Jatiya Press Club to press home their demand on Wednesday. Earlier, the general students of JnU took position in front of the Press Club around 10:30am, disrupting traffic on the busy road. As they moved to proceed towards Education Bhaban, police obstructed them at about 11:10am. However, the students withdrew their blockade around 12:50 pm. The students demanded constructing residential halls for them on the empty land of Dhaka Central Jail as they are now facing accommodation problem due to unwillingness of landlords to rent out their houses to students in the wake of militancy in the country. Meanwhile, JnU Proctor Prof Nur Mohammad said, "The students demand is logical but it is not right to mount public sufferings by blocking roads. Necessary steps will be taken after discussions. The JnU students have been staging demonstrations since August 2 on the campus demanding construction of dormitories on the empty land of Dhaka Central Jail which has been shifted to Keraniganj. -- Dhaka, Aug 17 (UNB) Russia launches airstrikes on IS fighters in Syria from Iran A Russian Tu-22M3 bomber stands on the tarmac at an air base near Hamedan, Iran. Russian warplanes took off on Tuesday from Iran to target Islamic State fighters and other militants in Syria, widening Moscow\'s bombing campaign in Syria. Agencies, Beirut :The Russian Defense Ministry says its warplanes have launched a new wave of airstrikes on Islamic State fighters in Syria.The ministry says its jets took off earlier in the day on Wednesday from a base southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to strike targets in the east of Syria. It says they destroyed two command posts and two training camps.Iran on Tuesday allowed Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to bomb targets in Syria, for the first time since Russia launched its operation in the war-torn Arab nation last year.Syria's state-run news agency says seven civilians have been killed and nine wounded by rocket rounds fired by armed groups on a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo.SANA says the rockets struck the Salaheddine residential district in the northern city on Wednesday.The city has been divided into a rebel-held eastern part and a government-controlled western part since 2012, and is now the focal point of the civil war.On Tuesday, nearly 20 civilians were reported killed in airstrikes in eastern districts.Meanwhile, the speaker of Iran's parliament stressed on Wednesday that Russia does not have a permanent military base within the Islamic Republic, a day after Moscow announced launching airstrikes on Syria from Iran.The fact that Iran allowed Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to bomb targets in Syria was an unprecedented move, underscoring the deepening cooperation between two powerhouses heavily invested in the Syrian civil war.In Syria, seven civilians were killed and nine were wounded by rocket rounds fired by armed groups on a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo, Syria's state-run news agency said. SANA reported that the rockets struck the Salaheddine residential district in the northern city, which has been divided into a rebel-held eastern part and a government-controlled western part since 2012.Once Syria's largest city and commercial center, Aleppo is now the focal point of the country's ruinous civil war. On Tuesday, nearly 20 civilians were reported killed in airstrikes in the eastern, rebel-held districts.Wednesday's comments by the Iranian official, Ali Larijani, seem geared at easing domestic concerns over the strikes. Iran's constitution, ratified after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, bars foreign militaries from having bases within the country.In his remarks, reported by the state-run IRNA news agency, Larijani did not directly discuss the strikes, though he said Iran has "cooperated with Russia, as it is our ally on regional issues, especially on Syrian issues.""We have good cooperation with Russia and we say it loud and clear," Larijani said.Russia's Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that it launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria. UAP Pharma Dept holds seminar series Campus Report : The Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific (UAP) organized a 3-day Guest Speaker Seminar Series from August 9-11 at UAP City Campus. Prof Dr MR Kabir, Acting Vice Chancellor inaugurated the seminar as chief guest and Prof Dr Swarnali Islam Khandakar, Head, Department of Pharmacy gave welcome speech at the opening session. Seminar on "Career Development in Pharmaceutical Marketing: Why and How" was held at the first day. Md. Khairul Alam, Senior Product Manager, Marketing, Nuvasta Pharma Limited, Nazmul Hasan Mahmud, Asst. Product Manager, Insulins, Sanofi Bangladesh Limited and Md. Moudood Choudhury, Deputy Manager, International Marketing, Opsonin Pharmaceutical were the discussants. They talked about the Strategies for Developing Effective Presentation Skills, Preparations for Career Development in Pharmaceutical Marketing and Career Prospects of International Marketing in Pharmaceutical industries. Muin Uddin Mazumder, Director, Industrial Affairs, Sanofi Bangladesh Ltd. was the speaker for 2nd day seminar on "Manufacturing Excellence in Pharmaceutical Industries." Seminar on "Good Manufacturing Practices and Contamination Control in Pharmaceutical Industries" was held at the final day seminar. Mohammed Ashraful Islam, DGM and Head, Quality Assurance Department, Incepta Pharmaceutical Ltd was the speaker. The seminar was attended by faculty members, students and staff. Unity against militancy, terrorism stressed JnU Correspondent : Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayed Khokon said, "A person like the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman can be killed, but his ideology can't be eliminated. All of us have to take lesson from the life and works of Bangabandhu." He urged all to get united by following the ideals of Bangabandhu against all kinds of terrorism and militancy. As the chief guest, the mayor said this at a discussion meeting on Bangabandhu's life and works marking August 15, the National Mourning Day, held in the central ground of Government Kabi Nazrul College on Wednesday. The college unit of the Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) organised it to commemorate Bangabandhu's 41st death anniversary. "When the government came to the power led by Bangabandhu and started relentless efforts to fulfill the dreams and expectations of the people of the newly liberated country, a vested quarter viciously killed him to destroy his dream for Sonar Bangla and to cripple our beloved country", Sayed Khokon said. He also said that after achieving significant advancement in the field of economy and society, the government led by Bangabandhu's daughter Sheikh Hasina played proactive role to further accelerate the country's economic growth and lift the country's present economic status as developed one by 2021. "Bangladesh is a country of immense prospects and it will not be possible for us to elevate the economy into a new height if we do not work hard to fulfill the dream of Bangabandhu", said Khokon. The mayor warned all against the conspiracy of the war-collaborators, who are still trying to engineer their plans to halt the country's progress. Principal of the college Professor Dr Nurunnahar, BCL central President Sayfur Rahman Sohag and General Secretary Jakir Hossain, among others, spoke in the programme. The college unit President Mamunur Rashid Mamun presided over and its General Secretary Rakib Hassan Sohel conducted the programme. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handing over a cheque to the mother of former Chhatra League leader of Satkania Azizul Hakim Toukir who was killed in terrorist attack on August 14, 2014 at her office yesterday. Water for development Reza Ardakanian : It was a rare success story among the mixed feelings that surrounded the conclusion of the UN Millennium Development Goals. Not all of the ambitious international targets, intended to improve the lives of the world's poorest people, were achieved on schedule by 2015. But on the issue of access to water, the results were remarkable. Instead of "halving, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water" the international community managed it by 2010. What does that mean? Since 1990, 2.6 billion people have gained access to an improved drinking water source. Better access to drinking water helped improve health, reduce poverty, and advance sustainable development across the globe. Behind this success was the decision to declare 2005-2015 the International "Water for Life" Decade. Dedicating ten years to, among other things, providing access to water for millions of people proved to be a pivotal factor in making this target achievable. During the decade, the United Nations General Assembly recognised access to water and sanitation as a human right. And in 2015, the UN General Assembly dedicated one of the new 17 Sustainable Development Goals - the successors to the Millennium Development Goals - solely to water. Specifically, the aim is to "ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all". So yes, we have made great strides on the "water issue". And it may come as a surprise that, given the success of the last decade dedicated to water, a proposal for a new International Decade for Action on "Water for Sustainable Development" has been announced by the government of Tajikistan. But we are not done with water yet. The proposal - part of a call for action adopted by representatives of national governments, civil society, and United Nations entities - will be brought before the next session of the General Assembly in September 2016. Why another water decade? Because water security and infrastructure are still a huge part of the development challenges we still face. Water relates fundamentally to natural resources and social issues - eradicating hunger and poverty will depend heavily on our attitude to water. The sanitation challenge: The most glaring water-related challenge the world faces is access to sanitation services, that is, the safe disposal of human waste, from toilets and sewage systems to solid waste management. Today, more than 2.4 billion people do not have access to proper facilities. Poor sanitation is estimated to cost the world US$260 billion per year - more than the entire GDP of Chile. Kenya, for example, loses US$324 million annually because of sanitation. That's $244 million due to premature deaths resulting from diarrhoea, $51 million in health care costs, $2.7 million in productivity costs from time absent from work and school as a result of diseases due to poor sanitation, and $26 million due to productivity time lost looking for a place to defecate. Scarce supply: Water scarcity already affects millions of people around the world. Population growth, rapid urbanisation, more water-intense consumption patterns, and climate change are intensifying the pressure on existing resources. Developing countries in Africa and Asia will carry the main burden of this increase in demand. Many already suffer greatly from water stress or scarcity, and lack the infrastructure and know-how to address it. Ethiopia, for example, is currently facing its worst drought in decades. More than 10 million people need to rely on food aid. If we continue on our current path, the world may face a shortfall of 40% in water availability by 2030. Poor sanitation and water scarcity will only make existing regional challenges worse, and undermine our global efforts to advance sustainable development for all. In short, water is a crucial factor in all aspects of social and economic development. This means that, on the positive side, water is an incredibly useful medium through which many global challenges can be addressed. The next water decade: Declaring 2016-2026 the "Water for Sustainable Development" decade will raise awareness of the critical state of water resources around the world and inspire more action. To that end, the current proposal has two main objectives. First, the call for greater international cooperation on water-related issues. In line with the recommendations of the report from the UN Secretary-General's advisory board on water and sanitation, a "new international water architecture" is needed to make financing and implementation efforts more effective. Second, the availability and accessibility of information is vital. Any success on this front depends on increasing our knowledge of the water situation worldwide, developing effective water management strategies, and ensuring that those who need this knowledge have access to it. The call for action is adopted in Tajikistan. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, government of Tajikistan. The costs of inaction: This call for action is an important initiative. But it still does not adequately address the question of how to finance the Sustainable Development Goals. Governments must invest in water infrastructure, protecting basins and ecosystems, treating wastewater and reducing pollution. As Director of the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) during the "Water for Life" decade, I worked with national governments and regional partners from all over the world who are grappling with these issues. We were able to conduct more than 125 capacity development activities. But there are many more that could not be addressed because we didn't have the money. Developing countries need new water management institutions and utilities, better knowledge of integrated water resources management and the capacity to protect water basins and ecosystems. This requires access to the best available sustainable practices, through training and partnerships. The necessary funds are estimated to be in the trillions between now and 2030. But the cost of inaction is higher. (Reza Ardakanian was Director of the UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) during the "Water for Life" decade 2005-2015). Hatred of few must not overshadow America's liberal values NEW YORK police charged a suspect Monday with the double murder of a Brooklyn mosque Imam and his friend, both are migrants from Bangladesh as the slaying sent shock waves through the US Muslim communities. The suspected killer a 35-year-old who has been charged by police with two counts of murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon, news report said as the Imam's body is being flown to Bangladesh for burial while his assistant will be buried in a New York City graveyard. Bangladesh community in New York City has blamed racial hatred and Islam phobia which has been let lose recently by a right wing political leader and presidential candidate in November US election. Community leaders slammed "xenophobic statements" made against Muslims in speeches by Donald Trump and his campaign team who has earlier called for banning the Muslims from entering the USA and promised other degrading measures to Muslim migrants. New York police said they are investigating into hate factor. As we know the USA is a multi-racial society, which is known for its tolerance and equal opportunity to all migrant communities working to make their life better and make America great as the leader of the free world. The two major political parties - Democratic Party and Republican Party have their differences based on political outlook and economic issues. But they share the common values of democratic pluralism, human rights and freedom of expression. They are open to migrants irrespective of religion and regions where they come from. In fact America is a nation of migrants working together to build the modern civilization. The hate factor against Muslims and Mexicans quickly became prominent this time in the US election when the wrong-headed Republican presidential candidate took the issue to cheer his ultra-nationalist voters to rally around him. Needless to say he has already proved largely unacceptable to his party and the US establishments against a highly capable democratic challenger from Hilary Clinton. Trump is already deserted by most of his senior party leaders and registered party voters whose politics aims at dismantling America as a global political and economic powerhouse by isolating it from friends and allies in other continents. What we are scared here is the fallout of his racial campaign, which appears to be encouraging criminals to resort to slaying Muslims. We have to wait until election if he can become president, but be it or not -- the harm that he has already done to community relations and US multi-racial culture may not be altogether overcome. America may not be the same again, although the two major parties will not shelter such hatred to destroy American values. We have all confidence in mainstream US leaderships. We also hope that New York police will be able to identify the killer and put him on trial. Trump`s already-narrow path to victory is rapidly disappearing The Washington post:The last month has been disastrous for Donald Trump. Hillary Clinton got a major bounce from the Democratic National Convention. Trump got no such bounce from his own convention. And he's compounded his problems with a series of increasingly erratic performances on the campaign trail even as his advisers - and the broader Republican Party - worry that he is on a path to not just lose but to lose, in Trump's own words, bigly.A look at the electoral map makes plain just how narrow Trump's path really is - and how badly it has eroded over the last month. That map gave Clinton 201 electoral votes to 158 for Trump. Another 105 electoral votes were "toss-ups" while 33 were rated "lean Republican" and 41 "lean Democratic." This new map gives Clinton 273 electoral votes to Trump's 175, meaning she wins the White House even if she loses all six of the states we currently rate as "toss-ups," which are marked in gray. We've moved all states leaning or solidly for one party into their corresponding red or blue color. We are now less than 90 days before the election after all! Of the changes we've made since last month, almost all of them favor Clinton.Three states - Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Hampshire - all move from "toss-up" to "lean Democratic." Clinton holds leads of 9.2 points, 8 points and 8.2 points in the three states respectively, according to RealClearPolitics. Pennsylvania, in particular, is a major blow to Trump since, as recently as last month, polling suggested he was very competitive in the state. Pennsylvania's move away from Trump is of a piece with his ongoing struggles to make the broader Rust Belt competitive, with Michigan and Wisconsin continuing to look out of reach.We're also moving Georgia - and its 16 electoral votes - from "lean Republican" to "toss-up" amid several credible polls suggesting a close race. (Clinton actually has a 0.3 percentage point lead in the Peach State, according to Real Clear.) The Clinton campaign is also adding staff resources in Georgia.And we're adding Missouri and its 10 electoral votes onto our list of competitive states, with a "lean Republican" ranking. Polling suggests Trump holds a mid-single-digit lead, but his struggles with suburban Republicans in St. Louis and Kansas City make this a state worth watching.The lone piece of good news for Trump in our latest rankings is that we are moving Nevada from "lean Democratic" to "toss-up" given that polling shows a close race in the state. The problem for Trump is that Nevada's six electoral votes don't make up for, say, Pennsylvania's 20. Or Virginia's 13. Plan to further downsize Dhaka Division Staff Reporter : The government plans to downsize the Dhaka Division further in a bid to reach increased service to the people's doorstep. "Dhaka Division has already been spilt into two divisions -- Dhaka and Mymensingh. Now we are planning to downsize the Dhaka Division further to increase civic facilities," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina told a meeting relating to planning on the newly established Mymensingh Division at her office on Wednesday. She said the common people would get more services with the downsizing of the Dhaka Division further alongside expansion of the administration. "Administrative decentralization is a must to reach service to 16 crore people's doorstep. As Dhaka remained as the biggest division earlier with its 17 districts, it had been difficult to oversee all administrative work at a time," she said. "With the decentralization of power, it would be easier to render more services to common people, especially in the fields of administration, health, education," Prime Minister said. She said that Dhaka was a big division earlier with 17 districts. It is now being trimmed down with the creation of Mymensingh division. She added after downsizing the Dhaka Division further, the grassroots people would be benefited with enjoying more services. "As people always rush to Dhaka for everything, we can't assure them of providing all sorts of service," Sheikh Hasina said, asking to take prudent plan. The common people would get more services with the splitting of the division alongside the expansion of the administration, she said. The Prime Minister reiterated her government's commitment to strengthen further the local government system and said that it is very much essential to decentralize power. She also directed city planners to keep spaces for adequate water bodies and reservoirs for new townships. "The planners must keep in mind the issues of water logging and healthy environment while sketching their plan," she said. BSS adds: Sheikh Hasina said that with construction and development of necessary divisional infrastructures, the people of greater Mymensingh would have easier access to services more comfortably. With the establishment of Mymensingh division, she said, a modern and beautiful city would be established on the other bank of the River Brahmaputra. Referring to her decisions of constructing new office buildings and other establishments in the newly formed divisions like Rangpur and Sylhet, Sheikh Hasina said such decisions were proved appropriate. In continuation of this, she said, directives were issued by now to set up all establishments and offices in more open and wide areas on the other side of the river Brahmaputra in the newly-constituted Mymensingh Division. She said such steps would betaken to help develop better facilities for the people to receive services, while a new "eye catching modern township would also be developed there in a faster pace". The premier also renewed her vow to turn Bangladesh into a developed and prosperous 'Sonar Bangla' as dreamt by Bangabandhu. Agriculture Minister Begum Matia Chowdhury, Housing and Public Works Minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, Religious Affairs Minister Principal Matiur Rahman and State Minister for Textiles and Jute Mirza Azam were present at the meeting. Annoyed JS body to sit in closed door with BB men Heist investigation report not yet made public Sagar Biswas :The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertaking has decided to sit in a closed door meeting soon to discuss the investigation report prepared by a three-member team led by former central bank governor Dr Mohammed Farashuddin over reserve heist of Bangladesh Bank.In the meeting, only concerned officials of central bank would be invited. They would be asked to present at the meeting in time along with the investigation report, officials said on Wednesday.The annoyed JS body, in its 25th meeting held at Parliament Bhaban on Wednesday, took the tough decision when the Finance Ministry has started showing dilly-dally attitude about making the investigation report public."We've taken decision to sit in a closed door meeting to discuss the report. We're going to call the concerned officials of BB..The meeting will be held this month," Colonel Shawkat Ali, chairman of the committee, said.Nurul Majid Mamun Humayun, Muhibur Rahman Manik, Subid Ali Bhuiyan, Abdur Rouf and Advocate Navana Akter, among others, took part in the meeting. Besides, senior officials of concerned ministries and divisions were present. The investigation report was handed over to Finance Minister AMA Muhith on May 30. The minister at the time had said that the report would be made public after 'going through it', but it never saw the day light. It is worth to mention that, the head of investigation team had hinted about the involvement of central bank insiders in the report.Not only that, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance Ministry in its meeting on August 11 also expressed severe dissatisfaction over the issue.The finance committee had proposed the government to send a delegation to the Philippines to discuss the matter in the political circle apparently to make a way to bring back the recovered money to Bangladesh.Earlier in May, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Accounts also expressed its discontent over the BB heist and wanted to know the exact role of SWIFT, Federal Reserve Bank and Rizal Bank of Philippines in the incident. At the same time, the JS body recommended the government to punish the officials who are responsible for the heist. In the history's biggest bank heist, unknown hackers tried to swindle $1 billion from BB accounts with Federal Reserve Bank of New York using cyber technology and applying forged commands through Swift Messaging system.The hackers, however, managed to siphon off $81 million to an account in the Philippines using five messages. Besides, $20 million were moved to Sri Lanka through a different command.Coincidentally, the Sri Lankan transfer was stopped. But the Philippines transfer was successful. And the money made its way to casinos after conversion into the local currency. It is still seems impossible to be recovered. State terrorism on to annihilate opposition: BNP Staff Reporter :Secretary General of BNP Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday accused the government of nurturing 'state terrorism' in the country to eliminate the 'opposition. "There is no democracy, no human rights and no rule of law in the country. Bangladesh has virtually become a fascist country now," he said. Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said this at a financial assistance distribution programme held in the Sagar-Runi Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters' Unity. Jatiyatabadi Help Cell, a volunteer organisation, organised the programme and provided financial assistance to the family members of five Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) leaders who disappeared during the party's anti-government movement. The disappeared leaders are: Sutrapur Thana President Selim Reza Pintu, Dhaka City Ward No 71 unit Vice-President Md Chanchal, Barisal City Ward No 20 unit President Firoz Khan Kalu, Laxichap Union of Nilphamari district unit General Secretary Golam Rabbani and Bangla College JCD leader Md Akram. Vice-Chairman of BNP Md Shahjahan, Joint-Secretary General Khairul Kabir Khokon, Law Affairs Secretary Kaysar Kamal, Assistant Organising Secretary Shamsuzzaman Khan, Assistant Office Secretary Taiful Islam Tipu, Assistant Information and Research Secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury and JCD President Rajib Ahsan spoke at the programme, among others. Engineer Belal Hossain presided over the programme, while JCD Deputy-Information and Research Secretary Mamun Khan moderated it. Mentioning that the incidents of enforced disappearance began in the country in 2010, Mirza Fakhrul said, it is a crime against humanity.The BNP leader claimed that more than 1,000 leaders and activists were killed and about 500 disappeared, 1,000 were maimed and thousands of people sent to jail in the last seven years.Besides, he said, their leaders and activists are being tortured, attacked and even their land and businesses are being grabbed to establish a one-party rule destroying pluralism."It is unfortunate that the whole country has now become subservient to a particular party as all the institutions have been politicised," the BNP secretary general observed.To overcome it, he said, there is no second option than waging a popular united movement for the sake of democracy and people's voting and human rights.Turning to militancy, he said the government has turned down BNP's call for forging a national unity against militancy as it is trying to use the issue to make its political gain. "We've long been saying it won't be possible to eliminate extremism if the government uses it for its political gain."Criticising the government for killing the suspected militants in crossfire instead of gathering information from them, he said, the government will not be able to thwart militancy by only using force and resorting to crossfire."Terrorism and militancy must be tackled with democratic forces. There is a necessity for more freedom and more democracy to resist it. A democratic environment and freedom of expression must be restored to face the dangerous demon of militancy. But the government is deliberately avoiding it," he added.It may be mentioned that Jatiyatabadi Help Cell has so far gave financial assistance to the family members of 31 enforced disappearance victims in the last two years. Minister Nur brands IS as 'State of Israel' DU Correspondent : State Minister for Cultural Affairs Assaduzzaman Nur on Wednesday said, the meaning of the IS is not Islamic State, but the 'State of Israel'. I won't be surprised if I hear that Israel is the father of IS. He told this as the chief guest at a discussion programme organised to mark the National Mourning Day at the IBA auditorium on the Dhaka University (DU) campus. DU Vice-Chancellor Professor AAMS Arefine Siddique chaired the function, while DU Pro-VC (Administration) Professor M Aktaruzzaman, Treasurer Professor Kamal Uddin and Director of IBA KM Saiful Mazid spoke, among others. The minister said that IS carried attacks into the countries like Germany, France, Belgium, Turkey, Libya and Pakistan at a distance of thousands of miles away, but spare Israel, which is at doorstep. ``My question is why don't IS attack Israel?". Asaduzzaman Nur said I won't be surprised if I hear that Israel is the father of IS. IS wants to destroy all the Muslim countries. ``It is a global conspiracy and the powerful country like Israel has link with it.'' The DU VC said, there is no room for extremism in our country. Now we have to work together to build the nation with the ideals of Bangabandhu. DU Pro-VC said, the present government bears the ideals of Bangabandhu. If Bangabandhu had been alive, then Bangladesh would have become a country of the middle income group by 1980. 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. FBI agents were watching and recording when a powerful Louisiana prosecutor arrived at the apartment of a woman facing a drunken driving charge. FBI agents were watching and recording when a powerful Louisiana prosecutor arrived at the apartment of a woman facing a drunken driving charge. Bringing two bottles of wine, Harry Morel sat on her couch, discussed her case, and then began to grope her, authorities say. Harry Morel Image by Yahoo.com The video of that July 2012 encounter with Danelle Keim would finally help the FBI build a case against the man who served as St. Charles Parishs elected district attorney for more than three decades. But as Morel faces sentencing on Wednesday, the evidence also suggests how difficult it can be to balance the scales of justice. Federal and state authorities said Morel solicited sex from at least 20 women in exchange for favorable treatment. They even called him a sexual predator, but he wasnt charged with any sex crimes. So, Im an important guy? Morel asked as Keim tried to resist his sexual advances, according to a transcript filed in court. Important? Um, yeah, she said. Well, Morel said, then I need to order you to kiss me. Important was an understatement for Morel, who had been re-elected five times. According to the FBI and the local sheriff, the 73-year-old prosecutor repeatedly used his power to prey on vulnerable women. But as the patriarch of one of a handful of families with deep connections in politics and law enforcement, he was long considered untouchable in the swampy Louisiana parish, where roughly 50,000 live about 20 miles west of New Orleans. That began to change when Keim dialed 911, and her plea for help reached the FBI. Justice finally came calling for former St. Charles Parish District Attorney Harry Morel, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite said at an April news conference announcing his guilty plea, to a narrowly tailored charge of obstructing the federal investigation. Morel faces no more than three years in prison. That angers Keims mother, Tammy Glover, who hopes to address U.S. District Judge Kurt Engelhardt before he issues the sentence. She says Morel should have been charged and convicted of more serious offenses. Im not a physical person at all, but I just want him to hurt, she told The Associated Press in an interview at her home. Still, her disappointment doesnt overshadow her pride in her daughters courage. Shes our hero. Shes the hero of St. Charles Parish, Glover said. She went after the most powerful man in St. Charles Parish, and she got his ass. Keims undercover work would have made her a key government witness. Glover recalls how proud her daughter was in 2013 when she showed her a report in the Times-Picayune newspaper, which revealed that the FBI was investigating whether Morel had been trading leniency for sex with defendants or their relatives. That was my justice, Glover said. Less than 24 hours later, she was dead. The 27-year-old mother of a young son suffered from drug addiction, like most of the women Morel was accused of preying upon. Her overdose was yet another blow to a case that was challenging from the start. Keim had begun wearing a wire for the FBI after making the desperate 911 call to report Morel had sexually assaulted her at her home in April 2010, shortly after her drunken driving arrest. He grabbed me, he kissed me and he touched me in my private areas, she told a dispatcher, her voice trembling. He wanted me to take off my clothes. He wanted me to take my pants off so he can please me. Keim said Morel left after she pulled away from his kiss and that she worried it would be my word against his. The sheriffs office summoned the FBI. It wasnt the first such allegation about Morel to reach the agency. St. Charles Parish Sheriff Greg Champagne said he alerted the FBI after he was contacted in 2009 by a woman who claimed Morel told her that her husbands drunken driving charge could be taken care of if she would meet him at his camp in Mississippi to play while her husband was in jail. Polite said investigators suspect Morel preyed on women for decades, and he conceded that the full extent of his conduct may never be known. By title, he was the embodiment of justice, Polite said in April. However, in the darkness of his heart, he was something else entirely a man who perverted his position of power to take sexual advantage of desperate women who needed help. And he did this over and over and over again. Morels attorney, Ralph Capitelli, has accused law enforcement officials of engaging in character assassination and a smear campaign for releasing the 911 call and accusing Morel of conduct for which he hasnt been charged. Morel served as district attorney from 1979 to 2012, and retired after learning of the FBI and sheriffs investigations. At the time, he said he was stepping aside so that his daughter could run for judge free of conflicts of interest. Polites predecessor had balked at prosecuting Morel, who ultimately admitted to instructing Keim to destroy photographic evidence of their meetings. The plea deal effectively closed both the federal and state investigations, authorities said. Investigators tried to reach all of the women involved, and ultimately determined that the evidence was problematic, Polite said. Many of the cases happened too long ago to be prosecuted under state law. We had questions about whether the quid pro quo was explicit enough, he said. And many of the witnesses, he suggested, might not be seen as reliable by a jury, given their personal histories. Keims family said she was a good mother to her son, now 10, and battled through addiction to graduate from drug court and earn her GED. But the pressure of gathering evidence against Morel made her spiral mentally, said her 27-year-old sister, Tessie Keim. He made her feel like dirt, her sister said. He targeted these women specifically for who and what they were and where they were in their life. Keims mother and sister said they have heard from other victims who, despite Morels guilty plea, remain afraid to tell their stories. If he would have gotten what he deserved, maybe they would have come forward, Glover said. _ Associated Press Writer Juliet Linderman in Baltimore contributed to this story._ The bayou rises over the naked bank of the River Trace Townhomes at Oakbourne Photo by Robin May _[Editor's note: An earlier version of this story, we erred in recounting a statement by Greg Gerami.] _An unprotected river bank and a compromised earth berm, built as protection for a condo complex, hastened Vermilion River flooding into several homes just west along River Road Monday. City officials say that on Sunday they attempted to stop the floods flanking the city's barriers but could not get permission from the condo property owners to sandbag the area. Tempers flared between complex owners refusing sandbags and residents of the River Oaks neighborhood demanding them through Monday when the National Guard arrived. Ultimately authorized by the city, guardsmen stacked the sandbags atop and along the berms soaked dirt, abating the free-flowing waters and allowing the citys pump system south of the impact zone to begin pushing the water back into the bayou. Lafayette Consolidated Government Public Works Director Tom Carroll says the city, which does not own or maintain the naked river bank or privately constructed flood barriers along River Trace Townhomes at Oakbourne, sought permission from homeowners in the complex to sandbag a 100-foot stretch of eroded berm, but the homeowners declined. Residents of the townhomes were really apprehensive. Residents of neighborhood really wanted it done, says Carroll. It was a tense situation. The condo complex's residents told city officials that further barriers would cause water levels to rise into their homes by preventing the waters escape over the shrunken berm, which bisects the citys levee along the river bank. Not long after the sandbags were in place, the water level began to drop, but by then several homes had been damaged. After sandbags blockaded the Vermilion, water receded until clearing out of neighborhood yards Tuesday. Photo by Robin May Saturdays historic rains swelled the bayou to more than 17 feet, well over the elevation of the complexs unguarded riverbank, filling the developments parking lot with water but not penetrating condo thresholds. Greg Gerami, whose brick house is slung beneath the citys concrete barrier, packed up his belongings Saturday as the bayou rose fearing the city's levee would not hold back the water. "I figured [the water] was gonna breach it. Everybody was saying it wasnt, but I wasnt taking any chances," says Gerami. "Its never come close to coming over that wall. There was a flood over here eight years ago, but it wasnt from the river. It rained so much that they couldnt pump it out fast enough. View more photos for this story here. The city built the earth levee and retention wall adjacent to the River Oaks neighborhood in 1985, completing nearly a mile of levee protection that stretches from a Surrey Street pump station just west of the neighborhood and terminates at the River Trace boundary to the east. Property owners at the time did not permit the city to build the levee into the complex property, according to Mitch Wyble, a city engineer who served as project manager on the build. Sand bags line the eroded portion of earth berm, placed there by the National Guard against the wishes of condo owners. photo by Robin May While neighborhood properties took on water as early as Sunday, water levels did not threaten homes until spilling over the complexs unprotected bank and flushing over the perpendicular sunken berm, culminating with widespread flooding on Monday afternoon. As of Tuesday, yards had begun to drain and residents were returning to their homes to collect belongings or begin cleaning. Drums in standing water at Dockside Studio in Maurice Facebook.com/Cezanne Nails For generations, Louisianas natural beauty has inspired her people to create art in both visual and auditory means. But just as she gives, she takes away. And in return, her children sing odes to the suffering we face living so close to the brink. Randy Newmans Louisiana 1927 is the most well-known of these examples, but BeauSoleils LOuragan, Roddie Romero & The Hub City All-Stars It Aint Easy and Gulf Stream and a slew of post-Katrina and -Rita dirges and hymns also populate this list. The flood of 2016 will be no different. Yet, where there is creativity there is also the undeniable truth that Louisiana does not play favorites, even when it comes to those who make up her playlist. Two local studios from opposite ends of every spectrum one hidden away in rural Vermilion and catering to roots music, the other in a Lafayette suburb and vital to recording its alternative and hip-hop sounds were both hit by the flood waters that stared to rise on Aug. 12. A Hammond B-3 organ saved from the rising water at Dockside Facebook.com/Cezanne Nails Dockside Studios is a multi-building compound on the banks of the Vermilion River in Maurice that has been the site of eight Grammy-winning projects and has a client list that includes Sonny Landreth, Scarlett Johansson, Arcade Fire, B.B, King, Dr. John, GIVERS and many more well-known artists who were drawn to the studios renown Neve recording consoles. After seeing social media posts by its owner Cezanne Wish Nails and her son Dylan pulling consoles out of the darkened studio in un-airconditioned spaces she said smelled like turtles Dave Nezat put together a crew of musicians to help her and her husband Steve. Dockside is so important to not only the musicians of Acadiana, but to musicians around the world. We can not let a three-day storm take that away from us, says Nezat, reporting that Dockside took two feet of water in some places. Nezat also jokes he was being selfish, as his band Doublewide is set to record their second record at the studio. So, we have to get it resurrected. In Lafayette, Paul Broussard shares his home with his Leap Recording Studio. Broussard woke up to a squishy carpet making him at first think that he spilled a drink and a shock from his wet phone still plugged into its charger. With two to three feet of water and a loss to both household and studio items, the damage is in the $30,000 range. Just like the ebb and flow of Louisianas feisty climate, both Leap and Dockside look to be back. Broussard estimates to be down for upwards of three months. In the meantime, he hopes to record in other studios and has established a Go Fund Me account to offset his losses. Nezat estimates that it could take a month to get Dockside back in shape. We hope to be up and running soon, says Broussard, because we love recording great music. We Don't Need No Stinkin' Bonds! If that's what you're thinking, you may want to think again. If that's what you're thinking, you may want to think again. By Bo Billeaud Wednesday, June 18, 2014 As we all know, one of the outcomes of... Pre-purchase property inspection is a relatively new thing in the United Kingdom. Its not something that most people have heard about, but it has become increasingly popular over the last few years with the rise in property prices and increased demand for high quality homes. What are the benefits of pre-purchase building inspection? What can you expect to find out when you pay someone else to inspect your home before you buy it? And what should you look for during an inspection? Many people want to know if theyre buying a house thats been well maintained or if its had any serious problems. If youve found a place on the market that seems attractive, but then discover some issues after moving in, you may not be as excited about buying it as you thought you were. Its important to do your due diligence when looking at properties. A lot goes into making a property appealing to potential buyers, from the landscaping to the flooring to the kitchen appliances. The same applies when inspecting a property there are many things that need checking over to make sure everything is running smoothly. Here are some of the benefits of performing a pre-purchase inspection: You get to see exactly what will happen to your money When you go shopping for a new car, youll probably be shown several different models. You might even be shown one that looks like a great value, but doesnt fit around all of the extra features that you want. When it comes time to actually buy the vehicle, however, you wont have seen how your money will be spent on it once you drive it off the showroom floor. Likewise, when you shop for a new home, you dont really know what youre getting yourself into until you move in. In order to get a feel for whether the home youre considering is what you want, you normally have to spend quite a bit of time inside it. This allows you to learn more about everything that youre going to be spending your hard-earned cash on. A pre-purchase building inspection gives you much the same kind of experience without having to spend thousands of dollars. Since youre paying for the service, you can expect to see exactly what youre paying for, instead of just seeing a vague idea of what you might end up with. You find out about potential major repairs Some buildings are very expensive to maintain, which means that owners often neglect them for the sake of saving money. While youre paying for a building inspection, youre also paying for a professional who knows how to spot signs of trouble and repair work that needs doing. If you notice that a particular area of your new home needs fixing right away, you can call in an expert to take care of it quickly. If you find that theres something wrong with your boiler, you wont have to wait weeks for a plumber to come over and fix it. Instead, youll have access to a solution immediately. You can save hundreds of pounds by finding out about potential problems early on One of the biggest expenses when you first buy a home is the cost of moving in. Many people dont realize this until its too late. Buying a home involves not only paying for the actual house, but also for moving costs, furniture, and other items that have to be moved along with the home. Having a good idea ahead of time of what youre likely to encounter can help you avoid these kinds of costs. If you know youll need to replace the plumbing system, for example, youll be able to put together a budget for the expense and plan accordingly. You can protect your investment by finding out if the homes been well cared for While there are plenty of people who think that houses always look better when theyre newly built, youd be surprised at how well maintained older residences can still look nice. Sometimes, though, those homes need some additional maintenance to keep them looking their best. This could involve repairs that arent so noticeable or small improvements that you wouldnt consider otherwise. Even worse, some houses have fallen into disrepair without anyone noticing. This is why having a professional perform a building inspection prior to purchasing a home is such a big benefit. Not only will it give you insight into the state of the property, but it will also give you peace of mind knowing youre not getting taken advantage of. As long as youre aware of the potential pitfalls, youll have less reason to worry about the state of your new home. You can use information gathered during a building inspection to negotiate a lower price If youre worried about buying a home because you suspect that it may need extensive renovation work, you may already have a rough idea of how much work youll need to do to bring it up to scratch. That knowledge can come in handy if you decide to buy the home. You can use all of the details that you gather during a building inspection to present a realistic picture of what the home is worth to prospective buyers. If a potential buyer thinks that the home is worth more than what you paid for it, you can try negotiating a lower price. You can sell your home faster and for more money If you decide to list your home on the market soon after buying it, youll need to price it accurately in order to attract buyers. But if youve already done a thorough building inspection, youll know exactly what work is needed and what the current market conditions are. In other words, youll be able to make a more accurate estimate of the amount of money youve invested in the home and how much its worth. If you find that youre selling your house for close to its full market value, you can use this information to convince the potential buyer that your home is worth the asking price. Even if youre planning to stay in the home for a while before you decide to sell, the fact that you did a thorough building inspection will give you more confidence when listing it. Prospective buyers will know exactly what theyre paying for. Your home will hold its value longer As mentioned earlier, the value of a home depends heavily upon the condition of the building itself. If your home is in bad shape, potential buyers wont be interested in buying it. On the other hand, if youve performed a thorough building inspection and know what sort of repairs are necessary, you can offer your prospective buyer a compelling reason to invest in your property. When you buy a home, youre essentially agreeing to have it inspected periodically to ensure that it stays in top shape. Not only does this allow you to avoid expensive repairs down the road, but it can also increase the value of your home. You can make smart decisions about property investments Buying real estate isnt as simple as just driving a couple of minutes to pick up a house. There are lots of considerations involved, ranging from location to cost. The same is true when youre investing in property. If you find a house that meets all of your requirements, youll want to make sure that you have a solid understanding of where it stands with regards to the rest of the market. If you havent spent enough time researching the area, you could inadvertently end up with a bad deal. There are lots of resources available online that can help you determine the overall level of competition in your area. They can also help you figure out if there are any properties that meet your requirements that you didnt know about. If you own rental property, you can use the information to identify tenants who might cause damage If you own rental property and youve noticed that certain tenants consistently cause damage, you can use the results of a building inspection to identify them. You can then contact them directly to let them know that youre watching them closely and that you dont appreciate the problem theyre causing. They might start taking better care of their homes, which would be good news for everyone. It could also be the case that youll find out that theyre responsible for previous damages that werent caught during a previous visit. You can make smarter decisions about hiring contractors If youve hired contractors to build or repair your home, you might want to ask them for references. However, unless you perform a thorough building inspection, you might not know exactly what to look for. For instance, maybe you only checked the roof for leaks or the walls for cracks. You might not have looked underneath the foundation for anything that could cause a future issue. By performing a building inspection, you can ensure that you hire reputable contractors who will be trustworthy with your money. You can avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition Of course, the main benefit of structural inspections perth is that it helps you avoid purchasing a home thats in poor condition. Before you make the decision to buy a home, you should do whatever you can to find out about the state of the building. You can also ask your realtor about what sorts of inspections are typically recommended. Some agents say that its standard practice to check the heating system, the roof, the electrical wiring, and the floors. Others will tell you that they recommend that you check the entire structure. Either way, if you choose to hire an inspector, youll find out exactly what needs to be fixed and how much it will cost to do so. As a result, it can be concluded that a pre-purchase building inspection is highly important for the buyers because it provides transparency regarding the current conditions of the structure. Additionally, the building owner is made aware of any upgrades or repairs that are required, which could lead to a fair deal throughout the purchasing and selling process. Paris, TX (75460) Today Showers and thundershowers this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. Low around 55F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Locally heavy rainfall possible.. Tonight Showers and thundershowers this evening will give way to steady rain overnight. Low around 55F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected. Locally heavy rainfall possible. Hurricane Update: Fears arise that Gov. Ron DeSantis may reroute Hurricane Ian from Florida coast to Martha's Vineyard Study: People who define themselves by what they stand against, are usually afraid to tell people what they stand for Liz Cheney: Voters need to ask themselves, why they are so out of touch with their politicians White House: IRS toy guns for children are now politically correct, mandatory BREAKING: Biden's economic sanctions on the U.S. to be partially lifted prior to November election GOP's new slogan for midterms: Make Dissent Patriotic Again PSA: Due to high gas prices police departments will now be responding and making arrests via Zoom. NYT: Roe vs Wade to be renamed the "Don't Say Fetus" law Democrats insist on carrying unwanted presidency to term Elon Musk went to bed thinking he owns Twitter. Then the mail-in ballots arrived at 2am... Obama: "If you like your information you can keep your information" Fact checkers reveal Biden handler not a real Easter bunny Biden 2021: you'll save $0.16 on 4th of July BBQ! Biden 2022: you'll save a ton of $$ if you don't eat this 4th of July! Disney to buy Epstein Island for new theme park The Biology Underground is like the Weather Underground, except they are real biologists and they've had to go underground "Psssst. Hey you, kid. Ya wanna watch a Disney movie with me?" "I am not suicidal," says COVID-19 after being contracted by Hillary Clinton Trans-swimmer Lia Thomas's trophy is smaller than for male swimmers, and only 73% gold Sources: U.S. now considers majority of U.S. citizens a threat to U.S. BREAKING: Russian General claims he was beaten up outside Ukrainian bio lab by two Nazis who poured vodka and caviar over him and yelled "This is NATO Country!" Global warming news: 100,000 Russian migrants fleeing climate change about to march into Ukraine Future headline: Donald Trump to buy CNN for one dollar Georgia Governor Stacy Abrams feels honored to be the new Supreme Court justice President Biden: 'Vote for me or I'll shoot this foot' Fact checkers give Pinocchio's speech four Bidens Fauci: The only thing we have to fear, is a lack of fear itself! Study: Most people have had sex more violent than January 6th Facebook permanently bans Facebook from Facebook for violating Facebook community standards New remake of the 1950's horror movie Them to be titled Them/They Teachers Union: Idea that CRT is being taught in K-12 just a conspiracy theory by white supremacists trying to maintain their systemically racist police state Xze/She/He who controls the past controls the future; Xze/She/He who controls the present controls the past S ocialists vow to fight against Critical Socialism Theory A more perfect Soviet Union: the Party pretends it unites us, and we pretend we are united Biden solves border crisis with free direct flights from Central America to major metropolitan areas Critical race theory: destroy the world of systemic racism, build a world of systemic race-baiting In the future everyone will get canceled for fifteen minutes Biden proposes bill to spend two trillion dollars on more money printing factories Social unity: They pretend to hold elections and we pretend we voted Immigrants to Texas and Florida from New York and California break down and cry when they realize all their sacrifices for a better tomorrow were based on lies China anal swabs detect new 'silent but deadly' transmission of covid-19 variant Social science breakthrough: 'White' is the new way of saying 'Bourgeois' Biden administration swat teams make sweeping arrests of underground female-only track meets 'Green energy' to be renamed 'blackout energy' for easier comprehension of climate complexities New children's game: Rock, Paper, Scissors, Science Texas: Biden administration sends emergency wind turbines to help fight the blackouts BREAKING: Biden signs executive order canceling the number 45 ATTENTION: It is your duty to report anyone who says this is no longer a free country. Fact-checking commissars are monitoring all state-approved social media platforms for your convenience OUT: If you don't vote, you can't complain! IN: If you didn't vote Democrat, you can't complain! Social media justice: followers removed from pro-Trump accounts will be added to Biden's Twitter account Fact check: a democratic election is the one in which votes are counted until Democrats win JUST IN: China bans Twitter for being too totalitarian Pelosi introduces new House rule to replace 'gender' terms like mother, daughter, father, son with the word 'comrade'; the only acceptable pronoun will also be 'comrade' Sources: Biden transition team demands access to White House basement to begin renovations BREAKING: President Trump pardons America for its past Prime Minister Modi: to avoid accusations of racism India will change its name to Cleveland Biden creates Antifascist Librarian Justice Committee; the first book scheduled for burning is Fahrenheit 451 Media study: 148% of Americans believe voter fraud doesn't exist 2020 Election forecast: if Joe Biden emerges from the basement on Election Day and sees his shadow, expect four more years of Trump BREAKING: President Trump pardons Corn Pop Toobin, though on administrative leave, is still pulling for Biden Chinese whistleblower: Biden-20 was genetically engineered in a Wuhan lab Nancy Pelosi sponsors a bill to create the office of removal of the President New college humanities major: Critical Trump Studies Opinion: Joe Biden is just an idea CNN: Biden took a solid second place in the debate, while Trump only came next to last Having ordered that all Californians switch to electric cars by 2035, Gov. Gavin Newsom follows up by mandating them to have electricity by 2035 Election 2020: Joe Biden pledges to a peaceful post-election transfer of power to George Soros Out: Flatten the curve. In: Flatten the country. Breaking: the Democrat Party has finished transitioning from being the party of JFK to being the party of Lee Harvey Oswald Paradigm shift in Chromatics: Study shows Indigo (#3F00FF) mixed with Jamaic (#C0FF01) yields Black (#000000) Study: the trouble with wokeism is eventually you run out of victims Stacey Abrams refuses to concede to Harris; declares herself Biden's VP Election 2020: Spunky former presidential candidate wins VP slot by a head Churches in many states to hold services in opened up pubs and bars Election 2020: Xi Jinping still undecided on vice president for Joe Biden Reports: Republicans pounce on 'Republicans pounce' reports Minneapolis launches online looting app to combat Covid-19 DNC study finds lockdowns no longer necessary as the economy is now being destroyed more effectively by looters and rioters With America in lockdown, China offers to host Democrat primary Bernie Sanders tests negative for President In related news, Joe Biden follows other candidates in withdrawing from race and endorsing Joe Biden New York Governor Cuomo shuts down all 'non-essential' business, surprised to find himself out of a job Biden commits to picking a woman as running mate as long as she passes his sniff test Joe Biden's coronavirus prevention tips: always rub hand sanitizer on young girls before sniffing and fondling them Russian lawmakers warned that the American Democrats are meddling to re-elect Putin Joe Biden promises lucrative board member jobs as door prizes to get people to his rallies Democrats now worried they might even lose the illegal alien vote Soleimani's remains FedExed back to Iran and now no one knows what happened to the box BREAKING: massive search underway in Iran after Soleimani's boxed FedEx'd remains stolen off front porch Liz Warren harshly critical of Biden's suggestion to coal miners that they should learn to code, offers to have them trained as romance novelists instead Pelosi: "First we have to impeach Donald Trump before we can find out why we impeached him." Schiff calls his Amazon Alexa to testify: 'She knows absolutely everything' Iran answers to new Reagan statue in Berlin by erecting Obama statue at Tehran airport where he delivered pallets of cash California accepts award for most progressive environmental policies; further progressive developments to be announced as blackouts permit BREAKING: Romney DNA test reveals he is 1/1024th Republican California Governor Gavin Newsom blames electricity blackouts on Ukrainian kulaks, vows revenge Rat falling from White House ceiling fears for his life, begs reporters for protection, offers a tell-all memoir Latest UN climate report shows this month so far has seen the scariest climate pronouncements on record Climate science: there's no need for climate protests in China because China is already communist Islamic clerics split on whether Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib should be traveling around the world without an accompanying male relative Dem candidates call for the Beatles' song 'Get Back' and the 'White Album' to be banned; surviving two white guys of the group must pay reparations Bond's number is up: next 007 will be a black woman, played by Barack Obama NYT: moon landing was one small step for Man, one giant leap for White Male Supremacy HURRICANE WATCH: Tropical storm Barry has records sealed, once offshore expected to change name to Barack Trump politicizes the 4th of July, declares it henceforth to be called the 45th of July, or July the Trumpth Barack Obama critical of Trump for failing to insert 'I, me, my' into his 4th of July speech: "very unpresidential!" Congressional Democrats: John Dean's testimony proves Trump is Nixon in disguise and must be impeached Bernie Sanders admits to being a millionaire, promises to eat himself if nominated International Women's Day observed, women only paid 73% of attention afforded to men Democrats: anti-Semitism means never having to say you're sorry AOC: aborting babies helps preserve the planet for the next generation Bernie Sanders launches presidential campaign, promises to "build a great big beautiful Iron Curtain" around America if elected West Virginia renames itself Eastern Kentucky to avoid further embarrassment from Virginia BREAKING: Justice Ginsburg released from hospital after breaking 3 ribs at late night bar brawl in Adams Morgan DNA news: Senator Warren tanking in latest totem polls Orwell studies: 84% of academics believe problems raised in 1984 can be fixed with solutions from Animal Farm Progress in gender justice: online dating industry issues recommendations for men to wear body cameras, bring attorneys as chaperones Study: the only people who don't know what socialism is are the socialists Poll: 1 in 3 #FightFor15 activists believe movement is related to lowering the age of consent across America CNN expert: Kavanaugh confirmation will increase global warming by 3 degrees Harry Reid comes forth to say Judge Kavanaugh didn't pay any taxes in high school Hollywood to America: If you've got a flag on the Moon, you didn't plant that; some other country made that happen Protest march in straight jackets against Trump ends in chaos as participants try but fail to free themselves HEADLINES YOU WILL NEVER SEE: California Gov. Jerry Brown single-handedly stops wildfires in his state by issuing an immediate statewide ban on wildfires San Francisco closes all Planned Parenthood clinics after sting operation catches employees using plastic straws Vegan mother undergoes experimental surgery to force her breasts to produce almond milk With none of his emails answered, frustrated Nigerian man commits suicide and leaves $100bn fortune to charity California gives new meaning to strawman argument as caped Strawman battles supervillains in restaurants, bars, and fast food joints Violence increases in Mexico as cartels switch from smuggling drugs to plastic straws to San Francisco Obama proposes a Paris Economic Change agreement among nations to address how world will cope with future runaway economic warming Stormy Daniels plans border visit to give migrant children freebies San Francisco: man dumping off 20 lbs of human waste in plastic bag on street corner cited for using non-biodegradable plastic bag BREAKING: ICE renamed Planned Citizenship, immediately absolving it of all criticism Senate Democrats demand Supreme Court nominee not be unduly influenced by U.S. Constitution BREAKING: In 2018, Obama and Biden can finally celebrate Recovery Summer IG Report: the FBI broke the law, but since there was no criminal intent, no reasonable prosecutor would bring such a case Pelosi on Trump's MS-13 "animals" comments: "Four legs good, two legs bad" Iran nuclear talks set to resume between the United States and John Kerry Report: The Mueller investigation has finally determined that the lyrics to Louie Louie are not about Trump and Russian collusion MARKETS: Demand for carbon credits spikes as Hamas seeks to undo damage to Earth's atmosphere caused by burning 10,000 tires on Gaza border BREAKING: After state reassignment surgery Pennsylvania will henceforth be known as Transylvania Experts: If we don't act now, unicorns will be extinct in just ten years. Children will ask, "Mommy, what's a unicorn?" Women and minorities will be forced to seek alternative hallucinations Korean war must continue: Hawaiian federal judge declares Trump's peace effort unconstitutional New York: feminists march on Broadway, demand the street be given new, non-misogynistic name Experts: California's planned transition of all state jobs from citizens to illegal aliens by 2020 will help to avoid bankruptcy and save money for social programs for illegal aliens Putin: If I didn't want Hillary to be president she would be dead Doritos maker PepsiCo to introduce snack line for women; new Doritas chips will be 77% as big as Doritos and won't make any scary 'crunchy noises' TMZ: Tooth Fairy accused of sexually assaulting millions of children, outs self as Transgendered Tooth Recovery Specialist RUSSIA COLLUSION: Trump offers Putin to trade Rep. Maxine Waters for two unnamed members of the State Duma Ikea founder dead at 91; his coffin arrived in a box with confusing instructions and took 3 hours to assemble This Thanksgiving ex-president Obama continues with his tradition of apologizing to turkeys everywhere for the injustice they suffered since America's founding Oslo, Norway: 2017 Nobel Peace Prize goes to advocacy group about which you'll forget immediately after reading this headline Cambridge, MA, library to replace racist 'Cat in the Hat' with inclusive 'Che in a Beret' Millions of men worldwide eagerly await broadcast of Hugh Hefner's funeral, solely for the articles Bill Gates offers to pay for Trump's wall on condition he gets to install Windows Bernie Sanders introduces single-payer public transportation bill to end America's unequal, unfair, and expensive private transportation system DNC embroiled in controversy after official Twitter account accidentally 'likes' pictures of US Constitution and Bill of Rights Hurricane Irma hits Cuba, causes millions of dollars worth of improvements to property and infrastructure Climate study: extreme weather may be caused by unlicensed witches casting wrong spells in well-meaning effort to destroy Trump Ex-president Obama declares Irma "Hurricane of Peace," urges not to jump to conclusions and succumb to stormophobia CNN: Trump reverses Obama's executive order banning hurricanes ISIS claims responsibility for a total solar eclipse over the lands of American crusaders and nonbelievers When asked if they could point to North Korea on a map many college students didn't know what a map was CNN: We must bring America into the 21st century by replacing the 18th century Constitution with 19th century poetry Pelosi: 'We have to impeach the president in order to find out what we impeached him for' BREAKING: As of Saturday July 8, 2017, all of Earth's ecosystems have shut down as per Prince Charles's super scientific pronouncement made 96 months ago. Everything is dead. All is lost. Life on Earth is no more. DNC to pick new election slogan out of four finalists: 'Give us more government or everyone dies,' 'Vote for Democrats or everyone dies,' 'Impeach Trump or everyone dies,' 'Stop the fearmongering or everyone dies' Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power" is humanity's last chance to save the Earth before it ends five years ago Experts: The more we embrace diversity the more everything is the same BOMBSHELL: TMZ offers Kathy Griffin $5 mil to keep any future sex tape private DEVELOPING: CNN, WaPo, NYT anonymous sources say Vladimir Putin may have ties to Russia BREAKING: Manning and Snowden have come out with strong condemnation of Donald Trump leaking classified information to Russia Gun store goes into lockdown over report an "active university professor" roving the grounds Dozens injured at Ralph Lauren & Louis Vuitton headquarters after Ivanka calls in missile strikes on rival fashion houses BOMBSHELL: Evidence proves Donald Trump conspired with his campaign to defeat Hillary Clinton University ranked "very intolerant of free speech" fights the accusation by banning the study and all involved Concerned that Russians don't consume enough alcohol in the month of March, Russia's Orthodox Church makes St. Patrick's Day official holiday Grassroots group calls for "The Million Regulators March" on Washington, supported by all who fear the loss of their betters telling them what to do Experts: Starbucks CEO Schultz's hiring of 10,000 Muslim refugees likely to blow up in his face Will the groundprog be frightened by its own shadow and hide - or will there be another season of insane protests? Trump signs executive order making California and New York national monuments; residents have two days to vacate Women's March against fascism completed with 400,000 fewer deaths than anticipated Feminist historians uncover ghastly concentration camps where so-called "housewives" were forced to live inauthentic lives slaving away in kitchens Dictionary of the future: Global Warming was a popular computer simulation game, where the only way to win was not to play "Anti-fascist" groups violently protest misspelling of their original name, "aren't-we-fascists" Post-inauguration blues: millions of democrats distraught as the reality of having to find real jobs sets in "Journalism is the continuation of war by other means" is exposed as a fake quote by mainstream media journalists Congressional Democrats: "We cannot just simply replace Obamacare with freedom because then millions of Americans will suddenly become free" Schoolchildren jailed for building only white snowmen Obama's reckless attacks on Russia serve as recruitment tool to create more Russian hackers Hillary: "I lost, so I'm going to follow our democratic traditions, poison the wells, and scorch the earth" Children in Venezuela cook and eat their Christmas toys Hillary: "I can hack Russia from my bathroom" Hillary suggests to counter "fake news" with government newspaper called "Truth" ("Pravda" for Russian speakers) BREAKING: Millions of uncounted votes found on Hillary's private voting machine in her Chappaqua bathroom New York Times: Fidel Castro world's sexiest corpse After years of trial and error, CIA finally succeeds with the "waiting it out" technique on Fidel Castro Post-election shopping tip: look for the PoliticsFree label at your local grocer to make sure you don't buy from companies that don't want your business anymore In Hillary's America, email server scrubs you Obama transfers his Nobel Peace Prize to anti-Trump rioters Democrats blame Hillary's criminal e-mail server for her loss, demand it face prison Afraid of "dangerous" Trump presidency, protesters pre-emptively burn America down to the ground Clinton Foundation in foreclosure as foreign donors demand refunds Hillary Clinton blames YouTube video for unexpected and spontaneous voter uprising that prevented her inevitable move into the White House Sudden rise in sea levels explained by disproportionately large tears shed by climate scientists in the aftermath of Trump's electoral victory FBI director Comey delighted after receiving Nobel Prize for Speed Reading (650,000 emails in one week) U.N. deploys troops to American college campuses in order to combat staggeringly low rape rates Responding to Trump's surging poll numbers, Obama preemptively pardons himself for treason Following hurricane Matthew's failure to devastate Florida, activists flock to the Sunshine State and destroy Trump signs manually Tim Kaine takes credit for interrupting hurricane Matthew while debating weather in Florida Study: Many non-voters still undecided on how they're not going to vote The Evolution of Dissent: on November 8th the nation is to decide whether dissent will stop being racist and become sexist - or it will once again be patriotic as it was for 8 years under George W. Bush Venezuela solves starvation problem by making it mandatory to buy food Breaking: the Clinton Foundation set to investigate the FBI Obama captures rare Pokemon while visiting Hiroshima Movie news: 'The Big Friendly Giant Government' flops at box office; audiences say "It's creepy" Barack Obama: "If I had a son, he'd look like Micah Johnson" White House edits Orlando 911 transcript to say shooter pledged allegiance to NRA and Republican Party President George Washington: 'Redcoats do not represent British Empire; King George promotes a distorted version of British colonialism' Following Obama's 'Okie-Doke' speech, stock of Okie-Doke soars; NASDAQ: 'Obama best Okie-Doke salesman' Weaponized baby formula threatens Planned Parenthood office; ACLU demands federal investigation of Gerber Experts: melting Antarctic glacier could cause sale levels to rise up to 80% off select items by this weekend Travel advisory: airlines now offering flights to front of TSA line As Obama instructs his administration to get ready for presidential transition, Trump preemptively purchases 'T' keys for White House keyboards John Kasich self-identifies as GOP primary winner, demands access to White House bathroom Upcoming Trump/Kelly interview on FoxNews sponsored by 'Let's Make a Deal' and 'The Price is Right' News from 2017: once the evacuation of Lena Dunham and 90% of other Hollywood celebrities to Canada is confirmed, Trump resigns from presidency: "My work here is done" Non-presidential candidate Paul Ryan pledges not to run for president in new non-presidential non-ad campaign Trump suggests creating 'Muslim database'; Obama symbolically protests by shredding White House guest logs beginning 2009 National Enquirer: John Kasich's real dad was the milkman, not mailman National Enquirer: Bound delegates from Colorado, Wyoming found in Ted Cruzs basement Iran breaks its pinky-swear promise not to support terrorism; US State Department vows rock-paper-scissors strategic response Women across the country cheer as racist Democrat president on $20 bill is replaced by black pro-gun Republican Federal Reserve solves budget crisis by writing itself a 20-trillion-dollar check Widows, orphans claim responsibility for Brussels airport bombing Che Guevara's son hopes Cuba's communism will rub off on US, proposes a long list of people the government should execute first Susan Sarandon: "I don't vote with my vagina." Voters in line behind her still suspicious, use hand sanitizer Campaign memo typo causes Hillary to court 'New Black Panties' vote New Hampshire votes for socialist Sanders, changes state motto to "Live FOR Free or Die" Martin O'Malley drops out of race after Iowa Caucus; nation shocked with revelation he has been running for president Statisticians: one out of three Bernie Sanders supporters is just as dumb as the other two Hillary campaign denies accusations of smoking-gun evidence in her emails, claims they contain only smoking-circumstantial-gun evidence Obama stops short of firing US Congress upon realizing the difficulty of assembling another group of such tractable yes-men In effort to contol wild passions for violent jihad, White House urges gun owners to keep their firearms covered in gun burkas TV horror live: A Charlie Brown Christmas gets shot up on air by Mohammed cartoons Democrats vow to burn the country down over Ted Cruz statement, 'The overwhelming majority of violent criminals are Democrats' Russia's trend to sign bombs dropped on ISIS with "This is for Paris" found response in Obama administration's trend to sign American bombs with "Return to sender" University researchers of cultural appropriation quit upon discovery that their research is appropriation from a culture that created universities Archeologists discover remains of what Barack Obama has described as unprecedented, un-American, and not-who-we-are immigration screening process in Ellis Island Mizzou protests lead to declaring entire state a "safe space," changing Missouri motto to "The don't show me state" Green energy fact: if we put all green energy subsidies together in one-dollar bills and burn them, we could generate more electricity than has been produced by subsidized green energy State officials improve chances of healthcare payouts by replacing ObamaCare with state lottery NASA's new mission to search for racism, sexism, and economic inequality in deep space suffers from race, gender, and class power struggles over multibillion-dollar budget College progress enforcement squads issue schematic humor charts so students know if a joke may be spontaneously laughed at or if regulations require other action ISIS opens suicide hotline for US teens depressed by climate change and other progressive doomsday scenarios Virginia county to close schools after teacher asks students to write 'death to America' in Arabic 'Wear hijab to school day' ends with spontaneous female circumcision and stoning of a classmate during lunch break ISIS releases new, even more barbaric video in an effort to regain mantle from Planned Parenthood Impressed by Fox News stellar rating during GOP debates, CNN to use same formula on Democrat candidates asking tough, pointed questions about Republicans Shocking new book explores pros and cons of socialism, discovers they are same people Pope outraged by Planned Parenthood's "unfettered capitalism," demands equal redistribution of baby parts to each according to his need John Kerry accepts Iran's "Golden Taquiyya" award, requests jalapenos on the side Citizens of Pluto protest US government's surveillance of their planetoid and its moons with New Horizons space drone John Kerry proposes 3-day waiting period for all terrorist nations trying to acquire nuclear weapons Chicago Police trying to identify flag that caused nine murders and 53 injuries in the city this past weekend Cuba opens to affordable medical tourism for Americans who can't afford Obamacare deductibles State-funded research proves existence of Quantum Aggression Particles (Heterons) in Large Hadron Collider Student job opportunities: make big bucks this summer as Hillarys Ordinary-American; all expenses paid, travel, free acting lessons Experts debate whether Iranian negotiators broke John Kerry's leg or he did it himself to get out of negotiations Junior Varsity takes Ramadi, advances to quarterfinals US media to GOP pool of candidates: 'Knowing what we know now, would you have had anything to do with the founding of the United States?' NY Mayor to hold peace talks with rats, apologize for previous Mayor's cowboy diplomacy China launches cube-shaped space object with a message to aliens: "The inhabitants of Earth will steal your intellectual property, copy it, manufacture it in sweatshops with slave labor, and sell it back to you at ridiculously low prices" Progressive scientists: Truth is a variable deduced by subtracting 'what is' from 'what ought to be' Experts agree: Hillary Clinton best candidate to lessen percentage of Americans in top 1% America's attempts at peace talks with the White House continue to be met with lies, stalling tactics, and bad faith Starbucks new policy to talk race with customers prompts new hashtag #DontHoldUpTheLine Hillary: DELETE is the new RESET Charlie Hebdo receives Islamophobe 2015 award; the cartoonists could not be reached for comment due to their inexplicable, illogical deaths Russia sends 'reset' button back to Hillary: 'You need it now more than we do' Barack Obama finds out from CNN that Hillary Clinton spent four years being his Secretary of State President Obama honors Leonard Nimoy by taking selfie in front of Starship Enterprise Police: If Obama had a convenience store, it would look like Obama Express Food Market Study finds stunning lack of racial, gender, and economic diversity among middle-class white males NASA: We're 80% sure about being 20% sure about being 17% sure about being 38% sure about 2014 being the hottest year on record People holding '$15 an Hour Now' posters sue Democratic party demanding raise to $15 an hour for rendered professional protesting services Cuba-US normalization: US tourists flock to see Cuba before it looks like the US and Cubans flock to see the US before it looks like Cuba White House describes attacks on Sony Pictures as 'spontaneous hacking in response to offensive video mocking Juche and its prophet' CIA responds to Democrat calls for transparency by releasing the director's cut of The Making Of Obama's Birth Certificate Obama: 'If I had a city, it would look like Ferguson' Biden: 'If I had a Ferguson (hic), it would look like a city' Obama signs executive order renaming 'looters' to 'undocumented shoppers' Ethicists agree: two wrongs do make a right so long as Bush did it first The aftermath of the 'War on Women 2014' finds a new 'Lost Generation' of disillusioned Democrat politicians, unable to cope with life out of office White House: Republican takeover of the Senate is a clear mandate from the American people for President Obama to rule by executive orders Nurse Kaci Hickox angrily tells reporters that she won't change her clocks for daylight savings time Democratic Party leaders in panic after recent poll shows most Democratic voters think 'midterm' is when to end pregnancy Desperate Democratic candidates plead with Obama to stop backing them and instead support their GOP opponents Ebola Czar issues five-year plan with mandatory quotas of Ebola infections per each state based on voting preferences Study: crony capitalism is to the free market what the Westboro Baptist Church is to Christianity Fun facts about world languages: the Left has more words for statism than the Eskimos have for snow African countries to ban all flights from the United States because "Obama is incompetent, it scares us" Nobel Peace Prize controversy: Hillary not nominated despite having done even less than Obama to deserve it Obama: 'Ebola is the JV of viruses' BREAKING: Secret Service foils Secret Service plot to protect Obama Revised 1st Amendment: buy one speech, get the second free Sharpton calls on white NFL players to beat their women in the interests of racial fairness President Obama appoints his weekly approval poll as new national security adviser Obama wags pen and phone at Putin; Europe offers support with powerful pens and phones from NATO members White House pledges to embarrass ISIS back to the Stone Age with a barrage of fearsome Twitter messages and fatally ironic Instagram photos Obama to fight ISIS with new federal Terrorist Regulatory Agency Obama vows ISIS will never raise their flag over the eighteenth hole Harry Reid: "Sometimes I say the wong thing" Elian Gonzalez wishes he had come to the U.S. on a bus from Central America like all the other kids Obama visits US-Mexican border, calls for a two-state solution Obama draws "blue line" in Iraq after Putin took away his red crayon "Hard Choices," a porno flick loosely based on Hillary Clinton's memoir and starring Hillary Hellfire as a drinking, whoring Secretary of State, wildly outsells the flabby, sagging original Accusations of siding with the enemy leave Sgt. Bergdahl with only two options: pursue a doctorate at Berkley or become a Senator from Massachusetts Jay Carney stuck in line behind Eric Shinseki to leave the White House; estimated wait time from 15 min to 6 weeks 100% of scientists agree that if man-made global warming were real, "the last people we'd want to help us is the Obama administration" Jay Carney says he found out that Obama found out that he found out that Obama found out that he found out about the latest Obama administration scandal on the news "Anarchy Now!" meeting turns into riot over points of order, bylaws, and whether or not 'kicking the #^@&*! ass' of the person trying to speak is or is not violence Obama retaliates against Putin by prohibiting unionized federal employees from dating hot Russian girls online during work hours Russian separatists in Ukraine riot over an offensive YouTube video showing the toppling of Lenin statues "Free Speech Zones" confuse Obamaphone owners who roam streets in search of additional air minutes Obamacare bolsters employment for professionals with skills to convert meth back into sudafed Gloves finally off: Obama uses pen and phone to cancel Putin's Netflix account Joe Biden to Russia: "We will bury you by turning more of Eastern Europe over to your control!" In last-ditch effort to help Ukraine, Obama deploys Rev. Sharpton and Rev. Jackson's Rainbow Coalition to Crimea Al Sharpton: "Not even Putin can withstand our signature chanting, 'racist, sexist, anti-gay, Russian army go away'!" Mardi Gras in North Korea: "Throw me some food!" Obama's foreign policy works: "War, invasion, and conquest are signs of weakness; we've got Putin right where we want him" US offers military solution to Ukraine crisis: "We will only fight countries that have LGBT military" Putin annexes Brighton Beach to protect ethnic Russians in Brooklyn, Obama appeals to UN and EU for help The 1980s: "Mr. Obama, we're just calling to ask if you want our foreign policy back. The 1970s are right here with us, and they're wondering, too." In a stunning act of defiance, Obama courageously unfriends Putin on Facebook MSNBC: Obama secures alliance with Austro-Hungarian Empire against Russias aggression in Ukraine Study: springbreak is to STDs what April 15th is to accountants Efforts to achieve moisture justice for California thwarted by unfair redistribution of snow in America North Korean voters unanimous: "We are the 100%" Leader of authoritarian gulag-site, The People's Cube, unanimously 're-elected' with 100% voter turnout Super Bowl: Obama blames Fox News for Broncos' loss Feminist author slams gay marriage: "a man needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle" Beverly Hills campaign heats up between Henry Waxman and Marianne Williamson over the widening income gap between millionaires and billionaires in their district Biden to lower $10,000-a-plate Dinner For The Homeless to $5,000 so more homeless can attend Kim becomes world leader, feeds uncle to dogs; Obama eats dogs, becomes world leader, America cries uncle North Korean leader executes own uncle for talking about Obamacare at family Christmas party White House hires part-time schizophrenic Mandela sign interpreter to help sell Obamacare Kim Jong Un executes own "crazy uncle" to keep him from ruining another family Christmas OFA admits its advice for area activists to give Obamacare Talk at shooting ranges was a bad idea President resolves Obamacare debacle with executive order declaring all Americans equally healthy Obama to Iran: "If you like your nuclear program, you can keep your nuclear program" Bovine community outraged by flatulence coming from Washington DC Obama: "I'm not particularly ideological; I believe in a good pragmatic five-year plan" Shocker: Obama had no knowledge he'd been reelected until he read about it in the local newspaper last week Server problems at HealthCare.gov so bad, it now flashes 'Error 808' message NSA marks National Best Friend Day with official announcement: "Government is your best friend; we know you like no one else, we're always there, we're always willing to listen" Al Qaeda cancels attack on USA citing launch of Obamacare as devastating enough The President's latest talking point on Obamacare: "I didn't build that" Dizzy with success, Obama renames his wildly popular healthcare mandate to HillaryCare Carney: huge ObamaCare deductibles won't look as bad come hyperinflation Washington Redskins drop 'Washington' from their name as offensive to most Americans Poll: 83% of Americans favor cowboy diplomacy over rodeo clown diplomacy GOVERNMENT WARNING: If you were able to complete ObamaCare form online, it wasn't a legitimate gov't website; you should report online fraud and change all your passwords Obama administration gets serious, threatens Syria with ObamaCare Obama authorizes the use of Vice President Joe Biden's double-barrel shotgun to fire a couple of blasts at Syria Sharpton: "British royals should have named baby 'Trayvon.' By choosing 'George' they sided with white Hispanic racist Zimmerman" DNC launches 'Carlos Danger' action figure; proceeds to fund a charity helping survivors of the Republican War on Women Nancy Pelosi extends abortion rights to the birds and the bees Hubble discovers planetary drift to the left Obama: 'If I had a daughter-in-law, she would look like Rachael Jeantel' FISA court rubberstamps statement denying its portrayal as government's rubber stamp Every time ObamaCare gets delayed, a Julia somewhere dies GOP to Schumer: 'Force full implementation of ObamaCare before 2014 or Dems will never win another election' Obama: 'If I had a son... no, wait, my daughter can now marry a woman!' Janet Napolitano: TSA findings reveal that since none of the hijackers were babies, elderly, or Tea Partiers, 9/11 was not an act of terrorism News Flash: Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) can see Canada from South Dakota Susan Rice: IRS actions against tea parties caused by anti-tax YouTube video that was insulting to their faith Drudge Report reduces font to fit all White House scandals onto one page Obama: the IRS is a constitutional right, just like the Second Amendment White House: top Obama officials using secret email accounts a result of bad IT advice to avoid spam mail from Nigeria Jay Carney to critics: 'Pinocchio never said anything inconsistent' Obama: If I had a gay son, he'd look like Jason Collins Gosnell's office in Benghazi raided by the IRS: mainstream media's worst cover-up challenge to date IRS targeting pro-gay-marriage LGBT groups leads to gayest tax revolt in U.S. history After Arlington Cemetery rejects offer to bury Boston bomber, Westboro Babtist Church steps up with premium front lawn plot Boston: Obama Administration to reclassify marathon bombing as 'sportsplace violence' Study: Success has many fathers but failure becomes a government program US Media: Can Pope Francis possibly clear up Vatican bureaucracy and banking without blaming the previous administration? Michelle Obama praises weekend rampage by Chicago teens as good way to burn calories and stay healthy This Passover, Obama urges his subjects to paint lamb's blood above doors in order to avoid the Sequester White House to American children: Sequester causes layoffs among hens that lay Easter eggs; union-wage Easter Bunnies to be replaced by Mexican Chupacabras Time Mag names Hugo Chavez world's sexiest corpse Boy, 8, pretends banana is gun, makes daring escape from school Study: Free lunches overpriced, lack nutrition Oscars 2013: Michelle Obama announces long-awaited merger of Hollywood and the State Joe Salazar defends the right of women to be raped in gun-free environment: 'rapists and rapees should work together to prevent gun violence for the common good' Dept. of Health and Human Services eliminates rape by reclassifying assailants as 'undocumented sex partners' Kremlin puts out warning not to photoshop Putin riding meteor unless bare-chested Deeming football too violent, Obama moves to introduce Super Drone Sundays instead Japan offers to extend nuclear umbrella to cover U.S. should America suffer devastating attack on its own defense spending Feminists organize one billion women to protest male oppression with one billion lap dances Urban community protests Mayor Bloomberg's ban on extra-large pop singers owning assault weapons Concerned with mounting death toll, Taliban offers to send peacekeeping advisers to Chicago Karl Rove puts an end to Tea Party with new 'Republicans For Democrats' strategy aimed at losing elections Answering public skepticism, President Obama authorizes unlimited drone attacks on all skeet targets throughout the country Skeet Ulrich denies claims he had been shot by President but considers changing his name to 'Traps' White House releases new exciting photos of Obama standing, sitting, looking thoughtful, and even breathing in and out New York Times hacked by Chinese government, Paul Krugman's economic policies stolen White House: when President shoots skeet, he donates the meat to food banks that feed the middle class To prove he is serious, Obama eliminates armed guard protection for President, Vice-President, and their families; establishes Gun-Free Zones around them instead State Dept to send 100,000 American college students to China as security for US debt obligations Jay Carney: Al Qaeda is on the run, they're just running forward President issues executive orders banning cliffs, ceilings, obstructions, statistics, and other notions that prevent us from moving forwards and upward Fearing the worst, Obama Administration outlaws the fan to prevent it from being hit by certain objects World ends; S&P soars Riddle of universe solved; answer not understood Meek inherit Earth, can't afford estate taxes Greece abandons Euro; accountants find Greece has no Euros anyway Wheel finally reinvented; axles to be gradually reinvented in 3rd quarter of 2013 Bigfoot found in Ohio, mysteriously not voting for Obama As Santa's workshop files for bankruptcy, Fed offers bailout in exchange for control of 'naughty and nice' list Freak flying pig accident causes bacon to fly off shelves Obama: green economy likely to transform America into a leading third world country of the new millennium Report: President Obama to visit the United States in the near future Obama promises to create thousands more economically neutral jobs Modernizing Islam: New York imam proposes to canonize Saul Alinsky as religion's latter day prophet Imam Rauf's peaceful solution: 'Move Ground Zero a few blocks away from the mosque and no one gets hurt' Study: Obama's threat to burn tax money in Washington 'recruitment bonanza' for Tea Parties Study: no Social Security reform will be needed if gov't raises retirement age to at least 814 years Obama attends church service, worships self Obama proposes national 'Win The Future' lottery; proceeds of new WTF Powerball to finance more gov't spending Historical revisionists: "Hey, you never know" Vice President Biden: criticizing Egypt is un-pharaoh Israelis to Egyptian rioters: "don't damage the pyramids, we will not rebuild" Lake Superior renamed Lake Inferior in spirit of tolerance and inclusiveness Al Gore: It's a shame that a family can be torn apart by something as simple as a pack of polar bears Michael Moore: As long as there is anyone with money to shake down, this country is not broke Obama's teleprompters unionize, demand collective bargaining rights Obama calls new taxes 'spending reductions in tax code.' Elsewhere rapists tout 'consent reductions in sexual intercourse' Obama's teleprompter unhappy with White House Twitter: "Too few words" Obama's Regulation Reduction committee finds US Constitution to be expensive outdated framework inefficiently regulating federal gov't Taking a page from the Reagan years, Obama announces new era of Perestroika and Glasnost Responding to Oslo shootings, Obama declares Christianity "Religion of Peace," praises "moderate Christians," promises to send one into space Republicans block Obama's $420 billion program to give American families free charms that ward off economic bad luck White House to impose Chimney tax on Santa Claus Obama decrees the economy is not soaring as much as previously decreeed Conservative think tank introduces children to capitalism with pop-up picture book "The Road to Smurfdom" Al Gore proposes to combat Global Warming by extracting silver linings from clouds in Earth's atmosphere Obama refutes charges of him being unresponsive to people's suffering: "When you pray to God, do you always hear a response?" Obama regrets the US government didn't provide his mother with free contraceptives when she was in college Fluke to Congress: drill, baby, drill! Planned Parenthood introduces Frequent Flucker reward card: 'Come again soon!' Obama to tornado victims: 'We inherited this weather from the previous administration' Obama congratulates Putin on Chicago-style election outcome People's Cube gives itself Hero of Socialist Labor medal in recognition of continued expert advice provided to the Obama Administration helping to shape its foreign and domestic policies Hamas: Israeli air defense unfair to 99% of our missiles, "only 1% allowed to reach Israel" Democrat strategist: without government supervision, women would have never evolved into humans Voters Without Borders oppose Texas new voter ID law Enraged by accusation that they are doing Obama's bidding, media leaders demand instructions from White House on how to respond Obama blames previous Olympics for failure to win at this Olympics Official: China plans to land on Moon or at least on cheap knockoff thereof Koran-Contra: Obama secretly arms Syrian rebels Poll: Progressive slogan 'We should be more like Europe' most popular with members of American Nazi Party Obama to Evangelicals: Jesus saves, I just spend May Day: Anarchists plan, schedule, synchronize, and execute a coordinated campaign against all of the above Midwestern farmers hooked on new erotic novel "50 Shades of Hay" Study: 99% of Liberals give the rest a bad name Obama meets with Jewish leaders, proposes deeper circumcisions for the rich Historians: Before HOPE & CHANGE there was HEMP & CHOOM at ten bucks a bag Cancer once again fails to cure Venezuela of its "President for Life" Tragic spelling error causes Muslim protesters to burn local boob-tube factory Secretary of Energy Steven Chu: due to energy conservation, the light at the end of the tunnel will be switched off Obama Administration running food stamps across the border with Mexico in an operation code-named "Fat And Furious" Pakistan explodes in protest over new Adobe Acrobat update; 17 local acrobats killed White House: "Let them eat statistics" Special Ops: if Benedict Arnold had a son, he would look like Barack Obama AD GOES HERE 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. Numerous residents told HUD they didnt want to move. Dont do this. Its wrong, man, one resident told them. You dont know what were going through because you're not from here, said another, noting he has lived in Cairo since the 1950s and doesnt intend to live elsewhere. Stop moving our people out of town. Build something new here. CARBONDALE In helping children suffering from muscular diseases, Carbondale firefighters are bringing back an event they feel fits the bill. From 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, local firefighters will resurrect their partnership with IAFF members, and the Park District, to hold a Duck Derby on the lazy river at the Super Splash Park. In the event, participants purchase toy ducks and place them in the Lazy River at the Super Splash Park, where the fake fowl race to the finish line. Firefighters across the nation have had a long-standing relationship with a national association that aids families with children suffering from muscular diseases. "Firefighters are the longest national sponsor for Muscular Dystrophy Association," Emily Shull, director for the local chapter of International Association of Firefighters, said. "We just celebrated 62 years of our partnership, so it is a big deal that our firefighters help us throughout their communities." For many years Carbondale's Fire Department, in partnership with members of the firefighter's union, has contributed to the community by generating fundraisers for muscular dystrophy. "Thats the chosen cause by the firefighters union and they came to me and asked if they were okay with doing a boot drive and I said, yeah sure I am all for it," Ted Lomax, chief of the fire department, said. "Then I posed the question on whether they would be interested in doing the Duck Derby (the idea stemming from Captain Jay Crippen) as a joint venture between the union and the nonunion firefighters and officers here and the union agreed so weve been doing it as one organization." Although admission into the park for the derby is free, Ted Lomax, chief of Carbondale Fire Department, said proceeds from duck sales will be used to support the Super Splash Park and fund the MDA. Sales range from $5 for one duck to $250 for 60 ducks. According to Shull about 77 percent of those funds will be distributed back into the community to assist with costs for research, service and treatments. "All the funds raised locally we get to use locally, so 77.7 percent of every single dollar raised stays local to the community to provide services to those families," she said. Although it has been a few years since the department has contributed to the association, Kathy Renfro, director of the Park District, said she is glad to be a participant of the cause. "It's just nice to be able to share our facility and to also continue to raise money to continue to support the Super Splash Park and do it for muscular dystrophy also," she said. An estimate of 25 to 30 families within Southern Illinois will benefit from this cause, Shull said. Doors for the Duck Derby open at 8:30 a.m. Ducks will be sold up until the 9 a.m. race through the lazy river. Prizes for the event include tickets to a Cubs/Cardinals ball game in St. Louis and a birthday party at the local fire station. The winner does not need to be present to win. For more information about the Duck Derby visit the Carbondale Park District or City of Carbondale Fire Department Facebook page, or call 618-549-4222 or 618-457-3299. More information about muscular dystrophy can be found at www.mda.org. MARION Marion Police have apprehended one suspect and are searching for another suspect in an armed robbery Tuesday night at a Marion grocery store. Isaiah Dossie, 23, has been charged with armed robbery, obstruction, and also had an active warrant from Wisconsin. At about 9:07 p.m. Tuesday, officers were called to Borowiaks IGA on West Main Street in Marion for an armed robbery in progress. One of the employees ran out of the back door of the business and called 911. The suspects left the business before the arrival of the police. After pursuit by the police and K-9, the suspects were found north of the grocery store. Both suspects were bit by the police dog. The area north of the store is where Dossie was taken into custody with a purse of an employee at the store and an undisclosed amount of cash belonging to the business. Police are describing the other suspect as a black male, wearing a black T-shirt and a grey-hooded shirt underneath. Police are still looking for the man, and say he may have a dog bite on the lower part of his leg. In a surveillance video released by the police, it shows two men jumping behind the counter in the grocery store, grabbing two purses and waving what looks like a handgun at a clerk who was on the phone. The other employee can be seen running away from the robbers. The 15-second video shows one of the suspects hitting an employee, and the other moving to the back portion of the store. It appeared that both suspects had weapons. Anybody with any information about this incident can call 618-993-2124. SPRINGFIELD Gathering in Springfield for Governors Day at the Illinois State Fair, Republicans attempted to frame Novembers election as a simple choice between reform and the status quo. That was Illinois GOP Chairman Tim Schneiders message to the party faithful at a breakfast Wednesday morning at a downtown hotel and later during a rally at the state fairgrounds. First-term Gov. Bruce Rauner stands for reform; (Illinois House Speaker) Mike Madigan and Democrats in the Legislature stand for the status quo, Schneider told reporters. Thats what we need to deliver, that message. I think its that quick, that concise: Either you want status quo, business as usual, or you want a change. But coming off a yearlong budget impasse that has done severe damage to the states public universities and social service network and with divisive presidential candidates topping both tickets, the months leading up to the November balloting are shaping up to be anything but simple. Illinois House Minority Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, summed it up this way: Every (election) cycle gets stranger than the past, and this will be one that is going to be crazy because of whats going on in the state, the legislative races, but also at the top of the ticket. Rauner, a wealthy venture capitalist before being elected governor in 2014, has brought unprecedented campaign cash to the state Republican Party, which has used the windfall to target several incumbent Democrats in the General Assembly who it sees as vulnerable. Republicans say the money puts them on equal footing with the majority Democrats, whove long enjoyed a fundraising advantage thanks in large part to labor unions, and will help elect lawmakers who will back the governor. Meanwhile, Rauner and his supports have galvanized organized labor behind Democrats in opposition to the governors pro-business, union-weakening turnaround agenda. Members of the Service Employees International Union and supporters protested across the street from the Republican rally at the fairgrounds. Rauner, who never mentioned his political nemesis Madigan by name, vowed to take the fight to the corrupt political machine that he said has taken over the city of Chicago, the Illinois Democratic Party and much of our state government. We are going to stand against that machine, and we are going to beat that machine, he said at the breakfast meeting. At the fair later, he promised GOP efforts this fall will be the biggest ground game (thats) ever been done for legislative races in state history. Madigan, who chairs the state Democratic Party in addition to having served in the House since 1971, was the target of frequent jabs throughout the day, and Republicans even passed out buttons promoting term limits for elected officials that featured a picture of a young Madigan. Rauner has been campaigning around the state and appearing in TV ads promoting term limits even though the issue cant be put to voters until 2018, and even then it would require legislative action. But the governor argues that its part of a package of political reforms needed to spur economic growth in Illinois and that hes putting pressure on Democrats to vote on the issue. Also appearing on stage throughout the rally were U.S. Reps. Rodney Davis of Taylorville, Darin LaHood of Peoria and John Shimkus of Collinsville, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, and Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger, all of whom are on the ballot in November. Seldom mentioned throughout the day was the name at the top of the ticket: Donald Trump. One speaker who did mention the presidential candidate was Illinois Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, who urged members of her party to turn out and vote for other Republican candidates up and down the ballot, regardless of their feelings about Trump, and to encourage others to do the same. We need you to engage to make sure that change happens all the way down the ballot, Radogno said. Despite appeals for unity, Trump remains a divisive figure in the Illinois GOP, as evidenced by the positions of some central Illinois lawmakers. For example, state Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, said he stands behind his partys nominee despite not backing him in the primaries, whereas Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond, said shes not yet ready to back Trump because of some of the controversial statements hes made throughout the campaign. But like many of their fellow Republicans, they agree on at least two things: They dont want Hillary Clinton to be the next president, and they want to weaken Democrats grip on the General Assembly. The Democrats will have their day at the fair Thursday. A proposed electric rate cut by an Illinois power company isnt as much as it should be, according to a organization representing the interest of utility users in Illinois. The Citizens Utility Board, along with an industrial customers group, said Friday that the proposed cut in 2017 by Ameren Illinois should be doubled, accounting for a decrease of about $30 million. We are glad that Ameren Illinois has proposed a rate cut for its customers, but our expert testimony shows that customers deserve double the decrease, said Utility Board Executive Director David Kolata in a news release. Were going to do everything we can to make sure customers get a fair rate cut. On Friday, the board asked consumers to visit its website where they can send a message to the Illinois Commerce Commission the states utility regulator urging it to approve a larger decrease. The commission is considering the cut which would decrease delivery rates by $14.4 million. The decrease would take effect on Jan. 1. The delivery rates take up about a third to a half of Ameren electric bills, according to the board, and it is determined by a formula each year due to state law. Ameren Spokesperson Marcelyn Love released a statement Wednesday saying this is the fourth rate decrease Ameren Illinois has proposed since 2011, totaling more than $128 million. During that time we have developed a stronger, more technologically-advanced grid that has increased reliability by 17 percent while keeping electric rates below the national average, she said in a news release. It's ironic that CUB fails to disclose that they receive millions of dollars each year from utility customers under this legislation that they annually criticize. Ameren Illinois plans to continue to focus on building a stronger electric grid, supporting our communities and delivering new technology that will help our customers use less energy and save more of their money." The rates are meant to help pay for high-tech upgrades to the power grid. Amerens proposed decrease means the revenue it is gaining has caught up with the cost of the upgrades, the utility board says. While the utility board reports that it hopes the decrease is a sign the upgrades are benefiting consumers, the summer, an expert analysis commissioned by the board, and a group called the Illinois Industrial Energy Consumers representing large manufacturers showed the rate cut should be larger. According to the board, Michael Gorman, an expert from Brubaker and Associates, Inc., a Missouri-based consulting firm specializing in utility regulation, pinpointed inflated costs in Amerens proposal and recommended an additional $15.5 million deduction a total cut of $29.9 million. The board said Gorman explained Ameren Corp. Ameren Illinois parent company uses an affiliated services company to perform the day-to-day administrative tasks for companies with the Ameren name. Ameren Illinois the electric utility shares those administrative costs with its sister companies, and requests that a certain port of the costs be included in delivery rates. For more information, visit www.citizensutilityboard.org. Preamble: When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the culinary bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and preeminent station to which the Laws of BBQ and of Natures God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to declare South Carolinas BBQ Supremacy. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all BBQ is not created equal, that South Carolina BBQ is endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable Rights and Qualities, and that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of BBQ Perfection. That to secure this exalted position, the S.C. Barbeque Association was instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the BBQ Eaters and Judges. That whenever any form of challenge to South Carolinas BBQ Supremacy becomes destructive of the ends of honesty and good eating, it is the Right of the BBQ-eating People of South Carolina to alter or to abolish our relationship with other BBQ pretenders, and to institute a new Declaration of South Carolina BBQ Supremacy thus laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affirm and maintain this South Carolina BBQ Supremacy. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. Whereas, A History of South Carolina Barbeque by Lake E. High, Jr.(aka the BBQ Bible) is recognized by all rational, literate and discerning people as the one true, accurate, comprehensive and undisputed history of the origins of BBQ in South Carolina, America and the world, and Whereas, said BBQ Bible has been established as a true, verifiable and documented historical fact that BBQ is a gift of two civilizations with the native Indians providing the method of cooking meats slowly to endure tenderness combined with the pigs introduced in the New World by the Spanish, as the first, true and only method of cooking BBQ, and Whereas, this method of cooking by native Indians was clearly, graphically and indubitably established by the drawings made by contemporary artist Jacques le Moyne in the 1500s, and Whereas, the first Spanish colony to combine this indigenous Indian cooking method with imported pigs was at Santa Elena settlement in what is now Parris Island, South Carolina, in 1566 the then capital of Spanish Florida proclaimed by Pedro Menendez de Aviles, the first governor of Spanish Florida, and Whereas, all BBQ pretenders who would falsely claim that there is such a thing as BBQ beef, chicken, goat, rabbit, alligator, lamb, turkey, possum or any other four or two legged creature that trod the earth or swim in the seas are guilty of the crime of BBQ Blasphemy as their spreading of falsehoods as to the origins and definition of BBQ is by its very nature false as it has been established that all true and authentic BBQ is and always will be ipso facto pork, and Whereas, over the centuries of BBQ preparation in South Carolina, the chefs of the state have established the culinary hierarchy and traditions of BBQ sauces, basting and preparation to include in order of historic emergence to be vinegar and pepper, mustard, light tomato and heavy tomato, and Whereas, since the origination of BBQ, the People of South Carolina have continued the improvement, expansion and promotion of BBQ such that today there are over 250 fine establishments in the state serving authentic BBQ and these said fine establishments are recognized and sanctioned by the State of South Carolina by inclusion on the Official BBQ Trail and Map, and Whereas, the state of South Carolina has a diverse and vibrant culture of Competitive BBQ Cooking with dozens of official events and over 150 cooking teams that are officially sanctioned and presided over by Official Certified SC BBQ Judges as deemed trained and qualified by the S.C. Barbeque Association, therefore, We the People of South Carolina, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name of and by Authority of the good People of the near Sovereign State of South Carolina solemnly publish and declare, That the State of South Carolina is, and of Right ought to be hereby Declared The One and Only True BBQ Capital of the World and that all intending and competing claims by any locale or collections of such are hereby deemed to be false, deceitful, untrue, erroneous, fanciful, fraudulent, fictitious, unfounded, specious, spurious, invalid, inaccurate, misleading and untrue. And in support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. Proclaimed, in the name of any and all South Carolinians, living, dead and unborn who have or will ever cook, eat or in any way partaken of said BBQ, regardless of sauce, from the Time of Origins in 1566 on St. Elena Island until today, and for future generations of South Carolinians to come, ad infinitum. 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. 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By Azernews By Nigar Abbasova The National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) is planning to implement projects worth $645 million to increase oil recovery rate at its oil fields. Some 14 projects for construction of gas injection stations are planned to be implemented by the NISOC, SHANA news agency reported. Once the projects are implemented, the gas injection capacity into oil fields, run by NISOC is expected to rise by 16.3 million cubic meters per day. The company injected over 36 million cubic meters of gas into its oil fields during the first three month of current fiscal year (March 20-June 20) to increase their recovery rate. About 80 percent of Irans active oil fields are in their second half-life and need 290 million cubic meters per day of gas re-injection to maintain the production level. Over 150 million cubic meters of gas should be injected on a daily basis to the countrys oil fields, according to the Islamic Republics Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2016). The predicted figure is vital to prevent pressure fall and maintain the output in oil fields. NISOC is considered to be the biggest crude oil producer in Iran, which accounts for 83% of Irans crude output and 16% of the countrys natural gas production. The company is currently operating 45 small and massive oilfields in Irans southern areas. The company is accountable for production of 80 percent of the countrys oil and 16 percent of its gas output. Earlier, Bijan Alipour Managing Director of NISOC told Shana that the company is planning to boost production of crude oil during the current calendar year which began on March 20. He mentioned that NISOC has prioritized projects which are focused on enhancing production and, quality and capacity of the recovered oil. He also said that the company managed to reach its pre-sanctions levels in crude oil production adding that NISOC supplies 1.6 mbd of Irans oil exports. He added that NISOC managed to add over 900,000 barrels to its output in less than 6 months. Iran holds the world's fourth-largest proved crude oil reserves and the world's second-largest natural gas reserves and is considered to be one of the worlds top oil and gas producers. Before the sanctions were introduced, Iran exported 2.3 million barrels of oil a day. The sanctions reduced the figure to 1 million barrels. The economic sanctions against Iran were lifted on January 16. The Islamic Republic increased output by 0.4 million bpd following the lifting of sanctions in January. Irans exports have resumed to Europe, and Asian buyers have also increased purchases. The Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC) is a cornerstone of the countrys plan to raise crude production to the pre-sanctions level of four million barrels per day. Earlier, Irans Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs told Trend that the country is planning to attract some $185 billion to the oil and gas sector of the country through a new model of oil contracts. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said that Iran could increase its oil production capacity to 4 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of the decade. Omans Ministry of Higher Education and Shell have signed an agreement to launch Shell Ideas360 competition for the first time in the Sultanate in September. Dr Abdullah bin Mohammed Al-Sarmi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, signed the agreement with Chris Breeze, Shells country chairman in Oman, and Mohammed bin Mahmood Al Balushi, Shell Oman Marketing Companys chief executive officer. Shell Ideas360 is a global competition that invites university and college students from all around the world to create, share and collaboratively develop innovative ideas and solutions that tackle global challenges associated with energy, water and food resources. Dr Al Sarmi said: This agreement reflects Ministrys and Shells commitment to support creativity and innovation among Higher Education Institution (HEI) students. This initiative will definitely encourage our creative students to share their innovative and research ideas and compete with their peers locally and internationally. Shell is committed to support youth development and sustainability in Oman, said Breeze. This competition will prompt young Omanis to tap into their imagination and creativity in order to develop innovative solutions to the problems facing the society now. Successful students will benefit from the connection with the competition mentors to help fine tune their ideas and in doing so develop their entrepreneurial and marketing skills as well as potentially contributing to sustainable development in the country. We are looking forward to the launch of this competition in collaboration with the Ministry of Higher Education and our partners in the Omani universities and colleges, he added. Al Balushi said: Shell Ideas360 is a global platform for young students from Oman to connect internationally in order to acquire competencies that will help in building their future beyond university years, such as in leadership, collaboration and presentation skills. Successful entries will have the opportunity to really make a difference in the world by turning their innovative ideas into reality. These ideas could also be potentially investment-worthy' business cases creating successful entrepreneurs in Oman with the support of Shell and subject-matter experts and mentors, and we will definitely be hoping for successful stories from Oman. In addition to the prize scheme that will be awarded locally to the qualifying teams from Oman, the winning students will win once-in-a-lifetime National Geographic Adventure. The best ideas will be considered for funding by the Shell Game Changer programme, which has invested over $300 million to date, and worked with over 1,500 innovators, turning more than 100 ideas into reality. TradeArabia News Service The impact of the Internet of Things on Smart Cities could reach $1.6 trillion by 2025, according to experts set to speak at the Gitex Technology Week, the regions largest annual IT trade fair, in Dubai, UAE. The opportunities include $800 billion in transportation and $700 billion in healthcare, they added, citing a recent report by the research firm McKinsey Global Institute. The 36th edition of Gitex Technology Week runs from October 16 to 20 at Dubai World Trade Centre. Since its launch in 2014, with a mandate to make Dubai the happiest city on earth, enabled by smart technology, Smart Dubai has completed the first phase of its city transformation. Other significant milestones in the past year include: completing phase one as the first pilot city for the United Nations International Telecommunications Union global Smart City index, and announcing the Smart Dubai Platform, the digital backbone of the city. Smart Cities are rising throughout the world, but governments and industry need to agree on what actually makes a city smart. Dubais efforts to develop global benchmarks will help cities measure their progress, so that leading innovators, from Silicon Valley to Dubai to Bangalore, can deploy practical tools to measure how theyre improving peoples lives, said Dr Jonathan Reichental, chief information officer of the City of Palo Alto, a key speaker at Gitex Technology Weeks Intelligent Cities Vertical Days Programme on 18 October. The City of Palo Alto in California has been named one of the United States top five digital cities by the Centre for Digital Government from 2013-2015. Palo Alto also hosts the headquarters of technology giants HP and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, SAP, and Tesla. During his presentation Insider on the United States Most Digital City, and Road Map to an Intelligent Governance, Dr Jonathan Reichental will describe having led Palo Altos IT strategy with over 60 e-services, an open data portal, and IT governance. As a result, the city has reduced time, cost, and travel for completing requests, decreased errors, and provided more transparency and accountability, Dr Jonathan Reichental added. At Gitex Intelligent Cities, government leaders and technology companies will have an opportunity to see, hear, and experience the next wave of innovative, integrated technologies that are already helping cities around the world become more connected. Key speakers include Dr Phyllis Schneck, Deputy Under Secretary for Cybersecurity National Protection and Programmes Directorate at the US Department of Homeland Security, on Keeping Smart Cities Smart on preventing cyber-attacks, Keith Kaplan, CEO of the Tesla Foundation, on Teslas Autonomous Car Vision, and Stephen Hilton, Director of Bristol Futures in the UK on Roadmap to Worlds First Open, Programmable, and Green City. Dubai Shares Best Practices for Smart Cities Smart Dubai Government has already demonstrated its value to the government of Dubai: a report published in June revealed that Smart Dubai Government has saved the Dubai Government over Dh4.3 billion ($1.17 billion) during its 13-year lifetime. A new government office has been set-up to lead the initiative: the Smart Dubai Office. Under the leadership of Director General Dr Aisha Bin Bishr, the Smart Dubai Office is coordinating and enabling the citys transformation, with the support of the newly-minted Dubai Data Establishment to lead the Dubai Data initiative, and the Smart Dubai Government Establishment (formerly DSG), acting as the technology arm of Smart Dubai. Kick-starting Phase Two, the Smart Dubai Office announced the Happiness Agenda for the city in May 2016, to guide the citys transformation with a globally unique, science-based, and methodical approach to impacting happiness. A hallmark of the Happiness Agenda is the Happiness Metre, announced in October 2014 and now widely in use by the public and private sectors in the city. The Happiness Metre received over 2 million votes in less than one year. After spending over two years working on benchmarking, creating a blue print, building the framework and testing services on a government level, we are now working on delivering tangible benefits to the residents and visitors of Dubai. The Happiness Metre, the Dubai Data Portal and the Smart Dubai Platform are existing new and evolving initiatives that will contribute significant improvements to the daily lives in the city in the upcoming years, said Her Excellency Dr Aisha Bin Bishr, Director General of Smart Dubai. This year, the Smart Dubai Office is bringing a first-of-its-kind city experience to Gitex. By bringing together partners from public and private sectors, Smart Dubai is offering visitors a true smart city experience. All participating entities will be showcasing smart services and solutions that are making Dubai a more efficient, seamless, safe, and impactful experience today, contributing to Smart Dubais citywide vision to become the happiest city on earth, powered by smart technology. Tech vendors and start-ups energise smart cities Many leading Smart City technology vendors will showcase the latest solutions at Gitex. Gemalto will showcase its eDriver Licence, Virtual Reality, On Demand Connectivity, and Smart Watches for governments to connect, secure, and monetise the Internet of Things. LG will demonstrate the SmarThinQ Hub connected home with smart sensors and appliances. Global ICT solutions provider Huawei, with over 60 Smart City projects in 20 countries, has recently installed its first Smart Street Solution in the Middle East at Dubai Silicon Oasis. The street features digital signage, CCTV surveillance, and Wi-Fi enabled environmental sensors. Dubais vision to be amongst the smartest cities in the world within a short period of time necessitates the fast-tracking of innovative projects. Smarter Streets are one example of localizing global best practices to make the city more responsive to citizens, whilst enhancing the public environment. Gitex is a key event to further align with and showcase to regional government leaders what is possible within their own cities and exchange ideas across the emerging markets, said Safder Nazir, vice president, Smart Cities and IoT, Huawei - Middle East. Technology vendors and start-ups are eager to leverage augmented reality, drones, robotics, and 3D printing to optimise Smart City goals and deployments. Demonstrating the growing opportunity, Dubai recently opened the worlds first 3D-printed building, and the Dubai Future Agenda aims for 25 percent of Dubais construction to be 3D-printed by 2030. Energising Smart City solutions, the Gitex Startup Movement will host hundreds of global start-ups, and accelerators and incubators from Japan, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the UAE that aim to help start-ups grow, secure funding, and reach new markets. For example, the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO)s start-ups could help Dubai achieve its Dubai Plan 2021 goals of safety and sustainability. One startups smartphone app can monitor the road situation and alert to avoid collisions, while another startup has an app that can control LED lights to reduce electricity usage in an office or factory. Among the Smart City start-ups attending Gitex Startup Movement are Acacus Technologies from Jordan and the UAE that helps plan airport crew movement, Bulgarian smart mirror and smart home startup Home Touch, Indian startup TechnoPurple that is developing one of the worlds smallest GPS vehicle tracking devices, and Serbian startup TOKN for mobile device management, which recently partnered with a Dubai government agency. Dubais achievements in applying Smart Cities technology is attracting worldwide interest, and that is reflected in the calibre of speakers at Gitex, and the focus of exhibitors and start-ups in showing how governments and developers can turn Smart City goals into actionable solutions, said Trixie LohMirmand, senior vice-president, Exhibitions and Events Management, Dubai World Trade Centre. TradeArabia News Service Saudi Arabia will seek partnerships with US firms to raise its competitiveness and productivity across several industries during a major investment event to be hosted in Los Angeles, California, later this month. The sectors targeted for investments include downstream petrochemicals, mining and mineral resources, and local manufacturing. The kingdom's ambitious plans were detailed in the recently released National Transformation Program 2020 and will yield significant opportunities for US businesses, said a statement. The US-Saudi Arabian Business Council (USSABC) is hosting the conference and luncheon programme titled Localisation, Innovation, and Partnership Opportunities for Industrial Development in Saudi Arabia, on August 25, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. The event will introduce product manufacturers and service providers to opportunities for sales, technical tie-ups, joint venture and investment in Saudi Arabia's expanding industrial and manufacturing base. The conference will feature Eng Khalid Al-Falih, Minister of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources. Other high-level senior Saudi Arabian officials included Prince Abdullah Bin Faisal, Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the US; Prince Saud Bin Khalid, acting governor, Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority; Prince Dr Turki Bin Saud, president, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology; Dr Alaa Nassif, CEO, Royal Commission at Yanbu; Eng Khalid Al-Mudaifer, president and CEO, Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden); Abdulrahman Al Fageeh, executive vice president, Polymers, Sabic. The programme will also bring together senior leaders from US corporations such as The Dow Chemical Company, General Electric Company, Fluor Corporation, Jacobs Engineering, and ExxonMobil, among others. Saudi Arabia is currently investing heavily in its industrial infrastructure and seeking to diversify its economic base away from heavy dependence on crude oil sales. The downstream industry is a key part of the kingdom's plans to attract international investors and grow existing companies to create jobs and diversify the Saudi economy. Areas of focus for future investment include specialty chemicals, plastics, elastomers, automotive, and fast moving consumer products. Despite challenges posed by the fall of oil prices in 2014-2016, the downstream petrochemicals and plastics industry continues to attract investment. Development of the mining industry is also a strategic objective of the National Transformation Program 2020; the sector has grown significantly with the Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma'aden reporting total investment of $26.8 billion. Saudi Arabia has commercially significant reserves of gold, bauxite, phosphate, and at least 15 industrial minerals that are assessed as being economically feasible for extraction. The Kingdom's growing construction industry is driving demand for Saudi iron, limestone, feldspar, silica, gypsum, and marble for use as building materials. Ma'aden has leveraged this demand through major partnerships with foreign companies such as Alcoa ($10.8 billion integrated aluminium project) and Barrick Gold Corporation (copper mine joint venture). Edward Burton, president and CEO of USSABC, said: For US firms, Saudi Arabia's competitive package of land, utility and infrastructure services coupled with its access to Middle Eastern, European, Asian and African markets make it a destination that any serious industry investor with long-term aspirations in the region needs to look at very closely." The conference is designed to create a platform for senior business people and government representatives from both countries to review specific commercial and investment opportunities and network with potential business partners, it added. TradeArabia News Service A policeman was shot dead by masked gunmen in the Qatif district in Saudi Arabia's oil-producing Eastern Province on Wednesday, state news agency SPA said. Four assailants opened fire on a police station before dawn, SPA reported. Qatif was one of three Saudi cities targeted in coordinated bomb attacks on July 4. A suicide bomber struck near a Shi'ite mosque killing himself and two others. The Saudi government said Islamic State was likely behind the attacks. - Reuters Gartner has identified Microsoft Azure as a leader in the analyst firms Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), for the third year in a row. Gartner has identified Microsoft Azure as a leader in the analyst firms Magic Quadrant for Cloud Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), for the third year in a row, with the company placed favourably based on both completeness of vision and ability to execute. Gartners Magic Quadrant analysis series has long been regarded as a decision-makers touchstone for determining the quality of both strategy and delivery for market players. Microsofts Azure cloud platform enables the creation of virtual networks, servers and machines, and supports multitenant storage, object storage and a robust content delivery network for both Microsoft`s and other vendor solutions. In addition, the Azure Marketplace offers third-party partners the ability to use the power and flexibility of the cloud to sell their own software and services. Azure also provides advanced services such as machine learning and Internet of things. The Azure infrastructure is built on software that has security integrated from the ground up, and all data, whether at rest or in transit, is strongly encrypted. All of these offerings are supported by a leading-edge Cyber Defense Operations Centre that monitors customer infrastructure around the clock. We are, of course, thrilled and honoured that Microsoft Azure named a Gartner Magic Quadrant leader for the third year in a row, said Necip Ozyucel, Cloud and Enterprise Business Solutions Lead, Microsoft Gulf. The cloud remains a powerful tool for business and public-sector innovation and we are always focused on bringing the very best technologies to bear, so that our customers can get creative without having to consider the unwieldy logistics of growing their network or upgrading hardware and software. Microsoft Azure is open, flexible and enterprise platform that we believe strong enabler for businesses growth and competitiveness Gartners announcement comes at a time when the Gulf region is taking strident steps towards cloud infrastructure adoption. Saudi Arabia plans to invest $2 trillion in IT projects in the coming years, with a significant portion to be invested in cloud. Meanwhile, the United Arab Emirates will see a gradual growth in IT spend from now until 2020, according to a report from BMI Research. A compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.4 per cent will inflate the sector to $5.3 billion by the end of this period, with service revenue taking $2.2 billion. An accompanying decline in hardware sales together with BMIs prediction that SaaS will take an increasing share of software sales strongly indicates a decisive shift to cloud for the country. When Microsoft announced the G series of virtual machines, back in Q1 of 2015, it represented the most memory, highest processing power and the largest local SSD capacity of any VMs then available in the public cloud. The G series, has allowed Azure to lead the market with continued innovation supporting SAP HANA workloads up to 32 TB. Azure also has industry-wide recognition for its support of Linux and other open-source technologies having nearly one third of all Azure VMs on Linux boxes. Gartners report singled out Microsofts rapid rollout of these new features and many others, signalling that the companys brand and history, both with its customers and with its delivery of enterprise-class solutions and services, had all combined to allow the company to rapidly attain the status of strategic cloud IaaS provider. Microsoft Azure encompasses integrated IaaS and PaaS components that operate and feel like a unified whole, Gartner analysts wrote. Microsoft has been rapidly rolling out new features and services, including differentiated capabilities. It has a vision of infrastructure and platform services that are not only leading standalone offerings, but also seamlessly extend and interoperate with on-premises Microsoft infrastructure (rooted in Hyper-V, Windows Server, Active Directory and System Center), development tools (including Visual Studio and Team Foundation Server [TFS]), middleware and applications, as well as Microsoft's SaaS offerings. Gartners analysts also cited Microsofts deep investments in engineering and innovative roadmap as crucial factors in the companys current IaaS market standing. The report further recommends Microsoft Azure for General business applications and development environments that use Microsoft technologies; migration of virtualized workloads for Microsoft-centric organizations; cloud-native applications (including Internet of Things applications); and batch computing. TradeArabia News Service More than 2,200 companies from 73 countries have applied to be a part of the first cycle of the Dubai Future Accelerators (DFA), a global business acceleration programme commencing on September 12, a report said. With less than 35 spots, the application to acceptance ratio will be nearly 1 per cent, making it the highest and fastest submission rates of any programme globally, added the report from the Emirates News Agency (Wam), the official news agency of the UAE. Saif Al Aleeli , CEO of Dubai Future Foundation said that the programme has been receiving positive feedback and interaction since its inception, from innovators and SMEs, as well as from the most influential accelerator communities and venture capitalists in Europe, East Asia, and the US. The initiative forms a shortcut to the knowledge-based economy by attracting the best minds and innovations from around the world, he added. It forms a compass that directs the entrepreneurship sectors involvement in the government strategy to build the future, underlining the importance of supporting entrepreneurs and start-ups, Al Aleeli explained. The programme is designed to help participants develop innovative projects and advanced technologies, and address the challenges of achieving sustainable development for future generations. The US topped the list of 73 participating countries with regards to the number of individual participants, followed by the UK, Germany, India, Singapore, and Australia apart from the large number of local start-ups. The applications were distributed along the major sectors covered by the initiative, such as health, education, infrastructure, transport, energy, water, safety and security, and advanced technology. The education sector, which is supervised by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, made up 24 per cent of the applications, while the advanced technology sector, supervised by Dubai Holding constituted 19 per cent. The energy and water sector, meanwhile, which is under Dubai Electricity and Water Authoritys (Dewa) supervision got 15 per cent of the applicants, and 17 per cent went to the health sector, supervised by Dubai Health Authority (DHA). The transportation and infrastructure sectors, supervised by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Municipality, respectively, attracted equal shares of 13 per cent, while the safety and security sector, supervised by Dubai Police accounted for 5 per cent of total applications. An expert committee made up of specialists from the key sectors will evaluate the projects and their potential to deliver real solutions for the challenges facing us in the 21st century. The initiative announced these "21st century challenges" that face the cities of the future. The founding members of the initiative will participate in judging panels to shortlist five start-ups from each sector to take part in the first round of the programme. Applications received by the programme concentrated on modern technologies, such as the use of bio-materials in 3D printing, as well as the use of nanotechnology, wireless electrical networks, and the production of electrical energy from floor tiles in a bid to reduce water energy consumption. Omans Raysut Cement, a leading cement producer, is currently upgrading its gas supply station at its plant in Salalah, to enable the facility to receive an additional 40,000 cu m of gas per day as fuel, said a report. Upon completion of the upgrade, production capacity of cement will rise to about 130,000 to 140,000 metric tonnes per annum, Ahmed bin Yousuf bin Alawi al Ibrahim, chairman of the board of directors, was quoted as saying in the Oman Daily Observer report. The upgrade is one of several expansions and improvements underway across the groups domestic and international assets. It includes the ongoing implementation of the parent companys joint venture project with Barwaaqo Cement Company in Somaliland, it said. At Duqm Port, construction has been completed on the companys cement handling terminal, which is expected to formally begin commercial operations in the third quarter of this year, added the report. Iran's new oil and gas contracts will need amendments, its oil minister said on Tuesday after a meeting with the speaker of parliament, adding that the new contracts will not be sent to the assembly for final approval. The launch of the Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC) has been postponed several times as hardline rivals of pragmatist President Hassan Rouhani resisted any deal that could end the so-called buy-back system, under which foreign firms were banned from owning stakes in Iranian companies. Iran's top authority, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said last month that no new oil and gas contracts for international companies would be awarded without necessary reforms. Iran's cabinet approved this month an amended draft for the IPC and sent it to the parliament. However, the latest comments from the oil minister showed the lawmakers and other advisory bodies have asked for more changes. "Yesterday afternoon we had a meeting with Ali Larijani (the speaker of the parliament) on the new oil contracts in which some issues were raised. It was decided to make some amendments in the contracts," Bijan Namdar Zanganeh was quoted as saying by the parliament's news agency ICANA. Zanganeh added the IPC will not be sent to the parliament for final approval. The Islamic Republic is ramping up oil production and reclaiming market share after the lifting of Western sanctions in January. Iran annoucned on Tuesday that it is pumping 3.850 million barrels of crude oil per day (bpd) and exporting 2.2 million bpd. The minister told parliament last week that he wanted to raise output to 4.6 million bpd within five years, well above pre-sanction levels of 3.8-4.0 million. Reuters The European Commission will propose laws to toughen screening for new pilots by the end of this year after aviation safety authorities called for stricter medical requirements. Pilot screening and mental health assessments came under scrutiny after a young pilot barricaded himself inside the cockpit and crashed a Germanwings jetliner into the Alps in March 2015, killing all 150 onboard. Prosecutors have found evidence that the co-pilot, who had suffered severe depression and may have feared losing his job, had researched suicide methods and concealed an illness from his employer, sparking a debate on supervision and medical secrecy. Among the proposals put forward by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Tuesday were a comprehensive mental health assessment during initial screening, as well as drug and alcohol checks. The proposals follow recommendations initially made by a task force set up after the crash. They will now go to the European Commission and serve as the basis for legislation to be presented by the Commission towards the end of 2016, EASA said in a statement. Directly after the 2015 crash, EASA introduced a rule requiring two crew members to be in the cockpit at all times. But it relaxed this requirement last month, saying it was up to operators to first conduct a risk assessment and decide whether they wanted to maintain this rule. Reuters The Burj Al Arab Aquarium in the UAE has been shortlisted among the 13 finalists in the 2016 World Responsible Tourism Awards at WTM London. Sponsored by Belize, the World Responsible Tourism Awards celebrates the most inspiring and enduring responsible tourism experiences in the world. Included among a particularly innovative list this year is one of Indias largest hotel chains making the employment of people with disabilities and socially excluded groups a core part of its business model; a tour operator democratising tourism by pioneering the Buy one, Give one concept in travel; one of the worlds most iconic hotels with a successful program to rescue, rehabilitate and re-release adult sea turtles; and a tourism business offering migrant-led city tours to foster greater understanding between locals, tourists and migrant groups. The winners will be announced on November 8 at a ceremony at World Travel Market London, where over 500 tourism professionals, tourism ministers and media representatives are expected to attend. Commenting on the standard of the finalists, chair of judges Professor Harold Goodwin said: This year we have an incredibly strong field of contenders. Over the past few months each of these organisations has been subject to intense scrutiny by a panel of judges combining some of the leading minds in responsible tourism, conservation and development in the country. They have come through the most rigorous and competitive judging processes for an Awards scheme of this kind and have emerged as international leaders in their respective fields. Dr Dilys Roe, a principle researcher at the sustainable development think-tank the International Institute for Environment and Development, joined the judging panel this year bringing expertise in biodiversity and pro-poor conservation. With a background in tourism research stretching 20+ years she is uniquely placed to observe how far responsible tourism has come over the last two decades. I havent worked in tourism specifically since the early 2000s - focussing on conservation instead. Coming back into it now I am surprised and impressed by how far things in responsible tourism have really moved on. Here we are, a mainstream awards at a mainstream travel trade event and we have amazing applicants who arent even in the running, whereas 16 years ago it was difficult to make anything happen in sustainable tourism. This is a real leap forward." Justin Francis, founder of the World Responsible Tourism Awards and CEO of organisers Responsible Travel echoes this view of progress. In the early years of the awards we saw the same people coming back year on year - now every judging day we have things we dont know about, in sectors of the tourism industry we havent seen before, in places we havent seen before. This year we have seen levels of innovation that have surpassed our expectations, led by some truly entrepreneurial businesses. These are organisations which are using tourism as a counter to contemporary social problems, or translating ideas from other social businesses into the travel sector - they are pushing the boundaries of what responsible business can achieve." WTM London senior exhibition director and fellow judge Simon Press said: Once again the World Responsible Tourism Awards will be a key part of the opening of World Responsible Tourism Day at WTM London. The stories of the winners and their achievements will be even more poignant this year as we celebrate the 10th anniversary of World Responsible Tourism Day the largest day of responsible tourism action in the world. The full list of 2016 finalists: !Xaus Lodge, South Africa Burj Al Arab Aquarium, UAE Bushmans Kloof Wilderness Reserve and Wellness Resort, South Africa East African Safari & Touring Company, Tanzania Elevate Destinations, US Friends International Childsafe Movement, Cambodia Lemon Tree Hotels, India Misool Eco Lodge, Indonesia Sam Veasna Centre, Cambodia - TradeArabia News Service House District 58 representative Tom Reeder is exploring the possibility of a recount after losing to challenger Pat Sweeney by 13 votes, or 1.2 percent, in Tuesdays Republican primary election. Out of all the absentee votes, only three were for me, Reeder said. Everything was just 50-50 and then three. County clerk Renea Vitto said she was going to check whether that was true, after which Reeder could choose to pay the $100 deposit required for a recount. Automatic recounts are triggered only if the margin of victory is less than 1 percent. Reeder said he did not know whether a recount would push him over the edge but that it might. Who knows? he said. Vitto said any recall would likely be completed by Friday. Reeder has served in the house since 2011 and said that if elected this would be his last term. Sweeney owns the World Famous Wonder Bar and Poor Boys Steakhouse in Casper. He pledged to support the Wyoming Business Council and the Wyoming Office of Tourism, of which Reeder is skeptical. Charles Schoenwolf finished third in the race with 12.4 percent. House District 58 includes Bar Nunn, Edgerton, Midwest and Mills. A former Dean Morgan Junior High campus supervisor pleaded guilty Wednesday to manslaughter for causing the overdose death of a Casper man. Authorities say Jon Patrick Freiberg caused the mans death last year by putting methamphetamine in his drink. During his plea change hearing, Freiberg maintained Richard Serafin ingested the drug accidentally. Freiberg admitted he acted recklessly by not taking Serafin to a hospital when he showed signs he was overdosing. Holding back tears, Freiberg entered guilty pleas to involuntary manslaughter and conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine. A plea agreement calls for Freiberg to be sentenced to up to 18 years in prison. He will be held in jail without bond pending his sentencing hearing. Natrona County District Attorney Mike Blonigen said Freiberg and Serafin met through a smartphone application and agreed to meet in the early hours of Aug. 28 at the Days Inn in Casper. Blonigen said Freiberg offered the victim meth, but Serafin said he did not use drugs. Serafin did drink alcohol, however, and somehow ingested a large amount of meth, the prosecutor said. Serafin began very quickly to have serious medical problems and Freiberg put him in a cold bath to try to revive him, Blonigen said. Freiberg also gave Serafin a small dose of additional meth in an attempt to help him, the prosecutor said. Police found Serafins body about 6 p.m. inside a hot car parked outside the hotel, Blonigen said. Investigators later spoke to a teenager who said he saw Freiberg carrying Serafin and putting him into the car about 1 p.m. An autopsy revealed Serafin died of cardiac arrest due to acute stresses of methamphetamine intoxication, the prosecutor said. Freiberg said during the hearing that he had asked Serafin on several occasions if he needed to go to the hospital and Serafin had told him no. He also said he did not give Serafin a dose of meth and did not know what the prosecutor was referring to. I never gave him any drugs, Freiberg said. The drugs in his cup that he drank was purely by accident. He had poured alcohol in a cup that had methamphetamines in it. Freiberg said he put Serafin in his car and gave him money for gas. Freiberg initially told the judge he did not act recklessly. However, after conferring with his attorney, he said he should not have had meth in his room and should have made sure Serafin received medical attention instead of leaving him in a hot car. Blonigen also asserted Freiberg sold meth to people in Casper. In January, an unnamed informant told Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation agents that Freiberg wanted to sell him meth, according to court documents. Authorities gave the informant money to buy drugs from Freiberg and put the man under audio and visual surveillance. When the man met Freiberg at the Natrona County Public Library to buy meth, Freiberg was heard saying he had put meth in a cup and Serafin had consumed it. Freiberg worked for the Natrona County School District until Feb. 3, when he resigned, district spokesman Kelly Eastes said. Authorities had searched his car two days earlier and reported finding methamphetamine, court documents show. My calendar clued me in to some bad news recently. There are five weekends until summer ends. Five! It might even feel like less, if your schedule is dictated by the school year. This doesnt count all the beautiful, fresh fall weekends we can look forward to, of course, but winter arrives with little warning some years, and Im convinced we need to prepare for this impending change this minute. If youre like me, you immediately splayed your fingers and started ticking them off in a panic. Five weekends doesnt leave much time for all the things we want to do beneath the Wyoming sun. The situation takes on a new urgency once I consider the vast array of options. This is one problem for which I am happy to blame my friends, family and coworkers. I have managed to surround myself with people who are very good at enjoying summer. Ive heard about plans for family barbecues here in town and hikes and camping trips on the mountain. Ive heard about the optimal way to spend a week in Utah (turns out, it involves Mexican food) and seen stunning photos that make me yearn to take up residence in Glacier National Park. Even my father has gotten in on the act, fleeing the sticky, swampy Midwest to explore the Greater Yellowstone Area via a weeklong bike tour. (Please be careful, Dad. Also, Mom would like you to call her.) Luckily, these people and their stories and photos havent led me to second-guess my summer. Instead, theyve inspired me to make the most of these last few weekends to make plans to enjoy our beautiful state and follow through on them. Im trying to focus on only-in-summertime activities, like hiking the Bridle Trail or floating the North Platte in a blue plastic tube. But I also firmly believe they dont all have to be active. Between now and Sept. 22 the official start of fall Im hoping to spend at least one lazy weekend afternoon lolling in a hammock, a cold drink within reach. I also hope to set the table outdoors for at least one evening that involves grilling and fresh fruit and vegetables. Simplicity, I suspect, will be key in these last five weekends. Sometimes a big trip, complete with an itinerary and plane tickets and dinner reservations far from home, makes the most sense. Other times, though, its more than enough to head up a mountain just 10 minutes away, or day trip to Laramie for a change of scenery and flavor. Our state is teeming with sights to see and places to explore and I want to make sure I spend at least one weekend away from home but still in Wyoming. Whatever your last-minute summer wish list entails, nows the time to start on it. Dont let these warm days slip through your fingers. Scott B. Court defeated incumbent Sam Krone for the Wyoming House District 24 seat in the states primary election Tuesday. Court garnered 72 percent of the vote, while Krone, who was charged with felony larceny last month, collected only 28 percent. Krone has held the seat since 2011. He was recently accused of stealing $9,600 from his local bar association. The Republican attorney in Codypleaded not guilty to three felony accounts of larceny, three misdemeanor counts of larceny and one misdemeanor count of theft last week. Court will face Democrat Paul Fees in the general election Nov. 8. In the nearby House District 25 race, incumbent Dan Laursen defeated Dave Blevins with 58 percent of the vote. Blevins, who held the seat in 2013 and 2014, lost to Laursen two years ago in the HD 25 primary by just 193 votes. The GOP candidates differed in their views. Laursen wanted to allow guns in schools, ban gays from the institution of marriage and amend the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced federal budget. Blevins wanted to see economic development, job retraining for unemployed energy workers and Medicaid expansion with the provision that the state exit the program if the feds decrease funding. Laursen will now face Democrat Shane Tillotson in the November general election. Here is a roundup of other legislative races as of the Star-Tribunes press deadline: Senate District 14 (GOP):Republican Fred Baldwin defeated Don Lamborn with 2,039 votes to Lamborns 920. Baldwin, R-Kemmerer, is a member of the state House. Incumbent Sen. Stan Cooper, R-Kemmerer, is retiring. Baldwin will face Democrat Charlotte Sedey in November. SD20 (GOP): Wyatt Agar defeated Republicans Bob Bayuk and Ron Harvey, garnering 2,034 votes. Harvey had 1,134 votes, while Bayuk had 533. Incumbent Sen. Gerald Geis, R-Worland, is retiring. Agar will face Democrat Mary Jane Norskog in November. House District 18 (GOP): Republican Thomas D. Crank defeated four other candidates, collecting 477 votes. Scott Heiner was close behind with 435 votes, followed by Lyle Williams (274 votes), Zem D. Hopkins (162) and Kevin S. Simpson (157). Crank will face Democrat Michele Irwin in November. HD22 (GOP): Incumbent Rep. Marti Halverson, R-Etna, defeated her opponent, Rep. Bill Winney, with 66 percent of the vote. She will face Democrat Marylee White in November. HD22 (Dem): Democrat Marylee White garnered 82 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Chris Christian, former head of Wyoming NORML. She will face incumbent Marti Halverson in November. HD26 (GOP):Republican Jamie Flitner secured 70 percent of the vote, defeating Timothy Mills (21 percent) and Philip Abromats (9 percent). I ncumbent Rep. Elaine Harvey, R-Lovell, is not seeking re-election. Flitner will face Democrat Jean Petty of Shell and the Constitution Partys Joyce Collins of Lovell in November. Wyomings top elections official referred a complaint that Liz Cheneys congressional campaign used robocalls to the state attorney general on Monday. The Wyoming Secretary of State received a complaint about alleged robocalls along with an audio recording on Aug. 12, although the calls are supposed to have taken place on May 31. In a letter obtained by the Star-Tribune, State Election Director Kai Schon asked Attorney General Peter Michael to look into the matter. The bottom line is that Wyoming law clearly prohibits Robocalls, Schon said in an emailed statement to the newspaper. Schon sent the letter to Michael on Monday, one day before Wyoming held its primary. To be certain, we are making no determination that any violation of the Election Code by any candidate has or has not occurred, Schon wrote. The allegations stem from a phone call provided to the Star-Tribune last week by Bill Cubin, who served as treasurer for the campaign of Tim Stubson, one of Cheneys opponents in the primary. Cubin reported the call to the state, according to the letter. In the call, a prerecorded voice made positive statements about Cheney including, Liz Cheney knows Common Core is harming our kids. Reached Wednesday, Cheney campaign manager Bill Novotny denied that the campaign had used robocalls and condemned any form of illegal campaigning. A conservative pundit who bought property in Wyoming four years ago, Cheney beat out a crowded field of candidates with 39 percent of the vote. She will face Democrat Ryan Greene in November. Michael, who exclusively handles all press inquiries for his office, did not respond to questions about whether he would investigate the matter and what the potential sanctions are for making robocalls. Natrona County District Attorney Michael Blonigen was copied on the letter. Liz Cheney overcame criticism about her ties to Wyoming and won the Republican primary for the U.S. House, a seat once held by her father. With 82 percent of the precincts reporting at press time Tuesday, Cheney had received 40 percent of the vote in the most competitive U.S. primary contest in Wyoming in over 100 years. Leland Christensen carried 22 percent, followed by Tim Stubson with 17 percent and Darin Smith with 15 percent. Cheney, speaking from Wilson, where she watched election results with her family, said she was honored and grateful to win. I look forward very much to moving forward in the general election, unified and focused on making sure we send the strongest conservative voice to Washington, she said. Cheney faces Democrat Ryan Greene in the Nov. 8 general election. She will campaign on a platform of repealing regulation deemed harmful to Wyoming, such as the Clean Power Plan, and in support of a strong national defense. Its hugely important that our next representative be able to hit the ground running to roll back the devastating policies of the Obama years, she said. U.S. Rep. Cynthia Lummis, a Republican, is not seeking re-election to Congress, opting instead to return to Wyoming. That left the field wide open, as nine Republicans jumped into the race for Wyomings only seat in the lower chamber of Congress. The nine-candidate field was the largest since 1912, said Eric Ostermeier at the University of Minnesotas Humphrey School of Public Affairs, who reviewed 106 Wyoming Democratic and Republican U.S. House primaries covering more than a century. Much of the attention in the primary focused on Cheney, daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, who was Wyomings representative from 1979 to 1989. Liz Cheney spent much of her life in the Washington area and owns a home in Fairfax County, Virginia. In 2012, she purchased a home in Wilson. She launched a challenge to U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi the following year. She halted that campaign due to a family health situation. This year Cheney, who spent about three years of her childhood in Casper, is back to bid for federal office. She has the most name recognition among the candidates, thanks to her father, her work as a contributor on Fox News and books she has written with her dad. She faced intense scrutiny for her relatively brief residency in the state. She was also criticized for the large number of campaign fundraisers she held out of state, with well-heeled GOP donors, including the owners of the Chiago Cubs and the New York Jets. Shes raised $1.5 million, nearly seven times more than the second-highest fundraiser, Stubson. In the end, her opponents attacks didnt stick much. I really think that the voters of Wyoming have always been focused on substance and policy, and Im really proud of the campaign we ran, Cheney said. It was one focused on issues. Stubson and Christensen, both state lawmakers, tried to bill themselves as moderate and practical. Cheney, along with Darin Smith, a Cheyenne attorney who does humanitarian work with the Christian Broadcasting Network, were more socially conservative. Both Cheney and Smith said, for instance, that Planned Parenthood trafficked in human body parts, based on a video created by an anti-abortion rights group that has widely been dismissed as creatively edited. Stubson said it was hard to compete with a smaller budget. Certainly the resources play a role in it, he said, speaking from a vote watch party at FireRock Steakhouse in Casper. And when you have to get your message out and you have that sort of budget, it makes it difficult. We did work hard and we had great supporters great volunteers across the state. Im proud of the work they did, knowing they were trying to move the state forward. Stubson didnt seek re-election in the Wyoming Legislature to run for the U.S. House, so he will not be going to Cheyenne in the fall. Im going to hang out with my family and get back to my day job, which isnt a bad option at all, he said. Christensen still has two years remaining in his Wyoming Senate term. He will take some of the ideas he heard on the campaign trail to Cheyenne, he said. I think Im going to leave it with the Wyoming voters who showed up to vote, he said. They cast their ballot and by golly, they made a pretty clear choice and I certainly respect it. Thats all we asked for, was the opportunity to get our message out there. I think we did. Chuck Gray claimed the Republican nomination for the open Wyoming House District 57 seat Tuesday, bringing Natrona Countys most contentious primary race to a close. Gray, who questioned his opponents ties to the Democratic Party and business interests, won 58 percent of the vote to Pachecos 41 percent, according to final unofficial results. It is what it is, and I think it was a hard-fought race and we worked as hard as we could and did what we could with what we had, Pacheco said when reached by phone Tuesday. I think the people in House District 57 certainly spoke about what they wanted, and thats how democracy works. Gray will face Democrat Audrey Cotherman in the general election Nov. 8. When reached by phone on election night, Gray asked a reporter to email him questions. He did not respond to the email by the Star-Tribunes press deadline. During a GOP debate last month, Gray called Pacheco a political insider beholden to big-money interests that benefit from state largess. Pacheco told voters Gray has lived in Wyoming for only four years. Gray accused his primary opponent of being a political insider who is beholden to business interests. Meanwhile, Pacheco tried to bill himself during a local legislative debate as the Republican who is willing to work with lawmakers of all ideologies to improve the state. Gray, a local conservative radio show host, has framed himself as an outsider and has criticized Pachecos tenure on the Casper City Council. Pacheco has served on the City Council since last year. A mailer created by Gray and sent to voters this summer featured a picture of Pacheco flanked by photos of President Barack Obama and Democratic White House hopeful Hillary Clinton. The postcard accused Pacheco of campaigning for Democrats. The Star-Tribune discovered Pacheco had been invited to serve on the Wyoming Democratic Partys delegate Affirmative Action Committee, though there is no indication Pacheco, then a Democrat, campaigned for Obama. County clerk records indicate Pacheco switched his party affiliation back and forth until 2014. Around the time Grays postcard was mailed, someone created a racist meme about Pacheco and posted it on social media. Gray told the Star-Tribune in an email that he had nothing to do with this page/posts and I disapprove. House District 57 is home to 8,800 people who mostly live between Beech Street and Kelly Drive and Fifth and 25th streets. Ryan Greene won the Democratic primary for Wyomings U.S. House seat Tuesday night and will face Liz Cheney in November. With 90 percent of the ballots counted, Greene had collected 60 percent of the vote. Opponent Charlie Hardy had 40 percent. Final totals were not available by press time. The candidates positions represented different factions of the party primarily regarding fossil fuel production. Greene is more supportive of fossil fuels than Hardy. Greene, who spoke from a block party in his hometown of Rock Springs, said he believes his background working for his familys energy company appealed to voters. I think the biggest thing is practical steps rather than big promises, he said. Greene, 33, calls himself a Wyoming Democrat more conservative on fossil fuels than progressives in the national party who isnt opposed to coal production. But unlike Republicans in the race, Greene believes the markets were the primary cause of coals current troubles. And hes said he believes global climate change is a human-caused threat. Greene said hes been working full-time, sometimes remotely from the campaign trail. Now that hes won, he will campaign full time, traveling the state, criticizing what he describes as fairy tales or campaign promises by Cheney that she can successfully roll back federal regulations. Hardy, 77, said he believed the state needs to move away from extractive industries, although hes not in favor of closing all of Wyomings coal mines immediately. A former Catholic priest who is concerned about social justice, Hardy identifies with the politics of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. In his 2014 campaign against U.S. Sen. Mike Enzi, in which he lost, Hardy fought against money in politics. His message inspired a documentary filmmaker, whose crew has been following his campaign for the past two election cycles. His unconventional campaign tactics in the Cowboy State include riding around in an old school bus. Hardy feels strongly that its time to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour. Greene said hed like to start the discussion at $10 an hour. Hardy raised $10,755 in the race. Greene raised $92,549. But Greene said Tuesday night he expected Cheney will outspend him. Shes raised $1.5 million. You cant buy character, and you cant buy good ideas, he said. When you take a look at the general election, at the money shes going to raise, what comes to mind is Jeb Bush with $160 million and 3 percent of the vote. This race just became Wyoming versus Washington. Incumbent Tom Reeder lost his seat in a close run with local businessman Pat Sweeney, who took 42.6 percent of Tuesday nights vote for House District 58. Sweeney won 452 votes. Reeder garnered 439 votes out of 1,061, or 41.4 percent, according to unofficial final results. Charles Schoenwolf finished third with 132 votes, 12.4 percent of the total count. Though it was close, the race between Reeder and Sweeney was not tight enough to trigger a recount. For that, there would have to be a margin under 1 percent, according to the Natrona County Clerks office. The candidates could not be reached for comment by press time. Sweeney owns the World Famous Wonder Bar and Poor Boys Steakhouse in Casper. He also owned the Parkway Plaza for many years. An opponent of Medicaid expansion, Sweeney said he is concerned about the states energy industries. In contrast to the incumbent, Sweeney supports the Wyoming Business Council. There are legislators who see the Wyoming Business Council and the Wyoming Office of Tourism as a form of corporate welfare and their budgets should be eliminated, he said in a news conference in May to announce his candidacy. I promise you that this will not happen if you send me to Cheyenne. Sweeney will face Democrat Michael McDaniel in the Nov. 8 general election for HD58, which includes portions of Mills, Bar Nunn and Edgerton and areas by the Casper/Natrona County International Airport, Salt Creek, Antelope Hills and Ormsby Road. McDaniel is a former sheet metal worker who left the industry in the early days of the economic downturn. Reeder had said this would have been his last term if elected. He was a member of the House Revenue Committee and had served in HD58 since 2011. Reeder campaigned on his legislative experience. The conservative Republican introduced bills in the February legislative session to increase financial transparency and make any refugee resettlement program in Wyoming predicated on legislative approval. Both measures passed in the House but failed to reach the Senate. Reeder opposes Medicaid expansion. In contrast to many Republican candidates this primary, Schoenwolf approves of expansion. The 47-year-old business owner said he was running primarily to serve his community. Schoenwolf owns Casper In Home Care, which sends caregivers to help the elderly, disabled in their homes. Schoenwolf received coverage through Medicaid at times in the past, he told the Star-Tribune in May. Jerry Obermueller won the fight for House District 56, gathering 47.1 percent of the vote Tuesday night. Obermueller received 648 votes out of 1,375, according to unofficial final results. Ronna Boril collected 432 votes, or 31.4 percent, and Donald Bellamy finished third with 194 votes, or 14.1 percent, according to the Natrona County Clerks office. I just would like to congratulate Jerry Obermueller on his victory, Bellamy said. I would hope that Jerry Obermueller will follow through with his campaign promises to look into issues that are important to the district. Obermueller said he was grateful to the people in his neighborhood for coming out to vote. Im also grateful to Ms. Boril and Mr. Bellamy. They are classy people and ran hard campaigns, he said Tuesday night. At this point, Im looking forward to highlighting the extreme contrast between me and my opponent. Obermueller will face Democrat Dan Neal on Nov. 8 in the general election. The retired public accountant dominated in a battle of political newcomers that also included Boril, a real estate broker, and Bellamy, a customer service manager. The trio were vying to represent House District 56, which sits roughly between Poplar and Beech streets, and Interstate 25 and the neighborhoods south of Wyoming Boulevard. HD56 includes the Wyoming Medical Center, a public hospital that laid off more than 50 people in June. Hospital officials say federal money from Medicaid expansion would have made the cuts less harsh. Obermueller offered voters his experience as a certified accountant and owner of his own firm. The retiree said he is familiar with the ins and outs of finance, a necessary skill in Wyomings current economic situation. Obermueller supports Second Amendment rights and is against abortion. He has not taken an ideological position on Medicaid expansion. Overall, I see the issues as more horizontal than vertical in terms of priorities in the state, he said. So I see businesses and jobs on one side of that and safety net issues on the other side of that. The question becomes how to find some middle ground to balance all that out under current situations People are coming to these issues from various perspectives and (lawmakers must) sort through that (financial information) and find what the truth is in terms of the impact it has on the affected parties. Boril said Medicaid expansion was often billed as an emotional matter rather than a policy decision. Medicaid is expensive, and as such needs to be looked at closely, she said. Boril focused on economic issues during her campaign, emphasizing the need for the state to spend wisely during difficult times. The real estate broker said in an earlier interview that her expertise kept her business afloat during Wyomings ups and downs. The youngest of the HD56 contenders, 23-year-old Donald Bellamy, joined the race to represent his generation, he said in a June interview. Bellamy graduated from Casper College and is working on a communications degree from the University of Wyoming at Casper College. He is also a customer service manager at Walmart. Incumbents Matt Keating and Forrest Chadwick won the Republican primary for the Natrona County Commission, according to final election results. The Republican primary was the only contested race for the commission, with five candidates vying for two open seats. The two Democrats and the one Constitution Party candidate automatically advance to the general election. With all precincts reporting, Keating earned 4,379 votes, and Chadwick took 3,464. The other contestants were Paul Bertoglio with 3,041 votes, Bob Shellard with 1,746 and Tracy Lamont with 1,400. Republicans have tended to dominate in recent commission elections, and in the county as a whole, as they make up about three-fourths of registered voters. If that trend continues in November, the commission could stay the same until the next election in two years. Keating, a former Natrona County firefighter who is currently working for Wave Petroleum, is seeking his fourth term. Keating gave credit to a tough Republican primary field and said he will campaign on the same platform he has before. Im definitely blessed and grateful to be moving onto the general, Keating said. If the results tonight are any indication of whats going on, Ive been campaigning, and honestly Ive been serving, as a conservative Its Judeo-Christian values, it is being conservative with the budget, Keating continued. Like everyone has talked about, the number one issue has been the budget. Chadwick is the current commission chairman. If he also wins in November, it would be his second term in office. He is a third-generation Natrona County resident who ran an oilfield supply business for 20 years. As a commissioner, he has also been active in the Wyoming County Commissioners Association and chairs its Agriculture, Water and Public Lands Committee. I am pleased that I made it through the primary and looking forward to the general, Chadwick said. Hopefully Ill win in November, and continue on with a lot of things that Ive done and been deeply involved in as a commissioner. Bertoglio was looking to shift his focus to the county after serving on the council for 18 years, including three stints as mayor. Shellard is a Casper native and the resource coordinator for Natrona County Weed and Pest. Lamont is another Natrona County native with deep local roots. There were 17,578 votes cast for the commissioners primary race, out of 26,366 registered voters. The election saw an unusually large number of early voters, with 3,676 absentee ballots cast compared with 1,437 early ballots in 2012, which was the last primary in a presidential election year. The countys party makeup is: 17,757 Republicans, 5,211 Democrats, 3,150 unaffiliated, 188 Libertarians, and 69 are registered in the Constitution Party. The two Democrats that automatically made it to the November ballot are longtime local politician Terry Wingerter and Linda Shogren-OGrady. Wingerter has been the lone Democrat on the commission before, and if he should prevail in the general election, it would be his sixth time on the commission. He has also served two terms on the Casper City Council. Shogren-OGrady, a semi-retired real estate agent and businesswoman, is making her first bid for public office. The Constitution Partys Linda Bergeron also was in an uncontested race and automatically advanced to the general election. She has made previous runs for city and county office. Terrence Few sat on his porch Tuesday across the street from Mathew Campfield Park in north Casper, a Dont Tread on Me flag flying in his front yard. He said Natrona Countys decision to consolidate polling places had confused many of his neighbors. People who had been voting here forever were moved, Few said. Im not 100 percent sure what kind of shenanigans theyre pulling. North Casper residents used to be able to vote at Roosevelt High School on the corner of north Wolcott and K streets. This year a sign taped to the schools front door informed prospective voters that they needed to go to Central Wyoming Fairgrounds, a four-mile drive that could take nearly 90 minutes round-trip by public transit. The move was part of a sweeping change this year that took Natrona County from 45 voting locations in the 2014 primary election to just 26. Opinions varied on whether voter turnout would change. Some north Casper residents, like Few, said it would be more difficult for people without transportation and the elderly to vote. Others said location wasnt a factor. Actual numbers werent available by press time. Natrona Countys voting location changes came after the state Legislature passed a bill in 2015 allowing county clerks to create centralized polling centers where residents of different precincts could cast ballots. Sponsors of the bill cited convenience and a lack of election judges to staff smaller precincts. But critics worried the move would disenfranchise some voters by empowering county clerks to close local polling places. Natrona County Clerk Renea Vitto took the opportunity to slash the number of voting locations nearly in half, moving 8,200 county residents who previously voted at public schools to two central locations, the fairgrounds and Restoration Church on South Walsh Street. I am not going to have voting in schools, Vitto said at the time. That is my decision. Vitto cited safety concerns, though school is not in session and the school district had scheduled professional development training for the November election day to ensure students would not be at school buildings while voting was taking place. College of Charleston political science chair H. Gibbs Knotts has researched the impact of polling place location on voter turnout and found that people were significantly less likely to vote the farther they had to travel. Far-flung polls were more likely to hurt poorer neighborhoods like north Casper, Knotts said. These costs impact lower-income folks at higher rates, Knotts said. Its just easier for somebody who has a higher socioeconomic status to have the transportation, or be able to juggle their schedule, than somebody who is on the clock or has transportation challenges. Residents of the area, which is already cut off from the rest of the city by railroad tracks and the interstate, agreed that eliminating a neighborhood polling location in north Casper was likely to depress turnout. Steve Schauss, who works at the Riverside Mobile Home Court office, said the Roosevelt High School site had worked well in the past. For the neighborhood and everybody it was convenient, he said. Now they just dont vote. Many north Casper residents interviewed by the Star-Tribune said they did not plan to vote and were also unaware that the polling location had changed. Dominic Gomez, 18, was considering voting in his first election and did not know the county had shut down his local polling place. Oh, wow, he said standing in front of his house, two blocks from the high school. It used to be at Roosevelt, right over there. However, pastor Steve Rochin of SetFree church in north Casper said his parishioners, about half of whom live in the neighborhood, had not expressed concerns. Everybody Ive talked to has been basically OK to vote, Rochin said. Lunchtime voters at the fairgrounds Industrial Building said they were not bothered by the switch. It went really quick, said Michaela Weinrich, 64. I liked it a lot. County Elections Deputy Clerk Chris Lindsey said voting was going smoothly at the fairgrounds. Its not too busy, not too busy at all, Lindsey said. LOS ANGELES (AP) The deal is done, and the Playboy Mansion has a new owner. Daren Metropoulos, who lives next door, said Tuesday that escrow has closed on his $100 million purchase of Hugh Hefner's man cave. But the 33-year-old principal in investment firm Metropoulos & Co. won't necessarily be moving in any time soon. Under terms of the deal, Playboy's 90-year-old founder may stay there for the rest of his life. After Hefner leaves, Metropoulos plans to connect the 5-acre Playboy estate to his 2-acre digs next door. The homes, built in the 1920s, were originally one estate. Hefner bought the Playboy Mansion for $1.05 million in 1971, quickly turning it into a sexual playground. In its heyday, it was the scene of countless celebrity-filled parties and innumerable tales of sexual shenanigans. PHOENIX A bid to get a public vote to hike the states minimum wage is now facing a new hurdle. Election officials in Pima, Pinal and Yavapai counties have concluded that 276 names on petitions to put the issue on the November ballot cannot be verified. That may not seem like much. But the Secretary of States Office sends counties a random sample of petitions with just 5 percent of all names submitted. Those names then become a test of the full petition. What that means is each name county officials void strikes 20 names off the full petitions. In a new lawsuit, backers of the minimum-wage initiative are asking Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Douglas Gerlach to overturn those county actions. But if Gerlach disagrees, that means the total signatures submitted, as calculated by the secretary of state, will be reduced by 5,520. Its come down to a game of numbers. The Arizona Restaurant Association already has filed suit challenging whether the petition drive has the 150,642 signatures required. The Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry also is opposed to the initiative, though it is not part of the legal challenge. Backers of the initiative to raise the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2020 submitted petitions with 271,183 names. But the Secretary of States Office, after a preliminary screening, reduced that to 238,937. The chambers challenge is based on its contention that some paid circulators and those from out of state had not complied with Arizona laws requiring them to provide an in-state address where they could be contacted. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Joshua Rogers already has disqualified some circulators. But since each circulator gathered a different number of signatures, it remains to be seen how many names that ultimately removes from the total. That, in turn, makes the issue of whether those 5,520 names will be counted more critical. Rogers has yet to issue a final ruling in the case. INDIANAPOLIS (AP) On Sunday afternoon, 71 years removed from Japan's surrender and the end of World War II, hundreds of veterans filed into Avon High School for a celebration. But it wasn't just a celebration of the end of the conflict, nor was it just a celebration of V-J Day. Instead, the gathering was a celebration of the generation of people who made that victory possible more than seven decades ago. A generation of hardship. A generation of sacrifice. A generation of heroes. "It reflects the spirit and the mental climate of that group of humans, and I'm afraid we've lost some of it from then 'til now," said Jim McClure, a World War II Veteran who attended Sunday's 4th Annual Indy Honor Flight Reunion with his two brothers and fellow veterans, Bob and Dick. The trio of brothers took their Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C., in September 2014. "It was an usual generation in many ways because we had lived through the depression, a terrible period of heat, drought, dust storms, unemployment ... and survived it," McClure continued. "And if (Adolf) Hitler had known what he was getting into tangling with that bunch of survivors, he would have quit before he got there." As part of the nationwide "Spirit of '45 Day" observances, the Indy Honor Flight reunion in gave those who have taken part in the program the opportunity reconnect with fellow veterans and be commended for their bravery. Each year, Indy Honor Flight takes veterans living in Indiana to Washington for free to see the memorials that stand in honor of their achievements and their sacrifices. The first Indy Honor Flight was in 2012 with 80 veterans. Since then, Indy Honor Flight has flown nearly 1,500 Hoosier veterans to the nation's capital at no cost, including both World War II and Korean War veterans. "We're calling this a reunion because I can't think of a better way to describe a group of people who spent such a special day together ... everyone here seems like family to me," said Grant Thompson, founder and chairman of Indy Honor Flight. "We're often asked 'who pays for all this? Where does the money come from?' Well, the short answer is that it comes from the heart. "America. All of us. We're the ones who pay . people everywhere pitch in to do this." Thompson also spoke of V-J Day and how for many of the people fighting in the war, there was no celebration or ticker tape parade back home as it would be weeks, or even months, before they could return. With Indy Honor Flight, participating veterans are greeted by countless supporters who both celebrate their arrival in Washington, as well as their return home to Indiana. ? "With wave after wave of folks coming back home, it was simply impossible to thank them all in such a way," Thompson said. "But we've done our best to right that wrong." Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., spoke at the reunion and talked about the impact made by those being honored Sunday. He said that impact lives on and will continue to drive America forward. "This is a very, very special group, and I want you to know this. Many of you are parents or uncle or brothers or sisters of those who are serving today, and they are incredibly worthy successors," Donnelly said. "You're part of an unbroken line ... you are what has made this the most incredible, wonderful, place on earth. God has touched us with his grace and given us the chance to live here, but you're the ones who paid that mortgage ... who paid that debt. So we are much in your debt." For veterans Bobbie Pancake and Phil Brummit, recreating their Honor Flight trip from 2015 was an emotional experience. The two men served together in the U.S. Army, but lost touch went they went their separate ways in 1966, Brummit said. They were reunited during their Honor Flight trip and learned that they live just miles from one another. "It was really remarkable to bump into somebody like that," Brummit said. "I lost track of him because I didn't really know him. I went to Vietnam, he went to Okinawa and we ended up back together later on .. It was really amazing." "We were very happy with it, the program today and the trip," said Pancake, who considers shaking the hand of former Sen. Bob Dole his Honor Flight highlight. "They have done just an amazing job." Dick McClure said for him, the best part of the trip was being able to place the wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Solider alongside his two brothers. "At the time they were only taking WWII vets on the flight and they allowed me to go because they wanted the three brothers to go while we still could," he said. "This program has been very valuable as most of the veterans returning home threw down their duffel bags and either went to school or went to work. There were no ticker tape parades or anything of this nature, and we're beyond the point now where we can afford to go up and see those memorials. It's just a marvelous program to go up free of change and it was one of the greatest days I've ever had." ___ Source: The Indianapolis Star, http://indy.st/2bv8QEm ___ Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.com This is an AP-Indiana Exchange story offered by The Indianapolis Star. Fire Station Will Be Located in City Park Currently Reported Would Beautify Natural Beauty Spot, Its Advocates Argue Although the report of the committee to select a site for the new fire station on the north side has not been as yet made public, it is understood that the committee has chosen as a location the city park on the north side between First and Second streets and between Fourth and Fifth avenues. The new fire station will be located within the park and will face wast, thus fronting on North Fourth avenue. This is thought to be the best street on which to get out of the station on. It is the street the subway is on. It is the plan to build a Mission style fire station and to surround it with three and shrubbery, thus adding to the beauty of the park instead of allowing the building to detract from the park effects. With the building of a station on the north side it is believed that the whole department will be motorized and horses done away with entirely. It has been proposed to see the old fire engine and purchase two new triplet motors, carrying hose, engine and chemical apparatus. With the present motor chemical it is believed that this equipment would serve the city for a number of years to come. The department has $14,000 approximately at its disposal and will get credit for horses and the old fire engine. PHOENIX A special panel of experts on criminal law wants to scrap the current system of setting bail and imposing fines and replace it with one linked to a defendants ability to pay. Every year in Arizona, thousands of people are arrested and sit in jail awaiting trial simply because they cannot afford to post bail, according to the report released Tuesday by the Task Force on Fair Justice for All. While people arrested are protected by a presumption of innocence, if they lack the access to money, they often remain in jail. Dave Byers, who chairs the panel created by Supreme Court Chief Justice Scott Bales, said that inability to pay has a financial cost on taxpayers, with the bill statewide for operating jails at $1 million a day. He said the majority of those locked up at any given time have not been convicted of anything but are simply awaiting a court appearance. Jail is an expensive resource that should be used for high-risk individuals, said Byers who is the director of the Administrative Office of the Courts. And then theres the human cost. Some of these people are sitting in jail for a lot longer than they would be sentenced to jail if they were found guilty for any of the offenses, Byers said. That, he said, creates a spiral where people who are locked up awaiting trial lose their jobs and perhaps their homes. And Byers said there is evidence that people locked away for only two or three days are 40 percent more likely to commit a future offense than those who are arrested for the same crimes but released without bond. Whats worse, he said, is there are people who are arrested for minor crimes who cant afford the bail set a bail often determined by the charge who sit behind bars for far longer than the time they would serve if sentenced. Pima County Attorney Barbara LaWall said she already is working in that direction. We have many detainees in our jail awaiting trial who are not violent, not dangerous, not habitual career criminals and do not pose a true flight risk, she said. LaWall said some have had bond set because they may not have appeared for scheduled court hearings. But she said that often is the result of addiction, mental illness and homelessness. But theres another side to the set formula. Byers said there are people who should remain behind bars who are multiple offenders or could be considered a danger to others. But because they have money or a friendly bail bondsman, they can easily make a $1 million bond that a judge set under the premise it would keep the person off the streets. He said existing laws and constitutional provisions give judges only limited ability to deny bail. So the committee is recommending a constitutional amendment to expand that power. That provision, however, alarms Alessandra Soler, the executive director of the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. She said judges already can detain people without bail in certain limited circumstances, such as when someone is charged with murder or certain sex offenses. Those are people that are dangerous if released, Soler said. What this change would do, she said, is allow a judge to hold a chronic shoplifter who just doesnt show up in court. Allowing detention (without bail) to assure appearance would mean that you could detain someone charged with a minor offense, not because theyre going to cause harm if theyre released but solely because there are doubts the defendants going to come back to court, she said. I think thats incredibly, incredibly dangerous and troubling. LaWall disagreed, saying she is an advocate for pretrial incarceration of those who pose a true flight risk. Parallel to the question of bond is the issue of fines. The purpose of a sanction is to get you to obey the law, Byers said. Byers said the average traffic ticket in Arizona costs motorists $270. That is usually based on a schedule set by each court taking into account the specific offense and, when speed is involved, how far over the limit someone was clocked. If you break the law, there should be a sanction, he said. But Byers said the committee concluded that the penalty hits someone who is poor much harder than a person with more resources. You dont want to make the fine impossible, he said. LaWall also said theres a legal basis for flexible fines, noting the Arizona Constitution specifically makes it illegal to jail someone solely because they owe money. Consistent with this constitutional provision, people should not be jailed for failing to pay fines or other court-assessed financial sanctions for reasons beyond their control, she said. The remedy suggested by the committee would be to have judges base the penalty on ability to pay, even allowing those with limited resources to satisfy the fine with community service. Byers said that makes the sting the deterrent equal across various wage ranges. But that leaves the question: Should those who are super-rich, for whom a $270 ticket might be little more than a minor nuisance, pay more? We didnt go there, Byers said. It gets complicated. He said, though, there is precedent, albeit from Switzerland, where someone of means was repeatedly speeding through a town. The judge fined him a quarter of a million dollars because they wanted to deter the behavior, Byers said. A 26-year-old Nogales, Sonora, woman was arrested by Customs agents after trying to enter the United States with more than five pounds of meth taped to her legs, officials said. On Aug. 16, the woman was crossing at the Morley pedestrian crossing in Nogales when she was selected for a secondary inspection. There, agents found the packages taped to her shins, according to a Customs and Border Protection news release. The drugs were worth more than $15,000. The woman was turned over to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. A Mexican national wanted on murder charges in his home country was turned over Tuesday to Mexican law enforcement officials by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Nogales Port of Entry. Luis Raul Quiroz-Gongora, 29, was arrested in February on drug charges in Pima County. After being sentenced in June to 150 days in jail for facilitating the transportation of marijuana for sale, and getting credit for time served, Quiroz-Gongora was transferred to ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations and placed in deportation proceedings. An arrest warrant was issued in November 2013 by a judge in Sonora, Mexico, that charges Quiroz along with another person with murder in connection with the shooting death of a Sonoran resident. Theres plenty of work to do these days in Tucson thats for sure. Thanks to the summer rains, any given block is lined with weeds and has yards overflowing with unwanted greenery that mosquitoes call home. And there are plenty of people who need the work for sure. You can see that on any given corner, in the washes, in the parks. But putting those two together the work that needs to get done and the people willing to do some of it is not as simple as it should be. Thats why many Tucsonans, such as attorney David Hill, got excited last week, thinking about the ramifications for Tucson of a Washington Post story about Albuquerque. After the Post ran the piece last week, Hill wrote to our mayor, city manager, City Council and me asking them to look into the program Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry started. Berry, a Republican in a Democratic city, started Theres a Better Way, an anti-panhandling program with the potential to help some people out of homelessness. The most intriguing part of the program is a passenger van the city bought: An employee drives around four times a week and picks up people who are panhandling but willing to spend time working. The van can hold up to 10 people, and each one gets lunch as well as a ride back to the St. Martins Hospitality Center, a homeless shelter where some services are available, at the end of the day. Each person is paid $9 per hour but is limited to making $600 per year through the program. Now, Tucson and Albuquerque are a lot alike in our size, our economies, our demography, and our problems. So it makes some sense that a solution in Albuquerque could also work in Tucson. But to an extent, Tucson already has programs something like the Albuquerque effort. Primavera Foundation has its Primavera Works business, which gives residents of the foundations homeless shelter and other underemployed people a chance to work, mostly in landscaping jobs. Potential clients call the program (882-9668) to make arrangements or get a bid, if its a big job. The rate is between $13 and $16.25 per hour, supervisor Sean Hughes told me. That includes workers comp insurance, but of course the overall rate is a bit high for many Tucsonans. It is Tucson, and everything is based on peoples budgets, Hughes said. A lot of people cant afford to hire people. Which brings me to the Southside Worker Center, a program at Southside Presbyterian Church, 317 W. 23rd St. The 10-year-old effort systematized the longstanding practice of contractors picking up day laborers at Home Depots or other handy pick-up spots. That still happens in some places, but at Southside, there is more protection for worker and employer. The workers arent allowed to smoke, drink or otherwise misbehave at the center, and the employers are required to pay at least $10 per hour and identify themselves, in case there is a dispute about wages later. Jose del Toro, who shows up to work at the center regularly, explained to me Tuesday morning how the system works. The names of whoever shows up by 6 a.m. are entered in a raffle that decides in what order employers may pick up workers. Hour by hour, names are crossed off, as people leave in pickups and minivans to go to job sites. Del Toro was still there at 10 a.m. Tuesday because he drew a low number. But Evaristo Ramirez showed up, as he occasionally does, and picked up another man, promising $15 per hour to dig trenches for irrigation for two or three hours. An average of 10 people a day get work at the center, he said, and some workers never get picked up. Thats a shame in a city that has so much work to be done. But of course, this is a different crowd than the one the Albuquerque mayors program seeks to serve. These are mostly immigrant workers, generally not homeless, though anyone may show up, register and offer their labor at Southside. Many of us in Tucson have our own personal version of the Albuquerque program. We know homeless, young or underemployed people who are willing to do hard outdoor labor that we dont want to or cant. Just last weekend I hired a man known around the neighborhood to do five hours of work cleaning out weeds. I paid him $50 simple. Across Tucson, many people have simple arrangements like this, but a minimum level of trust is necessary to make it work. The city has an initiative, the Community Workforce Skills Program, under which city departments can hire young people or others needing work experience to do funded municipal work. But its not simple and streamlined like the Albuquerque program. Whats so attractive about that is that it involves big institutions the city and a social-service agency in an eminently simple effort. Its like a combination of Primavera Works with hiring the neighborhood guy. Councilman Richard Fimbres said he has held several meetings since June 30 with local groups, gauging interest and finding a path toward a similar program. People are interested, Fimbres said via email. The work is now to find a location, obtain a van and have navigators, and to do the project two days a week as Albuquerque started with, he said. It may not be typical in Tucson to minimize the bureaucracy, maximize simplicity and apply underused labor to an unmet need, but it could just catch on. And everybody can see our needs are growing like weeds. PHOENIX Pressured by Gov. Doug Ducey, the president of the state Board of Education quit today. Greg Miller said aides to the governor told him they wanted him out as the top board official. Miller said Ducey, who is due to make new board appointments as early as this week, believed the change would help smooth over what has been at best a rocky relationship between the board and state schools chief Diane Douglas. Miller, however, said he saw no reason to stay on at all as a rank-and-file member. So he said he agreed to quit if he could control the wording of the press release, the timing of the announcement and got some assurances that the charter school he runs would get "political protections that I no longer could provide.'' There was no immediate response from either the governor's office or Douglas. Today's action caps what has been an ongoing feud between the school superintendent and the education board over control over the education agenda in Arizona. Douglas, elected in 2014, has claimed she has a mandate from the public to pursue her agenda. That includes ridding the state of the Common Core academic standards. By contrast the board, most of whose members are appointed by the governor, has not only approved the standards but continued to implement them. The differences erupted into a pair of lawsuits over control who controls the board's staff. That issue was supposed to be resolved with a change in state law approved earlier this year and signed by Ducey. But Miller said there have been ongoing issues, with Douglas continuing to refuse to provide the board with the staff necessary to do its own work. While information provided to me over the past months about disagreements among the executives at the colleges of medicine in Phoenix and Tucson and senior leaders in the Health Sciences has led me to initiate administrative interventions and to undertake an independent third-party review, the allegations made by ABOR President Eileen Klein at the beginning of the ABOR Health Affairs Committee meeting on August 12, 2016, in Tucson go far beyond complaints about leadership style, morale, and organizational climate or disagreements over allocation of resources. Ms. Klein's allegations, including misuse of public funds and alteration of public documents, were previously unknown to me. Under the circumstances, I have respectfully requested that the Board of Regents contract an independent third party law firm to complete a comprehensive and independent analysis of the allegations and submit a report directly to the Board. Further, I have requested that no UA or ABOR employee be involved in conducting this review. I expect the full cooperation and candor of everyone at the University of Arizona in this process. Full text of Arizona Board of Regents president Eileen Klein The following is the full text of Arizona Board of Regents president Eileen Klein's comments at the opening of a health affairs committee meeting in Tucson on Aug. 12: Thank you Regent Krishna. Today is the second hearing regarding the UA Colleges of Medicine. Last week we had a good overview of the aspirations of Dr. Garcia and Dr. Ramos regarding medical education in Phoenix. They also gave a detailed update on the steps underway to secure final accreditation. President Hart announced that the university will engage a third party to conduct exit interviews with leaders who have departed the College of Medicine-Phoenix. She also noted that a survey of current employees would be conducted. Today, we will have a chance to hear more about the College of Medicine here in Tucson and its approach to medical education. We will hear from Dean Cairns and learn more about the success he has had to date, as well as the exciting vision he has for the future of this college. We will also hear from the leaders of Banner Health, the hospital partner to the two colleges of medicine. Following that, we have allowed time on the agenda for discussion and questions from the regents. Many questions remain about both colleges and their future. Organizational questions about leadership transitions, governance, funding, workplace culture, and the impacts of the transition of UAHN to Banner Health. Many of these questions have lingered for months. I and members of this board have heard from current and former employees as well as other community members and stakeholders. I am grateful for everyone who has provided input to us, not just to those who have raised concerns but to those who have expressed support. While last week began to answer some of these questions about operations and the direction of the colleges, the information provided so far remains insufficient to put them to rest. In the past several days, additional questions have come to light. These questions and claims are far more troubling. Information has been brought forward that raises questions about the ethics of leaders, the use of public monies, the accuracy of information documented in public records and the workplace culture and treatment of employees. The board and university leaders will need to go beyond these public hearings and take additional actions to better understand and address these concerns and determine whether any improprieties have occurred. The purpose of these meetings remains to get critical updates and gain additional visibility into the operations of the medical schools that give us the facts we need It is important to document any issues we are confronting, to acknowledge them and to create a plan to address them. At the end of the meeting we will talk about next steps based on what we learn today. In preparing for today, Mr. Chairman, I want to share that I have taken time to read many of the oaths of our medical students through the years, words they have written together as a class to guide their time of learning and commitment to their chosen profession. If you read them, you will see that the signatures change each year but the hopes they express are largely the same. Our students dont just hope to heal or to discover new cures. They aspire to push the boundaries of the human race and to represent the very best of humanity in their own conduct. As the states top administrator of our public universities, I have an oath to keep as well, as does every public official here. That oath is to the public we serve, the people of Arizona. This board is the peoples representatives of our public universities. On their behalf, we are convened today in good faith, alongside our university leaders, seeking answers to the ongoing questions and concerns, so that we can assure the public we are offering to our students not just the best curriculum, advanced clinical experience or cutting edge research but that it is delivered with purposeful, empowering leadership and ethical stewardship. The list of questions before us is long. To me, there is one that should guide our work in the discussions that follow from here: Are we running things as best we can today, preparing for tomorrow and doing so in a way that demonstrates we are worthy of the privilege of educating our students? By the time we are done Mr. Chairman and you make your final report to the board, we and the community we serve need the answer to that question to be an unequivocal, Yes. Thank you. Five candidates are in the running for the Republican nomination in Arizonas Congressional District 1. The district includes Oro Valley, Marana and parts of 10 other counties in Eastern and Northern Arizona. Incumbent Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick is running for U.S. Senate. The GOP candidates come from a broad range of backgrounds but most hold similar positions on a range of issues, with Ken Bennett standing out for his more moderate stance on some of them. Three of the candidates Gary Kiehne, Wendy Rogers and Paul Babeu have run for Congress at least once before. Early voting is underway. Primary election day is Aug. 30. Meet the candidates Babeu, the Pinal County sheriff, said its his years in the Army National Guard and law enforcement on the U.S.-Mexico border that set him apart. He has been dogged by criticism however, about a home video showing his support for the use of extreme disciplinary methods at a Massachusetts boarding school where he was headmaster and FBI questions about his offices expenditure of seized criminal money. Babeu shot back, saying that despite his oversight role, he was not named in any allegations in a state investigation of the school and that such money expenditures always receive higher fiduciary approval. Bennett, a former state senator and Arizona secretary of state and previously the head of Bennett Oil Co., emphasized his mix of private and public sector experience in making him the best qualified for the job. Kiehne, a rancher and businessman in the hotel and oil and gas industries, touts the fact that he has never held elected office and wants to put more decision-making power back in the hands of Arizonans. Keihne did not respond to repeated requests for an interview, so information in this article is from his website or other news coverage. Shawn Redd, the owner of a laundromat on the Navajo Nation, said hes the only candidate that has lived and done business both on and off the reservation and cut his teeth in Navajo politics. Wendy Rogers, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and owner of a home inspection business, promotes her tough border security stance and focus on better equipping the military, including support of boosting the number of troops sent to foreign conflicts. On immigration Rogers was the only candidate to support Donald Trumps proposal to build a wall, financed by Mexico, across the countrys southern border. She also said she would push for a higher percentage of veterans in Congress because of their decision making abilities. Babeu, Bennett and Redd called Trumps wall idea impractical. They also aligned in their disapproval of a special path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Babeu said a double barrier 14-foot corrugated fence in high traffic areas plus cameras, infrared sensors and lighting is whats needed. Bennett said he supports a way to bring undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and into some sort of legal status that is not an automatic path to citizenship. There should be mechanisms for people to get squared with the law, he said. We also need to improve our legal immigration system so it doesnt take years and years and thousands of dollars to do it the right way, he said. As long as the border is secured, Babeu said he also would support creating some sort of permanent status where undocumented immigrants could obtain work permits and receive permanent status. Government perspectives All the candidates support reducing government spending, regulation and taxes as the way to spur economic growth and job creation. Rogers lauded Trumps economic policy promises, including one to make trade deals that put America first. However, in an interview she wasnt able to answer whether she supports the Trans Pacific Partnership that Trump loudly opposes. Kiehne says the key to job growth lies in repealing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and lowering the nations corporate tax rate. Bennett said his singular focus is balancing the federal budget, with a plan to cut federal spending by 1 percent, or about $40 billion, and boost the countrys economic growth to 3 percent from 1.2 percent now. Redd said his goal of trimming the federal budget would include looking at defunding the Environmental Protection Agency. He would also would push for federal spending on a Veterans Affairs hospital and cemetery closer to the Navajo Nation. On health care All of the candidates oppose the Affordable Care Act but differed in how they would replace it. Redd said he believes the states should have their own health-care systems and supported sales of insurance plans across state lines. Bennett supports increased access to health savings accounts, disconnecting a persons health insurance from their employment and making sure health-care premiums are completely tax-deductible. Babeu and Rogers support support Rep. Paul Ryans health-care plan, which would eliminate the regulated exchanges in Obamacare, allow the purchase of policies across state lines and change Medicaid and Medicare spending. Most of the candidates slammed the Department of Veterans Affairs health-care system and Babeu said he would push for overhauling the system entirely. He said he would replace it with small federally run centers that would provide catastrophic care for major injuries, then outsource all other veterans care to private local providers. On education Babeu said federal education funding should be transferred to the states in the form of block grants without spending regulations. Kiehne and Babeu oppose Common Core education standards, citing them as examples of federal overreach despite the fact that they were developed by state education chiefs and governors. Kiehne said he supports vouchers that would allow children to attend private schools on the states dime. On gun control Redd opposes any expansion of gun regulations. Bennett said he might consider supporting a limit on gun sales to people on no-fly or terrorism watch lists, depending on how people get on those lists. If convinced, he said he could change his mind on the need for expanded background checks which he currently doesnt support. Instead of expanded gun regulations, Babeu said he would advocate for increased government spending on mental health programs. On the environment All of the candidates opposed the concept of a Grand Canyon National Monument. Bennett took less of a hard-line stance, however, saying we have to be very careful that if we go through the step of declaring a monument need to make sure were doing it for the right reasons. He said he hasnt yet seen a convincing argument for the need to establish a monument. Redd opposes the monument and supports the land swap that is allowing for the Resolution Copper mine near Superior despite strong support of the former and opposition to the latter by native groups, calling those tribal members paid agitators. Rogers, Babeu, Kiehne and Redd solidly support the transfer of federal public lands to state hands, stating a need to bring control closer to the local level. Bennett said he also supports the concept of land transfers but said first there has to be an evaluation of whether the state has the capacity and the wherewithal to manage those lands and can do so better than the federal government. The candidates all expressed some measure of criticism of the Environmental Protection Agency and its Clean Power Plan, saying the agency is overreaching and that the climate-change mitigation plan will cost jobs and increase electricity rates. Redd denies that human-caused climate change is occurring. Kiehne supports more oil and natural-gas drilling on federal lands and the outer continental shelf. A man was shot during a fight with a deputy and later died at a hospital Tuesday night, authorities said. Marcos Antonio Gastelum, 24, was airlifted to the hospital where he later was pronounced dead, said Deputy Ryan Inglett, a Pima County Sheriff's Department spokesman. Deputy Koby Knodle, who was hired by the department nearly three years ago, was treated at a hospital for facial cuts, including one that required staples, Inglett said. He was released from the hospital after treatment. Inglett gave the following account: Shortly before 7:30 p.m., Knodle responded to a report of a man taking photographs of children and trying to lure them to his vehicle. When Knodle arrived, he made contact with the suspect vehicle and followed the vehicle into a residential driveway in a neighborhood near South Leonard Avenue and West Floyd Street. The neighborhood is west of South San Joaquin and north of West Bopp roads. Both Gastelum and Knodle got out of their vehicles, and Gastelum "became physically aggressive" and began to fight with Knodle. During the fight, the two ended up on the ground and Knodle shot Gastelum. No further information was released. Help India! By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net Ludhiana: Dal Khalsa, a political organization of Sikhs based in Amritsar on the eve of Independence day staged a protest against what they call atrocities, political subjugation and denial of right to self determination in the last seven decades. Support TwoCircles Hundreds of its activists along with representatives of Akhand Kirtani Jatha, All India Sikh Students Federation and Sikh Youth of Punjab held a two-hour demonstration at Ludhiana bridge. Terming August 15 as black day, the protesting sikhs carried black flags, banners and placards amid chanting of slogans, Sikhs want Azaadi from India. The primary aim of Dal Khalsa is to achieve independence for the Punjabi-speaking Sikh majority region of North West India through peaceful and democratic means in order to establish a sovereign Sikh state, Khalistan. The group also denounced Government of India for crushing the rights of Sikhs, Kashmiris and others oppressed people. Dal Khalsa chief Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema while addressing the gathering said, It had been 70 long years but nothing has changed. The litany of grouses, grievances and grudges of India against the Sikh people grow with every passing year, in fact with every passing day. The original promises and commitments are long forgotten by the Indian leadership. On this day, we reiterate and emphasize our historical aspiration of self rule and self-determination, he added. Another leader, H S Dhami said, The flagrant manner in which desecration and vandalism of Guru Granth Sahib takes place and continues unabatedly, raises the pitch of our anger and angst uncontrollably. Sikhs and Kashmiris were not alone in this crisis of identity in India. Religious minorities, regional identities and the Dalits continue to be divested of their fundamental rights, said, Dal Khalsa spokesperson Kanwar Pal Singh. Meanwhile, All India Sikh Students Federation (AISSF), President, Karnail Singh Peer Mohammad criticised the Union government for failing to protect minorities and Dalits. The speech of the President on the eve of Indian Independence Day asking the govt to strictly stop the atrocities on minorities and Dalits, was nothing but annual lip service of Indian leadership. Ironically, nothing changes on ground, he said. Help India! By Amit Dasgupta A recent report tabled in parliament that over 100,000 schools in India have just one teacher is an alarming wake-up call for the government and all stakeholders. However, it also offers a genuine opportunity to transform Indias archaic education landscape now that a new policy is under discussion. Support TwoCircles Four significant challenges confront the education system: a rapidly globalising environment driven largely by the internet revolution; a serious supply-demand constraint in terms of larger numbers of potential students and a sharp decline in the availability of teachers; the emergence of changing technologies; and an evolving marketplace that is constantly placing new demands. The government is tasked not only with the right to education of its citizens but, more importantly, the right to quality education. To navigate this terrain requires a dramatic shift in mindsets and the introduction of substantive policy interventions that are innovative, disruptive and immediate. For around a decade, Indians have celebrated the fact that we are a young nation. As per current statistics, around 600 million Indians are under 25. At a time when countries like China, Japan, Australia, Germany and many others are facing the uncertainty that accompanies a rapidly-aging population, India seemed to hold the key as the growth driver through its increasing reservoir of youth. We call this the demographic dividend. But age alone cannot be the sole criteria for India to emerge as the global talent pool. Indeed, unless the population is employable, the demographic dividend can rapidly degenerate into a demographic liability. This requires that the quality of education is as important as the availability of education opportunities. Indias education system is facing a real crisis, which is entirely of our own making. Furthermore, the crisis is so severe that only transformational overhauling would address the fundamental structural and systemic constraints it faces. In the prevailing situation in India, education delivery is essentially mechanical where an over-worked and over-stretched system delivers an antiquated product to a customer who is denied the right of choice. This needs to be replaced by one that is dynamic and constantly evolving and, furthermore, specifically created to cater to the needs and requirements of the customer. It is only when the why of education policy is understood that the how (or strategy) would follow. Such a fundamental shift requires clarity on what education is meant to achieve. The student needs to become the starting point because at the end of the schooling period, she/he would do a job that is yet to be created. This would redefine the role of education because never before in human history have new technologies, changing market needs, rapid globalisation and consumer aspirations continuously and dramatically impacted the external landscape in both our social and work sphere. To create the right environment for change, the significant supply constraint and the huge pressure it imposes on infrastructure need to be addressed. This is a three-fold constraint. First, even if India were to succeed in its target of 30 per cent gross enrolment rate by 2020 in the tertiary sector, 100 million qualified students would still not have places at university and, thereby, would be forced to join programmes that they would not have otherwise opted for. The second supply constraint is the acute paucity of qualified teachers. Furthermore, the problem is not restricted to higher education but begins from the primary and secondary schooling stage. This combination creates the dramatic crisis where the infrastructure itself collapses. Improving the functioning of our educational institutions requires that the approach towards education and consequently, its management is comprehensively recast. Without embedding efficiencies in its functioning, there would be no incentive to improve, as is currently the case. How many of our teachers, for instance, go through regular training programmes that enable them to keep up-to-date with the latest literature or teaching techniques? Choice and competition lie at the heart of improved performance. By preventing outside players and platforms from entering the arena, the situation is perpetuated domestically and vested interests create their own dynamics. A rapid increase in the footprint of the delivery platforms by opening up to new partners especially world-class international providers and the embrace of technology, through online and MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) platforms, including virtual learning would dramatically transform the education landscape and immediately impact the supply constraint. None of this would be particularly appealing to the existing players. Indeed, as was the case in the 1990s when India decided to embark on economic reforms, there would be predictable resistance from domestic constituencies which would see it as a threat to their business survival. By 2020, it is also estimated that India would require 1,000 new universities to cater to the galloping demand. China faced a similar situation. Anticipating the significant challenge, the government opted for a massive programme to fund overseas education for its nationals and thereby, short-circuited the creation of new educational institutions. This has proved to be a far more efficient response financially and administratively than the expected process of constructing new universities. In addition, the experience of studying abroad enabled the Chinese to think globally. This has proved to be a game changer. It is this kind of thinking outside the box that will address the crisis that confronts India in the education sector. This is not an either-or-situation nothing ever is but one where every available resource is channelled into combatting the crisis that has the potential of adversely impacting Indias aspirational surge. It also requires acknowledging the urgency that confronts us. History would be unforgiving if the government does not see this significant challenge as an extraordinary opportunity of changing educations DNA. As is often foretold, the future can hold promise only when we dare to seize it. Help India! By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net Srinagar: Comparing the ongoing spate of killings in Kashmir with that of Karbala Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu and Kashmir (J&K )on Tuesday, August 16 vehemently condemned the killing of six youths in a single day and termed it as barbarism of Indian forces. Support TwoCircles While briefing the situation in Aripanth Beerwah Budgam, where forces killed four youths on Tuesday, Jamaat alleged that during the intervening night of 15-16 August, a team of SOG police accompanied by CRPF personnel raided Aripanthan village but due to forceful protests of the people, they failed to arrest anyone. On August 16, at about 7:45 am they again appeared and near the local forest check post fired indiscriminately without any provocation or cause. As a result, four innocent youths lost their precious lives and scores other got critically injured, said Jamaat. Further, Jamaat alleged Police of running an arrest spree and have detained a number of innocent persons during the last two days including an active worker of Jamaat-e-Islami, Abdul Qayoom Dar from Shuch village of Kulgam. By these barbaric and inhumane tactics, the Indian forces have let loose a reign of terror in the valley and common people stand terrorised. Meanwhile a delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami led by Advocate Zahid Ali met the families of recently slain Suhail Ahmad Wani of Lethpora and Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat of Chursoo Pulwama and expressed solidarity with them and paid great tributes to the martyrs. Jamaat further stressed upon the international institutions to exercise their diplomatic influence over India. While advising the Government of India to listen to the genuine voice of Kashmiris, Jamaat said, instead of applying its inhumane force upon them, they should start tripartite negotiations including Kashmiris as the main party and find ways to resolve the Kashmir issue as per the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Jamaat also demanded unconditional release of all Hurriyat leaders and political prisoners and detainees forthwith to create a congenial atmosphere for holding trilateral talks. Tweet Tweet Bad Beat: Brunson Almost Robbed, Negreanu Offers Poker Strategy Insight and More August 17 2016 Frank Op de Woerd There's a whole lot going on in the world of poker this week. There's a huge poker tournament at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Florida, the EPT Barcelona is coming up, and the PokerStars WCOOP awaits. Twitter and other social media is used frequently in the world of poker, and not solely to give updates on chip counts and bust-out details. Players list their favorite movies (Ludovich Geilich, Randal Flowers, Matthew Waxman, Adam Levy), debate the United States Presidential election, and share all sorts of other updates. With everything moving so fast, Tweet Tweet Bad Beat, a feature originally featured on our Dutch site is here to keep track. I Bet You I Bet You was a show starring Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak where they challenged each other, with a camera team following each and every step they took. Esfandiari or Laak would put together some crazy prop bets with the two of them putting up some big bucks to make it fun to watch and keep score. After two moderately popular seasons, a third season was announced but never happened. Fortunately, all the episodes can still be watched on YouTube (playlist Season 1, Season 2). Though the show is no longer aired, prop bets aren't gone from the poker world by any means. In fact, we see prop bets between poker players dominate the mainstream media coverage of our game. Not long ago, Esfandiari was DQ'ed from the PCA after peeing in a bottle, a move he made because his legs were too sore after competing in a $50,000 lunge bet with Bill Perkins. And while Dan Bilzerian is no longer considered a poker pro by poker players, his bet to cycle from Vegas to LA within 48 hours with Bill Perkins also made headlines when Bilzerian completed the challenge, netting himself a couple hundred thousand dollars in the process. On a much smaller scale a bet was made this week at the Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Poker. World Poker Tour Champion Will Failla bet a slate of fellow players he could do 10 laps in the pool under 24 minutes. It took him 22 minutes and 20 seconds eventually, netting himself a nice little bonus of $600: He got us @WILLFAILLA #goathustler https://t.co/Kc0oqcVg7T John Racener (@racener) Easy money for Failla. A way to make money without as much effort but with a bit more pain would be to get a tattoo, like Poker Central marketing director, Sam Simmons who reached out to his followers for some help. Simmons wanted to know how much it would take to tattoo the 'poop' emoji on his butt: Q for twitter followers: how much $$$ would it take you to get the poop emoji tattooed on your butt? Need input for a bet Sam Simmons (@PokerSampson) The poop tattoo would have to be the size of a silver dollar and it would be allowed to be removed afterward. That last stipulation changes everything and makes getting that tattoo a far easier choice for anyone. We were curious what our audience thinks, though, so for our incredibly important poll we remove that detail and ask the important question: More Players Chime in on 4-Color Deck Debate Last week we discussed whether or not it made sense to introduce the 4-color deck in live events or not. [Removed:17] and Steve O'Dwyer both gave their opinion, and some other players chimed in on Twitter afterward. Steve is right. Knowing exact suit vs red/black when a card is slightly exposed is a big deal. https://t.co/t2EOm802hM Isaac Haxton (@ikepoker) @OnTheMac @steveodwyer ya flashing cards from dealer mistakes ... Excellent point # Kevin MacPhee (@KevinMacphee) Many live players don't effectively protect their hands & may inadvertently flash suits more easily w/ 4CD, also players folding w/out care. Jesse McKenzie (@OnTheMac) The pros seem to agree with O'Dwyer that using a 4-color deck in live events is a bad idea, but the poll shows 53 percent being all for it. Whether the European Poker Tour will give it a try or not is yet to be seen. The EPT Barcelona event starts this week, and PokerNews will be on site for the 50,000 Super High Roller this Saturday. What Do You Think? Brunson Almost Robbed Again Doyle Brunson is no stranger to robberies. Back in 2012, the Godfather of Poker wrote a blog about getting robbed in the late 50's where the robbers dressed up as cops to prevent the players armed security from shooting. Unfortunately, the blog on doylebrunson.com is down a lot, but here's a little piece of it to give you a taste of what happened: We were used to being arrested, taken down to the police station and paying a fine for gambling, then being released. It was part of the risk of illegal poker but when these guys started taking our money from the table and searching us for more, we realized those "policemen" were really robbers. Life wasn't easy as a road gambler back in the day, but apparently, life hasn't become much better. This week, Doyle Brunson almost was robbed again. Brunson tweeted what happened, and added some advice to people with bad intentions. A police officer just left my house. There was a robbery a few doors from my house last night. The robber told the guy he knew he was a poker player and got him in his garage. That was probably meant for me. Don't these idiots know we leave our money at the casinos where we play? He told the victim his cut was supposed to be $700,000. WARNING... I carry a pistol with me at all times. When I come home I get out of my car with a gun in my hand. I have all kinds of silent alarms, motion detectors, etc. Plus I'm 83 years old, have been good with guns all of my life and am not going to be robbed again. 5 times in my life is enough! So any aspirations of trying had better be reconsidered!!! The robber got about $500 from his victim and said he was going to kill his informants for giving him the wrong house. Doyle Brunson (@TexDolly) Negreanu Does Strategy Fedor Holz (eventual runner-up) and Jason Mercier (bubbled the final table) played an interesting hand in the Super High Roller Bowl at Aria this past summer. Here's what happened: Jason Mercier opened under-the-gun for 14,000 holding . Fedor Holz defended his big blind with . The flop came and Holz check-called a bet of 14,000. The turn came the and Holz bet out 14,000. Mercier raised to 68,000 and Holz made the call. The on the river saw both players check and Holz took it down with his rivered top pair. Daniel Negreanu watched the episode on Poker Central in preparation for the upcoming 50,000 super High Roller set for EPT Barcelona. Negreanu decided to treat his fans to some strategy content and shot a video with some analysis of the hand: Some late night hand analysis of two of the young studs in poker today. Fedor Holz vs Jason Mercier Daniel Negreanu (@RealKidPoker) Negreanu wasn't fond of Holz's turn bet and predicted Mercier would have a tough decision if Holz would have decided to three-bet the flop. Clock Called on McDonald And then there's this. Both Pratyush Buddiga and Mike McDonald both took to Twitter to discuss their marital status or lack thereof: Jesus Christ, just got the "Would you ever be open to an arranged marriage?" speech from my parents. # Time to get to Florida asap Pratyush (@pratyushbuddiga) @pratyushbuddiga literally yesterday my mom told me if I don't find a girl in 2 years she is going to help me ## Mike McDonald (@MikeMcDonald89) @MikeMcDonald89 @pratyushbuddiga your mom called clock on you? https://t.co/1rzs8D34n6 Chris (@coolbearcjs) Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+! How Your Own Poker Style Can Skew Your Reads of Others August 17 2016 Martin Harris If you're on Twitter and use it the way most people do, you probably follow a few hundred people, maybe more. But when you scroll through your timeline, you tend to pay more attention to a certain subset of that group maybe just a handful of those you follow and skim or ignore the rest. That is to say, you likely read more carefully tweets sent by people you've come to find more interesting or funny or engaging than others in your timeline, having grown accustomed to slowing down whenever their avatars pop up over there on the left side of your screen. This happened to me earlier in the week when I lingered a bit over a short exchange on my feed between Andrew Brokos and Nate Meyvis, co-hosts of the Thinking Poker Podcast and occasional contributors here in the Strategy section of PokerNews. If you've read their articles or listened to their podcast, you know they both often have interesting things to say about poker and about other things, too. It was Brokos (@thinkingpoker) who'd started it. "If you image search 'professional poker players from Louisiana,' one of the first hits is a young man being restrained by security guards," Brokos wrote. I thought briefly about trying to replicate the search myself, but Meyvis beat me to it. "FWIW this isn't true for me (and Google results are highly individualized)" he replied (from @NateMeyvis). "Interesting," Brokos responded, and the conversation continued a bit more, with both jokingly reflecting on their own search histories. I also found it interesting, and perhaps because the pair often get me "thinking poker," I couldn't help but relate it to a similar type of highly subjective bias that often occurs at the poker table. The "Personalized Search" and Narrowing of Experience If you're not familiar, the Google search engine has a feature called Google Personalized Search. Searches performed on the same browser contribute to something called a "browser cookie record" that is used to filter results from subsequent searches. When you type in a word or phrase, the results that come back are based both on the relevance of the web page and on the websites you've previously visited. The result is a relatively "personalized search" that is intended to produce more hits that are useful to the individual doing the searching, although one side effect is to bias search results in favor of what the user has already found before. In other words, Google Personalized Search decreases the likelihood of finding new items or information perhaps only by a little, depending on both what you're searching for and your previous history on that browser. In fact, a lot of online sites that involve heavy interaction like Google have introduced similar methods of creating "personalized" experiences via a user's previous history. You've noticed this, no doubt, when visiting (for example) Amazon and seeing all those recommendations based on your previous searches and purchases. Or on Facebook with its many "Custom Audience" targeting features and filters that if chosen can profoundly influence what appears in your feed and on your page. Even Twitter rolled out an "algorithmic timeline" earlier this year which gives users the option to tic a box and "Show me the best Tweets first" so that "Tweets you are likely to care about most will show up first in your timeline." In other words, it's possible to automate that process of selection I was describing at the start when talking about picking out certain tweets to focus on when scrolling through Twitter, if desired. One of the more frequently expressed concerns about personalized searches has to do with the way they skew a person's online experience heavily in favor of filtering out anything new or different. Eli Pariser of MoveOn.org wrote a book about the phenomenon a few years ago titled The Filter Bubble: What the Internet Is Hiding From You. Pariser highlights some of the potentially negative consequences of personalized searches, including the way it creates a safe-seeming "bubble" around users that filters out different views while consistently confirming an individual's own biases. Playing Hands on the "Filter Bubble" Setting aside the online world for a moment, how might all of this relate to the way we process information at the poker table? For starters, there we also have certain biases based heavily on previous experience both generally speaking, and with particular players. For example, say you've just begun with no-limit hold'em and for the first several weeks of playing find yourself almost always calling preflop raises when playing from the blinds. Eventually you realize this is often a losing play, and that a lot of the money you're winning when playing hands from later positions you're giving back when stubbornly defending too often from the blinds. At some point you adjust and start being more judicious about which hands you choose to defend against raises from the SB and BB. You could compare this process to having performed a lot of unhelpful internet searches, then eventually figuring out better keywords to get you closer and closer to more desired results. Unfortunately, the "personalized search" function might have initially caused you to make even more unsuccessful searches early on kind of like developing a bad habit in poker (such as playing too many hands from out of position) and finding it hard to work your way out of it. But eventually you discovered a better approach that produced better results. This tendency can be even more pronounced with regard to your "read" of a certain opponent's style and/or tendencies, including the way we often will take a very small sample size even just a hand or two and use that information to skew our thinking regarding that player for the next several dozen hands. A player who is new to the table raises from early position, fires multiple postflop barrels, then shows at showdown. For the next several hours others assume he's one of those "any two cards" loose-aggressive maniacs. He wins a few more hands without going to showdown, and each player's "filter bubble" causes everyone to assume he was betting and raising with garbage then, too. But was he? Perform Better Searches: Don't Read Others' Styles Through Your Own Such points are easy enough to understand indeed, perhaps I've mostly just been confirming your own poker-related biases that you've developed yourself over time. Or whatever you typed in Google that brought you to this article produced a search that was destined to recommend it to you as similar to things you've read before. Let me add one last point, though, something that against all odds might well be slightly different or new to you. Most of us understand intuitively how to use our experience at the poker table to improve as players. I'm referring to the trial-and-error we all go through that helps us learn what works and what doesn't. One of the most important stages of that learning process, though, doesn't concern how well we learn to read other players. It has to do with coming to an honest understanding of our own style and tendencies, and recognizing how our own play can affect our understanding of what other players are doing. We can't know what kind of player we are when first starting out in poker. In fact, it may take many months or longer to realize what our own strategic preferences really are. Then comes the next, crucial step figuring out how our own preferences might be distorting our perception of others' play. If you never permit yourself to open-raise with from early position, that is likely going to affect how you perceive another player doing so. The same goes for any other play you notice someone else making that appears to conflict with your own idea of what is "good" or "bad" in a given spot. Don't automatically "filter" out others' choices as nonsensical or flat-out wrong on the basis that you yourself would never try those plays. You might be right it might be a bad play. But try if you can to perform a more thorough, unbiased search of the evidence before leaping to that conclusion. Conclusion Many don't realize it, but it's possible to turn off Google Personalized Search. You have to sign out of your Google account, then go to the Search Customization settings page where you can turn the setting off. It's not so easy to "turn off" the bias created by our own preferred style of play when evaluating others' styles and strategic decisions. But it's worth the effort if you can. Get all the latest PokerNews updates on your social media outlets. Follow us on Twitter and find us on both Facebook and Google+! Sharelines Sometimes our own strategic preferences make it hard to evaluate what others are doing without bias. Burst your personal "filter bubble" and stop evaluating others' styles strictly through your own. Early in the natural history of prostate cancer there is a dissemination of cancer cells firstly to the neurovascular structures and then into the circulation (1). However, the majority of these cells will not cause metastasis, destroyed by the immune system or shear forces in the circulation, failure to implant at distant sites or thrive in distant tissues (2).Based on this hypothesis their detection would imply the presence of prostate cancer and if the majority of these cells are eliminated their presence as a prognostic factor would be limited.The only FDA approved system for the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is the EpCAM based CellSearch system. However, in localized prostate cancer the detection rate was only between 11-25% (3-5), and unable to distinguish between healthy controls and cancer patients (4). It has further been reported that EpCAM positive cells are detected in benign disease, and may represent normal trafficking of cells or as a result of cytokine stimulation in inflammatory disease epitelial cells are able to enter the circulation (6).The frequency of CTC detection is method dependent, using anti-Ber4 and telomerase activity CTCs were detected in 80% of men with localised prostate cancer (7).We have used an immunocytochemical method to detect CTCs, called circulating prostate cells (CPCs) in our reports. We have a manual method, with differential gel centrifugation and standard immunocytochemical methods to detect CPCs. Recognising the inherent deficiencies in such methodology, interobserver variability, the potential loss of CPCs during their isolation from peripheral blood and limits of the sensibility of immunocytochemistry there are advantages. Firstly in the real world the method can be performed in the routine immunocytochemical laborstory of a district general hospital, does not require expensive high technology equipment or reagents and thus could have widespread application when health resources are limited.We have defined a circulating prostate cell as one that expresses PSA, however this does not define a malignant from a benign cell. To address this problem we used a second marker, P504S which in prostate biopsies is used to differentiare malignant from benign prostate tissue (8). Thus a maligant CPC is one that expresses PSA and P504S. To limit the effect of interobserver variation we defined a test as positive or negative, recognizing that the the variation in the absolute number of CPCs detected/sample may limit the validity of a determined cut-off value as used with the CellSearch system.Initial studies showed that the frequency of CPCs detected increased with age and serum PSA levels, and associated with a biopsy positive for cancer (9). With an increasing number of patients in the study population, we have reported that:1) P504S negative CPCs are found in benign disease, being more frequently detected in inflammatory disease than in benign hyperplasia (10).2) Are not detected in all cancers, those men with low grade small volumen tumors are often negative for CPCs (11).3) In comparison with total PSA, free PSA, PSA velocity and density proven to be superior in predicting the presence of prostate cancer at initial biopsy (12), and was superior to the Montreal nomogram (13).4) Proved to be superior to the Chuns nomogram in predicting prostate cancer at the second biopsy (14).From the clinical view point it is not a test for all men, it is designed to be used in a specific part of the diagnostic sequence, that is in men with suspicion of prostate cancer, based on an elevated PSA and/or abnormal digital rectal examination. In men CPC negative the inference that a biopsy could be avoided, but that the patient needs to be in a follow up program.In terms of prognostic values, two recent publications that of Meyer et al (3) using the CellSearch system and of our group comparing the presence of primary CPCs with the CAPRA score (15) both concluded that as a prognostic factor primary circulating prostate cells had limited value. The difference being that CTCs were detected by the CellSearch method in 11% of cases, whereas using anti-PSA CPCs were detected in 76% of cases.The evidence seems to support the concept that the detection of primary malignant CPCs is associated with the presence of clinically significant prostate cancer. If used as a sequential test may decrease the number of unnecessary prostate biopsies. That their presence does not imply the presence of distant disease (micrometastasis) and such as a prognostic factor has limited value.What is important is that multicentre studies are warrented to prove or refute the application of this simple technology as a sequential test to indicate the presence of clinically important prostate cancer.1) Moreno JG, Croce CM, Fischer R, Monne M, Vikha P, Mulholland SG et al. Detection of hematogenous micrometastasis in patients with prostate cancer. Cancer 1992; 52: 6110-61122) Fidler IJ. Metastasis: Quantitative analysis of distribution and fate of tumor microemboli labelled with 125-I-5-iodo 2deoxyuridine. J Natl Cancer Inst, 1970; 45: 773-782.3) Meyer CP, Pantel K, Tennstedt P et al. Limited prognostic value of preoperating circulating tumor cells for early biochemical recurrence in patients with localized prostate cancer. Urol Onc 2016; 34: 11-164) Davis JW, Nakanishi H, Kumar VS et al. CTCs in peripheral blood samples from patients with increased serum PSA: initial results in early prostate cancer. J Urol 2008; 179: 2187-915) Eshwege P, Moutereau S, Droupy S et al. Prognostic value of prostate circulating tumor cell detection in prostate cancer patients. Br. J Cancer 2009; 100: 608-10.6) Pantel K, Deneve E, DNocca D et al. Circulating epitelial cells in patients with benign colon disease. Clin Chem 2012; 58: 936-940.7) Fizazi K, Morat L, Chauveinic L et al. High detection of CTCs in blood of patients with prostate cancer using telomerase activity. Ann Oncol 2007; 18: 518-5218) Rubin MA, Zhou M, Dhanasekaran SM et al. ?-methylacyl Coenzyme-A racemase as a tissue biomarker for prostate cancer, JAMA 2001; 287: 16621670.9) Murray NP, Calaf GM, Badinez L et al. P504S excpressing circulating prostate cells as a marker for prostate cancer. Oncol Reports 2010; 24: 687-69210) Murray NP, Reyes E, Badinez L et al. CPCs found in men with benign prostate disease are P504S negative: clinical implications. J Oncol 2013 doi: 10.1155/2013/16501411) Murray NP, Reyes E, Fuentealba C et al. Primary CPCs are not detected in men with low grade small volume prostate cancer. J Oncol 2014 dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/61267412) Murray NP, Reyes E, Orellana N et al, (2014). A comparative performance analysis of Total PSA, percentage free PSA, PSA velocity, and PSA density versus the detection of primary circulating prostate cells in predicting initial prostate biopsy findings in Chilean men. BioMed Research International Volume 2014, Article ID 676572, 8 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/676572 13) Murray NP, Reyes E, Fuentealba C et al. Head to head comparison of the Montreal nomogram with the detection of primary malignant circulating prostate cells to predict cancer at initial biopsy in Chilean men with suspicion of prostate cancer. Urol Oncol, 2015 dx.doi.10.1016/j.urolonc/2015.01.02114) Murray NP, Reyes E, Orellana O et al. Head to head comparison of the Chun nomogram, percentage free PSA and primary circulating prostate cells to predict the presence of prostate cancer at repeat biopsy. Asian Pac J Cancer Prevention 2016; 17: 2941-294615) Murray NP, Aedo S, Fuentealba C et al. Limited improvement of incorporating primary circulating prostate cells with the CAPRA score to predict biochemical failure free outcome of radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Urol Onc 2016; The California wildfires still raging out of control are the work of a serial arsonist and not the result of global warming. Yesterday, officials arrested the dangerous firebug accused of setting 17 of Californias wildfires as firefighters battle the still-raging firestorms across the state. Previously, global warming alarmists said the wildfires were a result of the long-running California drought that has left a lot of dry tinder on the ground. Numerous studies have shown the California drought is entirely natural and part of a regular cyclic pattern for the state. Serial arsonist arrested The man accused of setting the California wildfires is Damian Anthony Pashilk, who has been arraigned on 17 counts of serial arson. Unfortunately, the fires are still raging and the worst is yet to come. Fire season for much of California is September through October when ground kindling is at its driest. The wildfire that began as a small brush fire has also forced California into a state of emergency. As of today, the wildfire in San Bernardino, dubbed the Blue Cut fire, has burned about 18,000 acres and drove 82,000 people from their homes. It was so hot it melted bikes and destroyed thousands of homes. #GOPDebate Wildfires Are Getting Worse: Time to Rehydrate Our Landsca... https://t.co/w4ee9Dtl0W Florida sun (@foqiqeg) August 17, 2016 With the ongoing drought, summer heat, and strong winds, there was even a firenado spotted. Another fire, called the Clayton Fire, has wiped out roughly 4,000 acres and 175 homes since Saturday. While many residents are happy that Pashilk is behind bars, he has left a trail of misery in his wake. He has started at least 17 fires across the state, with many of them still burning. Part of a larger picture? Prior to his capture, some people were speculating that the wildfires were part of a larger global warming picture. Some said that the fire season had started earlier this year and blamed it on the drought, high winds, and higher temperatures. Finger on the scales But it turns out an arsonist had his finger on the scales. Without Pashilk setting the fires, this likely would have been a normal fire season. Many of the problems facing California are self-inflicted from decades of fire suppression, a naturally occurring drought, and mismanagement of water resources. While some have tried to blame global warming, studies keep disproving their alarmist rhetoric. Even the Louisiana floods have come under scrutiny as somehow being part of a larger climate change picture. Al Gore, who has fingered every natural event as being related to climate change, has jumped into the fray and blamed the floods on global warming. But studies show that the rainfall in Louisiana is entirely normal and also part of natural cycles. Al Gore Blames Deadly Louisiana Floods On Global Warming Just As New Studies Debunk His Claim https://t.co/gqTt2Gfflz (via @MikeBastasch) Daily Baller (@DailyBaller) August 16, 2016 As more and more people try to make sense of our world, keep in mind that all of this has happened before, but without the preponderance of smart phones and movie cameras in every pocket to post on social media. Not to mention the soulless individuals who take delight in the abject misery of others. Volunteers help fellow expats stay within law Updated: 2016-08-17 02:13 By ZHOU WENTING in Shanghai(China Daily) Ten longtime foreign residents in Shanghai's Chengjiaqiao area, where expatriates account for 30 percent of the total residents, work with police as volunteers to spread awareness of Chinese laws and rules among foreigners, especially newcomers. These expat volunteers, including businesspeople, artists and students from such countries as the Netherlands, Argentina, Italy and France, will assist police in informing other expats to register with local police stations within 24 hours of arrival. They also will help watch for violators of traffic rules, patrol communities to spot safety threats and warn expats about falling prey to such criminal activity as telecommunication fraud, according to police from Changning district, where Chengjiaqiao is located. More than 170,000 foreigners now in Shanghai have lived and worked there for more than half a year, according to the municipality's police. Lin Yi, a police officer in Chengjiaqiao, the 8-square-km area adjacent to Hongqiao International Airport, said one of the major problems in their work is that many foreigners tend to view Chinese laws based on their own mindset. For example, Lin said, some foreign residents in the villa neighborhood pitch tents on the public lawn, which is allowed only within the fences of their house. "So we need the volunteers to work as the intermediary between the foreigners and us," Lin said. During an internship before becoming a volunteer, Habib Jan, 26, of Pakistan helped traffic police direct nonmotorized vehicles at an intersection in July. "Some riders of electric bikes don't know Shanghai requires all such vehicles to have a license plate, and some nonmotorized vehicle riders go in the wrong direction. So I stop them and work as translator for the police officer," said Jan, who has been in Shanghai for seven years and is fluent in English, Mandarin and the Shanghai dialect. Jan also helps police with security management in Shanghai Hongqiao International Pearl City, where he owns a shop that sells handmade carpets. zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn Army commander: THAAD would 'easily affect' China-US ties Updated: 2016-08-17 09:30 By Zhang Yunbi(chinadaily.com.cn) A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the US Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. [Photo/Agencies] China hopes that Washington will "place great priority and properly tackle" its plan to deploy a long-range antimissile system in the Republic of Korea, a senior Chinese military official said on Tuesday. Li Zuocheng, Commander of the Army of the People's Liberation Army, made the comment when meeting with US Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley in Beijing. Milley has started his first official visit to Beijing amid lingering tension triggered by the plan to deploy Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system. The US official is scheduled to visit China, the ROK and Japan from Monday to Aug 23, and in the ROK he will receive an update on plans to deploy the THAAD system there, according to a release by the US Pacific Command issued prior to the visit. In their first meeting in incumbent posts, Li said the South China Sea issue, the Taiwan Question and the deployment of THHAD would "easily affect the China-US relationship". The military-to-military ties have contributed greatly to the healthy development of the China-US relationship, and China hopes the two militaries will "boost cooperation, properly tackle differences and manage and control risks", Li said. Milley told Li that he expects the two militaries to further reinforce exchanges and boost mutual trust. Premier: China eyes trade, investment with Nepal Updated: 2016-08-17 20:55 By ZHANG YUNBI(chinadaily.com.cn) China is ready to deepen cooperation with Nepal on trade, investment, connectivity and infrastructure and offer assistance within its capacity, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday. He made the remark when meeting with visiting Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister and Financial Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the special envoy of Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Both countries are faced with the major task of developing the economy and improving livelihood, Li said, adding that China was ready to provide support for addressing natural and post disaster reconstruction. The two countries have enjoyed long-term mutual respect and a high degree of political mutual trust, and the Chinese side endorses the new Nepali government's calls to further develop ties with China, Li said. China is ready to achieve new development in the two-way relationship and promote regional peace, stability and prosperity, Li added. Mahara said the new government placed foreign policy priority upon developing ties with China and it firmly honored the One-China policy. Nepal is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to further implement the bilateral consensus reached upon various cooperation and better achieve joint economic and social development, he added. Texas law on voting interpreter blocked Updated: 2016-08-17 11:09 By Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA) A ruling by a federal judge will enable residents of Texas with little or no understanding of English to have any interpreter help them on election day in the voting booth. US District Judge Robert Pittman on Aug 12 blocked a Texas state law that required interpreters to be registered to vote in the same county as the person they are helping. "We brought this case because we found that this disproportionately affected Asian Americans," Jerry Vattamala of the New York-based Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF) said in an interview. Vattamala said the AALDEF filed a lawsuit in 2015 on behalf of Mallika Das, an Indian-American voter who was prevented from receiving assistance from her son in an election in 2014 because he was not a registered voter in the county where she was registered. Saurabh Das was registered in a neighboring county. "I am happy that the court has sided with Asian-American voters and protected their rights under federal law to receive assistance from persons of their choice. I hope that this decision will allow more Asian Americans to vote for many elections to come. My mother would have been pleased to see this outcome," he said in a statement. His mother died in the course of the lawsuit. Pittman ruled that the residency requirement violated Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act, which guarantees voters the right to be helped by a person of their choice if they need assistance because of a physical disability like blindness or the inability to read or write. To enjoy the same opportunity to vote as other citizens, Pittman said voters with limited language abilities must be able to navigate polling stations and communicate with election officials. Asian-American voters benefit from Section 208 because most jurisdictions in Texas are not required to provide Asian-language interpreters under the Voting Rights Act, said Vattamala. Section 208 allows voters with limited proficiency in English to be assisted by their friends or family members inside the voting booth, regardless of the citizenship or voter registration status of the assistor. Vattamala said the ruling applies to all voters in Texas ,including Hispanics and other minorities. "We found that Asian Americans usually rely on family members to help them with voting," he said. In April, the AALDEF reached a settlement with Williamson County, Texas, where Mallika Das was registered to vote. Vattamala said the state can appeal Pittman's decision. "We are not aware of any other state that has this interpreter requirement," said Vattamala. Voting rights have emerged as an issue in the 2016 election. In 2013, the Supreme Court invalidated a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, which required mostly Southern states with a history of discrimination to receive federal approval to change election laws. The court decision made it easier for states to impose new restrictions. At least 15 states including some that may be important in deciding the presidential race are set to have regulations involving voter identification or other requirements. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com Please turn JavaScript on and reload the page. Loading... Checking your browser before accessing the website. This process is automatic. Your browser will redirect to your requested content shortly. Please wait a few seconds. Establishing a representative office in Viet Nam is considered a safe initial step before traders conduct a series of complex high-cost legal procedures to establish a wholly foreign-owned enterprise. Market research For any new foreign trader entering Viet Nams market for the first time, their initial primary purpose might be promoting the brand, getting acquainted with and examining the market while preparing for official business. Therefore, many people establish a representative office as an initial step. Simple procedures As far as establishing a commercial presence in Viet Nam, a representative office is considered much less complex than a business co-operation contract, establishing a foreign-invested enterprise or establishing a branch. To establish a representative office, the foreign trader only needs to meet the following conditions: It is established and registered in accordance with the laws of territories and nations being members to international treaties to which Viet Nam is also a member, or having been recognised by such territories and national laws; Having operated for at least one year from the date of establishment or registration, the remaining operation term must be at least one year from the date of submission of the application for a Certificate of Establishment of a Representative Office. Licensing The time to be granted a Certificate of Establishment of a Representative Office is quite fast. A representative office can be licensed to operate within about seven working days of a sufficient and valid dossier being submitted to the licensing agency. Cost savings The establishment of a wholly foreign-owned enterprise in Vietnam requires many stages with numerous procedures and documentation. The process can cost up to several thousand US dollars. Spending such a large initial investment without a clear comprehension of Viet Nams market is an insecure and risky move. Another benefit of establishing a representative office is that it will not be subject to taxes due from business activities, but will only have to pay personal income tax for office staff. Pre-step to establishing a foreign invested enterprise Although a representative office for a foreign company is not allowed to perform business operations or other profitable activities as prescribed by the law, it can still perform the functions of liaison office, market research and promotion of business investment opportunities, etc. for foreign traders in Viet Nam. Once the image and brand of a foreign trader has become familiar and popular with clients in the Vietnamese market, they can be more assured to establish a wholly foreign-owned enterprise and officially perform commercial activities in Viet Nam. PLF Law Firm HCM CITY The Tien and Hau rivers in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta have become deeper in recent years instead of having silt build-up like in years past, experts have said. The 250-kilometre-long Tien and 200-km-long Hau, tributaries of the Mekong, are two major rivers in the delta, which is the countrys largest rice, fruit and seafood producer. Hoang Van Hung, head of the Viet Nam Inland Waterways Administration South Branch, said their depth has been increasing faster since 2008, now at an average of three to seven metres. The situation is occurring along their entire lengths, he was quoted as saying in Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. Nguyen Huu Thien, an ecologist based in the delta, attributed the deepening to excessive sand mining and the impacts of hydropower dams upstream. Hydropower dams along the Mekong in China have caused a 50 per cent reduction in fine grained sediments in the delta, he said. Delta provinces are exploiting the Mekong uncontrollably, he added. Le Manh Hung, deputy head of the Department of Irrigation, said in 2013 he presided over a research project on the impact of sand mining on the Tien and Hau rivers. The delta provinces zoning plans for sand mining have not considered whether the mining could cause erosion of the river bed while mining process is not appropriate and does not safeguard river banks and beds from erosion, he said. Besides, the provinces only estimate the reserves of sand and grant licences without evaluating the volume of sediments washed from upstream areas, he said. With the current mining volume, the delta will mine all sand reserves in the Tien and Hau rivers in less than 30 years. Huynh Yen Van, deputy head of the Ben Tre Province Natural Resources and Environment Departments Hydro-meteorology and Marine Resources Division, said a recent department study found that silt build-up in the Tien, Ham Luong and Co Chien rivers is very slow and even absent in some places. While silt deposits normally recover over a period of time, it is not happening now as a result, she said. In Ben Tre, the provincial Fatherland Front earlier this month informed the Peoples Council that the public opposed a plan to dredge a passage in the Tien River in Cho Lach and Chau Thanh districts. The Tien Giang Province Peoples Committee has stopped issuing licences to mine sand in the Tien to ensure the river bed and banks are not eroded. However, three companies have been licensed by the Ministry of Transport to dredge a stretch of the river from its mouth to ong Thap Province. Earlier this month Tien Giang petitioned the ministry to stop existing sand mining projects and not grant any new licences. The ong Thap Peoples Committee has also petitioned the ministry not to dredge a passage in Chau Thanh Districts An Hiep Commune and Cao Lanh Districts Binh Thanh Commune. inh Cong San, deputy director of the Southern Institute of Water Resources Researchs Centre of River Training and Natural Disaster Mitigation, said some provinces in the delta have stopped issuing licences to mine sand. The Government should study and identify areas where sand can be mined while also ensuring easier transportation there, he said. San said a major programme that would cost 1 million euros and be funded by the EU would study erosion in the deltas coastal areas. All issues such as the impact of less silt carried down the Mekong to the delta, sand mining, climate change and rise in seawater levels would be evaluated, he said. Based on the evaluation results, sustainable solutions will be found. VNS LAM ONG The Peoples Committee of the Central Highlands Lam ong Province has decided to fine a company more than VN320 million (US$14,400) for violating environment regulations. The Bao Loc Silk Joint Stock Company, based in the provinces Bao Loc City, was found to have discharged untreated wastewater into the environment at the rate of 10.56cu.m per day. The wastewater was released into a spring that runs behind the company and then flows into ong Nai Lake. The company also failed to install and operate waste treatment facilities as it had committed and to abide by other environment protection regulations. The provincial authorities asked the company to immediately stop releasing untreated wastewater and to take measures to deal with the consequences. The company had been fined VN300 million in 2010 for violating environment protection regulations. VNS by Dan Hambleton* When a person starts to talk about ang Nhat Minhs films, its not easy to be brief. Each film opens doors and windows onto many aspects of life, and these lead to still more doors, each revealing more facets and shades and issues about the human experience. In other words, the films have the richness and complexity of life, because theyre made by someone who is experiencing it first hand. Season of Guavas The true artist communicates universally. The message hits people directly the communication is clear. Thats why a persons understanding of the tragedy in Season of Guavas doesnt depend on that person having lived in Ha Noi, or on having lost their house and had their world disrupted and destroyed forever. It is something all people can understand anywhere in the world. Injustice, outrage, betrayal, greed, corruption of mind, spirit and society these are things many people have experienced all too often. The skill of the artist is in presenting these realities and truths in such a way that the viewer, listener, or reader is led along on a journey that takes them to the core of that truth, allowing the viewer to experience something that he might have sensed but has yet to articulate. And that clarity of a truth which the artist, in this case ang Nhat Minh, shapes and molds to drive his message home, reaches the recipients heart, and its there that the viewers defenses are disintegrated and he experiences the truth, and its power. This is the great skill of an artist like ang Nhat Minh. To be such a master of his art requires tools, the tools that those working in any medium need to acquaint themselves with in order to create. But these tools are meaningless in the hands of countless others often you get effects and shallowness, or even skillful, but empty, technique. But to accomplish what Mr. Minh does requires something much more rare the intelligence and keen observation of life around him combined with the humility to not set himself above the lowliest of persons he meets, or whose stories he hears. This is constantly evident in his work, where we see characters who in other films would be called extras. In Minhs films no character, no matter how briefly he or she appears, is unimportant. In fact, one can sense the opposite, that each of these persons is just as important as the characters who carry the weight of the story. A clerk in an office might be talking to a main character about something that seems trivial, and yet a key element in the film might hinge on what that clerk or minor official says. And whether the crucial aspect of the story depends on that character or not, still the scene and that character are related to the main characters in a deeper human way. Minh understands that they are all sharing the experience of life, that life is brief, and that death is the great equaliser of all people. Each one has their own memories and carries their own responsibility. The medium of film is different in its process than other art forms. In regard to painting, for example, French artist Maurice Denis said that before it is a recognisable scene of a war horse or a woman or the description of some story [a picture] is essentially a flat surface covered with colours arranged in a particular pattern. He wasnt saying that those colours and shapes were the first step to be later refined into a horse, etc. He meant that even after you see the finished picture with its details, it continues to be a flat surface with deliberately arranged colors. What about the medium of film? It doesnt depend on this kind of juxtaposition, with the different elements presented to the viewer simultaneously on the same surface. Instead it flows in time. But rarely does a film consist of a single shot flowing in time. Most films are a series of many scenes, camera angles and shots following one another in succession. Exactly what those shots or scenes consist of and how long each one is, largely constitutes the language of film. Mr Minh chooses the order of these shots, each ones length, and their precise character, that is, the composition of the frame, what is visible in the frame and what isnt, how close or how far away the characters or objects are from the camera, the specific colors seen and the lightness or darkness of the shot, whether or not characters are speaking or any other sound is heard, whether or not music is present, and very importantly, the relationship of a particular scene to the one immediately preceding it and following it, as well as the scenes relation to still other scenes much earlier or later in the film. How to position these scenes and what exactly they will consist of are enormously complex decisions to make. These decisions are what make the movie live and breathe. They embody techniques such as slow or fast pacing, panning, close-ups, contrast, tension, introspection, symbolism, and countless more, and they generate real emotional and psychological effects in the viewers. Mr. Minhs artistry consists, not only in his creation of the scenes themselves, but in their assemblage in such a way so as to accomplish his purpose, to guide the viewers where he progressively wants to take them. Season of Guavas, a film from almost fifteen years ago, shows all of the directors skills at work. It is a tale of modern, peacetime Ha Noi, much as it is now, but set in 2002. And it is a cautionary tale, a message that ang Nhat Minh has for his audience. To communicate his message, the director first weaves a tapestry of life. Details of the city take the viewer beyond the surface to show the grittier tenements and narrow alleys, the old stained buildings, the small but tidy rooms, the collective outdoor water facets and latrines, the noisy and bustling street market, the austere art academy class with its students concentrated on their work, the meager offices of police and other government officials, the sparsely furnished hospitals, the sidewalk barbers, the gentle flow of bicycle traffic, and coexisting with this side of life, the wealthier parts of town, the restful tree-shaded avenues, the beautiful old mansions, the villas, the luxury hotels. In short, the viewer is introduced to the real Ha Noi, its essence. Season of Guavas is the most Hanoi of films. At the same time the viewer is introduced to one of the principle characters in the film, Hoa, a 35-year-old man living in the poor side of town. Minhs cautionary tale centres on this character. The directors camera lets the viewer see Ha Noi through Hoas eyes, taking him into Hoas personal world, but giving no hint as to what this modern day parable is about. Minh chooses to not spell out what is going on. Rather, he lets the viewer gradually figure it out. The viewer likes Hoa. He has an openness and ingenuousness. He smiles when people talk to him, is eager to help, and is always gentle. Simple things give him pleasure. The camera lingers on his face, lit up with joy at the sight of a guava fruit hanging from a tree. The lighting and the colours that the camera captures reflect that joy. Scenes suddenly appear that are from another time, an earlier time and an earlier Ha Noi. Children are playing and reaching for the guava fruit from a large tree near a big house. Theyre seen inside the comfortable rooms of the house, playing as all children do, and singing songs with their parents. It is an idyllic, wonderful time, a time of security and warmth and closeness to family members. But these scenes disappear as quickly as they occur. The viewer is gradually being taken on a journey into Minhs cautionary tale, and is only by degrees coming to an understanding of the situation. The element of discovery is very important to Minh. Its only gradually that the viewer realizes that Hoa is mentally challenged. He is not a normal person, but has the mind of a 13-year-old boy inside the body of a man. But now it doesnt matter. Minh has let us come to know Hoa already, and so we dont care. We love him anyway, and only want the best for him and his younger sister Thuy. The director has masterfully prevented the viewer from forming any prejudgments or preconceived ideas about Hoa. Now the viewer watches with keen interest to see what will happen in Hoa and Thuys lives. The viewer realises that Hoa and his siblings had once lived in the large mansion where Hoa finds the guava fruit. Thirty years earlier, during wartime, their father, a lawyer, had been asked to allow the government to use the house for its offices. However, the house had never been returned to the family and has since been reassigned to others. Now their father is dead, their older brother has moved from the city, and Hoa and Thuy live in a small tenement apartment. Hoa understands nothing of these events, but is only drawn back to his old house with its pleasant memories and large guava tree. In the course of the story, as Hoas trespassing gets him arrested, still more scenes of Ha Noi life and people are presented. So many details, in the hands of another director, would descend into naturalism, that is, a kind of boring realism that doesnt go anywhere and distracts from the heart of the story. But in Mr. Minhs hands, each detail is carefully chosen like the notes in a symphony to add its own colour and propel the story forward. Each detail is like a brick, building the viewers understanding of Hoa and his sisters world, allowing the viewer further into that world with ever increasing empathy. In this complex but skillful process, Mr. Minh sets the stage for his cautionary tale in such a way as to leave the viewer most vulnerable as to what is to come. The viewer is blindsided and emotionally impacted by what follows, as if it is happening to himself. The events take on a power they would not otherwise have had, and drive home Minhs unforgettable message. VNS * Charles Daniel Hambleton is a US freelance artiste by training based in Ha Noi. He held various jobs to support his artistic career including working as a subcontractor for a vinyl repair business and owner of a commercial window cleaning service. A certified ESL trainer, he has been teaching English at various centres in Ha Noi and also held a painting exhibition in the citys Old Quarter. **See the second part of the story: Dont Burn: an odyssey into the true meaning of life On the occasion of the National Day of Indonesia today, Viet Nam News presents an article written by H.E. Ibnu Hadi, Indonesian Ambassador to Viet Nam. On 17th of August this year, Indonesia will celebrate its 71st Independence Day, at a time when the world continues to face uncertainties and challenges. Under the second year of President Joko Widodos administration, however, Indonesia is continuing to spare no efforts to contribute positively for its people and the peoples in the region as well as around the globe. This years 71st celebration is accompanied by some notable achievements, particularly in the economic sector since the current government has underlined that economic transformation is its main focus. Among many achievements, the first would be the governments ability to manage the Indonesian economy to grow at about 5 per cent within the first half of 2016. Amid the unpredictable global situation that all countries of the world are now facing, this result is something that deserves appreciation. Through a series of economic package reforms issued by the government, reaching 11 programmes so far, economic stability has been kept on a positive trajectory as an engine for development. Among these policies, the government has put its highest priority on improving the ease of doing business. By doing this, Indonesia has attracted the largest portion foreign investment in the ASEAN region, amounting 34 per cent in 2015. Infrastructure is also a key factor to further develop the country. Realising the importance of infrastructure in solving problems of logistics and distribution, the government is intensively building an extensive road network connecting several important major points within the large islands from Sumatra to Papua, with a target of 6,000km to be completed in the upcoming years. Moreover, as the worlds largest archipelago state, Indonesia is blessed in having one of the longest coast lines covering some 99,093sq.km; a vast sea area of more than five million square kilometres; with 13,466 named island among 17,500 islands in total. This imposes challenges as they divide Indonesia into many internal seas. Rather than seeing this as a problem, these waters are deemed important parts of the sea toll road transportation programme, especially considering how vital the seaports are to facilitate the smooth handling of goods. It is also a significant component of achieving just development throughout the country. The inner-island connectivity will be beneficial to forging Indonesias strategic position to become a maritime axis, while potentially further strengthening its already-possessed comparative advantages. Situated on the strategic intersection of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, it allows Indonesia to offer accessible and efficient trade routes to many attractive markets. In the field of foreign policy, Indonesia has been well-known for its stance in playing an active role in promoting peace both regionally and internationally. The world is currently encountering growing threats, be they traditional or non-traditional. The on-going conflicts and instability, coupled with the increasing extremist security issues of radicalism and terrorism, have become a common situation in some parts of the world. Indonesia has been and will consistently be part of the solution by pursuing peace and prosperity through dialogue and other peaceful means using various fora. Hundreds of bilateral and international meetings and concluded agreements are witness to how Indonesian diplomacy is working. It includes, among others, the holding of the Asian-African Summit in 2015 in Jakarta and Bandung, and the Roundtable Meeting on Addressing the Root Causes of the Irregular Movement of Persons in 2015. The capital of Indonesia, Jakarta, has gained rising acknowledgment as a diplomatic capital of ASEAN, as illustrated by the high number of foreign missions to open in the city. This year, 2016, is the starting point of the ASEAN Economic Community, and as members of the regional grouping, Indonesia and Viet Nam are required to prepare themselves to maximize the opportunities brought by the community for their people. However, the introduction of the ASEAN Community should open up greater possibilities for both countries to strengthen their co-operation and joint efforts in as many fields as possible. In addition to being ASEAN members, Indonesia and Viet Nam are also strategic partners, which share various similarities, such as huge, young populations, emerging power and a growing middle-class. All of those elements are important impetus for having closer ties and a stronger relationship in the future. In terms of bilateral trade volume, both countries have enjoyed a stable path, though the economic downturn has slightly decreased the figures from US$5.38 billion in 2014 to $5.02 billion in 2015. We have to continue our hard work to achieve our bilateral trade target of $10 billion in 2018. The links and mutual understanding between our people are the important things that need to be nurtured and improved. In doing so, by working closely with the media and offering scholarships for Vietnamese students to stay in Indonesia, we can focus our energies to promote a closer relationship among our peoples. Despite the potential we have, numerous tasks and challenges lay ahead of us. Therefore, we need to join hands in identifying, resolving and translating this potential into a concrete and result-oriented plan to fulfill our citizens expectations. VNS HA NOI Nguyen Tien Thanh a student from the Hanoi-Amsterdam High School was named as winner of the second annual student Writing Prize, a competition organised by American The Atlantic magazine and the College Board, a non-profit education organisation. Thanhs essay, inspired by The School of Athens one of the most famous frescoes or murals by renowned Italian artist Raphael during the Renaissance was selected for the prize among 2,000 entries from 44 countries in this years contest, which challenged students to do a close reading of a work of art that inspires them. Two dozen professors of composition and art history narrowed the field to 20 semifinalists, and a panel of judges from the College Board and the magazine made the final selection. The fresco, which was painted between 1509 and 1511 under the commission of Pope Julius II, depicted some of the most prominent thinkers and great minds of history such as Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Leonardo de Vinci and Michelangelo. In his essay, titled "Reading Raphael in Hanoi", Thanh not only pointed out that all the figures in the fresco share one thing in common - a quest to pursue knowledge and make sense of the world - he also pondered the meaning it conveys for the viewer. His interpretation highlighted the artists intention for his work to be an invitation, one that encourages viewers to engage with the great thinkers of the past and to learn from or question their ideas. Thanh also expressed his regret that the education system in Viet Nam still lacks such an invitation and instead often constrains students to a limited exploration of a narrow range of ideas and tends to promote a single worldview. However, he said enthusiastically that even though the current system may take some time to change, the younger Vietnamese generation is both well-equipped and eager to learn of different ways of the world. To end his essay Thanh concluded that the great thinkers are there not for us to respect unquestioningly, but rather for us to question respectfully and pledged himself to be an upholder of intellectual freedom and critical inquiry in his quest for knowledge. Along with the prize, Thanh, 18 and a recent graduate from high school, has also won a US$300,000 scholarship to Duke University, which he plans to attend this autumn. Sharing his tips for academic success, he said one of the first books he read in English, one that inspired him to learn the language, was the classic Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. A full release of Thanhs essay can be viewed on the magazines website theatlantic.com VNS HA NOI The National Assemblies (NA) of Viet Nam and Laos are hoped to increase cooperation and experience exchanges in order to make their ties on par with those between the two countries Parties, States and people. Lao NA Vice Chairman Somphan Phengkhammy expressed the wish at a meeting with NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan in Ha Noi yesterday. The guest said his ongoing visit to Viet Nam aims to study the position, role, functions and power of the provincial and municipal Peoples Councils, adding that the Lao delegation is scheduled to visit the central provinces of Thanh Hoa and Nghe An and HCM City. He said the Lao NA hopes to coordinate with Viet Nam in organising a workshop sharing experience in public debt management and supervision. She said the two countries would jointly host a workshop to share experience between Vietnamese and Lao parliaments in next October and a ceremony to inaugurate the Viet Nam Laos historical site in the northern province of Son La to mark the 55th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic ties and 40th anniversary of signing the Viet Nam Lao Amity and Cooperation Treaty. The top Vietnamese legislator also suggested the two NAs coordinate in supervising the implementation of high-level agreements and commitments, and their bodies promote experience exchanges. In talks with his Vietnamese counterpart, Uong Chu Luu, the visiting Lao legislator said his country wishes to learn about the organisational structure and activities of the Vietnamese NA Committee for Deputy Affairs, and the all-level Peoples Councils, especially those at provincial levels. He said he believes that Viet Nam will increase its development pace and promote relations with his country. He affirmed that Laos will work closely with Viet Nam in organising events to celebrate the 55th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties and 40 years of the signing of the Amity and Cooperation Treaty between the two nations. For his part, Luu spoke highly of Laoss recent legislative achievements, including the ratification of the Revised Constitution, saying that these contribute to reinforcing the countrys legal system and laying the foundation for Laos to realise its socio-economic development goals. He expressed his belief that the Lao NA will continue making important contributions to successfully implementing the Resolution of the 10th National Congress of the Lao Peoples Revolutionary Party and the countrys socio-economic development plan for 2016-20. Presidential reception The Party, State and people of Viet Nam give the highest priority to enhancing the time-honoured friendship with Laos, President Tran ai Quang told Phengkhammy yesterday. Viet Nam considers the relationship an invaluable asset and vital to the revolutionary causes of the two countries, the President said. Noting with pleasure co-operation between the two countries, President Quang said such achievements were due to the contributions of their legislative bodies. He suggested the two agencies continue working to implement high-ranking co-operation agreements, especially those sealed at the 38th meeting of the Viet Nam-Laos Inter-governmental Committee in December last year, while increasing the exchange of experience, particularly in building institutions and laws, and supervising law enforcement, he said. Phengkhammy said that the Lao NA will mark 40 years since the signing of the Viet Nam-Laos Amity and Cooperation Treaty (July 18) and the 55th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations, in a bid to help the two countries young generations understand more about the special solidarity. VNS The National Assembly Standing Committee (NASC), in a meeting yesterday, agreed with the Governments proposal to use VN77 billion (US$3.5 million) to pay compensation for local residents who were impacted by the Ta Trach Hydro Power Reservoir Project. Photo baomoi.com HA NOI The National Assembly Standing Committee (NASC), in a meeting yesterday, agreed with the Governments proposal to use VN77 billion (US$3.5 million) to pay compensation for local residents who were impacted by the Ta Trach Hydro Power Reservoir Project. According to the Government report delivered in the morning session, the Government proposed to take VN77 billion from Government bonds to pay compensation and relocate people whose land had been taken for the Ta Trach Project in central Thua Thien-Hue Province which started in 2004. Initially, the compensation for land clearance was based on land for land but due to the provinces limit of land areas, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development the project implementer had only provided the local people 324.4 ha in comparison with more than 1,342 ha of land taken for the project, the report said. The slow compensation had caused difficulties for about 300 households and led to complaints for nearly 10 years. Nguyen uc Hai, chairman of the NA Finance and Budget Committee said that the use of money from the Government bond was not appropriate because the fund for compensation must be from the projects approved investment. The NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan asked relevant offices including ministries of Planning and Investment, and Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Peoples Committee of Thua Thien-Hue Province to learn from the lesson to avoid the same problem in the future. The NA deputy chairmen Nguyen Ba Ty and Uong Chung Luu shared the same opinion that paying money as compensation was not the best solution. The people needed land for production or to have other jobs created for them, said Luu. Finally, the NASC agreed with the Government proposal to help local people resettle their lives and stop the complaints. But the compensation money must be sourced from capital already allocated for the construction of not-so-urgent components of the Ta Trach project. Adjustment of foreign capital use Also, in the morning, deputies heard the Governments report on adjusting the use of the foreign investment sources in 2016. The Government reported the situation of foreign capital allocation and disbursement for the first five months, and demand of official development assistance (ODA) and preferential loans of ministries and sectors from central to local levels. The plan of using the foreign investment source was approved by the NA in 2015 with VN48.7 trillion (US$2.2 billion) allocated to ministries and localities. The remaining amount of VND1,300 billion (US$60 million) was kept as reserve. According to the Government report, as of May this year, the capital disbursed was VN17.3 trillion (US$787 million), reaching 36.1 per cent of the plan. The only localities that fulfilled the disbursement plan were Tuyen Quang Province, Ninh Binh Province, and HCM City. The sectors and localities having disbursement rates below 10 per cent were the Ministry of Education and Training, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, and Ha Noi University. Notably, ministries and localities which had not disbursed any per cent were the Defence Ministry, Public Security Ministry, Information and Communication Ministry, Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs Ministry, and provinces of Thai Nguyen, Ben Tre and Binh Phuoc. The uneven result of capital disbursement was due to differences in bidding procedures, slow ground clearance, and weak capabilities of some project management boards, the report said. Meanwhile some projects that fulfilled the disbursement plan was waiting for more money. This caused increased cost and prolonged implementation. Besides, the donors do not agree to prolong disbursement to next year. With these reasons, the Government asked the NA to allow it to adjust the allocation of foreign capital among projects, ministries and localities. The NA Finance and Budget Committee said that the Government proposal proved the shortcomings in management and use of foreign capital sources and asked it to work on the adjustment of the allocation plan for the NAs reconsideration at its next meeting. VNS Nha Trang, KHANH HOA The arbitral ruling last month laid out a historic legal basis for a step closer to resolving territorial disputes in the East Sea (South China Sea), yet it will take patience to expect any breakthroughs on the way, especially a change of view from China, experts have said. The Hagues Arbitral Tribunal on July 12 rendered its long-awaited ruling in favour of the Philippines against China, slamming its so-called nine-dash-line encircling more than 90 per cent of the East Sea. The award also categorised which features in the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago were islands or just mere rocks, of which the latter could not generate a maritime zone according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The ruling rejected the historic rights of China and significantly narrowed the disputed area among the claimant states, Phan Duy Hao, senior research fellow at the National University of Singapores Centre for International Law told Viet Nam News on the sidelines of a conference on the East Sea held in Nha Trang in the coastal Khanh Hoa Province yesterday. The ruling had each countrys rights to the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the continental shelf guaranteed under international law and hence, let them have a legal basis to protect their own interests. Before the ruling was handed down, claimants in the East Sea including China, Viet Nam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia all had their own territorial claims which overlapped with each others, turning one of the busiest sea routes in the world into a regional powder keg, especially with the increasing military manoeuvres of China. Beijing had maintained its tough rhetoric over the last month, after denouncing the decision as null and void. Tensions reached their peak when Chinese Defence Minister Chang Wanquan called on the military and the whole country to prepare for a potential peoples war at sea, according to the Xinhua news agency on August 2. Yet, former head of the Vietnamese Governments Border Committee, Tran Cong Truc, said that Beijing removed mentions of their unilateral nine-dash-line in hawkish statements made after the ruling, and that was a signal Viet Nam should take notice of. The legal basis given out by the ruling is not a panacea for the East Sea dispute, yet at least we now have something to move on to resolve it, he said. Viet Nam, as well as the international community, could not force or expect China the Asian powerhouse attempting to save face - to formally recognise the arbitral ruling, Hao said. The Hague award is legally binding yet whether it will be observed by relevant parties, particularly China in this case, is another matter, due to a lack of an international enforcement mechanism. There is no international police force to make countries implement the ruling, said Erik Franckx, Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and President of the Department of International and European Law, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, Belgium. But even big countries cant live against international law, especially when they are members of the Security Council which should set examples for other smaller nations. But of course we have to be patient. We cant expect China to change overnight. Marine environment damages Chinas actions and their effect on East Sea marine life, from overfishing, giant clam poaching, and the construction of artificial islands that killed coral reefs en masse were crimes, said the Viet Nam Nature and Marine Environment Association Chairman, Nguyen Chu Hoi. The East Sea is one of the top ten biodiversity centres of the world, contributing one tenth to global fishing production, that some 300 million people from nine countries and territories rely on for a living, according to Hoi. Yet he said that Chinas rampant activities in the East Sea, which were called out by the arbitral court ruling as having violated its obligation to preserve and protect fragile ecosystems and the habitat of depleted, threatened, or endangered species and inflicted irreparable harm to the marine environment, were causing severe damage to the environment. Chinese fishermen were sweeping the entire sea, pushing the giant clams, sea turtles and sharks to the edge of extinction, he said. A satellite analysis made public by John McManus from the University of Miami in mid July indicated that more than 104sq. kms of coral reef had been destroyed by Chinese giant clam poaching in the East Sea. Another 58 sq kms of reef disappeared after island-building activities, largely by Beijng to solidify its military presence in the region. The coral reef area eliminated by Chinas land-reclamation in the East Sea was at least 48 times larger than the initial estimation of about 1.2 sq kms announced by the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs last year. Chinas land reclamation projects carried out on the sand spits, islets and submerged reefs of the Spratly islands stretching to more than 3,200 acres, according to the Pentagon have been carried out since 1988 and have grown more intense in recent years. Viet Nam, for its part, started to feel the heat from Chinas activities in the East Sea as recent research recorded a 16 per cent decrease in commercial fish stocks in the western part of the East Sea compared to 2010, Hoi said. Prof. Ngo Vinh Long from Maine University said that countries in the region should reach some consensus in order to stop the marine destruction caused by Chinas activities in the long-term. What it takes is a unified voice in the region to put pressure on China, he said. VNS HA NOI Ha Noi will plant 45,000 trees along Thang Long Avenue, Chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Nguyen uc Chung said at a meeting with voters in Hoan Kiem District on August 16. About 20,000 palm trees would be first planted in the near future, Chung said. The tree-planting would make the city green from Ba Vi District to the National Convention Centre, he said. The city has also decided to stop trimming trees along the avenue as well as in other areas in order to save billions of ong spent each year on maintenance and care of trees, the chairman said. The capital hopes to make progress in managing trees in 12 inner districts, including a plan to plant a million trees by 2020. To achieve the target, the city has consulted scientists and relevant offices about the types of trees that should be planted. Thang Long Avenue, or Lang- Hoa Lac Highway, located west of the city, links the city centre to the former Highway 21A, which is now the starting point of the Ho Chi Minh Highway. It also connects Ha Nois inner areas with satellite urban areas, such as Xuan Mai, Son Tay and other localities. The avenue is 30km long and 140m wide, with six lanes for vehicles. VNS The Mekong Delta region faces a severe shortage of medical specialists in five specialised departments of tuberculosis, leprosy, mental diseases, anatomical pathology and forensic medicine, heard participants at a conference earlier this week. VNA/VNS Photo Phuong Vy CAN THO The Mekong Delta region faces a severe shortage of medical specialists in five specialised departments of tuberculosis, leprosy, mental diseases, anatomical pathology and forensic medicine, heard participants at a conference earlier this week. The region, consisting of 13 provinces and cities, has 123 general hospitals and 37 specialised hospitals, 21 of which offer medical examination and treatment in the five specialised departments. Speaking at the conference on medical staff training on Monday, head of the Training Department of Can Tho University of Medicine and Pharmacy Nguyen Thi Minh Phuong said the whole region had only 152 specialists working in the five specialised departments and half of them would reach retirement age by 2020. She noted that every city and province in the region has a centre of forensic medicine but only four of the centre staff had graduated from a forensic medicine department while the others learned a different major. Moreover, no hospital in Kien Giang Province has doctors specialised in tuberculosis. Five provinces of An Giang, Ben Tre, Can Tho, Hau Giang and Kien Giang did not have surgical pathologists who are needed at any cancer department at province-level hospitals, she said. According to the Health Ministry, Viet Nam ranks 12th out of the top 22 countries most affected by tuberculosis, with 130,000 new patients a year. But 332 of 1,611 communes in the Mekong Delta do not have such specialists. A Government decision issued in 2013 on national healthcare strategy stipulated that the aim is to provide eight doctors and two pharmacists with a bachelors degree for every 10,000 people in 2015; nine doctors and 2.2 pharmacists for every 10,000 people in 2020. However, until last year, the Mekong Delta failed to meet the objective with only 6.35 doctors and 1.39 pharmacists for every 10,000 people. The university principal Pham Van Linh said that the university continued offering training programmes to students who received financial support from provincial budgets and committed to work at the localities that fund them. In the school year 2016-2017, the university planned to enroll 150 students for the five specialities. Vice director of Bac Lieu Provinces Health Department Nguyen Minh Tung said that the province had enough doctors working in general practices but lacked doctors in the five specialised faculties. Particularly, he said, a new 100-bed tuberculosis hospital would go into operation next year, needing about 30 specialists but now there is a lack of tuberculosis doctors in the province. The lack of such medical specialists was more severe in public hospitals, as private ones offered better policies to attract trained staff, he said, adding that at least 14 doctors in the province quit jobs at public hospitals to work for private ones. Vice chairman of An Giang Province Peoples Committee Nguyen Thanh Binh said that the brain drain happened when local medical students wanted to work in major cities instead of returning to their hometowns. Vo Trong Huu, head of Social and Culture Affairs Department under the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region said that it was an urgent need to add more staff for five specialised departments in hospitals in the Mekong Delta region for better public health. The Steering Committee, Can Tho Medical and Pharmacy University plus the Ministry of Education and Training agreed that the university would receive 150 students to the five specialised departments. Huu called on localities to complete lists of eligible candidates and arrange proper budget to ensure the smooth operation of the training programme. VNS HA NOI Ha Noi health department has asked local health services centres to suspend the selling and prescribing of Neo-Tergynan for gynaecological problems, fearing fake drugs. The department on Tuesday also asked public and private hospitals and health clinics, besides drug firms and stores in the city to re-examine their medicine lists and to promptly stop the use of this medicine. It said district health departments would be in charge of supervising the suspension of this medicines use by local drug stores. The departments Medicine Testing Centre was asked to strengthen inspections of distribution of medicines and to inform authorised agencies if it detected Neo-Tergynan being sold in the city. On August 5, the Ministry of Healths Drug Administration conveyed its doubts about fake Neo-Tergynan, which is manufactured by Frances Sophartex and imported in Viet Nam by Viet Ha Medicine JSC. VNS IEN BIEN Migrants in this northern mountainous provinces Muong Nhe District have been offered a chance to purchase a household registration certificate, helping them settle down legally. However, local authorities have warned this will worsen the problem of illegal deforestation in the district as most of them lack land for farming and usually chop down trees to grow crops to feed their families. Figures from the districts Peoples Committee showed that almost 300ha of forest land were cleared in 313 cases of illegal deforestation in the last two years. A higher number of migrants flocking to the district was blamed for the deforestation. Some 60 per cent of the households in the district are migrants who moved there after 2005. On average, each household destroyed 3ha of forest for their crops. Local authorities have failed to stop them for years. Thus, last October, Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai required local authorities to force migrants who had moved to ien Bien Province after 2011 to return to their homeland as a way of curbing deforestation. However, many migrants told Vietnam News Agency reporters that they were offered a chance to pay some VN10 million (US$450) to get a household certificate, which would legalise their stay. Mua A Lu, a migrant living in Na Pa Village, Muong Nhe Commune, said he had paid VN2 million ($90) to Tao Van Pin, head of the communal police office, to revoke his certificate from his hometown. Pin asked him to pay another VN10 million ($450) to get a new certificate based in the commune, but he refused due to a lack of funds, Lu said. Another migrant, who wished to remain anonymous, said he had paid VN7 million ($315) to get the certificate. He was told to stay in the forest and grow crops there. Most migrants admitted they had no rights compared to other local citizens from the village. Migrant Thao A Lau said homes had not been arranged for him and some other families; they were not invited to local meetings, were not eligible for any supportive policies and were not allowed to vote in the recent election. Head of the communal police office Tao Van Chi said he had just been assigned to the position, adding that he had not licensed any certificates for households. Chi admitted that as many as 22 household registration certificates for Na Pan Village were not on the polices list for household management, suggesting that reporters should meet with officials of the police department in the district for further details. Po Po Son, deputy head of Muong Nhe Districts Police Department, said fake household registration certificates were sometimes discovered. The department has required local police to seize such certificates, affirming that the 22 questionable certificates licensing households in the commune were not on the police list. In Nam Po Village, five households were found to have obtained certificates in this way. Currently, there are some 20,000 migrant households living in more than 100 villages in the district. Lu Van Thanh, chairman of the districts Peoples Committee, said the committee knew about the issue and was working on it by re-examining and seizing illegal certificates. Those who were involved would be held liable according to their actions. VNS Doctors from two Ha Noi-based hospitals have successfully saved the life of an infant born to a mother suffering a sudden cardiac arrest in surgery that was calculated by the second. Associate Professor Ta Manh Cuong, deputy head of the National Heart Institute. Photo info.net HA NOI Doctors from two Ha Noi-based hospitals have successfully saved the life of an infant born to a mother suffering a sudden cardiac arrest in surgery that was calculated by the second. Associate Professor Ta Manh Cuong, deputy head of the National Heart Institute, told the media yesterday that the surgery - the first ever of its kind at the National Heart Institute, took place a week ago with co-operation between doctors from the institute and Bach Mai Hospitals obstetrics and paediatric departments. Dr Cuong said the mother was 25-year-old Nguyen Thi Thiep from Cao Bang Province. She was 32-weeks pregnant and suffered from serious congenital heart defects. She was earlier admitted to Bac Giang Provinces Luc Ngan General Hospital and transferred to the National Heart Institute on August 8 with serious pneumonia where she could hardly breathe. Her situation became quickly worse just hours after being hospitalised with respiratory failure and sudden cardiac arrest. Doctors from the two hospitals were mobilised to carry out the operation to save the babys life right in the emergency room as they did not have enough time to move the patient to surgery, Dr Cuong said. The infant was taken out of the mothers uterus in less than a minute but also suffered from cardiac arrest. The heart was able to function again after being treated. If we were a few more seconds late, we would have lost the baby, he said, adding that unfortunately they were unable to save Thieps life. The babys condition has improved after one week being treated at Bach Mai Hospitals Paediatric Department, he said. According to Thieps family, she was diagnosed in 2007 with congenital heart defects, which doctors at Ha Noi-based Viet uc Hospital said could not be cured. She was then married and became pregnant without her doctors consultation due to a strong desire to have children. VNS The war of words between Infocomm and the incumbents seem to be showing no sign of abating. On 12th August, shot off another letter to the telecom regulator R S Sharma requesting the authority to direct incumbent telecom operators to provide requisite number of additional E1s (Points of Interconnections) and complete augmentation within seven days. Power Grid Corporation of India beat the market estimate by a 33 per cent rise in net profit for the June quarter. I S JHA, chairman and managing director, talks to Sanjay Jog & Hamsini Karthik about what is ahead. Edited excerpts: What will be your capital expenditure this financial year? The target is Rs 22,550 to Rs 23,000 crore, of which Rs 7,000 was achieved till July (first four months). So, we are on track. The balance Rs 15,000 crore will be comfortably achieved. Nearly 70 per cent will be mobilised from debt. Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway on Monday said it has increased its stake in by 55 per cent, boosting its bet on the iPhone and iPod maker. Berkshire owned 15.23 million shares worth $1.46 billion as of June 30, up from 9.81 million shares as of March 31, according to a regulatory filing from Buffetts Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate. The filing also said Berkshire cut its stake in Walmart Stores, the worlds largest retailer, by 27 per cent to about 40.23 million shares from 55.24 million. Walmart has been in Berkshires portfolio for more than a decade. It was unclear whether Buffett or one of his portfolio managers, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler, are investing in . Berkshire owned more than $133 billion of equities as of June 30. Buffett is typically responsible for larger investments such as Walmart, while his deputies handle smaller investments. They have more of a trading orientation than Buffett, and may view Apple as attractive because the stock appears cheap or may have a catalyst later this year, Jim Shanahan, an equity analyst at Edward Jones, said in a phone interview. If Warren Buffett is buying a stock, hes probably not going to sell it, or at least not sell for a very long time. Berkshire also owns roughly 90 businesses including Geico car insurance, the BNSF railroad, Dairy Queen ice cream, Duracell batteries, and Fruit of the Loom underwear. It also paid $32.1 billion in January for aircraft and industrial parts maker Precision Castparts Corp, Buffetts largest purchase. Share prices often rise when investors perceive that Berkshire has given them its imprimatur, including the 3.7 per cent one-day boost that Apple got in May after Berkshire unexpectedly revealed it had taken a stake. Berkshire revealed its higher Apple stake on the same day George Soros firm Soros Fund Management and Leon Coopermans Omega Advisors said they dissolved their own Apple stakes. Icahn in April said he had sold his entire Apple stake, citing concerns about Chinas policies regarding the company. He later said he would reinvest in Apple if his concerns ebbed. Mondays Berkshire filing also disclosed other portfolio changes, among them lower stakes in farm equipment maker Deere & Co and Canadian oil and gas company Suncor Energy, and a higher stake in John Malones telecommunications company Liberty Global. It also reflected Berkshires more than 14 per cent stake in oil refiner Phillips 66. Shanahan said he believes Berkshire has been shedding Walmart shares at least in part to buy Phillips 66. He has a buy rating on Berkshire. Berkshires filing showed that food company Kraft Heinz was the companys largest equity investment as of June 30, at $28.81 billion, followed by Wells Fargo & Co. Heartbreaking family update after mother-of-six was killed in horror crash Hannah Fraser's father and stepmother are trying to make it from the United Kingdom to Australia in time for their daughter's funeral. Firefighter unions latest message to Andrews Government More than a hundred fire trucks in Victoria will carry pointed messages about the Andrews Government as part of a union campaign in the lead up to next month's state election. Family of Aboriginal teen who died in apparent suicide after sexual abuse back calls for inquiry Police believe 15-year-old Layla Leering took her own life after being raped in the Northern Territory community of Bulla in 2015. Duttons declaration to voters amid Labors big mess The Opposition Leader said the Prime Minister "might write me off" but he believes Australians will vote the Coalition back into power in 2025 to clean up "the big mess" Labor will leave behind. There's a new poll out from the Washington Post. Donald Trump is running behind Mitt Romney in Virginia , ten points (or seven, if you throw in the third party candidates other than McMullin) behind Hillary Clinton. Romney lost Virginia to Barack Obama four years ago by six.One reason is doubtless that her running-mate, Tim Kaine, is a senator from Virginia. But the other is that Donald Trump has simply made himself unthinkable among large groups of voters the GOP absolutely has to carry in order to win Virginia. Northern Virginia, with its high concentration of high-income, college educated people, comes to mind.Virginia- the quintessential "swing state," and before that reliably Republican- is deep blue this year. It is simply not in play. And the primary reason is that the Republicans nominated a candidate who is obnoxious to the very people to whom Virginia Republicans need to appeal. It's a pattern that's going on all over the nation.Meanwhile, the author of the piece linked to above, Jim Geraghty, has another item on "NRO" that's a must-read for anybody interested in how this election year is going to go down in history. His premise: that this will possibly the first (probably landslide) defeat in our nation's history which has been wholly, and in every detail self-inflicted. The Republicans had everything going for them this year- a nation weary of a divisive administration of the opposite party, that party nominating an even more divisive and wildly unpopular candidate to succeed him, and probably the most impressive set of candidates either party has fielded in recent history should have made 2016 a GOP slam-dunk. Instead, it seems to be shaping up as a disaster.Geraghty has included some interesting thoughts I've had myself about landslides past. Despite vitriolic portrayals by the opposition, both Barry Goldwater and George McGovern, while they might have been extreme for their times, were extremely decent men personally respected by ally and opponent alike. Interestingly, both were of the type who likely today would have their own party memberships at their throats. They were very much inclined to work cooperatively with members of the other party and were well-liked on the other side of the aisle. Yeah, they would probably call Barry Goldwater a "RINO" these days! And McGovern voted for Bob Dole and Jerry Ford. The alleged anti-war wimp was, in fact, a war hero who had volunteered after Pearl Harbor and flew 35 bomber missions over Germany and occupied Europe. William Buckley liked him personally and, as Geraghty points out, described McGovern as "the single nicest man I've ever met."Geraghty might- by implication, if not in so many words- go just a tad too far in making his point. No, Rockefeller or Lodge or Scranton would not have beaten Lyndon Johnson in 1964 No, Ed Muskie or Hubert Humphrey or "Scoop" Jackson would not have beaten Richard Nixon in 1972. But any of them would have minimized the damage, and lost by far smaller margins than Goldwater and McGovern did. Their parties would not have taken the hits they did in Congress and down the ballot. Let's not get carried away with this; the nominations of Goldwater and McGovern, like the nomination of Donald Trump, were political blunders of the first magnitude and cost their parties dearly.But as Geraghty points out, they also redefined their parties for a generation. For the worse, in some respects, it's true. But nobody can doubt that today's Democratic party is George McGovern's Democratic party, not Lyndon Johnson's. And Barry Goldwater is far more the spiritual father of today's Republican party than are Dwight Eisenhower or Thomas Dewey or even Richard Nixon.The point is that while Goldwater and McGovern might in some measure have been to blame for theof their defeats, the defeats themselves were inevitable. No Republican could have beaten John Kennedy's successor a year after the assassination, and the law-and-order frenzy of the early seventies would have made it very difficult for even the most conservative Democrat to have defeated Richard Nixon. Either election might have been closer had the losing parties nominated somebody else. But in neither case would the outcomes have changed.But 2016 is another matter. This year, history was with the Republicans. This year, there seemed no way that they could lose. So what did the Republican voters (or a large plurality of them) do? They decided that winning the presidency and preserving the Supreme Court was less important than throwing a tantrum. They nominated a joke, a globally ignorant and psychologically unstable reality-TV buffoon who is probably less qualified to be president than anybody a major American party has ever nominated before. He has proceeded to act in a fashion so juvenile, outrageous, and frankly reprehensible that his success in November became utterly impossible.But the Republican primary electorate loved it. The more unreasonable Donald Trump became, the better they liked it. The Triumph the Insult Comic Dog Focus Group video I posted last night makes the point eloquently. Satire though it may be, the response of the Trump supporters was a kind of microcosm of the Republican primaries. The voters were sick of logic. They were sick of decency. Trump caricatured these as "political correctness," acted like a spoiled eight-year-old, and it proved a formula for success. That is until the audience changed.Even Trump might have won this November if he's kept his mouth shut, surrounded himself with competent advisors, rigidly stayed on message, and followed the advice of people who actually knew what they were doing. But narcissists have a hard time understanding that there is anybody who knows better about anything than they do, even about things about which they know nothing at all.The result was a caricature of a candidacy which could and did win the support of a divided party motivated more by anger and frustration than by common sense. The Republicans nominated literally the only candidate they had whom the polls had consistently said would lose even to Hillary Clinton. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, they responded to the Democrats' impending nomination of the most unpopular candidate ever to receive a major party's nomination by nominating one even more unpopular.They achieved a miracle. They made Hillary look good by comparison. Meanwhile, despite repeated talk of "resets" and "pivots," Trump goes on alienating and driving away the very people whose support he needs and convincing the electorate at large that he's out of his ever lovin' mind with new, incredibly stupid tweets and statements practically every day.In the last analysis, Alf Landon, Adlai Stevenson, Barry Goldwater, George McGovern, and Walter Mondale were beaten by history. But Donald Trump is in the process of beating himself, of taking the Republican party down to defeat in a year when history was trying to hand it the presidency and the Supreme Court on a golden platter. It will, as Geraghty says, the first self-inflicted landslide defeat in history.Unlike Goldwater and McGovern, Trump will not transform the Republican party. His supporters will be purged come November. But he will leave a legacy: the likelihood, especially if the Democrats win the Senate, of a socially radical Supreme Court for the next generation.Few people who have spent their lives as left-wing Democrats have achieved so much for the cause as has Donald Trump. Editor's note: This story contains content some readers may find objectionable. HAMPTON -- During opening statements Tuesday in the trial of Mark Retterath, the state claimed the 52-year-old Osage resident planned to extract a deadly poison from castor beans to kill a young man who had accused him of sexual abuse. However, defense attorney Angela Campbell said the young man made up the molestation story because Retterath was trying to get him to stop using drugs. She also said although officers found castor beans and instructions on how to extract the toxin ricin from them in Retterath's house, ricin itself was not found. Retterath's trial was moved from Mitchell County to Franklin County. He is charged with attempted murder, solicitation to commit murder and third-degree sexual abuse. Assistant Iowa Attorney General Denise Timmins said the accuser had his first sexual encounter with Retterath when he was 13. After a number of other incidents over the years, the accuser finally told someone in 2014 when he was 24, she said. At that point Retterath lost the control he had over his victim and decided he was going to regain that control by getting rid of "the one person who could tell the secret," Timmons said. A drug addict Retterath knew through Alcoholics Anonymous told him about an episode of the TV series "Breaking Bad" in which a character mixed ricin with a drug to kill someone, Timmins said. Retterath talked about getting castor beans and instructions on the internet on how to extract ricin from them, according to Timmins. Retterath asked the addict to get him heroin, which was the drug of choice of the man accusing him of sexual abuse, so the ricin could be mixed with it and left inside the accuser's home, Timmins said. Retterath talked about his plan to another individual, according to Timmins. However, he lost control once again when both his confidants told the police what he was planning, she said. When officers searched his home, they found a packet of castor beans in the pocket of a pair of jeans. They also found instructions on how to extract ricin from the beans. Campbell said the individual Retterath first allegedly talked to about killing his accuser was supplying drugs to the accuser. "Those two gentlemen were talking to each other" in 2014, before the accuser talked about Retterath's alleged abuse, Campbell said. The confidant did not tell police about Retterath's alleged plans to kill the accuser until he learned the police had evidence he sold heroin to the young man, according to Campbell. She also said officers found the castor beans and the ricin-extraction instructions the same day the accuser's deposition was being taken in the sexual abuse case against Retterath. Campbell said it wouldn't make sense for Retterath to wait to kill the accuser until after he had already given a sworn statement of his allegations against him. She also noted officers searched all of Retterath's computers and phones, and although they did find a record of a Google search for how to extract ricin from castor beans, all the other searches done around that time were related to plants, not topics such as how to dispose of a dead body. Campbell said Retterath loved plants and had ordered "hundreds and thousands of seeds online." Timmins said the accuser described to police and made a drawing of a sword tattoo Retterath has on his penis. However, Campbell said the accuser could have learned about the tattoo from others. The accuser was the first witness to testify Tuesday. He said Retterath, a family friend, asked him to go with him to his farm near Stacyville when he was 13 to help him plant some trees. When they were sitting in Retteraths truck on the farm, Retterath pulled a gun from the back seat of the truck and placed it on the center console, according to the accuser. He said Retterath never pointed the gun at him. He said Retterath then began talking about masturbation. The accuser said his first thought was, "Where do I run? How can I get out of here?" He said Retterath "wanted me to pleasure myself." Retterath showed him pornography and the two of them masturbated side by side, according to the accuser. "He was looking at me the whole time," he said. The accuser said he felt "scared and ashamed" and did not tell anyone. He said he was 16 when Retterath touched his penis in Retterath's home. He said Retterath touched him two other times while he was in high school. "It's hard to express how I felt," he said. "Just frozen in fear is the best way I can explain." The accuser said by this time he was using marijuana and he told Retterath about it. He said the two of them smoked pot together at Retterath's request. He said they also watched porn, either on TV or Retterath's laptop. The accuser, who joined the military immediately after graduating from high school, said he saw Retterath when he was home on leave. He said his parents sent him to his house to talk to him because they knew he had a drinking problem and Retterath was in AA. Once again, Retterath asked him to masturbate in front of him and he complied, he said. After the accuser was discharged from the military and had settled in Georgia, he began using drugs. After he "got really high," his father arrived to bring him home. Retterath was with him. After another overdose in the fall of 2014, the accuser was sent to inpatient treatment. He said the first time he told anyone Retterath abused him was during his treatment group when the others talked about things that happened to them during childhood. He said he told his parents when they came to visit him. However, he didn't tell the police until later. Also on Tuesday, the jury heard a recorded phone call the police had the accuser make to Retterath. In the phone call, the accuser told Retterath he was feeling depressed and made veiled references such as asking if he remembered when they were in his truck at his farm and the time "you brought the laptop out and put the movies on TV." In the recording, Retterath complained several times about poor cell phone reception but also said, "I think I got what you said." He also told the accuser -- without going into details -- that "it's not a big deal." "Religion gets you all screwed up with that," he said. WATERLOO In a split decision, a federal appeals court has upheld the conviction and life sentence of a Meskwaki man who was accused of killing his parents in February 2014. But a dissenting judge said Gordon Lasley Jr.s dual life sentences should be remanded, citing heavy disparity in sentences for other similarly-situated individuals based purely on their race and residence. Authorities said Gordon Lasley Jr., a member of the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi, killed Gordon Sr. and Kim Lasley with a machete at their home on the tribal settlement. The case was prosecuted by the federal government for first-degree murder under Indian Country statutes. At trial, Lasleys attorneys mounted an insanity defense, saying his suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and had a psychotic episode that made him believe his parents had put bad medicine on him and he had to free himself by killing them. Jurors found him found guilty of two counts of the lesser offense of second-degree murder, and a judge handed him two life sentences. Now 28, he is U.S. Penitentiary in Terra Haute, Ind. In his appeal, Lasley argued that the court should have included involuntary manslaughter in the jury instructions. He also argued that the sentence was unreasonable. In a decision released last week, two judges of a three-member panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit upheld the conviction and the punishment, noting the sentence was within the 360 months to life range set by sentencing guidelines. But Senior Circuit Judge Myron Bright dissented, calling for a reversal of Lasleys sentence. He said Lasleys punishment was more in line with convictions for two first-degree murder charges, not second-degree. He opined that precedents allow for federal sentences in cases under the Major Crimes Act --- which gives the federal government jurisdiction over crimes involving Native Americans on Native American lands --- without taking into consideration punishment under similar state laws and allow the federal courts to find a defendant committed a greater offense during sentencing. The consequence of both precedents is a high probability Lasley will serve a longer sentence than a white citizen because Lasley is an Indian who committed a crime in Indian Country. This disparity resting on Lasleys status as an Indian is unjust, unfair, and improper Bright wrote in a 15-page opinion attached to the majoritys seven-page ruling. Under Iowa law, second-degree murder is punishable by a sentence of up to 50 years with parole eligibility after 35 years. There is no parole in the federal court system. The Major Crimes Act was written into law in 1885, and Congress applied federal sentencing guidelines to the act in 1990. Bright said that before 1990, some federal judges tried to take into account Indians different culture and societal background when handing down sentences. In the opinion, Bright went on to call for federal sentencing courts to take state law punishments under consideration when calculating sentences. CEDAR FALLS The University of Northern Iowa has been granted funding of $545,188 by the U.S. Department of Education to be used for the Talent Search Program. The program is designed to identify qualified youths with potential for education at the postsecondary level, assist them in completing a rigorous secondary school program of study and graduate from a secondary school and to assist individuals with enrolling in and graduating from a postsecondary institution within six years. There are 1,200 middle school and high school students in the program from the Waterloo Community School District. The services provided through the Talent Search Program includes tutoring, academic advising, course selection, career counseling, assistance in preparing for college entrance examinations and completing college admission applications, assistance in completing financial aid applications, connections with counseling services designed to improve financial and economic literacy and assistance with secondary and postsecondary school re-entry. AMES --- Tom Vilsack, the nations agriculture secretary and a former governor of Iowa, during an official trip here Wednesday, put the onus on state leaders to develop a broad, well-funded plan to improve water quality soon. There are tremendous opportunities here, but it requires our leaders to step up and say, you know what, regardless of our philosophy, regardless of our ideology, regardless of our differences we are going to figure this out. Were going to figure this out, and 2017 is going to be the year, Vilsack said Wednesday on the Iowa State University campus after holding a roundtable discussion with farmers. A robust debate over water quality programs and funding in Iowa has been sparked largely by two recent events: The federal government said the state must remove from its waterways harmful nitrates that are flowing down the Mississippi River into the Gulf of Mexico, killing marine life there, and a Des Moines water utility company sued a group of northwest Iowa counties over pollutants flowing into the Raccoon River in Des Moines. During the 2016 legislative session, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad and Republicans in control of the Iowa House made separate proposals to create funding for water quality programs. Democrats in control of the Senate discussed various plans, but took no action. The session ended without any significant new funding for water cleanup, an effort that Iowa State Universitys nutrient reduction strategy says will cost in the ballpark of $4 billion. Vilsack said Wednesday leaders must agree on a plan soon, and he encouraged farmers and all residents to implore those leaders to act. It is incumbent upon all of us, particularly in the state of Iowa, to encourage policy makers from the governor and the state legislature, to actually fundamentally, aggressively, in a big and bold way to address the issue of water quality in this state, Vilsack said. We need to take action and there needs to be significant resources put at the state and federal level toward water quality. Branstad discussed water quality programs Monday at the Iowa State Fair. He said he is optimistic he and legislators can agree on a funding plan in 2017 after failing to do so in 2016, noting some big legislative packages take multiple years to gain approval. Vilsack appeared with Branstad at a news conference just before the 2016 legislative session to express his support for the governors water quality funding plan to share future revenue from a 1 percent local option sales tax for school infrastructure. Lawmakers were cool to the plan because it diverted funds from a program approved by voters to fund education infrastructure. Vilsack said Wednesday he will continue to work with state leaders to develop a plan and leverage federal resources where possible. At the end of the day there has to be a meeting of the minds on this issue. Its not a situation of having competing plans. Its a question of sitting down and developing a comprehensive well-thought-out plan that provides significant resources and incentives and provides accountability and responsibility on this issue, Vilsack said. And it is up to every single political leader in this state to get behind this effort. Every single one of us has to be engaged in this. Purse theft SHARON OWENS TRAER On Aug. 6, between 6 and 7:15 p.m., our car window was shattered and valuables were stolen. This was between Mulligan's and Hansen Dairy on 18th Street in Cedar Falls. My purse was covered and left in the car, as I knew I wouldn't need it at our celebration in Mulligan's. It was so unexpected and unfathomable something like this would happen in Cedar Falls in broad daylight. The process of canceling credit cards, bank account and a phone black-listed was a hassle, but the biggest loss were the pictures and videos of our young grandson on my phone. There are stories of items being found as the thieves only want the cash. If anyone would find a Samsung 5 in an aqua blue case please take it to the Cedar Falls Police Department, and I might be able to retrieve those precious photos. I am also warning others about these car break-ins. I hope this letter will save someone else the stress and heartache of losing important things. Invest in education MARGARET WHITING WATERLOO -- I am responding to the Aug. 12 letter to the editor by Dave Smith about education. Hilary Clinton has a very reasonable plan to make debt-free college available to everyone. All community colleges will offer free tuition, and families with income up to $125,000 will not pay tuition at in-state public universities. Funding will come from cutting tax deductions for the richest Americans. Instead of more tax breaks for the richest 1 percent, we should invest in education for millions of young people. Most people agree K-12 education should be free. A high school diploma used to be adequate, but in todays world our children need more education. Governments in many countries make important investments in their societies by providing tuition-free or extremely low tuition college education. Finland, Germany, Denmark, Ireland,Norway, Sweden, Mexico, Slovenia, France, Argentina, Austria, Brazil, Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Luxembourg, Morocco, Panama, Uruguay, Venezuela, Scotland, Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Spain, Greece, Estonia, Turkey, Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Switzerland do this already. Affordable college education available to all Americans will be good for our country. Costly drugs MERLE WILSON JESUP In the July 24 issue of the Des Moines Register are two articles about Sen. Charles Grassley. I consider the articles a must read for all Iowans. One is headline Grassleys Big Blunder on Health Law. The other, written by the CEO of Ottumwa Regional Health Center, claims Grassley is leading the fight against soaring drug costs. I dont think so. Free Speech TV occasionally runs a film titled Washington Youre Fired. It shows former President George W. Bush and Grassley signing a bill for a big drug company that allowed them to repackage their drugs and effectively stop patents from expiring. If I recall correctly, Bush received $800,000 and Grassley $200,000-plus. This also kept other drug companies from manufacturing cheaper generics. Does that sound like hes concerned about cheaper drugs for Iowans or anyone else? Free elections ERNEST PETERSEN Pokey Pete CEDAR FALLS We will elect a new president this fall and are unhappy with both candidates. We each must set an example to people around us as to the quality of person to be our leader. 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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) Canl Bahis siteleri sektoru son derece onu ack ve farkl ozelliklere sahip bir sektordur. Elbette bahis secenekleri arasnda yuksek kazanc getiren alan kuskusuz canl bahistir. Peki, canl bahis nedir? Canl Bahis Nedir? Canl bahis adndan da anlaslacag gibi devam eden musabakaya bahis yapmaktr. Bu bahis musabaka devam ederken de yaplabilir olmasdr. Basta futbol olmak uzere voleybol, tenis, hentbol, basketbol, buz hokeyi ve masa tenisi gibi spor organizasyonlarna canl bahisler yaplabilmektedir. Canl bahis siteleri bu oyunlarn hepsine yuksek oranlara bahis yapmanza imkan tanr. En fazla tercih edilen futbol canl bahisleri diger alanlara gore daha fazla on plandadr. Siteden siteye degisen sartlar ve uygulama esaslar soz konusu olsa da kurallar sabittir. Canl bahisi populer klan ve heyecan katan en onemli ozellikle musabakann basladg ana dek bahis yapabilmedir. Canl bahis icerisinde yer alan secenekler kazanma sansnz da dogrudan arttrmaktadr. Ilk korneri kim kullanr, ilk tac, gol, sar kart, krmz kart gibi futbol musabakas icerisinde olabilecek hemen hemen her seye bahis yaplabilmektedir. Normal bahisegore de son derece yuksek oranda olmas avantajl yonlerini ortaya koymaktadr. Nitekim dogru secenek ksa surede kazancl ckmanza etki edecektir. Strateji ve dogru analizle 90 dakika gibi bir surede anaparanzkatlayabilirsiniz. Tabi bunu basarabilmek icin mutlaka musabakaya dair ayrntlar iyi degerlendirmek gerekir. Soz konusu musabakann detaylarn inceleyip, cezal, sakat oyuncu veya performans dusen takm oyunu gibi detaylar bilmek canl bahiste kazanc belirleyen onemli unsurdur. Guvenilir Canl bahis hem heyecanl zaman gecirmeyi hem de musabakalar takip ederken para kazanmay saglamaktadr. Canl Bahis Nasl Oynanr? Bahislerinizi guvenilir sitelerden gerceklestirdiginiz zaman herhangi bir sekilde para cekme de sorun yasamazsnz. Guvenilir bahis siteleri tespit edip sonrasnda da uyelik islemlerini tamamlamanz gerekmektedir. Belirlenen uyelik sartlarn yerine getirip hesabnza da paray aktardktan sonra bahis islemlerini sorunsuz yapabilirsiniz. Peki, canl bahis nasl oynanr? Oncelikle bahis konusunda mutlaka dogru site arastrmas yapmalsnz. Yapacagnz arastrma neticesinde buldugunuz site uzerinden canl bahisislemlerini gerceklestirebilirsiniz. Bunun icin uye olup, hesaba para atp, canl bahis bolumune girmelisiniz. Sonrasnda dahil olmak istediginiz musabakann saatini ogrenip, gerekli analizleri yapmalsnz. Tahminlerinizi belirledikten sonra karsnza ckacak olan bahis sayfasndan istediginiz hamleyi yapmalsnz. Bahis tutarn belirledikten sonra musabaka baslayacaktr. Canl bahis diger normal bahis esaslarna gore farkllklar icermektedir. Bunlardan en onemlisi musabakann gidisatna gore islem yapabilir olmaktr.Ayrca musabakann 2. Yarsna gore hamle yapp ayr bir bahisin soz konusu olmas da ciddi avantajdr. Dogru hamle ile sizde istediginiz bahisi yapp kazanc elde edebilirsiniz. Nitekim canl olarak yapacagnz bahis icin mac oncesi raporlara gore hareket etmek onemlidir. Cunku takmlarn durumlarn analiz etmek tahmin gucunu arttracaktr. Misal tamnn en iyi oyuncusu sakat ya da kart cezals ise takmn performansnda dusus yasanacaktr. Buna ek olarak takmn deplasman performans ile evinde ki performans ayr olacaktr. Burada da takmn musabakay nerede yaptgna bakmak gerekir. Bu ayrntlar da iyice analiz ettikten sonra bahsinizi yapp kazanmann keyfini yasayabilirsiniz. Canl Bahis Siteleri Son derece yuksek getiriye sahip bahis sektoru uzun zamandr faaliyet gostermektedir. Cok ciddi rakamlarn soz konusu oldugu bu sektor zamanla sanal ortamlara donusmustur. Elbette guvenli ve bir o kadar da avantajl olan bu siteler cok yonlu frsatlar sunmaktadrlar. Canl iddaa siteleri gerek yeni uyelere gerekse de hali hazrdaki uyelerine bolca bonus frsatlar vermektedir. Yatracagnz tutara gore belirlenen bonuslar site icerisinde rahat hareket etmenizi de saglayacaktr. Canl bahis sitelerini kullanmadan once mutlaka guvenli olup olmadgna goz atmalsnz. Zira baz kullanclar guvenli olmayan sitelerden yaptklar islemlerden dolay magdur olmaktadrlar. Nitekim guvenli ve sorunsuz hizmet sunan yurt ds site tercih etmek en dogru secenektir. Sektorde uzun yllar faaliyet gosteren siteleri tercih edebilirsiniz. Bu alanda yer alan yabanc siteler musteri memnuniyetine onem vermektedir. Oncelik site kullanclarn sorunsuz sekilde bahislerini yapabilir olmasn saglamaktr. Bahis sitelerinde amac hem daha fazla kullancya hizmet vermek hem de sektorde emin admlarla ilerlemek onceliklidir. Dogru site tercihi ile sizde canl bahislerinizi sorun yasamadan gerceklestirebilirsiniz. Sizler icin hazrlams oldugumuz canl bahis siteleri listesi su sekildedir; Mobilbahis Tempobet Bets10 Bahigo 1xbahis Betboo Youwin Superbahis Sralams oldugumuz bu siteler sektorde basarl islere imza atms sitelerdedir. Canl bahis konusunda beklentileri karslayacak olan bu siteler sizlere kolaylk sunmaktadrlar. Bol bonuslu secenekle de sizlere farkl bahis yonlerini sunacaklardr. Sistemsel etki icerisinde her zaman etkin sonuc alabilmek icin surekli olarak faaliyet icerisindedirler. Canl Bahis Taktikleri Bahis sektorunun en fazla dikkat edilmesi gereken hususu dogru taktik ve dogru tahmindir. Elbette dogru tahmini yapabilmek icin analizi cok iyi yapmak gerekir. Canl bahis taktikleri arasnda ilk sra analiz gelmektedir. Analiz yapamadgnz zaman basarl tahminlerde bulunmanz pek de mumkun degildir. Cunku bahiste onemli olan konu musabakann analizini cok iyi yaplmas gerektigidir. Canl bahisin ozelliklerini iyi bilmek ve nasl bir hamle yapacagnz bilmek gerekir. Ozellikle riskli maclarda yaplacak degerlendirmeler cok daha onemlidir. Canl bahis yapacaklarn takip edecegi degerler takmlarn durumlar ile alakal olmaldr. Performans uzerine kurulu bahis sisteminde takm degerlendirmesine iyi bakmak gerekir. Iki takmn son 5 macta nasl bir sonuc ortaya koyduguna bakarak hareket etmek onemlidir. Ayrca hangi takm evinde daha iyi performans sergiliyor diye de ayrca bakmak gerekir. Analizlerle alakal puan durumlarna da goz atmak cok onemlidir. Puan degerlendirmesinde oncelikle takmlarn ihtiyaclar ile dogru orantl hareket etmek gerekir. Cunku olusturulan performans takmn da durumunu ortaya koymaktadr. Nitekim istenilen sonucu elde edebilmek icin tum ayrntlar bilmek gerekir. Takm ici duzenden tutunda da takmn son durumuna kadar her ayrnt onemlidir. Iki takmn birbirleri arasnda ki sonuclar da incelemek gerekir. Burada dikkat edilecek detaylarn basnda maclarda kac gol oldugu ve gollerin hangi dakikalarda atldgdr. Cekismeli gecen musabakalarda bazen goller ilk yarda daha fazla olurken baz maclarda da ikinci yarda daha cok gol olmustur. Iki takm arasnda ki maclarda gollerin cogunlugu ilk yarda geliyorsa buna gore bahis yapabilirsiniz. Canl Bahis Siteleri Bonuslar ve Kampanyalar Bahis yapanlar veya yapmay dusununler sitelerin sunmus olduklar frsatlar merak etmektedirler. Cunku siteler daha fazla kullancya erismek icin her donem kampanyalar duzenleyerek kullanc odakl hamleler yapmaktadrlar. Canl bahis bonuslar ve kampanyalar oldukca populer olup, siteler bu konuda adeta birbirleri ile yarsmaktadrlar. Birbirinden farkl ozelliklere sahip olan kampanyalar size frsatlar sunmaktadr. Daha cok kazanma ihtimalinizi arttran bu bonuslar daha cesur olmanza da dogrudan etki edecektir. Nitekim bonuslar sitelerin cekiciligini ve avantajlarn arttrmaktadr. En cok kazandran canl bahis siteleri bedava bonuslar ve kampanyalar icin http://www.milano2018.com/canli-bahis-siteleri-2022/ linkinden yardm alabilirsiniz. Hos geldin bonusu ile baslayan ve sonrasnda para yatrdkca bonus veren cok sayda site bulunmaktadr. Canl bahis bonusu veren siteler yeni uyelere sunduklar frsatlar farkl kampanyalarla mevcut uyelerine de sunmaktadrlar. Hali hazrda siteyi kullananlarn da bonus frsatlarndan yararlanmalar icin donemsel kampanyalar olusturmaktadrlar. Boylece baska sitelere gidisler olmayacag gibi site de daha keyifli zaman gecirmek mumkun klnmaktadr. Bu tur eklentiler yapan sitelerde musteri memnuniyeti daha fazladr. Bahis siteleri ozellik ve uygulama bakmndan farkllklar bunyelerinde bulundurmaktadrlar. Verilen bonuslarn olusturulmas ve kullanclar aktarlmasnda yatrlan para miktarlar belirleyici olmaktadr. 1.000 TL yatran bir kullanc yuzde 20 bonus frsat olan bir kampanyadan 200 TL bonus kazanabilmektedir. Yatracag tutar 10.000 TL oldugunda bu bonustutar 2.000 TL olabilmektedir. Gerceklesen ve uygulanan esaslar tamamen donemsel olarak yaplan kampanyalarla alakaldr. Iyi Canl bahis siteleri bonuslar ve kampanyalar icin sitelerin vermis oldugu oranlar takip edebilirsiniz. Canl Bahis Siteleri Para Yatrma Online Canl bahis yapacaklarn merak ettigi konulardan bir digeri de para yatrma islemleridir. Oldukca onemli olan bu konuda hata yapmamak cok onemlidir. Canl bahis sitelerine para yatrma islemi sanlann aksine son derece basittir. Oldukca basit ve uygulama esas dogru etki olusturan bu yapda sizde islemi rahatca tamamlayabilirsiniz. Para yatrma konusunda su yolu izleyebilirsiniz. Guvendiginiz ve herhangi bir sekilde aklnzda soru isareti kalmayan bahis sitesine uye olmanz gerekmektedir. Uyelik islemini sorunsuz sekilde tamamladktan sonra para yatrma islemine gecebilirsiniz. Kullanacagnz siteye uye olduktan sonra karsnza kullanc ad ve sifresini gireceginiz yer gelecektir. Buraya giris yaptktan sonra site icerisine islemlere devam edebilirsiniz. Sitede yer alan para yatrma sekmesine tklayp sonrasnda karsnza gelen sayfay inceleyebilirsiniz. Para yatrma bolumunde yer alan ksma ne kadar para yatracagnz yazp devam tusuna basmalsnz. Yatrmak istediginiz tutar girip sonrasnda da devam tusuna bastktan sonra karsnza kart bilgilerinizi gireceginiz sayfa gelecektir. Kredi kart kullanarak para gondermek isteyenlerin tercih ettigi bu sayfa tum bilgiler girilip islem onaylanmaldr. Canl bahis sitelerine para yatrma islemini gerceklestirmek icin hesaba havale secenegini de kullanabilirsiniz. Site icerisinde musteri hizmetleri ile iletisime gecerek banka hesap numaralarn ogrenebilirsiniz. Belirtilen IBAN numarasna istediginiz tutar havale edebilirsiniz. Havale ederken acklama ksmna yazlacak bilgilere dikkat etmelisiniz. Kredi kart veya banka havalesi ile gerceklesen para yatrma islemi sonucunda site hesabnzdan bakiyenize bakabilirsiniz. Bakiyenize gore dilediginiz sekilde bahislerinizi gerceklestirebilirsiniz. Canl Bahis Siteleri Para Cekme Canl bahiste dogru hamleler ve dogru tahminler sonucunda kazandgnz bedeli geri almak isteyebilirsiniz. Kazanclarnz istediginiz banka hesabnza cekebilmek icin uymanz gereken kurallar soz konusudur. Oncelikle bahis sitelerinden para cekebilmeniz icin uye olurken dogru bilgi paylasmnda bulunmanz gerektigidir. Cunku canl bahis sitelerinden para cekme islemi icin kullanc hesab ile talep edilen banka hesap bilgilerinin ortusmesi gerekir. Yani uye olurken verilen bilgi ile banka hesab kime ait ise o bilgiler ayn olmaldr. Bu uygulama sitenin hem kullancsn hem de kendisini guvene alma politikasdr. Ayrca frsatclarn onune gecerek yeni bir uye olusumunun da onune gecmek amac gutmektedir. Uye olan kisi farkl para cekilme talebi verilen hesap farkl oldugunda para cekme islemi gerceklesmeyecektir. Bahisleriniz sonucunda kazanc elde edebilir ve bu kazancnz da hakknz olarak almak isteyebilirsiniz. Burada son derece basit uygulama soz konusu olurken siteler aras farkl gorunumler soz konusu olabilir. Fakat yine de tum sitelerde uyenin site icerisinde para cekme bolumune girmesi yeterlidir. Burada cekilecek olan tutarn belirlenmesi ve hesap numarasnn girilmesi ile birlikte islem onay gerekecektir. Para cekme taleplerinde sizden gerekli bilgiler istenmekte ve havale islemi istenilen bilgiler esliginde yurutulmektedir. Dogru bilgi paylasmak sorunsuz para cekebilmeniz en onemli kuraldr. Istenilen bilgiler girildikten sonra site sorumlular gerekli kontrolleri yapp herhangi bir sorun yoksa ksa surede hesabnza gerekli paray aktaracaklardr. Canl Bahis Sitelerinden Para Cekmek Icin Istenen Belgeler Bahis sitelerine uye olduktan sonra baz kullanclar para cekme taleplerinin karslanmadg konusunda sikayetlerde bulunmuslardr. Bu sikayetlersektorde uzun zamandr bulunan guvenilir bahis siteleri de yer almaktadr. Fakat sikayetlerin dayanaklarna bakldgnda ise islerin tamamen farkl oldugu gorulmektedir. Yasanan bu durum kullanclarn hatal bilgi girmesi ve uyelik bilgileri ile banka bilgilerinin uyusmamas ile dogru orantldr. Birde canl bahis para cekmek icin istenen belgeler eksik ya da hatal olarak sunulmus olabilir. Ortaya ckan karsklar neticesinde para cekme talebinde bulunan kisi istedigini alamadg icin sikayetci olmaktadr. Oysa ki istenilen bilgiler dogru ve istenilen evraklar eksiksiz sunulsa para cekme islemi sorunsuz olacak. Sitelerin para cekme konusunda dikkatli hareket etmesi hilelerin ve illegal faaliyetlerin onune gecmek adnadr. Cunku baz kullanclar farkl bilgiler vererek ikinci hesap acabilmektedirler. Bazen de bilincsizce hatal bilgi girilebilmektedir. Hatal islemlerin cozumu konusunda islem yaptgnz sitenin musteri temsilcileri ile gorusebilirsiniz. Talepleriniz dogrultusunda para cekme islemlerinde ki sorunlar giderilecektir. Canl bahis para cekmek icin istenen belgeler listesi su sekildedir; Kullanc bilgileri ile banka bilgilerini karslastrmak icin kimlik fotokopisi Banka hesap bilgileri Ikametgah ve kisiye ait herhangi bir fatura. Kacak Iddaa Turkiyede dogrudan bahis yapmak icin resmi kanallar kullanlabilmektedir. Fakat tercih edilen ve oran olarak cok daha fazla frsatlar sunan kacar iddaasiteleri bulunmaktadr. Bu siteler kanunlara aykr sekilde yaplmakta olup, yasal bir dayanag yoktur. Elbette bu sitelerin kurulus merkezi Turkiye olmayp, ds ulkelerdedir ve faaliyetler belirlenen siteler uzerinden yaplmaktadr. Kacak Iddaa oldukca riskli olup, cok dikkatli olunmas gerekir. Kacak Bahis Kanunlar cercevesinde istediginiz gibi bahis yapamayabilirsiniz. Bahis yapabilmek icin ya kanuni olarak sorun olmayan ulke dsnda ki kumarhanelere gitmeniz veya kacak bahis sitelerinden islem yapabilirsiniz. Zira bu durum tehlikeli olsa da cok sayda site guvenli sekilde bu alanda hizmet vermektedir. Kacak bahiste oldukca fazla secenek bulunurken yuksek oranda kazanc sunuyor olmas da ragbeti arttryor. Illegal Bahis Bahisin bircok alanda yasak oldugu Turkiyede bu alanda cok sayda yabanc merkezli siteler hizmet vermektedir. Illegal bahis sektorunde faaliyet gosteren siteler guvenli hizmet anlays ile kullanclarna frsatlar sunmaktadr. Yurt ds merkezli bu siteler sorunsuz sekilde hizmetlerini surdururken bulunduklar ulkelerde kanunlara uygun sekildedir. Elbette faaliyet noktasnda bulunduklar ulkelerde sorun teskil etmese de Turkiyede faaliyet gostermeleri kanunin yasaklanmstr. Yasads Bahis Gerek olusturulan etkenler gerekse de ortaya konulan riskler yasads bahis de oldukca tehlikelidir. Kanunlarn mudahil olduklar bu alanlar da hem kullanclar hem de populer bahis yaptranlar tum riskleri goze almaktadrlar. Fakat yasaklardan uzak sekilde guvenli hizmet sunan siteler de bulunmaktadr. Takipler neticesinde kapatlan sitelerin muhakkak alternatifleri kurularak yollarna devam etmektedirler. Canl Iddaa Siteleri Nelerdir? Dunya genelinde kabul gormus cok sayda guvenli hizmet veren populer bahis siteleri bulunmaktadr. Elbette bu siteler dunyann bircok ulkesinde faaliyet gosterse de Turkiyede yasaktr. Sektorde yer alan cok sayda legal iddaa siteleri bulunmaktadr. Herhangi bir kanunsuzlugun olmadg bu sitelerden hzl ve guvenli islem yaplabilmektedir. Tabi bu sitelerde uygulanan oranlar yasal olmayan sitelere gore daha dusuktur. Illegal sitelerin tercih edilme sebeplerinin en onemli etkeni de olusturulan oranlardr. Peki, Iddaa siteleri nelerdir? Faaliyetleri ve uygulama esaslar nelerdir? Turkiyede faaliyet gosteren yasal iddaa siteleri listesi su sekildedir; Iddaa Bilyoner Tuttur Birebin Oley Nesine Misli Iddaa 2004 ylnda hizmet vermeye baslayan Iddaa Spor toto tarafndan kurulmus olup, ilk etapta bayilik seklinde calsmaya baslamstr. Elbette zamanla gelisen teknolojiye ayak uydurarak internet uzerinde de populer bahis severlerin hizmetine sunulmustur. Kuruldugu donemde devletin resmi kurumu olarak faaliyet gosterirken gelinen yeni donemde ozellestirilmistir. Bilyoner Turkiyede faaliyetine 2006 ylnda baslayan Bilyoner ilk ozel yasal bahis sitesi olma ozelligine sahiptir. Guvenilir bahis siteleri Turkiyede bunlardr. Ksa surede populer olan site halen faaliyetlerini sorunsuz sekilde surdurmektedir. Tuttur Ksa surede adndan bahsettirmeyi basaran Tuttur 2009 ylnda faaliyetlere baslamstr. Guvenilir bahis siteleri arasnda yerini almstr. Gunumuze dek bircok alanda populer bahis yapanlara frsatlar sunarken avantajlar ile de begeni toplamstr. Birebin Kullanc odakl calsmalar surdurse de 2011 ylnda sektore giren Birebindiger sitelere gore daha az ragbet gormektedir. Bahis oynamak ise bu sitede oldukca kolaydr. Elbette farkl yaklasmlara sahip olmasndan dolay ilerleyen sureclerde adndan sklkla bahsettirecek gibi gorunuyor. Oley 2009 ylnda Dogus yayn gruplarnn istiraki olarak kurulmus olup yasal olarak herhangi bir sorunu olmayan sitelerdendir. Bahis siteleri arasnda hzl cks yapms bir sitedir. Oley yapms oldugu yenilikler ile kullanclarn da dikkatini ksa surede cekmeyi basarmstr. Nesine Birbirini takip eden surecte Nesine de yine 2006 ylnda hizmet vermeye baslamstr. Yasal bahis siteleri arasnda yerini almay basaran firma ksa surede sevilen ve ragbet goren bir site olmustur. Misli 2009 ylnda sektore cok hzl giris yapan Misli cok sayda reklam filmi ile on plana ckmay basarmstr. Internet uzerinden hem yasal hem de sorunsuz hizmet veren bahis sitelerinden bir tanesi olmustur. Canl Bahis Siteleri Kayt ve Uyelik Islemleri Her zaman populerligini koruyan ve surekli gelisim gosteren canl bahis gun gectikce daha da gucleniyor. Bahis oynamak icin ise sitelere uye olunmas gerekir. Yuksek getirisi ve begeni toplayan faaliyetleri ile cok sayda site bu alanda faaliyet gostermektedir. Elbette sorunsuz sekilde uye olmanz ve faaliyetler gostermeniz de oldukca kolaydr. Canl bahis siteleri kayt ve uyelik islemleri dakikalar icerisinde gerceklestirilecek yapya sahiptir. Uye olacagnz siteyi belirledikten sonra siteye girmeniz gerekmektedir. Girdiginiz sitenin ana sayfasnda uye ol ya da kayt ol bolumu bulunacaktr. Siteler arasnda degiskenlik gosteren bu alanda temel unsurlar bulunmaktadr. Elbette farkllklar olsa da temelinde benzer bilgiler uye olmak isteyen kisilerden talep edilmektedir. Uye ol bolumune tkladktan sonra karsnza uyelik bilgi formu ckacaktr. Bu formda sizin kim oldugunuzu ogrenmek ve sitenin guvenligini saglamak adna islemler yaplmaktadr. Uyelik formunda yer alan ad soyad bolumunu eksiksiz ve dogru sekilde doldurmalsnz. Sizden bu formda istenen bilgilerin tamamn girmeniz istenecektir. Istenen bilgiler mutlaka dogru ve eksiksiz sekilde olmaldr. Eksik veya hatal bilgi uyelik islemlerinde sorun teskil edebilir. Yine de yanls bilgi girisine ragmen uyelik islemleri tamamlanabilir. Fakat boyle bir yol izleyenler sonrasnda buyuk skntlarla karslasabilirler. Bu skntlarn basnda da para cekme islemlerinde yasanan sorunlardr. Uyelik islemleri dikkatli ve ozenle doldurulmas gereken yapdadr. Canl bahis siteleri kayt ve uyelik islemleri gerceklestirilirken verilen bilgiler site yonetimi tarafndan muhafaza edilmektedir. Herhangi bir sekilde 3. Sahslarla paylaslmas gibi bir durum soz konusu degildir. Bu faaliyetleri surduren sitelerin guven unsurlar arasnda bu nokta onceliklidir. Bahis sitelerine uye olurken hatal bilgi paylasmnda bulunmak size faydadan cok zarar verecektir. Diyelim ki bilgileri hatal girdiniz ve uyelik onayland. Uyelik tamamlandktan sonra siteye para yatrdnz ve kazanc elde ettiniz. Kazancnz sonrasnda hesabnza almak istediginizde karsnza banka bilgileri bolumu gelecektir. Para cekme talebi gerceklestikten sonra site uyelik bilgileri ile banka hesap bilgileri ortusmez ise paranz alamazsnz. Boyle bir durumla karslasmamak adna bu hususa ayrca dikkat etmelisiniz. "We're proud to be on this prestigious list of high-growth companies. As one of only 15 Illinois companies represented, the honor is particularly meaningful," said Jared Kaplan, CEO of OppLoans. CHICAGO, IL, August 17, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Inc. Magazine has welcomed OppLoans, the leader in socially responsible online lending, onto its highly respected 2016 list of America's 500 fastest-growing companies. The organizations featured have grown almost nine-fold over the past three years. "We're proud to be on this prestigious list of high-growth companies," said Jared Kaplan, CEO of OppLoans. "As one of only 15 Illinois companies represented, the honor is particularly meaningful. Our incredible growth is reflective of our better product, transparent processes, and commitment to delivering 5-star service to our customers. We're thrilled to be in the Inc. 500 and we look forward to delivering our brand of service and financial opportunity to the non-prime consumer for many years to come." Currently rated 5/5 stars on Google and LendingTree, OppLoans is renowned for exceptional customer experiences and safe, affordable, online lending. This recognition from Inc. Magazine reasserts OppLoans as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country and the leader in socially responsible lending to non-prime customers. Opportunity Financial, LLC, doing business as OppLoans, is one of the highest-rated online lenders in the industry. With faster funding, significantly lower rates, total transparency, and unmatched customer service, OppLoans provides non-prime borrowers a safe and reliable alternative to payday lending. OppLoans is licensed and able to lend or arrange loans in the following states: Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. For more information regarding OppLoans, please visit the OppLoans website at OppLoans.com, email John O'Reilly or call (312) 445-0340. # # # Christopher Spaide at The New Yorker: Basil Bunting were not remembered for Briggflattshis longest and best poem, first published fifty years agohe might still be remembered as the protagonist of a preposterously eventful twentieth-century life. By the age of fifty, he had been a music critic, a sailor, a balloon operator, a wing commander, a military interpreter, a foreign correspondent, and a spy. He had married twice, had four children, lived on three continents (and one boat), survived multiple assassination attempts, and been incarcerated throughout Europe. He had also apprenticed at Ezra Pounds poetic Ezuversity in Rapallo, played an indifferent game of chess with General Francisco Franco in the Canary Islands, and communicated with Bakhtiari tribesmen in classical Persian. Educated in Quaker schools, he was imprisoned for refusing to serve in the First World Warand released after a brief hunger strikeonly to high-mindedly rush into the Second, during which he served in the Royal Air Force and MI6. Eventually, as he boasted to Pounds wife, Dorothy, he became chief of all our Political Intelligence in Persia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, etc. As a London Times correspondent in Tehran, in 1952, he watched as a hired mob congregated outside his hotel and chanted, death to mr. bunting ! Guessing, correctly, that nobody calling for Mr. Buntings death had ever seen the man, Bunting joined the mob and chanted along with them. Soon after, he and his family fled the country, driving from Iran to Buntings mothers house in Englanda one-month tripin a company car. By the nineteen-sixties, though, Buntings life was at an uncharacteristic lull: he had spent the previous decade in his home of Northumberland, working at local newspapers, where he ended up subediting the business page and stock tables. He confessed in a letter to the publisher Jonathan Williams that his life had been one of struggling to keep my belly filled and my childrens bellies filled, and no time whatever for literary pre-occupations. more here. NAIROBI - The China-funded Mombasa-Nairobi railway in Kenya, which will eventually extend to the entire East African region, has won acclaims from African diplomats. Thirteen African countries' diplomats in Kenya on Tuesday visited construction sites of the China-funded Mombasa-Nairobi railway in the country, hailing it as an embodiment of thriving China-Africa ties. Ambassadors or high commissioners of Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ghana, Algeria, Senegal, Mozambique and Rwanda attended the event at the invitation of the Chinese embassy. Joined by Kenyan officials and the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Liu Xianfa, the diplomats visited construction sites of the Athi River bridge and the Nairobi terminal. During the visit, the Rwandan High Commissioner to Kenya, James Kimonyo, said he was impressed by the high levels of involvement of Kenyan engineers and technicians in the project. The China-funded standard gauge railway (SGR) will run from the port of Mombasa to the capital Nairobi, replacing a track built a century ago during the British colonial rule. The project is being carried out by the China Road and Bridge Corporation. In the second phase, the railway will reach Kenya's western border with Uganda, and the rail is expected to eventually extend to other East African countries. At a meeting after the tour, the Zimbabwean ambassador and the dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Kenya, Kelebert Nkomani, said the SGR dovetailed with Africa's blueprint on socio-economic transformation, saying it would unleash huge benefits in Kenya and across the Eastern African region upon completion. "The SGR is an extremely vital project that addresses transportation of goods from the port to the interior. It will greatly improve efficiency in trade," Nkomani said. Nkomani said the Mombasa-Nairobi railway presented other African countries with sound insight on how to modernize their transport systems. "The SGR project is a case study in adherence to high degrees of professionalism and inclusiveness. Local people have benefited from the project," said Nkomani. Construction of the railway has created more than 40,000 jobs for locals, with some 20,000 local employees having received skills training. Nkomani said sourcing of local materials, job creation and transfer of expertise in the work on the railway had benefited Kenya's economic development, and were worth emulating by other African countries. "We have so much to learn from the SGR project. It has offered vital lessons like inclusiveness in terms of sourcing alongside adherence to environmental standards," Nkomani said. Ambassador Liu told the diplomats the SGR would promote economic prosperity and social development, adding the design of the rail ensured free movement of wildlife animals. He described the SGR as a model of win-win cooperation between China and Africa. The 472km Mombasa-Nairobi railway is expected to be put into use at the end of 2017. What do you get when you combine a Brazilian, a Swede, and some colorful vinyl tape? In the case of Bay Area artist duo t.w.five, the result is a series of vibrant art works that speak to topics in popular culture as well as the communication barriers that arise when living far from home. Pernilla Andersson and Paula Perreira used to be loners. "Before we met (almost 10 years ago), we didn't like to work with other people," admits Perreira, a Brazilian photographer who, as a solo act, went by the name T.W. "Then, during a show in New York, where we were together working on our own projects, we discovered many things in common, and we saw there was a possibility to do something together. In the beginning, I was a little bit skeptical but Pernilla insisted, and here we are," she says. However it was Andersson, a painter from Sweden who was going by the moniker Five, who became skeptical when Perreira presented her big idea: to create pieces of art using only colorful vinyl tapeyou know, the kind you might buy at Cliff's Hardware to add a little something to your Pride decor or Burning Man costume. "[Paula] had used this material once for an art project, and she thought it was very sexy and glossy," Andersson recalls. So, they gave it a try. Now, known together as t.w.five, the pair of women have made works in vinyl tape something of a signaturetheir pieces have shown in a number of local and international galleries, including San Francisco's Luna Rienne and the Luggage Store as well as a few art spaces in Norway. In 2015, t.w.five enjoyed a much sought-after residency at Sausalito's Headlands Center for the Arts. This month, some of the works they created at Headlands, as well as a new project, will be exhibited at State Gallery, which was opened by the founders of Framework PR, with the goal of celebrating local contemporary artists, in the Mission last spring. Part of of t.w.five's Landscape series at State Gallery, these panels reflect California by daya contrast to the darker opposing panels (not shown) depicting the artists' far-flung home countries. (Courtesy of State) Titled Across from US, the exhibit will differ from past t.w.five showings thanks to a partial focus on landscapes. But anyone imagining soft focus paintings of nature must think again. Andersson and Perreira have combined their skillsthe former is the taskmaster, the latter the perfectionistto render the distant connection between their chosen California home with their not-forgotten homelands in a large-scale site-specific installation of two contrasting panels, each full of graphic shapes and color. It is a visual storytelling that explores the meaning of living abroad, where daytime here means nighttime for the family far away. One panel, a familiar California landscape, might evoke the bright blues and greens of the coast along Highway 1, while a darker panel, rendered in black and blue vinyl strips, is meant to suggest nighttime in the homes the women left behind. "We are both foreigners, so time difference is very important to us," Perreira says. "When in California it's day, in our [home] countries it is evening and vice versa. This affects the way in which we communicate and relate to our families." The landscape series was inspired by the duo's stay at Headlands Center, which, as the name suggests, resides within the incredible landscape of the Marin Headlands. The work they actually created while at Headlands, however, takes an altogether different tack, with topical pop culture as a jumping-off point. The "Polaroid" series, which will also be on view at State Gallery, "explore[s] societal diversity by digging into the concept of togetherness," Andersson says, pointing to contrasting depictions of female prison inmates and retro-glamorous water-skiers. "The way in which those two groups of women touch each other is very similar, but the feeling is completely different," she says. "Women skiers," from the Polaroid series, depicts women in a similar stance as the "Inmates" (top) but with a far different mood. Each t.w.five project begins with a conversation among the two friends. "If we like [an idea] and we perceive that it can be interesting, we start looking for pictures and doing some research. Then we put everything into our work," says Andersson. The two women usually work on a panel at the same time, often starting at opposite corners and working their way in. Sometimes they step back, look at the picture, and switch positions. To execute an installation on the scale of State Gallery, Perreira and Andersson met daily in their studio in Palo Alto (halfway between their San Francisco and San Jose homes, respectively). This all happens after their nine-to-fivesAndersson is the domain manager at Zazzle; Perreira teaches photography at SF State. "Some days are more difficult than others because maybe we are tired, or we are not inspired, but working together is useful because we can push one another to get things done properly," Andersson says. Drag Queens, The Polaroid series And it's true, the nature of their art is very participatory. The artists hand-cut the vinyl tape into strips of various sizes and then painstakingly apply them to found images that they project onto an all-white panel. Absolutely nothing is drawn or painted; every image is made with only adhesive tape. A detail of the artists' process Don't miss the "Landscape" and "Polaroid" series on view at State Gallery beginning August 20th, and look for t.w.five to take on a coveted residency at the De Young Museum, September 7th through October 2nd, where they will teach visitors how to create their own cut vinyl pieces inspired by the museum's collection. // Across from US, Aug. 20 through Sept. 30 (opening reception Aug. 20 6-9pm) at State Gallery, 1295 Alabama St. (Mission), statespacesf.com; twfive.net t.w.five's Polaroid series, on view at Headlands Center for the Arts last year. (Courtesy of Headlands Center) Ask the landlord for proof of identity and ownership. A copy of a driver's license is good for checking property records at the recorder of deeds or assessor's office, to see if the names match. You can also order detailed reports about landlords and properties at CheckYourLandlord.com for a fee. If dealing with a self-described agent, ask for proof of authority to sign a lease. Search for past victims. When people answer rental postings, property owners should search respondents' names and addresses on the Internet, to see if someone has scammed landlords in the past using the same information. Map it. Use an online search engine's map function for an aerial and street-level view of the address, to determine that the property exists. Deal by phone. Avoid people who want to communicate solely by email, as email addresses are easy to fake. Use plastic. A sure sign of a scam is a request for payment upfront by wire transfer or prepaid debit card. Your safer bet is to pay with a credit card via PayPal or use the payment transfer service at websites such as VRBO and Airbnb. Sid Kirchheimer is the author of Scam-Proof Your Life, published by AARP Books/Sterling. Flexiroam Endorsed by Pacific Asia Travel Association Perth, Aug 17, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Flexiroam Ltd ( ASX:FRX ) is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary Flexiroam Asia Limited ("Flexiroam") has signed a Preferred Partnership Agreement with Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Key Highlights: - Pacific Asia Travel Association ("PATA") endorses Flexiroam as its Preferred Partner. - Flexiroam brand to be featured in all PATA platforms and promotional collaterals. - Flexiroam is the mobile and data provider at PATA Travel Mart 2016. PATA is a non-profit association with extensive connections in the travel industry within Asia Pacific and beyond. PATA member organisations consist of 95 government-related tourism bodies, 29 international airlines and 63 educational institutions, with over 17,000 travel professionals. PATA members include TripAdvisor, Visa Worldwide and Singapore Airlines. Through this partnership, Flexiroam can leverage on PATA's network, brands and insights at innovative events with aviation, hospitality members, tour operators and destination management companies. As PATA's Preferred Partner, the Flexiroam brand will be displayed on all PATA promotional collaterals and events globally. Flexiroam Managing Director Jef Ong said "PATA is a great platform for us to strike global deals with some of the key players of the industry that we hope will bring exponential growth to our business." Flexiroam is set to be the preferred mobile and data provider at the PATA Travel Mart ("PTM") 2016 which will be held in Indonesia next month. Flexiroam will gain access to over 1,000 delegates from more than 60 countries. PTM is a great platform for Flexiroam to showcase Flexiroam X to various travel and tourism organisations around the world. Dr Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA adds "The partnership with Flexiroam provides the Association's members and event delegates with the opportunity to travel with the reassurance and knowledge that they can still stay in contact and up to date with their family, business colleagues and friends". About Flexiroam Ltd FLEXIROAM Limited (ASX:FRX) is a leading telecommunications company offering universal voice and data services for mobile users globally. Its flagship data roaming product, FLEXIROAM X has coverage in over 100 countries with 4G speed in over 56 countries. FLEXIROAM is an asset light telecommunications company that does not own physical infrastructure yet is able to connect to around 580 network operators globally. FLEXIROAM aspires to be a household name in borderless mobile broadband service in Asia and beyond. Please visit https://www.flexiroam.com EMC Signs Key Agreements for High-Volume Chinese Facility Melbourne, Aug 17, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Directors of Emefcy Group Limited ( ASX:EMC ) ("Emefcy" or the "Company") are pleased to announce the signing of three key agreements, which collectively will help to enable the Company's plans to establish a Company owned and operated state of the art high-volume manufacturing facility in the Chinese province of Jiangsu. The first production line (Phase 1) is due to be completed and installed by mid-2017 and is anticipated to support up to A$100 million in product sales annually. When fully implemented, this facility is anticipated to support up to A$400 million in annual turnover and provide the majority of the Company's global manufacturing needs for its MABR based wastewater treatment solutions. The Company anticipates the capital cost of the production line (Phase 1) to be approximately A$1.5 million inclusive of logistics and installation costs. New High-Volume China Production Line Development Agreement The Company has entered into a binding agreement with a leading precision equipment manufacturer to design and build the main production line for Emefcy's China production plant. The high volume manufacturing line is based on the Company's current proprietary process design in place in Israel, and the equipment vendor chosen for this project is the same group that successfully delivered Emefcy's current production line in Israel. The new line is anticipated to be significantly faster and easier to operate and support sales of nearly A$100 million per year. To ensure operational efficiency the new production line is scheduled to be delivered and debugged in Israel first. The Company's Chinese manufacturing team will undergo a comprehensive training program in Israel before shipping the production line components to China. The manufacturing line is anticipated to be in place in China by the second quarter of calendar 2017. The equipment will be designed with process flexibility to accommodate the Company's Chinese-sourced MABR components. Production Facility Agreements Emefcy has signed an agreement to join the Changzhou Industrial Park in Jiangsu province, located an hour's train journey from Shanghai. The multi-year agreement includes a non-dilutive incentive package from the provincial government. Emefcy has further signed a lease agreement on a production facility including 3,200 square metres of floor space, sufficient to accommodate four production lines, which are anticipated to enable Emefcy to rapidly increase production to meet potential annual demand of up to A$400 million from this facility alone. The lease period is four years commencing on February 10th 2017, to enable staff training and site preparation during the first quarter of calendar 2017 and anticipated arrival of the new China production line in the second quarter of calendar 2017. The Company is currently in the process of incorporating a wholly owned mainland China subsidiary, and is working with its strategic Chinese advisors to establish a reliable supply chain and ensure that regulatory approvals necessary to commence manufacturing are achieved on a timely basis. "We are very pleased to sign these key agreements which we anticipate can put China manufacturing capacity in place on or ahead of our recently published goals for China," said Richard Irving, Executive Chairman of Emefcy. "This manufacturing facility supports the anticipated surge demand in China and elsewhere. Meanwhile our carefully developing supply chain agreements, whereby our suppliers share a significant portion of the inventory risk, will ensure that the anticipated growth will have manageable impact on our working capital. We expect to be taking orders and shipping plants in China by the end of next calendar year." "We are pleased to again work with a proven, dependable and local supplier for production machinery" said Eytan Levy, CEO of Emefcy. "Meanwhile the state of the art production facility in China meets international quality levels and is very cost-effective, taking into account the government incentive package we have been able to negotiate. These will go a long way to helping us meet Chinese and global demand for Emefcy's products." To view the release, please visit: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/O8B74Z69 About Fluence Corporation Ltd Fluence Corporation (ASX:FLC) (OTCMKTS:EMFGF) is a leader in the decentralized water, wastewater and reuse treatment markets, with its Smart Products Solutions, including Aspiral, NIROBOX, NIROFLEX and SUBRE. Fluence offers an integrated range of services across the complete water cycle, from early stage evaluation, through design and delivery to ongoing support and optimization of water related assets, as well as Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT) and other recurring revenue solutions. With established operations in North America, South America, the Middle East, Europe and China, Fluence has experience operating in over 70 countries worldwide and enables businesses and communities worldwide to maximize their water resources. Further information can be found at https://www.fluencecorp.com/ Strategic Elements Expansion of UNSW Memory Tech Agreement Perth, Aug 17, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - ASX listed Strategic Elements ( ASX:SOR ) is pleased to announce that it has extended its highly successful project with the University of New South Wales to further develop the Nanocube memory ink technology. The rate of development is also expected to increase with the project team augmented with additional PhD research support. The immediate objective of the program is to test key aspects of the previously announced glass based transparent memory ink prototype. Memory cell testing, previously revealed the transparent memory ink to be highly reliable and capable of storing and retrieving the same piece of information 100,000 times with no signs of degradation (endurance) to satisfy the harsh requirements for industrial production. Current work includes testing the speed at which data can be read (speed response) and the length of time data can be retained (retention) for a memory cell created with transparent memory ink on glass. These parameters are some of the key criteria commonly used to assess the potential of a memory technology. In addition, the project team is focused on the near term delivery of a further (major) advancement to the Nanocube technology with the objective to provide clear differentiation from competitors and generate interest from potential partners. The commercial strategy of the Company remains consistent with the presentation released to the market on May 16, 2016 and found on the homepage of the Company website. The Company also notes the significant investment being made by UNSW into printed electronics infrastructure at the Advanced Multifunctional Laboratories in the School of Materials Science and Engineering. Highly advanced precision coating and printing equipment is expected to arrive at UNSW with the next few months. The Company believes this has the potential to not only accelerate the Nanocube technology, but also to initiate further projects with UNSW. The new agreement sees the relationship extended through to 2017. Managing Director, Charles Murphy said, "We have been gearing up for a sustained push through to the end of the year. The expertise we have started to tap into is assisting tremendously." Strategic Elements shares are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange under the code, "SOR". The Company is registered under the Pooled Development Program (PDF) run by the Australian Federal Government to encourage investment into SME's. Under the PDF program, the Company is eligible to invest into any sector, as long as the Company is Australian and has less than 50M in net assets. To date, the Company has funded projects in the technology and resources sectors. To assist Pooled Development Funds to invest and raise capital, the Federal Government enables most shareholders in a Pooled Development Fund to make capital gains and receive dividends tax-free. About Strategic Elements Ltd Strategic Elements (ASX:SOR) shares are listed on the Australian Stock Exchange under the code SOR. The Company is registered under the Pooled Development Program run by the Australian Federal Government to encourage investment into SMEs. To assist Pooled Development Funds to invest and raise capital, the Federal Government enables most shareholders in a Pooled Development Fund to make capital gains and receive dividends tax-free. NEW YORK Spanish-language broadcaster Univision won an auction Tuesday for Gawker Media, which was put on the block in the aftermath of a $140 million judgment against it in the Hulk Hogan invasion-of-privacy case. Univision is paying $135 million for the online gossip and news publisher, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be identified because the deal had not been formally announced. Expanding from its Spanish-language base, Univision has been investing in media properties aimed at young people, including taking a stake in satirical website The Onion in January. In April, it said it was taking full control of Fusion, a TV channel and website aimed at English-speaking young people it had launched with ABC in 2013. Univision outbid Ziff Davis, the owner of tech and gaming sites, in the auction for Gawker Media. They were the only two bidders, according to a person familiar with the bankruptcy auction. A judge must still approve the sale at a hearing Thursday. Gawker Media properties include its namesake site, the women-focused Jezebel, tech-oriented Gizmodo and sports site Deadspin. Their breezy and often confrontational style has been influential in the publishing world. But it filed for bankruptcy in June, about three months after Hogan won his lawsuit against the 14-year-old company. Gawker founder, Nick Denton, a former Financial Times journalist, also filed for personal bankruptcy. Denton said Tuesday that the sale to Univision means our employees are protected and will continue their work under new ownership disentangled from the legal campaign against the company. Hogan, a former professional wrestler whose real name is Terry Bollea, sued over a tape posted by Gawker showing him having sex with a friends wife. The case gained additional notoriety when it was revealed Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel had secretly bankrolled Hogans lawsuit. Thiel was outed as gay by a Gawker-owned website in 2007. Thiels role paying for the litigation against Gawker raised fears about the power of wealthy people to go after publications they dislike. Gawker argued in the Hogan case that it was protected by the First Amendment. SANTA FE Mayor Javier Gonzales said Tuesday that organizers of the Santa Fe Fiesta which commemorates re-occupation by the Spanish 12 years after the 1680 Pueblo revolt have agreed to meet and talk with representatives of Tesuque Pueblo in the wake of an ongoing conversation that has included protests at Fiestas by Native Americans in recent years. Gonzales also said he will introduce a proposed City Council resolution to recognize the second Monday of October traditionally, the Columbus Day holiday as Indigenous Peoples Day in Santa Fe, not just this year but for every October. A City Hall news release said Gonzales announced the two initiatives at a meeting organized to strengthen relationships and cooperation between the city and a group of 20 Native American people including members of 12 pueblos and tribes, and some pueblo governors and tribal presidents. At last years September Fiesta sometimes called Fiestas about a dozen people protested during the Entrada, the annual re-enactment on the Plaza of Don Diego de Vargas return to Santa Fe in 1692. While that moment is often described as peaceful, protesters held up signs saying Don Diego Showed His Ammunition and Prepared for War and In 1693 Don Diego Executed 70 Warriors and Enslaved Hundreds of Women & Children. Gonzales said then that he hoped there would be an effort to broaden the narrative of Fiesta. But a City Council measure on the issue fizzled out after some councilors said it was an overreaction to the 2015 protest, as the Journal North first reported late last month. Gonzales said Tuesday that Santa Fe Fiesta Council and the Caballeros de Vargas organization which stages the Entrada re-enactment have both agreed to sit down at the table, face to face, with the Tesuque people to begin a long overdue conversation about the Santa Fe Fiestas and the challenges we are facing going forward. According to the news release, Gonzales wants to establish Indigenous Peoples Day in recognition of Native Americans and their significant contributions to the history and culture of this country and especially Santa Fe. He added, If we love this place, as I believe we do, there is no reason we shouldnt celebrate every cultures contributions to it in the same meaningful ways. While we shouldnt live in the past, we can certainly learn from it. We are not the first humans to walk the Earth and yet too many, especially the young, suffer from the conceit that history is just a boring subject in school. PBS is rerunning episodes on its award-winning series American Experience on modern presidents and the challenges they faced. Each episode retraces what presidents believed to be good ideas at the time from Lyndon Johnsons program to wipe out poverty and defeat the communists in Vietnam, to George W. Bushs toppling of Saddam Hussein. In each episode, historians, as well as members of those administrations, are interviewed and provide perspective only hindsight can give. One scene in the LBJ segment is particularly instructive when thinking about the two main candidates in the current presidential race. During consideration of Johnsons pledge to create a Great Society, there is film of him signing a large stack of bills passed by a Democratic Congress. The narrator says the bills were passed and signed so quickly no one had any idea what the programs would cost, or how they would be implemented. This is the heart of liberalism. Little consideration is given to whether a program or idea will accomplish its stated goal, only intentions matter. In a speech last week in Warren, Mich., Hillary Clinton borrowed from the past, not to learn from it, but to repeat it. So starting on day one, she said, we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new, good-paying jobs since World War II. She followed with recycled promises to repair infrastructure, such as bridges, highways and airports. Those with short memories may have forgotten her pledges have been tried in the very recent past. Remember President Obamas stimulus? Remember shovel-ready jobs? When they didnt materialize, even the president had to joke that shovel-ready was not as uh shovel-ready as we expected. Remember the infrastructure repair Obama promised? Government doesnt create private-sector jobs, businesses do. Government can stimulate the private sector by lowering taxes and reducing unnecessary regulations. Hillary Clinton wants to do the reverse. In her view, government has all the answers when, in fact, it has few. If it had answers, the problems we face would have long ago been solved. After so many failures, why would voters continue to trust government to fix anything? Hillary Clinton again is using the liberal code word investment. She means spending. As the debt approaches $20 trillion, a wise person might say we need to spend less, not more, starting with reforming entitlement programs, which consume a great deal of the budget. Would any business survive a sales strategy that has failed so dramatically? President Obama has tried everything Hillary Clinton is proposing. It hasnt worked. Economic growth is stagnant and the 5 percent unemployment rate masks a labor force that has either given up looking for work, is working only part time or is working at jobs that pay less than the employee previously earned. Insurance companies are pulling out of Obamacare due to its high cost. Taxes will soon rise. Bloomberg.com reports home ownership is at its lowest level since 1965. The experience of Democrat liberalism is a theme Donald Trump should hammer home. If you like the damage President Obama has caused, vote for Hillary. She will give you more of the same and you wont like it. In his best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren writes, We are products of our past, but we dont have to be prisoners of it. President Hillary Clinton would impose a life sentence of failed liberalism. Email: tmseditors@tribune.com; copyright, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. SANTA FE U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, while reading a picture book to a group of small children here Tuesday, asked them to identify some local icons. When a little boy named edibles in the book as a carrots, Ginsburg gently corrected. They could be carrots, she said. But they are chile peppers. And theyre very hot. She never did say the name of a certain critter she pointed to in Santa Fe artist Joel Nakamuras colorful and somewhat surreal Go West. He looks to me like a bunny rabbit, except I never saw a bunny rabbit with horns, said Ginsburg, as adults in the room whispered jackalope. The 83-year-old justice, an opera buff who has become a regular visitor during the Santa Fe Operas summer season, read for children and parents participating in the United Way of Santa Fe Countys early childhood education and care programs, at the old Agua Fria Elementary building. Her appearance promoted United Ways focus on having parents read to their children to advance early literacy. Ginsburgs very favorite part of the book describes big clouds and a bigger sky. Every time I leave Santa Fe to go east, I miss my big sky, she ad-libbed And after shed stopped describing cowboys with barking coyotes coming out of their hats and cowgirls with rocket boots, she took questions from parents. The first: How can we raise feminist sons? Oh, I should have brought my son here, Ginsburg replied to laughter. She never described exactly how to raise a feminist son, but did say there are so many men Ive met in my long life who have worked hard and had little to do with raising their children, then regretted it. She said her son and her son-in-law are both great parents. Each one is sharing in the joys and demands of raising children, Ginsburg added. She said her mother read to her and then when the future member of the Supreme Court was a little older, She would take me once a week to the library and she would leave me in the childrens section while she went off to get her hair done. A favorite book? Ginsburg couldnt come up just one, but said she loved the Nancy Drew mysteries. In all the other books, girls were good and well-behaved, she said, but Nancy Drew was real doer. On the values she hoped she passed on to her kids, the justice said, One thing is that it takes hard work to make dreams come true, and if youre willing to put in the hard work, you can achieve and aspire. She said that when her granddaughter, now in her last year of law school, was eight years old, a director making a film about Ginsburg asked the little girl what she wanted to be. The girl said, I would like to be president of the United States of the world. Its amazing that an 8-year-old girl would have that as an aspiration, Ginsburg added. Its wonderful to grow up in an age where there are no more closed doors. The event closed with 10-year-old Serina Martinez, a three-year veteran of Santa Fes Spanish Market, presenting Ginsburg with a small weaving she had created. The justice thanked her and told Serina, I hope you go on making such beautiful things. Ginsburg will make another appearance Friday, when she delivers the keynote address at the New Mexico Bar Associations annual meeting at the Buffalo Thunder resort in Pojoaque. The nations top anti-drug official, along with local law enforcement personnel and addiction experts, will meet with the public Thursday to discuss possible solutions to opioid addiction problems in New Mexico and throughout the country. Michael Botticelli, the director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, will hold a community forum Thursday at the University of New Mexicos Domenici Center for Health Sciences Education. His visit is part of a national plan to target opioid addiction. Opioids drugs that include heroin and prescription oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl are highly effective painkillers, but they also are highly addictive, linked to increase crime and a transition to heroin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that heroin-related overdoses nearly doubled between 2011 and 2013, but have started to drop. President Barack Obama in October asked the Office of National Drug Control Policy to target opioid addiction. The office began a professional training program for proscribers of opioids, and it began plans to increase access to treatment. Botticelli said on Tuesday that he plans during the community forum on Thursday to address the need to fully fund treatment facilities and increase the number of facilities in New Mexico. We know right now we have a big gap in the number of people seeking treatment and the number of people who get it, Botticelli said during a conference call with Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. Joining him with be Richard Gallegos, chief of the Espanola Police Department (who oversees an area with one of the highest heroin overdose rates in the nation); Dr. Leslie Hayes, with El Centro Family Health; Joshua Trujillo, a recovery advocate; and Jennifer Weiss-Burke, a parent advocate. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, D-N.M., along with Damon Martinez, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Wayne Lindstrom, director of Behavioral Health Services Division for the state, will launch the forum with presentations. Martinez was on a Journal -sponsored panel addressing opioid addiction in June. Community forum on opioid addiction When: 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 18 Where: University of New Mexicos Domenici Center for Health Sciences Education, 1001 Stanford NE Prosecutors announced Tuesday they will bring no charges against an Albuquerque police officer who shot an admitted drunken addict who said he was in devil mode nearly three years ago. Officer Brian Pitzer will not face any criminal charges for shooting and injuring Joaquin Ortega, 45, at the Route 66 Muffler Shop on Central in October 2013, the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office announced Tuesday. Ortega, a heroin addict who survived the shooting, said it happened after he blacked out after drinking whiskey and taking Xanax to try to cope with heroin withdrawal, according to a transcript. Reports state that Ortega left his home in a drunken state and started driving around central Albuquerque. He fired his weapon into the air near Coal and Girard, according to reports from the District Attorneys Office. Then he crashed his car and started traveling on foot around the area. He robbed an elderly woman with a young child at a bus stop near Central and Jefferson before trying to carjack someone near the muffler shop, according to the review of the shooting. Pitzer, the first officer to arrive on scene, turned on his lapel camera before firing. He told police days after the shooting that he knew Ortega was armed when he arrived on scene and feared Ortega would shoot him, someone else, or flee the area. The officer told investigators that the sun was setting when he encountered Ortega, which made it difficult for him to see. I see the firearm come out, Pitzer said, describing the shooting in a transcript of his interview with police. And as soon as I see the firearm, I bring my weapon up, and I start to engage out of fear. He said he fired a high volume amount to gain a tactical advantage in case there was a gunfight. Ortega didnt fire his weapon at Pitzer. Reports and lapel camera video indicate that Ortega threw his weapon in the air and started running when Pitzer started shooting. He was shot three times and didnt suffer life-threatening injuries. Prosecutors said in a review that Pitzer was justified to shoot Ortega under New Mexico laws. In an interview at the Metropolitan Detention Center, Ortega said he didnt remember the shooting. When police described the encounter to him, he said it was disgusting, according to a transcript of the interview. When the car accident happened, I hit my head or something, and that kicked me into devil mode, he said. Ortega pleaded guilty to several felonies in connection with the incident. He was sentenced to 29 years in prison, and a judge suspended all but nine years. He is currently at the Guadalupe County Correctional Facility, according to the Department of Corrections. Pitzer is still with Albuquerque police as a field services officer, a police spokeswoman said. Copyright 2016 Albuquerque Journal APS administrators and board members are up in arms about a new reading assessment they say the Public Education Department sprung on districts with practically no notice. In July, PED announced that Istation would replace the old test, DIBELS, to measure literacy in kindergarten through third grades. Students across the state will take Istation three times a year using computers or iPads, and the first round must be completed within 30 days of the start of the school year. For Albuquerque Public Schools, the deadline is Sept. 21. Rose-Ann McKernan, executive director of the APS Office of Accountability and Reporting, said teachers will have to work overtime to switch gears to Istation from the paper-and-pencil DIBELS. The process was started way too late, she told the boards policy and instruction committee last week. The decision should have been made by January, so we had a semester to do all of this. APS board president Dave Peercy didnt mince words about the timing, calling it disrespectful to teachers. We want to emphasize the fact that these last-minute things drive us crazy, he said. Some of the crunch is tied to the mandatory competitive bid process legally, state officials could not sign up for Istation until the DIBELS contract ran out at the end of the fiscal year. A PED selection committee rated the bids on quality and price, and recommended Istation as the best value. PED spokesman Robert McEntyre said the department is working with districts and charter schools to ease the transition, noting that it extended the first testing window from the usual 15 days to 30 days as an accommodation. Teachers also can access online training and a Testing Help Line manned by four staff members during the first few weeks of school. Istation has some advantages over DIBELS, which stands for Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. It is $1.3 million less expensive, costing a total of $600,000, and the computerized format is expected to save teachers time. The assessment covers eight areas, including spelling, letter knowledge, vocabulary, text fluency and reading comprehension. It divides students into three tiers based on their results, with low performers receiving extra monthly monitoring. Like DIBELS, Istation scores will factor into teachers annual evaluations, a concern for board member Don Duran. It is unfair, he said. It is not the way it should be. I just dont get it. Duran said teachers are being set up for failure because they are constantly asked to do more with less. Board member Barbara Petersen questioned whether Istation has been thoroughly reviewed for validity, adding that she is unsure a computer test is a good way to measure literacy. Reading is a kinesthetic activity, she said. McKernan also noted that young children can break iPads and computers. Districts across the state are having similar discussions. A few weeks ago, the New Mexico School Boards Association debated Istation and voted to send Secretary of Education Hanna Skandera a letter asking her to reconsider rolling out the test this year. Joe Guillen, NMSBA executive director, said the 25 to 30 members of the board who attended the meeting unanimously backed the letter. The organization has a total of 40 board members drawn from New Mexicos 89 school districts. We feel that it couldnt have been a worse time for our teachers coming back to school, Guillen told the Journal . The timing is very cumbersome for districts to implement. PED has not formally responded, according to Guillen. He was 17 and brilliant when he put the barrel of a gun in his mouth and fired. She was beautiful and kind and 11 when she wrapped an extension cord around her neck, tied it to the rafters of her familys garage and jumped. They were lost when they flung themselves off the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge, lost when they took a lethal mix of prescription drugs and alcohol, lost when they stepped in front of a speeding train. Al and Linda Vigil have heard all those stories and so many more in the nearly three decades they have consoled those left behind when a loved one takes his or her life. Weve become the experts on suicide and surviving the loss, says Al Vigil, a genial man whose shoulders have borne the tears of hundreds who have attended their Survivors of Suicide Loss support groups and workshops held now for eight years in Albuquerque and 19 years in San Diego, where they lived previously. A suicide occurs somewhere in the country every 29 minutes, Vigil says. It claims more than twice as many lives every year as homicide. And it is worse in New Mexico than nearly every other state. According to the state Department of Health, New Mexico has the fifth-highest suicide rate in the country. Here, the suicide rate among children is twice the national average. Its like a fire almost, the way it is spreading, Vigil says. Our group is, unfortunately, growing. Its bittersweet. The Vigils say their support groups, held on the first and third Mondays of each month, have grown to an average of 20 to 25 people per session, too many wounds to work with at once. So starting in September, they are doubling their efforts, adding support groups every second and fourth Monday, this time in Rio Rancho. They speculate that the rise in the numbers is due to several factors. Children and teens have always experienced bullying, but now it is amplified by attacks on social media. Children can be mean, and it has always been that way, Vigil says. But they are mean on a level we have never before seen. With cyberbullying, it is almost inescapable. Soldiers returning from combat with post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological ills are also contributing to the rise in suicide, they said. And, they say, there is an uneasy mood in the country, a feeling of despair and of inescapable pain. People are angry, Vigil says. You see it in our politics, our rhetoric. You see it in the pain that drives some to seek the only escape they think they have. The Vigils groups help their participants learn how to work through their own anger. You think to yourself, Why didnt they tell me they were in such pain? I could have fixed things. How could they do this to me? Vigil says. But that anger turns to guilt for being angry, guilt that you did not see the signs. Our group tries to help survivors work through their guilt, suffering and grief. The pain is unbelievable. It helps, he says, to walk into a room with other survivors and realize they are not alone, that others know what the pain of suicide feels like. The Vigils know what that pain feels like. In 1984, their 18-year-old daughter, Mia, plunged 200 feet to her death off the highest point on the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. They had not seen signs that she was suicidal, had not realized that the bubbly and bright young woman with plans for college and a trip to Italy had fallen into a dark pit of despair. For a long time, I could not even talk about it, Linda Vigil says. I cried so much. But then about a year or so later, we were asked to speak on a preachers radio show. I told Al I couldnt do it. I wouldnt be able to stop crying. But Al told me that people needed to see that devastation to understand. People started listening to us. And so after that it became our mission. We put our heart and soul into this grief work to help people who are broken, so broken. But we tell them, you know what? You can work your way out of this like we have. You can go on, not in the same way, but still go on. The Vigils use the analogy of that trip to Italy their daughter never took, with an apparent reference to an essay called Welcome to Holland, by Emily Perl Kingsley: You plan all your life to go to Italy. You dream of it, prepare for it. Then you learn youve been sidetracked to Holland. Its not the place you planned for, not the place you want to be. But as time passes, you start noticing the windmills. You smell the tulips. You learn how to be there. And you go on. So the Vigils have gone on. With the additional support groups, they hope they can help more survivors go on, too. UpFront is a daily front-page news and opinion column. Comment directly to Joline at 823-3603, jkrueger@abqjournal.com or follow her on Twitter @jolinegkg. Go to www.abqjournal.com/letters/new to submit a letter to the editor. SANTA FE A resolution intended to find ways to keep Santa Fe police officers from being lured away by incentives offered by the Albuquerque Police Department got closer to City Council consideration Tuesday, a little over a week after APD implemented a new, improved set of inducements to attract officers from other jurisdictions. Santa Fes Public Safety Committee unanimously endorsed a measure sponsored by City Councilor Ron Trujillo that directs the city manager and police chief to meet with Finance Department officials to come up with ideas for holding onto Santa Fe officers, including 35 SFPD officers who live in Rio Rancho and another 18 with residences in Albuquerque. The Santa Fe Police Department, budgeted for 178 officers, currently has 13 vacancies. The resolution will be considered by the City Councils Finance Committee on Sept. 6 before possibly going to the full City Council on Sept. 14. Trujillo introduced his resolution late last month after he heard rumors that APD intended to beef up its hiring incentives. On Aug. 8, APD did set new incentives for lateral hires officers already working for other agencies. Those include an $8,000 hiring bonus paid out over the course of a year following completion of the departments seven-week lateral academy; pay of $28 an hour, or $52,240 annually, immediately upon hiring; up to $5,000 in relocation assistance and 100 hours of both sick leave and vacation time immediately upon graduation from the academy. Previous lateral-hire incentives announced in June included a $5,000 hiring bonus and no relocation assistance. Officers must have worked two years for their previous departments after their probationary period ended, APD spokeswoman Celina Espinoza said. Espinoza said recently that the goal is not to raid other departments, but she noted that the applicant pool is small in New Mexico. Santa Fe Police Chief Patrick Gallagher told the Journal that the $28-an-hour pay rate would be enticing because it takes seven years to make top pay just over $27 an hour at the rank of officer at SFPD. He said reducing the time it takes to get to the top rate is an idea to consider. Gallagher also said he sent officers a survey last week that asks what would keep them in Santa Fe. He expects to see some results this week. I understand if theyre considering it, Gallagher said. I would just ask them to hold off to see what we can come up with here. Gallagher said everything is in the idea phase now and said nothing has been drafted. Sgt. Troy Baker, president of the Santa Fe police union, said he wasnt sure if any officers would apply at APD, and he said the fact they would have to complete another academy would be a negative. Still, he acknowledged that a pay increase is enticing and said that officers would possibly have more room for advancement and have a chance to work in a more specialized unit in a larger department like Albuquerques. It all depends on the individual, Baker said. The Albuquerque Police Department will have a lot more opportunity for them. I dont know how many would apply, and even if they did, Im sure theyre hush-hush about that. PHILADELPHIA Hillary Clinton vowed Tuesday to conduct a national security and foreign policy that Americans could be proud of, saying rival Donald Trump just absolutely bewilders her when he talks about his policy proposals around the globe. Clinton embraced the U.S. Olympic teams success at a voter registration rally in Philadelphia, pointing to Team USAs gold medals as an example of an optimistic nation that runs counter to what she considers Trumps pessimism and negativity. It just absolutely bewilders me when I hear Donald Trump try to talk about national security, Clinton said, pointing to Vice President Joe Bidens dissection of Trumps foreign policy at a Pennsylvania event on Monday. What (Trump) often says hurts us. It sends the wrong message to friend and foe alike. Turning to the Olympic team, she said, Team USA is showing the world what this country stands for. Trump on Monday said the countrys national security requirements demanded extreme vetting of immigrants seeking admission to the United States, pointing to the threat of the Islamic State group and other terrorist elements. But he offered few specifics about how the process might work or how it would be paid for by taxpayers. Trump fired back at Clinton on Tuesday. He accused her of being against the police and claimed that she and other Democrats pander to African-American voters. We reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton, which panders to and talks down to communities of color and sees them only as votes thats all they care about, Trump said in remarks delivered not far from Milwaukee, the latest city to be overcome by violence in the wake of a police shooting. Trump, who is lagging in the polls, accused Clinton of being on the side of the rioters and argued that Democratic policies have made life for African-Americans and in inner cities worse. Our opponent Hillary would rather protect the offender than the victim, he said, adding that a vote for her is a vote for another generation of poverty, high crime and lost opportunities. Clintons campaign did not respond late Tuesday to a request for comment. Trump traveled Tuesday to Milwaukee, the site of ongoing protests over the fatal shooting of a black man by a black police officer. His visit followed several days of violence that has left businesses in flames. Trump began his visit with a meeting with local law enforcement officers at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center on Lake Michigan, where he was joined by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Among those present were Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and Inspector Edward Bailey. Clarke in an op-ed column Monday blamed liberal Democrats and the media for the unrest that has rocked the city. Trump also posed for photographs with a handful of veterans, including one wearing a Hillary for Prison T-shirt. Clinton and Trump have each sought to portray themselves as the chief executive most capable of battling terrorists. While the GOP business mogul has vowed to project strength and take decisive action against terrorists, the former secretary of state has pointed to her foreign policy credentials and warned that Trump could plunge the nation into another war. Trump has previously called for an unprecedented temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and he said in a speech Monday that he would overhaul the nations screening process and block those who sympathize with extremist groups or fail to embrace American values. The Republican nominee has made changes to the nations immigration system and the construction of a wall along the Mexican border a key part of his fight against terrorists and the Islamic State group, which he compared to the struggle against communism during the Cold War. As president, Trump said he would encourage immigrants to assimilate and urge parents, teachers and others to promote American culture. But he declined to say which regions of the world would rate extreme vetting. LOS ANGELES A wildfire broke out Tuesday and spread at a staggering pace in every direction through drought-parched canyons east of Los Angeles, burning at least a dozen buildings including some homes and prompting evacuation orders for entire communities. The blaze that began as a small patch of flame next to Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass had scorched 15,000 acres of the San Bernardino Mountains. By nightfall, it had churned up and over ridges and was descending into the Mojave Desert. The smoke is on the desert floor, said Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Snaking walls of flame rising 50 to 100 feet high turned nearly two dozen square miles of chaparral to ashes, along with outbuildings and homes in the ranchlands 60 miles east of Los Angeles. I can confirm that weve lost structures, both residential and commercial, Sherwin said at the scene of a hard-hit cluster of ranches. Im looking up here and Im seeing buses, Im seeing outbuildings, Im seeing houses. At least a dozen buildings had burned, including the Summit Inn, an historic diner near Interstate 15, he said. Mandatory evacuation calls went out to 34,506 homes with more than 82,600 people, ranging from the ski resort of Wrightwood to the sprawling high desert town of Phelan, with more than 14,000 residents. This fire is burning in significantly different terrains at multiple elevation levels, making it difficult to fight, Sherwin said. Hundreds of animals, including dogs and horses, also were evacuated. The flames were fueled by thick stands of drought-stricken brush in the canyons and grass at lower elevations. The flames burned faster in the grassy areas, making them less likely to burn homes but also making them more vulnerable to wind shifts, Sherwin said. The fire forced a shutdown of Interstate 15, leaving commuters stranded for hours. Blue Mountain Farms, a horse ranch in Phelan, was in the path of the fire just as it was for another fire in the area a year ago. Six firefighters were briefly trapped by flames at a home where the occupants had refused to leave, forcing the crew to protect the house, fire officials said. We were fully engulfed in smoke, county firefighter Cody Anderson told KCBS-TV. It was really hard just to see your hand in front of your face. We just hunkered down and sat there and waited for the fire to blow over, he said. Anderson and another firefighter were treated for minor injuries. Gov. Jerry Brown quickly declared a state of emergency in the fire area, freeing up special resources and funds for the firefight and recovery. Investigators in Northern California said Tuesday they had been building a case against a suspected arsonist, 40-year-old construction worker Damin Anthony Pashilk, for more than a year but did not have enough evidence to make an arrest until a weekend blaze ripped through Lower Lake, destroying 175 homes, Main Street businesses and other structures in the town. RALEIGH, N.C. A North Carolina man killed his two young daughters, their sister and their mother before fleeing to Virginia just weeks after he was forced to get psychiatric help because of a suicide attempt, authorities said Wednesday. Officers found the bodies on Tuesday night by forcing their way into the victims home in Greenville after relatives called with concerns about their safety, Greenville Police Chief Mark Holtzman said at a news conference. Hours later and more than 150 miles north in Richmond, officers caught 39-year-old Dibon Toone in the victims car. Toone was being held in Richmond on a murder charge in the mothers killing, and he will be charged with the deaths of the three children, Holtzman said. He said he expects Toone to be extradited later this week to Greenville, which is about 85 miles east of Raleigh. The public defenders office in Pitt County, which includes Greenville, said Toone has not yet been assigned a lawyer. Officers found the bodies of Garlette Howard, 32, and her three daughters ages 6, 7 and 11 around 8 p.m. Tuesday. Toones relatives had called the police to say he made unsettling comments about their welfare. Holtzman declined to release the cause of death, but said the four may have been dead for several days. Howard and Toone had been in a relationship, and he appears to have been living with the victims, Holtzman said. Holtzman said the two younger girls were Toones daughters. As little girls, you should be able to trust your father to look to him for advice, and know he will always be there to protect you. Dibon Toone betrayed that trust, and as a result, these little girls and their mother paid the ultimate price, the police department said in a news release. Officers had also knocked on the door of the home Monday afternoon after Howards co-workers called to say she hadnt come to work, but authorities had no reason to force entry then, Holtzman said. Toones arrest came around midnight Tuesday after Richmond police were alerted to a stolen car identified by North Carolina investigators, said Richmond Police spokesman James Mercante. Greenville Police say Toone was driving Howards work-issued car. Mercante said investigators including members of the U.S. Marshals regional fugitive task force arrested Toone. Holtzman said some news outlets have quoted neighbors as saying that they had witnessed a physical fight days ago between Howard and Toone, but that no calls were made to police about it. The police department has no record of any other domestic violence related to the couple. On July 22, officers were called to the home after Toone attempted to kill himself, according to the news release. He was involuntarily committed by officers for a psychiatric evaluation at a local hospital, but Holtzman didnt elaborate further on what happened. Toone also previously faced charges after Howard reported in 2009 that he took her vehicle without permission. The police department said Toones criminal history consists of unauthorized use of vehicles and larceny charges. ___ Associated Press Writer Sarah Brumfield in Washington contributed to this report. The Washington Post. Scientists have repeatedly faulted Republican presidential contender Donald Trump for continuing to question the strong scientific consensus that humans are causing climate change. But more recently, some have also challenged the Green Party candidate and medical doctor Jill Stein on the same topic. The contention is that Stein, who has been criticized previously for statements on scientific topics like vaccines and genetically modified organisms, is presenting climate science in an unduly alarmist way. The problem traces to this tweet by Stein from last week: 12.3M Americans could lose their homes due to a sea level rise of 9ft by 2050. 100% renewable energy by 2030 isnt a choice, its a must. Several climate scientists on Twitter quickly faulted the statement. Heres Jacqueline Gill, a researcher at the University of Maine: Where did you get this number? Im a climate scientist and this exceeds even extreme estimates. And heres Chris Colose, a climate science Ph.D. candidate at the University of Albany: This number is not credible. BAU Projections out to 2100 is on the order of 3 feet. So is there any way to defend Steins statement about a 9 foot sea level rise by 2050 (in 34 years), which would sweep inland in many coastal cities around the world and cause major damage and displacement? Perhaps the best argument in Steins favor would cite a recent, controversial study by James Hansen, an extremely famous climate scientist who retired several years ago from NASA, and who published the work with a long and influential list of colleagues. That paper, which outlined a series of feedback processes which could drive a particularly catastrophic version of climate change, contemplated the idea that the rate of ice loss from Greenland and Antarctica could double, and continue to double, over time periods ranging from every five years to every 40 years. Doubling times of 10, 20 or 40 years yield multi-meter sea level rise in about 50, 100 or 200 years, the paper noted. Recent ice melt doubling times are near the lower end of the 10-40-year range, but the record is too short to confirm the nature of the response. When asked if this study was indeed a source of the 9 foot figure, Steins press director Meleiza Figueroa commented, James Hansen has said that we could see several meters of sea level rise as soon as the next 50 years. Considering that the effects of climate change weve seen in real life have consistently met, or even exceeded, what were previously considered worst case scenarios, we need to take Dr. Hansens alarming findings very seriously. Figueroa also pointed to an April article in the Insurance Journal, which paraphrased the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Margaret Davidson, a coastal sciences advisor, as follows: Davidson said recent data that has been collected but has yet to be made official indicates sea levels could rise by roughly 3 meters or 9 feet by 2050-2060, far higher and quicker than current projections. So lets weigh all of this, starting with the Hansen study. What that study asserts is in effect an if, then statement: If the 10-year doubling time is actually correct, then yes, around 2065 you could get multi-meter sea level rise, because the rate of ice loss by then would have doubled five times. Thus, taking Greenland as an example, it might have gone from its current 281 billion tons of annual ice loss, which is not quite enough to raise seas by 1 millimeter, to close to 9,000 billion tons, which would raise seas by 25 about millimeters per year, or roughly an inch. (In reality, Hansen thinks Antarctica, not Greenland, will be the bigger ice loser.) But the paper did not actually say 10 years is the right number for the doubling time rather, it said that current empirical evidence suggests a number near the lower end of the range between 10 and 40 years, adding that the record is too short to confirm the nature of the response. In effect, the paper is testing out different time frames for doubling of ice loss in order to assess the likely response, and to provide a range of possibilities. Indeed, in a widely watched video discussing the research, Hansen commented that If ice sheet mass loss has a 10-year doubling time, meter scale sea level rise would be reached in about 50 years, and multimeter sea level rise a decade later. A 20-year doubling time would require about 100 years. The data records are too short, but if we wait until the real world reveals itself clearly, it may be too late to avoid sea level rise of several meters, and loss of all coastal cities. But not every scientist agrees with Hansen, or about whether this thought experiment is anything more than just that. The study has driven both praise and also criticism, as our coverage of it has made clear. One of the most important comments on the study came from Penn State glaciologist Richard Alley, who said the work usefully reminds us that large and rapid changes are possible. But as Alley added, the paper does not include enough ice-sheet physics to tell us how much how rapidly is how likely. Certainly, we should not discount Hansen outright. Hes too celebrated and important of a scientist for that. Still, the consensus projection of sea level rise, for the moment, remains that of the U.N.s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), cited by Colose above, which predicts up to about a meter (3.28 feet) by 2100 at the high end. Increasingly, though, researchers are suspecting this could be too low, and one major study earlier this year suggested Antarctica alone could contribute close to a meter by that year. But thats still not close to 9 feet by 2050. So in sum, the Hansen study suggests a possibility of multi-meter sea level rise this century, but certainly does not establish a firm prediction that this is actually going to happen and does not represent a scientific consensus position right now. As for the article quoting NOAAs Margaret Davidson, she appears to have subsequently clarified her words, in an email to Slates Eric Holthaus. There, Davidson cited concerns about rapid loss of west Antarctica and said actually said my personal opinion was increasingly leaning towards 2-3 meters in next 50 years (that 2100 was not a useful frame for most people). The punch line is just about the same: An official has at least floated the possibility of super-rapid sea level rise, but this does not mean its a scientifically accepted or consensus projection right now. It also isnt clear where Stein got the figure of 12.3 million Americans seeing their homes inundated by this much sea level rise. Ben Strauss, a sea level rise expert with Climate Central, which has often performed mapping projections to determine how much U.S. land would be flooded by different levels of rising seas, said he wasnt sure the source of the number. Strauss said that some of his research suggests that by 2050, we could lock in 3 meter sea level rise that would affect 13.5 million Americans, but we wouldnt actually see all of that sea level rise by 2050. Any presidential candidate, from Trump to Clinton to Stein, has every right to dig in and explain all of this. Moreover, that candidate could easily justify the conclusion that we have good reason to worry that sea level rise by 2100 could be considerably worse than the IPCC suggests if we dont get our acts together. That is the way the sea level rise story is trending these days. But whats more questionable is to cite only a worst case scenario, without explaining the state of the evidence or scientific opinion overall. Stein said could, which is a bit of a hedge, but its not really enough. Granted, at least Stein is indeed listening to scientists and drawing on scientific evidence and opinion (although not including adequate context). Compare that with Trump, who just says hes not a big believer in the overwhelmingly accepted scientific idea of climate change. climate-greenparty _____ Keywords: Post Keywords Fidel Naranjo, 27, of Santa Fe, and Kendra Brophy, 29, of San Pedro were sentenced today (Wednesday, Aug. 17) in Albuqerque federal court for charges from a Dec. 2 bank robbery in Espanola. Naranjo was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Brophy was sentenced to a year of probation to be served under home confinement with electronic monitoring followed by five years of supervised release. Brophy also was ordered to perform 300 hours community service and complete a 90-day inpatient substance abuse treatment program. Naranjo and Brophy were arrested in December on criminal complaints charging them with robbing the New Mexico Bank and Trust branch located at 411 Carr Lane in Espanola. According to the complaint, Naranjo robbed the bank by approaching a bank teller, threatening to shoot her and demanding money. Naranjo left the bank and was driven away from the scene by Brophy. They were were subsequently indicted and charged with bank robbery. In April, Naranjo pled guilty to the indictment and admitted he robbed the bank. Brophy pled guilty to a felony information charging her with misprision of a felon. She admitted she waited nearby during the robbery. PHOENIX The president of the Arizona Board of Education resigned his post Wednesday, saying his departure was the result of an ongoing and bitter feud with the states elected schools chief, Diane Douglas. Greg Miller issued a written statement blaming Douglas, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, for refusing to work with the board and preventing it from implementing the policies it has adopted or assigning staff to help it do its work. The board creates statewide school policies, which the superintendent is then charged with putting in place. The Superintendent is currently unwilling to fulfill her constitutional duties as it concerns this board, Miller said. Hopefully this action will allow the board to move forward with the very important work on its agenda and fulfill its constitutional role by encouraging the superintendent to move beyond her personal issues with me. Miller said hes leaving the board immediately and said hes offered to resign in the past to end the feud. Ducey spokesman Daniel Scarpinato said the governor recently asked him if he was willing to step down as President in order to provide fresh leadership. He added: Gregs choice to resign his position on the board is one he made on his own, and one we respect. Douglas spokesman Charles Tack rebutted Millers claims that Douglas wasnt cooperating with the board. The superintendent has been and is committed to making sure the board has the resources it needs from the department to do its work, Tack said. Ducey signed a bill in May ending a yearlong fight between Douglas and the board over the boards staff and investigators. Douglas and the board have been embroiled in controversy since shortly after she took office in January 2015. She fired the boards executive staff, a move that Ducey blocked. She then sued after the board moved out of her offices into new housing in the Capitol executive tower. They also clashed over control of investigators who look into teacher wrongdoing, with the board suing Douglas to force her to grant remote access to teacher files under her control. Both lawsuits were dropped after Ducey signed the new law, which moved the investigators to Douglas control and clarified that the boards executive staff were under board control. A year ago, Douglas filed a criminal complaint against Miller, saying he assaulted her by grabbing her arm during a board meeting. Miller told detectives he may have inadvertently touched the superintendents arm while moving her microphone after she refused to stop speaking. Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery declined to prosecute the case, saying he could not prove the intent to insult, injure or provoke. The board is currently working to revise education standards known as Common Core standards in place statewide. Douglas was elected on a platform to repeal the standards, which were created by the states but have drawn criticism from opponents who say they cede control to the federal government. Miller said he hoped his resignation will end a political sideshow that has overshadowed the boards work. It has never been personal for me, Miller said. It has always been about defending the integrity of the state board and putting kids first, as I have done throughout 40 years of educational volunteerism. Its a lesson every kid learns: clean up after yourself. A Colorado company and the Air Force Research Laboratory in Albuquerque are trying to put that advice to work when it comes to outer space. The laboratory, in partnership with MMA Design LLC in Colorado, has come up with a device to keep spacecraft from adding to the man-made junk that buzzes around in low-Earth orbit. Called the dragNET, it drags spacecraft back into the atmosphere faster than the pull of gravity alone. It can force re-entry of satellites and launch vehicles by 30 to 50 percent faster than craft that rely just on gravitational pull to return to Earths atmosphere, where they burn up. The dragNET works like a parachute attached to the back of a race car. Its basically a compact, lightweight membrane, or thin film, that is stored in a box attached to spacecraft. It deploys once a satellite has reached the end of its life, or in the case of a launch vehicle, immediately after reaching space. The stored material springs outward into a square shape and remains attached to the craft. That adds drag as the craft continues to orbit, said Mitch Wiens, MMA president and chief operating officer. Its stored in a box essentially, and the sides unfold once the restraint is released, Wiens said. The four legs of the structure spring out radially, allowing it to unfold into a full sail. Its stored in a telephone book-sized box when it goes up, but it spreads out up to 24 square meters once fully deployed, creating enough extra drag to cause a change in orbit to help get the vehicle down quicker. The device adds only about six pounds to spacecraft, greatly reducing the costs for using it, said Lt. Col. Steve Lindsay, program manager for the dragNET project at the research labs Space Vehicles Directorate. Its very lightweight and it has lots of flexibility to scale up and down as needed for small or large satellites and launch vehicles, Lindsay said. Its designed for low-Earth orbit of between 99 and 1,200 miles out. Thats where you can still have drag before getting too high up outside the pull of gravity. Trash clean-up is critical in that range. Some 11,000 pieces of debris are in low-Earth orbit, thanks to fragments created by collisions among space junk and on-board explosions on spacecraft. That creates significant risk to satellites and other vehicles. The dragNET wont shrink the field of debris already in space, but it can help slow the growth of space trash, said Benjamin Kyle Henderson, chief of the spacecraft component technologies branch of the Space Vehicles Directorate. If we dont clean up the junk we put up, it can impact something else up there and create even more junk, Henderson said. We want to be good custodians and clean up after ourselves. We need to be good neighbors. The U.S. Department of Defense has set a 25-year deadline for military-launched craft to return to Earths atmosphere once vehicles stop working. The dragNET can help meet those goals, while providing a useful tool for other government agencies and commercial launch operators as well. MMA designed the dragNET with nearly $900,000 in Department of Defense Small Business Innovation Research grants, plus funding and technical assistance from the Space Test Program at Kirtland Air Force Base. The dragNET was integrated in Albuquerque onto both a military satellite and its launch vehicle, which went to space in November 2013. The dragNET was deployed immediately on the launch vehicle, helping that craft return from orbit in December 2015. The Starfire Optical Range at Kirtland, which houses high-powered telescopes capable of tracking and photographing satellites and other craft, followed the launch vehicle to confirm the dragNET deployed as planned, The dragNET is now stored on the satellite still in space, awaiting deployment. Were operating that satellite from here in New Mexico, Lindsay said. Were not just testing the dragNET. Were using it as part of a space mission. NEW YORK In a story Aug. 18 about Donald Trumps first national security briefing as a presidential candidate, The Associated Press reported erroneously the title of Michael Flynn. He is retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, not Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn. A corrected version of the story is below: Trump receives first classified intelligence briefing Donald Trump has received his first classified briefing, meeting with national security officials for more than two hours on Wednesday By JONATHAN LEMIRE Associated Press NEW YORK Donald Trump has received his first classified intelligence briefing, meeting with national security officials for more than two hours on Wednesday. The celebrity businessman became entitled to the briefings once he officially became the Republican nominee for president. The briefing was delivered by career staffers from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and was expected to cover major threats and emerging concerns around the world. The afternoon briefing was held at an FBI field office at a federal building in New York City, a facility which has the secure rooms required for such sensitive briefings. Trump did not speak to reporters upon entering or exiting the building and a campaign spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the briefing. But Trump, in an interview that aired just hours before the briefing, suggested he would be skeptical of its contents when he was asked if he trusted the nations intelligence materials. Not so much from the people that have been doing it for our country, Trump told Fox News. I mean, look whats happened over the last 10 yearsits been catastrophic. Trump brought along some top advisers, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, to the briefing. A U.S. intelligence official said that generally, advisers who attend the briefings must have appropriate security clearances. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasnt authorized to disclose information about the candidates intelligence briefings. Defense Intelligence Agency says that the agency maintains security clearances for all its former directors, including Flynn, who served in the post from 2012-2014. The briefing came two days after Trump delivered a speech on national security and just hours after he gathered several advisers for a security round table at Trump Tower. The advisers, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, encouraged the GOP nominee to press for more surveillance and more information-sharing with local police departments to fight terror threats if hes elected president. The FBI does share with local police agencies through Joint Terrorism Task Forces. It wasnt clear whether Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton has received an intelligence briefing. ____ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed reporting. Deb Riechmann contributed from Washington. ____ Reach Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire The Washington Post. SUMMIT VALLEY, Calif. A monster wildfire raged through an ever-bigger expanse of southern California on Wednesday, fed by a dangerous combination of hot weather, bone-dry conditions and breezy winds. Dark, thick smoke blocked the sky in communities turned ghost towns, with schools closed and more than 82,000 people ordered to evacuate from their homes. Despite firefighters from communities statewide being called into service, the Blue Cut fire continued to advance through the canyons, valleys and mountains of rural San Bernardino County, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Twenty-four hours after the first flames curled along a remote ridge, officials acknowledged that the 30,000-acre blaze was zero percent contained. No residents have been hurt, but six firefighters attached to the San Bernardino Fire Department were trapped while defending property and helping evacuate several hundred homes, officials reported. Two were injured. We were fully engulfed in smoke, firefighter Cody Anderson told KCBS-TV, as reported by the Associated Press. It was really hard just to see your hand in front of your face. We just hunkered down and sat there and waited for the fire to blow over. More than 1,300 personnel were expected to be on the different fire lines during the day. That number could climb into the several thousands by Thursday, and theyll be deployed in 12-hour day and night shifts, officials said. The high summer temperatures, which approached triple digits in some locations, helped to drive the fires explosive growth, said Bob Poole, a San Bernardino National Forest protection officer. The fire is moving fast, and we dont have the ability to get in safely, he said at the fire crews base camp. This is a very dangerous place to be. Throughout the afternoon, helicopters pulled water from the lake there and departed to dump it on hills marked by pockets of deep-red flames. The steep, rugged terrain in many places made the challenge, whether on the ground or by air, even more difficult. The wildfire shut the highway leading from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, forcing truckers to the sides of major roads such as Interstate 15 and Highway 138. Photos showed power poles ablaze and train tracks smoking. Gov. Jerry Brown quickly declared a state of emergency for the entire area. Its busy right now, said Frank Becerra, a health education specialist for San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control. Animal care workers had labored through the night to collect dogs, cats, horses and livestock. In one day, they amassed 1,000 animals, which were being housed at three shelters. One opened at a local fairground. Authorities told Oak Hills residents to evacuate on Tuesday, and with fire about a mile from his house, 34-year-old Rafael Zafra complied fast. He packed some photographs, paperwork and pants and went to stay with friends. On Wednesday, he was focused on what hed left behind. I am worried about my home, he said. A few crazy neighbors had their cars packed . . . but they stayed. I left when I was told. The place was not safe. Exacerbating conditions and the wildfires aggressive nature are the states five years of record drought, experts say. Park Williams, a bio-climatologist at Columbia Universitys Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said vegetation that fuels wildfires is drier than it ordinarily would be. Global warming is absolutely contributing to what were seeing in California this year, and more broadly, to the increases in fire activity that weve seen over the past several decades throughout the western United States, Williams said Wednesday. The relationship between fuel dryness and fire activity is exponential. This means that as drying occurs, the effects on fire are increasingly extreme. Williams pushed back against statements by some in California that called huge wildfires the new normal there. The states relationship between fire and climate is the most unreliable, he said. While its true that warmer, drier years are big fire years in California, the cause and forces that make them grow are more complicated than climate alone. There is. . .a lot else at play. Humans set nearly all of the fires, humans try to fight all of the fires, and some of the biggest fires in California occur during extreme Santa Ana wind events in the fall, which can very quickly dry fuels and spread fire even in relatively wet years, he said. This already is one of the very bad years. The San Bernardino fire erupted Tuesday just as firefighters finally began to contain a huge wildfire that had been out of control for several days in northern California. The Clayton fire, which is believed to be the work of an arsonist, has destroyed at least 175 structures, many of them homes, and burned more than 4,000 acres. Officials said Wednesday that about half of the blaze is now contained. More than 2,300 firefighters have been involved in the effort. Police have arrested a suspect, Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, and are holding him on multiple charges of arson. Investigators are trying to determine if the San Francisco native set previous fires in an area plagued by burns. Pashilk, who has a criminal record of drug possession and firearm charges, had served as an inmate firefighter for several months in 2007, a spokeswoman for the states Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said. Dauber reported from Summit Valley. Fears reported from Washington. socal-fire-1stld-writethru _____ Keywords: wildfire, los angeles, san bernardino, evacuation SANTA FE In the aftermath of the recent shooting death of a Hatch police officer, Gov. Susana Martinez said Wednesday she will push during next years 60-day legislative session to reinstate New Mexicos death penalty at the least for child-killers and those convicted of murdering law enforcement officers. Martinez, a former prosecutor, backed legislation to reimpose the death penalty immediately after taking office in 2011, but the proposal stalled that year in the Democratic-controlled Legislature, and the issue has not been part of the governors agenda in recent years. In a statement Wednesday, the two-term Republican governor told the Journal, A society that fails to adequately protect and defend those who protect all of us is a society that will be undone and unsafe. People need to ask themselves, if the man who ambushed and killed five police officers in Dallas had lived, would he deserve the ultimate penalty? How about the heartless violent criminals who killed Officer Jose Chavez in Hatch and left his children without their brave and selfless dad? Do they deserve the ultimate penalty? Absolutely. Nationally, theres been a movement away from the death penalty in recent years. Nineteen states, including New Mexico, currently do not have death penalty laws on their books, and four states Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland and Nebraska have abolished capitol punishment in the past five years, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Allen Sanchez, executive director of the New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops, said Wednesday that the Roman Catholic Church will fight the effort to reinstate the death penalty. Weve been through this debate, Sanchez said in an interview. As sad as (the Hatch police officer) shooting is, we believe the governor is just trying to create a distraction from whats going on in New Mexico with poverty and need. The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico also vowed to oppose the latest death penalty effort, which could emerge as a campaign issue during this years election cycle. All 112 legislative seats are up for election, and control of both the state House and Senate are at stake. Rep. Antonio Moe Maestas, D-Albuquerque, called Wednesdays announcement politically driven and unwise, given a looming state budget shortfall. If she truly believes the death penalty is good public policy, then she should attach an appropriation to (the bill) and we can have a debate on that, Maestas said of Martinez. Slaying of officer The governors announcement that she will renew her push to reinstate capital punishment comes less than a week after Hatch police officer Jose Chavez was shot and killed after making a traffic stop. Jesse Hanes, a fugitive from Ohio, has been charged with murder in connection with Chavezs death. He also faces federal firearms charges. He was traveling with an accomplice on a cross-country trip funded by robbing banks and selling methamphetamine at the time their vehicle was pulled over, prosecutors have alleged. Third Judicial District Attorney Mark DAntonio, whose office filed the murder charge, indicated Wednesday that he would be receptive to reinstating the death penalty in certain cases. My priority is prosecuting the death of Officer Chavez, but Im open to conversations about reinstating the death penalty, DAntonio said in a statement. The death penalty should be the last resort for the worst of the worst and in certain situations like for cop-killers. Meanwhile, Martinez also cited the May killing of an 11-year-old Navajo girl near Shiprock in her statement about the death penalty. In that case, Tom Begaye Jr. is accused of kidnapping and murdering Ashlynne Mike. I think of poor Ashlynne and the horror she went through, the governor told the Journal. Does the monster who killed her deserve the ultimate punishment? Yes absolutely. Although legislation to reinstate the death penalty has not been drafted, the Governors Office indicated it could apply to only certain types of cases. At minimum, we can all agree that it should apply to cop-killers and child-murderers, Martinez spokesman Chris Sanchez said. 2009 repeal New Mexico had the death penalty on its books for years, but then-Gov. Bill Richardson signed legislation in 2009 repealing capital punishment and replacing it with a maximum sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Opponents of the death penalty had argued that capital punishment was not cost-effective, and Richardson, a Democrat, said at the time he signed the repeal bill into law that he did not have sufficient confidence in the criminal justice system to be the final arbiter of who lived and who died. However, the bill applied only to crimes committed after its effective date and several inmates remain on death row in New Mexico. Before abolishing the death penalty, New Mexico had executed just one inmate since 1960. That happened in 2001, when Terry Clark received a lethal injection after having been convicted of raping and killing Dena Lynn Gore, a 9-year-old Artesia girl. ACAs library of educational tools help members improve their business practices. ACA also holds the most popular industry conferences and offers credentialing for collectors, attorneys, and more. ACAs Training Zone subscription gives agencies access to almost all of our education for one low cost. [IMGCAP(1)] Top 100 accounting and business advisory firmRubinBrownannounced on Tuesday the roll out of its new brand for wealth advisory services - RubinBrown Wealth Advisors. RubinBrown originally provided wealth advisory services - branded as RubinBrown Wealth Management - beginning in 2002, offering portfolio management, tax planning/preparation, personal financial consulting, estate planning, and more. The firm currently operates its portfolio management services via a wholly owned affiliate, RubinBrown Advisors, with $1 billion of assets under management. The service we provide begins with solid planning that integrates all aspects of our clients financial lives," said John Herber, chairman of RubinBrown, in a statement. "The new, more robust RubinBrown Wealth Advisors brand more accurately depicts that. Through the powerful combination of planning, managing and advising, RubinBrowns Wealth Advisors provide solid guidance on our clients entire financial picture. RubinBrown Wealth Advisors will launch their new site, www.RubinBrownWealthAdvisors.com, later this summer. Founded in 1952, RubinBrown currently has 500 team members in offices ranging from Denver, Kansas City, Nashville and St. Louis, and is an independent member ofBaker Tilly International. For more on RubinBrown, head to their site here. The Internal Revenue Service issued final regulations Wednesday for a 2 percent tax on payments from the U.S. government to foreign contractors. The final regulations relate to section 5000C of the Tax Code and affect federal government agencies and foreigners who provide certain goods or services to the U.S. government under a contract. The document also contains final regulations under section 6114, with respect to foreign persons claiming an exemption from the 2 percent tax under an income tax treaty. The regulations took effect Aug. 17, 2016. Section 301 of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010 added section 5000C to the Tax Code on Jan. 2, 2011. It imposes on any foreign person who receives a specified federal procurement payment a tax equal to 2 percent of the amount of the payment. Section 5000C(b) defines the term specified federal procurement payment as any payment made pursuant to a contract with the U.S. government for goods or services if the goods are manufactured or produced or the services are provided in any country that is not a party to an international procurement agreement with the United States. Section 5000C applies to payments received under contracts entered into on and after Jan. 2, 2011. The law is supposed to be applied in a way that's consistent with U.S. obligations under international agreements. The amount deducted and withheld is increased by the amount of tax imposed. In April of last year, the Treasury Department and the IRS published a notice of proposed rulemaking. The proposed regulations described a number of exemptions from the tax and provided procedures for collecting the tax. Notice 2015-35 was issued at the same time, providing a list of income tax treaties in effect that prevented the imposition of the tax. Among the countries exempted from the tax are Canada, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany, Japan, Italy, the Netherlands and others. No public hearing was requested or held, though the Treasury and the IRS did receive some written comments on the proposed regulations. After considering the comments, they adopted and amended the proposed regulations with a few changes, including for payments by contracting parties to subcontractors and an exemption for certain foreign humanitarian assistance contracts. The fundamentals of behavior therapy for ADHD are easy to understand and implement, even without the help of a psychologist. Have you ever given your child a time-out for talking back, for instance, or a heads-up before taking him some place that is likely to challenge his self-control? Then you already have a sense of how behavior therapy works in parenting children with ADHD. A lot of behavior modification is just common-sense parenting, says William Pelham, Jr., Ph.D., director of the Center for Children and Families at the State University of New York at Buffalo. The problem is that none of us were trained how to be good parents, and none of us expected to have children who needed parents with great parenting skills and patience. The basic idea of behavior therapy is to set specific rules governing your childs behavior (nothing vague or too broad), and to enforce your rules consistently, with positive consequences for following them and negative consequences for infractions. To get started on your own, Dr. Pelham suggests these seven strategies, based on real ADHD behavior therapy techniques: 1. Make sure your child understands the rules. Telling a child to do this or to avoid doing that is not enough. To ensure that your child knows the rules cold, create lists and post them around the house. For example, you might draw up a list detailing the specific things your child must do to get ready for school. Make sure the rules are worded clearly. Go over the rules to make sure he understands, and review them as necessary. Stick with the routines until your child has them down and then stick with them some more; backsliding is a common phenomenon. [Take This Self-Test: Could Your Child Have Oppositional Defiant Disorder?] 2. Give clear commands. First, say your childs name to make sure you have his attention. Then tell him exactly what you want him to do. If youre in the checkout line at the grocery store, for instance, you might say, Steve, stand next to me and do not touch anything. Its not enough to tell your child to be good, because he may not know what that entails. Finally, state the consequences for disobeying the command and always follow through. 3. Dont expect perfection. Strike a balance between praising your child and offering criticism. A good rule of thumb is to praise your child for doing something well at three to five times as often as you criticize bad behavior. Youll only set your child up for failure if you expect immediate and perfect results. Instead, focus on rewarding small steps and gradually work your way toward the desired outcome. If you notice that you are criticizing too much, lower your standards a bit. Youll only drive yourself and your child crazy if you nitpick. [Download This: Your Free ADHD Guide to Better Behavior Through Therapy] 4. Use when/then statements to encourage good behavior and reward your child. If your child asks for permission to do a desirable activity before completing his chores or assignments, say, Yes, when you finish cleaning the garage, then you can go out with friends. With younger children, its important that the rewarding activity take place immediately after the chore or assignment is completed. 5. Set up a point/token system for rewards and consequences. One effective system for encouraging your child to comply with your commands involves a jar and a supply of marbles. Each time your child does what you ask, put a marble in the jar. Each time he doesnt, take one out of the jar. At the end of the day, he earns a small reward based on the number of marbles that remain in the jar, and then starts over again. 6. Tweak your discipline techniques as your child gets older. Certain measures, including time-outs, may not work as well with tweens and teens as they do with younger kids. If your high-schooler breaks a rule, you might give him a five-minute chore such as straightening up the family room rather than a five-minute time-out. With older children, its useful to negotiate the terms and rewards for good behavior. For example, your child may request access to the family car or time spent with friends if he is helpful around the house and does well at school. 7. Ask your childs teachers to set up a similar behavioral system at school. One of the best tools for parent-teacher cooperation is the daily report card. Meet with the teacher to determine desired classroom behaviors completing assignments within the designated time or contributing to discussion. At the end of each school day, the teacher can fill out a quick evaluation of your childs adherence to these behavioral goals, and send the document home with the child. Reward him for a good day at school with time to play outside or control over the car radio. If your child is in middle school or high school, ask his guidance counselor to discuss a weekly report card with all of your childs teachers. Use pages in her assignment notebook for these regular reports. Many parents incorporate these strategies into family life without professional assistance. If you are having trouble achieving the results you seek, consider signing up for a parent-training program or seeking family therapy. A typical program consists of two-hour sessions, in which a professional works with parents typically in a group setting to give them the support and guidance they need to cultivate good behavior. Online parenting programs also are available to offer structured information and support. [ADHD Discipline Strategies: More Carrot, Less Stick!] ADHD Behavior Therapy: Four Good Books Behavior Modification: What It Is And How To Do It, 8th Edition , by Garry Martin and Joseph Pear (Prentice Hall) Parenting the Strong-Willed Child: The Clinically Proven Five-Week Program for Parents of Two- to Six-Year-Olds , by Rex Forehand, Ph.D., and Nicholas Long, Ph.D. (McGraw-Hill) Your Defiant Child, Second Edition: Eight Steps to Better Behavior , by Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D., and Christine M. Benton (Guilford) Homework Success for Children with ADHD: A Family-School Intervention Program , by Thomas J. Power, James L. Karustis, and Dina F. Habboushe (Guilford) Heart, Home, Wisdom and Courage form the core of the DNA of VML. The global agency believes that 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. VML follows three rules of brand storytelling, which are: Consumer cares less about product than you do Be deceived and disciplined What brand does matters as much as what brand says AdGully caught up with Jon Cook, Global CEO, VML, during his visit to India recently and spoke with him regarding VMLs growth strategy for India, opportunities and challenges, and more. Excerpts: AdGully (AG): What is VMLs growth strategy globally? Jon Cook (JC): Globally, our strategy is to continue building on the capabilities that any marketing company has, which include developing the fusion between creativity and deep technology, in both rural and urban markets, and do that with complete geographic equipment. AG: How would you define VMLs growth in India? What is Indias contribution to VMLs global revenues? JC: Right now, VML India forms a small part of the overall revenues of the VML global company, but it is a significant part of the company and the fastest growing for VML. VML India is going to grow fast not just in size, but also in terms of sophistication and complexity. The contribution is perspective, especially from a country that is one of the fastest growing in the world in terms of technology. AG: While opportunities are many, what are the key challenges that a digital agency faces, given todays market scenario? JC: The key challenges that a marketing company faces is to resist the temptation to chase technology and build capabilities around new technologies. What small agency should do is to stay true to the marketing fundamentals and not try to go create new division when new a platform comes up. The challenge that most agencies face is that they get distracted by new technologies. AG: What do global headwinds imply for growth of digital as an industry? JC: I think the headwinds are showing that the market will continue to thrive. Agencies need to take more advantage of the very sophisticated data available; they need to continue not just engaging consumers, but also acquiring new consumers and continue to show what they are capable of. AG: How can brands effectively use chat-bots for consumer engagement? Do you see chat-bots overtaking apps anytime soon? JC: I myself dont use chat-bots much (laughs). But I think consumers have the threshold for more and more usage of chat-bots; and I feel the technology has to be better, faster, and more fluent. I think we have a small window of time to match up the technology to peoples needs and expectations, otherwise they will give up on it. AG: How can brands attract their audiences in a multiple screen environment? JC: I think the key to using more touch screen and marketing campaign is to not think in terms of the media or the different screens, but to think about the journey that the consumer is on and how they are engaging with the brand before they use the brand, while they using the brand, and after using the brand. AG: Will there be a winning side in the ad blockers war? Is there a way in which both consumers and brands can find an amiable solution? JC: There is a way to find a solution that can be beneficial for both brands and consumers, and that is for brands to create content that has enough value for the consumers, which is entertaining and more compelling . It is worth waiting for and not to be blocked. I think as advertisers we have to give more entertaining content to make it a reality. Carlton, the premium luggage brand from the house of V.I.P. Industries, has launched LegendSpeak a unique digital property that aims to provide a sneak peek into the journey, minds and lives of the stars of the Indian startup community. LegendSpeak propagates Carltons philosophy of influencing, nurturing and recognizing the new faces of business. The property has been conceptualized and created exclusively by Carlton, the online entrepreneur networking portal The Venturator and will be hosted at Tata Starbucks. The digital platform will host some of the most well-known and respected homegrown entrepreneurs, highlighting their personal experiences on their journey to success. LegendSpeak will be an interactive reference point for aspiring young business entrepreneurs, where they will be able to gain inspiration from the success stories of these individuals who are driven and passionate about what they do. Speaking about the new property, Mr. Sudip Ghose, Vice President-Marketing, V.I.P Industries, said, With Indias startup community continuing to flourish and thrive, we wanted to create a platform where emerging entrepreneurs are able to seek knowledge and learn from the experts in the industry. This digital property captures the essence of how these individuals worked towards shaping their ideas and built it into a successful business. Carlton is positioned as a brand meant for The New Face of Business and with LegendSpeak our aim is to further strengthen our communication. In alignment to a common objective of targeting young business millennials, Carlton will also be sponsoring the 2nd season of The Velocity series, the flagship event of The Venturator. The Velocity Series is an offline engagement platform that aims to boost the startup ecosystem, by directly connecting aspiring young individuals to established entrepreneurs. The series is currently being hosted at Starbucks Indias Delhi flagship store at Connaught Place (Hamilton House) and will be on till December 2016. Elaborating about the association with The Venturator, Mr. Sudip Ghose, Vice President-Marketing, V.I.P Industries, said, We are extremely happy to associate with The Venturator for The Velocity series being held at Tata Starbucks. This series works in sync with our communication strategy for Carlton and the new marketing proposition that illustrates how Generation Y has moved beyond the old business cliches and fixed rules. This opportunity brings us closer to budding entrepreneurs and helps us understand the mindset of the target audience better. Talking about the collaboration, Ms. Manmeet Vohra, Director Marketing and Category, TATA Starbucks Private Ltd., said We are pleased to extend our association with The Venturator for the second season of The Velocity Series. Every day around the world, millions of people gather at Starbucks, and it's never been just about the coffee- the distinct third place, between work and home, and the opportunities to connect with others over handcrafted beverages makes it the perfect ambience to cultivate ideas and to form new networks and collaborations. Elaborating on the series, Abhilasha Dafria, founder of The Venturator, said, As an entrepreneur myself, I understand the difficulties that one faces. LegendSpeak along with The Velocity Series, is an endeavour to simplify this process. The first season received an overwhelming response from both aspiring and established entrepreneurs, which is why we have come up with the 2nd season, which promises to be bigger and better. I am extremely delighted to see big brands like Carlton and Tata Starbucks support this initiative, which reinforces their support to the startup community. The Velocity Series will be a six episode long series which will take place over a period of 6 months and will host some of the most successful entrepreneurs from the country. The inaugural session of The Velocity Series featured Mr. Sachin Bhatia, CEO & Co-founder TrulyMadly and Co-founder MakeMyTrip.com. In making LegendSpeak an engaging platform, Carlton will initiate a Twitter contest inviting the audience to share questions that they would like to ask the guest due on the next show. One question will be then selected and the question will be incorporated as part of the interview under LegendSpeak. The property will see extensive promotion across all social media platforms of Carlton. The Gunn Report, the global index of creative excellence in advertising, has added a further 32 new mini-case studies to Bullets From Gunn. Bullets From Gunn are a collection of rapid fire mini-cases highlighting the business results of some of the most famous campaigns in recent years from around the world. They provide compelling evidence that virtually all of the work our industry admires, applauds and creatively awards the most, also achieve market success. Close to 240 mini-case studies from 2007 to 2016 are showcased to date. Commenting on the new Bullets, Donald Gunn, Founder of The Gunn Report, said, Whilst we primarily identify and celebrate each year the best new advertising in the world and its creators, we also very much champion Effectiveness. As such, featured on The Gunn Report Online, are various studies and projects highlighting best business results: The IPA/Gunn Study, Cases For Creativity and Bullets From Gunn. The 32 new Bullets From Gunn are for a diverse range of advertisers, are from both networked and independent agencies, and are from a variety of countries: Australia, France, Germany, India, Norway, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States. Donald Gunn added, In a world driven by marketing success, we predict that nearly all of these 32 new Bullets which have already achieved creative success, will go on to win in the regional and national Effie Shows of late 2016 and spring 2017. The Gunn Report Online - www.gunnreport.com - is a unique resource for people working in advertising, communications and marketing. It combines a uniquely searchable library of the worlds best work plus full records of the world's best agencies and advertisers since 1999 with valuable programmes for education and training, proprietary research studies, signature features and special archives. All of it are stuff you wont find anywhere else, added Gunn. Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global and China Elevator Industry Report, 2016-2020" report to their offering. In 2015, China exported 74,101 passenger elevators, escalators and moving walkways, increasing by 5,191 units from a year ago; the export value jumped 8% year on year to USD2.1202 billion. In 2015, the global elevator sales volume dropped for the first time within 20 years to 803,000, down 3% year on year. This was mainly due to the decline in the housing demand in China. In 2016, the sluggish Chinese market may further drag down the global elevator sales volume to 783,000. At present, China has become the world's largest elevator market in terms of production and consumption. Major global brands have established sole proprietorships or joint ventures in China which acts as the world's elevator factory and manufacturing center. In 2015-2016, Chinese elevator market characterizes the followings: 1. The new elevator sales volume slumped, but it had little effect on several large elevator companies In 2015, the real estate downturn and frequent elevator accidents led to the decline in China's elevator sales volume for the first time in recent years, from 500,000 in 2014 to 480,000, down 4% year on year. In 2016, the sales volume will continue to drop. Sharp fall in new elevator sales exerted greater impact on SMEs (Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises) instead of several large elevator companies which saw higher sales volume by holding abundant capital, stable customers and stronger competitiveness. In 2015, Shanghai Mechanical & Electrical Industry Co., Ltd., Canny Elevator Co., Ltd. and Guangzhou Guangri Stock Co., Ltd. achieved the respective sales volume of 61,898 units, 19,530 units and 11,016 units, up 4.5%, 10.6% and 2.0% separately. 2. The maintenance market turned to be a new profit growth engine, so that major companies intensified layout Based on the elevator stock market, the elevator maintenance business is featured with high margin and huge market space. By the end of 2015, China had owned a total of 4 million elevators. Assuming the unit maintenance is RMB8,000 / year, Chinese elevator maintenance market size will be RMB32 billion. Although the maintenance revenue contributes little, most of Chinese enterprises have realized that the maintenance market becomes a new profit growth engine for the elevator industry; in this case, they have stepped up the layout of a nationwide marketing network to seize the market. Key Topics Covered: 1 Overview of Elevator Industry 2 Development of Global Elevator Industry 3 Development of China Elevator Industry 4 Demand of China Elevator Industry 5 Key Elevator Companies in China 6 Key Foreign Elevator Companies Companies Mentioned - Canny Elevator Co., Ltd. - Dongnan Elevator Co., Ltd. - Fujitec - Guangzhou Guangri Stock Co., Ltd. - Hitachi - Hunan Sinda Elevator Co., Ltd. - Kone - Mitsubishi Electric Shanghai Electric Elevator Co., Ltd. - Otis - Rhine Elevator - SJEC Corporation - Schindler - Shandong Bunse Elevator Co., Ltd. - Shanghai Mechanical & Electrical Industry Co., Ltd. - Shanghai Mitsubishi Elevator Co., Ltd - Shenlong Elevator Co., Ltd. - Shenyang Yuanda Intellectual Industry Group Co., Ltd. - ThyssenKrupp - Toshiba For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/nc3l6s/global_and_china Related Topics: Elevators and Escalators Also Available - The latest global and technology reports for the elevator industry Smart Elevator Market by Component, Services, Application and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022 Elevators and Escalators - Global Strategic Business Report View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160817005364/en/ 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 US, South Korean forces integrate at Daegu for Buddy Wing training Fighter squadrons across the Korean Peninsula routinely participate in Buddy Wings to enhance the interoperability of U.S. and South Korean air forces. For Buddy Wing 16-7, F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from the 36th Fighter Squadron traveled to Daegu Air Base to train with F-15K Slam Eagle pilots of the South Koreans 11th Fighter Wing from Aug. 8-12. It was a great opportunity to practice combined training with the 36th Fighter Squadron, said South Korean Capt. Chon Hun Min, a 11th FW F-15K pilot. It was also a great experience to be able to train between the F-15K and F-16 heterogeneously. The Buddy Wing exercise provided an opportunity to bring different cultures together to practice the planning and execution of flying training missions. There were some differences in the capabilities of the F-15s and F-16s that we had to work through, because we tactically employ our weapon systems differently, said Capt. Ryan Pebler, a 36th FS pilot. Figuring out the differences there and how we can operate together is one thing we really honed in on. Now that the pilots of Buddy Wing 16-7 have integrated, formed bonds and evolved throughout the exercise, they look to the future for Red Flag-Alaska. Red Flag is a Pacific Air Forces exercise that provides joint offensive counter-air, interdiction, close air support and large force employment training in a simulated combat environment. Flying with them and getting to know them on a personal level and a tactical level will definitely help us integrate more as we get down there, Pebler said. We know them by name now, and we can work together without the bubble we mightve had before. I definitely think that will help us be successful at Red Flag. An oil tanker carrying 900,000 litres of diesel has been hijacked and taken into Indonesian waters, Malaysian maritime authorities said. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said in a statement that the ship, Vier Harmoni, has been located in the waters off Batam, Indonesia. The MMEA said they have yet to confirm the identity of the hijackers. The ship, which sailed from the Tanjung Pelepas port in Malaysia on Monday, was carrying diesel with an estimated value of 1.57 million ringgit ($392,795). However, a fuel tanker that disappeared from a Malaysian port was likely taken by its own crew in a dispute with their employer, Indonesian authorities have said. Malaysian and Indonesian maritime authorities are still searching for the vessel but ruled out a hijacking, which was earlier reported by several news agencies. The captain of the vessel twice informed his employer that he was taking the ship back to the Indonesian island of Batam because of an internal management problem, the AFP news agency reported later on Wednesday. Al Jazeeras Step Vaessen, reporting from the Indonesian capital Jakarta, said the tanker was near Batam and the crew were believed to have no intention of selling the oil. Malaysian and Indonesian authorities are not calling this a hijacking, or an act of piracy; theyre calling this an internal dispute, she said. [dropcap]M[/dropcap]anohar Parrikar equated Pakistan with hell, the statement came day after the Prime Minister mentioned Balochistan in his Independence Day address. Parrikar said Pakistan keeps trying despite terrorists being killed. They have been supporting terrorism. Now, they are facing the consequences of that support. However, these leaders are ignoring that our country is also not at peace and an internal issue has created unrest. We are celebrating 70 years of our Independence, governments come and go, and always keeps changing but none have had guts to give befitting reply to Pakistan except Indira Gandhi. Last 70 years of leniency on high moral ground has resulted in Mumbai Serial Blasts, 26/11Mumbai attacks, Pathankot attacks, stone throwing on Army officers and killing of Kashmiri Pandits. From day one, PM Narendra Modi is trying to initiate talks with Pakistan at various levels. It is foolish to think that Pakistan, which gives shelter to global terrorists like Osama Bin Laden, Mulla Omar, Taliban Quetta Shura, Mulla Mansour, Hafiz Saeed will be amenable to talk and keep its word. Both countries spend an enormous portion of their resources on their military confrontation. The only cause for several decades of confrontation is the unsettled status of Kashmir. As a consequence of this confrontation, the people of Kashmir are denied the basic human rights to control their lives in freedom and democracy. One thing is clear that the Kashmir conflict is not a border dispute or a debate over secular or theocratic government. It is about the fundamental human rights of the Kashmirs people to decide their own future. India and Pakistan belong to the worlds poorest countries, where more than half of the population do not have adequate food supplies, shelter, clothing and basic healthcare. Prime Ministers have often used the Independence Day speech to answer threats and provocations for Pakistan. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, famously addressed Pakistanis directly from the ramparts of the Red Fort in 1999, when he called them to realise the folly of the Kargil war and of terrorism being fomented in camps on their soil. During Manmohan Singhs tenure, the August 15 speech frequently contained references to Pakistans policy of promoting terrorism in Kashmir. In the past few weeks, Pakistans government has willfully abandoned all diplomatic ties to advocate international intervention in Kashmir. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has led the way, writing to UN organisations, decreeing a black day across Pakistan to honour slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani, and giving wanted terrorist leaders, such as Hafiz Saeed, a free run to hold protest rallies against India. The atmosphere was visibly vitiated by the Pakistan governments shabby treatment in Islamabad given to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who faced protests during a SAARC meet earlier this month. Pakistans High Commissioner to Delhi, Abdul Basit, escalated matters by dedicating Pakistans Independence Day, on August 14, to fight jihad in Kashmir. Talk is a softer method and is ancient. Pakistan believes and an act upon the promise that India cannot adopt military option. Pakistan has the nuclear capabilities. Internationally, it wont be supported. Indian political parties will always adopt partisan view, not a nationalistic view and if you look at our country, we may realise that the Indian patriotism is marked by selfish interests. Kashmiris of both sides are being subjugated at the hands of respective armies. Government needs to act swift and take appropriate action. We should not forget if Kashmir is ours, even the people of Kashmir are Indian citizens, take them in confidence and provide adequate security to them. The region of Jammu & Kashmir is a Muslim-dominated state with a sizable minority population. Its last Hindu king chose to join India in 1947 as the British left India. The newly created Pakistan wanted the region as it was Muslim dominated. Since then, both nations have used force to make their point clear. As both nations want it equally badly, both nations are nuclear powered and the state is a rich source of water and strategically has advantage. There is a stalemate. In theory, these princely states had the option of deciding which country to join, or of remaining independent. In practice, the restive population of each province proved decisive. Because of its location, Kashmir could choose to join either India or Pakistan. Maharaja Hari Singh, the ruler of Kashmir, was Hindu while most of his subjects were Muslim. Unable to decide which nation Kashmir should join, Hari Singh chose to remain neutral. However, his hopes of remaining independent were dashed in October 1947, as Pakistan sent in Muslim tribesmen who were knocking at the gates of the capital Srinagar. Hari Singh appealed to the Indian government for military assistance and fled to India. He signed the Instrument of Accession, ceding Kashmir to India on October 26 Instrument of Accession (Jammu and Kashmir). Since then, the conflict has not ended. People are killed, women raped, Hindu-Muslims are at unrest, army too is targeted. Several times, political parties and government changed, but Kashmir issue remains the same, and perhaps much worst. (Any suggestions, comments or dispute with regards to this article send us on feedback@afternoonvoice.com) Customers should follow safety precautions while shopping on e-commerce websites. Raksha Bandhan is a time when brothers express their love and affection for their sisters by buying gifts for them. Nowadays, many of them are using online shopping websites for delivering gifts to sisters. However, can one rely on these websites as large number of fraudulent transactions has been reported by customers using e-commerce websites. Nagpur resident Ankur Ramakant Kaple is one such customer who had become victim of online shopping fraud. Twenty five year old Ankur had placed an order for mobile phone through e-commerce website for delivering gift to his sister. The delivery boy of the courier firm had arrived at Ankurs residence for delivering the mobile phone on 14th August. Ankur paid Rs 9245 for the equipment to him. After opening the packet, Ankur was surprised to find a cement brick instead of mobile phone. He then filed a complaint with the Ambajhari Police Station in Nagpur. Police then filed a case against the firms Delhi offices chief executive officer Kunal Bhai and Amit Thava CEO of the companys Pune branch. A case was also registered against the Nagpur based courier firm. There have been several cases pertaining to e-commerce websites luring customers with heavy discounts and cheating them by failing to deliver the product order by them. Even reputed e-commerce companies names too feature in these kind of frauds. This is not the first instance when a brick has been delivered to customer instead of mobile. Earlier, a customer had received utensil cleaning bar instead of mobile. Cases of cheating have been registered at several regions across the country. A cyber security expert said, People should only buy products from reputed e-commerce companies as several fly by night operators are running this business and take customers for a ride. People should also follow safety precautions while ordering products from online shopping websites. Customers should verify the credentials of the website before making paying through internet. They must read the terms and conditions mentioned in the website. Often companies offer free home delivery option only on goods worth Rs 500 or more. However several terms and conditions exist for delivering products. Often customers fail to read these conditions and hence they fall prey to the fraud, he added. Customers should open the packet in the presence of the delivery boy. If they find that goods delivered to them are different from those ordered by them they should immediately click its photo and send the same to the e-commerce firm. They can also call the customer care officials to file a complaint. If customers complaint is backed by evidence then it becomes easier for them claim the refund of money or replace the product. Often people find old goods or substandard quality of products being delivered to them. Raksha Bandhan falls on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan. This year the festival is being celebrated on August 18. According to the English calendar, it falls in the month of August every year. Raksha Bandhan means tie or knot of protection. It is a symbolic renewal of the relationship between a brother and a sister. The sister ties a rakhi on her brothers wrist to show her love to him, after which she prays for his well-being and prosperity. In return, the brother takes a vow to protect his sister all throughout her life. The brother gifts his sister in return for the rakhi, which is a designer thread which she had tied on his wrist. According to the Mahabharata, Draupadi, the Pandava queen had tied a rakhi to Lord Krishna. So Krishna considered Draupadi as his own sister. Raksha Bandhan signifies the virtues of love, affection and protection. The festival is most common among the Hindu community. However, it is also celebrated by the Sikhs, Jains and other communities as well. Raksha Bandhan reinforces the love between brother and a sister. It is the duty of every brother to protect his sister. The sister prays for the well-being, success, and safety of her brother. The brother promises to safeguard his sister under all circumstances. It helps to build a healthy family relationship. In an era which is marked by movements for womens liberation and rights, Raksha Bandhan can be celebrated as a festival that promotes brotherly-sisterly bond. The festival of Raksha Bandhan has acquired different expressions and connotations in the course of time. Today, the sisters choose flashy, stylish and expensive rakhis for their brothers or close male friends and look forward to receiving costly gifts from them. Unknown to many, this festival is rooted in several myths and a spiritual truth of greatest significance that reflect its purity and power of protection. Before the advent of sister-brother ritual, the sacred thread of rakhi was tied by the family priest. It was considered auspicious for all the family members. This custom still prevails in certain parts of India. Today, its more than ever imperative to reinforce this message of Raksha Bandhan to protect womens honour. We have been witnessing more and more women falling prey to the lust of men. Today, most women feel unsafe and insecure even at home. Raksha Bandhan is undoubtly the only bondage that truly frees us from all insecurities, fear and sorrow. Let us therefore spread the true message of Raksha Bandhan and vow to imbibe pure attitude and respectful behaviour towards all womenfolk as today, many centuries later, the woman is still being considered as an object of sexual gratification and subject to man. The celebration of Raksha Bandhan can help us remember that God created man and woman as equal and complimentary partners and so a woman has every right for respect and dignity. Jubel DCruz (The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.) Russia has deployed long-range bombers to an air base in the Iranian city of Hamadan to carry out air strikes against militants in Syria, the Russian government said. It is thought to be the first time Iran has allowed a foreign power to carry out military operations from its territory since the Islamic revolution of 1979. On 16 August, Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 frontline bombers, flying with a full bomb load from the Hamadan air base (Islamic Republic of Iran), conducted a group air strike against targets of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and Idlib, a defence ministry statement said. The statement said the raids eliminated five major terrorist weapons depots and training compounds in the area as well as three command posts and a large number of terrorists. Responding to the statement, Washington said the development was unfortunate but not surprising. US Secretary of State John Kerry has discussed the raids with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, State Department spokesperson Mark Toner said at a press conference on Tuesday. The US is also exploring whether the raids could represent a violation of UN Resolution 2231, the historic deal struck last year between Iran and major world powers to ease sanctions in return for curbs on Irans nuclear activities. The raids are the first Russia has reported carrying out from a base in Iran since Moscow launched its Syrian bombing campaign in support of long-time ally, President Bashar al-Assad, last September. The defence ministry also released footage of the Tu-22s taking off from Hamadan. The announcement comes days after the Russian defence ministry released images of Tu-22s over Deir Ezzor and the results of bombing runs. It did not state where the aircraft were based. Tupolev-22s began service as a Cold War-era strategic bomber in the 1960s. It has been upgraded several times, most recently in 2014. Sukhoi-34 fighters have previously flown sorties over Syria from the Russian airbase in Latakia. Despite the ministry statement, the state-funded RT news service said the fighter escorts flew from Latakia. South Korea said Wednesday that North Koreas deputy ambassador to Britain had defected to Seoul, in a rare and major loss of diplomatic face for Pyongyang. The Unification Ministry said Thae Yong-Ho- the number-two at the Norths mission in London- had defected together with his family and they were now in the South Korean capital. They are under government protection and are going through necessary procedures with related institutions, ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee told reporters. Jeong declined to reveal Thaes defection route, citing the diplomatic sensitivities involved for the concerned countries. On his reasons for defection, Minister Thae cited disgust with (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-Uns regime, admiration for South Koreas free, democratic system and the future of his family, Jeong said. Increasingly isolated internationally because of its nuclear weapons programme, North Korea maintains relatively few overseas embassies, and defections by diplomats of Thaes stature are extremely rare. The last such case was that of the North Korean ambassador to Egypt who defected to the United States in 1997. South Korea JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, which first reported Thaes defection on Tuesday, said he had been under pressure from Pyongyang to combat growing international criticism of North Koreas human rights record. North Korean defectors have been making headlines recently, largely due to an unusual group defection in April by a dozen waitresses and their manager who were working at a North Korean-run restaurant in China. Web Toolbar by Wibiya Web Toolbar by Wibiya Get the book on John Summers HERE. This is a story of evil and profound injustice in the legal community. Explore demonic minds in the legal community that include judges. This is a story of evil and profound injustice in the legal community. Thanks to the activities of John Summers from the law firm Bell Baker in Ottawa an elderly woman's hope of every seeing her son before she dies is fading. Dezrin Carby-Samuels has sought to see her son since 12 June 2015. Raymond Carby-Samuels who had witnessed the infliction of abuse and neglect by his father Horace Carby-Samuels got Raymond evicted from his parents' home so that he would not be able to further defend his elderly Mom from that abuse.Justice Patrick Smith granted a court order giving mutual access to Raymond and his Mother seeing each other in 11 February 2016 (documented in above video). The abuse against Dezrin Carby-Samuels that worsened with the forcible removal of Raymond worsened the abuse and resulted in Dezrin not being able to talk, walk and write.John Summers through unethical activities which is the current subject of a complaint to the Law Society of Upper Canada has managed to frustrate Dezrin's access to seeing Raymond. her own son. John Summers' unethical activities includes preparing a fraudulent affidavit that falsely accused Raymond of suffering from mental illness. Mr. Summers has sought to support other such accusations without oneof independently verifiable evidence as Dezrin's health has deteriorated.As John Summers' deceit, deception and lies mount, Dezrin's health has gotten worse.We ask for members of the public to take a stand against Bell Baker's lawyer oppressing the civil rights of a defenceless elderly woman and her son seeing each other through free speech that will help liberate Dezrin Carby-Samuels from the elder spousal abuse that is being perpetuated by Mr. John Summers.The law profession is supposed to be honourable and not to be used as a tool to deprive a mother of ever seeing her son to protect ab abuser who has seized control of her money to perpetuate abuse against her wit the help of a lawyer who seems willing to support lies that undermines the course of justice.Dezrin Carby-Samuels has been made an apparent prisoner of her own home thanks through the assistance of John Summers and his dishonourable activities. Web Toolbar by Wibiya Date: 9 August, 2007 Place: Huacachina, Ica Region, Peru. In his article called Bizarre Entities Amongst Us, UFO enthusiast and writer Albert Rosales includes an unusual event that took place in the oasis of Huacachina, in the coast of Peru, on 09 August, 2007. According to the information collected by Mr Rosales, a local resident called Lucio Huamanaqui affirmed having had a close encounter with a tall humanoid creature during a walk. The tall man-like figure had long, blond hair and stared intently at Lucio, who attempted to avert its gaze by lowering his head, Mr Rosales states. He also adds that the unknown creature was at least 2 metres height and wore a long, white flowing robe. Due to the physical features of the strange visitor, Mr Huamanaqui thought that he had met God. He [Mr Huamanaqui] remembers the entity, which he attributed as being God himself, telling him: Mans perversity knows no bounds, I will forge peace on Earth, Mr Rosales wrote. After having said this, the humanoid entity allegedly vanished in the air. Moments later, the strange God-like figure vanished and Lucio continued on with his journey. He then looked up and saw the figure disappearing into the clouds, the UFO writer related. Draw your own conclusions For further information: http://www.ufoinfo.com/humanoid/bizarreentities.pdf Location. Balneario de Huacachina, near Ica, Peru Date: August 9 2007 Time: 1730 A man by the name of Lucio Huamannahui a native of Apurimac was walking a long a path in a field when he encounter a tall humanoid creature, at least 2meters in height, wearing a long white flowing robe. He held one hand on one thigh and the other behind him. The tall man-like figure had long blond hair and stared intently at Lucio, who attempted to avert its gaze, by lowering his head. He remembers the entity, which he attributed as being God himself, telling him Mans perversity knows no bounds, I will forge peace on Earth. Moments later strange the strange God-like figure vanished and Lucio continued on with his journey, he then looked up and saw the figure disappearing into the clouds and vanishing towards the nearby city of Pisco. According to Lucio on August 15 the earth trembled near Ica and he prayed for mercy, moments later the trembling subsided. He is convinced that the city of Ica was saved by God. Web Toolbar by Wibiya Date: 13 May, 1980. Place: Eben-Emael, Province of Liege, Belgium. Eben-Emael is a fortress located near the Belgian-Dutch border. Its construction began in the 1930s, and its walls witnessed one of the most important battles of the World War II in Belgium: the Battle of Belgium, which consolidated the Nazi occupation of the country. However, more than 40 years after this event, the walls of the old military installation witnessed the visit of another group of invaders, but this time they did not came from Germany, nor from any other country in the world. In his publication called Bizarre Entities Amongst Us, UFO enthusiast and writer Albert Rosales mentioned a strange episode that occurred on 13 May, 1980. According to Mr Rosales, on that date, a local farmer affirmed having spotted a metallic circular object hovering near the fortress. The Belgian citizen also claimed having seen several human-like figures descending from the unidentified craft. In the area near the German border, close to the Albert Canal, the owner of a mushroom plantation was inspecting the caves where he grew the mushrooms when he spotted nearby a metallic circular object about 5.20 meters in diameter hovering about 50 cm from the ground, Mr Rosales related. Then, from the top of the flying device, an escalator descended to the ground, and after this a human like figure came out and descended to the ground and stood next to the object. A few moments later, two more similar figures came out and walked towards the witness Mr Rosales explained. The Belgian farmer also offered details about the physical features of the alleged alien visitors. He [the farmer] described them as totally human in appearance, very pale, eyes slightly larger than normal and about 1.60 metres in height. They wore light coloured combination outfits. The three entities were confused. What are we doing here?, the farmer heard them say. They allegedly spoke in French. He then showed them how he collected mushrooms, and they asked if they could take some. Then the witness led them into the caves, and took a wooden tray containing several mushrooms, which he offered them. But the leader said he only wanted one piece. As soon as that single mushroom was placed in his hand, they all turned away and boarded their machine, which took off and disappeared in the direction of Holland, Mr Rosales wrote. Draw your own conclusions For further information: http://www.ufoinfo.com/humanoid/bizarreentities.pdf Date: May 13 1980 Time: 10:00 AM In the area near the German border close to the Albert Canal the owner of a mushroom plantation was inspecting the caves where he grew the mushrooms when he spotted nearby a metallic circular object about 5.20 meters in diameter hovering about 50 cm from the ground. From a dome on top of the object an escalator descended to the ground then a human like figure came out and descended to the ground and stood next to the object. Two more similar figures came out and walked towards the witness. He described them as totally human in appearance, very pale, eyes slightly larger than normal and about 1.60 meters in height. They wore light colored combination outfits. The beings began speaking among themselves, saying: What are we doing here? the witness overheard them, (apparently the beings spoke in French) and started to explain that he was cultivating mushrooms, asking them if they wanted some. They replied, Yes. Then the witness led them into the caves, and took a wooden tray containing several mushrooms, which he offered them. But the leader said he only wanted one piece. As soon as that single mushroom was placed in his hand, they all turned away and reboarded their machine, which took off and disappeared in the direction of Holland. The local gendarmerie was alerted, and interrogated the witness. The same day, in the afternoon, the witness received 2 visitors in blue military uniform (Belgian Air Force?) who were speaking French with a Liege accent. After listening to his story, they then warned him that he would be better off if he not seen anything. WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2016 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack awarded almost $18 million in funding for projects impacting beginning farmers and ranchers on the heels of a roundtable discussion in his home state with producers who are just getting started. The funding is allocated through USDAs Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, and todays announcement brings the total investment in that program to more than $126 million during Vilsacks tenure as secretary. In all, 37 projects will receive six-figure grants to help educate, mentor, and enhance the sustainability of the next generation of farmers, USDA said in a release. On a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Vilsack mentioned a wide swath of potential people looking to get into production agriculture ranging from the traditional farm family member to the returning veteran. There are now options and doors available for every one of those individuals to get in the business, he said. I think youre going to continue to see an increase in beginning producers. Vilsack has made statements about a desire to add 100,000 new farmers and ranchers, but said today he isnt sure how far along USDA is on that goal. However, the framework and foundation are there for those looking to join the industry, he said. Vilsack had a roundtable conversation with producers in the early stages of their agricultural careers on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. He said he came away from that talk better aware of some of the issues the producers are facing. Chief among those concerns is acquiring the most necessary resource for food production: land. Vilsack said to truly address that issue, the conversation about some complex tax issues might need to change. The continued focus on the estate tax makes no sense to me; its the income tax thats creating the barrier to access to land, Vilsack said. The estate tax has commonly been dubbed the death tax in conservative circles because its assessed after a landowner dies. Ag groups say the tax disproportionately hits producers due to the relatively high value of land, which can be taxed but not easily liquidated like a cash inheritance. Vilsack said his conversation also touched on issues surrounding the need for flexibility within the Conservation Reserve Program, incentives for land sales from older landowners, and the need to approach the next farm bill from a perspective of need rather than potential savings. I think theres a tremendous interest out there, and the challenge will be to make sure that we continue it, Vilsack said. Based on the conversation I had today, I leave Ames, Iowa, hopeful about the future of agriculture and the fact that we are making more opportunities available to folks. Learn about the benefits of subscribing to Agri-Pulse. Sign up for your four-week free trial Agri-Pulse subscription. In addition to the funding, Vilsack also announced a series of forums that will gather information on emerging issues or existing issues that require some thought. Information gleaned from the dialogues will be used in formulating a transition document for the next administration. Events will be held on college campuses in several states that will be key in the November elections, including Colorado, Florida, and North Carolina, along with Arkansas, Arizona, and New Hampshire. The sessions will focus on issues ranging from land tenure and export markets to climate variability and research opportunities. #30 Church Celebrates the First Communion of One Hundred Children Despite ISIS Alqosh, North Iraq -- The first communion Mass in Alqosh was an historic moment" for a "frontier town" that has been under threat from the militants of the Islamic State (IS) for a long time. Now it can "hope for peace and normalcy" around these hundred children, said Mgr Basil Yaldo, auxiliary bishop of Baghdad and close associate of the Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako. The Chaldean primate presided over the ceremony that was attended by "all the priests of the city, the nuns and more than 700 people. The faithful were excited because for the first time, the patriarch celebrated communions in the community." Alqosh is an historic town in the Nineveh Governorate, Iraqi Kurdistan. It is located about 50 km north of Mosul, a Jihadist stronghold, and constitutes one of the main centres of the Assyrian-Chaldean Christian tradition. At about 3 km from the centre, in the mountains overlooking the city, stands the ancient monastery of Rabban Hormizd, see of the Nestorian patriarchs from 1551 to 1804. Over time, the original structure, too exposed to attacks from outside as well as a symbol of a troubled period of the local Church, was replaced by the new monastery of Our Lady of Messi, just outside the city. Today it is inhabited by a group of monks, who opened their doors to orphans and unaccompanied minors separated from their families because of Islamist violence. Like many other towns in Iraqi Kurdistan, Alqosh too welcomed scores of refugees. "Life in the area is almost back to normal," said the vicar of Baghdad. "We hope that soon the whole plain [of Nineveh] can be liberated from the jihadists, and that refugees can return to their villages." The work to secure the area, he added, has "already started and for the past two days Iraqi troops have launched the battle to liberate the villages surrounding Mosul." Addressing the boys and girls who received the first communion, Patriarch Sako urged them not to abandon their land, the city of Alqosh, but to stay and help in the reconstruction "because there is a (Christian) heritage to be preserved. " The Chaldean primate, Mgr Yaldo noted, also called on young people to "be stronger, come to church and participate in the life of the Christian community as one participates in the life of a family." After the service, the children asked Patriarch Sako some questions. One of them, Mgr Yaldo noted, said that when he "grows up he wants to become a priest to serve the poor and the needy." The patriarch could not hold back his emotion after listening to such words, adding that "it is important to support and share the suffering." After Mass, the Chaldean Patriarch and his deputy reached Kirkuk, where Mar Sako has been archbishop for ten years. Here he celebrated the Mass of the Assumption. The service was held in the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, the prelate said, and "was attended by about a thousand faithful." This was followed by "the opening of a grotto dedicated to the Virgin, to coincide with the day of celebration". The current archbishop of Kirkuk Mgr Yousif Thoma Mirkis, nuns, the city's deputy governor representing the local government and some members of the City Council, Muslims, were presented at the function (pictured). At the end, a meeting was held with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, who today are gathered in chapter to choose a superior general. "After weeks of violence, bombings, and bloodshed, the situation is now calmer," Mgr Yaldo said. "However, Patriarch Sako called for prayers for peace in all the celebrations he officiated. We need to pray for peace and for the future of the country." August 16, 2016 Like Moscow, Tehran is capitalizing on the favorable Turkish mood toward Iran because of its immediate support for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party as the coup attempt unfolded July 15. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was among the first world leaders to call Erdogan after the failed coup to offer his support. The optimistic mood on Turkish-Iranian ties was also discernible during last weeks unscheduled visit to Ankara by Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu could not shower enough praise on his Iranian guest during a joint press conference. During the coup night, I did not sleep until morning, nor did my friend Javad Zarif. He was the foreign minister I talked to most, calling me five times during the night," Cavusoglu said. Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim also received Zarif warmly. Turkey has been grateful for Irans position on the coup attempt in part because it contrasts sharply with the reticence of the West. Moscows similar early move to support Ankara and statements from Russian and Iranian government officials since the coup have fed speculation about a new axis between Ankara, Moscow and Tehran that could work together to end the Syrian crisis. Abdulkadir Ozkan, a veteran Turkish columnist from the Islamist Milli Gazete, pointed out in a recent article that there are no lasting ties or enmities in Turkey's international relations, which he said are determined by other interests. These interests can change over time. Sometimes new alliances can be sought as protection against enmity, and sometimes existing alliances may start operating against a countrys interests, he argued, claiming that the less-than-friendly positions toward Turkey taken by the United States and Europe were forcing Ankara to seek new arrangements with Russia and Iran. Official Russian and Iranian statements have also encouraged such views. Zarif expressed satisfaction in Ankara over the improvement in ties between Turkey and Russia, which soured in November after Turkey downed a Russian jet on a bombing mission against anti-regime forces in Syria. We are very happy over the cooperation between Turkey and Russia, and are prepared to help this along. These three countries have to work for regional peace, Zarif told reporters after his talks with Cavusoglu. Zarifs visit took place within days of an Aug. 9 summit between President Vladimir Putin and Erdogan in Moscow. The day before, Putin met Rouhani in Baku. The Russian Sputnik agency quoted Irans Deputy Foreign Minister Ibrahim Rahimpour as saying prior to the Baku meeting that Putin and Rouhani would also discuss how they could help Erdogan. Pointing out that Arab countries and the West could not provide this help, Rahimpour said, Our region requires that Russia, Turkey and Iran have good relations. Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov also fueled speculation about a new axis when he said in a statement after Zarifs talks in Ankara that the three countries could meet soon on Syria. However, prospects for a genuine axis between the three countries remain questionable at best, given the significant differences that remain between Ankara and Tehran, and Ankara and Moscow regarding Syria. Ankara remains opposed to President Bashar al-Assad staying in power, even though there are signs that it will accept a Syrian administration that includes Assad supporters. Moscow and Tehran, however, have made it clear that they are not prepared to bargain over Assads future. Ankara is also unhappy about Russian military operations against what it considers legitimate anti-Assad fighters as well as Irans overt and covert efforts to keep the regime standing. Russia and Iran, for their part, continue to believe that radical Sunni groups in Syria they call terrorist organizations are being facilitated by Ankara, which they claim has prolonged the Syrian crisis. There are areas, though, where Turkish-Iranian interests overlap. For example, both countries underscored the importance of maintaining Syrias territorial integrity during Zarifs visit. Both countries are also united in their desire to block the aspirations of Kurds for an autonomous region in northern Syria, although Cavusoglu and Zarif did not spell this out openly during their press conference in Ankara. Cavusoglu touched on the topic, merely saying that Ankara considers Irans security and stability on par with Turkeys security and stability, adding that the Kurdistan Workers Party in Turkey, the Kurdistan Free Life Party in Iran and the Democratic Union Party in Syria pose threats not only to the two countries, but the whole region. Turkey and Iran also agree on the need to fight the Islamic State and similar groups operating in Syria and Iraq. Given its strategic military ties with the West that are expected to continue despite current tensions and its developing ties with Saudi Arabia, Irans regional rival, Ankara also has to tread cautiously to avoid giving the impression that it is realigning its foreign policy in a way that would be detrimental to other countries. Turkey got a taste of just how strained ties between Tehran and Riyadh are during the Organization of the Islamic Conference summit in Istanbul in April, when the tensions between the two sides surfaced openly, leaving Ankara caught in the middle. Bozkurt Aran, a former Turkish ambassador to Tehran, points out that Iran is in the stronger position currently and is unlikely to accept Turkeys stance on Syria. Irans position with regard to Syria is a historic one. It is not realistic to expect this to change at a time when its influence in the Middle East is increasing, Aran told Al-Monitor. Aran likened Turkey and Iran to porcupines, saying, When the weather is cold, porcupines stick close to each other to keep warm, but not so close that they prick each other. He added, Both sides are aware their political and military ties can only go so far. It is equally unlikely Ankara will do a complete about-face on Syria and accept Irans position, even if it is being forced by circumstance to recalibrate its policy to make it more realistic. Instead of strategic ties between Turkey and Iran, the trend appears more to be the two countries moving toward restoring the status quo that existed before the Syrian crisis strained their relationship. Turkeys improving ties with Iran while developing its ties with Saudi Arabia appear to suggest that Ankara is aiming for the middle ground it held in the region prior to the Arab Spring, from which it could also act as a mediator or facilitator in regional crises. This fits in with Ankaras new foreign policy orientation defined by Yildirim after he assumed power in May, when he declared that increasing the number of Turkeys friends while reducing the number its enemies would be his priority. The bottom line is that Turkey and Iran will most probably return to their traditional position of agreeing to disagree on specific issues while continuing to pursue their specific interests, but not allowing differences to undermine their overall ties. In the meantime, they will cooperate on regional issues to the extent possible. August 16, 2016 Turkeys diplomatic initiatives to overcome its long-felt isolation internationally and in the Middle East have begun to yield results. After reconciling with Israel and Russia and sending friendly messages to Cairo, Ankara appears to have extended its initiative to Damascus, taking its pulse for a possible reconciliation. Ismail Hakki Pekin is the one name associated with back channel diplomacy for the Ankara-Damascus file. Pekin, a retired lieutenant general who served as head of intelligence for the chief of the General Staff, is currently deputy chairman of the Homeland Party, which is known to have maintained good relations with the Damascus regime from the outset of the Syrian crisis. Pekin said he assumed a mediation role after an indirect request from the Ankara government. He spoke with Al-Monitor on the feasibility of reconciliation between Ankara and Damascus and also on the recent developments between Ankara and Moscow. Pekins counterparts in Damascus and Moscow between 2007-11, when he was the head of Turkish military intelligence, still occupy critical posts in their respective capitals. Pekin said he has traveled to Damascus three times, in January, April and May, and is about to head back there with a delegation that will include new and old deputies and businesspeople. Among Pekin's contacts in Damascus are Abdullah al-Ahmar, the secretary-general of the Baath Party; Maj. Gen. Ali Mamluk, the chief of the National Security Bureau; Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem; and Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad. What has resulted, thus far, from these unofficial Ankara-Damascus contacts through Pekin's mediation? Pekin said that Ankara has not altered its most critical red line [President Bashar al-] Assad must go and explained Ankaras expectation, stating, Sunnis, Arabs and Turkmens must have voices in the coalition to be set up in Syria. The Ankara government continues to oppose a Alawite-heavy government. Summarizing the Damascus regimes stance in the talks, Pekin said, Of course they categorically reject Turkeys demand for a Syria without Assad. They say they are ready to discuss all options but wont allow a division of the country, and they wont agree to a federation. They particularly want Turkey to cease all support to opposition groups and block terrorists' passage through the border. Pekin noted that during their talks, Mamluk was frequently going next door to brief Assad. During talks in Damascus, Pekin said, Ankaras messages were faithfully conveyed to the Syrians in total conformity with Turkeys interests. The Turkish Armed Forces and the Foreign Ministry were briefed before and after the Damascus meetings. In regard to the Ankara-Moscow reconciliation, Pekin said his party's leaders received an indirect request from the government to deal with the tensions between the two countries that followed the downing of a Russian warplane by the Turkish air force late last year. Asked how they were approached, Pekin said, After the rise in tensions with Russia, businessmen close to the AKP [Justice and Development Party] visited advisers of the president and the prime minister and explained how badly the crisis with Russia was affecting their business. Advisers told the businessmen to meet with Dogu Perincek, the chairman of the Homeland Party. We saw this counsel as an unofficial request by the government for us to take action. We had contacts with the government and then contacted Moscow, made appointments and visited Moscow in December. Perincek knows well Alexandr Dugin, Russian President Vladimir Putins personal representative and foreign policy adviser. Contacts with the Kremlin were set up through the efforts of Dugin and Pekin, who went to Moscow at the head of a three-person delegation. Pekin has said that in Moscow they had meetings with Dugin and Konstantin Malofeyev, a businessman close to the Kremlin. In their talks, the key agenda items were steps that could be taken to restore relations between Moscow and Ankara and Moscows approach to the Syrian crisis. Russian participants in the meetings told the Homeland team that Moscow expected a written apology and explained Russia's demands and expectations on Syria. Pekin said that upon their return, Turkish team members had briefed the relevant office at the Foreign Ministry about their Moscow contacts. Pekin said they were asked by government advisers in May to invite Dugin to Ankara. Dugin was so informed. When he responded positively, the official invitation to Dugin was extended by the Eurasia Local Administrations Union, which is known to be close to the government in Ankara. This is how the relations that were almost severed moved toward restoration June 27 with the invitation letter sent to the Kremlin. While other measures were being taken to restore relations between Turkey and Russia, Moscow took its first unofficial step toward Ankara, with Dugin arriving in Ankara on July 13 and meeting with advisers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Undersecretary for Public Order and Security Muhammet Dervisoglu. The key subject discussed with Dugins Ankara contacts was Syria. The message Dugin delivered to Turkish advisers was about Turkeys cooperation for a solution in Syria and its taking concrete and quick steps to severe its logistics-political support to anti-regime elements in Syria. According to Pekin, Dugin returned to Ankara on Aug. 3 and had bilateral meetings with advisers to Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim. Again, the subject was Syria. The Putin-Erdogan summit at St. Petersburg on Aug. 9 marked the beginning of a new era in relations between Russia and Turkey. Murat Yetkin, editor-in-chief of Hurriyet Daily News, in an Aug. 9 article provided details of the secret diplomacy that eased Turkish-Russian tensions. According to Pekin, the Homeland Party believes it played a critical role in improving relations, but in the diplomatic corridors of Ankara, there are suggestions that the party is trying to make a name for itself through political maneuvering. As Ankara's relations with the United States soured over Turkey's demand for the extradition of cleric Fethullah Gulen, Turkey was able to repair its relations with Russia thanks to quick, wise diplomatic initiatives. Just before his meeting with Putin, Erdogan told Tass, The most important actor for bringing peace to Syria is Russia. The current mode is one of waiting to see if Ankara will soften its red line and adjust the priorities of its Syria policy. August 17, 2016 There has been a great deal of traditional and social media chatter over Russia's use of an Iranian air base to strike targets in Syria, reportedly the first time a foreign power has used an Iranian base since World War II. At an open parliament session Aug. 17, Iranian parliamentarian Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh cited Article 146 of the Iranian Constitution, saying, The establishment of any type of [foreign] military base in the country, even for peaceful purposes, is forbidden. Falahatpisheh, who is a member of parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, warned that Russia has a turbulent foreign policy and its own strategic and foreign policy considerations. Referencing one of the early slogans in the 1979 revolution, Neither East nor West, Falahatpisheh added that whenever Iran had encountered problems, both Western and Eastern countries have teamed up against it. Indeed, the last time foreign countries used Iranian military bases, the Soviet Union from the north and the British from the south had invaded Iran. Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani, however, dismissed Falahatpishehs concerns. We did not put any military base at anyones discretion, he responded during the session. That we cooperated with Russia, who is our ally on regional issues, especially on Syria, does not mean putting a base at their discretion, and if the media reports such a thing, it is denied. Larijani then praised Russias correct understanding of the region and expressed happiness that the Russians are also coming around to Irans positions on Yemen. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the parliaments National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, also denied that Russia had set up a military base in the country. Boroujerdi said that Irans Supreme National Security Council had approved the Russian use of the base in Hamadan and added, It does not contradict the constitution because the Hamadan air base has neither become Russias air base nor have the fighter jets been stationed there. According to Boroujerdi, the Russians had only used the air base for refueling purposes under a bilateral agreement. He added the use of the air base to strike targets in Syria was based on an agreement between Russia, Iran, Syria and Iraq. Boroujerdi also denied reports that Russias S-400 missile defense systems have been set up at Hamadan. Despite the surprise in the Iranian media and some officials over Russia's use of the Iranian air base, this unprecedented move was a long time coming, according to Ali Akbar Velayati, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneis foreign policy adviser. After meeting with Mikhail Bogdanov, Russian President Vladimir Putins Middle East special envoy, Velayati said the Russian and Iranian cooperation against terrorism and American invasions should not be unexpected. He added, In the last few months we made agreements with the Russians and our friends to stand against these invasions. Mehdi Mohammadi, conservative analyst and a former media adviser to nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, was less apologetic about the news. He wrote, The biggest lesson is possibly for the first time in the last 100 years of this region, a military superpower, at its own expense, has become involved in a war that belongs to us. He added that all it took for this to happen was one meeting between a general (Quds force commander Qasem Soleimani) and a veteran leader (Putin). In response to the criticism, Mohammadi wrote, Sometimes intelligence is knowing what you should take pride in and what you should not take pride in. US officials have said after the first round of strikes, the planes returned to Russia. However, Russia said that they conducted more strikes from Hamadan base today, Aug. 17. August 17, 2016 TEHRAN, Iran Endowed with ancient history and rich cultural treasures, Iran is among the top 20 countries in terms of the highest number of tourism attractions. From the world-renowned 2,500-year-old ruins of Persepolis to the archaeological mounds in Susa and Meymand villages, Iran is home to 19 UNESCO-designated World Heritage sites; the latter two were added to this list a year ago. Contrary to many of its neighbors in the Persian Gulf region, Iran enjoys a highly diverse culture as it is home to many different ethnic and religious groups. It is also among the countries that enjoy four genuine seasons, giving every visitor the chance to choose from a wide range of activities and tastes. Iran is considered to be generally safe to visit, and another major advantage for the nation's tourism industry is that the World Economic Forum found the country to be the world's cheapest tourism destination in 2015. However, ever since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, pilgrims en route to holy Shiite sites have constituted the lions share of foreign tourists. The war with Iraq in the 1980s followed by years of political isolation over its nuclear program also contributed to major underinvestment in Irans tourism sector. The Iranian tourism industry began to experience a rebirth after Hassan Rouhani was elected president in July 2013. His administration has taken steps to fulfill its election promise to boost tourism. This may have been facilitated by the sudden fall of oil prices along with Irans high unemployment rate, as these developments prompted the administration to look for new sources of income. Rouhanis moderate policies and efforts to improve relations with the West, which ultimately resulted in the historic deal on Irans nuclear program in 2015, have all been fruitful for the tourism sector. Figures released by the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization (ICHTO) show that 4.8 million foreign tourists visited the country in 2013, almost 25% higher than the corresponding figure for 2012. In 2014, Iran hosted more than 5 million foreign tourists, bringing in some $7.5 billion in revenues. Moreover, last year, official figures put the number of incoming tourists at more than 5.2 million, generating over $8 billion. The implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, JCPOA, has paved ground for growth and development in the countrys tourism sector, said Masoud Soltanifar, vice president and chairman of ICHTO, in a speech earlier this month. More recently, the head of the Trade Promotion Organization of Iran, Valiollah Afkhami-Rad, said the country has achieved two-thirds of its targeted $4 billion revenue from the tourism industry over the past five months. Incoming tourists have brought more than $2.8 billion of revenues since the beginning of the current Iranian year (March 20). At present, there are about 1,100 hotels throughout Iran. However, only 104 of them are listed as five-star and four-star hotels. Aware of the importance of hotels in attracting foreign travelers, the Iranian government has thus moved to establish exemption of income taxes for companies to accelerate hotel-building projects. A revolution has taken place in Irans hotel-building under the 11th [incumbent] government, Soltanifar said, adding 35 four- and five-star hotels have become operational in the past three years. 170 more such hotels will be built over the next five years. In this vein, the government has signed contracts with several countries including Turkey, Germany, France and Spain to build dozens of four- and five-star hotels in a number of Iranian cities. As part of its efforts to overhaul the tourism industry, Rouhanis administration has also extended the length of visas issued on arrival, from one month to three months. At present, citizens of 190 countries can enter Iran with visas issued on arrival. Of note, this scheme does not apply to citizens of 11 countries including the United States, the UK and Canada. To attract more foreign tourists, Tehran has signed tourist exchange agreements with several countries, including Russia. The government is additionally pursuing plans to attract 5% of Chinese tourists who go abroad for vacations. Indeed, it has already opened tourism offices in Shanghai and Guangzhou. Projects to develop international airports in major cities including Tehran, Esfahan and Mashhad as well as establishing direct flights to European cities via French, German and Italian airlines are also among the measures taken by the government. According to Iranian officials, these measures have resulted in a 12% increase in the number of incoming tourists over the past three years. As part of its 20-year vision, Iran is hoping to attract 20 million tourists per year by 2025, generating an estimated $25 billion to $30 billion in revenues. Yet despite these positive developments and optimistic outlook, the reality is that Iran is still far from a high ranking in attracting foreign tourists. Nasrollah Pezhmanfar, a member of the Iranian parliaments Culture Committee, believes that the current growth of tourism is good but not enough, arguing that targets set within the framework of the 2025 Outlook Plan will not be achieved. Indeed, Irans share of global tourism income was just 0.5% in 2015, with officials saying the figure must increase to 3% in coming years. There are several hindrances to Irans ability to realize its ambition to become a global tourism hub. For instance, foreigners touring Iran face challenges when it comes to booking hotels or purchasing train and plane tickets within the country. Irans isolation from international banking systems is also forcing visitors to bring cash, as the use of international credit cards is still not available in Iran. Moreover, the mandatory observance of hijab for women and the ban on alcohol including for non-Muslim travelers as well as the lack of English-speaking guides in smaller towns may deter some visitors. With the improvement of Irans international image and the increase in the number of foreign tourists in recent years, experts say Iran is well-positioned to finally boost its tourism sector after years of stagnation. However, it will likely take some time to realize the countrys true potential; as some argue, more investment in infrastructure is imperative before it can even compete with its tourist-welcoming neighbors, such as Turkey. Jeroen Advocaat (R), an artist from the Netherlands, carves a sand sculpture with a Chinese artist in Zhoushan, East China's Zhejiang province, August 16, 2016. Some 20 artists around the world are building sand sculptures of landmarks of G20 countries to greet the upcoming G20 Summit in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. The sand sculptures here are expected to open to the public on Sept 9. [Photo/Xinhua] August 17, 2016 BAGHDAD This is for you. Take what you need, read the banner over a wall hung with a variety of used clothes. Household goods were arranged underneath them, all part of a charitable project called the Wall of Compassion. The Wall of Compassion is an initiative by a group of well-off volunteers to help the needy. It has expanded rapidly since its June launch, and by August its walls of charity had spread to seven different Baghdad locations. The idea for the wall came about earlier this year, journalist Ali al-Surawi told Al-Monitor. Surawi, one of the initiative's founders, said it was not very well received at first, as the idea was unusual and unfamiliar to the Iraqi community. However, it did not take long to be accepted and welcomed by many Iraqis. Surawi said the first wall was established in Baghdad's Sehah neighborhood. Since then, the number of volunteers involved in the initiative has increased to include people from all over the capital, notably from Baghdads affluent suburbs such as Adhamiya, Antar Square, the Liberation Square and the Karrada district. The concept is being promoted on the social networks and more walls have gone up in other Iraqi governorates, including Basra, Samawa and Diwaniya. Surawi added that the project was created to address the large number of Iraqi people living below the poverty line who are often neglected by society. He said the initiative is a bid to help poor Iraqis who have been largely alienated by the government, as the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is unable to cater to the large numbers of deprived people and provide them with what they need. The initiative has received support from the Iraqi Interior Ministry, which issued statements urging citizens to join and expand the project. Khodr Wahi, an activist whose phone number is listed on the banners, told Al-Monitor that the modest campaign has managed to provide clothes for 20 families in only one of Baghdad's slums. Wahi also said that new items are placed every day on the wall, while activists continue to encourage well-off people to donate. Wahi said some of the recipients feel too awkward and ashamed to take clothes and household alliances from the wall during the daytime. While some people come during the night to pick up clothes and other goods, children visit the wall throughout the day. Elderly women especially often come at night to take clothes for their children and orphaned grandchildren and leave swiftly for fear of being seen, concerned for their dignity. One of the security guards at the checkpoint near the Wall of Compassion in Adhamiya told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that children who sell bottled water and cigarettes in the streets and clean car windshields head to the wall every night before going home to take what they need. He expressed hope that the idea will be expanded and to set up a permanent site that activists can supervise and protect clothes and devices from dust and the sun, stressing that the valuable offerings, which could provide for thousands of needy families, should be well managed and protected. The Iraqi community seems to be split over the idea, as some still find it controversial and have expressed reservations. Fortunately, the controversy seems to have helped the news about the wall to spread in the Iraqi street. According to Iraqi citizen Nassif Hussein, the project's existence brings hope to the people as evidence that many people still want to help the less fortunate despite the hardships and crises that could harden Iraqis and threaten their ethics. He added that like many other passers-by, he feels happy when passing the wall, taking pictures of the clothes with his mobile phones. Hussein noted that in light of the dire economic circumstances and violence plaguing Iraq, some people are left without the most basic necessities of life. He stressed the need for Iraqis to help one another. Conversely, Ali al-Atabi finds the idea of the Wall of Compassion shameful and insulting to the poor, as picking up second-hand clothing and other used goods in public is undignified. He suggested sending clothes and household appliances secretly to the houses of the poor in such a way to spare them shame. August 17, 2016 When Labib Odeh was looking for a house, he was unable to find anything he could afford in the Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. Odeh works as the director of the local branch of an international organization he preferred not to name in his interview with Al-Monitor. His salary should have been enough for him to make the needed down payment and monthly mortgages of a reasonable home for his family of six. He had been renting for some time and felt he had reached a stage in his life where he could afford to buy his family a home. But the only one he could afford was in the East Jerusalem settlement of Pisgat Zeev, not far from Beit Hanina, where he found a house for 1 million shekels ($264,000). In Palestinian neighborhoods, the same 120-square-meter (1,291-square-foot) house with a small yard would cost twice as much. Khalil Toufakji, the director of the Maps and Survey Department at the Orient House in Jerusalem, explained to Al-Monitor that the housing crisis in East Jerusalem is a direct result of the Israeli government's plans to restrict Palestinian growth. A decision was taken under the administration [of Prime Minister Golda Meir] to make sure the Palestinian population does not to exceed 28% of both sectors of East and West Jerusalem, Toufakji said. According to a 2002 Haaretz article by Israeli journalist Jadon Levi, the Gavni Committee set up by Meir in 1973 stressed the importance of maintaining a proportional balance between Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem. According to the article, the Jewish population in 1973 was 73.5% compared to 26.5% Palestinian. For the 43 years since, this ratio has become the goal of successive Israeli administrations, leaving Jerusalemites, whose natural growth exceeded this ratio, unable to find suitable housing. At present, 36% of the population of both parts of Jerusalem are Palestinian Arabs. Bimkom, an Israeli human rights organization specializing in planning policies, has reported that 20,000 homes in East Jerusalem have been built without permits because of the Israeli restrictions on Palestinian housing. Toufakji, who works in the outskirts of East Jerusalem as his office in the city has now been closed for 15 years, explained how Israel has continuously tried to restrict Palestinian housing. The Israelis have refused to produce a master plan for East Jerusalem and instead have turned many Palestinian areas green, meaning that it is forbidden to build in these areas. Meanwhile, [Israelis] continue to demolish houses built without a permit. Khalil Abu Arafeh, a local civil engineer with an office in East Jerusalem, echoed similar frustration. This obsession about keeping the ratio of Palestinians to nearly a quarter means that the Israeli city officials are extremely reluctant to initiate any housing plans. The local community runs into major obstacles when trying to organize any independent housing project, he told Al-Monitor. Abu Arafeh added that while Israelis can easily create a local housing plan in large strips of land confiscated with a single order, individually owned Palestinian plots are scattered, while some of their properties are in the hands of the Israeli Custodian of Absentee Property. A 1948 law allows the government to confiscate "absentee" properties and place them in the custody of a government agency. As a result of all this discriminatory policy based on a racist demographic notion," Toufakji said, "one can see some strange comparisons. Toufakji said that different plots of land are subjected to different regulations in terms of allowed build-up percentage a technical term for the amount of construction allowed on a property that takes into account both land area and height of structures. "Look at the areas of Sheikh Jarrah and French Hill. While Palestinians are allowed a build-up percentage of 75% of the size of their personal lands, meters away, in French Hill, a largely Jewish post-1967 settlement, the allowed build-up percentage is 300%. In Ras al-Amound, the build-up percentage is a mere 50%, whereas in the nearby Jewish settlement of Maale Hazeitim, the percentage is 115%, Toufakji noted. Not only are the zoning and planning laws clearly created to restrict Palestinian housing efforts, the building permits are also very expensive. A Palestinian wanting to build a home on his own land needs to spend $35,000 in fees just to obtain the building license, Toufakji said. He noted that most Israeli homes are built by the government as part of large housing schemes in which the city municipality or the Housing Ministry takes care of all licensing fees. These restrictive regulations and exorbitant fees have made the cost of a house like Odeh's in the Palestinian neighborhood of Shuafat around $650,000, while in nearby Pisgat Zeev settlement, the same size home costs no more than $300,000, according to Toufakji. In its May 2015 report, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) attempted to quantify the current housing crisis. Since 1967, Israel has expropriated approximately 26,300 dunams [6,500 acres] in East Jerusalem for the purpose of building neighborhoods for the Jewish population and for government offices, ACRI said in its detailed report on the crisis. BTselem has tracked 1,293 Palestinian homes demolished by Israel in the last 14 years. Odeh, who was unable to find decent housing in the extremely restricted Palestinian neighborhoods of Jerusalem, was forced to buy a home in Pisgat Zeev. But his stay in the settlement did not last long, as his family was unable to take the overwhelming discrimination they faced on a daily basis. Now, they're looking to live anywhere but Pisgat Zeev. As of 2015, Palestinians living in what they hope will be the future capital of their state passed the 300,000 mark in a city of 829,900, according to the 2015 ACRI report. This means that the current Palestinian percentage in the two sectors of Jerusalem has surpassed 36%. Israels opposition leader, Knesset member Isaac Herzog, argued during a March tour of Jerusalem that one day, Israelis will wake up and find that Jerusalem has an Arab mayor, as a consequence of the growing Palestinian population in Jerusalem. It seems clear that Israel can no longer insist that Jerusalem is the united capital of Israel while denying the Arab residents of the city such basic rights as planning and constructing their own housing. August 17, 2016 AMMAN, Jordan Even prior to the June 21 car bombing, which killed seven Jordanian forces at the Rukban border crossing with Syria, conditions were dire for the 75,000 asylum seekers trapped in the area on the Syrian side. Children make up over half this population that for months has resided in a scorching desert, which diplomats call "the Berm." Refugees describe their temporary dwellings as being filled with mice and snakes. Malnutrition and diarrhea have also spread widely, according to an international aid official who spoke to Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. The refugees' conditions at the Berm deteriorated even more when the Islamic State (IS) staged an attack in the Rukban area June 21. Consequently, Amman tightened its security measures and barred food assistance to Rukban for six weeks while denying the refugees any medical care. Negotiations between Jordan and the United Nations over a long-term solution to the Berm crisis have been difficult. Aid workers expect the talks, which began after the June 21 bombing, to last months due to the wide gaps between the parties. A UN official confirmed to Al-Monitor that negotiations are taking place at the highest levels in New York and have included the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. An informed foreign diplomat based in Amman told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that one of the options being deliberated is a plan to push the 75,000 Syrians approximately 2 kilometers (roughly a mile) away from the border into Syria or deeper into Syria. This would provide Jordan with a buffer zone and reduce the chances of another surprise border attack while boosting the Hashemite kingdom's security. The diplomat added that in conversations with Amman about resuming aid, Jordanian officials repeatedly asked for a "long-term solution," as the Hashemite kingdom says maintaining a camp for 75,000 Syrians so close to its border threatens its security. However, the head of the UN refugee agency in Jordan, Andrew Harper, told Al-Monitor, "We would obviously not be supportive or engaged in any pushback of Syrians." Given the complex developments at Rukban, Harper added, "There are no magic long-term solutions at the moment." International aid officials worry that moving Syrians could violate the international principle of non-refoulement or the protection against forcible return of refugees to territories where their lives are at risk. Bill Frelick, director of the Human Rights Watch's (HRW) refugee program, told Al-Monitor that the majority of Syrians living in the Berm are currently residing in Jordanian territory. Therefore, relocating the asylum seekers 2 kilometers away, as being proposed, would transfer them into Syria. Additionally, given the many young children and pregnant women at the Berm, moving this population 2 kilometers would be logistically challenging. The UN has called on Jordan to resume food and medical care at the Berm, as conducted before the June attack. Furthermore, HRW has urged Jordan to provide the most vulnerable refugees admission into the country and away from the Rukban camp. But Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad Momani rejected any responsibility for the 75,000 Syrians at the Berm. "Our borders remain a sealed military zone, and addressing the issue of those in the no-man's land is not Jordan's problem," he told the Jordan Times Aug. 6. Momani had said in July 2016 that the Hashemite kingdom would not permit any future food deliveries to the trapped 75,000 Syrians since "the camp has become a harbor for Daesh [IS]." Using 70-meter (230-feet) cranes, the UN provided aid to the asylum seekers Aug. 4 after Amman granted international aid workers a "one-time" permission to distribute food to the Berm. The Jordanian government's definitive public statements ruling out future food distributions are far apart from the current position of UN officials asking for an immediate resumption of aid and even absorption of additional Syrian refugees. Both Jordan's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Sabah Rafie and Royal Court media director Khalid Dalal declined Al-Monitor's repeated requests for an interview. Given that Jordan and not the UN controls the Rukban border, the foreign diplomat asserted that some human rights organizations have a misguided approach to the negotiations, especially following the IS car bombing in June. If one is looking for a durable solution that Jordan will accept, then the Berm crisis must be treated as a security concern and not just a humanitarian problem. While the United States already provides Jordan with $1 billion in annual aid, Western countries may have to bolster their financial support of Amman's security. This could convince Jordan to allow humanitarian assistance to flow again through its borders. In private conversations, some Western officials have admitted the difficulty of pressuring Jordan on the Berm, given the track record of their home countries in regard to the refugee crisis. Jordan has admitted about 657,000 Syrian refugees, according to the UN, approximately 50 times the number the United States has absorbed. According to UN satellite imagery from July 25, the number of shelters in the Berm housing refugees declined 17% since the period immediately following the June 21 bombing. This may suggest that some of the asylum seekers in the Berm have returned to Syria due to the ban on international food assistance during this period. Since aid organizations are unable to access the Berm, given Jordans new policies, they have no way to independently determine the current conditions of the stranded 75,000 Syrians. A possible motivator for Jordan to adopt a more conciliatory approach in the Berm talks is the September UN summit of world leaders on refugees, which Jordan is co-hosting. If Amman continues its policy of barring food and medical care to the blocked 75,000 Syrians on its border, it will be difficult for the Hashemite kingdom to praise its own refugee policy before global stakeholders. Noting the lack of progress in negotiations between the UN and Jordan, the international aid official recounted to Al-Monitor the harrowing 2015 pictures of starvation from Madaya in western Syria, which stirred many worldwide into temporarily breaking the town's siege. The official said, "If we start seeing [at the Berm] the same kind of images [from] Madaya during the coming weeks, then everyone will feel pressure." August 17, 2016 Israel will soon begin to hand to the Palestinian Authority (PA) an additional seven bodies of East Jerusalem Palestinians killed while carrying out terror attacks in Israel. The PA agency tasked with prisoner affairs announced in Ramallah on Aug. 15 that according to an agreement reached with the families, who petitioned the Supreme Court, Israel would release the bodies for burial. The first will be the body of Muhammad Jamal al-Kalouti, from the Kafr Aqab neighborhood, who along with another Palestinian shot at a Jerusalem light-rail car on March 9, seriously wounding one Israeli. If his funeral is small less than 25 people and goes off without a hitch, the rest of the bodies will be handed over to their respective families for burial. The issue of what to do with the bodies has been a sore spot since the wave of anti-Israel terror broke out in October 2015, with the Israel Police having a policy on the matter different from that of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The bodies of assailants who had been West Bank residents and were being held by the IDF were usually handed over almost immediately, sometimes contrary to the wishes of the political echelon. The IDF has argued that holding on to the bodies and preventing their burial stirs Palestinian unrest and encourages additional terror attacks to avenge what is widely perceived on Palestinian websites and social media as Israel's humiliation of the shahids (martyrs). The Israel Police, on the other hand, have held on to the bodies of East Jerusalem assailants as a punitive measure. After Avigdor Liberman took office as minister of defense at the end of May, the IDF's policy was changed. Following shootings on June 8 in Tel Aviv in which four Israelis were killed, Liberman ordered the military to hold on to the two assailants bodies. At the end of March, families of some of the deceased Palestinians had petitioned Israels top court, through attorney Mohammed Mahmoud, demanding that the state release the bodies of their sons so they could be buried. On July 25, the court ordered the Israel Police and the state prosecutors office to explain why the bodies were not being handed over for burial. Surprisingly, before the court ruled, Israel informed the Palestinian prisoners agency that the bodies would be released to the PA. Contacts with the Israel Police went on for many weeks, Ihad Hamada, from the PAs prisoner agency, told Al-Monitor. Hamada said the compromise was reached through the good offices of Arab Israeli Knesset member Osama Saadi of the predominantly Arab Joint List. Saadi came to an understanding with the assailants families according to which they would adhere to the conditions laid out by Israels Ministry of Internal Security to abstain from mass funerals and to deposit a sum of money to ensure that they abide by the terms. According to Hamada, the families had agreed to the conditions many weeks ago. A lawyer for one of the families who is employed by the PAs prisoner agency and requested anonymity told Al-Monitor, We know that Israel fully understands that if they want continued calm and a suspension of terror attacks, quiet must be restored to the streets. Holding the bodies in Israel is an issue that generates great tension on the street. He stated, You in Israel dont understand the extent to which this stirs incitement, especially among young Palestinians who see the continued retention of the bodies as humiliation and abuse of the families. Not only does this not enable calm to be restored, it generates unrest and, among many, also a desire to do something about it. Israels refusal to hand over the bodies has not been the only cause of tensions with the Palestinians and increasing fear of a resumption of terror attacks. In recent days, the Al-Aqsa Mosque issue, which set off the wave of terrorism last October, has once again bubbled to the surface. Just as then, Palestinian news sites and social media are full of reports about alleged secret plans by Israel and activists on the radical right to take control of the Temple Mount compound and change the status quo at the site, holy to Jews and Muslims, who call it the Haram al-Sharif. A visit to the compound by right-wing Jewish activists on the 9th of the Hebrew month of Av (Aug. 14) a Jewish day of fasting to mourn the destruction of the First and Second Temples and claims by the Muslim custodians (Waqf) of the site that the activists had prayed there, in violation of customary understandings at the flashpoint compound, received extensive coverage by Palestinian media. Jordans King Abdullah II issued a sharp condemnation on Aug. 15, warning Israel that such Jewish visits to the compound could spark a religious war. Senior PA and Waqf officials have conveyed constant messages to the Jordanian monarch, warning that the next outbreak of violence and clashes at Al-Aqsa is only a matter of time. After the Aug. 14 incident, they had again implored Abdullah to warn Israel of such a scenario, and he did. The renewed tension over Al-Aqsa has not escaped the attention of the Israeli intelligence community, which closely monitors developments on the ground. Israeli and Palestinian security agencies, which have been cooperating closely over the past year, are increasingly convinced that the relative calm on the West Bank and East Jerusalem in recent weeks could be misleading. According to their assessment, unless measures are taken to ensure calm, another wave of terror attacks could erupt at any moment. The despair over the economic situation in the Palestinian territories and conditions in general has not abated, and the rage of young Palestinians has not subsided. The recently increased pace of Palestinian house demolitions in Israeli-controlled Area C of the West Bank does nothing to ease tensions either. The motivation to carry out terror attacks remains, and any event, whether at the already tense Al-Aqsa compound or elsewhere on the West Bank, could reignite the fuse. The decision by Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan to resume releasing the Palestinians bodies was made upon the recommendation of Shin Bet and the IDF, which have consistently supported a restrained Israeli policy. This is just one step among an array of measures that Israel must take to prevent the next blowup. It is also an indication that Liberman has come to understand that punitive measures do not necessarily create deterrence and are not necessarily a solution. August 17, 2016 For three weeks now, the hashtag #StopEnslavingSaudiWomen has been active on social media. The newly established feminist association Saudi Women Against Marginalization, which took to Twitter in June, launched this hashtag. Meanwhile, the issue of ending male guardianship over women in Saudi Arabia remains highly controversial. Saudi women are not just calling for the end of male guardianship in marriage contracts or the transfer of guardianship from one abusive husband or oppressive father to another better man who could be a brother or uncle, like it was for women a few years ago in some Saudi courts. In fact, women are calling for dropping all forms of supervision and control from brothers, fathers or grandfathers as guardianship limits womens freedom and willpower. Saudi blogger and writer Hams Sonosi is one of the main advocates of this cause. On Aug. 11, she tweeted that the campaign to end male guardianship has achieved huge success on social media, although it has not led to a change of laws. She asked Saudi women to hold on to this legal and social demand. Subsequently, the opposing hashtag #SaudiWomenProudofGuardianship appeared. Academic Amerah Saeidi is one of the main opponents to ending male guardianship. On July 30, she tweeted that the injustice of some guardians toward their proteges should be dealt with through legal solutions, not by dropping Sharia laws. The nuclear male guardianship system is connected to the larger guardianship system of the ruler or king that is mentioned in the Saudi Constitution under Chapter 3 titled Constituents of Saudi society. This is where the problem lies. Article 9 of Chapter 3 states, The family is the nucleus of Saudi society. Its members shall be brought up imbued with the Islamic Creed, which calls for obedience to God, His Messenger and those of the nation who are charged with authority; for the respect and enforcement of law and order; and for love of the motherland and taking pride in its glorious history. There seems to be a clear reference in the above article to the principle of loyalty and obedience to rulers or guardians, whether in the family, society or ruling institution and those rulers or guardians are males. Saudi womens obedience to their male guardians within their families is part of their obedience to the absolute guardian of the state who is the ruler or king, as per the Quranic verse An-Nisa:59: O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Religious institutions in Saudi Arabia have often resorted to this verse as a warning to anyone who opposes the will of the guardian authority, either through demonstrations or in public comments. The Council of Senior Scholars had issued a statement in this regard on March 7, 2011. The verse was used to arrest Saudi citizens who had participated in the protests in Jeddah, in western Saudi Arabia, against the financial corruption and poor infrastructure after floods swept through the city in January 2011. Saudi women calling for an end to the social and legal male guardianship are also facing constraints from the Salafi religious institution. The latter helped the holders of absolute guardianship, i.e., Saudi kings, to rule and expand their authority since the time of the Diriyah agreement between politician Mohammad bin Saud and cleric Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab in 1744, who gave religious justifications for their military and political decisions. The Salafi institution believes that ending male guardianship violates religion. In this context, Sheikh Saud al-Shureem, a university professor and imam of the Great Mosque of Mecca, tweeted July 30 that demanding an end to male guardianship violates Sharia. Thousands of followers liked his tweet and supported it. For his part, Abdullah al-Hamed, one of the key founders of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, had tweeted on Nov. 30, 2012, that the people are their own guardians and the king is their representative, which means that the absolute guardianship of the king must be dropped. He also called for establishing a constitutional monarchy, whereby the people rule through their elected deputies. Due to his stance, Hamed was arrested on the grounds of defying the absolute guardian (the king) and sentenced to 11 years in prison in March 2013. It is true that Saudi women were granted some rights in 2009, such as the right to occupy certain state positions, when late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz appointed Norah al-Faiz as the deputy minister of education and decided in September 2011 that women should join the Shura Council. He also allowed women to choose the profession they want such as accountants and vendors in shops selling food, perfumes, cosmetics and phones without the approval of their guardian. However, Saudi women still suffer many social violations within their families, mainly from their male guardians, whether their husbands, fathers or brothers. These violations include physical assault, preventing them from getting married so that the guardian can continue to take the womens salary if she is employed, or taking over their inheritance in case of the fathers death. Women are also given a hard time when visiting governmental departments if they are not accompanied by a male figure. Other violations in the workplace include sexual harassment and extortion from their bosses. To add to the hardships women in Saudi Arabia face, the Saudi General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) announced July 26 that a Saudi woman cannot travel abroad without her husbands permission, even if she is traveling with her father. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where Saudi women are not allowed to drive. As per Article 44 of the Saudi Basic Law of Governance, under Chapter 6 titled Authorities of the State, the king shall be the point of reference for the judicial authority, the executive authority and the regulatory authority. Accordingly, the king alone can change womens rights situations in the kingdom within weeks, despite expected objection from religious authorities in Saudi Arabia. The king usually takes his decisions based on the economic and political interest of the rule in the kingdom and abroad, without taking into consideration the stance of the Salafi religious institution. For instance, in June 2013, a royal decree was issued to set Saturday as an official day off to serve the kingdoms economic interests, despite the disapproval of several members of the Council of Senior Scholars, such as Sheikh Saleh al-Fawzan who objected to this decision, as he considers Saturday to be a day off for Jews. Another example showing that the king can take decisions single-handedly is the appointment of women to the Shura Council despite the objection of the Council of Senior Scholars. On Sept. 30, 2011, Sheikh Saleh al-Luhaidan denied any consultation with or approval from the council in appointing women to the Shura Council. Regarding the future of Saudi women, a Human Rights Watch report published on July 16 stated, As long as Saudi Arabia maintains the male guardianship system in some way, it will remain in breach of its rights commitments and will not be able to fulfill the economic Saudi Vision 2030. In response to this report, a female member of the Saudi Shura Council told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, You will soon see women in all fields of work in Saudi Arabia. They will also be able to drive cars. Saudi women have faith in the rule of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, because his political ambition will help them reach their demands. August 17, 2016 One month has passed since Turkeys failed coup and many questions remain. Where is Turkey heading now? Will it anchor itself within the family of democratic nations, or perhaps navigate through uncharted waters toward something new? Turkey has always been larger than itself. With its legacy of an empire that survived centuries and stretched over the most precious real estate of todays geopolitics, and thanks to its peculiar cultural and religious features, any development Turkey lives through will have ramifications beyond its territorial boundaries. The failed coup has affected the regional order and the international system as a whole. Many of the questions asked in the days following the coup, of course, found their answers. However, it is still, to a large measure, shrouded in mystery. If there is one single thing that is not in in question, it is the culpability of the Gulenists in the military. For President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government, there is not one iota of doubt that the mastermind of the bloody plot was his one-time ally, cleric Fethullah Gulen, who lives in self-imposed exile in the United States. For Erdogan, who emerged from the attempted takeover victorious and seemingly more powerful than ever, the coup was a Gulenist one. Period. As Turkeys public enemy No. 1, Gulen must be extradited to Turkey if Washington hopes to remain a friend, ally and champion of democracy. Period. For Turks, the attempt was the foiled machination of the Gulenist movement's "parallel state" and the Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD). No country can allow a parallel state in its midst; therefore came the crackdown, which was unprecedented in Turkish history. It is unprecedented, yet reminiscent of the early periods of the Turkish republic in the 1920s when the founding father of the secular Turkey, Mustafa Kemal (later Ataturk) purged his former allies or any conspirator who could have jeopardized his power and the new republic, which was in its incubation period. That was the birth of a new Turkey from the debris of the defunct Ottoman Empire. The magnitude of the crackdown and the purges following July 15 could suggest an analogy that a new Turkey under Erdogan is coming to life from the death throes of the former new Turkey. The founding institution of the Kemalist new Turkey was the military, which always portrayed itself as the guardian of the republic or the savior of the nation. By succumbing to Gulenist infiltration, the military has become the main institutional culprit of the failed coup, and therefore is being subjected to extreme purges and is effectively being dismantled. It wouldn't be erroneous to say that the coup attempt pushed Turkey into a messy and uncertain transitional period which some might prefer to call a revolutionary situation. The toll of the purges in just the first few days after the failed coup is daunting. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, during a press conference with the editors of Turkish dailies, said that in the month since the coup attempt, 76,597 public servants have been suspended and nearly 5,000 more were fired. Prosecution is underway for 6,792 academic and administrative personnel. About 3,670 judges and prosecutors have been suspended. The government has closed 15 universities, 934 schools, 104 endowments, 1,125 associations and 19 labor unions suspected of having Gulenist ties. More than 130 media outlets including 16 television channels, 45 newspapers, 15 periodicals and 29 publishing houses, again most of them allegedly Gulenist have been banned. Around 90 journalists have been detained and 49 arrested. The Interior Ministry announced that 18,756 of its workers were detained and 10,192 of them were arrested. The government declared a state of emergency July 21 and extended the legal detention period to one month, from three days previously. Therefore, the numbers given above may soar. Every day, new figures are being added. The crackdown and the purges, in a sense, dismantled NATO's second-largest military force. So far, 157 generals and admirals which amounts to 44% of those ranks have been dishonorably discharged, along with thousands of officers and soldiers in uniform. During the "national struggle" from 1919 to 1922 that culminated in the founding of the Republic of Turkey, the losses in the officer corps were 662 and there was not a single general among them. Thus, it is safe to say that the post-July 15 purges have become the most devastating blow to the Turkish military and, as a matter of fact, it is no longer NATO's second-largest military in terms of functionality. Under a decree that went into effect Aug. 17, thousands of people, including high-ranking officials, were expelled from the police force. The crackdown and the purges involving the military and the civilian security apparatus, notwithstanding to what extent it is necessary in the aftermath of such a traumatic happening as the failed coup, inevitably creates a huge security gap for Turkey, which is already in a dangerously volatile situation, particularly on its southern flank. Only 99 colonels and generals have been promoted to fill the vacant positions, which leaves the Turkish military with 308 generals and admirals 50 fewer than before the coup. The military as an institution in Turkish politics may never recover," Aaron Stein, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Councils Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East, wrote on The American Interest website. In the Aug. 16 piece, he further suggested that Turkey could "remain unstable in the near future, with a less-effective military and bureaucracy. Other renowned experts on Turkey have voiced similar assessments. One of them, Chatham Houses Fadi Hakura, wrote July 21, Turkeys NATO partners fear that the purges of experienced military and security personnel have the potential to diminish its capability to thwart the threat posed by [the Islamic State] and other militant groups and to better manage its long and porous borders with Syria and Iraq. He added, Sadly, under the best-case scenario, it will take Turkey years, if not decades, to restore a modicum of rule and law and public services delivery at [the] pre-coup standards to which the Turkish citizenry have been accustomed. Paradoxically, many of the steps taken by the government regarding the military are those that Turkeys liberal democrats have been seeking for decades. They suffered for advocating strict civilian control over a military with an incurable tendency for coups detat. Following the July 15 coup, Erdogan's millions of loyalists and fans including more than just a handful of liberal democrats are applauding the measures the government has taken against the military. The most confusing part of the story is that the crackdown is directed at every sort of dissent and opposition in Turkey. I was at a Berlin cafe a month after the coup. I glanced over the fourth page of German daily Tagesspiegels Sunday issue. There was a huge picture of Erdogan and a lot of coverage about the situation in Turkey. The following sentence in the introductory paragraph caught my attention: The Turkish people are following their President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in admiration while he is dismantling democracy in their country. So, is he dismantling the source of the coup the military or democracy? They may not be mutually exclusive. Perhaps both are being dismembered simultaneously? These questions, one month after the coup, await proper answers. August 17, 2016 DIYARBAKIR, Turkey Kurdish lawyer and rights activist Muharrem Erbey was among thousands of people who landed behind bars in 2009 as part of a massive probe into an alleged Kurdish separatist network. The persecution of Kurdish activists was hardly a novelty for Turkey, but the way Erbey learned of the courts arrest ruling was truly unusual, if not Kafkaesque. We had just left the prosecutors room [after questioning], and before the prosecutor had made any decision, Samanyolu TV reported we had been arrested, Erbey told Al-Monitor, referring to a channel linked to the Gulen community. The prosecutor was unaware, but Samanyolu TV was already running a news ticker. The channel no longer exists, shut down as part of a draconian clampdown on the Gulen community, which Ankara holds responsible for the botched coup bid last month and accuses of having run a parallel state through high-placed followers in the public service, especially police and judiciary. Even before the coup bid, the government had conceded that Gulenist policemen, prosecutors and judges colluded to frame hundreds of soldiers in sham trials, using fabricated evidence that a plot was underway to plunge Turkey into chaos and topple the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Erbey, who spent almost five years in jail, sees a similar pattern in his own trial, which was part of a broader probe into the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), a Kurdish umbrella organization that includes the armed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). Like the majority of his co-defendants, Erbey was known as an advocate of a peaceful solution to the Kurdish conflict and headed the Diyarbakir branch of the Human Rights Association at the time. The lawyer believes that Gulenist police and judiciary deliberately targeted moderate Kurds to undermine any prospect of a peaceful solution and discredit the government. Fresh peace overtures had begun in March 2009, with then-President Abdullah Gul saying good things are going to happen regarding the Kurdish problem. Soon the PKK declared a cease-fire, raising hope that a serious peace effort was underway. In mid-April, however, police began rounding up suspects as part of the KCK probe. The crackdown stirred confusion over Ankaras intent as thousands of Kurdish politicians, including mayors, party leaders and other well-known figures, landed in jail. The government claimed the KCK was the PKKs tool in building a parallel state in the Kurdish-majority southeast, while the defendants argued the operations were orchestrated by Gulenists. The Gulen community was still the AKPs main ally at the time, and though the mass arrests marked a big train crash in the settlement process, the Kurdish claims fell on deaf ears. Erbey shares the widespread conviction that the Gulen community has a nationalist leaning and is hostile to the Kurdish political movement. According to him, the Gulenists played a double game they persuaded the government the KCK was dangerous and enlisted its support for the operations, but their underlying objective was to derail the settlement process. By arresting moderate figures, they hoped to fan violence and paralyze the governments peace efforts, Erbey told Al-Monitor. Everyone the AKP, the government and even the man in the street knew the [Gulen] community had infiltrated the judiciary. All decisions were taken jointly by the government and the community, but on the implementation level, the police, the prosecutors and the judges were all Gulenist elements. Echoing a widespread belief in Turkey that Fethullah Gulen, the US-based cleric leading the sect, is an American cohort, Erbey argued the Gulenists sought to blow up the settlement efforts in a bid to internationalize the Kurdish conflict and pave the way for some kind of US involvement. The community did many things in tandem with the AKP, but they were against an AKP-led solution of the Kurdish problem. The prevailing approach was to sideline the AKP in favor of some solution through the community and the United States, he said. And we, the people of this region, had always warned that outside forces could come into play and take the problem to a very different dimension if Turkey and the Kurds fail to resolve the problem between themselves. Another crisis broke in February 2012 as a senior prosecutor now a suspected Gulenist on the run made an unsuccessful attempt to question and possibly arrest senior intelligence officials over secret meetings with the PKK, which is officially designated as a terrorist group by Ankara. Vahap Coskun, an academic at Diyarbakirs Dicle University and a former wise man in the settlement process, also believes the Gulenists sought to sabotage the peace efforts, but has a different explanation. In Gulens view, he said, the process flouted the dignity of the state because the PKK was accepted as an interlocutor and thus emboldened to act as a parallel state in the southeast. So, Gulen was opposed to the government trying to resolve the problem by talking to the PKK. The Gulen community had long objected to this policy, Coskun told Al-Monitor. The KCK operations in 2009 and the February 2012 incident should be seen in this context. Using its clout in the judiciary and the police, the Gulen community sought to undo the governments policy and did not hesitate to mobilize all its power for that purpose. The stumbling peace process ultimately collapsed in July 2015, but this time President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was widely believed to have his own political reasons to abandon the talks and crack down on the PKK. His decision was preceded by the killing of two policemen in Ceylanpinar, at the Syrian border. The PKK claimed responsibility for the attack, but later the claim was retracted. Some now suggest that a Gulenist finger is possible in this incident as well, for some judicial officials involved in the probe had been linked to the Gulen community. In remarks to Al-Monitor, Huseyin Akay, a defense lawyer in the case, cast doubt on the allegations, but asserted the nine defendants were innocent. The indictment of those guys has prevented finding the real culprits, he said. Yet, my personal conviction is that [a link to the Gulenists] does not exist. August 17, 2016 ADEN, Yemen After years of civil war, the Yemeni government has declared an economic war on Houthi rebels. Yemen's internationally recognized government, headed by Prime Minister Ahmed Obeid bin Daghr, is shifting its treasury temporarily to the Central Bank branch in Aden, hoping to stem the flow of money he believes is funding the rebel's war efforts. The government's administration moved to Aden when the Houthis took control of Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and the Central Bank there in September 2014. President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi has said the decision doesn't officially mean "a transfer of monetary authority from Sanaa to Aden," but rather means the Central Bank's branch in Aden will be the temporary treasury. The move is designed to absorb financial revenues from various economic sectors, especially petroleum, and keep the money away from the Houthis and their allies at the Central Bank, who have allegedly tampered with the funds. The Saudi-backed Yemeni government announced the treasury change July 15 after its cash reserves dropped to $1.1 billion; they had been at $4.3 billion before war broke out again in March 2015. The decrease in cash reserves started after the failure of an economic truce the International Monetary Fund was overseeing to guarantee the independence of the Central Bank. The government accused the Iran-backed Houthis of breaking the truce and draining the reserves to finance their battles. The government has called for these measures: Keeping the revenues of cities that have been retaken from the Houthis, especially those selling crude oil, rather than sending these revenues to the Central Bank in Sanaa. Preventing the bank's management from using the country's international accounts and credits. No longer dealing with the governor of the Central Bank, Mohamed Awadh bin Humam, as the government believes he cannot carry out his duties impartially now that the Houthis control the bank. To reinforce these measures, the government succeeded in closing a deal to sell 3 million barrels of oil in the Dhaba Oil Port in Hadramaut by the end of July. The money was transferred to Aden to serve as an operational budget to address the country's energy and fuel crises. Sharaf Fawda'ey, a consultant at the Yemeni Ministry of Finance, said the measures the government is taking are needed so the state can exercise its political authority to collect its sovereign resources. "It is unnatural that a central bank, which is a symbol of any state's sovereignty, remains under the control of armed militia that took over power by force and that [operate] it outside the frame of a legitimate state," Fawda'ey told Al-Monitor. He said the new procedures show that the recognized Yemeni government is taking real steps toward stripping the Houthis of their power. The government controls key petroleum sectors in the governorates of Hadramaut in the east, Shabwah in the southeast and Marib in the northeast. It also receives revenue from customs ports and taxes collected from the areas it still controls. Moreover, it controls the ports of Aden and Mukalla and land crossings such as Wadiah in Hadramaut, which connects Yemen to Saudi Arabia. Riadh al-Gheeli, a professor at the Arab Academy for Banking and Financial Sciences, said financial revenues from the provinces that the government controls make up more than 80% of the treasury's monetary resources. "The legitimate government is now controlling all sources of oil and gas in the country, as well as all the main ports except for Al-Hudaydah. Therefore, it can plug the budget gap and finance the war to free the governorates still controlled by the Houthis," Gheeli said in an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor. The government's efforts could lay financial siege to the Houthis, but they do have other sources of funding, such as customs revenues from Al-Hudaydah, treasury bonds from the Central Bank in Sanaa and the money they are said to have withdrawn from depositors' accounts in local banks. Gheeli agrees that stopping the flow of money to the Central Bank will help keep the public's money out of the Houthis' hands, but he also pointed out other measures the government could take, such as officially transferring its monetary authority from Sanaa to Aden; making sure international monetary centers stop dealing with the old monetary center in Sanaa; freezing government accounts in all local banks; opening a unified government account in a temporary bank in one of the controlled cities; and replacing current workers in the Central Bank's branches with ones the government trusts. Yemeni economist Abdelkereem al-Awaadhy told Al-Monitor that the government's procedures "were very late, but following them was a must." Continuing to send revenues to Sanaa would just extend the war, he said. Awaadhy summarized how much he believes the public treasury has lost over the years. He estimates the total cost of the Houthi insurgency, beginning in Saadeh in 2004 and up until today, is $24 billion, while the cost of the current war since the economic truce failed in March 2015 accounts for $14 billion of that. He emphasized that indirect costs which include victims; holding off investors; the prevalence of violence, weapons and corruption; and the loss of many of the state's financial sources cannot be estimated. Chicken Salad Chick Stacy Brown (left) co-founded Chicken Salad Chick in 2008 in Auburn with her late husband, Kevin Brown (right). The eatery was Alabama's fastest-growing business and America's 37th overall on the 2016 Inc. 5000 list. (Courtesy/file) Fifty-five companies across Alabama are celebrating a major milestone today after the release of Inc. Magazine's annual Inc. 5000 ranking. To be named one of America's 2016 fastest-growing businesses, each company had to be privately-held, for-profit and independent without subsidiaries or divisions of other companies and have a minimum revenue of $100,000 in 2012 and $2 million in 2015. The businesses will be featured in Inc.'s September issue, which will hit newsstands Aug. 23. An Inc. 5000 event recognizing all honorees will take place Oct. 18-20 in San Antonio. Here is the Alabama version of the 2016 Inc. 5000 ranking, with city of origin, 2015 operating revenue and three-year percentage growth: No. 37 -- Chicken Salad Chick -- Auburn -- $9.8 million -- 6,043% No. 160 -- Hospicelink -- Birmingham -- $41.7 million --2,275% No. 274 -- VetInternetCo.com -- Union Grove -- $9.6 million --1,426% No. 340 -- Kwest Enterprises -- Millbrook -- $3.7 million --1,123% No. 509 -- Monte Sano Research -- Huntsville -- $7.4 million --749% No. 531 -- MSB Analytics -- Huntsville -- $6.3 million -- 726% No. 698 -- Trident Technologies -- Huntsville -- $33.4 million -- 565% No. 857 -- IronMountain Solutions -- Huntsville -- $16.1 million -- 462% No. 872 -- Birmingham Industrial Cons. -- Alabaster -- $43.3 million -- 454% No. 876 -- Appleton -- Huntsville -- $22.9 million -- 453% No. 902 -- Gulf Coast Organic -- Magnolia Springs -- $7 million -- 444% No. 914 -- Thompson Gray -- Huntsville -- $25.6 million -- 438% No. 982 -- KTI Express Courier -- Huntsville -- $2.7 million -- 408% No. 1010 -- American Family Care -- Birmingham -- $433.2 million -- 393% No. 1071 -- CentraLite Systems -- Mobile -- $35.8 million -- 364% No. 1111 -- Spartan Value Investors -- Birmingham -- $8.7 million -- 349% No. 1152 -- Two Maids & A Mop -- Birmingham -- $3.8 million -- 337% No. 1243 -- Big Spring Environmental -- Huntsville -- $4.6 million -- 312% No. 1276 -- gkhouses.com -- Birmingham -- $2.7 million -- 302% No. 1294 -- GATR Technologies -- Huntsville -- $65.3 million -- 299% No. 1349 -- PROJECTXYZ -- Huntsville -- $11.5 million -- 285% No. 1395 -- Five Stones Research -- Brownsboro -- $19 million -- 274% No. 1522 -- Tailgate Guys -- Opelika -- $5.2 million -- 249% No. 1593 -- Sentar -- Huntsville -- $24 million -- 237% No. 1676 -- Starnes Publishing -- Homewood -- $2.2 million -- 223% No. 1887 -- Atlas RFID Solutions -- Birmingham -- $21.5 million -- 198% No. 1932 -- Simpson Plastering -- Birmingham -- $11.9 million -- 192% No. 1946 -- Pharmapoint -- Birmingham -- $18 million -- 191% No. 2371 -- enVention -- Huntsville -- $2.9 million -- 153% No. 2384 -- Manufacturing Technical Solutions -- Huntsville -- $40.9 million -- 152% No. 2568 -- Newcastle Construction -- Bessemer -- $45.2 million -- 138% No. 2582 -- Cornerstone Detention Products -- Madison -- $55.6 million -- 137% No. 2593 -- JMF Solutions -- Daphne -- $2 million -- 136% No. 2847 -- Keel Point -- Huntsville -- $13.8 million -- 122% No. 2896 -- Pinnacle Solutions -- Huntsville -- $22 million -- 119% No. 2979 -- Hargrove Engineers + Constructors -- Mobile -- $176.7 million -- 115% No. 3196 -- The Onin Group -- Birmingham -- $284.3 million -- 105% No. 3212 -- AccuReg Software -- Mobile -- $5.7 million -- 104% No. 3321 -- Amanda Howard Real Estate -- Huntsville -- $4 million -- 99% No. 3553 -- Fresh Technology -- Hoover -- $2.6 million -- 89% No. 3558 -- PeopleTech -- Huntsville -- $63 million -- 89% No. 3634 -- Torch Technologies -- Huntsville -- $232.9 million -- 86% No. 3806 -- SourcePointe -- Birmingham -- $123.3 million -- 80% No. 3831 -- Iron Tribe Fitness -- Birmingham -- $4.5 million -- 79% No. 3911 -- Employment Screening Services -- Birmingham -- $18.1 million -- 76% No. 4028 -- 3-GIS -- Decatur -- $5.5 million -- 72% No. 4087 -- Summit 7 Systems -- Huntsville -- $5.3 million -- 70% No. 4139 -- Mountain High Outfitters -- Birmingham -- $21.9 million -- 68% No. 4310 -- Oakworth Capital Bank -- Birmingham -- $15.3 million -- 62% No. 4437 -- nLogic -- Huntsville -- $21.3 million -- 58% No. 4510 -- Trideum -- Huntsville -- $16.5 million -- 56% No. 4529 -- AvaLAN Wireless Systems -- Madison -- $3.7 million -- 55% No. 4556 -- Bell Media -- Montgomery -- $3.6 million -- 55% No. 4639 -- Home Instead Senior Care -- Birmingham -- $5.9 million -- 52% No. 4688 -- Xarisma -- Huntsville -- $11.1 million -- 50% Tammie Waldrop of Birmingham is the latest cemetery explorer to bring me a "mystery grave," in the form of a photo of a beautifully carved headstone etched with a series of letters and the words "Living Bread Chamber." The headstone was found in Notasulga City Cemetery in Macon County, and these unusual symbols didn't stay a mystery to us for long. An email to my new pal Ann Marshall with the Association of Gravestone Studies brought a quick response: "Actually, this is one of my favorite stones in African-American cemeteries - Mosaic Templars of America (MTA), a black fraternal organization," she wrote. "It is a cultural marker often associated with individuals in the black community who have achieved social distinction or financial status." The stones Waldrop photographed were for members of the women's branch of the MTA, a type of auxiliary to the men's group, called a "chamber." Waldrop found other stones with the words "Living Water Chamber" and "Lovers of Peace Chamber." Black secret societies These groups were formed at a time when African Americans were not allowed to join secret societies, Marshall said. "Since most fraternal organizations like the Masons in the early 1900s or late 1800s would not accept blacks, they often formed their own," she said. "The MTA was one of the most prominent. They ascribed to the philosophy of building financial independence and promoting education in their communities." Many of these community leaders made their livings selling life insurance and grave markers and began using symbols on the stones to represent the Mosaic Templars, Marshall said. On the graves in Notasulga Cemetery, she said, "the symbology is unique and represents some of the Biblical story of Moses leading his people to freedom." Marshall said she has seen the markers in several Alabama cemeteries, including historic Glenwood Cemetery in Huntsville, where some of the markers were just discovered this year. Join AL.com reporter Kelly Kazek for Grave Encounters, her features about the history of Southern graves and burial customs. Find her on Facebook or follow her Odd Travels and Real Alabama boards on Pinterest. Federal prosecutors say a former letter carrier convicted of workers' compensation fraud should have his bond revoked because they believe he has been defrauding veterans and policemen through an online clothing business. Sean Eric Slaton, 43, was convicted in 2013 of eight counts of false statements in connection with the workers' compensation program, 24 counts of wire fraud and one count of theft of government property. According to court documents filed today, Slaton was sentenced in 2014 to 36 months probation and ordered to pay more than $100,000 in restitution and forfeit more than $47,000. However, the sentence was vacated on appeal and a new sentencing hearing is set for Aug. 25. Slaton is out on bond. At his 2014 sentencing hearing, Slaton told the court that the words best describing him are "father, a husband, a Christian, a Veteran... A person that would do anything for anyone when (he) could." Slaton also testified that his case had "made me think twice about our government, our justice system, and it's hurt my heart to know that I have served in the military to protect and serve the people of this nation." However, prosecutors say Slaton since then has created a business, Hero Products, marketing clothing for the military and law enforcement, as well as teachers and nurses. That same business, which lists an Anniston address, has inspired almost 250 complaints through the Better Business Bureau in 40 states. Prosecutors say the products are also marketed through Facebook pages. In 24 pages of court documents, several complaints from consumers are included, which state money was paid for jackets, hats, T-shirts and other items, which were never received. "This company is a scam that is praying on veterans," stated one complaint. Another reads, "If this is a way to rip off veterans they should be ashamed." The complaints spawned a Facebook page, Hero Tees Ripped Me Off Too! Prosecutors say these complaints are similar to evidence that was presented during Slaton's 2013 trial, where various witnesses, including former Alabama running back Siran Stacy, testified they paid Slaton for webpage design. Many said they received nothing, or, as Stacy testified, "a product that could have been produced by a 10-year-old child," according to court documents. Three people were injured - two of them stabbed - during a family dispute this afternoon at a Birmingham public housing community. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service and Birmingham police were dispatched shortly before 3 p.m. to a report a woman down in the alley suffering from a stab wound. When they arrived on the scene, they found two people had been cut with a knife and a third person was punched in the mouth, said Birmingham police spokesman Lt. Sean Edwards. The incident happened at Smithfield Court in the 200 block of Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Boulevard. More than a dozen officers responded to the scene. Edwards said a 48-year-old woman who lives at the apartments accused her son, 35, and his girlfriend, 33,of stealing her purse while the trio was in Ohio. As they were dropping the woman off at her Smithfield Court apartment after arriving in Birmingham from Ohio, the mother began stabbing her son while he was still in the driver's seat of his car. The son was stabbed in the neck, arm and back, Edwards said. A few minutes later, the girlfriend tried to restrain the mother and she then stabbed the girlfriend in the arm and forehead. The son was taken by rescue truck to UAB Hospital. The girlfriend refused to be taken to the hospital against the advice of paramedics. The couple lives in Mobile. The investigation is ongoing. Edwards said the mother was taken into custody. She will be charged with domestic violence against her son, and assault in the attack on the girlfriend. Attorneys for Alabama Death Row inmate William Ernest Kuenzel filed an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court this week seeking a ruling that would allow him to present new evidence that they say will prove his innocence. Kuenzel was convicted in the 1987 shooting death of a Sylacauga convenience store clerk during a robbery. He has gained support for his claims of innocence from a group of lawyers, former district attorneys, ministers, and actors, including Law & Order actor Sam Waterston.That group filed a brief supporting Kuenzel's innocence to the Alabama Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case in April. In the appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday Kuenzel's attorneys state that in 2010, and during federal proceedings, attorneys for Alabama disclosed "critical exculpatory evidence" that it failed to turn over during Kuenzel's capital trial, which they say violated previous federal rulings. "This new evidence completely undermines Mr. Kuenzel's already tenuous capital conviction and vindicates his long-maintained position that he is actually innocent. Regardless of one's views on the broader questions surrounding capital punishment, this particular case presents the intolerable risk that an innocent man will be put to death without any consideration of new exculpatory evidence that gravely undermines the already limited evidence supporting his conviction," according to the U.S. Supreme Court petition. After a federal petition was denied on procedural grounds, Kuenzel returned to Alabama state court and filed a second state petition based on the evidence that the state prosecutors had newly disclosed during the federal habeas proceedings, according to the U.S. Supreme Court petition. But under Alabama law, Kuenzel was blocked from seeking state habeas relief during the pendency of his federal habeas proceedings because of state law that prohibits prosecuting two actions in the courts of Alabama "at the same time for the same cause and against the same party." "Unusually, Alabama has interpreted this provision to apply to concurrent litigation in Alabama federal courts, and mandates dismissal when a second suit for the same cause is brought," the U.S. Supreme Court petition states. "Yet the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals rejected Mr. Kuenzel's habeas petition as untimely under Alabama Rule of Criminal Procedure 32.2(c), which requires that successive state habeas petitions based on newly discovered evidence be brought within six months of the discovery of that evidence," the petition states. "By this rule, Mr. Kuenzel was required to file a successive state habeas petition while his federal habeas proceedings were pending, even though Alabama Code SS 6-5-440 would have required the dismissal of such a duplicative suit." The question Kuenzel's attorneys have posed to the U.S. Supreme Court is this: "Whether it is fundamentally unfair and violates the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to require a capital habeas petitioner to bring a successive state habeas petition within six months of the discovery of new evidence, when Alabama Code SS 6-5-440 would have simultaneously barred such a suit." Kuenzel was convicted in the shooting death of clerk Linda Offord. His roommate Havey Venn pleaded guilty as an accomplice. Venn testified that Kuenzel suggested robbing the store. A number of witnesses testified to seeing Venn's 1984 Buick Regal automobile at the store the night of the murder and an unidentified man in the front passenger seat. Venn testified that he sat in the car while Kuenzel went inside the convenience store with a 16-gauge shotgun. Venn heard a shot and saw the clerk fall backwards, according to court records. A 16-year-old witness also testified she was riding in a car past the store about an hour before the murder and that she saw Venn and Kuenzel inside the store. Without her identification, the evidence was insufficient to convict Kuenzel because state law requires that accomplice testimony be corroborated, attorneys have argued. Missed deadlines The evidence Kuenzel says is new evidence is that grand-jury testimony of the 16-year-old girl, first disclosed in 2010, indicates she could not identify Kuenzel as the man she saw in the convenience store the night of the murder, Moore states. Because the discovery of that evidence occurred more than two decades after Kuenzel's conviction, his only procedural route for bringing that evidence before the circuit court for a hearing was a new petition filed within six months of discovery of that evidence, he stated. Kuenzel filed his current petition in September 2013, long past the six-month filing deadline. That deadline, however, under extraordinary circumstances may be disregarded, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore wrote in an opinion in the case. Kuenzel argued he had found out about the testimony transcripts while he was litigating an appeal in federal court. The Court of Criminal Appeals, perceiving no reason why Kuenzel could not file his second petition while his federal case was proceeding, affirmed the circuit court's finding that the petition was untimely. "Ordinarily, that would be the end of the matter. Because of the irreversibility of the death penalty, however, I believe some leeway may be warranted in this case," Moore stated in his opinion. Among the evidence Kuenzel's defense team say they have uncovered since the trial that jurors never heard or saw include: Venn's gun was a .16 gauge shotgun after all despite Venn having claimed it was a .12 gauge. Offord had been shot with a .16 gauge. Grand jury testimony by a prosecution witness, who had testified at trial that she saw both Kuenzel and Venn inside the store, was not shown to jurors. During the grand jury testimony she stated she couldn't identify the men. Venn's girlfriend said Venn was alone and was not with Kuenzel that night. Police notes, which the defense team got in 2010, show Venn had first told police he was another man, but police never tried to find that man. A police officer noted Venn had injuries consistent with that of the victim. Venn needed money for an attorney to defend himself at an upcoming drug trial. The shotgun Kuenzel had borrowed had been returned to the relative days before the shooting. Among the evidence the jury did have was that Venn had blood from the victim on his clothing and Kuenzel didn't, the lawyers have also argued. Also, Kuenzel and his step father both testified that Kuenzel was asleep at home, without access to a car, that night. Updated at 2:45 p.m. Aug. 17, 2016 to include details of what new evidence Kuenzel's lawyers say they have found. Note: AL.com is participating in "The Next to Die" with The Marshall Project to track and provide information on scheduled executions Alabama senators on Wednesday remained divided on lottery proposals as they tried to strike compromise on gambling that has so far been elusive. Senators began debate on dueling lottery proposals. One bill is a proposal backed by Gov. Robert Bentley to establish a state lottery. The other would authorize a lottery and also allow electronic lottery terminals -- which can be similar to slot machines or video poker -- at four state dog tracks. "I think there is a chance that we will get something to the House. I think there is a chance that we won't," said Sen. Jim McClendon, who is sponsoring both bills. "The single biggest issue is there is no perfect lottery bill that everyone can agree upon all the elements," said McClendon, R-Springville. Bentley brought lawmakers into special session to debate his proposed lottery as a means to fund the state's perpetually cash-strapped Medicaid program. With the governor's push, the Alabama Senate gave a lottery the first serious debate since then-Gov. Don Siegelman proposed the idea in 1999. Many lawmakers agreed opposition has dissipated since then. But Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Pike Road, said he and eight other senators "think the state shouldn't sponsor vice." Lawmakers began debating the dog track bill, which also asks the governor to seek a compact with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Some lawmakers said they wanted to help dog tracks, where electronic bingo casinos and workers were put out of business by state enforcement actions, effectively giving the Poarch Band of Creek Indians a monopoly on machine gambling. Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, said he supported the dog track bill, saying it would provide jobs and more revenue to the state. "The VLT (video lottery terminal) machines from what we've seen from other states have a 40 percent higher revenue return than just a regular lottery," Singleton said. Singleton said he was trying to remain optimistic that lawmakers could strike a middle ground. Bentley estimated a lottery alone would raise $225 million. McClendon projected the machine bill would raise more than $400 million, and $100 million of that would be steered to education. Alabama is one of six states -- along with Mississippi, Utah, Alaska, Hawaii, and Nevada -- without a state lottery. Because the Alabama Constitution bans most games of chance, three-fifths of legislators would have to approve any gambling legislation and a majority of voters would have to approve changing the state constitution to allow a lottery or gambling. Bentley wanted to put the lottery proposal before voters during the November presidential election. The legislation needs 21 votes to clear the Alabama Senate and move to the House of Representatives. "I believe there are eight factions out there. No one has 21 votes," Sen. Cam Ward, R-Alabaster, said. McClendon urged senators to approve a bill and let voters decide the issue. "I would ask for you to trust their judgment when it comes to this," McClendon said. KIM CHANDLER, Associated Press HPD cadets & pepper spray A Huntsville Police Department officer sprays a cadet in the face with pepper spray in this file photo. (The Huntsville Times/Dave Dieter) The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday heard arguments in the appeal by Birmingham police of a federal judge's order that includes requiring new training and decontamination procedures for School Resource Officers' use of pepper spray at city high schools. Whether the officers had qualified immunity and whether one of the named students, identified as only K.B., lacked standing to represent the class of current and future Birmingham high school students were argued briefly. But much of the time was spent in arguments on whether the appeals court should even be hearing the case at this stage of the litigation. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which represents students who had been sprayed, in its written briefs had argued that Birmingham police shouldn't even be appealing yet because U.S. District Court Judge Abdul Kallon has not yet issued a final order or an injunction against the police in the case. The arguments were heard in Montgomery by a three-judge panel that included: 11th Circuit Chief Judge Ed Carnes; Circuit Judge Adalberto Jordan; and Royce C. Lamberth, a senior U.S. District Judge from the District of Columbia acting as a member of the court. Birmingham Police Chief A.C. Roper and a half dozen other officers attended the appeals hearing. Travis Ramey, the attorney who presented arguments for Birmingham police, said they believe that Kallon had issued an appealable order when he told police and the SPLC to sit down and work out a decontamination process that were to include specific things, including having sweat shirts and pants of different sizes available for students to change into after being sprayed. Judge Jordan questioned whether a judge simply ordering parties to meet could be considered an injunction and appealable. Carnes questioned whether Kallon could have issued a contempt order against Birmingham police if they had not complied with his orders for the department to meet with the SPLC and draw up the policies and procedures for decontamination and student resource officer training. If a contempt order could have been issued, then it could be considered an injunction, he said. Brooke Menschel, an attorney with the Southern Poverty Law Center, said she didn't think that Kallon's order met the definition of an injunction. Menschel also argued that Birmingham's existing policy for decontamination was not adequate - putting the students once they were sprayed into air conditioned offices and calling paramedics. "I think a reasonable officer would have taken additional steps," she said. Carnes said he didn't like situations where judges issue orders in "fragments" or piecemeal" in cases. Carnes also questioned Kallon's findings in which he singled out nine pepper spray incidents - out of 110 between 2006 and March 2014 - in which officers used the spray in response to students' verbal threats as a recurring theme. During that time period there were thousands of high school students each year, Carnes said. "I just don't see a recurring theme," he said. Ramey also told the judge that the number of pepper spray incidents by SROs in Birmingham schools have gone down since the lawsuit was filed in 2010 with only 7 incidents in the 2011-12 school year and only two the following year. Still, Ebony Howard, associate legal director at the SPLC, noted after Wednesday's hearing that the SPLC filed the lawsuit in December 2010 and pepper spray is still being used in the schools. "The practice of using pepper spray in Birmingham City Schools is inappropriate and unconstitutional," Howard said. "It is our hope the 11th Circuit will agree." Attorneys for Birmingham police declined comment after the hearing. Police are appealing the memorandum and opinion issued by Kallon that the officer's use of the spray on students for non-violent minor incidents was excessive force, unconstitutional, and that five students are entitled to $40,000. Kallon did not forbid officers from carrying pepper spray in schools for use in addressing violent situations. But ordered the police department to get with the SPLC and come up with new decontamination procedures for when students are sprayed and new training and policy on how and when pepper spray could be used in schools. Both cases the 11th Circuit panel heard on appeal Wednesday in Montgomery dealt with the use of chemical spray by law enforcement officers in Alabama. In the other case a Baldwin County inmate, Brent Jacoby, was appealing a judge's summary judgment dismissing Jacoby's self-filed lawsuit against deputies. Jacoby says he was strapped in a detention chair and sprayed with Mace. Jacoby claims he was not de-contaminated for eight and a half hours and was soaked in his own urine. A court appointed attorney argued the case before the judges. The judges will issue rulings on both cases at a later time. Here is a copy of Judge Kallon's opinion: Pepper spray order by KentFaulk on Scribd The Alabama Senate started debate Wednesday on whether to allow residents to vote on a constitutional amendment to establish a lottery, but adjourned for the day without a vote on the proposal. The outlook for both plans from Gov. Robert Bentley and State Sen. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, remains bleak. "We're still putting the pieces together," McClendon said after Wednesday's sessions adjourned. "I'm not ready to bury it yet." He gave his bill, which differs from Bentley's in that it would allow electronic lottery terminals -- devices similar to slot machines -- to be installed at the state's greyhound track. McClendon said one issue is that the terminals can only be installed in locations that allow pari-mutuel wagering, and that some senators would want the devices installed in their districts even though their counties and localities don't allow for the machines. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said just before the Senate was about to reconvene from a lunch break that a vote would only take place Wednesday if there were enough senators to endorse either plan. The Senate appears short of 21 votes needed to clear the upper chamber, with Marsh adding that there is a bloc of senators who are against either proposal no matter how amendments shape the bill. "If it says 'lottery' it's no," Marsh said of those senators."We'll let the process take place." Marsh said he is more optimistic that the state's $85 million Medicaid shortfall for fiscal 2017 would be funded by directing funds from the BP settlement. That plan may keep Medicaid solvent for the next years. Bentley's proposal would establish a lottery while McClendon's would add electronic lottery terminals in four locations in the state in addition to a lottery. Earlier Wednesday, Marsh urged healthy debate on McClendon's plan, which McClendon gave a brief overview of before the Senate headed to recess at 2:30 p.m. He suggested that the bill wouldn't be rushed through the chamber. "There's no sense in getting into filibuster mode," Marsh told his colleagues. The lottery proposals have been seen by proponents as a solution to fix the state's $85 million Medicaid shortfall. "Greed has got us to this point," said State Sen. Quinton Ross, D-Montgomery, adding that the budget crunch also affects working people on Medicaid. "It's more than dollars and cents," he said. "It's about people. It's about human life." Ross, who didn't say whether he supported a lottery or earmarking funds from the BP settlement to fund Medicaid, said Bentley "turned a deaf ear" to the issue until it reached a crisis point. Sen. Rusty Glover, R-Semmes, said he was against the lottery on moral grounds, arguing gambling would destroy families and create addictions. "I can't support the lottery deals," he said. "We have to decide what is the cutoff point. How many families will it take before this is a bad idea?" Szigetvar, Hungary For as long as anyone in Szigetvar can recall, Turbek Hill on the edge of this town in southern Hungary has been a peaceful tangle of orchards and vineyards. But now, Turbeks earth is yielding the secrets of a turbulent past, and drawing presidents, professors and, potentially, a lucrative stream of pilgrims and tourists to a place where extraordinary events shaped Europes history. Hungarian and Turkish researchers working here believe that they have found the tomb of Suleiman the Magnificent, the greatest ruler of the Ottoman Empire, who died at Szigetvar in early September 1566 almost 450 years ago. Suleimans last haven Suleiman succumbed to natural causes two months before his 72nd birthday, and only hours before his vast army finally overcame the Habsburg defenders of Szigetvar castle following a brutal and bloody siege. The victory was pyrrhic, however: So heavy were the Ottoman losses that they abandoned their effort to take Vienna, an outcome that later prompted French diplomat Cardinal Richelieu to call Szigetvar the battle that saved civilisation. Fearing the reaction of troops to the death of a sultan, who had ruled for four decades, Suleimans aides kept his demise secret and smuggled his corpse back to Constantinople for burial at the Suleymaniye Mosque that he had commissioned. But the weather was hot and the road home was long, so Suleimans heart and other organs were removed here and, as legend has it, interred in a golden coffin beneath his last encampment. As the Ottomans entrenched their rule here through the 1570s, and a growing number of travellers came to visit Suleimans shrine, a mosque, a Dervish cloister and barracks grew up around the site, and it developed into a settlement known as Turbek derived from the Turkish word turbe, which means tomb. When the Habsburgs retook the area in the 1680s, however, they razed this symbol of Ottoman conquest to the ground, and over subsequent centuries the location of Suleimans tomb became the stuff of rumour, speculation and legend. Signs of Ottoman ruins For Norbert Pap, a professor of geography in the nearby university town of Pecs, neither supposed site rang true. One theory holds that the 18th-century Turbek church now occupies the place where the tomb stood, while another puts it close to where a Hungarian-Turkish Friendship Park was established in 1994 to mark the 500th anniversary of Suleimans birth. When we started this work in 2012, we analysed lots of old sources, looked at land use and local geography, and tried to reconstruct the landscape of that time, Pap recalled. We realised the location must be totally different to where the church and the Friendship Park are we thought the real place must be higher and further away from Szigetvar castle. Contemporary chroniclers said Suleimans imperial tent sat on a rise overlooking the battlefield and besieged fortress; the church and park enjoy no such views, and would have been on hotter, marshier ground than Turbek Hill. People here realised there was something here because when they were planting a tree, they would sometimes hit bricks, Pap explained, as insects hummed through the flower-strewn vines and orchards that surround his teams excavations. Occasionally, archaeologists worked here. In the early 1970s, they excavated what we now think is a corner of the tomb. They said it was some kind of Ottoman public building more research needed. With state funding from Hungary and Turkey, Pap and his team began digging on the hill, and soon found clear signs of Ottoman ruins. It was Christmas 2014 when I got the results of the geophysical survey I was sure this was the right place. It showed big walls under the surface, directed towards Mecca. Turkish colleagues share Paps certainty and excitement about the site. The findings of the surveys done before the excavations were so clear that it was like cleaning sands over a partially visible subterranean wreck We were all joyful for sure, said Ali Uzay Peker, a professor of architectural history at Ankaras Middle East Technical University. Last year, the foundation of a square building was unearthed and identified as the tomb of Suleiman. This year, the mosque and tekke [a Dervish cloister] were excavated, he explained. Tools of [16th-century] daily use like coins, knives, potsherds, pipes; architectural fragments and the layout of the buildings in relation to each other support written and pictorial documentation and technological analyses. So we can say that we unearthed Sultan Suleiman the Magnificents tomb. After taking power in 1520, Suleiman extended Ottoman rule across the Middle East, North Africa and the Balkans. By 1566, his dominions stretched from Mecca to Algiers to most of modern Hungary. At home, his creation of a legal code saw him dubbed the Lawgiver or Legislator. For Peker, Suleiman is a symbol of Ottoman magnificence. He was a triumphant ruler, and at the same time a great patron of literature, arts and architecture. The age of Suleiman was an apogee in the history of Turkish art. So one can estimate how important this discovery is for the Turks, he said. Important visitors Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who has been dubbed a neo-Ottoman due to his reverence for the nations imperial past and desire to extend its geopolitical influence plans to attend a commemoration in Szigetvar on September 7. He will join Hungarian and Croatian leaders the Habsburg forces who defended Szigetvar to the end were mostly Croats for the climax of the 450th-anniversary events that are both thrilling and daunting for the town of 10,000 people. Mr Erdogan came here before and brought three helicopters. And then he was only prime minister and there hadnt just been an attempted coup, said Robert Fazekas, the vice president of the local county assembly. The task of hosting three presidents, their aides and security personnel as well as possibly tens of thousands of other visitors during the anniversary week is a far cry from Fazekas usual work in the struggling backwater that is Baranya county. We have a lot of joblessness and no big employers in this area. Theres some work in a canning factory, in auto parts and in agriculture, but many young people go to Western Europe to find a job, he said. The discovery of Suleimans tomb is absolutely positive for us, and I hope it will help Szigetvar and the whole country to develop. Tourism could become our main sector, but we need new hotels and other things. And of course, we are absolutely open to Turkish investment. It is unclear, however, how many Turks or other Muslims would be happy to invest in, or even visit, a country whose leader is accused of fomenting Islamophobia. Hungarys Prime Minister, Viktor Orban, built fences on its southern borders last year only 30km from Szigetvar to keep out mostly Muslim refugees whom he has repeatedly called a direct threat to Europes security, culture and identity. Report: Hungary breaking all the rules with refugees He derides German-led plans to distribute refugees around the European Union and has called a referendum on the issue for October, saying Hungarians have the right to decide that we do not want a large number of Muslim people in our country. I have to say, Orban declared, that when it comes to living together with Muslim communities, we are the only ones who have experience because we had the possibility to go through that for 150 years. Orbans depiction of Ottoman rule as a national catastrophe reflects the standard Hungarian view, even though his Protestant compatriots of the time lived comfortably under the sultans and saw the Catholic Habsburgs as the main enemy. In general, from the government side, the Suleiman story is very sensitive. We can feel there are concerns about Turbek becoming a kind of Muslim holy place and pilgrimage centre, said Pap. At the same time, the government has given lots of money for research and local people are very positive. We Hungarians have 600 years of shared history with the Turks for the first three centuries we fought, and during the last three we have often been allies. It is not just a history of troubles. For all their negative associations with the Ottoman period, many Hungarians are still captivated by the sultans court as depicted in Szulejman, a lavish Turkish soap opera that is wildly popular here. It cannot hurt the profile or popularity of Paps research, then, that two real Ottoman princesses recently visited Turbek, where the heart of their glorious ancestor was reputedly buried. Kenize Mourad, a French writer who is a great-granddaughter of Sultan Murad V, and her cousin, Mediha, gave hair samples to researchers to allow DNA matching of any human remains found during excavations. When they showed us the exact place I could not resist the emotion, nor suppress my tears. I raised my hands and prayed for Sultan Suleiman the Legislator, the Magnificent asking God to help Turkey in her difficult situation, said Mourad. Of course, there is very little chance that after 450 years there would be any trace of our ancestor, she acknowledged. But if, as they say, his heart and internal organs stayed in this place, then maybe READ MORE: Hungary Three villages and the fence that divides them Follow Dan on Twitter: @DanMcL99 Volunteer rescue and humanitarian group that braves daily bombings is credited with saving tens of thousands of people. An all-volunteer Syrian rescue and humanitarian group in Syria credited with saving tens of thousands of people facing bombardments by Syrian government and Russian fighter jets since 2013 has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. More than 130 organisations from across the world have backed the Syrian Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, whose members brave bombings and sniper fire to provide medical treatment for the wounded in rebel-controlled areas, to win the prestigious international award for peace efforts. The Syria Campaign, an international human rights group advocating for the protection of civilians in the country, has launched an initiative calling for the White Helmets to win the prize. The winner will be announced on October 7. Former bakers, tailors, engineers, painters and pharmacists are among the organisations members, who pledge to help anyone in need regardless of religious or political affiliations. The groups 3,000 members operate across the country, including the governorates of Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Homs, Deraa and Damascus. Ammar Aosalmo, a senior member of the groups branch in Aleppo, told Al Jazeera that at least 134 members have died on duty and explained his motivation for risking his life for others by saying the group was viewed by many as their last hope. He cited the White Helmets motto taken from Islams holiest book, the Quran: To save a life is to save all of humanity. People trust in us. When we look into their eyes we see that they need help when Aleppo was under siege , people felt they were more safe with us around. Witness Syrias White Helmets When asked whether his group had any method of notifying Russian and Syrian military fighter jets of their presence to avoid being hit by their bombs, he accused them of targeting the White Helmets. Four of our centres were hit by Russian aircraft in the last month, he said. He also said subsequent attacks on the same location were the main reason the groups members were killed on duty. We try to intercept aircraft signals to tell volunteers to get out because they will target the place again, he added. Raed Al Saleh, head of the group, has called on the UN Security Council to help impose a no-fly zone to facilitate their rescue efforts. Barrel bombs sometimes filled with chlorine are the biggest killer of civilians in Syria today, he said. Our unarmed and neutral rescue workers have saved more than 60,000 people from the attacks in Syria, but there are many we cannot reach. There are children trapped in rubble we cannot hear. For them, the UN Security Council must follow through on its demand to stop the barrel bombs, by introducing a no-fly zone if necessary. Wendy Chamberlin, president of the Middle East Institute, who is one of those who nominated the White Helmets for the Nobel Prize, told Al Jazeera why she believed the group deserved the accolade. READ MORE: Q&A Syrias White Helmets As an American citizen who believes the fundamental duty of government is to protect its citizens, I am appalled by the actions of the Syrian regime, which deliberately targets humanitarian hospitals and drops chemical and barrel bombs on its own civilians, she said. Yet in the face of such horrors, the courageous and compassionate response of a group of Syrian volunteers is indeed inspirational. The White Helmets are a neutral, all-volunteer organisation of nearly 3,000 Syrian civilians who act as first responders in a country where public services no longer function. Unpaid and unarmed, the White Helmets rush into bomb sites to rescue fellow Syrians from the rubble, regardless of religion or politics. The White Helmets provide medical attention, emergency shelter, and safety information to nearly seven million people. They are the largest civil society organisation operating in areas outside Syrian government control, and their actions provide hope for millions. Their efforts to save lives in the most dangerous place on earth are awe-inspiring, and merit the deepest respect. There is a dire need for statesmanship, a visionary and honest leadership, and a balanced and inclusive partnership. Omar Samad is a former Afghan ambassador to France and Canada and worked as an adviser to Afghanistan's chief executive. Afghanistans two-year-old National Unity Government is experiencing its most difficult political moment after Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah expressed dismay and frustration last week over the way that President Ashraf Ghani is dealing with issues pertaining to partnership, leadership and policy priorities. Abdullah went as far as saying that Ghani consistently engages in lecturing, has no time for discussions with the chief executive, and does not even accord his ministers time to express themselves. In return, Ghani rebuked Abdullah by issuing a statement saying that the chief executives remarks are not in line with the standard and spirit of governance. But Abdullahs most stinging criticism targeted Ghanis trampling of the political accord, brokered by the United States and the United Nations in September 2014, which paved the way for the formation of the unity government following an inconclusive election mired in fraud and irregularities. Abdullah said that he hoped to meet the president by the end of this week to present his views to him in person. On August 16, the presidents office indicated that the accord is being reviewed. On August 15, at a large gathering of political allies, Abdullah apologised to his supporters for not keeping them in the loop, and pledged to consult them as part of a new phase in the life of the unity government. He reiterated his demand for the full implementation of the 2014 accords. He said that he is fully committed to good governance and anti-corruption, and threatened to go public with corruption files that are tied to the international mafia and corrupt business dealings by relatives of government higher-ups. Shaky unity and policy marginalisation While Abdullah has stressed that he is in favour of talks and a harmonious resolution of the matters that have hampered the work of government, including the ongoing armed conflict by the Taliban in various parts of the country, many Afghan pundits believe that the US efforts in 2014 to broker a deal to end the electoral crisis, which averted a prolonged crisis, did not go far enough in defining the roles and scope of authority of the two presidential contenders. The Ghani camp took advantage of the loopholes and engaged in gradually sidelining Abdullah, going as a far as curbing what should have constituted the executive authority attached to his position. Meanwhile, Abdullah claims that out of good faith he avoided reacting strongly, hoping that his soft approach would yield satisfactory results. But, at the cost of losing political capital, his partnership turned into a dysfunctional and ineffective relationship. Over the past few days though, Abdullah has been able to rally his base and pledge to work towards the groups original demands and reform agenda. High on his list are electoral reforms, issuing national identification cards, preparing for local elections and eventually calling for a Loya Jirga grand assembly to decide on constitutional changes and the possible creation of a prime ministerial post. Influential actors and sense of responsibility However, Ghani, whose support base has also experienced serious shrinkage over the past two years, is counting on the powers accorded to him in the constitution drafted exclusively to empower his predecessor Hamid Karzai and to some extent on the goodwill of Western nations, to back him in his behind-the-scenes attempts to marginalise Abdullah. On August 15, when pressed by reporters, the US State Department spokesman was reluctant to comment on the Kabul discords, but admitted that theres a lot of work to be done as the US remains in close touch with the Afghan sides. As the two sides arrange to meet, this is not the time for one-upmanship or the time to engage in self-serving spoiler politics to take advantage of the current tensions for short-term gain. by The lack of donor clarity, or perception thereof, over the past two years, has sent a misleading signal to the Ghani camp that Western donors are not particularly worried that the sidelining of Abdullah and the voter constituencies he represents across the country will affect Afghan stability. Whether true or not, the Afghan public in general thinks that Western donors failed to use their leverage to stress on the implementation of the accord and substantive reforms, implicitly encouraging a gradual power grab by circles close to the president, who lack the political pull at the national level necessary to assure stability. As the crisis deepens, it will be critical for the US, UN and others to take a clear stance in favour of stability, democracy and inclusivity, assured through the pledges made in 2014 and a national reform agenda that ought to be the product of consultations and joint efforts. Any review of the accord also needs to be inclusive and consultative in nature. OPINION: Afghanistan political crisis Entitlement vs democracy Many Abdullah supporters still believe that after winning the first round of elections in 2014, their candidate became the victim of a massive fraud that was partly instigated by election officials affiliated to Karzai and that favoured Ghani. Afghan political elites, some of whom are still beholden to Karzais patronage network, independent and influential figures, fractured former Mujahedeen affiliations, parliamentarians and younger civil society groupings, also have a role to play, and need to adopt a responsible stand in favour of viable reforms and a harmonious resolution of outstanding issues through a consultative process between the two NUG teams. As the two sides arrange to meet, this is not the time for one-upmanship or the time to engage in self-serving spoiler politics to take advantage of the current tensions for short-term gain. Neither is it smart politics to avoid talking and to ignore any side that has legitimate qualms or ideas to share. Such an approach will not solve the problem and is viewed as an un-Afghan way of treating such matters, leading to new and more serious grievances down the road. There is a dire need for statesmanship, a visionary and honest leadership, and a balanced and inclusive partnership. Anything short of that will be detrimental to Afghan stability and effective governance that require the backing of a majority of the Afghan people and international donors. Omar Samad is a former Afghan Ambassador to France, Canada, EU and NATO, and worked as an adviser to Afghanistans chief executive before his resignation in December 2015. Currently, he is the CEO of Silkroad Consulting. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. In a country known for peaceful politics and national unity, there is a real danger of escalating conflict. Vito Laterza is associate professor in development studies at the University of Agder, southern Norway. Zambias incumbent President Edgar Lungu, leader of the Patriotic Front (PF), was re-elected after a highly contested election. The final results gave him a lead of around 100,000 votes over opponent Hakainde Hichilema, leader of the United Party for National Development (UPND). Zambians voted for the first time with a two-round system. Lungu won the presidency outright, gaining an absolute majority in the first round he received 50.35 percent of the vote. Hichilema immediately contested the outcome and said that Lungu stole the UPND candidates victory by rigging. Party officials announced that they will challenge the results, following the legal route of a petition to the Constitutional Court. Not the first Allegations of rigging are not new in the history of Zambias multi-party elections. The difference this time is that irregularities started well before election day. The campaign was marred by unprecedented levels of political violence, leading to several people being killed and many injured. Crowds of PF supporters attacked opposition followers and chased them away from urban neighbourhoods across the country. However, the UPND was not without blame. They mobilised their own crowds to retaliate against PF, but with fewer resources and smaller numbers. To make things worse, the biggest independent newspaper, The Post, was shut down by the government at the end of June, drastically reducing the opportunities for opposition voices to be heard. On August 11, the voting proceeded in a generally peaceful fashion, but in the following days the counting process saw numerous irregularities and major delays in the final announcement of results. [The by is the result of neoliberal policies which reduced state support for basic services and handed the economy to foreign investors.] Incidents ranged from the arrest of a suspected ruling party hacker caught in the verification room of the national totalling centre where official results were finalised, to mysteriously disappearing ballots, and claims that official forms with the final figures from polling stations and constituencies had not been given promptly to opposition party agents. In their preliminary findings, the European Union observers mission did not declare the elections free and fair and embraced many of the opposition concerns. It is hard to say how the Constitutional Court will rule on the announced UPND petition. The court can either accept the results, or nullify the election, in which case a new presidential contest would be held within 30 days. Deepening crisis If Lungus victory is confirmed, the implications for Zambias future would be far reaching. The PF crowds are not going to disappear. Reports indicated that on August 16 morning, UPND followers homes were raided by ruling party supporters in Lusaka. On the same day, PF supporters also stormed the UPND secretariat and stole computers, documents and food supplies from the building. The groups that execute PF politicians deeds are formed by disenfranchised unemployed young men. They are the result of neoliberal policies which reduced state support for basic services and handed over the copper mines and other sectors of the economy to foreign investors (PDF). They are only likely to increase in numbers, as Zambia goes through the worst economic crisis in more than 10 years. Violence is the last sector to have been privatised. The police and the military have lost the monopoly over violence. Struggles in the political arena have evolved into physical confrontations between opposing crowds of supporters. Many fear that Lungu and his associates will continue to further clamp down on democratic freedoms, to reinforce their grip on state power. READ MORE: Zambias voices on the elections and their future hopes Lungus campaign has benefited from external help. The ruling party developed close ties with Ugandas President Yoweri Museveni, and hired the services of Timor Consulting, an Israeli firm that helped political parties win elections in Sierra Leone, Mozambique and Botswana. The PF leader has also built a strong base of followers in the wider society. Through his skilful manipulation of Christian messages, he gained the allegiance of the vastly popular Pentecostal churches. Following in the footsteps of late President Michael Sata, Lungu used a largely distorted form of socialist rhetoric that appealed to the poorest sections of society, and nurtured a close alliance with the ethnic interests of the Bemba group. Ethnic dimension Ethnicity was an important factor in this election. Outside the urban areas, the vote was split along ethnic lines. The Bemba areas (Northern, Muchinga and Luapula provinces) voted en masse for the PF candidate, together with people from Eastern province, where Lungu is from. Southern province, home to the Tonga group and Hichilema, voted for the opposition candidate, joined by Western (predominantly Lozi) and North-Western (Lunda and Kaonde) provinces. After several years of state dominance by politicians from the northern and eastern parts of the country, people from Hichilemas rural bloc are resolute to make their claims heard. If the state does not find ways to include them, ethnic strife could be on the rise. On August 15, people rioted against the results in Southern province, with the police making more than 130 arrests. Groups in Western Province have been advocating secession for some time now. Increasing regional conflict and military intervention by global and regional superpowers, together with rising competition over resources between the West and BRICS, are additional risk factors for this mineral rich country. The opposition has its own weaknesses to deal with. UPND has not moved away from an openly neoliberal agenda. Their leader is a wealthy businessman who benefited from the wholesale privatisation of the 1990s. This gives ammunition to Lungu, who portrays himself as a humble man of the people. Another major mistake has been engaging the ruling party on their same terrain: during the campaign, occasional outbursts of violent retaliation were justified as self-defence, and inflammatory propaganda was rife in pro-UPND media as well. UPND should avoid playing into PFs provocations. The opposition needs all the support it can muster to make their case. But a non-violent approach, one that does not exclude peaceful mass protest, is essential to avoid a descent into chaos. Vito Laterza is a research fellow in the Department of Social Anthropology, University of Oslo. He is an anthropologist and political analyst focusing on politics, economy and society in sub-Saharan Africa. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Russias move is important for geopolitical reasons, showing its ability to deploy bombers overseas for combat missions. Russia has been conducting long-range bombing missions in Syria against forces opposed to President Bashar al-Assad since the first days of its intervention in last September. Flying from Russian territory, the majority of Moscows heavy bomber sorties have been undertaken by the Tu-22M3 Backfire aircraft. Alongside the powerful Su-34 Fullback, these Tu-22M3s are now conducting operations against targets in Syria from the Hamedan airbase in western Iran. The Tu-22M, which was first introduced into Soviet service during the 1970s, is a swing-wing supersonic bomber capable of carrying around 20 metric tonnes of bombs or cruise missiles. Today, it is predominantly used to drop large numbers of unguided dumb bombs from medium altitude on targets such as military camps and besieged cities. Shorter time Operationally, basing the Tu-22M in Iran will reduce by at least 60 percent the time needed to fly each combat mission over Syria, compared with flying from Russian bases. While will this certainly increase Russias capability to generate Tu-22M sorties over Syria, it is likely to have only a relatively modest effect sortie duration is far from the only factor limiting how many Tu-22M bombing missions Russias air force can generate. READ MORE: Russian jets bomb Syrian rebels from Iran The aircraft has traditionally not had good serviceability. In addition, the number of properly experienced and operational crews that Russia can field at any given time for its force of about 100 Tu-22Ms time is also limited due to funding challenges Finally, it is not clear how much of the expensive infrastructure investment that Tu22Ms require has been made in Irans Hamedan by Russia. If this deployment proves to be more of a political statement than a long-term operational basing move, then sortie rates for the bombers over Syria might actually be lower in the long term flying from Iran than Russia. Potent assets The Su-34, which is also reportedly flying from Hamedan, is Russias newest ground attack aircraft. It has been flying from Latakia in Syria to attack forces opposed to Assad since the early stages of Russias intervention. Yet, it was part of the contingent of aircraft publicly withdrawn from operations there in March 2016. Now that small numbers of these powerful attack aircraft are operating from Iran, they will actually be flying lower sortie rates than they had been able to from Latakia due to the greater transit distances involved. READ MORE: Russia rejects accusations of killing Syrian civilians However, part of the Russian decision to base Su-34s in Iran may be related to the destruction of four attack helicopters and 20 lorries loaded with missiles in eastern Homs in May by rocket fire from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group. The Russian air force still only has relatively small numbers of Su-34s and their propaganda value as modern potent assets is high. Thus, Moscow may be eager to keep them involved in their operations in Syria, without risking their destruction on the ground. Geopolitical move Overall then, in operational terms, the deployment of limited numbers of Tu-22M heavy bombers, and even smaller numbers of Su-34 fighter bombers, to Iran might have a limited effect in terms of increasing sortie rates to bomb targets in Syria. However, the significantly more capable, versatile and precise Su-34s were previously based at Latakia in Syria and could generate even more sorties from there so clearly that is not the main objective for them. Equally, the Tu-22Ms require significant support infrastructure investment in Hamedan to deliver more bombs on Syria than flying from Russia in the medium-long term. Even in such a case, these bombs will still be unguided and dropped carpet-bombing style from medium altitude on large targets, which limits their tactical utility and causes huge collateral damage and civilian casualties. This move, therefore, is far more significant in geopolitical terms than operational ones, as it shows that Russia like the US can and will deploy strategic bombers to overseas bases for combat operations. It also shows the Gulf Cooperation Countries nations that Iran like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia is prepared to host foreign strategic bombers for combat operations over other countries. Justin Bronk is a Research Analyst in Military Sciences at the Royal United Services Institute. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Australia agrees to shut Manus Island island, but it is unclear where the 800 refugees held in it will ultimately end. Australia and Papua New Guinea have agreed to close a controversial Australian-funded prison camp for asylum seekers on Manus Island, although the ultimate fate of 800 refugees held in the camp remains unclear. Under Australian law, anyone intercepted trying to reach the country by boat is sent for processing to detention centres on Manus Island, off Papua New Guinea (PNG), or the Pacific island of Nauru. They are never eligible to be resettled in Australia. Both Papua New Guinea and Australia are in agreement that the centre is to be closed, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter ONeill said in a statement on Wednesday, following a meeting with Peter Dutton, Australias immigration minister. A series of options are being advanced and implemented. It is important that this process is not rushed out but carried out in a careful manner. There was no mention of a closing date. Some asylum seekers have spent years in the camps, which have been criticised by the United Nations and human rights groups, with numerous reports of abuse and self-harm among detainees, including children. Some in PNG are unhappy at the prospect of hundreds of asylum seekers being resettled into their country, and there have been reports of refugees being attacked by locals. READ MORE: Report Australia deliberately ignores refugee abuse Australia says the policy is needed to stop asylum seekers dying at sea on the dangerous boat journey from Indonesia to Australia. Hundreds of people died attempting the trip in the years before the policy was put in place. Following his meeting with the PNG leader, Dutton reiterated Australias position that it would not accept any of the refugees held in Manus. It has been the long-standing position of this government to work with PNG to close Manus and support those people as they transition into PNG or return to their country of origin, Dutton said in a statement. Our position, confirmed again today with PNG, is that no one from Manus Island Regional Processing Centre will ever be settled in Australia. Reports of abuse The announcement came after a newspaper published leaked documents detailing more than 2,000 incidents of sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, reported over two years at the Nauru detention centre. The harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse at the camps have drawn wide criticism at home and abroad. In April, there was a court ruling in Papua New Guinea saying that the prison camp was unconstitutional, and Papua New Guinea has made it clear that they have wanted that camp to close, Al Jazeeras Andrew Thomas, reporting from Sydney, said. But this is the first time that Australia has suggested that its signed up to that as well. A spokesperson for the Australian ministry of immigration told our correspondent that the announcement was not a big development, but merely another step along the road towards the ultimate closure of the prison on Manus Island. There is a feeling here that there is momentum to get these prisons in other countries closed, Thomas said. The move to close the prison camp was immediately welcomed by refugee advocates. Nearly a thousand men on Manus have already lost three or more years of their lives locked up in limbo for no good reason, Elaine Pearson, Australia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement. Theyve endured dirty, cramped conditions, inadequate medical care and violence. Finally, it is time to let them move on with their lives in safety and dignity. Also on Wednesday, protesters in Sydney interrupted a speech by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, demanding the closure of offshore prison camps. Numerous people in the audience shouted Shame on you and Shut down Manus and Nauru, before they were escorted out of the event by security. That disruption it was a relatively low number of people involved, but the platform, managing to interrupt the prime ministers major speech on economic affairs, really does show what a big issue this is becoming, said Al Jazeeras Thomas. The prime minister had been expected to make a major economic address to members of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. The protesters, from a group called Whistle-blowers Activists Citizens Alliance, said the disruption was aimed at shaming Turnbull over his offshore detention policies. We have known for years that we are torturing, abusing and indefinitely detaining people on Manus Island and Nauru, spokeswoman Sam Castro told Australias state-owned public broadcaster ABC. It is not good enough for the immigration minister to brush it all under the carpet and say, there is nothing to see here I think it is appropriate for our parliament to investigate these matters. Philippine president says many of the Filipino drug addicts are no longer viable as human beings. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has hit out at very stupid United Nations criticism of his controversial war against illegal drugs that has claimed an estimated 1,000 lives, warning the global body not to interfere. Here comes the UN, easily swayed, and coming with a very stupid proposition, Duterte said in a speech on Wednesday at an event for police officers also attended by foreign diplomats. Why would the United Nations be so easily swayed into interfering in the affairs of this republic? Rodrigo Duterte: Shoot a drug dealer, get a medal Duterte said that while the UN was quick to criticise his administration, the world body is keeping silent on the violence in the Middle East. Referring to conflicts in the region, Duterte said he had not yet heard any public outcry targeted at countries who are bombing villages and communities, killing everybody there, including the goats and the cows and the dogs. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime had earlier condemned Dutertes apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings in his fight against illegal drugs and crime. According to police figures, more than 600 suspected drug users, pushers and traffickers have been killed since July 1 although some local media have put the death toll at 1,000. No longer viable as human beings But Duterte argued that the numbers were low compared with violence elsewhere in the world. Whats the problem? You inject politics. Only one thousand died and you put my country in peril, in jeopardy, he said. For those who are killed by drug syndicates, we can only investigate. But do not attribute the acts of other criminals upon my government. The 71-year-old president noted that millions in the Philippines are being devastated by drugs including drug addicts no longer viable as human beings on this planet. Duterte won the May election on a promise to wage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives. He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist rebels to join in the war against drugs. On Wednesday, at least 18 police officers were dismissed after testing positive of illegal drugs, according to the Manila-based news website, Rappler. He has repeatedly scoffed at human rights groups opposed to the killings, saying, I dont care about human rights. He has also threatened to declare martial law if the judiciary interferes with his policies. An institute in Saarbruecken is providing intensive, short-term practical therapy sessions for young asylum seekers. Saarbruecken, Germany Like most who have fled conflict, Alis path to asylum in Germany from Afghanistan has not been easy. The 17-year-old orphan slept in public toilets for two years and has been working for a living since the age of five. The trauma of war and the long journey to asylum still haunts the teenager. Evidence of his childhood ordeal is on display in the form of paintings on the walls of his room. My life has been marked by very negative events until now, Ali told Al Jazeera. Nobody helped me in Iran or the other countries I was in. These events haunt me, so I am trying to express this in my paintings. To help unaccompanied minors like Ali adjust to life in Germany, an institute in the city of Saarbruecken is providing an intensive short-term practical therapy called START. The emotion management scheme is tailored to the needs of young refugees, letting them realise and express their feelings openly. The professor who designed it says it is simple and effective. It helps rapidly and this is what they need to experience, because these patients are sometimes very distrustful of psychiatry, psychotherapist Eva Moehler said. So if they experience fast help and think after one session, Wow I can do this and this really helps and I can stop cutting myself or can stop pulling my hair out, it really helps. Just five weeks ago, Ali would repress emotions and thoughts related to his traumatic past, but now he expresses them on paper. READ MORE: The Syrian refugee giving back to Germany Hundreds of thousands of child refugees were admitted into Germany last year as part of the governments humanitarian open-door policy. Although many suffer from trauma, most do not receive the sort of care on offer in Saarbruecken. Psychotherapist Andrea Dixius believes the environment at the institute is integral to the therapys success. These children need surroundings that will help validate them, Dixius said. They shouldnt all be looked at as potential perpetrators of violent acts. The important thing is to integrate them and help them to do so. German government paper refers to Turkey as a central platform for action for Islamist groupings. Turkey has called on Germany for clarification after a confidential government document leaked to the German press referred to the country as a central platform for action for Islamist groupings. Turkeys foreign ministry said on Wednesday that the allegations were further evidence of the biased attitude that, for some time now, attempts to demoralise our country while taking aim at our president and government. In the statement, the ministry asked for a clarification from German courts, saying that Turkey was a country that always fights terror sincerely regardless of the origin. It also said that the same was expected from Turkeys partners and allies. German response Without confirming the contents of the paper, Germanys interior ministry admitted that it made a mistake in transmitting the classified written response to a politician without first consulting the foreign ministry. In an effort to calm the row, interior ministry spokesman Johannes Dimroth stressed the importance of Turkey in fighting armed groups. We are deeply convinced that Turkey is the most important partner with regard to the fight against the so-called Islamic State group, he said. The foreign ministry, meanwhile, refused to confirm the content of the document that was the response to a question from a Left party politician, which was published by German public broadcaster ARD. On what has been published in the media, we do not share the assessment as a whole, said Sawsan Chebli, the spokeswoman of the foreign ministry. READ MORE Erdogan to West: Mind your own business The official German document, seen by ARD, said the Islamisation of Turkeys domestic and foreign policy has made the country a hub for Islamist groups. As a result of the increasing Islamisation of Ankaras domestic and foreign policy since 2011, Turkey has become a central platform for action for Islamist groupings in the Middle East region, said an official response to an inquiry from the opposition Left Party. According to ARD, the document noted that the numerous statements of solidarity and action of support for the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and groups of armed Islamist opposition in Syria by the ruling party AKP and President [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan underline their ideological affinity to the Muslim Brothers. TIMELINE: Heres how the coup attempt unfolded The development was the latest blow to the ties between the two countries. Erdogan singled out Germany for criticism in his speech in early August, after a German court ruled against allowing him to appear on a video link to address a crowd of about 30,000 supporters and anti-coup demonstrators in the German city of Cologne. He accused Germany and the West in general in supporting the July 15 failed military coup that attempted to unseat him. Those we considered friends are siding with coup plotters and terrorists, he said. He complained that no foreign leader had visited Turkey after the coup attempt, while France and Belgium received visits in solidarity after attacks there. Soldiers advance on District One, the citys last area held by ISIL, after capturing key neighbourhood, military says. Forces loyal to Libyas internationally backed government say they are close to retaking Sirte from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group after capturing a key neighbourhood in the heart of the coastal city. The fighters, mainly from the nearby city of Misrata, said they were advancing on ISIL-held District One, after seizing District Two on Tuesday. District Two has been liberated, Reda Issa, a spokesman for the pro-government forces, told the Reuters news agency. The neighbourhood is now completely under control of our forces, he said, adding that his side had overcome fierce opposition from ISIL snipers and car bombs. The advance came a day after loyalists cleared and demined areas captured in earlier clashes. ISIL, also known as ISIS, seized control of Sirte, the birth place of Libyas overthrown leader Muammar Gaddafi, last year and controlled about 250km of the countrys Mediterranean coastline before forces aligned to the nascent, UN-brokered Government of National Accord (GNA) began operations against it in May. READ MORE: How serious is the ISIL threat in Libya? Since August 1, their progress has been aided by US air strikes on ISIL vehicles, weapons and fighting positions. US President Barack Obama said it was in Americas national security interest to help the pro-government forces finish the job of ousting ISIL from Sirte. The internationally backed governments forces and those of a rival authority in the east are currently engaged in a race to be the first to drive ISIL out of the city. But some analysts believe this could jeopardise efforts to defeat the armed group. Libya has suffered from chaos since the 2011 overthrow of Gaddafi, with numerous revolutionary militias formed along regional and ideological lines vying for power. One man shot dead and 12 wounded as at least half a million protest against alleged government corruption. A man has been shot dead by police at an anti-government rally in Guineas capital, according to officials, as more than half a million people protested against alleged state corruption. At least 12 others were injured in Tuesdays demonstration in Conakry, and six were taken for questioning, government officials told the AFP news agency Opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo said 700,000 people had joined a 15km procession from the suburbs to the 28 Septembre stadium in the west African nations capital. Security forces said the number was closer to 500,000, according to AFP. The dead man, named as Thierno Hamidou Diallo, 21, was shot in the chest by a police officer as he was sitting on the balcony of his apartment in the suburb of Bambeto, his brother Mamadou Dian Diallo said. Security Minister Abdoul Kabele Camara said that violence had broken out in late afternoon, leading to a police intervention in which gunshots caused one serious injury and one fatality. The police captain suspected of firing the shots had been identified and questioned, the minister said. READ MORE: Deadly clashes flare ahead of Guinea election The government of President Alpha Conde, who was re-elected last year, is blamed for mishandling the massive Simandou iron ore project in the south of the country managed by British-Australian firm Rio Tinto. Officials said in July that the challenges of getting the project off the ground during a global iron ore glut were considerable, but they would do everything to ensure it went on-stream. Guineas constitutional court in November 2015 formally confirmed Condes re-election, dismissing opposition claims of vote-rigging and fraud. It was only the second democratic presidential poll since Guinea gained independence from France in 1958. In addition to focusing on the economy, rights campaigners have urged Conde to use his second term to intensify the fight against impunity, strengthen the judiciary and promote equal respect for the rights of all Guineans. Despite the country being rich in minerals, most of the population in Guinea live in poverty and survive on less than one euro ($1.08) a day, according to the UN. Moscow says use of airbase does not violate a UN resolution that prohibits supplying fighter jets to Tehran. Russia has said its use of an Iranian airbase to carry out bombing missions in Syria does not violate a UN resolution that forbids supplying fighter jets to Tehran. There has been no supply, sale or transfer of combat jets to Iran, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Wednesday in comments reported by the Russian state news agency TASS. These jets are being used by Russian Air forces with Iranian consent within an anti-terrorist operation in Syria on the request of the legal Syrian government. Lavrov was responding to comments by US State Department spokesman Mark Toner, who said on Tuesday that Russia might be violating UN Security Council Resolution 2231 by using Iranian territory to launch air raids in Syria. The resolution bans the supply, sale or transfer of combat aircraft to Iran unless approved in advance by the UN Security Council. Toner also described Russias move as unfortunate but not surprising or unexpected, saying the air strikes that Russia says target the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant in Syria actually predominately target moderate Syrian opposition forces. READ MORE: Analysis Russias bombers come to Iran for air raids The defence ministry in Moscow said on Wednesday that Russian Su-34 warplanes took off from an airbase in Iran and conducted a raid against ISIL in the Syrian province of Deir al-Zour. The attack hit two ISIL command points and large training camps, eliminating more than 150 militants, the ministry said in comments carried by TASS. Al Jazeeras Reza Sayah, reporting from Gazientep on the Turkey-Syria border, said recent rebel victories, including the breaking of the siege of rebel-held Aleppo, may have been behind Russias decision to use the air base. In recent weeks, the rebels have gained some momentum, including the breaking of the governments siege of Aleppo. The recent battlefield victories are another reason why some expect the Russian air campaign to intensify with the help from the air base in Iran. On Tuesday, Russian fighter jets used an Iranian airbase for the first time for military actions in Syria, TASS reported. Abdul Jabbar al-Okaidi, an opposition leader and spokesman for the Free Syrian Army in Aleppo told Al Jazeera that the Russian move was not a surprise. Russia and Iran are partners in the killing of the Syrian people and partners in support of Assad. There is no reason to be surprised. This has become a game. First it was the Americans, then the Russians and now the Iranians. The only losers are the Syrian people who are being killed in the name of fighting terrorism. The airbase, in Irans western Hamadan region, is much closer to ISIL targets than the Khmeimim airbase, which Russia had previously been using, in coastal northern Syria. Russia and Iran are longtime allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Moscow and Washington support opposing sides in Syria. Thae Yong Ho is the most senior North Korean diplomat to defect to the south. A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest-ranking Northern officials to do so, the South Korean government said. Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family and is under the protection of the South Korean government, Seouls Unification Ministry said on Wednesday. Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee said Thae told South Korean officials that he decided to defect because of his disgust with the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. North Korea: Missile launch a test for nuclear strike Thae aspired for freedom in South Korea, and thought about his childrens future, Jeong was quoted by The Korea Times as saying. Thae was the second-highest official in North Koreas embassy, and is the most senior North Korean diplomat to defect to South Korea. In 1997, the North Korean ambassador to Egypt fled but resettled in the United States. Jeong refused to give further details about Thaes defection, citing possible diplomatic problems with a concerned country he did not identify. Britains Foreign Office also declined to comment. Unity in North weakening South Korea does not always make high-level defection cases public. Its revelation of Thaes defection came as its ties with its rival North Korea are at one of their lowest points in decades over the Norths nuclear ambitions. This is a major political prize for South Korea, Al Jazeeras Harry Fawcett, reporting from Seoul, said. The news comes as North Korea confirmed to Japans Kyodo news agency that it has restarted plutonium production at its Yongbyon nuclear plant. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, and South Korea has been working hard to apply more international pressure on the North. Jeong said Thaes defection could be a sign that unity in Kim Jong-uns ruling class is weakening. Analyst Chang Yong Seok at Seoul National Universitys Institute for Peace and Unification Studies disputed that assessment, saying there are no clear signs that Kims grip on power is being challenged. These have all been isolated cases that werent followed by a chain of defections by other officials, he said. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, senior lecturer in international relations at Kings College London, said a diplomatic defection could prove very valuable to South Korea, the US and other countries. He said it would allow intelligence services and military forces in other countries to learn more about the level of support that Kim Jong-un enjoys, as well as the Norths nuclear and missile programmes. Thae had worked at the North Korean Embassy in London for about 10 years, the Yonhap news agency said. Previously, he worked at its now-closed embassy in Denmark and spent a short period of time at its embassy in Sweden, it said. More than 29,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, according to South Korean government records. Move comes after tens of thousands of detentions made over the July 15 failed coup attempt. Turkey will grant early release to some 38,000 prisoners who committed crimes before July 1, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag has said, to make room for the tens of thousands of detentions made in connection with last months failed coup attempt. According to decrees published on Wednesday, the release will not apply to convicts guilty of murder, sexual crimes, terrorism or state security crimes, or to the thousands jailed after the July 15 attempted coup. The government decree, issued under Turkeys three-month long state of emergency, allows the release of inmates who have two years or less to serve of their prison terms. It also makes convicts who have served half of their prison terms eligible for parole. In a series of messages posted on Twitter on Wednesday, Bozdag said the move was not an amnesty, and that convicts were not being pardoned but released on parole. The regulation refers to crimes committed before July 2016. The crimes committed after July 1 2016 are outside its scope, Bozdag said. As a result of this regulation, approximately 38,000 people will be released from closed and open prisons at the first stage. Reports of overcrowding The government says the attempted coup was carried out by followers of a movement led by US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who have infiltrated the military and other state institutions. Gulen has denied any prior knowledge or involvement in the coup but Turkey is demanding that the United States extradite him. The Turkish government has launched a massive overhaul ostensibly aimed at Gulens supporters in the aftermath of the coup attempt. Some 35,000 people have been held for questioning, and more than 18,000 of them have been formally arrested to face trial, including soldiers, police, judges and journalists. Nearly 11,500 have since been released and 5,500 remain in custody, an official source told Al Jazeera. Tens of thousands of others with suspected links to Gulen have been suspended or dismissed from their jobs in the judiciary, media, education, health care, military and local government. READ MORE: How will the military shake-up affect Turkeys future? In a separate decree, also issued on Wednesday, the government dismissed another 2,360 officers from the police force, in addition to another 136 military officers and 196 employees from its information technology authority. Wednesdays decrees also allow the air force to hire new pilots or take back staff who had resigned or were discharged before the coup attempt to replace pilots who have been arrested or dismissed for alleged participation in the July 15 events or links to Gulen. The moves by the Turkish government have raised concerns among European nations and human rights organisations, who have urged Ankara to show restraint. Turkeys 180,000-person prisons were already filled to capacity before the crackdown on Gulens movement, with some rights groups claiming that inmates were forced to take turns to sleep on beds. Turkey has issued several prison amnesties over past decades to ease conditions in its prisons, but the measures proved unpopular with the public.. A court temporarily closes down Ozgur Gundem accusing it of continuously conducting propaganda for Kurdish fighters. A court in Turkey has ordered the interim closure of a newspaper for allegedly having links with Kurdish fighters waging a war against the state and spreading terrorist propaganda on behalf of them. The judgment on Tuesday by the Istanbul court accused the Ozgur Gundem paper of continuously conducting propaganda for Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and acting as if it is a publication of the armed terror organisation. The PKK, designated a terrorist group by Turkey, the European Union and the United States, took up arms against the Turkish state in 1984. More than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict. At least seven people, including three civilians, were killed on Monday in an attack on a police station blamed on PKK in the southeast of the country, which has seen some of the most intense fighting in decades after a ceasefire between the Turkish state and the PKK collapsed in July 2015. Press freedom violation On Tuesday, Turkish media showed photos and footage of police raiding Ozgur Gundems offices in Istanbul and arresting several journalists, reportedly including the newspapers management. The pro-Kurdish Democratic Peoples Party (HDP), an opposition party in the parliament, called the decision to close the newspaper a violation of press freedom. This court order has been issued in order to breach peoples freedom to information and their global human rights, Saruhan Oruc, the HDPs deputy leader said. Ozgur Gundem has previously been subjected to raids and legal action. Its offices have also come under attack, with dozens of its employees arrested and killed since the 1990s. Between 1994 and 2011, the paper remained closed due to a court order. Decision can be appealed Turkey has been in a state of emergency since a faction of soldiers in the Turkish army tried to take down the government on July 15. Since then, there has been a massive overhaul in the Turkish bureaucracy from police to judges to academics as the government seeks to remove state employees who support Fethullah Gulen, a US-based Muslim religious leader, who it claims is behind the coup attempt. VOX POPS: Turks pessimistic about future after coup attempt Scores of media organisations have also been closed in line with the government decrees under the emergency rule. A senior Turkish official told Al Jazeera, however, that the closure of Ozgur Gundem had nothing to do with the countrys current state of emergency. This is a court order as opposed to a decree and therefore is not related to the state of emergency, the official said. The defendants can appeal this decision. On Wednesday, Turkey issued two new decrees, dismissing thousands of police officers, army members and bureaucrats, Turkish media said. The unrecognised Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran will be demolished to make way for up to 10,000 Jewish Israelis. Umm al-Hiran, Israel With a sudden whoosh, a cloud of dust blew through the courtyard outside Raed Abu al-Qians home in Umm al-Hiran. This has been happening for three months now, since the digging started, he told Al Jazeera. Across the hillside, under the flags of Israel and the Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF), an excavator dropped a bucket of earth on to a massive and growing mound. Together, the Israeli state and the KKL-JNF an NGO that works closely with the government and owns around 13 percent of the land in Israel are building the new town of Hiran here in the Negev desert. As part of the towns master plan, the unrecognised Bedouin village of Umm al-Hiran will be demolished to make way for up to 10,000 Jewish Israelis. INTERACTIVE: Building the occupation Late last month, police arrived in Umm al-Hiran with a tractor and team of surveyors to build a fence next to the village. Five people were arrested as villagers protested against the police presence. Excavations have gathered speed this summer, with the KKL-JNFs spokesman, Dan Weinstein, noting that the organisation was involved in helping to build the future town. Its ongoing. Its the process of building a town general groundwork, preparing the ground for the construction of the town, he told Al Jazeera. Hiran is built on state land. Development has accelerated since Israels Supreme Court in May 2015 rejected an appeal by Umm al-Hiran residents against their eviction orders. Since that ruling, which posited that the village was built on state land, they have continued to live in the village under the constant threat of evictions and home demolitions. I am angry that as an Israeli citizen, they want to uproot me and bring a Jewish citizen instead of me, Abu al-Qian told Al Jazeera. And in such a progressive era, in a state that acts as a democracy, that is proud of being a democracy if the law says that you can uproot a Bedouin and destroy his home and do whatever you want, then what kind of democracy is that? Established in 1956, the village of Um al-Hiran has never been recognised by the state, and has not received any basic municipal services such as water, health or education facilities. The state has offered to move the villages 400 residents about eight kilometres to the southwestern urban township of Hura, which is one of seven state-planned towns specifically built to relocate Bedouin from rural villages. The by Aziz that Arabs were here, you wont find anything.] They give me only one choice, to move to Hura, which doesnt meet my needs. Weve seen the seven towns established by the state and theyre not suitable for Bedouin life, Abu al-Qian said. Hura is the worst. The violence there is bad. There are no employment opportunities, and unemployment leads to crime and violence. Around 25km northwest of Umm al-Hiran, another unrecognised village is facing a renewed threat to its existence. Over the past six years, the village of Araqib has been demolished by Israeli police 101 times under the pretext that the land is state-owned, while the KKL-JNF has planted a vast forest on much of the land that the villagers claim as their own. The residents of Araqib are involved in an ongoing court case against the state regarding ownership of the land. Haia Noach, chief executive of the Israeli human rights group Negev Coexistence Forum for Civil Equality, told Al Jazeera that the court last year recommended that the KKL-JNF refrain from planting any additional trees on the contested land until a final decision was reached. But as recently as July 17, the organisation established a new work camp close to the village and began work on the contested land, villagers said. Over the following week, six bulldozers carried out works in preparation for new forestation, likely to take place this coming winter. Its something they did before in 2013, said Noach. First of all, they are creating dams when there is a small wadi or a small creek, they will create some dams in order to drain the rain. Along the hills, they are making these small dams along the high line, where you drain the water to this small beach. Its the same system whereby Bedouin collected rain water. OPINION: Israeli settlements Unfortunate or illegal? In the village itself, a dozen residents sipped coffee in the shade of one of their few remaining trees as KKL-JNF bulldozers sat idle at the nearby work camp. Aziz al-Turi, who was arrested and released earlier that week as residents protested the cultivation work, said that planting on this land was an attempt to erase signs of Bedouin presence. The KKL-JNF has deleted our history here on this piece of land. They uprooted Arab trees our olive trees, grape trees, fig trees and cactus. If you see these trees, in your mind, you think it is an Arab area. The KKL-JNF uprooted these kinds of trees and is planting KKL-JNF trees, like eucalyptus and palm trees, Turi told Al Jazeera. The problem will be in the future, he added. After 10 years, it will be a big forest. When you travel in this forest and you want to find any [sign] that Arabs were here, you wont find anything. Weinstein, however, maintained that the KKL-JNF carried out planting work, but not on contested lands. It was planting and cultivation, regular work that KKL does from time to time in state lands or on its privately owned lands. Its all done according to law, he said, noting that the KKL-JNF is effectively a sub-contractor for the Israel Land Authority (ILA), a government agency that manages and leases public land in Israel. Noach maintained that Israel has been driving a policy of dispossession in the Negev. Its a tool of the state that is doing things on the ground, and so they confront the people on the ground, Noach said. The problem is the policy of dispossessing people with more and more manoeuvres to relocate them, to grab their land. Explore our interactive map to examine in detail the violent incidents in and around Nigeria from 2009 to 2016. Tensions are high on the island of Corsica as more French towns issue bans on the so-called burkini. A bikini or burkini? This is the debate that is going on across France at the moment. It began with the cancellation of a burkini event at a water theme park in Marseilles. Then just a few kilometres away from where the Nice attacks happened last month, the Riviera town of Cannes banned the full-body swimsuit on its public beaches. French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has expressed his support saying the swimsuit represents what he calls a provocation and an archaic vision. While only a small number of women have reportedly been fined $43 for breaking the new rule, several other towns have followed suit. On Sunday, four people were injured in the village of Sisco, in Corsica, during a brawl between locals and a group of women dressed in burkinis. The incident led to a local rally where 500 people gathered in the islands capital Bastia. Is this about secularism or keeping France safe? And what does it mean for muslim communities across Europe? Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault Guests: Jacques Myard French Member of Parliament and member of the opposition Republicans party Yasser Louati Human Rights and Civil Liberties Activist and former head of International Relations for the Collective Against Islamophobia in France Anne Giudicelli Security Analyst, and founder of the security risk consultancy firm, Terrorisc India has the worlds largest number of slaves, among them an increasing number of women and girls sold into marriage. India has one of the worlds fastest growing economies. But the southwest Asian country also has the largest number of slaves in the world. They injected me with drugs and beat me. Then I was sold on. by Jamila, a former bride slave In the midst of widespread poverty, fueled by economic inequality and rampant corruption, a new form of slavery bridal slavery has flourished. Women and young girls are sold for as little as $120 to men who often burden them with strenuous labour and abuse them. In a country where female children are sometimes considered a financial burden, the common practice of infanticide and gender-selective abortion has led to a shortfall in the number of women available for marriage something made all the more problematic by high dowry costs. Experts say this has encouraged bride trafficking. Jamila, a former bride slave, says her traffickers kidnapped and drugged her, before selling her to an abusive man. He would hit me and beat me day and night. I would have to work all day in the heat . Thats no life . Is it worth living? Shafiq Khan, who runs a grassroots organisation dedicated to tracking down bride traffickers and their victims, explains: The girls do equal amounts of work in two jobs. They are sex slaves, not just to one man but a group of 10 or 12 men. Apart from that there is agriculture working on the farms with animals from morning until night. This film was first broadcast on Al Jazeera English in 2011. 2005 .. The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the killing of at least 50 civilians on 13 August in the area of Rwangoma village, North Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), by suspected members of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). They expressed their deep concern regarding the persistence []http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Appa-sourceTheAfric... The blockchain has caught the fancy of banking executives, who see the system as a way to overhaul antiquated IT infrastructure. To be sure, the technology underlying much of finance is outdated by today's standards. With startups from Silicon Valley at the gate, banks are rightly looking to differentiate themselves and win customers through better technology. Blockchain provides the best technology available today for many applications, especially in the back office. Blockchain technology has several appealing features for the financial industry. Different parties can easily create a consensus on the current state of events, without having to transfer proprietary data back and forth among firms to be validated by each party. Add in smart contracts, and a lot (not all) of simple rules can easily get automated in the process. It is no wonder that many banks are creating internal working groups and consortiums to experiment with how the blockchain might fit into different markets. However, looking at blockchain as an application that solves some immediate business need may turn out to be a mistake in the long-run evolution of this technology. It is more plausible that the technology will evolve in a way that makes the blockchain a protocol layer, on which individual applications are then built. Such a system would be preferable in a global marketplace where no financial institution has to play in a system built by a competitor. It would also be preferred by regulators, because it standardizes applications and smart contracts, thus making it easier to monitor systemic risks. The blockchain does one thing really well: help different parties come to an irreversible consensus. That should be the protocol layer. Various applications can then be built on top of that foundation. For example, it is entirely possible to build an application that provides reversible transactions on a blockchain. Or create an automated piece of code (a smart contract) that "pays a dividend" if certain conditions are met. Given the base protocol blockchain layer, the industry can standardize and innovate on two aspects: defining financial instruments and defining processes around them. With blockchain as a protocol, the industry can come to a consensus based on defined rules on what constitutes financial instruments, from simple stocks and bonds to more complex swap options and collateralized debt obligations. The market will know an instrument when it sees one on the blockchain. In terms of defining the processes, blockchain as protocol can establish the characteristics of smart contracts, from settlement and custody to repo agreements and voting, that are carried out on the protocol. When does a bond pay a coupon, and how does it reach the beneficial owners? When is a swap option exercised? What happens when a firm defaults, holding on to repo agreements? When all such processes are built on top of a single protocol, it is easier to get a holistic picture of assets and systemic risk in the system. The alternative is that each pocket of the financial industry CDOs in North America, commodities in Frankfurt and futures in China build their own blockchain applications and corresponding smart contracts on their system. Such applications are unlikely to integrate well with other blockchains. It also makes it unlikely to be adopted by competing firms or consortiums. It makes the job of the regulators harder, since they need to vet many versions of blockchains and smart contracts promising to do the same or similar things. It is always possible to build restricted applications on top of open protocols (similar to online banking, which is a restricted application, built on top of the open internet protocols). If the underlying blockchain is a global protocol that financial companies from across the globe can access, the applications built on top of it can still restrict access and usage according to local laws. However, it would allow startups and smaller firms to innovate at the same level as large, global entities. An approach of building out a base-layer blockchain protocol with innovative applications on top of it would take more time to come to market than individual applications. However, over the long term, such an approach would provide better means of innovation and level the playing field among the industry participants. It would also help standardize a lot of the industry, thus making the market for financial services more transparent and cost-competitive. Siddharth Kalla is the chief technology officer of Acupay, a technology provider in New York specializing in cross-border finance. The views expressed are his own. Needham Bank in Massachusetts is searching for a new chief executive just 14 months after its current leader took over. The $1.9 billion-asset bank made Mark Whalen its CEO in June 2015 after a gradual transition from the longtime leadership of Jack McGeorge, who retired after decades as Needham's face in the community. Whalen announced July 21 that he planned to step down but would stay on as CEO until after his successor is hired. The Boston Business Journal reported Whalen's plans on Monday. "We think this could take a year or two, and we didn't set a date because we want to be prudent about Mark's successor," Senior Vice President Eric Morse told American Banker on Tuesday. Whalen plans to work with his successor "for a while" to help with the transition, after which he will serve as a director at the bank, Morse said. The bank has hired an executive search firm to help with its succession plans. Whalen, 58, started his banking career as a teller at Dedham Co-Operative Bank in Dedham, Mass., in 1982, according to his LinkedIn profile. He joined Needham Bank in 2007 and was appointed president and chief operating officer in 2012. After he relinquishes his CEO title, Whalen plans to use his degree in psychology to pursue a role with a not-for-profit, Morse said. "I think for many of us, as our careers progress, we reach milestones in our life where we start to think about something more than our career and what we'd like to do with the rest of our lives," he added. "Mark has been a banker his whole life and I think there's some intellectual curiosity to do something different." On August 12, 2016, Syrian Democratic Forces and Arab and Kurdish fighters liberated the Syrian city of Manbij, near the Turkish border. This stronghold that ISIS had held since early 2014 fell to the liberating forces after two months of heavy conflict. Local citizens had been abused and had been held hostage under the brutal rule of ISIS. On Liberation Day, they expressed joy and jubilation. Instantaneous photos showed the elation of the newly liberated women. They were getting rid of the niqabs (full body covered robes with a slit for the eyes) they had been forced to wear and setting fire to them. Other women took off their burqas (full body covering with mesh over the eyes). Men were busy shaving the beards ISIS had made them grow. This welcome event of women being liberated contrasts with the current acrimonious dispute in France over Muslim women wearing burkinis (a mix of burqa and bikini), the full-bodied gowns covering the head, used by them for the beach and swimming. Within one week in August 2016, mayors of two towns in the French Riviera, Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet, a few miles from Cannes, as well as in the village of Sisco in North Corsica, have banned the wearing of burkinis in public places. In addition, the left-wing mayor of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, a town near Marseille, cancelled a planned private event for women wearing burkinis. Different explanations, some political, some cultural, some out of concern for security, were given for the bans. The mayor of Cannes, David Lisnard, was conscious of possible violence after the tension resulting from the massacre of civilians in Nice, only 18 miles away, on July 14, 2016, when 85 people were killed, and of the possible disruption of public order. The mayor of Sisco made his decision after a brawl involving 500 people in his village between young Corsican men and men originating from North Africa. The brawl was occasioned by tourists taking photos of young women bathing in burkinis. The fight led to a number of injuries and material damage. The North Africans (Maghrebins) did not want the photos to be taken. Certainly, maintaining law and order is crucial. Yet these incidents raise the issue of free expression with which France has had to deal on many occasions, and the meaningfulness of the French principle of laicite (roughly, secularism) in relation to this issue. Since 2004, when France banned the wearing of religious clothes or conspicuous religious symbols in public schools, the country has made a number of regulations concerning the banning of burqas and niqabs. The European Court of Human Rights in 2014 upheld the ban of these garments as well as a ban on balaclavas and hoods. Other countries Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Catalonia, Spain, Chad, Cameroon, Niger, and Congo have also made full or partial bans on these items, but France has been on the forefront. In regard to the present controversy, France has two dilemmas, legal and philosophical. The legal problem is that its law provides for a ban on the covering of the face by women, but it has no law on the wearing of full-bodied swimsuits. Since burkinis do not hide the face, they logically cannot be banned under the law. The philosophical issue is the controversial one of freedom and limits to it. Those who promote free expression argue that Muslim women, like everyone else, have the right of self-determination and should be allowed to choose to wear burkinis in accordance with their religious beliefs. Their claim is that these garments do not signify or symbolize an allegiance to terrorism or to anti-regime violence. The counter-arguments, made in this case by the mayor of Cannes, are that one does not come to the beach to display religious conviction, that the wearing of the garment is, in fact, as ISIS has shown, a symbol of religion extremism, and above all, that it a violation of the secularism on which the French democratic republic rests. In fact, the Muslim religious argument does not have a basis in and is only partly relevant to Islamic doctrine. Muslims are, according to the Koran, expected to dress modestly and not reveal any part of the body except what is necessary. But it does not call specifically for full -body garments, burqas, or any other such clothing. The wearing of these garments is therefore a cultural tradition originating in Persia in the 10th century before slowly spreading to the Arabian Peninsula. The requirement that women wear these garments has been promoted since the 18th century by the extreme Wahhabist groups, starting from Saudi Arabia, in the Middle East. Only recently has the custom for women to wear these garments been partially adopted in South Asia, in West Africa, and in Afghanistan. Muslim women should recognize that, according to Muslim doctrine, the burqas and other similar garments are not religiously necessary, let alone essential or ordained. When the ban imposed in Cannes was challenged, a French court ruled in favor of the mayor, who it said has the authority to make rules on relations between public authorities and private individuals on the basis of religion, in effect allowing restrictions on religious expression. The mayor's decision was made on the basis of a number of relevant factors: the existence of the national emergency declared by President Francois Hollande in his war against terrorism; the fear that was the result of the Islamist attacks, especially the Nice massacre, in France; and the argument that the Muslim burqas were not respectful of good morals and the secular tradition of France. The tension between French secularism and Muslim sharia law and way of life, increasing because of the growth of the Muslim population, is a troubling problem for France. One French politician has been particularly forthright in stating a firm position. The outspoken, if occasionally indiscreet, French minister for women's rights, Laurence Rossignol, on behalf of the principle of freedom of women, has spoken on the issue of Muslim dress a number of times. In a television broadcast on March 30, 2016, she scolded the major fashion firms, H&M, Dolce and Gabbana, and Marks and Spencer, for selling product lines for Muslim women, including the burkinis, that "promoted the confinement of women." In commenting on the Cannes ban, Rossignol declared the burkini was something that was "profoundly archaic." That garment, she said, is not simply a new form of swimsuit, but is also a social product, "a vision of the place of women." Rossignol differentiated herself from the French hard right position, like that of the F.N. Her comment was not about criticizing Muslims as such, but about an organized faction promulgating the repression of women, against which France will continue to fight. The burkini, she asserted, hides the body. There is nothing modern in it. One must fight this "archaism" and its principles that hold women as impure and define the female body as a provocation to men and to society. Rossignol is right. Secularism is the right way, the right vision, for France. The "archaic" path severely harms women: it is imprisonment, not liberation. It is wrong for men, too. Its Wednesday November 9, 2016. It has been officially confirmed that Hillary Clinton has just been elected as the next President of the United States of America. Starting today, some have just come to the realization that there will be some serious unintended consequences. For instance: The entire discussion of building a wall on the southern border has finally been put to bed, once and for all. In fact, there is now discussion of tearing down the existing border fences and walls and allowing a completely open border. The time has finally come to grant all illegals and their families full amnesty. Hillary promised to grant such amnesty to all illegals within her first 100 days either through Congress or by executive action. We are about to welcome millions of new citizens, most of which will feel they owe a debt of gratitude to Hillary and will forevermore vote Democrat. The mainstream media is in full celebration mode, knowing they won, and that they successfully represented the very best interests of our Big Government and everything else that goes along with it. CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, the New York Times will party like drunken sailors. Plus, they have finally showed the world where the real power lies in the United States. We will quickly forget about Trumps idea of negotiating better trade deals; we will keep things just as they are. It will be deemed of no need to risk upsetting other countries, especially those that wont allow US goods into their countries. ObamaCare will get even more onerous. All of our new Hispanic and Mexican citizens will be entitled to this, too. Even though health insurance premiums and deductibles have skyrocketed under ObamaCare and will get much worse. Hillary has promised to double down even if that means even higher taxes, higher premiums, and higher deductibles. We will continue paying Iran the money they bargained for regardless of how much they hate us, and regardless of whether they have the flexibility within the Obama Iran agreement to build nuclear weapons on the sly. No doubt we will also pay ransom for captured US citizens of the correct political persuasion. Taxes are going up across the board. Even though many in our country pay no taxes while others pay tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes, those taxes still arent fair by Democrat standards. Rather, Democrats insist the rich need to pay their fair share. As a result, virtually all taxes will be increased to help fund an even bigger government. Of course, the whole idea of sovereignty will be trashed once and for all. We will accept the notion that other countries in the UN and global community will help the U.S. make its decisions, from a global perspective, so we can rely less on making our own (selfish) decisions that are only in our countrys best interests. The vision of globalization versus sovereignty, even though its is likely a lose/lose proposition for the U.S. in almost every way, will be the new mantra. It will make us all feel better about ourselves and about our earth. Black Lives Matter will continue to have an open door at the Clinton White House and serious discussion will begin about what BLM really wants, namely, reparations paid to all blacks by the white man. Climate change will be considered fact and established science, and there will be no further public debate permitted on the subject. Any scientist that denies climate change will be disqualified from any teaching job in any public university, and his/her career risk being totally at risk and at the least, discredited. Someone along the lines of an Al Gore will likely accept a role or czar job within the Clinton administration to further the Carbon Tax agenda. Loretta Lynch will likely have her job as attorney general extended and will continue to turn the other cheek when Democrats commit serious crimes, but she will vigorously enforce law and extract penalties for those of conservative leanings. Along that line, it will be essentially understood that you can break the law and get away with it as long as you are a Democrat. On the reverse side, Heaven only help you if youre a Republican. We will allow countries and any other parties with ample financial wherewithal to pay the U.S. government or Clinton Foundation-type organizations for favors, even if they are detrimental to the interests of the U.S. population. Last, the Supreme Court will be altered forever because the Democrats believe that our Founders lived in a different time and thus that the U.S. Constitution is outdated. In its place, all new justices will be liberal left-wing activists who will reinterpret the U.S. Constitution to better reflect the populace and lifestyles of the 21st century. Things like free speech will be changed so that nobody can freely talk about matters anti government, or any number of politically incorrect topics. Action will be taken to void the 2nd Amendment and eventually outlaw guns. Best of all, though, the all-powerful Mainstream Media has ruled that all of these things, as distasteful to some of them may be, is still a hell of a lot better than having someone like Donald Trump in office. Even though Trump promised the antithesis to every single one of these things, according to the MSM, Hillary and the #NeverTrumpers, he was unqualified. Unfortunately for him, he was never able to convert from a shoot-from-the-hip businessman to a politically correct politician And besides, we all knew better: He never really intended to make America Great Again like he preached. We now see that his campaign was always about him, his wealth, and his drawing of even more visitors to his properties around the world. We knew he could care less about the future direction of the United States of America. If all this happens the Morning After, we can only pray well be here to discuss brighter prospects the Year After. With some weeks now past since the event, the Brexit doom and gloom-mongers have taken a well deserved break from conjuring up the imminent demise of the U.K., the EU, and perhaps the world itself. This may be an appropriate opportunity to consider whether or not there might be an even better candidate for such end-of-times prognostications: Germany. On the face of it, this is surely preposterous. Europe's largest economy, its most stable government, and the main if not only pillar of the EU and the euro is hardly a destabilizing factor, most would agree. Germany may indeed be all of that, but only in comparison to the rest of the EU, which has been stagnating economically for a decade and is beset by major political instability and terrorism. Since 2007, German labor productivity growth has been close to zero, while GDP growth has averaged a miserable 0.8% per annum, even as Germany's largest company, Volkswagen, is being prosecuted around the world for cheating, while its very symbol of stability, Deutsche Bank, has been called by the IMF "the biggest contributor to risk in global finance." Serious as these are, much more disturbing are unmistakable trends that Germany may be going in directions hardly congenial to European and Western policies vis-a-vis Russia. A case in point is the new Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, designed to bring up to 80% of the Russian gas supply to Europe while bypassing Ukraine and Eastern Europe. A blatantly political ploy by Mr. Putin and Gazprom, it will guarantee that Moscow can blackmail Eastern Europe at will. Despite that, the project enjoys support not only among companies likely to profit from Nord Stream 2, but also by significant parts of the German establishment, including Chancellor Angela Merkel, who quite disingenuously claims that it is just a commercial project. To understand why this is now possible in Germany, one must note the rapid growth of pro-Russian, anti-Western, and anti-American sentiments in all segments of German society of late. These attitudes often run counter to the official policies of the Merkel government, which may actually make them even more significant. Mrs. Merkel, for instance, is known as a key supporter and architect of the sanctions regime against Russia following its aggression against Ukraine, yet her government coalition partner, the social-democratic party (SPD), argues ever more forcefully that the sanctions should be lifted or, at the very least, made less onerous. This not only undermines the authority of the Berlin government, but also makes the continuation of the sanctions when they expire at the end of the year unlikely. This will please Germany's export community, but only at the cost of outraging its partners in Eastern Europe. Even more striking is the emerging anti-Western consensus among radical parties at both extremes of the political spectrum. The former communist party of East Germany now repackaged as "Die Linke" and the right-wing, anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) share essentially identical anti-Western and anti-American platforms that call for disbanding NATO and a new security alliance with Russia. These parties may be extreme, but they are not without influence. Die Linke is currently in power in one German state (Thuringia), while the AfD is supported by 12% of German voters according to the latest polls. NATO is being undermined from yet another side, and that is the renewed EU discussions of the ostensible need for a European army independent of NATO. Both European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker and French president Francois Hollande have publicly supported the idea, and so have German officials, who cite the limited German-Dutch armed forces integration as a model. The idea is, of course, complete nonsense if for no other reason than because no EU country is even contemplating, let alone seriously considering the massive amounts of money that would have to be spent to bring this about. It is nonetheless a dangerous bit of nonsense, since nothing will deny NATO's very raison d'etre, and with it American commitment to the defense of Europe, faster than a standing European army outside the alliance command structures. Finally, the most destabilizing German policy by far continues to be immigration policy. Despite signs that it is an abject failure, Mrs. Merkel insists on continuing on the same course, leading to even greater conflict with Eastern Europe and others (Brexit) that reject it wholesale. Poland has already announced that it will refuse to take any migrants, while Czech president Milos Zeman, a socialist, has called for a referendum on EU membership and even urged the Czechs to arm themselves for self-defense. Merkel government officials have already proclaimed their migrant policies to be a success, but such claims should be taken with a large chunk of salt. Here are the available statistics. In 2015, 1.1 million migrants came to Germany after Merkel essentially invited them in on Sept. 4, 2015. Of those, 476,649 applied for political asylum. The rest neither applied nor left the country, and their whereabouts are not known. According to Eurostat, in the first quarter of 2016, 287,100 migrants, or nearly 100,000 more than in 2015 applied for asylum in the EU, which would mean that even if migrants to Germany have fallen off from the 2015 pace, the EU as a whole will get more than 1 million by the end of the year, and a similar number is expected in 2017. More important than the sheer numbers is what this massive influx means for society. Even though German authorities try to suppress such information, there is overwhelming evidence that rape and sexual assault by migrants has reached epidemic proportions in all 16 federal states, as documented in this report by the Gatestone Institute. More troubling still is evidence that large numbers of terrorists and jihadists have used the migrant wave to organize "hit squads" in Germany. According to Bavarian intelligence official Manfred Hauser, "irrefutable evidence exists that there is an IS [Islamic State] command structure in place." What all of this means for German and European security should not be difficult to foresee. German officials openly acknowledge that the police cannot handle this massive threat and are now openly discussing setting in place a 400,000-strong "national guard" type of organization. Before they do that, it might be useful to first consider changing Mrs. Merkel's failed policies. The human brain because is good at recognizing patterns that foster survival. However, it is poor at predicting the future. This election season is indicative of this flaw. The accepted paradigm between left and right, continued antagonism between the USA and other nations, and money and media advertisements is essential for electoral success. We are in the midst of a major restructuring of the world because of the digital revolution. The advantages are obvious: unlimited information at our fingertips and the ability to communicate with anyone anywhere any time. However, the dark underbelly of this technology is that a small, rich, educated elite has unlimited influence throughout the world. For them now is the time to fulfill the 100-year-old dream of a small group of enlightened individuals to humanely and efficiently manage the world to create Utopia. The United Nations , the EU, and multilayered trade deals are steps along this path. The major issues of our time are nationalism versus internationalism, elites versus individuals, and freedom versus tyranny . The elite, no matter their residence, have more in common among themselves than with their countries of origin. They can avoid the consequences of their policies e.g., unfettered immigration and bloated bureaucracies. The genius of Donald Trump, who has set all the parameters of this campaign, has recognized this shift and is trying to stem the tide. Predictably, he is suffering from all sides unprecedented opposition. Nonetheless, he still is in the race because of his message, political instincts, and ability to command all forms of media. He takes a boxer's instincts to the race: be fit, be persistent, be punishing, and always be on offense. People forget that when the Soviet Union fell, it was totally unexpected by the so-called experts. Reagan's massive electoral victories were also missed. Trump is waging a continuous and accelerated offensive: two to three rallies to large crowds, often unrehearsed, compared to Hillary's less frequent, poorly attended, staged events. He presents a 30-year history of achievement while she presents a resume of positions without positive consequences some would say with disastrous results. He presents proposals that should help our economy, while she is promising much what we already have. This is beginning to have an effect. She is looking ever more frail. Questions about her health are becoming more common. In the digital age, a bloated control-and-command country and campaign loses badly to a lean and mean machine. Think Ali defeating Foreman. Trump presents a message he deeply believes. He doesn't need someone to modify his message for a particular audience. He wants to punch through the media, and possibly, with the help of further damaging emails, he will get Hillary and the media to say "no mas." A recent poll of Washington DC elites shows that they overwhelmingly support Clinton - 62% vs. the 22% who support Trump. This should be astonishing because these are the people who know better than the rest of the population just how corrupt the Clintons are. They know the dark and dirty details of all their scandals, from Whitewater to Benghazi, to her private server and the pay-to-play scheme that is the Clinton Foundation. And they don't care! Sixty-two per cent of them could care less that a woman who has been part of the political scene for thirty years and accomplished exactly nothing but selling access to corporate donors foreign and domestic in order to enrich herself may well become President of the United States. They know she was fired from the Watergate Committee for lying and taking home documents. They know she fired all the people who worked in the White House Travel Office so she could give those jobs to her friends. They know she stole nine-hundred FBI files when she left the White House the first time around (and likely uses them when needed), as well as other artifacts that belonged to the White House. They know she was the person in charge of harassing the women her husband abused to keep them from speaking out. They know she made up the story about the deaths in Benghazi being caused by a video and that she lied to the parents of the dead over their caskets. They know she lied to Congress, numerous times, about Benghazi, about her private server, about the emails she did not turn over. They have read all those emails released by hackers: hers, the DNC's, Soros', etc. That is a short list of what they know about Hillary Clinton. They know without a shred of doubt that she is a women bereft of character and still they support her for the highest office in the land! Could there be a sadder commentary on the character of those DC elites? These are likely the same DC insiders who rage against Trump for a wide variety of reasons, many of them justified but many of them media-created; the media are on a mission to see that Trump is defeated no matter how creatively deceitful they have to be. There is no trick of their trade too low if it can do damage to Trump. These swells feel so superior to Trump and those who support him, they have no qualms about their attempts to destroy him. Trump supporters, in their view, are not to be listened to, ever. They are to be mocked and ignored. Apparently there are slightly more conservatives with a residual moral sense; only 37% of them support Trump. The outlier candidate is clearly a threat to just about everyone inside the Beltway. He does not play by their rules. He does not speak like they do. He violates just about every precept by which they order their lives. And they don't like upstarts. And that is precisely why so many people outside of that fancy, privileged bit of real estate do like him, no matter how outrageously he behaves, no matter what he says carelessly. The media is awash with polls that scream Trump is losing and the mainstreamers are gleeful and relieved as they pronounce his presumed fall. They are certain they have succeeded in bringing him down hard. And he so generously keeps giving them openings for their journalistic treachery. But thousands of people are still showing up at his rallies; only hundreds show up at hers. He says he is raising lots money from small donors. We know she raises lots of money from billionaires like George Soros, who apparently have a great deal of influence over her. Soros sees himself as a grand puppet master and he has purchased many puppets. Hillary is just one of those who did his bidding when she was Secretary of State. As Hillary shrieks tired old cliched promises at her audiences, Trump is gradually becoming a bit more serious, perhaps more palatable to his many detractors on both sides of the aisle. She wants open borders, he wants America to remain a nation with defensible borders. She wants to import hundreds of thousands of Muslim refugees from the Middle East (the Christians have nearly all been killed). He favors halting immigration from terrorist nations until a reliable vetting process can be devised. Like Obama, she is anti-police, he is pro-police. The election is not over. But we know for sure that those DC elites could care less that the person they support is pathological liar, incompetent at foreign policy and national security, a woman for whom amassing great wealth and the power that comes with it is and has always been her singular purpose in life. We also know that the majority of the powers that be in Washington DC do not care one bit about the moral character of their candidate. The machine that is the Leftist-dominated media may well succeed in defeating Trump. What will they get for their efforts? Hillary Clinton, the most corrupt candidate for the presidency in American history and a harbinger of horrors yet to come. Here's wishing righty wakes up in time to win with Donald Trump. Here's longing that anti-Trump conservatives: 1. Recognize their sabotage. 2. Go all in with Donald. 3. Cash in with victory on Nov. 8. In my mystic musing, an October Surprise has: Mitt Romney lauding Trump's tax cuts, with businesses' burden dropping to 15% from 35% so they won't leave heavy-handed America for open arms overseas. Ted Cruz applauding Trump's gun grip, knowing full well the Second Amendment will stay loaded. Ben Sasse cheering Trump's Supreme Court calls, seeing that top talents Diane Sykes and William Pryor are on the New Yorker's justice list. Jeb Bush extolling Trump's terror battle, outlined by the 45th president: "My administration will aggressively pursue joint and coalition military operations to crush and destroy ISIS, international cooperation to cut off their funding, expanded intelligence sharing, and cyberwarfare to disrupt and disable their propaganda and recruiting." Bill Kristol hailing Trump's Israel loyalty, a lock after the tycoon's recent ISIS speech: "We will work side by side with our friends in the Middle East, including our greatest ally, Israel." Ben Shapiro commending Trump's balanced budget contour. Mark Levin glorifying Trump's Wall, which will halt the exorbitant flood from Mexico and stop crime in its tracks. John McCain praising Trump's Muslim moat, especially after the GOP nominee underscored that we cannot "let the hateful ideology of radical Islam its oppression of women, gays, children and nonbelievers be allowed to reside or spread within" America. Brent Bozell endorsing Trump's mission to erase Obamacare in favor of a private plan with low-cost interstate insurance. Dana Loesch encouraging Trump's law and order toughness amid a country burning like it's 1968. George Will complimenting Trump's attack on the crummy Veterans Affairs Department. Thomas Sowell giving Trump an A for targeting Common Core in favor of local school sanity. Jonah Goldberg exalting Trump's patriotism, spelled out by Donald's defense of America's A-bomb end to WWII: "Do you remember this thing called Pearl Harbor? It turned out we were stronger, meaner, and smarter." Maybe this is all a pipe dream. Could be the anti-Trump crowd will cut off its nose to spite its smug face no matter how ugly a Hillary presidency looks. No matter how her high court picks and mass Muslim migration will ruin America. I hold out hope for an Autumn Awakening. Just as Ben Carson and Chris Christie unlike Killjoy Kasich shook off the primary bloodletting to rally around Trump. In the 1957 flick The Bridge on the River Kwai, Alec Guinness realizes his treachery in time to blow up the Japanese prize. "What have I done?" he says before falling on the plunger. There's time for Romney & Co. to do the same: stand for what's right, derail Hillary, and ride the Trump Train to triumph. Bucky Fox is an author and editor in Southern California. In June, Democratic representative Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania was found guilty of money laundering, bank fraud, mail and wire fraud. In July, Corrine Brown, a Democratic representative from Florida, was charged with running a fake charity, mail and wire fraud, and conspiracy and tax fraud. On August 4th Democratic Mayor Richard Silverhorne of Fairfax, Virginia was arrested for trying to trade meth for group sex. On August 15th, Kathleen Kane, the Democratic attorney general from Pennsylvania was found guilty of leaking Grand Jury information and committing perjury. Maybe the courts have hit their quota on charging Democrats with perjury or charity fraud and that is why Hillary, Eric Holder, and Lois Lerner are allowed to skate. Of course Bill Clinton, known perjurer, is still a hero for Democrats and the convicted felon George Soros is a well-known advisor to Bill, Obama, Hillary, and Kaine and major supporter of groups like Black Lives Matter. I am sure the media will focus like a laser beam on how many Democrats have been found guilty or been charged lately They will focus as much as they have on the four strange deaths related to the Democrats who have died since June 22nd. I would think reporters might at least be curious, but they arent, for the same reason they have no time to focus on Hillarys scandal. They have to focus 100% on taking down Trump. In Santo Domingo Este of Dominican Republic, is a towering monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus. Its called Faro a Colon, which is Spanish for Columbus Lighthouse, so named because of its powerful lighting system consisting up nearly 150 searchlight beams that project a gigantic cross in the sky. The beams are so powerful that they can be seen as far away as Puerto Rico. Unfortunately, when the 70-kilowatt beams are turned on it causes a power blackout in the immediate neighborhood, which is why they are rarely switched on. There is another thing that makes Faro a Colon a special attraction: it is purported to contain the remains of Christopher Columbus, a claim that is, however, challenged by the Cathedral of Seville, in Spain. Photo credit: Nicolas Lope de Barrios/Flickr Christopher Columbus died on May 20, 1506, in Valladolid, Spain. He was originally buried in a small monastery at Valladolid, but three years later was moved to the monastery of La Cartuja in Seville by the will of his son Diego Colon. In 1542, he was dug up again and transferred to Santo Domingo, in the present-day Dominican Republic, this time by the order of his widow so as to fulfill the wishes of the explorer that he be buried in the land he loved most. But Columbus was not destined to rest there forever. Some two hundred fifty years later, in 1795, France ousted the Spanish and took control over the entire island of Hispaniola, which today comprises the Dominican Republic and Haiti. When the Spaniards left, they took Columbus's remains with them to Havana, Cuba. After Cuba became independent following the SpanishAmerican War in 1898, the remains were moved back to Spain, to the Cathedral of Seville. But back in Santo Domingo, construction workers dug up a lead box bearing the inscription, "Illustrious and distinguished male, don Cristobal Colon," which is Spanish for Christopher Columbus. Inside the box were some bone fragments. Dominicans claim that the Spaniards took the wrong body back in 1795, but DNA comparison of samples recovered from the body in Seville with that of Columbus's brother, Diego, who is also buried in Seville, seems to point that Spain does have the right body. Researchers have been trying for years to convince the Dominican Republic to lend samples of the remains in their possession for DNA analysis, so that the mystery surrounding Christopher Columbus' burial place can be put to rest, but the Dominicans would not allow the remains to be tested. So who has the right body? Its hard to say. Columbus bones have been moved so many times that there is genuine doubt as to where they have ended up. There is also the possibility that they might have actually divided between Spain and the Dominican Republic, which means that the explorer rests in both countries. Photo credit: Andries3/Flickr Photo credit: Daniel Lobo/Flickr Photo credit: Daniel Lobo/Flickr Photo credit: Nicolas Lope de Barrios/Flickr Photo credit: Daniel Lobo/Flickr Source: Wikipedia / Frommers / NBCNews / www.carnaval.com Google and Russias Federal Anti-Monopoly Service have failed to reach an out-of-court settlement agreement on in regards to a case set against Google over Android, following the fine that it had levied on the company last week. This fine, amounting to 438 ruble (approximately $6.85 billion) follows a 2015 ruling that Google abused its smartphone market dominance. In this case, the issue is that Googles licensing rules require manufacturers to include a number of Google applications should they wish to install and use Android, the open-source operating system, on their smartphones and tablets. Googles Russian competitor, Yandex, complained to the authorities in 2014 that Google was forcing manufacturers to both include the Google Search and other services along with the Google Play Store on Android-powered devices, but also that Google blocked manufacturers from installing competitor services. Google was found guilty of breaking competition laws following an investigation, but appealed the verdict. The original verdict was upheld in March this year after an appeal hearing and the fine levied, plus a requirement that Google changes how its bundled services work for manufacturers building Android devices and selling them into the Russian market. Google again lodged an appeal and the Federal Anti-Monopoly Service explained that an out-of-court settlement could be reached providing Google admitted to violations of Russian antitrust laws and pay a fine. However, according to the FAS head of the Department for Regulation of Telecommunications and Information Technology, Elena Zaeva: The talks with Google on the issue of the settlement agreement have come to nothing. Now its up to the court to draw a line under this case. Googles appeal will be heard tomorrow (Wednesday) in Russia. Google is no stranger to anti-trust lawsuits and has faced off against a number of governments around the world. For the Russian case, Russian authorities may only fine a business up to 15% of its domestic earnings but this figure is higher in many other parts of the world including the European Union, which is currently challenging Google with a similar antitrust case. It will be interesting to see how Google relaxes its bundled application policies for customer devices and what applications manufacturers are keen to remove from devices, plus what alternatives the industry will be putting onto devices going forward, and whether or not the changes will be drastic enough for the consumer to notice a significant difference. Samsung is the largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, though theyre not doing all that well in the largest smartphone market in the world, China. The company has been having issues competing in the Chinese market, and while theyre trying to change that, theyre also trying to push as many of their phones to India as possible, considering India is the second largest smartphone market in the world, and also one of the fastest growing markets at the moment. Samsung had recently introduced their new Galaxy Note 7 phablet in India, and it seems like theyre planning to launch yet another device soon, read on. According to FoneArenas sources, Samsung is planning to launch a 5,000mAh battery smartphone in India next month. Now, according to the insider, this handset will be a part of the A series of smartphones, and will be a Pro device, while its price will be around Rs. 35,000 ($523). Now, judging by these parameters, Samsung is getting ready to introduce the Galaxy A9 Pro to the Indian smartphone market, as this is the only Galaxy-branded device that fits in. This phablet was originally introduced in China back in March, and its actually a really well-specced device. The Galaxy A9 Pro features a 6-inch 1080p AMOLED 2.5D curved display, 4GB of RAM and 32GB of expandable internal storage. The device is fueled by the Snapdragon 652 64-bit octa-core processor, while the Adreno 510 GPU is here for graphics rendering. The 16-megapixel OIS shooter (f/1.9 aperture) is placed on the back of this phone, while an 8-megapixel snapper (f/1.9 aperture) can be found up front. The 5,000mAh battery is placed on the inside of this handset, and it is not removable, while it offers fast charging. The physical key which is placed below the display doubles as a fingerprint scanner, and there are also two SIM card slots available here. Android 5.1.1 Lollipop comes pre-installed on the device, and on top of it, youll find Samsungs custom UI. Now, this phablet is priced at 3,499 Yuan ($527) in China, which translates to Rs. 35,765 in India, and if FoneArenas insider gave the right info, thats the approximate pricing in India as well. We still dont know the exact launch date, but you can expect it to arrive next month. As some of you might remember, Samsung had opted not to release the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 in Europe last year. Many consumers were extremely frustrated, and it seems like Samsung has learned its lesson. The company had confirmed earlier this month that the Galaxy Note 7 is coming to Europe. Now, the device is already available (for pre-order) through some carriers and retailers in Europe, like Vodafone UK and Carphone Warehouse we talked about yesterday, but it seems like Samsung is facing a demand-supply issues when it comes to official pre-order channels, read on. So, what does this mean? Well, considering that the demand for this phablet is so high, Samsung might have limited numbers of units to sell in Europe, to those of you who have decided to pre-order the device. The company did, however, ensure that it has enough units of the Galaxy Note 7 to fill the store shelves once the phone gets officially released, so that the retailers have units to sell in Europe. This is not the first obstacle Samsung has faced, the company had to postpone the launch of the device in several markets recently because they simply cannot meet the demand. The company is, however, working on increasing the production capacity for the Galaxy Note 7, even though thats not exactly an easy task considering the amount of technology that gets packed in this smartphone. Samsung is trying to get as many suppliers for Galaxy Note 7 parts as possible in order to push out more devices. It is also worth mentioning that the Galaxy Note 7 will be officially released in Europe (for retail purchases) on September 2nd, for those of you who are interested in getting one. Market reaction, combined with extremely positive feedback from our carrier and retail partners, indicates that the Note 7 will exceed our original sales forecasts for the region by some distance. As such, the number of pre-order units will be limited due to the unprecedented demand, said Conor Pierce, Samsungs Vice President of IT and mobile for UK and Ireland. The Galaxy Note 7 is a phablet made out of metal and glass, and also the most powerful device Samsung had released to date. It packs in a 5.7-inch QHD Dual Edge Super AMOLED display, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of internal storage, and it is fueled by the Exynos 8890 64-bit octa-core SoC in Europe, while the Snapdragon 820 fuels the phone in some other markets (US, for example). SHENYANG - A gang of 38 tomb raiders have been jailed in northeast China's Liaoning Province. They were involved in 36 cases of stealing from ancient ruins, including from a state-level protected heritage site dating back 1,000 years, a local court said Tuesday. Gang leader Wu Anjie, 48, was given a jail term of 11 years and six months. Other sentences ranged from one year to nine years, according to a statement issued by the Benxi Intermediate People's Court. Using a metal detector, the gang stole from tombs and other ancient ruins from 2006 to 2014, obtaining gold earrings, the pearl accessories of ancient officials, copper coins, and ancient pots with significant historical, artistic and research value. In the most prominent case, a state-level ruin in Liaoyang containing a porcelain kiln from the Liao (916-1125), Jin (960-1276) and Yuan dynasties (1271-1368) was seriously damaged when the gang stole significant historical and cultural artifacts from the ruins in 2006 and 2007. The court made its final ruling in late July. The tomb theft case follows the largest case of its kind in modern China, when 175 member tomb thieves stole artifacts valued at more than 500 million yuan (about 75 million U.S. dollars). In April this year, the gang leader Yao Yuzhong was sentenced to death with a two year reprieve. Free speech for Anjem Choudary: Twitter backed the Devil but banned Milo Yiannopoulos So, farewell, Anjem Choudary, the UKs leading gurning face of Islam. Choudary took over from hook-handed Abu Hamza and Tottenham Taliban Omar Bakri as a the countrys Islamist-in-residence. But his carer is near its end. Britains most controversial hate preacher, is today behind bars after finally being convicted of terrorism offences. The 49-year-old firebrand cleric, who has helped radicalise a generation of would be terrorists, was found guilty of inviting support for a banned organisation after swearing an oath of allegiance to Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil). The Sun sees it as a victory for good over evil. The Devil is locked up: Did you follow Anjem on social media? The Guardian notes: Social media giants had the last word on Anjem Choudarys online posts, even after he was arrested for inviting support for Islamic State. British authorities made repeated efforts to get his Twitter posts and YouTube videos taken down after an oath of allegiance to the Caliphate surfaced online with the preachers name on it, jurors at the Old Bailey were told during his trial in July. But they had no power to force corporations to remove material from the internet even if it was believed to have fallen foul of UK anti-terror laws. Choudary was not censored by censorious Twitter. Good. Free speech means just that. No buts. The BBC adds: Supporters of Choudary included: Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, the murderers of soldier Lee Rigby Suspected IS executioner Siddhartha Dhar Omar Sharif, a British suicide bomber who attacked Tel Aviv in 2003 Brusthom Ziamani, jailed 12 years later for planning to kill in the streets of London Sky continues: The jury took less than three days in July to find Choudary and his co-accused Mizanur Rahman, 32, unanimously guilty of inviting support for a terrorist organisation. Choudary and Rahman were found guilty on 28 July, but for legal reasons the verdicts could only be reported on Tuesday. Choudarys key lieutenant, Siddhartha Dhar, was arrested at the same time as him in police raids in 2014. Dhar later skipped bail and fled to Syria with his young family, where he began taunting the UK authorities with a series of pictures and online posts. The Mail says Choudary has been nailed, which is another way of saying crucified. In other news, Twitter banned Milo Yiannopoulos; it did not ban Anjem Choudary. Remember when Twitter was the free-speech wing of the free-speech party? Anorak Posted: 17th, August 2016 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Bachabaze, gang rape and Afghan asylum seekers Do they have Yew Trees is Afghanistan? The Indy has news of a suspected rape: Four-year-old child refugee raped by Afghan man at centre for asylum seekers in Germany The boys dad came running: He found his son and an old man with their trousers down, the Schleswig-Holsteinische Zeitungsverlag newspaper reported. The father told the court he asked the man what he was doing with the boy, and was told he had been helping him go to the toilet The four-year-old later told his parents he had been forced to perform oral sex on the man an allegation prosecutors have supported with DNA evidence. Police said the 22-year-old suspect was immediately arrested on suspicion of aggravated sexual abuse of child. Is 22 an old man? He denies the allegation, while another Afghan man, 29, denies threatening the victims brother with a knife when he tried to stop the attack. All for the courts to decide. Meanwhile For centuries, Afghan men have taken boys, roughly 9 to 15 years old, as lovers. Some research suggests that half the Pashtun tribal members in Kandahar and other southern towns are bacha baz, the term for an older man with a boy lover. Literally it means boy player. The men like to boast about it. Having a boy has become a custom for us, Enayatullah, a 42-year-old in Baghlan province, told a Reuters reporter. Whoever wants to show off should have a boy. The BBC adds: In Afghanistan women are not allowed to dance in public, but boys can be made to dance in womens clothing and they are often sexually abused People call it bachabaze which literally means playing with boys. The most disturbing thing is what happens after the parties. Often the boys are taken to hotels and sexually abused. The men behind the practice are often wealthy and powerful. Tell the police? In his last phone call home, Lance Cpl. Gregory Buckley Jr. told his father what was troubling him: From his bunk in southern Afghanistan, he could hear Afghan police officers sexually abusing boys they had brought to the base. At night we can hear them screaming, but were not allowed to do anything about it, the Marines father, Gregory Buckley Sr., recalled his son telling him before he was shot to death at the base in 2012. He urged his son to tell his superiors. My son said that his officers told him to look the other way because its their culture. How do you plead? Anorak Posted: 17th, August 2016 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Transfer balls: pig-headed Chelsea reserve Cesc Fabregas want Real Madrid move Transfer balls: what news of Cesc Fabregas, the former Arsenal captain who left for his beloved Barcelona and now warms the bench at Chelsea? The Daily Express has some, reporting on August 15: Chelsea have offered star [Fabregas] to Real Madrid The Mirror confirmed the news: One day one and the Sun added: Chelsea transfer news: Cesc Fabregas wants Real Madrid move and has contacted Florentino Perez Blimey! Can a the former Barcelona player, a local boy done good, really join the Catalan clubs arch rivals? Have the pigs heads on order. No. Wait a moment. The Sun has more news. One day on from the scoop that Cesc wants Real, we read: Chelsea transfer news: Cesc Fabregas will stay and fight for his Blues starting spot despite being dropped in favour of NGolo Kante. Blues sources told SunSport Fabregas is NOT seeking a move away from Stamford Bridge and that it is highly unlikely he will leave this summer. Not quite, says the Star: Cesc Fabregas is set to stay at Chelsea after being snubbed by Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus. Such are the facts. Anorak Posted: 17th, August 2016 | In: Back pages, Chelsea, Reviews, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink (ANSA) - Rome, August 17 - Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told Italian daily Corriere della Sera in an interview published Wednesday that the country would not be following in the footsteps of French cities that have banned the burkini, a full-body Islamic swimming garment, in order to avoid attracting attacks from Islamic extremists. "The interior ministry has a rationale to ensure security and choose the level of harshness of response. The latter, however," he said, "must never reach the level of provocation that could attract attacks." "The French model does not seem to have worked," he added drily. "My approach is constitutional, since our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all; liberal, because there is a natural right that comes before laws and constitutions; pragmatic, because there are a million and a half Muslims in Italy that I certainly cannot consider terrorists or terrorism supporters; and severe, since I have expelled nine imams due to (their misunderstanding of) the difference between praying and praising hatred and violence," he stressed. (ANSA) - Rome, August 17 - Ryanair will make a record investment of one billion dollars in Italy next year to buy 10 new planes and open 44 new routes, the head of the budget airline Michael O'Leary told a press conference with Transport Minister Graziano Delrio Wednesday. He said they would "grow by three million passengers". Ryanair's growth plan will generate 2,250 jobs at Italian airports, O'Leary said in presenting the plan with Delrio and the head of the Italian civil aviation authority ENAC, Vito Riggio. "I thank the Renzi government and the work of minister Delrio," O'Leary said. "Without their work all this growth would have been lost. "This excellent work, carried forward by Renzi and Delrio, enables regional airports to compete on a par with national ones," O'Leary went on, referring to the elimination of a hike in municipal tax and changes to airport guidelines. O'Leary said that if plans to privatise the airport in Alghero on the northwest coast of Sardinia are successful, the company could reopen there by November. "Talks on Alghero are moving forward and we're confident that we can close an agreement by the end of September," he said. He said tickets for flights to Pescara would go back on sale this week, despite an announced closure of that airport. Delrio said that he believed a "good agreement can be reached" on Alghero, and said the ministry is "closely following" negotiations. The unveiling of the Ryanair plan marks a "good day for the Italian economy," Delrio said. "It's excellent news and I hope many others will follow this example," Delrio said. "The Italian government continues in its path of coming into line with European norms, to increase services to citizens and create opportunities for all investors," the minister said. (By Denis Greenan). (ANSA) - Rome, August 17 - Ryanair will make a record investment of one billion dollars in Italy next year to buy 10 new planes and open 44 new routes, the head of the budget airline Michael O'Leary told a press conference with Transport Minister Graziano Delrio Wednesday. He said they would "grow by three million passengers". Ryanair's growth plan will generate 2,250 jobs at Italian airports, O'Leary said in presenting the plan with Delrio and the head of the Italian civil aviation authority ENAC, Vito Riggio. "I thank the Renzi government and the work of minister Delrio," O'Leary said. "Without their work all this growth would have been lost. "This excellent work, carried forward by Renzi and Delrio, enables regional airports to compete on a par with national ones," O'Leary went on, referring to the elimination of a hike in municipal tax and changes to airport guidelines. O'Leary said that if plans to privatise the airport in Alghero on the northwest coast of Sardinia are successful, the company could reopen there by November. "Talks on Alghero are moving forward and we're confident that we can close an agreement by the end of September," he said. He said tickets for flights to Pescara would go back on sale this week, despite an announced closure of that airport. Delrio said that he believed a "good agreement can be reached" on Alghero, and said the ministry is "closely following" negotiations. The unveiling of the Ryanair plan marks a "good day for the Italian economy," Delrio said. "It's excellent news and I hope many others will follow this example," Delrio said. "The Italian government continues in its path of coming into line with European norms, to increase services to citizens and create opportunities for all investors," the minister said. Premier Matteo Renzi and Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan have made a "pact" to make sure that budget limits will not constrain "concrete investments" to try to boost the economy, Delrio said. He said it was the first time such an agreement had been forged. Tunisia arrests 'terrorist' on his way to Italy In group of 6 about to leave illegally on a boat (ANSAmed) - TUNIS, AUGUST 17 - Tunisian authorities on Wednesday arrested six people between the ages of 23 and 33 on the Kerkennah islands who were about to leave clandestinely on a boat towards Italy. Reports were from Tunisian media, who said that among those arrested by the Sfax national guard was a man who was wanted for terrorism-linked crimes and who was travelling with a false document. A former member of the forces of order was with him. (ANSAmed). ROME - Turkish Ambassador to Italy Aydin Adnan Sezgin emphasised the democratic foundations of Turkey and denied allegations that Wednesday's decree to release 38,000 prisoners was made to accommodate the 35,000 new detainees as a result of the July 15 coup attempt. "We are a democracy, a republic with almost 100 years of history, but we're portrayed like a sultanate," Sezgin said, adding that voter turn-out for elections is Turkey is 80 percent. Sezgin highlighted that Turkey was among the founding members of the Council of Europe. He said that in combating the organisation led by the imam Fethullah Gulen, who Turkey holds responsible for the coup attempt, the country will adopt measures consistent with "the rule of law, a very important value for us". Sezgin said Wednesday's decree for the release of 38,000 prisoners was not to make room for the 35,000 or so detainees arrested in connection to the coup attempt, as Turkish media have suggested. "Conditional release is provided for in our laws, for non-serious crimes once two-thirds of prison time has been served," he said. Sezgin said following the coup attempt, 3,200 people who had been arrested were released, and another 7,000 were released under condition of supervision. "Arrest isn't a direct step towards detention," he added. He said that the organisation led by Gulen "represents a threat for us as big as that of ISIS". "We know after the attempted coup there was a very high number of arrests and people removed from their jobs, but this number was directly proportionate to the size of the threat this terrorist organisation poses". Sezgin said Gulen's network is "extremely diffuse and infiltrates the whole country" and that it "proceeds by absolutely non democratic means working to impose its vision, which is a dictatorial regime in government, among military, police, the magistrate and the universities", comparing it to the Italian mafia and Masonic P2 group. He said the network is based on a cult of personality and that "Gulen is called the Messiah". BEIRUT- Amnesty International on Wednesday spoke out about the arrests of 27 members of the Bahai religious minority in Yemen by Iran-allied Shia Houthi rebels. A press release issued by the human rights organization said that they had been held in Sanaa for a week without any charges, in which they called ''a blatant case of persecution of a minority faith''. ''The arbitrary arrests of Bahai people for doing nothing more than attending a peaceful community event is completely unjustifiable,'' said Amnesty's Magdalena Mughrabi, deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa. She urged the Houthis to ''end their harassment of minorities and respect the right to freedom of religion''. The Bahai - who number some seven million throughout the world - are followers of the Prophet Baha Ullah, born in Iran in the nineteenth century and supporter of reform within Islam that would result in greater tolerance and pacifism. In Iran they are considered heretics and several members of the community were executed after the 1979 revolution. Even today the Bahai are subjected to a series of restrictions and often suffer arrest, the closing of their shops and desecration of their cemeteries. Bin Laden's son calls for Saudi regime to be ousted In 4th video message since August 2015 (ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 17 - A new audio message has been released by Hamza bin Laden, Osama's son, and was circulated Wednesday by the Al Qaeda-linked As-Sahab media outlet. The SITE Intelligence group reported the news. Hamza bin Laden used the message to lash out at the Saudi regime, calling for an ''intifada'' to free the country from the Al-Saud family and the United States. Hamza, who is thought to be around 25 years old, was with his father in Afghanistan when the September 11 attacks happened and later lived with him in Pakistan. Last year, Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri introduced Hamza to the world in a speech and today's message is the fourth issued by Hamza. In July he had threatened revenge against America for his father's death. (ANSAmed). PARIS - After days of polemics, French PM Manuel Valls has taken a position on the ban brought in concerning wearing the burkini, a full-length Islamic garment for women to swim in, by mayors of some French coastal towns. In an interview with the local daily La Provence, Valls said that the garment was ''incompatible with the values of France and the Republic'', since ''it is the translation of a political project against society, and in particular (which involves) the enslavement of women'' While the country's right-wing groups approved, some of the left criticized the move. President Francois Hollande has refused to comment while in Rome on a visit to Pope Francis. Meanwhile, the first fines have been issued (at least three over the weekend) to women who wore burkinis on the beach in Cannes. (ANSAmed). Italy will not ban burkini, interior minister says 'To prevent being targeted by extremists in response' (ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 17 - Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told Italian daily Corriere della Sera in an interview published Wednesday that the country would not be following in the footsteps of French cities that have banned the burkini, a full-body Islamic swimming garment, in order to avoid attracting attacks from Islamic extremists. "The interior ministry has a rationale to ensure security and choose the level of harshness of response. The latter, however," he said, "must never reach the level of provocation that could attract attacks." "The French model does not seem to have worked," he added drily. "My approach is constitutional, since our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all; liberal, because there is a natural right that comes before laws and constitutions; pragmatic, because there are a million and a half Muslims in Italy that I certainly cannot consider terrorists or terrorism supporters; and severe, since I have expelled nine imams due to (their misunderstanding of) the difference between praying and praising hatred and violence," he stressed. (ANSAmed). Russian planes from Iran 'to help fight', Turkish ambassador 'Political solution needed but not possible for now' (ANSAmed) - ROME, AUGUST 17 - Airstrikes conducted by Russian warplanes against the Islamic State (ISIS) taking off from Iran ''will facilitate the fight on the technical and military levels'', Turkish ambassador to Rome Aydin Adnan Sezgin said Wednesday in meeting with the press. Moscow's direct involvement against ISIS ''is not a problem'', he said, ''but our concern is that it might harm the moderate opposition (to the Assad regime, Ed.) and civilians''. ''The fight against ISIS is necessary but is not enough,'' he continued, ''and for us the only solution possible for Syria is a political one.'' He went on to say that the solution should be based on UN Security Council and the Geneva Conference resolutions. Assad, he stressed, ''must step down and establish a democratic regime'' in line with the country's ''territorial integrity'' and the population's will for a system in which ''no single group dominates over another''. However, ''with Aleppo under siege and humanitarian aid blocked'', he said, ''the conditions are not yet in place for this solution''. On relations with Russia, the diplomat said that contact between the two countries to seek a solution in Syria had commenced prior to a diplomatic crisis that arose after a Russian jet was shot down when it crossed into Turkish airspace from Syrian territory along the border. He added that collaboration with Iran was also in place - even though the two countries support opposite sides of the Syrian conflict - as shown by the recent visit to Ankara by Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif. (ANSAmed). Syria: UN warns of unprecedented catastrophe in Aleppo 'US and Russia should achieve accord for ceasefire' (ANSAmed) - NEW YORK, AUgUST 17 - There is the risk of ''a humanitarian catastrophe unprecedented in the over five years of bloodshed and suffering in the Syrian conflict,'' UN chief Ban Ki-Moon told the Security Council on Tuesday. The statement came during his latest monthly report on aid access. Ban urged the US and Russia to rapidly reach an agreement for a ceasefire. ''The fight for territory and resources is being undertaken through indiscriminate attacks on residential areas, including through the use of barrel bombs, killing hundreds of civilians, including dozens of children,'' he said in the UN report. (ANSAmed). TUNIS - Biology professor and marine and coastal ecology researcher Oum Kalthoum Ben Hassine has been awarded the prestigious Prix Rammal 2015 for her oceanography research and work for the marine environment. The prize, which was instituted in 1993 by Euroscience, the European association for the promotion of science and technology, is named after the Lebanese physicist Rammal Rammal, a brilliant researcher who died in 1991 at age 39. Each year it is awarded to a scientist whose work furthers scientific exchange between Mediterranean countries. Hassine received the prize in Manchester, telling Tunisian press agency TAP that the prize is also "recognition of my commitment to freedom of expression and equality between men and women in Tunisia and the countries of North Africa". Hassine has authored numerous studies published in international scientific journals, and is the founder and first president of the Tunisian association Women and Science. In addition to the Prix Rammal, she has received 12 other prizes, five at a national level and seven at an international level. GECAS signs purchase-and-leaseback transaction with Qatar Airways GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), the commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of GE, has signed a purchase-and-leaseback transaction with Qatar Airways for five new Airbus A350-900 aircraft to help expand the carrier's fleet. In the first six months of this year Pegasus sales revenue has risen by 5% year-on-year to reach 1.489 billion; whilst the airline has recorded an EBITDAR (profit before tax, interest, amortization and rental costs) of 28.08 million TL. Pegasus also achieved 27% growth in its ancillary revenue in the first half of 2016. In the first seven months of 2016 Pegasus increased its total guests carried by 8.8% to reach 13.46 million. The number of flights operated by Pegasus rose by 11.9% in the first seven months of 2016 to reach 94,997, growing across both its domestic routes in Turkey and on its international routes to carry a total of 8.61 million guests on its domestic routes and 4.84 million guests on its international routes. Pegasus Airlines CEO Mehmet T. Nane said: Despite the challenging conditions the tourism sector has experienced in 2016 we at Pegasus never wavered from our growth targets or the belief in our country, working harder than ever to ensure that, despite the fall in demand on some of our routes, we achieved robust growth in our key target areas including for overall guest numbers, number of flights and turnover. Our results are even more significant given the backdrop of the issues our sector has faced in the first half of the year. In July, we took the delivery of the first of our landmark 100 Airbus order and became the first operator in the world to launch CFMs Leap series engine with our new A320neo aircraft. Pegasus achieved 13.1% growth of guest numbers on its domestic routes in Turkey between January and July 2016 and 2.1% growth on its international routes. Pegasus also recorded a 9% reduction in cost per available seat kilometer to 3.78 Euro cent during this period. Kafou combines feedback from multiple sources and consolidates the data into a single system for easier processing, faster recognition of stellar cabin crew, and integration into the cabin crew performance system. Kafou elevates the former recognition programme for the benefit of Qatar Airways 10,000 cabin crew, with faster feedback loops and the ability for the Customer Experience leadership team to provide kudos and share customer and now, colleague feedback. Qatar Airways senior vice president customer experience, Rossen Dimitrov, said: We encourage our crew members on board to constantly challenge themselves to deliver customer experience that is personalised, purposeful, and pleasant. Qatar Airways is extremely proud of the men and women who serve as our brand ambassadors on board, and their commitment to excellence, and as such, we wanted to extend upon our existing feedback programme, so that all of us fellow colleagues and our loyal passengers can take part in congratulating cabin crew for a job well done. YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, ARMENPRESS. A special forces officer was injured during a special operation carried out by Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) on Wednesday to detain members of illegal armed gangs active in the North Caucasus, eyewitnesses told TASS. The federal security service FSB has completed the operation to detain members of an illegal armed group in St. Petersburg. The injured officer left the house at around noon, the eyewitnesses said. The housing inspection has begun assessing the inflicted damage. Earlier in the day, the residents of the house wrote in social media about the operation conducted by the special forces and posted photos of the officers which they took from their windows. Later the eyewitnesses reported about explosions in the building. The Fontanka newspapers website reported that the operation had been conducted starting from 10 a.m. on Wednesday in a 16-storey building. The report said the St. Petersburg counter-intelligence officers had initiated the detention of persons on the federal wanted list under the order of special forces in the Kabardino-Balkar Republic in the North Caucasus. The republics authorities have refused to comment on the report. According to preliminary data, a special forces officer was wounded in the operation, but this has not been officially confirmed. YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, ARMENPRESS. NATO is concerned over the Russian support to President of Syria Bashar al-Assad. This is related to the actions of the Russian military aircrafts from Irans base that are directed against the Islamic State terrorist group in Syria, NATOs representative said, RIA Novosti reported. Russias significant military assistance to Assads regime creates concern. The Russian air strikes against moderate opposition groups do not contribute to the regional security and the reduction of risks. NATO itself doesnt take part in the activities against the ISIS, this stance has not been changed, NATOs representative said. Best Travel Products and Services Would you like to submit an article in the Travel category or any of the sub-category below? Click here to submit your article. Would you like to have your product or service listed on this page? Contact us. Enrollment at the companys school has surged since it moved into the custom-built space in 2005. That has created bottlenecks and scheduling conflicts at the building The plan would add more than 10,000 square feet including four new studios and classroom space to [Aileys] home base at Ninth Avenue and West 55th Street in Manhattan. Gellhorn and Hemingway first met in 1936 at a bar called Sloppy Joes in Key West, Florida. Their relationship blossomed during their coverage of the civil war in Spain. Both were phenomenal writers, known for daring reportage from the battlefield. Their similarities made them natural allies, and passionate competitors, in journalism. Intelligence is not exactly the first quality you look for in a musical. Of course there have been a few intelligent examples of the genre mostly by Stephen Sondheim, and Ill concede that there are a few intelligent, or at least witty instances of musical theatre from Cole Porter, Oscar Hammerstein, Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart, Kurt Weill and the Gershwin brothers. Even Lord Lloyd Webber has exhibited intelligence in the form (e.g., Aspects of Love). But when Matilda the Musical grabbed our attention at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2010, we had to acknowledge that Tim Minchin had ploughed new ground. Despite the nastiness and triviality of the Roald Dahl original (and I find both these features in most of Dahls work), Minchin created a musical about children and to some degree for children, which appealed to the adult intellect. In converting the 1993 film, Groundhog Day into a musical for the Old Vic, Minchin has gone at least one better. The book, by Danny Rubin, who wrote the films screenplay, is the story of American TV-network weatherman, Phil Connors, who goes with a two-person crew to Punxsutawney, PA, to cover the positively Dickensian January 2nd ritual of Groundhog Day, a rite that has been observed since 1886 and is, of course, a cultural translation of Candlemas the Christian festival, the Feast of the Redemption, that marks the 40th day following the birth of Jesus, which is itself descended from the Jewish ceremony with biblical origins, of the redemption of the first-born son, in which the parents symbolically buy back their infant from the Priest, as the first-born son was traditionally given to the service of the Temple. Its all complicated by the pagan fertility festival, Lupercalia, which the Romans celebrated in February (cf. Februa and the rites of spring, celebrated 13-15 February, and yes, St Valentines Day is involved, too). All of them (except the Jewish ritual, which can happen at any time of year) have in common a concern about the weather. If the groundhog sees his shadow on February 2, the rural population is in trouble, as there will be at least six more weeks of winter; if he doesnt, you can expect an early spring with its longer growing season for better crops and better survival conditions for livestock. In Groundhog Day, the arrogant, cynical, sex-addict weatherman, Phil, is condemned for no reason we know to repeat his unwelcome assignment to cover the groundhog sacrament every day forever. Every night he goes to bed in his B&B, and every morning he awakes to exactly the same cycle of radio alarm/wake-up telephone call, landladys remark about the weather and lousy coffee. Hes trapped in the cycle of karma and rebirth, samsara, one of the basic concepts of Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism. He is the only person who knows that, for him, tomorrow is always today, Groundhog Day, over and over till the end of time, unless he changes his karma. He cant even kill himself, but discovers a la Dorothy Parker: Guns arent lawful;/ Nooses give;/Gas smells awful;/ You might as well live and endures daily resurrection. In the course of his unending cycle, Phil discovers how to effect small changes to the routine Samuel Becketts fail better next time. But this is still a musical, and by learning very gradually how to win the affection of his TV producer (the very good Carlyss Peer, who stands out from a uniformly excellent cast), Phil alters his karma, gets the girl and better weather. Sounds more suitable for an opera than a musical, doesnt it? The tunes are, well, less memorable than Madama Butterfly or, come to that, West Side Story. But Minchin, who wrote the music and lyrics, collaborating with Rubin and the artistic director of the Old Vic, Matthew Warchus, have taken this conceptually difficult subject, and made it into one of the wittiest, most thoroughly entertaining evenings Ive experienced in the theatre. And theyve done it without pretentiousness or portentousness. It must have been an uncertain enterprise, as the repetition so necessary to the story risks boring the audience. After all, its essential to show, not simply tell about the tedium of the same thing happening again and again, which means embracing the danger of boring the audience. In the cinema, this is done via editing, mostly using jump-cuts. But they have found a way of making us look forward to seeing yet another morning in bed with Phil and his pointless erection, played by Andy Karl, who is convincing as the annoyingly over-sophisticated, randy, selfish weather forecaster, and can sing and dance as well as he acts. As the evening goes on theres even the added pleasure of some conjuring tricks as we see Phil stand on one part of the stage, only to pop up, a nanosecond later in his distant bed. The jump-cut theatrical equivalent here is hurling the population of Punxsutawney around on travelators and the revolves. Its ingenious, as the near-perpetual motion makes everything flow as smoothly as the river of time itself, and after a bit you begin to look forward to the looped reappearance of Phils lonely bed. It has the satisfying pattern of a musical theme and variations. Of course this Old Vic premiere is really the try-out for the West End and Broadway, but this is a show that deserves the huge success its certain to have. Some of the lyrics are a touch adult for under-12s, but the philosophical underpinnings are a bit grown-up as well. Im too old to be qualified to say whether any of Minchins songs will figure on anyones playlist, but the clever, amusing lyrics are wonderfully done, with his engaging trick of suggesting end-rhymes where they dont exist, and whole sentences crowded into four or eight bars of music. It will go to its destined larger stage having proved the worth of some superb advanced stagecraft: the relatively small Old Vic stage makes the most inventive use Ive ever seen of revolves, and the sensational choreography by Peter Darling and Ellen Kane, makes the most of it, with breathtaking precision. Rob Howells sets and costumes are amazing hes managed to find some glitz in small town Punxsutawney, not least in the marching bands uniforms and the sets, with their frequently upside-down skyline, allow the most alarming aerial view of a puppetry car chase. Brilliant. When I traveled to Berlin earlier this summer, I spent about four and half hours at the Gemaldegalerie (not enough time)a full hour of which was spent looking at Portrait of a Young Girl (1470) by Petrus Christus. Its the subject of the Masterpiece column I wrote for The Wall Street Journal, and was published on Saturday under the headline The Girl with the Sidelong Glance (at right). (If you are not a WSJ subscriber, you can read it here.) It is a great picture, clearly, but I wouldnt have noticed all the details without the help of Stephan Kemperdick, the museums curator of Early Netherlandish and German Painting. He spent most of that hour with me, and two things in particular come to mind that I might have missed without him: the very thin tissue draped around her shoulders (easy to see around her neck, but not across her bodice) and her unmatched eyelids. He also pointed out the geometry of the painting, the molding that aligns with her mouth and the vertical axis, neither of which I mentioned. (I read catalogue and book excerpts about her, too.) As if to demonstrate the portraits drawing power, while we were talking, comparing it with three nearby van Eycks, a man came into the gallery with a folding stool. Taking no note of us, he plopped his stool right in front of the painting and sat there staring at it for at least five minutes. And then he got up and left, cursorily looking at other works. Some people are bothered by that heavy strap around her neck holding the headdress in place. Christus used it as a pictorial device, as my article notes, but Kemperdick did not know of another like it in paintings for a female, though he did tell me that a picture of Philip the Good shows something similar. I found that manuscript page, painted by Rogier van der Weyden, which is the frontispiece to the Chroniques de Hainaut held in Royal Library of Belgiumits at left (for a larger image, click on it and click again on the next page). Still, the girl is mysterious and neither Kemperdick nor any of the written materials I consulted knew anything about the loop in the bonnet. Imagine my surpriseand delightwhen a read wrote to me this morning saying that long ago she had been told by an expert that the velvet forehead loop advertised that she had a dowry of some known quantifyperhaps 10..thousand? hundred? pounds? gold coins?annually. Can we solve that mystery? Does anyone reading this know about the loop? LANZHOU - A fire at a limestone mine in northwest China on Tuesday afternoon has left nine people trapped, local authorities said. The fire occurred at a limestone mine in Zhangye City in northwest China's Gansu Province at 4:15 p.m. Firefighters and a rescue team rushed to the scene after the fire occurred, local authorities said. Rescue work is under way and no further details are available regarding the nine trapped people. All the latest Ashbourne news. Ashbourne is an historic market town in Derbyshire. Situated on the southern edge of the Peak District, it is known as the 'Gateway to Dovedale' and the 'Gateway to the Peak District'. Ashbourne is famous for the annual Royal Shrovetide Football Match, which has been played since at least 1667, although its origins may date back centuries earlier. Ashbourne became a Fairtrade town in March 2005. The popular Tissington Trail, which follows the route of the former Ashbourne to Buxton railway, starts on the edge of town. Keep up to date with the latest news from the town by signing up for our newsletter. by Sumon Corraya The 88-year-old priest decided to return to the United States for health reasons and after receiving death threats from Islamic extremists. A defender of the tribal north of the country, he has published hymns and prayers in the Garo language. He founded at least 30 schools to give children an education. Dhaka (AsiaNews) Thousands of Catholics and tribal Garo greeted Fr Eugene Eduard Homrich, a 88-year-old missionary of the Holy Cross, who left Bangladesh yesterday after 60 years of work in the country. On 12 August, parishioners organised a party in a church in Pirgacha, Tangail district (northern Bangladesh). In greeting him, a young Catholic said, "I thank you Father because you have sacrificed yourself for the Garo people. May God bless you and be with you, always. Thank you so much." Fr Eugene Eduard Homrich was born in Michigan in 1928 and arrived in Bangladesh in 1955. After learning the Bengali language, he served for three years in the diocese of Dhaka, an ethnically Bengali area. In 1959 he moved to JalchatraPparish, diocese of Mymensingh, where he remained until 1992. He was then sent to Pirgacha Parish, in the same diocese, and stayed there until now. A few months ago, Fr Eugene received death threats from radical Muslims. For this reason, and because of his health, he decided to return to the US. The diocese of Mymensingh is inhabited mostly by ethnic Garo. A large part of Fr Eugenes missionary activity was directed to them. "He founded more than 30 primary and secondary schools, where thousands of children received a quality education, said Fr Simon Hacha, a priest from the diocese. He respected and nurtured the culture of the Garo people. He himself was a Garo, having learnt the language and published a book of hymns and prayers in it." During his farewell party, Fr Eugene spoke about the importance of education for tribal people. "Education, he said, is the backbone of the nation. For this reason, we must guarantee it for everyone, along with moral and spiritual education. To protect your existence, you must be united and work together to improve your living conditions." Fr Eugene was a defender of his parishioners, because very often the Garo people suffer from persecution by powerful people," Fr Hacha noted. Tribals hold traditional title to many forests; however, they do not a title deed. Sometimes other landowners try to occupy and expropriate their land. For his work in Bangladesh, Fr Eugene was also recognised by the government of Bangladesh. In 1971 the authorities honoured him for actively participating in the War of Independence from Pakistan. Abdur Razzak, a former Minister of Food and member of parliament, was present at the farewell party and gave the priest a rosette. "Fr Eugene, he said, changed the lives of the residents of this area. He did not work only for Christians but for the faithful of all religions. We respect him for his incredible contribution. He was also a freedom fighter for Bangladesh. He will remain forever in our hearts." Those who flee the Kim dictatorship must pass through the northern border into China. After a period of relative tolerance, the border authorities are tightening controls and stepping up repatriation. 1000 yuan for reporting on refugees; 2000 for capture; 3000 fine if you help them. Seoul (AsiaNews) - After a period of relative tolerance, the Chinese government has tightened the "hunt" for North Koreans fleeing the dictatorship in Pyongyang. The border authorities near the Tumen River - the border that divides China and North Korea - have issued a "bounty list" related to refugees: anyone who reports on refugees gets 1000 yuan (about 120 euro); anyone who personally captures a refugee is rewarded with twice that amount. Those who help a refugee and are discovered will have to pay a fine of 3 thousand yuan. The border guards have also been ordered to shoot fugitives on sight. The North Koreans who choose to flee face a very high risk. Forced to pass first through China, since the border with South is highly militarized, in case of arrest they will be subject to forced repatriation: Beijing has signed an agreement with Pyongyang that defines these refugees "economic migrants" and does not grant them any mitigating policy. So if captured, they will be sent home, where they risk the death penalty or a decade of hard labor for "treason". With the passing of time and with the deterioration of the internal situation, the North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has tightened punishments reserved for refugees even more: in 2012, the first year of his "reign" following the death of his father Kim Jong-il, only 1,502 North Koreans fled to the South against an average of 3 thousand registered every year until then. In 2013 the fugitives were in total 1,514. However, these data are partial, since it is impossible to determine how many North Koreans choose to remain without documents, in China. According to an anonymous source from DailyNK, in the first seven months of 2016 the Northern government has executed at least 60 death sentences in public. Of these, half would have been imposed on citizens who tried to flee. Since the division of the peninsula the South Korean Catholic Church has worked to help refugees, who are called "Saeteomin" ("settlers of the new earth"). Catholics in the South offer programs for social inclusion, language courses and for "political renovation" for the refugees, who are helped to find jobs and thus battle against the barriers of racism that permeates society towards their "Northern brothers". A confidential report leaked to German broadcaster ARD indicates that the Turkish government and President Erdogan are close to Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic extremist movements in the region. The Turkish judiciary asks two life sentences and 1,900 years in prison for exiled Islamic leader Fetullah Gulen. Berlin (AsiaNews/Agencies) A confidential report from the German government points the finger at the Turkish government for supporting terrorist groups across the Middle East. The document produced by the Interior Ministry notes that Turkish President Erdogan's government supports Palestinian Hamas, Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and various Islamist groups fighting in Syria. It also confirms the "ideological affinity" of these movements with Turkeys leaders. For the first time the German government acknowledges a direct link between Turkey and extremist movements. This corroborates ambiguities noted by experts and analysts with respect to Ankara's policy towards Islamic fundamentalists and jihadist groups, including the Islamic state (IS), active in Syria and Iraq. For German officials, Turkey has deepened ties with the groups and has even become a 'platform for action' in the region. As a result of the step-by-step Islamization of its foreign and domestic policy since 2011, Turkey has become the central platform for action by Islamist groups in the Middle East, the document states. The release of the document is a sign of growing tensions between Ankara and the West, especially the United States, and the European Union. The failed coup in July has given Turkish leaders, especially Erdogan, an opportunity to launch a purge with tens of thousands of arrests. With the Turkish president bent on reintroducing the death penalty for coup leaders, any possible further step towards EU membership would be precluded. In response to the EU, Ankara is threatening to cancel the agreement with Brussels to manage the flow of refugees on the Mediterranean coast, while the standoff over visa-free travel for Turks in the EU continues. Meanwhile in Turkey, the government plans to release some 38,000 prisoners to make room for coup leaders arrested in the aftermath of the (failed) coup. The Turkish Minister of Justice made the announcement, saying that the move was not an amnesty, and excluded people jailed for murder, domestic violence and attacks against the state. At the same time, the Turkish government and judiciary have upped the ante against exiled Islamic leader Fetullah Gulen, a former Erdogan ally, who has been blamed for the attempted coup. After a quick investigation, Turkish prosecutors have demanded two life sentences and an additional 1,900 years in prison for US-based Muslim preacher and billionaire. In a 2,527-page indictment approved by prosecutors in the Usak region of western Turkey, Gulen is charged with "attempting to destroy the constitutional order by force" and "forming and running an armed terrorist group. More than 2,000 faithful, many of them refugees, attended the solemn Eucharistic celebration. Mgr Warda speaks of a "feast for the whole community", made possible thanks to the work of dozens of young volunteers. The diocese provided free bus transportation from shelters. The situation has improved but aid is still need. Erbil (AsiaNews) The day of the Assumption on Monday in Ankawa, a Christian neighbourhood in Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, was a "big celebration", a "feast day" attended by "over 2,000 faithful, many of whom" fled Mosul and the Nineveh plain in the summer of 2014 with the rise of the Islamic State (IS), said Chaldean Archbishop of Erbil, Mgr Bashar Warda "It was a celebration for the entire community, the prelate told AsiaNews, made possible by dozens of young people who worked from morning till night to set up the structure." The archdiocese provided " free buses for refugees, to bring them from the various reception centres to the site of the celebrations," Mgr Warda said. For them, it was "the first great celebration at the community level in two years." For the archdiocese itself, it was a "moment of great celebration" because "the past year, we were unable to organise a big celebration since we were still in full humanitarian emergency." This year, however, the situation "has improved somewhat, although difficulties remain." Overnight on 6 and 7 August 2014, hundreds of thousands of people fled predominantly Christian villages in the Nineveh plain, from Qaraqosh to Karameles, finding refuge in Erbil and other areas of Kurdistan. Mgr Warda was at once on the forefront in providing support and help. For displaced Christian families, AsiaNews launched the campaign Adopt a Christian from Mosul, which continues after the immediate emergency in order to meet long-term needs. In his homily, the prelate mentioned "Mary's response to God", her "yes with which she gave herself to him, through service and dedication." Likewise, "Elizabeths response of faith should be an example "for all refugees" because for them too "there is this a call to service". As the diocese of Erbil, which in recent days celebrated the consecration of three new priests, "we are blessed to have the refugees among us" because they are a living testimony to "the need of the mercy that we can exercise through service" to others. "Now the situation is better than in the past, Mgr Warda said in concluding, because we managed to close two centres and place families in houses. Now the goal is also close to the Mar Elian centre. However, aid is increasingly important because it is thanks to foreign donations that we can pay the rent of the houses." Together they represent the second largest financial centre in the world with a market capitalisation of 7,400 billion dollars. A year after it was announced, the regulatory and supervisory authorities give the green light, but investors need time and trust to recover from the shock caused by Shanghai in August 2015. Hong Kong (AsiaNews) Chinas regulatory authorities have approved a long-anticipated trading link between Hong Kong and Shenzhen's stock markets. A year after the initial announcement, the Connect represents a major reform in Chinas equity markets after the collapse of the Shanghai Stock Exchange last summer. The regulatory commission that had launched the Shanghai-Hong Kong Connect also abolished overall quota limits that international investors considered restrictive. Over the past year, Beijing's decision has faced of doubts and restrictions by international financial markets. The close connection between Hong Kong and mainland exchanges heralds a significant flow of foreign capital. The unstated goal is to have Chinas bourses included in global index providers MSCI. "Shenzhen Connect should move China further along the road to MSCI inclusion. We see this announcement as a significant catalyst for Chinese markets," said Douglas Morton, head of Asia research at Northern Trust Capital Markets. The scheme had been expected more than a year ago, but was put on hold by last year's market crash, which saw stocks slump around 40 per cent and a raft of government measures to prop up the market. Though the actual launch is unlikely to trigger an avalanche of funds into China's stock markets - given relatively expensive valuations and a slowing economy - mainland Chinese investors will likely cheer another option to diversify. "Foreign investors are still taking a wait-and-see approach to (mainland Chinese-listed) A-share investment as they are yet to regain confidence in the mainland stock market," said Liao Qun, China chief economist at Citic Bank International in Hong Kong. His observations were confirmed by the opening of Asian markets: the Shanghai Composite Index fell 0.19 per cent, whilst Hang Seng Index was up only 0.23 per cent %. Combined, the Shanghai and Shenzhen have a market capitalisation of USD 7.4 trillion, second in the world behind the S & P 500, which is USD 19.7 trillion, but ahead of Tokyos USD 5 trillion. Hong Kong is the world's second-busiest bourse whereas Shenzhen is Asia's busiest exchange with monthly turnover of more than trillion. The protesters were calling for justice after Formosa Plastic Group pollution leaves hundreds of fishing families hungry. The protest was headed for municipal offices but was blocked by police barricades. Several people were injured by truncheon blows. Hanoi (AsiaNews / RFA) - About 4 thousand Catholics from Ky Anh town, in the center of the country, were blocked and beaten by police while protesting against government inaction in response to fish deaths that are bringing fisher families in the province to their knees. Since April 70 tons of fish have died because of pollution caused by the Formosa Plastic Group, a Taiwanese steel company that dumped their waste into the sea. In four months, the authorities have not yet compensated the damaged workers nor helped families in need. Phuong, one of the protesters, said: "On August 15 we decided to march to the offices of the town but the police had blocked all access to the highway." About 200 officers were mobilized to build barricades and stop the people's march: "Some protesters tried to climb the barricades - she continues - but they were repelled. Police used batons to beat people, and a woman was injured". Eventually the demonstrators managed to reach the offices of the People's Commission, "but they were closed, so we all had to go home". Nguyen Thanh Lang, director of Quy Hoa parish, says that "an elderly person has a broken arm as a result of police violence. Others are hospitalized". An Ky Anh official has denied that police beat protesters, claiming that people were injured because of the crowd that had gathered. Most of the inhabitants of the central provinces of Vietnam lived from fishing and salt production, but the ecological disaster has deprived them of all income sources. For months, the Church and civil society have been criticizing the Hanoi government, guilty of delaying the investigation, failing to protect citizens health and of having violently repressed peaceful protests. A visit made by Caritas in the most affected areas revealed the serious situation of the fishermen's families, who are now reliant on charity for survival. Four months after the disaster, says Phuong, "we have received only 15 pounds of rice per month per person, and the quality is so low that we can not eat it. We have not heard a single word of support or encouragement from the authorities". Russia uses air bases in Iran to bomb jihadist targets in Syria targeting Islamic State and the National Nusra Front positions. Possibility for a joint effort between Russia and the United States in Aleppo, but Washington fails to confirm it. Agreement between Beijing and Damascus to train military personnel and send Chinese humanitarian aid to Syria. Damascus (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Moscow and Tehran are strengthening bilateral ties and Russia is stepping up its ambitions for influence in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Chinese military experts are preparing to provide "aid and military" assistance to the Syrian government, in the context of an agreement reached last weekend, confirming Beijing's growing involvement in the region. The Syrian conflict, five years after it first began, would appear to have become the background for an increasingly significant alliance to counter US hegemony (and its Sunni Arab allies). The Russian Defense Ministry has confirmed the use of an Iranian air base in the west of the country, for air raids on jihadist targets in Syria. For experts this is a strong signal confirming the military and strategic cooperation between Moscow Tehran. Yesterday some long-range Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighters took off from Iranian air base Hamedan. The aircraft struck positions of the Islamic State and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (the former Nusra Front) in the provinces of Aleppo, Idlib and Deir al-Zour, killing - according to Russian sources - a "large number" of militia. 27 civilians also died in the attacks. For the first time since the beginning of the military campaign in the Middle Eastern country last year Russia has hit strategic targets in Syria from a third country. Tehran is the main ally of Bashar al-Assad in the area and has provided military and financial aid since the war began in 2011. Moscow's Ministry of Defense - which in recent days has re-established relations with Turkey has confirmed sending an unspecified number of bombers and Sukhoi-34 to Iran. Ali Shamkhani, head of Iran's security, added that the two countries "have a strategic cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Syria" and "share" facilities and expertise. Last year, Tehran and Moscow signed an agreement on military cooperation centered on the training of troops and the fight against terrorism. And in recent days Russian President Vladimir Putin sent his maximum government expert on Middle East issues to Tehran . The attacks came following the announcement by the Russian Defense of a possible agreement with the United States, to form a common front against the Islamic State in Aleppo. Fighting between the regular army and rebels has intensified as has the risk of a serious humanitarian crisis in the "northern capital" of Syria. The Department of State has not ruled out possible co-operation between Washington and Moscow in Aleppo, although at present there are no official agreements. And on the use of Iranian bases by Russian fighters, the heads of US Defense describe the step as "unfortunate, but not surprising". Meanwhile, the presence of China among the players on the Middle East chessboard is becoming increasingly evident. This has been confirmed in recent months by the appointment of Xie Xiaoyan, a former Beijing Ambassador to Iran, as special envoy to Syria. In recent days, a Chinese delegation - led by Guan Youfei, director of the Center for International Cooperation at the Central Military Commission - met with the Syrian Ministry of Defence. The two sides reached an agreement on the training of military personnel and the deployment of Chinese humanitarian aid in Syria. It should be mentioned here that China has supported the positions of Russia on the resolutions of the UN Security Council on Syria, although Beijing has so far refrained from direct involvement in the war. Moreover China's goal is a political agreement that guarantees stability and a foothold in trade and business in the region. Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, John McCallum is touting Canada as the go to place for Asians, especially Filipinos and Chinese nationals, saying the country needs them. On a recent tour of China and the Philippines, the minister said that before he can 'substantially increase' Canada's immigration levels beyond record levels, he will have to take his plan to cabinet and convince Canadians it's the right thing to do. Pointing to an aging population and looming labour shortages, McCallum made the pitch in Manila during a speech to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, the CBC and Manila media reported. The Trudeau government is already seeking to admit between 280,000 and 305,000 new permanent residents in 2016 a record increase from the 260,000 to 285,000 newcomers the previous Conservative government had planned to welcome by the end of 2015. In Manila, McCallum promised to cut the processing time of the applications of sponsored spouses, partners, and children, given that it is "way too long" at present. The usual two years will be shortened to reunite families more swiftly, with the target to be announced in the fall. For Express Entry, which covers experienced professionals, skilled workers, and international students, McCallum placed the processing target at six months. Such "economic immigrants" are given points based on having a job offer, a good education, language skills, and others. Although this was not a bad system, it could be improved, he said. One of the improvements involves removing the labor market impact assessment for many of the applicants. Usually, economic immigrants have to prove that no Canadian can do the job that they have been offered. Removing this requirement will make it easier for them to go to Canada. Another improvement is giving more points to international students since they are "very valuable contributors" to the country and would make "very good Canadians" in the future, McCallum said. Certain other restrictions will also be removed for such applicants. Doing so will bump up the proportion of students going to Canada under Express Entry compared to other applicants. He added that he was talking to Canadian officials in the Philippines to approach students and encourage them to study in Canadian universities, instead. Thus, they will have a better chance to work and stay in Canada if they wish. "Our general desire is to increase the number of immigrants," McCallum said. He added that they wanted to attract "the best and the brightest" from around the globe, making Canada "a better place". According to McCallum, Canada welcomed more than 50,000 new permanent residents from the Philippines last year more than any other country. He added that there are over 700,000 Filipinos living in Canada, and that their contribution to society is appreciated. "It doesn't matter how newcomers first arrive in Canada as refugees, as family members, or as economic immigrants we know from decades of experience that they, their children, and their grandchildren, will inevitably make positive contributions to our country," McCallum said. "Experience shows us that immigrants' contributions to Canada result in jobs, innovation and growth newcomers tend to be highly motivated to be part of a larger society, to be accepted, and to achieve economic success. With an aging demographic and challenges retaining young people, immigration is becoming critical in certain communities and provinces," he added. This year, Canada targets to welcome 300,000 immigrants, the largest projection by the government recently. "This reflects our deep belief that immigration is critical to our country's future," McCallum said. "It also reflects our determination to open Canada's doors to those who want to contribute to our country, and to those in need of our compassion and protection, and to welcome everyone with a smile." According to a transcript of his remarks obtained by CBC News, Canada seeks to double visa offices in China to attract more high-skilled workers. Earlier, McCallum was in Beijing, where he sought to open more offices where Chinese can apply for visas, in the hope of attracting more high-skilled workers. He is also reviewing what is known as a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) a document all employers need to hire foreign nationals over Canadian workers and could do away with it in some instances. Businesses have said it is the biggest flaw with express entry, a requirement the previous government borrowed from the temporary foreign worker program. "Now, we have to convince Canadians of this. But I think it's a good idea." The Liberal government also tasked a parliamentary committee with a review of the controversial foreign worker program, but Parliament adjourned before the report was tabled. It will now be made public in the fall. McCallum, who worked as a chief economist at one of Canada's Big Five banks and a professor of economics before he entered politics, also acknowledged he has his work cut out for him. "Not every Canadian will agree. But I think with our mindset of welcoming newcomers in the beginning, with the facts of the labour shortages, aging population, we have a good case to make, and I think we will be able to convince a higher proportion of Canadians that this is the right way for Canada to go." By Victor Ing Special to The Post As long as there are immigration programs in Canada there will always be debate about whether we should be encouraging more or less immigration to this country. How many immigrants should we admit every year and in what program categories? What is the right balance? Earlier this month, The Globe and Mail reported that the Minister of Immigration, the Honourable John McCallum, visited China with plans to open new visa application offices in various Chinese cities to attract more immigration. Minister McCallum later travelled to Manila in mid-August and said that he planned to substantially increase immigration levels, including reducing barriers for foreign workers to come and stay in Canada, citing Canadas aging population and looming labour shortages in certain industries. With record immigration levels already planned for 2016, you might ask yourself whether Canada really needs more foreign workers. Whether you agree or not, the Minister of Immigration plans to make it easier for foreign workers to come to Canada. A foreign worker wanting to work in Canada must generally apply for a work permit before they arrive in the country. In many cases, a work permit will not be issued unless the foreign worker can show they already have an employer in Canada and that the employer has obtained a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). A positive LMIA is a decision from the Canadian government to approve the hiring of foreign workers because it will not negatively impact the Canadian labour market. To obtain a positive LMIA, an employer must successfully show that they made genuine recruitment efforts to hire Canadians for the job but that no suitably qualified Canadians applied for the vacant position. There were 95,086 foreign workers admitted to Canada in 2014 under this program. Over the last five years, it has become increasingly difficult to successfully obtain positive LMIAs. For example, what was previously an inexpensive application for employers now costs a non-refundable processing fee of $1,000 per foreign worker, regardless of whether the application is successful. New rules were implemented requiring many employers to show they have a transition plan in place to ensure they do not become repeat customers of the LMIA program. Furthermore, there are a set of rules governing where the employer must advertise and what information their advertising must contain in order to show that they have made genuine recruitment efforts to find Canadians. These rules are strictly applied and ensure that employers post, at a minimum, details of their company and their vacant job position, including the vacant job title and duties, whether the job is permanent or seasonal, and the skills, education and experience requirements for the job. Even minor deviations from this formula could result in a refusal of the LMIA application. While LMIAs have become increasingly more difficulty to obtain over the years, it has also assumed an increased significance in the immigration field. The LMIA program is currently playing a very significant role in how Canada chooses to admit permanent residents. Under Canadas Express Entry system to select permanent resident candidates, a worker whose employer has obtained an LMIA to hire them is all but guaranteed an invitation to apply for permanent residence because they are awarded points for having one. This is to be contrasted with other immigration programs for workers that do not have LMIAs and even international students who receive virtually no benefits towards obtaining permanent residence despite their suitability and experience of having lived, studied and worked in Canada. All of these changes have led LMIA applications to become desirable but costly for employers who are reluctant to spend hard earned dollars on an uncertain process. The Minister of Immigration has acknowledged the challenges that Canadian employers face when hiring foreign workers, and says that in the last five years the Canadian government has adopted an extreme approach with the LMIA program where now few foreign workers are being allowed in. So does Canada need more foreign workers? Our Minister of Immigration certainly seems to agree that we do. Perhaps we are asking the wrong question, however. Rather than thinking about foreign workers in terms of the number of people we allow in Canada every year, we should be encouraging discussion about what can be done to improve the current LMIA system to ensure that it achieves its original mandate of addressing acute labour shortages while protecting the integrity of the Canadian labour market. This should include a focus on reducing barriers for Canadian employers experiencing real labour shortages so that they can obtain LMIAs in a timely, predictable and efficient manner, and reducing the current importance of LMIAs as a fast-track method to obtain Canadian permanent residence. Victor Ing is a lawyer of Sas & Ing Immigration Law Centre. He provides a full range of immigration services. For more information go to www.canadian-visa-lawyer.com or email victor@canadian-visa-lawyer.com. Messages You have no messages Study Finds That When You Dont Feel Valued In A Relationship You Sleep Badly Trending News: A Bad Relationship Can Lead To Poor Sleep, Study Finds Why Is This Important? Because a good relationship could be the key to a good nights sleep. Long Story Short New research has shown that people who are having relationship problems are more likely to suffer from disrupted and therefore less restorative sleep, which can have significant health effects. Long Story We all know that being in a struggling relationship is a nightmare, but it seems that could be literally true as well as metaphorically. Research published in the journal Social Personality and Psychological Science from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology has suggested that how much you feel your partner cares about you is directly related to how well you sleep. A study using data from a project called Midlife Development in the United States found links between how close someone felt to their partner and the quality of their sleep. Freeform Sleep plays a crucial physical role as it allows the body to repair, but this is only possible when we have a good amount of uninterrupted sleep, known as "restorative sleep." Restorative sleep is associated with feelings of security and a lack of threat, so having a tense relationship or not trusting a partner can be prevent the positive effects of restorative sleep. Our findings show that individuals with responsive partners experience lower anxiety and arousal, which in turn improves their sleep quality. Having responsive partners who would be available to protect and comfort us should things go wrong is the most effective way for us humans to reduce anxiety, tension and arousal, lead author Dr. Emre Selecuk from Middle East Technical University in Turkey said in a press release. To extrapolate somewhat, the research appears to say that being in a relationship with the wrong person can be really bad for your health and may even shorten your lifespan. The CW As Selecuk says: The evidence we obtained in recent years suggests that our best bet for a happier, healthier, and a longer life is having a responsive partner. So, if your relationship is causing you to lose sleep then it might be bad for your long-term physical health as well as your mental well-being. Maybe its time to have "the talk" after all? Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question Is your relationship robbing you of your restorative sleep? Disrupt Your Feed No pressure on your relationship, but if youre with the wrong person it could effectively kill you! Drop This Fact According to Australias National Sleep Project, if you fall asleep within five minutes at night it means youre sleep deprived. Ideally it should take between 10 and 15 minutes to drift off. IOC Official Arrested On Olympic Ticket Scalping Charges Trending News: An Olympic Official Was Arrested For... Ticket Scalping? Why Is This Important? Because corruption has been front and center during this Olympic season. Long Story Short An International Olympic Committee (IOC) official was hospitalized in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, moments after police busted his hotel room to arrest him for ties to an Olympic ticket scalping operation. Long Story Patrick Hickey, a high level Irish executive at the IOC, is under investigation for allegedly planning to sell tickets illegally to the Rio Olympic games. Just as he was about to be arrested, Hickey was taken to nearby hospital by ambulance for undisclosed health reasons. There is a developing situation in Rio regarding the ticketing story. The OCI will only issue updated statements via its website. Team Ireland (@olympiccouncil) August 17, 2016 So far, more than 1,000 tickets were reportedly sold at higher fees. These tickets belonged to the Irish national Olympic committee, of which Hickey is the president. The IOC is regularly besieged with accusations of corruption. The Rio police fraud unit linked Hickey along with six other IOC officials to the operation. Continuing our investigation, civil police discovered the involvement of Patrick (Hickey) in the international scheme of ticket scalping, Rio police said. When the police arrived at Hickeys hotel room, they only found his wife who refused to reveal her husbands whereabouts. Hickey was later found in his sons hotel room, where he expressed to police officers that he was feeling unwell. The Brazilian police have arrested the head of Irelands Olympic Council in a scalping investigation https://t.co/Mqotd5W665 Post World (@PostWorldNews) August 17, 2016 In a news conference, police investigator Ricardo Barbosa said: today's arrest shows that the law must be followed [] Even more when we are talking about the biggest sporting event that should uphold ethics and an international spirit. There are no updates yet on the state of Hickeys health. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question How did Hickey think hed get away with this? Disrupt Your Feed Rio police have a funny way of choosing which corruption scandals to look into. Drop This Fact Scalped tickets to the opening ceremony were being sold for up to $8000 a piece. Despite demands from clients for savings from their law firms, a report shows that firms are charging more while workloads have decreased.Citi Private Banks latest report on the legal sector in the US shows a 4.1 per cent rise in law firm revenue for the first half of 2016, compared to 3.3 per cent a year earlier.The additional income is from higher billing rates, not increased demand from clients; fees increased by an average of 3.2 per cent, the New York Times reports.Profits were higher in the first half of the year but are expected to be impacted in the second half by larger payments for junior lawyers being paid by large law firms.Citis survey of 180 law firms including 80 of the top 100 in the US reveal that those focused on litigation and bankruptcy are optimistic about their prospects for the year compared to those involved in deals and capital markets concerned about the impact of Brexit and the US presidential election.King & Wood Mallesons in Europe and the Middle East is facing new, tighter restrictions on its borrowing after signing a debenture with its bankers.Among the conditions of the document filed with the UKs registrar of companies, Barclays Bank will need to be consulted before the law firm can sell, assign, lease, license, sub-license or grant any interest in its IP rights.The debenture gives the bank a claim on securities, goodwill, current and future trade debts and IP with the option to appoint an administrator should the law firm fail to meet its obligations.With a legal challenge to the UK prime ministers authority to begin the process of Brexit already scheduled in the High Court in October, there is now another case underway.In what is believed to be the first Northern Ireland lawsuit against Brexit, McIvor Farrell solicitors in Belfast are acting for campaigner Raymond McCord who says that Brexit would breach the terms of the countrys peace treaty.Mr McCords son was murdered by loyalist paramilitary group UVF in 1997 and he is concerned that EU peace money paid to victims of the Troubles could end with Brexit.The lawsuit may not derail the UKs exit of the EU but could delay it. The unique NewLaw offering is becoming more and more widely spread, with many major firms having launched an alternative structured legal business in the past 12 to 18 months, competing with the threat of the NewLaw model. AdventBalance co-founder Ken Jagger doesnt believe traditional firms can offer what NewLaw can, but he did say that the sudden influx means NewLaw firms should continue to look to innovate, in order to increase their scale and profitability, and to avoid the risk of being run down. NewLaw firms need to extend their market reach and turn good ideas into sustainably profitable businesses. The next phase of change in the legal industry extends to NewLaw firms. It is time for them to transform also, Jagger he told delegates at the Janders Dean Legal Horizons Conference in Sydney. He said NewLaw firms have changed the legal landscape forever, a model so attractive to lawyers, the lure was immediate. But while clients were quick to jump on the NewLaw bandwagon, large traditional firms were initially slow to react to market changes. For the first 6 years they ignored and belittled the start-ups and simply hoped that the trends in the market would turn back in their favour, Jagger said. More recently though, if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the NewLaw providers should be very flattered. Now, if legal services might pose a real threat to NewLaw businesses that dont adapt. I believe that the death of big law has been greatly exaggerated, he said. However I remain deeply sceptical of the traditional law firms capacity to change their business model and deliver everything that their lawyers and clients want. Some firms will, but not enough to eliminate the disruptive competition. I question whether in fact trying to imitate the NewLaw providers is even the best path for most law firms. There are numerous alternatives. The Australian government is coming under more pressure to find out if Muslims seeking visas to enter the country could be open to radicalisation.During the recent general elections there were calls for more scrutiny of people of the Muslim faith but the government has always insisted that a person's religion should not have a bearing on a visa application. Newly elected Senator Pauline Hanson campaigned on the issue and called for Muslims to be banned and now Queensland Senator Barry O' Sullivan has said that Muslim immigrants should be asked about their beliefs.He believes that this could help to weed out extremists and win back voters who turned to Hanson during the election campaign.But he does not believe that Muslims should be banned, just that they should face greater scrutiny before they are granted a visa to work and live in Australia. He also thinks that people who could belong to other religious 'cults' such as right wing religions should also be quizzed further.'Everyone who comes to this nation needs to be confronted with the question about their beliefs. We spend a lot of time asking about someone's kidney function or bank balance. We don't even ask about their religious beliefs,' he said.'This political issue is not going to go away. Any responsible government has to listen to the heartbeat of the Australian population, listen to what their ideals are on issues like immigration and respond accordingly,' he added.Australian Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce indicated that a ban is unlikely and said a blanket exclusion of all Muslims would not protect the country from extremism.Meanwhile New South Wales Senator Sam Dastyari, who has described himself as a non-practising Muslim, pointed out a ban would remove Australia as a destination for educated and secular Muslim families looking to emigrate.His parents left Iran in 1988 to escape the then dictatorial regime and he explained that if a ban was introduced he and his family would have been unable to flee to Australia.Critics of the government have pointed out that when it comes to refugees from the Syrian conflict, many of whom are Muslims, more rigorous checks are being done. Indeed Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said that the number of refugees being accepted is low because of security.'Our focus has been on security and, given the international terrorist threat, we've cut no corners. We have applied the most rigorous security checks of every person under the programme,' he explained.'This ensures we don't displace legitimate refugees and it maximises the opportunity of selecting people most in need and who want to come to Australia to work and to provide a new life for their families,' he added.Almost a year ago Australia said it would accept and extra 12,000 refugees from the conflict but so far official figures show that in the last financial year 758 refugees were resettled under the programme but by the beginning of August this had reached 1,868.People fleeing war in Syria and Iraq dominated Australia's humanitarian immigration programme in 2015/2016, with 8,640 of 17,500 visas issued going to people displaced by the ongoing conflict. Hi I'm Nathan,I'm a new user to this forum. My wife and I have recently finished a 5 month trip around Australia and have now settled down in Rural NSW to study.Always looking to meet fellow people and learn more about this beautiful country. (and maybe share a couple of travel tips too along the waySee you around the forum Just because we've seen it twice this year alone doesn't mean we've gotten tired of it. I mean, just look at those lines - nothing else in the automotive industry looks this original. Touring Superleggera has made some gorgeous cars before, but we think this targa model is by far their best work yet.The blue car was presented in February, shown in March at the Geneva Motor Show and again in May during the 2016 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. Right now, it's being showcased at the Monterey Car Week 2016, where we're sure to see even more exotics this week.Even looking past the beautiful paint and the elegant retro body, there are plenty of things to get a hard-on over. One of them might be the fact that you can cruise with the top down up to 112 miles per hour without, the manufacturer claims, exceeding 50 dB. My wife telling me to put the seat down is louder than that!You guys might also want to know that the Disco Volante Spyder is made entirely by hand over many months. On top of that, it features a two-piece removable roof made from carbon fiber that can be stowed away in the luggage compartment. Each roof piece weighs just 3.5 kilograms (8 lbs), so going from coupe to roadster won't hurt performance too much.Unfortunately, this happens to be one of the least powerful and technologically advanced new cars presented in Monterey this week. Under the hood is the same 4.7-liter V8 engine used by the GranTurismo from Maserati, which the Alfa Romeo 8C was based on. With 450 horsepower and an ancient 6-speed automatic, you might have a chance of keeping up with the BMW M4, but that's about it. For most people, myself included, 2008 was a horrible year filled with financial problems. But that's the number Peugeot chose for its littlest of crossovers and it's brought them luck.Now past its prime, the taller brother of the 208 has received a refresh. And when it came time to start selling it, the Peugeot UK division pulled out all the stops.Our favorite is the video where a couple of adorable kids review all the features. "This protects the paint," one of them says, which is great to know.However, Youtube seems to like another kind of video more. Rebecca Jackson is not Jeremy Clarkson, especially from the height point of view, but she is a well-known car reviewer who has done a bit of Porsche racing. While her review is published on the Peugeot UK channel and is thus biased, it's a pleasure to listen to.And if you favor a more high-tech approach to promoting cars, Peugeot has also prepared a video shot by a drone, as the 2008 climbs up the dirt road. It's not mind-blowing stuff, but if you've ever wondered how a front-wheel drive can cope with the rough stuff, you might want to watch it.After spending a bit of time with the 2008 equipped with a 1.2-liter turbo engine, we found plenty of things to like about it. For example, the facelift has a slightly better manual gearbox, and the climate control system has buttons, unlike the 308. The boot is also a lot more practical than on most regular hatchbacks because of the low loading lip, flat floor, and wide opening. California AWD And we're off A photo posted by SHS (@_s.h.s_1) on Aug 17, 2016 at 6:25am PDT A photo posted by SHS (@_s.h.s_1) on Aug 15, 2016 at 7:31am PDT A photo posted by SHS (@_s.h.s_1) on Aug 14, 2016 at 8:41am PDT A photo posted by SHS (@_s.h.s_1) on Aug 12, 2016 at 11:50am GT3RS Inspired by the original Porsche 959 Dakar car . Tag someone who use to smoke Rothman ! #porsche #gt3 #991gt3 #dakar #GT3RS We are ready to drive this monster across Europe soon ! A photo posted by ByDesign (@bydesign_motorsport) on Aug 12, 2016 at 11:51am PDT To be more precise, we're dealing with a Rennsport Neunelfer that has received a livery inspired from that of the Dakar Rally Porsche 959. And when the good old Rothmans theme mixes with a beater take (check out the details of the wrap), the car seen here has serious chances of becoming our favorite GT3 RS PDK.While the design of the wrap comes fromFlorida-based artist Skepple, the second skin job was handled by Swedish specialist Wrap Zone. Nevertheless, this Porscha is getting its fair share of European roads, as the supercar has entered a road rally called Scandiera 2016.The event, which kicked off a few hours ago, sees participants traveling from Stockholm to Monaco (you can see the supercar at the starting line in the first image below). And since this rear-engine coupe wears a Lava Orange coat underneath its wrap, you can turn to the image gallery on your right for a color sample (the photos don't show this particular GT3 RS, though).It seems beater look takes on famous liveries are slowly, but steadily turning into a trend and since we had started getting used to the Martini approach, we're more than happy to see this new piece.We feel the need to remind you how Porsche entered the Dakar Rally back in 1984, using the 953 test bed, a rugged terrain-savvy 911 that included thesystem that would go into the 959 Dakar (seen in the last photo below) the following year. So we're talking about a double piece of heritage here.And we wish history repeats itself - Porsche is rumored to bring back the high-riding, rear-engine theme with the next generation of the Neunelfer. Predictably, the yet unconfirmed development wears the Dakar tentative name and is part of a plan that will see Porsche kicking off a lifted coupe offensive. The action is scheduled to start with the Cayenne Coupe we recently spied.We couldn't help notice how a new trend is building, one that includes what we've decided to call jportscars (jacked-up sportscars). Here's to hoping Zuffenhausen delivers. HP From having Jean Claude Van Damme perform a split between two Volvo trucks, to letting a kid remote control one of their vehicles , Volvo Trucks has done it all . Their latest plan features something called The Iron Knight, and it will try to break two world records.Both world records targeted by Volvos creation are speed records, and they have to be pursued from a standing start. One of them takes place on a 500 meter-long (0,31 mile) track, while the other is one a one-kilometer-long (0,62 mile) section. For both attempts, Swedish truck racer Boije Ovebrink will be at the wheel.Volvo already has the 1,000-meter record in the bag, with a 98.7 mph result achieved in the 1,600Wild Viking. However, the Iron Knight has 2,400 HP, and an impressive torque of 4,425 lb-ft (6,000 Nm). The Swedish company has explained that the transmission and engine are based on production items, but they have been modified to handle this task.The rest of the Iron Knight is built from scratch, including its fiberglass body. We must note that the i-Shift Dual Clutch transmission maintains its operating elements, and its only improvement is the addition of sintered discs and pressure plates. Meanwhile, the D13 engine has been fitted with four turbochargers and a set of water-cooled intercoolers.Evidently, Volvo engineers had to modify the vehicles electronics to suit the new horsepower and torque figures. Other modifications include aerodynamic alterations to the cabin, as well as massive air intakes integrated into the side-skirts, which are used to supply the unit with air for cooling.Volvo says that the Iron Knight weighs 4.5 tons (9,000 pounds), and that it has a power-to-weight ratio that is above 0.5 hp/kilogram or per 2,2 pounds. The record-breaking run will be broadcast live on the Volvo Trucks social media channels, so make sure to tune in. EV AWD kWh Imagine you double the output of the(you know, 762 hp and 713 lb-ft of twist) and then throw the resulting velocity monster at whatever hypercar you can think of.In fact, you'll have to use your imagination instead of your patience, as the specs mentioned above are just the kind of numbers the upcoming Rimac Concept_S will deliver.For now, though, Polish EV maker Rimac has settled for crushing the LaFerrari in a drag race by using its current electric hypercar, the Rimac Concept_One.Given the tons of wannabe hypercar companies that never made it past the rendering stage, that might sound a bit difficult to believe. However, Rimac has the video to prove it, with the company having recently invited racing driver Archie Hamilton (you might know him from here) over to drag race the Concept_One and the Maranello halo car.Unlike the series of clips that pitted the LaFerrari against its traditional P1 and 918 Spyder competitors, this one only involves a straight line battle and doesn't come with any numbers.Then again, the footage seems deliver a clear message, one that has to do with the 1,088 hpmonster showing its rear end to the LaF in the 1,320-foot challenge.The official numbers tell us that the Concept_One , which is still undergoing the final phase of testing ahead of its market debut, can complete the 0 to 62 mph sprint in 2.6 seconds. The Rimac needs 6.2 seconds for the 0 to 124 mph sprint and 14.2 seconds to hit 186 mph, while its top speed is limited to 220 mph.The hypercar, which uses an 82battery pack and four electric motors, will come with a matching price, as the financial adventure will start at $980,000.We didn't mention the Tesla Model S P90D and its Ludicrous mode by accident, as the American EV ended up becoming collateral damage in the fight between the Rimac and the Ferrari.Resisting the temptation to expect such an electric car to get its ass kicked during a time attack session on the track requires a reminder - the 2015 Pikes Peak Hill Climb saw "Monster" Tajima manhandle a Rimac development vehicle towards the clouds, beating all the suck-squeeze-bang-blow cars trying to master the challenge.. Check out the second video below, which, for some reason, includes a Top Gear banner, and you'll notice a similar race took place in 2015, with the result being the same. After one century of "who killed the electric car?", it looks like EVs are ready to get back at internal combustion engines. Franchise Services of North America Inc. has announced the opening of two new locations in Florida for its franchise: U-Save Car & Truck Rental. One location will be at Miami International Airport while the other office will be located in Doral, a city near Miami. "We are extremely excited to announce the opening of these two new U-Save locations in South Florida, said Jason Brown, director of U-Save franchise sales. The Miami International Airport is currently on the top 20 list of U.S. airports and is one of the main travel gateways between the U.S. and Latin America. The Miami International Airport and Doral, Fla., locations will be key to the continued growth of the U-Save Auto Rental brand, both now and in the future." New York is now undergoing a revolution, a renewal, and drastic change for the betterment for all, as it becomes more inclined to the green movement, in efforts to pioneer in the international awareness of using clean ways to promote urbanization. How? A car-free New York. Urban planners and developers are now understanding the need for a more sustainable environment which is why it has become the trend for most highly urbanized cities in first world countries to follow the same route, by putting car restrictions and allowing cyclists to rule the highways. All of this can be attributed to the development of the Shared Streets initiative. The Shared Streets initiative is an event that is five hours long, and will be held throughout the weekend. The oldest parts of Manhattan turns its 60 blocks into a new landscape as it experiences a transition into becoming a clean environment safe from the intoxicating dangers of the smoke-spitting vehicles that once dominated its roads. The local government took part in this revolutionary movement by putting signs throughout the entire location denoting that the specific streets are reserved for Shared Streets. It is along the Financial District, onto the Broadway, Water Street, and then ultimately reaching the Brooklyn Bridge and the Battery. Polly Trottenberg, the New York City Department of Transportation commissioner says, "This is the first time that we think something of this scale and size certainly has been done in New York or any other American city." Letitia James also supports the officer's statement by saying, "Our streets are for everyone. And before there were cars we were all cyclists and pedestrians, commuters and explorers, in this infinitely marvellous city. And today we try to return to that period." This can somehow be compared to that of the Times Square as cars have been banned in the location since 2009. However, it is a good sign that the odds are favouring pedestrianism instead of encouraging the use of cars in urban zones. Two unique aircraft now ready to start flight tests are waiting on the ground as crews deal with various glitches. Doc, the B-29 that has been under restoration for years, finally flew last month, but the flight lasted just 15 minutes, shorter than was planned. The flight was cut short after a chip detector device, which monitors the presence of metal debris in the engine, lit up. The chip detector did its job, but its overly sensitive, said Jim Murphy, Docs Friends restoration manager. The new radial engines on Doc take about 50 hours of flight to break in, and during that time, youre going to see tiny particles of metal its just the way it is. The biggest particle we found during our inspection was about one-fourth the size of a pinhead. Murphy said inspections completed since the flight show that all the airplanes systems and control surfaces are rock-solid, and a second flight could happen later this month. Also, the Airlander, the huge lighter-than-air vehicle under development in the UK by Hybrid Air Vehicles, exited its hangar last week, but the first flight, expected on Sunday, was delayed at the last minute. The company blamed a technical issue found during preflight checks for the delay, according to their Twitter account. At the time the glitch was found, not enough daylight remained to complete the required inspections and the test flight. Yesterday, the team said they are hard at work on the airship and waiting for a safe weather window for another try. The huge aircraft, about 300 feet long, will have a top cruise speed of about 80 knots and can remain aloft for up to two weeks. About 60 percent of the ships lift is provided by helium, and the other 40 percent is driven by the ships aerodynamic shape and thrust from its rotating engines. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Wednesday visited a citizen of Armenia who, under yet unclear circumstances, reportedly crossed the border into Azerbaijans exclave of Nakhijevan earlier this month and was apprehended by local border guards. The man was identified as Henrik Aghekian, a 62-year-old resident of the village of Aygepat in Armenias Ararat province located not far from the border with Azerbaijans autonomous republic. Iren Aloyan, a representative of the press office the ICRC Delegation in Armenia, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) that in accordance with its mandate the ICRC provided Aghekian with an opportunity to exchange information of family nature. Armen Kaprielian, the head of the Armenian government-affiliated Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons, told RFE/RLs Armenian Service (Azatutyun.am) that Armenian and Azerbaijani authorities are currently in ICRC-mediated dialogue regarding repatriation of Aghekian. This dialogue has not yet produced a result, Kaprielian said, adding that Aghekian suffers from a mental disorder and crossed the border inadvertently. In the past he also used to go missing for several days, but his relatives managed to find him and return home. On Saturday, Azerbaijans State Commission on POWs, Hostages and Missing Persons reported that on August 7 Azerbaijani servicemen detained a citizen of Armenia at the Sadarak section of the road leading to Nakhijevan. It said it had informed the ICRC about it. Armenia and Azerbaijan have been locked in a bitter conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh since the late 1980s. The region populated mainly by ethnic Armenians declared independence from Azerbaijan in the early 1990s, which sparked a three-year war that killed an estimated 30,000 people. Dozens of soldiers as well as civilians were killed on both sides when hostilities briefly erupted in Nagorno-Karabakh in April. Civilian residents of Armenian and Azerbaijani border villages have occasionally crossed the heavily militarized border between the two conflicting states by accident. As recently as in July Armenian authorities repatriated through the ICRC an Azerbaijani woman who had crossed the border into Armenias northeastern region of Tavush in unclear circumstances. The woman was reportedly placed in a psychiatric clinic in Azerbaijan after repatriation. Last November, a 77-year-old Armenia woman from Tavush reportedly lost her way and found herself in Azerbaijani territory. She was repatriated within four days after she crossed the border. At least three other Tavush residents strayed into Azerbaijan and were captured there in 2014. Two of them were branded Armenian saboteurs by the authorities in Baku and died shortly afterwards. Ten years after the adoption of a constitution stipulating a semi-presidential form of government the ethnic Armenian authorities in Nagorno-Karabakh have signaled their intentions to change the self-styled republics basic law in favor of vesting more powers in the president and abolishing the prime-ministerial post. The concept of the reform, which is essentially an opposite to Armenias 2015 constitutional amendments replacing the semi-presidential system with a parliamentary form of government, was endorsed by Karabakhs leader Bako Sahakian who met with members of a commission of legal experts drafting the amendments on August 15. Sahakian argued that the reform enjoys broad support across Karabakhs political spectrum and instructed the commission to elaborate and present draft constitutional amendments within the set time period of time. Yet, some politicians in Karabakh, an Armenia-backed former autonomous region of Azerbaijan that broke free from Bakus control and fought a secessionist war in 1992-1994, fear that the current leadership will abuse the planned reform. Hayk Khanumian, an opposition lawmaker in Stepanakert, said: Usually changes in the Constitution are made for the purpose of ensuring the governments reproduction. This is the main reason why from the very outset we are against changing the current Constitution. The concept of the reform conditions the need for the transition by challenges that require a strong and consolidated government capable of mobilizing the countrys entire resources both in peacetime and in wartime and efficiently reacting to the requirements of a particular situation. In early April, Karabakh saw the worst fighting with Azerbaijan since 1994. Dozens of soldiers as well as civilians were killed on both sides in clashes that lasted four days and were put an end to due to a Russia-mediated verbal agreement between the militaries of Azerbaijan and Armenia that effectively returned the conflicting sides to the fragile 1994 truce. Azerbaijan refuses to recognize the legitimacy of the authorities in Stepanakert, insisting that the region is occupied by Armenia, as internationally mediated talks between Baku and Yerevan on the status of the region continue. Azerbaijans foreign ministry routinely issues statements denouncing elections and referendums organized by ethnic Armenian authorities of the region. Baku similarly condemned the holding in Karabakh of a referendum in 2006 in which a majority of the 145,000-strong region voted in favor of the current Constitution. It is likely to also denounce plans by the Karabakh leadership to hold a new referendum on constitutional amendments. The endorsed concept of constitutional amendments suggests that presidential and parliamentary elections in Karabakh should be held simultaneously and that after the elections it should be the elected president who will form the next government. The current Constitution bars Sahakian, whose second five-year term as president ends in 2017, to seek a third consecutive term in office. Meanwhile, the next parliamentary elections in Karabakh are scheduled for 2020. In Khanumians observation, the concept of the reform does not specify who exactly will head the executive during the transitional period. 17 August 2016 10:27 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Corruption has been the defining characteristic of Armenian politicians for decades. This was stated in a scathing article of Huffington Post showing the current situation in Armenia, governed by a criminal regime. The article notes that many Armenians support the radicals, who lately seized a police station in Yerevan, for their open corruption accusations against Sargsyan and other officials. Moreover, last years ElectroMaidan in Yerevan showed that the number of Armenians wishing to take part in the struggle against their authorities, constantly increases. Despite Sargsyans recent public speeches about his desire to get rid of corruption in Armenia, the actions of the president and members of his inner circle have frequently contradicted his anti-corruption rhetoric. In August 2015, it turned out that even the head of Armenian anti-corruption council, Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan had used government funds to pay for numerous high-cost private flights, the article reveals. It is obvious that Abrahamyan was an odd choice to head Armenias anti-corruption council due to his ownership of private companies, gas stations, casinos and many investment properties along with being a Prime Minister. The Armenian constitution prohibits the officials to conduct business. This incident caused loss of public confidence in his anti-corruption council just a few weeks after its creation. Another serious blow to Sargsyans fight against corruption was the release of the Panama Papers in April. The documents showed that the Major General of Justice Mihran Poghosyan and two of his uncles had established several companies in Panama to obtain Armenian government contracts. Sargsyan has responded to public outrage over the Abrahamyan and Poghosyan scandals by selectively punishing corrupt officials. Sargsyan dismissed one General and several officials of the Defense Ministry. However, this response did not increase public trust in Sargsyan, because the population considered them as actions for show. The presidents unwillingness to prosecute corrupt members of his entourage strengthened Armenians in an opinion that members of his circle could commit crimes with impunity. This applies also to criminal offenses. The former Minister of Transport and Communication Gagik Beglaryan did not receive any criminal punishment for assaulting an official in 2010. On the contrary, he was later promoted to the cabinet because he managed to coerce blue-collar workers to Yerevan streets for supporting Sargsyan during presidential elections. The obvious evidence of Sargsyan regimes corrupt actions are $45 million spent for the construction of a new training center for tax officials, while $80,000 alone were spent on the purchase of kitchen appliances. The population answered their President with a flash mob with the hashtag Wheres the money? Over the past year, many Armenians have protested against corruption of Sargsyan and his political allies. Last months hostage incident was the culmination of years of frustration with Armenias corrupt political system. If Sargsyan does not punish corrupt officials and reform Armenias political institutions, anti-government protests and political violence could become an enduring feature of Armenian political life for years to come, Huffington Post emphasized. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 12:59 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov More and more Armenian economists acknowledge that the countrys economy is in deep crisis and the situation is getting worse and worse day by day. The public debt of this poor South Caucasus nation hit $5.35 billion by late June, $4.47 billion of which formed the external debt and $875 million the internal. In one month, the total debt of the country rose by 1.3 percent, according to the National Statistical Service of Armenia. Recent months also witnessed acceleration in the growth of domestic debt. The majority of Armenian external debt accounts for the government, the rest belong to the Central Bank of the country. But the greater part of the domestic debt is the bonds acquired by Armenian residents. By late June 2016, gross international reserves of Armenia made up only $1.57 billion. The budget deficit, which became unprecedented in 2016, makes up approximately 4 percent of the GDP, and the service of such deficits is carried out mainly at the expense of the national debt: funds are borrowed, and then directed to the implementation of national expenditure, in particular to the social sphere. In the end, these costs are used for consumption and do not contribute to the development of the economy, Armenian economist Mesrop Arakelyan said. The economist stresses public debt of Armenia is the matter of concern as the country takes loans only to cover current expenses. Along with the growth of external debt, individual transfers from abroad to Armenia continue to decline. According to the reports of Central Bank of Armenia, in June 2016, the influx of transferred money volumes amounted to $135.3 million, while this figure was $163.2 million for the same period of 2015. Economist Gor Tsaturyan revealed that in 2015 the transfers decreased by 28-30 percent, and further by 8-9 percent this year. As for economic growth, there is no positive trend, and recently declared indicators of economic growth are just made-up numbers, Tsaturyan believes. Professor Vardan Bostanjyan, in turn, claimed that that the Armenian economy is in a comatose state: Inefficient use of natural resources does not bring any income to the state, and selective enforcement of laws leads to new problems for entrepreneurs. The economist believes that the problem lies in the control system of Armenia, which facilitate monopolization in the country and needs fundamental changes. They agree that the economic indicators of Armenian economy are miserable and no longer show signs of life. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 14:30 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Protests in Armenia are a usual thing but they gained more strength after the Sasna Tser movement, an armed group that took over the police station on July 17 demanding the release of jailed opposition leader Jirair Sefilian, and calling for the resignation of the Sargsyan regime. The Sasna Tser movement surrendered after two weeks, but Armenians do not seem as if they are willing to surrender and keen to continue to protest against Sargsyans regime trying to defend their rights. Civic initiatives such as Freedom for political prisoners, Sasna Tsrer andDavid Sanasaryan have started a new wave of public protests against the current regime and illegal arrests in the country. The situation escalated to highest point with the sending of an open letter to Head of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Council Donald Tusk, and Head of the European Parliament Martin Schulz on August 16. The letter reads: We are concerned over the illegal detention of peaceful demonstrators, who were arrested in Armenia on July 29, 2016. The letter also includes names of those arrested protesters, who were severely beaten by the police. They are mainly members of political party Heritage, movements Arise and Get up, Armenia. There were revealed credible reports of violence and excessive use of force by the police to disperse protestors during the night of July 29-30. Then, Armenian police arrested 165 people. Following the events, 73 people addressed medical institutions with injuries of varying severity. During the crackdown of police, journalists and cameramen also got injured. Meanwhile, the Special Investigation Service of Armenia (SIS) continues preliminary investigation into the criminal case on the seizure of the police station by the Sasna Tsrer. To date, 60 people, who took part in riots, have been arrested. Lawyers raise alarms over poor health condition of arrested members of Sasna Tsrer group. The Civic initiatives also sent a letter to Head of the European Peoples Party (EPP) Joseph Daul, urging him to use all leverages and apply all possible sanctions in order to officially exclude the criminal ruling Republican party of Armenia from the EPP and to demand an immediate end to violence. We are waiting for your immediate action. Armenians all over the world are waiting for your efforts, the letter reads. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 15:23 (UTC+04:00) By Rashid Shirinov Employees of the Baku office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have met with Armenian citizen Henrik Agetsyan, who was detained while attempting to illegally cross into the territory of Azerbaijan. Spokesman for the ICRC Baku office Ilaha Huseynova informed on August 17 that the ICRC conveyed information about Agetsyans state to his family. In addition, the detainee received information from his family. Azerbaijani servicemen detained Henrik Sayerbekovich on August 7, when he tried to cross into Azerbaijan from the Sadarak direction of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR), according to the State Commission. The commission immediately notified the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) about the incident. 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 still controls fifth part of Azerbaijan's territory and rejects implementing four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding districts. --- Rashid Shirinov is AzerNews staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @RashidShirinov Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 12:44 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Azerbaijans state energy giant SOCAR has commented on mass dismissals in Turkish Petkim petrochemical complex, where the company holds control packet of shares. SOCAR told APA that the arrest of Saatetdin Korut (former general manager of the complex), Ilqar Mehmetoglu (former director of HR department), Yasin Atak and others have nothing in common with the operations of Petkim or SOCAR in Turkey. This is a legal procedure, which is implemented by the relevant authorities of Turkey and SOCAR supports it, the company said. The source reported that Petkim and other enterprises operated by SOCAR in Turkey continue their work in normal mode and all projects are implemented in accordance with schedule. Following the failed coup attempt in Turkey, the government of the country has started inspections in a number of companies operating in the country, including Petkim. Turkeys Energy Minister Berat Albayrak recently confirmed that inspections are not related to the activities of Azerbaijans SOCAR. Sadeddin Korkut was detained over the complaint of the companys high-ranking official who was dismissed earlier, within the fight against the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of organizing the military coup attempt in Turkey. Anar Mammadov, who is also head of SOCAR Greece (SOCARs Greek subsidiary), replaced him. Meanwhile, the company will hold an extraordinary meeting of the Board of Directors on September 6. Top issues to be discussed during the meeting include recent staff changes in the company. Petkim is considered to be a sole manufacturer of plastic packages, fabrics, detergents, and other petrochemical products in Turkey. Approximately a quarter of its produce is being exported. The complex includes 14 plants which produce 20 various types of products. Production capacity of Petkim is 3.6 million tons per year. The company is engaged in the production of high quality petrochemical products in its integrated and high technology premises, which are compatible with international standards. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 15:49 (UTC+04:00) By Trend The OSCE monitoring held on the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has passed without incidents, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry reported on August 17. The monitoring was held Aug. 17 under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the line of contact near the Tatli village of Azerbaijans Aghstafa district. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative, Hristo Hristov and Simon Tiller. On the opposite side the monitoring was carried out by the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office Andrzej Kasprzyk and his field assistants Jiri Aberle and Peter Svedberg. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 10:46 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova The Nizami Ganjavi International Center and the School for Young Leaders have discussed prospects for cooperation, Azertac reported. The Center`s representatives participated in the opening of the 7th School for Young Leaders in Ohrid, Macedonia. Speakers to the event included President Gjorge Ivanov, Former Bulgarian President Petar Stoyanov, director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina as well as co-chair of the Nizami Ganjavi International Center Ismail Serageldin. The School for Young Leaders is a project of President Gjorge Ivanov, primarily initiated in his electoral program, following his idea and vision to enable the young, talented and ambitious people from Macedonia to upgrade and improve their skills, to develop their creativity and managerial capacities. The mission of the School is to stimulate the positive values of the young intellectual elite and future political, cultural and economic leaders of Macedonia country as well as to develop their capacities to take on the challenges emerged with the global technology, international competition and cultural and religious diversities. The program includes lectures and trainings from the areas of leadership and management, given by prominent lecturers, politicians and parliamentarians from European countries. The participants not only have the opportunity to hear their presentations and lectures, but also to discuss with them on various topics, to encourage their own notions and views and press them forward. Nizami Ganjavi International Center was created with the multiple aims of preserving the reach cultural heritage of the past as well as encouraging and fostering current scholarship, research, cultural activity and social outreach. The Center moves forward to build, an institution worthy of bearing the great name of Nizami Ganjavi with hope it will become a source of pride for Azerbaijan and the world. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 15:38 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Hasanova The August 8 meeting of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was the first trilateral summit of the three nations, which sought to boost economic cooperation. The leaders announced that the new format should help improve ties, while the Baku summit prepared grounds for cementing expended regional cooperation. The head of CIS Countries Department of the Institute of Political Studies, Alexei Bychkov, believes that the first trilateral summit of the three presidents is an historical event, which in turn, serves as a new page in modern geopolitics. "President Putins meeting with Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Hassan Rouhani is a landmark event in the history of relations between the three countries, he said while talking to Day.Az. He emphasized that Baku will become an important player in the interstate bloc Russia-Azerbaijan-Iran. The Baku summit was not just a meeting of the heads of leading states in region, but also the transformation of Azerbaijan into a central player not only in the Caucasus region, but in all Middle East military-political and economic spaces as well, said Bychkov. The expert stressed that the meeting moved the situation in the regional geopolitics to a more positive direction. The expert also spoke about warm friendly relations between Baku and Moscow. He stated that Bakus role is reinforced by the strong interstate relations between Baku and Moscow, as well as the friendly relations between the Russian and Azerbaijani presidents. The leaders of the three countries have signed a declaration, following the tripartite meeting in Baku. They urged the world community to unite efforts for the effective fight against terrorism and extremism, as well as the countering of trans-national crime. The presidents of Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan "call on the world community to pool efforts for the effective fight against these challenges and threats to international stability and security with the UN central coordinating role." Besides, "the parties admit that unsettled conflicts in the region are a significant impediment for regional cooperation, and in this regard underline the importance of their soonest possible peaceful resolution through talks on the basis of the principles and norms of international law and the decisions and documents adopted in line with them." --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 14:46 (UTC+04:00) By Trend Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba on the occasion of the national holiday of Gabon. On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your people on the national holiday of the Republic of Gabon Independence Day, said President Aliyev in his letter. I hope that the relations between Azerbaijan and Gabon will further develop in the spirit of friendship and cooperation, noted the president. On this joyful day, I wish you good health, every success in your activities, and the friendly people of Gabon peace and prosperity, he added. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 12:12 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Hasanova Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev will visit Azerbaijan, Serbia, Armenia and a number of other countries in 2016. Kazakh Foreign Minister Erlan Idrissov announced about this at a briefing on August 17, RIA Novosti reported. In June, Idrissov said Nazarbayev will visit Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Jordan in 2016, while the president plans to visit Kyrgyzstan in September 2016. The president's international program is very busy, Idrissov said. We will go to Poland, Serbia this autumn, and we have been also invited to the G 20 Hangzhou Summit in China to be held early September 2016. Our president will also visit Japan, South Korea, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. Kazakh expert Adil Kaukenov previously told Day.Az that the future perspectives of cooperation in the Caspian Sea region will be on the agenda of the Baku talks within the Kazakh leaders upcoming visit. Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are also expected to discuss prospects of different logistics and transportation projects, particularly, the Aktau port modernization and intensification of the route Aktau-Baku, which in turn promises significant mutual benefits. Diplomatic relations between the Republic of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan Republic were established on August 27, 1992. Azerbaijanis and Kazakhs are both Turkic-speaking nations and share close historical, religious, and cultural ties. Both are the littoral states of the Caspian Sea and possess a common maritime border. Kazakhstan is home to more than 130,000 Azerbaijanis. The trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan totaled $76.9 million in January-September 2015, or 2.5 times less than in the same period of 2014, according to Azerbaijans State Customs Committee. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 13:11 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova The National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC) is planning to implement projects worth $645 million to increase oil recovery rate at its oil fields. Some 14 projects for construction of gas injection stations are planned to be implemented by the NISOC, SHANA news agency reported. Once the projects are implemented, the gas injection capacity into oil fields, run by NISOC is expected to rise by 16.3 million cubic meters per day. The company injected over 36 million cubic meters of gas into its oil fields during the first three month of current fiscal year (March 20-June 20) to increase their recovery rate. About 80 percent of Irans active oil fields are in their second half-life and need 290 million cubic meters per day of gas re-injection to maintain the production level. Over 150 million cubic meters of gas should be injected on a daily basis to the countrys oil fields, according to the Islamic Republics Fifth Five-Year Development Plan (2010-2016). The predicted figure is vital to prevent pressure fall and maintain the output in oil fields. NISOC is considered to be the biggest crude oil producer in Iran, which accounts for 83% of Irans crude output and 16% of the countrys natural gas production. The company is currently operating 45 small and massive oilfields in Irans southern areas. The company is accountable for production of 80 percent of the countrys oil and 16 percent of its gas output. Earlier, Bijan Alipour Managing Director of NISOC told Shana that the company is planning to boost production of crude oil during the current calendar year which began on March 20. He mentioned that NISOC has prioritized projects which are focused on enhancing production and, quality and capacity of the recovered oil. He also said that the company managed to reach its pre-sanctions levels in crude oil production adding that NISOC supplies 1.6 mbd of Irans oil exports. He added that NISOC managed to add over 900,000 barrels to its output in less than 6 months. Iran holds the world's fourth-largest proved crude oil reserves and the world's second-largest natural gas reserves and is considered to be one of the worlds top oil and gas producers. Before the sanctions were introduced, Iran exported 2.3 million barrels of oil a day. The sanctions reduced the figure to 1 million barrels. The economic sanctions against Iran were lifted on January 16. The Islamic Republic increased output by 0.4 million bpd following the lifting of sanctions in January. Irans exports have resumed to Europe, and Asian buyers have also increased purchases. The Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC) is a cornerstone of the countrys plan to raise crude production to the pre-sanctions level of four million barrels per day. Earlier, Irans Deputy Oil Minister for International Affairs told Trend that the country is planning to attract some $185 billion to the oil and gas sector of the country through a new model of oil contracts. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said that Iran could increase its oil production capacity to 4 million barrels per day (bpd) by the end of the decade. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 16:45 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Hasanova Israel will pay Turkey compensation in the amount of $20 million for the incident with the "Freedom Flotilla," said Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag, Yenisafak newspaper reported. He said that this amount will be paid in the coming 25 days. Relations between the two countries crumbled after Israeli marines stormed a Turkish ship in May 2010 to enforce a naval blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, killing 10 Turks on board. Turkish President Erdogan denounced the killing as state terrorism and withdrew the Turkish ambassador from Israel and later expelled Israels ambassador to Ankara. Turkey and Israel began talks to restore diplomatic ties in December 2015. One of Turkeys original demands for a deal was that Israel ends its blockade of Gaza. Turkey backed away from the demand have extracted some concessions from Israel over allowing access to Gaza. Earlier, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim reported that Israel accepted all the conditions to normalize relations with Turkey. An agreement on the normalization of relations between Turkey and Israel was signed on June 28, 2016. The deal will allow Turkey to build a 200-bed hospital in Gaza and invest in other infrastructure projects. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 17 August 2016 12:04 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli The highest profitability of tourism business turns the tourism sector into one of the valuable spheres in Azerbaijan, which seeks to be world-famous tourism destination. This year, the Land of Fire experiences a rise in number of tourist flow, especially from Gulf countries, Iran and Russia. The country welcomes about 600 tourists from Gulf countries on a daily basis according to statistics. Daily flights performed by companies such as "Azerbaijan Airlines", "FlyDubai" and "Qatar Airways" prove the figures. In addition, a direct flight performed by Iraqi Airways en route Baghdad-Baku-Baghdad allowed Iraqi tourists to visit the Land of Fire more frequently. This year the majority of tourists come from Iraq, number of whom reached 11,028 people, followed by visitors from the UAE making up 10,086 people. Since early 2016, the number of tourists arriving from Arab countries in Azerbaijan reached 25,000, the Culture and Tourism Ministry told Sputnik. The figure records an eightfold increase compared to last year. Advisor to the AzTA Chairman Muzaffar Agakerimov, commenting on the rising number of Arab tourists, said that mostly Arab tourists come to Azerbaijan with their family for 5-7 days. This is a good indicator for the tourism sector, since the longer guests stay, the more money they spend, Agakerimov noted. Agakerimov believes that the tourists inflow form Gulf countries has several reasons. First of all, starting this February all international airports of Azerbaijan has introduced a simplified system for issuing visas, which led to a growth in tourist traffic from Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and other countries. Developments in the Middle East have also changed geography of tourist flow. Another positive factor, which makes guests to choose Azerbaijan, is religion, since the bulk of the country's population is Muslim, what attracts tourists from Muslim countries. Beyond having a high standard tourism infrastructure, the country also offers lower prices. Following the double devaluation in 2015, the prices of hotels and services in tourism sector automatically dropped, and since then has remained unchanged. The expert believes that this is a major factor in stimulating tourism in the Land of Fire. Everyone knows that Azerbaijan is a very hospitable country. Here we are glad to welcome everyone. People witness the highest stability in the country. Day by day the country prospers and becomes more attractive. In addition, our national cuisine is loved by Arab tourists, Agakerimov explained. Thus, the country can earn billions on tourism in case the sector is further boosted. Now plans are being hatched to create special tourism zones in the coastal zone of the Caspian Sea. Recently, Deputy Economy Minister Sevinj Hasanova said that the country plans to establish new special tourist zones. The creation of special tourist zones, in particular, planned to be provided in the Caspian Sea, which contributes to the development of beach tourism and tourism infrastructure, she emphasized. Today, Azerbaijan is able to accommodate from 35,000 to 40,000 tourists per day. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in its 2016 report analyzing data from previous years and providing a forecast for the future, stated that Azerbaijan has made significant progress in the tourism sector. WTTC experts noted that Azerbaijan was able to earn 2,678 billion manats (about $1.8 billion) thanks to tourists. For comparison, Azerbaijans revenues from this sector were 654 million manats ($430 million) in 2010, and a year later the country earned 988 million manats ($650 million). -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz Related Info HOW TO GO The Bakersfield City Council meets at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday to take public statements on items on the closed-session agenda before going into closed session. Its regular meeting resumes at 5:15 p.m. at City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Ave. Meetings also may be viewed live on cable channel KGOV. Past meetings can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/jot6mnq. Gateshead-based gluten-free biscuit brand Prewetts has had two of its products shortlisted at the prestigious Grocer New Product Awards 2016, to be held on Friday 7 October at the Marriott Grosvenor Square, London. Prewetts Chocoful bars and the Spicy Ginger & Chocolate Cookies are finalists in the Free from Biscuits category at the awards, which celebrate and reward outstanding innovation in the UK fast-moving consumer goods sector. Chocoful bars are individually wrapped chocolate-coated biscuit bars, while the Spicy Ginger & Chocolate Cookies feature ingredients such as Belgian chocolate and stem ginger. The business is manufactured by Northumbrian Fine Foods (NFF). David Wood, NFF business director, said: Since we launched our new Prewetts gluten-free range at the start of the year, we have been delighted at the positive response from consumers. We are thrilled that the quality of these biscuits has also been recognised by The Grocer New Product Awards. Innovation is at the heart of our business and we are planning further new product launches over the coming months. In May, Prewetts launched a series of social media competitions to highlight Coeliac Awareness Week (9-15 May). Burtons Biscuit Company has unveiled its plans for expansion following the sale of its Cadbury biscuit licence to Mondelez International. Last week, Mondelez announced it had agreed to buy the global licence for Cadbury-branded biscuits from Burtons, for a sum thought to be in the region of 200m. According to a statement from the company, the sale will enable Burtons to implement a "transformational growth plan across its core brands - including Maryland, Jammie Dodgers, Wagon Wheels and FishnChips - and to continue to invest in innovation for growth". It will also support Burtons ambition to be the number one manufacturer of premium branded and private-label biscuits and snacks and to continue to grow its contract manufacturing business, added the firm. However, Oliver Sherwood, an associate at corporate communications specialist the Brunswick Group, which represents Burtons, told British Baker: Its all very early days, so its a bit too early to be discussing the [detailed] plans for the other core brands. Cadbury-branded biscuits will continue to be produced in Burtons factories by Burtons employees under a co-manufacturing agreement. Discount retailer Lidl has submitted a planning application to extend its Dalry, North Ayrshire store in order to include a larger bakery. The new bakery will add 67sq m to the store, with sufficient space for 32 products to be included on the shop floor. The retailer said the move was in response to significant demand for bakery products at the store. Gordon Rafferty, Lidl UKs regional head of property, said: We are always looking at ways to improve our existing portfolio of stores. Weve seen incredible demand in the Dalry store, so we have decided to take this step to increase our bakery offering in order to enhance the shopping experience for our customers. This equates to a significant investment in the store. The company is hoping that a decision on the application will be made by October. Lidl recently revealed a state-of-the-art bakery at its new store in Penicuik, Scotland. Hackney-based bakery, E5 Bakehouse is helping a Kenyan charity sell sourdough bread to fund the growing need for eye operations in its local Nakura region. The Ujima Foundation is a sustainable social enterprise bakehouse established in 2012 to help provide training and employment for local orphans and to raise money for eye operations. It was set up by Madeleine Bastawrous, a doctor in the department of primary healthcare at Oxford University, and her husband, Andrew, an eye surgeon at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The couple created the foundation after noticing rising rates of diabetes, which can cause blindness, in Nakuru. Ben MacKinnon, who founded the E5 Bakehouse, said: About three years ago we had a call from someone wanting to do a training class with us. They were hoping to start a not-for-profit bakery in Kenya. MacKinnon continued: Madeleine got back in touch and asked if we could bring some bakery skills and training to take the project even further. I thought it would be a fantastic opportunity. For every 100 loaves that are sold, enough money is raised to restore a patients eyesight. In October 2015, the E5 Bakehouse finished a second project to support refugee women, in partnership with the Refugee Council charity. 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 [] New Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (center) watches as outgoing president Benigno Aquino steps down from the dais during the inauguration ceremony on Thursday at Malacanang Palace in Manila. [Bullit Marquez / Agencies] After all the recent hoopla over the disputes in the South China Sea, an obvious priority for the region has been de-escalating tensions and finding ways to prevent or manage potential crises. So with both Beijing and Manila having taken a step back from the tense standoff that had developed between them and making efforts to try and thaw their frozen ties, it is encouraging that other countries with disputes in the waters seem to be willing to do likewise. The agreement between China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Tuesday on the guidelines for setting up a hotline platform and their pledge to abide by the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea may appear to be a matter of course, but they had been on the agenda at high-level meetings between them for a while without any progress being made. These agreements may seem more symbolic than substantive, since unplanned encounters at sea do not constitute a prominent concern between China and ASEAN states, even those with the most troubling disputes. And the hotlines may not be as important, or as indispensable, as the one between Beijing and Washington. However, their significance lies in the collective commitment to peace and crisis-prevention they represent; a commitment which is substantial in its own right. From Beijing to Manila, to ASEAN as a whole, each and every party deserves a pat on the back for displaying such cool-headedness for, no matter how enthusiastic other parties are about trying to drive a wedge between China and ASEAN, it is up to those in the region to sort out the mess. Agreements between China and ASEAN, like the ones announced on Tuesday, will create a favorable framework, or at least conducive atmosphere for dispute resolution on the state-to-state level. That is why Beijing has insisted on a "dual track" approach to dealing with the South China Sea issue. The historical mutual understanding and rapport between China and ASEAN are surely constructive in that regard. What has been achieved at the meeting of high-level officials from China and ASEAN on implementing the Declaration on the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea may seem like affirming previously expressed intentions. (In other words, reaching agreement is a slow process, whose results are less than substantial.) Small as it may be, the outcome of the meeting is an inspiring step toward the ultimate goal of formulating the anticipated Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. A goal that could be unachievable without such incremental progress. Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front row taxi ridesymbolic of the shows content as a fun ride that takes audiences from point A to point B. Gabina VOAs main goal is Enlightening young people, introducing them to cutting-edge technological innovations, exposing them to new processes and ideas so they can be productive, informed and self-governing citizens. A small Pasco County community is set to honor one of its own by renaming the local post office. Post Office to be renamed in honor of fallen Marine Roger Fussell, 19, killed in 1969 in Vietnam Dedication scheduled for November 6th Marine Roger Fussell, of Elfers, was 19-years-old when he was killed on June 6, 1969. His family said he had only been serving in Vietnam for about three months when it happened. Rogers younger brother Tim Fussell said he remembers getting the news back home. At just 13-years-old, Fussell had been out fishing with friends. I knew something was wrong when I came back, Fussell said. So I went on back to the house and thats when mama told me. Roger joined the Marines shortly after graduating Gulf High School in 1968. I figured if anybody could make it home from the military, he could, said sister Faye Shorter. He was just so sweet, said Myra Fussell, another one of Rogers sisters. Now, after all these years, the Elfers post office on Madison Street is set to be renamed in Rogers honor, thanks to a push by Congressman Gus Bilirakis office. The dedication ceremony is set for November 6. Since doors opened at the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Sun City Center, State Road 674 has seen more than its fair share of heavy trucks. Influx from Amazon Fulfillment Center causing problems for S.R. 674 State survey of the area recommended repairs and improvements Those funds won't be available until 2018, FDOT representative says The State of Florida recently completed a survey of 13 intersections on S.R. 674 from 30th Street SE to US 301 and recommended many improvements to accommodate the additional traffic. Truck driver Thomas McKeithan has been driving this road for 15 years and says the upgrades are overdue. "Well, 15 years ago compared to today, there's a lot more hazard than there was then," stated McKeithan. "Like I said, you definitely need more merging lanes so the traffic can get on and off." The deal bringing Amazon to Sun City Center was inked by Hillsborough County. The road the trucks use from I-75 to 30th Street SE is owned and maintained by the State. But there's a disconnect between the two agencies when it comes to upgrades to infrastructure. The county collects 'impact fees,' or money designated to help transition a new business or construction into the county-owned property. As an example, a Walmart built on a corner would pay fees to upgrade the existing traffic signals and traffic lanes on and off the property as part of its Impact Fee. The state doesn't receive these funds and therefore does not not have, at this time, the resources to upgrade S.R. 674 for many years. "The Florida Department of Transportation has a resurfacing project on S.R. 674 from east of Commercial Center Drive to east of US 301 funded in 2018," said FDOT spokesperson Kris Carson. "We will continue to work with the community and the county to incorporate modifications. As continued development is approved by the county, there may be opportunities for improvements to corridors such as this." Recently, Hillsborough County Commissioner Stacy White has proposed the county pay the state nearly $900,000 of collected impact fees to help cover the costs the state road's improvements. There has been no action on that proposal. John Keith Lewis, who pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in Beaumont's West End of nearly $9,300 earlier this year, was sentenced Monday to seven years in federal prison. Lewis is the first of five defendants to be sentenced. All of them have pleaded guilty to the Jan. 4 robbery at Chase Bank on Dowlen Road.Lewis, 22, and Kenderrick Demone Greer, 33, pleaded guilty to robbery May 2. Ten days later, Samuel Lee Weston, 28, Victoria Weston, 21, and Jodeci M. Colbert, 24, pleaded guilty for their roles in the robbery. U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone recommended to the Bureau of Prisons that Lewis receive mental health treatment while in prison. Plea agreements for the other four defendants are sealed. The bank was robbed at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 4 by a man who police said pointed a silver handgun at a bank teller. The man, later determined to be Lewis, ran from the bank, toward the Lancaster Cornwall apartment complex at Dowlen Road and Phelan Boulevard, dropping some of the cash. Soon after the robbery, Lewis and Greer traded in the getaway car - a white Toyota Corolla - for a Chrysler Concorde of the same color.Lewis and Greer purchased an additional car when they traded in the Toyota - a Cadillac sedan, according to court documents. Samuel Weston purchased the car in his name because Greer did not have a driver's license or insurance, the documents state.Colbert, Lewis' girlfriend at the time, was the driver that day, according to an affidavit supporting charges. The robbery was planned two nights before at a home in the 1800 block of East Lucas, the document states.Lewis and Greer targeted that particular bank because "apartments by it did not have cameras," according to the affidavit. Colbert and Victoria Weston rode in the front seats with Colbert driving, according to the affidavit. Victoria's brother, Samuel Weston, was charged as an accessory after the fact. BScott@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/BrandonKScott Jake Daniels Reuters is reporting that Total Port Arthur Refinery "shut a reformer, sulfur recovery unit and a pressure swing adsorption ... after a small fire was extinguished on Tuesday." "A company spokeswoman said in an emailed statement that "at approximately 3:56 p.m. (Tuesday), an operational upset occurred within the Port Arthur Refinery," according to Reuters. A cataract eye surgery center in Massachusetts is the subject of controversy after five patients receiving cataract surgery in May 2014 went blind from the procedure, the Boston Globe reports. Here is what you need to know. 1. The surgeries were all performed at Cataract and Laser Center West, in West Springfield, Mass. The injuries have "shocked and mystified" cataract surgeons, because even one serious injury is rare. 2. Specialists who examined the patients alleged that anesthesiologist Tzay Chiu, MD, is responsible for the injuries. The specialists believe Dr. Chiu possibly pierced the patient's eyeballs or retinas with his needles while he was performing an eye block. 3. Dr. Chiu had been sent by an agency and was working his first day at the center. He was properly screened by the center, and his application did not raise any "red flags." 4. The center's regular anesthesiologist Mario Addabbo, MD, had allegedly screened Dr. Chiu's first three cases and determined he was competent. Dr. Addabbo is disputing the competency finding through a deposition. Dr. Addabbo claims he was not present when Dr. Chiu began his caseload. 5. All five of the injured patients have hired lawyers, and two have filed lawsuits. 6. As a result of the injuries the surgery center has increased the number of required observations to 12. Ten observations is recommended by experts, according to the report. 7. Dr. Chiu reached an agreement with the board of registration in medicine, which licenses Massachusetts doctors, to not perform eye blocks while the board investigates the injuries. Otherwise he is free to practice. 8. The Globe claims the case has brought eye block anesthetics to the forefront of conversation. Physicians nationally use numbing drops more often than eye blocks. 9. The centers report to the state stated. Dr. Chiu had allegedly done hundreds of eye blocks in the past, but the center said there was a possibility it had not adequately verified his experience. More news related to anesthesia: 1. MEDNAX acquires Associated Anesthesiologists: 5 key points 2. FDA approves first nasal-administered dental anesthetic: 5 key notes 3. MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital develop sensor for anesthesiologists: 5 takeaways Earlier this week, Aetna became the latest payer to exit several Affordable Care Act state exchanges, but the news may not be all that shocking in light of a letter Aetna's CEO wrote to federal officials, according to Huffington Post. Here are five things to know: 1. This year, Aetna offered plans in 15 states. The company's latest decision to exit 11 exchanges will leave customers in North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Florida to seek coverage elsewhere. 2. When news broke about Aetna leaving the exchanges, company officials said the DOJ's lawsuit against the deal played no part in their decision to withdraw from 11 exchanges. 3. The Huffington Post got access to a letter in which Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini told federal officials in July that the company would exit the ACA exchanges if officials made moves to block the million-dollar deal. Mr. Bertolini wrote the letter 16 days before the DOJ filed suits against the Aetna-Humana and Anthem-Cigna mergers. 4. In the letter, Mr. Bertolini writes, "[I]f the deal were challenged and/or blocked we would need to take immediate actions to mitigate public exchange and ACA small group losses. Specifically, if the DOJ sues to enjoin the transaction, we will immediately take action to reduce our 2017 exchange footprint" 5. An Aetna spokesperson drafted an email to The Huffington Post on Aug. 16, saying the company's second quarter losses triggered their move to leave the ACA exchanges. Aetna said it anticipated losses totaling $300 million on these state exchanges earlier this year. More articles on coding & billing: Aetna to pull out of 11 ACA exchanges; expects losses reaching $300M: 5 things to know Kaiser invests in Health Catalyst: 4 things to know CMS to update PACE program for first time in decade: 4 thoughts The healthcare industry is undergoing consolidation and the insurance industry is no exception. However, as competition dwindles in the market, physicians are concerned how the payer consolidation will detract from quality care, according to an article Joseph Valenti, MD, published in Forbes. Here are four thoughts from a Physicians Foundation board member: 1. To squash concerns over minimal competition, various payers have vowed to divest plans in select areas. However, Dr. Valenti said if history is any indication, another leading insurance company will buy these plans or the "market will be left to Blue Cross Blue Shield, leaving consumers with even less choice." 2. Payers often give customers the choice of physicians based on the costs associated with that physician. With cost being the overall deciding factor, many physicians worry healthcare's quality will diminish. 3. As reimbursement goes down, physicians try to offset these losses by tacking on more patients. Therefore, providers spend less time with patients, detracting from the physician-patient relationship. 4. If providers do not drop patients with costly conditions, many payers will simply force that physician out of their network. More articles on coding & billing: Aetna to pull out of 11 ACA exchanges; expects losses reaching $300M: 5 things to know Kaiser invests in Health Catalyst: 4 things to know CMS to update PACE program for first time in decade: 4 thoughts Pay raises for many Massachusetts hospital executives increased faster than the rate of state healthcare spending in 2014, according to filings with the Internal Revenue Service, the Boston Globe reported. Boston-based Brigham and Women's Hospital President Elizabeth G. Nabel, MD, had the greatest increase in pay that year. Her total compensation totaled $5.4 million in 2014, up 119 percent from her $2.5 million compensation package in 2013, according to the report. Most of the raise was due to an increased in deferred compensation in 2014, the year she vested in a retirement plan managed by Boston-based Partners HealthCare, Brigham and Women's corporate parent. Gary Gottlieb, MD, former president and CEO of Partners, reported a 19 percent increase in total pay in 2014, reaching $3.1 million, according to the report. Other executives including those at Burlington-based Lahey Health, Boston-based Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Medical Center and Boston-based Tufts Medical Center reported pay raises ranging from 7.1 percent to 70 percent, according to the report. Michael Wagner, MD, president of Tufts Medical Center, saw his pay package increase 70 percent to $1 million in 2014. In comparison, overall healthcare spending in Massachusetts rose by about 4.8 percent in 2014, according to the state Center for Health Information and Analysis, the Boston Globe found. This growth rate exceeded a 3.6 percent target ceiling growth rate set by the commonwealth's legislature in 2012. In defense of the swelling compensation packages, Partners Chairman Edward P. Lawrence said in a statement, "We must provide competitive wages and benefits in order to attract and retain the best individuals at a time when healthcare is undergoing sweeping change. The competition for excellent managers and leaders is especially strong at this time." Other Partners executives, including David Torchiana, MD, who succeeded Dr. Gottlieb at the helm of Partners last year, reported a 48 percent decrease in pay in 2014. Peter L. Slavin, president of Massachusetts General Hospital, saw his compensation decline by 6 percent from the year before. Changes in retirement vesting amounts led to the pay reductions for both executives, according to the report. The superintendent of Larned (Kan.) State Hospital, a psychiatric facility, sent an email to staff Monday saying CFO David Fender is no longer employed at the hospital. The next day, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services launched a financial audit of the hospital, according to The Wichita Eagle. Mr. Fender began serving as CFO of Larned State Hospital in August 2015. Before joining the hospital, he was CFO of the Government National Mortgage Association, which insures government-backed home mortgages. During Mr. Fender's time as CFO of the GNMA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General raised red flags about the federal loan backer's financial statements, according to The Wall Street Journal. When asked about the reason for Mr. Fender's departure from Larned State Hospital, Angela de Rocha, spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, told The Wichita Eagle she could not comment on the issue. She said her agency has no reason to believe the hospital's financial statements are incorrect, according to the report. More articles on healthcare finance: CHS spin-off Quorum Health suffers heavy losses on impairment charges Brigham strike, Epic implementation drag Partners' earnings 13 recent hospital outlook and credit rating actions A married couple from Rockaway, N.J., was sentenced Tuesday to more than six years in federal prison for forging physicians signatures and receiving more than $4.8 million from Medicare and private insurers for diagnostic tests and reports that were never interpreted by a licensed physician, according to the Department of Justice. Kirtish N. Patel, 54, and Nita K. Patel, 53, were sentenced to 100 and 78 months in prison, respectively. Both defendants pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William H. Walls to separate indictments charging them each with one count of healthcare fraud. According to court documents, from 2006 through June 2014, Mr. and Ms. Patel owned and operated mobile diagnostic testing companies called Biosound Medical Services and Heart Solutions of Parsippany, N.J., which were approved Medicare providers. The companies provided various diagnostic tests, including ultrasounds, echocardiograms and nerve conduction studies that are used to diagnose heart defects, blood clots, abdominal aortic aneurysms and other serious medical conditions. Biosound technicians conducted diagnostic testing at primary care physicians' offices in New York and New Jersey, and the company was responsible for sending the tests to a "reading physician" who would interpret the results. After the reading physician prepared a report, Biosound was responsible for providing it to the referring physician. Mr. Patel admitted to fraudulently interpreting and writing diagnostic reports produced by Biosound from October 2008 to June 2014, despite not having a medical license and knowing the reports would be used by the referring physicians to inform patient treatment decisions. Ms. Patel admitted to assisting her husband in forging physician signatures on the fraudulently produced reports to make them appear legitimate, according to the DOJ. They both also admitted to falsely indicating to Medicare the neurological testing performed by Biosound was being supervised by a licensed neurologist. More than 10,000 diagnostic reports generated by Biosound between October 2008 and June 2014 were never actually reviewed or interpreted by a physician, according to the DOJ. On Monday, Emergency Medical Services and law enforcement in Cabell County, W.Va., responded to 26 heroin overdoses in the span of five hours. The spike in overdoses taxed EMS resources and extended wait times at local hospitals, according to WSAZ 3. Limited ambulances forced EMS to triage responses, prioritizing the most severe calls. There were no deaths during the spike, but many patients required multiple doses of the anti-overdose drug Narcan. "It's getting harder and harder to bring these overdoses back to consciousness," Cabell County EMS Supervisor Chad Ward told WSAZ 3. "We were fortunate we did not lose anybody yesterday." Waiting rooms at local hospitals were also overwhelmed. Clay Young, MD, a staff physician at Cabell Huntington Hospital where eight of the overdose patients were treated, described the day as "insanely busy." "I can understand somebody being upset at having to wait, nobody likes to wait," said Dr. Young. "We triage the sickest first so if you're not breathing from an overdose, then you're going to get priority treatment." St. Mary's Medical Center in Huntington treated 12 of the 26 overdose patients in a span of four hours on Monday. Paul Lageman, director of Emergency and Trauma Services at St. Mary's, told WSAZ 3, "The frustration that comes with length of stay is certainly a reality. The goal is to make sure every patient, their needs are met and in as timely fashion as we can...and we met that very well yesterday in my opinion." In August 2015, there were a total of 39 overdose patients in Cabell County for the entire month. With the supply chain representing the second biggest expense on hospitals' balance sheets1, the need to eliminate waste and gain efficiencies is constant. However, most organizations' current supply chain infrastructure fails to support waste-reducing efforts and poses a significant drain on hospital finances. As reimbursements shrink and hospital margins continue to tighten, the need to evolve the hospital supply chain to more accurately meet demand is more pertinent than ever before. According to Steve Thompson, Director Patient Driven Supply Network, at Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health, principles and processes that allow the manufacturing industry to increase efficiency and reduce waste can be effectively applied to healthcare, such as Toyota's lean methodology and Kanban, a system that pulls inventory as it is actually needed. Mr. Thompson, a certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, has been with Cardinal Health since 2006, but he has more than two decades of manufacturing and supply chain management experience in the automotive sector. Here, Mr. Thompson took the time to answer Becker's Hospital Review's four questions. Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Question: Talk to us about the concept of a "pull" vs. a "push" demand signal. Steve Thompson: When you think about traditional material requirements planning, many people do demand planning based on a forecasting model. This model has been taught in the supply chain for years, but unfortunately forecasts are often wrong; demand is frequently at odds with what your forecasts say you need. One thing we've learned from lean methodology is that we tend to manufacture and plan based on convenience instead of what's actually used. We have a massive supply chain in healthcare that is generally based on this model where we build it and ship it and hope it all gets used. But we know already that a lot of supplies expire, or become obsolete and we end up throwing a lot away. We need a model that will actually allow us to replenish supplies based on [true demand]. The older "push" model says, 'I will push the network and fill hospital store rooms and supply closets and hopefully all this stuff will get used before it expires.' However, in today's economic model, no one has the extra money to spend the capital on supplies that are just going to go bad let alone the space to store it all. The "pull" model says, 'If you make a hole, fill a hole.' In a pull model, supplies are replenished for exactly what is used and with consideration for the most logical unit of measure. Today, more people are trying to use pull systems, such as those that use Kanban. However, if all you're doing is using the pull system to inform your MRP, then you're still sending outdated information back to the supply chain. Really effective pull systems have visibility throughout the supply chain so demand is visible in real time. Q: Why is the change to a pull signal important to hospitals, distributors and manufacturers? ST: The funding model is changing and hospital reimbursements are being compressed. Instead of chasing dollars, hospital leaders could be looking at where they are actually spending it. Hospitals spend a lot of money in the disconnect between the supplies purchased and those that are actually used. Supplies in total including consumable goods, devices, implants, etc. represent 30 to 35 percent of total spend2, the second-largest cost after labor on the balance sheet. From a hospital standpoint, supply chain leaders must be able to get their hands around pull demand signals if they are going to compete in the new world. For distributors, to know when something actually gets used allows us not only to react to it but to also start building models so we start to understand what that variation looks like. There's always some level of variation, but we want to be able to know what "normal" looks like versus special or unusual costs. We can build our systems to replenish hospitals based on what those demand profiles look like and then manage the individual changes that are outside of the normal. The manufacturers are working from the information they get from distributors and providers. There is a lot of variation which is often really driven by standard packs or order methodology that doesn't exist. For instance, a hospital may require eight of a certain item per day, but because the item comes in packs of 20, as a manufacturer or distributor we don't see it as eight a day, we see it as 20 every second or third day. The closer distributors and manufacturers can get to what hospitals actually use every day, the better the entire supply chain can respond to it. Q: Why is this change to a pull framework becoming more important? ST: Two reasons. First, it comes down to basic costs. We know reimbursements are being squeezed and hospitals are looking for help anywhere they can get it. [The pull framework] represents a great untapped resource. With it, we can perform better as an entire supply chain, not just pieces along the continuum. We never had the impetus to do it until now; this is the time. Second, the pull framework is based around the concept of incredibly accurate product visibility at the point of use. Through advancements in technology, we now have technology, enabled by RFID, which allows us to capture the point of use demand signal and share the signal throughout the continuum of care through a robust cloud-based analytics platform from patient bedside back to the manufacturer. TO me, its exciting that technology and strategic thinking about best way to anticipate demand are converging at this point in time. Q: What can the healthcare industry learn from other industries that have already adopted this type of thinking related to demand signals? ST: First and foremost, we can learn where the truth is, and the greatest source of truth is where something is actually used. [With the current model], its nearly impossible to know what demand really looks like. Obviously, no one wants to run out of supplies, yet studies have shown that hospitals spend more than $36 million per year on wasted orthopedic hip and knee implants3. That contributes to a $5 billion per year loss for the healthcare industry4. Our supply chain doesn't begin and end on our receiving and shipping docks it's a living thing. In my mind, the change we need in healthcare is the ability to access information that is relevant in real-time that will enable us to make insightful decisions. We really are fundamentally changing the way we do replenishment and supply. We need to move the entire platform to pull systems. The outcome will be a significantly improved experience for our customers, and their patients, and it will allow us to do better within our existing infrastructure. Researchers analyzed the costs associated with various spine and orthopedic surgery adverse events, according to a study published in Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine. Since payers are not responsible for "never events," hospitals must bear the financial responsibility of these complications. The study involved the California State Inpatient Database from 2008 to 2009. The researchers examined patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, posterior lumbar interbody fusion, lumbar laminectomy, total knee replacement and total hip replacement. The researchers separated patients with complication codes surgical site infection, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism from those patients who did not have those complications. Here are six observations: 1. The ACDF group had the least number of adverse events: DVT 0.6 percent PE 0.1 percent SSI 0.03 percent 2. The TKA group had the highest number of adverse events: DVT 1.3 percent PE 0.3 percent SSI 0.6 percent 3. Median inpatient charges for procedures without complications ranked as follows: Lumbar laminectomy $51,817 TKR $70,116 ACDF $73,432 THR $74,459 PLIF $143,601 4. Procedures with DVT complication code charges ranged from: TKR $108,387 ACDF $313,536 5. Procedures with PE complication code charges ranged from: TKR $127,958 PLIF $246,637 6. Procedures with SSI complication code charges ranged from: TKR $168,964 PLIF $ 385,753 The researchers found spinal surgery adverse events significantly increased cost of care. Hospital charges for patients with DVT, PE and SSI spiked between 1.8 and 4.3 times those patients without complications. "Cost projections by healthcare providers will need to incorporate expected costs of added care for patients experiencing such complications, assuming that the cost burden of such events continues to shift from payers to providers," the researchers concluded in the study. To continue following the latest news and information for Bedfordshire and surrounding areas, simply enter your full postcode below The Northern Ireland Secretary is to canvass public opinion on the implications of Brexit on a two-week tour of the region. James Brokenshire, who took up the Cabinet post last month, explained he hoped to spend the rest of August talking with local business representatives, community leaders and politicians. He added that the series of day-long visits was part of the Government's effort to ensure Northern Ireland's voice is heard in the forthcoming Brexit talks. The Conservative MP will also hold a number of meetings with groups representing victims and survivors of the Troubles as he prepares for fresh political talks on resolving an impasse over mechanisms to deal with the legacy of the past. On a visit to Bushmills Distillery in Co Antrim, Mr Brokenshire said: "I have seen first-hand the dynamism, creativity and diversity of Northern Ireland's businesses, and spoken about the UK Government's priorities here - political stability, economic prosperity and keeping people safe and secure. "We all want to make a success of the decision by the people of the UK to leave the EU and I want to get alongside people to hear what they think. "On behalf of the UK Government, I am determined that we prepare together for the challenges ahead. "These visits are an opportunity to learn about the diverse issues faced by people from every part of Northern Ireland. "I will also be explaining that the UK Government is committed to working alongside them and the Executive. "The UK is a great and strong country with a bright future, and Northern Ireland will have a huge part to play." Accountants may have to pay for advising clients on tax avoidance under new proposals Accountancy firms which sell tax avoidance schemes to businesses could soon face heavy financial penalties under new Government proposals. The Treasury said accountants who help wealthy individuals and companies unlawfully exploit tax rules could be forced to pay fines of up to 100% of the tax that was underpaid. Banks which profit from selling unlawful tax avoidance schemes could also be targeted under the proposals. Accountants currently face little risk when selling schemes while their clients can be forced to pay penalties if successfully prosecuted by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in court. The "Big Four" accountancy firms were attacked by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee last year for making lucrative profits out of designing and selling ways for their clients to avoid tax. Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge named PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as one of the firms which were "selling these schemes on an industrial scale". She also criticised HMRC for having "too cosy" a relationship with large accountancy firms. Jane Ellison, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: "People who peddle tax avoidance schemes deny the country of vital tax revenue and this Government is determined to make sure they pay. "The vast majority of their schemes don't work and can land their users in court facing large tax bills and other costs. "These tough new sanctions will make would-be enablers think twice and in turn reduce the number of schemes on the market." The HMRC consultation document also makes it simpler to enforce penalties when avoidance schemes are defeated, the Treasury said. Prime Minister Theresa May, and her predecessor David Cameron, pledged to clampdown on tax avoidance and evasion following the Panama Papers data leak in April, which revealed the offshore financial activities of individuals and companies across the world. After the leak scandal, Mr Cameron announced that the overseas territories and crown dependencies often used as tax havens - like the British Virgin Islands and Jersey - had agreed to provide UK tax and law enforcement agencies with full access to company ownership details. Charities have insisted the territories must go further and allow public access to registers, so they can be examined by journalists and NGOs. Earlier this month, the all-party parliamentary group on responsible tax claimed Britain has publicly led the battle against global tax avoidance while undermining its effectiveness behind the scenes. Richard Murphy, a chartered accountant and professor at City University whose ideas are widely credited for having inspired the economic policies of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, welcomed the move. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This rule is odd. I don't expect it to ever be used. The impact is not going to be from the fact that the rule is there in the sense of it will be imposed, but because accountants and lawyers will no longer be able to take the risk of selling these schemes." He said that "every honest accountant and lawyer in the country will be jumping for joy" at the news. "It's going to be an amazing deterrent but don't expect to see it in court," he added. The UK's biggest companies paid out five times more to their shareholders than they spent plugging the gaps in their pension funds, according to a new report. In what is set to fuel anger over pension scheme funding following the BHS collapse, research revealed FTSE 100 firms with defined benefit schemes - offering a guaranteed income in retirement - paid out 71.8bn in dividends last year compared with 13.3bn in pension contributions. The report - by pensions experts Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP) - found that of the 56 blue chip companies which disclosed a shortfall in their pension funds last year, they paid out 53bn in dividends to investors against 9.5bn in pension contributions. Those firms could have more than wiped out a combined deficit of 42.3bn with the cash handed out in dividends. The findings come amid mounting fury over firms putting investors over pension fund members. Retail tycoon Sir Philip Green recently came under heavy fire in an MPs' report after the collapse of BHS left the chain with a 571m pension deficit, while his family and other investors were paid more than 400m in dividends. He is in talks with the Pensions Regulator over a rescue deal for the BHS scheme and has pledged to address the funding woes. Tata Steel, which owns Britain's largest steel works in Port Talbot, is likewise in discussions with the Government over a restructuring for the British Steel pension scheme, which has liabilities of more than 14bn. LCP cautioned that other firms with pension funding gaps could face action from the regulator on their dividend policy. More than two thirds of firms in Northern Ireland have said they will revise their business plan following the Brexit vote, according to a survey. Members of the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry said they were likely to freeze or pause investment, recruitment or growth plans. The research was carried out in July, following the vote to leave the EU. The Chamber questioned businesses in Northern Ireland - and thousands across the UK. But despite the fears of some firms, a quarter of companies surveyed said they planned to expand or grow their businesses. And Brian Murphy of BDO - which carries out the survey with the Chamber - said the post-vote period was "like Christmas" for manufacturers with a strong export base, thanks to the weakening pound. However, Chamber members said they were concerned about what changes to the EU trading rules could mean, with just over three-quarters of Northern Ireland firms raising it as an issue. And almost two thirds of firms questioned said there was a lack of clarity about the future immigration status of EU workers. More than two thirds said the value of the pound was a major concern. Ann McGregor, chief executive of Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: "The lack of information available post-Brexit is a concern for our members with a significant majority having already or expecting to revise their growth plans. There are particular concerns regarding trade agreements, labour movement and regional funding in particular. "NI Chamber, in a recent policy document, has called for 'stability, clarity and action' around these issues and the findings of the survey underline the need for this to happen." BDO partner Brian Murphy said despite concerns among businesses about Brexit, it was "like Christmas" for manufacturers with a strong export base. He said one company had signed a multi-million pound deal to export to Australia in the days following the EU vote. "The EU Referendum and its largely unexpected outcome has the potential to significantly change our market in a fundamental way. In the short term this change is unfortunately manifesting in a period of uncertainty. "However, rather than stagnating, I am confident that businesses in Northern Ireland will in fact make the most of the positives, such as the advantages our exporters and our hospitality sector are benefiting from as a result of the weaker pound." Meanwhile, the Chamber's full second quarter survey showed a modest upsurge in sales, employment and business confidence across most sectors. However, there was a fall in non-export orders for manufacturers. The survey also showed firms believe there is a "skills mismatch" and a "shortage" across Northern Ireland. "Skills shortages is consistently raised as one of the biggest issues facing our members," said Christopher Morrow, Chamber head of policy. "We must therefore ensure that skills investment is prioritised," he said. What's cooking: Belfast's Iain Watters became a household name during his time on the BBC show Iain Watters: One of the Great British Bake Offs former contestants from Belfast, Iain Watters, has swapped his cooking for construction. Iain became famous for bingate in season five of the popular BBC show when he threw his baked Alaska in the rubbish after another contestant took it out of the freezer. Now London-based, Iain returned to his original career as a builder after his Bake Off fame subsided. He was spotted wearing a high vis vest and hard hat at a university campus in east London two years ago, and now cites his occupation as builder and baker on his Twitter feed which features lots of his homemade foodie creations. Speaking after Bake Off, he said: I have been busy with different building contracts. I have had a few tweets from people who have spotted me. After being booted off the BBC one show for his Alaska-gate tantrum, he swapped Victoria sponges for layering bricks again. Iain even shaved off his trademark bushy bread. Even though he has gone from baking back to building, he reveals he still puts his training to good use and whisks up buns and sweet treats every chance he gets. I still bake about two or three times a week when I can, he says. He also made a Baked Alaska for Macmillan Cancer Research after he came off the show. Iain remains a dedicated fan of the show and regular meets up with former contestants at their cook book launches and will be watching again this year. Edd Kimber Edd Kimber had the honour of being the first ever Bake Off winner, taking the crown in the inaugural 2010 series. Afterwards, he decided to quit his job and pursue a career as a food writer and food stylist, and has published three books, most recently Patisserie Made Simple. The thing I remember most about the show is the contestants and the travelling, he says. We were thrown together with a bunch of strangers and spent the next eight weeks with them. It was an intense process and we formed some really strong bonds, and the longer you stayed on the show the stronger that got, recalls Kimber, whos since also appeared as resident baker on The Alan Titchmarsh Show. Our series was the only one to travel around the country and we were lucky to film in some wonderful places. My favourite happened to be the semi-final in Mousehole in Cornwall, a stunning little fishing town on the coast. The tent was pitched on the side of the harbour and it was just idyllic. Jo Wheatley Jo Wheatley beat Holly Bell and Mary-Anne Boermans to be crowned winner of series two, and admits the experience had the most life-changing effect. I absolutely loved my time in the tent and as the weeks passed, my confidence grew and grew, although I never dared believe Id win, she says. I was genuinely shocked when they called my name, although my boys soon brought me back down to earth when they said, That was good mum, whats for dinner?adds the mum-of-three. Since taking part in Bake Off, Wheatleys gone on to do more TV work, become a food writer with two cookery books A Passion For Baking and Home Baking and set up a cookery school from her home in Essex. Most excitingly, Im close to completing the acquisition of an idyllic, thatched country pub, restaurant and cafe in Cambridgeshire, she reveals. My dream is to create a friendly, cosy environment with home-made food, and a roaring fire in winter, and beautiful outdoor space in summer. John Whaite Now a familiar face on ITVs Lorraine (hes currently a resident chef on the show), John Whaite won Bake Off back in 2012, impressing with his fondant fancies and a heaven and hell chiffon cake. Almost chopping my finger off still haunts my dreams, he says, recalling his stint on the show. But the victory served him well: hes since penned three cookery books John Whaite Bakes, John Whaite Bakes At Home and Perfect Plates In Five Ingredients, and says hes currently writing my fourth. Whaite also co-presents the Chopping Block cookery series with Rosemary Shrager. Ive appeared on cookery shows across the country, including The Cake & Bake Show, and in January, I opened John Whaites Kitchen. Its a cookery school on the family farm where I grew up, he explains. It took two years and was a labour of love which involved all my family, but were extremely proud of it and I love teaching. Frances Quinn Frances Quinn beat Ruby Tandoh and Kimberley Wilson in 2013, and has since been combining baking with her background in design, simply swapping fabric for food. From creating The Shard out of gingerbread, sculpting Barbara Hepworth-inspired shortbread to producing bakes for everyone from Quentin Blake to Steve Coogan, no bake or week is the same, she says. I have a habit of seeing everything as food and get inspired both in and out of the kitchen, whether its an exhibition at the Tate or a musicians new album. Aside from talking food 24/7 with the other contestants, she says her favourite part of the show was getting to banter with Mel and Sue. Luis Troyano Luis Troyano credits his love of Bakewell tarts for inspiring a passion for baking, and ultimately landing a spot in the final three of the 2014 Bake Off, alongside Richard Burr and eventual winner Nancy Birtwhistle. Baking always starts with a pencil and notepad. I draw, then I bake, says Troyano, who saw his first cookery book, Bake It Great, published last year. Ive also toured the country doing demonstrations and teaching classes, and in June I fulfilled a dream and opened my first bakery, The Hive Bakery in Poynton, my home town, he adds. One of his lasting Bake Off memories is: Paul Hollywood shaking my hand after hed tasted my opposites attract bread rolls. I was completely blown away. It was the ultimate compliment from an authority on the subject. Richard Burr Richard Burr, the builder with a pencil always tucked behind his ear, also reached the final in 2014, earning a record five Star Baker awards and producing memorable bakes, including a gingerbread pirate ship and heart-shaped rhubarb and custard doughnuts. Since Bake Off, Ive appeared regularly at food festivals and events across the country, and filmed baking videos for different clients. I also released my first recipe book, BIY: Bake It Yourself, last year and write a weekly blog with recipes at www.richardburr.london, says the father-of-three. My most memorable moment on Bake Off was definitely watching back the first episode with my friends and family, and then hearing a swell of applause from them when Paul Hollywood told me that I was in the wrong job. Nadiya Hussain Nadiya Hussain is reigning champion, after beating Ian Cumming and Tamal Ray last year and famously making Mary Berry cry during the emotional final. Ive been busy and having a lot of fun since winning, with some fantastic opportunities. My children say Im living my dreams, says the mother-of-three. Her first cook book, Nadiyas Kitchen, was released in June, and her childrens book, Nadiyas Bake Me A Story, is out soon. Shes also made a few appearances on Loose Women. Im also a columnist with The Times and Essentials magazine, and have filmed a TV series tracing my roots in Bangladesh, which is out this year, she says. Winning the show has granted many unexpected experiences, not least the privilege of making the Queens 90th birthday cake, she says. Baking my wedding cake as the final show piece also stands out, because it was inspired by my family. It included my wedding jewellery and was lemon drizzle, my husbands favourite. - The Great British Bake Off returns to BBC One on Wednesday, August 24 - Nadiya Hussain, John Whaite and Luis Troyano will be appearing at the Cake and Bake Show at Londons Excel Centre from October 7-9, and at Event City in Manchester from November 10-13. Visit www.thecakeandbakeshow.co.uk British actor Toby Kebbell at the premiere of Ben-Hur in Los Angeles (AP) One of the British stars of Ben-Hur has said the new film did not need to repeat the apparent gay sub-plot of the Oscar-winning epic starring Charlton Heston. Toby Kebbell, who plays Messala in the latest adaptation, said the 1959 version - which won a record 11 Oscars - was made at a time when "the gay context was very important". Claims of homosexual overtones in 1959's Ben-Hur emerged after the late screenwriter Gore Vidal said the title character - played by Heston - and Messala - played by Stephen Boyd - were former lovers. Heston reportedly dismissed the claim. Speaking at the premiere in Los Angeles, Kebbell told the Press Association: "It wasn't something we avoided but it wasn't something we had. "In 1959, the gay context was very important. They need a voice. You shouldn't have to hide in the dark about something you feel and you're grown with. "That was their own thing they wanted to portray and we didn't need to. It's a different time, thankfully." Northern Irish actress Roma Downey, a producer on Ben-Hur, said she was not sure whether there was truth in claims that the 1959 film had a gay sub-plot. "I don't even know if that was true in that film," she said. "Here we have two brothers. They love each other. They're raised in the same household and it's so tragic to see their family just ripped apart." She added: "There's certainty a boldness in taking on a beloved classic. We felt the time was right. It's almost 60 years since the Charlton Heston film. There's a whole generation that has never even seen the film. "My own kids, when I told them I was going to be working on Ben-Hur, they said 'Ben who?' We just think this is the right time." British actor Jack Huston plays Ben-Hur in the new film, which also stars Morgan Freeman and Rodrigo Santoro who portrays Jesus. :: Ben-Hur is due for release in cinemas in the UK on September 7. Puppets of Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn which will feature in the second series of satirical sketch show Newzoids (ITV/PA) New puppets of Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn and Princess Charlotte have been unveiled ahead of the second series of satirical sketch show Newzoids. The Labour leader will be a new addition to the programme, while the puppet of the Prime Minister has had an outfit revamp for the new episodes in honour of her new job title. Mrs May's puppet is sporting a navy blue dress and matching jacket, trimmed with leopard print. She is also wearing a pearl necklace and her trademark animal-print shoes. Mr Corbyn's puppet is dressed in brown brogues and dark trousers with a light shirt and jacket, complete with a white beard and hair. The party leaders will be voiced by Debra Stephenson and Jon Culshaw. The newest royal joins her brother Prince George and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in the Newzoids family, wearing a pink dress and cardigan, pink shoes and lacy ankle socks. She only has two teeth but is sporting very long eyelashes and long curly hair. Other puppets joining the topical animation sketch show for the six-part series include Donald Trump, Danny Dyer, Zayn Malik and Bear Grylls, adding to the 70 existing Newzoids characters who include the Queen, Ant and Dec and Simon Cowell. :: Newzoids returns to ITV in September. A Shankill Road Protestant who spent 25 fruitless years searching for his Catholic mother from the Falls has talked emotionally of how he stumbled on the first clues about her whereabouts thanks to a chance encounter in Florida between a friend and a Boston-based Belfast exile. Not long after the remarkable million-to-one Stateside meeting, John Chambers had a tearful reunion in England with the mother he'd given up any hope of ever knowing after she was ostracised by his loyalist relatives because of her religion. Now John (50) has launched another quest - to find a publisher to bring out a book about his astonishing story of growing up in a bitterly divided family in a bitterly divided city. "I wrote most of it 20 years ago," says John. "I had a publisher then, but I took cold feet and pulled out of the deal because I thought the time wasn't right for me to go public about the complexities and sensitivities within my family, many of whom were still in Belfast "However, so much water has flowed under the bridge now that I am keen to see it in print." John is now poised to have his wish granted to share his experiences with an even wider audience. After a national newspaper printed part of his draft, he was approached by a number of documentary-makers, scriptwriters and radio show producers who wanted him to collaborate with them on recounting his story, which started with a chance meeting between his parents, Marie and John. The couple, who fell hopelessly in love, eventually married in 1962, but it was also a union that was doomed from the start because they were both disowned by their families for daring to cross the religious divide. But the pair tried to hold things together and John Jnr was born in July 1966, the third of four children and the first boy. The Chambers lived in the Grosvenor Road area and the parents tried to insulate the children from the hatred that surrounded them. But John, who spent two years in hospital with a bone disease that led to him undergoing 16 operations to save his right leg, was also shielded from other tensions nearer home that resulted in the break-up of his parents' marriage - and of his family. "I was too young to understand what was happening, but I realised that something was wrong when my parents started visiting me separately," says John, who was later bundled out of the hospital by his mother into a taxi where his two sisters and brother were waiting. An excited John thought they were going on holiday, but they flew to London to start a new life without their father. However, it wasn't a case of happy families, for John's father suddenly arrived in London to take the children home. "There was nothing mum could do about it, and although we didn't know it at the time it was the last time any of us would ever see her, or have any contact with her, or any of her family again, for decades." The children came to believe that their mother was dead, and John says that the pain of not having her in his life tore him apart. After he was finally discharged from hospital in 1970, the four- year-old John went home with his father and siblings to a new house in the loyalist Glencairn estate, and he says he fell in love with the place because of its wide open spaces for him and his dad's Alsatian, Shep, to play. But as the troubles intensified, John would eventually realise that there was another side to Glencairn, which was largely controlled by the UDA. John says his Christian and pacifist father was a member of the organisation, but had nothing to do with the violence they perpetrated and instead ran a drinking club for them called Grouchos. John was eventually told by his grandparents that his mother hadn't been killed in a car crash as he suspected, but that she had in fact gone away and he would never see her again. He was also forbidden from talking about her again. Two of his siblings' Irish names, which had been given to them to placate their mother's family, were changed to English-sounding ones in a bid to remove all traces of their Catholic connections. And John says with every passing year he became more and more the archetypal Protestant, filled with pride as he saw his father and sisters dressing in their uniforms on the Twelfth of July to march with a loyalist band. Even though he attended church and joined their youth organisations, the pride of the Twelfth gave way to hatred as John started to view all Catholics as his enemies amidst the mounting horrors of the conflict in Belfast and across Northern Ireland. John couldn't exclude his own mother from his loathing. "The thought that she was a Catholic disgusted me," he says "She became a dirty Fenian in my childish mind.' As he grew older, John continued to do the things that most Protestant boys of his age did in the Glencairn estate -he carried the strings of Orange banners on marches, he built Eleventh Night bonfires and fought to protect them from rival gangs, and he watched as effigies of the Pope were set alight to cheers from adoring crowds. However, he also saw sights that disgusted him, including punishment beatings and the tarring and feathering of a young Protestant girl who had been in a relationship with a Catholic. The notorious Shankill Butchers were also murdering Catholics, and the bodies were sometimes dumped in or near the Glencairn estate. John says he started to feel anger towards the killers and sympathy with their victims. But his life changed dramatically after his father died of lung cancer at the age of 39 and John and his siblings were farmed out to relatives throughout the estate. John became a glue sniffer and a joyrider. He says he was involved on the fringes of the paramilitary groups, but never took part in any of their operations, choosing instead to align himself with the Mods subculture, which brought him into contact with Catholic Mods, who he realised were just the same as him. At the age of 18, he boarded a ferry for England to "flee from unemployment, prison, or death". "I never looked back," John says. But the reality was that he couldn't escape his past and the Catholic mother that he by now knew for sure was living in England. He'd earlier met a Catholic priest in Belfast in an attempt to find her, but he "bottled out" of any further contact because he was afraid of being seen with "a representative of the enemy". Letters between John and the Salvation Army came to nought. He even wrote to Dear Deidre in The Sun newspaper seeking her help in locating his mother, but again without success. Just as he'd resigned himself to never tracing his mother, fate stepped in when an old school friend from the Shankill went on holiday to Florida, where he met a couple from the Falls Road who were on vacation from their new home in Boston. Out of the blue the name of the Chambers family came up in conversation, and after the friend said that he knew them the woman said she was a sister of John's mother. The aunt said that her sister had been trying to get in touch with John and her other three children for years, but had always been blocked by the family. The aunt wrote a letter to John, which his friend agreed to send on to him. It read: "I hope this letter finds you well and apologies if I have the wrong person. "You obviously don't know me and, although I now live in Boston, USA, I am originally from the Falls Road. A few days ago, I met a Belfast couple and we got talking. When I heard they were from the Shankill, I felt goose pimples run up my spine. You see, my sister, Marie, married a guy from the Shankill Road, John Chambers, in the 60s and they had four children together. "The strain of coming from a mixed marriage was too much for them. The break-up was very hostile and my sister was denied access to the children and lost contact with them. In fact, all contact with members of my sister's family was denied and we have been trying to find the children ever since. "When I asked the couple if they knew the Chambers family, I was amazed when he told me he went to school with you and he knew your brother and sisters. "John, I think you are my sister's son and I am including my telephone number and address and would be over the moon if you would contact me. "I will understand if you don't wish to speak to me, but my sister has always loved you all and has spent a lifetime searching for you. Even to know that you were all well and happy would mean the world to her." The upshot of the letter was a meeting between John and his brother and their mother, who was waiting for them at Preston railway station in Lancashire. "There were lots of tears, kisses and hugs," John says. "Our mum said she was nervous about seeing us and it was a really bizarre experience coming face-to-face with her. But I am so glad that it happened. "After that first encounter, I moved to the north of England with my wife-to-be to be near my mother, and I see her almost every day. My wife, two children and I have a very good relationship with my mum despite the history. It was very difficult for her as well as for me." John's mother has shied away from the spotlight and has declined to do interviews or be photographed. "But she's given me her blessing in trying to find a publisher for my book," says John. John Chambers blogs at belfastchildis.wordpress.com The number of boys achieving the very top grade at A-level could pull further ahead of girls, an expert says A-level results are predicted to rise when they are announced this week, one of the country's foremost education experts has suggested. And the number of boys achieving the very top grade could pull further ahead of girls due to an increase in take-up of maths - typically a high-scoring subject - according to Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University. Last year, boys held a 0.9% lead over girls at A* grade, although girls had a 0.4% lead at A and A* grade combined - having out-performed boys every year since the millennium. Entries to maths and further maths are up again, the former now replacing English as the subject with the highest intake - 85,980 entries compared with 78,800. Since they award by far the most A* grades, this could lead to an increase in A* grades overall. Prof Smithers said: "The grades have been narrowing since 2006. "Boys tend to cluster in the subjects that give out a lot of the top grades, such as maths, Greek and Latin. "Girls cluster in subjects like English that offer relatively few of the top grades, like English and psychology. "It could be that boys go further ahead this year due to the increase in people taking maths and further maths." His comments come just days before thousands of students across England, Wales and Northern Ireland learn their A-level results. Last year, the proportion of A-levels scoring at least an A grade fell by 0.1 percentage points to 25.9%. Official figures for 2015 showed that 8.2% of entrants received an A* grade, the same figure as the previous year. The overall pass rate rose to 98.1% in 2015 - having fallen the previous year for the first time in three decades. Prof Smithers said it was difficult to say what the pass rates would be this year, but that it was possible that the percentage of students getting the top grade could increase by one 10th of a per cent. He said: "It's quite tricky to predict, of course, because the regulator Ofqual tries to keep the percentage of the grades awarded the same for year on year, bearing in mind the prior attainment (GCSE results) of the cohort. "In 2015, interest in computing, RE, economics have gone up. "The most A* and As go on further maths and maths. In English there are relatively few top grades and there entries have fallen by about 6%. "These changes in entries could be overwritten by the other factors. The A* and A grades could go up just a bit, by a tenth of a percent or so." This year's A-level results will be available to students on Thursday morning. A-level results advice from QUB professor [Audio] Professor David Jones, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, from Queen's University Belfast, offers advice to those receiving their results, details of where to go for further information on clearing and details of helpline numbers. The Gobbins cliff path has been dogged by problems Council chiefs have set aside 10,000 for a promotional visit to the US to boost a tourist attraction that has been closed for more than half its first year. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said it thought the outlay for this week's trip to promote the troubled Gobbins pathway was good value for money. Four councillors and one council official are visiting an Irish festival in Milwaukee for a second year. Last year, a similar delegation ran up a 9,754 bill. Councillors have been given a verbal update on the ongoing maintenance work to the cliffside tourist attraction. Despite this, the council admitted that a definitive reopening date had not been confirmed "as yet". Lobby group The TaxPayers' Alliance said the public would be outraged that the council was spending the money on a "jolly". However, the council issued a robust defence of its decision and said that its visit to the Irish Convention in Milwaukee had won over customers who had never otherwise considered coming to Northern Ireland. The spectacular Gobbins cliffside walk missed out on its two biggest potential periods for attracting visitors - its first summer season and the Easter period - because it was shut down for lengthy stints. Economy Minister Simon Hamilton, whose job takes in tourism responsibilities, has been urged to prepare a full report for the Assembly when it resumes next month. Initially, it was estimated the 7.5m Gobbins project would draw in more than 70,000 visitors in its first year. But because of various setbacks, just 23,914 have visited the tourist attraction so far. Business was first disrupted between January and April due to storm damage. The path was shut again on June 20 because of increased levels of rockfall, and it has not reopened since then. "Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will be promoting the borough and all it has to offer, in particular the Gobbins and Carrickfergus Castle," a council statement read. "The decision was discussed by elected members and the council agreed that the trip represented value for money in terms of the networking opportunities and scope to promote the borough. "Similar promotional trips to the Nordics have previously demonstrated a positive return on investment for the borough in terms of tourists visiting the area." A spokesman went on: "Evidence from the Milwaukee show last year indicated that visitors' travel plans were being formed for 2016 or 2017 onwards and that many had never considered travelling to Northern Ireland before meeting people from the area. They then reported they would certainly consider travelling to Northern Ireland. "In 2015, five elected members and one staff member took part at a cost of 9,753.92. This year, the maximum sum approved is 10,000." The woman received a suspended six-month jail term for a series of comments on the Protestant Coalition's Facebook page. A Belfast woman convicted of posting menacing messages online, including a suggestion that Muslims should be sent to the gas chambers, has avoided prison. Anne Bothwell received a suspended six-month jail term for a series of comments on the Protestant Coalition's Facebook page, the Courts Service confirmed today. Bothwell is also set to appeal against being found guilty of six counts of improper use of a public electronic communications network. The 53-year-old, of Ashmore Street in the city, has denied any messages were harmful, insisting they were written in humour. Belfast Magistrates' Court heard last month the comments concerned both Muslims and Dr Raied Al-Wazzan - a senior figure within the Islamic community in Northern Ireland. In his evidence Dr Al-Wazzan said the content of some of the messages on the Protestant Coalition page caused him to fear for his life and for his family's safety. Dr Al-Wazzan - who has lived in Northern Ireland for 26 years - told of discovering his picture had been posted after the group organised an anti-refugee rally, and he attended a demonstration in support of refugees. He described reading comments from Bothwell which allegedly suggested he should be shot, and that Muslims should be sent to the gas chamber. She also referred to him as Wizzy-Wazzy, accused him of practising witchcraft, and said Muslim woman "are all over Belfast on their broomsticks and should be burnt at the stake", the court heard. When another poster asked what could be done about Dr Al-Wazzan, Bothwell was said to have responded: "Where are the guns, that would end the problem." Dr Al-Wazzan claimed the online comments had put his life under threat and resulted in him carrying out checks to see if he was being followed. Both denied the messages posted in January this year were threatening or menacing. Contesting the charges at last month's hearing, she claimed the comments were taken in the wrong context and insisted she has Muslim friends. She also claimed to have been upset about an evangelical preacher taken to court following a complaint to police by Dr Al-Wazzan. Pastor James McConnell was ultimately cleared of charges linked to an anti-Islamic sermon. Bothwell said she made the comments because she was upset at what the preacher had been through. She was convicted of six counts relating to a menacing message, while a further charge linked to a grossly offensive post was dismissed. It was confirmed today that District Judge Ken Nixon imposed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after studying prepared reports. Bothwell is now set to try to have her convictions overturned at Belfast County Court later this month A man is to stand trial accused of raping a child in Belfast. Conaire Adams-Whyte is alleged to have carried out the sexual assault on a 12-year-old girl in July last year. The 20-year-old, of Crocus Street in west Belfast, is charged with the rape of a child under the age of 13. He faces a further count of offering to supply the Class B drug cannabis. As Adams-Whyte appeared before Belfast Magistrates' Court for a preliminary inquiry, prosecutors argued that a prima facie case had been established. The accused declined to say anything in response to the charges during the brief hearing. Asked if he wanted to call witnesses or give evidence, he replied, "No". District Judge Fiona Bagnall granted a prosecution application to have him returned for trial at Belfast Crown Court on a date to be fixed. Adams-Whyte was released on continuing bail. His solicitor confirmed he was seeking senior counsel for the trial and said: "The complainant at the time of the alleged incident was only 12 years old. It's a very serious matter." The advertising campaign for the bottled water - centred on the slogan 'Orange and Proud' - won't be launched in Northern Ireland, due to concerns that it could be interpreted as supporting the Orange Order and so alienate Catholics A high-profile advertising campaign promoting orange mineral water will not run in Northern Ireland because of fears it would associate the drink with the Orange Order and offend Catholics. Unionist politicians and senior Orangemen last night denounced the decision by the manufacturers of drinks' brand Volvic as "absolute nonsense" and "political correctness gone mad". The advertising campaign for the bottled water - centred on the slogan 'Orange and Proud' - won't be launched in Northern Ireland, due to concerns that it could be interpreted as supporting the Orange Order and so alienate Catholics. The posters - which feature a smiling model with ginger hair holding the bottle - will appear in advertising boards in England and Wales. It won't be displayed in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland or Scotland - although the product will be sold in shops everywhere. Volvic is owned by the French multinational food company, Danone, which also produces Evian mineral water. A Danone spokeswoman said: "We are aware of the sensitivities, which is why these posters will not appear in Ireland, Northern Ireland or Scotland. This campaign was designed as a fun and positive brand statement for Volvic as part of our marketing campaign." Ulster Unionist MP and Fermanagh Orangeman, Tom Elliott, said: "This is an unreal decision. "It is political correctness gone mad. To say that people would be insulted by an advertising campaign for an orange flavoured drink is absolute nonsense. "There are many products and companies with green in their name. I don't think that offends unionists and Protestants one bit. "Asda have a big green logo, but that doesn't deter those not of a nationalist viewpoint from shopping there." Mr Elliott said that consumers purchased products on merit, not on fanciful interpretations associating them with a particular political tradition. "I was a customer with Orange mobile phone operator," he said. "I switched to another company which provided better reception. "People make decisions based on common sense, not on outlandish ideas." DUP MLA and Belfast Orangeman, Nelson McCausland, said: "This is a daft decision by Volvic's manufacturers. It is an ad for a soft drink, featuring a person with ginger hair. The basis of the slogan is very clear - there is nothing more to it than that. "The ad is intended to be humorous, and I'm really struggling hard to see how anyone could find it offensive. "The ad didn't go up here, so it's not even as if Danone is responding to complaints. "The Orange Order is also active in England - it has a substantial presence in Liverpool, for instance, where it marches every year. "Yet the posters aren't being withdrawn there. It is all utterly illogical." A spokesman for the Grand Lodge of Ireland denounced Danone's position as "ridiculous, bizarre and inconsistent". He challenged the company to "publicly explain the rationale of their advertising disparity within the UK given the fact Orange lodges also exist in England". The spokesman said the Orange Order was involved in several community outreach projects. "Our new museums in Belfast and Loughgall provide a shared space where people from different backgrounds can learn about the history and traditions of Orangeism through education, aiding the reconciliation process in Northern Ireland," he added. TUV leader Jim Allister said: "The decision not to run this advertising campaign in Northern Ireland is ludicrous. "The company is being hugely over-sensitive. "Besides, there is nothing wrong with Orangeism. "It's a very noble and honourable tradition." Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has signalled that he is willing to open dialogue with dissident republicans who are "at war against this community". The Louth TD called for dissident leaders to come forward and engage in conversation, not aggression. "These people need to bring forward their spokespersons," he said yesterday. "They need to explain their actions." He also condemned the increasing number of dissident attacks, accusing such groups of throwing pipe bombs in Londonderry and Belfast, and defacing posters of hunger strikers and starting bonfires. "It's hooliganism (and) it's vandalism," said Mr Adams. "Of course, there are more serious aspects. They have killed a number of people as well." The Sinn Fein leader particularly criticised the attacks that targeted Feile an Phobail, the west Belfast Festival. These included sending out leaflets that named Feile staff and committee members, putting up posters on the Feile an Phobail offices and picketing outside. Adams said such attacks showed that dissident groups had "nothing to offer". But he added he wanted to engage in dialogue with those willing to come forward. "If we can help in any way to assist those who want out, as opposed to those who are engaged in criminality, then we have a duty to do that," he explained. "We need to be continuing to reach out to those who are alienated, who are not part of efforts to build a progressive society." Two sisters alleged they suffered harassment by a male co-worker at a branch of KFC in Belfast Two Belfast KFC workers have settled sexual harassment claims for 30,000. Sisters Kirstie and Courtney McKeever alleged they suffered harassment by a male co-worker at a branch of KFC in Boucher Road. They claimed he touched and pinched them despite being asked to stop, used overtly sexual language and exposed himself. He has been dismissed. The Equality Commission watchdog, which supported the pair, said: "The women alleged they reported the incidents to supervisors and managers but the behaviour continued. "The McKeever sisters felt that, in the end, they had no choice but to resign their jobs." Kirstie McKeever was studying for her A-levels when she started working for KFC. She said: "He would touch my face and pinch me under the arms. It made me feel really uncomfortable and I told him to stop. "He also began to ask me inappropriate questions of a sexual nature. I asked him to stop it and then complained to supervisors but it continued. His behaviour made me ill and led to me resigning from my job." Her sister Courtney was also still at school. She said: "When the guy started nipping me, I told him to stop. "Throughout the time I was there he made what I felt were insulting and threatening remarks to me and inappropriate sexual remarks. "I complained to supervisors who said they would speak to him but nothing changed. In the end I felt I had to resign from my job. "It was a tough time but I'm glad it is all behind me now and I would encourage anyone else facing treatment like this to come forward." Kirstie and Courtney McKeever settled the claims for 14,000 and 16,000 respectively. Justin Stratton, human resources director for KFC franchisee Herbel Restaurants, apologised. "We do not tolerate any type of harassment in our restaurants," he said. "Whilst the settlement clarified that no blame lies with the company for what happened, and that we took all necessary steps to put things right, we understand that this was a distressing experience for the team members involved, and for that, we're sorry." The women were offered the chance to reconsider their resignations but declined, Mr Stratton said. In disposing of the case, Herbel Restaurants trading as KFC reaffirmed its commitment to equality of opportunity in the workplace and agreed to meet the Equality Commission to review its equal opportunities policies, practices and procedures to ensure they are fully compliant with its legal obligations. Evelyn Collins, chief executive of the Equality Commission, said: "It is unacceptable that, decades after it was established that sexual harassment constitutes unlawful sex discrimination, we are still witnessing cases such as Kirstie's and Courtney's. "Here were two young women who simply wanted a part-time job to earn some money like so many other teenagers. What should have given these young women useful experience of the workplace instead became an ordeal that caused them great distress." Staff at Co Down manufacturer Glen Dimplex to strike over pay Staff working at a Co Down manufacturing firm are due to strike tomorrow over pay. Workers at Glen Dimplex in Newry, which produces heating appliances, are due to stop work on Thursday over pay, according to the Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union (Siptu). Members of Siptu at the plant are due to strike between Thursday morning at 7.45am and 7.30am on Friday, the union said. Siptu organiser, Denis Sheridan said: "The workers had been involved in negotiations with the company for some time concerning an increase in pay. "Unfortunately, due to the intransigence shown by management at these talks, no agreement was reached. "This work stoppage is the first of several planned for the coming weeks and is in addition to an ongoing work-to-rule campaign at the plant which includes a ban on overtime and call outs." There are around 120 Siptu members working at the Glen Dimplex plant in Newry. Established by Dublin native Martin Naughton in 1973, Glen Dimplex's brands include Morphy Richards, Creda, Belling along with Dimplex. Siptu's Alan Clark, said: "Our members have sought to find a negotiated solution to this dispute. "Glen Dimplex is a profitable company and it is only fair that the workers who produce its high quality heating and other products are rewarded in an acceptable manner for their work. "We regret that we have found it necessary to implement strike action in an attempt to bring an end to this dispute." Una Casey from Derry, who successfully swam across Lough Foyle from Magilligan to Greencastle to raise funds for the foundation set up in honour of tragic Lisa Orsi A teenager has beaten treacherous tidal currents to swim across Lough Foyle - from Northern Ireland to the Republic. The stretch of water from Magilligan in Co Londonderry to Greencastle in Co Donegal is usually crossed by ferry, but Una Casey from Londonderry made the journey under her own steam. The 19-year-old is one of the youngest people to make the treacherous crossing. She took on the challenge to raise funds for the Lisa Orsi Foundation, set up in memory of a 22-year-old Derry woman who fell victim to severe altitude sickness in Singapore last year. The group is taking a group of inspirational young people, including Una, to the Asian World GAA Games in China. Una completed the two-mile swim in just 37 minutes after entering the chilly water at Magilligan Point. Back on dry land, she admitted the swim was much more exhausting than she had anticipated. "I am a member of the City of Derry Swimming Club, so I am a competent swimmer, but the currents in the Foyle were stronger than I had anticipated," Una said. "There wasn't much time to prepare for the swim, because the Greencastle Regatta was last Sunday, which was a good opportunity to raise funds, so I just went for it. "We contacted the organisers of the regatta and asked if we could do the swim as part of their event and they were fully behind us, which was great. It was a lot tougher in the water than I had expected because the currents are really strong and I had to swim against them. "The ferry that runs between Magilligan and Greencastle can go directly across, which is a mile-and-a-half, but I needed to take a longer way because of the currents, so my swim was around two miles." Una managed to raise a total of 900 for the Lisa Orsi Foundation. "There are seven members of the Brian Og's Club, including me, going to China for the Asian World GAA Games in November through the Lisa Orsi Foundation, and we have a fund-raising target to reach, so I am delighted that my swim help me reach that," she said. The foundation also hopes to raise awareness of organ donation after Lisa's were donated, and the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, which helps the families of people from Ireland who die while abroad. Figures show that in June 1995 only around 150 members of the prison population were recalled offenders Soaring numbers of prisoners are being returned to custody after being released, creating a "revolving door" system which needs to be overhauled, a campaign group has claimed. Offenders who are freed to carry on serving their sentence under supervision in the community can be recalled if they fail to comply with the conditions of their licence. Figures show that in June 1995 only around 150 members of the prison population were recalled offenders. As of June this year, the number was 6,600. In the period between January and March this year, 5,185 offenders were recalled for breaching the conditions of their licence - an increase of 22% compared with the same period last year. Under the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014, licence supervision was expanded so anyone sentenced to more than a day in jail receives at least 12 months' supervision on release. Failing to report to a probation officer can amount to a breach, while criminals can also be returned to prison if there is any deterioration in behaviour which leads officials to conclude there is an increased risk of committing further offences. In a submission to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Howard League for Penal Reform argued that the possibility of recall to prison as a consequence of a breach of licence should be removed. There is a "lack of due process" in the system, the group claimed, adding that reasons for recall are "broad and often vague". It said new crimes could be dealt with separately through the usual channels, while other community penalties could be imposed for breaches of licence that do not amount to a criminal offence. Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League, said: "Why are we sending men and women back to prison when they have not committed new crimes? "Far from transforming rehabilitation, privatising the probation service and making more people subject to licence conditions has sped up the revolving door, returning people to prison and putting more pressure on a system that fails everyone. "Removing the possibility of recall to custody would be a more sensible way to help people who are struggling to comply with their licence conditions." The Howard League also described prisons as overcrowded and warned there has been a decline in safety behind bars since 2012. The Ministry of Justice said recent figures on recalls are "not comparable" with statistics from the 1990s. A spokeswoman for the department said: " There have been significant changes to the way we manage offenders which mean comparing them is misleading. "Public protection is our priority and offenders on licence must comply with a strict set of conditions. If these conditions are breached they face going back to prison. "Safety in prisons is fundamental to the proper functioning of our justice system and a vital part of our reform plans." Sir Edward Carson puts the first signature on the Ulster Covenant at Belfast City Hall in 1912. To the right of the photo is a telegram boy, believed to be Dennis Hanna In this decade of centenaries, family history still has the potential to surprise, and this week my dad and I visited a twist in our own family story at the World War One British War Cemetery at Vermelles, near Lens, in the Pas-de-Calais department of France. We visited grave 111.0.2, that of rifleman Dennis Hanna, service no. 7210, of Royal Irish Rifles (RIR), 1st Battalion, who was killed, still a teenager, almost exactly 100 years ago on August 18, 1916. We were visiting to pay a debt of honour and respect at the grave of Dennis, who was my grandfather's first cousin. My grandfather, Patrick Joseph Hanna, had no brothers and he and Dennis were close. Karl Marx once said that history repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce. It had been part of family folklore that Dennis, whose family were Catholic and Home Rule supporters, had been present at the signing of the Ulster Covenant at Belfast City Hall on September 27, 1912. In the famous picture of a granite-jawed and determined Sir Edward Carson signing the first Covenant on a Union Flag-covered table, surrounded by the notables of Ulster unionism, a few places to his side is a boy in uniform looking somewhat out of place. That was Dennis Hanna, then a 15-year-old Post Office telegram messenger boy, delivering telegrams of support for Ulster unionism from throughout the Empire. The family tale was corroborated just a few years ago when the 1911 Irish Census was put online. There he was, Dennis Hanna, then aged 14, Telegraph Messenger, son of Robert and Annie Hanna, brother of Eliza Jane and Mary Anne, Roman Catholic, 62 Anderson Street, Belfast. If 1912 was farce for Dennis, 1916 was tragedy. I was talking about the story in a radio interview when a caller asked if I knew what had become of Dennis - I didn't. My grandfather's family would have been strongly nationalist and never mentioned the sad fate of Dennis, like so many of the dead of World War One, and he was effectively written out of family history. Dennis joined the National Volunteers, and then signed up after the outbreak of war in 1914. Two acknowledged authorities on the Great War period, Nigel Henderson and Philip Orr, with their encyclopaedic knowledge, have filled in some of the gaps of his military career. The RIR 1st Battalion was stationed in Aden, Yemen, at the outbreak of war. Dennis had initially enlisted in the 4th Battalion RIR (initially known as the Royal North Down Militia), but was then deployed to the 1st Battalion, arriving in France on July 30, 1916. He was dead within three weeks. The RIR was involved in various phases of the Battles of the Somme, and the battalion war diaries give no details of the circumstances of his death, merely referring to the location as "in trenches". The current decade of centenaries and, in particular, the focus on the 1916 Easter Rising and the Battle of the Somme have, for many, opened a window on family history that was once firmly closed. From my own perspective, the decade from 1912 was a disaster for the people of Ireland, whatever their allegiance, in terms of death, injury and lives blighted. By 1922, Ireland was partitioned, the country broken economically and socially, and thousands dead or maimed (5,000 casualties on the first day alone of the Battle of the Somme). Those events are fundamental to the development of nationalist, unionist, republican and loyalist identities and plumb many of the issues that still drive disagreement and insecurity here. How we mark these anniversaries as a society will shape how we mark the even more difficult upcoming 50th anniversaries of Troubles events in living memories. We are in some ways emotionally and politically locked into the past, but this island and how we remember has changed. Commemorations of both the Rising and the Somme remembered all those who died, whether at the GPO or in France. One hundred years on, the short life of my great uncle, Dennis Hanna, for so long written out of history, can now be better understood. I have so many questions about Dennis, not just the circumstances of his death, which was probably awful and, as in so many war deaths, wasteful and unnecessary. Is there a photograph of him in uniform? What happened to his sisters, Eliza Jane and Mary Anne? Did they marry and have children? All we can do is to commend his soul, and that of all the fallen, to the mercy of God and to remember them, and the wasted humanity, with honour and respect. Claire Hanna is SDLP MLA for South Belfast Technology will be a major theme of networking group Women in Business September conference. Regina Moran, head of industry sectors business application services for Fujitsu, will be the event's main speaker. The other speakers will include Molly Harvey, who is an authority on leadership, and the futurist and broadcaster Timandra Harkness. Ms Harkness has written about travel for the Sunday Times and about technology for Wired, BBC Focus Magazine and Men's Health Magazine, and on being 'Seduced by Stats' for Significance, which is the Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Women in Business chief executive Roseann Kelly said: "Women in Business has an incredible line-up of speakers on September 22, each one of whom has an interesting and unique take on how the future of business looks and how we must adapt to it." The Future of Business Conference will take place on September 22 at the Ramada Plaza, Belfast. Bangladeshi police escort alleged Ansarullah Banga Team leader Md. Abul Bashar (second from left) and suspected ABT members Jafran al- Hassan and Julhas Biswas (third and fourth from left) after their arrests, Sept. 11, 2015. Dhaka police Wednesday identified a top leader of a Bangladeshi militant group as one of those who planned the killings of four secular bloggers, a publisher and two gay-rights activists. Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) leader Selim masterminded machete-attacks dating to early last year that killed bloggers Avijit Roy, Washiqur Rahman, Niladri Chottopadhya and Nazimuddin Samad, LBGT activists Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, and publisher Faisal Arefin Dipan, police allege. Disposing of the cases of the killings of bloggers, the publisher and LGBT rights activists is our priority now. So, we need to catch Selim, Masudur Rahman, the spokesman for Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), told BenarNews. Roy was a Bangladeshi-born U.S. citizen and Mannan, the editor of Bangladeshs first magazine specializing in coverage of LGBT issues, worked for the U.S. Agency for International Development in Dhaka. The DMP also announced that it was renewing a bounty of 500,000 taka (U.S. $6,380) on Selims head, asking for the public for information that could lead to his arrest. In May, police posted the same bounty on Selim (whose aliases include Iqbal, Mamun and Hadi), but did not identify him as an alleged mastermind of those killings. He (Selim) is a big fish. Inshallah (God Willing), we will catch him soon, Rahman said. The police, however, divulged no evidence to show how Selim was involved in planning the seven killings, which occurred in six attacks. Since February 2015, Bangladesh has seen a wave of machete killings by suspected Muslim extremists who have targeted dozens of secular bloggers, intellectuals, religious minorities, foreigners and others. Police have blamed ABT for the slayings of secular bloggers and writers. We will punish all the killers, I can assure the people, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told BenarNews this week. Seeking publics help Smaller-scale extremist attacks have died down since June, but the mass-killing last month of 20 hostages during an overnight siege by extremists at a cafe in Dhaka rocked Bangladesh. The police have pinned responsibility for the July 1 attack on another home-grown militant group, Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen (JMB), although Islamic State claimed that its supporters in Bangladesh carried out the massacre. Since last year, and even after the cafe attack, the government has denied that IS has a presence in the country. In pursuing Selim, police this time around are asking the public to use social media and a new mobile app, Hello CT which was designed by the Dhaka police department to send information that could help authorities catch him. Selims name was among six suspected ABT members who were the targets of wanted notices and bounties issued by police on May 19. Two months ago police arrested one of the six suspects, whom they identified as Sumon Patwari. Based on information extracted from the suspect, the police carried out an operation in which a suspect known as Sharif, who was identified as one of the alleged killers of Avijit Roy and several others, was killed in a shootout with authorities in Dhaka on June 19. At least three other suspected ABT members, including group leader Md. Abul Bashar (pictured) and activists Jafran al-Hassan and Julhas Biswas were arrested in September in connection with the murders of Roy and another secular blogger, Ananta Bijoy Das. Roys father, Ajoy, said he would be satisfied only when the killers of his son were brought to justice. Yes, I think the bounty announcement will work to catch all of the militants. Sumon Patwari was arrested after the police announced a bounty on him. Sharif, who was killed in a gunfight with the police, was also one of the killers of Avijit Roy, Ajoy Roy told BenarNews. Police in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, say that a Uyghur named Ibrohim, whose photo appears on their departments list of most wanted persons, died in a shootout in the area, Aug. 17, 2016. The last Uyghur member of the Eastern Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) a militant group allied with the extremist group Islamic State (IS) was killed in a shootout with security forces in Central Sulawesi province on Wednesday, a police official said. The shootout started soon after members of a task force spotted two men during a patrol at Kilo, a village in Poso regency, Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig. Gen. Rudy Sufahriadi said. When officers shouted out for a code word, the two men responded by shooting and throwing homemade bombs at the security forces. One of the two members of the MIT was shot and killed on the spot, while another escaped with an M-16, Rudy told reporters in Palu, the provincial capital. He added that the security forces were pursuing the second man. From information received from my staff at the ground, based on their investigation, the one killed is MIT member, a Uyghur named Ibrohim, he added. Ibrohims body was to be taken to a military hospital in Palu, the capital of Central Sulawesi province, to complete the identification process. Ibrohim, who had been on a list of wanted persons, joined MIT in mid-2015 with five other Uyghurs all of whom have since been killed in gun battles with Indonesian security personnel according to police. The six had taken part in acts of terror around Poso, including the killing of two local farmers in September 2015, police said. Uyghurs are members of a Muslim minority in China who mostly live in the northwestern Xinjiang region. They also are spread across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkey. Some Uyghurs have been accused of being involved in militant groups and committing acts of terrorism. MIT weakening The task force was taking part in Operation Tinombala, which began in January and involves hundreds of police officers and military personnel, and whose goal is to capture or kill MITs remaining members. The operation claimed its biggest prize about a month ago when members killed MIT leader Santoso (alias Abu Wardah), who ranked No. 1 on Indonesias list of most wanted militants. Police believe that MIT has weakened following his death in a shootout with security forces in Poso on July 18. The number of surviving members hiding in the forests and mountains of Poso is believed to be 14, including two women. Their weaponry is also weakening. Based on the intelligence information, they have only five rifles, some homemade weapons and homemade bombs, Rudy, the provinces police chief, said. Central Sulawesi Gov. Longki Djanggola has urged the remaining MIT members to surrender. Ive spoken directly with the national police chief on the continuation of the operation in Poso. It will continue until the MIT followers hiding in Poso are caught, Longki said. Last week, Rudy coordinated with the National Commission on Human Rights to form a 13-member team of non-military professionals tasked with persuading the MIT members to surrender. Philippine policemen escort Indonesian national Muhamad Sofyan from a hospital in Jolo town after he escaped from the Abu Sayyaf Group, Aug. 17, 2016. Two Indonesian sailors escaped from Abu Sayyaf militants in the southern Philippines who had held them and others hostage for nearly two months after hijacking their tugboat, Indonesian and Philippine officials confirmed Wednesday. Elsewhere, the crew of a fuel tanker sailed from Malaysia to Indonesias Batam Island on Wednesday over a dispute with their employer, Malaysian and Indonesian officials said. Muhamad Sofyan, one of seven crew members of the tugboat Charles 001, had fled from his Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) captors, Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs official Lalu Muhammad Iqbal told reporters in Jakarta. At 1 p.m. today, the Indonesian Foreign Minister communicated with the Philippine Foreign Minister and received confirmation about the escape of that one hostage, he said, adding that Sofyan was taken to the Sulu police station. Locals found Sofyan, 28, around 7:30 a.m., according to the Philippines police. He apparently escaped from the Abu Sayyaf after the group threatened to behead him. Sofyan had swum to safety and was rescued by residents of the southern Philippine island of Jolo, who found him trapped in fishnets in a mangrove, according to the Associated Press, who quoted Maj. Filemon Tan, a spokesman for the Western Mindanao Command. At 4:30 p.m., Tan said, another crew member from the tugboat, identified as Ismail, was found in Barangay Bual, the same area in the southern Philippines where Sofyan was found, according to CNN. The escapees were two of seven Indonesians taken hostage from the Tugboat Charles on June 20, in waters between Jolo and Tawi Tawi. On July 9, three more Indonesians were kidnapped from a Malaysian-flagged ship near Sabah, Malaysia, by Abu Sayyaf militants. And on Aug. 3, an Indonesian captain on another Malaysian-flagged ship was kidnapped by four armed men near Sabah. Four Malaysian sailors, whose vessel was hijacked off Sabah in July 18, also remain in ASG custody. The crew of the MT Vier Harmoni, pictured in this undated photo, sailed from Malaysia to Batam Island over a dispute with their employer, Aug. 17, 2016. [Courtesy of Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency] Tanker crew sailed from Kuantan Port Meanwhile, the 10-member crew of a tanker carrying 900,000 liters (237,000 gallons) of diesel fuel left Kuantan Port, Malaysia, and sailed into Indonesian waters over a dispute with their employer, a top Malaysian maritime official confirmed to BenarNews on Wednesday. The crew of MT Vier Harmoni deliberately took the ship over the dispute, said Malaysian Maritime Agency (MMEA) Director General Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar. The Indonesian navy confirmed this report.[T]he ship was not hijacked but was taken by its crew back to Batam, First Adm. Edi Sucipto told BenarNews in a written statement. Sucipto praised the coordination between the Indonesia navys Western Fleet Quick Response, in the province of Riau, and the MMEA. Malaysia deployed ships and a helicopter in its search for the tanker. Singapore assisted in the efforts in Malaysian and Indonesian waters. The MMEA stopped its search for MT Vier Harmoni midday Wednesday when its Indonesian counterpart confirmed that the tanker was anchored off Batam, Ahmad Puzi said. Officials communicated with the crew members, who are mostly Indonesians, and determined that the ship had not been hijacked. Indonesian officials confirmed that the ship is owned by PT Vierlines, an Indonesian company, and was chartered by a Malaysian company. Ahmad Puzi said the owner had not made bond payments to the Malaysian authorities to allow the ship to sail in its waters. Bond payments are necessary to ensure that ships be held accountable for incidents such as oil spills. We are still investigating this incident thoroughly and hope both sides cooperate so further action can be taken, he said. The agencys enforcement director, Mohammad Taha Ibrahim, said all 10 crew members were safe when the agency contacted the ships captain Wednesday afternoon. Hata Wahari in Kuala Lumpur contributed to this report. ANKARA - The death toll has risen to eight on Tuesday after a car bomb attack occurred in southeastern Turkish province of Diyarbakir, Dogan News Agency reported. The attack was launched on Monday by the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) militants against a police station, said the report. Five police officers and three civilians were killed in the attack when the PKK militants detonated a bomb-laden truck outside the Murat Ucar Regional Traffic Inspection Station in the Sukurlu village of Diyarbakir. A cleaning worker heavily wounded in the attack passed away at a military hospital on Tuesday. The ongoing investigation showed the truck was from the southeastern province of Mardin and was loaded with over 10 tons of explosives. Diyarbakir police were on high alert as Aug 15 marked the 32nd anniversary of the PKK's first armed attack in Siirt's Eruh district in 1984. Over 500 members of Turkish security forces and thousands of PKK members have been killed in confrontations inside Turkey and northern Iraq since July 2015. More than 40,000 people have lost their lives in clashes with the PKK since 1984, when the group started anti-government attacks. The PKK was listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union and Turkey. 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. 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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. First up, Joe Biden is thinking about dropping tariffs against China. But theres a spy in prison this morning that helps us understand why he shouldnt. Ill explain. Your second brief, If youre looking for a good paying job, you might consider being a CEO for a health insurance company. One executive made $142M dollars last year. Let's talk about that. And as always, Im keeping an eye out for developing stories. Put this one on your radar. Mexican cartels are grooming American kids online and paying them cash to traffic illegals or run drugs across the border. Ill share details. If you enjoyed this episode of the President's Daily Brief, remember to subscribe and listen daily at podfollow.com/pdb. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices For Immediate Release, August 17, 2016 Contact: Michael Robinson, (575) 313-7017, michaelr@biologicaldiversity.org Nearly 36,000 Acres of Critical Habitat Protected for Two Arizona Cacti TUCSON, Ariz. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today protected 35,991 acres in Arizona as critical habitat for two types of cacti that are rapidly disappearing due to drought and extreme temperatures caused by global warming, as well as border-enforcement activities, off-road vehicle use and livestock grazing. Acuna cactus photo by Jim Rorabaugh, USFWS. This photo is available for media use. When cacti cant survive in the desert, something is seriously out of whack, said Michael Robinson of the Center for Biological Diversity. These important protections will guard against disturbances of the rocky grounds where these cacti grow. But thats not enough we have to drastically, quickly reduce emissions of greenhouse gases to ensure the Earth remains hospitable for cacti, polar bears and people alike. The Fish and Wildlife Service designated 18,535 acres in southern Arizonas Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties for the acuna cactus and 17,456 acres in northern Arizonas Mojave and Coconino counties for the diminutive Fickeisen plains cactus. This is a sharp cut from the 53,720 acres of critical habitat proposed for the acuna cactus and 49,186 acres proposed for the Fickeisen plains cactus by the agency in 2012. The difference reflects the elimination of unoccupied habitat for the acuna cactus and exclusion of military and tribal lands based on management plans for both species. You can't protect endangered species without protecting the places they live, said Robinson. So while I'm grateful for protection of critical habitat for these unique and beautiful cacti, Im disappointed that the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to protect all the areas scientists have identified as important for the plants recovery. The acuna cactus, which depends on winter moisture to flower and produce seed-bearing fruits, is experiencing a steep decline throughout its range in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, as plants succumb to unnaturally severe heat and are not replaced. Drought-stressed acuna cacti are also dying from insect infestations that, under wetter conditions, they would likely have survived. Moreover, because the vast majority of remaining acuna cacti occur within 10 miles of the border with Mexico, the plants are at risk of being run over during border-crossing and enforcement activities. They are also at risk from the spread of non-native, invasive buffelgrass. The Fickeisen plains cactus was once widespread along ledges in northern Arizona, but is now rapidly disappearing due to drought and associated susceptibility to insect infestations, along with livestock trampling that inhibits germination of young cacti. The Endangered Species Act prohibits federal agencies from undertaking or authorizing actions that harm or destroy critical habitat. Most of the land designated today consists of public lands overseen by the Bureau of Land Management. Background The acuna cactus is spherical in shape and grows to 3.5 inches wide and 16 inches tall, blooming in March with rose, pink or lavender flowers. Almost three-quarters of known acuna cacti live in Arizona and the rest in Sonora, Mexico. The Fickeisen plains cactus is globular in shape, grows to just 2.4 inches tall and 2.2 inches wide, lives close to the edges of canyon rims, and, through retractile roots, copes with extremes of heat or cold by pulling itself down into the neighboring substrate until its crown is flush with the surface and emerging when conditions improve. Both cacti were identified as imperiled in 1975, but no action was taken to place them on the endangered species list. In 2002 and 2004, in the face of accelerating population declines, the Center submitted scientific petitions to protect the cacti as endangered. But the Fish and Wildlife Service failed to take any action. In a 2011 legal settlement with the Center, the Service agreed to establish a deadline for deciding whether to protect under the Endangered Species Act a total of 757 animal and plant species for which decisions were long overdue. To date this agreement has led to protection under the Act of 147 species, including, last year, both of these cacti. An additional 35 species have been proposed for protection. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For Immediate Release, August 17, 2016 Contact: Kristen Monsell, (510) 844-7137, kmonsell@biologicaldiversity.org Lawsuit Launched to Protect Blue Whales, Other Endangered Animals From Offshore Fracking in California Federal Government Authorized Fracks From Oil Platforms Without Analyzing Threats to Rare Whales, Sea Otters, Turtles, Birds or Fish SANTA BARBARA, Calif. The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a notice of intent to sue the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement for approving fracking in federal waters off the California coast without evaluating the dangers to blue whales, sea otters, and other threatened and endangered wildlife. Sea otter photo by Michael "Mike" L. Baird. Every offshore frack puts Californias wonderful coastal wildlife at risk from toxic chemicals or another deadly oil spill, said Kristen Monsell, a Center attorney. Its disturbing to see the federal government ignore its legal responsibility to carefully consider the dangers of offshore fracking and prolonged drilling to whales, sea otters and other species already struggling to survive. The bureaus decided to allow offshore fracking in May, after releasing a cursory environmental assessment of the practice. The federal assessment acknowledged potential threats to imperiled wildlife, including toxic risks to sea turtles and seabirds from fracking chemicals and the danger that fracking support vessels could run over sea turtles and whales. A recent study by Oregon State University researchers cites collision with ships as a reason blue whales have not recovered. The federal assessment also admitted that offshore fracking will prolong offshore oil and gas activities, extending the life of aging infrastructure and increasing the risk of yet more oil spills. A coastal pipeline that ruptured last year near Santa Barbara spilled more than 140,000 gallons of crude, killing hundreds of marine mammals and birds. But the bureaus failed to consult with the expert wildlife agencies on the risks these activities pose to threatened and endangered coastal wildlife as required by the Endangered Species Act. The Centers notice seeks to compel the bureaus to suspend approval of all offshore fracking and other well stimulations off Californias coast until completion of a comprehensive analysis of the impacts on imperiled species under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. At least 10 fracking chemicals used in offshore fracking in California could kill or harm a broad variety of marine species, including sea otters and fish, Center scientists have found. The California Council on Science and Technology has identified some common fracking chemicals to be among the most toxic in the world to marine animals. Oil platforms in the Santa Barbara Channel have federal permission to dump up to 9 billion gallons of produced water per year including fracking chemicals into the ocean. The federal environmental assessment was issued as part of a legal settlement resolving a prior Center lawsuit over the federal governments approval of fracking from offshore platforms in the wildlife-rich Santa Barbara Channel without complying with the National Environmental Policy Act. Todays 60-day notice of intent to sue is required before a lawsuit can be filed to compel the bureaus to comply with the Endangered Species Act for their new decision to authorize offshore fracking. Offshore fracking doesnt belong off the California coast, and the federal government certainly has no right to let the oil industry frack in these waters without fully analyzing the risks this toxic technique poses to imperiled marine animals, Monsell said. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. For Immediate Release, August 17, 2016 Contact: Rachel Silverstein, (619) 787-3161, rachel@miamiwaterkeeper.org Brettny Hardy, (415) 217-2142, bhardy@earthjustice.org Jaclyn Lopez, (727) 490-9190, jlopez@biologicaldiversity.org Manley Fuller, (850) 656-7113, wildfed@gmail.com Tom Ingram, (858) 616-6408, tingram@dema.org Port Everglades Project Would Repeat Environmental Destruction Caused by PortMiami Dredging SCUBA, Environmental Organizations Challenge Massive Dredging Project to Save Threatened Corals FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A group of environmental organizations and Americas largest trade organization for recreational divers filed suit in federal court today in southern Florida to seek protections for coral reefs in Fort Lauderdale. The corals, in and around Port Everglades, are threatened by a proposed U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredging and port expansion project to make way for larger, Panama-canal sized vessels. Port Everglades is about 30 miles north of the Port of Miami (PortMiami), where the Corps recently deepened and widened the Miami Harbor Channel, a project that proved disastrous for the coral reef in the area. For the PortMiami project, the Corps had assumed there would be minimal impacts to coral, but instead fine-grained sediment from the project injured and smothered tens of thousands of coral colonies and over 250 acres of the reefs. The damage spread out over half a mile from the dredging. Despite these devastating results, the Corps has used the same flawed methodologies to evaluate the Port Everglades proposal, refusing to change any of its procedures to better protect corals. Floridians know the beauty and the value of these majestic reefs the only nearshore barrier reef in the continental U.S. The PortMiami project proved that the Corps of Engineers environmental review process is flawed, and that the dredging could irreparably harm this national treasure, said Brettny Hardy, an attorney at Earthjustice who represents plaintiffs in the case. Under the law, a proper analysis must be done before further taxpayer dollars are spent on this potentially devastating project. In the complaint filed today, Miami Waterkeeper, the Center for Biological Diversity, Florida Wildlife Federation, and the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA) allege that the Corps inadequately considered the risks to corals in approving the Port Everglades dredging project, and violated the National Environmental Policy Act process and the Endangered Species Act. The complaint points out that the environmental analyses that the Corps and the National Marine Fisheries Service relied on to approve the project simply does not represent best available science, the legal standard for agency decision-making, because it fails to account for new information realized during dredging at PortMiami, among other reasons. After the devastating impacts caused by the dredging at PortMiami to our reefs, we will do everything in our power to ensure that history does not repeat itself at Port Everglades. said Rachel Silverstein, executive director and waterkeeper of Miami Waterkeeper. The Corps must follow the law. While the Corps has already acknowledged that its current environmental analysis is not appropriate or sufficient, it does not plan to begin a new formal evaluation of the dredging plans and environmental considerations until January 2017 at the earliest. In the meantime it is moving forward with engineering and design of the Port Everglades project and seeking congressional authorization for project funding, still relying on faulty, outdated environmental documents. Its incredibly reckless that the Corps is continuing to move forward without redoing its evaluation based on the dramatic sedimentation impacts that took place at PortMiami, said Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity. Were glad the agencies agree more needs to be done, but so far there are no assurances that the new evaluation will be done correctly or in time to make a difference. The details matter. We need to ensure they do this in time and get it right. Protecting the coral reef will require more expansive and likely more expensive monitoring, mitigation, and changes to dredging methodologies. Because the Corps analysis is inadequate, the groups fear that the current requested funding levels will fall short of whats needed to prevent harm to the reef. Thats exactly why these documents are intended to be done properly before the project is authorized. The Corps is going about this backwards and the result will be an incomplete execution of the plan to protect the reefs, said Manley Fuller, president of the Florida Wildlife Federation. The reefs provide huge environmental and economic benefits to South Florida. The living coral reefs in South Florida are enormously important, not only as an irreplaceable environment, but as a contributor to the economy of the state and Floridas diving industry, said Tom Ingram, president and CEO of the Diving Equipment and Marketing Association (DEMA). Each year snorkeling and scuba diving in Florida account for almost 9 million visitor-days, create almost 30,000 full-time equivalent tourism-related jobs, and contribute about $1 billion directly to the Florida economy. DEMA is determined to help protect the natural reef from destruction so that many generations to come can continue to enjoy the opportunity to see, firsthand, this unique and precious natural resource. Miami Waterkeeper is a South Florida-based nonprofit. Our mission is to protect South Floridas watershed through citizen engagement and community action, ensuring swimmable, drinkable, fishable, water for all. Through our work, we hope to ensure clean and vibrant South Florida waters and coastal culture for generations to come. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.1 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Florida Wildlife Federation is a statewide nonprofit conservation organization advocating for abundant wildlife and fisheries, habitats and clean water, and supporting outdoor recreation. DEMA is the trade association for the recreational diving industry. Our mission is to bring businesses together to grow the recreational diving industry worldwide, and our goals include helping divers everywhere have continuing access to a clean, healthy diving environment. Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization. We wield the power of the law and the strength of partnership to protect peoples health; to preserve magnificent places and wildlife; to advance clean energy; and to combat climate change. We are here because the earth needs a good lawyer. Mewing is a TikTok trend that has blown up in the last few months. It is claimed that it can help shape your jawline as well as cure other ailments by actively pressing your tongue to the roof NAIROBI, Kenya - First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, Kenya Ministry of Health and Roche Pharmaceuticals, have launched key activities that will facilitate access to improved care for patients with breast cancer in Kenya. The launch builds on the country's 2015-2020 National Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases and represents a comprehensive approach to battling the disease. L-R: First Lady Margaret Kenyatta, Markus Gemuen and Andre Mendoza. The program also complements the campaign from the African First Ladies who are committed to expanding access to prevention and treatment services for women with breast cancer. The public-private partnerships planned activities include breast cancer awareness programs, improvements in screening and diagnostics, including the placement of a diagnostic instrument capable of advanced testing for seven types of cancer. Additionally, the collaboration will train five new oncologists and six oncology nurses, provide surgical oncology training, support the development of best practice national treatment guidelines and an increase the number of cancer treatment centres in Kenya. Access to medicine will be made available patients seeking treatment at public institutions with the government of Kenya and Roche jointly covering the costs. The aim of these measures is to improve access to timely and precise diagnostic services and tailored cancer treatment to make cancer therapy much more effective. Strong, healthy women are the foundation of families, of our country, and today in Kenya their health is threatened by a disease that we must catch early. Many women are being diagnosed with breast cancer too late and are dying needlessly when there are treatments available that give them a chance to fight this disease, said Kenyatta. This partnership between the Government of Kenya and Roche demonstrates that we all must play our part to ensure that our mothers, sisters and daughters have the opportunity to fight and win the war against breast cancer. Breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer in women in Kenya with more 50% of the cases presenting in women below the age of 50. This places their families and the economy at a great disadvantage. Every year approximately 4,500 patients are diagnosed with the disease and 2,000 patients lose their lives to this disease. This burden reflects an increasing trend in the number of women being diagnosed with the disease. Early diagnosis and treatment could greatly reduce the burden of breast cancer and improve treatment outcomes. The Kenya agreement is part of Roches Africa Strategy which began in 2015 in seven countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Cote dIvoire, Angola, Ethiopia and Gabon. Based on country needs and capabilities, Roche is implementing a wide selection of activities in collaboration with local partners, including healthcare system strengthening, such as local data generation and advocacy for healthcare prioritiSation; disease management support, such as awareness, advocacy campaigns and treatment guidelines; and education and market access solutions, including healthcare professional training, private health insurance with local companies and price-volume agreements with governments. We are honored to have First Lady Margaret Kenyatta here today to launch this important initiative for breast cancer patients and to demonstrate Kenyas commitment to improving cancer care, said Markus Gemuend, Head of Roche Sub-Saharan Africa Region. With access to healthcare, women are empowered to build the futures they want for themselves and their families. This comprehensive agreement ensures that breast cancer patients in Kenya will have not only improved access to care and life-changing medicines, but also that the overall healthcare system is stronger to support all Kenyans battling cancer. Zimbabwe on Tuesday threatened to crack down on social media activists pressing to oust President Robert Mugabe's government, and warned of the turmoil that followed the Arab Spring. Image by 123RF Referring to activists working with "diaspora cyber-terrorists", information minister Christopher Mushohwe cautioned: "They must be warned that the long arm of the law is encircling them." The comments at a press conference in the capital Harare come after a series of street protests in recent weeks, protesting at Zimbabwe's faltering economy and fuelled by Internet activism. Mushohwe said the government would deal with social media activists and warned it was "closely watching the activities of these subversive elements". Last week, Mugabe accused his opponents - including popular pastor Evan Mawarire, the figurehead of recent demonstrations - against trying to topple him through protest "like in the Arab countries", a refrain picked up by Mushohwe on Tuesday. "Let Zimbabweans know, if it happened in Libya, if it happened in Iraq, if it is happening in Syria, it can happen anywhere, so let's not promote it," he said. "That's why you see most of the Libyans and the Syrians are dying every day in the Mediterranean Sea trying to go to Europe to look for peace which they had destroyed in their country. They once upon a time had peace like Zimbabwe." Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for 36 years. But as his cash-strapped government struggles to pay civil servants and the military on time, the long-time leader has faced mounting opposition under the hashtag, "ThisFlag" - a reference to wearing the national flag in public. "ThisFlag" founder, Mawarire, was detained last month for allegedly trying to overthrow the state, but a court dropped charges against him. Last week, he travelled to the US to meet compatriots there and consider his next move, urging his compatriots to maintain the pressure on the government. "There are people who are now in trouble because they thought Mawarire was their leader. Where is Mawarire now?" said Mushohwe. The 92-year-old president, who is increasingly fragile, has vowed to stand for re-election in 2018, though party seniors have long been jockeying to step into the role when he dies. Mugabe's wife Grace and vice president Emmerson Mnangagwa are among the possible successors to one of the world's oldest living heads of state. Source: AFP. By 6:30 am on 24 June, less than 12 hours after a successful referendum on Brexit (Britain's exit from the European Union), South Africa's currency, the rand, took the first blow. It plunged by almost 8% from R14.33 to R15.45 against the US dollar, its steepest single-day decline since the 2008 financial crisis. Brexit sent shock waves through the global markets, including those in Africa. Source: Africa Renewal Investors in African markets panicked because many economies (such as Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia) were already reeling from low commodity prices exacerbated by a sluggish global demand. In these countries, Brexit added salt to the wounds of injured economies. On what happens next, experts are uncertain, and African governments may need to redefine their trade and diplomatic relations with a post-Brexit Britain and Europe. Trade and investment will be affected most by Brexit. Most of the trade arrangements the UK has with African countries were negotiated through the EU. This means the agreements will cease to apply or will have to be renegotiated when the UK finally leaves the EU, a process that will take two years from the time it officially informs the EU of its intention to pull out. It will be a difficult time for Africa, as the UK will no longer shape and lead some of the most important initiatives on the African continent that form the basis of co-operation between Europe and the continent. Trade agreements often take considerable time to hash out, and the uncertainty of the intervening period could complicate exports to the UK. The emerging markets and frontier asset markets will be affected too. South Africa, a former British colony and one of Africas advanced economies, could be hard hit, among others. In short, South Africas economy suffers whenever the British economy slumps. Many South African companies are listed on both the Johannesburg and London stock exchanges, and several South African banks depend on British cash reserves. Since the country exports 10% of its wines to the UK, for instance, the industry is already bracing for future losses. Impact on SA trade South Africa, the UKs largest African trading partner, will bear the brunt of Brexit. When Brexit takes effect, considering that the UK is South Africas eighth-largest import and export market in global terms, according to 2015 data, South Africas gross domestic product (GDP) could shrink by 0.1%, setting the economy on a downward spiral, predict Raymond Parsons and Wilma Viviers, professors at South Africas North-West University. Slower economic growth as a result of potentially weaker trade and investment ties with traditional overseas markets means less job creation and yet higher unemployment. Brexit will cost Britains GDP a cumulative drop of 2.75 percentage points in the coming 18 months, say Jan Hatzius and Sven Jari Stehn, economists working with the investment bank Goldman Sachs. They predict that the GDP could fall to as low as -1%, effectively a recession, described by economists as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Larry Fink, chairman of the worlds largest asset management firm, BlackRock, agrees, noting that Brexit could lead to a slowdown in trade with the EU, lower investor confidence and high unemployment. This is not good news for South Africa and Britains other African top trading partners, particularly Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt. Nigeria negativity After South Africa, Nigeria is Britains second-largest African market, with Kenya coming third. Before Brexit, bilateral trade between Nigeria, Africas largest economy, and Britain was worth about 6 billion ($7.9 billion), and had been projected to reach 20 billion ($26.6 billion) by 2020. With Brexit, that projection looks overly optimistic. Nigeria is grappling with falling oil prices, its main income source. Crude chemicals and allied materials make up almost a quarter of Nigerias trade with Britain. A potential drop in oil demand coupled with low oil prices could dim the Nigerian economys prospects for recovery. Tunji Andrews, a Lagos-based economist, says Nigeria cannot rely on the EU to make up for the shortfall in earnings if the British economy goes into a recession. British government statistics show that investments in Africa doubled between 2004 and 2014, from 20.8 billion ($27.6 billion) to 42.5 billion ($56.5 billion). Kenya weakened Kenya, Britains third largest market in Africa, could witness capital flight after Brexit, leading to falling exports. This would weaken the Kenyan shilling and make imports more expensive for a country that has already seen a 10% increase in import bills in the past five years. Kenyas lucrative cut flower industry, for which Britain is the second-largest export market after the Netherlands, could suffer. A trade deal on flower exports between the East African country and the EU was in the works before Brexit. If a trade deal between the East African Community and the EU is stalled by Brexit, Kenya stands to lose billions of shillings which could lead to uncertainty for Kenyan exports. Kenya will now have to negotiate separate deals with Britain and the EUa potentially difficult task. Without such deals, Kenya may lose up to 4 billion Kenyan shillings ($39 million) a month, predicts the Kenya Flowers Association, which represents flower businesses in the country. Less development aid The direct impact on trade aside, Brexit is expected to affect British development aid to Africa. Britain contributed about 409 million ($543 million), or 14.8%, to the European Development Fund (EDF)s 2014 budget, which the EU uses to support development in poor countries. Without Britains contribution, the EDF will have less money, and this will affect EU-funded projects, including road construction projects in countries like Tanzania. Britain can directly finance projects in Africa through its international aid programmes, such as the Department for International Development, but it can only support a small number of countries, says Kevin Watkins, a Brookings Institution non-resident senior fellow. A limping British economy with a potentially weakened currency may not continue the current level of assistance to countries such as Ethiopia and Sierra Leone that rely heavily on British aid. In 2014, for example, Britain provided 238 million ($416 million) in aid to Sierra Leone, which was 6.8 % of the countrys economy, according to the World Bank. That same year, Ethiopia received 322 million ($425 million), 0.8 % of Ethiopias economy. Besides exports and international aid, a sluggish British economy may slow remittances by the African diaspora in Britain. Remittances provide a much-needed cash injection into African economies. In 2014, for example, Nigerian immigrants in Britain remitted $3.7 billion, the most among African immigrants. Prospects for change Despite fears that Brexit could dislocate African economies, some experts see positive developments for countries like Libya and Zimbabwe, currently under EU sanctions championed by Britain, according to The Herald, a Zimbabwean daily. With Brexit, the EU might be encouraged to review these sanctions and possibly re-engage with these countries. Britain will be able to focus more on our bilateral relationships with Africa and with our traditional partners and to really look at Africa for its needs rather than looking at it through the prism of the EU, that is an outdated model that may have fit in the 1970s but is wholly inappropriate now for the UK or a wholly inappropriate way to define the UK-Africa relationship, says James Duddridge, a former British minister for Africa and a Brexit supporter, in an interview with Radio France Internationale. Without the EU, he said, ties between Britain and Africa will get stronger. Earlier this year, Duddridge criticised the EUs decision to reduce funding for the African Union Mission in Somali (AMISOM), which is helping to bring peace to that country. The decision was against Britains wishes, he says, adding that Britain could in the future decide to deploy its own troops to Somalia. The good news is that Africa can actually seek assistance elsewhere. Africas trade with Europe, estimated at $106 billion in 2016, has been eclipsed by Chinas. Worth an estimated $300 billion, China is Africas top trading partner currently. The World Bank confirms that China became sub-Saharan Africas most important export partner by 2013, accounting for 27% of the regions exports compared with 23% for the EU and 21% for the US. Although at 9%, sub-Saharan Africas exports to India are the fastest-growing globally. With China, the US, Brazil, India and others strengthening their relations with Africa, the continent could look elsewhere if its ties with Britain or the EU get complicated in a post-Brexit era. For Africa, therefore, its probably premature to press the panic button. Source: Africa Renewal. RABAT, Morocco - Applications for Chevening Scholarships, the prestigious global scholarship programme of the UK government, are now open. The scholarship is open to students worldwide. Chevening scholarships, which are funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations, operate in over 137 countries worldwide, and this year will support about 2000 students. The Scholarships are awarded to exceptional individuals with leadership potential, who wish to study for a one-year Masters degree at any British university, starting in September 2017. Some 160 talented Moroccans have benefitted from the programme since 1983. The Scholarships aim to support UK foreign policy priorities by creating lasting positive relationships with future leaders, influencers and decision makers around the world. There are over 44,000 Chevening alumni world-wide who together form an influential and highly regarded global network. Chevening alumni have an excellent record of rising to positions of leadership across a wide range of fields: including politics, business, the media, civil society, religion, and academia. Applicants who wish to study in one of the following areas, are being sought: Economic development (including sustainable development and environmental issues). Good governance and Public Policy. Security and justice. Human rights. Media and communications. International relations. Karen Betts, British Ambassador to Morocco said: Chevening scholarships provide a fantastic opportunity to gain academic experience while experiencing life in the UK. The closing date for applications will be 12:00 GMT (midday UK time) on 8 November 2016. The Cape Town-based design company, Formula D Interactive, has beaten thousands of entries from 46 nations to win a prestigious Red Dot Award in the category Interface Design. The accolade was awarded to them for showing "uncompromising competency and considerable courage" in the development of the world's first Virtual Reality (VR) shark senses exhibit. Wren Handman via Pixabay Marco Rosa, MD of Formula D interactive, says the company was approached by the Save our Seas Shark Education Centre, in Kalk Bay Cape Town, and Sunfish Consulting to develop the experiential exhibit which it completed earlier this year. Our goal was to help visitors to the centre better understand sharks formidable senses of smell, hearing, sight and touch and, in turn, encourage them to support conservation projects. VR is becoming a powerful tool to explain new concepts and complex theories scientific or otherwise - to people of all ages. Creating demand for South African design Rosa adds that he believes that winning the sought after Red Dot Design Award 2016 not only adds to Formula D interactives reputation, but also raises South Africas profile as a country that delivers creative and technically outstanding products that exceed international standards. I believe the South African design industry has everything it takes to export to international markets. The Red Dot Award reinforces the fact that we not only meet international standards, but we often surpass them. The added bonus for international clients is that they can obtain South African design services at an attractive price, due to the favourable exchange rate, making them excellent value for money. Being a shark The custom-built Shark Senses exhibit features a VR helmet in the shape of a sharks head that is mounted on a handle bar, which allows for a 120-degree rotation of the visor. Physical feedback mechanisms such as vibration motors (for the touch sense) and fans (to simulate the smell sense) were also incorporated into the exhibit. Focusing on the incredible long distance ranges of hearing, scent and vision of sharks, users are challenged to hunt for prey in a 3D underwater setting using the right shark senses at the right time. Initially, users are asked to practice swimming through a narrow tunnel. To move forward, they need to press a red button on the handle bar. Following voice-over prompts, they navigate their virtual shark avatar by moving the head to the left or the right. Meanwhile the virtual prey, a tuna, tries to escape. After the introduction, the VR hunt begins and users are challenged to determine the right direction by listening to their prey. If they complete the hunt successfully, the users virtual shark opens its jaws and eats the prey. Mission accomplished! The Western Cape department of health (DoH) has taken steps to improve the safety of emergency response staff, as well as reducing the working hours of junior doctors ahead of any national plans to do so. Doctors Nomofrench Mbombo, WC health MEC, and Beth Robertson, DoH head at the launch of Operation Khuseleka. Health MEC, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, launched Operation Khuseleka (to protect), a staff safety initiative aimed at encouraging cooperation within broader society to help keep health workers safe. No individual or group can guarantee the safety of health workers, but a whole-of-society approach can make a difference. Working with partners The department has in the past found that attacks on EMS staff were more likely to be linked to gang activity, whereas updated stats show an increase in the number of robberies and assault with a weapon. Extensive engagements are ongoing with the South African Police Service, community police forums, the department of community safety and various other safety organisations. These partners supply real-time information and intelligence about the situation on the ground in all areas. This arrangement remains in place and EMS teams have the option to call for assistance, or may opt to wait for a situation to be normalised prior to entering an unsafe area. In cases where the situation in an area is deemed too unsafe for emergency staff, patients are informed that the response will be delayed due to safety concerns. The impact on our EMS response times, however, may cause life-saving services to be delayed which is why we require maximum support from communities, police, and other community safety groupings. Improved safety technology on ambulances includes consoles which contain tracking devices and other security features. The addition of this technology has assisted in crews being quickly assisted in emergency situations. There have also been 10 successful arrests made this year, due to the technology and help from the community. Reduced working hours for junior doctors Another major safety concern is the issue of safe work hours for doctors. The move was prompted largely by the death of a young doctor when she fell asleep behind the wheel of her car after a long shift. To date, the Western Cape has been following (Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) guidelines on working hours for young doctors. Rather than wait for national guidelines to be amended, the province has decided to shorten the length of shifts for its staff a move that has been supported by associations representing medical staff. Dr Mbombo said: We can confirm that we have heard and adhered to the plea of young doctors about their working hours. Together we have come up with a solution, which is now being implemented. As a result, working hours will no longer exceed a 24-hours shift. This arrangement is set for implementation by 1 January in all state hospitals in the Western Cape and is in line with the requests received from various organisations, including the South African Medical Association (SAMA) and the Junior Doctors Association of South Africa (JUDASA). The solution was also reached through consultation with our higher education partners. It is a great improvement on the current 30 hours shifts that are stipulated in the national guideline set by the council. This shows the commitment of the department provincially towards improving conditions of staff in the Western Cape, Mbombo added. The International News Media Association (INMA), a global community of market-leading news media companies, will hold its first Global Media Summit Africa on 14-15 November 2016 at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town. The diverse programme will bring together 15+ executives from the worlds leading news media companies to focus on accelerating digital while preserving the best in print. Association executives say the sessions will focus on revenue diversification, developing digital capabilities, culture change and innovation, reinventing advertising, paid content, the new multi-media brand, and more. This is an opportunity to connect the changes happening in African media markets to similar experiences in the UK, Australia, Germany, India, US, Norway, Canada, Colombia, South Korea, Sweden and Poland. This intimate, hands-on conference looks at how the industry can best implement a digital mindset, while sustaining print. In addition to the programme, international speakers will be available to summit participants on a one-on-one basis to go deeper into experiences and help relate those experiences to the challenges facing local companies. For more information, go to www.inma.org/capetown. Kleoss Capital, a 100% black-owned South African private equity investment manager with a level 1 B-BBEE accreditation, has acquired a significant minority shareholding in Real Foods (owners of the Kauai, Nu Health Cafe and Kohu brands. Dean Kowarski This will allow Real Foods to pursue exciting new acquisitions in the natural food industry in the near future. Real Foods, founded by Dean Kowarski in 2013, and partnered with Genesis Capital Partners in 2014, is at the forefront of the global trend towards health and wellness, and aims to be the leader in shaping the South African natural food industry. Finding a like-minded partner was very important to us, says Kowarski. In talking to Kleoss Capital, we realised that we had a partner that shared the values of transparency, authenticity and an entrepreneurial approach to our business that makes it such a strong leader in the health and wellness marketplace. Kleoss also provides another valuable resource, in that it proactively engages with its investments and businesses at a board and strategy level. So it adds a wealth of expertise to the company that will be important to our planned expansion. Occupying health & wellness space In 2015, Real Foods announced the acquisition of Kauai, which it has since successfully rebranded into a premium brand in the Fast Casual market. The new positioning has refocused Kauai on tasty, healthy and natural food, with an emphasis on nutrition and responsible sourcing. The group has also attracted like-minded partners in the health & wellness space: Virgin Active have entrenched its long-term relationship with Real Foods as its nutrition partner and the group was also selected as a launch partner for Discovery Vitalitys Active Rewards Programme. Creative growth strategies like this appealed to Kleoss Capital. The strong management team at Real Foods has achieved an incredible amount in a very short time and this has been a major factor in our decision to invest, says Kleoss Capital CEO, Hale Matsipa. However, this is also a very attractive investment sector for us and natural food and wellness is a unique subsector that targets an economically resilient and growing portion of the population. Kleoss Capital partner Zain Laher adds, In our view, the business also shows massive potential for international expansion opportunities, given global market developments. Kowarski, Laher and Matsipa agree that the venture is potentially game changing for the South African food sector. We are also excited about BEE transformation within Real Foods. For example, there is potential to introduce black controlled franchise stores within Kauai. This would be our modest contribution, to create black entrepreneurs through a franchise model, particularly amongst the youth. We have found Real Foods receptive to our ideas around BEE transformation, says Matsipa. Growing market worldwide Globally, the natural food and health and wellness markets have grown exponentially over the past few years. A recent Fortune 500 ranking report showed a clear consumer movement towards healthier food options, with most traditional commercial fast food retailers showing declines in the ranking. Kowarski believes that the consumer shift towards well-being and natural products is undeniable: The health food industry is showing massive growth globally, and we are seeing that happening in South Africa, citing among others the Nielsen Global Health and Fitness Report, and US-based Fast Casuals Top 100 Movers and Shakers Report. There are three health-focused food restaurants in Fast Casuals US top 10 (Sweet Green, Zoes Kitchen & Native Foods Cafe. In Southern Africa, we see our own fast casual health brands Kauai, Kohu and Nu Health Cafe as the market leaders in this space. Kauai, Kohu and Nu Health Cafe have 149 stores in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Mauritius and Dubai. Given the success of the Real Food brands, the signs are clear that South Africans want options that are in line with the Real Foods philosophy. The company affirms that this partnership will allow the company to provide healthy, natural food products to an ever-increasing market of health conscious consumers. For Women's Month, Massmart held a lunch to celebrate the women entrepreneurs that form part of its Supplier Development Programme (SDP), designed to provide opportunities for small and medium manufacturing enterprises. Kirill Kedrinski via 123RF The programme currently has 32 small businesses manufacturing a variety of products, ranging from window frames, paint and bathtubs to adhesives, cooler-boxes and maize meal. Of the 32 suppliers, six are import substitution projects. It was established following intervention from Minister of Economic Development, Ebrahim Patel, who has championed the development of local suppliers in the retail sector. Minister Patel says, Small businesses play an important part in creating a more inclusive economy. Job creation and expanding our industrial base is one of our key mandates. Some of the female entrepreneurs participating in the SDP include Reapso SA, FBG Packaging, Xchem Chemicals and Lokuhle Trading & Designs. Established in 2010, Reapso SA is a 100% black female-owned company that operates a factory in Selby, Johannesburg, manufacturing chef jackets, protective workwear and reflector jackets, which are sold in Makro stores. We are grateful for governments intervention, especially its support for the local textile industry. It has given a small business like ours access to Massmarts supply chain, which presents an enormous opportunity, says Reapso owner Mahlatsi Mashile. In addition to the procurement from Makro stores, the company has received a grant from Massmart to upgrade machinery and acquire new factory space. XChem Chemicals is a 100% black female-owned business that supplies adhesive glues and sealants. Owned by entrepreneur Angela Chris Pitsi, the Pretoria-based companys products are sold at all local Builders Warehouse stores and recently begun supplying a Builders Warehouse outlet in Mozambique. Through the programme we have been able to grow our footprint and most importantly in the South African context, create jobs, says Pitsi. The SDP also provided funding for the adhesive company to upscale equipment, put employees through advanced training as well as rebrand and repackage its products. Lokuhle Trading, owned by Zanele Ntsibande, is a black female-owned hollow-core door manufacturing company, based in Boksburg. Ntsibande says, Access to market is one of the biggest challenges for small businesses and through this programme I have been able to get a foot in the door in one of the biggest retailers on the continent. With branded headsets and the production of virtual reality (VR) campaigns, VR is a wonderful new, innovative way to reach high-end audiences, and it is here. Launched this week at the official WantedOnline.co.za events in Johannesburg and Cape Town, Times Media has brought to market a new advertising outlet in VR. The September issue of Wanted will see 16,000 selected Business Day/Wanted subscribers receiving Cardboard headsets, but this is only the beginning says Lisa MacLeod, head of digital at Times Media, as they have the ability to reach over 300,000 people. In South America, at a recent conference that she attended, it was stated that the VR market will become a US$80bn market in the next couple of years. There is nothing more engaging than having these glasses on, especially for fashion shows, car models and events. It is a new opportunity for advertisers that is completely different, she says. We are able to do the VR production, create the content, supply and brand the glasses and then distribute the content and the glasses, thus allowing more people to experience your brand, she adds. This innovation is part of a move to offer clients a truly 360 degree offering, from print to web and mobile, of which the launch of WantedOnline.co.za is only the beginning. The digital platform is a pre-cursor of the broader launch of their new business supersite, BusinessLIVE, due for launch in September. Wanted Online is proof of concept site, built on brand new technology and with a custom back-end to make it as easy as possible for our staff to manage the site and become more involved with digital. All the new sites we will be rolling out in the coming months will be built on the same tech, explains MacLeod, who joined Times Media just under a year ago. She describes Wanted Online as a lovely product, not only beautifully designed, but built on new technology, not existing web technology, from scratch. Wanted Online is hosted on Google PAAS (Platform as a Service) solution - which allows for scalability and consistently faster performance, even under intense traffic. The result is that it is light and easy to use. It is intuitive. It is about making online as accessible and easy to use as possible. Users will instantly and instinctively know what to do with it. The layout is lovely and clean, featuring a rich dropdown navigation and a fast search overlay making Wanted Online a tailored experience for mobile, tablet and desktop platforms. It is optimised for speed while preserving the rich visual aesthetic. It is completely responsive for mobile so if you open on a tablet or on your smartphone it responds to the device. It also uses a new content management system. The articles have big pictures and good ad positions and the focus is on them as this is what brings people to the website through search and social channels. This also enable them to run bespoke sizes and experiment with advertisers to try new things. The site is built in such a way that we are flexible on style and layout and so it allows for advertisers, either as print partnerships or as standalone campaigns, with a variety of customisable ad positions available and a focus on native executions." She adds that they are pushing quite hard in that space. There is no proper outlet for luxury brands in South Africa. Advertisers have been asking, on a regular basis, for an outlet. The site is the answer to that request. Currently Wanted as a print product is only available to Business Day subscribers. With WantedOnline the brands will be open to everyone. This, says newly appointed editor, Jacquie Myburgh Chemaly, will expose a new audience to the brand and its content. This audience is not the audience that subscribes to the print publication. The site will carry the print content as well as original content from society to motoring and design, technology and motoring all the leisure pillars will be covered. The City of Cape Town and international conservation organisation The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have formally agreed to establish a water fund for Cape Town. The aim is to safeguard water supplies and biodiversity while supporting local livelihoods. Raquel Liz Lopez 123RF.com The Cape Town Water Fund will be based on the Global Water Fund model which seeks to introduce a public-private partnership and innovative financing to conserve watersheds and water resources in Africa. It is hoped that the Cape Town Water Fund, in collaboration with partners in the National Government, the Western Cape Government, Cape Nature and the Dassenberg Coastal Catchment Partnership, will ultimately secure water quality and quantity for the town of Atlantis through improving the ecological infrastructure. It is foreseen that such a water fund could be launched by the end of 2017, if all goes according to plan. Supplemented by local aquifers The metros water supply system is dependent on a range of water catchment areas which lie outside of its boundaries. Piped water is supplied by 14 dams, with most of the water being supplied by the five largest dams. "Water supply to the city is supplemented by water from local aquifers, with the largest being the Atlantis Aquifer. Not only could the water fund serve as an opportunity for creating jobs in the economically disadvantaged areas of Atlantis, Mamre and Pella, but it could also improve the water security in the area by enhancing water quality and quantity," said the Citys Mayoral Committee Member for Energy, Environmental and Spatial Planning, Councillor Johan van der Merwe. "A local water fund would enable us to address our long-term water security concerns, while also unlocking the opportunities that this could bring for job creation and ecological infrastructure priorities." The Cape Town metro is 2,445km in size and has a population of approximately 3.8-million people, growing at a rate of almost 3% a year. The city has responded to this growth in demand by implementing the award-winning Water Conservation and Water Demand Management Programme, thereby reducing annual water demand from 4% to 2.3%. It was named the winner in the Adaptation Implementation Category in the 2015 C40 Cities Awards in Paris. However, water security during current and future droughts remains an important objective of the city. A well-managed and continuous water supply is regarded as the key to ensure sustainability for future development, for communities, and for economic growth. Cape floristic kingdom Cape Town is located in the heart of the Cape floristic kingdom, which is not only the smallest of the worlds six floral kingdoms, but is second to the rain forests as the most diverse. Table Mountain National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven natural wonders of the world, is also found within the boundaries of the City of Cape Town metropolitan area. Of the 19 fynbos vegetation types found within the boundaries of the metro, 11 are critically endangered and six are not found anywhere else in the world. Of the 3,250 plant species found within the boundaries of the city, 319 are threatened with extinction, and 13 are extinct in the wild. Cape Town covers only 0,1% of South Africa, but includes 18% of the countrys endangered Red List species. The main threats to the unique biodiversity of the Cape floristic kingdom are urbanisation, human-induced wild fires, and invasive plants. "A Cape Town water fund is likely to first focus on the Atlantis Aquifer Protection Zone, directing investments to conservation activities that will address the largest threat to the areas ecological health and aquifer recharge: the spread of invasive plants that consume more water than native plants and limit rainwater recharge. By removing invasive plants, such as various non-native acacias, and restoring natural cover at scale, the water fund could help to catalyse a significant increase in aquifer recharge and associated water availability," said Colin Apse, Africa Freshwater Conservation director for The Nature Conservancy. The Nature Conservancy is working with 60 water funds around the world, in different stages of development and operation. Water funds have been found to be proven platforms for building the financial and institutional mechanisms needed to unlock the benefits of natural infrastructure and provide significant returns to both public and private investors. Going forward, the City and TNC hope to work with a coalition of partners to: Kwikspace Modular Buildings (Kwikspace), local manufacturer of prefabricated buildings, has, together with the Department of Education, provided over 2,000 permanent and temporary new classrooms throughout South Africa over the last two to three years. Kaalfontein School From site preparation to hand-over, Kwikspace can deliver new classrooms in a matter of days. Although rapidly deployed, these units are built using robust materials that offer temperature control, noise insulation and have a lifespan of up to 20 years. The off-site manufacture of new classrooms allows for speedy delivery and installation with minimal disruption to learners, comments Roberto Campos, Kwikspace sales executive. Kaalfontein Gauteng Kwikspace erected a double-storey unit at Kaalfontein Secondary School in Tembisa, Gauteng using alternative building methods that consisted of a steel and concrete structural frame. The project included the construction of 32 classrooms, 10 ablution units, an administration building, a nutrition centre and landscaping of the existing school grounds. Kaalfontein Secondary School was established in 2012, after a steep increase in the community population there, which almost doubled between the years 1996 and 2011, rising from 237,676 to 463,109 citizens. Vuwani Limpopo After schools were burned down during recent protests in the town of Vuwani in the Limpopo Province, learners were left in desperate need of new classroom space. It took one day, from date of order, for Kwikspace to start the delivery of 40 new classrooms for learners in the remote region, situated close to Phalaborwa, near the Kruger National Park. Ugu District Schools KwaZulu-Natal Kwikspace has fulfilled the needs of various schools in the Ugu district, namely Nqabeni Primary School and Mdlangathi Secondary School near Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal for the IDT (Independent Development Trust). The IDT is a state owned entity which manages the delivery of necessary social infrastructure programmes on behalf of government. As such, a number of mobile classrooms were supplied, some of which were built on-site. Foreign motor companies planning to build vehicles in sub-Saharan Africa would be taking huge risks looking beyond SA, according to Jimmy Dando, regional head of sales and operations for Japanese manufacturer Nissan. Rainer Plendl via 123RF Most companies that had set up operations in other countries on the continent had been forced to either cut back drastically on planned production or mothball assembly plants, Dando said. SA, despite a fall in domestic demand for new vehicles, would come close to record production in 2016 because of growing export demand. Sub-Saharan base SA is the sub-Saharan base for seven major vehicle manufacturers: BMW, Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Toyota and Volkswagen. Chinese manufacturer Beijing Automotive has announced a R12bn plan to join them in the next three years. There are also a number of truck and bus producers, though they rely mainly on the re-assembly of imported vehicle kits. Some other companies had set up small, mainly kit-based, assembly operations around sub-Saharan Africa, said Dando. Hyundai was in Mozambique, Ssangyong in Zimbabwe, and Chinese companies were in Angola and Ethiopia, among other countries. Angola, he said, was an example of what could go wrong. When a Luanda car plant and surrounding components park were built by Chinese investors five years ago, the country was enjoying an oil-based economic boom. But the collapse in oil prices had undermined government revenues and wrecked the new-vehicle market. As a result, the new plant had never opened. Nissan exported to Angola, but "we haven't sent anything there for some time," said Dando. "We are meeting demand with inventory we had expected to clear months ago." Some companies say they are selling vehicles at a loss in Angola, just to clear stock. Secondary manufacturing hub Nigeria, another oil-dependent economy, has also suffered. It has been chosen by several multinational vehicle producers as a second sub-Saharan manufacturing hub, after SA. The plan is to start with kit assembly and move gradually to full manufacture. But tumbling oil revenues have killed the market and foreign vehicle plants supplying Nigeria with kits say demand is well below expectations. Motor companies insist their Nigerian investments will bear fruit eventually, but say it will take much longer than originally planned. Dando said: "Just before oil prices crashed, I would have said new-vehicle sales growth in these countries would have been double digit for the foreseeable future. Not any longer." Ethiopia is another country identified as a long-term manufacturing base. But despite the presence of Chinese manufacturers, the country is so poor that new-vehicle sales in 2016 were fewer than 10,000. By contrast, the South African market in 2015 exceeded 617,000. Local production also topped 600,00 vehicles, of which more than half were exported. Despite an expected 12% drop in domestic sales in 2016, SA continues to dominate total African sales and production. The only other country with a busy, albeit tiny, vehicle production industry, is Kenya, where General Motors and Toyota are among those with production sites. Source: Business Day Lectures at tertiary educational institutions in KwaZulu-Natal will resume today, 17 August 2016, after being suspended since Monday. University of Zululand lectures were disrupted yesterday, said Gcina Nhleko, the varsity's director of marketing and communication. Nhleko said "some staff embarked on an illegal strike due to wage negotiations" but there had been no student protests. Zwelakhe Shangase, spokesman for Mangosuthu University of Technology, said: "Management met student leaders to discuss issues and they reached an agreement. All issues were resolved and it is business as usual." Shangase said the students were demanding more buses to ferry them to and from campus and to their residences, more fridges and other electrical appliances at residences, and more support from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme. Lesiba Seshoka, the University of KwaZulu-Natal's executive director for corporate relations, said the academic programme at the Pietermaritzburg campus would resume today. Durban University of Technology communications manager Sinegugu Ndlovu said the academic programme had not been disrupted. Source: The Times via I-Net Bridge South African Tourism recently hosted a successful trade workshop at the Golden Tulip Hotel in Kumasi City, Ghana, which saw approximately 100 members of the local travel trade meeting with some of the best South African product owners. It was the first of five workshops, held in partnership with Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) and Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), covering two cities in Ghana and three in Nigeria. Speaking at the end of the first day of engagement, Evelyn Mahlaba, regional director for Africa at South African Tourism, had nothing but praise for GHATOF and TOUGHA who had worked with South African Tourism to drive interest of trade in Ghana and delivered the exceptional turnout. We are completely humbled and, excited by the turn out from the first trade workshop. It was made possible because of relationships forged over the years with the GHATOF and TOUGHA organisations who have been pivotal to driving the success of this tradeshow. We thank them profusely for guiding us and being our eyes, ears and voice in a market where we are not physically present, explains Mahlaba. Travel appeal The high turnout at the workshops, she continued, is a clear demonstration that despite the continuing economic challenges the tourism industry is experiencing globally, tourists still yearn for a destination that is affordable, offers variety and is easily accessible. To have in excess of one hundred members of trade present is an indication that people want to travel and that South Africa appeals to what the Ghanaian traveller is looking for. The support and enquiries from the local trade are testimony to this. We are confident that the South African product owners with us provide a glimpse of the variety of our offering, to enable tourists to make decisions about their next holiday, explains Mahlaba. SA product owners find growth potential in West African market Mahlaba is in Ghana with a delegation of South African product owners who have come to meet and do business with the local travel trade. Products including South African Airways, Sun International, Tsogo Sun and Gauteng Tourism Authority, had visited before, whilst others, like the Saxon Hotel, Robben Island, and the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, were taking part for the very first time. Our South African product owners are so passionate about the West African market not only because they realise the lucrative potential the market offers but also because they understand that the growth of their business lies in encouraging inter-regional travel and collaboration and participation, explains Mahlaba. This sentiment is echoed by Didier Bayeye-Mbombo, market manager for West Africa and Indian Oceans at Sun International. We participate in these roadshows and countless others on the continent because we have identified the rest of the continent, including Ghana, as offering the best growth potential for tourism businesses. Since we started participating, we have seen a growing interest in some of our key properties in Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, he says. The trade workshops, organised by South African Tourism, are a valuable business platform and go a long way towards strengthening existing relationships with the trade industry, our partner agents, tour operators and the other corporates here, he explains. SA Specialist online training programme The days event culminated in the awarding of certificates to the SA Specialists who had successfully completed South African Tourisms online training programme. This is a stringent online training programme that provides the trade with the information required to confidently sell the destination better. At the awards ceremony, Issac Amoah, Anthoniet Quayson and Owusu Boayake Frank, each won an all expense trip to South Africa, courtesy of South African Tourism. Our SA specialists really work hard to drive further interest and ultimately sell South Africa to tourists looking for a fulfilling holiday destination. It is a job which requires astute knowledge about the country coupled with an unbridled passion for the work. The SA Specialist programme and the annual fam trips the trade go on, is just one of the ways we try to empower our trade members and now, three of them will be able to enjoy the fruits of their labour with a business and leisure holiday to South Africa, concludes Mahlaba. Business travel doesn't always have to be about dull conference rooms and long stopovers - those in the know have learned how to make the most out of business travel by squeezing out some leisure time and a bit of exploring. StelaDi via pixabay Cheapflights brings the inside scoop with top tips for business travel and favourite destinations from some of South Africas regular business travellers. Andrew Shelton, managing director, Cheapflights My best tip for travelling in my industry: learn how to fold a suit jacket. This will save you time in steaming or money in dry cleaning bills. One of my most favourite destinations is Cape Town. Tamika Sewnarain, brand manager South Africa, Remy Cointreau Africa I was lucky enough to travel to Paris for business and my favourite thing to do was to take a leisurely stroll up to the Sacre-Cur on an afternoon off. I walked up the stairs and found a quiet spot on the grass banks and watched the sun set over Paris. Top tip for business travellers: learn a few words of French so its easier to talk business with the locals. My favourite app is iTranslate, which is a free app that allows you to translate abroad without having to pay excessive roaming costs. Emma-Jane Harbour, wedding photographer, Lad and Lass Photography Im lucky enough to travel all over the world to tell the stories of brides and grooms on their wedding day. With the amount of equipment I travel with, one of the most important lessons Ive learned is to take the appropriate plug adaptors, which can always be picked up at the last minute at airports. My favourite destination wedding shoot has to be one of our most recent which took us to Greece where we visited one of the lesser known islands in the Cyclades called Folegandros. If you get the chance to visit Greece, this place is definitely the best-kept secret. Dayn Mamet, brand manager, New Era and Rockport SA for Kingsley Brands Ive travelled extensively and noticed that a lot of hotels dont offer early check-in. Your best bet is to call ahead of time to arrange access to your room earlier. The best destination, hands down, I have visited for business is Barcelona. For business purposes, be mindful of their business hours - afternoon siestas are still commonplace. If youre a first timer visitor, its definitely worth doing the open top bus tour you learn so much and its the cheapest way to get around the city, you can hop on and off wherever you like. Tracy Dalton, national sales director, Uber Flavour On a recent work trip to Cambodia, I learned that having a ton of business cards printed before you leave for a trip is crucial. Exchanging business cards is a really important part of business transactions over there. Cambodia also happens to be one of my favourite destinations to visit - get to know a bit of the history of the country and visit the most iconic temple Angkor Wat. The Park Inn by Radisson, a member of the Carlson-Rezidor Hotel Group, in Cape Town, Newlands, in its forward-thinking approach, has incorporated the latest technology into its new, ultra modern decor. Park Inn Newlands Inspiration for the Park Inn Newlands' decor is derived from the contemporary, cutting-edge NexGen Concept hotels, in which core branding revolves around the use of vibrant colours such as red, yellow, green and blue, resulting in a five-storey hotel that is both hip and funky as well as corporate friendly. These primary colours are combined in unexpected and eclectic ways with graphics which include directional signage, printed carpets and guest room artwork, inspired by the hotels location. Each area welcomes visitors with slick curves and up-to-the-minute decor. The lobby is a blend of comfortable lounging areas decorated in natural timbers, bright yellow glass screens, and fabrics that enhance the sense of comfort, being soft to the touch and warm to the eye. The guest room decor creates a feeling of relaxation with comfortable furniture and a soothing curtain backdrop. The colour themes are either red or blue, within which the ceiling, armchair, bed throw and accessories reflect the dominant colour. State-of-the-art headboards with colour-changing LED mood lights complete the rich guest experience. Guest can also enjoy all-day dining at the Live-Inn Restaurant, a vibey cafe-style restaurant that embraces bright colours in the fabrics and lighting features with floor finishes combining the warmth of timber with the detail of North African prints. Lastly, the conference room decor sets the scene for a bold and challenging space with a signature street-map carpet design, bright green curtains, chalkboard walls and all modern conference must-haves. Eclectic style for diverse clientele The Park Inn By Radisson hotels encapsulates the youth, vibrancy and technological savvy of millennials, and filters through in the decor, facilities, and general guest experience, providing both business and leisure travellers with the affordable hotel experience they desire. The Park Inn by Radisson Cape Town Newlands, general manager, Clinton Thom explains how the decor relates to the hotel's clientele: We enjoy a wide range of clients, ranging from corporates hosting meetings and events, the mid-scale business traveller, as well as tourists seeking accommodation in the leafy suburb of Newlands. I believe that the eclectic style of the decor compliments the diversity of the clientele and represents our young, bright, and energetic brand. The clean lines complemented by earthy wooden floors, modern furnishings, and funky colours, together with cutting edge technology, create a welcoming atmosphere, making the Park Inns decor somewhat revolutionary - and well worth a visit. Youth music and lifestyle festival, Rage Festival has announced the first phase of its international and local lineup. The festival will take place in Durban, Ballito and Umhlanga this November and December. Phase 1 international lineup The international lineup welcomes: South Londons multi-talented TroyBoi who specialises in unique musical tracks that fuse various textures from multiple genres. Brazils Vintage Culture creates a unique brand of dance music merging retro synth pop influences with modern deep house and nu disco. Melbournes bounce maestro Brynny and psy trance DJ Ghost Rider, who processes his emotions and ideas to form a dynamic and catchy sound. All the acts will perform at the festivals venue, The Sound Factory. Phase 1 local lineup The first of the local lineup includes the likes of Niskerone, Kyle Watson, Trancemicsoul, Vimo, Capital, Chrizz Beatz, Jay Roberts, Mogey, Rikay, Erebus, Kollective Kulture, Vin Groovin, Syzo, Ryan Stylz and Ray Squared. Rage Passports Festival-goers can look forward to two weeks of major international and local artists performing across five stages all packed into one passport. The Black Passports are already sold out, leaving a limited number of Platinum and General Passports. General Rage Passports cost R950 each and Platinum Rage Passports cost R2,650 each. Passports tiers available at - ragefestival.co.za/ragepassport Passports are not for sale to persons under the age of 18. Attendees need to be 18 at the start of Rage on 26 November 2016 to be granted access to the festival and venues. The Rage Festival 2016 App coming soon! The Rage Festival App provides up-to-the-minute event news, Rage Festival competitions and the ability to track your friends across multiple events. The App also provides users the ability to create their own custom event schedules and share these with friends on the App. Rage Festival organisers include G&G Productions and Samsung Mobile South Africa. Stay connected to #Rage2016 on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. www.ragefestival.co.za Roosevelt High School, Emmerentia will be awash with colour from 9-10am on 25 September as The 2016 Rainbow Tour takes The Color Run to Johannesburg. The Color Run is a five kilometre un-timed race in which thousands of participants, or Color Runners, are doused from head to toe in different colours at each kilometre. The 2016 Rainbow Tour has finally reached Johannesburg, and The Color Run is ready to turn thousands of fans into rainbows. Celebrating individuality The event encourages participants to stand out from the crowd and express their individuality the only rule is they have to start the race in their official white race T-shirt, and end it covered in colour. The Color Run South Africas national event coordinator, Trevor Latimer, maintains that one of the reasons for the global events success is that it spreads a culture of care and community. We have a growing base of loyal Color Runners in South Africa. Its one of the few events that focuses on such basic qualities of life as fun, healthiness, celebrating who you are as an individual, and the community around you. The Color Run provides the most glorious fun, but does it in a deeply conscious way. Proceeds go to Adopt-a-School Foundation Capitec Bank is The Color Runs headline sponsor, and has made a generous commitment to community upliftment by pledging R10 for each ticket sold to charity-partner Adopt-a-School Foundation. Says Capitec Banks communications head, Charl Nel: Capitec Bank, like The Color Run, believes in health, happiness, individuality, giving back, living life in technicolour and having fun, while caring about the community. Last year, we donated close to R75,000 to the Moses Maren Technical Secondary School in Eikenhof. Through close collaboration with Adopt-a-School, we were able to identify the schools most pressing needs, and channel our donation towards improved sporting infrastructure. Whats included? Color Runners will each receive a race pack with includes a 2015 edition Race T-Shirt, headband, bag of colour powder, temporary tattoos, and a race number. Additionally, every Color Runner will receive a R200 voucher from Superbalist.com, to be redeemed against a minimum spend of R650 through the Superbalist app. Individual charities and schools are encouraged to register on the Fun Raiser programme to raise money for every ticket sold under your unique Fun Raiser code. For more information on this programme, contact The Color Run on hello@thecolorrun.co.za. Ticket details Tickets are available online from The Color Run website (thecolorrun.co.za) and Facebook. Individual ticket prices are R250 and R225 for groups of four or more. Manual entry points are listed on our website, and all on-the-day tickets are R300. Trends guru Dion Chang is one of the guest speakers at the fifth edition of Autodesk's University Extension (AUx), an event for design, architectural and engineering professionals. Dion Chang AUx takes place in Cape Town on 1 September 2016. In the Q&A that follows, Chang discusses current trends and innovations in technology and design, specifically in relation to South African businesses. You are known as one of South Africas most respected trend analysts. What are the key innovations in design that are currently setting trends within South Africa? In terms of innovations in design, one of the key trends we are currently experiencing in South Africa (and on the African continent) is solutions-based innovation. We have our own set of unique problems on the contintent and, unlike most developed world countries, we do not have the infrastructure or finance. This has forced us to think differently and to become masters at innovation through problem solving. On the aesthetic side, we are moving towards a unique design trend that no longer has a curio-continent kind of impression, but rather pushes the boundaries of a South African modern contemporary aesthetic. We are producing really high-end curated designs that are being exported and sold at high-end prices as we have seen with the recent Southern Guild Design Foundation Awards. We are taking the best of South African and African design international, a sign that we are making waves in terms of the designs we are creating. What are the current global trends in design technologies that are most applicable/relevant to South African businesses? Considering that we are now living in a world of apps, we are starting to see that the best apps are those that solve a problem or make day-to-day life easier for people. As soon as you see design technologies that make things seamless, particularly in providing a solution, it becomes most relevant to us and proves to be more successful as it is aligned with our focus on solutions-based innovations in South Africa. Over the past 22 years, how has South Africas history influenced design, specifically relating to buildings and objects that make up our world today? As a nation, we have evolved in the past 22 years and just as our socio-political environment has impacted all areas in our personal and professional lives, it is no different when it comes to innovations in design. Aesthetically, we are starting to move away from a more South African touristy look towards creating our own unique, strong and graphically impactful designs. The biggest evolution in the past 22 years really has been a move away from looking at our heritage to a more contemporary personality, which is always a good thing in terms of aesthetic creation and appreciation. You are no longer looking at an object through a curio-continent lens, its a different way of seeing things. This trend is becoming evident in the unique architectural designs of our buildings. We are seeing a lot of award-winning green, sustainable buildings that are not merely part of an environmental movement, but have rather become best practice. Is South Africa a nation that follows or sets trends when it comes to design and technology? We can both lead and follow depending on the specific design trend. The main perception remains that where we follow, we lag very far behind design and technology trends compared to developed world countries. The reality is that currently our following time is not that long. We are really quick to replicate new trends after they have launched globally, which suggests that we are moving into a space where we will soon be able to compete on a global level in terms of improving and even setting trends in design and technology, rather than following them. Cape Town, the design capital of Africa, is the new hub for the Autodesk University Extension (AUx) event in September 2016. What can people expect specifically in terms of innovations in design at this years event? Last year we looked at The Future of Things and this year the focus will be on The Future of Making Things, which means there is a lot more emphasis on the new technologies, how they impact innovations in design and how we physically make things. These technologies include 3D printing, laser scanning and virtual reality, with a special focus on design technologies and software for architecture, engineering and construction. You are one of the guest speakers at this years Autodesk University Extension (AUx) event. What are the key areas you will be focusing on? My presentation focuses first on where we are now in terms of innovation in Africa and my view on this is rather cutting-edge, many may even consider it to be futuristic. Another key focus area is on where we are going, particularly in terms of the impact of technologies such as virtual reality, augmented reality, and depth-sensing technologies like hollow-lens glasses. The reality is that they are coming our way, whether it is in the next five or ten years. Is our external environment conducive to supporting these technologies and what do we need to rethink in terms of our current structures? This shift in thinking also comes with a different skillset are we ready and equipped and what do we need to do moving forward? What can you tell us about Autodesk as a brand and innovator in terms of design technologies? I was at a tech company in New York in July where they showcased some of the new technologies they are implementing in retail, and they gave me a hollow lens designed with Autodesk software to try on. It was such a surreal moment for me as I happen to be one of the speakers at the Autodesk AUx South Africa event this year, and I actually decided to include the hollow lens as part of my presentation. Autodesk really enables futuristic and innovative design technologies and not many people are aware of this. Autodesk technologies and our partnership with their innovations is a key component of how we design our future here in South Africa going forward. What is your advice for South African businesses in the design and technology sectors in terms of keeping abreast of global trends and setting local trends? I deal a lot with business disruption and what technologies disrupt businesses. If you think your industry or company is not going to be affected, think again, because its not a matter of if but when you are going to be hit by some kind of disruption. What I have learned from different indutries is that disruptive technology doesnt come in one way, it comes in different ways and once youve been disrupted you cannot just carry on with business as usual. You have to keep innovating all the time. A lot of companies see innovation as a different entity, a silver-bullet effect they can get to help transform the company. In reality it actually includes the whole operating system of the company, the leadership and management. In terms of the different skill sets, it takes a very different way to lead and manage a team to create innovation. Simply having an innovations hub or department will not ensure that you are successful. You cannot separate the responsibility of the rest of the organisation from that thinking and process. Because innovation takes a long time, you have to budget for failure. Not a lot of companies want to hear this but innovation doesnt happen over night and you need the buy-in and commitment from senior management. People tend to pull out of progressive and disruptive projects too quickly or they cease because someone else has succeeded at doing it faster than them. It is always a possibility that someone will innovate faster than you, or do it better than you, or the technology you employ suddenly becomes obsolete. Budget for a bit of failure, but at least try to move forward and innovate else you either become obsolete or you eat the dust of your competitors. The sugar tax battle is hotting up with soft drinks heavyweight, Coca-Cola, saying the levy on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) will threaten thousands of jobs. Speaking at a press conference, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa chairperson, Phil Gutsche called on the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality and the Eastern Cape government to assist the beverage industry in opposing the tax. Our industry supports the livelihoods of 14,000 people in this city and many more in the province. Nationally we support more than 200,000 jobs. If this tax proceeds, we stand to lose 60,000 jobs in our industry. More than 5,000 livelihoods will be affected in Nelson Mandela Bay alone, he said. The South African treasury, on July 8, published a policy paper on a proposed 20% tax on SSBs to take effect April 2017. The motivation behind the tax is an attempt to reduce obesity and lifestyle diseases, and thereby the associated rising healthcare costs involved in treating these preventable conditions. The poor will become poorer, not thinner The poor will also carry a disproportionate burden, but will receive little benefit. For example, Mexicos tax on SSBs resulted in a reduction of only 17kj of a daily intake of more than 12,000kj. The poor will therefore literally become poorer and not thinner as a result of this proposed tax," Gutsche said. He was supported in this view by BevSA executive director, Mapule Ncanywa, who emphasised that 97% of South Africas obesity problems had nothing to do with sugar-sweetened beverages, as they accounted for only 3% of daily kilojoule intake. Pro-tax lobby disagrees However in another report, Wits professor, Karen Hoffman said the tax could result in a decrease of more than 220,000 in the number of obese adults. Hoffman also contested an earlier statement made by Ncanywa, in which she said that although sales hadnt been affected when Mexico introduced the tax, an estimated 40.000 jobs would be lost. "How did the Mexico sugar tax lead to job losses if sales were not significantly affected?" Hoffman asked. Better ways to support goals According to the beverage industry, its contribution to the economy has increased much faster in real terms since 2008 (258% increase), than overall GDP (which grew by only 43% over the same period). There are better ways to achieve the governments goals, Ncanywa said. The beverage industry said it is strongly committed to South Africas economy, with plans to invest in opening 30,000 new outlets (creating 60,000 new jobs) over the next five years. If the industry continues to grow, its contribution to tax receipts will quickly outpace expected revenues from the SSB tax. It also maintained that voluntary reformulation, packaging, labelling and other targeted commitments, already adopted in South Africa, will result in greater impact on tackling obesity than the anticipated reduction of only 37 kilojoules a day because of a tax. Randall Dayce, plant manager at Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa in Nelson Mandela Bay indicated that already taxes on average accounted for 25% of the purchase price of soft drinks. He and smaller bottlers, Twizza and Little Green Beverages, also reported that the tax would have significant implications for employment and growth prospects in the communities where they operated and in the province. The Minister of Finance, Mr Pravin Gordhan, will face political scientist and historian RW Johnson in the second Rumble in the Urban Jungle organised by the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday, 24 August. The debate takes place over two rounds at the Westin Hotel in Cape Town. The first Rumble in the Urban Jungle was a sold-out event that featured futurist Clem Sunter and Julius Malema of the EFF. The new rumble comes just weeks after the shockwave, produced by the local government elections, sent shudders through the political landscape and left Mr Gordhans party to survey the damage. It is going to be a fascinating night, said Ms Janine Myburgh, President of the Chamber. Last year RW Johnson said South Africa would face an economic crisis in two years and one of those years has already passed. Now comes this body blow from the electorate. On the other hand, Mr Gordhan has fought off a ratings downgrade and now he sees the rand strengthening. We can expect to see him come out of his corner swinging punches, Ms Myburgh said. The Chamber has organised the debate to bring the realities of our low-growth economy to its members and business leaders. We have an economy faltering on the brink of recession and the structural changes we need dont seem to be happening, Ms Myburgh said. We are convinced that at the end of the rumble the audience will be better informed about the choices that lie ahead and have a better understanding of the forces at work in our economy. We hope it will give business leaders the information and the courage to make some tough decisions, Ms Myburgh said. At the same time it will illuminate opportunities for business and live up to our mantra Where opportunity meets. The two-round bout will be followed by a question and answer session. The evening includes a first rate dinner and the cost is R450 for members of the Chamber and R750 for non-members. Booking can be done online here or by phoning Denise Kolbe on 021 402 4300 or mail az.oc.rebmahcepac@esined. Customer experience management is not a trend. It also is not something that only affects those in customer service or in a call centre. Customer experience management is a very real and very valuable consideration for every business, and one that can affect the bottom line. But you can't change or improve customer experience until you can measure it. Back to basics There is certainly a move within businesses towards gathering, analysing and understanding data, and rightly so. It is this deeper level of insight that, if translated and incorporated into the overall strategy, can give clear direction for an organisation. But it can only be effective if you first measure the right things, only then will a business be able to successfully implement change and improve the customer experience. For example, in the context of a contact centre, receiving a customer rating for each call might seem like a useful start. But even once these ratings have been obtained, how can any changes be implemented without knowing the 'why' behind the scores? These ratings also dont tell the whole story as they are only gathered from completed interactions, but an essential consideration is a comparison between calls being answered and calls being abandoned. This underpins the stats that are then gathered from the completed calls. Implementing an effective business intelligence (BI) tool is the building block on which customer experience management can be based. With rich, relevant data, the right questions can be asked and the right answers assessed. This brings a business closer to being able to implement change and ensure a positive customer experience. Connecting the dots Too often, a contact centre will implement various incoming channels through disparate systems. While these systems may offer reporting and measuring capabilities, these will be different across the different systems. However, true measurability, and therefore the ability to make informed operational changes to improve customer experience, can only be achieved through a level of consistency. What this means in the context of a call centre is that all channels (e.g. voice, email and social media) need to be viewed and measured by the same system. Having isolated measurements and different reports from disparate systems makes relevant comparisons or analysis near impossible. The most beneficial strategy for business owners and contact centre managers, who deal with this challenge daily, is to make use of a system that can incorporate all channels and offer a holistic and consistent overview of both productivity and quality which directly translate into customer experience. The reality for businesses operating in the customer-centric market is that stats for stats sake are not enough. Having access to relevant, valuable and accurate data and then using this to inform and improve business operations should be at the top of an organisations priority list. In order to support Kenya Airways' renewed focus on cost optimisation and airline modernisation, global air transport provider, SITA, plans to roll out faster, new-generation connectivity across the airline's global network. Among Africas top three airlines, Kenya Airways is seeking to leverage SITAs latest communication technology to drive new efficiencies in the management of its route network while ensuring the best passenger experience across the airlines global footprint. Through SITA Connect, the airline will have access to high-speed, secure connectivity, linking employees and sales offices around the world to Kenya Airways central systems and applications to manage everything from reservations, check-in, and boarding. With a global presence, SITA is able to meet the airlines complete connectivity requirements with tailored solutions for each location. Central to the delivery is SITAs AirportHub, a shared connectivity platform already used in more than 300 airports in over 100 countries. Using SITAs common-use infrastructure eliminates the complexity of dealing with local telecom providers while enabling Kenya Airways to connect securely to their central systems and applications from any airport in the AirportHub network. Positioning Kenya Airways for the future Mbuvi Ngunze, group MD and CEO of Kenya Airways said: As we seek to position Kenya Airways for the future, we needed a single communications partner that could take care of all our connectivity requirements no matter where we operate. SITA, with its truly global footprint and experience, provided us with a world-class solution supported by a local presence in each destination, connecting even the furthest outstation to our hub in Nairobi. Hani El-Assaad, SITA president, Middle East, India and Africa said: Today, connectivity on demand is the lifeblood of any airline, ensuring the smooth and rapid exchange of information needed to support effective operations no matter where in the world an airline operates, the size of their operation or their business model. We have used our global experience and presence to provide Kenya Airways with the latest communication solution that is able to cater to their own specific requirements. Kenya Airways flies to 53 destinations including 43 destinations in Africa, carrying more than four million passengers every year. On the next Biz Takeouts Marketing & Media radio show on Thursday, 18 August 2016, from 9-10am, show host Warren Harding chats about the exciting world of online retail. We are joined by Matt Roux, CTO for Emerce Commerce (@EmerceCommerce), a leading business-to-business partner in delivering world-class e-commerce solutions for the South African retail and e-commerce industry. We speak to Matt to find out more about Emerce Commerce and the current state of play in the e-commerce environment in South Africa. Matt also provides a four-step checklist to help business owners make a considered decision if they are ready for the leap into the online retail world. Emerce Commerce have also launched a fantastic competition in which one business will win the entire build of their online store. This is an incredible opportunity for a profitable local business that is ready to reach a far wider audience and harness technology to win new customers. "If you think you meet the criteria, we want to hear from you, says Roux. SMEs interested in entering the competition and having their online store built from scratch can visit http://winastore.emercecommerce.com/ and complete the entry form. Entries close on Monday 22 August 2016 at 5pm. Tune into Biz Takeouts every Thursday from 9am-10am live from the 2oceansVibe Radio studio in Cape Town as we discuss the topics that matter in Marketing & Media. How to listen Comments or questions Podcast A podcast of the show will be available in the Biz Takeouts special section on Biz later during the week. Marcel Rossouw, service design lead at Fjord, says design and innovation are at the core of everything they do at Accenture. As a result, Masterclass participants will get hands-on experience in the principles of design-led innovation. Rossouw Making the session as hands on as possible, he says attendees will engage through various materials and methods, while learning how to define problem spaces, identify and explore opportunities, and collaboratively ideate solutions. That sounds like a win to me. Shifting focus to this years Loeries theme that Creativity Unites, Rossouw says, Creativity does not only unite, it also connects brands and consumers, and digital plays a key role in making this possible. However, he says companies are still struggling to deliver digital experiences that meet or exceed their customers expectations, despite making significant investments to enhance their digital capabilities. The reason for this is simple: Those companies are either not placing the customer at the centre of all their activities, or are investing in technology without understanding the digital needs of their customers and organisations. Without a clear line of sight to what their customers need and value, without a human-centered approach to shaping their services and products, brands will struggle to connect with customers, he warns. Service design in the spotlight Human-centric approach is the basis of service design, which Rossouw says is, All about being truly invested in understanding and serving your customer being curious, relentless in pursuing the ideal service solution. Now, more than ever, customers are seeking out value and looking for unique experiences. Added to this, a recent wave of new services are shifting our expectations as customers while blurring traditional boundaries and disrupting industries like banking. Rossouw says customers now expect and demand frictionless, flexible and personalised experiences, so the need to be agile and in a state of continuous innovation has become a prerequisite for any future-facing brand. Weve been exploring the impact of this new wave of services for a while now, and released a white paper earlier this year called Living Services. It examines the move towards creating services that seem alive intelligent, ubiquitous, learning, predicting and reacting to consumers changing needs and circumstances. Simply put, these are branded services that are personalised and change in real-time for every individual, wherever they are and whatever they are doing. Rossouw predicts Living Services will usher in broader cultural/commercial trends affecting business and society most profoundly in six specific areas: Our homes: A fusion of smart devices will ultimately come to manage our lives and protect our families and interests. Our bodies: Smart wearable devices are just the beginning of a journey toward complete body management, continuous health monitoring and predictive and personalised treatment. Our finances: Banks and insurance companies will move to continually advising and supporting the decisions and challenges we face every day. The future of travel: Smart, driverless cars or connected trains will let us carry our digital lives and Living Services with us. Our working lives: Employers will tailor our workloads and challenges to match our personal capabilities and challenges we face in real-time. Our shopping experience: Retailers will recreate a digital version of old-style customer service, integrating themselves more deeply into our lifestyle choices and interests. Thats quite a mouthful, but so is Rossouws most looking forward to from Loeries Creative Week Durban: Engaging with industry players at the masterclass, where theyll discuss how services and products should be delivered to the ever-changing market. Hes also excited to be mingling with industry peers, hearing how brands connect with their customers, and sharing the best industry practices. He concludes that the Digitisation of Everything requires new thinking and a new set of connected capabilities to deliver ground-breaking ideas and transformative customer experiences. Thats why hes thrilled that Accenture will be spearheading this at the event. Click here for more on the Loeries Creative Week Durban Masterclasses. The world in which we live has become increasingly virtual as concepts such as 'digital disruption' and technology disrupt the traditional ways of doing business and simplifying life. This is an increasing phenomena across various industries and sectors, both on the African continent as well as globally. The digital disruption concept aims to explore how technology and digitization are revolutionising industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, education and healthcare. The local organising committee, which was established to prepare for Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Johannesburg, chose Digital Disruption as the official theme for the congress. Digital disruption is transforming our economies and making vast improvements in our lives but it will require leaders from all parts of the entrepreneurial ecosystem entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers and more to be nimble and adapt, said the South Africa Minister of Small Business Development Lindiwe Zulu. Those who embrace innovative new processes, policies and programs will be best positioned to seize the opportunities in front of them. The Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) is the largest gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and policymakers from more than 160 countries and nearly 4,000 delegates. The global entrepreneurship ecosystem will gather in one of South Africas most innovative hubs Johannesburg. Speaking from the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) headquarters in Washington, D.C., Jonathan Ortmans, president of GEN, thanked all the partners who participated in the various focus groups in the theme selection. The theme of Digital Disruption will create platforms of engagement between startups and corporations to create innovative new ideas, as well as provide a pathway to explore disruptive technologies in various industries in the African continent, and globally, said Ortmans. A member of the local organising committee, Nyeleti Shirilele, executive governance at Hollard, echoed similar sentiments and encouraged all corporations to join forces and ensure greater collaboration and support for startups, and small and medium sized businesses. The GEC 2017 Johannesburg will be hosted by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), Kauffman Foundation, SEA Africa, the City of Johannesburg, National Department of Small Business Development, Gauteng Provincial Government, Absa a member of Barclays, Transnet, Hollard, Microsoft, Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and Telkom. With a visit from Silicon Valley investors, the GEC 2017 in Johannesburg is not to be missed. Registration for the GEC is now open at www.gec.co. Subscribe to daily business and company news across 19 industries SUBSCRIBE A Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) interceptor is launched during a successful intercept test, in this undated handout photo provided by the US Department of Defense, Missile Defense Agency. [Photo/Agencies] China hopes that Washington will "place great priority and properly tackle" its plan to deploy a long-range antimissile system in the Republic of Korea, a senior Chinese military official said on Tuesday. Li Zuocheng, Commander of the Army of the People's Liberation Army, made the comment when meeting with US Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley in Beijing. Milley has started his first official visit to Beijing amid lingering tension triggered by the plan to deploy Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system. The US official is scheduled to visit China, the ROK and Japan from Monday to Aug 23, and in the ROK he will receive an update on plans to deploy the THAAD system there, according to a release by the US Pacific Command issued prior to the visit. In their first meeting in incumbent posts, Li said the South China Sea issue, the Taiwan Question and the deployment of THHAD would "easily affect the China-US relationship". The military-to-military ties have contributed greatly to the healthy development of the China-US relationship, and China hopes the two militaries will "boost cooperation, properly tackle differences and manage and control risks", Li said. Milley told Li that he expects the two militaries to further reinforce exchanges and boost mutual trust. The committee will primarily focus on the ruined lands with growing paddies owned by the villagers. The initiative began when many local villagers threatened the Rakhine State government to stage a demonstration in the capital city of Sittwe, if the authority fails to compensate the affected farmers, said Ko Myo Lwin, a local leader. The committee started working since 13 August from a village in Ann Taung under Ann Township. Around 165 farmers were reportedly deprived of compensation against the loss due to the oil & gas pipeline connecting to Yunnan province of China, said Ko Myo Lwin. He added that few villagers had however received the compensations. But most of them, who faced the loss in paddy & orchid land, are yet to receive any compensation. Hence the authority and China National Petroleum Corporation should take initiatives to support them, asserted Ko Myo Lwin. The scrutinizing committee comprises many government officials from the district and township levels with one from Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise and 12 representatives from local farming communities. The Ann township administrator U Kyaw Htu informed that the MOGE and CNPC earlier used to compensate the farmers against the loss of crops. But now the farmers want to get the compensation for their damaged lands. As the farmers in other parts of Burma have already received compensations from the same company against their damaged lands, the Arakan farmers raised voices for their shares. Following their demands the screening committee was formed by the government. Talking to the Narinjara by telephone, U Kyaw Htu only announced that the committee would submit the report to the government for compensation. However he did not guarantee any compensation prior to that. The ultimate decision would be taken by the higher authority only, added the township administrator. Sayar Saw Kwi, the education officer for the Suwannimit Foundation, explained that the Tak Community College was opened to provide educational opportunities that dont exist for Burmese migrant students interested in pursuing a higher education. The courses, which will be taught at this college, have been recognised by the Thai government, he told the KIC News. The community college is offering two nine-month courses; non-profit organisation management and community development, which are divided into three semesters. Students will attend classes for three hours a day and graduates will receive a diploma that will be recognised by Thai universities and other educational institutions in the kingdom, Sayar Saw Kwi explained. New student, Naw Arr Mu Htoo said: I am interested in community development as it is related to what I have been doing. She hoped that by attending the college it will provide her with the skills necessary to pursue work in this field. Altogether, 65 students have enrolled in the college, which is receiving financial assistance from the US based organization, Project for Local Employment. Reporting by KIC News Translated by Thida Linn Edited by BNI staff A number of issues are likely to be on the agenda including the fate of the controversial $3.6 billion Myitsone dam project. The project was suspended by former President Thein Sein after it drew widespread protests on environmental grounds. Other Chinese projects in Myanmar have also proved contentious, including the Letpadaung copper mine, which has also led to repeated protests. With the Union Peace Conference, or 21 Century Panglong, slated for the 31 August she is also expected to raise the issue of Myanmars armed ethnic groups operating on the Sino-Myanmar border. A number of these groups are heavily influenced by China and Suu Kyi is likely to seek Chinese support for the peace process. The trip will last four days. The government and ethnic armed groups have reached an agreement at the UPDJC meeting to hold the conference every six months. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has accepted all-inclusiveness, said U Zaw Htay, a deputy director at the Ministry of Presidents Office and conference preparatory committee member. The decision was announced yesterday at the UPDJC meeting in capital Naypyidaw. State Counselor and UPDJC Chairperson Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said: Peace is vital for our country. There is no peace in our country because we are unable to fulfil the physical and mental needs of our citizens. During the next peace conference that is scheduled to take place from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, no binding decisions will be made. Instead, each group will have a chance to discuss its views on security, politics, economics, social, environment and natural resources. Reporting by Aik Sai for MNA Translated by Thida Linn Edited by BNI staff More than 1.6 million people in Myanmar have been displaced over the past 18 months, since last years military coup, according to the Institute for... PANAJI (PTI): The first international educational programme for naval officers of 'friendly foreign countries' was inaugurated by former Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retd) on Tuesday. Stressing the importance of maritime security in nation building during his speech, Prakash said in a dynamically changing geo-political scenario, navies from the Indian Ocean Region must forge stronger ties and develop an efficient security architecture. The programme was organised by the Naval War College at Goa, the Indian Navy's premier institution of higher military education. Rear Admiral Monty Khanna, Commandant of the college, welcomed the participating Navy and Coast Guard senior officers of Bangladesh, Maldives, Myanmar, Oman and Sri Lanka. Aimed at building consensus among the regional maritime nations towards a collective approach to maritime security issues, the course curriculum includes international relations theory, geo-politics of the region, etc. During the 8-week programme, the participants would visit Command Headquarters of Indian Navy in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Kochi in the first phase. In the second phase, they would be integrated with the Naval Higher Command Course, a flagship programme for the Indian officers scheduled to start in September. The new ALG will allow fighter aircraft like Su-30MKI to land and take off. The Su-30 fighters of Indian Air Force. An IAF photo NEW DELHI (PTI): In a major fillip to India's military capabilities along the border with China, the Pasighat advanced landing ground (ALG) in Arunachal Pradesh, which will allow fighter aircraft like Su-30MKI to land and take off, will be inaugurated this week. Pasighat ALG, to be inaugurated on August 19, is a strategic asset and will be one of the operating bases under the Eastern Air Command capable of operating all types of aircraft and helicopters. Activation of this ALG will not only improve our response time for various operational situations but also the efficacy of the air operations in the eastern frontier, IAF said on Tuesday. It said that the ALG will enhance air support capability for the army, paramilitary forces and the civil administration. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju along with Air Marshal C Hari Kumar, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Air Command, will inaugurate the ALG. It will facilitate the connectivity by air for the people of Arunachal Pradesh with the rest of the country. Coming on the civil aviation map of the country will bring in large number of tourists to this pristine and picturesque town located on the banks of Siang river, leading to greater happiness and prosperity to the local population. The ALG at Pasighat was earlier partly paved and partly grassy, and smaller in size. To bolster up the operational capability in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh, IAF took over the ALG in February 2010 and started the aviation infrastructure development. At present, the development work is coming to an end and a new airfield is ready for operational use. The Cheetal helicopter operated by Indian military. SIACHEN GLACIER (PTI): Indian Air Force's iconic unit 'Siachen Pioneers', which is a lifeline for thousands of soldiers posted in the arduous and world's highest battlefield, wants to replace ageing Cheetah choppers with the Cheetals that come equipped with modern engine. The 114 Helicopter Unit, also known as Siachen Pioneers, is the mainstay of the soldiers who are posted even at the height of 22,000 feet, as they carry essential food and equipment to various posts in the Siachen Glacier. The highly decorated unit currently operates 14 helicopters of which 10 are Cheetal and four are Cheetah, first made available in the 1970s. Cheetal is the re-engined version of the Cheetah helicopter and comes equipped with French-origin Turbomeca engine which also powers the Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv. The project initiated during 2002 was aimed at enhancing high altitude operational capabilities and maintainability as well as to provide a mid-life upgrade for safe and reliable operations. "We are very happy with the performance of the Cheetals. They are not only more powerful than the Cheetah but also fuel efficient which means that a little bit more load can be carried on them," Wing Commander S Ramesh, Commanding Officer of the of the 114 'Siachen Pioneers', told PTI. He added that the Unit is looking at replacing the four Cheetah helicopters it has with the Cheetal. Every day, the 'Siachen Pioneers' carries out numerous sorties to Siachen glacier braving inclement weather conditions including high speed icy winds. The squadron is tasked from Kargil to eastern Ladakh. And all this comes at a cost. The unit, which is perhaps the only in the world to be deployed in action continuously for over three decades because of "Operation Meghdoot", has lost 13 officers till now. The work routinely involves landing at the highest helipads in the world in Siachen glacier and flying the helicopters to the edge of its flight envelope over a very treacherous terrain marked by uncertain weather. The unit has also found a place in the Limca Book of World Records for the highest helicopter landing at a density altitude of 25,140 feet. Besides this, the Unit is well-known for its daring rescue of mountaineers and trekkers from across the globe year after year. It regularly undertakes flights to assist locals who live in the remote regions of Leh and Ladakh area. This includes ensuring that the students and teachers are airlifted in IAF helicopter to reach their schools at Leh and back home. Earlier, the dangerous 'Chaddar' trek over the frozen Zanskar river was the only way for children and teachers of the area to reach Leh. Another team of the IAF, 153 Helicopter Unit (Daring Dragons), which flies Mi-17 V5 also assists the soldiers since they carry higher load of men, ration and equipment. Asked how he would describe his unit, Wing Commander Ramesh showed the book 'Soldier Mountaineer' written by Colonel Narinder 'Bull' Kumar, highly-decorated officer of the Kumaon Regiment who planted the Indian flag on the Siachen Glacier in 1981. "To CO, 114 Helicopter Sqn - Lifeline of the Siachen Glacier Garrison," read the personally signed note of Kumar. In the summer of 1984, the Indian army launched its first major offensive against the Pakistani army at Siachen and established bases along the glacier. Their main weapon was the detailed maps, plans, photographs made by Kumar and his team. Already have an account? Log in here We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/08/2016 (2263 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. At first glance, a proposed declaration to join David Suzukis Blue Dot Movement seemed like a feel-good, innocuous value statement that would be a brief topic at Monday nights Brandon City Council meeting. Instead, it sparked a lengthy philosophical debate, with several councillors concerned about potential legal ramifications in the future. We have no idea what it binds us to legally, or what the economic costs may be to the city, said Coun. Jeff Harwood (University). In principle, I like the value statement, its something we certainly all can agree to and we have but that one paragraph causes me concern. Harwood was referring to the Blue Dot Movements ultimate goal of seeing environmental rights enshrined in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. According to bluedot.ca, recognition in the charter is the final step in protecting every person in Canadas right to clean air and water, safe food and a stable climate. This ensures that we all benefit from a healthy environment, world-class standards and a say in the decisions that affect our health and well-being. Coun. Lonnie Patterson (South Centre) brought forward the motion, following a recommendation from the citys environmental committee in June, which encouraged council to join the movement. The proposed declaration, which was ultimately voted down, stated that all people have the right to breathe clean air; the right to drink clean water; the right to consume safe food; the right to access nature; the right to know about pollutants and contaminants released into the local environment; and the right to participate in the decision-making that will affect the environment. Patterson pointed out that 142 other municipal governments in Canada have already endorsed it, including The Pas, Prince George, B.C., Thunder Bay, and Toronto, to name a few. More than 102,000 individual Canadians have joined the movement including 90 in Brandon. I think the Blue Dot Movement reflects the values that we hold, not only as a city council, but as city staff and as a community, Patterson said. Coun. Jeff Fawcett (Assiniboine) called joining the movement a slippery slope and pointed out the city already has a strong focus on environmental issues without needing to join the movement. The city has received accolades for its environmental initiatives and just this week Brandon East Progressive Conservative MLA Len Isleifson appeared before council to congratulate the environmental committee on its efforts. Throwing rights around loosely, I think is a very dangerous game, Fawcett said. Coun. Barry Cullen (Victoria) said the general Blue Dot goals are like motherhood and apple pie, but he, too, had concerns about the potential implications down the road. I already think were doing amazing work, and I dont think we have to apologize at all for not supporting this piece when were leaders in what were doing, Cullen said. Coun. Kris Desjarlais (Rosser) seemed flabbergasted when he heard his fellow councillors concerns. I think were overthinking this, he said. This is basically an opportunity for the City of Brandon to get behind a growing movement in Canada This is us lobbying the federal government to say, Hey, this is something that should be in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The debate continued, with Fawcett saying the declaration was too vague wondering what the definition of clean air is, providing the example of air in the wide-open spaces of Nunavut versus downtown Toronto. Desjarlais piped in again, saying it was a silly thing to argue over for half an hour, and expressed concern that Brandon may be the only municipality to vote against it. When it came time for Mayor Rick Chrest to weigh in, he said it was ironic that a piece of philosophy is what sparked the robust debate. The thing I find probably refreshing is that this is over a philosophical statement, it doesnt require any action on the part of council, he said. When it does come time for council to take action on stuff, we are able to chime through those in a fairly unified fashion. The motion to join the Blue Dot Movement was defeated 7-4. Only Patterson, Desjarlais, Chrest and Coun. Jan Chaboyer (Green Acres) voted in favour. Certainly Im disappointed it didnt pass, but thats the way it goes sometimes at the council table, Patterson said. But what I take away from the discussion is that there was no debate on whether or not we thought that attending to environmental issues was an important part of what we need to do as a city. jaustin@brandonsun.com Twitter: @jillianaustin Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 17/08/2016 (2263 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The City of Brandon is priming itself for an emergent process that is seeing First Nations acquiring and securing reserve status on new land in urban areas across Canada, with the hope of stimulating economic development among Aboriginal Peoples. There are now more than 120 arrangements called First Nation Urban Development Areas (FNUDAs), or urban reserves most of which are happening in the Prairie provinces, according to research from Sandy Trudel, the director of economic development for Brandon. A prepared release noted city council and administrators are anticipating the strong likelihood of such arrangements in the Wheat City in the near future. The citys population is roughly 11 per cent aboriginal. We would hope that based on where Brandon is located within the confines of Manitoba, that we are on the radar, Trudel said. Leah LaPlante, chair of Brandon Urban Aboriginal Peoples Council, said the council has been slowly bringing such concepts to the citys attention. It hasnt always been a positive thing. The referendum on the casino I think everyone was still stinging from that, and I think its time to move forward and people to start getting information, LaPlante said. A lot of times, its a lack of information that makes people worry about whats going to happen or that somebodys getting something they shouldnt be entitled to. The city said releasing a Frequently Asked Questions sheet along with a detailed document, prepared by Trudel, are meant to address the information gap. Chief Vincent Tacan, of Sioux Valley Dakota Nation, agreed that the process that ended with Sioux Valleys bid to open a casino being voted down in a municipal plebiscite has led to Tacan looking elsewhere for development. Theres some that say, Your people need to work, they need opportunity, but when it comes time to sign on the dotted line, they hold back or they refuse, Tacan said. Thats been our experience. The process starts with a First Nation acquiring land, through a Treaty Land Entitlement or private purchase, and applying for an Additions to Reserve. The ATR process can be lengthy. Such an application from Birdtail Sioux First Nation for an eight-and-a-half-acre plot of land off Highway 16 near Foxwarren was approved by the federal government in April 10 years after the application started. The average time, according to the National First Nations Economic Development Board, is 4.2 years, but Trudel said the process should be closer to 12 to 18 months if all partners are willing. Birdtail is working to open a bingo hall, VLT centre, restaurant and gas bar on the site near Foxwarren. Tacan said the amount of bureaucracy involved is another factor hindering progress. The reality is theres a lot of hoops and red tape to jump through, he said. The difficulty is going to be all the zoning, all the regulation, converting things to reserve status. There are tedious forms you give someone information and then someone else asks you for the same information you are constantly applying the same information over and over. Once such a process is complete, the city will lose jurisdiction over the land meaning city taxes and bylaws wont apply there. Because of this, the city and the First Nation must negotiate and sign a legally binding Municipal Development and Services Agreement that addresses compensation for city-provided services, as well as bylaw compatibility. The agreement is critical, Trudel says, in defining the relationship between the city and the First Nation. We have an integral role, in my estimation, in the process, she said. There are no limits on who can enter or be on an urban reserve, and the property should look like any other piece of land in the city, the prepared release said. The First Nation would also have to come to an agreement with the school board over compensation for the education portion of property tax. Most FNUDA agreements are premised on paying a fee equal to what would have been charged for property taxes in exchange for the municipality providing the same services they would have to the same property had it not been a FNUDA, Trudel said. The benefit for Brandon is in the better relationship with First Nations, and the extra economic activity building the tax base and developing vacant space and employment opportunity for First Nation members. (A FNUDA) creates potential for increased and more lucrative employment opportunities for First Nations due to the income tax exemption. This can result in more discretionary income being spent in Brandon businesses and a better quality of life for the First Nation individual, a document prepared by Trudel said. First Nations people, a lot of them want to be in the cities they dont want to be on reserve, and there is an issue with them finding employment. This is the fix, I think, LaPlante said. Ultimately, while were putting a label on it, quite frankly what I always encourage people to remember is: Were just talking about development and thats all this is, Trudel added. What Im trying to do now is make sure weve got a solid foundation of knowledge and foundation (of) this particular process because its a different process than were accustomed to. tbateman@brandonsun.com Twitter: @tombatemann 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 China is ready to deepen cooperation with Nepal on trade, investment, connectivity and infrastructure and offer assistance within its capacity, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday. He made the remark when meeting with visiting Nepalese Deputy Prime Minister and Financial Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the special envoy of Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Both countries are faced with the major task of developing the economy and improving livelihood, Li said, adding that China was ready to provide support for addressing natural and post disaster reconstruction. The two countries have enjoyed long-term mutual respect and a high degree of political mutual trust, and the Chinese side endorses the new Nepali government's calls to further develop ties with China, Li said. China is ready to achieve new development in the two-way relationship and promote regional peace, stability and prosperity, Li added. Mahara said the new government placed foreign policy priority upon developing ties with China and it firmly honored the One-China policy. Nepal is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with China to further implement the bilateral consensus reached upon various cooperation and better achieve joint economic and social development, he added. Four people have been hospitalised following a number of fires in Dublin overnight. Emergency services say two people suffered burns after a gas cylinder at a caravan in Donabate exploded. Ibrahim Halawa is today marking three years behind bars without trial in Egypt. The Dubliner's passed a letter to his family in which he says he is willing to die for freedom. Ibrahim Halawa was 17-years-old when he was detained following a protest in Cairo, in support of deposed Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi. Since that time, the now 20-year-old has had his trial adjourned 13 times. Amnesty International say he has no prospect of a fair hearing, as he's being tried along with almost 500 others. The Egyptian authorities have accused the Irish government of "unacceptable interference" for calling for his release. In a letter, passed to his family, Ibrahim expresses his sorrow at his three years in jail and says he misses his family, Ireland and the warmth of Irish laughter. He says he is fighting for others to gain democracy. And he says he is willing to die for freedom. The Union of Students in Ireland are urging homeowners to consider renting digs to third level students. Homeowners are asked to give up their spare rooms to students in need by renting a room on www.homes.usi.ie and benefit from up to 12,000 in tax-free rent. Wildfires in California have forced 82,000 people to flee their homes. US authorities have ordered mass evacuations after the blaze which which was started by an unprecedented drought. More than 9,000 acres have been scorched in in San Bernardino County and Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency. Hundreds of firefighters are battling at least 8 separate blazes. One has forced two major roads to close - including the main route between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Firefighters say the flames are spreading quickly. An emergency vaccination campaign has started in Africa amid one of the largest yellow fever outbreaks in decades. Residents in Congo and Angola will be given the jab first - it is hoped that 14 million people can be reached in more than 8,000 locations in total. Update 12.45pm: A fuel tanker that disappeared from a Malaysian port was taken by its own crew in a dispute with their employer, Indonesian and Malaysian officials have said. Maritime authorities from both countries have been searching for the Indonesian-flagged MT Vier Harmoni after it dropped out of contact on Tuesday evening. There were suspicions the tanker had been hijacked. For years, gangs of armed thieves have targeted small tankers operating off South East Asian coasts, looking for marine diesel and oil to steal and then sell. And militants in the southern Philippines have staged ransom kidnappings in the regional waters in recent months. Indonesia's western naval command said in a statement that it has information the captain of the vessel twice informed his employer he was taking the ship back to the Indonesian island of Batam because of an "internal management problem". It said there was no indication of any violence and it is co-ordinating with Malaysia to locate the ship. Earlier: Malaysian and Indonesian maritime authorities are searching for a fuel tanker with 10 crew members on board that has disappeared in an apparent hijacking. Malaysia's Maritime Enforcement Agency chief Ahmad Puzi Kahar said on Wednesday the MT Vier Harmoni was suspected to have been hijacked after leaving a port in Malaysia's southern Johor state and taken to waters off the Indonesian island of Batam, which is south of Singapore. Indonesia's western naval command and its coast guard said they also were searching for the ship but there was no indication so far that it had entered Batam. Vier Abdul Jamal, chief executive of the tanker's owner, Vierlines Asia Group, said the Indonesian-flagged vessel has 10 Indonesian crew on board and is currently chartered by another company. The charterer and the harbour master where the vessel was loaded lost contact with Vier Harmoni on Tuesday evening and its tracking device is not active, he said. The vessel, which has an experienced captain, could have been hijacked, sunk or be suffering engine problems, he said. The Malaysian maritime agency said the tanker was carrying 900,000 litres of diesel and left from Tanjung Pelepas port in Johor. Ahmad Puzi, the agency's chief, said "internal problems" might be behind the disappearance. The 175ft (53m) Vier Harmoni was built in 2014. Indonesia has suffered a series of kidnappings of its seamen this year by Abu Sayyaf militants based in the southern Philippines. Those incidents, which occurred off Borneo in waters that border Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, involved the militants abandoning the vessels and demanding ransoms for the kidnapped men. Turkey has issued a decree that will pave the way for the conditional release of some 38,000 prisoners in an apparent move to reduce its jail population to make space for coup plotters. The decree, issued on Wednesday, introduces measures including the release of inmates who have displayed good behaviour and who have two years or less to serve of their prison sentences. THE HAGUE: Climate activists glued themselves to Johannes Vermeer's 'Girl with a Pearl Earring' at a Dutch museum on... SAN FRANCISCO: US tech titans looking to the future are seeing growth take a beating in the face of foreign... KARACHI: Gold prices on Wednesday posted further gains on the local market, traders said. They surged by Rs1,800 ... LONDON: OPEC is likely to maintain its view world oil demand will rise for another decade, longer than many other... When Cotton On cuts the ribbon on its two-storey megastore in the Melbourne CBD on Friday it will be taking on the world from its own backyard. The planned roll-out of CBD flagship stores across the country is a key element of the Cotton On strategy and its bid to become Australia's very own H&M. The newest flagship store for the Geelong-headquartered retailer will rub shoulders with some of the globe's biggest fashion brands, including Zara, Uniqlo and H&M. Chief financial officer Michael Hardwick isn't shy about the group's ambitions and he's confident Cotton On can square up to these global fashion heavyweights. Many companies are haunted by ghosts. For BHP it was the ghost of its doomed foray into the US shale market five years ago which accounted for the biggest portion of its massive US$6.4 billion ($8.3 billion) loss reported this week. For James Packer, it is the $2.2 billion Cannery investment in the US which has reared its head again. As revealed on Wednesday, Packer's Crown Resorts has needed to pay the Australian Tax Office $125 million relating to that now ancient deal. The tax office hit Crown with a tax bill of $362 million in February which it vowed to fight. So the payment of $125 million probably won't be the end of the matter. Crown said on Wednesday that it still disputes the ATO assessment, but has paid some money to avoid accruing further interest and penalties. The payment doesn't include any admission of liability, it said. "Casualisation does not just impact workers in service industries like hospitality ... many qualified teachers, nurses, scientists or engineers are in contract or casualised employment.": ACTU president Ged Kearney. But the nation's influential business groups have been fiercely fighting the proposal, saying it was "naive" for unions to think employers would simply convert tens of thousands of existing casual employees if the claim succeeds. The Australian Industry Group's final submission, presented to the hearing this week, said the evidence in the long-running case demonstrated it was "in the interests of employers and casual employees" for the unions' claims to be decisively rejected. "If the unions' casual conversion claims are accepted, the jobs of thousands of casual employees would be terminated," Ai Group chief executive Innes Willox said. "There are over 2 million casual employees in Australia. If employers were forced to convert casuals after six months of regular employment, the predicable result would be that many employers would ensure that they do not employ casuals for more than six months, or they would outsource or offshore work." Mr Willox said businesses, workers and the community benefited from a flexible labour market, and the ability to engage casuals when needed was "essential" to competitiveness. 'Flexibility' too often applies only to employers: ACTU Crane and forklift driver David Kubli, 57, is one of the estimated 140,000 casual workers in the nation's manufacturing industry who miss out on access to important employee entitlements. A casual for the past five years, Mr Kubli said he worked "five days a week, eight hours a day, 52 weeks a year", and had been pushing to become permanent. "As a casual they can just walk us out the gate any time," he said. "As a permanent worker, there's more of a process that the company has to go through." Ms Kearney said many influential business groups had based their arguments against the casual-conversion clauses in the need for a more flexible labour market. "Employers argue for a more flexible labour market, as we see in the AiG's submission," she said. "All too often 'flexibility' actually means flexibility for employers on their terms, at the expense of worker-oriented flexibility and need for stability." Ms Kearney said Australia had "one of the most insecure workforces in the Western world". "When workers have job security, we have a more prosperous society more families staying healthy, investing in houses or tourism and spending in our retail sector," she said. "With working time security, where workers know their schedule, they can plan their lives outside work and have more time for friends, family and to live full and rewarding lives." Employer groups have accused unions of peddling myths about the supposed "casualisation" of Australia's workforce, with Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing the casual work rate has remained unchanged at about 20 per cent for nearly two decades. "Few casuals are union members," Mr Willox said. "Perhaps this is the reason why the unions are so hell-bent on demonising casual employment." The Fair Work Commission's judgment on Monday which ruled redundancy payments would have to count periods of regular casual employment before workers became permanent has been hailed by unions as a win that would "make a big difference to a lot of people". The full-bench ruling upheld an Australian Manufacturing Workers Union appeal against a decision earlier this year that allowed ship builder Forgacs to only count periods of permanent employment when calculating redundancy payments. The company has been planning a large redundancy round at its Newcastle shipyard after completing a contract with the Australian Submarine Corporation. In his dissenting judgment, Commissioner Ian Cambridge said Monday's judgment had taken an "erroneous approach" in holding that a period of continuous service includes a period of regular and systematic casual employment. "Any arrangement of casual employment, by its intrinsic nature, does not count as service, nor does it attract service-related benefits unless terms of a specific instrument prescribe otherwise," he said. Sorry Nick Xenophon, you are wrong. The South Australian independent senator has called on the government to consider reinstating a national school milk program to help the struggling dairy industry and improve nutrition. Let me tell you Nick, it won't do either. I am a child of the 1970s who grew up on the NSW school milk program the generation which has been put off milk for life. Who can forget the sight of crates of milk languishing in the Sydney summer sun, or in winter left on top of the school radiator until playlunch? Even if the school had a fridge like ours did. It was the temperature that was the problem: warm milk was vomit inducing I can still smell the scent of milk-spew when I cast my mind back to the playground of Oatlands Public School circa 1971. The 1970s school milk program Back in the days - pre-1972 - when we still measured temperatures in Farenheit in Australia, if it was over 100 degrees the milk was delivered in ice and sometimes frozen. So it was either boiling hot or frozen cold. Children of the 1960s and '70s are still scarred by this massive lactose force-feed to this day. I did a highly unscientific straw poll of our newsroom of those of us of a certain (ahem) age who had milk delivered daily to school. Of the 10 questioned only two still enjoy drinking milk and do so willingly as adults; they were probably the milk monitors the teacher's pets. If we extrapolate that to a wider audience that means 80 per cent have been turned off milk (except in our lattes or on our muesli) a statistic that can't be a win for the dairy farmers Nick Xenophon is trying to save. Recording a rare fledgling little eagle's journey from its nest at West Belconnen shows Canberra's urban sprawl is forcing the vulnerable species from the ACT, says ecologist and birds of prey specialist Jerry Olsen. But proponents of a new housing development say more research is needed on the little eagles nesting. A colour-banded little eagle nestling from near Strathnairn. Mr Olsen said ACT authorities were alerted in 2005 to the collapse of breeding little eagles, from at least a dozen pairs to only three pairs recently. Mr Olsen and friends colour-banded and radio-tagged the nestling little eagle in November, 2014, from near Strathnairn in West Belconnen. He is drawing attention to his findings following the ACT Government's approval of re-zoning the land at West Belconnen for development of 6500 homes . One of the most persistent and dangerous myths of domestic violence is that the perpetrators are good men who made ONE bad choice because their wife pushed them too far. It's a neat little way of excusing male violence and rather unsubtly hinting that the female victims were the problem all along. A recent study into judiciary sentencing of domestic violence perpetrators shows this myth has an alarming level of acceptance at even the highest levels of our legal system. The study, published in the latest edition of Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, looked at judges' sentencing remarks for cases of both men and women who had murdered their domestic partners between 2002 and 2010 in Victoria and New South Wales. "The root causes of DV are buried so deeply into our national psyche that even our judges, the people we pay to be impartial, appear to believe that men kill women for a complex range of psycho-social reasons," writes Kasey Edwards. Credit:Stocksy Researchers Guy Hall, Marion Whittle and Courtney Field examined a total of 72 cases. In 67 cases, the offender was male, while five cases involved female offenders. In all but two cases, the presiding judge was male. The researchers found that when it came to sentencing male offenders, the judges went out of their way to present the murderers as essentially good blokes who had gone off the rails. For example, in sentencing remarks evaluating the offenders' characters, the judges made frequent mention of the men's involvement in the community and their work ethic. Public service departments are stalling on wage talks with their workforces while they wait for a clear lead from the Coalition government on its workplace bargaining policy. Confusion deepened on Wednesday with the public service minister declaring the government's position clear, after its workplace authority confirmed departments had not been advised of the government's position. Australian Public Service Commissioner John Lloyd. Credit:Jay Cronan The Turnbull Government went into last month's election locked in industrial stalemate with 100,000 of its public servants amid hope the poll would act as a circuit breaker to the 3-year dispute over wages and conditions. But departments have conceded they are still waiting for the re-elected government to brief them on its policy approach and the federal workplace authority, the Australian Public Service Commission has confirmed it has not briefed its agencies and would not say when the advice would be issued. Jeannie Rea, the national president of the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU), accused these publications of "fraud" and pledged to investigate legal avenues for those who have been duped. Universities are now cracking down on the problem, with Sydney University, Griffith University and Swinburne University confirming that they will not allow academics to seek promotions or claim credit for publishing in so-called predatory journals. They are also asking academics to disclose if they had resorted to predatory journals in their annual reviews. Mostafa Naser, a lecturer at Edith Cowan University, said he had not consented to being named as an editorial adviser of the Australasian Journal of Law, Ethics and Governance. "I am not aware that my name is there," Dr Naser said. "Someone called and we had an informal discussion about it, but it was not concrete that I would be part of the editorial board. This happened about a year ago. I haven't consented to my name [being] on the academic journal." Queensland police say a "highly offensive" website featuring naked and near-naked photos of hundreds of Australian women does not contain child exploitation material. The image board site groups photos by local area and names several schools from Queensland, NSW, Victoria, WA and the ACT. The images include sexual acts and many appear to have been uploaded after being sent from mobile phones, including through apps such as Snapchat. On Wednesday morning, the Department of Education and Training said the website, "containing explicit images of Queensland students and other women", was "highly offensive". A Queensland LNP MP who once queried whether Australian politicians were guilty of "muspandering", or pandering to Muslims, has raised his concerns the "threat of Islamic terrorism is increasing as the number of Islamic people in Australia grows ... through immigration, biological growth and by radicalisation". Cleveland MP Mark Robinson used a parliamentary debate on bipartisan counter terrorism laws to raise his concerns with what he said was a growing threat, calling for stronger legislation to address "jihadi terrorism". "The problem is not the majority of peace-abiding Muslims who live in Australia, but those who follow sharia Law," says MP Mark Robinson. "In September 2014, ASIO raised the national terrorist alert level to high, where it has remained. Since September 2014, nationally there has been an escalation of terrorist-related activity which has been well documented in terms of the statistics by other members," he said. "The majority, almost all of the attacks are due to Islamist terrorists and involve the infiltration of radical and dangerous forms of Islam into our nation. IF you have a 14-year-old daughter, there's about a one in three chance that she has stripped off, posed for a selfie, and passed it onto someone else. That figure hasn't been plucked out of the air. For months now, I've been researching a book on 14-year-old girls, and speaking to about 200 of them, as well as parents, principals, and teen experts, including police, across Australia. And universally that is the conservative figure provided. The first time I heard it, I didn't believe it. The second time, I shuddered. And the third time, I wondered why. Principals have told me how they are forced to deal with the fallout of weekend parties where girls swap selfies of themselves in various states of undress. The owners of a coal vessel stranded off the coast of Gladstone have paid for supplies to get the ship home, however the crew's wage issue is still up in the air, Australian Maritime Safety Authority say. The 93,000 tonne Five Stars Fujian ship and its 20 Chinese national crew members were detained last Friday by AMSA after they found the company had breached the Maritime Labour Convention in relation to insufficient food and wages. AMSA delivered emergency food supplies to the hungry crew on Friday and helped organise, along with the Gladstone Port Corporation and Mission to Seafarers Gladstone to send off another 200 kilograms of fresh food sent via helicopter on Monday. An AMSA spokesperson said they were notified on Tuesday afternoon that the owners, Five Stars Fujian Shipping Co of Hong Kong, had transferred money to a supplier to load the ship with enough fuel and food for the voyage back to China, however there was no mention of wages, which were below international standards. A Victorian man has been charged with a string of offences after allegedly punching another passenger in a drawn-out mid-air disturbance over far north Queensland. The Ballarat man, 27, is due in Townsville Magistrates Court on Thursday morning following the Wednesday night incident. A man allegedly struggled with police after punching a man on a Jetstar flight. About 7.45pm, a passenger told crew members on the Jetstar flight from from Melbourne that he'd been assaulted. The plane was just half an hour out from Townsville and had already begun its descent. The war between union and volunteer firefighters must end, and the heads of the warring factions need to show leadership, Victoria's emergency management commissioner Craig Lapsley has declared. Calling for end to the ugly spat between volunteers and union firefighters for the sake of community safety, Mr Lapsley said he would do everything in his power to ensure the role of volunteers was not diminished. Ahead of Supreme Court action from Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria, Mr Lapsley told ABC 774 radio's Jon Faine that the workplace agreement for 800 paid firefighters approved by the hand-picked Country Fire Authority board last week would not affect volunteers' roles. "We have got a war out there; it's almost a war between volunteers and career [firefighters]. That has got to stop," Mr Lapsley said. The four-year-old boy who was rushed to hospital after being kicked in the head by a horse is making a recovery. The incident occurred at a property in Millbrook, near Ballarat on Tuesday afternoon. The boy was flown to the Royal Children's Hospital on Tuesday afternoon. Credit:Channel Seven He was airlifted to the Royal Children's Hospital in a critical condition. A spokeswoman for the hospital told Fairfax Media that the boy's condition had stabilised. Victoria's Parliament has descended into farce, with the Andrews government blocking the swearing in of a new Nationals MP. Luke O'Sullivan has been selected by the Nationals to replace Damian Drum in the Northern Victoria upper house spot, after Mr Drum successfully made the switch to federal politics at the July election, winning the seat of Murray. Victoria's Parliament House Credit:Michael Clayton Jones But Labor voted against holding a joint session, in a revenge attack after Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings was suspended for six months from the upper house earlier this year for failing to provide documents, some of them cabinet-in-confidence. The debate over the joint sitting dominated much of Parliament's time on Wednesday, and after the upper house agreed to hold a joint sitting, Labor used its numbers in the lower house to crush the plan. The storm that passed over Perth and the South West on Wednesday has wreaked havoc causing flash flooding, blowing a roof off one house and causing minor damage to homes in Ascot. The wild weather hit the metropolitan area around 11am, blowing a roof off a home in Bindoon and ripping tiles off houses in one street in Ascot. A spokeswoman for the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said it had received 17 calls from people in the metropolitan area requiring assistance for flooding to homes and minor damages to roofs. According to the ABC, the left lane of the Kwinana Freeway northbound after the Canning Highway was affected by flooding, while in Subiaco tree branches have blocked parts of Thomas Street. 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 The Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia ( MFAA ) has launched a LinkedIn campaign to encourage consumers to go to brokers for commercial and equipment finance, not just a home loan.The campaign will target the 219,000 plus business owners and operators who are active on the professional network.LinkedIn is a crucial channel for the commercial lending sector, Emily Watson, digital marketing and social media manager for the MFAA said.This campaign will direct businesses to our consumer information portal, Mortgage & Finance Help, where they will learn about the advantages of engaging an MFAA broker and then they can search for a member.The MFAA says its campaign will focus on the education advantage of MFAA members. According to the association, its research indicated that a stronger education helps builds trust, which is a deciding factor in SME owners in selecting a finance provider.We have consulted a number of commercial brokers from around the country to gain insight on the pain points of their SME customers, which has enabled us to develop relevant messaging to effectively target the small business owner market on LinkedIn. Our ads will be front and centre on their screens for an entire month, then we will analyse the insights and formulate subsequent campaigns based on the traction and responses, Watson said.The campaigns are designed to cover both metropolitan and regional areas and drive enquiries to members.SME owners are generally time poor and will use online information to seek out potential suppliers. They are looking for experts to solve their problems, and this campaign helps highlights how our members do that. This marketing initiative will expose SME decision makers to a database of the best educated brokers in Australia, Watson said. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams They want to wipe the Slate clean! Mayor DeBlasio must nix a plan to hand over the Bedford-Union Armory in Crown Heights to developer Slate Property Group, which was caught in a scandal surrounding the sale and redevelopment of a Manhattan nursing home for people with AIDS into luxury condos, say local activists who rallied in front of the building last week. The real estate firm duped Hizzoner on that deal and now residents cant trust it to head the massive project in their community, one leader said. If you do this to the mayor, what will they do to us? We know this wasnt done in good faith, said Donna Mossman, co-founder of tenant association the Crown Heights Tenant Union which protested alongside housing activist group New York Communities for Change, formerly known as Acorn. City investigators recently found the developer colluded with the former owner of Manhattans Rivington House hospice to hide the sale so the city would lift a deed restriction that barred it from developing the building for housing, under the pretense that the then-owner was converting it to a for-profit nursing home. Late last year the city awarded Slate and BFC Partners a contract to transform the century-old disused weapons depot on Bedford Avenue into a mix of condos, market-rate and below-market rentals, offices, and a recreation center. The plan came after two years of negotiations with local elected officials, the community board, and local leaders, many of whom ended up supporting the project. The city will re-examine the proposal in light of the Rivington House scandal, a mayoral spokesman said, but emphasized that nothing will move ahead until the plan has been approved through the citys lengthy land-use review process, which requires Councils okay and also gives the community board and Borough President a chance to weigh in. The project still requires multiple public approvals and we are taking a hard look at the situation, said rep Austin Finan. Community Board 9 has assembled a subcommittee to gauge local sentiment prior to and during the review, and will hold a town hall meeting next month where residents can sound off about the plan. Tanks for the memories: The planned redevelopment. NYC EDC The panel hasnt canvassed opinions on the Rivington House revelations yet, but so far residents biggest issue has been about the 24 condominiums in the project which the developers plan on knocking down the President Street side of the armory to build and people just generally think there isnt enough so-called affordable housing going in, according to the committees chairman. The condos take away space from the community, simple as that, Warren Berke said. I think the community feeling is a lot like the general feeling around Brooklyn that theres not enough affordable housing. Half of the complexs 330 apartments are below-market rate, but only 66 of them will be available to people making less than the citywide median income $90,600 for a family of four and $63,500 for an individual. The rest will be available to those who make 110 percent of the citywide figure, or around $100,000 annually. The median household income in Crown Heights is between $35,000 and $40,000 annually, according to the latest census data, though that includes households of all sizes. Mossman said shed rather the entire complex be turned into a community facility, but if housing must come to the armory, then it should be priced so longtime Crown Heights residents can actually afford it. Affordable is a catchphrase what we really need is low-incoming housing that is actually affordable, she said. Slate did not return a request for comment. Bedford-Union Armory meeting in the auditorium at MS 61 (400 Empire Blvd. at New York Avenue in Crown Heights), Sept. 14 at 6:30 pm. A big deal: The Bedford-Union Armory will become Bedford Courts if the development goes ahead. More than 300 apartments will fill the massive complex. Photo by Paul Martinka Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams 78th Precinct Park Slope Steal and fight Police arrested a man after they say his shoplifting scheme went awry and devolved into a brawl inside an Atlantic Avenue electronics store on Aug. 1. An employee told police he was working inside the store between Fort Greene Place and S. Portland Avenue at 2:30 pm when he spotted the suspect grab a gaming controller and attempt to sneak away without paying. When the employee confronted the suspect, the man shoved him, cops said. The victim grabbed the suspect again, but this time the man allegedly hurled him to the ground and took him out of play with a kick to the head, authorities said. Dodge-y deeds A motorist caught a would-be burglar breaking into her van on Douglass Street on Aug. 1 and scared him off. The victim told police that she parked the Dodge between Nevins Street and Third Avenue at 9:30 am, and returned at 2 pm to find the crook in the process of looting her vehicle, its rear window shattered. The buffoon fled at the sight of her, and police say they ultimately closed the case without making any arrests. Sweet steal Cops cuffed a woman for stealing perfume from a Flatbush Avenue lingerie store on Aug. 7. Security spotted the suspect inside the womens apparel shop between Hanson Place and Atlantic Avenue at 1:45 pm, when she allegedly grabbed the aromatic spray and tried to flee without paying, police said. Umbrella stick-up Authorities slapped a 16-year-old girl in irons for her part in a St. Marks Avenue robbery on Aug. 1. The victim, a 43-year-old woman, told police that she was near Sixth Avenue at 11:07 pm when the suspect and an accomplice attacked her with an umbrella. The suspect allegedly whacked the womans head twice with the parasol, while her partner grabbed the phone from her hands, cops said. Scoot away A thief rode off with a mans Vespa scooter that hed parked on Third Street before traveling overseas on May 31. The victim told police he parked his ride between Sixth and Seventh avenues at 5 pm, but returned from his travels on Aug. 4 to find it gone. Cops searched the area and tried to hunt down security footage, but were too late to catch the crook and closed the case without any arrests. Road hog A thief rode off with a mans motorcycle after he left it on St. Johns Place on July 30. The victim told police he parked the Yamaha between Sixth and Seventh avenues at 6 pm, and returned the next day to find his ride missing. Police canvassed the area and scoured nearby surveillance feeds, but came up short and closed the case without making any arrests, cops said. Colin Mixson Football: Nate Beighley, Pennsbury end regular season by shutting out Neshaminy To say this season was different for Pennsbury would be an understatement. The Falcons capped off an incredible regular season with a shutout of archrival Neshaminy. latest news October 3, 2022 Dee Gambit Hundreds if not thousands of new and returning TV shows and movies are released every month your options of what to watch are endless. Variety, they say is ... Home run ball hit in NL title game returned by South Jersey family Kevin Hartwell of Mullica Township returns home run ball to Rhys Hoskins, who gave them a signed Phillies bat and baseballs in return THE OCEAN OF CHURN How the Indian Ocean shaped human history Sanjeev Sanyal Viking/Penguin 298 pages; Rs 599 The Pacific and the Atlantic are larger and deeper than the Indian Ocean and, in the last century, have figured more prominently than it in global geo-strategic considerations. But the Indian Ocean has certainly been of far more seminal significance in shaping the world as we know it even today. That is what the sub-title of Sanjeev Sanyal's new book aptly says and that is why I was eager to read it. But 300 pages of thumbnail sketches covering the entirety of four-and-a-half billion years of Mother Earth's existence is not exactly an overwhelming read. AirAsia India, owned jointly by Tata Sons and Malaysias AirAsia Bhd, is expanding its fleet to 20 aircraft, which would allow it to fly abroad. It board of directors approved new funding into the airline this month. CHANGCHUN - Local leaders from China, Russia, Japan Mongolia and the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday agreed to boost regional cooperation in Northeast Asia. According to a joint declaration signed on Wednesday at the 21st Governors' Conference on Northeast Asia, held in Changchun, capital of northeast China's Jilin province, local governments will strengthen cooperation in infrastructure connectivity, tourism, environmental protection, construction of energy projects and raising the level of regional cooperation. They will seek support from their central governments to boost regional infrastructure construction, cargo transport, improve transit visa systems, make customs clearance more convenient, and increase cruise tours among member countries where possible. All the parties have agreed to support and participate in the "Belt and Road Initiative" proposed by China as well as the Greater Tumen Initiative (GTI), so as to welcome a new era in Northeast Asia. The GTI is supported by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP). More than 100 delegates from the five countries attended the conference of regional leaders, including Jiang Chaoliang, governor of Jilin Province, and governors and vice governors of regions from Russia, the ROK, Mongolia and Japan. "The conference, launched in 1994, has served as an effective platform for economic, trade and cultural exchange among the member countries," said Jilin Governor Jiang Chaoliang. 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. IBIS Hotels, which targets mid-level business travelers, has been registering a consistently higher occupancy rate among the other portfolio brands of French hotel major Accor in India, according to J B Singh, president and CEO of InterGlobe Hotels. Waking up to the acute crisis faced by Vedanta's Lanjigarh alumina refinery, the Odisha government on Wednesday said it will make arrangements for bauxite supplies for the ailing refinery from Kodingamali mines owned by its PSU Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC). The bauxite mines of OMC are spread over an area of 428.31 hectares (ha) in Koraput and Rayagada districts. "We will make arrangements for bauxite supplies to plant from OMC's Kodingamali mines. Bauxite supplies can take off once production starts from the mines", said Odisha's steel & mines minister Prafulla Mallick. In an age of cab service where the rentals are provided by the aggregators, a company has come up with a different model in the space recently and hopes to break-even by the end of this fiscal year while the dominant Ubers and Olas are still to achieve the break-even point. which launched its services on Wednesday after a month's pilot run is leasing cars from their owners for a period of three years and then putting these cars on rental through app based bookings. The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed to deposit Rs 15 crore by September to pay buyers in its Gurgaon real estate project who had not received their apartments on time. Hero Motocorp, the country's largest two-wheeler seller, announced today that Sunil Kant Munjal has ceased to be a promoter of the company after his tenure as joint managing director came to an end on Tuesday. In a bid to win the Indian market and overtake local rival Ola, ride hailing service is going beyond its well-to-do customer base and is targeting users of low-end smartphones in smaller cities. Less than a month after the Supreme Court allowed a petition filed by actor turned politician Vijayakanth against a non-bailable warrant issued in relation to a charge filed against him by Tamil Nadu authorities, Common Cause, a citizens' body, has petitioned the Supreme Court to review the use of law as a political tool. Deputy Chief Minister on Wednesday asserted that Delhi government had not delayed a file on ban on use of Chinese manjha (kite string) which has caused several deaths but alleged that delay in clearing the file occured at the LG office and the Environment Secretary. Displaying the File Movement Register's copy to the media, Sisodia said: "I received the file at 3.57 pm on Aug 9 and seeing the importance of this matter I cleared it within a few seconds." Sisodia said the file was cleared by the Delhi Environment Minister and the Chief Secretary on the same day. "It was sent to the office of Environment Secretary on Aug 10. The file was kept for seven days there," he added. "The delay was not on our part but it took four days at the LG office," Sisodia said. The file was sent to the LG office on Aug 5, and they got it back on Aug 9, he said. The use of Chinese manjha claimed the lives of two children and a 22-year-old man in the past few days. To protect birds and prevent fatal accidents, the Delhi government on Tuesday banned nylon, plastic and Chinese 'manjha' and any other sharp kite-flying strings. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should first account for the alleged "atrocities" committed by India in Kashmir before talking about Balochistan, Pakistan's main Opposition leader said on Wednesday and vowed to maintain the country's sovereignty at every cost. Taking exception to Modi's statement about Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15, Bilawal said that the words used by the prime minister were "highly provocative, irresponsible and inflammatory". "Modi should first stand accountable to the international community for unending and perpetual atrocities against Kashmiris, Muslims and Dalits in Kashmir and in India," said Bilawal, chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP). "Balochistan is an integral part of a democratic Pakistan and follies of a dictator cannot empower the Indian Prime Minister to speak on our internal issues," he said. Bilawal said that Kashmir was under curfew and "many innocent Kashmiris" have been killed in the last two months. "Modi may have some yaars (close friends) in Pakistan but the people of Pakistan won't tolerate such language from him against Balochistan or any other integral part of Pakistan. We are a sovereign nation having all the tools to maintain our sovereignty at every cost," he added. He said that his party along with all the democratic forces of Pakistan have condemned the outrageous remarks of Modi and asked him to allow the right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir under UN aegis instead of dilly-dallying and prolonging the issue. "Attempts to divert the attention from world's only nuclear flashpoint Kashmir won't work," he said and called upon the United Nations Security Council to "intervene immediately" to halt Modi from dragging the region to war. Modi had made a mention of atrocities committed by Pakistan in Balochistan in his Independence Day speech. "From the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to express my gratitude to some people, the people of Balochistan, Gilgit and Pak-occupied-Kashmir, for the way they whole-heartedly thanked me, the way they expressed gratitude to me, the way they conveyed their goodwill to me recently," Modi had said, kicking up a war of words between the two nations. ministers for disaster management will hold a meeting in Udaipur next week where two distinct issues flood risk management and forecasting of extreme weather events in the context of changing climate will be discussed threadbare. Ministers from countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will share experiences on flood risk management particularly with regard to flood risk assessment, flood forecasting, early warning and emergency response. The delegates will share experiences on current systems in each country for forecasting extreme weather events, heat and cold waves and episodes of extreme rainfall, particularly in context of a changing climate. They will also identify opportunities for collaboration between institutions of respective countries in the area of flood risk management and extreme weather-related events, an official release said. The meeting on August 22-23 will also focus challenges for disaster risk management, mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in key development sectors, capacity building at local level and strengthening of response mechanism. The meeting is a follow up of the first meeting of the BRICS ministers for disaster management convened by the Russian Federation in St Petersburg on April 19-20. Recognising the common challenge posed by natural and man-made disasters, BRICS countries have identified disaster management as an important area of collaboration. The Ufa Declaration signed by BRICS Nations at the 7th BRICS Summit on July 9, 2015 identified the need to promote cooperation in preventing and developing responses to emergency situations. The Declaration also acknowledged the fruitful discussions on natural disasters within the context of BRICS cooperation in science, technology and innovation. It also reiterated BRICS commitment to mitigate the negative impact of climate change. All the five BRICS countries have signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. They are also parties to the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in March, 2015 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015. A number of SDGs have specific targets related to Disaster Risk Management (DRM). During the Udaipur meeting, technical sessions with key thrust areas will be held that include forecasting and early warning on floods and extreme weather events, key early warning challenges, highlights of recent scientific and technical developments. Other areas are: lessons learnt for ensuring last mile connectivity/community level action on early warning, disaster risk in a changing climate, emerging disaster risks as a result of climate change, DRM practices evolving in view of emerging disaster risks in a changing climate. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is all set to file fresh case against Vijay Mallya, Kingfisher Airlines under anti-money laundering laws. It has sought case details from Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had registered a first information report after receiving a complaint from the State bank of India-led 17 bank consortium. External Affairs Minister on Wednesday made it clear in a series of tweets that India has had to shut down its embassy in war-torn Yemen and it is not possible to evacuate any more Indians from the Arab nation any more. She said this in response to a tweet from a person who stated that a woman from Hyderabad was stuck in Hajjah, 127 km from Yemen's capital Sanaa, along with her children after her husband divorced her and left for the US. We evacuated more than 4,500 Indians and over 2,500 foreigners from Yemen. pic.twitter.com/dGYcptLTBb . (@SushmaSwaraj) August 17, 2016 We made repeated requests calling upon Indians to leave Yemen. We had to close our Embassy in Sanaa due to situation prevailing there. /2 (@SushmaSwaraj) August 17, 2016 However, some people chose to stay back. Some of those evacuated, returned to Yemen./3 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 17, 2016 We do not have our Embassy there. It is a war torn situation. We are not in a position to evacuate people from Yemen at this stage. /4 Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 17, 2016 Yemen is under attack from a Saudi Arabia-led Arab coalition after an established government was dislodged from power by Houthi rebels. The 16-month civil war has killed more than 6,500 people and displaced more than 2.5 million people. Former TERI Chief R K Pachauri, accused in a sexual harassment case, was on Wednesday once again allowed to travel abroad by a Delhi court. Pachauri, who is currently on bail, was granted permission by Metropolitan Magistrate Shivani Chauhan to travel to USA, Mexico, China and Kazhakstan up to September 27 to attend meetings and conferences. The court allowed the application filed by Pachauri, through his counsel Ashish Dixit, noting that he has been allowed to travel abroad on earlier occasions too and asked him to file a copy of his travel tickets and intimate the court after his return or any changes in his travel itinerary. Pachauri, who returned on August 12 from a month's trip to Mexico, was also directed to furnish an undertaking that he shall appear in court in person or through counsel and not dispute his identity at a later stage. The court had on July 11 granted bail to Pachauri and allowed him to travel abroad after he appeared before it pursuant to the summons issued against him. Pachauri, who has been allowed by the court to travel over a dozen times to various countries including USA, UK, China, Japan, France, Kazakhstan, Bolivia, Kuwait, Somalia and Saudi Arabia, during pendency of the probe and proceedings, was summoned as accused by the court on May 14 after it took cognizance of the charge sheet filed against him for allegedly sexually harassing an ex-colleague. The court, while taking cognisance of the charge sheet, had said there was sufficient material to proceed against him under sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault against woman with intent to disrobe), 354D (stalking), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of woman) and 341 (wrongful confinement) of the IPC. The charge sheet, filed by Delhi Police on March 1, had arrayed 23 prosecution witnesses, many of whom are present and former employees of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI). Pachauri was granted an anticipatory bail in the case on March 21, last year. On February 13, last year an FIR was registered against Pachauri on charges of sexual harassment under IPC sections 354, 354(a), 354(d) (molestation) and 506 (criminal intimidation). India and have had "candid" exchange of views on some "specific issues" and they agreed not to let the "differences" affect their overall ties as they vowed to resolve the issues through dialogue and consultation, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said today. "Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India just before the G20 Hangzhou Summit and the 8th BRICS leaders meeting, with the main purpose of having strategic communication with India," the ministry said. "The most important consensus reached by the two sides during the visit was that the two agreed to support each other in making" both the summits a "success", the ministry said in a written response to a question from PTI on Wang's visit. Besides visiting Goa to see arrangements for the BRICS, (Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa) summit which is due to take place there in October, Wang held talks with his counterpart Sushma Swaraj on August 13 in New Delhi and called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The two sides also had candid exchange of views on some specific issues emerging in the course of exchanges between and India," it said. "Both (sides) agreed that the two countries have far more common interests than differences, far more aspects of cooperation than competition, and thus should place specific differences at a proper position in bilateral relations so as not to impact the overall friendliness," it said. "Meanwhile, the two sides should continue to work on solutions to specific problems through dialogue and consultation," it said, apparently referring to differences over India's admission to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and listing Masood Azhar, the head of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Muhammad, as a terrorist by the UN. "The most important consensus reached by the two sides during the visit was that the two have agreed to support each other in making the G20 Hangzhou Summit and the BRICS leaders meeting in Goa a success, in a bid to enhance cooperation and solidarity among developing countries and elevate the status of emerging markets in global governance," it said. "The two sides reiterated that they attach great importance to developing bilateral relations, and believe that the mainstream of China-India relationship is good, and that the two sides should bear in mind the larger picture of friendly cooperation between the two countries, press firmly ahead with pragmatic cooperation and build a closer China-India partnership of development," it said. No new liquor shops will come up in Delhi this year and mohalla sabhas will be empowered to shut existing neighbourhood vends if there are complaints of "nuisance", Chief Minister announced on Wednesday. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the process to decide on shutting a shop will be initiated once 10% voters of a mohalla sabha submit a written complaint in this regard. "Many people are troubled by liquor vends in their localities as people drink publicly, create nuisance. Women feel unsafe to venture out as they feel unsafe in such an environment. So we have taken these two decisions," Kejriwal told a press conference here. The decision came amid a campaign by Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan-led Swaraj Abhiyan against "proliferation" of liquor vends in the city. It claims that "58" liquor vends have come up in the city since last February. Sisodia said that once the written complaint comes, a public meeting of the mohalla sabha will be called whose quorum (minimum presence required) will have to be 15 per cent of the total number of voters of that area including at least 33 per cent women. "If two-third members present in a meeting decide to shut down a shop then it will have to be shifted. But even then, the members of the area where it is to be shifted will have to approve any such move," Sisodia said. He also said that owners and managers of liquor vends would be acted against if there are reports of nuisance in the vicinity of their stores. The Delhi government approved the formation of 2,972 mohalla sabhas in June, describing it as a step towards strengthening local governance. Senior Congress leader and former Home Minister on Wednesday blamed the PDP-BJP government for the unrest in Kashmir Valley and said the statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have "exacerbated" the crisis. Chidambaram said he was deeply concerned over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is "sliding into total chaos". "The PDP-BJP government is squarely responsible for the sharp deterioration in the last 6 weeks," he said in a statement. The former Home and Finance Minister in the UPA government said the statements of the Prime Minister, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar have "exacerbated" the crisis. "Moderation in words and actions alone can retrieve the situation. The loss of lives of protesting youth, other civilians and security forces has devastated all of us. This must stop," he said. Chidambaram said he was afraid the way out of the crisis cannot be found by the present government. "The Congress, Conference and, if willing, the PDP must come together to find a solution: firstly, an immediate solution to stop the violence and, then, a path forward that will bring hope, peace and prosperity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Normal life in Kashmir Valley has been affected due to protests against the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. 63 persons have been so far killed in the ongoing unrest. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has accepted his Pakistani counterpart Aizaz Chaudhry's invitation for talks on Jammu and Kashmir, it is learnt. "In response to the invitation from the Pakistan Foreign Secretary, the Indian Foreign Secretary has conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad," sources here said. "Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir, we have proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focussed on them," they said. "We have also conveyed that the Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi." The Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan was called by Chaudhry on Monday and handed over an invitation addressed to Jaishankar, the Foreign Office said. New Delhi accuses Islamabad of arming and training the militants fighting to end Indian rule in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan says it gives only moral and diplomatic backing. ties have become frosty after largescale violence broke out in Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of militant Burhan Wani on July 8. On July 25, Indian authorities arrested Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Bahadur Ali in Kashmir. The Supreme Court on Wednesday sought the response of Gujarat government on the pleas filed by social activist Teesta Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and two NGOs challenging the freezing of their accounts by the Crime Branch of Ahmedabad Police. A bench of justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit issued notice to the state and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said they would file their response within two weeks. The court has now fixed the matter for hearing on September 21. Teesta, her husband and the two NGOs -- Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace -- have approached the apex court challenging the October 7 verdict of the Gujarat High Court which had rejected their pleas for defreezing their personal bank accounts. The action of the Ahmedabad Police had come soon after the Crime Branch had started probing a case in which Setalvad and others are accused of embezzling Rs 1.51 crore collected to convert Gulberg Society -- where 69 people were killed during the post-Godhra riots -- into a 2002 riots museum. The high court had upheld the verdict of a lower court in this regard observing that the probe was at a serious point in the alleged case of Gulberg society fund embezzlement. The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Maharashtra government on a petition challenging a Bombay High Court order permitting consumption of beef brought from states that allow cow slaughter. A bench of Justice A K Sikri and D Y Chandrachud issued notice on the plea by Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh after counsel Manish Singhvi contested that part of the high court verdict which allowed bringing ino Maharashtra bovine meat from the states where their slaughtering is legal. However, another group of 30 individuals also moved the top court challenging that part of the verdict which upheld the Maharashtra Animals Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2015. The group has challenged the ban, asserting its right to choose its food. The high court verdict had come on May 6. The appointment of Markandey Katju, a former Supreme Court judge, as the head of a panel to help BCCI understand Lodha Committees recommendations has added another twist in the tale. In a big blow to Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living foundation, a Green Tribunal (NGT) appointed committee of experts has concluded that the World Culture Festival of The Art of Living foundation held in March this year has destroyed the entire floodplain, leading to invisible loss of biodiversity, which may never return, reported The Indian Express. The government has started moving on providing to families below the poverty line following the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday. Reserve Bank of India Deputy Governor on Wednesday chided for neglecting the small and medium enterprises (SME) segment and warned that if the lenders did not fulfil their social responsibilities, the very existence of would be in jeopardy. 2nd Meeting of BRICS Ministers for Disaster Management to be held in Udaipur, Rajasthan on August 22-23, 2016 . The 2nd Meeting of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China & South Africa) Ministers for Disaster Management will be held in Udaipur, Rajasthan on August 22-23, 2016. The two-day meeting will focus on two distinct but inter-related themes: a) Flood Risk Management; and b) Forecasting of Extreme Weather Events in the context of Changing Climate. It is a follow up of the 1st meeting of the BRICS Ministers for Disaster Management convened by the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg on April 19-20, 2016. . . Recognizing the common challenge posed by natural and man-made disasters, BRICS countries have identified Disaster Management as an important area of collaboration. The Ufa Declaration signed by BRICS Nations at the 7th BRICS Summit on July 9, 2015 identified the need to promote cooperation in preventing and developing responses to emergency situations. The Declaration also acknowledged the fruitful discussions on natural disasters within the context of BRICS cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation. It also reiterated BRICS commitment to mitigate the negative impact of climate change. All the five BRICS countries have signed the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. They are also parties to the adoption of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in March, 2015 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in September 2015. A number of SDGs have specific targets related to Disaster Risk Management (DRM). . . The country delegations to the Udaipur Meeting will be led by the Ministers of Disaster Management from the respective BRICS countries and other senior officials/ technical experts from Disaster Management Ministries/ Departments. The objectives of this meeting are: . . i. To share experiences on flood risk management particularly with regards to flood risk assessment, flood forecasting, early warning and emergency response; . . ii. To share experiences on current systems in each country for forecasting extreme weather events -- heat and cold waves, and episodes of extreme rainfall particularly in the context of a changing climate; and. . iii. To identify opportunities for collaboration between institutions of respective BRICS countries in the area of flood risk management and extreme weather related events. . . ? During the Ministerial Meeting in Udaipur three technical sessions with key thrust areas will be held as mentioned below: . . a) Challenges for Disaster Risk Management. . (i) Mainstreaming DRR in key development sectors. . (ii) Capacity building at local level. . (iii) Strengthening of response mechanism. . b) Forecasting and early warning on floods and extreme weather events. . (i) Key early warning challenges. . (ii) Highlights of recent scientific and technical developments. . (iii) Lessons learnt for ensuring last mile connectivity/community level action on early warning . . c) Disaster risk in a changing climate . . (i) Emerging disaster risks as a result of climate change. . (ii) DRM practices evolving in view of emerging disaster risks in a changing climate. . . PM greets the people on the start of Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam New Year . The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has greeted the people on the start of Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam New Year. . . On the start of Chingam, the first month of the Malayalam New Year, my greetings to the Malayali community. May the year bring joy & peace," the Prime Minister said. . . set out plans on Wednesday to punish financial advisors, who tell their clients how to avoid paying tax, including hefty fines designed to target what it called the "supply chain of tax avoidance". Israeli troops arrested the Hamas representative on the organising committee for October Palestinian municipal elections on Wednesday, the Islamist movement said. Hamas condemned what it called an "attempt to influence" the outcome of the elections, the first in the Palestinian territories since 2012. "We condemn the arrest of Sheikh Hussein Abu Kweik," a Hamas statement said, adding that he had been detained in the early morning in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli army confirmed the arrest, accusing Abu Kweik of involvement in "Hamas terrorist activity" without giving details. Elections committee spokesman Fareed Tamallah condemned the "blatant interference in Palestinian local elections by (Israeli) occupation forces," and demanded Abu Kweik's immediate release. The October 8 vote will be only the third Palestinian municipal elections since and the Palestinians signed the Oslo peace accords in 1993. Hamas has agreed to field candidates this time after boycotting the last elections in 2012. Registration began on Tuesday. There have been no Palestinian parliamentary elections since 2006 when Hamas won by a landslide. The following year conflict broke out between Hamas and the rival Fatah faction of Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, leading to the ouster of his loyalists from Gaza and the formation of rival administrations. Repeated attempts at forming a unity government to rule both Gaza and the West Bank have all failed. Air Force is participating in a military exercise, considered the biggest and best war simulation exercise in the world, along with air forces of Pakistan and the UAE with whom the Jewish state does not have diplomatic relations. The advanced aerial training exercise during which fighter jets simulate combat involving coalition forces is taking place at the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada. The squadrons participating in the exercise are said to be assigned to "red" and "blue" forces. The exercise involves intercepting other aircraft, attacking targets, rescuing pilots and engaging in aerial activity under the ostensible threat of ground-to-air missiles. Defence Forces (IDF) when asked about Israel's participation in the exercise with Pakistan merely confirmed its participation without commenting on other countries joining the event. "The IDF trains regularly to maintain operational competency and be prepared for any potential challenge. The Israeli Air Force was invited to participate in the high quality exercise "Red Flag", and has accepted favourably", the IDF spokesperson told PTI. This is the second year in a row that Air Force is participating in exercise Red Flag using its F-16I (the "Sufa," or Storm) planes. Some photographers had even filmed Israeli, Spanish and Pakistani aircraft during the last few days in the area, near Las Vegas, ahead of the exercise, daily Ha'aretz reported. Israel and Pakistan do not have diplomatic relations but the two countries have in the past tried to come close with a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries in 2005 fuelling speculations of some major diplomatic breakthrough. Young workers today probably can't even think about retiring for 40 or 50 years. Longer lives and the prospect of weaker investment returns mean millennials will probably have to save more money, over a longer period of time, than their parents and grandparents. And the earlier they start saving, the easier it will be to accumulate a nice nest egg. Yet it's not easy to sacrifice now for something that won't happen until the 2060s. When millennials are asked, they say retirement is a top priority. In a recent Charles Schwab survey, retirement was by far the first concern of all ... Four persons suspected of having links with the Islamic State (IS) have been arrested in Morocco, the country's Interior Ministry said. "They planned dangerous terrorist projects to undermine security and stability of the North African kingdom," said a statement on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported. The suspects, who were operating in the cities of Casablanca and Kenitra, some 36 km away from the capital, pledged allegiance to the so-called emir of the IS group. Preliminary investigations showed that terror attacks against key sites in the Moroccan economic capital Casablanca were planned, the statement said. The suspects will be brought to justice after the completion of the probe, which is led under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor's office. is facing a growing threat from the IS as 159 terrorist cells in the country were dismantled, which had links to terrorist groups that are active in Iraq and Syria, including the IS, said the Interior Ministry. military killed at least 14 militants in an offencive in the northwestern tribal region close to Afghan border that was launched to check and guard against terror movement along high mountains and in Khyber Agency on Wednesday. The operation has been unleashed in the Rajgal valley of Khyber, one of seven tribal districts, where militants had a strong presence before army recaptured the region in 2015. "An Operation has been launched along Pak-Afghan border to reinforce troops deployment in Rajgal valley to effectively check and guard against terrorists movement along high mountains and all weather passes in Khyber Agency," said military spokesman Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa. "In today's air strikes 14 terrorists were killed and 11 were injured," Bajwa said. The area is notorious for its treacherous hilly passes and forested valleys, providing militants a natural location for hiding, training and attacking security forces. The army launched decisive operation called Khber-2 after Peshawar school attack in Khyber and completed in July 2015. It helped government to establish its writ in Tirah valley, a strategic area close to Afghan border. Khyber border provincial capital Peshawar and sits on key route to Afghanistan through Torkham border crossing. accused Afghanistan in the past for sending militants through Khyber for attacks. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was today asked by Election Commission to reply within 20 days on petitions filed by opposition parties seeking his disqualification for hiding information about his alleged offshore wealth revealed by the ' Papers' leak. The commission asked Sharif to reply by September 6 to the accusations that he had been hiding his offshore wealth. It also issued notices to Sharif's son-in-law Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz. The deadline to reply for them too remains the same. The petitions seeking Sharif's disqualification were filed in June by Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Awami Tehreek and Awami Muslim League. Sharif has been under fire since the leak of 11 million documents from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca in April disclosed Sharif's two sons and a daughter owned properties in the UK that were not shown on his family's wealth statement. The allegations that Sharif hid his offshore wealth to avoid taxes has called his credentials into question. The allegations had led to panic among the top members of the ruling PML-N party. Sharif had left for London soon after the leak on an unscheduled visit for medical treatment. He returned to Pakistan after eight weeks and following an open heart surgery on May 31. Sharif has dismissed the leaks calling it a work of people "targeting me and my family for their political aims". He also suggested that those "who use ill-gotten wealth don't keep assets in their own names". The ' Papers' - as the leaks came to be known - revealed details of dodgy offshore financial dealings gleaned from millions of leaked documents from the Panamanian firm. A rocket fired by Yemeni rebels killed seven civilians inside Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, the civil defence agency said. It was the highest reported number of civilian casualties in the kingdom's south since a Saudi-led coalition intervened 17 months ago in . "It killed four citizens and three residents," the civil defence spokesman in Najran city said of the rocket strike, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. He said emergency personnel were called at 5:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) after a report of "a military rocket that had been fired from landing in Najran city". Social media video purportedly from the scene showed fires burning and the ground strewn with debris across a wide area. Two men lay apparently dead, one with blood pouring from beneath his head, beside a pickup truck. "Najran is sad and hurt today," one local resident told AFP. "We are worried but we are not afraid," he said, adding that the city has been targeted before. The rocket hit a busy industrial-commercial area where many garages are located. More than 100 civilians and soldiers have been killed in southern Saudi Arabia by retaliatory rocket strikes or skirmishes since the coalition began operations to support Yemen's government against Huthi rebels. Fighting along the border has intensified since the collapse of UN-brokered peace talks earlier this month. Two civilians on the Saudi side of the border died in shelling last week, after months of relative calm. The said it is freeing up $50 million from its emergency response fund to bolster severely underfunded aid operations in six countries, including Yemen and Eritrea. The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) said in a news release that the money will provide crucial assistance for 2 million people, including 200,000 refugees, 665,000 internally displaced persons, 170,000 returnees and 530,000 people in host communities. CERF said $13 million will be used to boost relief operations in war-torn Yemen, where more than 82 per cent of the population needs humanitarian assistance, and $2 million will support humanitarian partners in Eritrea. The remainder of the funds will go to Central African Republic ($9 million), Chad ($10 million), Congo ($11 million) and Rwanda ($5 million), all belonging to a part of Africa that has suffered greatly due to armed conflict, political instability, a lack of food and disease. "This funding is a lifeline for the world's most vulnerable people caught up in forgotten crises," said UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Stephen O'Brien. "In recent years, the global refugee crisis has put enormous pressure on CERF to help millions of people fleeing conflicts that linger for lack of a political solution. The US has said that it would encourage greater dialogue and counterterrorism cooperation between India and which is good for both countries. "We would encourage greater dialogue and counterterrorism cooperation between both and India. We've said that many times," State Department Deputy Spokesman Mark Toner told reporters on Tuesday. "It's for the good of both countries; it's for the good of the region. Frankly, it's for the benefit of the US," he said in response to a question and asked to act firmly against terrorism. "It's important that Pakistan do the utmost to prevent terrorists from carrying out acts of terror not just in Pakistan, but elsewhere in the region. So it's important that there's greater collaboration, greater dialogue," Toner said. "We would encourage any effort in that regard," he said. Over one of every four overseas investor still prefers participatory notes (P-notes) to take exposure to the Indian markets, reveals a survey conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC), a leading consultancy firm. Company Date Agenda Ace Engitech 29-10-2022 Ace Engitech Ltdhas informed BSE that the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company is scheduled on 29/10/2022 inter alia to consider and approve 1. To approve the Un-audited Financial Results of the Company for the quarter and half year ended on September 30 2022 along with Statement of Assets and Liabilities as on that date and Cash Flow Statement for the half year ended on September 30 2022 and 2. To take on record Limited Review Report thereon. Alankit 29-10-2022 Alankit Ltdhas informed BSE that the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company is scheduled on 29/10/2022 inter alia to consider and approve Pursuant to Regulation 29 and other applicable Regulations of the SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations 2015 please be informed that a Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company is scheduled to be held on Saturday 29 October 2022 inter alia to consider and approve the:1. Unaudited Standalone and Consolidated Financial Results of the Company for the quarter and half year ended 30th September 2022.2. Appointment of new Statutory Auditor of the Company.Further as intimated vide our letter dated 30th September 2022 and pursuant to the Companys Code of Conduct for Regulating Monitoring and Reporting of Trading by Insiders (the Code) the trading window for dealing in securities of the Company for persons specified under the code shall remain closed from 1st October 2022 and shall open 48 hours after the Unaudited Standalone and Consolidated Financial Results of the Company for the quarter and half year ending 30th September 2022. Chemiesynth(Vapi 29-10-2022 Chemiesynth (Vapi) Ltdhas informed BSE that the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company is scheduled on 29/10/2022 inter alia to consider and approve Unaudited Financial Result for the quarter and half year ended on 30th September 2022 along with limited review report. D & H India 29-10-2022 D&H India Ltd-has informed BSE that the meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company is scheduled on 29/10/2022 inter alia to consider and approve We are pleased to inform that the 06/2022-23 Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company is scheduled to be held on Saturday 29th October 2022 at 1:00 P.M. at the Head Office of the Company to consider and approve the following businesses along with other routine businesses:1. To consider and approve conversion of warrants into the equity shares of the Company to the promoter of the company only subject to depositing the balance outstanding amount for conversion of warrants into the equity shares of the Company2. To consider and approve any other matter incidental thereto. Domestic (MF) now account for 4.5 per cent of Indias total market capitalisation (m-cap), up from 2.9 per cent two years ago. The rise comes amid robust and consistent investor flows into equity schemes, rise in stock prices, and market-beating performance by fund managers. MFs share in domestic m-cap is at record levels and significantly higher than 2007-08 levels, which is considered to be a boom period for the mutual fund sector. In January 2008, equity assets under management as a percentage of overall m-cap were just 3.48 per cent. Investments into equity schemes are mostly from retail investors. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has written to a UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), for information on alleged fund diversion by and his associate companies from United Spirits Limited (USL). An all-party delegation from Jammu and Kashmir led by former chief minister Omar Abdullah will meet President Pranab Mukherjee to apprise him about the prevailing situation in the Kashmir Valley. The decision came at a meeting attended by members of the Conference, Congress, Communist Party, Democratic Party Front, Awami Ittehad Party and People's Democratic Front participates here on Wednesday. The members decided to seek a suitable time from President Mukherjee so that they can apprise him that the situation in the Valley is turning for the worse due to the non-stop killing of people. "When you say Kashmir is an integral part of India, you are talking the land not of people. Make people yours too. A small problem with Gujarat and the Prime minister spoke to the people there in Gujarati; why our problem is not important enough," Omar asked. "We want the Centre to take emergent steps to check excessive use of force. There is a need for a judicial probe into the Kashmir situation," said Omar, alleging that both the Central and state governments "totally failed" to stop the killings of civilians in the Valley. Omar said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had been blaming Pakistan for the unrest. "Yes, they are playing a negative role, but it is the security forces who are killing youth and other people of the Valley," he said. "Jammu and Kashmir is a political issue, and should be solved politically. But unfortunately, the Centre has been saying 'Kashmir is integral part of India'; they are not talking about the Valley people, they are only taking about the land of Kashmir," said Omar. "So, we will try to meet leaders of all political parties in Delhi and also former judges of the Supreme Court urging them to help resolve this problem," he added. Talking about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Balochistan remarks, the former chief minister said, "If PM wishes to talk about Balochistan, he can; but he should also discuss the part of Jammu and Kashmir, which is burning." "Jab apne ghar mein aag lagi ho, to bajay apne ghar mein aag bujhane ke hum dusre ke ghar mein aag lagaane ka kaam kar rhe hain. (When our own home his burning, instead of dousing that fire, we are trying to set on fire to the other's house)," he added. When asked about the dialogue process between India and Pakistan, he said, "We are supporters of a dialogue process between India and Pakistan, as we believe that dialogue is the only way forward. It is responsibility of both Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Nawaz Sharif to create an atmosphere for a dialogue. I hope that India and Pakistan will take requisite steps to improve the environment so that the dialogue is possible." Talking about the NC's role as the main opposition party, Omar said, "In last 40 days, we have played a positive role as a responsibly opposition party. For (Chief Minister) Mehbooba Mufti, everyone is responsible for what is happening in the state, except herself." Holding Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti responsible for the unrest, the leader of opposition said, "She has played worst form of politics by holding everybody from Nehru to Modi (responsible for the Kashmir situation). Unlike Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which actively lobbied for dismissal of my government, I neither sought the dismissal of Mehboobaji's government nor had asked for her resignation. This is not a battle for chairs; this is about safeguarding the future generation of Jammu and Kashmir." (ANI) As many as 65 have been killed and thousands of civilians and security personnel reported injured in protest-related violence following the encounter of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen poster boy Burhan Wani in July. Speaking at the all-party on the Kashmir issue in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held Pakistan responsible for unrest in the Valley, and appealed the youth to shun violence. He also asked the security forces to maintain a greater degree of restrain while dealing with protesters. Speaking in both Houses of Parliament, Rajnath Singh too held Pakistan responsible for the Kashmir unrest, while expressing India's resolve to deal sternly with terrorists. The Home Minister also asked security forces to exercise restraint as much as possible. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that there should be no interference in the working of a good officer, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday said if former Karnataka Deputy Superintendent of Police Anupama Shenoy's 'harassment' allegations are proven true then those responsible for the same must answer. "One hasn't seen the tapes directly but in any case, generally speaking no one should try to interfere in the working of a good officer and thereafter make any false claims," BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli said. "If there is evidence which shows that she was harassed then obviously that evidence will come to her defence and whoever has put that pressure will be answerable," he added. The Congress Party also echoed similar sentiments and demanded an investigation into the matter. "This is a serious issue. The way Anupama Shenoy has come out and made allegations publically, it exudes the seriousness of the matter. The matter should be investigated," Congress spokesperson Sandeep Dikshit told ANI. Two months later after she step down from her post over alleged harassment and interference in her work by a Minister in Karnataka Government, Shenoy released audio tapes of phone conversations she allegedly had with the former and her superiors to a news channel in New Delhi. According to reports, Shenoy claims that the audio tapes she had made public has recordings of her phone conversations with P.T. Parameshwar Naik, then Labour Minister. The tapes also had recordings of her conversations with her superior officers, including the State police chief, who she alleged transferred her from Kudligi in Ballari district after she went against Naik. Shenoy had after resigning also claimed that her life was under threat. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Cairn India under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) of Rajasthan announced establishing of clean water plants across Barmer District. The first plant based on this pioneering initiative and India's largest solar operated community based RO Plant, has been installed at Sewniwala in Baytu Tehsil. The solar plant will generate a power of five KW and store the same in batteries, which can be used for eight to ten hours of plant operations. The water from this plant will be sold at 25 paise per liter to the local community. Barmer has abundant sunlight availability throughout the year. To maximize use of this renewable source of energy, Cairn India and Fontus Water will be operating some of the water purification plants using solar energy. This installation has put Sewniwala on world map and will help in improving various health issues of the local people by providing purified drinking water at their door step. This is an innovative example of sustainable solutions in community development, where environmentally-friendly green solutions are being used to serve the poorest population with safe drinking water. Total 331 clean water plants would be established under this MoU. Fontus Water is one of the two implementing partners for the project. These plants have varying capacities from 1,000 to 3,000 litres per hour capacity and will be installed over the next three years to provide safe drinking water to a large number of people (estimated in excess of one million) living in 800 villages. This will be India's largest CSR water initiative at full scale. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Bangladesh have resolved to combat terrorism through proper flow of information. This came after the meeting between visiting Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Minister Hasanul Haq Inu and his Indian counterpart M. Venkaiah Naidu. Briefing the media after the meeting, Hasanul Haq Inu said the proper flow of information will defuse rumours, falsehood and distortion. "That will have a better people's understanding to combat terrorism and that will help better understanding between the people of the two countries," Hasanul Haq Inu said. "At the moment, for its domestic terrorist networks, we are looking at all the information.Whatever attacks are going on in Bangladesh are all sponsored by domestic terrorist networks," he added. The Bangladesh Information and Broadcasting Minister said both sides have agreed on certain important matters. "The meeting was very good and we think that we will cooperate in the field of information, cinema development in television networks, radio channels and other cultural exchanges so that the people of the two countries know each other," he added. Hasanul Haq Inu said both sides have agreed to cooperate in film industry, television networks and radio networks. "And in the meantime, Doordarshan and the Bangladesh Government television are in agreement for a joint move that will be coming very soon," Hasanul Haq Inu said. "We have agreed to cooperate to develop a documentary on 1971 War of Liberation, where the Indian people and the Indian Government have a great role to play and 8,000 Indian soldiers laid their lives. So, we have agreed for a joint cooperation to develop a documentary on War of Liberation," he added. The visiting Minister said India has agreed to assist Bangladesh in developing a feature film on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. "Our officers will sit and chalk out the road map on how to develop the grand movie film," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian travellers are the world's biggest holiday bargain hunters and they want more ways to pay when buying travel online - this according to new research from Worldpay, the global leader in payments. For its Why Do They Pay That Way? Report, Worldpay polled 2,000 travellers in each of the six markets studied. In India, the survey revealed that more than three quarters of Indians (76 percent) selected their travel destinations because of a sale of cheap flights and holidays. What's more, although 49 percent of Indian travellers planned to use a credit card to book their next holiday, a stunning 96 percent of Indian credit and debit card users said they would, in reality, prefer to book their package holiday using Net banking. Phil Pomford, General Manager Asia Pacific, Global eCommerce, Worldpay, said: "Despite India's relatively slow growth in travel spending, online travel sales are forecast to experience a significant rise in the coming years. To gain the loyalty of Indian shoppers, online travel agents must recognise that travellers in India are on the lookout for both bargains and new ways to pay online. Merchants, who offer alternative payment methods, rather than just credit or debit cards, will be in a strong position to get more sales now and attract new shoppers as India's middle class and online spending power continue to expand." Although India has yet to match other emerging markets in internet and mobile penetration - there are just 18 internet users and 1.24 fixed broadband subscriptions for every 100 people The country's potential for growth is staggering. India's GDP grew 7.6 percent in the 2015/16 fiscal year. eCommerce spending is predicted to triple by 2019. Worldpay's research affirms this trend, with the majority of travellers saying they prefer to do holiday research online (87 percent). Amongst the six markets surveyed, India also leads the way on m-commerce adoption with 65 percent of travellers saying would be happy to use their smartphone to buy travel on the move. As India's internet penetration and middle class continues to grow, online travel agents can expect to see more and more travellers booking holidays online. It's also important for online travel agents to recognise that Indian travellers are the world's most likely to save for a holiday. 67 percent of Indians said they had paid for last holiday out of savings, making their spending habits similar to those in Brazil, another BRICnation. 41 percent of Indian travellers prefer their holiday payments to go out of their current accounts, either by debit card (25 percent) or Net banking (16 percent). At the same time, 85 percent said they were interested in paying for their next holiday by instalments - indicating that India's savings culture may be changing. Pomford added: "Payment preferences in India vary greatly from consumer to consumer. Many travelers are credit-wary and prefer to save up before buying a holiday; others turn to credit cards because they are simple to use and offer discounts or rewards; and still more look to installment plans to spread the cost of a pricey holiday. These varying trends, along with the fact that over 95% of card users said that, if given a choice, they would prefer to book their next flight or holiday package using Net banking, should make online travel agents pause for thought." "In order to answer the demands of this diverse group of travellers, online travel agents must offer them variety. That way, every shopper gets the payment method they want. By acting as an innovator and catering to a wide variety of payment demands, online travel agents can gain a foothold in India and be well situated to secure future sales in this dynamic and emerging market. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley hasn't made a firm decision as yet on visiting Islamabad for the SAARC Finance Ministers' Conference, said sources, further deepening ambiguity on the matter. A minister's presence or absence does not shape SAARC rather it is policy that defines SAARC relationships, they said. On the issue of India's membership to Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), sources said three countries became NSG member without signing Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and thus, India's membership bid to the NSG is very legitimate. Responding to Prime Minister's Independence Day speech, where he mention of human rights excesses in Balochistan, sources said the speech was made after information he got from Baloch people across the globe. "The mention of human rights violations in Pakistan (in Red Fort speech of PM) was a natural thing, humanity doesn't stop at borders," they said. Terming Burhan Wani a "Hizbul Mujahideen recruiter", sources said, "Syed Salahuddin (Hizb chief) and Hafiz Saeed (Lashkar-e-Taiba co-founder and Jama'at-ud-Da'wah chief ) confirmed it without even bothering to hide links. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday said India should hold talks with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue as that is the only solution to the problem. "Whatever is taking place there is not right. Bullets or guns, be it from either side of the border, is not the solution to any problem. Talk is the only solution. This suggestion was given to the Prime Minister in the all-party meeting," NCP leader Tariq Anwar told ANI. Anwar said there should be talks with every section. "If we want to solve the Kashmir issue, the only solution is dialogue. If we stop talking, our problem would remain the same," he added. Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry has invited his Indian counterpart S. Jaishankar, for talks on the Jammu and Kashmir issue in Islamabad. Pakistan's invitation for talks came days after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz's statement that Pakistan is planning to invite India for a dialogue on the Kashmir issue. However, India has already rejected Pakistan's invitation to hold talks on Jammu and Kashmir. Responding to Aziz's statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Saturday said India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is sliding into 'total chaos', former home minister P. Chidambaram said on Wednesday that the statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar have only worsened the situation and called on the Congress to come up with a solution. In a statement released today, Chiambaram expressed concern over the current state in the Valley saying that the situation is sliding into 'total chaos', adding that the People's Democratic Party (PDP)- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is squarely responsible for the sharp deterioration in the last 6 weeks. "The statements of the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Defence Minister have exacerbated the crisis. Moderation in words and actions alone can retrieve the situation. The loss of lives -- of protesting youth, other civilians and security forces -- has devastated all of us. This must stop," Chidambaram said. Stating that he was afraid that the present government would be unable to find a way out of the crisis, he called on the Congress, Conference and 'if willing' the PDP to come together and find a solution. "Firstly, an immediate solution to stop the violence and, then, a path forward that will bring hope, peace and prosperity to the people of Jammu & Kashmir," Chidambaram said. Yesterday, Parrikar described Pakistan as "hell" and echoed Prime Minister Modi's sentiments at the Independence Day speech by demanding that Pakistan stop violating human rights in its Balochistan province and that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a part of Indian territory. Earlier, Pakistan formally invited India for dialogue over the Kashmir issue in a letter handed over to the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad on Monday, which New Delhi has emphatically? rejected. The move came days after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz announced Pakistan's willingness to invite India for talks on Kashmir in the wake of unrest in the valley. Aziz had made this announcement last week at a news conference in Islamabad, saying, "Foreign secretary Aizaz Chaudhry would soon write a letter to his Indian counterpart for dialogue on Kashmir." Pakistan also branded Prime Miniser Modi's Independence Day speech as an attempt to divert world attention from the growing unrest in Kashmir. "Modi was trying to divert world attention from the grim tragedy. Thousands of unarmed (Kashmiri) youth are protesting every day for their right to self-determination," Sartaj Aziz said. Meanwhile, five persons were killed and 18 were injured yeaterday in fresh clashes in the Valley where security forces opened fire on protesters, raising the death toll to 65. The Valley has been embroiled in violence since the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) New Delhi, Aug.17 (ANI): There is a lot of discomfort in many quarters after the surprising, some say even shocking mention of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Balochistan in Prime Minister Modi's Independence Day address to the nation from the Red Fort. Keen observers of Red Fort speeches of Prime Ministers had a suspicion that Mr. Modi would talk about Kashmir and maybe mention Pakistan's meddling in India's internal affairs. Well that would have been par for course for any Prime Minister. But if anything one has learnt about the past two NDA years is that one should expect the unexpected from Mr. Modi. He is not a status quo Prime Minister. And that applies one hundred percent with regard to engagements with Pakistan. Those who have been reporting on the complex relationship are a bit disturbed over the constant changing of goal posts in the past two years. From inviting Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the cabinet swearing in May 2014, to suddenly dropping by in Lahore to wish the Pakistan Premier a Happy Birthday, to now firing the Baloch missile, expect the unexpected. Reporters and analysts who are in the comfort zone of predictability with small maneuvers have to be on their toes now, recalibrating their responses. There has been a spate of articles in both India and Pakistan denouncing Prime Minister Modi's mention of PoK and Balochistan in his speech, terming it as sabre rattling with Pakistan. Some unnamed former foreign secretaries spoke to reporters on background that the overt mention of support to Baloch and Gilgit separatists was quite unnecessary when the situation in the Kashmir Valley is volatile and ground support for India is fast dissipating. Some of the points that come up in articles and social media posts are these: ----Let's get our Kashmir sorted out before we look at sorting out problems in PoK: Inherently, there is no 'first this' 'then that' when it comes to international relations. You pursue your agenda regardless of how the domestic side is being handled. For e.g. Nehru went ahead with Panchsheel, Mrs. Gandhi with the war that created Bangladesh, Rajiv Gandhi visited Pakistan and Dr. Singh with the nuclear agreement. They didn't wait for the Dravidian agitation to settle down, for Nagas to give up their secessionist movement, for Khalistan separatism to die down, for Naxals to stop blowing up schools and roads. India will always have problems and Kashmir isn't going to be the land of milk and honey for some time. So, cannot put stuff on hold while Kashmir gets sorted out. ----Leave PoK to Pakistan, why needle an already aggressive, war mongering neighbour Giving in to a bully is the worst form of cowardice. At times you can allow for a little leeway to see the bully punch his own nose. Pakistan has been going to every international forum, almost on a daily basis, for the past one month maligning India on the Kashmir agitation. Besides, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his advisor Sartaj Aziz writing to everybody in the UN, EU, OIC and random international bodies, the Pakistani diplomatic corps has been on a single point mission of focusing on human rights violations in Kashmir. Even journalists from Pakistan have swamped press conferences at the EU and US State department for quotes denouncing India. It is a heavy-duty propaganda war to add to the proxy war that Pakistan has overtly launched this summer. Do you ignore and allow the mudslinging to continue or do you prove that the other side doesn't have a leg to stand on? Clearly the Modi government has chosen the latter. Also how do you leave PoK to Pakistan? You have a parliamentary resolution that categorically states that all of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India. The previous administrations decided to ignore this and not bring it up in any of the bilateral talks besides a cursory mention. That is set to change now. If anything the Parliament debate on Kashmir and the Home Minister's visit to Islamabad showed that no party wants a roll back of India's position on PoK. That debate probably gave the confidence to the Indian Prime Minister to say what he did. ----It is a new war game that India has agreed to be part of What is India supposed to do if Pakistan continues with its proxy war and shows no signs of backing off? Stand on its high moral ground while a fire is lit at the feet? Kashmir is burning and Pakistan is adding fuel to fire. Paying locals to attack security forces, encouraging children to come to the streets to throw stones, glorifying Kashmiri terrorists, sending in terrorists to funeral processions in Kashmir to encourage pro-Pakistan and anti-India sentiments - how much is one supposed to 'tolerate'? India has a problem of enormous proportions in Kashmir. It has to be tackled at various fronts and one of them certainly is to deal with Pakistan. Sometimes tough, sometimes soft. But off late it does seem that Pindi won't be calling the shots every time any more. ----He could have spoken on PoK but why Balochistan? Now Pakistan has ammo. True, Pakistan will now go to town to say they were right in saying that India fuelled attacks in Balochistan. Even if you say that India didn't provide man or material, they anyway will say what they want to. Pakistan is a country that denied that Bin Laden and Mullah Omar were in their territory. They continue to say Dawood isn't there. Mr. Modi just made a non-specific reference to Balochistan. The inference many have deduced is that India supports the secessionists in Balochistan. India has not officially made any statement to that effect. What it has indicated to Pakistan is that you have to sort out your issues in Balochistan, and since there is a secessionist movement there and they kind of like us Indians and want our support; it may be something that we may want to consider. Think about it. Somewhat like moral and diplomatic support to the Baloch cause? If Pakistan backs off it would give breathing room for India in Kashmir. That might work, or might not. ----This government has no Pakistan plan. How does Modi plan to take it forward? Firstly, it is no state secret that no Indian government has had a Pakistan plan. It is quite impossible to have one with a country that you have fought four wars with. If you stretch out your arm in Lutyen's Delhi you will be in striking distance of a Pakistan specialist. Everybody knows how to deal with Pakistan and can advise the government and the PMO. So, how are Prime Ministers supposed to deal with Pakistan? Either go strictly by advice given to him or her by the bureaucracy, somewhat like Dr. Singh's style or Narasimha Rao. Or else think out of the box like I.K. Gujral or A.B. Vajpayee and it appears, Narendra Modi. Whether the mention of PoK and Balochistan means a sustained plan of action is something one has to watch to see. In conclusion, the unpredictability of the Modi's government's Pakistan negotiations is causing anxiety to many. The most recent being the uncertainty over India's response to invitations from Pakistan to the Finance Minister for the SAARC meeting and to the Foreign Secretary to talk on Kashmir. Will they, won't they. Everybody has a source based news report. But nobody can be quite sure. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former union minister Najma Heptulla was on Wednesday appointed as the Governor of Manipur. Heptullah will be the 18th Governor of the state. She had resigned from the Ministry of Minority Affairs on July 12, as she had crossed the age of 75. Meghalaya Governor V. Shamuganathan has been looking after the state of Manipur from September 30, 2015. The Congress-ruled state goes to polls in February next year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on Wednesday said India is ready to face any kind of challenge and situation arising out of Pakistan's presence on Indian soil. He asserted that the entire world is now identifying who the perpetrators of terrorism are and also the manner in which terrorism is being promoted from Pakistani soil. "It is a matter that we have lost precious lives even today. But having said that, let me reassure viewers that the Indian forces, the government of India, the entire nation in fact is ready to face any kind of challenge or any kind of situation arising out of Pakistan perpetration of terrorism on the Indian soil," Singh told ANI. Singh further claimed that Pakistan itself can be at the receiving end of perpetrators of terrorism sooner than later. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has already described Pakistan as 'hell' and echoed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's sentiments made during his Independence Day speech that Pakistan should stop violating human rights in Balochistan province and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Pakistan has formally invited India for dialogue on the Kashmir issue in a letter handed over to India's High Commissioner to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale on Monday, which New Delhi has emphatically rejected. The move came days after the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz, announced Pakistan's willingness to invite India for talks on Kashmir in the wake of the unrest in the valley. Aziz had made this announcement last week at a news conference in Islamabad, saying, "Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry would soon write a letter to his Indian counterpart for a dialogue on Kashmir." Pakistan also branded Prime Minister Modi's Independence Day speech as an attempt to divert world attention from the growing unrest in Kashmir. "Modi was trying to divert world attention from the grim tragedy. Thousands of unarmed (Kashmiri) youth are protesting every day for their right to self-determination," Sartaj Aziz said. Meanwhile, five persons were killed and 18 were injured yesterday in fresh clashes in the Valley where the death toll so far has risen to 65. The Valley has been embroiled in violence since the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani. The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Bombay High Court ruling that the height of human pyramids should not exceed 20 feet. The apex court also said that children below 18 years should not be allowed in the Dahi Handi event. In 2012, 170 people were admitted and in 2013, 190 people were seriously injured out of which 160 people were in the casualty department during the event, the petitioner said in the hearing. Earlier, the Maharashtra Government had moved the apex court on August 3, seeking a clarification regarding the height of human pyramids for the celebrations after the Bombay High Court last week pulled up the government for its failure to obtain clarification from the apex court in this regard. Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) last month, the High Court had directed the state government to approach the apex court on its order on the height of human pyramids. The High Court had on August 11, 2014, ordered that the height of human pyramids should not exceed 20 feet and children below 18 years should not be allowed to participate in the Dahi-Handi function. The issue had cropped up on a contempt petition filed by a city-based social worker Swati Patil, who is the secretary of an NGO named Utkarsh Mahila Samajik Sansthaa. Patil alleged that the Maharashtra Government and others were not following the Bombay High Court's earlier orders on the height of human pyramids during Dahi Handi celebrations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Day after the Mumbai terror attack mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawah (JuD) chief asked Pakistani military to send troops into Kashmir to 'teach' India a lesson, Janata Dal (United) leader Pawan Verma on Wednesday said Islamabad must realise that has literally become the most well known symbol of global terrorism. Speaking to ANI, the JD (U) leader said that the unforgettable betrayal of Pakistan was to say that was arrested, when there is proof that we is roaming freely. " needs to be first arrested. He is roaming freely which is completely visible to everyone at large. This friction has damaged the trust between the two countries. Now Hafiz Sayeed has almost become an Army commander, he was the commander of the terrorist now he has become commander of the Pakistani Army. Does Pakistan not realise what Hafiz Sayeed means and how he has become literally the most well known symbol of global terrorism," he added. Responding to the Pakistan government who has apparently 'relaxed' the media regulatory authority's ban on alleged Mumbai attack mastermind, allowing him to appear on private TV channels to advocate the cause of Kashmiris, Verma said Pakistan intentions to put any limitation either in moment or in speech on Hafiz Saeed was a complete fiction. He further said this latest removal of the ban from his television appearances is only one more evidence of the fact that Pakistan in reality is using Hafiz Saeed to once again not only to provoke India but to guide, nurture and train terrorist in further attacks in India. "Hafiz Saeed has become the prime focus of the danger of the International terrorism. He needs to be taken out the same way as Osama Bin Laden was taken out by the United States," he added. Since the violence erupted in Kashmir, Saeed is back on private TV channels, advocating for the Kashmiris and bashing the Narendra Modi government for its role in the killing of 'innocent' Kashmiris. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in November last year had restrained all Pakistani television channels from "all kinds of coverage of the JuD, its front Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and about 60 other proscribed organisations and their leaders. The Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief commenting on the recent Kashmir issue which had been on the boil for more than a month with at least 58 killed and thousands wounded during protests against the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last month, has said Pakistan Army to send troops to Kashmir to teach a lesion to India. According to Pakistan media, the 26/11 mastermind Saeed has asked this to Army chief General Raheel Sharif. Last month Saeed had said that the ongoing protests on the Indian side of Kashmir would be intensified and warned that the deaths in the region would not be in vain. Addressing a meet in Lahore yesterday, Saeed said, "This time the people in Kashmir are on streets. This protest has become a mass movement. All groups in Kashmir have united. All the wings of the Hurriyat have become one. The Muttahida Jihad Council and all other groups have come on to the same platform. Those who have died in Kashmir, their deaths will not be in vain." At least 58 people were killed and several others injured, with both people and security forces turning hostile in protest-related violence in the Kashmir Valley, after Kashmiris took to the streets to condemn the killing of Wani. Nasir Hussain, 35, a resident of Pakistan's Punjab Province, has been arrested for the "honour killing" of his two sisters, Kosar (22) and Gulzar Bibi (28), because they married men of their choice - for love. Hussain wanted his sisters to marry someone within their extended family. The murders were committed on July 29, days after a British woman of Pakistani origin was allegedly killed by her father and former husband for marrying her second husband against her parents' wishes, reports Breitbart News, an American news website. "The brother fled the scene after executing murder. It is a simple case of killing for honour," said a police officer quoted by the Daily Times of Pakistan. "He ruined my family, he destroyed us, he destroyed everything," said Atta Mohammad, the father of the killer and the victims. The Daily Times, which reviewed the current state of the honour-killing crisis in Pakistan, concluded - hundreds of women are murdered by their relatives across the country every year on the pretext of defending what is seen as family honour. Pakistan's Law Minister Zahid Hmaid has reportedly also announced that a bill aimed at tackling honour killings would soon be voted on by Parliament, because of the mounting pressure to tackle the crime that claims around 1,000 lives every year. As per media reports, in another incident, a social media star was strangled by her brother after exposing an Islamic cleric's violations of Sharia law, including sexual advances towards her. The British woman mentioned, Samia Shahid, was visiting her estranged parents in Pakistan when she was strangled in what her husband alleges was an honour killing. The original post-mortem somehow missed the "nail scratches, bulging eyes, crushed larynx, and broken neck bones" found by a later investigation, allowing the family to claim the 28-year-old woman died of "natural causes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wished the Parsi community on the occasion of Parsi New Year, also called as Navroz. In his message, President Mukherjee said the Parsi community of India has played a major role in the building of the nation and contributed immensely to development of the country in various spheres, including industry, commerce, trade and education. The President said that the Navroz festival signifies the coming of the new and passing of the old. He also called upon people to spread goodwill on this day and work hard to make the nation united, secure and prosperous. Echoing similar sentiments,Vice President Hamid Ansari said the festival of Navroz, which is celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety reflects the spirit of fraternity and compassion. "Navroz Mubarak to the Parsi community. May there be an abundance of happiness, success & good health in this coming year," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is sliding into 'total chaos', former home minister P. Chidambaram said on Wednesday that the statements by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar have only worsened the situation and called on the Congress and the Conference (NC) to come up with a solution. In a statement released today, Chidambaram expressed concern over the current state in the Valley saying that the situation is sliding into 'total chaos', adding that the People's Democratic Party (PDP)- Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is squarely responsible for the sharp deterioration in the last 6 weeks. "The statements of the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Defence Minister have exacerbated the crisis. Moderation in words and actions alone can retrieve the situation. The loss of lives -- of protesting youth, other civilians and security forces -- has devastated all of us. This must stop," Chidambaram said. Stating that he was afraid that the present government would be unable to find a way out of the crisis, he called on the Congress, Conference and 'if willing' the PDP to come together and find a solution. "Firstly, an immediate solution to stop the violence and, then, a path forward that will bring hope, peace and prosperity to the people of Jammu & Kashmir," Chidambaram said. Yesterday, Parrikar described Pakistan as "hell" and echoed Prime Minister Modi's sentiments at the Independence Day speech by demanding that Pakistan stop violating human rights in its Balochistan province and that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a part of Indian territory. Earlier, Pakistan formally invited India for dialogue over the Kashmir issue in a letter handed over to the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad on Monday, which New Delhi has emphatically rejected. The move came days after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, announced Pakistan's willingness to invite India for talks on Kashmir in the wake of unrest in the valley. Aziz had made this announcement last week at a news conference in Islamabad, saying, "Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry would soon write a letter to his Indian counterpart for dialogue on Kashmir." Pakistan also branded Prime Minister Modi's Independence Day speech as an attempt to divert world attention from the growing unrest in Kashmir. "Modi was trying to divert world attention from the grim tragedy. Thousands of unarmed (Kashmiri) youth are protesting every day for their right to self-determination," Sartaj Aziz said. Meanwhile, five persons were killed and 18 were injured yesterday in fresh clashes in the Valley where the death toll so far has risen to 65. The Valley has been embroiled in violence since the July 8 killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Eighty two Muslim pilgrims left Tripura by air in two batches on Wednesday to take part in the Hajj, one of the biggest annual religious congregations in Saudi Arabia. Under the guidance of the Centre, the Tripura Minority Welfare department and the State Hajj Committee all made arrangements for the pilgrims to visit the holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The pilgrims including 21 women today left for Kolkata. They will fly by special aircraft to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, informed M K Nath, Director of the state minority welfare department. Nath and Minority Welfare Minister Sahid Choudhury came to Agartala airport to see off the pilgrims and wished them a safe journey and a smooth Manasik-e-Hajj (Hajj rituals). All arrangements of transportation, boarding and lodging at Kolkata Hajj House and distribution of travel documents and issuance of boarding passes were checked by the Minority Welfare Department officials before the pilgrims boarded the flight. M J Abu Taher, who for the first time is going to take part in the annual pilgrimage sail, "I am going to Saudi Arabia for taking part in the Hajj and I am feeling very happy being able to take part in this." Ruksana Begum said, "I am thankful to Allah that I am able to go for the Hajj and perform a prayer for the good of everyone. Everyone should also pray so that I can perform my prayer peacefully." Meantime, Aminul Islam who had come to the airport to see off his father for Hajj expressed, "There around 30 to 35 lakh people are going to get together and shall pray and spread the message so that everyone can live peacefully along with our brothers from all religions throughout the globe. This year, the Hajj Committee of India would be facilitating the pilgrimage for a total of 1,00,020 Hajj pilgrims from 21 points across India and apart from this another 36,000 Hajj pilgrims will proceed through private tour operators. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Asserting that action would be taken against those not following the Chinese manjha ban, the Delhi Government on Wednesday said that there would be punishment up to an year and penalty of up to Rs. one lakh. "Chinese manjha is completely banned in Delhi. We had sent the notification. If anyone doesn't abide then there is punishment of up to a year and penalty of up to Rs. one lakh," Health Minister Satyendra Jain told the media here. Following the loss of lives in the capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led government put a ban on the sale, production and storage of glass-coated threads or Chinese manjha. A blame game has begun after kite strings claimed three lives earlier on Monday with Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accusing Environment Secretary Chandraker Bharti of taking seven days to clear a notification. Sisodia also wrote to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung seeking action against the Environment Secretary for 'gross negligence in duty and insensitiveness in Chinese manja case'. "Environment Secretary took 7 days to issue notification though file was cleared by my & Env Minster's office within minutes on 9th Aug," Sisodia tweeted. "Chinese manja and other kite flying thread which is made of glass, sharp material is dangerous. Safety of our citizens is non-negotiable," he said in a series of tweets. The Lieutenant Governor's office has, however, according to reports said that Jung had approved the draft notification on August 8 and sent it back to the government the next day while accusing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of delaying issuance of the draft notification despite the fact that he had sent the notification with his approval to the Environment Department on August 9. According to the draft notification issued by the Environment Secretary, kite flying will be permissible only with a cotton thread and natural fibre free from any metallic and glass components. Violation of directions will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to five years or fine which may be extended to Rs. one lakh or with both. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Sales rise 38.19% to Rs 5.79 crore Net profit of Bengal & Assam Company declined 10.00% to Rs 0.54 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 0.60 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015. Sales rose 38.19% to Rs 5.79 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 4.19 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015.5.794.1988.7786.630.940.760.860.690.540.60 Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) From CARE and Brickwork Ratings Dewan Housing Finance Corporation announced that Credit Analysis and Research ('CARE Ratings') have reaffirmed its ratings of CARE AAA (Triple A) and has enhanced the amount from Rs. 4000 crore to Rs. 14,000 Crore which covers the Company's proposed public issue of Secured Redeemable Non-Convertible Debentures of up to Rs. 2,000 crore alongwith a green shoe option of upto Rs. 8,000 crore (NCD Issue), in one or more tranches, as approved by the Board of Directors of the Company at its meeting held on 17 August 2016. Brickwork Ratings India Private ('Brickwork Ratings') has also reaffirmed its ratings of BWR AAA (Pronounced as BWR Triple A), Outlook : Stable, for the said NCD Issue. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Hero MotoCorp rose 3.5% to Rs 3,410 at 10:45 IST on BSE after Sunil Kant Munjal resigned from the board of directors of the company as part of a realignment of business interest amongst the promoter Munjal family. The announcement was made before market hours today, 17 August 2016. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 22.95 points or 0.08% at 28,087.56. On BSE, so far 18,908 shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 27,993 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 3,429 and a low of Rs 3,308.05 so far during the day. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 3,553.55 on 8 August 2016. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 2,259.10 on 7 September 2015. The stock had outperformed the market over the past one month till 16 August 2016, rising 1.76% compared with 0.82% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also outperformed the market in past one quarter, gaining 13.49% as against the Sensex's 9.4% rise. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 39.94 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2. Sunil Kant Munjal's resignation from the company's board of directors comes as his tenure as the Joint Managing Director of the company ended yesterday, 16 August 2016. Hero MotoCorp (HMCL) announced on 28 July 2016 that Sunil Kant Munjal decided to step down as Joint Managing Director of the company as part of a realignment of business interest amongst the promoter Munjal family. Sunil Kant Munjal will focus on his independent and core businesses, and will pursue new business interests. This realignment will not impact the overall promoter shareholding, strategic direction or operational management of the company, HMCL had said at that time. Sunil Kant Munjal will henceforth not be classified as a promoter of the company. However, he will continue to hold 32,500 equity shares of the company representing 0.02% of the issued and paid up share capital of the company in his individual capacity. On 9 August 2016, the board of directors of the company reappointed Pawan Munjal as the Chairman, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer of the company for a period of five years with effect from 1 October 2016. His current tenure comes to an end on 30 September 2016. The total holding of promoters in HMCL stood at 34.64% as on 30 June 2016. Hero MotoCorp's net profit rose 18.1% to Rs 883.10 crore on 7.1% growth in net sales to Rs 7289.59 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. Hero MotoCorp is the world's largest two-wheeler manufacturer in terms of production capacity. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India's exports are better placed in product diversification as concentration of its top ten export products is only 58% as compared to most of the top ten leading export countries of World viz. Hong Kong (89%), Republic of Korea (86%), Japan (77%), UK (71%), Germany (70%), USA (68%), China (68%), Netherlands (63%) and France (60%), said an analysis conducted by PHD research Bureau of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Higher the percentage of the country, the more it is concentrated to exports of few products and lesser the percentage of the country, the more diversified it is in terms of export diversification of its products. India has consistently diversified its top ten export products as concentration of top ten export products was 60% in 2010 and 58% in 2015. Notwithstanding the excellent diversification of export products, India's export growth trajectory has showed lackluster performance due to slowdown in demand in the destination countries. Although things are improving in logistics and export infrastructure front, the cost of credit to exporters is still high as compared to its competitors in the international market said Dr. Mahesh Gupta, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry. As world economy witnessed slowdown in demand, all the leading export countries posted a negative growth in 2015 except France. Export growth was negative in Netherlands (-17%), Italy (-13%), Germany (-11%), UK (-9%), Republic of Korea (-8%), USA (-7%), Hong Kong (-5%), China (-3%) but positive in France at (1%). India stands 19th in the list of exporters (worldwide) with merchandise exports valued at US $262 billion. India's share in world exports is estimated at 1.6% with a growth rate of ( - )15.5% in the year 2015-2016 (for details refer Annexure II). Further, a ray of hope is emerging with decent efforts undertaken by the government in improving the ease of doing business and reforms in the export infrastructure, he said. With the continuous reforms, exports showed a positive growth of 1.27% in the month of June, 2016 and hopefully one can anticipate an incremental growth scenario in the coming months too, said Dr. Mahesh Gupta. Going ahead, there is lot of potential for India to enhance its exports as 7 out of the top 10 export destinations of India such as USA, UAE, Hong Kong, China, UK, Singapore and Germany are also among the top ten export destinations of leading World exporters. As these destinations are already in focus of our exporters, the need of the hour is to enhance our competitiveness in terms of reduced costs of capital and improved exports logistics to increase our volumes of exports, said Dr. Mahesh Gupta. Going ahead, the continuous pace of reforms at domestic front and recovery in the international market would help India to remain in positive exports growth trajectory in the coming months. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Infosys lost 1.21% to Rs 1,038.25 at 13:51 IST on BSE, with the stock extending previous trading session's decline triggered by the company's announcement that it had lost a contract from Royal Bank of Scotland. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was down 63.79 points or 0.23% at 28,000.82. On BSE, so far 1.39 lakh shares were traded in the counter as against average daily volume of 2.69 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 1,051.90 and a low of Rs 1,035.30 so far during the day. The stock had hit a 52-week low of Rs 1,012.25 on 18 November 2015. The stock had hit a record high of Rs 1,278 on 3 June 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 16 August 2016, sliding 1.99% compared with 0.82% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, declining 13.43% as against Sensex's 9.4% rise. The large-cap company has equity capital of Rs 1148.47 crore. Face value per share is Rs 5. Shares of Infosys have declined 2.35% in two trading sessions from its close of Rs 1,063.30 on 12 August 2016 after the company announced before market hours yesterday, 16 August 2016, about losing a contract from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) as RBS decided not to pursue its plan to separate and list a new UK standalone bank, Williams & Glyn (W&G). The stock had fallen 1.16% to settle at Rs 1,050.95 yesterday, 16 August 2016, after the announcement. Subsequent to this decision by RBS, Infosys will carry out an orderly ramp-down of about 3,000 employees, primarily in India, over the next few months. Infosys was a W&G program technology partner for consulting, application delivery and testing services. As per reports, the decision of RBS will impact revenues of Infosys for the year ending 31 March 2017 (FY 2017) by about $40 million. On a consolidated basis, Infosys' net profit fell 4.5% to Rs 3436 crore on 1.4% growth in revenue to Rs 16782 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q4 March 2016. The results are as per International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Infosys is one of the leading information technology outsourcing services providers. The company provides business consulting, information technology and outsourcing services. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) National Green Highways Mission (NGHM) under NHAI has collaborated with Power Finance Corporation Ltd. (PFC) for plantations work on NH 7 in Nagpur region (Borkhedi - Wadner, & Khatara - Kelapur) covering 87 km stretch. Power Finance Corporation has provided financial assistance of Rs. 13 crore for plantation and five year maintenance under their CSR funds. This event is historic as this marks the first collaboration with the National Green Highways Mission - NHAI under their 'Adopt a Green Highways' Program. Adopt a Green Highway Program is an initiative by NGHM to engage Corporates, Public Sector Units, Governmental organizations, institutions and individuals under CSR and Public Private Partnership for developing green corridor along NHs. A formal MoA was signed between PFC and NHAI today at NHAI headquarters in the presence of Shri Raghav Chandra, Chairman - NHAI, Shri G. S. Ghai, Executive Director - PFC, Dr. A. K. Bhattacharya, MD NGHM and other senior officials of PFC and NHAI. The project will initiate with immediate effect after signing of MoA. Dr. A. K. Bhattacharya, MD, NGHM informed that this will open new vistas for PSUs & Corporate houses to utilize their CSR funds for greening of highways and creation of ecological assets. Discussions with other PSUs such as Coal India Ltd and other corporates are under process to promote Greening of Highways. For the proposed work in Nagpur, NGHM has engaged four empanelled agencies to execute plantation and maintenance work. The agencies have been mandated to engage atleast 70% work force from the local community, thereby enhancing livelihood opportunity. Out of these four agencies, 3 are start-ups, which is in line with the vision of Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to promote startup India campaign. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Uma Bharti lays foundation of Rs. 40 crore STP in Vrindavan Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Sushri Uma Bharti has said that a new beginning has been made with the foundation laying of STP in Mathura which will provide treated water for industrial use. Laying the foundation of 20 MLD STP in Vrindavan the Minister informed that the STP will be built at a cost of Rs. 40 crore. She said a nine kilometer pipeline from Laxmi nagar to Gokul barrage will carry the treated water to Mathura refinery. An MoU was also signed to this effect between National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) and Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). Sushri Bharti said that with the adoption of hybrid annuity mode by NMCG the complexion of Yamuna will change completely in Mathura-Vrindavan by the year 2018. She said, every effort will be made to stop the flow of polluted water of Yamuna from Delhi to Mathura Vrindavan. The Minister said that with the use of pressure technology in irrigation we would be able to save about 60 percent water of Ganga and Yamuna which will help to maintain good e-flow of water in these rivers. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Total Operating Income decline 0.60% to Rs 3530.32 crore Net profit of State Bank of Hyderabad declined 88.81% to Rs 28.14 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 251.45 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015. Total Operating Income declined 0.60% to Rs 3530.32 crore in the quarter ended June 2016 as against Rs 3551.62 crore during the previous quarter ended June 2015.3530.323551.6257.4672.3417.23403.1817.23403.1828.14251.45 Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Suzlon Energy rose 2.13% to Rs 16.80 at 10:00 IST on BSE after the company said that ReNew Power Ventures issued 132 megawatts repeat turnkey order on the company. The announcement was made during market hours today, 17 August 2016. Meanwhile, the S&P BSE Sensex was up 23.77 points, or 0.08%, to 28,088.38. On BSE, so far 4.78 lakh shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average daily volume of 51.98 lakh shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 16.85 and a low of Rs 16.45 so far during the day. The stock hit a 52-week high of Rs 26 on 20 August 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 12.80 on 12 February 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 16 August 2016, falling 9.37% compared with 0.82% rise in the Sensex. The scrip had, however, outperformed the market in past one quarter, rising 10.33% as against the Sensex's 9.4% rise. The mid-cap company has equity capital of Rs 1004.10 crore. Face value per share is Rs 2. Suzlon Energy said that ReNew Power Ventures, a renewable energy independent power producer issued order for 48 units of hybrid towers and 15 units of tubular towers with a rated capacity of 2.1 megawatts (MW) each. The project is to be commissioned in Andhra Pradesh by March 2017. The project is capable of providing power to over 70,000 households and reducing 0.28 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per annum. Suzlon will provide comprehensive range of services and dedicated life cycle asset management services for an initial period of 12 years. With this order, Suzlon's portfolio with ReNew Power would exceed 500 MW. ReNew Power is one of the leading customers of Suzlon. On consolidated basis, Suzlon Energy reported net loss of Rs 270.55 crore in Q4 March 2016, lower than net loss of Rs 1212.06 crore in Q4 March 2015. Net sales declined 33.9% to Rs 3244.93 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q4 March 2015. The Suzlon Group is one of the leading renewable energy solutions providers in the world with an international presence across 19 countries. The company has recently forayed into the solar space. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tata Power Company said that its subsidiary has completed sale of its 50% stake in OTP Geothermal Pte. Tata Power International Pte. (TPIPL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Power Company in Singapore had signed an agreement for the sale of its 50% stake in OTP Geothermal Pte. (OTP) to KS Orka Renewables Pte. in April 2016. OTP, a 50:50 joint venture with Origin Energy, holds a 95% interest in Indonesia's PT Sorik Marapi Geothermal Power (SMGP). The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 16 August 2016. Wipro announced after market hours yesterday, 16 August 2016, that it has successfully launched its Managed File Transfer as a Service (MFTaaS) platform on Microsoft Azure. The Software as a Service (SaaS) platform will help enterprises in seamless digital integration and cost-effective collaboration with their clients, partners and employees. The Wipro MFTaaS platform has been published on Azure Marketplace. The platform enables customers widen their reach to new markets by seamlessly integrating with their partner ecosystem. It makes use of Microsoft's cognitive capabilities and collaboration workflows to increase productivity and eliminate wastages in business processes. Hero MotoCorp said before market hours today, 17 August 2016 that Sunil Kant Munjal's tenure as Joint Managing Director of the company ended on 16 August 2016. He has also resigned from the board of directors of the company with effect from the same date. In addition, the company said it has received a communication from the individual promoters of the company stating that pursuant to the aforesaid realignment, Sunil Kant Munjal will henceforth, not be classified as a promoter of the company. However, Sunil Kant Munjal will continue to hold 32,500 equity shares of the company representing 0.02% of the issued and paid up share capital of the company in his individual capacity. In July this year company had informed regarding realignment of business interests amongst the promoters of the company. Just Dial's net profit rose 7.98% to Rs 38.93 crore on 14.06% rise in total income to Rs 204.95 crore in Q1 June 2016 over Q1 June 2015. The result was announced after market hours yesterday, 16 August 2016. Just Dial also said that the board of directors of the company at a meeting held on 16 August 2016 approved a draft scheme of arrangement between Just Dial and Just Dial Global Private Limited (JDGPL) for demerger of Data and Information Undertaking (demerged undertaking) of JDGPL into the company, subject to requisite approvals. Piramal Enterprises (PEL) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary in the US has entered into an agreement to acquire 100% stake in Ash Stevens Inc., a US based Contract Development and Manufacturing Organisation (CDMO), in an all cash deal for a total consideration of $42.95 million plus an earn-out consideration capped at $10 million, subject to achievement of certain EBITDA targets, payable over the next six months. This potential transaction is expected to be completed by end of August, PEL said. This acquisition adds niche potent molecule manufacturing capabilities to the portfolio of services offered by PEL's pharma solutions business, the company said. Ash Stevens had revenue of about $18.3 million in FY15 (twelve months ended 30 September 2015), it added. Greenply Industries said that the qualified institutional placement (QIP) committee of the board of directors of the company at its meeting held on 16 August 2016, approved the issue and allotment of 19.45 lakh shares to qualified institutional buyers at the issue price of Rs 257 per share, aggregating to Rs 49.99 crore. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 16 August 2016. MEP Infrastructure Developers said that a meeting of board of directors of the company will be held on 24 August 2016, to consider fund raising options as maybe deliberated and decided by the board of directors of the company. The announcement was made after market hours yesterday, 16 August 2016. Shriram Transport Finance Company announced after market hours yesterday, 16 August 2016 that the Allotment Committee - Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs) of the company in a meeting held on 16 August 2016 approved and allotted 250 secured redeemable NCDs of face value of Rs 10 lakh each, aggregating to Rs 25 crore on private placement basis. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 13 people died overnight under mysterious circumstances in Gopalganj district of . The administration on Wednesday morning ordered a probe after families claimed it to be a hooch tragedy, police said. Five others were in critical conditions at a government hospital here, said the police. All the victims were residents of Nonia tola locality and from the poorest section of the society, it said. According to the families, the deceased had complained of uneasiness and breathlessness, followed by stomach pain and vomiting, after they consumed "desi" alcohol on Tuesday evening. Their condition deteriorated on Tuesday night and later they died in the hospital, the police said. Rahul Kumar, Gopalganj district Magistrate, constituted a three-member team and ordered a probe into the incident. "It is too early to say anything about the exact cause of the deaths," Kumar said. However, Gopalganj Superintendent of Police Ravi Ranjan has refuted the rumours of spurious liquor consumption. "It is a matter of coincidence that they died one after another in a span of few hours," Ranjan said. The incident has exposed that despite total prohibition on liquor consumption in since April 5 this year, alcohol is available in black. Additional Director General of Police Sunil Kumar said at least 4,707 people were arrested during the last four months and 3,719 FIRs were lodged in connection with flouting of the liquor ban. At least 13 persons were killed in the past 24 hours in rain related incidents in Uttar Pradesh, a home department official said on Wednesday. It has been raining heavily in most parts of central and eastern Uttar Pradesh since Tuesday evening, leading to water logging, caving in of houses and collapse of walls. As many as six persons were killed in Rae Bareli late on Tuesday after their mud house caved in due to heavy rains, the official said. Two others were killed in Khurehati village here after being struck by lightening, he said. Another woman and her minor daughter were also killed due to lightening in Tedhwa Chillaula village of Sitapur district. Three persons died in Lucknow due to wall collapse of their house. More than two dozen villages have been inundated in Bahraich district as the in spate Ghaghra river breached an embankment and flooded 28 villages. Many houses in Kayampur village were washed away due to the strong current in the river. Buses and vehicles were stuck on the NH-76 due to water logging in Chitrakoot district which has been witnessing heavy rains for the past five days. A warning has been sounded in Ballia district where the water level of the Ganga river has risen alarmingly in the past 24 hours. The Ganga has already been flowing one metre above the danger mark. More than 100 villages here were inundated due to torrential rains. A large tract of agriculture land has been flooded after a Yamuna river embankment was damaged in Kelra village of Shamli district. Yamuna here was in spate which has threatened a large number of population. After receding for the first two days of the week, water level in Ganga in Varanasi has once again raised by a feet in the past 24 hours. The Central Water Commission has sounded an alert for the eastern Uttar Pradesh districts like Ghazipur and Ballia. The regional Met department has forecast heavy rains in the next 48-hours. --IANS md/py/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Officially imposed curfew and separatist called shut down on Wednesday paralysed the lives of people in Kashmir Valley on the 40th consecutive day. Three security personnel, including two army soldiers and a local policeman, were killed and four soldiers injured early Wednesday morning when militants attacked an army convoy in north Kashmir's Baramulla town, a police official told IANS here. Militants also attacked the Kakapora police station in south Kashmir's Pulwama district late on Tuesday, injuring five policeman. The curfew was imposed in all the ten districts of the valley, including old city area of Srinagar, to maintain law and order. Five civilians, four in Badgam district and one in Anantnag, were killed and 14 injured in clashes with the security forces on Tuesday. The death toll in the ongoing unrest in the valley which began on July 9, a day after the killing of top militant Burhan Wani, has risen to 65 while over 4,000 people have been injured. Educational institutions, shops, public transports and other businesses remain closed for the 40th day on Wednesday. It is the worst violence in Kashmir since 2010 when the valley was rocked by similar protests leaving scores dead and injured. --IANS sq/py/ (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least 82,000 persons were forced to evacuate California's San Bernardino county as wildfire broke out in the region, the media reported on Wednesday. Hot weather conditions, dry winds and heavy bushes quickly spread the flames which were sparked on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency quoted officials as saying. The wildfire dubbed as the "Bluecut" fire, spread from five acres to about 9,000 acres within hours. Video footage showed that at least one house and several other structures were ablaze, the media reported. The region was under red flag warnings for high fire danger. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino. Five persons were injured in fire accidents who were transported to hospitals, fire officials tweeted. Several fires in Southern California this summer have destroyed homes, caused power outages and subjected residents to repeated evacuation orders. --IANS ask/py/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar has lauded the new film policy of the Uttar Pradesh government and said that more facilities to shoot films and the welcoming attitude of the state government was drawing filmmakers to the state. In the state capital to shoot "Jolly LLB 2", which is being shot at the Chattar Manzil, Akshay told Film Bandhu officials that he was bowled over by the help and co-operation extended by the state government. Navneet Sehgal, Principal Secretary (Information), who is also the chairman of the Film Bandhu, told IANS that the state had prepared a new film policy on the directives of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and it has been a hit since the day it was rolled out. Dozens of films are being shot in the state, he informed while claiming that the goodwill index of Uttar Pradesh has gone up under the present dispensation. The state, he added, has scenic locales for film shoots, including places of historical, religious and natural significance. Officials said more than four dozen requests for shooting in the state have been received by the Film Bandhu and were being processed. "Jolly LLB 2" is sequel to an earlier film which starred Arshad Warsi and was set in western Uttar Pradesh. Other than Akshay, the film has Huma Qureshi in the lead role and Annu Kapoor. The film is being produced by Fox Star Studios Private Ltd and is being directed by Subhash Kapoor. After the shooting in Lucknow, it will later be shot in Varanasi. --IANS md/rb/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A central minister's wife has filed a complaint that one person has been allegedly blackmailing her and demanding Rs 2 crore as extortion money, the Delhi Police said on Wednesday. The minister's wife registered the complaint late on Tuesday at Tughlaq Road police station. The names of the minister as well as his wife who lodged the complaint were not disclosed by the police. In her complaint to the police, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader's wife claimed: "The accused named Praveen Chauhan, friend of my nephew, has been threatening me with dire consequences, saying that if I fail to pay him Rs 2 crore, he will make public some doctored audio and video clips, contents of which are unknown to me." She also claimed that the accused has been calling her late in the night and during the day, blackmailing here and extorting money. The BJP leader's wife further said that the accused had threatened to ruin her and the reputation of her husband. In her complaint, she alleged that Praveen Chauhan has recently posted a video on YouTube levelling false allegations against her husband and her family as part of his extortion bid. The union minister's wife has demanded that her and her family's security be enhanced as the accused carries a gun and his husband travels abroad regularly for official purposes. When contacted, the Delhi Police said that it has registered a case for extortion and criminal intimidation against the accused and is examining the case. "We have registered a case under Sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) and we have formed multiple teams to look into the matter," a senior police officer told IANS, requesting anonymity. --IANS aks/in/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress here has welcomed the selection of Goa as a venue for the high profile BRICS meet later this year, state party president Luizinho Faleiro said on Wednesday. "Anything happening in Goa I am proud of it. I welcome it. As long as it does not affect Goa and Goans. See, Goa is not only a national destination. Goa is an international destination and has already hosted heads of Commonwealth countries. We had Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) over here," Faleiro said. The CHOGM meet was held in Goa in 1983 and was hosted by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The two-day BRICS meet, where heads of state or government from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa are expected to discuss global issues as well as concerns related to the participating developing countries, is scheduled to be held in Goa in mid-October this year. --IANS maya/in/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A 36-year-old Filipino woman delivered a baby aboard Dubai-Manila flight, which had to make an emergency landing at Hyderabad airport. The incident took place on Aug 14 on Cebu Pacific Air flight 5J015, which was passing through Indian airspace while on its way to Manila. Sources at Hyderabad airport told IANS that the flight had to land because of medical emergency. The flight resumed its journey after the woman and the new born baby girl were shifted to a hospital in the city. "They were in slightly bad shape when brought to medical centre at the airport because it was a premature delivery," sources said. They were later shifted to Apollo Cradle Hospital in the city. According to doctors, the mother is stable but the new-born is suffering from jaundice. The hospital authorities declined to share name and other details of the woman. Missy Berberabe Umandal, one of the passengers on the flight, posted on social media that the lady near her seat started having contractions mid-flight. According to her, it surprised even the woman as the delivery was due in October. Two nurses who were among the passengers came out to help as flight attendants started calling for medical assistance. The more spacious front portion of the plane was turned into a makeshift delivery room. "We only heard one semi-loud screech, and a few seconds later, there were tinier, cute screeches, and it was when we knew the baby was born,a Umandal posted. "The flight attendants took a shelf from the cabinets and filled it with mineral water, which became a makeshift wash basin to clean the baby in.a She also posted a picture of the woman with the baby in her arms. She described the girl as lucky saying she will get free travel for lifetime for being born in a Cebu Pacific flight. This is the second such incident of a Filipino delivering mid-flight and the plane making emergency landing in Hyderabad in four months. Grace Alexandria Ahad delivered a baby girl aboard Dubai-Manila flight of Emirates in May. The 40-year-old, a nurse in Dubai, was going to her parents in Manila for the delivery. The newborn died in a city hospital. Doctors said is it was premature delivery after 28th week and the health of the newborn was also not good. --IANS ms/ahm/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Students of Jamia Millia Islamia University on Wednesday evening called off their four-day long agitation against the "unauthorised presence" of some police personnel in plainclothes outside the boys hostel after a written assurance by the university authorities that no disciplinary action will be taken against any protesting student. "Chief Proctor professor Mehtab Alam also assured the students that all preventive measures will be taken to ensure that such an incident will not occur in future and that safety and security of all students are the university's utmost priority," university's media coordinator Professor Saima Saeed said. In a letter to Vice Chancellor Talat Ahmad, the students announced the withdrawal of their agitation stating that they had realised that some of the issues were being "fabricated unnecessarily which have no meaning for us". "We the students of Jamia Boys Hostel would like to clarify that there was no raid of police personnel but it was only a security breach. This has created an atmosphere of fear amongst the residents of the hostel," the students said in the letter. "You have assured that appropriate steps would be taken to avoid such incidents in future. You have also assured us that legal action will be taken by the concerned authorities. We fully agree with your words and hope that you will seriously look into the matter," the letter read. --IANS mak/ahm/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Jharkhand Assembly on Wednesday passed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill and became the third state to ratify the bill after Assam and Bihar. Except for dissenting Communist Party of India-Marxist and Leninist (CPI-ML) legislator Raj Kumar Yadav, the bill was passed unanimously in the state Assembly. "India has a tradition and culture to take taxes. The GST will end the tax discrimination and it will end the British tax system," said Jharkhand Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saryu Rai while tabling the GST bill in the Assembly. Opposition parties like the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) and the Congress supported the bill but expressed concern over its format and its impact on the states. Speaking on the occasion Pradeep Yadav, a JVM-P MLA, said, "The GST bill is a consumption based tax and Jharkhand has low consumption in comparison to other states and this way the state will suffer. Jharkhand is a small state where many people's per day income is just Rs 25." "The second issue is that on what grounds will the central government compensate the state. Jharkhand has witnessed 40 per cent growth in revenue collection in the last three years. What will be the base year of the compensation," he asked. Leader of Opposition and JMM Executive President Hemant Soren said, "Has the state government studied the impact of GST on Jharkhand. The state government before discussing the issue should have prepared a draft of its impact on the state. The GST is a consumption based tax and Jharkhand cannot be compared with Delhi, Haryana and others." "We request the state government to prepare a draft and discuss it in the Assembly before going to the GST council." Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das said, "The GST will end corruption in the country. When VAT was introduced in 2005 there was fear of losing taxes but Jharkhand gained from VAT, similarly state will gain after GST is implemented." --IANS ns/lok/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Brazilian judge reportedly barred American swimmers Ryan Lochte and James Feigen from leaving the country on Wednesday amid an ongoing investigation into their being robbed during the Rio Olympics. Judge Keyla Blanc ordered the athletes' passports be seized after they gave conflicting versions of Sunday's incident, the Globo newspaper reported on Wednesday, reports Xinhua. It was unclear if the swimmers had already returned to the US. Lochte and Feigen said they were with fellow swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger when their taxi was stopped by thieves posing as police. The athletes were returning to the Olympic Village after celebrating the end of the swimming competition at the Rio Games. An unnamed legal spokesperson for Lochte told Globo the swimmers were shocked by Blanc's decision. "It's surprising to know that they have taken these measures to continue the investigation," the spokesperson was quoted as saying. "He (Lochte) cooperated with authorities and explained his version of events." Lochte, 32, has won six Olympic gold medals, including his victory in the 4x200 metre freestyle relay team in Rio. --IANS sam/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Maharashtra Police teams on Wednesday started a search in the Krishna river for the body of Vanita Narhari Gaikwad - one of the six victims of self-confessed killer medico Santosh Gulabrao Pol, now famous as "Dr. Death," a top official said here. "The search is being carried out in the river waters in Umbrej and Karad areas," said Satara Superintendent of Police Sandip Patil. Additionally, at least three more families have come forward with cases of their missing relatives registered with the police and have expressed apprehensions over their fate. Police are now probing afresh the missing complaints of Vilas Vishnu Dhage, 45, untraced since 2001; Dipali Krishna Sanas, 21, disappeared since 2002; Mahadeo Sonu Chikane, 47, off-radar since 2012. All these missing persons were residents of different villages in Wai sub-district and their relatives are now worried about the fate that has befallen them in the wake of the latest stunning revelations. Patil said in view of the fresh developments, the investigating team will probe these missing persons cases accordingly. Meanwhile, during his ongoing custodial interrogation, Pol has revealed how he had eliminated two of his victims - Vanita Gaikwad and Salma Shaikh - in his ambulance by administering them lethal injections. While he threw Gaikwad's body in the Krishna river reservoir, he buried Shaikh in the complex near his poultry farm. Till date, Pol has confessed to the cold-blooded killings of Surekha Kisan Chikane on May 20, 2003, Vanita Narhari Gaikwad on August 12, 2006, Jagabai Laxman Pol on August 13, 2010, Nathmal Dhanaji Bhandari on December 7, 2015 and an orphan Salma Shaikh on January 17, 2016. A majority of the victims either worked with him or came in contact as patients, and their remains have been sent for forensic and DNA tests to match them with the victims, Ghanvat added. On Wednesday, Pol told investigators that he had amassed nearly half a kilo of gold from his victims under the lure of doubling it in a ponzi scheme, and operated seven bank accounts. The police are now in the process of writing to all the banks to provide details of all his accounts which could throw up more leads. On Monday, August 15, Pol made the sensational disclosure that he had killed a total of six persons, including one man and five women since 2003, earning him the sobriquet "Dr. Death". The police have already dug up five bodies from Pol's farmhouse around 13 km from Wai town and teams are now trying to locate the body of Vanita Gaikwad in the Krishna river. The investigations are headed by Senior Police Inspector of Wai Crime Branch Padmakar Ghanvat under the direct supervision of SP Patil and Konkan Range IGP Vishwas Nangre-Patil. Pol, 41 and his associate, a nurse Jyoti Pandurang Mandre, 25 have been arrested and charged with the kidnapping and murder of an "anganwadi worker" Mangal Jedhe, 49 on June 16, which blew the lid off the shocking crimes. On Tuesday, he had told the police that he had conspired to kill Jedhe nearly three months ago and even kept a dug-up grave ready for her, plus his plans to eliminate his associate Jyoti Mandre. Pol, described as an "Electro-Homoeopath", practiced in some local hospitals and at his farmhouse, 13 km on the outskirts of the quaint Wai town, at the base of the twin hill stations of Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani, around 175 km south of Mumbai. As the horrifying details of the case tumbled out since August 15, hundreds of curious onlookers from Wai and surrounding areas came to view Pol's home and farmhouse, and a group of "anganwadi" women workers staged a protest demanding justice for their former president Jedhe. Since Tuesday, the town folk are full of praise for the local police who solved the case and have put up congratulatory banners and posters in and around Wai. --IANS qn/ahm/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Belarusian military has put in service the Russian-made three-dimensional radar system for medium to high altitudes, the Defence Ministry has said. The long-range early warning radar system will substantially increase the country's defence capabilities, Xinhua news agency quoted the ministry as saying. The mobile radar system boasts superior properties in detecting and tracking strategic and tactical aircraft and ballistic targets, and can enlarge the aerial target detection range. Belarus plans to install seven Protivnik radar systems by 2020. --IANS sm/py/vt (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A North Korean diplomat in London has defected and was seeking asylum in a third country with his family, authorities said. Thae Yong Ho, who served as deputy to the ambassador, was responsible for promoting the image of his country to British audiences, BBC news reported on Wednesday. He lived in Britain with his family for 10 years and disappeared from his home in west London several weeks ago. "A North Korean diplomat in London is going through procedures to seek asylum in a third country," South Korean media reported. "The North Korean embassy made belated attempts to figure out the diplomat's whereabouts, but failed," it said. "A high-level defection, if confirmed, will be deeply embarrassing for the regime," the report said. "London has always been an important diplomatic priority for North Korea given the amount of personnel stationed there and the considerable resources devoted by the regime to maintaining its presence there," it said. Neither the Foreign Office nor the embassy has commented yet on the development. --IANS sm/py/dg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Popular host Jimmy Kimmel says he is not very "excited" about the upcoming 68th Primetime Emmy Awards this year. Kimmel, who hosts the talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Star World and Star World HD, spoke to radio and television personality Howard Stern about hosting the ceremony. He shared that even though it is a huge opportunity, it is much more difficult than doing a 20-minute show as there are a lot more dynamics involved. "I wouldn't say I am excited about that or anything. Wrangling everybody is very difficult, it's difficult because you really only have three or four minutes to do your monologue, you really have to make sure your material is strong whereas when you are going on and doing 20 minutes at night, you have peaks and valleys," Kimmel said in a statement from the channel. "Here, everything has to be precise, that's kind of a pain. You have to have a lot of back up options and sometimes it winds up completely different from the way it started," he added while talking about his stint as a host. The 68th Primetime Emmy Awards will air live on September 18. --IANS ks/rb (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Indian shuttler P.V. Sindhu caused a huge upset, stunning World No.2 Wang Yihan of China in straight games to enter the semi-finals of the women's singles category at the ongoing Rio Olympics. Faced with a much higher rated opponent, the 21-year-old from Hyderabad scripted a 22-20, 21-19 victory in 54 minutes over the former World No.1 at the Riocentro Pavilion 4 here on Tuesday. Sindhu will face World no.6 Nozomi Okuhara of Japan in the last-four stage. Okuhara defeated compatriot Akane Yamaguchi 11-21, 21-17, 21-10 in a hard-fought all-Japan quarter-final clash which dragged on for one hour and eight minutes. Wang, who had taken silver at the 2012 London Olympics, was expected to be the stronger of the two, but it was Sindhu who dominated most of the exchanges. The World no.10 Indian won the majority of the long rallies and used her power-packed smashes and cross-court shots to good effect. Wang, whose weak back-hand caught her off-guard several times, came up with a tough fight, but could not do enough to stop Sindhu. The match witnessed a lot of long rallies with both players displaying plenty of skills, excellent court coverage and a superb sense of placement. Wang, a former World and Asian champion, had the stronger start, outfoxing Sindhu time and again with her clever placements which often forced the Indian to make mistakes. The reigning Asian Games champion opened up a 3-0 lead early on before the Indian made a strong comeback to draw level at 5-5. The two players continued to fight it out tooth and nail, with every point being well-contested. However, a couple of unforced errors cost Sindhu dearly and the Chinese went into the mid-game break with a 11-8 lead. Sindhu came back firing on all cylinders after the break and reduced the deficit to 11-12. The Chinese increased the lead by a point with a long cross-court shot, but Sindhu kept asking the difficult questions and levelled the scores at 13-13 when the under-pressure Wang hit a shot too long. Another unforced error from Sindhu saw the Chinese regain the lead almost immediately. But the Hyderabad girl continued to fight hard and took the lead for the first time at 15-14. Wang then took three points on the trot to regain the advantage. But Sindhu levelled again at 17-17 before Wang hit a return into the net to concede the lead once again. But Sindhu let go the advantage in the very shot when she hit her return too long. A couple of consecutive points saw Sindhu gon into game point at 20-18. But an extremely long rally saw Wang save game point with an excellent cross-court shot. Wang then drew level thanks to another unforced error by her opponent. But a net shot handed Sindhu another game point at 21-20 before the Chinese hit an attempted return over the sideline to hand the Indian the first game. Sindhu took the lead several times in the early stages of the second game but Wang drew level on every occasion. Three consecutive points handed Sindhu a 5-2 lead. Wang managed to pull a point back, but Sindhu dominated the Chinese in the long rallies to score another three points on the trot to clinch a five-point lead. Wang continued to produce a strong challenge and made a fine comeback with her deceptive shots at the net proving to be difficult for Sindhu. The 28-year-old Chinese reduced Sindhu's lead to 10-8 before the Hyderabad shuttler hit a powerful smash out of Wang's reach to go into the break with a three-point lead. The 21-year-old Indian continued to maintain her lead after the break although Wang was never really out of the picture. Serving at 16-13, Sindhu took two back to back points before Wang claimed five consecutive points to draw level at 18-18. The former World No.1 then took the lead with a powerful cross-court smash. Not to be outdone, Sindhu drew level with a clever placement and went into game and match point with a powerful smash into Wang's body. An unforced error by Wang then handed Sindhu a well-earned victory. --IANS ajb/pgh/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Congress on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to start a dialogue with the Kashmiris to ensure peace in the Valley before talking about other things like "Balochistan". "The situation in is very bad. It is getting worse by the day. The central government has failed in taking proper steps in . We gave many opportunities to the Prime Minister to address the issue in the Parliament. It was discussed in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha at least six times, but he did not participate in the debate," senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, addressing mediapersons. "We all hoped that he would show his sympathy and love for the people of and also appeal to them for peace. But he failed to take advantage of this opportunity. Still, he has not appealed to the people of Kashmir," he added. Azad also said the Prime Minister should put his house in order before talking about other things like "Balochistan." "He is talking on other issues, but not talking about his own home. His politics is centred around how to get votes, no matter even if his house is on fire. So, we request him to first put your house in order and then talk about other things," he said. "He is not talking on the real issue. He is only talking here and there. First stop the killings in Kashmir. At least two-five people get killed in the Valley everyday. Both civilians and security forces are getting killed. Save the crown of India first, and then he should do other things like visiting Pakistan on its Prime Minister's (Nawaz Sharif) daughter's wedding," he added. Azad further said: "There is no dialogue. He should engage with the people. At least talk to the people in Kashmir." --IANS sid/rn/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An Indian wild elephant that crossed over from northeast India to Bangladesh during a flood has died of heat-induced heart failure, doctors said after an autopsy. The elephant, christened Bangabahadur (Hero of Bengal), died on Tuesday at Sharishabarhi Upazila's Koyra village in Jamalpur, media reports said. The Sharishabarhi Upazila Chief Executive formed a three-strong committee to conduct the elephant's autopsy, bdnews24 reported. A veterinary surgeon told reporters, "Bangabahadur died of heart failure triggered by insufferable heat." The bull elephant, weighing some five tonnes, was laid to rest at Koyra after the autopsy. The elephant was washed across the border from Assam in the strong currents of the Brahmaputra and had entered Bangladesh through Kurhigram border on June 26. It travelled a few hundred kilometres into Bangladesh to Sirajganj via Gaibandha and Jamalpur and then travelled back to Jamalpur. On August 11, authorities managed to rescue it after tranquilising it, and tied it with ropes and shackles to stop it from running away again. However, the elephant broke away from the shackles and strayed to a muddy farmland where it stayed till Tuesday. All attempts to move it from there went in vain, and it died. Locals allege the elephant died due to negligence of the forest department officials. Tapan Kumar Dey, a former Forest Conservator who led the rescue attempts, said, "We tried our best to rescue Bangabahadur and keep the elephant alive. Its death has pained us." --IANS ask/rn (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Myanmar State Counsellor who left Yangon on Wednesday for an official visit to Beijing, will discuss the peace process in her country and Chinese projects such as the controversial Myitsone dam. Suu Kyi, also the Foreign Minister, is expected to meet Chinese leadership and exchange views on the bilateral relations and cooperation, Xinhua news agency reported. This will be Suu Kyi's first visit to China as a government representative. She had earlier visited the country in June last year as head of the Myanmarese opposition at the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang. Sources from Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party said Myanmar and China were committed to maintaining close and friendly ties. Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, has convened a national meeting on August 31 with ethnic minorities to try and find a political solution to decades of separatist struggles. Greater autonomy is the main demand of nearly all ethnic minorities in the country, including Chin, Kachin, Karen, Kayah, Mon, Rakain and Shan communities, together representing over 30% of Myanmar's 53 million population. The agenda of Suu Kyi's five-day visit also includes discussions on the Myitsone dam, a $3.6 billion Chinese project that was to be built on the Ayeyarwady river. It was suspended by the-then Myanmarese President Thein Sein after being denounced by environmentalists and residents. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Myanmar in April, a few days after the new NLD-led government came to power. Following over half a century of rule by military generals, the Burmese voted Suu Kyi's party to power in the historic general elections on November 8, 2015. Suu Kyi was ineligible to run for the president due to a clause in the military-drafted 2008 Constitution, and the post was taken up by her close aide Htin Kyaw. The Nobel laureate holds the portfolios of Foreign Minister, Minister of the President's Office and State Counsellor, a post created especially for her which is equivalent to that of the leader of the government. According to the Crisis Group, Myanmar's toughest challenge right now is to balance its political and economic relations globally and renew ties with China, its main trading partner and largest source of foreign direct investment. Two persons were killed and six injured after trees fell on them as a fresh gale pounded a rain-drenched Kolkata on Wednesday evening, throwing normal life out of gear. One person was killed and six injured close to the Jadavpur University on the S.C. Mullick Road in south Kolkata when a tree fell on them, police said. The injured, two of them serious, are admitted in a hospital. An uprooted tree took another life in the Beliaghata area. The nagging rain caused water-logging in several parts of the city. The downpour increased in intensity in the evening as the gale with speeds of 70 km per hour lashed the eastern metropolis, felling trees and branches which blocked important thoroughfares. "The city recorded 24.2 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours and witnessed winds with a speed of 70 km an hour at 7.05 p.m.," the Met office said. "With the well marked low pressure concentrating into a depression over the Bay of Bengal, heavy rains are likely to continue," it said. Commuters, including people returning from offices, faced the brunt of the rain and gale as many of the areas were choked. Trains services were also disrupted in the Sealdah South division with uprooted trees falling on overhead wires. "Train service was disrupted due to fall of trees on the overhead cable at Sonarpur area in the Sealdah South division. The rescue work is in progress and the service will resume soon," said an Eastern Railway spokesperson. City Mayor Sovan Chatterjee said 22 teams have been pressed into service to remove the uprooted trees and clear the roads. "We are working on a war footing. We have started cutting down trees. The fire brigade, Kolkata Municipal Corporation men and the police are working in tandem," he said. --IANS ssp/tsb/bg (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Minister for Food Processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Wednesday tied 'rakhis' to the Border Security Force (BSF) troopers deployed on the international border at Attari, 30 km from Amritsar. Along with the minister, girls from colleges and schools, and also social activists tied 'rakhis' on the officers and troopers of the force. Kaur said the security forces, especially the BSF, were guarding the borders of the country and keeping it safe. She also distributed sweets to the troopers. The ceremony took place near the border gates of India and Pakistan here. Rakshabandhan, the festival that symbolises the brother-sister bond, will be celebrated throughout the country on Thursday. --IANS js/ss/vm (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With reference to Raghu Krishnan's report, "Brexit tremor hits Infosys" (August 16), the UK's decision to exit the European Union (EU) has highlighted the importance of country risk analysis in the export business. How did a company of the size of overlook Brexit, when it was known that there was a good chance of the UK leaving the EU at least two years ago? All export majors - whether in information technology or automobiles - should carry out rigorous country risk analysis. Recently, Bajaj Auto faced a receivables crisis for its exports to Nigeria. While payments were guaranteed through a letter of credit, the local government was restricting the outflow of dollars due to a currency crisis in that country. In such cases, local importers are not accountable as they have already cleared their dues in local currency. A top-level secretary in the government known to share his on most matters economic without much hesitation, refused to comment on the monetary policy announcement by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last week. Insiders said the secretary did not want a conflict of interest to arise, as he was also in the long list of contenders for the governor's position. The government has kept contenders guessing about the new appointment since mid-June when the incumbent, Raghuram Rajan, made it known that he would not be seeking a second term as governor and would go back to academia instead. With an eye on consolidating the 'Marathi vote' ahead of the crucial BMC polls, MNS chief on Wednesday, said the BJP-led government should implement a domicile policy like the one implemented in Jharkhand to protect the interests of locals. Talking to reporters after meeting Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis here early this morning, Thackeray said if the policy is implemented, it will benefit the residents of the state. "Jharkhand is implementing such a policy and we should also do the same," he said, adding, outsiders benefit from the government schemes. According to Jharkhand's new domicile policy, those who have been living in the state in pursuance of their business or jobs and have acquired immovable assets in the last 30 years, or their children, would be considered residents of the state. Also, those having their or their ancestors' names in the land records in the survey already conducted would be considered having domicile of the state. During the meeting with Fadnavis, Thackeray discussed issues like the state government's stand on compulsion of Marathi for auto-taxi permits. Granting partial relief to autorickshaw drivers, the Bombay High Court's Nagpur bench had earlier this year ordered a status quo on Marathi language test, made mandatory by the state government for seeking auto permits. "We respect court, but court can't intervene in all matters. The court should have asked state government to take a call. Why is the state and central government there? It has become a trend that anyone approaches court and takes stay on the government's order," Thackeray said. The MNS chief also raised his concern about suspected ISIS activity in the state. "Due to non-implementation of the domicile policy, anyone is coming and staying here. The government does not know from where suspects have come," he said. Despite assurances, Marathi hasn't been declared a classical language, he said. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are due early next year. JAKARTA - Maritime authorities from Indonesia and Malaysia continue searching for a missing Malaysian fuel tanker, which was previously reported to be hijacked after it left a port in the country, Indonesian navy said here on Wednesday. The captain of MT Vier Harmoni tanker contacted his agent at 12:00 am local time Wednesday, but did not tell the position of the vessel, commander of the Indonesia's western naval command Admiral S. Irawan said. "Until now, WFOR (Indonesian maritime authorities) and MMEA (Malaysian maritime authorities) continuously coordinate and search for the missing MT Vier Harmoni tanker," he said in a statement. Vier Harmoni tanker carrying 900,000 liters of diesel fuel reportedly disappeared from a seaport in Kuantan of Malaysia on Tuesday. After coordinating with the Malaysian maritime authorities, Admiral Irawan said that the tanker operated by PT Vierlines has not been hijacked, but it has been likely taken over by its own crew in a dispute with the management of the company. "(Our) temporary conclusion is that the tanker was not hijacked, but it has been taken over by its own crew, and was turned back to Batam Island (Indonesia)," the admiral disclosed. "The captain of the vessel has twice contacted Malaysian maritime authorities, saying that the tanker will be taken back into Batam because of an internal management problem," Irawan added. For years, small fuel tankers sailing off Southeast Asian coast have been targeted by groups of armed thieves, with the aim of stealing and selling the oil, and recently abduction perpetrated by Abu Sayyaf group in the Southern Philippines has also been on the rise in the area. This year, a total of 25 Indonesian seamen have been kidnapped by the group, which always demand ransoms; so far only 14 have been released. Three persons have been arrested for allegedly attempting to loot a trader in Kashmere Gate area last month, police said today. The accused -- Rashid (23), Mohit Kumar (22) and Luvkush (22) -- were arrested from near Kudesia Ghat close to Kashmere Gate ISBT on August 15 following a tip-off, said Ravindra Yadav, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch). The accused had allegedly tried to snatch a bag containing cash from the employees of a trader on Lothian Road on July 16. The accused had also fired at one of the employees, Amarjeet, after they failed to snatch the cash bag, he said. Luvkush, who had worked with the trader, hatched the conspiracy to loot, the officer said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four persons have been arrested in connection with the attack on senior BJP leader Brijpal Teotia and five others in Ghaziabad and will be booked under the National Security Act, police said today. Shooters Nishant alias Jeetu, Rahul Tyagi, Ramkumar and Jitendra alias Popey have been arrested by a joint team of STF and police from Muradnagar area of Ghazibad last night, ADG, Law and order, Daljeet Chowdhury told reporters here. In Ghaziabad, I G (Meerut Range) Sujit Pandey said that the four arrested, jailed under appropriate sections IPC, will be booked under National Security Act and Gangster act. The incident was fallout of old enmity with family of Suresh Diwan, who was murdered in 1999 in Mahrauli village and Teotia was named in it, both the officers said. Diwan's son Manish and Vikky and nephew Manoj had planned the attack to take revenge and arranged weapons like AK-47, carbine and pistols, Chowdhury said. During interrogation names of other youths involved in the incident also came up and attempts are on to nab them, he said. The attack on Teotia took place at Raoli Road under Muradnagar police station in Ghaziabad on August 11 and five people were also injured in the incident. Teotia, who had contested the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election from Muradnagar constituency, was on his way to Ghaziabad when the incident occurred, Chowdhury said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The AAP government is all set to introduce a Bill in the Delhi Assembly to do away with luxury tax on hotels having rent up to Rs 1,500 after Lt Governor Najeeb Jung gave his approval to the proposal. As per the Delhi Tax on Luxuries Act (1996), any person who stays in a hotel room whose tariff is Rs 750 per day or above, has to pay luxury tax. "The Lt Governor has given his nod to the proposal to do away with luxury tax on hotel renting up to Rs 1,500. The AAP government will thus table the Bill in the upcoming Assembly session," said a senior government official. If the Assembly passes the Bill, staying at the city's budget hotels will become cheaper, a move aimed at ensuring ease of business and attracting tourists to the national capital. Places like Paharganj, Karol Bagh, Mahipalpur and Daryaganj in the city have many budget hotels. The four-day Assembly session will begin on August 22 during which the GST Bill may be ratified, as the Centre aims to get the legislation cleared by at least half of the 29 states to roll out the new tax regime. In March, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had announced that the government would reduce the threshold limit of luxury tax on a hotel room from Rs 750 to Rs 1,500 per day while presenting the 2016-17 budget. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has referred to Goa government the complaint filed with it accusing Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg of accepting bribe, a senior police officer said today. "We have referred the matter to the state government. We are waiting for their decision," Superintendent of Police (ACB) Vimal Kumar Gupta told PTI. Gupta said it is for the state government to take a decision in the matter. Garg had denied the allegations against him. "Normally all such cases, whenever there is a complaint against a gazetted officer..It is referred to the state government," Gupta said. "The state Chief Secretary, who is also Chief Vigilance Officer, will take call on it," the SP said. A Vasco-based businessman, Munnalal Halwai, had complained to the Chief Minister, the ACB and also filed a petition in a special court against IGP Garg accusing him of accepting bribe of Rs 5.5 lakh to file an FIR in the complaint filed by him at Ponda police station. Halwai had also produced audio recording along with the complaint. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar while terming the allegations against IGP as "serious" had said an inquiry by a non-police officer would be conducted into the matter. The matter was also raised during the recently held Goa Legislative Assembly session wherein legislators had demanded a probe into the complaint. Goa Forward Party had demanded that the IGP be suspended from the post pending inquiry. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) : Madras High Court has directed police to act on a complaint by a city lawyer against advocates of Thiruvannamalai Bar Association that they had assaulted him after questioning his presence there when he had gone to attend a case. Justice P N Prakash passed the orders on a Criminal Original Petition filed by D Balaji, who sought a direction to register a case on his complaint which he had sent by Registered Post to police in that town. Balaji submitted he had gone to the police station in that town to file a complaint, but around 25 lawyers from the local bar prevented him from appearing before the police officer concerned. "Petitioner is directed to appear before the respondent police in person and lodge a fresh complaint containing the very same contents filed previously dated July 15 2016. The same should be enquired into separately and action be taken in accordance with law if it discloses cognizable offence or drop action otherwise." Balaji submitted that he had gone to District Sessions Court at Thiruvannamalai on July 14 to file a section for enquiry about a Criminal Miscellaneous Petition. Thiruvannamalai Bar Association president V Ramakrishnan and Vice president G Rajendran approached him and questioned his credentials and demanded his ID card,which he showed. Ramakrishnan then suddenly started shouting at him and asked him if he was a big shot and was going to appear before district Court on July 15, to which he replied he had only come to note some details with regard to a case. To this, Ramakrishnan told the petitioner he was an advocate in Madras High court and questioned his necessity to come to the town, took the ID card along with him and asked him to follow him. Balaji submitted that another lawyer standing nearby made a phone call, following which about 10 to 15 advocates came to the spot, started abusing him in filthy language and then assaulted him. Balaji submitted he did not file a complaint before police due to severe pain after the assault and for security reasons sent it through Registered post to them on July 15,for which he was given CSR (Community Service Receipt). The petitioner prayed for a direction from the Court to register a complaint and investigate the matter. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All India Democratic Women's Association today sought a high-level inquiry into the affairs of Isha Foundation, following several allegations against its functioning. "Since allegations against the Foundation and Isha Yoga Centre, attached to it, are coming in of late, the Government should call for an inquiry into the functioning of the organisation, so that truth comes out," AIDWA president U Vasuki told reporters here. Several persons, including a retired professor, had lodged complaints about the Centre, she said. Vasuki, also a CPI-M Central Committee member, said "spiritualism and bhakthi have become commercial now". A National Commission for Women team had visited the Isha Yoga Centre here yesterday to confirm veracity of letters sent to it by two women sanyasins stating that they were staying in the centre on their own volition and not forcibly as alleged by their parents. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Domestic budget carrier AirAsia India today announced the induction of seventh aircraft to its fleet with the introduction of Hyderabad to its network of destinations. AirAsia India's seventh A320, 180-seater one class aircraft, will be operational from September 22, and connect Hyderabad with Bengaluru and Goa on a daily basis, the company officials said. The AirAsia flight will also connect Bengaluru to Guwahati with a daily service, they said. The airline is offering tickets in the range of Rs 1,499 to Rs 5,499. "This lucky seven aircraft is the beginning of our journey to get to 20 aircraft as soon as possible over the course of next multiple months. This aircraft will operate on our new routes from September 22, 2016," AirAsia India CEO Amar Abrol told reporters here. "....AirAsia India's entire team is working towards realising 20 aircraft as soon as possible, but these things take a bit of time. We have to get the aircraft, we have to get the pilots, it's all work in progress," he added. AirAsia India that started its operations on June 12 2014 said with the addition of one more sector it will be now flying to 11 destinations with its hubs in Bengaluru and New Delhi covering Chandigarh, Jaipur, Guwahati, Imphal, Goa, Pune, Vizag, Kochi and Hyderabad in its network of destinations. Stating that AirAsia India's market share now is 2.2 per cent, Abrol said, "it is constantly growing, we have just crossed three million passengers, year on year growth in number passengers flown on us is about 54 per cent , we have an amazing load factor- we clocked about 86 per cent on average..." He said "we are very very India focused, we will certainly continue to invest and grow our network in India...We are investing in aircraft, my board has cleared the funding, it's a matter of time when we get to 20 (aircraft)." Not wishing to comment on the funding that has been cleared by the board, Abrol said it is a "significant millions of dollar investment that's has been approved." Noting that the airline is working on a network plan, he said "largely over the period of time we are connecting more and more to Goa which is the party capital of India. We are certainly growing our network where BPOs, KPOs, the youth are, and connecting the dots. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) High-profile Indian billionaire businessman Pankaj Oswal's wife today told an Australian court that top ANZ executives forced her to sign the guarantee of over 1 billion dollars and a mortgage despite she making clear that shedid not want to be liable for her husband's debts. Pankaj and his wife Radhika Oswal are fighting a legal battle against the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) for allegedly undervaluing shares of their fertiliser company to recoup millions in debts. The Victorian court heard thatANZ chief legal officer BobSantamaria told Radhika that her childrenwould be "orphans" if they did not sign a guarantee, media reported. The court heard ANZ sought the guarantee after it emerged that Pankaj hadforgeddocuments to show his company, Burrup Fertilisers, had the support of European banks ahead of getting a further 1 billion dollars in loans from ANZ. Radhika told the court she was told as "Both of them will go to jail and the children wouldbecome orphans. You played a part in defrauding the bank and you would go to jail too." Stating that it was unjustified for the bank to drag her into her husband's problems, she said, "I thought they'd gone nuts or something and I wasn't going to be party to it." The couple have filed a lawsuit againstANZ and receivers PPB Advisory claiming damages worth 2.5 billion dollars over the sale of a 65 per cent stake in Burrup Holdings, in 2012. Theysold their share in the company for 560 million dollars. The court heard thatANZ pressured them into under sell their share and ANZ chief risk officer Chris Page told Pankajto "bloody well sign the documents or we will destroy you" during negotiations in 2009. "We had an arrangement. I had said I would sign and they had said they would not report the matter and our lives would go on as normal," Radhikasaid while referringto ANZ chief risk officer Chris Page who hadtold her that he wouldnot report her husband's alleged fraud to Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority if she agreed to sign the guarantee. She said thatPage told her"You are here because none of us want this to come out. If we wanted this to come out don't you think that we would have already reported the matter and sent Pankaj to jail." Radhika also told the court she witnessed the physical altercation between ANZ chief risk officer Chris Page and her husband at a meeting in Melbourne on December 20, 2009. "His [Page's] arm was aroundPankaj, around his shoulders, and he was towering over him...As soon as I saw this he stopped... Pankajwas very red-faced," shetold the court. She said her husband left the preliminary meeting with Page furious, telling his wife "They are very angry. He [Page] is very angry. We better sign the documents. We bloody well better sign the document," the court heard. The Oswals have sued ANZ bank for 1.5 billion dollars after it allegedly seized and sold their Western Australian fertiliser company for 560 million dollars which the family claim was worth 1.385 billion dollars. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In the backdrop of the ongoing unrest in Kashmir, Chief of Army StaffGeneral Dalbir Singh today visited several Army formations and reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Singh, accompanied by Northern Army Commander Lieutenant General D S Hooda, visited various formations of the Nagrota-based White Knight Corps, Defence Spokesman said. Singh's visit assumes significance in view of the unrest in Kashmir and mounting terrorist attacks in the Valley on security forces. The Army Chief was briefed by 16 Corps GoC Lieutenant General RR Nimbhorkar about the preparedness of White Knight Corps in dealing with the emerging and dynamically changing security situation and the measures taken to thwart any misadventure by the inimical forces, he said. The Corps Commander highlighted the measures adopted to counter infiltration through employment of an effective counter infiltration grid backed by synergised surveillance and intelligence backed operations. Singh also visited Doda, Reasi and Rajouri wherein he was briefed on the operational readiness and security situation by the respective general officers. Complimenting the formations for their unflinching efforts in handling the situation, Singh reiterated on the continued need to remain vigilant in order to counter the nefarious designs of the inimical elements. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An army soldier was today shot dead allegedly by his colleague who later surrendered at an army camp in Rajouri district here, police said. Sepoy Drinder Kumar had some argument with his colleague Sepoy Mohmmad Mullah at Animal Transport Company (ATC) unit in Ghambir area here following which he opened fire with his INSAS rifle at Mullah and killed him, they said. Kumar escaped from the spot but later surrendered, police said, adding a case has been registered against him. The body has been handed over to army after postmortem, they said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Around 300 bottles of foreign liquor were on Wednesday, seized from two districts of where a total prohibition is in place and five people, including two women, were arrested. Acting on a tip off that a huge consignment of foreign liquor was being smuggled into from Jharkhand, police increased vigilance at the inter-state border and found 214 bottles in a single car at Nauaghat Mor in Munger district. District Superintendent of Police Ashish Bharti said police arrested Rohit Singh, who runs an upscale hotel in Ranchi, and seized 11 ATM cards from him. He was later sent to jail, the SP said, adding, his two accomplices managed to give police a slip. Four persons, including two women, were arrested by excise officials for possessing foreign and country liquor while checking a bus at an integrated checkpost at Rajauli in Nawada district. Excise Department Superintendent Prem Prakash said 83 bottles of foreign liquor, including a bottle of champagne have been recovered from the two women. The bottles were packed in nine bags and kept in the bus which was on way to Biharsharif from Kolkata. Prem Prakash said the women were identified as residents of Biharsharif, the headquarter town Nalanda district. One bottle of foreign liquor was seized from another person and and one and half litres of country-made liquor was seized from another. Both of them were arrested, he said. The first was identified as a resident of Sheikhpura district and the other of Simdega district of Jharkhand, Prem Prakash added. A Bangladeshi court today issued arrest warrants against 67 BNP leaders and activists, including top aides of former prime minister Khaleda Zia, in a case related to last year's violent campaign spearheaded by the opposition party in which more than 100 people died. "The court issued the warrant taking into cognizance a case against them under the (tough) Special Powers Act," an official of Metropolitan Sessions Judges Court said. Justice Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after accepting the charges pressed against 93 people but issued the warrants against 67 people - including BNP's vice chairman and former minister Selima Rahman, Zia's press secretary Maruf Kamal Sohel and her special aide Shimul Biswas. The court directed the police to submit a report on October 10 on the execution of the warrants. Legal experts, however, said the accused might seek the reversal of the order by a High Court. Police earlier said that the 67 people were accused of attacking and damaging buses and cars and obstructing police in discharging duties in a particular incident at Mugda area of the capital in February last year. More than 100 people died in arson attacks on vehicles. The BNP-led four-party alliance boycotted the January 2014 general elections saying polls with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government in power would not be credible. And the main opposition party outside the Parliament waged a protracted and violent street campaign coinciding with the first anniversary of the second consecutive term of the incumbent regime. BNP and its right-wing allies had enforced a nationwide blockade last year. Zia and 50 other leaders and activists of her party were charged earlier in a Dhaka court in two cases over the violence. Police accused her of instigating party activists to torch buses and trigger explosions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A court at Una in Gir Somnath district today remanded 15 accused in police custody in connection with an attack on a group of Dalits, who were returning to Bhavnagar after attending a protest rally in Una on August 15. Five other accused, out of a total of twenty arrested in this case, were sent to judicial custody by the court. "The Additional District and Sessions court in Una remanded 15 accused to police remand till August 19, while five others were sent to judicial custody. The investigation into the case is on," Inspector in Una town police station H S Vaghela said. The attack had taken place at Samter village near Una, in which 12 Dalits were injured, eight of them seriously. Some police officials were also attacked when they tried to control the violent mob that targeted the Dalits. Police lobbed over 40 teargas shells and fired six rounds in the air to control the mob. The arrested accused have been booked on the charges of rioting and assault. Some of them have also been booked for attempt to murder. According to police, the attackers were residents of Samter, a village near Mota Samadhiyala village, where seven Dalits were brutally thrashed for skinning a dead cow. The victims claimed that the residents of Samter attacked them to avenge the arrest of 12 people of the village in connection with last month's Una Dalit flogging case. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to review the decision of appointing an Administrator of Chandigarh, saying the capital city belongs to Punjab and its right over it can never be "diluted or compromised with". In a statement, Badal also asked the Centre not to "disturb" the time tested convention and practice of keeping the Governor of Punjab as the Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh. While urging Modi to review the decision, he said it violates the premise under which the arrangement was originally made, which was that Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and has to be transferred to the state. Badal also spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue this evening. He reiterated that Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and the right of the state on its capital city can never be "diluted or compromised". Holding the successive Congress governments' squarely responsible for "injustice and discrimination" against Punjab, Badal said Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi went "back on solemn pledges" made to the people of Punjab on the floor of the parliament regarding the transfer of Chandigarh. He dismissed Amarinder Singh's statement on the subject today as "nothing more than a case of a crocodile shedding tears. "Will captain Singh please tell Punjabis as to who kept Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking areas out of Punjab? Will he also tell why the city was not transferred to Punjab on January 26, 1986, as promised under the Rajiv-Longowal Accord which he now talks about? Will he also tell why did he not resign as senior minister in the Punjab government when the Rajiv Gandhi government at the centre had betrayed Punjabis at the eleventh hour on the midnight of January 25-26, 1986," Badal said. "Amarinder or any other Congress leader has no moral right to speak on the subject," he said, adding "they are the real culprits for Chandigarh being denied to Punjab as well as other acts of injustice and discrimination against the state." Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also condemned the Centre on the appointment of Administrator and described the move as "anti-Punjab". The party demanded Badals' should clarify their stand on the decision. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Balochistan is Pakistan's most complicated region and significant parts of the restive provinceare not necessarily controlled by the government, according to a former Pakistani diplomat. "Balochistan is Pakistan's most complicated region, and unfortunately people try to simplify the problems there. It is not all about the mistakes of the Pakistani military, or the corruption of civilians in power, or the nationalists, or the presence of the Taliban. It is all those things," the former Pakistan Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, said in an interview to The Atlantic magazine. Noting that significant parts of Balochistan are not necessarily controlled by Pakistan's central government, Haqqani said the ethnic Baloch areas have a greater sympathy for nationalists who would like to see either an independent or autonomous Balochistan. "The army tries to suppress them, sometimes with the help of religious extremists," he said. "Also, the elected government in the province did not get significant mandates because the Baloch parties boycotted the last election and many people were elected with the low turnout of 10, 12, in some places 15 per cent. So these political leaders are seen by the majority of Baloch as the puppets of Islamabad," he added. Responding to a question on freedom movement in Balochistan, Haqqani said this goes back to the country's creation, when the Muslim majority part of India left and became Pakistan. "Some Baloch leaders say Balochistan's integration into Pakistan was done forcefully. But more important than that is the neglect. This is a resource-rich province, and instead of the people benefitting from those resources, they end up in other parts of Pakistan," he said. The Pakistani military, he said, has to have a clear definition of who it considers the enemy. Instead of cultivating one group of jihadi and fighting others, it needs to go after all jihadi and extremist groups. "It also needs to start a process of reconciliation with the Baloch nationalists. These are citizens of Pakistan who feel they have been neglected, and therefore are feeling restive and unhappy. Putting in more troops is only going to escalate the violence. Not end it," Haqqani said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Banks can confiscate security in case of loan default as President Pranab Mukherjee has given assent to a law aimed at faster recovery and resolution of bad debts. The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Act, 2016, has received nod from the President and it has been notified, officials said today. The Act amends four laws -- the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (Sarfaesi) Act, 2002, the Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions (RDDBFI) Act, 1993, the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, and the Depositories Act, 1996 -- and simplifies the procedure to ensure quick disposal of pending cases of banks and financial institutions by the Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT). The new legislation is not applicable to loans for agricultural land as well as student loans, they said. The Lok Sabha had passed the bill in this regard on August 1. The Rajya Sabha gave its nod to the proposed law on August 9. The development assumes significance as it comes against the backdrop of the episode involving industrialist Vijay Mallya, who owes Rs 9,000 crore to banks, but has left the country to take refuge in England. The changes in the Sarfaesi Act allows creditors to take possession over a collateral, against which a loan had been provided, upon default in repayment. The amendments in the RDDBFI Act increases the retirement age of Presiding Officers of DRTs to 65 years from 62 years. It also increases the retirement age of chairpersons of Appellate Tribunals to 67 years from 65 years. It also makes Presiding Officers and Chairpersons eligible for reappointments. The Act has provision that stamp duty will not be charged on transactions undertaken for transfer of financial assets (loans and collaterals) in favour of asset reconstruction companies. Replying to a debate in the Rajya Sabha on August 9, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had emphasised the need for "firmness coupled with fairness" in recovering bad loans. If loan has been taken, it must be repaid, he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Ben Whishaw is in negotiations for an important role in "Mary Poppins Returns". If things workout, the 35-year-old British actor will play the grown-up version of Michael Banks, joining Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda in the sequel to 1964's 'Mary Poppins'," said The Hollywood Reporter. Rob Marshall will direct the project, which is set for a December 25, 2018 release. The film reunites the helmer and Blunt after they worked together in 2014's "Into the Woods". The 33-year-old actress has been tapped to portray the titular character. Streep is in talks to play the role of Mary Poppins' cousin Topsy. Set in Depression-era London, the sequel follows a now-grown Jane and Michael Banks, who, along with Michael's three children, are visited by the enigmatic Mary Poppins following a personal loss. Through her unique magical skills and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Billy Bob Thornton has refused claims that he had an affair with Johnny Depp's ex-wife, Amber Heard. The 61-year-old "Fargo" star said he never used to hang out with Amber off set, apart from a cast dinner, and barely spent time with Heard, reported Hello! magazine. The actor also revealed that their relationship was only professional and he rarely even spoke to Depp either. Depp, who settled his divorce from Heard yesterday, had claimed she cheated on him with Thornton in March last year. Heard, however, strongly denied the cheating claims. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The son of Al-Qaeda's slain founder Osama bin Laden has urged Saudis to "overthrow" the kingdom's rulers in order to "free" themselves from US influence, SITE Intelligence Group reported today. In an undated audio message, Hamza bin Laden urged Saudi youth to join the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to "gain the necessary experience" to fight, according to SITE. Classified by the United States as the network's deadliest franchise, AQAP was formed in January 2009 as a merger of the Yemeni and Saudi branches of Al-Qaeda. Yemen is the ancestral home of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who was killed in Pakistan in 2011 by an elite team of US Navy SEALS after a decade on the run. US intelligence officials have said that 23-year-old Hamza was the favourite son of the 9/11 mastermind who had been grooming him to take over as Al-Qaeda's leader. On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death, experts have noted Hamza's increasing prominence among jihadists in comparison to that of Egyptian Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. A Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed rebels in Yemen as well as Sunni jihadists who have joined AQAP and the Islamic State group. Saudi authorities in 1994 stripped Osama bin Laden of his nationality after he issued fatwas, or Islamic religious pronouncements, denouncing both the royal family and the US. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi government today alleged in the High Court that BJP MLA O P Sharma, who was suspended from the Assembly for two sessions for allegedly making derogatory remarks against AAP legislator Alka Lamba, has been engaged in "immoral, violent and appalling behaviour" in the past too. The Delhi government made the allegation before Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva while opposing the maintainability of Sharma's plea challenging his suspension. "This is not the first instance of unruly and unethical conduct on the part of the petitioner (Sharma). He has been repeatedly engaged in immoral, violent and appalling behaviour in the past. In one such instance, he was penalised by the House on the basis of recommendations of the Ethics Committee for causing damage to the microphones in the House. "An amount of Rs 18,560 was recovered from him towards the cost of the microphone on a motion moved in the Assembly under Rule 107 and adopted on December 3, 2015. He was also warned against resorting to such misconduct in future," the Delhi government said in its reply filed through advocate Peeyoosh Kalra. The AAP government's response came in the backdrop of a court notice issued to it in June this year after the parties failed to settle the matter amicably. Denying the charge, Sharma's counsel said the decision of the Delhi assembly to suspend him was "patently illegal" as it infringed upon his freedom of speech privilege. His counsel also said the Delhi government has no right to represent Delhi Legislative Assembly. The counsel contended that the assembly cannot be "immune" from being made a party. The Delhi government counsel on the other hand said the Delhi Assembly should not have been made a party in the matter and it should have been the Delhi government instead. Observing that the assembly was not issued notice as per the last order, the court issued notice to it and listed the matter for hearing on August 22. The direction came while hearing of the petition filed by Sharma, who was present in the courtroom today, against his suspension from the House on March 31 for the next two sessions. The court did not pass any interim order on Sharma's submission that his plea be decided as the House will assemble again for six days from August 22. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) At least two security personnel were killed and three others injured today after they were targeted by a remote-controlled blast in northwest Pakistan's restive tribal region, security official said. The incident occurred in Rajgal area of Tirah Valley, considered to be the last bastion of outlawed militant groups in Khyber Agency. The militants targeted the security forces personnel through remote control device during an operation. Two soldiers were killed on the spot while three others wounded. The blast occurred at the time when security personnel wereadvancing towards terrorists hideouts. Security forces had killed 15 militants in air strikes in Rajgal valley yesterday. The media reports said that the forces heavily targeted militants' compound about two weeks ago to flush them out from their hideouts in Rajgal valley. At least 2,500 residents of Rajgal had long vacated the valley after the Taliban and activists of the banned Lashkar-i-Islam forcibly occupied their houses. "Most of these houses were converted into training camps, ammunition depots, private prisons and torture cells, with at least one being used as a suicide jackets manufacturing factory," said a resident of Rajgal, who now lives in Jamrud. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) office here was today vandalised by members of a little known Brahmin outfit, which has claimed responsibility for the act. The outfit, Brahma Padkar Group, said it attacked the party office to protest against a "derogatory" statement made against Brahmin community by an AAP member at Una. Head of Brahma Padkar Group, Amrish Jani said, "AAP party worker from Una, Sangeeta Chadpa, had used derogatory words against Brahmins during her address there. Our demand was that she should be expelled from the party. But since it was not fulfilled, we registered our protest." AAP meanwhile alleged that the attack was organised by "BJP-sponsored goons", in which plastic chairs, glass cabins, a fan, a fax machine were among the items that were broken. "Around ten persons entered our office and without any provocation, they started breaking glass cabins of the conference room, chairs, table, fax machine and other items placed there," said party spokesperson Harshil Nayak. The office is situated on the sixth floor of a multi-storey building located in Navrangpura locality here. The AAP had started functioning from the office around a month back even as it tries to expand its base in the state in view of the Gujarat Assembly election in 2017. Nayak said the daylight attack, despite having a police station in the vicinity, indicated that the attackers had the backing of the ruling BJP government. "BJP goons are behind the attack. They are resorting to their tried and tested tactic of intimidating the opponents into submission through threats and attacks like these," he said. It is being alleged that Gir-Somnath district president of AAP Sangeeta Chadpa had allegedly used derogatory words against Brahmin community while addressing a gathering after the Una dalit flogging incident of July 11. AAP has filed a complaint with the police seeking action against those involved in attacking their office. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) 42 delegates from BRICS countries will be attending a two-day meeting of BRICS Women Parliamentarian Forum to be inaugurated by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan here on Saturday. "A total of 42 delegates from the BRICS countries are attending the meeting which will have different plenary sessions on August 20 and 21," Prithvi Raj, secretary of the Rajasthan Vidhansabh, said here today. BRICS is a five-nation grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. There will be 5 women parliamentarians from Brazil, 3 from Russia, 28 from India, 2 from China and 4 from South Africa, Raj said. Mahajan will address the inaugural session on August 20 which will be followed by plenary session with the theme of 'Perspectives on implementation of SDGs'. First session with the theme of 'Achieving SDGs - Role of Women Parliamentarians in involving Citizens' will be held on the first day. Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje will deliver the valedictory address and the Lok Sabha Speaker will deliver the concluding address on the second day. The delegates will visit Albert Hall, Amber Palace on Monday before their departure on Tuesday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shifting blame to Uttar Pradesh, Power Minister Piyush Goyal today made public documents to show Prime Minister Narendra Modi's electrification claim for Nagla Fatela village was based on information from the state and alleged that the government there was hiding its own "inefficiencies by blaming the Centre". Besides, Rural Electrification Corp, which comes under his ministry, sought clarification from UP's Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd (DVVNL) on reports about no power connections having been given to households, though the firm in October 2015 certified the village as electrified after laying of infrastructure using central funds. While talking about his government's achievement, Modi in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort claimed of huge success in bringing electricity to more villages and cited example of Nagla Fatela, three hours from Delhi, getting electricity after more than 70 years. This led to a political row, with the Uttar Pradesh government claiming the village had already been electrified in 1985. However, some reports have suggested that the village is yet to get fully-electrified. Countering the state government claims, Goyal said if the village in Hathras district was electrified way back in 1985, how come the village was in a series of reports from the state dating up to November 2013 identified among unelectrified ones and proposed to be provided with power using central fund. The State Level Standing Committee headed by Chief Secretary had in a note on November 13, 2013 shown the village unelectrified. A letter was sent by Managing Director of DVVNL (state power distribution company) to Central Government nodal agency REC for inclusion of Hathras in the Rural Electrification scheme. Nagla Fatela was shown as unelectrified village with zero households electrified, he said. The Centre, he said, approved fund allocation for the electrification in January 6, 2014 and utilising Central funds transmission line and other equipment were installed by October 20, 2015. DVVNL certified completion of electrification, he said adding after that it is the responsibility of the state government to supply electricity. "Clearly, Uttar Pradesh government is trying to hide its inefficiencies and inadequacies by blaming the Centre," Goyal said. Modi said on Monday, "Out of 18,000 unelectrified villages, more than 10,000 villages have been electrified (during NDA regime). The village of Nagla Fatela is only three hours from Delhi, but it took more than 70 years for it to get electricity. I have been told they are with us, watching this celebration of Independence Day." This kicked up a row as the village, according to reports, continues to be in darkness. "Yet villagers, according to the same reports, paid a monthly electricity bill. How?" wondered Goyal. He pointed to official communication received by his ministry since 2013 for electrification of Hathras district and the many villages within it, including Nagla Fatela. Sanction letter was issued in January 2014 and communication from DVVNL informed in November 2015 that the project for electrifying several villages, including Nagla Fatela, was completed. The completion certificate has signatures of state government officials as well as the contractor for the job, Accurate Transformers, in 2014. The notice sent by REC to DVVNL sought explanation on media reports that quoted chief engineer VS Gangwar as saying that the village was electrified many years ago, but only through "katia" (illegal) connections. "You may also clarify, why, if the infrastructure work had been completed and certified on October 30, as reported by DVVNL, no connection has so far been released to households, including BPL households and the infrastructure remained underutilised after spending public money, including GOI grant. In case your reply is not received within three days, action as deemed appropriate will be initiated," the notice said. After a gap of 32 years, Union Territory of Chandigarh will have a separate administrator, a charge held by the Punjab governor since the terrorism days in mid eighties, with BJP leader K J Alphons, better known for his demolition drive in Delhi, given the responsibility. The appointment of the 63-year-old former bureaucrat from Kerala and BJP executive committee member brings to an end Chandigarh's uniqueness in the country as having the governor of a neighbouring state as its administrator. "I am happy that the prime minister has reposed faith in me to give such a position. It's a great city... It's a great job... It will be nice to be there. I hope to utilise this chance in a good way," he told PTI on phone. "I will be joining next week as Administrator of the Union Territory," he said. "Though I don't know much about the city, but I have read a lot about it," Alphons said. On being told that his appointment will reverse the 32- year-old system of Punjab governor being the Chandigarh administrator, he said "It's a political decision," adding, "Chandigarh is capital of two states and it requires a full time administrator." A native of Manimala in Kottayam district in Kerala, Alphons, who had 27 years of bureaucratic experience, said, "The prime minister found me administratively compatible for the post of administrator." "I will work for the development of the city," Alphons, who had visited Chandigarh only once, said. One of the UPSC toppers of 1979, Alphons is known for his Delhi Development Authority (DDA) demolition drive in the 1990s. He left the IAS and joined BJP in 2011. The practice of appointing an Administrator of the UT designated as "Chief Commissioner" continued up to May 31, 1984. Thereafter, on June 1, 1984, the Governor of Punjab took over the direct administration of the Union Territory as the Administrator. "Chief Commissioner" was redesignated as "Adviser to the Administrator" from June 1, 1984. According to sources, the Parkash Singh Badal government will see this as not just a move to reduce the state government's stake in Chandigarh's functioning but also a step towards diluting its claim to Chandigarh. Punjab's demand for Chandigarh had been relegated to the back-burner and was talked about only in rhetoric terms. However, with less than six months to go for the assembly polls in the state, the issue has the potential to snowball into a major election issue and will give the SAD the much-needed political push in the run-up to the polls. Meanwhile, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh rejected the appointment, saying it was a blatantly unjust move aimed at snatching away Chandigarh from Punjab. "You either make the central government, of which your party is an important constituent, rescind the move or you withdraw your daughter-in-law Harsimrat Kaur Badal from the council of ministers," he told Badal. He said Congress will strongly protest and oppose the move in all available fora, including public and judicial, saying it not only subverts and undermines the Rajiv-Longowal Accord, but also threatens the hard earned peace in Punjab. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress Legislature Party chief in Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi today demanded that Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal be dropped from the cabinet while accusing him of "patronising mafias". Channi said his party will move for special discussion on the "deteriorating" law-and-order situation in the forthcoming session of the legislative assembly for which Sukhbir was "directly responsible" in his capacity as the Home Minister. "Going by the crime scenario during the last nine years, Sukhbir had no moral right to continue. His removal is virtually a precondition so that fear psychosis is not created during that period," he said. Quoting from an RTI reply, Channi claimed "every type of crime had multiplied including rapes and crime against women" despite claims made by the Deputy Chief Minister about Punjab being "the most peaceful state". "A total of 59,336 cases under various criminal categories have been registered in 15 districts. Punjab witnessed on an average two murder cases every day with a figure of 4,460 in 15 districts," he claimed. He also hit out at the government for the "increasing crime against women". "In all, 4,111 cases of rape were registered in 15 districts. The highest of 873 cases were registered in Jalandhar followed by 652 in Jalandhar and 353 in Hoshiarpur," he said. "Besides the rape cases, 15,181 cases were registered under crime against women over the period with 4,022 in Ludhiana, 2,560 in Jalandhar and 1508 in Amritsar," he added. Channi also questioned the government's claims about improvement in infrastructure including better roads, saying the road accident figures claim otherwise. "Punjab witnessed registration of an average 11 road accidents cases with aggregate figure being 27,149 cases in 15 districts," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Despite his anti-China rhetoric, Beijing may prefer US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for his promised anti-terror campaign against IS, which is reportedly attracting militant groups from its Muslim-majority Xinjiang region, state media reported today. "Trump's foreign policy, which centres around fighting what he calls 'radical Islamic terrorism,' will to some extent ease the current sour China-US ties," Liu Weidong, a researcher at the Institute of American Studies of the China Academy of Social Sciences, told state-run Global Times. "China and the US share a lot in common on fighting terrorism and Trump's policy seems to shift from the present focus on competition between major powers, which mainly targets China to anti-terrorism," Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Centre for US Studies at Fudan University said. China regards East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which is active among Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang bordering Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Afghanistan as main threat to the stability of the strategically-located province. Trump said on Monday that his administration will "aggressively pursue joint and coalition military operations to crush and destroy ISIS, international cooperation to cut off their funding, expand intelligence sharing and use cyber warfare to disrupt and disable their propaganda and recruiting". Observers said ETIM, which was previously aligned with al- Qaeda, reportedly shifted its allegiance to ISIS as substantial number of Uyghurs, a Turkik speaking Muslims from Xinjiang, made their way to Syria to fight along with it. Chinese officials apprehend that many of them may return with heavy training and battle experience posing a major challenge to Chinese security forces. While Pakistan has conducted military operations against the ETIM bases in its tribal areas, recent bombing in Balochistan's Quetta, purportedly by ISIS, caused concern here amid reports that many of the Sunni Islamic militant groups in Pakistan as well as sections of Taliban shifted allegiance to it. In a bid to prevent infiltration of militant, the armed forces of China and Pakistan recently launched joint patrolling along the PoK-Xinjiang border while Beijing formed a Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter Terrorism involving Afghanistan-China-Pakistan- Tajikistan Armed Forces to guard against militants threat to Xinjiang and the region. Its first meeting was held in Urumqi, the provincial capital of Xinjiang on August 2. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China will prosecute 26 people linked to a peer-to-peer lender for fraud and illegal fundraising, state media has said, in a case labelled a Ponzi scheme for allegedly bilking investors of USD 7.6 billion. Police have handed over the case involving P2P lender Ezubao to prosecutors, the Xinhua agency reported late yesterday. Authorities charged 11 people - including top executives of Ezubao's parent company Yucheng, chairman Ding Ning and president Zhang Min - of fraud while another 15 are accused of illegally obtaining investors' savings, the Beijing People's Procuratorate said in statement on its website. In a televised confession shown in February after suspects were arrested, Zhang said Ezubao was "a typical Ponzi scheme". Rights groups condemn such practices as prejudicing the right to a fair trial. Police previously told state media that Ezubao concocted fake projects to attract investment and pocketed funds instead of passing them to borrowers to generate returns. The case, said to be China's biggest-ever Ponzi scheme, has sparked protests from investors and is one among several dubious investment projects which have come to light this year. In May, police arrested 35 executives and employees of Shanghai-based Zhongjin Asset Management after it failed to make payments of 5.2 billion yuan (USD 787 million) to its 25,000 investors. Police arrested 19 people connected to a troubled metal exchange Fanya, which managed around 40 billion yuan in assets, in June amid suspicion of fraud. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China will restrict the operations of North Korean national airline Air Koryo after one of its planes had to make an emergency landing last month because of a fire on board, it said today. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will take "relevant measures to limit operations" for the carrier, it said in a statement on its website, without giving specific details. Last month, a scheduled Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang to Beijing was forced to divert and land in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang "because the plane caught fire", the official Xinhua new agency said, quoting a passenger on board. There were no casualties. The CAAC said an investigation found the fire was caused by a call button. Air Koryo must improve training for similar incidents, improve communications with air traffic controllers and upgrade aircraft maintenance, the Chinese regulator said. Although Air Koryo is the sole airline in the bottom "one star" category in the global Skytrax rating system for commercial airlines, its public safety record only has one fatal accident in more than 30 years. Its route network is extremely limited, with regular flights to just three destinations in China, and Vladivostok in Russia. The Pyongyang-Beijing service uses a Russian Tupolev Tu-204 - a twin-engine medium-range jet airliner that carries about 140 passengers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi High Court today sought CBI's response on a plea by three officials of Rathi Steel and Power Ltd (RSPL) challenging trial court order sentencing them to varying jail terms in a coal block allocation scam case. Justice Mukta Gupta admitted the appeals filed by RSPL's 34-year-old Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Udit Rathi, 60-year -old Managing Director (MD) Pradeep Rathi and 35-year-old AGM Kushal Aggarwal and fixed it for consideration on August 22. On July 27, the trial court had awarded them varying jail terms of up to three years, observing that the country as a whole suffered loss due to their "unscrupulous acts". The Rathis were handed down three-year imprisonment while Aggarwal was awarded a two-year jail term. Special CBI Judge had also imposed a fine of Rs 50 lakh each on the convicted firm RSPL and its CEO, Rs 25 lakh on the MD and Rs five lakh on the AGM in the case pertaining to irregularities in allocation of Kesla North coal block in Chhattisgarh to the company. The conviction in RSPL case was the second one, while in the first matter, the court had in April awarded a four-year jail term to Jharkhand Ispat Private Limited directors R C Rungta and R S Rungta in a coal block allocation scam case. The convicts were taken in custody after their conviction on July 26. However they were granted bail on July 28 on a personal bond of Rs two lakh each and a surety of like amount as the court allowed their plea to suspend their sentence for one month to enable them file an appeal in the higher court against their conviction and jail term. In its order the trial court had also said that "white collar crimes" are more dangerous to the society than ordinary crimes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) BJP today accused Congress of using its senior leaders like Salman Khurshid and Digvijay Singh to convey its 'mann ki baat', a reference of Khurshid's continued criticism of the government's bringing up PoK and Balochistan issues against his party's official stand. "Congress should make it clear that if it does not agree with Khurshid's statement, then what action is it taking against him? Congress does not use its official spokespersons to convey its 'mann ki baat' but senior leaders like Khurshid and Digvijay Singh," its spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said. He also defended Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's comparison of Pakistan with hell, saying it is a threat to the whole world and people there live under a security blanket "tighter than that in Tihar jail". At the press conference, he also broached up the inner power struggle within the Samajwadi Party. Taking a dig at it, Hussain said while its president Mulayam Singh Yadav advises UP Chief Minister and his son Akhilesh Yadav to be like Mughal king Akbar, its inner party struggle is reminiscent of the rule of Aurangzeb and alleged that governance has collapsed in the state. "Mulayam Singh Yadav may ask Akhilesh to be like Akbar but what is happening in UP is reminiscent more of the times of kings Shahjahan and Aurangzeb which were marked by war within the ruling family. The government is jolted by this internal power battle and there is no governance there," Hussain said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Wednesday referred to the constitution bench a plea raising questions whether the apex court was exempted from disclosing information on appointment of judges and other matters under the Right to Information Act. A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi referred the issue to the larger bench on the ground that a substantial question of law was involved in the matter. "A substantial question of law is involved... Which needs to be interpretated," the bench also comprising justices Prafulla C Pant and A M Khanwilkar said. "The entire issue is rooted in the order of Delhi High Court and that of the Central Information Commission holding that was covered under the RTI and was obliged to disclose information about the judges' appointments and other judicial information," Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for RTI activist Subhash Chandra Agarwal, said. He said that impression is gaining ground that judiciary is shying away from bringing transparency in its system due to delay in deciding cases. Citing the delay in hearing of the matter, Bhushan said when it comes to others, the directs even the poll candidates to disclose their assets but when it comes to judges, it shies away. To this, the bench asked "why should anybody be shy of answering a question". The court then framed questions to be examined by the constitution bench, including "whether the concept of independence of judiciary requires and demands the prohibition of furnishing of the information sought" under the RTI Act and "whether the information sought for amounts to interference in the functioning of the judiciary." The apex court had earlier in November 2010, said that independence of judiciary formed part of the basic structure of the Constitution. The independence of judiciary and the fundamental right to free speech and expression are of a great value and both for them are required to be balanced, the court had said. Earlier, in 2009, the Central Information Commission had upheld Agrawal's plea seeking from the apex court complete information, including file notings, relating to appointment of Justices H L Dattu, A K Ganguly and R M Lodha, all of whom have since retired. A court here has directed Delhi Police to lodge an FIR against a head constable and two others for carrying out unauthorised construction in a property owned jointly by the complainant and the cop. "Investigationisrequiredtoascertainthe truthofthe matter...SHO of Jaitpur police station isdirectedtolodge FIRunder relevant provisions oflawonthecomplaintofthe revisionistand investigatethe matter," Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Raj Kumar Tripathi said. The court asked the police to lodge FIR against Head Constable Mahesh Sharma and his two brothers Ajay and Manoj on revision plea of complainant Angad Sharma against the order of a magisterial court which had dismissed his plea against them for forging documents and beating him up. "Revisionist has levelled serious allegationsagainst the respondentsinhiscomplaintwhicharerequiredto be investigatedby thepolice," the ASJ said. According to the complaint, Angad, along with the head constable, had purchased a property in Hari Nagar extension in West Delhi in 2010 for Rs 14.85 lakh for the purpose of investment, but soon the cop started residing in it without his consent. It was alleged that in 2015, the cop, without informing or discussing with the complainant, demolished the property, began carrying out unauthorised construction and transferred the electricity meter in the name of his brother Manoj. The complainant approached the police but to no avail, it said, adding that he also clicked pictures of the property site from his mobile phone as evidence against them but he was beaten by the accused cop's brothers and framed in a false case of molestating the constable's wife. Angad approached a magisterial court for lodging of FIR against the accused but his plea was dismissed. He then moved a revision plea before the sessions court seeking FIR against the accused, saying probe was required in the case to recover his mobile phone which was allegedly snatched and the source of forgery of documents of the property was to be found out. He had sought registration of FIR under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 356 (assault in attempt to commit theft), 506(threatening), 420 (cheating), 467/468/471(forgery) and 120B(criminal conspiracy) of the IPC. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Development Bank of Singapore (DBS) is set to roll out its latest banking innovation in India by end of this year, enabling customers to "bank conversationally" from their preferred mobile messaging app. The Artificial Intelligence (AI) based innovation will allow DBS customers to access banking services quickly on Facebook Messenger, said DBS. India is DBS's highly rated emerging market especially in mobile- and internet-driven apps. In April, DBS launched "digibank", India's first mobile-only bank. Announcing this, DBS said the innovation will be simultaneously launched in Singapore along with India, and then followed in other key markets. It also plans to extend this service to other mobile messaging apps like WhatsApp and WeChat in the future. Since 2014, DBS is in the midst of investing SGD 200 million on digital banking across the region. Elaborating, DBS said in a statement: "For the first time in Asia Pacific, DBS customers will be able to use natural language to converse with DBS from their favourite mobile messaging app, manage their money across accounts, track expenses and even make payments in the process." DBS is working with US-based Kasisto, a spin-off from SRI International which created the technology behind Siri (Apple's voice assistant), to deliver this service. Kasisto's conversational AI platform, KAI, powers smart bots and virtual assistants with deep banking knowledge. Sandeep Lal, DBS Bank's Regional Head of eBusiness, said "We seek to seamlessly integrate banking into customers' everyday lives, making banking simpler and more convenient for them. "We know that our customers are spending time conversing on their favourite mobile messaging app, and we are immersing ourselves in the customer journey by making it easier and more convenient for them to engage us." "With the launch of this service, they no longer have to leave their favourite mobile messaging app to conduct their banking. Customers can converse with their bank as they would their contacts, and we will handle the rest with a strong focus on security - it's that simple," Lal stressed. Olivier Crespin, DBS Bank's Group Head of Digital Bank, added "With increasingly tech-savvy customers and rising smartphone usage, we have designed our digital banking services to be innovative and nimble enough to address customer needs, and be able to provide an intuitive and relevant banking experience. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today held anti-Pakistan protests here and urged United Nations to declare Pakistan a "terrorist state". Led by the party Chairman Harsh Dev Singh, a contingent of JKNPP staged a massive protest demonstration at Exhibition Ground Jammu against Pakistan for its "overt and covert" support to secessionists and terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing the media, Singh urged the United Nations to declare Pakistan a "terrorist state" and lambasted the country for its "pernicious designs" in "aiding and abetting" militancy in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in the country with "utterly malevolent and ulterior motives". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "The Birth of a Nation" actor- director Nate Parker has spoken after surfaced that the woman who accused him of raping her in college 17 years ago took her own life in 2012. The writer-director and his roommate Jean Celestin, who is also the co-writer on the movie were accused of rape at Penn State university. Parker was acquitted in a 2001 trial, but questions about the case still persist, reported Variety. Parker, whose film revolves around a slave rebellion in Southampton County, Virginia in 1831 and is being seen as a possible Oscar contender, expressed "profound sorrow" while maintaining his innocence in the case as he posted a lengthy statement on his Facebook. "I write to you all devastated. Over the last several days, a part of my past - my arrest, trial and acquittal on charges of sexual assault - has become a focal point for media coverage, social media speculation and industry conversation. I understand why so many are concerned and rightfully have questions," he wrote on his Facebook page. "These issues of a women's right to be safe and of men and women engaging in healthy relationships are extremely important to talk about, however difficult. And more personally, as a father, a husband, a brother and man of deep faith, I understand how much confusion and pain this incident has had on so many, most importantly the young woman who was involved. "I myself just learned that the young woman ended her own life several years ago and I am filled with profound sorrow." Parker said while he maintains his "innocence", he feels he should have used more wisdom while fighting the case. "As a 36-year-old father of daughters and person of faith, I look back on that time as a teenager and can say without hesitation that I should have used more wisdom. "I look back on that time, my indignant attitude and my heartfelt mission to prove my innocence with eyes that are more wise with time. I see now that I may not have shown enough empathy even as I fought to clear my name." A jury acquitted Parker of the charges, in part because of testimony that he had consensual sex with the victim prior to the incident. Celestin was found guilty of sexual assault and sentenced to six months of prison. Celestin appealed the verdict and was granted a new trial in 2005, but the case never made it back to court after the victim decided not to testify again. The victim's brother said his sister suffered from depression after the incident. "If I were to look back at her very short life and point to one moment where I think she changed as a person, it was obviously that point," he told Variety. "The trial was pretty tough for her," he said. The family said while they appreciate that the director and his friend are being held accountable, they would not like to get involved in the matter to protect her son. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ahead of the Goa Legislative Assembly elections due in coming March, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has given its formal approval to Goa Forward as a political party. "I am directed to state that Election Commission of India after having considered your application dated January 20, 2016 for registration of Goa Forward Party as a political party and the documents produced in support of the statements, has registered the party as a political party under section 29 A of the Representation of the People's Act, 1951 on and with effect from August 5, 2016," says the letter by ECI's Delhi office. Reacting to this, party spokesman Durgadas Kamat said, "Its time to take Goa Forward. We are providing political alternative to the state which will fulfill aspirations of true Goans." He said that the party which is mentored by independent legislator Vijai Sardesai would bring in change in the state post-2017 polls. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A son of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was among a group kidnapped from a bar in the Mexican resort city of Puerto Vallarta, authorities have confirmed. Seven gunmen in pickup trucks swooped on the upscale bar and restaurant yesterday around dawn and abducted several victims. Investigators said it was likely part of a settling of scores between rival drug cartels. "Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, 29, is the son of Joaquin (Guzman) Loera, this has been confirmed," and he is among those being held, regional public prosecutor Eduardo Almaguer told a conference. He said Guzman Salazar was one of the four people who have so far been identified among six abducted. He added that "various security agencies" had confirmed that Guzman Salazar was the son of "El Chapo." The elder Guzman is the jailed boss of the powerful Sinaloa cartel and one of the most notorious drug lords in the world. Authorities initially said 10 to 12 people had been kidnapped, but after analysing security camera footage and interviewing witnesses, they said there were in fact six men abducted. They had earlier said that one of them may have been another of Guzman's sons, Ivan "El Chapito" (Little Chapo) Guzman. "El Chapo" staged a spectacular jailbreak last year only to be recaptured in January. He is now in a maximum security federal prison in the northern city of Ciudad Juarez and fighting extradition to the United States. The chief prosecutor said only fake identity documents had been found at the scene of yesterday's kidnapping, in a posh restaurant called La Leche in the Pacific coast city's chic hotel district. Prosecutors said initial evidence suggested a rival cartel called Jalisco New Generation was behind the abduction. Jalisco New Generation emerged in Puerto Vallarta in 2010 after the death of the local boss of the Sinaloa cartel, Ignacio "Nacho" Coronel. It has become one of violence-plagued Mexico's most powerful drug gangs in recent months by defying the authorities with a series of brazen attacks and ambushes. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Retirement fund body EPFO today said the Employees Provident Fund Scheme has been amended to include PayGov for financial transactions, thus enabling PF dues to be collected through the portal. "The EPF Scheme has been amended to include PayGov platform for financial transaction. PayGov is a centralised platform for facilitating all government departments and services to collect online payments for government services," the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) said in a statement. At present, State Bank of India (SBI) is the sole collector of PF remittances on behalf of the EPFO. Elaborating about other major achievements, EPFO said it redressed more than 40,000 grievances in June-July. Out of the pending grievances, most were pending for disposal for less than 7 days. Other developments in the period include giving an option to EPFO members to enhance their pensionary benefits. The benefits are available to members who defer their pension upto 59 or 60 years of age with or without contribution after the age of 58 years. The benefit is increase in original pension by 4 per cent in case of completion of one year and 8.16 per cent in case of completion of 2 years after 58 years. In case a member defers the pension with contribution, the contributory service after 58 years of age will be included in calculation of pensionable service and pensionable salary, but will not be considered for determining eligibility. For availing this benefit, a member must have completed atleast 10 years of service on attaining the age of 58 years. It said that with the objective of giving special emphasis on securing compliance in respect of all eligible contractual workers, meetings were held with CPWD, DMRC, MCD, NBCC, Railways and National Highway Authority of India during the period. A meeting of the Sub Committee of Central Board, EPF on Construction Workers was also held in which it was decided to explore whether cess collected on behalf of construction workers can be utilised to pay part of employees' share of EPF of such low paid workers. The online filing through ECR (Electronic Challan cum Return) is going to be further simplified with the Version II of ECR. The return format has also been simplified, it added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Karimnagar Lok Sabha MP B Vinod Kumar today appealed to External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to ensure the release of Indians languishing in various prisons in Saudi Arabia. In a press release here, the TRS leader said hundreds of Indian prisoners are lodged in jails in the Gulf nation. The unemployed youth going to Saudi Arabia for jobs are exploited by their employers, who do not pay wages for several months, he said. Out of desperation, they are forced to find other employment, without documentation, which often leads to their arrest, Kumar said. He appealed to Swaraj to direct Indian embassy in Riyadh to ensure immediate release of such prisoners. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Congress MLA Moolsingh Peelaghata died at the Delhi railway station today after he suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, family sources said. He was 73, and was admitted in a hospital in Delhi for some ailment. After being discharged from the private hospital, Moolsingh along with his family members was supposed to board a train from Delhi station in the afternoon when he suddenly suffered a heart attack and died, his family member Yogendra Soni said. His mortal remains are being brought to Guna from Delhi, he said. Moolsingh is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter. Born on August 15, 1943, Moolsingh was very close to Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh and had represented Raghogarh assembly seat twice, first in 1985 and later in 2008. Digvijay Singh belongs to Raghogarh, the former princely state of Madhya Pradesh. Former Union Minister and Congress MP from Guna, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Digvijay Singh among others expressed grief over the demise of Moolsingh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Shakti Sinha, private secretary to former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, is likely to be appointed as director of Nehru Memorial Museum & Library soon amid speculation that the selection process could be started afresh as dissenting voices were raised on his shortlisting. "The appointment for the director at NMML will be announced soon after Raksha Bandhan... Shakti Sinha will be selected as the new director of the premier institution," a source in the Culture Ministry said. Controversy erupted over the appointment of NMML director after a prominent member of its Executive Council (EC) Pratap Bhanu Mehta quit allegedly over shortlisting of Sinha, who reportedly until a few days ago was a director in India Foundation, a think tank aligned to RSS. Besides renowned political scientist Mehta, there were five others in the selection committee, headed by Minister of State for External Affairs and vice-chairperson of NMML's EC M J Akbar who has also been on the India Foundation board. Another member of the selection committee Prasar Bharti Chairman A Surya Prakash is also on the India Foundation Board, which also included senior BJP leader Ram Madhav, Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha. A strong dissenting voice also came from Nitin Desai, economist and former Under Secretary General of the UN, at a meeting last week over two names -- Sinha and Indira Gandhi National Open University academic Kapil Kumar. It was, however, widely speculated that government may scrap the whole process of the selection, taking note of the dissenting voices and start the process afresh. "No, the government is not going to scrap the process and will go ahead with the announcement," the source said. The post of director at NMML is lying vacant since last year after UPA appointee Mahesh Rangarajan stepped down after the ruling NDA described his appointment as "illegal and unethical". An IAS officer of 1979 batch from AGMUT cadre, Sinha was considered as a highly influential joint secretary in Vajpayee's PMO in the late 1990s. He had also served as private secretary to Vajpayee. He had taken voluntary retirement in 2013 when he was serving as Finance secretary in Delhi government. The advertisement issued for the director's post is also reportedly been modified at the last moment to accommodate Sinha. Established in the memory of India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, NMML is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Culture. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Exide Life Insurance has entered into a bancassurance agreement with SVC Co-operative Bank, under which the private insurer will cater to over eight lakh customers of the bank. Under the arrangement, Exide Life Insurance will get access to 193 SVC bank branches, which cater to over eight lakh customers, a release issued here said. Through this association, SVC bank will be able to leverage on product innovation, technology and best in class training offered by Exide Life Insurance. SVC Co-operative Bank Managing Director Suhas N Sahakari said, "Life Insurance is seen both as coverage and an investment tool. In this regard, our tie-up with Exide Life Insurance will add to our existing repertoire and provide more life insurance product options for our customers." "Thus, making us add value to the banking experience by serving as a one stop shop for all Banking and Insurance related needs. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) FICCI Ladies Organisation (FLO), Hyderabad and Telangana State Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (TSIIC) today announced to jointly set up a Women Entrepreneur's Industrial Park at Patancheru here. Spread over 50 acres, this flagship project, in collaboration with TSIIC, is a first for both FLO and its parent body FICCI and this park will house women-owned and women-run businesses, in industry verticals, primarily in the green and orange categories, a FLO release said. "The park will be ready in two months. We will commission the park in next two years. Now applications process is underway. The land is allotted at a cost of Rs 45 lakh per acre," Padma Rajgopal, Chairperson of FLO Hyderabad said. The Park will house women-owned and women-run businesses, representing varied industry verticals primarily in the green and orange category, she said. Jyotsna Angara, Governing Body Member FLO, who leads the initiative at Hyderabad said, "Green energy norms and green infrastructure will be a big aspect of the Park. It is a multi-industry vertical park. Priority for allotment of land will be given to FLO members. Presently 50 acres land is allotted and may be extended as the demand increases". "Approximately Rs 200 crore will be invested over a span of three to five years. A cumulative employment of 3,000 will be generated in next five years," Jyotsna added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Retired IPS officer and National Secretary of BJP Farooq Khan, who once spearheaded anti- militancy operations in Jammu and Kashmir, was today appointed the Administrator of Lakshadweep. Khan, a 1994 batch IPS officer who retired in 2013, is currently BJP's Secretary incharge of Northeast. His appointment as Lakshadweep Administrator was cleared by the Union Home Ministry earlier in the day, official sources said. Khan was the first Muslim from Jammu and Kashmir to get a prominent place in the BJP within 15 months of his joining the party. He had joined the BJP at an election rally in the presence of Narendra Modi, who was then the party's prime ministerial candidate. He retired as head of the Sher-e-Kashmir Police Academy Udhampur in the rank of Inspector General of Police. The former IPS officer shot to prominence in the mid 1990s when he became the first head of the anti-militancy Task Force popularly known as Special Operations Group. During his tenure at the helm of the counter-insurgency operations, Khan led various operations against militants and was known for sharp strategizing skills. 63-year-old Khan also had his share of controversies which included gunning down of five civilians at Pathribal in South Kashmir. After enquiries made at various levels followed by a CBI probe, Khan was given a clean chit and army officers were held responsible for the killings. A recipient of President's police medal for meritorious service and many commendations by the army and other security agencies, Khan's entry into the BJP fold was seen as a move to woo Muslim voters in Poonch and Rajouri area. His grandfather Colonel (retired) Peer Mohammad Khan, who was in the army of Maharaja Hari Singh, was the first state president of the Jammu and Kashmir Jana Sangh. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Four persons, including a woman, were killed when their car collided with a tempo in the district, police said today. The accident took place at around 9.30 PM yesterday on Bhiwandi-Nashik road at Diva village in Thane district. The car driver lost control over the wheels, as a result the vehicle hit the road divider, broke it and came on the other side where it collided with a tempo. The vehicle was on way to Thane from Nashik. The car occupants were from Bhandup in Mumbai. The deceased have been identified as - Vasant Kedar, Sachin Kedar, Amit Kedar and Sunita Kedar. Their relatives have been informed, police said, adding that the bodies have been sent for postmortem to government hospital. The Narpoli police registered a case under relevant IPC sections, including 304A (causing death by negligence) and 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Germany's Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel raised eyebrows today over a video of him showing the middle finger to a group of far-right protesters. Gabriel was at a visit to Lower Saxony on Friday, when he was accosted by a group of masked protesters holding banners bearing the slogan "Traitor". "Man, your father loved his country, and what have you done to it? You're destroying it," a protester could be heard saying on the video, in a reference to Gabriel's father, who was a Nazi. The Social Democrat leader, who has publicly condemned his father as a "die-hard Nazi", turned to face the protesters with a smile, before making the vulgar gesture. His party has confirmed the authenticity of the video posted on Facebook by a youth group linked to the neo-Nazi NPD. Frauke Petry, the leader of populist party AfD, swiftly condemned Gabriel's gesture, calling him the "unworthy vice chancellor" in a Facebook post. Gabriel is not the first Social Democrat leader to be seen making the gesture in public. Former finance minister Peer Steinbrueck sparked a storm of derision and online ridicule in 2013 by allowing himself to be photographed making the vulgar middle-finger gesture. Support for the Social Democratic Party has been falling in recent months, partly due to the rise in popularity of the AfD. The AfD, founded on a eurosceptic platform three years ago, has vocally protested Germany's record refugee influx that brought more than one million asylum seekers to Europe's top economy last year alone. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The condition of Goa's Deputy Speaker Vishnu Wagh, who was admitted to hospital two days ago following complaint of uneasiness, is stable, a senior official said today. "His condition remains stable. He was on sedation all this while. The doctors will now try to get him off sedation and see his response," Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Dean Pradeep Naik told PTI today. Wagh was hospitalised in GMCH on August 15 evening when he complained of uneasiness during an event at Kala Academy here. Initially, it was suspected to be a case of cardiac arrest, but upon detailed examination no blockage was found in the heart, Naik had earlier said. However, his blood pressure and sugar levels remained high, he had said. Wagh, a journalist-turned-politician representing St Andre constituency, is currently admitted in the Coronary Care Unit of the GMCH, a state-run facility located in Bambolim village near here. The legislator had suffered a heart attack on May 15 this year when he was attending a public function to celebrate the birthday of BJP functionary Anil Hoble. He had later undergone angioplasty and had recovered. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The main hospital in Guatemala's capital today confirmed the country's first case of a Zika-linked birth defect in a newborn and two cases of a related nerve disorder. A 70-year-old man and a five-year-old girl were diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome, a neurological autoimmune condition which can cause paralysis, Carlos Mejia, head of the infectious diseases clinic in the Hospital Roosevelt, told a conference. "We have also detected the first case of microcephaly compatible with Zika," he said. Microcephaly is where babies are born with abnormally small skulls and underdeveloped brains. Zika is most commonly transmitted by mosquito, although rarer cases of transmission through sex have been identified. Mejia said tests were being carried out out on two other babies to determine whether their mothers had contracted Zika while pregnant. He added that there have been no confirmed deaths from conditions linked to the virus, but there was a report of a man infected with Zika dying of severe pneumonia. Zika has swept through much of Latin America, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare an international public health emergency in February this year. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A delegation comprising corporate leaders and senior government officials from Gujarat discussed collaboration in the fields of solar technology, agriculture defence, R&D, investment synergies in start-ups and crowd funding initiatives on a visit to Israel and the UK. The Vibrant Gujarat delegation deliberated on "connecting businesses between the UK, Israel and the state of Gujarat with focus on manufacturing, healthcare, life sciences, infrastructure systems, cities and transport systems," a release said. On Israel visit, the delegates discussed possible investment synergies in startups between the country and Gujarat, emphasizing on implementation of IT in academia, solar technology, agriculture sector and possible collaboration in the area of Defence, Technology and R&D. An academic collaboration with Tel Aviv University was also discussed. Israel Innovation Authority in Tel Aviv met officials from the Vibrant Gujarat Delegation and extended their services and support in the form of financial assistance, support for entrepreneurs and early stage companies, support from traditional and hi-tech companies, and collaboration in academics with the state of Gujarat. "Several meetings were held with private, multi-billion dollar companies such as Israel Aerospace Industries, Tahal and Mobileye discussing subjects ranging from collaboration of knowledge, enabling policies in a stable environment in Gujarat, potential partnership opportunities and participation opportunities at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2017," the release said. In the UK, a roadshow was held in London to an audience comprising of members from the business community, academicians, among others. Discussions were held on crowd funding initiatives and institutional structure for incubation and startups connections. The Vibrant Gujarat delegation also visited Salford University, Department of Climate Change which showcased retrofitting of equipment's that enable energy efficiency and can be replicated by Gujarat. "The state has immense potential in solar and wind energy, with a potential of 69,000 MW and 10,000 MW respectively, and most of it has been vastly untapped". "The outcome of our visit to Israel has also been very positive, especially in the startup and innovation sectors. We have received very encouraging response from everyone we met in Israel, and we are really looking forward to a fruitful collaboration, leading to a successful Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2017," Mamta Verma, Industries Commissioner, Government of Gujarat, said. "We have had excellent meetings with companies having interest in financial services, technology, manufacturing and ICT based industries. The scope for collaboration is immense, and the time has never been better for Gujarat to capitalize on business opportunities from the UK," Vikas Nath, CEO - UK and Europe, Adani Global PTE Ltd. Said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Madras High Court today found fault with a judicial magistrate for not filing the findings on alleged abduction and rape of four tribal women by some policemen in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district even after five years and asked the principal district judge to look into the matter and file a report. The matter came up for hearing before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan. Passing interim orders on a PIL filed by advocate P Pugalenthi, the bench said, "One of the aspects which emerges is that the findings of the learned Judicial Magistrate of Thirukkovilur, are still awaited. We fail to understand how even after five years the findings are still awaited." It then directed the Principal District Judge, Villupuram to look into it. The matter relates to four women belonging to the Irular community, who were allegedly picked up by the police on the night of November 22, 2011 in a police van from their home at T Mandappam in Thirukkovilur police station limits and taken to a nearby eucalyptus grove. They were then taken to Sandhapettai and brought back to the grove where the woman were allegedly raped by three policemen and later sent home. A few days later, one of the victims lodged a complaint with the police. The Deputy Superintendent of Police, Thirukkovilur Sub-Division today filed a status report on the basis of the medical reports and other evidence collected by him which stated that the allegations of rape and sexual assault by the victims "are totally contradicted and more or less false". In the report, he mentioned that the medical findings did not indicate any injury either in their private parts or other parts that could indicate rape or resistance. However, he made it clear that the investigation has revealed that the alleged victims were illegally abducted by the policemen when they were not required for interrogation. Disciplinary proceedings were initiated against the guilty policemen, he said. The DSP ubmitted that as soon as the findings of the JM are obtained, the final report will be filed. After perusal of the status report, the court said, "Once the report is available, it has to be handed over to the investigation officer to assist the investigation." The bench then posted the matter for further hearing to September 26. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An attempt by moderate Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to lead a march to the office of the United Nations Military Observors Group (UNMOG) over the Kashmir situation was today scuttled by the police. Mirwaiz defied house arrest and tried to take out the march from his Nigeen residence along with a dozen of his supporters this afternoon but police stopped them and took them into custody, officials said. They said he was lodged at Nigeen police station. The separatists had given a call for a march to the UN office here to impress upon the world body to intervene and resolve the Kashmir issue. Authorities had deployed police and paramilitary forces in strength in Srinagar, sealing all roads leading to the UNMOG office in Sonawar area of Srinagar. Prior to his detention, Mirwaiz said the proposed march to the UNMOG was aimed at attracting the attention of the UN towards the "grave" situation in the Valley. "The UN must stand up and take necessary steps to stop human rights violations and resolve Kashmir issue," he said. Terming the situation in the valley as "grave and explosive", the Hurriyat chairman said the UN needs to play a "positive role" to resolve Kashmir issue. A group of lawyers led by High Court Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom also tried to take out a march from the High Court complex here but were stopped by police at Budshah Chowk bridge, the officials said. Carrying placards and banners demanding intervention of the UN to resolve Kashmir issue, the lawyers also demanded punishment to the killers of 63 persons during the ongoing unrest in the Valley. The lawyers returned to the High Court complex after staging a peaceful sit-in at Jehangir Chowk. The officials said residents of several localities in the city including Batmaloo, Chattabal, Safakadal, Noorbagh, Rainawari, Dalgate, Brain, Rawalpora, Shah Kadal, Habbakadal, Fatehkadal and Guru Bazar also staged peaceful sit-ins after their attempts to march to the UN office were scuttled by security forces. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Scholars from the Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR) will soon be scanning through Sanskrit texts like "puranas" and "folk ballads" to prepare a historical encyclopedia of villages and towns in the country. According to the ICHR, an autonomous body of the HRD ministry, the encyclopedia will form basis for research and development of architectural designs. "The religious, spiritual, social, historical and cultural significance of a kshetra or sthala are recorded as puranas. The life and works of a great saint/king/devotee are also available to us in puranas or folk ballads. We should not ignore the responsibility to collect, preserve and transmit this knowledge of history for generations to come," ICHR Chief Yellapragada Sudershan Rao told reporters today. "Every inch of place in India is said to have its own remarkable place either in history or spirituality. Therefore, Indians hold every piece of land in the country in a very high esteem. The project endeavours to give peoples' true history to them without disturbing their cultural ethos," he added. The project was launched after the Council approved a detailed proposal and budget estimates during its 82nd meeting in March. The project is intended to collect the information of each village and town so that their profiles could be placed on web-based encyclopedia for reference. "As this is a massive nation-wide endeavor, the students of history will be taken as apprentices as 'bare-foot historians' and will be encouraged to collect information of the villages or khsetras around them and write their brief reports. "They will be paid some remuneration so that they can earn while learning. These reports will be perused and edited by the subject experts and put up to a uniform pattern for web publication," said Rao, who is also a member of the Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana, the RSS's history wing. Other new projects being undertaken by the ICHR, are on varied subjects including 'Translation of foreign language sources of India', 'Environmental history of India', 'History of Indian Science and Technology' and 'Project on Modern India: Politics and Demography'. The ICHR in its last meeting also approved setting up of two regional centres in Kashi and Jammu. "Earlier we intended to set up the Kashmir centre in Srinagar but we did not hear anything from Kashmir University. After the central university in Jammu expressed its interest in the proposal we decided to set up the centre in Jammu," Rao said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India and Bangladesh will jointly produce a documentary on the 1971 War of Independence of Bangladesh, the Information and Broadcasting ministry said today. India will also facilitate the production of a "mega movie" by Bangladesh to mark the 100th birth anniversary of its Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020. In a meeting between Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu here, India also informed that All India Radio would be launching an exclusive service for Bangladesh and Bengali diaspora titled "Akashvani Maitree" on August 23. President Pranab Mukherjee India would be launching the channel which would act as a "bridge of amity between the two countries", an official statement said. In the context of production of the documentary on the 1971 War of Independence of Bangladesh, Naidu suggested that the archival material available with Films Division, DD and other media units of the government be optimally utilized, a statement released by the I&B ministry said. This documentary proposed to be produced would commemorate the 50th year of Bangladesh Independence in 2021. In the meeting, Naidu also said that information dissemination is critical to counter terrorism which is a common issue plaguing both India and Bangladesh. "Timely and correct dissemination of information will prevent rumors and falsehood, while at the same time, build the spirit of cooperation and understanding between people," Naidu said. During the discussions, India and Bangladesh agreed to work out a proposal for a joint audio-visual co-production agreement between the two countries. It was also agreed to organize Film Festival of India in Bangladesh and a Bangladesh Film Festival in India. The Bangladesh Minister also agreed to the request of Naidu to provide the celluloid version of the Bengali film Devdas directed by Pramatesh Barua in 1935, the statement said. Bangladesh had earlier provided the DVD version of the film to NFAI. Regarding the facilitation of Free Film Trade between the two countries, Naidu mentioned that Bangladesh could consider relaxing the legal provisions which restricted the number of Indian films in that country. The Minister also offered to train young film makers and entrepreneurs from Bangladesh at the Indian Film and Training Institutes. He also mentioned that collaborative measures would be initiated between NFDC and Bangladesh Film Development Corporation to promote joint production of films and also between NFAI and Bangladesh Film Archives for digitization and archiving. The Ministers also agreed to promote capacity building and training workshops for media persons, exchange programme for officers associated with Information and Broadcasting and exchange of programs between DD and its counterpart in Bangladesh. India on Wednesday rejected Pakistan's proposal to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks on and asserted that it would like to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism which are central to the current situation in Jammu and . Responding to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry's invitation, India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar expressed his willingness to travel to Islamabad but maintained Pakistan has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an internal matter of India, except to put an end to cross-border terrorism and infiltration. The response was handed over to Pakistan by Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale. "Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in J&K, we have proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focused on them. "We have also conveyed that Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi," the sources added. Pakistan on Monday had invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the "international obligation" of both the countries to resolve the issue. The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the issue. Last week, while reacting to a statement by Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz regarding the invitation, India had made it clear that it would talk on "contemporary and relevant" issues in Indo-Pak relations and at this time it included stoppage of Pak-supported cross-border terrorism. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said: "India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali. "Incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan." India and Pakistan have been engaged in a war of words over the statements by Islamabad on the situation in which is witnessing unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last month. Wani was described as a martyr by Pakistan, which has also tried to internationalise the Kashmir issue while India has been maintaining that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the Valley is the root cause of the turbulence. A prominent Iranian lawmaker confirmed today that Russia is using an Iranian air base for airstrikes in Syria, as Moscow said another wave of airstrikes launched from the Islamic Republic struck the east of the war-ravaged country. The comments by Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, are the first official acknowledgment that Russian planes are flying out of Iran's Shahid Nojeh Air Base. Meanwhile, Russia's foreign minister rejected allegations that its use of Iranian military bases for airstrikes in Syria violates United Nations sanctions on Iran. Russia yesterday first announced that it had launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria. The Defense Ministry today announced a new wave of airstrikes out of Iran, saying its jets took off earlier in the day from a base southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to strike targets in the east of Syria. It is virtually unheard in recent history for Iran to allow a foreign power to use one of its bases to stage attacks. Russia has also never used the territory of another country in the Middle East for its operations inside Syria, where it has been carrying out an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar Assad's government for nearly a year. Iran is also a major supporter of Assad. Boroujerdi said that Russian's fighters land at Shahid Nojeh Air Base only to refuel under the permission of the country's Supreme National Security Council. "Generally, there is no stationing of Russian forces in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Boroujerdi said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today denied allegations by US State Department spokesman Mark Toner, who the day before said Russia's operation out of Iran could violate the UN resolution that prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran unless approved by the Security Council. "In the case we're discussing there has been no supply, sale or transfer of fighter jets to Iran," Lavrov told a conference. "The Russian Air Force uses these fighter jets with Iran's approval in order to take part in the counter-terrorism operation" in Syria. The minister also called on the US not to "nitpick about what is happening in terms of the remaining restrictions on trade and ties with Iran. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian weightlifter Behdad Salimikordasiabi set a new world record of 216kg in the snatch in the men's superheavyweight +105kg competition at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday. Salimikordasiabi, often called 'Salimi', had owned the record of 214kg going into the event only for Georgia's Lasha Talakhadze to lift 215 with his third attempt. However, the Georgian only held the world record for around one minute as Salimi confidently strode onto the podium and immediately grabbed the record back for himself. Salimi leads by 1kg going into the clean and jerk. The men's +105kg will see the 15th and final weightlifting gold medal of the Rio Games awarded. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) All India Jat Arakshan Sangarsh Samiti (AIJASS), which is spearheading the Jat quota stir, will take out a 'bhaichara' rally at Rohtak on August 27 to decide on the next course of action. Accusing the BJP government in Haryana of not honouring the promises made to them, AIJASS president Yashpal Malik today said, "We will take out a 'bhaichara' (brotherhood) rally at Rohtak on August 27 where several khap members and those from other communities who are aggrieved by the High Court's stay order will be invited to decide on the next course of the agitation." "We will discuss why the state government is not accepting our demands and how to go about the agitation," he said. AIJASS, which had called off its protest in June, had given the state government time till August 31 to resolve the issues raised by them. Release of "innocent youths" arrested during the February agitation, adequate compensation and job to the next of kin of those who lost their lives during the protest, sincere efforts on part of the state government to get the High Court's stay order on the quota granted to Jats and five other communities vacated and withdrawal of cases against protesters are some of the major demands of AIJASS. Malik accused the state government of adopting a "lackadaisical approach" in getting the stay vacated by the Punjab and Haryana High Court. "There are deficiencies in the efforts of the state government in pursuing the matter in the court. Some officers are misleading the Chief Minister on the quota issue," he alleged. Malik also accused the state government of delaying the notification on the "creamy layer" pertaining to reservation. However, the Manohar Lal Khattar government in Haryana today notified the criteria for the exclusion of the "creamy layer" within the Backward Classes category as per the schedule appended to the Haryana Backward Classes (Reservation in Services and Admission in Educational Institution) Act, 2016. The Haryana government had granted a 10-per cent quota to Jats and five other communities in government jobs and educational institutions in the state by carving out the Backward Class 'C' category following the February protests. However, it was stayed by the High Court in May. Malik also expressed dissatisfaction over no decision by the state government on releasing the "innocent youths" arrested during the February agitation and the compensation to the next of kin of those who lost their lives during the protests. (Reopens DES 23) Meanwhile, Haryana BJP President Subhash Barala said the doors of the state government are always open for talks on the issue of Jat reservation. The BJP government is serious about the demands of the Jat community and the matter has been strongly advocated in the court, he said. The government has already made up its mind to get the law inserted in the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution once the court gave favourable verdict, he said. Barala, who visited the dharna site at Charkhi-Dadri with MLA Badhada, Sukhwinder Mandhi and District President, Dadri, Ram Kishan Sharma, said Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had, at a meeting held at Gurugram on February 16, apprised the party workers about the state government's stand on the Jat agitation and directed them to visit dharna sites. After meeting representatives of the Jat community at dharna site, Barala said after Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, the BJP had granted reservation in Haryana whereas the previous governments never granted reservation to the community during the last one-and-a-half decade. Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda had "intentionally" not followed the "right procedure" while granting reservation to the Jat community and left it half-baked so that the new government faced problems, he said. But after formation of the BJP government in the state, a bill on Jat reservation was unanimously passed in the Vidhan Sabha, he said. Barala said the state government would take decision to lawfully withdraw the cases registered during the jat reservation agitation last year. Jordan has allowed a sick Syrian child to enter the country from a border area where thousands of refugees are stranded, the army said today, after an online campaign. A video of the child that was posted online last week shows the boy crying with a severely inflamed testicle. The video provoked a wave of sympathy on social media, with the launch of the Arabic-language hashtag Let_the_Rukban_child_in. The child and his family are among tens of thousands of Syrians who are stuck around the Rukban border crossing in the northeast of the kingdom. Jordan declared the area a "closed military zone" in June, after a suicide bombing claimed by the Islamic State group killed seven soldiers near a makeshift desert camp where more than 100,000 Syrians are stuck. This cut off aid access to the Syrians, who have been gathering at the border for months attempting to flee their country's five-year civil war into Jordan. In a statement, the army thanked "all those who helped to relay the image of the sick child in order to treat him". Jordan says it is already hosting nearly 1.4 million refugees, of whom 630,000 are registered with the United Nations. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Actor Jude Law's 15-year-old daughter Iris Law, has landed her second big spread in a magazine. Iris, Jude's daughter with ex-wife Sadie Frost, is on the cover of Teen Vogue's September issue, which centers around the theme "#ForGirlsByGirls." The teen credits Miu Miu, Gucci and Chanel as her favorite brands saying, "I really like vintage blouses with feminine lace detailing - I'll usually wear them with black trousers and trainers. I also usually have rings on every finger apart from the thumb. Most birthdays or Christmases my dad will get me a ring from Annina Vogel." Iris also credits her mom - actress, producer and fashion designer Sadie Frost - for sparking her passion for fashion. "I like looking at pictures of my mom when she was around my age and seeing her makeup and little dresses. I was always really interested in what she was wearing growing up and did quite creative things with how I dressed myself. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) "Begin Again" actress Keira Knightley is in talks to join Misty Copeland, Mackenzie Foy and Morgan Freeman in "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms". The 31-year-old "Laggies" actress is eyed to portray the Sugar Plum Fairy in Disney's upcoming adaptation of late author ETA Hoffman's classic Christmas Eve tale, reportted Aceshowbiz. Lasse Hallstrom ('Dear John', 'Safe Haven') is attached to serve behind the lens while Ashleigh Powell has written script for the live-action movie. Copeland will play the lead ballerina role and Freeman is cast as Drosselmeyer. Foy, who played Renesmee in the last two "Twilight", movies is set to play a young girl named Clara who finds a Nutcracker doll. At night, the Nutcracker comes to life along with an evil Mouse King. It leads the girl to the magical world of toys that will change her life forever. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The protest rally by Dalits in Una in Gujarat on the independence day has come in for praise from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said it was the people's response to the "farce" of Sangh Parivar's love for Dalits and that the movement had far reaching consequences in national politics. "The Declaration of Independence echoed in Una (Gujarat), during the Dalit Asmita rally held on Independence day is the people's response to the farce of Sangh parivar's love for Dalits", he said. "A movement with far reaching consequences in national politics has been set in motion in BJP's stronghold in Gujarat," Vijayan said in a Facebook post today. Claiming that compared to other states caste oppression and atrocities were less prevalent in Kerala, he said a primary reason for this was the foundation laid by social reform movements. "Land reforms and democratic decentralisation which followed and the leadership played by the Left progressive forces has played a significant role in keeping caste oppression and discrimination at bay in Kerala", he said. "It is our duty as those who uphold progressive values to extend our solidarity to such movements across the country for social justice and freedom." A confluence of farmers, workers, tribals, Dalits, students, youths and LGBTQ communities is essential to build a society based on equality and justice, he said. "The fact that organisations of workers, farmers students and youth along with people from across the country participated in the protests at Una points to the imminent formation of such alliances", he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A day before the Centre's plan to pay tribute to Mizo warrior Khuangchera, two Mizo students bodies today wrote to the PMO, a day after taking a strong exception of the move, saying the proposal to honour him as an Indian freedom fighter is not acceptable. The letter was sent by fax to the Prime Minister's Office by the Mizo Students Union (MSU) and the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) or Mizo Students Association. Khuangchera, who was killed in 1890, "fought against the British expansion and occupation of our Zo country and not for the freedom of India," the letter said. Minister of State for Railways Rajen Gohain is scheduled to attend a public meeting at Ailawng village, about 30 km from Aizawl, tomorrow to pay tributes to Khuangchera as an Indian freedom fighter among the tribals in the northeast. MSU and MZP said they could not accept that the great warrior is wrongly honoured as an Indian freedom fighter. A joint resolution adopted by the MSU and MZP yesterday said "Khuangchera did not die for India but for the Mizo people". Khuangchera and his friend Ngurbawnga were killed in 1890 when they tried to expel the British invaders from Lushai country and save the Mizo people, the resolution said. Mizo hills were formally declared as part of the British India by a proclamation in 1895. North and South Hills were united into Lushai Hills district in 1898 with Aizawl as its headquarters, according to Mizoram government website. Meanwhile, another organisation, the Zo Re-unification Organisation (ZoRO), in a statement condemned the Centre's intention to portray Khuangchera as an Indian freedom fighter. The organisation striving for unification of all the Mizo inhabited areas under a single administration, urged the local organisers to cancel the program as it will harm the sentiment of the Zo people. Mizoram (then known as Lushai country or Zo country) was not under the rule of any country, the statement said. The programme at Ailawng, Khuangchera's native village, is being organised by the Mizoram unit of BJP. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken today sought a CBI inquiry into the "delay" on part of the AAP government in banning 'manjha' in Delhi, alleging it was done to "benefit importers" of the metal-coated Chinese thread. The Delhi government issued a draft notification for banning manjha on August 16, a day after the Independence Day, when the sales of that thread were almost over, he said. "Such deliberate inaction on the part of the government and ignorance towards public safety, cost some lives in the national capital on August 15," he said in his letter to the CBI Director. The DPCC chief alleged the draft notification was "an eyewash" and it has further delayed the actual ban for at least 60 days under the pretext of inviting objections from public. Two children and a youth had died on Independence Day as kite strings slit their throats in separate incidents across the national capital, prompting the Delhi government to ban the killer thread the next day. He claimed Rule 4(5) of Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 enables the Delhi government to issue the said notification without inviting objections. Maken said the Karnataka government had banned Chinese 'manjha' on July 22 and before that the Maharashtra and Rajasthan governments too had banned the Chinese thread. He asked as to what was "holding back" Delhi government from issuing a final notification banning the Chinese manja despite the Delhi High Court's direction to various government agencies to issue advisories to the public regarding the dangers of using nylon/synthetic manjhas. DPCC in a statement today said, Maken, in his letter, has demanded a "thorough probe" into the matter. He alleged the Kejriwal government was trying to "pass the blame" to bureaucrats, but when it comes to its clashes with the Centre and others, the AAP government directly blames the Prime Minister and the Lt. Government for its woes. Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay said that once again the city has seen the "insensitive face" of the Arvind Kejriwal government. The chief minister, who rushes to all corners of the country to express "politically motivated sympathies" to the people aggrieved due to any unfortunate incident, has gone into "hibernation" over the unfortunate death and injuries to people due to Chinese manjha, he alleged. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A man who was allegedly involved in a brutal gang rape and murder of a girl in Bihar and had escaped from the custody of the local police, has been arrested from south west Delhi, police said today. The accused Arjun Mahto, who was allegedly involved in a gang rape and murder of a girl in Sitamarhi district in Bihar, was arrested near Uttam Nagar Metro station by a police team on August 16, said Surender Kumar, DCP(south west). Mahto had allegedly raped and then murdered a girl in Kanhauli Bazar village in Sitamarhi(Bihar) when he was a juvenile, along with three other persons in 2011, he said. He was on the run for more than a year before he was captured by the Bihar police in 2013 only to escape from their custody in 2014. Since then, he had moved to Delhi and was involved in cases of auto-lifting and snatching, said the officer. Mahto was planning to form a gang to become a gangster in his home state after procuring arms. He had gone to fetch arms from a supplier near Uttam Nagar Metro station where he was caught by the police that had laid a trap for him on a tip off. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily today criticised his Congress party's government in Karnataka over filing of sedition charge against Amnesty International, saying it is "illegal and improper" and intended "only to silence the protest or resistance". Moily, a senior leader from Karnataka, said he has already conveyed his unhappiness to the state's Home Minister and would be "questioning" Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too on the issue. "...I talked to the Home minister of Karnataka. I told him, how it can happen? You know the sedition charge should be filed for conspiring and waging war against the nation and in fact it cannot be just invoked against mere sloganeering. "And here in this case, filing the case against Amnesty International, particularly the case of sedition, I think it is illegal and improper and I think this is only to silence the protest or resistance. It amounts to violating the freedom of speech," he said in Karan Thapar's 'To the Point' programme on India Today. Moily said the state Home minister had "explained" to him that it is not intended like that and they are yet to investigate it. "Of course police have no option but to register a FIR against those who have been named in the complaint. But that doesn't mean, just because ABVP has filed a complaint on these charges, I don't think police is entitled to repeat it in their FIR without a proper investigation, particularly a charge like sedition, which is a very serious offence," he said. To a query, Moily said, "I will be questioning (the Chief Minister)" and request him to make an inquiry in this matter and that it should not happen again. He said the sedition charges are very easily and very casually being slapped in the country. "I think it is the primary duty of the union Home ministry to send the circular with regard to the sedition charges. How it should be filed and there should be proper guidelines. Otherwise anybody with a political motive or to put down the any dissent opinion in the democracy...It is against to the contrary to the highest value of democracy," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Kerala High Court today closed proceedings in a petition seeking quashing of a molestation bid case against government pleader Dhanesh Mathew Manjooran. When the case was taken up, police informed the court that the investigation has been completed and the charge sheet filed. According to the court, a detailed report submitted by the investigating officer shows that after conducting investigation, final charge sheet was filed before the magistrate court for offence punishable under IPC section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) on August 16. In the light of the filing of the final report, Justice Sunil Thomas closed the proceedings in the petition filed by Manjooran, "reserving the right of the petitioner to seek appropriate relief". The high court had earlier declined to issue a stay order on police action against Manjooran in the case. Manjooran was arrested on the charge of allegedly attempting to molest the woman on a city road when she was returning home here after work on July 14. Manjooran was allegedly apprehended by locals after the woman raised an alarm following the molestation bid. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court today stayed an order reinstating a lady doctor who was suspended on the charge of negligence following the death of an infant at the district hospital here. A division bench of Justices P K Jaiswal and D K Paliwal stayed the order while hearing a public interest litigation. "The bench has stayed the June 30 order of the government reinstating Dr Anubha Shrivastava," said the petitioner Zeeshan Khan's lawyer, Shanno Shagufta Khan. Besides Dr Shrivastava, a nurse, an attendant and a sanitation worker were also suspended. But the doctor was reinstated within a month without waiting for the report of a magisterial probe, the lawyer said. Sangita Baghel, who lives here, gave birth to a girl on June 3 at the district hospital. Two days later, the newborn was administered a vaccine after which she developed high fever and died on June 6. The parents alleged that negligence of the hospital staff was responsible for the death. They also alleged that her body was left unattended in the hospital mortuary, and ants were found to have eaten a part of it. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea today labelled South Korean President Park Geun-Hye a "psychopath" after she made a speech slamming Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and defending the deployment of a US anti-missile system. In her televised address on Monday, Park had stressed that deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was an act of "self-defence" in response to the North's expanding nuclear weapons programme. A spokesman for the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country said Park's argument was "preposterous" and unfounded. "This is just a lame excuse and she should know that no one will be taken in by such sophism of a puppet that can do nothing without an approval of her US master," the spokesman said. "This is no more than nonsense talked by a psychopath," he added in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA agency. North Korea has threatened to take "physical action" against the THAAD deployment, saying any South Korean ports and airfields hosting US military hardware would become a target. Beijing is also opposed to the move, seeing it as a US bid to flex its military muscle in the region and undermine China's own missile capabilities. US Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, addressed those concerns during talks yesterday with his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng in Beijing. THAAD is "not a threat in any way to China," Milley told Li according to a US Army statement. Deploying the system "is a defensive measure to protect South Koreans and Americans from the North Korean ballistic missile threat," he added. Milley was due to hold talks with top South Korean military officials in Seoul today. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) North Korea said it has resumed plutonium production from spent fuel rods and has no plans to stop nuclear tests as long as the US still "threatens" Pyongyang, media reported today. The North's Atomic Energy Institute, which has jurisdiction over the country's main atomic complex Yongbyon, told Kyodo agency it had been producing highly enriched uranium for nuclear arms and power "as scheduled". "We have reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reactor," the agency said in a written interview with the agency. The agency did not disclose how much plutonium or enriched uranium the North has produced, the report said. The type of plutonium suitable for a nuclear bomb typically needs to be extracted from spent nuclear reactor fuel. In June, the UN's atomic watchdog warned that North Korea could have reactivated the Yongbyon plant for reprocessing plutonium for use in nuclear weapons, following similar warnings from a US think tank. The director of US National Intelligence, James Clapper, warned in February that the North could begin recovering plutonium from the reactor's spent fuel "within a matter of weeks to months". North Korea mothballed the Yongbyon reactor in 2007 under an aid-for-disarmament accord, but began renovating it after its third nuclear test in 2013. It carried test out a fourth on January 6. The North's Atomic Energy Institute did not rule out the possibility of further nuclear tests, claiming it had had success in "minimising, making lighter and diversifying" nuclear weapons, the report said. "Under conditions that the United States constantly threatens us with nuclear weapons, we will not discontinue nuclear tests," the institute said, according to the report. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Former Union Minister Najma Heptulla was today made Governor of Manipur while ex-Rajya Sabha MP V P Singh Badnore goes to Punjab in new gubernatorial appointments announced for four states with all of them being associated with the BJP. Banwarilal Purohit, a three-time former member of Lok Sabha from Nagpur and Managing Editor of Central India's daily 'The Hitavada', will be the Governor of Assam while Delhi-based BJP leader and former MLA Prof Jagdish Mukhi was made Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique. Heptulla, 76, had last month resigned as Minority Affairs Minister from Union Cabinet. The resignation had come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to have set an unwritten writ of '75-year age bar' for ministers and had kept veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi out of the Cabinet and co-opted them in 'Margdarshak Mandal'. Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan was holding the additional charge as Manipur Governor. 68-year-old Badnore, who hails from Rajasthan, will be the new Governor of Punjab, the communique said. Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki was holding additional charge of Punjab, which goes to polls next year, after Shivraj Patil's term ended last year. Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was holding additional charge as Assam Governor, a post which will now be assumed by 76-year-old Purohit. Professor Jagdish Mukhi, who has been Member of Delhi Legislative Assembly from Janakpuri constituency, has been appointed as Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the communique said. 73-year-old Mukhi has been appointed in place of Lt General (Retd) A K Singh, it said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Allaying concerns over the fall of pro-Beijing Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli's government, a top Nepalese leader today said Nepal accords a priority to China in its foreign relations and abides by the 'One-China' policy. Newly elected Prime Minister Prachanda's special envoy Deputy Prime Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara made the remarks here during his meeting with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, state-run Xinhua agency reported. Mahara said Nepal will strengthen coordination and cooperation with China, and implement all consensus already reached between the two countries. His visit comes following anxieties in Beijing over the fate of several projects connecting China and Nepal signed by former Prime Minister Oli to reduce landlocked Nepal's dependence on India. Li said China appreciates the importance attached to relations with Beijing by the new Nepalese government. He said China will work with Nepal in the spirit of friendship, sincerity, and mutual benefit, to jointly promote bilateral relations as well as peace, stability and prosperity in the region. China plans to expand bilateral cooperation in such areas as trade, connectivity and infrastructure construction. China will also help Nepal in natural disaster relief and post-disaster reconstruction, Li added. Mahara was visiting Beijing just two weeks after Prachanda was elected as Nepal's new prime minister. He also met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Song Tao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee. China considers Taiwan and Tibet as part of the country and requires other nations to accept it as "One-China" policy. China is also worried over supporters of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama fleeing from Tibet to India via Nepal. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Swaraj Abhiyan today claimed victory after the Delhi government announced that no new liquor shops will come up in the national capital this year and said Kejriwal's move was an outcome of its movement against liquor shops. Questioning the alleged delay in the excise policy, Swaraj Abhiyan said the government has been deliberating over it for the last four months. "What happened in last 15 days that the Chief Minister had to make a U turn? We demand that common man should be consulted before finalising the policy," Swaraj Abhiyan media in-charge Anupam said. "The Delhi Chief Minister has said there will be no new liquor shops for the next one year. Has this decision been taken from the point of view of polls in Punjab (Assembly polls) and Delhi (MCD elections) next year?," he asked. Earlier, Swaraj Abhiyan had threatened to launch an agitation if liquor permits were given without consultation of local people. Activist-lawyer and the Abhiyan leader Prashant Bhushan had undertaken a public hearing over a liquor shop in Kotla Mubarakpur. According to the excise policy approved by the AAP government today, no new liquor shop except in malls, will come up in Delhi in the current financial year and the mohalla sabhas will be empowered to shut existing neighbourhood vends if there are complaints of "nuisance". (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A few new species of insects, recently identified in the Sundarbans, could pose a threat to the mangrove forest there, a senior West Bengal forest department official warned today. Assistant divisional forest officer Balaram Panja said that the forest department was in touch with the Zoological Survey of India to study the insects. Panja was speaking on the sidelines of a programme organised by the Nature Environment & Wildlife Society, an NGO working in the Sundarbans. The mangrove ecosystem of the Sundabans is the only line of natural defense, acting as a bio-shield, against storms originating in the Bay of Bengal and affecting the entire population of southern Bengal, including Kolkata, speakers in the programme noted. The mangrove ecosystem is the most productive ecosystem in the world and is justly called the nursery of fish, crustaceans and fin-fishes, they said. It accounts for a rich supply of shrimp prawn and crabs, among others, which provides livelihood for a large section of people. A Sundarbans expert, Tushar Kanjilal, said that there was a need to raise awareness about the threats that the forest ecosystem was facing. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Telecom regulator Trai is believed to have told the Department of Telecom (DoT) that it does not have any ground to seek compliance from operators, including Reliance Jio, during testing of networks under current rules. "Trai has replied to DoT's letter which asked (it) to seek compliance from telecom operators, mainly RJIL, on duration, subscriber numbers etc during testing of their network. It has said there is no clarity in licence on the basis of which such compliance can be sought," an official source told PTI. During the test run, Reliance Jio is providing 90 days of unlimited calling and 4G data use on its network for free. It claims to have 1.5 million subscribers during this phase. The company has set a target of achieving 100 million subscribers within a year of commercial rollout of service. DoT had asked Trai to seek compliance from telecom operators on scale, duration of testing, network inter-connection and matters pertaining to subscriber addition. "Trai has told DoT that to address issues around testing of telecom networks, it should seek a reference formally from the regulator on the subject. The regulator will then carry out consultation process to firm up its recommendations," the official said. The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) with Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular on board had approached DoT requesting it to immediately ask Reliance Jio to stop all connections provided to 1.5 million users. The industry body alleged that Jio is bypassing regulations by offering full-fledged services under the guise of test connections. Faced with charges of "bypassing regulations", the Mukesh Ambani-led Jio has hit back, saying the claims are "malicious, unfounded, ill-informed and frivolous" and have been made with "ulterior motive" of promoting vested interests of incumbent operators. Jio has accused incumbent players such as Airtel, Vodafone and Idea of "artificially and illegally" blocking its network in "an anti-competitive manner". It is targeting a subscriber base of over 100 million in a year and has been asking for capacity in equipment to inter-connect its services with network of other operators. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Zakir Sheikh, a most wanted criminal allegedly involved in 23 cases of murder, has suurendered to police authorities at Malda police station. Superintendent of police Arnab Ghosh told a press meet that Zakir, who was on the run since 2010, was also involved in several cases of kidnapping and illegal possession of arms. Zakir, a resident of Ksimnagar under Kaliachak police station, surrendered last night. Meanwhile, Bakul Sheikh, another wanted criminal who was arrested on Saturday last from a guest house in Jadavpur area of Kolkata by a police team from Malda with the help of Kolkata Police Special Task Force was remanded to 13 days police custody by a Malda court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Odisha government today said it has decided to provide raw material linkage to Vedanta's alumina refinery project at Lanjigarh from the Kodingamali bauxite mines in Koraput district. State-run Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) owns the mining lease of Kodingamali bauxite mines, and production is expected to start soon. "We will make arrangements for bauxite supplies to Vedanta plant from OMC's Kodingamali mines. Bauxite supplies can take off once production starts from the mines," Odisha's Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick said. Mallick said OMC has got the mining lease of Kodingamali mines. The bauxite mines of OMC are spread over an area of 428.31 hectares in tribal dominated Koraput and Rayagada districts. Vedanta has been running its refinery at Lanjigarh by importing bauxite from states like Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra since its inception. Odisha government has not been able to meet the refinery's raw material requirement, due to which it has not operated at its full capacity. The company has occasionally imported bauxite from countries like New Guinea, even as Lanjigarh refinery plant is surrounded by bauxite deposits. Vedanta has been pleading for alternative bauxite mines after the Centre's Environment Ministry rejected mining activities at Niyamgiri hills. Meanwhile, Mallick said the state has been preparing for auction of five new mines, which included four limestone mines and one manganese mine located in Malkangiri, Nuapada and Bargargh. "We will be able to go for public auction by first week of September," Mallick said. Meanwhile, Sesa Mining Corporation Employees' Union (SMCEU) has said the workers will not report on their duties as the important demands have not yet been fulfilled. "The major issue was regarding recognition of a union leader. That issue has not been fulfilled so the workers will not join the duties. The company had illegally suspended the operations in mid-October at Bicholim mines which they have now revoked. They have not done any favour to the workers," Ajitsingh Rane, President, SMCEU, told One person was killed and several more wounded today in Mali during a protest over the arrest of a popular radio presenter. Medical sources confirmed a passerby was killed walking through the protest in the capital, Bamako, as protesters clashed with security forces who fired tear gas. The demonstration was sparked by the arrest on Monday of Mohamed Youssouf Bathily, a government minister's son also known as "Rasbath", whose polemical presence on local radio has raised the ire of the authorities. Supporters had gathered outside court to show their support where the young presenter was due to appear in connection with a police investigation into whether he broke public morality rules. Rasbath has accused President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita of being unable to manage the Malian army and attacked the prime minister and several senior military figures on his show "Carte sur table" (Card on the table). He comes from establishment stock himself as the son of land affairs minister Mohamed Ali Bathily, but is now facing allegations of "offending public decency" over his broadcasts. Political tensions over the army are high following a massacre on July 19 of 17 soldiers at a military camp in Nampala, central Mali, which also left dozens wounded. Bathily had attacked top brass for what he said was poor leadership, making direct reference to the Nampala incident. The attack was claimed both by Ansar Dine Islamists and a newly formed group. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Opposition parties in which met in Srinagar on Wednesday decided to approach President Pranab Mukherjee to apprise him of the situation in the Valley and demanded a probe by a retired Supreme Court judge into allegations of excessive use of force by security personnel. "We have decided to seek time from the President to apprise him about the real ground situation in ." "We will try to persuade the (Union) government to take steps that will at least help in improving the situation in the Valley," Conference working president Omar Abdullah told reporters here after the meeting at his residence. He said the delegation of opposition parties will go to Delhi to press for a dialogue with all stakeholders and added that blaming Pakistan for everything that goes wrong in was not the right approach. The meeting was attended by several Congress leaders including JKPCC chief G A Mir, CPI(M) MLA from Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Independent MLAs Hakim Mohammad Yasin and Sheikh Abdul Rashid and former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir. Omar said the opposition parties have demanded an inquiry by a retired Supreme Court judge into the allegations of excessive force by security forces while dealing with protestors. They will also seek a special session of the Assembly to discuss the situation. "Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in her speech on August 15 has herself said that some elements in security forces did not follow her instructions (of exercising maximum restraint). "So this is an opportune time for a judicial inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court judge," he said. The former chief minister said all the opposition parties were worried about youths getting killed and injured in security forces' firing, while the state and the central governments "mishandled" the situation. "We are also worried that the political nature of Jammu and Kashmir has neither been accepted nor understood. "When it has not been accepted, it is implied that no efforts have been made to find a solution to it," he said. Omar said Kashmir is a political issue which needs to be addressed politically. "The first step is to admit and recognise the anger and then take steps to address it. "So far that has not happened. The All-Party Meeting chaired by the Prime Minister (on August 12) happened because Parliament was in session and it was the opposition's initiative that brought the issue twice for discussion. "Otherwise, we would not have heard anything from the government," he said. Asked about the Centre raising the Balochistan issue, Omar said his personal view was that efforts should be focused on setting "our own house in order". "You (Centre) want to rake up Balochistan, by all means do it but there is a fire burning in Kashmir. It also should be addressed," he said. On Pakistan's role, Omar said, "While Pakistan has a habit of fishing in troubled waters, I do not think the present situation is because of it. "If we believe that Pakistan is behind all this, it means that we do not have to do anything to set things right," he added. "As far as dialogue (with Pakistan) is concerned, we have been votaries of dialogue for resolution. Jammu and Kashmir was made an issue between India and Pakistan way back in 1970s with the Simla Agreement. "We believe Pakistan as our neighbour is a country that needs to be talked to... And it is something Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done in the past," Omar said. Referring to the firing incident in Magam yesterday that left four persons dead, Omar said, "We have to see why an area which did not give any trouble for 40 days has suddenly erupted. "Wanton arrests have been effected, cases are being filed (against the youth). PSA is being slapped on them. "It seems a reaction is being induced and it is the result of these actions that peaceful areas are now becoming part of the agitation," he said. On the use of pellet guns as crowd control weapon, Omar said all parties have spoken against it. "The issue has figured in Parliament as well but for some reason, it's use is not stopped." In response to a question, Omar said the idea of Kashmir being an integral part of the country should not be limited to its land only. "The people of Kashmir have to be owned. It is mind-boggling that a far lesser agitation in Gujarat had no lesser a person that the Prime Minister addressing that state in Gujarati from Delhi because he owned the people. "Why is that we don't get owned? Why is it that our anger does not get owned?" he asked. Asked if the opposition parties will demand resignation of Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and her government, Omar said it was not about the chair. "We have not demanded resignation because it would seem we want to be in the chair. It is not about the chair, it is about saving the future generation of Kashmir.... "It is about the eight-year-olds, the ten-year-olds and the 12-year-olds who are out on the streets," he said. Omar said the opposition will act responsibly and contribute towards improving the situation. Asked if today's meeting will bear any fruit, Omar said the mainstream opposition parties were as relevant today as they were before the start of the current agitation. "If you are saying that we are irrelevant today, then Hurriyat Conference should be irrelevant during normalcy. "But the fact is that neither are we irrelevant today, no are the Hurriyat during the times of normalcy," he added. He said the opposition parties' delegation will go to Delhi and press for a dialogue with all stakeholders. "He( Modi) has made unscheduled visit to Lahore and recently our Home Minister visited Islamabad. "The dialogue has continued and we hope the dialogue continues but for the dialogue to work, both sides have to be interested. "Therefore I hope both the countries, India and Pakistan, should take requisite steps to improve the environment so that dialogue is possible," he said. Omar said that political parties have been supporters of dialogue with Pakistan. "Be it Atal Behari Vajpayee's dialogue with Pakistan, the Manmohan Singh dialogue or the Narendra Modi dialogue with Pakistan, we believe that dialogue is the only way forward." Replying to another query, he said, "I cannot see a war like situation. There is a lot of tension in relations between the two countries and it is the resposibility of the two nations to reduce the tension. "It is not as if there has been no war between India and Pakistan. We have fought more than three wars but nothing has been achieved." Omar said the opposition parties will demand a special session of the state Assembly so that a threadbare discussion on the current situation can be held. "If Parliament can pass resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, I see no reason why an Assembly session cannot be called and all of us cannot put forward resolutions with regard to Jammu and Kashmir," he said. India's efforts to have "closer and broader" cooperation in South Asia often faced roadblocks due to "unique challenge" from Pakistan which tends to use terrorism as an instrument of policy of diplomacy, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said tonight. In strong criticism of Pakistan, he said almost all major iniatiatives of India in SAARC -- be it enhancing connectivity or having deeper engagement in some other key areas -- did not fructify due to hurdles posed by Islamabad, adding terrorism is central to the problem. The Foreign Secretary described Pakistan as a country which not only has a "different view of the region but also has an atttitude towards use of terrorism as a instrument of policy of diplomacy which makes it a difficult partner for all of us." The Foreign Secretary was interacting with journalists at Foreign Correspondents' Club here during which he touched upon a wide range of issues including challenges on foreign policy front and India's engagement with major powers like US, Russia and China. Talking about government's neighbourhood first policy, he said though India has been sincere in ensuring development of the region, its politics often come into play. "While we all agree that we should move forward, it does not always go smoothly as domestic politics of our neighbours pose challenges. We have learnt to be patient and the mix of diplomacy and patience did see through difficult situations," said Jaishankar. "The neighbourhood clearly faces unique challenge with respect of one country which is Pakistan," he said, adding the centrality of the problem is "terrorism". Referring to Indo-Pak ties, he said India made every effort in the last two years to improve relationship with Pakistan. "What you have seen in the last two years is a great effort on our part to reach out to Pakistan and find common ground on many issues that face the relationship. "The last time this was done in December when the Foreign Minister went for the Heart of Asia conference and we agreed to have comprehensive bilateral dialogue which we hoped would begin in January this year," he said, adding then Pathankot terror attack took place. He said the problem is that the "terrorism issue has become so central that it makes it very difficult for the relationship as a whole to progress". The Foreign Secrtary also talked about lack of progress in Pathankot terror attack probe and continuous cross-border infiltrations and attacks. The Foreign Secretary spoke about India's ties with the US, Russia and China as well as with various multilateral forums, adding there has been a marked shift in New Delhi's external engagements in the last two years. He cited completion of the Indo-Afghanistan Freindship Dam and Parliament building constructed by India in Kabul as reflection of changing approach of the government in implementing major projects abroad. The Foreign Secretary said ties with the US, Japan, Russia and China have improved significantly, while there was speedy progress in ramping up cooperation with Africa. "I would also accept that we have faced some challenges in the relationship recently. The visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister gave us an opportunity to revisit some of those issues. "I think certainly, speaking from our perspective, whether a well known terroist who actually proudly accepts that he has undertaken actions against this country is sanctioned by a UN committee or not. This is not a small issue," he said. Earlier this year, China had blocked India's effort to ban Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar by the UN. He also made a veiled reference to China scuttling India's NSG membership bid, saying New Delhi needed to get greater access to nuclear energy, especially given its commitment at the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) climate forum. China had scuttled India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the plenary meeting of the 48-nation grouping in June on the grounds that it was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), evoking a strong reaction from India. Filipino and Saudi officials are working together to help thousands of stranded workers under a directive from King Salman, a diplomat said today as the Philippines labour secretary visited. The roughly 11,000 Filipinos are among tens of thousands of workers affected by financial troubles at the kingdom's major construction firms. "Their salaries have not been paid, some of them for as long as eight months," Iric Arribas, charge d'affaires at the Philippine embassy, told AFP. "It turned into a humanitarian crisis." Workers were unable to renew their residency permits, meaning they could not leave the country and could not access their bank accounts, he said. Some living in company accommodation "did not have food", Arribas added. About 7,000 of the Filipinos worked for Saudi Oger Ltd, while 3,000 were with Saudi Binladin Group and the rest with other firms, Arribas said. Saudi King Salman earlier this month ordered various measures to help affected foreign workers. These include a waiver of penalties for expired work and residency permits, payment for flights home, and for food and accommodation when the employers were no longer meeting their obligations. Lawyers hired by the Saudi government will handle claims for delayed salaries, even if workers leave the country. Arribas said Philippines officials and the Saudi labour ministry are coordinating "to implement the general provisions of the directive from the king." Labour Secretary Silvestre Bello on Wednesday thanked Salman for his help. Bello, who met his Saudi counterpart Mufarrej al-Haqbani, handed over a letter of gratitude from President Rodrigo Duterte, Arribas said. Before leaving for Saudi Arabia Bello told Philippines television that Duterte wants the workers back as soon as possible. "The majority of them would like to go home" and perhaps return to work in the kingdom later, Arribas said. The stranded Filipinos worked in a variety of jobs including engineering, technical and office positions. Sources in March told AFP that delayed receipts from the government, whose oil revenues have dropped significantly over the past two years, left employees of the kingdom's construction giants struggling while they wait for salaries. The Saudi Gazette reported today that a Pakistani minister had also arrived in the kingdom to try to help more than 10,000 of his countrymen who are similarly stranded. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Congress leader Narayan Rane today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi's reference to Balochistan in his Independence Day speech has "spoilt" India's image and the PM should have instead assured the safety of Dalits. Talking to reporters here, Rane claimed that Modi's "indifferent attitude" towards atrocities against the Dalits and the minority community, shows that he does not want to take their responsibility. "In the last 70 years, no PM has ever spoken about international issues in the Independence Day address. Experts are saying that his statements weren't right and can get India in trouble in future. He has spoilt the image of our nation internationally by openly conceding that India is involved in Balochistan," he said. The former Maharashtra Chief Minister also said during his speech, Modi kept giving credit to himself, rather than mentioning the work done by his ministers. "On the eve of Independence Day, the President very clearly spoke against atrocities on Dalits and minority community. But Modi ji did not speak a word on it, he did not assure them security. This shows that he is not ready to take their responsibility," he said. On the functioning of the BJP-led government in Maharashtra, the Congress MLC said none of the ministers have qualities to head their departments. "There is rampant corruption. No substantial work is being done, new announcements are being made without fulfilling old commitments, the real estate industry in Mumbai has slumped. This cannot be called a government," he said. Rane said the state is taking new loans for development projects and thereby increasing the load on the already over burdened exchequer. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Amid a debate over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments on Balochistan in his Independence Day address, Government feels it was an expression of concern for people of the Pakistan's troubled region and that India's humanity does not stop at its border. "It was an expression of concern. We feel for people inside the country as well as outside the country. If you expect us to feel strongly about people inside the country then my humanity does not stop at my borders," official sources said reflecting government's view on the issue. They said the statement did not come out of the blue and it reflected the Prime Minister's concerns for oppressed people of Balochistan. "It perfectly natural," they said, adding Modi's comments reflected that he was troubled by the human rights situation in Balochistan and the excesses committed by the Pakistani military. Questions like with whom India will coordinate and what New Delhi was going to do in Balochistan are "premature and irrelevant", the sources said. In his Independence Day speech on Monday, Modi had talked about the situation in PoK, Gilgit and Balochistan and said people from there have thanked him for raising their issues. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Six persons were arrested after police thwarted a gang's plan to loot diamond and gold traders in suburban Matunga here, a senior official said today. The gang members identified as Santosh Anand Hayal (21), Nepal Badal Manna (34), Sumeet Yadav (34) Rajan Nakul Das(23), Pradeep Natme (24) and Pratapsingh Dilipsingh Manchanda (58) were arrested yesterday, the official said. The gang was charting out their robbery plan in a taxi near Maheshwari circle in the area when a patrol team of Matunga police noticed them following which they started running from the spot. After a chase, cops managed to nab the six accused while hunt is on for three others. During investigation, it was revealed that the gang was planning to loot diamond and gold traders in the area. They had chalked out a plan to loot around Rs 8 crore, police said. They arrested have been booked under IPC sections 399 (planning to make dacoity), 400 (punishment for belonging to gang of dacoits) and 402 (assembling for purpose of committing dacoity), he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A police sub-inspector allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself with his service revolver in Medak district in the wee hours today, with his family members alleging that he took the extreme step due to harassment by senior officers. Ramakrishna Reddy (aged around 45), the sub-inspector posted at Kuknoorpally Police Station, allegedly shot himself in the forehead with his service revolver in his house at around 1.30 AM when he was alone, Togutta Police Station's circle inspector said. The other policemen rushed to his quarters soon after hearing the firing sound and found Reddy dead.The body was later shifted to a hospital at Gajwel. The deceased's family members alleged that he committed suicide due to harassment by senior officers. They also claimed that the deceased had written a suicide note in which he mentioned the reasons for taking the extreme step. However, police remained tight-lipped about any suicide note found at the spot. Medak district Superintendent of Police Chandrashekar Reddy visited Gajwel hospital. Police have registered a case and are looking at various angles to find out the reason for the suicide. Ramakrishna Reddy was a native of Bakkamantram Gudem village in Mathampally madal of Nalgonda district. He had sent his wife and two children to their parental home two days back. Before joining the police force in 2005, he had also worked in the Army, according to his relatives. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) An energy audit and star rating of several Delhi government buildings like the Secretariat and the Legislative Assembly will be carried out by the state's Power Department and the Centre's Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). The first-of-its-kind exercise, whose recommendations will have to be implemented in a time-bound manner, is aimed at promoting energy efficiency and conservation among various government departments, an official statement said. Delhi Power Minister Satyender Jain said there was a lot of scope of energy saving in hospital buildings and asked the authorities carrying out the exercise to lay special emphasis on them. He said savings can also be achieved through time of day based usage of electricity (different power tariff at different times of the day) and differential tariff. Power Secretary Sukesh Jain said the department and BEE shall carry out the baseline star rating of identified buildings and energy audit will follow that. "Then the concerned departments will implement the recommendation of energy auditors in time bound manner. In order to gauge the achieved savings, a final star rating exercise shall be carried out," the statement said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Pramukh Swami, the spiritual head of Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) sect, was cremated at Swaminarayan temple in Sarangpur this evening with BJP chief Amit Shah, party patriarch L K Advani and Union Minister Arun Jaitley attending the last rites. The cremation were held as per Vedic rituals in an open ground on the premises of the temple in the presence of thousands of devotees and a number of dignitaries. Saints and devotees bid their final adieu to him with tears amid chants and prayers. The 95-year-old spiritual head had died on August 13 at the Sarangpur temple where he had been residing since the last few years. He had not been keeping well since long due to age-related problems and was being treated at the temple which is around 150 km from here. Swami's mortal remains were kept at the temple till this morning to enable devotees and citizens to have a final glimpse. Reportedly over 20 lakh devotees of the Swaminarayan sect from across the globe visited the temple to pay tributes. Shah, Jaitley, Advani and Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu were among the dignitaries who paid their last respects to the departed soul. Shah said it will be impossible to fill the vacuum created by Swami's death. "Since I was born and brought up in Gujarat, I was a witness to Swami's influence on the lives of people of not only Gujarat but also of the country. He did a commendable job of pursuing people to give up smoking and other addictions. I believe that it will be impossible to fill up the void created by his death," Shah said. In his condolence message, Jaitley praised Swami for motivating millions to walk the path of 'dharma'. "For a very long period, Swami persuaded millions of people across the globe to walk the path of religion and sacrifice. He was having the power to motivate people to work for the betterment of the society. I believe that he is irreplaceable," the Finance Minister said. Advani told reporters that Swami became a medium of spreading India's best practices in the world. "There are very few persons who have managed to spread India's best practices in the world. Pramukh Swami did this through his sect. I came here once again to pay my final respects," Advani added. Other dignitaries who paid their tributes today include Congress president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmed Patel, Gujarat Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki, Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh, industrialist Anil Ambani, Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev and spiritual leader Morari Bapu. Prominent personalities who visited Sarangpur to pay their last respect to Swami include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and former Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel. A religious preacher was today arrested for cheating people on the pretext of getting them government jobs here, police said. Moulvi Abdul Majid was arrested in Kotli Miya Fateh on the basis of complaints filed by some people, they said. "Some people from Kathua had lodged complaints that Majid had taken money from them after promising to get them government jobs in exchange," a police spokesperson said. "A case has been registered against Majid," he added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A property dealer was allegedly abducted by four persons, including two in police uniform, and made to pay a ransom of Rs 25 lakh in outer Delhi, police said today. Ram Pratap, 46, who runs a property dealing business in Rohini area, was kidnapped on the intervening night of August 12-13 and later released when the ransom was paid, police said. On a complaint of the property dealer, a case under various Sections of IPC including charges of kidnapping and extortion was registered at Vijay Vihar police station and investigation is underway, said a police officer. Pratap was returning from his office in Sector 3 of Rohini on the late night of August 12 when his car was stopped by two men in police uniform. The duo along with two other men took control of his car and drove it to their hideout after blindfolding the property dealer, police said. He was beaten up and threatened to pay ransom, forcing him to disclose that Rs 25 lakh were kept at his house in Buddh Vihar, Phase I, police said. Later, a man went to the victim's house and collected Rs 25 lakh from his son. The kidnappers also snatched Rs one lakh he was carrying with himself. Pratap was threatened and beaten again and asked to pay an additional Rs 25 lakh by the kidnappers. After he denied having the money, he was taken to one of his friend's house in Sultanpuri but he again expressed his inability to give the money, police said. Finally, the kidnappers released him in Sector 24 of Rohini with a warning to pay the amount, failing which they will get his children killed, police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Santoor maestro Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma will be conferred upon with the annual Sangeet Martand Ustad Chand Khan Lifetime Achievement Award this year, Sursagar Society of Dilli Gharana has announced. The 23rd edition of the festival that celebrates Indian classical art is scheduled to be held on September 13 and September 14 here with performances by some of the leading Hindustani classical vocal and instrumental maestros. A Padma Vibhushan recipient, Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma was born in Jammu in 1938, and is believed to be the first musician to have played Indian classical music on the santoor, a folk instrument from the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The maestro will also be performing at the festival. The society has been felicitating stalwarts of Indian classical music and dance with the award since 1986 to recognise their contribution towards enriching the art forms. While last year, the honour was conferred upon Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj, others who have received the award in the past include Pandit Jasraj, Ustad Abdul Haleem Jaffar Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and a centenarian Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan. The award carries a cash prize of Rs 50,000, a memento and a citation. According to organisers, the festival aims to resonate a musical spirit among "music connoisseurs from far and wide" as well as offer them an opportunity to connect with the art form. "Music speaks directly to the heart. This response, this echo within the heart, is proof that human hearts can transcend the barriers of time and space and nationality. The voice has the power to transform life from within, to strengthen and purify it," says Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan, General Secretary of Sursagar Society of Delhi Gharana. Highlights of the two-day celebration include a vocal recital by Khalifa of Dilli Gharana, Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan on the first day, and a sarod recital by Pandit Tajendra Narayan Majumdar followed by a vocal piece by Pandita Ashwini Bhide Deshpande on the second. Established by Ustad Chand Khan Sahab in 1940, the Sursagar society aims to conserve and promote an awareness of our rich and heterogeneous culture by focussing on the classical arts. "We're trying to save an art, the art of music, which is precisely, an implication of the collective conscience of the Indian civilization," organisers said. The society has been holding music festivals across Delhi, Kolkata and Ranchi for over 70 years now, honouring artists who seek to develop interest in Indian Classical Music. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave nod to the proposal of state-owned Punjab Agro Corporation to export 20,000 tonnes of kinnow - a type of citrus fruit - in the coming season. An official spokesperson said a decision to this effect was taken by the Chief Minister after successful exporting around 5,000 tonnes of kinnow to Russia, Ukraine and the Middle East last year. The Chief Minister has asked Managing Director (MD) Punjab Agro K S Pannu to take all possible measures to set up sufficient cold chain infrastructure in Punjab in next four months for ensuring long distance marketing of kinnow in domestic and international market. This move was likely to immensely benefit the kinnow growers of the state, he said. With a view to improve the farm practices of kinnow harvesting in line with international standards, the Chief Minister has also approved the proposal to import citrus fruit clippers and harvesting bags, besides providing specialized training to labour engaged in fruit picking in orchards. Badal has also sanctioned a financial grant worth Rs 10 crore to Punjab Agro for immediate improvement of cold chain infrastructure for kinnow marketing. International Standard post harvest fungicide laden wax would also be imported in the state to ensure long storage life of kinnow, he informed. In order to take kinnow to distant marketing centres, the Railway Ministry has been requested to provide refrigerated wagons from Abohar, Bathinda and Hoshiarpur railway stations, thereby covering the Kinnow hubs of the state. It has also been decided to ensure participation of progressive kinnow growers in international fruit trade fairs especially one of the biggest trade fair in Russia. A coordination committee under the chairmanship of Pannu has been constituted for ensuring the implementation of decisions. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Reliance Brands, a part of Reliance Industries Group, today announced a long-term master franchise agreement with Amsterdam-based fashion brand, Scotch & Soda. Under the agreement, Reliance Brands will set up Scotch & Soda stores in all major cities in India by 2017. Through this partnership, Reliance Brands will offer Scotch & Soda products across menswear, womenswear and childrenwear categories through all channels of sale. "Scotch & Soda is one of the few companies that is dedicated to crafting quality garments rather than emphasising on the brand logo. I have long been their admirer and consumer. We now have the privilege and joy of partnering with them for India," Darshan Mehta, President & CEO, Reliance Brands said in a statement here. Further, Reliance will grow the brand through other channels of sale in India, such as e-commerce, travel commerce, and leading multi-brand department stores, it said. The newly-formed partnership will leverage Reliance Brands' in-depth expertise of the premium retail market in India coupled with Scotch & Soda's global expansion drive. Currently, Scotch & Soda has over 160 stores globally, and can be found in over 8,000 doors including the best global department-stores and independents worldwide and in the brand's webstore. "We are looking forward to growing our unique brand in collaboration with Reliance's expertise in this fashion market and in this very important region," Scotch & Soda CEO Dirk Jan Stoppelenburg said. Reliance Brand's portfolio includes brand partnerships with Brooks Bros, DC, Diesel, Dune, Ermenegildo Zegna, Gas, Hamleys, Quicksilver, Steve Madden, Kenneth Cole among others. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who has slipped in the polls in recent weeks, has shaken up his campaign again. The billionaire real estate mogul is bringing in Stephen Bannon of Breitbart as chief executive officer and promoting pollster Kellyanne Conway to campaign manager. "I've known both of them for a long time. They're terrific people, they're winners, they're champs, and we need to win it," Trump told The Associated Press in a phone interview early today. The move comes just 82 days before the November election and represents yet another overhaul of Trump's tumultuous quest for the White House. In confirming the campaign overhaul, Trump called Bannon and Conway "big people" who can help him defeat Democrat Hillary Clinton in November. Campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who formally took over the reins following the departure of Corey Lewandowski in June, will maintain his current title, Trump said. Manafort deputy Rick Gates, who has been traveling often with Trump, is expected to maintain a senior role with the campaign. The news, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, comes as opinion surveys show Trump trailing Clinton nationally and in a host of key battleground states following a difficult campaign stretch that saw him insulting the Muslim parents of a soldier who died in Iraq and temporarily refraining from endorsing House Speaker Paul Ryan, who was involved in a primary in his home state of Wisconsin. In tapping Bannon for a top campaign role, Trump is doubling down on his outsider appeal rather than appeasing more traditional Republicans. The conservative Breitbart figure has been a cheerleader for Trump's campaign for months and was critical of Republican leaders, including Ryan. Bannon is a former Goldman Sachs banker but does not bring presidential campaign experience to Trump's White House bid. Conway joined Trump's campaign earlier this year as a senior adviser. A longtime Republican strategist and pollster, she has close ties to Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Trump long has resisted pleas from fellow Republicans to overhaul the flame-throwing approach on the campaign trail that powered his surge to the top of the GOP field in the primary season. Instead of working to broaden his appeal, Trump has largely hewed to the large rallies and attention-grabbing comments that appealed to the Republican Party base. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) In a rich haul, more than 378 pouches of country liquor and around 300 bottles of IMFL were seized from the city and two other places of Bihar today where a total prohibition is in place. The police raided Hardinge Park area in Patna and arrested seven women who were allegedly illegally trading in pouches of country liquor, Senior Superintendent of Police Manu Maharaj said in a statement. The 378 pouches of country liquor that the women had brought for selling were seized. During questioning, the women said they had smuggled the pouches into Patna from neighbouring Jharkhand, the statement said. Over 300 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) were also seized from Munger and Nawada districts of Bihar and and five people, including two women, were arrested. Acting on a tip off that a huge consignment of foreign liquor was being smuggled into Bihar from Jharkhand, police increased vigilance at the inter-state border and found 214 bottles in a car at Nauaghat More in Munger district. Superintendent of Police Ashish Bharti said police arrested Rohit Singh, who runs an upscale hotel in Ranchi, and seized 11 ATM cards from him. He was later sent to jail, the SP said, adding, his two accomplices managed to give police a slip. Four persons, including two women, were arrested by excise officials for possessing foreign and country liquor while checking a bus at an integrated checkpost at Rajauli in Nawada district. Excise Department Superintendent Prem Prakash said 83 bottles of foreign liquor have been recovered from the two women. The bottles were packed in nine bags and kept in the bus which was on its way to Biharsharif from Kolkata. Prakash said the women were identified as residents of Biharsharif, the headquarter town in Nalanda district. One bottle of foreign liquor was seized from another person and and one and half litres of country-made liquor was seized from another. Both of them were arrested, he said. The first one was identified as a resident of Sheikhpura district and the other of Simdega district of Jharkhand, police added. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A consortium of seven farmer organisations, RPKA, today demanded that the Centre rollback draft guidelines which prescribe new norms for licensing and royalty/trait value fixation of BT cotton seeds. The Agriculture Ministry had issued a notification to this effect in May but it was withdrawn and turned into draft guidelines, seeking comments from stakeholders amid opposition from crop biotech industry. A petition signed by over 3.24 lakh farmers from 23 states demanding the immediate withdrawal of the draft licensing guidelines was submitted to the Union Agriculture Ministry, Rashtriya Progressive Kisan Association (RPKA) said in a statement. RPKA National Coordinator Raghupati Singh said: "Farmers across the country realised that the draft licensing guidelines are regressive and anti-farmer. If implemented it will lead to complete halt in the availability of new technologies." Cotton farmers from across the country have said that seed prices form a very small part of their input costs and this has seldom been a consideration. Also, seeds have always been available, he said. Given the lack of similar and relevant agri-technologies being available for farmers by Indian companies, such restrictions in the way of companies is detrimental to long term farmer interest and to the overall domestic cotton economy, he said, adding that it also puts at risk the introduction of future technologies for Indian farmers not only in cotton but also in other crops. The Association claimed that elected members from BJP, Shiv Sena, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party among others have offered their support to the petition. "States like Bihar and Orissa are with significant opportunities and can become big seed suppliers if agri- business in the state is well taken care of. "Innovation is the key here but the current state of affairs is quite unfortunate. We appeal to the government to look into the matter and create a policy which will help poor farmers in the long run," BJP National Vice President Renu Devi said, extending her support to the petition. RKPA members met Deputy Agriculture Commissioner D S Misra and NITI Aayog member Ramesh Chand in this regard. They plan to meet agriculture as well as environment ministers. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) has said its warplanes flew out of an Iranian airbase for the first time to bomb jihadist groups in Syria, as fighting raged for control of the ravaged city of Aleppo. The United States said the Russian move made the Syrian crisis even more difficult, but it credited Moscow with having given it a brief advance warning. The defence ministry in Moscow said long-range warplanes took off from Hamedan base in western Iran and "conducted a group air strike against targets of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and Idlib". The strikes destroyed jihadist targets including weapons depots and command centres, "killing a large number of fighters," Moscow said. Separately, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 23 civilians were killed in Russian and Syrian strikes on rebel-held areas in Aleppo, Syria's second city. Nine civilians were also killed in government-held areas by rebel shelling, it said. The deployment from Iran marks a major switch in the bombing campaign the Kremlin launched in September to support Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, as until now Moscow had only flown raids out of its bases in Syria and . Iran and are the two firmest backers of the Assad regime, with Tehran commanding thousands of troops fighting for him on the ground while Russia provides airpower. Both oppose calls for Assad to step down as a way of resolving the conflict that has killed more than 290,000 people since it erupted in March 2011. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state news agency IRNA that Moscow and Tehran "exchange capacities and facilities" in the fight against terrorism in Syria. An unnamed military source told Interfax news agency on Monday that Russia had also sent requests to Iran and Iraq to fire cruise missiles across their airspace. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner described Russian warplane deployment from Iran as "unfortunate, but not surprising or unexpected." Earlier, Baghdad-based US military spokesman Colonel Chris Garver said Russian authorities had notified the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria shortly before launching the bombing mission from Iran. The coalition since last year has operated a "memorandum of understanding" with Russia, whereby the two military forces notify each other of flights during their separate bombing campaigns to avoid accidents in the skies over Syria. Yesterday, US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Aleppo with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign ministry said. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in comments aired Monday that Russia and the United States were close to joining forces in some form around Aleppo and "begin battling together so that there is peace on this territory." But US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau refused to confirm any collaboration. South Korea said today that North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain had defected to Seoul, in a rare and major loss of diplomatic face for Pyongyang. The Unification Ministry said Thae Yong-Ho - the number-two at the North's mission in London - had defected together with his family and they were now in the South Korean capital. "They are under government protection and are going through necessary procedures with related institutions," ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee told reporters. Jeong declined to reveal Thae's defection route, citing the diplomatic sensitivities involved for the concerned countries. "On his reasons for defection, Minister Thae cited disgust with (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-Un's regime, admiration for South Korea's free, democratic system and the future of his family," Jeong said. Increasingly isolated internationally because of its nuclear weapons programme, North Korea maintains relatively few overseas embassies, and defections by diplomats of Thae's stature are extremely rare. The last such case was that of the North Korean ambassador to Egypt who defected to the United States in 1997. South Korea' JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, which first reported Thae's defection yesterday, said he had been under pressure from Pyongyang to combat growing international criticism of North Korea's human rights record. North Korean defectors have been making headlines recently, largely due to an unusual group defection in April by a dozen waitresses and their manager who were working at a North Korean-run restaurant in China. A North Korean army colonel who had handled spying operations on South Korea was announced to have defected last year. And, in July, an 18-year-old student, who was in Hong Kong for an international maths contest, reportedly sought asylum in the South Korean consulate in the city. The Unification Ministry said Thae's defection reflected the loss of faith among North Korea's elite in Kim Jong-Un's leadership. "Awareness that the North Korean regime has reached its limit is spreading and the solidarity of its ruling class is weakening," Jeong said. Thae was believed to have worked at the embassy in London for 10 years, with one of his main tasks being to counter the image of North Korea as a nuclear pariah state and notorious human rights abuser. Over the years, nearly 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression in their country and settled in the South. But the number of defectors - who once numbered more than 2,000 a year - has nearly halved since Kim Jong-Un took power after the death of his father and former leader Kim Jong-Il in December 2011. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today sought responses from the Centre, states and Union Territories on a plea seeking a direction to amend excise laws to ensure that no liquor is sold alongside state and national highways due to rising fatalities in road mishaps across the nation. A bench of Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justice A M Khanwilkar issued notice on a PIL which alleged that states and UTs were not acting despite comprehensive recommendations of a panel headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan, former apex court judge, that there should be "ban on sale of alcohol on state and national highways". The PIL filed by E V Balakrishnan, through lawyer M Rambabu, has referred to the 2015 report of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and said that almost five lakh accidents occurred last year in India, killing 1,46,000 people and leaving thrice the number injured. Besides states and UTs, the court issued notices to various central ministries including Finance, Road Transport and Highways and Home Affairs. The plea alleged that despite the recommendation of the Committee to ban of sale of alcohol on State and National Highway", states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana were sticking to their prevailing excise policies under which licenses are being issued to liquor shops along the highways. "The present Writ Petition is ...Seeking the kind indulgence of this court for issuance of a Writ ...To UOI, all Indian States and Union Territories to repeal/amend their Excise Policies regarding issuing of licenses to liquor shops along the State and National Highways, with immediate effect, considering the rise in road accidents," it said. "The analysis of road accident data 2015 reveals that about 1,374 accidents and 400 deaths take place every day on Indian roads, resulting in 57 accidents and loss of 17 lives on an average every hour. "India being a signatory to the Brasilia Declaration, it is imperative that policy guidelines are framed to control road accidents. Also, the Excise Policies of Indian States and Union Territories should be amended to conform to the spirit of Article 47 r/w Article 21 of the Constitution of India," the plea said. Balakrishnan said he has made representations to the Centre and states to frame policy to provide "an alcohol-free society and formulate rules to ban illicit liquor/country liquor shops along the roadside/Highways". The plea said that Meghalaya has completely banned such liquor shops along the Highways. "Pertinently, five Indian States - Bihar, Gujarat, Kerala, Nagaland and Mizoram, along with the UT of Lakshwadeep, are examples of states having a complete ban on liquor consumption," it said, adding that drunk driving was one of the key reasons for mishaps. Assyrians Revive Ancient Language Despite War The Ourhi Centre in Qamishli is considered the first language and cultural centre launched by Syriac Chrisitians in northern Syria. ( ARA News) QAMISHLI -- The Syriac-Assyrian Christians in Syria's Hasakah, like other communities in the province, are trying to revive their language and have education in their mother-tongue. The ongoing instability in the country has given the Syriac-Assyrians an opportunity to have education in their own language. Prior to the outbreak of the Syrian crisis, the Syriac-Assyrian Christians were not allowed to have education in their own language, similar to the Kurds. The only language of education used to be Arabic, due to the totalitarian policies of the ruling Baath Party that excluded other ethnic minorities. This Christian community has shown appreciation for this great opportunity that came amid the current hard situation in Syria. The Syriac-Assyrians have recently launched a language centre known as "Ourhi Centre" in the city of Qamishli in Syria's northeastern Hasakah province. The project is aimed at educating the Assyrian language and train potential teachers to bear the mission of reviving this ancient language. "Our centre is responsible for training teachers specialised in the Syriac language to enable them teach different subjects in this language," Jan Malfon, director of Ourhi Centre, told ARA News in Qamishli. "This is the first time ever that our community launches its own language and cultural centre," he said. Several languages, including Assyrian, will be taught within the new curriculum at schools under the sponsorship of the Self-Administration of Northern Syria and Rojava. Lorin Afram, a Syriac language teacher in Qamishli, told ARA News: "We started our first Syriac course in the centre with an institutional level in order to teach students the basics of written and spoken Syriac." Also, Mirna Saliba, a Syriac student at the Ourhi Centre, said: "Learning the Syriac-Assyrian language would help us better understand our culture and history in order to pass this knowledge to the next generations and guarantee them learning their mother-tongue." Sandra Bullock and boyfriend Bryan Randall are serious about each other and the actress looks more open about the idea of tying the knot again. The 52-year-old Oscar winner and her boyfriend are currently holidaying and the "Gravity" star is happier than ever with him, reported E! online. "They are enjoying the last bit of the summer with the kids until school starts. They will be in Los Angeles more once the kids start going to school. Things are very serious with them. "Sandra and Bryan are life partners. Their close friends have never seen Sandra this happy before. Sandra as of lately has been more open to the possibility of getting married again," a source said. The of the Hollywood actress and Bryan, who works as a photographer, dating came out last year in December. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gunmen have shot dead a Saudi policeman in the kingdom's east where most minority Shiites live, police said today. The drive-by attack happened early today in Qatif, a Shiite-dominated district on the Gulf coast. Four masked men opened fire, wounding the officer who died on the way to hospital, provincial police said in a statement. "The police building and a patrol car were damaged," said the statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency. It was the fourth fatal shooting of a policeman in Qatif since January. Eastern Province is home to most of Saudi Arabia's Shiites, who have long complained of marginalisation in the Sunni-majority kingdom. Parts of the eastern area have seen repeated security incidents since 2011, when a wave of protests began among Shiites demanding reform. Eastern Province residents have said clashes with police are also sometimes linked to criminal activity including the drug trade. Sunni extremists from the Islamic State group have claimed attacks against Saudi security personnel elsewhere in the kingdom. A Yemeni accused of running over and stabbing a policeman this month in the southwestern Asir region had pledged allegiance to the IS group, the interior ministry said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Embattled real estate firm Ltd was Wednesday directed by the Supreme Court to deposit Rs 15 crore principal amount by September-end to pay back investors who had bought flats in its Gurgaon project but not got possession on time. "We feel pained," a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit said while directing the firm to deposit Rs five crore within two weeks and Rs 10 crore in the apex court registry by end of next month to pay back the amount to 38 investors. "You tell us how will you pay? We will later consider whether interest will be paid to them (investors)," the bench told senior advocate Kapil Sibal who was representing . Responding to the query, Sibal said "We appreciate the concern of customers. They can take alternative accomodation. We will pay the rent." The bench shot back saying, "Will they move from rental to rental? Nothing is moving." Sibal told the court that there should be some solution to the issue but the bench said, "you deposit the money. You deposit Rs 15 crore first. Let them get the principal amount." "We direct the appellant (Unitech) to deposit Rs 15 crore in the registry of this court. They will deposit Rs five crore in two weeks and rest amount of Rs 10 crore will be deposited by end of September 2016," the bench said and listed the matter for further hearing on October 4. During the hearing, a number of investors were present in the courtroom and advocate Brajesh Kumar who was representing some of them told the bench that before the National Consumer Commission, Ltd had assured that they would hand over the possession of flats which was not cone. "Now, we want refund of the amount," he said about the Unitech Vista project in sector-70, Gurugram (earlier called Gurgaon). Another investor told the bench that they had paid money to the firm on time and the company was scheduled to hand over the possession of flats in 2012 but till date, they have not given them the flats. More than two dozen home buyers of Unitech's housing projects in Noida and Gurgaon had approached the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) after the builder had failed to give them possession of the flats as per schedule. The consumer forum had asked the real estate firm to refund the money to the home buyers with interest. The apex court had last month asked the company to deposit an interim penalty of Rs 5 crore with the court registry after the firm challenged the order of the consumer forum which had asked the developer to pay Rs 5 crore penalty to three buyers of its Burgundy project. The court had said that the penalty deposited with the court will be awarded to the buyers or returned to Unitech, depending on the outcome of the case. The Supreme Court ruling on age bar of 'Govindas' participating in the 'Dahi-Handi' ritual in Maharashtra, today met with disappointment back home with political leaders and local groups seeing the move as a setback to the festive tradition and demanded that the state government file a review petition in the case. Arun Sawant, spokesperson of the Mumbai Congress, termed the cap as "unnecessary" and said, "This is really very disheartening because in the last few years, many organisers have came forward to take care of Govindas in case of any eventuality. They vouched for the well-being of the Govindas and took upon their medical and financial responsibility if anything untoward happens." He said it is only the small organisers who put Govindas' lives at risk during the Dahi Handi event. Ruling BJP too said that it will do every bit to protect the "sheen" of the festival. "Such sort of a cap is an attempt to spoil our rich culture of Dahi Handi which not only unites youth but also makes them stronger. We are going to do every bit to save this popular festival," Mumbai BJP spokesperson Yogesh Verma said. Congress leader and former MP Sanjay Nirupam, demanded that the state government file a review petition in the Supreme Court. "This government should take a leaf from the Tamil Nadu government which challenged the ban imposed on Jallikattu by the Supreme Court after which it had to withdraw the ban." NCP demanded the Centre's intervention in the matter to save the tradition. "Since state government has miserably failed to put forth its stand on the issue, therefore our party demands union government to step in and preserve the tradition," said Uday Pratap Singh, Mumbai NCP spokesperson. "The previous government had taken bold steps to secure this festival with the cooperation of Dahi Handi mandals under the leadership of NMS leader Bala Nandgaonkar. But this government is busy defending ban on dance bars and has lost focus of sentimental and religious issues," he said. However, Shiv Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe refused to comment over the SC ruling and said that it won't be wise to react without going through the the judgement. Bhau Koregaonkar, the propounder of 'Gorakhnath Mahila Dahi Handi Pathak', the oldest and leading Dahi-Handi team of female Govindas, too reacted cautiously and said the onus is on the state government to protect the rich culture and tradition embodied in the festival. "Supreme Court's decision cannot be blatantly slammed because definitely there is a lot of risk involved in this ritual. There have been so many untoward incidents that forced the judiciary to put a cap on it," said Koregaonkar. "I think there should be a regulating agency to control and guide this tradition. Dahi Handi organisers must be issued licenses under strict guidelines," he added. The apex court today said that youth below 18 years of age cannot participate in the Dahi Handi ritual, part of the Janmashtami festival in Maharashtra and the height of the human pyramid for it cannot exceed 20 feet, a limit fixed by the Bombay High Court. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court today sought the response of Maharashtra government on a plea challenging a Bombay High Court verdict which held that mere possession of beef of animals slaughtered outside the state cannot invite criminal action. A bench of Justices A K Sikri and D Y Chandrachud issued notice to the state on the plea filed by 'Akhil Bharat Krishi Goseva Sangh'. The counsel appearing for the Sangh told the apex court that they were challenging part of the May 6 verdict of the High Court which had said provisions of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act, which criminalise possession of beef, is an infringement on the right to privacy of citizens and unconstitutional. The High Court had also upheld the ban on slaughter of bulls and bullocks in Maharashtra while striking down two sections of the state Act which criminalised possession of beef. Striking down sections 5(d) and 9(b) of the Act which criminalised and imposed punishment for possession of beef of animals slaughtered in the state or outside, the high court had held that the state cannot control what a citizen does in his house, which is his own castle, provided he is not doing something contrary to the law. "Sections 5(d) which provides that no person shall have in his possession flesh of cow, bull or bullock slaughtered outside Maharashtra is unconstitutional and infringes upon a citizen's right to privacy," the high court had said. The court had also modified section 5(c) of the Act, which makes possession of beef of animal slaughtered in the state an offence, and had said only "conscious possession" of such meat will be held as an offence. The high court's order had come on the bunch of petitions challenging the provision of the law which had said that mere possession of beef in any place in the state is a crime. In February 2015, the President had granted sanction to the Maharashtra Animal Preservation (Amendment) Act. While the Act had banned slaughter of cows way back in 1976, the recent amendments prohibited slaughter of bulls and bullocks, possession and consumption of their meat. As per the Act, slaughter attracts a five-year jail term and Rs 10,000 fine and possession of meat of bull or bullock hands over one-year jail and Rs 2,000 fine. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea seeking a direction to the Centre and agencies like SEBI, CBI and Enforcement Directorate to help hapless investors in getting back their hard-earned monies from the Pearls Group's companies. The Pearls group firms reportedly owe more than Rs 46,000 crore to about 5.85 crore investors and are facing simultaneous probes by SEBI, CBI, ED, RBI and CBDT. A bench comprising Justices A R Dave and L Nageswar Rao said it would hear the PIL of registered society 'Janlok Pratisthaan' on August 24, the day an Australian federal court would hear a plea in the case. The plea, filed through lawyer Manoj M Nayak, said an order from the Indian court is needed for the purpose of extending a freezing order on sale of a property owned by PACL in Australia by an Australian federal court as the order will get vacated on August 18. More than 10,000 properties of the companies are likely to be sold, besides liquidation of their various cash deposits, for paying back the investors spread across various states of the country. The apex court, which is already hearing a similar case and had ordered SEBI to go ahead with the sale of assets of the companies, has said it would hear the fresh plea along with the earlier one. The petitioner society, which claims to protect interests Maharashtra-based investors of PACL, has sought directions to the Centre and others to synchronise the information relating to PACL so as to fix the liabilities. The petitioner submitted that due to lack of coordination between various regulatory authorities, PACL was indirectly aiding their ponzy schemes. The petition also alleged that through Collective Investment Schemes, the PACL had collected more than Rs 49,100 crores from around six crore investors from all over the country. Various complaints of fraud and serious irregularities were filed against these companies by various customers and investors. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The posh south Delhi has a dark secret, as an AIIMS study on medico-legal autopsy findings of 238 foetuses and newborns abandoned in the area between 1996-2012 points towards female foeticide in the national capital. The recent study by the premier medical institution also suggested that nearly 35 per cent of the cases in these 17 years were stillborn, 29 per cent were born alive and 36 per cent were born before the period of viability. "Among the live born, death by homicide was more common than a natural death and most were left by the roadside," it says. Among the total number of cases, males were predominant, but on closer examination it was observed that "females out- numbered males" among the foetuses five month (20 weeks) of gestational age, Dr C Behera, one of the co-authors, said. "Owing to the societal bias in favour of a male, this could mean that selective female foeticide happened during this period. In India, medical abortion is allowed only up to 20 weeks of gestational age and criminal abortions and selective female foeticide subsequent to antenatal sex determination are more likely before 20 weeks of pregnancy," he said. This is the first study from India to discuss all forensically-known cases of abandoned foetuses and newborns over 17 years from the region of south Delhi, claims the study published in the latest issue of Medico-Legal Journal of the UK. "Though, we analysed autopsy reports of such cases in our own jurisdiction area, ie, south Delhi, similar cases have also been reported in other areas, though we do not have any definitive study on that. But I can tell you that 238 foetuses and newborns abandoned is only the tip of the iceberg for Delhi," Behera told PTI. Foeticide and abandonment of newborns are important, albeit frequently neglected, issues. Concealment of child birth is often seen in the setting of unwanted pregnancy which has been recognised as one of the most important factors in both the cases. Among the live born cases, the majority of the deaths were attributed to murder (77 per cent), followed by natural causes (19 per cent) and accidental (1 per cent), the study said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday sacked nine loyalist of his predecessor from Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in a major reshuffle that would likely mute any opposition from within the unity government. The purge affected by Sirisena claimed the posts of nine frontline backers of Rajapaksa as SLFP organisers. He appointed new electoral and district organisers during a meeting held at the President's official residence, party officials said. The move is expected to consolidate his influnece over the party. Both Sirisena and Rajapaksa have been longtime members of the party, but since the former president was booted out of office in 2015, a rivalry has been renewed between the two. Sirisena succeeded Rajapaksa as leader of SLFP after he unexpectedly beat the latter in the January 2015 election. Before the election, Sirisena was Rajapaksa's health minister. He challenged Rajapaksa in the snap election called by the former strongman with support from then opposition United National Party (UNP). Since winning the presidency, Sirisena and the UNP of the current Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe banded together to form the unity government. However, Rajapaksa loyalists were believed to have formed opposition to the government with support from a section of SLFP members. The Rajapaksa faction have carried out several campaigns against the Sirisena government including last month's five-day protest march. Sirisena has accused the Rajapaksa clan of trying to divide and weaken SLFP. The action to remove Rajapaksa backers is being seen as a move by Sirisena to consolidate his position as the party leader ahead of next months 65th anniversary convention of the party. Shock and panic has gripped this small, sleepy town of Satara, known for its picturesque and historical locations, after it emerged that one of their residents -- Dr Santosh Pol -- is a serial killer. 42-year-old Pol, in a chilling confession, admitted to have killed at least six people, including five women between 2003 and 2016. Bemused locals, after Pol's arrest and subsequent recovery of five bodies including that of an anganwadi worker Mangala Jedhe from his farmhouse here, tell of shock but are now lauding police for apprehending him. Large 'congratulatory' hoardings line the roads in and around the town with residents breathing a sigh of relief that a serial killer, who silently lived on their doorsteps, has been exposed. "Our town is known for all the good reasons, its beautiful locales, film shoots. However, this man has brought infamy to our town across the nation and should be hanged till death," said an angry Kishor Rahate, a paan vendor who lives just metres away from Pol's residence here. Echoing Rahate, Dipak Oswal, a relative of one of the victims, Nathmal Bhandari, said that people from the film industry frequent the place for shootings but now these mass murders have brought disrepute to this otherwise nondescript town, where people live a quiet life away from urban hassles. Police Inspector Vinayak Vetal, one of the police officials from the team which cracked the multiple murder case, said that Pol had created terror among cops here by setting up ACB traps on them. "However, when we started investigation in connection with the missing case of Jedhe and his name cropped up, we told all our police personnel not to fall prey to any of his lures and be conscious while dealing with him. This ultimately paid off," he said. Meanwhile, people living in Krushnai apartments in Wai, where Pol used to live with his wife and two sons, termed him as a silent man and said that they never had any verbal or physical spat with him or his family. "He was not a menace and was never conversant with his neighbours living here. It (the murder revelation) was a great shock for us," said Appu Shaikh, one of his neighbours. Incidentally, Bhandari, one of the victims of Pol, dubbed as 'Dr Death', used to live in the same building. According to Bhandari's family members, the relations between him and Bhandari was cordial and they used to visit each other's houses often. Dr Vidyadhar Ghotawadekar, a medical practitioner, who owns a hospital in Wai, where Pol used to work till 2015, said, "He was working as an assistant with me and used to help me in things like checking blood pressure of patients, performing ECG or giving injection to the patient." "Pol has a BAMS degree in Electropathy and was not a medicine doctor and used to work at my hospital here between 2006 and 2015," he said. Ghotawadekar also recalled him as a glib talker and said that he used to blow his trumpet about his work related to Anti Corruption Bureau. "Since his other outside activities started affecting the hospital work, my relations with him got strained and he left the job in 2015. However, later he came to me and asked for some work citing financial crisis. "I, on humanitarian ground, helped him to buy an ambulance on instalment basis. However, he missed on his instalments and his ambulance was taken away by the bank," said Ghotawadekar. "Despite my help, he threatened me of dire consequences," he said. Meanwhile, taking cogniaance of a series of murders by Pol, Satara Police has made an appeal to the residents living in and around Dhom village to come forward and report if their family members have gone missing after visiting Pol's clinic. Pol is in police custody till August 19 after his arrest on August 11 for allegedly kidnapping and murdering Jedhe, president of Maharashtra Purva Prathmik Shikshika Sevika Sangh, on June 16. According to police, Pol and his aide Jyoti Mandre, a nurse who allegedly had an illicit relationship with the accused, kidnapped Jedhe and killed her by administering a lethal dose of a medicine and buried her near the doctor's farmhouse. The serial killer spilled the beans on the multiple murders during interrogation in the case of 47-year-old Jedhe's death, following which police exhumed four bodies from his farmhouse this week. Apart from Jedhe, the other missing people, who were allegedly murdered by Pol, were -- Salma Shaikh, Jagabai Pol, Surekha Chikane, Vanita Gaikwad and Nathmal Bhandari. E-commerce major Snapdeal will shut down Exclusively.Com and will integrate the latter's catalogue with itself, about 18 months after acquiring the premium branded fashion and lifestyle products marketplace. "Snapdeal has completed the integration of Exclusively with itself. The entire catalogue of Exclusively, including fashion and lifestyle products, footwear, accessories will be available on Snapdeal and will be fulfilled through Snapdeal's logistics network," Snapdeal said in a statement. A Snapdeal spokesperson said the company has absorbed all the employees of Exclusively.Com and they will continue with their existing business responsibilities. She, however, did not comment on the number of employees Exclusively.Com has. The Exclusively.In website will cease to exist in a few weeks as a standalone portal and will not accept orders from users, she said. In February last year, Snapdeal had acquired Exclusively for an undisclosed amount. Exclusively offers products from designers and brands like DKNY, Armani, Michael Kors, Porsche Design, Marc Jacobs, Vera Moda, FCUK, Biba, AND, WLS, Being Human, UCB, Puma and Clarks. "This integration will ensure a wider access for the fashion and lifestyle products available on Exclusively, as now all Snapdeal users will have access to the same. This move comes as Snapdeal adds more depth and brands to the fashion category," it said. Fashion is important for e-commerce category with players like Snapdeal, Flipkart and Amazon battling for leadership as high margins are higher in the category compared to mobile phones and books. According to a report by Google-AT Kearney, fashion is expected to overtake consumer electronics as the largest category at 35 per cent of the total online spending by 2020. In July, Snapdeal was in race to acquire online fashion retailer Jabong before the deal was clinched by bigger rival Flipkart. Flipkart-owned Myntra bought Jabong for USD 70 million in an all-cash deal to consolidate poistion in online fashion market in India. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) China today rolled out a red carpet welcome to Myanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi who gently reminded Beijing about reviving its USD3.6 billion hydroelectric dam project which was stalled over public protests for the past five years. Suu Kyi today kicked off a five-day visit to China, the first after her government took over power, during which Beijing has decided to welcome her as Head of Government,in recognition of her status as highest ranking political leader of the countryeven through her designation is the State Councillor and Foreign Minister. "As is known to all, State Counsellor is ranked second only to the President among all the posts in the state organs of Myanmar," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said in a statement. It was decided after communication between the two sides that Premier Li Keqiang will invite Suu Kyi for the visit and holds talks with her, he said. She is also expected to meet President Xi Jinping. Suu Kyi's visit comes roughly one week after Myanmar President U Htin Kyaw decided to form a new commission for reviewing all proposed hydropower projects on the Irrawaddy River, including the Myitsone Dam, which is jointly funded by China and Myanmar, state-run Xinhua agency said. It was suspended by former Myanmar military government in 2011 following public protests. Although the move does not necessarily lead to a final resumption of the project, it is a positive signal that the new leadership in Naypyidaw is handling its relationship with Beijing in a prudent and pragmatic manner, it said. "For the record, the Myitsone Dam is a key bilateral commercial project, while the Chinese backer of the project has already paid 60 per cent of the investment. Once the project is completed and put into operation, Myanmar can make the most of the Irrawaddy River's hydropower resources, and export electricity in return for handsome economic benefits, a win-win deal," it said. Chinese media regards Suu Kyi's visit as a diplomatic victory as she is visiting Beijing before visiting the US or Europe which backed her during her prolonged campaign against rule by Beijing-backed military junta. "It will be the first visit to China by a leader of Myanmar following the establishment of its new government, and thus is of great significance to promoting China-Myanmar comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in the new era," Lu said. "It is believed that the visit will help enhance strategic communication, deepen pragmatic cooperation, increase amity among the people, further advance the bilateral relationship and deliver more benefits to people from both sides," he 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. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russia has dismissed a suggestion from Washington that Moscow is violating a UN Security Council resolution by using an Iranian air base for its bombing raids on Syria. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov yesterday denied that Moscow could be in breach of a ban on supply or transfer of warplanes to Iran without prior approval of the United Nations Security Council. "There are no grounds to suspect Russia of breaching the resolution," Lavrov said at a conference in Moscow. Russia on Tuesday began flying warplanes from an Iranian airbase in a major switch in its bombing campaign in Syria that the United States condemned as "unfortunate". Washington responded to Lavrov's latest statements yesterday, saying it is evaluating Russia's actions. "We're looking at, we're assessing it, we're assessing whether this would constitute a violation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. "It does require a very detailed, legal analysis," he said, adding, "but I stand by what I said yesterday, which is that fundamentally this isn't helpful." Russian forces took off from the Iranian base to carry out a fresh round of strikes on yesterday morning. Russia has previously flown raids only out of its bases in Syria and Russia. On Tuesday, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia's use of the Iranian base "could very well be a violation" of a UN Security Council resolution that requires its prior approval for the supply, sale or transfer of warplanes to Iran. But Lavrov insisted that "in the case we are discussing now, there was neither the sale, nor supply, nor transfer of warplanes to Iran". "These warplanes with the consent of Iran are being used by the Russian air force to participate in an anti-terrorism operation in Syria at the request of the legal Syrian authorities," he said. "There's nothing even to discuss here." Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov suggested that Washington needed to brush up on the specifics of the resolution. The US-led coalition's bombing raids on Syria from Turkey's Incirlik air base are not permitted by the United Nations charter, he added. Russia sent Sukhoi Su-34 jets from the Hamedan base in western Iran on yesterday morning to carry out a second group wave of aerial strikes against IS targets in Deir Ezzor province, the defence ministry said, calling the operation a success. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) has hiked the price of its recently launched hatchback Tiago in the range of Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000 as the introductory pricing period ended this month. The Mumbai-based auto major had launched the compact model in April, priced between Rs 3.2 lakh and Rs 5.6 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). When contacted, a spokesperson told PTI: "Yes, there is a marginal increase in Tiago prices. As you must be aware that we launched the Tiago with an introductory pricing, which usually is offered for around three months but we have extended to five months for our customers." The Tiago, which was officially named Zica, had to be renamed following the mosquito-born disease of similar name. The car comes on a completely new platform (new Revotron 1.2-L petrol engine and the first 1.05-L Revotorq diesel engine). The company has added a second shift at its Sanand-based manufacturing facility to ramp up the production to reduce the long waiting period for the car. "The response to the car has been very good and we have ramped-up production to meet the growing demand," the spokesperson said. The company has over 30,000 bookings for the hatchback. Earlier this month, Maruti Suzuki India had hiked prices of its various models by up to Rs 20,000. Hyundai Motor India had also hiked prices by up to Rs 20,000 across models from August 16, to offset rising input costs and impact of rupee depreciation. On the other hand, Ford India has slashed prices of select variants of its compact sedan Ford Aspire and Figo hatchback by up to Rs 91,000 to increase sales. Contesting the Centre's position that there is no proposal to increase the number of Assembly seats in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana has asked the Union government to go in for constitutional amendment to honour the promise on the issue. In the last Parliament session, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir had in a written reply to T Devender Goud (TDP) said there is no such proposal under government's consideration. Ahir had also said that opinion of the Ministry of Law and Justice was sought on the issue (increasing the number of Assembly seats in the two Telugu states), and the Attorney General had replied in the negative. Telangana Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development and Industries and Commerce, K T Rama Rao noted today that it (the proposal to increase the number of seats) is a promise made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. "It's not as if it's a political commitment or anything; it's a commitment which the government is bound by statute because AP Reorganisation Act was passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha," Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, told PTI. "Once both Houses of Parliament have passed the Act, they don't really have a choice; the point is: AP Reorganisation Act says the number of seats will be enhanced. We believe they (the Centre) should go for constitutional amendment," he said. "They have no choice but to fulfil it (the promise made in the Act). If they don't want to fulfil it, they have to answer to the people why they are not doing it," he said. Telangana officials pointed out that it has been provided in section 26(1) of the AP Reorganisation Act that subject to the provisions contained in Article 170 of the Constitution and without prejudice to section 15 of this Act, the number of seats in Legislative Assemblies of the successor states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana shall be increased from 175 and 119 to 225 and 153, respectively. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Thai police said today they were making major progress on tracking down perpetrators of last week's bombings at several tourist destinations that killed four people and wounded dozens, including 11 foreign travelers. An arrest warrant has been issued for a suspect believed to be connected with homemade bombs found in Phuket, one of seven towns where bombings and arson attacks took place last Thursday and Friday. Deputy police spokesman Colonel Krisana Pattanacharoen said investigators believe the probe was 70 per cent complete but he could not give details. "We already know who's behind it, but we can't give you any information right now, otherwise it will jeopardize the case," he said at a conference. "If I tell you all the information now our case may be ruined and how are we going to catch anyone? Just give us some time to work the case and if there's any positive advancements we will report it immediately," said Krisana. Media and scholars suspect the attacks were carried out by Muslim separatists who have been waging an insurgency in Thailand's deep south since 2004 in which more than 6,000 people have been killed. Senior Thai officials had hinted that political opponents of the current military government were responsible, without being specific. The remarks were generally taken to refer to supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup. Thaksin and his political allies have all denied any involvement. Krisana said the investigation needed to extend into who was behind the attack "the kingpin and the financier." Asked if any connections to politicians had been found in the bombings investigation, he replied, "As of right now, no." He spoke on the anniversary of the bombing of Bangkok's popular Erawan Shrine, which killed 20 people. Thai authorities blamed a people-smuggling gang taking revenge for a crackdown, but analysts suspect Uighur separatists angry that Thailand forcibly repatriated more than 100 Uighurs to China. Two men identified as Uighurs were arrested for the bombing, but their trial is still in its early stages. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Three people, including a policeman, were killed today in clashes in a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after a massacre sparked angry accusations of security failures by the government, local officials said. Several hundred people rallied on the main street of Beni at the end of a three-day mourning period called by civil groups over the murder of dozens of people on Saturday night. At least 50 people were hacked to death, the UN military mission to DRC said Wednesday, in the latest in a two-year string of attacks blamed on rebels. Police and troops fired tear gas and warning shots in a bid to break up the crowd, but the protestors blocked off streets with barricades. In the first fatal incident, "a policeman and a civilian were killed, nine people were injured, (comprising) six civilians and three soldiers", Beni Mayor Edmond Masumbuko said. The head of Beni's civil society movement, Gilbert Kambale, said the civilian fatality was a young man who was killed by a policeman. The casualty "was shot by a bullet which inflicted an entry wound in the back but did not exit the body," Jeremie Muhindo, a doctor at Beni hospital, told AFP. At least six demonstrators were arrested in a violent manner and thrown into a military jeep and taken away, an AFP reporter on the scene said. An effigy of Kabila was burned in the main market, as were flags of Kabila's ruling People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). In the second incident, a woman suspected of being a member of the rebel group was lynched in northern Beni, near where the massacre took place, Masumbuko said. The woman was beaten to death with stones and sticks and her body was then torched, witnesses told AFP. The massacre occurred just three days after President Joseph Kabila visited Beni and vowed to do everything to ensure peace and security in the troubled region. Yesterday Prime Minister Augustin Matata was booed by hundreds of demonstrators outside Beni town hall, where he gave a short speech after a three-hour whistle-stop visit. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Terming India's relationship with China a "mixed picture", Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today said bilateral ties faced "some challenges" in the recent past, including when it blocked New Delhi's NSG membership bid and UN sanctions against Pakistani terrorist Masood Azhar. Addressing reporters, Jaishankar also maintained that India has been largely able to address two big "constraints" - opportunities for China to invest in India and easier travel regime for Chinese nationals. The Foreign Secretary, who was briefing the media on India's relationship with neighbours as well as with other countries, said ties with China presented a "mixed picture". "We have faced some challenges in the relationship recently. During the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, we revisited some of these issues," he said. A well known terrorist, who has admitted to having committed crimes against India, and his being sanctioned by the UN is "not a small issue", Jaishankar said in an obvious reference to China blocking sanctions against Azhar, the founder of Lashkar-e-Taiba and alleged 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind. He also made a veiled reference to China scuttling India's NSG bid, saying New Delhi needed to get greater access to nuclear energy, especially given its commitment at the IDC climate forum. China last year put a technical hold twice on India's application to get Azhar banned by the UN. This year, the US moved the proposal in the UNSC to designate Azhar, the mastermind of the Pathankot terror attack, as a terrorist. China once again has put a technical hold on the move. On India's entry into the NSG, he said, "We have said many times this is a multilateral issue". "We stick to two-step approach namely, first NSG members need to arrive at a set of principles for the entry of non-NPT state parties into NSG and then move forward discussions of specific cases," Geng said. "Our position is consistent. Apart from India, other non-NPT state parties are also making applications. Our position on those applications is consistent," he said. Whether the Azhar issue or the NSG issue, they are in essence multilateral issues and not bilateral ones, Geng said. "We hope India can understand China's attitude and position on the two matters," he said, adding that China and India are the two largest developing counties having a wide range of converging interests. "China India cooperation benefits not only two countries but the region and developing world which can contribute to our solidarity," he said. Public Works Department Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy today informed the Assembly that the state's petition pending in Supreme Court against construction of new dams across Cauvery river at Mekedatu in Karnataka is expected to be taken up by the apex court soon. He said all legal steps would be taken to thwart new dams and establish the rights of Tamil Nadu. After DMK deputy leader Durai Murugan raised the Mekedatu issue in the House urging government to organise an all-party meet and lead a delegation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter, he said, "The petitions related to the issue are pending in Supreme Court and it is expected that the court will soon take them up for hearing." Congress legislature party leader K Ramasamy demanded that all parties unitedly voice Tamil Nadu's concerns to the Centre. The minister recalled that Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had written to Prime Minister Modi, Central Water Resources department and Karnataka government in November 2014 against new dams in Mekedatu. Since there was no reply to such letters, Tamil Nadu government approached the Supreme Court on November 18, 2014 seeking status quo and a direction to Karnataka to withdraw its "Expression of Interest," inviting qualified firms for the Mekedatu dam works. Following this Karnataka told the State government twice, first in November 2014 and later in March this year that it does not intend to construct new dams in Mekedatu without apprising Supreme Court vis-a-vis Tamil Nadu's plea in this regard. Also, Jayalalithaa had in this June urged Modi to prevail on Karnataka not to proceed against new dams in Mekedatu. He said, against such a background, media has reported that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah in his Independence Day address had said Rs 5,912 crore was estimated cost for building a dam in Mekedatu. Through the initiative, the Karnataka Chief Minister has said drinking water would be supplied and 400 MW power generated, he said. "The government of Amma (Jayalalithaa) will take all legal steps to uphold the rights of Tamil Nadu if Karnataka intended to implement any project without the consent of Tamil Nadu and against final award of the Cauvery Tribunal," he said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tota Roy Chowdhury, last seen in filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh's short film "Ahalya", describes their upcoming collaboration "Kahaani 2", as a "hard-hitting, dark" film where he plays a mystical character. The actor, who won accolades for his role in Aishwarya Rai-starrer "Chokher Bali", has completed extensive shooting for "Kahaani 2" in north Bengal. "There is a certain mysticism in my character in the film," Tota told PTI. The actor, however, refused to reveal more citing contractual obligation. "All I can say is that it is a beautiful, sweet character and Sujoy's delineation of his characters reminds one of Rituparno Ghosh, for the sensitive touch. And his way of detailing art work also reminds me of Rituparno Ghosh," he said. The present-day Bollywood directors like Sujoy don't visualise a character as a big and small one; they develop it in terms of how it fits in with the narrative, Tota said. Tota revealed that his performance in Ahalya had not opened the gate for him to act in "Kahaani 2". He had to go through the usual process of undergoing audition after being sounded by Sujoy. "In Mumbai you have to get your role by giving audition. It is a must for every big, medium and small actor. There is aN inherent democracy in that system." On the much-speculated sequel to "Ahalya", Tota said he was positive about bagging a role in the short film. "Sujoy himself had publicly stated so in an interview and though he had not officially contacted me, he said the film would repeat the cast of Soumitra Chatterjee, Radhika Apte and the 'other person'. And we all know who the 'other person' he is talking about," Tota said. He said that "Ahalya" had surpassed all projections about viewership. "While we had initially projected a three- lakh viewership, in reality it was 20 lakh, mostly on Youtube." Currently the actor is busy shooting for Bengali TV serial "Taranath Tantrik", based on a story on occultism by Bibhutibhusan Bandyopadhyay. "As I wear the saffron 'angobastro' I fall into a trance. I become a tantrik who is endowed with supernatural power to fight against evil," he said. Tota has a plan to bring "Taranath Tantrik" on the big screen by his home production in 2017. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Dubbing connectivity as the most crucial element of Digital India, telecom regulator Trai today suggested a public-private partnership model for the ambitious BharatNet project, saying such an arrangement will ensure maintenance and marketing of the mega infrastructure. "We did a consultation with all stakeholders and came to the conclusion that this project can be best implemented using PPP whereby you give an area on a viability gap funding basis... Choose an operator... Ask him to build, operate and own the infrastructure and after 20 years, transfer it back to the government," Trai Chairman R S Sharma said at a Nasscom meet here. The government has proposed to provide broadband connectivity to 2,50,000 village panchayats under the ambitious BharatNet project. Sharma said a PPP model would overcome difficulties related to maintenance, marketing and usage of infrastructure. "There can be incentive alignment in such a way that the person doing this is interested in getting it done swiftly and ensures infrastructure quality and proper marketing," he said. "The whole issue is in consideration of the government. Of course, without PPP model, over 1,00,000 panchayats have been covered... Even in these panchayats, if you want to ensure proper marketing and proper utilisation, it is a good idea to give it on a PPP basis to someone who will maintain and market the infrastructure." He is of the view that wireless alone cannot solve the problem of data connectivity in the country. "We should not be complacent that whatever is coming through 3G, 4G technologies and data packs will be good enough to satisfy the rising demand of data in this country. We need to think of wired solution to this problem as wireless alone cannot solve this problem," he said. With regard to the public wi-fi hotspots, Sharma suggested that common service centres could be used as common hotspots for wi-fi connectivity. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A rattled Donald Trump today rejigged his campaign for the second time in two months by introducing fresh faces, including a CEO, to propel his faltering presidential bid after recent polls showed him lagging behind rival Hillary Clinton. The Republican presidential nominee hired as CEO Stephen Bannon, the executive chairman of the conservative website Breitbart News, and promoting one of his advisers - Kellyanne Conway - to the post of campaign manager. The rejig comes 82 days ahead of the November 8 election. Bannon has temporarily stepped down from his role at Breitbart to work full-time with the Trump campaign. The new position has been designed to bolster "the business-like approach" of the billionaire tycoon's campaign, according to a media release. Conway is a nationally-respected pollster and Republican campaign strategist. He is the founder and president of The Polling Company/WomanTrend, a privately held, woman-owned corporation. "They are extremely capable, highly-qualified people who love to win and know how to win," the 70-year-old Trump said. "I believe we're adding some of the best talents in politics, with the experience and expertise needed to defeat Hillary Clinton in November and continue to share my message and vision to 'Make America Great Again'," he added. The announcement come at a significantly important stage for the presidential campaigns, with the first major TV ad buy slated to start later this week and with additional top-flight operatives joining the movement on a near-daily basis. The reposition also comes at a particularly intriguing time for Trump as he has been trailing Democratic Party candidate Clinton both nationally and in key states. Recent polls have showed Clinton consolidating her position among youths and millennial who had supported Bernie Sanders, her rival in the Democratic race. Bannon, who was once recognized by Bloomberg Politics as the "most dangerous political operative in America," will oversee the campaign staff and operations in addition to strategic oversight of major campaign initiatives. Bannon holds a Masters in National Security Studies from Georgetown University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Prior to joining Breitbart News, Bannon was an Officer in the US Navy and owned an investment bank that he sold to Societe Generale. Conway, a sought-after pollster, will work on messaging and travel frequently with Trump, while working closely with Bannon and campaign chairman Paul Manafort. In the shake-up, Manafort retains his role as chairman and chief strategist. US media has, however, termed it a demotion for him. "The staffing change, hammered out on Sunday and set to be formally announced Wednesday morning, was seen by some as a demotion for Manafort," The New York Times said. "It's an expansion at a busy time in the final stretch of the campaign," Conway was quoted as saying by The Times. In June, Trump fired Corey Lewandowski as his campaign manager nearly a month before he was to secure the presidential nomination at the July Republican convention. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has said that it "just absolutely bewilders" her when Donald Trump talks about national security as she assured to conduct a national security and foreign policy that America can be proud of. "It just absolutely bewilders me when I hear Donald Trump trying to talk about national security. It's not just as Joe Biden said, it's not just he doesn't know what he's talking about, that's bad enough. But what he often says hurts us. It sends the wrong message to friend and foe alike in the world," Clinton said at an election rally in Pennsylvania. "We are living in a complex world. One where we need steadiness, where we've got to have a real sense of how we're going to get where we want to go, to help as many people, to keep our country safe. But to do it with the kind of bigness, the kind of confidence that really marks America at our best," she said. "Sometimes when I hear Trump talking about how we should all be so afraid all the time. And then I find a few minutes to watch the Olympics, I think my goodness, you know, when you go out and compete, not everybody can win but you got to do your best," Clinton said. If elected, Clinton said her administration would have a National Security and Foreign Policy that America can be proud of. "We are going to lead the world in accordance with our value, in pursuance of our interests and furtherance of our security along with our friends and allies," she said. "I was thinking the other day, when Donald Trump speaks, he speaks about fear, he speaks about such negativity and such pessimism. And then I watched the Olympics and it's exactly the opposite," she said. "You have young people going out, doing their best every day to get prepared to compete, and that's what we're going to do in America," she added. Trump talking about economic policies, she said, surprises her. "Because actually he would give trillions of dollars in more tax breaks to the wealthy," she alleged. "He wants a new tax loophole that we call the Trump loophole, that would actually help him and everybody else who is really wealthy to cut their tax rate in half on a lot of their income. He wants to eliminate the estate tax which does nothing for 99.8 per cent of all Americans but you know if Trump is as wealthy as he claims to be, it would save his family $4 billion," Clinton said. A policeman and a protestor were killed today in clashes at a demonstration in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the government's alleged failure to protect civilians, after a gruesome massacre in the east of the country. Security forces stepped in after hundreds gathered in the town's main street on the last day of a three-day mourning period called by civil society groups over the murder of dozens of people on Saturday night. Police and troops fired tear gas and warning shots to break up an angry protest in the town of Beni where 51 civilians were hacked to death, in the latest in a string of attacks blamed on rebels. "A policeman and a civilian were killed, nine people were injured, six civilians and three soldiers," said Edmond Masumbuko, the mayor of Beni in North Kivu province. The United States has warned of more violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, should President Joseph Kabila hold on to power after his mandate expires in December. The civilian killed Wednesday was shot by a policeman at point blank range, according to a witness who would not be named. The head of Beni's civil society movement Gilbert Kambale also said the young man was killed by a policeman. At least six demonstrators were arrested in a violent manner and thrown into a military jeep to be taken to an unknown destination, an AFP reporter on the scene said. An effigy of Kabila was burned in the town's main market, as were flags of Kabila's ruling People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), said the reporter. Tensions remained high by early evening, with sporadic gunfire while demonstrators continued to barricade some streets. The deadly protests came a day after Prime Minister Augustin Matata was booed by hundreds of demonstrators outside Beni's town hall, where he gave a short speech after a three-hour whistle-stop visit. Matata visited the massacre site along with senior army and police officials. "What did he come for? We don't need humanitarian aid, but peace," said Germain Katembo, a survivor of the weekend massacre who lost three members of his family. Beni and the surrounding area have suffered a series of massacres in recent times, mostly involving knives, leaving some 650 people dead since October 2014. The killings have been blamed by the government and the UN mission in the country on the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a partly Islamist armed group of Ugandan origin. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Majalgaon sessions court in Beed district of Maharashtra today sentenced two men to death for raping and murdering a 14-year-old girl, and killing her mother. Judge R V Morale had held the accused Krishna Ramrao Ridde and Achyut Baba Chunche guilty yesterday, and pronounced the sentence today. On May 28, 2015, Ridde and Chunche entered the house of a 54-year-old woman at Choramba village in Dharur tehsil, raped her 14-year-old daughter, and strangled both of them, said Public Prosecutor Ajay Tandale. Police nabbed Ridde and Chunche on June 2, 2015. Tandale examined 13 witnesses during the trial at the fast-track court. Apart from the death sentence, the court also awarded the duo life imprisonment for the offence of rape under IPC, and also a 10 years' sentence under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. "I am satisfied with the court's decision which would act as a deterrent," Tandale said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Walmart, the world's largest retailer, is keen to retail processed food in India after the government relaxed foreign investment norms, a top official said today. Food Processing Secretary A K Srivastava said over USD 1 billion FDI has come in food processing sector during the last two years and with the government now permitting 100 per cent foreign investment in marketing of processed food produced and manufactured in India, "Walmart is showing lot of interest". Also, a leading Brazilian poultry company has expressed keen interest in joining hands with Kishore Biyani's Future Group to sell their products in the country, he said but did not identify the company or give details. "The government this year announced 100 per cent FDI in the retail trading of food products produced and manufactured in India. Now this we hope will give a big boost to the food processing sector," he told reporters here. Walmart, which previously had tied up with Bharti Group to enter retailing in India, "is already showing lot of interest, he said. "Now we are hoping that they will come on their own and they will add to the growth story of this country". "We recently had meetings with all the ambassadors of the important countries and we have asked them to give this message to their food processing players. We have meeting with industry associations. We have informed them about this initiative. We have asked them to bring players who can invest in India," he said. The official said a Brazilian company "claiming to be world's leading exporter in poultry sector met us yesterday. They want to tie up with Biyani's Future Group to use their retail outlets." However, when contacted, a Future Group spokesperson said there is no such development. The US-based Walmart is present in the cash-and-carry retail format in the country. Some of the major investments received in the last two years include Linde Group investment of USD 200 million in seafood segment in Andhra Pradesh; US-based Mondelez International has inaugurated its new manufacturing plant in Andhra Pradesh. This plant has been set up with an investment of Rs 1,265 crore with an annual capacity of 250,000 tonnes. Mars International India, a leading chocolate maker, has invested USD 114.63 million in Pune. With a total investment of USD 33.96 million, Kellogg's unit in Andhra Pradesh provides job to 500 persons. The company is also planning to set up an R&D facility and their third cereal facility in Mumbai. Major investments in the last two years by domestic companies include Patanjali Ayurveda. The company is planing to set up Rs 500 crore food processing unit in Madhya Pradesh. The state has cleared 400 acres of land for this. It is expected to provide jobs to about 700 people. (REOPENS DCM 106) "As we have said earlier, the decision by the government to allow 100 per cent FDI under government approval route, including through e-commerce in trading of food products manufactured and/or produced in India is very progressive and far reaching," said Krish Iyer, President and CEO, Walmart India. He said this step will help in reducing wastage, assist farm diversification and encourage industry to produce within the country. "This move will benefit farmers, give impetus to food processing industry and create vast employment opportunities in the country. We are evaluating the model as per the guidelines announced," Iyer added. A British man was fatally stabbed in Cyprus' popular coastal resort of Ayia Napa after he and another Briton were scolded by two Turkish Cypriot men for urinating in public, a woman told a Cypriot court today. George Low, a 22-year-old from Kent, England was killed early Sunday and another 22-year-old Briton was seriously wounded in a pre-dawn attack by two knife-wielding men along a busy Ayia Napa street. Police said the stabbings happened after the Britons got into a shoving match with one of their attackers. The Cyprus Agency reported that a 48-year-old woman told the Famagusta District Court that her 22-year-old Turkish Cypriot boyfriend disclosed to her that he and a 42-year-old friend had perpetrated the attack. Police said they are treating the case as premediated murder and attempted murder. The Greek Cypriot woman also told the court she picked up her boyfriend from the resort shortly after the stabbing and helped him change clothes, then returned to collect his mobile telephone from a spot where he had hidden it. The two have been living together in the woman's Larnaca home for a year, the Cyprus Agency reported. The woman hasn't been charged yet, but the court ordered her into police custody for eight days to give investigators time to prepare a case against her as an accessory after the fact. Police spokesman Andreas Angelides told The Associated Press authorities are still searching for the two alleged attackers, who have been identified as Mehmet Akpinar, 22, and Sali Ahmet, 42. The Cyprus Agency reported that a third Turkish Cypriot is being sought who may have helped them cross into the breakaway Turkish Cypriot north of the island nation. Cyprus has been divided along ethnic lines since a 1974 Turkish invasion in the wake of a coup aiming at union with Greece. Cypriot authorities have no control over the north and cannot make arrests there. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman who faced life threats and sexual abuses online for her tweets ahead of gymnast Dipa Karmakar's performance in Rio Olympics sought the help of Union Minister Sushma Swaraj following which a case was lodged by Rajasthan Police. A case against three Twitter handles of unknown persons was registered under 66 D (Punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource) and 67 (Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the IT act, police said, adding they were trying to trace the accused. In a series of tweets on August 14, the woman wrote, "Conflicted about Dipa Karmakar's Olympic Vault final. "Itis an incredible achievement, of course but gymnasts from richer countries don't have to perform the produnova, called the death vault, to gain points. "They can do easier vaults and execute it better because: better infrastructure, better training, better everything. Tonight, she is going to risk her life to win an Olympic medal. "Life is not worth any medal, for any damned country." Her tweets drew sharp criticism including threat to life and rape warnings following which she sought help from the External Affairs Minister. After her plea, the Chief Minister's Office intervened and a senior police officer met her. "After receiving directions, I met the girl on the night of August 14 and spoke to her about the matter. She filed a complaint and the FIR was lodged on August 15 with Pratap Nagar Police Station," DCP East Kunwar Rastradeep said today. "We are in the process of obtaining some IP addresses and are writing to Twitter seeking information about certain the handles. "Since their server is located out of the country, it will take some time for us to reach to the users who abused her," the officer said. "We are working on the case considering the gravity of the case. Since the servers are placed outside India, it is a bit of a time consuming process but we will get it done as early as possible," Mukesh Chaudhary, a cyber crime expert assisting the police, said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Gritty woman wrestler Sakshi Malik ended India's painful wait for a medal at the Rio Olympic Games by clinching the bronze in the 58kg category, pulling off a sensational 8-5 victory over Aisuluu Tynybekova in the Play-off bout, here. The 23-year-old from Rohtak became only the fourth woman athlete from India to win an Olympic medal as she earned the dramatic win after falling behind 0-5 in the do-or-die bout on day 12. Weightlifter Karnam Malleshwari (2000, Sydney), boxer MC Mary Kom (2012, London) and shuttler Saina Nehwal (2012, London) were the only other women players from India to have won a medal in Olympics. Like in three of the four other bouts earlier in the day, Sakshi won the crucial bout after coming from behind. She, in fact, had lost 2-9 in the quarter-finals to Russia's Valeriia Koblova in the fifth bout of the day before getting a second chance in repechage when her conqueror reached the final. Sakshi's victory brought cheers to the Indian contingent that had endured agonising 11 days without a medal. Sakshi turned the tables on the Kyrgyzstan wrestler in the dying seconds of the bout as Tynybekova was in complete command in most part of the clash. Tynybekova grabbed Sakshi's leg and quickly earned two points before adding one more for the Indian's passivity. She repeated her move and successfully bagged two more points to lead 5-0 at the break. Sakshi could open the scoring only in the second period and got two points after throwing her rival down and out of the mat. She then managed to earn two points again with a similar move to bring down the margin to 4-5. Thereafter, it was no looking back for the Indian girl and she took the opponent down to level the scores 5-5. But she did not stop there and gained three more points by pinning down the Kyrgyzstan wrestler in the dying moments of the match. She had earlier stormed into the bronze medal play-off round with a dominating performance in her repechage round, where she thrashed Purevdorjiin Orkhon of Mongolia 12-3. Both the wrestlers matched each other in the first period and the scores were 2-2 at the break. But Sakshi gave a more aggressive account of herself in the second period, pinning down her opponent from time to time, besides flipping her over for crucial points. Starting with a double-leg take down to earn two points, she added two more crucial points to her kitty to lead 6-3 with a minute left. In the last one minute, she kept attacking and gained four more points. In fact, Sakshi earned as many as 10 points compared to just one by the Mongolian in the second period to seal off the issue in style. As Sakshi had reached the quarterfinals, she needed to fight only one repechage round as compared to the other two opponents of the Russian girl, whom she had beaten in the earlier two rounds - pre-quarters and qualification. Koblova had beaten Luisa Niemesch of Germany in the qualification round before defeating Mongolia's Orkhon in the pre-quarterfinals. Therefore, in the first repechage round, these two grapplers from Germany and Mongolia faced each other. And the winner of that bout (Mongolian girl) then took on Sakshi in repechage round 2 for a place in the bronze medal play-off. Sakshi had to get the better of the Mongolian grappler in the repechage round 2 and she did just that to advance to the bronze medal play off. In the bronze play-off too Sakshi's winning move that got her two points initially was challenged by her Kyrgyztan rival and it was reviewed and she was awarded an extra point by the judges much to her rival's chagrin. The other bronze was won by Marwa Amri of Tunisia. Earlier in the day, Sakshi went down in the quarterfinals losing 2-9 to Koblova. Having conceded one point in the first period of her quarterfinal fight because of passivity, Sakshi did well to earn two points in the second period after taking-down the Russian girl. But Koblova, with enormous strength, hit back almost immediately to pocket four points and then gained another two to open up a 7-2 lead. The Russian then closed the door on Sakshi by bagging another two points to win the bout and make the semifinals. In the first two rounds, Sakshi came back from behind to register impressive wins. Making a strong comeback from a 0-4 down, Sakshi defeated Sweden's Malin Johanna Mattsson 5-4 in the qualification round She was down 0-4 after the first period but quickly made amends in the second period. Sakshi managed to pull two points back before pushing her rival out of the mat to grab another point. With just 10 seconds remaining, Sakshi desperately needed one more point to post a win and she held her nerves as she took down the Swedish girl in those dying moments to post a narrow victory. In the pre-quarters, she once again eked out a narrow 5-5 win over Mariana Cherdivara Esanu of Republic of Moldova In the opening period of the pre-quarterfinal bout, Sakshi got 30 seconds to earn points but she failed and that gave Cherdivara a point. The girl from Moldova then put Sakshi down on the mat to gain another two points and lead 3-0 at the break. In the second period, the Indian failed to take advantage of the 30 seconds she got and handed Cherdivara another point. Sakshi then came back strongly to post a double take down, which earned her four crucial points at one go and helped her surge ahead to a 5-3 lead. Although Cherdivara, with her own take-down, gained two points to make the scores level at 5-5 with just 19 seconds left on the clock, the Indian was declared winner on bigger points gain. The Supreme Court today refused to relax conditions put by the Bombay High Court like barring youths below 18 years of age from participating in 'Dahi- Handi' ritual of the Janmashtami festival in Maharshtra and capping the height of the human pyramid at 20 feet. "We will continue with the Bombay High Court order relating to banning participation of youth below 18 (years of age) and fixation of the maximum height (20 feet). We will hear other issues in detail later," a bench of Justices A R Dave and L Nageswara Rao said. The order came on a plea of Maharashtra government seeking clarification of an earlier apex court decision by which it had stayed the operation of the High Court verdict fixing the height of the human pyramid and banning participation of those below 18 years in 'Dahi-Handi' ritual. The bench was unimpressed with the plea of Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Maharashtra, that 'Govinda' symbolises Lord Krishna and there is a belief that kids between the age group of 12-15 years are considered more appropriate for enacting 'Govindas'. "People get hurt. We have heard Lord Krishna stealing 'makhan' but we have not heard the Lord performing acrobatics," it said. "As a matter of fact, risk factor is there in every sport," the ASG responded. The bench, which decided to hear the revived petition against the order of the High Court in October this year, however suspended the operation of two directions passed by the High Court to regulate the 'Dahi-Handi' festival. One of the directions, suspended by the apex court, relates to amending the existing law to bar children below 18 years of age from participating in dangerous performances like being part of the human pyramid of 'Dahi-Handi' festival. The second direction of the High Court, which was also suspended, relates to the part of the order which makes it mandatory for the organisers to apprise the authorities 15 days in advance about various aspects such as place of celebration, its timing and personal information, including the birth certificates, of participating 'Govindas' on the ground of paucity of sufficient time. (Reopens LGD18) The Supreme Court had on August 10 revived a plea challenging a Bombay HC order restricting the height of human pyramids to 20 feet for 'Dahi-Handi' ritual, saying it needed to hear the PIL petitioner before passing any order. The court had sought reply of Swati Sayaji Patil, a social worker, who had filed a petition for initiation of contempt proceedings against Maharashtra government in high court for failure to comply with the HC order. The Maharashtra government had earlier approached the apex court seeking clarification on its 2014 order by which it had stayed the high court decision banning participation of those below 18-years in a popular 'Dahi-Handi' ritual. The high court had on August 11, 2014, while hearing a petition filed by Patil, ordered that the height of human pyramids should not exceed 20 feet and that children below the age of 18 should not be allowed to participate. The state government had then challenged the high court order in the Supreme Court which had initially suspended the HC order and later dismissed the petition challenging it. The Maharashtra government had taken a stand that since the apex court had not expressed any opinion on restriction imposed by the HC on the height of human pyramids, it was not bound by its earlier order. The high court had however asked the state government to seek clarification from the Supreme Court on the aspect that its earlier order would be in force unless it had been set aside by the apex court. has opened registration for a new $1 million prize competition that seeks to develop the capabilities of humanoid robots to help astronauts on the journey to Mars. The Space Robotics Challenge competition is designed to push the boundaries of robotic dexterity, said. With the generated by this challenge, robots could participate in precursor missions to selected landing sites, arriving long before astronauts to set up habitats, life support systems, communications and solar apparatuses, and even begin preliminary scientific research. Teams must programme a virtual robot, modelled after NASA's Robonaut 5 (R5) robot, to complete a series of tasks in a simulation that includes periods of latency to represent communications delay from Earth to Mars. Though some dexterity has been developed for Earth-based robotics systems using hydraulics, such robots cannot be used in space because of the below-freezing temperatures and the harsh environment of planetary surfaces. The R5 uses elastics instead of hydraulics - an innovative way of addressing the problems of operating in space. This could also benefit humankind on Earth, as they could operate under dangerous or extreme environments on our home planet, said. "Precise and dexterous robotics, able to work with a communications delay, could be used in spaceflight and ground missions to Mars and elsewhere for hazardous and complicated tasks, which will be crucial to support our astronauts," said Monsi Roman, programme manager of NASA's Centennial Challenges. "NASA and our partners are confident the public will rise to this challenge, and are excited to see what innovative technologies will be produced," said Roman. The competition organised by NASA in partnership with Space Centre Houston and NineSigma, a global innovation consultant organisation, will be held in a virtual environment. Each team's R5 will be challenged with resolving the aftermath of a dust storm that has damaged a Martian habitat. This involves three objectives: aligning a communications dish, repairing a solar array and fixing a habitat leak. The qualifying round for the Space Robotics Challenge will run from mid-September to mid-November. Finalists of that round will be announced in December and will engage in open practice from January to early June 2017. The final virtual competition will be held in June 2017, and winners will be announced at the end of June. Software developed through this challenge will be transferable across other robotics systems, allowing the technology produced to be used both with older robotics models, such as the Robonaut 2, and any future models developed, NASA said. Haryana Finance Minister Captain Abhimanyu on Tuesday said the state government will get the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill passed in the upcoming Monsoon Session of the legislative Assembly commencing on August 26. He also termed the passage of the Bill in Parliament as a revolutionary step and said that GST would be implemented by the Centre from April, 2017. ALSO READ: GST to make economy more predictable, says PM Narendra Modi The economic world feels that the Bill should be passed quickly so that similar tax system could be enforced in the states too, Abhimanyu said. To a question, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had launched the 'Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao' programme from Panipat. With the success of the programme, the sex ratio has jumped over 900 from 850 in the state. The Finance Minister said women police stations had been set up in every district of the state to ensure safety of women. Concrete steps were also being taken for the recruitment of women in the police force, he added. Investigating agencies have found four new bank accounts of absconding business tycoon Vijay Mallya. All the bank accounts have been discovered in France. These bank accounts are related to a company registered in France. His daughters have been mentioned as the founding members of the company. The accounts were first operated in October, 2015. The agencies are also probing Vijay Mallya's connections with a French company, called SCI 32 Avenue Foch?. This company started its operations in September, 2015. The registration number of the company is 813497989. Leena Mallya and Tanya Mallya are founding members of this company. Both are Vijay Mallya's daughters. Interestingly, Vijay Mallya has been described as manager in this company. Indian agencies have contacted counterparts in France for getting details. Meanwhile, CBI had on Saturday registered a fresh case against liquor baron Vijay Mallya and also named as accused the company United Breweries Holdings Limited (UBHL) to probe the "larger conspiracy" to cheat the consortium of 17 banks led by State Bank of India. The fresh case against Mallya covers the loan of `6027 crore (approximately) from these banks between 2005 and 2010 but "deliberately didn't pay while conspiring with group companies and promotVijay Mallya ers", CBI says in its FIR. (In association with Mail Today Bureau) In order to cut down bulky paperwork, the government has allowed Aadhaar card and fingerprint at the point of sale for applying, validating and activating prepaid and postpaid mobile connections. Under e-KYC guidelines issued on Tuesday, a customer through his/her Aadhaar number and biometrics will online authorise UIDAI to provide demographic details such as name, address, date of birth and gender along with the digitallysigned photograph to the telco. The move is intended to cut down time for SIM activation as KYC is verified instantly. "In e-KYC, digitally-signed electronic KYC data provided by UIDAI is machine readable making it possible for licensees to directly store it as customer record in their database for the purpose of issuing a mobile connection," a department of telecom notification said. Cellular Operators Association of India director general Rajan Mathews said that the move will help all stakeholders as it simplifies activation, eases verification process and enhances security. "Earlier, the entire verification process would last 8-10 hours and it will now be greatly reduced," he said. "Bharti Airtel plans to start rolling out Aadhaar-based e-KYC solutions this week," managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (India and South Asia) Gopal Vittal said. "Customers will soon be able to walk in with their Aadhaar card in any of the Vodafone stores and walk out connected within minutes," the company said. "For the consumer, instant activation means better experience and security of personal confidential information. For Vodafone, it will improve quality of sales as well as regulatory compliance. For the regulator, it not only means a green initiative, but hassle-free governance and accurate audit results," said Sunil Sood, MD and CEO, Vodafone India. (In association with Mail Today Bureau) Renault India will be opening 30 more dealerships by December, taking their number to 270 as against the earlier plan of 240, to meet growing demand for flagship entry-level car Kwid that has become a runaway success for the French auto major. The largest European carmaker in the country also hopes to close the year with over 5 per cent market share, up from 4.5 per cent as of end June and 1.5 per cent prior to the launch of the Kwid 10 months ago. "I don't see any chance of the entry-level car segment saturating anytime soon. With 24 per cent of the total market, this still is the largest market and in this segment we are among the top three players for the past seven months, consistently grossing up over 7,000 units every month. For the past two months, we are grossing up 9,000 each. "And to our pleasant surprise a lot of demand is coming from tier III & IV markets. To meet this, we've reworked our market strategy to open 30 more dealerships by December, which will take our total network to 270 this year (up from 240 planned earlier). In fact, as per our 2014 plan, we were to have only 280 by December 2017," Renault India Chief Executive Sumit Sawhney told a select group of reporters in Mumbai. He said the company ended 2015 with 205 dealerships and today the number is 220. "As much as 70 per cent of the planned 65 new outlets will come up in small towns." In July, Renault reported a 610 per cent spike in sales at 11,968 units as against 1,686 units in same period in 2015, thanks to the Kwid. Apart from the customer and dealer trust in brand Renault, his optimism comes from a host of external factors such as a favourable monsoons and resultant good festive sales, rising corporate profits and the 7th Pay Commission award, which will leave lots of money in the hands of the millions of Government employees. Asked about the waiting period for the Kwid, he said it was around three months and added the company was selling an average of over 7,000 units every month. "We want to bring this down to one-month or so." Refuting criticism that Renault is a one-model wonder, after the tapering off of its first success story that the mid-level SUV Duster has become, he said, "I don't think the Kwid is a one-time wonder nor we are a one-model car company. "We're among the top 3 in all the three segments that we operate in with Kwid for the entry level, Duster for the mid-segment SUV market and Lodgy in the MPV market. We've been selling over 7,000 Kwids for the past seven successive months, we've been selling over 2,000 Dusters since the past 30 months and 600 Lodgys now," he said. Andalusia, More Eurocentric and More Critical Published on August 13, 2016 en es fr it de pl The study, The Social Reality of Andalusia, reveals that Andalusians believe that belonging to the European Union is something positive, although 50% think that decisions in Brussels don't affect them. During celebrations of The Day of Europe, this past 9th of May, panelist and director of the Center for Andalusian Studies, Javier Aroca, presented at the University of Seville the results of the study, showing the vision of Europe on behalf of Andalusians. If "when entering Europe it was believed that they were going to take all the olive trees of Andalusia", now, 54.6% of Andalusians see belonging to the EU as something positive. The change could mean that the EU is viewed favorably now because time has given us experience and experience says that we have survived the crises, making us think that we will survive this one. And although the media portrays the EU as confronting their most important crisis, history is on the side of Europe. Europe was born out of crisis and perhaps the present one is necessary to change the course towards a European Union with firmer values. There are precisely three crises that are opening a rift in Europe which most worry the inhabitants of the region. Immigration, the economy and terrorism are questions that make Andalusians think the most. But it also worries Andalusians to see how Europe is Germanizing. 9 out of 10 see Germany as the country that commands in a Europe which they feel is shifting ever nearer to the right. In addition, the inhabitants of the region think that the European Union has great beneficiaries of the richest zones of the continent. A contradictory fact if one considers that Andalusia has been one of the regions that have received more European funds. For that reason, Andalusia requests that Europe listens to them because 25% think that they do not have any possibility of influencing decisions in Brussels, whereas 6 out of 10 see the European Union as something, to them, very distant. As far as the economic crisis is concerned, 45.8% of Andalusians think that belonging to Europe has been helpful at confronting it. Whereas 85.5% affirm that, during the crisis, they have never seen the euro in danger. In general, the study reveals that Andalusians, at the same time, have a positive global vision of belonging to the EU that, in certain aspects, shows their disaffection towards Brussels. But this disaffection does not have to be interpreted as something negative, but actually exactly the opposite. Critical awareness arises from knowledge and perhaps it is now that citizens are becoming truly conscious of the role of European institutions. Story by Angela Campos Jimenez Translated from Andalucia, cada vez mas europeista y mas critica The BBVA Route: an intercultural exchange and adventure Published on August 4, 2016 en es pl it fr de There have been thirty editions and more than 9,000 young people from all over the world have had the opportunity to travel and discover the human, geographical, social and historical dimensions of other cultures. The BBVA Route is a project that combines an education in values, cultural exchange and adventure. The BBVA Route, which for us will always be the Quetzal Route, is part of our childhood. It was, amongst many other things, an adventure captained by the journalist Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo. We all watched it on TV and dreamt of joining the group of 16-17 year olds who shared experiences with other young people from across all of Ibero-America, while getting to know different cultures and customs. This year, the first since the death of its creator, Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo, 180 young people from 20 different countries are participating in the route. The majority hail from Latin America, Portugal and Spain. The expedition is divided into two stages: the first in an Latin American country and the second in cities in Spain. Participants have now arrived in Spain following an adventure expedition into the Mayan rainforests of Yucatan, during which they crossed large swathes of Mexico. This week they passed through Seville, where they camped in the CEAR "La Cartuja", a centre of high-performance rowing and canoeing. The travellers have had the opportunity to visit the Royal Alcazar of Seville, where they were received by the delegate for Equality, Youth and University relations, Myriam Diaz, as well as participating in social entrepreneurial projects led by the CREA Centre and visiting cultural and heritage sites in Seville and surrounding areas. One of the key moments of the route was a visit to the Huelvan town Palos de la Frontera, which was the starting point of the three ships led by Christopher Columbus that reached America in 1492. The route is an undeniably formative experience in which the participants, as well as broadening their knowledge, develop a spirit of international cooperation, with the purpose of creating a new and authentic set of values that go beyond wealth and poverty. Story by Elena Urbina Soriano Translated from Ruta BBVA: intercambio cultural y aventura Library of Congress The courtyard of the Veramendi house on Soledad Street in San Antonio (photographed in 1910) where Ben Milam fell, picked off by an expert sniper in the Mexican Army. Gen. Martin Perfecto de Cos landed at Copano on Sept. 20, 1835, with 500 troops and orders to arrest Texas leaders and confiscate their guns. Three months later he was trapped in San Antonio de Bexar, under a state of siege, a virtual prisoner himself. His plan to subdue Texas had gone awry. Cos sent his second in command, Col. Domingo Ugartechea, with 100 dragoons to Laredo to bring back reinforcements. The Texans besieging San Antonio pushed past a cornfield into cannon range of the Alamo, where many of Cos's men were quartered. The Texans would fire their cannon and the Mexicans would return fire. When the Texans ran short of ammunition they searched the cornfield for spent Mexican cannon balls, which they collected and fired back. After a seven-week siege the Texans were bored and clamoring for action. Col. Frank Johnson issued a challenge: "Who will go with old Ben Milam into San Antonio?" More than 400 men volunteered. They were divided into two columns, one commanded by Johnson and the other by Milam. The night before the battle, on Dec. 4, 1835, a norther blew in with a heavy fog. Herman Ehrenberg, a young German in the New Orleans Greys, said at two in the morning guards went from tent to tent to wake the sleeping soldiers. They stood in line, wrapped in their blankets, waiting for the order to move out. As the Texans crept into position, everything was still. They were led into town by a San Antonio man, Jesus Cuellar, called Comanche because he was half-Indian. Dawn showed over the adobe rooftops as the Texans attacked in two columns: Johnson's along Soledad Street and Milam's on Acequia Street. A third contingent led by James Neill attacked the Alamo in a feint meant to draw Cos's forces away from the town. The defense was stubborn. Mexican sharpshooters fired from the flat roofs and every adobe structure became a fort to be defended or stormed. Texans moved from building to building by using battering rams to punch holes through adjoining walls, avoiding Mexican artillery fire that swept the streets with murderous canister and grapeshot. Ehrenberg said they became thirsty and would run down to the San Antonio River to fill a bucket, then it became too dangerous because of heavy enemy fire. A woman in the house they were occupying offered to get water. They told her not to try it, warning that the Mexican soldiers would shoot her. "She insisted," Ehrenberg wrote, "and laughingly said that we knew very little of the Mexican attitude about women. Before we were aware of it she was on her way to the stream. She filled the buckets and was on the point of returning when she was hit by a hail of bullets and dropped lifeless to the ground. Several men rushed out to bring in the unfortunate woman. The enemies had discharged their muskets and the dead body was brought in without a single shot being fire." In the lull after her death several Texans ran down to the river and filled their buckets and returned safely. The fighting raged all day with Cos's men still holding the Alamo and central plaza. In the second day's fighting the Texans continued to advance from house to house, flanking the Mexican artillery positions. Mesquite trees and brush along the river caught fire and the Texans moved up their artillery to answer the Mexican guns. On the third day there was furious fighting near the central plaza, with Mexican snipers on the roofs and concealed in the bell tower of San Fernando Church picking off exposed Texans. At a meeting held at the Veramendi house a Mexican sniper shot Ben Milam in the head, killing him instantly. The Texans learned later that the sniper was named Felix Garza, reputed to be the best marksman in the Mexican Army. He was killed soon after he shot Milam. It was cold, wet and rainy on the fourth day. Ugartechea arrived from Laredo with 500 reinforcements and the beleaguered Mexican garrison rejoiced by ringing church bells. The celebration was short-lived. The reinforcements were untrained conscripts who arrived exhausted, half-starved and not eager to fight. They did not help Cos, but actually made his situation worse. They were unwilling to take orders and consumed scarce provisions that were needed by those who were doing the fighting. As the Texans closed in on the central plaza, Cos withdrew his forces into the Alamo. Soon after daylight on Dec. 9 a white flag was raised and Cos sent his senior officers to ask for terms. His men were completely fought out. The terms were liberal. Cos agreed to march back across the Rio Grande. He and his officers pledged not to take up arms against Texas again and Cos's retreating army was allowed to keep one cannon, in case they were attacked by Indians, and 150 muskets with 10 rounds of ammunition for each. They would be supplied with provisions, which they would have to pay for. One Mexican officer, a colonel of engineers, who did not hold his opponents in high esteem, was disgusted with the surrender. "We were surrounded by crude bumpkins," he said, "proud and overbearing." A curious sense of leisure came over these "crude bumpkins." They thought the war was over. They volunteered for the duration and now it had come to an end, they thought, with the last Mexican stronghold in Texas taken. They were in high spirits and content to rest on their laurels. The objective had been obtained: They had beaten Cos and sent him packing. With the Mexican troops now gone, the Texans moved into the Alamo and made themselves at home. Of course it wasn't the end of the conflict but the end of the first phase, which lasted from the time Cos landed at Copano on Sept. 20 until his surrender at San Antonio on Dec. 10. In between, Texas scored victories at Gonzales, Goliad, Concepcion, Lipantitlan, in the Grass Fight, and with the fall of San Antonio and the capture of the Alamo. The second phase would begin in February with a complete reversal of fortunes. The war for Texas independence was just beginning. (This is the fourth of eight columns on the battles of the Texas Revolution.) CONTRIBUTED A rendering of the proposed southside campus. It didn't take long for the first naysayer to show up before the Del Mar College board of regents to oppose plans to build a new Southside campus. Jack Gordy, representing the Corpus Christi Taxpayers Association, said the campus was unnecessary and would just draw students from the existing East and West campuses. That's true if you just consider that education in Corpus Christi has topped out. That is, the number of students that Del Mar College has enrolled will never increase, that the city only has so many potential college students and that Del Mar has hit that ceiling. To which I ask, are we at a point at which Corpus Christi has too many educated people? No, I didn't think so. The regents are on the right path in looking to the future of community college education in Corpus Christi by planning for a campus on the south side of the city. Last week the regents took a step closer to making their plans come to realization by voting to put a $139 million bond issue before the voters on Nov. 8. The bond proceeds would go to create the first phase of the new campus located on 96 acres, purchased with bonds approved by voters in 2014, at Yorktown Boulevard and Rodd Field Road. There may be other questions that can be raised by the project. Will the campus offer the right mix of courses given the future job market in the city? Will the campus strengthen the partnerships with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi and Texas A&M University-Kingsville? Is the college prepared to staff the new campus with the high quality of teaching that students and the city have come to expect at its existing campuses? But what is beyond questioning is whether the city needs a Del Mar College that offers more courses, more opportunities for students and more accessibility to a higher education. The average Del Mar student is no 18-year-old freshman, but instead an adult, in the mid 20s and more likely to be female than male. There are older students and much younger students, but that is the statistical average. This tells me that the community college student is someone who is embedded in the community, already is paying taxes and calls Corpus Christi home. Which says that when this person increases their earning power by taking courses that sets them on a path for a new career, or enhances their marketability or makes them more valuable in their jobs, they are more likely to raise the city's household income level, increase the talent pool for new industry and increase the tax base. I don't know about you, but I want more people earning more money so they can help pay the overall tax bill. That's something that the Taxpayers Association ought to think about. The market for students is certainly there. The college says that over 39 percent of the college's students now come from the Southside neighborhoods. And because this is the fastest growing part of the city, it only figures that the bulk of the potential is in that part of the city. I think that it's reasonable to ask whether the brick-and-mortar educational institution still is viable in this age of the online school. But it may be that the future is not totally on the internet, but in a kind of blended educational environment where the face-to-face encounter between teacher and student, say in a focused discussion on the subject, follows individual study by students of the material online. When the new campus, if voters approve, is totally built out in its planned three phases it would provide signature courses in architecture, engineering, biotechnology and the culinary arts. But the campus would still fulfill its mission to provide access to as many students as possible with the bread-and-butter core courses English, math, government, history as well as courses to strengthen the academic background of students so they can handle college level courses. The latter courses have gotten a bad rap as "remedial courses" but this is the kind of teaching and learning that defines what a community college is. If a community college doesn't give these students a chance, who will? The regents and the college need to take their case to the community as to why the $139 million bond issue is needed. But it will be an argument that will be difficult to deny. 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. Mark Santellana SHARE By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times A woman is in serious condition after San Patricio County sheriff's deputies say her husband assaulted her Wednesday morning. The Odem man, 48-year-old Mark Santellana, was arrested Wednesday afternoon at the couple's home, according to Lt. Roy Hinds. He is charged with aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony, according to jail records. His bail was set at $100,000. Twitter: @Caller_Fares SHARE By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times The Island University's Momentum 20/20 objective of reaching 15,000 students by 2020 is well underway, a news release states. Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi announced this week admission for the spring 2016 semester reached 12,000 for the first time. The count includes undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. Angelique Flores-Cano is the 12,000th student to enroll and was gifted a $1,000 scholarship. She will work toward a master's degree of science in educational administration. She is a Corpus Christi Independent School District teacher. "This growth shows the momentum of the campus and the wonderful things going on here at the Island University," university President and CEO Flavius Killebrew states in a news release. "To support our increased number of students, we continue to grow our programs and options for students in all degree fields. We also continue to hire great faculty and expand our buildings to meet our needs." Momentum 20/20 is the university's strategic plan. The plan was created in collaboration with faculty, staff, students, alumni and the community to boost the Island University to an Emerging Research University, which would yield incentive funding from the Texas Legislature. Official enrollment numbers for fall 2015 were 11,661. Twitter: @CallerBetty Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Sushil Pallemoni, director of institutional research for Del Mar College, demonstrates the capabilities of a DJI Phantom Pro radio frequency drone before a "Drones: What to Know Before You Fly" seminar for business owners and hobbyists Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, at the Del Mar College Center for Economic Development. SHARE Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times A packed room for the "Drones: What to Know Before You Fly" seminar for business owners and hobbyists Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, at the Del Mar College Center for Economic Development meant the center provided an overflow room where those who didn't preregister were able to watch and listen to the seminar. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Sushil Pallemoni, director of institutional research for Del Mar College, demonstrates the capabilities of a DJI Phantom Pro radio frequency drone before a "Drones: What to Know Before You Fly" seminar for business owners and hobbyists Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, at the Del Mar College Center for Economic Development. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Luis Cifuentes, vice president for research, commercialization and outreach at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, speaks at the start of the "Drones: What to Know Before You Fly" seminar for business owners and hobbyists Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, at the Del Mar College Center for Economic Development. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times The capabilities of a Parrot AR Drone are demonstrated before a "Drones: What to Know Before You Fly" seminar for business owners and hobbyists Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, at the Del Mar College Center for Economic Development. By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times Leo Deleon doesn't see himself ever working in an office. That's what stirred the 25-year-old's interest in pursuing a degree in geographical information systems at Del Mar College. Through the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, he's able to spend time outdoors helping farmers identify insect infestations in their fields, he said. And now that he's about to graduate in the fall, he's venturing into learning more about drones. He's seen what they can do during his time at the AgriLife center, through which he's created GIS maps for farmers. He's seen Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi students from the Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence & Innovation graze farmlands using infrared imaging. He was impressed. "It's a precise method of seeing how much of an impact minute stuff can have ... infrared (imaging) showed (farmers) exactly how many of their plants are healthy," Deleon said. "And they did it so easily." Deleon attended a Wednesday seminar dubbed "Drones: What You Need to Know Before You Fly" to learn more about the device's capabilities. The unmanned aircraft system seminar was co-hosted by Del Mar College, A&M-CC and the Lone Star Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center. The event was booked solid. John J. Nelson, a Del Mar faculty member of geospatial technology and project director of the UAS Technology Educational Consortium, referred to the seminar as an effort to develop a professional network of GIS and drone aficionados and professionals because he sees the fields crossing paths all too often. "(GIS mapping is) used in farming, ranching, oil and gas, law enforcement, emergency management and demographic studies," Nelson said. "(Drones) are another component that can be used to retrieve data to create the GIS map." Attendees learned about preliminary rules and regulations of drones, the devices' capabilities, and knowledge applicable to industry, commercial, education and general public use of drones. Twitter: @CallerBetty EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this report incorrectly reported John J. Nelson's title. He is a Del Mar College faculty member of geospatial technology and project director of the UAS Technology Educational Consortium. photos by Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times Pieces of a tire break off and fly into the air during an explosives demonstration for local law enforcement hosted by the Houston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department on Tuesday. The demonstration featured detonations of various types of explosives. SHARE David Taylor, an explosives specialist with the Houston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, talks about different types of explosives during the training on Tuesday. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times A mannequin breaks apart during an explosion meant to simulate a suicide vest detonation during an explosives demonstration for local law enforcement hosted by the Houston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. The demonstration featured detonations of various types of explosives. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times A woman records a video during an explosives demonstration for local law enforcement hosted by the Houston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. The demonstration featured detonations of various types of explosives. Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times David Taylor, an explosive specialist with the Houston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, talks about different types of explosives during a training on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. By Natalia Contreras of the Caller-Times As a forensics investigator, Donna Diorka has never felt the ground shake after a bomb blast. She has never experienced the waves of pressure on her body that come after a loud explosion. That changed Tuesday as Diorka and about 50 others, including members of the Corpus Christi, Victoria and Portland police departments, participated in a post blast training and demonstration. "We got to see the impact of each (type of) powder explosives that's used," Diorka said. "I'll know how to react and what to look for when we go out to a scene." The post-blast demonstration at Starry Shooting Range off Yorktown Boulevard was hosted by the Houston Field Division of the Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Corpus Christi Police Department. The post-blast demonstration featured detonations of various types of explosives to teach systematic methods of investigating explosion scenes. Diorka said she's used to going to crime scenes where there's been a shooting or a stabbing but she never has had to deal with explosives. The training Tuesday helped her identify explosive remains and what they'd look like, she said. Houston Field Division ATF explosives specialist David Bock said the training began Tuesday and will continue through Friday. "This morning we talked about the explosives' effects in the classroom and we wanted the students to be able to see those," Bock said. "We saw commercial explosives, military explosives and some of the homemade and improvised explosives." Bock said the purpose of the event was to teach the officers to keep themselves safe. "If they are walking into a live bomb scene, they need to be able to recognize the explosives and walk away." Senior Officer Mat Weischwill, who is a member of the Corpus Christi Bomb Squad, said this type of training does not happen often and that's why the department tried to involve as many officers possible. "Investigating a post-blast situation is very different than investigating any other type of situation," Weischwill said. "With the world we live in today this type of training is something that officers need to know and be able to recognize." Twitter: CallerNatalia SHARE John Bolton By Krista M. Torralva of the Caller-Times The United States' future relations with foreign allies will rely in part on the first words the next president says in his or her inauguration speech, former United Nations U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said in Corpus Christi on Wednesday. Bolton, who Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said would be a strong contender for Secretary of State, was the guest speaker at the annual luncheon of the Bay Area Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse. Should Bolton get the nod, Gary Bradford, an organization board member and former Army intelligence officer, wants to know his plan for bolstering relationships with allies that some believe have been diminished by the Obama administration. But Bolton doesn't believe he'd be the one to effect that change initially. The next commander-in-chief should be laying down their stance while campaigning for the job, the Fox News contributor said. For the next State Department head to be most effective, Trump and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton should model former President Ronald Reagan's approach leading up to his election in 1980, Bolton said. Reagan took such a firm stance against terrorism that while he delivered his inaugural speech, Iran freed 52 Americans who had been held hostage more than a year. "The political task is to tell the rest of the world ... there's been a fundamental change of America's place in the world," Bolton said at the Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz International Center. The president-elect should also make substantial efforts to reinforce and strengthen military forces by increasing budgets, sending more Navy ships to sea and getting new planes for the Air Force, he added. Bradford said afterward he was pleased with Bolton's response. "It was right on," Bradford said. "Our president and secretary of state need to make strong statements of support for allies." Twitter: @CallerKMT SHARE What was happening in our city 154 years ago this week? In addition to the customary summer heat and humidity, South Texas was experiencing a drought that seemed never-ending and livestock were dying everywhere. And, with a war raging, civilians were suffering privation from the effects of the Northern blockade as well. Then, on Aug. 16 and 18, 1862, came an attack on the city from a five-vessel "mosquito fleet" commanded by a New York Yankee, Acting Volunteer Lt. John W. Kittredge. During those two days of battle, several hundred solid shot and explosive shells struck the solidly constructed fortification behind which the Confederate defenders returned fire with rifles and two smoothbore cannons, which, although dated, were highly effective at close range. Civilian homes were shelled by the fleet as well, wherever it was believed enemy soldiers had found shelter. The instigator of the attack, Kittredge, was a Civil War version of Captain Queeg from Herman Wouk's novel "The Caine Mutiny." Kittredge was reckless, unstable and a martinet. Although Congress had passed a Sailors' Act in 1855 prohibiting the use of corporal punishment on all U.S. naval vessels, Kittredge continued using his own favored form of punishment the "tricing" of sailors by their wrists while being hung from the rigging. And, too, he was all too quick to strike a recalcitrant subordinate whose conduct enraged him, misconduct on his part that seven years earlier had brought him 60 days imprisonment at hard labor and would finally end his naval career a year after leaving Texas for reassignment off the coast of Georgia. But in the summer of 1862, Kittredge had assured David Farragut, flag officer of the Western Blockade Squadron, that he would capture Corpus Christi, which would be his crowning achievement. As it turned out, however, Kittredge had bitten off more than he could chew and the real heroes of the battle turned out to be the Confederates who were successful in driving off the fleet: Maj. Alfred Hobby, who was in overall command, Maj. Felix von Blucher, directing the gunners, Capt. James Ware, who led a spirited cavalry charge against a federal landing party, and, most notably, Pvt. Billy Mann, recently returned to Corpus Christi on sick leave from combat operations on the Mississippi River. It was Mann, well versed in the use of artillery, who convinced Maj. Hobby to move the two cannons from Kinney's fort on the upper bluff to the location closer to the bay. And it was Mann who encouraged his fellow soldiers by waving a Confederate flag while exposing himself to enemy fire. There had been only one human fatality, a Confederate soldier struck in the head by grapeshot. The battle itself is well documented in official reports and in the drawings of two participants, Lt. Thomas Noakes and Sgt. David Gambel. Gambel's drawing can be seen at the Museum of Science and History, while Noakles' is at the Inez Sterling Adams South Texas Historical Gallery at the La Retama Public Library. In addition, cannon balls fired from Kittredge's ships are on display at both the Corpus Christi Museum and the Conner Museum in Kingsville. The Corpus Christi Museum also displays Lt. Kittredge's sword, taken from him when he was captured at Flour Bluff a month after the battle. Visitors to our city and locals alike can read a summary of the Battle of Corpus Christi on the historic marker outside the Water Street Restaurant and Oyster Bar. And, too, the battle is well told by Caller-Times columnist Murphy Givens in his latest volume of local history. The slippery Yankee captain somehow convinced Farragut that he had actually captured Corpus Christi the "capture" was so headlined in the New York Herald while in fact he had suffered a humiliating defeat. Meanwhile, Corpus Christi Confederates found satisfaction in proclaiming their city as "the Vicksburg of Texas." But even "the Gibraltar of America" eventually succumbed, as did Corpus Christi as well. Some day this week, I will be at Oleander Point overlooking Corpus Christi Bay tuning out the noise of passing traffic as I recreate in my mind the turbulence of the past, the sounds of exploding shells and men shouting, the acrid smell of gunpowder. While doing so, I will be holding a treasured artifact, a piece of exploded shell from one of the "kittredges" fired during the two day battle. Come and do likewise and help keep our history "alive." | BY Ricki Green | Socially led marketing agency Society has hired Alex Erasmus as general manager of the Sydney agency, a new role reporting to national managing director Simone Blakers. Erasmus has built an international career in digital communications including stints in Japan, the UK, New Zealand and Australia working in both agency and publisher environments. Prior to joining Society he worked as content strategist for Bauer Media in Sydney and led the build-up of Bauers native offering as well as strategy for commercial content campaigns across flagship brands including Australian Womens Weekly, Gourmet Traveller and Cosmopolitan. Before Bauer Media Erasmus was a senior strategist at creative digital agency Holler where, among many assignments, he created and led the strategy for Heinekens Open Your City campaign. He also spent stints at major public relations network Edelman as head of digital for Japan and Social and Paid Media lead for the Sydney office. Says Blakers: We welcome Alex to the team to support our continued growth. He is a strategic thinker who is passionate about creative ideas. His PR experience will bring a new perspective to our business, not to mention his experience leading large campaigns, community management teams and setting up paid-media and native media capabilities all of which are aligned with Societys core strengths. Says Erasmus: The social marketing industry views Society as a pace-setter in this highly competitive sector. The new general manager role is a terrific opportunity for my skills and experience. I am looking forward to meeting the clients and the agency teams. | BY Ricki Green | Newcastle-based digital creative agency Headjam has added to its team of marketing and branding experts with the appointment of Katrina Locandro as an account manager. Hailing from Melbourne, Locandros professional birthplace was San Franciscos Silicon Valley undertaking a rare internship at innovative tech start-up BrightIdea. Time spent at BrightIdea ensured a great foundation of practical skills and strategic approach when she launched into her marketing career working with brands such as Sorbent, Deloitte, and most recently OneSteel. Headjam managing director, Luke Kellett, said Locandros breadth of experience will provide significant advantages to his growing team. Says Kellett: Katrinas experience working across multiple industries including consumer products, technology, manufacturing and professional services will add a great depth to our team of 13 designers and digital specialists. Her experience on the client side will also add another dimension to the service we provide in the education, health, arts and community sectors. Having been responsible for a number of brands and products throughout her career, Locandro considers herself a brand-custodian and is passionate about assisting clients develop and deliver a consistent brand experience. Says Locandro: Brands are so much more than a logo. Its emotional - when brand strategy is executed well customers can feel a connection and ultimately this delivers great outcomes. I am really excited about working with the phenomenal team at Headjam to help our clients bring their brands to life across all of their marketing activities. Locandro spent five years living in Hong Kong before returning to her hometown of Melbourne where she completed a Bachelor of Business at Monash University majoring in marketing and management. As a result, she offers a unique understanding and appreciation of different cultures and this influences her strategic approach to marketing. This cultural lens was front and centre during her experience entering the New Zealand market with Australias market-leading rural fencing brand. Planning and executing the brands launch strategy across multiple events throughout New Zealand was a highlight of her Career at OneSteel. Says Locandro: Ive been lucky enough to work with wonderful people and innovative brands across many different countries. Its definitely driven my passion for crafting marketing strategy. | BY Ricki Green | The Gunn Report, the global index of creative excellence in advertising, has added a further 32 new mini-case studies to Bullets From Gunn available to view online www.gunnreport.com. Bullets From Gunn are a collection of rapid fire mini-cases highlighting the business results of some of the most famous campaigns in recent years from around the world. They provide compelling evidence that virtually all of the work our industry admires, applauds and creatively awards the most, also achieve market success. Close to 240 mini-case studies from 2007 to 2016 are showcased to date. Four campaigns from Australia have been included in the further 32 Bullets including SPC Ardmona #MyFamilyCan via Leo Burnett Melbourne; Australian Weaving 2 Litre Towel via M&C Saatchi Melbourne; Bonds Mens Underwear The Boys via Clemenger BBDO Melbourne and Volkswagen Amorok The Naked Ute via DDB Sydney. Says Donald Gunn, founder of The Gunn Report on the new Bullets: Whilst we primarily identify and celebrate each year the best new advertising in the world and its creators, we also very much champion Effectiveness. As such, featured on The Gunn Report Online, are various studies and projects highlighting best business results: The IPA/Gunn Study, Cases For Creativity and Bullets From Gunn. The 32 new Bullets From Gunn are for a diverse range of advertisers, are from both networked and independent agencies, and are from a variety of countries: Australia, France, Germany, India, Norway, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, United Kingdom and United States. Says Gunn: In a world driven by marketing success, we predict that nearly all of these 32 new Bullets which have already achieved creative success, will go on to win in the regional and national Effie Shows of late 2016 and spring 2017. The Gunn Report Online is a unique resource for people working in advertising, communications and marketing. It combines a uniquely searchable library of the worlds best work plus full records of the worlds best agencies and advertisers since 1999 with valuable programs for education and training, proprietary research studies, signature features and special archives. Adds Gunn: All of it stuff you wont find anywhere else. View here the list of 32 new Bullets From Gunn. Find the 32 new case-stories under 2015 and 2016 (to date) on www.gunnreport.com. | BY Lynchy | Brands in Singapore are placing social media at the heart of their strategy as they strive towards 360o customer engagement, according to a study released by global insights consultancy, TNS. The results from TNS second annual Marketing Monitor study across Asia Pacific highlighted the centrality of social media for marketers it ranked as the top element guiding the planning process as well as the top metric used to measure the performance of campaigns. According to the study, businesses are using a variety of sources to inform their marketing strategy, however insights gathered through social media monitoring have finally overtaken more traditional metrics such as market share data and brand tracking to become the most popular component used by marketers. Top five metrics informing planning: 1. Social media monitoring 2. Market share data 3. Brand tracking 4. What the competition is doing 5. Information from media agencies These findings echoed the changes happening in consumer behaviour across the country. As people become more connected via digital channels, brands are focusing on how they can communicate with their customers in the online spaces where they are already spending time social. Zoe Lawrence, Digital Director, APAC for TNS said, Its no secret that social has become an intrinsic part of our daily lives 96% of connected consumers in Singapore use social networks, switching between Facebook, Instagram and Twitter as the top three channels. This mass adoption of social provides marketers with an array of sources when it comes to developing strategies and evaluating the effectiveness of their marketing activity. As the digital ecosystem evolves, we will continue to identify new ways to build insights. However, whatever the metric used, its important to ensure marketers are monitoring the indicators that contribute to sales. The study also highlighted the top priority for marketing departments this year customer relationship management. The Marketing Monitor findings revealed that marketers sphere of activity has now broadened, as they concentrate on how to deliver the best overall customer experience, ahead of the traditional aim of increasing brand awareness. To achieve this, businesses are using social media across a range of disciplines. For example, 53% of marketers are using social media for brand communications but in addition, 40% are using it to provide customer service. Social media appeared to be a big part of e-commerce strategy, with 42% using social media advertising and one in three (32%) using social media buy buttons. Despite this approach to using social to support a variety of marketing goals, the results showed that businesses are not working as collaboratively as they could be, with only 39% of marketers partnering with customer service teams, one in three (30%) working with the digital team and a mere 16% working with the insights department. Lawrence added, With marketers using social for a range of marketing objectives, it is important that they are offering a consistent, coherent experience to the customer. Brands need to strive to break down the silos in their organisations to ensure that they are realising the potential positive impact that an aligned, well-executed social strategy can deliver. | BY Lynchy | The Honorary Consulate of The Republic of Maldives in Mumbai has rolled out a digital campaign conceptualized by Prem Associates Advertising and Marketing Mumbai to promote the paradise country, Maldives, and spread the word amongst a broader audience that it is now both affordable and accessible The campaign features Prateik Babbar, the goodwill ambassador for the Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Maldvies, Mumbai who has shot various concepts promoting the diverse range of activities available and unique to this amazing country. There will be about 6 videos in the campaign. They will also conduct a contest where the audience will get to upload a 30 second fun video on the theme Why you love Maldives and the 3 best videos will win a couple tickets to Maldives. The online campaign by Prem Associates Advertising and Marketing gives a message about Maldives ability to offer an experience which will last for a lifetime for the visitors. The campaign will also highlight the destination targeting Indian audiences to visit Maldives and make it an extraordinary destination for leisure. Shalin Tandon, Honorary Consul for the Republic of Maldives, Mumbai said, The Honorary Consulate of the Republic of Maldives in Mumbai is taking this event as an opportunity to market Maldives as a beautiful and memorable tourist destination. Prateik Babbar has partnered with us as a Goodwill Ambassador for Maldives to bring out how Maldives is also a very accessible and affordable tourist destination. With his involvement we look forward to showcase the best of Maldives as to offer to Indian tourists. Under the Love Maldives social media campaign we desire to enhance the appreciation of this wonderful destination. During the contest we will be distributing various prizes to participating entries. At the end of this exciting campaign we will be announcing three lucky couple-winners to travel and experience Maldives. So keep your spirits high, pack your bags and be ready to participate. Babbar said, I am working with the Honorary Consulate of Mumbai as a part of the digital campaign to grow tourism in Maldives. I am participating as the Goodwill Ambassador and I am honored to have this opportunity to work with this beautiful Country. Pranav Premnarayen, Prem Associates Advertising & Marketing said, Keeping the Communication Objective alive, we have come up with a series of fun and informative videos to connect this beautiful paradise with the Indian Audience (Youngsters, Corporates, Housewives alike ). Its truly a delightful experience for anyone to take up this opportunity, which may lead you and your partner travelling to Maldives. So check the Website and upload your video today. Facebook https://www.facebook.com/OnlyMaldives Twitter https://twitter.com/OnlyMaldives "My son Harry who is here today is a classic example of how he just lights up with music, and I heard he was very excited on the bus to listen to the orchestra," she said. Denham relied on the ACT's security of payment laws, designed to ensure parties are paid for construction work. The Pakistan government said the ACT's contract laws did not apply because the commission was on "National Land" - land controlled by the Commonwealth. "But that's not how people use their batteries. Some days are cloudy, some days are sunny, some days are cold and some are hot, so people will be able to see how they do in real conditions, and every six months data will be publicly made available so people can go online and see which ones perform better." The lack of affordable housing is one of the challenges to the town's sustainability. FILE PHOTO WEST CHATHAM Having just raised two of the walls for his new Habitat home, elbow to elbow with volunteers he'd only just met, Jean-Claude Butter said there aren't many words to describe the feeling. It's a great experience, like seeing the birth of your child, he said. Butter, his wife and three children came to Chatham from Haiti in 2012 and have been living in rented quarters. The prospect of living in a home that he owns means more than four walls and a roof. It's like you belong to the community, he said. Butter's home is one of four new houses being built by volunteers from Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod on a parcel of land at 1560 Main St., behind the Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen's Alliance. In a ceremony Saturday morning, volunteers raised the walls for each of the four houses and paused while each new home was blessed. Nancy Smith of Habitat's board of directors thanked those who made the development possible, including David and Gail Oppenheim, who sold the land to the Chatham Housing Authority at a very favorable price. The town of Chatham has been supportive, all along the way, she said. Board of Selectmen Chairman Jeffrey Dykens said the houses represent a partnership involving volunteers, housing advocates and citizens who contributed $185,000 in Community Preservation Act funds. The development is special because it contributes to the mixture of residential and retail properties in the West Chatham village center. It's just a remarkable development, Dykens said. It's like a little, small neighborhood, Mr. Oppenheim said. Having a home of her own is a life-changing experience for Melissa Chase, a Harwich native who had been living with her parents, along with her 13-year-old daughter, Mackenzie. We were at the point where I was going to have to move, and most likely, off Cape Cod, she said. It would have been a huge setback for them both. My family is here, my support system, she said. A faith-based charity, Habitat has completed nearly 100 volunteer-built homes on Cape Cod. To be eligible to purchase a Habitat home, families must have incomes that are at or below 65 percent of the area median income. They must also be able to make a monthly payment on a low- or no-interest mortgage, and they must be willing to contribute at least 250 hours of labor to help build the house. Habitat homes are deed-restricted to be affordable in perpetuity. Chase said she's stunned and humbled by the fact that complete strangers are helping to build her house. The lesson that my daughter is learning from this is terrific, she said. Though her father made sure she was familiar with basic tools and simple handiwork, has she ever done real carpentry? No, but I'm also not afraid to do it, she said with a smile. Gage Skidmore Former New Mexico two-term governor Gary Johnson is trying to get his Libertarian presidential candidate message out among disenchanted voters. Not only to frustrated Republicans and Independents, but recently to Bernie Sanders supporters as well. Johnson released a video aimed specifically at Sanders peeps who are not pleased with Hillary Clinton. If youre still feeling the Bern and feeling burned because the Clinton machine rolled over your ideals, there is another option, Johnson says in the new ad. Johnson claims he and Sanders agree on many issues. We obviously come to a junction in the road when it comes to economics, but when it comes to opportunity, when it comes to cronyism, capitalism, dropping bombs, legalizing marijuana, womens right to choose, marriage equalityBernie and I are one and the same. Thats Me Native New Mexican and loyal Bernie Sanders supporter Debbie Gordon is one of those voters Johnson is aftervoters who are disappointed that Sanders did not get the nomination and for whatever reason are not going to vote for Hillary Clinton. So, why Johnson? He will shake up the two party system, neither party has put up a viable candidate for a lot of us voters, Gordon told Weekly Alibi. In a way a Bernie vote for Johnson can be a form of protest showing that this block of voters want a real change. Heart in New Mexico Johnson is from New Mexico. New Mexico is a predominately lower income state struggling to find ways to not be dependent on federal, state and local government employment. New Mexico might seem ripe for the free market ideology, but is it really? Weekly Alibi exchanged emails with Johnson asking him some tough questions about New Mexico and his Libertarian platform, heres what he had to say: Alibi: New Mexico is your home state. It has a myriad of issues facing its mixed, low-income government dependent populationhow can these New Mexicans be sure they will not be lost in the free market, cut government services philosophy of the libertarian platform? Gary Johnson: Many in New Mexico are struggling. I live there, I know it, and I see it. When I was governor, I worked to get government out of the way of the real job-creators in the private sector, and by most accounts, we had some success. Ultimately, good jobs and a growing economy are what will help those who are struggling the most. However, I have never suggested that we should not provide a basic safety net for those who truly need help. The key is to have realistic eligibility requirements, provide the best services at the lowest cost to taxpayers and create an environment where real opportunities exist. First, Libertarians believe governments most basic responsibility is to protect us from those who would do us harm. Polluters and those who otherwise damage the environment are doing us harm, and there is a role for government in protecting us from that harm. At the same time, the governments attempts to manipulate our behaviors and, for example, the energy marketplace have not succeededand wont. What level of gun control do you support? I begin with the premise that the Second Amendment means what it says. Americans have an individual constitutional right to own firearms. At the same time, I am open to a conversation about how we go about keeping guns out of the hands of deranged individuals who present a real risk to othersa risk not defined by an unelected government bureaucrat who puts you or me on a list, but by way of due process at a level that is appropriate when talking about a fundamental constitutional right. How can the free market guarantee the environment and the earths natural resources will be protected? First, Libertarians believe governments most basic responsibility is to protect us from those who would do us harm. Polluters and those who otherwise damage the environment are doing us harm, and there is a role for government in protecting us from that harm. At the same time, the governments attempts to manipulate our behaviors and, for example, the energy marketplace have not succeededand wont. Consumers want a clean and sustainable environment, and the marketplace is having far more success in moving us toward greater sensitivity and sustainability than are unnecessary regulations that do little more than cost jobs and impede the progress we would otherwise make on our own. Dont the ideals of the Libertarian Party depend on people being altruistic to some great degree? I frequently point out that Libertarianism is not Darwinism. Again, I have always maintained that a basic safety net is both needed and appropriate. Libertarianism also is grounded in the idea that the most important thing we can insure for the individual is equal opportunity and the freedom to provide for ones self. It is difficult to be altruistic when one doesnt have a job or when the government is taking outrageous portions of our earnings in order to support its spending habits. New Mexico has a private prison industry and a huge problem with recidivism due to poverty from a lack of jobs for felons. Doesn't a privatized prison industrial complex incentivize continued incarceration as opposed to rehabilitation? Wouldn't the economy be better served by rehabilitating prisoners with skills training so they can contribute economically when released? There are many contributing factors when it comes to recidivism, but privatized prisons are not one of them. As Governor, I never once witnessed or experienced pressures to fill prison beds from the prison lobby. It just didnt happen. There is much we can do to address the real problems, beginning with reducing the incarceration rate to begin with. We put too many people in jail for drug offenses when we should be treating those offenses as health issues, not criminal ones. Mandatory minimums, three-strikes laws and other inflexible statutes are also significant factors that must be addressed. The Affordable Care Act has provided millions of Americans with health care who were unable to enroll before. If the ACA were to be dismantled, how would those people, more than half of New Mexicans, receive healthcare? I have always maintained that, as governor, I could provide a basic health care safety net at less cost and greater service without the regulations and strings that come with federal programs. And I believe most governors around the country would agree. The promise of the ACA was lower cost and greater access. Neither has been the result. If we are going to have federal health care assistance, simply provide the states with funds in the form of block grants, and let state-by-state innovation put those dollars to the best use providing effective and economical health care services to those who truly need them. We know your strong stance on legalization of marijuana but what do you plan to do about all the people serving time in jails and prisons for nonviolent marijuana related charges? President Obama has actually taken some important steps toward granting pardons and clemency to nonviolent drug offenders. I would continue that effortand accelerate it. However, the reality is that a great many of those serving time are doing so under state laws and convictions over which the president has no control. For those prisoners, the federal government can serve as an example and hopefully apply pressure on the states to follow its lead in returning nonviolent offenders to free and productive lives. How and why is your party relevant to socialist leaning, liberal-minded people? There is very little philosophical daylight between Libertarians and classical liberals. Both believe strongly that the rights and freedoms of the individual must be respected. Marriage equality, a womans right to choose, privacy, non-intervention abroad ... those are all issues on which liberals and Libertarians converge. And frankly, recent history has shown that neither the Republicans nor the Democratic Party is a dependable ally on those issues. Do you prefer red or green chile? Green! Johnson will be speaking in Albuquerque at 2pm, Aug. 20, at the Albuquerque Convention Center. 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. Demand for Industry-ready professionals attracts 28% more recruiters 16 students hired by companies overseas New Delhi, August 17, 2016: Indian Navy, corporate giants Reliance Industries Limited, Tata Consultancy Services and IT majors Infosys, IBM and L&T Infotech are among the top recruiters this year at UPES. This year saw over 300 recruiters hiring 1251 students from the University. Number of organizations that appeared for campus placements this year is 28% more than last year. While the overall placement figure stands at 90%, 100% of BBA students, 94% of MBA students, 92% of LLB students and 87% of B.Tech students have been successfully placed. Top recruiters this year includes Reliance Industries Ltd., TCS, Infosys Ltd., KPIT, IBM, L&T Infotech, Global Data, CGI Information Systems & Management Consultants. Another 16 students got placed in Middle-East and in the African continent. Indian Navy, through its University Entry Scheme, has hired 4 B.Tech students from Aerospace, Electronics, Oil & Gas Informatics and IT Infrastructure specializations. "We are pleased to inform that campus selection from UPES has been very encouraging in the preceding years. High selection rate of the UPES students at 'Service Selection Board' speaks volumes about the high standard of grooming and professional education being imparted. We look forward to visit UPES campus for 'University Entry Scheme' once again in 2016", said Capt. Ajay Sharma, Director, Manpower Planning& Recruitment, Indian Navy. This year saw significant demand for students with specialization in Cloud Computing and Virtualization Technology, Mainframe Technology, Business Analytics and Optimization, Artificial Intelligence, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Nuclear Science, Renewable Energy, Transportation and Industrial Design and Applied Petroleum Engineering. Commenting on this trend, Rituraaj Juneja, Director- Career Services at UPES said, "While we are witnessing great demand for industry-specific specialized knowledge and skills, recruiters place equal emphasis on a candidate's soft skills like professional eagerness, communication and presentation skills, general aptitude and most importantly, their attitude! Our industry-aligned curricula designed to cater to industry requirements coupled with rigorous 'Personality Enhancement Programs' has helped us in creating genuine industry-ready professionals". About UPES: University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) was established in the year 2003 through UPES Act, 2003 of the State Legislature of Uttarakhand. UPES is recognized by University Grants Commission (UGC) under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956 and accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). For further information visit, www.upes.ac.in Sometimes its good to be reminded of just how good a car is by giving it go once more. In the case of the Mitsubishi Xpander, its the smal... Hyundai is currently in discussions with Google, seeking external expertise in order to remain competitive in terms of connectivity, and perhaps even autonomous vehicle development. According to Hyundai Motor president Jeong Jin Haeng, the two companies have multiple common areas that may require cooperation. Jeong however didnt mention if the Korean automaker is indeed considering developing autonomous cars with the help of Google, but since both Hyundai and their affiliate Kia Motors have shied away from joint ventures that could make high-cost, low-volume electric vehicles, a change in strategy might be whats needed. As reported by Autonews, Hyundai might be looking to change their go-it-alone strategy and join forces with tech startups and Silicon Valley giants in order to stay relevant in the coming era of ultra-connected and autonomous vehicles. Hyundai is lagging behind the competition to develop autonomous vehicles, said Ko Tae Bong, senior auto analyst at Hi Investment & Securities Co. Its not a choice but a critical prerequisite for Hyundai to cooperate with IT companies, such as Google, to survive in the near future. Even though Google said they have no timetable for making self-driving cars available to the public, their prototypes have currently logged more than 1.7 million miles (2.7 million km). PHOTO No true Porsche enthusiast could have believed until the early 2000s that the German brand would come up with two SUVs and a four-door, and yet here we are. However, this could just be the beginning, as the company is moving along with the market demand, and since the Tesla Model X is becoming more popular, Porsche could reportedly follow up with a similar zero-emission vehicle, as Autocar reports. While Porsche officials are mum on the matter, the British publication says it could enter production at the end of the decade making it the firms second EV addition after the Mission E. Moreover, it could be based on the weird mule scooped recently, while it may not have much in common with the Cayenne, except for a few nuts and bolts. It could be a mix between the Mission E and the upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron Quattro, which is expected to debut in 2018, and while the latter is believed to put three electric motors to use, Porsches own version might opt for two. Both vehicles will be underpinned by platforms that support AWD, and with so many things in common, we could see the two compete against each other, before rivaling the likes of the Tesla Model X and the zero-emission SUV rumored to come from Jaguar Land Rover. PHOTO GALLERY Proving that hypercars can appeal to anyone, female racing driver Carina Lima was recently filmed behind the wheel of a Koenigsegg One:1 on the streets of Monaco. While it isnt known if the Lamborghini Super Trofeo competitor owns the One:1, Lima has quite a bit of experience with the Swedish firms models having previously been snapped driving a bespoke Agera R. The rarity of the One:1 makes her latest ride much more impressive however. Just six examples of the One:1 were commissioned for customers but given the high-demand, Koenigsegg decided to sell its development car as well and Lima recently got her hands on that very car. Rather amazingly, the One:1 prototype was listed for sale in the UK late last year for a rather absurd $6 million. While its unclear if the car has been sold, it is good to see it being driven, rather than being kept locked away on a dealership floor. VIDEO It took a while to get rid of the Soviet era, boxy vehicle design, but now Lada is getting ready to step into the future with a new SUV. Teased on the companys official Facebook page, the XCode subcompact SUV concept is a huge leap into the 21st century for the Russians in terms of styling. The timing is spot-on, too, for parent company AutoVAZ celebrates its 50th anniversary, being founded in 1966. The production model that is expected to come sometime next year will take on the likes of the Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008. At the moment, there is no further info. Well have it in less than a week, though, for it will be officially revealed on August 24 at the Moscow Motor Show. PHOTO GALLERY Ottawa 90 Winner: Hen, His Wife Essay by Linda Simensky A man, his wife, and their pet are living what appears to be relatively tranquil domestic life. Upon further examination, we are not quite sure if all is well. Things are starting to break. The tranquil domestic life part of this family scene seems a little off. The wife is a giant hen, for starters. The pet is a centipede/slug with a human head. The man is blue and lumpy. Everyone seems a little nervous about something. As well they should be. A visitor shows up, and reacts with surprise that the wife is a hen. He marches through the apartment, and whispers to the man. The man seems surprised to find out his wife is indeed a hen. Perhaps he hadnt noticed this? Perhaps he felt everything up until this point was good enough. The stranger leaves. The man, clearly troubled by this news, enters a dream state and perhaps reconsiders his life. The hen leaves. Things dont improve, and the man is now clearly lonely. The hen returns to the apartment. To her shock, the man now has the same chicken feet that she has. Thats not what she wanted, and shes gone again. Perhaps the film was to be a reminder that everything might be fine with your life until someone shows up and tells you its not. And then it all falls apart. In 1990, I was deep into writing my masters thesis on independent animated shorts, and I was looking at the animation of four countries including Russia, which at the time was still part of the Soviet Union. I had watched enough Russian films to know that most Eastern European films were funded by the state, and therefore, virtually every Russian film needed to be an allegory of some sort to make its point. I remember assuming that Hen, His Wife must have been a political film with a much deeper meaning. I waited for a simple explanation of the story. None was forthcoming. When I first saw this film, I was relatively new to the animation industry, and was developing the earliest animated series at Nickelodeon. My goal was to make Nickelodeon the crossroads between Looney Tunes and independent shorts. I had started to look at every film in terms of its development potential: is this film a cartoon, is it funny, and could this director create a show for Nickelodeon? Hen, His Wife stumped me. It was clearly an important film, an absurdist parable. But without understanding the deeper meaning, all I could think about was how graphically detailed and cartoony the film was. This film was not a dreamlike 20 minutes of paint-on-glass film we were accustomed to from Russia. This film was surrealist Priit Parn crossed with Yellow Submarine. The visuals and timing made me think we were watching a funny cartoon. The elusive story and the palpable level of angst made it clear it was something else entirely. Some of the movement in Hen, His Wife was fast and cartoony, and the timing was clearly deliberate and occasionally accelerated like a typical cartoon. The graphic style gave everything black outlines. Objects would slide or disappear or move without help from the characters, the visitor could stomp over a table instead of around it, and a recording was played with a windup bus. I remember at the time getting caught up in simply trying to figure out if this film was funny or not. Or exactly what the theme of the story was. Domestic life falling apart wasnt funny. So if a film looks funny and moves like a cartoon but isnt funny, what does one make of that? Around this time, Rugrats had been chosen by Nickelodeon to go to series. Gabor Csupo of Klasky Csupo, one of the creator/producers of Rugrats, clearly was inspired by the cartoon-like qualities of Hen, His Wife, as well. Csupo invited Kovalyov to come work at Klasky Csupo. Not long after Kovalyov finished his next film, Andrei Svislotsky, Kovalyov moved from Moscow to Los Angeles to direct Rugrats and then help create the series, Aaahh!!! Real Monsters. He then co-directed The Rugrats Movie in 1998. Hen, His Wife helped introduce Moscows acclaimed Pilot Studio, of which Kovalyov was a co-founder, to the animation-viewing crowd. As the times were starting to change in Eastern Europe, Pilot was one of the first animation studios that was not a state-run studio, and not all the films coming out of Pilot were serious or overtly political. This was a game changer in the world of Russian animated film. Hen, His Wife winning the Grand Prize at Ottawa in 1990 may have confused some at the time. After all, Nick Park had Creature Comforts and A Grand Day Out in the competition. My personal favorite that year was the film Exit from Swedens Filmtecknarna. Thats not a film that ever gained notice again, although Filmtecknarna would go on to great acclaim with other films. Kovalyov and Hen, His Wife, on the other hand, went on to have enormous impact. The film no doubt helped to change our impression of Russian animated film. Perhaps it had impact in Russia, as well? Certainly, Klasky Csupo, Rugrats, and Aaahh!!! Real Monsters brought a new aesthetic to American cartoons. Soon the Russian film industry would no longer be state run. If the winning films at Ottawa were chosen with a sense of potential impact, Hen, His Wife was a prescient choice. A few years later, I was set to speak at an event at the BFI about the early years of Nickelodeon animation, and I was asked to screen my favorite short films that had influenced me. Then a special request came from the person running the screening. Could I put Hen, His Wife on my list? The BFI had just purchased the film and wanted an excuse to screen it. Also, could I speak about why it was one of my favorite films, and how this film had influenced me? And with that request, the film was promoted to my top ten animated films list. My proximity to Kovalyov through Nickelodeon led to some interesting conversations, but never any further explanations of his films. But that was probably okay, since I can still watch the film 25 years later and enjoy pondering it without knowing if I am closer to understanding it. Another reminder that some films can still be left open to interpretation. Kovalyov continues to make short films. His most recent, Before Love, premiered at the 2016 Holland Animation Film Festival, winning the Grand Prix in the short narrative category. Apparently ambiguity is still alive and well at animation festivals. Photo: Google Street View Five new family physicians will set up shop in four Interior communities during the next two months. The Practice Ready Assessment program is pairing under-served Interior Health region residents in rural communities with doctors. Enderby, Keremeos, Logan Lake, Nakusp and Trail will receive the new physicians. This is the third cohort of doctors who have committed to working in designated rural IH facilities, bringing the total to 13 since the program began in 2015. The program matches internationally trained physicians with a B.C. physician who evaluates the candidates skills over a three-month period before they are placed in communities in need. The doctors commit to practising for a minimum of three years in their chosen locations. The Keremeos candidate will bring the communitys complement of doctors to four. Nakusp will also have a full complement of four physicians with the arrival of its candidate who will be based at Arrow Lakes Hospital. Logan Lake Health Centre will receive its second physician from the program. At Enderby Community Health Centre, the doctor will work alongside a full-time nurse practitioner. The fifth physician will take over a private practice while also supporting the emergency department at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in Trail. Photo: Getty Images Caution is a good prescription when using anti-depressants to treat bipolar disorder. Although depression is one of the hallmark stages of this chronic mental illness, treating it with anti-depressants alone brings a risk of the patient switching from depression to mania. A Swedish study published in 2014 in the American Journal of Psychiatry confirms this long-held observation. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm performed a population-based study of more than 3,000 bipolar patients. Results confirmed that those using just an anti-depressant were at increased risk for a manic switch compared to those using combined therapy of antidepressant and mood-stabilizing medication. In this study, 34 per cent of people were treated with an anti-depressant alone and they had a two-fold increased risk for developing treatment-emergent mania. Among those treated with both an anti-depressant and a mood stabilizer, no acute change in risk for mania occurred during the three months after starting the anti-depressant treatment and the risk actually decreased between three and nine months later. This finding is reassuring because it confirms a treatment guideline we have been using for some time. Most mental health professionals are careful not to prescribe an anti-depressant alone when dealing with bipolar disorder, however it does happen sometimes when a diagnosis is not yet made. In the early days of bipolar disorder treatment, the individual may be thought to have unipolar major depression and be treated accordingly. Bipolar disorder can be a difficult condition to treat even under ideal circumstances and it is best managed by a mental health professional with experience in its diagnosis and treatment. Roughly three per cent of the population will experience bipolar disorder. It is a chronic, life-long mental illness that usually manifests itself in late adolescence or young adulthood. People experiencing this condition will cycle between episodes of major depression as well as episodes of mania, which is an excessively heightened mood. Although it may sound nice to be extra happy, mania is no picnic. People experiencing mania tend to be impulsive, reckless and irritable. They lack insight into their behaviour and often say and do things they would never normally consider and which have a lasting harmful impact on their lives. If a loved ones behaviour is causing you to worry, encourage them to seek help as soon as possible. As noted above, we do have treatment options available and this is a condition that can be managed effectively. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: The Canadian Press Genevieve Belleville is struck most about the many Fort McMurray residents who are having nightmares and trouble sleeping. The psychology professor at Laval University in Quebec City is heading a mental-health study of people from the northern Alberta city who were forced to flee a voracious wildfire in May. Two of her research assistants were returning Tuesday after spending three weeks in the community. They conducted clinical interviews with about 50 residents and another 300 people completed an online questionnaire. Analysis is to begin soon on whether some are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, Belleville said. A preliminary look at the data shows many in the group aren't sleeping well. "They also have very painful memories," said Belleville. "Some of them have moved, don't want to go back to Fort McMurray because it's too painful to see the aftermath of the fire." More than 80,000 people were forced to leave their homes when the wildfire roared through and destroyed 2,400 homes and buildings. The evacuation for some included a panicky, slow-moving drive out of the smoke-filled city as nearby trees went up in flames. Symptoms of PTSD include intrusive memories, negative feelings and emotional reactions, such as trouble sleeping. Most signs are just normal reactions to an abnormal event, said Belleville. "If the symptoms persist for more than one month, then we can talk about PTSD. Before that, it cannot be considered a disorder." PTSD is the brain's way of being protective, she explained. "When there's something that scares us with very, very extreme intensity, the brain keeps a trace. The brain wants to remember that it's scary, so we don't get in that situation again." The study will also assess whether the residents have depression, anxiety and substance abuse problems, she said. Preliminary findings should be complete in the fall and are to be shared with the people involved. While most PTSD studies have focused on soldiers returning from war, Belleville said that when she heard about the Fort McMurray fire, she knew it was a great opportunity to examine the effects of another kind of traumatic event. She said she hopes the study will further knowledge of what helps and what hinders mental health recovery. She's optimistic that, with more funding, her team will be able to keep in touch with residents and expand the study in the future. More Fort McMurray residents have been getting counselling this year. Alberta Health Services says mental health staff in the city have received 20,000 referrals since May 10. They typically receive 1,200 referrals each year. Photo: enderbychamber.com More conservation officers are needed if the province really wants to remain beautiful B.C., said Enderby Mayor Greg McCune. If we're going to be the most beautiful province on earth, then I think we should realize that seven or eight conservation officers for the whole province isn't enough, McCune said, adding he's discussed the matter with Premier Christie Clark as well as Shuswap MLA Greg Kyllo. Now Enderby politicians are hoping to take the matter up with Ministry of Environment officials at next month's Union of BC Municipalities convention. McCune has complained before about the illegal dumping problem in and around Enderby. The city is working to clean up its environs. On Monday, council passed an amendment to its illegal dumping bylaw, allowing city officials to slap offenders with a $500 fine that doubles in size if not paid within 30 days. There is also a growing problem with mounds of litter left along the Shuswap River by day visitors who boat or float along the water. Ten years ago we'd maybe have 100 people (per day on the river). Then five years ago, about 250. Now we have thousands, McCune explained. Our council had a good discussion about that. For example, look at Disneyland. It's pristine. We have to start getting people to treat the river that way. McCune said local river ambassadors should be allowed to ask people to pick up and take their garbage with them when they leave the area. He also said the city had to be more proactive and ensure there were empty garbage cans in place by boat launches and other sites. The mayor expressed frustration with the lack of support for a river clean in September, stating the numbers who show up to help have dwindled to almost nothing over the past three years. We have so many show up to use the river, why don't we have 400 people come out to clean up? But council has decided to be proactive rather than just bemoan the situation. The mayor is hoping the city can put a meeting together this fall that would include council, city staff, the chamber of commerce, RCMP, the local MLA and electoral area representative. What steps can we take that can properly protect the river, McCune asked. That is something we're working on right now. Photo: The Canadian Press Mauril Belanger, a Liberal member of Parliament for more than two decades and a lifelong advocate for francophone rights in English Canada, has died. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau used Twitter to announce Belanger's death on Tuesday night. Trudeau called Belanger "a great friend, tireless MP and brave fighter." Belanger died after a very public battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. He was diagnosed with the incurable, neurodegenerative disease in November 2015, just weeks after winning re-election in his Ottawa-Vanier riding for the eighth consecutive time since entering federal politics in a February 1995 byelection. Photo: The Canadian Press The death of Liberal MP Mauril Belanger has shone a spotlight on one of humanity's most devastating diseases, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. While the prognosis for those who develop ALS remains grim most die within two to five years after onset of symptoms researchers say hopes have never been higher for at least a treatment to slow its relentless progression. "There's no question the pace of discovery has been accelerated," says neurologist Dr. Lorne Zinman, who heads the ALS clinic at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto. A number of genes that underlie inherited cases of the disease have been identified, says Zinman, chairman of the Canadian ALS Research Network. "We understand the pathology better, we understand how the disease progresses better, we're understanding how interventions can help patients survive longer." At any given time, almost 3,000 Canadians are living with ALS, also called Lou Gehrig's disease after the New York Yankees slugger who died of the degenerative motor neuron disease in 1941. Each year, about 1,000 more are diagnosed and an equal number die. Worldwide, an estimated 400,000 people are affected and the disease kills more than 100,000 every year. Most people diagnosed with ALS decline rapidly as motor neurons that control voluntary muscle movements are steadily destroyed, leading to an inability to move, speak or swallow. "All the muscles that you can control are the ones you lose," explains Zinman. "You become paralyzed and basically locked in." In what seems a cruel twist, neurons that control the heart, digestion and other autonomic functions are left intact, as are sensory nerves that transmit pain or sensations like itching. Cognition for the most part is also unaffected. "That's why we call it locked in. You're trapped in your body, but you can feel and hear and see everything." Perhaps the most famous ALS sufferer is British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who was diagnosed with the disease at 21 and has been confined to a wheelchair for decades. Kept alive with artificial ventilation and a feeding tube, the 74-year-old communicates through a computerized speech-generating device, which he controls with a single cheek muscle. In 2014, ALS Canada raised $17 million through the Ice Bucket Challenge, in which participants had freezing water dumped over their heads to support the charity. Of that total, $11.5 million was directed towards research, with an additional $10 million coming from Brain Canada and the federal government. ALS Canada CEO Tammy Moore says her organization has so far invested $15 million in research projects across Canada, with the balance to be awarded by 2017. The other $5.5 million raised is earmarked to help patients and their families, who typically incur costs of $150,000 to $200,000 to care for a loved one as their condition deteriorates. Since 1994, one medication riluzole has been found to help slow progression of the disease, but its effect is meagre, prolonging survival for only a few months. Discouragingly, Zinman says there is a graveyard of hundreds of other drugs that have failed in clinical trials to show any benefit. That's why the hunt is on for an ALS biomarker similar in concept to A1C, which measures blood glucose in diabetics that would allow doctors to detect the disease early, but also help researchers determine which drugs might best target its effects. Gene therapy, to overcome the damaging effects of abnormal proteins expressed by mutated genes, is now being tested in patients, says Zinman. "Have we reached that ah-ha eureka point? No, we're not there yet. "But there are so many smart people working on this disease now and it has the necessary attention, and all the community is really excited about a breakthrough in the hopefully not too distant future." Photo: mile0park.ca Rotary Lake, Dawson Creek A 12-year-old girl is on life support after being pulled from a lake in Dawson Creek. Emergency crews rushed to Rotary Lake at 6:20 p.m. on Aug. 13 to find the unconscious girl, who had been rescued from the lake by other people in the park. The girl had been submerged in the water for several minutes before being found. Investigators believe an underwater intake grate may have been the reason she was held underwater for as long as she was. She was taken to Dawson Creek Hospital and then later flown to the Lower Mainland for treatment. As of Tuesday, the young girl remains in grave condition on life support with family at her side, said Cpl. Dan Moskaluk of the RCMP. Our thoughts and those of the community of Dawson Creek, are with her and her family. Dawson Creek RCMP have requested the lake be drained so investigators can properly inspect the grate and ensure there are no further risks to the public. Photo: Contributed Something and someone have knocked over the hefty ATM machine at the Interior Savings Credit Union at the corner of 32nd Street and 43rd Avenue. One report is that a thief used a front end loader to knock over the drive-thru money machine. A photo shows police and fire crews puzzling over the damage on Wednesday morning. Last September, North Okanagan RCMP reported that a thief stole more than $50,000 from an ATM at the same branch of the credit union. RCMP have yet to return a call about this latest escapade. Photo: Contributed Simplicity in coastal style By Crispin Butterfield There is something so serene, inviting, and unsullied about beachy-feeling interiors: bright, white-fresh with nubby textures, pops of rich and vibrant accent colours, watery glass infusions, woven sea grasses and chunky wooden accents. If you never have the chance to live in a Malibu beachfront property, you can create a home where the eccentricities and inspiring elements of Coastal Living come to you. Pearly Whites Some of the calmest and most inviting spaces have been designed around monochromatic colour schemes of linen, pearl, cream, tan, platinum, and white. When mixed together, and layered intelligently throughout a room, a monochromatic scheme can be exquisite and surreal to work with. The key point is to add texture in monochromatic spaces the more the merrier so spaces don't fall flat or become dull. And stick to either warm or cool tones; mixing the two creates too much contrast and you lose the effect that all successful tone-on-tone spaces have. Tempting Turquoise Turquoise is one of my absolute favourite colours. Im crazy in love with turquoise. When adding this delicious hue, you might add splashes with the following: eclectic stitching on white toss pillows, a loopy wool throw over the back of a sofa, oversize glass vases as center pieces a dining table, as accent colours in art cards on display. Weave this sensual shade into an otherwise safe colour scheme for ocean-inspired pop and flare. Mirror Mirror Not just for this style, but in general, mirrors open any room by reflecting light and creating virtual airiness. Mirrors in unexpected areas give Coastal spaces a playful charm and I say use them to your full advantage. Group them in a collage for a unique focal piece, stand one up in a darker corner, place a pair above each night stand in your bedroom... if there's open wall space, you can find creative ways to integrate mirrors. Grass, Glass, and Stone By using these natural elements, you just can't fail and here's why: Mother Nature never gets it wrong. Bringing in combinations of these organic materials, you are completing your spaces with the depth and breadth found in your natural surroundings. Exotic grasses in tall floor vases fill up empty corners perfectly and add height in areas where furniture feels too 'low'. Beach glass jars, vases, bowls, and plates you name it group simple combinations of these on shelves or windowsills to catch the light and create shimmer. River rock, pebbles, shale, and slate are just a few examples of stone you can bring into your homes... you'd be surprised at what you can do with the simplest of materials. Bring On The Bowls You might not think of it at first, but drilling holes through giant bamboo trays or wooden gourds, poking nails through woven baskets, or even gluing hooks to the backs of eclectic decorative bowls can help you to create unique and out of the ordinary wall art. Just because they were designed to sit on a surface doesn't mean they won't look incredible hanging in a hallway or as a grouping featured over a mantle. Adding texture to your walls is just as important as adding it in your furniture and accent pieces for a truly well rounded and inviting space. Everyone has their own tastes and style when it comes to design and home decor the beauty lies in being able to dip from one to the next and blend certain elements for a look and feel that's all your own. When in doubt this summer, Coastal Simplicity might just be the perfectly tranquil place to start. Crispin Butterfield owns Urban Theory Interior Design in Kelowna, and has been designing soul-hugging residential and commercial spaces across Western Canada for the past 13 years. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: Getty Images Police have charged an eastern Ontario man after he allegedly kicked and threw rocks at a visually impaired woman's service dog. Ontario Provincial Police say the incident began around noon on Saturday in Alexandria, Ont., about 100 kilometres east of Ottawa. Const. Tylor Copeland says a 32-year-old woman was walking with her service dog when they were approached by another man and his dogs. Copeland says the woman tried to explain to the man that her dog was working and couldn't play with his dogs. He says an argument followed and police allege he kicked the dog and launched rocks at it. Copeland says the dog didn't suffer any lasting injuries. Ricky Sabourin, 46, of North Glengarry Township, has been charged with cruelty to animals, assault with a weapon and mischief. Photo: RCMP An arrest has been made following a fatal stabbing in Port Coquitlam. The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team tweeted 34-year-old James Meanny was taken into custody without incident late Tuesday night. Police had identified Meanny just hours before the arrest and warned the suspect was armed and dangerous. Meanny is accused of the second degree murder of 65-year-old Robert Vidovich. The victim was stabbed as he crossed the parking lot of a busy Port Coquitlam shopping mall on August 7. Investigators have not offered a motive for the stabbing. Photo: assembly.nl.ca The Newfoundland and Labrador government has reorganized itself in a major shakeup of government departments. Premier Dwight Ball announced four new departments, made up of parts of now-eliminated departments, with five deputy ministers let go. The Department of Seniors, Wellness, and Social Development is combined with Child, Youth, and Family Services to become the Department of Children, Seniors, and Social Development. Forestry and Agrifoods has been absorbed by Fisheries to become the Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agrifoods. The Labour Relations Agency becomes part of the new Department of Advanced Education, Skills, and Labour. The Department of Environment and Climate Change combines the Office of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency with the former Department of Environment and Conservation. The Office of Public Engagement is now part of the Communications of Cabinet while the Access to Information Office is with the Department of Justice, and Municipal Affairs will look after Fire and Emergency Services. Photo: The Canadian Press The prime minister and other MPs have gathered on Parliament Hill to pay tribute to Mauril Belanger, a Liberal member of Parliament for more than two decades. Belanger, 61, died Tuesday after a fight with ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Trudeau was among those signing a condolence book set up at the House of Commons, writing that Belanger's legacy would continue to inspire. Commons Speaker Geoff Regan added his thoughts, calling Belanger a valued colleague and friend. Belanger had hoped to be elected Speaker after last fall's election, but he was forced to withdraw from the race after being diagnosed with ALS. In March, Belanger was made honorary Speaker for a day, communicating via a tablet computer. Photo: The Canadian Press Nellie McClung The federal government has a list of 29 prominent Canadian women it thinks deserve to have buildings named in their honour. So far, not one has been chosen, but the Public Works Department says the list remains available for future use. Status of Women prepared the list featuring historic female figures such as women's rights activist Nellie McClung, former Supreme Court justice Bertha Wilson and nuclear physicist Harriet Brooks for the department more than four years ago. Since then, the previous Conservative government named 13 federal buildings, including one after War of 1812 hero Laura Secord and another for scientist Dr. Alfreda Berkeley two women not on the list. The new Liberal government is expected to unveil its first federal building name Thursday, when it rechristens the Greater Moncton International Airport in honour of former governor general Romeo LeBlanc. New Democrat MP Sheila Malcolmson, the critic for status of women, says Canadians want to see their public institutions reflect the diversity of the country. Philippines: Republic Cement confident despite environmental crackdown ICR Newsroom By 17 August 2016 Republic Cement has vowed to continue with its expansion plans and has said that it is "ready" to face an environmental audit from the Filipino government, ABS-CBN News reports. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has recently handed out suspensions to 10 mining companies over safety violations and has challenged the countrys largest coal mining firm, Semirara, to make the case for allowing its operations to continue. Republics president, Rentao Sunico, said he was confident that his firms expansion plans would not be directly affected, but added that there was a risk that stoppages at other miners might have a knock-on effect. Sunico stated: "We use coal, limestone is something we produce on our own. But there are other materials we source, and if they are affected we have to be prepared to import." Published under Cementos Argos 2Q16 US results remain strong ICR Newsroom By 17 August 2016 For the second quarter Cementos Argos' cement volumes decreased by 1.9 per cent, totalling 3.5Mt, as a result of a challenging market environment in Colombia. These results were compensated by the US regional division, where Cementos Argos grew 16.3 per cent. In the ready-mix segment the company sold 3Mm3, up 1.1 per cent from the previous year. Cementos Argos registered double-digit growth in revenues, EBITDA and net income, driven by the US, Caribbean and Central America operations and higher efficiencies. The US reported the highest EBITDA margin since the assets were acquired (14.9 per cent). Dispatched cement volumes in 2Q16 decreased 13.8 per cent, reaching a total of 1.2Mt. These volumes were affected by two main factors; the agriculture and transportation strikes during the months of May and June, without which, volumes would have decreased 8.3 per cent, and a challenging competitive environment that caused Argos to lose a portion of market share. The Colombian National Administrative Department of Statistics (Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadistica, DANE) reported a contraction of 0.42 per cent in cement volumes for the industry. In the ready-mix concrete business, Argos dispatched 834,000m3, down 8.2 per cent, explained by a decrease in infrastructure and social housing construction. May figures reported by Dane showed a 3.8 per cent drop, mainly impacted by 25 per cent less activity in civil works. Colombia In Colombia revenues, as well as the EBITDA, showed a decrease of two per cent and 13.9 per cent, respectively. EBITDA was impacted by the effect of lower volumes and operational leverage, which caused margin contractions in both cement and ready-mix concrete. In order to offset the EBITDA margin pressures, the company has accelerated its BEST programme with the objective of improving Colombias EBITDA margin by 300-500 basis points and decrease the cash cost per tonne between US$4 and US$6 during the next 18-24 months. In addition, the use of alternative fuels in the second kiln of the Rio Claro plant reached 3.6 per cent after the projects launch in April, using tyres as fuel. Domestic cement dispatches increased by 16.3 per cent, reaching levels of 1.1Mt during the quarter. In the ready-mix business, more than 2Mm3 were sold, an increase of 5.3 per cent when compared to 2Q15. Growth in both segments is a consequence of market recovery, pent-up demand and better weather conditions. Argos registered revenues of US$66m (13.8 per cent increase) during 2Q16 as a consequence of the positive trend observed in volumes and a low-single digit price increase. Caribbean Argos sold 1.2Mt of cement in 2Q16, with an increase of seven per cent in Panama, four per cent in Honduras and 24 per cent in exports. However, total dispatches of this regional division decreased by 1.6 per cent, explained mainly by our trading activity. In Panama the group retained its solid market share and volumes increased faster than the four per cent reported by the market. Argos is optimistic about the canals expansion impact, which currently generates around eight to 10 per cent of the GDP and is expected to produce additional revenues of US$1.4bn for 2017, as well as around 200,000 new jobs across the next 10 years. In Honduras the cement market grew 11 per cent for the quarter. This positive trend supports the decision to open a distribution center in San Pedro Sula with a capacity of about 1200Mt and to restart the San Lorenzo grinding facility during the 3rd quarter, which will bring an additional capacity of around 300,000tpa. Argos registered revenues of US$144m, an increase of by 3.9 per cent when compared to the same period of 2015. EBITDA reached US$50m, representing an increase of 4.7 per cent. EBITDA margin for the period was 34.8 per cent. As of 30 June 2016, Cementos Argos consolidated financial debt rose to US$1871m, of which 42 per cent was denominated in Colombian pesos and 57 per cent in US dollars. Published under Tanzania: Minister invites cement industry to voice its concerns 17 August 2016 Tanzanian cement producers who have been stepping up the pressure on the new government to respond to the amounts of cheap cement imports have been given some encouragement to present their complaints. The minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Charles Mwijage, advised local cement producers to meet with the government to sort out constraints in doing businesses. Let's reason together so that we can build our case that I can defend to the government, Mr Mwijage said at the inauguration of Tanga Cement second clinker manufacturing line at Pongwe area in Tanga region yesterday. The management of the Tanga Cement Co had complained to the government about influx of cheap imported cement products in the market which was subjecting local cement producers to unfair competition and decision by the government to ban coal imports that was making the cement factory incur extra costs for thermal power to run their turbines. "We ask the government to either stop the imports or at least impose higher tariffs on imported clinkers...We are pleading with the government to ensure clinkers on transit reach their destinations. This will remove unfair competition in the market," Tanga Cements managing director, Reinhardt Swart said. He added that the government decision to ban coal imports had made them incur extra cost for using thermal power as the local one was not suitable for their second kiln that was inaugurated yesterday. He said they were also appealing to the government to increase efforts toward provision of reliable electricity. The US$152m new clinker manufacturing line at Pongwe installed by a Chinese company is expected to boost clinker production capacity from 500,000t to 1.52Mta which will be used for cement production and excess to be exported. The Chairman of the Board of Directors, Lawrence Masha, said as local producers they did not see the reason for allowing imports of cement while local production is above the market demand. According to him, local installed capacity was 8.3Mta of cement while demand was at around 4.3Mta. Published under Dear Alibi, It has been six years since we have completely removed all of our red light cameras here in Albuquerque. Now Santa Fe and Las Cruces have turned their red light cameras back on. New Mexico has become the number one [state] in pedestrian fatalities for population. Seventy-one pedestrians killed in N.M., forty-one killed just in Bernalillo [County]. It is obvious that we [should] get our red light cameras and speeding vans back in Albuquerque. Seven cyclists were killed in 2014; N.M. is second in the nation for bicycle fatalities. Rio Rancho is planning to get more speeding vans. Albuquerque needs to follow their example. What is taking place in California is more than the usual battle between industry powerhouses and environmental groups. As electric vehicle sales get a boost from mainstream contenders in the coming years, CARB has the opportunity to establish the strongest fuel economy standards in history and influence the national response to climate change. With the states climate efforts stalled in Sacramento, one Los Angeles lawmaker plans to introduce legislation that would exclude plug-in hybrids from the equation and force automakers to either produce long-range EVs, pay fines to the state, or buy credits from other automakers, the Associated Press reports. Autumn Burke, the L.A. Assemblywoman behind the legislation, said stricter EV guidelines would force competition on the market and bring down prices for consumers. Environmental groups were joined by Governor Jerry Brown in supporting Burkes legislation on the grounds it would get more zero-emissions vehicles to market faster and thus impact air quality in the state, according to the AP. On the other side, lobbyists for automakers are arguing the legislation would be little more than a boon for Tesla, which produces nothing but long-range electric cars and SUVs. Other groups endorse more consumer incentives to bring prices down and spur consumer demand, which has lagged for years due to the cost of electric cars when compared to equivalent gasoline models. Not surprisingly, government agencies want automakers to improve fuel economy as the industry continues its record run; meanwhile, car companies are pushing for more incentives that would be funded by taxpayers. The answer will likely fall somewhere in the middle. Tesla CEO Elon Musk called out CARB at his companys August earnings call, saying the agency needed to increase standards that were at the moment pathetically low. The public attack coincided with a steep drop in Teslas sales of zero-emissions vehicle credits. Assemblywoman Burkes law would put companies with higher sales of electric cars back in a moneymaking position while forcing automakers hands on the development of economical vehicles. Automaker groups have been pushing for lower corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards ahead of the midterm review of the program set for 2017. Representatives for the EPA believe the federal standards in place are working quite well and project automakers should be able to hit the miles-per-gallon marks by the goal of 2025. For CARB, there is a 15.4% mandate for the amount of cars that must be EVs, plug-in hybrids, or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2025. Backlash from automakers and dealerships complaining about how it would impact their business reveals where their motivations are. There is no hope for reducing the amount of emissions from transportation if CARB and the EPA crumble from pressure by the industry. In fact, electric vehicle laws probably need to be stronger in order to avoid the worst of climate change. Californias Assembly will offer a preview of this crucial battle in the coming months. Connect with Eric on Twitter @EricSchaalNY 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... Where will the body wipe go next? One Chicago-area company is aiming its product at a new area: tattoo care. Tat Towels is among the latest offerings from the Mundelein-based Body Wipe Company, which launched in 2010 with the Paper Shower, a package of dual wet and dry paper towels used to freshen up in lieu of showering. Advertisement Founder Jim Bahcall, a dentist and cyclist, said he got that idea while using paper towels in a men's room to dry off from the moist towelettes he used after a ride. He started the company in the basement of his Buffalo Grove home, and he and early investors soon decided to add other sorts of personal care wipes. Advertisement Euromonitor puts the U.S. market for personal wipes, including general purpose, baby, feminine hygiene and cosmetic wipes, at $2.2 billion a year. Chicago-based Dude Wipes is among the many companies vying for pieces of the market. Body Wipe has gotten an infusion of energy and money from Joel Saban, previously an executive in finance and operations at CVS Health and pharmacy benefit management company Catamaran. Saban was an executive vice president at Catamaran, which grew over five years to $23 billion before UnitedHealth Group bought it for $12.8 billion last year. "I retired from UnitedHealth not knowing what I was going to do," Saban said. Linking with Bahcall their wives were friends seemed a good move. He joined the company in January as its sole full-time employee, seeing an opportunity to take a company to the next level and step away from health care. "The wipe business is growing exponentially. I saw an opportunity," he said. "There's no dominant player in the personal care wipe business. There are some companies that have just one or two different types of wipes." In all, four investors including Bahcall and Saban have put about $250,000 into the venture so far. In recent months, they've opened a warehouse and contracted with sales representatives to seek shelf space in brick-and-mortar stores. "We're working hard, looking at new opportunities and not being afraid to take risks," Saban said. Advertisement The company plans to supplement a lineup of innovative products with their versions of more common types of wipes. Paper Shower sales occur mostly during the summer, and retailers prefer to work with companies that offer multiple items, he said. "We want to create a one-stop shop for people who are looking for personal care wipes," Saban said. The company has followed the original Paper Shower with other variations: the Paper Bidet women's bathroom wipe, the tattoo wipes and a makeup remover wipe. "It's very difficult to come up with innovative products," Bahcall said. "We also looked at products we thought we could make better." The company says single-use Tat Towels quick-drying, 7-by-10-inch wipes infused with vitamins and minerals from fruit and plant extracts make the body art more vivid by moisturizing the surface of the skin, boosting the color and definition of the tattoo just under the top layer. A canister of 40 wipes is $7.95 at www.tattowels.com, Amazon.com or eBay.com. A 12-pack of individually packed, larger wipes sells for $6.95. Advertisement Americans spend $1.6 billion annually to get tattoos more than than 45 million Americans, or about 40 percent of 26- to 40-year-olds, have at least one, according to the Pew Research Center. Folks typically turn to petroleum jelly, lotion or baby oil to moisturize their tattoos, Bahcall said. While Tat Towels' makers tout convenience and less mess, it isn't necessarily better than moisturizing with regular lotion, said Gifford Kasen, owner of Logan Square Tattoo. He said the brightening effect can be achieved by shaving the area to remove hair and dead skin that can dull the look of a tattoo. Bahcall said he expects some resistance from those in the tattoo community who are leery of new products. But he added that the product is designed for the masses, and he thinks they'll find the wipe format appealing. "We're able to achieve the same thing without the greasy aspect of mineral oil and lotion," he said. "We look at this as a better way. Putting this formulation into a wipe is an easier, more efficient way to do it." Cheryl V. Jackson is a freelance writer. Advertisement Twitter @cherylvjackson Insurance giant Aetna's announcement this week it would sharply curb its participation in the insurance exchanges set up under the Affordable Care Act was seen by some as payback to the Obama administration for blocking its proposed merger with Humana. After all, in April, Aetna chief executive Mark Bertolini had called selling insurance in the exchanges "a good investment." Energy and Commerce ranking member Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., issued a statement Tuesday saying he was "troubled by reports this announcement could be in retaliation" to the Justice Department's decision. Earlier this month, after Aetna announced in an earnings call this month that it was reevaluating its participation in the exchanges, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., wrote on Facebook: "The health of the American people should not be used as bargaining chips to force the government to bend to one giant company's will." Now, a letter obtained by the Huffington Post through a Freedom of Information Act shows that the company's chief executive clearly explained to Justice Department officials in early July that if the merger were to be challenged or blocked, "we would need to take immediate actions to mitigate public exchange and ACA small group losses." Aetna chief executive Mark Bertolini clearly spells out what that means. Aetna would withdraw from many insurance exchanges, limiting its participation to no more than 10 states in 2017, rather than the 20 it had been planning. "Finally, based on our analysis to date, we believe it is very likely that we would need to leave the public exchange business entirely and plan for additional business inefficiencies should our deal ultimately be blocked," Bertolini wrote. "By contrast, if the deal proceeds without the diverted time and energy associated with litigation, we would explore how to devote a portion of the additional synergies (which are larger than we had planned for when announcing the deal) to supporting even more public exchange coverage over the next few years." Later in July, Justice Department officials blocked the merger. The company is fighting the decision. And on Monday evening, the company announced it would slash its participation in the exchanges to just four states: Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska and Virginia. The company cited ongoing financial losses, adding up to $430 million in its individual insurance products since Jan. 2014. The question for many was why the company had soured so quickly on a business that its chief executive had been committed to in the spring. Aetna spokesman T.J. Crawford said in an email that the possible $1 billion break-up fee for the merger and the loss of synergies from combining the companies "would raise further questions about sustaining a position in a business where we have yet to break even." In the time since Aetna submitted the letter to the Justice Department, "we gained full visibility into our second quarter individual public exchange results, which ... showed a significant deterioration," Crawford wrote. Bertolini's letter was also a response to a demand for information from the Justice Department. Crawford provided that letter, in which the Justice Department asked the company to explain how "Aetna's business strategy and operations, including Aetna's participation on the public exchanges related to the Affordable Care Act and any products or geographic areas in which Aetna may withdraw or reduce operations" if the deal did not go through. "Without getting into the heads of Aetna's executives, it's difficult to say whether they were just describing a financial fact that they would have to pull out of the ACA marketplaces if the merger were blocked, or if they were making a thinly veiled threat," Larry Levitt, a senior vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation wrote in an e-mail. "The letter certainly does provide some insight into how Aetna went surprisingly quickly from optimistic about the future of the ACA to reconsidering its options to pulling out from most markets." Blue Shield of California says it follows the "industry standard" for disclosing healthcare costs to policyholders -- that is, telling them as little as possible. (Getty Images) Denis Robinson wasn't bothered in the least that he was billed nearly $100,000 by Providence Tarzana Medical Center for the recent removal of his gallbladder. "What do I care?" he said. "I have Medicare Plan F, the Cadillac of Medicare plans. They covered every dime." Advertisement Actually, Robinson, 69, should care a great deal. Medicare is a taxpayer-funded system, so any claim submitted by a doctor or hospital affects the financial integrity of the entire program. The fact that Medicare paid less than $4,000 for a $97,000 claim we'll get back to that in a moment. What sizzled Robinson's bacon was the explanation of benefits he received from Blue Shield of California, through which he purchased his supplemental Medicare coverage and which covered about $900 of his massive hospital bill. It features three pages of itemized costs, each listed only as "surgical services." Advertisement Seriously. Three pages of individual charges, ranging from $1 to $66,607, and no way to tell what any particular one might be for, or whether there were any errors or instances of double billing, or just the perverse satisfaction of knowing that $100 was paid for a Tylenol. I pointed to a charge for $49.50. What's that for? What about this one for $132.04? "I have no clue," Robinson replied. "I have no way of knowing." He could narrow down the possibilities. Each listing for a surgical service was accompanied by a billing code. A little rooting around online will reveal, for instance, that code 0636 is pharmacy-related. But it's anyone's guess what that may be. This is, to put it mildly, nuts. How can a hospital charge $97,000 for a procedure that Medicare and Blue Shield say is fairly valued at closer to $4,500, the total Providence received? Why aren't all costs made clear to patients in their explanations of benefits, which insurers send policyholders ostensibly to shed light on the billing process? "The way it's set up, medical billing isn't at all useful to the patient," acknowledged Paul Ginsburg, director of public policy at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. "It's not designed to let you understand things." The way its set up, medical billing isnt at all useful to the patient. Its not designed to let you understand things. Paul Ginsburg, director of public policy at the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics A key problem is that almost the entire financial conversation regarding healthcare goes on behind closed doors between insurers on the one hand and doctors and hospitals on the other. The patient, who typically pays only a fraction of the overall cost, is little more than an afterthought. Advertisement However, that system was established before the current era of rising deductibles and co-pays, leaving patients responsible for an ever-growing share of medical costs, and before hospitals started defraying overhead expenses by charging $10 for a Band-Aid, say, or $50 for a piece of gauze. "Hospital spending is so difficult to get under control because the patient has no idea about actual costs," said Craig Garthwaite, an assistant professor of strategy at Northwestern University who focuses on healthcare. The explanations of benefits that patients receive typically contain "fictional numbers that have no relation to the economics of what's going on," he said. Clinton McGue, a Blue Shield spokesman, demonstrated the lunacy of medical billing by explaining that even though the insurer receives its own receipt from the hospital for all services rendered, spelling out details of each and every cost, Blue Shield feels no need to share such information with policyholders in its explanations of benefits, or EOBs. "Blue Shield provides industry-standard EOBs to its members," he said, in effect admitting that the company denies patients helpful information because everyone else does. McGue said that if people want a proper explanation of benefits, they can request one from the hospital. I pointed out that since Blue Shield is sending out an explanation of benefits anyway, why not include real information? Advertisement "We adhere to an industry standard with EOBs," McGue reiterated. "We will provide the detail if asked, but we think that it is best for the member to review and discuss the services with the provider." Patricia Aidem, a spokeswoman for Providence Health & Services, which runs half a dozen hospitals in Southern California, acknowledged that the billing system can be a challenge for most people. "This is absolutely something that needs to be fixed and Providence is working to create and implement solutions that will make this easier for patients," she said. Well, let's start with Robinson's bill. Providence charged $97,000 for his operation and then, according to the explanation of benefits, willingly wrote off more than $90,000 as the "amount saved by using a network provider." That's a pretty hefty markup for anyone visiting the hospital on an out-of-network basis. Aidem declined to elaborate on how the hospital arrived at these figures. She said only that "Medicare pays a preset, non-negotiable rate for diagnoses and procedures" and that "hospitals almost always lose money on Medicare cases." The federal Medicare Payment Advisory Commission says the average hospital is paid about 95 cents for every dollar spent treating a Medicare patient. Hospitals recoup some of those losses from the rates they charge private insurers. Hospitals also balance their books by charging uninsured patients about three times, on average, what Medicare allows, according to the journal Health Affairs. Advertisement If that sounds like a profit grab, Providence's initial bill to Robinson the starting price, presumably, for someone without coverage was more than 20 times higher than what it received from Medicare and Blue Shield. "This just shows that the system is crazy and that it's manipulated by healthcare providers for their benefit," said Alain Enthoven, a Stanford University health economist. Here's a thought: How about a requirement that explanations of benefits truly explain benefits, clearly and precisely? Or we can just keep things as they are, forcing patients to seek explanations for their explanations. David Lazarus' column runs Tuesdays and Fridays. He also can be seen daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and followed on Twitter @Davidlaz. Send your tips or feedback to david.lazarus@latimes.com. MORE FROM DAVID LAZARUS Advertisement This secret society says it can help you attain wealth and power but they'll cost you Want cheaper Internet access? Hand over your privacy Rejected for credit? Newfangled scores may be to blame Pharmaceutical company Fresenius Kabi plans to spend $250 million to increase the size of its Melrose Park manufacturing site over the next 10 years. The company, based in Germany but with its U.S. headquarters in Lake Zurich, said it intends to add at least four buildings spanning 130,000 square feet to the existing site. Its current 124,267-square-foot facility manufactures generic injectable drugs for critically and chronically ill patients. Advertisement Fresenius anticipates job growth but does not know exactly how many more jobs will be created by the expansion, which is scheduled to wrap up in 2026, said Matt Kuhn, a Fresenius spokesman. More than 500 employees now work in Melrose Park, he said. The new buildings largely will be used for additional manufacturing. They also will include a warehouse for raw materials and an administration building. Advertisement Fresenius received tax credits for the project, but the company is not providing details on the value of those credits, Kuhn said. The state's Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity also declined to specify the value of the credits, said spokeswoman Kyle Ann Sebastian. Melrose Park Mayor Ron Serpico said in a news release he was "delighted" with the expansion plans. The new pharmaceutical manufacturing campus will be a "showcase" for Fresenius and the production of injectable generic medicines, said Steven Nowicki, senior vice president of global operations for North America in the company's pharmaceuticals division. The Melrose Park campus will be one of the company's largest manufacturing sites. The company now has more than 70 such sites. Fresenius Kabi employs more than 1,500 people in Illinois and also has manufacturing sites in New York, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Its other Illinois locations are in Bensenville and Skokie. Most of the company's business in the U.S. focuses on pharmaceuticals, but it also produces medical devices and clinical nutrition products, Kuhn said. lschencker@chicagotribune.com Twitter @lschencker If you've ever wanted a view from the top, there's not much better than a Chicago penthouse. You can wine-and-dine in places like the John Hancock's Signature Room on the 95th floor or get a view of four states from Skydeck Chicago. But what if you could wake up in a home that stretches itself across an entire floor of a high-rise, with uninterrupted views? Right now, there are 395 homes for sale on Zillow in Chicago that use the keyword "penthouse." They range in price from $90,000 to $12 million and boast amenities like pools, valet parking and health clubs. Here's what sort of penthouse $5 million or so will buy. Aqua Tower, 225 Columbus Drive, No. 8004 Advertisement Listed for $5,500,000 This two-story penthouse is in a building that will have you on "The Edge of Glory." Advertisement Where you'll find it: Located between the east branch of the Chicago Riverwalk and Millennium Park, the Aqua Tower is an icon in the Lakeshore East area. It's best known for architect Jeanne Gang's rippled exterior, inspired by limestone around the Great Lakes and the tower was one of the Chicago homes of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga. The seller, Satish Shah, says he's explored downtown Chicago, but "believe me, nothing that you're going to find is what I have," he said. What you'll notice: It's classic-modern inside, with the master suite and two additional bedrooms on the 81st floor. One level down, rooms like the wet bar, living and dining rooms and kitchen open to each other and boast panoramic views through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The media and family rooms are equipped with a "floating floor," which expands in the summer and contracts in the cold winter and offers sonic advantages for a home theater system. The Aqua building offers a pool, health club, sun deck, restaurant and business center. Details, details: The penthouse's balcony undulates roughly 40 feet along the building's curved concrete and glass exterior, allowing north, south and west exposures. "You can see the lake, the Trump Tower and on a clear day you can see the airport," Shah said. Size: 3,500 square feet Year built: 2009 Advertisement Taxes: $34,057 in 2014 Schools: Ogden Elementary School, Elementary School District 299; High School District 299 Association fees: $2,376 monthly Metropolitan Tower, 310 S. Michigan Ave., No. 2501 Listed for $4,900,000 There's one way to describe this sweeping two-story penthouse: vintage luxury. Advertisement Where you'll find it: It's in the heart of the Loop, steps away from Grant Park on Michigan Avenue. Rocco Salviola, the seller, thinks its location is the perfect combination of being close yet far enough away from the bustle of the Magnificent Mile. The Metropolitan has been part of the Chicago skyline since 1924. Its renovation into residences was known for its preservation of many original details, such as private entrances and etched doors. Today, residents enjoy amenities ranging from guest rooms to a full gym. The Legacy, 60 E. Monroe St., No. 7201 penthouse. Aug. 15, 2016. (Jeff Bara) (Chicago Tribune) What you'll notice: The interior of this penthouse is a custom-lover's paradise: think hand-carved wood, custom-cut marble fireplaces and crystal chandeliers. Salviola describes it as "a mixture of new and old in theory." Occupying both the 24th and 25th floors, the penthouse's upper level is set apart as the main attraction. The formal entrance leads to an elevated family room, office, automated media room and a back bar that's equipped with a secret waitstaff entry. A curved, all-white staircase leads the way to the four bedrooms and accompanying bathrooms. Details, details: Salviola's favorite part is the massive, 1,700-square-foot private stone terrace. You can see the splashing Buckingham Fountain and Navy Pier's spinning Centennial Wheel. It's "the ultimate entertaining view," Salviola said. "We looked forever. You can't find spaces that have those kind of unobstructed views of the lake and the Ferris wheel. For Lollapalooza, you just sit on the terrace, basically." Size: 4,180 square feet Advertisement Year built: 1924 Taxes: $24,603 in 2014 Schools: South Loop Elementary School, Elementary School District 299; Phillips Academy High School, High School District 299 Association fees: $2,936 monthly The Legacy, 60 E. Monroe St., No. 7201 Listed for $6,250,000 Advertisement This listing could give you bragging rights to the one-and-only penthouse in Chicago's 13th tallest building. For sale by George McLaughlin, this space is what he calls "an executive's place." Where you'll find it: The Legacy building shares a street with the Art Institute of Chicago, making Grant Park and the central Loop its residents' backyard. It's an all-glass building with 355 units that have access to amenities like a pool and exercise area. You don't even have to take your dog out the "dog-run" floor is equipped to serve all your pet's needs. The building is connected by bridge to the University Club, allowing member residents access to its amenities, as well. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 22 $4.9M penthouse at 310 Michigan in Chicago (Positive Image) What you'll notice: The interior matches the building's ultracontemporary aesthetic. It's one level, spanning the entire 72nd floor, with rooms such as a kitchen with wet bar and details that include floor-to-ceiling windows and marble finishes. It's a smart space too there's a mobile-controlled, built-in coffee machine and a flood-control system sensitive to a single drop of water. Advertisement Details, details: Like all good penthouses, the best part about the place is the exterior area and its view. Walk out to the balcony from the living area or the master bedroom and you'll enjoy a 180-degree view of Millennium Park, Michigan Avenue and U.S. Cellular Field. "For the air show coming up, people love to come and watch that," says McLaughlin. "You look down on the park and see the activities whatever it is, you can see what's going on." Size: 5,000 square feet Year built: 2009 Taxes: $75,200.79 in 2015 Schools: Elementary School District 299; High School District 299 Advertisement Association fees: $4,301 monthly smoskop@chicagotribune.com RELATED STORIES: 3 homes on the water for $1.5 million It'll cost you $3 million for Trump, trains or Twister shower $1.5 million for houses on Chicago's North and South sides Mold-A-Rama machines are still vending hot instant toys at Brookfield Zoo and around the country, most operated by a family business from Chicago. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune/Chicago Tribune) Anna Jaskoviak keeps a seal on the dashboard of her car. It is a pink plastic seal, and it is "kind of like a mascot," said the 17-year-old senior at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora. Advertisement It is a pink plastic seal that she watched an antique machine craft for her at Brookfield Zoo, one of a number of such inanimate animals that Jaskoviak has, let us decide to say, gathered over the years. "I wouldn't call myself a collector, but I have a lot of them," she said one recent weekday afternoon at Brookfield. "You don't see a lot of things get made right in front of your eyes." Advertisement The "them" in question are Mold-A-Rama figures, a kind of souvenir born at a world's fair more than half a century ago that has, improbably, held on against competition from cheap T-shirts, refrigerator magnets and, now, 3-D printers. Scraped out of their machines warm, shapely and smelling of recently melted plastic, Mold-A-Ramas are an upscale answer to the penny smasher, with the bonus that the molding machines don't deface federal currency, only collect it. These icons of a museum-going are a great benchmark for the businesses. "One of the things I always say is I know we're having a busy day when you can smell the wax," said Megan Williams, director of business enterprise at the Field Museum, which has four of the machines. Mold-A-Ramas could also be considered the Hummel figurines of childhood, but they are considerably cheaper than Hummels, at $2 each, and much less determinedly adorable. Jaskoviak always got one when her mom took her to Brookfield Zoo, she said, although her recent visit was with friends. A family group with much younger kids at the zoo that same day, mostly from downstate Manteno, was all about the Mold-A-Ramas. They liked the real animals, yes, but it took little persuading for the pre-teens to stand together and hold up their blow-molded plastic acquisitions. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 16 Children (left to right) Siena Bilease, Drew Baughman, and Sami Kearfolt hold up their souvenir zoo animals made from molds on Mold-A-Rama machines at Brookfield Zoo, Aug. 11, 2016. Brookfield Zoo is celebrating the 50th anniversary of having Mold-A-Rama machines at the zoo. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) "They like to run to the machines, see what's in them," said Janet Denault, the grandmother to all but one of the five kids. "I think we have every one of them at our house." But they did not, until this last visit, have the brown plastic bison. That one was a new mold made expressly to commemorate the 50th anniversary this summer of Mold-A-Rama machines at the Brookfield Zoo. Advertisement A zoo news release about the occasion lauded the "warm, squishy feeling of a statuette cooling in eager hands." A Mold-A-Rama Hall of Fame, featuring such collectible figures as the difficult-to-make Fairy Castle from the Museum of Science and Industry and new ones like the Willis Tower, is on display through August in the zoo's Memory Lane gift shop. Indeed, if you were to make a heat map of the United States showing all the places where Mold-A-Rama machines still operate, the west suburban zoo would likely glow the reddest. (That map would also probably find a way to emit that distinctive aroma redolent of a spatula left unattended in the pan.) There are 13 of the machines operating at Brookfield, including the one producing the all-time best seller, a blue leaping dolphin. That's out of a total national machine population estimated at more than 100 but less than 150. The greatest number of those are operated by Mold-A-Rama, the family business located in Brookfield that has been running the machines since 1971. Paul Jones, 50, the second generation of his family in the business, says another company, based in Florida, also has a sizable number of the machines. But Illinois is the epicenter of the business. It was in Quincy that J.H. "Tike" Miller developed the machine, an offshoot of his recognition that people sometimes needed to replace just one piece in a Nativity scene. Advertisement He sold the rights to his machine to Automatic Retailers of America, which first introduced Mold-A-Ramas at the Seattle World's Fair in 1962 (and had them built in Chicago, during that decade). An old news story says the machines cost $3,600 apiece. MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR ARA was destined to get very big, however it is now Aramark and was ordered by regulators to divest some of its businesses in the early 1970s, according to Jones, who grew up in plastic figures. Jones' father, Bill, bought some of the machines in 1971 and grew his business, Mold-A-Rama Inc., from there. Exactly how much it grew, Jones won't talk about. "I can't give you that kind of information," he said. "Since 1971, we've made millions of figures at Brookfield Zoo." He also doesn't want photographers to show the inner workings of the machines. Maybe there wouldn't be a copycat market for an item that is numbered only in the dozens, but why provide a blueprint? Ask him if the machines are durable or finicky, and he'll respond with a bit of philosophy. Advertisement "I would say 'yes' to both," he said. "They are very durable, seeing as they're 50 years old. They were built at a time when America was building things to last. "When you say 'finicky,' the machines are primarily a plastic injection machine, secondarily they are a vending machine. Anybody who's ever worked in plastics knows there is variability in the whole molecular structure of it. And today's weather, hot and humid, just an old wet dollar bill can shut a machine down." He and his colleagues take care of 61 machines in the Midwest, including at Willis Tower, Lincoln Park Zoo, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Milwaukee County Zoo, the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan, and zoos in San Antonio and St. Paul. They travel around, cleaning the clear plastic bubble tops, emptying the money, making sure everything is in working order. Jones travels with an offline machine in his van so that he has parts at the ready. They refill the machine hoppers with plastic pellets, which get melted at 250 degrees in the machine's "pot," waiting for dollar bills to be fed into the machine. "At Brookfield Zoo, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, they get checked every morning," Jones said. "A machine holds 70 pounds of plastic in its hopper, and most machines need to be filled every day." Advertisement A contemporary branding firm would probably tell you that Mold-A-Rama is a terrible name. It evokes scattershot abundance, things left too long in the refrigerator. But it also evokes, for many adults, a time when things were simpler, when it was thrill enough to see a dolphin custom manufactured for you. You didn't need to know that inside the two metal molds that press together and outline the figure's shape, the liquid plastic fills the chamber and air blows out the unneeded material at the animal's center; you didn't need to know that the process is pretty much how your plastic Coke bottle is made too. "It's gone beyond how exciting it is to make your own toy," said Jerry Johnston, Brookfield's vice president of guest services. "Now the nostalgia has kicked in." There's even been something of an uptick, Jones said, as the internet has blossomed and people who have a fleeting thought about a childhood toy suddenly have the tool to find out where they can still get one, or bring their kids to get one. As for the other, even more modern technology that would seem a direct threat to Mold-A-Rama, Jones has a ready answer. "I have had people come up to me numerous times and say, '3-D printing is going to put you out of business,' " he said. "And I say, 'Can they make 15 an hour?' Advertisement "We say this is the original 3-D printer." The machines and the toys they produce cannot only survive the degenerative toll of time and the whims of souvenir fashion, they can even stand up to being perched, on the very hottest Chicago days, on a teenage girl's automobile dashboard. That's endurance. sajohnson@chicagotribune.com Twitter @StevenKJohnson RELATED STORIES: Old technology proves a modern-day classic Advertisement Brookfield Zoo: A walk on the wild side 20 years ago today: Brookfield Zoo gorilla helps boy who fell into habitat 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) In the Brechtian canon, the themes of "The Good Person of Szechwan" may be the most immediately accessible to contemporary audiences, at least of the American denomination. Most of us, thankfully, don't live in a land constantly torn by civil war, as does Mother Courage and her doomed offspring. (Though undeniably, street violence creates unacceptable war zones for too many of our fellow citizens.) Nor are we Galileo, faced with the threat of torture at the hands of the Inquisition though the separation between church and state faces plenty of challenges across the nation. But figuring out when to extend a helping hand of charity and when to put a kryptonite lock on our wallets? That's an evergreen struggle. Are you teaching someone to fish, or have they got you on the hook with their hard-luck stories? Advertisement That's the dilemma facing good-hearted Shen Te, the prostitute with an oversize heart of gold at the center of "Good Person," now in a sturdy and often-delightful production with Cor Theatre, featuring Tony Kushner's hyper-contemporary translation/adaptation from Bertolt Brecht. When three gods show up in Szechwan seeking a good soul, Shen Te is the only one who will put them up for the night. In return, they give her a little nest egg (here in the form of an American Express gold card), with which she opens a tobacco shop. RELATED: MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Advertisement But word of her windfall soon hits the street, and her neighbors (who haven't been all that kind in the past) soon demand sustenance at her increasing expense. So Shen Te invents and impersonates a male cousin, Shui Ta, to play the bad cop and keep the supplicants in line. When she falls in love with a scheming wannabe pilot, the balance she seeks between charity and self-reliance spins out of control. Director Ernie Nolan's staging, which features an admirable commitment to cross-gender and multiethnic casting, may land a bit too close to sentimentality for Brecht true believers. But I'd argue that's part of the appeal of Shen Te's story. She's the obverse of mercenary Mother Courage and anyone who has advanced funds they couldn't really spare to friends or family out of sympathy for another's plight can easily relate to Shen Te's internal conflict about how to be a good person without putting oneself at risk. As a nod to the election season, Nolan punctuates the scene changes with voice-overs from Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton, among other pontificators about class struggle. (For the local angle, we hear Rahm Emanuel opining that "You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.") Torn pieces of cardboard provide the scene titles and songs, created from other Brecht poems and writings. Will Von Vogt's performance as Shen Te/Shui Ta anchors this show with heart and panache. He mostly avoids the trap of playing Shen Te as a cloying wide-eyed naif, and though his Shui Ta uses a megaphone at intervals to drive home his points, his real power comes from his steely-eyed stillness and resolve in the face of the squabbling and demanding squatters. The audience interplay, which starts out as, well, playful (Von Vogt's Shen Te, new credit card in hand, squeals in delight over the shoes of a woman in the audience) ends up in darker territory by play's end. And though neither Kushner's script (which dates from the mid-1990s) nor Nolan's staging directly references the current refugee crisis in Europe, that conundrum hangs about in the wings. In addition to Von Vogt, the supporting cast mostly knits together in a sometimes-crude, but often funny, pastiche of stereotypes, including Lea Pascal's avaricious plush-velour tracksuited landlady; Dawn Bless' mix of skepticism and hope as Wang the Waterseller; and Chris Brickhouse as Sun, the pilot who breaks Shen Te's heart and her bank. Nolan's approach sometimes misses the balance between sardonic and sentimental that he seems to be going for. But the hip-hop musical interludes, crafted by the cast in collaboration and shaped by sound designer Matt Reich, bring urgency, immediacy and often anguish to this shaggy but beguiling production. (The "St. Never-to-Be" song is particularly fine.) "How will I stay good when everything is so expensive?" Von Vogt's Shen Te plaintively asks. As the rising tide of the cost of living threatens to engulf all our little boats, it's a question that burns with growing relevancy. Advertisement Kerry Reid is a freelance critic. ctc-arts@chicagotribune.com "The Good Person of Szechwan" - 3 stars When: Through Sept. 11 Where: Cor Theatre at A Red Orchid Theatre, 1531 N. Wells St. Running time: 2 hours, 10 minutes Advertisement Tickets: $25 at 866-811-4111 or cortheatre.org RELATED STORIES: 'Christina, the Girl King' dissects one of history's most fascinating women A white actor is cast in 'In the Heights,' setting off a complicated debate John Oliver was on the money, but artificial intelligence still poses critical questions 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) Joe Keery is a DePaul graduate who stars in the Netflix show "Stranger Things" and plays in the band Post Animal. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) The waiter does a double take when he gets to our table at the Heartland Cafe in Rogers Park and sees a 20-something guy with Ray-Bans nestled in his untamed, wavy hair. "Have you been here before? You look so familiar." Advertisement "Oh, yeah, sure," responds Joe Keery, not letting on that the waiter may also recognize him from Netflix's summer megahit "Stranger Things," a creepy, funny, heartstring-pulling homage to '80s flicks. The series, created, written and directed by twins Matt and Ross Duffer, follows boys adventuring on bikes and teenagers wading through messy relationships and aliens terrorizing small-town Hoosiers who are trying to reach another dimension with basic electricity. You know, all the universal stuff. And to reach peak '80s aesthetic, the series stars Winona Ryder. Keery plays Steve Harrington, a surface-level too-cool-for-school teen with a hidden heart of gold. It's his first major TV role. And it's all just starting to sink in. Advertisement "Some people say, 'Oh, you look just like the guy from "Stranger Things," ' says Keery. "And I'm like, 'I am the guy.' And they think I'm totally joking." Keery was waiting tables at DMK Burger Bar in Lakeview when he got the call last August saying that the role was his. "There was a dude down in the alleyway and I gave him a big old high-five," Keery says, pulling in his fists and reliving the moment. "And then I went back inside and tried not to think about it." He grew up outside of Boston in Newburyport, Mass., and got into acting accidentally, following in his sister's footsteps after more actors were needed for a high school production of "The Pajama Game." He kept doing plays and ended up applying to The Theatre School at DePaul University on a whim, with encouragement from his mom. He visited and was sold. His roles at DePaul ranged from the closeted, married Mormon Joe Pitt in Tony Kushner's epic "Angels in America, Part 2: Perestroika" to the angsty, rebellious teen Melchior in the Duncan Sheik musical "Spring Awakening." After graduating two years ago, a KFC commercial, a guest spot on "Empire" and a role in Stephen Cone's indie film (filled with Chicago actors) "Henry Gamble's Birthday Party" followed. "I was trying to find this character of the straight object of affection of this gay kid and I had in my mind this studly tall dreamboat," says Cone. "But then Joe came in and he was really cool but he was more rock 'n' roll than surfer dude." Cone had reservations. "He's not like a traditional sort of heartthrob," he says. "Now I'm like 'Yep, they (the casting directors) were right.' " Advertisement "He has no ego," says Cone. "He doesn't talk a lot. He's just a sweetheart." When casting for "Stranger Things" began, Keery auditioned for the role of Jonathan, the shy photographer brother of the boy who goes missing in the show. Eventually Keery was called back for Steve, who he describes as being "way more aggressive" in the first draft. The character was so unlikeable, Keery assumed the character would be killed off. But he worked with the brothers to create a character adept at towing the line between right and wrong. "Everyone thinks they're the hero in their own story," he says. Warning: Some spoilers ahead. So is the real-life Steve Harrington on Team Steve? "I think I'd be Team Barb, probably," Keery says. "I'm more worried about Barb. Who cares who's dating? Where the hell is Barb?" Barb, the steadfast best friend of Harrington's love interest Nancy, has become something of an icon in the wake of her slimy end and unexplained other-dimensional death on the show. Advertisement But if you die in another dimension Keery finishes the thought: "Do you really die? I don't know." The deja vu-struck waiter drops off a salad, and squints again at our table before heading off. Keery plays guitar, sings, writes songs and lives with his band Post Animal when not filming the series in Atlanta. He talks about his favorite Chicago rockers Twin Peaks and says he'd love to go on tour one day. He also draws musical inspiration from ELO, Steely Dan and Wings. His art's all about the '80s. "Just wait till we get to the '90s," he says. "It'll be a riot. I'll get frosted tips." MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Advertisement When conversation shifts to the second season of "Stranger Things," it's clear Keery doesn't plan on abandoning the series for his band and hopes to do it all. When asked about the official announcement, his fingers cross and go up in the air, his face scrunches up and he can barely spit out how much he's hoping for the renewal. "I hope, I hope that, I hope, I hope there's, I just hope that, it's announced!" he says. "I just don't know." Keery hopes Harrington survives whatever's in store next season maybe a trip to the dangerous Upside Down. "He'd just take all the goo from the monster and use it to flip his hair up." Ah, that hair. "I don't really do anything to it," he says. "I wear a hat sometimes. Everybody's asking me what type of shampoo I use and I'm like ... 24 years of buildup right here." (He's kidding.) Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 Actor Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington on the Netflix show "Stranger Things," photographed in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood Aug. 10, 2016. (Nancy Stone/ Chicago Tribune) (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) He's more interested in talking about his castmates than his sky-high hair, including the uber-talented child actors that comprise the ragtag gang of neighborhood kids ready to save the world. Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike, has sent Keery covers of his band's songs. And they're all regular snapchatters. And then there's the hometown crowd. Keery's fan base runs deep. Advertisement "Somebody (on Instagram) was like, 'Wait. You live in Chicago? I'll be at Longman & Eagle tonight with my friends.' And one of my friends responded to it like, 'I don't know. What do you think, Joe?' And I was like, 'Sure'. And then we went and hung out with these people. It was pretty fun." In college, one of Keery's professors, who he describes as "genius," made him complete a five-year plan and most of it is coming true. That professor was Jane Brody, who says she was transfixed after watching Keery perform for the first time junior year. "He can command a room without the room knowing he's doing it," she says. "I sat down with him in that junior year and I said, 'You know Joe, you're gonna be a star.' " She wanted him to work harder than the "average 'pretty talented guy.' " "Everything always looks easy for him, even when it's not," she says. Brody says that one of her main focuses in teaching is railing against playing a stereotype and is proud Keery hasn't fallen into that trap on "Stranger Things." She'd love to see him play a warrior in Shakespeare's "Henry VI." Advertisement "Right now I'm missing theater so hard," Keery says, shouting out his hometown heroes Michael Shannon and Tracy Letts as actors whose career paths he'd like to follow. "I just have so much respect for those guys and the work that they choose to do." Chicago was always in that plan, too. The Ravenswood dweller is planning a move to Logan Square with the band. "A lot of people don't expect people to live in Chicago," he says. "But Chicago is a sick city." "Chicago is a place where actors can live and be without becoming narcissists," says Brody. "I think it's very hard to live in Los Angeles and not become a narcissist." After lunch, on the Red Line train heading south, the guy sitting across from Keery keeps staring. His phone is out, held at a higher angle than normal, Pokemon Go style. The Ray-Bans go on. Advertisement As the voyeur gets up to exit the train he quickly says, "Good work, man." Keery, with a small smile, says, "So weird." mgreene@chicagotribune.com RELATED STORIES: Winona Ryder is great in 'Stranger Things,' but don't ask if this is her big comeback Earth tones, rotary phones and Winona Ryder: Netflix's 'Stranger Things' is totally '80s Advertisement Sharing Netflix or HBO Go passwords is now technically a federal crime 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) "Ice Diaries: An Antarctic Memoir" ECW Press, $26.95 Advertisement The dog days of summer often lead to thoughts about colder weather. In "Ice Diaries," Canadian author Jean McNeil offers a thoughtful rumination on her lifelong obsession with cold. She also discusses the different forms of ice and offers general thoughts on the concept of coldness. "Ice has a life cycle," she writes, "just as we do." On the other hand, she contends that ice is, in fact, immortal: "It never quite dies but is reincarnated, through melt, into water, into vapour." The focus of her intention in "Ice Diaries" is the continent of Antarctica, where she was based for several months as part of the British Antarctic Survey/Arts Council England's international artists and writers residencies program. The Antarctic, she notes, has the largest concentration of ice on the planet. Like others before and since, she was taken by the Antarctic's "cold charisma, its pristine wilderness." One of her colleagues calls it "the most lethal place you can go" and that, too, is part of its enduring allure: an extreme environment where danger and the very real possibility of death go hand in hand. "Once you've lived there for any period of time, you can't get the place out of your head," says another colleague. Advertisement "Ice Diaries" by Jean McNeil. (HANDOUT) McNeil recalls the great polar explorers Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen. The works of the artists and writers inspired by the continent are here, too, such as Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" and the famous watercolor by the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai of a giant wave that, to the author's mind at least, suggests the movement of glaciers. "Ice Diaries" is part travel narrative and part travel diary, but more than this McNeil intends it to be what she calls "a witness statement," a reflection on the most inaccessible of the continents, which leads to thoughts on climate change. It's a discussion of the Antarctic as a physical landscape its impact on the imagination and an exploration of one person's inner world. "How to Pack for Any Trip" Lonely Planet, $11.99 To Lonely Planet writers Sarah Barrell and Kate Simon, packing is not only a necessary evil but also a blend of art and science. "Not many of us do it well, and even fewer of us approach it with any sense of pleasure," they write. The authors intend to remove the pain of packing by recommending that readers, no matter what type of traveler they are or what kind of travel they do, use their practical "cut-out-and-keep lists." Not sure what kind of traveler you are? Barrell and Simon include a packing quiz to help answer that question. The secret to pain-free travel is to travel light. ("When it comes to your suitcase, less really is more.") But packing light takes time and thought. They discuss luggage selection, luggage technology ("smart luggage" will be the wave of the future), packing apps and packing techniques. They mention the increasingly popular trend of so-called wash 'n' go packing: Various locations in Denmark and Iceland, for example, have laundromat cafes, where patrons can wash clothes while reading books and perusing maps "so you can plot your next travels." The how to pack for your trip section includes tips on city packing for cool cities (such as Stockholm), exotic cities (Delhi), wilderness areas (Scottish Highlands, the Arizona desert) and extreme climates (the Arctic and Antarctica), as well as packing for safaris and camping. Advertisement All in all, a portable and useful little book. June Sawyers is a freelance writer. RELATED STORIES: Football, fall foliage make Ann Arbor, Mich., hard to beat 'Downton Abbey' travel deal offers cheap trip to set location and London Airline computer outages like Delta's will likely happen again. Here's what to know Gov. Bruce Rauner spent a record $104,000 to buy this steer, named "David L" and raised by Lucas Wisnefski, right, at a livestock auction Aug. 16, 2016, at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield. (Kim Janssen / Chicago Tribune) Congratulations to Gov. Bruce Rauner the Usain Bolt of buying expensive cattle at the Illinois State Fair who on Tuesday night became the proud owner of a $104,000 steer. Rauner, who has made winning auction bids for prize cattle at each of the last two state fairs, reached into his deep pockets to obliterate his personal best of $61,000 and the previous record purchase of $100,000. Advertisement Wearing blue jeans, cowboy boots and a red and blue plaid shirt, Rauner confidently fended off rival bidders to scoop up a 1,324-pound cross-breed named "David L." Just as Bolt celebrated before the crowd in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday night with his trademark "lightning" pose, the governor acknowledged the audience at the state fairgrounds in Springfield with his trademark "thumbs up" gesture. Advertisement Rauner got a big cheer for setting a new record at the charity auction, which benefits 4-H clubs and the Illinois Future Farmers of America. "David L," raised by 18-year-old Lucas Wisnefski of Wyoming in downstate Stark County, comes from a family of high-achievers. His twin brother was reserve champion steer at the Wisconsin State Fair, Wisnefski said. By custom, David L will be slaughtered. Rauner will donate the meat to the University of Illinois, as he has in the past, he said. The governor, who famously belongs to an exclusive wine club that reportedly costs $140,000 to join, was not tempted to bid for a case of Illinois' finest wine, which sold for $675 at the auction. A trio of meat rabbits ($4,550) and a prize pig ($41,750) also did not catch his eye. kjanssen@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kimjnews Former State Treasurer Dan Rutherford at an Illinois Republican governor debate in Chicago in March 2014. (Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune) SPRINGFIELD Former Illinois Treasurer Dan Rutherford's quixotic decision to host a party outside the gates of the Illinois State Fair while he continues to fight a sexual harassment lawsuit had some senior GOP members scratching their heads Wednesday. But a relaxed Rutherford was unapologetic, telling Chicago Inc. his political career is merely "in recess" and that "I'm going to do in life what I want to do, when I want to do it." Advertisement Just a handful of pals and supporters about 25, including Illinois Senate Minority leader Christine Radogno stopped by to attend the bash, which Rutherford said he has been hosting at a Springfield bar for 21 years. Rutherford, who has more than $900,000 in campaign cash left over from his doomed 2014 gubernatorial bid, declined to identify what office he might seek, if any. Advertisement "You don't know what you don't know," he said, but noting that he got "21 percent of the vote in Chicago" when he successfully ran for treasurer. Rutherford's event came after hundreds gathered inside the fairgrounds to hear Gov. Bruce Rauner and other party leaders speak on the Republicans' main day at the fair. Nor would he discuss the sexual harassment case brought against him by his former staffer Edmund Michalowski, who alleges Rutherford made unwanted advances toward him, then unfairly overlooked him for promotion. But he said he was having great fun leading trips to Cuba through his travel business, Global Relations Travel Club. "On one trip I said 'I can't have another lobster!'" said Rutherford, 61, of Chenoa. "I've had enough!" Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Radogno who described Rutherford as "my friend" and went with him in February to Cuba, where the traveling party experienced a midnight power cut hinted she would support him if he ran again. "I think he was a great representative," she said. Other former colleagues were more guarded. State House minority leader Jim Durkin said "Oh, yeah," when reminded about Rutherford's get-together Wednesday, adding only "I don't know anything about this" and declining to comment further. Advertisement And state Sen. Bill Brady who ran against Rutherford in 2014 said Rutherford was "a well-liked guy" and that "money never hurts" but declined to give Rutherford his unequivocal support, as did state Sen. Matt Murphy. "I support Republicans," Brady said. Kim Janssen After forecasting a deficit hovering near $1 billion less than a year ago, Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool expressed optimism last week in pitching a $5.4 billion operating budget in which forecasted expenditures align to the decimal point with anticipated revenue. Public hearings on the district's operating and capital spending proposals get underway this week prior to an Aug. 24 school board vote. Still, CPS budget documents make it clear the system's finances are deeply troubled. Advertisement The district has a huge and growing credit card bill and its junk-level bond ratings will continue to make borrowing expensive. To cover operating expenses, CPS again must borrow against future property tax revenue, which is expected to result in roughly $35 million in interest costs. The district also has proposed issuing up to $945 million in new debt for capital construction projects. Having burned through cash reserves to cover past deficits, CPS anticipates a negative balance at the end of the fiscal year of nearly $180 million in a fund designated for emergencies. Advertisement "Just like individuals experiencing financial challenges cannot maintain a checking account balance, CPS' financial challenges have meant that we too are unable to maintain a fund balance," the district's budget says. "It's not good government, it's not sound fiscal policy," Ralph Martire, executive director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability, said of the district's spending plan. "It's not as if we are seeing a budget that is moving towards fiscal health. What we're seeing is a budget that's under significant pressure." Claypool, during an appearance Tuesday at a back-to-school fair in Little Village, said the "past year was a difficult one for everyone" largely due to the long-running stalemate in Springfield between legislators and Gov. Bruce Rauner. But he reiterated that the district is now in a much better position. "There's a lot of stability now going into the school year. I think a lot of principals and parents feared the worst a few months ago, or even a few weeks ago," Claypool said. "But now we're in a position to go into the school year with a financially stable situation." While new property tax revenue approved by city and state legislators in the past year have brightened the district's financial outlook, the 2017 budget acknowledges serious challenges to maintaining even the junk-level credit ratings. CPS has a debt load of nearly $7 billion and its debt service spending is estimated to consume more than 10 percent of operating budget funds in the 2016 fiscal year, more than any year since at least 2007. The district's proposed $338 million capital budget would be financed partly with $233 million in borrowing backed by revenue from a recently enacted property tax levy. District officials said last week they could take on additional debt to pay for a supplemental capital budget set to come out this fall. On Tuesday, the district said it would propose selling up to $945 million in new bonds, which would mostly be backed by the same tax. The bonds would finance "the rehabilitation, renovation, construction and acquisition of school and administrative buildings and equipment" as well as "the purchase of school grounds for the construction of or additions to school buildings," according to a public hearing notice. Advertisement As for the operating budget, CPS still faced a deficit at the end of the 2016 fiscal year despite midyear cuts and state education funding measures approved in June. To balance the budget, the district is betting on the arrival of about $215 million in state aid that remains subject to state agreement on pension reforms, and is also counting on concessions from the Chicago Teachers Union in a contract that remains under negotiation. Financial strains are forcing the district to stretch some of its own long-held fiscal guidelines. CPS says it will use one-time revenue to help pay operating expenses, despite a long-standing policy that generally prohibits doing so. Also, the district's reserve for legal settlements and workers' compensation claims will drop significantly below target levels. "They're operating in crisis mode," said Brian Battle, a director at the Performance Trust financial firm who has studied CPS finances. "They're managing the CPS budget month to month, quarter to quarter, in six-month increments. Where's the five-year plan? I have no doubt they can make it through, engineer their way through the next five years, but that's still not a five-year financial plan." If the anticipated $215 million in state money fails to materialize, Claypool has said the district will be forced to make cuts to the classroom. Last year, the district wrote up a budget that assumed $480 million in state funding that never arrived. That led to layoffs and staff furlough days in addition to midyear cuts to school budgets. Despite the cuts, the district ended its year with a "negative general fund balance" that had to be covered in this year's budget. Advertisement Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Terry Mazany, a former CPS chief, said the district's budget continues to show a structural deficit. "The liabilities are increasing and the revenues are decreasing," Mazany said. "There's been no substantive change in the underlying structural deficit." The school board still likely has no other choice but to approve the budget, he said. "They don't have another option, they're putting lipstick on a pig. Some board members are probably holding their nose, but because the levers of control are outside of their control, they're really impotent at this point." Chicago Tribune's Peter Matuszak contributed. jjperez@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @PerezJr Donald E. Stephens II, the former public safety superintendent of Rosemont and son of the village's founding mayor, died Saturday, according to a news release from the village. Stephens, 63, had been ill for some time, the village said in a statement that offered no further details on the cause of death. Advertisement Stephens began working for the village in 1971. He was instrumental in the opening of the village's convention center and the Rosemont Horizon, now known as the Allstate Arena, and had a hand in other municipal buildings and projects. He served a short stint as the deputy mayor in the late 1980s under his father. Stephens' father ruled Rosemont for 51 years after the tiny suburban village was incorporated in 1956 and turned it into a convention hot spot. He amassed campaign funds from many of the individuals and companies that did business with Rosemont and appointed several family members to key positions in village government. Advertisement Donald Stephens II's younger brother, Bradley, has been the village's mayor since 2007. Stephens' son, Donald Stephens III, is the village's police chief, and his other son, Christopher, runs the Rosemont convention center. Stephens was among the charter members of the public safety department's K9 unit and the third superintendent of public safety in the village's history. After his 2014 retirement, he continued to be active in the department, serving as chairman of the police and fire commission, officials said. Stephens is also survived by his wife, Kathy, and a daughter, Brittany. Visitation is set for 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Wednesday at Our Lady of Hope Church in Rosemont, followed by a memorial service at 12:30 p.m. meltagouri@chicagotribune.com Twitter @marwaeltagouri A pig was captured in Kankakee County's Grant Park last week after a brief escape from a truck headed to the slaughterhouse. (Carl Frey / Handout) A 150-pound pig briefly escaped from the truck that was hauling it to an Illinois slaughterhouse, sending police on a brief chase to retrieve it. Police Chief Carl Frey was having breakfast last week when he spotted the 4-foot-long pig walking through Grant Park, a Kankakee County town of about 1,300 people roughly 50 miles south of downtown Chicago. Advertisement The pig somehow escaped from a truck parked behind a local restaurant. It fell from the truck about eight to 10 feet to the ground, then walked casually across the street in the direction of the police station, Frey said. Frey and former police Officer Ryan Hopkins, who grew up in a farming family, were able to corral the animal, with Hopkins grabbing its ears and Frey using a dog snare to control the pig. Advertisement "He was semicooperative," Frey said. The pig was destined for a Peoria Packing plant about four blocks away. The company also operates a processing facility and butcher shop on the Near West Side of Chicago. Frey said the truck driver, who estimated the pig's age at 4-6 months, had parked behind the restaurant Thursday waiting for the Grant Park facility to open. Eddie Lynch, a manager for Peoria Packing in Grant Park, said it's rare for a pig to escape. "We had one a couple of years ago. He was gone for two weeks," Lynch said. "Then he came back." Dennis Sullivan is a freelance reporter. Co-creator Will Sylvester at his public art installation titled "In Search of the Truth" at Millennium Park, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. (Antonio Perez/ Chicago Tribune) (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) An inflatable recording booth shaped like a giant cartoon speech bubble with the word "TRUTH" printed on it that is making its way around the world made a stop Wednesday in Chicago, inviting residents and tourists to enter and be videotaped speaking their truth. Think of it like a video confessional, as seen on reality TV. Advertisement The public art installation titled "In Search of the Truth" and known as the traveling "Truth Booth" was set up at Millennium Park. It gives people two minutes to finish the sentence, "The truth is..." . Since 2011, people from all over the world have participated from Ireland to Afghanistan. The U.S. tour began this spring, stopping at the sites of both political conventions and most recently in the Midwest. "By going on a national tour and stopping at large urban areas like Milwaukee and roadside destinations like Alliance, Neb., everyone's voice is getting heard," said Hannah Holden, spokeswoman for the public art piece created by four artists and supported by various foundations and galleries. "Whether you live in a small community or big city, everyone gets an equal platform to share their thoughts." Advertisement A video of the taped statements will be compiled for a future art installation, Holden said. Will Sylvester, one of the four artists who collaborated on the project, said video responses during the U.S. tour have been serious, funny and heartbreaking and cover a wide range of topics, from politics to faith. "The thing I think we all have is our own truths. Whether we agree on them or not is what makes us different," said Sylvester, who was at Millennium Park Wednesday. "Our goal is to travel the world and exhibit those truths that we all have, and I think that is something we can all bond on and understand." In Chicago, curious residents and tourists stopped in the booth Wednesday. "My truth was that if you have the tools at your disposal to help someone and that person is suffering, I feel as though it becomes your moral obligation to help that person no matter who they are, where they're from or what they believe in," said Omar Choudhury, 25, who is visiting Chicago from Montreal. Ella Miller stopped by on her lunch break. "I think truth is being the authentic you, so nothing frilly, nothing fake and just being honest and authentic," said Miller, 42, of Munster. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 5 People stop and listen or take photos next to the public art installation titled "In Search of the Truth" on Aug. 17, 2016, at Millennium Park. (Antonio Perez / Chicago Tribune) In videos posted to social media, topics shared by people in Detroit ranged from career aspirations to education. "The truth is equity in education between black schools and white schools are not the same ... If we see black schools receiving less funding than white schools, then we see black schools and black students succeeding at lower rates than white schools," a woman said. Advertisement In another video clip, a young boy said, "The Muslims that are so-called terrorists are not Muslims. Please believe me. I am Muslim myself and the Muslims are kind and nice people." Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Another child talked about his dream of becoming a performer. "The truth is they call me Butter Boy Richards. And I'm going to be a rapper and I'm going to be known all over the world," he said. The Truth Booth is a collaborative project by a team of four artists: Hank Willis Thomas, originally from Philadelphia but residing in New York; Ryan Alexiev, of Alaska but residing in the San Francisco area; Jim Ricks, of California but living in Dublin, and Sylvester, of New York, Holden said. Cranbrook Art Museum curator of contemporary art Laura Mott, right, talks with artist Will Sylvester, center, of New York, and visitors at the Cranbrook Art Museum in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. on July 31, 2016. (Robin Buckson, AP) The video booth will head to the South Side on Thursday and be set up from noon to 8 p.m. in a once-vacant lot now spruced up outside the Stony Island Arts Bank, said Amy Schachman, director of programs and development at the Rebuild Foundation, a nonprofit founded by artist Theaster Gates that creates cultural programming in renovated spaces. The public art piece is aligned with the foundation's mission, she said: "To be creating spaces where artists, scholars and people in the neighborhood can have a voice." After its Chicago stop, the video booth is expected to head to Wisconsin. Advertisement lvivanco@chicagotribune.com Twitter @lvivanco With all of Chicago's architectural prowess and innovation, one of its most beneficial developments might be less than 400 square feet. Some in Chicago are using a relatively new trend -- tiny, or micro, homes -- to address the city's issue of homelessness for young adults and others. The tiny homes can take up a small part of a yard, and they can have innovative ways to create space, like foldable furniture and loft areas. "Affordable housing buildings aren't actually affordable in terms of building costs," said Eithne McMenamin, a member of a Chicago tiny home working group and associate director of policy for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, or CCH. "Tiny homes can be more sustainable for the residents and city." 125,848 Homeless in Chicago during the 2014-15 school year, according to CCH 11,447 Homeless unaccompanied youth, ages 14 to 21, according to an estimate by CCH 374 Youth shelter beds across Chicago, according to CCH About the tiny homes This rendering is a sample tiny home, based on images from a Chicago-based tiny homes working group. 1 Photovoltaic panels would generate some amount of electricity for the building. They are installable during or after construction. 2 Structural insulated panels come pre-made and can have different thicknesses. They save a lot of labor and time. 3 Drought-resistant native planting is a flexible way to have some greenery around the home. It doesn't require a lot of water or energy for maintenance. 4 Landon Bone Baker Architects is considering using multipurpose materials from The Rebuilding Exchange for the siding and walls. This organization deconstructs buildings and keeps the materials that can be repurposed. 5 The porch is made of paving that allows water to percolate through it. These pavers can have joints in them so that water can soak into the ground, and some burden is taken off city sewers. The tiny homes, the way they are being planned by the working group, would cost $55,000 to $65,000, excluding the cost of the land or any site work like landscaping. Tenants would have yearlong leases, and the group is hoping that a local nonprofit would play the role of the landlord. Tenants would pay the utilities. Next to funding, the biggest obstacle tiny homes advocates face is zoning. Chicago zoning attorney and Chicago Tiny Home Summit panelist Danielle Cassel said she ran out of sticky notes when logging inconsistencies between tiny home models and zoning code requirements. "In any project, it's really a dialogue between the city and the developers, and that's where things are right now," Cassel said. "It can be really difficult to create something new and innovative. We're in a regulated world." Zoning law requirements can involve a limit to households per lot, a minimum number of inches between the structure and the end of a lot, or a limit to the number of units per lot -- all of which would affect the progress of tiny homes being erected. Cassel said that developers would have to come up with creative solutions to fall within zoning requirements. Inside a tiny home This rendering is a sample tiny home, based on images from a Chicago-based tiny homes working group. 1 Some tiny homes will contain a loft as a sleeping area, as a way to create space within the home. 2 The alternating tread stair allows for a more compact stair structure, taking up less space. 3 The tiny homes allow for spaces, such as the porch, the patio and the greenery area, that can be semi-private and multipurpose. "Homeless youth are often invisible. There are youth who have already been through transitional housing," said Kim Hunt, executive director of the Chicago-based Pride Action Tank. "These are young people who are already on the way to thriving. They just need a home." Some of the groups that presented at the Chicago Tiny Home Summit are now in talks with the city to find available locations for the homes and ways to fund them. McMenamin's plans, produced with Jeff Bone of Chicago-based Landon Bone Baker Architects, include accepting residents who earn $5,000 to $25,000 a year. "Social service plans take a long time to get done," McMenamin said. "We have a sense of urgency. This is for people in your neighborhood who need this now." McMenamin and her three colleagues presented their ideas and blueprints at the Chicago Tiny Home Summit in April at the University of Illinois at Chicago. This followed a 2014 summit on LGBTQ youth homelessness organized by the founders of Pride Action Tank. A tiny home design, originally displayed at the summit, is currently on display in the Back of the Yards neighborhood and is open to the public on certain days. "We have a sense of urgency. This is for people in your neighborhood who need this now." -- Eithne McMenamin, of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless Bone said that the city has been receptive to the tiny homes idea for low-income populations. The working group is in talks with a lawyer to make sure the structures are complying with zoning requirements. "We want the areas to include public, semi-private and private spaces for the residents," Bone said. "We envision these tiny home areas as a pocket neighborhood; the community could start to define spaces that are common spaces." McMenamin said she wants to keep working until she hears a "No." "No one has ever said, 'That can't be done.' Until someone says that, I'm going to keep going." Updated Oct. 26, 2016 Two men were killed and at least nine others, including a 13-year-old girl, have been wounded in shootings since Tuesday evening across the city. About 10 p.m., a 40-year-old man was killed and a 13-year-old girl was wounded in a shooting in the Grand Crossing neighborhood on the South Side, police said. Advertisement The shooting happened in the 7300 block of South University Avenue. The man, identified as Kenneth Carrington, was shot in the neck and was taken to Jackson Park Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead at 10:22 p.m. He lived on the same block he was shot, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. The girl suffered a graze wound to the left leg and was taken to Comer Children's Hospital in good condition, police said. Advertisement No other information was immediately available about the shooting. About 5:15 p.m., a 26-year-old man died after being shot in the head in the West Town neighborhood, officials said. The man was in a vehicle in the 1400 block of West Carroll Avenue when a gunman walked up and fired shots, striking him in the head. The man, identified as Mikel Maragh, of the 2000 block of West Jackson Boulevard, was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition and was later pronounced dead at 5:45 p.m., according to the medical examiner's office. Most recently, about 4 a.m. Wednesday, a 28-year-old man and a 27-year-old man were wounded in a shooting in the Grand Crossing neighborhood, police said. The two men were passengers in a vehicle traveling north in the 7600 block of South Stony Island Avenue when they stopped at a red light. A burgundy Ford Focus then pulled up alongside, and someone in the passenger seat took out a handgun and fired shots, police said. The older man was shot in the back, and the 27-year-old was shot multiple times in the face, chest and leg. Both were taken in critical condition to Stroger Hospital. About 3:25 a.m., a 29-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the Fulton River District neighborhood, police said. Advertisement The man was sleeping inside a vehicle in the 800 block of West Kinzie Street under a viaduct when someone walked up to the car and announced a robbery. The attacker then started shooting at the car and hit the man in the abdomen. The man was taken to Stroger Hospital, where his condition stabilized, police said. About 10:35 p.m. Tuesday, a 23-year-old man was wounded in a shooting in the Lawndale neighborhood on the West Side, police said. The man was standing outside in the 4000 block of West Cermak Road when he heard gunshots and realized that he was shot in the right hand. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition, police said. About the same time, three blocks away, a 37-year-old man was critically hurt in a shooting in the 2200 block of South Kirkland Avenue, police said. The man was shot in the head on the block and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, police said. Advertisement The man was pronounced dead at 5 p.m. Aug. 18, two days after he was shot. He was later identified as Tyshun Jones, of the same block where he was shot. About 9:25 p.m., a 38-year-old man was shot during a robbery in the Arcadia Terrace neighborhood on the North Side, police said. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > The man was sitting in his vehicle in an alley in the 2400 block of West Bryn Mawr Avenue when an unknown male attacker, dressed in a button down shirt and jeans, walked up to him and announced a robbery. The victim complied with the attacker's demands and gave him his wallet. The attacker then shot him in the leg and ran away, police said. The man was taken to Presence Saint Francis Hospital, where he was listed in good condition. About 8:35 p.m., a 24-year-old man was critically hurt during a shooting in the Hermosa neighborhood on the Northwest Side, police said. The man was outside in an alley in the 4000 block of West Armitage when someone walked up to him and fired shots, hitting him in the chest, said Officer Ron Gaines, a police spokesman. The man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. Advertisement About 7 p.m., a 19-year-old woman was shot in the leg in the Grand Crossing neighborhood, Gaines said. The woman was outside in the 1300 block of East 74th Street when someone walked up and fired shots, striking her in the leg. She was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where her condition stabilized, Gaines said. Police said it doesn't appear that the woman was the target. A man convicted of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend in front of her children in 2013 was sentenced Wednesday to 55 years in prison. Wynton Collins, 32, was convicted earlier of first-degree murder in the July 8 fatal shooting of his ex-girlfriend Georgina Randall on the West Side, officials said. Advertisement Randall had been visiting a cousin, and was sitting on the cousin's front porch in the 1600 block of South Drake Avenue when she was approached by Collins. When she refused to talk to him, Collins pulled out a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and shot her twice, prosecutors said. Randall began pleading for her life, and her children, who both witnessed their mother get shot, also begged Collins to stop shooting. At one point, Randall's 4-year-old son yelled at Collins to stop because he was hurting his mother and then threw a toy at Collins. Instead of listening to him, Collins shoved the boy, stepped closer to Randall and shot her several more times, prosecutors said. Advertisement Four of Randall's relatives also witnessed the shooting. Randall, who had suffered wounds to the arm, breast and torso, was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital where she was pronounced dead, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Collins fled to a friend's home in Bellwood, telling her he needed to hide because he had just shot his girlfriend. The friend later called police and Collins was arrested. A loaded 9 mm weapon was found behind the friend's home, prosecutors said. Collins appeared Wednesday in front of Cook County Judge Alfredo Maldonado and was sentenced to 55 years. SPRINGFIELD Illinois Republicans spent their day at the State Fair Wednesday attempting to look past divisions over presidential nominee Donald Trump to focus on down-ballot races for the U.S. Senate, the House and key legislative contests aimed at eroding Democratic control of the General Assembly. Gov. Bruce Rauner pledged to the party faithful that he would help lead a powerful ground game for contested seats in the state Senate and House, a chamber controlled by his chief nemesis, Speaker Michael Madigan, who also chairs the state Democrats. Advertisement But while other Republicans assailed Madigan by name, Rauner uncharacteristically didn't mention him, instead referring to a "corrupt machine" that had seized control of Illinois and its democracy. It was apparently an attempt to broaden his political message to attack Democrats as representing the status quo and move beyond months of harsh criticism of Madigan that had advanced from a political and governmental dispute to personal animus. Advertisement "We've been taken over by a machine. A political machine that doesn't care about people. It only cares about power. It only wants to take money from special interest groups and hold power, not serve the people. Hold power. That's it. That's all that machine cares about," Rauner said of Democrats at a morning GOP breakfast. Later, at the State Fairgrounds, Rauner continued his theme in another speech. "That machine has taken over the city of Chicago. You look at the suffering there, the violence, the crime, the unemployment, the crumbling schools. That city is suffering because of that machine," he said. Rauner contended the "machine" is "devastating the people of Illinois," but vowed, "we are going to stand against that machine and we're going to beat that machine this year." Rauner has used his personal wealth and that of his allies to pass funds through his campaign fund to Republican legislative campaigns taking on targeted Democrats in the Nov. 8 election. "We're going toe to toe with (Democrats), in fact, we're going to do better than that. And they've beat us on a ground game, that machine has a ground game. Special interest groups of that machine. We are going to put together a better ground game, the biggest ground game ever been done in legislative races in Illinois and we are going to win," he said. Perhaps distracted by his focus on not mentioning Madigan by name, Rauner had a bit of a slip of the tongue as he finished his breakfast remarks. He thanked Republicans for their "patronage," before quickly correcting himself to "patriotism, patriotism." Much of the Rauner effort has been to link Democrats to Madigan, the Southwest Side Democrat who has served as speaker for 31 of the last 33 years. At the fair, Republicans distributed buttons pushing term limits a major Rauner initiative though one that won't be on the fall ballot with the picture of a young Madigan, calling him a "career politician since 1971." That's the year Madigan arrived in the Illinois House after serving as a delegate to the convention that resulted in the 1970 Illinois Constitution. Advertisement Rauner's handpicked state GOP chairman, Cook County Commissioner Tim Schneider, called Madigan the "poster child for term limits" and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti announced she was a 1-year-old when Madigan first took office. Meanwhile, a large banner at the director's lawn of the fairgrounds read "Fix Illinois." That's the nonbinding petition drive for term limits with ads featuring Rauner, which are paid for by the Turnaround Illinois political action committee that the governor created and helped fund. While attacks on Madigan haven't worked in the past, state House GOP Leader Jim Durkin, of Western Springs, said the difference this time will be the governor's money. "We have the resources to be able to really educate Illinoisans about what's happening in Illinois and what the problem is. First time we've had the resources to do it," Durkin said. "It's either the governor and on the other side it's organized labor," he said of the campaign money race. "This is competition. We're competing with them It's both green." But Durkin also acknowledged Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, might hurt in some legislative races, while perhaps helping in some rural Downstate contests. As for himself, Durkin said, "I'm not there yet" on voting for Trump. Advertisement Already, U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, seeking re-election against two-term Democratic U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, of Hoffman Estates, has pulled his Trump endorsement. And state Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno said her ballot for president was "private," though she said she wasn't voting for Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Rather than urging help for his bid for a second term, Kirk spoke instead about Illinois' history of inventions of everyday items ranging from cellphones to vacuums. "When people from other states laugh at you 'cause you are from this state, remind them this iPhone here has roots in Illinois as deep as Abraham Lincoln and that's the creativity of the state," Kirk said. During Kirk's brief speech at the fairgrounds, a Trump supporter waved a sign festooned with the Republican presidential nominee's name. Outside an earlier GOP breakfast at a downtown Springfield hotel, a pickup truck was filled with Trump yard signs for supporters to take. But very few speakers mentioned the controversial presidential nominee, with Rauner once again refusing to respond to questions about Trump. That ran counter to party Chairman Schneider's contention that Republicans were unified as he declared, "The Illinois Republican Party is standing by our candidates up and down the ticket, including Donald Trump." Advertisement Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger, seeking election to the office she was appointed to by Rauner following the pre-inauguration death of Judy Baar Topinka, noted her decision to put lawmaker and constitutional officer paychecks into the same queue of backlogged bills to vendors of state services. Munger also announced a proposal to ban the pay of lawmakers and governors in cases where they have failed to achieve a balanced budget. But such a ban is unlikely to pass the General Assembly and also would appear to run counter to the state constitution. Munger is being challenged by Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza, a former Democratic state lawmaker. Munger sought to link her opponent to Madigan while also contending Mendoza had "used the Chicago machine" to go from job to job. But along with talk of the November election, there also was plenty of conversation of 2018, when the governor's office is up for election. One Democrat frequently mentioned as a potential Rauner challenger, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, sent out an email to supporters Wednesday asking them to protest Rauner's recent veto of a bill to make voter registration automatic at driver's license facilities. Asked by reporters about a potential challenge from Durbin, Rauner laughed before saying the state's senior senator is a part of the "machine." Advertisement "Illinois is broken, the career politicians, the career politicians who have been in power, who believe in the same broken machine, and are part of the same broken machine will never fix our problems," Rauner said. rap30@aol.com mcgarcia@chicagotribune.com After speaking at a Chicago River event near Lane Tech High School, Mayor Emanuel tells reporters why he won't take the lead in calling for discipline against police officers in the Laquan McDonald case. (Chicago Tribune) Mayor Rahm Emanuel tried to make the case Wednesday that he's in a no-win situation when it comes to the handling of possible discipline for police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald , saying he would get pilloried by the media if he took the lead now in calling for them to be fired. The mayor's comments came as anticipation mounts inside City Hall and within the Chicago Police Department about when and how Superintendent Eddie Johnson will act on a report compiled by city Inspector General Joseph Ferguson on the October 2014 shooting of the black teen by a white police officer. Ferguson made recommendations about what the department should do with officers who were on hand at the shooting and said in reports that McDonald was behaving in a threatening manner with a knife before Officer Jason Van Dyke shot him 16 times. Video of the shooting, which has roiled the city since it was released late last year, does not bear out that version of events. On Wednesday, Emanuel was asked why he's waiting for top cop Johnson to move on the watchdog report. Advertisement "First of all, the police superintendent will make that decision, because it's straightforward," Emanuel said. "We have a history where the fifth floor weighed in on personnel decisions and they were rife with politics. "If you have the city or the mayor weigh in, then your other question would be 'Why did you weigh in on a personnel decision?'" he added. "So we have a history, a history we should learn from, not repeat the mistakes that, while they may be good for journalism, they're not good for the city. So I've stuck to the principle that the superintendent will make a decision, and I'll respect that decision and embrace his ability to make it." Advertisement 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) Faced with questions on the hot-button issue all week, Emanuel's positioning is politically clever. Many Chicagoans are going to believe that whatever disciplinary moves Johnson makes with these cops will be done with the mayor's blessing. Emanuel is attempting to cut against that notion, while acknowledging that the fifth floor at City Hall has long called the shots on such matters. Emanuel has a reputation for micromanaging many facets of city government, including the Police Department. Former police Superintendent Garry McCarthy often mentioned how he would get calls from the mayor at all hours of the day and night to get updates on investigations. But the mayor now has particular reasons to try to keep his fingerprints off the disciplinary decision for officers in the McDonald case. Johnson is an African-American who has served in the department for decades. It may be easier for rank-and-file officers to respect the decision if they perceive that it came from him rather than Emanuel. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 48 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) And black Chicagoans, who remain distrustful of Emanuel, might have more confidence in Johnson to make the right call in the high-profile situation than they do in the mayor. In his remarks Wednesday, Emanuel noted that Johnson was approved 50-0 by the City Council to become police superintendent, saying that was due to the aldermen's trust in his judgment. But Johnson serves at the mayor's pleasure, and Emanuel fired his predecessor, McCarthy, during fallout from the release of the McDonald shooting video. Keeping the mayor out of the police disciplining process was something of a theme at City Hall on Wednesday. During a City Council hearing on creating a police accountability system, University of Chicago law professor Craig Futterman told aldermen a new police oversight agency should be removed from mayoral politics particularly when it came to the person leading a new agency. You want "this appointment insulated from mayoral politics, insulated from council politics, as much as possible," said Futterman, who suggested the mayor could "build more power and get more respect by giving it up" in this case. Futterman noted that he testified before the council nearly a decade ago, when then-Mayor Richard M. Daley reacted to a previous controversial video one showing former Officer Anthony Abbate beating a female bartender while off-duty and created the Independent Police Review Authority to assess cases of alleged police misconduct and abuse. "This is kind of like deja vu to me," said Futterman, who for 16 years has studied police misconduct as director of the Civil Rights and Police Accountability Project at U. of C. While Daley brought in "smart, independent" Ilana Rosenzweig from Los Angeles to head up IPRA, the agency remained under the control of the mayor, who appointed its chief and proposed its budget, Futterman said while describing "what went wrong." Rosenzweig also was stuck with many of the same employees "who (had) protected police officers for decades," he added. Advertisement Futterman's proposal for making IPRA more independent involves having the city inspector general appoint an 11-member citizen oversight board with people from diverse communities who would then pick the oversight agency chief, with City Council approval. That person would then be given carte blanche to hire his or her own staff, he said. The agency also should be given a budget equal to at least 1.5 percent of the annual police budget twice IPRA's current funding and the power to demand prompt witness statements from police officers and civilians, he said. As it is, "trust in police is at historic lows, particularly in black and brown communities," as a result of what Futterman called an "utter lack of police accountability." Had accountability been in place, Van Dyke would have been disciplined "long before he ever unloaded those 16 shots, most of them into the boy's body while he was laying helpless on the ground" Futterman added. The testimony before the Police Accountability Subcommittee came as Emanuel works on ordinances to be introduced next month to replace IPRA and establish an inspector general's post within the Police Department. Another police accountability expert who testified said he, too, was all for replacing IPRA but cautioned that civilian oversight boards were not a panacea. "Civilian review has significant issues, and there is no empirical evidence around the country that no matter how good we rebuilt IPRA that it is going to fulfill what we want it do," said Tracy Siska, executive director of the Chicago Justice Project. "Civilian review around the country has never really come out to be what communities and professionals want." Advertisement jebyrne@chicagotribune.com bruthhart@chicagotribune.com hdardick@chicagotribune.com NEW ORLEANS A former Louisiana prosecutor was sentenced Wednesday to three years for obstructing justice, though prosecutors accuse him of soliciting sex from women in exchange for favorable treatment. Seventy-three-year-old Harry Morel was sentenced in federal district court. The judge also gave him a $20,000 fine. Advertisement The judge announced the sentence prior to asking whether anyone wanted to speak on Morel's behalf, saying no statements would have made a difference in the sentence. Morel was district attorney for 33 years in St. Charles Parish, about 20 miles west of New Orleans. Advertisement At a news conference when his plea agreement was announced in April, prosecutors and investigators called him a sexual predator. But he was never charged with a sexual crime. U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite said that was because time limits had passed on some crimes, and prosecutors faced both significant problems with evidence and victims whose personal histories might lead jurors to doubt them. And a key witness was dead. Defense attorney Ralph Capitelli has accused prosecutors of a smear campaign to influence sentencing. The FBI began investigating Morel in April 2010, after a woman accused of drunken driving called 911 and accused him of sexually assaulting her at her home. Agents wired Danelle Keim for video. Authorities say one video shows him coming to Keim's house with two bottles of wine, discussing her case, and then starting to grope her. But Keim died of a drug overdose in 2013, less than 24 hours after The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that the FBI was investigating whether Morel had been trading leniency for sex with defendants or their relatives. Morel's guilty plea admitted to telling Keim to destroy photographic evidence of their meetings. Advertisement Associated Press SEOUL, South Korea A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest-level officials to do so, South Korea said Wednesday. Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family, Seoul's Unification Ministry said. Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee said Thae told South Korean officials that he decided to defect because of his disgust with the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his yearning for South Korean democracy and worries about the future of his children. Jeong said Thae was the second-highest official in North Korea's embassy, and is the most senior North Korean diplomat to defect to South Korea. In 1997, the North Korean ambassador to Egypt fled but resettled in the United States. Britain's Foreign Office declined to comment. The highest-level North Korean to seek asylum in South Korea is Hwang Jang-yop, a senior ruling Workers' Party official who once tutored Kim Jong Un's late father, dictator Kim Jong Il. Hwang's 1997 defection was hailed by many South Koreans as an intelligence bonanza and a sign that the North's political system was inferior to the South's. Hwang died in 2010. Defections are a source of bitter contention between the rival Koreas, and South Korea doesn't always make high-profile cases public. North Korea often accuses the South of kidnapping or enticing its citizens to defect. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, senior lecturer in international relations at King's College London, said a diplomatic defection "could prove very valuable to South Korea, the U.S. and other countries." "Most North Korean defectors have limited access to the inner workings of the North Korean regime," he said. "The defection of a diplomat would allow intelligence services and military forces in other countries to learn more about the level of support that Kim Jong Un enjoys, recent developments in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs or the extent to which real economic reforms are being implemented. Advertisement "The defection of a high-level diplomat could also signal growing internal skepticism about the strength of the Kim Jong Un regime, since they are a rare occurrence." In April, 13 North Koreans working at a North Korean-operated restaurant in China defected to South Korea in the largest group defection since Kim Jong Un took power in late 2011. Later in April, South Korea also revealed that a colonel in North Korea's military spy agency had defected to the South last year. More than 29,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, according to South Korean government records. Many defectors have said they wanted to leave North Korea's harsh political system and poverty. Wednesday's announcement came as North Korea is responding angrily to a U.S. plan to place an advanced missile defense system in South Korea. The North has warned of unspecified retaliation and fired several missiles into the sea earlier this month. Associated Press MOSCOW The Russian foreign minister on Wednesday rejected allegations that its use of Iranian military bases for airstrikes in Syria violates United Nations sanctions on Iran. Russia on Tuesday announced that it had launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria. The defense ministry on Wednesday announced a new wave of airstrikes out of Iran, saying its jets took off earlier in the day from a base southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to strike targets in the east of Syria. It is virtually unheard in recent history for Iran to allow a foreign power to use one of its bases to stage attacks. Russia has also never used the territory of another country in the Middle East for its operations inside Syria, where it has been carrying out an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar Assad's government for nearly a year. Iran is also a major supporter of Assad. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday denied allegations by U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner, who the day before said Russia's operation out of Iran could violate the U.N. resolution that prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran unless approved by the Security Council. "In the case we're discussing there has been no supply, sale or transfer of fighter jets to Iran," Lavrov told a news conference. "The Russian Air Force uses these fighter jets with Iran's approval in order to take part in the counter-terrorism operation" in Syria. The minister also called on the U.S. not to "nitpick about what is happening in terms of the remaining restrictions on trade and ties with Iran." In Syria, seven civilians were killed and nine were wounded by rocket rounds fired by armed groups on a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo, Syria's state-run news agency said on Wednesday. Advertisement SANA reported that the rockets struck the Salaheddine residential district in the northern city, which has been divided into a rebel-held eastern part and a government-controlled western part since 2012. On Tuesday, nearly 20 civilians were reported killed in airstrikes in eastern districts of Aleppo, Syria's largest city and its former commercial center which has become the focal point of the country's ruinous civil war. Iran allowing Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to bomb targets in Syria was an unprecedented move, underscoring the deepening cooperation between two powerhouses heavily invested in the Syrian civil war. Ali Larijani, the speaker of Iran's parliament, insisted Wednesday that Russia does not have a permanent military base within the Islamic Republic. His comments were geared at easing domestic concerns over the strikes. Iran's constitution, ratified after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, bars foreign militaries from having bases within the country. In his remarks, reported by the state-run IRNA news agency, Larijani did not directly discuss the strikes, though he said Iran has "cooperated with Russia, as it is our ally on regional issues, especially on Syrian issues." Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, told reporters at the Pentagon that the Russians activated a communications link with coalition officials just ahead of the first bomber mission Tuesday. "The Russians did notify the coalition," he said, adding that they "informed us they were coming through" airspace that could potentially put them in proximity of U.S. and coalition aircraft in Iraq or Syria. Asked how much advance notice the Russians gave the U.S., Garver said, "we did know in time" to maintain safety of flight. "It's not a lot of time, but it's enough" to maintain safety in the airspace over Iraq and Syria, he said. That raises questions about whether the move was a strategic necessity or a political message from the Kremlin to Washington. The announcement from Russia marks the first significant stationing of its troops in Iran since World War II. Associated Press PHILADELPHIA Hillary Clinton vowed Tuesday to conduct a national security and foreign policy that Americans could be proud of, saying rival Donald Trump "just absolutely bewilders" her when he talks about his policies around the globe. Clinton embraced the U.S. Olympic team's success at a voter registration rally in Philadelphia, pointing to Team USA's gold as an example of an optimistic nation that runs counter to what she considers Trump's pessimism and negativity. Advertisement "It just absolutely bewilders me when I hear Donald Trump try to talk about national security," Clinton said, pointing to Vice President Joe Biden's dissection of Trump's foreign policy at a Pennsylvania event on Monday. "What (Trump) often says hurts us. It sends the wrong message to friend and foe alike." Turning to the Olympic team, she said, "Team USA is showing the world what this country stands for." Trump on Monday said the country's national security requirements demanded "extreme" vetting of immigrants seeking admission to the United States, pointing to the threat of the Islamic State group and terrorism elements. But he offered few specifics about how the process might work or how it would be paid for by taxpayers. Tuesday night, he posted on Facebook a pledge to "reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms, and seek a new future built on our common culture and values as one American people." Advertisement That's a vastly different tone than he's often used during his year-plus campaign, and it comes after he's repeatedly refused to "pivot" from his appeal to Republican voters to the broader general electorate. During Trump's campaign, he's said that many Mexicans are rapists, feuded with the Muslim-American parents of an Army captain killed in Iraq and proposed to suspend immigration by Muslims and people from "terror countries." Clinton and Trump have each sought the upper hand as the chief executive most capable of battling terrorism. While the GOP business mogul has vowed to project strength and decisive action against terror, the former secretary of state has pointed to her deep foreign policy credentials and warned that Trump could plunge the nation into another war. Trump has previously called for an unprecedented temporary ban on Muslims entering the U.S., and said in his Ohio speech that he would overhaul the nation's screening process and block those who sympathize with extremist groups or fail to embrace American values. The Republican nominee has made changes to the nation's immigration system and the construction of a wall along the Mexican border a key part of his fight against terrorism and the Islamic State group, which he compared to the struggle against communism during the Cold War. As president, Trump said he would encourage immigrants to assimilate and urge parents, teachers and others to promote "American culture." But he declined to say which regions of the world would race "extreme" vetting and how federal agencies would go about conducting the review. Trump traveled Tuesday to Milwaukee, the site of ongoing protests over the fatal shooting of a black man by a black police officer. His visit followed several days of violence that has left businesses in flames. Trump began his visit with a meeting with local law enforcement officers at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center on Lake Michigan, where he was joined by former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Among those present were Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke and Inspector Edward Bailey. Clarke in an op-ed Monday blamed liberal Democrats and the media for the unrest that has rocked the city. Advertisement Trump also posed for photographs with a handful of veterans, including one wearing a "Hillary for Prison" T-shirt. Clinton said Monday during a stop in Scranton, Pennsylvania, that the Milwaukee protests showed the nation had "urgent work to do to rebuild trust between police and communities" and that "everyone should have respect for the law and be respected by the law." In an interview on Fox News Channel, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker accused Clinton of "inflaming the situation" with her comments. "I think people understand in that neighborhood and Sherman Park and in Milwaukee, they want law enforcement to step up and protect them," he said, adding that "statements like that" from Clinton and a "lack of leadership" from Obama "only inflame the situation." Trump told Fox News that the shooting in Milwaukee may have occurred because the officer had a gun to his head. "Who can have a problem with that?" Trump said in an excerpt of the interview, aired Tuesday. "If it is true, then people shouldn't be rioting." Advertisement While polls have shown Clinton building a lead following the Philadelphia convention, Democrats are fearful that a depressed voter turnout might diminish support among the minority, young and female voters who powered President Barack Obama to two victories. Clinton said at the voter registration event at a Philadelphia high school that she's "not taking anybody anywhere for granted" in the race for the White House, saying the stakes "could not be higher." While guarding against complacency, Clinton is also preparing for a potential administration. Her campaign announced that former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, a former Colorado senator, would chair her White House transition team. Associated Press The U.S. Supreme Court may take a new look at the old question of whether extreme partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional. (Associated Press) Reporting from Washington North Carolina may be a swing state in presidential politics, with polls showing Hillary Clinton now leading Donald Trump. But there's no question who will win most of the state's 13 House congressional districts in November. Advertisement "It's virtually certain that Republicans will hold their 10-to-3 advantage, regardless of what happens in the presidential race," said David Wasserman, an analyst with Cook Political Report. "The districts are simply far too polarized." That electoral lock may prompt the Supreme Court to take a new look at the old question of whether extreme partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional, denying voters an equal chance to have their voices heard. Advertisement Lawyers for North Carolina and Wisconsin are challenging GOP-drawn electoral maps that ensure Republicans win a majority of seats in Congress or the state house, even when a majority of voters statewide lean in favor of Democrats. And they are reasonably confident the justices will take up one or both of the cases in the term ahead. "We think there are five justices interested in devising a legal standard to stop partisan gerrymandering," said Gerry Hebert, executive director of the Campaign Legal Center, a public interest group that advocates for voting rights and fair elections. He said rigged races are "a significant reason for the hyper-partisanship and political gridlock we currently see in state and federal politics." Repeatedly in past decades, the justices have said they were troubled by partisan gerrymandering, but stopped short of finding a plan unconstitutional. Justice Anthony Kennedy cast the fifth vote in 2004 to reject a gerrymandering claim from Pennsylvania, but said a state would cross the line if one party freely admitted it drew the districts to deny the other party's "right to fair and effective representation." He also warned of the "threat" posed by computer programs that make it easier for lawmakers to draw district lines to rig outcomes. If the courts don't intervene, he wrote then, "the temptation to use partisan favoritism in districting in an unconstitutional manner will grow." In the North Carolina case, lawyers say they have the evidence Kennedy is looking for. When GOP lawmakers redrew the congressional map in 2011, they moved more black voters into two districts that had elected black Democrats and gave Republicans a safe majority in 10 of the 13 districts. In February, however, a three-judge panel called the plan a "racial gerrymander" and ordered changes. Republican leaders met in Raleigh to quickly redraw the lines, this time saying they would not use race, but instead, party affiliation. The result was the same 10-3 advantage, and they acknowledged their aim was to lock that in. Advertisement "We want to make clear," said state Rep. David Lewis, that "we are going to use political data to gain a partisan advantage on the map" and maintain "our partisan advantage." There is "nothing wrong with political gerrymandering. It is not illegal," added state Sen. Bob Rucho. In early August, lawyers for the North Carolina Democrats seized on those comments in an appeal to the Supreme Court and urged the justices to decide on partisan gerrymandering this fall, when they review the racial gerrymandering case from North Carolina in McCrory vs. Harris. Two days later, Common Cause filed a separate suit before a new three-judge panel in North Carolina asking it to strike down the state's congressional plan. "If there was ever a time for the courts to take a look at this, this is it," said Bob Phillips, executive director of Common Cause North Carolina. "This is a competitive state, where [President] Obama won narrowly in 2008, and [Mitt] Romney won narrowly in 2012. But the congressional delegation does not reflect that." Lewis and Rucho, the authors of the redistricting plan, slammed the lawsuit as "just the latest in a long line of attempts by far-left groups to use the federal court system to take away the rights of North Carolina voters." In 2012, 51% of North Carolina voters cast House ballots for a Democrat, yet Republicans won nine of the 13 seats to Congress. One Democratic incumbent narrowly won in a Republican-leaning district, but stepped aside in 2014, when it became clear that he would not win. While North Carolina may be extreme, it is in line with the national trend. Competitive House races are rare, since districts are drawn to favor Republicans or Democrats. In 2014, the average margin of victory for a House candidate was 35.8%, according to Ballotpedia, a nonpartisan almanac of election data. Advertisement Pennsylvania, which has voted Democratic in national elections but has a Republican-controlled Legislature, regularly sends 13 Republicans and five Democrats to the House. Ohio, another toss-up state, sends 12 Republicans to the House, along with four Democrats. Virginia, which twice voted for Obama and has two Democratic senators and a Democratic governor, has been sending eight Republicans and three Democrats to Congress. On the other side of the Potomac River, Maryland leans Democratic, and its Democratic-controlled Legislature drew districts that gave its candidates seven of eight seats in the House. The Wisconsin case focuses on the state house and the electoral map drawn when Republicans took full control in 2011. A year later, 51% of the voters cast ballots for Democrats, yet Republicans still won a supermajority of 60 of 99 seats in the Assembly. "Wisconsin has the most extreme partisan map in the United States," Hebert said. In May, a three-judge panel heard arguments on whether the plan is unconstitutional, and a ruling is expected shortly. If the judges uphold the plan, the challengers say they will file an appeal directly with the Supreme Court. Advertisement Unlike other federal cases, election and voting cases are heard by three-judge panels, and their rulings go directly to the Supreme Court, where the justices are required to either affirm or reverse the decision. The problem of gerrymandering has a very long history. In 1812, a Boston newspaper drew a cartoon that depicted a salamander-shaped district that favored the candidate of Gov. Elbridge Gerry, and thereafter such odd-looking districts were dubbed "gerry-manders." But these days, an electoral district map can be drawn with neat lines that nonetheless effectively assure one party will win a supermajority of seats in Congress or the state house for the next decade. Ideally, map makers give their party's candidates districts with 55% to 60% of their favored voters, while giving the other party's candidates fewer districts that include 70% to 80% of their likely voters. University of Chicago Law Professor Nicholas Stephanopoulos and Eric McGhee of the Public Policy Institute of California devised a formula for measuring an electoral map's efficiency in winning seats for its party. The Wisconsin house plan stood out, because Republicans did not lose a single seat from their 60-seat majority in 2012, even though most voters cast ballots for Democrats. "That's exactly what was planned," Stephanopoulos said. "This is all about partisan advantage. You don't need squiggly lines or weird shapes. You tell the computer: Give me the greatest number of seats. You give all of your candidates a small but reliable margin of victory so the seats won't flip." Advertisement Stephanopoulos and McGhee used the "efficiency" formula to track state-by-state legislative races back to 1972. In the 1970s and '80s, gerrymanders tended to favor Democrats slightly, with California and Illinois among the worst offenders, they said. After the census of 1990 and 2000, the election maps tended to favor Republicans slightly. This decade is different, Stephanopoulos said. "Now the advantages are much larger, and they are very pro-Republican," he said. "We now see very extreme gerrymanders that skew the makeup of Congress and the state legislatures." The lawmakers in charge, like those in North Carolina and Wisconsin, believe the high court has given them a green light to draw maps for political advantage, he said. Stephanopoulos hopes the justices will intervene. "I think it would be a very positive development for democracy if the court puts a limit on gerrymanders," he said. MADISON, Wis. In a surprise visit to a Democratic office Tuesday, vice presidential candidate Tim Kaine said Republicans in Wisconsin were trying to make it harder for people to vote. "Your state officials here have been trying to put barriers up to participation," Hillary Clinton's running mate told several dozen volunteers and organizers. "They've been trying to close down participation, rather than open it up." His comments come just weeks after a judge struck down a portion of the state's voter ID law and limits on early voting that Republican legislators have approved in recent years. "If you meet anybody who says to you, 'I don't think my vote matters,' what you tell them is, 'The other side sure thinks it matters because they've been working awful hard to try to make it harder for you to vote. And if it matters that much to them, shouldn't it matter at least that much to you?' " Kaine said. With U.S. Senate candidate Russ Feingold at his side, Kaine made his comments during a 20-minute stop at a downtown Madison Democratic Party office before heading to a private fundraiser. The Virginia senator's visit came the same day Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made several stops in Wisconsin. Trump in recent weeks has claimed this fall's election could be rigged by Democrats. Republicans have stood behind Wisconsin's voter ID law and the restrictions on early voting they have approved in recent years. "Voter ID is a reasonable measure to protect Wisconsin voters against cheating and make sure every vote counts," said a statement this month from GOP Gov. Scott Walker, who signed the voter ID law in 2011. Advertisement U.S. District Judge James Peterson last month ruled against the state's limits on early voting and its prohibition on having more than one early-voting location in each municipality. He also ordered changes to the way the state provides voting credentials to those who have the most difficulty getting photo identification, though he put that part of his decision on hold. Separately, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman last month ordered the state to allow people who can't easily get IDs to vote by signing statements at the polls. That ruling has been blocked by an appeals courts for the time being. Both cases are still before the courts so the rules could change possibly multiple times between now and the election. Kaine's visit came as a surprise to the Democrats who were meeting at the office, with some of them gasping when he walked in the door with Feingold, who is running for Senate against incumbent Republican Ron Johnson. Jenny Mallek, 22, a campus organizer for the Clinton campaign at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee who was at the office, described herself as in "complete and total shock" by Kaine's visit. "This only motivates me more, this only excites me more, this only makes me want to work harder," said Mallek. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency WEST BEND, Wis. Donald Trump delivered an unexpected pitch to African American voters during a speech on law enforcement Tuesday evening in West Bend, Wisconsin, accusing his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, of bigotry and claiming that more aggressive policing will make black communities safer. "The war on our police must end and it must end now," Trump said, amid heightened racial tensions and violence in nearby Milwaukee over the fatal police shooting of a black suspect. Advertisement The Republican nominee said that anti-police critics have made police officers' jobs more difficult, which he said has come at the expense of innocent victims of crime. He called the "violence, riots and destruction" in Milwaukee that have emerged in recent days an "assault" on the rights of American citizens to live in peace. "The main victims of these riots are law-abiding African American citizens living in these neighborhoods," Trump said. "It's their job, it's their homes, it's their schools and communities which will suffer the most as a result. There's no compassion in tolerating lawless conduct for anyone." Advertisement Trump - speaking directly to African American voters, though the overwhelming majority of his audience was white - accused Clinton and the Democratic Party of taking advantage of black voters. "The Democratic Party," he said, "has failed and betrayed the African American community." Polls show Trump is extremely unpopular among minority voters, an enormous electoral liability for the candidate. His incendiary comments about Muslims, Mexicans and the Black Lives Matter movement have helped propel Clinton to wide leads in several key battleground states even as Trump continues enjoying strength among white voters. Trump's own campaign rallies have at times featured violent clashes. This spring, amid heightened tensions over his controversial immigration proposals, several physical confrontations and assaults were caught on camera. The altercations often carried uncomfortable racial components; while many of the protesters were black or Hispanic, the wide majority of attendees at Trump's rallies are white. During his speech, Trump said that anti-police critics have made police officers' jobs more difficult and have come at the expense of innocent victims of crime. He said that respect for the rule of law must be upheld. He added later that in Ferguson, Missouri, and in Baltimore unrest was fomented by false facts distributed by anti-police critics, though he did not detail what facts he was referencing. "Those peddling the narrative of cops as a racist force in our society, a narrative supported with a nod by my opponent, share directly in the responsibility for the unrest in Milwaukee and many other places within our country," Trump said. "They have fostered the dangerous anti-police atmosphere in America." Trump - who ad libbed at times but largely read the prepared remarks from a teleprompter - began his speech by thanking law enforcement officers for their service "in difficult, difficult, difficult times." He returned repeatedly to claims that violent crime has increased in American cities and said that the key to restoring safety in black communities is "more law enforcement, more community engagement, more effective policing." At one point, Trump promised that he would break up gangs by supporting more police in communities, pointing to former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani as an example of effective city management. "Good policing saves lives," Trump said. Advertisement Trump briefly met with veterans and police officers Tuesday afternoon during a campaign stop at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center in Milwaukee, including with Sheriff David Clarke and Sheriff's Inspector Edward Bailey. Clarke has been extremely critical of the Black Lives Matter movement. Seeking to paint a contrast between himself and Clinton, Trump said that she would "rather protect the offender than the victim" and accused her and the Democratic Party of blocking policies that would keep people safe. He said that Clinton's policies have contributed to poverty and have put led to the deterioration of inner cities. In addition to law enforcement, Trump also spoke extensively about increasing economic opportunity for African Americans and working class voters. But although his speech was at times directly targeted at black voters, he did not propose new specific policies. Instead, he spoke largely of the policies he has already advocated extensively on the campaign trail, including negotiating international trade deals that protect American workers. "No community in this country has been hurt by Hillary Clinton's immigration and all of her policies than the African American community. And she considers them a guaranteed vote," he said. "Now she is proposing to print instant work permits for millions of illegal immigrants to come in and take everybody's job, including low income African Americans. Not right, not gonna happen." Sister Gwendolyn Durkin began work in the early 1950s at Mercy Hospital as a psychiatric social worker. (Religious Sisters of Mercy) Sister Gwendolyn Durkin, a member of the Religious Sisters of Mercy, was the CEO of Mercy Hospital in the 1960s, leading the institution through remarkable times of challenge and change. "Her love was Mercy Hospital," said Sister Rosemary Connelly, executive director of Misericordia Heart of Mercy, where Durkin also spent some time. "She was a very successful administrator." Advertisement Durkin's tenure as CEO from 1963 to 1969 included temporarily housing and feeding several hundred "refugees" from the city's infamous 1967 snowstorm. But her greatest challenge was the move to a new building in 1968, which made Mercy Hospital the city's newest hospital instead of its oldest. "It was very much her vision as well as others to build a new facility," said her nephew Bryan Durkin. "She very much oversaw the development, funding and construction and had full responsibility for transferring all the patients in the old facility to the new hospital." Advertisement Durkin, 91, died of cancer July 30 in Mercy Circle in Chicago, Bryan Durkin said. She had lived in Mercy Convent on the city's Far South Side since retiring in 1999. She was born and grew up on the South Side, one of six children of Irish immigrant parents from County Mayo. After grammar school at St. Ethelreda, she went on to high school at the now-closed Academy of Our Lady, also known as Longwood. She went on to earn an undergraduate degree from St. Xavier University in Chicago and later got a master's degree in sociology from Loyola University, according to her nephew. She was working as a social worker for Catholic Charities when she made the decision to enter the Religious Sisters of Mercy order. "We entered the order together in 1949," Connelly said, adding that most of those entering the novitiate then were younger than Durkin. "She was always the heart of the group. She had a wonderful sense of humor and could make fun out of any situation. She was really a gift to all of us younger ones." After professing her vows as a nun of the order, Durkin began work in the early 1950s at Mercy as a psychiatric social worker. She was director of Mercy clinics from 1953 until becoming CEO in 1963. "I was a young sister in 1963 at the old hospital," said Sister Susan Butters. "She took me under her wing." Butters said Durkin had a knack for handling problems, from a small 1963 fire to that 1967 blizzard. "She knew how to deal through thick and thin," Butters said. "She never let anything set her back." Advertisement Durkin left Mercy in 1969 for work that included stints with Illinois in children's services and as an assistant administrator, first with Misericordia and then for four years at Holy Cross Hospital in the Chicago Lawn community. She returned to Mercy in 1976, working there for more than 20 years, including a long stint as vice president of human resources and general administration and later on special projects before retiring in 1999. In 2002, she received the Woman of Mercy Award given by the Women's Board of Mercy Hospital and Medical Center during the hospital's sesquicentennial celebration. "She was deeply dedicated to the call of the Sisters (of Mercy)," her nephew said. Durkin said his aunt promoted the values of faith in her family and quietly helped many others as they faced and worked through challenges. "She dedicated her life to the poor, the sick and the forgotten," he said. Durkin guided and encouraged young members of her own family in matters of education and careers, and set a strong example with her own accomplishments. Advertisement "She was no shrinking violet," Durkin said. "You never wanted to disappoint Sister Gwendolyn." Durkin is survived by a number of other nieces and nephews, grandnieces and nephews and great-grandnieces and nephews. Services were held. Megan is a freelance reporter. While we shouldn't live in the past, we can certainly learn from it. We are not the first humans to walk the Earth and yet too many, especially the young, suffer from the conceit that history is just a boring subject in school. PBS is rerunning episodes on its award-winning series "American Experience" on modern presidents and the challenges they faced. Each episode retraces what presidents believed to be good ideas at the time from Lyndon Johnson's program to wipe out poverty and defeat the communists in Vietnam, to George W. Bush's toppling of Saddam Hussein. In each episode, historians, as well as members of those administrations, are interviewed and provide perspective only hindsight can give. Advertisement One scene in the LBJ segment is particularly instructive when thinking about the two main candidates in the current presidential race. During consideration of Johnson's pledge to create a "Great Society," there is film of him signing a large stack of bills passed by a Democratic Congress. The narrator says the bills were passed and signed so quickly no one had any idea what the programs would cost, or how they would be implemented. This is the heart of liberalism. Little consideration is given to whether a program or idea will accomplish its stated goal, only intentions matter. Advertisement In a recent speech in Warren, Mich., Hillary Clinton borrowed from the past, not to learn from it, but to repeat it. "So starting on day one," she said, "we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new, good-paying jobs since World War II." She followed with recycled promises to repair infrastructure, such as bridges, highways and airports. Those with short memories may have forgotten her pledges have been tried in the very recent past. Remember President Barack Obama's "stimulus"? Remember "shovel-ready jobs"? When they didn't materialize, even the president had to joke that "shovel-ready was not as, uh, shovel-ready as we expected." Remember the infrastructure repair Obama promised? Government doesn't create private-sector jobs, businesses do. Government can stimulate the private sector by lowering taxes and reducing unnecessary regulations. Clinton wants to do the reverse. In her view government has all the answers when, in fact, it has few. If it had answers, the problems we face would have long ago been solved. After so many failures, why would voters continue to trust government to fix anything? Clinton again is using the liberal code word "investment." She means spending. As the debt approaches $20 trillion, a wise person might say we need to spend less, not more, starting with reforming entitlement programs, which consume a great deal of the budget. Would any business survive a sales strategy that has failed so dramatically? President Obama has tried everything Hillary Clinton is proposing. It hasn't worked. Economic growth is stagnant and the 5 percent unemployment rate masks a labor force that has either given up looking for work, is working only part time, or is working at jobs that pay less than the employee previously earned. Insurance companies are pulling out of Obamacare due to its high cost. Taxes will soon rise. Bloomberg reports home ownership is at its lowest level since 1965. The experience of Democrat liberalism is a theme Donald Trump should hammer home. If you like the damage President Obama has caused, vote for Hillary. She will give you more of the same and you won't like it. In his best-selling book "The Purpose Driven Life," Rick Warren writes, "We are products of our past, but we don't have to be prisoners of it." President Hillary Clinton would impose a life sentence of failed liberalism. Advertisement Tribune Content Agency Cal Thomas is a syndicated columnist. Russian President Vladimir Putin looks at the opening ceremony of the first block of Kudamkulam nuclear power plant during a live video link with India, in Moscow's Kremlin, Russia on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016. (Alexei Druzhinin / AP) Democrats are bracing for another wave of embarrassing disclosures unleashed by what the U.S. intelligence community asserts is a Russian-engineered hacking attack. Guccifer 2.0, the hacker (hackers?) believed to be tied to Russian intelligence, posted on Aug. 12 internal Democratic Party documents with email addresses and cellphone numbers for nearly 200 lawmakers. Guccifer also talked of plans to turn over to WikiLeaks another trove of sensitive material hacked from Democratic Party computers. "Keep following ..." the hacker said on Twitter. "Here I am! They'll have to try much harder to block me!" If and when new leaks are publicized, that's sure to renew questions about what the Kremlin's motives might be. Is Russian President Vladimir Putin, as many believe, trying to pave the way for a Donald Trump presidency that would look the other way as the Kremlin tramples through Europe? Is he getting back at Hillary Clinton for what he insists was her meddling with Russian politics in 2011 while she was secretary of state? Advertisement Kremlinology 101 tells us that Moscow's true aims are usually heavily insulated and difficult to fish out. What is clear, however, is Putin's penchant for meddling with the politics of other countries. Case in point: what Germany calls the Lisa Affair. In January, Russian state-owned media put out a story about Lisa, a 13-year-old Russian-German girl in Berlin who claimed she had been gang-raped by Arab migrants. The story whipped up animosity among thousands of ethnic Russians in Germany toward Prime Minister Angela Merkel, who has held fast on her open-door policy toward migrants and asylum seekers. There was just one problem with the story German investigators determined it was false. German officials say the Kremlin's propaganda producers worked up the tale. Advertisement The motive? To weaken Merkel, an EU stalwart and a strong proponent for sanctioning Russian aggression in Ukraine, as she readied her party for regional elections. Across Europe, the Kremlin has been wangling its way into politics to stoke Euroskepticism. In France, a Russian-owned bank lent Marine Le Pen's far-right, anti-EU National Front $11 million ahead of her 2017 presidential campaign. Elsewhere, Russia has nurtured ties with ultra-nationalist organizations such as Hungary's Jobbik Party, regarded in Europe as a neo-Nazi group. Frothing up a Euroskeptic frenzy fits with Putin's overall aim of weakening the European Union and NATO, which he has always seen as an existential threat to Russia. If indeed the Kremlin is behind hacking into the Democratic Party, its motives aren't nearly as clear-cut. Putin openly accused Clinton of fomenting Russian protests against the former KGB leader in the winter of 2011, during Russian parliamentary elections. The hacking of assorted Democratic email accounts or databases could be Putin's way of firing back or of flat-out intimidating her: See how easily I can mess with you? Or, he could be harboring visions of a Trump White House that would prove naive and pliable. If it's the latter, Trump should think twice about a Trump-Putin reset in U.S.-Russian relations. Maybe Trump envisions a relationship between two magnates a brass tacks, let's-get-down-to-business partnership built on pragmatism rather than ideals. What Trump probably doesn't realize is that Putin's skill set reaches far beyond the corporate boardroom: He's an artful tactician who relies on subterfuge and no-holds-barred aggressiveness to get what he wants. "If we could get along with Russia, wouldn't that be a good thing, instead of a bad thing?" Trump told supporters in Pennsylvania earlier this month. Somewhere in the recesses of the Kremlin, Putin must have been salivating. Join the discussion on Twitter @Trib_Ed_Board and on Facebook. A year ago when I dropped my son Ben off for his freshman year at the small college he attends in the middle of West Virginia, we were participants in the emotional carnival of such transitions the excitement, the nervousness and the touch of sadness; the parental focus on the trivial ("Did we remember to bring dryer sheets?") as a distraction from the profundity of the moment. This year we were largely observers, walking together past wide-eyed new students clutching orientation folders and helpful younger siblings lugging duffel bags up dormitory steps. Advertisement A year ago I'd left him with a printout of two columns I'd just published. The first was based on the three words that, in my opinion, are the secret to success in college. The second consisted of reader responses to that column in which they offered their own words of wisdom. This year, because guidance from old folks can feel musty, I put the question to him: What advice would he impart to these campus newbies? Or, put another way, if he could go back in time and speak to his August 2015 self, what would he tell him? Advertisement "Don't expect things to be perfect," he said after a thoughtful pause. "College isn't always going to live up to your expectations." There is some drama and heartache behind those words that I'll leave for him to tell in his autobiography. But it's a perspective worth underscoring amid the general "Oh, The Places You'll Go!" optimism and enthusiasm attendant on the big leap. Be ready for it. College is often hard academically and emotionally. If it's not and this is ancient me speaking you're probably not doing it right. That's why "perspective" was one of the three words I'd left him and his twin sister, Annie, with last year. "You will likely earn some lousy grades, have your heart broken and disappoint people you care about," I wrote. "Think long term about these and other setbacks. Learn from them, vow to do better and remember that even total failure isn't the end of the world at your age. The road to professional and personal fulfillment often zigzags and sometimes doubles back." The other two words on my list were "curiosity" and "perseverance." In case that column and the follow-up aren't taped to your refrigerator or framed in your parlor, you can find them here and here . Ben had some other thoughts when I'd asked him to review last year's advice and add his own. "Talk to the other students in your classes and form study groups," he said. "And try to have fun with opportunities that sound boring." "Go to 'stupid' events," echoed Annie, who will start her sophomore year at the Illinois Institute of Technology this week. "You never know when they're going to be interesting. And when you meet new people, ask them questions about themselves." She added what I've come to consider the most important counsel to give to an incoming freshman: "Don't be afraid to reach out." To friends. To dorm-mates and classmates. To professors. Advertisement I would add don't be afraid to reach out to academic or spiritual counselors or *gasp* to parents. My mistake, when I offered a version of this advice last year, was to use the word "help," as in "reach out for help." "Help" carries a hint of pathos, desperation and emergency a frantic cry in the night, an SOS, an admission of weakness that can feel, to young adults with pride in their burgeoning independence, like a slide back into childhood. I've come to believe that the word itself can be a stumbling block. Therefore I have rebranded: Reach out for assistance. Assistance sounds like just a little boost, a nudge, some guidance rooted in experience. We all need it. All the time. The only shame is in not taking advantage of it. We moved Ben into his room. Got his framed Wrigley Field poster to stick to the painted cinder-block walls. Put his clothes in the dresser for what I hope is not the last time this year. Advertisement "Well, pal," I said as he walked me out to the car for my drive home, "remember that there's a lot of assistance out there. Don't wait to ask for it. Don't hesitate. Not help. Assistance. You know, very ordinary." "I know," he said mildly. He's so onto me and my sententious ways. Dry-eyed, we hugged. It was a far easier parting than last year's, but such moments never fully lose their profundity. And in the whirl of it all we forgot to bring dryer sheets. Yet with the proper assistance, I'm sure he'll deal with it. Twitter @EricZorn A proposal to build a 10-story boutique hotel, pictured here in a rendering, alongside a longtime banquet hall in Arlington Heights is prompting concerns from village officials that the site lacks the space for needed additional parking. (Village of Arlington Heights / Handout) A proposal to build a 10-story boutique hotel alongside a longtime banquet hall in Arlington Heights is prompting concerns from village officials that the site lacks the space for required additional parking. Village officials granted a request from the owners of the European Crystal Banquet facility at 519 W. Algonquin Road for an "early review" of the proposal, which allowed the petitioners to present their project to the village board at Monday night's meeting, to gauge their reaction to the proposal and get feedback, officials said. Advertisement While several trustees said that the proposal to build a 10-story, 165-room boutique hotel, The Ivy, alongside the existing banquet hall located west of the intersection of Arlington Heights Road and Algonquin Road, was an interesting concept, they questioned how the site could accommodate the additional need for parking, which is already at a deficit. Because the property is currently zoned for uses including light manufacturing, the banquet hall owners would need to be granted a land use variation to construct a hotel, officials said. Advertisement In addition, the project would require a variation from the zoning code requirements, as it would reduce the number of off-street parking spaces, officials said. "There are a number of hotels in this corridor, and we believe it would be a great asset to this area, but we do have concerns about the parking," said Charles Witherington-Perkins, the village's director of planning and community development. The hotel proposed for Arlington Heights, which also includes creating a cocktail lounge and rooftop bar, as well as a renovation of the banquet facilities, would represent a second hotel property for the owners of the Ivy Boutique Hotel at 233 E. Ontario St. in Chicago, who officials said also own the Europeran Crystal banquet facility. Trustee Robin LaBedz described the hotel proposal as "a really interesting project," but said she questioned how the banquet hall site could accommodate the parking needs of an expected influx of hotel guests. "I admit that parking is a big concern," LaBedz said. Witherington-Perkins said that at present, the site only offers roughly 33 percent of the parking spaces required by village code for a hotel project of this magnitude. Trustee Jim Tinaglia also voiced concerns as to how the site could provide sufficient parking for hotel guests. "For me, the only thing holding me back from giving them a high-five in going forward is can we have enough parking without there being madness on the site?" Tinaglia said. Advertisement While village officials urged the petitioners to hire a consultant to conduct a traffic study prior to making a formal proposal for the hotel project, John O'Connor, an attorney representing banquet hall and hotel owner Tony Cazares, said the petitioners "don't want to expend significant money if the project is not able to move forward." "Right now, it's a choice that's up to you guys or I'm going to Rosemont," Cazares said. Arlington Heights Mayor Thomas Hayes said officials appreciate having Cazares' banquet facility in the village, but stopped short of endorsing the hotel project. "We are willing to help out in any way we can, but I think you've gotten a sense from the board," Hayes said. kcullotta@tribpub.com Twitter @kcullotta Six black mouth cur puppies are pictured before they were stolen from a Newark barn Thursday. Three were found dead and the other three have been returned. The Kendall County Sheriff's Office is investigating. (handout / Kendall County Sheriff's Office) A Kendall County family is dealing with mixed emotions after half a litter of six puppies stolen from their barn last week are back home alive, while the other three were left for dead in a suburban Target parking lot. "We were excited to have three, but heartbroken over losing the others," Cindy Benson of Newark said. "We wanted all six back." Advertisement The county sheriff's office is trying to locate a woman who posted the puppies for sale online, said spokesman Deputy Mike Mrozek. In the meantime, Mrozek said the sheriff's office is continuing to investigate the incident, which they have recorded as a burglary. "My biggest question is why, how, why were we picked?" Benson said. Advertisement Cindy and her husband Terry live on a farm along Route 52 in Newark. It's where Cindy grew up, and where she and Terry moved back soon after marriage because it's where they wanted to raise their two children, now both grown. "If you live across the street or 10 miles away, we still call you our neighbor," Cindy Benson said. "That's what we love about this community." Among the Bensons' animals are one male and one female black mouth curs that they breed typically once a year, Cindy Benson said. Prospective owners must sign a contract and agree to spay or neuter the dog, she said. "Our animals are an extension of our family," Benson said. "We raise these dogs. We love this breed. They go out, work our livestock, and then crawl into bed with us at night." The latest litter was born June 25. Of the two male and four female puppies, four had been promised to homes, Benson said. The puppies were learning to eat solid food, almost ready for their new owners to take them home, when they went missing last Thursday, Benson said. The Bensons got home about the same time that day, about 4:30 p.m. They went straight to the barn to begin their routine of animal care they have mules, donkeys and a variety of other animals, many of which stay in the same barn where the puppies were living. Usually as soon as the puppies hear someone approaching, they start barking, she said. Two black mouth cur puppies were found at Montrose Beach in Chicago on Monday. They belong to a litter of six puppies stolen from a Newark barn on Thursday. (handout / Kendall County Sheriff's Office) But on Thursday, "We didn't hear anything," Benson said. Advertisement Inside the unlocked barn, the puppies weren't in their stall. The couple searched their property, which Benson said is mostly fenced-in, and after a half hour, became certain the dogs had been stolen. They were nowhere to be found, and a few details in the barn seemed out of place. Benson described the realization as "heartbreaking." "Then came the feeling of being violated," Benson said, "wondering who could do this, who was on our property." Kendall County deputies went out to the property and recorded the incident as a burglary last Thursday. The next day, detectives followed leads to the SuperTarget on Diehl Road in Warrenville. In the parking lot, they found four of the puppies. One was dehydrated and lethargic but still alive, and officers took it to a veterinarian, according to information from Benson and Mrozek. The other three were dead. One of six black mouth cur puppies that went missing Thursday from a Newark barn poses for a photo with her new collar after returning home. (Courtesy to the Benson family / Handout) The surviving puppy, named Tuff, is one the Bensons are keeping, she said. Advertisement When she heard about the other three, Benson didn't want to believe it was true. "Probably 1,000 emotions went through us," Benson said. "My first thought was, 'I hope they're wrong, and all of them are alive.'" Mrozek declined to disclose the puppies' cause of death, citing the ongoing investigation. "We are guessing it was probably from heat, which is why one made it and three didn't," Benson said. "That's an awful thing to do to a puppy. If it's from that, you know they suffered." Throughout the weekend, the Bensons kept a watchful eye on Tuff, waiting for news of the other two puppies who hadn't been found yet. One of six black mouth cur puppies that went missing Thursday from a Newark barn poses for a photo with her new collar after returning home. (Courtesy to the Benson family / Handout) On Saturday, Benson created a Facebook group, "Help Tuff Find Her Sisters!" It's now pushing 1,600 members. Advertisement Strangers from around Illinois and as far as Florida have shared photos to help find the puppies. Members have also shared research on a woman who posted the puppies for sale online, who has not yet been arrested or charged with any crime in connection to the incident. Social media helped Kendall County officials identify their suspect, Mrozek said. On Monday, a man identified by the sheriff's office only as a "good Samaritan" came across the other two puppies on Montrose Beach in Chicago, Mrozek said. The beach is about 70 miles by car from the Bensons' Newark home. The man took the puppies to his veterinarian at Duke Animal Hospital to get them checked out, according to the sheriff's office. The two puppies were in good health. A veterinary technician noticed the puppies looked similar to the puppies stolen from Kendall County and contacted detectives. Benson positively identified the puppies. One is named Lita. The other will be a young girl's birthday present and doesn't yet have a name, Benson said. Tuff, Lita and their sister have been doing well, although Tuff has been showing more signs she was traumatized, Benson said. A video she shared shows Lita and the unnamed puppy wrestling playfully on the seat of a car. Tuff has been more anxious, afraid of the dark, afraid of loud noises, Benson said. Advertisement Tuff was found in a west suburban Target parking lot with three of her siblings, who were all dead. The four were part of a litter of six black mouth cur puppies that went missing Thursday from a Newark barn. (Provided by the Benson family / Handout) She hasn't been able to connect with the man who found the two dogs on the beach. "Whoever the good Samaritan is who found them at Montrose Beach and took them to the hospital, we would love to thank you in person," Benson said. She wanted to thank all of the friends and strangers who, in person and through social media, spent time trying to help track down the missing dogs. "This is my hometown, this is my community," Benson said. "When all this happened, the people that jumped on board, that's what we do for each other, but I never would have guessed how many thousands of people would help." That only makes her wonder more who targeted them and why. "We still have a lot of questions we hope to have answered," Benson said. "When it's all said and done, we have faith in the sheriff's department to make sure when they're done with their investigation that justice will be served." Advertisement hleone@tribpub.com Twitter @hannahmleone A worker on a scissor lift works near the ceiling of an existing field house at West Aurora High School. West Aurora has several construction projects to be completed. (Jon Langham / The Beacon-News) As the school year begins in West Aurora, work on some school construction projects is continuing. When students return to class Wednesday, they will find some construction projects were completed over the summer and the district's schools will have cooling systems. But projects at several elementary schools, Jefferson Middle School and West Aurora High School will continue during the school year, Assistant Superintendent of Operations Angie Smith said. Advertisement She said the school year construction was anticipated. "We had a very tight and a very aggressive timeline," she said. Advertisement The work is part of $84.2 million in construction approved by voters in a 2015 referendum, which was set to include building additions and renovations, new heating and cooling systems and a campus comprising a career and technical center, a new district office and an early childhood center. At West Aurora High School, work will continue during the school year on a new field house, which is scheduled to open in mid-November and include new locker rooms and drill space for the district's Air Force Junior ROTC. Parking lots are planned to be completed by the end of September, though Smith said that depends on weather. The library, which was restructured to create "flexible" spaces, was not expected to be open on the first day of school, but officials said they planned to have it up and running within a few days. A new black box theater at the high school and a corridor connecting the southwest and northwest sides of the school were scheduled to be open for the first day of school. Originally, the district planned to create large classroom spaces within the corridor, but instead decided to reconfigure the library and leave a courtyard next to the connecting corridor. The groundwork for the classrooms, which were expected to cost between $1.2 million and $1.5 million, is complete, and the district's capital projects manager has said they can be built when there is a need for them. Work on additions at other schools, including Nicholson Elementary, Freeman Elementary and Jefferson Middle School, is also continuing. The work includes additional classrooms, designed to eliminate a need for mobile classrooms, and, in some schools, a new or renovated gym or library. All of the work is expected to be complete before students' winter break, Smith said. Work on a new building for Hill Elementary, which is being built next to the current, more-than-century-old building, is also continuing, and the new school is not expected to open until the 2017-18 school year. At Hope D. Wall school, where some of the district's special education programs are housed, a new canopy has largely been installed, and crews are working on some of the details, Smith said. Work at McCleery and Fearn elementaries was completed over the summer, Smith said. The district also completed installing new, geothermal heating and cooling units over the summer. "The focus for us was that we get the HVAC done before the start of school, because we wanted everyone as comfortable as possible," she said. Advertisement Work on each of the additions is largely "self contained," Smith said, so construction crews won't be disrupting learning and students won't be walking through construction sites. Playground space will be limited at some elementary schools because of the construction and the prior work to install new heating and cooling units, but she said district officials will "get creative" and find ways for students to get outside. Teachers and custodians were not allowed back into the schools until work was complete. Some teachers were able to access their schools earlier in the summer, while some were not able to get into their classrooms until the weekend before school started, Smith said. Some custodians also worked that weekend to prepare classrooms. The district set up copying and laminating centers at its middle schools to help teachers prepare for the school year, she said. The district's priorities for the start of school were to have buildings clean, safe and cool, Smith said. "I think everyone knows that this year is going to be a little tight, but it's all going to be worth it in the end," she said. sfreishtat@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @srfreish The 3-acre lot on the southwest corner of Roslyn Road and Cumnor Avenue, with GE Healhcare Center in the background, could become the site of 21 townhomes in Barrington. (Todd Shields / Pioneer Press) A developer is rethinking his plan to build 21 townhomes in a Barrington neighborhood filled with single-family homes, after residents raised issues with the proposal. Moises Cukierman, a developer with ILM Home Inc., presented the idea to build 21 townhomes within a three-acre plot on the southwest corner of North Cumnor Avenue and West Roslyn Road during a Barrington Plan Commission meeting July 26. Located near the GE Healthcare Center, the area currently is zoned for manufacturing and single-family homes. Advertisement But numerous neighborhood residents during the meeting protested the proposal, saying townhomes would create too much traffic and change the character of their rural neighborhood. They want the developer to build, if anything, single-family homes on the land, said resident Jodie Nettelhorst, who lives in the neighborhood near the proposed project. Advertisement During the commission meeting, Cukierman maintained that single-family homes wouldn't work for the vacant acreage with its close proximity to the GE Healthcare Center. A market study also concluded the development would not adversely affect the value of the neighboring homeowners' single-family homes, he said during the meeting. Plan commissioners told both sides to meet and work out a compromise. The two sides met privately Aug. 8, Nettelhorst said. A village official, who attended the meeting, said Cukierman agreed to meet with his company partners, review their plan and possibly resubmit it to the Plan Commission at a later date. Cukierman did not return calls for comment regarding the meeting with neighborhood residents. Nettelhorst also said Cukierman agreed to show revised plans first to residents. She would want the changes to address numerous issues, including the accessibility of sidewalks. "We also have limited sidewalks here," Nettelhorst said. "When a neighborhood gets more dense like ours, sidewalks are important, especially with pedestrians and bicyclers traveling to Roslyn Road School." At the Plan Commission meeting Aug. 9, commissioner Anna Bush said the group could make a decision on a revised plan during its Sept. 13 meeting. But the commission isn't taking a stance on the issue before then, she said. "We want the two of them to come up with a conclusion," Bush said. tshields@pioneerlocal.com Advertisement Twitter @tshields19 Rendering of the new 64-unit apartment building coming to downtown Barrington. (Monroe Residential Partners) A new, 64-unit apartment building is coming to downtown Barrington after village board members recently approved the construction project. The four-story building will be located at 322 N. Hough St. and within walking distance to the Metra commuter station, two grocery stores and numerous downtown businesses, said Village Manager Jeff Lawler in late July when developers publicly presented the project. Advertisement Village trustees and administrators both have said the apartments will fulfill a housing need for young, transit-oriented professionals and empty nesters looking for smaller housing options. "I heard a lot on the campaign trail of people wanting to downsize," said trustee Jason Lohmeyer, who was elected to the Barrington board in 2015. Advertisement The apartment complex also will feature an underground parking lot for tenants, lighting and landscaping. Both the village's plan and architectural review commissions unanimously approved the project, Lawler said. "The market today is strong for people wanting flexibility by renting apartments," Lawler said. "We hear people are mobile in their jobs by getting transferred out of state." The complex includes one- and two-bedroom units, ranging from 718 to 1,263 square feet, along with 64 interior and 22 exterior parking spaces, according to village documents. The project targets people from the Baby Boomer generation looking to downsize and younger Millennials looking for affordable housing options, as the housing market in general veers toward rentals, said Gary Kachadurian, a partner at Chicago-based Monroe Residential Partners, which proposed the Barrington venture. "Empty nesters and young people wanting to stay in the area are interested in these types of apartments," he said in July. "And because these rentals have finishes and amenities, people are choosing to rent for a longer time period than before." Monroe Residential is looking to start construction by mid-2017, with a goal to complete the complex by early 2018, Kachadurian said. The Chicago developer also has agreed to install three new streetlights along nearby West Liberty Street, consistent with the village's standard downtown design, according to village documents. Advertisement In a village report, the structure's masonry section was reminiscent of a foundry or warehouse building "that would have been found in this area or in other quasi-industrial areas throughout the village." tshields@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @tshields19 South Elgin recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of SEBA Parks IM ABLE playground. The village chose to use general budget funds to complete the inclusive park after its state grant was pulled after construction began. (Janelle Walker / The Courier-News) Nearly 17 months after South Elgin was told to stop construction on the inclusive SEBA Park playground because of a state grant was withdrawn, village leaders were told this week its funding has been restored. South Elgin had started construction of the SEBA Park IM ABLE playground in early spring 2015. In March, officials here were told the $400,000 grant approved by the state in 2014 had been pulled. South Elgin officials used general funds to complete the project, hoping that funding would eventually return. Advertisement South Elgin will now be able to replenish its general fund for the $400,000 used to complete the project, Kim Wascher, director of South Elgin's parks and recreation department, said Monday. The stopgap spending bill approved by the state and signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner on June 30 funds the Open Space Land Acquisition Development grant program, according to an emailed letter from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and received by the village Monday. Advertisement According to the letter, the recently passed stopgap measure restores $50 million for grants and other costs for the program. As the village went forward with construction, officials kept the same reporting measures in place as it would have done with the state grant money, Wascher said. "We spent about two weeks figuring out what to do as a village. We had playground equipment produced and just waiting to be shipped. These were one-of-a-kind, it's not like it is returnable," she said. The park, which opened Aug. 8, 2105, is designed so all children, no matter their ability, can play side-by-side. Children in wheelchairs can make their way to the top of the main tree house play structure. Children unable to balance or support themselves can be strapped into a swing. A teeter-totter type apparatus allows wheelchair-bound children to participate. Instead of wood mulch or pea gravel, the play area is covered with a rubberized pour-in-place product that can hold up to the weather while providing a safe surface in case of falls. The playground saw use up to December of 2015, and was busy again once spring arrived Wascher said. "Last year in December, I would walk out of my office at 5 p.m. and could hear the kids playing away," in the park at 151 Water Street, she said. "During spring break it was so packed families put blankets on the grass to sit while kids were playing." Although Water Street and surrounding avenues have been under construction all summer, families, park programs, day camps and other groups have found their way to the park, she added. Advertisement Camps from as far away as Aurora have brought children down to play in the park, she aid. "Since it was finished it has been huge. I can't fathom the number of lives touched by being down here," Wascher said. "It is busy all of the time." The original grant called for $400,000 in matching funds from the village money raised by the South Elgin Parks and Recreation Department's FUNdation and the SEBA Park committee. This spring, the FUNdation began fundraising for the second phase. It calls for an additional $385,500 for play structures for children at the ages 2-to-5 ability level and other inclusive and tactile play areas. Plans include slides for smaller children, bucket-style swings, and a merry-go-round could accommodate a child in a wheelchair, organizers said. "One piece of equipment was purchased through a grant one of the first grants we got," Wascher said. That piece is sitting in storage while fundraising effort continue. Advertisement While releasing the grant funds will repay the village, it will not mean more money will be available for other parks, Wascher said. The village will continue to use its park improvement funds a combination of developer fees and other income to update playgrounds. South Elgin currently has 15 play areas at its parks, and plans to add three more by the end of 2017. One lesson they have learned from the SEBA project is that when play surfaces are upgraded, the village will use the rubberized material instead of wood chips or other materials, Wascher said. While the product is more expensive up front, it does not have the same maintenance costs in both product and labor as other surfaces, she said. "Our guys can do more work each day doing other projects instead of laying mulch in the summer. It looks nice and we don't have to rake it back in after rain or when it is kicked around," like mulch is, she said. Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter. Carolyn May is a band director and music teacher at La Grange Elementary School District 102. Q. What instrument do you play? Advertisement A: Flute Q: What do you do? Advertisement A: I am a part-time band director for District 102 and I teach flute lessons in my house and at the College of DuPage. I also play in a professional orchestra based at the College of DuPage. It's the New Philharmonic. We play classical music and some pop. It's my 40th year playing with them. Q: What do you enjoy about playing with them? A: It's just a high part of my life to be in that group. Q. How did you first get into music? A: I always liked music. I started playing the piano in second grade. I played flute in fifth grade. By the time I was in high school, I knew I wanted to be a band director. Q: How many instruments do you play? Q: Ten. I wouldn't say I'm really great at all of them. I'm only really good at flute. Q: What's your best tip for aspiring musicians? Advertisement A: To be really good at something you have to play it all the time. I play the flute all the time. In fact, I get kidded by my husband. He says "Don't you know how to play that thing already?'" Q: What is your husband's name? A: Dave. We have three grown sons who all live in the Chicago area and three grandchildren. Q: What do you enjoy about teaching? A: To take a student who knows nothing about an instrument and within a year they can play quite nicely. It's amazing what they can accomplish in a short time. Q: What is your favorite book? Advertisement A: I really enjoyed "The Nightengale" by Kristin Hannah. It's about two sisters in World War II in France and their town is occupied by the Germans. It's about how they deal with that situation. Q: What's your favorite movie? A: I just watched a four-hour documentary about Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers ("Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream"). I can't stop singing the melodies from that. Q: What's your next vacation? A: I'm going on flute retreat in South Haven, Mich. It's taught by two flutists from the Detroit Symphony. Q: What's your favorite color? Advertisement A: Teal blue. It changes from era to era. When I was younger, it was orange. Shout Out is a weekly feature where we get to know and introduce our readers to their fellow community members and local visitors throughout suburban Chicago. Check out more online at ChicagoTribune.com/ShoutOut. amannion@tribpub.com Twitter triblocalam A 19-year-old Franklin Park man was being held in Lake County Jail on $50,000 bail after police say he threatened students at Antioch High School by text messaging an ex-girlfriend who lives in the village and attends the school. Nicholas Stevens, of the 2700 block of Elder Lane, was charged with harassment through electronic communication and disorderly conduct for transmitting a threat of destruction or threats of violence against persons at a school, Antioch police Sgt. Geoff Guttschow said. Advertisement About 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were alerted by the parents of a high school student that threats were made through text messaging to carry out a violent attack at the school, Guttschow said. According to Guttschow, the threats were the result of a recent break-up with the student who received the texted threats, and Stevens was arrested around 1 a.m. Wednesday at his home. Advertisement The harassment charge is punishable by up to three years in prison for each offense and up to a $25,000 fine, he said. Guttschow said from the time the report was received, Antioch police officials were in constant communication with Community High School District 117 administration, working to resolve the issue. "It has been determined that there is currently no risk to the school stemming from this event, and parents, students, and staff can feel comfortable carrying on daily academic routines at the school," he said. fabderholden@tribpub.com Twitter @abderholden The Cancer Treatment Centers of America Guest Quarters West hotel at 1911 27th Street in Zion. (Frank Abderholden / Lake County News-Sun) A 46-year-old Cancer Treatment Centers of America patient died after she was attacked outside the Zion facility, police said. Shannon Vincel, of Springfield, Mo., was hit in the head with an unidentified object as she sat on a folding chair with another person outside the hotel facility about a mile from the hospital about 9:30 p.m. Monday, according to a statement from Zion police. Advertisement Vincel died Tuesday evening at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, police said. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victim involved in the tragic incident outside of Guest Quarters West, one of our hotel accommodations located at 1911 27th Street," Cancer Treatment Centers of America spokeswoman Kristen Gerlach said. Advertisement According to some patients, who did not want to be identified, the spot where Vincel was attacked is a popular area for patients. Police said a attacker approached from the west and struck Vincel in the head, causing "severe head trauma." The attacker has only been described as a male in dark clothing who fled the scene. Numerous signs warn visitors the premises is under video surveillance. "We knew her about two weeks, and she was a real nice girl," said one man, who was providing care to his brother receiving treatment. Other patients placed two small flowers on the lawn where the attack happened. Gerlach said the facility will have a "private informative session for the guests" and are helping Zion police and the Lake County Major Crime Task Force. The scene out front of 1911 27th St., Zion, Monday night at a hotel owned by Cancer Treatment Centers of America where Shannon Vincel, 46, of Springfield, Mo. was attacked and suffered sever head trauma. She died Tuesday night. (Clyde McLemore / HANDOUT) fabderholden@tribpub.com Twitter @abderholden An Illinois Appellate Court has ruled there is no evidence that a vote to unionize by some employees of the Lake County Circuit Court's Office involved fraud or coercion, as alleged by the office's administration. The Second District Appellate Court ruling Monday upholds earlier findings by the Illinois Labor Relations Board and an administrative law judge that the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 held a legal vote to unionize non-management workers in the office earlier this year. Advertisement "We've seen what AFSCME has done to the state of Illinois, and with that said, we are disappointed that the appellate court did not agree with the fraud and coercion we presented," Chief Deputy Circuit Court Clerk Jeanne Polydoris said in a statement Tuesday responding to the ruling. "The people of Lake County deserve better." Polydoris said the office needs to review the matter further, and a decision has not been made by Clerk Keith Brin as to whether the matter will be appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court. She also said the union has not yet been certified, so there have been no negotiations with members. Advertisement "The Appellate Court decision is very fresh, and we have yet to fully review our options," Polydoris said. "One option that will not be under review is that we are mission-focused in running the most efficient, fiscally responsible Circuit Clerk's office for the people of Lake County." Polydoris was cited in the ruling as having submitted information that she was told by four employees that prospective union members were sought out at their homes or outside of work in an attempt to get them to sign up with the union, and that some said they felt uncomfortable or threatened as a result. Erin Cartwright, Brin's Democratic challenger in the November general election, released a statement Tuesday saying she was happy with the court's decision. "I was pleased to learn that the Second District Appellate Court in Elgin dismissed Keith Brin's frivolous complaint against his hard working union employees," she said. "Mr. Brin spent over $100,000 of hard-earned money from the residents of Lake County on a Chicago law firm contesting his employees' lawful choice to be represented by AFSCME." Cartwright said she is "proud to have the support of the vast majority of employees at the Lake County Circuit Clerk's Office, the legal community and the endorsement of their union." According to information in the Appellate Court ruling, on Jan. 20, the union submitted a majority-interest petition to unionize members of the circuit clerk's office under the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act. On Jan. 21, the circuit clerk's office was notified of the petition and directed to respond if it so chose. The notice included a statement that if the office believed that the union had used fraud or coercion to obtain the signatures necessary to demonstrate majority support it was required to present clear and convincing evidence of the fraud or coercion in its response to the petition, according to court records. On Feb. 6, the clerk's office filed a response alleging that the union had used fraudulent information and had threatened employees in an effort to coerce them into signing dues-deduction cards, according to the ruling. Advertisement The Appellate Court ruling concluded "that the (Labor Relations) Board and the (administrative law judge) properly determined that the evidence did not rise to the necessary (level) because the clerk did not present evidence of threats, retaliation, or other adverse consequences that the (prospective members) would experience unless they signed the dues-deduction cards. We therefore reject the Clerk's coercion argument." jrnewton@tribpub.com Twitter @jimnewt5 Lake County's Drug Court received high praise Tuesday from U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, after he met with its organizers, operators and two graduates who credited the program with transforming them from addiction-related offenders to sober, employed county residents. "What I've heard today is nothing short of amazing," Durbin said after hosting a panel discussion in a Lake County courtroom with local judges, the county's state's attorney and public defender, sheriff's office officials and addiction-recovery leaders. Advertisement The local Circuit Court's Drug Court, established 12 years ago, offers potential diversion from prison for qualified offenders willing to work on their addiction problems. Durbin said that "thank goodness," a bipartisan discussion is taking root at the federal level to discuss the country's heroin crisis and explore treatment options rather than long-term incarceration for addicts. Advertisement He is one of the sponsors of federal criminal justice reform legislation that would address some of those issues. "We're in the middle of an opioid and heroin crisis in America," Durbin said, adding that a startling number of young and middle-aged people across all economic lines are dying as a result. Lake County State's Attorney Michael Nerheim, a co-founder of the Lake County Opioid Initiative, said that while it may be strange to hear a prosecutor talking about prison diversion programs, he backs efforts to address addiction as a treatable illness. "With regard to Drug Court, I'm so proud of this program," Nerheim said. "People who are addicted to drugs don't belong in prison. People who sell drugs do." Nerheim said the ability of so many different groups in Lake County to work together, from the courts and attorneys to law enforcement and treatment providers, has made the program successful. Lake County Public Defender Joy Gossman said Drug Court is "a wonderful program that has given my clients opportunities," but she also told Durbin that she thinks more should be done to help people with multiple convictions who have straightened out their lives find jobs with wages that can support a family. Undersheriff Ray Rose said alternative programs such as Drug Court and Mental Health Court are necessary to work toward rehabilitation and meaningful reduction of recidivism. He said there is often a connection between mental health issues and drug addiction, and neither problem can be best treated in prison. "The traditional ways of doing business no longer work," Rose said. He credited the initiative of the state's attorney, the public defender, judges and law enforcement for "sitting down and talking about what's going on in jail." Advertisement U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin (left) meets with Lake County officials to discuss the county's Drug Court program. (Jim Newton / Lake County News-Sun) Rose also told Durbin that a new crisis-intervention training program for police across Lake County teaches officers to make decisions and react to situations in a way that can help defuse someone with mental health or drug issues and possibly be a first step in prison diversion. Steve Walczak, a Drug Court graduate who now runs his own building-maintenance business, provided a voice at the table from someone who has been through the diversionary program. "I've been in and out of prison six or seven times. I was a blackout drunk. I would black out and commit crimes," he said. Walczak said that while he knew he had a problem, he initially resisted suggestions of Drug Court, seeking instead the shortest prison time he could get because it was a pattern he had fallen into. He said Gossman eventually convinced him to try Drug Court, after she asked if he felt he had a drug problem. "I said 'I'm an alcoholic.' I realized I had never said that before," Walczak said. Advertisement In the Drug Court program, he said, "these people weren't out to send me to prison. They were there to take care of me." After intensive treatment, Walczak graduated from Drug Court three years ago, received help in getting his driver's license reinstated and found a job. He said he now makes a point of helping treatment programs with his skills and testimony whenever he can to pay something forward for his lifestyle changes. "I still see my old friends, but I wave and move on," he said. Durbin said he was impressed by both the local initiatives and the information provided by Walczak and another drug court graduate, a longtime former heroin user who said she came from a wealthy family, but due to trauma in her life, turned to heroin at a young age and was on track to die on it prior to specialty court intervention. "I think I've learned a lot," said Durbin, whose office said that according to Department of Justice data, drug court programs save an average of $5,600 to $6,200 in costs per offender due to reduced recidivism rates. jrnewton@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @jimnewton5 Evidence of asphalt paving along the North Shore Bike Path in Mundelein and Libertyville can be seen as late-summer construction picks up in Lake County. (Dan Moran / Lake County News-Sun) Having traveled something like 1,600 miles across five states on two separate road trips during the month of August, I can say this with certainty: Just because you're rolling along at 75 on an Interstate doesn't mean you won't soon be stuck in an unmoving traffic jam no matter what time of day or night. At 9 p.m. last Sunday, for example, I-94 in southwest Michigan was down to walking speed in both directions near Bridgman due to some random paving project that reduced three westbound lanes to one. My brilliant plan of waiting until after sunset to beat Chicagoans limping back home from Harbor Country was foiled. Advertisement That's the reality of construction season in America, where road crews almost literally make hay when the sun shines, so summer travel almost always has to factor in the potential for a massive delay. And some are more massive than others. Anyway, as summer starts to wind down in Lake County, there is a mix of good news and not-exactly-bad news on the transportation front, as some local projects see the light at the end of the tunnel and others get a late jump on warm weather. Advertisement In Mundelein, the good news from the Lake County Division of Transportation's Construction Project Round-Up is that Hawley Street is now open to both eastbound and westbound traffic between Midlothian and Chicago Avenue after both a summer and spring of discontent. Evidence of asphalt paving along the North Shore Bike Path in Mundelein and Libertyville can be seen as late-summer construction picks up in Lake County. (Dan Moran / Lake County News-Sun) "The one-way detour that has been in place since April will end," the Round-Up reported earlier this month, "and traffic will run on the new Hawley pavement. Work will then begin on reconstructing the north third of pavement along Hawley Street." This news comes as a relief to everyone in and around Mundelein who relies on Hawley as a key cut-through route. According to the project's website (www.hawleystreetconstruction.com), the overall work is 64 percent complete, so there will still be a few headaches here and there. In fact, with the first day of class arriving at Mundelein High School last week (I kid you not), there is this to consider from the website: "If you use the intersection of Hawley and Midlothian, please remember that the sidewalk on the (northeast) corner is closed. Please use the south crosswalk or the crosswalk at Idlewild to safely cross Midlothian." Lake County News Sun Twice-weekly News updates from Lake County delivered every Monday and Wednesday > It is also noted that "the bike/pedestrian path on the south side of Hawley is open for your use while the north sidewalk remains closed," and that would be in reference to the brand-spanking-new segment of the county's Millennium Trail east of Midlothian. While we're on that subject, let's move on to a construction project that began firing up this month: Paving of the North Shore Bike Path from Brice Avenue in Mundelein to Route 43 in Lake Forest. History records that this six-mile stretch of the path began life as a rail line specifically to serve the Catholic Church's Eucharistic Congress in 1926, which apparently drew 750,000 people to St. Mary of the Lake, or nearly the entire population of 2016 Lake County. Today, it serves as part of the Lake County Forest Preserve's Millennium Trail, and, as reported in this space back in April, asphalt will replace long sections of crushed-stone path. Lake County DOT reports that the current work "will be a moving operation, and there will be sections of the path that require daily closures during construction." Fortunately, this is not the kind of construction that makes motorized vehicles slow to an ugly crawl. Elsewhere in the county, it can be reported that the rebuild of Peterson Road west of Route 83 is a done deal, the construction of a railroad overpass on Washington Street in Grayslake is still like driving through an obstacle course, and the paving of Hunt Club and Wadsworth roads in Gurnee/Old Mill Creek is at the point where driving on it at night after the workers head home is so smooth that it might lull you to sleep. Advertisement Last but not least, if you're driving somewhere near the Quad Cities on Interstate 80 and you see a sign saying "Slippery When Wet," believe it. I would be more specific about the location, but my brain has turned foggy from White Line Fever. danmoran@tribpub.com Twitter @NewsSunDanMoran A new schedule will greet students at Lake Forest High School when they return for classes and it will have a variety of benefits, administrators say. This fall, students will start school at 8:15 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays and at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. School days will run until 3:20 p.m. 10 minutes longer and lunch periods will be shorter. Advertisement Classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays will run 80 minutes, compared to 45 minutes the other three days. "For science, it's difficult to set up a lab, do the lab and then write anything about it in a traditional length period," said Superintendent Michael Simeck. Advertisement "It allows teachers to engage students differently," said Principal Chala Holland. "Having an 80-minute block means a teacher can engage students in more project-based learning." Students now have an additional time slot for a class or study hall. "We have students for the first time taking an elective," Holland said. "It's important they take core courses but we also want them to explore, learn and create in electives." The school has seen course requests by students increase by more than 800 for the first semester and 600 the second semester, said Holland, with more than 300 requests for study hall. On Thursday mornings before classes, teachers will be available from 7:45 to 8:45 a.m. to meet with students. The changed schedule also provides a weekly slot for teacher professional development. "In the past, we had late starts (for teacher training) spread sporadically throughout the year," Holland said. "We had only a handful." Teachers will work the same total number of hours per week, Simeck said. Advertisement Also, while the lunch period has been decreased, all students will have lunch time. In past years, a "handful" of students did not have a full lunch period, Holland said. The schedule change evolved out of efforts last school year to gain feedback from everyone at the school from students to teachers and administrators. Other changes for this fall include more healthy options at the LFHS cafeteria, Simeck said. The cafeteria will supply made-to-order deli sandwiches and paninis, a salad bar, grilled food, Mexican cuisine, pizza and pasta along with made from scratch desserts. Finally, a reconfiguration of the front entrance at Lake Forest High School is almost complete. Both the security office and the booster store have been moved up from the basement to the front entrance. Doors and trim will be completed before students return, Simeck said. In Lake Forest District 67, the Reading Workshop model is being implemented for kindergarten through eighth grade. Representatives from Columbia University in New York came in for four days to conduct teacher training. The district has also replaced carpeting with floors in the east wing of Deerpath Middle School, the last of the schools in the district to have that done, Simeck said. A large portion of the roof in that wing has been replaced. Circle Drive at Everett School was resurfaced and the Life Skills classroom for students with development delays has been upgraded. Advertisement Over in Lake Bluff District 65, the biggest change is the renovation and expansion of Lake Bluff Middle School. Construction, which started in February, is scheduled to be completed before Sept. 7, delaying the start of the school year slightly. "We will have practically a brand new middle school at that time," said Superintendent Jean Sophie. The project includes constructing five new classrooms on the west side, three new classrooms on the east side, building basement offices for district staff, adding a STEM lab, renovating three science labs and reconfiguring the front entrance to improve security. While the exact cost of project is still to be determined, the board of education approved spending up to $10.5 million in May. mlawton@pioneerlocal.com Twitter: @reporterdude As a physician for almost 30 years, I believe ensuring patients receive the best and most effective treatment for their condition and situation should be the objective of our health care system. Health insurers too often require a patient to first try and fail on certain drugs, almost always older and less costly, before providing coverage for other medications a process known to the insurers as "step therapy." The Illinois Managed Care Act-Step Therapy (HB3549) passed through both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly this session and was recently signed into law by Gov. Bruce Rauner. This action will help mitigate this process for thousands of patients across Illinois by increasing access to the most effective treatments and curbing the process of step therapy. Step therapy basically requires the patient to try and fail on Drug A, then try and fail on Drug B before the insurer will cover other similar medications regardless of what the patient and physician, informed by the medical literature and recommendations of professional societies, have decided will work best for that individual. Serving as the director of the Kovler Diabetes Center at the University of Chicago, and member of the Chicago American Diabetes Association's (ADAs) Community Leadership Board, I have worked with many patients who have had to endure this process as part of the treatment program mandated by their insurance providers. As a physician, it is extremely frustrating when a decision I've made after personal consultation with the patient and careful consideration of his or her individual needs and medication history is second-guessed by a non-expert at the health insurance company based on financial considerations alone. It's not a question of what medication is best for the patient's situation; it's a question of what's cheapest for the insurer at the moment. Improved outcomes, improved tolerability and decreased side effects do not seem to be part of the calculation. Advertisement My staff and I spend far too much time jumping through baseless hoops, trying to get prescriptions approved; it takes us away from actually caring for patients. It's also frustrating to watch patients suffer needlessly as one medication after another fails them. Patient safety is being compromised in the name of cost containment. Insurers are increasingly using step therapy in an attempt to control costs, but this process subverts the physician's judgment and discretion, ultimately placing patients at risk. Insurers must partner with medical providers to provide cost-effective care, not set up barriers and road blocks without oversight. The American Diabetes Association strongly supported HB3549, which passed the General Assembly with unanimous bipartisan support, as it will improve transparency and implement procedures for health plan development of medication step therapy requirements. It will also create a streamlined process for requesting and granting exceptions to those requirements, and takes a thoughtful approach to regulating step therapy protocols to ensure they are clinically sound; the exceptions process is consumer-friendly, which helps ensure a patient-centered approach to treating individuals with diabetes. Advertisement I thank our representatives in Springfield and the governor for their support of this legislation that gives patients better standing when step therapy requirements are imposed. Dr. Louis Philipson is an endocrinologist and the director of the Kovler Diabetes Center at the University of Chicago. He is also president of the American Diabetes Association's Chicago Community Leadership Board. Stephanie Penick, president of the Riverwalk Foundation, stands next to the more than 1,400 plastic ducks that were raced in the DuPage River Tuesday morning in celebration of the Naperville Riverwalk's 35th anniversary. (David Sharos / Naperville Sun) John Schmitt found something a little different do with his grandkids Tuesday morning he took them to the races. "I'm a big supporter of the Riverwalk and I was thinking the kids would really enjoy seeing the Duck Race," said Schmitt, a Naperville resident and former executive director of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. "We have numbers 485 through 508. I didn't memorize them they just showed me the list." Advertisement Schmitt and his grandchildren were among the dozens who gathered along the DuPage River to cheer on their plastic duck entries as they raced from the Riverwalk foot bridge near the former Netzley House and Eagle Street. Ducks cost $5 each less if purchased in groups of five, 25 or 100 with all proceeds going to the Riverwalk in commemoration of its 35th anniversary. Stephanie Penick, president of the Riverwalk Foundation, said they sold 1,445 ducks and put them through a test run Tuesday morning to make sure the wind and water current would ensure the race could go off without a snag. Advertisement "We found that the race actually lasted less than 10 minutes and people better watch closely as the ducks will be gone soon," Penick said. "We were prepared to have as many as 2,000 ducks 'adopted' but in the end, this isn't about money. It's about creating awareness and getting younger people to appreciate the benefits of the Riverwalk and learning about the environment." Schmitt said having people "adopt" ducks was a clever move. Volunteers get ready to launch 1,445 plastic ducks into the DuPage River Tuesday in a Duck Race celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Naperville Riverwalk. (David Sharos / Naperville Sun) "There are a lot of ways to support the Riverwalk, but I think this method was a great idea," he said. "Everybody that purchased a ticket to adopt a duck now can feel a part of this." Colleen Troupis, of Naperville newcomer, said she bought a duck five-pack one for each member of her family. "We bought five ducks, including one for our dog," Troupis said. "We've only lived here for about a year, but I think this is really cool. When we first moved here we didn't know a lot about Naperville and I like that this is raising awareness. I talked with my kids all the way here about not feeding the ducks this reinforces that." With a blast of the classic horse race song, "Boots and Saddles," played by Pete Ellman, a Naperville Municipal Band member, volunteers raised the net filled with the ducks and launched them into the river right at 10 a.m. By 10:10 a.m., the three big money winners were known. Paula Crow will receive $1,981 for the year the Riverwalk opened Sherry Fust, $500, and Tami Kidd-Brown, $250. There were also 10 random ducks drawn that netted their adoptive "owners" $35 each. Naperville's Mary Ann Junkroski said she was one of the first to buy tickets. Advertisement "I was actually number two and three on the list of those who adopted a duck and I did it so quickly because I wanted my granddaughters to see this as well as wanting to support the Riverwalk," Junkroski said. Various organizations and businesses bought entries in the hope there might be a payoff for someone else. Cindy Frederickson, a convenience banker for First Community Bank in Naperville, said the bank planned to donated the money if any of their entries took first, second or third. Volunteers dressed in plastic duck floaties added to the fun surrounding the Duck Race, held Tuesday on a section of the DuPage River along the Naperville Riverwalk. (David Sharos / Naperville Sun) "If any of the ducks happen(ed) to win any of the prize money we (were) going to give it to one of the five or six charities we elected to sponsor," she said. Kara Chlebek, of Naperville, said she'd plan to do the same, with her winnings going to Naperville Responds for Our Veterans group, of which her mother is a board member. "I wanted to bring my kids to this anyway, as I think it's a great idea," she said. "I grew up in Naperville and enjoyed the Riverwalk for many years and now I get to see my kids enjoying it as well." Advertisement David Sharos is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun. Head brewer Jim Cozzens inspects a batch of beer at Oak Park Brewing Co., 155 S. Oak Park Ave. Oak Park Brewing Co. will be one of 80 breweries represented at the 9th annual Micro Brew and Food Review Aug. 20. (Steve Schering / Pioneer Press) Jim Cozzens remembers when the plans he and his business partners had envisioned for Oak Park first started brewing. Cozzens, the head brewer at Oak Park Brewing Company, 155 S. Oak Park Ave., has attended the Oak Park Micro Brew and Food Review with brothers Brandon and Ashley Wright for several years, and the fest provided just the motivation to expand their business. The trio were already running Hamburger Mary's in Andersonville but saw an opportunity in the Chicago suburb. Advertisement "We were talking to each other and asking why is there no brewery or brewpub in Oak Park," Cozzens said. "There is a demand for it with this great festival. After coming to this festival, we became very familiar with the town." Now in its ninth year, the Oak Park Micro Brew and Food Review will take place Aug. 20 in downtown Oak Park. Taking place on Marion Street between Lake and Pleasant streets, the Review will feature approximately 80 local breweries, including some now located in Oak Park. Advertisement "We participated as Oak Park Brewing Company and Andersonville Brewing Company in the past, but this year the beer we brew will all be brewed here in Oak Park," Cozzens said. The rise of such a festival in Oak Park came after a long period during which the sale of alcohol was not allowed in the village. Though Oak Park has loosened its restrictions on alcohol in recent years, it remains a heavily regulated part of the village code. According to the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest, Illinois legislator Henry Austin Sr. helped create and pass the Illinois Temperance Act in 1872, which banned the sale of alcohol in Oak Park. The village stayed "dry" for more than a century, until 1973, when the village passed an ordinance allowing alcohol to be served only in restaurants and hotels, and by caterers. Village Attorney Paul Stephanides said the first village liquor license appears to have been granted to Ascension Church in 1973, while the village awarded its first restaurant liquor license to La Majada in 1978. Stephanides said taverns remain a prohibited use, but establishments such as Kinslahger are allowed to operate tasting rooms. In 2011, the village changed its liquor law to accommodate drinking at brunch, and in 2014 discussions began on whether to allow bars in town. "It's been incremental," Stephanides said of recent changes to Oak Park's liquor laws. "It's been odds and ends added quite often. We classify the uses very strictly." Bartender Alyssa Nelson serves guests at Oak Park Brewing Co. at 155 S. Oak Park Ave. The brewery will be one of 80 represented at the 9th annual Oak Park Micro Brew and Food Review Aug. 20. (Steve Schering / Pioneer Press) Among the beers Oak Park Brewing plans to bring include its signature Frank Lloyd Rye, as well as a few surprises. Advertisement "We're going to announce our Oktoberfest party at the Review," Cozzens said. "We're changing seasons right now, so we're about to get into an exciting part of the beer season." Oak Park's first brewery, Kinslahger, is located on the Oak Park-Berwyn border at 6806 Roosevelt Road. The taproom will also have a presence at the festival, and it has its own local story to tell. Founders Steve Loranz, Keith Huizinga and Neal Armstrong met as members of the Oak Park Homebrewers Club, which led to Kinslahger's founding. The trio's beers are now available at several area bars and shops. "The first Review was not huge, and it had maybe a handful of breweries and maybe a couple hundred beer enthusiasts," Loranz said. "A lot of the breweries brought something special that wasn't the normal stuff you could buy from them. It became a place where you can talk about brewing and socialize." Among Kinslahger's top beers include its Prohibition Pilsner and the Chicago Common. Crowds packed the 2015 Oak Park Micro Brew and Food Review on Marion Street in downtown Oak Park. The festival, now in its ninth year, will take place Aug. 20. (Kevin Tanaka / Pioneer Press) "It's going to be a really unique opportunity for people to come taste our beers," Huizinga said. "The Review is unique in that it's not a closed-off space for people attending. It's open to the public. Anybody can walk up and down Marion Street. You just have a mingling of normal shoppers with people at the festival. It's very family friendly and unique." Advertisement A third brewery, Lake Barrington-based Wild Onion Brewery, is seeking to open at 1111 South Blvd. later this year, while another Oak Park brewpub is proposed for 1 Lake Street on Chicago's border. Produced by Oak Park-based Seven Generations Ahead, the Review is a zero waste festival, which means nothing from the event is sent to a landfill. "Their mission aligns with things that are important to us, both as individuals and as a business," Huizinga said. "The sustainability of resources is something that's important to all of us." The Review will be open from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and attendees are encouraged to purchase tickets ahead of time. General admission tickets are available for $55 in advance, and a limited number of tickets will be available at the front gate. Tickets are available online at the Seven Generations Ahead website at www.sevengenerationsahead.org. sschering@pioneerlocal.com Advertisement Twitter: @steveschering "Vsade dobre, doma najepsie." (There's no place like home.) Advertisement - Slovakian proverb John Hmurovic has hung his hat in many places, including Poland, Ireland and The Netherlands. About three years ago, he returned home to the Robertsdale neighborhood of Hammond where he grew up so he can be near and assist his mother and uncle who are in the twilight of their lives. Advertisement In retirement, Hmurovic, 63, volunteers at Indiana University Northwest's Calumet Regional Archives and helps out at the Whiting-Robertsdale Historical Museum. He also co-produced the documentary film "One Minute After Sunrise" which is about the explosion at Standard Oil that occurred more than 60 years ago. He is currently writing a book that will serve as a companion with the film. Our interview took place at scenic and immaculately kept Whihala Park in Whiting. ** "My father came to the Robertsdale-Whiting area with his parents from Slovakia when he was 2," Hmurovic began. "My mother is Croatian. Her family settled in the Indiana Harbor community of East Chicago. So, it was a mixed marriage." Did your paternal grandfather get a job in the mills? "No, he got a job at the refinery. My maternal grandfather had a little grocery store in the Harbor on Pennsylvania Avenue." What was the name of the store? "Probably 'Lovrinich's', his last name. The Great Depression put him out of business. He'd put the cost of his customers' groceries on a tab, but they couldn't pay him back because they'd lost their jobs. He eventually got a job in the mills until he retired." Advertisement Your father? "After serving in World War II, he got a job at Standard Oil like his father before him. It was a steady job that paid well." Education? "I would've gone to high school at Clark. Being from Robertsdale, we were technically part of Hammond but we had Whiting mailing addresses. When asked, we'll tell people we're from Whiting. Socially, culturally, economically, the two areas (Robertsdale and Whiting) are really intertwined." I would've gone to Clark? "By the age of 13, I decided I wanted to be a priest. So, I went to a seminary for four years in Canton, Ohio. At the end of the four years, there was a mutual agreement that I probably wouldn't be a good priest." Advertisement Life after the seminary? "I earned a degree in journalism at Indiana University, Bloomington. Then, I worked in radio for a while and also was the editor of a weekly newspaper. Then, I got into television where I spent most of my working life as a reporter, producer and a TV news director." Interesting. Tell me about your documentary. "It's called 'One Minute After Sunrise' because that's when the explosion actually happened on Aug. 27, 1955. There were basically four of us from the historical society who worked on it. We also had a guy edit the film, so he was the fifth. "What we did was actually what you're doing, in a sense; we went out and got oral histories. We interviewed about 27 people on video. We got about 40 more who didn't want to be on camera but were willing to talk to us. We transcribed what they had to say." When was the film completed? Advertisement "It premiered Aug. 27, 2015 the 60th anniversary. We showed it at the Whiting High School auditorium. We felt we'd be lucky to fill up the first four rows with people." And? "The place was standing room only. We had to turn people away." The length of your film? "Just a little over 30 minutes. I was the only one who had any experience. We had an old video camera. It was basically a zero budget operation." That's tough, but at least the film got made. Advertisement "The Indiana Historical Society actually presented us with an award for the Best Project for a Local Historical Society in the state of Indiana." Tell me about that fateful day in August of '55. "The hydroformer, which was the device that blew up, shattered into pieces. We're not talking something small here. At one time, it was the largest structure in Whiting-Roberstdale. It was made out of steel that was two inches thick. Pieces flew all over the neighborhood. "They always say that two people were killed. One guy died who worked at Standard Oil, but was off the clock at the time. He ran from home, got to the scene, and had a fatal heart attack right there. The other fatality was a more spectacular tragedy. Two brothers were sleeping in their home across the street from the explosion. A large chunk of steel went through the roof of the house and killed the one boy who was two years old. His brother, who was 8, lost his leg." Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 13 An explosion at the Standard Oil Co. refinery in Whiting on Aug. 27, 1955, as seen looking north on Berry Avenue from 129th Street. A hydroformer, a 26 stories-high tank used to covert low-octane gasoline to high-octane gas, exploded at the oil refinery. A dark mushroom cloud, 8,000 feet high and visible for 30 miles, obscured the sun, effectively turning day into night. (John Austad / Chicago Tribune) Horrific. With that said, it's miraculous that there wasn't much more loss of life. "The explosion made national and even international news for several days. The fire burned for eight days." Advertisement There had to have been a midnight crew working at Standard Oil when the explosion occurred. "Yes, there were 13 men working on the hydroformer when it blew up." How in the world did they survive? "It blew straight up like a rocket rather than a sideways explosion. All those hot pieces of metal hit those huge oil storage tanks you see when you drive down the (Indianapolis) Boulevard. The storage tanks also blew up. "We talked to a guy who was a newspaper boy at the time. He said that metal was falling down all around him. It's like when people are asked, if old enough: 'Where were you when Pearl Harbor was attacked?' or 'Where were you when President Kennedy was assassinated?' or, if you're younger, 'Where were you when 9-11 happened?' For anyone who lived in Whiting or Robertsdale or even East Chicago at the time, it's: 'Where were you when the Whiting refinery explosion happened?' It's the type of thing that is seared in people's memories. "There's one story where Gerald Ford, who later became president, was staying at his family cabin in Michigan. The Fords thought it was an earthquake. There were windows broken in East Chicago. There was a guy living in Dyer who thought somebody hit the side of his house with a car because the house shook so much when it happened." Advertisement Final thoughts about growing up in Robertsdale? "Things were so much simpler during the '50s. Back then, there were all these old Slovak people who still had the accents and their European culture. We had to go to church every day at Catholic school. Right before the Mass for the students was the Mass for the Slovak women. They would be praying the rosary in Slovak. I can still hear the sound of their chanting echoing in that big church. I miss that." ** With great anticipation, I await the availability of John Hmurovic's book set in the 1950s Robertsdale-Whiting community. As for the film? It's a historical gem. Jeff Manes is a freelance columnist for the Post-Tribune. jeffmanes@sbcglobal.net The state's Alcohol and Tobacco Commission on Tuesday gave the go-ahead for a liquor permit for Indiana Dunes State Park, paving the way for Pavilion Partners to move forward with its plans for a fine dining restaurant at the now-shuttered pavilion. Eight other state parks received liquor permits as well, as allowed under House Enrolled Act 1386, a state law that passed earlier this year and allows the Indiana Department of Natural Resources to apply for liquor permits for its state parks. Advertisement The bill passed after Pavilion Partners, which has a long-term lease with the DNR for $18,000 a year to renovate the pavilion and build an adjacent, 17,000-square-foot banquet center, lost its bid for a liquor license for the pavilion before both the Porter County and state liquor boards. Pavilion Partners filed an appeal with the ATC in October over its denial of a permit. Advertisement "The approval of the application for Dunes State park makes the issue in the appeal moot so they will withdraw the appeal," said David Cook, the ATC's chairman. Under the terms of the new state law, the DNR's application for liquor licenses for its parks does not undergo review by local liquor boards or have public input at either the local or state levels. "These eight parks around Indiana will now join countless other state and national parks in allowing for the responsible consumption of alcohol in designated areas," a Pavilion Partners spokesman said. "Like many Northwest Indiana residents, we are happy that includes the Indiana Dunes State Park. Because the park now has a license, our request for a license is moot. We plan to formally withdraw that request next month." The ATC did, however, accept into the record a statement from Norman Hellmers of Valparaiso, a member of Dunes Action. Dunes Action has been a vocal opponent of selling alcohol at the pavilion and of building the banquet center. Members of Dunes Action and some local legislators have called the state law a "work around" that allowed Pavilion Partners to proceed with a liquor permit after being shut down at the local and state level. "Because of the partisan actions of the DNR, the sacred rights of all Hoosiers have been diminished. The changes to the Indiana Code were forced through the General Assembly to satisfy personal needs unrelated to what is best for the citizens of the State," Hellmers wrote in a letter that questioned a number of aspects of the DNR's application for Dunes State Park. The DNR properly filled out the permits for all nine parks, Cook said, so all of them were granted. The permit application for Dunes State Park was completed by Karen Hinton, the DNR's director of its division of state park inns and concessions. Pavilion Partners had the pavilion, built around 1930, gutted last year. Work has stopped pending approval of the project by the National Park Service, required because the state park has received grant money through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund Act. Advertisement The permit for Dunes State Park will remain in escrow until it is needed, said Dan Bortner, director of the division of parks and reservoirs for the DNR, has said the permit for Dunes State Park. He has anticipated the pavilion will be open in 2017, and the banquet center would be complete in 2018. "It would not be unusual to put (a liquor permit) in escrow until the building is done," Cook said. Indiana Dunes State Park is the only park in the state system with an outright ban on alcohol, which DNR Director Cameron Clark has said was put into place in 1990 because rival gangs from Chicago were coming to the beach to drink and fight. DNR officials have been adamant that even with a liquor permit, alcohol would not be allowed on the beach or anywhere at the park but the pavilion, 100 feet from the pavilion, and 100 feet from its parking lot, as allowed under state statute. Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. Patty Jordan, left, and Pat Atherton, prepare lunch items Wednesday, the first day of school, for students at Valparaiso High School. (Amy Lavalley / Post-Tribune) Behind the scenes at Valparaiso High School's cafeteria on Wednesday, the first day of school, things were hustling. Food service workers made fresh pizza on a new conveyor oven and wrapped still-hot chicken sandwiches in red and white paper. A salad bar offered crisp romaine lettuce, an assortment of other vegetables, and other produce. Advertisement "Look at this," said Kathy Kane, director of food and nutrition services for the Valparaiso Community School Corp., pointing at one of the metal bins on the salad bar. "That's homemade pico (de gallo)." The food service provides breakfast and lunch to 7,000 students in the Valparaiso schools, including more than 2,100 at the high school alone, as well as another 2,000 or students at St. Paul Catholic School and other schools in the community. Advertisement "It's a big business. We're doing about a million meals a year," Kane said during a brief lull between lunches, when she noted that the high school cafeteria's cashiers cashed out 627 meals in the first lunch period in 14 minutes. The food staff gave up part of their summer to undergo culinary and food service training, Kane said, and the food service juggles offering things kids will eat with food guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not to mention low-sodium, gluten-free and vegetarian menu options. The premium lunch available in the "Viking Crave" line at the high school on Wednesday was a chicken pesto sub sandwich on freshly baked bread with a portion-controlled serving of baked French fries. Other options for students included Sriracha chicken tenders, scratch-made lasagna and veggie wraps, hardly the mystery meat of school lunch lore. "That's a challenge for us, trending and appealing to kids and keeping up with nutritional standards," Kane said, before pointing to a refrigerator loaded with yogurt parfaits, spicy Southwest salads, and a la carte beverages that included fruit juice, vitamin water and caffeine-free sodas. Kane is in her third year as Valparaiso's food services director, after spending 10 years in that role in Michigan City and another 12 years in a similar position in Michigan. The food service is self-funded, including paying its own utilities, and receives more federal reimbursement for free and reduced lunches than it does for fully paid meals, Kane said, making budgeting a challenge. Between following regulations for the state health department, the Indiana Department of Education and the USDA, "It's the most heavily regulated part of school," she said. She also fights the misconception that all of the food is cooked at the high school and delivered to the rest of the schools, when food is prepared at each school, something that will be easier once renovations are complete at all of the elementary schools and they have more room in their kitchens. Advertisement Food service has between 60 and 70 full-time and substitute employees, including Patty Jordan, the production lead. Jordan, of Valparaiso, started working full-time for food service 18 years ago when her kids, now 23 and 27, were in school because the hours were perfect for her kids. Her goal is "to get the best quality out we can so our kids are happy," she said, adding the start of the school year is always a challenge as she handles training new employees, new menu items and ever-changing guidelines. She stuck with the job long after her own kids were out of school because she likes the job, loves working with her co-workers, and loves making the kids happy. "It's just one of those things. When you know it's the right thing for you, it's the right thing for you," she said. Amy Lavalley is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. A truck from an EPA contractor sits outside of an apartment being cleaned in the Calumet West Housing Development. (Jim Karczewski / Post-Tribune) The first vouchers for residents living in the lead-contaminated West Calumet Housing Complex in East Chicago will be distributed Thursday, officials said. East Chicago City Attorney Carla Morgan said the city received notification from the Department of Housing and Urban Development that at least 50 residents are expected to receive tenant protection vouchers Thursday. HUD is processing residents in groups of 50, she said. Advertisement The vouchers provide access to Section 8 housing and can be used anywhere in the country. Morgan said officials are still working on securing moving assistance for residents. She said the Northern Indiana Public Service Co. has agreed to waive the deposit for new service for residents who relocate from West Calumet to another residence within its service area. Meanwhile interior cleanup of the units within the complex is underway. In July, the EPA announced cleanup efforts at West Calumet, which is part of the $26 million U.S.S. Lead Superfund site. Mayor Anthony Copeland soon thereafter advised residents to relocate after lead levels in the residents' homes began coming back at least 10 times higher than the acceptable level. HUD agreed to emergency assistance that will allow residents to move. Advertisement As residents wait to relocate, four teams are working to clean the interior of units including washing walls and floors, cleaning furniture, fixtures and toys. Workers also are cleaning ventilation systems and replacing filters, said Brad Benning, onsite coordinator for EPA Region 5 Chicago. Once a fifth team is added, workers will be able to clean the interiors of 14 units a week. It takes between two and three days to clean each unit, he said. Benning said it will take 24 to 25 weeks to clean all of the units if necessary. The agency sampled the interiors of 52 or 53 units out of the 346 in the complex and about 65 percent of those tested above the acceptable screening level for lead, EPA officials said. Due to the high number of positive results, residents no longer have to submit to interior testing to have their units cleaned. Benning said residents can still request to have their unit tested prior to cleaning, but it is not a requirement. Residents with questions can go to the EPA trailer at McCook Avenue and 149th Street and speak to an EPA representative. "We are getting a pretty good response," he said. It is likely some residents will relocate before their units are cleaned. Benning said residents who do have plans to move can contact the agency to have their furniture cleaned before they move. Benning said efforts to quickly remediate the lead found in the soil and plan for future cleanup changed once HUD stepped in and agreed to relocate residents and tear down the complex. Further testing has found lead levels increase as the soil gets deeper. The units with the worst contamination appear to be built on the footprint of the Anaconda Lead factory on top of potential waste and debris that has not been capped. "The deeper you go, the worse (the lead level) gets," Benning said. The agency will have to reconsider how to remediate the site, possibly including some kind of cap to prevent movement and to provide notice to anyone who digs in the future lead is under the cap. Advertisement Morgan said the city in the past had received reports from utility workers in the area that they were finding debris when digging. The city received notice the EPA will be discarding the remediation plan outlined in the 2014 consent decree and starting over. She said the process will include new public hearings. Across the street from the West Calumet EPA site, amped up testing work by the EPA in Zone 2 of the Superfund site is underway. Benning said the testing results in West Calumet, which is Zone 1, have prompted the agency to increase testing in Zone 2. There are between 300 and 500 houses in Zone 2. Carrie Napoleon is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune. During March, New Trier Township handled more appeals of property assessments than in 2014 and 2015 combined, Assessor Jan Churchwell, shown here, said. (Phil Rockrohr / Pioneer Press) A single empty nester on the verge of retirement, Lois Cross, now 70, said she was startled when the assessed value of her Northfield home jumped 52 percent, from $21,243 to $32,222, in March. Like the owners of more than 12,000 other residential parcels in New Trier Township this year, Cross, who retired earlier this summer after 16 years as the township's deputy assessor, appealed her assessment to the Cook County Assessor's Office. Advertisement The county granted her a 12 percent reduction to $28,235, which means her property values still climbed 32 percent since her last reassessment three years earlier. "It's still up there," Cross said. "In my neighborhood, I think values have jumped. It's interesting. The house right across the street from me sold for 300-(thousand)-something." Advertisement Given that assessments represent 10 percent of a property's estimated market value, Cross' home should sell for $282,350. Sales numbers even higher than that were not surprising in her New Trier neighborhood before the housing market collapsed, she said. In Cook County, a property tax bill is based on the levies of local taxing bodies, a parcel's assessed value, the state equalization factor, and the local tax rate, Clerk David Orr said in a prepared statement. Tax rates are determined by dividing the amount of money each taxing body, such as schools and municipalities, requests in their levies by the total taxable value of property within each district, Orr said. As a result, if property values drop, tax rates typically rise, Cross said. "We've gotten so used to values falling and not realizing tax rates were climbing," she said. "So with property values increasing, we should see tax rates falling again. It's like a pendulum is swinging." Nonetheless, the shock of rising property values spread like wildfire through New Trier Township, and attorneys began "blitzing" property owners with offers to help them appeal, Cross said. Cross and township staff handled more than 1,000 visits or phone calls during the 30-day period the county assessor allows for appeals, she said. New Trier and the other townships in Cook County share software that allows taxpayers to appeal directly through each township, Cross said. The median assessed value of homes in New Trier Township increased to $82,052 in 2016, from $65,083 in 2013 -- an increase of 25 percent, according to Tom Shaer, spokesman for the Cook County Assessor's Office. Advertisement In New Trier alone, the Assessor's Office received 9,680 appeals on 12,182 residential parcels, including condominiums, garages and parking spaces, with multiple assessments sometimes challenged in the same appeal docket, Shaer said. Of the 9,680 single or combined appeals, 6,024, or 62.4 percent, received reductions, he said. On the 12,182 parcels overall, 6,825, or 56 percent, received reductions, Shaer said. The assessments may seem so high to property owners because property in Cook County is reassessed only every three years, he said. Most of the parcels reassessed during the last three years were most recently assessed between 2008 and 2011, at the lowest levels in the historical housing market collapse, Shaer said. The increases are a sign that after a wide decline and prolonged stagnation, the real estate market in Cook County is regaining much of its strength, Shaer said. "The good news for a property owner is that your home is worth more. The bad news is that your home is worth more," he said. "In other words, increased market value logically requires an increase in assessed value." Not only have assessments increased, but the actual median sale price for single-family homes and other non-condo residential properties in New Trier Township increased to $837,500 in 2015 from $670,000 in 2013, Shaer said. Advertisement During March, New Trier Township received more appeals than in 2014 and 2015 combined, Assessor Jan Churchwell said. The assessments in question were generated by data provided to the county, Churchwell said. "They don't make up the numbers. They put data in the computer and that's what comes out," she said. "What it's saying is that the market is recovering. Whether that is happening depends on who you talk to. People who can't sell their homes disagree." So many people appealed because of the size of the increases and because a growing number of homeowners are becoming aware that they can take the matter into their own hands, Churchwell said. "Nobody takes better care of your money than you do," she said. "Every time you're reassessed, it might go up a little. That's fine. All of a sudden you get a 50 percent increase and you're like, 'What's this about? Nothing changed. How'd this happen?'" For some New Trier homeowners, assessments more than doubled, Churchwell said. "There was sticker shock. There were some massive increases," she said. "It's hard to take. Whether it was appropriate or not, nobody would expect to see this. People were just blinking and going, 'How can this be?'" Advertisement Although the increases may have triggered dramatic responses, the County Assessor's Office simply used the required data to determine market value, including sale prices in each area, the location of each home, square footage of living space and other factors, Shaer said. "Emotion plays no role," he said. "Emotion is a natural element in most taxpayer reaction. It is natural for homeowners to want their homes valued as low as possible for taxation but as high as possible for selling." For those property owners who were not satisfied with the assessor's decision regarding their appeals, one last avenue of recourse remains: the Cook County Board of Review. On Aug. 1, the board opened its review process in New Trier Township, and will give property owners until Aug. 30 to file an appeal of the assessor's decision on their reassessments. Cross chose to appeal the assessor's reduction of her reassessment, but said she is not confident she will succeed. "I had a hard time finding any property that was (valued) much lower than mine," she said. "But it doesn't hurt to try." Advertisement Phil Rockrohr is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press. Progresses in the Belt and Road Initiative and China's urbanization drive are among the bright spots in the country's efforts to fulfill targets in its development plan. Capacity, infrastructure and education cooperation with countries under the Belt and Road Initiative have made substantial progress, said Zhao Chenxin, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) at a news briefing. ADVANCES IN BELT AND ROAD The total value of bilateral industrial cooperation has exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars under the framework. So far, Chinese companies have built 46 cooperation zones in countries along the routes, while China's Ministry of Education has inked over 60 deals with those countries. In 2015, nearly half of the international students in China came from countries along the routes, Zhao said. Nearly 400,000 foreign students from 202 countries and regions came to study in China in 2015, data showed. Meanwhile, China has built railways, highways and ports along the routes while signing MOUs with its neighbors and partners. Launched in late 2013, the initiative is an umbrella term for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. It will be a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes. PROGRESS ON URBANIZATION GOALS China has also made significant progress in shanty-town renovation and building affordable housing and public transportation, the spokesperson said at the same briefing. As of the end of June, the country had met 66.9 percent of its annual shanty-town renovation target, 8.2 percentage points higher than the same period last year. As for urban affordable housing projects, 97.9 percent of the annual target had been reached as of the end of June, Zhao said. In the first half of 2016, city and inter-city railway networks grew rapidly. Rail transit in 25 cities reached a length of more than 3,300 kilometers, and another 3,800 km was under construction in 37 cities. The intercity traffic network hit 1,250 km. Governments of all provincial regions have released their reform plans on the household registration system. The central government is supporting 37 towns to innovate infrastructure investment financing and help medium and small cities and towns to improve infrastructure weak points in water, heat and gas supply as well as sewage and garbage treatment. Zhao also said that China will strive to foster new pillars of economic growth and deepen international cooperation in its urbanization drive. CHALLENGING CAPACITY CUTS AHEAD However, overcapacity reduction casts a shadow over the Chinese economy. China still faces daunting challenges in reducing capacity for the rest of 2016, despite an acceleration in July, according to Zhao. By the end of July, capacity reduction in China's steel sector totaled just 21 million tonnes, or 47 percent of the annual target, Zhao said. This marked substantial progress, as China had only completed about 30 percent of planned cuts for the year by the end of June, but it is still far from the target. To fulfil the annual target, local governments were urged to be more resolute in cutting capacity and introducing measures such as accountability systems, public exposure and blacklisting, according to Zhao. China had reached 38 percent of annual coal capacity reduction targets as of the end of July, Zhao added. Zhao attributed the default largely to a spike in steel and coal prices this year and local governments' reluctance to cut capacity in order to protect jobs and local economies. Despite the default, Zhao said China's overcapacity cutting efforts will not drag on the country's growth or harm the world economy. Overcapacity is a global problem resulting from the 2008 financial crisis and occurs in many industries such as crude oil, iron ore and auto making, causing shale oil and gas stockpiles in the United States and iron ore overproduction in Australia, Zhao said when responding to concerns raised by a Reuters correspondent. Even in the steel sector, overcapacity is not just a "China problem." "Many countries are confronting the problem. It is a global issue," he said. In 2014, China's rate of capacity utilization of crude steel was about the same as the world's average of 73.4 percent. Moreover, China's iron and steel products are mainly for the domestic market to support the country's urbanization, manufacturing and infrastructure development. You are here: Home Earnings of Chinese online video website LeTV soared in 2015 thanks to brisk sales of its smart TV products, a preliminary earnings estimate showed on Sunday. [Xinhua] Chinese internet major LeEco Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday it aims to build an open closed-loop ecosystem for its large-screen television and provide various value-added services for users. "Our ecological TV is not just a TV set, but an ecosystem based on vertically integrated industrial chain and cross-border industrial value chain," said Liang Jun, president of Letv Zhixin Electronic Technology (Tianjin) Co Ltd, LeEco's subsidiary. Different from traditional TV manufacturers, LeEco offers personalized service for different families. The users can not only watch TV programs, but also watch movies, play games and go shopping through TV. Zhang Minhui, LeEco's president of marketing, said the era of users has arrived and the company will focus on users' experience, making the large-screen TV become a linkage between the brand and the users' feeling. Statistics from market research company Nielsen-CCData showed the 94 percent of LeEco's TV users' age is between 20 to 45, 86 percent of the users come from two-member and above families and 58 percent of the users' salaries are over 10,000 yuan per month. Last month, LeEco spent $2 billion on acquiring VizioInc, a major US television manufacturer. This move is expected to give LeEco about 20 million large-screen users. It also launched a camera which combines gesture recognition, 3D somatosensory recognition and video call, priced at 899 yuan. It will be sold next Monday. The number of wealthy Chinese with a net worth of 100 million yuan (US$16 million) or more maintained double-digit growth. [File photo] The number of wealthy Chinese with a net worth of 100 million yuan (US$16 million) or more maintained double-digit growth, and healthcare now tops their biggest concern, according to the Hurun Report. Despite a slowdown in the economy, surging home prices in first-tier cities drove 10.7 percent growth in the number of Chinese high net worth individuals (HNWI). There are now about 89,000 ultra-rich worth 100 million yuan or more in the country, about 11,000 more than last year, a growth rate of 14.1 percent. The Southern province of Guangdong overtook Beijing for the first time as home to the biggest number of wealthy individuals, with 240,000 who have 10 million yuan or more, a growth rate of 17.65 percent. Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai and Zhejiang had a total of 843,000 individuals with 10 million yuan or more, accounting for 63 percent in the nation. Bank deposits, property and insurance remain the three main avenues for financial investment. In comparison with last year, the main topic of concern for Chinese HNWIs was healthcare, followed by financial investment and sports. In the report, 57 percent regarded retiring in their own home as a first choice, followed by senior living communities at 28 percent and community-supported retirement at 8 percent. One noticeable change was the falling number of respondents opting for home retirement and a rise in senior living communities. The report also showed that 95 percent of HNWI respondents owned commercial life insurance. The average annual premium paid was 37,000 yuan, suggesting that the total was 47 billion yuan. HNWIs buy commercial life insurance mainly because government social insurance that provides only basic coverage to the population as a whole has little relevance for them, according to the report. Ecns.cn contributed to the story. Nine cyber cafes have had their licenses revoked for serving minors, the Ministry of Culture said Tuesday. Since summer vacation started around late June, authorities have handled 2,540 cases of cyber cafes illegally serving minors, and ordered more than 290 Internet cafes to suspend operations until they correct their misdeeds, according to the ministry. Chinese regulations ban Internet cafes from serving minors. While urban cafes have mostly adhered to the ban, many in city outskirts and rural areas, where supervision is slack, have flouted the rules for profit. In July alone, authorities performed more than 150,000 inspections of cyber cafes, followed up on 1,132 tips and issued 2,520 orders for rectification, ministerial figures showed. You are here: Home A fire at a limestone mine in northwest China on Tuesday afternoon has killed 12 people, including three rescuers, local authorities said. The fire occurred at the limestone mine in Zhangye City in northwest China's Gansu Province at 4:15 p.m., trapping nine miners. Firefighters and a rescue team rushed to the scene after the fire occurred. The trapped were pulled out as of 4:06 a.m. Wednesday, and confirmed dead. Another three rescuers fainted during the operation and died despite treatment. The mine is operated by the Jiuquan Iron and Steel Group (JISCO). You are here: Home Child trafficker Huang Qingheng listens as her death sentence is approved in Fangchenggang City on Aug. 16. [Photo/gx.people.cn] A key member of a transnational child trafficking gang, Huang Qingheng, was executed in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region on Tuesday. Huang's execution was sanctioned by China's Supreme Court. Huang, whose nationality was not clear, claimed to be born in 1982 and lived in Vietnam. Huang and her gang were found guilty of trafficking more than 20 infants and children since 2010, according to court verdicts. The children were smuggled from Vietnam to be sold in China, mainly in Guangdong Province. In some cases, pregnant Vietnamese women were sent to China to sell their children after delivery. Eleven of the children were rescued by Chinese police, 10 of whom were Vietnamese and sent back to Vietnam. The rescued children were aged from 10 days to 7 months. There were 23 members in Huang's gang, which comprised both Chinese and Vietnamese nationals. Other members were given jail terms ranging from 22 months to life imprisonment. Huang was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People's Court of Fangchenggang City in Guangxi after being found guilty of child trafficking in a trial held in May 2014. She was also stripped of all her property. Huang appealed her case to a higher court. The higher people's court in the region dismissed her appeal in January 2015 and upheld the ruling made by the lower court before submitting Huang's death sentence to the Supreme Court for final approval. The sign of Ezubao [Photo/Xinhua] The Beijing Procuratorate is to hear the fraud case involving China's largest online peer-to-peer lending company, Ezubao. Eleven suspects, including Ding Ning, the board chairman of Yucheng Global, Ezubao's parent company, and its president Zhang Min, are accused of fraud in financing. Yucheng Global COO Wang Zhihuan and other 14 suspects are accused of illegal pooling of public deposits. Ezubao was found to have cheated about 900,000 investors out of more than 50 billion yuan (US$7.6 billion) during its 18-months in operation. It was shut down by police in December last year after conducting transactions involving 70 billion yuan. The police said most investment projects featured on the company website were fake. An executive from the parent company has admitted that it was nothing but a Ponzi scheme where operators pay returns to its investors from new capital paid to them by new investors, rather than from profit earned through legitimate sources. Yucheng Global board chairman Ding Ning explained that Ezubao invented projects to attract funds, paying commission to third parties to act as a fake operator, funds were then transferred from Ezubao via the operator to an enterprise associated with Yucheng Global. In all, about 800 million yuan of commissions were paid out. Police investigated 207 companies on Ezubao's books but only one turned out to have transacted business with Ezubao. Many companies had no idea they were being promoted on the platform. Ezubao promised investors returns of up to 14.6 percent a year, much higher than they could get at banks. In the event of the investment project turning sour, Ezubao promised to return the initial capital invested, with interest at the average bank rate. Most of the money went into the pockets of company executives. Zhang Min said about 80 company executives earned annual salaries above 1 million yuan. Zhang herself received a bonus of 550 million yuan cash, together with a villa, jewelry and cars. A large amount went on advertising and promoting the company. More than 2 million yuan earned via money laundering was handed over to police by a suspect at an underground bank in Guangzhou, Guangdong, in April last year. [Photo/Xinhua] Chinese police have solved 158 major cases involving underground banks and money laundering this year and apprehended 450 suspects, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said Tuesday. In a crackdown launched by the MPS, the People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, 192 locations where illegal banking services were provided have been discovered, involving nearly 200 billion yuan (US$30 billion), the MPS said. Crimes committed by underground banks are still rampant, although years of police efforts have managed to curb them to some extent, according to the MPS. Underground banks in different regions have increasingly colluded with one another, with crimes spreading to more places and committed in more covert ways. Underground banks have become channels for transferring illicit money obtained through all sorts of illegal activity, including public funds embezzled by corrupted officials, the MPS said. This year's crackdown has focused on cross-regional and cross-border underground banks, as well as those who transfer money gained from corruption and other crimes, according to the MPS. Flash China and ASEAN made several breakthroughs on the South China Sea issue on Tuesday, including vowing to finish a framework by the middle of next year for a code of conduct for the sea. Senior diplomats also approved a guideline for a China and ASEAN hotline for use during maritime emergencies and a joint declaration that the Conduct for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, which was signed by more than 20 Pacific nations in 2014, applies to the South China Sea. Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin co-chaired the 13th senior officials' meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. He told a joint news conference that documents about the hotline and the conduct for unplanned encounters will be presented to the meeting of leaders from China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, scheduled for early September, for final approval. "There is another achievement we reached broad consensus on pushing forward the negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea," Liu said. "All sides agreed to raise the frequency of the negotiations in a situation without interference, and seek to finish a draft framework of the COC by the middle of next year." The senior officials' meeting has been held twice a year since 2011, but this is the third meeting held this year. "We held the conference more frequently than in previous years," Liu told reporters after the meeting. "It shows that as the situation in the South China Sea is getting more and more complicated, especially with the interference of external forces, ASEAN countries and China have realized that we have to grasp the key to the South China Sea issue in our own hand." He said the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, signed in 2002, provides an effective platform for properly handling disputes through negotiation and cooperation. Jia Duqiang, a senior researcher in Southeast Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Tuesday's achievements are "an important step" in China's relations with ASEAN. "The frequent meetings between China and the ASEAN countries this year is a good thing it shows that we both have the willingness to keep the key in our hand," Jia said. Wang Xiaopeng, a researcher with CASS, said the ASEAN countries are willing to work with China, which has interests intertwined with those of its regional neighbors. Flash The Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday the Russian military notified the U.S.-led coalition currently fighting the Islamic State (IS) before Russian bombers carried out airstrikes in Syria from Iran. "The Russians did notify the coalition as per the memorandum of understanding (MOU) for safety of flight," said Pentagon spokesman Christopher Garver, referring to the U.S.-Russian MOU signed last October to avoid an inadvertent clash in Syrian airspace during their own airstrikes against terrorist targets there. "They (Russians) activated that system, as we have in the past. They informed us they were coming through and we ensured safety of flight as those bombers passed through the area and toward their target and then when they passed out again," Garver said at a press conference. While he insisted that U.S.-led coalition operations in either Iraq or Syria was not impacted during the time, Garver refused to comment on whether U.S. aircrafts had to be moved out of the path. "We knew in time when they activate the safety of flight memorandum of understanding instructions. It's not a lot of time, but it's enough, and it was enough time to make sure that we could ensure safety of flight," said Garver. Garver also declined to comment on whether the United States was aware of any major preparations on the Iranian base beforehand. The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday Russian bombers carried out airstrikes against IS and Nusra Front, the Syrian affiliate of al-Qaida group from an air base in Iran for the first time. The ministry said in a statement that five large warehouses with weapons, ammunition, fuel and lubricants, three command posts and several training camps were destroyed, and a large number of militants were also killed in the airstrikes. Flash Four terrorists belonging to the Islamic State (IS) were killed in clashes with Iranian security forces in the west of the country, Iran's Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said on Tuesday. One of the killed terrorists was the regional commander of the IS group, Alavi was quoted as saying by official IRNA news agency. "Carrying out terrorist operations in some religious and populated cities of the country were among the objectives of the busted group," Alavi said. Also, Asadollah Razani, the governor general of western Kermanshah province, said earlier on Tuesday that following the cooperated operations by the Iran's security forces in Kermanshah, a 10-member team of IS terrorists who intended to carry out terrorist acts inside the country was busted, according to state IRIB TV. In the operations, four of them were killed and six others were arrested, Razani said. Sizeable amount of ammunition, including the suicide vests and belts, grenades, and communication equipment were seized from them, Alavi said without detailing on the time of foiling the terror plot. On Aug. 3, Iran's Intelligence Ministry announced that it had dismantled a "terrorist" cell in the western province of Kurdistan suspected of attacks on security forces. The members of the "Tawhid and Jihad" group had killed 20 Iranian officials and people, injured 40 others and were involved in armed robbery during the past seven years, the ministry said in a statement. Moreover, Iran's Intelligence Ministry in a statement, issued on June 20, said that it had thwarted "one of the biggest terrorist plots" potentially targeting Tehran and other Iranian cities. It said investigations showed the IS was behind a foiled bombing plot and the plotters received 600,000 euros (667,500 U.S. dollars) from the IS. Flash The U.S. military had conducted 48 airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Libya since it launched its anti-IS campaign there on Aug. 1, U.S. Africa Command said on Tuesday. According to a press release, the U.S. campaign, named Operation Odyssey Lightning, destroyed one IS vehicle and four IS fighting positions during latest airstrikes on Monday, bringing the total number of U.S. airstrikes there to 48 since Aug. 1 when the United States started its anti-IS campaign there at the request of Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA). While U.S. military conducted air strikes against IS targets in Libya in the past, it was the first time the GNA had officially requested U.S. air strikes. Despite the expansion of IS' influence in Libya, the U.S. military had before Aug. 1 publicly admitted to only a couple of airstrikes against IS targets inside Libya, compared to its daily air raids against the group in Syria and Iraq, according to examinations of the Pentagon's previous statements. You are here: Home Flash Turkey submitted file to Greece Tuesday for extradition of eight soldiers who fled there by helicopter after the failed coup attempt, Daily Sabah reported. With a thorough shake-up of its armed forces, a reassessment of foreign policy and the biggest purge in its modern history, Turkey has undergone a transformation in the month since the July 15 coup bid. [Photo/Xinhua] The extradition goes in accordance with an extradition agreement between the two countries, and was sent from Turkish Justice Ministry to Greece authorities, according to the report. The eight military officers -- two commanders, four captains and two sergeants -- requested asylum in Greece after landing a Sikorsky military helicopter in Alexandroupoli of northern Greece four days after the coup attempt. A Greek court sentenced them to two months in jail for entering the country illegally. The asylum case threatens to strain ties between the uneasy NATO allies, with Ankara labeling the eight "terrorists," local Daily News reported. Flash Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Syria over the phone Tuesday evening, said the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The two diplomats discussed the situation in Aleppo, where the Syrian government forces are carrying out a large-scale humanitarian operation with Russian support, the ministry said in a statement. They discussed in detail preparations for implementing the agreement reached during Kerry's visit to Moscow on July 15 that called for coordinating efforts to combat terrorist groups in Syria and ensuring the cessation of hostilities, the statement added. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed Tuesday the deployment of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 strike fighters in Iran. Flying with a full bomb load from the Hamedan air base in Iran, the warplanes on Tuesday conducted a group air strike against targets of the Islamic State and Jabhat Fath al-Sham terrorists in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Dayr al-Zawr and Idlib, the Defense Ministry added. New buildings in Huaxian county, Henan province. Urbanization will play an active role in keeping the country's investment and rowth stable. Wang Zirui / For China Daily BEIJING - China has made significant progress in shanty-town renovation and building affordable housing and public transportation, an official said Tuesday. By the end of June, the country had met 66.9 percent of its annual shanty-town renovation target, 8.2 percentage points higher than the same period last year, said Zhao Chenxin, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) at a news briefing. As for urban affordable housing projects, 97.9 percent of the annual target had been reached as of the end of June, Zhao said. In the first half of 2016, city and inter-city railway networks grew rapidly. Rail transit in 25 cities reached a length of more than 3,300 kilometers, and another 3,800 km is under construction in 37 cities. The intercity traffic network has hit 1,250 km. Governments of all provinces and municipalities and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Group have released their reform plans on the household registration system. The central government is supporting 37 towns to innovate infrastructure investment financing and help medium and small cities and towns to improve infrastructure weak points in water, heat and gas supply as well as sewage and garbage treatment. Zhao also said that China will strive to foster new pillars of economic growth and deepen international cooperation in its urbanization drive. The State Council has given the green light to a long-awaited plan to connect a second mainland stock exchange with Hong Kong's. [Photo/VCG] Second 'stock connect' further opens mainland market, experts say The State Council has given the green light to a long-awaited plan to connect a second mainland stock exchange with Hong Kong's, further opening China's capital market. "Preparation for the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect has been completed and the State Council has approved the implementation plan for the program," Premier Li Keqiang said on Tuesday at a State Council executive meeting over which he presided. The move follows the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, adopted in 2014, which Li said has achieved the goals envisioned and earned positive feedback. The addition of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange is a major step toward opening up the two mainland markets, said financial service experts. The approval also shows the central government's support for Hong Kong's economy, said Liu Jipeng, senior researcher at the China University of Political Science and Law. China's top securities regulator said in a statement on Tuesday evening that the overall trading quota of 550 billion yuan ($83 billion) will be removed under both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock trading links with Hong Kong. The daily trading quota will remain, according to the regulator. Charles Li, chief executive of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd, said at a news conference that the move underscores regulators' confidence over the trading links, and the scrapping of the investment quota will help enlarge transaction volume. The connection of the three exchanges will help more domestic and international investors use the Hong Kong market and in turn help China's opening up of its whole capital market, said Li Quan, CEO of Guoking (HK) Securities and Futures. At the State Council meeting, Li said, "Initiating the Shenzhen-Hong Kong Stock Connect, based on the successful pilot program of the Shanghai-Hong Kong connect, marks another steady step toward building a law-regulated capital market with international features and renders positive significance in many areas." The premier also said the launch of the new connect would help investors to better share the fruits of economic development on the Chinese mainland. In Hong Kong, it will help deepen the financial cooperation between them and consolidate and boost Hong Kong's position as an international financial center, he said. The new connect is modeled after the Shanghai-Hong Kong connect by which mainland investors could buy Hong Kong stocks, and vice versa. Trade volume of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange reached 401 billion yuan on Tuesday, making the overall trade volume of the mainland's stock market more than 800 billion yuan. The connect is expected to be launched before late December, according to Charles Li of Hong Kong Exchange and Clearing. It will benefit Hong Kong's stocks, which are undervalued, compared with those in Shenzhen, said Dennis Huang, senior real estate and financial commentator in Hong Kong. Cai Xiao contributed to this story. A girl chooses diary products at a supermarket in Qingdao, East China's Shandong province, August 9, 2016. [Photo/VCG] BEIJING - Following eight years of tightened regulation and an industry overhaul, Chinese dairy products are emerging from the shadow cast by high-profile safety scandals, according to a report released Tuesday. The quality of domestic milk products has improved substantially, according to a report from the Dairy Association of China (DAC). It was the first DAC report released to the public. Official spot checks last year showed 99.5 percent of dairy products were up to standard and no illegal additives, such as melamine, had been detected for 7 consecutive years, the report said. Some major indicators, including nutrient content, exceeded the standards of the United States, Europe and Australia. "Domestic milk products appear to be one of the safest foods in China," Wang Jiaqi, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture and researcher with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said during a press conference for the report's release. China has been trying to regain the trust of the public, which had been bruised by scandals in recent years. In 2008, infant formula produced by Sanlu Group, a leading dairy company, was found to contain melamine, killing six babies and leaving thousands seriously ill. Since then, more cases have been discovered, prompting Chinese consumers to turn to overseas milk products. To revive the battered industry, Chinese authorities passed strict laws, tightened supervision, shut down unqualified dairy operations, encouraged industry consolidation, and increased policy support to improve milk quality. Thanks to those measures, quality has improved greatly and the industry has expanded. The country produced 38.7 million tonnes of milk products last year, or 4.8 percent of the world's total, ranking third after India and the United States, the report showed. Per capita consumption of dairy reached 36.1 kilograms, up 5.9 kilograms from 2008. Twenty major domestic dairy companies account for more than half of the total output and revenue of the whole industry. The global reputation of the Chinese dairy industry is also on the rise. Industry giants Yili Group and Mengniu Dairy squeezed onto a 2015 list of the world's top 20 dairy companies published by Dutch banking and finance group Rabobank. Junlebao's baby formula earned the top quality and safety certificate from BRC Global Standards last year, and Modern Farming has won gold awards two years in a row from the Brussels-based Monde Selection, which judges food quality. "China's dairy industry has seen dramatic changes," DAC vice president Gu Jicheng said. Gu believes there is still much room for improvement, but Chinese companies will hopefully be able to face their global rivals in another eight to ten years. CARACAS - China and Venezuela on Tuesday agreed to bolster cooperation on logistics and energy at the conclusion of the meeting of the 5th Technical Secretariat of the Venezuela-China High-Level Mixed Committee (CMAN). Venezuelan Minister for Planning and Knowledge Ricardo Menendez held the meeting with the Chinese delegation led by Wu Hongliang, secretary of the CMAN, and Zhao Bentang, Chinese ambassador to Venezuela. At the closing ceremony, Menendez said 5,000 vans and 1,900 heavy refrigerated trucks from China will be added to the distribution fleet under a state program to deal with the shortage of food and medicine supply. Menendez expressed gratitude to the Chinese side, saying Venezuela was deeply satisfied with the results of the meeting, which also discussed Venezuela's current pharmaceutical capacity. Wu said China is paying close attention to its cooperation with Venezuela and other Latin American countries. Venezuela and China are making efforts to transform their economies and boost growth, Wu said. "Through these talks, we have reached agreements and recognized the important role of CMAN," he said, adding the two sides will promote bilateral strategic partnership. The two-day meeting also served as a preparatory meeting for the 15th gathering of the Venezuela-China High-Level Mixed Committee scheduled for late 2016. BEIJING - The Chinese mainland's imports from Hong Kong reached $9.99 billion in the first half (H1) of 2016, up 130 percent year on year, the Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday. The mainland's exports to Hong Kong hit $132.7 billion, a decrease of 4.8 percent year on year, ministry figures show. Trade between the mainland and Hong Kong totaled $142.69 billion in the first six months, down 0.7 percent year on year. The figure accounted for 8.3 percent of the mainland's total overseas trade in H1. The mainland approved 6,333 Hong Kong-invested projects from January to June in 2016, with the actual use of Hong Kong capital reaching $42.55 billion, up 8.8 percent from the same period of last year. As of the end of June, 392,546 Hong Kong-invested projects had been approved by mainland authorities and the actual use of Hong Kong capital had totaled $875.87 billion. The mainland's non-financial outbound direct investment in Hong Kong hit $45.57 billion in the January-June period. Premier Li Keqiang called on Wednesday for top advisers to contribute thoughts and suggestions on how to improve the governments policymaking. During a ceremony, Li granted certificates to six new counselors of the Counselors Office of the State Council and to four newly recruited researchers at the China Central Institute for Culture and History. Both are think tanks of the central government. Li said he hoped counselors would closely follow Chinas social and economic development and conduct in-depth research on major issues, amid a sluggish world economy and the countrys efforts to restructure and cultivate new momentum for the economy. According to its website, the COSC was initiated in November 1949, two years before the institutes establishment. Now the two bodies are housed in the same building and under the leadership of the Party committee of the COSC. The office has established ties with 46 think tanks from 26 countries and regions. Before the accreditation ceremony, the office had 57 counselors and 34 research fellows, and the institute had 65 researchers, the COSC website said. Most of these advisers are members of eight democratic parties or have no party affiliation. Some of them are members of the Communist Party of China, ranging from experts and scholars to leading researchers with macro management expertise. At a meeting after the ceremony, the premier called on government departments to improve their work by absorbing research achievements and suggestions made by the advisers, who the premier said are knowledgeable and have broad vision. Development is the top priority for the government, which must be a key area for counselors and researchers, he said. China has shown steady performance in economic growth, with peoples livelihoods improved, but it still faces challenges, both domestically and from the international community, the premier said. Li said he hoped the advisers could strengthen research in key areas, such as how to balance the stabilization of economic growth with restructuring, promote supply-side economic reform and improve Chinas competitiveness through innovation. The premier said he expects research achievements from the advisers to be insightful, clearly targeted and applicable. Wang Huiyao, the director of the Center for China and Globalization who was accredited as a counselor in February last year, attended Wednesdays meeting. Last year, Wang and his organization made suggestions to the State Council on introducing overseas talent and received feedback from Vice-Premier Liu Yandong. Wang had also called for China to join the International Organization for Migration, which will happen soon. Wang was impressed that Premier Li emphasized the role of the Counselors Office as a think tank for top leaders and called on counselors to base their suggestions on close tracking of the prospects for Chinas economy and the worlds. The premier has his eye on trade liberalization and facilitation while the World Trade Organization is pessimistic about international trade, and this requires our suggestions, Wang said. President urges proactive role in implementing projects along routes to provide a 'sense of gain' China is willing to give other countries "a ride" as it renews ties, via the Belt and Road Initiative, with nations along the old Silk Road routes, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday. As the second-largest economy in the world, China should be "more proactive" in dealing with other countries, Xi told a meeting attended by government officials, entrepreneurs and scholars. The president encouraged Chinese companies to invest in countries along the routes of the Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. He also said China welcomes investment from those countries. According to Xi, more than 100 countries and global organizations have participated in China's Belt and Road Initiative, and more than 20 countries have worked with China in production capacity cooperation in such areas as railway construction and nuclear power. The president urged the implementation of Belt and Road projects to ensure that the countries involved have "a sense of gain". The export of China's production and construction capacity could support the Belt and Road countries to push forward industrialization and will help to stabilize the world economy, he said. The Silk Road Economic Belt is a land-based route from China through Central Asia and Russia to Europe. The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is a strategic route through the Strait of Malacca to India, the Middle East and East Africa. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by Xi in 2013, began to take shape in 2014 with a focus on infrastructure. Xi has made state visits to a number of countries, including the Czech Republic, Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan, along the Belt and Road routes this year. More than 30 countries and international organizations have signed agreements and memorandums of understanding with China on jointly implementing the Belt and Road strategy. As part of the Belt and Road projects, freight trains have made more than 2,000 trips from China to Europe and back on 39 rail lines, according to the Foreign Ministry. Wang Licheng, board chairman of Hangzhou-based Holley Group, said at the meeting that the Thai-Chinese Rayong Industrial Zone, jointly developed by Wang and his partners in Thailand, has created more than 20,000 jobs for people in Thailand's east coastal region. The company plans to build an occupational school near the industrial zone to train more skilled workers, a proposal that has been welcomed by Thai authorities, he said. The entrepreneur suggested that the construction of industrial parks abroad should be set as China's national strategy, with supportive policies established to encourage private companies to expand business overseas. Liu Weidong, director of the Belt and Road Strategy Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that through the Belt and Road strategy, China could allocate global resources and provide services for the whole world. Wang Yiwei, an expert on European studies with Renmin University of China in Beijing, said that through the Belt and Road projects, China could share its development experience with other countries as well as find new markets for its production capacity. Countries in the Central and Eastern Europe region are eager to develop ties with China to attract more Chinese investment, and President Xi's state visits to the CEE countries in March and June have brought results, he said. anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn The mega merger between the top two ride-hailing service providers in China came into focus on Wednesday after the country's antitrust watchdog said it had a right to investigate the deal. The Ministry of Commerce said at a news conference in Beijing that it was entitled to investigate whether the merger deal between Didi Chuxing and the China unit of the US-headquartered Uber Technologies Inc suggested a potential monopoly. "Based on the regulations in China, business operators need to file an application on their merger deal if their revenues reach a certain amount," said Shen Danyang, spokesman for the ministry. He did not say whether the authorities would mount an investigation, nor mention when a decision would be made. Shen said that even if companies' revenues didn't reach the threshold, the ministry was still entitled to conduct a probe if there was evidence suggesting a potential monopoly. The spokesman added that the ministry had not received an application from Didi or Uber on their merger deal. The statement is the government's latest response to the deal between Didi and Uber. Didi announced at the beginning of August its decision to acquire Uber's China operations, creating a ride-sharing titan estimated to take about 90 percent of the market. According to antitrust regulations in China, companies that plan to merge need to file an application to the authorities if their combined revenue exceeded 2 billion yuan ($302 million) in the previous year. Didi was not available to comment on Wednesday. But in early August, the Beijing-based company said in a statement that "neither Didi nor Uber China reached the revenue threshold to file the application". However, Dong Yizhi, a lawyer at Liaoning Yatai Law Firm in Dalian, Liaoning province, said that it was the government's right to step up and launch an investigation even if the revenue of Didi and Uber China was not high enough to file an application. Dong said that what was of interest was that the two companies were internet sector related. Zhong Nan contributed to this story. Since China took over G20 presidency on Dec 1, 2015, several Chinese cities have hosted various meetings including G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting before the Hangzhou Summit to be held in September. Let us have a look. Sanya Tourists take photos on Wuzhizhou island in Sanya, South China's Hainan province, Jan 21, 2015. [Photo/VCG] The first G20 Finance and Central Bank Deputies Meeting was held in the coastal city of Sanya, South China's Hainan province, on Dec 14 to 15, 2015. Lou Jiwei, finance minister of China, introduced the agenda, priorities and work program of G20 finance track in 2016 on the first high-level meeting since China took over the G20 Presidency on Dec 1 2015. The Tesla Model S involved in an accident in Beijing, August 2, 2016. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] Tesla removes 'self-driving' from China website after Beijing crash Tesla Motors Inc removed the term "self-driving" from its China website after a driver in Beijing who crashed in "autopilot" mode complained that the carmaker overplayed the function's capability and misled buyers. The Tesla driver crashed earlier this month while on a Beijing commuter highway after the car failed to avoid a vehicle parked on the left side but partially in the roadway, damaging both cars, but causing no injuries. It was the first known such crash in China, although it follows a fatal accident in Florida earlier this year that put pressure on auto executives and regulators to tighten rules for automated driving. A check of Tesla's Chinese website showed that the word "autopilot" had also been removed. But that term was subsequently reinstated on Monday. "At Tesla we are continuously making improvements, including to translations," a Tesla spokeswoman said in an e-mailed statement when asked about the removal of the terms "autopilot" and "self-driving". "We've been in the process of addressing any discrepancies across languages for many weeks. The timing had nothing to do with current events or articles." References to autopilot and the term zidong jiashi, which most literally translates as self-driving but also means autopilot, were taken off the webpage for the Model S sedan by late Sunday, according to a comparison with an archived version of the page. Both terms previously appeared several times on the site. Instead, a phrase that translates as "self-assisted driving" is used. Tesla China staff have additionally undergone training in response to the Aug 2 crash to re-emphasize that employees must always keep two hands on the wheel when demonstrating the autopilot function, according to a Tesla employee who was not authorized to speak to the media. Tesla said it downloaded data from the Beijing car and confirmed it was in autopilot mode at the time of the crash, although the driver was not detected to have his hands on the wheel. The spokeswoman for the US automaker issued a statement, saying that the system was not self-driving but merely assistive and that drivers were responsible for always maintaining control of the vehicle. Other Tesla drivers interviewed said China sales staff took their hands off the wheel while demonstrating the function. Under Chinese laws, drivers are required to keep two hands on the wheel at all times. The crash is another hiccup for Tesla in the Chinese auto market, the world's largest, after it initially struggled with distribution and charging issues. Various Chinese government ministries did not respond to requests for comment on the Tesla crash and self-driving policies. Reuters Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc, talks with Chinese fashion designer Guo Pei on August 15, 2016 in Beijing. TIM COOK'S WEIBO Move part of effort to regain market share lost to local rivals Apple Inc will set up a research and development center in China by the end of this yearits first independently-operated one in the Asia-Pacific regionas part of its efforts to regain market share it is losing to local rivals. Apple CEO Tim Cook said on Tuesday that the US tech giant would step up its investments in China and be an active part in promoting the country's smart manufacturing and Internet Plus strategy, which are designed to advance the use of the internet in traditional industries. Cook revealed the company's plan during a meeting with Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli. Cook's second visit to Beijing within three months highlighted the importance of the Chinese market where the tech giant is wrestling with declining iPhone sales. The company did not disclose the investment size for the new R&D center. "We look forward to expanding our operations in China with a new research and development center as we continue to grow our talented team here," Apple said in a written statement to China Daily. According to the company, the center will bring together its engineering and operations teams in China so as to develop advanced technologies and services for its customers in the country and around the world. "The new center is also aimed at strengthening relationships with local partners and universities as we work to support talent development across the country," the company said. Apple currently operates 42 retail stores around the Greater China region. As of last October, the company had 10,000 working directly for it in China. In a separate app developer event on Tuesday, Cook said his company would add more China-specific features to its mobile operating system, in a move to further differentiate its products. The move comes as smartphones increasingly look and work the same, and services and software become increasingly important to help companies differentiate their products and win brand loyalty. Currently, Apple's intelligent personal assistant Siri is learning ancient Chinese poems and when Chinese consumers speak some of their words, Siri will be able to recognize which poems they are from and tell users the names of the poets. During his latest visits to China, Cook had extensive meetings with local developers, highlighting his emphasis on offering better services. James Yan, research director at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, said: "Smartphone hardware is no longer Apple's edge, because local vendors such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd are catching up quickly, and even outdoing Apple in hardware components, such as having dual cameras on one smartphone," Yan said. In May, Cook said his company would speed up its efforts to let Chinese-developed mobile applications go global, as local developers raked in earnings exceeding $7 billion from the company's App Store. Cook's visit also came ahead of the company's new iPhone launch, which will take place in the fall and is widely seen as the key to helping Apple regain its crown in China. Jin Di, research manager at International Data Corp China, said during the visit Cook would probably discuss cooperation deals with retail partners, including telecom carriers. "While local vendors all saw year-on-year growth in China in the second quarter, Apple continued to decline in its shipment volumes," Jin said. Liu Zheng contributed to the story. The annual cyber security meeting named China Internet Security Conference (ISC) kicks off on August 16, 2016 at Beijing's China National Convention Center. [Liu Zheng/chinadaily.com.cn] Qihoo 360, one of China's leading internet security service providers, unveiled a free internet bug detector - "360 real-time global networks scanning and monitoring system" - on Tuesday at the 2016 China Internet Security Conference. The annual cyber security meeting was jointly organized by the Internet Society of China and Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Item from Aug 17, 1999, in China Daily: Relics from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), seized from grave robbers last weekend, are on display in Shaanxi province. ... Statistics show that the number of such cases plummeted from 1,651 in 1994 to 218 in 1998. However, police say tomb raiders are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Tomb raiding has long been a major hurdle in protecting the country's historic and cultural relics. A spate of recent arrests highlights the seriousness of the problem. In April, Yao Yuzhong, who was behind China's largest grave robbery since 1949, was sentenced to death. In all, 225 suspects were caught in the case, and more than 2,000 historical relics were retrieved. The past two decades have seen more than 200,000 ancient graves plundered, many of which housed the remains of successive generations of emperors, kings and feudal lords, according to archaeologists. Nationwide, the army of tomb raiders is estimated at 100,000. In addition to greed, a growing nationwide demand for antiques has also contributed to the phenomenon, experts said. Efforts to crack down on the crime have not been very successful because most tombs and ancient ruins are situated in the wild or remote areas, making surveillance very difficult. China launched the world's first quantum experiment satellite on Tuesday, taking a big step in building a space-based quantum communication network that would be virtually uncrackable. The 631-kg satellite, named after the ancient Chinese philosopher and scientist Micius, was lifted atop a Long March 2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province at 1:40 am. It will operate 500 kilometers above Earth for at least two years. It is the third of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' first space science satellites. Micius follows the Dark Matter Particle Explorer Satellite, which will help scientists deepen their understanding of the past and future of galaxies and the universe, and the Shijian 10, which carried out a series of experiments in microgravity in space, according to scientists at the academy. The Micius will test the technology of relaying quantum keys, which can be used to encrypt or decrypt data, between ground stations and the satellite, Gong Jiancun, deputy director of the academy's National Space Science Center, told reporters at the launch center. He said the experiment will involve encoding and sharing of a cryptographic key using the quantum properties of photons, with the aim of paving the way for the commercial use of quantum communications. Previous research has found that it is practically impossible to crack, intercept or wiretap quantum communications because the physical traits of the quantum key prevent it from being replicated, separated or reverse-engineered. Any attempt to interfere with the transmission of photons would leave its mark and disrupt the communication, thereby warning the sender and receiver. Another task of Micius will be to conduct experiments to help scientists improve their research of quantum mechanics, Gong said. Pan Jianwei, an academician at CAS and chief scientist for the quantum satellite project, said, "Once the tests and experiments prove successful, quantum communications technology will start to be adopted in some business sectors such as the finance and banking industries. "In the near future, say 15 years, it will also find a way into people's lives, thanks to the development of infrastructure." Wang Jianyu, the quantum satellite project's executive deputy head, said the satellite's instruments are very advanced, so they can meet the tough requirements of the mission's experiments. "Matching the photon beam with the ground station is like throwing coins in succession from 10,000 meters above the ground, and they must fall into the narrow slot of a moving piggy bank," he said. "Moreover, detecting the photons requires the equipment to be so sensitive that you can use it to find a match that is on fire on the surface of the moon. The satellite's accuracy and agility are the best, compared with other Chinese satellites." China's second space laboratory, Tiangong II, which will be sent into space in mid-September, will also perform quantum key distribution experiments, said Pan. In addition to China, researchers in Austria, Germany, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Canada and Italy are also developing quantum communication technologies, he said. "We are in cooperation with Austrian researchers in the Micius project, while our counterparts in Germany and Italy will join us later. Canada also wants to be part of the program and is in talks with us on this matter," Pan said. "This is because Chinese scientists are good in this field." China will reinforce existing policies and streamline administrative procedures to promote steady growth of imports and exports, the government announced on Tuesday. Tuesday's State Council executive meeting, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, focused on key problems concerning the implementation of trade policy and measures needed to address them. Li said the sluggish global outlook and weak overseas demand have undermined efforts to shore up China's trade volume. Rising domestic manufacturing costs also have consequences for China's imports and exports, he said. A number of policies have been adopted by the government since 2013 to encourage the steady growth of foreign trade, and China remains the world's largest trading nation in goods in recent years. Yet because of the global financial crisis and resulting slowdown, China's foreign trade growth has lost some momentum. Customs figures show that in the first half of 2016, China's foreign trade stood at 11.13 trillion yuan ($1.68 trillion), a drop of 3.3 percent year-on-year, while exports amounted to 6.4 trillion yuan, down by 2.1 percent. Imports decreased by 4.7 percent to 4.73 trillion yuan, but the country's trade surplus increased by 5.9 percent to 1.67 trillion yuan. "We should support steady growth both in exports and imports to advance the country's industrial upgrade and attract new foreign investment beyond that which is already in the Chinese market," Li said. High financing costs for companies remain a major burden in maintaining trade growth. Other problems include sluggish trade policy implementation as well as outdated management methods, according to experts. A third-party evaluation conducted by the State Council's Development Research Center in July found that China's trade faces headwinds from deep adjustments in the global economy, as well as from the country's economic transition. The center's evaluation also found that officials were not sufficiently aware of the problems that would be encountered in policy implementation, and the country has not firmly established its competence in technology, branding and marketing in the global market. More measures will be introduced to ensure the steady growth of China's foreign trade, according to a statement released by the State Council after the meeting. For example, detailed adjustments will be made to existing policies to better facilitate foreign trade development and to streamline procedures in trade gateways. Financial institutions will be encouraged to provide more credit support to enterprises with substantial business profits. And export credit insurance will cover a wider range. In addition, procedures for tax reimbursement for exports will be more efficient, and unnecessary harbor and shipping costs will be reduced, the statement said. Also, policies will be further adjusted to facilitate new types of trade, such as cross-border e-commerce. The role of bilateral investment will be further encouraged to boost foreign trade, by promoting the country's Belt and Road Initiative and international cooperation on capacity, the statement said. Equipped with big data systems, many Chinese companies' products and supply chain systems have already experienced dramatic changes. Many companies have begun to adjust their supply chain networks for different products based on big data about demand in foreign markets, said Zhao Ying, a researcher at the Institute of Industrial Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Talks in China and Republic of Korea to include deployment of controversial anti-missile system China hopes Washington "places a high priority and properly tackles" its plan to deploy an advanced anti-missile system in the Republic of Korea, a senior Chinese military official said on Tuesday. Li Zuocheng, commander of the PLA Army, made the statement when meeting with US Army Chief of Staff Mark Milley in Beijing. Milley, starting his first official visit to Beijing amid lingering tension triggered by the plan to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, was quoted by the Ministry of National Defense as saying that he expects the two militaries to reinforce exchanges and boost trust. He is scheduled to visit China, the ROK and Japan from Monday to Aug 23, and in the ROK he will receive an update on plans to deploy the THAAD system there, according to are lease by the US Pacific Command. In recent months, Beijing and Moscow have responded strongly against THAAD, as the X-band radar associated with the system is known to locate missiles as far away as 2,000 kilometers, which would only cover territories of both China and Russia. Massive protests have also broken out in various parts of the ROK, urging ROK President Park Geun-hye to abort the deployment plan. Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said that a number of senior US military officials visited the ROK recently to advance the deployment, and that Washington's anxiety is behind such moves. "Quite a long time ago, the Pentagon had planned to introduce THAAD into the ROK but there was mere chance. Now it hopes to put it in place at an earlier date to avoid missing the rare chance," Ruan said. Zhao Xiaozhuo, a researcher at the Center on China-US Defense Relations at the People's Liberation Army Academy of Military Science, said the THAAD system "actually diminishes the strategic deterrence of China and Russia", and the action of targeting China and Russia "affects global strategic stability". "What the US is doing will prompt Beijing and Moscow to expand cooperation in the anti-missile field," Zhao said, and increased engagement in Asia Pacific affairs via fueling tensions "will bring more problems." During the fourth China-Russia Northeast Asia Security Consultation on July 28, Beijing and Moscow agreed that they will "proactively consider strengthening bilateral coordinating measures" to tackle potential negative factors posed by the THAAD plan. Currently, there is basically balance in the competition and cooperation between Beijing and Washington, but if the US persists in reinforcing its investment in containing China, "the confrontational color of China-US ties will be stronger," Zhao said. Some major hospitals in Beijing will be equipped with security checkpoints to improve safety for hospital staff, according to Beijing's top health authority. Anyone entering medical institutions with prohibited items such as daggers or long knives will be detained, according to a circular released by the Beijing Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning on Monday. The commission also announced on Monday the start of a one-year campaign in Beijing, with the cooperation of other departments such as the Beijing Public Security Bureau, to fight legal violations and crimes involving hospitals and hospital staff. Lin Keqing, deputy mayor of Beijing, said the campaign aims to ensure that no serious violence occurs and that real relations are improved between hospitals and patients. Public security bureaus will respond to reports by medical institutions and take action to end violence against medical staff, according to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Health and Family Planning. Hospitals will improve security systems, and major hospitals must install monitoring videos in public areas and wards. In addition, they should arrange security patrol in emergency areas. Chao Wei, publicity chief of Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, said the hospital welcomes the security measures. "I think installing security gates would help greatly in easing violence against hospitals," he said. "If doctors have a safer working environment, they can concentrate more on improving medical skills and services." Li Huijuan, a lawyer specializing in medical affairs in Beijing, said the measures will deter those who would commit violence in hospitals and will work to ease concerns of staff. "But the measure will not solve the root causes of violence," she said. Some basic issues underlying hospital-patient disputes must be solved so that violence against doctors can be presented, she said. For example, the government should invest more to improve medical insurance to reduce the cost of treatment, and secondary hospitals should be improved so that patients will not swarm into a few big hospitals, she said. In addition, pay and benefit for doctors should be increased to improve the attraction of the profession, she said. wangxiaodong@chinadaily.com.cn A police officer checks bank cards and plastic stamps confiscated during a crackdown on underground banks in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in November. She You / For China Daily The nation's financial authorities are tackling money laundering by improving the mechanisms used to track suspect flows of funds. Wang Yanfei reports. Yan Feng (not his real name) used to operate a small store that sold liquor and snacks on a street near the ferry port in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Although the store appeared no different to any other outlet in the business-dominated city, which stands adjacent to Hong Kong and was the site of China's first Special Economic Zone, close acquaintances knew the family used the premises as a front for a well-developed underground bank. For a year, Yan and his family helped clients to move amounts far in excess of the annual $50,000 foreign currency limit to regions outside the mainland, including Hong Kong and Macao, which have no currency restrictions. Acting on Yan's instructions, clients transferred money to bank accounts under his control. Once the deposit had been made, Yan's accomplices in Hong Kong placed an equivalent amount in a local bank using Hong Kong dollars. The client was then able to transfer the money to an account of their choice anywhere in the world, but to all intents and purposes no irregular transaction had taken place. Yan was just one of many "black bankers" in China's coastal regions who offer quick fund-transfer services and move hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country every day. Although no official figures are available, unconfirmed estimates claim about $10 billion is laundered through China every year, mostly via outbound transactions. Growing concerns As key components in the money laundering sphere, the activities of underground banks have become a growing concern for China's financial institutions in recent years, and their success has raised questions about the lack of regulations to combat the practice. "Foreign complaints about Chinese money laundering are not new, but some complainants have exaggerated the situation," said Jin Luo, director-general of the anti-money laundering bureau at the People's Bank of China, the nation's central bank. A Kou, a member of the Yi ethnic group, was born in a poor village in the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture in Sichuan province. Like many of her peers, she has a poor educational background, which along with her lack of knowledge of the outside world, made her an easy target as an unwitting stooge for money launderers. "I never attended school. My parents never asked me to go to school, and in the village where I was born, no one thinks that going to school or being educated is a good option for girls," the 16-year-old said. "I didn't know what to do to make money, until one day I was introduced to a middle-aged woman. She looked wealthy and owned several large houses in the city. She asked me to become a personal servant, so I took the job - preparing food and cleaning the houses were easy tasks for me." At the beginning, the girl wasn't aware of her employer's illegal activities. "I thought she was a merchant, because she asked me to help her transfer money to different bank accounts at least twice a day, and sometimes three times a day," she said. "I didn't know I was helping to launder money nor doing anything illegal until one day she asked me to pick up a white bag under a bridge in Panzhihua, a city in the south of the province. When I discovered the bag contained heroin I realized I was involved in a massive drug trafficking network." She claims her employer threatened to kill her if she didn't follow the strict instructions: "I was scared because I knew some members of the gang had been murdered after they disobeyed her. Because of that I stayed, and later I was caught by the police." A Kou is now awaiting trial, and she faces a lengthy prison sentence, if convicted. "It's a path of no return. I only played a small part in the complicated and highly hierarchical group. I had no friends there and I couldn't talk to my parents - they didn't know what I was doing. I regret what I've done, but it's too late to say that now," she said. Photo taken on June 23, 2016 shows the glass bridge at the Grand Canyon of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Central China's Hunan province.[Photo/Xinhua] More photos CHANGSHA - The world's longest and highest glass bridge will open to visitors Saturday in Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, central China, the management committee said. The 430-meter long, 6-meter wide bridge, paved with 99 panes of three-layer transparent glasses, hangs between two steep cliffs 300 meters above the ground. The bridge has set 10 world records spanning its design and construction, according to the committee. A maximum of 8,000 visitors are allowed to cross the bridge every day and a reservation must be made one day prior to visiting. Construction was completed in December. In July, a 2-tonne truck was driven across in a show of the bridge's sturdiness. The unique pillar-like mountain formation in Zhangjiajie appeared in the Hollywood blockbuster movie "Avatar." The Grand Canyon Scenic Area in Zhangjiajie welcomed more than 1.2 million visitors from home and abroad in 2015. Women employees work at a garment factory in Huaibei, Anhui province. Xie Zhengyi/for China Daily Ningxia Hui autonomous region in northwest China will allow female workers to require paid menstrual leave, reported nxnews.net on Tuesday. The region enhances the protection of female workers during menstruation, pregnancy, giving birth, lactation and menopause. The regulation in Ningxia follows the example of other provinces like Anhui, Hubei and Hainan. It said female workers may take paid menstrual leave for one or two days if they can't carry on their work under heavy menstruation or menstrual pain. Female workers can also apply for transfer or request for lighter work with a certificate of menopausal syndrome from a legal medical institute or hospital. The regulation takes the benefit of female workers as a key index of a company's credit. It explicitly requires that companies not decrease female workers' income, limit their promotion, or terminate contracts due to marriage, pregnancy, giving birth, lactation and others. More specific articles have been added for the benefit of women such as installing a common room for pregnant women, and booking physical health checks. Companies will be supervised and those who violate the regulations will be punished by departments of social security and work safety. Menstrual leave has been a hot topic of discussion in China since last year. Some provinces which have passed regulations providing for menstruation leave have been mulling over feedback received about it. Many employees are unwilling to take leave, worrying it exposes their private affairs, according to a research in Guangdong province last year. Employers also revealed a sense of pressure if they are required to grant paid menstrual leave -- the operational costs will pile up and it's hard to know if the employees are really sick or just cashing in the paid leaves. Making paid menstrual leave mandatory was first proposed by Zhang Xiaomei, a national political advisor in 2011. She argued more than 85 percent of females were adversely affected by menstruation, and 78.5 percent of them didn't receive proper care during their periods. NW China limestone mine fire kills 12 (Xinhua) Updated: 2016-08-17 11:18 LANZHOU - A fire at a limestone mine in northwest China on Tuesday afternoon has killed 12 people, including three rescuers, local authorities said. The fire occurred at the limestone mine in Zhangye City in northwest China's Gansu Province at 4:15 p.m., trapping nine miners. Firefighters and a rescue team rushed to the scene after the fire occurred. The trapped were pulled out as of 4:06 a.m. Wednesday, and confirmed dead. Another three rescuers fainted during the operation and died despite treatment. The mine is operated by the Jiuquan Iron and Steel Group (JISCO). A villager is walking through the streer in Tucheng Town, west of Xishui County, Zunyi city of Guizhou province. [Photo/Song Jingyi] Zunyi, a remote city in Southwest China's Guizhou province, has been undergoing revitalization in the last few years. Zunyi City is a well-known tourist destination due to its key role in China's revolutionary history. During the Red Army's Long March, a pivotal meeting of the Communist Party of China was held in the city in 1935, which saved the army from being defeated by the Kuomintang. Many historical sites are located in the city, as well as significant natural and cultural relics. Zunyi has so much to offer. The city has these unique resources, but suffers from an unbalanced economy due to its inaccessibility. In recent years, the city has been promoting itself to tourists to overcome poverty. Chen Xiaohong, a local villager in a community in Tucheng town, Xishui county, a main battlefield during Long March, came back from a garment factory in Fujian where he and his wife worked for twenty years. The whole family used to rely on some farmland to grow crops but their produce was only enough to feed themselves. To struggle for living, Chen and his wife went to another city as workers. But two decades later, they came back home. "It's beautiful here and there are many business opportunities for me to earn some money. I'm not planning on working outside the city any more," said Chen, who is starting his own rural inn now. According to the report, their rural inn can receive over 100 people on the weekend, with a profit of 6,000 yuan per month. Like Chen's family, other villagers in the community have made great progress as well. The average net income of each villager in the community has increased from 5,060 yuan in 2013 to 12,300 yuan in 2015. Based on the statistics from the tourism department of Zunyi, the city has welcomed 12.4 million visitors for local historical tourism for the first half of 2016. The revenue has hit 7.93 billion yuan, increasing by 43.6 percent on a year-on-year basis. At the end of 2015, Guizhou has connected all its counties by building roads to boost local economic development. It used to take six hours to drive from the capital to Yuqing county, but now it takes a mere two hours. During the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15), annual GDP in Zunyi increased by 15 percent on average, reaching 21.68 million yuan in 2015. A bronze vessel used in the sacrificial ceremony more than 2,000 years ago will open to visitors in the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province from August 20 to October 31.[Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn] Visitors to the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province, are bemused with a bronze object serving as a refrigerator more than 2,000 years ago. Containing ice to cool wine in an inner container by a general in the Chu Kingdom whose center is in today's Hubei province, it is one of 142 cultural relics from the Jiuliandun Tombs in Hubei which will be displayed in the Jinsha Site Museum from August 20 to October 30. A worker arranges a lacquer bowl which will open to visitors in the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province from August 20 to October 31.The bowl was used in the sacrificial ceremony more than 2,000 years ago [Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn] To prepare for the exhibition, workers are busy arranging exhibits in the Jinsha Site Museum. Excavated in the city of Zaoyang in Hubei in 2002, the Jiuliandun Tombs consist of a tomb of a general and his wife, said Wang Fang, an archaeologist and researcher at the Jinsha Site Museum. Archaeologists examine a musical instrument made of lacquer more than 2,000 years ago in the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province. It will open to visitors in the museum from August 20 to October 31.[Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn] More than 5,000 cultural relics, including bronze, lacquer and jade ware, armors and two chariot pits, have been excavated. The pits are the largest and best preserved chariot pits in China. "Such a large number of relics excavated in the tombs of a general and his wife, instead of a king and his wife, show the prosperity of the Chu Kingdom," Ms Wang said. Workers fasten bronze swords made more than 2,000 years ago on a panel. They will open to visitors in the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province from August 20 to October 31. [Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn] Regarded as one of the seven most powerful states in its time, the Chu Kingdom consisted of today's Hubei, Hunan, Henan, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Armors more than 2,000 years old will open to visitors in the Jinsha Site Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province from August 20 to October 31. [Photo by Huang Zhiling/chinadaily.com.cn] A file photo shows the scene of Ruijin, Jiangxi province. [Photo/Xinhua] This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Red Army led by Communist Party of China successfully completing a 12,500-km maneuver that laid an important foundation for the Communist victory in the civil war. The military expedition, from October 1934 to October 1936, known as the Long March, helped the Red Army, the forerunner of the People's Liberation Army, to evade encirclement by the Kuomintang army. An 80,000-strong Red Army set out from Ruijin, Jiangxi province, in October 1934. But around 50,000 soldiers died in the battle of crossing the Xiangjiang River in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in late Nov and early Dec 1934. The major setback led the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee to hold an enlarged meeting in Zunyi, Guizhou province, in January 1935, a turning point in the history of both the CPC and Chinese revolution. The Zunyi meeting established a new central leadership headed by Mao Zedong who led the Red Army out of the enemy troops' clutches to set a revolutionary base in Yan'an, Shaanxi province. Trekking over waters and mountains amid battles, the Central Red Army arrived at the Wuqi town in Shaanxi province, ending its long march, on October 19, 1935. The other two major forces of the Red Army the Second Front Army and the Fourth Front Army started their expeditions in 1935. They joined forces in Garze county, Sichuan province, in July 1936 and went north together. On October 22, 1936, the three major forces of the Red Army joined forces in Gansu province. The long march of the Red Army came to an end. The march won wide praise across the world. In the book The Long March: The Untold Story by Harrison E. Salisbury, he said "It was a great human epic which tested the will, courage, and strength of the men and women of the Chinese Red Army." Compared to the Long March era, earthshaking changes have been taking place in China. The fact is China has grown from an impoverished, falling-apart country into the second largest economy in the world. It was Mao Zedong who led the Long March in the 1930s. And now it is "Xi Jinping's destiny to be the leader of China's 'Second' Long March," according to Khairy Tourk, associate member of the Center for East Asian Studies of the University of Chicago and professor of Stuart School of Business of Illinois Institute of Technology. Related: Major events by the Second Front Army of the Red Army Long march of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army An elephant thought to have traveled at least 1,700 kilometers from India into Bangladesh after becoming separated from its herd by floods died on Tuesday despite last-ditch efforts to save him. The distressed animal was tranquilized three times in sometimes dramatic bids to try to transport him to a safari park in Bangladesh, after he washed across the border in late June. He was eventually given huge amounts of saline and chained in a paddyfield in a northern village to help him recover, but he was "too weak and tired" from his ordeal, officials said. The show Looking for Du Fu has a unique stage presentationmusicians perform in "boxes". [Photo provided to China Daily] The China National Traditional Orchestra, established in 1960, continues to showcase China's musical heritage, but with a modern touch. In its latest collaborative production with the Chengdu Traditional Orchestra from Sichuan province, titled Looking for Du Fu, the China National Traditional Orchestra pushes boundaries by inviting Chinese director Yi Liming to create an imaginative Chinese musical experience based in ancient times. The show will premiere in Beijing on Saturday and will be staged in Chengdu a month later. Based on Chinese poet Du Fu (AD 712-770), one of the most celebrated Chinese poets of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), the production, which the director calls a "musical verse drama", combines traditional Chinese music with contemporary theater. Using original compositions by musician Liang Zhongqi and playwright Wang Yuanfei, the show depicts the poet's life story in three partspastoral life, warfare and dreams. The poet came to Chengdu as a war refugee in AD 759. The next year, he built a thatched cottage and spent most of his time there before leaving Sichuan in AD 765 after penning 240 of his approximately 1,400 poems. Yi says there were five works on the poet Du staged in the first half of this year, including opera, drama to ballet. So, the idea of telling the poet's story using traditional Chinese instruments was both exciting and a challenge. "Usually when the audience comes to a show by the China National Traditional Orchestra, they enjoy the music with the band members sitting on the stage playing the instruments. However, this time, we have the musicians not just playing onstage but also 'in the air'," says the director, referring to the 10-meter high and 10-meter wide installation, which is divided into 28 boxes. "Some of the musicians, including the 100-strong orchestra and 80-strong chorus, perform in the 'boxes' and each of the 'boxes' functions as a sound box, delivering the sounds of the instruments to the audience." Besides, 12 cameras and eight digital projectors will offer the audience a visual experience while listening to the sounds of the traditional Chinese instruments. "It's hard to use a big Chinese music orchestra to depict an ancient cultural celebrity. Music is abstract, but we want to portray the poet in a concrete way," says Yi. "So we chose some of Du's most famous poems and combined a poetry recital with the orchestra." "Du has been portrayed in paintings, sculptures and many other art forms. But the real Du can be found only in his poems. I hope that audience members will be able to picture the poet in their imaginations. That's why we call the production Looking for Du Fu. The answer belongs to the audience." Yi, a prolific director, who has been with the Beijing People's Art Theater since graduating from the Central Academy of Drama after majoring in set and lighting design in the late 1980s, is known for his Chinese and international productions. He presented the opera version of On the Land of White Deer, an adaptation from contemporary Chinese literature, at Beijing's Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in June. Meanwhile, according to Xi Qiang, president of the China National Traditional Orchestra, thanks to Yi, the Du Fu performance is a breakthrough for the orchestra, whose mission is to promote China's traditional music while being creative and contemporary. If you go 7:30 pm, Aug 20 and 21. National Center for the Performing Arts. No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6655-0000. Zhong Yuan Festival is on the 15th night of the seventh month. It is also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival.In fact people called it the Ghost Festival because they wanted to honor the deceased ancestors. Taoism teaches that the fifteenth of the 1st month is the Shang Yuan Festival (Lantern Festival). The 15th of the seventh is Zhong Yuan Festival (Hungry Ghost festival). And the 15th of the tenth is Xia Yuan Festival. There are gods of heaven, earth and water in Taoism. And these three festivals are Taoist festivals. In many folk customs there is a traditional virtue of filial piety. In Chinese teaching, filial piety is the most important of all virtues. Filial piety embodies kindness, conscience and caring whether to the alive or the deceased. After all filial piety the driving force behind the Zhong Yuan Festival On the day of the Zhong Yuan FestivalTaoist temples would hold ceremonies to release the suffering of both the dead and alive to pray for seasonable weather for growing crops, for the country to flourish and the people to live in peace. On Zhong Yuan Festival there are customs such as Zhong Yuan ceremonies, worshiping three gods, Buddhist ceremonies, releasing lanterns on water, lighting Lotus lanterns, selling sheep made out of flour and worshiping ancestors. It is popular for uncles to give sheep to their nephews in the rural areas of North China on Zhong Yuan Festival. It is said that this custom is related to the legend of Chen Xiang who broke the mountain and rescued his mother. He wanted to hunt down his uncle who had abused his mother after he rescued his mother in order to rebuild the relationships with his sister and his nephew. The god Erlang would send Chen Xiang a pair of sheep on the 15th of the seventh month every year. It is said yang (sheep) here is a phonetic pun that refers to the surname of the god Erlang and Chen Xiangs mother to rebuild the relationships of the two families. From then on the custom of sending sheep passed away. And then it turned into sending flour sheep. In a document called Imperial Age Ji Sheng in the Qing Dynasty it said the Zhong Yuan is more valuable than Qing Ming in terms of tombs weeping.People are delighted be to see the sights of lush shadows of the trees, the crops growing and the cicadas chirping.Common people are like this but the emperor is even more than that. The inscription called Yu Ling magic holiness inscription in East Qing Tombs saidQianlong emperor had been treating his mother Sheng Xian with filial respect for 42 yearsand greeted and served his mother every morning and night holding her arm and arranging her carriage with deep respect and served her like this all her life. People burn paper to honor the deceased on Zhongyuan Festival, at Yichang of Hubei province, August 27, 2015. [Photo by Zhou Jianping/Asianewsphoto] The Zhongyuan Festival, also known as Ullambana Festival among Buddhists, falls on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, on Aug 17 this year. Since ancient times, the Chinese have believed that the gates of hell open on that day and so people hold all kinds of activities to honor the ghosts. Therefore, the festival is also called the Ghost Festival. There are two other festivals in China to honor departed spirits of ancestors: Qingming Festival (in spring) and the Chung Yeung Festival (in autumn). In both, living descendants pay homage to their deceased ancestors. Zhongyuan Festival is distinct from these, as the deceased are believed to visit the living. Buddhist doctrine says that by offering articles on the festival day, deceased parents and relatives can be saved from bad situations in the after life. The Ullambana Festival of Buddhism has two meanings. One is to persuade people to provide for Buddhist monks. The other is to convince people to do more charitable deeds to release departed souls from sin and advocate family devotion. The Yi ethnic opera Yi Hong will be staged in Beijing on August 17 and 18 at Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn] An ethnic opera, Yi Hong, which tells the story of how the Yi people of Daliangshan Mountain area of Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture battled together with the Red Army in the 1930s, will be staged in Beijing on August 17 and 18 at Tianqiao Performing Arts Center. The opera was first staged in Liangshan, southwest China's Sichuan province, in July 2014 and has been performed over 100 times around the country in 2015, which attracted an audience of over 10,000. Last year, it premiered in Beijing at the National Center for the Performing Arts. According to Li Ting, the scriptwriter and artistic director of the opera, who initiated the idea of the production, all the actors of the show are from Liangshan Song and Dance Troupe, the first national performing art troupe of the Yi ethnic group, which was founded in 1956 in Sichuan province, and nearly all of them are Yi people. It guarantees the shows spirit of featuring Yi ethnic peoples customs, music and dance, says Li, who was the head of Sichuan Peoples Art Theater. For Li, who spent her youth in Daliangshan Mountain area from the time she was 6 to 26, the show is significant to her personally. The multimedia water show Tianmushuiji at Shanghai Happy Valley. The show that designed and directed by the French company ECA2 took two years to prepare and premiered this summer. [Photo provided to China Daily] They screamed like never before. Indeed, Yuan Chen and four friends agree the Extreme Rusher roller coaster lives up to its name. "It was like being shot like a bullet," Yuan says. "I couldn't feel gravity. It was like I was flying. I had to close my eyes at points when it seemed like I was going to be thrown from my seat." The quintet visited Beijing's Happy Valley on July 29 to take advantage of the half-off admission to celebrate the amusement park's 10th anniversary. They spent about eight hours at the park. They held their breath as waves splashed over them on the flume ride and giggled nervously in the haunted house. "The place was packed," Yuan says. "There was a long line for almost every attraction." Happy Valley ranks among China's most-celebrated amusement parks. Trainers give directions to dolphins during a performance at Hong Kong's Ocean Park. ZHU WANCHANG/CHINA DAILY Fish. Rides. Performances. Jazmin Chi and her daughter adored Hong Kong's Ocean Park. The 27-year-old Mexican says they enjoyed the Grand Aquarium, roller coasters and shows. She believes the place offers an enjoyable opportunity to learn about such animals as pandas and penguins. "The performances were great and in the middle of everything," she says. "We were just walking and suddenly a bunch of people started a performance ... It's huge, and transportation is so efficient." Chi and her daughter also visited Hong Kong's Disneyland. American Karan Sandhu says her favorite experience at Disneyland is Toy Story Land, which includes the Toy Soldier Parachute Dropa thrill ride where visitors can drop with toy soldiers during a parachuting drilla Slinky Dog ride for all ages and RC Racera U-shaped roller coaster. Visitors can also meet the characters from the Toy Story franchise. Some aspects, such as the castle, remind Sandhu of the Magic Kingdom in Florida's Disney World. The summer-vacation period is the peak time for visits to China's theme parks. Several of the country's parks rank among the world's 20 most visited. The 2015 AECOM and TEA Theme and Museum Index Report lists Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Guangdong province's Zhuhai at 13th, Ocean Park at 15th and Hong Kong Disneyland at 19th. Hangzhou's Songcheng Theme Park in Zhejiang's provincial capital ranks 17th and is Ma Ruilu's favorite for its shows, haunted houses and workshops. "I like the shows there," the 25-year-old tourist says. "You can feel Song Dynasty (960-1279) culture." Jilin province native Wang Tingting visited Jiangsu province's China Dinosaurs Park for her niece's benefitbut also enjoyed herself. "There were lots of exciting games and attractions," the 22-year-old says. "I enjoyed watching others being scared to death." It proved a true blast from the past. Paige Sheffield contributed to the story. Beijing-based Didi, the dominant ride-hailing service provider in China, said in a statement on Monday that it will buy Uber's China operation. [Photo/IC] The merger between two rival cab-hailing companies, Didi Chuxing and Uber China, has ended their costly battle in the ride-hailing market. Didi will take control of Uber China's brand, businesses, data and other assets in the country, yet both will continue to run independently. But the Didi-Uber marriage is likely to create an unparalleled ride-hailing juggernaut that controls more than 90 percent of the market, fueling concerns about a de facto monopoly. Besides, the merger was announced without making a business declaration to the Ministry of Commerce, a legal requirement for all businesses with large-scale operations whose merger could result in a monopoly. In the light of the country's anti-monopoly law designed to "protect fair market-oriented competition", the merged entity could take advantage of its dominant position to the detriment of users and competitors both. The two former rivals are independent legal entities that run ride-hailing businesses on the Chinese mainland and, hence, their combination belongs to "merger of business operators". But even such a merger is not exempt from business declaration. According to the anti-monopoly law, such exemption works only when one party in the merger owns at least 50 percent of other parties' voting shares or assets, or more than half of each party's voting shares or assets are owned by the same operator not in the merger. Apparently, no individual investor holds that many shares in either Didi or Uber China. More important, the Didi-Uber juggernaut, born just a few days after China legalized the cab-hailing service, will almost certainly lead to exclusion or restriction of competition in the market. Having poured money into subsidies for drivers and passengers over the past two years, the two companies are followed by a great number of users both on the supply and demand sides. Their service can also be accessed via third-party mobile platforms such as WeChat and Baidu Map. Given its dominant role in the demand side, the newly merged entity is expected to further marginalize other competitors' market shares, and even infringe upon customers' legal interests. The fear of monopoly aside, for any merger or acquisition in China, the total turnover of the companies involved should be more than 2 billion yuan ($302 million) in last fiscal year. But since neither Didi nor Uber China is a listed company, it is difficult to estimate the size of the merged entity's business. So the merger is not immune from investigation by Chinese anti-trust authorities, and they have the right to annul it if the new entity poses a monopoly threat or is not exempt from business declaration. In fact, not just Didi, many Chinese internet enterprises, including search giant Baidu Inc and e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, have adopted a variable-interest entities structure to bypass restrictions on the services they provide. Their business is under the actual control of overseas shareholders in tax havens like Cayman Islands. And they sign special deals with domestic technology companies to enter the mainland market. Such a mode, if not properly handled, could cause serious security risks such as the leaking of users' information or exposure of sensitive locations. And although China's draft foreign investment law has proposed to put it under supervision, it is yet to take effect. Therefore, more legislative efforts are needed to protect the privacy of Chinese users who use internet-based apps, as well as assess the security risks that come along with those apps. The author is a researcher at the China University of Political Science and Law. The article is an excerpt from his interview with China Daily's Cui Shoufeng. A gavel in a court. [Photo/IC] THE OWNER of a construction company in Malong county in Southwest China's Yunnan province, walked through six provinces protesting that the local government owes him 3.3 million yuan ($497,000) for constructing a school. He was given 10 days in detention by local police for "defaming" the Malong government and "severely disturbing the public order". Beijing News commented on Tuesday: It remains unclear whether the construction company owner is really owed that much money by the school. Likewise, although he stopped in public places and displayed banners highlighting his situation, it is unclear whether he disturbed the public order. One thing is clear, though, the local government does owe him a large amount of money that has accumulated over eight years, despite his repeated requests for payment. He has reportedly sent letters to the local authorities and received written responses suggesting he approached relevant departments for help. Yet his demands for payment remain unanswered as no one cares to solve his problem and he is passed from one department to another. Highlighting the issue in this way may be an overreaction, but the local government is to blame for this, because it should have paid the money it owed him in the first place. In other words, he would not have gone to this extreme if his requests for payment had not been ignored time and time again. That being the case, it is the Malong government that is in the wrong, not the other way round. For most local governments, 3.3 million yuan should be affordable. Abuse of power in such a way damages public trust in local governance and the government's image too. Putting the man in detention is unlikely to be a solution, what the Malong government should do is pay him the money it owes him and apologize in a sincere manner. Antibiotics is shown in this photo taken on Oct 20, 2011 in Yichang, central China's Hubei province. [Photo/IC] EAST CHINA'S JIANGSU province is the first province to stop offering intravenous infusions of antibiotics to outpatients in public hospitals. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Tuesday: Since July, Jiangsu has banned intravenous infusions of antibiotics in the outpatient departments of its public hospitals, which is very significant given that China administers the world's highest number of intravenous infusions of antibiotics each year. This over-prescription of antibiotics has now led to many Chinese patients developing more antibiotic-resistant genes. The awareness of the necessity for less antibiotic use has grown in many countries. In many Western hospitals, intravenous infusions, especially of antibiotics, are considered the same way as surgery and only administered when absolutely necessary. In China, that awareness has only been slowly spreading. It is usually patients that request infusions, as they believe it will cure them quicker. So if they are not allowed to get them at public hospitals, they will likely resort to community clinics. Stopping the excessive administering of intravenous infusions of antibiotics requires enforcement of the so-called medication principles introduced by Ministry of Health. A comprehensive system for intravenous infusions should be established, including supervision of implementation. Jiangsu province has set a good example and other provinces and regions should be encouraged to reform their use of intravenous infusions of antibiotics in their outpatient departments. An elder shows her social security card in Nantong city, Jiangsu province, March 30, 2016. [Photo/IC] OFFICIAL DATA show that in six provinces the social security paid by the working population is not enough to support the payments for retirees. Beijing News comments: The number of provinces that suffer from a deficit in their pension funds has increased from four last year to six this year, and more provinces might face the problem in the coming year. A look at the six provinces show that they have some common challenges. For example, all three provinces in Northeast China are on the list of provinces with a deficit, because they have too many State-owned enterprises that hired large numbers of retired workers who receive a full pension, although they did not pay social security until recent years. The provinces with deficits also have low GDP growth rates. The three northeastern provinces, for example, ranked bottom among the 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in terms of GDP growth last year. In stark contrast to these cities is the fact that some rich provinces enjoy pension fund surpluses. For example in South China's Guangdong province, the flourishing private sector has attracted so many migrant workers who pay social security that its pension fund has a surplus every year. In 2014, it had a surplus of 32 billion yuan ($4.82 billion). For long, there have been calls for the richer provinces to help the poorer ones, but the absence of a national-level management system makes that impossible. If the current situation continues, certain provinces might be unable to pay their pensioners. As early as the 1990s, the central government launched reform to establish a national-level management system for pension funds. In 2010, the Social Security Law required the building of such a system, and the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15) also said the reform should be propelled. But the rich provinces are dragging their heels because that might hurt their interests. It is time for the top leadership to intervene, and accelerate reform before more problems emerge. People-to-people exchanges between China and the US could happen anywhere, anyplace through various platforms, as long as the initiator recognizes the importance of goodwill communication and is willing to promote a deeper, better and more candid dialogue. Institutions of higher learning in particular must prepare their students to thrive in today's global economy and communicate well in an international workforce, through facilitating cross-cultural exchange. That is the impression I was left with when I walked out of the Art of Dentistry, a photo exhibition that features 34 pieces of microscopic photography by a Chinese physician to celebrate the spirit of collaboration and innovation between the medical worlds of China and the US. Starting at the Dugoni School of Dentistry at the University of the Pacific (UOP) on Aug 12, the exhibition features artistic works by Li Tiejun, associate dean and professor of oral pathology in the School of Stomatology at Peking University. Students from both universities, which have had exchange programs for a decade, brainstormed on the exhibition blueprint - how to choose, enlarge and frame the images; secure a venue; and finally, open to the public. Under the microscope, Li finds everything - an irritated blood vessel, decalcified bone tissue or a section of cartilage tissue - poetic, mysterious and magical. "In fact, every cell has a story to tell, every molecule works a miracle. They are themselves very artistic and have waited thousands of years to be explored and to be appreciated," he said. With his instincts as a painter and photographer, Li eventually decided to use scientific tools, the microscope, for example, to record his medical explorations and present his findings through capturing, processing and interpreting microscopic images by deploying the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang and the five elements and calling his collective album Beauty of Life. The names that Li gives to each of his works, Under the Moon, Rainy Season, Winter Branches and Boundless, for example, are his interpretation of the essences of Chinese culture and civilizations - the necessity to harmonize with the environment, the pursuit of spiritual eternity and tranquility, and inner peace. Through special staining, changing of prisms, unlimited imagination and creativity, Li's cross-boundary microscopic photography resonates with professional photographers and academic colleagues alike, said Nan Xiao, a student of Li 10 years ago and now an associate professor of biomedical science at UOP. "Today's event celebrates the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry's globally connected culture and explores clinical excellence and leadership," said Nader Nadershahi, dean of the Dogoni School. "Our long-standing partnership with Peking University School of Stomatology is one example of how we build bridges with others." The photomicrographs take you through the mists of technology to a little-traveled land of life, said Colin Wong, adjunct professor at UOP who connects the school's international programs with China and beyond. "Currently, we are hosting eight young students from Peking University, and they are among us tonight," said Wong, when announcing the start of the exhibition at the reception, adding that the young civic ambassadors are not only learning from Western technological know-how but spreading friendship between young generations. On a personal note, Li called the student-exchange program a budding relationship inspired by humanism, leadership, creativity and clinical excellence between China and the US. "I hope this is an opportunity to further strengthen our long, existing friendship between our two universities," said Li. Contact the writer at junechang@chinadailyusa.com (Photo : Getty Images) The BMW logo is seen during the 83rd Geneva Motor Show in Geneva, Switzerland. Advertisement German automaker BMW will call back 156,922 of its vehicles in China after child seats defects were found, China's top quality watch dog announced. The recall, which will begin on September, will affect more than 134,000 BMW X3 models manufactured between November 2010 and April 2016 and more than 22,000 BMW X4 models produced from March 2014 and April 2016, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection, and Quarantine said. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The administration discovered that the child seats installed on the affected BMW models had welding problems in the lower anchors and could prevent the seat from being properly secured, thus raising the possibility of passenger injuries in case of accidents. BMW China Automotive Trading Co. Ltd. will fix the defected anchors free of charge, according to the statement from the administration. Meanwhile, BMW also recently announced its plan to unveil its self-driving vehicle models by 2021 in China, Maximilian Doemling, the automaker's senior manager, said during a summit on artificial intelligence and robotics in Shenzhen. "If you're expecting autonomous function where you can be on the highway, press the button and the car does everything for you, like lane changing and driving, and you can play with smartphone, and you're always safe, we had this big announcement with Intel and Mobileye that we will have the iNext in 2021," he said. Aside from teaming up with Intel and Mobileye, BMW is also a part of a German makers consortium that bought Here Maps, giving the company another resource to build its driverless system for its iNext series. Advertisement TagsBMW, Recall, BMW X3, BMW X4, iNext series (Photo : VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple Inc., and China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua (R) visit a China Mobile shop to celebrate the launch of iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C on China Mobile's fourth generation (4G) network on Jan. 17, 2014 in Beijing, China. Advertisement Mobile company Apple Inc.'s research and development center in China is expected to be launched by the end of this year. Considering that China has been one of the American tech giant's biggest and most challenging markets, the establishment of the facility is expected to boost its operation. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Announced by Apple's chief executive officer Tim Cook on Tuesday during his visit in China, the facility is said to house under one location the engineering and operations teams in the mainland, the country's state-run television network CCTV reported. The company's plan was reportedly shared during a meeting with Vice-Premier Zhang Gaoli. "We look forward to expanding our operations in China with a new research and development center as we continue to grow our talented team here," a statement from Apple, which was sent to China Daily, read. Accordingly, the move was considered because of the decreasing popularity of the brand in China. It was noted that it has been losing its market share to some local competitors. With the center, which is the first to be operated independently in the Asia-Pacific Region, Apple is reportedly affirming the fact that China is indeed an important market. "The new center is also aimed at strengthening relationships with local partners and universities as we work to support talent development across the country," the statement further said. Meanwhile, it was reported as well that research director James Yan of the Counterpoint Technology Market Research disclosed that "Smartphone hardware is no longer Apple's edge, because local vendors such as Huawei Technologies Co Ltd are catching up quickly, and even outdoing Apple in hardware components, such as having dual cameras on one smartphone." Advertisement Tagschina, Apple China (Photo : Youtube) Huawei and Belize Telemdia's undersea cable system project is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2017. Advertisement Huawei has teamed up with Belize Telemedia Ltd. (BTL) to build an undersea cable system that will connect mainland Belize and San Pedro Island. TheUS$13 million project, called the Strategic Evolution Underwater Link, is aimed at installing a 24km undersea cable system to enhance the connectivity to the country. The undersea cable will deliver a design capacity featuring 40 channels at 100G per fibre over 8-fibre pairs, resulting in up to 32Tbit/s, according to BNanericas. The design, flexible for future capacity upgrades, is a huge boost to high-speed mobile services in Belize. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The undersea cable is the main approach of BTL to modernize its mobile and landline network to significantly improve broadband connectivity and quality across the country. The modernization project includes deploying LTE (4G) mobile service and fiber to residential and businesses buildings (FTTX) in San Pedro, Belize's largest and fastest growing tourist area. We have made it our mission to put Belize in the top three in the region in terms of connectivity and broadband speeds. The Strategic Evolution Underwater Link is another step in achieving our goal, along with the build out of nationwide 4G LTE, said Anwar Barrow, chairman of Belize Telemedias executive committee. Huawei said the project is scheduled to start this summer, with an expected completion date in the second quarter of 2017, Capacity Media reported. Earlier this year, Huawei and BTL announced the roll-out of its nationwide 4G LTE network, which is expected to be launched in December this year. Advertisement TagsHuawei, Belize Telemdia, Undersea Cable System, 32Tbit/s cable, 4G Network, broadband connectivity, Caribbean, Central America (Photo : YouTube Screenshot) China's quantum-enabled satellite is called Mecius. Advertisement China has successfully launched the world's first quantum-enabled satellite named Micius on Tuesday from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Chinese state media reported. The 600-kilogram satellite, which got its name from an ancient Chinese philosopher, was aboard a Long March-2D and blasted off into space at 1:40 a.m. The project, officially called Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS), is aimed at testing a technology that would make digital communication hack-proof. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement According to BBC, the satellite works by creating pairs of tiny sub-atomic particles of light called entangled photons, beaming one-half of each other down to base stations in China and Austria. Of the many properties that this laser possesses, it is capable of carrying "the observer effect," in which its quantum state cannot be observed without alternating it. Therefore, if the satellite encodes an encryption key in the quantum state, any obvious interception would change the key, turning it useless. Quantum technology has been included in China's five-year economic development plan. In fact, although Beijing refused to divulge how much money it allocates for quantum research, funding for basic research that includes quantum physics amounted to an estimated $101 billion last year, up from just $1.9 billion a decade earlier. If the satellite works, the quantum technology could be utilized to communicate confidential diplomatic, government, and military data, with future applications such as secure transmission of personal and financial data as well as key military applications, The Sydney Herald Morning reported. It could also become a solution to the problem of encrypted communications. "Quantum computing is largely seen as the next big thing in communications," Marc Einstein, Director of the Information Communications Technology practice of Frost and Sullivan, Japan, said, citing safe transmission of credit card data as a potentially early application. "There are millions of applications. Some people say quantum computing could change everything." Advertisement Tagsquantum physics, Quantum Satellite, Satellite, Quantum Communication, Quantum technology, Quantum Experiments at Space Scale, QUESS, digital communication, Micius (Photo : Getty Images ) The United States has once again stated that its decision to deploy the THAAD anti-missile system to South Korea is not meant to threaten China. Advertisement The United States is attempting to placate China over the deployment of its Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile system to South Korea. U.S. Army Chief Gen. Mark A. Milley met his Chinese counterpart Gen. Li Zuocheng on Tuesday and addressed Beijing's concerns over the deployment of the THAAD system to U.S. forces based in South Korea. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Milley assured the Chinese military chief that the "decision to deploy a Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a defensive measure to protect South Koreans and Americans from the North Korean ballistic missile threat, not a threat in any way to China," a statement from U.S. Army said. The U.S. general also pledged to keep open channels of communications between the armies of both countries to reduce the risk of crisis and miscalculation. China and Russia have repeatedly strong objection to the THAAD deployment in South Korea. Last month, the U.S. and South Korea announced their decision to deploy the advanced anti-missile defense system to a U.S. military base in South Korea. Milley's visit to China also comes at a time when tension between Beijing and neighbors is running high after a United Nations-backed court's pronounced a verdict on the South China Sea dispute. The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, in its long pending ruling on July 12, rejected China's territorial claims in the disputed South China Sea saying that it has no legal basis. The United States has urged China to abide by the court's ruling. However, China has strongly opposed the verdict and has vowed to defend its position in the South China Sea. Advertisement TagsUS, china, PLA, THAAD, South Korea (Photo : Twitter/Manukumarjain) Xiaomi is planning to expand in India. Advertisement Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has drawn up an aggressive India expansion plan. Xiaomi is planning a major expansion in India, setting up two new manufacturing facilities and expanding the production capacity at its existing manufacturing unit. Manu Kumar Jain, Xiaomi' India head, told CNBC-TV18 that the company intends to expand its existing production capacity and set up few more plants to match the growing demand for its products such as Redmi Note 3 in India. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "We are looking to expand capacities, because for some of these phones we are seeing significantly higher demand than we had forecasted. For example, the Redmi Note 3 which we had launched in March has become the best selling phone in the history of online India," he said. "For this phone, the first sale we had last week, we had 90,000 units and everything was sold in eight minutes. So, we are looking to expand capacity, we are looking at both things: how do we expand lines in the current factory, and how do we set up few more plants?" The Chinese smartphone maker said that it has started work to expand production at Foxcomm manufacturing unit in Tamil Nadu. Xiaomi and its partner Foxconn have already started the process of setting up two new plants in the country. Xiaomi recently announced that it is also looking to double its offline presence in the country. The firm is presently selling its products via 5,000 retail outlets in India as the company gets 90 percent of its sale from online channels. Advertisement TagsXiaomi, India, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, India Expansion, chinese (Photo : Getty Images.) China's Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said at a recently concluded ASEAN meeting that Singapore must stay away from the South China Sea dispute. Advertisement A senior Chinese diplomat called on Singapore not to intervene in the South China Sea dispute at a recently concluded Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting, the South China Sea Morning Post reported. The stern message was conveyed by Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin at an ASEAN meeting in Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia, where ASEAN countries agreed to issue a joint statement on the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES). Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "As Singapore is not a claimant in the South China Sea, we hope that the Singapore government, on the condition of not interfering in South China Sea issues, will actively promote cooperation between China and ASEAN," Liu said. China and Singapore have enjoyed decades of cordial ties, which has been greatly boosted by increasing trade and investment. However, the diplomatic relation between both nations has taken a nosedive in recent years apparently due to Singapore's increasing closeness to the United States. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's critical statements on the South China Sea verdict during his recent US visit did not go to well with Beijing. Loong said that international tribunal court's verdict was much better than seeing "whose guns are more powerful." The Singapore Prime Minister also welcomed America's proactive role in the disputed maritime region, referring to the United States' "freedom of navigation" operation in the South China Sea waters. Analysts say that Singapore may not be a claimant in the dispute, but has a strategic interest in ensuring maritime trade and unrestricted navigation in South China Sea waters. However, many agree Singapore needs to be careful in striking a balance in South China Sea Policy and economic ties with China. China is one of the biggest trading partners of Singapore, with bilateral trade crossing $115.2 billion in 2013, according to International Enterprise (IE) Singapore. Advertisement Tagschina, Singapore, South China Sea, Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (Photo : Getty Images) A team of Chinese ophthalmologists and surgeons has started conducting free cataract operations in Sudan. Advertisement A team of Chinese ophthalmologists will perform 1,000 free cataract operations on Sudanese patients in Khartoum as part of a medical cooperation between the two nations. Dubbed ' Light Program,' the eye doctors started operating on patients on Monday following a small ceremony organized by Sudan's Ministry of Health at a local eye hospital. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "This therapeutic program indicates the level of the distinguished ties between Sudan and China and their cooperation in what brings benefit for the two peoples," said Awad Ahmed Al-Jaz, a Sudanese official tasked to oversee Sino-Sudanese relations,during the ceremony. 1,000 free eye surgeries Sudan's Minister of Health Bahar Idriss Abu Garada said the Chinese medical contingent aims to conduct 1,000 free eye surgeries during the duration of their stay in the country. He said the doctors are expected to perform at least 30 operations a day to reach their goal. "Sudan and China are tending to make their relationship comprehensive and strategic in all fields. We hope this practical application would push the bilateral ties to a strategic level with mutual benefits," Garada said. Garada expressed gratitude to the visiting medical team for their 'selfless acts of kindness' in contributing to Sudan's 'National Program for Combating Blindness.' Sino-Sudanese ties Chinese ambassador to Khartoum Li Lianhe emphasized the need to strengthen ties with Sudan in all fields with primary focus on the health cooperation between the two sides. In a speech he delivered at the ceremony, ambassador Li said Sino-Sudanese ties have never been stronger and note that Beijing would extend its help to the African nation in all areas of cooperation. "The Light Program represents one of the practical steps that the Chinese government adopts in line with the outcomes of Johannesburg summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. It incarnates the idea of the Chinese side towards cooperation with the African countries according to the principles of devotion, true results, convergence and honesty," Li said. The medical team includes 15 ophthalmologists, surgeons, surgery assistants. and medical technicians. Advertisement TagsChinese ophthalmologists, Sudan, Sino-Sudanese ties, Light program, china (Photo : Getty Images) China and ASEAN countries have agreed to frame a "code of conduct" to avoid maritime confrontations in the disputed South China Sea. Advertisement China and ASEAN countries on Wednesday agreed to frame a "code of conduct" by the end of the year to avoid maritime conflicts in the disputed South China Sea, Reuters reported. The decision was arrived at an ASEAN meeting in Manzhouli in northeastern China. During the meeting, a consensus was also reached to approve guidelines for a China-ASEAN hotline that would be used during maritime emergencies. This was the third meeting in a year on the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES). Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "There is another achievement - we reached broad consensus on pushing forward the negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea," China's Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said after the meeting. "All sides agreed to raise the frequency of the negotiations in a situation without interference, and seek to finish a draft framework of the code of conduct by the middle of next year." The decision to frame a code for Unplanned Encounters comes barely two months after The Hague based arbitration court slammed China's control over disputed territories in the South China Sea as illegal. However, China described the verdict as a farce and a major ploy by western forces. Unplanned encounters in the disputed South China Sea often leads to skirmishes and tension between different claimants. Fishermen and trawlers are often on the receiving end, as they are accused of breaching into claimant's territory. Earlier this year, Indonesia accused eight Chinese trawlers of illegally entering into its territory in the Natuna islands. The incident flared up diplomatic tension between Beijing and Jakarta. Advertisement Tagschina, ASEAN, South China Sea (Photo : Getty Images ) China has issued a stern warning to Australia after Canberra blocked sale of Ausgrid to Chinese bidders. Advertisement China has issued a stern warning to Australia after Canberra blocked the sale of Ausgrid to Chinese bidders. China's commerce ministry lashed out at Australia on Wednesday over its decision to reject the $7.7 billion sale of its largest energy grid - Ausgrid - to Chinese bidders State Grid Corp of China and Hong Kong's Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Calling Australia a 'protectionist', the commerce ministry spokesperson Shen Danyang warned such decisions would seriously impact the willingness of Chinese investors to invest in Australia. "Australia has rejected investments from Chinese companies twice this year, and these decisions were fueled by protectionism and has dampened Chinese investors' enthusiasm to tap opportunities in the country," Danyang said, reported Caixin English. Aussie finance minister Scott Morrison last week rejected a bid by Chinese companies to buy 50.4 percent stake in country's biggest electricity network Ausgrid. The decision has not gone well with the Chinese government with country's embassy in Canberra expressing 'serious concern' over Aussie government' increasing protectionist tendencies. The state-run newspaper Global Times, however, said Australia's decision regarding Ausgrid would not affect trade ties between two countries on the long term. "The recent refusals from Australia will not have a negative impact on Chinese enterprises' enthusiasm for their investment in Australia from a long term perspective, but the economic and trade relations between the two countries will be affected to some extent for a short period of time," analyst Zhuang Rui told Global Times. Advertisement Tagschina, Australia, Ausgrid, Commerce Ministry, Scott Morrison (Photo : Getty Images) Dell CEO Michael Dell delivers a keynote address during the 2013 Oracle Open World conference on September 25, 2013 in San Francisco, California. Advertisement American computer technology maker Dell and its co-investor Silver Lake Partners are expected to receive a green light from Chinese regulators to buy storage king EMC Corp for $63 billion, The Post reported. The company's CEO Michael Dell personally talked with the Chinese regulators to gain the approval expected for this week. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Dell said the acquisition, dubbed as the largest tech merger by far, may close between this month and January 2017. The company had previously said the deal would be closed by October, but the timetable was forwarded after Dell and Silver Lake Partners sold off some business entities faster than anticipated. Dell divested of SecureWorks by an IPO and sold Perot Systems and Dell Software Group, which included Quest Software and Sonic Wall, AustinInno reported. All in all, Dell managed to raise around $50 billion in debt financing for the deal, The New York Post reported. It has also gained other regulatory approvals and has secured the vote of EMC shareholders in July. The regulatory approval from China is the last thing standing in the way of the acquisition. Under the agreement, the consumer PC giant will pay EMC $24.05 in cash per EMC share and 0.111 shares of VMware tracking stock based on the value of VMware common shares. EMC currently owns 80 percent of VMware, and traders expect EMC shares to rise to about $30 when the deal closes. Advertisement TagsDell, EMC Corp, Chinese regulator, merger and acquisition, Computers (Photo : Youtube) The HTC Vive game bundle include "The Gallery Episode I: Call of the Starseed and arcade shooter Zombie Training Simulator. Advertisement Taiwanese tech giant HTC is looking to establish itself as a major player in the Chinese virtual reality industry. HTC recently announced that it had signed an agreement with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba to achieve its goals. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed to the public. However it was reported that under the terms of this newly forged collaboration, HTC would make use of Alibaba's cloud computing services and integrate it into its virtual reality unit. Although HTC, with its HTC Vive virtual reality headset, is one of the first companies to release a VR hardware into the market, the company has been struggling to compete in the fledgling market, especially with competitors like Sony, Samsung, and Oculus. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement HTC has been quite busy promoting its virtual reality products and services. In April, the company set up an investment fund worth $100 million to entice virtual reality startups to create contents for the HTC Vive headset. In July, HTC announced that it is opening more than 10,000 HTC Vive virtual reality experience centers in mainland China to provide Chinese consumers with an easy to access site where they can enjoy a fully immersive virtual reality experience. According to China Tech News, HTC and Alibaba are also looking to improve their data center infrastructure, which the two companies agree is a big component in streaming virtual reality contents to customers. Aliyun, Alibaba's cloud computing division, is also looking for international partners who are interested in establishing a foothold in the Chinese tech market. Advertisement TagsHTC, Alibaba, VR, Virtual Reality, Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, HTC Vive (Photo : Getty Images) Xiaomi's new Redmi Pro smartphone is the first device on the market to sport a dual camera set up. Advertisement The smartphone industry recently posted a decline regarding sales and market outputs. In China, the once dominant smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi reported that its shipment fell by as much as 38 percent during the second quarter of the year. The data were supplied by international market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC). The report also shows that during the same quarter, Huawei Technologies held the largest piece of the market. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement During the second quarter of the year, Xiaomi shipped 10.5 million units of smartphones. In the same quarter of 2015, Xiaomi was able to record 17.1 million in shipments, according to Tech in Asia. IDC's report also shows that Xiaomi fell to the fourth position in terms of market share, closely trailing fellow Chinese manufacturers Huawei, Oppo, and Vivo. Xiaomi has disputed the numbers released by IDC. The Chinese smartphone maker cited data released by other researchers. Xiaomi pointed that on a report by IHS, the company has shipped 14.2 million smartphone units, while Strategy Analytics reported that company to have shipped 12.8 million smartphone units. According to Bloomberg, the Chinese smartphone market is currently the biggest in the world, a factor that has helped propel Chinese manufacturers to the top of the smartphone industry. Chinese smartphone manufacturers are known for their impressive design, quality, and most importantly budget-friendly price point. These factors continue to put pressure on global manufacturers such as Samsung and Apple. In one of his reports, Canalys research analyst Jessie Ding wrote, "The iPhones lack features such as waterproofing and wireless charging. Apple needs to catch up with the competition if it wants to compete." Advertisement TagsXiaomi, xiaomi market, Smartphone, smartphone market, xiaomi smartphone market, Huawei, china, china smartphone, vivo, Oppo BREAKING: Radical UK Islamist preacher Anjem Choudary guilty of inviting support for Islamic State 16 August, 2016 by Reuters , | LONDON (Reuters) - Anjem Choudary, Britain's most high-profile Islamist preacher whose followers have been linked to numerous plots across the world, has been found guilty of inviting support for Islamic State. Choudary, 49, was convicted at London's Old Bailey court of using online lectures and messages to encourage support for the banned group which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq. Notorious in Britain where the tabloids denounce him as a hate preacher, he is also well-known abroad, making regular TV appearances in the wake of attacks by Islamist militants to blame Western foreign policy for targeting Muslims. "These men have stayed just within the law for many years, but there is no one within the counter terrorism world that has any doubts of the influence that they have had, the hate they have spread and the people that they have encouraged to join terrorist organizations," said Dean Haydon, head of London police's Counter Terrorism Command. Prosecutors said that in postings on social media, Choudary and his close associate Mizanur Rahman, 33, had pledged allegiance to the "caliphate" declared by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and said Muslims had a duty to obey or provide support to him. Both men, who had denied the terrorism charges and claimed the case was politically motivated, were found guilty last month but their convictions could not be reported until Tuesday for legal reasons. They are due to be sentenced in September and could face a jail sentence of up to 10 years each. Choudary, the former head of the now banned organization al-Muhajiroun, became infamous for praising the men responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the United States and saying he wanted to convert Buckingham Palace into a mosque. Despite his often controversial comments and refusal to condemn attacks by Islamists such as the London 2005 bombings, Choudary has always denied any involvement in militant activity and had never been previously charged with any terrorism offence. Rahman served two years in jail for encouraging followers to kill British and American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq during a protest in 2006. BREEDING GROUND FOR MILITANTS Al-Muhajiroun has been regarded as a breeding ground for militants since it was founded in the late 1990s by Syrian-born Islamist cleric Omar Bakri, who was banished from Britain in 2005, and was banned under anti-terrorist laws in 2010. Police said it was suspected of being the driving force behind the London bombings while Michael Adebolajo, one of the men who hacked to death British soldier Lee Rigby on a London street in 2013, had attended protests Choudary had organized. Last year, the trial of a teenage Muslim convert found guilty of plotting to behead a soldier in London was told he had fallen in with al-Muhajiroun. The group's influence is said to extend far beyond Britain. Those connected to it include Abu Hamza al-Masri, jailed for life in the United States last year for terrorism-related offences. Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the gunman who shot and killed a soldier in Canada's capital and then stormed parliament in 2014, followed Choudary on Twitter, although the preacher told Reuters at the time he had no links to him. "Over and over again we have seen people on trial for the most serious offences who have attended lectures or speeches given by these men," Haydon said in a statement. Both Choudary and Rahman say they abide by a "covenant of security" which forbids Muslims from carrying out attacks in non-Muslim lands where their lives and wellbeing are protected. "We're living in a global community and no doubt Muslims around the world who have their eye on what's happening in Syria and Iraq or want to know about the sharia (law) will come across us at one point or another," Choudary told Reuters in 2014. "That does not mean that we're encouraging people to carry out any acts of terrorism." Written by Michael Holden. 'Can I go to summer camp and learn how to kill Jews, mother?' 17 August, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | GAZA (Christian Examiner) While American children spent their summer vacations playing video games, going to the movies and attending Vacation Bible School, children in Gaza were attending summer camps on how to kill Jews. According to the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), 30,000 Gazan children came for the annual "Pioneers of Liberation" camps hosted by Hamas's military wing, the 'Izz Al-Din Al Qassam Brigades. Hamas leaders said the goal of the camps "is to stoke the embers of jihad among the generation of liberation, to inculcate Islamic values and to prepare the army of victory for liberating Palestine." This year, camp organizers operated under the theme of the "Al Quds Intifada" the Jerusalem uprising. It is the name given to the spate of recent attacks on Israelis and foreigners which have claimed multiple lives, including one American. MEMRI mined several Hamas-related social media accounts to develop a compelling picture of what goes on during the summer camps, all taught by experience Al Qassam fighters. One was called the "Knife Camp," for the attacks on Israeli civilians in recent months, and another the "Soldiers of Al-Quds." Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem. Another camp was named for Baha 'Aliyan, a terrorist who killed three Israelis and wounded nine in an attack on a Jerusalem bus in October 2015. Each of the camps has a theme or a revolutionary slogan as well, MEMRI reported. The Hamas newspaper Al-Risalah reported that some of the slogans speak of redeeming the Al-Aqsa mosque atop the disputed Temple Mount "with blood," while another speaks of defending the "holy places." A third camp slogan was, "Free the Prisoners from the Jails." The camps attract children, boys as well as girls, as young as eight years old. It is, however, those who are age 14 and up who are the prime target for recruitment. One 19-year-old camper told the newspaper the camp created a desire in him to "join the ranks of the resistance in the future" and "participate in liberating Palestine from occupation." Hamas social media accounts were full of pictures of children receiving instruction in how to kill with knives from behind, how to assemble weapons and recognize rockets by name, and how to dig tunnels. The classes even took a field trip into Hamas-constructed tunnel, created especially for the campers. Ibrahim Al-Madhoun, a columnist for Al-Risalah, wrote that the response to the camp offerings was "massive." Al-Madhoun praised the camps and said they are teaching children "national values" and moving the general population from a "passive stance" to a "proactive one." "Resistance is spreading from the elites to the general public, in an attempt to create an entire generation of resistance [fighters] that can defend itself," he wrote. "The camps expand the [circle of] popular involvement in the resistance." "Our Palestinian people are jihad fighters by nature, who rise up and aspire to take part in armed combat. Ever since the Al-Qassam Brigades' quality victory in the Third Gaza War [in July 2014], the public, in and out [of Palestine], has been begging its leadership to [be allowed to] take an active part in the ranks of the resistance. These camps will lay the foundations for building a broad popular army embracing many sectors [of society]," Al-Madhoun wrote. In 2014, Hamas fired an estimated 3,700 rockets into Israel. After a series of pin-point strikes, Israel was forced to launch a ground invasion of Gaza Operation Protective Edge to halt the attacks. Sixty-four Israeli soldiers died in the fighting, while an estimated 750 Hamas militants were killed. Hamas frequently launched rockets from school yards, hospitals and civilian neighborhoods. The Israeli response left as many as 20,000 homes inhabitable. Between 300,000 and 500,000 Gazans spent the winter in shelters. Hamas, after being resoundingly defeated, claimed victory. The religious freedom of Christians in the Philippines is protected constitutionally, but that doesnt prevent them from facing persecution on a local level. ChristianToday.com reports that recently, a group of Christians were gathered to be discipled by Pastor Yudianto when a group of Muslim radicals broke up their meeting, threatening them with death if they met together again. After the radicals left, the family hosting Pastor Yudianto voiced their fears, but said they still wanted to be discipled. "Pastor Yudianto stayed a while longer with the family who had hosted the church meeting," said Bruce Allen of Forgotten Missionaries International (FMI). "They just shared their heart with him, wondering, 'How do we go on from here? We're nervous, we're scared, but what do we do next? We still want to be discipled by you.'" Pastor Yudianto plans to meet with the Christians again despite the threats they received. "He'll hold a meeting with all those Christians again, several different families and parts of families represented in that new congregation, and really encourage them, saying, 'This is what we face as Christians in Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim dominant country,'" Allen said. FMI is also giving Pastor Yudianto the training he needs to continue his evangelism in an environment that is often hostile to Christians. Publication date: August 17, 2016 Why would anyone feel the need to make another Ben-Hur? It's not strictly accurate to frame this film as a remake of William Wyler's 1959 classic, since that film was itself an adaptation of the 1925 silent film Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, and that film was based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel, sometimes called the most influential Christian book of the nineteenth century. There's also the miniseries from 2010. And the animated film from 2003. (I'm probably missing some others.) But Wyler's film is the best-known version, and this new version could never hope to escape its orbit. Then again, since the dawn of cinema, people have been making new movies about the life of Christincluding Son of God, the 2014 box-office success executive produced by Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, who serve the same role in the latest Ben-Hur. Burnett and Downey's involvement in a project usually means it's destined for the faith-based marketing niche, and certainly this Ben-Hur is settled firmly in that slot. But just because it's done all the time doesn't mean it's okayespecially when a very memorable version of the story is still broadly watched and praised by audiences. If you're going to make a new version, you should have a good reason. (Or at least a reason.) So last weekend, I fired up all 224 minutes of the 1959 Ben-Hur and watched a very non-Jewish-looking Charlton Heston journey, as Judah Ben-Hur, toward forgiveness and faith. Despite every story beat feeling almost too familiar by now, after years of running on TV at the holidays, the film holds up: it's a a stirring, operatic tale, and it's deeply watchable today, once you calibrate your expectations regarding ... 1 Missionary Medic Training Guatemalan Firefighters Missionary medic Paul Heier and his wife, Thania, have been working with first responders, hospitals, and needy children in several Latin American countries for more than a decade. Contact: Paul Heier, 239-243-9714 LEHIGH ACRES, Fla., Aug. 17, 2016 / The medical mission work started when Heier offered to help a Guatemalan fire chief bring his crew up-to-date in CPR. He couldn't imagine the response that followed. Heier has been asked to teach classes to dozens of firefighters and police officers across the country. He was recently honored with a television interview on a Guatemalan news channel to explain why he's willing to help. Heier says this work is his way of loving his neighbor. "This work has been incredibly rewarding for us and impactful for those who are accessing this much needed training," says Heier. "Right now we have more requests than we can handle and desperately need volunteers to come and help teach. We encourage all those who truly want to serve people in need to connect with us and learn more about our mission work and trips." Guatemala and many Latin American countries face severe poverty and the needs of the people are great. Poverty hasn't changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent live below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. The services provided by Mision Hispana meet a critical need that is not being met in the country. Mision Hispana recently celebrated 11 years of helping to reach the forgotten in Latin America. The organization relies heavily on volunteers and donor funding to meet its mission. Over the years, Mision Hispana has hosted groups from the U.S. and Canada on mission trips in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala. For more information about their work, to donate or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, visit Share Tweet Contact: Paul Heier, 239-243-9714LEHIGH ACRES, Fla., Aug. 17, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Missionary medic Paul Heier has partnered his organization Mision Hispana with Guatemalan firefighters to provide CPR, First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, and Trauma classes across the country. Heier attended paramedic school with the desire to help people in remote areas and teach these critical subjects to short-term missionaries and national firefighters.The medical mission work started when Heier offered to help a Guatemalan fire chief bring his crew up-to-date in CPR. He couldn't imagine the response that followed. Heier has been asked to teach classes to dozens of firefighters and police officers across the country. He was recently honored with a television interview on a Guatemalan news channel to explain why he's willing to help. Heier says this work is his way of loving his neighbor."This work has been incredibly rewarding for us and impactful for those who are accessing this much needed training," says Heier. "Right now we have more requests than we can handle and desperately need volunteers to come and help teach. We encourage all those who truly want to serve people in need to connect with us and learn more about our mission work and trips."Guatemala and many Latin American countries face severe poverty and the needs of the people are great. Poverty hasn't changed much in Guatemala during the last 20 years, according to the World Bank. Close to 75 percent of the population is estimated to live below the poverty line and almost 58 percent live below the extreme poverty line which the World Bank defines as struggling to afford even a basic basket of food. The services provided by Mision Hispana meet a critical need that is not being met in the country.Mision Hispana recently celebrated 11 years of helping to reach the forgotten in Latin America. The organization relies heavily on volunteers and donor funding to meet its mission. Over the years, Mision Hispana has hosted groups from the U.S. and Canada on mission trips in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala. For more information about their work, to donate or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, visit ReachingtheAmericas.com home World Children being sexually assaulted in Greek refugee camp - report Charities and human rights advocates reported that children from a state-run Greek refugee camp on Thessaloniki suffered incidences and threats of sexual assault. According to the Observer, testimonies from various sources indicated the horrifying cases of sexual assaults targeting children even as young as seven years old. A volunteer for an aid organization at Thessaloniki's Softex camp, holding 1,400 refugees with 60 percent Syrians and 170 of which are children, reported that a crushed Iraqi family abandoned its dreams of resettling in Europe and now wanted to go back to their war-torn home country after male gangs attacked their daughter. "The parents are still in disbelief over what happened," recounted the volunteer, as reported by The Guardian. "A man from one of the 'mafia' groups asked their seven-year-old daughter into their tent to play games on his phone and then zipped up the tent. She came back with marks on her arms and neck. Later the girl described how she was sexually abused. It has scarred a seven-year-old child for life." Anna Chiara Nava of MAdecins Sans FrontiAres in Thessaloniki attested to the plights of survival for unaccompanied minors and described the nights in the camp as marked with terror as children and women go to hiding in their tents for fear of attacks. She added that they can't even go to the toilets alone. Cases of rape and violence also marked the makeshift refugee camp in Giessen, western Germany, where 5,000 asylum seekers await their future. Women's rights groups and politicians raised such concerns since last year. British parliamentarian Yvette Cooper, also chairwoman of the Labour Party's refugee task force, decried the revelations in the Greek camps as one that "should shame us all." Cooper urged the UK government to start taking action and reminded them that the Dublin amendment "because we were worried about child refugees being exploited, trafficked and sexually abused because other countries were overwhelmed with the scale of the problem." home US Donald Trump conducts campaign shake-up, hires combative news executive in senior role U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump overhauled his troubled campaign on Wednesday, hiring the combative head of a conservative news website as chief executive officer and promoting a seasoned political operative to a senior role. Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of Breitbart website, was named CEO, while Kellyanne Conway, who has been an adviser, will take on the role of campaign manager, the Trump campaign said. The shake-up comes as Trump faces criticism from many Republicans over a series of controversial statements and opinion polls show him falling behind Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton in the race for the Nov. 8 election. The selection of Bannon suggested that Trump is aiming not so much to tone down his aggressive style but to be more disciplined in emphasizing themes that resonate strongly with the voters he is trying to court, such as his stances on immigration and criticism of Clinton. "You've got a candidate who wants to win. This is a clear indication of that. It's win at all cost," Corey Lewandowski, Trump's former campaign manager, said on CNN. Lewandowski, who was ousted in June as the unorthodox Trump campaign tried to adopt more presidential posture, likened Bannon to "a street fighter," like himself. He said Conway, who had backed Trump rival Ted Cruz in the Republican primaries, could help Trump with "any gender gap problems that he has." Trump, a New York real estate developer and former reality TV star who has never held elected office, drew criticism for comments insulting women, Muslims and Mexican immigrants during the campaign for the Republican nomination, which he formally secured in July. More recently, he has faced a barrage of criticism from Republicans over his freewheeling campaign style and his refusal to stick to a policy message. In particular, he has been rebuked for his prolonged feud with the family of a Muslim U.S. Army captain who was killed in the Iraq war, and for his unfounded accusation that President Barack Obama and Clinton were the co-founders of the Islamic State militant group. Trump later backed off the comments about Islamic State. 'WHATEVER IT TAKES' The campaign's announcement on Wednesday quoted Trump as saying he was "committed to doing whatever it takes to win" the election. The campaign also said it would make its first major television commercial purchase later this week. The staff changes, first reported in the Wall Street Journal, are the second time in two months that Trump has shifted his campaign's leadership. In June, he fired longtime aide Lewandowski as campaign manager and handed more power to senior campaign aide Paul Manafort. The statement from the Trump campaign said Manafort would remain as campaign chairman and chief strategist. Manafort drew unwelcome attention to the campaign this week when the New York Times reported that Manafort's name was on secret ledgers showing cash payments designated to him of more than $12 million from a Ukrainian political party with close ties to Russia. Manafort denied any impropriety on Monday. Ukrainian officials confirmed Manafort's name appeared on a ledger and that more than $12 million had been allocated as an expenditure, but added that the presence of his name did not mean he received the funds. Bannon, a former Goldman Sachs banker who also served in the U.S. Navy, came under criticism as not supporting Michelle Fields, a reporter who said she was grabbed and bruised by Lewandowski at a March campaign event in Florida. Lewandowski was charged with battery but the charge was later dropped. Ben Shapiro, a Breitbart editor who resigned from the organization along with Fields, called Bannon a bully who sold out to "another bully, Donald Trump," to protect Trump's man. "He has shaped the company into Trump's personal Pravda, to the extent that he abandoned and undercut his own reporter," Shapiro said in a statement at the time. home World Judge recommends a review of Pakistani blasphemy law; Seeks equality among all religions A Pakistani judge recommended revisions of at least five provisions of the country's blasphemy law to safeguard the law from misuse and ensure equality among all religions. According to Barnabas Fund, a religious organization that exposes cases of Christian persecution worldwide, a one-man tribunal, also a former judge of the Lahore High Court, sought to place the current blasphemy law in line with Article 25 of the Constitution by revisiting five of its provisions. The Express Tribune listed the five provisions to be amended as that of 295 a B (defiling of Quran), 295-C (defamatory remarks in respect of Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)), 298 a A (derogatory remarks against holy personalities of Islam), 298-B (misuse of epithets, descriptions and titles reserved for certain personages or places of Muslims), and 298-C (Ahmadi calling himself a Muslim or preaching or propagating his faith). The tribunal a tasked to investigate the incident in August 2009 when a Muslim mob of more than 800 attacked a Christian settlement in Gojra, burned down an estimated 60 houses and killed eight Christians after a rumor circulated that indicated charges of blasphemy a asserted that the five provisions tolerated religious injustices such as sectarian attacks against religious minorities. He intends to seek approval from the Mujtahideen of all Muslim schools of thought as well as the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII). The parliament also needs to approve the proposed amendments. "Christians face a lot of discrimination in society and the bigotry against them often ends up using the vehicle of blasphemy allegations motivated either by designs to take over land or by personal enmity or ego," the Independent quoted lawyer Sundas Hoorain as saying. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) also condemned the Pakistani police for doing little to prevent cases of Christian persecution. The group revealed how the Christian minorities in a predominantly Christian village suffered social boycott and even made to choose between converting to Islam and abandoning their homes. This happened after a Christian resident accused of blasphemy fled away to save his life. "The situation is getting worse with each passing day," said the AHRC in a report. "The Christians are living in constant fear that their houses may be set on fire by a mob if the police does not provide them with round the clock security." It added, "The state must proactively work towards encouraging interfaith harmony and prosecute perpetrators of violence in the name of religion without fail or delay." home Faith Rick Warren reminds Christians that 'Earth is just a temporary assignment' Megachurch Pastor Rick Warren advises Christians to set their goals up high and not confine themselves with worldly goals as he reminds the temporary nature of man's life on Earth. The senior pastor and founder of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California reminds Christians that God did not intend them to make Earth their home. "It's important to remember that life on Earth is just a temporary assignment. Knowing this truth should radically alter your values and fix your attention on the things that are eternally important," wrote the 62-year-old pastor on his blog on Aug. 8. Pastor Warren quoted 2 Corinthians 4:18 TEV to encourage fellow Christians to set their sights up high. The verse says, "For we fix our attention, not on things that are seen, but on things that are unseen. What can be seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever." The New York Times best-selling author of "The Purpose Driven Life" also blasted the teachings of prosperity preachers and warned the dangers of falling into such fallacy. He believes that God didn't put His people on Earth merely to attain material success or abundance. He cited how the lives of leading Biblical figures such as that of Paul and John the Baptist shows this. He reminded readers that Paul ended up in prison while John the Baptist got his head chopped off. He also pointed on the millions of Christian martyrs who lost everything even until the end of their lives, yet, all these people proved their faithfulness in God. "Faithfulness to God does not guarantee success in a career or even in ministry," he concluded. "Remember that you are not home yet. At death you won't leave home a you'll go home," wrote the pastor as a consolation for faithful Christians. In an earlier blog, Pastor Warren described God's kingdom and God's family as the only things that would outlast everything else when the time comes. In this view, he urged Christians to join a spiritual family and thereby make the most significant thing they can do in their lives. home US Son 'moved by the message' stabs father in church in Kentucky A son who claimed to have been "moved by the message" suddenly started stabbing his father and disrupted Sunday's morning service at a church in Kentucky. According to WBKO, police reported that 21-year-old Ethan Buckley used a pocket knife he brought along with him and stabbed his 40-year-old father, David Buckley, during the 9:30 a.m. service at Hillvue Heights Church in Bowling Green. Bowling Green Daily News also reported that the son, now held in Warren County Regional Jail in Bowling Green, could land 10 to 20 years of jail time for Assault in the form of First Degree Domestic Violence. Warren District Judge Sam Potter also set a bond of $500,000 and set a preliminary hearing on Friday. A Bowling Green Police Department (BGPD) citation arrest issued Monday revealed that Ethan admitted to the stabbing and said that he felt "moved by the message" and intended to kill his father painlessly by aiming at his father's jugular vein. BGPD spokesman Officer Ronnie Ward said the father survived the attack but could not provide further details on the victim's condition as he's still being treated at The Medical Center. "It's an isolated incident between father and son," said Rick Bessette, a BGPD Public Information Officer, on Sunday. However, the shaken members of the congregation believed the incident only reflected the state of violence happening everywhere. "It's scary, but in today's society this can happen anywhere," said Alicia Bell, who sat at a side row section. "I felt like the Lord was protecting us. I'm glad that my family and I are OK, and I'm praying for anybody that was hurt." Bell urged people to be more vigilant of their surroundings. "I was praying at the altar when I heard a commotion," shared another churchgoer, Brent Duvall. "I thought it was someone going into cardiac arrest or a seizure. I found out it wasn't that." Duvall happened to be by the altar when the incident happened. "It's a lost and fallen world we live in. It shouldn't surprise us," he added. African Anglicans will never accept gay marriage, vows senior Church leader A senior Anglican leader has vowed African churches will never accept same-sex marriage as he accused the Western church of a quasi-racist attitude towards former colonies. Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, a global body representing Anglicans in more than 165 countries, claimed African churches "are already progressives" because they do not conform to liberal Western values. Instead they live in "accordance with the will of God in the kingdom of God, which is the real future for humanity that measures all human progress", he said. A deep rift exists between Western Anglican churches particularly in the US, where same-sex marriage is celebrated and openly gay clergy are welcomed, and the more conservative African churches who believe the Bible prohibits gay relationships. "We will never allow our churches to be taken over by views and programmes which suggest that the Bible is wrong," Idowu-Fearon told African church leaders last week. "We will not crumble or bow the knee to a godless secular culture that despises the Bible and what it teaches," he said in his address to the Council of Anglican Provinces in Africa (CAPA). Idowu-Fearon said he was "deeply disturbed" by the acceptance of gay relationships in the Church and said poorer Anglicans have been "swept aside by a campaign to change the churches' teaching on marriage and so-called rights of equality". The Nigerian primate accused Western churches of not having African churches' "best interests at heart" because they "present us as being 50 years behind the rest of the world. "Their view of progressivism places them at the forefront of historical and social development with us Africans bringing up the rear." But he promised African leaders: "We will never allow ourselves, or our identity, or our churches, to be defined by the pride of those who see us as lagging behind them in our economies, our politics, our communities, our families, and our theology." The Archbishop called on the African church to "set the pace for the Anglican Communion" when it comes to gay marriage, a call welcomed by the leaders gathered. The official edict from the conference reaffirmed their commitment to "uphold the Lambeth Conference Resolution 1.10 on Human Sexuality", seen as the benchmark for conservative Anglican's teaching on same-sex marriage. The resolution, passed in 1998, states that "marriage [is] between a man and a woman" and rejects "homosexual practice as incompatible with Scripture". It speaks of the "ordering of relationships" for those with "a homosexual orientation" and speaks against "legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions". The Archbishop of Canterbury has called for another meeting of global Anglican leaders in a further attempt to heal the deep divides. The last meeting in January 2016 imposed "consequences" on The Episcopal Church in the US for its decision to go ahead with same-sex marriage. Although the primates committed to walk together despite their strong disagreements, the next meeting scheduled for October 2017 may prove even more divisive after the Church in Canada and The Scottish Episcopal Church have both since made steps towards same-sex marriage. Assyrian Christians plan to revive ancient language of Jesus An ancient dialect of Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, is to be revived in Syria, where a new education centre has been set up for the first time. Assyrian Neo-Aramaic, or Syriac, will be taught at the Ourhi Centre in Qamishli, close to the Turkish border in north-eastern Syria. "Our centre is responsible for training teachers specialised in the Syriac language to enable them teach different subjects in this language," director of the centre, Jan Malfon, told ARA News. He added that it was the first time ever the Assyrian community had launched its own language and cultural centre. Before the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011, it was illegal to teach in any language other than Arabic. "Learning the Syriac-Assyrian language would help us better understand our culture and history in order to pass this knowledge to the next generations and guarantee them learning their mother-tongue," said Mirna Saliba, a student learning Syriac at the centre. An ancient branch of Christianity, the Assyrian Church of the East has roots dating back to the 1st century AD. Assyrian Christians have origins in ancient Mesopotamia a territory which is now spread over modern day northern Iraq, north-east Syria and south-eastern Turkey. Over the past few years however, hundreds of thousands of Christians have fled the region as a result of the Syrian conflict and the rise of Islamic State. Qamishli has been hit by a number of militant attacks in recent months. ISIS claimed responsibility for three terror attacks on the city in December that killed more than a dozen people, and in June a suicide bomber killed three people in an attack near a church that was believed to have targeted the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church. Australian police consider interviewing Cardinal Pell over child sex abuse claims Cardinal George Pell could be interviewed in Rome by Australian police over historic child sexual abuse allegations, it emerged today. There were mixed reports about whether police would fly to Rome, where the 74-year-old was appointed by Pope Francis as head of the Vatican's secretariat for the economy in 2014, interview him over video link or not interview him at all. But the Brisbane Times reported that a police interview was likely and some reports said that he could be charged. The fresh speculation came after the ABC television network last month aired claims by two men about inappropriate behaviour by Pell going back as far as the 1970s. Cardinal Pell has called for an investigation into Australia's Victoria police and claimed he is the victim of a "scandalous smear campaign". The two men claim they were allegedly abused by the cardinal when he was a priest in Ballarat, Victoria, in the summer of 1978-1979. The men, now in their 40s, are believed to have given statements to the Victoria police special child exploitation taskforce, Sano, detailing the incidents. The incidents allegedly took place while Pell was playing with schoolchildren in a swimming pool. Victoria Police and assistant commissioner Steve Fontana are assessing the claims. Other allegations against Pell relate to when he was a priest in East Melbourne between 1996 and 2001. Pell is alleged to have exposed himself to boys. In a statement, Victoria Police confirmed it has received advice from the Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in relation to both sets of allegations. "We have received advice from the DPP and will now take the time to consider it," a Victoria Police spokeswoman said. The cardinal has said he bore no ill feelings towards his accusers. "I bear no ill will and have no desire to cause them harm but what they say about me is not true," he said. Pell added that he had not been approached by Sano for an interview. But Victoria police's chief commissioner, Graham Ashton, has not ruled out sending officers to Rome to interview Pell, saying that the issue was before the office of public prosecutions. "Anything is possible at this stage," he said last month. In February, Cardinal Pell gave evidence via video-link from Rome to Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse in Sydney, admitting that the Catholic Church had made "enormous mistakes" and let abuse victims down. Pope Francis has said that people should not judge Pell or gossip about him before justice has taken its course. He told journalists when flying back from World Youth Day in Poland at the end of last month: "The first information that arrived was confusing. It was news from 40 years back that not even the police made a case about at first. It was a confusing thing. Then, all the rest of the accusations were sent to justice. Right now, they are in the hands of justice. And one mustn't judge before justice judges, eh? If I were to say a judgement in favour of or against Cardinal Pell, it wouldn't be good because I [would] judge before...we must wait for justice and not make a first judgement ourselves, a media trial...because this doesn't help. The judgement of gossip and then, one can...we don't know what the result will be but be attentive to what justice decides. Once justice speaks, I will speak." Choudary could be held in isolated prison unit to prevent him radicalising fellow inmates Fears over Anjem Choudary's ability to radicalise Muslim inmates in prison could lead to him being kept for years in an isolated unit. Choudary, who was convicted last month of backing Islamic State and faces trial in September, has so far been held in Belmarsh top-security jail in south-east London, where a special unit enables the Prison Service to hold the most dangerous and disruptive inmates. "The Prison Service will have to limit opportunities for radicalisation to take place but it can be done," David Wilson, a former prison governor who is now professor of criminology at Birmingham City university, told The Times. "You have to limit their ability to engage with other inmates. Segregation and control would seem to be what you would want to do and that points to close-supervision centres". Visits, letters and literature in cells can be vetted, and governors can prevent someone attending Friday prayers with other Muslim inmates, though imams would be allowed to visit him in his cell. The danger comes with communication through cell windows or when in communal areas on prison wings. Currently, the authorities are allowed to hold up to 60 of the most disruptive prisoners in closed-supervision areas An official review found last month that a small number of Islamist inmates in England and Wales are proselytising some of the country's 12,500 Muslim prisoners and should be isolated within top-security prisons. Ian Acheson, a former prison governor who wrote the report, called for "incapacitation" units to tackle the Islamist prisoners and said that the National Offender Management Service, which runs prisons, lacked a coherent strategy. His report found complacency among prison guards over the threat. "There are a small number of people whose behaviour is so egregious in relation to proselytising this ... lethal nihilistic death cult ideology which gets magnified inside prison, particularly when you have a supply of impulsive and often highly violent young men that they need to be incapacitated from being able to proselytise to the rest of the prison population", Acheson told the Commons justice committee of MPs last month. The outgoing Justice Secretary Michael Gove said he was "extremely sympathetic" to the plan to isolate the Islamists, The Times reported. Acheson said that some of the extremists were in prison for reasons other than terror-related offences but had become radicalised while in prison. "The problem is serious but not out of control. There are a number of prisons where the problem is particularly serious," he said. Outlining his plans for purpose-built units within high security prisons, Acheson added: "It is not about prisons for Muslims or prisons for terrorists. It is a nuanced response that holds out the possibility of redemption." Acheson said that the review team had visited prisons in the Netherlands, France and Spain, where they were beginning to separate their extremist prisoners. Churches destroyed, Bibles burned: Nigerian church leader on Christians returning home after Boko Haram For years a key state in Islamist terror group Boko Haram's attempt to create a caliphate, parts of Adamawa state in northeastern Nigeria have now been liberated by government forces. However, as civilians begin returning home, they are finding it difficult to adjust to life after the insurgency. "Sporadic attacks by Boko Haram continued, but the Christians I met returned home despite the dangers. Worse still, Boko Haram had all but destroyed their villages," church worker Isaac (name has been changed) told World Watch Monitor. "The first thing I noticed after arriving was the great emotional strain on the returnees. A lucky few were able to reunite with family members, but many widows and orphans experienced afresh what life without their lost loved ones really means." Isaac said that many Christians were keen to return home after living in camps for displaced people, because some had "faced pressure to convert to Islam just to get food". "An estimated two million people were displaced by Boko Haram in northern Nigeria and the government wants people to return home because it's unable to provide for so many," he said. However, the return home has not been easy. "To have fled violence and returned to ghost-towns was hard on them," Isaac said. "Boko Haram destroyed whole communities homes, schools, health centers and churches were not spared. They systematically destroyed water pumps and polluted wells by dumping corpses in them. "Farms that were deserted have led to a shortage of food, and malnutrition especially among children is common." In July, the UN's children's agency, Unicef, warned that nearly a quarter of a million children were suffering from life-threatening malnourishment in Boko Haram's home state of Borno, which neighbours Adamawa, and one in five are at risk of dying. Furthermore, Adamawa has a large Christian population, and Boko Haram has systematically targeted churches and Christians since its uprising in 2009. "Church buildings suffered," Isaac said. "One pastor told me there wasn't a single Bible left all were burned." "This is one of the most painful things for us to deal with not having the word of God in our hands" the pastor told him. However, despite the difficulties, Nigerians are trying to move forward, Isaac added. "These Christians refuse to let the challenges stop them from taking back their homes," he said. Families are rebuilding temporary houses out of wood, grass and mud, and churches have begun holding services again. "Some were rebuilt, but many others couldn't afford the costs, so gathered under trees or met in the ruins of their former church building," Isaac said. "One church was little more than a skeleton, with no roof or walls. The congregation placed anything resembling a seat on the ground so they could hold a service without having to sit in the dirt. "[Their] desperation was matched by determination." Crowd-sourcing Bibles: how publishers are helping churches, street pastors and the homeless Churches, homeless missions, street pastors, food banks and other organisations that want to raise money for new Bibles can use a new crowd-sourcing website designed by the leading Christian publisher of New International Version (NIV) Bibles, Hodder Faith. The site, givingbibles.com, enables organisations to set up an appeal within minutes and then share it with friends, family and other supporters. Joanna Davey, Bible editor at Hodder Faith, said of the new initiative: "GivingBibles.com is a very exciting new venture for Hodder Faith. With more and more churches and Christian organisations embracing digital methods to communicate with their members and supporters, it's great to be providing such a valuable tool to enable them to source the Bible resources they need." Organisations which have so far taken advantage of the new crowd-sourcing site include churches, food banks, street pastors and homeless appeals. Ian Metcalfe, director of publishing at the group, said "[this is] the most exciting initiative I have been involved with in my whole time in publishing, and it is amazing to see it come to life". He added: "So many people need Bibles desperately and don't have the money to buy them. Yet there are other people who'd love to give those Bibles if only they knew of the need. GivingBibles.com exists to help get Bibles to the people who need them most." Metcalfe told Christian Today: "One of the challenges with the Bible is it is obviously quite a well known book and everybody thinks they know all about it so the challenge for a publisher is how do we find a different way to talk about the Bible," he said. "We were thinking about who we want to reach...out there in the wider audience who may not be paying attention to the church. Then you have the churches themselves. The problem for churches is that they don't have money...Lots of churches up and down the country have pew Bibles sitting there for years that may be a bit old or dog-eared." Metcalfe added that "the exciting side of it is where you have pastors who end up in a conversation about faith and why they believe and they might have an opportunity to give someone a Bible. Or youth groups who may want to have a stock of ten or twenty Bibles to give to people. Or it could be a school who want to have a class set of Bibles for religious studies." "We wanted to take whatever opportunities we could to get the Bible on the radar for people," Metcalfe added. "The danger for us in the church and we probably have this as a big publishing house is that Christianity becomes a small thing huddled in a corner and we don't take opportunities to get out there." After supporters have chosen Bibles to donate they will be sent directly to the organisation making the appeal within five working days. Biblica, the International Bible Society, receive 10 per cent of every sale for their work in Bible translation and distribution worldwide. Doctors at Catholic hospitals 'actively discouraged' from referring women elsewhere for abortions Doctors working at Catholic hospitals in the US may be being prevented from referring women to facilities that provide abortions, according to a new study. Catholic healthcare institutions, which make up 15 per cent of acute care hospitals in the US 548 in total are advised by the US Conference of Catholic Bishops that they should not perform abortions or sterilisations. They are also advised not to promote contraception. New research has now found that they may not refer patients to other institutions where these procedures can be carried out. Interviews with 27 practising obstetrician-gynecologists with experience working at a Catholic hospital revealed that in some facilities, referrals to places like Planned Parenthood were allowed or even encouraged, but in others, referral was actively discouraged, or doctors kept their referral activity hidden. "One thing that did surprise me is that some hospitals really do seem to leave women with little to no information when it comes to abortion care specifically," said lead author of Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Dr Debra Stulberg of the University of Chicago. "For other services, whether it's something a Catholic hospital allows or not, they will facilitate getting the appointment, sending records, etc," she told Reuters Health. "But I'm not speaking across the board for everyone, it wasn't always black and white." Despite the prohibitions placed on doctors by the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, some Catholic theologians still believe doctors should openly explain all options to their patients, even ones they are not able to provide. Professional ethics guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that clinicians who deny patients reproductive services for moral or religious reasons provide a timely referral to prevent patient harm, but whether or not physicians at Catholic facilities actually make these referrals is unclear, the authors write in Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health. "We talked to doctors with a range of opinions on abortion, some of whom strongly expected to share the values of a Catholic hospital," Stulberg said. "Sometimes they were surprised because policies changed" and attitudes toward referrals may depend on which bishops issue new directives, she added. In general, physicians said the Catholic ethical directives did not always serve the best interests of women with limited financial resources, those needing certain kinds of emergency care and those who want to undergo sterilisation by tubal ligation at the time of a caesarean section or immediately after a vaginal delivery. "It concerns me as a doctor, from a standpoint of medical ethics, ACOG says that when a healthcare provider can't offer certain services they have to provide full and accurate information," Stulberg said. "Even in some emergencies doctors couldn't provide care they thought the patient needed," like giving high dose birth control pills to control heavy bleeding, she said. Some physicians said they got mixed messages from their hospital, which may want to deny a service for moral reasons but want to provide it for financial reasons. In some cases, hospital policy relied on referring to other facilities like Planned Parenthood, which was surprising, Stulberg said. "Some hospitals specifically said if there weren't other places to send these patients, then we might do [the procedures]," according to the physician interviews, she said. Many people may not have the option to choose between a Catholic or secular healthcare facility, she said. "For patients who have the same religious tradition, a Catholic hospital is perfect because she will only be given options she would consider," said Dr Maura Quinlan, chair of the Illinois Section of ACOG, who was not part of the study. "But it is not ethical to decide that for the patient." Failing to refer women for reproductive care can have significant negative effects on her health, Quinlan told Reuters Health by email. "Women should not assume that they're getting all the information that they may need to make an informed medical decision if they're going to a Catholic hospital," Stulberg said. "It's always good to ask questions about your own medical situation, and unfortunately you have to do some research beyond what your doctor can tell you." These findings follow a report released in May by the American Civil Liberties Union and MergerWatch which warned that "many Catholic hospitals across this country are withholding emergency care from patients who are in the midst of a miscarriage or experiencing other pregnancy complications". Additional reporting by Reuters. Donald Trump says being a good Christian president is 'the only way I'm going to get to heaven' Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has made a promise not to make a mockery out of the presidency, and it's because he believes leading America to greatness is "probably" his only ticket to heaven. "This will be an election that will go down in the history books and for evangelicals, for the Christians, for everybody, for everybody of religion, this will be maybe the most important election that our country has ever had," said Trump, according to CBN News. "So go out and spread the word and once I get in, I will do my thing that I do very well. And I figure it's probably maybe the only way I'm going to get to heaven. So I better do a good job. Okay? Thank you," he said. Trump also talked about current President Barack Obama and his opponent, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, during his meeting with evangelicals in Orlando, Florida. He slammed them both as the "founders of ISIS." "I made the statement before that Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, these are the founders of ISIS. These are the founders of ISIS because of bad judgment," he pointed out. "ISIS is going to present them with the most valuable player award, you know? Like in high school. Most valuable player." Meanwhile, American documentary filmmaker Michael Moore says Trump is making a lot of outrageous comments during his campaign trail because he never really wanted to become the 45th president of the United States in the first place. "Donald Trump never actually wanted to be president of the United States. I know this for a fact. I'm not going to say how I know it," he writes for The Huffington Post. Moore says Trump's presidency is all just a publicity stunt to boost his shows, adding that even Trump himself was surprised when he "ignited the country, especially among people who were the opposite of billionaires." "Trust me, I've met the guy. Spent an afternoon with him. He would rather invite the Clintons AND the Obamas to his next wedding than have that scarlet letter ('L') branded on his forehead seconds after the last polls have closed on that night," says Moore. Everybody suffering in Syria as war destroys nation and families, bishop says In war, there is always no winner, and the current situation in Syria clearly shows this. The Chaldean Bishop of Aleppothe Syrian city now at the centre of firefightsrecently lamented how armed conflict has left residents like him with a "destroyed country and destroyed families." In an interview with the Vatican Radio, Bishop Antoine Audo described how the fighting in Aleppo has left some two million people without access to basic needs like food, clean water and electricity. "Everybody is suffering everywhere in Syria. The people are suffering, becoming poor under the violence of attacks every day," Audo said in the interview, adding that even areas in the city controlled by the government are running short on supplies. Aside from taking away basic needs of residents, the war has also taken the lives of Syrians, the bishop lamented. "Because of the war, especially of the bombings everywhere, there are many killed people and victims," he said. He added that most of the residents, including Christians, have decided to flee the conflict-torn area to save themselves. Despite the worsening situation in their area, Bishop Audo said Christians who chose to stay continue to put their trust in God. "They say we have a big faith in the Lord. The visionary, they protect us until now. This is what they repeat, those who stay. Those who leave, they try to emigrate because they don't support insecurity and poverty in all levels. This is our situation at the moment," the Roman Catholic prelate said. Audo said he and his fellow Aleppo residents are still optimistic that his country's leaders will come up with a way to end the war. "Our point of view as Church, we need a political solution... under the authority of the United Nations.. I hope the groups, armed people, extremists that fight, unfortunately, in the name of Islam, we hope one day, the war will end," the bishop said. Islamist preacher rejects link to Ottawa shootings, warns of threat to Britain Britain's most high-profile Islamist preacher rejected suggestions he had influenced the man believed to have shot dead a soldier in Ottawa, but warned there could be similar attacks in Britain from angry radicalised Muslims. Canadian police are investigating a man named as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, a Muslim convert, as a possible suspect in the shootings around Canada's parliament building on Wednesday, according to a source familiar with the matter. Zehaf-Bibeau and another Islamic convert, Martin Ahmad Rouleau, who rammed his car into two Canadian soldiers in Quebec on Monday, appeared to have been influenced by radical British cleric Anjem Choudary, the source told Reuters. Rouleau's Twitter account showed he followed several radical preachers including Choudary, who tweeted that he hoped the Quebec attacker would be admitted to heaven. "I don't have any idea who the fellow was yesterday, and there were reports a few days ago the one who ran over a couple of army personnel was following me on Twitter as well," Choudary told Reuters. "The fact that someone follows you on Twitter does not mean you necessarily influenced him to do anything." Choudary's followers have been connected to a number of militant plots in Britain in recent years and Michael Adebolajo, one of the men who killed British soldier Lee Rigby on a London street last year, had attended protests he had organised. He was also one of nine men arrested last month on suspicion of encouraging terrorism, and supporting a banned organisation, but was released without charge. However, Choudary, former head of the now banned group al-Muhajiroun that gained notoriety for praising the attackers responsible for 9/11, has always denied any involvement in militant activity. Choudary said he abided by a "covenant of security" which forbids Muslims from carrying out attacks in non-Muslim lands where their lives and well-being are protected. "We're living in a global community and no doubt Muslims around the world who have their eye on what's happening in Syria and Iraq or want to know about the sharia will come across us at one point or another," said Choudary who has some 20,000 Twitter followers. "That does not mean that we're encouraging people to carry out any acts of terrorism." He said Western foreign policy was always cited by those who carried out attacks such as the 7/7 London suicide bombings in July 2005, and said there was always a backlash whenever states joined US-led air strikes carried out in Muslim countries. Canada announced this month that its jets would take part in air strikes against Islamic State fighters who have taken over vast swathes of Syria and Iraq. "I think that people need to wake up to the reality that their own countries are being dragged into a war far away - the Syrian and Iraqi people are not occupying Britain or Canada - so they are seen as the aggressors," Choudary said. He said Britain was likely to see similar incidents to those witnessed in Canada, as images of women and children killed in air strikes were relayed across the world via social media, leading to more anger and calls for retaliation. In the wake of the shootings, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper said his government would expedite plans to give more powers of detention and surveillance to security agencies. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said Britain's spy agencies were in close contact with their Canadian counterparts. "As you would expect, we are already analysing what happened in Canada and the implications for us," he told lawmakers. In August, Britain raised its international threat level to the second-highest classification of "severe", meaning an attack is considered highly likely, and police chiefs have said that detectives were carrying out counter-terrorism investigations at an "exceptionally high" pace not seen in years. Last week, four men appeared in court charged with preparing to launch an attack on policemen or soldiers on the streets of London and swearing allegiance to Islamic State. "I think the root causes for what took place on 7/7 are there and I think there are even more reasons for people to feel disenfranchised and to feel angry and to want to retaliate," Choudary said. "You can see from Lee Rigby that you don't need military training to attack army personnel and we saw that in Canada as well." Islamic groups say that Choudary and his supporters represent the views of only a tiny minority of Britain's 2.7 million Muslims, and that most Muslims oppose violent Islamism. (Reuters) New York man appears in court over shooting of Muslim cleric and assistant A man from New York City appeared in court yesterday and denied charges that he shot and killed a Muslim cleric and his assistant on a street in the borough of Queens over the weekend. Oscar Morel, 35, faces up to life in prison without parole if he is convicted of killing Imam Maulama Akonjee, 55, and Thara Uddin, 64, on Saturday in a lunchtime attack that horrified the neighborhood's Bangladeshi community. Morel, who was shackled at the hands and feet and wore a tan button-down shirt with black trousers, was arraigned at Queens Criminal Court on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. "It's the most horrendous and despicable act that can only be described as a cold-blooded and premeditated assassination," prosecutor Peter McCormack told the court as relatives of the victims looked on. "The defendant ran up behind both of them and pumped numerous bullets into them striking them both in the head ... leaving them lying in the street mortally wounded," he said. The authorities said that the suspect's motive remained unclear, and the possibility it was a hate crime was one theory being explored. Morel, from the borough of Brooklyn, appeared calm and spoke little during his brief appearance. He agreed that surveillance video showed him at the scene of the murders earlier on Saturday, but denied being the killer. Judge Karen Gopee set his next court date for tomorrow, when an attorney will be assigned to represent him. Speaking to reporters at the court, Uddin's brother, Mashuk Uddin, said the families of both victims were devastated. "Everybody is very upset," Uddin said, adding that he believes it was a hate crime. "These two people here being killed at one time? What's the reason? There's only one reason [and] that's the hate crime." Outside court, several relatives of the dead men as well as friends and locals held signs reading "We demand justice." Robert Boyce, the New York Police Department's chief of detectives, told a news conference on Monday that surveillance video showed the suspect getting into a black sport utility vehicle after the shootings. That vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run three miles (5km) away in Brooklyn shortly afterwards. After officers located the SUV, the suspect rammed a detective's car several times in an attempt to escape, but was arrested, Boyce said. He said the suspect is believed to have worked at a warehouse in Brooklyn. Citing unnamed police sources, the New York Times, the New York Daily News and other outlets reported on Tuesday that detectives who searched Morel's basement apartment in Brooklyn found an unlicensed revolver hidden in a wall that authorities believe he used in the execution-style killings. Police also found clothes in his apartment that matched what the gunman had been wearing, according to the media reports. Police confirmed in a statement on Tuesday that a .38 caliber Taurus revolver was recovered in connection with the investigation, but did not say where the firearm was found. Akonjee and Uddin were shot in the head at close range after leaving Saturday prayers at the Al-Furqan Jame Mosque in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens. Addressing hundreds of mourners at the two men's funeral on Monday, Mayor Bill de Blasio promised the city would bolster the police presence in the neighbourhood. A father of seven, Akonjee emigrated to the United States from Bangladesh several years ago, said Badrul Khan, the founder of the Al-Furqan Jame Mosque. He described the slain imam as a humble man who lived and breathed his religious faith. "His whole life was his job, praying here, then going home," Khan said. Additional reporting by Reuters Preacher arrested after tweeting 'Muslims will prevail over Christians' Police arrested a radical Muslim preacher in London yesterday, just after he tweeted "Muslims will prevail" over the Christians in Iraq and Syria. Anjem Choudary, 47, was one of nine arrested yesterday under anti-terror legislation. A further two arrests have been made today. Arrested with him were supporters of Al-Muhajiroun, the Islamist organisation he founded 20 years ago, and that was blacklisted by the government in 2010. Scotland Yard said yesterday that it was searching 19 properties, including the sweet shop, Yummy Yummy, owned by Choudary's brother. Among Choudary's followers are the two men convicted of the brutal murder of Fusilier Drummer Lee Rigby in south London last year. The arrests are not connected with a planned terror attack. However, police have long been monitoring Choudary's activity, particularly any language showing support for the rise of Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. "There is no doubt that Mr Choudary and his supporters are an influence on people who are going to Syria," one source told the Times. "He has always watched his words carefully but recently he and others seem to have become increasingly supportive of what is going on in Syria and Iraq." It is a criminal offence to be a member of Al-Muhajiroun. The group's co-founder, Omar Bakri Mohammed, was exiled after showing public support for the 7/7 terrorist bombings in London. A number of splinter groups from Al-Muhajiroun have also been banned. The nine were arrested on suspicion of belonging to and supporting a proscribed organisation in breach of the Terrorism Act 2000 as well as encouraging and supporting terrorism contrary to the Terrorism Act 2006. Choudary is a trained solicitor, and was the chairman of the Chairman of the Society of Muslim Lawyers. He has always denied accusations that he has glorified terrorism. He is a controversial figure among Muslims in the UK, as many believe he damages the reputation of Islam. Just before his arrest he tweeted "FACT: It has already been foretold by Muhammad(saw) that Muslims & Christians will fight a big battle in As-Sham & that Muslims will prevail". Rio 2016: Christian Abbey D'Agostino displays 'ultimate Olympic spirit' by helping competitor who fell A pair of athletes have been lauded for embodying true Olympic spirit after helping one another when they fell during the 5000m qualifier in Rio on Tuesday. New Zealander Nikki Hamblin fell during the race, tripping up US contender Abbey D'Agostino. D'Agostino, who is a Christian, got back on her feet almost immediately, but rather than continuing the race, stopped to help Hamblin up. The two began to run again, but D'Agostino fell again, apparently in severe pain. Hamblin responded by stopping to help her rival, and the two eventually finished in 29th and 30th place respectively. Upon finishing, the two embraced. "That girl is the Olympic spirit right there," Hamblin said of D'Agostino. "I went down and I was like 'What's happening? Why am I on the ground?' "Then suddenly this hand on my shoulder, like 'Get up, get up, we have to finish this' and I was like 'Yep, yep, you're right. This is the Olympic games we have to finish this.' "I've never met this girl before, and isn't that just so amazing?" Hamblin continued: "Regardless of the race and the result on the board, that's a moment that you're never, ever going to forget. The rest of your life, it's going to be that girl shaking my shoulder, like 'Come on, get up'." Hamblin later told a New Zealand radio station: "When I look back on Rio 2016, I'm not going to remember where I finished, I'm not going to remember my time... but I'll always remember that moment." D'Agostino regularly refers to her faith in Instagram posts, and last year tweeted fellow US athlete Chanelle Price saying her Christian faith was inspiring. Meditating on this #tuesdaytruth - we are fearfully and wonderfully made... And it's awe-inspiring. A photo posted by Abbey D'Agostino (@abbey_dags) on Oct 27, 2015 at 6:17pm PDT She previously told podcast Running On Om that as a young runner she'd felt "burdened" by the expectations placed upon her as a successful athlete. "I had to make this decision: what was I running for?" she said. She decided to "release those expectations" ahead of a big race, which she recognises as "a profound and spiritual moment" in her faith journey. "Christian faith has always been a part of my life, but it kind of made this transition from something that was in my head, and something that I believed in my head, to something that I could really feel in my heart, and I felt like I didn't want to run for other people any more," she said. "I wanted to run for something that was secure, and that was God. Something so much greater than me and something I can't control." Despite not qualifying, both Hamlin and D'Agostino were given places in the 5000m final on Friday after their teams protested. D'Agostino was led away in a wheelchair on Tuesday, however, and it is not known if she will be fit to compete. #ThisFlag supporters disillusioned after Pastor Evan Mawarire flees to the US. What will happen next? Pastor Evan Mawarire has been arrested, faced abuse, smears and even death threats. But now some of his supporters are turning on him saying they are "confused and betrayed" by his conduct. The whirlwind #ThisFlag movement, the greatest threat to President Mugabe's regime in decades, is at a crossroads. It seems the future of not only Mawarire but Mugabe and the whole of Zimbabwe hangs in the balance. The protest began when Mawarire posted a video online in April of him giving an impassioned speech with a Zimbabwean flag draped around his shoulders. The video, shared with the hashtag #ThisFlag, featured Mawarire venting about the country's unstable economy and weak government that meant the church leader could not pay his children's school fees. The video went viral. Mawarire developed a mass following and within weeks it had turned into a nationwide anti-government protest. The abuse from senior government figures began as they sensed the power of the movement. Oh. Very revealing. So #ThisFlag thing is a pastor's fart. How stinking! https://t.co/dMmpRJoNk9 Prof Jonathan Moyo (@ProfJNMoyo) May 9, 2016 President Mugabe clearly felt threatened as he made the unusual move of personally attacking Mawarire. He said the evangelical pastor was a fake who was sponsored by foreign governments and did not "speak biblical truth". He told supporters: "So beware these men of cloth, not all of them are true preachers of the Bible." Mawarire called for widespread strikes and thousands joined the protest with several "stay-away days" causing much of the country's capital Harare to grind to a halt. He was arrested on July 12 for "inciting public violence". The charge was then upgraded to the more serious offence of subversion but after immense public pressure the court ruled police had violated Mawarire's rights. After his trial pressure against Mawarire mounted and he received several death threats from Mugabe supporters and even the President himself. Mugabe allegedly told the pastor he would "rot in jail and be dealt with". At this point he was a hero. The man hailed as the hope for Zimbabwe. The possible future leader once Mugabe has been toppled. But less than a month later his supporters says they are "embarrassed", "confused" and "betrayed" by their former hero. Mawarire went to South Africa for his safety but after a short stint announced he was not returning to Zimbabwe but instead was travelling to the US to "meet with fellow Zimbabweans and to take time to think what will be my next move". Was hosted by amazing Zimbabweans in Atlanta GA. These people are full of passion. Great mini town-hall discussion pic.twitter.com/2hSoJmg93U #ThisFlag E Mawarire (@PastorEvanLive) August 15, 2016 Honored to spend time with civil rights icon Ambassador Andy Young. Talked about Zimbabwe and our struggle #ThisFlag pic.twitter.com/GAQgX8w9Ci #ThisFlag E Mawarire (@PastorEvanLive) August 17, 2016 His supporters seem bemused by his failure to return. "I thought you were extremely brave and courageous (...)However fast-forward four weeks later, I haven't got a clue as to what's happening anymore. Each time I watch your recent videos I feel confused and somewhat betrayed," one blogger wrote. "I know there are many people out there who feel the same way, probably half of your followers now. And in case you had not noticed, not everyone is calling you a hero anymore for the followers of #Thisflag are now split. A lot of people now think you abandoned the movement and you are a coward." Another supporter posted on Facebook: "[There] was no need for him to run away [because] of the support he got. Even Mugabe was afraid of him [that's] why he gave Mawarire Mari [money]". But others have said his whereabouts is "irrelevant" because the social media based campaign could continue. "If he goes to Zim he will be locked up and his part in #ThisFlag will be dead," one supporter wrote. "Pastor, asylum is a necessary concept if you are fighting a desperate [government] even Bob at one time was on exile. The problem with some people who feel 'sold out' or 'let down' is either they have nothing to contribute to the movement or are serial abusers of the 'political asylum' concept." Mawarire did not help the divide when he responded with a video on Facebook, calling his critics "the haters". Asked whether he had anything to say to them he said: "Yeah, you are so quick to tell me to come back home but you can't tell Bob [President Robert Mugabe] to go away." Mawarire has since apologised for the clip but his supporters remain divided. Despite calls for "the onus" to be on ordinary Zimbabwean citizens to continue the movement in Mawarire's absence, many seem reluctant without their totemic leader. The pastor has not yet confirmed whether he will settle in the US after his tour or return to Africa. But with at least a portion of the #ThisFlag supporters disenfranchised by Mawarire's absence, Zimbabwe's fate hangs in the balance, pending his next move. U.S. urged to take more actions to ensure religious freedom worldwide The United States is often viewed across the globe as an example of a nation that safeguards religious freedom. Nonetheless, a federal government commission has urged American leaders to step up their efforts to ensure that residents in other countries around the world will get to experience the same freedom to practice their faith. Fr. Thomas Reese, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), commended the State Department for recently releasing a report on the status of religious freedom around the world. "We at USCIRF applaud the State Department for the excellent work that went into this report and its efforts to encourage countries around the world to adopt policies that respect this fundamental right," Fr. Reese said, as quoted by The Catholic News Agency. The commission likewise praised the State Department for bringing "additional attention to the pernicious consequences of blasphemy laws." According to the US State Department's religious freedom report covering 200 countries and territories across the globe, anti-blasphemy laws are among the top concerns for religious freedom. These laws are often abused by authorities and trigger persecution of religious minorities, including Christians, the report stated. "In many other Islamic societies, societal passions associated with blasphemy deadly enough in and of themselves are abetted by a legal code that harshly penalises blasphemy and apostasy," the U.S. State Department's report read. "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," it added. The report further named these nations as "countries of particular concern": China, Burma, Eritrea, North Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Reese, however, encouraged the U.S. government to go beyond this report and not to "miss this opportunity to strengthen our commitments with effective actions." Republican Rep. Chris Smith from New Jersey, who chairs the House subcommittee on global human rights, meanwhile proposed imposing sanctions on countries that suppress their citizens' religious freedoms. "They must use targeted sanctions, visa denials, and other measures to address a global crisis and hold responsible individuals accountable for religious persecution," Smith also told The Catholic News Agency. UN chief warns of unprecedented 'catastrophe' in Syria's Aleppo United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has warned of an unprecedented "humanitarian catastrophe" in Syria's Aleppo and urged Russia and the US quickly to reach a deal on a ceasefire in the city and elsewhere in the country. Fighting for control of Aleppo, split between its government-held west and rebel-held eastern neighborhoods, has intensified in recent weeks causing hundreds of deaths and depriving many civilians of power, water and vital supplies. "In Aleppo we risk seeing a humanitarian catastrophe unprecedented in the over five years of bloodshed and suffering in the Syrian conflict," Ban told the UN Security Council in his latest monthly report on aid access, seen by Reuters. Aleppo is one of the bastions of the rebellion to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose army is backed on the ground by Shi'ite Muslim militias from neighboring countries and from the skies by Russian air strikes. "The fight for territory and resources is being undertaken through indiscriminate attacks on residential areas, including through the use of barrel bombs, killing hundreds of civilians, including dozens of children," Ban said in the U.N. report. "All parties to the conflict are failing to uphold their obligation to protect civilians," he said. Ban reiterated a UN call for at least a 48-hour humanitarian pause in fighting in Aleppo for aid deliveries and also pushed Moscow and Washington to rapidly reach a deal on a ceasefire. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday discussed securing a ceasefire, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Russia used Iran as a base from which to launch air strikes against Syrian militants for the first time on Tuesday. The Russian Defence Ministry said it takes great care to avoid civilian casualties in its air strikes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a U.K.-based war monitor, said heavy air strikes on Tuesday had hit many targets in and around Aleppo and elsewhere in Syria, killing dozens. The United States had been targeting Islamic State militants in Syria with air strikes for nearly two years. White Christian America is in decline, and there's no sign the trend will change any time soon, says researcher When we talk of the United States, we often envision a country which is populated mostly by white Christians. However, this image of America is slowly fading away, according to recent study. Robert P. Jones, founding chief executive officer of the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), recently published a new book entitled "The End of White Christian America," which detailed a surprising trend: the proportions of white, non-Hispanic Christians have declined across generations. According to the data culled by Jones, only 29 percent of young adults aged 18 to 29 living in the United States identify themselves as white Christians. This number is significantly lower compared when compared to past generations. Among seniors aged 65 and older, 67 percent said they are white Christians, while among those aged 50 to 64, 56 percent identified themselves as the same. Also quite interestingly, the number of white Christians among young adults aged 18 to 29 is already almost the same as the number of non-white Christians, which was pegged at 28 percent of those surveyed. "The American religious landscape is being remade, most notably by the decline of the white Protestant majority and the rise of the religiously unaffiliated. These religious transformations have been swift and dramatic, occurring largely within the last four decades," Jones said in an interview with The Washington Post. The "disappearance" of white Christians in the United States is driving "strong, sometimes apocalyptic reactions" among members of this group, according to the researcher. "Falling numbers and the marginalisation of a once-dominant racial and religious identity one that has been central not just to white Christians themselves but to the national mythos threaten white Christians' understanding of America itself," he said. Jones added that while immigration is one of the factors that led to this decline, the younger generation's "rejection of organised religion" has also become evident. "The rise of religiously unaffiliated Americans over the last few decades is one of the most important and dramatic shifts in American religious history," he explained. The researcher further said that "there's no sign that this pattern will fade anytime soon." "By 2051, if current trends continue, religiously unaffiliated Americans could comprise as large a percentage of the population as all Protestants combined a thought that would have been unimaginable just a few decades ago," Jones said. Benjamin Franklins sword A symbol of friendship, democracy and progress Arms & Armour specialist Howard Dixon, and two descendants of the man to whom Franklin presented his sword, discuss this remarkable emblem of friendship between nations This court sword is a testament to the diplomatic, scientific and intellectual achievements of America's foremost statesman, Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790). After representing his country's interests in London during the events leading up to 1776, Franklin secured military and financial support from the French government for the American Revolution. His was a victory as great as any fought in combat, since the struggle for American independence depended greatly upon French intervention. During his nine years in France Franklin also won over the hearts and minds of the French people; one of these was Pierre Jean Georges Cabanis (1757-1808), a young student of medicine and philosophy. Despite a 50-year age gap, Cabanis and Franklin were kindred spirits. Both men of the Enlightenment, they shared a love of scientific study (Cabanis was a member of the prestigious Academie Francaise, where this film was shot, and Franklin was a foreign associate) as well as a broader interest in humanism, morality and liberty. 'Franklin was very much the father figure that Cabanis looked up to,' confirms Howard Dixon, Christie's specialist in Arms & Armour. The two developed a deep friendship and before departing back to America in 1785, Franklin gave this sword to Cabanis. 'To be given this great symbol would have been a very important moment for the younger man,' Dixon says. Cabanis went on to encompass both politics and science in his career a physician and physiologist, he became a member of the Council of Five Hundred and later the Senate. After abandoning politics during the rule of Napoleon, he wrote a groundbreaking study on the links between physiology and psychology that saw him hailed as the pioneer of modern neurology. Until the present sale, the sword has been in the possession of Cabanis's direct descendants. 'The sword is a symbol between two countries, two ideals both of democracy and progress,' says Emmanuel de Lipkowski, one of the present owners of the sword and a descendant of Pierre Jean Georges Cabanis. With its scabbard locket bearing the silversmiths mark of Samuel Soumaine (1718-circa 1769), Franklins neighbour in Philadelphia, the sword can be assuredly determined as having belonged to Franklin. The mark on the scabbard, an SS in a rectangle, is virtually identical to that on several pieces attributed to Soumaine, who lived close to Franklins house at 325 Market Street in Philadelphia. Although ceremonial swords were generally required in court, Franklin pointedly eschewed a sword, a wig and any formal attire A north Houston couple remains in jail after authorities said they left two small children in a hot car while they were getting high. Ashlea M. Jones, 26, and Christopher Alexander, 27, have been charged with endangering a child. According to Harris County court records, Jones and Alexander acted "intentionally, knowingly, recklessly and with criminal negligence" when they kept the children inside a car without any air conditioning while they were smoking synthetic marijuana, commonly known as "kush." Ask the Fool Dividends defined Q: What's a dividend? - C.D., Kinston, N.C. A: Dividends are portions of earnings that many companies pay to their shareholders. For example, if Porcine Aviation (ticker: PGFLY) earns $2 per share in profit, it might decide to issue $1 annually to shareholders, typically paying out 25 cents per share every three months. It will use the remaining funds in other ways, such as buying more advertising, hiring more workers or paying down debt. Pennies per share may seem paltry, but they add up. If you own 200 shares of a company that's paying $2.50 per share in annual dividends, you'll receive $500 per year from the company. On top of that, healthy companies generally increase their dividend amounts periodically, and the share price might appreciate, too. (Many smaller, faster-growing companies or businesses without relatively predictable earnings don't pay any dividends, but they can still offer stock price appreciation.) Dividends are frequently expressed as a yield. A company's dividend yield is its annual dividend divided by its current stock price. So a company paying $3 per year and trading for $60 per share would have a yield of 5 percent. (Three divided by 60 is 0.05.) Foolish Trivia Name that company I trace my roots back to 1912, when I was the Metal Office Furniture Co., based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (This was notable, as Grand Rapids was known for wood furniture.) My first product, in 1914, was an innovative wastebasket made of steel that was strong, inexpensive, fireproof and "indestructible." In 1934 I patented suspension file cabinets. In 1942 I won a contract to equip U.S. naval ships with lightweight steel furnishings. Today, I'm a leading office furniture company, with annual sales of about $3 billion. I employ close to 10,000 people and support more than 650 dealers. Who am I? Last week's answer: Wells Fargo Universal Uclick The daughter of a British man told police a compelling, believable story: Her father, she said, had raped her eight times over a six-year period. "My client had absolutely no real defense other than 'I did not do it'," the man's lawyer, defense barrister Cathy McCulloch, wrote in a blog about the trial that was first noticed by the Independent. In support of her allegation, the daughter described in detail what her dad supposedly did to her and how if made her body feel. But something about the police interview bugged McCulloch, who was called in late to defend the father. The words and phrasing the daughter used "seemed beyond her years." McCulloch didn't meet with her client until the first day of the trial, held earlier this month. He provided little for her with which to mount a defense, but he did note that his daughter's favorite book was "Fifty Shades of Grey," the sadomasochistic sex best-seller. "He had no idea what 'Fifty Shades of Grey' was about," added McCulloch. "Neither I nor my instructing solicitor's representative had read the book (honest!)." To remedy this literary shortcoming, she persuaded the judge to adjourn the trial for the rest of the day so she could speed-read the steamy novel. Her instincts proved correct: She found "too many striking similarities between the [daughter's interview with police] and the book to be a coincidence." When the daughter did take the stand three days into the trial, McCulloch was ready. She gently began the cross-examination, getting the daughter to admitting that her father was strict and that she was annoyed at him for "ruining her life." When McCulloch questioned if her anger led her to make up the rape story, the daughter "wavered." McCulloch then compared the text of her police interview to passages from "50 Shades," and the daughter broke on the stand like a pair of cheap handcuffs. She tearfully admitting making up the entire story to get her father in trouble. In seven minutes, the prosecutors' case had been demolished. The judge ordered the jury to acquit. According to McCulloch, the judge stated that the case was "unique" in the whole of his career. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center 5601 S. Braeswood, erjcchouston.org THE AGE OF LOVE: An unprecedented speed-dating event for 70- to 90-year-olds serves as the backdrop for this funny and poignant look at love among the senior set. Fearlessly candid about their needs and desires, ten brave souls discover how hearts change or don't change from first love to the far reaches of life. 7 p.m. Thursday River Oaks Theatre 2009 W. Gray; landmarktheatres.com NOTORIOUS: Alicia Huberman is recruited to infiltrate a German spy ring in postwar Rio, but soon finds herself falling in love with a Nazi and must sacrifice the only happiness she's ever known. Midnight Friday and Saturday Houston Museum of Natural Science 5555 Hermann Park Drive; hmns.org WILD AFRICA 3-D: From the highest snow-covered mountains in Kenya, along great rivers, into steamy rainforests and wide-open savannahs, "Wild Africa 3-D" reveals the striking contrast of stunning deserts beside wild oceans and the sunlit abundance of the coral reefs. Multiple screenings daily DINOSAURS ALIVE: 3-D adventure follows paleontologists around the world as they uncover evidence that the descendants of dinosaurs still walk or fly among us. Multiple screenings daily NATIONAL PARKS ADVENTURE: Join world-class mountaineer Conrad Anker, adventure photographer Max Lowe and artist Rachel Pohl as they bike, hike and climb their way across America. Multiple screenings daily 14 Pews 800 Aurora; 14pews.org THE SUNSHINE MAKERS: Untold story of Nicholas Sand and Tim Scully, the unlikely duo at the heart of 1960s American drug counterculture, united in a utopian mission to save the planet through the consciousness- raising power of LSD. 7 p.m. Friday MISS SHARON JONES!: Uncovers the mind and spirit of a powerful woman determined to regain the explosive singing career that eluded her for 50 years. 7 p.m. Saturday Museum of Fine Arts, Houston 1001 Bissonnet; mfah.org THE DYING OF THE LIGHT: A documentary that explores the history and craft of motion-picture presentation through the lives and stories of the last generation of career projectionists. 7 p.m. Thursday MY LOVE, DON'T CROSS THAT RIVER: Director Mo-Young Jin's camera captures the honest and tender feelings between a husband and wife who have lived together for 76 years. 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Tuesday SWEET BEAN: Sentaro, owner of a small bakery, cooks without enthusiasm until an elderly woman named Tokue responds to his ad for an assistant and offers to work for him. Tokue, cheerful yet mysterious, shares a special recipe and Sentaro's business thrives, although each character faces personal challenges. 7 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday The restaurant at the Culinary Institute LeNotre is entering a new chapter in its illustrious culinary history. On Saturday the former Kris Bistro officially will be renamed Le Bistro, according to founders Alain and Marie LeNotre. The restaurant is being rebranded after longtime executive chef Kris Jakob left the culinary school to open his own restaurant. His Brasserie 1895, which opened last month in Friendswood, is described as a restaurant with French/Belgian influence mixed with flavors of the American South and hints of Asian inspiration. A federal judge in Houston on Tuesday sentenced three men to lengthy prison terms and hefty fines for their role in an international sex trafficking ring involving minors. The three men, Jose William Quintanilla, 41, Adelio De Jesus Batres, 53, and Hugo Alexander Melendez-Gonzalez, 38, will spend from 27 to 30 years in federal prison and pay more than $90,000 in restitution to their victims, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Houston. They were charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. In handing down the sentences, U.S. District Judge David Hittner said he wanted each of them to be "thrown out of the country" after they serve their sentences in federal prison. All three men are citizens of El Salvador who were living in Houston at the time. They are expected to face deportation proceedings after their release, officials said. For about five years beginning in 2010, the three men - along with other conspirators - moved women and underage girls to different apartments throughout the area. The men would split up the proceeds from the sexual activities, officials said. Most, if not all, of the women and underage girls were in the country illegally, officials said. All three men pleaded guilty in late 2015, either immediately before the trial or as testimony was set to begin. The remaining men involved in the sex trafficking ring, Francis Guerra Pleitez, 34, Walter Alexander Xalcut, 27, and Mariano Quintanilla-Campos, 33, had earlier entered guilty pleas in the case. They are expected to be sentenced this week, officials said. The defendants will remain in custody until further notice, officials said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A beaming Simone Manuel waved as she walked through the sliding doors into the international arrivals hall early Wednesday morning at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. RELATED: Simone Manuel embraces historic nature of gold medal A crowd had gathered to welcome the Olympian home after her overnight flight from Rio de Janeiro, where the swimmer had earned medals in four events, including the first individual gold medal ever to be won by an African-American woman in swimming. Triumphant, the 20-year-old arrived a celebrity. "I'm completely humbled by the fact that y'all think I'm an inspiration," Manuel said, wearing a blue USA pullover and thick-rimmed glasses. "I'm just happy to be back in Texas." Manuel, who will return to Stanford University in September, said she wasn't sure where she would keep her four medals. She held up a gold medal for those gathered, drawing whoops and cheers, and said some were packed away in socks because she hadn't received official cases for them yet. She was looking forward to her mother's cooking and a Shipley donut, she said. After all, she hadn't been home since Christmas. Her mom was excited to have her daughter back in Houston, at least for a little while. "She's just a normal kid who had a dream and worked really hard to make that dream come true," Sharron Manuel said. Manuel rocketed into the national spotlight after winning the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle, a historic first for an African American female swimmer. She also took home gold in the 400-meter medley relay, silver in the 400-meter freestyle relay and silver in the 50-meter freestyle. The Sugar Land native made fans of many not only with her accomplishments in the pool but with her exuberance, genuine displays of emotion and easy smile. Many considered her an inspiration. In much the same way, she had felt star-struck by athletes she met in Rio like tennis star Serena Williams. Manuel said Wednesday morning that she hoped her win in a sport she loves could also help others accomplish their dreams. "Hopefully others will see themselves in me," she said. Manuel acknowledged that she hadn't "soaked it all in" but said she was excited to share the experience with family and friends. "I never thought I would reach this many people, but just to have their support means a lot. It really keeps me going and pushes me hopefully to swim a little faster as I continue" she laughed nervously "my career." Clusters of red, white and blue balloons decorated the airport lobby area early Wednesday morning. Upon Manuel's arrival, staffers from the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority waved miniature American flags. Members of the drum line of Austin High School in the Fort Bend ISD, from which Manuel graduated in 2014, sounded out beats as she proceeded through a path lined by admirers eager to see her. Her parents, clad in red USA shirts, greeted her with hugs. The 9-year-old twin daughters of Houston Vice Mayor Pro-Tem Jerry Davis, also festively dressed, held up a "Welcome home Simone" sign. News cameras trailed close behind. Women from the Austin High School dance team, who stood behind Manuel, cheered as she spoke. They wore patriotic beads over their red, black and white sequined uniforms. Some shook sparkling pom-poms. The dancers said they arrived to school at 3:30 a.m. to travel to the airport in time for Manuel's scheduled 5:25 a.m. arrival. Alex Paul, 17, who leads the dance team, woke up at 2 a.m. to start getting ready. They were all excited to be there, she said, and proud of Manuel. Besides, Paul said, "I can sleep on the bus." Assistant Dance Director Ashlee Williamson, 31, who taught Manuel at the high school for two years, described her as "what you would expect from an Olympic champion: hardworking, dedicated." For the younger girls, Williamson said, "They feel like they're meeting a rock star." Davis remarked that everyone in the airport hall managed to get up that morning to celebrate Manuel and her demonstration of excellence. "We just want to let you know how much we're proud of you, how much we support you," Davis told her as the cameras rolled, "and we want to say 'Thank you so much' for all young ladies that you've given them someone to look up to." Before leaving, Manuel posed for photos with anyone who asked: a TSA staff member, a flight attendant, passengers awaiting flights. Some of the dancers wanted autographs. A drum line member took a picture for his Snapchat. The radio station 97.9 "The Box" was hoping to speak with her via his phone. At 6:50 a.m., Manuel walked out of the airport, with a bouquet of flowers from a fan in one hand, and a Starbucks grande mocha from an airport staff member in the other. It was time to get that donut. Shortly afterward, she tweeted a photo of herself in a car holding up a half-eaten donut with the message, "Happy! Happy!" This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Texas might have been built by Big Oil, but Big Sugar had a head start. In 1843, one of the "Old 300" families granted land by Stephen F. Austin - who had been entrusted with vast lands by the newly independent government of Mexico - began growing cotton, corn, and sugar cane with slave labor on swampy land next to the Brazos River. The fields were so productive that settler Nathaniel Williams built a small mill to process the woody stalks into raw sugar. It would become, over the next century and a half, Texas' longest continually-operating business and one of the largest sugar producers on the planet - until, at the turn of the 21st century, everything came crashing down. The sugar business a few miles outside the young town of Houston in the new state of Texas grew by consolidation in the years following the Civil War as E.H. Cunningham accumulated 12,500 acres that were leased to tenant farmers. Around 1879, he built a large refinery on the site, operating as Cunningham Sugar Company. More Information TIMEline 1843: Settler Nathaniel Williams builds a raw sugar plant to process the cane grown on his plantation on the Brazos river. 1896: The plant is expanded into a sugar refinery, capable of producing pure white sugar. 1907: The Kempner and Eldridge families of Galveston acquire the property and name it the Imperial Sugar Company. 1916: Imperial ceases the use of leased convict labor, which had been outlawed in 1912. 1919: The firm incorporates as Sugar Land Industries, a holding company for the growing enterprise's many business lines. 1959: The town of Sugar Land incorporates, as Imperial Sugar begins to sell off land and the housing it had built to rent to its workers. 1988: In the face of tough competition from corn syrup, Imperial Sugar buys a beet sugar company in California to strengthen its position in the market for sweeteners. 2001: Imperial Sugar files for bankruptcy and closes its last refining operations in Sugar Land, keeping only its headquarters. 2005: After emerging from bankruptcy, Imperial Sugar sells most of its old campus to developers for transformation into a town center. 2012: Imperial Sugar is purchased by Louis Dreyfus Commodities. See More Collapse By that time, slavery had been abolished. But both Cunningham and his neighbor with 5,300 acres, Will Ellis, had found an affordable workaround: Convict labor leased from the state. That system of bonded servitude continued into early 20th century, when the Kempner and Eldridge families of Galveston acquired both plantations and merged them into one, which they named the Imperial Sugar Company after the Imperial Hotel in New York. In 1912, convict leasing was officially outlawed; Imperial was allowed to keep using it until 1916. After losing that source of low-cost labor, Imperial Sugar began to build its own town to serve a new workforce: Mostly Czechs and Germans who migrated from a community about 100 miles west of Houston. Homes, retail stores, a bank, and medical clinics popped up around the mills and refinery. In 1919, the firm incorporated as Sugar Land Industries, a holding company for the services it would need to keep the place running. Subsidiaries were eventually formed in vehicle manufacturing, telecommunications, warehousing, cattle and trucking, among others. Imperial dominated life in the new town it had created, called Sugar Land. Workers were paid in coupons that they could use in the company store. Shopping in Houston was severely frowned upon. If workers wanted a car, the company would deliver one, to be paid for in labor. Housing was provided for a small fee; individual ownership was prohibited. In the first part of the century, the staff was also segregated by race. "It was a subjugated environment; people were dominated, but people weren't scared for their life," Rice University anthropologist Marie Theresa Hernandez told the Chronicle in 1998. "They were safe and, as long as they followed the rules, bad things didn't happen to them." After a slowdown during the Great Depression, Imperial Sugar rebounded during the World War II, benefiting from the suspension of import quotas on raw sugar cane and a government mandate to supply all of Texas and Oklahoma. The Kempner family bought out the Eldridges in 1946, and the company continued to grow, producing nearly 2.5 million pounds of sugar per day. Within the next decade, population in the surrounding area began to grow even faster, and Houston was absorbing its suburbs at a rapid rate. The town of Sugar Land incorporated in 1959, when 1,000 out of its 3,000 residents worked for Imperial Sugar and its subsidiaries, according to a company press release. Cane cultivation had ceased, as the company brought in raw sugar rather than growing it on-site. With no need for farmland, Imperial Sugar began relinquishing control over the area, selling off thousands of acres of former cane and cotton fields to developers like Gerald Hines, who built high-end planned communities including Sweetwater and First Colony. Other businesses moved in and the town took on an identity of its own, but Imperial Sugar remained the dominant force. It donated land for schools and hospitals, and local government officials tended to view it favorably - including C.E. McFadden, the town's mayor from 1968 to 1972. He came to the area to work for a food distributor in the 1930s, and lived in company housing just like everyone else. "The image of a company town was never so bad as it was thought to be," McFadden told the Chronicle in 1971. "It was a good town - it just happened to have been built by the sugar company." The 1980s brought some of the biggest challenges Imperial had ever faced: A nationwide shift in sweeteners from pure cane sugar to corn syrup drove many refiners out of business. Imperial, still majority owned by the Kempner family, hung on by merging with a beet sugar producer - and later acquiring other businesses, such as food distributors - to make a company that in 1998 was listed on the Fortune 500. Many of those purchases, however, were financed by debt. Limits on sugar imports meant to help cane growers hurt Imperial Sugar, which had to pay more for its raw material. Profits couldn't keep up, and in 2001 the company was forced to file for bankruptcy. It sold some of its recently-added businesses to pay down debt. Hundreds of people were laid off as refinery and distribution operations closed. By the mid-2000s, the iconic silos and outlying warehouses were dormant. Only the company's headquarters remained, for sugar marketing purposes. In 2012, the company was purchased by Louis Dreyfus Commodities, a Dutch processor and merchant of agricultural goods. In the meantime, Imperial's leadership worked with the town of Sugar Land to plot the future of the company's 160-acre campus located in the heart of the planned communities that spread out from it. In 2005, they sold it to a pair of developers that have since built luxury housing and developed a plan to renovate the historic buildings into a museum, a movie theater, and shopping center. The landmark sign with blocky letters proclaiming "Imperial 'Pure Cane' Sugar" still sits atop the eight-story char house, where amber syrup was filtered through smoldering bones to produce a purified sweet liquid. The blue and red neon sign, which could be seen for miles around before the area was developed in the middle of the century, will soon advertise a boutique hotel - still connecting the 159-year-old company's past to the present it helped create. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 45 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate London artist Bran Symondson was shocked when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (AFT) told him that his artwork wasn't allowed to leave Customs at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Rather than fight U.S. officials about his art though, Symondson quickly worked to make new art pieces. All he had to do was get a few AK-47s. READ MORE: Controversy around 55-foot-tall nude woman sculpture in California continues Symondson, 45, repurposes decommissioned AK-47s with butterflies, $1 dollar bills and other materials for his art. Despite filling out paperwork and inquiring with U.S. Customs about his pieces before arriving in Houston last week, the ATF has not allowed Symondson's work to leave the airport. "We got mixed messages ranging from the paperwork was not submitted in time to being told they don't allow decommissioned weapons into the country," Symondson said. "The irony is one of the gallery clients here got out his phone and said he could get a real AK-47 in a day." One of the pieces held at the Bush airport is called "virtue of the vicious" and it features real butterflies that make up the Texas flag. Symondson's pieces are on display at the Maddox Gallery in London. His work and the work of fellow artists with the Maddox Gallery are on display at the La Colombe d'Or on Montrose until the end of the month. READ MORE: This incredible infographic shows how silencers actually work James Nicholls, managing director and curator of Maddox Gallery, said inquiries in acquiring the AK-47 art pieces was immediate from the public after news got out that three of Symondson's pieces were stopped at the Bush airport. "The pieces sell for $30,000 each and people are waiting in line to get them," Nicholls said. "We've sold four of them in London already." Steve Zimmerman, owner of La Colombe d'Or, said visitors to his gallery have great enthusiasm for Symondson's work and a few of his pieces have been auctioned off. Nicholls and Symondson learned about La Colombe d'Or about six weeks ago when they met Zimmerman's son Dan at one of their parties in England. Zimmerman agreed to feature English artists at the Houston gallery shortly after the meeting. READ MORE: A former Marine officer retells his journey from 'fortunate son' to hero in the Battle of Fallujah Symondson served in the British Army Special Forces unit and did two tours in Afghanistan. He saw decorated AK-47s during his time in the military, inspiring him to turn the firearms into works of art. The artist said the decommissioned AK-47s at Bush airport were found on a route from Afghanistan to Syria, giving the firearms history to go with the art. "I find it ironic that you can purchase a full firearm that can kill someone but with my art, the firearms are not allowed into America," Symondson said. "The fact that they're pieces of artwork is more ironic." The exhibit at La Colombe d'Or has been extended to the end of the month. For more information, call La Colombe d'Or at 713-524-7999. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Representatives from Gilbane Building Co. and Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District recently joined hundreds of construction workers for a lunch and safety celebration in the future cafeteria of Bridgeland High School. The event recognized Gilbane's progress on the district's 12th high school and elementary school No. 55, both of which will open in August 2017. More than 600 workers have dedicated 500,000 hours to the project and completed 353 days without an accident. The 128-acre multicampus site, designed by IBI Group Inc., sits between Mason Road and Grand Parkway. New principal named for Moore Elementary Patricia Myers, an assistant principal at Owens Elementary School, has been appointed principal at Moore Elementary School. Myers replaces Jana Needham, who accepted a position at Alamo Heights Independent School District in July. Auto tech instructors national recognized Two Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District teachers were honored at the third annual ASE Industry Education Alliance Instructor Training Conference, July 25-29 in Concord, North Carolina. Automotive technology instructors Gary Miller of Cypress Creek High School and Randle Thomas of Cypress Falls High School received the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence's Industry Education Alliance Instructor Recognition Award for "outstanding dedication to automotive technology and the development of tomorrow's automotive professionals." LSC-CyFair students earn transfer funds Lone Star College-CyFair graduates Skyeler Aguado, Ya Xing Li and Thuy Pham recently received Terry Foundation transfer scholarships. Aguado graduated magna cum laude and won three prestigious scholarships, including a $69,100 Terry Foundation scholarship to the University of Houston. She intends to pursue a master's degree and a career in speech pathology. Li, one of only 20 students to earn national recognition as a member of the 2016 All-USA Community College Academic Team, will use her $67,000 Terry Foundation scholarship to attend University of Houston in pursuit of a teaching career. Pham received a $69,900 Terry Foundation transfer scholarship to study nursing and anesthesiology at Texas Woman's University. For information, visit www.terryfoundation.org or www.LoneStar.edu/cyfair. iSchool High to offer free, reduced-fee meals iSchool High @ University Park, 20515 Texas 249, Houston, will provide free and reduced-price meals for children who meet government criteria. Starting on Aug. 22, iSchool High @ University Park will begin distributing letters to the households of the children in the service area about eligibility benefits and any actions households need to take to apply for these benefits. Applications also are available at the school. Criteria for free and reduced-price meal benefits include household income that is at or below the income eligibility levels. For example, a family of four with an annual salary of $31,590 would qualify for free meals. A family of four with an annual salary of $44,955 would qualify for reduced-price meals, under current guidelines. Also qualifying are households receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations. A participating child may be a foster child, homeless, runaway, migrant, or displaced by a declared disaster or enrolled in Head Start or Even Start. iSchool High @ UP is working with local agencies to identify all children who are categorically and program eligible. iSchool High @ UP will notify the households of these children that they do not need to complete an application. Any household that does not receive a letter and feels it should have should contact the school at 281-290-5911. Applications may be submitted anytime during the school year. The information households provide on the application will be used for the purpose of determining eligibility. Applications may also be verified by the school officials at any time during the school year. Under the provisions of the free and reduced-price meal policy, Jamie Marshall will review applications and determine eligibility. Households or guardians dissatisfied with the reviewing official's eligibility determination may wish to discuss the decision with the reviewing official on an informal basis. Households wishing to make a formal appeal for a hearing on the decision may make a request either orally or in writing to Stacy Bare, director, at sbare@responsiveed.com. If a household member becomes unemployed or if the household size increases, the household should contact the school. Such changes may make the children of the household eligible for benefits if the household's income falls at or below the income eligibility guidelines. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Six young women have registered to compete for the title of 2016 Fort Bend County Fair Queen. Alyssa Flowers, Kennedy Paige Johnson, Megan Lepovitz, Katie Koerth, Samantha Sebesta and Savannah Fernandez will vie for the crown, sash and opportunity to act as an ambassador throughout the fair, Sept. 23 to Oct. 2, as well as the following year. For information, visit www.fortbendcountyfair.com or call 281-342-6171. Fort Bend Seniors MOWs receives grant Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels has received a $1,750 grant following its participation in the 14th annual March for Meals campaign. "We are more than grateful to both Subaru and Meals on Wheels America for awarding Fort Bend Seniors with this grant," chief executive officer Manuela Arroyos said. "We feed more than 1,300 seniors daily and every gift counts." Visit www.fortbendseniors.org or www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org for information. Richmond recognized for scenic excellence Richmond has received Scenic City Certification through a project of Scenic Texas. The certification program recognizes municipalities' commitment to high-quality scenic standards for public roadways and spaces. "Through the Scenic City Certification Program, cities access a valuable diagnostic tool," said Anne Culver, executive vice president of Scenic Texas. "A detailed, 360-degree analysis of existing infrastructure standards supplies cities with a roadmap for future growth and development." The application process for the 2017 round of evaluations opens Jan. 1, 2017. Visit www.sceniccitycertification.org for details. Discovery Center unveils roundhouse The Fort Bend Children's Discovery Center, 198 Kemper St., has opened an interactive train and roundhouse play experience that gives aspiring conductors the opportunity to live out their dream of operating a big locomotive. Underwritten by Union Pacific Railroad, the train features an engine, car and caboose adorned in the company's familiar yellow and red colors. "Fort Bend County has long been an important area for Union Pacific Railroad as we travel in and out of the Houston area," said Brenda Mainwaring, Union Pacific vice president of public affairs, southern region. Visit www.childrensdiscoveryfb.org for information. Sheriff's office lauded for help in flooding Wharton County Sheriff Jess Howell recently thanked the Federal Prisoner Transport Unit at the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office for its quick help in moving prisoners during a crisis. Howell sent letters of commendation to several members of the unit for evacuating and relocating prisoners to the Fort Bend County jail when Wharton County faced flooding conditions. Within a matter of hours, the unit relocated more than 100 prisoners. Firefighters receive sweet donation Two young entrepreneurs recently presented $91 to the Richmond Fire Department. Laney Fullick and Addison Flores earned the money with a lemonade stand in their community and donated their profits to the nearby fire station. Academy honors law enforcement graduates The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office recognized the 32nd class of the Gus George Law Enforcement Academy during graduation ceremonies earlier this summer at the Rosenberg Civic and Convention Center. The class included 17 graduates, each of whom passed the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Peace Officer Examination on their first attempt. Christopher R. Reed accepted the Academic Achievement Award. Van M. Tran won the Physical Fitness Award. Jonathan S. McCoy claimed the David Braunholz Top Gun Award. Matthew Schmidt took the Precision Driving honor. Hospital celebrates growth with office staff Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital celebrated its ongoing expansion recently with a luncheon for the often "unsung heroes" of medicine - office managers, physician assistants, nurse practitioners and other professionals who provide the first level of patient care and keep physician offices running smoothly. More than 175 people attended the event, which included brief presentations on the sixth-floor opening of the new Brazos Pavilion and the new Critical Care Intensivist Program, followed by a Q&A with Chief Executive Officer Chris Siebenaler. "Physician office staff members play a critical role in every patient's treatment process," Siebenaler said. "We are honored to celebrate the hospital's growth, leading technology and expanded services, and to share our excitement for the future with them." The fifth floor of the Brazos Pavilion is scheduled to open next, with a goal of opening within three to six months, once all necessary staff has been recruited. "As the Fort Bend and surrounding areas continue to grow, the hospital must also grow to meet the needs of the community," said Siebenaler. For details, visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland or call 281-274-7500. Humble High School students with a strong interest in mathematics, science, engineering and technology will have the opportunity to participate in the school's new STEM academy this school year. Texas-STEM academies are secondary schools focusing on improving instruction and academic performance in science and mathematics-related subjects, with a goal of increasing the number of students who study and enter STEM careers. The school was recently approved as an academy by the Texas Education Agency for the 2016-17 school year. "This is super exciting," said Larkin Le Sueur, Career and Technical Education coordinator at Humble ISD. "We are excited to be offering opportunities like this at Humble High School, especially for those who may not have been targeting college or an engineering degree." Humble High School becomes one of 23 campuses across the state to complete the designation process this year, bringing the number of schools to 121 statewide, since the program was launched in February 2013. "The continued growth of Texas-STEM academies reflects a commitment to rigorous instruction in key subjects that challenges students while also preparing them for the future," said TEA Commissioner Mike Morath. "A strong foundation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics prepares students for college, a career or the military, which, in turn, strengthens our state's economic future." Designated campuses serve students in grades 6-12 or 9-12. The academy will begin with a cohort group of 48 freshmen. "These kids are excited, ramped-up and ready to go," Le Sueur said. The goal of Humble ISD is to grow the program slowly, recruiting between 40-50 students each year who have demonstrated an interest in the program. The academy will ultimately be offered throughout high school. The district began looking at this program last year, and submitted its application to the TEA in the spring to become a STEM academy. "The dominoes for us started to fall in April," Le Sueur said. "We were actually looking at some things we could do to help Humble High School to provide some really neat, advanced opportunities. We've got some fantastic people who are making this happen." The academy will combine a college preparatory curriculum with a career theme. STEM careers are in demand by businesses and require academic and technical skill. "HHS T-STEM Academy's small learning environment will help strengthen the connection between school and work for students who desire to fill this demand by providing personalized resources including counseling and internships with local employers," said Humble ISD Communications Director Jamie Mount. Academy students will also have the opportunity to earn dual credit through Lone Star College and University of Texas at Tyler, and may obtain an associate of science degree. As the academy expands it will serve a maximum of 400 high school students. To learn more about the academy, or how to apply, call 281-641-8310. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate At first, when Janelle King arrived for her afternoon horseback riding lesson, she was reluctant. The 13-year-old with Down syndrome skirted away anxiously. But after strapping on her purple helmet and fitting her sneakered feet into the stirrups, a calmness came over her. For the next 45 minutes, Janelle, her instructor, Cassie McCollum, and her horse, Sayed, ambled calmly around the arena, working on Janelle's core strength, communication skills, dexterity and self-confidence. Janelle is one of 60 riders with special needs who come every week to Panther Creek Inspiration Ranch, hidden among tall pines and ranch-style homes in an alcove just off of Glen Loch Drive. Growing at a gallop The horse therapy ranch, founded in 2008, now has 19 people on its waiting list and is expanding to address the growth that has exploded in recent years. In March, it broke ground on a 3,000-square-foot multi-purpose building that will serve as a resource center for the families the ranch serves. It will include a cafe-style meeting area, an exercise room and additional administrative office space. "For some of the parents, this is the only 45 minutes they get alone all day," said MG Tindall, the ranch's president. "We want to serve the whole family." Just a few years ago, the lessons were given in an open arena where they had to pull up their cars and use the headlights if a lesson went past dark. Now, not only does the open arena have stadium-style lights, it has an enclosed arena that was built as a community project by a local energy company. The program has rapidly outgrown the 480-square-foot administrative house that was built in 2013 and the staff has gone from two full-time to 15 in just those three years. "The need in this area is just phenomenal," said Tindall. The ranch was galloping along until the floods in the spring hit it hard. In April, up to 10 feet of water washed through the ranch causing more than $100,000 in damages, although the horses were safely evacuated. After weeks of volunteer hours cleaning up downed tree limbs and fences and getting the facilities back in order, the second floods came through, again forcing the evacuation of the horses. What was different this time, however, was that the staff and volunteers had the foresight to rebuild with future floods in mind. The tack and feed rooms were rebuilt to be sturdier and supplies were stored above the flash flood level. Now, whenever heavy rains are in the forecast, the staff is prepared for the worst, said Tindall. "Anytime we're in for a lot of rain, we stage the trailers for an exit," Tindall said. "We're ready to go that's the prep we've learned." While the continuous rain pushed back resuming lessons, Tindall said she had the ranch back up and running the second week of June. "Getting back to lessons was amazing," Tindall said. "I think all of our parents, volunteers and staff cried through the whole day." Riding for hope Horses have long been known for their ability to connect with humans. The 15 horses at Inspiration Ranch have a special gentleness and patience, something the trainers ensure by extensively vetting and training them before putting them in the arena with a student. Tindall said they have to make sure the horses are "bomb-proof" and won't react to loud noises or tantrums. Most of the therapy horses were donated to the program, including a rescued race horse named Zorro and a retired Houston Police Department horse named Blaze. "We consider the horses partners," Tindall said. "They're empathetic they're non-judgmental." The four instructors who work with the horses and the riders are certified in equine therapy and specially trained to work with people with special needs. The therapy has been known to help people with a variety of physical, developmental and emotional challenges improve mobility, balance, core strength, communication and focus. The instructors guide the rider and the horse through a variety of exercises and games to work at the individual's pace. Some students go on to ride in the Special Olympics. "I'm so thrilled, it's ridiculous," said Lori Kohn, Janelle's mom. Kohn moved Janelle to Inspiration Ranch's program earlier this year after she was unhappy with the therapy she was getting at another ranch. "(Janelle) is doing so good she's like a different child in the (time) we've been here." In addition to working with people with special needs, Inspiration Ranch partners with Montgomery County Youth Services hosting a weekly group activity for homeless teens. Community partners As a non-profit organization, Inspiration Ranch relies heavily on the generosity of the community. It receives funding from Montgomery County United Way and its annual Denim and Diamonds Gala as well as benefiting from corporate work days and local donations. With a $250 operating cost per lesson and 65 percent of students on scholarship, paying $50 a ride, the ranch is always looking for donations, as well as volunteers to work with the riders. "The community's help allows us to say 'yes' to these kids," Tindall said. Most teachers in the Houston area are returning to their campuses this week to ready lesson plans and their rooms for the coming school year. If you have any teacher friends on your social media feeds you have no doubt seen them post their goodbyes to summer as they trade in flip-flops and shorts for slacks and loafers, and substituting coffee for any number of adult beverages. Egypt's persecuted Christian minority is hoping that leadership of the predominately Muslim nation soon may ease restrictions on creating churches. Christianity Today reports that the Egyptian parliament may vote as early as September to loosen a law that for 160 years has strictly regulated the opening of Christian churches. Christians make up as much as 15 percent of Egypt's 90 million population. In 1856, the Ottoman Caliphate instituted a rule that churches could be created only with the permission of the sultan. Today, that authority rests with President Abdel Fattah al Sisi. Eighty years ago, the evangelical Christian magazine reports, restrictions in the law were enhanced. Church builders first had to gain approval of local Muslims. The churches, generally Coptic Orthodox, could not be built within 340 feet of the nearest mosque. Additionally, they could not be situated near schools, village canals, railways, government offices and facilities or between residential areas. Coptic Solidarity, the magazine says, estimates that two new churches a year have been built in the past 60 years. Egypt is home to 2,600 churches -- about one for ever 5,500 Christians. By contrast, the magazine notes, Egypt has one mosque for every 620 Muslims. Christianity Today says Egypt's parliament failed to meet a requirement in the nation's 2014 constitution that it act to ease church restrictions during its first term. Falling short of the mandate, the legislative body committed itself to act no later than September. With relatively few churches, Christians have resorted to meeting clandestinely in residential basements and other locations. In Egypt's 2013 unrest, the magazine says, 52 churches were destroyed, 12 were damaged and 29 people were killed. A mob firebombed an Alexandria church in July 2015, and this summer 80 homes were burned after mob members learned that one was to have been used as a church. In the past two years, 100 Egyptians have been sentenced to prison for attacking churches, other public buildings or police, he magazine reports. Last Christmas, the Egyptian president apologized for previous attacks, and pledged that the churches damaged or destroyed in 2013 would be restored by the end of this year. You can read Christianity Today's full report here. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Houston mother accused of drowning two of her children in a bathtub last week was diagnosed with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and severe depression as early as 2012, her lawyer said Wednesday. Sheborah Thomas, 30,is being held on the mental health ward of the Harris County Jail, attorney Alvin Nunnery said Tuesday. READ MORE: CPS twice stepped in to help children allegedly killed by mom "I'm not a (mental health) professional, but she is in some kind of catatonic, almost incoherent state right now," said Nunnery, who met with Thomas on Tuesday after being appointed to the case. Thomas is accused of killing her 5-year-old daughter Kayiana Thomas and 7-year-old son, Araylon "Ray Ray" Thomas. She has been charged with two counts of capital murder, each for causing the death of a child under the age of 10. Thomas has not slept since her arrest Sunday, he said. READ MORE: Children struggled as mom drowned them in tub, prosecutors say "Since she has been in custody, she has not slept at all, Nunnery said. "At a minimum, there's a severe depression and sleep deprivation. She seemed to be in a jail cell, but that mind seemed to be somewhere else." Thomas was slated to appear before state District Judge Brad Hart, but remains under evaluation in the mental health ward. Prosecutor Lisa Calligan said the case is still in the preliminary stages as the investigation continues. brian.rogers@chron.com twitter.com/brianjrogers This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Just three days before Christmas in 2012, 2-year-old Kayiana Thomas was wandering the streets of Houston with a homeless man who was intoxicated and mentally ill. She was cold and had wet herself, and her mother was nowhere to be found, according to court records. It was the second time in two years that Child Protective Services had stepped in to protect Kayiana and her older brother, Araylon, from a life of drugs and instability that social workers feared put the children at risk. But the help didn't last. On Friday, with the children back in her care, their mother, Sheborah Thomas, systematically drowned them in a bathtub and stuffed their bodies under a neighbor's house, then later told an acquaintance she had killed them, according to prosecutors. A confidential court document obtained by the Chronicle paints a troubling picture of the life the children faced in the years leading up to their deaths, including the bout of homelessness in 2012. Twice the family was investigated for child neglect, and at least once custody was taken away from the mother, according to the sworn statement by a CPS investigator. And police showed up five times in just the past four months - including the day before the children died - to the home where Thomas and her children lived in the 3000 block of Tierwester. Mom 'comes and goes' A passer-by alerted authorities on Dec. 22, 2012 after spotting little Kayiana sitting on top of the homeless man, shaking him. Emergency responders rushed her to Texas Children's Hospital and the man to Ben Taub Hospital for psychiatric treatment, according to the investigator's report. Kayiana appeared healthy to hospital workers, aside from a healing wound on her stomach from having a cyst drained the previous month. She was discharged from the hospital that day and taken to the CPS office. The man, who experienced hallucinations and admitted using PCP, gave police the mother's name and said they both were homeless. The mother, he said, "comes and goes." He said they had been on the streets for about six days when she left the child with him. Contacts on his cellphone led to Thomas' mother, who told the investigator she had not spoken with her daughter in several weeks. The investigator located an address where Thomas received government benefits for herself and her three children, but no one answered the door. Another address listed for Thomas had been vacant for months. CPS decided to hand the child over to the grandmother. By the next day, when she came to pick up the child, the grandmother said she had since heard from her daughter, who was living in a homeless shelter in northeast Houston with Araylon, then 4. An older son from a previous relationship, who was 8, was with his father. Thomas admitted to the investigator that she had used marijuana and PCP, and said she left her daughter at the bus stop with the homeless man after catching a ride with someone else when the buses stopped running. Kayiana's father could not be found. Emergency temporary conservatorship was granted to the grandmother for both children. "Miss Thorn (Thomas) does not have a stable home environment and her drug usage prevents her from properly caring for her children," the investigator wrote. The report also refers to a 2010 CPS investigation, when Sheborah and Danny Ray Thomas were accused of putting all three children at risk with "illegal drug activities." The couple was investigated for neglectful supervision and exposing the children to drug use, which created "an unprotected environment that may compromise their safety," according to the report. The children's mother passed a drug test, while the father tested positive for THC, a component in marijuana. It appears from the court document that the children were allowed to remain with her because the father no longer lived in the home. Weapons disturbance It is unclear when Thomas regained custody of the children after the 2012 incident, but the family's troubles continued this year. CPS has declined to comment about the case, except to say they have had involvement with the family. Since early April, when a landlord and neighbors said Thomas started renting the house in the Third Ward, police visited three times for family disturbances, two of which involved a weapon. They responded two other times for child custody situations, one of which coincided with one of the family disturbances. Police returned again on Thursday, the day before the children were killed. Thomas accused a woman she knew of threatening to harm her on Facebook, and a police report was filed. None of the police calls was generated in response to abuse or neglect allegations made to Child Protective Services, said Houston Police Department spokeswoman Jodi Silva. By then, Danny Ray Thomas was in state prison for possession of PCP. He had already served numerous jail and prison sentences for a litany of charges, including burglary, theft, family violence, trespassing and drug possession. The final police call came Sunday, when an acquaintance flagged police to tell them Thomas had confessed to killing her children. She was taken into police custody that morning and charged later in the day. On Monday, prosecutors said Thomas had forced Kayiana and Araylon's heads underwater as they struggled against her. She hid their bodies under a neighbor's house. Court records show Thomas, 30, has a minor criminal record, including three misdemeanor theft convictions and failure to identify herself to a peace officer. She is expected to appear in court Wednesday. Rebecca Elliott contributed to this report. More details have emerged after a man was found shot to death inside a vehicle at a west Houston apartment complex. The shooting happened about 9:40 p.m. Tuesday at the Parkland at West Oaks apartment at 2600 Westhollow near Westheimer Road, according to the Houston Police Department. To say that Houston has helped birth a few inventions that have gone on to change certain aspects of our everyday lives is an understatement. There was the invention of breast implants Dr. Thomas D. Cronin and Dr. Frank J. Gerow in 1962 which helped Houston become an international destination for surgical breast reconstruction and augmentation, now among the most popular elective surgeries. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Along with conspiracy theories regarding the assassination of John F. Kennedy, government involvement in the 9/11 attacks, and reptilian humanoids at the controls of humanity, one of the most popular claims of trickery continues to be the theory that mankind never went to the moon. According to theorists, back in 1969 we didn't have technology or funds to get to the moon so we faked the whole thing. TMI, NASA: Early NASA diapers forced astronauts to disclose the size of their manhood Other proffered explanations for why it was faked include wanting to win the Space Race with the Soviet Union at any cost, giving NASA a shot in the arm to justify excessive money already spent, or even distracting the American public from the unwinnable Vietnam War ensnaring the military. Some claim that lunar landings ceased because NASA had already "achieved" what it set out to do, when in fact it was done as a cost-cutting measure. Our work in space from 1972 on would be mostly for scientific research, with the goal of possibly one day heading to Mars and points beyond. HoustonChronicle.com: To moon landing skeptics, NASA says, 'Yes, we did' Why do people want to not believe we went to the moon? It's probably too much fun talking about it, and coupled with the endless capacity of the internet, skeptics can find nearly any conspiracy theory to fit their mindset. One theory we enjoy is NASA and Stanley Kubrick teaming up on an Area 51 soundstage to fake the landing. Proponents must have liked Kubrick's 1968 work on "2001: A Space Odyssey" which is still easily one of the most inventive space films. An entertaining hoax video a few years back even had an actor posing as the late director confessing to the whole thing. Kubrick's daughter Vivian even reiterated that her pop hadn't faked one of the landmark events in human history. HoustonChronicle.com: Last man on the moon spent years seeking an encore Granted, the story of the U.S. government faking the moon landing -- and subsequent landings -- makes for great fiction, the kind of thing that Kubrick would likely lampoon in a film of his own. We think that if anyone would have helped the government fake the moon landing it would have been Rod Serling and Alfred Hitchcock working in tandem. For now let's agree that Neil Armstrong and the boys actually went to the moon and came back with souvenirs. They even had to fill out passport documents to come back home. Buzz Aldrin punched conspiracy theorist Bart Sibrel in the face years back after he accused the American hero of not making the journey. Mission Moon: How 50 years of space exploration defined Houston CHRON CATCH-UP | NEWSLETTER Get a quick, weekday news update for free See More Collapse In all, NASA visited the moon six times for exploration, last visiting in December 1972 during Apollo 17. Things like the "waving" American flag, the supposed lack of a landing crater, a lack of stars in the background, all have led to some pledging allegiance to the moon-landing-hoax theory. People will likely go back to the moon sooner or later but they will be on missions funded by private firms, meaning that maybe some of the youngest people reading this will be able to one day send home selfies from the Sea of Tranquility. WASHINGTON A new poll shows signs of trouble for Texas U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in 2018 in the wake of his feud with GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention. The poll released Wednesday by Public Policy Polling found that only 39 percent of Texas voters approve of the job Cruz is doing, compared to 48 percent who disapprove. Though Cruz won the March 1 Texas GOP primary, the poll also found that 52 percent of Texas Republicans now favor Trump as their nominee, compared to 38 percent who would go with Cruz. More significantly, Cruz would face a 9-point deficit against former Gov. Rick Perry in a hypothetical Republican match-up, losing 46 percent to 37 percent. After dropping out of the GOP race, Perry backed Cruz in the Texas primary. He is supporting Trump in the general election against Democrat Hillary Clinton. Public Policy Polling, which has been associated with Democrats, concluded that "the skirmish with Trump seems to be contributing to an overall weakening of Cruz's position with Republicans in the state." Nevertheless, the new poll found Cruz holding his own against other potential GOP rivals for his Senate seat in 2018. He polled 51 percent to 19 percent against Texas U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, and 49 percent to 27 percent against Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. None of those potential rivals has announced plans to challenge Cruz, though McCaul told reporters in Austin on Wednesday, "Never say never." While those results leave Cruz hovering around the 50 percent mark in hypothetical GOP primary matchups, he likely would face less trouble in 2018 against two of the state's best known Democrats. Cruz leads HUD Secretary and former San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro by 48 percent to 36 percent, and would beat former State Sen. Wendy Davis by a margin of 49 percent to 37 percent. But Public Policy Polling found that those margins for Cruz "pale in comparison" to Gov. Greg Abbott's standing with voters in the Lone Star State. The poll found that 54 percent of voters approve of the job he's doing, compared to 30 percent who don't. He also would beat Castro by a 57-28 percent margin, and Davis by 57-32 percent. The numbers also suggest some vulnerability for Trump in Texas, though few expect the state to go blue in 2016. "The fact that Cruz leads by 12 points and Abbott by 25-29 points in the same sample where Donald Trump leads Hillary Clinton by only 6 points is a pretty strong commentary on Trump's weakness as a candidate," the pollsters wrote. The Cruz camp dismissed the poll, recalling that Public Policy Polling released an early poll in 2009 showing then-U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison with a large lead over Perry in the GOP gubernatorial primary, which Perry won. "Shows how meaningful polls 2yrs from an election are. (IOW, worthless!)," tweeted Cruz spokeswoman Catherine Frazier. By Patrick Svitek, The Texas Tribune Former Gov. Rick Perry is defending Donald Trump's war of words with the family of a fallen Muslim soldier, saying the father "struck the first blow" against the Republican presidential nominee and is not above criticism in return. "In a campaign, if youre going to go out and think that you can take a shot at somebody and not have incoming coming back at you, shame on you," Perry said in an interview Tuesday on CNN. The father, Khizr Khan, harshly criticized Trump last month during the Democratic National Convention over the nominee's proposal to temporarily ban Muslim immigration. In the following days, Trump fired back by questioning why Khan's wife, who was standing beside him during his speech, did not speak, and arguing Khan did not have a right to attack him the way he did. The episode brought Trump bipartisan condemnation, and it marked the beginning of a downward slide for his campaign that continues to this day. Perry's successor, Greg Abbott, issued a statement at the time saying the service of families like the Khans "cannot be questioned." On Tuesday, Perry made clear he saw Khizr Khan as fair game. He insisted he admires veterans and their families, but said the patriarch "politically used his time on that stage to go after Donald Trump." "Why in the world that he thought he was going to get a free ride with that is beyond me," Perry said. "He shouldnt get a free ride when hes going to inject himself into the political arena." Perry, who served in the Air Force, has been an outspoken advocate for veterans throughout his political career. He launched his own 2016 presidential campaign surrounded by military heroes, and after he dropped out last year, he went on to organize support for U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, among veterans. Perry, who called Trump a "cancer on conservatism" when he was still running against him, has avoided criticizing the nominee since he endorsed him in May. Before Trump tapped Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to be his running mate, Perry had said he was open to the job. Last month at the Republican National Convention, Perry expressed a willingness to serve in a Trump administration. The Texas Tribune is a nonpartisan, nonprofit media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2016/08/16/perry-defends-trump-over-feud-gold-star-family/. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate If anyone needs proof that the presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton truly is dividing the country, they should look to Texas. According to poll results from Public Policy Polling released Tuesday, three out of five Texans who support Donald Trump said they would support seceding from America if Hillary Clinton becomes president. READ MORE: Rick Perry to fallen Muslim soldier's father: "Shame on you" Data from the left-leaning polling firm shows that Trump leads Clinton by a margin of 50 percent to 44 percent in Texas. This is far from the landslide win for Mitt Romney in the 2012 election. Four years ago, Romney beat President Barack Obama 57.2 percent to 41.4 percent. According to the polling results from PPP, only one out of four Texans support seceding from America generally. But when faced with the possibility of a President Hillary Clinton, a majority of Trump supporters said they'd rather leave. PPP is known for asking offbeat and sometimes humorous questions. In December, the firm discovered 30 percent - about one out of three - Republican primary voters supported bombing Agrabah, the fictional Arabian city from the Disney film Aladdin. The survey didn't ask if people knew Agrabah doesn't actually exist. PPP found Texans overall have an unfavorable opinion of both candidates (59 percent for Clinton and 53 percent for Trump). READ MORE: Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson explains embarrassing flubs When independents "candidates" Deez Nuts and Harambe (a gorilla at the Cincinnati Zoo who was put down after grabbing a child) were included, Trump came out on top at 47 percent. Clinton got 38 percent while Deez Nuts got 3 percent and Harambe got 2 percent. As for President Obama, 54 percent of Texans polled said they disapprove of his job performance. In 2012, 51 percent of the Texans polled said they voted for Mitt Romney, compared to the 38 percent who voted for Obama (11 percent said they don't remember who they voted for). READ MORE: Clinton says Trump's foreign policy 'absolutely bewilders' her Other interesting results from the survey include 30 percent of Texans identifying as moderate, compared to 13 percent identifying as somewhat liberal and 29 percent as somewhat conservative. A small number said they were very liberal (9 percent) or very conservative (19 percent). While most Texans identify as Republican (41 percent), 24 percent say they are independent while the remaining 35 percent identify as Democrat. Launching weird things into the cosmos has been a staple in the human spirit of ingenuity since the space race began in the early sixties. Dozens of primates, mice, dogs and more lost their life in the name of space exploration. Even in recent decades, the trend has not stopped. In 2010, the Iranian space agency sent two turtles, a mouse and worms into space. 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. How to maximize your Express Entry CRS score if youre aged 30 or over Age is an important factor in immigration through Express Entry and certain applicants are penalized for their age. Here are several strategies one can employ to maximize their Express Entry CRS score as an applicant over 30 years old. Lite-On to Develop New Auto Electronics Campus in Taiwan Published: 17 August 2016 by Mike Buetow by Mike Buetow KAOHSIUNG, TAIWAN -- Lite-On Technology reportedly has signed a deal with the Taiwan government to invest more than $300 million toward a new factory here for automotive electronics production. The EMS company will locate in the Nantze Export Processing Zone (EPZ), located in southern Taiwan. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2017 and run through 2019. The firm will spend an estimated estimated $315 million on the campus, which will employ 1,000 workers and is expected to add revenues of $700 million a year. Lite-On has another factory in the Nantze EPZ. It's unclear whether that site will remain open following the ramp of the new campus. Register now for PCB West, the Silicon Valley's largest trade show for the printed circuit industry, taking place Sept. 13-15 in Santa Clara: pcbwest.com Newsroom employees at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune took steps to unionize Wednesday, just days after journalists at a sister publication, the Lakeland Ledger, officially became the first newspaper in modern Florida history to form a newsroom union. The move also comes a day after Gatehouse Media, which owns both papers, announced a round of company-wide buyouts to reduce staff again, with the threat of layoffs if reduction targets arent met. In recent years, the Herald-Tribune, whose daily print circulation is now about 73,000, has produced the kinds of investigations and in-depth coverage more typically seen at larger metro newspapers. Under executive editor Bill Church, who joined the paper in 2012 and is now also the Southeast regional editor for Gatehouse, the newsroom has tackled a string of ambitious projects and creative initiatives, including a joint investigation with the Tampa Bay Times into violence at mental hospitals that won the Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting this year. The paper also won a Pulitzer in 2011 and was a finalist in 2008 and 2010. But the newsroom has also lost 16 employees since Gatehouse bought the paper in a deal that closed in early 2015, according to union organizers. Leaders of the effort in the newsroom were quick to say that they are not dissatisfied with local management. Rather, they said the union drive reflected concerns that Gatehouse was not supportive of the impact journalism the paper has become known for, and they want a seat at the table when future changes are discussed. Weve been known to swing above and beyond what papers our size typically do, investigative reporter Elizabeth Johnson said in an interview. We did this to try to preserve that. We have had a good relationship with local management, columnist Tom Lyons, a 24-year veteran of the paper, said in a press release to announce the move. We prize that relationship, and we have especially valued the leadership of our executive editor, Bill Church. Sign up for weekly emails from the United States Project Johnson said staffers in the newsroom had been talking about trying to unionize for a long time, and that Tuesdays buyout announcement was not a factor. At that point, we had already collected our union cards, she said. The cards were delivered to the National Labor Relations Board on Wednesday, which will trigger a vote by within the next month or so over whether to join The NewsGuild-CWA. The Ledger held a similar vote last week, with staffers voting 22-3 in favor of unionizing. Union leaders in Lakeland have also focused their criticisms on Gatehouse, which has sought to cut costs by centralizing functions across its publications. (Some of the job reductions in Sarasota were for roles whose duties have been moved to a centralized design center.) In Sarasota, staff members who signed union cards released a joint statement in which they said, We understand the Herald-Tribune is a business and want to do our part to make sure it remains successful, respectable and sustainable. Forming a union, they said, will help the newsroom stay on the innovative forefront. A call for comment to Gatehouse headquarters was not immediately returned. Patrick Dorsey, publisher of the Herald-Tribune, said in an email that he is very disappointed some of our newsroom employees decided to go down this road. I firmly believe local journalism is going to continue to need a more creative, flexible and nimble atmosphere to be successful in the future and we have built a talented staff and cutting edge structure that embodies those traits. We do not agree that more rigid structures, stricter rules and additional limitations on duties are a pathway to future success, he added. Gatehouse has been very supportive of our quest to produce world class journalism and we remain as committed as ever to continue on this endeavor. Both Florida papers previously had been part of the Halifax chain, which Gatehouse acquired in early 2015 as part of an ongoing expansion strategy in which it has added both regional chains and locally owned papers. The company, part of the publicly traded New Media Investment Group, now owns 125 dailies, including The Columbus Dispatch and The Providence Journal, along with more than 400 weeklies and shoppers. In late July, it bought the Fayetteville Observer, which had been the largest locally owned newspaper in North Carolina. Rick Edmonds, a media business analyst for the Poynter Institute, said unions can increase labor expenses for newspaper chains, though unions are less influential today than they have been in the past. Organizing a Guild and actually getting higher pay and more jobsthat may happen and it may not, he said. Established unions dont always succeed in getting a contract, and they usually keep working rather than try to shut the paper down with a strike. But he said the efforts at both papers dont particularly look good for Gatehouse. I dont know if this is two in a series of two or two in a series of 12, he said. But its not a good thing for your business if your journalists are saying, We cant really serve our community. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today Susannah Nesmith is CJRs correspondent for Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. She is a freelance writer based in Miami with more than 25 years working for regional and national outlets. Follow her on Twitter @susannahnesmith. The European Aviation Safety Agency on Tuesday proposed tougher medical examinations for pilots, including better mental health assessments, in response to last years Germanwings crash. Pilot Andreas Lubitz locked his captain out of the cockpit and flew a plane into a French mountainside on March 24, 2015. All 150 people on board Flight 9525 from Barcelona to Duesseldorf were killed. Lubitz had suffered from depression several years previously, but authorities and his airline later deemed him fit to fly. They have said they didnt know that his mental health troubles had returned in the months before the crash. The aviation agency recommended strengthening pilots initial and subsequent medical examinations by including drugs and alcohol screening, comprehensive mental health assessment, as well as improved follow-up in case of medical history of psychiatric conditions. Annual checkups required of all pilots currently concentrate on their physical rather than mental conditions. The EASA acknowledged that currently aero-medical assessments do not include systematic psychological assessment. Therefore, psychological deficiencies may remain undetected. The agency also called for improving the training, oversight and assessment of aero-medical examiners. It said that, in an effort to prevent any attempts at fraud, centers that conduct such checks should be required to report any incomplete medical assessments to authorities. The plan now goes to the European Unions executive Commission, which is to draw up proposed rules later this year. French air accident investigators called in March for new measures to keep pilots from hiding mental health issues. The countrys BEA air accident agency recommended more frequent and deeper monitoring of pilots with histories of mental health issues. Lufthansa, the parent company of Germanwings, has said Lubitz informed its flight school when he returned from a months-long break in pilot training in 2009 that he had experienced an episode of severe depression. The airline has said he subsequently passed all medical tests. Lubitz relapse appeared to begin around four months before the crash. According to the French report, Lubitz consulted dozens of doctors about perceived vision troubles and sleeplessness. One doctor prescribed antidepressants, including a medication that includes suicidal tendencies as a possible side effect. Another doctor referred Lubitz to a psychiatric clinic two weeks before the crash, suspecting a potential psychotic episode. Lubitz reported none of this to Germanwings or Lufthansa. Neither did the doctors. In Germany, doctors can face a fine or up to a year in prison for breaching patient confidentiality though the rules allow them to do so in order to safeguard a higher-ranking legally protected interest, which isnt defined more precisely. Last week, after two attacks were committed in Germany in July by men who had received past psychiatric treatment, Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said the government would discuss with doctors ways to minimize dangers to citizens as far as possible. He stressed that patient confidentiality rules would be upheld. The EASA opinion released Tuesday didnt address patient confidentiality other than to point to a previous recommendation that national regulations ensure that an appropriate balance is found between patient confidentiality and the protection of public safety. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Some homeowners in a Bismarck, N.D., neighborhood are questioning the long-term safety of their houses after some backyards dropped as much as 7 feet in June. Jim Hopfauf is one of the homeowners affected by the collapsing hill where houses are perched in north Bismarck. He told The Bismarck Tribune that it keeps dropping every time it rains. Homeowners and government entities have shared in the cost of a study of the problem. City Parks and Recreation Director Randy Bina said the study suggests rock rip-rap landscaping put in place by homeowners to secure their land is actually making the problem worse. The study recommends removing the rock and reshaping the slope. The study results are to be presented during Thursdays Bismarck Park Board meeting. Hopfauf said that since his home was built in 2004, about one-third of the backyard has sunk with the hill along with a tree line and a walking path all of which are tumbling into a nearby creek. The Bismarck Park District has blocked off the walking path because its no longer safe. The problem became serious in the fall of 2013. Seeing that the park district installed some riprap on the slope, Hopfauf, Wolf and a neighbor installed $20,000 more. Hopfauf said development has created more pavement and fewer fields to absorb the water before it feeds into the creek. Wolf has experienced the same in the past decade. Nobody has come up with a plan, and nobody is spending any money on it, he said. As homeowners, we cant do anything until the hill is stable. German carmaker Audi is rolling out technology that will allow its vehicles in the United States to communicate with traffic signals, allowing for a more stress-free ride in what it says is the car industrys first commercial use of the nascent technology. Audi of America, which is owned by Volkswagen, said select 2017 Q7 and A4 models built after June 1, 2016 will be equipped with its vehicle-to-infrastructure technology. Known in the industry as V-to-I, the technology allows traffic signals and other infrastructure to exchange safety and other operational data wirelessly to vehicles over the cloud. Eventual applications of the technology, which continues to be tested across the globe by carmakers and transportation agencies, will help mitigate crashes and reduce congestion on roads and highways. This is our foray into V-to-I, said Pom Malhotra, general manager of Audis connected vehicles division. This is designed not as a safety feature but a comfort and convenience feature. Audis system allows the vehicle to display a countdown before a red light turns to green. Knowing how much time one has before the light changes to green will relieve much of the anxiety of waiting, Malhotra said. The countdown will also appear on the dashboard if the vehicle determines it will not be able to make an approaching light before it turns red, to allow the driver to begin to brake. While waiting for a red light to turn green, the display will disappear a few seconds before the light turns green, forcing drivers to pay attention to the intersection and determine when it is safe to proceed, said Malhotra. Future applications of the technology could see it linked to the cars navigation system or its stop/start functions. Another possible eventual use is that traffic signals could advise the vehicle to keep to a certain speed in order to match the flow of traffic lights, executives said. Audi plans to roll out the capability in five to seven U.S. cities this year, with cities to be switched on one by one. The company would not disclose which cities would be first. Carmakers are trying to leverage technology including vehicle-to-vehicle communications (V-to-V) allowing cars to talk to each other to reduce accidents and improve congestion. Deploying such systems is a challenge because both V-to-I and V-to-V technologies require not only secure communications infrastructure, but close cooperation with municipalities and transportation agencies. (Reporting By Alexandria Sage; Editing by Alan Crosby) Federal investigators have issued new safety recommendations aimed at preventing accidents similar to the 2010 explosion that killed seven workers at the Tesoro refinery in Anacortes, Washington. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released the safety alert Thursday after concluding that new industry guidelines werent strong enough to prevent future accidents. The board investigation into the refinery blast, one of the worst industrial disasters in Washington state, found that a device called a heat exchanger cracked and weakened over time, even though safety measures aligned with industry standards, The Skagit Valley Herald reported. The agency found the heat exchanger weakened because of what is called high temperature hydrogen attack, and it issued safety recommendations to the industry. The American Petroleum Institute, which sets industry standards for preventing incidents such as the one at Tesoro, released new guidelines in February in response to the board investigation, but the board in July found that there were too many deficiencies. In the absence of industry guidance that incorporates findings from the Tesoro Anacortes failure, the (board) is issuing a safety alert to provide additional direction for industry, the boards chairwoman, Vanessa Allen Sutherland, said in a statement Thursday. Tesoro said in a statement Friday that it would continue to review and evaluate the recommendations and guidance in order to have high safety standards. Five men and two women died in the April 2, 2010, blast about 70 miles north of Seattle. Washington state regulators in 2010 fined the company nearly $2.4 million for 39 willful violations and five serious violations of safety and health regulations. The Department of Labor and Industries said its investigation determined the incident was preventable. It says Tesoro did not properly inspect or test equipment at the refinery. In January 2011, Tesoro appealed to a state insurance board. Tesoro has disputed the states characterization of its safety procedures and inspections, and contends the conclusions of the states investigation are mistaken. Over the years, numerous legal motions have delayed hearings in the case, which concluded last month. The administrative law judge presiding over the case earlier dismissed many violations against Tesoro but that decision hasnt been finalized yet. The judges decision is expected in September. His ruling will be reviewed by the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals, which will issue a final order. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. 8.7 Akron fatal home invasion.zip An Akron police car blocks the driveway of the home on Hilbish Avenue where a man was shot and killed in an attempted robbery. (Jane Morice, cleveland.com) AKRON, Ohio - An Akron man pleaded guilty Wednesday to fatally shooting a man who tried to rob his home in August 2015. David Hillis, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter, the Summit County Prosecutor's Office said. The charge stemmed from an August 2015 incident where Hillis shot a man who was running away from him after an attempted robbery. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 7. Hillis was inside his Akron home when two men - Marcus Glover, 25, and Terry Tart, 37 - forced their way inside, the prosecutor's office said. The duo tried to rob Hillis and two other people at gunpoint but they were chased from the house. As Glover and Tart ran from Hillis' home, Hillis opened fire with his own gun. Glover was about 70 yards away from Hillis' house and no longer on the property when he was shot in the head and killed. Because Glover was no longer on Hillis' property at the time of the fatal shooting, Ohio's Castle Doctrine laws, which protect homeowners who use lethal force, could not be applied, the prosecutor's office said. Tart was not hurt in the shooting. Tart pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter Aug. 4, the prosecution said. He was charged in Glover's death because Glover died as a result of the robbery in which Tart participated, according to a press release from the prosecutor's office. Tart will be sentenced by a visiting judge on Sept. 7. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. Brecksville City Hall 4.JPG Brecksville City Council may vote on a proposed six-month moratorium on medical marijuana at its next regular meeting in September. (Bob Sandrick, special to cleveland.com) BRECKSVILLE, Ohio - Count Broadview Heights among the communities considering a moratorium on the growing, processing and selling of medical marijuana. That's what Sergio DiGeronimo, Brecksville assistant law director, told Brecksville City Council Tuesday night. It means that of the four cities along Ohio 82 in Cuyahoga County, at least three - Brecksville, Broadview Heights and North Royalton - are looking at possible medical marijuana moratoriums. Last week, Broadview Heights Law Director Vince Ruffa did not return calls from cleveland.com regarding medical marijuana. But DiGeronimo said he heard, during a meeting of local law directors, that Broadview Heights was considering a moratorium, although he did not speak to Ruffa directly. On Tuesday, Brecksville council asked DiGeronimo and Law Director David Matty to prepare legislation that would establish a six-month moratorium on medical marijuana in Brecksville. The legislation will likely pass. Council members Gerald Broski, Louis Carouse Jr., Michael Harwood and Laura Redinger told cleveland.com that they favor a moratorium. The moratorium would prevent medical marijuana businesses from opening in Brecksville, at least temporarily, and give city officials time to study a new state law that will allow patients, starting Sept. 8, to use medical marijuana prescribed by doctors. The law, House Bill 523, was signed by Gov. John Kasich on June 9 and gives municipalities 90 days to react. HB 523 authorizes municipalities to establish their own marijuana regulations. Local governments can restrict locations where marijuana is cultivated, processed and sold, or they can ban the growing and sale of marijuana altogether. However, municipalities cannot stop patients from using medical marijuana. The state law already provides some restrictions on medical marijuana. For example, no one can grow, process or sell marijuana within 500 feet of a school, church, library, playground or park. Also, no one is allowed to grow marijuana in their homes. The problem is that the state won't nail down other details in HB 523 until long after patients are allowed to start using medical marijuana Sept. 8. Municipalities like Brecksville may keep moratoriums in place until the state can work out those details. Some Ohio communities - including Lakewood, Beavercreek, Troy and Piqua - have already placed six-month moratoriums on medical marijuana. Rocky River has introduced legislation that would ban the growing, processing and selling of medical marijuana. DiGeronimo said Westlake is also looking at a possible medical marijuana moratorium. Last week, North Royalton Assistant Law Director Donna Vozar said her department will recommend a six-month moratorium to North Royalton City Council on Sept. 6, two days before the law goes into effect. Also last week, Strongsville Law Director Neal Jamison said he was examining HB 523 but had no plans to introduce legislation to Strongsville City Council, at least not yet. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cleveland activist Kathy Wray Coleman is facing additional felony charges after she broke out of a GPS ankle bracelet while on bail following her arrest during the Republican National Convention, according to an indictment. Coleman is charged with escape, a third-degree felony, stemming from a July 30 incident in which she removed and damaged a GPS monitoring bracelet device, court records say. She now remains in Cuyahoga County Jail on on a $10,000 bond in the new case. The activist was arrested July 18 on an outstanding felony warrant while she spoke at Public Square during the Republican National Convention. She was released from jail on July 29 after paying 10 percent of her $10,000 bond. A judge ordered her to wear the GPS ankle monitor as a condition of her probation. Two days later Coleman was arrested after removing the ankle bracelet, according to the indictment. She is also charged with damaging the bracelet. Coleman gained notoriety during the 2011 Anthony Sowell trial when she formed the Imperial Women's Coalition. She has been vocal on issues relating to violence against women and social justice and also wrote for The Call and Post newspaper. Her July arrest stems from a May 2015 incident for which she was charged with three counts of felonious assault on a peace officer. Coleman nearly hit two police officers with her car as she drove away from her foreclosed home in University Heights, according to police. In a video of her arrest in July, Coleman can be heard screaming that the police were harassing her and had been trying to lock her up. Common Pleas Judge Joseph D. Russo has referred Coleman to the court psychiatric clinic for assessment. If convicted, Coleman may face additional prison time as a result of the escape charge. If you would like to comment on this article, please visit our crime and courts comments page 17DARCY-STRIKE2.jpg The Cleveland Teachers Union has given notice that they plan to strike on September 1, if a new contract is not reached with the school district. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- According to a report from the National Council on Teacher Quality, Cleveland public school teachers have the highest absentee rate in the nation, missing 15.6 days a year, on average. The Cleveland Teachers Union served notice they may end up missing even more school days by going out on strike. The dispute between the union and district centers on how teachers are evaluated for raises. In 2012, the state legislature passed the "Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools" that mandated teacher pay be "based on performance", instead of a traditional salary schedule based on tenure and degrees. For the 2014-15 school year, the median teacher pay in the district was $76,652. The legislation called for the district and union to jointly work out the details of the performance-based pay plan, formally called the "Cleveland Differentiated Compensation System." But the teachers and district can't agree on how performance is defined and judged. In addition to teacher ratings being based on test scores, and evaluations by principals, the legislation suggested additional ways teachers could gain credits for raises, such as working in undesired schools. In a May 6 report, an arbitrator found that in the four years since the law was passed, little progress has been made in completing the payment plan. "There is no dispute that, in the intervening years, (Cleveland Differentiated Compensation System) has floundered at best, and in other aspects the District has failed altogether to implement the system," wrote arbitrator Mollie Bowers. It's inexcusable that the pay system the law mandated hasn't been completed by the district and union in the past four years. If students took more than 4 years to complete their homework assignments they would be considered complete failures, which is what the district and the union are showing themselves to be. East Cleveland police car.png The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday dismissed charges against a man who has accused two fired East Cleveland police officers of assaulting him. (File photo) EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio -- County prosecutors on Wednesday dismissed criminal charges against a man who said two East Cleveland police officers assaulted him while he was in custody. The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office dismissed four charges against Jesse R. Nickerson amid a separate investigation into the conduct of fired officers Denayne Dixon and Gerald Spencer II, according to court records. The prosecutor's office declined to comment on the reason it dropped the charges against Nickerson. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is still investigating the officers' conduct. Once that investigation is complete the findings will be presented to the prosecutor's office, BCI spokeswoman Jill Del Greco said Wednesday. Nickerson, 28, of East Cleveland, said the officers attacked him at Forest Hill Park following his July 24 arrest on several charges related to a stolen gun, his defense attorney told cleveland.com last month. East Cleveland Chief Michael Cardilli characterized the officers' conduct as "illegal and immoral activity" when he announced their firings July 28. The officers arrested Nickerson and two other men on East 135th Street after they spotted a 2000 BMW 5 matching the description of a car involved in a robbery, Dixon wrote in a police report. The officers found a handgun under the car, near where Nickerson was standing. The three men were arrested and taken to the East Cleveland Police Department, the report says. Nickerson told defense attorney Heather McCollough that the officers took him to Forest Hill Park and assaulted him before taking him to the police station, McCollough said. The report does not mention a stop at the park. Nickerson had been charged with receiving stolen property, tampering with evidence, carrying a concealed weapon and having weapons while under disability in the incident. A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted him July 29. Dixon's and Spencer's personnel files -- which were released last month to cleveland.com -- do not show any prior incidents that resulted in discipline. Dixon has been with the department since October 2014 and was still in his probationary period, Cardilli said. Spencer joined the department in May 2015. If you'd like to comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland's fourth Brazilian restaurant has opened. Earlier this month, the Texas de Brazil churrascaria restaurant and bar opened at Eton in Woodmere. It follows the opening of the Crocker Park Texas de Brazil in February. The chain churrascarias join locally owned Brasa Grill churrascaria in the Warehouse District and Batuqui Cleveland, which opened serving a wide range of Brazilian flavors on Larchmere last year. The Eton location is the 50th for the fast-growing chain based in Dallas. It's a welcome addition to Cleveland's food scene, in which the meats and flavors of Brazil are underrepresented. Texas de Brazil features a sleek bar area serving Brazilian caipirinhas and other cocktails, as well as an extensive wine list and happy hour from 4:30 to 7 p.m. weekdays with appetizer and drink deals. The churrascaria-style dining room features roaming gauchos serving all-you-can-eat meats tableside. These include filet mignon, braised beef ribs, lamb chops, pork ribs, chicken sausage, Brazilian sausage, flank steak, pork loin and the most popular item, the Brazilian picanha. A 50-plus item salad bar includes sushi, shrimp salad, lobster bisque, gorgonzola and grape salad, heart of palm, couscous salad, potato salad, Brazilian feijoda and much more. Dessert includes papaya cream, coconut chess pie, Moscato berry tiramisu, flan and carrot cake. All meals are all-you-can-eat. Dinner is $44.99 per person for adults - not including beverages and desserts - with children 3 to 5 eating for $5 and children 5 to 12 half-off the adult price. The Eton location does not yet serve lunch, but there are future plans to add afternoon service. Texas de Brazil is at 28125 Chagrin Blvd., Woodmere. Call 216-777-1413. yum yum.JPG Yum Yum from 3 Floyds Brewing Co. makes this week's Crack One Open. (Marc Bona, cleveland.com) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This week's Crack One Open: Yum Yum American session ale from 3 Floyds Brewing Co. The brewery - a holy-grail of sorts for some of its ales - bills this as having "an explosive juicy hop profile." The hops, it says, are proprietary. A bit of fruit does seep in right away, but I am not sure I could describe it as an explosion in this pale ale. Bitterness comes out more on the finish. It's 5.5 percent alcohol and 63 International Bittering Units. For those who want a healthy dose of hops but don't want to screech into double digits of alcohol percentage, this might be for you. I'd prefer a bit more citrus in the hop profile, but it's cool to see a brewery keeping the alcohol reasonable in a hoppy ale. Session ales are always nice to try; the Brew Kettle's All For One has been on sale in Quicken Loans Arena for a while now. 3 Floyds in Northwest Indiana is minutes from the Illinois border. The brewery is marking its 20th anniversary. Its Dark Lord Day in April has become a cult draw, with beer lovers traveling from all over to buy the brewery's famed Russian Imperial Stout. Label: This one is tough to miss on a store shelf, which is a smart marketing magnet. A silly stoned-looking yogi with cats and some icons including a pirate with wings float on a magenta and yellow background. Why hoist one: Say happy birthday to Alex Cole, who played his first three years in the Majors - 1990-92 - with Cleveland. He turns 51 on Wednesday, Aug. 17. Price: $13 for a six-pack of 12-ounce bottles. Marc Bona reviews and writes about beer for cleveland.com. He is on Twitter - @mbona30. His stories can be found at cleveland.com/drinks. Have a beer for him to review? Email him. 100th anniversary of Cleveland Municipal Court Cleveland Municipal Court judges, pictured here, prohibit clerks from collecting bail from people after they're arrested and before they see a judge, but some employees in the clerk's office have not been following the order. (Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the past six months, the Cleveland Clerk of Courts office required some people accused of minor crimes to pay to get out of jail when they should have been released without bail, cleveland.com has found. The erroneous practice also might have resulted in unnecessary jail stays for people who were eligible for release but didn't have money for bail, the top judge at Cleveland Municipal Court acknowledged after confirming a problem existed. "If there was anybody who had to sit for even an hour because of the fact there was some miscommunication between my office and the clerk or the clerk and his personnel, that's disappointing to me, and I certainly would apologize to that person," Administrative Judge Ronald B. Adrine said. Cleveland Clerk of Courts Public Information Officer Obie Shelton acknowledged on Tuesday in a voicemail that some employees in the clerk's office were not following the new policy, but he could not be reached to explain how many employees were violating the policy and why. Cleveland Municipal Court judges voted last year to have the clerk's office release people accused of non-violent misdemeanors without bail starting in February. The move is part of the court's efforts to make its bail system fairer and to eliminate unnecessary and costly jail stays. But an employee of the clerk's office told cleveland.com on Friday that some employees are still requiring defendants to post bail or stay locked up until they have a chance to see a judge. After investigating the disclosure, Adrine said Tuesday that some overnight-shift employees were not following the new policy. He said he is not sure how many people were unnecessarily jailed and will conduct a full review of the clerk's activities to find out who was affected by the error. He said he doubts people eligible for release were forced to stay in jail for days or weeks, because he communicates regularly with jail employees to ensure people are not languishing behind bars simply because they can't afford bail. "They are real time-sensitive over there because these are people they have to house and feed, so anyone they think is eligible, they are going to get word out to me," he said. "I hadn't really heard anything from any of those folks, so I feel real comfortable that if they were sitting, they didn't sit for a long time." Adrine said he will give credit for time served to anyone who was jailed in violation of the new policy. The judge said the error resulted from some clerks continuing to rely on the court's old bail schedule. Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure require municipal court judges to establish guidelines, known as bail schedules, that court employees can use to set bail for misdemeanor defendants when a judge is not immediately available. The bail schedules typically are a list of criminal charges and corresponding dollar amounts. The bail schedules allow courts to release defendants immediately after their arrests, so they don't have to wait in jail until their first court appearance, when a judge has the chance to set bond. People accused of felonies are not eligible to be released via the bail schedule. Adrine said he is certain the clerk's office was aware of the new policy, because the court hosted a meeting with employees from the clerk's office, as well as bailiffs, magistrates and corrections officers before the changes were put in place. He also assigned his court administrator to work directly with the clerk's office to implement the new policy. Adrine said he hadn't seen or heard anything until Tuesday that would indicate mistakes with the amended process. "The clerk's office is separately elected. I don't get any reports on them. The only time I hear about something that goes on down there is when it gets to your level, and someone reports it to me," he said. This story has been updated to include comments from the clerk's office. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland Clinic doctor who lost a bid for the Libertarian Party's presidential nomination died of natural causes, the medical examiner says. Marc Feldman, 56, of Beachwood died from cardiovascular disease, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office. Feldman was found dead inside a room at a Brook Park hotel in June. An employee at the America's Best Value Inn in the 14000 block of Brookpark Road called police June 22 after a woman called the front desk from Feldman's room and said he was unresponsive, police reports show. Feldman was not breathing when first responders arrived minutes later. He was pronounced dead at the scene. In May, Feldman lost the nomination to represent the Libertarian Party in the November presidential election. The party selected former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson. Feldman was the section head of anesthesia for the Cole Eye Institute and director of the Cole Eye Institute Operating Rooms at the Cleveland Clinic. Like Chanda Neely on Facebook. Follow me on Twitter: CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Law enforcement officials said that a group of men charged in a smash-and-grab ATM theft ring could be connected to more than 50 such incidents across northeast Ohio within the past 18 months. The 11 men -- led by Lamar Speights, Christopher Freeman, Rc Crum -- ran an elaborate operation that targeted businesses that kept ATMs in the front of windows near the entrance. A 74-count organized-crime indictment charged the group in 10 thefts that happened in 2015 and 2016. The indictment says the group hit 10 businesses in Cuyahoga, Lorain, Lake, Summit and Stark counties. They face a minimum 19 years in prison and up to a century in prison if convicted on all charges. More charges against the 11 are expected, including possibly another one in Jackson Township in Stark County, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty said. Investigators also anticipate making more arrests. The group became the target of a multi-county investigation led by Parma and Cleveland police, after the robberies became more brazen. While the initial robberies happened at closed stores, the group began targeting open businesses with employees and customers inside. One customer was nearly injured by flying debris during an Aug. 8 robbery in Strongsville that took less than 90 seconds. "We were greatly worried that someone was going to be killed," McGinty said. "These guys drive recklessly." The group stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from the ATMs and caused millions more in property damage, he added. The main trio began this style of ATM thefts in 2011, prosecutors said. They served prison time for those crimes. They continued stealing ATMs through the years, first breaking into business and prying open the ATMs while still in the store to steal the cash. The group developed a more efficient, but dangerous process of using a stolen van to crash through the front of businesses and into the bolted-down cash machines, according to investigators. The impact knocked the ATMs off their base. They loaded the ATMs into a stolen van and drove away. "These were violent acts by violent people," Cleveland police Commander Gary Gingel said. The group drove the ATMs to a vacant stash-house where they used blow torches and power tools to open them, police said. Investigators found one of the stash houses Tuesday during a pre-dawn raid at a house on Pratt Avenue next to where three of the men named in the indictment were arrested. The group would then find a place in the city to ditch the stolen van, McGinty said. Eight of the 11 charged in the incident have been arrested. Elijah Reid, 21, Earl Davis, 52, and Jerrell Williams, 29, remain at large. Investigators later found a long rifle thrown into Mill Creek that they believe is linked to the group. That gun is being tested to see if it has been linked to any shootings or homicides. "We've obtained a great deal of evidence from these searches, and searches of electronics and telephone communications between them," McGinty said. "We have a solid and strong case." To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Two brothers are charged in connection with the 2015 shooting of a man during an argument. Tony Sullivan, 25, and Taylor Sullivan, 26, are charged with aggravated murder in the May 2015 shooting death of Dominique Vinson, 23. Both men are being held in the Cuyahoga County Jail on $1 million bond after their arraignments on Tuesday. They also face charges of felonious assault, firing a gun near a roadway and possessing weapons as felons. The incident happened about 12:30 a.m. May 11, 2015. Vinson and Taylor Sullivan fought on Nathaniel Avenue and St. Clair, near Collinwood High School, according to court records. Tony Sullivan jumped in the fight. He left the scrum, got a gun from his SUV and shot Vinson twice in the chest. Vinson collapsed in a nearby backyard. He later died at MetroHealth Medical Center. The brothers jumped into the SUV and sped off. Tony Sullivan is serving a 54-month prison sentence for shooting at his mother's boyfriend two months later in Warrensville Heights. His mother and boyfriend were arguing at their home May 4, 2015. Tony Sullivan's brother called him and told him about the argument. Tony Sullivan drove to the house and threatened the boyfriend with a gun. His mother pushed him out of the house. Tony Sullivan got in his SUV, drove away, then put the SUV in reverse and shot at the man five times. No bullets hit the man, court records say. Taylor Sullivan's most recent conviction happened in July, when he pleaded guilty to possessing heroin, cocaine and marijuana in his car during a traffic stop. His sentencing in that case is set for Aug. 31. He has previous convictions for drug possession, tampering with evidence, drug dealing and assaulting a police officer. The Sullivans were arrested together in 2008 felonious assault case in Euclid. They were accused of injuring a man with a handgun and a power cord, court records say. CLEVELAND, Ohio - The National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo has announced discovery of the wreck of the oldest fully intact commercial sailing vessel lost on the Great Lakes, which sank in a gale on Lake Ontario in 1803. The find of the sloop Washington (also known as the Lady Washington) was made by the shipwreck exploration team of Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowksi and Roland Stevens in June, during an underwater survey funded by a grant from the museum. The Washington was the first ship built on Lake Erie in 1797, and became the first to sail on both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario -- after being fitted with runners and transported to that lake, around Niagara Falls, via a system of rollers and towed by teams of oxen. Christopher Gillcrist, executive director of the museum, said the discovery pushes back the boundary of Great Lakes commercial shipwreck history. "Breaking the 18th century barrier is not only psychologically important, but the wreck may reveal the earliest shipbuilding techniques on the Great Lakes ever examined," he noted. Kennard said the shipwreck exploration team knew that the Washington had gone down in the general area they searched, and after finding the wreck, subsequent research verified its identity. He noted, "This is very special because it is the second oldest shipwreck in the Great Lakes." (The oldest is the warship HMS Ontario, lost in 1780, and discovered by this same team in 2008.) Kennard said there were no drawings or models of the Washington, so now "underwater archeologists can really look at this and say, 'Wow, that was how it was constructed.' "It gives a window to the public to understand that hey, this is what was going on back in the late 1700s," he added. Kennard was particularly impressed by the task of moving the Washington over land from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. "To move a 53-foot-long, 36-capacity ton ship over eight miles in winter was quite a feat," he said. The Washington's final voyage was made on November 6, 1803, when it went down in a fierce storm off Oswego, New York. The sloop's crew of three and several passengers were lost, along with an estimated $20,000 worth of general merchandise cargo including goods and groceries from East India. Portions of that cargo, pieces of the ship and the sloop's yawl (small boat) were found washed ashore the following day. The ship's career began in 1798, sailing the eastern end of Lake Erie to move merchandise and settlers between New York, Canada and Erie, Pennsylvania. After its sale in 1801 to a group of Canadian merchants, the sloop "sailed" overland, about eight miles, from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario where it transported assorted goods including flour, furs, tools, salt and household items between Niagara and Kingston, Ontario. The Washington lay on the bottom of Lake Ontario until it was discovered through the use of side scan sonar, and its identity confirmed by utilizing a remotely operated underwater vehicle. The single mast of the sloop still stands tall, but the sails and rigging have long since rotted away. An anchor hangs from the side of the ship that is covered with mussels. Two holds are visible, and the cabin has been extensively damaged. According to a museum report, evidence seems to indicate that the Washington went down stern-first, due to considerable damage in that area of the sloop. The Washington's demise came as the era of Great Lakes sloops was nearing an end, with these ships soon replaced by schooners that had two or more masts and were more efficient to operate, according to the museum report. The museum said the Washington is one of an estimated 6,000 to 8,000 ships that have been wrecked on the Great Lakes, including more than 600 on Lake Ontario. The Washington lies at a depth exceeding the reach of recreational divers, according to the museum, and is protected by state and federal laws. The sloop is among the old sailing vessels that, according to the museum, "were the 'truckers' used more than two centuries ago to haul the heavy cargoes to various ports on the Great Lakes and along the St. Lawrence River." CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A man accused of fatally shooting a 41-year-old man at a home in Cleveland's Detroit-Shoreway neighborhood tried to set fire to the same home in 2013. Jonathan Vargas, 28, is charged with aggravated murder. He is not in police custody and a warrant was issued Tuesday for his arrest. Vargas is accused of killing Julio Perez, 41, at Perez's ex-girlfriend's home in the 6800 block of Lawn Avenue. Vargas has two listed address in court records -- one about a block away from the home and another in Youngstown. Vargas forced his way into the home about 8:30 a.m., armed with a semiautomatic handgun, and shot Perez once in the head, police said. He drove off with the gun. His 31-year-old ex-girlfriend told police that she arrived home about half-hour later after dropping her kids off on the first day of school, according to police reports. She found Perez shot inside the home. Perez was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, where he died about 1 p.m. Vargas was convicted in 2013 of trying to burn down the same home where the shooting happened. He went to the home about 3:45 a.m. July 11, 2013 and poured an "ignitable liquid" around the home. He lit a piece of paper on fire and threw it on the liquid, in an attempt to set the home on fire. Vargas also threatened to kill the same ex-girlfriend and her kids. The woman was inside the home with a different man and four kids -- ages 9 through 10 years old. Vargas pleaded guilty to one count of arson and was sentenced to two years probation. He violated those terms in 2015 and was sent to prison for six months. Vargas' other criminal conviction came in 2007, when he was caught by police sawing off copper pipes in a vacant home in the 3200 block of West 56th Street. To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. ELYRIA, Ohio -- Kathie Jones was hoping that the few people who came to Elyria High School on Tuesday evening to express their feelings about the proposed 255-mile Nexus natural gas pipeline would be allowed to do so in a public session. Instead, they were ushered into private, one-on-one conferences by representatives of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the government agency that must approve the pipeline before it can go forward. Jones of Sharon Township in Medina County said she and several friends attended the meeting to see if people would be allowed to question FERC from the audience and were disappointed to see they were not. Jones represents a group that wants to change the state constitution to allow residents of townships and counties to call for referendums. "We believe that people should have public hearings, not private meetings," said Jones. "People are afraid to speak out in private. They want to hear what their neighbors think. They hear questions that affect them, that they did not think to ask." Joanne Wacholder, one of about a dozen FERC representatives, said the format from public sessions to private ones was changed at previous meetings to allow more people the chance to talk. "In a meeting in Pennsylvania recently we had more than 600 people attend," Wacholder said. "Only about 90 got to speak. Some people are nervous about speaking out in public. This method allows them to ask their questions in private." FERC's official letter announcing the meeting said there would not be a formal presentation and that "FERC staff would be available to answer questions." Wacholder said two meetings last week held in Swanton and Fremont were conducted in private sessions with residents and that two other meetings this week will be conducted the same way. She said in the recent past, the meetings were done en masse. Her fears of a large number of people showing up in Elyria on Tuesday were unfounded. Fewer than 10 arrived in the first two hours. FERC representatives spoke in private with the residents about the proposed $2 billion pipeline that could run from Kensington in eastern Ohio to a gas storage facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and then to Ontario. The proposed pipeline would run through LaGrange and Grafton in southern Lorain County, then along the southern border of Oberlin before west before being routed toward Michigan. Lorain County resident Ron Pickworth of LaGrange Township knows a lot about pipelines. He has five running through his 300-acre farm, two from Columbia Gas and three from the Buckeye Gas Co. that were installed more than 50 years ago. He said his private meeting with FERC was "very pleasant" and that there was "no pressure. I asked questions. They answered them," he said. He said another pipeline is "a necessary evil. I just wish they will run it next to one of the lines that is already there so it won't cause too much disruption." The gas companies pay farmers a varying rate for the easements through their properties. The companies say farmers can plant right over top of the lines with no problem, but Pickworth sees a difference. "The corn and soy over the pipelines does not grow quite as well," he said. "I think they mixed the clay in with the topsoil when they put the dirt back in. I would like to make sure that does not happen this time." But many of the objections may be moot. FERC has asked the Nexus Company of Houston, Texas, that's proposing the pipeline, to consider a different route that would affect smaller portions of Lorain and Medina counties and bypass Summit County altogether. The proposed path would be longer, but would run through more rural communities in Stark and Wayne counties. The route would cut north through the southwestern corner of Medina County, through Spencer. It would then run northwest through Wellington and across the southwestern edge of Lorain County, including Kipton, where it would pick up the original route. Wacholder said FERC has sent out letters seeking comment from the thousands of landowners in Wayne and Stark counties that would be affected by the change. She acknowledged that to change the route so dramatically now would take a very long time and could set the project back more than a year. Richard Billman of West Salem, Wayne County, said he is not "for or against" the pipeline. He attended Tuesday's meeting for information just in case the southern route was adopted. In an email, Nexus spokesman Adam Parker said the proposed smaller changes to the route in Medina, which goes around Chippewa Lake, and the small change in Lorain County is being evaluated as well as the suggested route change through Stark and Wayne counties. Residents in Medina, Summit and Lorain counties oppose the pipeline and have been denying surveyors access to their land. Courts in Summit and Medina counties have either supported the residents' claim, or deferred judgment until the case is decided in appeals court. FERC has scheduled two other public meetings this week: -- Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Wadsworth High School's James A. McIlvaine Performing Arts Center, 625 Broad St., Wadsworth, in Medina County. That meeting will also ask for residents reaction to a proposed route change in the Chippewa Lake area. -- Thursday at 5 p.m. at Green High School, 1474 Boettler Road, Green in Summit County. The city of Green has posted its concerns about the pipeline. Comments on the routes can be made through the FERC website. Cleveland police tape A Newburgh Heights man died early Wednesday in a traffic crash in Cleveland. (cleveland.com file photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A 63-year-old man died early Wednesday after a car speeding away from a traffic stop crashed into his car, police said. Romero Brown of Newburgh Heights died in the crash, according to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner. The incident happened about 3 a.m. Wednesday. An officer spotted a stolen car on East 116th Street. The officers tried to get close enough to see the car's license plate. The driver of the stolen car sped off. Officers did not chase the car, police said. The driver crashed into Brown's car at East 116th Street and Shaker Boulevard. Brown had the right-of-way at the intersection, police said. The driver of the car that sped away after the crash has not been located or identified by police. Both the driver and his passenger fled on foot. His passenger, Terrence Lewis Jr., 23, was captured and treated for minor injuries, police said. Lewis was arrested on misdemeanor warrants for domestic violence, aggravated menacing and criminal damaging. Cleveland police's Accident Investigation Unit is handling the investigation. To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. cleveland police tape 2 Cleveland police are searching for a 40-year-old man accused of fatally shooting a man during a botched robbery. (File photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Seven Hills man is accused of fatally shooting a man and injuring three others during a botched robbery in Cleveland's Lee-Miles neighborhood. Christopher Hill, 40, is charged with aggravated murder in the Aug. 10 fatal shooting of Stephen Menter, 26, of Northfield Village. Hill is not in police custody and a warrant was issued Wednesday for his arrest. Hill and Menter made arrangements to meet in the 17600 block of Tarkington Avenue. Metner and three others about 6:20 p.m. drove there and parked in a driveway, according to court records. Hill and another man walked up to Menter's car. One of the men pointed a gun at the group and told him to give him everything he had, court records say. Menter tried to drive off but the duo fired several gunshots at his car, police said. Menter was hit by several bullets. He died about 7:20 p.m. at MetroHealth Medical Center. A 22-year-old man in the car was shot in the left leg and another suffered facial bruises, police said. Hill has three prior felony convictions, including two for drug possession. He was charged in 2012 after DNA linked him to a Garfield Heights home break-in six years earlier. In that case, he broke into the home in the 12600 block of McCracken Road and stole jewelry, cash and a television. Police found Hill's blood in the doorway, where he broke into the home, and in a hallway. To comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comments section. CLEVELAND, Ohio - One of five men indicted in federal court in December 2015 in connection with a string of carjackings in Cleveland's Tremont neighborhood pleaded guilty Tuesday. Calvin Rembert, 23, of Euclid, pleaded guilty to federal carjacking and weapons charges, according to court records. His sentencing is scheduled for December 14 in U.S. District Judge Patricia Gaughan's courtroom. It was not immediately clear Tuesday evening what kind of sentence Rembert faces as part of his change of plea. Rembert initially pleaded not guilty to the charges, records show. Rembert was one of five men federally charged after a string of violent carjackings in the summer of 2015 put the Cleveland neighborhood of Tremont on edge. The group is accused of carrying out five car thefts and robberies between July and August. The federal carjacking charges were made possible after the U.S. Attorney's Office argued that the stolen cars were manufactured in Oklahoma, Michigan and Japan and entered Ohio through interstate commerce. A message left for Rembert's attorney was not immediately returned Tuesday evening. If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. uacenterreception.jpg The University of Akron hosted a corporate reception in March at the planned new home for the data science center. (University of Akron) Mario Garzia AKRON, Ohio - The University of Akron, facing financial difficulties, has put the brakes on a highly promoted data science center. Mario Garzia, executive director of the Center for Data Science, Analytics and Information Technology, is resigning effective Dec. 9. Garzia, a UA alum and former Microsoft executive, was hired by former president Scott Scarborough in 2015 to lead one of two new centers. Garzia earns $295,000 a year. Garzia submitted a 120-day notice of resignation to interim president Matthew Wilson on Aug. 11. "I have greatly appreciated the opportunity to develop the Center for Data Science, Analytics and Information Technology at The University of Akron, but I recognize that the University is under some constraints that might impact the opportunities for the Center going forward," he wrote. "In recognizing that the situation has changed, I think it is a good time to depart." The university is facing a 9 percent enrollment decline this fall. Interim President Matthew Wilson said in a statement that the university is grateful to Garzia for his contributions. "While our financial challenges are such that we will not be in a position to fund the Center as had been hoped, we are fortunate that we have a solid foundation of courses and degree programs in this growing area," Wilson said. The center, which is part of the Office of Academic Affairs, will continue to function with existing employees. In his resignation letter Garzia, who had been promoted by the university, wrote that he "would appreciate it if the University would no longer use my name as well as photographs or videos of me in University advertisements and marketing." The data center was one of two new initiatives announced by Scarborough at a speech at the City Club of Cleveland in May 2015. He said UA was developing career-focused programs as it strives to become a "great public university." The goal of the data center was for it "to become the go-to university for data science and IT professionals in Northeast Ohio," Scarborough said. The center was to have been located in new offices in InfoCision Stadium. Scarborough, who resigned on May 31, hosted a corporate reception at the proposed space in March, according to the center's Facebook page. The center has not been built, said spokesman Wayne Hill. The other center announced in 2015 by Scarborough, the Center for Experiential Learning, Entrepreneurship, and Civic Engagement, remains viable and active. It is led by Jeff Hoffman, a Chicago entrepreneur who served on the founding team of Priceline.com. He is paid $190,000 a year. That center connects students to internships, cooperative work assignments, service learning opportunities and entrepreneurial activities. khalid.jpg Khalid Jabara, 37, of Tulsa, Okla., was shot and killed just outside the door of his home on Friday, police say. His neighbor, Stanley Vernon Majors, is accused of the shooting. (From Facebook) TULSA, Oklahoma -- A Tulsa man is accused of shooting and killing his Lebanese neighbor, a deadly result of years of anti-Arab racism and harassment directed at the victim and his family, according to reports. Stanley Vernon Majors, 61, is expected to be charged with first-degree murder in the death of Khalid Jabara, 37, who was shot Friday after he stepped outside to get his mail while talking on the phone with his mother. Jabara was warning his mother that he had learned that Majors now had a weapon and that he was concerned for her safety, the Tulsa World reports. His mother heard the shots over the phone. The mother, Haifa Jabara, already had survived a violent encounter with Majors, reports say. Last September, he struck Haifa Jabara with his car as she jogged through the neighborhood, causing serious injuries, the Washington Post reports. Majors was released from jail in May after posting bond. The Jabara family are Orthodox Christian immigrants from Lebanon, the Los Angeles Times reports. But Majors, who moved in to a home next to the family with his husband in 2011, taunted them by calling them "dirty Arabs," "filthy Lebanese," "Aye-rabs" and "Mooslems," according to the World. Haifa Jabara tells CNN that Majors also yelled racial slurs at an African-American man who mowed their lawn. "He'd call us names all the time. 'You dirty Arabs, get out of here,'" she said. ... "Every time I came outside at night, he'd scream and yell at me. Scared me to death." Khalid Jabara reportedly called police just minutes before the shooting after he learned Majors had a weapon, but police told him there was nothing they could do. His family members are expressing frustration that Majors could not be stopped. "My family lived in fear of this man and his hatred for years," Victoria Jabara Williams, Khalid's sister, wrote in a post on Facebook. "Yet in May, not even one year after he ran over our mother and despite our repeated protests, he was released from jail with no conditions on his bond -- no ankle monitor, no drug/alcohol testing, nothing." "Our brother's death could have been prevented. This man was a known danger. ... He should not have been released without monitoring. Yet he was released and put back next door to us, the family he assaulted just months before." The Times reports Majors, a former resident of Los Angeles, had a history of violence had been convicted in in 2012 of assault with a deadly weapon and making criminal threats, the Times reports. The Jabara family obtained a restraining order against Majors in 2013, but the family continued to have problems with him, reports say. In March 2015, a drunken Majors was arrested for violating the order after he reportedly threatened to kill Haifa Jabara and yelled racial slurs at her. "It just seems to me a failed system," Rebecca Abou-Chedid, a friend of the family who is acting as a spokesperson, tells the World. "A system that could not keep a family safe is not a system that is working. It's one thing if the guy had never been violent, but there was a protective order that he violated when he hit (Haifa Jabara) with a car. How would any of us feel?" If you would like to comment on this story, please visit Tuesday's crime and courts comments section. BATON ROUGE, Louisiana -- Eleven people have died and at least 11,000 people have been forced into shelters as flooding from heavy rain has resulted in a disaster some officials are calling "unprecedented," reports say. As much as 2 feet of rain has fallen in the past 48 hours in East Baton Rouge, Livingston and St. Helena parishes, nola.com reports. An estimated 40,000 homes have been damaged, according to the Washington Post. Cattle huddle together in the water caused by flooding Tuesday after the heavy rains in Ascension Parish, in St. Amant, south of Baton Rouge, La. "I don't know that we have a good handle on the number of people who are missing," Gov. John Bel Edwards said Tuesday during a news conference, according to CNN. Hundreds of roads are impassable in the state because of the flooding and more than 16,000 customers are without power. The Red Cross has launched its largest response since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, nola.com reports. The Coast Guard and first responders have rescued more than 20,000 people and 1,000 pets, CNN reports. A large number of volunteers, dubbed the "Cajun Navy," are assisting with rescues with their own boats and canoes. One volunteer tells CNN the devastation from the flooding is "overwhelming." "People were brokenhearted. You could see it," said Cajun Navy volunteer Troy Green. "You couldn't put a smile on their face." Roger Brown walks down flooded Woodlawn Acres Avenue off of Antioch Road in Baton Rouge, La., on Tuesday. President Obama has expanded a federal declaration disaster for Louisiana, which will provide federal funds to help with home repairs, losses and other damage, the Post reports. Ed Martin, 69, tells the Post he was rescued by the National Guard from his home in Prairieville after the water was thigh-high. He lamented to loss of his possessions. "I just bought a brand-new 70-inch TV. Watched it twice," he said. "What am I going to do about it? I'm not God and I'm not the weatherman." The Post says the flooding was another blow to Jayda Guidry, 48, who recently had lost her job at Walmart. "I'm just lost. I don't know what to do," Guidry said while at an emergency shelter in Ascension Parish. "I feel like I'm going to have a heart attack." NORTH CHARLESTON, South Carolina -- A man who helped two teenagers remove their SUV from a ditch late Monday night was robbed, then shot and killed by the teens, police say. Deon Antonio Frasier, 17, and Michael Odell Anthony Dupree-Tyler, 19, have both been charged with murder and are being held in jail without bond after appearing in court on Tuesday, foxcarolina.com reports. The teens are accused of killing Chadwick Garrett, 45, of North Charleston. The Post and Courier reports that court documents show Garrett said he would help the teens remove a 2016 Dodge Durango from a ditch for $20 at about 11 p.m. Monday. After the vehicle had been pulled from the ditch, Garrett asked about the $20. A witness says Frasier took out a gun and fired multiple shots at Garrett, hitting him in the chest. The two suspects reportedly got into the Durango and left the scene. Police tracked the vehicle after receiving a call from a woman who said they were using the Durango without her permission. They went to the woman's apartment and were told the suspects were inside. Frasier and Dupree-Tyler were arrested after a brief standoff, foxcarolina.com reports. Frasier had recently posted a $10,000 bond on a charge of possession of a stolen vehicle, the Post and Courier reports. Dupree-Tyler attempted to apologize to Garrett's family members in court on Tuesday. Garrett's father, Moses Garrett, called the situation "sad" and said he felt pity for the suspects because of their young age. "These young babies here, they're getting more and more terrible out there on the streets," Moses Garrett tells the Post and Courier. "You guys killed a man. Only cowards carry guns." If you'd like to comment on this post, please visit the cleveland.com crime and courts comments section. City is back to square one with buses Construction done, but RTA plans for traffic flow on hold The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration said in a letter last week to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority that blocking buses from the Public Square's exclusive bus lanes and other changes to bus traffic in the area could be a "potential breach" of agreements between the RTA, the city and the federal government. (Marvin Fong / The Plain Dealer) CLEVELAND, Ohio - Mayor Frank Jackson's decision to delay the return of buses to the small portion of Superior Avenue that cuts through downtown's renovated Public Square has caught the attention of the federal agency that has helped pay for city transportation projects. This is a good thing. It will keep everyone focused on passengers, not on picnics on the square. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration said in a letter last week to the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority that blocking buses from Public Square's exclusive bus lanes and other changes to bus traffic in the area could be a "potential breach" of agreements between the RTA, the city and the federal government. "I write today to put [RTA] on notice of my concerns," FTA's regional administrator said in an Aug. 10 letter. The FTA is referring to a 2004 deal to fund the Euclid Corridor Project, now known as the HealthLine, the successful bus line that runs from University Circle to Public Square. The FTA awarded $60 million to the RTA for the HealthLine under a "congestion mitigation/air quality program" aimed at reducing noise and congestion on a network of downtown streets. The FTA also kicked in a separate capital grant worth $82 million for the HealthLine project. FTA's letter says the RTA and the city agreed to route buses through a "downtown transit zone" that includes exclusive bus lanes on Superior through Public Square. "We need to protect the substantial investment of federal financials to the HealthLine," the FTA writes. An FTA spokeswoman told cleveland.com that the federal government is not asking RTA to repay any money at this time. It's too early for such a demand. No final decision has been made by City Hall yet. Jackson has said he's just exploring options. And yes, City Hall, not the RTA, is driving the buses in this case. The city controls the roads and made the call to delay the return of the buses through the square while it studies traffic patterns that have emerged since the square closed for renovations in March 2015. The RTA is being a good partner, which is to say that it has little choice other than to follow the mayor's lead. The city appoints four members to RTA's 10-member board of trustees, including Valarie McCall, Jackson's chief of government affairs. Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish and the Cuyahoga County Mayors and Managers Association each control three seats. RTA is understandably leery of closing the square to buses because doing so could cost the cash-strapped agency money, according to a 2012 study to guide the renovation. (Driving around the square consumes more gas and delays passengers.). As a result, the square was redesigned to accommodate buses. RTA General Manager Joe Calabrese has been quiet about the delay in returning buses to Public Square and he declined Tuesday to comment. He offered no opinion in an email last week to board members alerting them to the FTA letter. But he noted in the email that he also had "received an inquiry" from the U.S. Senate Banking committee about the delay. Calabrese said the FTA forwarded its letter about Public Square to the committee. I attended the RTA's board of trustees meeting Tuesday to poll some of its members about the bus ban since we should be hearing more from those representing riders. Specifically, I asked members what impact keeping buses off Superior could have on RTA's bottom line and on its riders. I also asked them about the FTA's concerns. I talked to six of them. McCall declined to comment. George Dixon III, the president of the board and one of Jackson's appointees, said it's too early to comment other than to say the RTA and the city are working together. The Rev. Charles Lucas, also appointed by Jackson, said he wants to learn more about the city's study before commenting. Dan Ball, a spokesman for Jackson, said the city hopes to complete its traffic study by next week. South Euclid Mayor Georgine Welo, who was appointed to the board by the Mayors and Managers Association, said she recognizes the success of the renovation and Jackson's desire to study the options. But, she said, she is concerned about what rerouting buses could cost RTA. "We can't afford this," she said. Newburgh Heights Village Mayor Trevor Elkins, another appointee of the Mayors and Managers Association, said he too recognizes Jackson's desire for a unified square, but said RTA can't afford anything that could increase its costs. "It's a dollar issue and every penny is killing us," he said. Karen Gabriel Moss, who was appointed by Budish, said Public Square should be open to buses. "I don't know why we are having this discussion again," she said. "We went through a process that included a study, presentations and public meetings. Public Square was designed to accommodate buses. We made a commitment to the FTA when we took funding for the HealthLine. We talk about the importance of public transit. Now we need to honor our commitment to those we serve and who are often the hardest working and least paid." Ed Rybka, the city of Cleveland's chief of regional development, told me last month that Public Square will remain a key transportation hub regardless of whether buses are someday rerouted from the small portion of Superior that bisects the newly renovated square. Rybka reiterated that Jackson is only exploring ways to keep Public Square's new park space free of buses. There is talk of various compromises, including closing the square on weekends to accommodate activities, such as concerts. But whatever resolution is reached, it can't come at RTA's expense. Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton reacts as she is introduced at a Pennsylvania Democratic Party voter registration event at West Philadelphia High School in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. (Carolyn Kaster, AP Photo) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Hillary Clinton will visit Cleveland Wednesday to talk about making taxes fairer. It's the candidate's second swing through Ohio since winning the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention last month. Clinton will speak about the economy, and compare her tax ideas to Republican rival Donald Trump. She is expected to criticize Trump's plan to repeal the federal estate tax, and offer up new possible uses for that money. Paying down Ohioans' student loan debt. Providing health care for veterans. Building hundreds of new schools. The event is set to begin at 1:15 p.m. at John Marshall High School, 3952 W 140th St., Cleveland. Doors open to the public at 11:15 p.m. Cleveland.com reporters Mary Kilpatrick and Henry J. Gomez will cover the campaign event live. Check their tweets below for updates. watch now watch now Low-cost carrier AirAsia Group's chief Tony Fernandes said he would love to have a joint venture in China, to tap into the booming travel industry in the world's second-largest economy. "I believe there is a strong chance of that happening so we have to wait and see," said Tony Fernandes, group chief executive officer of AirAsia Group , in a CNBC exclusive. While several interested parties have approached the Malaysia-based airline, Fernandes said it's still early days in the hunt for the right partner. Developing the China business would be more than just ferrying Chinese tourists, he noted. AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes speaks at a press conference in Sydney on March 12, 2015. Peter Parks | AFP | Getty Images "Everyone looks at just bringing the Chinese out, but we have a dual market where a lot of Southeast Asians are going out to China," Fernandes said. AirAsia currently flies to 15 Chinese destinations, including secondary and tertiary cities. China contributed nearly 19 percent to the budget carrier's 2015 revenue, according to its chief executive. But AirAsia wouldn't necessarily be looking at China's largest cities. "We are not interested in developing what has already been developed...what we have been good at is developing new markets, new traffic, and opening up different parts of China," he added. Additionally, the budget carrier has been eyeing a new listing in Hong Kong as it expands into North Asia, Reuters had reported in July. "A consolidated AirAsia where we own 100 percent of all the airlines, can be moved forward through a different listing," Fernandes told CNBC. watch now Chinese companies' days of treating global assets like an all-you-can-eat buffett may be over. The mainland has been gobbling up assets off its shores in the last few years as companies sought growth overseas with the world's second largest economy slowing amid a transition away from manufacturing. The buying binge saw Chinese companies pump $111.6 billion into overseas acquisitions this year alone, surpassing the full-year of $111.5 billion worth of deals in 2015, Reuters data showed. But other countries have turned cautious and are throwing up political and economic curbs on China's forays. Thomas Byrne, president of the Korea Society and a former sovereign risk manager for Asia Pacific at Moody's, said the concerns stem from Chinese government involvement. "Most Chinese investment originates from state-owned companies, and these are facing the most scrutiny out of concerns over the Chinese government's influence on Chinese firms operating in foreign markets. Even private companies are held in suspicion because of murky ownership structure and indirect ties to the government," said Byrne. A multi-billion corruption scandal and international criticism have failed to topple Prime Minister Najib Razak. Fresh political opposition isn't expected to work either, analysts say. Malaysia saw the birth of its newest political party, the Parti Pribumi Bersatu, last week. With former premier Mahathir Mohamed as founding chairman and former deputy PM Muhyiddin Yassin as president, it's widely believed the party has one clear goal. "It's explicitly clear that the party [commonly referred to as Bersatu] was created to topple the PM," said Oh Ei Sun, Najib's former political secretary from 2009-2011 and a current senior fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Malaysia's former deputy prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin shows a document after submitting an application for a new political party on August 9, 2016. MOHD RASFAN | AFP | Getty Images Indeed, it's no secret that Mahathironce a mentor to Najiband Muhyiddin are the PM's biggest critics. Last June, the PM was accused of receiving $681 million in his personal bank account from state wealth investment fund 1MDB, sparking calls for his resignation, led by Mahathir at home and anti-graft watchdogs abroad. Meanwhile, Yassin was sacked last year for criticizing Najib's handling of the scandal. Early this year, Mahathir rounded up Najib's political enemies to spearhead the 'Save Malaysia' movement-- a campaign to oust Najib and form a national consensus on institutional reforms and a new political system. In March, the movement got more than 1 million people to affirm their concerns over Najib's leadership by signing a document called the Citizen's Declaration and Bersatu's launch is seen as an extension of these efforts. But with general elections expected in 2018, pundits are sceptical of Bersatu's ability to dislodge Najib's ruling partythe United Malays National Organization (UMNO)and its coalition government, the Barisan Nasional (BN). UMNO has helmed Malaysia since independence in 1957 and provides the PM with support of its central leadership and regional chiefs, widely seen as the key to Najib's political survival. In February, Mahathir quit UMNO, saying it was "supporting corruption" under Najib's reign. Given UMNO's deep roots and historical dominance, Bersatu may not be a formidable enough opponent, suggested Trinh Nguyen, Asia Pacific economist at investment bank Natixis. "It is doubtful that this new political vehicle is going to do much given Mahathir's age [91] and also waning political clout...it's unlikely that Mahathir can galvanize support to topple Najib." Moreover, Malaysia's fractured political landscape is another obstacle. watch now Lillian Suwanrumpha | AFP | Getty Images One of Asia's best-performing stock markets doesn't care about bomb blasts and an infringement of democratic rights. In a year that has seen stocks around the world waver amid volatility, Thailand's SET index has rallied 19.32 percent so far this year, trailing only behind the Karachi 100 index in Pakistan. The gains compare with a 9.78 percent year-to-date rally in the MSCI International All country Asia Pacific ex Japan index. To some outside observers, the lofty heights of the stock market may appear to be in contrast with the situation on the ground. Thailand's last democratically-elected government was ousted two years ago and a series of recent attacks in popular tourist spots revived concerns over the presence of extremist elements in the country. Exactly a year ago, a bombing at a popular tourist destination in capital Bangkok left 22 dead and 123 injured. So why are investors flocking to buy Thai stocks? Analysts say a confluence of domestic and external factors has underpinned demand. For one, the economy has held up well. The growth rate in the three months through June was the fastest in 13 quarters. The sharp decline in oil prices has also bolstered the current account surplus and supported the baht. "I think [the] Thai market is considered one of [the] safe havens by foreign investors," Kasem Prunatanamala, head of equity research in Thailand at CIMB, told CNBC by email. "Our economy is less exposed to the external environment and political situation is relatively stable." Earlier this year, the Thai government approved constructions of several new rail lines in traffic-clogged Bangkok, reported Reuters. Prunatanamala said these initiatives could spur private investments from property developers who are "likely to develop residential, commercial and office buildings along the mass rapid transit systems," boosting demand for building materials and creating jobs. This would, in turn, create a positive feedback loop for the economy. On the currency front, Prunatanamala said the Thai baht has also been stable due to the "huge current account surplus of $25 billion in first half 2016 [which] is equivalent to about 4.5 percent of GDP." The political uncertainty that has bedeviled Thailand for most of the last two decades has also abated somewhat, with the military junta winning support for constitutional amendments that it says will curb corruption. Analysts said that the outcome to the referendum earlier this month pointed to political stability in Thailand, which would allow the government to pursue policies in Thailand's economic interest, including the continuation of its infrastructure investments. The backdrop for emerging market assets has also become more clement as returns in developed markets get ever more puny. Experts said this inflow of foreign funds is what's been primarily driving emerging markets in the region. The stability in the baht has increased the attractiveness of local stocks for overseas investors who would be otherwise concerned about the gains in the underlying asset being wiped out by currency losses. "For three to four years, the world on aggregate has been very much underweight emerging markets. And emerging markets now look very cheap," Michael Preiss, executive director at Taurus Wealth Advisors, told CNBC's "Capital Connection" on Monday. "Why would you invest in European government bonds at negative rates?" he said. Throwing a wrench in the works, however, was a wave of bombing and arson attacks that rocked southern Thailand late last week, with Reuters reporting that the attacks could result in the country losing up to 200,000 foreign visitors and $293 million in tourism revenue this year. Tourism is a key revenue source for Thailand. watch now watch now watch now But market reaction to the attacks was muted. Credit Suisse analysts Dan Fineman and Siriporn Sothikul said in a note to clients while the bombings raise questions over further attacks in the future, the impact on markets was short-lived during the similar attack in Bangkok last August. "Our main concern with the market now is valuation, not bombings," the analysts said. "The market outside banks and property is trading well above historical averages and thus is vulnerable to disappointment." Nomura's ASEAN equity strategist, Mixo Das, agreed, telling CNBC on Monday that valuations in the Thai market are "way extended." The SET index currently trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 17.58 and a dividend yield of 3.05 percent. This compares with a P/E ratio of 21.63 for the PSEi in the Philippines and 19.05 times for the Jakarta SE composite index in Indonesia. Data compiled by Nomura also showed the MSCI Thailand had a P/E ratio of 15.1 as of August 12, 2016, which was 2.6 standard deviation from the long term average of 11. Even a nice profit last year wasn't enough to keep this big insurer selling Obamacare in Pennsylvania. Before taxes, the company made $13.6 million from those plans, according to that same filing. That pre-tax profit represents the difference between the premiums it received, and what it paid out in claims $52 million and the $5.8 million it incurred in administrative expenses, Aetna said in its filing. In 2017, Aetna projected it would book a 3.9 percent profit if its steep average premium rates were approved by the state Insurance Department for more than 47,000 customers. The insurer also projected that it would pay out slightly less than 80 percent of the premiums it received toward medical claims by customers. "We don't discuss our performance on a state level," Aetna spokesman T.J. Crawford told CNBC after the insurer's profitable Pennsylvania picture was first highlighted by the website Balloon Juice on Wednesday. Crawford declined to say whether Aetna's plans were profitable in Pennsylvania this year, or identify which, if any, other states where the insurer is exiting were profitable in 2015 and for the current year. He did note, however, that "past results are not indicative of future performance. Crawford also pointed out that 55 percent of Aetna's Obamacare customers in 2016 are new customers, and that as a group they tend to have higher medical costs. On Wednesday, the Huffington Post broke the news that Aetna in July had threatened in a letter that it would shrink the number of states where it sells Obamacare plans next year if the U.S. Department of Justice sought to block the insurer's planned merger with Humana. "Specifically, if the DOJ sues to enjoin the transaction, we will immediately take action to reduce our 2017 exchange footprint," Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini wrote the DOJ's antitrust division, in the letter that was obtained by the Huffington Post. Obamacare exchanges are where most Affordable Care Act plans are sold by insurers, and the only places where customers can received federal financial aid to help pay premiums if they have low or moderate incomes. The DOJ ended up filing suit to block that merger with Humana . On Monday, Aetna said it will discontinue Obamacare sales in 11 of the 15 states where it has been offering such plans. It will only sell individual plans in Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska and Virginia next year. Bertolini said that the $200 million in second-quarter pre-tax losses that Aetna recently booked on its Obamacare plan sales led to the decision to dramatically scale back the business. That loss represents nearly half of the $430 million in losses Aetna has experienced in the ACA individual plan market since 2014. Aetna's pullback followed similar moves by UnitedHealth Group and Humana to sharply shrink their Obamacare footprint. Aetna said Wednesday that it was not threatening to quit Obamacare in its letter to the DOJ, and also claims that its decision is not in retaliation for the DOJ blocking the decision. The company said that "significant deterioration" of financial results of Obamacare plans in the second quarter led to the decision. Crawford, the insurer's spokesman, noted that as recently as the first quarter of this year, Aetna had been saying that it might break even on its individual health plans. Aetna the nation's fourth-largest health insurer, just decided to stop offering plans on Obamacare's exchanges in all but four states in 2017. The firm says that it was losing roughly $300 million per year on these policies. And it projected that its losses would only increase, since the share of covered individuals "in need of high-cost care" was growing, according to CEO Mark Bertolini. Aetna isn't the only insurer giving up on Obamacare. UnitedHealth, America's biggest insurer, will sell plans in just three states next year, down from 34 this year. Humana will offer coverage in just 156 counties in 2017, 88 percent fewer than this year. In other words, the insurance "death spiral" has arrived. Obamacare's critics have long predicted that exchange plans' high premiums and deductibles would keep all but the sickest Americans from enrolling. These people would need so much medical care that insurers would lose money no matter how much they raised premiums. Eventually, insurers would have no choice but to pull out. President Obama and Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton have proposed a novel solution to this government-created problem more government. They're pushing for a government-run "public option" that would usher in de facto single-payer health care. That'd be a disaster for consumers and taxpayers alike. Americans searching for plans on Obamacare's exchanges are finding increasingly slim pickings. For instance, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota recently announced it will only offer "narrow network" plans that limit which doctors and hospitals enrollees can see. Insurers that haven't pulled out of Obamacare are requesting premium hikes averaging 24 percent next year. And some states have it far worse. Many Georgians could see a hike of 65 percent. The 600,000 Texans enrolled in Blue Cross Blue Shield may face a 59 percent premium increase. This pattern of insurer opt-outs and huge rate increases isn't sustainable and the Obama administration knows it. That's why President Obama has called for a public option a government insurance company that would compete against private insurers on the exchanges. This public option would supposedly succeed where private insurers failed, delivering the magic trifecta of low premiums, accessible coverage, and a healthy balance sheet. Hillary Clinton promises that she'll create such a public option if elected. There's no doubt that a government-run insurer could set low premiums and offer coverage in every state key progressive goals. But it'd lose billions doing so. Just look at Obamacare's "CO-OPs" non-profit health insurance companies which were billed as an alternative solution to the public option that did not make it into the final law. They've failed spectacularly. Obamacare established 23 of these Consumer Operated and Oriented Plans. They were selected by the government for showing a "high probability of financial viability" and received $2.4 billion in taxpayer money. All but seven have gone belly up. The failures of these government-run insurers have left hundreds of thousands of consumers scrambling to find new coverage. Initially, a public option would be just another money-losing government boondoggle. But it could quickly transform into something far worse a de facto single-payer healthcare system. That's because politicians could let a "public-option" insurer lose money indefinitely in order to ply people with heavily-subsidized health plans. Private insurance companies, which have to actually turn a profit, wouldn't be able to compete. They'd be driven out of the market. And that would leave the government as the sole provider of health plans. Taxpayers would be stuck with a money-hemorrhaging, politically untouchable insurer. And this public option would eventually have to ration care and fix prices to control costs, just as existing government insurance programs like Medicaid and the Veterans Health Administration do. That would diminish patients' ability to actually get care. Aetna's pullout represents yet another blow to Obamacare. Unfortunately, President Obama's and Hillary Clinton's plans for reviving it could destroy private insurance altogether. Commentary by Sally C. Pipes, president, CEO, and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Health Care Policy at the Pacific Research Institute. Her latest book is The Way Out of Obamacare (Encounter 2016). Follow her on Twitter @sallypipes. Airlines need to invest in new systems to prevent meltdowns and should make sure to properly reimburse travelers when those breakdowns happen, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said Wednesday. Blumenthal, along with Sen. Edward Markey, D- Mass., on Tuesday sent a letter to 13 airlines, including Delta Air Lines and Southwest , asking the carriers to explain their outages and reimbursement policies. The letter comes a week after Delta canceled more than 1,600 flights over two days when a power outage hit its computer systems. "If they run into this kind of massive meltdown, travelers ought to be reimbursed and refunded, no questions asked, or given the opportunity to rebook on that airline or another airline without any limit on time or additional costs," Blumenthal said in an interview with CNBC's "Closing Bell." A big part of the issue is the major consolidation in the industry that has left four airlines in control of 85 percent of the market, he said. "They had to consolidate their systems. So they're relying on software and other parts of their system that is outmoded," Blumenthal said. "They have had to cobble together the systems. I'm asking, along with Sen. Markey, that they invest to make these systems more resistant and reliant." A firefighter battles the Blue Cut wildfire burning near Cajon Pass, north of San Bernardino, California on August 16, 2016. Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County, families fled and Interstate 15 was closed as the blaze grew. More than 700 firefighters and other emergency workers were battling the Blue Cut fire, which flared early Tuesday some 60 miles east of Los Angeles and spread rapidly along the Cajon Pass. A fast-growing 18,000-acre wildfire burned through rural communities in California overnight, triggering a state of emergency and evacuation orders for more than 82,000 residents in the San Bernardino area. "This moved so fast," said Darren Dalton, 51, who along with his wife and son had to get out of his house in the small town of Wrightwood. "It went from `have you heard there's a fire?' to 'mandatory evacuation' before you could take it all in ... Suddenly it's a ghost town." Tweet NBCLA Ash rained down on motorists from billowing black smoke, while aerial pictures from KNBC captured a roadside 'firenado' in which swirling gusts of wind sent flames twisting high into the air. The Red Cross set up shelters for residents forced from their homes. Shannon Anderson of Blue Mountain Farms horse ranch in Phelan had to load up and evacuate 40 horses as the fire approached. "It's raining ash," Anderson told The Associated Press. Tweet SB Two firefighters were hurt and briefly hospitalized when they became trapped while defending homes and assisting evacuations in the Swarthout Canyon area, San Bernardino Fire Department said. The fire was zero percent contained and covered 28 square miles at 11 p.m. PT (2 a.m. ET) only 12 hours after it began according to CalFire. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning through Thursday night, saying strong winds, low humidity and warm temperatures meant "critical fire weather conditions" would contribute to "extreme fire behavior." Tweet CAL One the 800 residents in the Lytle Creek area told KNBC she was in the shower when deputies knocked on her door and asked her to evacuate. The woman, who gave her name as Amber, said she grabbed what she could including her dogs and took off. "There is no escape," she said. "This was the time for me to go." Another evacuated resident, John Goodfried, told KNBC he watched air tankers flying missions over the blaze. "If the smoke is heavy and thick and black you know it's burning something," he said. Tweet LASD The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department said a 98-year-old hospice patient was evacuated by helicopter from the Wrightwood area to the north of the wildfire. Highway 138 to Lone Pine Canyon was closed, while San Bernardino Fire Department said there was no timetable for when Interstate 15 the main link to Nevada would reopen. Night-time helicopters were assisting efforts to control the blaze, it said, continuing the work of 10 air tankers that doused the area fire retardant earlier in the day. Tweet Blue Cut An 84-year-old local historian who uses a walker and is hard of hearing was saved after family members saw KNBC aerial pictures of his house surrounded in flames. John Hockaday, who has penned books about the Cajon Pass and Route 66, wrapped his head in wet rags and held a hose with water from an emptying tank as the fire swept over his property, burned several cars and his mother-in-law's home, his cousin Ron Snow said. Snow said he was watching an NBC4 live stream of the fire as flames surrounded Hockaday's house in Cajon Pass and reached out to the newsroom who contacted dispatch to get rescuers to Hockaday's location in a canyon called Lost Lake. "He was surrounded by fire," Snow told the station. "Fire crews were dispatched. Now he's safe." The number of fires in California has grown 20 percent over the last decade, rising from more than 4,800 fires in 2006 to nearly 5,800 fires in 2015, according to data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, KNBC reported. China announced plans to open its Shenzhen stock market for foreign investors, but it wasn't clear the new "through train" would see any more traffic than the lackluster Shanghai one. Under the so-called Stock Connect, investors in Hong Kong will be able to buy stocks listed on China's Shenzhen stock exchange, home to many of the country's tech and consumer companies. In return, investors on the mainland will be able to buy stocks listed in Hong Kong. The arrangement was expected to be operational in around four months' time. The new Shenzhen ties would be similar to the existing Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect, which was launched in late 2014. The main difference between the two channels would be that the Shanghai one was launched with a quota on both daily and yearly trade totals, while only a daily quota was planned for Shenzhen. Regulators have also scrapped an existing aggregate limit of 300 billion yuan ($45.25 billion) on the Shanghai bourse , potentially paving the way for overseas investors to buy more Chinese stocks. But analysts said removing that restriction likely wouldn't matter much as Shanghai's "northbound" quota ceiling for funds headed to the mainland was only reached once, on the program's first day. Capital Economics noted that after nearly two years in operation, investment via the Shanghai-Hong Kong connect was less than 1.0 percent of the total market capitalization of both exchanges. Opening up the stock market wouldn't necessarily change the fundamentals much, analysts noted, particularly as Shenzhen-listed stocks were considered expensive, often trading at 40-50 times earnings. Goldman Sachs noted that Shanghai trades around 26 times earnings. "China still hasn't understood the value of building trustworthy markets. That's not changed. The fact that you can access it doesn't solve that fundamental problem," Fraser Howie, an independent analyst and the author of several books on China's financial system, told CNBC's "Street Signs." "The pickup [of the Shanghai-Hong Kong connect] has never been that strong because I think the regulatory environment in China is still a very dangerous one. A very uncertain one, and therefore people hold back," he said. But some analysts pointed to reasons foreign interest in Shenzhen's market might outstrip Shanghai. For one, the types of stocks available differ significantly. Turkey has announced plans to release of thousands of prisoners in a move that analysts believe is aimed at freeing up prison space for the thousands of people arrested for taking part in July's failed military coup. Turkey's Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag announced a series of penal reforms on Twitter on Wednesday that he said could see 38,000 prisoners released from the country's overcrowded jails. Prisoners with two years left on their sentences could be eligible for release, Bozdag said, although prisoners still need to have served at least half their sentences to be eligible. Detained Turkish soldiers who allegedly took part in a military coup arrive in a bus at the courthouse in Istanbul on July 20, 2016, following the military coup attempt of July 15. BULENT KILIC/AFP/Getty Images Prisoners convicted of murder, violent crimes and sexual abuse are excluded from the reforms - as will those serving crimes committed after July 1 2016, he said, insisting that the penal reforms were not an "amnesty." One U.K.-based political expert who asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the situation following the failed coup told CNBC that the penal reforms certainly "look like it's intended to make room for alleged members of the coup plot." "The release of prisoners is likely to have been carried out to make space for new detainees, the majority of which were in all likelihood not directly or indirectly involved in the failed putsch," he said. Since the failed attempt to depose Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in July, more than 60,000 people in the police, judiciary, academia, media and local government have either been arrested for taking part in the overthrow attempt on July 15 in which 270 people died or suspended or dismissed from their posts. The post-coup crackdown has prompted condemnation from global leaders who have warned Erdogan not to use the coup attempt as an excuse to stamp on political opposition. Read MoreTurkey's 'witch hunt' of Erdogan rivals 'only just starting' Caution reigns amid crackdown The medical industry could be set for a "revolution" with the emergence of more complex artificial intelligence (AI), one of Microsoft's top researchers told CNBC on Wednesday, as technology giants look to enter the health care space. AI is a broad area, but one part of this called "machine learning", can be used to analyze a large amount of data, make predictions, and offer personalized recommendations. In theory, machine learning means that a piece of computer software can learn and get smarter. Microsoft and other major U.S. technology giants have been investing in AI, acquiring smaller companies, and finding applications. For Microsoft, the medical industry could be transformed with the tech. "I think artificial intelligence is probably the biggest transformation in the IT industry. Medical is such a big area in terms of GDP that that's got to be a good bet," Christopher Bishop, lab director at Microsoft Research in Cambridge, U.K., told CNBC in a TV interview. "I think the medical domain is set for a revolution." The Redmond, WA-based firm has been trialing ways in which AI and machine learning can be used to analyze medical scans of patients. For example, the technology can be used to scan an image of a brain tumor to quantify how big it is, the different tissues it is made up of and then decide on the best course of treatment. This could help doctors discover details about the tumor that they may not have been able to before, or that might have taken a long time to uncover. Portugal's 10-year government bond yield rose sharply for a second straight day on Wednesday, hitting its highest in almost three weeks after a warning from credit agency DBRS on the country's rating. DBRS told Reuters on Tuesday that pressures were building on Portugal's creditworthiness as a low-growth economy battles to contain high debt levels and contends with strains in the banking sector. It is the only one of the four agencies recognized by the European Central Bank to give Portugal the investment grade rating it needs to qualify for the central bank's quantitative easing scheme. PEDRO NUNES | AFP | Getty Images Portugal's 10-year bond yield rose 12 basis points to 2.99 percent, taking its increases over the past two days to almost 30 bps. On Tuesday, yields posted their biggest daily rise since Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union. The rise in Portuguese yields pushed the gap over top-rated German Bunds back above 300 bps to its widest in almost three weeks. "The risk around a DBRS downgrade is real but the probability is DBRS keeps Portugal's rating as it is with a negative outlook," said Societe Generale analyst Ciaran O'Hagan. Portugal's BBB (low) rating for Portugal has a 'stable' outlook and is next due for review by DBRS on Oct. 21. The rating is also significant because an investment grade rating is required for Portuguese government bonds to be used as collateral by banks at ECB lending operations. watch now According to Rabobank, Portuguese banks currently borrow almost 25 billion euros from the ECB, with Portuguese government bonds (PGBs) probably constituting a large proportion of the collateral used. "This means that if PGBs were no longer eligible it would be a problem for Portuguese banks," Rabobank said in a note. The sharp rise in Portuguese yields contrasted with the rest of the euro zone, where yields were flat to a touch lower. There was some focus on Spain ahead of a meeting that could pave the way for the formation of a new government and end eight months of political deadlock. German bunds German Government Bonds (BUND) Staples , the biggest U.S. office supplies retailer, forecast its 15th straight quarter of declining sales as it closes stores in the face of intensifying competition. Staples and former merger partner Office Depot are struggling to compete with Wal-Mart Stores and Amazon.com at a time when people are using less stationery. Framingham, Massachusetts-based Staples said on Wednesday its total sales fell 3.7 percent to $4.75 billion in the second quarter ended July 30. Analysts on average had expected sales of $4.77 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Sales at the company's established stores in North America fell 5 percent, worse than the 3.1 percent drop analysts polled by research firm Consensus Metrix had expected. Staples also reported a net loss of $766 million, or $1.18 per share, compared with a profit of $36 million, or 6 cents per share, a year earlier. Apart from trying to buy Office Depot a deal that fell apart over antitrust concerns Staples has been responding to tough conditions by closing stores and focusing on serving medium-sized businesses rather than Fortune 500 ones. The company reiterated that it would close 50 stores in North America this year. It closed a total of 242 stores in 2014 and 2015 as a part of its restructuring plan. Staples had 1,907 stores as of Jan. 30. Staples is also focusing on offerings other than office supplies, such as electronics and furniture, and said in May it would step up deliveries to 80 percent of total North American sales within three years in an effort to compete with Amazon. Excluding items, the company earned 12 cents per share, matching the average analyst estimate, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Staples said it expected sales in the current quarter to decrease from the same quarter last year but did not provide a specific forecast. The company said it expected an adjusted profit of 32 to 35 cents per share. Analysts on average were expecting a profit of 35 cents per share. Staples' shares were down 1.3 percent at $9.30 in light premarket trading. The shares have lost about a third of their value in the past 12 months. Target just can't seem to zero in on the right balance between cheap and chic. After skewing its messaging and product mix too heavily toward the "pay less" portion of its "expect more, pay less" promise after the recession, the pendulum has now swung the other way. Having successfully revitalized sales in its "signature" categories of style, baby, kids and wellness, the discount retailer is now struggling to bring shoppers into its stores for two major categories that drive repeat traffic: grocery and pharmacy. Footfall in Target's stores declined 2.2 percent during the second quarter, marking the first time in a year and a half that fewer shoppers visited the retailer's shops. One of the biggest detractors during the three-month period was what the company admitted was an overemphasis on marketing its fashion assortment. While that bias contributed to a mid-single-digit comparable sales rise in women's apparel, it led to underperformance in the critical grocery division, where same-store sales fell. The company once again struggled to bring in shoppers for smaller "fill-in" trips during the quarter, a trend it called out in the prior three-month period. Traffic was also muted in Target's pharmacy business, as it worked to complete the transition to CVS branding. This led to "near-term disruption" from customers who dragged their feet on switching over their prescriptions. CVS completed the $1.9 billion acquisition of Target's pharmacy business in December. And because of a slow cycle of product launches in the electronics category, this department welcomed fewer shoppers during the quarter. Electronics posted a double-digit same-store sales decline during the three-month period, including a 20 percent slide in sales of Apple products. These challenges made for what the company described as a "difficult" retail environment, Target cut its same-store sales and earnings guidance for the year. And some of the strategies it laid out won't be short-term fixes. "It's going to take awhile for Target to turn this around," UBS analyst Michael Lasser told CNBC. "[Traffic's] not an easy problem to fix." One retailer near all-time highs could be in for an even bigger run. "When I look at this setup, I think it's a very compelling buy," said "Fast Money" trader and Cowen & Co. Managing Director David Seaburg. TJX Companies , the parent of T.J.Maxx and Marshalls, was trading at all-time highs before reporting disappointing guidance on Tuesday that took down the stock that same day. But the company did beat earnings expectations for the current quarter and actually increased its store count by 14, while many of its competitors have been cutting stores. "T.J.Maxx is a stock that a lot of long-only investors and hedge funds really piled into, because it was a great defensive trade in a subsector that really had a challenging several months, if not several quarters," explained Seaburg. The retail environment has been rough for investors this year, but TJX Companies has managed to thrive, even as shoppers have started to skip traditional department stores and are moving more of their shopping online. Shares of the off-price retailer are up about 11 percent, widely outperforming the S&P Retail ETF, which is up about 6 percent so far this year. "It's a great place to step in," said Seaburg. The stock is trading around $78 a share and he expects it could jump another 18 percent from these levels. The Bouqs Company is trying to overhaul the flower industry to make it more efficient and sustainable. Its sell? Being a cheaper, better-quality option. So far, the play is working. Founded in 2012, the Venice Beach, California-based flower delivery start-up has been growing at a rapid clip. It's raised almost $20 million in venture capital, has 50 employees, works with 50 farms and 300 florists, and delivers to all 50 states. Co-founders John Tabis and Juan Pablo Montufar, now in their late 30s, met playing in a band together in college at the University of Notre Dame. Montufar, from Ecuador, moved back home to raise a family. He was working for a flower company there when he saw the innards of the flower delivery supply chain. Typically, flowers are cut in massive quantities, transported to the U.S., held in refrigerated storage where the flowers get old and often die, delivered to flower shops where they are held longer, and then finally arranged and delivered to the customer. One-third to one-half of the flowers die before they are ever delivered. The Bouqs Company founders JP Montufar and John Tabis. Source: The Bouqs Company Montufar, with his Notre Dame MBA, and Tabis, with his Bain & Company consulting experience, decided they could improve the inefficient flower-delivery market, which also wasn't doing particularly well revenue has been falling for florists since the Great Recession, according to an industry report from the market research company IBISWorld. With $13,000 in a hacked together "friends and family round," the co-founders launched in November 2012. They had an intern build a website and exchanged equity in the company for graphic design help. In 2013, the team joined the business accelerator Amplify.LA and raised $1.7 million. The next year, the founders left reality pitch show "Shark Tank" empty-handed but closed a Series A funding round of $6 million. A key advantage for The Bouqs Company is that flowers are cut only when they are ordered. That eliminates waste and the energy and resources involved in storing flowers. Also, it means that flowers arrive at the customer's doorstep much fresher than they otherwise would. A US Farm provider for the Bouqs Company. Source: The Bouqs Company Cutting out the middlemen also means that Tabis and Montufar can significantly cut down costs. Flowers from the side of volcanos in Ecuador and the hills of Colombia arrive in the U.S. in five to seven days and start at $40. Orders cut in the U.S. start at $50 and can be delivered the next day. Bouquets made by partner florists start at $60 and can be delivered in two hours. Those savings are passed on to the consumer. At The Bouqs Company, two dozen red roses cost a flat $55. And at 1-800-Flowers, two dozen red roses cost $119.99, plus a $17.99 service charge. In addition to speed and price, The Bouqs Company says it also buys flowers only from ethical farmers who pass third-party certification processes for paying living wages and providing child care, health care and education programs. It says farmers are paid 20 to 25 percent more than they are by other flower retailers, incentivizing them to supply The Bouqs Company with their very best stems. "We are really trying to make this thing very big with the idea of having a platform that rewards the farmers and the florists to do it the right way," Tabis told CNBC. A flower farm in South America. Source: The Bouqs Company Traders divining the oil market's next move are watching a key level on West Texas Intermediate futures that could determine whether $40 or $50 is next in the cards. There are a convergence of fundamental pressures pushing and pulling on the price of crude. The idea that OPEC producers and others could talk about a freeze or other action in September has been lifting prices. But the idea that Saudi Arabia is pumping at record levels in an oversupplied market is a bearish sign, and according to a report from Reuters, it will pump even more. Add to that the U.S. government report that domestic production, which has been in fairly steady decline, saw the biggest weekly increase last week in 17 months. U.S. output is still about a million barrels below last year's level but it rose to to 8,597,000 barrels a day last week, which is subject to revision, from 8,445,000 the week earlier. On the bullish side of the price equation, Nigeria and Libya still have a lot of capacity offline, and the industry is watching Venezuela because political and economic uncertainty there could easily threaten production and take more barrels off the market. So all the wild cards for oil prices make the issue of whether the global oil market has been sufficiently rebalancing critical, and will decide whether oil stays closer to $40 or $50 or somewhere in between. There is also the level that traders are watching as the WTI contract for September trades above $46. Source: FactSet John Kilduff of Again Capital is watching the $46.93 level and says if oil can't get through that, it could form a double top around that level, a bearish sign. "If it breaks it, $50 is on the table," he said. Gene McGillian, Tradition Energy manager of market research, said there's a lot of "congestion" around that level. "That's the top from mid-July when prices started moving lower," he said. He said the next level that is testing crude is $46.87 per barrel. That is the Fibonacci retracement from the June high of $51.67 to the August low of $39.19. WTI settled Wednesday at $46.79 a barrel, up 21 cents. "We hit resistance.The market got up close we hit resistance. The market got up close and stopped," he said. McGillian said he believes the fundamental story will be what prevails, and the market is pointing to a value range in the mid-$40s. "The next driver will be whether there is balance in supply and demand," he said. Andrey Rudakov | Bloomberg | Getty Images watch now Trump University students say they were scammed. They may also have been advised to commit potentially illegal actions by the now-defunct real estate investment course. A detailed review by CNBC and legal experts of the Trump University curriculum shows written advice to students, who paid upward of $36,000 to attend, could have placed students in violation of several state and national real estate and investment laws. Active from 20052010, Trump University was shut down amid questions surrounding its legitimacy and currently faces two class-action lawsuits and a third suit brought by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Donald Trump is a named defendant alongside the shuttered Trump University, also known as Trump Entrepreneur Initiative. The curriculum, presented in glossy binders and workbooks, shows that some of the lessons taught and advice given regarding real estate transactions could actually be illegal in several states. Over the course of several months, we asked more than half a dozen real estate attorneys and experts across the country, from Florida to Oregon to California to New York, to weigh in on the content within the curriculum chapters. In several instances, they said, the advice went against the law in their respective states. At the most basic level, the curriculum was not designed to conform to the specific requirements of real estate investing, which differ from state to state. Instead, it was, as Trump Organization lawyer Jill Martin told CNBC during a brief phone call, a "national level" curriculum. Emails to the Trump campaign were referred to the Trump Organization, though it is not a named defendant in the lawsuits. The Trump campaign did not respond to specific questions about the curriculum and potential legal violations. Martin, vice president and assistant general counsel, litigation and employment at The Trump Organization, emphasized that the courses were really built around the live seminars in which she said students were told to consult with local real estate attorneys. Donald Trump (background) speaks at a news conference announcing the establishment of Trump University, on May 23, 2005, in New York City. Getty Images Several students with whom CNBC spoke, though, disagreed with Martin's take on how much emphasis was placed on learning the real estate laws in whichever state the student planned to engage in such transactions. Jeffrey Tufenkian, a former Trump University student who is part of both class-action lawsuits against the university and whose handwritten notes CNBC reviewed, told CNBC, "When attorneys and other experienced real estate advisors raised red flags about the legality of techniques Trump University people were saying we should use, I knew we had been cheated." Tufenkian, who attended several local real estate investor meetings, said, "I heard from attorneys who said techniques Trump University taught were illegal." In response to CNBC's questions, Jill Martin did not address each potential violation CNBC inquired about, but instead provided this document, highlighting the disclaimers that she said were given to students upon enrollment before they actually had received any of the binders or workbooks. Former students, however, showed us disclaimer forms signed upon enrollment that were different from the one Martin provided: Schneiderman, currently suing Trump on behalf of thousands of former Trump University students who allege misrepresentations made by the real estate education venture in its student recruitment efforts, had also received the same disclaimer forms CNBC got from other students, but not the one Martin sent over. An AG spokesman told CNBC that "we would've expected to see those disclaimers by this point, and Trump's team has had ample opportunity to provide them." The spokesman said the forms were irrelevant, anyway, because "the court rejected their argument that the disclaimers protected them from liability." Some students argue that the fine print only serves to obscure the legal issues in the actual curriculum. "Having people sign a liability form does not make up for their techniques being illegal to use," Tufenkian said. Finding 'motivated' sellers The Trump University workbook tells students that the market is "flooded with deals. You just have to learn how to find them." To find those deals, the curriculum tells students to seek out "motivated sellers." According to Trump University, motivated sellers are those who may be having tenant problems, going through a divorce, having health issues or who have recently lost a job, among other things. Several experts we spoke to took issue with that advice, because it could potentially backfire on the Trump University student. Florida-based real estate attorney Sherri DeWitt of DeWitt Law told CNBC: "That's a red flag, because if you take advantage of somebody in a distressed situation and the deal goes bad, that person can say that they were coerced or they were distressed or weren't fully informed of the circumstances." New York-based real estate attorney Craig Delsack agreed. "You don't want a motivated seller to all of a sudden say I did this deal under duress. That's a claim that someone could say I was under duress when I sold this; I didn't know what I was doing." Richard Uffelman, an Oregon-based real estate attorney who has been practicing for more than 50 years, told CNBC that the manuals instruct to target "the naive owner of property, somebody with what we call distressed properties." He continued, "Those are the people who are gonna sell. Those are the people who would not get the consultation with an attorney or the consultation with a real estate agent." In terms of the workbooks in general, Uffelman told CNBC that "the manual is very oversimplified." watch now Targeting people under duress is not a surprising tactic for Trump University. The Trump University playbook, the document that instructed employees on how to recruit students, recommends considering the following characteristics when targeting prospective students: "Are they a single parent of three children that may need money for food? Or are they a middle-aged commuter that is tired of traveling for 2 hours to work each day?" If the prospective student showed hesitation in signing up and paying for the seminars, Trump U instructors were told to say the following to convince them otherwise: "Do you like living paycheck to paycheck? Do you like just getting by in life? Do you enjoy seeing everyone else but yourself in their dream houses and driving their dreams cars with huge checking accounts?" Trump's campaign did not respond to our request for comment regarding the playbook. Wholesaling without having a license Once students find a homeowner who needs to sell and sell quickly, the workbook gives options as to what kind of deal Trump University students should engage in. In a section that details wholesaling, the curriculum suggests that one can market and sell someone else's property without actually owning it by having the contract assigned, which the university claims is known as an equitable interest in the property. "Trump's advice says that once you make a deposit on property, you have an equitable interest in the property and that must make you an owner and therefore you can sell, and that's not accurate," said Oregon lawyer Uffelman. "It's against Oregon law to market property that you don't own, unless of course you're a real estate agent and that's what real estate agents do," Uffelman told CNBC. Florida attorney Sherri DeWitt cautioned against the wholesaling advice found in the Trump workbooks as well. "Chapter 475 of the Florida Statutes defines what a broker is. A lot of the recommendations that he makes in the wholesaling section could potentially fall within the definition of broker, which would mean in order to do them, you would have to, in the state of Florida, you would need a broker's license. And he [Trump] does not tell people that." Oregon-based attorney Thomas Sullivan said the Trump advice on wholesaling is open to interpretation rather than clearly illegal; however, the advice could backfire on a Trump University student if the deal to sell the property to a third party goes south. "If you sign a deal to sell property to another and then you are unable to sell to that person, then you are opening yourself up to potential liability," Sullivan said. California real estate attorney Bruce Greene said, "Proper disclosures would have to be presented to make sure no representations are made that you own the property at the time when you actually don't. Every state has their own laws -- -they're marketing stuff that will work anywhere and everywhere, and it won't." But Greene didn't declare the advice to be illegal. Another Florida-based real estate attorney, Stephen Hachey, who also analyzed the curriculum, told CNBC that the chapter on wholesaling encouraged students to do things he would never advise his clients. Potential securities violations Class-action lawsuits as well as interviews with former students allege that Trump University instructors and employees encouraged people who could not afford Trump University to pay for courses by increasing their credit limits. So where would Trump University students then get the money to buy real estate and actually start investing? A solution found in one of the workbooks was "OPM," which is short for "other people's money." It says to go out and find investors that have cash. Specifically: "The investors you find don't have to be in real estate, they can be doctors, lawyers, accountants, people in the stock market, or someone that has cash and would like to invest in something." "If someone is soliciting funds from a doctor to invest in his or her company and that doctor is not involved in the business, then that would probably be an investment which requires the person soliciting the funds to give full, complete, truthful disclosure of all material facts," said New York-based real estate attorney Delsack. "Not only does the SEC govern securities and investments, but each state has its own laws regarding soliciting funds within such state (also known as "blue sky" laws)." DeWitt was also surprised that there were no disclaimers written specifically for that chapter, telling CNBC, "It is going to depend on how many investors there are and the nature of the investment." She explained, "If, for example, you had two or more investors investing in two or more properties, that may be a red flag to me to at least investigate and see whether or not you're in compliance with the securities laws." Oregon-based real estate attorney Richard Uffelman said he has personally represented clients who were prosecuted for not disclosing some of the same things the Trump manuals advised. "If I come up with a packaged deal where I do all the activity and you're merely a passive investor, I've sold you a security in Oregon. I've had clients who have been prosecuted by the Oregon securities division for just that." Some people had their marriages gone to shambles because they mortgaged their houses in order to pay for the tuition for Trump University. Other people used equity loans on their houses and they lost their houses and theyre never going to be made completely whole. Bob Guillo former student of Trump University Asian tourists stand in front of the Louis Vuitton shop on the Champs-Elysees in Paris. Taking a holiday in Paris or Milan without loading up on Chanel and Prada goodies might seem a bit of a waste but it looks as though that is what an increasing number of tourists have done this summer. Tourists spent 14 percent less in July 2016 than July 2015, according to global figures from value added tax refund company Global Blue compiled for UBS. The figures, which are a barometer for tourism spending, could herald a knock-on effect across the entire luxury industry, as tourism spending makes up about a third of global luxury revenues, and more than half of European luxury sales, according to Bain. The decline happened despite what should have been a favorable boost from this year's timing of Ramadan, which is often key to spending by Middle Eastern tourists. So why are tourists pulling out their credit cards less? Jamie Grill | Getty Images Even your boss knows you could do a better job of saving for retirement. Employees have been asking their employers to help them stash more money in their 401(k) savings plans, seeking more automated savings features. Companies are responding by boosting the amount employees can defer when they are automatically signed up for a 401(k), according to a report from T. Rowe Price. The asset manager studied 662 retirement plans with more than 1.6 million participants. Twenty-nine percent of the employers were automatically enrolling workers into the retirement plan at a savings rate of 6 percent of salary as of the end of 2015, according to the report. That's up from about 17 percent of 401(k) plans in 2011. See below for more detail on default contributions in 2015. Thirty-eight percent of employers automatically enrolled workers at a rate of 3 percent of salary in 2015, down from nearly 50 percent of employers in 2011, according to T. Rowe Price. There are two factors behind employers' decision to boost the default contribution to 6 percent, said Aimee DeCamillo, head of T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services. "Coming from the data we've seen over the last several years, 3 percent isn't enough," she said. Indeed, retirement plans with auto enrollment tend to have as many as 9 out of 10 employees stay in the 401(k), according to T. Rowe Price. A history of inadequacy The automatic enrollment rate of 3 percent has been the standard savings rate in 401(k) plans for about the last 10 years. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 established standards for a minimum savings amount 3 percent for plans that automatically enroll participants. Per the IRS' rule on these plans, this default deferral rate is supposed to gradually increase each year an employee is enrolled, all the way up to 6 percent of salary. Employees shouldn't stop there, said DeCamillo. "We'd like to see a 6 percent rate and an automatic increase to get you to a 10 percent contribution rate, plus an employer match," she said. Getting there isn't easy. For instance, employees who are auto-enrolled into plans at a low rate may succumb to inertia and be less inclined to increase their deferrals over time. Another consideration for employees is the question of whether aggressive 401(k) contributions will cut into their cash flow. More than one-third of workers fretted about retiring on time, and more than half worried that they didn't have enough emergency cash saved, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers study in April. A quarter of people surveyed were concerned that they wouldn't be able to pay their monthly bills. Employers have tried to address workers' cash flow worries by kicking off financial wellness programs at the workplace. What's the magic number? Types of obituaries The Missourian publishes two types of obituaries family obituaries and life stories. A family obituary is the version submitted by a funeral home or family. Please see the submission form for details on cost and deadlines. Family obituaries A life story is a closer look at a person's life and involves a reporter contacting family and friends. Life stories are based on newsworthiness and consent of the family. Life stories. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form Quade: Abortion investigation suggests government being 'weaponized' The timing of the investigation suggests that the state is using its power to retaliate against citizens, Quade said. Travelers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint inside Memphis International Airport. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Wayne Risher of The Commercial Appeal A Memphis International Airport concessions worker made it through security with a loaded handgun Monday afternoon, causing a 15-minute shutdown of security checkpoints. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on Wednesday blamed "miscommunication" among officers for allowing the 39-year-old Paradies employee to walk away from Checkpoint B with a bag containing a Taurus .380 semiautomatic pistol. The baggage x-ray flagged the weapon, but the bag was given back to the employee. An airport police offense report said the employee, Shwundra D. Boxiley, "became afraid" when she realized the gun was in her bag, so she hid it in a break room. She was issued a misdemeanor citation for state charges of airport/aircraft security and unlawful possession of a firearm. Boxiley doesn't have a gun carry permit. She also received a notice of violation for taking a weapon into the airport's restricted area beyond the checkpoint . Two TSA officers were temporarily removed from screening duties. They weren't identified. The officer who handed the employee her bag resigned later Wednesday, a TSA spokesman said. A TSA statement said, "Following a miscommunication between TSA officers working at a Memphis International Airport checkpoint Monday, an airport concession employee carrying a firearm in a bag was temporarily allowed into the sterile area with the item. As a result, TSA has removed the two involved officers from screening duties until conclusion of an internal review. The offense report said after Boxiley left the checkpoint, officers confirmed the x-ray showed a loaded weapon. They contacted her by mobile phone. She brought the bag back, but another x-ray scan showed no weapon. "It was only after Boxiley was made fully aware of the severity of the current situation and that it had caused all screening operations at the airport to cease and prevented passengers from exiting the concourses, did she finally admit to having a weapon inside her bag and that she had hidden the weapon in their break room area." Officers took away Boxiley's security badge and told her she wasn't allowed into any sterile areas in and around the airport. Boxiley and TSA officers were also interviewed by FBI agents to see if federal prosecution was warranted. The TSA also has the authority to assess a civil penalty. Hollywood Feed president Shawn McGhee stands near Mississippi-made pet beds. The company, which operates 45 stores in five states, recently opened a pet food bakery in Midtown. The business is based in North Memphis. (Image courtesy of Hollywood Feed.) SHARE By Ted Evanoff of The Commercial Appeal Hollywood Feed said it has opened a pet food bakery led by professional pastry chef Sarah Nicholson. Hollywood Feed president Shawn McGhee asked Nicholson, a Cambridge School of Culinary Arts graduate, to omit wheat, flour and white sugar from the pet food, which can include almond and coconut flour, eggs, fruits, vegetables and gluten-free matter, the company said in a recent statement. Nicholson is bakery services director at Hollywood, a Memphis chain of 45 pet food stores located in Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. The bakery is located next to the Midtown store at 2015 Union Ave. and will sell food on site and send baked good to the chains Memphis-area stores. H. Eric Bolton, chief executive of MAA, on merger: "A one plus one equals more than three scenario.'' (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal Sometimes 1 + 1 = more than 2. Memphis-based MAA is adding 24,162 apartment units to the 80,846 that the real estate investment trust already owns. But the sum equals more than 105,008 units spread across the Sunbelt, says chief executive H. Eric Bolton. MAA's merger with Atlanta-based Post Properties is "a one-plus-one-equals-more-than-three scenario,'' Bolton told The Commercial Appeal a day after the deal was announced. The $3.9 billion, all-stock transaction also means more efficiency, higher margins and more negotiating power for his company in purchasing things like paint, carpet and maintenance supplies. The merger apparently subtracts nothing from Memphis, either. The company still plans to move its headquarters from its too-small, 40,000-square-foot building at 6584 Poplar. MAA is limiting its search for about 75,000 square feet within Memphis, and should decide where within the next month or two. The only effect the merger has on MAA's planned move is to increase the sense of urgency. "Sooner rather than later is better for us,'' Bolton said. "... Now with this merger out and announced we're putting a lot of pressure on our folks... We're anxious to get our group back together under one roof.'' Real estate investment trusts (REITs) like MAA, which originated as Mid-America apartments, have been around for 60 years. They are a way for people to invest in real estate -- through buying stocks -- without the hassle of buying a piece of property, maintaining it and then trying to sell it. In its lifespan of more than three decades, MAA's stock has risen from around $20 a share to as high as $110. It has dropped about $10 since Monday's merger announcement. "There's been some initial earnings dilution we have to work through as far as putting two companies together like this,'' Bolton said. "This is a long-term vision that drives us to take the next step.'' But given the years-long ascendancy of MAA's stock and the adage ''buy low, sell high,'' is now such a good time to buy MAA stock? "We think that the demographic shift taking place in this country, the social changes that continue to evolve, all continue to favor individuals -- particularly young people -- to want to rent their housing as opposed to buy their housing,'' Bolton said. "When you look at the millennials, the 18-35 year-old age group, it's the fastest growing in the U.S. and expected to be that way for some time,'' he said. "That group has a much higher propensity of renting, especially in today's environment. That demographic is increasingly deciding to marry later and start families later in life and is coming out of college with higher levels of student debt. They favor mobility.'' Bolton is right, stock analyst Craig Kucera of Wunderlich Securities believes. Kucera does not cover MAA or Post Properties, but he does cover the world of real estate investment trusts. Yes, the supply of apartments has increased, Kucera acknowledged. Too many apartments, which would lead to the lowering of rents, would threaten MAA's stock performance. "Even though it has increased, still we're basically working from a scenario since 2013 to the end of last year when you had sky-high fundamentals,'' Kucera said. "... A confluence of slow and steady job growth and very tight housing credit,'' he said. "This has allowed most multifamily REITs to push rents 5 to 7 percent plus. The long-term average is closer to 3.5 percent.'' Kucera expects job growth to hold steady, apartment construction to slow a bit and rents to keep increasing more than the 3.5 percent average for the next couple of years. The merger made sense to Kucera. "MAA was the only apartment REIT trading at a premium to net asset value,'' he said. In other words, Wall Street analysts, in considering MAA's value were it to be sold, were giving MAA the best valuation. So the merger was the "easiest way for (MAA) to take advantage of that.'' "This deal allows MAA to get better scale. They are in most of the key Post markets; MAA is already there and can steal their people and get better margins out of the property,'' Kucera said. Even before a merger, MAA owned more apartments than any other real estate investment trust. And among all companies -- public and private -- that own apartments, MAA was the ninth largest, according to the National Multi-Family Housing Council. When the merger is approved and MAA owns 105,000 units, it would apparently rise to the eighth largest owner. SHARE (left to right) Tavares Garland, Ledarious Hope and Lee Hope By Yolanda Jones of The Commercial Appeal Three men have been arrested after they were accused of shooting a man 17 times outside a Memphis fire station in July. Tavares Garland, 20, Ledarious Hope, 22 and Lee Hope, 19, have been charged with attempted second-degree murder. Police were called to Memphis Fire station at 4258 Overton Crossing on July 27 where they found the victim had been shot 17 times. The man was taken to the Regional Medical Center in extremely critical condition. He survived the shooting and last week while still in the hospital, he was able to identify the defendants as the three men who shot him, according to an arrest affidavit. No motive for the shooting was stated in the affidavit. The defendants were arrested Monday and Tuesday. Garlands bond has been set at $200,000. Ledarious and Lee Hopes bond has been set at $100,000. SHARE Berlin Boyd (Photo: Getty Images / iStockphoto) By Ryan Poe of The Commercial Appeal The Memphis City Council will get into the weeds Tuesday on an idea to decriminalize marijuana possession in some cases. Council member Berlin Boyd said he'll present an ordinance in the council's Public Safety committee meeting that would let police officers choose whether people caught with a half ounce or less of marijuana should be charged with a misdemeanor or fined $50 with the possibility for community service. "I just think it's a way to relieve our overall court costs and fees, and trying to incarcerate people," Boyd said. Boyd said his ordinance is modeled after a similar ordinance under consideration by the Metro Council in Nashville. Tampa and other Florida municipalities have recently approved similar ordinances. He said the cost of strict state marijuana possession laws is high especially for young people, who face long-term consequences if their records are besmirched. Boyd said his ordinance is on safe legal ground because officers have discretion about whether to follow state law or local ordinances in some situations. "Based on what I've been told, the arresting officer can make that decision about whether to cite them or turn them over," he said. Individuals convicted of possession of less than one ounce of marijuana face a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,500 fine under current state law, although Boyd said several state lawmakers told him they want to reform the law. The committee meeting is set for 10 a.m. on the fifth floor of City Hall, 125 N. Main St. If the council follows its normal procedure, the ordinance would be up for a final vote Oct. 4. August 17, 2016 - The casket of fallen TBI officer DeGreaun Frazier is carried to the service site at Memorial Park. Special Agent Frazier, was shot and killed August 9 during an undercover narcotics operation in Jackson, Tennessee. Frazier is the first TBI agent in the agency's history to die in the line of duty. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE August 17, 2016 - Family and friends arrive in the rain for the graveside service of fallen TBI officer De'Greaun Frazier. Special Agent Frazier, was shot and killed August 9 during an undercover narcotics operation in Jackson, Tennessee. Frazier is the first TBI agent in the agency's history to die in the line of duty. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal) August 17, 2016 - Law enforcement officers from local and state agencies gather with the family of TBI officer DeGreaun Frazier for funeral services at Bellevue Baptist in Memphis. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) August 17, 2016 - Shannon Frazier, widow of TBI agent DeAoGreaun Frazier, is hugged by family friend Qadeer Smith during funeral services at Bellevue Baptist in Memphis. Special Agent De'Greaun Frazier was shot and killed Aug. 9 during an undercover narcotics operation in Jackson, Tennessee. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) Related Photos TBI Agent Mourned Related Coverage Sea of Blue honors fallen TBI Agent Frazier By Kayleigh Skinner of The Commercial Appeal DeGreaun ReShun Frazier was a man who loved his job, his family, and the Tennessee Titans. "He wanted to make Tennessee a better place to live," said Mark Gwyn, TBI director. "That simple thought guided his career in law enforcement." Law enforcement agents and family from all over the state came to say farewell to the 35-year-old Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent who was shot and killed during an undercover narcotics operation in Jackson, Tennessee. "He stood for everything that TBI represents: truth, bravery and integrity," Gwyn said. Frazier always had a plan to reach his goals, and he executed them, said Qadeer Smith of the Memphis Police Department. The two met four years ago and grew inseparable, he said. "He said 'I want to be the best narcotic investigator that TBI ever had,'" Smith said. "Done. When you give your life for what you love and believe in, you are the best that ever did." Gwyn described him as "... absolutely one of the best and brightest that I have seen in my own 30-year career." Before working for TBI, Frazier served with the Millington Police Department, the University of Memphis and as a reserve officer with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. Frazier was working in Jackson last week when the shooting occurred, according to Gwyn. He was conducting an undercover drug purchase inside a car with an informant when the man in the backseat pulled out a gun and fired at least once, striking the special agent in an attempted robbery, according to the TBI. Frazier was later pronounced dead at the Jackson-Madison County General Hospital. The suspect, 23-year-old Brenden Tyler Burns, was captured nearby and taken into custody without bond on the charge of murder in the perpetration of attempted robbery. During the service, friends and former colleagues reminisced about the man who went by "D" or Frazier because his first name was hard to pronounce when they first met him. Shelby County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriff Jonathan Wingo gave an emotional speech about his former partner, neighbor and close friend. Frazier loved to play rough with his dogs, laughing all the time, he said. He thanked the fallen agent for his "ultimate personal sacrifice." Rev. James Kendrick of Oak Grove Missionary Baptist Church offered words of comfort to the audience, sharing the last text message exchange Frazier had with his father before he died. It was a detailed prediction of how the Dallas Cowboys will do this season. According to Frazier, it will be disastrous. Football was a large part of the service at his burial site, two Tennessee Titan floral arrangements were put out next to his casket, along with others bearing the TBI emblem. MPD Officer Jermaine Wilson called Frazier his best friend. "He was a family man first and foremost. He'd put the job down in an instant for his family I want you to know that, Shannon," Wilson told Frazier's widow and high school sweetheart. After the funeral service, hundreds travelled to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery. A steady rain began to fall as friends and family walked to the burial site, many shielding each other under umbrellas. The TBI agents and law enforcement officers who lined the road stood stoic despite the drenching weather. Carried by eight officer pall bearers, Frazier's flag-draped casket passed under a fire truck ladder arch which hung the American flag. "We can't begin to understand your hurt and your loss," Gwyn told Shannon Frazier during the funeral service. "But I hope you know we're going to be with you every step of the way from now into eternity. You are now part of the family of blue, and it's a loving family." SHARE By Associated Press BYHALIA, Miss. An investigator says an 11-year-old in northern Mississippi was taken for a psychiatric evaluation after his 9-year-old brother was shot to death in their backyard. Kelly McMillen with the Marshall County Sheriff's Department tells The Associated Press on Tuesday that the two boys were home alone while their mother, who has custody, was at work Monday evening. The family lives in Byhalia, and their father lives in nearby Olive Branch. McMillen says the 11-year-old might eventually face charges, but none was brought by Tuesday. He says the younger boy had one gunshot wound to the head and one to the body, and they appeared to be from a .22-caliber gun. McMillen says the older 11-year-old asked a neighbor for help and CPR was started but the younger boy died. SHARE In this March 11, 2016, file photo, Garland County Circuit Court Judge Wade Naramore, right, accompanied by his wife, Ashley, head into the Garland County Court House in Hot Springs, Ark., for his arraignment on charges stemming from the hot car death of the couple's 18-month old son, Thomas, in 2015. His trial began Monday. (Richard Rasmussen/The Sentinel-Record via AP, File) By Associated Press HOT SPRINGS, Ark. Jurors heard a police recording Tuesday of an Arkansas judge wailing and crying after he had found his 18-month-old son dead in a car in hot weather. Garland County Circuit Court Judge Wade Naramore is heard saying "Oh my God, my baby" on the audio from a microphone worn by Sgt. Kenny Keizer, who testified that Naramore showed signs of shock and at times became hysterical, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported. Naramore has pleaded not guilty to a charge of negligent homicide in the July 2015 death of son Thomas. Kizer, one of the first officers on the scene, also testified that Naramore was "wailing, pacing back and forth and crying" when he arrived. A woman can be heard asking to see her child. The audio and police dashcam video was played for the jury, but the video showed only images in front of the police car; Naramore could not be seen. In court, Naramore could be seen shaking as he, his wife, Ashley, and supporters cried while watching and listening. Prosecutors say Naramore was negligent when he left his son in his car for several hours after failing to take the toddler to daycare before going to work at the courthouse, two blocks away from the daycare. Naramore has said he was returning to the daycare to pick up his son when he realized the boy was still in the car and he stopped at a neighbor's house to call for help. That neighbor, Gerald Keith, testified earlier Tuesday that he found Naramore sitting in his yard, holding his son and saying "I killed my child. I killed my child." Keith said he tried to cool the boy, who was pronounced dead at the scene, with a cold shower. Naramore stopped hearing cases in his courtroom after his son's death, with special judges stepping in to hear cases. A special prosecutor and special judge are working on Naramore's negligent homicide case. If convicted, Naramore faces up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Nov. 3, 2015 - Malika Anderson (left) new superintendent of the state's Achievement School District, answers questions at a State Capitol news conference with Gov. Bill Haslam and state Education Commissioner Candice McQueen. By Jennifer Pignolet of The Commercial Appeal The first comprehensive performance audit of the state-run Achievement School District shows a lack of adequate control over processes in human resources and payroll, including reimbursement of excessive travel claims and payments for alcohol at an office celebration. The Tennessee Comptroller's office released the audit Wednesday morning. (Click here to read the full report.) Spokesman John Dunn said this is the first full audit of the district since its inception in 2012, although spending of federal dollars is audited annually. "We picked up the attitude across the board in the Achievement School District that they were more concerned about 'getting the job done' for students rather than financial controls," Jason Mumpower, chief of staff for the comptroller's office, told state lawmakers in Nashville during a Joint House Education Committee meeting Wednesday. The committee was scheduled to convene Wednesday to discuss a range of educational issues. Dunn said efforts were made to have copies of the audit to the committee members before the meeting. Mumpower said it's not uncommon for newer agencies to have issues in their audit, and he is happy with the most recent response by the ASD and Tennessee Department of Education after the audit. According to the audit, the ASD, which operates 31 schools in Memphis and two in Nashville, failed to verify the education credentials of central office staff, and employees were able to approve their own travel expenses. Inadequate procedures for departing employees also resulted in overpayment of salary and benefits, according to the audit. "Failure to implement adequate internal controls over expenditures and travel claims increases the risk of fraud, waste, and errors in ASD's financial reporting that could go undetected," the audit states. The audit states that management did not properly approve nine expenditure transactions totaling $83,363, and seven travel claims totaling $2,460. Claims deemed "excessive" by the audit included a $698 expense for a single day of transportation services to drive the deputy superintendent from Nashville to Memphis and a $2,500 holiday party held at the Sheraton Hotel in Memphis for all ASD schools and staff and to recognize outgoing superintendent Chris Barbic. "The event included expensive finger foods, alcohol, and a bartender," the audit states. In addition, "in recognition of ASD school leaders and support, staff, management purchased $1,631 of alcohol using a purchasing card and charged the expense to Charter School Grant Funding, a private grant that provides restricted funding for operating expenses for school year 2015-16 Achievement Schools ..." That purchase came up in the discussion among lawmakers Wednesday, with Rep. Harold Love of Nashville saying he was "alarmed and disappointed." "We advise all offices to never buy alcohol with taxpayer funds," Mumpower said. The district's response is part of the audit, and states that according to the chief operating officer, "the charge used was in accordance with the grant's purpose of providing robust leadership to the schools through an expanded Support and Leadership team." According to the audit, the state Department of Education made the decision to assume control of the ASD's finances as of July 1, a move made following the release of the last federal funding audit in March. That audit showed about $721,000 in spending that was deemed either unreasonable, was not within federal guidelines or was not properly documented. In its response on the full performance audit, the ASD notes that "dramatic" move shows "the department and the ASD have already taken substantive steps toward implementing more robust internal controls and procedures, beginning the transition back to the state's primary accounting system, and hiring a new finance team." The ASD's response continues, "Additional reviews of processes and procedures are ongoing, and any risks identified will be handled through the implementation of additional compensating internal controls." The audit also affirmed the ASD's processes for authorizing charter operators to run schools, noting the process as "consistent with best practices established by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers." The state looked at the district during a one-year period from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016. Malika Anderson took over as superintendent of the district in January. The state created the ASD through legislation using federal Race to the Top funds. The district's mission is to move schools from the bottom 5 percent in the state to the top 25 percent within five years. The district has faced scrutiny from local school districts, in particular Shelby County Schools, as well as several Memphis-based state lawmakers who have sought to slow its growth. The district outsources most of its schools to charter networks and allows them extensive autonomy. However, insufficient oversight of school operators was another concern raised in the audit. "Management should take a proactive approach to monitoring and should not rely on monitors and auditors to identify deficiencies," the audit states. The ASD concurred in the report, pledging to develop a new system for monitoring operators. Similarly, the audit noted that the state's decision to make the ASD as independent from the Department of Education as possible resulted in a lack of oversight by the state. One section of the audit findings was listed as confidential. Dunn said the issue has to do with software. "We don't reveal the substance of that finding because it would open up the ASD to vulnerability from hackers," he said. Jason Gonzales of the USA TODAY Tennessee Network contributed to this report. February 10, 2016 - Education Commissioner Candice McQueen converses with Cornerstone Prep 6th grade student LaKenya Fields, 11, during a visit. McQueen's drop in comes in the wake of several calls locally and in Nashville to slow or abolish the ASD. (Yalonda M. James/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Jennifer Pignolet of The Commercial Appeal Teachers and administrators in Shelby County's municipal districts and across Tennessee are generally satisfied with their jobs but don't always see eye-to-eye on how their schools handle discipline, according to a survey released Tuesday by the state Department of Education. Teachers are also sour on the effectiveness on TNReady, the new state test implemented this year, although state officials say the slew of technological problems that forced the state to cancel testing altogether and not the quality of the test itself may be to blame for the low opinions. Of the 30,000 administrators and teachers surveyed about half of all teachers and administrators in the state 96 percent of administrators said their school effectively handles student discipline and behavioral problems, compared with just 69 percent of teachers. An almost identical breakdown 96 percent and 68 percent, respectively said their school addresses similar disciplinary issues consistently with all students. Education Commissioner Candice McQueen called the results a "notable disparity" and said the issue is particularly prevalent in regard to economically disadvantaged and minority students being expelled or suspended at a higher rate than their peers. "One teacher specifically wrote, 'Discipline in my school is very inconsistent and greatly depends on who the student is, not what the student has done,'" McQueen said, though she did not specify where in the state that teacher works. The survey returned data for all six of Shelby County's municipal school districts, but not Shelby County Schools or the state-run Achievement School District because not enough teachers or administrators responded, according to the state. An SCS spokesperson said the district encouraged participation but it was not mandatory due to a number of other internal surveys teachers and administrators are asked to complete throughout the year. Germantown saw a discrepancy in line with the state results, with 68 percent of teachers saying they believe discipline at their school is handled with a consistent approach and 100 percent of administrators answering the same way. Superintendent Jason Manuel said his district consistently reviews disciplinary practices. "And we always want to err on the side of what's best for the child," he said. In Bartlett, the gap was smaller, with 78 percent of teachers agreeing that discipline is handled consistently. Superintendent David Stephens, who said he encouraged his staff to respond to the survey, said the disciplinary discrepancies may be a matter of perspective. "From a teacher's perspective, they're dealing with one set of kids, the kids in their classroom," he said. "From the administrator's perspective, they're dealing with the entire school." On TNReady testing, just 17 percent of teachers statewide said they think the test will provide more information about student postsecondary readiness than its predecessor, TCAP. Locally, the numbers were 12 percent for Germantown, 16 percent in Bartlett, 13 percent in Collierville, 22 percent in Millington, 16 percent in Lakeland and 10 percent in Arlington. Administrators generally had a higher opinion of the new test. For example, 44 percent of Germantown administrators said they think TNReady will provide more information about postsecondary readiness than TCAP. Manuel said it's no surprise teachers haven't yet developed a fondness for the test. On the first day, the software system crashed, resulting in a move to paper tests, and not all were delivered in time for testing to happen. The state abandoned its contract with its testing vendor as a result of the issues. "I think it is difficult for teachers and administrators to define the benefit of TNReady based on last year's results," Manuel said. "We didn't see the full assessment and we were not able to utilize any data from the TNReady assessments." But teachers reported at a high level that they feel appreciated for their work and that the employees at the school are a generally satisfied group. Collierville teachers reported job satisfaction at the highest rate, 92 percent, followed by 91 percent in Millington, 89 percent in Bartlett, 85 percent in Lakeland, 81 percent in Germantown and 74 percent in Arlington. Manuel said Germantown has made a point recently to reward teachers for their efforts, but that expectations in the profession often don't often align with available salary and benefit packages. "I think it's a challenging time to be a teacher," he said. By The Commercial Appeal Funeral services are Wednesday morning for TBI Special Agent De'Greaun "Dee" Frazier, who was killed Aug. 9 in Jackson, Tennessee. Area law enforcement participated in a Sea of Blue Tuesday night following visitation for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent who was shot during an undercover drug operation. Brenden Burns, 23, was charged with murder in the perpetration of attempted robbery in Frazier's death. Wednesday's funeral is at 10 a.m. at Bellevue Baptist Church, with burial in Memorial Park. This rendering from Renaissance Group shows the new headquarters for Orgill Inc. SHARE By Daniel Connolly of The Commercial Appeal A final plan for Orgill's new four-story corporate headquarters in Collierville goes before the town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen for consideration Monday. Initially, only the building's first three stories will be completed, leaving the top floor for future expansion, according to the planning documents. "The concept of leaving the fourth floor empty allows us to essentially prebuild our expansion ... We know as business grows, our team will grow. This allows us to do that at that site. And we intend to be at that site a very long time," said Eric Divelbiss, Orgill's chief financial officer. Orgill, a hardware distribution company, is moving from its current 75,000-square-foot headquarters in Germantown. The town's economic development director John Duncan has said the government is working to attract corporate office jobs, and Collierville authorities voted in November to support the project through tax breaks. Workers have already begun grading the site for the new 121,600-square-foot headquarters at 4100 South Houston Levee Road. A rendering submitted as part of the planning process shows a red brick building with numerous windows. Planning documents put its height at 63 feet, taller than most buildings in Collierville. The company could have spread out the building horizontally but preferred a vertical plan, Divelbiss said. "It allows us to have somewhat shorter hallways. Our people work pretty closely together. Sometimes it's easier to walk up or down a flight than halfway across a building." Company Chairman Ron Beal said last year he expected Orgill headquarters to employ about 380 workers, up from 265 in Germantown. Divelbiss said the company would grow into that number over time. "That's a number of years out. That will not be the Day 1 figure." SHARE By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal A group alleging unfair disciplinary treatment of African-American and handicapped students by the DeSoto County school system is hosting a meeting next week on the legal rights of families. DeSoto County Parents and Students for Justice, in conjunction with the Washington-based Advancement Project, will hold the event from 6-8 p.m. Tuesday in the large meeting room of the M.R. Davis Public Library, 8554 Northwest Drive in Southaven. James Mathis, the group's chairman, said the purpose is to educate families on how to respond if they believe they have a disciplinary grievance. "It is critically important as students return to school this month that families know the steps to take if their child is treated unfairly because of their race or special education needs," Mathis said. "Our goal is to ensure parents and families know their rights so that their children have a safe and successful school year." School district officials say they are limited in what they can discuss about an active investigation, but they believe they have an equitable disciplinary policy in place that is designed to provide a safe learning environment. Supt. Cory Uselton said earlier the district is cooperating with investigators to resolve the matter. The Parents and Students for Justice group alleged in a complaint filed in April 2015 with the U.S. Department of Education that the district is unfairly harsh in its discipline toward African-American and handicapped students. The education department's Office of Civil Rights agreed to investigate. In July, the DeSoto group and Advancement Project filed a supplemental supporting letter claiming continuing discriminatory practices and urging specific steps be taken. Steps they urged include appointing an ombudsman, training school staff on racism and bias, hiring a consultant to reduce suspension and discipline disparities, and analyzing data to determine the extent of discriminatory policies and harassment. Tuesday's meeting, which comes in conjunction with a three-day visit next week by Advancement Project staff, will touch on new provisions in the DeSoto County Schools Code of Discipline, offer tips on advocating for a student during disciplinary hearings, recourse available to parents if they feel a student has been a victim of retaliation, and a discussion of the "rise of social media-related discipline actions." Advancement Project, founded in 1999 by a team of civil rights lawyers, assists local groups in resolving civil rights-related issues. SHARE Dr. Arthur J. Sutherland III Memphis Your Aug. 15 front-page article Health care, income linked is a great wakeup call, that in America we do not value access to health care as a human right. Because of our market-based system of health care delivery, we have accepted health care as a commodity. As a result, we have the most expensive and unequal health care system in the developed world. The poor and the disadvantaged are excluded because they cant afford co-pays, deductibles and excessive medication pricing. Many are forced to go without access to health care providers, vital medications or access to hospitals. The social determinants of health are extremely important. The public might not be familiar with that term, but we really hear and read about them daily in Memphis. We know we have extreme poverty in our city, and that is why we must improve our public education system, create jobs and increase salaries to the level of a living wage. We must make our streets and neighborhoods safe, improve public housing, and encourage businesses to provide healthy and affordable food choices that are accessible to all. We can make huge strides to improve health care equity if we have the political courage to create a national health program. The easiest way to do this would be to expand and improve Medicare for all. We can cover every American regardless of income, reduce our health care costs and save lives at the same time. SHARE By Jennifer Rubin Donald Trump, reading awkwardly from a teleprompter Monday, confirmed he has learned virtually nothing about foreign policy nor does he have anyone around him who has even basic familiarity with jihadism, the Constitution or national security policy. Simultaneously childish and menacing, Trump risks being mocked openly by the media and Hillary Clinton. Aside from a silly immigration proposal ("extreme vetting," he called it), Trump essentially recycled stump speech material. "Anyone who cannot name our enemy, is not fit to lead this country," he proclaimed. "Anyone who cannot condemn the hatred, oppression and violence of radical Islam lacks the moral clarity to serve as our president." We have no idea to whom he is referring since Clinton has done both. He makes bold announcements, with no explanation of how to attain them. "We will defeat radical Islamic terrorism, just as we have defeated every threat we have faced in every age before." How? Ya got me. His position on Iraq is muddled if not thoroughly incoherent. He falsely insists he opposed the war but wishes we had commandeered Iraq's oil. He nevertheless thinks we should not be going after jihadists in Syria or Libya. He prefers meaningless phrases. ("Our current strategy of nation-building and regime change is a proven failure." So he's against going back into Iraq? Seeking regime change in Iran?) He wants are you ready? an international conference to figure out what to do about the Islamic State. He proposes cutting off Internet access to our foes. (Ummm, how?) Moreover, he seems to think his extreme, unworkable immigration notions are a substitute for reasoned policy. He wants to befriend moderate Muslims, after maintaining we should ban them. He wants now to "only admit into this country those who share our values and respect our people." What countries is he talking about? Don't ask. What values is he going to decree must be followed? Don't ask. It does not escape notice that he could be excluded under such a program. ("Those who do not believe in our Constitution, or who support bigotry and hatred, will not be admitted for immigration into the country. Only those who we expect to flourish in our country -- and to embrace a tolerant American society should be issued visas.") All of this will be determined through "extreme vetting." Um, wouldn't the terrorists, you know, lie? He doesn't seem to have considered that. The whole concept is preposterous, offensive and irrelevant to the problem of indigenous radicalized Muslims. Former CIA director Michael Hayden was flabbergasted when I asked him about the idea of trying to sort through Muslim immigrants by religious viewpoint. He pointed to a line from a speech he gave in 2007: "No matter the external threat, our DNA as a nation cannot be altered." He added that "of course" the plan would be entirely unworkable. The comparison to Cold War policy of attempting to exclude communists is inapt. We are talking here about individuals' religious views, not their dedication to overthrowing the government. The vague reference to refusing entry to those "who support bigotry and hatred" raise a host of First Amendment issues. What about devout believers who think homosexuality is a sin? Can the United States impose a religious test for one faith? Moreover, all of this may deeply offend and mystify our Muslim allies and American Muslim communities, both of which are essential to defeating Islamic terrorism. The prospect of American government officials deciding what variety of Islamic belief meets with our "values" is absurd and casts the U.S. government in the role of religious judge and jury, something it is not remotely capable of doing. Mostly, however Trump's plan is dumb. Danielle Pletka of the American Enterprise Institute said, "So let's get this straight: 'Are you a terrorist? Believe in democracy? Want to kill infidels? Have a beard? Glittering look in your eye?' This is now our immigration policy?" This, mind you, was a prepared speech. Someone actually thought this up, wrote it down and told Trump it was a good idea. At this point, Trump is either trying to humiliate his supporters by advancing patently stupid ideas or has given up trying to think through policies logically. In either case, he is making Clinton's point: He's entirely unfit to be president. Jennifer Rubin writes the Right Turn blog for the Washington Post. SHARE By Jonathan Turley Donald Trump's newly proposed ideological test for immigrants one that he characterized as "extreme vetting" in a speech on Monday has renewed debate over immigration reform in the presidential election. It's a debate worth having, and there are plenty of valid questions to be raised about his proposal. This is one occasion, however, when Trump may have the law on his side. As a general proposition, a litmus test for new immigrants isn't unconstitutional or even unprecedented. Indeed, Trump could cite an unlikely figure in support of the authority for such changes: President Obama. Trump wants to screen potential immigrants for "hostile attitudes towards our country or its principles" and ban those who harbor those views; or who, in his words, believe that sharia law should "supplant" our system of laws; or those who express "bigotry and hatred" with regard to gender equality or gay rights. Although Congress could block those conditions, Trump would have considerable leeway in requiring background checks and imposing such tests. It has happened before: During the Cold War, there was ideological screening under the 1940 Alien Registration Act, designed to prevent the entry of communists, anarchists and others. Immigrants are currently required to know basic civics as part of a citizenship test, and Trump's extreme vetting would require visa applicants' affirmative agreement with those principles though he wasn't clear whether he would do this with a legislative change (which would be unassailable) or a unilateral executive action. One can question how successful a litmus test would be after all, applicants could simply lie, and such a test would just encourage potential immigrants to refrain from expressing their views on social media or in other public forums. But as long as he or she doesn't violate federal law, a president's power is most pronounced when it comes to protecting the country's borders. Even though the Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 earlier this year over Obama's sweeping immigration plan, which exempted many undocumented immigrants from deportation (and, as a result, left an injunction in place against the administration), the court has previously yielded great authority over the control of the borders to presidents. In 1892, in Nishimura Ekiu v. United States, the court stressed that, while Congress sets the conditions for citizenship, "the final determination of those facts may be entrusted by Congress to executive officers. . . (the executive officer) is made the sole and exclusive judge of the existence of those facts." The court has also maintained, in United States ex rel. Knauff v. Shaughnessey, that the right to exclude aliens "is inherent in the executive power to control the foreign affairs of the nation." Finally, while the executive branch is required to follow rules affording due process, the court has held that "whatever the procedure authorized by Congress is, it is due process as far as an alien denied entry is concerned." While the court imposed a limit in Zadvydas v. Davis in 2001 on how long an alien can be held without deportation, the conditions for entry into the country are set by Congress but implemented by the president. In that context, the concept of a litmus test based on civic values is quite different from Trump's previous proposal of a threshold test based on faith his widely condemned Muslim ban. For starters, one of the civic values that would be evaluated is a visa applicant's views on the free exercise of religion. And unlike the earlier proposal, this idea is more likely to resonate with those who fear immigrants who come to the United States for economic benefits but who oppose core rights of free speech, freedom of religion, equality of women, LGBT citizens and others. Trump isn't alone in raising such concerns. There is rising opposition in the West to increased immigration by Muslim refugees seen as bringing with them extreme Islamic values opposed to the foundations of Western civilization. Although Muslims constitute about 7.5 percent of the French population, in a recent poll, 63 percent of French people think Islam "is not compatible with French values." Though many Muslims fled Islamic authoritarian regimes in search of freedom, immigration skeptics cite polls showing support for extreme views among Muslim immigrants, including the imposition of the medieval sharia legal system. A British poll found that 52 percent of Muslims felt homosexuality should be illegal, and almost a quarter supported the introduction of sharia law in England. After opening her country's doors to thousands of Middle Eastern refugees, even popular politicians such as German Chancellor Angela Merkel are facing increased opposition over the influx of refugees viewed as hostile to Western values. Polling suggests that many Muslims around the world believe their faith trumps national law they're not the only ones. Last year, then-presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio said, "We are clearly called, in the Bible, to adhere to our civil authorities, but that conflicts with also a requirement to adhere to God's rules." When "those two come in conflict, God's rules always win." If similar views were expressed by a Christian immigrant, it would be difficult to see how our bureaucracy would distinguish between this view and the views of Muslim immigrants without maintaining a bias solely against Islam. Of course, Congress holds the primary authority to determine the requirements for naturalization, and it may have some serious qualms about a new barrier to both entry and eventual citizenship. Once immigrants become American citizens, they'd have every right to advocate for a sharia law system or laws supporting religious values. Those laws should be struck down absent a constitutional amendment, but clearly, Americans have the right to try to convince other Americans that they should abandon core constitutional protections. On that same logic, in 1987, Congress sought to stop the deportation of people for statements that, "if engaged in by a United States citizen in the United States, would be protected under the Constitution of the United States." Trump's plan cuts the other way, and many citizens would have difficulty passing his litmus test when it comes to issues such as LGBT rights. There are, after all, a sizable number of Americans who view homosexuality as immoral, and some still support the criminalization of such relations. Of course, as citizens, they're subject to no such test. Similarly, some Muslim Americans may prefer sharia law and look to one of the many private Islamic courts in this country, just as some Jewish citizens have voluntarily used a system of Jewish courts for more than a century. The difference is that these systems "supplant" conventional law only on a voluntary basis. Trump's proposal poses logistical problems that go beyond legal or political considerations. Extensive investigations of the social media accounts and personal backgrounds of immigrants is likely to slow legal immigration to a crawl and massively increase the costs of immigration enforcement. Given, though, the growing unease over illegal immigration both inside and outside the United States, many Americans could probably be convinced of the need to beef up resources for the agencies involved or at least slow down the pace of entry to allow for heightened background checks. Regardless of the feasibility of Trump's plan, Hillary Clinton's camp would probably like to avoid this debate by dismissing the proposal on constitutional grounds. It would save her from having to defend an opposing view and reinforce the narrative that Trump's worldview is generally out of bounds. But in advancing a litmus test for entry, a President Trump would be claiming the same unilateral authority so willingly yielded to Obama on immigration over the past eight years. Obama has asserted sweeping, unilateral authority in his opposition to state laws seeking to force deportations. Democrats, including Clinton, enthusiastically supported Obama's assertion of such unilateral powers in exempting undocumented immigrants from deportations. In doing so, they have laid the foundation for Trump to push for the inverse of those policies. It would be difficult, now, for Clinton to claim that Trump cannot use the same unilateral powers to reduce entries as opposed to deportations. Indeed, as a longtime advocate of unilateral executive power over immigration and foreign policy, Clinton would be hard-pressed to challenge Trump's authority to impose such tests absent a conflict with federal law. With this proposal, then, Trump may have found an issue that not only threads the constitutional needle with the courts, but moves the political needle with voters. Jonathan Turley is a professor of law at The George Washington University Law School. He wrote this for the Washington Post. About a week ago, we learned that most people on the Internet were open to attack thanks to a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) implementation flaw in Linux. Zhiyun Qian, an assistant professor of computer science at the University of California at Riverside, warned that it doesnt take a tech genius to exploit the Linux flaw. It can be done easily by anyone in the world, he said. The researchers presented their paper (pdf) at the USENIX Security Symposium. Now researchers at Lookout have warned that eight out of 10 Android devices are open to spying since they are also vulnerable to that same bug. There may be more severe Android vulnerabilities out there, but its not rocket science to exploit this one. Lookout researcher Andrew Blaich told Threatpost that the attack is practical and within reach of hackers. Lookout said the Linux TCP flaw that allows anyone to hijack internet traffic also affects nearly 80% of Android, or around 1.4 billion devices. The mobile security vendor added: The vulnerability allows an attacker to remotely spy on people who are using unencrypted traffic or degrade encrypted connections. While a man in the middle attack is not required here, the attacker still needs to know a source and destination IP address to successfully execute the attack. We can estimate then that all Android versions running the Linux Kernel 3.6 (approximately Android 4.4 KitKat) to the latest are vulnerable to this attack or 79.9% of the Android ecosystem. The flaw has been around since 2012 and version 3.6 of the Linux kernel. Linux has patched CVE-2016-5696, but Lookout did not see the kernel patched in the latest developer preview of Android Nougat. Currently, Lookout is unaware of any proof-of-concept attacks exploiting the vulnerability and expects Android to close the hole in the next Android monthly patch. A Google spokesperson pointed out to Ars Technica that the bug is not Android specific, but within the Linux kernel. Nevertheless, engineers are taking appropriate action. Once it is patched, who knows how long it will take to trickle out to users via their mobile carriers? It would be nice to think no PoC attacks will be spotted in the wild before all Androids are patched; nice and reality are not always compatible. CISOs were advised to be aware that if they are running an enterprise mobility program, then a number of Android devices are potentially vulnerable to a serious spying attack. Lookout encouraged enterprises to check if any of the traffic to their services (e.g., email) is using unencrypted communications. If so, targeted attacks would be able to access and manipulate unencrypted sensitive information, including any corporate emails, documents, or other files. The best bet for Android users to protect themselves is to use a VPN. At the very least, if you dont want to be spied upon, Lookout said to encrypt your communications such as by making sure websites and apps use HTTPS with TLS. From left, Shewit Hailu, Devin Urioste and Diego Florez of Youth on Record perform in 2016. The Denver Foundation Proposals are due to the three-year-old program that administers one of Colorado's largest pools of arts funding on Nov. 2. Artists, put on your smartypants. For the third year, Art Tank is open -- as is a pool of $65,000 in funding for local projects. Proposals are due Wednesday, Nov. 2. Finalists will be invited to present their concepts to a panel of judges and a live, voting audience in Feb. 2017. Complete guidelines are available on The Denver Foundation's website Colorado Art Tank was inspired by a similar model in Arizona, which was itself inspired by Shark Tank, the reality show that gives aspiring entrepreneurs a shot at pitching a panel of highly successful business folks who grill all contestants and reward only the most innovative and promising. A program of The Denver Foundation 's Arts Affinity Group , with partners Colorado Creative Industries and Bonfils-Stanton Foundation , Colorado Art Tank takes on the difficult question of how to fund the arts -- a realm that, in some respects, defies objective evaluation. Full disclosure: I was part of a group -- a collaboration between Buntport Theater Company Playground Ensemble and The Narrators -- that made it to the finals in January but bombed the presentation. We walked away with $1,000 and a list of lessons learned. Slam poet Jovan Mays performs at Art Tank 2016. So, I know from experience: Art Tank is difficult. Prospective Tankers must write a compelling letter of inquiry that explains how their concept is innovative, responsive to community needs, educational, a creative stretch, sustainable, visible, viable and reflective of the mission of the Arts Affinity Group, which advocates for learning through the arts. It's a lot to cover. This year, mercifully, the letter can be two pages; in the past, it was limited to just one. It can be awkward. In Denver, collaboration and camaraderie are hallmarks of the creative scene: If you had drawn a Venn diagram that illustrated how Art Tank 2016 finalists were connected, it would look like a crop circle. Every one was connected by one or two creative degrees. In our city, where an abundance-based mentality suggests there's enough money, audience and talent to go around, a very public competition for resources and accolades is a little counter-intuitive. Arts with purpose Colorado Art Tank is all about impact: How creative people harness and direct their ideas to make metro Denver a better place. Not just more beautiful or entertaining, but more fair, more educated, more engaged. Lighthouse Writers Workshop won $36,000 in grants in 2016. As has been true for a long time, the days of of patronage for purely aesthetic adventures -- a study of how light changes the mood and poetry of a haystack, for example -- are all but over, especially in the foundation world. For some artists, this is a tough shift. There are still plenty of folks who argue, convincingly, that the aesthetic has an impact that is, at first, difficult to project, plot or judge. Yet to the victors, Colorado Art Tank is worth every minute of writing, practice, preparation, philosophical grappling and stress. Just ask Lighthouse Writers Workshop, which was awarded nearly $36,000 in January, including the Bonfils-Stanton Award. Lighthouse has used those funds to support and grow new programs including Write Denver and the Poetree, a literary sculpture. Here are some tips for those considering making the plunge, straight from winners, losers, judges and organizers: When writing your letter of inquiry: Be concise, clear. Don't waste any words being flowery. You can't afford them. Remember, modifying an existing program to target a new audience isn't innovation. Consider partnering with other groups/organizations to split the work and to create a bigger idea. But don't make things too complicated. Find natural partners. The Art Tank is a creative endeavor. Therefore, don't be afraid to take risks with your proposal. If you're pitching a poetry project, write a long poem (but make sure it ticks all of the boxes). Link your proposal to the mission and efforts of the Art Affinity Group. They want to know that you understand their vision and aren't just asking for cash. Numbers, data and facts are your friends. Remember Freshman Comp: Use active verbs. Avoid "ing." Tell stories. Write with a voice. You can't just say you are creative. You have to be creative. When presenting: Focus the audience's attention on the presenter. Also, don't have too many people on stage at once. Simplify. Avoid unnecessary distractions. You don't need props or fog machines. Focus on the ideas and how they work. Talk, mostly, to the audience, not the panel. Present from the center or front of the stage. Balance the "show" with the "tell." Make sure you leave time to explain how your project will have an impact. Tell how it's innovative. Don't assume the art speaks for itself. The audience and judges are looking for specific things. Give them what they want. If your project is new, forecast its impact in specific terms. Show how it will be evaluated, measured and tracked. Treat pilots as if they were existing programs. Be prepared for the five-minute Q&A session that follows the presentation. Practice responses to questions and know who on your team will answer each type of question. Anticipate questions. Take this part very, very seriously. The time goes by fast, so practice, critique, adjust, practice . . . and then practice some more. Breathe. Plan for nerves, then manage them. If you do a slideshow, integrate it, don't rely on it. Also, think really carefully about doing a slideshow. Can you do a great one -- or will it look rote? If you can deliver something awesome, go for it. Practice your pitch in front of multiple types of audiences. Lighthouse, for example, invited community, staff and board members to two separate practice sessions. The feedback made the pitch much stronger. If you're presenting as part of a group, practice together and individually. Record your portion into into a phone and play it back. Adjust and harness tone. Project excitement. Write many drafts of pitch. Get clearer with the message, simpler with delivery. Good luck! It's time to get visionary. This story was underwritten by The Denver Foundation. Cllr John Moss is a councillor in Waltham Forest Scotland and Wales have both removed the Right to Buy from council tenants. In England, councils sat on cash from Right to Buy sales before the 2015 election for political reasons, hoping for a Labour Government and to create the impression that the policy was a failure. Now, the extension of Right to Buy to Housing Association tenants is a massive mess, with councils being robbed to pay unnecessary compensation to Housing Associations. Swift action is needed to save this transformative policy. With both Right to Buy for council homes and its extension to Housing Associations, Conservatives have used the wrong arguments to sell Right to Buy. The Left, as usual, are well organised and they have pushed several anti-arguments to try to discredit the idea. However, it remains something which is very popular with the public, especially council and Housing Association tenants. If we dont want it to go the same way in England as it has in Scotland and Wales we must change some of the rules and we must focus on how it provides new homes which are available for people on waiting lists or in temporary accommodation, not on replacing the homes sold. First, we must re-state the arguments. Right to Buy gives somebody the chance to buy the home they live in. If they didnt buy it, nothing would change. If they couldnt afford to move out, they would still be council or Housing Association tenants, occupying that home and paying a below-market rent which in many cases doesnt even cover the cost of management, maintenance, repairs and renewals. If they could afford to move out, they would need a home elsewhere, so you gain nothing in terms of housing stock. By selling to them at a discount, you extract cash from people who no longer need the support of a below-market rent, cash which can be used to build a new home, available for somebody who does. Second, the discounts are not massive. In fact, in the most expensive parts of England, Right to Buy sales are very low. This is because it doesnt matter if you get 104,000 off the price of a 2 million flat in the City of London or a 3 million Georgian terraced house in Islington, (and its capped at 77,900 outside London). Hardly any council tenants can afford that. Where discounts make a real difference is to families in three-bed semis in city suburbs who want to secure their familys future. Third, one-for-one replacement doesnt matter. The home sold is occupied. Nobody else can live in it. What matters is using the cash released to build new homes which are available for people on waiting lists and in temporary accommodation. Finally, Housing Association tenants should get the Right to Buy where the home was built with Government Grants and Housing Association should recognise that not only do they get cash from the sale, but they lose the responsibility of paying for management, maintenance, repairs and renewals. So overall, theyre getting a pretty good deal from an asset which, as a property let at a below-market rent, was probably worth a lot less than theyre getting for it. They too should stop obsessing about one-for-one replacement and recognise that they are getting cash to build new homes. We also need to change the rules about how councils use the cash. My work last year showed that councils in London are sitting on a lot of cash which they havent used to build new homes. Some have, but many have resorted to giving grants to Housing Associations and charitable housing providers to secure nomination rights, or have simply given the cash back. If they have given it back thats a massive waste because it has sat there for three years doing nothing. So Gavin Barwell, the new Housing Minister, should announce three things as soon as possible. An end to the Voluntary Agreement with Housing Associations and a White Paper on new legislation to extend Right to Buy to Housing Association tenants by legislation. A relaxation of the rules which apply to councils as to how they use Right to Buy receipts. They should be allowed to fund up to 50 per cent of the cost of new homes they build, not 30 per cent as now, and they should be allowed to set rents at up to 90 per cent of the Local Housing Allowance rent for that property. Also, Treasury should no longer clawback parts of the receipt. If this was done this year, many councils whose build projects were put on hold because of George Osbornes ill-advised rent cut might get back on track and we might see more building next year. He should renounce the idea that properties sold under Right to Buy need to be replaced one-for-one and confirm that he wont be using the powers granted to the Communities and Local Government Secretary to take cash from councils to compensate Housing Associations. He should continue to require councils to sell high-value homes when they become vacant, but that cash should be left with councils to build new homes, with the same rules applying as for Right to Buy receipts. Nothing else will accelerate home-building in the public sector as quickly. Labour raise prospects of pact with the SNP One might not have thought that there was much more that Jeremy Corbyns party could do to boost the prospects of the Conservatives at this point, but STV reports that his shadow Scottish Secretary has found a way. According to The Herald, Dave Anderson, an English MP from the North East who also holds the Ulster brief, has since doubled down on his refusal to rule out a Lab-Nat pact after the next election despite Kezia Dugdale, the partys Scottish leader, being opposed. Raising the prospect of having the SNP pulling the strings of a minority Labour administration is widely credited with finally breaking the poll deadlock and delivering the Conservatives shock majority last year. as Mundell warns Sturgeon not to let fanatics get out of control The Scottish Secretary has urged the First Minister of Scotland not to allow the hard-line wing of her party to push her into touting a second referendum, according to The Scotsman. David Mundells message comes amidst fears that the extra dimension of uncertainty created by speculation about an accelerated re-run of 2014s independence referendum is damaging Scottish businesses. Nicola Sturgeons own party also spoke up this week: Angus Robertson warned that the SNP risked a second defeat if Scots felt a Yes vote would make then poorer, and former Cabinet minister Alex Neil also warned against a Brexit-inspired rematch. The Nationalists fixation on separation continues to distort domestic policy: the GMB union has alleged that Scotland is missing out on oil decommissioning contracts because the SNP wont admit the industry is in decline. On a personal note, Sturgeons father suffered an unexpected defeat when he sought to defend a Nationalist council seat this week, apparently because of unionist transfers from the Tories to Labour which cost the Nats control of the council. Smith challenged by Bevan Foundation over Pfizer career The Welsh Labour MP, who is challenging Corbyn for the leadership of the national party, has been challenged on his work for the pharmaceutical industry by the head of a left-wing think-tank. Wales Online tells us that Paul Starling, who founded the social justice think-tank the Bevan Foundation, has laid down the gauntlet for a public debate after Owen Smith cited Aneurin Bevan as one of his heroes. The challenger contends that the NHS needs such companies as it cannot make its own medicines, but opponents have latched onto a critical reporting on Pfizer in the Welsh media during the 2006 Blaenau Gwent by-election in which Smith was the losing Labour candidate. Democratic Unionists defend Brexit support Arlene Foster, the First Minister of Northern Ireland, has defended her partys decision to campaign for Brexit after attacks by their smaller rival, the Ulster Unionists. The UUP have claimed that the reality of Britains decision only appears to be dawning now on the DUP, which they allege only supported Vote Leave in the expectation of defeat, according to the News Letter. Foster described one would-be Ulster Unionist attack dog as a chihuahua, the Sun reports, after he accused her of a u-turn for writing to Theresa May to express her concerns about the Brexit process. Meanwhile the farming unions of all four home nations have joined together to campaign to protect agricultural funding after Britain leaves the EU. Welsh Labour accused of cronyism over special adviser appointments Peter Black, one of the Liberal Democrat assemblymen who lost their seats during the partys near-wipe out in May, has accused Labour of cronyism for appointing several special advisers without advertising the posts. Wales Online reports that the recruitment process used to include external advertisement, but that this has not been the case since 2011. In response, Labour pointed out that: special advisers are political appointments unlike other public jobs; the Lib Dems used the same practises at Westminster during the Coalition; and indeed the Welsh branch did the same when they were in government between 2000 and 2003. Meanwhile, the Welsh Conservatives have accused Plaid Cymru, the separatists, of wanting to have their cake and eat it by simultaneously campaigning both for more UK money and independence. Ulster Unionist attacks NI Executive on Military Covenant Doug Beattie, a UUP MLA for Upper Bann who has published a best-selling book on his Armed Forces experiences, has criticised the Northern Ireland Executive for resiling from the UKs commitment to the Military Covenant, according to the BBC. After writing to the Executive to ask if they would appoint an Ulster representative to the group that oversees the Covenant, the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) replied that it had not been adopted here. Beattie argues that this is impossible, as military issues are reserved to Westminster and therefore applied on a UK-wide basis. The Home Office once told this site that an Extremism Bill, contained in the list of measures announced in May when David Cameron was Prime Minister, was necessary if the likes of Anjem Choudary were to be charged and convicted in other words, people who dont themselves commit violent acts but incite other people to do so. None the less, the odious Choudary is at last on his way to prison. There are claims this morning that his series of front organisations was connected to at least 15 terror plots: his organisation was certainly linked to the 7/7 murderers, Richard Reid (the shoe bomber) and the killer of Lee Rigby. Many who hear the news will feel both satisfaction, because Choudary is now behind bars, and bewilderment, because they will wonder what took the authorities so long. Certainly, there are questions to be answered about why he was allowed by the state to claim benefits and by social media effectively to use it to recruit. And as we wrote previously, it is a damning condemnation of our culture that broadcasters effectively collaborate in building up his influence and reach by giving him publicity. We also suggested that there was a gap in the law which the likes of Choudary can exploit, but there are two main reasons for believing than an Extremism Bill may not be the solution to it. First, there is the simple fact that Choudary is at last in jail: so there may not be an insuperable problem after all. Second, there is no sign to date that the Government will come up with a workable definition of extremism. One PPS to a Minister suggested that anti-extremism legislation could be used against opponents of same-sex marriage, a view echoed in a standard letter from no less senior a Minister than the former Chancellor of the Exchequer. One definition, from the Governments counter-extremism strategy, focuses on vocal or active opposition to fundamental British values. However, such values turn out to be not so much peculiar to Britain as universal to liberal democracies: equality before the law, rights for women and gay people, freedom of expression, and so on. The definition could be narrowed to make opposition to Parliamentary democracy the test. But where would that leave the Marxist academic who distrusts the Parliamentary road to socialism such as Ed Milibands late father? Are fascists, believers in an Islamist state and communists to be criminalised simply for holding a view? The question is different though admittedly linked to whether or not Islamist hate preachers should be allowed on campus to incite hatred against gay people, Jews, non-Islamist Muslims (Sunni extremists rail against Shiites, as Shiite ones do against Sunnis) and so on. Vice-Chancellors have a responsibility to safeguard the welfare of their students, just as social media does to prevent Islamist extremists running riot on, say, Twitter. Neither needs an offence of extremism, written into law, in order to act responsibly. Nor does government before taking down jihadi propaganda from the net. Theresa May has acted deftly since her leadership campaign in junking policies that wont work such as quitting the ECHR, which she personally favoured but which, post-Brexit, risks raising support for Scottish nationalism further and is problematic in relation to Northern Ireland. Since a workable definition of extremism seems to be a contradiction in terms, the Choudary conviction should encourage her to drop that element of the proposed Bill, if not the whole measure. SUBSCRIBE Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates straight in your inbox. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Our weekend morning emails feature the very best news and exclusive content from our team of reporters A troubled private school is set to shut for good just over 14 months after previous owners promised its sale would secure its future for at least five years. The Bolitho School in Penzance has ceased trading immediately and its directors have confirmed the prep' section will not reopen in the new term. A letter sent to parents confirmed the nursery section would remain open, along with a demand for payment of fees. The proprietor of the school, David Ellsmore, was not available for comment. However a spokesman for the 7,000 a year school said that it had simply been unable to attract enough pupils to keep it going. "Despite intensive marketing and networking efforts, Bolitho Prep School has been unable to attract sufficient pupil numbers to sustain a viable school environment," he said. "Regrettably, the directors have had no option other than to place the Prep School in liquidation." The spokesman said that the headteacher would try and assist parents to find alternative placements for existing pupils. The announcement marks the end for the school which has passed between three owners in twice as many years. Last May, St Ives-based Porthia Education Limited acquired it from GEMS (Global Education Management Systems Ltd) promising parents a bold new future. In a statement last May, GEMS told parents that the move was good news : "The prospective new owners have promised that the school will stay open for at least five years." GEMS bought Bolitho in 2009 after it had run into financial difficulties and parents came up with the money to avert closure, while teachers took a 15% pay cut. The company made several significant investments in the school in the ensuing five years but announced the school's closure at the end of the 2015 summer term due to falling pupil numbers, which were down to 170. In the last year, the school has made major efforts to boost its profile and attract new starters. The school had undertaken discussions with Truro School , the county's biggest independent educational establishment, with a view to forming a partnership. Earlier this year, it was announced the world famous Italia Conti theatre school would establish an associate branch at Bolitho School. Just one month ago, head teacher Nicola Hemsley wrote in her blog about the "end of a chapter in the history of Bolitho School" as they said goodbye to Year 11 and Year 13 students, as well as a number of members of staff. She wrote: "As the quote says, every ending in life is a new beginning, and that is certainly true of Bolitho School. "I very much look forward to seeing you all again in September and wish you a very happy, safe and fun summer holiday with your families and friends." However, a letter sent to parents today said the school was "not in a position to continue trading and steps are being taken to place the company into liquidation." The letter said the trading activities would come to an "immediately close" and went on to say: "This is very sad news for us all and the result of this position means that the prep school cannot open for the new academic year." The letter said that the nursery section would continue under new owners, Cornwallis Care Services Ltd, which runs nursing homes for adults with dementia in St Ives, Tywardreath and Lostwithiel. A spokesman said: "Bolitho Nursery will continue to provide educational and care services to young children in the community with its new owner, Cornwallis Care Services Limited. "The existing nursery staff have been offered continuous employment with similar positions and terms of working." School proprietor Mr Ellsmore is a director of Porthia Education Ltd, Cornwallis Care and the Porthia Group, one of the largest privately owned and run construction companies in the South West. The company was asked to detail how many pupils were currently at the school, how many staff would be made redundant and what would happen to the building, but no further details were available. The school was founded in 1889 as the Church of England High School for Girls before joining the Woodard Corporation and becoming the School of St Clare in 1928; it was renamed the Bolitho School in 1995 after becoming co-educational. It has an illustrious history and in 1937 was the school chosen by the Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie, to educate his grand-daughter Princess Aida Desta. One of its famous old girls was the prolific Cornish author Rosamund Pilcher, and her book, Coming Home, depicts life at the school. Bring them here! Close the camps Call from Refugee Action Coalition and Plan International Australia for release of children and closure of camps. During the election, Malcolm Turnbull and Immigration Minister Peter Dutton tried to use the refugee issue to win votes. But their efforts failed to work. A Let Them Stay rally in Sydney earlier this year. (Photo: Anna Pha) The Refugee Action Coalition points out that Dutton paradoxically blamed refugees for taking jobs and sitting on welfare, while Turnbull claimed that electing Labor would put border security at risk. But despite the scare campaign, the election was far from a strong endorsement of Turnbull. The Coalition only narrowly avoided election defeat, and will hold onto government with among the thinnest of majorities. The end of August marks 15 years since the Tampa affair, when then Liberal Prime Minister John Howard sent the SAS onto the commercial tanker Tampa to stop a boatload of refugees reaching Australia. They became the first asylum seekers sent to Nauru. Now the Coalitions promises to stop the boats and keep out refugees are no longer the winning electoral formula they seemed in the past. Furthermore, the system of offshore detention is facing a major crisis over Manus Island. On April 26 the PNG Supreme Court held that detention on Manus Island was unlawful and the detention centre would have to close. Further court action in PNG is under way, in an effort to force both PNG and Australia to act on the ruling. But there is nowhere else for the Manus asylum seekers and refugees to come but Australia. The same is true on Nauru, where there are no arrangements for permanent resettlement of those found to be refugees. We need to keep up the pressure to demand the government bring them here. For them, and for the 30,000 still being processed, we need to demand permanent visas, not Temporary Protection Visas where the threat of being sent back to danger hangs over them. The governments new fast track processing is deeply unfair. Appeal rights must be reinstated. The tide of public opinion is shifting. A strong majority of people now want those found to be refugees on Manus Island and Nauru to come to Australia. And the overwhelming majority will be found to be refugees. The 267 asylum seekers in Australia from Nauru and Manus Island have still not been returned, thanks to the Let Them Stay movement earlier this year. We need to step up the pressure to close the camps and bring them all here. Children out Child rights organisation Plan International Australia has renewed calls to the Coalition government to immediately release all children held in detention, following the release of leaked reports outlining abuse of children held on Nauru. Like so many Australians we are again waking up to shocking news of torture and abuse of children in our care on Nauru and wondering how our government can sanction this flagrant abuse of human rights. No child belongs in prison, Plan International Australia Acting CEO Dave Husy says. We are extremely concerned for the well-being of the 49 very vulnerable children who are currently held on Nauru. It is clear that their ongoing detention is in breach of international human rights obligations.* More than half of the 2,116 reports revealed by the UK Guardian last week involve children, although children made up only about 18 percent of those in detention on Nauru during the time covered by the reports, May 2013 to October 2015. In line with Article 31 of the Refugee Convention, detention of asylum-seekers should always only be used as a last resort and for as short a time as possible. We want a commitment from the Coalition to never detain children during the process of determining their legal status. We remind the government that Australia is a signatory to the UNs Convention against Torture. That means we have made a commitment that cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment is never justified under any circumstances. Rather than using vulnerable children as a deterrent to those seeking asylum, there should be a bipartisan approach to developing workable sustainable regional protection solutions. Husy added that the upcoming United Nations Summit on Refugees and Migrants on September 19 is an opportune time for the government to commit to releasing children in detention. We have long said that detention centres are no place for a child. We are locking up children, some of whom are not even accompanied by their parents or families, and thats something Australia ought to be ashamed of. These children have done nothing wrong. They have become innocent victims and are paying the highest price imaginable for political gain. We have to consider the welfare of the children before the politics of immigration detention. Husy also renewed Plan International Australias call for an independent monitor for children in detention. * 48 children were held on Nauru as of June 30, 2016 Editorial Whose terrorism? The UN has never had an agreed definition of terrorism, because terrorism, like ones attitude to many other issues, is determined by a class position. As such it includes the question of independence and sovereignty who is on the side of colonialists and imperialists and who is on the side of those who are for national liberation and independence. The poverty stricken and unemployed are not terrorists but are legitimately using the only weapons they have to fight for a better life; for work and the means to get out of their grinding poverty. In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict the Israelis have regularly branded Palestinians as terrorists. Yet the Palestinians are responding to the military terror unleashed against the whole Palestinian people over many decades by the Israeli authorities. They are responding to the refusal of the Israelis to accept their legitimate demand for the creation of an independent Palestinian state. The actions of the Israeli government are an example of modern state terrorism that is unleashed against any people who take up the struggle for their national liberation. When in South Africa the ANC established a military arm, Umkhonto we Sizwe (Spear of the Nation), which carried out some military actions against the infrastructure of apartheid, they were branded as terrorists by the apartheid regime. Most people now regard them as freedom fighters. The class nature of terrorism is also illustrated by the catch-all legislation enacted by almost all western governments in the name of anti-terrorism. This legislation is so sweeping it justifies the term creeping fascism and can be used against anyone that the government of the day wishes to suppress trade unions, environmentalists; even refugees escaping from war and oppression have been branded as potential terrorists. The enactment of such catch-all legislation reflects preparations by the ruling class for the time when protests grow as a result of economic crisis and the resultant unemployment and growing poverty and hardship, as can be seen in a growing number of countries. The world is now facing perhaps the most dangerous period in all history in which a cycle of endless and escalating war, waged with the most horrendous weapons, is leading to unparalleled destruction. US imperialisms pronouncement of endless war and military interventions are being carried into many countries and each intervention and war will be accompanied by the establishment of governments which will do the bidding of their US masters. Central to the objectives of the conflicts currently cutting a swathe of destruction through a number of countries in the Middle East perpetrated by the US and NATO, is to surround China with US military forces and the establishment of bases. This strategy is in response to the long-term decline in the overall economic position of the United States. The economic centre of the world is shifting slowly but decisively from the US and Europe to Asia with Chinas economic growth central to that shift. Staggering crimes have been carried out by the US and its allies over more than two decades of brutish and criminal assaults on the people of the Middle East, from Afghanistan to the current conflict in Syria. Consider the victims of US wars, surrogate and direct since WW2; Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, Liberia, Cuba, Guatemala, Grenada, Palestine, Lebanon, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras, Angola, Yugoslavia the list goes on. This is the face of imperialist terrorism. Happy birthday Fidel! The Communist Party of Australia sends a greeting of solidarity to Commander Fidel Castro on his 90th birthday. Bob Briton, CPA General Secretary, doing the honours of cutting the ribbon at the opening of the Fidel bar at the Royal Park Doghouse Club in Adelaide, August 13. Comrade Fidel was born in Biran, Holguin Cuba on August 13, 1926. This year in August is a special occasion being celebrated by people around the world; the 90th birthday of Fidel Castro. Australia is no exception with the Australia-Cuba Friendship Society in Perth, Western Australia organising an exhibition of photographs by Roberto Chile who accompanied Fidel for more than 25 years. The photographic exhibition named Fidel is Fidel has become a worldwide event and captures very special moments of Fidel Castro from 2005 to 2012. Fidel is one of those human beings who have been able to transcend borders to become a universal figure. His futuristic vision in particular has helped many countries in Latin America and other parts of the world to develop their health and education systems. He has become an example to follow for many; a beacon of our time and posterity. To reach 90 for anyone is amazing but Fidel has done so despite more than 600 attempts on his life by the enemies of progress who try to deny Cuba the right to self-determination in their struggle for freedom and the building of a socialist society. Fidel has dedicated his entire life to the Cuban people and their socialist revolution. Since his early years of the Moncada to the Sierra Maestra guerrilla struggle, the US missile crisis and the collapse of the Soviet Union and the eastern bloc, he has continued in the pursuit of a better world, to win the battle of ideas and to build socialism in Cuba. His personal qualities as a revolutionary leader and his concept of solidarity and internationalism have made his name and that of Cuba respected the world over. For that reason we join all those around the globe who were affected by the disaster of hurricanes such as Mitch, earthquakes, radiation sickness, illiteracy and poverty who admire and celebrate you. We thank you for all the doctors and educators who selflessly work where others simply cant go. We join those who have been able to study medicine free of charge at the Latin America School of Medicine and those who have been able to see the light thanks to the Miracle Operation say happy birthday Fidel. A big embrace from Australian communists and other good-hearted people down under. * Vinnie Molina is CPA President Weapon of mass surveillance The 2016 Census is a massive and potentially dangerous invasion of privacy, the likes of which has never been witnessed before in Australia. Despite all the talk about deletion of names and addresses after four years, the intent is to keep such information for linkage to other data collections. Big Brother or Corporate Dictatorship is writ large over the 2016 Census. The extent to which the 2016 Census becomes an unreliable collection of personal data remains to be seen. But there is no doubt about the lack of trust in and frustration with the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) conduct of the Census. It is looking more like a weapon of mass surveillance than a collection of aggregate data. It also adds to the data being compiled by the governments meta data retention laws, by various internet providers and intelligence agencies. It was the first online Census and turned into farce as the ABS website went down on census night (August 9) when millions of Australians attempted to fill out the online form. The debacle only added to the governments woes over the already highly controversial census. The simplest and most obvious explanation is the system could not handle the peak volumes of traffic the last thing the ABS or government were willing to admit. The census has historically played an important role in providing aggregate statistical information that can be used in making decisions such as for the provision of services or infrastructure and to researchers. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull claims that the ABS Always protects peoples privacy and that the security of personal details is absolute and that is protected by law and practice. No matter what guarantees Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his Ministers make about the security of the information, they are meaningless. In this digital age, there are no such guarantees. Census is meant to collect aggregated data for planning purposes. It is a breach of trust to turn it into a giant database with highly personal information linked to our names and addresses, the Australian Privacy Foundation (APF) pointed out. A key The ABS says, Names and addresses will be used by the ABS to generate anonymous keys that can be used to combine existing data sets to create richer and more valuable statistics for Australia. These keys are known as SLK ID (statistical linkage key) numbers. They form the basis of a national ID system in which the compulsory provision of names and addresses in the 2016 Census plays an important role. The combination of Census data and health data can help improve Australias understanding and support of people who require mental health services and assist with the design of better programs of support and prevention, the ABS says. That begs the question: What other data sets? MyHealth medical records, Pharmaceutical Benefit Scheme records, mental health, social security, NewStart, tax, workers compensation? MyHealth has now been changed to an opt out scheme without the knowledge of many people. Will individuals be grouped on the basis of religion or politics or country of birth? What would an ultra right-wing government do with this information? Australians will be given no say in how this information will be used. The ABS says the provision of names and addresses is compulsory and is threatening people who do not comply with fines of $180 a day until their Census is correctly returned. Former Australian Statistician Bill McClelland raises the question of the demands being made breaching the Privacy Act. the composition of a census, as defined in legislation, does not include matching the census data with administrative data, after the census has been taken, McClelland said. Honey pot In this digital age, no one can guarantee the security of electronically stored data. Hackers will see it as a tempting honey pot of rich personal information which could be worth millions of dollars if sold on to corporations. It would also be attractive to employers, insurance companies and other parasites. The 2016 approach is an incremental change to the widely publicised and consulted Census Data Enhancement program undertaken with the 2006 and 2011 Census, the ABS said. Again, another question: What is the next incremental change? The retention of names and addresses and plans to link them with other records is designed to provide the government and other agencies and organisations with a centralised collection of personal details of every resident. No guarantee of security The Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Government keep claiming that the information will be secure because it is protected by law. This is rubbish. Laws can be changed. Laws can be broken. Intelligence agencies are unaccountable and from time to time are exposed for their illegal operations. We might never know how they are using it. The government called in the Signals Directorate to identify the source of the problems on Census day. We have already been told that they may not be able to tell the public its findings for security reasons! McLennan has spoken out strongly against the linkage of names and addresses to other data and their retention. Leaks of information can arise through hacking, from internal sources or just straight-out negligence. The Department of Immigrations bungle saw 9,250 asylum seekers details published online. There is only one way to prevent data breaches occurring and that is not to hold the information in the first place. Census outsourced Hardly reassuring when laws can be changed and significant parts of the operation of the online collection of personal information has been outsourced to Softlayer, a subsidiary of the private US corporation IBM. The information passes through Softlayer before the ABS receives it. The Australian Privacy Foundation raises a number of important questions about this outsourcing: What legal arrangements have been entered into between the ABS and IBM/Softlayer to ensure the security of data? Will the Census-related data be sent outside Australia or processed offshore? What other data IBM might be collecting on Australians, such as their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses? As IBM/Softlayer is subject to US law, can any data obtained or processed or stored by them be lawfully accessed, such as under the Patriot Act, by US government agencies such as the National Security Agency? National ID system The move to establish a national identification system, attaching a unique number to each resident was defeated by the Senate and public opposition in 1987. The Hawke Labor governments Australia Card was dropped and the tax file number scheme to enable cross-referencing benefits received and tax paid by individuals. The next attempt was by the Howard government in 2006. Howard tried to sell the card by emphasising its non-compulsory nature. It would replace 19 other cards being used by people to access Medicare, pensions, unemployment benefits, family tax benefits, concessions for medicines and so on. It would initially include a digital photograph, a unique number, signature, date of birth and address on its embedded computer chip. People could choose to have their health and emergency contact numbers on it for the use of ambulance staff. It was claimed that such a card was needed following the 2005 London bombings, although the proposed uses hardly seemed relevant to catching terrorists. The 2016 Census has all the makings of a national ID system with a unique number (SLK ID number statistical linkage key) allocated to each resident and centralisation of personal data. Who can you believe? McCormack was quick to claim that No census data was compromised and no data was lost. This was before any investigation took place! And, we have been advised that when the Armys Signals Directorate has finished its thorough and transparent investigation we are unlikely to be told its findings for security reasons! The most likely scenario according to most analysts with a technical background, unlike many of the government ministers, is simple overload which crashed the system. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said the site was taken down out of an abundance of caution. Australian Bureau of Statistics head David Kalisch blamed overseas cyber attacks. The debate around the cause of the crash and the inability of people to fill out the online form or get through on the telephone to request a paper form has diverted attention from the purpose of the Census. Attorney General George Brandis said it was not a cyber attack, just numerous attempts of denial-of-service by foreign sources. These attempts of denial of service simulate a lot of users trying to access the site at the same time resulting in a crash. And all these claims before the investigation into the causes had been carried out! The Australian Privacy Foundation has called on the government to: Scrap the current census Hold a Senate Committee investigation into the ABSs failures and in regard to privacy and personal information security Abandon the requirement for names, including the names of peoples employers Amend the Census and Statistics Act the so that there can be no use of census data for data linking Abandon the threat of fines for non-completion Conduct an open, independent Information technology risk and privacy impact assessment which would include the vulnerabilities of the new online collection model and the new SLK ID number. As former Deputy Privacy Commissioner and a privacy consultant for the past 12 years, Anna Johnson says, The Census should be a national snapshot, not a tool for detailed data-linking on every individual. Just how corrupt is the UK? Even though brown envelopes are less ubiquitous in Britain than they are in places like Afghanistan and Nigeria, there can be no doubt that the country is seriously corrupt, says Ian Fraser. There have been recently quite a few people who have been insisting Britain isnt corrupt. They claim to see nothing wrong with former Prime Minister David Cameron describing countries such as Afghanistan and Nigeria, whose leaders were in London for the Anti-Corruption Summit in May, as fantastically corrupt. When Cameron was caught on camera uttering these words in what he thought was a private conversation with the Queen, his clear insinuation was that their former colonial master is, by comparison, whiter than white. Britains Queen Elizabeth speaks with Prime Minister David Cameron when he dropped his fantastically corrupt bomb. On social media, many people subsequently claimed they could see nothing wrong with the prime ministers remarks. As evidence they cite Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), according to which Britain is the 10th least corrupt country of 168 countries surveyed. Or, to be precise, Britain is ranked 10th least corrupt country, alongside Luxembourg and Germany. By contrast, Afghanistan, where Britain fought a war from 2001-14, was ranked 166th, and Nigeria, which was a British colony until 1960, was ranked 136th. However, the methodology Transparency International uses to produce its corruption index is flawed. It is based on subjective perceptions of corruption garnered from pre-existing surveys and interviews whose very subjectivity means theres a risk of reinforcing existing stereotypes not from primary research. Off the scale Even though brown envelopes are less ubiquitous here than they are in places like Afghanistan and Nigeria, there can be no doubt that Britain is seriously corrupt. The failure to prosecute any of the bankers who are widely believed to have committed fraud in the run-up to the banking crisis and our so-called two-tier justice system are clear evidence for that. This was encapsulated by the announcement from Scotlands state prosecutor, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, on May 12 that it had found insufficient evidence to press criminal charges on Fred Goodwin or other former directors of Royal Bank of Scotland, despite what is widely considered to have been the banks fraudulent rights issue in April 2008. That was capped by the appointment of the Lord Advocate who presided over the inquiry or should I say whitewash? The bailing out of kleptocratic banks with more than 1.3 trillion of taxpayers funds in 2008-09 without demanding or enforcing structural or behavioural change on the banking sector is another sign of, at best, crony capitalism and, at worst, corruption. One might argue that the rebranding of criminal fraud as misselling and misconduct is another; as is the UK governments shameful kowtowing to the congenitally corrupt HSBC, which saw Camerons government last year water down much-needed post-crisis banking reforms, after Europes largest bank rattled its sabre and threatened to remove its headquarters from the UK. Other signs of insidious corruption in the UK include the ability of the former prime minister Tony Blair to (i) appease bankers by enfeebling City regulation, mainly in 2002-07, a period when he and fellow Labour cabinet ministers repeatedly intervened to prevent the Financial Services Authority from doing its job in order to protect banks from much-needed scrutiny; (ii) take a $3-million-a-year senior advisory role with JPMorgan Chase within weeks of leaving Downing Street. And dont get me started on the other roles Blair has fulfilled since 2007, including his notorious 5 million deal to launder the image of Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev, a man accused of horrendous human rights abuses. The revolving door between Westminster/Whitehall and the City of London/private sector is not the exclusive preserve of former prime ministers. Former chancellor Alistair Darling is now a director of US banking giant Morgan Stanley, and former chief secretary of the Treasury Danny Alexander, who lost his parliamentary seat in the May 2015 general election, is now vice-president and corporate secretary of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. And of course, another former Labour prime minister, Gordon Brown, last December joined the global advisory board of Pimco, the worlds largest bond fund manager. According to a piece in the Daily Mail, these four are just the tip of the iceberg. Nearly 400 former government ministers and senior civil servants have, since 2008, cashed in on their experience of government in order to pass through the gilded revolving door into lucrative private sector and regulatory jobs. The revolving door also works in the other direction, with, for example, Stephen Green, former chairman of HSBC, ennobled by Cameron so he could become a trade minister. As the door has spun at warp speed, so the scope for corruption has intensified. The recent failure of David Camerons government, despite the revelations contained in the Panama Papers, to force Britains Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, which include the British Virgin Islands, and indeed the City of London itself, to become more open and transparent and to cease acting as a hiding place for tax evaders, money launderers, drug barons, fraudsters and corrupt politicians to stash their ill-gotten gains as the most glaring recent example of corruption. The governments of Nigeria, Kenya, France and Afghanistan all recently committed to providing public registers of the beneficial ownership of companies, trusts and foundations. But the UKs tax and secrecy havens are refusing to make any such commitment and Cameron has no intention of forcing their hands. Fuelling war Dirty money from tax-evading oligarchs and other nefarious individuals is inflating Londons property bubble (in the process turning the capital into even more of an unlivable city for ordinary mortals) at the same time as adding what is perceived to be much-needed liquidity to Londons financial markets. However, in welcoming it, were effectively giving a getaway vehicle to international gangsters. In the process were fuelling international crime, war and terrorism and depriving developing countries including Russia, China and India of hundreds of billions of dollars that are rightfully theirs. None of this would be possible were it not for the UKs notoriously feeble anti-money laundering defences. In its excellent Dont Look, Wont Find report, Transparency International highlighted how so-called professionals in banking, accountancy, law, estate agency and company formation as well as direct sellers of products and services to wealthy foreigners including auction houses, purveyors of luxury goods and private schools are ushering in this toxic tide. Most of the 22 regulators that are supposed to stem the flow of dirty money into the UK were revealed to be far more interested in cheerleading and lobbying for their member firms (which of course make huge sums from laundering dirty cash) than in regulating them. Such self-regulation has become an utter farce. Scotlands company factories The situation in company formation is particularly worrying. Anyone from anywhere in the world can set up an opaque UK-registered limited partnership (LP) (shell company) for a relatively small fee, on a no-questions-asked basis. Companies House admits that verifying the identities of those who incorporate such vehicles, or checking whether they have legitimate intent, are outside its remit. Last summer Richard Smithand I, when researching the role of Scottish limited partnerships (SLPs) in a US$1 billion Moldovan bank fraud, discovered that such vehicles are now widely recognised as Europes secrecy vehicle of choice and are widely favoured by organised criminals, tax evaders, fraudsters and money launderers. Today these secrecy vehicles are being churned out at a rate of 6,000 a year (up from 500 a year in 2008) by company factories based in a twilight zone of modest ex-council flats in housing schemes in places like Edinburgh and Inverness in Scotland. We found that a single ground-floor, one-bedroom flat located in the neighbourhood where Irvine Welsh set his Trainspotting movie was not only home to two company formation businesses Royston Business Services and Arran Business Services but was also the registered address of 425 companies. At least 90 percent of the Scottish limited partnerships churned out by these company factories have anonymous general and limited partners (corporate beneficial owners) located in offshore secrecy havens such as the British Virgin Islands, Marshall Islands, Seychelles, Belize and Panama. Fortuna United was controlled by two firms purportedly based in Seychelles Trafford United Ltd, where the flats owner Viktorija Zirnelyte is the sole director, and Brixton Ventures Ltd, where her fellow Lithuanian Remigijus Mikalauskas is sole director. Scottish limited partnerships along similar lines to Fortuna United whose opacity is so impregnable its virtually impossible to verify the purpose to which theyre being put, who controls them or the sums being channelled through them are today being heavily marketed by outfits across Central and Eastern Europe including Darwin Tax (believed to be a feeder for Zirnelyte and Mikalauskas), Five Consult, Gestion Baltic, Inlat Plus, LTSS and Sanemto, all Riga-based, and by incorporation agents based in jurisdictions including Belarus, Belize, Cyprus, Dominica, Greece, Ukraine (where there are a great many providers), Panama, Russia and Hong Kong. Shell companies If it was not for the ready availability of anonymous shell companies registered in supposedly reputable tax havens and jurisdictions such as the UK, time could be called on the offshore game. Without them, the corrupt would be unable to loot developing countries without leaving fingerprints, and Western firms, allegedly including Rolls-Royce, Petrofac and Weir Group would have no anonymous conduits with which to grease the palms of overseas officials and politicians in the hope of securing lucrative contracts. In her excellent BBC Radio 4 File on 4 documentary on the Unaoil scandal first broadcast on May 10, Dirty Oil, Jane Deith revealed how UK-based shell companies, including Comex Industries LLP, were allegedly being used by Monaco-based Unaoil to funnel bribes to, among others, Iraqi politicians. Despite the recent grandiloquent claims from former PM David Cameron, neither the British nor the Scottish government seems willing to do anything to address this particular open sore, as the revised beneficial ownership rules he keeps trumpeting dont apply to limited partnerships with overseas-based general partners and limited partners. David Whyte, professor at the University of Liverpool, recently produced a comprehensive guide that includes other examples of serious corruption in the UK. Editor of the book How Corrupt Is Britain?, Whyte summed up the situation in an earlier interview given to Afshin Rattansi of RTs Going Underground. In the interview, Whyte said: We have a national myth that Britain is not corrupt ... Theres an almost racist assumption that Britain is not infected by corruption ... in banking, the SFO [Serious Fraud Office] only prosecutes about 20 cases a year, but there are around 40,000 burglaries that end up with prosecutions each year ... we have a problem of impunity and a problem with institutions which are unable to hold the powerful to account. Still, at least were in the worlds top 10 least corrupt countries according to Transparency Internationals Corruption Perceptions Index anyway. Responding to Camerons fantastically corrupt comment, Cobus de Swardt, managing director of Transparency International, said: There is no doubt that historically, Nigeria and Afghanistan have had very high levels of corruption, and that continues to this day. But the leaders of those countries have sent strong signals that they want things to change, and the London Anti-Corruption Summit creates an opportunity for all the countries present to sign up to a new era. This affects the UK as much as other countries: we should not forget that by providing a safe haven for corrupt assets, the UK and its Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies are a big part of the worlds corruption problem. Third World Resurgence Corporate funding of social activism This year the World Social Forum is being held in Montreal, regrouping committed social activists, anti-war collectives and prominent intellectuals. The commencement of the World Social Forum kicks off with a march. Most of the participants are unaware that the WSF is funded by corporate foundations including Ford, Rockefeller, Tides, et al. Much of this funding is channelled to the WSF organisers under the helm of the WSF International Council. This is an issue which has been raised on numerous occasions with progressive organisations and WSF activists: you cannot effectively confront neo-liberalism and the New World Order elites and expect them to finance your activities. The World Social Forum operating under the banner of Another World is Possible was founded in 2001 at its inaugural venue of Porto Alegre, Brazil. From the outset in 2001, the WSF has been upheld as an international umbrella representing grassroots peoples organisations, committed to reversing the tide of globalisation. Its stated intent is to challenge corporate capitalism and its dominant neo-liberal economic agenda. The World Social Forum at its inaugural meeting defined itself as a counter-offensive to the World Economic Forum (WEF) of business leaders and politicians which meets annually in Davos, Switzerland. The 2001 Porto Alegre WSF was held simultaneously with that of the WEF in Davos. While there have been many important accomplishments of the WSF, largely as a result of the commitment of grassroots activists, the core leadership of WSF rather than effectively confronting the New World Order elites has (often unwittingly) served their corporate interests. In this process, co-optation has been achieved through the corporate funding of the WSF. Among the two major accomplishments are the participation of the WSF in the February 2003 Worldwide protest against the US led war on Iraq. The WSF has also supported progressive movements and governments, particularly in Latin America. In contrast, at the Tunis 2013 WSF, the final declaration paid lip service to to the US sponsored Syrian opposition. Similarly the Al-Qaeda affiliated Libya Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) which allegedly led the Arab Spring against the government of Muammar Gaddafi was tacitly upheld as a revolutionary force. Several workshops on Libya applauded Western military intervention. A session entitled Libyas transition to democracy focused on whether Libya was better off without Muammar Gaddafi. Funding dissent From the outset in 2001, the World Social Forum was funded by governments and corporate foundations, including the Ford Foundation which has ties to US intelligence. The anti-globalisation movement is opposed to Wall Street and the Texas oil giants controlled by Rockefeller, et al. Yet the foundations and charities of Ford, Rockefeller et al will generously fund progressive anti-capitalist networks as well as environmentalists (opposed to Wall Street and Big Oil), etc. with a view to ultimately overseeing and shaping their various activities. The mechanisms of manufacturing dissent require a manipulative environment, a process of arm-twisting and subtle co-optation of a small number of key individuals within progressive organisations, including anti-war coalitions, environmentalists and the anti-globalisation movement. Many leaders of these organisations have in a sense betrayed their grassroots. The corporations are funding dissent with a view to controlling dissent. The Ford Foundation (which has links to the CIA) provided funding under its Strengthening Global Civil Society program during the first three years of the WSF. When the WSF was held in Mumbai in 2004, the Indian WSF host committee declined support from the Ford Foundation. This in itself did not modify the WSFs relationship to the donors. While the Ford Foundation formally withdrew, other foundations positioned themselves. The WSF among several sources of funding is supported by a consortium of corporate foundations under the advisory umbrella of Engaged Donors for Global Equity (EDGE). This organisation, which previously went under the name of The Funders Network on Trade and Globalisation (FTNG), has played a central role in the funding of successive WSF venues. From the outset in 2001, it had an observer status on the WSF International Council. In 2013, the Rockefeller Brothers representative Tom Kruse co-chaired EDGEs program committee. At the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Kruse was responsible for Global Governance under the Democratic Practice program. Rockefeller Brothers grants to NGOs are approved under the Strengthening Democracy in Global Governance program, which is broadly similar to that put forth by the US State Department. A representative of the Open Society Initiative for Europe currently sits on EDGEs Board of directors. The Wallace Global Fund is also on its Board of Directors. The Wallace Global Fund is specialised in providing support to mainstream NGOs and alternative media, including Amnesty International, and Democracy Now (which supports Hillary Clintons candidacy for president of the US). The donors not only fund the activities, they also influence the structure of the WSF venue, which was determined in Puerto Alegre in 2001, namely the decentralised and dispersed mosaic of do it yourself workshops. With regard to the Montreal WSF, the Consortium of Donors (EDGE) intent is: to develop an intersectional space for funders and various movement partners organisers thought leaders and practitioners to build alignment by cultivating a shared understanding of the visions, values, principles and pathways of a just transition. (See edgefunders.org/wsf-activities) Just Transition implies that social activism has to conform to a shared vision with the corporate foundations, i.e. nothing which in a meaningful way might upset the elite structures of global capitalism. From the standpoint of the corporate donors investing in the WSF constitutes a profitable (tax deductible) undertaking. It ensures that activism remains within the confines of constructive dialogue and critique rather than confrontation. Any deviation immediately results in the curtailment of donor funding: Everything the [Ford] Foundation did could be regarded as making the World safe for capitalism, reducing social tensions by helping to comfort the afflicted, provide safety valves for the angry, and improve the functioning of government. (McGeorge Bundy, National Security Advisor to Presidents John F Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson (1961-1966), President of the Ford Foundation, (1966-1979)) The limits of social dissent are thereby determined by the governance structure of the WSF, which was tacitly agreed upon with the funding agencies at the outset in 2001. No Leaders The WSF has no leaders. All the events are self-organised. The structure of debate and activism is part of an open space (See Francine Mestrum, The World Social Forum and its governance: a multi-headed monster, CADTM, 27 April 2013, cadtm.org/The-World-Social-Forum-and-its). This compartmentalised structure is an obstacle to the development of a meaningful and articulate mass movement. The mosaic of separate WSF workshops, the relative absence of plenary sessions, the creation of divisions within and between social movements, not to mention the absence of a cohesive and unified platform against the Wall Street corporate elites, against the fake US sponsored global war on terrorism, which has been used to justify US-NATOs humanitarian R2P (Responsibility to Protect) interventions (Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Ukraine, etc). The corporate agenda is to manufacture dissent. The limits of dissent are established by the foundations and governments which ultimately finance this multimillion dollar venue. The financing is threefold: Core financing of the WSF Secretariat and the costs of the WSF venue. Many of the constituent NGOs which participate in the venue are recipients of donor and/or government support. The WSF venue in Montreal also receives funding from the government of Canada as well as from the Quebec provincial government. What ultimately prevails is a ritual of dissent which does not threaten the New World Order. Those who attend the WSF from the grassroots are often misled by their leaders. Activists who do not share the WSF consensus will ultimately be excluded: By providing the funding and the policy framework to many concerned and dedicated people working within the non-profit sector, the ruling class is able to co-opt leadership from grassroots communities, and is able to make the funding, accounting, and evaluation components of the work so time consuming and onerous that social justice work is virtually impossible under these conditions (Paul Kivel, You Call this Democracy, Who Benefits, Who Pays and Who Really Decides, 2004, p. 122) Another World is Possible is nonetheless an important concept, which characterises the struggle of the peoples movements against global capitalism as well as the commitment of thousands of committed activists who are currently participating in the Montreal 2016 WSF. Activism is being manipulated: Another World is Possible cannot, however, be achieved under the auspices of the WSF which from the outset was funded by global capitalism and organised in close liaison with its corporate and government donors. The important question for activists in Montreal: Is it possible to build an Alternative to global capitalism, which challenges the hegemony of the Rockefellers et al and then asks the Rockefellers et al to foot the bill? We call upon participants of the Montreal World Social Forum (WSF) to raise and debate these issues: the campaign against neo-liberalism is financed by corporate foundations (and governments) which are firmly committed not only to the tenets of neo-liberalism but also to the US-NATO led military agenda. Why would they fund organisations which are actively campaigning against war and globalisation? The answer is obvious. globalresearch.ca Israel jails Jewish activists Palestinians living in Hebron, in the West Bank, are not allowed to enter certain parts of their city without permission from the Israeli government. Most stretches of Al-Shuhada Street, which used to be a main thoroughfare, are off bounds altogether. If their homes face the street, Palestinians must enter through the back, which means walking through steep, narrow, torturous alleyways. Israeli borderguards talk to a Palestinian man and his family at a checkpoint. Hebron once was thriving. It is mentioned in the Bible as the place where Abraham and his family are buried, making it holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. The Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs, located at the foot of Al-Shuhada Street, was one of the worlds busiest tourist attractions and many Palestinians had small shops catering to the tourist trade. No more. In the mid 1990s, the Israeli army took over the area. Ultra-Orthodox Jewish fanatics moved in. Palestinians were barred from making a living. Those who could moved out. Today, some 700 Jews live in Hebron protected by almost twice as many soldiers. Many would seem not to need such protection because they carry automatic rifles slung across their chest and continually threaten Palestinians they pass. There are anti-Arab racist signs and graffiti everywhere. It is commonplace for the Jews to curse, spit and throw rocks at their Palestinian neighbours. If you try to pierce the wall of segregation, you become a target of the Israeli army, no matter what ethnic or religious group you belong to. For example, a group of Jewish non-violent activists were arrested recently while renovating an abandoned building; hammering and sawing side by side with Palestinians. The suffering of Hebrons Palestinians is emblematic of the oppression and discrimination burdening Palestinians living in the area controlled by Israel, which stretches from the Jordan to the sea, regardless of what treaties say on paper. A short time ago, for example, the Israeli army bulldozed five homes in the South Hebron Hills village of Umm al Kheir. Thats the second time since this past April that Palestinians living in the village were made homeless. The activists who were arrested are with the Centre for Jewish Nonviolence (CJN). Last year, I went with them to help a Palestinian farmer replant fruit trees that had been destroyed by the Israeli army, even though traditional Jewish law specifically prohibits the destruction of such trees even if especially if they are growing on the land of an enemy you are besieging, We also tried to walk down Al-Shuhada Street to meet with leaders of a Palestinian non-violent resistance group. A platoon of Israeli soldiers blocked our way, threatening to kill us if we proceeded further. We were able to talk our way out of that situation, but this year the CJN delegation was not so lucky. Ilana Sumka, CJN founder, describes what happened: In partnership with our Palestinian allies, Youth Against Settlements, and our Israeli partners, All Thats Left, we took the first steps to revitalise a Palestinian factory, long-shut down as a result of occupation, Sumka explains. We were invited by the buildings owner, Jawwad Abu Aisha, to help transform the factory into a community movie theatre. She continues, It wasnt long before the Israeli army came and declared the area off-limits as a closed military zone. We staged a peaceful sit-in, linked arm to arm. Then, as reported in The Forward, a progressive Jewish newspaper, Soldiers lifted the activists from the ground one by one and directed them up a steep stone path as they chanted a Hebrew song, leaving behind the incomplete cinema. Six activists with Israeli citizenship were detained. Sumka adds Seven of our Palestinian partners were detained as well. She says, With members locked-up, the rest of us defied military orders by walking through the militarised streets of Hebron to the police station, calling for their release. Seven hours later, after staging a peaceful sit-in at the police station and thanks to our extraordinary legal team, we were able to secure the release of our non-violent activists. Harassment of people seeking peace happens regularly across Israel and Israeli occupied territory. But peaceful protests are particularly dangerous to do in Hebron because of a cockamamie theological doctrine developed almost a hundred years ago. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook wrote that the Age of the Messiah has arrived, which requires, among things, that Jews settle in Hebron because both patriarchs and matriarchs are buried there, uniting the aspects of God. Settling Hebron is not only a duty, but it is doing the people of the world a service by bringing about their redemption, even if this means breaking the law and perpetrating violence upon Palestinians. That teaching might have motivated Baruch Goldstein, an American-born Jewish lunatic with Israeli military training. He walked into the Tomb of the Patriarchs on February 25, 1994 and shot to death 29 Palestinian Muslims who were kneeling in prayer. He wounded another 125 and stopped firing only when he was killed by survivors of his attack. You might think that since then the government of Israel would take steps to protect Palestinians in Hebron. The opposite is true: the government used the attack as a pretext for shutting down Palestinian businesses near the Tomb and shutting out Palestinians from their ancestral homes. Indeed, when the Israeli platoon stopped us from walking down Al-Shehuda Street last year, they said they were protecting us from rocks that might be thrown by Jewish settlers. Stopping the settlers from throwing the rocks did not seem to be an option. Ashley Bohrer, a CJN activist says The ongoing campaigns of destruction and dislocation of Palestinian lives [by the Israeli government] ... breaks my heart and boils my blood. [I] must say unequivocally that the destruction of Palestinian homes and lives do not represent [my] values or [my] Judaism. Peoples World Fidel turns 90 Who else alive today is more deserving than Fidel Castro of the honours hell receive for his 90th birthday on August 13? The revolution he guided has served the Cuban people and, beyond that, hes been a protagonist of peace and justice for all peoples. There are millions of people throughout the world who hold up Fidel Castro as the protector of a small nations sovereignty under siege by a superpower. The nature of his enemies thus adds to his celebrity. Fidel Castro exemplifies the idea of revolution and is a model for how to lead one. He is the pre-eminent symbol for revolutionary action. Fidel Castro exemplifies the idea of revolution and is a model for how to lead one. He is the pre-eminent symbol for revolutionary action. Political revolutions with large-scale progressive aspirations are uncommon, those with social justice engrafted, like Cubas, even more so. On the short list are: maybe Britains incremental shedding of feudalism in the 17th century, Philadelphia in 1776, Paris in 1789, St. Petersburg in 1917, revolutionary China from the 1920s on, and the victory of Cubas revolution on January 1, 1959. Revolutions calling for progressive political and social change stand for democracy, human dignity, and human survival. No one has headed one for as long and as effectively as Fidel Castro. Revolutionary pragmatism What, one asks, did he do to make his revolution work? Fidel Castro learned from history and from ongoing realties. He discovered that oppression was rooted in systems programmed for the benefit of the wealthy and powerful and that change was in the hands of victims themselves, if they united. He placed himself in the stream of history, allying his political movement to that of Jose Marti who, decades earlier, had organised the necessary war for independence from both Spain and the United States and whose watchword was With all and for the good of all. In pragmatic fashion, Castro and his governing colleagues learned from experience. They changed primary health care from small group practices to the family doctor/nurse system, launched the rectification campaign of the 1980s, abandoned of restrictions on gay people, invited religious believers to assume political roles, gave up backing for armed revolutionary struggle in the region, and sought practical means for overcoming the rigors of the special period. Additionally, Fidel Castro fought his revolution with ideas, among them: bolstering political consciousness through the tools provided by the revolution like literacy and education for all; using health care and the biomedical industry to maintain health, advance international solidarity, and generate income for the nation; strengthening bonds between Cuba and Africa to accord with the African heritage of many Cubans; putting Simon Bolivar and Jose Martis ideal of Latin American and Caribbean integration into visible practice; and grafting the imperative of social justice onto the age-old banner of national liberation. Two of Castros ideas, in particular, assure his pre-eminence among revolutionary leaders. In word and deed, Castro and his political movement added social and economic rights to the definition of democracy, previously confined mostly to political rights. And, Cubas revolution propounded the notion of world revolution through its practice of international solidarity and through its full-throated insistence that the world community face up to threats to human survival like climate change, wastage of the environment, and nuclear proliferation. A leader and a teacher As a revolutionary leader Fidel Castro was a teacher, a job which fit him well. His speeches to the Cuban people, in international forums, or in political assemblies, whether read or listened to, are replete with facts, data, and reasoning. They were presented conversationally, as if the readers or listeners were colleagues. A teacher tells the truth. Fidel Castro often reported bad news, such as problems associated with the special period of the 1990s and corruption, which in a speech on November 17, 2005, he identified as a threat to the revolutions survival. Commentators have frequently testified that Castros frankness led the Cuban people to believe what he said. Fidel Castro demonstrated a power of analysis befitting the role of a good teacher. Doubters need only read Castros speech of November 23, 1963. There, a day after the event, Castro explored factors leading to the assassination of President John Kennedy. Fidel Castro took the revolution and his job seriously. In a conversation, the present writer listened to a former member of the armed wing of South Africas African National Congress tell about a meeting Castro held with his comrades and himself. They were in Havana in 1978 attending the 11th World Festival of Youth and Students. Throughout much of the night, the story goes, Castro asked detailed questions of the South Africans about methods and realities of their struggle while proposing action plans and reviewing modes of Cuban support. Indeed, for this author true confessions here Fidel Castro has served as a beacon of history since that day in 1957 when, as an undergraduate history student, he bought the latest edition of the New York Times. There, Herbert Matthews was reporting from the mountains of eastern Cuba after interviewing the guerrilla leader. The headline read: Castro Is Still Alive and Still Fighting in Mountains. Astonishingly, it seemed that world-shaking events were taking place on a smallish island and not necessarily, as one assumed, in Europe or the United States. And the entry onto the stage of world history of a youthful lawyer was mind-bending. Vicariously at least, the student would be joining in on the leaders long journey. Peoples World Continue Reading Below Advertisement Sure, the company ended up issuing a public apology and reimbursing the ambulance workers, but that doesn't put water in the mouths of the dying, as the saying should probably go. It's not just corporations that saw the worst terrorist attack in American history and thought "Know what? Bet I can make it worse." Yes, the EPA itself took a cue from Ghostbusters and decided to play the bad guy: They tested the air at Ground Zero and claimed that it didn't pose a health risk to anybody. Not the survivors of the attack. Not the people living or working in the area. And certainly not the first responders, who were there right at the start and kept working for months afterward. Continue Reading Below Advertisement This being the article that it is, of course they were lying. Later, to the shock of all, we found out that inhaling death and destruction is bad for you. More than 3,700 first responders have been diagnosed with cancer and other diseases. Quite reasonably, they thought they could get some recompense. Quite unreasonably, Congress told them to take a flying fuck at the Moon on a special rocket shaped like a giant middle finger. Kimberlee Hewitt / US Federal Government "Protect the Homeland, but screw the people dying in the Homeland." Continue Reading Below Advertisement It took nine years to finally a pass a measure helping first responders, but it expired in 2015 thanks to Mitch McConnell, who quietly removed the bill's reauthorization from a larger measure. If it weren't for constant lobbying from survivors -- and a ton of finger-wagging from Jon Stewart -- that's how it would've ended: with the workers who sacrificed their health to save people during the 9/11 attacks eating double-helpings of apathy. Continue Reading Below Advertisement The process is so convoluted that it'd take the whole article to fully explain it, but, in short, there are four different stages that a claim can go through and four different offices that can review it. Things can go wrong at any time: The vet might be missing one key piece of documentation at any stage, so they get denied. They appeal the decision but still don't have the documentation they need, so they take a lovely boat ride down denial. We lawyers call the process "the hamster wheel." One client made it to the Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims (the supreme court of veterans' claims) before being chucked back to the regional office and told to start all over again. He looked at me and said, "I just thought I'd file for this and get it. I never thought I'd have to go to war over this." John Moore/GettyImages "To kill Nazis, sure. But not this." Continue Reading Below Advertisement To win their claim, a veteran needs to prove they have a disability, and they need to prove it came due to their time in service. This often requires a formal medical opinion from a doctor, but you also need to provide every piece of paper ever to do with that case, going back decades. That includes service records, medals awarded, in-service medical treatment records, VA hospital visits, private doctor records, copies of past decisions by the VA, and possibly even detailed disciplinary records from kindergarten just to see if your injury might be related to drinking paste. Networking News Partners Cheer As Juniper Unveils Points-Based Rewards Program To Boost Recurring Revenue Mark Haranas Share this Partners are applauding as Juniper Networks is set to launch a points-based global rewards program that incentivizes them to sell products that better align with the companys vision of becoming a more software-oriented company. This industry is changing and partners know that you cant just show up next year with a faster router -- they know thats not going to work and they know its getting more complex, said Juniper channel chief Matt Hurley in an interview with CRN. We built this as partners are looking to Juniper to tell them where to invest, where the industry going and how to help them get there. The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based networking vendors new rewards program allows channel partners' sales reps to accrue points for selling a variety of different products with an emphasis on solutions that provide recurring revenue. Solution providers can then use those points for rewards such as discounts on Juniper products. [Related: Juniper Reinvents Partner Programs Top-Tier: 5 Changes Solution Providers Need To Know] The goal of the program is to drive sales around Junipers differentiating solutions such as its software-defined subscription-based Sky Advanced Threat Protection and its high-end QFX data center switching line, according to Hurley. The heavier incentives in the program will be around software, security and services, he said. The software-defined secure networking will be an absolute focus of this program, said Hurley. For some run-rate switching products, we might decide to incent those down. Partners said not only will the new program increase profitability, but it provides a strategic road map for the channel on where Juniper is heading. Mark Miller, principal partner at M&S Technologies, a Dallas-based top Juniper partner, No. 355 on the 2016 CRN Solution Provider 500 list, said Juniper revenue for the company has increased a whopping 100 percent year over year due to M&S aligning itself with Junipers strategy. Miller said the new program will further drive revenue by giving M&S even more insight to where Juniper is placing its bets. Were following their lead and it's helping us, said Miller. If their strategy is to grow a specific area of their business with this program, well come along. Chris Becerra, president and CEO of Terrapin Systems, a San Jose, Calif.-based solution provider and Juniper partner, said the program is part of Junipers effort to become more of a software-centric business. You need a [vendor] who knows how to sell software and subscription-based licensing, contracts, agreements, where in the past you were just selling hardware and software line-items -- and that is changing, said Becerra. Our business is more valuable if youre able to sign them up on recurring revenue models that we both like. Im all for the new [rewards] program. The program, set to launch Sept. 1, is also integrated with Junipers new global Deal Registration System to ensure deal preference and pricing advantages. Juniper has made a big push in the channel this year, according to partners, with the vendor striving to enable partners to better sell software and services. Another new initiative partners will notice is the change in its top-tier Elite level. Juniper is breaking its Elite level partners into five new categories depending on their area of focus. Partners said in this new world of software and services, networking channel partners are playing a more important role than they did in the past. Overall from what weve seen in 2016 from Juniper is their channel strategy has been better than it has been in the past. They seem more aggressive in their willingness to work with us and if we invest in them, they are turning around and reinvesting in us, said M&S' Miller. Its one-plus-one equals three. Networking News NTT Communications Touts Focus On Upstream, Transformational Services For Sub-Agent Partners, Unwraps New Security Spif Gina Narcisi Share this NTT Communications is marking the two-year anniversary of its Global Solutions Channel Partner Program by sharpening its focus on sub-agent partners with strategic services, as well as unveiling a new sales incentive around its security services for partners, the provider said. Global Solutions gives master and sub-agent partners access to a range of global private and public cloud and data center solutions, as well as managed security services. This year, the provider has been tweaking its approach to the channel by moving away from commodity-based product sales, NTT Americas director of indirect channel sales, Jordan Whyard, told CRN. We believe its really key for partners to continue to go upstream and sell international and transformational technology services. We are getting into more of the end-to-end infrastructure and managed services that will enable partners to change their conversations with their end customers [so that those conversations] will be more abstract, as opposed to [focusing on] a specific product offer, Whyard said. [Related: NTT Communications To Solution Providers: We're Open For Business ] Rather than focus on selling intellectual property, solution providers are better able to consult customers through their IT transformations as they adopt new kinds of technologies. Solution providers with consulting practices are an attractive partner to NTT, Whyard said. Tokyo-based NTT kicked off its channel program two years ago in the U.S. by tapping the master agent community for help in getting on the radar of the sub-agent partner community, which includes telecom agents and solution providers. NTT has been working with several large U.S.-based master agents, including Petaluma, Calif.-based Intelisys; Malibu, Calif.-based World Telecom Group (WTG); and Seattle-based Stratacore. Intelisys sub-agent community has shown a lot of interest in NTTs services since the big-name brand joined the master agents portfolio, said J.R. Cook, senior vice president of business development at Intelisys. NTT has one of the most robust offerings out there, but they struggled a little bit with their story, Cook said. NTT has really worked to transform their message over the last couple of months to tell [partners] that they want to be the global end-to-end infrastructure provider with professional services over the top, and the connectivity will come behind it. As a result, NTT has been targeting the partners that best understand their model those that are acting more as consultants. The provider has also offered to help educate master agent sales partners on how to have solution selling conversations with customers, Cook said. International expansion is also on the radar for many larger solution providers today, an area of expertise for NTT Communications, Cook said. The providers global assets include 140 interconnected data centers, a private network in 196 countries, and 14 data centers that also serve as cloud computing delivery centers, according to NTT. NTT has added more than 100 sub-agent partners to its channel program since last year. These partners have boosted the number of NTT contracts by more than 30 percent since August 2015, according to NTT. NTT on Monday also unveiled a security services award from now until the end of the year for master and sub-agent partners. Called the Second Half Spif, or sales performance incentive fund, it's split into two components, one around professional services and the other, managed services. Partners can scoop up spif payouts of up to $25,000, depending on the deal size, Whyard said. Security and compliance in the international arena are among the most important factors to take into account when deploying new kinds of technologies, he added. [The spif] is a great way to get partners to sit down and understand NTTs security offerings, and how they compare to other security offerings, Intelisys Cook said. Muslim Fulani herdsmen attacked a predominantly Christian village in north-central Nigeria on Saturday (Aug. 13), killing seven Christians, sources said. Two weeks after herdsmen attacked a nearby area in Kaduna state, the assailants attacked Golkofa village in the same states Jemaa Local Government Area on Saturday night, they said. "The Christians were killed in their homes," Golkofa resident Sunday Saleh told Morning Star News. "Some of the victims were shot while others were cut with machetes." Saleh said the seven Christians killed were Thomas Maimasara, 40, and Sabo Boyi, 25, both cousins of his; Bobo Okocha, 18; Monday Hamza, 24; Waje Rubutu, 17; Linus, 20; and Julius, 19. The latter five Christians were members of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) in Golkofa, he said. Golkofa village is about five kilometers (three miles) from Gada Biyu village, where similar attacks killed 13 people Aug. 1-3. Saleh said Nigerian police evacuated the corpses of Saturdays attack at about noon on Sunday and took them to Kafanchan General Hospital. The victims were to be buried on Wednesday (Aug 17). The Rev. Dr. Sunday Ibrahim, secretary of the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), confirmed the killings in a phone interview with Morning Star News. These attacks on Christian communities are senseless and uncalled for, he said. Why carry out attacks on communities without provocation? The Nigerian government needs to stop these killings by these Muslim herdsmen. The chairman of the state chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Dr. Haruna Usman, told The Daily Trust newspaper that he was unaware of the attack but noted that herdsmen injured an area farmer on June 26, and in revenge village youths burned down a Fulani settlement. The Rt. Rev. Timothy Yahaya, Anglican bishop of Kaduna, told Morning Star News that Christians have been attacked incessantly in the state. The attacks by the herdsmen on Christian communities are not only condemnable but must be stopped by the Nigerian government, he said. We are tired of these bloody attacks on Christians, not only in Kaduna state, but also in other parts of the country. Kaduna and Plateau states have been plagued by such attacks for years, with Fulani leaders making unsubstantiated claims of cattle rustling by youths among the predominantly Christian farmers as the pretext for the killings. In recent years there are signs that Islamic extremist groups are arming and/or accompanying Muslim Fulani herdsmen and inciting them in their tribal and economic conflicts with Christian farmers. The assaults on unarmed Christians have reached central-eastern states such as Taraba and Benue, as well as more southern areas. In Jalingo, Taraba state, Catholic Bishop Charles Hammawa told ChurchMilitant.com that Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, which seeks to impose sharia (Islamic law) throughout Nigeria, has helped arm Muslim herdsmen against Christian farmers and drive them out. He called it a new strategy Boko Haram is employing after losing substantial territory in the past year. It appears to be a strategy to deliberately populate areas with Muslims and, by the sheer weight of superior numbers, influence political decision-making in the region, he said. Church leaders say attacks on Christian communities by the herdsmen constitute a war by Islam to eliminate Christianity in Nigeria. Christians make up 51.3 percent of Nigerias population of 158.2 million and live mainly in the south, while Muslims account for 45 percent and live mainly in the north. A new leader recently took power of Boko Haram, Abu Musab al-Barnawi, who has reportedly promised to kill more Christians and burn down more churches. A faction of Boko Haram remaining faithful to former leader Abubakar Shekau reportedly released a video via a journalist on Twitter purporting to show many of the 276 girls kidnapped from a high school in Chibok, Borno state in April 2014. In a propaganda video apparently made in part to garner funding as the main Boko Haram group continues to receive foreign financing, one of the girls speaks of their suffering from aerial bombing as she begs my people and our parents to urge the Nigerian government to release Boko Haram prisoners so the girls can return to their families. If you would like to help persecuted Christians, visit http://morningstarnews.org/resources/aid-agencies/ for a list of organizations that can orient you on how to get involved. If you or your organization would like to help enable Morning Star News to continue raising awareness of persecuted Christians worldwide with original-content reporting, please consider collaborating at http://morningstarnews.org/donate/? Publication date: August 17, 2016 Xiamen, located along the Southeastern coast in the Fuijan Province, is the closest Chinese mainland port to Taiwan. Xiamen International Cruise Terminal (XICT) is building four megaship-ready berths for future expansion. This year, however, XICT is the homeport for the Sapphire Princess, Legend of the Seas, and the SuperStar Libra, all on a seasonal basis. New government outbound tourism initiatives passed earlier this year could put Xiamen in a prime position to capitalize on Chinese tourists sailing to Taiwan, which is about to become much easier. A lengthy visa process is temporarily suspended for group travel on cruises to Taiwan under qualified travel agents, which can now apply for one-time Taiwan entry permits. The approval time on the permits is one to two business days. In addition, the Fujian government is seeking approval to make Xiamen a pilot-zone for visa-free travel to China from international tourists traveling in groups of two or more, and allowing them to visit China for up to 15 days. In 2015 Xiamen saw 66 cruise calls, a 187 percent increase, with 75 calls expects this year, of which 62 are turnarounds. -- The 11th edition of the China Cruise Shipping and International Expo is the Asia/Pacific's No. 1 cruise event, learn more at http://www.ccyia.com/. The show takes place Sept. 23-26 in Tianjin. Read a detailed analysis of the Chinese cruise market Cruise Industry News Fall/October 2016 Quarterly Magazine, due out Sept. 23. Visit Cruise Industry News, the official event media sponsor and partner, at CCS in Tianjin The Crystal Serenity has embarked on a 32-day journey through the Northwest Passage. Following more than three years of planning and preparation, according to Crystal, the ship sailed from Seward, Alaska, and will conclude its trip next month in Manhattan. Every aspect of this voyage is literally unparalleled in the luxury cruise industry, and nearly the entire travel industry as well, says Crystals CEO and president, Edie Rodriguez. It is a tremendous undertaking to embark on such a historic journey, but also an honor for us to be able to offer the worlds most discerning travelers the opportunity to experience a region of the world that so few others have or ever will. Crystal Serenity will sail with additional crew, training and equipment in consideration of the unique operating conditions in the far north. Two veteran Canadian Ice Pilots will be onboard to advise the Master of Crystal Serenity, Captain Birger J. Vorland and his bridge team. Earlier this year, the Captain and ice pilots attended an ice navigation simulator training in St Johns Newfoundland, and during a routine scheduled dry-dock in May, Crystal Serenity was outfitted with two ice searchlights, forward looking sonar, a thermal imaging camera and software to improve the ability to pick up small contacts on the radar such as small amounts of ice. In addition, Crystal Serenity will be receiving constant ice condition updates form Canadian Ice Services that can be overlaid on its electronic navigation systems. During the route of the Northwest Territories the ultra-luxury ship will be accompanied by the RRS Ernest Shackleton, an ice classed vessel with a crew that has years of experience operating in polar conditions. It is well outfitted to be a first responder to virtually any emergency that might arise, and carries two helicopters and supplemental safety equipment, as well as additional expert guides and adventure equipment. MSC Cruises announced today new key management appointments to "support the next phase of the companys growth across North America" ahead of the arrival of the MSC Seaside in Miami in 2017. Effective immediately, long-time senior MSC Cruises executive, Roberto Fusaro, has been appointed President of North America. Over the past eleven years, Fusaro led MSC Cruises business in South America to become the leading cruise line across the region. Fusaro holds an MBA from the University of Chicago, and is an industry veteran, having previously worked for other cruise brands, including in Miami, prior to joining MSC Cruises in 2005. Rick Sasso, after leading the MSC Cruises North America team for more than 12 years and successfully positioning the company for growth in the market will assume, also with immediate effect, the role of Chairman of MSC North America. This is an exciting time for MSC Cruises as we are in the midst of the second phase of our Companys growth, which includes an industry-unprecedented eleven new next-generation smart cruise ships entering into service between June 2017 and 2026, for a total investment of $10.2 billion, said Gianni Onorato, Chief Executive Officer of MSC Cruises. As we grow globally, North America is naturally more and more a strategic market for MSC Cruises. For this reason, we are thrilled to have Roberto take the leadership of MSC Cruises business in the region and work hand-in-hand with Rick to further our ability to capture the significant additional opportunities for growth that this market presents. With the ultra-modern and beautiful MSC Divina home-porting in Miami, the revolutionary MSC Seaside to be christened in Miami in December 2017 and to also home-port there, as well as the development of Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve the most exciting new private destination ever built by a cruise line, it is clear that MSC Cruises is committed to the North American market, said Fusaro, President of MSC Cruises North America. I am honored to have the opportunity to take on this new challenge and excited to work with Rick and the rest of the North American team as we look to further grow our business in the region and deliver a unique vacation experience to guests on board one of the most modern and elegant fleets at sea. Im pleased to welcome Roberto to the team and am looking forward to working closely with him going forward as we enter the next stage of MSC Cruises growth in the North American market, said Sasso, Chairman of MSC Cruises North America. I know whats to come in the future will be even more impressive than anything weve seen yet. As Fusaro takes on his new role in North America, simultaneously, Adrian Ursilli and Javier Massignani will become, respectively, Managing Director for Brazil and Argentina. In their new positions, Ursilli and Massignani, who were previously Commercial Directors for the same two markets, will look to further consolidate the leadership position that MSC Cruises has gained in South America over the years. Evan Robertson, age 10, took a science fair project and turned it into a valuable lesson in privacy earlier this month at rootz Asylum, a kids-only gathering at DEF CON where children can learn about security in a safe, encouraging environment. Evan wanted to do something different for his school project. He just wasn't into volcanoes. "I was thinking about a really cool project, I didn't want to do normal stuff," he explained in an interview with Salted Hash. Instead, he asked his dad for ideas. Several options were discussed, but eventually (at Evan's insistence) the two decided to see if people cared about their privacy and security when connecting to public Wi-Fi. Evan's project required a Raspberry Pi, and the base kit ($75) included almost everything needed to prove his hypothesis. He created a hotspot that would offer free internet access to anyone using the SSID of FREE PUBLIC WIFI, provided the user agrees to a horrendous Terms of Service (TOS). For example: "...You agree to allow your connecting device to be accessed and/or modified in any way by us, including but not limited to harvesting of personal information and authentication data, reading and responding to your emails, monitoring of your input and/or output, and "bricking" of your device..." Evan did most of the work himself, proud of the fact that he used CLI to program the device, but noted that the experience was "really hard work." The test was simple. Evan's hypothesis during his project was that at least 50-percent of those who connected would ignore the TOS and just accept it blindly. He tested the hotspot at Lakeline Mall in Austin, Texas during Black Friday and Mother's Day weekend. A second test took place during the Christmas season and Mother's Day weekend at Round Rock Premium Outlet Mall. The third and final test happened at a local Target around Christmas time. In all, 76 people connected to his hotspot, and 40 of them (52%) accepted the TOS to gain access. Later, during BSides San Antonio, Evan placed a single hotspot in each of the three tracks. His expectation was, since BSides is a gathering of security professionals, he'd have little success. Instead, he learned that just because someone works in security, this doesn't mean said individual will read the TOS or refuse free wireless. During BSides San Antonio, 41 people connected, and 20 of them accepted the TOS. According to sources who were at the event, there were more than 300 people in attendance. "They thought it was a really unique and cool idea," Evan said, explaining the reaction of the staff at his school. Coincidentally, he took first place in the science fair for his efforts. The situation wasn't any different at DEF CON. While speaking with Evan and his parents, they turned the access point on so we could get a photo. Within seconds, four people had connected, and one of them blindly accepted the terms and conditions. During the interview, it was clear that Ian and Stephanie Robertson (Evan's parents) were extremely proud of their son's efforts, culminating in his trip to the stage at rootz Asylum. "I think one of the most interesting things that I found though this process was, while he [Evan] enjoyed doing the project, what really made him excited was sharing it with people and presenting it," Evan's father observed. For most security professionals, the notion that users would ignore TOS conditions and gladly trade security and privacy for a stable internet connection is nothing new. But that's not the point. The point is, a generation of kids kids who are being encouraged to think, challenge ideas, and explore options are coming into their own. This is why events such as Hak4Kidz and rootz Asylum are so important. We need more kids like Evan, and more parents like Ian and Stephanie. This is how well improve the future of security. At the end of the interview, we asked Evan if he had any advice or final thoughts. Before he ran off to play more video games, offered some simple advice: "Read the terms and conditions." Running a company is not easy, and running three is even more difficult. But in the case of AffinEco managing partners Michael Diamond and Paul Senecal, it wasnt until they joined forces to run multiple maintenance companies that their customer base grew substantially and profits soared. Senecal and Diamond now run United Services of America Inc., Premier Maintenance Inc. and Melillo Maintenance under the corporate umbrella of Bridgeport-based AffinEco. The company makes more than $50 million in annual revenue and has 2,000 employees. It has offices in New York, Stamford, Bridgeport, Milford, Hartford and Boston. The men attribute part of their success to their 50/50 partnership. When they began working together in 2002, under the United and Premier names, they decided they would run the business as equals. The biggest benefit of that is that we make very few mistakes because someone sees the mistake before it happens, Senecal said. He and I have stopped each other from making the mistakes we would have if we were on our own. Sometimes its better to be successful than right, Diamond said. Diamond and Senecal recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of their companies. Premier Maintenance was established in 1966 by Diamonds father, Alan. After a brief stint in Bethel, the company made a name for itself on Lois Street in Norwalk, before moving to Milford. United came to be in 2002, two years after Alan Diamond retired, when Senecal and Diamond formed their partnership. We took the best parts of a family business and the best parts of a major corporation and put them together, Senecal said. That is really what propelled the business. In 2008, United Services of America acquired Melillo Maintenance. The company became AffinEco in 2012 because Diamond and Senecal have an affinity for what they do and wanted to incorporate the word ecological. The company also created a central headquarters in downtown Bridgeport. We valued everybodys pride in the companies they helped grow and we didnt want to say United or Melillo absorbed Premier or Premier and United absorbed Melillo, Diamond said, so we said lets come up with a new name. Still, each individual company has retained its identity when it comes to dealing with customers. Diamond and Senecal said the business has changed substantially in the last few decades. Corporations are more dominant than the family businesses that used to dominate, Senecal said. Its become highly competitive with very thin margins. As the world changes, so does the way AffinEco does business. These days, as in any industry, technology is more advanced. Managers use personal digital assistants to keep track of their work; the company can give on-site maintenance workers information about the best route to take within a building to clean it effectively and quickly, and even the equipment has technology built into it. Diamond said the products they use are also more environmentally friendly. People care about their environment because they want their workers to be healthy, Diamond said. I think a lot of the companies we work with consider their employees as important as clients. At AffinEco as well, Senecal and Diamond said, the focus is on their employees, who belong to a union. We heavily support our off-site people with resources we dispatch from (AffinEcos home office) sites, Senecal said. But its their customer-centric focus that has helped the company thrive, he said. Were in the cleaning business to have clean buildings, Senecal said. ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227 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 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. After 20 years of preaching hatred, recruiting terrorists and glorying in bloodshed while milking taxpayers of colossal sums in benefits and legal aid Anjem Choudary at last faces jail for drumming up support for Islamic State. Like decent people of every religion and none, the Mail is hugely relieved that this sworn enemy of our security and way of life has finally been brought to justice. Choudary's radical sermons have become a magnet for easily-influenced young men But doesnt his case raise profoundly disturbing questions about why he was tolerated and indulged for so long? A remorseless publicity-seeker, Choudary never made a secret of his ambition to recruit others to his cause of world domination by Islam and Sharia law. Indeed, he was the unashamed mouthpiece of the banned fanatical group Al-Muhajiroun, which is said to have radicalised 850 jihadis, while his supporters included the killers who hacked Fusilier Lee Rigby to death in 2013. Yet though all this was known, he was left free to spread his poison through lectures, YouTube and Twitter, on which he had 32,000 followers. Even the BBC, to the disgust of its licence fee-payers, was ever ready to offer a platform to this champion of holy war. Meanwhile, taxpayers have been forced to provide for Choudary and his five children, with expensive NHS treatment for his wife (who ran the womens section of Al-Muhajiroun), and benefits said to have topped 25,000 a year. Thats not to mention police protection for his rallies and six-figure sums in legal aid to defend his human rights. True, freedom of expression is a vital feature of liberal democracy, while Choudarys legal training made him adept until now at exploiting laws drafted to uphold it. But leave aside the urgent need to review those laws in light of the spate of Islamist attacks across Europe, and the ease with which hate preachers circumvent the ban on incitement to violence. Didnt Choudarys kid-glove treatment go far beyond tolerance of free speech? Why were Twitter and YouTube so loath to close down his accounts? Why were benefits and legal aid granted so readily to a man who apparently owns luxury cars? Why, above all, did our national broadcaster see fit to give him a platform for his message of hate, as if balance requires that opponents of murder must be offset by its apologists? Isnt it almost as if the Wests liberal elite, in its craven terror of offending minorities, has a death-wish for our values and way of life? Brussels health risk Echoing the Mails oft-repeated warnings, a leading professional body today highlights how NHS patients are put needlessly at risk by the EU ban on rigorous language tests for European doctors, nurses and dentists. Last year, finds the Royal College of Surgeons, 29 doctors from Europe faced disciplinary charges of having inadequate knowledge of English, compared with only ten from the rest of the world. Last year, finds the Royal College of Surgeons, 29 doctors from Europe faced disciplinary charges of having inadequate knowledge of English compared to ten from rest of the world As the RCS points out, the blame lies squarely with the EUs ruling that medics from our partner nations must be spared the tougher English tests applied to those from other countries. Thus, European medical staff need only show they have a grasp of conversational English, while the rest have to prove they can communicate fluently with patients about illnesses and treatments surely a basic requirement of any medic. Is there no limit to the risks Brussels is prepared to make us run in the sacred name of the free movement of people? After tracking the duck's travels for five years, the Troianos were shocked to find it back on their lawn with a suitcase full of Five years ago, a Hampton, New Hampshire family was disappointed to notice that a giant rubber duck they kept on their lawn had been stolen. Soon, however, the Troianos received a postcard from the duck. The card directed them to a Facebook page, where Jennifer, 47, and her daughter Alicia, 18, tracked the toy duck's travels all over the world, from Kuwait City to Montreux, Switzerland over the course of five years. Then, to their utter astonishment, 'Gale Ducky' turned up back on the Troianos' doorstep earlier this month, along with a suitcase full of souvenirs. And according to the Portsmouth Herald, they're still none the wiser as to who took her traveling in the first place. Jet-set duck: This rubber ducky was stolen from a New Hampshire family's lawn and then went off to travel the world (pictured in South Korea) Ab-duck-ted! The duck had been sitting on the lawn in Hampton when it was taken five years ago Viva duck Vegas! Soon, the thief sent a postcard with directions to visit the duck's Facebook page, which was already filling up with pictures from her travels Duck versus shark: The toy, which the thief named Gale Ducky, went shark diving in Africa All around the world: She visited several different continents, making stops in Africa (pictured), South America, Asia, and Europe On-the-go! The thief whose identity still remains a mystery, even to the Troiano family traveled quite a bit in five years Animal to animal: Gale Ducky even had the opportunity to go on safari Alicia first got the duck as a gift from a family she babysat for as a tween. She called it Baldie, and liked to keep it in front of her house, where it could float in pond on their lawn. When the duck went missing, the family wasn't too heartbroken and probably would have soon forgotten about the duck entirely had they not received a mysterious postcard a few months later with a Kuwait City postmark. The postcard was supposedly written by the duck, who had been renamed Gale Ducky after the street the Troianos live on. The duck told the Troianos about her trips to Honduras, Amsterdam, and the Middle East, and directed them to her Facebook page to catch up on the rest of her travels. There, Alicia, Jennifer, and the rest of the family watched as Gale Ducky jet-setted around the world, making stops in the Caribbean, Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Iceland, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Thailand, the UK, and Panama. Family fun: The Troiano family, including Alicia (second from left) and Jennifer (second from right), loved watching the duck's progress Accessorized! Here, she's pictured in Iceland's Blue Lagoon with a 'scarf' around her neck Transportation expert: Gale Ducky rode on trains, on planes, and in cars and even took a couple of cruises Quack if you love the Alps! Most recently, the toy traveled around Switzerland Right under their noses! At one point, the duck was even back in New England, quite close to the Troiano family She's a VIP! She got to hang out in the cockpit of a plane on one trip Too busy to go home! The Troianos never expected to get the toy duck back She visited famous sites, made friends with other tourists, hung out with locals, and got drunk or at least sat around with a permanent plastic smile as the humans around her got drunk. She went swimming in Iceland's Blue Lagoon, went on Safari in South Africa, and even took a turn at shark diving, while her thief-turned-handler shared the evidence online. There were trips around the US, too, including ones to Hawaii, San Diego, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and Disney World in Orlando. At one point in 2014, Gale Ducky even came back home to New Hampshire, visiting Canobie Lake Park which is about 30 miles away from the Troianos' home. Popular: The duck's Facebook page has entertained the Troianos, but has also attracted thousands of fans Homebound: Gale Ducky's trip to Switzerland, including Lake Geneva (pictured), was its last Lucky duck! There were lots of adventures along the way, and the duck saw more of the world than most people see in a lifetime All-American: The trips weren't just international, though there was also some travel in the US, including back in New Hampshire Cozy! The duck was clearly not opposed to enjoying some comforts on the road Though some time was spend on the beach, Gale Ducky also enjoyed the snow in Canada Better than a bath! She got to float in the water in the Maldives which is a major improvement over a bubble bath 'Were happy the duck got to go and explore and travel,' Jennifer told the Portsmouth Herald. Then, late at night on August 2, a pair of particularly strange photos of Gale Ducky were shared on her Facebook page. The duck was pictured with a small floral suitcase, first sitting on a sidewalk and then in front of a house the Troiano house. Jennifer saw the post early the next morning and recognized the location, running outside to find Gale Ducky safely back at home. And he brought presents. Inside the suitcase were souvenirs, maps, and other knickknacks, like a friendship bracelet and oversized sunglasses. Missed you! On August 2, the duck returned home with a suitcase full of souvenirs Say what? The Troianos were shocked, and a little disappointed to no longer be able to follow the duck's travels The duck used to float around in a pond in the Troianos' yard, but has now seen bigger and better things Super social: She also met plenty of new friends on the road, and took pictures with tourists and locals The Troianos may bring the duck (pictured in Iceland) on their own trips, but noted that it wouldn't be the same However, there was no hint as to who stole Gale Ducky, and they're pretty sure the man or woman's identity will remain a mystery. 'I have so many questions,' Alicia said. 'I want to know why they were inspired to pick him up out of his pond and bring around the world, especially since he is not a very small or portable duck.' She added that she's also a bit disappointed that she'll no longer be able to watch the toy travel the world, and might consider taking her along on her own trips. Having toast every day for breakfast can easily become boring. But one father has gone the extra mile to make breakfast an interesting experience for his daughter because of her severe allergies to all dairy, egg and nuts. Adam Perry, a father-of-two from Essex, has been keeping busy every morning making toast sculptures for his nine-year-old Scarlett's breakfast and sharing his creations on Instagram. Christ the Redeemer: Adam Perry from Essex creates toast sculptures using only two pieces of white bread 10 Downing Street: The father of two has also created the 10 Downing Street by over-toasting a piece of bread for the door and using lightly toasted bread for the side posts Family road trip: Adam Perry (left) with his wife Helen (right) and two daughters Mia and Scarlett Mr Perry, who is a musician by day, told Daily Mail Australia that his youngest daughter has become fearful of eating the wrong thing. 'Shes had three massive reactions in the past which required hospital stays, so shes very fearful of food,' he said. 'I started to feel really sorry for her that her breakfast was so boring every day, the same old two slices of white toast,' he said 'So I started playing with toast to get her excited about her breakfast again and to make both the girls laugh when they came down to eat,' Mr Perry added. He started with what he described as a 'crude model of the London Eye'. London Eye: The first sculpture the dad made was his less detailed version of the London Eye The creator: From there Mr Perry created other toast sculptures like these suitcases Masterpieces: Mr Perry said his youngest daughter Scarlett has severe food allergies and as a result has become fearful of the foods she's allergic too Too good to eat: He has even created sculptures inspired by cities around the world including Hong Kong and Rome 'She loved it, and ate it with a smile on her face, so I promised the girls Id make something out of toast every morning, whilst my wife Helen gets them ready for school, and that's how it started,' he said. Since starting the toast sculptures a few months ago, he has created more and more elaborate pieces such as Christ the Redeemer, 10 Downing Street, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Hong Kong Skyline. He has even made tribute toast sculptures for the Rio Olympics, Brexit, Wimbledon Prince's death and the Nice attacks. Sculpting kit: His wife made him a toast sculpting set with a chopping board, scalp, blu tack and a brush Tributes: Some of his toast posts include tributes Prince and to victims of the attacks in Nice National events: Mr Perry has also made toast art to mark the EU referendum and to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II's ninetieth birthday celebrations Intricate: He said that creating a carbohydrate piece of art can take him a few minutes or longer to create To make the sculptures Mr Perry only ever uses one or two slices of toast and has a tool box with a scalpel, blu tak, golden syrup for glue, cocktail sticks, various shaped cutters and a brush to clean up crumbs for presentation. 'I always say it takes the time it takes the kettle to boil (we have a very old, slow kettle which helps!), some, like Christ the Redeemer and the T-Rex take a little while longer,' he said. 'The toast starts to warp and bend after a short while, so the idea is to pop the toast down, stick on the kettle and get building as fast as I can,' he added. Olympic rings: He has recently been inspired by the Rio Olympics Sports heroes: Mr Perry made a toast sculpture of Usain Bolt when he smashed the world record for the fastest runner in the world winning gold again, and for the Great British team who also won gold Creative: Aside from the Olympics he has also made a toast version of Loch Ness and the Nike sign Toast art: To mark Andy Murray's second Wimbledon win he shared a post of the Scottish flag, Mr Perry also made a parachute using toast and string Detailed: The musician also made toast art inspired by AC/DC's Highway to hell Since sharing his creations on social media, Mr Perry has been blown away by all the positive comments and reactions, in particular from parents who have food allergies. 'I have some amazing, supportive messages from other parents who have children with FA (food allergies) or suffer themselves and are loving the positivity of 2 Slices of Toast,' Mr Perry said. The dad said the most challenging part has been coming up with new ideas, which he usually leaves to his wife Helen. The contractions have started, the cat's fed, the answerphone's on - now all you have to do is throw a few things in a bag and head for the hospital. Whilst most women scramble to throw a toothbrush and change of underwear into the first bag they can find, when you're a glossy mother-to-be working in the fashion and beauty industry, it's a much more luxurious affair. From Isabel Marant slippers to Creme de la Mer face creams, the most stylish 'fashion mothers' in London tell FEMAIL exactly what they packed for their rather glamorous labour experience. Jessica Diner, 33, is Content and Creative Director at beauty subscription site, Birchbox UK. Prior to that, she worked as Beauty & Health Editor at British Vogue. She lives with her husband in London and their five-month-old son, Noah. My labour uniform was quite pared down - I just wanted to be comfy so I took leggings and some vests, but then I layered them up with a Liberty of London dressing gown to make me feel a little bit more presentable. The pictures you have in the hospital with your baby are the ones you cherish forever so it's nice to think of those details. Jessica Diner, 33, is Content and Creative Director at beauty subscription site, Birchbox UK and former Beauty & Health Editor at British Vogue As a beauty fanatic, Jessica crammed plenty of goodies into her hospital bag. 'The pictures you have in the hospital with your baby are the ones you cherish forever so it's nice to think of those details,' she said As for my beauty kit, for during labour I packed some essential oils to help relax (lavender was my favourite), a Homeopathic remedy kit, kirby grips to keep my hair off my face, deodorant and then my favourite lip balm, Lanolips 101 Ointmen, which I applied over and over during labour - no one warned me how dry my lips would get! For post-birth, I packed my favourite shower items all in mini. The shower you have after giving birth is the best shower of all time, so I wanted it to be a nice experience. I took Caudalie Shower Gel, Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash, Beauty Protector Shampoo and Conditioner. I then took the bare minimum of make-up: Bobbi Brown Concealer, Benefit Roller Lash Mascara and Stila Convertible lip and cheek colour (again, just to make myself look a bit more lively in pictures). Jessica, who is a self-confessed 'neat freak', organised her beauty products into different make-up bags for the different stages of the birth The new mother has kept up her organisation after welcoming little Noah I am a bit of a neat freak so I organised all my beauty products into different make-up bags to separate what I needed for during labour and then after so I could find things easily. I packed everything in a BAGGU soft canvas bag. I compartmentalised everything inside using zip lock bags and labelled them all up with 'Baby Clothes', 'Baby Blankets', 'Vests', etc so that it was easy for my husband to find things in there after labour when it wasn't so easy for me to get up and move around. I packed about a month before my due date; I didn't want to leave anything to chance! Jessica lives with her husband in London and their five-month-old son, Noah Gemma Rose Breger, 31, is a fashion and celebrity stylist and co-founder at ThisIsMothership.com. She lives in London and has a daughter called Belle, age 1. I am super organised so I had everything in the spare room ready to go about six weeks early, just in case. I unpacked and repacked it multiple times, just like I do when going on a fashion shoot as I always like to double and triple check I have everything I need. Everything was packed in my Moschino backpack and matching wheelie suitcase - I needed to feel like myself and although I couldn't fit into any of my usual clothes, pretty accessories will always make me feel good. Gemma Rose Breger, 31, is a fashion and celebrity stylist and co-founder at ThisIsMothership.com Gemma, right, with her one-year-old daughter Belle, runs the website with beauty editor Samantha Silver, left, with son Leo I bought a black and white striped silk button down pyjama shirt so I could breastfeed in it and look and feel glamorous. I've still not worn it to this day; I ended up wearing an XXXL Primark men's V neck T-shirt that went in the bin as soon as I came home. I also brought my UGG sheepskin slippers. I wore Isabel Marant sliders as they were the only shoes my feet fit into right at the end. As for beauty, I packed Vaseline and a YSL mascara. I'd heard rumours about how dry your lips get and they were true; I used the Vaseline every 10 minutes. The mascara was so I could look semi normal in my first ever photo with my daughter. Samantha Silver, 31, is a Beauty Editor and co-founder of ThisIsMothership.com, the website she runs with Gemma. She lives in London with her husband and their 15-month-old son, Leo. I packed two bags - a Longchamp overnight bag for all of the 'in-labour' bits and a wheelie suitcase with lounge wear and post-labour essentials for me and baby clothes, nappies, for Leo. I started packing about a month before my due date and Leo was 10 days late so those bags were packed for a while. I must have unpacked and repacked half a dozen times before I went into labour. It gave me something to do in the long waiting period. Samantha Silver, 31, is a Beauty Editor and co-founder of ThisIsMothership.com, the website she runs with Gemma I'm an overpacker. You can tell just by looking inside my handbag that I'm a hoarder, not a minimalist. That being said, I am OCD organised so I drew up a packing spreadsheet that I adhered to that covered every eventuality. Among the loungewear essentials and button down New Look nightie was a new bikini from Asos (top, not bottoms) to wear in the birthing pool. I didn't wear it. Unsurprisingly I wasn't in the frame of mind to start putting on a bikini before I got in the water. I gave birth in a white vest from Primark that I was wearing when I arrived at the hospital. Samantha, with Leo, left, with business partner Gemma, right, with Belle, are two of the stylish women in fashion and beauty so it's little surprise they crammed their favourites into their hospital bags I'm embarrassed to admit this but I packed my toiletries as if I was going on a weekend away, rather than to give birth. Hazard of the job, I filled two Anya Hindmarch cosmetics bags with travel sized versions of all of my favourites; Estee Lauder serums and eye creams, Korres shower gel, Caudalie and Avene facial mists, Seams hand creams, Nars concealer, Mac mascara, two lip balms - a Creme de la Mer one and Amilab - a French pharmacy brand I'd picked up during fashion week. I even packed a miniature Tom Ford red lipstick from the Lips and Boys collection. I don't even wear red lipstick. I had mentally planned my look for the 'after' pictures with my baby but in reality, I didn't want any cosmetic barrier between me and his newborn skin. Out of all of the toiletries that I packed, I used three products. Your lips get really dry with all of the heavy breathing plus the fact that hospitals are overly warm and zap all of the moisture from your skin so lip balm is essential and my husband was armed with a can of facial spritz to cool me down. Oh, and the shower gel for afterwards (the most awkward shower of my life). Katie Maguire, 31, is a Creative Director of Lipstick Boutique from London. She lives with her husband and daughters, Isabella, 5, and Charlotte, who is four months. I wanted to feel as comfortable as possible so I packed two pairs of white cotton pyjamas from the White Company, a white cotton robe from the White Company, a cashmere tracksuit and Isabel Marant Bart trainers to travel home. I knew I'd be staying overnight so made sure I had my Eve Lom cleanser and TLC radiance cream, which I use every night. I was also armed with a Jo Malone Pear & Fresia body cream to get rid of the 'hospital smell' and I also used the matching perfume as a room spray. Katie Maguire, 31, is a Creative Director from London. She lives with her husband and daughters, Isabella, 5, right, and Charlotte, who is four months Katie, with her second daughter, Charlotte, was also armed with a Jo Malone Pear & Fresia body cream to get rid of the 'hospital smell' I also brought two huge pillows from the White Company. Not only did they make the bed more comfortable, they also smelt of home. I packed everything up into a black Mulberry Clipper holdall. I only packed two weeks before I was due, although my last working day was a 12 hour photo shoot a week before my due date, I had my hospital bag and car seat on set with me just in case...! Katie's last working day was a 12 hour photo shoot a week before her due date so she was prepared with her bag packed in her car Naomi Nissen, 26, is the co-founder of The Mint Clinic. She has twins now aged 22 months called Henry Edward and Kitty Rose. I knew I was going to meet my twinnies early so I packed at about 28 weeks; it was like packing for the best holiday ever so I would have done it well in advance anyway. I loved it. I used a Louis Vuitton holdall as my hospital bag and packed lots of comfy clothes, but I wanted to feel 'myself' after having the twins so made sure I still felt stylish. White Company PJs look like casual wear, so I was able to mooch in my pyjamas but still look good. Naomi Nissen, 26, is the co-founder of The Mint Clinic and and packed plenty of beauty products - including curling tongs - in her bag I wanted to look nice and feel clean and fresh so I also had headbands to match my outfits; it sounds silly but you need to feel good after birth. My beauty bag was packed with Chanel Hydra Beauty Gel - the air con and heating combo in hospitals, lack of sleep and lack of hydration meant that my skin was bound to look dull. I love this and it kept me feeling normal; plus it smells like roses. I also packed Kiehl's serum because you need skincare after zero sleep. Chanel CC Cream is light enough that no one thinks you're wearing makeup, plus it covers the bags and spots so people kept saying to me I looked like I hadn't even had babies! I also brought curling tongs and Jo Malone candles. When a toddler has a tantrum in the supermarket, their parents are often shot looks of judgement and disgust from staff and fellow shoppers. But Ashley Holmes, a mother-of-two from Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, was surprised when a staff member at her local Aldi supermarket had the opposite reaction. 'Today, whilst doing my grocery shop at ALDI Kurri Kurri NSW my 3 year old son, decided he would have a full blown meltdown,' Ms Holmes wrote in an 'appreciation post' on Facebook. 'That was so beautiful': Ashley Holmes, a mother-of-two, was touched when an Aldi worker gave her a bunch of flowers after her toddler had a meltdown in the supermarket 'Totally lost his marbles!' Ms Holmes said her three-year-old had a 'full blown meltdown' and that customers were 'glaring' at her (stock image) 'Totally lost his marbles! Screaming fit, tantrum. I had my 6 year old son with me too & a full trolley of groceries so I couldn't just do that "Drop & Run" that, let's face it, all us parents have done once or twice in our parenting years.' Ms Holmes said despite customers 'whispering and glaring' at her, she 'persevered' and made her way to the register with her screaming son before dashing to the car. 'In complete exhaustion, embarrassment and utter disappointment, a lady in an Aldi uniform came walking towards me. I thought "argh, what now",' she continued. Touched: 'She handed me a beautiful bunch of yellow roses from the store, and said "we thought you deserved these, I hope your day gets better,' Ms Holmes explained From one mother to another: Ms Holmes thanked the staff for their 'total non judgement,' support and for 'not whispering about my total lack of control over my child' 'BUT, she handed me a beautiful bunch of yellow roses from the store, and said "we thought you deserved these, I hope your day gets better, and please don't be embarrassed, we understand" and gave me a hug!' 'That gesture, honestly brought me to tears. That was so beautiful. I wanted to just show my honest appreciation for that gesture.' Ms Holmes thanked the staff for their 'total non judgement,' support and for 'not whispering about my total lack of control over my child.' The staff member has since been identified as Shannon Maybury, a fellow mother. 'My heart just went out to the young lady I felt so sad for her': The staff member has since been identified as Shannon Maybury, a mother who lived nearby 'We shouldn't judge': Many other women praised the staff member and said parents should never give fellow parents judgemental looks Ms Maybury commented on Ms Holmes' post and explained why she wanted to help out. 'My heart just went out to the young lady I felt so sad for her and could see the hard time she was having, so just wanted to put a smile on her face,' she wrote. 'I just wanted to let you know your not alone our hearts just went out to you and I said I'm buying her a bunch of flowers she deserves it [sic].' A woman who was sent to jail while heavily pregnant says the experience saved her baby's life. Mariam Mola was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in HMP Holloway for fraud and says that, while her daughter's birth was 'horrendous', it also proved a positive experience that inspired her to change her life. The 27-year-old, who is believed to be from London, committed the crime when she was 18 but she was found and prosecuted seven years earlier. Mariam Mola was sentenced to three months' imprisonment in HMP Holloway for fraud and says that, while her daughter's birth was 'horrendous', it also proved a positive experience 'I was in a bad relationship at that time and the person I was with committed some fraud,' the entrepreneur told host Gaby Roslin on ITV's Lorraine. 'Because I was involved in that I crowd I was later sentenced to quite a heavy prison sentence when expecting my first baby.' Mariam felt so confident that she wouldn't be sent to jail, she turned up to her sentencing in a Reiss jumpsuit and newly-jelled nails, she said in a previous interview. 'I'd made some massive improvements in my life and I didn't think that the judge would be so harsh,' she admitted. 'I was in a bad relationship at that time and the person I was with committed some fraud,' the entrepreneur told host Gaby Roslin on ITV's Lorraine Mariam felt so confident that she wouldn't be sent to jail, she turned up to her sentencing in a Reiss jumpsuit and newly-jelled nails, she said in a previous interview Describing the moment she was sentenced, Mariam said: 'When I was in the dock, the judge said "You're gonna go to jail," and I looked at my mum and I was just thinking about, I don't want this to happen again. 'I wasn't thinking about the pregnancy, I was immediately thinking about what kind of change I can create so that, in years to come, I'm not the mother and my daughter's not in that position.' She added: 'As soon as I got to prison, things got real. I had never connected with my baby when I was in the community, so only when I got to prison I was like, Oh my gosh I'm going to have a baby here.' Mariam said: 'When I was in the dock, the judge said "You're gonna go to jail," and I looked at my mum and I was just thinking about, I don't want this to happen again' She told Gaby: 'I wasn't thinking about the pregnancy, I was immediately thinking about what kind of change I can create so that, in years to come, I'm not the mother and my daughter's not in that position' Mariam recalled how, although she was constantly scared, her experience was not a negative one. 'People were always kind to me, the officers were absolutely amazing, people took time off work to be in the labour room when I had my baby,' she recalled. 'There is always mean people in prison but I had so much favour. Me and my daughter were born three days apart so they had a birthday party for me at the hospital. It was a good experience.' Mariam recalled how, although she was constantly scared, her experience was not a negative one. 'People were always kind to me, the officers were absolutely amazing,' she said The experience inspired Mariam to set up her own organisation, Mentor Matcher, to help women in similar situations get back on their feet and rebuild their lives. 'I met the most amazing people there,' she told Gaby. 'Probably the most intelligent women Ive met were in prison but they just dont have a chance and while youre in prison, youre already being signed up to go on benefits, go into that kind of environment but theres no help when you leave.' This Morning television presenter Eamonn Holmes has sparked controversy among parents after admitting that he hates sitting next to younger travellers while on a flight. The father-of-four has revealed he would happily support child-free flights. D uring a phone-in about travelling on planes with children, Holmes, 56, made a passionate plea for segregated flights, saying that if he's paid for a flight ticket then he should have some 'choice' about who he sits next to. However, the presenter was quickly labelled 'grumpy' by viewers watching the segment on the This Morning show. Scroll down for video Who supports segregated planes? Eamonn Holmes landed himself in hot water with viewers of This Morning today after admitting he doesn't like sitting near children on planes 'I've paid for my ticket. I just want a choice' A passionate Eamonn revealed he just wants to sleep and watch a movie during his hard-earned time off Hot topic: A live phone-in on This Morning on child-free flights divided viewers and sparked plenty of debate on Facebook after the show The phone-in had been discussing the story of Nicola Colenso who last week revealed that an 'abusive' air passenger had told her to 'shut that child up' referring to her disabled eight-year-old child Yasmin. Journalist Martin Daubney had suggested that those who moaned about flying with young children were 'finger-wagging, pursed-lipped disapproving grumpsters'. Holmes wife and co-presenter Ruth Langsford quickly replied: 'Have you been sitting next to him?' about her husband. Holmes then launched into why he disliked travelling alongside young children, saying: 'What makes life miserable is that Ive paid for my holiday Ive got one week off all year.' 'I just want to get on that plane and watching my movie, or sleep or whatever it happens to be.' He then added: 'I just want the choice.' Plenty of viewers took to Facebook to voice their strong disagreement with Holmes' standpoint. Journalist Martin Daubney, left, referred to Holmes as one of a breed of 'finger-wagging, pursed-lipped disapproving grumpsters' who made parents feel bad about their children Mixed bag: While many of those listening to the phone-in condemned Holmes' view, more than a few agreed that adults-only flights were a good idea Amy Louise Eley wrote: 'This is ridiculous. Child-free flights, what next? Small children, bless them, don't understand what is going on, ears popping etc so if they do cry then surely we can be understanding to that?' Tegan Milson agreed, saying: 'I can't explain how angry some of content of this segment is making me. Bad parenting! Naughty children! Uncontrollable children! How dare they speak this way?' An air passenger was shamed on Facebook after allegedly yelling 'shut that child up!' to Nicola Colenso, the mother of an eight-year-old girl who was having 'a meltdown' Nicola Colenso (pictured) wrote an open letter to the woman on a flight from Ibiza to Manchester last week after her disabled daughter Yasmin, 8, was asked to be quiet She added: 'If your child behaved impeccably on a plane well congratulations. You were lucky! I doubt it was your amazing parenting skills.' Jason Potts penned: 'The minority of people who selfishly want children barring from flights need to get a grip on reality. The public world isn't a child free place.' Kerry Morris added: 'People need to get over it! Kids will be kids. Am taking my eight-month-old baby on her first flight next week and I know she's going to be hard work... but one dirty look or snide comment from someone and I won't be able to hold my own!' Josephine Hems berated Holmes: 'This is really annoying me! Why shouldn't parents go on holiday with children? Regardless of their age? We've always flown with our children. We pay the same as those without children. Why should parents look at alternative holidays which don't include a trip on a plane?' However, for every comment from a parent angry at Holmes' comment, there seemed to be another in agreement with the presenter. Journalist Daubney suggested that Holmes' view was outdated, something many watching at home seemed to agree with Holmes cracked a smile at the end of the segment after sharing his views on child=drere Aileen Leonard wrote about a nightmare flight that made her change her mind on airline segregation: 'We had the worst flight ever last year. A 10hr flight from Vancouver surrounded by children. Some were brilliant and slept for most of the night time flight however one child cried for 6 hrs of the flight.' On Twitter, @PeaceHavenUK said: 'I think there should be family flights and none. 'There's nothing worse than a screaming child on how ever long the flight.' If you imagine that traveling the world to hang out with and primp an already-gorgeous Victoria's Secret model is a dream job, your assumption would be correct, especially if that model is Lily Aldridge, 30. 'If there was ever a beauty contest with all the models, she would win Miss Congeniality, hands down,' says celebrity hairstylist Harry Josh in a new video on Allure.com. The video captures a fun conversation between Lily and her glam squad, which includes Harry as well as celebrity make-up artist Quinn Murphy. Scroll for video Model behavior: Lily Aldridge's glam squad - make-up artist Quinn Murphy (left) and hairstylist Harry Josh (right) - gush about working with the model in a video on Allure.com Mane man: Harry (right) says that if there was ever a beauty contest with all the models, Lily (left), 30, would win Miss Congeniality The pros gush over Lily in the video, calling her 'so sweet', compassionate and loyal, while the model praises Harry for his positive energy and Quinn for his willingness to collaborate. Considering both of their rapports with Lily, it's no wonder that the guys are responsible for many of the Michael Kors fragrance model's most stunning beauty looks. Quinn, for example, created the model's elegant, futuristic look at the Met Gala in May, which featured gold-painted eyebrows. Harry is a master at creating voluminous bombshell waves on Lily that are the definition of #hairgoals. Making magic: Quinn glammed up Lily for this year's Met Gala (left) , while Josh got her in Victoria's Secret angel mode with voluminous bombshell waves (right) Of course, with 12-15 hour days on set being the norm, even dream jobs can be stressful sometimes. 'In a real pinch, you put Canadian Preparation-H under your eyes and you look like you're not stressed,' says Quinn in the video. Harry adds that he unwinds with 20-minute meditation sessions, and as for Lily, she's all about a hot bath. 'Even if it's just for five minutes, it really makes me feel good,' she says. Postcards from Paris: Lily (left) is currently in the French city to shoot Victoria's Secret's holiday commercial along with fellow angels like Elsa Hosk (right), 27 Lily might be needing one of those relaxing baths after the productive summer she's had. The mother of one (she shares four-year-old daughter Dixie Pearl Followill with Kings of Leon frontman, Caleb) spent time in Greece promoting her campaign for Michael Kors' new fragrance, Wanderlust. The campaign (see above) features Lily emerging from the ocean in a gold sequin dress and with a handsome man on her arm. Currently, she's in Paris along with her fellow Victoria's Secret models like Elsa Hosk and Taylor Hill to shoot the brand's holiday commercial. Her pal Harry Josh is there too, with his magic-making curling iron at the ready. Waves and wings: Hairstylist Harry Josh used the Marcel curling iron from his eponymous line to get angels Taylor Hill (left) and Stella Maxwell (right) ready for the VS holiday shoot Some parents have a hard time coming to terms with suddenly having an empty nest when their kids have all headed off to college but not Christie Brinkley. The 62-year-old supermodel is celebrating sending her youngest daughter, Sailor Brinkley Cook, off to her freshman year at Parsons School of Design in New York City. After sharing a few shots of herself and her 18-year-old lookalike who also has a modeling contract with IMG on move-in day, the proud mom took to Instagram to write: 'Empty Nest! Par-Tay!!!' Twinning! Christie Brinkley, 62, took her 18-year-old daughter Sailor Brinkley Cook to college this week and shared this photo of their matching moving outfits Blonde ambition: She proudly showed off snaps of her little lookalike as they drove into New York City New digs! Sailor uploaded this snap of her first apartment before everything was moved in Parting: Christie was clearly a bit emotional, sharing photos from their drive in (left) and Sailor's 'first sunset' in the city (right) The celebratory snap accompanied an image of herself popping a bottle of her own organic sparkling wine, Bellissima Prosecco. But while she seemed excited to have shipped her third and final child off to school, it's not that she won't miss them. In fact, she added the hashtag #ilovemybabies. And she was certainly very supportive during the moving process. On Monday, she shared an image of herself sitting in a car with her blonde daughter, with both flashing peace signs at the camera. 'Brace yourself... I'm going to say the words no one wants to hear... back to school! Make that college! Prepping da crib!' she wrote. The next day, she shared a snap from the road as they pulled up to New York City, followed by a latergram of the two in matching overalls, white T-shirts, and sneakers. Busy little lady! Sailor is enrolled in Parsons School of Design and has a modeling contract with IMG Must be tough: Though she bares an obvious resemblance to her mom, she doesn't like the comparison Making a name for herself: The teen is embarking on a modeling career of her own College girl: On April 16, she shared a name tag from Parsons to celebrate new beginnings ahead of her enrollment this fall (right) 'Brinkley Moving Company! We Get the job done!' she wrote next tot he snap, which showed the duo pulling matching kissy-face poses with their hands on their hips. On Tuesday afternoon, Sailor uploaded a picture from inside her very first apartment. In the photo, she's seen standing in a seemingly modest-sized rental, which has yet to be decorated. 'Watch out New York City you've got a new full-time resident,' Sailor wrote, gearing up for orientation, which will start Thursday. The teenager who first revealed she'd be attending Parsons back in April is Christie's only daughter with Peter Cook, whom the supermodel divorced after it was discovered that he'd had an affair with a teenager. Mini me: Sailor, following in her mom's modeling footsteps, has already posed for Town & Country magazine Family troubles: Her dad is Peter Cook, whom Christie divorced after a cheating scandal Big bro: Christie's older brother Jack was adopted by Peter, but his biological dad his Christie's third husband, Richard Taubman Proud mama: Christie also has a famous daughter, Alexa Ray Joel, 30, from her marriage to Billy Joel And though she's obviously inherited her mom's supermodel features, she doesn't love getting compared to the icon. 'Instagram has comment filters now?' she wrote on Twitter earlier this month. 'Omfg im about to get every "you look just like your mom" comment blocked real quick. [sic]' Christie also has a son, Jack Brinkley-Cook, from her relationship with Richard Taubman. Jack, 21, was later adopted by Peter, and was enrolled in Boston's Emerson College in 2013. Back in the late Sixties and early Seventies my mother was a very successful businesswoman. She took over my grandfather's ailing TV retail firm and built it up so well she won a Businesswoman of the Year award. So, you might imagine, in an era when feminism was all the rage, when sisters were apparently helping each other, that my mother would be all too keen to help other women succeed - as she had. Ha! Hardly. My mother would rather have walked on hot coals than mentored another woman - even me, her daughter. Vivienne Parry's mother with Vivienne as a baby in the 1950s. Her mother would rather have walked on hot coals than mentored another woman - even her daughter When I became the first person in my immediate family to go to university, far from encouraging me to break any glass ceiling, she was faintly appalled. 'Whatever for?' was her initial reaction. After all, I had been sent to a school that trained its 'gals' to be the wives of diplomats and doctors. Mother didn't expect me to go off and study zoology, never mind specialise in immunology and genetics. So horrified was she at my subsequent success that even when I became a presenter on BBC science programme Tomorrow's World in 1994 she never once complimented me on it. So why was my mother so against helping anyone of her own gender climb to the same heights as she did? Why was she so loath to laud female achievement - even when the female forging ahead was her own daughter? The answer's rather simple: I fear my mother was a misogynist. It may seem like a contradiction in terms - isn't misogyny, or the hatred of women, expressed only by men? Not so. As I, and many of you know, women can be more misogynistic than men. The insults hurled at Leslie Jones, the black star of the female-led Ghostbusters movie remake, were vilely racist, but there were many horrible things said about her appearance - shockingly, much of it from women Perhaps my mother - and I'm trying to be kind here - just wanted me to avoid the difficult life of a female pioneer. But in truth, I think she was one of those women who believed the most awful thing another woman could do was 'get above herself'. Women should know their place - at home, with her husband and children. But obviously she herself was somehow excused those duties. Worryingly, I believe that things have become even worse than in my mother's day, when women hating other women was restricted to muttering behind the lace curtains or the squashing of ambition in uppity daughters. Modern-day misogyny is far more violent and hateful - and it's women who are the worst offenders. 'Leaning in', as Facebook boss Sheryl Sandberg exhorted women to do, clearly hasn't taken off yet For example, why do you think there are still so few women in high-ranking positions in top companies? Because the ladder of progress is all too often kicked from under us by other women who are keen to preserve their positions, rather than letting a rival female in. The only time I have been fired was by a woman, on a matter of principle (mine not hers). She was that most heinous of women bosses - the sort who act like a sweet ten-year-old in the presence of male bosses, but behave like a tyrant with male underlings and, when faced with women, turn into a psychotic she-devil. This particular boss had clawed her way up to be the lone woman on the board. And believe me, that was the way she intended it to stay. She wanted to be the sole female in the room, the only recipient of the men's attention. FEMALE FIXERS With at least one woman on the board, a companys risk of going bust is cut by 20 per cent Advertisement Wrong as her behaviour was, I can sort of understand the logic behind it. When there are so few women at higher levels, many of them think they must behave like a tigress, using every weapon at their disposal to protect their position against other 'sisters'. 'Leaning in', as Facebook boss Sheryl Sandberg exhorted women to do, clearly hasn't taken off yet. Indeed, rather than behaving like women should - encouraging, nurturing, promoting other females - many display the cut-throat characteristics for which men are so often attacked. In this, as in so many things, my mother was ahead of the curve. When the daughter of a friend asked her for advice on how to succeed as a businesswoman, the reply was brisk and unhelpful: 'Learn how to drink a man under the table'. When Caroline Criado-Perez, who campaigned to get an image of novelist Jane Austen on British banknotes succeeded, she didn't get acclaim. She received 50 death or rape threats an hour for days from internet trolls In other words, be more manly than the men. And she could indeed outdrink any man. It is true that women misogynists have been seen throughout history. Queen Victoria famously denied equal voting rights saying: 'Let women be what God intended, a helpmeet for men but with totally different duties and vocations'. It's not clear how she thought being Queen Empress fitted into this world view. And the Suffragettes did not get much support from women. Admittedly, many were turned off by their acts of militancy, such as smashing windows and setting fires. But even the less vociferous supporters of suffragism - the type who held peaceful 300,000-strong rallies - were viewed with suspicion by women in the general population. Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies successfully took on the entire male medical establishment and told them none could apply for any of the 1billion research funds she controlled as head of the National Institute for Health Research, unless they signed up to a scheme to improving female representation in academia It must have grated that the very people they were trying to liberate castigated the Suffragettes as bitter spinsters, sneering at them for being 'unnatural'. Sound familiar? This is just the kind of abuse thrown at women today, by other women. Much of this female-on-female misogyny now occurs online, which is, in some ways, merely a technological manifestation of an ancient phenomenon. And the more attractive the woman, the more indirect aggression she draws from her female peers. No doubt it dates from the days when we had to attract a man to the door of our cave. The more attractive the woman, the more indirect aggression she draws from her female peers. No doubt it dates from the days when we had to attract a man to the door of our cave It's typically directed at good-looking women as they are seen as a threat, which is possibly why classical scholar, the wonderful Professor Mary Beard - a woman beautiful with wisdom not Botox - attracted more male than female online trolls. When I was a Tomorrow's World regular, men were invariably complimentary about my appearance. It was women who made the comments, including my favourite: 'You're so much more attractive off screen.' A masterclass in a passive-aggressive misogynistic barb, if there ever was one. My mother, of course, found fault with every dress I wore onscreen: 'Did it have to be green? You looked like a leek' - although her insults did at least reveal that she'd been secretly watching. Naturally, the more a woman thinks she'll get away with making misogynistic remarks, the more she'll do it. And so the internet is perfect, the female poison-pen writer's dream medium. There's no comeback, no direct confrontation, often near-total anonymity, as well as maximum devastating impact. Professor Tracy Vaillancourt of McMaster University in Canada is well known for her work in the area of indirect aggression. She carried out fascinating research where conversations were recorded between pairs of women who had been shown photos of the same woman dressed in different clothing. The female in the photo, when dressed plainly, was seen as a potential friend. But the more provocative her outfit, the greater the bitchiness she attracted. But what's worrying is that today's misogyny by women goes further than mere bitchiness. Take the insults hurled at Leslie Jones, the black star of the female-led Ghostbusters movie remake. Much was vilely racist, but there were many horrible things said about her appearance - shockingly, much of it from women. Indeed, women comprise a truly disturbing percentage of all misogynistic tweets, according to think tank Demos. Their research earlier this year revealed that half of all tweets using the words 'slut' and 'whore' came from female users, with some 20 per cent of these using the words in a highly aggressive or threatening way. Remember the case of Caroline Criado-Perez, who campaigned to get an image of novelist Jane Austen on British banknotes? When she succeeded, she didn't get acclaim. She received 50 death or rape threats an hour for days from internet trolls. And you'd think all those must have been men, but many, including the most extreme, were women. There are shining examples of women who don't succumb to misogyny, though. Take Chief Medical Officer Dame Sally Davies. Appalled at the lack of senior female medical researchers, she successfully took on the entire male medical establishment and told them none could apply for any of the 1billion research funds she controlled as head of the National Institute for Health Research, unless they signed up to a scheme to improving female representation in academia. But actions like these are few and far between, and it's hard not to conclude that the sisterhood doesn't exist - or at least, only functions when women aren't in competition with each other, whether for promotions, partners or compliments. Actress Abigail Breslin has slammed a gym - accusing it of 'body shaming' - after it released an ad in which it criticizes women with pear-shaped figures. The ad, by global franchise Gold's Gym, features an image of a pear accompanied by the words: 'This is no shape for a girl'. The 20-year-old American hit out at the gym on Instagram in a damning critique of the company, accusing it of being morally irresponsible, writing: 'Things like this are the reason nine-year-old-girls develop eating disorders.' Scroll down for video Outraged: Actress Abigail Breslin, 20, has accused Gold's Gym of 'body shaming' with ad that criticizes pear-shaped women, pictured Take-down: Abigail, pictured left and right earlier this year, accused the company of being morally irresponsible Damning: Abigail, who starred in Little Miss Sunshine aged ten, pictured, criticized he ad saying: 'Things like this are the reason nine-year-old-girls develop eating disorders.' Alongside a picture of the offensive ad, the Scream Queens star wrote: 'Wow honestly disgusted by this @goldsgym you should be ashamed of yourselves. 'Things like this are the reason 9 year old girls develop eating disorders. 'Working out should be something you do for yourself, your health and your mind and body, not cuz a corporation declares your body shape isn't what girls should look like. [sic]' She added: 'Also I wonder if it's cool with Golds Gyms for men to be pear shaped? 'Interesting they had to single out females. Good job for preying on people's insecurities and perpetuating body image issues!' In a final take-down of the gym, she said she has never used the gym - which started in Venice, California, and now has branches around the world - and will boycott them in the future. 'Good thing I've never signed up for your gym, now I certainly never will,' she wrote. Sorry: The gym, criticized by Abigail on Instagram, pictured, has issued an apology Response: Gold's Gym, criticized by Abigail for another ad, pictured, said the posts by Golds Gym Dreamland, a sub-franchise in Cairo, Egypt, were 'offensive and disgusting' Abigail, who grew up in the spotlight after starring in hit film Little Miss Sunshine when she was just ten years old, also criticized the company for another ad. It features a lean woman pictured in front of a silhouette of a bigger figure eating a chicken drumstick with the caption 'challenge yourself'. Abigail said in response: "Wow @goldsgym how about challenge yourself to not be a body shaming, ignorant, mean-spirited company?" Gold's Gym has issued an apology for the pear ad in which it claimed it was the work of Gold's Gym Dreamland, a sub-franchise in Cairo, Egypt, and denounced the posts as 'offensive and disgusting'. It added: 'They go against everything we believe in and stand for. For years we have been dedicated to helping people feel empowered by fitness, not intimidated or ashamed by it.' It said following the 'insensitive posts' they have been working to remove the Facebook page and are currently 'in the process of expediting the termination of this sub-franchisee's agreement.' Swedish-born Victoria's Secret model Kelly Gale is the latest to grace the cover of Playboy magazine. The 21-year-old strips off and poses for the cover and a 14-page pictorial and centerfold as a part of the September 2016 issue. Kelly, who is of Indian and Australian descent, can count the cover as just the latest in a string of big successes in her career over the past year. Scroll down for video Heating up: Swedish-born model Kelly Gale, 21, flaunts her perfect figure on the new cover of Playboy magazine Natural beauty: Kelly, who was born to Indian and Australian parents, has previously modeled for the likes of Victoria's Secret and Chanel Last year Kelly was named as number one of the '50 best things in the world' for GQ India. She broke into the modelling industry after being discovered outside a Gothenburg coffee shop when she was just 13 years old. She received her big break in 2012 after being asked to walk in Chanels pre-fall fashion show. She has since modeled for the likes of H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, Jean Paul Gaultier and lingerie giant Victoria's Secret - for whom she walked in their famous fashion show in 2013 and 2014. Perfect poser: The model was discovered at just 13 years old in a Gothenburg coffee shop Looking up: In the profile for the magazine, Kelly reveals she is a foodie and is fluent in two languages Walking the walk: Kelly was previously a model for the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show, pictured in 2014 She also recently appeared in a music video for Enrique Iglesias' single Duele El Corazon. On the new cover, Kelly sizzles as she lays on a beach lounger, her striped top pulled partway up her chest and one of the braids in her hair resting over her face. She is also sporting a set of emoji-printed string bikini bottoms in the sultry shot. Other images show her flaunting her figure in a high-cut red body suit, exposing low-rise bikini tan lines and lounging topless in an ornate white chair. Long-running: Kelly also walked the show for the lingerie brand back in 2014 Getting to know her: Kelly received her big break in 2012 after being asked to walk in Chanels pre-fall fashion show Making a point: Kelly is also an advocate for gender equality, praising her home country of Sweden for the 'revolutionary level of respect' they have for women there In her profile for the new Playboy issue, Kelly reveals that she is a foodie, fluent in two languages and is an advocate for gender equality. ' Women in Sweden are treated with a revolutionary level of respect that is unsurpassed in history,' she told the magazine. Chocolate, vanilla and strawberry suddenly seem very mundane when you realise some of the very strange flavours being sold around the world. From melon-and-cheese flavoured Kit Kats in Japan to yoghurt and mint Doritos in Turkey, a new visual guide shows you where you can buy some of the rarest - and often weirdest - flavours of your favourite brands. It comes after a limited-edition range of Oreo cookies flavoured like Swedish fish sweets left die-hard fans in the US puzzled last week. Starbucks offer a yoghurt frappuccino in Greece, or pick up a frozen shake flavoured with algarrobina syrup in Peru. The coffee chain makes a frappuccino that tastes like a local dessert in Brazil, while the strawberries and cream drink is only available in the UK However, some of the flavours sound more appetising than others. You may want to run to the supermarket to find tandoori chicken Doritos in India, but you might be less inclined to seek out some soy sauce-flavoured Kit Kats in Japan. Divided into different brands, the map from Made by Oomph! tells you which flavours are available elsewhere in the world - and which country sells them. Starting with Starbucks, the guide shows how you can pick up a cooling yoghurt frappuccino in Greece, with the option of adding honey or banana. It is, after all, the home of Greek yoghurt. Russian coffee fans can pick up a cappuccino Pepsi, while Italians can enjoy a non-alcoholic mojito version. There's a cinnamon-flavoured option in Mexico, the home of spicy foods, and a Pepsi flavoured with African superfood baobab in Japan Meanwhile, athletes finished with their Olympic efforts in Rio can indulge in a Brigadeiro frappuccino. It's the flavour of Brazil's most popular chocolate bon bon dessert, so it's no wonder Starbucks have produced a drink based on this local delicacy. Across the border in Peru, Starbucks offers a frappuccino made from algarrobina syrup, which is extracted from black carob trees and often used in Peruvian cuisine. The guide also reveals that the UK's ubiquitous strawberries and cream frappuccino is in fact only available on our shores. It is, after all, a very British staple. Fanta sells a banana variety in India, while refreshing watermelon is on sale to Australians. A bright blue blueberry flavoured drink is available in Thailand and the strawberry and kiwi flavour known to the UK is also on sale in France In the UK, there is just one Pepsi flavour, and that's cola. But over in Russia, the brand has taken note of the country's obsession with coffee and created a cappuccino flavour. Italians may be disappointed that their mojito-flavoured Pepsi doesn't contain any alcohol - instead it just tastes like mint and lime. Meanwhile in Mexico, a cinnamon-flavoured version of the brand called Pepsi Fire appeals to the country known for its spicy cuisine. Japan is home to some of the more unusual flavours on this list, so it's the perfect place for the fizzy drinks company to try out its baobab-flavoured beverage. Oreo are well known for producing dozens of different flavours across the world, like fruity crisp, dulce de leche and banana, blueberry ice cream and matcha green tea Baobab is a trendy new African superfood - but we're not sure there's anything healthy about this sugary treat. Fanta, the maker of the eponymous orange soda, also experiments with weird flavours further afield. India sells a banana variety, while refreshing watermelon is on sale to Australia, which should help with the heatwaves the country often faces during summer. A blueberry flavoured drink is available in Thailand, meanwhile. The guide reveals that strawberry and kiwi-flavoured Fanta is not as readily available across the globe as it is in Europe, but it is on sale in the UK and France at least. A limited-edition range of Oreo cookies flavoured like Swedish fish sweets left die-hard fans puzzled last week On to Oreo, which is well known for producing dozens of different flavours, particularly for its US market. A Swedish fish flavour is currently on sale in the States, as is its fruity crisp variety, which uses a vanilla cookie. Across the other side of the world, China sells Oreos flavoured with trendy matcha green tea, while Indonesia sells a blueberry ice cream Oreo. Despite the name, the filling is the normal cream found in the biscuit sandwich, rather than ice cream. There's a two-in-one with Oreo's dulce de leche and banana-flavoured cookies, which are available in Argentina. Cool down in Turkey with a bizarre yoghurt and mint flavour bag of Doritos or spice things up in India with tandoori chicken crisps. There's a seaweed variety in Japan, and head to France for olive-flavoured snacks Doritos crisps become more experimental when you go abroad, as some of these unusual flavours prove. The French don't have to decide between snacking on olives or corn-based crisps as the company has combined the two with olive-flavoured chips. Meanwhile, cool down in Turkey with a bizarre yoghurt and mint-flavoured snack, or spice things up in India with tandoori chicken Doritos. The most bizarre flavour on this list has to be Hokkaido melon and mascarpone cheese. It comes in the form of orange Kit Kats and they say they are full of 'melon sweetness'. Other Japanese Kit Kat varieties include wasabi, soy sauce, and green tea The Japanese eat a lot of seaweed, and now their corn chips can taste like it too as there's seaweed-flavoured Doritos. The UK has seen increasing varieties of Kit Kats on supermarket shelves in the last decade or so, from peanut butter to cookies and cream. But Nestle take it to a whole new level in Japan, where you can even buy the chocolate treat in melon and cheese, soy sauce and wasabi flavours. Health officials are urging young people to ensure they are vaccinated against the most deadly strain of meningitis after a surge in cases. Cases of Meningitis W (MenW) have increased by 850 per cent since 2009. The strain has a 13 per cent fatality rate, higher than any other form of the infection, which is lethal in between 5-10 per cent of cases. Experts say they are now particularly concerned about 'a highly aggressive strain' of the bacteria, which can take over the body with frightening speed. Cases of Meningitis W have increased by 850 per cent since 2009. This strain has a 13 per cent fatality rate - higher than any other form of the infection Teenagers are particularly at risk of contracting meningitis, partly because they are more mobile and encounter more bacteria types. Hormonal changes may also make them more susceptible. Students are also vulnerable because going to university exposes them to many new people who may unknowingly be carrying the bacteria. Figures show a quarter of students carry the bacteria which can cause meningitis compared to one in 10 of the general population. The ST-11 strain of meningitis W first appeared in Britain in 2008. It accounted for four deaths a year between 2009 and 2012 - but was linked to 22 deaths over 2014 and 2015, latest figures show. Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE, said: 'Since 2009, there has been a rapid increase in cases of MenW across England, with students particularly at risk. 'Protecting young people from this potentially deadly disease as they embark upon one of the most important periods of their lives is vitally important. 'The vaccination will save lives and prevent lifelong devastating disability. 'We are encouraging all eligible 17 and 18-year-olds who have just left school to get vaccinated - particularly those heading to college or university. Students preparing to go to university or college will mix with many new people who may unknowingly be carrying the bacteria, experts warn MENINGITIS W: THE FACTS Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. This infection causes these membranes (the meninges) to become inflamed, which in some cases can damage the nerves and brain. It is considered a medical emergency and can lead to death, or long term complications like limb amputations and blindness. In the UK, six different strains of bacterial meningitis - A, B, C, W, X, and Y - cause the most disease. For decades meningococcal B (MenB) has been the main group, and meningococcal C (MenC) was also common until the MenC vaccine was introduced, reducing cases to just a handful each year. However, cases of meningococcal W (MenW) have risen steadily. It often has different symptoms to other kinds of meningitis. Several adults with MenW septicaemia have had mainly gastrointestinal symptoms, but without the typical rash that most people associate with meningitis. As as a result, they have progressed rapidly to death. University students up to the age of 25 are now offered a vaccine to protect against MenW. It protects against four different causes of meningitis and septicaemia meningococcal (Men) A, C, W and Y diseases. Source: Meningitis Now Advertisement 'Young people and those around them should be alert to the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia. 'Get vaccinated as soon as possible, remain vigilant and seek urgent medical help if you have concerns for yourself or friends.' The Men ACWY vaccine protects against meningococcal A, C, W and Y diseases - the illnesses can be fatal and survivors are often left with life-changing disabilities. The NHS vaccination programme is being delivered to teenagers and first-time students. But GPs are writing to school leavers to encourage them to get vaccinated, whether they are going to university or not. Liz Brown, chief executive of the charity Meningitis Now, said: 'In the UK every university could experience at least one case of meningitis amongst its students within the first term. 'It's vital that those going to uni this autumn are not complacent about the threat of meningitis - we urge them to take up this lifesaving vaccine before they go.' Vinny Smith, chief executive of the Meningitis Research Foundation, said: 'By getting this free meningitis vaccine from your GP you're not only protecting yourself from a potentially deadly disease, but also protecting others by stopping the spread. 'It's also vital to watch out for your friends if they're unwell. The Government's long-awaited childhood obesity strategy will be published tomorrow, officials have confirmed. But there are widespread fears it will be dramatically watered down from the original plans. Reports suggest initial proposals to ban junk food adverts before the watershed will not form part of the document. Other elements, such as banning 2 for 1 deals and adverts containing cartoon characters, are also expected to be axed. The U-turn will enrage health campaigners who are deeply concerned about soaring rates of overweight children. The controversial document was originally expected in December, but was put back to the spring and then the summer. Health campaigners fear the Government's childhood obesity strategy, to be published tomorrow, will be dramatically watered down from the original plans It will also contain new information from a consultation regarding the sugar tax on soft drinks. The proposed levy on items such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Red Bull would come into force from 2018. Under it, drinks with 5g of sugar per 100ml would face a lower rate of tax while those with more than 8g per 100ml would face a higher rate. Now, campaigners have accused the Government of jeopardising the health of millions of children by repeatedly failing to address the obesity crisis. A third of 11 year olds and two thirds of adults are now overweight or obese and our rates are amongst the worst in the Western world. The Obesity Health Alliance, which represents 30 medical organisations and charities, said the year-long delay was 'extremely disappointing'. The Government's proposed sugar tax on soft drinks such as Coca-Cola and Pepsi would come into force from 2018 - if its announced in their plans to curb obesity 'For the sake of our children's health it's vital we tackle the obesity epidemic which is jeopardizing their future wellbeing.' The organisation has previously set out a series of measures which it believes could help curb the obesity problem. SUGAR TAX 'WILL CUT JUST FIVE CALORIES' The Government's planned sugar tax will reduce consumption by just five calories a day, the soft drinks industry has claimed. A report commissioned by the industry calculates the health benefit to consumers will be the equivalent of a mere bite of an apple a day. The economic impact, meanwhile, could result in 4,000 job losses, it claims. The study, by Oxford Economics on behalf of the British Soft Drinks Association, said the levy would hit the hospitality industry and small retailers hardest. The proposed sugar tax on drinks such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Red Bull will come into force from 2018. Drinks with more than 5g of added sugar per 100ml of liquid will be subject to the levy, under plans unveiled by former chancellor George Osborne as part of the Budget in March. But retail groups and a number of businesses have joined a campaign against the tax. Advertisement These include: A ban on advertisements before the 9pm watershed for food and drink products that are high in saturated fat, salt and sugar. The introduction of ambitious targets to reduce sugar, saturated fat and salt from food, with meaningful sanctions for food companies who do not meet these targets. Retailers should be set targets to reduce the display of unhealthy foods in areas such as checkouts and end-of-aisle displays. Ensuring people have easy-to-understand nutritional information on the products they are buying. Meanwhile, local councils - which are in charge of public health in their areas - have also set out a series of proposals. The Local Government Association has called for calorie counts on menus, greater provision of tap water in schools and restaurants and for councils to be given powers to ban junk food advertising near schools. Health campaigners today slammed the predicted watered down measures. Caroline Moye, head of the World Cancer Research Fund, said: 'One in three children are overweight or obese by the time they leave primary school, putting them at risk of developing serious health conditions in later life. 'For example, being overweight or obese increases the risk of developing 11 common cancers including breast, prostate and bowel. 'In fact, about 25,000 cancer cases could be prevented every year in the UK if everyone was a healthy weight.' The Government's anti-obesity strategy is expected to go back on its junk food advert ban, to the disgust of health campaigners She added: 'No single measure will tackle the spiralling obesity trend our country is facing today. 'The strategy must include a number of different policies such as a levy on sugary drinks and more restrictions on advertising. 'This new government has the opportunity to show real leadership in reversing what is today's major health epidemic.' Mick Armstrong, chair of the British Dental Association said: 'It will take more than half-measures to deal with the sugar crisis. 'A sugar levy is one thing, but watering down action on junk food advertising and 2 for 1 deals sends entirely the wrong signal to business, parents and health professionals. 'The Health Secretary cannot afford to take a relaxed attitude to sugar. 'Children in his constituency might enjoy the lowest rates of obesity and tooth decay in England, but we think all children deserve the best start in life.' He added: 'We require a real strategy from government that is willing to address the huge, costly and preventable health inequalities Britain now faces. 'This isnt rocket science, but we need Ministers to take a lead.' Tam Fry, spokesman for the National Obesity Forum, said he hoped the report would not be a 'limp repetition of the flawed Responsibility Deal'. He added: 'The Government's own senior health advisers have called obesity a national risk requiring a Cobra-style crisis management response. No matter how grand your culinary intentions, it is always tempting to just use the microwave. It's easy, fast, and - for the eco-warriors - energy-efficient. But that shortcut comes with a plethora of health risks. From cataracts to cancer, radiation expert Professor Magda Havas of Trent University tells us the dangers of lazily popping our meals in the oven - and watching them cook. It's easy, fast, and energy-efficient. But microwaves come with a plethora of health risks WHY IT IS DANGEROUS 'The most important thing for people to know is that microwaves leak radiation,' Professor Havas explains. 'They aren't meant to. They have a metal mesh that's supposed to protect the waves from leaking. 'But I've tested over a dozen of the most popular brands, and every single one that I've tested has leaked.' HOW IT AFFECTS YOUR FOOD 'Microwaves reduce the nutritional content in all food. 'Enzymes are denatured by the process of radiation, meaning you get a fraction of the nutrients you would get otherwise.' To put that into context, Professor Havas explains why microwaves were banned from the sheep farm she used to work on. Many plastic containers leak carcinogens into the food when they are heated up When lambs are born, like babies, they need their mother's first milk because it contains colostrum, which has high concentrations of nutrients and antibodies. 'We normally milk out a sheep and store the colostrum in the freezer in case other sheep cannot produce milk and their lambs need it,' Professor Havas explains. 'We are specifically told not to put it in the microwave oven because it destroys the colostrum.' HOW IT AFFECTS YOU The radiation waves used in your oven are actually designed to heat water. Our bodies are majority water so our bdoesi naturally absorb microwave radiation. Cataracts There are conflicting opinions on the dangers of a microwave. One thing that almost all scientists agree on is that it causes cataracts. Cataracts are the most common cause of poor vision in people over the age of 40. One thing that almost all scientists agree on is that microwave radiation causes cataracts They are also the principal cause of blindness in the world, ahead of glaucoma. Aside from trying new glasses and anti-glare sunglasses, the only effective treatment is surgery. 'Standing in front of your oven watching your food go around unequivocally causes cataracts,' Professor Havas says. 'If you do it over and over and over again you will damage your eyes.' HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOUR MICROWAVE LEAKS... What you need: A cell phone with connection (not on airplane mode) A microwave What you need to do: Place your cell phone in the microwave and close the door Do NOT turn on the microwave Ring the phone from another line If it rings, that means the microwaves used to create that connection can pass through the protective metal mesh. Advertisement Cancer There are carcinogens in many elements of a microwaved meal. Firstly, many plastic containers leak carcinogens into the food when they are heated up. Secondly, microwaveable food contains specific chemicals to aid the process, such as BPA, polyethylene terpthalate (PET), benzene, toluene, and xylene - which have all been linked to cancer. Affects your heart In her own research, Professor Havas found 'unequivocal evidence' that microwave frequency affects the heart. She monitored the heart rate of people standing near microwave ovens. Every person monitored experienced a variation in heart rate while the oven was on. Changes your blood levels A study in Switzerland found people who ate microwaveable meals experienced a drop in red blood cells, and a rise in white blood cells and cholesterol levels. HOW TO AVOID THE DANGERS Despite the dangers and her research, Professor Havas does own a microwave for speedy, energy-efficient dinners. But she uses it in a very specific way. When you use a microwave you should leave the room - and never let your children near it Leave the room 'It's a personal choice, I'm not going to tell anyone not to use it because I understand how useful they are. 'If you're going to use it, go out of the kitchen. 'Don't just stand on the other side of a wall, really walk away. The waves travel through walls so you are still at risk.' Keep kids out 'Don't use it when you have kids in the house. Tragic death: Saanchi Goyal died in the car with her parents on Independence Day The Delhi Government banned the use of Chinese manjha [kite strings] on Tuesday, after three people were killed by the razor-sharp kite wires in just 48 hours. A three-year-old girl and a four-year-old boy were among those who died. In the first incident, Saanchi Goyal was travelling in a car near Naraina with her parents on the evening of August 15. She was peeping out from the sunroof of her parents Honda City Car when she made contact with a kites manjha and the wire slit her throat. She fell into her mothers lap with blood oozing from her neck. The accident was so sudden that her parents did not realise what happened at first. Saanchi was rushed to a hospital, but doctors declared the little girl dead on arrival. A case was registered under section 304(A) (causing death by negligence) and the police are investigating claims that it was a Chinese manjha that took the childs life. A little while later, in nearby Janakpuri, four-year-old Harry suffered the exact same fate as Saanchi. Saanchi Goyal (pictured right, with her father) was fatally injured when she popped her head out of the car sunroof, only to have her throat slit by a stray manjha. She fell into the car (pictured left) and died on the way to hospital. Fatal: Chinese manjha is string made of strong nylon, coated with glass or metal. (File picture). KILLER KITES Chinese manjha is string made of strong nylon, often coated with glass or metal to increase its strength for kite flying competitions It is the same thread that is used for fishing, but can be fatal with its sharp coating Its popularity is due to cheaper costs The Government had issued advisory warnings ahead of Independence Day making the public aware of their fatal effect, but their use continued Many states have already banned the use of, manjha which is also responsible for deaths of hundreds of birds Advertisement He too was peeping out from the sunroof of a car after returning from a shopping trip with his family, when his throat was slit by a sharp piece of kites manjha. Harry's father Rajan, a resident of Subhash Nagar, hurried to the hospital - but by then the boy had died. A 22-year-old man also died on Monday after his neck got entangled in a kite string, causing him to have a fatal fall from his motorcycle. The incident happened in west Delhis Mianwali Nagar area. The Delhi High Court had earlier issued an order telling the AAP government and civic bodies to warn the public about the dangers of razor sharp kite-flying threads before Independence Day - but their use continued unabated. The manjha are made from strong nylon strings and often coated with glass or metal to make them sharper. An untold number of birds have also perished after hitting the threads. Deadly strings: People fly kites in Delhi to celebrate India's Independence Day Chinese manjha have already been banned in multiple states - and finally, the Delhi government has issued a notification banning the deadly thread. The government had previously issued advisories to the general public through the local governing bodies as well as Delhi Police to create awareness about the fatal effects of using synthetic manjha/nylon thread. The government said that any public objections against the ban can be filed within 60 days. According to an official, Chinese manjha is so popular because it is much cheaper and does not break easily. It is actually the type of string used in fishing, but the string is coated with chemicals, glass, and metal to make it tougher and sharper. Handmade cotton manja is made from rice flour and a mix of desi masalas, and breaks easily. Hospitals said there have been many other cases of injuries caused by cuts from manjha. A 10-year-old boy and a sub-inspector with Delhi Police were also injured after their throats became entangled in kite threads recently. Former chief minister Babulal Gaur, who was dropped from the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet in the last reshuffle on age grounds, has baited his party - the BJP - once again. Gaur, who was Home Minister just before he was dropped, attended an Independence Day function on Monday organised by a local Congress MLA and was seen waving the Congress party flag. He was invited to Bhopal as chief guest in the annual paigam-e-mohabbat function, organised by Congress MLA Arif Aqueel on Independence Day. Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Babulal Gaur now claims that he waved the Congress symbol by mistake, thinking it was the national flag From Monday evening onwards pictures of Gaur waving the Congress flag went viral on social media. The function was also attended by former leader of the opposition and Congress MLA Ajay Singh. After being dropped from the cabinet, Babulal Gaur has reiterated time and again that he is a loyal worker of the BJP and will not abandon the party. Congress leaders openly made offers to Gaur to join the party, but he refused. Talking to India Today, Gaur said waving the Congress flag was not a deliberate act. When I was handed over the flag to wave, I thought it was the national flag. I did not realise that it had the Congress symbol of hand on it. However, the moment I realised, I returned it, Gaur said. However, doubt has been cast on this claim because the flag and the Congress symbol printed on it were so large. In shifting the focus from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to Balochistan, an independent state that Pakistan forcibly colonised, the Modi government seems to be signalling its intention to take the fight to the enemy. Leaving aside the quibbling from PM Narendra Modis incorrigible detractors, his repeated references to flagrant human rights violations in Balochistan and POK appear to be a significant policy shift. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the historic Red Fort during Independence Day celebrations in Delhi But will this policy be limited to firing verbal missiles, which are nothing more than pin-pricks aimed at scoring points over the Pakistanis by pointing to their abysmal and scandalous treatment of the Baloch and the people of POK? Or, will this new policy involve giving diplomatic, moral and political support to use the Pakistani formulation on Kashmir to the Baloch freedom fighters and Kashmiris struggling to shake off Pakistans yoke? Equally important is the question of whether this policy will be a national policy or a particular governments policy. If it is the latter then its chances of success are extremely limited; if it is the former then it will mean that all elements of national power will be brought to bear for this policys success. There is also the question of whether this policy is based on the merits of Balochistans case for independence - or it is merely a leverage to be used against Pakistan for a quid pro quo on Kashmir? While it is true that there is no comparison between Balochistan and Kashmir the former is a forcibly occupied state struggling for freedom, while the latter is an integral part of India under Pakistans illegal occupation a quid pro quo would do great injustice to the cause and struggle of the Baloch, smear Indias reputation as an unreliable friend, and keep the India-Pakistan stalemate alive in the long-run. Modi spoke in favour of freedom for Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir during his speech on Independence Day India should support the Baloch freedom struggle not because it wants to sock it back to Pakistan, or for a trade-off on Kashmir - either would have a very short shelf-life. Rather, it should offer support because an independent Balochistan would be a strategic masterstroke and would create a pro-India, secular and progressive Muslim country in the region. Assuming that India will now give diplomatic, moral and political support to the Baloch, there will be the interlinked question of how this will be done and what will be the implications of this strategy on Indias foreign policy. Balochistan is not Bangladesh, which was surrounded on three sides by India and separated by over 1,000 miles of Indian territory. For purely logistical reasons, supporting the Baloch is easier said than done. Iran is hostile to any expression of Baloch nationalism. Afghanistan, too, is not going to be very keen to provide a base for Baloch freedom fighters. There are also problems in both Balochistan and POK in terms of the absence of a unified nationalist political movement that can spearhead the struggle against Pakistan. In fact, Pakistan has ruthlessly and brutally crushed every single expression of independence in both the occupied territories. Inside Balochistan, the freedom movement has been damaged by the readiness of so-called nationalist politicians to sell their souls for the worthless Pakistani rupee, coupled with the Quisling- like role of tribal sardars who are ever ready to play collaborators. There is, therefore, the question of whether India might have already missed the boat. Perhaps not, but that remains to be seen. While India can always agitate the issue of both Balochistan and POK on the international stage, there are two things it will have to factor in. The first is that Pakistan is likely to shift gears in its genocide of the Baloch and its repression of the people of POK. In the event, what India can do to provide succour to the victims of Pakistani actions isnt entirely clear, nor is it known how much traction the issue of Balochistan and POK will gain in the international community. The second issue is how Pakistan will spin the narrative to push its case that India is behind the problems in Balochistan. That Balochistan is in the throes of its fifth insurgency, which started way back in 2002, is something that will be swept under the carpet. We can be sure that Pakistan will tom-tom Modis speech to justify not just its brutal crackdown in Balochistan but also its policy in Afghanistan, where it is sponsoring the Islamist Taliban to counter the Indian influence. Unless this Pakistani narrative is debunked, there is a chance that the Americans - who have run out of ideas in Afghanistan, and who are chary of doing what needs to be done to Pakistani sponsorship, supervision and support to the Taliban and other terrorist groups operating in Afghanistan - might start leaning on India to back off. Chances are also that Pakistan will do some nuclear sabre-rattling to force the Americans and their allies to intercede on their behalf. By talking about Balochistan and PoK, Modi is on the verge of entering a brave new world of diplomacy and strategic flux, which entails big risks but also promises bigger rewards. The question is whether India is ready to reap the rewards, and pay the price, of this new policy? Indian airports have become a soft target for drone attacks as adjoining buildings, slums and other unregulated areas give would-be terrorists easy access. The vulnerability was highlighted in a detailed analysis by government agencies that has prompted the Centre to consider overhauling India's security apparatus. The development follows deadly terrorist attacks this year at airports in Turkey and Belgium, as well as Punjabs Pathankot air force station. A high-level security audit has raised fears that India's airports are vulnerable to terrorism The government announced a high-level security audit after the Intelligence Bureau and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) - which safeguards all Indian airports - flagged gaping holes in the system. The study also listed cargo handling as one of the factors that needs better monitoring to ensure foolproof security. The security mechanism at all airports needs an overhaul as all airports are highly vulnerable to terror strikes, said a government official. There are several gaps that need to be plugged without delay. There has been a spike in intelligence inputs regarding terror alerts on Indian airports since the attacks in Istanbul and Brussels. The appearance of an unidentified flying object near Delhi airport last year raised concerns, after which a draft policy on UAVs and drones was prepared. At a high-level meeting chaired on August 5 by minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju and MoS for civil aviation Jayant Sinha, a roadmap for enhancing security measures was planned in view of the worries raised by agencies. This includes the drafting of standard operating procedures for the detection of drones. National security adviser Ajit Doval raised concerns about the height of buildings in areas adjoining airports, a domain of the civil aviation ministry, for which guidelines are not being implemented. Concerns have been raised about the slums located around Mumbai Airport, which could offer would-be attackers easy access Intelligence Bureau chief Dineshwar Sharma pointed out that slums located around airports allow unauthorised people easy access. Fear of a bold attack from the city side, attack through cargo, and perimeter security, were listed as three major risks around airports. A parliamentary panel report last week revealed how Delhi and Mumbai airports were sitting ducks and vulnerable to terror strikes. The panel concluded that the luxury travellers hub Aerocity near Delhi airport is a risk as the security of the hotels in the area could be compromised. The standing committee on civil aviation also raised the dangers posed by slums around Mumbai airport. The audit team, which comprises officials from the IB, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), MHA, and CISF is expected to give its first report on things to be done by August 25. The changes needed should be put in place at the earliest to revamp the security mechanism at airports, a government official said. Sources said the meeting covered measures such as random security checks for incoming vehicles, patrolling the cargo area (which is currently handled by airport staff), as well as a regulatory mechanism for drones. Since the cargo areas are vulnerable to terror attacks, high-tech luggage checking machines should be installed there and armoured vehicles need to be deployed at airports, they added. Keeping in mind the high security threat to airports, the home ministry also rejected an old proposal of the civil aviation ministry to set up an exclusive aviation security force working under the BCAS. India is set to equip itself with a high-tech radar system that will enable security forces to carry out surveillance through dense forests and vegetation, according to highly-placed official sources. National security advisor Ajit Doval has cleared acquisition of the Israeli technology that will primarily be used to detect terrorists hiding in the jungles of the Kashmir Valley and along the LoC (Line of Control), senior security officials told India Today TV. The system, called foliage penetrating radar, is fitted with a highly sensitive sensor capable of capturing human and transport movement in thick jungles, they explained. A BSF team is scheduled to visit Israel later this month, looking to acquire technology to detect terrorists hiding in the jungles of the Kashmir valley and along the Line of Control The Israeli radars will be installed at various locations in the Valley and connected to a central control room that will receive signals and images of suspect targets, their vehicles, weapons, and explosives. The response will be quick and precise when the targets and their capabilities are located, a top security official said. According to the official, a Border Security Force team is scheduled to visit Israel later this month as part of the acquisition plan. The team will also undergo training there in the use of the radar system. India is said to be building impregnable defences along the borders with Pakistan in a project modelled on Israeli security mechanisms. Code-named Operation Chakravyuh, the project aims to plug any possible routes for terrorists to infiltrate the country, whether by land, air, or sea, top military and home-ministry sources say. Under Operation Chakravyuh, a network of sensitive censors, radars, cameras, optical fibres, and automatic guns is to be laid along the Pakistan border, which will be linked to the proposed 24x7 control room. Defence and BSF sources said various locations have already been identified in J&K and Gujarat to install equipment at intervals of about three kilometres as part of an initial project. The BSF is spending between Rs 18 and Rs 20 crore in Jammu and Kashmir alone for the first phase of the overall plan, according to official documents. Delhi's official circles are buzzing with news that the Director General of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is planning a three-month road trip to China. Dr Rakesh Tewari's pet project is titled Kashito- Kashi, referring to a nearly 2,600-km journey from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh to Kashgar, the western-most city of the Peoples Republic of China. The stated aim of this sojourn is to 'retrace the footsteps of ancient travellers Fa-Hien and Hiuen Tsang', who made the arduous trip about two millennia ago, said sources. Dr Rakesh Tewari hopes to 'retrace the ancient footsteps' of the monks Fa-Hien and Hiuen Tsang, who travelled across China in the 4th and 7th Centuries Explaining his supposed trajectory, officials said Dr Tewari could first fly to either Kolkata or Guwahati in the east. He would then cross over to Myanmar from the Mizoram border by road. Later he will practically cover the length and breadth of China, travelling through the cold desert of Mongolia to reach the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Sources said Dr Tewaris application for at least three months' leave has been sanctioned. A financial plan involving several crores is being worked out. A brand new Scorpio SUV is also in the process of being purchased to help cover the rough terrain. This monument devoted to Hiuen Tsang in Xian, China, will be one of many stops on ASI Director General Dr Rakesh Tewari's three-month tour of the country A contingent including assistant archaeologists, photographers, surveyors, and logistical staff will follow the 62-year-old ASI Chief in another vehicle. When contacted by Mail Today, Dr Tewari declined to comment on the initiative. His staff said he feels its 'premature' to talk about it. But it's understood that the plan, hand-prepared by Tewari, was given the green light by the Minister for Culture, Dr Mahesh Sharma, some time ago. The Prime Ministers Office has also given it the nod. It is now only awaiting approval from the Ministry of External Affairs, as it involves two foreign countries - Myanmar and China. An anonymous ASI official said: 'No one, since the monks Fa-Hien and Hiuen Tsang travelled this road in the 4th and 7th Centuries, respectively, has undertaken this exercise. 'Now, 90 per cent of this travel is in China where he wont be allowed to do any digging or excavation work. So we really dont know what he will unravel through this trip finally.' A renowned historian, who wished to remain anonymous, said: 'Its strange the head of Indias premier conservation agency, who should be looking after administrative work, will be out on such a long journey.' The ASI is responsible for 3,678 monuments including 21 World Heritage Cultural Properties - a monumental task by itself, he added. The Post Office is hiking prices for broadband and landline customers for the third time in less than two years. Around half a million customers could see their bills soar by as much as 36 a year as a result. From September 5, the cost of line rental will increase by 6 per cent to 16.99 a month - an extra 11.88 a year. Price hike: Around half a million Post Office broadband and landline customers could see their bills soar by as much as 36 a year Broadband bills are expected to rise by around 3 a month, depending on the deal. The cost of evening calls will rise from 1p a minute to 10p a minute. The Post Office says it is trying to make its fees 'simpler' for customers, as the cost of evening and daytime calls will now be the same - though more expensive. Earlier this year, telecoms regulator Ofcom revealed that the Post Office had received twice as many complaints about its landline service as the average provider. The company blamed the rise in complaints on being unprepared for a sudden influx of customers after it launched a cheap deal last December. Broadband providers typically review prices every year, but this is the Post Office's third hike in 20 months. A spokesman for the Post Office says: 'We are still the best value in the industry. 'Customers who believe they will be negatively impacted by the increase in the evening call rate should take advantage of our unlimited evening and weekend call package, which remains at 2.50.' Political leaders in France treat yoghurt as a national treasure, one to be nurtured and milked on French soil. Even the hint of a bid for Danone some years ago had the bureaucrats from les grands ecoles spluttering over their croissants, claiming that it must be blocked at all cost. The Danone yoghurt-making giant was even described by one minister as a 'flower' of French industry. The talks between PepsiCo and Danone never went ahead. Yet last month Danone launched its own $10billion takeover of WhiteWave Foods, the US Silk Soy milk products group, without a peep from the authorities even though there will be huge cost-cutting and inevitable job losses. Non merci: Even the hint of a bid for Danone some years ago had the French spluttering over their croissants, claiming that such a deal would be blocked at all cost Say what you like about French protectionism and double standards, at least overseas corporates know where they stand with the authorities. Quite simply, everything French is in the national interest. If the takeover boom for UK companies takes off this autumn as bankers are predicting, then the Prime Minister will be under pressure to define more narrowly what constitute the 'flowers' of UK industry, which companies should be protected, and which should be allowed to be gobbled up. It may be that deal-makers are talking up their own book it is August after all. But from what they are saying, the lower pound and a renewed confidence in the UK economy are prompting overseas predators to run the slide rule again over some of our prize assets. BT, ITV and GKN are all said to be on the list of favourites. The Prime Minister has already said she wants to make it harder for foreigners to take over top British companies, and hinted at tougher rules. More pertinently, she gave examples of previous bids which, if under her roof, would have been blocked such as Pfizer's bid for AstraZeneca. In the event, Pfizer's bid did not go ahead. But Theresa May's example does give us a clue to the sort of 'national' assets she considers off-limits. However, she has already missed two opportunities to intervene in foreign takeover bids since coming to power: the merger between Deutsche Borse and the London Stock Exchange (which is definitely in the yoghurt league) and SoftBank's bid for Cambridge chip-maker, ARM Holdings, which on balance, doesn't make the yoghurt grade. If there is such a boom, the PM is going to have to decide quickly what is the UK's equivalent to yoghurt. Which industries should be considered treasures, and blocked from overseas takeover? Should a sale of BT a vital part of our telecommunications infrastructure be stopped? The irony is that the Government has all the powers it needs to block any takeover bid it wishes, and the rules do not need changing. If a takeover or merger gives rise to legitimate matters of public interest, other than competition, ministers have formal powers to intervene in cases involving national security, financial stability and media plurality. These rules are already enshrined in the Enterprise Act 2002. National security is the knock-out clause that ministers can use, as you could argue it covers everything from defence to telecommunications and energy. Maybe even yoghurt. May's tough position on delaying approval of the Hinkley Point project shows she is brave. But is she brave enough to test her own takeover powers? Batting for Balfour Do you know the way to San Jose? Well, it seems that Balfour Beatty does. Or at least, that appears to be the case. The British infrastructure giant has just won a spectacular 524million contract to electrify the 52-mile Caltrain rail corridor between San Francisco and San Jose. It's a massive task as Balfour has to lay the foundations for the future operation of high speed trains yet minimise disruption to the 92 or so daily trains that take 65,000 commuters between the two cities. Balfour boss Leo Quinn says more than 300 jobs will be created. It's a great vote of confidence in the new team at Balfour, which took over two years ago after a torrid time and several profit downgrades. Quinn, together with tough Aussie chairman Philip Aiken, are doing a great job in cleaning up the business and winning new contracts like this. At 244p, the shares are a 'buy'. Hot off the production line I may have just met the new James Dyson. She is a delightful 27-year-old LSE law graduate called Anjali Shah, who is putting the finishing touches to an electric hot water bottle. We met by chance on the Tube yesterday and, as you do, she told me about her invention one of those brilliant ideas that you wonder why no one has thought of it before. It's a hot water bottle that's heated up with a charger, like plugging in a kettle. Shah came across a crude version while in China. Working with an engineer, she has refined the model, had it approved by the UK's safety authorities and is manufacturing in China. Hot water: Lloyds bank's newsworthy 8.5m-a-year chief Antonio Horta-Osorio Lloyds bank's newsworthy 8.5million-a-year chief Antonio Horta-Osorio won't be enjoying any more bracing rub-downs at his naturopath wife Ana's health salon, Spatitude. The Lisbon-based spa, described as a retreat for stressed-out fat cats, appears to have shut down. Calls to the spa remain unanswered, while a recent TripAdvisor review reads: 'This place doesn't exist any more. Went there today to find an empty space.' Ageing roue Antonio, 52, is a great pampering enthusiast. He recently splashed out 550 on undisclosed treatments during a far eastern jaunt with intellectual temptress, Dr Wendy Piatt. Goldman Sachs' taurine head honcho Lloyd Blankfein offers hope to those still pondering what to do with their lives. 'By the time I was in my mid-20s or even late-20s I was really was starting to get a little nervous that I didn't know what I was going to do. My hands were starting to get a little sweaty about it.' Cocksure, 18million-a-year Lloyd, 61 who once observed he was doing 'God's work' is hardly perspiring now. He reached billionaire status last year. City law firm Kirkland & Ellis is celebrating the recent plummet in sterling. Since salaries at the firm are pegged to the US dollar, employees have received a sizeable pay hike. Mere junior associates now earn north of 250,000. Meanwhile, lawyers are said to be hoovering up lucrative work all over the city, guiding companies through complex Brexit matters. Isn't the legal industry just wonderful? Accountancy giant BDO's senior audit partner, James Roberts, is retiring in October after 40 years of corporate bean-counting. Avuncular Roberts, 60, a consistently sensible voice during the 2008 financial meltdown, is off to savour the good life in East Sussex, where he owns a farm shop. He says: 'Fruit farming is just something entirely different and grittier than hanging on here beyond my sell-by date.' Such modesty! It'll never catch on As London swelters in the August heat, department stores Fortnum & Mason and Selfridges have both opened departments selling Christmas goodies four months ahead of the festive period. Step forward David Cameron, George Osborne, Alistair Darling, Mark Carney, Christine Lagarde and all the other politicians and experts who predicted that Britain would go to hell in a handcart if we voted to leave the European Union. Time to explain yourselves. According to your Project Fear prognosis, the UK would need an emergency Brexit Budget to put up taxes, petrol prices and slash NHS spending to plug a 40billion black hole in the event of a Leave vote. You also warned the UK might dip into a 'technical recession', that hundreds of thousands of jobs would be lost as swathes of foreign banks and overseas owners would flee the country, that foreign investors would stop coming and that house prices would collapse. Wrong: Project Fear said the UK would need an emergency Brexit Budget to put up taxes, petrol prices and slash NHS spending to plug a 40bn black hole in the event of an out vote Where are Cameron and co now to explain the new job figures out yesterday showing the number of people working in the UK is the highest since records began 45 years ago? Or that the stock market is close to new highs and the pound is holding steady at $1.30? How will they explain that those claiming out of work benefits has fallen by 8,600 Remain experts had forecast a rise of 9,000 and that unemployment is down to 4.9 per cent. This is nearly three percentage points lower than when Carney first introduced his 'forward guidance' figures, and the lowest it has been since before the crash in 2008. The data up to the end of July out yesterday was the first proper indicator we have had of post-Brexit sentiment. What it shows is that the vote has not derailed the economy but that it is proving steady if not rather robust. It always struck me as peculiar that the former Chancellor and his overseas cronies had so little faith in his own stewardship that a potential change of trading relations with the EU would trash the good work done in restoring economic credibility after the crash. Au contraire, Osborne should be pleased with the latest tally as they show a big rise in the number of full-time jobs, as well as part-time, disproving the criticism that the new jobs created over the last few years were those with zero-contracts or part time. Over the first five months of the year, there were more than a third of a million new full-time jobs, although many of them were filled by European Union citizens. Most of the jobs were filled by men, which is great news, but there are still far too many claiming benefits. There were other bright spots: the fastest rises were in the north-east of England. With average earnings up for June and the minimum wage still filtering through, we might see claimants continuing to fall. There comes a point when working is worthwhile again for most people, and we may be close. A bullish survey from Markit on consumer confidence added to the optimism. It's been a good few days with a raft of UK and overseas companies reporting strong results and shrugging off the Brexit-sceptics. It would be rash to call a mini-Brexit boom but it is time to bury Project Fear. Cobham clean-out Follow the man, or woman as the case may be, and the share price will follow. That old stock market adage came to mind after Cobham finally got shot of Bob Murphy as chief executive, replacing him with David Lockwood, boss of Laird. Shares in Cobham rose 5 per cent while Laird's shares fell 6 per cent. Mortifying for Murphy but then he is used to being under the cosh the shares are down nearly 40 per cent this year. Murphy has been under pressure throughout his reign for a costly strategy aimed at taking Cobham out of a hard-hit defence market and tough Asia trading. This led him to buy US rival Aeroflex which left the aerospace giant with huge debt and heavy losses. Then came a whopper of a rights issue, more losses, accounting scandals over contracts and the firing of staff, and the loss of the finance director as well and talk of a 'fear-based culture'. No wonder he is on the way out. Lockwood, ex-BT, Marconi, BAE Systems and Thales, looks just the man for a clean-out. And maybe the man to fight potential suitors. Cobham, which still has some of the highest margins in the defence business, has been touted as a takeover target in the past. BAE, America's Northrop Grumman and Italy's Finmeccanica have cast their eye. With the shares down and a lower pound, they may take another look. Goldman sees the light Lloyd Blankfein, the Goldman Sachs boss, has told young interns at the US bank that they need to 'chill out' more and relax. Can this be true? Goldman has the most ruthless reputation on Wall Street for its maniacally-driven work ethic. To get a job there, potential employees have to go through about 20 interviews. Making it through to partner level, which is like winning the lottery, is one of the most vicious fights on the Street. Only the toughest survive. Perhaps this is some sort of new test for interns, weeding out the weak? Or has Blankfein finally seen the light? TAX CLAMPDOWN KPMG has admitted that 'times have changed' after the Government announced plans to fine accountants who help clients avoid tax up to 100 per cent of the amount avoided. A spokesman for the firm said: 'What was seen as acceptable behaviour is no longer regarded as appropriate.' Rival EY said it supports 'improving certainty and transparency in the tax system and compliance with it' while PwC warned any new measures should not affect its ability to give advice to clients. LSE HURDLE The German firm seeking to take over the London Stock Exchange has cleared another hurdle. Around 89 per cent of Deutsche shares were offered up by investors ahead of yesterday's deadline to swap them for stock in a new merged company if the deal goes ahead. It came after the deal scraped through with 60.35 per cent approval from the Frankfurt-based company's shareholders. DRIVING FORCE Profits motored to a record at Lookers but the car dealer said the market was likely to shift down a gear in the second half. It reported a 16 per cent rise in first-half profits to 50.1million and boosted its interim dividend by 20 per cent to 1.28p. Chief executive Andy Bruce said the Brexit vote was likely to be among the 'bumps in the road' towards its target of 3million in new sales. Shares fell 1.5 per cent, or 2p to 129p. ROUGH DIAMOND London-listed miner Gem Diamonds saw half-year sales fall after it said it had looked in the wrong place for big gems. The shares fell 4.3 per cent, or 5.5p to 122p after chief executive Clifford Elphick said workers were now looking in more 'prospective areas'. Sales fell 7.6 per cent to 83.7million for the six months to June 30, however it paid a dividend of 3.85p. BIG CROWD Crowd-funding business Crowdcube has raised more than 8million to bankroll growth plans more than double the previous record for the largest UK equity crowd-fundraiser. It said more than 3,700 investors, alongside venture capital firm Balderton Capital, put money in. PROFITS NOSEDIVE Hong Kong-based airline Cathay Pacific saw half-year net profits fall 82 per cent to 35million due to competition and China's slowdown. It said the same headwinds would remain for the rest of 2016. ITALIAN JOB Low-cost airline Ryanair will invest a billion dollars growing its operations in Italy having previously said it would 'pivot' growth away from UK airports in the wake of the Brexit vote. A heartbroken father has described the tragic moment his young son died while trying to snuggle up to his older brother after being shot along with his cousin in a drive-by shooting in Missouri. Jayden Ugwuh, 9, and his cousin, Montell Ross, 8, were sound asleep on Saturday in a Kansas City house when gunfire erupted around 1.30am. As the home on 58th and College Streets was sprayed with bullets, Jayden woke up and started to run towards his older brother's room. He realized his cousin wasn't behind him so he went back to get him and both of the boys were shot. Jayden somehow still managed to make it to his older brother's room, and climbed into the bed to snuggle up with him, his father, Jayson Ugwuh, explained. Tragic: Jayden Ugwuh (left), 9, and his cousin, Montell Ross (right), 8, were sound asleep on Saturday in a Kansas City house when gunfire erupted around 1.30am Jayden (above) woke up and started to run towards his older brother's room. He realized his cousin wasn't behind him so he went back to get him and both of the boys were shot Jayden somehow still managed to make it to his older brother's room, and climbed into the bed to snuggle up with him. Jayson Ugwuh Jr. (above) woke up to hold his brother's 'cold body' 'Didn't even cry, just got hit and ran and laid up under his big brother, you know. Like he knew exactly where to go for comfort, you know what I'm saying,' the father told Fox4KC. His 12-year-old brother, Jayson Ugwuh Jr., woke up and looked down at his little brother, who had already died. 'I got to deal with that and still raise them but what can I say to him, cause he actually held him, he held his cold body, you know what I am saying? How do I teach my son to cope with that when I can barely cope with it,' the heartbroken father said. Mr Ugwuh said his children and their cousins live with their mothers inside the home the tragedy took place. At the time of the shooting, a total of six minors were inside. The young boy's father, Jayson Ugwuh (right), said his youngest son 'didn't even cry, just got hit and ran and laid up under his big brother (left)' Mr Ugwuh said his children and their cousins live with their mothers inside the Kansas City home (above) where the shooting happened 'He was in his safe spot, his home. This came to his home,' the father said. 'So where else are you safe at if you are not safe where you sleep and wake up and eat. What can you do?' The father said that it's difficult to talk about his son as if he is dead. 'He's not even gone to me. It's still not real, it's fresh,' Mr Ugwuh said. 'I can't talk about him as if he's gone. I don't think I'll ever be able to do that.' The deaths of Jayden and Montell are two among four children who were killed by gunfire in Kansas City in the past six months. So far this year, 67 people have been murdered - it's the highest number by this time of year in seven years in Kansas City. Mr Ugwuh (above with Jayden) said it's difficult to talk about his son as if he's gone. He said: 'He's not even gone to me. It's still not real, it's fresh' 'I'm just really tired of hearing about kids getting killed,' Mayor Sly James said Saturday. 'You've got people with guns who don't care who's at the end of the bullet.' Rosilyn Temple, president of the local chapter of Mothers in Charge, a crime victims' advocacy group, spent the early morning hours Saturday at the scene of the shootings, The Kansas City Star reported. 'They did not have a chance,' Temple said, referring to the young victims. 'They were defenseless, and they needed us as a community to support them, to take care of them and to protect them. At this moment, we have failed.' This chilling CCTV footage shows the moment a ski instructor walked to her love rival's house before stabbing her to death and then calmly leaving the scene. Sarah Williams has been jailed for life for brutally murdering Sadie Hartley in a plot described as a 'game of death'. She knocked out Ms Hartley with a stun gun before repeatedly stabbing her at the victim's home in the village of Helmshore, Lancashire. The jury had heard how 'bunny boiler' Williams had become obsessed with Ms Hartley's partner, former fireman Ian Johnston. She spent months plotting the attack with her friend Katrina Walsh, who was also convicted of murder today. This chilling CCTV footage shows the moment ski instructor Williams walked to her love rival's house before stabbing her to death and then calmly leaving the scene Sarah Williams (left) and Katrina Walsh (right) have been found guilty of the murder of Sadie Hartley, whose partner Williams had become obsessed with after they had an affair Williams was ordered to serve a minimum 30-year life sentence. Walsh will spend at least 25 years behind bars. Passing sentence, judge Mr Justice Turner said 'loving mother' Ms Hartley was 'slaughtered like an animal'. He told the pair: 'Neither of you have shown the slightest remorse... let no-one believe this was a crime of passion. It was a crime of obsession, of arrogance and of barbarity, but above all a crime of pure evil.' Williams swallowed hard as the forewoman delivered the guilty verdict today, while Walsh, who has alopecia, gave a slight nod of her head. Ms Hartley's daughter, Charlotte, wiped away tears as she sat in the public gallery next to Garry Hartley, her father and Sadie's ex-husband, and her brother, Harry. Ms Hartley (right) was killed due to Williams' obsession with her partner Ian Johnston (left) Mr Johnston, sitting a few rows behind them, had tears in his eyes and gave a slight nod as the verdicts came in. In an interview recorded ahead of today's verdicts, Mr Johnston sobbed as he admitted he would always regret sending explicit messages to Sadie's killer days before she was murdered on her doorstep. He said: 'If people feel that in some way that I've let them down and that I'm responsible by texting, I'm profoundly sorry for that and I'll regret it forever. 'And I never for one minute believed that a few chuck-away ridiculous texts could ever lead to such atrocious events and such unimaginable loss for not just me, I know that, for Sadie's family, her kids and our friends'. He said Ms Hartley's family had not spoken to him since the murder and he only found out he was not in the will during the trial. After more than a year planning the killing, Williams went to the front door of Ms Hartley's 500,000 home on January 14 this year. When her rival answered the door, Williams paralysed her with a 500,000 volt stun-gun before stabbing her 40 times. A party photo taken in the months before Ms Hartley's death shows her with Ian Johnston and Sarah Williams in the background The judge added: 'Sadie Hartley died for your amusement. The contrast between her life affirming generosity of spirit and your vile, destructive, resentful and self-regarding hypocrisy could hardly be starker. 'The meandering and over-elaborate planning served to heighten your pleasure by deliciously postponing your ultimate and inevitable gratification. 'Doubtless, the features of secret agent-style intrigue carried with them elements of fantasy but this was no harmless world of make-believe it was a game of death. 'I am in no doubt that her murder was planned and rehearsed down to the finest detail.' He said the 'unparalleled degree' of planning was 'more closely redolent of a clinical assassination than a personal killing'. Ski holiday firm worker Williams recruited her friend, horse riding instructor Walsh, 56, to execute the 'perfect murder'. Ms Hartley was stabbed 40 times with a kitchen knife. It was later found by police beneath a pile of manure at the riding stables where Katrina Walsh worked The pair purchased a stun gun which was also found beneath the pile of manure Walsh told police Williams would 'do anything' to be with Mr Johnston, and they even planted secret tracker devices on his car to follow his movements. In a plot described as 'the stuff of spy novels', the jury heard police recovered Walsh's detailed diary, chronicling the pair's 18-month plan to murder Ms Hartley. The pair thought they were planning the 'perfect murder' but were quickly uncovered by police after leaving a trail of evidence behind them. It revealed the pair travelled to Germany to buy the stun-gun last December and, exactly a week before Ms Hartley was murdered, Walsh delivered flowers to her door in a 'dry run' for their plans. They even considered planting an ISIS flag at the scene to throw investigators off the scent and discussed whether to carry out the killing on a motorbike. The murder trial heard Williams, 35, carried out affairs with three other men behind the backs of their wives and partners in the years before the murder. The case was aided by the diaries of Katrina Walsh which described the two women's plot The trial heard Sadie Hartley's DNA was found on the bath in Williams's home after the killing Colleagues, who called her 'Sarah the crank' and a 'bunny boiler', told how she lived 'in a dream world' and threatened to 'get rid of' the wife of another of her conquests. Williams, who was a 'kept woman' supported by her 75-year-old 'sugar daddy' David Hardwick, wanted to be with Mr Johnston after they met at the dry-ski slope where she worked in 2012. After a brief relationship broke down, Mr Johnston had begun a new life with Ms Hartley, setting up home together in the quiet village of Helmshore. But sex texts and explicit photos continued to be exchanged between Mr Johnston and Williams right up to just days before the murder, the court heard. Williams had denied the murder and, during the trial, suggested the evidence pointed to her friend Walsh. Prosecutor John McDermott QC told the jury: 'Sarah Williams is a bitter, obsessive, arrogant woman who stops at nothing to get her own selfish way.' Ms Hartley's son Harry and daughter Charlotte paid tribute to their 'perfect' mother today Mr Johnston said outside court today that no sentence could ever bring back Ms Hartley The pair fancied themselves as 'Batman and Robin but on the wrong side of the law', Mr McDermott said. Outside court, Detective Superintendent Paul Withers, who led the investigation for Lancashire Police, said: 'This murder was nothing short of the cold-blooded, premeditated and carefully planned assassination of an entirely innocent woman and I welcome today's verdicts. 'While it may have been Sarah Williams who carried out the actual killing of Sadie Hartley, there can be no doubt that Katrina Walsh helped her every step of the way and was up to her neck in the planning of this brutal slaying. 'They are both as culpable as each other.' 'I'll regret those explicit texts forever': Sadie Hartley's partner says he too is a victim as he breaks down over lewd messages sent to her killer 10 DAYS before the murder The partner of Sadie Hartley today sobbed as he admitted people might blame him for the murder because of 'sexts' he sent to her killer. Ian Johnston, 57, broke down as he admitted he would always regret sending explicit messages to Sadie's killer Sarah Williams ten days before she hacked her to death. But the former firefighter said he too is a 'victim' and could never have known 'psychopath' Williams would kill Sadie on their doorstep. He said: 'If people feel that in some way that I've let them down and that I'm responsible by texting, I'm profoundly sorry for that and I'll regret it forever. 'And I never for one minute believed that a few chuck-away ridiculous texts could ever lead to such atrocious events and such unimaginable loss for not just me, I know that, for Sadie's family, her kids and our friends'. Heartbroken: Ian Johnston, 57, broke down today as he admitted he would always regret sending explicit messages to Sadie's killer Sarah Williams ten days before she hacked her to death. Mr Johnston said it would be wrong to blame the text contact with former lover Williams for Ms Hartley's murder. 'I think there's a lot of blokes out there going, 'But for the Grace of God go I'', he said. 'I've had to do a lot in my life that's been hard, 31 years in the fire service wasn't necessarily always easy. 'This eight months has just been the most horrendous. You just get a kicking every day and I want the kicking to stop now and I know it won't for a while.' A tearful Mr Johnston added: 'And if anybody wants to blame that on a few ridiculous bloody texts then it's just outrageous.' Ms Hartley's family had not spoken to him since the murder and he found out he was not in Ms Hartley's will during the trial. He added: 'I was given a day to get all my stuff out of the house. Can you imagine?' The former firefighter said he too is a 'victim' and could never have known 'psychopath' Williams would kill Sadie on their doorstep. SADIE'S PARTNER: 'I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BLOKES THINKING: 'BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I' Ian Johnston has insisted that his sexts to Sarah Williams did not lead to Sadie Hartley's murder. The former firefighter apologised for his actions and said: 'I never for one minute believed that a few chuck-away ridiculous texts could ever lead to such atrocious events'. He had an affair with Sadie's killer, who became obsessed with him and spent a year planning her murder with friend Katrina Walsh. After breaking off the sex he still sent her lewd texts, including some ten days before the murder. He said: ' I think there's a lot of blokes out there going, 'But for the Grace of God go I'', he said. 'I've had to do a lot in my life that's been hard, 31 years in the fire service wasn't necessarily always easy. 'This eight months has just been the most horrendous. You just get a kicking every day and I want the kicking to stop now and I know it won't for a while.' A tearful Mr Johnston added: 'And if anybody wants to blame that on a few ridiculous bloody texts then it's just outrageous.' Advertisement Mr Johnston first met Williams in 2012 at dry-ski slope the Chill Factore in Manchester, where he taught skiing. At the time he was single, retired after more than three decades in the fire service and looking to 'chase some dreams'. But his brief fling with 'obsessive and jealous' Williams, 35, soon ended and he began a new life with successful businesswoman Sadie Hartley, 60, who he had known for more than 10 years. Yet while they were living and holidaying together, the sex texts continued between Mr Johnston and Williams until his former girlfriend murdered Ms Hartley at their home while he was away on a skiing trip. Mr Johnston said Williams, from Chester, exaggerated their contact. He said he did not 'lead her on' and at the time was 'vulnerable', caring for his terminally ill mother. He said: 'It was just, I'm in a poor place and it was a bit of light relief. 'And she started texting me saying she'd started skiing again and she was sorry about my mum and it started like that as I seem to remember...And these texts were flying around, around that period. 'I was vulnerable and I think she took advantage of that. I was foolish. I was unwittingly naive. 'I'll carry this forever, overwhelming sense of regret that I got involved with texts.' But he said the sex texts were 'incidental' to the plans of the killer, who he described as a 'psychopath'. He added: 'I get the opinion that by engaging in these texts that people might feel that I'm culpable. I just think that's a very, very hard judgment on me. 'I could understand a row gone wrong, but 18 months of planning for 40-odd knife wounds and I'm supposed to accept a few texts led to that. It's not about the texts.' He told the trial he had wanted to break-off his affair with Williams but had been 'flattered' by her attention and sent lewd texts in a 'moment of weakness' on the eve of the murder. Mr Johnston had insisted her killer was 'delusional' and he didn't want a relationship with her. Mr Johnston and Ms Hartley, who both had children from previous marriages, were in an on-off relationship for 10 years, and moved in together more than a year before she was killed Grammar school-educated Mr Johnston had previously been hailed a hero during his 31 years as a fireman, winning a special commendation for his relief and rescue work during the Armenian earthquake in 1988. He married a fellow worker in Lancashire Fire and Rescue, Jackie Johnston, and the couple had a daughter, Hannah, now 24. Mr Johnston and his ex-wife split before he met communications director Ms Hartley in 2005, around the time he retired from the fire service. Ms Hartley had also split from her ex-husband, Garry, with whom she had two children, now in their twenties. Victim Sadie Hartley's partner Ian Johnston (pictured yesterday) had an affair with her killer and was still exchanging explicit messages with her days before the killing The couple lived together in Ms Hartley's home in Great Budworth, Cheshire, before moving to the rented detached house in the village of Helmshore, Lancashire, where Ms Hartley was killed. At the time of her brutal death, Ms Hartley and Mr Johnston had been in an off and on relationship for 10 years. But, after 2013, Mr Johnston was meeting up with and texting his 'bit on the side' Williams. He told the trial the affair was full on from the very start, saying: 'It was very quick. There was no dating. She would turn up at my house, and arrived in a short skirt and red high heels.' He added: 'I was flattered by a young lady. It was placation, an entertainment. I would say our relationship was purely sex.' In December 2013, he and Ms Hartley went on a French skiing holiday and stayed at the same hotel as Williams and her 'sugar daddy' partner, David Hardwick. While enjoying the holiday with his partner, Mr Johnston was playing footsie under the table with Williams and 'electronic flirting', as he put it. Williams became increasingly obsessed with the former fireman and his partner and in 2014 sent a poison pen letter telling Ms Hartley about her affair with Mr Johnston. Up until this point, Mr Johnston's relationship with Ms Hartley had been, as he said, 'ad-hoc', but after Williams's bizarre letter, they became a couple. Mr Johnston was an outdoor pursuits fanatic who kept seeing his 'bit on the side' Williams through skiing After a holiday in Sicily to discuss their future, they moved in together in the house where Ms Hartley was later murdered. It was around this time that Mr Johnston said he last saw Williams alone, when he told her he couldn't be seen with her. He said of Williams: 'I didn't want a relationship with her. She was embedded in the ski group.' 'I didn't want rid of her I just didn't want it to continue. But I did continue to text her,' he added. But despite his apparent desire to end it, he was again texting her explicit messages in December last year, with texts being exchanged just 10 days before Williams attacked and killed Ms Hartley. Naked photographs were sent between the pair on December 3, 4 and 5 and Christmas Day last year, before more explicit texts on January 4. Mr Johnston (pictured outside his and Ms Hartley's home) was in Switzerland at the time of the killing Mr Johnston said contacting his former lover was a 'moment of weakness' during a difficult time with his mother dying and Ms Hartley suffering from a heavy workload and a riding injury. Mr Johnston set off for a skiing trip to Switzerland on which Ms Hartley was due to join him later in the month, but the couple never saw each other again. After exchanging texts with Mr Johnston from the Alps, Williams put into action her murderous plan and attacked Ms Hartley with a stun gun and a knife. At the trial, Mr Johnston denied he had 'led on' his partner's killers, but admitted: 'I was probably too kind'. PAIR THOUGHT THEY WERE USING 'SPY' TECHNIQUES BUT THEIR MURDER WAS QUICKLY UNCOVERED BY POLICE The killer pair meticulously planned the murder of Ms Hartley, carrying out a 'dummy run' the week before. Williams knew the object of her obsession Mr Johnston was away skiing in the week they put their plans to action. Along with Walsh, she drove to Helmshore to check they had the right address, where Walsh handed over flowers to a surprised and disturbed Ms Hartley, saying 'These are for you, Ms Hartley'. Williams and Walsh on their way to Germany to buy the stun-gun used in the murder The week before the killing, Williams bought flowers to deliver to check the address A week later, almost exactly to the minute, Williams returned alone, dressed in dark clothing, armed with the stun gun and 8in (20cm) carving knife, killing her victim in an 'orgy of violence'. CCTV caught her arriving 40 yards from her victim's home, going to the house and returning back on camera four minutes 40 seconds later, a 'no-hesitation, determined and swiftly executed murder'. Ms Hartley's body was discovered the next day by police, when worried friends and family failed to contact her. In the months before the murder, the pair had travelled to Germany to buy the stun-gun used in the attack. CCTV from the ferry showed them together, heading off on a trip Williams would later claim was for Christmas shopping. Walsh and Williams seen on the night that the flowers were delivered in the 'dummy run' CCTV shows them near Ms Hartley's home as they delivered the flowers to her Williams was then given a demonstration on how to use a 500,000-volt stun gun weeks before she deployed it Williams suggested Walsh was responsible and the pair ran a 'cut-throat' defence, each blaming the other. Williams had been sent home from work ill and was in bed reading Game Of Thrones on the night of the killing, she claimed. But detectives trawled CCTV and tracked the cars used by the pair to reveal their movements in the run-up to the murder. Forensic officers also discovered Ms Hartley's DNA in Williams' bath, probably after she had showered her victim's blood off her, and on her spectacles in her Volvo car - for which the defendant had no explanation. Walsh did not give evidence, her barrister telling the jury that, while she may be a 'vile' individual, she never believed Williams would kill. The same CCTY camera captured an image of Williams walking to Ms Hartley's house on the night of the murder Advertisement 'She wanted me to have a family, to plan my wedding': Sadie Hartley's daughter got engaged just days before her mother was brutally murdered The daughter of Sadie Hartley broke down in tears as she told how her murdered mother wouldn't be able help her plan her wedding. Charlotte Hartley got engaged to her fiance just days before she was told her mother had been brutally killed. In an emotional interview, she has now told of the pain she feels at knowing her mother won't be around to plan the ceremony or be a grandmother to her children. Charlotte Hartley, Sadie Hartley's daughter, broke down in tears as she told how her mother wouldn't be there to help plan her wedding or look after any future grandchildren Charlotte, 23, said: 'I had just got engaged three days before I got the police call. I went from an incredible high to an incredible low.' She added: '[My mother] wanted to be with her family, to wait for me to have a family, obviously plan a wedding together but that has all be taken away from her.' Asked about Williams and Walsh's sentences, she added: 'They might be in prison but what's prison when you haven't got a mum? Nothing will make that feel better.' Successful businesswoman Ms Hartley, 60, has two children from her first mariage; Charlotte and Harry, 25, both of whom have attended the trial. Asked about what she thought of my mother's later partner, Ian Johnston, who had an affair with her killer, Charlotte replied: 'I have nothing to say about Ian'. She told how her mother was looking forward to retirement and was still very active, trekking on horse back in Morocco, Chile and Argentina in the years before her death. She said her mother was looking forward to retiring soon and enjoying horse riding Miss Hartley, pictured with her uncle Graham and father Garry outside court Ms Hartley's brother, Graham Cook also gave a statement about her, saying she was 'warm, loving, caring and unassuming' and had a good sense of humour. He told how his sister was the third of three children born to a lorry driver and his wife and had gone on to make a great success of her life in the pharmaceutical industry. Mr Cook, 63, added: 'Sadie's death had left a massive hole in all our lives which we will never fill and we will never get over this.' Sadie's best friend and business partner Julie Taylor, said she and Sadie had been like sisters and everyone at their tight-knit company had been devastated by her sudden death. She said: 'Sadie was just lovely. She was a really warm, caring woman and incredibly generous.' Mr Cook, Ms Hartley's older brother also broke down as he recalled their childhood together Ms Hartley's son Harry and her best friend Julie Taylor have also attended court Speaking outside court today, Ms Hartley's son Harry said: 'There was nothing wrong with [my mother] that anybody could say. 'She was highly regarded in the medical community and through no fault of her own she was taken away from us. 'We may have received some justice but it can never bring our mum back.' In his victim impact statement, he said: 'She was taken in the cruellest possible way. These two monsters took one life and have destroyed countless more. They are utterly dangerous creatures and they are a danger to society. 'Not giving up is so incredibly hard, I'm so distant from the world yet I'm here. I wish my mum was. It makes no sense.' The obsessive 'bunny boiler' and her evil sidekick who saw themselves as 'Batman and Robin - but on the wrong side of the law' To her neighbours and riding friends, Sarah Williams seemed like a 'thoroughly nice person' who 'oozed confidence' and looked 'comfortable in her own skin'. But beneath the veneer of a middle-class ski instructor and dog lover, the 35-year-old had become violently obsessed with former fireman Ian Johnston after their affair, and seethed with anger towards Sadie Hartley, the partner he refused to leave. From her teenage years, Williams had a penchant for older men, meeting her 'sugar daddy' David Hardwick when she was just 17 and he 57. Williams (right) and her accomplice Katrina Walsh. The pair discussed plans to kill Ms Hartley for more than a year before Williams attacked her lover's partner at their home Despite the huge age gap, Williams was soon sleeping with the heating firm boss, who ended up funding her lifestyle of skiing holidays and horse riding. He paid 320 a week into her bank account by standing order as well as covering fuel for her car and even giving her 75,000 towards buying a home. With his help, she soon had a mortgage on the property where she lived and was renting out another as a landlady. Despite the financial arrangement, Williams went to work when she left school at 18, holding down a number of sales jobs, including at a bank and then at Crystal Ski Holidays at Manchester's Chill Factore indoor ski centre. It was through skiing that she met the men with whom she would have three affairs in as many years, two of them behind the backs of their partners. In 2011, Williams met and became 'besotted' with married father-of-two Somapat Sitiwatjana, a martial arts expert and skier. The pair met up for sex in hotels without the knowledge of his wife, Janet, or her partner Mr Hardwick. Williams told friends she want to 'get rid of' Mr Sitiwatjana's wife and even made stabbing gestures to her head whilst making the 'Psycho' sound, made famous in the Alfred Hitchcock film. Williams at the ski slopes with her 'sugar daddy' David Hardwick, who paid her an allowance and the deposit on her home CHILLING DIARY OF A KILLER: EVIL PLOT TO MURDER SADIE HARTLEY WAS PARTLY INSPIRED BY A TV SHOW Plans for the murder of Sadie Hartley were outlined in meticulous detail in accomplice Katrina Walsh's diary. Over 17 months, Walsh described how she was 'buzzing' at the thought of 'plotting the perfect murder' with friend Sarah Williams. The entries included: September 2014: 'Sarah came round. Got caught up in endless murder plots for Ian's other half.' June 2015: 'We're also seriously talking of getting rid of her opponent. I agree is probably a good play ... She does seem to be a totally evil b****.' August 2015: 'Wow, I may get to be instrumental in helping remove the awful woman! This may happen! Wow. Am unexpectedly excited by it! Was so buzzing so much I needed a Southern Comfort to wind down a bit.' Referring to being able to sleep easily despite the murderous nature of their plot, she wrote: 'I have no moral qualms, just a serious don't get caught twinge. Was off just fine despite being away in all the buzz.' September 2015: Walsh wrote that the pair had discussed 'a hit on a motorcycle', hoping to kill Mrs Hartley so that her death looked like a road accident. She also said they considered taking the flag of Islamic State to the scene to 'mislead the investigation', fooling police into thinking it was a terrorist attack. Referring to the ISIS flag, she said 'I'm much more into that', adding: 'Fortunately Sarah's had an idea that would spare me the anxiety as she things [sic] of just riding on a motorcycle, killing and leaving said floosy [sic] and riding off. I just have to clandestinely train Sarah to ride a bike and store said bike.' She later added: 'Sarah turned up. Caught Hunted [Channel 4 reality show in which teams try to evade intelligence officers]. Then discussed the plans to off the c***.' October 2015: Walsh described plans to 'off the b****' and travel to Germany to buy the stun gun they will use. She added: 'Just buzzing too much over the end of Hunted and all the planning. 'Sarah has ordered a GPS tracker on my credit card to be delivered here and will give me cash for it. That's fine as I'm not going to be involved at the sharp end.' December 2015: Shortly before the pair went to Germany to buy the stun gun, Walsh wrote: 'She [Williams] could do with that zapper or she risks being injured herself. 'So will get a trip to Germany out of this. Took ages to wind down after all the excitement of plotting the perfect murder.' After Williams successfully fitted the tracker to Mrs Hartley's partner's car, Walsh wrote: 'Sarah called in bouncing.' Mrs Hartley was stabbed to death the following month. Advertisement Mr Sitiwatjana feared Williams was getting 'too close' and ended the affair after Williams sent him a picture of a baby scan, implying it was hers when it was in fact given to her by a friend. She also sent his wife a letter in which she called him a 'liar, a cheat and a b*****d' and let down his tyres while he was at the indoor ski slopes. Soon after that, Williams started seeing ski instructor Andy Poole, who she met while staying with Mr Hardwick in a ski chalet. As with her other flings, Williams and Mr Poole exchanged flirty texts and met up for sex, but their relationship broke down when she refused to leave Mr Hardwick. Williams then met Ian Johnston, who at that point had been in an on-off relationship with Sadie Hartley for several years. The pair exchanged numbers and, with both in fairly loose relationships, they started exchanging flirty text messages and were soon meeting up for sex. Williams would often text her new lover suggestive messages, telling him she was 'laying in bed thinking about him'. And she told colleagues she was 'hook, line and sinker' for the 'alpha male' fireman. She wrote to a friend: 'I want to run away with him it's too soon to have this conversation like this with him. Being the little psycho that I am, I want to push it along very quickly.' Williams would turn up at Mr Johnston's home in a red high heels and a short skirt and, after getting a key cut, let herself in and waited naked in his bed. But it seems her strong feelings for Mr Johnston were not reciprocated and less than six months after they first met, he tried to break off their affair, telling her: 'I'm in a relationship with Sadie. You knew that before this started.' It was around this point that Williams' obsession with Mr Johnston turned into hatred for successful businesswoman Ms Hartley, whose relationship with the object of her affections continued apace. In 2013, Ms Hartley and Mr Johnston headed off on a 22-day trip to Ecuador and the following year they moved into a 500,000 house in the Lancashire countryside together. A furious Williams wrote to old friend Katrina Walsh: 'The fireman has feelings for the golden-haired, brilliantly creative and creatively brilliant she-devil I'm squealing at a pitch that only dogs and bats can hear.' Her anger prompted her to write a poison pen letter to her rival, in which she told of the affair she and Mr Johnston had been having, commenting 'the sex is unbelievable' and accusing Ms Hartley of 'buying and trapping' Mr Johnston. In 2015, Mr Johnston and Ms Hartley went off on a skiing trip together, prompting a jealous Williams to comment to a friend: 'Ian and the b**** from hell, how jolly. I really can't stand her.' A fellow ski instructor later said Williams was 'infatuated' with Mr Johnston and could become 'unhinged' and 'psychotic'. Her relationship with Mr Hardwick was also rocky, with a friend recalling she threatened to kill him at a skiing event. Recalling another clash involving Williams and Mr Hardwick, a different friend said: 'Sarah was quite angry the word that came to mind then and now is 'feral'. 'She was not tamed by the circumstances. We were quite a middle-aged group and it was out of keeping.' After writing of her love for Mr Johnston to long-time friend Ms Walsh, known as 'Kit', Williams began plotting the murderous attack on Ms Hartley. Williams had met Walsh at Collinge Farm in Chester in 2000, when Williams was still a teenager and Walsh was in her late 30s. The women's shared love of horses had blossomed into a close friendship. Williams also had relationships with Somapat Sitiwatjana (left with his wife Janet) and Andy Poole (right), a ski instructor she left shortly before meeting Mr Johnston But the pair made an odd couple, with a worker at the stables commenting: 'Sarah seemed very comfortable in her own skin. I used to look at her and thought she oozed confidence. 'Kit was quieter. She did talk a lot, she just waffled. She was a quieter soul she was not as confident or as bubbly as Sarah but she spoke her mind. 'I wouldn't say there was a dominant personality. I would describe Kit as a bit in awe of Sarah but it wasn't an obsession.' Heavily-tattooed Walsh, who wore a baseball cap every day to hide her alopecia, made a living by giving horse riding lessons after splitting up with her warehouseman ex-husband Kevin Walsh. She and her ex had enjoyed motor biking jaunts and Kit had supported her husband in his love of re-enacting Viking battles. Walsh continued to live in the couple's small semi-detached home in the village of Piper's Ash after they split and the trial heard they had a 'cordial' relationship as friends. After initially telling Walsh about her love for Mr Johnston, Williams was soon also bragging about her plans to kill his partner Miss Hartley. The court heard Williams had at least three affairs behind the back of Mr Hardwick Friends of Walsh believe Williams manipulated her into taking part in the plot, with Walsh's ex saying he could tell Williams was 'up to no good'. A neighbour of Walsh told MailOnline: 'I don't know why she's got anything to do with this when it's none of her business. Sounds like it was all this other nutter of a woman.' Walsh's diary first records the pair speaking about murder in September 2014 17 months before the killing took place and the friends repeatedly talked about it in the build-up to the attack. Walsh's diary shows increased notes about discussing killing Williams's 'opponent' with discussion of a 'motorbike hit' and even plans to leave an ISIS terrorist flag at the scene to dupe the authorities. But after the plot was carried out, the trust between Walsh and Williams seems to have disintegrated, with Walsh fearing Williams would now try to kill her too. From a prison cell before the trial, she told her ex-husband she thought Williams planned to poison her and leave a confession. Despite sitting just a few feet apart in the dock, the pair barely made eye contact during their trial. Williams attempted to blame Walsh at trial, claiming her older friend was 'excessively' interested in the Channel 4 show Hunted, which features two friends on the run from investigators. When asked who she thought killed Ms Hartley, Williams said the evidence 'points to kit'. 'Zombie' hair-loss sufferer who was so 'awe-struck' by younger woman that she helped to plot the murder of a woman she didn't even know Sadie Hartley knew nothing of Katrina Walsh, the older of the two women who plotted to kill her. Walsh is not believed to have ever met her victim before she delivered flowers to her on a 'dummy run' of the murder. Walsh, 56, based her hatred of Ms Hartley on the rantings of jealous Sarah Williams, a woman Walsh was said be in awe of, Described as artistic and eccentric, but with limited social skills, Walsh was very different to Sarah Williams, 35, but the pair had shared interests and formed an unhealthily close relationship despite an age difference of 20 years. Walsh, pictured (right) with Williams in Thailand, said it was a 'buzz' planning the killing and she had 'no moral qualms' Heavily tattooed on her arms, the older woman was in a biker group and rode a Harley Davidson, calling her machine Raven. She also had a horse called Zephyr, used Tarot cards and had a penchant for making jewellery, especially dragon-themed pendants. She suffered from alopecia, with repeated episodes of hair loss, and was never seen without a hat or bandana. As a riding instructor, she first met Williams at stables when her co-accused was aged 12 and while Walsh was on the periphery of the local skiing set. Both were heavily involved in horse riding. She married Kevin Walsh in 1984, sharing common interests in horses, motorcycling and Viking re-enactment events, but he left her for another woman in 2008. Walsh, pictured being taken away from a previous hearing, now faces at least 25 years in jail PAIR TRIED TO RECRUIT WALSH'S ARCHER EX Katrina Walsh was not only happy to take part in murdering a woman she had never met - she even tried to recruit her biker ex-husband to help. The court heard that Walsh married archery fan Kevin Walsh, from Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, in 1984 and they shared an interest in motorcycles, horse riding and Viking re-enactment battles. He told the court he had a 'mid-life crisis' and left Walsh, who he called Kit, for another woman in 2008 though the two were soon reconciled and were in a 'cordial' relationship again as friends. But early on in the trial the court heard the defendants had tried to recruit Mr Walsh, a member of the Aycliffe Archers, to plot to kill Sadie Hartley because they hoped to take advantage of his unique 'skill set'. Walsh ex, archery fan Kevin Walsh, said he was suspicious of Williams The jury heard how last August the defendants had asked keen archer Mr Walsh to use his skills to help them do something 'nefarious', but he backed out after realising Williams was 'up to no good'. He said: 'She said she had a job for me that she reckoned would suit my particular key skills, whatever they were. 'She didn't want to discuss what this job was over the phone. She wanted to see me in person and she was happy to come up to see me in Yorkshire.' Mr Walsh said he was 'very taken aback by this' and told Williams he would get back to her. He said he was employed as a warehouseman and could 'not in the slightest' think what part of his 'skill set' Williams was referring to. Advertisement Walsh, known as Kit, told friends Williams was supportive during the break-up. She claimed to have passed O and A-levels with excellent grades and to have gained a Masters after completing a degree. CCTV recovered by police consistently showed Williams striding ahead, with her slightly stooped friend following literally in her wake. The women lived in each other's pockets, enjoying foreign holidays together and also spending time watching Harry Potter films on Walsh's bed at her cluttered home in Chester. Just hours before police swooped after the brutal murder of Ms Hartley, it was suggested the pair had been celebrating executing their plan, both sitting on Walsh's bed as they sang along to a DVD of Abba-themed musical Mamma Mia!. Walsh accompanied Williams on the trip to Germany to buy the stun gun - taking a detour to look at the final resting place of a Celtic prince. She bought the car and the tracker to be used on the murder mission, along with the knife - using her Tesco Clubcard - and some of the clothing Williams would wear. She also looked Sadie Hartley, 60, in the eye a week before her murder, delivering flowers to the unsuspecting victim. And in the aftermath Walsh was instrumental in the clean-up and disposal of evidence. An inveterate diary keeper, detailing the most mundane events of her life, the volumes of documents were seized by police, who discovered Walsh had also chronicled the entire murder plot. Described even by her own lawyer, Tony Cross QC, as 'vile' and 'guilty as sin' - he suggested for all her undoubted faults she did not believe Williams would kill and would never have agreed to murder. Walsh told police she thought she was playing out an elaborate charade with Williams, like in the TV show Hunted. The defendants ran a 'cut throat' defence, both claiming it must have been the other one responsible for the murder of Ms Hartley. Arrogant Williams made copious notes on a pad, resting on a file balanced on her knee, throughout the trial. Sat at the opposite end of the dock, Walsh barely lifted her head, the two never even acknowledging each other throughout the seven weeks of the trial. On arrest, Walsh gave a bizarre, trance-like stream of consciousness commentary telling detectives, 'I'll follow the memories' as she led them across farmland to where she had buried the stun gun and other evidence. As with her claims of a poor memory, it was all an act, the jury was told. Walsh carried out the 'dummy run' the week before that murder at Ms Hartley's rural home John McDermott, prosecuting, said Walsh had done her best to appear a 'zombie' and 'the caricature of a fool', but she played 'almost gleeful participation in the murder' and in reality was as cold-blooded a killer as her friend. Jailing her for a minimum 25 years today, Mr Justice Turner said: 'You were the perfect partner in crime: loyal, amoral and, perhaps most welcome of all, anonymous. 'You spent hours, days and months plotting and scheming the death of Sadie Hartley a recreation from which, as your diaries reveal, you derived considerable pleasure and satisfaction.' Hackers going by the name Shadow Brokers said on Monday they will auction stolen surveillance tools they say were used by a cyber group linked to the U.S. National Security Agency. To arouse interest in the auction, the hackers released samples of programs they said could break into popular firewall software made by companies including Cisco Systems Inc, Juniper Networks Inc and Fortinet Inc. The companies did not respond to request for comment, nor did the NSA. Writing in imperfect English, the Shadow Brokers promised in postings on a Tumblr blog that the auctioned material would contain 'cyber weapons' developed by the Equation Group, a hacking group that cyber security experts widely believe to be an arm of the NSA. A group of hackers known as the Shadow Brokers said on Monday they will auction stolen surveillance tools they say were used by a cyber group linked to the U.S. National Security Agency (file above) The Shadow Brokers promised that the auctioned material would contain 'cyber weapons' developed by the Equation Group, a hacking group that cyber security experts widely believe to be an arm of the NSA (file above) The Shadow Brokers said the programs they will auction will be 'better than Stuxnet,' a malicious computer worm widely attributed to the United States and Israel that sabotaged Iran's nuclear program. Reuters could not contact the Shadow Brokers or verify their assertions. Some experts who looked at the samples posted on Tumblr said they included programs that had previously been described and therefore were unlikely to cause major damage. 'The data [released so far] appears to be relatively old; some of the programs have already been known for years,' said researcher Claudio Guarnieri, and are unlikely 'to cause any significant operational damage.' Still, they appeared to be genuine tools that might work if flaws have not been addressed. The Tumblr blog has since been taken down. Other security experts warned the posting could prove to be a hoax. The group said interested parties had to send funds in advance of winning the auction via Bitcoin currency and would not get their money back if they lost. The auction will end at an unspecified time, Shadow Brokers said, encouraging bidders to 'keep bidding until we announce winner.' Former intelligence worker Edward Snowden (above) said Tuesday the exposure of malicious software purportedly linked to the National Security Agency is likely a message from Moscow The exposure of malicious software purportedly linked to the National Security Agency is likely a message from Moscow, former intelligence worker Edward Snowden said Tuesday, adding a layer of intrigue to a leak that has set the information security world abuzz. Technical experts have spent the past day or so picking apart a suite of tools allegedly stolen from the Equation Group , a powerful squad of hackers which some have tied to the NSA. The tools materialized as part of an internet electronic auction set up by a group calling itself 'Shadow Brokers,' which has promised to leak more data to whoever puts in a winning bid. In a series of messages posted to Twitter, Snowden suggested the leak was the fruit of a Russian attack on an NSA-controlled server and could be aimed at heading off U.S. retaliation over allegations that the Kremlin is interfering in the U.S. electoral process. Snowden sent the above tweets about the hackers on Tuesday 'Circumstantial evidence and conventional wisdom indicates Russian responsibility,' Snowden said. 'This leak is likely a warning that someone can prove U.S. responsibility for any attacks that originated from this malware server. 'That could have significant foreign policy consequences. Particularly if any of those operations targeted U.S. allies. Particularly if any of those operations targeted elections.' Snowden didn't return messages seeking additional comment. Snowden suggested the leak was the fruit of a Russian attack on an NSA-controlled server The NSA didn't return emails seeking comment on his claim. Messages sent to an address registered by the Shadow Brokers were also not returned. Allegations of Russian subversion have been hotly debated following the hack of the Democratic National Committee, an operation which Democratic politicians, security companies and several outside experts have blamed on the Kremlin. Russian officials have dismissed the claims as paranoid or ridiculous, so the message delivered by Snowden who resides at an undisclosed location in Moscow under the protection of the Russian government struck many as significant. Academic Thomas Rid, whose book 'Rise of the Machines' traces the earliest known Kremlin-linked computer hacking campaign in the U.S., said Snowden's declaration would likely be interpreted as 'shrewd messaging' from Russian intelligence. Matt Suiche, the founder of United Arab Emirates-based cybersecurity startup Comae Technologies, said he and others looking through the data were convinced it came from the NSA. Former Chief of Defence Materiel Sir Bernard Gray The former procurement chief at the Ministry of Defence was handed a 100,000 bonus and 62,000 in severance pay at the end of his fixed-term contract - before being re-hired to carry out a 60,000 review of his own work. Sir Bernard Gray left his 380,000 role as Chief of Defence Materiel at the end of last year, soon after being knighted in the Queen's Birthday Honours. But despite his contract having run its course, Sir Bernard was still handed a 'compensation' payment of 62,322, according to the MoD's latest accounts. He also pocketed an an 'annual performance reward' of around 100,000 despite departing before the close of the financial year. Sir Bernard had been drafted in by David Cameron in 2011 to help tackle a multi-billion pound black hole in funding for equipment programmes. But he is now conducting a review of progress in reforming procurement processes, despite complaints that he is 'marking his own homework'. Sir Bernard was credited with cutting cost overruns at the MoD, but his time was marred by a series of controversies about his salary and expenses as the government pushed through drastic austerity measures. It was revealed in 2012 that he spent 23,000 on 106 overnight stays at hotels in London and Bristol during his first ten months even though his home was a 60-mile drive from his offices in Whitehall and the equipment arm of the MoD in Bristol. He also had access to a taxpayer-funded official car and driver worth 49,000. Sir Bernard's total pay was 380,000 in 2014-15, according to the MoD accounts. Labour MP Kevan Jones, a former defence minister That included his basic salary of 220,000-225,000, a bonus of 45,000-50,000, 23,000 in benefits in kind, and 83,000 in pension benefits. MoD sources confirmed to MailOnline in April that it had awarded a 'non-competitive' 60,000 deal to Pole Star Strategy to review whether reforms had been effective. The review is expected to be completed within months. Details on the Companies House website show that Sir Bernard founded the firm in December after leaving the department. Asked about the pay-off for Sir Bernard, the MoD insisted the Civil Service Management Code meant those on fixed term contracts were entitled to compensation at standard rates after two years of service. A spokeswoman said: 'Sir Bernard Gray left at the end of his fixed term contract on December 31, 2015. 'He received standard compensation terms under the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.' The spokeswoman said Sir Bernard's 'experience and expertise' made him 'uniquely placed' to carry out the review 'quickly and provide best value for money'. His report is expected to be delivered to the department soon. Half of his bonus would have been due the following year, but 'all aspects of remuneration were finalised and paid at the end of the employment contract'. Labour MP Kevan Jones, a former defence minister, told MailOnline the situation was 'nonsense'. 'The MoD meed to explain why someone on a fixed term contract is at the end of it being given large sums of public money,' he said. 'His entire employment and remuneration package needs urgent investigation by the Public Accounts Committee. 'This type of largess will be viewed with dismay by members of the armed forces who had a pay freeze over the last five years.' Harry Davis, Campaign Manager at the TaxPayers' Alliance said: 'When staff are on fixed term contracts, there can be no justification whatsoever for them being entitled to extra large chunks of taxpayers' cash in compensation. 'Not only was Sir Bernard rehired at the taxpayers' expenses, he was in effect marking his own homework. 'When further savings need to be found across the public sector, these cosy taxpayer funded agreements need to be urgently reviewed.' Police in Germany have paraded an arsenal of weapons seized from a man they arrested on suspicion of supplying a pistol to the teenage gunman who shot dead nine people at a Munich shopping mall. The Frankfurt state prosecutor confirmed that the 31-year-old, who was not named, was arrested in Marburg yesterday after boasting online that he sold Ali David Sonboly the firearm. It came after undercover officers posing as buyers for a Glock 17 pistol and another automatic weapon contacted him on the dark web offering him 8,000 euros (6,920). Weapons seized by the police in connection with the detention of a dealer involved in the July rampage in a Munich shopping centre Among the guns stashed by the man arrested were automatic weapons as well as pistols Also found was a Glock 17, the same type of weapon used by the teenage killer who shot dead nine people at a shopping mall in Munich before turning the gun on himself Ali David Sonboly, aged 18, who lured young people to a McDonald's restaurant in Munich and killed nine of them before taking his own life It was then that he made the claims that he sold a 9mm glock pistol to 18-year-old Ali David Sonboly, who lured young people to a McDonald's restaurant in Munich and killed nine of them before taking his own life. A statement from the prosecutor's office added that the man's claims were supported by evidence gathered by the Munich prosecutor's office and Bavarian state police. The Bavarian police said in a statement: 'There is the strong suspicion that the 31-year-old man sold the Glock 17 used in the Munich shooting to the 18-year-old German-Iranian shortly before the attacks.' The Frankfurt prosecutor's office said the suspect was identified during unrelated investigations into illegal weapons purchases by a 62-year-old accountant from the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and a 17-year-old student from the state of Hesse. During the course of a subsequent sting operation, the suspect said he had sold Sonboly the Glock 17 pistol during a meeting in Marburg on May 20, followed by 350 rounds of ammunition during a second meeting on July 18, according to the statement As well as the weapons, police also found bags of ammunition when they raided the man's house During the course of a subsequent sting operation, the suspect said he had sold Sonboly the Glock 17 pistol during a meeting in Marburg on May 20, followed by 350 rounds of ammunition during a second meeting on July 18 Police said evidence gathered from the gunman's home and various social media messages indicated that he had taken a bus to Marburg from his home in Munich in May to buy the weapon, and again in July to buy the ammunition. It said a 65-person task force investigating the Munich shooting was continuing to review 3,100 tips and pieces of evidence, and had already interviewed 250 witnesses. To date, there was no new evidence indicating that any other parties were involved in planning or executing the shooting, the Bavarian police said. 'The successful investigation proves once again that there is no complete anonymity on the Internet and no comprehensive protection against prosecution. This is also true for the so-called 'dark net,' the Frankfurt prosecutor's office said. A video purporting to show the shooter, dressed in black, firing 20 shots has been posted on Twitter. The video shows him outside a McDonald's opposite the shopping centre Alexander Badle, spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said the 17-year-old student was a German citizen and there was no evidence that he was planning a Munich-style shooting attack, despite the "quite concerning" amount of weapons he had amassed. Nor was there any evidence thus far of any specific political, religious or ideological motivation for his actions, Badle said. He said the youth was facing charges for violating Germany's strict weapons laws, but had been released for now. Men ordered to rape each other to 'amuse' a sick guard. Women raped in front of family members to force confessions. And blood - rivers of blood from the sustained beatings and torture. This is from the testimony of 65 former prisoners in Assad's jails across Syria who have spoken out about the horrendous conditions they endured in order to give a voice to those left behind. Denied access to government prisons in Syria, Amnesty International has compiled an in depth investigation into human rights abuses inside military jails across the war torn country. Scroll down for video Brave: Former prisoners have come forward to reveal the abuse they suffered in Assad's prisons. Above, Anas Hamoud Torture: One torture method described by survivors involves being forced to through a tyre while being beaten Cramped: Survivors recalled having to sleep 'like knives', packed into overcrowded cells where inmates would frequently die and bodies would be collected each morning While the horrific abuse has been documented in ISIS and rebel detention centres, the sheer scale of systematic human rights violations are being carried out by the Syrian army While the horrific abuse has been documented in ISIS and rebel detention centres, the sheer scale of systematic human rights violations are being carried out by the Syrian army, according to the watchdog. The organisation estimates that more than 17,723 people have died in custody in Syria over the past five years - an average of more than 300 people each month, about 10 a day. Amnesty's 69-page report documents the testimony of men and women subjected to electrocutions, beatings, stress positions, rape, severe cold and the withholding of medical treatment, food, and water. Other torture methods include being crushed for hours while being beaten with sticks All survivors described being subjected to a 'Welcome Party', where they were beaten by guards the moment they arrived at the prison, or were moved to a different location Shackled: Testimony includes descriptions of being hung by the wrists for hours while beaten by guards. Inmates learned to massage each others arms after the abuse to restart the circulation and to stop them losing their limbs Researchers have also compiled a 3D impression of what the inside of the notorious Saydnaya Prison looks like through satellite imagery and memories of those who were detained there. One survivor, named only as Omar S, recounts being made to watch a prisoner being forced to rape another. 'Because of our situation we look very bad, and we smell bad so the guards wouldnt usually make any sexual advances on us. But still, there was one time that the guard stripped all of us. And he chose two of us, one of us huge, and the other very small. 'He told the two to come to him. He asked them to turn in a circle, to show him their bodies. Then he ordered the bigger one to rape the smaller one. Because of the torture, and the situation, he couldnt, even if he had tried. The guard told him he had to do it or he would die.' Former detainees from the intelligence branches have described being held in cells so overcrowded they had to take turns to sleep, or had to sleep while squatting saying 'it was like being in a room of dead people'. 'They were trying to finish us there,' said Jalal, a former detainee. Another detainee, 'Ziad' (not his real name), said the ventilation in Military Intelligence Branch 235 in Damascus stopped working one day and seven people died of suffocation: 'They began to kick us to see who was alive and who wasn't. They told me and the other survivor to stand up ... that is when I realised that ... seven people had died, that I had slept next to seven bodies [then] I saw the rest of the bodies in the corridor, around 25 other bodies.' Recreation: Amnesty Researchers used testimony and satellite imagery to create a 3D version of the most brutal and notorious military prison north of Damascus - Saydnaya Researchers have made the interactive 'tour' of the prison complete with the sounds heard by the prisoners Despite President Assad inviting an 'unbiased and fair' investigation into allegations of torture and other ill-treatment, Amnesty were denied both access or a specific response to the allegations Farhan is an IT professional from Homs. He was helping to organize peaceful demonstrations and provide humanitarian goods for civilians in hardto-reach areas when he was arrested in March 2012. He was detained for a week at the local General Intelligence branch in Homs before being moved to Military Intelligence Branch 235 in Damascus and was eventually released in November 2013. During the first week at the local General Intelligence branch, he explained: 'My cellmate died He was resting on my leg, after he had been tortured He was dead on my leg. He had two daughters, and he told me this right before he died. I knocked on the door to tell them I had a dead person in the cell. They said, "He's not a person. He's just a body, a corpse." Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Director Philip Luther said the report showed every stage of their ordeal 'When they took me inside the prison, I could smell the torture. Its a particular smell of humidity, blood and sweat; its the torture smell,' Salam told Amnesty researchers 'It was a very small room a solitary cell. He was there with me for three days. I will never forget the smell. He had holes all over his body. He wasn't thin. He had kept his health, unlike a lot of the other prisoners The skin and flesh just under his eye were missing. They took the electroshock device and inserted it into my anus and switched it on. One of the guards asked for my face to be uncovered and I saw my father. He had witnessed all of it. Said, arrested 2011 in Aleppo The guard came and said, "It's obvious you still care about this body, so you can carry it." I had to carry the body down the hallway, and I reached what looked to be a mountain of bodies. There were six or seven bodies there, and a couple had military uniforms on, but most of them were in civilian clothes. I tripped when I got there, and fell into the bodies.' Prior to his arrest, Said was an activist calling for democratic change in Syria. He was arrested by Military Intelligence agents in Aleppo in 2011. He described one of his interrogations: 'All of this time I was blindfolded. I was hung from my left hand, my shoulder was dislocated. I lost the feeling in my hand While I was hanging in the shabeh position with one hand, they used an electroshock baton to hit my penis. 'Then they took the electroshock device and inserted it into my anus and switched it on. This was my first experience of rape. Then one of the guards asked for my face to be uncovered and I saw my father there. He had witnessed all of it. The accounts seem to tie in with testimony and photographs delivered by 'Caesar', a Syrian military defector who smuggled d 53,275 photographs out of the country At least 6,786 of 'Caesar's' photographs showed victims who had died either in prisons or military hospital, according to Human Rights Watch Most of the 6,786 victims shown in the Caesar photographs were detained by just five intelligence agency branches in Damascus Amnesty International's Middle East and North Africa Director Philip Luther said the report showed every stage of their ordeal - from the moment of their arrest, through their interrogation and detention behind the closed doors of Syria's notorious intelligence facilities. While torture has been alleged as being inflicted on prisoners for decades in Syria, Mr Luther said the computerized version of the prison gives for the first time a 'true glimpse' of the horror. 'Using 3D modelling techniques and the memories of those who survived horrendous abuse there, for the first time we are able to get a true glimpse inside one of Syria's most notorious torture prisons,' he said. The accounts seem to tie in with testimony and photographs delivered by 'Caesar', a Syrian military defector who smuggled d 53,275 photographs out of the country and were examined by Human Rights Watch among others. At least 6,786 photographs showed victims who had died either in prisons or military hospital, according to Human Rights Watch. Poland's government has passed a new law outlawing terms such as 'Polish death camps' as references to Auschwitz and other concentration camps run by Nazi Germany when it occupied the country during World War II. Anyone convicted under the bill, which still needs to be approved by parliament, could be sent to jail for up to three years. Lawmakers drafted the legislation in an effort to stop people from referring as the concentration camps as 'Polish' - a gaffe that has been made by foreign media outlets and even US President Barack Obama. An entrance with the inscription 'Arbeit Macht Frei' ('Work Sets You Free') at the gate of the former German Nazi death camp of Auschwitz The legislation has been approved by Prime Minister Beata Szydlo's cabinet and is expected to pass easily in parliament, where the nationalistic right-wing Law and Justice party has a majority. Zbignew Ziobro, the country's justice minister, said: 'It wasn't our mothers, nor our fathers, who are responsible for the crimes of the Holocaust, which were committed by German and Nazi criminals on occupied Polish territory. 'Our responsibility is to defend the truth and dignity of the Polish state and the Polish nation, as well as our fathers, our mothers and our grandparents.' Many Poles support the legislation. Holocaust denial is already a crime in Poland and Germany. There are fears in Poland that younger generations will incorrectly assume that Poles had a hand in running German death camps such as Auschwitz, the most well-known concentration camp, which is now a holocaust memorial visited by around a million people every year. Around 5.5 million Polish citizens died during the war, including around three million Jews. The entrance to the former Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz II-Birkenau in Oswiecim Critics pointed out that the government will ultimately be powerless to punish those outside of Poland who are most likely to use such language. They fear its true intent is to repress historical inquiry within Poland into Polish behaviour toward Jews. Though the Polish state never collaborated with the Nazis, there were some Poles who killed Jews or identified them to the Germans. That subject is anathema to the country's nationalistic leadership, which has an official 'historical policy' of promoting knowledge of the heroic episodes in Poland's past. There were also Poles who risked their lives to help Jews. The Israeli Holocaust museum Yad Vashem has recognized more than 6,000 Poles as 'Righteous Among the Nations' for rescuing Jews, more than from any other country. The bill had been under discussion for many months and originally foresaw a prison term of up to five years. The version approved Tuesday is milder. The Justice Ministry says that prison terms of up to three years would be reserved for those who intentionally slander Poland's good name by using terms like 'Polish death camps' or 'Polish concentration camps.' Dentist John Vecchione has been linked to the heart infections in the fifteen patients, one of whom died His son's first fainting episode happened two years ago in June, Rene Del Grosso remembers. His concern grew with each recurrence, heightened by the fact doctors couldn't pinpoint a cause. It took four months for tests to reveal it was a form of endocarditis, an often slow-developing inflammation of the inside lining of the heart chambers and heart valves. The source was a Morris County dentist who, according to an investigation by the state Department of Health, has been linked to heart infections in at least 14 other patients, most of whom had to undergo heart surgery and one of whom died. The dentist, John Vecchione, is still allowed to practice under terms of a consent order signed last month. The Del Grossos were an unwitting catalyst to the Vecchione investigation, said James Lynch, an attorney representing the Jefferson Township family. An infectious disease specialist at Morristown Memorial Hospital who examined Ryan Del Grosso in the fall of 2014 realized he had seen another patient with a similar diagnosis who also had had oral surgery performed by Vecchione. A few weeks later, the state Board of Dentistry notified the Department of Health of a case from December 2012, bringing the total to three. During a visit to Vecchione's office in November 2014, state and local health inspectors found 'multiple safety breaches' including the use of single vials of medication for multiple patients, the storage and use of unwrapped syringes, poor hand hygiene and the use of non-sterile products such as multiple-use alcohol dispensers. An office that Vecchione has in Mount Olive, New Jersey, is seen in this image A follow-up visit in January 2015 found Vecchione had made changes to his procedures but that 'deficiencies were still noted'. Vecchione has offices in Parsippany and Budd Lake, but the Department of Health didn't specify which one it visited. The department's final report released last month uncovered 15 patients who developed enterococcal endocarditis after undergoing oral surgery using intravenous sedation at Vecchione's practice between December 2012 and August 2014. Twelve patients required heart surgery; one patient died from complications. The report says the magnitude of the outbreak 'is likely to be greater than the number of cases detected'. The incidence of enterococcal endocarditis following oral surgery is rare, according to the report about 1.5 cases per 100,000 patients annually nationwide. Patients at Vecchione's practice in 2013 and 2014 were nearly 250 times more likely to develop the infection, the report concluded. Lisa Coryell, a spokeswoman for the state Board of Dentistry, said the board was satisfied Vecchione is making changes to correct any problems. 'Following two inspections of Dr. Vecchione's office, and a thorough review of his patient records, the (Board of Dentistry) identified several policies, protocols, and procedures in need of change,' Coryell said. 'Dr. Vecchione voluntarily agreed to implement those changes, which were memorialized in a Consent Order signed by both parties.' Vecchione didn't immediately return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday, and his attorney declined to discuss the investigation. Del Grosso wonders whether his son's nightmare could have been avoided if regulators had acted more quickly after the December 2012 case was uncovered. But under state regulations, single cases of endocarditis and enterococcal infections don't have to be reported to public health authorities, according to the health department report. For Ryan Del Grosso, now 25, life hasn't returned to normal. After heart surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, he had to be confined to his home for about three months to receive medication. The ordeal left him with some hearing loss and severe tinnitus (ringing in the ears), making it difficult for him to fall asleep most nights until well into the early morning hours, his father said. Campaign remains open and money will go towards rebuilding her home Raised enough money for Florence to go see Emmanuel on Tuesday Her pastor set up the Go Fund Me page on Friday hoping to raise $10,000 His mother Florence, of St Paul, cheered him on in Rio's Olympic stadium A mother who lost her house in a fire got to see her son compete in Rio's Olympics thanks to a Go Fund Me campaign. Sprinter Emmanuel Matadi, 25, competed in the 200m preliminaries Tuesday as part of Liberia's delegation, as his mother Florence encouraged him from the stadium. Florence, 58, of St Paul, Minnesota, has been homeless for three years. An electrical fire ravaged her home in the summer of 2013 and she has stayed in her car on most days since then. She thought she wouldn't be able to buy a plane ticket to watch her son compete in Brazil - until dozens of Good Samaritans donated to a Go Fund Me campaign to get her there. Florence Matadi (pictured), 58, of St Paul, Minnesota, has been homeless for three years after an electrical fire ravaged her home in the summer of 2013 But a Go Fund Me campaign enabled Florence to watch her son Emmanuel (pictured left) compete in the 200m event at Rio's Olympics on Tuesday Florence's pastor, Dana Nelson, created the Go Fund Me page on Friday, calling it: This Mother Wishes For Wings. At that point, Florence had told the Pioneer Press: 'I cry at night all the time. I'm not in a position to be able to see him. I promised him I'd be there. 'I just want to go see him. When he was little, at every track meet, I was there recording everything, screaming. The only thing I want from God right now is to give me wings to fly.' The donations poured in, one of them reaching $1,000. The campaign has gathered $7,609 so far - and the money came in time for Florence to see Emmanuel compete on Tuesday. Emmanuel (pictured front) ran as one of just two athletes making up Liberia's delegation and was the flag bearer during the opening ceremony earlier this month Florence (pictured with Emmanuel) had said she cried every night as her son's turn in the Olympics approached as she would not be able to go see him Emmanuel (pictured third from left) also competed in the 100m preliminaries before the 200m - but did not qualify for further events Emmanuel, who calls himself a momma's boy on Instagram, ran as one of just two athletes making up Liberia's delegation. He was the flag bearer during the opening ceremony earlier this month. He also competed in the 100m preliminaries before the 200m - but did not qualify for further events. But the Go Fund Me campaign remains open and Nelson hopes to raise $10,000 in total. A young prisoner who was pinned down by his fellow inmates and had a penis tattooed on his cheek has been forced to cover the obscene image with a star. On Tuesday, Justin James Carrick, 23, fronted Mackay Magistrates Court on Queensland east coast to apply for bail after allegedly producing a hatchet and threatening to kill a woman at the weekend. His lawyer told the court he was assaulted by fellow prisoners in August or September of last year after he spent three months in jail for a dangerous 'joy-ride' in a stolen Ford Falcon, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported. Justin James Carrick, 23, was pinned down by his fellow inmates and had a penis tattooed on his cheek and has since had the 'obscene image' covered with a star (pictured) During his short stint in jail, the crude image was tattooed on his right cheek. He has since had it covered up with a large star. Following Sunday's incident, the Beaconsfield man was charged with threatening violence, possessing a knife and possession of restricted drugs. Carrick allegedly approached a man and a woman at 12.05am on Sunday and brandished a black hatchet. He made threats toward the woman and she ran. Police later charged Carrick and found a screwdriver, shears and the hatchet in his backpack. Defence lawyer Rosie Varley told the court a public guardian had been appointed for Carrick in December to assist with his bipolar disorder. His lawyer told the court he was assaulted by fellow prisoners in August or September of last year after he spent three months in jail for a dangerous 'joy-ride' in a stolen Ford Falcon Magistrate Nerida Wilson said the 23-year-old was accused of offending on a 'weekly basis' and noted he had written down numerous different addresses on his charge sheets. 'My question to the public guardian would be what have they done, when they've been tasked by the State to look after Mr Carrick's accommodation needs?' she said. Carrick told the Magistrate he was unsure who his guardian was and Ms Wilson said it 'confirmed her concerns'. His bail application was adjourned until Wednesday and his guardian has been ordered to appear. He also filmed himself performing sex acts with a blow-up-doll in public A woman who was secretly filmed jogging in a park by a man creating vulgar X-rated videos is now too scared to jog alone after spotting herself in a video. The man known as 'gcJosh' turned a shopping centre parking lot at Westfield Helensvale and Colgate-Palmolive Park at Arundel in the Gold Coast into a film set for obscene material. The woman was left shocked after realising she had been recorded in a busy and open park but had not seen him, reported the Gold Coast Bulletin. A man who uses the online name 'gcJosh' has recorded himself performing sex acts on a blow up doll in a park in the Gold Coast 'I saw it and thought, "Oh, my God, it's me". I went into shock and felt a bit sick,' the woman said. 'I probably won't run by myself ever again. 'God only knows what he's capable of I hope they catch him.' In the disturbing videos the man is seen performing sex acts on himself as well as on a blow-up-doll while at a playground after walking around naked. Other videos posted onto amateur porn sites also show him recording men from the bottom of a cubicle in public toilets, as well as urinating in a sandpit in the middle of the day and performing sex acts in women's lingerie. 'In this video I got to a local toilet with a dress and red panties and a bra and stockings. I strip off and masturbate in the toilet and playground [sic],' gcJosh writes as a description for a video. The woman who was recorded jogging in the park by the man 'gcJosh' says she is now too scared to enter the park on her own The man who appears to have a slim build, with pale skin, dark brown hair and eyes posts videos on amateur porn sites Police have since spoken to a 34-year-old man after they were made aware of the vile posts created in public. 'The videos are posted up on a legitimate porn site but what he is doing is considered as a public nuisance offence,' a spokesperson from Coomera police station told Daily Mail Australia. 'Those sort of acts are illegal, it goes further if you're a mother or father and are suddenly exposed to pornographic acts, it's seriously wrong. 'Can you imagine if you had a child and you see that display in publicgo home and do whatever you want there's no need to do it in public.' The videos have since been removed. The death of an Aboriginal woman in custody after police failed to tell lawyers she had been arrested has sparked calls for an investigation. Aboriginal Legal Services NSW's Gary Oliver has accused NSW Police of failing to alert lawyers about Rebecca Maher's arrest, despite the introduction of a special 24-hour notification service in 2000. Police are required to alert ALS NSW whenever an Aboriginal person is in custody. Aboriginal Legal Services NSW's Gary Oliver has accused NSW Police of failing to alert lawyers about Rebecca Maher's (pictured) arrest Ms Maher, 36, was found dead in a cell at Maitland police station, in the NSW's Hunter Valley, about 6am on July 19 less than six hours after she had been taken into custody. Even with the service in place, ALS NSW claims police still did not alert the legal service about her or reveal she was Aboriginal when reporting her death in a media release later that day. The statement said Ms Maher was arrested by officers who had found her intoxicated and stumbling along Wollumbi road in Cessnock. ALS NSW was finally notified of Ms Maher's death on August 12, nearly a month later. Ms Maher, 36, was found dead in a cell at Maitland police station (pictured), in the NSW's Hunter Valley, about 6am on July 19 less than six hours after she had been taken into custody Her death is the first in the 16-year history of the notification system. 'If the custody notification system had been used by police when they detained Ms Maher, there may have been a different outcome,' Mr Oliver said. NSW Police have not responded to the allegations, saying it would be inappropriate to comment further as a critical incident investigation is under way. But the state opposition's Aboriginal Affairs spokesman David Harris says a thorough investigation is needed into Ms Maher's death and why police did not follow proper protocol. 'It's concerning how this information was released and why it took so long,' he said. Advertisement British and French authorities will meet in the packed 'Jungle' as they discuss how to care for the thousands of unoccupied children across Europe. More than 4,000 lone children are claiming asylum in the UK, with councils tasked with ensuring they are resettled and cared for. Councils from the Local Government Association will visit the makeshift camp and meet with Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart to try and get a grip on the ongoing refugee crisis. British and French officials will meet in Calais' notorious 'Jungle' to try and get a handle on the ongoing refugee crisis The squalid camp is also rife with disease, violence and prostitution and had a become a 'no-go zone' for police The population in the camp has hit 9,000 and was projected to pass 10,000 before the end of the month It comes as it was revealed the number of British-bound migrants in the notorious Calais camp has doubled to 9,000 in the past six months. It has jumped by 2,000 in the last month alone - and there are fears it could rise to 10,000 by September. In June there were 761 minors living in the camp - 608 of them (80 per cent) are unaccompanied by an adult. The youngest child is just four months old, and the youngest unaccompanied child is eight years old. The surge in numbers comes after French officials warned last week that increasing numbers of jihadi extremists could be hiding among the refugees at the sprawling site near the ferry port. The squalid camp is also rife with disease, violence and prostitution and had a become a 'no-go zone' for police who are frequently attacked with iron bars and rocks when they try to enter. After the French demolished the southern part of the camp in March, numbers in 'the Jungle' have grown again A French police spokesman says that the camp is at breaking point after the migrant population there increased to 9,000 The meeting follows of months of tensions about the state of refugee care after the Brexit vote. Calls were made by French officials in June for border checks on the British side of the English Channel, paving the way for the refugees to make their way to English shores. Calais' outspoken mayor has previously blamed Britain's 'black market economy' and 'cushy benefits system' for the thousands of migrants in her town. She said last year: 'Calais is a hostage to the British. The UK border should be moved from Calais to the English side of the Channel because we're not here to do their jobs.' French and UK officials will meet to discuss how to help the 4,000 unoccupied children in Calais Chairman of the LGA's Asylum, Refugee and Migration Task Group David Simmonds said: 'It is imperative that children are kept safe wherever they currently are across Europe. 'Many children will require care and support packages directly from councils or their partners if they are not able to be relocated with existing family in Europe or the UK. 'If children do come to the UK, councils want to get it right so that children who have experienced horrendous conditions within and since fleeing their country of origin are able to settle into UK life as quickly and easily as possible with ongoing support made available when they need it. 'Ideally, councils will work alongside government and their partners to assess children and agree their needs before they enter the UK.' A police spokesman told the French media: 'It's truly mind boggling what's going on there. The place is at breaking point and it's worse than ever' In February the southern part of the sprawling camp near the port of Calais was cleared, but migrants moved elsewhere Just six months ago French authorities demolished the southern part of the camp. Demolition crews entered the encampment and started clearing the southern section as migrants were relocated to 20million purpose-built accommodation. But refugees complained it resembled a 'detention centre' and was a ploy to prevent them trying to reach Britain. As such, they simply moved into other areas of the 'Jungle' - which has now swelled again in size to a record number. 'THE JUNGLE' BY YEARS: HOW THE CAMP HAS INCREASED IN SIZE 2002: The Jungle is born after the Sangatte reception centre near the port is closed. 2009: It is estimated that the Jungle has some 800 inhabitants. 2014: By September this year, it is estimated to have increased to 1,300. July 2015: Jungle residents up to around 3,000 in the wake of the migrant crisis. November 2015: The influx continues, and it is reported that some 6,000 now live in the Jungle in Calais. January 11: Calais authorities opens a new 20m camp for 1,500 Jungle residents January 13: Residents refuse to move into the new camp, and starts protesting January 15: Authorities give a Monday deadline, and residents rush to move out January 18: Demolition of one third of the camp finally begins March 2016: Clashes between riot police and refugees who refused to be moved from the camp March 16 2016: South side of the Jungle is bulldozed June 2016: Camp swells again to 7,000 August 2016: Camp increases to a record 9,000 - with thousands of unoccupied children inside Advertisement Patients are put at risk by EU rules that prevent officials properly testing the language skills of doctors, dentists and nurses, experts warn. The Royal College of Surgeons last night called on ministers to use Brexit negotiations to close the loophole. More than a quarter of European doctors applying to work in Britain are turned away because their English is not good enough. But experts say many with poor English slip through the net as EU equality rules mean regulators are not allowed to directly test understanding of medical terms. Instead, health workers can produce a certificate that proves only general conversation ability. Patients are put at risk by EU rules that prevent officials properly testing the language skills of doctors, dentists and nurses, experts warn Professor Nigel Hunt, of the Colleges faculty of dental surgery, said: EU law makes it impossible to insist applicants demonstrate their English skills in a clinical setting this could be putting patients at risk. Freedom of information requests by the College revealed General Medical Council data showing 29 foreign doctors from Europe faced allegations of inadequate English in 2014 and 2015. Only ten from outside Europe faced similar claims, despite the fact Britain has twice as many doctors from outside Europe than inside. General Dental Council figures reveal 145 claims of poor English against European dentists in the same period. Only 27 were made against those from outside Europe. In the past ten months, three European doctors were suspended over poor English and a fourth ordered to work under supervision. They include a Bulgarian trauma surgeon who had to point to instruments in theatre because he did not know the names; a Polish gynaecologist reported by his clinic; an Italian urologist who needed an interpreter; and a Polish heart specialist who worked in the NHS for eight years before it emerged he could not understand instructions. Medics from outside Europe must pass tough language exams, which test them on medical terms and ability to speak to patients. But the EU does not allow this test to be given to those from the European Economic Area, because its Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive says European workers should not face any burden not placed on Britons. The Royal College of Surgeons last night called on ministers to use Brexit negotiations to close the loophole Regulators can ask health workers to prove they can speak a certain level of English a right won by the GMC only in 2014 but they are not allowed to test this themselves. It means most medics hand over a certificate for the International English Language Testing System which assesses everyday conversation. Doctors must get a minimum score of 7.5 out of nine. THE MEDIC WHO RELIED ON A TRANSLATOR Italian urologist Dr Alessandro Teppa worked in UK hospitals from 2012, but his English was so poor he could not speak to patients without an interpreter. Italian urologist Dr Alessandro Teppa worked in UK hospitals from 2012 The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service last week extended for 12 months his nine-month suspension, warning he posed significant risks to patients. Dr Teppa, currently in France, plans to improve his English and return to the NHS next year. Bulgarian surgeon Dr Ludmil Veltchev pointed to instruments in theatre as he did not know the names. The locum, who worked in UK hospitals for two years, was suspended for 12 months after colleagues complained. One at Southend University Hospital, Essex, said his understanding of basic language was exceptionally poor. Dr Veltchev has since left Britain. Polish heart doctor Tomasz Fryzlewicz treated NHS patients for eight years until staff at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow, reported serious concerns over his poor English, which they feared could harm patients. He failed three language tests and was ordered to work under supervision. The hospital fired him. Advertisement A seven is described as generally able to handle complex language well but occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage and misunderstandings in some situations. Past papers asked about sport or building conservation, a question deemed to be academic standard. The flaw in the EU rules was tragically exposed by the 2008 death of David Gray, 70, at the hands of German GP Daniel Ubani on a locum shift. The medic had not faced checks on competence or English and gave the pensioner ten times the safe dose of diamorphine. The law has since been tightened, but experts warn more needs to be done. Professor Hunt said: The number of EEA doctors and dentists facing allegations relating to communication skills is an issue we think the Government should be taking very seriously post-Brexit negotiations offer an excellent opportunity to change this and ensure testing is vigorous enough to ensure patient safety. Dr Nigel Carter of the Oral Health Foundation dentists group said communication issues could lead to more serious problems. The GMCs Niall Dickson said: We have always argued that we should have the right to test the competence of European doctors as well as language and that remains our position. A Department of Health spokesman said: Patient safety is of the utmost importance we have tough rules, allowing the GMC and individual employers to test employees these cases represent just 0.002 per cent of NHS staff. A European Commission spokeswoman said: 'It is out of the question that EU rules would require the UK to let linguistically or medically incompetent professionals practice. 'In fact the rules - agreed by UK - expressly require Member States to prevent such people from being employed. For the first time, universities have no way of measuring how much students have progressed since the age of 16 Elite universities are introducing their own admissions tests over fears that changes in the exam system may make it harder to identify the highest-performing pupils. The London School of Economics and Warwick University both in the Russell Group have said they may use additional assessment to decide on applicants from this year. Other top universities are encouraging applicants to take extra qualifications to boost their chances of winning a place. If more follow the trend, it could mean students having to study for a variety of extra assessments on top of their A-levels. In previous years, universities have relied on AS level results along with GCSE results and A-level predictions to help them decide who should get a place. But for the first time, AS levels in key subjects no longer count towards A-levels, meaning many pupils have decided not to take them. It means that universities have no way of measuring how far some pupils have progressed since the age of 16, as teachers A-level predictions are notoriously unreliable. Alan Smithers, professor of education at the University of Buckingham, said: Given that AS entries have fallen sharply now that they are no longer part of A-levels, it is highly likely that more universities will be setting their own entrance tests. This year, the government decoupled the two qualifications in a bid to make A-levels harder with just one set of exams He pointed out that while universities used to have their own admissions examinations, they dropped them after A-levels were introduced in the 1950s and gained the trust of institutions. Predicted A-level results werent accurate enough so some universities reintroduced their own tests, he added. Others relied on AS and GCSEs. These universities will now have to look seriously at having their own tests. AS levels were introduced in 2000 for 17-year-olds to sit in year 12, with the results of those exams counting towards their final A-level grades. The government has this year decoupled the two qualifications in a bid to make A-levels harder with just one set of exams, meaning many schools now see no need to offer AS levels. The number of students taking AS levels fell 14 percent from 2015 to 2016 This year, the number of pupils taking AS levels has fallen by 14 per cent from 1,331,000 in 2015 to 1,146,000 in summer 2016. A survey by admissions body Ucas earlier this year found 21 per cent of respondent schools are no longer offering AS levels. It means universities are now less able to see the progress some pupils have made since GCSE and how well they are doing in their chosen subjects. Many of the countrys most prestigious universities now have advice on their websites about extra material they may expect in the absence of AS levels. The LSE entry urges students to continue to take AS levels because they will form part of the admissions decision and are an effective indicator of performance at undergraduate level. However, it adds: LSE understands that there will be some schools and colleges that are unable to teach AS Levels In these circumstances we will use the information presented on the application form to make our decision (possibly in conjunction with some form of additional assessment). Top school, including Oxford and Cambridge, have decided to institute supplemental testing The Warwick entry states that if AS level results are unavailable and the information on the Ucas form is insufficient, additional selection methods such as interviews or additional examinations may be used. These include the STEP test for maths paper, which is used by multiple universities. Applicants taking Physics, Biology or Chemistry will also be required to pass practical skills tests. Meanwhile, Birmingham University said that while those without AS levels wont be disadvantaged, an AS level or the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) may be looked upon favourably if they do not get their predicted grades. And Liverpool University still advises medicine applicants to take an AS level which will be taken as evidence of academic excellence. Many universities already have their own admissions tests for courses such as medicine, dentistry and maths. Prison is a revolving door for too many offenders and is failing to stop their life of crime, according to a new analysis. The numbers of convicts being returned to custody after being released has soared over the past two decades, a campaign group has claimed. But the Ministry of Justice dismissed the idea that the figures were comparable, saying the system had changed dramatically over the period. Figures show that in June 1995 only around 150 inmates were recalled offenders. Prison is a revolving door for too many offenders and is failing to stop their life of crime, according to a new analysis. File pic of Pentonville Prison in London As of June this year, the number was 6,600 meaning it has risen nearly 50-fold. Campaigners claim this has put additional pressure on prisons that are already struggling to cope with chronic overcrowding, alarming safety problems and deep budget cuts. Offenders who are freed to carry on serving their sentence under supervision in the community can be recalled if they fail to comply with the conditions of their licence. In the period between January and March this year, 5,185 offenders were recalled for breaching the conditions of their licence - an increase of 22 per compared with the same period last year. Under the Offender Rehabilitation Act 2014, licence supervision was expanded so anyone sentenced to more than a day in jail receives at least 12 months' supervision on release. Failing to report to a probation officer can amount to a breach, while criminals can also be returned to prison if there is any deterioration in behaviour which leads officials to conclude there is an increased risk of committing further offences. Soaring numbers of convicts are being returned to custody after being released, a campaign group has claimed. File pic of HM Prison Brixton In a submission to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Howard League for Penal Reform argued that the possibility of recall to prison as a consequence of a breach of licence should be removed. Andrew Neilson, director of campaigns at the Howard League, said: Why are we sending men and women back to prison when they have not committed new crimes? Far from transforming rehabilitation, privatising the probation service and making more people subject to licence conditions has sped up the revolving door, returning people to prison and putting more pressure on a system that fails everyone. Removing the possibility of recall to custody would be a more sensible way to help people who are struggling to comply with their licence conditions. The Howard League also described prisons as overcrowded and warned there has been a decline in safety behind bars since 2012. But the Ministry of Justice pointed out that in the 1990s only offenders serving more than four years could be recalled by the Secretary of State. That was reduced to 12 months in 1999, and there is now no limit. There is also a greater range of licence conditions imposed than in 1995. An MoJ spokesman said: 'These figures are not comparable. There have been significant changes to the way we manage offenders which mean comparing them is misleading. 'Public protection is our priority and offenders on licence must comply with a strict set of conditions. If these conditions are breached they face going back to prison. A woman has been accused of cashing in on the death of 21-month-old toddler Mason Lee - selling t-shirts (pictured) outside of court as his mother, stepfather and teenage family friend faced manslaughter charges A woman has been accused of cashing in on the death of 21-month-old toddler Mason Lee, selling t-shirts outside of court as the boy's mother sat inside, charged with his manslaughter. The shirts, emblazoned with the face of the child and the words 'accountability for Mason', were reportedly being sold for $40 to supporters outside of the Queensland court. Little Mason was found with horrific internal injuries including broken bones and a ruptured intestine inside a home in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, on June 11. His mother Anne Maree Lee appeared briefly at Caboolture Magistrates Court on Tuesday, vowing to fight the manslaughter charges. The boy's stepfather, William Andrew OSullivan, and family friend Ryan Hodson, 17, are also facing the same charge. Emotions ran high outside the court as scores of people gathered to call for action over his death, holding placards reading 'justice for Mason' and 'fly free now Mason.' They chanted 'accountability for Mason, we want justice.' But things got heated as some clashed over claims they were profiting from t-shirts worn by those who turned out in support. Scroll down for video Mason Jet Lee (pictured) was found dead at his stepfather's home in Caboolture, north of Brisbane, in the early hours of June 11, covered with horrific injuries Emotions ran high outside the court as scores of people gathered to call for action over his death, holding placards reading 'accountability for Mason' and 'fly free now Mason' 'We are all concerned - it's not just Mason this is all in consideration of every Australian baby out there ... We will fight to the end,' supporter Jennifer Hansell said. The lawyer of Mason's mother Anne Maree Lee, Brendan Ryan, said the 21-year-old was grieving the loss of her son and should never have faced charges over his death. 'She will be fighting the charge of manslaughter,' Mr Ryan said. 'The charge of manslaughter is the incorrect charge,' he added. Mason's stepfather William Andrew O'Sullivan and 17-year-old family friend Ryan Robert Barry Hodson were also charged over the young boy's death. Mason would have turned two-years-old on Monday. Anne Maree Lee (left) was charged with the manslaughter of her son Mason Jet Lee (right) after he died from ruptured intestine but her lawyer said she will be fighting the allegations The Queensland toddler was expected to celebrate his second birthday on Monday This comes as court documents allege child safety officers were just one kilometre away from Mason Lee as he lay dying at his stepfather's house Ms Lee allegedly told the officers - who visited her three days before he died - that he was staying at the home of his stepfather and claimed they were going to visit O'Sullivan's home next. Caboolture Magistrates' Court previously heard Hodson to get the child medical attention on multiple occasions, telling one person who said the toddler needed a doctor to 'f*** your mouth up, it's not our business, it's not our problem'. He is also said to have told another person he wouldn't take Mason to see a doctor because he 'wasn't his child'. He is also said to have been present when the toddler was taken to McDonalds at 3am, days before he died on June 7. Emotions ran high outside the court on Tuesday as scores of people gathered to call for action over young Mason's death A young girl stood among protesters outside the Caboolture Magistrates Court on Tuesday Hodson is heard directing the toddler on a neighbour's CCTV footage, after returning home with the fast food, saying 'Come on c***, you walk like a spastic.' 'Hurry up and grab your f***ing bottle. Mason, get here if you want your f***ing bottle,' he allegedly said. While there were no allegations Hodson had physically abused Mason, he showed 'no care, compassion or consideration in any way'. Of the three charged over Mason's death, O'Sullivan and Lee remain in custody, while Hodson was granted bail by the Supreme Court last week after his second application. Hodson will live with his mother in Brisbane's north and be required to report to police three times a week. Hodson's approved bail caused national outrage, with over 4,000 people signing a petition to have him put back behind bars. O'Sullivan's case was also briefly mentioned in the Caboolture Magistrates Court on Tuesday morning. Both Lee and O'Sullivan's cases were adjourned for mention on September 28. Stepfather William Andrew O'Sullivan (pictured) has been charged over Mason's death The woman was being transported to hospital when the A grandmother died in front of her teenage daughter after a paramedic who treated the woman for four hours rolled an ambulance as he drove her to hospital. Karen Biddell, 48, was in the back of a bariatric ambulance - capable of carrying patients over 150 kilograms - on Port Wakefield Road, Virginia, north of Adelaide, when it veered left and rolled down a grass embankment at 2.45am on Tuesday. Her 16-year-old daughter Michaela Jasper was sitting in the front seat and had been travelling with Ms Biddell from their Port Pirie home after the two responding paramedics decided to transfer her to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for further treatment. Ms Biddell died at the scene and the 38-year-old driver - who was eight hours into a twelve hour shift at the time of the crash - was charged for dangerous driving causing death on Tuesday after he was discharged from hospital. Scroll down for video Karen Biddell (pictured) died in front of her teenage daughter after a paramedic who had been treating her for four hours rolled an ambulance as he drove to hospital The bariatric ambulance - capable of carrying patients over 150 kilograms - was driving on Port Wakefield Road, when it veered left and rolled down a grass embankment on Tuesday Ms Jasper and the paramedic travelling in the back of the ambulance with Ms Biddell sustained minor injuries in the accident and were also taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment. SA Police Inspector Ben Spencer said the crash was 'incredibly traumatic' for Ms Jasper, who is expected to be released from hospital on Wednesday. 'Our police officers are with her making sure she is okay,' he said on Tuesday. Inspector Spencer said the investigation was still in its 'early stages' and it was not yet clear Ms Biddell's death was caused by injuries sustained in the crash or a pre-existing medical condition. It is not yet clear if Ms Biddell died from a pre-existing medical condition or injuries sustained in the accident Major crash investigators have been on the scene and police are appealing for witnesses to come forward with any information on the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident SA Ambulance chief executive officer Jason Killens said fatigue could not be ruled out as the cause of the fatal accident 'We need to consider all of those factors. The patient may have died as a result of the reason they were being cared for, or they've died as a result of the impact of the collision,' he said on Tuesday, according to the Adelaide Advertiser. 'When we have an outcome for that we will table a report for the coroner,' he added. SA Ambulance chief executive officer Jason Killens said fatigue could not be ruled out as the cause of the fatal accident, but also added that it was too early in the investigation to determine if it had contributed, the ABC reported. 'We do have fatigue management policies and processes in place ... it's a bit too early to talking in detail about whether that was an aspect or not in this case,' he said on Tuesday. 'The important thing at the moment is that we are looking after those involved, so the priority at the time of the incident and the initial period afterwards was the care and the medical condition of the three people that were conveyed to the hospital.' Inspector Spencer said the investigation was still in its 'early stages' and it was not yet clear Ms Biddell's death was caused by injuries sustained in the crash or a medical condition Ambulance SA would be conducting an internal investigation into the events that took place in the lead up to the accident He said Ambulance SA would also conduct an internal investigation into the events that took place in the lead up to the accident. Details about why Ms Biddell was being taken to hospital have not been revealed for for privacy reasons. Major crash investigators attended the scene and continued collecting evidence after sunrise on Tuesday. Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward with any information on the circumstances surrounding the fatal accident. The driver, from the Western suburbs, will be summonsed to appear in court at a later date. The woman died on the scene while her teenage daughter and two paramedics sustained minor injuries and were taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital for treatment Mr Roth said UK's 'size and significance' means it will be given special status Britain will be given a special status by the rest of the EU, a senior German minister said yesterday. Michael Roth, the countrys European affairs minister, said the UK would be treated differently to other countries outside the EU because of its size and significance. Leave campaigners always argued that the rest of Europe would be forced to give concessions to Britain because those nations export more goods to us than we do them. The argument was dismissed by the Remain camp, which insisted Britain would be frozen out. In the aftermath of the referendum, European leaders appeared to insist this would be the case. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in June: There must be and there will be a palpable difference between those countries who want to be members of the European family and those who dont. But yesterday Mr Roth appeared to crack saying that Britain could achieve special status after all. This means it will not have to follow the same model as other countries that are not formally part of the EU, such as Norway. Instead we will be able to cut our own deal on continuing to trade with the EU, as Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had previously suggested. Mr Roth told reporters: Until the end of the year should really be sufficient time to get organised and adjust to the new situation. We should not let too much time go by. FOX IS BRANDED 'NUTTY AND OBSESSIVE BY BORIS ALLIES Liam Fox was last night branded nutty and obsessive by allies of Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson as relations between the two Brexiteers deteriorated further. Liam Fox (pictured) was last night branded nutty and obsessive by allies of Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson International Trade Secretary Dr Fox was also labelled a neo-Conservative who is like Donald Rumsfeld on steroids a reference to the George W Bush ally who played a key role in taking the US and Britain into the Iraq War. The briefing came after tensions erupted at the weekend when Dr Fox demanded that the Foreign Office hand over key responsibilities for future trade deals. He claimed British trade with other countries would not flourish if responsibility for future policy remained with the Foreign Office, suggesting Mr Johnson should instead focus on diplomacy and security. But his demands were rejected by Mr Johnson and No 10, which has told him to stop playing games when there is so much work to be done on Brexit. Yesterday, Foreign Office sources stepped up the criticism of Dr Fox, who, along with Mr Johnson and Brexit minister David Davis, are in charge of getting Britain out of the EU. One Whitehall insider told The Times: Hes Donald Rumsfeld on steroids. Fox is the more nutty and obsessive one. Theres something strange about him. Advertisement Given Britains size, significance and its long membership of the European Union, there will probably be a special status which only bears limited comparison to that of countries that have never belonged to the European Union. He said there should not be cherry picking by Britain but added: I want relations between the European Union and Britain to be as close as possible. Britain is likely to state that it is no longer prepared to accept the free movement of workers. Mr Roth said that, without free movement, there would not be full access to the single market. Number Ten came under pressure this week over reports that Brexit is to be delayed The German minister a member of the Social Democrats, junior partner in Chancellor Angela Merkels coalition gave no further details of what a deal might look like. But he said talks should begin early next year. Mr Roth said that once Britain triggers Article 50, which sets the clock ticking on a two-year deadline to leave the EU, serious discussions could begin. He said it should be possible to complete the negotiations within those two years, in time for the next elections for the European Parliament in 2019 with no British MEPs elected. Donald Trump's campaign is finally going up on the airwaves after leaving the paid advertising battleground uncontested for the general election campaign. The ads are set to air in four battlegrounds where Trump is underperforming: North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina, the Wall Street Journal reported. The ads were announced during a conference call with members of Congress, some of whom griped about Trump's performance on the call, according to the paper. Advertising battleground: Donald Trump's ads are set to air in North Carolina, Florida, Ohio, and North Carolina. Pictured: Trump during a campaign stop at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center Tuesday Air war: Republican Donald Trump is finally going up with his first TV ads of the campaign, chipping away at an imbalance that has him outspent nine-to-one by Hillary Clinton over the last two months The general election has featured a stunning disparity on the air so far, a reflection of Trump's victory in a 16-member Republican primary where he got dramatically outspent by Florida Governor Jeb Bush and others yet still prevailed by relying on 'earned media' largely TV interview and tweets. Clinton's campaign has dominated the air for two months, spending $61 million on ads. Pro-Clinton outside groups have kicked in another $43 million, per totals compiled by NBC, for a total of $104 million. Trump's campaign has spent nothing so far, although outside groups spent a combined $12.4 million, leaving Clinton with a nine-to-one advantage. The Trump camp trumpeted its most recent monthly campaign haul, which brought in $82 million, and Trump has crowed about his personal contributions. Spending: Trump's campaign has spent nothing so far, although outside groups spent a combined $12.4 million As NBC's 'First Read' noted Tuesday morning, just hours before the ads were announced, 'The Green Partys Jill Stein ($189,000) and Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson ($15,000) have spent more on ads than the Trump campaign ($0) in this general election.' Influence of Cyprus on baking gives him a His baking has been heavily influenced by Cyprus, giving him an early connection with Paul Hollywood even before the Great British Bake Off begins. Yet that isnt the only thing that university student Michael Georgiou has in common with the judge, as his glossy website shows he specialises in bread and pastry. The 20-year-old has wasted no time in capitalising on his appearance on the show, as he set up the N14 Bakery site just after filming finished and has invited people to place orders for his baked goods. Michael Georgiou has wasted no time in capitalising on his appearance on the show, as he set up the N14 Bakery site just after filming finished and has invited people to place orders for his baked goods And whilst there is no hint of how he fared in the competition, the mouth-watering photos on social media make the Durham University student an early favourite to progress far. Far from sticking to a simple white loaf, he has demonstrated his wide-ranging skills with photos of a white sourdough, rye bread, a Nutella brioche loaf and a walnut and Stilton soda bread. His pastries are similarly impressive, and the croissants, Danish pastries and Chelsea Buns he has made would not look out of place in a patisserie. Explaining his inspiration to bake, he wrote on his website: I have been influenced by the home baking of my mother and grandmother and this instilled in me a love and desire to bake. He added that he likes creating my own spin of well known recipes, with examples including a Pimms Victoria Sponge Cake. Although Hollywood, 50, established himself as one of the countrys finest artisan bakers by working in exclusive hotels in the UK, his niche knowledge of breads was heavily influenced by the six years he spent working in Cyprus. Georgiou posted these photos on social media. On the left is a danish pastry, on the right a sourdough loaf Such is the connection he still feels to the country that in last years series of the Great British Bake Off he asked contestants to make Cypriot flaounas, which are cheese-filled pastries. Mary Berry, 81, shared the same frustration as viewers about the complex task, saying it was the toughest challenge yet. However, Georgiou has hinted that he will be comfortable with the technical challenges set by Holly-wood, as he has already tried out several unusual bakes. Police are likely fly to Rome to investigate allegations of historical child sex abuse against Cardinal George Pell. Police on Wednesday said they are considering whether to lay charges over alleged historical sexual assaults. The allegations date back to between 1976 and 1980 in Ballarat East, Victoria, and between 1996 and 2001 in East Melbourne. Two men accused Cardinal Pell of groping their genitals at a pool in the 1970s, while another says he saw the priest expose himself to young boys. Scroll down for video Victoria Police may fly to Rome to investigate allegations of historical child sex abuse against Cardinal George Pell (pictured) Cardinal Pell has previously given evidence to the royal commission into institutional responses to allegations of child sex abuse The cardinal has denied all allegations. Victoria Police declined to confirm whether investigators would fly to Rome to interview Cardinal Pell or interview him via video link. However it is understood police will almost certainly seek to interview him, Brisbane Times reported. Department of Public Prosecutions has advised police on the historic allegations, Victoria Police said. Assistant commissioner Steve Fontana is reportedly assessing the claims. Taskforce Sano - which was established to investigate historical and new allegations of institutional sexual abuse - spent a year investigating the allegations against Cardinal Pell, the Herald Sun revealed in February. He was allowed to provide testimony via video link and concluded his evidence on March 3. Assistant commissioner Steve Fontana (left) is reportedly assessing the claims against Cardinal Pell (right) After details of the police investigation were leaked to media, Cardinal Pell formally requested the Victorian government start an inquiry. Victoria Police denied they were behind the leak and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has been tasked with uncovering the source. In February, investigators revealed they wanted to fly to Vatican City to interview Cardinal Pell, but needed to wait for senior figures to 'give them the go-ahead'. Cardinal Pell has previously given evidence to the royal commission into institutional responses to allegations of child sex abuse. The 74-year-old had submitted a two-page medical report in February which stated a flight to Australia to give evidence would severely impact his health and would possibly lead to 'heart failure'. He was allowed to provide testimony via video link and concluded his evidence on March 3. He was sentenced to 25 years jail with a non parole period of 20 years Justice Jane Dixon said he showed no remorse for the 'brazen' attack He stabbed her six times in a frenzied attack outside a shopping centre McDermott pleaded not guilty to the daylight murder during two trials A man has been sentenced to 25-years behind bars for butchering his former partner in front of crowds of witnesses outside a busy shopping centre. Craig McDermott, 40, stabbed his ex-partner, Fiona Warzywoda six times in a frenzied attack outside Melbourne's Sunshine Shopping Centre on April 16, 2014 after he had been banned from seeing her and their children. Supreme Court Justice Jane Dixon sentenced the father-of-four to 25-years jail, with a non-parole period of 20 years, on Wednesday after a jury unanimously found him guilty of murder in May. Craig McDermott has been sentenced to 25-years behind bars for stabbing his former partner Fiona Warzywoda to death in front of a crowd outside a busy shopping centre McDermott pleaded not guilty to the murder throughout two trials and claimed Ms Warzywoda (pictured) might have been stabbed by accident or stabbed herself She said he showed no remorse for the 'brazen and deadly attack on an unarmed woman' which has 'irreversibly damaged' the lives of their children, the Age reported. McDermott pleaded not guilty to the murder throughout two trials - one of which was aborted as his grieving daughter could not continue giving evidence, the Herald Sun reported. He claimed his former partner had threatened him with a kitchen knife before he attacked her in self defence. The former postman also tried to claim his former de-facto partner stabbed herself, but witnesses reportedly testified they watched him chase her down, pull her hair and repeatedly stab her in the throat. Justice Dixon said he killed the 33-year-old mother in a targeted attack only a day after a court banned him from seeing their children and hours after a full intervention order was implemented, according to the Herald Sun. 'Your attack on her was targeted ... It was committed in contempt of court orders,' she said during sentencing. McDermott also tried to claim Ms Warzywoda stabbed herself, but witnesses testified they watched him chase her down, pull her hair and repeatedly stab her in the throat The prosecution said McDermott bought a knife from a nearby store just minutes before stabbing Ms Warzywoda to death He earlier claimed he could not remember the stabbing or being chased down by bystanders as he fled the scene. McDermott bought the murder weapon from a nearby store just minutes before stabbing Ms Warzywoda to death and had made threats he would kill her in the weeks prior, the court heard. Ms Warzywod had attended the Sunshine Magistrates Court with Mr McDermott hours before she died after separating following an 18 year de-facto relationship. Mr McDermott pleaded not guilty to the murder throughout two trials and claimed earlier his former partner might have been stabbed by accident A number of witnesses described the shocking scene of the attack, with many breaking down in tears as in the courtroom McDermott told the court he thought approaching her outside her solicitors office would have been the only time he could have spoken to her 'without people around'. Ms Warzywoda's brother Paul Judge said the verdict provided some closure for the family but said her children had been robbed of a loving mother. 'No person should actually experience what Fiona did,' he said. 'They're the real victims here that have been left without a mother. That's the part that's really hard.' The Russian swimmer who was relentlessly targeted by her American counterparts after getting caught in a doping scandal has professed her love for the United States. Yulia Efimova, 24, has won two silver medals in Rio and is getting ready to go back to her home in Los Angeles. She has lived in the United States for five years - and told CNN in an interview Tuesday that life in her adopted country is 'much easier' than in her native Russia. Yet, American swimmer Lilly King made her disagreement over Efimova's presence loud and clear as she claimed her Russian rival should not have been allowed to compete. Scroll down for video Yulia Efimova (pictured), 24, has won two silver medals in Rio and is getting ready to go back to her home in Los Angeles. She has lived in the US for five years Efimova was previously banned for doping between 2013 and 2015. She then tested positive for meldonium and faced a temporary suspension. That second ban was lifted in time for her to swim in Rio. But Efimova has previously called this summer's games a nightmare and accused King of launching a fully-fledged war against her. She was booed several times as she approached the pool. When Efimova won her semifinal heat earlier this month in the 100m breaststroke, she lifted her index finger to do the 'number one' sign. Efimova (pictured competing in Rio) was previously banned for doping between 2013 and 2015. She then tested positive for meldonium and faced a temporary suspension American swimmer Lilly King made her disagreement over Efimova's presence loud and clear by wagging her finger at her fellow athlete earlier this month (pictured) King, who won two gold medals in Rio, responded by wagging her own finger. Michael Phelps later sided with King against Efimova, saying King had been right to speak out. But Efimova told CNN Tuesday that she loves living in the United States because 'everybody is smiling'. She said people in her adopted country are friendly, whereas people in Russia can be 'aggressive' because they've had 'really hard lives'. 'America is about change,' she added. 'It changed me.' Efimova said 19-year-old King is too young to get a full grasp of the doping situation. 'She doesn't know about things. She doesn't know how life is going sometimes when you try to do right,' Efimova said. She told CNN reports about doping could have targeted Russia specifically due to political motives. 'It's like Russia, Russia, Russia, Russia like all Russia - drink vodka, like have beer and drink doping and that's it,' she said. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been mobbed by asylum seeker protesters during his first major economic address since the election. Mr Turnbull was speaking at the CEDA conference in Melbourne when a group of protesters bearing placards reading 'FFS close the bloody camps' interrupted his speech. The prime minister was forced to temporarily abandon the podium as the protesters were dragged away by security staff. Some of the protesters were wearing 'media' tags even though they are not believed to be affiliated with any organisation. Scroll down for video Asylum seeker protesters storm the stage as Malcolm Turnbull makes an economic speech Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been mobbed by asylum seeker protesters during his first major economic address since the election Mr Turnbull was speaking at the CEDA conference in Melbourne when a group of protesters interrupted bearing placards reading 'FFS close the bloody camps' Gaye Demanuele from the Whistleblowers Activists and Citizens Alliance (WACA) was forceably ejected 'Our plan includes out innovation and science agenda,' The Prime Minister said before the protesters began to chant from the back of the room. Mr Turnbull attempted to continue with his address, but was taken away from the podium after one woman jumped on stage. She managed to get within five metres of Mr Turnbull. 'For f***'s sake, close the camps!' she yelled, as others yelled 'shame on you, close Nauru' as the prime minister as he tried to continue his speech. She held her placard above her head before she was removed by security. Some of the protesters were wearing 'media' tags even though they are not believed to be affiliated with any organisation 'For f***'s sake, close the camps!' she yelled, as others yelled 'shame on you, close Nauru' as the prime minister as he tried to continue his speech Mr Turnbull attempted to continue with his address, but was taken away from the podium after one woman jumped on stage 'For f***'s sake, close the camps!' she yelled, as others yelled 'shame on you, close Nauru' as the prime minister as he tried to continue his speech Donald Trump on Tuesday night tied Hillary Clinton to rioters and looters in Milwaukee and accused his opponent of being anti-police. Speaking to a packed and mostly white crowd in West Bend, outside Milwaukee, Trump referenced the riots that raged for two days after a Milwaukee police officer shot a black motorist who police say brandished a loaded handgun at a traffic stop. 'Just like Hillary is against the miners, she is against the police believe me. You know it and I know it and guess what, she knows it,' Trump told a few hundred enthusiastic supporters who shouted out 'Lock her up!' and 'Treason!' at mentions of Clinton. 'Law and order must be restored. It must be restored for the sake of all but most especially for the sake of those living in the affected communities,' Trump said. Scroll down for video Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday addressed the riots in Milwaukee and declared that 'law and order must be restored' Republican Donald Trump met with law enforcement and veterans behind closed doors in Milwaukee Tuesday then spoke to a lively crowd where he linked Clinton to rioters and looters Scroll down for video Trump spoke after riots broke out Saturday and Sunday night following a police officer's shooting of Sylville Smith, 23, a black motorist with a criminal record who police say held a loaded gun during a traffic shop. Trump bashed the 'peddling the narrative of cops as a racist force in our society a narrative supported with a nod by my opponent.' He said they 'share directly in the responsibility for the unrest in Milwaukee, and many other places within our country.' Trump spoke about improving lives in black communities, but made his remarks to a mostly white crowd about 45 minutes away from the violence that shook Milwaukee 'They have fostered the dangerous anti-police atmosphere in America and all throughout America,' he said. 'The violence, riots and destruction that have taken place in Milwaukee is an assault on the right of all citizens to live in security and to live in peace,' Trump said early in his remarks, referencing the mayhem that occurred Saturday and Sunday. 'Our job is not to make life more comfortable for the rioter or the looter,' Trump said, in one of several lines intended to associate Clinton with mayhem in the streets. 'The quiet voices in our society not the loudest demonstrators need to have their demands heard,' Trump continued. Trump went after rioters and looters, whom he linked to Hillary Clinton in his remarks Trump accused Hillary Clinton of 'bigotry' and pandering to black voters and of giving a 'nod' to those who call police racist Trump met with Milwaukee Country Sheriff David Clarke Jr. and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani Tuesday. Clarke compared the rioting to 'tribal' violence, and Giuliani is associated with a tough crime crackdown he oversaw in New York City 'Jobs, safety, opportunity, fair and equal representation: We reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton which panders to and talks down to communities of color and sees them only as votes thats all they care about not as individual human beings worthy of a better future,' he said. 'They are taking advantage.' 'The main victims of these riots are law abiding African Americans living in these neighborhoods,' Trump said, speaking to a mostly white crowd in West Bend, about 45 minutes outside of Milwaukee, a diverse city where he held no public events Tuesday. 'Its their jobs, its their homes its their schools and communities which will suffer the most as a result. Theres no compassion in tolerating lawless conduct for anyone,' he added. 'Crime and violence is an attack on the poor and will never be accepted in a Trump administration,' he said. 'The problem in our poorest communities is not that there are too many police. The problem is that there are not enough police,' he said. On jobs, he accused Clinton of printing 'instant work permits' for immigrants. He said they would come 'and take everybodys job, including low income, African Americans. Not right, not gonna happen,' he said. Trump was introduced by Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, who noted: 'There are two names and only two Americans that will be on the ballot' 'Im going to break up the gangs, the cartels and the criminal syndicates terrorizing our neighborhoods all over the country and that includes Milwaukee,' Trump pledged. 'To every lawbreaker hurting innocent people in this country I say: your free reign will soon come crashing to an end!' he vowed. His comments about violence in black communities and accusing Democrats of pandering, come at a time when Trump's African American support is in the basement, averaging just 2 percent in an average of recent polls. Trump also issued a new ethics proposal which was also a shot at Bill and Hillary Clinton's acceptance of big bucks fees. He said senior officials would have to sign a pledge not to take speaking fees from 'corporations with a registered lobbyist for five years after leaving office or from any entity tied to a foreign government.' 'Whats happening is disgraceful,' he said. Trump said he would forbid senior officials 'from trading favors for cash by preventing them from collecting lavish speaking fees through their spouses when they serve.' Trump spent Tuesday conducting a round of TV interviews in Wisconsin, before taping an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News to be aired Wednesday. In an interview with Fox News Tuesday, Trump emphatically defended the Wisconsin police officer who shot and killed Sylville Smith at a traffic stop, prompting two days of riots. Trump referenced early statements by law enforcement that Smith, who had a criminal record, pointed a gun at the officer, in comments to Fox News just hours before he headed to Milwaukee for an event with local law enforcement. 'If you believe a gun was pointed at his head, maybe ready to be fired, what is a person supposed to do?' Trump asked. 'What is a person supposed to do?' Trump said. 'You're supposed to talk him out of it?' Trump told NBC affiliate WEAU he had wanted to 'get out' of Iraq but 'keep the oil,' a day after he admonished President Obama for the withdrawal of U.S. forces that left a vacuum for ISIS. I said, get out. I said dont go in, OK, to Iraq, said Trump. The short film festival is to be held in the western suburb of Parramatta Tropfest if it is held outside of Sydney's CBD A film producer has promised to boycott the world's largest short film festival, Tropfest, if it is held in Parramatta, a western Sydney suburb, rather than the CBD. Adam St John, from the inner city suburb of Newtown said he refuses to go to 'the middle of nowhere' for the prestigious short film competition, reported The Daily Telegraph. This is despite originally coming from the remote New Zealand town of Taupo on the country's North Island. Organisers of Tropfest said the screening, which was recently held in Sydney's Centennial Park, will now be held in Parramatta Park - which is emerging as a major business district in Sydney. But to Mr St John, Parramatta is 'in the middle of nowhere'. Film producer Adam St John (left) pictured with director George Lucas says he will boycott Tropfest if it is moved to Parramatta Adam St John who lives in Newtown, an inner-city suburb of Sydney believes the western suburb of Parramatta is in 'the middle of nowhere'. He is originally from New Zealand 'I won't go to Parramatta, no way. Why would you put something that was so famous into an area where no filmmakers are based? 'Everyone is based in the inner city and that's the place they should be looking to support the emerging artists.' Mr St John also believes a number of other film makers will take a similar stance by choosing not to attend the festival if it is held away from Sydney's centre. But independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich believes this will not be the case and most people would be happily to catch public transport to the festival . Mr Greenwich's view was also supported by Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore, who said moving the festival will probably lead to a far bigger audience. The filmmaker is originally from the remote New Zealand town of Taupo on the country's North Island before he moved to Newtown Adam St John believes all film makers live in inner Sydney and they will also boycott the festival if moved The free festival founded by John Polson 23 years ago almost came to an end after it ran into financial difficulties. But with the help of their renewed partnership with CGU Insurance, the next festival will be held in the metropolitan area as part of a three year deal. 'Moving Tropfest to Parramatta also puts us in the geographical heart of Sydney, which is the perfect place for the world's most exciting and accessible film event,' Mr Polson said. 'The City of Parramatta and Parramatta Park Trust have already demonstrated they are 100 per cent behind us, helping us ensure Tropfest at Parramatta is a success.' Mr St John's comments are not the first time Parramatta has faced backlash from culturally-inclined Sydneysiders. A plan to move the Powerhouse Museum to Parramatta saw an online campaign launched to keep it in inner-Sydney Ultimo - with more than 10,000 signing a petition calling for the move to be abandoned. Taj Patterson (above, after the beating) was left permanently blind in his right eye after being attacked in December 2013 Two Hasidic men who admitted to brutally beating a gay black man until he was blinded in one eye were sentenced to just 150 hours of community service but are trying to get out of doing it in a culturally diverse neighborhood. Fashion student Taj Patterson was left permanently blind in his right eye after being beaten by a group of Hasidic men as he walked down the street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in December 2013. Pinchas Braver, 22, and Abraham Winkler, 42, who were part of an ultra-Orthodox Jewish patrol group, were charged with gang hate crime and facing up to 25 years in prison, the New York Post reported. But instead, they pleaded guilty to unlawful imprisonment in a plea deal that meant they avoided jail in exchange for three years of probation, paying $1,400 restitution and performing the 150 hours of community service in a culturally diverse placement. Two others had their cases dropped, but Mayer Herkovic, will go on trial next week. But the men told the court last week that they wanted to do the community service at Chai Lifeline, a group that works with Jewish children with life-threatening illness. Scroll down for video Pinchas Braver (right) and Abraham Winkler (left) were sentenced to just 150 hours of community service after admitted taking part in beating a black gay man - but are now trying to avoid performing it in a 'culturally diverse' placement Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun delayed sentencing Braver and Winkler for a week so they could find another satisfactory placement but they still havent. Bravers attorney Robert LaRusso said the problem isnt finding an organization, its meeting the criteria of culturally diverse that prosecutors have suggested. Its not a problem its just being able to satisfy the prosecutor that the agency that we are asking the community service to be performed is satisfactory to them, LaRusso said, according to the New York Daily News. Now, Justice Chun has informed Braver and Winkler that they have 30 days to find another placement or the Department of Probation will place them in a program. He also gave them an extension to pay the restitution, the Daily News reports. Patterson has said he was confronted by the group of at least 12 Hasidic men as he headed to his Fort Greene home after a night out. He said the men beat him while shouting homophobic slurs in the early hours of December 1, 2013. He was so viciously beaten that his orbital socket was broken and his retina was torn, leaving his permanently blind in one eye. As others cheered, one attacker allegedly kicked him as he lay on the ground, shouting: 'Stay down, f****t, stay the f*** down. Pinchas Braver (above) waits for the elevator at Brooklyn Supreme Court in October Braver (pictured with a family member) was part of an ultra-Orthdox patrol group Patterson later said: 'I was alone. I was an easy target. I'm black. I'm gay, a whole slew of reasons.' He has filed a lawsuit against the city and the NYPD, alleging that Shomrim, the volunteer patrol group, has been given preferential treatment for years. The self-styled neighborhood protection outfit, set up in Haredi communities throughout the United States to help combat crime. Volunteers can make citizens' arrests only. But the police have said they have acted against acts of vigilantism. Shortly after the arrests in 2013, Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said in a statement: 'These indictments send a clear message that acts of vigilantism are unacceptable and cannot be condoned by the NYPD.' An impotent and married father who stabbed a sex worker with her own stiletto and slashed her throat with a razor has been jailed for life for the 'opportunistic and brutal' murder. Chungaung Piao, 29, was found guilty of murdering Tina Fang, whose body was found in a room on the 12th floor at Adelaide's Grand Chancellor Hotel on New Year's Day last year. Piao, who owned a cleaning business and was married with a young son, was Ms Fang's final client but did not have enough money to pay for her services, the South Australian Supreme Court heard. Scroll down for video Tina Fang's body was found in a room on the 12th floor at Adelaide's Grand Chancellor Hotel on New Year's Day last year Chungaung Piao (pictured), 29, has been jailed for life and a minimum of 25 years for her murder CCTV footage had shown him running from the hotel on the night of her death. He beat her with the heel of her own stiletto before he slashed her throat, prosecutors argued during the trial. The court heard during the trial that a single-edged razor blade, allegedly used to murder Ms Fang, had been found in the basin of the room's ensuite bathroom. Ms Fang agreed to an extended overnight booking with Piao, and she had sent her minder a text to say she was tired but would earn a night's wages without having sex as Piao was impotent, the jury heard throughout the trial. Pictured: the 12th floor hotel room where Ms Fang was murdered Prosecutors argued Piao hit her with the heel of her stiletto before he slashed her throat with a razor Pictured: the heel Piao used to hit Ms Fang with before her murdered her The Sydney woman was on a working trip to Adelaide for an escort agency. She used the name 'Honey' and charged $1,500 for an overnight stay, the trial heard, Adelaide Now reported. Justice David Lovell on Wednesday jailed Piao for life and set a non-parole period of 25 years, describing the murder as 'brutal and opportunistic'. Justice Lovell said there was no evidence the crime was premeditated and said Piao's motive was unclear, though there was money missing from the room. Piao's bank accounts had been overdrawn and he owed money to someone who had allegedly made threats against him, the judge said. 'This was a vicious and senseless crime,' Justice Lovell said. 'A young lady who did you no harm senselessly murdered.' Ms Fang agreed to an extended overnight booking with Piao at the hotel Piao is pictured in a police interview after the January 1, 2015 murder Evidence showed Ms Fang put up a fight before her main arteries were severed when her throat was slashed, causing major blood loss, the judge said. Justice Lovell said Ms Fang's family had not made victim impact statements because they found it too difficult to put their loss into words. Piao had maintained his innocence and declined the opportunity to make submissions about his personal background. 'You have shown no contrition or remorse for your actions and you clearly told a number of lies to police when you were interviewed,' Justice Lovell said. Piao's sentence was backdated to his arrest in January 2015. Ms Fang is pictured arriving at Adelaide's Grand Chancellor Hotel Piao was seen running from the hotel after he murdered Ms Fang Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been spotted giving a $5 note to a homeless man while holding a wad of cash in his other hand. Miserly Mal was on his way to make a speech about economics in Melbourne on Wednesday when he stopped to drop a folded-up, purple note in a homeless man's coffee cup. In his other hand, Mr Turnbull, who had an investments portfolio worth at least $200 million last year, clutched a money clip that was holding a stack of $5, $20 and $50 notes. Scroll down for video Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been spotted giving a $5 note to a homeless man while holding a wad of cash He clutched a money clip that was holding a stack of $5, $20 and $50 notes Mr Turnbull was on the way to speak at his first major economic speech since he was re-elected as Prime Minister at an event run by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. The event was held at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in central Melbourne. But his speech did not go quite as planned after he was ambushed by protesters during his speech. At least three protesters bearing placards reading 'FFS [for f***'s sake] close the bloody camps' interrupted the Prime Minister as he stood behind the lectern. Mr Turnbull was forced to temporarily abandon his speech as the protesters were dragged away by security staff. Mr Turnbull was on his way to an economics conference in Melbourne on Wednesday when he stopped to drop a folded-up, purple note in a homeless man's coffee cup Mr Turnbull was on the way to speak at his first major economic speech since he was re-elected as Prime Minister A woman has given birth to a baby girl mid-flight, and as well as giving her child the gift of life, the newborn has also earned a lifetime of free flights. The new mother, who delivered her child two months premature, was flying from Dubai back to the Philippines on Cebu Pacific Air, a fellow passenger revealed on social media. After her contractions started about five hours into the nine hour flight, attendants called for help, and two nurses on board came to the assistance of the expectant parent. A woman has given birth to a baby girl five hours into a nine hour flight from Dubai to the Philippines 'She was already crowning, so she was brought to the more spacious area in front of the plane,' passenger Missy Umandal wrote on Facebook. 'We only heard one semi-loud screech, and a few seconds later, there were tinier, cute screeches, and it was when we knew the baby was born.' Other passengers came to the aid of the woman, donating spare children's clothing items to dress the baby in after she was bathed in mineral water. 'It was immediately decided that an emergency landing in India was necessary to ensure the baby's health, as it was born two months earlier than expected,' Missy Umamdal said. The newborn baby girl will get free flights on Cebu Pacific Air for life 'To the woman, in the hopes she gets to read this: We understand you are resting and giving time to take care of your baby, but we are all hoping for your quick recovery and a lifetime of happiness to your beautiful child!' The baby was granted free lifetime travel with the airline since she was born on board one of their flights. A Milwaukee police officer believed to have shot dead a black man he went to high school with has been receiving death threats. Police haven't released the name of the officer who shot 23-year-old Sylville Smith on Saturday following a traffic stop, but widely shared social media posts and at least one news report identified him as a 24-year-old Dominique Heaggan-Brown. At least 3,000 people shared a Facebook photo of Heaggan-Brown, who was independently identified by the Journal-Sentinal. Scroll down for video Police haven't released the name of the officer who shot Sylville Smith on Saturday, but widely shared social media posts and at least one news report identified him as 24-year-old patrolman, Dominique Heaggan-Brown (pictured) At least 3,000 people shared a Facebook photo of the targeted officer (right), who was independently identified by the Journal-Sentinal as Heaggan. Sylville Smith (left) was gunned down by a Milwaukee officer following a traffic stop and foot chase Furious Facebook users posted threatening comments under the picture with some saying 'if he's seen anywhere in the city drop him' while another said someone should 'shoot him right in his head'. Smith's sister Sherelle Smith, revealed in an interview with Fox 6 that the officer went to high school with her brother. Smith's sister, Sherelle Smith, revealed in an interview that the officer and her brother went to high school together. Pictured is Heaggan 'The boy knew my brother personally from high school. They knew each other. You knew exactly how my brother was and you shot and killed him,' Sherelle added. Relatives and friends from the Sherman Park neighborhood also confirmed that Heaggan and Smith, whose death has sparked violence in the city, knew each other. Several people who shared the same photo of Heaggan in uniform and standing in front of a squad car, shared stories of interacting with him in the neighborhood. Others urged restraint, saying to wait for all the facts before making up their minds, and asked people to not 'destroy our own communities'. Heaggan is also known locally as KB Domo, a musician who often collaborated with hip hop artist Dae Flywalker, the New York Daily News reported. In a video shared on social media, Heaggan can be seen rapping and performing a freestyle verse. The District 7 police station was briefly closed because of threats, including shots fired nearby Monday afternoon, Police Chief Edward Flynn told the Journal-Sentinel. It reopened by 8pm. Flynn said the officer is currently staying with relatives out of town. In a video shared on social media, Heaggan-Brown (pictured) can be seen rapping and performing a freestyle verse A few hours after the shooting, violence erupted on the city's largely black north side, with protesters hurling rocks at police and burning six businesses and a squad car. Pictured above the second night of protests on Sunday On Sunday a teenager was shot during protests. An officer was also injured during Sunday night's riots. Monday was calm, though 10 people were arrested. Police are seen above controlling crowds on Sunday The department said in a statement Tuesday it noticed a 'disturbing national trend' in which social media users have identified officers involved in fatal shootings and threatened them and their families. A spokesman declined to confirm the identity being circulated online. The department is aware of some local threats against its officers and is investigating, according to the statement. The officer joined the Milwaukee force in 2010 as a police aide and in 2013, he graduated from the police academy, the Daily News reported. A few hours after Smith was shot, violence erupted on the city's largely black north side, with protesters hurling rocks at police and burning six businesses and a squad car (pictured) A BP gas station (pictured) and several cars in the parking lot were destroyed after the shooting caused unrest in Milwaukee Saturday. A lighter night of protests followed Sunday and resulted in a teenager being shot. An officer was also injured during Sunday night's riots Smith, 23, was shot and killed Saturday after a brief foot chase that followed a traffic stop. Police said Smith had a gun in his hand when he turned toward the officer, who opened fire. The state is investigating. A few hours after the shooting, violence erupted on the city's largely black north side, with protesters hurling rocks at police and burning six businesses and a squad car. A lighter night of protests followed Sunday and resulted in a teenager being shot. An officer was also injured during Sunday night's riots. Turkey is set to release 38,000 prisoners that are currently in jail in an apparent move to make space for those who plotted last month's coup. Turkish justice minister Bekir Bozdag wrote on Twitter that the prisoners would be under freed as part of a 'supervised release'. It comes as Turkey already has an overstretched prison population but has arrested more than 35,000 people in connection with a failed coup attempt in the country. Turkey is set to release 38,000 prisoners that are currently in jail in an apparent move to make space for those who plotted last month's coup. Pictured is the Sincan prison in Ankara The decree also said authorities would release inamtes who have displayed good behaviour and have two years or less to serve of their sentences. However, people convicted for murder, domestic violence, sexual abuse or crimes against the state will be excluded from the scheme. However, Mr Bozdag did insist that an early release was not a pardon or an amnesty. News of the prisoner release comes as the country also announced it would be dismissing more than 2,000 police officers and hundreds of members of the military over last month's power grab. Those dismissed were described as having links to U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Ankara accuses of orchestrating the failed putsch . Gulen denies involvement in the coup. Turkish justice minister Bekir Bozdag wrote on Twitter that the prisoners would be under freed as part of a 'supervised release' The decree published in the country's Official Gazette, also included a decision to close the TIB telecoms authority and another decision under which the president will appoint the head of the armed forces. Under previous emergency rule decrees, Turkey had already dismissed thousands of security force members as well as ordering the closure of thousands of private schools, charities and other institutions suspected of links to Gulen. The latest dismissals included 2,360 police officers, more than 100 military personnel and 196 staff in the BTK technology authority, according to the decrees, issued under a three-month state of emergency which came into force on July 21. Alongside tens of thousands of civil servants suspended or dismissed, more than 35,000 people have been detained in a massive purge since the failed coup. A drug which sends users into a paranoid frenzy where they act like zombies and bite the flesh off strangers faces is widely available in Australia and costs as little as $7.50 a hit. Called flakka, but known on the street as 'gravel' and by chemists as alpha-PVP, the terrifying hallucinogen has earned a reputation as one of America's scariest drugs - and it's being synthesised in China and shipped in the kilograms to Australia. Users can order the drug online and have it delivered to their mailbox the next day, or find an synthetic alternative in their local sex shop shelves - with no understanding of its dosage or contents. Scroll down for videos Flakka, also known as gravel because it resembles little pebbles, is alpha-PVP, is easier to get a hold of than methamphetamine in Australia, according to experts This woman (pictured) under the influence or flakka or alpha-PVP writhes on the ground and her eyes roll back in her head was shown on television in South America Experts say the drug is being synthesised in China and shipped to Australia, where it's readily and easily available online for users (man pictured going through drug psychosis) Tyren Edwards, National Chief Scientist at Safe Work Laboratory, told Daily Mail Australia flakka was easier to get a hold of than methamphetamine in Australia. 'Methamphetamine is harder to get hold of than flakka in Australia, its definitely out there ... (but) you can only judge it on the seizures of synthetics which are hardly ever reported.' Mr Edwards said as little as six grains of flakka was enough to send a user into a chemical state of oblivion, and could result in death in just 10 minutes. He said the drug could be manufactured for just $0.75 a hit. Videos of flakka users in the US show people writhing on the ground and screaching, hiding from non-existent gunman, running naked through city streets, trying to have sex with a tree and claiming they area God. As little as six grains of the drug is enough to send a user into a chemical state of oblivion Video of flakka users in the US show people writhing on the ground and screaching, hiding from non-existent gunman and running naked through city street Adelaide forensic toxicologist Andrew Leibie, who has recorded positive tests in Australian workers to flakka and who has evidence of the drug turning up in post mortems, said the drug is being sold in places like Newcastle and Wollongong. 'The problem with alpha-PVP is that it's a mix of a potent hallucinogen like LSD with a potent stimulant like ice. They are at the same time extremely aggressive and extremely frightened,' Mr Leibie told Daily Mail Australia last year. It's a mix of a potent hallucinogen like LSD with a potent stimulant like ice 'So you will get people smashing through windows or running through traffic as they are hallucinating because they think the walls are possessed and they throw themselves off a balcony. 'On its own LSD can be a pleasant hallucinogenic with very strong visions, but if you combine that with ice you get the euphoria and aggression that goes with it. 'Flakka is that it has not been strictly illegal, because it's a new drug developed in China most likely by a 19-year-old on a computer.' 'They sell it over the internet and it's inexpensive because there are virtually no middle men.' This bag containing 1kg of pure flakka, aka gravel, was seized by police in Australia in 2014 The young boy (pictured) after taking flakka is fearful, wrestles with a man trying to help him, strips off his shoes and sits outside a shop unwilling to move One of the hundreds of different variations of drugs known as bath salts, which Mr Lebie says has hit the market in a 'tsunami' of compounds almost impossible to regulate, flakka has caused mayhem in towns and cities. Mr Leibie said flakka does not show up in traditional drugs blood and saliva tests. But the national drug testing company he works for, Safe Work Laboratories, has recorded dozens of positive tests for the drug. Multinationals and local companies are now requesting flakka detection among the drug tests Safe Work perform on staff. We have had several approaches from large companies, mostly mining companies but some oil and gas companies as well, who have specifically asked us to test for flakka 'It's hard to say how much is being used in Australia because we are asked to test for it when staff have been noticed smoking something at work and then being out of it and we have tested and got, say, four or five in the one place. 'But it is not generally tested for so people could be pulled up by police and blood tested and it wouldn't come up.' The problem with alpha-PVP is that it's a mix of a potent hallucinogen like LSD with a potent stimulant like ice. Users are at the same time extremely aggressive and extremely frightened This woman got out of her vehicle in a car park and then began rolling around on the ground and shrieking in a paranoid state at passers by At one point the drugged woman hid her face as she screamed and cried in fear. Next the woman pointed aggressively at the person filming her in the local car park as police were on stand-by Cannibal attack: FSU student Austin Harrouff, 19 (left), is accused of stabbing to death Michelle and John Stevens (pictured together right), and biting pieces off the husband's face in Jupiter, Florida However Doctor Phillip Crowley, an addiction medicine specialist, said that crystal meth or 'ice' was a much bigger problem in Australia than flakka. 'Flakka seems to have and I dont know why but it hasnt really emerged in Australia the way we thought it would,' Dr Crowley told Daily Mail Australia. 'It puts some people off because it causes such an extreme psychotic state that people dont actually want to take it. 'I dont feel people have found it a very rewarding substance to take. It causes a nightmare type experience ... not something that elevates mood or makes people happy.' The latest suspected flakka case happened in Florida, when a 19-year-old frat boy was found at the scene of a double homicide on Monday after biting flesh off a victim's face. Austin Kelly Harrouff, whose condition is deteriorating in the hospital, was arrested Monday night after allegedly stabbing married couple Michelle Stevens and John Stevens III to death inside their Jupiter, Florida, home. Sheriff William Snyder said a toxicology report would not be immediately available, but added: 'It absolutely could be a flakka case. We dont know...I would not be surprised though if we end up finding that is the case.' This woman was film in southern Florida while allegedly under the influence of flakka, also known as 'gravel' A Malaysian oil tanker carrying $400,000 worth of diesel has been hijacked and sailed into Indonesian waters. The MT Vier Harmoni had 240,000 gallons of fuel on board when it was overran and led to waters off the Indonesian island of Batam, close to Singapore. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency chief Ahmad Puzi Kahar confirmed the hijacking saying it was caused by 'internal problems'. The MT Vier Harmoni had 240,000 gallons of fuel on board when it was overran and led to waters off the Indonesian island of Batam, close to Singapore He wrote on Twitter: 'We got in touch with our Indonesian counterparts this morning to launch a joint operation.' Vier Abdul Jamal, chief executive of the ship's owner Vierlines Asia Group, said the Indonesian-flagged vessel has 10 Indonesian crew on board and is currently chartered by another company. The charterer and the harbour master where the vessel was loaded lost contact with Vier Harmoni on Tuesday evening and its tracking device is not active, he said. The vessel, which has an experienced captain, could be hijacked, sunk or suffering engine problems, he added. Indonesia's western naval command and its coastguard said they had been notified by Malaysia about the incident and are searching for the tanker. They said that so far there was no indication the tanker had entered Batam. A map showing where the ship left port in Malaysia and where it is suspected of being hijacked The Malaysian maritime agency said it activated its search for the tanker early Wednesday. It said the tanker left from Tanjung Pelepas port in Malaysia's southern Johor state and was suspected to have been hijacked on Tuesday evening. The 53-metre (175 foot) long Vier Harmoni was built in 2014, according to ship databases. Indonesia has suffered a series of kidnappings of its seamen this year by Abu Sayyaf militants based in the southern Philippines. Australian war veterans are shattered after a commemorative ceremony of the battle of Long Tan in Vietnam was cancelled on the eve of the service. More than 1,000 veterans have travelled to the country to mark the 50th anniversary - but are now left without plans after Vietnamese authorities confirmed Thursday's Veterans Day at the Long Tan cross site would not go ahead. Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan has slammed the short notice as a 'kick in the guts' but hoped the Vietnam government would overturn its abrupt decision. 'Can I say again how bitterly disappointed and how empathetic I am to all Australian veterans of the Vietnam war,' Mr Tehan said. 'I think given the short notice which has been given, I don't think this is the way that you should treat a friend. It's extraordinarily disappointing for our veterans. 'My real hope is that we will see a change of heart by the Vietnamese government.' Scroll down for video More than 1,000 Australian war veterans (pictured) have travelled to Vietnam to attend the service for Veterans Day - but Vietnamese authorities have cancelled the event Victoria Cross recipient and veteran Keith Payne (pictured) is among the servicemen who travelled to Vietnam for the commemorative ceremony at the Long Tan cross site Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia president Ken Foster said the event's cancellation could have an impact on the veterans' mental welfare. 'Some of them will have repercussions in the way their mental health conditions could quickly deteriorate,' Mr Foster told ABC's 7.30. 'One of the problems is that you only need a trigger with some of these mental health conditions - and you can't predict what the outcome is going to be. 'I'm sure there will be emotional fallout from this decision. It's such short notice, within 24 hours of the actual commemoration and the build-up and the emotional build-up towards the event, and then to be told 'no, you may not be able to go'. 'It wouldn't be a nice place to be. They wouldn't be a happy bunch of soldiers.' Vietnam Veterans Association of Australia president Ken Foster (pictured) said the event's cancellation could have an impact on the veterans' mental health War veterans have travelled to Vietnam to attend the anniversary memorial service The Vietnamese government cited concerns about 'deep sensitivities' over the battle and the impact the commemorations could have on the local community. However, Mr Tehan insisted the Australian government was aware of the sensitivities and had planned a 'low-key' ceremony. Mr Tehan said the government's assessment was that the decision was based on sensitivities relating to the battle of Long Tan and not any other aspect of Vietnam-Australia relations. Victoria Cross recipient and veteran Keith Payne, who is among the servicemen who made the trip to Vietnam for the event, said touring Long Tan, which was once a battlefield, was a special place. '[It] gives me a little bit of a tingle to stand here,' an emotional Mr Payne told 7 News, holding back tears. The Department of Foreign Affairs understands private access to the site will still be permitted. Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop said in a statement the Vietnamese government had advised it would not permit the ceremony to go ahead. Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan has slammed the short notice as a 'kick in the guts' Australian soldiers during the Battle of Long Tan in Vietnam on August 18, 1966 An official party including the Australian and New Zealand ambassadors will still lay a wreath on Thursday. 'The government is deeply disappointed at this decision, and the manner in which it was taken, so close to the commemoration service taking place,' the statement said. The Australian government is trying to urgently lodge its concerns with its Vietnamese counterparts, saying the nations had been working closely together for 18 months to prepare for the commemoration. 'Australian veterans and their families had planned to attend a ceremony at Long Tan marked by mutual respect to remember and honour the sacrifice of those lost in the Vietnam War from both sides,' the statement said. 'For many veterans, this would have been their first visit to Vietnam since the war.' An Australian soldier pictured crouching in a rubber plantation during the battle of Long Tan in Vietnam Eighteen Australians died in the Battle of Long Tan - the enemy death toll likely exceeded 500. Malcolm Turnbull has issued a stern rebuke to the Vietnamese government over its last-minute ban on 50th anniversary commemorations for the battle of Long Tan. 'This decision and especially its timing shows a disregard for those Australians who have in good faith travelled to Vietnam to participate in this week's events,' the prime minister told a Long Tan dinner in Canberra on Wednesday. Mr Turnbull was trying to phone his Vietnamese counterpart to make his disappointment over the decision known while also seeking a change of heart. The government was advised of the decision late on Tuesday. Commemorations will go ahead in Australian on Wednesday evening - including at an event at Parliament House in Canberra - and on Thursday. The federal opposition has backed the Australian government. 'The cancellation of the service, at such short notice, is shocking and deeply upsetting for the veterans and families from both countries who have travelled to commemorate this important event,' Labor said in a statement on Wednesday. Australian Defence Force personnel rehearsing for Vietnam Veterans Day and 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan at the Vietnam Memorial in Canberra on Wednesday A man who set up a tanning bed business out of his Adelaide garage has become the first person in Australia to be convicted of operating an illegal solarium. Jake Martin-Herde, 28, pleaded guilty to two counts of offering and providing cosmetic tanning for a fee to the public following an investigation by SA's Environmental Protection Authority. The Adelaide Magistrates Court was told Martin-Herde had set up three tanning beds and a waiting area in his garage and had advertised the 'Sharelarium' business extensively on social media. The illegal solarium was being run from Jake Martin-Herde's garage in Adelaide, pictured The commercial use of tanning beds was outlawed in South Australia in December 2014 and is illegal in every other state as well as the ACT. The only place the practice is not banned is the Northern Territory however there are no current commercial sunbeds operating there. Chief Magistrate Mary-Louise Hribal on Wednesday fined Martin-Herde $2100 and ordered him to pay $900 in court fees. Martin-Herde had faced a maximum fine of $10,000 for each of his two charges but received a lighter penalty which included a discount for an early guilty plea. Prosecutor Kathleen Moloney said Martin-Herde had attempted to circumvent the law using a 'sham shareholder agreement' where customers purchased a share in one of the beds rather than paying directly for the service. Martin-Herde had faced a maximum fine of $10,000 for each of his two charges but received a lighter penalty which included a discount for an early guilty plea Ms Moloney said research had shown outlawing solariums could prevent one in six melanoma diagnoses among young people in Australia. Defence lawyer Gilbert Aitken said Martin-Herde had been 'stupidly' misled into believing he was acting within the law by using the shareholder agreement. He said his client had pleaded guilty once advised he had broken the law and had gone to no efforts to cover up the business. 'The bottom line is this was not secret,' Mr Aitken said. 'It was out there. It was advertised.' The business was widely advertised on Facebook - using pictures like the one above Ms Hribal accepted that Martin-Herde had been misled, saying he should be given the opportunity to move on with his new career as a joint sealer in Sydney. EPA chief Tony Circelli said he believed Martin-Herde's conviction would deter other potential tanning bed operators. A nursery worker who drew a moustache on a sleeping toddlers face with permanent marker and then took a picture of him has been convicted of assault. Laura Houston, 25, who worked at a nursery in in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, denied she had done anything wrong and showed no emotion yesterday when she was convicted of assaulting three one-year-olds in her care between August 2014 and February 2015. She was warned by Sheriff Colin Pettigrew at Paisley Sheriff Court she faces jail. Laura Houston, 25, who worked at a nursery in in East Renfrewshire, Scotland, has been convicted of assaulting three one-year-olds who were in her care, including drawing on one sleeping toddler with permanent marker As well as drawing on the toddler Houston also pulled the one-year-old boys legs away from him, causing him to fall and hit his face on the floor, leaving him in tears. She also tripped a little girl up while walking beside her and holding her hand. And she slapped a third toddler across the chest to get him to be quiet, which made him freeze in fear. Houstons victims were so young they could not speak and could not tell their parents or the police what had happened to them at the nursery. The attacks were witnessed by junior nursery workers who worked alongside Houston. Logan Craig and Jennifer Mackie, who were in training at the time, testified against their former colleague. Miss Craig said she saw Houston drawing on the little boys face while he was asleep and Miss Mackie said Houston admitted she had done it. Giving evidence at Houstons trial at Paisley Sheriff Court, Miss Mackie said: [The boy] had a moustache drawn over his top lip. Former colleagues Jennifer Mackie (left) and Logan Craig (right) were in training at the nursery when they saw the offences take place Laura was, at that time, taking a picture with one of the nursery cameras of [him] with the pen on his face. Logan said Laura had drawn on his face. I looked at Laura and she confirmed that. She said Miss Craig had then taken the child to the bathroom when the marker would not come off with face wipes. And Miss Mackie, who is now 18 but was only 16 at the time, said she was shaken by the incident. She added: I was still training. This is a qualified member of staff Im meant to be looking up to her. I felt a bit uneasy. I had seen Laura tripping up the children as well. I witnessed Laura calling [one boy] over and putting her leg out and tripping him over. [The boy] fell over and fell to the ground. He started crying as hed obviously fell and hurt himself. She picked him up as if shed done nothing wrong and just calmed him down. Sheriff Colin Pettigrew at Paisley Sheriff Court (pictured) warned Houston he may jail her for her shameful antics and serious breach of the trust of the parents and guardians of the children Houston had originally been charged with assaulting five one-year-olds and faced one charge in relation to each child. But following her trial she was cleared of two other alleged assaults against a boy and a girl due to a lack of credible and reliable corroborated evidence. Sheriff Colin Pettigrew called for her to be assessed by social workers ahead of sentencing and adjourned the case until next month, warning her he may jail her for her shameful antics. He said: This is an anxious case for all for the accused, for the witnesses, for the children and the parents. You were in a position of trust. Your assaults on three separate children aged one over a period of months constitutes, in my view, a serious breach of the trust the parents and guardians of the children placed in you. We've all made ambitious claims at the pub about pipe dreams we would like to fulfil with friends. But one group from a village skittles team who were out drinking and decided to plant their own vineyard did actually follow through on their plan. And they have now won a bronze award with their first sparkling vintage. Corking effort: (L-R) David Dower, John Gostling, Veronica Dower, Tracy McGowan and Mike Huskins with bottles of Dalwood wines The group stumped up 4,000 for research, testing and preparing the soil before planting 1,100 Seyval Blanc vines from France in their village of Dalwood, near Axminster Mike Huskins, 49, John Gostling, 60, Mick Oliver, 65, and David Dower, 55 first had the idea while discussing how the Romans had produced wine near their Devon village. So the friends who had no previous wine-making experience procured a two-acre plot nine years ago from a local farmer after pledging to pay rent in bottles of wine. They then stumped up 4,000 for research, testing and preparing the soil before planting 1,100 Seyval Blanc vines from France in their village of Dalwood, near Axminster. Tasks such as pruning, mowing, cutting, canopy management and harvesting were then carried out by the men and their wives. Villagers also helped and were repaid with lunch at their local Tuckers Arms pub, courtesy of landlady Tracy McGowan. Last year the group celebrated its first tipple 1,500 bottles of Brut, a sparkling wine similar to Champagne. And that has now won a bronze medal in the Decanter World Wine Awards. Tasks such as pruning, mowing, cutting, canopy management and harvesting were then carried out by the men and their wives. Pictured, farmer Les White Last year the group celebrated its first tipple 1,500 bottles of Brut, a sparkling wine similar to Champagne Mr Huskins, a cattle geneticist, said: We were all a bit anxious about the first bottle because we didnt know what to expect. When it hit our lips we looked at each other in amazement. It tasted absolutely sensational. Needless to say we had a great night and drank a good amount of our stock. But wine lovers will struggle to get their hands on Dalwood Vineyards first vintage. The small scale of the business means it is only sold in the village store, the Tuckers Arms and local farm shops. It costs 23 a bottle and they also have a still white at 14. Mr Oliver is a property developer, Mr Dower is a market researcher, while Mr Gostling is a builder, and their wives have also been heavily involved in the project. The small scale of the business means the wine is only sold in the village store, the Tuckers Arms and local farm shops While their first batch of grapes were still at an early stage of maturity in 2010, the winemakers planted three more varieties Solaris, Madeleine and Pinot Noir totalling about 3,000 vines. Mr Huskins, who handles crop management at the vineyard, said: It takes years of hard work and patience to produce a decent bottle of wine. The group hope to launch another 1,200 bottles of white this month followed by a second batch of sparkling early next year. At least 13 villagers are dead after they drank a bad batch of bootleg liquor in India. The victims consumed the tainted booze on Monday, as the country celebrated its Independence Day, and fell ill the following day. Seven people died late Tuesday night while a further six, who were in hospital in a critical condition, died early Wednesday morning, Indian media reported. The victims fell ill a day after drinking the bootleg liquor with pains and vomiting (file photo) There are fears the death toll could rise even further in the village, located in the Gopalganj district of the Indian state of Bihar, as several others remain in hospital. The victims' families told local officials they developed stomach aches and began vomiting after they consumed toxic alcohol, reported the Hindustan Times. They were rushed to hospitals in the state, but some could not be saved. Police confiscated spurious liquor that is suspected of causing the deaths and detained four possible bootleggers, the International Business Times reported. Despite the families' claims, the district's administration has denied the victims consumed poisonous liquor and has ordered an inquiry. Utensils used to make mahua liquor (country liquor) are pictured in this file photo Autopsies were scheduled to confirm the cause of each death. Deaths from drinking illegally brewed alcohol are common in India because the poor cannot afford licensed liquor. Such drinks are often spiked with chemicals including pesticides to increase potency. The Bihar government banned the sale and production of all forms of liquor in the state in April in an effort to curb alcoholism. The state has very strict laws, and 11, 000 people have been arrested in a crackdown against those making, storing or consuming liquor. State police said 11 senior police officials have been suspended for not implementing the law. Despite the ban, there have been three deadly incidents in Bihar state this month. Last month, more than 30 people - mostly poor labourers and farmers who cannot afford branded alcohol - died after drinking illegal bootleg liquor in India's Uttar Pradesh state. A mother-of-five burst into a Turkish community centre and accused members of holding a 'terrorism meeting' before asking them if they were 'all rapists' as they sipped tea to celebrate the end of Ramadan fasting. Teresa Dent, 46, asked the gathering if they 'were going to bomb us' before telling them to 'go back to your own country' during the shocking racial abuse tirade. She claimed mental health issues were behind the attack, during which also punched the front window of the community centre in Colchester, Essex. Teresa Dent, 46 (pictured outside court with a friend), burst into a Turkish community centre in Colchester, Essex, and accused members, including Kenan Karatay (right) of holding a 'terrorism meeting'. She asked: 'Are you going to bomb us?' during her shocking racial rant The incident on June 10 this year started when victim Kenan Karatay was in the centre with a friend, Colchester Magistrates' Court heard. Prosecutor Bob Rowlingson said: 'It was a shop being used for members of the Turkish community to get together and socialise. This was during Ramadan and the premises was being used for prayers. 'Mr Karatay and colleagues were sitting having refreshments, tea, at about 10.45pm. 'All of a sudden he heard shouting: 'What are you doing in there, why are you here, this is my country'. Mr Rowlingson said banging started on the community centre's front door. 'Can I come in, I want to see what you are doing in there,' continued the shouts outside, he said. Mr Karatay called out that he was in a private place and pleaded the perpetrator, Dent, to go away before going outside to try to reason with her. Dent claimed mental health issues were behind the attack, during which also punched the front window of the Turkish Anatolian Community Centre in Colchester, Essex (pictured) Mr Rowlingson said: 'She then said are you going to bomb us next? Go back to your own country. I have a daughter at home, are you going to rape her?' Mr Karatay went inside the building and stayed silent, hoping she would leave. 'Next thing, he heard banging and one of the front windows smashed and she walked away still being abusive,' the prosecutor said. Dent admitted racially aggravated criminal damage and racially aggravated harassment at Colchester Magistrates' Court (pictured) Emergency services were called and while medics tended to Dent's bleeding arm, the abuse continued. 'She kept shouting at them, saying 'are you all rapists? Go back to your own countries,' Mr Rowlingson added. Louise Reader, mitigating, said mental health issues contributed to Dent's behaviour. A probabation service representative also told the court when Dent saw the group in the centre that she 'thought she was witnessing a terrorism meeting.' 'She realises she got the wrong end of the stick,' he added. District Judge John Woollard said: 'These are serious offences and they could have led to something far more serious with other people joining in. 'There is nothing to suggest these people deserved in any way, shape or form what you did and your failure to control your mental health problems was the root of this problem.' Dent admitted racially aggravated criminal damage and racially aggravated harassment. A British tourist was stabbed to death in the coastal resort of Ayia Napa after he and his friend were caught urinating in public, Cyprus police have been told. It came as officers released pictures of two men suspected of knifing estate agent George Low. The 22-year-old from Dartford, Kent, died from a stab wound to the neck during a week-long break in the coastal town popular with revellers. His friend, Ben Barker, also 22, suffered four knife wounds to his back during the pre-dawn attack while they walked down a busy street on Sunday. Mr Barker's injuries are not life-threatening. Cyprus police have issued warrants for the arrest of Turkish Cypriot men Mehmet Akinpar (left), 22, and 42-year-old Sali Ahmet (right) in connection with George Low's death A 48-year-old woman who appeared at Famagusta District Court on Wednesday in connection with the case told investigators the attack was triggered after the Britons were seen urinating. A Cyprus police official, who declined to be named, said: 'She said that her boyfriend told her a complaint was made to the British men about urinating, and that that was the cause of the fight.' Cyprus police have published pictures and issued warrants for the arrest of Turkish Cypriot men Mehmet Akinpar, 22, and 42-year-old Sali Ahmet. Investigators who are treating the case as murder and attempted murder have urged locals with information to contact their nearest police station. The police official said the woman has not been charged and has been ordered by the court into police custody for eight days pending further inquiries. George Low, 22, from Dartford, Kent, was knifed in the neck along with his friend, just hours before he was due to fly home from Ayia Napa Mr Low's mother, Helen, 47, said the pair had been due to fly back home on Sunday - and that his death had left the entire family 'numb'. Her son had spent two previous seasons in the resort as a club rep and manager, and was last there in June celebrating his birthday. She said her son's death had devastated her, her husband, postman Martyn, 55, and their children Wesley, Laura, Oliver and Millie. Mrs Low, a community carer, said: 'We're just heartbroken. We cannot believe something like this could happen to our son.' Mr Low, a former Ayia Napa nightclub manager, had worked at the resort for two seasons but had returned to the UK to work as an estate agent and was visiting friends at the time of his death. He allegedly stepped in after getting into an argument with 'locals' and reportedly told them 'That's enough' when they 'disrespected' an English girl during the night out. An unnamed friend told The Sun: ' George got into an argument with some locals. 'These Cypriot guys were disrespecting and harassing an English girl, apparently. 'George and his mates stepped in and said, "That's enough". There were two guys who took off and they returned 20 minutes later with a knife. It all happened so suddenly.' Mr Low is believed to have been on the last day of his holiday in Cyprus when he was knifed along with his friend His devastated mother Helen Low, 47, received a phone call from her son's friend in the early hours of yesterday morning and couldn't believe he had been killed. Speaking from the family home in Dartford, Mrs Low said: 'It was his last night when he got stabbed and he was there for a week. 'He was there with his friend who was also stabbed four times in the back. 'We got a phone call this morning at about 3.30am and it was from George's friend telling us what had happened. 'We did not believe it at first and I didn't think it could be him, I still don't believe it even though I now know it's true. 'We are going out there and we're leaving as soon as possible. 'The embassy is closed tomorrow because it's a bank holiday for them, so we're arriving on Tuesday and somebody will meet us from the airport. 'George absolutely lived life to the full and he got on with everybody. He was very, very popular. 'He was an estate agent and he loved his job and meeting people. He had a nickname "Gorgeous George, the one and only" we used to call him. 'He was not a fighter he just wanted to enjoy life.' Friends have been tribute to Mr Low, who worked at a London estate agency and had been visiting Cyprus, where he had previously had a job Police in Cyprus are now believed to be scouring CCTV in an investigation to track down two men suspected to be involved in the bloodbath stabbing. Mr Low leaves behind his father Martyn, 55, two brothers, Wesley, 23, and Oliver, 11, and two sisters, Laura, 19 and Millie, 17. He had moved back to his home in Dartford, where he lived with his family while he saved for a deposit for a house and worked at local Acorn Estate Agents. Mrs Low, a community carer, added: 'He had great times travelling in Ayia Napa and he was saving to get a deposit for a house. 'He went to Ayia Napa with one friend and he had spent two seasons there as a nightclub manager before so he knew lots of people. 'Everyone loved him, he had a lot of respect. 'Laura is in Gran Canaria at the moment and we were terrified that she would find out when it went viral. 'We had to try and get in touch with her and she is distraught. 'The Foreign Office are being very good and they are waiting on a report back from the police about what happened. George's mother Helen Low, 47, received a phone call from George's friend and couldn't believe her beloved son had been killed 'They are scouring CCTV to try and find George's two attackers. 'He went there for a week in June for his birthday with some friends too. 'We were all so proud of him and he was our world.' According to the Cyprus Mail, Mr Low and his friend had been walking along Grigori Afxentiou Street when the ambush happened and the two attackers ran off. The victims were then taken by private ambulance to hospital in Paralimni, where doctors confirmed one of them had died. Police are now attempting to trace the foreign national attackers, who are described as young with one being chubby and short and wearing jeans and a white shirt. The second was described also as short with black hair and was shirtless. Friends have also paid tribute to Mr Low online. Jason Woods, who is believed to have spent time with Mr Low in Ayia Napa this week, wrote on Facebook: 'Words can't describe what you meant to me. I was lucky to have you as a brother and I am truly heartbroken by this tragedy!!' Lewis Taylor added: 'I can't believe this. George Low you was a legend and always had a smile on your face and never wanted any trouble. 'I hope they catch the scum who did this. I will miss you buddy. 'It also makes me feel so lucky to have got home safe after being attacked with a knife in Napa a couple of years ago. The former Ayia Napa nightclub manager had worked at the resort for two seasons but had returned to the UK to work as an estate agent. Pictured is the Sqaure in Ayia Napa 'This world is a scary place.' Another friend Ashley James Hayes said: 'Genuinely can't believe this, was having a laugh and a joke with him a few hours before. 'Rest in peace bro, will be truly missed.' Famagusta District Assistant Police Chief Georgios Economou said the two Britons, both 22 years old, were attacked while they were walking down a busy street by two knife-wielding men shortly after getting into a shoving match with one of them. He said there was no suspicion that the attack was terror-related. Controversial Broncos centre James Roberts is being investigated after he allegedly abused a female bar tender while drinking at a Brisbane pub. The 23-year-old flyer is accused of launching into a tirade after he was denied service at the Normandy Hotel around 9.30pm on Sunday. Witnesses claim Roberts was 'in a mess' when he was spotted at the hotel drinking heavily and was placed in a choke hold by security guards, according to The Daily Telegraph. Scroll down for video Broncos centre James Roberts (pictured) is being investigated after he allegedly abused a female bar tender while drinking at the Normandy Hotel on Sunday night The Broncos issued a statement on Wednesday confirming they were investigating a 'rumour involving a player' which came to their attention He was allegedly kicked out after he lost consciousness. The Broncos issued a statement on Wednesday confirming they were investigating a 'rumour involving a player' which came to their attention. 'No complaint has been made to the club by either the police or a member of the public,' Broncos chief executive Paul White said. 'But, as per protocol, the club passed the matter on to the integrity unit and will now work with them to ascertain the facts.' The 23-year-old flyer (pictured) is accused of launching into a tirade after he was denied service at the Normandy Hotel around 9.30pm on Sunday He was allegedly placed in a choke hold by security guards and kicked out of the pub (pictured) after he passed out Roberts, who has a history of off-field indiscretions, landed in hot water earlier this year when it was revealed he left his wife while she was in labour with their first child, a boy, to play against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. His wife, Anna Jovanovic, later claimed that she encouraged Roberts to play because she felt like she was going to have a long labour. Roberts is expected to play for the Broncos on Thursday night in a crucial clash with Canterbury at Suncorp Stadium despite the allegations. The NRL confirmed its integrity unit had been informed of an incident involving a Broncos player and will investigate and return with their findings. No stranger to controversy, Roberts (pictured) came under fire earlier this year for leaving his wife (pictured) while she was in labour to play a game Roberts (pictured) was just 18-years-old when he was signed to the South Sydney Rabbitohs Roberts has a history of off-field indiscretions, having been sacked by Penrith and South Sydney over behaviour-related issues. The Rabbitohs released Roberts in 2011 after breaches of his playing contract including smashing a taxi window and he was cut by the Panthers in March 2014 for off-field misbehaviour. A six-year-old boy has been stabbed to death in South Africa as he tried to defend his mother from a violent rapist. Kutlwano Garesape was reportedly struck with a broken bottle as he attempted to stop the man attacking his 42-year-old mother Segomotso. The violent murder happened as Mrs Garesape was walking Kultwano and his older brother Thabiso to school near the town of Jan Kempdorp in South Africa's Northern Cape. Kutlwano Garesape, who was stabbed to death with a broken bottle as he attempted to stop a man raping his 42-year-old mother Segomotso as they walked to school The mother said they were close to the school when she suddenly noticed a man following them. She explained: 'The next moment I felt someone grab me by the shoulder, pulling on a school bag. Thabiso was screaming: "Watch out, he is going to stab you with a bottle." 'Kutlwano slapped the man across the face and told him to let go of me. He kept on screaming "let go of my mommy, it is my mommy", while slapping and kicking the man. 'I could feel that the man was pulling up my skirt with his other hand and realised that he wanted to rape me in front of my children.' The attacker slapped Kutlwano and he fell to the ground when Mrs Garesape then managed to push her attacker away. She added: 'I saw that he now wanted to attack my son. I frantically looked for a weapon to use against him but could not find any. 'When Kutlwano fell to the ground, I could see that the man was strangling him. Then his arm went up and down and I realised that he was stabbing my son with the bottle. 'I heard my child crying out for me and I saw him trying to defend himself with his hands. The man just kept on stabbing him. 'I felt helpless and ran to the main road in an attempt to find help... all the cars just drove past as I cried and screamed that a man is killing my child. The man suspected of being responsible for the attack was arrested after a search by police officers and local residents (file picture) 'I ran back and could still hear Kutlwano calling me... when I got closer I saw that he was now stabbing my son with a stick. I was screaming and felt so helpless.' A group of men finally arrived to help but as they approached the attacker, he took her son towards the railway line and threw him on to the track before running off. Mrs Garesape added: 'I picked Kutlwano up and held him to my chest. He told me to hold him and I sat down on the railway line and held him to my chest. 'He asked me to kiss him and I did. He then stretched out his hand to his brother. 'When I held him to my chest again, his arms fell to the side and I knew he was dead' The man suspected of being responsible for the attack was arrested after a search by police officers and local residents. The stepbrother of a convicted terrorist has revealed that vile hate preacher Anjem Choudary openly admitted to 'brainwashing' the Muslim convert. Richard Dart was jailed for six years in 2010 for plotting to attack soldiers in military repatriation town Royal Wootton Bassett. His stepbrother, Robb Leech, said Choudary became a 'father figure' to Dart, 33, during his radicalisation. The brother of convicted terrorist Richard Dart (left) said Anjem Choudary (right) admitted 'brainwashing' him After Dart pleaded guilty, Mr Leech confronted Choudary, he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. I talked to Anjem after Richard's conviction - after he pleaded guilty - and ... I suggested that he was part of the radicalisation and brainwashing of Richard and others like him,' Mr Leech said. His words, typically brazen, were "some brains need washing", which goes a long way towards explaining what he was about. Mr Leech, who made a documentary - My Brother The Terrorist - about Dart, said Choudary converted his stepbrother to his 'warped version' of Islam. He was his mentor. I would go as far as saying he became a father figure for him,' he said. Anjem always denied that he had anything to do with facilitating Richard's plans to go and get training with the Taliban but he always admitted that he was responsible for shaping his beliefs and Islamic understanding.' Choudary became a 'father figure' to Dart, 33, during his radicalisation, Robb Leech said Dart was arrested as he attempted to travel to Pakistan to train with the Taliban. But Choudary launched an extraordinary defence for Dart after he was jailed, saying he had been locked up for a thought crime and had committed no sin and harmed nobody. He added that 'Jihad training is a duty for Muslim men. Mr Leech said it was 'incredibly frustrating' that Choudary was free while his stepbrother was in prison. 'It was obvious he played a large part in Richard's radicalisation and he was about and able to poison other young men's minds,' he said. Choudary and his deputy, Mizanur Rahman, were found guilty of inviting support for a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act. He now faces up to 10 years in prison, although judge Mr Justice Holroyde admitted there is little precedent for sentencing him. Choudary was found guilty of inviting support for a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act But Mr Leech said he was now fearful that Choudary could become a 'martyr figure' - and that he could use jail as an opportunity to radicalise others. 'Maybe it's even worse that he's in prison and its ripe pickings for him,' he said. Choudary has for years been the smug public face of radical Islam, organising street protests against British troops and espousing his poisonous views in TV interviews. He is believed to have inspired at least 110 Britons into committing terrorist acts. Police also think he helped encourage up to 850 fanatics to travel to Syria to fight for ISIS. His now-banned radical group, Al-Muhajiroun, has links to 15 terror plots, including the murder of Lee Rigby and the 7/7 attacks. The father-of-five and his family also milked hundreds of thousands of pounds from the benefits system. But he was finally snared by police for inciting support for ISIS in a series of online lectures. Choudary has repeatedly provoked the British public with a series of stunts in which his followers burned remembrance poppies and disrupted Armistice Day events. He also called for Buckingham Palace to be turned into a mosque and paraded a picture of his vision which was made by a man now fighting for ISIS. His group, Al-Muhajiroun, became a breeding ground for terrorists, most notably Michael Adebolajo, the radical convert who hacked to death soldier Lee Rigby in 2013. The family of an Aboriginal woman who died in custody in July have demanded answers over her death, after she was found dead in a police cell where she had been held for less than six hours. Rebecca Maher died in a cell at Maitland police station in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales on July 19 about 6am. A friend of Ms Maher's family, Kathy Malera-Bandjalan, told the ABC it had been a deeply traumatic time, and there were many questions police should answer. The family of Aboriginal woman Rebecca Maher (pictured) have demanded answers after she was found dead in a police cell in Maitland in July 2016, after being held for less than six hours 'I can tell you unequivocally that Rebecca's mother was not informed of Rebecca's passing in that police cell, she didn't even know that she was in that police cell, until the police come around at 12:30 the next day and informed her,' she said. 'Now that's not good enough - that's five and a half hours later. This family deserves better than that and all families do. 'It could happen to anyone, it could happen to anyone's daughter or sister or mother or aunty.' Calls for an investigation were also sparked after it was revealed police failed to tell lawyers Ms Maher had been arrested. Aboriginal Legal Services NSW's Gary Oliver has accused NSW Police of failing to alert lawyers about Rebecca Maher's arrest, despite the introduction of a special 24-hour notification service in 2000. Police are required to alert ALS NSW whenever an Aboriginal person is in custody. Even with the service in place, ALS NSW claims police still did not alert the legal service about her or reveal she was Aboriginal when reporting her death in a media release later that day. Ms Maher, 36, was found dead in a cell at Maitland police station (pictured), in the NSW's Hunter Valley, about 6am on July 19 less than six hours after she had been taken into custody The statement said Ms Maher was arrested by officers who had found her intoxicated and stumbling along Wollumbi road in Cessnock. ALS NSW was finally notified of Ms Maher's death on August 12, nearly a month later. Her death is the first in the 16-year history of the notification system. 'If the custody notification system had been used by police when they detained Ms Maher, there may have been a different outcome,' Mr Oliver said. NSW Police have not responded to the allegations, saying it would be inappropriate to comment further as a critical incident investigation is under way. But the state opposition's Aboriginal Affairs spokesman David Harris says a thorough investigation is needed into Ms Maher's death and why police did not follow proper protocol. 'It's concerning how this information was released and why it took so long,' he said. Job hunters looking to work in the civil service could be asked whether they were ever in care or received free school meals as a child, as the Cabinet Office attempts to put more people from poor backgrounds into top roles. The Prime Minister's office has prepared 12 questions to assess candidates' backgrounds and socio-economic status as part of the interview process. Ben Gummer, Cabinet Officer minister, above, is continuing the work started by his predecessor Matt Hancock on social mobility. The Cabinet Office will suggest 12 questions that should be used to ensure more candidates from poorer background get top jobs Potential employees will be asked for their postcode when they were 14, the name of their secondary school and their parents' qualifications. TOO MIDDLE CLASS? THE 12 QUESTIONS TO GRILL CANDIDATES Did you ever spend time in care? Were you a carer as a child? Have you ever held refugee or asylum seeker status? What type of secondary school did you go to? What was the name of that school? Did your parent or guardian complete a degree? What are your parents highest qualifications? What was your postcode when you were 14? Were you eligible for free school meals? What is your parents' occupation? What kind of home did you live in - owner occupied or rented? How would you assess your own socio-economic background? Advertisement They could also be asked if they lived in a rented home or held refugee or asylum seeker status. The questions are part of what the Cabinet Office is calling an 'ambitious programme' to understand if socio-economic backgrounds are making progress in the UK. Ben Gummer, Cabinet Office minister, told The Times: 'I am committed to ensuring that anyone with the right talents and aptitude can serve in the civil service no matter what their background.' Mr Gummer, who has been MP for Ipswich since 2010 is himself the son of a former MP, John Gummer who is now a Baron in the House of Lords. It is hoped that private companies will also use the questions to improve the socio-economic make up of their workforces. The Cabinet Office has been working with the Bank of England, KPMG, Barclays and Deloitte on the set of questions as well as the Sutton Trust and Social Mobility Foundation. Plans to add these questions to the interview process were first announced by then Cabinet Minister Matt Hancock MP in May, and a month-long consultation process took place. Trials of the scheme will now take place voluntarily and should be completed by December this year. When the plans were first announced, Lord Waldegrave of North Hill, a former Tory Cabinet minister who served in Margaret Thatcher's government, said he would quit the party if the plans were implemented. The Cabinet Office announced plans in May to question interview candidates on their backgrounds. There is currently no formal measure to monitor socio-economic backgrounds in the UK Lord Waldegrave argued that the ablest candidates come from all sorts of backgrounds and worried the plans could punish those who attended public schools on scholarships. The consultation was announced as the government seeks to have a more formal measure of socio-economic backgrounds in the UK workforce. Matt Hancock, left, was the Cabinet Office Minister when the programme began in May. He said the proposals would tackle the last workplace taboo of parents' backgrounds. Lord Waldegrave, right, said he would quite the Tories if plans came to fruition When the consultation was announced in May, Mr Hancock said: ' We are tackling the last workplace taboo. We British dont always like to discuss things like our parents background, particularly at work. But you cant manage what you cant measure. 'We are determined to lead the way, which is why we are working with major employers to develop a national measure for social mobility so we can take action and break down barriers to employment.' This is the toe-curling moment Jeremy Corbyn failed to identify Ant and Dec. The gaffe on a live BBC debate was made worse because the star presenters are Labour supporters who sent him an email of support when he became leader. Mr Corbyn also failed to name how many Olympic gold medals Sir Bradley Wiggins has, despite the cycling star also being one of his fans. Victoria Derbyshire asked Mr Corbyn a series of popular culture questions but he fell flat when asked about Ant and Dec. Scroll down for video Uncomfortable: Jeremy Corbyn failing to name Ant and Dec caused laughter during a TV debate today Prompt: Victoria Derbyshire showed him this picture of the stars - and said they were Geordie TV stars, but he failed to get the answer right Laugh: Many in the audience giggled as he failed in the pop quiz - but some fans were pleased the Labour leader didn't know who they were She showed a picture of them and after an uncomfortable pause said: 'I'll give you a clue, they are Geordie TV presenters'. WELL HOW DO YOU KNOW? JEREMY CORBYN SNAPS AT VICTORIA DERBYSHIRE Jeremy Corbyn snapped at BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire as she said Labour had gone 'toxic' and asked her: 'How do you know?' Mr Corbyn made the blunt comment as he was accused of not controlling abusive supporters as he went head-to-head with rival Owen Smith on a live TV debate today. One party member, Francesca from Derby, said she would feel safer as a Labour supporter at a Tory conference than a non-Corbyn supporter at a Labour conference. Victoria Derbyshire said the atmosphere in the Labour party is now 'toxic', with Mr Corbyn snapping back: 'Well how do you know?' saying he attends events 'where people with all shades of opinion having intelligent, respectful discussion'. The BBC presenter then asked the audience if the atmosphere had become toxic and got a resounding 'yes'. Advertisement But Mr Corbyn, still struggling, said: 'No, I don't know who they are. I'm sorry'. Ms Derbyshire then pointed out: 'They are Labour supporters. Maybe they'll want to withdraw that now, I don't know'. The Labour leader then said: ' I hope they'll be happy about this. They sent a letter of support. I will apologise humbly to Ant and Dec'. Leadership rival Owen Smith also struggled with a pop quiz on the Victoria Derbyshire-led debate. The Pontypridd MP, who has spoken of his pride at being Welsh, still failed to name the score when Wales beat Belgium in Euro 2016 saying he had a 'few pints that night'. However, he did successfully name Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber. Earlier Jeremy Corbyn snapped at BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire as she said Labour had gone 'toxic' and asked her: 'How do you know?' Mr Corbyn made the blunt comment as he was accused of not controlling abusive supporters as he went head-to-head with rival Owen Smith on a live TV debate today. It took place in front of an audience of their own supporters and floating voters in Nottingham today. At the end of the show the undecided section in the centre were asked to vote with their feet and it was a clear victory for Jeremy Corbyn. Row: This is the moment Jeremy Corbyn snapped at BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire suggested Labour had turned 'toxic' and asked her: 'How do you know?' Debate: The BBC presenter then asked the audience if the atmosphere had become toxic and got a resounding 'yes' Concerns: One party member, Francesca from Derby, told Mr Corbyn, right listening to her, said she would feel safer as a Labour supporter at a Tory conference than a non-Corbyn supporter at a Labour conference One party member, Francesca from Derby, said she would feel safer as a Labour supporter at a Tory conference than a non-Corbyn supporter at a Labour conference. Victoria Derbyshire said the atmosphere in the Labour party is now 'toxic', with Mr Corbyn snapping back: 'Well how do you know?' saying he attends events 'where people with all shades of opinion having intelligent, respectful discussion'. The BBC presenter then asked the audience if the atmosphere had become toxic and got a resounding 'yes'. Owen Smith was then jeered by Mr Corbyn's supporters in the studio as he said: 'The truth is I'm not a red Tory, I'm not a Blairite, I'm a socialist same as you.' The leadership-hopeful said that people within Labour who do not support Mr Corbyn are deemed 'not pure enough'. The Labour leadership candidates went head-to-head in front of an audience of their own supporters and floating voters in Nottingham today. Owen Smith used the debate to launch a fresh attack on Jeremy Corbyn for failing to crack down on anti-Semitic and misogynistic abuse within the Labour Party. Mr Corbyn insisted he had dealt 'very robustly' with complaints of bullying and abuse and said he wanted to 'reach out' to MPs in the party who had opposed his leadership. Rivals: The Labour leadership candidates went head-to-head in front of an audience of their own supporters and floating voters in Nottingham today Big win: At the end of the show the undecided section in the centre were asked to vote with their feet and it was a clear victory for Jeremy Corbyn However, Mr Smith warned there was a 'chasm' between the faith that many party members had in Mr Corbyn and the majority of MPs. Appearing on BBC Two's Victoria Derbyshire show, Mr Smith said Mr Corbyn had not stamped down hard enough on abuse within the party. 'There have been occasions when Jeremy has just not seemed bothered enough by it,' he said. 'Lots of my female MP colleagues feel Jeremy wasn't supportive enough. Lots of the Jewish MP colleagues feel Jeremy wasn't quick enough to condemn anti-Semitic abuse. 'We are the Labour Party and we are having a debate on national television about anti-Semitism and misogyny within the Labour Party and that should make us all deeply ashamed. 'There are shades of hard left opinion that have drifted into anti-Semitic abuse about Israel and that is at the heart of the concerns that many in the party have.' Mr Corbyn insisted that he had made clear that such abuse had no place in the party and that the rules were being tightened. 'I have dealt with very strongly and very robustly any complaints about abuse. It has no place in any political party. I have made absolutely clear that any kind of abuse is totally unacceptable in any form,' he said. Mr Smith also attacked Mr Corbyn over Labour's record in opposition. He said the party has been 'incredibly weak' under Mr Corbyn as he claimed responsibility for some of the party's recent victories in Parliament, including defeating the Government over proposed cuts to disability benefits. 'I won that for the Labour Party,' Mr Smith said to which Mr Corbyn replied that 'we' had won. Mr Corbyn was asked how successful he has been at 'reaching out' to members of the parliamentary Labour party who disagree with him. He said: 'It can work on certain occasions. It can work very well.' Mr Corbyn was then pushed for an example. He said: 'I have worked very well with Andy Burnham since he became shadow home secretary... I was very happy to work with Owen on the issues that he was responsible for, I'm very happy to work with John McDonnell on the issues he is responsible for.' The mention of Mr McDonnell, one of Mr Corbyn's top allies, prompted outcry from a section of the audience. Support: One section of the audience was packed with Corbyn supporters who cheered wildly as he took to the stage Mr Corbyn has already won the overwhelming backing of local constituency Labour parties. He has the support of 285, compared to just 53 for his rival Mr Smith. The tally compares with last year's leadership election when he received 152 of the 387 nominations made by CLPs, and will be seen as underlining his position as the clear favourite to win in the ballot of party members which will decide the contest. The surge has seen Mr Smith having to tack left in order to have any chance of victory. The former BBC journalist has pledged billions of pounds in tax rises to pay for higher NHS spending. He told activists he would spend an extra 60billion on the Health Service over the next five years, funded by a new 50p rate and a 'wealth tax' on the top 1 per cent of earners. Labour leadership hopeful Owen Smith sparks fury by suggesting we should NEGOTIATE with bloodthirsty Isis terrorists Labour leadership hopeful Owen Smith has sparked fury by suggesting Britain should negotiate with Isis. Mr Smith made the incendiary comment about the bloodthirsty terrorist group as he faced off against Jeremy Corbyn in a debate. BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire asked both politicians whether they would talk to Isis to bring an end to the violence wracking the Middle East. Owen Smith said resolving the bloodshed in the Middle East would require 'getting people round the table' Veteran left-winger Mr Corbyn replied: 'No, they are not going to be round the table.' But Mr Smith referred to his previous role as an adviser to Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy during the peace process, and said: 'Ultimately all solutions to these crises, these international crises, do come about through dialogue. 'So eventually if we are to try and solve this, all of the actors do need to be involved. 'At the moment, Isil (Isis) are clearly not interested in negotiating... 'At some point, for us to resolve this, we will need to get people round the table.' The government has repeatedly dismissed the possibility of negotiating with Isis, with Defence Secretary Michael Fallon pointing to atrocities including beheadings, burning prisoners alive, throwing gays off buildings, and the massacre of innocent British tourists in Tunisia. The Manus Island immigration centre is set to close following a meeting between Australia and Papua New Guinea - but did not offer any rehousing plans for the 850 men held there. Immigration Minister Peter Dutton confirmed the closure of the centre but remained adamant that none of the asylum seekers would be resettled in Australia. Mr Dutton met with PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill in Port Moresby on Wednesday to discuss about shutting down the centre. Scroll down for video The Manus Island immigration centre is set to close following a meeting between Australia and Papua New Guinea Immigration Minister Peter Dutton (pictured) remained adamant that none of the asylum seekers from the centre would be settled in Australia 'It has been the longstanding position of this Government to work with PNG to close Manus and support those people as they transition into PNG or return to their country of origin,' Mr Dutton said. 'Our position, confirmed again today with PNG, is that no-one from Manus Island Regional Processing Centre will ever be settled in Australia.' The meeting comes after PNG's Supreme Court ruled that Australia's detention of asylum seekers and refugees on the island was illegal. Mr O'Neill said a number of options for closing down the centre were being canvassed and further announcements would be made soon. PNG's Supreme Court ruled that Australia's detention of asylum seekers and refugees on the island was illegal 'Both Papua New Guinea and Australia are in agreement that the centre is to be closed,' he said in a statement. Mr O'Neill said he was satisfied that officials from both sides were making progress but it was important the process was not rushed. 'This must take into account the interests of the people of Papua New Guinea and the well-being of asylum seekers and refugees,' he said. Saanchi Goyal, 3, died in the car with her parents on India's Independence Day Two young children - a three-year-old girl and four-year-old boy - were among three people who were tragically killed in India when their throats were slit by glass-coated kite string. The children were killed in separate incidents but in similar circumstances in Delhi as they looked out through the sunroof of a car. The Delhi Government has banned the use of razor-sharp kite wires after the shocking deaths occurred within a 48-hour span as people celebrated the country's Independence Day. Three-year-old Saanchi Goyal suffered horrific injuries when she looked out through the sunroof of the car she was travelling in with her parents in Delhi on Monday. She was standing on her mother's lap and looking out the window when the dangling kite wire, known as manjha, slit her throat, India Today reported. Her father, Alok Goyal, who was driving, and mother thought she cried out with joy, but were horrified when the girl fell down into her mother's lap with blood pouring from her neck. Saanchi Goyal (right, with her father, Alok Goyal) died after her throat was slit by glass-covered kite wire. She fell into the car (left) and was pronounced dead at hospital The glass-covered kite wire - used to bring down competitors' kites in kite fighting competitions - was still embedded in her neck. Her parents rushed her to the nearest hospital but she was pronounced dead. In the other incident, a four-year-old boy, only identified as Harry, had his throat sliced when glass-coated kite string wrapped around it as he peeped out of a sunroof. He was returning home from a shopping trip with his parents and six-year-old sister when the incident occurred on a flyover, Huewire reported. Chinese manjha is string made of strong nylon, coated with glass or metal (file photo) WHAT IS CHINESE MANJHA? Chinese manjha is string made of strong nylon, often coated with glass or metal to increase its strength for kite flying competitions. It is the same thread that is used for fishing, but can be fatal with its sharp coating. Its popularity is due to cheaper costs. The Government had issued advisory warnings ahead of Independence Day making the public aware of their fatal effect, but their use continued. Many states have already banned the use of, manjha which is also responsible for deaths of hundreds of birds. Advertisement The boy was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead before his father, Rajan, arrived. In the third incident, a 22-year-old man, Zafar Khan, was killed when his throat was slit as he rode a motorbike on a flyover. The Delhi High Court had earlier issued an order telling the AAP government and civic bodies to warn the public about the dangers of razor-sharp kite-flying threads before Independence Day - but their use continued unabated. The manjha are made from strong nylon strings and often coated with glass or metal to make them sharper. An untold number of birds have also perished after hitting the threads. Chinese manjha have already been banned in multiple states - and finally, the Delhi government has issued a notification banning the deadly thread. The government had previously issued advisories to the general public through the local governing bodies as well as Delhi Police to create awareness about the fatal effects of using synthetic manjha/nylon thread. Deadly strings: People fly kites in Delhi to celebrate India's Independence Day The government said that any public objections against the ban can be filed within 60 days. According to an official, Chinese manjha is so popular because it is much cheaper and does not break easily. It is actually the type of string used in fishing, but the string is coated with chemicals, glass, and metal to make it tougher and sharper. Handmade cotton manjha is made from rice flour and a mix of desi masalas, and breaks easily. Hospitals said there have been many other cases of injuries caused by cuts from manjha. A 10-year-old boy and a sub-inspector with Delhi Police were also injured after their throats became entangled in kite threads recently. Two dozen of Australia's most endangered tortoises have been moved outside their natural habitat because climate change is drying up their environment. The 24 critically endangered western swamp tortoises were moved from remote wetlands in regional Perth, to Meerup, 360km south of Perth, and Moore river national park, 130km north of Perth. The juvenile tortoises have been fitted with radio trackers and will be closely monitored by researchers in the hope of saving the species from the brink of extinction, reports Guardian. Scroll down for video Two dozen western swamp tortoises have been moved from their natural habitat in a bid to save the species from extinction The critically endangered tortoises have been fitted with radio trackers and will be closely monitored Western swamp tortoises were classified as extinct until they were spotted again in the 1950s. With about 230 living in the wild, they are Australia's most endangered reptile. Herpetological expert Dr Gerald Kuchling, who has been working with the tortoises since he moved to Perth from Austria in 1987, said the trial relocation will be valuable for future conservation efforts. 'What I hope is the trial will give us an indication if it makes sense to do more releases and translocations of the tortoises to the area now, or if, due to the current climate differences, the potential that the species will grow up well there is not there.' The water conditions at Meerup and Moore river are slightly colder than ideal for the tortoises but they will rise to optimum temperatures by the year 2050, researchers believe. 'The expectation is that in spring they will probably grow at a slower rate.' The tortoises have been fitted with radio trackers, which will be monitored by researchers from the University of Western Australia and officers from the state's Department of Parks and Wildlife. The juvenile tortoises will be closely monitored by researchers in the hope of saving the species from the brink of extinction The daughter of Sadie Hartley broke down in tears as she told how her murdered mother wouldn't be able help her plan her wedding. Charlotte Hartley got engaged to her fiance just days before she was told her mother had been brutally killed. In an emotional interview, she has now told of the pain she feels at knowing her mother won't be around to plan the ceremony or be a grandmother to her children. Charlotte Hartley, Sadie Hartley's daughter, broke down in tears as she told how her mother wouldn't be there to help plan her wedding or look after any future grandchildren She said her mother was looking forward to retiring soon and enjoying horse riding Charlotte, 23, said: 'I had just got engaged three days before I got the police call. I went from an incredible high to an incredible low.' She added: '[My mother] wanted to be with her family, to wait for me to have a family, obviously plan a wedding together but that has all be taken away from her.' Asked about Williams and Walsh's sentences, she added: 'They might be in prison but what's prison when you haven't got a mum? Nothing will make that feel better.' Successful businesswoman Ms Hartley, 60, has two children from her first mariage; Charlotte and Harry, 25, both of whom have attended the trial. Asked about what she thought of my mother's later partner, Ian Johnston, who had an affair with her killer, Charlotte replied: 'I have nothing to say about Ian'. She told how her mother was looking forward to retirement and was still very active, trekking on horse back in Morocco, Chile and Argentina in the years before her death. Miss Hartley, pictured with her uncle Graham and father Garry outside court Mr Cook, Ms Hartley's older brother also broke down as he recalled their childhood together Ms Hartley's brother, Graham Cook also gave a statement about her, saying she was 'warm, loving, caring and unassuming' and had a good sense of humour. He told how his sister was the third of three children born to a lorry driver and his wife and had gone on to make a great success of her life in the pharmaceutical industry. Mr Cook, 63, added: 'Sadie's death had left a massive hole in all our lives which we will never fill and we will never get over this.' Sadie's best friend and business partner Julie Taylor, said she and Sadie had been like sisters and everyone at their tight-knit company had been devastated by her sudden death. She said: 'Sadie was just lovely. She was a really warm, caring woman and incredibly generous.' Ms Hartley's son Harry and her best friend Julie Taylor have also attended court Ms Hartley's son Harry said in a victim impact statement that no words 'could even come close' to describe how he felt following his mother's murder. He said: 'She was taken in the cruellest possible way. These two monsters took one life and have destroyed countless more. They are utterly dangerous creatures and they are a danger to society. 'Not giving up is so incredibly hard, I'm so distant from the world yet I'm here. I wish my mum was. It makes no sense.' Harry, 25, said the family had got 'some justice'. He added: 'But it will never be enough. It will never bring mum back. For the family and friends, this will never end.' Former partner Mr Johnston, standing with his daughter, Hannah, 24, fought back tears before saying: 'There can be no forgiveness for such vile behaviour.' When staff forced him to undress to bathe, they found Historical records have revealed the life behind Australia's first transgender person and the unusual way in which his 'secret' was discovered. Edward De Lacy Evans was a labourer, mine worker, blacksmith and ploughman in the Blackwood, Bendigo and Stawell districts of Victoria. He lived as a man for more than 20 years and married three women, with at least one saying she was unaware of Evans' biological sex, reported the Herald Sun. Edward De Lacy Evans (left) pictured with third wife Julia Marquand (right). Evans registered himself as the father of Ms Marquand's child shortly before being admitted to hospital for depression in 1879 Evans' identity was discovered after being admitted to Kew Lunatic Asylum in Melbourne in 1879 for depression, shortly after his third wife, Julia Marquand, had a child and he had registered himself as the father. When staff tried to wash him he resisted and when they held him down and forced him to undress, they discovered he was in fact a woman dressed in male clothing. When Edward De Lacy Evans arrived in Australia on board a ship from Ireland in 1856 he was dressed in men's and women's clothing. He started life as a woman, working in a public house, before quitting, dressing as a man and marrying a woman he met on the ship According to records from the State Library of Victoria, Evans was once called Ellen Tremayne and arrived in Australia in June 1856 as an assisted immigrant on board the Ocean Monarch. He was said to be wearing a dress with men's trousers and a shirt underneath and carrying a trunk labelled with 'Edward De Lacy Evans'. Evans, who met his first wife Mary Delahunty on board the ship, presented as a woman when he first arrived in Australia and worked as a maid in a public house. He then left his job, started to dress as a man full time and tracked down Ms Delahunty, who he married in Melbourne. Photographs of Evans taken inside the Kew Lunatic Asylum in Melbourne (left and right) where he was admitted after refusing to bathe in a public hospital in Bendigo After his first marriage fell apart, he married two more women Sarah Moore and Ms Marquand. After it was discovered he was a woman, Evans attracted huge amounts of media attention in Australia and overseas. In 1879 The Argus newspaper reported that 'a curious incident occurred at the Kew Lunatic Asylum on Monday.' A journalist who was allowed into the asylum and reportedly interviewed Evans concluded he was insane. Evans' treatment in the asylum was described as brutal, in particular one highly invasive internal exam 'Evans is about 40 years of age, and has all the appearance of a man in the face, and except that he is quite beardless, might easily have been mistaken for one of the male sex,' The Argus reported. The paper also described his muscular physique and said his breasts resembled that of a man. Evans' treatment in the asylum was described as brutal, in particular one highly invasive internal exam. After being released from the asylum in 1879, Evans joined the Panorama Showmen in Geelong and Stawell as a performer, and also appeared in Melbourne in 1880, billed as 'The Wonderful Male Impersonator'. However, his performing career was short lived and he died in August 1901 in the Melbourne Immigrants' Home. Tamara Samsonova, 68, dubbed the granny ripper after she killed her elderly friend before severing her head and boiling it in a saucepan A pensioner dubbed the granny ripper after she killed her elderly friend before severing her head and boiling it in a saucepan crushed at least 50 sleeping pills into her food before slaughtering her, investigators say. Tamara Samsonova, 68, was caught by CCTV cameras as she took the macabre pan out of a St Petersburg apartment block in Russia to throw it in a rubbish skip. Today, Russia's powerful Investigative Committee - equivalent of the FBI - sent her case to court, alleging she killed her friend Valentina Ulanova, 79, 'on the spot' with the massive drugs overdose. An official statement said: 'Then, in order to conceal the committed crime, she dismembered the body of her victim and placed the parts in different places near the apartment block.' 'She used a handsaw to slice up Mrs Ulanova, for whom she was a carer, in July last year, using plastics bags to dispose of other body parts.' There were 'personal hostile relations' between the two women, and Samonsova had a 'conflict with her friend', the statement added. The Investigative Committee also disclosed today that a new official diagnosis confirms that Samsonova is suffering from 'paranoid schizophrenia.' This is likely to mean that claims she had ten or more victims will never be fully probed, even though the investigation into other crimes remains open. It has been revealed that Samsonova crushed 50 sleeping pills into the food of her victim to kill her Today, Russia's powerful Investigative Committee - equivalent of the FBI - sent her case to court 'On the results of the forensic psychiatric examination, the woman suffers from chronic mental illness in the form of paranoid schizophrenia,' the statement continued. 'A criminal case was sent to the court for a decision on compulsory medical measures.' The diagnosis was made in a notorious Soviet-era psychiatric prison hospital in Kazan where Samsonova was sent earlier this year. A judge in St Petersburg will now decide on Samonsova's fate. The pensioner will be present at the hearing for which no date has been announced. It is likely she will be sent for treatment to a psychiatric hospital, rather than face a jail sentence. Samsonova - who once worked in one of St Petersburg's top hotels which had many foreign visitors - confessed to police that she was responsible for killing Ulanova after poisoning the elderly woman's salad. Investigators say that victim Valentina Ulanova was killed by the sleeping pills before being sliced up with a handsaw She refused to co-operate with investigators on up to 11 more feared killings which she indicated in diary entries written in Russian, English and German. Police do not rule out further charges but sources admit difficulties in proving other suspected murders because they cannot find human remains. 'We may never know the extent of this granny's killings,' said one source. Among others, she is suspected of butchering are several lodgers, her husband, and her mother in law, who all vanished suddenly and without trace. A judge ordered her to be sent 950 miles east in a specially guarded train to a high security Kazan psychiatric 'prison hospital' for detailed assessment. The institution - known for its severe regime - was used by Josef Stalin's vicious secret police chief Lavrentiy Beria to shut away political prisoners during the Soviet era. It is now called Kazan Psychiatric Hospital of Special Purpose and with Intensive Guarding. The Samsonova investigation remains 'active' but there are now fears that it may be impossible to find traces of her suspected victims. CCTV footage showed Samsonova carrying a saucepan down the stairs containing her victim's head She took the macabre pan out of a St Petersburg apartment block in Russia to throw it in a rubbish skip One extract of her diary is reported to read: 'I killed my tenant Volodya, cut him to pieces in the bathroom with a knife, put the pieces of his body in plastic bags and threw them away in the different parts of Frunzensky district.' Detectives are seeking to match all her alleged chilling diary confessions to known killings in Russia's tsarist-era capital city. Entries include such mundane phrases penned on unlined yellowing paper as 'Slept badly', 'Drank coffee', 'Take medicines' or 'I do not eat'. Blood believed to be from another lodger, named Sergei Potyavin, 44, was reported to have been found in her bathroom, but so far she has not been charged with his murder. The Investigative Committee also disclosed today that a new official diagnosis confirms that Samsonova is suffering from 'paranoid schizophrenia' Samsonova admitted to an old school friend Anna Batalina, 67, that she had been under suspicion of killing her mother in law. Her husband vanished over a decade ago, and she told police at the time that he had met another woman. Mrs Batalina also claimed she could have ended up as a victim after Samsonova flew into a rage with her, screaming: 'I'll kill you. I'll cut you to pieces. I will throw the pieces out for the dogs. Don't make me angry.' For years before her arrest last year she had boasted to friends: 'I will be popular and famous.' She told them she would one day cause a 'sensation' without explaining why she believed so. In court after she was remanded in custody, Samsonova told assembled journalists: 'I knew you would come. It's such a disgrace for me, all the city will know.' Samsonova accompanied by police at the scene of her alleged crimes where body parts were found Later she blew a kiss to the reporters and when judge Roman Chebotaryov invited Samsonova to address the court, she replied: 'It's stuffy here, can I go out?' She then added: 'I was getting ready for this court action for dozens of years. It was all done deliberately. 'There is no way to live. With this last murder I closed the chapter.' The judge said: 'I am asked to arrest you. What do you think?' She replied: 'You decide, your honour. After all, I am guilty and I deserve a punishment.' When he announced she would be held in custody, she smiled and clapped her hands. A police source said despite interrogations and her admission to her elderly friend's murder police cannot make her say where the missing head of her last victim is hidden. A judge has ordered her to be sent 950 miles east in a specially guarded train to a high security Kazan psychiatric 'prison hospital', pictured, for detailed assessment Samsonova was arrested after local dogs sniffed the remains of Mrs Ulanova's limbs which had been dumped in foliage near her block of flats. In all, Samsonova was caught on camera going in and out of her friend's flat seven times carrying body parts in bags and a saucepan. Sources say she had deliberately boiled the severed head and hands in an attempt to prevent identification of her victim. Marina Krivenko, 53, who lived next door to Samsonova, said the 'Granny Ripper' was interested in Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, executed in 1994. He was the Soviet Union's worst-ever 'maniac', a bloodthirsty 'vampire' who murdered, sexually assaulted and cannibalised at least 55 in a reign of terror stretching over a dozen years. This psychopath violated the bodies of his victims, chopping off their tongues, bursting their eardrums, and gouging out their eyes which, he feared, had logged his image. The neighbour said: 'She gathered information about him and how he committed his murders.' Has not been banned from profession. She said: 'I look forward to getting back into the classroom to continue to do what I love most: teaching' Former primary school head Helena Button, 52, told one colleague she wanted to 'punch her in the face' and warned other staff 'not to get pregnant' during the summer holidays A former primary school headteacher who told one colleague she wanted to 'punch her in the face' and warned other staff 'not to get pregnant' during the summer holidays has been found guilty of serious misconduct. Helena Button, 52, was found guilty at a teaching disciplinary hearing of a number of serious allegations after the panel heard her aggression in the school grounds was so common that it was described as 'the norm' by staff and colleagues. The panel heard how Ms Button, who resigned as head of Norton Free C of E Primary School in Sheffield, South Yorkshire in March, regularly shouted at staff and, on one occasion, grabbed one colleague by the wrist in a rage. The former headteacher also said of one staff member that she wanted to 'punch her face in' and used words such as 'cr*p', 'weak' and rubbish' about colleagues. The panel also heard how Ms Button failed to alert social services quickly enough over allegations of abuse against a pupil, referred to as Pupil A. One colleague claimed that all staff felt 'the wrath of her tongue', adding: 'Her aggression became the norm'. However, despite the findings, Ms Button has not been banned from the classroom and said she is looking forward to returning 'to what I love most: teaching'. Ms Button had denied 17 of the 19 allegations against her during the eight-day National College for Teaching and Leadership inquiry - which heard evidence from 12 witnesses. But the panel found Ms Button's conduct 'failed to display appropriate professional behaviour'. Helena Button, 52, was found guilty at a teaching disciplinary hearing of a number of serious allegations after the panel heard her aggression towards colleagues at Norton Free Primary School in Sheffield (pictured) was so common that it was described as 'the norm' by staff She was also found guilty of threatening staff with disciplinary action after the wrong SATs results where sent out for Year 6 pupils and tried to 'pin the blame' on somebody else. Pupils were sent predicted grades instead of actual results - causing fury among parents. Ms Button she 'fully accepts the decisions made by the NCTL'. She said: 'The professional conduct panel process has been an extremely stressful time. 'I am proud to have been educating young children for over 30 years, 14 years of which in leadership positions where I have delivered substantial improvements in children's education. Ms Button, who resigned as head of Norton Free C of E Primary School in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, has not been banned from teaching and will return to the classroom 'I look forward to getting back into the classroom to continue to do what I love most: teaching.' The panel said there were mitigating factors, which included Ms Button's role in improving the school's Ofsted rating from 'satisfactory' to 'good', and the stress and anxiety she suffered. She was described as 'passionate' about teaching but not suited to a leadership role. Jayne Millions, from the NCTL, said 'her misconduct did potentially affect the wellbeing of Pupil A' but added a prohibition order was 'not proportionate'. Ms Millions said: 'Any future employer of Ms Button's will be aware of these findings and will be able to take appropriate measures to ensure she is placed in a role suited to her skill set, which is in the area of teaching rather than leadership and management.' However, former school vice-governor Claire McGourlay said while she welcomed the findings she was 'disappointed that they did not recommend to the Secretary of State a prohibition order.' The new headteacher at Norton Free, Christopher Holder, said: 'I am pleased to say that it's a happy place, where children enjoy learning and staff are well-supported. 'The safety and well-being of our children and staff is an absolute priority and our results and recent Ofsted inspection confirm we're performing well in all areas. Republican lawmakers have slammed President Obama's decision to release 15 prisoners from Guantanamo and send them to the United Arab Emirates. The transfer of 12 Yemeni nationals and three Afghans marks the single largest release of detainees during the Obama administration. But the decision has been described as 'reckless', with GOP lawmakers arguing that it puts national security at risk. Republican lawmakers have slammed President Obama's decision to release 15 prisoners from Guantanamo and send them to the United Arab Emirates Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire said in a statement: 'The unclassified report I secured from the Department of Defense demonstrates that these detainees just released are among the worst terrorists who could jeopardize our national security and the lives of our troops. 'It is reckless for the administration to continue to release terrorists like these to fulfill a misguided campaign promise to empty and close Guantanamo.' Sen. Richard Burr of North Carolina added: 'It is unconscionable that this administration continues to release known terrorists. 'Several terrorists released by the Obama administration have returned to the battlefield and re-engaged in attacks against coalition forces and our allies. 'The administration continues to put our national security at risk in misguided attempts to fulfill campaign pledges and to cement the Presidents legacy.' Last week, Donald Trump said he would be willing to try US citizens at Guantanamo Bay because the country needs a 'very safe place' to keep terrorists. The Republican presidential nominee has previously ruled out closing the Cuban detention facility. GOP lawmakers said Obama's decision was 'reckless' and put national security at risk But Amnesty International USAs Security and Human Rights Program Director Naureen Shah welcomed the decision to release the 15 prisoners. 'This is a powerful sign that President Obama is serious about closing Guantanamo before he leaves office,' she said. 'With these transfers, Guantanamos population will be reduced by one-fifth. 'It is vital he keep the momentum. If President Obama fails to close Guantanamo, the next administration could fill it with new detainees and it could become permanent. DETAINEES RELEASED The Yemeni nationals transferred to the UAE are: Muhammad Ahmad Said Al-Adahi Abdel Qadir Al-Mudafari Zahir Umar Hamis bin Hamdun Bashir Nasir Ali Al-Marwalah Mahmud Abdulaziz Al-Mujahid Majid Mahmud Abdu Ahmed Abd Al-Muhsin Abd Al-Rab Salih Al-Busi, Abd Al-Rahman Sulayman Saeed Ahmed Mohammed Abdullah Sarem Jarabh Mohammed Nasir Yahi Khussrof Kazaz Abdul Muhammad Ahmad Nassar Al-Muhajari Ayyub Mursid Ali Salih The Afghan detainees transferred to the UAE are: Obaidullah Muhammad Kamin Hamid Al-Razak Advertisement 'It would be an extremely dangerous legacy of allowing people to be detained without charge, in an endless global war, practically until they die.' The Pentagon says 61 detainees now remain at Guantanamo, which was opened in January 2002 to hold foreign fighters suspected of links to the Taliban or Al-Qaeda. The Yemeni nationals transferred to the UAE include Zahir Umar Hamis bin Hamdun, alleged to be an Al-Qaeda weapons and explosives trainer operating in Afghanistan. A Pentagon profile from September 2015 said he expressed dislike of the US, which they identified as 'an emotion that probably is motivated more by frustration over his continuing detention than by a commitment to global jihad' . Also listed was Muhammad Ahmad Said Al Adahi, labelled a chief of Bin Laden's security force in Kandahar in a leaked military document. Once transferred, former inmates are usually freed subject to supervision and undergoing rehabilitation programs. During the Bush administration, 532 prisoners were released from Guantanamo, often in large groups to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The Pentagon says 61 detainees now remain at Guantanamo, which was opened in January 2002 to hold foreign fighters suspected of links to the Taliban or the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization The latest batch of released prisoners had been held without charge at Guantanamo, some for over 14 years. They were cleared for release by the Periodic Review Board, comprised of representatives from six US government agencies. The UAE successfully resettled five detainees transferred there last year, according to the Pentagon. Lee Wolosky, the State Department's special envoy for Guantanamo's closure, said the US was grateful to the United Arab Emirates for accepting the latest group of 15 men and helping pave the way for the detention center's closure. 'The continued operation of the detention facility weakens our national security by draining resources, damaging our relationships with key allies and partners, and emboldening violent extremists,' Wolosky said. The Yemeni nationals transferred to the UAE include Zahir Umar Hamis bin Hamdun, identified as an Al-Qaeda weapons and explosives trainer in Afghanistan in a Guantanamo report Obama has been seeking to close the detention center amid opposition from Congress, which has prohibited transferring detainees to the US for any reason. The administration has been working with other countries to resettle detainees who have been cleared for transfer. US Representative Ed Royce, a Republican from California who is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, criticized the Obama administration for recent releases, portraying the freed detainees as 'hardened terrorists'. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence says five percent of Guantanamo prisoners released since Obama took office have re-engaged in militant activities and an additional eight percent are suspected of doing so. That compares with 21 percent confirmed and 14 percent suspected during the Bush administration. According to Amnesty, one of the Afghans released to the UAE alleged that he was 'tortured and subjected to other cruel treatment' while in US military custody. The man, identified only as Obaidullah, was captured by US special forces in July 2002 and allegedly admitted to acquiring and planting anti-tank mines to target US and other coalition forces in eastern Afghanistan. In clearing him for transfer, the review board said he has not expressed any anti-US sentiment or intent to re-engage in militant activities. Students at a top Australian university have been running a seedy Facebook page showing unknowing couples kissing in public. The 'Village Party Central 2016' page was a secret group run by students at the Macquarie University Village in Ryde in Sydney's north. Members were encouraged to 'Name that Villager', meaning name the student who had their picture taken, while members of the group made explicit comments in response to the images, the ABC reported. Students at the Macquarie University Village in Sydney's north have been running a seedy Facebook page showing unknowing couples kissing in public Members were encouraged to 'Name that Villager', meaning name the student who had their picture taken One of the group's members posted this remark, commenting on a photo of a young couple kissing 'Maybe this time you'll make her c**', one user said, commenting on a photo of a young couple kissing. The page was removed in May after fellow students reported the group to Facebook administration. Earlier, the group's organiser said that people who were complaining about the page 'can go f*** off.' Students said the page is proof that sections of the university are immersed in an American-style 'frat culture'. The group's organiser said that people who were complaining about the page 'can go f*** off' The page was removed in May after fellow students reported the group to Facebook administration The groups 900 members 'contributed, followed and participated in ''frat culture'' on campus,' according to an article published in the university's student publication, Grapeshot. Female students are now reportedly worried about socialising at the university campus. 'I've seen some friends holding back and shying from certain parties because they wouldn't want to be exposed in that way,' Macquarie University Village resident Sara Motawi told the student publication. 'It's pretty humiliating, especially for new students.' The university said it has a zero-tolerance policy to anti-social behaviour, including online comments, but it is unclear if any students were disciplined over the matter. Police hunting for a Bulgarian woman who has not been seen for more than a week have found a body. Gergana Prodonova, 38, was reported missing on August 8 after she failed to turn up for work, with the last confirmed sighting of her at a food store in Exeter, four days earlier. Devon and Cornwall Police said officers searched waste ground off Blackall Road in Exeter on Tuesday afternoon and found human remains. A body has been found in the search for Gergana Prodonova, who went missing in Exeter Bulgarian national Kostadin Kostov, 42, of Exeter, has been charged with the murder of the mother-of-three and remanded into custody to await trial. Police have been carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the Mount Pleasant area of the city. The force has also used the police helicopter and drone and has had support from specially trained dogs from South Wales. A post-mortem examination will be carried out to confirm the identity of the body; however Ms Prodonova's family in Bulgaria have been notified. Detective Superintendent Paul Burgan, who is leading the investigation, said: 'Inquiries will continue in the Polsloe and Blackall Road areas of the city over the next few days and police would like to thank the public for their continued co-operation with this investigation.' Teachers in North Carolina have been warned against gender-specific pronouns when referring to students as it may offend transgender children. In a 57-page training manual for teachers and classroom assistants, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have urged teachers to take care when addressing their pupils. Instead of 'boys and girls', teachers are asked to refer to the youngsters as 'students and scholars'. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools have produced a 57-page training manual to help teachers deal with any students who may be transgender to enable them feel included in school life As part of the new instructions, teachers are asked to avoid 'gender specific classroom management techniques' such as lining students up or addressing them as 'boys and girls' Also, the document said all students must be made to feel comfortable in school, with them being able to dress in accordance with the gender they feel rather than the one noted on their birth certificate. The document claims LGBT students are four to five times more likely to attempt to take their own lives compared with their heterosexual peers - with between 40-50 per cent of them attempting suicide by age 20. Teachers in North Carolina have been told LGBT students have reported they are more likely to be excluded, or attacked than their heterosexual colleagues. The North Carolina Values Coalition has attacked the new policy claiming it will endanger school pupils. Executive director of the conservative group Tami Fitzgerald attacked the school's board. The new policies have been introduced by schools superintendent Ann Clark, pictured NC Values Coalition Executive Director Tami Fitzgerald has attacked the new policy She said: 'Every child deserves a safe space, and its our duty as parents to fight for their right to privacy. 'Charlotte-Mecklenburgs proposed new policy allowing students to use opposite-sex restrooms, locker rooms and showers will seriously endanger students privacy and safety, undermine parental authority, and severely impair an environment conducive to learning. 'The district should continue their current policy to offer accommodations to students that have different preferences without compromising the privacy rights of all other students. North Korea has announced it has resumed its plutonium production and saying no intention of stopping nuclear tests while threats from the U.S. remain. The secretive state's Atomic Energy Insitutue, which runs the main Yongbyon nuclear plants, told Japan's Kyodo news agency that it had been reprocessing spent fuel rods. They also added that they had been producing highly enriched uranium necessary for for nuclear arms and power 'as scheduled.' The secretive state's Atomic Energy Insitutue, which runs the main Yongbyon nuclear plant, pictured, said it had restarted processing plutonium The institute said: 'We have reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reactor.' However, they did not mention the amount of plutonium or enriched uranium it had produced, Kyodo said. The UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said in June North Korea appeared to have reopened the Yongbyon plant to produce plutonium from spent fuel of a reactor central to its atomic weapons drive. North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un vowed in 2013 to restart all nuclear facilities, including the main reactor at its Yongbyon site that had been shut down. They had said in September that Yongbyon was operating and that it was working to improve the 'quality and quantity' of its nuclear weapons. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January. According to Kyodo, the North Korean institute said it had already succeeded in making 'lighter and diversifying' nuclear weapons, and that it had no intention of halting nuclear tests. North Korea leader Kim Jong-Un vowed in 2013 to restart all nuclear facilities, including the main reactor at its Yongbyon site that had been shut down 'Under conditions that the United States constantly threatens us with nuclear weapons, we will not discontinue nuclear tests,' the institute was quoted by Kyodo as saying. North Korea will also build a 100,000-kilowatt light-water nuclear reactor for experimental use, the institute was quoted as saying, but it did not provide further details. Little is known about the quantities of weapons-grade uranium or plutonium that North Korea possesses, or its ability to produce either, though plutonium from spent fuel at Yongbyon is widely believed to have been used in its nuclear bombs. Labour leadership hopeful Owen Smith has sparked fury by suggesting Britain should negotiate with Isis. Mr Smith made the incendiary comment about the bloodthirsty terrorist group as he faced off against Jeremy Corbyn in a debate. BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire asked both politicians whether they would talk to Isis to bring an end to the violence wracking the Middle East. Owen Smith said resolving the bloodshed in the Middle East would require 'getting people round the table' Veteran left-winger Mr Corbyn replied: 'No, they are not going to be round the table.' But Mr Smith referred to his previous role as an adviser to Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy during the peace process, and said: 'Ultimately all solutions to these crises, these international crises, do come about through dialogue. 'So eventually if we are to try and solve this, all of the actors do need to be involved. 'At the moment, Isil (Isis) are clearly not interested in negotiating... 'At some point, for us to resolve this, we will need to get people round the table.' The government has repeatedly dismissed the possibility of negotiating with Isis, with Defence Secretary Michael Fallon pointing to atrocities including beheadings, burning prisoners alive, throwing gays off buildings, and the massacre of innocent British tourists in Tunisia. A spokesman for Mr Smith later attempted to clarify his comments, saying the MP he believed there could be no negotiation with Isis unless they 'renounce violence, cease all acts of terror and commit themselves to a peaceful settlement'. 'Owen's experience of helping to bring about peace in Northern Ireland is that eventually all parties who truly believe in delivering peace have to be around the table,' the spokesman said. 'In the Middle East at the moment that clearly doesn't include - and may never include - Daesh.' But Tory MP Johnny Mercer said: 'Owen Smith's suggestion that we should get Isis 'round the table' demonstrates his unfitness for leadership. 'Everyone knows negotiation is far more desirable than violence in any conflict, but to suggest it in this case, is to entirely misunderstand and fail to grasp the challenge posed by Daesh. The two Labour leadership hopefuls were facing off in a BBC debate that was chaired by Victoria Derbyshire 'His desperate attempts to out-Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn have led him to the view that barbaric murderers who behead journalists and lynch homosexuals are now the sort of people that we should negotiate with. 'It shows that whoever wins this increasingly bizarre leadership election, I'm afraid Labour just cannot be trusted with keeping us safe.' The comments by Mr Smith came after a tetchy debate. At one point Mr Corbyn snapped at BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire as she said Labour had gone 'toxic' and asked her: 'How do you know?' Mr Corbyn made the blunt comment as he was accused of not controlling abusive supporters as he went head-to-head with rival Owen Smith on a live TV debate today. It took place in front of an audience of their own supporters and floating voters in Nottingham today. Mr Corbyn was repeatedly challenged over rising levels of abuse within the Labour Party One party member, Francesca from Derby, said she would feel safer as a Labour supporter at a Tory conference than a non-Corbyn supporter at a Labour conference. Victoria Derbyshire said the atmosphere in the Labour party is now 'toxic', with Mr Corbyn snapping back: 'Well how do you know?' saying he attends events 'where people with all shades of opinion having intelligent, respectful discussion'. The BBC presenter then asked the audience if the atmosphere had become toxic and got a resounding 'yes'. Owen Smith was then jeered by Mr Corbyn's supporters in the studio as he said: 'The truth is I'm not a red Tory, I'm not a Blairite, I'm a socialist same as you.' The leadership-hopeful said that people within Labour who do not support Mr Corbyn are deemed 'not pure enough'. The Labour leadership candidates went head-to-head in front of an audience of their own supporters and floating voters in Nottingham today. Owen Smith used the debate to launch a fresh attack on Jeremy Corbyn for failing to crack down on anti-Semitic and misogynistic abuse within the Labour Party. Mr Corbyn insisted he had dealt 'very robustly' with complaints of bullying and abuse and said he wanted to 'reach out' to MPs in the party who had opposed his leadership. Pensioner claims she was 'blinded by the sun' ahead of crash in January A 69-year-old driver who killed a 'handsome and motivated' cyclist with a dream to compete professionally when she was 'blinded by the sun' has been spared jail. William Houghton died in hospital just one day after pensioner Jeanette Smith crashed her white Citroen C3 into him on a busy A-road in Whickham, Hampshire. The 20-year-old university student had been an aspiring professional cyclist and had bought online a brand new racing bike just days before he died. Smith, from Denmead, Hampshire, has now admitted causing death by careless driving but was spared jail by magistrates who instead sentenced her to a 12-month community order. Keen cyclist William Houghton, 20, (right) died in hospital from serious head injuries just one day after pensioner Jeanette Smith (pictured outside court, left) crashed her white Citroen C3 into him on a busy A-road in Whickham, Hampshire, after being 'blinded by sun' She wept in the dock at Portsmouth Magistrates' Court as she was also disqualified from driving for a year and ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work. Magistrates were told how Smith ploughed her hatchback crashed into Mr Houghton after she was 'blinded by the sun' on the A32 on January 28. He suffered serious head injuries and was taken to hospital but passed away the following day. Paying tribute to their son after the Smith's sentencing, Mr Houghton's parents, Liz and Richard Houghton, said: 'Our grief for our loving, passionate, driven and wonderful son Will is deep. 'He was a handsome, motivated and fun 20-year-old and is missed dearly by his family and friends. 'His new racing bike, delivered two weeks after he was killed, will never be ridden and we will never know if he would have achieved his driving ambition to be a professional cyclist. 'While the 20 years he spent with us were far too short, we are grateful that he lived them to the full and left us all with happy memories and a belief that we should all strive to be the very best version of ourselves we can be. 'We welcome Mrs Smith's decision to plead guilty to death by careless driving and hope that Will's tragic death will act as a reminder to all drivers that they must be alert to cyclists at all times.' Retired Smith had told the court that she did not see Mr Houghton, originally of Buckinghamshire, while she was driving along on the A32 near Wickham on the day of the tragedy. Our grief for our loving, passionate, driven and wonderful son Will is deep. He was a handsome, motivated and fun 20-year-old and is missed dearly by his family and friends Liz and Richard Houghton Matthew Farmer, defending, said: 'She has told me that her vision just went black at the time that she hit the cyclist. 'She is a lady of good character and is absolutely devastated about what happened. 'It is a very difficult section of road and she says that she was blinded by the sun. 'She has held her hands up and says that she never will be the same again.' In a statement from Mr Houghton's father, Richard, read to the court, he said: 'William was very much at the centre of our lives and we are still now coming to terms with what happened. 'Now for us it is like all we are seeing is black and white and that there is a huge Will-shaped hole in our lives. 'The 20 years he spent with us were far too short and we are grateful that he lived them to the full.' Speaking after the sentencing PC Lucy Hawkins, from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, added: 'This was a tragic incident which has had a devastating impact on William's family. 'I would just like to take this opportunity to remind motorists that they must give the road their complete attention 100 per cent of the time because any lapse in concentration could have fatal consequences. 'Drivers need to be alert at all times so that they are aware of their surroundings.' Only 17 dogs in world known to have condition which causes sloped back A hunchback pitbull has gained thousands of fans online after being rescued by her devoted owner. Six-year-old Cuda suffers from short spine syndrome, a condition that affects only 17 known dogs in the world and causes a sloped back. Owner Julie LeRoy, who worked as an animal control officer, rescued the pitbull from a house she got called out to and could not bear to hand her in to a shelter. Scroll down for video Six-year-old Cuda suffers from short spine syndrome, a condition that affects only 17 known dogs in the world and causes a sloped back Owner Julie LeRoy (pictured right with husband Scott), who worked as an animal control officer, rescued the pitbull from a house she got called out to LeRoy, 50, from Kingston, New York, said the dog had been bought off Craigslist for $50 from a man who was breeding dogs out of his house. She said: 'I got called out to a complaint and the people in the house told me they rescued this pitbull puppy and they asked me if I wanted to see her. They told me that they couldn't keep her. 'Although I knew that it was against protocol by not wanting to take her back to the shelter and having her become an official surrender, I knew that I couldn't bring her back there. 'You can say I risked my job to save this dog.' LeRoy said Cuda, who has 21,000 followers on Facebook, always gets attention from owners due to her unusual appearance. 'The biggest reaction is that they are surprised because nobody has ever seen anybody like her,' she said. LeRoy, 50, from Kingston, New York, said the dog had been bought off Craigslist for $50 from a man who was breeding dogs out of his house She says Cuda always gets attention from owners due to her unusual appearance 'People will come up and tell me that she is in pain, I'm being cruel by keeping her alive and that I'm exploiting her like she's a circus side act.' LeRoy decided to create a Facebook page for Cuda because she believed her condition to be unique. But she was told about another dog in Italy who suffered from the same condition and started speaking to its owner, who told her about short spine syndrome. Husband Scott LeRoy, 45, said the couple already had four dogs at the time and had not really wanted a fifth when they adopted Cuda. Despite her condition, she still lives the life of a regular dog with no limitations - and enjoys being pampered LeRoy says Cuda is 'very much a diva' in the house and is used to being spoilt Husband Scott LeRoy, 45, said the couple already had four dogs at the time and had not really wanted a fifth one He said: 'When she brought her home, my eyes just got huge, I looked at her and I was like, "Oh my god what's wrong with this dog?" WHAT IS SHORT SPINE SYNDROME? In dogs with short spine syndrome, the vertebrae are compressed. This leads to the shortening of the spine and means the back looks 'hunched'. Dogs with the condition also appear to have no neck. Only around 17 dogs in the world are known to suffer from the condition. Dogs with short spine syndrome tend to have a normal life expectancy. Advertisement However, like his wife, he soon fell in love with the dog - who is 'very much a diva'. She said: 'I think we spoilt her because we just didn't know what was gonna happen with her and we just wanted her to be happy her entire life. 'She changed everything for me and my husband. We were lonely and just moved to North Carolina with no friends and she changed all of that for us. 'She brought us tons of friends and gave us a purpose. 'Our whole life revolves around taking care of her and all of our dogs. She is one in a million.' LeRoy decided to create a Facebook page for Cuda because she believed her condition to be unique, but soon discovered other dogs with short spine syndrome LeRoy says Cuda has brought her 'tons of friends' and given her a purpose A former carpenter to the Queen who attacked his ex-girlfriend with a hammer was sent to prison today for the continuing to harass her. Dudu Miah, 41, of no fixed address, who worked at Buckingham Palace was sent to prison for 16 months at Snaresbrook Crown Court, in Redbrigde, North-East London, for the seventh breach of a restraining order handed to him following the 2014 attack. The ex-girlfriend has filed a total of 25 criminal reports against Miah, the court was told. Dudu Miah, 41, of no fixed address, was sent to prison today after Snaresbrook Crown Court (pictured) was told he had breached a restraining order against contacting his ex-girlfriend seven times and it was his fourth court apppearance His attack involved hitting the victim around the body with a hammer, said prosecutor Carol Summers. For the hammer attack Miah was given an 18 month suspended sentence but just a month later he went to her house and threatened to smash her windows in with his head. He was sent to prison for that breach for four months plus six months of the suspended sentence but once released he was in breach of the order again just a month after release. At a family wedding he grabbed his ex partner and dragged her out a taxi as she tried to escape from him. He then went to her address and smashed up her flat. Miah was then given a 12-month prison sentence but was released after just five. Once released Miah again turned up at her house in July this year causing the woman to flee to a local phone box and call the police. Between July 15 and 19 he breached the order three times. He was seen loitering outside her house and on another occasion approached her while she was carrying shopping home, the court heard. Prosecutor Ms Summers added: She told him she wanted nothing to do with him and he grabbed her keys and threw them in the road.' The court was told how Miah was previously a respectable carpenter who had worked at Buckingham Palace (pictured) and across Mayfair Edward Cole, representing Miah, told the court that Miah was previously a respectable carpenter who had worked at Buckingham Palace and across Mayfair. Miah admitted to the three new breaches from July and was today sent to prison for 16 months. Judge Caroline English said: Well, you just dont learn, do you. This is now the fourth time you have appeared before court for breaching the order given to you for very serious violence. This now make it seven separate breaches of that order and it has only been in place for two years. Court orders are put in place for you to follow and when you breach them you must expect to be dealt with severely. Judge English told Miah that if people were allowed to get away with breaches like this it would render such orders worthless and toothless'. She added: You cannot thumb your nose up to the court or pick and choose when you conform to an order. She gave Miah eight months imprisonment for each of the three new breaches, two to run consecutively and one concurrently. Ruby Grace, eight, was riding a pony for the first time when it reared up and kicked her in the face An eight-year-old girl who had always dreamed of riding a horse suffered horrific injuries when it threw her to the ground and trampled on her face. Ruby Grace was in the saddle for her first ever pony ride at the Dubai International Arabian Races at Newbury Racecourse last month when the horse spooked and suddenly reared. The terrified girl was left dangling from the stirrups by one leg as the animal kicked her in the face and body before dragging her around. Ruby, who was covered in blood, was taken to hospital by ambulance with four deep gashes to her face, severe bruising to her chest and concussion. The eight-year-old girl needed three hours of surgery on her eye, lips and cheek and spent three days recovering at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Ruby's petrified mother, Donna Grace, said she thought her daughter had died. 'I honestly thought that was the end of my little girl,' she said. 'I thought she was dead.' Ruby had only been riding the horse for a few seconds when the pony, called Babe, panicked. 'She climbed up and after a few seconds I think a piece of plastic flew in front of the horse's face,' Mrs Grace, 42, said. Ruby was in the saddle for her first pony ride at the Dubai International Arabian Races at Newbury Racecourse when the horse suddenly reared Ruby had only been riding the horse for a few seconds when the pony, called Babe, panicked 'It instantly reared up and she fell and her foot was stuck in the loop above the stirrup. 'The horse started dragging her around, kicking her in the head and chest. I thought she was dead - there was blood everywhere. 'As a parent, to hear your child screaming like that is absolutely horrifying. 'It probably wasn't that long but it seemed like a long time. She was stuck and I felt helpless as I watched her being kicked.' Mrs Grace and her 46-year-old husband Martin, who both work in finance, are now demanding answers from the organisers of the event on July 24. They claim the animal was too easily spooked for a children's event. Ruby was taken to hospital by ambulance with four deep gashes to her face, severe bruising to her chest and concussion They also say Ruby's feet were not placed in the stirrups correctly, meaning that when she fell she got caught, and that she had nothing to grip onto. 'It has traumatised our entire family, it's robbed Ruby of her confidence,' Mrs Grace said. 'It's just devastated us all. When it first happened Ruby said she didn't want to look in the mirror anymore because of how her face looked. 'I want to know how this could have happened, and we want to make sure this doesn't happen to anybody else. 'It wasn't the horse's fault,' Mrs Grace added. 'It is the people who provided that horse and those in charge of looking after it who have been a bit negligent. 'Ruby would never get back on a horse. At the moment she is definitely frightened of them.' The family, from Swindon, say organisers the Arabian Racing Organisation (ARO) and Dubai International Arab Races (DIAR) have not provided an explanation. They also claim they have not received been contacted by the pony's owners, The Animal Company. The family also had to cancel a holiday to Turkey after doctors advised that Ruby's injuries should be kept out of the sun. 'It's ruined a little girl's summer, and her confidence. It's stopped her doing what she wants to do. I want answers,' Mrs Grace demanded. The family, from Swindon, have demanded answers from the events organisers. Ruby is pictured with her father, Martin Grace, mother Donna and her older brother, Charlie West Berkshire Council has launched an investigation into the incident. A spokesman said: 'We are investigating the circumstances of this incident to establish whether any health and safety offences were committed. We don't currently have an expected timescale for the investigation.' A spokesman for Shadwell Estate Co Ltd, on behalf of DIAR, said a member of the Newbury Racecourse team contacted the family to check on Ruby's well-being. 'This was shared with us at Shadwell as we were concerned to be kept informed of her progress but did not wish to intrude on her and her family's privacy,' he said. 'We wish Ruby and her family all the best during her recovery.' The Arabian Racing Organisation refused to comment. The Dubai International Arabian Raceday, which takes place annually, is staged to promote interest in Arabian racing and encourage Anglo-Arabian relations. A blogger accused of calling a Labour MP 'a filthy Jew b***h' has today denied racially abusing her in a string of defamatory and insulting posts online. Joshua Bonehill-Paine, 23, is accused of posting five abusive articles attacking the Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger. He is charged with racially aggravated harassment relating to material that is said to have appeared on his websites between October 2014 and January 2015. In the dock: Joshua Bonehill-Paine, 23, is accused of posting five abusive articles attacking the Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger Titles of the articles included Racist anti-white Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger exposed, Is the Labour part a Jewish party and The Legacy of Operation Filthy Jew B***h. Other postings appeared under the headings ZOG attacks Daily Stormer in retaliation to successful Berger campaign and Joshua Bonehill: on the eve of the battle. The charge states that he demonstrated towards Luciana Berger hostility based on her membership or perceived membership of a particular racial group, namely Jews. John Nimmo, 28, from South Shields, sent two emails to Wavertree MP Luciana Berger in which he called her 'Jewish scum' and told her to 'watch her back' Bearded Bonehill-Paine appeared by videolink at the Old Bailey today from Belmarsh prison wearing a maroon T-shirt. He spoke only to confirm his name and that he could hear proceedings before a the single charge of racially aggravated harassment was read out by the court clerk. Asked for his plea, the defendant replied: I am not guilty. The Recorder of London, Nicholas Hilliard QC said Bonehill-Paine faces a two-day trial on December 5. Bonehill-Paine, of no fixed address but originally from Yeovil, was remanded in custody. Last month it emerged an internet troll is facing jail for a second time after making anti-Semitic death threats to a Labour MP, telling her she would 'get it like Jo Cox'. John Nimmo, 28, from South Shields, sent two emails to Waverley MP Luciana Berger in which he called her 'Jewish scum' and told her to 'watch her back'. He also sent her a picture of a large knife and told her: 'You will get it like Jo Cox did.' The threats were made three weeks after the MP was shot and stabbed to death outside her constituency office. Nimmo was jailed in 2014 for eight weeks for sending abusive messages on Twitter to feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez and MP Stella Creasy. Donald Trump's campaign chairman helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political party's efforts to influence U.S. policy. The revelation, provided to The Associated Press by people directly knowledgeable about the effort, comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism for his friendly overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It also casts new light on the business practices of campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Under federal law, U.S. lobbyists must declare publicly if they represent foreign leaders or their political parties and provide detailed reports about their actions to the Justice Department. Sidelined: Paul Manafort's role in the Trump campaign was diluted after days of drip-drip allegations about his link to the pro-Putin deposed Ukrainian prime minister Recipient: Tony Podesta (pictured with his wife Heather) chairs a group which received money from the pro-Putin ruing party in Ukraine, which employed Manafort Clinton links: John Podesta, the chair of the Clinton campaign, is Tony's brother. The Podesta Group is seen as a Democratic lobbying operation A violation is a felony and can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Trump shook up his campaign organization Wednesday, putting two new longtime Republican conservative strategists as chief executive officer and campaign manager. It was unclear what impact the shakeup would have on Manafort, but he retains his title as campaign chairman. Manafort and business associate Rick Gates, another top strategist in Trump's campaign, were working in 2012 on behalf of the political party of Ukraine's then-president, Viktor Yanukovych. People with direct knowledge of Gates' work said that, during the period when Gates and Manafort were consultants to the Ukraine president's political party, Gates was also helping steer the advocacy work done by a pro-Yanukovych nonprofit that hired a pair of Washington lobbying firms, Podesta Group Inc. and Mercury LLC. The nonprofit, the newly-created European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, was governed by a board that initially included parliament members from Yanukovych's party. The nonprofit subsequently paid at least $2.2 million to the lobbying firms to advocate positions generally in line with those of Yanukovych's government. That lobbying included downplaying the necessity of a congressional resolution meant to pressure the Ukrainian leader to release an imprisoned political rival. The lobbying firms continued the work until shortly after Yanukovych fled the country in February 2014, during a popular revolt prompted in part by his government's crackdown on protesters and close ties to Russia. Among those who described Manafort's and Gates's relationship with the nonprofit are current and former employees of the Podesta Group. Some of them spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal details about the work and because they remain subject to non-disclosure agreements. Gates told the AP that he and Manafort introduced the lobbying firms to the European Centre nonprofit and occasionally consulted with the firms on Ukrainian politics. Manafort is linked to $12.7million in cash payments over a period of five years from ousted pro-Russian leader Viktor Yanukovych's (above) party He called the actions lawful, and said there was no attempt to circumvent the reporting requirements of the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. The heads of both lobbying firms told AP they concluded there was no obligation to disclose their activities to the Justice Department. Manafort did not directly respond to AP's requests to discuss the work, but he was copied on the AP's questions and Gates said he spoke to Manafort before providing answers to them. Political consultants are generally leery of registering under the foreign agents law, because their reputations can suffer once they are on record as accepting money to advocate the interests of foreign governments especially if those interests conflict with America's. One of the lobbying firms Manafort and Gates worked with has strong Democratic ties. WHERE CLINTON CAMPAIGN CHIEF'S BROTHER DOES BUSINESS The Podesta Group has declared business activities in the following countries - some with dubious human rights records Albania Republic of Azerbaijan Cyprus Georgia India Japan Kenya Kosovo Maldives Moldova Morocco, Somalia South Korea South Sudan Vietnam Advertisement The founder and chairman of the Podesta Group, Tony Podesta, is the brother of longtime Democratic strategist John Podesta, who now is campaign chairman for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The head of Mercury, Vin Weber, is an influential Republican, former congressman and former special policy adviser to Mitt Romney. Weber announced earlier this month that he will not support Trump. After being introduced to the lobbying firms, the European nonprofit paid the Podesta Group $1.13 million between June 2012 and April 2014 to lobby Congress, the White House National Security Council, the State Department and other federal agencies, according to U.S. lobbying records. The nonprofit also paid $1.07 million over roughly the same period to Mercury to lobby Congress. Among other issues, Mercury opposed congressional efforts to pressure Ukraine to release one of Yanukovych's political rivals from prison. One former Podesta employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because of a non-disclosure agreement, said Gates described the nonprofit's role in an April, 2012 meeting as supplying a source of money that could not be traced to the Ukrainian politicians who were paying him and Manafort. In separate interviews, three current and former Podesta employees said disagreements broke out within the firm over the arrangement, which at least one former employee considered obviously illegal. Podesta, who said the project was vetted by his firm's counsel, said he was unaware of any such disagreements. A legal opinion drafted for the project for Mercury in May 2012, and obtained by AP, concluded that the European Centre qualified as a 'foreign principal' under the Foreign Agents Registration Act but said disclosure to the Justice Department was not required. That determination was based on the nonprofit's assurances that none of its activities was directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed or subsidized by Ukraine's government or any of the country's political parties. The Podesta Group's CEO, Kimberley Fritts, said the two lobbying firms had coordinated on the legal conclusion that disclosure was not necessary to the Justice Department. 'If counsel had determined FARA was the way to go, we would have gladly registered under FARA,' she said in a statement to the AP. She said the nonprofit provided a signed statement affirming its independence from Ukraine's government. Links: A picture purported to have been taken of Paul Manafort and Rinat Akhmetov, a Ukrainian billionaire oligarch, possibly in Davos, Switzerland. The two's relationship is said to have led to Manafort working for the pro-Putin leader of the country, who is now deposed Manafort is pictured above at the Republican National Convention with Trump and Trump's daughter Ivanka. The Trump aide says the charges against him in the New York Times are false People involved in the lobbying project offered contradictory descriptions of how it came about. Podesta told the AP his firm worked closely with the nonprofit and with Gates simultaneously. But Podesta said Gates was not working for Yanukovych's political party and said Manafort was not involved. 'I was never given any reason to believe Rick was a Party of Regions consultant,' said John Ward Anderson, a current Podesta employee who attended the meeting, in a statement provided by his firm. 'My assumption was that he was working for the Centre, as we were.' Gates, in contrast, told AP he was working with Manafort and that both he and Manafort were working for Yanukovych's party. Pointing to Manafort's involvement, Weber told AP that Manafort discussed the project before it began in a conference call with Podesta and himself. The director of the European Centre, Ina Kirsch, told the AP her group never worked with Manafort or Gates and said the group hired the Washington lobbyists on its own. She said she had met with Manafort twice but said neither Manafort nor Gates played a role in its lobbying activities. The center has declined for years to reveal specific sources of its funding. Prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act are generally rare, although a former U.S. congressman, Mark Siljander, R-Mich., pleaded guilty in July 2010 to illegal lobbying under the law and obstruction of justice for his work with a charity in Khartoum, Sudan, that prosecutors said was suspected of funding international terrorism. Siljander served one year in prison. Lobbyists in general prefer not to register under the foreign agents law because its requirements are so much more demanding, making their activities more open to public scrutiny. The Justice Department, for example, requires those who register as lobbyists on behalf of foreign governments or parties to detail the home addresses of lobbyists and descriptions of all receipts, payments, political contributions and details about any lectures, emails, pamphlets or press releases they create. Lobbying records filed in the U.S. Senate, in contrast, such as the ones describing payments to the Podesta Group and Mercury by the European Centre, are far less detailed. The Justice Department's own published guidelines describe foreign political parties as covered under the law. Podesta's firm has previously registered its activities with the Justice Department over its work for Albania, the Republic of Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, India, Japan, Kenya, Kosovo, the Maldives, Moldova, Morocco, Somalia, South Korea, South Sudan, Vietnam and others. A young Arkansas girl who was reportedly zip-tied to furniture and repeatedly beaten by her mother's live-in boyfriend has been taken into state custody. Police in Hot Springs arrested mother-of-six Jennifer Denen, 30, and her boyfriend Clarence Reed, 47, on Friday after an examination of the girl found that she was covered in bruises and scars and had dried blood in her mouth. When the four-year-old was asked by authorities to give her name, she replied 'Idiot'. Horror: A four-year-old girl in Hot Springs, Arkansas, told police that her mother's boyfriend beat her and zip-tied her to a bed and chair in their home (child on left in Facebook photo with what appears to be a ligature mark and her younger sister on right) Behind bars: The girl's mother Jennifer Denen (left) and her boyfriend Clarence Reed (right) were arrested by police on Friday The Sentinel-Record obtained the police report in the case which described the young girl's injuries in detail. They include 'deep purple bruising on her bottom, lower back and legs; a black eye; swollen right cheek; a bruise on her forehead; healing scars across her back; and dried blood in the corner of her mouth'. There were also ligature marks on her wrist from when she was reportedly tied to the bed and a chair in the home. The child was examined by Arkansas Department of Human Services workers and spoke with police at the Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center. Another juvenile who was present at the center confirmed that the young girl was zip-tied and frequently called 'Idiot'. Denen and Reed, who were with the child, were both arrested and booked on charges of first-degree domestic battery, permitting abuse of a minor and first-degree endangering the welfare of a minor. They both face up to 32 years behind bars if convicted on all three counts. Split up: After Dene's arrest her six children (above) were split up, with the four oldest going to stay with their biological father and the victim and the youngest child now in state custody Denen told police when brought in for questions that she had seen Reed hit the child on the behind with a plastic bat. She said that she did not seek medical attention for the young girl's injuries at any point. Reed meanwhile said that he hit the girl with a wooden paddle and admitted to zip-tying her to the bed after he found her climbing into the cupboards in their home. The examination of the girl also found that she appeared to be malnourished. Reed also admitted to calling the girl 'Idiot' but said it was a joke. Denen has five other children. The oldest four are with their biological father while the youngest, whose father is Reed, is also now in state custody. The wife of controversial former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer is set to drop the Apprehended Violence Order against him as the couple's issues are 'likely to be resolved', according to his lawyer. Police lodged an AVO on behalf of Aysha Learmonth last month using her maiden name, less than a year after the couple's lavish wedding shut down streets in western Sydney. Mr Mehajer's lawyer told Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday that it was likely the AVO will be withdrawn. Scroll down for video The wife of controversial former deputy mayor Salim Mehajer (left), Aysha Learmonth (right) is set to drop the Apprehended Violence Order against him Police lodged an AVO on behalf of Aysha Learmonth last month, less than a year after the couple's lavish wedding shut down streets in western Sydney 'It is likely to be resolved without any further evidence,' lawyer Matt Ward said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The former Auburn deputy mayor has stressed that it wasn't Ms Learmonth who sought the AVO, but police, who Mr Mehajer believes have a vendetta against him. 'Aysha has NOT taken out an AVO against me. The police are pursuing for an AVO,' he told news.com.au last month. 'As mentioned before, only death will do us apart (sic).' Mr Mehajer's lawyer told Downing Centre Local Court on Wednesday that it was likely the AVO will be withdrawn Mr Mehajer was fined by Auburn City Council last year over the chaos the couple's extravagant wedding Ms Learmonth deleted photos of the former deputy mayor from her Instagram account earlier this month Earlier this month, Ms Learmonth reactivated her private Instagram account and removed all images of the former deputy mayor. The couple had previously shared an Instagram account, but the page was removed. The 30-year-old beautician reportedly moved out of the couple's mansion to stay with family in the NSW Illawarra region in May. Mr Mehajer was fined by Auburn City Council last year over the chaos the extravagant wedding caused with a brigade of Lamborghinis, Ferraris and four helicopters. The couple had previously shared an Instagram account, but the page was removed The 30-year-old beautician reportedly moved out of the couple's mansion to stay with family in the NSW Illawarra region in May An ultra-realistic baby doll caused police to smash in a car window, believing it to be an abandoned baby. Officers in Keene, New Hampshire, responded to a 911 call reporting that an infant had been left in a car at a shopping plaza. A cop who attended the scene shattered the car window with his baton in a desperate attempt to save the baby. Officers in Keene, New Hampshire, responded to a 911 call reporting that an infant had been left in a car. But the baby turned out to be a 'reborn' doll (pictured) Lt. Jason Short shattered the car window with his baton in a desperate attempt to save the baby. He only realized when he picked it up that it was a doll Lt. Jason Short said the baby had looked 'lifeless' but only realized when he picked it up that it was a doll. He told WMUR-TV: 'It was draped with a light blanket, and I could see little feet out with the non-soled shoes and a bottle of milk. '[It] looked lifeless, looked dead. I went to put my finger in its mouth and it was all resistance. And I'm like, "This is a doll."' The 'reborn' doll, which cost $2,000, belonged to Carolynne Seiffert, from Brattleboro, Vermont. The 'reborn' doll, which cost $2,000, belonged to Carolynne Seiffert (pictured) who collects the dolls as a way to cope with her son's death A member of the public reported seeing a baby inside a car outside a shopping plaza in Keene (pictured) 'Reborn' dolls are made to look as much like a real baby as possible. Police will pay Seiffert, who collects the dolls as a way to cope with her son's death, for the damage to the window. Scott Craddock (right) is suing Abbotsholme School after his son David (left) received just one GCSE A retired truck driver is suing a posh private school for the 125,000 he paid for his son's education - after he left with just one GCSE. Scott Craddock, 57, has served papers on Abbotsholme School in Rocester, Staffordshire, after claiming it didn't deliver on its promises with his 17-year-old son David. The father-of-two claims his son - who left with just a C grade in science - would have been better off going to local comprehensive. Mr Craddock feels like he has been 'ripped off' and was only able to afford the 28,000-a-year tuition fees at the independent boarding school after he worked in the Middle East. He worked in Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt delivering various items for 10 years to save money. And today, Mr Craddock said he didn't believe David was the only one with poor results because GCSEs and A-levels at the school were down across the board last year. The school's GCSE results from the summer of 2015 were lower than the national average, including comprehensives. Just 60 per cent of pupils from the boarding and day school received grades between an A* and a C - while the national average was 69 per cent. Mr Craddock, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, said: 'I paid 28,000 a year for five years for David to go to Abbotsholme. David was disheartened when he got his results. 'He said "you spent all that money on my education and I walk away with one GCSE". 'I sent David to Abbotsholme but in my opinion the school is not value for money in any way, shape or form. 'I was always told my public school was a privilege - but I think he would have done better at a local comp. 'They have not provided what they promised in any shape or form. 'The teachers said he would come away with at least five GCSE's - but he has got one. Mr Craddock paid 28,000-a-year to send his son to the independent boarding school in Rocester, Staffordshire (pictured) 'He wasn't the only one to underachieve so the standard of teaching there is way below what one would expect from a public school education.' Mr Craddock, who is divorced, served legal papers to headmaster Steve Fairclough and the chairman of the governors at the school's summer gathering. He also asked the pair what they were going to do about the school's failings in the middle of their speeches. Mr Craddock added: 'I wanted David to have the same access to education I did so I saved in order to provide him with the opportunity. 'Public school should give you a leg up in life but 125,000 is a lot of money and I have not got what I paid for. 'They boasted about being the best school going but that is absolute poppycock, the staff are clearly not capable of getting the best out of the children. 'I feel like I've been ripped off, they just don't do what they say on the tin. I paid money for a public school education and I did not get a public school education. 'The cleverest kid in the school only came away with a handful of B's and C's so its not the case of my child being thick, because he is not. 'They are obliged to meet certain results and should be held accountable for not providing the standards they should be achieving. 'The money I spent could have paid for a house for him when he turns 18. I will be taking legal action to try and get this money reimbursed.' David claimed he was not even taught some GCSE topics by his teachers which turned up on the exam papers. He said his English teacher predicted he was on course for an A just months before the exams - before he flunked with an E. The teenager added: 'It never felt like I was really pushed or tested by my teachers. 'I can't say they really motivated me at all, they just seemed to think I was doing OK and that I would be fine and get good results. Abbotsholme's GCSE results from the summer of 2015 were lower than the national average, including comprehensives. 'But when it came to the exams I noticed that some questions on the paper we had not even been taught. 'In the Geography and History exams half of it was a foreign language to me and based on things I had never studied in class. 'I'm beginning to wonder whether they were teaching us the right syllabus because some of the questions did not match up at all. 'At the end of each term they did a report on how you were doing and what your expected grades were. 'I was on course for As, Bs and Cs - but I ended up getting E's and just one C. 'There are state schools who did better than our school, it's not the way it's supposed to be. 'They just simply didn't teach us the right things and my education suffered as a result.' David is now studying arboriculture and horticulture at Reaseheath College, in Nantwich, Cheshire, and has passed the second part of his horticulture diploma with merits. He is also re-sitting his Science and Maths GCSEs. Mr Craddock added: 'The standard of education seems much better than the school. 'The only thing he came away from Abbotsholme with differently is that his best friend is the son of a Russian oligarch. 'Otherwise he might as well have gone the local comp.' Abbotsholme School headmaster Mr Fairclough admitted that last year's results were 'not as good' as previous years. He added: 'I am unable to comment on any contact or dealings that Abbotsholme School has with Mr Craddock for legal reasons. 'The school has followed our published complaints procedure to the letter and Mr Craddock has had every chance to present his case in the appropriate manner. ABBOTSHOLME SCHOOL Abbotsholme School is an independent boarding and day school for boys and girl aged between two and 18 in the village of Rocester, Staffordshire. It was founded by Scottish academic Dr Cecil Reddie in 1889 and initially had just 61 pupils. The school charges up to 23,205-a-year for full boarders from Years 3-6, with fees of 26,895 for boarders in Years 7-9 and 30,765 for Years 10-11. Abbotsholme boasts 'exceptional facilities' including an indoor climbing wall, a 70-acre working farm and a British Horse Society approved Equestrian Centre. The school also says it has 'first class facilities' for sport, including a brand new Astroturf, as well as music, art and drama. Advertisement 'In regard to last year's results, we recognised at the time that our results were not as good as in previous years, and have taken a number of steps this year - and for future years - to reverse this situation. 'In doing so, we are now on course to receive excellent results this year due to the hard work of all the teaching staff. 'Abbotsholme School prides itself on providing a balanced education and creating an environment where a passion for learning and continuous improvement is the norm for both pupils and staff. 'Our balanced approach to education encourages both academic excellence and character development through outdoor activities and practical learning - both are treated with equal importance. 'This means our pupils leave Abbotsholme confident, resilient, and respectful of others and their abilities, and are able to adapt to life's challenges both personally and in the workplace.' Mr Fairclough sparked controversy in In February 2014 when he said headteachers should instil a 'culture of fear' through performance related pay for teachers. Speaking at the national conference of heads and educationists, he said: 'Fear is good. Make them fear failure. 'Make them so scared if they don't perform or if they don't behave in a way you want them to, you'll ask them to leave. 'We don't want poor performers in our schools or those that behave badly because they will detract from our school's reputation. 'Poor teachers should be afraid - they should be very afraid.' His comments provoked a furious reaction from union leaders with one claiming they were 'appalling'. Figures show just 8.2 per cent of Abbotsholme students received an A* or an A, which is almost three times lower than the national average of 21.2 per cent. Two people smugglers who attempted to sneak an Albanian man into the UK via the Channel Tunnel have been jailed for a total of six years. Romanian Ana-Maria Roman and Albanian Skender Amati were stopped by Border Force officers in France who noticed an issue with their travel documents. Travelling in the car with the pair was a third man, who officers did not believe was the rightful owner of the Romanian ID card he had presented. Roman, 27, and Amati, 50, were arrested and charged with assisting unlawful immigration into the UK. Roman has now been jailed for two and a half years and Amati to three and a half years. Skender Amati (left) and Ana-Maria Roman (right) have been jailed for trying to sneak an Albanian man onto a Eurotunnel train in France with a fake Romanian ID The pair had left Manchester, where Roman lives, in January this year and travelled to Calais by ferry. Just 52 minutes after they arrived in France, the pair drove up to the Eurotunnel ticket booth in Coquelles to travel back to the UK. After an inspection of their travel documents, officers had suspicions about the identity of the third man. Despite having been in France for less than an hour, the pair claimed they had travelled to Calais to visit Roman's brother. They said they picked up the man at a petrol station and believed him to be Romanian. Roman admitted a people smuggling charge at Canterbury Crown Court. Amati, who lives in Middlewich, Cheshire, was found guilty earlier this month. The pair arrived at the Eurotunnel terminal less than an hour after arriving in France Following their sentencing, Assistant Director David Fairclough, from the Immigration Enforcement Criminal Investigations team, said: 'This is an excellent example of well-trained Border Force officers identifying the incorrect documentation that was being used to attempt to facilitate this man's illegal entry into the UK. 'This prison sentence should serve as a warning to anyone thinking of abusing our immigration rules. We will catch you, and you will face imprisonment. 'Working closely with Border Force colleagues our specialist and dedicated teams will rigorously investigate allegations of immigration related criminality.' Advertisement A forgotten British-era bunker has been discovered under a governor's residence in Mumbai decades after it was sealed off. The 500-ft long underground shelter was used when India was under colonial British rule, and it reopened this month for the first time in decades. Spread over more than 5,000 square feet with 13 rooms, the stone bunker was hidden beneath Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Maharashtra state Governor Vidyasagar Rao. Spread over more than 5,000 square feet with 13 rooms, the stone bunker was hidden beneath Raj Bhavan, the official residence of Maharashtra state Governor Vidyasagar Rao The 500-ft long underground shelter was used when India was under colonial British rule, and it reopened this month for the first time in decades The bunker has rooms named Cartridge Store, Shell Store, Gun Shell, Shell Life, Pump and Workshop Officials are now trying to find out what the bunker was used for and when it was constructed. The site has served as a governor's residence since the mid-1880s and before that it was used as a summer residence or hunting lodge by the British. Rao heard whispers that a bunker existed under the residence and he set out to find out whether the rumours were true. On 12 August a team of workers broke through a temporary wall that was built stop people from entering it. On 12 August a team of workers broke through a temporary wall that was built stop people from entering it Rao heard whispers that a bunker existed under the residence and he set out to find out whether the rumours were true The bunker opens with a 20-ft tall gate and a ramp, with long passages and rooms named Shell Store, Gun Shell, Cartridge Store, Shell Life, Pump and Workshop, the Times of India reported. Even though no one had entered the bunker for many years it was found to be surprisingly intact, with a drainage system and inlets for fresh air and natural light. Photographers were invited to tour the bunker at the governor's 50-acre Malabar Hill residence on Tuesday when it was visited by Rao and other Indian officials. A government employee whose father had told him about the bunker years ago informed Rao that it was sealed around a century ago, the Times of India reported. Even though no one had entered the bunker for many years it was found to be surprisingly intact Other reports suggested the bunker was sealed after India became an independent country in 1947. Rao said: 'We were really surprised to see what was inside. There are many rooms. Perhaps it was constructed during the Portuguese regime or the British regime. We don't know.' Public workers have installed lights inside the bunker and archaeologists will be brought in to inspect it and learn more about its history. Rao, who has opened the grounds of Raj Bhavan and its scenic spots overlooking the sea, hopes to open the bunker to the public as part of a museum. Raj Bhavan, formerly known as Government House, served as the residence of British governors from 1885,when Lord Reay turned it into a permanent home, until India gained its independence almost 70 years ago, NDTV reported. A brave great-grandmother used an iron bar to fend off a robber who was trying to raid the bookmakers where she worked and told him: 'P*** off, you're no' getting anything.' Mary Buchan, 66, stood up to Michael McLean, a six-foot tall thug who had previously raided a nearby bookies armed with a shovel. But her actions prevented McLean from taking anything from William King and Sons bookmaker in Glasgow, Scotland. Mary Buchan, 66, used an iron bar (pictured) to stand up to a robber who tried to steal from a bookies in Glasgow But the brave great-grandmother told him to 'P*** off' and added 'you're not getting anything' Ms Buchan, who is just 5ft tall, said: 'I was in the shop myself, it was night time and I had my back to the counter. 'I turned round, he was in front of me and he had a big wooden stick in his hand. 'He said I am in here to get your money so I never answered him. 'He said I am not joking I am going f****** rob you. 'My reaction was "p*** off 'cause I am no' giving you anything".' McLean, from Toryglen, Glasgow, also admitted robbing a branch of Ladbrokes Bookmakers in Glasgow's Saltmarket by brandishing a shovel at an employee and taking 405. But he didn't bargain on coming face to face with Mary, who is from Castlemilk. On Tuesday, McLean was jailed for five years at the High Court of Glasgow. Ms Buchan, who has two great-grandchildren and six grandchildren, added: 'He threatened me with the stick and I had the iron bar at my feet, and I lifted it and I said "try it". 'He tried to get his hands into the till and at that point I phoned the police. 'They were that quick and they got him about five shops along. 'I think it is all my years of experience in betting shops. I have been in betting shops since 1968.' And the courageous grandmother said she wasn't even scared until after it was all over. Ms Buchan, 66, stood up to Michael McLean, a six-foot tall thug who raided two bookies She added: 'I wasn't scared at the time, it was after when I thought about it. 'The sentence will keep him off the streets for a few years, won't it?' Police investigating the attempted robber were impressed with her bravery. Mary said police said afterwards: 'She's fine, he is traumatised.' Ms Buchan added: 'My family think it is hysterical because they know me so well. They said who in their right mind would try to get money off you?' The court heard that before the first robbery McLean had placed 30 to 40 bets on horse and dog races. Advocate depute Bernard Ablett, prosecuting, said: 'About 6.20pm the accused then re-entered the bookmakers, this time with his hood up, and in possession of a shovel which he brandished and shouted "Gies the money". 'The member of staff was fearful for his safety and handed the accused 405.' McLean fled with the cash and two hours later targeted the bookies in Battlefield Road. A Metro Nashville police officer has been decommissioned after being accused of slapping a woman during an arrest. Officer Elizabeth Berry-Loucks is charged with misdemeanor assault in Tuesday's early morning incident. Officials say Berry-Loucks was conducting a search of a woman under arrest for drug and gun charges when Berry-Loucks was stuck by an uncapped syringe hidden in the suspect's bra. Officer Elizabeth Berry-Loucks (left) has been decommissioned after being accused of slapping Rachel Hall (right) during an arrest Police say that's when Berry-Loucks slapped the woman in the face. Berry-Loucks is a three-year veteran of the department. Authorities say she sought medical treatment for the needle stick and has been assigned to desk duty pending the investigation. A release said '9.5 grams of heroin, 2.9 grams of cocaine, 112 miscellaneous pills in baggies, and 3 pistols' were recovered from Hall's apartment on Bell Road (pictured) A release said the woman that Berry-Loucks was arresting, 22-year-old Rachel Hall, 'is charged with possession of heroin for resale, felony theft, possession of pills without a prescription, unlawful use of drug paraphernalia, and violation of Tennessees Crooks with Guns law. 'She is held in lieu of $25,000 bond.' Tensions were rising in Benidorm this August as holidaymakers got ready for one of the biggest sporting events of the summer season - the race to get a sunbed. Crowds of sun worshippers gathered round the pool at Hotel Flamingo Oasis in the Spanish resort, in a bid to get prime position around the pool. Footage filmed at the hotel shows staff signal the start of the rampage by shouting the word 'go' at the eager competitors. Holidaymakers in Benidorm got ready for one of the biggest sporting events of the summer season - the race to get a sunbed And there was no holding back as each scrambled to mark their territory with towels, T-shirts and chairs. At the start of the clip, the camera pans around the pool to show tourists lining up around endless piles of sunloungers. Grasping their towels, the holidaymakers wait with anticipation for permission to reserve their seats. Crowds of sun worshippers gathered round the pool at Hotel Flamingo Oasis in the Spanish resort Footage filmed at the hotel shows staff signal the start of the rampage by shouting the word 'go' at the eager competitors. Upon hearing the word 'go' one man is quick to make his way to the front of the queue and spreads four towels out in rapid succession along the edge of the pool. Meanwhile, other people are seen to grab sunloungers - with some even taking multiple beds at a time. As the mad dash continues, holidayers are seen to carry other items of furniture onto the scene, including plastic chairs. There was no holding back as each scrambled to mark their territory with towels, T-shirts and chairs Other people are seen to grab sunloungers - with some even taking multiple beds at a time Most people were grappling to get as close to the pool as possible and the most prized seats are quickly taken. However, this didn't deter hotel residents, as they continued to cover up the rest of the floor with sunloungers and chairs - until the pavement below could barely be seen. Despite the mad rush, the holidaymakers appeared to remain civil with each other at all times. Holidayers are seen to carry other items of furniture onto the scene, including plastic chairs A man accused of killing a North Carolina mother and her three daughters is being held on a murder charge after fleeing to Virginia. Greenville Police Chief Mark Holtzman said at a news conference Wednesday that 39-year-old Dibon Jab Toone has been charged with killing 32-year-old Garlette Howard, and he will be charged with the children's deaths as well. Holtzman said Howard and the three children, ages 6, 7 and 11, were found dead on Tuesday night. He didn't say how the victims were killed. Scroll down for video Greenville Police Chief Mark Holtzman said that 39-year-old Dibon Jab Toone (left) has been charged with killing 32-year-old Garlette Howard (right), and he will be charged with the children's deaths as well. The children were ages 6, 7, and 11 Toone was arrested hours later in Richmond, Virginia. Holtzman said that Toone was the father of the two younger children and appears to have been living at the home where the bodies were found. According to police, from 7pm to 7.30pm Tuesday, 'Greenville police received multiple calls from out-of-state family members of 39-year-old Dibon Toone. 'The family members relayed that Toone had made concerning comments regarding the welfare of his children and their mother.' Police said they were dispatched to Toone's Grovemont Drive residence. Authorities performing a welfare check found the victims' bodies about 8pm Tuesday. Greenville police said they were dispatched to Toone's Grovemont Drive residence (pictured) Authorities performing a welfare check found the victims' bodies about 8pm Tuesday Greenville police said: 'Toone was involved in a romantic relationship with Howard and is the father of the two youngest victims. 'Detectives are looking into the possibility that the victims may have been killed several days prior to the discovery of their bodies.' Authorities said that at 11pm Tuesday, they 'obtained information that Toone was in the Richmond, Virginia area. GPD alerted local authorities in Richmond.' Toone was driving Howard's work-issued vehicle and was taken into custody at midnight in Richmond, according to the police timeline. Holtzman said that Toone was the father of the two younger children and appears to have been living at the home where the bodies were found Police revealed that on Monday, 'Concerned coworkers contacted the Police Department at approximately 3pm after Howard did not show up to work at LabCorp. 'Officers attempted to check on Howard's welfare but were not able to make contact. 'Howard's work-issued car was not at the residence at the time and there was no indication, at that point, that Howard may be in danger. The check on welfare was documented.' Greenfield police said in July, Toone tried to kill himself and authorities were called to the home. They wrote: 'Officers sought and obtained involuntary commitment papers and Toone was transported to Vidant Medical Center where he was admitted for a psychiatric evaluation. 'There was no indication during the July 22 incident that he intended to harm anyone but himself.' Holtzman said Howard and the three children, ages 6, 7 and 11, were found dead on Tuesday night. He didn't say how the victims were killed Authorities said that back in May 2009, 'Howard reported Toone to the Greenville Police Department after he used her vehicle without her permission. He was charged accordingly.' Police wrote on Facebook: 'These four innocent victims were senselessly murdered at the hands of someone they loved. 'As little girls, you should be able to trust your father to look to him for advice, and know he will always be there to protect you. A trainee pilot has avoided jail after admitting stealing more than 11,000-worth of jewellery and designer goods from a duty free shop at Gatwick Airport. Lavanyah Anandarooban, who graduated with a degree in Air Transport with Commercial Pilot Training at Bucks New University in 2014 - in which she received her private pilot's licence - was working at the airport when she lifted the goods. Lavanyah Anandarooban, 23, admitted stealing from World Duty Free at Gatwick airport. The trainee pilot, pictured above in 2012 after finishing at Bucks New University, was told to complete 150 hours of unpaid work Anandarooban stole Michael Kors watches, pictured left, as well as make-up and beauty products, right, over a seven-month period from the Sussex airport shop Crawley JPs heard how the 23-year-old pinched jewellery and watches by designer Michael Kors, as well as bracelets and charms, a purse and large number of Swarovski items, between January and July this year. The court heard how Anandarooban - who was studying to become a full-time pilot - was working at the time at the World of Duty Free at the south terminal of the airport in West Sussex when she took the items over a seven-month period. She was arrested at her home in Walthamstow, east London, on July 25 after her employers launched an investigation and found her taking items from the stock room. Officers found a stash of stolen items at her home and she was arrested and charged with theft. Jeremy King, prosecuting, told the court last week how the thefts were uncovered during a stock check in April - with shop bosses rigging a CCTV camera up to catch Anandarooban in the act. Anandarooban, worked in World Duty Free in Gatwick, above, while training for her commercial airline licence. She was caught stealing jewellery and designer goods worth 11,000 when bosses rigged CCTV cameras in the stock room The 23-year-old who is training to fly commercial aircraft, took designer goods including Swarovski and Chloe jewellery, pictured above. Most was recovered and returned to the shop Probation worker Lesley Clark told the court: 'She stole just over 11,000 worth of goods. 'She has been to university, and has been learning to fly (commercial) aircraft - she is a very talented and skilled person. 'She wasn't able to comprehend custody, she has no perception of what it would be like and was too upset and fearful of what it would be like. Anandarooban pleaded guilty to theft by employee and was handed 150 hours of unpaid work and a one-year community order and ordered to pay 85 in costs and a 65 victim surcharge. 'She is capable academically, a curfew would not be suitable but I do think she would suitable for unpaid work.' Andrew Bullivant, defending, told the court that another member of staff had 'coerced' Anandarooban into taking the items, but added: 'She does take responsibility for what she has done. 'I doubt this young lady would ever grace a criminal court again. This is something which will live with her for the rest of her life.' Anandarooban pleaded guilty to theft by employee and was handed 150 hours of unpaid work and a one-year community order and ordered to pay 85 in costs and a 65 victim surcharge. Sussex Police released images of the student's haul and Gatwick Airport Sergeant Darren Taylor said her conviction showed that theft in the airport would not be tolerated Anandarooban was said to be upset and fearful at the thought of prison when she was caught with the 11,000 haul Sergeant Darren Taylor, of the Gatwick Airport Policing Team, said: 'This conviction sends a clear message that theft on any scale - whether you are a passenger or an employee at Gatwick Airport - will not be tolerated. 'As an employee based at the airport, you will probably end up with a criminal record in addition to losing your job, which could also affect future employment. 'As a passenger, you will also have a criminal record and run the risk of being refused on your flight. Hie was driving home from a funeral when she A woman has admitted to being high on drugs when she crashed her car and killed her four-year-old daughter while driving home from a funeral. Kylie Anne Hie, 34, had methamphetamine in her system when she tried to 'squeeze' around a 40 tonne semi-trailer on the South Eastern Freeway in Adelaide in November 2013 after a family member's funeral, according to The Advertiser. Hie's white Toyota smashed into the back of the trailer, killing her daughter Charlotte May-Grace, who was sitting in a car seat that was not properly restrained in the front passenger seat. Scroll down for video Kylie Anne Hie (left), 34, admitted to being high on drugs when she crashed her car and killed her four-year-old daughter Charlotte May-Grace (right) in November 2013 in Adelaide Although she initially denied the charges, Hie pleaded guilty to aggravated death by dangerous driving on Wednesday (pictured) Hie tried to 'squeeze' around a 40 tonne semi-trailer while heading home after a family member's funeral (pictured) Charlotte was sitting in a car seat that was not properly restrained in the front passenger seat Hie pleaded guilty to aggravated death by dangerous driving on the first day of her trial on Wednesday at the Adelaide District Court. She initially denied the charges but changed her plea after visiting the crash site on Wednesday with the court as part of her trial. Charlotte, who was conceived through IVF, died at the Women's and Children's Hospital and Hie received serious injuries. Prosecutor Carmen Matteo told the court Hie was seen driving erratically and tailgated other drivers soon before the crash. Charlotte (right), who was conceived through IVF, died at the Women's and Children's Hospital and Hie (left) received serious injuries The car hit another car after hitting the semi-trailer before slamming back into the trailer for a second time Hie and her daughter were heading home from a funeral on the day of the crash Hie changed her plea on the first day of her trial on Wednesday after visiting the crash site with the court ' (She) failed to judge, or misjudged the time and space she had to move out from behind the semi-trailer,' she said. 'It was an appreciably risk driving manoeuvre to do.' Hie claimed she suffered from a seizure at the time of the crash, her attorney Heather Stokes said. Hie (pictured) has previously been convicted of drink-driving, speeding and driving while disqualified Prosecutor Carmen Matteo told the court Hie was seen driving erratically and tailgated other drivers soon before the crash It had 'obviously been very difficult for my client for a very long time,' Ms Stokes told the court. Hie has previously been convicted of drink-driving, speeding and driving while disqualified. She was granted bail this week and ordered to return to court in October for sentencing. Alpha doesn't want his dad's name to promote 'fear and exclusion' Pauline Hanson has used the incident in her 'crusade against Muslims' Curtis Cheng was murdered by Farhad Jabbar in Parramatta late last year The son of murdered police employee Curtis Cheng says he's wants to deal with his father's death privately, but realises it has become a huge issue for the country. Alpha Cheng was speaking to Waleed Aly on The Project when they discussed the impact on his father's death on himself and on the perception of Muslims in Australia. He said he was upset his father's name had been dragged by people like Pauline Hanson into a debate about fear and marginalising Muslims. Scroll down for video Alpha Cheng, son of murdered police accountant Curtis Cheng, has talked to The Project about his loss At times during their conversation, Waleed Aly was visibly emotional The Cheng family - Curtis, Selina, and children Zilvia and Alpha pictured together before Curtis was killed He said when he moved to Australia from Hong Kong as a child, it was when Hanson was in government and projecting anti-Asian sentiment. 'As someone who's about eight or nine, just recently come to the country it adds an air that you don't feel very welcome. I remember clearly people at school asking me "oh do you know you might be kicked out of the country soon?". 'I don't want people in the Muslim community, especially young people, too feel like they are not welcome here, to feel like they are not Australian because of their faith, their birth.' Alpha has written an open letter to Hanson, saying he doesn't want his father's name associated with any rejection of Muslim people, and he reiterated that to Aly. Children Zilvia and Alpha and wife Selina watch as family lay flowers on his casket during the service for Mr Cheng Alpha Cheng speaks to the mourners during the funeral service for his father Zilvia (left) and Alpha Cheng at the funeral for their father in October 2015 He also realised his father's death had become a major issue in the country. 'What I have experienced in terms of talking with so many different people is that a lot of people besides my immediate family have been affected... emotionally, or intellectually, or politically. 'It is painful every time it does get brought up but but I'm finding the conversations that I'm having just fulfilling.. . I feel like that's sort of what i need to do for dad's legacy.' Alpha, a teacher, says the pupils he teaches are the same age as Jabbar, and neither he, nor his students, can comprehend how someone their age could kill. When asked by Aly about his thoughts on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson's comments about his father's death - and other public conversations about it, he said: 'He came to Australia, he brought our family over in the hopes of building a better life. 'Being included in society and contribute to society. So I feel like my message is to continue that belief that we all can contribute and build Australia.' An emotional Aly said he couldn't comprehend how Alpha dealt with the situation and asked how he managed it. He said he didn't know how to cope with public scrutiny of his father's death, but did his best, having no choice but to be strong. An emotional Aly said he couldn't comprehend how Alpha dealt with the situation A Texas mother has been awarded $10.3million after a jury agreed a botched forceps delivery killed her newborn daughter. Rachel Melancon was expecting a healthy baby girl when she went into labor at the Medical Center of Southeast Texas on December 28, 2013. But her birth ended in tragedy after Dr. George Backardjiev chose to use forceps during the delivery, a court heard. On Tuesday, a jury agreed that Dr. Backardjiev was overwhelmingly responsible for the death of her daughter and awarded Melancon almost $10.3million. Backardjiev was ordered to pay 95 percent of the award - $9.7million. Olivia's father and Melancon's fiance Allen Coats, killed himself in 2015 - just over a year after the death of his baby girl. Scroll down for video Rachel Melancon (pictured with her newborn daughter Olivia and her then-fiance Allen Coats shortly before the girl's death in 2013) has been awarded $10.3million in damages Melancon broke down in tears (pictured) at court yesterday as the verdict was read out Dr. George Backardjiev (left, at court) was found to be mostly responsible for the death of Olivia and must pay 95 percent of the damages The jury heard how, as a medical device was clamped around her baby's head, Melancon described hearing a pop 'like pottery cracking' as her daughter's skull was crushed. Baby Olivia Coats was eventually delivered via C-section with severe brain damage and died just five days later. The 26-year-old broke down in tears as the verdict was read out in court yesterday, Khou reports. 'It's real tough,' Melancon's attorney Malachi Daws said. 'On the one hand I think that they are anxious to get this chapter of their lives behind them but on the other hand it is opening up old wounds.' Dr. Backardjiev's attorney had insisted the tragedy was not a result of negligence, describing his client as a caring doctor who stayed all evening with Melancon after the incident. Melancon says that, at 4ft 11in and weighing 95lb before she became pregnant, she had pleaded to be able to deliver her large, overdue baby by cesarean section. But doctors warned her against having that type of delivery, saying she'd be left with a scar, her mother-in-law Angie Coats told ABC News. Devastating: Baby Olivia was kept on life support for five days before she finally died Letting go: Olivia's parents, who kept a vigil at her bedside, donated her heart valve to save another baby Rachel Melancon (pictured with her newborn daughter Olivia and her then-fiance Allen Coats shortly before her death in 2013) was in labor for 18 hours A jury agreed that Dr George Backardjiev was overwhelmingly responsible for the death of baby Olivia Coats (pictured with her mother and father in hospital in December 2013) After going into labor, baby Oliva's heart rate was increasing but the expectant mom kept being told to wait. 'I t was 18 hours until the delivery. [Rachel] was running a 103 fever... Five hours passed, then [the obstetrician] came in and she started to push. But she was so worn out and the baby wasn't even in the birth canal,' Coats said. She claimed the baby was facing the wrong way and Dr Backardjiev tried to turn her with his hands. 'When he couldn't do that, he took the small forceps to try to pull the baby out. He kept going and even put his foot up on the bed trying to pull,' she said. Melancon (left, leaving court, and right, on social media) says that, at 4ft 11in and weighing 95lb before she became pregnant, she had pleaded to be able to deliver her large, overdue baby by cesarean section but was denied it by doctors Following the jury's verdict this week, the Medical Center of Southeast Texas (pictured) said it planned to fight the ruling Heartbroken: Allen Coats and Rachel Melancon with baby Olivia whose skull was crushed during an attempted forceps delivery, sued the hospital for negligence ' When he touched the top and side of the skull, we heard a pop, like clay cracking in pottery and heard her skull crush.' Ms Melancon was rushed off for an emergency cesarean but when Olivia was finally delivered the family say she was unable breathe. Their baby was rushed to Hermann Hospital, where the parents were told that she had suffered numerous fractures. Risks to mother and baby during a forceps delivery In a forceps delivery a metal instrument, shaped like salad tongs, is clamped around the baby's head. They are used to either guide the baby out the birth canal or, if the baby is facing the wrong way, to rotate the baby. The mother is generally given an episiotomy - an incision from the vagina to the anus - as there is an increased likelihood of tearing. It is considered a risky delivery, with the Mayo Clinic reminding expectant mothers that generally when a forceps delivery is recommended a C-Section is also an option. In the mother, forceps can cause long-term urinary or fecal incontinence; genital tears; and damage to the uterus or bladder. For babies, forceps can cause fractures, bleeding within the skull and facial injuries. Advertisement In a post on their Facebook page, Melancon said she heard '2 big popping sounds (it was her skull)' as the doctor used the forceps. She claimed her baby was then left in the birth canal while the doctor stitched Ms Melancon up before she could have the emergency C-section. 'I felt her pulled out of me and the room was silent. No crying baby and they told Allen to leave the room. That's the last I remember before waking up to my baby girl lifeless,' she said in a heartbreaking post. The parents kept a vigil at Olivia's bedside for five days before she was taken off life support. Her heart valve and tissue behind her legs and knees were donated to save another baby's life. Skull fractures are a risk during forceps births. The Mayo Clinic advises: 'Keep in mind that whenever a forceps delivery is recommended, a C-section is typically also an option.' Following the jury's verdict this week, the Medical Center of Southeast Texas said it planned to fight the ruling. Richard Gonzalez, CEO of the center, said: 'While we are very sympathetic for the mother's loss and apparently, the jury was swayed by sympathy as well, we strongly support our nurses and the excellent care they deliver. We disagree with the verdict for a number of legal factual reasons and will pursue post verdict relief and appeal.' A teenage bodybuilder has fallen victim to a malicious pornography sharing forum after her social media photographs emerged on the vile website. Queensland model Tiahna Prosser has amassed nearly 8,000 Instagram followers for her bikini-clad, gym-tone body images she uploads ahead of competitions. The 18-year-old competitive bodybuilder was outraged when she discovered 'bonus points' were being offered to anyone who could track down nude pictures of her and share it to the website, News Corp reported. The Australian-based forum has been a platform for men to share sexually explicit images of young girls they have slept with or trade raunchy photos to each other. Queensland model Tiahna Prosser, 18, (pictured) has fallen victim to a malicious pornography sharing forum after her photographs emerged on the vile website 'It was like I had been sold, it's just horrible especially when they want it of you specifically - that's when it's really disturbing,' Ms Prosser told News Corp. 'Half these people on the site I didn't even know they existed and they are asking for (naked) pictures of me to look at. 'It's so violating to know what they are thinking and doing. It's not something I want to think about on a daily basis.' The young woman said she was initially unaware of her photos were being shared among other men on the forum. But the moment she became aware, Ms Prosser said she felt disturbed by the thought of not having any control over the website. However, Ms Prosser said she was certain there were no explicit images of her uploaded to the website. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Tiahna Prosser for comment. The 18-year-old competitive bodybuilder was outraged when she discovered 'bonus points' were being offered to anyone who could find nude pictures of her The incident comes as the Australian Federal Police are investigating an online pornographic forum containing naked pictures of underage school girls. Detectives are working with state counterparts to shut down the site that encourages boys to post nudes of young girls to the site without their consent. However, Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Miles, from Queensland, warned the explicit photos of girls from 70 schools across the country would be difficult to remove from cyberspace. 'The reality is, that once that image is up on the internet, it is there forever. We can't take it down,' Det Sen Sgt Miles said. Hillary Clinton's running mate Tim Kaine says untruths the Democrat may have told about her emails can be chalked up to 'variations' in the language she used when answering scores of questions about the scandal. 'If you ask somebody a question 150 times or 200 times, you're gonna be able to find that they don't use exactly the same word every time,' Kaine told NBC's Savannah Guthrie on Today. 'There's gonna be variations, and then people are gonna play on those. ' Clinton has admitted she made a mistake and apologized, he said. 'When has Donald Trump during the course of this campaign or his life said I made a mistake, and I'm better and I'm gonna learn from it.' Hillary Clinton's running mate Tim Kaine says untruths the Democrat may have told about her emails can be chalked up to 'variations' in the language she used when answering scores of questions about the scandal Guthrie had noted that at least four times that Clinton made statements to the public that 'turned out' not to be true. She told him Clinton had used the 'same verbiage' on those occasions, the issue is that what she said 'just happens to not be true.' 'Here's what I've heard her say. I've heard her say, I made a mistake, and I've learned something from it, and I wouldn't do it again, and I apologize.' Pressing him, Guthrie said Clinton has not, however, acknowledged that she made false statements to the American people. 'The bottom line is this: This is an area where she says, I made a mistake and I've learned from it, and I've improved, and I'm gonna do it differently,' Kaine said. Clinton says she never sent or received classified information. But the FBI's investigation into her secret server determined that she did receive several items that were labeled classified, although they were not properly marked. That's a distinction she and her campaign have used in its defense of her behavior - the emails were missing the appropriate classified headings even though they had classified markings inside. And, the information the messages to Clinton contained was not, in almost every instance, actually classified, they say, pointing to statements from the State Department. It was mistakenly marked that way. Clinton also testified under oath to Congress that her lawyers turned over all of her work product. They determined which emails were personal and which belonged to the State Department through search terms. But they also read and reviewed each individual email, she claimed. FBI Director James Comey said her lawyers did not, in fact, look at every email. They relied solely on the search terms, allowing thousands of her emails to slip through the cracks. Kaine was joined by wife Anne Holton. She said she's not interested in his Senate seat if he becomes vice president The State Department said Tuesday that it would comply with a lawsuit brought by a conservative watchdog group, Judicial Watch, and turn over the emails discovered by the FBI for public release. Clinton's email woes became a fresh problem for the Democratic ticket yesterday when the FBI gave copies of its notes from her interview with agents to Congress. Her campaign told reporters it would prefer that the bureau also make those documents public, all at once. The Democratic presidential candidate's aides do not want them released or leaked in piecemeal, dragging out the saga even longer. Kaine told Guthrie in the special for Today, 'Anything that the FBI gives to Congress they should give to the public. 'Let the public see what the FBI decides to let Congress see,' the Virginia senator stated. Clinton and Kaine are beating Republicans Trump and running mate Mike Pence in national surveys by six points on average, according to poll-tracking website Real Clear Politics. Their odds of winning Colorado and Virginia, Kaine's home state, had them putting ad buys on hold there this month and redistributing the resources elsewhere. Kaine said they're not getting over confident, though, as some Democrats worry. 'I see no complacency in the team,' he said, positing that it's already been 'a season of surprises.' As for Clinton's mental and physical stamina, something Trump questioned this week on the trail, Kaine said, 'I have no idea what he's talking about.' She spent four years as secretary of state traveling around the world, and has put up with the 'grueling nature' of the campaign. Trump, he said, is mentioning her health to 'deflect attention' from his own deficiencies. Kaine's wife Anne Holton, the former secretary of education for Virginia, joined him for the interview on NBC. She resigned from her post when her husband was tapped to be Clinton's VP. Holton said it was hard to leave to her job but she's enjoying her time on the campaign trail. The politician's wife also said she has no interest in taking his U.S. Senate seat if he's elected to the White House. The politician father of a 10-year-old boy who was decapitated on the world's tallest water slide has thanked the family's supporters - but is looking for answers. Scott Schwab said 'words will never convey the appreciation' his family has received in his first public statement, 10 days after his son Caleb was killed on the 168-foot tall 'Verruckt' ride at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas. He spoke out as Hannah Barnes, 32, and Matraca Baetz, 25 - the two women riding alongside Caleb on the doomed ride - began their own investigation into what happened. They were both injured on the slide and have hired attorneys to conduct their own independent probe. Scroll down for video Kansas House representative Scott Schwab has thanked supporters for their love in his first statement 10 days after his son Caleb (both pictured) was killed on the world's tallest water slide during a family day out Hannah Barnes, 32, and Matraca Baetz, 25 - the two women riding alongside Caleb on the doomed ride - have begun their own investigation into what happened. They are being represented by Schwab's attorney Schwab, a state representative from Olathe, added that he hopes the investigation into the youngster's horrific death will provide assurances it will never happen again. 'Words will never convey the appreciation Michele, the boys, and I have for all those who expressed their love and support the last week and a half,' he said in a statement through his lawyer. ''Thank you' seems so inadequate to express our appreciation, but it is the only phrase we have. So, from the depths of out hearts, we thank you.' He added: 'While we try to step forward into the new normal life without Caleb in our presence, we find hope with the current investigation into the incident to provide answers and assurances that such tragedy would not strike again.' Schwab hired Leawood law firm Bartimus Frickleton Robertson to represent the family, the Kansas City Star reported. Michael Rader, a partner in the law firm hired by the Schwabs, said Schlitterbahn has cooperated with his independent investigation of the tragedy that also injured the raft's two other occupants Barnes and Baetz. 'I can say that my firm and I along with our team of experts are doing everything in our power to ensure that all questions surrounding the cause of this tragedy are fully answered,' Rader wrote. Cameron Morgan, a police spokesman, said earlier Tuesday that it's unclear when the investigation will be completed and any findings released. Schwab said 'words will never convey the appreciation' his family has received. He is seen speaking at his son's funeral last week Barnes and Baetz issued a separate statement through their attorney. 'Being mothers ourselves, we can only hope that Caleb's family can find some comfort in knowing we are doing everything we know how to do to stop something so tragic from occurring again to any other family,' the women's statement said. Johnson told The Associated Press that Barnes and Baetz 'want answers and assurances from Schlitterbahn that that slide will be corrected or not continue to be in operation.' 'If necessary, there will be litigation,' he said, adding that 'we have not had the opportunity to have our experts inspect the Verruckt or see the (ride's design) drawings.' When it comes to discussing what caused the tragedy, 'we would be hesitant to say anything until our experts inform us of their opinions,' Johnson said. Caleb Schwab was decapitated in the accident. Schwab's attorney has began an independent investigation into the horrifying incident in a bid to make sure it doesn't happen again. Pictured is the slide Caleb was riding on when he was killed on August 7 Verruckt German for 'insane' features multi-person rafts that make a 168-foot drop at speeds of up to 70 mph, followed by a surge up a hump and a 50-foot descent to a finishing pool. Riders, who must be at least 54 inches tall, are harnessed 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 straps that close with fabric fasteners, not buckles. Riders hold ropes inside the raft. Riders are weighed to ensure each raft carries between 400 pounds and 550 pounds. Police on Monday released a report showing one rider at 140 pounds, another at 170, and an unclear weight for Caleb, who would have had to weigh 90 pounds to make the trio's weight reach 400 pounds. Little Frankie Steele was the 'terror of his town.' At just six years old, he ran amok in the well-off neighborhood where he lived with his mother, little brother and newborn sister. Other parents on Bath Club Boulevard in the small Florida seaside community of North Redington Beach, just outside St Petersburg, would pull their children inside rather than let them play with him because he was too rough. 'He just couldn't control himself,' one told Daily Mail Online. 'There was no way I was going to let my child be around him.' But there was a reason for Frankie's wild ways. His 62-year-old reality show star mom, Kathleen Steele, gave him absolutely no supervision and he had no way of telling right from wrong. Now Frankie has nationwide notoriety and has to pay for the rest of his life for his mother's neglect. He is the boy who admitted to police that he pummeled his 13-day-old sister to death as they sat in his mother's rented van, waiting for her to come out of a cellphone repair shop. Kathleen Marie Steele, 62 (left), has been arrested after her six-year-old son Frankie (right, at age four) beat her newborn daughter to death. Neighbors in the small Florida seaside community of North Redington Beach say the boy was allowed to run wild that his mother gave him little supervision 'She let her kids do what they wanted, when they wanted,' Sheriff Bob Gualtieri of Pinellas County told Daily Mail Online. 'That's not parenting. 'Sometimes tough love is needed but she didn't seem to do any of that.' In one incident, Frankie stole the keys of a neighbor's car and tried to drive it away. One man who was talking to his mother ended up with a nasty bruise to the rib cage after Frankie ran up to him and sucker-punched him with no warning. On the rare occasions his mother tried to control him, Frankie would look witheringly at her, turn and walk away. At just six years old, Frankie Steele's life is already in ruins. His father is dead from cancer. He is unlike to ever see his mother again. He is separated from his younger brother - and worst of all, Frankie will have to live forever knowing that he killed his baby sister in the most gruesome way possible. Internet trolls have already branded him as 'born evil' or 'devil child,' but those with actual knowledge of the case see things differently. They pin the blame on Kathleen Steele, who sought fame on a reality show when she was pregnant with Frankie at 55 years-old, and then went on to have two more children using her dead husband's sperm. Her last child, a daughter whom she named after herself, was born two and a half months after Steele turned 62. She paid a Manhattan doctor tens of thousands of dollars to inseminate her, making sure there was still enough of her husband's sperm left over for more kids in the future. Frankie with his paternal grandmother Barbara Steele, who has passed away, and his little brother a couple of years ago Kathleen Steele, 62, appeared in court on Friday to answer to the charges of aggravated manslaughter of her baby, even though she was in a store at the time the infant died Kathleen Steeles home in North Redington Beach was damaged by fire just weeks before her baby was born in July and the family was forced to move out But she will never have those other children. Kathleen Steele now faces up to 30 years in prison, charged with the aggravated manslaughter of her baby, even though she was in a cellphone repair store at the time the infant died, trying to get her mobile device fixed after Frankie had dropped it and shattered the screen. 'I guess her cellphone was more important to her than her children,' the sheriff said. Gualtieri has branded Kathleen Steele as an 'inadequate mother'. But that doesn't describe half of it, Daily Mail Online has discovered. Frankie Steele was born to well-off parents who lived an idyllic life in a million-dollar waterfront home. He has been deemed exceptionally bright for his age. His dad was a merchant seaman who plied the oceans for 40 years, 34 of them as a chief engineer. His mom had a job as a broker for Raymond James, one of the country's leading financial services company. Frankie Steele was born in October 2009. While she was pregnant, Steele filmed the reality show I'm Pregnant and. It was the fifth in the series, airing on the Discovery Health Channel some 12 weeks after he was born. In 2010, Steele and her husband starred on the reality show 'I'm Pregnant and...55 Years Old', when they were expecting their first child Phil and Kathleen Steele are pictured above on the reality show. The couple got married when they were in their mid-40s It was entitled I'm Pregnant and 55 Years Old. Others included I'm Pregnant and Homeless, I'm Pregnant and A Stripper, and I'm Pregnant and My Husband Wants To Become A Woman. 'Behind the scenes, people are shaking their heads and saying: "What on earth can they possibly be thinking?" her husband Philip said on camera during the show. 'All I've ever wanted to do was to have kids,' added Steele. 'In the hospital when they told me they were cutting, I told them, put a zipper in because we're gonna do this again - like next year.' But Philip was diagnosed with cancer and died, aged 66, three days before Frankie's second birthday. Rather than concentrate on her son, Steele decided she needed to go ahead and have that second child using sperm they had had frozen before her husband's death. Her younger son was born 18 months after Philip Steele's death. Steele named the boy Philip. Then late last year she traveled again to Manhattan to be inseminated. This time she was to have a girl due in late July. After the elder Philip Steele died in 2011, Frankie was the only male in the house. And after Steele's second son was born in 2013, Frankie became, in his mother's eyes, the man of the house. Sheriff Bob Gualtiari demonstrates how the boy slammed his sister on the floor of the car to silence her when she started to cry. Gualtieri has branded Kathleen Steele as an 'inadequate mother' Steele was in a cellphone repair store at the time the infant died, trying to get her mobile device when Frankie pummeled his infant sister 'She tried to make him the surrogate father to the other kids,' said Gualtieri. When the monthly lease ran out on her minivan rental, amazingly it was Frankie, at just six years old, who reminded Steele that it was time to go to Enterprise to get it renewed. While inside their home, Frankie tried to make up for his mother's ineptness as a parent, but outside it was a different story. Unsurprisingly for a child with no boundaries, he ran wild. And all the time Steele let him get away with it - if she noticed the problem at all. 'Frankie and his brother were largely unsupervised and had very serious behavioral issues,' Gualtieri said. WHAT'S NEXT FOR SIX-YEAR-OLD FRANKIE STEELE? Frankie Steele and his brother Philip have been separated and placed in therapeutic foster care in hopes that they can somehow live normal lives and put the horrific death of their sister behind them. Specially trained foster parents will look after the boys as they are evaluated to see what services they need. Frankie will not return to Lakewood Elementary School where he was about to enter first grade. A dependency judge will eventually decide where he will be placed. 'The boys need to be evaluated and I hope they can get effective counseling,' Sheriff Bob Gualtieri told Daily Mail Online. 'Philip, the three-year-old is younger and I think has a better chance of coming around. 'But Frankie has a lot of issues and I hope they can get him in the right type of environment and he is able to get beyond this. 'But he has some steep challenges.' One thing is for sure: Frankie will not be charged in his baby sisters death due to his age. Authorities believe all the blame rests with his mother. But his name is now public and, thanks to the Internet, will always be so. Gualtieri said he decided not to try to withhold Frankies identity because his mothers name is widely known and 'people would put two and two together'. He said his department had been in 'limited contact' with Steeles relatives in Illinois, but the boys were not expected to go there. Daily Mail Online reached out to Kathleen Steeles brother James Dubnicek and Philip Steeles adult daughter Alix, but they did not return repeated phone calls and emails. Kathleen Steele bonded out of detention on Friday night, the day after she was arrested, and is now at a secret location awaiting trial. She has to wear an ankle monitor and has been told she must have no contact with children as a condition of her release. But the question remains why a doctor would agree to inseminate a woman just a few months shy of her 62nd birthday. Sheriff Gualtieri had particular disdain for the Manhattan doctor who agreed to perform the procedure. 'I dont know the identity of the doctor in New York who did this,' he told reporters. 'If I did, I would tell you because whoever it is needs some serious scrutiny. 'There are some people out there that will do anything for money. But my opinion, for what its worth, is that you are not a medical professional if you are going to impregnate a 62-year-old woman. 'It just doesnt make any sense.' Advertisement On the afternoon of July 7, less than three weeks before Steele's third baby's birth, Steele's 2,800square-foot home with spectacular views backing on to Boca Ciega Bay went up in flames after the dryer in the laundry room caught fire. Steele was taking a nap and it was only because Frankie woke her to tell her he heard strange noises that the blaze was contained. Heavily pregnant Steele and her two boys moved into the Residence Inn in nearby Treasure Island and from there she went into labor and her baby daughter - named Kathleen after herself - was born on July 26. Three days later a fire alarm went off in the hotel in the middle of the night. Steele put her newborn into her car seat and started down the stairs. But she forgot to strap her daughter in and she tumbled out, falling on her head, causing bleeding on the brain. Child Services were called and accepted Steele's story that it was an accident but to make sure, they scheduled a follow-up appointment for August 1 which Steele canceled and rescheduled for August 10. Following the house fire, heavily pregnant Steele and her two boys moved into the Residence Inn in nearby Treasure Island, where at one point her newborn fell out of a car seat and hit her head, causing bleeding on the brain. She found a $4,250-a-month single-story rental just 12 doors down from her damaged home and moved in while repairs started - work that has now been stopped by order of the town because she did not get permission for it. But within days of moving in, Child Services got an anonymous tip complaining that Frankie and his younger brother were running wild. Work on her damaged home has now been stopped by order of the town because she did not get permission for it The call gave no specific information and an investigation found no grounds for action. Then on Monday, August 8, two days before her scheduled meeting with Child Services, Steele took her newborn baby to her pediatrician in St Petersburg. She was worried baby Kathleen was not eating properly and wanted to have her checked. The doctor could find nothing wrong. While in the office, Frankie dropped his mother's cellphone, cracking the screen. Rather than return home, Steele decided she had to have it fixed immediately and went to a repair shop. While waiting, she took her family to a restaurant for lunch. When she returned to the shop, she parked in a covered garage, rolled up the windows and locked the doors, with all three of her children inside. As they waited, baby Kathleen began to cry. Frankie - who was not buckled in - undid his sister's car seat and took her out. Soon after the car seat incident, Kathleen Steele moved her family into a $4,250-a-month single-story rental just 12 doors down from her damaged home He later told cops that he tried to mimic his mother by lifting the infant up and down to comfort her. But as his sister continued to act up, Frankie slammed her face into the floor multiple times. He hit her head on the van's ceiling, flipping her over and over and over. 'He showed us what he did,' said Gualtieri. 'The way he was describing it, he was tossing that baby around like a rag doll.' Steele was in the cellphone repair shop for 38 minutes, surveillance video showed. When she returned Frankie told her there was something wrong with his sister. 'It's serious,' he said. But Steele blew off the warning, took the van to renew its lease at Enterprise after Frankie reminded her, and went home. It was only after the baby had been dead for some two hours that she decided to act. 'I'm telling you this kid's face was a mess,' said visibly upset father-of-three Gualtieri. 'There's no mistaking the condition this 13-day-old infant was in. She'd been pummeled. She was, at that point, blue and cold to the touch.' But rather than call 911, Steele summoned a neighbor who is a nurse. The nurse immediately realized baby Kathleen was dead and she called emergency services. But even then Kathleen Steele could not accept the enormity of the situation. As EMTs forlornly tried to breathe life into her baby, with cops rushing in, demanding answers from everyone, Steele calmly turned and walked into the kitchen of her rented home and started to put away her groceries. A woman who allegedly left her two stepchildren at home alone while she went on a holiday to Bali, has fired her lawyer. Lawyer Edward Fitzpatrick told the Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday the woman was 'not happy' with the advice he had given her and he had 'departed' from the case, reported the ABC. The 28-year-old woman, who is pregnant, cannot be named for legal reasons. Scroll down for video The 28-year-old woman (left) has fired her lawyer Edward Fitzpatrick (right) because she was 'not happy' with his legal advice She was arrested a Perth's international airport on June 9 after police found two children aged four and six unsupervised, 'distressed and crying' at the family home the day before. She was charged with two counts of engaging in conduct that may have resulted in harm to the children, but is yet to enter a plea. The woman's husband was in the US at the time and it is understood has still not seen his wife or returned from the US. The children are reportedly still in state care. The woman was assisted in court by a Mandarin interpreter and was released on bail until her next court appearance. The case has been adjourned for a month. The woman, (pictured) who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in June at Perth's international airport after police found her two stepchildren in the family home the request warning it will discourage other victims from coming forward named saying its right to a fair trial could be jeopardized if it can't identify the girl in a pretrial investigation Owen Labrie (pictured in court earlier this year) was convicted of sexual assault while at St Paul's School in New Hampshire A top prep school wants to publicly identify a girl who was sexually assaulted by an older student when she was 15, if a federal lawsuit against the school goes to trial. The victim's parents filed a lawsuit against St Paul's School, in New Hampshire, in June claiming it failed 'in its most basic obligation to protect the children entrusted to its care'. It also accused the school of not taking action against the predatory behavior of student Owen Labrie. Labrie, of Tunbrudge, Vermont, who was accused of raping the 15-year-old, was convicted of misdemeanor sex assault charges and a felony charge of using a computer to lure an underage student for sex last year. He was cleared of rape. The victim and her parents were granted anonymity by the courts - something St Paul's has challenged. The school says its right to a fair trial could be jeopardized if it can't identify the girl in a pretrial investigation, Concord Monitor reports. 'Plaintiffs, through their counsel, have planned and pursued a national and local media campaign against the school while seeking a court order to shield them from any effects of the media coverage they are fostering,' the school says. 'These conflicting actions cannot fairly be reconciled.' But victim's rights groups have criticized the move, warning it could deter future victims from coming forward. The victim's parents filed a lawsuit against St Paul's School (pictured) in June claiming it failed 'in its most basic obligation to protect the children entrusted to its care' 'The girl is a minor and a sexual assault victim, who wants justice but not at the risk of public humiliation or physical harm, said Colby Bruno, senior legal counsel at the Boston-based Victim Rights Law Center. ' 'Someone as young as she is shouldn't have to choose between getting justice and publishing her name.' Labrie, now 20, has since appealed his convictions and separately petitioned for a new trial, claiming ineffective counsel. He was jailed for two months after repeatedly breaching the curfew conditions in his bail. He was released in May. The victim's parents filed their civil lawsuit soon after his release, which seeks more than $75,000 in damages from the school which they accuse of negligence, The family of the victim filed a lawsuit against the school after Labrie was released from jail in May Shortly after his release, the victim's family filed the civil lawsuit. In the complaint filed by the girl's parents, their attorney Steven Kelly alleges that St Paul's School 'fostered and condoned a tradition known as Senior Salute, in which upperclassmen kept score of how many younger students they had sex with. Kelly said school officials knew about the Senior Salute adding: 'They knew about games of conquests, a lot of these crazy things that were going on. They did nothing to stop it.' The lawsuit, which alleges negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress, also accuses the school of failing to support the girl. It describes how she was 'shunned, ignored and outright mocked' by the school community. Kelly said the girl's parents want reforms at the Concord school to ensure the abuse doesn't happen to other students. But St Paul's, a private, Episcopal coed school for students in grades nine through 12, denied the parents' allegations. Labrie, who's 20 years old, was 18 when he was arrested in 2014 days after graduating from St Paul's In a statement, the school said: 'We believe this lawsuit is without merit, and we plan to vigorously defend ourselves. 'We categorically reject any allegations that St. Paul's School has an unhealthy culture. The safety of our students has been and will continue to be the highest priority for our school.' Labrie, who's 20 years old, was 18 when he was arrested in 2014 days after graduating from St Paul's. During his trial, he testified that he and the girl had consensual sexual contact, but he denied having sexual intercourse with her. He acknowledged he had boasted to the contrary to friends, in profane emails and social media posts that were shared with the jury. The encounter between Labrie and the girl took place in a nearly deserted building whose roof had a panoramic view of the school's 2,000-acre campus. After a brief time on the roof, the girl testified, Labrie led her to a dark mechanical room, they consensually kissed and touched each other and he raped her. A 12-year-old girl who was bashed online for posting pictures of her big game kills is speaking out to defend her love of hunting. Aryanna Gourdin sparked outrage last week when she posted pictures of the animals she killed on African safari with her dad, including a giraffe, a zebra and a wildebeest. Those pictures quickly incited a firestorm online between commenters who called the girl a 'murderer' and those who defended the girl's right to hunt. Scroll down for video Aryanna Gourdin, 12 (left), and her dad Eli (right) are speaking out to defend hunting after the girl was critiqued online for posting pictures of her big game kills The outrage started last week, after Aryanna started posting pictures from her hunting trip to South Africa with her father Mr Gourdin said that the giraffe his daughter killed was actually a 'problem' animal area, 'eating up valuable resources other giraffes need to survive'. In an interview with Good Morning America on Wednesday, Aryanna said she's not bothered by the backlash, and that no one's opinion could ever drive her to give up the hobby she loves.' It's something I cherish and enjoy and I want other people to see what I experienced,' the teen said. 'I would never back down from hunting. I am a hunter and no matter what people say to me, I'm never going to stop,' she added. Aryanna's dad Eli also appeared on the show and said that the girafft his daughter killed was actually a 'problem' animal in the area, 'eating up valuable resources other giraffes need to survive'. He added that the meat from the animals they killed will now go to feeding 800 orphans in the local village. The Cato, Utah teen received a mix response from the tens of thousands who commented on her pictures, ranging from death threats to words of support from fellow hunters The pre-teen called the trip to South Africa 'one of my dream hunts for sure' As for the haters, Mr Gourdin said they should mind their own business. 'I don't tell anybody else how to raise their children,' he said. He added: 'We're proud to be hunters and we'll never apologize for being a hunter.' The father and daughter have been going on hunts together since Aryanna was just seven years old. She called the trip to South Africa last week 'one of my dream hunts for sure'. Aryanna received death threats when she started posting pictures from the hunt online. An image with a giraffe earned the most aggressive comments, including: 'literally hope someone skins you'; 'makes me wanna kill her'; 'do the world a favor and kill yourself already before someone else makes you disappear'. The meet killed during their hunt will go to feet 800 orphans in the local area, Mr Gourdin said 'I would never back down from hunting. I am a hunter and no matter what people say to me, I'm never going to stop,' Aryanna said Mr Gourdin said the haters should mind their own business. 'I don't tell anybody else how to raise their children,' he said Those who champion the young girl say she is helping with conservation efforts as well as donating the meat from the kills to local orphanages in Africa Aryanna's prey also includes animals native to North America including deer and bears In this photo Aryanna poses with a black bear she appears to have shot near her home in Utah Others have said the girl is heartless and hope that she will become infamous for the hobby. 'Thanks for reminding me that stupid people still exist.. Please consider using that thing in your head next time, that what we call A BRAIN,' one person wrote. Another wrote: 'Another piece of s***. Everybody make her famous.' A US Navy submariner who took photographs of highly classified areas of his vessel's nuclear propulsion system has claimed he should be treated like Hillary Clinton over her email scandal. Kristian Saucier took several photographs of highly classified areas onboard the USS Alexandria while it was in port. Prosecutors claim Saucier tried to blame his ex-wife for the images by suggesting she arranged for a shipmate to take the photographs on his phone to get him into trouble. Kristian Saucier, pictured, has admitted taking unauthorized photographs of a submarine Saucier took photographs of the nuclear propulsion system of a US attack submarine The 29-year-old submariner has admitted one count of 'unauthorized retention of defense information' while serving as a machinist on board a US Los Angeles class attack submarine and now faces more than five years in prison. His legal team attempted to compare the situation with that of the former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. According to Politico, Saucier's lawyer, Derrick Hogan wrote: 'Democratic Presidential Candidate and former Secretary of State Hilary [sic] Clinton...has come under scrutiny for engaging in acts similar to Mr. Saucier. 'In our case, Mr Saucier possessed six (6) photographs classified as "confidential/restricted", far less than Clinton's 110 emails. 'It will be unjust and unfair for Mr. Saucier to receive any sentence other than probation for a crime those more powerful than him will likely avoid.' He will be sentenced in federal court in Bridgeport, Connecticut on Friday morning by judge Stefan Underhill. According to federal prosecutors, Saucier took photographs 'of the most sensitive areas of a US nuclear attack submarine' and then 'obstructed the investigation of that offense by destroying evidence'. The Navy said Saucier 'took advantage of his security clearance and access to classified areas of the USS Alexandria'. Court documents showed Saucier enlisted in the US Navy in 2005 and was offered a place in the Naval Nuclear Power Program. Between September 2007 and March 2012, Saucier served on board the USS Alexandria where he had 'unlimited access to the entire engine room' Saucier was serving on board the USS Alexandria, right, when he took the images However, in March 2012, a civilian, Ralph Brandt, discovered an LG cell phone belonging to Saucier at a waste transfer station in Hampton, Connecticut. Brandt picked up the phone, which he thought was better than his own and switched it on. Prosecutors claim he 'discovered photographs that appeared to him to be of a Navy ship and the ship's instrument panels'. He also saw photographs of Saucier, who he recognized. Brandt rang his friend, Edward Burchfield, a retired Navy Chief, who reviewed the images and passed the phone on to the Naval Criminal Investigation Service, who opened a criminal investigation. Prosecutors said 'an engineer could determine significant design characteristics of a US nuclear submarine, including its reactor plant'. Calling for a significant sentence, prosecutors said: 'During the course of the investigation, at no time did the defendant admit or take responsibility for his conduct and did not truthfully disclose the salient facts, or engage in a meaningful debriefing of his conduct.' Early in the investigation, Saucier claimed his ex-wife 'could have had one of his shipmates take the photographs, given the LG phone to Band, and had Brandt turn in the LG phone to NCIS in order to get him into trouble'. Prosecutors said 'Saucier methodically documented the entire propulsion system of the nuclear submarine, including the design of the nuclear compartment and nuclear reactor' According to court documents: 'Saucier methodically documented the entire propulsion system of the nuclear submarine, including the design of its nuclear compartment and its nuclear reactor. 'Moreover, the defendant is grasping at highly imaginative and speculative straws in trying to further draw a comparison to the matter of Secretary Hillary Clinton based on virtually no understanding and knowledge of the facts involved, the information at issue, not to mention any issues of intent and knowledge.' In a six-page victim impact statement to the court, Rear Admiral Charles A. Richard, Director of the Undersea Warfare Division claimed Saucier should receive a sentence 'of confinement, and a fine, at the high end of the applicable range'. In a letter to Judge Stefan Underhill, Richard said: 'The Navy has suffered considerably as a result of the illegal conduct of Mr Saucier. 'Moreover, his actions will continue to have a serious and lasting adverse impact on the Navy, especially as the full and true extent of his crime remains unknown.' He continued: 'Given the very nature of the crime of unauthorized gathering and retaining national defense information, the Navy has to assume the risk that this information could have been disclosed to a foreign adversary.' Richard said the Navy had to assume the information had been compromised. According to the victim impact statement: 'The significance of this particular information cannot be understated because it directly relates to technology that is both vital and invaluable to our national defense security. 'The detailed nature of the information Mr Saucier captured in his photographs is far more gravely serious than, and stands in contrast to, what might be found in any improper "casual" or "social" type pictures taken aboard a submarine that might contain some segment or technical component in the background.' Richard claimed Saucier's photographs could have jeopardized the $546million the Navy spent last year on research and development on its nuclear technology. He added: 'Resources will now be needed to develop information and technologies to respond to information Mr Saucier exposed.' Richard wrote: 'By providing knowledge of how a system operates which was previously unknown, an adversary could attempt to devise a plan to compromise that system.' According to Richard's statement, the Navy spent almost $400,000 training Saucier. Twenty years after the murder of six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey, three networks are dedicating programming to the unsolved case. First up, CBS will air a six-part docuseries, The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey, with the network releasing a first look at the show on 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. Tragedy: The body of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet (above in 1996) was found bludgeoned and strangled in her family's basement on December 26, 1996 Experts: Stan Burke, a statement analyst, says that the peculiar ransom note appears to be a 'sell job' and that '78 percent is extremes' The ransom demanded $118,000 for the safe return of JonBenet, which is almost the exact value of a bonus that John Ramsay had received earlier that year Patsy and John Ramsey, parents of JonBenet Ramsey, appear at a news conference in Atlanta in 2000 regarding their lie-detector examinations for the murder of their daughter The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey premieres Sept. 18 (8:30 p.m. EDT). 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 September 12. JonBenet, a child beauty queen, was found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado, on December 26, 1996. No charges were ever laid in her murder. The Case of: JonBenet Ramsey trailer shows investigators - both new and from the original case - re-examining evidence. Investigators to be featured include retired FBI special agent Jim Clemente, forensic pathologist Dr. Werner Spitz, forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee and James Kolar, the former chief investigation for the District Attorney in Boulder. Of particular interest in the clip is the peculiar ransom letter found inside the family's house, which claimed to have been written by a 'group of individuals that represent a small foreign faction'. FULL TEXT OF THE ORIGINAL JONBENET RANSOM LETTER Mr. Ramsey, Listen carefully! We are a group of individuals that represent a small foreign faction. We respect your bussiness (sic) but not the country that it serves. At this time we have your daughter in our posession (sic). She is safe and unharmed and if you want her to see 1997, you must follow our instructions to the letter. You will withdraw $118,000.00 from your account. $100,000 will be in $100 bills and the remaining $18,000 in $20 bills. Make sure that you bring an adequate size attache to the bank. When you get home you will put the money in a brown paper bag. I will call you between 8 and 10 am tomorrow to instruct you on delivery. The delivery will be exhausting so I advise you to be rested. If we monitor you getting the money early, we might call you early to arrange an earlier delivery of the money and hence a earlier pick-up of your daughter. Any deviation of my instructions will result in the immediate execution of your daughter. You will also be denied her remains for proper burial. The two gentlemen watching over your daughter do (not) particularly like you so I advise you not to provoke them. Speaking to anyone about your situation, such as Police, F.B.I., etc., will result in your daughter being beheaded. If we catch you talking to a stray dog, she dies. If you alert bank authorities, she dies. If the money is in any way marked or tampered with, she dies. You will be scanned for electronic devices and if any are found, she dies. You can try to deceive us but be warned that we are familiar with law enforcement countermeasures and tactics. You stand a 99% chance of killing your daughter if you try to out smart (sic) us. Follow our instructions and you stand a 100% chance of getting her back. You and your family are under constant scrutiny as well as the authorities. Don't try to grow a brain John. You are not the only fat cat around so don't think that killing will be difficult. Don't underestimate us John. Use that good southern common sense of yours. It is up to you now John! Victory! S.B.T.C Advertisement The letter asked for $118,000 for the safe return of JonBenet, which is almost the exact value of a bonus that John Ramsay had received earlier that year. However not many people knew that the father had received the bonus. Patsy Ramsey told police she found the note on the stairway, which led to the discovery that JonBenet was missing from her bed. Despite the letter explicit saying not to notify authorities, and despite the couple withdrawing the ransom money, Patsy still called 911 and frantically reported her daughter had been kidnapped. As the morning passed, the expected phone call from the kidnappers never arrived, and a few hours later, the child's body was located on the floor of the wine cellar. It was later determined the letter had been written on paper ripped from a notebook that Patsy kept in the kitchen. Experts had previously said the note was of similar handwriting to Patsy Ramsey but could not unequivocally say she was the one to have written it. Experts have also recreated the Boulder home of the Ramsey family to conduct their investigations. Here they look at a recreation of the smashed basement window A replica of rooms in the house has been constructed in a 50,000-square-foot warehouse 'This is uncharacteristic of any kind of kidnapping letter I've ever seen,' said forensic linguist Jim Fitzgerald of the ransom letter In the CBS trailer, Jim Fitzgerald, a forensic linguist, says: 'From a historical perspective, this is uncharacteristic of any kind of kidnapping letter I've ever seen.' Stan Burke, a statement analyst, then adds that the note appears to be 'selling' something. 'Out of 370 words (in the letter), 76 percent is extremes,' he says. 'They are trying to sell this now. It's a sell job.' Fitzgerald also says in the trailer that the series will hope to present a solution to one of the biggest US crime mysteries. 'This little girl's homicide to this date has not been resolved. In my opinion, I think we can change that right now,' he said. CBS is investigating the JonBenet Ramsey murder in an upcoming six-part docuseries. Here John and Patsy Ramsey leave their lawyers office in 2000 The Case Of: JonBenet Ramsey will air in three parts. Night one premieres Sunday, September 18 (8:30-10:30 PM, ET/8:00-10:00 PM, PT), followed by Night Two on Monday, September 19 (9-11 PM, ET/PT) and concludes Sunday, September 25 (8:30-10:30 PM, ET/PT), on CBS. A fire chief has been told to remove US flags from his station's trucks because they could be a 'distraction' for other drivers. Tory Gallante, fire chief of Arlington, New York, was told to have the flags taken down following a decision by the Board of Fire Commissioners. Members of the board said the flags, which were requested by the firefighters union, are a 'liability' . Tory Gallante, fire chief of Arlington, New York, was told to have the flags taken down because they could be a 'distraction' for other drivers. Pictured are firefighters removing one of the flags from a truck Gallante, fire chief of Arlington, New York, is seen in a Facebook photo Gallante said he was approached by the union about placing American flags on the back of their vehicles about a month ago. He gave the go-ahead for the flags to be placed on the trucks, at the cost of the union, and said they were checked by their mechanics to make sure they were 'safely secured'. But Arlington Fire Commissioner Chairman Jim Beretta told Poughkeepsie Journal said the majority of the board believes the flags were a 'liability during normal operations for our people and other motorists'. He said that the board was not consulted prior to the flags being put up. Gallante, pictured right, said he was approached by the union about placing American flags on the back of their vehicles about a month ago. He said they were checked by their mechanics to make sure they were 'safely secured' Gallante said he hopes the board will 'reconsider their decision' after seeing the 'disharmony' over the flags being removed. Union president Joseph Tarquinio also said he was 'disappointed' by the decision. He said: 'At the time when the country needs unity, to do something like this, it's next to flag-burning in my mind. 'It's the flag of this country. It's the symbol of the people of this country together as a whole.' Tarquinio said he was pleased to see the outpouring of support and wants to get the flags back up on the trucks. She looked like a vulnerable pensioner nothing more than an easy victim for the teenage Romanian cashpoint gang. But had the trio known who they were messing with, they might have realised they would pay a high price for snatching money from 77-year-old Winifred Peel. Felix Stoica, 19, and two accomplices attempted to shove Mrs Peel aside at an ATM and pressed the button for 200 after she put in her bank card. Pensioner Winifred Peel from Bromborough, Wirral, rammed Romanian robber Felix Stoica into a cash machine as he and two other attackers robbed her But the widowed grandmother-of-four grabbed Stoica by the collar and smashed his head against the cash machine several times. The teenagers obviously did not know Mrs Peel, from Bromborough, on the Wirral, goes to the gym four times a week, using the treadmill and even lifting weights. The criminals eventually fled with her money, and she went into the local Barclays branch while she waited for police. Yesterday Mrs Peel told the Mail: I bashed him into the wall as hard as I could, three times. He started shouting in Romanian it was obviously the last thing he expected. I just thought, Youre not having my money, young man. It was only afterwards that I realised what Id done and started shaking what if hed had a knife? I might not be here today. Piper Dumitru, 18, left, of Longden Road in Longsight, Manchester was jailed for eight months for his part in the attack. Florin Geblescu, 18, on the right, of Victoria Road in Levenshulme, Manchester faces 18 months in prison CCTV of the trio leaving the bank were circulated, and they were arrested a week later in Blackpool. Stoica, along with Piper Dumitru and Florin Geblescu, all Romanian teenagers living in Manchester, later pleaded guilty to the robbery, which took place in April. They were sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday. Stoica received two years in a young offenders institution, Geblescu, 18, was given 18 months, and Dumitru, also 18, received eight months. Judge Norman Wright said: You targeted a vulnerable victim, a lady who was 77 years of age. Notwithstanding her age, she resisted, there was a struggle before you made good your escape. Mrs Peel, whose electrical engineer husband John, died in 1982, added: Im pleasantly surprised that they were all jailed I thought theyd get a slap on the wrist. Felix Stoica, 19, of Levenshulme, Manchester jailed for two years for trying to rob a 77 year old pensioner in Liverpool. Police established it was Stoica who Ms Peel grabbed by the collar as the gang attacked After it happened I didnt go outside for a week. I felt insecure for a long while afterwards. Mrs Peel, now 78, worked at a Hawker Siddeley factory making parts for guided missiles when she was younger. She said: Nothing like this has ever happened to me before, but I would never hand anything over without a fight. My three brothers have ribbed me about it. We used to fight all the time when we were growing up so I suppose Id learned to look after myself. The bank refunded the money straight away and even sent me a bunch of flowers. Next time I go to my gym I know people will have a field day about this theyll say, Dont you mess with Mrs Peel. But Im pleased theyve been locked up, or otherwise they would be looking for more people to rob who maybe wouldnt have been able to look after themselves like I was. Donald Trump once again went after Hillary Clinton's stamina, saying his rival 'goes home and goes to sleep' and 'takes a lot of weekends off.' Trump brought up the topic when asked by Fox News host Sean Hannity about media bias during a town hall filmed in Milwaukee that aired Wednesday night, immediately turning to his rival's fitness. 'She doesn't really do that much. She'll give a speech on teleprompter, and then she'll disappear. I don't know if she goes home she goes home and goes to sleep,' Trump said. 'I think she sleeps.' Hannity, who has pushed stories about Clinton's fortitude, then said she 'takes weekends off,' and Trump readily agreed. 'I guess she takes a lot of weekends off. She takes a lot of time off. And you know that's, frankly, it's really not fair,' Trump said. Scroll down for video HOW'S YOUR HEALTH? Donald Trump said rival Clinton 'goes home and goes to sleep' and 'takes a lot of weekends off,' in his latest comments questioning her stamina It was a return to a topic Trump floated in a speech Monday when he said Clinton lacks the 'mental and physical stamina to take on ISIS.' Clinton's campaign has begun going after Donald Trump for peddling 'conspiracy theories' about the Democratic nominee's health. Tuesday night, the campaign sent out an email pushing back against online rumors including that Clinton suffers from seizures and claimed Trump fanned the flames with his comment about her 'physical stamina.' While it is dismaying to see the Republican nominee for president push deranged conspiracy theories in a foreign policy speech, it's no longer surprising,' Clinton's communications director Jennifer Palmieri said in a statement. Trump himself does not currently have any events on his calendar for this coming weekend. Hillary Clinton's campaign is hitting back against the right-wing rumor mill, suggesting that Donald Trump stoked poor health claims by saying the Democrat lacked mental stamina. She is pictured Tuesday at a Pennsylvania Democratic Party Voter Registration Event Clinton slips as she walks up the stairs into the non-profit SC Strong, a two year residential facility that helps former felons, substance abusers, and homeless move into self-sufficiency on February 24 this year in North Charleston Hillary Clinton had a coughing fit while giving a speech in New York in February, pictured left. Pictured right, people filmed Clinton in a muffin shop in Washington DC on June 10 - right-wing groups claim footage shows her 'having a seizure' Trump made his comments about Clinton's sleep habits during a town hall with Fox News host Sean Hannity filmed in Wisconsin that aired Wednesday evening 'Donald Trump is simply parroting lies based on fabricated documents promoted by Roger Stone and his right wing allies,' Palmieri continued. She then pivoted for a moment to blast Trump for not releasing any of his tax returns to the American public. 'Hillary Clinton has released a detailed medical record showing her to be in excellent health plus her personal tax returns since 1977, while Trump has failed to provide the public with the most basic financial information disclosed by every major candidate in the last 40 years,' she acknowledged. 'It's time for him to stop using shameful distractions to hide his own record,' Palmieri added. The cough that she had through part of the early primary season wasn't a symptom of allergies, which she does suffer from, or talking too much, but rather a sign that the 68-year-old former secretary of state is seriously ill, the rumors go The Clinton campaign also pointed out in the email that 'Trump and his allies have donned tin foil hats when things weren't going his way,' pointing to the billionaire's propensity to hint that he believes a number of right-wing theories are true. In the past, Trump gave credibility to the 'birther' movement, in which people tried to dig up proof that President Obama wasn't born in the United States. During the Republican primary Trump tried to connect the dots between Sen. Ted Cruz's father and John F. Kennedy's assassination. He also hinted that he believed Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia had been murdered, rather than dying because of poor health. A number of right-wing websites have been pushing stories about Clinton's health. 'Leaked' medical documents portend to show that the former secretary of state is showing signs of dementia. A video being passed around suggests she had a seizure when talking to supporters in a muffin shop in Washington DC on June 10. Hillary Clinton has been dogged by rumors about her health ever since she fell in 2012, due to the stomach flu, got a concussion and then a blood clot The cough that she had through part of the early primary season wasn't a symptom of allergies, which she does suffer from, or talking too much, but rather a sign that the 68-year-old former secretary of state is seriously ill, the rumors go. She was also seen slipping as she walked up the stairs into the non-profit SC Strong, a two year residential facility that helps former felons, substance abusers, and homeless move into self-sufficiency on February 24 this year in North Charleston. Clinton's people included a new statement from her physician, Dr. Lisa Bardack, who signed off on the Democrat's health in the beginning months of her campaign last year. 'As Secretary Clinton's long time physician, I released a medical statement during the campaign indicating that she is in excellent health,' Bardack said in a statement last night. 'I have recently been made aware of allegedly "leaked" medical documents regarding Secretary Clinton with my name on them. These documents are false, were not written by me and are not based on any medical facts,' she continued. 'To reiterate what I said in my previous statement, Secretary Clinton is in excellent health and fit to serve as President of the United States,' Bardack said. There's polling data that indicates a bigger portion of Americans believe candidates should release their medical records to put to bed some of these issues, and that number has gone up since Karl Rove made comments that may have been the genesis of these persistent rumors. Rove, a Republican strategist known best for his work for President George W. Bush, floated the idea in May 2014 that Clinton may have suffered a traumatic brain injury when she fainted in 2012 due to a stomach flu, got a concussion and later developed a blood clot. 'Thirty days in the hospital,' Rove said. 'And when she reappears, she's wearing glasses that are only for people who have traumatic brain injury?' We need to know what's up with that.' Politifact rated Rove's claims as patently false, while Clinton's spokesman Nick Merrill pushed back on them as well, but the insinuation was now out there. A poll released last week by Rasmussen Reports shows that 59 percent of Americans believe that candidates should release their medical records, up from the 38 percent that believed that statement when Rove first made the Clinton health claims. Asked about Trump's comments this morning on the 'Today' show, Clinton's running mate, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, seemed miffed. 'I have no idea what he's talking about,' Kaine said. Kaine reminded viewers of the hectic travel schedule Clinton had while serving as secretary of state. 'And then look at the grueling nature of the campaign,' Kaine added. David Reader was taking part in a BASE jump when his parachute failed to open A British skydiver has died after his parachute failed to open during a jump in the French Alps. David Reader from Newnham on Severn in Gloucestershire was taking part in a BASE jump near the Mont Blanc massif in Sallanches earlier this month when his equipment failed. It sent the 25-year-old plummeting to the ground, where he suffered a severe head injury, as well as injuries to other parts of his body. He fell into a coma and was taken by helicopter to Sallanches and then transferred to Annecy hospital. There his girlfriend and fellow skydiver Domi Kiger kept a bedside vigil, holding his hand. But Mr Reader's head trauma was too severe and he was pronounced dead the following day. Now Miss Kiger said she had been hoping for a miracle, but it didn't come. Paying tribute to her boyfriend, she said: 'Dave was the most incredible human being I ever met. 'The type you don't necessarily notice straight away, the best type in my eyes. 'He was kind, humble, gentle, incredibly smart, talented in absolutely everything he put his mind into. 'He was bright in so many ways. He was quiet and reserved but so warm, loving and fun to those who took the time to get to know him. His organs have now been donated and his family hope they will save six people. Before his death, Mr Reader had been living in Norway working as a wind tunnel instructor for VossVind. Mr Reader was taking part in the jump near to Mont Blanc, pictured, in the French Alps A spokesman for the company said: 'He had an incredible development as a tunnel flyer that impressed each and everyone of us. We were lucky to have him as an instructor. 'Dave was a wonderful ambassador for VossVind on his travels around the world. Not just because of his mad tunnel skills, but for the person he was. The first of more than 200 abducted schoolgirls to be rescued from a militant camp in Nigeria said that she misses her Boko Haram husband. Amina Ali and her four-month-old baby were rescued in May near Damboa in Borno state by soldiers and a civilian vigilante group, more than two years after being kidnapped by Islamist militants from a school in Chibok in northeast Nigeria. Ali, who was found by the army in May along with a suspected Boko Haram militant, Mohammed Hayatu, claiming to be her husband, said she was unhappy to have been separated from the father of her four-month-old baby girl. Scroll down for videos Amina Ali and her four-month-old baby were rescued in May near Damboa in Borno state by soldiers and a civilian vigilante group 'I want him to know that I am still thinking about him,' Ali said, relaxing and lifting her gaze off the ground only to breastfeed her child when she was brought into the room to feed. 'Just because we got separated, that does not mean that I don't think about him,' Ali added. After her rescue sparked a blaze of global media attention, the 21-year-old and her child have since been hidden away in a house in the capital Abuja for what the Nigerian government has called a 'restoration process'. 'I just want to go home - I don't know about school,' she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an exclusive interview. Ali presents her child to President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, Nigeria. She said that she misses her Boko Haram husband BOKO HARAM: 10 KEY FACTS Here are 10 key facts about the Chibok schoolgirls and the Islamist militant group Boko Haram: * Since 2009, Boko Haram has waged an insurgency to carve out an Islamic state in northeast Nigeria that has killed some 15,000 people and displaced more than two million. * The most high-profile attack took place on April 14, 2014, when Boko Haram kidnapped 276 school girls, from a secondary school in Chibok in northeast Borno state. About 50 of the girls escaped in the initial melee but 219 were captured. * Nigeria's government and military, then under the command of former president Goodluck Jonathan, faced heavy criticism for their handling of the incident, with towns and cities across the nation witnessing protests. * The kidnappings prompted a strong social media reaction, with the phrase #bringbackourgirls tweeted around 3.3 million times by mid-May 2014, and the campaign which followed backed by U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama. * Hope for the girls was briefly raised in April 2015 when the Nigerian military announced it had rescued 200 girls and 93 women from the Sambisa forest, northeast of Chibok. It was later revealed that the Chibok girls were not among them. * One of the Chibok girls, Amina Ali, was rescued in May. Held for months by the Nigerian government, she told her mother that the girls were starved and resorted to eating raw maize, and that some had died in captivity, suffered broken legs or gone deaf after being too close to explosions. * Boko Haram on Sunday published a video apparently showing recent footage of dozens of the Chibok girls, and a masked man saying some of their classmates had been killed in air strikes. In the video, unidentified bodies could be seen on the ground. * About 2,000 girls and boys have been kidnapped by Boko Haram since the beginning of 2014, according to Amnesty International, which says they are used as cooks, sex slaves, fighters and even suicide bombers. * Boko Haram used 44 children to carry out suicide attacks in West Africa last year, up from four in 2014, with some as young as eight, mostly girls, detonating bombs in schools and markets, according to the U.N. children's agency UNICEF. * Boko Haram, which last year pledged allegiance to Islamic State, controlled a swathe of land in northeast Nigeria, around the size of Belgium, at the start of 2015 but was pushed out by Nigerian and regional troops, which are now in a final push to defeat the militants. Advertisement 'I will decide about school when I get back, but I have no idea when I will be going home,' Ali said, speaking softly while staring at the ground. Boko Haram kidnapped 219 girls from their secondary school in Chibok in April 2014, as part of an insurgency which began in 2009 to set up an Islamic state in the north that has killed some 15,000 people and displaced more than two million. Some girls escaped in the melee but parents of those still missing accused former president Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria's then leader, of not doing enough to find their daughters, whose disappearance sparked a global campaign #bringbackourgirls. Ali spoke to the Thomson Reuters Foundation days after the Islamist group published a video showing dozen of the girls. In the video published by the militants on social media on Sunday, a masked man stands behind a group of the girls, and says some of their classmates have been killed in air strikes. While Ali had not heard about the video, she said Boko Haram had told the abducted girls that everyone was looking for them. 'I think about them a lot - I would tell them to be hopeful and prayerful,' Ali said. 'In the same way God rescued me, he will also rescue them.' Ali's mother, Binta Ali spent two months with her daughter before going home to Chibok. She said last month she feared for Ali's future. She said her daughter had wanted to further her education before being kidnapped, but now she was afraid of school and wanted a sewing machine to start a business making clothes. Ali told her mother earlier this month that the girls, who are being held in Sambisa forest, were starved and resorted to eating raw maize, and that some had died in captivity, suffered broken legs or gone deaf after being too close to explosions. Her mother said she had observed a positive change in Ali since her rescue, as she now slept much more peacefully than she had ever done before being abducted. Police commissioner Andrew Scipione has accepted some of the blame for the deaths of two hostages in the Sydney Lindt Cafe siege in 2014. Mr Scipione fronted a coronial inquest to explain his actions on Wednesday. The NSW Police chief has previously denied any strategic involvement in the Lindt Cafe siege and repeatedly rejected suggestions he meddled in tactical decisions based on fears of negative public perception. Scroll down for video New South Wales police commissioner Andrew Scipione (right) has accepted some of the blame for the tragic outcome in the Sydney Lindt Cafe siege But he has accepted some of the blame for the tragic outcome. 'I wasn't responsible for the decisions that were made but in terms of the buck, it stops with me,' Mr Scipione told the coronial inquest. Mr Scipione was the final witness to front the long-running inquiry into the December 2014 siege, after his deputy, New South Wales counter-terrorism head Cath Burn, was grilled for more than a day. He faced intense questioning over an email sent to subordinates at 11.59pm on the night of the fatal stand-off about a YouTube video of a female hostage filmed inside the cafe. 'Let's move to have it pulled down from YouTube ASAP. I'll leave it to you and others,' his email read. In the clip, the hostage said police were doing nothing. Mr Scipione repeatedly denied his email was a direction to remove the video because it was critical of officers. Mr Scipione (pictured) fronted a coronial inquest to explain his actions on Wednesday He was instead offering advice, worried about the video causing reprisal attacks in the days after the siege, the inquest heard. Mr Scipione agreed removing the video may have angered gunman Man Haron Monis, but argued the final decision to do so rested with those in charge of 'operational command'. He was also quizzed about a telephone call he made to Commander Mark Jenkins at 10.57pm on December 15, some three hours before the siege reached its deadly conclusion. Mr Scipione (pictured) said: 'I wasn't responsible for the decisions that were made but in terms of the buck, it stops with me' A scribe alongside Mr Jenkins on the night recorded of their conversation: 'DA to occur as last resort - COP (Commissioner of Police)'. The letters DA referred to a deliberate action, which was produced but never approved during the siege. The plan would have seen police storm the cafe at a time of their choosing. This phone call has emerged as one of the most critical areas in trying to determine whether or not Mr Scipione inappropriately interfered in the siege. Mr Scipione said he called to check on Mr Jenkins' welfare soon after the commander took charge, insisting the commander broached the DA topic during their brief conversation. His deputy, New South Wales counter-terrorism head Cath Burn (pictured), was grilled for more than a day in the coronial inquest When Mr Jenkins earlier fronted the inquest, he originally said they were Mr Scipione's words, before later telling the coroner they were instead his own. 'I can assure you I know I would not be asking or telling Jenkins or any other commander that a DA was a last resort, simply because that's not my responsibility, that's not my role,' Mr Scipione said. Earlier, Ms Burn told the inquest she deleted texts received during the siege because she was told she wasn't an 'involved officer.' During the coronial inquest Mr Scipione (pictured) faced intense questioning over an email sent to subordinates at 11.59pm on the night of the fatal stand-off about a YouTube video of a female hostage filmed inside the cafe She also insisted she 'did not need to know the detail' of the siege. 'That was not my job,' she told NSW Coroner Michael Barnes. Mr Scipione also played down a text message he sent to his deputy about high-tech surveillance equipment late in the siege, saying it pertained to equipment borrowed from other agencies, which had no operational impact. His inquest has heard he was pointing a gun at a child before he was shot Officers believed he was carrying a gun at his home in Enfield, London James Fox was hit five times by armed officers in north London on August 30, 2015 A man who had pointed a gun at the head of a child was later shot dead by police when he opened the door of his flat, an inquest has heard. James Fox, who had a history of mental illness, was hit five times by armed officers who believed he was carrying a gun at his sixth-floor home on August 30 last year. North London Coroner's Court heard that, two hours earlier, the 43-year-old had gone to the north London home of his father, Eamon Fox, and stepmother, Mary Bourke. The jury was told that Mr Fox then made threats towards his father, who was not at home. In a dramatic 101 call to police played to the jury, a child who was in the house with Mrs Bourke at the time, but cannot be identified for legal reasons, said: 'He had the gun and he was pointing it at me. He was pointing it at my head.' Mrs Bourke had earlier been heard telling the operator: 'He's gone now but he had a gun.' Police subsequently began a search for Mr Fox and armed officers were deployed to his flat in Enfield, north London. They feared he was armed with a weapon that could have been a shotgun or rifle and the jury heard that Mr Fox had previously been known to own an airgun. Coroner Andrew Walker told the jury of five men and five women: 'Five police officers entered Picardy House and made their way outside Mr Fox's flat. 'At about 11.40pm police fired five shots, fatally wounding Mr Fox when he opened his door, carrying what police believed to be a firearm.' He added that Mr Fox, born in Andover, Hampshire, who died at the scene, had a 'history of contact with the mental health services'. Mr Fox had a history of mental illness and was killed by officers at his block of flats (pictured) Coroner Andrew Walker told the jury of five men and five women at North London Coroner's Court: 'At about 11.40pm police fired five shots, fatally wounding Mr Fox' Sergeant Derek Brook, the Metropolitan Police's firearms tactical adviser in the operation, said although officers had been told by an informant that Mr Fox was carrying an airgun, 'we couldn't be 100 per cent sure' it was not something more powerful. He added: 'There wasn't a way for us to identify whether it was an air pistol or not. 'My understanding is that he (the informant) was not there at the time and didn't see the weapon.' Even as Donald Trump has changed course and decided to go on the airwaves while shaking up his campaign staff, he has steadily crept up in a daily LA Times tracking poll. Trump trails Hillary Clinton by just a single percentage point in the latest release of the poll. She leads him 44 to 43 per cent. That's an improvement from just three days earlier, when Clinton led him by four points. Her lead has declined each day since. Trump, who is famous for invoking polling data about his performance, touted another favorable survey when asked on Fox and Friends Wednesday about a media narrative that the race is practically over. Donald Trumps has ticked up in a new LA Times daily tracking poll, which has him trailing Hillary Clinton by a single percentage point. He spoke to voters in Wisconsin Tuesday 'Well we just had a poll where I'm two points down. The polls are getting closer. They're getting a lot closer,' Trump said. 'It is tougher for a Republican. You know the road is a lot tighter, it's a lot harder for a Republican to get there. But I think we're going to win.' In a turnaround Tuesday, Trump tweeted about a poll that actually showed him losing to Clinton another favorable poll that had him down just two percentage points and his campaign promptly fashioned a cash appeal out of it. Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by just 44 to 43 per cent in the latest LA Times tracking poll and has narrowed for several successive days Clinton's lead rises to six points when the wealth of polling data in the RealClearPolitics average is used 'Help us surge ahead of Hillary Clinton by contributing $100, $65, $50, $35, or $25 right now,' wrote the fundraising appeal. 'Hillarys post-convention bump is coming to an end. This is our moment to show the country were ready to WIN.' It continued: 'We cant stop fighting now. Make an urgent contribution right away to help us surge past Hillary in the polls.' Trump's tweet cited an article about a Zogby Analytics poll that had the candidates just two points apart, with Clinton leading 38 to 36. Trump on Wednesday announced a shakeup in his campaign staff, elevating advisor Kellyanne Conway to the role of campaign manager and bringing in Stephen Bannon from Breitbart News as CEO. The campaign also is making its first ad buy, after trailing in multiple battleground states, after leaving Clinton virtually uncontested on the air for two months. Trump got a small bounce out of the Republican convention this summer, but Clinton shot up in the polls after her own convention which followed. The apparent 'bounce' reached a high point of about 8 points before narrowing. Drone footage is offering a first look at a site where treasure hunters are digging for a buried Nazi train that could contain 250million worth of gold and other riches. With the dig gaining headlines around the world, the site in Walbrzych, Poland, has been sealed off to the prying eyes of the public, and the only way to get a glimpse of it is from high above. There is no guarantee the so-called 'Nazi gold train' is buried there or even exists, but two explorers believe it is nearly 30ft below ground in a railway tunnel. Drone footage is providing a fascinating first look at the site in south-western Poland The site has been sealed off and the only way to get a glimpse is from high above Workers have set up fences and privacy screens to keep the public's prying eyes away A worker clears debris around the railway track near Walbrzych in south-west Poland Members of the public gather near the site, hoping to catch a glimpse of the activity In addition to gold and gems, Piotr Koper and Andreas Richter believe the site may have been used to hide the bodies of thousands of forced labourers. It could take up to 10 days for the site to be excavated. What workers find is anyone's guest. According to legend, the Nazis hid looted valuables in a series of tunnels as they retreated from the Red Army near the end of World War II. The tunnels are said to be part of an unfinished secret military project. The dig has drawn interest from around the world, but workers have erected fences and privacy screens to hide their work. Andreas Richter (left) and Piotr Koper (right) during a press conference in Struga, Poland A tunnel, constructed as part of the Nazi's 'Riese' construction project, pictured near where the infamous gold train is said to be bured A man walks across tracks above where Richter and Koper believe the Nazi train is buried Two intrepid treasure hunters have begun digging for a mythical Nazi gold train The pair have brought in heavy digging equipment to try and excavate the train A train passes by as workers cut trees on the cutting between Wroclaw and Walbrzych during preparations before digging for the Nazi gold train In December Professor Janusz Madej, a Krakow-based scientist who conducted a search at the site, said his team had found no proof of the train's existence. 'The tunnel may be there, but the train is not,' he said. Undaunted, the pair hinted at 'anomalies' produced by a ground-penetrating radar and said they would resume the hunt. On Friday project spokesman Andrzej Gaik said: 'The train isn't a needle in a haystack, if it's there, we'll find it. Explorers Piotr Koper (left) and Andreas Richter (right) claim to have found a WWII Nazi gold train packed with 250million worth of jewels buried in a railway tunnel Workers erect barriers at the site (left) and prepare to bring in mechanical diggers Location: They believe the train was buried on a railway track between Wroclaw and Walbrzych, south west Poland as Soviet troops advanced from the east 'Even if we find a tunnel, that'll also be a success. The train could be hidden in it.' Mr Koper, a Pole, and Mr Richter, who is German, say the Nazis made prisoners of war dig a network of tunnels in the area, and some locals have claimed the Germans tried to spirit the gold away as Russia's Red Army closed in. The intrigue has been further fuelled by the site's proximity to a massive network of secret underground tunnels built by the Nazis, some of which are around the massive Ksiaz Castle where legend has it the Third Reich stashed looted valuables. The pair insist the excavation is more than just a treasure hunt. Historians claimed the missing vessel would look like an armoured locomotive similar to this one used by the Nazis during WWII The treasures hunters said they had used a ground penetrating radar to locate the train and said these images proved the train was buried nine metres down in rail tunnel Frenzy: Their extraordinary claims sparked gold fever as the world wanted to know if a train packed with gems and art had been buried by the retreating German army in the dying days of WWII Digging: The Polish army (pictured) was sent to the site in September to begin digging to find the mysterious 'Nazi gold train', which was said to be buried in a tunnel nine metres down Mystery: Professor Janusz Madej from AGH University of Science and Technology, searching at the site, told a press conference in December there is no evidence of a train Legend had it the locomotive set off from the western city of Wroclaw (then known as Breslau) before mysteriously disappearing around Walbrzych (Waldenburg at the time) while fleeing the Red Army in 1945. Fortune-hunters have looked for it for decades, and in the communist era the Polish army and security services even carried out apparently fruitless searches for it. Last year Poland's Deputy Culture Minister Piotr Zuchowski said he was '99 per cent convinced' the train was buried beneath the ground in Walbrzych after seeing ground-penetrating radar images. He added that the images seemed to show a train equipped with a gun and turrets. Search: Fortune-hunters have looked for it for decades, and in the communist era the Polish army and security services even carried out apparently fruitless searches for it (file photo of Nazi tunnel) Septuagenarian suspect: Darlene Stolaruk, 72, is accused of assaulting her 90-year-old husband and a Michigan sheriff's deputy A 72-year-old Michigan businesswoman was arrested after police say she beat up her 90-year-old husband and sent a sheriff's deputy to the hospital with a shoulder injury. Darlene Deciantis-Stolaruk has been charged with assault and battery, assault on a police officer and damage to property in connection to the altercation that took place Friday afternoon in Rochester Hills. Oakland County officers responded to Stolaruk's commercial leasing company in the 1900 block of Star Batt Drive at around 4pm after getting a call about an assault in progress. The deputies allegedly walked in on the septuagenarian beating up her 90-year-old husband, Steve Stolaruk. When a deputy informed Mrs Stolaruk that she was under arrest and made an attempt to put her in handcuffs, the woman allegedly turned violent and put up a fight, reported Fox 2 Detroit. Scroll down for video Couple's quarrel: Deputies say they walked in on Mrs Stolaruk beating her spouse, 90-year-old Steve Stolaruk The alleged assault took place at the couple's commercial leasing company in Rochester Hills, Michigan In the scuffle that ensued, Stolaruk and the deputy lost their footing and fell to the ground, with the woman landing on the cop's shoulder. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said his deputy went to the hospital complaining of pain and numbness in his left shoulder, reported the station WXYZ. He has since returned to work and was expected to fully recover. Darlene Stolaruk was later released from jail after posting bond. Darlene and Steve Stolaruk are real estate developers and owners who are also known for their philanthropic work in the Rochester Hills area. Feisty: Mrs Stolaruk, pictured left and right with her husband, allegedly turned violent when the deputy tried to handcuff her and fell on top of the officer, hurting his shoulder Patch Rochester reported in 2013 that the Stolaurks had donated an undisclosed amount of money to the city to help develop a 70-acre public park. A Russian airport has covered up a mural that looked like a giant penis just days before a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The rude image was called 'the friendly penis' by airline passengers, but turned Volgograd's international airport into something of a laughing stock. The mural showed interconnected Cyrillic words - which translate into 'to fly' and 'to dream' in English - in cursive writing, but it had an unfortunate resemblance to a male sexual organ. Volgograd's international airport has painted over the mural which showed a phallic image Photos of the mural were quickly turned into memes on social media, causing even further embarrassment to the airport in south-western Russia. Not wanting to embarrass the president, the mural inside the new international terminal, which opened last week, has been painted over, Pravda reported. It was an about-face for the airport, which initially said the mural would remain intact. Spokeswoman Tatiana Fomicheva said previously: 'Despite all the fuss, nobody is going to be painting over the drawing. The mural showed interconnected Cyrillic words - which translate into 'to fly' and 'to dream' The mural inside Volgograd's new international terminal was painted over before an official visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin 'This is an element of the corporate identity of the design company, Hugo Chavez, which designed the new terminal. 'The picture causes positive emotions to people and creates a friendly atmosphere in the arrival-departure hall. It is particularly important for those people who are afraid to fly.' Putin is in Volgograd this week for the State Council Presidium, where officials are discussing internal waterway development. An ex-Louisiana prosecutor accused of soliciting sex from women in exchange for favorable treatment was given three years in prison Wednesday. Harry Morel, 73, pleaded guilty in April to obstructing justice, though investigators say that he had also solicited sex from defendants in exchange for leniency. He was ultimately given the maximum sentence of three years and a $20,000 fine for that one count, which came after he admitted telling an alleged victim to destroy a memory card containing photos of them together. Scroll down for video 'Predator': Harry Morel (center) received three years in prison and $20,000 fine Wednesday after pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. But prosecutors say he is a 'predator' 'Victim': Danelle Keim McGovern (right, with her son in undated family photo) told police in 2010 Morel had groped her. She wore an wire for the FBI but died of an overdose in 2013 Judge Kurt Engelhardt said Morel would be on supervised released for a year once he is released from prison and it was up to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to decide where Morel will serve his time. Morel was DA in St Charles Parish, about 20 miles west of New Orleans, for 33 years, and had been the subject of multiple sex-for-leniency complaints, WWLTV reported. But it wasn't until one of his victims, Danelle Keim McGovern, called the sheriff's office in 2010 that prosecutors were able to move ahead. 'Right when I get by my door he grabs me by my waist, turns me around and kisses me,' McGovern, who had been picked up on a DUI charge, told a deputy at the time. 'I mean he puts his disgusting, nasty-a** tongue in my mouth and just kissed me. So I just pulled away.' Her mom, Tammy Glover, later told the channel that her daughter had called her first. 'I answered my phone and she was hysterical,' she said. 'Like, I couldn't even understand her. 'She said, "Mom, he almost raped me. This is what he did. He touched me all over."' Trauma: Tammy Glover, Danelle's mom, said her death was due to trauma inflicted by Morel. Prosecutors didn't charge him with sex crimes because of McGovern's death and time limits McGovern agreed to wear an FBI wire in order to record her meetings with Morel, helping build a case against him. In one he was said to turn up at her house with two bottles of wine before proceeding to grope her. But in 2013 McGovern died of an overdose, leaving behind a five-year-old son. Glover still blames Morel for her daughter's death, saying that the man's actions 'emotionally tore (her) up.' 'To me, he was the Devil himself,' she said. 'Just hurting all these women for this many years, and no one knew? Something's wrong with that picture.' In the April press conference announcing Morel's plea agreement, local FBI special agent in charge Jeff Sallet said: 'This is a case about the worst form of public corruption. 'This joint investigation uncovered more than 20 victims spanning 20 years. Harry Morel is nothing short of a sexual predator.' However, Morel was never charged with a sexual crime. US Attorney Kenneth Polite said that was because time limits had passed on some crimes, and prosecutors faced both significant problems with evidence and victims whose personal histories might lead jurors to doubt them. And because McGovern is dead. 'Devil': Glover called Morel 'the Devil.' The FBI said he offered leniency for sex to 20 women. But he only pleaded guilty to telling McGovern to destroy photos of them together In the end they could only pursue the one count of obstructing the course of justice, after Morel admitted to telling McGovern to destroy photographic evidence of their meetings. Keim's sister, Tessie Keim, spoke in the hall outside the courtroom on Wednesday and said she had conflicting feelings about the three-year sentence. She said justice was not served because Morel 'didn't get charged with what he should have been.' But, she said, 'We're just excited that he got anything. We're very happy the judge gave him the full sentence.' Engelhardt repeated several times Wednesday that he couldn't give Morel more than three years. The decision wasn't difficult, he said. 'It is difficult to imagine justification for less than the maximum.' Morel retired from his position as prosecutor in 2012. By Radhika Oswal's reckoning, the ANZ bank effectively 'had a gun at my head' after threatening she and her husband could be jailed for fraud and their two daughters left as orphans. There was no other option but to agree to the bank's demands that she personally assume liability for almost $US1 billion in Indian businessman husband Pankaj Oswal's debts, Mrs Oswal has told a court. 'There was no other way out. I had a gun at my head,' Mrs Oswal told the Victorian Supreme Court on Wednesday. Scroll down for video Radhika Oswal (seconf from left) says she ANZ bank threatened to jail her and husband Pankaj (second from right) , leaving their daughters orphans Radhika Oswal and Pankaj Oswal are pursuing ANZ bank in the courts The couple have been dubbed the 'Indian glamour couple' After Mrs Oswal's testimony blaming two senior ANZ executives for pressuring her into taking on her husband's debts, the Oswals and the bank were on Wednesday afternoon back in talks about a possible settlement of the complex legal case. Mrs Oswal's cross-examination by the bank's barrister was delayed until Thursday amid the talks over the former Perth couple's up to $2.5 billion lawsuit over the sale of their Australian fertiliser business. The judge-only trial has heard Mr Oswal admitted being involved in forging European loan guarantees used to get $US928 million from the ANZ for the Burrup ammonia plant in Western Australia. Mrs Oswal baulked when the bank wanted her to guarantee her husband's debts using her 35 per cent stake in Burrup Holdings, before agreeing to be personally liable for $US568 million in debts. Amid heated discussions in December 2009, Mrs Oswal's lawyer Grant Pestell told ANZ group general counsel Bob Santamaria she would still not sign anything. 'Bob Santamaria said to Grant do you realise that both of them could go to jail and their children would become orphans,' Mrs Oswal told the court. Pankaj and Radhika Oswal leave the William Cooper Justice Centre in Melbourne in June Mrs Oswal said then ANZ chief risk officer Chris Page told her there were people at the bank who believed she was involved all along, which she denied, and she too could go to jail. She said her husband did not want the bank to expose his role in the fraud, nor did the bank want it to come out. She said Mr Page told her: 'If we wanted this to come out don't you think that we would have already reported the matter and sent Pankaj to jail?' Part of Mrs Oswal's duress case involves claims that Mr Page had Mr Oswal in a headlock while the men were alone during the meetings on Sunday, December 20, 2009. Mrs Oswal said her husband told her Mr Page was very angry and had said: 'We must sign the documents. We bloody well sign the documents or there's going to be big trouble.' Mrs Oswal said lawyer Darren Greenham said he saw Mr Page with his arm around Mr Oswal's neck, towering over him, but straightened up when the lawyer walked in. Mr Page denies the allegations and Mr Oswal will not give evidence in court. The ANZ ended up demanding it be repaid under Mrs Oswal's guarantee and appointing receivers to the Burrup business in December 2010. The Oswals fled Australia hours after talks with the bank finished, to avoid Mr Oswal facing jail. 'If he was in Australia there was no way to keep him safe,' Mrs Oswal said. 'We left because we were that scared.' The Oswals fled Australia hours after talks with the bank finished, to avoid Mr Oswal facing jail Thirteen people were seriously injured when an intercity train travelling at 140km per hour (85 mph) hit a fallen tree on tracks near the southern French city of Montpellier on Wednesday, emergency services said. 'One passenger is in a critical condition and a dozen are badly hurt,' said a paramedic spokesman who gave his name as Captain Mercier, adding another 50 people were treated for minor injuries at the scene. The train was travelling at the usual speed for the stretch of track near the village of Saint-Aunes, a spokesman for state rail company SNCF said. A regional train crashed into a tree which had fallen on to the tracks in southern France on Wednesday The train was travelling at 140 kilometres an hour (87 mph) between Nimes and Montpellier when it hit a tree that had been uprooted by a hailstorm 'At Lunel at around 3:45 pm, a TER (regional train) going at 140 kmh hit a tree which had fallen on to the track after extremely violent storms in the region,' SNCF said. 'Firefighters and police are at the scene where access is very difficult,' SNCF added. The rail company did not give any information about how many passengers had been on the train at the time of the accident. The entire region around Montpellier, which is very popular with British holidaymakers during the summer months, was battered by violent hailstorms today. Pictures taken by passengers and posted on social media showed extensive damage to at least one carriage and broken glass strewn across the floor One passenger said he 'felt a jerk that came from the front of the train... we knew that the situation was serious' Arthur Bechilly, who was traveling on the TER service, told Midi Libre newspaper the weather 'changed quite suddenly' and 'hail began to fall'. He said: 'We felt a jerk that came from the front of the train. Not much, but very quickly we knew that the situation was serious.' Mr Bechilly said he saw windows caving in and the wounded being evacuated. The train was just just 10 minutes out of Montpellier station, and was heading towards Nimes. The train was travelling at the usual speed for the stretch of track near the village of Saint-Aunes, a spokesman for state rail company SNCF said The horrific accident happened in Saint-Aunes, around 10 miles to the east of Montpellier Pictures taken by passengers and posted on social media showed extensive damage to at least one carriage and broken glass strewn across the floor. In November, ten people were killed after a French high-speed train derailed during atest run. It was the first fatal accident sincethe TGV trains were introduced more than 30 years ago. The victims were among the team of 49 technicians aboard the train. There were no other passengers. The train was running at around 217 mph on a high-speed line as part of testing for the next generation of TGV due to go into service in Spring 2016. With husband Anthony Weiner's online flirtations still making headlines while her boss runs for president, longtime Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin has given access to Vogue Magazine for a glossy profile where she reveals she relied on her faith and close network of friends to get through Weiner's tumultuous sexting scandal. When the scandal broke in 2013, and she and Weiner were dodging photographers as the tawdry tale unfolded, 'I tried to block out all the noise and move on with my life,' she told Vogue. The practicing Muslim says she leaned on her faith as well as a 'a really supportive group of friends and colleagues.' 'That support system enabled usenabled meto get up and to keep doing what I thought were the right things for my family and for myself.' Huma Abedin was photographed by celebrity photographer Annie Leibovitz in September in a Ralph Lauren dress described as 'her own,' and participated in the lengthy profile in Vogue magazine She and Weiner, a former New York congressman, have kept their marriage together while raising their son, Jordan, despite Huma's hectic schedule. 'I know Anthony has said this before, but Jordan was the best thing that happened to either of us,' she said. 'Our primary concern was the well-being of our son, and ensuring he had everything he needed to feel loved and cared for and to thrive.' But Abedin, who has been at Hillary Clinton's staff since serving as an intern while she was first lady two decades ago, reveals the strain of her chosen role. Abedin has been at Clinton's side for two decades in politics The senior campaign aide invited Vogue along for behind-the-scenes moments with Clinton during the Democratic convention 'There are days that go by, and I think, I can't recall the last time I cooked my son a meal. I feel really guilty about that,' she said. 'I'm his mother, and I should be making sure he's eating well!' 'When I do have a day with him, I like to go on a walkeven if I have to be on a conference call,' she admits. 'I think, to him, it's normal.' She adds: 'I'm hoping that in ten years he won't remember that Mom is at work so much.' Abedin reveals an international childhood where her parents, her mother is Hindu and her father was Muslim, raised her. 'I rarely just saw my parents sitting around. They were always doing something,' Abedin said. ONLY IN NEW YORK: Abedin is married to former New York congressman Anthony Weiner, a TV-savvy lawmaker who twice ran for mayor only to watch his career implode after a sexting scandal The flattering profile credits Abedin with spearheading the strategy to beat Bernie Sanders in New York. Here she is pictured in Newark in June 2016 CLOSE COUNSEL: Abedin talks about providing guidance to her longtime boss, and even translating in Arabic for an Iraqi governor 'I'd come home, and my father would say, 'We're only doing Urdu or Hindi in the house today!' The following day they would have to speak Arabic, the author notes. In the summer, 'My dad would be like, 'OK, we're doing horseback riding!' 'Everyone's doing swimming lessons!' Once, while Clinton was serving in the Senate, Abedin stepped in as stand-in translator for a meeting between Clinton and an Iraqi governor. ''He didn't speak any English, and the translator was late,' she explained. The article has the imprimatur of a campaign-approved image building project, with laudatory quotes from top officials and insiders. 'She always had a certain presence,' says Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta who posed in Clinton's campaign headquarters in Brooklyn in a Ralph Lauren dress described as 'her own.' 'You always try to keep a sense of the history in your mind, and it creeps up fleetingly as you go through the motions of your day-to-day,' she says, 'but it overcame us that night, really at that moment.' Just before Clinton walked onstage, Abedin whispered in her ear: 'Take a deep breath, look around the room, and savor the moment.' Abedin says of Clinton: 'The nature of our relationship has changed. Over the years, we've shared stories about our lives, we've shared more meals than I can count, we've celebrated together, we've mourned together.' DON'T FORGET TO SMILE!: Abedin is constantly behind the scenes with her boss, providing guidance and also helping handle logistics as a longtime 'body woman' who also has a substantive portfolio Clinton herself participated in the article, describing Abedin as ''among the most capable and confident people in public service.' 'With Huma, her grace, her intellect, and her humility have been unmatched as I've watched her go from an aide to an adviser to one of the people at the top of my campaign,' the article quotes Clinton as explaining. The article makes reference not only to Weiner's scandal, but to an investigation by Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa of Abedin's 'Special Government Employee' status, where she was allowed to be paid as a top State Department staffer while also being paid as a consultant to Bill Clinton-linked company Teneo. It describes the 41 year old as a natural candidate to be Clinton's chief of staff if she wins the election in November, though Abedin said it was hard for her to even imagine what she'll be doing in November. The article calls Clinton's Roosevelt Island campaign kickoff 'her idea' and credits her with spearheading a 'shift in ground-game strategy' to carry New York in the primaries. 'She knew how to adjust to a frame of campaigning that was literally kind of street-based in New York,' said Podesta. Man from Switzerland has been arrested and remanded in custody She said she had been asked by man to watch shooting stars with him Teenager told police man attacked and raped her on beach in Rimini A British teenager has told police that she was raped on a beach while on holiday in Italy. The 17-year-old girl, who has not been named, said she was asked by a man to come with him to watch shooting stars on the beach in the northern coastal resort of Rimini. She alleges the 19-year-old then attacked and raped her. A British teenager has told police that she was raped on a beach in the northern coastal resort of Rimini (file photo) The man has been arrested and local media reports that the suspect is from Switzerland and of Bosnian origin. Defending the suspect, lawyer Piergiorgio Tiraferri argued the girl had agreed to have sexual intercourse but later felt guilty for cheating on her boyfriend. He claimed that the teenager had been driven by guilt to falsely accuse his client of rape. The suspect has been remanded in custody for the duration of the preliminary investigation. The case continues. Last August, two women reported being raped on a beach in the same town. A third woman said a man attempted to rape her but she managed to escape. Muslims make up the largest religious group entering the U.S. as refugees this year, a new Pew Research survey reveals. According to data from the State Department's Refugee Processing Center, 28,957 refugees that have been admitted to the country since October 1, 2015 identity as Muslim. That's 46 per cent of the total 63,000 refugees this past year and the largest of any religious group. Christians are the second largest refugee group, with a marginally less 27, 556 refugee believers. Muslims make up the largest religious group among refugees admitted to the U.S. in the past year The U.S. hasn't admitted as many Muslims since 2006, when there was a large number of Somali refugees entering the country to escape civil war. One cause for the spike is the civil war and ISIS' emergence in Syria. So far this year, the U.S, has admitted 8,569 people from majority-Muslim Syria Behind Burma and the Congo, Syrians made up the largest group of people immigrating to the U.S. as refugees this year, with 8,511 people. Syrians have been fleeing their country thanks to both a civil war and the emergence of ISIS. President Obama has pledged to welcome 10,000 Syrian immigrants by the end of the year, a goal it looks like his administration is close to accomplishing. Syrians and Somalis together make up more than half of this year's Muslim refugees (8,511 and 7,234 respectively), with the others coming from Iraq (6,071), Burma (2,554), Afghanistan (19,48) and other countries (2,639). These numbers reflect only refugees, who make up approximately ten percent of all new legal immigrants to the country. Refugees are also not to be confused with asylum seekers. Refugees apply for residency in the U.S. from abroad and submit to questions about the religious affiliation before being admitted to the country, while asylum seekers petition to stay once they have already arrived. The government does not record religious affiliations for all legal immigrants, so it's impossible to known what percentage Muslims make up of all immigrants to the U.S. However, other surveys suggest that Muslims are still dwarfed by Christians in terms of American immigration. A 2013 report, estimated that six in 10 new legal immigrants in 2012 were Christian, compared to just one in 10 Muslims. And since 2002, when data was first recorded on refugees' religious affiliation, Christians have remained the dominant group. Nicola Sturgeon has stepped up demands for Theresa May to guarantee the right of EU nationals to stay after Brexit, saying the situation was causing 'heartbreak'. The First Minister said it was 'unthinkable' that three million people would be asked to leave but the Prime Minister needed to be 'humane' and end the uncertainty. The comments came as she addressed the issue at a special Scottish Cabinet meeting in Edinburgh, featuring an audience of EU nationals living north of the border. Nicola Sturgeon said it was 'heartbreaking' that EU nationals were suffering such uncertainty She told them it 'breaks her heart' that she is unable to guarantee their futures because immigration is reserved to Westminster. While the UK Government has repeatedly attempted to reassure EU nationals currently living in the UK, it has yet to rule out the possibility of deportations in the future. One Italian audience member, Caroline Maqoha, spoke of uncertainty over her 13-year-old son's education, adding that he had been bullied at school in the build-up to the EU referendum. She urged politicians not to make EU nationals from the UK the new 'refugees of Europe'. She added: 'We have to live with our bags half-packed, our feet halfway out of the door. 'I don't have any trust whatsoever in the Westminster Government. They will wake up one day and say Article 50, EU members, you have to be out within six months. They are capable of that. 'It is inhumane. It is against the basic human rights of children. 'Brexit is ruining the future of Scottish children.' Ms Sturgeon said: 'It really breaks my heart that as First Minster, as the elected leader of this country, I am not able to sit here and give you the guarantees and the certainty that you want. 'This is the one that strikes at the heart of humanity. People living here and trying to get on with their lives here should not suddenly have this question mark over their future, and the UK Government could at the stroke of a pen, today if it chose to, put an end to this uncertainty. The Scottish First Minister was speaking at a special Scottish Cabinet meeting in Edinburgh, featuring an audience of EU nationals living north of the border. Mrs Sturgeon called on Theresa May to 'do the humane thing' and reassure people they would be allowed to stay after Brexit 'End this uncertainty, end it now, do the humane thing.' She added: 'I think it is unthinkable that people living here would be asked to leave. I think the uproar that that would cause, rightly, would be immense. 'But the fact remains that until that commitment is given, people are going to worry and have that uncertainty.' While her remarks were applauded by the audience, Ms Sturgeon was also accused of sowing the seeds of division within the UK by raising the prospect of another independence referendum. Patrick Harkness, from Northern Ireland, said that while Ms Sturgeon had sought to reassure EU nationals, she was building her own "cold house", while nationalists were "sneering at British people". He said: "Your backbenchers openly talk about how much people may or may not hate the English and you do not admonish them. Now you're misrepresenting my Remain vote to further yet more separatism. "First Minister, I think we should recognise that you are building a cold house too. When are you going to hold an event such as this for UK citizens to reassure us that your nationalists will no longer speak division and hatred against us?" Ms Sturgeon said: "I admonish anybody who is anti-anybody on the basis of their nationality, whatever that nationality may be. "My belief in Scottish independence never has been and never will be based on a sense of where people come from." She said she could have called a second independence referendum immediately after the Brexit vote, but had chosen instead to look at all options to secure Scotland's future in Europe. A UK Government spokesman said: "The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to protect the status of EU nationals already living here and the only circumstances in which that wouldn't be possible is if British citizens' rights in European member states were not protected in return. "We are consulting with businesses and other stakeholders across Scotland about the impact of leaving the EU. Those discussions are covering a range of issues, including freedom of movement. This is the shocking moment a woman launches a racist tirade on her neighbours, telling them they 'should have stayed in Africa'. The incident was caught on camera by one of the victims of the verbal onslaught, which took place on a residential street in Tallahassee, Florida. The video, which was posted to YouTube, shows the bikini-clad woman becoming increasingly angry while arguing with the group outside her house. The woman is pulled back by her daughter who asks her to stop, but she continues to rant She says: 'You should have stayed in Africa, and you can go back there. It's free. You can go back to Africa if you want to.' The video maker can be heard replying: 'Don't say nothing else,' as the woman continues to rant and rave and throw her hands around. Later in the video, the enraged woman brings Martin Luther King into her increasingly outrageous tirade before her daughter intervenes. She walks over to her mother and grabs her by the arm while telling her to stop. The enraged woman brings Martin Luther King into her increasingly outrageous tirade It appears that she is trying to get her to sit in the car, but the woman refuses to do so and returns to the group to continue her rant. The clip concludes with the mother asking: 'Why don't you speak your own language?' before the video maker replies that she is American and speaks English. The awful footage sparked outrage after emerging online, with viewers lambasting the horrific verbal attack. It is not clear whether a complaint was made to the police following the incident. A man paused to have a cigarette break as he brutally bashed a mother-of-two to death after he thought she was cheating on him, a court has heard. Mataio Jordan Aleluia admitted to killing Brittany Harvie, who was found dead in a car in Kelly Park Reserve in Clayton, south-east of Melbourne in June last year. The Supreme Court heard he had pleaded guilty to manslaughter but claimed he did not intend to murder the 22-year-old woman, The Herald Sun reported. Mother-of-two Brittany Harvie (pictured left and right) was bashed to death by her boyfriend Ms Harvie was found dead in a car in Clayton, south-east of Melbourne in June last year Crown prosecutor Andrew Tinney, SC said Aleluia, who was living with Ms Harvie in her white car in the park, had wrongly accused his girlfriend of having an affair. When the young mother denied being involved in another relationship, Aleluia allegedly lashed out into a fit of rage. The jury heard the defenceless woman pleaded with Aleluia that she would never leave him and told him that she loved him. But Aleluia repeatedly punched and kicked Ms Harvie - and stopped for a cigarette before he continued to bash her to death. Mataio Jordan Aleluia admitted to killing her. A court heard he paused to have a cigarette break as he brutally bashed her to death The couple lived in a car by the Kelly Park Reserve in Clayton, south-east of Melbourne Mr Tinney alleged Aleluia had initially confessed to police that he killed Ms Harvie after he was 'crazed' with jealousy. 'I bashed her up man, I bashed her up. I killed my girlfriend for a stupid f*****g reason,' Aleluia allegedly told police. French police have removed nearly a thousand migrants from illegal camps in the centre of Paris - despite 100 more arriving to the capital every day. The 8-900 people were boarded onto police buses before being taken to official camps to the east of the city. In May, the city's mayor Anne Hidalgo announced plans to create a refugee camp with proper facilities, scheduled to be up and running in September. French police have removed nearly a thousand migrants from illegal camps in Paris The 8-900 people were boarded onto police buses before being taken to official camps to the east of the city Journalists and activists at the scene described the evacuation as peaceful, but decried the concentration of people in Paris and Calais as a 'mess'. Previous evacuations have led to violent clashes with police who have fired tear gas into the crowds of migrants. One activist told AFP, 'Paris is a hub, a transit place for those heading north and those going south - those who are leaving and those who are arriving. It's a complete mess that's absolutely impossible to manage under the conditions that exist today.' Journalists and activists at the scene described the evacuation as peaceful Previous evacuations have led to violent clashes with police who have fired tear gas into the crowds of migrants Yan Drouet, a Senior Paris police official at the evacuation said there have been 25 large scale evacuations since June 2015 which have allowed authorities to address the situation of 15,000 migrants. 'Eight to nine hundred migrants who were in the Jemmapes platform of the Stalingrad Place and the Flandres Avenue were evacuated from 7am this morning,' he said. 'Every migrant will get a review of their administrative situation which will allow us to determine the best course of action depending on their situation,' he told journalists today. Police need to determine whether the migrants are asylum seekers, weather they have applied for asylum and been rejected or if they have already applied in different countries. There have been 25 large scale evacuations since June 2015 processing 15,000 migrants The city's mayor Anne Hidalgo says she expects 100 new arrivals every day meaning it is likely the informal camps will reappear in a matter of days as In May, French police tore down and evicted 500 migrants from an illegal camp under the Stalingrad metro in east Paris for the third time in two months Reportedly from the war torn nations of Somalia, Sudan, Afghanistan and Eritrea, 70 women and children from the group were given priority, while hundreds of men waiting with bags and suitcases boarded buses at approximately 10am. It is likely the informal camps will reappear in a matter of days as Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo believes the city is seeing 100 migrants arrive everyday. In May, French police tore down and evicted 500 migrants from an illegal camp under the Stalingrad metro in east Paris for the third time in two months. A man federal prosecutors say was victimized in an overseas, online romance scam has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for stealing more than $1.4 million from two Pittsburgh-area companies whose funds he controlled. Jeffery Plimpton, 59, acknowledged using more than $13,000 of the money he stole to pay his mortgage, and nearly $69,000 to pay credit card bills. But most of the money nearly $1.39 million was sent overseas 'at the direction of a woman with whom he had an online relationship,' Assistant U.S. Attorney Shardul Desai told a judge Wednesday. At least some of the money was sent to Malaysia. Jeffrey Plimpton ended up stealing $1.4million from his employers after they trusted him to be in control of the firm's funds Plimpton stole the money from Alpha Aromatics, a fragrance company, and a subsidiary, Pestco Professional Services, a pest control firm, while working as Alpha's controller from April 2014 until the thefts were discovered in an internal accounting review in December. Plimpton was fired then confessed stealing the money to company officials and, eventually, the FBI, Desai said. Confronted by Alpha's chief operating officer, Plimpton 'claimed he invested company funds in offshore accounts,' Desai said. He's since repaid $50,000. Plimpton, who now lives in Southaven, Mississippi, honestly believed the overseas money was to be invested by a woman he met online, public defender Linda Cohn told the judge. Alpha Aromatics, a fragrance company, and a subsidiary, Pestco Professional Services, a pest control firm, were both based in the same building make TOP FIVE SCAM ALERTS 1. Youve never met or seen them: scammers will say anything to avoid a face-to-face meeting. 2. Theyre not who they appear to be: scammers steal photos and profiles from real people to create an appealing facade. 3. They ask to chat with you privately: as many dating sites have processes in place to identify and remove scammers, 4. You dont know a lot about them: scammers are often less forthcoming about themselves. 5. They ask you for money: once the connections been made - scammers will eventually ask you to transfer money. Advertisement 'There's no indication that actually was a woman. That was someone Mr. Plimpton believed was a woman,' Cohn told U.S. District Judge Nora Barry Fischer. 'He also wants the court to know how truly sorry for his conduct he is, your honor.' Outside court, Cohn declined to further explain the situation. The attorneys have agreed that federal guidelines call for a prison term of between 33 and 41 months when Plimpton returns for sentencing December 15. The judge allowed him to remain free on bond until then. Desai acknowledged that Plimpton's behavior was driven 'pretty much by a romance fraud-type situation.' Desai wouldn't detail who wound up with the money overseas but 'it's definitely fair to say the money's gone. It wasn't a legitimate person for the money to go to.' Online dating scams, particularly those involving overseas financial fraud, have become more common in recent years. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center logged 12,509 victims of 'Confidence Fraud/Romance' scams who lost more than $203 million last year. Wife charged: Sarah Shepard, 27, of Alabama, is accused of hiring an undercover police officer posing as a hit man to kill her husband The husband of an Alabama woman who has been charged with hiring an undercover cop to kill him has now come to her defense, telling a judge that she was the victim of entrapment. Sarah Shepard, 27, of Hartselle, was arrested in May in connection to a failed murder-for-hire plot targeting her husband, Richard Shepard. The would-be victim cooperated with the investigation and even helped police stage his own death. But on Monday, Mr Shepard told a Morgan County judge that his wife could not have come up with the murderous plot without being prompted by the undercover officer. Mr Shepard said in court that Sarah can hardly put together a weekly grocery list and urged that her $500,000 bond should be reduced, reported the station WAFF. Morgan County Circuit Judge Glenn Thompson said in response that he was 'baffled' by this latest twist in the case. Scroll down for video Unexpected ally: Richard Shepard, Sarah's husband, told a judge his wife could not have come up with the murder-for-hire plot without the undercover cop's prompting The investigation began in April when police were tipped off that Sarah Shepard had made several comments to her co-workers at Walmart about wanting her husband dead, according to an arrest affidavit cited by Decatur Daily. When police interviewed the woman, she said the remarks about her husband were said in jest. Video courtesy of WAFF 48 But according to the arrest document, the 27-year-old wife and mother continued talking to her colleagues about killing her husband of four years. Sometime between April 19 and May 19, Sarah Shepard was introduced to officer Dennis Sharp posing as a hit man. Sarah Shepard reportedly had come up with a plan to serve her husband poisoned cupcakes but later rejected the idea According to police, Shepard and Sharp eventually settled on a $500 fee for the job, with a $100 down payment. Richard Shepard helped police fake his own murder, and on May 19 his wife was shown photos as proof that her husband was dead. Mrs Shepard was arrested the following day. When confronted about the plot on her husband's life, she allegedly admitted to hiring the undercover cop to kill Richard. The station WAAY-TV reported that during a court hearing in June, police revealed that at one point Sarah Shepard had come up with a plan to serve her husband poisoned cupcakes. But the mother-of-two ultimately rejected that idea for fear that her children, ages 1 and 2, would eat the tainted treats. Investigators said Sarah Shepard felt that the only way she could get rid of her husband was to have him killed because filing for divorce would result in her losing custody of their children. In the wake of her arrest, Richard Shepard filed a petition for an order of protection, asking a judge to prohibit his wife from having contact with their children. Mrs Shepard has been in jail on $500,000 from the time of her arrest. One violent offense has occurred every day in an American Walmart store this year because of the company's relentless cost-cutting, a report has revealed. The stores have reportedly become crime hotspots across the US since 2000, when new CEO Leo Scott started slashing budgets. 'The constant calls from Walmart are just draining,' Bill Ferguson, a police captain in Port Richey, Florida, told Bloomberg. 'They recognize the problem and refuse to do anything about it.' Big shop of horrors: Walmart's US stores have suffered one violent crime a day this year. Cops say there aren't enough staff, so criminals and troublemakers aren't deterred Trouble: In June two women (left) were filmed fighting in a Florida Walmart; in July a thief (right) drove into an Arizona employee in his mobility scooter while fleeing Problems: Port Richey police captain Bill Ferguson told Fox News that Walmart 'recognize the problem and refuse to do anything about it.' The company says it is trying to improve Scott left Walmart in 2009, but the drive to reduce costs has continued. Walmart has dropped its greeters, who acted as a theft deterrent, and replaced checkouts with customer-operated scanners. That's meant increased profits: since 2006, sales per employee went up 23 per cent to $236,804. But the increase in profits has been matched by an increase in crime, critics say; for example, cops were called out to four Tulsa Walmarts a total of 2,000 times last year alone. The city's one Target store had 44 call-outs. Police believe reduced staff numbers are to blame. It now has 524sqft of retail space for every one worker, a 19 per cent increase on 2006. 'Its ridiculous - we are talking about the biggest retailer in the world,' said Tulsa police sergeant Robert Rohloff. 'I may have half my squad there for hours.' Cost-cutting: Walmart has been cutting costs since 2000, and now has 19 per cent more square feet of floor per staff member than in 2006. Cops say less staff means more crime And news reports of violent encounters, thefts and other problems at Walmart stores are only too common. In July a DVD thief died in a Florida Walmart while being restrained, and in June a Walmart employee in Texas took three people hostage before being shot by cops. Also from the past two months: an Arizona thief in a mobility scooter knocked over a staff member then fled, two men allegedly sold heroin in a Pennsylvania Walmart, and a meth lab was found in the sewer under a Walmart parking lot in New York. 'Dealers': Cops said in May these men sold drugs in a Pennsylvania Walmart. Walmart started an anti-crime campaign last year, but is using current staff rather than hiring many more Meth lab: Police investigate a meth lab under a New York Walmart's parking lot. Walmart would have to spend $3.25billion if it wanted to have as many staff-per-sqft as it had in 2006 But possibly most famous is a fight between two women in a Beech Grove, Indiana, Walmart that climaxed with one telling her six-year-old son to punch the other. 'Walmart Beech Grove is draining our police resources,' Dennis Buckley, mayor of Beech Grove, told Fox News shortly afterward. 'It's the string of terrible events that have been occurring down there over the past two months that have led me to instruct our police chief to declare the Walmart a public nuisance.' 'Nuisance': Dennis Buckley, mayor of Beech Grove, Florida, called Walmart a 'public nuisance' for its crime issues. Walmart says it 'understands' the need to 'do better' Police say they're being used to fill the holes left by Walmart's downsized staff. But estimates for hiring more security guards say it would cost the company half a billion dollars. And getting the employees-per-square-foot ratio back to 2006 levels would cost $3.25billion a year, around a quarter of Walmart's 2015 $14billion profit. Instead, the company says that it has all the staff it needs, and is focusing on retraining and redeploying them away from stock rooms and towards exits. It started a corporate campaign last year to reduce crime levels, and it says the campaign is working. 'We absolutely understand how important this is,' Judith McKenna, Walmarts chief operating officer for the US, said. Kyle Duane Duty, 26, from Oklahoma, has been arrested after offering to 'train' young girls and turn them into sex slaves A 26-year-old man who claimed to be a 'sex trainer' able to 'break' young girls and turn them into slaves has been arrested in an undercover sting operation. Kyle Duane Duty from Oklahoma, was arrested carrying gloves, a rag, and a sword after offering his 'services' under the 'personal encounters' section of Craigslist. While the post itself was subtle, once contacted by undercover officers Duty outlined a horrifying regime of physical and sexual abuse he would subject the girl to in order to make her subservient. Police say they contacted Duty via the messaging feature of Craigslist, with respondents asked to send him an email entitled: 'Teach me sir.' Detectives posed as a man trying to get 'training' for his 14-year-old stepdaughter. Duty exchanged messages with the officers for around two weeks, police say, during which time he went into detail about how he would subdue the girl. Mark Woodward, from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, said: 'He got in to some very graphic, very descriptive details of how he trains these girls to become sex slaves. 'She would be gone for a couple of months hidden away in a basement or somewhere private and secluded where he could torture her to break her will.' Woodward said Duty did not ask for money in return for training, only permission to abuse whichever girl he was supplied with. The abuse included unprotected 'rough' sex, with Duty telling the undercover officers that the girl might end up being permanently scarred. Duty was caught in a sting operation by undercover officers posing as a stepfather who wanted 'training' for his 14-year-old stepdaughter so he could abuse her He also advised the 'stepfather' to carry out a strict regime of spanking and to use sex toys on the girl 'to get her ready for him.' During the time she was missing, Duty told the officers to report her missing and tell his family that she had run away from home. Duty then arranged to meet the 14-year-old in a parking lot in the town of Norman last week. He asked officers to bring the girl wearing a loose top, loose shorts and no underwear, though later added that underwear might be necessary to 'gag' her. According to police Duty was carrying gloves, a shop rag and a long sword-like knife when he was arrested. Detectives say he subsequently confessed to his crimes. Officers believe they got to Duty before he was able to attack any other girls, though they are continuing to search for potential victims. Duty is now charged with planning an act of violence, conspiracy to commit lewd acts with a child, attempted lewd proposals with a child, and computer fraud. The boyfriend of a 27-year-old single mother who was allegedly ran over and killed outside her home has been arrested. Michael Rosenmund, 39, was charged with reckless driving causing death and manslaughter with a motor vehicle on Tuesday in relation to the death of Julie Williamson. Williamson was struck by a car on July 10 in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, and remained in hospital for a week until her family decided to turn off her life support on July 17. Her body was found naked in the street after the accident. The boyfriend of 27-year-old single mother Julie Williamson (left, with her mother) who was allegedly ran over and died after she was found naked and unconscious outside her home has been arrested Rosenmund is being held in the Macomb County Jail and has a bond of $300,000 set, the Detroit Free Press reports. Just hours before the fatal crash, Rosenmund had picked Williamson - who has a a nine-year-old son, Tyler, and two-year-old daughter, Arianna - up from a bachelorette party and later argued, Click On Detroit reports. She was found 'naked or near nude' shortly after 6am, and had suffered severe injuries to her face and body. Joe Arnone, Rosenmund's lawyer, argued his client's behavior on the day of the accident prove he is someone who cares. Michael Rosenmund (pictured), 39, was charged with reckless driving causing death and manslaughter with a motor vehicle on Tuesday Williamson (pictured with her children, Tyler and Arianna) was struck by a car on July 10 in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, and remained in hospital for a week until her family decided to turn off her life support on July 17 Loved ones have created a fundraising page to help look after Williamson's family and children Arnone said the 39-year-old called 911, waited for them to arrive, and spoke to officers at the scene. 'No one really knows what happened. These are simply allegations,' he told the court, according to the Detroit Free Press. Rosenmund, who has a criminal record dating back to 1991 and was accused by Williamson's family of having a history of domestic violence, pleaded not guilty. Mr Williams says that now, 'no vehicle is safe' from Calais 'war zone' They chopped down trees and set fire to them to block the carriageway Migrants had chainsaws and threw Molotov cocktails into road, he said A British motorist is warning tourists to avoid Calais after migrants wielding chainsaws smashed up his Mercedes and hurled petrol bombs in the road. Rhys Williams, 53, was approaching the French port in the early hours when migrants from the sprawling jungle camp smashed his windows, causing up to 3,000 of damage. They ran onto the road brandishing chainsaws and throwing Molotov cocktails at the police and passing traffic in scenes that he said 'resembled a war zone'. Rhys Williams, 53, was approaching the French port in the early hours when his Mercedes' windows were shattered by inhabitants of the sprawling jungle camp Swarms of migrants ran onto the road brandishing chainsaws and throwing Molotov cocktails at the police and passing traffic in scenes that 'resembled a war zone' The attack is the latest in a string of incidents where migrants have attacked cars in a bid to block roads so they can access lorries bound for the UK. Mr Williams, an operations manager for the Road Haulage Association, was left covered in glass after his front and back door windows were shattered. Mr Williams said: 'I was on the pitch black approach road to the port at about 1am in the morning when there was an almighty bang to the side of my car. 'Two or three migrants had thrown a massive boulder that smashed my windows and damaged the rear door, driver's door and the pillar in-between. 'Two police vans were trying to contain 50 to 60 migrants that had come onto the carriageway with chainsaws and Molotov cocktails, throwing them at the trucks, the traffic and the police. 'They were chopping down trees and setting fire to them to block the road, there was no way the police could cope. 'In the middle of all this was a small family car, the occupants were clearly distressed. 'It was something that I can only imagine would resemble a war zone.' Mr Williams, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, says the incident on August 4 should be a warning to holidaymakers heading through the port. Mr Williams, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, says the incident on August 4 should be a warning to holidaymakers He said: 'They used to target the trucks but now it has taken another slant, no vehicle is safe, they are doing anything they can to stop the traffic so they can climb into stationary trucks. 'I don't want to scare people but with the next two weeks being peak holiday season there will be a lot of people making their way to Calais, it's really not a place families should be travelling through. 'I was covered in glass in my car, I dread to think what could have happened if there was a child in the back. 'My car is still in the body shop, the cost of repair will be 2,000 to 3,000 plus the cost of a hire car. 'Unless the authorities do something soon someone will be killed, that's not scaremongering, it could be a lorry driver or a holidaymaker.' Migrants from the Calais camp, which has a population of 9,000 and rising, have been trying to board vehicles to gain entry to the UK. Rhys added: 'Migrants are trying to get into the UK are now using very sophisticated techniques to get into vehicles. 'The drivers are liable to pay 2,000 per migrant found in their trucks - it's a huge worry for them. 'The RHA is calling for the French military to intervene, the police have been stretched to their limits with the terror attacks. This is the moment a Deliveroo cyclist jumps a red light and very nearly wipes out an elderly pedestrian on a pelican crossing. A motorist captured the close-call on his dashcam as the man on the bike overtook him on the approach to the crossing on Kew Road in London. The footage shows his vehicle slowing down in anticipation of the lights changing as the cyclist continues to pedal at speed. The cyclist was filmed overtaking the driver with the dashcam on the approach to the lights The green man then appears for the pedestrians, who step out onto the road to cross as the man on the bike hurtles towards them. One elderly woman, who is in front of the other people crossing, is very nearly wiped out as the cyclist swerves around her. The pedestrians can be seen looking around in shock as the man fails to even glance behind him as he continues his journey at speed. The video concludes with the dashcam driver blowing his horn at the cyclist. The cyclist ignores the red lights and jumps it as a group of people step out onto the road The man comes close to crashing into an elderly woman and is forced to swerve around her The footage, which emerged online, comes as hundreds of Deliveroo workers protested in London on Thursday. The workers are unhappy over the reported plans to pay them 3.75 per delivery rather than the current terms of 7 an hour and 1 per delivery. Deliveroo insisted the plans were a trial in certain areas of London with around 280 riders taking part, out of more than 3,000 in the capital. MailOnline has contacted Deliveroo for comment on the video. Could a dog have unearthed the mythical creature Bigfoot in Oregon? A video purporting to show the elusive Sasquatch has caused quite a stir online, after it was shared by the Bigfoot Encounters YouTube channel. According to the description alongside the clip, a man strapped a GoPro camera to his pet pooch and filmed the sighting in some woods in 2015. Is that Bigfoot?: A video purporting to show the elusive Sasquatch in some grassy woods in Oregon has caused a stir online after it was shared by the Bigfoot Encounters on YouTube The dog does not appear to be disturbed by the strange figure, which had lead some to question the authenticity of the clip The clip reemerged this week after being posted by Viral Nova, with many theorists coming forward with their opinions. The short video shows a dog walking through the grassy woods when a figure suddenly works by. It stands up on two legs like a human but also appears to be hairy and ape-like. Since appearing online some believers have suggested the footage may indeed by genuine. However many have called to question the authenticity, mostly due to the dog's reaction, or lack thereof. Sir Philip Green has reacted angrily to a reporter's attempts to question him over the collapse of BHS pushing away a camera and shouting 'that's going in the f****** sea.' The 64-year-old threatened to throw the cameraman's equipment into the water as he told a British journalist to 'go away' when pair clashed on the Greek island of Ithaca where the tycoon has been holidaying. Sir Philip who sold BHS to a thrice-bankrupt businessman for 1 has been taking refuge on his 100million superyacht in the wake of the scandal. Heated: Sir Philip Green has reacted angrily to a reporter's attempts to question him over the collapse of BHS pushing away a camera and shouting 'that's going in the f****** sea' The 64-year-old threatened to throw the cameraman's equipment into the water as he told a British journalist to 'go away' when pair clashed on the Greek island of Ithaca Pushing the camera: Sir Philip who sold BHS to a thrice-bankrupt businessman for 1 has been taking refuge on his 100million superyacht in the wake of the scandal The subsequent closure of BHS has put more than 11,000 jobs at risk and endangered the pensions of more than 20,000 former employees. When questioned by Sky News about why he was spending time on his yacht instead of sorting the pension deficit, Sir Philip replied: 'Why don't you go away'. He was tracked down by senior correspondent David Bowden, who was repeatedly told to 'go away' by Sir Philip as he tried to interview the billionaire businessman. Sir Philip was then seen raising his hand to the camera, before footage of the angry exchange turns blurry. Mr Bowden said he and the tycoon, dubbed Sir Shifty, later calmly shook hands. The journalist had earlier taken a local water taxi out from the Ithaca port in search of Sir Philip's 'Lionheart' yacht. Anticipating a 'prolonged search', he said it actually turned out to be much easier than he thought to find the former BHS owner's boat. When questioned by Sky News about why he was spending time on his yacht instead of sorting the pension deficit, Sir Philip replied: 'Why don't you go away'. He was tracked down by senior correspondent David Bowden, who was repeatedly told to 'go away' by Sir Philip as he tried to interview the billionaire businessman. Sir Philip reacted angrily to the reporter's attempts to question him over the collapse of BHS Sir Philip was then seen raising his hand to the camera, before footage of the angry exchange turns blurry. Mr Bowden said he and the tycoon later calmly shook hands The journalist had earlier taken a local water taxi out from the Ithaca port in search of Sir Philip's 'Lionheart' yacht (pictured) When he did, several members of Sir Philip's 40-man superyacht crew said to include a chef and a dog walker told Mr Bowden the businessman would 'talk when he was ready'. Sir Philip began his holiday in Malta before embarking on a Greek island-hopping tour. His wife Tina, 67, who is the registered owner of his 3.2billion shopping empire, is keeping him company aboard the newest addition to his private fleet, which she is said to have designed. Donald Trump on Tuesday night made his most explicit appeal for the votes of African-Americans to a nearly all-white crowd in a Wisconsin county where the black population is just 1.2 per cent. 'I am asking for the vote of every African-American citizen struggling in our country today who wants a different future,' Trump told a crowd of enthusiastic supporters in a speech where he also charged Hillary Clinton with 'bigotry.' Any black voters who might have heard his message probably got it through television or other media. There were very few dark faces among the crowd, in keeping with the demographics of Washington County. West Bend is about a 45-minute drive north of downtown Milwaukee, where people raged in the streets Saturday and Sunday after the shooting of a black motorist by an a police officer who was also black. Scroll down for video Trump spoke about improving lives in black communities, but made his remarks to a mostly white crowd about 45 minutes away from the violence that shook Milwaukee The White population in Washington County, where Trump spoke, is 96 per cent Trump got an enthusiastic response when he accused Hillary Clinton of 'bigotry' and said she gave a 'nod' to anti-police behavior BEHIND CLOSED DOORS: Trump met with Milwaukee Country Sheriff David Clarke Jr. and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani Tuesday in Milwaukee. The public wasn't admitted, and only a small 'pool' contingent of reporters was allowed in Washington County is 96 per cent white, according to the latest U.S. Census data. Trump referenced the riots that raged for two days after a Milwaukee police officer shot a black motorist who police say brandished a loaded handgun at a traffic stop. If he had wanted to address black voters in person, Trump spent plenty of time in downtown Milwaukee, where the security team that protects him was on edge because of the riots even counseling the candidate not to go, according to Trump. He spent several hours on Tuesday meeting with law enforcement inside a war memorial. He also held a fundraiser and taped a town hall with Fox news host Sean Hannity. But he held no public events where open attendance was advertised. Among those Trump met with was Milwaukee County sheriff David Clarke, who is African American, and who drew attention for an op-ed in The Hill newspaper where he blamed 'tribal behavior' for the violence. In his remarks, Trump tied Hillary Clinton to rioters and looters in Milwaukee and accused his opponent of being anti-police. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Tuesday addressed the riots in Milwaukee and declared that 'law and order must be restored' Speaking to a packed and mostly white crowd in West Bend, outside Milwaukee, Trump referenced the riots that raged for two days after a Milwaukee police officer shot a black motorist who police say brandished a loaded handgun at a traffic stop. 'Just like Hillary is against the miners, she is against the police believe me. You know it and I know it and guess what, she knows it,' Trump told a few hundred enthusiastic supporters who shouted out 'Lock her up!' and 'Treason!' at mentions of Clinton. 'Law and order must be restored. It must be restored for the sake of all but most especially for the sake of those living in the affected communities,' Trump said. Scroll down for video Republican Donald Trump met with law enforcement and veterans behind closed doors in Milwaukee Tuesday then spoke to a lively crowd where he linked Clinton to rioters and looters Scroll down for video Trump spoke after riots broke out Saturday and Sunday night following a police officer's shooting of Sylville Smith, 23, a black motorist with a criminal record who police say held a loaded gun during a traffic shop. Trump bashed the 'peddling the narrative of cops as a racist force in our society a narrative supported with a nod by my opponent.' He said they 'share directly in the responsibility for the unrest in Milwaukee, and many other places within our country.' 'They have fostered the dangerous anti-police atmosphere in America and all throughout America,' he said. 'The violence, riots and destruction that have taken place in Milwaukee is an assault on the right of all citizens to live in security and to live in peace,' Trump said early in his remarks, referencing the mayhem that occurred Saturday and Sunday. 'Our job is not to make life more comfortable for the rioter or the looter,' Trump said, in one of several lines intended to associate Clinton with mayhem in the streets. 'The quiet voices in our society not the loudest demonstrators need to have their demands heard,' Trump continued. Trump went after rioters and looters, whom he linked to Hillary Clinton in his remarks Trump accused Hillary Clinton of 'bigotry' and pandering to black voters and of giving a 'nod' to those who call police racist 'Jobs, safety, opportunity, fair and equal representation: We reject the bigotry of Hillary Clinton which panders to and talks down to communities of color and sees them only as votes thats all they care about not as individual human beings worthy of a better future,' he said. 'They are taking advantage.' 'The main victims of these riots are law abiding African Americans living in these neighborhoods,' Trump said, speaking to a mostly white crowd in West Bend, about 45 minutes outside of Milwaukee, a diverse city where he held no public events Tuesday. 'Its their jobs, its their homes its their schools and communities which will suffer the most as a result. Theres no compassion in tolerating lawless conduct for anyone,' he added. 'Crime and violence is an attack on the poor and will never be accepted in a Trump administration,' he said. 'The problem in our poorest communities is not that there are too many police. The problem is that there are not enough police,' he said. On jobs, he accused Clinton of printing 'instant work permits' for immigrants. He said they would come 'and take everybodys job, including low income, African Americans. Not right, not gonna happen,' he said. Trump was introduced by Wisconsin governor Scott Walker, who noted: 'There are two names and only two Americans that will be on the ballot' 'Im going to break up the gangs, the cartels and the criminal syndicates terrorizing our neighborhoods all over the country and that includes Milwaukee,' Trump pledged. 'To every lawbreaker hurting innocent people in this country I say: your free reign will soon come crashing to an end!' he vowed. His comments about violence in black communities and accusing Democrats of pandering, come at a time when Trump's African American support is in the basement, averaging just 2 percent in an average of recent polls. Trump also issued a new ethics proposal which was also a shot at Bill and Hillary Clinton's acceptance of big bucks fees. He said senior officials would have to sign a pledge not to take speaking fees from 'corporations with a registered lobbyist for five years after leaving office or from any entity tied to a foreign government.' 'Whats happening is disgraceful,' he said. Trump said he would forbid senior officials 'from trading favors for cash by preventing them from collecting lavish speaking fees through their spouses when they serve.' Trump spent Tuesday conducting a round of TV interviews in Wisconsin, before taping an interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News to be aired Wednesday. In an interview with Fox News Tuesday, Trump emphatically defended the Wisconsin police officer who shot and killed Sylville Smith at a traffic stop, prompting two days of riots. Trump referenced early statements by law enforcement that Smith, who had a criminal record, pointed a gun at the officer, in comments to Fox News just hours before he headed to Milwaukee for an event with local law enforcement. 'If you believe a gun was pointed at his head, maybe ready to be fired, what is a person supposed to do?' Trump asked. 'What is a person supposed to do?' Trump said. 'You're supposed to talk him out of it?' Trump told NBC affiliate WEAU he had wanted to 'get out' of Iraq but 'keep the oil,' a day after he admonished President Obama for the withdrawal of U.S. forces that left a vacuum for ISIS. I said, get out. I said dont go in, OK, to Iraq, said Trump. Advertisement The world's largest aircraft branded 'the flying bum' has taken to the skies in a successful maiden voyage - the first since a revamp in Britain. The 302ft-long Airlander 10 - part plane, part helicopter, part airship - loomed overhead at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire as the sun started to set on this evening. Photographers and plane spotters baked in the sun as they waited to see the aircraft, whose bulbous exterior has earned it the less-than-glamorous nickname 'the flying bum', take off. The world's largest aircraft has taken to the skies in a successful maiden voyage - the first since a revamp in Britain The aircraft (pictured) has been nicknamed 'the flying bum' by enthusiasts because of its unusual shape Photographers and plane spotters baked in the sun as they waited to see the aircraft, whose bulbous exterior has earned it the less-than-glamorous nickname 'the flying bum', take off One lone man sets up a deckchair earlier in the day to secure a good spot for the maiden voyage of the Airlander (pictured) The 25million Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world, during its maiden flight at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire The developers called the ship a 'great British innovation' after the flight, which was a modern milestone in airships, which was all but abandoned after the famous Hindenburg disaster in 1937. Stephen McGlennan, chief executive of Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), added: 'It's a combination of an aircraft that has parts of normal fixed-wing aircraft, it's got helicopter, it's got airship.' The Airlander is designed to use less fuel than a plane, but carry heavier loads than conventional airships. HAV say it can reach 16,000 feet, travel at up to 90 mph and stay aloft for up to two weeks. The aircraft was initially developed for the U.S. military, which planned to use it for surveillance in Afghanistan. But the US blimp program was scrapped in 2013 and since then, HAV, a small British aviation firm that dreams of ushering in a new era for airships, has sought funding from government agencies and individual donors. The vast aircraft is based at Cardington, where the first British airships were built during and after World War I. That program was abandoned after a 1930 crash that killed almost 50 people, including Britain's air minister. That accident and others including the fiery 1937 crash in New Jersey of the Hindenburg, which killed 35 dashed the dream of the airship as a mode of transportation for decades. First developed for the US government as a long-endurance surveillance aircraft, the British firm launched a campaign to return the craft to the sky after it fell foul of defence cutbacks After a successful first flight on Wednesday, the aircraft can be seen preparing to land back at the airfield in Bedford Unlike hydrogen, the gas used in the Hindenburg, helium is not flammable. The flight on Wednesday came days after a test flight planned for Sunday was scrapped at the last minute because of an unspecified technical issue. Mr McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch on Wednesday but added the airship could 'operate very happily' in 80 knots of wind. He said: 'Think of a big helicopter, a really giant helicopter. This can do the same thing that a helicopter can do - that's to say, provide air transportation for people and goods without the need for a runway - but this thing can take more over longer distances, it's cheaper and it's greener. McGlennan is confident there will be plenty of customers for Airlander both civilian and military because of its potential to gather data and conduct surveillance for days on end. It can also carry up to 10 metric tons (22,050 pounds) of passengers or cargo. The company hopes to have an even bigger aircraft, capable of carrying 50 metric tons (110,000 pounds), in service by the early 2020s. Preparations are made for the maiden flight of the Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world at the airfield Crowds clapped and cheered as the craft soared above them during its first outing from the First World War hangar where it was revealed in March after undergoing 'hundreds' of changes by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) over two years The flight on Wednesday came days after a test flight planned for Sunday was scrapped at the last minute because of an unspecified technical issue. Mr McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch on Wednesday but added the airship could 'operate very happily' in 80 knots of wind McGlennan said Airlander has many of the assets of a helicopter. It can 'provide air transportation for people and goods without the need for a runway. But this thing can take more over longer distances, it's cheaper and it's greener,' he said. Chris Pocock, defense editor of aviation magazine AIN, said the jury is still out on whether the craft is commercially viable. 'Airships and hybrids have still got a credibility gap to cover,' he said. 'Technically I think they are there now, but economically I'm not so sure.' Crowds clapped and cheered as the craft soared above them during its first outing from the First World War hangar where it was revealed in March after undergoing 'hundreds' of changes by HAV over two years. The Airlander took off at approximately 7.40pm and performed one lap of the airfield before landing about half an hour later, with light fast fading and the moon visible in the sky. It is about 50ft longer than the biggest passenger jets but its four engines appeared noticeably quieter than a plane or helicopter as it took to the skies. People could be seen by the side of the airfield getting pictures and footage of the momentous flight HAV chief executive officer Stephen McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch but added the airship could 'operate very happily' in 80 knots of wind The ship is about 50ft (15 metres) longer than the biggest passenger jets but its four engines appeared noticeably quieter than a plane or helicopter as it took to the skies Mr McGlennan, who is not a pilot but has practised flying the craft on a simulator, said it was 'very simple' to manoeuvre It took off to a large crowd of people who wanted to witness the inaugural flight of the massive aircraft (pictured) Mr McGlennan, who is not a pilot but has practised flying the craft on a simulator, said it was 'very simple' to manoeuvre. He said: 'It's a very stable, benign aircraft that responds very gently in flight, we expect it to be an unusually calm flight experience.' Mourners have packed into a New York church to farewell the 13-year-old boy who hanged himself after being mercilessly bullied at school. Daniel Fitzpatrick committed suicide in the attic of his family home in Staten Island last week, before his lifeless body and a note was found by his sister. The teenager was carried into a service at Sacred Heart Church, where Daniel was an altar boy, as Amazing Grace was played on the bagpipes, the New York Daily News reports. Scroll down for video Mourners have gathered to farewell Daniel Fitzpatrick (right, with his sister, Shannon) after the 13-year-old hanged himself in his family home last week His mother, Maureen, told the nearly 300 people inside the church that Daniel had been 'the saving grace' of the family. 'He was funny, handsome, gracious, kind. He had the most beautiful smile,' the heartbroken mother said, according to the newspaper. 'Mommy loves you with all my heart and soul. Ill see you later, and I thank God for giving me you.' Eileen Fitzpatrick described her brother as 'the center of our world' during the service. 'This sweet, loving, fun-to-be around person was the most amazing part of our lives,' she said, according to DNAInfo. 'He was the glue to our family. He was better than anyone we knew and anyone we will ever know.' It comes after the Fitzpatrick family claimed Daniel's school did nothing to stop the torment. The note that his sister discovered alongside her brother's body was one he wrote documenting the abuse he suffered at Holy Angels Catholic Academy in Brooklyn. Daniel Fitzpatrick (pictured), 13, hanged himself in his family's attic in Staten Island, where he was found by one of his older sisters about 5:30pm on Thursday Daniel (middle with his father, Daniel, and sister, Shannon) was carried into a service at Sacred Heart Church, where he was an altar boy, as Amazing Grace was played on the bagpipes His devastated mother and father believe the school called on child services instead of trying to stop the bullying. As the harassment continued, Daniel felt he couldn't turn to his teachers as he couldn't trust them. Welfare officers from the Administration for Childrens Services conducted an investigation into the family back in November 2015, but they ultimately turned up nothing. His mother, Maureen, told the nearly 300 people inside the church that Daniel had been 'the saving grace' of the family 'He was the glue to our family. He was better than anyone we knew and anyone we will ever know,' Daniel's sister, Eileen, said at the service at Sacred Heart Church (pictured) When the parents met with Principal Rosemarie McGoldrick, they were told that the bullying was just a phase and would pass His mom Maureen told the New York Post: 'Danny told us they [administrators] were asking questions: 'Do Mom and Dad drink? Do they feed you? Do they have clothes in the house?' 'Next thing you know, 7:30 at night, I have an ACS officer at my door, and my son told him, "I just want a friend."' They revealed that in the spring, four or five boys ganged up on him in the playground and had a fight. It left him with a broken finger. His father, also named Daniel, posted an emotional 18-minute video on Facebook on Saturday as he struggled to cope with his son's death His father, also named Daniel, posted an emotional 18-minute video on Facebook last weekend as he struggled to cope with his son's death. 'I hope the memory of what you did to my son is burned in your memory for the rest of your life and you suffer as much as he has suffered under your bulls**t,' Mr Fitzpatrick said in the video. 'I have no words to describe the pain I am feeling right now. The parents of those boys, you know who you are, your boys know who you are, I know who you are now the world knows what kind of people you are and what you will be. 'To the parents of the boys who tormented my son, all I have to say is I hope you never have to feel what my family is going through right now. The 13-year-old's father held a picture of his son during the video, and said: 'I hope the memory of what you did to my son is burned in your memory for the rest of your life and you suffer as much as he has suffered under your bulls**t' Daniel, who took his own life after being mercilessly bullied by former friends, has blamed his school for not helping him in a heartbreaking final note 'You get to hold your children every night and day for the rest of your lives, I don't get that anymore. Your little monsters took that from me, and my wife, and his sisters.' In the emotional video, the heartbroken father also held up a picture of his son. 'I don't know what else to say, I miss my son. All I want is to hear him say 'good morning dad' one more time, that way I can tell him 'good morning, I love you',' he said. 'I used to ask him 'who loves you', he would always reply 'you do' that was our thing.' In a note, which was shared by a family friend on Facebook, the 13-year-old detailed how his treatment at Holy Angels Catholic Academy left him feeling utterly helpless Daniel ended his two-page letter by saying he 'wanted to get out' of the school where he was bullied It comes after Daniel wrote in a note, which was shared by a family friend on Facebook, how his treatment at Holy Angels Catholic Academy left him feeling utterly helpless. 'At first it was good. Lots of friends, good grades and a great life, but I moved and went back and it was different,' Daniel wrote. 'My old friends changed, they didn't talk to me, they didn't even like me.' The 13-year-old then wrote about a fight he had with a student and former friend, which led to the other pupil being punished. His former friend blamed him for getting in trouble, something that only worsened the bullying. Daniel's (pictured with his sister, Shannon) parents said one of his teachers called him 'lazy' in front of the class. One of his sisters, said that teacher often made a deliberate effort to embarrass pupils 'They continued, I gave up, the teachers either they didn't do anything! Not get them in trouble even though they did trouble, I got in trouble instead because [the student] was mad at me because he believed I failed him. 'I told all the teachers nothing except one she was the nicest teacher ever she understood and did something but it didn't last long. 'I wanted to get out, I begged and I pleaded. Eventually I did, I failed but I didn't care. I was out that's all I wanted.' Daniel wrote his letter on June 30, as he desperately wanted to make sure he would be able to start new at another school, Brooklyn's Xaverian High School, in the fall, the New York Daily News reports. Daniel's (left with his father, Daniel) mother, Maureen Fitzpatrick (right), said her son felt like 'the whole school was laughing behind his back' at the bullying he received 'Danny said that he was afraid of his teachers. He felt like the whole school knew what was going on and was laughing behind his back. They humiliated him,' his mom told the New York Daily News. 'My son shouldn't have to die to be heard. There's something wrong with the adults in authority positions when kids can't go to them for help. 'No parent is supposed to bury their child.' His parents also told the newspaper one of the teachers at the school called Daniel 'lazy' in front of other students. 'My son shouldn't have to die to be heard. There's something wrong with the adults in authority positions when kids can't go to them for help,' Daniel's mother said The 13-year-old was a student at Holy Angels Catholic Academy in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn Holy Angels Catholic Academy's principal, Rosemary McGoldrick, could not be reached for comment His sister, Kristen, said the teacher in question often made a deliberate effort to embarrass pupils - and would even publicly display low test scores to shame those who did not perform as well as others. Holy Angels Catholic Academy's principal, Rosemary McGoldrick, could not be reached for comment. The Brooklyn/Queens Diocese said it is 'reexamining' its policies around bullying in the wake of Daniel's death. 'The principal, teachers, and staff of Holy Angels Catholic Academy are heartbroken over the loss of Danny Fitzpatrick,' a spokeswoman told the newspaper. 'We take the issue of bullying very seriously and address every incident that is brought to our attention.' A GoFundMe page has been created to help the family create a memorial fund. A Muslim mother is suing a New York school district after claiming her disabled son was forced to sign a confession saying he was part of ISIS. Nubaisha Uppal, from Long Island, claims senior staff at East Islip Middle School bullied 12-year-old son Nashawn into falsely confessing he was a terrorist. Attorney David Antwork said Nashawn, who emigrated to the US from Pakistan, was pressured into signing the confession despite not knowing what the word 'terrorist' meant because of his severe social and learning difficulties. Scroll down for video Nubaisha Uppal (right), the mother of 12-year-old Nashawn (left), says her son was kept out of school for a month after being forced into signing a confession saying he was a terrorist Uppal claims Nashawn was accused of being a terrorist by bullies, eventually agreeing with them despite not knowing what the word meant because of his learning difficulties The incident began on January 6 this year, according to legal papers seen by Dailymail.com, when Nashawn was being bullied in the school cafeteria. A group of older students were picking on Nashawn, according to the papers, and repeatedly asked him where he was from. After leaning he was from Pakistan, it is alleged that the students began calling Nashawn a 'terrorist' and asking him what he was planning to blow up next. The abuse continued 'unnoticed or ignored' for ten to 15 minutes, the suit alleges, before Nashawn finally agreed with his tormentors that he was a terrorist. When he was asked what he planned to blow next, he responded 'the fence.' The suit alleges that Nashawn was only repeating the word 'terrorist' without knowing what it meant, and when questioned later said it referred to 'someone who travels', like a tourist. When asked what he was planning to attack, the boy responded 'fence' because it was the first thing he saw when looking at the window, the suit contests. The family say the following day assistant principal Jason Stanton removed Nashawn from a gym class and took him to his office. Uppal says her son was then removed from gym class the following day and interrogated by senior school staff over his alleged terrorism links A lawsuit from Uppal accuses assistant principal Jason Stanton of forcing Nashawn to sign a confession saying he was part of ISIS and knew how to make bombs Inside the office Stanton was joined by principal Mark Bernard, the suit states, before the pair aggressively questioned Nashawn over his terrorism claims. The family allege Nashawn was asked whether he was a member of ISIS, asked if he knew how to make bombs, and if he knew who 'Osama' was - in reference to Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. When Nashawn denied the claims, Stanton allegedly yelled at him 'don't lie to us', 'yes, you do' and was told 'you did say all of this'. The suit says that neither Stanton nor Bernard called Ms Uppal to tell her that her son was in trouble, and did not explain to Nashawn that he had the right to remain silent. After questioning had finished, Bernard left the office before Stanton conducted an illegal search of Nashawn's bag, the suit alleges. Stanton is then accused of telling Nashawn that he had to write a confession admitting he was part of ISIS and knew how to make bombs before he would be allowed to leave the office. Nashawn did write a confession saying he was a terrorist, according to the suit, but Stanton allegedly tore it up because it did not directly reference ISIS or bomb-making. Stanton is accused of forcing him to write a second confession before calling school security officers and police to Bernard's office. There, the officers are accused of interrogating Nashawn further, while telling him not to answer calls or texts from his mother, who was waiting at the school gate. The lawsuit says that school officials were well aware of Nashawn's learning difficulties, and notes that he was previously referred to as a 'sweet, well-mannered boy' Eventually, the suit says, Ms Uppal was invited into the office and informed of what had happened, before being told that her son was barred from school grounds for a week because of 'criminal activity'. In fact, Nashawn was out of school for a month, the lawsuit alleges. Police were also called to search Nashawn's locker, wallet and phone, as well as the family home and computer. When nothing was found, the family were told that the 'case was closed' and no further action would be taken, the suit claims. Meanwhile the bullies who are accused of tormenting Nashawn have received no punishment at all, Antwork claims. As part of the suit, Antwork has submitted assessments of Nashawn's mental capacity by the district's own staff, in which it is made clear that he is unable to understand the meaning of basic words, or follow logic in sentences. Elsewhere it is noted that Nashawn is typically a 'sweet, well-mannered and cooperative child' despite his disability. According to Newsday, Suffolk police have refused to comment on the case, while a call by Dailymail.com to East Islip School District went unanswered. Hillary Clinton released a letter from her doctor last year that said she was in 'excellent physical condition,' outside of a hypothyroid condition and history of prior blood clots. But some of her political opponents have questioned her health, and Trump, 70, has been suggesting on the campaign trail recently that she lacks the physical fitness required of a president. Photos of Hillary propping herself up against stools, pillows and tables during a number of speeches and public appearances in recent weeks tell a different tale and have revived claims from Donald Trump and his supporters that she lacks stamina on the campaign trail and may be suffering from health issues. Scroll down for video Photos of Hillary propping herself up against stools, pillows and tables during a number of speeches and public appearances have revived claims from Donald Trump and his supporters that she lacks stamina on the campaign trail Hillary Clinton released a letter from her doctor last year that said she was in 'excellent physical condition,' outside of a hypothyroid condition and history of prior blood clots The hashtag #HillarysStools caught fire on Twitter this week, after a Trump supporter posted a montage of images of Clinton, 68, leaning on or sitting on stools during campaign stump speeches. In other photos, Clinton speaks at a podium with the ubiquitous stool close behind her. Other sharp-eyed internet sleuths have also found images of Clinton supporting herself against on tables, chair backs, and even her staffers while out and about. On Wednesday, the publication Heat Street posted an array of photos of Clinton propping herself up on pillows while seated, noting that the presidential candidate included requests for supportive back pillows in paid speaking contracts. 'Once you see [the stools], you can't stop noticing,' wrote Trump supporter and blogger Mike Cernovich on Twitter. 'Sick Hillary has one everywhere, can't stand on her own for long!' 'When #HillarysStools not available, find next closest thing for leanin--such as a rail, chair, or table as seen here,' wrote another user, posting a video of Clinton leaning on a table, a chair and a railing while visiting Scranton, Pennsylvania with Joe Biden. 'Once you see [the stools], you can't stop noticing,' wrote Trump supporter and blogger Mike Cernovich on Twitter. 'Sick Hillary has one everywhere, can't stand on her own for long!' Another user tweeted that 'Every picture of sick Hillary has a hidden stool nearby. She can barely stand.' Sean Hannity showed a photograph of Clinton holding on to two aides for assistance while walking up the stairs, and asked Fox News medical experts to evaluate it Another user tweeted that 'Every picture of sick Hillary has a hidden stool nearby. She can barely stand.' The Drudge Report, which has long publicized stories that claim Clinton is in poor health, made the pillow story its top banner on Wednesday, with the headline 'Pillows for Hillary.' Clinton 'lacks the mental and physical stamina to take on ISIS,' said Trump in a speech on Monday. He also said Clinton often 'gives a short speech then she goes home, goes to sleep, she shows up two days later.' Clinton's campaign pushed back sharply on the health claims, calling them a 'deranged conspiracy' in a statement to reporters. 'Donald Trump is once again peddling deranged conspiracy theories in a desperate attempt to change the subject this time with absurd and debunked claims about Hillary Clinton's health,' said the campaign. 'This is hardly the first time Trump and his allies have donned tin foil hats when things weren't going his way.' Sean Hannity also devoted several episodes of his show last week to highlighting claims about Clinton's health, such as whether she suffers from neurological issues related to a 2013 concussion. Hannity showed a photograph of Clinton holding on to two aides for assistance while walking up the stairs, and asked Fox News medical experts to evaluate it. '[I]f she's prone to falling, you can see from that picture up there that it looked like she can barely get upstairs without two people carrying her. Guess what if she falls and hits her head? She'll get a blood-clot,' said medical correspondent Dr. Marc Seigel. Dr. David Samadi, another Fox News medical correspondent, said the photo 'speaks a million words.' 'Is she fatigued? Is she dehydrated? One of the main reasons she fell in 2012 and had the concussions was severe dehydration,' he said. 'They're holding her and going up the stairs. So she may be really dehydrated, she may have arthritis, she may have back pain, she may have fallen again. We don't know.' Others say there might be a more benign explanation for Clinton's penchant for leaning and sitting on stools during public appearances. Dr. David Samadi, another Fox News medical correspondent, said the photo 'speaks a million words' Dr. Drew Pinksky, a celebrity doctor and internist, said that he and one of his colleagues evaluated Clinton's doctor's letter and were 'gravely concerned, not just about her health, but her healthcare' 'A very reasonable explanation would be that Ms. Clinton has a grueling schedule, spends a great deal of time on her feet meeting and greeting and speaking, and that she gets tired,' Dr. David Blumenthal, an expert on presidential medical history, told the Daily Mail Online. 'Another hypothesis: it makes her look relaxed when she sits.' Blumenthal said he could not comment directly on Clinton's health because he has not reviewed her medical history. He said he does not recall this coming up as a health issue for past presidents. 'I don't recall this particular issue arising as an indicator of the health status of presidents,' he said. While some medical professionals have cautioned the public about evaluating health issues based on photos, they say there are some reasons to be concerned based on the information released in Clinton's doctor's letter. Dr. Drew Pinksky, a celebrity doctor and internist, said on KABC on Tuesday that he and one of his colleagues evaluated Clinton's doctor's letter and were 'gravely concerned, not just about her health, but her healthcare.' He questioned the blood thinning medications she was prescribed by her doctors, calling them extremely outdated, and noted that she suffered from an 'exceedingly rare' type of blood clot known as a deep venous thrombosis after her 2013 concussion. 'I've only seen one of these [types of blood clots] in my career. It essentially guarantees that somebody has something from with their coagulation system,' he said. Photos of Clinton have sparked questions about her age and fitness in the past. In a 2014 photo for the cover of People magazine, critics said Clinton appeared to be holding onto an 'old person's walker.' However, she was holding onto a chair. Two alleged shoplifters were arrested wearing swimsuits in John Lewis in Bluewater. Pictured is Vlad Codreanu A burly shoplifter caught stuffing goods into a woman's swimsuit he wore under his clothes in John Lewis has been jailed. Valentine Craciun, 36, was found with two tops and a shirt stuffed under the costume, a magnetic tag remover and three tags at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent. He had initially claimed that he was wearing the costume to keep warm but later admitted trying stealing 260 of clothing just before trial and was jailed today for nine weeks. The thief was arrested along with Vlad Codreanu, 30, who was caught wearing a similar costume, which he claimed provided support for a bad back. But Codreanu, from Harrow, London, denied theft and was cleared by a jury after deliberating for four-and-a-half hours. He told the court that the garment was unisex and that he had a similar one in Romania, where he was from, which was 'very comfortable'. Prosecutor Simon Taylor said the two men were seen going separately into changing rooms with several items on October 28 last year. Codreanu allegedly went in with three items but only came out with two. The third, a 195 padded gilet, had been hidden under his clothes, Maidstone Crown Court heard. Mr Taylor said: 'Effectively, he had put it on. When stopped and searched he was wearing a female swimsuit under his clothing back to front. 'The reason for that was to tighten the clothing around him. It was sucking in everything he stole.' At the same time Craciun was behaving in a similar way, and went into a changing room with eight items, the jury was told. He handed all of them back but when stopped by security staff he was found to have a magnetic 'detagger' device and three security tags. Valentine Craciun, 36, was found with two tops and a shirt stuffed under the costume, a magnetic tag remover and three tags at Bluewater shopping centre in Kent (pictured) Also discovered under his clothes were a pair of jeans and two tops, and he too was wearing a swimming costume. Michael Cogan, defending Craciun, said his client accepted he went out to steal. He was in custody for theft of a handbag and could have been released last Friday. But Mr Cogan added that Craciun, who was jailed for three years in Spain in 2009 for robbery, was being deported by the Home Office. Codreanu, from Harrow, London, denied theft and was cleared by a jury He said: 'He is anxious to be deported and simply wants to go back home.' Codreanu, who has cautions for shoplifting, denied in evidence he was wearing the stolen gilet. He said of the swimsuit: 'I was wearing it back to front because I wanted to protect my back. It was very comfortable. I am wearing one today.' Sentencing Craciun to nine weeks imprisonment, Judge Jeremy Carey told him: 'You were wearing a female swimming costume and prepared to steal various items of male clothing. You were caught in the act. 'For reasons I find inexplicable you waited until today to admit your criminal wrongdoing. 'You had planned this escapade of dishonesty and kitted yourself out in order to do so. 'It was only because of the keen eye of security staff you were prevented from getting away with it.' He added: 'You have expressed a desire to get back to your native country. 'The sooner you are returned there the better it will be for this country which would be worse off because of your dishonesty.' An amazing dog named Ollie is not letting a disability get in his way. Born with three legs, the youngster enjoys chewing on sticks, going into the pool, and playing in the grass, photos from his Instagram show. Scroll down for video An amazing dog named Ollie is not letting a disability get in his way. This photo was captioned on Instagram: 'I was born without my left front arm and paw, but it's cool! I get around just fine hopping and jumping over my toys' Ollie currently has 49,200 Instagram fans. Here he is seen out and about in the grass A video posted by Ollie Vue The 3 Legged Golden (@ollievuesomuch) on Aug 11, 2016 at 7:35am PDT He currently has 49,200 Instagram fans. One Instagram photo of the pup was captioned: 'Hey guys! I'm Ollie. If you haven't already noticed, I'm not like most other dogs. 'I was born without my left front arm and paw, but it's cool! I get around just fine hopping and jumping over my toys.' A video on the page shows the golden retriever puppy managing to get up the stairs and head indoors. Set to the theme from Chariots of Fire, Ollie is seen backing out of the big challenge for several days. However, he finally manages to pull off the feat. The video, which has 145,000 views on Instagram, included the caption: 'Our back door has been another big challenge for me. 'It has a rather larger step than most..and I finally conquered my fear and made it up by myself!' Ollie is seen unwinding by a pool. His owner Alex Widmer has said: 'He lets people touch him and hold him, and he loves it. I love that he melts in your arms' His owner Alex Widmer told Buzzfeed in an interview: 'We have this larger step in our back door, and I've been filming him, waiting for him to jump over it, and he would never do it. 'And all of a sudden he did it one day.' Widmer said: 'Not to put a pun on it, but his life is kind of just going one step at a time.' Widmer and his wife are hoping the Knoxville, Tennessee, pooch will work as 'a therapy or service dog', Buzzfeed wrote. Widmer told the publication: 'He lets people touch him and hold him, and he loves it. I love that he melts in your arms.' The golden retriever puppy is seen sopping wet and frolicking in a pool Speaking to WBIR, Widmer said: 'My wife [Leanne] and I just have a huge heart for people and atypical situations and kids with special needs or disabilities, and I think Ollie is just a great inspiration for that.' He told the TV station: 'We knew it would be a challenge, but I think that's with anything in life, you really don't know what you're going to get.' Widmer told DailyMail.com via email: ' My wife and I have a passion for people and kids who are maybe seen as different in the world's eyes, whether it be a mental special need or physical disability. 'We don't have anyone in our families who has a special need, but we love people and see everyone as equal and the same. 'No one should be judged or seen differently in our society by the way the walk, talk, think, and look. Unfortunately they are..' Ollie is pictured outdoors and chomping on a flower According to Widmer, 'Our friend who bred her golden was supposed to have 11 puppies and asked if we wanted one when they were born. 'We weren't sure due to the time commitment, but when Ollie was a surprise 12th puppy of the litter, she (Kristin) thought of us when thinking of who could raise this new puppy who was born without one leg. 'We have heard that breeders sometimes put down the pets who have deformities right after birth, and we decided were up for the challenge to raise him.' Widmer wrote that Ollie 'has no idea he is "different" in the world's eyes, and he shouldn't be. 'We just hope his positive lifestyle could impact people in a unique way in the challenges they face.' This photo was captioned on Instagram: 'Just because I'm getting bigger doesn't mean i can't have piggy back rides. Thanks mom! You're the best. #mommasboy' The son of early 20th century black nationalist Marcus Garvey wants to mark his father's 129th birthday with the perfect gift - a presidential pardon to exonerate Garvey for the mail fraud conviction that ended his residence and political activism in the US. Dr. Julius W. Garvey wants President Barack Obama to clear his father's name from a mail fraud conviction that caused Marcus Garvey to be deported from the United States to his native Jamaica, he said on Wednesday. Scroll down for video Dr. Julius Garvey, youngest son of prominent Pan-Africanism movement advocate Marcus Garvey, speaks during a news conference on what would have been his father's 129th birthday at the National Press Club on Wednesday Marcus Garvey is shown in a military uniform as the 'Provisional President of Africa' during a parade on the opening day of the annual Convention of the Negro Peoples of the World along Lenox Avenue in Harlem borough of New York in 1922 Garvey promoted Pan-Africanism which encouraged blacks to return to their ancestral homes, feeling they could never get justice otherwise The younger Garvey said he has lived his whole life with the fact that his famous father was a convicted criminal, which he believes is part of the reason his father is less well-known and accepted among mainstream Americans. Because of the conviction, 'there is still a whiff of subversion about the idea of being' a fan of his father's teachings, Garvey said at a news conference at the National Press Club. Garvey eventually got in trouble for promoting a ship he didn't own yet, but many felt his conviction was overkill and politically motivated Marcus Garvey was born in Jamaica on Aug. 17, 1887, and was considered by people like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X to be a father of the civil rights movement. Many of his supporters feel the conviction was unwarranted and a way to get the civil rights leader out of the country. He inspired millions of followers worldwide with messages of black pride and self-reliance, and founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association in 1914, considered to be the largest secular organization in African-American history. His Pan-African philosophy urged blacks to return to the continent of their ancestors, and he launched the Black Star Line, a fleet of steamships intended to take them there. He also wanted it to establish trade and commerce between Africans in America, the Caribbean, South and Central America, Canada and Africa. Attallah Shabaaz, daughter of 1960s black activist Malcolm X, speaks at a news conference on what would have been the 129th birthday of prominent Pan-Africanism movement advocate Marcus Garvey Garvey was also controversial because of his 'back to Africa' promotion and his campaign for racial separation, born of the conviction that whites would never allow blacks justice. He was convicted of mail fraud in 1923 in connection with his steamship line and was sentenced to five years. He began serving his sentence in 1925 after an unsuccessful appeal. His sentence was later commuted after he served two and a half years behind bars. He was released in 1927, according to Biography.com. Then he was deported to Jamaica in exchange for being released from prison. He died in London in 1940 and was buried in Kingston, Jamaica. The charges were based on the technicality of a marketing brochure for the steamship line that pictured a ship that hadn't been bought yet. Many felt the trial and his conviction were done purely to ruin him. Garvey's family, along with supporters and fans, have filed a pardon request with the White House and are waiting to see if Obama will consider the request before he leaves office next year. If not, future presidents will get the same request, they said. 'It was my bike!': Jerry Sebranke, 80, pursued a man that stole his bike An 80-year-old Washington man was left injured after he pursued a thief who stole his bike and jumped on the back of the getaway car. Jerry Sebranke was inside his bank in Bothell, northeast of Seattle, when he saw the thief pick up his bike on the sidewalk and take off with it. So he raced outside quick smart. 'He did it so fast, but it was my bike so I ran out the door as fast as I could run and jumped on the back of the truck and that was the beginning of the episode of traumatizing my own self,' Sebranke told Q13Fox. Stop!: Surveillance footage from outside the bank shows the moment Sebranke ran after the man as he stole his bike Getaway: Sebranke is seen running to the truck and then grabbing a hold of the back Halt: The footage shows him holding onto the back tray right as the car takes off Hold on: The car then takes off through the parking lot, all the while with Sebranke in tow Surveillance footage from outside the bank shows the moment Sebranke ran over to the car and grabbed a hold of the back. Brenda Wallace, an assistant manager at the Heritage Bank, said that bank employees watched on in shock as the incident unfolded. 'It happens so quickly and when you see him jump onto that truck, your heart stops,' Wallace said. Sebranke held on right through the parking lot, until finally he had to let go and let the two shameless robbers get away. If I catch them, I'm going to have a discussion about what their purpose in life is,' said Sebranke of the people who took his bike. The bank has since got him a new ride 'When I bailed off the asphalt was going by awful fast, and I just let go until my feet hit the ground and I went shoo shoo, and I finally stopped rolling after a while,' said Sebranke. He suffered some injuries in the fall but is nevertheless okay. Since then, the bank employees got together and replaced Sebranke's bike. However, Sebranke is still determined to find the thief that first grabbed the bike, if only to talk to him. 'If I catch them, I'm going to have a discussion about what their purpose in life is,' said Sebranke. Steven Avery, the Wisconsin man whose conviction for rape and murder was the subject of hit Netflix documentary 'Making a Murderer,' says he will soon be free thanks to new evidence. Speaking to In Touch magazine from prison, Avery, 54 - who was convicted in 2007 alongside nephew Brendan Dassey, 26, for the 2005 killing of Teresa Halbach was certain he would be free. 'I'm going to be free,' he said, referring to his appeal, which will be filed on August 29. Dassey's conviction was overturned Friday. Scroll down for video Convicted: Steven Avery is seen here (right) in his 2007 trial for the rape and murder of photographer Teresa Halbach. He was found guilty, along with nephew Brendan Dassey Overturned: A judge overturned the conviction of Dassey (center) Friday, saying he was coerced by detectives. Avery is filing an appeal on August 29, citing new evidence 'I thought sooner or later (this day) would (come),' said Avery. 'The truth is coming out.' One vital piece of evidence in the appeal being filed by Avery's new lawyer, Kathleen Zellner, centers on the sample of Avery's blood found in Halbach's car, a source told In Touch. 'There's strong scientific evidence that the blood found in Teresa's car was planted by using a cotton swab,' the source said. Avery's previous legal team contended that Manitowoc County police had framed Avery for murder because he was suing them and the county over his wrongful conviction for rape and attempted murder in 1985. Victim: A key piece of evidence in Halbach's (pictured) case was Avery's blood being found in her car. But his lawyer says she has evidence it was planted A key moment in the documentary shows his former lawyers learning that a vial of Avery's blood, being held by police as evidence from that case, had been opened and apparently pierced with a needle. Retired NYPD detective Hal Sherman told In Touch that if the defense can prove forensic teams took blood samples from the car with a synthetic swab, then the cotton fibers found in the blood would prove tampering. If they cannot, however, then it proves nothing. The source also says that Zellner can prove the blood in the car was too old to be fresh - again suggesting it came from the 1985 sample - but experts say there's no way to tell that. Avery's hopes for release have been buoyed up by Dassey's conviction being overturned on Friday, after Judge William Duffin said the boy's confession was coerced. Dassey was just 16 when he was interviewed, but has a mental age of nine. Footage appears to show police railroading him into a confession and feeding him information that he later admits to. 'Proof': She says cotton fibers in the blood show it was taken from an earlier evidence sample, which was taken when Avery was wrongfully convicted for rape in 1985 Avery told In Touch that he hopes people will believe his claim that he was framed. 'Hopefully more people understand (that I was framed) because of the judge's decision,' he said. 'He has seen through all of that.' 'I'm 1,000 per cent confident that I'll be free,' he promised. Support for Avery's release has been growing since the release of 'Making a Murderer' on Netflix in December last year. The full interview with Avery is featured in In Touch's August 29 issue. These are the heartwarming pictures of a puppy that had its front paws hacked off with a sword enjoying a Thai beach with his new legs. The young pooch has made a remarkable recovery after an animal treatment clinic fitted it with a brand new set of prosthetic legs. According to his new owners John and Gill Dalley - who also has her lower legs amputated - Cola the dog running and playing with other dogs. 'Remarkably Cola can walk on just his back legs but with prosthetics on can run and play with our other dogs, two of which also have missing limbs. Cola went to Gill as soon as he saw her,' John said. Cola, lives in Thailand with the dog rescuers after he was attacked by a neighbour in May last year for chewing on his shoes. Cola the puppy had his front paws hacked off with a sword but now he's enjoying a Thai beach with his new legs A nine-month-old puppy had its front paws hacked off with a sword because it chewed on a neighbour's pair of shoes Gill herself uses prosthetics after she contracted septicaemia in 2004 while on a mission to rescue an abandoned dog and she was forced to have her legs amputated The man responsible for the attack was handed a one-month sentence under the Animal Welfare Act of 2014. The pooch was taken to a specialist clinic in Bangkok, with the Soi Dog Foundation animal charity covering the costs. After recovering from the initial incident, the team at the clinic was able to fit the custom-made prosthetics. The pooch was taken to a specialist clinic in Bangkok, with the Soi Dog Foundation animal charity covering the costs John said: 'He is a very happy gentle dog who loves everybody. Dogs are remarkable in that no matter what man does to them they still forgive' Gill herself uses prosthetics after she contracted septicaemia in 2004 while on a mission to rescue an abandoned dog and she was forced to have her legs amputated And his incredible progress means he can frolic happily by the sea. John said: 'He is a very happy gentle dog who loves everybody. Dogs are remarkable in that no matter what man does to them they still forgive.' The heart-warming video clip shows the pup is more than happy with the results. A few weeks later Soi Dog co-founder Gill Dalley, originally from England, flew to Bangkok to collect the dog and bring him to the charity's main site in Phuket. Gill herself uses prosthetics after she contracted septicaemia in 2004 while on a mission to rescue an abandoned dog and she was forced to have her legs amputated. Cola was close to death but the vets managed to save him and, once he was well enough, operated on him to repair the damage and close the wounds He then received ongoing treatment and the head vet had an engineering degree so made prosthetics once the swelling had gone down The animal welfare worker was trying to bring a stray dog into the clinic for treatment but after tranquilizing the animal it escaped into a flooded field. She waded through the water to save it and soon after she fell ill when she contracted septicaemia from an organism in the water. Doctors realised the only way to save her life was to amputate both legs below the knee. A few weeks later Soi Dog co-founder Gill Dalley, originally from England, flew to Bangkok to collect the dog and bring him to the charity's main site in Phuket A spokesman for the Soi Dog Foundation said: 'Cola has come a long way since that horrific incident last May but, without the people like you who make up our Emergency Response Team, he would most likely not be alive today.' Internet users were quick to praise the tale of the plucky pup. Sheila Nies, from Minnesota, wrote: 'The dog is happy despite all of the abuse. He's a beautiful dog - I am so sorry there are monsters like that.' Emma Bland added: 'Thank you John and Gill plus your team for the amazing work you do for the abused dogs and cats.' A fisherman left with half a face after being attacked by a tiger is now desperate for surgery because he is worried it will stop his daughter finding a husband. Hashmot Ali, 40, was attacked while fishing in the dangerous mangrove forests of southern Bangladesh and has lived with the horrible disfigurement ever since. He has been shunned and humiliated by his society in the Sundarbans forest, unable to attend public ceremony or mix with other villagers. Hashmot Ali (pictured with his daughter) was attacked while fishing in the mangrove forests of southern Bangladesh and has lived with the horrible disfigurement ever since The tiger took half his face off as he slept in a boat on a fishing expedition with colleagues and he was unable to get to hospital in time to get proper treatment However, it is the desperate hope to find a good groom for his daughter that has motivated him to try and get help, after 20 years of dealing with daily humiliation. His worry is fueled by the fact that the superstitious society shuns 'tiger widows' - women who have lost their husband's to common wild animal attacks. Mr Ali lives in a region where people live off the forest, usually as fisherman, honey collectors - who smoke hives wearing virtually no protection from stings - or wood collectors. While they are in the forest, their wives are expected to conduct rituals at home to ensure their husbands are safe. If they lose their husbands to a wild animal, they are ostracised and oppressed as they are blamed for bringing the family bad luck. Mr Ali started his life as a Fisherman, following in the footsteps of his father, but also used to hunt honey and collect wood. He is now shunned by society and has to cover his face with a handkerchief as he sells fish in the village (pictured) as he is too traumatised to go back to work in the forest He sometimes went into the forest for weeks at a time and aged 20, he joined a group of fisherman for a trip. One night he was sleeping with his colleagues in a boat inside the forest canal after the long fishing day and a tiger attacked him in the middle of the night. The big cat ripped half of his face off with a single strike of its claw while his fellow fisherman desperately tried to scare the tiger off as he screamed in agony. He was in such extreme pain that he did not even know that a tiger was there, reeling in shock and unable to see in the dark and having lost one eye. The tiger tried to pull him over the side of the boat but his colleagues started hitting the side of the boat with the paddle and managed to scare it away. He now wants to have plastic surgery but it is totally unaffordable on his modest income so he is appealing for outside help They had to row for six long hours in order to get Mr Ali back to a village, and he was then driven to hospital. By then it was too late to give him proper treatment and all doctors could do was stop the bleeding and bandage up his face. Despite the terrifying experience that left him horribly disfigured, he eventually went back to work in the forest, unable to find any other kind of work. Since then, he has married and had children and now sells fish in the village, covering his face with a handkerchief. Hillary Clinton held court with Sir Paul McCartney in Cleveland, Ohio, today, and there's now a photo to prove it. Reporters and photographers traveling with her weren't allowed inside the off-the- books meeting. An aide to Clinton's campaign said the meeting between two friends and therefore it occurred privately. McCartney later sent out a professional photograph of himself and Clinton on Twitter that was captioned with, 'She's with me.' Clinton's campaign slogan. Hillary Clinton held court with Sir Paul McCartney in Cleveland, Ohio, today, and there's now a photo to prove it The Democratic presidential candidate met with McCartney before his show at the Quicken Loans Arena tonight in Cleveland The Democratic presidential candidate met with McCartney before his show at the Quicken Loans Arena tonight in Cleveland. The venue's website says the former Beatles band member has shows there tonight and tomorrow. Clinton's travelling press corps waited in an underground parking lot attached to the arena for close to 50 minutes Wednesday afternoon as the international superstar and the former first lady had their conversation. An aide present told reporters afterward that Clinton ' greeted Mr. McCartney backstage at the Quicken Loans Arena where McCartney is playing tonight. 'They talked about the race, their families, and the Olympics, among other topics (HRC congratulated Mr. McCartney on how well Britain is doing in Rio). ' Her campaign said, 'After some small talk with their respective staffs present they met privately, joined by his wife Nancy, for about 30 minutes.' The former Beatles band member and Clinton are seen here in 2010 at a dinner at the State Department McCartney has partied with the Clintons on several occasions in the past. He played at a party in the Hamptons hosted by Bon Jovi in 2007, USA Today affiliate Asbury Park Press says. When Clinton was Secretary of State, in 2010, the government agency held a dinner for Kennedy Center honorees. McCartney was included in the group that year. Earlier this month they both attended a star-studded birthday party for President Barack Obama at the White House. That event was private, too, and it's unclear if McCartney and Clinton reconnected there. The White House said in a statement at the time 'the First Lady is hosting a 55th birthday celebration for the President at the White House. ' The guest list includes a large number of family members and friends to mark the occasion. The private event will be paid for with the family's personal funds.' Planes in Jetstar's Dreamliner fleet are flying with an engine issue that could cause a shutdown while in the air. The Australian airline is working to repair the problem that was flagged earlier this year by General Electric, who made the engines in its twin-engine Boeing-787 fleet. In five months, Jetstar has fixed the issue, which could end in an oil pressure loss, in 11 of its 24 GEnx engines, The Australian reported. The issue was the same one that diverted a Jetstar flight bound for the Gold Coast from Narita in Japan to Guam earlier this month. Scroll down for video Aircrafts in Jetstar's Dreamliner fleet are flying with an engine issue that could cause a shutdown while in the air The airline is working to repair the problem that was flagged earlier this year by General Electric, who made the engines (pictured) in the Boeing-787 fleet The repairs started after General Electric issued a service bulletin flagging a 'transfer gearbox' problem. But Jetstar were not the only ones who received the bulletin. Airlines across the world who operate Dreamlines were also alerted - including Air Canada, Air India, China Southern Airlines, Etihad Airways, Xiamen Airlines, United Airlines and Vietnam Airlines. Daily Mail Australia understands Jetstar is on schedule to complete the repairs a month ahead of the deadline recommended by General Electric. The issue was the same one that diverted a Jetstar flight bound for the Gold Coast from Narita in Japan to Guam earlier this month Daily Mail Australia understands Jetstar (pictured is a stock image) is on schedule to complete the repairs a month ahead of the deadline recommended by General Electric The manufacturers of the engine said airlines should aim to finish their repairs to GEnx engines between November this year and March next year. A Jetstar spokesman confirmed they had received a service bulletin from General Electric. 'These are recommendations from GE to all airlines operating the Boeing Dreamliner and it is not mandated by GE or any aviation safety regulator around the world,' the spokesman said in a statement sent to Daily Mail Australia. 'We are well progressed on our fleet and will have all aircraft engines completed months ahead of the recommended timeframe from GE. 'We are continuing our investigations into the cause of the engine issue with GE on the aircraft that diverted to Guam.' American swimmers returning home are receiving hero's welcomes after amassing 16 gold medals and 33 overall at the Rio Olympics. Swimming sensation Katie Ledecky was swarmed by friends and family as she returned home on Wednesday. Simone Manuel, who made history as the first US black woman to medal in individual swimming, was received by a drumline and cheerleaders in Houston. Missy Franklin arrived home to a lawn covered in heart-shaped letters with well wishes from fans, family and friends. Scroll down for video Swimming sensation Katie Ledecky was swarmed by friends and family as she returned home on Wednesday Nearly a dozen adoring friends immediately ran to greet Ledecky as she stepped out at the Washington Dulles Airport Ledecky gets hugs from a friend after she arrived at Washington Dulles Airport, her four gold medals and silver one draped around her neck Ledecky arrived at Washington Dulles Airport and was immediately enclosed by some 10 friends who ran to meet her, screaming in excitement. She was draped in her medals four gold and one silver arranged side-by-side as veteran Michael Phelps taught her. 'They are heavy a little more than the one I won four years ago,' she said, mentioning her one gold at the London 2012 Olympics. Phelps 'taught me how to arrange them,' Ledecky added. 'He put them on perfectly.' Now that she's back home, Ledecky says she is looking forward to a home-cooked meal and sleeping in her own bed. 'I'll be just taking a break from swimming and getting ready for school,' said Ledecky said, who starts college in September. 'I head out to Stanford in a couple of weeks so I need to get ready for that.' Ledecky displays her five medals the way veteran MIchael Phelps taught her to arrange them Meanwhile in Houston,Simone Manuel was greeted at Bush Airport by a drumline and cheerleaders from her high school plus a sea of cheering fans. She wore her four medals, two golds and two silvers, as she greeted the crowd. 'I haven't soaked it all but I'm really excited and happy and glad i set to share it with family and friends,' she told KHOU. Manuel displayed one of her two gold medals and the high-end carrying case they are held in. 'The two others are in socks because they only handed out two boxes!' she told KHOU. Manuel took pictures with her fans just as she did with her idols in RIo. 'I asked Serena (Williams) if I could take a picture with her, and I gave my friend my phone, and I ended up shaking and dropping it,' she told the station. 'So, I'm sure that's probably an indicator that I was starstruck! Simone Manuel arrived in Houston to a crowd of adoring fans, family and friends at Bush Airport Manuel was greeted by her high school's drumline and cheerleaders, who performed as the Olympian walked in Manuel revealed she was 'starstruck' and asked tennis legend Serena Williams for a picture Swimmer Missy Franklin arrived at her house to a sea of warm notes from her fans. The lawn of her house was covered in pink, heart-shaped papers with sweet words for the Olympian. There were also huge posters covered in notes plastered on her garage door. 'I am beyond blown away by this love and compassion,' she wrote on Twitter. 'I have the best community in the world around me! THANK YOU Franklin won a gold medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay. At the London Olympics in 2012, she won four golds and a bronze. Swimmer Missy Franklin arrived at her house to a sea of warm notes from her fans A five-year-old girl was strapped in the back seat of a car when it was stolen from the driveway of a family home. Distraught parents contacted police at about 6.30am on Thursday when a black BMW with a young girl inside was stolen from their Wyndham Vale driveway, in Melbourne's south-west. The thief allegedly made off with the car while a second offender fled the scene in a white Toyota Supra, according to police. Scroll down for video A five-year-old girl was strapped in the back seat of a black BMW (pictured) when it was stolen from the driveway of a family home Police spotted the car in Norlane, just over 40 kilometres south-west from where it was stolen, at 7am and gave chase. According to the Herald Sun, the driver crossed six lanes of traffic on a major highway and became airborne as they tried to shake police. Police said a man dumped the car on Plume Street, Norlane, and fled the scene on foot. The young girl was found unharmed and police immediately contacted her parents. She was reunited with her relieved father at the scene, while her mother met the pair at Werribee police station. Police are searching for the two men involved, one of which was described as having wavy brown hair and wore a grey top, black tracksuit pants and red and grey shoes The car was found just over 40 kilometres from where it was stolen in Wyndham Vale (pictured) Police have been unable to clarify where the parents were when the car and child were taken. Police launched a search for the two men, one of which was described as wearing a grey top, black tracksuit pants and red and grey shoes with wavy brown hair. An 18-year-old man was arrested after locals noticed him loitering 'suspiciously' in Norlane. He is currently assisting police with their enquiries. A young man fitting the description was earlier questioned by police but was released without charge, according to a police spokesperson. Prison bosses will be unable to isolate Anjem Choudary thanks to a court battle won by his terrorist associates. Before his arrest in 2014, the hate preacher vowed that if he was jailed, he would radicalise everyone in prison. He faces up to ten years in HMP Belmarsh, south-east London, after being convicted of inviting support for Islamic State. Prison bosses will be unable to isolate Anjem Choudary thanks to a court battle won by his terrorist associates But a legal ruling in a case brought by two convicted terrorists linked to Choudarys banned group Al-Muhajiroun means the prison cannot keep him in solitary confinement for long periods. Police murderer Kamel Bourgass, 42, and bomb plotter Tanvir Hussain, 35, launched a challenge costing taxpayers more than 500,000, complaining they were segregated unlawfully in jail. Hussain, jailed for life in 2009, was accused of preaching through a cell window at Frankland prison, County Durham, to convert non-Muslim prisoners to his own interpretation of Islamic ideals. Bourgass, serving life for the killing of Detective Constable Stephen Oake, in 2003, was segregated for seven months after exerting significant influence over inmates at Whitemoor, Cambridgeshire. Choudary is in a Belmarsh unit used to hold the most dangerous inmates, until sentencing next month Government lawyers argued the pair were segregated for good order after they bullied other prisoners. But last July Supreme Court judges said holding them under such conditions for more than 72 hours without the Secretary of States authority breached prison rules. Choudary is in a Belmarsh unit used to hold the most dangerous inmates, until sentencing next month. But he is unlikely to remain there long-term as his offence is less serious than other inmates. A prison source said bosses havent a clue what to do, adding: He cant be put in solitary because of his human rights and a report on separate units is sitting on the shelf. Nick Lowles of anti-racism Hope Not Hate said it was impossible to keep away from fellow inmates so there will be a risk of indoctrinating and inspiring others. A boy of five radicalised by Anjem Choudary shouted shame whenever he saw a woman in a dress who was not entirely covered up, it was revealed yesterday. A court ruling detailed how the child fell under the hate preachers spell at meetings of the banned extremist group Al-Muhajiroun (ALM). He and three siblings were taken to the meetings in school hours by their mother, where they were photographed by police holding hands with convicted terrorists. A boy of five radicalised by Anjem Choudary shouted shame whenever he saw a woman in a dress who was not entirely covered up, it was revealed yesterday The boys 13-year-old brother expressed terrible views about the Paris attacks, telling a teacher that IS was simply implementing Islamic law, the judgment revealed. The children's mother tried to take them to Syria, but they were stopped close to the Turkish border. The details were revealed in a family court ruling on the childrens care. Last night there were questions for police and educational authorities as it emerged the mother was a prime mover in a female wing of ALM. On return to the UK from Turkey her sons five, 12 and 13 and daughter, nine, were taken into care after their father was found to have turned a blind eye. The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is a prominent lieutenant of Choudarys wife Rubana Akhtar, who is under investigation for running a circle of women supporting IS. A High Court judge criticised education authorities yesterday saying little or no effective supervision or oversight from them meant the boys aged 12 and five had never gone to school. Instead, their mother nurtured their isolation and radicalisation at home. Mr Justice Newtons ruling that the children must stay in care reveals they were so indoctrinated they believed the Paris massacre was justified. After going into care the boy of five yelled a word meaning shame whenever he saw a woman in a dress, school staff reported. In November, his 13-year-old brother told a teacher IS are simply implementing Islamic law and the teachings of the Koran justify their actions officials are scared of the rise of Islam and this is why they are making IS look bad. Choudary was arrested on suspicion of terror offences in 2014 Asked about Syria, the nine-year-old girl said thats where Im dreaming to live cos its all the Muslims and England has been harsh to Muslims. The case has raised questions for authorities about how Choudary was able to radicalise children whom police regularly photographed at ALM meetings over a number of years. Mr Justice Newton said the mother was intimately connected to hate preachers, adding: Her views about the Paris murders are chilling. There is the clearest, strong evidence [the children] have been exposed to such thoughts and have adopted them. She denied exposing the children to radical views. Twitter has removed Choudarys account used to radicalised hundreds. YouTube has not taken down all his videos despite saying it has policies prohibiting terrorist recruitment and content intending to incite violence. New photos appear to show the moment the son of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman was kidnapped at gunpoint by a rival gang at an upscale resort restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, 29, was one of the half-dozen men kidnapped by the Jalisco New Generation cartel at La Leche restaurant, authorities said Tuesday. The photos purportedly show the leader of the Sinaloa Cartel's son from his first marriage with his hands behind his head and on his knees while a man points a gun at him. Other images show people sitting at a table inside La Leche moments before the men enter to kidnap them around 1am on Monday. The photos appear to be taken from security camera footage from inside the restaurant. Scroll down for video Kidnapped: New photos appear to show the moment Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar (circled above), the son Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, was kidnapped at gunpoint Alfredo (circled above), 29, was one of the half-dozen men kidnapped by the Jalisco New Generation cartel at La Leche restaurant, in Puerto Vallarta, authorities said Tuesday The black and white photos purportedly show Alfredo with his hands behind his back as another man holds onto him by the back of his neck (above) Authorities say the kidnappers (above) are believed to be from Jalisco New Generation cartel - a rival gang to Guzman's Sinaloa cartel Authorities have not heard of anyone demanding a ransom yet. At a news conference, Jalisco Attorney General Eduardo Almaguer confirmed that Alfredo was the son who was abducted at the eatery. 'At this moment, we have identified four of the kidnapped,' Almaguer said, 'one of them being Jesus Alfredo Guzman'. He said the identification was made through items found in the vehicles and forensic work at the scene. Seven gunmen in pickup trucks descended on the upscale bar and restaurant around dawn and abducted the group, in what investigators have called a likely settling of scores between rival drug cartels. The chief prosecutor said only fake identity documents had been found at the scene of Monday's kidnapping, in the restaurant. Alfredo (above) is El Chapo's son from his first marriage. Authorities say they have not heard of anyone demanding a ransom yet. Other images show people sitting at a table inside La Leche (above) moments before the men enter to kidnap them around 1am on Monday Mexican officials confirmed that Alfredo (right with his brother Ivan Guzman) was one of the men kidnapped in a likely settling of scores It was previously believed that Ivan Guzman (pictured) was among the six men kidnapped by a suspected rival gang, but it was actually his younger brother instead Authorities said the kidnappers appear to belong to the state's dominant Jalisco New Generation drug cartel. They emerged in the area in 2010 after the death of the local boss of the Sinaloa cartel Jalisco New Generation emerged in Puerto Vallarta in 2010 after the death of the local boss of the Sinaloa cartel, Ignacio 'Nacho' Coronel. It has become one of violence-plagued Mexico's most powerful drug gangs in recent months by defying the authorities with a series of brazen attacks and ambushes. Alfredo (pictured) almost led the FBI directly to their father when he tweeted a picture of them in a restaurant in Costa Rica The Jalisco cartel has popped up quickly to rival Guzman's Sinaloa cartel as the most powerful of Mexico's drug gangs. Previously, Mexican authorities said the eldest son, Ivan, of the drugs kingpin of Sinaloa cartel had likely been abducted while celebrating with fellow gang members. But it was not immediately clear whether Ivan was among those kidnapped. Ivan is believed to have taken over his father's multi-billion dollar narcotics business after El Chapo was recaptured by marines in January following six months as the world's most wanted man. Witnesses at the upscale La Leche restaurant in the Mexican beach resort of Puerto Vallarta, said a squad of seven armed assailants burst in and abducted half a dozen men at gunpoint. Both Ivan and Alfredo are El Chapo's sons from his first marriage. But Ivan is believed to have taken over a gang leader after his father was arrested in January (El Chapo is pictured on his arrest) Two SUVs carrying seven gunmen arrived at the La Leche restaurant in Puerto Vallarta around 1am Monday and kidnapped the six men. Above, an armed officer stands guard outside the restaurant on Monday The chief prosecutor said only fake identity documents had been found at the scene of Monday's kidnapping, in the restaurant (pictured) It's believed that Alfredo is too young and inexperienced to take control of the multi-billion dollar drugs organisation and that it will be left to Ivan (pictured) if and when his father is extradited Regularly posting photos of his narco lifestyle of supercars, bikini clad girlfriends, pet tigers and even gold plated AK47s, it was Alfredo who almost led the FBI directly to their father when he tweeted a picture of them in a restaurant in Costa Rica and forgot to turn off the locator. It is believed that Alfredo is too young and inexperienced to take control of the multi-billion dollar drugs organization and that it will be left to Ivan if and when his father is extradited. But it is not just rival gangs that may want to take down Ivan. Ivan appears to have inherited his father's ruthless streak but not his business savvy and has reportedly been running roughshod over allies in the Sinaloa cartel's drugs business. Any of those angry business contacts could have wanted to kidnap Ivan, who may become the gang's new leader. Authorities have been taking fingerprints from the scene, viewing surveillance footage and investigating the ownership of five luxury vehicles left behind by the victims at the restaurant. Almaguer said 'several of them (the victims) had false identities,' which complicated efforts to determine who they were. Two SUVs carrying seven gunmen had arrived around 1am at La Leche restaurant on Puerto Vallarta's main boulevard, which runs through the hotel zone lying between the old beach city and the airport. He said some of those abducted had been vacationing in Puerto Vallarta for a week and the group that was targeted appeared to be celebrating, according to other people in the restaurant. Ivan (left) son of the drugs kingpin (right) could have also been targeted by someone else as he appears to have inherited his father's ruthless streak but not his business savvy and has reportedly been running roughshod over allies in the Sinaloa cartel's drug business Drug money: Heir to the throne Ivan, who often shows off his super cars and bikini clad girlfriends on Twitter, once tweeted a photo of his gold plated AK47 inside a Ferrari When Ivan Guzman is not acting as a drugs lord, he is acting as one of Mexico's flashiest playboys, posting pictures of his sports cars and wealth Witnesses reported that four women in the targeted group were not taken by the gunmen, Almaguer said at a news conference on Monday. Five vehicles were abandoned at the restaurant, among them one with Jalisco license plates but a false registration. Alejandro Hope, a Mexico City-based security analyst, said that while Jalisco New Generation controls the area, it would be possible for another group to enter the city. Hope also called it odd that a group of alleged cartel members would be taken without a shot being fired. 'It's a bit surprising that in effect they were drug traffickers but didn't have any security,' Hope said. The news is unlikely to bring much comfort to Ivan's father who has reportedly been going crazy inside the maximum security Mexican jail. Once the most feared drug lord in Mexico, the kingpin of a multi-billion empire is losing his hair, his mind, and is suffering from anxiety inside Ciudad Juarez jail in Mexico, his lawyer has said. Jose Refugio Rodriguez, one of the lawyers representing El Chapo, said he found him in a vulnerable mental state after visiting him recently for the first time in months. Rodriguez, who is currently trying to help Guzman fight deportation to the US. Mexico has already cleared the way for Guzman's deportation, the appeals process could mean it takes months or even years before he is finally moved. 'El Chapo' (pictured) was recaptured by marines in January following six months as the world's most wanted man Mexican authorities have given up on the idea of holding Guzman permanently on their side of the border - where the death penalty has been abolished - after he broke out of jail twice. The head of the notorious Sinaloa cartel bribed his way out of jail once in 2001, and then used more bribes and an extensive tunnel dug by his henchmen to break out a second time. After a lengthy manhunt he was recaptured in 2014 in a hotel in the beach town of Mazatlan and sent back to jail, this time at Altiplano. He spent just a year in that jail however, breaking out for a second time in 2015 after members of his cartel dug a mile-long tunnel which came up under his cell shower block. Following his father's arrest in January, Ivan Guzman launched a fuming tirade at the country's president Enrique Pena Nieto - threatening to 'take him out'. When Ivan threatened to 'take out' Nieto, his Twitter followers retweeted the comment or liked it 13,000 times. Security experts in Mexico have long speculated that El Chapo, believed to be 57, was grooming Ivan to be the next head of his cartel which he boasts is the biggest importer of cocaine, heroin and crystal meth into the US. And with the drugs boss recaptured and fighting extradition to the US, it is believed the moment has come when the reins will be handed over to Ivan. Welcome back: World-renowned Mexican journalist Carlos Loret de Mola claims this is the first picture of Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' in his cell at Altiplano prison in January During his most recent incarceration, US Drug Enforcement Agency papers stated El Chapo was passing messages to Ivan 'via attorneys who visited him in prison and possibly through the use of a cell phone provided... by corrupt prison guards'. The same documents showed how Ivan orchestrated one of the foiled plots to free his father by asking the Mexican army's counter intelligence officers to devise a jailbreak plan. In the controversial Rolling Stone article by actor Sean Penn, who secretly met El Chapo in October without the authorities' knowledge, he said Ivan 'is considered the heir to the Sinaloa cartel'. 'At 32, he is considered the heir to the Sinaloa cartel,' Penn wrote, adding 'He's attentive with a calm maturity.' In 2004, Ivan was a suspect in the murder of Canadian exchange student Kristen Deyell, who was gunned down outside a Guadalajara nightclub. In 2005, he was charged with money laundering and organized crime offences after police found packages of cocaine and a weapon inside an SUV vehicle he crashed in the same Guadalajara neighborhood. When the charges were dropped, Mexico authorities indicted him for buying cars with money gained by 'illicit activities' and sentenced him to five years jail. A judge overturned the conviction and released Ivan in 2008. A mother in China has been blasted for taking her naked daughter shopping. The woman was spotted with the child at a supermarket in Xinyang City, central China's Henan province on August 13, reports the People's Daily Online. Pictures of the young girl, thought to be around two-years-old, have caused outrage on the country's social media sites. Bizarre: The child was spotted shopping with her mother while naked in central China's Henan province Odd: The girl was pictured wandering around the supermarket with only her slippers on The young girl was spotted in a supermarket with her mother and was photographed by shocked onlookers. They were seen shopping in various sections of the store and the girl was naked the entire time. On China's social media site Weibo, many people have expressed their outrage on a thread that was read more than 12.7million times. One user commented: 'As a mother of a one-year-old myself, this is really hard to look at.' While another said: 'This is a perfect example of child abuse.' And one user wrote: 'Personally I think this is insulting to the child.' A group of people in Nanning put up some bizarre barriers for their cars Residents of a community in Nanning, China, were forced to put up metal, fabric and cardboard 'skirts' around their vehicles after an infestation of rats in the area. The rodents would climb into the cars and leave their droppings or chew up the vehicles' wiring according to People's Daily Online. But the unusual protection method has left China's web users incredulous as they question why there's no pest control in the area. Scroll down for video Protection: Residents of a community in Nanning, China, were forced to put up barriers around their cars Homemade: These barriers (pictured) are made up of metal, fabric and cardboard and are generally homemade Defence: The area has a rat problem and residents hope the wire mesh and material will help stop the rodents from getting to their cars According to reports, the covers cost around 100 Yuan (10) each and are made up of a metal wire netting that's covered with sheets of plastic, bedding, cardboard and even bamboo mats. They stop the rats from crawling onto the vehicles and nesting under them. The vehicles are also protected against any potential scratches from children playing in the area. However, despite the car owners' best efforts, some rats have managed to chew through the protective barrier. Failure: However, despite the best efforts of the car owners, some rats still manage to chew through the material According to a video report by Nanning TV, residents have had to deal with the problem for the last three or four years. It's a largely residential area so there are no businesses putting down traps according to the report. Residents complained about how the rats would crawl into their vehicles and leave droppings. In the winter especially, they would nest in the engine of the car, where it's warm, and chew through the wire. But Chinese web users were amazed by their explanation. On 163.com, more than 50,000 have commented on the bizarre devices. Double protection: The vehicles are also protected against any potential scratches from children playing in the area One person wrote: 'If the rat problem is this severe, why haven't they organised a large scale extermination?' Another commented: 'Do you really think this will stop them?' Nanning TV reports that the local housing association is looking into the issue. It's not the first time Chinese residents have resorted to strange coverings for their cars. Last year, MailOnline reported how a car owner in one residential area in Nanjing fashioned a cardboard skirt for his vehicle. It was designed to protect the car from damage but caught the attention of China's web users. It is a battle that takes place in homes and offices around the world as people tussle over the thermostat to find the right temperature. Now researchers have discovered a gene that plays a key role in the ability of mammals to determine if they are too hot or too cold. The gene, which produces a protein called TRPM2, sends a warm signal that drives mice and other mammals to seek out cooler environments. Scientists have identified a gene that plays a key role in helping us to judge whether we are too hot or too cold (illustrated). They found the gene, called TRPM2 in mice, but say it appears to be found in other mammals including humans Mice that lack this gene are no longer able to distinguish between cool and warm temperatures. WHY WE AVOID HEAT When we touch a hot surface, we will instinctively withdraw our hands. Specific pain receptors trigger an unconscious response that causes us to recoil from the hot surface before our brain even registers the pain. This self-defence mechanism is to help protect the delicate cells of our body from the damage that heat can inflict. When heated DNA and porteins undergo a process known as denaturation, where they lose structure and unfold. Strands of DNA are held together by hydrogen bonds of different strength according to the molecules involved in the bond. Not as strong as atomic bonds, these hydrogen bonds can be broken with relatively low levels of energy, such as moderate increases in heat. Often this can damage DNA, as if the temperature decreases to quickly, the strands can realign imperfectly. Similarly in proteins, the heat can cause them to change shape, so they no longer work properly. Advertisement It raises the prospect that the gene could help explain why some people find a room uncomfortably warm while others will find it too cold. Professor Peter McNaughton, a biochemist at King's College London, told MailOnline: 'There are variations in heat sensation between people most notably, women tend to prefer a warmer temperature than men, which can lead to problems in designing buildings. 'We are interested in finding out if the difference in thermal sensation between men and women is influenced by the TRPM2 gene, but we dont have any data on this just yet. 'The temperatures we examined are certainly comparable to those you might find on a London bus or tube carriage in the height of summer. At 38C a busy tube carriage would be quite suffocating, so sensory neurons in our skin allow us to detect that the environment is too warm and drive us to take action - whether that be removing an article of clothing or alighting the tube and seeking a cooler environment.' The TRPM2 protein forms a channel that can allow positively charged ions to enter and leave nerve cells, altering its internal voltage. This change in voltage triggers nerve activity, creating a sensation that is detected by the brain. Other proteins in the TRP family are known to be involved in detecting painful levels of heat. Disputes over what temperature to set the thermostat (pictured) at are common in offices and homes around the world, particularly between men and women. The new research may help to explain why some people feel too hot in a room while others can feel too cold But the researchers, whose work is published in the journal Nature, found that when they engineered mice so they lacked the TRPM2 gene, these mice were no longer able to detect lower levels of heat. Normal mice walking across surfaces warmed to 91.4F (33C) and 100.4F (38C) tended to prefer the cooler temperature but the mice lacking the TRPM2 gene did not have a preference. Dr Chun-Hsiang Tan, another member of the research team at Kings College London, said: 'The removal of TRPM2 in these mice eliminated their ability to detect non-painful warmth, yet the capacity to detect painful levels of heat using other known receptors was unaffected. This reveals how we are able to detect environments that are too warm at a sensory level.' The researchers gave mice the choice of walking on surfaces warmed to either 33C and 38C (illustrated). Normally mice preferred the cooler surface, but mice without the TRPM2 gene did not seem to discriminate between the two The researchers now hope to find out whether the protein may also help the body regulate its temperature in an unconscious way too. Professor McNaughton said: 'From a practical point of view, gene defects in humans may lead to defects in warmth sensation, though once again we dont have any direct evidence of this. We have shown that TRPM2 is important for the conscious detection of warmth, but does it also play a role in the unconscious regulation of body temperature? Next project for the robot will focus on helping Syrian refugees in the UK It will now provide basic legal advice to homeless people looking for emergency housing, without charging hundreds of pounds in fees The robot has already helped to dispute over 160,000 parking tickets Last year, a parking-ticket-fighting robot, called DoNotPay, was released in London, where it has since successfully disputed over 160,000 tickets. Now, the helpful bot, which was also launched in New York this year, has turned its skills to tackling homelessness, providing basic legal advice. The updated DoNotPay bot will help people to apply for emergency housing with their local council, without charging hundreds of pounds in fees. Scroll down for video The updated DoNotPay bot will help people to apply for emergency housing with their local council, without charging hundreds of pounds in fees HOW DOES IT WORK? Users can log in to DoNotPay.co.uk, where a chat screen will appear. The bot will then ask various questions about their situation, such as: Why were you made homeless? and Are you vulnerable as a result of old age or disability? After it analyses the answers, the robot will then decide if the user qualifies for temporary housing, and if yes, it will generate an appeal letter that can be brought to the court. The bot uses Freedom of Information requests to store and scan documents, to improve the reliability of its advice. Mr Browder is also working with UK homelessness charity, Centrepoint, to perfect the advice given. Advertisement Joshua Browder, a Stanford University student, initially created the robot to appeal parking tickets in the UK. Since its launch, it has saved drivers more than 2.3 million ($3 million dollars). The parking bot has fought 250,000 tickets in London, and won more than half of these cases. Since its launch in New York in March this year, DoNotPay has helped an additional 10,000 people. Now, the bot has been upgraded to be able to give advice to homeless people in the UK. Users can log in to DoNotPay.co.uk, where a chat screen will appear. The bot will then ask various questions about their situation, such as: Why were you made homeless? and Are you vulnerable as a result of old age or disability? After it analyses the answers, the robot will then decide if the user qualifies to apply for emergency housing, and if so, it will generate an appeal letter that can be brought to the court. Speaking to Ars Technica, Mr Browder said: I started to receive a large number of messages about evictions and repossessions, and noticed that they were at the highest levels ever recorded. I felt bad that I didn't have the knowledge to personally help people, especially since they were being made homeless. Joshua Browder, a Stanford University student, initially created the robot to appeal parking tickets in the UK The bot uses Freedom of Information requests to store and scan documents, to improve the reliability of its advice. Mr Browder is also working with UK homelessness charity, Centrepoint, to perfect the advice given. Since the update, Mr Browder said that 'almost every local government in the UK has signed up for the website.' As well as the law on homelessness and parking tickets, the robot has also learned the laws about cancelled and delay flights and payment protection insurance. Mr Browder taught himself to code by the age of eight and at 12 years old, he created an unofficial iPhone app for Pret A Manger that was adopted by the firm. His next project will focus on Syrian refugees in the UK. Mr Browder told Ars Technica: 'There is so much prejudice in the world towards refugees, with disgraceful candidates like Donald Trump, but I think that everyone has the right to be safe.' The second-oldest confirmed shipwreck in the Great Lakes, an American-built, Canadian-owned sloop that sank in Lake Ontario more than 200 years ago, has been found, a team of underwater explorers said Wednesday. The three-member western New York-based team from ShipWreckWorld.com said it discovered the shipwreck this summer in deep water off Oswego, in central New York. Images captured by a remotely operated vehicle confirmed it is the Washington, which sank during a storm in 1803, team member Jim Kennard said. Scroll down for video This July 16, 2016, photo taken from underwater video shows the 'Washington', which sank during a storm in 1803. The team of underwater explorers says it has found the second-oldest confirmed shipwreck in the Great Lakes, an American-built, Canadian owned-sloop that sank in Lake Ontario 213 years ago. 'This one is very special. 'We don't get too many like this,' said Kennard, who along with Roger Pawlowski and Roland 'Chip' Stevens has found numerous wrecks in Lake Ontario and other waterways. The sloop Washington was built on Lake Erie in Pennsylvania in 1798 and was used to transport people and goods between western New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario. It was placed on skids and hauled by oxen teams across the Niagara Isthmus to Lake Ontario in 1802 after being sold to Canadian merchants. The 53-foot-long ship was carrying at least five people and a cargo of merchandise, including goods from India, when it set sail from Kingston, Ontario, for its homeport of Niagara, Ontario, on Nov. 6, 1803. The vessel was caught in a fierce storm and sank. At least three crew members and two merchants were on the sloop. The 53-foot-long ship was carrying at least five people and a cargo of merchandise, including goods from India Single-masted sloops were replaced in the early 19th century by two- and three-masted schooners, which were much easier to sail All aboard died. According to Kennard, contemporary records said portions of the cargo and pieces of the ship were found the following day on a shore near Oswego. The Washington is the oldest commercial sailing vessel found in the Great Lakes and the only sloop known to have sailed on lakes Erie and Ontario, Kennard said. THE WASHINGTON The sloop Washington was built on Lake Erie in Pennsylvania in 1798 and was used to transport people and goods between western New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario. The sloop Washington was built on Lake Erie in Pennsylvania in 1798 and was used to transport people and goods between western New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario. Here, a reconstruction of it is shown - although there are no known drawings of the Washington. It was placed on skids and hauled by oxen teams across the Niagara Isthmus to Lake Ontario in 1802 after being sold to Canadian merchants. Since there are no known drawings of the Washington, the sloop's discovery will help maritime historians learn more about the design and construction of that type of sailing vessel used on the Great Lakes between the American Revolution and the War of 1812. the sloop's discovery will help maritime historians learn more about the design and construction of that type of sailing vessel Advertisement Single-masted sloops were replaced in the early 19th century by two- and three-masted schooners, which were much easier to sail, according to Carrie Sowden, archaeological director at the National Museum of the Great Lakes in Toledo, Ohio, which sponsors the New York team's explorations. Since there are no known drawings of the Washington, the sloop's discovery will help maritime historians learn more about the design and construction of that type of sailing vessel used on the Great Lakes between the American Revolution and the War of 1812, she said. 'Every shipwreck offers something different that adds to our knowledge base,' Sowden said. The oldest vessel found in the Great Lakes is HMS Ontario, a British warship that sank in Lake Ontario in 1780. Scientists say the females are the key drivers in reproductive selection But females use a fluid to restore the Fish spawning can be a promiscuous affair, with eggs fertilised by clouds of sperm from multiple males. But in the ocean depths, there are no paternity tests to contest fatherhood, so females have to make sure the best males get their first. Biologists have uncovered that one species of colourful fish has developed a novel chemical trick for picking the fittest males to father their fry, showing the females are the key driving force in selection. Researchers in California found that female ocellated wrasse, which inhabit the warm waters of the Mediterranean, are able to select the best fathers by chemically influencing the fitness of sperm. Pictured is a nesting male with a female in his nest HOW DO FEMALES PICK THE BEST FATHERS? Researchers at UC, Santa Cruz, found that female ocellated wrasse tip the reproductive odds in their favour using a biological trick. Female fish release ovarian fluid with their eggs, which affects the attributes of sperm. As sperm from multiple males can be released during spawning, the fluid improves the motility and boosts their ability to find the egg. In effect, the chemical change creates a level playing field, so even if the best male's sperm are outnumbered, they have a better chance of fertilising the eggs and fathering the next generation. Advertisement In most fish and amphibians, eggs are fertilised externally. Females release their eggs into the water while the males following close behind, release clouds of sperm. But if a sneaky male times it right, they can speed in and release their own sperm, leaving the fertilisation to chance. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz, looking at ocellated wrasse, which inhabit the warm waters of the Mediterranean, found females are able to restore the odds in their favour using a biological trick. Large males court females by building nests of algae and later caring for the fertilised eggs. But smaller rogue males can be seen hanging around the larger male's nest. Smaller 'sneaker males' hang around the nest (pictured), waiting for their opportunity to fertilise eggs. But ovarian fluid released by the female enhance the attributes of sperm, levelling he playing field and ensuring the best males father their fry Medium sized satellite males hang around the nest and chase away smaller 'sneaker' males from the nest. But both of these smaller males are runaway fathers, looking to fertilise eggs without sticking around to care for them. But the researchers discovered the female fish are able to selectively breed for the nesting males, despite not being able to control the attempts of sneaky smaller males. They found that females release ovarian fluid after they have released their eggs in the surrounding water, can give the best sperm a boost, clearing the way for the champion swimmers to make it to their eggs. The trick is so successful that the researchers claim the females have a greater control over fertilisation and male selection than it was thought possible for external fertilisation. The sneaker males release more sperm than the nesting males, and you'd think that would give them a better chance to fertilize the eggs, but there is something in the ovarian fluid that removes that advantage, explained Professor Suzanne Alonzo, an evolutionary biologist at UC Santa Cruz. To test the action, Professor Alonzo's team tested the effect of the ovarian fluid in the lab - trying to fertilise eggs in Petri dishes with and without the fluid. Not only are the nesting males older and larger (pictured), they grow faster than sneaker males when they are juveniles, meaning their offspring will be more likely to do the same The findings showed that the fluid enhanced how fast the sperm could swim and boosted their ability to seek out the eggs, tipping the balance in favour of quality over quantity. Not only are the nesting males older and larger, they grow faster than sneaker males when they are juveniles, meaning their offspring will be more likely to do the same. 'These new results open up a whole new world of possibilities.' added Professor Alonzo. 'When we think about why marine species look and act the way they do, part of what we are seeing depends on this cryptic level of interactions between males and females, or really between eggs and sperm. 'It makes sense that you would see these kinds of effects in the reproductive tract, but that it's happening in the water is pretty amazing.' They are known to have mapped the stars to help them calculate the length of the months and years in the tropical jungles far more accurately than any Europeans at the time. But the mathematical and astronomical achievements of the Maya may have been vastly underestimated according to a new study of one of their most famous texts. A leading anthropologist claims he has uncovered evidence that suggests Maya astronomers were making observations of the planets up to 1,000 years ago in a way that would rival those made centuries later by Renaissance astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus. The Venus Table from the Dresden Codex (pictured) may depict actual historical observations of Venus in the night's sky, which suggests the Maya were accomplished astronomers far earlier than had previously been believed Dr Gerardo Aldana, an anthropologist at the University of Californai Santa Barbara, examined the Venus Table in the famous Dresden Codex and offers a new interpretation of what it contains. THE DESDEN CODEX This Maya codex is one of the oldest surviving books from the Americas. It is thought to date from the 11th or 12th Century but may be a copy of an earlier text written about three or four hundred years earlier. Consisting of 39 sheets, inscribed on each side, it has a total length of 11.7 feet. It was purchased by the Royal Library at Dresden from a private owner in Vienna in 1739. How it came to be in Vienna is unknown. But some has speculated it was sent by Hernan Cortes to King Charles I of Spain in 1519. It contains many astronomical tables of great accuracy including those depicting eclipses of the moon and the movement of the planet Venus. It also contains astrological tables and ritual schedules, which are divided into a 260-day cycle. Advertisement He believes the intricate observations depicted in the Dresden Codex, a tenth or eleventh century Maya book from Chichen Itza, Mexico, have been largely overlooked. He claims rather than simply being numerology as many archaeologists have claimed, it shows an extended period of astronomical observations being made at the Maya city. He says this could have been developed as early at 870AD, long before Copernicus formulated the idea that the sun lay at the centre of the solar system in the early 16th Century. He said: 'When you see it as historical record, it changes the interpretation. 'They're using Venus not just to strictly chart when it was going to appear, but they were using it for the ritual cycles. 'They had ritual activities when the whole city would come together and they would do certain events based on the observation of Venus.' The Venus Table has been known to contain mathematical corrections for charting the passage of Venus across the sky in order to correct the Maya calendar. As Venus's cycle is irregular 583.92 days it requires some correction much like the Leap Years used in the Gregorian calendar today. The Caracol structure at Chichen Itza in Mexico has been widely interpreted as an observatory. The new study supports the idea that the Maya had astronomers who made detailed obervations of the planets as early as 800AD But Dr Aldana believes traditional interpretations of the Venus Table and the heiroglicis accompanying it underestimate the scientific achievements of the ancient Maya. THE MAYA AND THE STARS Mayan civilisation thrived for more than 2,000 years with its heyday being 300 to 900 AD. During that time, the ancient people built incredible cities using advanced machinery and gained an understanding of astronomy, as well as developing advanced agricultural methods and accurate calendars. The Maya believed the cosmos shaped their everyday lives and they used astrological cycles to tell when to plant crops and set their calendars. This has led to theories that the Maya may have chosen to locate their cities in line with the stars. It is already known that the pyramid at Chichen Itza was built according to the suns location during the spring and autumn equinoxes. When the sun sets on these two days, the pyramid casts a shadow on itself that aligns with a carving of the head of the Mayan serpent god, History.com reported. The shadow makes the serpent's body so that as the sun sets, the terrifying god appears to slide towards the earth. Advertisement His findings, which are published in the Journal of Astronomy in Culture, lead him to conclude the Maya were performing astronomy at Chichen Itza during a very specific window. He claims it appears to have occurred under the patronage of K'ak' U Pakal K'awiil, one of the city's most prominent historical figures and rulers who died in 890AD. Dr Aldana said: 'This is the part that I find to be most rewarding, that when we get in here, we're looking at the work of an individual Mayan, and we could call him or her a scientist, an astronomer. 'This person, who's witnessing events at this one city during this very specific period of time, created, through their own creativity, this mathematical innovation.' Unravelling the mysteries of the Venus Table required Dr Aldana to pour over the hieroglyphics until he found a key verb, k'al, had a different meaning than normally believed. Used through out the table, he believes it means 'to enclose' in a historical and cosmological context. He also examined another record of Venus found at another Maya site, Copan in Honduras. He claims the similarities between the two support the idea that they are historical observations. Chichen Itza (El Castillo pyramid pictured) was one of the largest and most powerful Maya cities Dr Aldana said: 'I'm calling it "discovering discovery", because it's not just their discovery, it's all the blinders that we have, that we've constructed and put in place that prevent us from seeing that this was their own actual scientific discovery made by Mayan people at a Mayan city. 'If you say it's just numerology that this date corresponds to - it's not based on anything you can see. 'And if you say, "We're just going to manipulate them [the corrections written] until they give us the most accurate trajectory", you're not confining that whole thing in any historical time. 'If, on the other hand, you say, "This is based on a historical record", that's going to nail down the range of possibilities. Instagram lets users share a gallery of their experiences and emotions with the entire world. However, a new study claims you may be sharing more than you think. Using machine learning tools, researchers found that those who post bluer, greyer and darker photos on the site, and favour the 'Inkwell' filter may be suffering from depression. A new study found that these photos are doing more than just sharing snapshots of your person life, they may be hinting at your mental health. Using machine learning tools, researchers found that those who share bluer, greyer and darker photos on the site, and favor 'Inkwell' may be suffering from depression WHAT DO YOUR INSTAGRAM PHOTOS SAY ABOUT YOU? Harvard University and the University of Vermont found users who post bluer, greyer and darker images may be suffering from depressions. The 'Inkwell' filter was most commonly used by those who have been diagnosed with depression, while healthy individuals tended to use 'Valencia'. Those suffering from mental health issues were more likely to post pictures with faces, however there was about one face per photo. This suggests that depressed individuals might post more selfies than others, however this theory has yet to be tested. Advertisement Harvard University and the University of Vermont collaborated on this recent study that gathered data from 166 Instagram users and their 43,950 photos. The team trained a system to analyze colours, saturation and employed a facial recognition algorithm to understand if depression can be detected in images. Using these methods, researcher found this is an accurate way to predict depression and foresee this process being used to diagnose individuals in the future. Photographs posted to Instagram can be analyzed using computational methods to screen for depression, reads the study published on arxiv.org. Using only photographic details, such as color and brightness, our statistical model was able to predict which study participate suffered from depression, and performed better than the rate at which unassisted general practitioners typically perform during in-patient assessments. The team does note that the markers of depression in Instagram photos are not a way to treat those suffering with mental health issues, but rather a method for catching symptoms earlier. During the study, researchers recruited members, both healthy and those diagnosed with depression, from the social media site Instagram. Researches recruited 166 Instagram users and analyzed close to 44,000 images. The team asked Mechanical Turk workers to rate how likable, happy, interested and sad images were. They also used a computer program to check for number of faces, vividness, and colourization to find qualities link to depression in photos These 166 individuals were asked to complete questionnaires regarding their demographics, history of depression and their sharing on social media history. Once connected to Instagram, researches analyzed the close to 44,000 images with the help of Mechanical Turk workers who rated images on a scale from zero to five based on how likable, happy, interested and sad the image was. A second method was employed, in which a computer program analyzed pictures based on the number of faces in each photo, vividness, brightness and colourization to decipher what qualities would be found in images posted by depressed individuals. The data shows that healthier people tend to use more filters than those suffering from depression. Using the face detecting algorithm, researchers also found that those suffering from mental health issues were more likely to post photos with faces, but there were fewer faces per photo - this suggests they post more selfies than other people After compiling the data from both processes, the team found that depressed individuals are more likely to share bluer, darker and greyer photos on their page. And the more comments a post received increased the chances of being posted by a depressed person, but more likes proved to be just the opposite. The Inkwell filter was the most commonly used filter among depressed individuals, while those deemed healthy chose Valencia and warmer hues. However, the data shows that those who are depressed tend to stay away from filters altogether. EXPERTS SAY SOCIAL MEDIA MAKES ADDICTS MORE DEPRESSED The more time young adults use social media, the more likely they are to be depressed, according to new research from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. They say social media sites could be fuelling 'Internet addiction,' a proposed psychiatric condition closely associated with depression. Study sampled 1,787 U.S. adults ages 19 through 32, using questionnaires to determine social media use and an established depression assessment tool. The questionnaires asked about the 11 most popular social media platforms at the time: Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram, Snapchat, Reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest, Vine and LinkedIn. On average the participants used social media a total of 61 minutes per day and visited various social media accounts 30 times per week. More than a quarter of the participants were classified as having 'high' indicators of depression. Advertisement Using the face detecting algorithm, researchers found that those suffering from mental health issues were more likely to post photos with faces, but there were fewer faces per photo. Fewer faces may be an oblique indicator that depressed users interact in smaller social settings, which would be in accordance with researcher linking depression to reduced social interactivity, reads the study. The Inkwell (left) filter was the most commonly used filter among depressed individuals, while those deemed healthy chose Valencia (right) and warmer hues. However, the data shows that those who are depressed tend to stay away from filters altogether These Instagram users also used more self-focused language in their posts and it may be that this self-focus extends to photographs, as well. The team is calling this sad selfie as the low-face-count may be because depressed users are more likely to share selfies, however they note this theory has yet to be tested. July marked the Earth's hottest month in modern times, setting a new high mark for global heat in 137 years of record-keeping, US government scientists have confirmed. In its monthly report, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the global average of temperatures taken over land and ocean surfaces for July 2016 'was the highest for both the month of July and for any month in the NOAA global temperature dataset record, which dates back to 1880.' Last month's temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.57 Fahrenheit above the 20th century average of 60.4 degrees F (15.8 Celsius). Scroll down for video Forecasters said the global average temperature 'was the highest for both the month of July and for any month in the since 1880.' It also marks the 15th consecutive month of breaking monthly temperature records, 'the longest such streak in the 137-year record,' NOAA said. The new record beats out July 2015, the previous holder for the planet's warmest month. July 2016 marks the 40th consecutive July with temperatures at least nominally above the 20th century average. July 1976 was the last time July global land and ocean temperatures were below average. July 2016 had the lowest monthly global temperature departure from average since August 2015 and tied with August 2015 as the 15th highest monthly temperature departure among all months (1,639) on record. The NOAA data was released two days after NASA's monthly figures, which also showed July was a record-breaker for global heat. A HISTORIC HIGH The July temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.57F above the 20th century average of 60.4F. This was the highest for July in the 18802016 record, surpassing the previous record set in 2015 by 0.11F, the previous record holder for the warmest month on record. July 2016 marks the 40th consecutive July with temperatures at least nominally above the 20th century average. July 1976 was the last time July global land and ocean temperatures were below average. July 2016 had the lowest monthly global temperature departure from average since August 2015 and tied with August 2015 as the 15th highest monthly temperature departure among all months (1,639) on record. Advertisement CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALREADY CAUSING DEATHS A new study has revealed the dangers of climate change are already affecting humanity and led to the death of hundreds of people across Europe sixteen years ago. A heatwave in 2003 killed 506 people in Paris and 315 in London, experts have said in a new study. A fifth of those deaths can be blamed on man-made pollution. The study led by University of Oxford scientists said there were 315 heat-related deaths in London as Europe experienced its hottest summer on record, out of which 64 were caused by climate change. The study was the first to calculate the number of premature deaths and it's link to air pollution and warned heatwaves will become more common and more severe in the future. Advertisement Its scientists have calculated the the month was 1.51F (0.84C) warmer than the global average between 1950 and 1980. They say it was 0.18 degrees warmer than the previous records seen in July 2011 and July 2015. It comes after Nasa declared the first half of 2016 to have been the warmest six months on record. Dr Gavin Schmidt, director of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies and a climate scientist at Nasa, said: 'July 2016 was absolutely the hottest month since instrumental records began.' He added that there was a 99 per cent chance that 2016 would now break annual global temperature records. It comes after many parts of the world have experienced 'oppressive' levels of heat, according to Nasa's Earth Observatory. In June and July people living in Siberia, the Middle East and large areas of North America faced extreme heatwaves. The US's three largest metropolitan areas New York, Los Angeles and Chicago all experienced heatwave alerts last month. California is also in the grips of its worst drought in decades. Nasa says temperatures in July 2016 were far above the average temperatures expected during the summer. The graph above shows the abnormal temperatures recorded Nasa said several 'oppressive' heatwaves were experienced in many parts of the world in 2016 including the US where three of the largest cities - New York, Los Angeles and Chicago issued alerts to their citizens (land surface temperature anomaly July 20-27 illustrated) Siberia also experienced abnormally warm temperatures in July (anomaly between July 20-27 illustrated) Parts of Siberia, where the weather is normally relatively cool, saw temperatures more typically found in the tropics. WHAT IS EL NINO? El Nino is caused by a shift in the distribution of warm water in the Pacific Ocean around the equator. Usually the wind blows strongly from east to west, due to the rotation of the Earth, causing water to pile up in the western part of the Pacific. This pulls up colder water from the deep ocean in the eastern Pacific. However, in an El Nino, the winds pushing the water get weaker and cause the warmer water to shift back towards the east. This causes the eastern Pacific to get warmer. But as the ocean temperature is linked to the wind currents, this causes the winds to grow weaker still and so the ocean grows warmer, meaning the El Nino grows. This change in air and ocean currents around the equator can have a major impact on the weather patterns around the globe by creating pressure anomalies in the atmosphere. Advertisement Hot weather melted the permafrost in the Yamal Peninsula to reveal an infected carcass of a reindeer, triggering a major outbreak of anthrax. Kuwait recorded a temperature of 129.2F (54C) on July 21 in what may be the hottest temperature on record in the Eastern Hemisphere if it is confirmed. Dr Schmidt, said: 'The planet is getting warmer. It's important for what it tells us about the future.' The warm weather has alarmed climate scientists who say it shows the world is following predictions of global warming due to manmade climate change. Georgia Tech climate scientist Kim Cobb said: 'Global temperatures continue to warm even as a record-breaking El Nino event has finally released its grip.' A particularly strong El Nino, which can push up global temperatures, began towards the end of 2014 before dissipating in May 2016. July 2016 is the tenth record breaking hot month in a row according to Nasa. Figures from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, which calculates temperatures slightly differently, will be published on Wednesday. Scientists at Nasa have warned that 2016 is on course to be the hottest year on record. The graph above illustrates their predicted temperature anomaly The Middle East also sweltered in a heatwave that brought temperatures of up to 129.2F (54C) on July 21 in what may be a record for Asia It has estimated that the past 14 months have broken temperature records. 'The scary thing is that we are moving into an era where it will be a surprise when each new month or year isn't one of the hottest on record,' said Chris Field, a climate scientist at the Carnegie Institution and Stanford University. If you're too lazy to cook, help is at hand. Kawasaki has revealed its latest robot is a dab hand in the kitchen - and can make everything from pizza to sushi. Showing off the new two-armed duAro robot at an event in Tokyo, the firm even programmed it to dispense drugs and draw portraits. Scroll down for video Using a robot named 'duAro', the Japanese firm has developed machines that make pizza, draws portraits and dispense pharmaceuticals, giving visitors a taste of a human and robot relationship WHAT CAN DUARO DO? Kawasaki Robotics 'duAro' is an innovative & new, dual-arm SCARA robot that can coexist with humans in the workplace. The firm is showcasing this innovation at its 'Kawasaki Robostage' in Tokyo, Japan. Visitors are greeted with a duAro receptionist that can print out brochures with their native language. Another robot is just around the corner that can make pizza pies and intricately construct small pieces of sushi. Since the pharmaceutical industry has been slow to adopt robotics, Kawasaki demonstrates the accuracy and efficiency of using three robotic arms to dispense drugs. DuAro can also draw any portrait it is given. Advertisement The 'Kawasaki Robostage' showroom is connecting human creativity with Kawasaki Robotics technologies that will one day be employed in the food sector electronic and electric fields. Since starting its industrial robot production in 1969, Kawasaki has contributed to the automotive, electronic, semiconductor, medical and other areas in Japan and across the globe. The firm has opened robot showrooms in the past, however the exhibit in Tokyo is aimed at both companies looking to adopt robots into their workforce and for the public to understand them better. Kawasaki is using its duAro to set the stage, which is its latest innovation designed with the same area motion and arm movement of a human. 'Through our consistent pursuit of ease of use, we integrated two articulated arms that move simply in the horizontal direction, and we introduced direct teaching functionality into the robot's configuration, resulting in a robot that's both easy to teach and practical,' Kawasaki Robotics said in a statement. 'With the integration of the body and controller into the wheeled base, the robot is quite easy to install and relocate.' Attendees are introduced to this technology as soon as they enter the facility, as a robotic receptionist waits to give them event pamphlets at the entrance. Visitors select their native language on the screen and duAro will instantly print out the brochure. For the food industry, Kawasaki has designed a robot with a large screen and two arms at its side that work together and independently to make pizza pies and construct pieces of sushi. Kawasaki is using its duAro to set the stage, which is its latest innovation designed with the same area motion and arm movement of a human. Kawasaki has designed a robot with a large screen and two arms at its side that work together and independently to make pizza pies and construct pieces of sushi. The robot adds toppings using a squeeze bottle and is able to intricately place four basil leaves around the pie in an orderly fashion. duAro delicately places the complete pizza the oven, slowly shuts the door and waits for it to finish cooking The robot adds toppings using a squeeze bottle and is able to intricately place four basil leaves around the pie in an orderly fashion. duAro delicately places the complete pizza the oven, slowly shuts the door and waits for it to finish cooking. This robot doubles as a sushi maker that uses the two arms to compile pre-made sushi rice with toppings of fish. This robot doubles as a sushi maker that uses the two arms to compile pre-made sushi rice with toppings of fish. It even goes as far as to add wasabi and serving it on a chef's table just like your favorite Japanese restaurant would WORKPLACE ACTIVITIES WITH HIGH POTENTIAL FOR AUTOMATION In the report, the researchers looked at many factors of workplace automation, including the 'technical feasibility' of certain activities. Based on this factor, certain jobs were at greater risk, including: 59 percent of manufacturing activities could be automated. Within this field, the researchers say 90 percent of the activities of welders, cutters, solderers and brazers could be done by a robot. 73 percent of activities in food service and accommodations could be automated 53 percent of retail work could be automated; 47 percent of the salespersons job could be automated, while 86 percent of bookkeepers, accountant and auditing clerks has this potential They also detailed the activities with low potential for automation: Education Healthcare, especially those which require expertise and direct contact with patients, like dental hygienist 'Knowledge work,' including management jobs Advertisement It even goes as far as to add wasabi and serving it on a chef's table just like your favorite Japanese restaurant would. Unlike the food industry, pharmaceuticals have been slow to adopt robots, as many worry about the lack of expertise and high costs. But Kawasaki's drug dispensing duAro seems to dispense drugs accurately and with ease. The firm put together three robotic arms for this task: one holds the drug and another dispenses it into a tube that is held by the third robot. Unlike the food industry, pharmaceuticals have been slow to adopt robots, as many worry about the lack of expertise and high costs. But Kawasaki's drug dispensing duAro seems to dispense drugs accurately and with ease The name 'duAro' is a combination of the two English words, 'dual' and 'robot'. This machine has two arms that reach horizontally from the body and move together as a pair. There is also a robot that can draw a human's portrait just by being fed a picture There is also a robot that can draw a human's portrait just by being fed a picture. The name 'duAro' is a combination of the two English words, 'dual' and 'robot'. This machine has two arms that reach horizontally from the body and move together as a pair. 'This configuration can easily perform operations similar to those of a person using both arms within a one-person space,' explains Kawasaki Robotics. 'Equipped with a collision detection function and a safety function that slows down its motion when near a person, the robot can be reliably operated in tandem with the operations of workers adjacent to the machine.' Scientists claim to have cracked the mystery of deja vu - and say not experiencing it could be a sign on health issues. Brain scans have revealed the phenomenon is simply the brain checking its memories are correct. They say that not experiencing the strange felling of having experienced something before may actually have issues with their memory. Researchers say the phenomenon is simply the brain checking its memories are correct. Not experiencing it may actually have issues with their memory, the Scottish team say. WHAT IS DEJA VU? French for 'already seen,' deja vu describes the strange experience of a situation feeling much more familiar than it should. Young people experience deja vu the most. The percentage of people who experience deja vu is probably somewhere between 30% (about 8 in a class of 30) and 100% (everyone in a class of 30). Source: Frontiers Advertisement Akira O'Connor at the University of St Andrews used fMRI to scan the brains of 21 volunteers after they were given triggers. 'We imaged people's brains as they underwent a procedure that generates sensations likened to deja vu,' O'Connor explained on his blog. 'What makes this work particularly exciting is that, to our knowledge, this is the first time people undergoing an experimental analogue of deja vu have been imaged. 'It led to some pretty neat results.' He believes that the frontal regions of the brain are checking through memories, and sending signals if there's some kind of memory error. 'Brain regions associated with memory conflict, rather than false memory, appear to be driving the deja vu experience. 'This is consistent with our idea of deja vu as the conscious awareness of a discrepancy in memory signals being corrected. 'This in turn sheds some light on why deja vu occurrence appears to decline with age despite the fact that memory errors tend to increase with age. 'If it's not an error, but the prevention of an error, this makes a lot more sense.' Deja vu was thought to be caused by the brain making false memories. O'Connor presented these findings at the International Conference on Memory in Budapest, Hungary, last month. HOW TO TRIGGER DEJA VU O'Connor and his team used a way to trigger the sensation of deja vu in the lab using a method pioneered by Josie Urquhart. It uses a standard method to trigger false memories. Subjects are read a list of related words such as bed, pillow, night, dream but not the key word linking them together, in this case, sleep. When the person is later quizzed on the words they've heard, they tend to believe they have also heard 'sleep' a false memory. To create the feeling of deja vu, the team asked people if they had heard any words beginning with the letter 's'. The volunteers replied that they hadn't. This meant that when they were later asked if they had heard the word sleep, they were able to remember that they couldn't have, but at the same time, the word felt familiar. Advertisement Christopher Moulin at Pierre Mendes-France University in Grenoble told New Scientist the findings do not bode well for people who don't experience deja vu at all. 'Without being unkind, they don't reflect on their memory systems,' he says. He broke up with his long-term, on-off girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger last year. And now Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has sensationally slammed claims that he put his ex behind his cars. Lewis told Top Gear magazine in an interview last week that he used to tell Nicole that the cars came first. Denial: Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has sensationally slammed claims that he put his ex behind his cars He said: 'I used to say, when I had a girlfriend, "Im taking one of the girls out, so you can come if you want, but you come second when it comes to the cars."' But it's clear that Lewis wanted the comments to be taken as tongue-in-cheek as he took to Twitter to deny the claims. He posted: 'Cars were NEVER even a close 2nd!!!' Fury: Lewis tweeted angrily 'Cars were NEVER even a close 2nd!!!' in reference to Nicole Scherzinger, his ex Lost love: Lewis and Nicole split last year after being together on and off for seven years Although the pair have been apart for some time now, it's clear their romance still plays on both their minds. Last month, the 38-year-old beauty was moved when one contestant on the X-Factor sang her song Run, and explained that it was about moving on from negativity, before warning girls off Lewis. Speaking at the auditions, Nicole said: 'This song is about running away from bad things in your life.' Sad split: Although the pair have been apart for some time now, it's clear their romance still plays on both their minds Simon Cowell then suggested that the song, which includes lyrics such as, 'here's some advice for the next one, don't let him lead you to the dark' and 'he'll leave you with a broken heart', could be about the F1 driver. He said: 'Why did this song make me think of Lewis Hamilton? It just came into my head listening to it. Run away, Nicole, run away fast.' And the brunette beauty agreed, as she replied: 'Yes, let's do that. Let's dedicate those lyrics and that song to Lewis as well, shall we?' Jean-Claude Van Damme's viral meltdown was aired on Sunrise last month. But it's been revealed the 'boring' interview that led to the 55-year-old storming off was in fact being conducted via satellite by Today show presenter Richard Wilkins. And now, the duo are about to come full circle as they reunite for the movie star's Australian speaking tour - with Richard as host. Scroll down for video 'Can I please come to Australia and talk to you?': Jean-Claude Van Damme stormed off an Australian television interview aired on Sunrise last month The Sunrise segment showed the Timecop actor in a flustered state and 'sweating' after shutting down a 'boring' question about his former fling Kylie Minogue. But despite Jean-Claude's quick-tempered reaction to the Today show personality's questions, the actor's Australian tour publicist Max Markson has confirmed the pair are on good terms. 'JVCD is looking forward to it,' Max told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday. 'JVCD is looking forward to it': Richard Wilkins, who conducted the interview that led to JCVD's meltdown, will be hosting the actor's speaking tour next week In regards to the satellite interview, Max said the studio 'was very small, very hot, and there were a lot of people in the room,' which caused Jean-Claude to become 'uncomfortable' and flustered. The publicist added that the actor had 'just come from the jungle' in humid Bangkok, where he has been filming a sequel to his 1989 classic Kickboxer. Jean-Claude seemed agitated before saying: 'Yeah, I like Kylie, I like everybody. Can I please come to Australia and talk to you?' 'Boring': The action star shut down Richard's questions and complained about 'sweating' before storming off The former bodybuilder proceeded to remove his microphone from his T-shirt collar and said: 'Sorry guys, I cannot do this anymore.' 'Those questions, the press have been asking me the same questions for the past 25 years. Im coming to Australia to maybe do something different with the audience. 'Those interviews you are giving me on TV right now, they are very boring,' he added. 'The questions are very boring. 'Yeah, I like Kylie': The Hollywood action star said he's been asked the same questions about his former fling for 'the past 25 years' Uncomfortable: Max Markson, JCVD's Australian tour publicist, told Daily Mail Australia the actor was very 'hot' in the overcrowded studio during the satellite interview 'Its difficult for me to answer the question so I sweat, I dont feel good, because they are boring. 'Next question? You have something interesting to ask me?' he asked. Jean-Claude was due to arrive in Australia earlier this week ahead of his Sydney and Melbourne shows next week. But a missed flight in Hong Kong caused the actor's visit to be postponed for a few days. An Evening With Jean-Claude Van Damme - Unscripted & Unplugged is taking place in Sydney and Melbourne from August 24. She recently slammed body shamers who criticised her weight. And The Veronicas' Jessica Origliasso proudly flaunted her slender frame while returning to her roots in Brisbane on Wednesday. In a selfie shared on Instagram, the 31-year-old pop punk musician sported a high-cut black bodysuit that showcased her figure, paired with matching leggings that highlighted her enviable thigh gap. Scroll down for video Flaunting her assets: The Veronicas' Jessica Origliasso proudly flaunted her slender frame while returning to her roots in Brisbane on Wednesday She flashed a hint of cleavage underneath sheer material while also revealing her toned arms. Also that day, the brunette beauty enjoyed a relaxing spa day at Cosmetic Image Clinics and told fans that she is 'home for two days' before embarking on two-months of travel. Last month, Jessica and her twin sister, who hail from Queensland, hit back at critics who accused them of promoting unhealthy body image. Spa day: The pop punk musician enjoyed a relaxing day out at a Brisbane cosmetic clinic 'The way that it gets to me is when they try to frame it as though we're contributing or we're the result of young women becoming anorexic,' Jessica told The Sun-Herald. 'That hurts me because we take health so seriously. 'Don't try to treat me like I'm the problem. I know that I'm not. I know she [Lisa] is not.' Celebrating their weirdness: In May, twin sisters Jessica and Lisa teased the first artwork for their latest single on Instagram and it instantly set tongues wagging The singing duo, who performed at City2Surf in Sydney last week, are no strangers to criticism about their appearance. In May, the In My Blood artists teased the first artwork for their latest single on Instagram and it instantly set tongues wagging. They are pictured naked, with their slender physiques covered entirely in unusual purple glitter and they acknowledged that they were striving for an extraterrestrial look. Confident: Lisa told AAP, 'We're a little dark and twisted and weird. We like the weirder twisted side of art' 'We were going for an otherworldly feel, you know a lot of people tell us we look like aliens anyway,' Jessica told AAP. Lisa added: 'We're a little dark and twisted and weird. We like the weirder twisted side of art.' The Veronicas are gearing up to drop their fourth studio album two years after their last one, although it does not have a release date yet. She has just enjoyed a holiday to Montauk with eight-year-old daughter Jade. And Giada De Laurentiis looked as though she was still in vacation mode on Tuesday when she was spotted heading lunch in New York City. The 45-year-old cut a stunning figure in a summery low-cut orange maxi dress, which boasted a slit up one side. Scroll down for video A dream in tangerine: Giada De Laurentiis turned heads in New York City on Tuesday Giada flashed her slender legs in the frock and teamed it with matching strappy sandals and a woven white handbag. The celebrity chef wore her long honey-coloured tresses in waves, and finished off her look with glamorous make-up. Giada was seen dining at Bar Primi after spending some time at Soho House. The Giada In Italy host has recently been sharing photos of herself and her daughter soaking up the sun, swimming and paddleboarding in Montauk. Showing some skin: The celebrity chef flashed her cleavage and slender legs in the low-cut frock, which boasted a slit up one side Glamorous: Giada also wore heels and lots of make-up as she headed to Bar Primi after spending some time at Soho House Jade is the star's only daughter from her marriage to fashion designer Todd Thompson. The pair tied the knot in May 2003 and in December 2014 Giada announced that they had separated five months earlier. Their divorce was finalised in September of last year. Giada spoke about the split in March, telling E! News: ' I had a rough year and a half, no question, but I think that all of us go through stuff. Happy holiday: The 45-year-old has just returned from a vacation in Montauk with her eight-year-old daughter Jade 'I checked out for a little bit. I tried to stay under the radar to protect my family and my daughter [Jade], mostly. But now I feel like I've turned the corner. 'I think that the pain was so raw for so long that I just felt like I couldn't [even talk about it]. I think that everybody takes their time to get over whatever it is they need to get over.' Giada has since moved on with Shane Farley, and while she didn't mention him by name in the interview, she said: 'Life is fun and great and I have so much fun with my daughter and I have someone new!' 'I checked out for a little bit': Giada revealed in March that she had 'a rough year and a half' following her split from husband Todd Thompson (seen here in February 2014) Giada and Shane have been linked since late last year, and they met in 2013 when he was in talks to sign on as executive producer of her talk show with Bobby Flay. When things turned romantic is a source of contention, and Page Six claimed in December that Shane's ex Jennifer Giamo suspected he began an affair with Giada while they were still married. Nothing has been confirmed and the pair were first spotted together in October. Giada was once linked to Bobby Flay, but the longtime friends denied anything was going on between them. Thor: Ragnarok could cause traffic chaos in Brisbane next week as filming of the Marvel epic is set to cause road closures in the city's central business district. Residents and businesses have been warned to expect short delays and detours while scenes from the movie are filmed. 'We know there will be delays whilst we bring the magic of Hollywood to your streets, and will make every effort to minimise disruption,' a letter sent by Asgard Productions said. Scroll down for video Leading star: Heading the cast of the new film is Australian Chris Hemsworth as Thor Sections of Mary Street, Albert Street and Margaret Street will see closures from this weekend and into next week. The majority of filming for the third installment of the popular franchise is being done at Movie World's studios in the Gold Coast, an hour south of Brisbane. Australian heartthrob Chris Hemsworth is starring in the movie, along with Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett and Tom Hiddleston. The film is slated for release in November 2017, and it is believed to draw some of its inspiration from the Planet Hulk comic book story line, where the infuriated green antihero takes over a planet after being beamed into space. Thor will spend $100 million in Queensland and create hundreds of local jobs during production, according to the Queensland Government. Hemsworth is starring in the movie, along with Mark Ruffalo, Cate Blanchett and Tom Hiddleston Wouldn't you think the collection's complete? Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda is teaming up with Disney composer Alan Menken to create the music for the live action The Little Mermaid. The dream team will work together to write new music for the re-imagining of the 1989 animated classic to add to the original soundtrack, Deadline reported. Isn't it neat! Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda (R) is to team with Disney composer Alan Menken for the live action version of The Little Mermaid Miranda has become the hot ticket thanks to his smash Broadway hit Hamilton, which he also wrote, composed and starred in. Details of his exact involvement in The Little Mermaid are still being worked out; besides co-writing the music, he will have a producers credit and will supervise the story, but is not scheduled to write the script. Miranda's connection to Disney has been steadily growing: he is already due to star in the upcoming live action sequel of Mary Poppins, opposite Emily Blunt, Meryl Streep and Ben Whishaw. Greener seaweed: The dream team will work together to write new music for the re-imagining of the 1989 animated classic to add to the original soundtrack He also also worked Disney's upcoming animated feature Moana, due in theatres in November. He already has a soft spot for The Little Mermaid in particular, as his one-year-old son Sebastian is named after Ariel's lobster companion. Menken meanwhile has won eight Oscars on Disney films; four for Best Original Score and Four for best Original Song one of each for The Little Mermaid, including Under The Sea. Star: Miranda (pictured hosting the grease: Live! Q&A panel in New York on Monday) has become the hot ticket thanks to his smash Broadway hit Hamilton, which he also wrote, composed and starred in Of his 19 nominations, only his first - 'Mean Green Mother From Outer Space' from Little Shop of Horrors - was not a Disney project. Twice Menken has had two songs nominated for Best Song in the same year (1989's The Little Mermaid and 1992's Aladdin); and twice he's had THREE songs nominated for Best Song in the same year (1991's beauty And The Beast and 2007's Enchanted). Disney is not the only studio swimming after the Hans Christian Andersons fairy tale: Universal also have an adaptation in the works starring Chloe Grace Moretz. Revisit: Disney has been enjoying recent success of its live action reboots, such as The Jungle Book Ready made: The studio is furiously digging through its back catalogue of animated classics to mine for live action versions Down the rabbit hole: The new wave kicked off with 2010'a Alice in Wonderland Starting with 2010's Alice In Wonderland and continuing through the recent successes of Cinderella, Maleficent, and The Jungle Book, Disney is furiously digging through its back catalogue of animated classics to mine for live action versions. Emma Watson, Emma Thompson, Ewan McGregor and Ian McKellen will take on the roles of Belle, Mrs Potts, Lumiere and Cogsworth in 2017's Beauty And The Beast, while Emma Stone is set to step into the animal-skin shoes of Ms De Vil for a Cruella stand alone. Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Dumbo, The Sword In The Stone, Mulan, Winnie The Pooh, and Tinker Bell are all set to get live action treatments, as are Snow White's sister Red Rose, Aladdin's Genie and Cinderella's Prince Charming. Almost a quarter of a century ago, Groundhog Day was a hit Hollywood comedy about a TV weatherman sentenced to relive the same, boring day over and over again until he becomes a kinder person. Now it has been turned into a stage musical by Tim Minchin, the composer behind Matilda. This project, aiming for Broadway, has been given a short premiere at Londons Old Vic (until September 17). It needs more work, more heart and, most of all, a leading man who can match the quirky appeal Bill Murray brought to the film. Carlyss Peer with Andy Karl, who takes on Bill Murray's classic role The cast performs with enviable energy. The eventual realisation by sarcastic weatherman Phil Connors that he needs to be less selfish is heartening. But that sweet ending is too long coming and the storys structure makes much of the show inescapably repetitive. The tale is set in Punxsutawney, a small town in Pennsylvania where every February the locals watch a groundhog to predict the chances of an early spring. Phil is sent to cover the story, and does so with a sneer. One early song is a metropolitans polemic against smalltown USA. I would tell you its name but the Old Vics programme (full of self-congratulatory stuff about artistic director Matthew Warchus) does not carry a song list. As punishment for his vitriol, Phil goes to bed each night in a chintzy bed and breakfast, and wakes a few hours later to find it is again Groundhog Day. Months pass and precisely the same events crowd in on him. Phil seduces local women, goes on crime sprees (a good car-chase scene) and even kills himself to see if he can break the cycle. No. A few hours later his alarm clock rings and it is once again Groundhog Day. His attitude to women feels glaringly chauvinist. The world has moved on since 1993, guys. I was also troubled by a skit on suicide. That, along with some juvenile bad language, jarred. Bill Murray made the film with his crescendo of zaniness, conveyed by close-ups on his infectiously comic face. At the Old Vic, Phil is played by Andy Karl, conventionally handsome but, at least on stage, no comedian. His singing voice is adequate less piercingly nasal than that of his co-star Carlyss Peer, who plays Phils TV producer and love interest. Groundhog Day cast and creatives, including writer Danny Rubin, director Matthew Warchus, lead actors Carlyss Peer and Andy Karl and composer Tim Minchin at the Old Vic Mr Minchin has an easy way with melodies but I could not immediately identify a song here to match anything in Matilda. There is a touching solo at the start of the second half (a satire on sexist type-casting sung by Georgina Hagen) and another melancholic air from an old school friend of Phil who has been widowed. Relish life, he tells acidic Phil. Finally, the message sinks in, though there is no thunderbolt of discovery. Nor is it clear what power finally grants Phil his pardon. Mr Warchus, by the way, uses the programme to lever in a pro-EU comment about how post-Brexit Britain should grasp, like Phil, that no man is an island. The Block's season 13 launch is just days away. And on Wednesday, this year's contestants brushed off the dirt and slipped into their casual wear at the series preview event in Port Melbourne, Victoria. At the event, the show's first-ever lesbian couple, Sasha Wright-Neville, 42, and Julia Treuel, 31, were all smiles as they cuddled up to one another for photos. Brushing off: This year's The Block contestants reunited at preview event in Port Melbourne, Victoria on Wednesday The pair both dressed in collared blazers which they teamed with a pair of skinny-legged jeans. Julie - a property stylist - added a splash of colour with a bold red lipstick while her partner - a software account executive - wore very minimal makeup. The females believe that originating from Melbourne has given them a boost against their fellow contestants. Excited: At the event, the show's first-ever lesbian couple, Sasha Wright-Neville (R) and Julia Treuel (L) were all smiles as they cuddled up to one another for photos Occupations: Julie (L) is a property stylist and her partner (R) is a software account executive 'As two girls from Melbourne, we do have this going for us: we know the weather and we know the shops,' Julie has told Channel Nine ahead of the launch. Engaged couple, Karlie and Will, looked every bit loved up at the event as they locked lips passionately for the camera. The pair, both aged 25, joked around with each other at the construction site as the electrician poked his tongue out towards his fiancee before kissing her on the side of the head. Passionate: Engaged couple, Karlie and Will, looked every bit loved up at the event as they locked lips for the camera Down to earth: The pair are both aged 25 and are from Brisbane, Queensland Hard workers: Will has admitted he and his girlfriend 'are very competitive people' and they 'do not like losing and I have a fear of it' The Brisbane couple, who have been together for nine years, cut a casual laid back look at the event as Karlie dressed in pleather pants and a black blouse. Will opted for mustard-coloured trousers and a long-sleeves shirt. Will has admitted he and his girlfriend 'are very competitive people' and they 'do not like losing and I have a fear of it'. Perth couple, Dan and Carleen - who have been married for 30 years - posed for photos with one another in front of a busy construction area. Ready to work? Perth couple, Dan and Carleen - who have been married for 30 years - posed for photos in front of a busy construction area at the event Hard yards: They credit themselves at being professionals at renovating locations because 'Weve been renovating for years, long before some of our opposition were born' Dan, 55, sat on the edge of a dirty wheel borrow while Carleen, 52, stood beside him while resting her elbow on his shoulder. They credit themselves at being professionals at renovating locations because 'Weve been renovating for years, long before some of our opposition were born.' Dan laughed: 'Its about time someone in our age bracket was given a chance after all, we started it all!' Married Newcastle, NSW, couple, Chris and Kim were joined by their two young children - Cooper, 15 months, and Chloe, three - on set on Wednesday. Family affair: Newcastle married couple, Chris and Kim were joined by their two young children - Cooper, 15 months, and Chloe, three - on set on Wednesday Professionals: Kim, 32, is a school teacher and Chris, 34, is a Detective for the NSW Police Kim - a school teacher - was all smiles at the function as she dressed in a black parka jacker and straight-legged jeans. Her husband, who is a Detective for the NSW Police Force, also opted for a thick jacket which covered a printed T-shirt and dark grey trousers. Kim claimed she and Chris have a chance to take out the winnings at the end of the competition because of her effective use of communication. 'Chris says I talk a lot, but that just means I have good communication skills, doesnt it?,' she laughed. Close: Best friends, Andy (L) and Ben (M) from Geelong, showed they have formed a close bond with their fellow contestants as they joked around in photos (pictured with Will, Right) Good with kids? The two funnyman (pictured at the front) are both primary school teachers and live in Geelong, Victoria Best friends, Andy, 25, and Ben, 24, from Geelong, showed they have formed a close bond with their fellow contestants as they joked around in photos. The two funnyman - who are both primary school teachers - matched on the day as they both opted for white T-shirts and mustard bottoms. Ben opted for knee-length shorts and a throw-over shirt while Andy slipped into long pants and a black vest. Location: This year the contestants will renovate an old art deco factory in Port Melbourne Coming soon: The Block Australia kicks off on Sunday, August 21 at 7pm on Channel Nine Ben has admitted he and his pal are 'really hoping that this is our opportunity to make some serious coin to put towards our first homes.' He added: 'Well show you that you dont need any experience, just a can-do attitude.' The Block Australia kicks off on Sunday, August 21 at 7pm on Channel Nine. Stop all the clocks, hang your flags at half-mast: actress Sienna Miller is quitting Britain. Jude Laws former fiancee, who has been a stalwart of Londons social scene for more than ten years, is emigrating, as she claims the capital has become too cliquey and uninspiring. The 34-year-old is moving to New York with her daughter Marlowe, four. Earlier this week, Siennas sister, Savannah, posted online this picture of her at JFK airport with her copious luggage. Stop all the clocks, hang your flags at half-mast: actress Sienna Miller is quitting Britain, writes Sebastian Shakespeare Sienna broke off her engagement to Marlowes actor father, Tom Sturridge, last year and its not clear if he will be moving to America, too. London feels cliquey and sometimes a little bit like swimming through mud, explained Sienna. I feel like people come to New York to do something. I kind of dine out on that energy. Everyone is here because theyre like: I have something to say, something to do and Im going to do it. She added for good measure: I find New York, at the moment, a little bit more inspiring. Sienna was a London party girl before being cast as one of Jude Laws lovers in the 2004 remake of classic Michael Caine film Alfie. Romance blossomed off-screen and the pair became one of the capitals most talked about couples and were soon engaged. However, Sienna also had a brief affair with James Bond star Daniel Craig after playing his lover in gangster film Layer Cake. Her relationship with Jude went horribly wrong in 2005 when he was discovered to have been sleeping with his childrens nanny. Law made a public apology to Sienna, but they broke off their engagement. Millers love life became yet more tangled when she embarked on an affair with the married actor Balthazar Getty. The grandson of philanthropist Sir Paul Getty later returned to his wife, fashion designer Rosetta Millington, with whom he has four children. Rosetta is understanding enough and spiritual enough to let us try, he said. I loved and missed my family too much not to make it work. Happily, Sienna looked thrilled to arrive in New York, judging by the picture of her smiling perched on top of a brown guitar case. Wearing a sleeveless cream top and grey trousers, the actress posed in front of three trolleys full of luggage, including a Louis Vuitton duffle bag. Its official, wrote fashion designer Savannah. Shes a New Yorker. Lock up your husbands! Star Trek's Shatner boldly goes on a punt As Captain Kirk in Star Trek, William Shatner ventured where no man has gone before but this week, he managed to discover a new experience in Cambridge. As Captain Kirk in Star Trek, William Shatner ventured where no man has gone before but this week, he managed to discover a new experience in Cambridge The 85-year-old Canadian swapped the Starship Enterprise for a far more leisurely form of transport a punt on the River Cam. Dressed in a short-sleeved blue and white shirt and black trousers, Shatner took the leisurely trip during a break from filming a TV documentary about his visit to the university town, where he met celebrated cosmologist Stephen Hawking. Shatner was returning the favour the professor made a cameo appearance as a hologram of himself in a 1993 episode of Star Trek. Don't expect to see former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson on Newsnight anytime soon. Producers of the BBCs flagship current affairs programme will today attend a workshop with members of the transgender community. As gender-neutral loos are introduced in university campuses, editor Ian Katz is keen Newsnight doesnt fall behind. Clarkson once caused controversy when he said a couple were being allowed to poison the mind of a child by letting their son live as a girl from a young age. Now, of course, hes an ex-BBC employee. Saatchi's gone all cuddly... Moneybags art collector Charles Saatchi was accused of intimate terrorism during his tempestuous marriage to domestic goddess Nigella Lawson, but he appears to have found cosy contentment with Trinny Woodall. Dressed in a lacy white frock, former What Not To Wear host Trinny cuddled up to Saatchi in a taxi as they left Mayfair restaurant Scotts, where he was pictured with his hand around Nigellas throat in 2013 Dressed in a lacy white frock, former What Not To Wear host Trinny cuddled up to Saatchi in a taxi as they left Mayfair restaurant Scotts, where he was pictured with his hand around Nigellas throat in 2013. The ad tycoon, 73, shares a love of looking young with Trinny, 52, who has admitted having Botox injections. Saatchi was recently seen with marks running from the front of each ear to the back of his hairline, sparking rumours hed undergone a facelift. At the age of 85, Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone has no intention of retiring. Ive made plans, declares the pint-sized billionaire. Im only going to continue doing this for another 25 years. Hardly surprising, given the way his daughters Tamara and Petra (and their ghastly husbands) burn through their cash. It's a boy for Sam Cam's Girl Friday Samantha Camerons stylist Isabel Spearman was controversially rewarded with an OBE for her services but her successor Rosie Lyburn is enjoying an even greater gift. Samantha Camerons stylist Isabel Spearman was controversially rewarded with an OBE for her services Shes given birth to her first child with her husband, PR consultant Peter Lyburn. Theyre thrilled, says a friend. Its a boy and theyve named him Xander. He was born last week. Former model Rosie (pictured in June), 28, was paid a taxpayer-funded salary of up to 52,999 a year for her special adviser role, which involved giving David Camerons wife fashion advice. It is not thought that Theresa Mays bespectacled husband Philip will be employing anyone in a similar role. Groundhog day, Sajid? Shaven-headed Tory minister Sajid Javid was at Londons Old Vic this week to see Ground- hog Day, about a man given numerous chances to alter his bad decisions. He seemed to enjoy the new musical but its story may have preyed on his mind. Just a few months ago, the bus drivers son was spoken of as a future prime minister. Then the ambitious Eurosceptic declared himself in favour of remaining in the EU. When the nation voted for Brexit, it was plain that he had made a terrible mistake and was lucky to retain his place in the Cabinet. Lady C does a Dame Helen Her fellow contestants on ITVs Im A Celebrity . . . Get Me Out Of Here! are still reeling from her cruel jibes in the jungle, but strange socialite Lady Colin Campbell has found a new target for her acid tongue. This week, the 66-year-old turned her fire on hecklers at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where she has been performing her one-woman show, A Cup Of Tea With Lady C. Midway through, a horde of noisy, non-paying visitors burst in backstage at the Gilded Balloon theatre and muscled their way on stage. They were stopped only by the force of deep-voiced Lady Colin. Citing Dame Helen Mirren, who once silenced drummers outside her West End show with a few sharp words, Lady C says: I came off the stage and just bellowed at them until they left. Labor Day is coming so this star is making sure to get all the wear she can out of her white clothing. Reese Witherspoon stepped out in a casual but chic ensemble as she headed to the nail salon. The 40-year-old treated herself to some pampering in Brentwood, California, on Tuesday. Summer style: Reese Witherspoon stepped out in a casual but chic ensemble in Brentwood, California, on Tuesday Reese got some alone time as she relaxed back in the salon's massage chair and had her feet buffed up and her toes painted. For her appointment, the Walk The Line star rocked a preppy and summery ensemble. Having just returned from a coastal European getaway, the star showed off her tanned legs in a pair of white shorts. She also showed off just a glimpse of her bronzed stomach wearing the shorts with a blue and white striped shirt which she tied at her midsection. Rest and relaxation: Reese got some alone time as she relaxed back in the salon's massage chair and had her feet buffed up and her toes painted The shirt, which she rolled up to her elbows, featured classic white flower embroidery on it also. Adding to the ensemble's East Coast in the summer feel, she carried a big straw bag with bow shapes on it. Ensuring that her newly painted toes stayed perfect, Reese wore a pair of nude coloured leather sandals. Not Labor Day yet: Having just returned from a coastal European getaway, the star showed off her tanned legs in a pair of white shorts which she wore with a blue and white stripe shirt For her outing, Reese wore little makeup and threw her blonde hair up into a haphazard bun while her hair was still wet. Reese will soon struggle to find much time to herself as she has five projects in the works, one of which will come out later this year. Reese's voice will be heard in the animated comedy, Sing, which is set for release in December. Carried it off: Adding to the ensemble's East Coast in the summer feel, she carried a big straw bag with bow shapes on it The talented business woman will spread her time both in front and behind the camera. Her production company, Pacific Standard Films, is behind two of her five titles; Tinkerbell and Big Little Lies, both of which she will also star. Reese also will be in Wish List and Home Again. She is known for her risque fashion choices. But Jesinta Campbell donned one of her most daring outfits yet as she headed out in Melbourne last Friday. The 25-year-old left nothing to the imagination, flaunting her white bra underneath a completely see-through black knit blouse. Scroll down for video Leaving nothing to the imagination: Jesinta Campbell flaunted her white bra in a black see-through knit during an outing in Melbourne last Friday She paired the daring shirt with denim trousers with strategically cut holes on either knee, while the boyfriend-style fit showed off her famous figure perfectly. Jesinta demonstrated her famous catwalk strut in a pair of caramel coloured boots and slung a black handbag over one shoulder. The David Jones ambassador wore her chocolate locks in a neat top knot bun, while her makeup - including a dusting of blush, voluminous lashes and a red lip - was applied to highlight her striking features. Perfect styling: She paired the daring shirt with denim boyfriend cut trousers with strategically cut holes on either knee which hung off her slim figure perfectly At one stage during the outing, the fitness enthusiast had to layer-up and she put on her crisp black blazer to keep warm during her chilly visit down south. The catwalk stunner looked to be in happy and content spirits as she spent the day with her fashionable friends. Two weeks earlier, Jesinta strutted down the runway and showed off her enviable figure in a range of stylish spring-summer ensembles, as well as skimpy swimwear during the annual David Jones catwalk show. Cold, are we? At one stage during the outing, the fitness enthusiast had to put on her crisp black blazer on to keep warm during her chilly visit to Melbourne To add to her career highlights, she secured an ambassador role with skincare line Olay. It marks a significant milestone for the former Miss Universe Australia, who recently signed with international talent company IMG. Jesinta said: 'I am so excited to be working with Olay, its such a respected brand that aims to make women feel good about themselves, which I love. 'Like all busy women, a simple, effective skincare regimen is essential for me,' she continued. Catch-ups: The catwalk stunner looked to be in happy and content spirits as she spent the day out with her fashionable friends 'Whether Im putting in long hours on set, working out or travelling, I know I can trust that Olay Total Effects will keep my skin healthy and radiant despite my crazy lifestyle.' The Daily Telegraph reported a month earlier that Jesinta had parted ways with her agent of six years Sharon Finnigan in a bid for global stardom. Jesinta is now being looked after by Australian publicist Annie Kelly, who boasts Lara Bingle and Shanina Shaik among her model clients. Taylor Swift is donating $1 million to Louisiana flood relief after torrential rains caused massive flooding in the state and killed at least 11 people. Swift said on Tuesday that Louisiana residents graciously welcomed her when she kicked off the U.S. dates of her '1989 World Tour' in the state last year. 'We began The 1989 World Tour in Louisiana, and the wonderful fans there made us feel completely at home. The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking,' the 26-year-old said in a statement. Generous: Pop star Taylor Swift is donating $1 million to flood victims in Louisiana, saying she was 'heartbroken' by the flooding On Tuesday, the death toll from the historic flooding climbed to 11 as the expanding flood zone prompted authorities to declare disasters in 20 parishes of the southeastern US state. The flooding has damaged at least 40,000 homes. More than 60,000 people have registered for disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after widespread flooding hit the state, according to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards' office. More than 60,000 people have registered for disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after widespread flooding hit the state 'I encourage those who can to help out and send your love and prayers their way during this devastating time,' Swift said. Over 30,000 people have been rescued since Friday, with more being brought to safety by the hour. The generous star has made numerous contributions to charity over the years. Record floods: A home and cars are submerged in floodwaters in Denham Springs, Louisiana on Wednesday after the state was hit by a record deluge She's a giver! The generous star has made numerous contributions to charity over the years In 2014 she donated $50,000 to The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to help fund therapy tools for children suffering from cancer. In 2015 she gave $50,000 to a young fan battling leukemia as well as another $50,000 to her backup dancer's baby nephew who is battling cancer. Taylor is currently in New York while her beau Tom Hiddleston has been busy working on his current movie Thor: Ragnarok with most of the filming taking place in Australia. Elle Fanning floated like a butterfly down the red carpet at Variety's Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. The 18-year-old actress held up the voluminous gossamer skirt of her flesh-baring ensemble as she posed for photographers. The blonde teen wore a self-satisfied grin as she showed off her frock that featured a purple bustier top, sheer panels that revealed her midriff and a semi-sheer skirt embellished with brightly colored images and embellishments. Butterfly! Elle Fanning, 18, looked lovely as she headlined Variety's Young Hollywood event in LA on Tuesday night All grown up: The actress wore a bespoke outfit that featured a purple bustier, sheer panels at the midriff and a full semi-sheer skirt with colorful images in it Elle, the younger sister of Dakota Fanning, paired the dress with black high-heeled pumps. Her shoulder-length bob was sleekly styled and she kept her make-up simple, boldly coloring in her brows with brown pencil and adding a dash of red lip color. The young actress continues to cement her place in the Hollywood pantheon by landing her own coveted for Variety's Power Of Young Hollywood edition. Fashionable: Elle paired her revealing dress with black heels and a sleek blonde shoulder bob Floaty look: The Maleficent star is fast eclipsing her older sister Dakota as the 'it' girl of Hollywood Struck a pose: Elle has become one of the most sought after young actresses in Tinseltown Strike a pose: Elle made sure to show off every inch of her gorgeous dress Hey! She gave a cute little wave as she let her hair down at the party Crowded house: She looked stunning as she walked along with her entourage Turning heads: Elle stole the show in her embellished gown as she hit the party Elle is dubbed by the trade magazine as 'one of the most consistently compelling actors of her generation.' And she's certainly on track to outshine her older and once more famous actress sibling Dakota, 22. The Maleficent beauty has wrapped several movies this year including Live By Night co-starring and directed by Ben Affleck, and has more in the pipeline including The Beguiled for director Sofia Coppola and co-starring Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst. Celebrity offspring Jaden Smith also made the cut as one of Variety's Young Hollywood most powerful and showed up in a colorful leather jacket and his dreadlocks in a messy top knot Brothers in arms: Jaden, 18, posed on the carpet with actor Ansel Elgort, 22, who also landed a Variety cover Catching up: Elle and Jaden seemed to have plenty to talk about as they chatted inside the venue Talented group: Elle posed with Cameron Dallas, Bethany Mota, Jaden Smith and Ansel Elgort for a fun snap Will and Jada Pinkett Smith's teen son Jaden, 18, and The Fault In Our Stars actor Ansel Elgort, 22, also attended the event - and also were featured on Young Hollywood covers of Variety. Jaden, who is one of the cast of the new Netflix series The Get Down, showed up with his trademark dreadlocks tied up in a messy top knot. He wore a leather jacket covered in brightly colored flowers, hearts and birds paired with black skinny pants, a yellow tee and black gym shoes. It's easy being green: Game of Thrones Sophie Turner wowed in a simple but chic mini dress Kiss me quick: The actress showed off a fake tattoo on her neck Eclectic look: The Fault In Our Stars actor paired a plush black jacket with a yellow t-shirt and some cropped camouflage pants and gray and white trainers Rising stars: Ansel and Elle rubbed cheek bones inside the event Ansel, who plays Caleb in the Divergent series, has a slew of projects coming up and will next star in the 2017 films Billionaire Boys Club, Baby Driver, and November Criminals. The actor opted for a rather bizarre ensemble of cropped camouflage pants with a plush black jacket and a dark green shirt buttoned to the collar. He added a pair of gray and white trainers. Busting out: Modern Family star Ariel Winter, 18, dared to bare in a plunging black bustier under a bespoke pinstripe two-piece Tums away! Rosy-cheeked Elle and brunette beauty Ariel both displayed their belly buttons in their midriff-baring outfits He's got the look: Dylan Jagger Lee, 18, son of Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee, posed in front of Elle and Ansel's Variety magazine covers as he arrived at the party Also on the guest list was Modern Family star Ariel Winter, 18, who arrived in a fashionable fitted pin stripe suit with a plunging black bustier. Pamela Anderson's son with rocker Tommy Lee - 18-year-old Dylan Jagger Lee - attended the event wearing skinny black pants with shiny black shoes and a white shirt emblazoned with a pair of long-stemmed black roses. Lab Rats Disney star Kelli Berglund, 20, showcased her long legs in a black body suit with a floral patterned full-length sheer covering. Looking prety: Disney actress Kelli Berglund, 20, put her lean limbs on display in a black bodysuit with colorful sheer top coat Standout: Kerris Dorsey looked fabulous in a bright red jumpsuit with a neckline slashed to the waist and cropped pants with gold-tipped black pumps Leggy: Ryan Newman tamed a cute crop top with a pair of chic shorts Kerris Dorsey, 18, who appeared in the long-running TV series Brothers & Sisters, stood out from the crowd in a scarlet red jumpsuit. The teen wasn't shy as she posed for pictures in the outfit that had a very plunging neckline that was slashed to the waist. The sleeveless number featured pants cropped just above the ankle and paired it with black pumps with gold toes. Severly pretty: Actress Peyton List, 18, opted for all black and added color with a splash of scarlet red lip color In the spotlight: Video blogger Bethany Mota, 20, opted for a sleeveless red mini dress with fancy nude sandals Contrasting looks: Joey King, 17, arrived in a patterned halter-neck frock while Olivia Holt, 19, showcased her superslim figure in a shiny scalloped mini dress with long sleeves Disney Channel actress Peyton List, 18, wore a high-necked, long-sleeved black mini dress with a sheer panel that fell to her ankles. Video blogger Bethany Mota, 20, opted for a red sleeveless mini dress with fancy nude sandal heels. Ramona And Beezus star Joey King, 17, had on a halter-neck patterned frock with silver pumps, while Disney actress Olivia Holt, 19, chose a silver scalloped mini dress that showcased her slender physique and stiletto heels. Child actor: Black-ish child star Miles Brown went for a dapper look with slacks and a denim jacket paired with a mini fedora Young in Hollywood: Nolan Gould, 17, who appears in Modern Family, kept it simple in black pintstriped pants and a boldly striped black and blue shirt Veteran actress: Pretty Little Liars star Tammin Sursok, 32, showed up in a bright light blue sleeveless mini dress with a black waist trim and black pumps Words to share: Elle had a chance to speak about making it big in Hollywood during the event Tuesday night Speaking out: Ansel and Jaden also gave speeches about making it as a young person in the acting industry Something to talk about: Ariel also had plenty to say on her big night Boys night: Jaden and Ansel looked dapper in their colourful looks Party people: Joey King and Olivia Holt looked glam in their pretty minis It seems Heather Locklear has bounced back following her mystery face injury last week. The Melrose Place star, 54, was back to her gorgeous self on Tuesday night as she stepped out in white jeans and a green off the shoulder top paired with tassel heels. That's better! Heather Locklear looked much recovered on Tuesday after appearing last week with banged up nose The actress walked the red carpet for the premiere of Tyler Perry's Too Close For Home, on which she has a guest starring role. The TLC drama - the first scripted series for the network - tells the story of a working class woman who tries to return to her old life after an affair with a married senator becomes a political scandal. It is the director's first series or film with an all-white cast. There was no evidence of the nasty nose gash heather was spotted sporting last week while shopping in Calabasas, nor the puffy complexion that seemed to go with it. She's back: The Melrose Place star was back to her gorgeous self in white jeans and a green off the shoulder top paired with tassel heels What happened? There was no evidence of the nasty nose gash Heather was spotted sporting last week while shopping in Calabasas, nor the puffy complexion that seemed to go with it Heather's guest role in Perry's latest project is her first since Franklin & Bash three years ago, when she had a main part in the penultimate third season of the legal comedy drama. The star is much less prolific now than she was in her heyday in the 90s, while her Instagram account is just as sparse. Her most recent social media posting is a photo of her daughter Ava, 18, last week which she captioned 'Sweet Ava at Guess party' New gig: The actress walked the red carpet for the premiere of Tyler Perry's Too Close For Home, on which she has a guest starring role More scandal: The TLC drama - the first scripted series for the network - tells the story of a working class woman who tries to return to her old life after an affair with a married senator becomes a political scandal Apart from that, the former Spin City star mostly shares pictures of her cute pooch Mister. Heather reportedly split from her plastic surgeon boyfriend Dr. Marc Mani just days before she bizarrely shared a couple of photos of her and her ex husband Tommy Lee on Instagram. In May the actress wrote 'Happy 30 years baby' alongside a photo of the duo kissing in the late 1980s as well as a photo from their wedding. Heather and Tommy were married from 1986 to 1993. She went on to wed Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora in Paris in 1994, having her only daughter, before divorcing in 2007. He was named one of Hollywood's young up and comers. And actor Jaden Smith, 18, was joined by model girlfriend Sarah Snyder, 21, at the Variety Power of Young Hollywood Event in LA on Tuesday. The Get Down star, along with Elle Fanning and Ansel Elgort, were the night's guests of honor, and he also landed the cover of Variety. Flair for fashion: Actor Jaden Smith wore a pink floral jacket as he was honored at Variety's Power of Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles on Tuesday And the son of actors Will and Jada Smith got a kiss from his model girlfriend at the bash. Jaden, who's known for his eclectic style and models womenswear for Louis Vuitton, stayed true to his eye-catching taste in fashion with a vintage-inspired ensemble. The actor wore a trendy, leather jacket decorated with a floral, star and heart pattern layered over a yellow T-shirt. He completed his look with a set of trousers and black sneakers. His partner: For his big night, the actor brought along girlfriend Sarah Snyder, where the two engaged in some light PDA Low-key: His lady was dressed casual, clad in an In-N-Out Burger T-shirt and distressed jeans While at the event, Jaden showed his affection for his girlfriend Sarah. The pair shared a sweet kiss as they celebrated his big night. Sarah was dressed casually, clad in an In-N-Out Burger T-shirt and distressed jeans. Standout piece: The actor wore a trendy, leather jacket decorated with a floral, star and heart pattern layered over a yellow T-shirt Jewellery: Jaden gave a speech at the event, showing off his grillz in the process Represent: The teen posed with Ansel Elgort, 22, who was also honoured with his own cover In an interview with Variety, the actor said being different had inspired his role in new Netflix series The Get Down, as well as his fashion ambitions. 'I always knew no one was going to understand me - since before I could talk - and thats why I was so quiet,' he explained. 'I was very calm, very to myself. I could tell I felt about life differently than other kids; I could tell by the way they treated me,' he said. His clothing line, MSFTSrep, is his way of capitalizing on that difference, he said. Teen night: Jaden met up with Disney star Olivia Holt, 19 Enjoying each other's company: The actor also shared a laugh with Elle Fanning, 18 'Its pronounced, misfits. I took the I out of misfits because were a team and there is no I in team. Its a place for the lost kids and everyone to go, and something for them to have.' As for should wear the clothes? 'The girl that wants to be a tomboy or the boy that wants to wear a skirt, and people try to condemn. Were here for you. Tell us your stories. If someone at your schools trying to pick on you, it doesnt matter because Jaden Smiths got your back,' he said. Cover stars: Ansel Elgort, Elle Fanning and Jaden Smith were all featured on the cover of Variety It might not be the weekend, but Mel Greig was certainly living up her not-so-ordinary Wednesday morning. The 33-year-old radio star shared an Instagram photo of herself sipping 'champagne' in a limousine at 8am. Mel relaxed in the back seat of the luxury car with a glass flute in her hand and made a joke about her early morning drink. Scroll down for video Travelling in style! Radio star Mel Greig boasted on Instagram she was drinking 'champagne' at eight in the morning as she travelled to the airport in the back of a stretch limousine She wrote in the caption: 'Drinking champagne at 8am is perfectly acceptable if you are in a limo on the way to the airport.' It would seem she was travelling for a work assignment for Wollongong local radio station 96.5 Wave FM. Meanwhile, the newly-single media personality has recently started writing a candid dating column for Yahoo Be. Confident: The 33-year-old confessed in a dating column she had a one night stand recently Earlier this month, Mel wrote she did not 'feel right' getting into a new relationship after her break-up from husband Steve Pollock. But she still 'had a lot of anger and frustration' to deal with and decided that a one-night stand would be a good 'release'. Mel kept the identity of her mystery man a secret but claimed she felt 'so empowered' and 'so confident' after the casual encounter. Break up: Mel revealed she has split from husband Steve Pollock after one year of marriage Earlier in the year, Mel and Steve decided to part ways after a brief marriage. She told Channel Ten's Studio 10: 'I am separated from my husband now. It's been a couple of months that I've been dealing with that in private.' Meanwhile, Mel made her return to the airwaves in January after a three-year hiatus from radio. She was seen struggling to put her bikini top on later in the day when she hit the beach. And that was because earlier Pia Miller rocked up braless in slinky black mini dress. The 32-year-old Home And Away star wore the boudoir-inspired slip as she arrived in Bondi with friends. Scroll down for video Flawless: Pia Miller, 32, went braless in a black mini dress as she hit Bondi Beach on Wednesday She had her chestnut locks out and showed off her toned physique in the short frock paired with white runners and a denim jacket, loosely tied around her waist. Clutching a striped Ralph Lauren towel, she accessorised her look with a pair of Ray-Bans and a brown leather tote. She appeared to be happy and relaxed as she walked with friends, the trio even laughed at a joke or two. The beauty has starred on Home And Away since 2015, after landing the role of Kat in 2014. Accessories, accessories: Clutching a striped Ralph Lauren towel, she accessorised her look with a pair of Ray-Bans and a brown leather tote No Joke! Pia appeared to be happy and relaxed as she walked with friends Born on the coastal town of Vina del Mar in Chile, the brunette beauty moved to Australia aged four and her first break came as a teen after winning a Dolly magazine cover girl competition. However, she had been keen to make the move into acting for quite some time prior to landing the role on the iconic soap, and she has now established herself as a big name in Australian television. Earlier this year, the star was forced to defend rumours that her Home And Away co-stars thought she was a 'diva', saying she and the team laughed it off. 'We all just had a really good giggle about it,' she said during her interview with The Daily Telegraph. 'We are and will continue to be a community on that show. 'During my time, long after my time there, that's just the kind of place it is. It's a home, it's a family.' She is currently dating film producer Tyson Mullane, and the pair recently enjoyed a romantic getaway to Bali. She is one of the last original TOWIE cast members. Yet Billie Faiers will bid farewell to the show which made her famous on Wednesday night's episode as she announces her departure to her co-stars during a circus themed bash. The boutique owner was joined by her adorable daughter Nelly as she revealed to her fellow reality stars that after appearing on 18 series, since the ITVBe show's inauguration in 2010. Scroll down for video Goodbye! TOWIE's Billie Faiers will bid farewell to the show which made her famous on Wednesday night's episode as she announces her departure to her co-stars during a circus themed bash Billie initially entered the show in its first series as a minor cast member to her sister Sam, who departed the show in series 11 after four years, now only estranged lovers James Argent and Lydia Bright remain as original stars. In scenes set to air on Wednesday, the stunning star dressed up as a sexy clown for the circus party held in honour of Bobby Norris' 30th birthday. Speaking to Lydia, the blonde beauty revealed she is moving on with her career, as sweet Nelly larked around sporting a tutu before the duo left the bash hand in hand while the adorable tot gave a final wave to the cameras. Earlier this month, a Lime Pictures spokesperson confirmed to MailOnline: 'Billie has recently made us aware that she would like to prioritise family life and little Nelly for the rest of the year. The end of an era: The boutique owner was joined by her adorable daughter Nelly as she revealed to her fellow reality stars that after appearing on 18 series, since the ITVBe show's inauguration in 2010 The last hurrah: Speaking to Lydia, the blonde beauty revealed she is moving on with her career, as sweet Nelly larked around sporting a tutu before the duo left the bash hand in hand while the adorable tot gave a final wave to the cameras Way back when: Billie initially entered the show in its first series as a minor cast member to her sister Sam, who departed the show in series 11 after four years, now only estranged lovers James Argent and Lydia Bright remain as original stars 'We are in full support of this decision and will continue discussing with her how best to move forwards. 'Billie is a much loved and valued member of the TOWIE team and we are happy she wants to continue working with us.' The blonde beauty, who shares Nelly with her fiance Greg Shepherd, has never been involved in any of the love stories on the show yet has become locked in fiery rows while also lending her support to a host of co-stars. Off she goes: Earlier this month, a Lime Pictures spokesperson confirmed to MailOnline: 'Billie has recently made us aware that she would like to prioritise family life and little Nelly for the rest of the year' A bundle of joy: Since Nelly arrived in 2014, Billie has shown off daughter's life on-screens, including birthday bashes and many celebrations, making the tot the youngest and most beloved cast member She is said to be determined to focus on her family and wedding plans - particularly as she has voiced a desire to have more children before she and Greg tie the knot. Since Nelly arrived in 2014, Billie has shown off daughter's life on-screens, including birthday bashes and many celebrations, making the tot the youngest and most beloved cast member. While motherhood was certainly a high for her TOWIE career, Billie saw a number of lows including the devastating unprovoked attack she suffered with her sister Sam outside a London nightclub in 2011. Dramas: While motherhood was certainly a high for her TOWIE career, Billie saw a number of lows including the devastating unprovoked attack she suffered with her sister Sam outside a London nightclub in 2011 Upsetting: As ever with reality stars, they laid their woes for the public to see, with the girls showing their recovery stint on the programme while Sam's former love interest Mark Wright visited them with flowers and teddy bears in sweet memorable scenes As ever with reality stars, they laid their woes for the public to see, with the girls showing their recovery stint on the programme while Sam's former love interest Mark Wright visited them with flowers and teddy bears in sweet memorable scenes. Another memorable storyline for Billie was her bitter feud with Chloe Sims, the cousin of Sam's former fiance Joey Essex. Hes enjoyed a meteoric, if not somewhat inevitable rise to fame as the oldest child of celebrity parents David and Victoria Beckham. But with an A-list girlfriend, a promising photography career and a lengthy list of famous friends Brooklyn Beckham is winning global appeal in his own right not least in the Far East, where he appears in the current issue of Dazed & Confused Korea. The 17-year old boyfriend of Hollywood star Chloe Grace Moretz smoulders in two glossy cover shots from celebrity photographer Hyea Won Kang for the magazines forthcoming September issue. Scroll down for video Cover star: Brooklyn Beckham appears in two glossy cover shots for the current issue of Dazed & Confused Korea Bearing a strong resemblance to his handsome father, Brooklyn is seen sporting a white shirt and loose knitted tie in the first, which finds him ponderously gazing off camera. A second shot captures the teenager in thoughtful repose while dressed in a significantly more casual vest and sweatpants. Clearly delighted with the shoot, Brooklyn shared both covers with Instagram followers on Tuesday evening. Striking: Bearing a strong resemblance to his handsome father, Brooklyn poses in a sporty vest and sweatpants 'Thank you @dazedkorea and @hyeawonkang . Out next Monday 22nd!!' he wrote alongside one image. Meanwhile Beckham representatives have denied rumours of a potential reality TV series based around his relationship with Kick Ass star Chloe Grace, telling MailOnline: 'It's not true, this is a fabricated story by a low rent magazine. 'There have been no offers, there are no conversations and it's of no interest!' In demand: Brooklyn's growing commercial appeal has led to rumours of a potential reality TV series based around his relationship with Kick Ass star Chloe Grace Moretz Brooklyn recently posted a stunning image of the beautiful blonde. The teenager clearly wanted to treasure the romantic day out with Chloe Grace, posting a gorgeous black-and-white candid snap of her in a bikini and unbuttoned white shirt on his Instagram page. Clearly wanting to show off his new girlfriend, the snap featured the actress standing alone beside the glittering sea and clear sky. She may have made her name by dating Chris Brown, but Karrueche Tran showed she is more than deserving of her share of the spotlight on Tuesday night. The 28-year-old looked stunning in black bandeau top, loose fitting midnight blue belted trousers and spiky heels at the Variety Power Of Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles. The top showed off the slim model's toned midriff to maximum effect, while smokey eye-makeup and glossy lipstick completed the look. Stunning: Karrueche Tran sported a black bandeau top and loose fitting trousers at Variety's Power of Young Hollywood awards in Los Angeles on Tuesday night Karrueche was clearly enjoying herself at the event which attracted the likes of Jaden Smith, Elle Fanning and Ansel Elgort. After meeting up with her actor friend Garrett Clayton, the pair took selfies together with Garrett at one point lifting her up as she planted a kiss on his cheek. The model tweeted snapshots of the pair of them, writing: 'I love you phattie. Missed your beautiful face,' alongside the snaps. Larking about: The star enjoyed meeting p with friend, actor Garrett Clayton at the bash, puckering up to him as he lifted her up Toned: Karrueche showed off her trim midriff in the simple but striking outfit Me and my pal: Karrueche and her friend took selfies together at the event Karrueche, who currently co-stars as Vivian Johnson in web series The Bay The Series, split from Chris Brown last year. Prior to their relationship, the starlet was already working in the industry, both as a personal and stylist's assistant. In a recent interview with Kode magazine, the actress discussed those who believe her current celebrity status derived from Chris. 'I have nothing to say to anyone who has anything negative to say,' she responded. The Kaepop cosmetics owner, who has over five million followers on Instagram, has received her fair share of criticism on social media. Embrace: Garrett easily lifted the slim and trim actress and model Social media fun: Karrueche and Garrett larked around, posting the snaps on Twitter The star, who has visited Nigerian orphanages for charity, also described her 'love/hate relationship' with sites such as Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. 'I have a love/ hate relationship with social media,' she said. 'I love it because it's built a platform for many people and many businesses. It's a new day and age in society,' she began, before describing its downfalls. 'There is a dark side which is negative and hateful. I think it's awesome to have social media as a platform to progress and build. Of course using it in the most positive and genuine way,' she concluded. She recently returned from a sun-soaked getaway to Paxos, Greece, with her family. But the post-holiday blues didn't seem to have hit Daisy Lowe as she enjoyed a night out on the town at London's Groucho Club in Soho on Tuesday. Looking incredible as she exhibited her curves, the model, 27, put on a busty display as she flashed a hint of her Triumph lace bra under a tight white vest. Scroll down for video Raising the bra! Daisy Lowe flashed her ample cleavage and a hint of lace bra under a tight white vest as she enjoyed a night out in London's Groucho Club in Soho on Tuesday Keeping things casual but co-ordinated, the brunette bombshell stylishly layered a light white linen shirt over the low-cut top. Daisy paired her white look with classic blue skinny jeans, flattering her petite frame with their high-rise waist. The star finished her outfit with some classic white Converse trainers to maintain the ensemble's low-key vibe. She added a small lilac Mariel crossbody bag from L.K. Bennett for a hint of colour and left both her hair and make-up natural as she enjoyed the intimate evening at the exclusive Soho members' club. Busty babe: Keeping things casual but co-ordinated, the brunette model, 27, stylishly layered a light white linen shirt over the low-cut top Daisy looked in high-spirits as she left her first night out since her return to the UK after a peaceful family holiday. The model documented her trip for fans on her Instagram, even posting a rare bikini selfie of her in a leopard print two-piece as she relaxed during her time off. Daisy looked incredibly sexy in the Agent Provocateur suit, which featured retro high-waisted bottoms. Dangerous curves: Daisy paired her white look with classic blue skinny jeans, flattering her petite frame with their high-rise waist Pouting as she flaunted her show-stopping curves for the camera, it isn't hard to see why she caught the eye of new man, Darius Campbell. The star recently confirmed her new romance with the musician and theatre star, just weeks after her relationship with the late Peaches Geldof's ex-husband Thomas Cohen, 26, came to an end. When asked about whether she was still single, she said: 'No, I'm not single and, yes, he's a lovely guy.' 'I used to be such a Saffy [from Ab Fab]. Even in my early twenties, all I wanted was to settle down and have a family, but now it's time to get out there, follow my dreams and have some fun.' Meow! Daisy, who has recently returned from a family holiday to Greece, documented her trip on Instagram by posting a rare bikini selfie of her in a leopard print two-piece The confirmation comes after rumours of a romance between the pair began to swirl in early June, having been spotted walking arm-in-arm together in London. Despite the relationship with her reality star hunk going from strength to strength, Daisy told the Daily Telegraph back in February that she is not ready to settle down and start a family just yet, although she has not written the desires off. She explained: 'I am a traditional girl. One day. Im not ready for it any time soon, but yeah, course. 'My whole family would only want that. They want to see me get married and they want to have grandchildren.' She's known for her show-stopping red carpet looks. And Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander looked incredible at the Beijing premiere of the new Jason Bourne film as she sizzled in a plunging embellished column dress on Tuesday. The 27-year-old beauty looked chic as she flaunted her petite frame in the sophisticated ankle length ensemble which highlighted her tiny waist as it clung to her every slight curve. Scroll down for video Show-stopping: Oscar-winner Alicia Vikander flaunted her petite frame in a chic column dress at the Beijing premiere of her new Jason Bourne flick on Tuesday Working the designer gown, Alicia's edgy number highlighted her ample assets with a silver clasp as it boasted sheer panelling on the skirt and black jewel detailing. Adding inches to her petite frame, the Swedish stunner donned a pair of slinky black sandals that hugged her slender ankles and flaunted her toned figure. Keeping her accessories to a minimum, Alicia opted to work an eye-catching statement diamond cuff around her lithe wrist. Work it! The 27-year-old looked sophisticated in the ankle length ensemble which highlighted her tiny waist as it clung to her every slight curve Eye-catching: Alicia's edgy number boasted a plunging neckline slashed to her waist as well as sheer panelling on the skirt to display her toned physique Chic: The Swedish stunner donned a pair of slinky black sandals that hugged her slender ankles and had a sexy ankle strap Letting her dress take centre stage, Alicia swept her chocolate brown tresses into a messy but chic updo. Working her locks off her face to highlight her delicate facial features, Alicia kept her base light as she opted for a healthy dewy look. Amplifying her natural bronzed glow, the Hollywood darling chiseled her cheekbones with a sweep of pink blusher as she worked a vibrant rose coloured lipstick. Soaking up the atmosphere in her show-stopping ensemble, Alicia took the time to take selfies with fans as they welcomed the stars to the red carpet. Sparkle! Alicia opted to work an eye-catching statement diamond cuff around her lithe wrist Making memories: She swept her chocolate brown tresses into a messy but chic updo as she met some of her fans and took pictures with them But first, let me take a selfie! Alicia took the time to take snaps with fans as they welcomed the stars to the red carpet Looking equally sharp at the film event, Alicia's co-star Matt Damon worked a dapper charcoal suit. Clinging to his muscular physique, the 45-year-old teamed his ensemble with a slick white shirt and simple black tie. Taking selfies with waiting fans, Matt was sure to display his new long locks in the Chinese city - having previously debuted his man-bun at a press conference earlier in the day. Fix up look sharp! Matt Damon worked a dapper charcoal suit at the film's premiere Fans: The 45-year-old teamed his ensemble with a slick white shirt and simple black tie New 'do: Matt was sure to display his new long locks in the Chinese city - which are in place for a new film role Flower power! The Hollywood actor accepted flowers from a fan on the red carpet Matt was in high spirits as they accepted gifts while promoting the new film, which sees the Hollywood star reprise his role as the titular Bourne for the fourth time. However his lengthier locks relate to an altogether different role in forthcoming fantasy adventure The Great Wall. While principal photography took place on location in China throughout 2015, Matts latest hair extensions suggest additional scenes are being shot during his latest visit to the country prior to the films scheduled release next February. Long hair don't care: Matts long locks were back during another appearance at a photocall in the Chinese city Special appearance: The 45-year-old was in high spirits as they accepted gifts while promoting the new film, which sees the Hollywood star reprise his role as the titular Bourne for the fourth time Quite a difference: Matt's large man-bun and darker locks was in stark contrast to his usual close cropped look Low key: Matt cut a relaxed figure in a loose fitting shirt as he took to the stage in Beijing Here he comes: The actor greeted fans at the event, which marks the launch of his latest film in the Far East Previously: The last time Matt Damon risked a ponytail it won the actor his fair share of good natured ribbing Over here: Matt and co-star Alicia waved to the crowd after taking to the stage in Beijing Following the photocall on Tuesday evening Matt changed his casual shirt and jeans for a smart suit ahead of the film's premiere - but the man-bun remained firmly in place as he signed autographs for waiting fans. The American star initially debuted his long hair while he and co-stars Andy Lau, Zhang Yimou, Jing Tian and Game of Thrones' Pedro Pascal greeted the Chinese media at a press conference for The Great Wall last July. He later admitted the extensions were a requirement for his starring role in the film. Not permanent: He later admitted the extensions were a requirement for his starring role in the film Mane man: Matt answered questions about his forthcoming film after taking a seat alongside Alicia Here they come: Matt and Alicia's new film, Jason Bourne, was receiving its official launch in Beijing on Tuesday 'I did a movie in China and I was there for about five months with that thing, and then we did a press conference at the very end,' he told Graham Norton in September. 'There are 700 hair extensions, it was a full day to put them in... and then I had to manage it. I have a whole new appreciation for my wife and daughters its very hard to do.' The ponytail prompted surprise from fans and its own Twitter account, which currently has 53 followers. The Great Wall is released in cinemas across the United States on February 17 2016 and the United Kingdom one week later on February 24. Looking good: Following the photo-call on Tuesday evening Matt changed his casual shirt and jeans for a smart suit ahead of the film's premiere There it is again: But the man bun remained firmly in place as he signed autographs for waiting fans He is the Molly mini-series star who, alongside his sister Connie, founded the wildly successful breast cancer charity Love Your Sister. And Samuel Johnson has now thrown his support behind another pertinent issue in Australan society - the legalisation of gay marriage. In a lengthy essay shared to the Love Your Sister Facebook page on Monday, the 38-year-old retired actor first revealed that his parents were bisexual before going on to urge the government to legalise gay marriage. 'Hurry up government people': Samuel Johnson, 38, has now thrown his support behind another pertinent issue in Australan society- the legalisation of gay marriage 'My mum was one of the first women to go and shark the fellas in men-only bars. My dad was stay at home before the term was coined. And mum and dad were both bi-sexual', he wrote mid-way into the lengthy post. 'Looking back, I suppose we were fairly progressive. I like to think we still are,' he mused.' Next to the post was a faded newspaper clipping from the 1970s emblazoned with the image of his father holding Samuel's sister Hilde, captioned with the message: 'Dad is quite at home holding the baby!' He later went on to add: 'I'll be f***** if this family hasn't epitomised what family should be. Out and f****** proud.' 'Looking back, I suppose we were fairly progressive': In a lengthy essay shared to the Love Your Sister Facebook page on Monday, the 38-year-old retired actor first revealed that his parents were bisexual before going on to urge the government to legalise gay marriage 'Needless to say, Love Your Sister proudly supports gender equality and free love for all. Hurry up government people, we were on to this s*** decades ago.' Love Your Sister was founded by Samuel and his sister Connie, who has fought a long battle against breast cancer. Together the pair have raised more than $2.2 million much of it from Samuel raising money while riding more than 15,000km around Australia on a unicycle. Working together: Love Your Sister was founded by Samuel and his sister Connie, who has fought a long battle against breast cancer Samuel announced his retirement in February this year so that he could focus all his attention upon the growth of Love Your Sister and cancer awareness. He took to Facebook at the time to update his fans on the news, writing: ' I think this is the best place for me to announce my retirement from acting, after nearly 25 years!' 'I can't act anymore. Not if I'm to serve you properly. This village means everything to me and I'm tired of other things dragging me away from you. It is one of the most lavish events in Hollywoods social scene summer calendar. And Tammin Sursok made sure she put on a stunning display at Variety's Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles on Tuesday night. Preened to perfection, the 32-year-old wowed in a pretty blue knee-length dress, which was nipped in at her svelte waistline. Scroll down for video Flawless: Tammin Sursok made sure she put on a stunning display at Variety's Young Hollywood event in Los Angeles on Tuesday night The former Home And Away made sure to flaunt her fabulous frock from all angles as she worked her magic in front of the camera lens. She completed her effortless ensemble with a classic pair of black pointy heels and a statement white watch, while toting her belongings in a silver clutch. Her overall aesthetic was finished with her brunette locks styled into luscious waves, while her make-up was low-key and served to accentuate her naturally striking features. Doing her thing: The former Home And Away made sure to flaunt her fabulous frock from all angles as she worked her magic in front of the camera lens Preened to perfection: The 32-year-old wowed in a pretty blue knee-length dress, which was nipped in at her svelte waistline The LA-based starlet - who first found fame as Danielle 'Dani' Sutherland on Home and Away - is married to Hollywood producer Sean McEwen and they live with their daughter in the States. Earlier this year, Tammin confessed to Channel Nine'sToday Show that her husband is desperate to expand their brood - sooner rather than later. My husband keeps trying to have a baby with me everyday,' she laughed. Attention to detail: She completed her effortless ensemble with a classic pair of black pointy heels and a statement white watch, while toting her belongings in a silver clutch She propelled into the limelight thanks to her four-year stint on Home and Away, before deciding to put acting on hold to pursue a singing career in the US. But after a short foray into the music world, Tammin returned to her acting roots and joined the cast of popular American soap The Young And The Restless. As well as Pretty Little Liars, Tammin will soon be seen in the thriller The Stepsister alongside TV actress Ashley Newbrough. Actor Dave Franco has insisted he would never do an Orlando Bloom or Justin Bieber and get photographed completely naked in public. The Hollywood star admitted he feels 'mortified' when he is just nude by himself, adding: 'I barely want to look at my own d***'. Speaking to Kyle and Jackie O on Wednesday, Dave voiced his surprise that the A-listers would strip off when they knew they could be seen by onlookers. Shy: Actor Dave Franco has insisted he would never do an Orlando Bloom or Justin Bieber and get photographed completely naked in public When asked about Orlando paddle boarding stark naked with Katy Perry, he said: 'Maybe he's proud, he's just letting it out, letting it loose.' Dave then discussed the nude pictured of Justin in Hawaii that emerged just days after Orlando. 'Wow. I mean another situation where he know that's going to get out there. Who has got the better dick?' he joked. Nervous: He admitted that he felt embarrassed when he had to strip down to his underwear for a scene in his latest film, Nerve 'I get mortified when I'm naked by myself. I barely want to look at my own dick.' He admitted that he felt embarrassed when he had to strip down to his underwear for a scene in his latest film, Nerve. Dave revealed that both he and his co-star Emma Roberts had to shoot the scene - which sees them running through a department store - over two full days. Embarrassed: Dave revealed that both he and his co-star Emma Roberts had to shoot the scene - which sees them running through a department store - over two full days 'I was right there with her I had to suffer through an underwear scene as well,' he said. 'I wish that scene had not been in the movie to be honest. That was the scene the two of us were both most anxious about. 'Imagine two full days of being in your underwear in front of 100 crew members.' Proud: When asked about Orlando Bloom (pictured) paddle boarding stark naked with Katy Perry, he said: 'Maybe he's proud, he's just letting it out, letting it loose' She's a doting mother to her two adorable little girls, Ariana, three, and Siera, nine months. But Imogen Thomas took some time off from her parenting duties as she headed out for a curry at an Indian restaurant in London's Kensington on Tuesday night with a gal pal. The Welsh model, 33, looked gorgeous as she showed off her slim figure in a form-fitting leather mini skirt as she enjoyed her girls' night out on the town. Scroll down for video Glamorous: Imogen Thomas took some time off from her parenting duties as she headed out for a curry at an Indian restaurant in London's Kensington on Tuesday night with a gal pal The former Big Brother star teamed her figure-hugging black leather mini skirt, with a loose-fitting white tee and a chic 90s-inspired choker. Putting her toned and tanned pins on parade, the mother-of-two looked happy and relaxed as she headed out for the evening. Imogen ditched her heels in favour of studded Valentino sandals and accessorised her look with a black quilted handbag by Chanel. The reality star swept her loose waves off her face to display her glowing, sun-kissed complexion from recent holiday to Ibiza. Leggy lady: The Welsh model, 33, looked gorgeous as she showed off her slim figure in a form-fitting leather mini skirt as she enjoyed her girls' night out on the town Fashionable flair: The former Big Brother star teamed her figure-hugging black leather mini skirt, with a loose-fitting white tee and a chic 90s-inspired choker Imogen completed her night out look with dramatic make-up to complement her pretty features. Despite her gorgeous womanly frame, this confidence has not come easy to Imogen, having been subject to cruel comments on social media regarding her post-pregnancy frame. She explained to Star Magazine earlier this year: 'Its a really sad world we live in. Nobody should be body-shaming because everyone is different. Hell for leather: Imogen ditched her heels in favour of studded Valentino sandals and accessorised her look with a black quilted handbag by Chanel Bikini babe: Imogen recently returned from a sun-soaked girls' trip to Ibiza 'And Ive just had a baby! I dont understand these people - they clearly havent had babies. '[The things people say] can get me down if Im in a bad mood, but it doesnt affect how I see myself. I wouldnt lose weight because of what anyone says. Id only lose weight for myself. 'Unless youre perfect, dont bother criticising me.' Imogen is mother to Ariana Siena, three, and Siera Aleira, nine months, with Australian boyfriend Adam Horsley. Little cuties: Imogen is mother to Ariana Siena, three, and Siera Aleira, nine months, with Australian boyfriend Adam Horsley Shes been enjoying the single life following her split with former boyfriend Andy Barnes. And Gemma Oaten no doubt won her fair share of admiring male glances as she cooled off during a recent trip to Spain. The former Emmerdale star commanded attention in a vibrant rainbow coloured bikini while using an outdoor shower after a relaxing day at the beach. Scroll down for video Looking good: Gemma Oaten was hard to miss in a vibrant rainbow print bikini during her recent trip to Spain Showing off her nicely toned body, Gemma, 32, was in fine form as she washed herself beneath a cool spray of water, her willowy blonde locks loosely tied in a ponytail. The soap star was rinsing off after spending much of the day topping up her tan on a nearby sun-lounger. Earlier that day she was seen sporting a white bohemian smock top as she strolled across the sand. Hard to miss: Gemma commanded attention as she cooled off beneath an outdoor shower Eye-catching: Showing off her nicely toned body, Gemma, 32, was in fine form as she washed herself beneath a cool spray of water Splahtastic: Gemma thoroughly scrubbed her hair and body as Spanish temperatures continued to soa With Spanish temperatures continuing to soar Gemma soon peeled off, revealing a nicely toned tum as she idled close to a sun-lounger. The actress parted ways with boyfriend Andy in April; it was alleged he had called off their relationship after reportedly being 'uncomfortable' with her celebrity status. 'Gemma really thought Andy was for keeps,' a source told The Mirror. 'He was being very intense and had been with her at her family home. Then last Monday he turned round out of the blue and ended it. 'It was a bit of a shock to say the least. But Gemma is a strong woman, she has been through a lot and won't let this get her down.' Single girl: Gemma parted ways with boyfriend Andy in April; it was alleged he had called off their relationship after reportedly being 'uncomfortable' with her celebrity status Wash and go: The actress revealed an athletic physique as she hit the shower n her colourful two-piece Don't mind me: But Gemma proved to be an engaging sight during a recent appearance in Spain Meanwhile, the brave actress recently revealed she had struggled with an eating disorder in the past. Calling it one of the 'biggest heartbreaks' of her life, she opened up about her 13-year personal battle during an appearance on Lorraine. The actress became emotional after seeing the opening images of her when she was younger, later explaining: 'I think seeing those pictures, to be honest I haven't seen those in five or six years and wow, it brings back a lot of memories. Big break: Gemma is best known for playing Rachel Breckle in Emmerdale - a role which she took up in July 2011 Stylish: Earlier that day she was seen sporting a white bohemian smock top as idled next to her sun-lounger Here we go: The actress soon stripped down to her bikini as she took advantage of the sweltering heat Well hello there: Gemma was in incredible shape during her recent holiday to Spain This one's mine: The blonde star claimed her sun-lounger shortly after hitting the beach 'I was petrified of starting school because I was being bullied,' she said. 'But here I am today and it's down to this wonderful woman my mum, and my dad who is backstage.' Gemma is best known for playing Rachel Breckle in Emmerdale - a role which she took up in July 2011. She bid farewell to the ITV soap in August last year and now presents on Capital Radio. Busy girl: The actress bid farewell to ITV soap Emmerdale in August last year and now presents on Capital Radio Let's go: After stripping down to her bikini Gemma ventured off for a stroll along the beach Putting her house in order: The actress carefully placed a beach towel across her sun-lounger Colourful: The former Emmerdale star's bold beachwear ensured she won her fair share of attention The new show has been widely-discussed. And excitement for the rebooting X Factor will reach fever pitch after the release of a hilarious new clip showing the returning panel singing Girls Aloud's Something Kinda Ooh. Helming the clip was Nicole Scherzinger alongside Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh who were left aghast in the face of spectacularly wild new contestants. A compilation of clips created the words to the Girls Aloud track as they looked on while the latest host of crazy contestants tried their luck. As ever Nicole put on a wild display as she hopped up to dance enthusiastically while the resident Mr Nasty Simon looked stunned. One of the more shocking groups was a clan of dancers who racily unzipped their tops to expose their incredibly buff bodies - much to the delight of Nicole and Sharon who looked on in joy. As a lady in head-to-toe black waves her hips from side to side with her hands aloft, a shocked Simon said: 'I am certainly going to remember you.' Wahey! As ever Nicole put on a wild display as she hopped up to dance enthusiastically while the resident Mr Nasty Simon looked stunned One for the ladies! One of the more shocking groups was a clan of dancers who racily unzipped their tops to expose their incredibly buff bodies - much to the delight of Nicole and Sharon who looked on in joy Shocked? Excitement for the rebooting X Factor will reach fever pitch after the release of a hilarious new clip showing the returning panel singing Girls Aloud's Something Kinda Ooh Since the panel of judges were confirmed at the start of June, the excitement backstage has also clearly been building, as Nicole couldn't contain her glee at the confirmation of her return. 'I'm excited about discovering, mentoring and winning with an exciting new act this year. And having had winning contestants in the past, Simon knows I will do it.' Last year's judges Rita Ora, Nick Grimshaw and Cheryl all opted not to return to the show, making the only remaining figure Simon, prompting a complete reshuffle. With the exception of Nicole - who joined in 2012 - the new panel includes the original judges from the first season in 2004, which was then hosted by Kate Thornton. Louis is the longest-serving member of the panel, who sat on the judging panel for 11 series before a break last year and said he cannot wait to return. Memorable: As a lady in head-to-toe black waves her hips from side to side with her hands aloft, a shocked Simon said: 'I am certainly going to remember you' Got the moves... Many of the contestants were not only singing but dancing also Stunning stuff! Simon as ever looked exasperated at the talent headed his way Funky moves: Since the panel of judges were confirmed at the start of June, the excitement backstage has also clearly been building, as Nicole couldn't contain her glee at the confirmation of her return Speaking to the Press Association, Louis quipped: 'He'd say otherwise but I knew Simon missed me last year! I'm delighted to be back on the panel, especially beside my two favourite female judges Sharon and Nicole, and I'm looking forward to taking them all back to Dublin this year when we head there for auditions.' Meanwhile, Sharon - who appeared on the panel between 2004 and 2007 before returning in 2013 - said the thing she is most looking forward to is meeting Cowell's baby son Eric. She said: 'I'm overjoyed about going back to The X Factor, sitting with Lou, gorgeous Nicole and naughty Simon. But most of all, I can't wait to meet baby Eric.' The X Factor returns to ITV on Saturday 27th August 2016, 8pm and Sunday 28th August at 8pm Having a laugh: Dermot O'Leary is returning in a blaze of glory as he began his dancing once again The upcoming series of hit renovation show The Block will feature their first female gay couple. And Sasha Wright-Neville, 42, and Julia Treuel, 31, made their presence known as they posed for snaps on the media wall at the official launch party in Melbourne on Wednesday. The soon-to-be reality stars mingled with their fellow contestants, the judges, as well as Sam Newman and Rebecca Maddern who made an appearance. Scroll down for video Soon-to-be stars: Sasha Wright-Neville, 42 (L) and Julia Treuel, 31 (R) made their presence known as they posed for snaps on the media wall at the official launch party of The Block in Melbourne on Wednesday The two lovebirds posed up a storm while at The Block Headquarters in South Melbourne. Sasha sported a pair of skinny-leg black trousers, brogues, white T-shirt and black blazer. Partner Julia coordinated with a pair of similar skinny-leg trousers, a chic off-the-shoulder top and pair of simple black heels. Lights, camera, action: The couple were keen to mingle with their fellow contestants including Karlie (far left) and Will (second left) who both cut relaxed figures at the event Time of their lives: Karlie, Sasha and Julia appeared to be at ease and in their element The couple were keen to mingle with their fellow contestants including Will and Karlie who both cut relaxed figures at the event. Karlie donned a light denim off-the-shoulder top with bell sleeves, a pair of skin-tight black jeans and ankle length boots. While Will opted for navy slim-fitting trousers, a grey form-fitting T-shirt and coordinating grey blazer in a slightly darker shade. Party mode: Contestant Carleen also celebrated her birthday on the night with the presentation of a cake which she happily blew out The panel: Judges Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer, as well as presenter Shelley Craft made an appearance at the launch party Contestant Carleen also celebrated another milestone at the event, her own birthday, with the presentation of a cake which she happily blew out. Judges Neale Whitaker, Shaynna Blaze, Darren Palmer, as well as presenter Shelley Craft and host Scott Cam made an appearance at the launch party. Keen to get into the spirit of things, the playful bunch pulled a number of animated expressions as they posed for snaps on the media wall. Animated: Keen to get into the spirit of things, the playful bunch pulled a number of animated expressions as they posed for snaps on the media wall Familiar faces: Shelley and host Scott Cam embraced one another in a sweet snap Bringing their sartorial best to the event were Channel Nine AFL Footy Show presenters Sam Newman and Rebecca Maddern. Rebecca flaunted her slimline frame in a chic white top with cut-out detailing, dark skinny-leg trousers and a pair of vibrant strappy heels. Allowing her shoulder-length blonde tresses to fall around her shoulders in loose waves, she opted for a classic makeup look of a flawless complexion, defined brows, lashings of mascara and a bold red lip. The whole gang: The upcoming series will feature the most extraordinary transformations in the show's history by a diverse group More to come: Couples will have the daunting task of bringing an old building back to life while still holding its long-standing charm Meanwhile, Sam cut a cool figure in a black form-fitting T-shirt with a graphic design emblazoned on the front, a metallic blue blazer and coordinating trousers. Previous contestants Bec and George Douros also were seen happily mingling at the event, witch Bec flaunting her toned figure in a semi-sheer ensemble. The Block premieres this coming Sunday at 7.00pm on Channel Nine Former reality stars: Previous contestants Bec and George Douros also were seen happily mingling at the event, witch Bec flaunting her toned figure in a semi-sheer ensemble Her sartorial best: Channel Nine AFL Footy Show presenter Rebecca Maddern looked chic in a white top with cut-out detailing, a pair of skinny-leg black trousers and vibrant strappy heels It's the iconic dress that seems to never go out of style. And Olivia Palermo added a sexy twist to the classic wrap dress when she headed out in Brooklyn on Tuesday. The 30-year-old's preppy frock featured thigh-high slits to put her long and especially toned legs on full show. Blown away! Olivia Palermo's skirt blew up to put her long legs on display during a stroll with a pal through Brooklyn on Tuesday Walking through Brooklyn, Olivia's toned limbs were put on full display as a gust of breeze blew the fabric of her long dress. Cinched around the waist, the long-sleeve garment also accentuated Olivia's slender waistline. The former The City star looked relaxed as she strolled beside a gal pal with her blonde locks slicked back into a low-key hair 'do. She accessorized the look up with a pair of mirror tint Le Specs sunglasses, a clutch, and added a pop of colour with her bright red manicure. Toned and terrific! Cinched around the waist, the long-sleeve dress also accentuated Olivia's slender waistline And adding a casual touch were her pair of white trainers. Olivia has just returned from Greece, where she and her husband Johannes Huebl enjoyed a few days away from their busy lives in New York to recharge in Mykonos. While in Mykonos, the couple were spotted out to dinner with designer Valentino. Putting her best foot forward! Adding a casual touch were her pair of white trainers Holidaying with fashion royalty doesn't come easy and, when speaking to The Telegraph recently, Olivia gave away her secrets to a perfectly packed suitcase. 'I always suggest bringing extra accessories and bags or shoes,' she explained. 'Because you can restyle many of your outfits that way. 'I pack a little bit of everything and try to have an idea of my day and structure and environments, and keep that in mind when packing.' She added: 'My mother instilled in me from a very young age that you should always be very pulled together, it doesn't matter what time it is.' Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness have flown to Melbourne to look after her mother - who has been unwell for some time, according to reports. The couple rushed to be by Fay Duncan's side on Wednesday after spending the day at Sydney's Bondi Beach. One friend told the Daily Telegraph that it was a very 'sensitive' time for the family. Support: Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-Lee Furness have flown to Melbourne to look after her mother Fay Duncan (pictured in the wheelchair with Deborra, left) 'It's well documented Deborra's mother hasn't been well for a while and the family want to be there for her,' the friend said. Deborra's mother Fay, who uses a wheelchair, has spent the past 25 years helping people living with Leukaemia and blood cancers to have a better chance at life. She helped set up the Bone Marrow Donor Institute in 1989 after a close friend's daughter was diagnosed with leukaemia. Power couple: The couple rushed to be by Fay Duncan's side on Wednesday after spending the day at Sydney's Bondi Beach This organisation was instrumental in the creation of the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry and it became the Fight Cancer Foundation in 2009. Concerns were raised about Fay's health in September last year when she was too unwell to attend the Red Ball - a charity event she set up. In a blog post on Federation Story, Fay joked that she made Hugh promise to be a patron of Fight Cancer Foundation when he asked her blessing to marry Deborra. 'When my daughter Deborra-lee Furness and Hugh Jackman fell in love, Hugh said to me, 'I've just proposed to Deborra-lee and I'd like your blessing'',' she wrote. Caring: Deborra's mother Fay, who uses a wheelchair, has spent the past 25 years helping people living with Leukaemia and blood cancers to have a better chance at life 'I think he thought I'd go, 'Yay!' and, on the inside, I did, but I made him sit down. 'This is my daughter you're marrying and you have to look after her,' I said. I made him promise to love her forever, never go to bed on an argument and that he had to be the patron of Fight Cancer Foundation.' Hugh, 47, has been married to the actress and producer - who is 13 years his senior - for the past 20 years. They have two adopted two children, son, Oscar Maximillian, 16, and daughter, Ava Eliot, 10. The couple are understood to have taken their children with them to Melbourne. She was previously snapped riding an iron bull in a Las Vegas steakhouse back in April. And Victoria Beckham, 42, was seen straddling a giant, inflatable, golden duck on Wednesday as she prepared to take to the water in Los Angeles. The fashion designer wrote: 'Good morning Los Angeles!! Taking Nancy for her morning swim !! kisses from the sunshine X VB' Scroll down for video Golden goose: Victoria Beckham, 42, was seen straddling a giant inflatable golden duck on Wednesday as she prepared to take to the water in Los Angeles The former Spice Girl clearly had plenty of love for her inflatable, writing 'I Love Nancy' across the image in large white letters. She showed off her lithe limbs in a pair of tiny denim hotpants which she combined with a racy black halterneck top. Victoria wore a pair of trademark shades and tied her brunette locks back off her face. With her hands planted beside her, she reclined slightly and extended her slim pins underneath the bright Californian sunshine. Fun-loving: Back in April, Victoria and her hairdresser Ken Paves straddled a cast iron bull inside Carnevino Italian Steakhouse Pucker up: Victoria loves sharing her images from her downtime with her fans Back in April, Victoria and her hairdresser Ken Paves straddled a cast iron bull inside Carnevino Italian Steakhouse, with Victoria taking the sculpture by the horns while Ken sat behind her, playfully grabbing her hair. The fashion designer dressed in a sophisticated manner, teaming a loose white shirt with black trousers and towering stilettos. Meanwhile, Ken cut a dapper figure dressed in a stylish black ensemble for the evening out. Sin City clearly left a mark on Victoria, with the former Spice Girl captioning the first Instagram picture: 'Getting over Vegas part 1! What do u do when u spot a giant bull in a restaurant?? X #funinvegas X @davidbeckham @kenpaves X vb More recently, Victoria appeared on the inaugural edition of Hola! alongside BFF Eva Longoria. The magazine offers an in-depth look at Eva's May nuptials to television network executive Jose 'Pepe' Baston and a joint interview with her BFF and wedding dress designer Victoria. The Bachelor 'villain' Keira Maguire has made no secret she wants a proper single date with Richie Strahan. And it looks like the 29-year-old account manager FINALLY gets her wish in a preview for Thursday night's episode. Keira will enjoy an intimate yoga session with the Perth oil rig worker - but the other contestants are not happy about it. Scroll down for video Worth the wait? The Bachelor contestant Keira Maguire (R) finally gets her single date with Richie Strahan (L) in a preview for Thursday's episode The clip begins with Keira announcing her date to the group, saying: 'He is so lucky that it's me!' Meanwhile, Alex Nation, Noni Janur and Kirralee 'Kiki' Morris glare at her as she confidently walks away. Keira then drives away with Richie in a convertible and waves goodbye to the girls outside the mansion. Date night: In the promo, the 29-year-old appears confident she will receive a red rose from Richie after their yoga-themed date Ommmmm! Keira flaunts her toned tummy in a tight fitting crop top and workout leggings Later, she is shown getting up close and personal with Richie as they perform yoga poses outdoors with an instructor. 'When I get a rose tonight, I'm going to be walking in, confident and feeling good,' she says. Elsewhere, in on-camera segments, Keira's rivals appear to pick their words carefully as they discuss the date. Rachael Gouvignon, 31, says: 'This is going to be a very, very interesting date'. Noni, 25, adds: 'Richie can figure out if he likes her or not. We still don't know if we like her or not.' Jealous much? The Bachelor hopefuls Rachael Gouvignon (L) and Noni Janur (R), pick their words carefully when discussing Keira's date with Richie Strahan Also in the promo, Richie talks about his difficulty getting to know Olena Khamula in their upcoming date. 'I feel like Raiders Of The Lost Ark. There's this treasure - I've just got to get there!' he said. 'I know she likes me, and I like her - but bloody hell, I'm working hard for it!' 'Bloody hell, I'm working hard for it!' Elsewhere, Richie talks about his difficulty getting to know Olena Khamula (R) in their upcoming date 'I don't like talking about relationships': There seemed to be an awkward moment as Olena dodges Richie's question about her dating history The clip also shows an awkward moment where Olena dodges a question about her dating history. 'I don't like talking about relationships,' she squirmed. The promo arrives after Melbourne artist Georgia Tripos was sent home in a tense rose ceremony. Meanwhile, Megan Marx rejected Richie's rose, saying she 'could not fall in love with such competition and intensity'. The Bachelor continues Thursday night at 7.30pm on Network Ten Departure: Megan Marx (L) rejected Richie's rose at the climax of Wednesday's episode They've been relaxing on a yacht and exploring the stunning sights during a luxurious holiday in Italy. But once again Beyonce, 34, and Jay Z, 46, failed to crack a smile while soaking up beautiful Sardinia on Wednesday. The A-list couple have spent much of their expensive vacation looking miserable, and it was no different on this outing as they silently strolled hand-in-hand through Porto Cervo. Scroll down for video Why so glum?: Beyonce and Jay Z looked miserable on Wednesday during an outing in Porto Cervo, Sardinia Beyonce had earlier been seen looking bored while texting on her mobile phone as she and Jay Z headed into the seaside resort on a boat. It comes after the singer and the rapper, whose four-year-old daughter Blue Ivy has joined them on the trip, were spotted apparently in the middle of a tense discussion as they made their way to dinner over the weekend. And even a jet ski ride wasn't enough to raise a grin out of Jay Z, who remained stony-faced as he zipped across the water. Bored: Earlier on the singer had remained glued to her mobile phone while on a boat Failing to crack a smile: The couple have looked miserable throughout most of their luxurious getaway in beautiful Italy Leggy lady: Clad in a cream crochet dress for Wednesday's outing, the mum-of-one showed off her shapely pins as she strode past barefoot in the thigh-skimming garment For their outing on Wednesday, Beyonce went barefoot and showed off her shapely legs in a thigh-skimming cream crocheted dress. Layered up over a white bikini, the Drunk In Love hitmaker flashed a glimpse of her enviable figure whilst remaining demure. Sweeping her honey coloured locks back into a ponytail, she finished off the look with a pair of oversized shades and gold hooped earrings. Chest a glimpse! Layered up over a white bikini, the Drunk In Love hitmaker flashed a glimpse of her enviable figure whilst remaining demure All about the accessories: Sweeping her honey coloured locks back into a ponytail, she finished off the look with a pair of oversized shades and gold hooped earrings Dapper chap: Jay Z looked equally as summery as his glamorous wife as he stepped out in a navy Hawaiian shirt that he teamed with black shorts Jay Z looked equally as summery as his glamorous wife as he stepped out in a navy Hawaiian shirt. Donning his trademark cap and shades the star seemed calm and content as he set off on the stroll. He finished off his outfit with a pair of white trainers. Family time: Beyonce has been making the most of some down time after wrapping up the European leg of her Formation World Tour Jet-setting: Last week the couple and daughter Blue Ivy were in Sicily Off we go: The stony-faced pair were joined by friends for the boat ride Living the high life on the high seas: Beyonce and Jay Z have been staying on a yacht Beyonce has been making the most of some down time after wrapping up the European leg of her Formation World Tour. Last week, the Grammy winning artist, her husband and their daughter Blue were spotted exploring Lipari, Sicily and also had a family dinner in Nerano, near Naples. The blonde beauty's tour heads back to the US next month, as she continues to promote her latest album Lemonade. Heated conversation?: The couple looked tense as they headed to dinner over the weekend Not enjoying yourself?: Not even a jet ski ride last week was enough to make Jay Z smile She's famous for portraying long-suffering wife Sue Ellen Ewing in Dallas. But Linda Gray has taken her work across the pond with a new role in Channel 4 soap, Hollyoaks. The 75-year-old actress is set to make a guest appearance in the autumn as Tabitha Maxwell-Brown - the mother of Marnie Nightingale (Lysette Anthony) - following the death of her husband. Familiar face: Linda Gray, 75, is set to make a guest appearance in Hollyoaks this autumn as Tabitha Maxwell-Brown - the mother of Marnie Nightingale Linda is most famous for starring in the American CBS hit between 1978 and 1989, but is looking forward to making the transition to another 'iconic' series. She said: 'I'm thrilled to be going from one iconic series to another and can't wait to work with the fantastic cast. 'Hollyoaks viewers are going to love it when Tabby whips up a storm just like Sue Ellen did.' Throwback: Linda is most famous for portraying long-suffering wife Sue Ellen Ewing in American CBS hit Dallas between 1978 and 1989 Although Linda's appearance in the show will only last a week, bosses have left the door open for a future return. Hollyoaks Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood explained: 'When we came to discuss who could possibly play Marnie's mother the list was very small. 'Lysette Anthony has fast become a fabulous soap b***h so having Linda Gray play her mother Tabitha is the perfect fit.' Perfect for the role: Hollyoaks bosses are said to have snapped up Linda, pictured with on-screen husband JR (Larry Hagman), because of her feisty portrayal in Dallas He added: 'We can't wait to have an international TV icon arrive in Chester and become part of the 'Hollyoaks' family.' Meanwhile, Linda isn't the only newbie on the soap as Chelsee Healey has also joined the programme as 'tough, gobby and absolutely shameless' Goldie McQueen. The 27-year-old actress will play a distant member of the mouthy family and is set to wreak havoc in Chester when she goes to extreme lengths to make cash for her sons. She was all set to celebrate the release of her new book - The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo - with the first book signing in New York City. But on Tuesday Amy Schumer's evening was interrupted as animal rights protesters barged in, upset with the star for having been spotted in a Canada Goose winter coat, according to TMZ. They had insisted that the company engages in animal cruelty, and would not hear the 35-year-old out as she tried to explain herself. Scroll down for video Uninvited guests: Amy Schumer's book signing at Barnes & Noble in New York City was interrupted on Tuesday as animal rights activists arrived to protest a fur jacket that the star had worn Can't get a word in: The Inside Amy Schumer star tried to clarify the issue - surrounding a Canada Goose winter coat that she was photographed in - but couldn't get a word in edgewise How it all began: The protesters were upset over this winter coat by Canada Goose, which Amy was seen sporting this past January Video footage showed the protesters walking into Barnes & Noble holding signs that featured pictures of animals as well as photographs of Amy in the jacket in question. They could also be heard chanting as they walked around the shop, such as: 'fur trade, death trade.' The Comedy Central star, who seemed taken aback by the ordeal, struggled to get a word in. Overpowering: Everyone seemed a bit taken by surprise by the crowd of angry protesters, who yelled chants such as 'fur trade, death trade' Time to go: After a bit of yelling back and forth, the protesters were escorted out of the Barnes & Noble by security Eventually security guards could be seen escorting the protesters out of the signing. A rep for the Trainwreck star told TMZ that it was unfortunate that protesters had refused to hear Amy out, because she had gotten the jacket as a gift, and promptly stopped wearing it after learning about the animal abuse allegations. The interruption aside, the rest of the night seemed to go smoothly for Amy, who shared a playful snap from the event. Not a total loss: Despite the interruption, it seemed as if Amy had a good time at the first leg of her book tour for The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, as she shared this playful snap In good company: The comedian showed off a smile as she posed beside fellow Comedy Central star - and pal - Abbi Jacobson, about whom she said: 'She is all that is right in the world' On to the next one: Amy will continue on to Pennsylvania for the next stop of her book tour, for a Q&A and signing at the Free Library of Philadelphia on Wednesday 'Thanks @barnesandnoble for having me and letting me be an a**hole #thegirlwiththelowerbacktattoo,' she wrote, alongside a photo of her hanging off of a bookshelf ladder. And she was joined by friend - and Broad City star - Abbi Jacobson, whom she thanked on Instagram, gushing: 'She is all that is right in the world.' He is one of Hollywood's most handsome men. And, to prove it, Viggo Mortensen cut a dapper figure when he attended the UK premiere of Captain Fantastic on Wednesday. The 57 year-old oozed style as he arrived at the screening, which is part of the Film4 Summer Series at London's Somerset House. Scroll down for video Handsome: Viggo Mortensen oozed style as he arrived at the Captain Fantastic screening, which is part of the Film4 Summer Series at London's Somerset House. Dressing to impress, the Danish/American actor was on fine sartorial form as he navigated the red carpet with the movie's writer and director, Matt Ross. Wearing a baby blue suit with a breton T-shirt, the hunky screen star dressed his look up with a pair of black leather brogues. Wearing his grey hair in a fashionably messy side-parting, he looked much younger than his years. Dressed to impress: Wearing a baby blue suit with a breton T-shirt, the hunky screen star dressed his look up with a pair of black leather brogues Looking good: Dressing to impress, the Danish/American actor was on fine sartorial form as he navigated the red carpet with the movie's writer and director, Matt Ross Posing up a storm with Matt, the pair are clearly good friends as well as co-stars. Equally dapper, 46 year-old Ross kept it simple in a classic black suit which he teamed with a black shirt and matching tie. The star, who rose to fame opposite Kate Beckinsale in the critically-acclaimed Last Days of Disco, was visibly proud of his big-budget project. Veteran star: Director Matt, who rose to fame opposite Kate Beckinsale in the critically-acclaimed Last Days of Disco, was visibly proud of his big-budget project Silver fox: Wearing his grey hair in a fashionably messy side-parting, the critically-acclaimed star looked much younger than his years Sharp-suited: Equally dapper, 46 year-old Ross kept it simple in a classic black suit which he teamed with a black shirt and matching tie In Captain Fantastic, Mortensen plays one of the all-time great movie dads. Holed away in a remote Pacific Northwest teepee, he's raising six children like a bookish, yoga-practicing Swiss Family Robinson. 'It feels like one of those movies that has connected with something related to U.S. society right now,' Mortensen said while smoking a cigarette on a rooftop patio after the film played at the Cannes Film Festival in May. 'People get bewildered and think: 'I can't do that. I'm not going to skin a f---ing deer.' But there are other things you can do.' In Captain Fantastic, Mortensen plays one of the all-time great movie dads Comedian Kurt Metzger has taken to Facebook and Twitter over the last couple of days to clearly, and quite aggressively, make his thoughts on sexual assault known. And since the 39-year-old is credited as a writer for Inside Amy Schumer, the leading lady finally responded on Wednesday after an outcry from fans. The 35-year-old, who has spoken out about her own experiences with rape, assured fans that she does not support Kurt's beliefs, posting: 'His words are not mine.' Setting the record straight: Amy Schumer took to Twitter on Wednesday to share her thoughts on comedian Kurt Metzger's insensitive remarks on sexual assault 'Please stop asking me about it': The comedian tried to distance herself from Kurt, who had sparked ire with many by being a 'rape apologist' After sending her love to Elite Daily writer Katie Corvino, who had written an article thanking the comedian for helping her come forward as a rape survivor, she addressed the scandal. 'I am so saddened and disappointed in Kurt Metzger. He is my friend and a great writer and I couldn't be more against his recent actions,' Amy posted. She followed the first tweet by sharing: 'Kurt does not work for me. He is not a writer on my show. Please stop asking me about it.' Kurt is listed on IMDb as a writer for 39 episodes of Inside Amy Schumer, between 2013 and 2016. 'Disappointed': First the star had shared her disappointment in the comedian, later clarifying that she absolutely did not agree with what he was saying He had been posting on Facebook for days regarding a comedian who was allegedly banned from performing at the Upright Citizens Brigade theaters following rape allegations from multiple women. In one (of many) posts, Kurt scolded women who say they were raped, but do not go to the police. 'Don't f***king complain about the police not helping if you didn't bother going to the police at all. "Why aren't the rape kits being tested??" Because instead of actually educating women with useful information on what to do if they are victimized, you blather nonsense about "culture" and then tell them being weak is being strong,' he wrote. Victim blaming: Kurt's hurtful comments saw him lashing out, using expletives as he scolded women who say they were raped but do not go to the police After Medium posted an article titled 'Kurt Metzger Needs to Shut Up,' the comedian continued to respond aggressively, reposting it and adding: 'I could not be prouder of this article trying to smear me for being right.' 'Having this written about me is better than receiving a f**king emmy,' he posted, later adding: 'Im supposed to just f**king say "guilty" without even a detail of what supposedly happened? Or what, Goddess will be angry? F**k u.' Along with a continuing barrage of Facebook and Twitter posts, Kurt changed his Twitter bio amid the row, to: 'Proud cuck and rape apologist. If u use those words it means u are pure s**t and I want u to HATE me. Please continue to feed me, cows.' Solidarity: Following Kurt's harsh words, comedian Cameron Esposito shared an inspiring message on Twitter, saying 'we are each other's responsibility' Meanwhile, comedian Cameron Esposito posted a note 'To female comics in New York & everywhere. Re: Kurt.' It read: 'Voices can get so loud that they appear omnipresent when they are, in fact, a dying breed in our field. This doesn't mean they cannot harm. But safety, compassion and understanding are winning.' 'Stand your ground. Do your job. Speak out when you sense danger. We are each other's responsibility. Together we can make comedy a safer workplace. #iamtoo,' she concluded. Speaking: She shared a second tweet after noting that she had failed to call out Kurt by his full name in her first mention, likely because of fear Cameron followed that message with a second tweet reading: 'I don't know why I didn't say his last name. Actually I do. Fear. I'm talking about Kurt Metzger.' Amy revealed in her new memoir, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo, that she is a victim of sexual assault herself. Iranian lifter snatches new world record Iranian weightlifter Behdad Salimikordasiabi set a new world record of 216kg in the snatch in the men's superheavyweight +105kg competition at the Rio Olympics on Tuesday. Salimikordasiabi, often called 'Salimi', had owned the record of 214kg going into the event only for Georgia's Lasha Talakhadze to lift 215 with his third attempt. However, the Georgian only held the world record for around one minute as Salimi confidently strode onto the podium and immediately grabbed the record back for himself. Iran's Behdad Salimikordasiabi competes during the Men's +105kg weightlifting competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 16, 2016 Goh Chai Hin (AFP) Salimi leads by 1kg going into the clean and jerk. Trump says Democrats have 'betrayed' African-Americans Donald Trump made a pitch to African-American voters, saying Democrats had "betrayed" them and pledged he would revitalize impoverished urban communities. His comments at a rally in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin came as something of a surprise from the Republican candidate who until now has done little to endear himself to minorities. With polls showing the bombastic billionaire trailing his White House opponent Hillary Clinton overall and in battleground states, it appeared Trump was trying to expand his support base beyond his core of working-class white voters. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has made a successful campaign out of incendiary rhetoric and defying political correctness Gregg Newton (AFP) "I'm asking for the vote of every African- American citizen struggling in our country today who wants a different and much better future. It's time for our society to address some honest and very, very difficult truths. "The Democratic Party has failed and betrayed the African-American community." Black Americans tend to vote Democratic and Clinton has a solid lead among the demographic. But Trump said Democrats have "taken the votes of African-Americans for granted. They just assume they'll get your support and done nothing in return for it," he said. "It's time to rebuild the inner cities of America and to reject the failed leadership of a rigged political system." Trump was speaking in West Bend following a spasm of racially charged violence over the weekend in Wisconsin's largest city of Milwaukee after police there shot dead a black man. Officials said the 23-year-old man was armed, but the death angered residents, as it echoes a series of deadly police incidents in the United States involving mainly African American suspects. - Bigotry - Trump's outreach to black voters came after he said earlier Tuesday that he would reject bigotry "in all forms" if elected president. It was another unexpected move from the Republican nominee who during his presidential campaign has vowed to ban Muslim immigrants and erect a wall to prevent Mexican immigration. "This is my pledge to the American people: as your president I will be your greatest champion," Trump said in a statement posted on Facebook. "I will fight to ensure that every American is treated equally, protected equally and honored equally," he said. "We will reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms, and seek a new future built on our common culture and values as one American people." The embattled Trump has made a successful campaign out of incendiary rhetoric and defying political correctness. But a recent series of gaffes had even members of his own party begging him to reel in the brash remarks. Trump's denigration of the family of a fallen Muslim-American soldier was seen by many as a monumental campaign misstep and a turning point in the contentious 2016 presidential race. The two sides slung criticism at each other, with the soldier's father accusing Trump of Islamophobia and assailing his "ignorance and arrogance". N. Korea calls South's leader 'psychopath' over missile row North Korea on Wednesday labelled South Korean President Park Geun-Hye a "psychopath" after she made a speech slamming Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and defending the deployment of a US anti-missile system. In her televised address on Monday, Park had stressed that deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was an act of "self-defence" in response to the North's expanding nuclear weapons programme. A spokesman for the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country said Park's argument was "preposterous" and unfounded. South Korean President Park Geun-Hye celebrates Korean Liberation Day at Seong Cultural Center in Seoul on August 15, 2016 Ahn Young-joon (POOL/AFP/File) "This is just a lame excuse and she should know that no one will be taken in by such sophism of a puppet that can do nothing without an approval of her US master," the spokesman said. "This is no more than nonsense talked by a psychopath," he added in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. North Korea has threatened to take "physical action" against the THAAD deployment, saying any South Korean ports and airfields hosting US military hardware would become a target. Beijing is also opposed to the move, seeing it as a US bid to flex its military muscle in the region and undermine China's own missile capabilities. US Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, addressed those concerns during talks on Tuesday with his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng in Beijing. THAAD is "not a threat in any way to China," Milley told Li according to a US Army statement. Deploying the system "is a defensive measure to protect South Koreans and Americans from the North Korean ballistic missile threat," he added. Milley was due to hold talks with top South Korean military officials in Seoul on Wednesday. The THAAD issue has also been a target of domestic criticism, particularly from those living in the rural South Korean county of Seongju where the first battery will be installed. Several hundred protestors turned out in Seongju for a visit Wednesday by Defence Minister Han Min-Koo, who sought to ease concerns that the system's powerful radar will pose health and environmental hazards and make the district a military target. Han began by apologising for the lack of prior notice regarding the planned deployment but stressed that defending the South against North Korean aggression was the ultimate priority. "Please understand (the government's) desperate resolve to protect people's lives," he said. More than 900 Seongju residents had their heads shaved on Monday as a mark of protest, and many of those were among the demonstrators who greeted Han with anti-THAAD slogans and demands to scrap the deployment. More than 900 Seongju residents have their heads shaved during a protest against the planned deployment of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in Seongju on August 15, 2016 Univision wins bid to buy Gawker Media Univision won the bidding for embattled Gawker Media, which recently filed for bankruptcy after being ordered to pay $140 million to Hulk Hogan for releasing his sex tape. Gawker confirmed to AFP that a deal was made to sell the company to the Spanish-language media giant, but did not disclose the price. US media reports pegged the purchase at $135 million. Hulk Hogan(C) and his attorneys David Houston (L) and Charles Harder attend a press conference in Tampa, Florida Gerardo Mora (Getty/AFP/File) "I am pleased that our employees are protected and will continue their work under new ownership -- disentangled from the legal campaign against the company," Gawker founder Nick Denton said in an email to AFP confirming Univision as the top bidder. "We could not have picked an acquirer more devoted to vibrant journalism." In March, a US jury in Florida ordered that wrestling star Hogan be allowed to collect $140 million in total compensation after Gawker published a videotape of him having sex with a friend's wife. Gawker filed for bankruptcy in June in an attempt to sidestep a shutdown from the judgment. "For my part, I am proud to have contributed financial support to his case," tech billionaire Peter Thiel, who bankrolled the Hogan lawsuit, said in an op-ed piece in The New York Times Monday. "It is ridiculous to claim that journalism requires indiscriminate access to private people's sex lives." Denton earlier this month filed for personal bankruptcy protection in a bid to stop his assets from being seized because of the judgment. Denton has slammed what he called a "personal vendetta" and said in a memo to staff that it was "disturbing to live in a world in which a billionaire can bully journalists because he didn't like the coverage." While Gawker has come under fire for its no-holds-barred approach to celebrity coverage, the case also raised questions about whether powerful interests can use their resources to silence media for unfavorable coverage. The case drew heightened attention when Thiel, a Silicon Valley titan, acknowledged that he had helped fund the litigation and others against Gawker, a company Thiel has feuded with for years since it "outed" him as gay. A filing in federal bankruptcy court in New York lists Gawker assets in a range of $50 million to $100 million, and liabilities between $100 million and $500 million. German-born Thiel was a founder of the online payments firm PayPal, and served as its chief executive before it was sold to eBay. He was also an early investor in Facebook and has been active in venture investing in Silicon Valley. Australia returns Sri Lankans from 'people-smuggling' boat Australia has returned home six Sri Lankans which it said were onboard a "people smuggling boat" after intercepting it at sea, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said Wednesday. Under 'Operation Sovereign Borders' asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia by boat are either sent back to where they departed from or transferred to remote Pacific island camps. Dutton gave no indication of where the boat was detected, whether those on board applied for asylum or were assessed for refugee status, and how they were returned. Under 'Operation Sovereign Borders' asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia by boat are either sent back to where they departed from or transferred to remote Pacific island camps Adrian LEUNG , Gal ROMA (AFP) "Australia has returned a group of Sri Lankan nationals to Sri Lanka yesterday (Tuesday) after recently intercepting a people smuggling venture," the minister said in a statement. "Six Sri Lankans who were attempting to travel illegally to Australia were aboard the vessel which was intercepted on an approach to Australia." More than 25 boats have been returned since the introduction of Operation Sovereign Borders in September 2013, a policy the government says has stopped deaths at sea after a spate of drownings. Dutton stressed that Australia would not change its policy on boatpeople, which sees them returned or sent to the tiny Pacific state of Nauru or Papua New Guinea's Manus Island and denied resettlement in Australia even if found to be refugees. The policy has been criticised by rights groups as essentially placing refugees in indefinite detention on remote Pacific islands, where living conditions have been criticised. Dutton said in the latest incident Australian authorities had been tipped off by their Sri Lankan partners "so we were ready and waiting to locate and detain the boat". "We have worked cooperatively with Sri Lanka for several years now and since Operation Sovereign Borders began in 2013 every Sri Lankan boat that has attempted to come to Australia illegally, has failed," he added. China to prosecute 26 over $7.6 bn 'Ponzi scheme' China will prosecute 26 people linked to a peer-to-peer lender for fraud and illegal fundraising, state media said late Tuesday, in a case labelled a Ponzi scheme for allegedly bilking investors of $7.6 billion. Police have handed over the case involving P2P lender Ezubao to prosecutors, the official Xinhua news agency reported. Authorities charged 11 people -- including top executives of Ezubaos parent company Yucheng, chairman Ding Ning and president Zhang Min -- of fraud while another 15 are accused of illegally obtaining investors' savings, the Beijing People's Procuratorate said in statement on its website. The logo of peer-to-peer lender Ezubao at their padlocked office in Hangzhou, in China's eastern Zhejiang province In a televised confession shown in February after suspects were arrested, Zhang said Ezubao was "a typical Ponzi scheme". Rights groups condemn such practices as prejudicing the right to a fair trial. Police previously told state media that Ezubao concocted fake projects to attract investment and pocketed funds instead of passing them to borrowers to generate returns. The case, said to be China's biggest-ever Ponzi scheme, has sparked protests from investors and is one among several dubious investment projects that have come to light this year. In May, police arrested 35 executives and employees of Shanghai-based Zhongjin Asset Management after it failed to make payments of 5.2 billion yuan ($787 million) to its 25,000 investors. 'Firenadoes' rage in California as blaze menaces 82,000 Weary firefighters Thursday battled a raging inferno that was threatening the homes of more than 82,000 people in southern California and sent flaming "firenadoes" tearing across the brush. Nearly 1,600 firefighters were fighting the giant blaze, but had only contained four percent of it, according to a fire service official. Dramatic local TV news footage captured from the front line of the wildfire in the town of Phelan showed tornado-like flaming vortexes -- known as "firenadoes" -- sent spinning into the air by the ferocity of the blaze. More than 34,500 homes were threatened and 82,640 people were under evacuation warnings as firenadoes -- tornado-like flaming vortexes -- rage in California Robyn Beck (AFP) "We have very, very dry brush -- thick fuel -- it helps move it (the fire) along very quickly," Lynne Tolmachoff, spokeswoman for the state firefighting agency Cal Fire, told AFP. "It is very dangerous to the public and also to the firefighters." Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, just 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, where the so-called Bluecut Fire was quickly growing, its cause still unclear. - 'Not worth your life' - The inferno began around 10:30 am (1730 GMT) Tuesday and has already burned through 25,626 acres (10,370 hectares) according to the multi-agency Inciweb information site. The size of the fire was down from the 30,000 acres reported earlier due to better mapping of the area, the Los Angeles Times reported. More than 34,500 homes were threatened and 82,640 people were under evacuation warnings. "There is an imminent threat to public safety, rail traffic and structures in the Cajon Pass, Lytle Creek, Wrightwood, Oak Hills and surrounding areas," Inciweb said. A dozen fire trucks waited for orders to evacuate Paso Lane, located between several hills that were being devoured by flames, columns of smoke billowing into the sky. "The whole community is being evacuated," said local firefighter Mike Anderson, who had been battling the blaze with his team for more than 24 straight hours. "The fire is moving very fast straight through Highway 138, it is still growing." Chon Bribiescas of the US Forest Service said later that the evacuation area was being expanded, with the wind picking up and the temperature soaring to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius). "The fire is consuming 100 acres in a few minutes instead of 100 per hour," he told AFP, adding that many residents had decided against the best advice to remain in their homes. "In California, we cannot force people from their homes, but that means we have firefighters that have to come back to the mandatory evacuation zones instead of fighting the fire. "I try to tell people that there is nothing in your home that is worth your life." - Perfect conditions - At a gas station in the outpost of Pinon Hills, 10 miles northwest of the fire, Jeannine Yglesia was buying ice with her 24-year-old son. "I have 17 to 18 people staying at my house now, friends and their families that have had to evacuate from Wrightwood," she said. Gail Nieto, a 65-year-old woman buying groceries, was forced to flee Wrightwood on Tuesday night. "It's the fourth time in 30 years, but it's the fastest-growing fire I have ever seen," she said, trembling. Among equipment deployed were 152 fire engines, eight air tankers plus two Very Large Air Tankers (VLATs), and eight helicopters, including night-flying helicopters. The inferno has claimed one high-profile victim so far: the Summit Inn, an old-fashioned diner on the world-famous Route 66 that counted celebrities Elvis Presley and Clint Eastwood among its clientele. Several roads were closed while two firefighters were injured after they were surrounded by flames. They were treated at a hospital and sent back out to fight the blaze, Inciweb said. Elaine Bowder, 75, another resident living in the inferno's path, said she may lose her new house. "We have our important things and we are insured," she said. "But we had to leave one of our cats at home." "I'm very upset. I'm very attached to her," she added, breaking down in tears. California is in its fifth year of a record drought, with parts experiencing a heat wave and strong seasonal gusts known as the Santa Ana winds, a recipe for perfect wildfire conditions. Thousands of firefighters are already committed to several other major fires -- north of San Francisco, in central California's wine region and in the scenic coastal area of Big Sur. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County where the so-called Bluecut Fire is quickly growing The remains of a destroyed home after the Blue Cut Fire passed through a rural community near Wrightwood, California Robyn Beck (AFP) California is in its fifth year of a record drought, with a heat wave and strong seasonal gusts known as the Santa Ana winds, a recipe for perfect wildfire conditions Robyn Beck (AFP) Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for San Bernardino County, just 60 miles (100 kilometers) east of Los Angeles, where the so-called Bluecut Fire is growing Jonathan Alcorn (AFP) A crew prepares to clear a hot spot at the Blue Cut Fire near Wrightwood, California Robyn Beck (AFP) A North Korean defector's life ... in webtoons When North Korean defector Choi Sung-Guk decided it was time to go public with his experiences, he avoided the well trodden "harrowing memoir" route in favour of a cartoon strip. Drawing skills and some online space provided Choi with everything he needed to reach a young Korean-speaking audience that might otherwise have little attention to spare for a 36-year-old escapee from over the border. Choi, who spent eight years making cartoons at Pyongyang's SEK animation studio, now posts a weekly online comic strip, or "webtoon", on South Korea's largest internet portal, Naver. Choi Sung-Guk uses a weekly online cartoon strip to depict his experiences as a North Korean defector Jung Yeon-Je (AFP) The strip is called Rodong Simmun (Labour Interrogation) -- a play on the name of the North Korean ruling party's official mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun (Labour Newspaper) -- and details the struggles of North Korean defectors adapting to life in the capitalist South. A lot of the material is based on Choi's own experiences since arriving in Seoul as a 30-year-old defector in 2010. "When someone first suggested I try it, I thought it would be impossible to compete with thousands of other webtoon artists," Choi said. "But the response was phenomenal," he told AFP in his Seoul office. - Glowing reviews - Choi only started posting his strips in May and, in what is a crowded and highly-competitive field, they are already averaging around 20,000 views and garnering fawning reviews from a growing number of South Korean fans. The webtoon's protagonist is Yong-Chol, a late twenty-something defector whose efforts to assimilate are portrayed in comic set pieces which often carry a bittersweet or, in some cases, downright sinister subtext. Many focus on cultural misunderstandings, including one episode in which Yong-Chol mistakes the routine politeness of a female, South Korean co-worker as a declaration of love and ends up proposing marriage after just one date. A darker episode is set in a facility run by the South's National Intelligence Service (NIS) who spend several months screening all defectors in order to root out any spies. One scene shows a defector waiting to be questioned and trembling with fear at the prospect of being tortured -- only to be offered a cup of coffee instead. The margins of Choi's strips are studded with explanatory boxes regarding aspects of life in the North, such as one stating that "anyone being interrogated must walk with his head down and is not allowed to make eye contact." - A new take - The style and tone is very different from the typical defector "memoir" -- usually a harrowing, ghost-written account of persecution, suffering and eventual escape. "I'm not trying to prove what's right or wrong. I want to show that we're different, but also the same," he explained, adding that the key to success was maintaining a light touch even when the subject matter was quite grim. "On the internet, people lose interest if it gets too serious or heartbreaking," Choi added. "You have to make it witty and humorous so people can identify with it." Choi originally placed his cartoons in a monthly magazine put out by Koreaura, the publishing house where he works in Seoul, but the response was muted. "We have a limited readership," said company founder Park Chang-Jae who actively pushed Choi to post his work as webtoons on the Naver platform. "But the internet has no boundary, so people everywhere and of all ages can see it," Park said. - Disney work - The SEK animation studio where Choi worked in Pyongyang has an international reputation and has contributed work to big budget animated features including Walt Disney's Pocahontas and The Lion King. Choi said he had viewed it as a "dream job" with monthly rations of meat and sugar, until he discovered just how badly paid he was compared to foreigners working in the same studio. He left and "made a lot of money" selling pirate CDs of South Korean films and TV dramas until he was caught in 2006. Potentially a very serious offence, Choi said he was let off lightly because some of his customers were influential officials. His punishment was expulsion from Pyongyang, after which he worked as a computer instructor in South Hamgyeong province before defecting to the South in 2010 via China. For the last two years, Choi has also been a regular participant on a weekly YouTube video programme devoted to defector-related issues. The programme includes a roundtable discussion among three defectors and a South Korean moderator, with issues ranging from South Korean fashion from a defector's perspective to new habits they have picked up in the South. In a regular segment, Choi uses his illustrating skills to draw a scene he recalls from life in North Korea and then discuss it with another defector. One recent video saw him sketch an image of two students sitting side by side in a library to illustrate the true story of an interracial student couple -- a North Korean man and a Russian women -- he had known in Pyongyang. The YouTube channel has more than 21,000 subscribers -- many of them Korean living overseas in countries like the United States. Choi Sung-Guk says there has been a "phenomenal" response to his online cartoons about life as a North Korean defector Jung Yeon-Je (AFP) Choi Sung-Guk has avoided writing a harrowing memoir about his life in North Korea like other defectors have done Jung Yeon-Je (AFP) 'Robotic' Chinese gymnasts told to shake up after new low in Rio The world gymnastics chief has blamed China's "robotic" style in Rio for the once-dominant team's worst Olympics in over 30 years. China failed to take a gold for the first time since 1984 -- winning just two team bronze -- and for the first time failing to get an individual Olympic medal. A Kohei Uchimura-powered Japan toppled China's men, two-time gold medallists since Beijing 2008. China failed to defend any of their titles from London 2012. China's Deng Shudi competes in the pommel horse event of the men's individual all-around final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Emmanuel Dunand (AFP) FIG president Bruno Grandi said the Chinese had failed to move with the times as they dropped to the 11th on the medal table, behind hosts Brazil. "They've remained trapped in a robotic style of training," Grandi told AFP on Tuesday. "They're beginning to change a bit now. Those who have kept pace with the changes are the Japanese. "They (Japan) have improved the construction of their exercises, leaving behind Eastern-style choreographies to move towards the West, that is to say more harmony, imagination, creativity. "I'm not criticising Japanese culture, which is huge, but they have built a nice crowd-pleasing routine for the spectators. "They've moved away from tradition, and the Chinese should do the same. If they stay like they are, they are robots. They are perfect on geometric lines, but eurythmy does not exist." Japan got two gold in the men's team and Uchimura's all-around Rio along with Kenzo Shirai's bronze on the vault. - 'Form of slavery' - Former Italian gymnast Grandi will step down later this year after 20 years as head of the world gymnastics body. He will be replaced by Japanese gymnastics chief Morinari Watanabe. He said one of his greatest achievements had been raising the age limit at which gymnasts could compete. China have often been accused of fielding under-age gymnasts, with controversy surrounding the two previous Olympics. "I fought to raise the age (16 for women and 18 men) - the Chinese held it against me - for finishing with this form of slavery. "Imagine a boy of seven or eight working seven, eight hours a day." China's last remaining hopes had been on the men's parallel bars -- Deng Shudi finishing fourth with world champion You Hao last in the eight-man final after a fall on his dismount. A shocked Deng said he had an "empty brain" after his performance on Tuesday. "I felt some pressure. I didn't get to sleep until 2am or 3am. I just laid on my bed. I just don't know what happened." Wang Yan finished fourth on the women's floor on the final day, after Shang Chunsong just missed out on the all-around podium. Fan Yilin finished sixth on the beam. Liu Yang, the 2014 world rings champion, was tearful after finishing fourth on the apparatus. "I will keep practicing and I am looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics in 2020," Liu said. "Four of our team members are Olympic newcomers. It is inexperienced. Although we have not achieved the goal, we worked very hard as a team," said Liu. The Simone Biles-powered Americans topped the table with 12 medals -- four gold, six silver and two bronze -- their best showing since 1984 Los Angeles when they got 16. Even in trampoline, China's Dong Dong lost his title and Canada's Rosie Maclennan again shut the Chinese women out in the women's event. China's Liu Yang competes in the men's rings event final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena on August 15, 2016 Thomas Coex (AFP) China's Wang Yan competes in the women's floor event final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Thomas Coex (AFP) Two soldiers, one police officer killed in Indian Kashmir Suspected militants killed two soldiers and one police officer in an ambush on a military convoy overnight in Indian-administrated Kashmir, an official in the troubled region said Wednesday. An unknown number of gunmen opened fire on the two army trucks and a police vehicle travelling through Baramulla district, 60 kilometres (37 miles) west of the region's main city of Srinagar. "Two soldiers and one police officer were killed and three others -- two soldiers and another police officer were injured," district police superintendent Imtiaz Hussain told AFP. Indian paramilitary troopers stand guard during an evening curfew on August 17, 2016 in Srinagar Tauseef Mustafa (AFP) Security forces launched a major search for the militants who fled the scene, according to the Press Trust of India news agency. Military convoys have been travelling through the region more frequently at night in recent weeks to avoid encountering protesting residents. Kashmir has been under curfew since protests erupted over the death last month of a popular young rebel leader, Burhan Wani, in a gunfight with security forces. More than 60 civilians have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces, and thousands more injured in the worst violence to hit the Himalayan region since 2010. Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan along a UN-monitored line of control, but both claim it in full and have fought two wars over its control. A top UN human rights official expressed "deep regret" at the failure of Indian and Pakistani authorities to grant his team access to the separate parts of Kashmir to probe recent allegations of human rights violations, which include use of excessive force and state sponsorship of violence. "Without access we can only fear the worst," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement released in Geneva. India's top-diplomat Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, speaking to reporters in New Delhi on Wednesday, blamed Pakistan's continued support for "cross border terrorism" for complicating ties between the neighbours. "(Pakistan's) attitude towards the use of terrorism as an instrument of diplomacy made it a very difficult partner for all of us," he said. The foreign secretary added that India had made efforts in the last two-years to reach out to Pakistan and find a common ground. Armed rebels have fought Indian security forces in Kashmir since 1989 for the independence of the region or for it to be made part of Pakistan. The conflict has left tens of thousands, mostly civilians, dead. Vietnam cancelling veterans' ceremony a 'kick in the guts': Australia Vietnam cancelled a long-arranged commemoration ceremony for Australian war veterans Wednesday in a move Canberra described as "a kick in the guts" that it is seeking to overturn. More than 1,000 veterans and their families have travelled to Vietnam to mark the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan on Thursday. "We have been working with the Vietnamese government for over 18 months for this, towards making sure that this commemoration took place in a low-key, dignified and respectful way," Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan said. More than 1,000 Australian war veterans and their families have travelled to Vietnam to mark the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, but the ceremony has been cancelled at the last minute Greg Wood (AFP/File) "For us to be given such short notice of the cancellation is, to put it in very frank terms, a kick in the guts," he said from Canberra. The Battle of Long Tan took place on August 18, 1966 and was the most costly single battle fought by Australian soldiers in the Vietnam War. Seventeen Australians were killed in action and 25 wounded, one of whom later died from his injuries. Tehan said he was bitterly disappointed at the decision which he said "should not have occurred". "My hope is that the Vietnamese government will overturn it," he said, adding that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was hoping to speak to his Vietnamese counterpart on the issue. As commemorations marking Long Tan began in Australia, Tehan said Canberra had gone out of its way to ensure the Vietnam event was low-key. "We understand that there are sensitivities still in Vietnam," he told reporters. Tehan said it appeared the decision was based simply on the sensitivities relating to Long Tan, and did not relate to any other aspect of the relationship between Canberra and Hanoi. Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said while the Vietnamese authorities had cancelled the commemoration ceremony for Vietnam Veteran's Day at the Long Tan Cross site on August 18, private access to the site may still be permitted. Australian veteran Peter Taylor, who served in Vietnam in 1969-70 after the Battle of Long Tan and who organises battlefield tours in the region, said the decision came as a shock. "We've only just found out," he told AFP by phone. "I just can't believe it." "We do commemorations every year. There are about a thousand Australians who have come out for this one. There's never been a problem before so we're not sure what has happened." He said there was a planned gala dinner on Thursday night for about 600 people, including up to 80 Vietnamese veterans of the battle. Australia agreed Wednesday to close a camp for asylum-seekers on Papua New Guinea, one of two controversial Pacific island centres attracting growing criticism, but said none of the hundreds of men there now would be resettled on its soil. Canberra's policy of sending asylum-seekers who arrive by boat to outposts on Papua New Guinea and the tiny Pacific state of Nauru was thrown into turmoil in April when a PNG court ordered the Manus Island centre closed. "Both Papua New Guinea and Australia are in agreement that the centre is to be closed," PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said in a statement following talks with Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton in Port Moresby. Australia is keeping more than 850 asylum-seekers on Manus Island "It is important that this process is not rushed but carried out in a careful manner." Canberra has been under pressure to shut the Australian-funded Manus facility, which as at June 30 held 854 men, following a PNG Supreme Court ruling declaring that holding people there was unconstitutional and illegal. The centre was in the spotlight this week after Australian media published graphic images of two bloodied Afghan men who had allegedly been attacked with an iron bar by locals on Manus. The government is also facing criticism about the plight of some 442 asylum-seekers on Nauru, after thousands of leaked incident reports last week detailed allegations of widespread abuse and self-harm, including children wanting to kill themselves. "Today we can announce... the closure of the Manus Island detention centre and that's a very good outcome," Dutton told Sky News, without specifying a time frame. -- Asylum seekers to go home? -- Closing the camp shows the government's policy of refusing to resettle asylum-seekers in Australia was working, he said, adding that the policy would not change. Under 'Operation Sovereign Borders' asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia by boat -- even if they are refugees -- are either sent back to where they departed from or transferred to Nauru and Manus. The policy has been criticised by rights groups as essentially placing refugees in indefinite detention on remote Pacific islands, with a protester on Wednesday interrupting a speech by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to urge him to "close the bloody camps". But the government says it has stopped deaths at sea after a spate of drownings. Dutton said Australia and PNG would work together to support asylum-seekers and refugees transition to lives in the developing Pacific nation or return to their country of origin. "We are very adamant, very clear in our messaging so far... when the detention centre closes, that our position is not going not change," Dutton said, adding that this could see people accept settlement packages to return home. Refugee advocates welcomed the decision to close Manus Island, but called on the government to resettle refugees in Australia. "The Australian government has for many years been shamefully outsourcing to PNG and Nauru its responsibilities to protect and fairly process hundreds of people who are seeking safety," Amnesty International's Anna Neistat said. "The government set up a system of deliberate abuse of and cruelty towards almost 2,000 men, women and children who are simply looking for a safe place to rebuild their lives." Australia director of Human Rights Watch Elaine Pearson said the men on Manus should immediately be moved to Australia or a safe third country. "Nearly 1,000 men on Manus have already lost three or more years of their lives locked up in limbo for no good reason," she said. "They've endured dirty, cramped conditions, inadequate medical care and violence. Finally, it is time to let them move on with their lives in safety and dignity." Australia's immigration detention facilities Human rights activists have condemned Australia's immigration policy of placing refugees in indefinite detention on remote Pacific islands Saeed Khan (AFP/File) For IS, losing Sirte won't mean losing Libya: analysts Libyan pro-government forces have cornered Islamic State group fighters in a few pockets of Sirte, but defeat there will be far from the end of IS in Libya, analysts say. While ousting the jihadists from the coastal city that was once their North African stronghold would be a symbolic boost for Libya's fragile unity government, it could also set the stage for further conflict. "Daesh has lost Sirte, but it has not lost Libya," said Abdelbari Atwan, a journalist and expert on jihadist groups, using an Arabic acronym for IS. Fighters from the pro-government forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Unity (GNA) look at smoke rising from burning cars in central Sirte The loss of its main stronghold could prompt the group to launch more scattered attacks across the country, which remains an important recruitment base for IS. It took over Sirte and a stretch of Libyan coastline in June 2015. With that, IS gained a foothold -- and a major port -- just 300 kilometres (180 miles) from the European coast. Forces commanded by Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) launched an offensive on May 12 to oust the jihadists. GNA forces entered Sirte on June 9 and began a street-by-street battle against jihadist snipers, also facing car bombs and suicide attacks. Backed by US air strikes, they took over an IS command centre on August 11. - Melting away - Defeat for IS in Sirte would come on top of significant losses the jihadist group has suffered in Iraq and Syria. It would probably prompt the group to change tactics, said Ethan Chorin, an American former diplomat in Libya and head of Perim Associates, a consultancy. Libya will "very likely see a shift in IS strategy to a more diffuse and intensified campaign of terror and intimidation," he told AFP. "IS and like-minded Islamist fighters have consistently shown an ability to 'melt away' at will," Chorin said. It is hard to estimate the number of IS fighters still alive in Sirte. The Pentagon estimates that they number in the hundreds. According to French and American sources, a further 5,000-7,000 are present across Libya. While the loss of Sirte would deprive them of a strategically valuable port, they could move to set up a base in the lawless deserts of southern Libya. "It is a porous region, as the central state has no presence there and no single militia dominates," said Atwan. He noted that several major tribes which supported the toppled regime of dead dictator Moamer Kadhafi are marginalised today, spurring some of their young men to join IS. "Those people found a refuge in the Islamic State," he said. - Political victory? - A victory in Sirte would still be a boost for the GNA, Libya's internationally recognised government, particularly as it competes for legitimacy against a rival administration in the country's east. Chorin warned that the GNA and its allied militias may embark on a showdown with the eastern-based Libyan National Army over Libya's oilfields in the Sirte Basin. "It is very possible we are seeing the start of an even larger conflict," he said. Meanwhile, it is a welcome development for the GNA, which enjoys scant popular support. Four months after prime minister-designate Fayez al-Sarraj set up his administration in Tripoli, public services are close to collapse and the country faces a currency crisis. Chronic security problems also reign across Libya, which has largely been ruled by militias since the fall of the Kadhafi regime in 2011. Indeed, there are no guarantees that the GNA, which leaned heavily on powerful militias from nearby Misrata in the fight for Sirte, will retain their loyalty once that battle is over. "It is likely that the victorious militias will defy GNA rulings and expose the fact that the GNA is not actually a unity of anything," said Jason Pack, a Libya-focused researcher at Cambridge University who consults for Western governments. "As always in Libya, it is the men with guns who hold political power, not those with fancy suits and titles." Pro-government forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Unity (GNA) entered Sirte on June 9 and began a street-by-street battle against jihadist snipers Backed by US air strikes pro-government forces loyal to Libya's Government of National Unity entered Sirte facing jihadist snipers, car bombs and suicide attacks Indonesia says oil tanker 'taken by crew' not hijacked An oil tanker carrying 900,000 litres of diesel, believed hijacked in Malaysia, has been taken back to Indonesia by its crew following a commercial dispute, the Indonesian navy said Wednesday. "The preliminary assessment is the vessel was not hijacked but was taken by the crew back to Batam," the Indonesian navy said in a statement in reference to the island near Singapore. The navy said the captain had contacted its agent twice to say the vessel was returning to Batam because of an internal management problem within the company. A scourge for centuries, piracy in Southeast Asian had been significantly reduced over the past decade thanks to stepped-up regional cooperation and maritime patrols Christophe Simon (AFP/File) The incident is "linked closely to internal problems between the (Indonesian) owner, the (Malaysian)charterer and the (Indonesian) crew," said Mohamad Taha Ibrahim of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency. Earlier Malaysian maritime authorities said the vessel had been hijacked and was heading towards Indonesian waters. "Initial investigations on the MT Vier Harmoni revealed that the ship was hijacked due to internal problems," Ahmad Puzi Kahar, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency chief, said in a tweet. He did not elaborate, but the phrase "internal problems" has been used in the past to refer to involvement by a ship's crew. Puzi added that the ship was transporting diesel worth about 1.57 million ringgit ($392,000). A scourge for centuries, piracy in Southeast Asian had been significantly reduced over the past decade thanks to stepped-up regional cooperation and maritime patrols. However, in 2015 the region was struck by a string of hijackings with criminal gangs targeting slow-moving tankers carrying valuable petrol which they would offload and sell. In June 2015, pirates commandeered a Malaysian-flagged tanker in the South China Sea for a week before escaping from the vessel in a lifeboat. But the London-based International Maritime Bureau reported last month that improved security at designated anchorages in Indonesia led to a decline in low-level theft targeting ships in its waters. According to the IMB, in the first six months of 2016 the number of incidents dropped to 24, compared with 54 during the same time in 2015. South Africa opposition coalition talks fail after vote South Africa's main opposition parties said Wednesday they would not form coalition governments in key cities, but vowed to unite to block the ruling ANC from taking majority control following fiercely-contested municipal elections. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) party of Nelson Mandela earlier this month saw its worst poll results since the end of white-minority rule in 1994, losing its majority in the largest metropolitan areas. After days of post-election talks, the liberal centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA) and the radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) vowed to prevent the ruling ANC from taking control of the capital Pretoria and business hub Johannesburg. South African main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party leader Mmusi Maimane speaks to journalists at the Independent Electoral Commission Counting center in Pretoria Gianluigi Guercia (AFP) "We will not be going into a coalition with anyone," EFF populist leader Julius Malema told a news conference, adding that his party however would support the DA. "We will vote for the opposition because the ANC must be removed from power. And this is the start." DA leader Mmusi Maimane told a news conference that "we don't have a coalition agreement with the EFF", even as it formed partnerships with several smaller parties. "It is quite clear that we would never agree on ideological issues" with the EFF "because there are many positions that are so vastly different for these two parties". But Malema said their ideological differences with the DA -- which he repeatedly labelled "racist" -- "doesn't mean there will not be an agreement on matters of national importance". The DA topped the August 3 vote in municipal elections in the capital Pretoria, taking 93 of 214 council seats to the ANC's 89. And with 25 seats, the EFF found itself in the powerful position of kingmaker in the municipality. Coalition talks between the two parties also failed in economic hub Johannesburg, where the ANC missed out on an outright majority with 45 percent of the vote. A partnership with several other small parties will hand the DA an outright majority in the Nelson Mandela Bay council, a coastal municipality south of the country. - 'Wide and divergent differences' - But EFF leader Malema, who was expelled from the ANC for ill-discipline in 2012, said his party would still back the DA with its votes in both Johannesburg and Pretoria, calling it "the better devil compared to the ANC". "We'll vote for them and be in the opposition benches. The ANC will not get a single vote from the EFF." "We are not co-governing... we are going to vote for the opposition because the ANC must be removed from power and this is the start of removing the ANC from power." The municipal elections were largely seen as a referendum on President Jacob Zuma, whose rule of Africa's largest economy has been dogged by scandal. During talks with the ANC, the EFF had insisted on Zuma's removal as one of several pre-conditions for supporting the ruling party, but "they said it was a no-no," said Malema. "The ANC is a corrupt organisation which subscribes to the kleptocracy." The ruling party suffered its worst result since the end of white-minority rule 22 years ago, garnering less than 54 percent of ballots cast nationally -- an eight percentage point drop from the last local poll in 2011. Of the country's six most populous cities, the ANC won an outright majority in only one: Durban, Zuma's traditional stronghold. But analysts suggest the failure of a solid coalition government might be an opportunity for the ruling party to bounce back. "A minority government that has to cooperate issue-by-issue... may in fact not deliver on the expectations of the voters and that could provoke a backlash," said University of Cape Town researcher Richard Calland. "It's going to be delicate game of cat-and-mouse" The EFF held its press conference on open ground in the middle of a squatter camp in Alexandra township where residents live in shacks and have no flushing toilets. "It's very important that from time to time we sharpen our consciousness... through constant interaction with these types of conditions," Malema told AFP. Trump overhauls campaign team again as Clinton surges Donald Trump on Wednesday shook up his campaign team for the second time in two months, fending off suggestions that his presidential run is in crisis as polls show Hillary Clinton cruising towards victory. The Republican White House nominee, who is tanking in swing states to his Democratic rival, hired a news executive from a virulently anti-Clinton website as his campaign chief executive and promoted a leading Republican strategist to campaign manager. That campaign CEO is Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of Breitbart News, and the new manager is leading Republican pollster Kellyanne Conway. Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a rally on August 16, 2016 in West Bend, Wisconsin Darren Hauck (GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP) "I am committed to doing whatever it takes to win this election, and ultimately become president," the New York billionaire announced. Critics warned that Bannon, a former Goldman Sachs banker, was unlikely to make the populist candidate, who has upended the Republican establishment, any more palatable to moderate voters or any less controversial. "There is no new Donald Trump. This is it," Clinton told a rally in Ohio. "He is still the same man who insults Gold Star families, demeans women, mocks people with disabilities and thinks he knows more about ISIS than our generals." Her campaign's manager accused Bannon of presiding over a website that "peddles divisive, at times racist, anti-Muslim, anti-Semitic conspiracy theories." "We absolutely expect with this change for Donald Trump and the campaign as a whole to double down on more hateful, divisive rhetoric, more conspiracy theories, more wild accusations," Robby Mook told reporters. - 'Don't wanna pivot' - The shake-up comes with chairman Paul Manafort under fire in the press after being named in a Ukrainian corruption scandal. Clinton is leading Trump, 47.3 percent to 41.2 percent, according to the Real Clear Politics polling average. The Republican languishes behind her in virtually every key battleground state, raising the prospect of a Clinton landslide win. Trump has been badly damaged since denigrating the parents of a Muslim American soldier killed in Iraq, members of the so-called Gold Star families who have lost a loved one in military service. He was accused last week of inciting violence against Clinton in a remark about the right to bear arms. A string of prominent Republicans have announced they will not vote for Trump as US newspapers report of a campaign in crisis and staffers unnerved by a candidate apparently incapable of reeling in crass remarks. While his media-saturated, populist, outsider campaign defeated 16 rivals to win the Republican nomination, Trump has refuted suggestions that he should change tack to win the November election from the center. "Everybody talks about, 'Oh well, you're gonna pivot'... I don't wanna pivot," he told Wisconsin news station WKBT-TV. "I mean you have to be you. If you start pivoting, you're not being honest with people." It is the second personnel shake-up at the top since June 20 when Trump dropped his first manager, Corey Lewandowski, who was sidelined by Manafort and courted controversy after allegedly grabbing a Breitbart reporter. - 'Street fighter' - Bannon, a former naval officer, is seen as a maverick. An October 2015 profile by Bloomberg Politics described him as "the most dangerous political operative in America." He is "a bit of a street fighter, willing to go right at his opponents, and make sure that they know that in politics, all is fair," Lewandowski told CNN. Bannon's arrival will be seen, at least by some, as a demotion of Manafort, the seasoned Republican adviser returning to presidential politics for the first time in 20 years after working as a lobbyist for controversial clients. Chief among those clients was Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Kremlin former president of Ukraine whom Manafort helped rebrand until he was deposed during a popular uprising in 2014. The head of Ukraine's newly formed National Anti-Corruption Bureau said this week that more than $12 million was earmarked for payment to Manafort from 2007 to 2012, although it was not clear if he received the money. In an interview with Fox News, Trump claimed that the polls were narrowing and, when asked if he imagined running for president as a child, he deployed some of the populist candor that his supporters admire. "I didn't. If I did, I would have been less controversial," he said. Trump on Tuesday made his first substantial pitch to African American voters, telling voters in Wisconsin that Democrats had "betrayed" them and promised to revitalize impoverished urban communities. Paul Manafort has come under scrutiny for his links to former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych Chip Somodevilla (Getty/AFP/File) Donald Trump languishes six points behind Hillary Clinton -- 47.3 percent to 41.2 percent, according to the Real Clear Politics polling average, and trails her in virtually every key battleground state Darren Hauck (Getty/AFP) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton on August 17, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio Jeff Swensen (Getty/AFP) China to restrict North Korean airline operations China will restrict the operations of North Korean national airline Air Koryo after one of its planes had to make an emergency landing last month because of a fire on board, it said Wednesday. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) will take "relevant measures to limit operations" for the carrier, it said in a statement on its website, without giving specific details. Last month, a scheduled Air Koryo flight from Pyongyang to Beijing was forced to divert and land in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang "because the plane caught fire", the official Xinhua new agency said, quoting a passenger on board. There were no casualties. North Korean Air Koryo's route network is extremely limited, with regular flights to just three destinations in China, and Vladivostok in Russia Ed Jones (AFP) The CAAC said an investigation found the fire was caused by a call button. Air Koryo must improve training for similar incidents, improve communications with air traffic controllers and upgrade aircraft maintenance, the Chinese regulator said. Although Air Koryo is the sole airline in the bottom "one star" category in the global Skytrax rating system for commercial airlines, its public safety record only has one fatal accident in more than 30 years. Its route network is extremely limited, with regular flights to just three destinations in China, and Vladivostok in Russia. Top London-based N. Korea diplomat defects to South South Korea said Wednesday that North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain had defected to Seoul, in a rare and damaging loss of diplomatic face for Pyongyang. The Unification Ministry said Thae Yong-Ho -- the number-two at the North's mission in London -- had defected together with his family and they were now in the South Korean capital. "They are under government protection and are going through necessary procedures with related institutions," ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee told reporters. Deputy ambassador Thae Yong-Ho at a 2014 art exhibition at the North Korean embassy in London Katie Schubauer (AFP) Jeong declined to reveal Thae's defection route, citing the diplomatic sensitivities involved for the concerned countries. "On his reasons for defection, Minister Thae cited disgust with (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-Un's regime, admiration for South Korea's free, democratic system and the future of his family," Jeong said. Increasingly isolated internationally because of its nuclear weapons programme, North Korea maintains relatively few overseas embassies, and defections by diplomats of Thae's stature are extremely rare. The last such case was that of the North Korean ambassador to Egypt who defected to the United States in 1997. - Elite discontent? - Jeong said Thae's defection reflected the loss of faith among North Korea's elite in Kim Jong-Un's leadership. "Awareness that the North Korean regime has reached its limit is spreading and the solidarity of its ruling class is weakening," Jeong said. It was a pointed comment that was clearly calculated to resonate -- even if Thae's defection falls far short of signalling any imminent collapse of the regime in Pyongyang. Since Kim succeeded his late father Kim Jong-Il as supreme leader in 2011, he has carried out a series of high-level purges aimed at consolidating power and surrounding himself with loyalists. But analysts say continued support is contingent on keeping the Pyongyang elite in the privileged lifestyle to which they are accustomed -- a task made far tougher by tightened UN sanctions. North Korean defectors have been making headlines recently, largely due to an unusual group defection in April by a dozen waitresses and their manager who were working at a North Korean-run restaurant in China. A North Korean army colonel who had handled spying operations on South Korea was announced to have defected last year. And, in July, an 18-year-old student, who was in Hong Kong for an international maths contest, reportedly sought asylum in the South Korean consulate in the city. Thae was believed to have worked at the embassy in London for 10 years, with one of his main tasks being to counter the image of North Korea as a nuclear pariah state and notorious human rights abuser. - PR coup - Apart from the obvious and extremely damaging PR victory his defection hands to South Korea, Thae is likely to prove a crucial source of up-to-date intelligence on the state of the North Korean leadership and its policy priorities. All North Korean defectors who make it to Seoul undergo an intense, months-long de-briefing at the hands of South Korean intelligence -- largely in an effort to root out any potential spies. In Thae's case, the interrogation will be a lengthy one and he and his family will likely remain in sort of protective custody for some time to guarantee their safety. Over the years, nearly 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression in their country and settled in the South. But the number of defectors -- who once numbered more than 2,000 a year -- has nearly halved since Kim Jong-Un took power after the death of his father and former leader Kim Jong-Il in December 2011. Those who still managed to flee in recent years often had families already settled in the South, or were relatively well-off and well-connected members of the elite in search of better lives. The highest-ranking defector to come to the South was Hwang Jang-Yop, the North's chief ideologue and former tutor to Kim Jong-Il. He made a high-profile defection via the South Korean embassy in Beijing in 1997 and died in Seoul in 2010. A diplomatic car drives away from the office and residence of the North Korea Embassy which opened in a residential area in Ealing, west London April 30, 2003 Adrian Dennis (AFP/File) A third Kabila term would doom DRC, US says The United States warns of further violence in the already war-wracked Democratic Republic of Congo should President Joseph Kabila hold on to power after his mandate expires in December. Kinshasa, meanwhile, speaks of "chaos" if foreign countries meddle in the crisis. For months, Washington has kept a close eye on the DRC, where tensions are running high ahead of the December 20 deadline for the end of the president's second term. He is barred from running again under the constitution. Joseph Kabila took over after his father was assassinated in 2001, before being elected in 2006 and 2011 Junior Kannah (AFP/File) The opposition and Western powers worry that Kabila is pulling strings to keep his post as head of state, and may try to delay the vote. Kabila took over after his father Laurent was assassinated in 2001, before being elected in 2006 and 2011. In May, the constitutional court ruled that Joseph Kabila could stay in power in a caretaker capacity if elections are not called by September 19 in accordance with the constitution, which requires a vote 90 days before the end of a president's mandate. At this point, staging elections on time looks unlikely. "Sadly, the situation has only deteriorated. Congo today is roughly one month away from a full-fledged constitutional crisis," said Anthony Gambino, who used to head the US Agency for International Development office in Kinshasa. Thomas Perriello, the State Department's special envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa, warned that "in countries where incumbents try to change the rules to stay in power, those countries are five times more likely to face violence and instability." "The good scenarios get less likely as we get closer to these deadlines, and the bad scenarios get more likely. We see this next month as crucial," he added. Perriello, like Gambino, was speaking at the Brookings Institution this week alongside the DRC's ambassador in Washington, Francois Balumuene. - Democratic transitions challenging - US President Barack Obama has pressed for improved democratic transitions in Africa. "Africa's democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end," Obama said in July 2015 at African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. Noting that he himself is limited to two terms under the US Constitution, he stressed that "the law is the law." Washington has also pressed, unsuccessfully, for Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza and Rwanda President Paul Kagame to respect the laws in place in their respective countries to leave power when their time is up. As for Kabila, "it's not based on personal animosity against a leader but based on a belief that a great product of President Kabila has been to establish a constitutional democracy, and this is an opportunity to turn the corner," Perriello said. The DRC -- which gained independence from Belgium in 1960 when it was previously known as the Belgian Congo, and later became the Republic of Zaire from 1971 to 1997 -- has suffered brutal wars, namely on its eastern front with Rwanda. - 'Implosion and chaos' - Balumuene, the DRC's ambassador, pointed to the repeated economic and security challenges Kabila has faced, including the fight against the Rwanda-backed M23 Tutsi rebels who were defeated in late 2013. He called for an "extension" of Kabila's mandate to address the country's crisis. "We need time after December 20, almost a year, to prepare the elections," Balumuene said, promising that the outgoing president would not run for a new term. "The opposition and certain foreign backers" are trying to "use the street, trigger a mass revolution to oust President Kabila," the ambassador charged. "Then, no one would be able to manage the chaos and its aftermath," he added, speaking in French. "We must avoid at all costs an implosion of the DRC... We do not need another Libya in Central Africa." Gambino retorted that the country's constitution must be followed. "Any solution of what to do after the 19th needs to respect the constitution," he said. "Second, if one does that, that requires the holding of presidential elections if not in 2016 as early as possible in 2017. Delay beyond that is impossible." An opposition supporter holds up a sign reading, "Long live the opposition" during a rally organised by political opposition parties in Kinshasa on July 31, 2016 Eduardo Soteras (AFP/File) Rwanda's President Paul Kagame (R) and Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila answer jounalists' questions at the Rwanda-DRC border in Rubavu after bilateral discussions on August 12, 2016 Cyril Ndegeya (AFP/File) India court bans children from human pyramid festival India's top court on Wednesday banned children from taking part in a popular but potentially dangerous religious festival in the country's west that sees young boys scale human pyramids. The Supreme Court barred children aged under 18 from scaling the pyramids and restricted their height to six metres (20 feet) following a string of accidents in recent years. The ruling comes ahead of the annual Dahi Handi festival in Maharashtra state next week that traditionally sees scores of boys hoisted to the top of wobbly pyramids in homage to Hindu child-god Krishna. India's Supreme Court barred children aged under 18 from scaling human pyramids during the annual Dahi Handi festival Indranil Mukherjee (AFP/File) Crowds flock to the colourful spectacle in the state capital Mumbai where groups try to outperform each other with the highest pyramid, some reaching 13 metres. But the practice has also seen many injuries when pyramids collapse, while a 14-year-old boy reportedly died after falling during rehearsals in 2014. "Krishna didn't do acrobatics ... you cannot risk the lives of children," Justice Nageswara Rao told the court in New Delhi. The ruling followed a petition from a Mumbai social worker who stressed the dangers of the tradition that sees the boys smash jugs of buttermilk once they reach the top. Three dead in protests after DR Congo massacre Three people, including a policeman, were killed Wednesday in clashes in a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after a massacre sparked angry accusations of security failures by the government, local officials said. Several hundred people rallied on the main street of Beni at the end of a three-day mourning period called by civil groups over the murder of dozens of people on Saturday night. At least 50 people were hacked to death, the UN military mission to DRC said Wednesday, in the latest in a two-year string of attacks blamed on rebels. North Kivu has long been targeted in violent attacks blamed on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) Alain Wandimoyi (AFP/File) Police and troops fired tear gas and warning shots in a bid to break up the crowd, but the protestors blocked off streets with barricades. In the first fatal incident, "a policeman and a civilian were killed, nine people were injured, (comprising) six civilians and three soldiers", Beni Mayor Edmond Masumbuko said. The head of Beni's civil society movement, Gilbert Kambale, said the civilian fatality was a young man who was killed by a policeman. The casualty "was shot by a bullet which inflicted an entry wound in the back but did not exit the body," Jeremie Muhindo, a doctor at Beni hospital, told AFP. At least six demonstrators were arrested in a violent manner and thrown into a military jeep and taken away, an AFP reporter on the scene said. An effigy of Kabila was burned in the main market, as were flags of Kabila's ruling People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). In the second incident, a woman suspected of being a member of the rebel group was lynched in northern Beni, near where the massacre took place, Masumbuko said. The woman was beaten to death with stones and sticks and her body was then torched, witnesses told AFP. - Crowds boo premier - The massacre occurred just three days after President Joseph Kabila visited Beni and vowed to do everything to ensure peace and security in the troubled region. On Tuesday Prime Minister Augustin Matata was booed by hundreds of demonstrators outside Beni town hall, where he gave a short speech after a three-hour whistle-stop visit. Matata visited the massacre site along with senior army and police officials. "What did he come for? We don't need humanitarian aid, but peace," said Germain Katembo, a survivor of the weekend massacre who lost three members of his family. Beni and the surrounding area have suffered a series of bloody attacks, most of them involving machetes, leaving some 650 people dead since October 2014. The killings have been blamed by the government and the UN mission in the country on the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a partly Islamist armed group of Ugandan origin. The group has been present in DRC for more than two decades and is accused of a litany of human rights abuses. The ADF, opposed to Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, is thought to be deeply embroiled in criminal networks funded by kidnappings, smuggling and illegal logging. A report published in March by the Congo Research Group at New York University, which looked into the massacres around Beni, claimed that soldiers from the regular army had also participated in the killings. The DRC was a Belgian colony until independence in 1960, when it became the Republic of Congo. From 1971 to 1997, it was called Zaire. Vast and mineral-rich, the country is saddled with a reputation for widespread poverty, corruption and political instability. North Kivu province, where Beni is located, seethes with dozens of armed groups. The United States has warned of more violence in the country should Kabila hold on to power after his mandate expires in December. N.Korea says it has resumed plutonium production: Kyodo North Korea says it has resumed plutonium production from spent fuel rods and has no plans to stop nuclear tests as long as the United States still "threatens" Pyongyang, Kyodo News reported Wednesday. The North's Atomic Energy Institute, which has jurisdiction over the country's main atomic complex Yongbyon, told Kyodo it had been producing highly enriched uranium for nuclear arms and power "as scheduled". "We have reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reactor," the agency said in a written interview with Kyodo. North Korean soldiers patrol next to the border fence near China Johannes Eisele (AFP/File) The agency did not disclose how much plutonium or enriched uranium the North has produced, Kyodo said. The type of plutonium suitable for a nuclear bomb typically needs to be extracted from spent nuclear reactor fuel. In June, the UN's atomic watchdog warned that North Korea could have reactivated the Yongbyon plant for reprocessing plutonium for use in nuclear weapons, following similar warnings from a US think tank. The director of US National Intelligence, James Clapper, warned in February that the North could begin recovering plutonium from the reactor's spent fuel "within a matter of weeks to months". North Korea mothballed the Yongbyon reactor in 2007 under an aid-for-disarmament accord, but began renovating it after its third nuclear test in 2013. It carried test out a fourth on January 6. The North's Atomic Energy Institute did not rule out the possibility of further nuclear tests, claiming it had had success in "minimising, making lighter and diversifying" nuclear weapons, Kyodo said. Angola's ruling MPLA meets to re-elect Dos Santos Angola's ruling party met Wednesday for a massive national congress, where long-ruling President Jose Eduardo dos Santos is expected to be re-elected as party leader ahead of a 2017 national vote. The four-day congress opened in the capital Luanda, with Dos Santos appearing decked out in the signature red of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) party, an AFP journalist reported. In power since 1979, the president's nomination as party chief -- which is expected Friday or Saturday -- is all but guaranteed. Angola's President Jose Edouardo Dos Santos has been in power since 1979 Tutondele Miankenda (AFP/File) "Nobody will stand against Dos Santos -- this congress will be nothing new," said political analyst Justinho Pinto de Andrade. The 73-year-old ruler said in March he would leave politics in 2018, after his current mandate ends at the close of 2017. But critics are sceptical given similar claims in the past. "We must prepare the party for the next challenge and for the coming election victory in 2017," Dos Santos said at a party meeting last week. "We must continue working to maintain the trust of the people of Angola." The country's electoral system does not allow for a presidential vote, but stipulates that the leader of the winning party automatically becomes head of state. Over 2,600 delegates are set to vote during the congress. Agostinho dos Santos, an analyst deeply critical of the regime, told AFP it was "a characteristic of a dictatorship" that the president was "the candidate for his own succession". Dos Santos came to power in 1979, following the unexpected death from cancer of Angola's liberation president Agostinho Neto. As head of the military, police and cabinet, the leader has an iron grip on all aspects of power in Africa's second biggest oil producer. He names the senior judges and has MPLA allies in all public agencies, including the supposedly independent electoral commission. Baby born mid-air on flight to Philippines A woman gave birth to a premature but healthy baby girl mid-flight while travelling from the United Arab Emirates to the Philippines, forcing the plane to carry out an emergency landing in India. The mother, whose due date was two months away, went into labour on board the Cebu Pacific Air flight Sunday as it flew from Dubai to Manila, her fellow passenger Missy Berberabe Umandal posted on Facebook. Panicked flight attendants started calling out for medical assistance -- discovering two nurses among the passengers -- before turning the front of the cabin into a makeshift delivery room. The Cebu Pacific airline gave the newborn baby a million points in its lifestyle rewards scheme Philippe Huguen (AFP/File) "We only heard one semi-loud screech, and a few seconds later, there were tinier, cute screeches, and it was when we knew the baby was born. Luckily, she only had to push ONCE," Umandal said in her post, with a picture showing the mother holding her newborn, wrapped in a blanket. The mother's nationality is not known. Flight attendants and nurses cleaned the newborn with mineral water and dressed her in baby clothes donated by fellow passengers flying with infants. The pilot conducted an emergency landing in the southern Indian city of Hyderabad so the mother and newborn could receive medical attention before continuing on to Manila. "After initial examination by the medical staff, they were moved to the mother and child care centre of a hospital in the city," a Hyderabad airport security official told AFP, requesting anonymity. "The newborn and mother are fine and under medical supervision." The woman, her own mother who was travelling with her, and the baby were given three-day temporary visas, which would most likely be extended until the parent and child were fit to fly, the official said. Cebu Pacific Air, the Philippines' largest airline, said in a statement to AFP that it was the first time a baby was delivered onboard one of its aircraft, calling the birth a "momentous occasion". "We're blessed to have been an instrument in (the) safe delivery," said lead cabin crew member Mark Martin. The airline said it was giving the baby a million points in its lifestyle rewards program, equivalent to about 10,000 one-way flights in the Philippines. Israel arrests Hamas election committee member Israeli troops arrested the Hamas representative on the organising committee for October Palestinian municipal elections on Wednesday, the Islamist movement said. Hamas condemned what it called an "attempt to influence" the outcome of the elections, the first in the Palestinian territories since 2012. "We condemn the arrest of Sheikh Hussein Abu Kweik," a Hamas statement said, adding that he had been detained in the early morning in the occupied West Bank. Palestinian officials prepare ballot boxes in Ramallah on October 17, 2012 prior to municipal elections Abbas Momani (AFP) The Israeli army confirmed the arrest, accusing Abu Kweik of involvement in "Hamas terrorist activity" without giving details. Elections committee spokesman Fareed Tamallah condemned the "blatant interference in Palestinian local elections by (Israeli) occupation forces," and demanded Abu Kweik's immediate release. The October 8 vote will be only the third Palestinian municipal elections since Israel and the Palestinians signed the Oslo peace accords in 1993. Hamas has agreed to field candidates this time after boycotting the last elections in 2012. Registration began on Tuesday. There have been no Palestinian parliamentary elections since 2006 when Hamas won by a landslide. The following year conflict broke out between Hamas and the rival Fatah faction of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, leading to the ouster of his loyalists from Gaza and the formation of rival administrations. Turkey submits Israel deal to parliament for approval Turkey on Wednesday submitted to parliament a deal to normalise ties with Israel delayed by the July 15 military coup attempt, the state-run Anadolu news agency said. The agreement has been forwarded to parliament for ratification before the legislative body goes into summer recess later this month. In June, Turkey and Israel signed a deal to restore their ties which hit an all-time low after the 2010 raid by Israeli commandos on a Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship that left 10 Turks dead. In May 2010, ten Turkish activists were killed when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara ship which was part of the Free Gaza flotilla The text of the agreement submitted to parliament reaffirms that Israel will pay Turkey $20 million (17.8 million euros) in compensation within 25 days. The legal case targeting the Israeli commandos who staged the raid will also be dropped, the report said. Israeli cabinet ministers in June approved the deal reached with Turkey, leaving Ankara to make the final ratification step. But the Turkish government failed to send the deal to parliament because of time pressure created by the failed coup attempt by rogue elements in the military, which Turkey blames on US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen. Once the normalisation deal is ratified by parliament, Turkey and Israel will begin the process of exchanging ambassadors to fully restore their diplomatic ties. It is not clear on which day the deal will be debated. Ugandan AU soldiers convicted for running fuel racket Nine Ugandan soldiers have been jailed for illegally selling fuel meant for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), an army spokesman said Wednesday. "The soldiers were part of a racket that was selling fuel to civilians in Somalia," said Henry Obbo, Uganda's deputy military spokesman. He said the convicted men included two majors. "The sentences range from one year to three years," Obbo said, to be served in Kampala after which three of the soldiers will be "dismissed from the army with disgrace" while the others will be demoted. A man hawks water in jerry cans in Nairobi on August 31, 2015 The nine were found guilty by a Ugandan court martial sitting in Mogadishu, the first time such a case has been tried in Somalia since the AU mission deployed nine years ago. "The prosecution has proved all the accusations of pursuing personal interest and endangering operational efficiency beyond reasonable doubt," said General Dick Olum, chairman of the court martial, according to an AMISOM statement. This is not the first time Ugandan soldiers in Somalia have been implicated in illegal activities. Human rights groups have alleged cases of sexual misconduct and civilian killings, but when investigations have been conducted by AMISOM, the soldiers are routinely exonerated. Norway opens $1-billion credit line for Iran Iran said Wednesday that Norway had offered the Islamic republic a $1-billion credit line following a meeting between their foreign ministers in Tehran. Borge Brende and Mohammad Javad Zarif signed three "export credit" deals aimed at funding "development and infrastructure projects", Iran's foreign ministry said in a statement. Iran has struggled to tap international finance as many banks fear US penalties if they do business with the Islamic republic. A landmark deal between Tehran and world powers saw many international sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for curbs to its nuclear programme Behrouz Mehri (AFP/File) A landmak deal between Tehran and world powers, which was signed in July last year and came into force in January, saw many international sanctions on Iran lifted in exchange for curbs to its nuclear programme. European countries have been keen to do business with one of the last frontier markets, but Washington has maintained sanctions related to Iran's human rights record and missile programme. "After the lifting of sanctions, good opportunities have emerged for cooperation and Norway is ready to utilise the post-deal situation to expand cooperation in various fields," Brende said, according to the official IRNA news agency. UN launches probe of South Sudan violence The United Nations has launched a probe of a hotel attack in South Sudan in which soldiers raped women and assaulted aid workers while UN peacekeepers allegedly failed to act. Civil war broke out in South Sudan in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. The fighting has split the country along ethnic lines and driven it to the brink of collapse. A peace deal signed between the government and rebels almost a year ago has so far failed to end the conflict. And last month Juba was rocked by several days of heavy fighting between Kiir's forces and those loyal to Machar. Dockers unload a US aid shipment at Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast, on May 5, 2016 Ashraf Shazly (AFP) The abuses now being probed by the UN -- specifically, a July 11 attack on the Hotel Terrain in the capital Juba -- took place during these days of fighting. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said late Tuesday he was "concerned about allegations that UNMISS did not respond appropriately to prevent this and other grave cases of sexual violence committed in Juba." He was referring to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, called UNMISS. Ban said that in the July 11 incident one person was killed and several civilians were raped and beaten by men in uniform. The UN leader said he had launched "an independent special investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding these incidents and to evaluate the Mission's overall response." Ban expressed outrage over violence committed by government and opposition forces in Juba July 8-11. He said that during this period many South Sudanese civilians and two UN peacekeepers were killed. He also called on the government to probe these acts of violence and prosecute those involved. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, reported assaults and rapes of civilians, including humanitarian aid workers and journalists, by South Sudanese soldiers at the hotel. "South Sudan's leaders must investigate this incident and hold accountable the individuals responsible for these cowardly and brutal assaults," Power said in a statement. At the request of the US, she said, the government sent a response force to the hotel compound. But, she added: "United Nations peacekeepers were apparently either incapable of or unwilling to respond to calls for help." UN troops in South Sudan have come under heavy criticism after last month's fighting, for failing to protect civilians including women and girls raped near a UN base in Juba. The UN says it has documented at least 200 cases of rape in July alone by men in uniform, mainly troops loyal to president Kiir. Human Rights Watch said Monday that dozens of soldiers rampaged through the hotel compound, which houses employees of international organizations and is located close to a UN base. Several foreign workers were raped and a prominent journalist, John Gatluak, was killed, it said. Saudi facing 'long' Yemen war after talks fail Six months after Saudi Arabia said its war in Yemen was winding down, air strikes are again pounding rebels and rockets flying across the border, with no end to the conflict in sight. Facing criticism of its bombing campaign and a budget crunch from low oil prices, Riyadh is keen to bring an end to the intervention it launched last year against Shiite Huthi rebels and their allies, analysts say. But the suspension in early August of UN-brokered peace talks in Kuwait, after three months without any headway, has instead led to a major increase in violence. Yemeni security forces take part in a raid in Ja'awla a northern neighbourhood of the southern city of Aden Saleh al-Obeidi (AFP) "Both sides now are trying to prove they are better in war than peace," said Farea al-Muslimi, a Yemeni specialist and visiting scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Centre. The Saudi-led Arab coalition launched the air raids in March last year, later sending in ground forces, to support the internationally recognised government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi after the rebels overran much of Yemen. Riyadh accuses the Huthis, allied with troops loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh, of working on behalf of its arch-rival Iran. Coalition warplanes are also supporting pro-government forces against Al-Qaeda jihadists who have exploited Yemen's power vacuum to expand their presence in the country's south and southeast. A year into the intervention, spokesman Brigadier General Ahmed Assiri told AFP that coalition forces were "in the end of the major combat phase". A relative lull in the fighting followed, but in late July the most serious fighting for months along the border killed 12 Saudi soldiers. The talks in Kuwait were suspended a few days later and the coalition resumed intense strikes on Sanaa and other rebel-held areas. Rebel attacks also intensified. On Tuesday Saudi Arabia suffered its heaviest civilian losses of the conflict when seven died in a rebel rocket strike on the border city of Najran. "This looks to be a long, continuing war," said Anthony Cordesman of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. - Criticism of civilian deaths - Saudi Arabia has faced repeated criticism from rights groups over civilian casualties. Deadly air raids on a school and a hospital over the last few days again raised questions about coalition procedures and added to a civilian death toll which the UN puts at more than 3,700 since the intervention began. The coalition has launched investigations into both incidents. The costly operation also comes despite austerity measures and efforts to reorient the kingdom's economy after a deficit-inducing collapse in oil prices. But analysts say withdrawing from such a complicated conflict is not easy. "There are so many different factions and elements involved," Cordesman said, noting divisions among both the Huthi-Saleh forces and the government. That has made peace efforts extremely difficult, analysts say. A source closely following the conflict, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of his position, said the Saudis have been "working very hard" towards a lasting peace and political transition in Yemen. But when the Huthis and their allies on August 6 appointed a council to govern Yemen, Riyadh had little choice but to respond. "That was (an) unexpected move, for the Saudis especially," Muslimi said, adding that Riyadh could not tolerate the threat to the "legitimacy" of Hadi's government. Adam Baron, a visiting fellow and Yemen specialist at the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Riyadh still feels it can handle the war "at least for the time being". Since peace talks collapsed, local forces backed by the coalition "appear to have made some gains" around Taez, in the southwest, and Nihm, northeast of Sanaa, Baron said. "The key at the moment is their ability to put pressure on Sanaa itself from the Nihm front," he said. The Huthis would be hard to dislodge. Northern Yemen is their traditional stronghold. They fought six wars against the central government between 2004 and 2010. "It, at this point, seems to be a war of attrition," Cordesman said. A member of the Yememi government forces in the back of an armed vehicle in Zinjibar on August 16, 2016 Saleh al-Obeidi (AFP) IS launches wave of suicide attacks on Libya forces Islamic State group jihadists in Libya have carried out nine suicide bombings in one day in a failed bid to hold a central district of Sirte, pro-government forces said Wednesday. The attacks on Tuesday in the coastal city left nine pro-government fighters dead and 82 wounded, said Reda Issa, a spokesman for forces allied with the unity government. They took place as forces loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA), backed by US air strikes, advanced on Sirte's central District Two as part of a three-month offensive to oust the jihadists from the city. A pro-government fighter fires a rocket-propelled grenade launcher towards Islamic State group positions in Sirte on August 16, 2016 An IS fighter blew up his vehicle close to a group of soldiers and journalists, wounding several, said an AFP photographer. Five of the bombers attacked using cars, one on a motorbike and three on foot, said the pro-GNA forces, which published several photos of the bombers' corpses. IS seized Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli, in June 2015 and turned it into its North African stronghold, but they now hold just a few pockets of the city. Pro-GNA forces launched an offensive in mid-May to retake the city, which they entered on June 9, facing heavy resistance as they moved towards the centre. The US Africa Command said Wednesday that it had carried out nine more air strikes on IS targets in Sirte on Tuesday in support of the pro-GNA forces, bringing the total number to 57 since August 1. Last week the pro-government fighters seized a conference centre in the city used by IS as its command centre. Kipruto extends Kenyan steeplechase streak in Rio Conseslus Kipruto stormed to victory in the men's 3000m steeplechase on Wednesday to extend Kenya's remarkable winning streak in the event. Kipruto timed an Olympic record of 8min 03.28sec for gold, American Evan Jager taking silver in 8:04.28. Two-time Olympic champion and reigning four-time world gold medallist Ezekiel Kemboi, also of Kenya, claimed bronze (8:08.47) and promptly brought the curtain down on his illustrious career. Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto celebrates his new Olympic record time on his way to victory in the men's 3000m steeplechase in Rio on August 17, 2016 Johannes Eisele (AFP) "The Rio 3000m steeplechase was my last race after a long career of 18 years," Kemboi said. Kipruto took up the early running in scorching heat at the Olympic Stadium, Jager happy to take the baton for a couple of laps before surging with two laps to run. Kemboi tracked the American, moving into second with Kipruto, the world silver medallist who is also world leader and has won all five Diamond League outings this year, also threatening. In temperatures hitting 36 degrees Celsius (97F), the field had strung out before the bell went for the final lap, Kipruto exploding down the back straight to build up what proved to be an unassailable lead. Coming into the home stretch, Kipruto cast a glance back over his shoulders before stretching out his arms as he crossed the line for a comprehensive win. Jager, sixth at both the Beijing and London Games, produced one last spurt to overtake a fast-fading Kemboi for silver, the Kenyan left with a bronze to add to his amazing medal tally. It was the United States' first medal in the men's steeplechase since 1984. Kipruto's victory means that Kenya have now bagged nine consecutive golds in the event stretching back to 1988. Kenya, who have swept the medals twice in that time (1992, 2004), have also taken at least two of the three medals on offer at every Olympics since that streak started. (from left) USA's Evan Jager, Kenya's Ezekiel Kemboi and Kenya's Conseslus Kipruto compete in the men's steeplechase final in Rio on August 17, 2016 Johannes Eisele (AFP) Fire on ferry off Puerto Rico; over 500 rescued More than 500 people were rescued from a burning ferry off the US territory of Puerto Rico Wednesday, with no major injuries reported, authorities said. The Caribbean Fantasy, a passenger and cargo ferry, was abandoned to the flames after firefighters decided that continuing to fight the blaze was too risky. The ship, owned by America Cruise Ferries, ran aground near a small island off San Juan and authorities said it was likely to sink. A burning ferry off the US territory of Puerto Rico "The perimeter will be guarded, but unfortunately there is nothing more to be done with the vessel," said San Juan fire chief Angel Crespo. Crespo said no fatalities had been reported and the 510 passengers and crew were taken off the burning ship and brought ashore. The US Coast Guard said the fire was reported to have started in the ship's engine room and was spreading to other compartments when the evacuation got underway. The smoking ferry was visible from the port as passengers arrived on rescue vessels. The Coast Guard said multiple air and surface craft were dispatched to rescue passengers, including a coast guard cutter. Fire, pilot and tug boats also responded from the port, it said. "At this stage the priority is attending to the people," Crespo said. Passengers underwent medical checks as they arrived at port. Crespo, who also heads Puerto Rico's disaster management agency, said the fire has been contained in the engine room but was not yet out. The cause of the fire was not immediately known. The Panamanian-flagged vessel was two nautical miles north of San Juan when the fire was reported to the Coast Guard, at about 7:42 am (1142 GMT). Nestor Cidras, the ferry line's vice president for sales and marketing, said the Caribbean Fantasy had left Santo Domingo late Tuesday and was supposed to have arrived in San Juan at 8:00 am (1200 GMT). Philippines' Duterte slams 'stupid' UN criticism Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday hit out at "stupid" United Nations' criticism of his controversial crime war that has claimed 1,000 lives, warning the global body not to interfere. The political outsider, who swept to a landslide election victory in May largely on a pledge to kill tens of thousands of criminals, said he would continue his anti-drug crackdown despite mounting criticism, including from UN chief Ban Ki-moon. "Why would the United Nations be so easily swayed into interfering in the affairs of this republic? There are only 1,000 (killed)," he said at an event marking the 115th anniversary of the police force. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Manila on August 17, 2016 Noel Celis (AFP) Ban Ki-moon in June condemned Duterte's apparent support for extrajudicial killings, saying they were "illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms". The UN's anti-drugs office also this month said it was "greatly concerned" by reports of extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users in the Philippines. The UN has made "a very stupid proposition", Duterte said, warning them not to meddle in the country's politics. "What's the problem? You inject politics. Only one thousand died and you put my country in peril, in jeopardy," he said. He told foreign human rights watchdogs not to "investigate us as though we are criminals," and warned they would not be treated well in the Philippines. Duterte, who took office on June 30, ordered a bloody war on crime that has left 1,054 people dead since the May elections, according to the country's largest broadcaster ABS-CBN. This includes people killed in police operations, and more than 400 people murdered by mysterious vigilantes. Duterte won the election on a promise to wage a war on illegal drugs and other crime that would claim tens of thousands of lives. He has ordered police not to hesitate to kill and even urged ordinary citizens and communist guerrillas to join in the bloodshed. Three kidnapped aid workers released in DR Congo: Caritas Three workers with the Catholic aid organisation Caritas were released Wednesday, a day after their abduction in a troubled region of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the charity said. "The three Caritas-Congo workers kidnapped near Mweso have been released," said Caritas-Congo spokesman Guy-Marin Kamandji, without giving details on the circumstances of the release. The kidnap occurred in an area notorious for attacks by the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebel group. A worker watches a Caritas aid distribution from a truck, in a displaced camp on July 25, 2006 in Manji, DR Congo LIONEL HEALING (AFP/File) The aid group had said Monday that three of its Congolese employees had been abducted after their vehicle was ambushed by suspected FDLR fighters. Shots had been fired at a second vehicle but it got away. One of its occupants, a German photojournalist, was wounded in the leg. Set up in eastern DR Congo after the genocide of Tutsis in Rwanda in 1994, the FDLR has been accused of committing frequent atrocities against civilians in areas under its control. Several of its chiefs face accusations of war crimes or crimes against humanity. North Kivu province, which borders Uganda and Rwanda, has been the scene of repeated clashes for nearly two decades, and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced. Initial agreement reached in Mozambique peace talks Mozambique's government has agreed to a regional power-sharing deal with the main opposition party Renamo, representatives announced Wednesday, the first deal clinched in ongoing peace talks in Maputo. Renamo has refused to accept the results of 2014 elections, when it was beaten once more by the Frelimo party, in power since independence 40 years ago. Clashes between government forces and opposition fighters have intensified in recent months after Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama declared in December that he would take power in six of the country's 11 provinces, which he claims he won in the vote. Clashes between Mozambique's government forces and opposition fighters have intensified in recent months after Renamo leader Afonso Dhlakama declared in December that he would take power in six of 11 provinces, which he claims he won in the vote John Wessels (AFP/File) Peace talks between the two parties began last week under the watch of international mediators. The agreement announced Wednesday -- a concession by the ruling party -- paves the way for legislation decentralising power in the southern African country. "The president's delegation and the Renamo delegation agreed to set up... a sub-committee tasked with preparing a legislative package to come into force before the next election (in 2019)," Jose Manteigas, head of the opposition delegation, told reporters. Temporary provincial governors from Renamo should also be appointed "as soon as possible", he added. European Union mediator Angelo Romano on Wednesday hailed the agreement on Twitter as "important for the peace of Mozambique". But several outstanding issues remain, including a durable ceasefire and the disarmament and integration of Renamo fighters into the regular army and police. Frelimo and Renamo fought a bloody civil war between 1976 and 1992 that claimed one million lives. Tensions have again been on the rise since 2013, with Renamo fighters taking up arms in a battle the party says is against a Frelimo elite which has enriched itself at the expense of the country. Dhlakama has been living in hiding since October 2015 after he escaped two attacks against his convoy. Officials recalled or quarantined all helmets at a cost of $19 million Inmates used dangerous, improvised tools and were poorly supervised But 126,052 of them failed ballistics tests and had substandard materials Defective combat helmets made by federal inmates in Texas put soldiers' lives at risk. The poorly-manufactured helmets were produced for the US military using prison labor and later failed ballistics tests, the Justice Department's Inspector General said Wednesday in a report. Nearly 150,000 of the helmets were manufactured between 2006 and 2009, when the White House ordered 'surges' in combat troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan. Poorly supervised inmates also used dangerous, improvised tools such as makeshift hatchets, which could easily have become weapons. Defective combat helmets (file picture) made by federal inmates in Texas put soldiers' lives at risk, a report by the Justice Department's Inspector General revealed Wednesday The Inspector General's report focuses on two types of helmets: advanced combat helmets (ACH) and lightweight Marine Corps helmets (LMCH). Both of them are classified as critical safety items, meaning they require a higher level of scrutiny. 'Nonconforming helmets would likely cause serious injury or death to the wearer,' the Inspector General's report states. But an investigation into the helmets manufactured by federal inmates showed their shells had been apart to add Kevlar dust to the war sections. Poorly supervised inmates also used dangerous, improvised tools such as makeshift hatchets (pictured), which could easily have become weapons Inmates tasked with making the helmets also used this 'screw tool' to strip Kevlar, the Inspector General said in its report Investigators also found that the shells were later repressed 'to remove blisters and bubbles in violation of contract specifications'. 'The investigations found that the ACH and LMCH had numerous defects, including serious ballistic failures, blisters and improper mounting-hole placement and dimensions, as well as helmets being repressed,' the report reads. 'Helmets were manufactured with degraded or unauthorized ballistic materials, used expired paint (on LMCH) and unauthorized manufacturing methods.' Workers also switched or doctored serial numbers, the report states. Investigators did not find any evidence that soldiers or marines had died as a result of defects in the helmets. But military officials recalled or quarantined all the helmets, costing the government $19 million. The helmets were made with substandard materials and did not meet ballistics standards, as shown in this picture taken after a test ArmorSource, an Ohio defense contractor tasked with making the bulk of the helmets, agreed with the Justice Department in March to pay $3 million for producing the defective equipment under the False Claims Act. Paul Garcia, chief contracting officer at ArmorSource, told AFP that his company had no comment. ArmorSource continues to supply equipment to the Defense Department. ArmorSource subcontracted much of the helmet manufacture to Unicor, a wholly-owned government corporation operated within the US Bureau of Prisons to employ federal inmates. According to the report, Unicor directed inmates to falsify manufacturing records to indicate helmets had passed inspection. In at least one instance, a Defense Department inspector certified entire lots of helmets over a fax machine, according to the report. An unannounced visit by inspectors in 2010 at a federal prison in Beaumont, Texas found inmate employees using dangerous improvised tools, 'degrading prison security,' the report said. Nigeria starts emergency polio vaccinations Nigeria said Wednesday it has launched a mass campaign of emergency polio vaccinations after reporting two new cases of the disease earlier in August. Both new cases were diagnosed in the northeastern state of Borno, which has been ravaged by Boko Haram insurgents, highlighting the difficulty of providing basic health services in the impoverished region. "So far we have commenced vaccination of children," health minister Isaac Adewole told reporters in the capital Abuja, after the campaign started on Monday. Polio is a highly infectious viral disease which mainly affects young children and can result in permanent paralysis. There is no cure and it can be only prevented through immunisation Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP/File) Local authorities in the affected areas "have had their health facilities destroyed by insurgents and accessibility was a barrier to service provision," Adewole said. One of the new cases, a child from the Jere local government area, was diagnosed in a displaced persons camp in Borno state capital Maiduguri after "trekking for two days", the health minister said. The Nigerian vaccination campaign will be coordinated with neighbouring countries with a focus on the Lake Chad region and northern Cameroon. The new cases -- believed linked to a 2011 case of polio in Bama, another town in Borno -- represent a major health setback for Nigeria, which was on track to be certified free of the virus next year. Russia says Syria raids from Iranian base do not violate UN resolution Russia on Wednesday dismissed a suggestion from Washington that Moscow is violating a UN Security Council resolution by using an Iranian air base for its bombing raids on Syria. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied that Moscow could be in breach of a ban on supply or transfer of warplanes to Iran without prior approval of the United Nations Security Council. "There are no grounds to suspect Russia of breaching the resolution," Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow. This image taken from footage released by the Russian Defence Ministry's official website reportedly shows a Russian bomber Tupolev Tu-22M3 conducting airstrikes Russia on Tuesday began flying warplanes from an Iranian airbase in a major switch in its bombing campaign in Syria that the United States condemned as "unfortunate". Washington responded to Lavrov's latest statements on Wednesday, saying it is evaluating Russia's actions. "We're looking at, we're assessing it, we're assessing whether this would constitute a violation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters. "It does require a very detailed, legal analysis," he said, adding, "but I stand by what I said yesterday, which is that fundamentally this isn't helpful." Russian forces took off from the Iranian base to carry out a fresh round of strikes on Wednesday morning. Russia has previously flown raids only out of its bases in Syria and Russia. On Tuesday, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia's use of the Iranian base "could very well be a violation" of a UN Security Council resolution that requires its prior approval for the supply, sale or transfer of warplanes to Iran. But Lavrov insisted that "in the case we are discussing now, there was neither the sale, nor supply, nor transfer of warplanes to Iran". "These warplanes with the consent of Iran are being used by the Russian air force to participate in an anti-terrorism operation in Syria at the request of the legal Syrian authorities," he said. "There's nothing even to discuss here." Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov suggested that Washington needed to brush up on the specifics of the resolution. The US-led coalition's bombing raids on Syria from Turkey's Incirlik air base are not permitted by the United Nations charter, he added. - 'Destroyed two command centres' - Russia sent Sukhoi Su-34 jets from the Hamedan base in western Iran on Wednesday morning to carry out a second group wave of aerial strikes against IS targets in Deir Ezzor province, the defence ministry said, calling the operation a success. High-explosive fragmentation bombs "destroyed two command centres and large field camps for training terrorists in the area of the town of Deir Ezzor, killing more than 150 fighters including foreign mercenaries," the ministry said. Iran also defended Russia's use of the base, with Ali-Akbar Velayati, top advisor to the Supreme Leader, telling Tasnim news agency that "the presence of Iran and Russia at the request of Syrian government is legal". Iran is acting "within the framework of international regulations" and "does not accept the Americans' view," he said. "The only action taking place is that Russian fighters are allowed to use this base to refuel," said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. That does not breach the Iranian constitution which bans foreign deployments on its soil, he stressed. Defence consultancy IHS Jane's said Wednesday that Moscow is apparently expanding its Mozdok airbase in southern Russia, from where long-range bombers had been flying their Syria raids, with a "second runway" being constructed since May or June. Iran and Russia are the two staunchest backers of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, with Tehran commanding thousands of troops fighting for him on the ground while Russia provides airpower. Both oppose calls for Assad to step down as a way of resolving the conflict that has killed more than 290,000 people since it erupted in March 2011. Russian air strikes in Syria Boko Haram kills five in attack on reopened highway Boko Haram killed five traders in an ambush on a highway in northeast Nigeria that was recently reopened after coming under repeated attack from the Islamist group, a military source said Wednesday. A convoy of vehicles carrying Nigerian immigration officials and a group of traders were travelling from Gamboru, on the border with Cameroon, to the city of Maiduguri when they came under fire on Monday. "Three (immigration) officers were hit and injured in the fire exchange. The immigration men drove off towards Maiduguri, leaving the traders behind," an army officer told AFP on condition of anonymity. Nigerian soldiers patrol on June 5, 2013 near Maiduguri Quentin Leboucher (AFP/File) The five traders had joined the official convoy thinking it would be a safer way to reach the Borno state capital than travelling the notorious road alone. The traders' two trucks were looted and set alight, Gamboru resident Umar Ari told AFP by phone, also confirming the toll of five dead. The Gamboru to Maiduguri highway is a strategic 140-kilometre (87-mile) trade route in the region, and provides an important link with neighbouring Cameroon. The highway was closed for safety reasons at the height of the Boko Haram unrest some two years ago, but was reopened by the Nigerian authorities following a string of successes against the militants. "Since the Maiduguri-Gamboru highway was reopened two months ago convoys of trucks carrying goods and other vehicles conveying traders have been coming to Gamboru under military escort without any incident," said resident Ari. Boko Haram, which seeks to impose strict Islamic law in northern Nigeria, has been blamed for some 20,000 deaths and displacing more than 2.6 million people since 2009. A counter-offensive spearheaded by Nigeria since January last year has recaptured swathes of territory lost to the Islamist militants in 2014. Kansas father of boy killed on waterslide thanks supporters KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A Kansas lawmaker whose 10-year-old son was killed on the world's tallest waterslide thanked supporters Tuesday, joining two others who were in the ill-fated raft in hoping that unfolding investigations prevent any such tragedy from happening again. Scott Schwab, in a statement released by the family's lawyer, said "words will never convey the appreciation" the Schwabs have for the public outpouring since Caleb Schwab died Aug. 7 on the 168-foot tall "Verruckt" ride at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City, Kansas. "'Thank You' seems so inadequate to express our appreciation, but it is the only phrase we have. So, from the depths of our hearts, we thank you," Schwab, a Republican from Olathe, Kansas, said in the statement, first reported by the Kansas City Star. 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. (Jill Toyoshiba/The Kansas City Star via AP, File) "While we try to step forward into the new normal of life without Caleb in our presence, we find hope with the current investigation into the incident to provide answers and assurances that such tragedy will not strike again." Michael Rader, a partner in the law firm hired by the Schwabs, said Schlitterbahn has cooperated with his independent investigation of the tragedy that also injured the raft's two other occupants Hannah Barnes, 32, and Matraca Baetz, 25. "I can say that my firm and I along with our team of experts are doing everything in our power to ensure that all questions surrounding the cause of this tragedy are fully answered," Rader wrote. Cameron Morgan, a police spokesman, said earlier Tuesday that it's unclear when the investigation will be completed and any findings released. Barnes and Baetz issued a separate statement through their attorney. "Being mothers ourselves, we can only hope that Caleb's family can find some comfort in knowing we are doing everything we know how to do to stop something so tragic from occurring again to any other family," the women's statement said. Johnson told The Associated Press that Barnes and Baetz "want answers and assurances from Schlitterbahn that that slide will be corrected or not continue to be in operation." "If necessary, there will be litigation," he said, adding that "we have not had the opportunity to have our experts inspect the Verruckt or see the (ride's design) drawings." When it comes to discussing what caused the tragedy, "we would be hesitant to say anything until our experts inform us of their opinions," Johnson said. Caleb Schwab was decapitated in the accident, a person familiar with the investigation told the AP last week on condition of anonymity because that person was not authorized to speak publicly about the boy's death. Verruckt German for "insane" features multi-person rafts that make a 168-foot drop at speeds of up to 70 mph, followed by a surge up a hump and a 50-foot descent to a finishing pool. Riders, who must be at least 54 inches tall, are harnessed 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 straps that close with fabric fasteners, not buckles. Riders hold ropes inside the raft. Riders are weighed to ensure each raft carries between 400 pounds and 550 pounds. Oklahoma man jailed in killing accused of anti-Muslim rants TULSA, Okla. (AP) An Oklahoma man suspected of fatally shooting a male neighbor was accused of harassing and shouting anti-Muslim slurs at the man's family, who are actually Christians from Lebanon, and of trying to run over the man's mother with his vehicle. Police say Khalid Jabara was killed at his Tulsa home Friday and 61-year-old Stanley Majors is being held without bail on a first-degree murder complaint and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, but online court records do not show that he has been formally charged. It was not clear if Majors has an attorney to speak on his behalf. Jabara's family issued a statement saying Majors had called the family "dirty Arabs," ''filthy Lebanese," ''Aye-rabs," and "Mooslems." This undated image provided by the Tulsa County Jail shows Stanley Majors. Police say Khalid Jabara was killed at his Tulsa, Okla., home Friday, Aug. 12, 2016, and 61-year-old Stanley Majors is being held without bail on a first-degree murder complaint and possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, but online court records do not show that he has been formally charged. It was not clear if Majors has an attorney to speak on his behalf. (Tulsa County Jail via AP) Prosecutors had charged Majors with injuring Jabara's mother, Haifa, in September by driving his vehicle into her. According to court records, Majors was charged with assault and battery with a deadly weapon, leaving the scene of a collision involving injury, violating a protective order and public intoxication. Prosecutors tried to keep Majors in jail on the assault charge, but he was released after posting bond on May 25. Majors' attorney in that case did not immediately return a phone call for comment after business hours on Tuesday. Haifa Jabara was previously granted a protective order against Majors in 2013 after alleging that he had harassed her and that he "is very racist towards foreigners and blacks." He was prohibited from possessing firearms for the following five years and barred from going near Jabara or her home. Majors was charged with violating the protective order in March 2014 after Haifa Jabra told police he had yelled racial slurs at her while she was in her driveway and threatened to kill her. The Tulsa World reports (http://bit.ly/2byi02N ) that Tulsa police Sgt. Dave Walker and Assistant District Attorney John David Luton said Monday that it's too early in the investigation to say if Majors will be charged with a hate crime. ___ Officials kill alligator found in California creek FREMONT, Calif. (AP) Officials say a young alligator that was likely kept as a pet and released into a California creek after it got too big has been shot and killed. California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman Steve Gonzalez said a state wildlife officer killed the 3-foot long alligator Tuesday after being unable to get close to the animal to get it out of a popular area for hikers and children in Fremont. Gonzalez says wildlife officers decided to shoot the animal to ensure public safety. Police spokeswoman Geneva Bosques says someone spotted the gator Monday and called authorities but police and fish and wildlife officers couldn't locate the animal. Officials returned Tuesday and found it sunbathing on a rock. Judge orders protesters not to interfere with oil pipeline BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A federal judge is ordering protesters in North Dakota not to interfere with the construction of a $3.8 billion, four-state oil pipeline. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland granted the developer's motion for a temporary restraining order Tuesday. Dakota Access filed a lawsuit in federal court Monday against protesters. The Texas-based company's complaint alleges protesters are putting the safety of workers and law enforcement at risk. The order says lawful assembly and peaceful protest are "the hallmark of our democracy," but threats of violence aren't acceptable. University of California, Berkeley chancellor resigns post BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) The University of California, Berkeley chancellor, who critics alleged was too lenient when handling sexual harassment cases involving high-profile faculty members, resigned his post Tuesday. University of California President Janet Napolitano said she accepted UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks' resignation and that a search for his successor would start immediately. Dirks plans to stay on until a new successor is named and in place, Napolitano said. University of California, Berkeley chancellor, Nicholas Dirks (pictured), who critics alleged was too lenient when handling sexual harassment cases involving high-profile faculty members, resigned his post Tuesday Dirks said in a message to the campus community he plans to become a full-time professor at the university. "I have come to the personal decision that the time is right for me to step aside and allow someone else to take up the financial and institutional challenges ahead of us," Dirks wrote. Dirks took office as UC Berkeley's 10th chancellor on June 1, 2013 and during his tenure launched major initiatives to strengthen undergraduate education and to optimize fundraising. But he came under fire for the way he handled sexual harassment cases involving faculty members. In one case, Sujit Choudhry, the former dean of the law school, received only a temporary pay cut and orders to undergo counseling as punishment following an investigation substantiated claims that he repeatedly kissed and touched a subordinate. The university also faced criticism for what some saw as its lax discipline in three other sexual harassment cases involving the campus' vice chancellor for research, a prominent astronomer and the dean of the law school. All three men initially were allowed to keep their jobs but ended up resigning under pressure. In March, Dirks rolled out a plan to address sexual harassment and sexual violence on campus that includes a review board to ensure those who violate the school's sexual harassment policy are dealt with in a firm manner and more resources and staff for the campus office that deals with sexual harassment victims. He announced his plan three days after a UC Berkeley assistant men's basketball coach who was found to have violated the school's sexual harassment policy was swiftly fired. Yann Hufnagel a hired a lawyer to fight the university's decision to terminate his employment. Dirks' resignation comes a week after the embattled chancellor of the University of California, Davis, resigned following an investigation launched about her role in the hiring of image consultants to counter bad publicity from a pepper-spraying debacle on campus in 2011. Australia returns 6 rejected asylum seekers to Sri Lanka CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Six asylum seekers who attempted to reach Australia by boat have been sent back to Sri Lanka in a demonstration that tough border enforcement measures had not softened since recent Australian elections, a Cabinet minister said Wednesday. A tip from the Sri Lankan government alerted Australian authorities that the boat was on its way, Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said in a statement. The six were returned to Sri Lanka on Tuesday, he said. "This return shows that there has not been, and will not be, any change to Australia's robust border protection policies," Dutton said. The government releases few details about such interceptions at sea, which have prevented any asylum seeker from reaching Australia by boat for two years. News Corp., citing an anonymous government source, reported the Sri Lankans were all men and had been stranded at sea with a faulty engine for at least two weeks when they were spotted by an Australian surveillance plane in international waters. The men were assessed as not being genuine refugees and were returned to Sri Lanka by plane, News Corp. reported. It is not clear from where that plane took off. The government refuses to allow refugees from Asia, the Middle East and Africa who come by boat, usually from Indonesian ports, to settle in Australia. The boats are often turned back or sunk, with their passengers and crews sent to Indonesia in life boats supplied by Australia. Asylum seekers were an issue in the elections in July. The conservative government had warned that if the opposition Labor Party had won, they would have softened the border protection measures, which have been criticized by Indonesia and human rights groups. AP EXPLAINS: For 69 years, Kashmir is torn by deadly strife SRINAGAR, India (AP) When news spread in early July that Indian troops had killed a charismatic commander of Indian-controlled Kashmir's biggest rebel group, the public response was spontaneous and immense. Tens of thousands of angry youths poured out of their homes in towns and villages across the Himalayan region, hurling rocks and bricks and clashing with Indian troops. A strict curfew and a series of communications blackouts since then have failed to stop the protesters, who are seeking an end to Indian rule in Kashmir, even as residents have struggled to cope with shortages of food, medicine and other necessities. The clashes, with protesters mostly throwing rocks and government forces responding with bullets and shotgun pellets, has left more than 60 civilians and two policemen dead. Thousands of civilians have been injured and hundreds of members of various government security forces. On Wednesday, two soldiers were killed when they were ambushed by suspected rebels near the town of Baramulla, army officials said. But Kashmir's fury at Indian rule is not new. The stunning mountain region has known little but conflict since 1947, when British rule of the subcontinent ended with the creation of India and Pakistan. FILE - In this July 30, 2016, file photo, masked Kashmir protesters throw bricks and rocks at Indian policemen during a protest in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir. Tens of thousands of angry youths poured out of their homes in towns and villages across the Himalayan region, hurling rocks and bricks and clashing with Indian troops, after Indian troops killed a charismatic commander of Kashmir's biggest rebel group. A strict curfew and a series of communications blackouts since then have failed to stop the protesters, who are seeking an end to Indian rule in Kashmir. (AP Photo/Dar Yasin, File) ___ THE HISTORY In 1947, the kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir was asked to join with either India or Pakistan. But Maharaja Hari Singh, the unpopular Hindu ruler of the Muslim-majority region, wanted to stay independent. However, local armed uprisings that flared in various parts of Kashmir, along with a raid by tribesmen from northwestern Pakistan, forced Singh to seek help from India, which offered military assistance on condition that the kingdom link itself to India. The ruler accepted, but insisted that Kashmir remain a largely autonomous state within the Indian union, with India managing its foreign affairs, defense and telecommunications. The Indian military entered the region soon after, with the tribal raid spiraling into the first of two wars between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. The first war ended in 1948 with a U.N.-brokered cease-fire. Nonetheless, Kashmir was divided between the two young nations by the heavily militarized Line of Control, with the promise of a U.N.-sponsored referendum in the future. In Indian-controlled Kashmir, many saw the transition as the mere transfer of power from their Hindu king to Hindu-majority India. Kashmiri discontent against India started taking root as successive Indian governments breached the pact of Kashmir's autonomy. Local governments were toppled one after another, and largely peaceful movements against Indian control were suppressed harshly. Pakistan regularly raised the Kashmir dispute in international forums, including in the U.N. Meanwhile, India began calling the region an integral part of the nation, insisting that Kashmir's lawmakers had ratified the accession to New Delhi. As the deadlock persisted, India and Pakistan went to war again in 1965, with little changing on the ground. Several rounds of talks followed, but the impasse continued. In the mid-1980s, dissident political groups in Indian-held Kashmir united to contest elections for the state assembly. The Muslim United Front quickly emerged as a formidable force against Kashmir's pro-India political elite. However, the United Front lost the 1987 election, which was widely believed to have been heavily rigged. A strong public backlash followed. Some young United Front activists crossed over to Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, where the Pakistani military began arming and training Kashmiri nationalists. By 1989, Kashmir was in the throes of a full-blown rebellion. India poured more troops into the already heavily militarized region. In response, thousands of Kashmiris streamed back from the Pakistani-controlled portion with weapons, staging bloody attacks on Indian security forces and pro-India Kashmiri politicians. Indian soldiers, empowered with emergency laws giving them legal impunity, carried out a brutal military crackdown, leaving Kashmiris exhausted and traumatized. More than 68,000 people have been killed since then. Kashmir rebels suffered a major setback after 9/11, when the U.S. pressured Pakistan to rein in the militants. Indian troops largely crushed the militancy after that, though popular demands for "azadi," - freedom - remain ingrained in the Kashmiri psyche. In the last decade, the region has made a transition from armed rebellion to unarmed uprisings, with tens of thousands of civilians repeatedly taking to the streets to protest Indian rule, often leading to clashes between rock-throwing residents and Indian troops. The protests are usually quelled by force, often resulting in deaths. ___ RECENT DEVELOPMENTS In 2008, a government decision later revoked to transfer land to a Hindu shrine in Kashmir set off a summer of protests. The following year, the alleged rape and murder of two young women by government forces set off fresh violence. In 2010, the trigger for protests was a police investigation into allegations that soldiers had shot three civilians dead, and then staged a fake gun battle to make it appear that the dead were militants in order to claim rewards for the killings. Over those three years hundreds of thousands of young men and women took to the streets, hurling rocks and insults at Indian forces. At least 200 people were killed and hundreds wounded as troops fired into the crowds, inciting further protests. The crackdowns appear to be pushing many educated young Kashmiris, who grew up politically radicalized amid decades of brutal conflict, toward armed rebel groups. Young Kashmiri boys began snatching weapons from Indian forces and training themselves deep inside Kashmir's forests. Despite that, the number of militants has apparently remained tiny, with security experts estimating there has not been more than 200 for the last several years. ___ ANTI-INDIA GROUPS The All Parties Hurriyat Conference is a conglomerate of social, religious and political groups formed in 1993. It advocates the U.N.-sponsored right to self-determination for Kashmir or three-way talks that include India, Pakistan and Kashmiri leadership to resolve the dispute. The Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front was one of the first armed rebel groups. It favors an independent, united Kashmir. Currently led by Mohammed Yasin Malik, the group gave up armed rebellion in 1994, soon after Indian authorities released Malik from jail after four years. Hizbul Mujahideen is Kashmir's largest and only surviving indigenous armed rebel group. Formed in 1990, the group demands Kashmir's merger with Pakistan. Its supreme commander, Syed Salahuddin, is based in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The group was led in Indian Kashmir by Burhan Wani until his death on July 8, which sparked the current clashes. Lashkar-e-Taiba is a Pakistan-based group fighting for the merger of Indian-controlled Kashmir with Pakistan. The United States lists it as a terrorist group. Its leader, Hafiz Saeed, is on a U.S. terrorist list, with a $10 million bounty on his head. He's also one of India's most wanted men. New Delhi blames the group for several deadly attacks in Kashmir and Indian cities, including the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people. ___ PRO-INDIA GROUPS The Jammu Kashmir National Conference is a pro-India political group that has ruled Kashmir for much of the time since 1947. Its most recent leaders, Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah, the current opposition leader in the state assembly, are seen as the strongest proponents of India in Kashmir. The Jammu Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party emerged in the early 2000s as the strongest opponent to the National Conference, strategically using pro-separatist views for electoral gains. It came to power in 2002. It currently rules Indian-controlled Kashmir in coalition with India's ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. ___ Follow Aijaz Hussain at www.twitter.com/hussain_aijaz FILE - In this Aug. 10, 2016, file photo, masked Kashmiri protesters throw stones at police in Srinagar, Indian-controlled Kashmir. Tens of thousands of angry youths poured out of their homes in towns and villages across the Himalayan region, hurling rocks and bricks and clashing with Indian troops, after Indian troops killed a charismatic commander of Kashmir's biggest rebel group in early July 2016. A strict curfew and a series of communications blackouts since then have failed to stop the protesters, who are seeking an end to Indian rule in Kashmir. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan, File) Lawyers: Salvadoran military officers won't be extradited SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) Lawyers and relatives of four Salvadoran military officers sought by Spanish courts for trial on their alleged role in the killing of six Jesuit priests say El Salvador's Supreme Court has rejected the foreign court's petition. Defense attorney Lisandro Quintanilla said Tuesday in a local radio interview that the Supreme Court decided in favor of his clients. The Spanish court seeks the extradition of 17 ex-military officers, but the Supreme Court's decision applies only to four who are in custody. They were accused of involvement in the 1989 killing of six priests, five of whom were Spanish, and two of their employees. The killings occurred during El Salvador's civil war. Casino mogul Wynn readies lavish new Macau resort MACAU (AP) From a pair of giant golden dragons encircling a vast man-made lagoon to phoenix and cloud motifs inside, Steve Wynn's Macau resort brims with auspicious Chinese symbolism. The U.S. casino mogul will need luck on his side as launches his $4.2 billion Wynn Palace project in the gambling hub on China's southern coast, where growth is downshifting after years of turbocharged expansion. Macau, a former Portuguese colony near Hong Kong, is the world's biggest casino market, with revenues four times those of the Las Vegas Strip. But China's slowing economy and President Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption are crimping the lavish spending by Chinese high-rollers that powered Macau's boom years, putting casino operators under pressure. Monthly casino revenues have declined for 26 straight months and the market has shrunk by a third to $28 billion. Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace speaks during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) In an interview Tuesday ahead of the Wynn Palace's opening next Monday, Wynn acknowledged that Macau's glory years are over, but he was still optimistic. "What took place here in previous years was an anomaly," Wynn said. "The amount of revenue, the rate of growth was unprecedented and historic and in many cases not just extraordinary but outrageous." Growth now is "representing more normal patterns of human behavior, and that applies as well financially." Current opportunities are "wonderful," he said. China's Communist Party leaders want Macau to give up its reliance on so-called VIP gamblers, who often have been government officials. Instead they want more "non-gaming" attractions to lure middle-class families and help turn the city of 567,000 into a prominent Asian tourism destination with a more sustainable growth model. Signaling their resolve to rein in gambling growth, Macau's regulators last week granted Wynn 150 new gambling tables, far fewer than the 400 the company had applied for and less than the 250 given to other recently launched casino projects. In a break with the past, none of the new tables are earmarked by the company for VIP gamblers. Wynn said he was satisfied with that number. "It's better to have fewer tables that are fully busy than a lot of tables that are just sitting there for a few shifts and aren't used," he said. Starting in 2013, Macau regulators capped the number of new tables granted to the city's six casino operators, to limit growth to 3 percent a year. The new casino, six years in the making, is Wynn Resorts Ltd.'s second in Macau, the only place in mainland China where casino gambling is permitted. Reporters got a sneak preview ahead of its opening, as workers scrambled to put finishing touches on the resort's landscaping, outdoor lighting and shops. The lavish decor and extravagant features Wynn is known for abound at the new resort. The 1,700 guest rooms overflow with gold trim. Cabinet handles are in the shape of horizontal figure eights; the number is considered lucky in Chinese culture. Some rooms have gold-plated, hand-etched crystal glass sinks. In one hallway sits Tulips, a $33.7 million, 3 ton stainless steel sculpture by artist Jeff Koons. Visitors can take a 10-minute ride around the lagoon in a gondola-car whose cables are supported by the giant golden dragons, and watch a show of more than 1,000 fountain jets and 2,000 LED lights choreographed to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Chinese pop songs and other tunes. Wynn said that while China's slowdown to its slowest growth in a quarter century last year could hurt customer spending, he was too busy to pay much attention to goings on in Beijing. "The policies of the central government are only tangentially important to us because we're in the middle of delivering a service," he said. "In the long run, the economy of China is going to affect all my customers and their ability to recreate, but on a day-to-day basis it's not part of our script, it's far away from us compared with the demands of the moment." ___ Follow Kelvin Chan: www.twitter.com/chanman http://bigstory.ap.org/content/kelvin-chan Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace smiles during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace speaks during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace speaks during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Review: 'War Dogs' tells a crazy story of young arms dealers "War Dogs " is too good of a true story not to get the Hollywood treatment, even if the end result doesn't entirely do justice to the moral ambiguities and larger geopolitical implications of one of the craziest hustles in modern American history. Essentially, in 2007, a couple of 20-something stoners from Miami Beach landed a nearly $300 million contract from the Department of Defense to supply ammunition to the Afghan military. And, unbeknownst to the U.S. government at the time, many of the supplies they were selling were over 40 years old, manufactured in China and basically unusable. It's an absolutely insane story of the ambition, delusion and megalomania of a few young strivers who managed to find a lucrative place in the international arms game. The events have been chronicled extensively in the press over the past eight years, including by journalist Guy Lawson, whose Rolling Stone article "The Stoner Arms Dealers" and book became the basis for the film. This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Miles Teller, left, and Jonah Hill in a scene from, "War Dogs." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) Director and co-writer Todd Phillips, best known for chest-thumping comedies like "The Hangover" trilogy, reaches beyond his comfort zone to tell this complicated and fraught tale. The film struggles to find the right tone, and instead of consistency goes for a more disjointed kitchen-sink approach that juggles satire, bro fantasy and high-stakes thriller with varying results. Miles Teller stars as David Packouz, a struggling massage therapist who takes up with Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill) in a moment of desperation. A much shadier figure but a childhood friend nonetheless, Efraim has the plan to game the government contracts system and make a few bucks from the war. David gets to play the family guy who just wants to provide for his beautiful partner Iz (a one-note Ana de Armas) and newborn daughter. The audience has to care about someone after all, and it was never going to be Efraim, a schemer who fetishizes "Scarface," money, women and guns, and who goes from general creep to all out sociopath as the film progresses. Hill makes him sleazy to the core, with a hyena-like laugh that will make your skin crawl (possibly out of embarrassment). As with so many of these fast-rise-and-faster-fall stories, at first David and Efraim are having a "Hangover"-style blast running from armed militia in Iraq to hand deliver Italian guns to an American outpost, and doing cocaine in the clubs with South Beach babes all around. The tone in this first part feels almost a little too light-hearted and gleeful for the subject matter. Are we supposed to think of these dudes as subversive heroes and delight alongside them in the money, the drugs and the adrenaline of engaging in something so risky? It's never quite clear. Things do get substantially darker (and more over the top) when the guys take on the $300 million contract that will eventually be their downfall. This is where the film, and Teller in particular, really come alive focusing more on the practicalities and headaches of the illegal business of repackaging the Chinese munitions. Bradley Cooper has a small role as a mob-like, blacklisted arms dealer in this section, too. "War Dogs" seems to want to be everything from "The Social Network" to "The Big Short" and while it flirts with moments of greatness, the script just can't compete with the brains of those other films. Or maybe that's because the audience is getting the story straight from David, whose real-life version has a cameo in the film and is far too valorized to be believable. In the end, this rendition of Efraim and David's wild story probably plays a lot like the movie version they would be likely to fantasize about. It's an entertaining lark when it could have been a shattering indictment of America, of these dudes and the military industrial complex. "War Dogs," a Warner Bros. release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for "language throughout, drug use and some sexual references." Running time: 114 minutes. Two 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 Warner Bros. Pictures shows Miles Teller, left, and Jonah Hill in a scene from, "War Dogs." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Miles Teller, left, and Jonah Hill in a scene from, "War Dogs." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Bradley Cooper in a scene from, "War Dogs." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Jonah Hill, from left, Miles Teller and Bradley Cooper in a scene from, "War Dogs." (Melinda Sue Gordon/Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Miles Teller in a scene from, "War Dogs." (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP) Romances by women authors in Nigeria challenge traditions KANO, Nigeria (AP) Nestled among vegetables, plastic kettles and hand-dyed fabric in market stalls are the signs of a feminist revolution: Piles of poorly printed books by women that advocate forcefully against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorce. They are part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, in northern Nigeria, where dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels. Hand-written in the Hausa language, the romances now run into thousands of titles. Many rail against a strict interpretation of Islam propagated in Nigeria by the extremist group Boko Haram, which on Sunday posted video showing dozens of the 218 girls militants abducted from a remote school in April 2014. "We write to educate people, to be popular, to touch others' lives, to touch on things that are happening in our society," says author Hadiza Nuhu Gudaji, whose views have gained a recognition unusual for women in her society. In this photo taken Tuesday April, 5. 2016 author Hadiza Nuhu Gudaji, reads through one of her novels in her bedroom in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels, many hand-written in the Hausa language, and the romances now run into thousands of titles. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) Gudaji's novellas are so popular that she is invited to give advice on radio talk shows. She describes how she was able to influence the future of a 15-year-old who called in, begging the novelist to persuade her father not to force her into marriage. "We said: 'The father of this girl, you are listening to us, you hear what your girl is saying," Gudaji recounts. "'If you force her, maybe the marriage will not end so well, maybe the girl will run away and come to a bad end.'" A few weeks later, the girl called to say thank you, and that she was back in school a striking example of the kind of power the author wields. The novellas are derogatorily called "littattafan soyayya, meaning "love literature," Kano market literature or, more kindly, modern Hausa literature. Daily readings on about 20 radio stations make them accessible to the illiterate. "It's a quiet revolution," says Ado Ahmed Gidan Dabino, a male novelist, essayist, actor and head of the Kano branch of the Nigerian Writers' Association. "Nothing hard-hitting, but small, small, and gradually challenging." They have become so popular that young girls call in to say they're learning to read because they want to follow more stories. That is no minor feat in a region that has more children out of school than almost anywhere on earth. In northeast Nigeria, the birthplace of Boko Haram, only one in five girls has had any formal education. Parents routinely pull 13- and 14-year-olds out of school to get married, and even the name Boko Haram means "Western education is sinful." Boko Haram denounces the Western influences that are inextricably entwined with the romance genre an argument Gudaji firmly rejects. Her 16-year-old son was blinded in one eye and took seven bullets during a 2014 Boko Haram attack on Kano's Grand Mosque. Boko Haram has also kidnapped girls from the Chibok school and married them off to militants. "What they are preaching and doing is not in the Quran, it's un-Islamic," she says, waving a hand with a flower painted into the palm in violet-colored henna. "They are not really against education their problem with the education of girls (masks) their own agenda." Although the romance industry caters largely to women, it's often men who profit. The best-known reader on the radio is a man, journalist Ahmad Isa Koko, who raises his voice an octave to imitate a woman's. Book hawker Adamu Said buys 70 novellas at the market one recent day, boasting that he can deliver them via motorbike to villages inaccessible by car. He purchases them for about 130 naira (65 cents) and sells them for 200, and has been doing so for 12 years. "I make a comfortable living," says the 30-year-old, who makes enough to support his wife and 6-year-old boy. The Maharazu Bookshop has piles of paperback novels reaching to the ceiling, some gathering dust on the floor. Two teenage girls look at posters of just-published books but are unable to read the titles. They say they just like the pictures. Owner Suleiman Maharazu is going through a list from a middle-aged woman reader who is too shy to be interviewed without the permission of her absent husband. They have titles that translate as "The Importance of Love," ''Big Tragedy," ''Your Face is Your Passion," ''The Beauty of a Woman is in Cooking," and "The Woman Who Lost Control." "I don't read them, I just sell them," says Maharazu. Only a couple of the Hausa novels have been translated into English. "Sin is a Puppy that Follows You Home" was translated by Indian publishers and subsequently made into a Bollywood movie. The book is available on amazon.com, which describes it as "an Islamic soap opera complete with polygamous households, virtuous women, scheming harlots, and black magic." Author Balaraba Ramat Yakubu, a veteran founder of the movement, was herself a child bride twice, after her first husband returned her to her family, and she only learned to read and write as an adult. Critics say the novellas give girls unrealistic expectations, inspire rebellion and are un-Islamic. The most famous disgraced book is "Matsayin Lover," about lesbian love at a girls' boarding school, dating back to 1998. Abdulla Uba Adamu says his own friends and fellow writers forced him to remove the book from the market, though he insists it reflects reality. The books may sound dramatic, but they often mirror life. In one recent Kano court case, a prosecutor sought the death sentence for a girl forced into marriage at 13 to a 38-year-old man whom she poisoned and killed. A human rights lawyer managed to get the girl freed, but her family rejected her because they had to return the bride price paid for her. Sometimes the reaction is violent. Last year, one young writer was badly beaten. Young men gang-raped another in her home after she published a book about women's rights in politics, according to Gidan Dabino. Some books are also banned or censored for steamy content. Gudaji says the Censorship Board has seized many books from the market. She hasn't had problems because she's careful. "If I want to write about a husband and wife, there is a limitation," she explains. "A kiss is allowed but nothing deeper, or I will be fighting with that Censorship Board." Gudaji has an iPad and smartphone, but says she writes best by hand, lying on her stomach on her bed. The completed story is taken to a business center, where a clerk types it up and puts it on a memory stick. With that, she's ready to go to a bookseller or publisher and bargain. Sometimes, a bookseller will buy a book and have it published himself. Often, however, the writers pay a printer and then take the books to a seller. The romances are cheaply printed with covers of photo-shopped stars from Nollywood, Nigeria's burgeoning film industry, or Bollywood, the Indian variety some writers are accused of plagiarizing. Many writers end up losing money. Gudaji's first novel challenged a tradition where poor rural parents will send a child to family members in the city, hoping the child will be educated. Often they are turned into domestic slaves instead, ill-treated and raped by men in the home. Her second novel addresses the scourge of divorce and how to deal with problematic husbands. In northern Nigeria, a man can divorce a woman simply by pronouncing three times, "I divorce you." When that happens, the former wife leaves alone and may not know what has happened to her children. Not all the romances challenge the status quo. They range from the universal Cinderella story of a poor girl marrying a prince to how to behave when your husband takes a second wife. And even for Gudaji, tradition still holds. Happily married, she still has to seek the permission of her husband to allow two male journalists into her home. She was not a child bride, she insists, though she is 38 and her oldest daughter, Khadija, is nearly 21. Khadija is studying physics at Kano's Northwestern University. Gudaji explains the role of a dutiful daughter when parents want to arrange an unwelcome marriage. "A girl may love a boy but if they don't suit, you have to stop her, and a girl has to obey her parents 100 percent," she says, looking at her daughter and brooking no argument. "She must obey your rules and regulations." In this photo taken Wednesday April, 6. 2016 , Muslim girls rehearse a Quran in a school in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Sunday April, 3. 2016, Suleiman Maharazu, centre, the owner of Maharazu Bookshop, sells books to young girls in his shop in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels, many hand-written in the Hausa language, and the romances now run into thousands of titles. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Tuesday April, 5. 2016, Khadija Gudaji, a Physics student of Northwest University listen to daily radio talk show on her mobile phone in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels, many hand-written in the Hausa language, and the romances now run into thousands of titles. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Sunday April, 3. 2016 Ado Ahmed Gidan Dabino, a novelist, essayist, actor and head of the Kano branch of Nigeria writers Association during an interview in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Tuesday April, 5. 2016 author Hadiza Nuhu Gudaji, left, during a radio talk show on her novels in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels, many hand-written in the Hausa language, and the romances now run into thousands of titles. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Sunday April, 3. 2016, young men sort out newly printed books in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels, many hand-written in the Hausa language, and the romances now run into thousands of titles. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Tuesday April, 5. 2016 author Hadiza Nuhu Gudaji, is reflected in a mirror as she reads through one of her novels in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) US education secretary touts school diversity efforts HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) A network of magnet schools in Connecticut can serve as a model for achieving the kind of diversity that is lacking in too many American schools, U.S. Education Secretary John B. King Jr. said Wednesday. King spoke at Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy, one of the schools that enroll students from Hartford and its suburbs under a court-ordered desegregation agreement, known as Sheff v. O'Neill. He said it is an example of a community standing up for diversity that produces better outcomes for all students. "We're not here to say that victory has been achieved but rather there are promising results from the efforts around diversity here," King told reporters. "We've got to build on that momentum." FILE - In this Feb. 25, 2016 file photo, now-Education Secretary John King Jr. is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. The importance and benefits of diversity is a theme Secretary John King Jr. has been discussing around the United States since he took office earlier this year. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) King has stressed the importance of diversity since taking office earlier this year, and a bill pending in Congress would provide $120 million to support local efforts such as creating public school choice zones, expanding bussing service and developing programs to attract students from outside local areas. U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, a Democrat who last month introduced the Stronger Together School Diversity Act of 2016, said at the discussion Wednesday that it would help districts do a better job serving disadvantaged students. A report released in May by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found deepening segregation of black and Hispanic students at high-poverty, K-12 public schools. These schools also had disproportionally higher rates of students who were held back in ninth grade, suspended or expelled. While Hartford's award-winning magnet schools have been widely celebrated for their success, many students in Connecticut's capital continue to attend neighborhood schools that are isolated racially and socioeconomically. The district's superintendent has described it as "a tale of two cities," with a divide between those whose number is called for enrollment at their preferred schools and the rest making do with limited options. Elizabeth Horton Sheff, a civil rights activist whose son was the lead plaintiff in the 1989 lawsuit challenging segregation in Hartford, said Wednesday there have been setbacks and acknowledged frustrations among parents whose children don't get into the schools they want. But she said it was no time stop seeking innovative solutions. 2 charged in death of New Jersey woman missing for months FREEHOLD, N.J. (AP) Authorities say a New Jersey woman who disappeared months after she survived a shooting has been found dead and two people have been charged. Monmouth County prosecutors say 33-year-old Jennifer Sweeney and 32-year-old Andre Harris were charged Tuesday with murder and other counts in the death of 41-year-old Tyrita Julius. Julius was last seen March 8 after having lunch with a friend. She had been shot several times while entering her car in Linden in November 2015. Prosecutors say Sweeney and Harris will face charges in that shooting also. Jennifer Sweeney, left, makes her first appearance in court Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, in Freehold, N.J. Authorities say a New Jersey woman who disappeared months after she survived a shooting has been found dead and two people have been charged. Monmouth County prosecutors say 33-year-old Sweeney and 32-year-old Andre Harris were charged Tuesday with murder, desecration of human remains and evidence tampering in the death of 41-year-old Tyrita Julius. (Thomas P. Costello /The Asbury Park Press via AP) Prosecutors say Julius' body was found in the backyard of Harris' Long Branch home. Bail was set Wednesday at $1.5 million for each defendant. Sweeney's attorney said she denies the charges. Harris' public defender only addressed the bail issue in court. Indonesian flees Filipino captors, found trapped in fishnet MANILA, Philippines (AP) An Indonesian sailor swam to freedom Wednesday almost two months after he was abducted from a tugboat in the southern Philippines by Abu Sayyaf militants who threatened to behead him, officials said. Mohammad Sayfan, 28, was rescued by residents on southern Jolo Island who found him floating and trapped in fishnets along shore in a mangrove area, said military spokesman Maj. Filemon Tan. Sayfan was one of seven crew members abducted from a tugboat near the Philippine border in June. Sixteen other foreign hostages, including nine Indonesians, are still held by the violent Muslim extremist group in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation. Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed in May to carry out coordinated patrols in a bid to thwart off kidnappings and piracy that have undermined commerce in the region. A total of 24 Indonesian have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf this year, highlighting weak security in the Celebes Sea that borders Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Ten of the hostages were freed after ransoms were reportedly paid. The Philippines says it has stepped up a military offensive against the militants, who earlier this year beheaded two Canadian hostages. Besides the Indonesians, five Malaysians, one Norwegian, a Dutchman, and at least five Filipinos are also being held by the militants. The daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney has swept to victory in a Primary race for the seat once held by her father. Liz Cheney, 50, beat out a packed field of Republican hopefuls to win the nomination for Wyoming's lone seat in the U.S house - putting her on track to win at November's election. Her victory on Tuesday in the Republican primary likely signals that she will win the seat in the upcoming election, with party registration favoring the GOP over Democrats better than three-to-one in Wyoming. Liz Cheney (pictured), the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, has swept to victory in a Primary race for the seat once held by her father No Democrat has held the seat since Dick Cheney's predecessor, Teno Roncalio, in the 1970s. In an interview with The Associated Press, Cheney said she couldn't be prouder of being Dick Cheney's daughter. 'Certainly we've been served well by many people in Washington, and it is very special to have been nominated to serve in the seat that my dad held,' she said. Her victory also marks a comeback from her first shot at Wyoming politics in 2014, when she brashly challenged Sen. Mike Enzi, the state's senior Republican. Many prominent Wyoming Republicans accused Liz Cheney two years ago of being a 'carpetbagger' and criticized her for challenging GOP incumbent Enzi when she had only recently moved to Wyoming from Virginia. She quickly dropped out of the race. Wyoming U.S. House Republican candidate Liz Cheney gets a hug from her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney at his home after she won the party's primary Cheney's (pictured) victory means she will win the seat in the upcoming election, with party registration favoring the GOP over Democrats better than three-to-one in Wyoming This time around, however, she and seven other Republicans were vying for an open House seat. Rep. Cynthia Lummis is not seeking re-election. A former Fox News commentator and State Department official, Liz Cheney drew on her national contacts in funding her primary victory. She brought in more than $1.5 million through July, banking almost 10 times more money than her next three opponents combined. While her opponents tried to hammer on her relatively short residency in the state, Liz Cheney herself focused her campaign largely on attacking President Barack Obama and his administration's energy policies which she considers federal overreach and national security policies. She has emphasized that it's critical to Wyoming, the nation's leading coal-producing state, that the EPA roll back regulations sharply limiting emissions from coal-fired power plants. Major coal companies have declared bankruptcy in recent months, and Wyoming has seen sharp layoffs among coal industry workers. 'We've got to be sure that we save the coal industry, it's a hugely important issue for Wyoming,' Cheney said. Ryan Greene (pictured) won the Democratic nomination for Wyoming's U.S. House seat and will face Cheney in the general election Dick Cheney and wife Lynne pose for a photo with their two children Liz (second from left) and Mary (right) at their home March 1978 in Casper, Wyoming Liz Cheney is seen with her father as he is sworn in as Vice President during an inauguration ceremony 'Wyoming's representative has got to be somebody who's prepared to lead that fight on a national basis, and I will do so absolutely, no matter who's in the White House.' Dick Cheney was elected five times to the U.S. House seat for Wyoming that his daughter is now seeking. But his legacy cuts both ways. Many Democrats have criticized Cheney's orchestration as vice president of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, calling it a disastrous foreign policy decision. Asked if her candidacy serves as a way to try to address criticism of her father's role in the Iraq invasion, Cheney said her campaign has been doing what's necessary to keep the U.S. safe. 'We're facing a huge number of challenges now, both in terms of the threats we face from Washington, as well as the threats to our security from radical Islamic terrorism, and those are the things I'm going to be focused on,' she said. Ryan Greene won the Democratic nomination for Wyoming's U.S. House seat and will face Cheney in the general election. Greene is a manager in his family's oilfield services company in Rock Springs. Greene said Tuesday night he is 'very excited about the way the results came in.' 'This just became Wyoming versus Washington. The Cheneys are Washington,' Greene said. Turkey to release 38,000 from jail; frees space for plotters ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey began releasing inmates on Wednesday in an apparent move to reduce its prison population to make space for thousands of people who have been arrested as part of an investigation into last month's failed coup. The discharges started just hours after the government issued a decree for the conditional release of some 38,000 prisoners under Turkey's three-month long state of emergency that was declared following the coup. The decree allows the release of inmates who have two years or less to serve of their prison terms and makes convicts who have served half of their prison term eligible for parole. People convicted of murder, domestic violence, sexual abuse, terrorism and other crimes against the state are excluded from the measures. Relatives and friends of prisoners wait outside a high security prison complex in Silivri, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Istanbul, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Turkey issued a decree Wednesday paving the way for the conditional release of some 38,000 prisoners, the justice minister said, an apparent move to reduce its prison population to make space for thousands of people who have been arrested as part of an investigation into last month's failed coup. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Also, they would not apply for crimes committed after July 1, excluding any people later convicted of involvement in the failed July 15 coup. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on his Twitter account the measure would lead to the release of some 38,000 people. He insisted it was not a pardon or an amnesty but a conditional release of prisoners. The government says the attempted coup, which led to at least 270 deaths, was carried out by followers of a movement led by U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who have infiltrated the military and other state institutions. Gulen has denied any prior knowledge or involvement in the coup but Turkey is demanding that the United States extradite him. The Turkish government declared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown on Gulen's supporters in the aftermath of the coup. Some 35,000 people have been detained for questioning and more than 17,000 of them have been formally arrested to face trial, including soldiers, police, judges and journalists. Tens of thousands more people with suspected links to Gulen have been suspended or dismissed from their jobs in the judiciary, media, education, health care, military and local government. In a separate decree, also issued Wednesday, the government dismissed 2,300 more officers from the police force, in addition to another 136 military officers and 196 employees from its information technology authority. Wednesday's decrees also allow the air force to hire new pilots or take back pilots who had resigned or were discharged before the coup to replace pilots who have been arrested or dismissed for alleged participation in the coup or links to Gulen. The government crackdown has raised concerns among European nations and human rights organizations, who have urged the Turkish government to show restraint. Soon after the decree was announced, families began arriving at prison gates to wait for loved ones who were set to be released. Among those released from Silivri prison, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Istanbul, was Emrah Pasa Alissoy, 27, who was sentenced to two years in prison for fraud and was set free four days earlier than scheduled. "We are very happy. We get back to our family. It was our families who were punished," Alissoy said. Turkey's 180,000-person prisons were already filled to capacity before the crackdown on Gulen's movement, with some rights groups claiming that inmates were forced to take turns to sleep on beds. Turkey has issued several prison amnesties over the past decades to ease conditions in its prisons, but the measures proved unpopular with the public. Bozdag insisted Wednesday that those being released would still be supervised. "I hope that the arrangement is beneficial to the prisoners, their loved ones, our people and our country," the minister wrote on Twitter. ___ Bram Janssen in Istanbul contributed to this report. The back of a truck carries a poster portrait of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and reading ''The leader of this century may you speak, the whole world listening to you,'' passes the highway toll station in Istanbul, on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Turkey issued a decree Wednesday for the conditional release of some 38,000 low level prisoners, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said Wednesday, in a move being seen as reducing its prison population to make space for thousands of people arrested following last month's failed coup. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Turkish gendarmes check a car before it enters a high security prison complex in Silivri, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Istanbul, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Turkey issued a decree Wednesday for the conditional release of some 38,000 low level prisoners, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said Wednesday, in a move being seen as reducing its prison population to make space for thousands of people arrested following last month's failed coup. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) A high security prison complex is seen behind the fences in Silivri, about 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Istanbul, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Turkey issued a decree Wednesday for the conditional release of some 38,000 low level prisoners, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said Wednesday, in a move being seen as reducing its prison population to make space for thousands of people arrested following last month's failed coup. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Advertisement The smell of muddy water hung heavy in the air as people began sorting through waterlogged belongings and ripping out carpets on Wednesday in flood-wracked southern Louisiana, which now faces a long-term challenge of how to house thousands of displaced people. Even as the water receded in some areas, it was rising in other communities downstream, sending people fleeing to shelters. Officials painted a stark picture of the crisis: an estimated 40,000 homes damaged and 11 people killed in some of the worst flooding in Louisiana history. More than 30,000 people have been rescued since Friday, and more than 110 state highways remained closed on Wednesday, along with even more local roadways. Scroll down for video Floodwater covers the site of the LSU Fire and Emergency Training Institute after heavy rains in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Tuesday. Officials have painted a stark picture of the crisis: an estimated 40,000 homes damaged and 11 people killed in some of the worst flooding in Louisiana history Cattle huddles together in the water, caused by flooding after the heavy rains in Ascension Parish, in St. Amant, south of Baton Rouge Residents gather house debris for the trash near Highway 16 in Denham Springs as people begin the recovery process from the severe weather flooding in Livingston Parish, east of Baton Rouge In this photo from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, severe storms that caused significant flooding is seen on Sunday in Port Vincent, Louisiana. Starting last week Louisiana was overwhelmed with flood water Amid scattered reports of looting, Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards said parishes with widespread damage were being placed under curfew as of Tuesday night. Residents and business owners in the town of Albany repeatedly noted that the area had never flooded before and flood insurance was not required. As the water receded, people donned surgical masks and began the back-breaking job of ripping out soggy carpet, drywall and insulation. They cleared out spiders and cockroaches that had bubbled up through the sewer grates. Some businesses already have placed huge garbage bins out front to hold ruined inventory and soggy debris. In residential areas a powerful stench wafts off huge piles of sodden garbage, soaked upholstery and carpets and discarded appliances. Chris Bankston was with workers mucking out his family-owned auto parts store Wednesday. He said his father opened the business nearly 70 years ago. Water had never gotten within 200 yards of his business until the weekend, he said. In this photo from the US Coast Guard, flooded areas of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, are seen from the air on Monday More than 30,000 people have been rescued following the unprecedented floods in Louisiana. Residents awoke on Tuesday to find their homes and businesses still surrounded by muddy water, without clear answers about when the epic flooding that has killed at least seven is expected to recede A growing pile of debris sits outside the flood-ravaged home of Carolyn and James Smith in Denham Springs on Wednesday. Smith said she and four other adults will live for the time being in the travel trailer that one of her sons towed to the driveway after weekend flooding inundated the area Terry Brewer, left, and Timothy Harris pile up debris outside a flooded auto parts store in Albany on Wednesday. The U.S. Small Business Administration plans to open several south Louisiana locations to help businesses damaged by record flooding Chickens are seen in a flooded coop in a neighborhood inundated with flood waters on Wednesday in Sorrento A woman stands on the steps of her Sorrento home surrounded by flood waters on Wednesday In the town of Sorrento, James Lane was getting to work cleaning his house something familiar to him from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. 'I can't even think about what to do, just got to go with it as it comes in,' Lane said. 'We actually lost everything in Katrina, came here 10 years later, lost everything again.' Officials have been going house to house to ensure everyone was accounted for. They also searched countless cars caught in the flooding. 'I don't know we have a good handle on the number of people who are missing,' the governor said. For the Baton Rouge area, it was a blow on top of what has already been a tough summer starting with the shooting death of 37-year-old Alton Sterling on July 5. The death of Sterling, a black man, at the hands of two white police officers incited widespread protests in which nearly 200 people were arrested. Then on July 17, a lone gunman shot and killed three law enforcement officers and wounded three others outside a Baton Rouge convenience store. The suspect, Gavin Long, an Army veteran from Kansas City, Missouri, was himself killed by police. Clint Guedry carries a container full of items he retrieved from his girlfriends flooded home on Wednesday in Sorrento A casket is seen floating among graves adorned with flowers in a flooded cemetery on Wednesday in Sorrento, Louisiana Caskets floatin flood waters near a cemetery on Wednesday in Gonzales, Louisiana. Boats sail on Highway 431, flooded after heavy rains in the Ascension Parish area, south of Baton Rouge on Tuesday Wade Gary exits his home after viewing the damage in his studio apartment from floodwater in Abbeville Glenda Hebert, center, hugs Debra Tuops after getting a ride in a boat to see her home in Abbeville on Tuesday Cattle are driven through a flooded road as they are herded to trucks to be brought to dry land on Tuesday in Sorrento All of the dead officers lived in the area of Denham Springs, a quiet bedroom community across the Amite River from Baton Rouge. Then the rains hit. About 68,000 people have signed up for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the number is expected to rise. Twenty parishes were included in the federal disaster declaration. And help was coming from quarters beyond the federal government. Performer Taylor Swift told The Associated Press she is donating $1 million to flood relief. 'The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking,' the 26-year-old said in a statement. Entertainer Lady Gaga also said she's donating an unspecified amount to flood relief efforts In Livingston Parish, one of the hardest-hit areas with about 138,000 people, an official estimated that 75 per cent of the homes were a total loss. Jasmine Fontenot, front, gets a boat ride to her home with the help of Darius Girouard, back, and Fabian LeBlanc after her family was evacuated do to high water from recent rain Cattle are taken by boat through a flooded street to dry land on Tuesday in Sorrento, Louisiana A man navigates a boat of rescued goats past a partially submerged car after flooding on Tuesday in Gonzales, Louisiana Mehmoud Elodeh walks over damaged merchandise as he checks on a clothing and shoe store following the floods on Tuesday in Baton Rouge Residents survey the flood water on Old Jefferson Highway at Bayou Manchac in Prairieville on Tuesday A dog wanders through a flooded neighborhood following flooding in the southeastern US state Officials from Livingston Parish were in Baton Rouge on Tuesday to talk to federal officials about getting temporary housing for their first responders a sign of the housing crunch likely to come with so many people out of their homes for weeks and perhaps months. Rivers and creeks were still dangerously bloated south of Baton Rouge as water drained toward the Gulf of Mexico. Nearly 800 evacuees waited on Tuesday in a makeshift Red Cross shelter in Gonzales at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center, a multipurpose facility that has hosted rodeos, car and truck shows and concerts. Floyd Melancon, 71, and his partner, Judy McGehee, 61, remained in the dark about how much water if any their Prairieville home received. 'My neighbor sent me a picture. Water was in the yard. I don't know where it's at right now,' Melancon said. 'Judy and I think it's come up since then.' In the house for 14 years, the couple lacks flood insurance to cover repairs. 'We weren't in a flood zone. It had never flooded before,' McGehee said. A flood damaged tomb is covered for repair at the cemetery of Greater St. Mark Baptist Church in Walker A coffin outside a flood damaged tomb is covered to be resealed at the cemetery of Greater St. Mark Baptist Church in Walker Raymond Lieteau cleans his Baton Rouge home damaged in the floods. Lieteau had more than five feet of water in his home Daniella Letelier puts wet family photos out to dry as she cleans her Baton Rouge home damaged in the flood Family photos of the Lieteau family dry in the sun as family friend Danny Lemoine, 48, moves a cart with a trash can With flood insurance, homeowners are prone to draining savings accounts and relying on federal disaster programs to rebuild and repair. Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon said in hard-hit Baton Rouge only 12 per cent of residences are covered by flood insurance, and 14 per cent in Lafayette what he called 'shocking.' The governor said he is worried about 'battle fatigue' setting in as rescuers and residents deal with day upon day of stress. The trauma was evident among people who went back to their homes. David Key used a small boat to get to his house in Prairieville and said it had taken on five inches of 'muddy, nasty bayou water.' There were fish and thousands of spiders, and mold had started to grow. Image of Asia: Thais mark anniversary of deadly shrine bomb In this photo by Sakchai Lalit, a staffer at the Erawan Shrine in central Bangkok organizes garlands laid by visitors at Phra Phrom, the Thai version of the Hindu god Brahma. Wednesday marked the anniversary of the bombing of the shrine that killed 20 people and wounded 120. The explosion occurred at evening rush hour as Thais and foreigners, most of them Chinese tourists, were gathered around the shrine, a Bangkok landmark at a busy intersection. Authorities have arrested two Chinese Uighurs, apparently part of a group seeking to avenge Thailand's forced repatriation of Uighurs, an ethnic Muslim minority, to China. The men have pleaded innocent. Wildfire burns with ferocity never seen by fire crews SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. (AP) A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyons, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. By Wednesday, a day after it ignited in brush left bone dry by years of drought, the blaze had raged across 40 square miles, though by the end of the day the first foothold was gained and more than 1,500 firefighters had the blaze 4 percent contained. Authorities could not immediately say how many homes had been destroyed, but they warned that the number will be large. A San Bernardino County Sheriff Department helicopter does a water drop on a RV and truck on fire during a wildfire in Devore, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyons, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. Authorities could not immediately say how many homes had been destroyed, but they warned that the number will be large. (David Pardo/The Daily Press via AP) "There will be a lot of families that come home to nothing," San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig said after flying over a fire scene he described as "devastating." "It hit hard. It hit fast. It hit with an intensity that we hadn't seen before," he said. No deaths were reported, but cadaver dogs were searching the ruins for anyone who was overrun by the flames. The cause of the fire wasn't immediately known. Five years of drought have turned the state's wildlands into a tinder box, with eight fires currently burning from Shasta County in the far north to Camp Pendleton just north of San Diego. "In my 40 years of fighting fire, I've never seen fire behavior so extreme," Incident Commander Mike Wakoski said a day after the latest blaze broke out Tuesday in Cajon Pass, a critical highway and rail corridor through mountain ranges that separate Southern California's major population centers from the Mojave Desert and Las Vegas. Residents like Vi Delgado and her daughter April Christy, who had been through a major brushfire years before, said they had never seen anything like it either. "No joke, we were literally being chased by the fire," a tearful April Christy said in a voice choked with emotion as she and her mother sat in their minivan in an evacuation center parking lot in Fontana. They did not go inside because their dogs, three Chihuahuas and a mixed-breed mutt, were not allowed. "You've got flames on the side of you. You've got flames behind you," Christy said, describing a harrowing race down a mountain road. She was led by a sheriff's patrol car in front while a California Highway Patrol vehicle trailed behind and a truck filled with firefighters battled flames alongside her. She and her mother, onsite caretakers at the Angels and Paws animal rescue shelter in Devore Heights, said it was only moments after they smelled smoke that flames exploded all around them. They grabbed their pets and tried to rescue nine other shelter dogs and three cats, but a sheriff's deputy told them there was no time. "You won't make it. Save yourself. Take your truck and leave," Delgado said the deputy shouted at her, adding that he and others would try to rescue the animals. She learned later that authorities did save the animals, but officials could not tell her if her home survived. More than 34,000 homes and about 82,000 people were under evacuation warnings as firefighters concentrated their efforts on saving homes in the mountain communities of Lytle Creek, Wrightwood and Phelan. They implored residents not to think twice if told to leave, but it appears many were staying. "From reports that we were hearing, possibly up to half didn't leave," said Lyn Sieliet, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman. "It does change the way that we can fight fire," she added, "Now we have to worry about the people in there as well as trying to protect the structures and trying to build a line of defense as the fire comes toward that area." Six firefighters were briefly trapped by flames during the fire's early hours, when occupants of a home refused to leave and the crew stayed to protect them. Hundreds of cars packed with belongings and animals left the town. The air for miles around the blaze was filled with smoke. Although there was no official count on how many homes were lost, Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department said Tuesday that he had seen at least a dozen buildings go up in flames, some of them homes. Among them was the Summit Inn, a historic Route 66 diner near Interstate 15. Countless big rigs were parked along both sides of the highway on Wednesday, waiting for it to reopen. Less than 24 hours after the blaze began 60 miles east of Los Angeles, authorities had assembled a fleet of 10 air tankers, 15 helicopters and an army of 1,500 firefighters, many of them just off the lines of a wildfire that burned for 10 days just to the east. At a dawn briefing, half the firefighters raised their hands when asked how many had just come from one of the other infernos burning across California. In all, 10,000 firefighters are fighting the eight ongoing blazes. One major fire, north of San Francisco, was fading, and about 4,000 people in the town of Clearlake were allowed to return home as the 6-square-mile blaze was 50 percent contained. Their relief was tempered by anger at a 40-year-old man authorities believe set the blaze that wiped out several blocks of the small town of Lower Lake over the weekend. That fire destroyed 268 structures, including 175 homes and eight businesses, in the working-class community. Damin Pashilk is charged with 14 counts of arson in connection with 12 separate fires dating back to July 2015 and one count of attempted arson. He appeared in court on Wednesday, but he did not enter a plea. ___ Associated Press writers John Antczak, John Rogers, Robert Jablon and Andrew Dalton in Los Angeles, Sudhin Thanawala in Lakeport, Kristin J. Bender in San Francisco and Don Thompson in Sacramento contributed to this report. ___ This story has been corrected to say Pashilk has been charged in connection with 12 fires and one attempted fire, not 13 fires. It also corrects the quote from Incident Commander Mike Wakoski. A CalFire captain directs his team to safety while protecting a home from the Bluecut Fire Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 in Cajon Pass, Calif. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides Wednesday, instantly incinerating homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP) A helicopter drops fire retardant and water over a wildfire in the Cajon Pass near San Bernardino, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) A San Bernardino County Fire captain looks for a better place for his crew while fighting the Bluecut Fire, Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 in Cajon Pass, Calif. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides Wednesday, instantly incinerating homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP) A firefighting helicopter makes a drop on the Bluecut Fire, Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 in Cajon Pass, Calif. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides Wednesday, instantly incinerating homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP) A member of a CalFire hand crew lights a back fire while fighting the Bluecut Fire, Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 in Cajon Pass, Calif. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides Wednesday, instantly incinerating homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP) San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig speaks at the incident command post at Glen Helen Regional Park Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016 in San Bernardino, Calif. California's newest huge wildfire advanced on thousands of homes Wednesday, feeding on drought-stricken vegetation and destroying an untold number of structures as it expanded to nearly 47 square miles. (David Pardo/The Daily Press via AP) Summit Inn general manager Michelle Keeney sorts through the charred remains of cash and lottery tickets pulled from the restaurant's safe on Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 after the Blue Cut Fire destroyed the historic business on Tuesday in Hesperia, Calif. Californias newest huge wildfire advanced on thousands of homes Wednesday, feeding on drought-stricken vegetation and destroying an untold number of structures as it expanded to nearly 47 square miles. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP) Staff and regular customers of the Summit Inn attempt to retrieve valuables from the restaurant's safe on Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 after the Blue Cut Fire destroyed the historic business on Tuesday in Hesperia, Calif. Californias newest huge wildfire advanced on thousands of homes Wednesday, feeding on drought-stricken vegetation and destroying an untold number of structures as it expanded to nearly 47 square miles. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP) Jason Atkins, left, a friend of the Summit Inn's manager, and Choppo Rios, the cook of the restaurant attempt to retrieve valuables from from the restaurant's safe on Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 after the Blue Cut Fire destroyed the historic business on Tuesday in Hesperia, Calif. Californias newest huge wildfire advanced on thousands of homes Wednesday, feeding on drought-stricken vegetation and destroying an untold number of structures as it expanded to nearly 47 square miles. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP) A wildfire burns near residential structures in Devore, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyons, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. Authorities could not immediately say how many homes had been destroyed, but they warned that the number will be large. (David Pardo/The Daily Press via AP) A helicopter makes a drop over a wildfire in West Cajon Valley, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A day after the fire ignited in brush left tinder-dry by years of drought, the flames advanced despite the efforts of over 1,000 firefighters. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) An RV and a truck are engulfed in flames from a wildfire in Devore, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyons, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. Five years of drought have turned the state's wildlands into a tinder box, with eight fires currently burning from Shasta County in the far north to Camp Pendleton just north of San Diego. (David Pardo/The Daily Press via AP) Two women hug along Cajon Boulevard as a wildfire burns nearby in Devore, Calif., on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyons, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. Authorities could not immediately say how many homes had been destroyed, but they warned that the number will be large (David Pardo/The Daily Press via AP) Australia says Vietnam cancels commemoration of 1966 battle CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Australia was making top-level appeals to Vietnam on Wednesday to lift a sudden ban on veterans commemorating the 50th anniversary of Australia's most costly battle of the Vietnam War. More than 1,000 Australian veterans and their families have traveled to Vietnam to observe the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan on Thursday at a cross marking the site where 18 Australian soldiers and hundreds of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops died in a rubber plantation on Aug. 18, 1966. But after 18 months of negotiations between Vietnamese and Australian officials over the commemoration, which has drawn some Australian veterans back to the Communist country for the first time since the war, Vietnam told Australia late Tuesday the event was canceled, Veterans' Affairs Minister Dan Tehan said Wednesday. Australian singer Patricia Amphlett, better known as Little Pattie, third from left, poses for photos with fans after she was not allowed to perform by local authorities in Vung Tau, Vietnam, on Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016. Australia was making top-level appeals to Vietnam on Wednesday to lift a sudden ban on veterans commemorating the 50th anniversary of Australia's most costly battle of the Vietnam War. (AP Photo) Tehan said Australian and Vietnamese foreign ministers would discuss the decision and Australia's prime minister had requested a telephone conversation with his Vietnamese counterpart to ask that the ceremony be allowed. "Our heartfelt sympathies go out to the over 1,000 veterans who have traveled to Vietnam to mark this commemoration with respect and with dignity," Tehan told reporters. "For us, to be given such short notice of the cancellation is to put it in very frank terms a kick in the guts," he added. The Long Tan anniversary is Australia's official Vietnam Veterans Day and has been commemorated by Australians at the battle scene since 1989. In the fighting, a company of 105 Australian soldiers plus three New Zealanders supported by artillery survived a rain-drenched, three-hour battle by driving off wave after wave of attacks by more than 2,000 enemy troops. Ken Foster, president of the Vietnam Veterans' Association of Australia, said former soldiers would be "shattered" by the cancellation. "I do have concerns for the mental welfare of not only those Vietnam veterans in Vietnam, but also those here in Australia," Foster said. Tehan said the veto reflected "deep sensitivities" within Vietnamese and was not a response to problems in the bilateral relationship. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said that despite the ban, an official party including the Australian and New Zealand ambassadors would lay a wreath Thursday and small groups would have access to the site during the day. In Vietnam's southern seaside town of Vung Tau, where Australian veterans gathered for events including a Wednesday night banquet, Ernie Gimm was perplexed at the news. He had planned to go to the service at Long Tan, where he served for 13 months as an air controller in 1966 and 1967. "I understand that there had been rumors circulating to indicate there is an Australian victory celebration in Vietnam, which is wrong, totally wrong. It's a get-together of the Vietnamese and the Australians after 50 years and that is very important," said Gimm, who lives in Queensland. Ken Dann, who served as an army engineer in Vietnam for a year in 1967, said the get-together was an occasion to ponder the lessons of the past. "There's no point in being disappointed," he said. "It's not a celebration really. We just want to think about what did happen to both sides in the war." The planned banquet was held, but Vietnamese authorities axed an entertainment program. Australian singer Patricia Amphlett, better known as Little Pattie, said she was "very sad" when her performance was canceled at the last minute. The battle of Long Tan occurred just two days after Amphlett, then 17, performed for troops at Nui Dat, one of Australia's two bases during the war. "There should not be any indication of a celebration," explained a Vietnamese diplomatic official who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media. Australian deployed more than 60,000 military personnel to Vietnam between 1962 and 1973, of whom 521 were killed. Australian veteran Jeffrey Morris shows a photo of himself taken when he served in Long Tan during the Vietnam war in Vung Tau city, Vietnam on Wednesday, 17 August 2016. Australia is making top-level appeals to Vietnam on Wednesday to lift a sudden ban on veterans commemorating the 50th anniversary of Australia's most costly battle of the Vietnam War.(AP Photo/Hau Dinh) Australians attend a concert-banquet, which singer Little Pattie's and other performances were not allowed by local authorities, in Vung Tau, Vietnam on Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016. Australia was making top-level appeals to Vietnam on Wednesday to lift a sudden ban on veterans commemorating the 50th anniversary of Australia's most costly battle of the Vietnam War. (AP Photo) Australian singer Patricia Amphlett, better known as Little Pattie, left, poses for photos with fans after she was not allowed to perform by local authorities in Vung Tau, Vietnam, on Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016. Australia was making top-level appeals to Vietnam on Wednesday to lift a sudden ban on veterans commemorating the 50th anniversary of Australia's most costly battle of the Vietnam War. (AP Photo) Casino mogul Wynn to launch lavish new $4.2B Macau resort MACAU (AP) From a pair of giant golden dragons encircling a vast man-made lagoon to phoenix and cloud motifs inside, Steve Wynn's Macau resort brims with auspicious Chinese symbolism. The U.S. casino mogul will need luck on his side as he launches his $4.2 billion Wynn Palace project in the gambling hub on China's southern coast, where growth is downshifting after years of turbocharged expansion. Macau, a former Portuguese colony near Hong Kong, is the world's biggest casino market, with revenues four times those of the Las Vegas Strip. But China's slowing economy and President Xi Jinping's crackdown on corruption are crimping the lavish spending by Chinese high-rollers that powered Macau's boom years, putting casino operators under pressure. Monthly casino revenues have declined for 26 straight months and the market has shrunk by a third to $29 billion. Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace speaks during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) In an interview Tuesday ahead of the Wynn Palace's opening next Monday, Wynn acknowledged that Macau's glory years are over, but he was still optimistic. "What took place here in previous years was an anomaly," said Wynn. "The amount of revenue, the rate of growth was unprecedented and historic and in many cases not just extraordinary but outrageous." Growth now is "representing more normal patterns of human behavior, and that applies as well financially." Current opportunities are "wonderful," said the 74-year-old CEO of Las Vegas-based Wynn Resorts Ltd. China's Communist Party leaders want Macau, the only place in China where casino gambling is permitted, to give up its reliance on so-called VIP gamblers, who often have been corrupt mainland Chinese government officials or executives at state-owned companies. Instead they want more "non-gaming" attractions to lure middle-class families and help turn the city of 567,000 into a prominent Asian tourism destination with a more sustainable growth model. Worried over capital flight, Beijing has been tightening scrutiny of VIPs suspected of using Macau as a money laundering hub to spirit money out of the mainland via casino junket operators shadowy middlemen who help skirt Chinese capital controls by lending money to gamblers. Signaling their resolve to rein in gambling growth, Macau's regulators last week granted Wynn 150 new gambling tables 100 now, the rest later over the next two years, less than the 250 given to other recently launched casino projects. Wynn said he was satisfied with that number. "It's better to have fewer tables that are fully busy than a lot of tables that are just sitting there for a few shifts and aren't used," he said. The new resort will have a total of 350 tables at its launch, including 250 existing ones shifted from Wynne's first Macau casino. Some 50-60 will be for high-spending VIP gamblers, the rest for mass market customers, Wynn said at a news conference Wednesday. He wouldn't specify whether the VIP tables would come from new or existing tables, saying "the tables all merge together." Starting in 2013, Macau regulators capped the number of new tables granted to the city's six casino operators, to limit growth to 3 percent a year. The new casino, six years in the making, comes a decade after Wynn opened his first resort in Macau. Reporters got a sneak preview ahead of its opening, as workers scrambled to put finishing touches on the resort's landscaping, outdoor lighting and shops. The lavish decor and extravagant features Wynn is known for abound. The 1,700 guest rooms overflow with gold trim. Cabinet handles are in the shape of horizontal figure eights; the number is considered lucky in Chinese culture. Some rooms have gold-plated, hand-etched crystal glass sinks and penthouse beds have 800-thread count Italian linen sheets. In one hallway sits Tulips, a $33.7 million, 3 ton stainless steel sculpture by artist Jeff Koons. Visitors can take a 10-minute ride around the lagoon in a gondola-car whose cables are supported by the giant golden dragons, and watch a show of more than 1,000 fountain jets and 2,000 LED lights choreographed to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Chinese pop songs and other tunes. Wynn said that while China's slowdown to its weakest growth in a quarter century last year could hurt customer spending, he was too busy to pay much attention to goings on in Beijing. "The policies of the central government are only tangentially important to us because we're in the middle of delivering a service," he said. "In the long run, the economy of China is going to affect all my customers and their ability to recreate, but on a day-to-day basis it's not part of our script, it's far away from us compared with the demands of the moment." ___ Follow Kelvin Chan: www.twitter.com/chanman http://bigstory.ap.org/content/kelvin-chan Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace smiles during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace, speaks during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace speaks during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Steve Wynn, CEO of Wynn Palace speaks during a press conference in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The U.S. casino mogul will be hoping luck is on his side as he prepares to launch his Wynn Palace project in the Asian gambling hub, where growth is downshifting into a new phase after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Wynn Palace is seen in Macau, China, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. From a pair of giant golden dragons encircling a vast man-made lagoon to phoenix and cloud motifs inside, Steve Wynn's Macau resort brims with auspicious Chinese symbolism. The U.S. casino mogul will need luck on his side as launches his $4.2 billion Wynn Palace project in the gambling hub on China's southern coast, where growth is downshifting after years of turbocharged expansion. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu) Former prosecutor faces sentencing in sex solicitation case NEW ORLEANS (AP) A former Louisiana prosecutor who was accused of soliciting sex from at least 20 women in exchange for favorable treatment faces his own sentencing Wednesday in federal court on an obstruction charge. Harry Morel, 73, was district attorney for 33 years in St. Charles Parish, about 20 miles west of New Orleans. Now he faces a maximum of three years in prison after pleading guilty to the single charge. The deal closed the case, reflecting the difficulty of balancing the scales of justice between a powerful defendant and vulnerable victims. In this undated family photo provided by Tammy Glover, Danelle Keim, who was a key witness in the case against former St. Charles Parish District Attorney Harry Morel before she died of a drug overdose in 2013, poses with her son Tyler. Former Louisiana prosecutor Harry Morel, 73, is accused of soliciting sex from at least 20 women in exchange for favorable treatment faces sentencing, Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016, on a single charge of obstruction of justice. Morel faces a maximum of three years in prison under his guilty plea. According to the FBI and the local sheriff, the 73-year-old prosecutor solicited sex from at least 20 women, including Danelle Keim, in exchange for favorable treatment. (Courtesy of Tammy Glover via AP) U.S. Attorney Kenneth Polite said that statutes of limitations on some alleged crimes, and the death of a key witness played into the eventual plea bargain. Defense attorney Ralph Capitelli has accused prosecutors of a smear campaign to influence sentencing. The FBI began investigating Morel in April 2010, after a woman facing a drunken driving charge accused Morel of sexually assaulting her at her home. Danelle Keim then began wearing a wire for the FBI. Authorities say one video shows Morel coming to Keim's house with two bottles of wine, discussing her case, and then starting to grope her. But Keim died of a drug overdose in 2013, less than 24 hours after The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that the FBI was investigating whether Morel had been trading leniency for sex with defendants or their relatives. Morel's guilty plea acknowledged his telling Keim to destroy photographic evidence of their meetings. In this Monday, Aug. 8, 2016 photo, Tammy Glover, whose daughter, Danelle Keim, was a key witness in the case against former St. Charles Parish District Attorney Harry Morel before she died of a drug overdose in 2013, pauses while speaking at her home in Destrahan, La. Former Louisiana prosecutor Harry Morel, 73, is accused of soliciting sex from at least 20 women in exchange for favorable treatment faces sentencing, Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016, on a single charge of obstruction of justice. Morel faces a maximum of three years in prison under his guilty plea. According to the FBI and the local sheriff, the 73-year-old prosecutor solicited sex from at least 20 women, including Danelle Keim, in exchange for favorable treatment. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) In this Monday, Aug. 8, 2016 photo, Tammy Glover, whose daughter, Danelle Keim, was a key witness in the case against former St. Charles Parish District Attorney Harry Morel before she died of a drug overdose in 2013, pauses while speaking at her home in Destrahan, La.. Former Louisiana prosecutor Harry Morel, 73, is accused of soliciting sex from at least 20 women in exchange for favorable treatment faces sentencing, Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016, on a single charge of obstruction of justice. Morel faces a maximum of three years in prison under his guilty plea. According to the FBI and the local sheriff, the 73-year-old prosecutor solicited sex from at least 20 women, including Danelle Keim, in exchange for favorable treatment. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Woman leads effort to donate 20,000 bras to homeless women SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) A Maryland woman has collected and delivered more than 20,000 new and gently used bras and 50,000 feminine hygiene products to shelters around the country. Dana Marlowe, a mother of two who works from her Silver Spring home, says she was motivated to donate her own bras following a 35-pound weight loss reduction. A year ago, Marlowe put out a call to family and friends on social media. The response was so great, she asked her husband to create a website for what she dubbed "Support the Girls." 'Support the Girls' founder Dana Marlowe talks to volunteers during the non-profit organization's official launch party on Thursday, July 21, 2016, at her home in Silver Spring, Md. The organization collects and donates bras and feminine hygiene products to women and girls around the country. Marlowe jokingly calls herself an 'accidental activist' and works on the 'Support the Girls' initiative in her off hours. (AP Photo/Vanessa A. Alvarez) Now the non-profit organization boasts chapters in several U.S. cities, Canada, Mexico and Australia, with donations from all over the world. Marlowe says new partnerships with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and corporations, will help bring steady donations for years. 'Support the Girls' founder Dana Marlowe cuts a cake in celebration of the organization's first anniversary on Thursday, July 21, 2016, in Silver Spring, Md. The organization collects and donates bras and feminine hygiene products to women and girls around the country. The group would shortly participate in yet another donation, dropping-off over 6,000 bras and 20,000 menstrual products to 10 different shelters in the area. (AP Photo/Vanessa A. Alvarez) Volunteers sort through bags filled with bras and feminine hygiene products outside of Dana Marlowe's home on Thursday, July 21, 2016 in Silver Spring, Md. Marlowe is the founder of 'Support the Girls,' a non-profit organization that donates bras and menstrual products to women and girls around the country. Once organized, this load of 6,000 bras and 20,000 products is donated to ten different shelters in the area in celebration of the organization's first anniversary. (AP Photo/Vanessa A. Alvarez) 'Support the Girls' founder Dana Marlowe smiles as she talks with Tony Washington, the assistant sirector of Martha's Table, as she gives him her business card during a donation drop-off on Thursday, July 21, 2016, in Washington. Marlowe and a team of eight donated 1,000 bras to the area shelter. Aside from a community pantry and subsidized childcare, Martha's Table operates a thrift shop where community members can purchase clothing and household items at minimal pricing. (AP Photo/Vanessa A. Alvarez) 'Support the Girls' non-profit volunteers look at the bags filled with bras and feminine hygiene products for donation outside the organization's founder's home on Thursday, July 21, 2016 in Silver Spring, Md. The group donated the over 6,000 bras and 20,000 feminine hygiene products in the bags to area shelters. (AP Photo/Vanessa A. Alvarez) Afghan family excited their son released from Guantanamo HAIDERKHAIL, Afghanistan (AP) An Afghan family in the eastern province of Khost says they're excited their son is among 15 prisoners released from Guantanamo Bay detention center and transferred to the United Arab Emirates this week. Obiadullah, who like many Afghans uses only one name, is now "free," after 14 years in the U.S. prison in Cuba and that they can hardly wait to hear from him, family members and relatives told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Fazel Karim, Obiadullah's brother, said the family was not able to travel to Guantanamo but is hoping to go to UAE and visit him. Karim said they first heard from Obiadullah a month ago and he told them he would be "released." In this Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016, photo, Fazel Karim, holds a picture of his brother, who was recently released from the Guantanamo Bay detention center, at his home in the village of Haiderkhil, Mandozai district of Khost province, Afghanistan. Obiadullah's family said they're excited their son is among 15 prisoners released from Guantanamo and transferred to the United Arab Emirates this week. They say Obiadullah is now "free" after 14 years in the U.S. prison in Cuba and that they can hardly wait to hear from him. (AP Photo/Nishanuddin Khan) "We couldn't travel to Cuba to visit Obiadullah in Guantanamo, but I am so much hopeful that I can see him face to face in the United Arab Emirates," said Karim. Obiadullah was 19 years old when he was arrested by U.S. forces, with a son who was only two days old. "Now, his son is 14 years old and he is a teenage boy," Karim added. The Pentagon announced on Monday that the detainees 12 Yemeni nationals and three Afghans were sent to the UAE. Guantanamo, where 61 detainees now, was opened in January 2002 to hold foreign fighters suspected of links to the Taliban or the al-Qaida terrorist organization. During the Bush administration, 532 prisoners were released from Guantanamo, often in large groups to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. The latest batch of released prisoners had been held without charge at Guantanamo, some for over 14 years. They were cleared for release by the Periodic Review Board, comprised of representatives from six U.S. government agencies. The UAE successfully resettled five detainees transferred there last year, according to the Pentagon. In July 2008, the seven-emirate nation also repatriated UAE citizen and Guantanamo prisoner Abdulah Alhamiri at the same time that Afghanistan and Qatar each accepted one prisoner a piece. Karim said that his brother's defense lawyer has told him that Obiadullah would be first transferred to a third country for six months to one year and that later, he would be completely free. However, that is unclear. It's not known what happened to prisoners the UAE previously took in, though it's widely believed they undergo some sort of government-monitored rehabilitation. Indonesia, Malaysia say missing tanker taken by own crew JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) A fuel tanker that disappeared from a Malaysian port was taken by its own crew in a dispute with their employer, Indonesian and Malaysian officials said Wednesday. Maritime authorities from both countries have been searching for the Indonesian-flagged MT Vier Harmoni after it dropped out of contact on Tuesday evening. There were suspicions the tanker had been hijacked. For years, gangs of armed thieves have targeted small tankers operating off Southeast Asian coasts, looking for marine diesel and oil to steal and then sell. And militants in the southern Philippines have staged ransom kidnappings in the regional waters in recent months. Indonesia's western naval command said in a statement that it has information the captain of the vessel twice informed his employer he was taking the ship back to the Indonesian island of Batam because of an "internal management problem." It said there was no indication of any violence and it is coordinating with Malaysia to locate the ship. Vier Abdul Jamal, chief executive of the ship's owner Vierlines Asia Group, said the tanker has 10 Indonesian crew and is currently chartered by another company for two years. The charterer lost contact with the Vier Harmoni on Tuesday evening and its tracking device has not been active since, Adbul Jamal said. He said it would be illegal for the captain to remove the ship without clearance, notwithstanding any dispute. The Malaysian maritime agency said the tanker was carrying 900,000 litres of diesel and left from a port in Malaysia's southern Johor state. Ahmad Puzi Kahar, the agency's chief, said it has concluded there was a dispute between the crew and the operator of the vessel. He said the agency has spoken to the captain of the vessel. The 53-meter (175 foot) Vier Harmoni was built in 2014. ___ Iran acknowledges Russia using its air base to strike Syria BEIRUT (AP) In a move that could reverberate across the Middle East, Iran confirmed Wednesday that Russia is using its territory to launch airstrikes in Syria even as a second wave of Moscow's bombers flew out of the Islamic Republic to hit targets in the war-ravaged country. The development represents a historical rapprochement with Russia that could rile U.S.-allied Gulf neighbors, strengthen Syrian President Bashar Assad and impact the war against the Islamic State group Russia first announced the strikes on Tuesday from near the Iranian city of Hamedan, 280 kilometers (175 miles) southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran. On Wednesday, Russia's Defense Ministry said another wave of warplanes had departed from Iran, striking targets in eastern Syria. In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, A Russian Tu-22M3 bomber stands on the tarmac at an air base near Hamedan, Iran. Russian warplanes took off on Tuesday Aug. 16, from Iran to target Islamic State fighters and other militants in Syria, widening Moscow's bombing campaign in Syria.(WarfareWW Photo via AP) Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, then gave the first government acknowledgement of the Russian operation. He said the Russians were using Iran's Shahid Nojeh air base some 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Hamedan, a secluded base where Russian warplanes were detected landing late last year. Boroujerdi said the Russian Tu-22M3 bombers landed inside Iran only to refuel under the permission of the country's Supreme National Security Council, a move that allowed them to carry a larger bomb load of more than 20 metric tons. "There is no stationing of Russian forces in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Boroujerdi added. In Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended the use of Iranian military bases for airstrikes in Syria, rejecting allegations that it could be a violation of U.N. resolutions prohibiting the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. "In the case we're discussing there has been no supply, sale or transfer of warplanes to Iran," Lavrov told a news conference. "The Russian air force uses these warplanes with Iran's approval in order to take part in the counter-terrorism operation" in Syria. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia was "exacerbating what is already a very dangerous situation ... by using Iranian air bases as a way to carry out more intensive bombing runs that continue to hit civilian populations." On Wednesday, presumed Russian or Syrian government airstrikes on the rebel-held city of Idlib in the northwest killed 17 people and wounded at least 30 others, the Civil Defense branch for the province reported. A video posted on the group's website showed rescue workers pulling bodies from wreckage along a heavily damaged street. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the strikes, saying dozens of civilians were killed and wounded. Also Wednesday, rebel rocket rounds killed 10 civilians and wounded nine in a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo, Syria's state-run SANA news agency said. For Iran, allowing Russia to launch strikes from inside the country is likely to prove unpopular. Many still remember how Russia, alongside Britain, invaded and occupied Iran during World War II to secure oil fields and Allied supply lines. But while Britain withdrew, Russia refused to leave, sparking the first international rebuke by the nascent U.N. Security Council in 1946. During the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, Iran allowed refugees into the country and backed mujahedeen rebel fighters as did the U.S. That history will likely make any long-term Russian use of Iranian military bases unpalatable to the Iranian public, said Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official who is now a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. He suggested Russia must have made Iran "an offer it could not refuse" perhaps involving military equipment like the Russian S-300 air defense missile systems that are being deployed in Iran. "It surprised me greatly," Rubin said. "The basing of foreign troops in Iran has always been a red line." Iran's constitution bars foreign militaries from having bases in the country, and Ali Larijani, the speaker of Iran's parliament, was quick Wednesday to say Russia does not have a permanent presence in the country, likely to try to assuage such domestic concerns. Hossein Kanani Moghadam, a former commander in Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, also echoed that point. "It doesn't mean that Nojeh is a Russian air base," he told The Associated Press. "Iran just let them land there and refuel their aircraft, and everything is under the control of Iranians there." The move also will not go unnoticed by Iran's Sunni-ruled neighbors, which fall in the U.S. sphere of influence in the Middle East and host American military personnel. Relations have been strained since the beginning of the year, following Saudi Arabia's execution of a Shiite cleric and the subsequent storming by Iranian protesters of the kingdom's diplomatic posts in Iran. Russia's move follows recent visits to Moscow by several Sunni Gulf leaders, who will likely pointedly question President Vladmir Putin's decision, said Theodore Karasik, a senior adviser for the Washington-based group Gulf State Analytics. "It is quite surprising for the (Gulf) states because here we have the Kremlin and the Iranian leadership agreeing on allowing Moscow to use Iran as a forward-operating base," Karasik said. "That has potential consequences down the road." Russia's decision to launch raids from Iran puts it firmly in the camp of Shiite forces in the Mideast, Rubin said, something Moscow may not realize carries long-term consequences. "The Middle East is a hornet's nest and it's not clear that Russia is going to be able to steer clear of some of the internal rivalries inside of the Middle East," he said. "Certainly, to get in this deep with Iran is going to reverberate." ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writers Bradley Klapper in Washington, Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow, and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report. In this frame grab provided by Russian Defence Ministry press service, Russian long range bomber Tu-22M3 flies during an air strike over Aleppo region of Syria on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. Russia's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday Russian warplanes have taken off from a base in Iran to target Islamic State fighters in Syria. (Russian Defence Ministry Press Service photo via AP) In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, A Russian Tu-22M3 bomber stands on the tarmac at an air base near Hamedan, Iran. Russian warplanes took off on Tuesday Aug. 16, from Iran to target Islamic State fighters and other militants in Syria, widening Moscow's bombing campaign in Syria. (WarfareWW Photo via AP) Russia-Iran cooperation in Syria sends message to US WASHINGTON (AP) Russia's use of an Iranian air base to bomb targets in Syria sends a message to Washington as it weighs a military partnership with Moscow: Join us or we'll look to your enemies. Tuesday's missions were unprecedented. Iran allowed Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to strike opposition targets in Syria. The move came with little notice to the United States, which has watched helplessly the escalating bloodshed near Aleppo, the country's biggest city, and even offered an alliance with Russia against Islamic State and other extremist fighters as a way to get Syria's government out of the fight. The negotiations have dragged on for weeks. Russia has grown impatient, with top officials several times suggesting an imminent deal, only to have American officials counter that the sides weren't close. The bombing runs from a base near the Iranian city of Hamedan, 175 miles southwest of Tehran, may have been a reminder to the Obama administration that Moscow could be cozying up to Iran if Washington doesn't come around. In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, A Russian Tu-22M3 bomber stands on the tarmac at an air base near Hamedan, Iran. Russian warplanes took off on Tuesday Aug. 16, from Iran to target Islamic State fighters and other militants in Syria, widening Moscow's bombing campaign in Syria.(WarfareWW Photo via AP) "The Russians are showing they have options in Syria while they have Washington over a barrel on Aleppo," said Andrew Tabler, a Syria expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He said the operations also cement Russia's alliance with Iran in the region. Russia and Iran have strongly backed Syrian President Bashar Assad's government throughout the five-and-a-half year civil war with rebel groups supported by the United States and allies such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia. But the West has been pinning its hopes on Moscow. When Russia intervened militarily in Syria last August, it claimed privately that its action would ultimately sideline Iran and its proxy Hezbollah force in Syria, making Assad more conciliatory in a peace process, according to U.S. and European diplomats. The argument was one of several by Russia that the U.S. and others have clung to as a potential pathway to peace, and which they hope to test when the U.N. sets up a new round of peace talks in coming weeks, even if they accuse Russia of failing countless previous challenges by persisting in bombing Assad's more moderate opponents. The latest Russian-Iranian coordination would suggest Tehran isn't being sidelined. It is virtually unheard of in recent Iranian history for a foreign power to use an Iranian base to stage attacks. And Russia had only used its own territory and assets inside Syria for such operations previously. If Russia is moving closer to the Assad-Iran-Hezbollah alliance, it could spell doom for Syria's besieged opposition. Secretary of State John Kerry called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Tuesday to discuss the operations. Underscoring the U.S. confusion, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that Washington was "still trying to assess what exactly they're doing." Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, said the Russians activated a communications link with coalition officials just ahead of the bomber mission. They "informed us they were coming through" airspace that could potentially put them in proximity to U.S. and coalition aircraft in Iraq or Syria, he said. Asked how much advance notice the Russians gave, Garver said: "We did know in time" to maintain safety of flight. The setup at the Iranian air base occurred very quickly, perhaps overnight, said U.S. officials, who weren't authorized to speak publicly on military matters and requested anonymity. One U.S. military official said the Russians flew four Tu-22 Backfire bombers to the Iranian air base, along with a Russian cargo plane loaded with the munitions for the bombers, just hours before the missions. Another official said that all the aircraft were back in Russia later Tuesday, suggesting that the action was a test or gesture, not the start of any permanent Russian presence in Iran. Flying missions out of Iran wouldn't appear to provide an advantage, though Russian officials said it enables heavier loads and lower costs. Russia maintains significant numbers of combat aircraft inside Syria, and it has flown long-range bomber missions from southern Russia. Syria's civil war has killed as many as a half-million people since 2011. Millions have fled as refugees, contributing to a global migration crisis. And the Islamic State has seized on the instability to become a worldwide terror threat. Syrian rebels and opposition activists reacted angrily to the news. The Russians "are taking advantage of the political vacuum that was left by America and Western countries that withdrew," said Paris-based Syrian opposition figure George Sabra. The deployment in Iran comes a day after Russia's defense minister said Washington and Moscow were near agreement on the proposed military partnership. U.S. officials said no agreement was close. The State Department's Toner said the Russian cooperation with Iran doesn't preclude the possibility of a U.S.-Russian partnership in Syria. But such an arrangement would become more difficult if it essentially meant a U.S.-Russia-Iran partnership. Toner also suggested Russia violated last year's U.N. security Council resolution enshrining the Iran nuclear deal. The resolution prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran unless approved in advance by the U.N. Security Council, something he said hadn't occurred. Russia said its planes targeted Islamic State militants and the al-Qaida-linked group formerly known as the Nusra Front in Aleppo, as well as in Deir el-Zour and Idlib, destroying five major ammunition depots, training camps and three command posts. The Russian planes flew over Iraq, apparently without the permission of Iraq's government, a U.S. official said. That by itself is hardly significant. Iran has flown supply and other missions over Iraq to Syria without permission. There is little Baghdad can do to stop those flights, and the U.S. has regularly turned its cheek. ___ Associated Press writers Zeina Karam and Bassem Mroue in Beirut, Nataliya Vasilyeva and Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow, Lolita C. Baldor and Robert Burns in Washington, Nasser Karimi in Tehran and Jon Gambrell in Dubai contributed to this report. The Latest: Airstrikes on rebel-held Syrian city kill 17 BEIRUT (AP) The Latest on the developments in the Syrian civil war, a day after Russia used a base in Iran to launch airstrikes in the Arab country (all times local): 9 p.m. A Syrian search-and-rescue group says 17 people have been killed in airstrikes on the rebel-held northwestern city of Idlib. In this photo taken on Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber stands on the tarmac while another plane lands at an air base near Hamedan, Iran. Russian warplanes took off on Tuesday Aug. 16, from Iran to target Islamic State fighters and other militants in Syria, widening Moscow's bombing campaign in Syria.(WarfareWW Photo via AP) The local branch of the volunteer Syrian Civil Defense group said the airstrikes on Wednesday wounded at least 30 others. The group, also known as the White Helmets, which operates in opposition-held areas, blamed the attack on government jets. A video report posted on the group's site showed rescue workers pulling bodies from wreckage along a heavily damaged street. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported the strikes, saying tens of civilians were killed and wounded. Monitoring groups say rebel-held territory in the country's northwest has come under increasing attack by Syrian and Russian jets in recent weeks. ___ 3:05 p.m. A prominent Iranian lawmaker has confirmed that Russia is using Iran's Shahid Nojeh Air Base for airstrikes in Syria. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the parliament's national security and foreign policy committee, said Wednesday that Russian fighter jets land in Shahid Nojeh Air Base only to refuel and this is under the permission of the country's Supreme National Security Council. Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that it launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria. Shahid Nojeh Air Base is some 50 kilometers (31 miles) north of Hamedan. The announcement from Russia marks the first significant stationing of its troops in Iran since World War II. ___ 2:10 p.m. Syrian activists say a field hospital in the Aleppo countryside was heavily damaged when it was hit by an airstrike Tuesday night. Osama Abu al-Ezz, a doctor in the city of Aleppo, says the hospital in the village of Daret Azzeh suffered a "direct hit." He says one person was wounded as fierce bombardment on the village forced staff and patients to evacuate the facility before the strike. Abu al-Ezz says staff feared the hospital would be targeted. It is located in an opposition-held part of contested Aleppo province. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group, confirms the strike. The advocacy group Human Rights Watch accused Russia and the Syrian government last week of attacking hospitals in opposition areas, which if deliberate can amount to a war crime ___ 1:10 p.m. The Russian foreign minister is rejecting allegations that Russia's use of Iranian military bases for airstrikes in Syria violates any UN sanctions on Iran. Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday rejected allegations by U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner, who the day before said Russia's operation out of Iran could violate the U.N. resolution that prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran unless approved by the Security Council. Lavrov says "there has been no supply, sale or transfer of combat jets to Iran" and insisted that the Russian Air Force's presence in Iran is only about using its facilities. The minister also called on the U.S. not to "nitpick about what is happening in terms of the remaining restrictions on trade and ties with Iran." ___ 12:20 p.m. The Russian Defense Ministry says its warplanes have launched a new wave of airstrikes on Islamic State fighters in Syria. The ministry says its jets took off earlier in the day on Wednesday from a base southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to strike targets in the east of Syria. It says they destroyed two command posts and two training camps. Iran on Tuesday allowed Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to bomb targets in Syria, for the first time since Russia launched its operation in the war-torn Arab nation last year. ___ 11:20 Syria's state-run news agency says seven civilians have been killed and nine wounded by rocket rounds fired by armed groups on a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo. SANA says the rockets struck the Salaheddine residential district in the northern city on Wednesday. The city has been divided into a rebel-held eastern part and a government-controlled western part since 2012, and is now the focal point of the civil war. On Tuesday, nearly 20 civilians were reported killed in airstrikes in eastern districts. __ This update has been corrected to say 20 civilians were reported killed on Tuesday, not Friday. ___ 11 a.m. The speaker of Iran's parliament is stressing that Russia does not have a permanent military base within the Islamic Republic, a day after Moscow announced launching airstrikes on Syria from Iran. The comments by Ali Larijani, reported on Wednesday by the state-run IRNA news agency, seem geared at easing domestic concerns over the strikes. Iran's constitution, ratified after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, bars foreign militaries from having bases within the country. Larijani did not directly discuss the strikes in his comments. Russia's Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that it launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria. The announcement from Russia marks the first significant stationing of its troops there since World War II. German who plotted to attack Americans gets early release BERLIN (AP) A lawyer says a German convert to Islam who was convicted over a thwarted plan to attack American soldiers and civilians in Germany has been granted early release from prison. Fritz Gelowicz was one of four men arrested in 2007 and convicted in 2010. A Duesseldorf court found that they operated as a cell of the radical Islamic Jihad Union and plotted to attack Americans at facilities including the U.S. Air Force's Ramstein Air Base. Gelowicz was sentenced to 12 years in prison for membership in a terrorist organization, conspiracy to commit murder and preparing an explosive device. Papua New Guinea, Australia agree to close detention center WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Papua New Guinea and Australia said Wednesday they have agreed to close a detention center on Manus Island for asylum seekers but they offered no details on when it will happen or on the fate of the 850 men being held there. Australia's tough stance on migrants and refugees has long drawn condemnation from human rights groups. The country has a policy of sending people who try to reach its shores by boat to island detention centers, including Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Leaked documents and eyewitness reports have detailed grim living conditions in many of Australia's detention centers. In April, Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruled that the Australian-run detention center there was unconstitutional. In this Aug. 2, 2013, photo, a group of asylum seekers hold up their identity after landing in Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O'Neill issued a statement Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, saying he met with Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and that the two countries agreed the center will be closed. (Eoin Blackwell/AAP Image, via AP) Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O'Neill issued a statement Wednesday saying he met with Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton in the capital, Port Moresby, and that the two countries agreed the center will be closed. O'Neill said he was satisfied that officials from both countries were making progress toward that end. "It is important that this process is not rushed but carried out in a careful manner," O'Neill said in his statement. "This must take into account the interests of the people of Papua New Guinea and the wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees." Dutton said it had been the longstanding position of his government to work with Papua New Guinea to close the Manus center and to move the migrants elsewhere in Papua New Guinea or back to their country of origin. "Our position, confirmed again today with PNG, is that no one from Manus Island Regional Processing Centre will ever be settled in Australia," Dutton said in a statement. He said that "people smugglers" continue to target Australia but that the government has ensured that no boats have made it to the nation's shores in more than two years. He said the government plans to close a total of 17 detention centers and remove all children from detention. Earlier this month, the Guardian newspaper published leaked reports detailing the abuse of children at another offshore Australian detention center, on the remote island nation of Nauru. And last month, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ordered a sweeping investigation into alleged abuses at a juvenile detention center in the city of Darwin after a video emerged of Aboriginal teens being tear-gassed, stripped naked and shackled to a chair. ___ How the Trump and Clinton tax plans would affect Americans WASHINGTON (AP) For America's wealthiest families, the presidential campaign presents a stark choice: A big tax increase if Hillary Clinton wins the election or a big tax cut if Donald Trump wins. For everyone else? Right now, neither candidate is proposing major tax changes. Tax policy is probably where the two nominees differ the most. On trade, Clinton has backed off her previous support for free trade agreements and, like Trump, now opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a pact involving the U.S. and 11 other nations. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump looks over the crowd during his campaign rally Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 in West Bend, Wis. (John Ehlke/West Bend Daily News via AP) And Trump has said he will spend twice as much on building and repairing roads, airports and other infrastructure as Clinton would. On trade and infrastructure spending, Trump has taken a populist approach that jettisons Republican orthodoxy. But on taxes, his proposed tax cuts for individuals and businesses are more in line with previous Republican candidates and elected officials. Clinton, for her part, is proposing to raise taxes for the wealthiest households to pay for traditional Democratic proposals such as expanding access to higher education. "Here, at least, they fall into very much traditional Democratic and Republican proposals," said William Gale, co-director of the Tax Policy Center, a joint project of the Brookings Institution and Urban Institute. Yet on taxes, the two candidates remain far apart. Here are summaries of their proposals: ___ TAXES ON HIGHER INCOMES TRUMP: He would cut the top income tax bracket to 33 percent from its current level of 39.6 percent. Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan has made the same proposal, which the conservative Tax Foundation said would help boost after-tax income for the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans by 5.3 percent. Trump updated his tax proposal in a speech last week in Detroit, and hasn't yet released many details. Tax experts haven't been able to evaluate his proposals as a result. CLINTON: She is proposing several tax increases on wealthier Americans, including a 4 percent surcharge on incomes above $5 million, effectively creating a new top bracket of 43.6 percent. And those earning more than $1 million a year would be subject to a minimum 30 percent tax rate. She would also cap the value of many tax deductions for wealthier taxpayers. All the changes would increase taxes in 2017 for the richest 1 percent by $78,284, reducing their after-tax income by 5 percent, according to the Tax Policy Center. ___ TAXES ON MIDDLE INCOMES TRUMP: Would reduce the seven tax brackets in current law to three, at 12 percent, 25 percent and 33 percent. Using the Tax Foundation's evaluation of the House Republican plan, which includes the same brackets, the change would lift after-tax incomes for the bottom 80 percent of income earners those earning less than about $195,000 a year by just 0.2 percent to 0.5 percent. CLINTON: Says she will not raise taxes on the middle class. Her current proposals would have little impact on the bottom 95 percent of taxpayers, according to the Tax Policy Center. ___ CORPORATE TAX RATE TRUMP: Would cut the corporate rate from its current 35 percent to 15 percent. He would also cut taxes on "pass-through" business income from partnerships such as law firms to 15 percent. More than two-thirds of "pass-through" income flows to the richest 1 percent of taxpayers, according to the liberal Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. CLINTON: Would not change the corporate tax rate. ___ "CARRIED INTEREST" LOOPHOLE TRUMP: Managers for private equity firms and hedge funds can classify their investment profits as "carried interest" and pay capital gains taxes on their income at rates that can be as low as half the regular income tax rate. Trump says he would eliminate the loophole, but hedge fund and private equity managers would be able to pay even lower tax rates under his proposal to cut business taxes to just 15 percent. CLINTON: Would eliminate the loophole and tax carried interest as ordinary income. ___ ESTATE TAXES TRUMP: Would eliminate the so-called "death tax" on that is currently levied on estates worth more than $5.45 million ($10.9 million for married couples). CLINTON: Would increase the estate tax to 45 percent from 40 percent and apply it to more estates, starting with those worth $3.5 million ($7 million for married couples). ___ CORPORATE INVERSIONS TRUMP: Says his steep cut in the corporate tax rate would end the practice of corporate "inversions," which occur when a U.S. company acquires a foreign corporation, then relocates overseas, to avoid paying U.S. corporate taxes. The U.S. corporate tax rate of 35 percent is the highest in the developed world, though many companies use deductions and other strategies to avoid paying that amount. CLINTON: Would discourage inversions by making it harder for a U.S. company to classify itself as a foreign-owned to avoid U.S. taxation. She would also place an "exit tax" on companies that leave the U.S. while still keeping earnings overseas that haven't been subject to U.S. tax. ___ CHILD CARE TRUMP: Wants to make all child care costs tax-deductible. Would allow the deduction to apply to Social Security and Medicare taxes to benefit lower-income earners who pay little or no income tax. Current law allows parents to deduct up to $6,000 in child care expenses. CLINTON: Has made several proposals intended to help limit child care expenses to 10 percent of a family's income, but hasn't proposed using the tax code to achieve that goal. __ SOCIAL SECURITY TRUMP: Would allow taxpayers to deduct child care costs from Social Security and Medicare taxes. CLINTON: Says she will ask the wealthiest to "contribute more" to Social Security, by raising the cap on income currently subject to Social Security taxes, but has not released any details. ___ Contact Chris Rugaber on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/ChrisRugaber ___ 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 Grassley: FBI improperly restricting access to Clinton docs WASHINGTON (AP) The FBI is improperly restricting access to materials from its closed investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server, the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Wednesday. In a letter sent to the Senate's security director, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley asked that unclassified portions of the FBI documents be provided to his staff. The move appears to be an end run around strict restrictions imposed by the FBI, which warned members of Congress not to leak documents from its investigation involving the Democratic presidential nominee. Congressional aides told The Associated Press that the investigative materials demanded by House Republicans are being kept in a secure room on Capitol Hill typically reserved for the nation's most closely guarded secrets. The staffers spoke on condition of anonymity because they had not been authorized to speak publicly about the security precautions. FILE - In this May 24, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks in Commerce, Calif. The House oversight committee says it has received FBI documents related to the investigation of Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server. A spokeswoman for the committee says the committee is reviewing documents that are labeled classified. (AP Photo/John Locher, File) Documents containing classified information are included with those marked by the FBI as "Unclassified/For Official Use." "As I have expressed to the FBI in the past, it is inappropriate to unnecessarily mingle classified and unclassified information," Grassley wrote Wednesday to Senate Security Director Michael DiSilvestro. "Accordingly, as you have done on similar occasions in the past, please provide the Judiciary Committee with a copy of the unclassified FBI documents from the production." Grassley said it was "regrettable that the FBI has imposed the burden of this task on your office by improperly comingling so much unclassified material with classified material." The FBI on Tuesday provided Congress portions of its file from the agency's yearlong investigation into whether then-Secretary of State Clinton and her top aides mishandled classified information that flowed through a private email server located in the basement of her New York home. Though he described Clinton's actions as "extremely careless," FBI Director James Comey said his agents found no evidence of criminal wrongdoing. Republicans insist that Clinton lied to Congress about her handling of emails when she testified last October before a House panel investigating the deadly 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya. The GOP is pressing the Justice Department to open a new investigation into whether Clinton committed perjury and sought the FBI documents. FBI case files are typically kept confidential after an investigation is closed without a recommendation for charges, and the Clinton documents were sent to Congress accompanied by written warnings not to leak the information. "These materials are nonpublic and contain classified and other sensitive material," FBI Acting Assistant Director Jason Herring wrote. "For that reason, these materials may not be further disseminated or disclosed, in part or in full, without obtaining the FBI's concurrence." The FBI documents are being kept in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, known within the intelligence community as a SCIF. Access to the guarded room is restricted to members of the oversight, judiciary and intelligence committees and their staffs. Those without sufficient security clearances can read only redacted versions of the files and are forbidden from making copies or taking notes. Democrats, who have suggested Republicans are likely to leak portions of the FBI file selected to do political damage to Clinton, said they will comply with the FBI's request not to release any information without the agency's permission. Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, warned this week that providing the FBI's confidential notes to the Republicans will discourage witnesses from cooperating with future investigations. "The history of the partisan Benghazi investigation made it clear that any information that can be leaked by the majority to the prejudice of Secretary Clinton, will be leaked," Schiff said. Steven Aftergood, who directs the government secrecy project at the Federation of American Scientists, said the documents were provided to Congress as a matter of FBI discretion and the bureau is in a position to impose conditions on any further disclosures. He said if all the documents were unclassified, then it would be surprising though not prohibited for them to be stored in a SCIF. "Since it includes both classified and unclassified material, it makes sense that the collection as a whole would be stored in a secure environment, such as a SCIF," he said. "The alternative would be to break up the materials into separate classified and unclassified parts and preserve them in separate locations, which might be awkward or inconvenient." He said if members of Congress release some of the unclassified documents, that would not violate any law, but any such unauthorized disclosure would make it less likely that the FBI would voluntarily share information with Congress in the future. ___ Follow Michael Biesecker on Twitter: http://Twitter.com/mbieseck Trump brags about crowd size but will it turn into votes? NEW YORK (AP) It's a staple of nearly every Donald Trump rally: a boast from the candidate about his massive crowd size, a claim sometimes true and sometimes not that thousands more outside are hoping to get in, and a belief that the turnout foreshadows victory in November. "I actually think I'm going good, I have the biggest crowds," Trump told Fox on Tuesday, in light of sinking poll numbers. "Nobody's ever had crowds like this." And on Wednesday, Trump hired Stephen Bannon, head of Breitbart News, to head his campaign with an eye on playing up his populist message and to double down on his raucous rallies. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in West Bend, Wis., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) But Trump may be buying into the hype. Crowd size is frequently not a good indicator of success on Election Day and some Republicans attribute Trump's refusal to alter his message for the general election to his insistence on measuring success by the adulation he receives from audiences he's already won over. In a general election, candidates typically broaden their message to reach the people not in the event halls, who have yet to be convinced. "Campaigns that rely too much on anecdotal evidence like crowd sizes when looking to measure progress are easily lulled into a false sense of security," said Kevin Madden, a senior adviser on Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign. "They assume, often wrongly, that the echo effect of being surrounded by big crowds of already converted voters is automatically translating into momentum." Boisterous, often full-house rallies have long been the lynchpin of Trump's campaign, and the Republican nominee took to Twitter in recent days to complain that the media were not giving them the credit they deserve. "My rallies are not covered properly by the media. They never discuss the real message and never show crowd size or enthusiasm," Trump posted Sunday. Madden, who does not support Trump, recalls that in the closing days of the campaign four years ago, Romney drew massive crowds on each side of Pennsylvania, one outside Philadelphia and one in Pittsburgh on Election Day. "Based on crowd size, you'd have thought we had a good chance to win the state, but we ended up losing by about five points," Madden said. "The crowd sizes were there, but the data and the empirical evidence never really were." Crowd size can play a useful role in developing campaign strategy. A candidate's team always searches for evidence to inform such decisions as to where and when to spend advertising money, which states the candidate should visit and how best to get voters to the polls on Election Day. Campaigns often must balance empirical evidence, like polls and organizational metrics, against anecdotal clues, like crowd size and enthusiasm. Many Republicans underestimated Trump's success in drawing crowds early in the primaries and the depth of his support among the GOP base. But Trump has continued to make the rallies the centerpiece of his campaign and his routine in front of his raucous crowds hasn't evolved much. He still delivers red-meat promises to build a wall along the Mexican border, belittles the media and brags about his primary victories, with little attempt to widen his message to target the far more expansive general election. "I think he plays to the crowd and that's not necessarily a good thing in a campaign where you need tens of millions of votes," said GOP strategist Mike DuHaime, who advised Trump ally Chris Christie's presidential bid. "Playing just to the crowd doesn't work." But rallies can also provide a useful tactical tool. In 2008, Barack Obama also wowed political pundits with the size of his crowds, collecting voter data from attendees. Bernie Sanders routinely drew bigger crowds than Hillary Clinton, dwarfing her small-donor fundraising totals. Crowd size also can translate into a wave of small campaign donors. Trump has proven very successful in receiving small donations, which he said made up the bulk of the $82 million he and the party brought in last month. But despite his usual bravado about his rallies, Trump once let slip publicly that he had some doubts about the relevance of the large, enthusiastic crowds he still draws night after night. "You've got thousands of people outside trying to get in (today), and this is one hell of a big stadium," the Republican nominee said earlier this month in Jacksonville, Florida. "I hear we're leading Florida by a bit," he said. "I don't know why we're not leading by a lot. Maybe crowds don't make the difference." ___ 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 ___ Jill Colvin in West Bend, Wisconsin, and Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report. ___ Follow Jonathan Lemire on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/JonLemire 10 Things to Know for Thursday - 18 August 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Thursday: 1. TRUMP PLACING RISKY BET IN QUEST FOR WHITE HOUSE He's doubling down on the proposition that his brand of fiery populism gives him a better shot at the presidency than uniting his party and rallying moderate voters. In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, a local San Juan, Puerto Rico-based tug crew uses a fire hose to cool the hull of the Caribbean Fantasy cruise ship that caught fire, a mile from San Juan Harbor, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. More than 500 passengers and crew were evacuated from a burning ship off Puerto Rico's north coast and many required medical care, though there were no reported fatalities or life-threatening injuries. (Petty Officer 2nd Class Jonathan Lally/US Coast Guard via AP) 2. 'IT HIT HARD. IT HIT FAST' A ferocious wildfire in Southern California races up and down canyon hillsides, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee. 3. FLOOD BRINGS HOUSING CRISIS TO LOUISIANA With an estimated 40,000 homes damaged by high water, the state could be facing its biggest housing crunch since the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina a decade ago. 4. WHAT'S SURE TO ENRAGE PYONGYANG A senior North Korean diplomat based in London defects to South Korea, becoming one of the highest Northern officials to do so. 5. MAJOR COMPANIES RUSH TO UPDATE DEFENSES AGAINST HACKERS The leak of what purports to be a National Security Agency hacking tool kit has set the information security world atwitter. 6. BLAZE ABOARD CRUISE SHIP FORCES EVACUATIONS Five hundred passengers and crew are hustled off the Caribbean Fantasy near Puerto Rico after fuel from a broken hose catches fire. 7. BIG 'FLYING BUM' SENT ALOFT FOR FIRST TIME A blimp-shaped, helium-filled airship considered the world's largest aircraft takes a short but historic jaunt over an airfield in central England. 8. WHY MORE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING THEIR BODIES TO SCIENCE The trend is attributed to rising funeral costs and growing acceptance of a practice long seen by some as ghoulish. 9. ARTHUR HILLER DIES AT 92 The director received an Oscar nomination for the hugely popularly romantic tragedy "Love Story" during a career that spanned dozens of popular movies and TV shows. 10. WHO'S LOOKING LIKE THEIR OLD SELVES Ending a stretch of three close games, the U.S. men's basketball team powers into the semifinals of the Olympics, beating Argentina 105-78. FILE - In this May 22, 2008 file photo, actress Ali MacGraw and director Arthur Hiller appear at an event honoring former Paramount Studios chief Robert Evans at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills, Calif. Hiller, who received an Oscar nomination for directing the romantic tragedy "Love Story" during a career that spanned dozens of popular movies and TV shows," died Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, of natural causes. He was 92. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File) 25 years on, Russians tell of how they defeated a coup MOSCOW (AP) The KGB major was on vacation in the Russian countryside in August 1991 when he woke up to a radio broadcast announcing a state of national emergency. The bulletin contained something else: a secret code phrase for intelligence officers, summoning them back to their posts immediately. On Aug. 19, 1991, a group of eight senior hard-line Communist leaders, including the KGB chairman, had seized power from Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, declaring that Gorbachev was unable to continue as head of the party due to illness. In fact, Gorbachev was under arrest and the "Gang of Eight" intended to roll back his reformist policies of glasnost and perestroika, which they believed had set the Soviet Union on a path of disaster. FILE - In this Aug. 19, 1991 file photo, protesters gather at the Russian Government building, also known as White House, holding a Russian national flag as they protest the oncoming line of tanks around the building in Moscow, Russia. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, file) For a few days, the fate of the superpower hung in the balance. When KGB Maj. Valery Shiryayev arrived in Moscow and got on the phone, his supervisor was anything but enthusiastic about the coup. "These are people who have no idea what they're doing," he declared to the major. "They're doomed, and the coup will be over in two days." Shiryayev's boss turned out to be right. As the 25th anniversary of the August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. Nevertheless, the Aug. 19 failed coup was a turning point in modern Russian history. It set in motion the dissolution of the Soviet Union and provided a moment of glory for Boris Yeltsin, at the time the president of the Russian constituent republic within the USSR, who is remembered for climbing atop a tank to defy the coup. Overshadowing Gorbachev as the man of the moment, Yeltsin emerged the indisputable leader of a new Russia and eventually became its first democratically elected president. Today's president, Vladimir Putin, who succeeded Yeltsin in 1999, owes his position to the failed coup, but he would come to mourn the Soviet empire's collapse that followed as "the greatest geopolitical catastrophe" of the 20th century. In the summer of 1991, Gorbachev was making a last-ditch effort to hold the Soviet Union together by approving a plan to recognize the sovereignty of Russia and the other 14 Soviet republics in exchange for preserving a central Soviet government. With the treaty set to be signed on Aug. 20, the plotters decided to act. Led by KGB Chairman Vladimir Kryuchkov, they put the vacationing Soviet president under house arrest in Crimea. As hundreds of armored vehicles began to roll toward Moscow on the plotters' orders, Yeltsin, his security chief Alexander Korzhakov and his closest advisers got into their cars and headed for the seat of his Russian government, a tall modern building known as the White House. On the way, they overtook one tank after another. Korzhakov recalled how their mood changed when Yeltsin's staff saw crowds of supporters of the legitimate government around the White House: "At this point everyone began to feel calm and confident that the people, Muscovites, were on our side." Among the protesters that day was an 18-year-old geology student, Leonid Ragozin, who ignored his parents' pleas not to go to the barricades. "When I got to the White House, I saw all those people, thousands and thousands of people who were standing in lines, making human shields," he said. Ragozin said it was raining heavily, yet hundreds of people were walking around with tea kettles and pots of food to sustain the protesters. The coup leaders had ordered newspapers not to print and put a gag on television, meaning for Yeltsin it was nearly impossible to get his message of defiance out. When Dmitry Sokolov, Yeltsin's personal photographer and employee of the state news agency TASS, took pictures of the tanks outside the White House the TASS photo desk told him: "Why do we need them? We have pictures of the State Emergency Committee." It was Yeltsin who pushed him to find a foreign news organization that would get the pictures out, Sokolov recalled. Some of the protesters tried to talk to crews of the tanks that had rumbled to the White House. One of these conversations persuaded an officer and the crews of the six tanks under his command to switch sides. Maj. Sergei Yevdokimov's battalion had been wakened at 6 a.m. and ordered to head to Moscow. Nobody knew what a tank battalion was supposed to be doing in the heart of the nation's capital and Yevdokimov suspected something was wrong. "When we arrived at the White House and found out what was happening, I decided I would not do anything that could cause loss of life," he said. Later, Yeltsin's right-hand man, Alexander Rutskoi, asked him about the plotters, Yevdokimov said. "Do you realize they are criminals? Will you help us?" Rutskoi asked. "I do. I will," Yevdokimov replied, despite the risk of prison. Across Moscow, KGB staff faced a similar dilemma. Shiryayev had reported to work, but since he was formally on vacation he did not have to go out and arrest pro-reform lawmakers as his colleagues had been ordered to do. They did not do it, however. Instead, they invented ways to evade the orders, he recalled. "We soon found people who had a birthday on that day and just got drunk. This was a purely Russian solution," Shiryayev said. "How can they punish you for drinking on duty? They can reprimand you, they can fire you, lower your military rank, they could destroy your career but this won't send you to prison." Shiryayev said dozens of his colleagues got drunk, called in sick or spent hours outside the building smoking and drinking tea rather than participating in the coup. "Everyone realized this was a catastrophe. We were asked to obey absolutely unlawful orders that could have led to a civil war in Russia," he said. Within two days, it was clear that headquarters employees were not obeying their boss, the KGB chairman Kryuchkov. Yeltsin received a phone call from the plotters, who said they were calling off the troops and sending for Gorbachev. Shiryayev recalled seeing the stooped figure of Kryuchkov hurrying across the inner courtyard at KGB headquarters into his black limousine and driving away. Smokers in the courtyard shouted, "Scumbag, are you happy now?" and pelted him with cigarette butts. Shiryayev resigned from the KGB in 1994 and is now deputy director at Novaya Gazeta, a rare independent Russian newspaper. Kryuchkov was arrested, along with six other coup plotters, but all were amnestied in 1994 and some later returned to government service. The eighth plotter committed suicide before he could be arrested. By the end of 1991, the Soviet Union was officially dissolved and a new Russia was born. Under Putin, the Russian political system has taken a clear turn back toward authoritarian rule. He also has tried to restore elements of the old empire, by recentralizing power, restoring control over the media, rebuilding the military and reclaiming a global role. Those who remember the August 1991 crisis, however, say the totalitarian state of old is gone for good. "The current political regime is repressive, but freedom is not only about voting for political parties," said Ragozin, now a freelance journalist. "It's about being able to choose your lifestyle, about being able to travel, choose your profession. That was largely absent in the Soviet Union, which was a truly totalitarian state." Anniversaries of the coup attempt over the years have become low-key occasions, in sharp contrast to the shows of might that Russia puts on for Victory Day, which celebrates the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. This year, however, the anniversary will be marked with a series of events in Moscow, including lectures, concerts and exhibitions. Fate took a curious twist for some of those who helped defeat the coup. Yeltsin resigned suddenly on New Year's Eve of 1999, catastrophically unpopular by then. A bodyguard who stood next to him on the tank, Viktor Zolotov, was recently appointed chief of the National Guard, a powerful new security agency created by Putin for dispersing anti-government protests. Yeltsin fired Korzhakov in 1996 during his re-election campaign. He later won election to Russia's parliament, but has since retired. Yevdokimov, the tank commander, received no hero's welcome when he returned to his home base outside Moscow and was soon sent to work in an enlistment office. "There was talk around me, 'You violated your oath' and things like that. But I thought those who sided with the coup broke their oath," he said. "I stayed true to my oath. The president was illegally ousted." In this photo taken on Tuesday, July 26, 2016, Valery Shiryayev, former KGB staff and senior operative, speaks to the Associated Press in his working room in Novaya Gazeta newspaper in Moscow, Russia. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) FILE - In this Aug. 19, 1991 file photo, crowds of people surround and climb on tanks which were stopped by the crowd as they drove towards the Red Square area of Moscow, Russia, during a military coup after the announced ousting of Mikhail Gorbachev from power. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo/Boris Yurchenko, file) FILE - In this Aug. 19, 1991 file photo, Russian President Boris Yeltsin, foreground left, addresses the crowd standing atop of a tank in front of the Russian Government building, also known as White House, surrounded by his bodyguards, Alexander Korzhakov, center, and Viktor Zolotov, top center, in Moscow, Russia. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo, file) In this photo taken on Thursday, July 14, 2016, Alexander Korzhakov, former chief bodyguard to President Boris Yeltsin, speaks to the Associated Press at his house in Molokovo village, about 90 kilometres (56 miles) south-east from Moscow, Russia. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) In this photo taken on Tuesday, July 19, 2016, Leonid Ragozin, a geology student in 1991 who ignored the pleas of his parents not to go to the barricades, speaks to the Associated Press in front of the Russian Government building, also known as White House, in Moscow, Russia. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) In this photo taken on Tuesday, July 12, 2016, Dmitry Sokolov, Yeltsin's former personal photographer and employee of the state news agency TASS, shows a picture of him and Boris Yeltsin while speaking to the Associated Press at his dacha outside Moscow, Russia. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) In this photo taken on Friday, July 29, 2016, Sergei Yevdokimov, former Soviet Army major and a commander of the tank's battalion, speaks to the Associated Press in Moscow, Russia. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko) FILE - In this Friday, Aug. 23, 1991 file photo, a man steps on the head of the statue of the founder of the KGB, Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, which was toppled in front of the KGB headquarters in Moscow. As the 25th anniversary of the so-called August Coup draws near this Friday, The Associated Press has talked to participants and witnesses of those critical days when Muscovites turned out to defend the spirit of democracy that Gorbachev had unleashed, and many Soviet officers defied their orders and sided with the people, ensuring that that the plotters failed. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, file) S. Korea: Senior N. Korean diplomat based in London defects SEOUL, South Korea (AP) A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest Northern officials to do so, South Korea said Wednesday. Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family and is under the protection of the South Korean government, Seoul's Unification Ministry said. Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee said Thae told South Korean officials that he decided to defect because of his disgust with the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his yearning for South Korean democracy and worries about the future of his children. This is an image taken from video taken on April 5, 2004 of Thae Yong Ho, North Korean diplomat speaking during an interview in Pyongyang. North Korea diplomat Thae Yong Ho who was based in London has defected, according to South Korean officials. Seoul's Unification Ministry announced on Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 that Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in the UK capital, recently defected to South Korea with his family. (AP Photo) Jeong said Thae was the second-highest official in North Korea's embassy, and is the most senior North Korean diplomat to defect to South Korea. In 1997, the North Korean ambassador to Egypt fled but resettled in the United States. Jeong refused to give further details about Thae's defection, citing possible diplomatic problems with a concerned country he didn't identify. Britain's Foreign Office declined to comment. The highest-level North Korean to seek asylum in South Korea is Hwang Jang-yop, a senior ruling Workers' Party official who once tutored Kim Jong Un's late father, dictator Kim Jong Il. Hwang's 1997 defection was hailed by many South Koreans as an intelligence bonanza and a sign that the North's political system was inferior to the South's. Hwang died in 2010. Thae's defection will likely enrage North Korea, which often accuses South Korea of kidnapping or enticing its citizens to defect. South Korea doesn't always make high-level defection cases public. Its revelation of Thae's defection came as ties between the rivals are at one of their lowest points in decades over the North's nuclear ambitions. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, and South Korea has been working hard to apply more international pressure on the North. Jeong said Thae's defection could be a sign that unity in Kim Jong Un's ruling class is weakening. Analyst Chang Yong Seok at Seoul National University's Institute for Peace and Unification Studies disputed that assessment, saying there are no tangible signs that Kim's grip on power is being challenged. "Senior North Korean officials have defected before, but these have all been isolated cases that weren't followed by a chain of defections by other officials," he said. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, senior lecturer in international relations at King's College London, said a diplomatic defection "could prove very valuable to South Korea, the U.S. and other countries." "Most North Korean defectors have limited access to the inner workings of the North Korean regime," he said. "The defection of a diplomat would allow intelligence services and military forces in other countries to learn more about the level of support that Kim Jong Un enjoys, recent developments in North Korea's nuclear and missile programs or the extent to which real economic reforms are being implemented. "The defection of a high-level diplomat could also signal growing internal skepticism about the strength of the Kim Jong Un regime, since they are a rare occurrence." Thae, 55, is a veteran diplomat who is experienced in dealing with countries in Western Europe. He led a North Korean delegation that held talks with European Union representatives over the North's human rights situation in Brussels in 2001, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. Thae had worked at the North Korean Embassy in London for about 10 years, Yonhap said. Previously, he worked at its now-closed embassy in Denmark and spent a short period of time at its embassy in Sweden, it said. More than 29,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, according to South Korean government records. Many defectors have said they wanted to leave North Korea's harsh political system and poverty. In April, 13 North Koreans working at a North Korean-operated restaurant in China defected to South Korea in the largest group defection since Kim Jong Un took power in late 2011. Later in April, South Korea also revealed that a colonel in North Korea's military spy agency had defected to the South last year. Wednesday's announcement came as North Korea is responding angrily to a U.S. plan to place an advanced missile defense system in South Korea. The North has warned of unspecified retaliation and fired several missiles into the sea earlier this month. ___ Associated Press writer Jill Lawless in London contributed to this story. A camera man films the entrance of the North Korea Embassy in London, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest Northern officials to do so, South Korea said Wednesday. Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family and is under the protection of the South Korean government, Seoul's Unification Ministry said. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) View at the entrance of the North Korea Embassy in London, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest Northern officials to do so, South Korea said Wednesday. Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family and is under the protection of the South Korean government, Seoul's Unification Ministry said. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) View at the entrance of the North Korea Embassy in London, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest Northern officials to do so, South Korea said Wednesday. Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family and is under the protection of the South Korean government, Seoul's Unification Ministry said. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) People watch a TV news program showing a file image of Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, at Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Thae has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest Northern officials to do so, South Korea said Wednesday. The letters read "A high-ranking North Korean diplomat". (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Turkey wants Germany to explain 'Islamist platform' claim ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey says it wants a clarification from Berlin over reports in Germany about a confidential government document that says Turkey has become a platform of action for Islamist groups. The document, first reported by ARD public television and obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, was contained in a classified section of a reply from the German Interior Ministry to questions from an opposition party. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement on Wednesday dismissed the reports as the "work of the distorted mentality" in Germany that aims to harm Turkey. The ministry insists Turkey is a country that fights "all forms of terrorism with sincerity." UN rights boss appeals to India, Pakistan for Kashmir access BERLIN (AP) The United Nations' human rights chief is appealing to India and Pakistan to grant his office access to Kashmir amid "grave concerns" over alleged rights violations. The UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said Wednesday he has been working to get observers to the parts of the disputed Himalayan region the two countries control since violence flared last month. Zeid called it "unfortunate" access hasn't been granted yet considering "the seriousness of the allegations of the use of excessive force, allegations of state sponsorship of violence, as well as the number of people killed and the very large number of people injured." Indonesia marks Independence Day by sinking illegal ships NATUNA ISLANDS, Indonesia (AP) Indonesia marked its Independence Day on Wednesday by sinking 60 foreign ships seized for fishing illegally in the country's waters. Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said the ships were sunk at eight locations across the Indonesian archipelago. Pudjiastuti has organized the destruction of more than 200 illegal fishing boats since 2014. The government of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has taken a hardline stance against illegal fishing, partly driven by the need for Indonesia to show its neighbours, including China, that it is in control of its vast territory of 17,000 islands. Many of the boats were captured off Indonesia's Natuna Islands, a point from which Indonesia's exclusive economic zone thrusts into the South China Sea. Beijing has described the area as a traditional Chinese fishing ground even though it is nearly 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) from the Chinese mainland. The sinkings were carried out in a low-key fashion compared with previous occasions, when boats were blown to smithereens and their destruction broadcast live. Pudjiastuti told a news conference in Ranai, a Natuna Islands port, that the ships were sunk off Ranai, Batam, Tarempa, Kalimantan, Maluku, and Sorong in West Papua to create artificial reefs. "We do see at the moment the deterrent effect," she said. "I think it is already quite a strong message" to foreign countries and their fishing fleets. Pudjiastuti said future ship sinkings would be done in a "less sensational way" but that would not mean Indonesia is relenting on its stance against illegal fishing. The government originally planned to sink exactly 71 boats from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and China on Wednesday, which was the 71st anniversary of national independence. Pudjiastuti said six other vessels would be sunk in Pangandaran on the southern coast of West Java, where the government plans to build a museum of illegal fishing with U.S. and Norwegian help. Local media reports said eight vessels were scuttled on Monday in the eastern Indonesian ports of Bitung and Ternate. In March, Indonesia destroyed the Nigeria-flagged Viking with explosives. The ship was wanted around the world for illegally taking toothfish from southern waters. ___ Duterte slams UN for 'interfering' in Philippine drug war MANILA, Philippines (AP) The brash-talking Philippine president criticized the United Nations on Wednesday for condemning the spate of killings of suspected drug criminals in his country while allegedly keeping silent on deadlier violence in the Middle East. President Rodrigo Duterte chided the U.N. for being "easy to be swayed into interfering into the affairs of the republic" and "coming on a very stupid proposition." He was apparently referring to condemnations by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon in June and the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime earlier this month of Duterte's "apparent endorsement of extrajudicial killings, which is illegal and a breach of fundamental rights and freedoms." In a speech at the national police headquarters, Duterte said the deaths tallied in his anti-drug campaign include those who engaged in shootouts with police, as well as those killed by other drug criminals. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he talks during the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Manila Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The brash-talking Philippine president criticized the United Nations Wednesday for condemning the spate of killings of suspected drug criminals in the country, but allegedly remaining silent on bombings in the Middle East that have killed entire villages and communities. (Noel Celis/Pool Photo via AP) "For those who are killed by the other drug syndicate we can only investigate, but do not attribute the acts of other criminals upon my government," he said. According to the national police count, as of last week, more than 500 have been killed in gunfights with police and nearly 8,000 have been arrested in the government anti-illegal drugs campaign. But local media and other groups have higher tallies, some nearly 1,000, and have included apparent victims of summary killings. Duterte said he will not relent in the fight against drugs until the apparatus of drug traffickers is destroyed. "Why would the United Nations be so easy to be swayed into interfering into the affairs of the republic?" he asked. "There are about just 1,000 (dead) and there are a lot of people innocent women, children, young women, young men, old women being killed elsewhere in the world." He said he has not heard the United Nations or the U.N. chief complaining publicly about the higher Middle East death tolls or criticizing "the countries who are into it and bombing villages and communities, killing everybody there including the goats and the cows and the dogs." Duterte was not specific, but Ban has addressed a number of conflicts around the globe in recent days. The U.N. chief on Tuesday condemned a reported airstrike on a hospital in Yemen that killed at least 11 people. The same day, he launched an investigation into U.N. peacekeepers' alleged inaction during a violent rampage of troops in South Sudan. Over the weekend, Ban condemned an attack by suspected rebels that killed at least 36 people in northeastern Congo. Duterte made an earlier profanity-laced tirade against the U.N. when he was president-elect in June after foreign and local media group criticized his comments that corrupt journalists were legitimate targets of assassination. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte attends during the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Manila Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The brash-talking Philippine president criticized the United Nations Wednesday for condemning the spate of killings of suspected drug criminals in the country, but allegedly remaining silent on bombings in the Middle East that have killed entire villages and communities. (Noel Celis/Pool Photo via AP) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he talks during the 115th Police Service Anniversary at the Philippine National Police (PNP) headquarters in Manila Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. The brash-talking Philippine president criticized the United Nations Wednesday for condemning the spate of killings of suspected drug criminals in the country, but allegedly remaining silent on bombings in the Middle East that have killed entire villages and communities. (Noel Celis/Pool Photo via AP) Irish Olympic executive arrested in ticket scheme RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) A senior Olympic executive from Ireland was arrested and taken to the hospital Wednesday after police raided his beachfront hotel as part of an investigation into the illegal sale of tickets for the Rio de Janeiro Games. Patrick Hickey, a member of the International Olympic Committee's executive board, was accused of plotting with at least nine others to sell tickets above face value in a scheme that authorities say netted about $3 million in profits. At least a half dozen police officers went to the luxury hotel in the upscale Barra da Tijuca neighborhood in the early morning hours to arrest the 71-year-old Hickey, who fell ill and was taken by ambulance to a local hospital. Documents belonging to Ireland's Patrick Hickey, a member of the International Olympic Committee's executive board, that include his Olympics' credential and passport are displayed alongside Olympic tickets during a police press conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Hickey was taken to a hospital Wednesday after police came to his hotel to arrest him as part of a probe into ticket scalping. Hickey, a member of the International Olympic Committee's executive board, is accused of plotting with at least six others to illegally sell tickets for the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, police said. (AP Photo/Renato Domingues) Ireland's national Olympic committee the Olympic Council of Ireland said Hickey was admitted to Samaratino Hospital "for investigation of chest pain" and was in stable condition. "In view of his previous cardiac history he will remain in hospital for a further 24 hours," the Irish committee said in a statement Wednesday night. Hickey's alleged involvement was through Ireland's Olympic committee, which police said helped transfer tickets to an unauthorized vendor who would set high fees and disguise the transaction as a hospitality package. Hickey was charged with conspiracy, ticket scalping and ambush marketing and will be detained while the investigation continues. The Olympic Council of Ireland said Hickey decided to "step aside temporarily" as an IOC member and from all his other Olympic positions "until this matter is fully resolved." Hickey is also president of the OCI, head of the European Olympic Committees and vice president of the Association of National Olympic Committees. "Mr. Hickey will of course continue to cooperate and assist with all ongoing enquiries," the Irish body said in a statement. The IOC said it "respectfully takes note" of Hickey's decision to step aside from his Olympic roles. "Until then, the presumption of innocence prevails," the committee said in a statement. Police arrived at the IOC's hotel at 6 a.m. and found only Hickey's wife, who refused to tell them where he was. Police, however, found Hickey's Olympic accreditation badge on the floor, along with his shoes, socks and bag. They asked for the hotel's help and found him in the adjacent room, registered under his son's name. Images by ESPN Brazil show Hickey answering the door to police and stepping into the bathroom naked. Moments later, he walks out in a white bathrobe. Investigators said Hickey initially was shaken and the hotel's doctor recommended his transfer to a nearby hospital for tests because of his age and medical history. He remained in the hospital under police custody. Hickey, a former judo athlete, has been an IOC member since 1995. He has served on the policy-making executive board since 2012. IOC spokesman Mark Adams said the committee would "fully cooperate with the police investigation." "We don't know what the allegations or charges are yet," he said. "We have full confidence in the system here." The allegations centered on more than 800 tickets belonging to the Irish committee. "Today's arrest shows that the law must be followed," top police investigator Ricardo Barbosa said after a news conference. "Even more when we are talking about the biggest sporting event that should uphold ethics and an international spirit. We found out that the Irish Olympic Committee ended up facilitating the ticket scalping scheme." An Irish executive was arrested last week in the same investigation. Kevin James Mallon is one of the heads of British hospitality provider THG, the main company suspected in the scheme. Mallon was arrested along with a local employee who was working as an interpreter. Authorities have also issued warrants for four more executives at THG, including Marcus Evans, who owns Marcus Evans Group, the parent company and owner of English soccer club Ipswich Town. Police are also looking for two soccer agents and a financial adviser at Pro 10 Sports Management, which investigators allege was created to facilitate the transfer of tickets between the Irish Olympic committee and THG, an unauthorized ticket seller. After the first arrests last week, the Olympic Council of Ireland said it would investigate why some of its tickets were in the possession of the suspects. The OCI name was visible on tickets displayed by police, but the Irish said they had no knowledge of the people in custody. ___ AP Sports Writer Rob Harris contributed to this report. US Vice President Biden urges Serbia-Kosovo reconciliation PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) U.S. Vice President Joe Biden urged wartime foes Serbia and Kosovo on Wednesday to mend ties and normalize relations, a condition for both Balkan countries to join the European Union. Speaking to reporters after talks with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, Biden said, "I know the scars of war are raw ... but reconciliation is necessary." Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade does not recognize its former province's statehood. Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, right, shakes hands with U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during the latter's two day visit in Kosovo capital Pristina on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. U.S Vice President Biden will be participating in bilateral meetings with President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) Serbia and Kosovo have signed a series of EU-brokered deals to regulate relations between the two. Some of those agreements including one giving more self-rule to Kosovo's Serb minority remain unimplemented. "It will be difficult, but it is necessary and important, urgent work," Biden said, adding that he delivered the same message to Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Tuesday in Belgrade. As a U.S. senator during the 1990s, Biden was a strong advocate of American involvement in the war-torn Balkans. He is in the second day of three-day trip that will be his last as vice president to the region. Later Wednesday, Biden attended with his family an emotional ceremony naming a road near an American military base after his late son, Beau Biden, who died last year of brain cancer at age 46. Beau Biden, former Delaware Attorney General, served in 2001 in Kosovo as an interim legal adviser. "It was his strong belief from having been here at the depth of a very difficult time (for Kosovo) that made me confident that calling for the independence of this great country was the right thing to do," Biden said. "Beau loved this country like I do," Biden said, turning around and pointing to grassy hills nearby as American and Kosovo flags fluttered in the background. "On behalf of the Biden family, we are extremely grateful and humbled beyond words." With Thaci standing at his side, the vice president said earlier in the day that both the Kosovo president and the Serbian prime minister understand that normalizing relations "has to be done" and would benefit both Belgrade and Pristina. "This is crucial for advancing both Kosovo and Serbia into Europe. Without it, it will not likely happen," he said. Thaci told Biden that the reconciliation of Kosovo and Serbia is possible and will happen. "We won't forget the past, but we will also not remain its hostages," Thaci said During a visit to Serbia on Tuesday, Biden offered his condolences to the families of those killed in the Balkan wars in the 1990s, including those killed in U.S.-led NATO airstrikes. A NATO bombardment in 1999 stopped Serbia's crackdown against ethnic Albanian separatists, ending Belgrade's rule over Kosovo. __ AP writer Dusan Stojanovic contributed from Belgrade, Serbia. Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, right, meets U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during his two day visit in Kosovo capital Pristina on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. U.S Vice President Biden will be participating in bilateral meetings with President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, right, meets U.S. Vice President Joe Biden during his two day visit in Kosovo capital Pristina on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. U.S Vice President Biden will be participating in bilateral meetings with President Hashim Thaci and Prime Minister Isa Mustafa. (AP Photo/Visar Kryeziu) The Latest: 268 structures charred in Northern California LOS ANGELES (AP) The Latest on California wildfires (all times local): 8 p.m. Authorities say an arson fire that decimated the northern California town of Lower Lake has destroyed 268 structures, including 175 single-family homes and eight businesses. A property smolders on Highway 138 during day two of the BlueCut fire in West Cajon Valley, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the blaze was 50 percent contained Wednesday evening. It has charred six square miles since it started Aug. 13. Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant says residents were able to return home in portions of Lower Lake, a town of 1,300 people about two hours north of San Francisco. ___ 6:50 p.m. Firefighters have made their first gains at surrounding a monstrous wildfire that has burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate the mountains and deserts east of Los Angeles. U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Melody Lardner says the blaze that began in the Cajon Pass was 4 percent contained Wednesday evening. Better mapping shows the blaze has blackened about 25,600 acres of brush and trees about 40 square miles, down from the original estimate of 47. However, homes are threatened from the ski resort of Wrightwood to the Mojave Desert town of Phelan, and officials have said at least a dozen buildings, including some homes, have burned. More than 34,000 homes and some 82,000 people remain under evacuation orders. However, fire officials estimate that up to half have refused to leave. ___ 5:45 p.m. More evacuations are being lifted as firefighters gain ground on a wildfire that decimated a town north of San Francisco. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said the fire was 40 percent contained Wednesday. Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant says residents were able to return home in portions of Lower Lake, a town of 1,300 people where the fire destroyed 175 homes and other structures. A team is working on a full assessment of the destruction. ___ 2:55 p.m. A man accused of starting a wildfire that destroyed 175 homes and other structures north of San Francisco has been charged with 14 counts of arson in connection with 12 separate fires dating back to July 2015 and one count of attempted arson. Defendant Damin Pashilk made his first court appearance Wednesday and did not enter a plea. The 40-year-old former construction worker turned his head away from television cameras in the courtroom during his arraignment in Lake County. The most serious fire involved in the charges began Saturday and ripped through the working-class town of Lower Lake. Most of the other fires were quickly extinguished or didn't spread. One burned a couple of acres and an uninhabited mobile home. Pashilk's attorney, David Markham, said after the hearing that he had been told Pashilk passed out before his court appearance. The lawyer urged people to remember his client is presumed innocent. ___ This item has been corrected to say Pashilk has been charged in connection with 12 fires and one attempted fire, not 13 fires. ___ 1:05 p.m. A prosecutor says most of the 12 fires a former construction worker is accused of starting in Northern California were either quickly extinguished or didn't spread. Lake County Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said Wednesday that 40-year-old Damin Pashilk the suspect in a blaze that destroyed 175 homes and other structures over the weekend is also accused of starting a blaze that burned a couple of acres and an uninhabited mobile home. Pashilk is scheduled to be arraigned later in the day. Hinchcliff says he will be charged in connection with 12 fires and one attempt to start a fire. His lawyer has not returned calls seeking comment. Investigators have not said what led them to arrest Pashilk and a search warrant affidavit in the case is sealed. ____ 11:45 a.m. Las Vegas officials are warning of problems from smoke and air pollution caused by a huge wildfire burning about 200 miles away in California. The Clark County Department of Air Quality said the advisory will be in effect Wednesday through Friday. Officials are warning of potentially elevated levels of ozone and smoke, though they say unhealthy levels aren't occurring yet. People who may be sensitive to air pollution, including young children, elderly people and those with respiratory problems, are encouraged to stay indoors. The fire 60 miles east of Los Angeles has consumed nearly 47 square miles in Cajon Pass, a critical highway and rail corridor. ___ 9:45 a.m. Fire officials say a huge wildfire 60 miles east of Los Angeles has destroyed a significant number of homes, but the number of losses isn't yet known. San Bernardino County Fire Chief Mark Hartwig says he flew over the fire area Wednesday morning and describes it as "devastating." He says a lot of families will come home to nothing. Veteran fire commanders say the blaze hit hard and fast after breaking out Tuesday in hot weather and drought-stricken terrain, and it spread with an intensity they hadn't seen before. More than 34,000 homes and 82,000 residents are under evacuation warnings. The fire has consumed nearly 47 square miles in Cajon Pass, a critical highway and rail corridor through mountain ranges that separate major population centers from the Mojave Desert. ___ 7:45 a.m. As Northern California evacuees returned to their homes, fire crews overnight gained more ground on a blaze burning about two hours north of San Francisco. About 4,000 people in the town of Clearlake were allowed to return home Tuesday and more could follow Wednesday. The fire that started Aug. 13 destroyed 175 homes and other structures in the working-class town of Lower Lake. Authorities on Monday arrested 40-year-old construction worker Damin Anthony Pashilk, who they say is responsible for setting the fire along with 16 smaller fires dating back to last summer. He is due in court Wednesday. ___ 7:20 a.m. Authorities have greatly increased the estimated size of California's latest huge wildfire. Fire officials say the blaze 60 miles east of Los Angeles has scorched nearly 47 square miles as of Wednesday morning, up from 28 square miles Tuesday night. The blaze erupted late Tuesday morning in Cajon Pass and has grown rapidly. More than 34,000 homes and 82,000 people are under evacuation warnings. ___ 7:05 a.m. Officials in charge of the battle against California's newest huge wildfire estimate that only about half of the 4,500 residents of the threatened town of Wrightwood have complied with evacuation orders. The fire is climbing the flanks of the San Gabriel Mountains, where Wrightwood sits at an elevation around 5,900 feet. Firefighters were advised of the Wrightwood situation at a dawn briefing Wednesday morning. San Bernardino County Fire Department Battalion Chief Mark Peebles says it's very concerning and, in his words, "This is not the time to mess around." The fire erupted late Tuesday morning in Cajon Pass 60 miles east of Los Angeles and exploded across thousands of acres, burning an unknown number of homes and shutting down key highways. ___ 6 a.m. Southern California firefighters face another day of difficult weather conditions as they battle a huge wildfire that has driven more than 80,000 people from their homes and shut down major transportation routes. The National Weather Service says conditions will be very warm and dry Wednesday, with gusty south to southwest winds and very low humidity levels as low as 3 percent in the afternoon. The fire broke out late Tuesday morning 60 miles east of Los Angeles in Cajon Pass and spread with astonishing speed over 28 square miles, burning an unknown number of homes and threatening many more. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that Pashilk is charged in connection with 12 fires and one attempt to start a fire. Burned property at Hess Road and Highway 138 shows the devastation of the BlueCut fire in West Cajon Valley, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) A structure along Highway 138 burns as a wildfire races through the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino county, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. The wildfire that began as a small midmorning patch of flame next to Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass had by Tuesday's end turned into a 28-square-mile monster that burned an untold number of homes. (Stan Lim /The Press-Enterprise via AP) Damin Pashilk is taken from Lake County Calif. Superior Court, Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016. Lake County Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said Wednesday that 40-year-old Damin Pashilk, the suspect in a blaze that destroyed 175 homes and other structures over the weekend, is also accused of starting a blaze that burned a couple of acres and an uninhabited mobile home. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Firefighters battle a wildfire in the Cajon Pass in San Bernardino county, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. The wildfire that began as a small midmorning patch of flame next to Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass had by Tuesday's end turned into a 28-square-mile monster that burned an untold number of homes. (Will Lester/The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin via AP) A helicopter drops fire retardant and water over a wildfire in the Cajon Pass near San Bernardino, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) A view of the BlueCut fire from Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass near San Bernardino, Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. A wildfire with a ferocity never seen before by veteran California firefighters raced up and down canyon hillsides, instantly engulfing homes and forcing thousands of people to flee, some running for their lives just ahead of the flames. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo) Many U.S. medical schools are seeing a surge in the number of people leaving their bodies to science, a trend attributed to rising funeral costs and growing acceptance of a practice long seen by some as ghoulish. The increase has been a boon to medical students and researchers, who dissect cadavers in anatomy class or use them to practice surgical techniques or test new devices and procedures. 'Not too long ago, it was taboo. Now we have thousands of registered donors,' said Mark Zavoyna, operations manager for Georgetown University's body donation program. In this Aug. 11, 2016 photo, Angela McArthur, left, director of the Anatomy Bequest Program at the University of Minnesota Medical School, walks with Jean Larson, widow of a donor in Minneapolis. Once a relatively rare option, body donation has surged at medical schools, including the University of Minnesota. The increase has helped provide cadavers for dissection by first-year medical students, and for research and surgical training. WHAT ARE THEY USED FOR? Cadavers are being used for an expanding range of research and training purposes, including the testing of prosthetics and new robotic surgery techniques. Medical researchers are also increasingly relying on human bodies instead of animals. Advertisement The University of Minnesota said it received more than 550 cadavers last year, up from 170 in 2002. The University at Buffalo got almost 600 last year, a doubling over the past decade. Others that reported increases include Duke University, the University of Arizona and state agencies in Maryland and Virginia. ScienceCare, a national tissue bank, now receives 5,000 cadavers a year, twice as many as in 2010. One reason is that religious objections to dissection and cremation hold less sway today than in the past, said Ronn Wade, director of Maryland's State Anatomy Board. Also, bodies donated to medical schools are cremated once they are no longer needed, and the remains are often returned to their families at no expense. As of 2014, a traditional burial cost around $7,200, an increase of 29 percent from a decade earlier, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. 'Funerals are expensive. That certainly has something to do with it,' Zavoyna said. 'Of course, it almost has this snowball effect, where you get five people to donate, and then their families tell another 25 people.' Milton Larson, a longtime science teacher who was stricken with Parkinson's disease and died in 2014 at age 82, left his body to the University of Minnesota in what his wife, Jean, of Falcon Heights, Minnesota, called 'his last act of teaching and generosity.' But she initially struggled with his decision and said she tries not to think about the details of dissection. 'To put it quite bluntly, you have to realize that they are going to cut the body of your loved one apart. That's hard,' she said. In this Aug. 11, 2016 photo, Jean Larson, widow of a donor to the Anatomy Bequest Program at the University of Minnesota Medical School, poses for a photo in Minneapolis. Once a relatively rare option, body donation has surged at medical schools, including the University of Minnesota. The increase has helped provide cadavers for dissection by first-year medical students, and for research and surgical training. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King) Still, she plans to donate her body, too: 'This is the most generous donation we can make.' Cadavers are being used for an expanding range of research and training purposes, including the testing of prosthetics and new robotic surgery techniques. Medical researchers are also increasingly relying on human bodies instead of animals. 'The uses that we can bring to these very precious gifts have really escalated,' said John Tomaszewski, chief of Buffalo's pathology and anatomical sciences department. Some parts of the country still struggle with cadaver shortages. A state agency in Illinois has been receiving only 500 donations a year for eight medical schools, down from 750 in the 1980s. Although many programs shun advertising, the Anatomical Gift Association of Illinois is buying more newspaper ads to try to boost numbers. When donations fall short, Duke and other schools turn to private suppliers that obtain cadavers through donation, often in other countries. In some states, schools can obtain bodies that go unclaimed by their families. Some medical schools have experimented with alternatives to real bodies, such as rubber or plastic cadavers, or virtual anatomy courses taught on computers. Sick infant refugee on border brought to Jordan hospital AMMAN, Jordan (AP) Jordan's military says it brought a Syrian toddler and his family into the kingdom for medical treatment after a video of a sick child crying in distress sparked sympathy online. The widely shared video shows the screaming boy with a scrotum swollen to the size of half his head, as a man pleads for assistance. A U.N. aid agency confirmed that the boy in the video was the one evacuated Wednesday from the Rukban desert encampment where tens of thousands of Syrians are stranded on the border with Jordan. British lord's heir, accused twice of murder, dies in Kenya NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) A descendant of British aristocrats who twice had been accused of murdering locals has died after cardiac arrest, a Kenya hospital official said Wednesday. The chief executive of MP Shah hospital, Anup Das, announced the death of Lord Delamere's heir Thomas Cholmondeley after he was admitted on Tuesday for an unspecified procedure. The Delamere family is among Kenya's largest landowners and was among the first white settlers in Kenya's Rift Valley, whose freewheeling ways inspired the book "White Mischief." The 48-year-old Cholmondeley had been accused of killing two Kenyans in separate incidents that stirred fierce resentment over race and land. FILE---In this file photo of May 18, 2005, Thomas Patrick Gilbert Cholmondeley, right, grandson of the late Lord Delamare, is escorted to the Nakuru Court in Kenya. Cholmondeley, a descendant of British aristocrats who twice had been accused of murdering locals has died after cardiac arrest, a Kenya hospital official said Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/Sayyid Azim-file) In 2005, he claimed self-defense and was cleared without trial in the killing of an undercover wildlife ranger who was arresting Cholmondeley's workers suspected of poaching. He was then convicted of manslaughter in the 2006 shooting of a black poacher and was jailed for eight months. The judge reduced the charge from murder, saying that Cholmondeley's attempts to give first aid proved that he accidentally shot the poacher when aiming at his dogs. The cases enraged Kenyans, who said he received special treatment because of his relation to Lord Delamere. The cases exposed deep tensions about the British presence in Kenya, with many locals resentful that the most precious land was taken over by the British government during colonial times. After independence in 1963, many departing settlers transferred land to Africans, with Britain underwriting some of the costs. Some settlers, including Cholmondeley's family, kept their land and became Kenyan citizens. Appeals court won't halt Michigan straight-party vote ruling LANSING, Mich. (AP) Michigan residents still may be allowed to use the state's long-standing straight-party voting option in the November election after a federal appeals court on Wednesday rejected a request to keep intact a new ban on the practice. A panel of judges from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled 3-0 against Secretary of State Ruth Johnson's motion to stay an injunction. U.S. District Judge Gershwin Drain in Detroit blocked the Republican-backed law last month, saying an increase in long lines would disproportionately burden blacks in the November election, which would be the first in which the ban would have gone into effect. Attorney General Bill Schuette said his office would file an emergency appeal for a review by the full appellate court. State lawyers have said election officials will begin setting ballots by Aug. 30. "Michigan is no different than the 40 other states that have eliminated straight-ticket voting," Schuette said in a statement. Straight-ticket voting is popular in Michigan cities with large black populations. It has been on the books for 125 years and has been a common choice in some counties that are steadfastly loyal to Republicans, too. Wednesday's ruling is the latest related to voting rights around the country. Federal judges recently staved off tougher photo ID requirements in Texas, North Carolina and Wisconsin, though some are being appealed. Gov. Rick Snyder and majority GOP lawmakers enacted the straight-party voting ban in January, saying the option is not commonplace nationally and getting rid of it would lead to a better-informed electorate. But federal Judge Karen Nelson Moore wrote Wednesday that the state "offered only vague and largely unsupported justifications of fostering voter knowledge and engagement." Comparing Michigan to other states is not "apples-to apples," she added, because clerks have said Michigan ballots have more candidates than elsewhere and the state does not allow no-excuse absentee voting or other early voting. The court also discounted arguments that eliminating straight-party voting would reduce the likelihood of voters skipping the nonpartisan section. Judges noted that graphics representing each party will remain on the top of the ballot, which they said would likely cause confusion for voters who think they can still cast a straight-party vote. The lawsuit was filed by attorney Mark Brewer, former head of the state Democratic Party, on behalf of three people and a union-affiliated group. Moore and the other two judges, Ronald Lee Gilman and Jane Branstetter Stranch, were appointed by Democratic presidents. Gilman emphasized that Wednesday's decision was not the end of the case but said he saw no "grave harm" in letting the straight-party option remain for November. "In reaching this decision, we are limited to the admittedly one-side proof available at this stage of the litigation because the Secretary, for whatever reason, did not timely submit any proof contradicting the plaintiffs' evidence," he wrote. Gilman said conditions that exacerbate the burdens that would be created by prohibiting straight-ticket voting "might not always exist in Michigan." The law included $5 million for additional voting booths and tabulators after clerks raised concerns that removing the option would cause longer lines. It also kept the issue from going to a public referendum; voters in 1964 and 2001 preserved the straight-ticket option. The straight-party voting has been abolished by nine other states in the last 20 years, including Wisconsin and Illinois. Michigan Democrats have accused the GOP of seeking partisan gain, particularly in down-ballot races for the state Board of Education and university boards, which Democrats have won despite Republicans controlling the executive, legislative and judicial branches. ___ Online: Michigan State A. Philip Randolph Institute v. Johnson: http://bit.ly/2bBqqq7 ___ Czechs gather money to make a church bell to honor Havel PRAGUE (AP) A campaign has been launched to honor Vaclav Havel by having a church bell made and named after the late Czech president. The Charter 77 Foundation, named after a human rights manifesto drafted by Havel, says the bell will mark five years since Havel's death and 80 years since his birth. The bell will be named Vaclav and placed at the Church of St. Havel in downtown Prague. By Wednesday afternoon, donations totaled 65,000 koruna ($2,710) of the 850,000 ($35,450) needed. A man arrested outside Kendall Jenner's West Hollywood home on Sunday night has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor trespassing and stalking charges. But this isn't the first time the 20-year-old supermodel has been tracked down and approached by Shavaughn McKenzie, according to TMZ. The reality star filed a restraining order against the man who has been chasing her for a 'long time' and on numerous occasions. Scroll down for video Terrified: Kendall Jenner filed a restraining order against an alleged stalker who has been chasing her for a 'long time,' according to TMZ; here she is pictured one week before the incident The Keeping Up With the Kardashians star has reportedly had several run-ins with the 25-year-old man. Before Kendall moved into her $6.5 million Hollywood Hills mansion in June, he had showed up at her Los Angeles condo several times before. During one incident, the man even ran into traffic while chasing after her vehicle as she drove away from her previous home. On Sunday, the beauty had just pulled into her new abode and saw him waiting by her gate in the driveway. Alarming: The 20-year-old supermodel was ferociously approached by Shavaughn McKenzie outside her new West Hollywood home on Sunday night As she pulled through her private gate, the man followed behind and began banging on her car windows, the site stated. According to the police report, he was yelling, 'Can I talk to you?' She became terrified and started screaming as she immediately called 911. McKenzie allegedly tried convincing Kendall as he shouted, 'Hey look, I don't have a gun,' while throwing his hands in the air to reassure the panicked model. 'Can I talk to you?': As the beauty pulled through her private gate, the 25-year-old man followed behind and began banging on her car windows; here she is pictured July 14 City Attorney's spokesman Frank Mateljan said Shavaughn McKenzie entered the not guilty plea Tuesday, and he faces up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine if convicted of either charge. Mateljan says McKenzie's bail was set at $120,000. He remains in custody and jail records do not show whether he has an attorney. Records show McKenzie pleaded no contest to a pair of trespassing cases in May. He is due back in court on August 30. Funeral for Georgia officer moved to accommodate large crowd EASTMAN, Ga. (AP) Authorities say the funeral for a slain Georgia police officer is being moved from a church to a gymnasium in order to accommodate the expected large crowd. Eastman police tell The Telegraph (http://bit.ly/2aZKxj3) that Eastman Patrol Officer Timothy Smith's funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Dodge County High School gym. They said the original location at a local church was deemed not large enough. Georgia Bureau of Investigation officials have said that Smith was responding to a call of a suspicious person with a gun when he was shot Saturday in Eastman, a rural city about 60 miles southeast of Macon. Authorities later apprehended 24-year-old Royheem Deeds and charged him with murder. This undated photo provided by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation shows Eastman, Ga. Patrol Officer Tim Smith. Smith was fatally shot about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, in a residential area of the city located about 60 miles southeast of Macon, Ga. Authorities said an unidentified suspect is being sought and an investigation is ongoing. (Courtesy of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation via AP) Lawyer: Mom accused in drownings dealt with mental illness HOUSTON (AP) A Houston mother accused of drowning her two children in her home's bathtub has a history of mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, her attorney said Wednesday. Sheborah Thomas, 30, had been set to appear in court but remained in the Harris County Jail undergoing a mental health evaluation, attorney Alvin Nunnery said after the hearing. Nunnery described Thomas as being in a catatonic, almost incoherent state when he visited her Tuesday. He has been appointed by the court to represent Thomas following her arrest Sunday on two counts of capital murder under 10 years of age for the deaths of her 5-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son. "She had a previous diagnosis of schizophrenia, as well as bipolar disorder. She also is currently severely, severely depressed. In either event, she is unable to make her court appearance today," he said. "We will evaluate her situation in the next couple of days." Nunnery said Thomas, who is being held without bond, had been prescribed medication but had not been taking it. Thomas' next court appearance was set for Aug. 25. According to a probable cause affidavit in the case, Thomas told police that she drowned her two children Friday after picking them up from daycare and feeding them. Authorities allege Thomas drowned her daughter first in her home's bathtub and then did the same to her son, forcing their heads underwater. Police say investigators are still trying to determine a motive, but belie Thomas acted alone. Autopsies have been ordered. On Sunday, Thomas tried to first bury the bodies next to her house but was not able to dig a deep enough hole, authorities said. She then rolled the bodies underneath a neighbor's house, according to the affidavit. An acquaintance who was helping Thomas move on Sunday alerted police after Thomas calmly told him that she had killed her two children, according to authorities. Tesla isn't alone with cars that can nearly drive themselves DETROIT (AP) With all the attention paid to Tesla Motors' Autopilot system, you'd think the company was the only one making cars that can almost drive themselves. But many automakers have rolled out cars that do what Teslas do. The difference: Tesla debuted Autopilot, a suite of semi-autonomous driving features, with a swagger, while others tread more carefully. Tesla's Autopilot allows the car to maintain a set speed, brake automatically and stay centered in its lane. Most luxury vehicles and even some mainstream ones like the Honda Civic can do the same. When Tesla upped the ante by offering automatic lane-changing, Mercedes-Benz quickly matched that. FILE - In this Monday, April 25, 2016, file photo, staff members talk with visitors as they sit inside a Tesla Model S electric car on display at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition in Beijing. With all the attention paid to Tesla Motors Autopilot system, youd think the company was the only one making cars that can almost drive themselves. But many automakers have rolled out cars that do what Teslas do. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) "I don't think Tesla is way ahead in terms of the technology. They view themselves as a technology company, so they're going to push it," said Adrian Lund, president of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, an insurer-funded group. Pushing it is important. Automakers are feeling pressure to make sure tech companies like Google and Apple don't leapfrog them with driverless cars of their own. They also see dollar signs: Ford CEO Mark Fields says car companies currently make $2.3 trillion in revenue each year. The global transportation business, including buses and car sharing, is worth $5.4 trillion per year. Carmakers that develop autonomous taxis or ride-sharing services could get a big slice of that pie. But if they aren't cautious enough, and driverless cars are deemed unsafe by consumers or regulators, a potentially life-saving technology might not make it to market. Critics have accused Tesla of pushing too far too fast following a crash in Florida that killed the driver of a Model S with Autopilot engaged. Mercedes-Benz recently pulled an ad, titled "The Future," after Consumer Reports complained it implied that the 2017 E-Class sedan is capable of self-driving. The fine print for the ad says the car can't drive itself, but Mercedes said it didn't want to confuse drivers. General Motors delayed the introduction of its Tesla-like Super Cruise system because of safety concerns. "They don't deploy it because they know that things can fail," said Raj Rajkumar, a computer engineering professor at Carnegie Mellon University who leads its autonomous vehicle research. Automakers have been slowly adding driver-assist features to their vehicles for years in an effort to make occupants safer and meet U.S. and European government mandates. Mercedes introduced adaptive cruise control, which automatically maintains a distance from cars in front, in 1999, four years before Tesla was founded. Ford introduced automatic parallel parking in 2009, six years before Tesla did. The push toward autonomy intensified in 2011 when Google announced plans to develop fully self-driving cars by 2020. A recent study by Boston Consulting Group predicts that 12 percent of the 111 million vehicles sold worldwide in 2025 or around 13 million vehicles will be partially autonomous, up from less than 5 percent currently. It expects 1 percent of all vehicles sold or around 1.1 million to be fully driverless. For the most part, traditional automakers modestly tout semi-autonomous driving features as safety options. They don't claim, as Musk does, that the cars can driver better than humans. An ad for the Infiniti Q50 sedan, for example, shows a driver thinking about projects and deadlines as his car looks out for hazards. "Its instinct to protect leaves you free to drive," says the narrator. Lund said traditional automakers also tend to make it more difficult and expensive to get semi-autonomous functions than Tesla does. Tesla's Autopilot comes as a separate $2,500 software update on the Model S sedan, which starts at $66,000. Mercedes charges $11,250 for a package of semi-autonomous features on the 2017 E-Class that also includes keyless entry, satellite radio and cabin air filtration. The E-Class starts at $52,150. Consumers must also play a name game when hunting for advanced driving features. Volvo's semi-autonomous system is called "Pilot Assist," while BMW's is "Driving Assistant Plus" and Subaru's is "EyeSight." "When people go shopping, they don't even know what to ask for," Lund says. Making semi-autonomous features standard and using fewer trade names would help, he says. He also wants automakers to share more data about how the systems work. Consumers Reports has called for Tesla to drop the Autopilot name and to do more to ensure drivers remain engaged while the system is in use. But Musk says Tesla is sticking by Autopilot the name and the technology. "When used correctly, it is already significantly safer than a person driving by themselves," he wrote in a recent blog post. Some say tech-minded companies like Tesla deserve credit for prodding the traditional auto industry toward a driverless future. Fully driverless cars that communicate with each other could potentially save thousands of lives per year, advocates say. More than 30,000 people die in crashes each year in the U.S. alone. "In the world of Silicon Valley, if it's not done yesterday, it's late," says Mark Peters, an airline pilot from Hurst, Texas, who traded in an older Tesla for a newer one so he could get Autopilot. "They are willing to take that risk that scares the daylights out of other companies." FILE - In this Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015, file photo, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla Motors Inc., talks during a news conference at the company's headquarters in Fremont, Calif. With all the attention paid to Tesla Motors Autopilot system, youd think the company was the only one making cars that can almost drive themselves. But many automakers have rolled out cars that do what Teslas do. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File) In June, airlines improved on-time performance from 2015 WASHINGTON (AP) Airlines were running on time more often in June than they did last summer and travelers seemed to be finding less to complain about. But that was before computer outages this month at Delta and last month at Southwest led to more than 4,000 flight cancelations, widespread delays and travel nightmares. The Transportation Department said Wednesday that 78 percent of flights on major U.S. airlines arrived on time in June, up from 74.8 percent in June 2015. The on-time rate slipped from May's 83.4 percent mark, however. Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines had the best on-time ratings. American Airlines had the worst. At least one in every four flights was late on American, Virgin America, Spirit Airlines, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways. Flights that arrive at least 15 minutes behind schedule are considered late. About 1 percent of domestic flights were canceled in June, down from 1.8 percent a year earlier but double May's 0.5 percent rate. Regional airline ExpressJet and Spirit were most likely to cancel a flight. Delta Air Lines had the lowest cancellation rate in June, a record that was marred this month by a massive computer outage. Travelers filed 1,078 complaints with the government about all U.S. airlines in June, down 31 percent from 1,567 a year earlier. Southwest had the lowest complaint rate, while Spirit had the highest. Spirit passengers lodged complaints at least twice as often as travelers on any other airline and 13 times more often than Southwest customers. For the first six months of 2016, complaints to the Transportation Department were down 12.2 percent from 2015. However, those figures don't include complaints that consumers lodge directly with the airlines the airlines are not required to report those numbers. ___ Hawaiian, Alaska top on-time ratings, American lands last Here are the government's rankings of the leading airlines and their on-time performance for June. The federal government counts a flight as on time if it arrives within 14 minutes of schedule. 1. Hawaiian Airlines, 91.1 percent 2. Alaska Airlines, 86.4 percent 3. SkyWest, 84.6 percent 4. Delta Air Lines, 83.4 percent 5. United Airlines, 79.2 percent 6. ExpressJet, 78.1 percent 7. Frontier Airlines, 75.6 percent 8. JetBlue Airways, 74.4 percent 9. Southwest Airlines, 74.3 percent 10. Spirit Airlines, 73.0 percent 11. Virgin America, 72.6 percent 12. American Airlines, 72.4 percent Total for all reporting airlines: 78.0 percent ___ Source: U.S. Department of Transportation Racers whip across Utah's famed salt flats after 2 years off BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS, Utah (AP) Blinding white salt stretches across the earth to distant purple mountain ranges, an otherworldly landscape famous for providing a natural track for racers seeking breakneck speeds but fragile enough that rain can easily break it down. Thousands of adrenaline junkies have descended this week on Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats, coming from as far away as New Zealand, Japan and Russia. In this stark place about 100 miles west of Salt Lake City, they have set up a caravan of campers, tents and trailers as they spend a week trying to beat the clock some topping speeds of 400 mph. They haul modified motorcycles, vintage hot rods and roadsters, and custom vehicles that look like rockets or spaceships, with names such as "Disturbing Da Peace" or "Loosenuts Special." They'll wait for hours in line under the brutal sun just to get a chance to zoom across the flats, hoping to see if their latest modifications help them beat their previous records or go fast enough to earn a spot in the "200 mph Club." This Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016, photo, shows a vehicle speeding across the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) While the racers are glad to be back at Speed Week, which runs through Friday, it's a bittersweet return after a two-year hiatus marked by disappointments and accusations that federal land managers have failed to protect the unique area. U.S. officials partly blame heavy rains and say they're trying to preserve the salt by requiring a nearby mining company to pump brine onto the flats each year. Wet weather and rough salt scuttled the major races in 2014 and 2015, and organizers say they no longer find enough smooth salt to set up raceways of 10 miles or more to give many vehicles enough room to hit top speeds and safely slow down. This year, organizers with the Southern California Timing Association found enough dry, relatively smooth salt to eke out three racetracks for Speed Week, the largest of several annual races at the flats. Racers say that while they're grateful weather has been favorable and they're whipping across the salt again, they pointed out the less-than-pristine conditions. "It looks thinner to me," said Ben York, a driver from Roseville, California, who has been coming to the flats since 2009. His team was trying to break a 334 mph record with their vehicle the "Adrenaline Rush," an elongated racecar style known as a Lakester. York said that when the salt is flat, it's very good, but this year it feels bumpy and coarse. "Compared to past years, it's spotty at best," said Dallas Volk of Bountiful, Utah, whose family has been racing at Bonneville for nearly six decades. Volk, 49, who first came to the races as a toddler, was selling T-shirts and other gear out of a trailer to support the Save the Salt organization, one of several racing groups calling for federal land managers to keep the salt from depleting and lobbying members of Congress to step in. "You can definitely tell it's not the same salt it was five or six years ago," Volk said. His father, Larry Volk, pulled out a pickax and struck it into the salt, revealing a layer of mud about an inch below, creating a speedway that's less hard and fast than it used to be. He said that when he started racing in 1958, they could find 14 miles of speedway where the salt top was 7 or 8 inches thick. "That's what we'd like to see it get back to," he said. Monsoon storms are partly to blame for the cancellations, but it's unclear exactly why there appears to be a smaller, thinner expanse of smooth salt. The racing community says nearby potash mining is draining a salty aquifer that helps replenish the flats each year. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the flats, said it requires the mining company to pump several hundred thousand tons of brine onto the flats every winter so that when the area begins to bake under the summer sun, the water evaporates and the salt crust thickens. Racers want to see much more brine pumped on the flats every year and are working with Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Stewart on legislation to restore the area. His office said it's still drafting the legislation and would not offer details. Larry Volk said congressional action is a last-ditch effort to try to preserve the area for decades of future racing. Though conditions are poor this year, Volk said the speed demons are still glad to be back. "We're racers, OK?" he said. "Give us anything and we'll try to race on it." This Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, photo, a car rides along the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, photo, shows the pitt area at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, photo, cars form a line near the race track at the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, shows Larry Volk, from Bountiful, the chairman-at-large for Save the Salt group and founder of the Utah Salt Flat Racing Association, uses a pick to demonstrate the quality of the salt at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, a vehicle is hauled to the starting line at the Bonneville Salt Flats, outside of Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, a racer deploys its parachute after speeding across the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, Steve Nelson, of Petaluna, Ca, dives his vehicle from the starting line at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, Steve Nelson, of Petaluna, Ca, drives his vehicle from the starting line at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, driver Steve Nelson, of Petaluna, Ca, climbs into his vehicle at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, driver Steve Nelson, of Petaluna, Ca, looks on after climbing into his vehicle at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, shows the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, salt lays on the surface of a tire at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, shows the surface of the salt at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, photo, a car is towed at the Bonneville Salt Flats near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15,2016, photo, a vehicle waits to start a time trial at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, photo, a car rides along the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, photo, a car rides along the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, photo, shows the Bonneville Salt Flats International Speedway sign, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, photo, shows the pitt area at the Bonneville Salt Flats, near Wendover, Utah. Speed-starved racers are finally back at Utah's world-famous Bonneville Salt Flats to hit speeds of 400 mph or more as they compete in Speed Week for the first time since 2013 after wet weather and rough salt cancelled the races for the last two years. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) Shaun White's ex-bandmate accuses him of sexual harassment SAN DIEGO (AP) A former member of Shaun White's rock band is suing the Olympic snowboarding champion, claiming he sexually harassed and refused to pay her. Lena Zawaideh was the drummer in White's band, Bad Things, until 2014. In a lawsuit filed in California Superior Court, she says White repeatedly sexually harassed her, forced her to watch pornography and refused to pay her after she was fired. The lawsuit includes screengrabs of text messages allegedly sent by White asking her to cut her hair a certain way and suggesting she wear a provocative outfit. FILE - In this Friday, Feb. 6, 2015, file photo, Shaun White arrives at the 2015 MusiCares Person of the Year event at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles. A lawsuit filed May 10, 2016, in a California court by the former drummer of his band, Bad Things, claims White sexually harassed her. White called the lawsuit "bogus" in a statement issued by his lawyer on August 16, 2016. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File) In a statement issued through his lawyer, White acknowledges that he exchanged texts with Zawaideh but calls the lawsuit "bogus." US rapper charged with sexual abuse in Austria posts bail VIENNA (AP) An Austrian legal official says that U.S. rapper Freddie Gibbs has posted bail and been released from custody after being charged with sexual abuse. He and a body guard have been indicted for allegedly exploiting the dazed state of two women whose drinks were possibly spiked to sexually abuse them after a nightclub appearance by Gibbs. Gibbs, whose real name is Fredrick Tipton, was recently extradited to Austria from France. He denies the accusations. Criminal court spokeswoman Christina Salzborn said Thursday that Gibbs posted bail of 50,000 euros (nearly $57,000.) His lawyer, Thomas Kralik, said Gibbs had to surrender his passport and agree not to leave the country. Senate hopeful in North Carolina: ACLU work defended freedom RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Deborah Ross is taking head-on Republican criticism of her role with the American Civil Liberties Union, saying Wednesday the organization's entire purpose is standing against government overreach. Ross met with Associated Press reporters as she finds herself in a surprisingly close campaign with two-term GOP incumbent Sen. Richard Burr. In ads and press releases, Burr's campaign and a super PAC criticized Ross as too liberal, citing her "out-of-touch and extreme record" with the ACLU in the 1990s. Ross left her job as the state chapter's executive director in 2002 to run for the state legislature, where she served for a decade. Ross pointed to the organization's recent court victory over a North Carolina election law as one way the ACLU fights for individual freedoms. A federal appeals court ruled last month that the 2013 law illegally targeted black voters "with almost surgical precision" to reduce their ability to vote. Part of the law requires a photo ID to vote and reduces early in-person voting by seven days. U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is considering whether to keep it in place for November's elections. "The organization, the ACLU, fights for individual freedom against government overreach, regardless of your race, religion, political belief," Ross said. "Right now, people are seeing the American Civil Liberties Union in a positive light." The constitutionally protected right to burn an American flag has also become part of the campaign. Last week, Burr questioned why the ACLU would defend someone who burned the flag, but wouldn't represent a man who wanted to fly the flag on a pole in his yard. "I think that's hypocritical," Burr said, referring to a recent newspaper article about a Granite Falls man who in 2001 asked the ACLU to help him when he was told he couldn't have the flag pole on his property. The man also was accused of violating several other deed restrictions. Ross said she didn't recall that specific request, and the ACLU wouldn't become involved in a dispute involving residential land use. The Senate contest was a statistical dead-heat with registered voters in North Carolina, according to an NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist poll release last week. The poll found 46 percent Ross supported, Burr backed by 44 percent and 9 percent undecided. ___ Follow Emery P. Dalesio at http://twitter.com/emerydalesio. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/emery-p-dalesio. ___ St. Anthony Police Chief Jon Mangseth (pictured) described officer Jeronimo Yanez as a level-headed member of the force The Minnesota police officer who killed Philando Castile in a shooting whose bloody aftermath was live streamed on Facebook was defended by his chief on Wednesday. St. Anthony Police Chief Jon Mangseth described officer Jeronimo Yanez as a level-headed member of the force with 'a real sound ability when it comes to communicating and relating to people.' His portrait is at odds with the image of the officer screaming expletives while pointing his gun at the dying man in the video. Yanez fatally shot school cafeteria worker Philando Castile during a traffic stop in nearby Falcon Heights on July 6. Castile's girlfriend Diamond Reynolds streamed the gruesome aftermath live on Facebook. She said Castile was shot several times while reaching for his ID after telling the officer he had a gun permit and was armed. Scroll down for video St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez (left) fatally shot school cafeteria worker Philando Castile (right) during a traffic stop in nearby Falcon Heights, Minnesota, on July 6 More than a month later, Yanez was expected to return to work for the first time Wednesday, Mangseth said in an interview with the Associated Press. Yanez will perform desk duties and other administrative work until the investigation is completed and charging decisions are made, the chief said. But Mangseth wouldn't discuss any details of the shooting, including what prompted the traffic stop that preceded Castile's death, citing the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension's ongoing review of the incident. He also wouldn't say whether he thinks his officer should be charged or exonerated in the case. But he said the 28-year-old, who is Latino, has had a sterling reputation in St. Anthony's police ranks since joining the force in late 2011. The chief described Yanez as energetic and intelligent, a skilled officer whom he chose to join the department's special crime prevention program. 'He has a real sound ability when it comes to communicating and relating to people,' Mangseth said. 'He showed me that he could shine in that public eye.' Castile's girlfriend's live streamed of the aftermath of the shooting on Facebook in July In Castile's girlfriend's archived video of the aftermath of the shooting, Yanez is shown occasionally yelling expletives and pointing his gun at Castile as he lies bleeding in the driver's seat of the car. 'I told him not to reach for it! I told him to get his hand off it!' he screams. The chief called Yanez's reaction common in a high-stress situation. Through an attorney, Castile's family declined to comment on the chief's assessments. Castile's death set off weeks of protests and calls for Yanez to be charged. It stoked the outcry following the death of another black man, Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at the hands of white police officers the day before. It also put the sleepy collection of St. Paul suburbs that St. Anthony police serve in the group of communities dealing with officer-involved shootings of black men, along with Baltimore, Ferguson, Baton Rouge, and most recently Milwaukee. 'There's been no time in my career where we've ever had this type of dynamic at work, this national stage, so to speak,' said Mangseth, who joined the department in 1995 and took over as chief earlier this year. That scrutiny eventually revealed Mangseth's department has disproportionately arrested African Americans. Castile's girlfriend Diamond Reynolds (left, with his mother) said he was shot when he reached for his wallet during the traffic stop While just seven percent of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area is black, nearly half of the St. Anthony police's arrests in the first half of 2016 were of black people, according to an AP analysis of arrest data provided by the department. Members of Minnesota's black community said the statistics were proof of racial profiling. Mangseth called those arrest rates a societal issue that extends far beyond law enforcement, St. Anthony's police department or the neighboring communities of Falcon Heights and Lauderdale that it also serves. He said it merits a discussion in their area of 16,000 people, and said he'd consider implementing bias training for his 23-member department. 'I am open for that training,' he said. Mangseth said he spoke to Yanez a handful of times while he was on administrative leave. The chief said he made sure to offer counseling or psychological services, though he couldn't say whether Yanez had used them. 'He's concerned for his future and for his family,' the chief said. Mangseth (above) wouldn't discuss any details of the shooting, including what prompted the traffic stop that preceded Castile's death 'This has put him and his family front and center in our metro area, not to mention the nation.' Castile was a longtime school cafeteria worker who family members described as loving and laid-back. He worked at JJ Hill Montessori School in St. Paul. Quick with a high-five for students and always eager to sneak kids extra graham crackers and other treats, Castile was known simply as 'Mr. Phil.' He was days shy of his 33rd birthday when he was shot. Castile and his girlfriend were driving through Falcon Heights on July 6 when they were pulled over for what his girlfriend has said was a broken tail light. Castile's death came a day after Alton Sterling (pictured) was killed at the hands of two white police officers in Baton Rouge Castile told officers that he had a gun in the car and a permit to use it, but was shot when he reached for his wallet, his girlfriend said. Court records show he had been stopped or ticketed more than 50 times. Yanez had worked for the St. Anthony Police Department for nearly five years when he pulled Castile's car over and, within minutes, fatally shot him several times. The officer's attorney, Thomas Kelly, has said that one of the reasons Yanez pulled Castile over was because he thought he looked like 'a possible match' for a suspect in a recent armed robbery. The convenience store holdup happened less than two miles down the same street from where Yanez stopped Castile. Yanez graduated from Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2010 with a degree in law enforcement. Violent protests in Mali's capital kill 3, injure several BAMAKO, Mali (AP) Protests in Mali's capital against the arrest of a popular activist radio host have turned violent, leaving at least three people dead and several injured. These are the first major protests in Bamako since a military coup in 2012. Dozens took to the streets in Hamdallaye neighborhood Wednesday in support of radio personality Ras Bath. Women and a child past by a burning tyre on a road, after a protest, in Bamako, Mali, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Protests in Mali's capital against the arrest of a popular activist radio host have turned violent, leaving at least three people dead and several injured. (AP Photo/Baba Ahmed) Activist Yelimady Konate says protesters knocked down the door of the courtroom where Bath was having his hearing. He says Bath was arrested Monday before hosting a radio talk show discussing Mali's army. Protester Mama Camara says he saw three dead and several hurt at a clinic where he was looking for friends. A doctor there, Makan Diakite, says some people had been hit by bullets. Debris from a burning tyre on a road, after a protest, in Bamako, Mali, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Protests in Mali's capital against the arrest of a popular activist radio host have turned violent, leaving at least three people dead and several injured. (AP Photo/Baba Ahmed) Clinton shrugs off Trump shakeup, attacks his tax plan CLEVELAND (AP) Hillary Clinton shrugged off Donald Trump's latest campaign shakeup Wednesday, saying he's the "same man" who would cut taxes for rich people while she would force the super-wealthy to pay more. "Donald Trump doesn't need a tax cut. I don't need a tax cut. It's time for the wealthiest Americans, whoever you are, as well as corporations and Wall Street to pay your fair share in taxes," Clinton said at a rally with more than 2,300 people at Cleveland's John Marshall High School. Her remarks came shortly after Trump, struggling to steady his troubled campaign, announced a new chief executive officer and campaign manager. Polls show Clinton building a lead in the weeks since the summer nominating conventions. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tours classrooms and talks with students at John Marshall High School in Cleveland, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, before participating in a campaign event. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) At the rally, Clinton suggested staffing changes won't fix her rival's campaign or change his past insults of the Muslim American parents of an Army Captain killed in Iraq, or incendiary comments about women and people with disabilities. Trump, she said, has "shown us who he is." "There is no new Donald Trump. This is it," she added. Even as she has struggled to address questions about her honesty amplified by scrutiny of her use of a private email server at the State Department, Clinton has addressed the trust issues in other ways. Popular surrogates, including Vice President Joe Biden this week in Pennsylvania, have testified to her trustworthiness. Clinton has repeatedly pointed to Trump's unwillingness to release his income tax returns and said his tax policies would only help the rich. Clinton pledged again that she would not raise taxes on middle-class earners but Republicans noted that during her time in the Senate she had voted in favor of Democratic budget plans that would have raised taxes on American earning less than $250,000 a year. Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement that Clinton's tax plan would "kill jobs, reduce wages and hurt economic growth" and her prior Senate votes showed "she can't be trusted to look out for the middle class." Clinton has proposed a 4 percent surcharge on incomes of more than $5 million, which would essentially create a new top bracket of 43.6 percent while those earning more than $1 million annually would face a tax rate of at least 30 percent. She has also pledged to eliminate the so-called "carried interest" loophole for private equity and hedge fund managers who pay lower rates on their investment profits. Trump wants to reduce the top bracket to 33 percent from the current level of 39.6 percent and would reduce the seven tax brackets down to three, at 12 percent, 25 percent and 33 percent. The businessman would eliminate the estate tax which is currently applied to estates worth more than $10.9 million for married couples. Clinton would increase the estate tax to 45 percent from the current 40 percent and apply it to estates of $7 million for married couples. Clinton took a short break in Cleveland, meeting for about 30 minutes with rock star Paul McCartney ahead of his concert at Quicken Loans Arena. Her campaign said the two met backstage and chatted about the 2016 campaign, the Summer Olympics and their families. __ On Twitter follow Ken Thomas: https://www.twitter.com/kthomasDC Manafort tied to undisclosed foreign lobbying WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump's campaign chairman helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political party's efforts to influence U.S. policy. The revelation, provided to The Associated Press by people directly knowledgeable about the effort, comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism for his friendly overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It also casts new light on the business practices of campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Under federal law, U.S. lobbyists must declare publicly if they represent foreign leaders or their political parties and provide detailed reports about their actions to the Justice Department. A violation is a felony and can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. FILE - In this June 9, 2016 file photo, Paul Manafort campaign chairman for Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump is seen in New York. Manafort helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political partys efforts to influence U.S. policy. The revelation, provided to The Associated Press by two people directly involved in the effort, comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism for his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File) Trump shook up his campaign organization Wednesday, putting two new longtime Republican conservative strategists as chief executive officer and campaign manager. It was unclear what impact the shakeup would have on Manafort, but he retains his title as campaign chairman. Manafort and business associate Rick Gates, another top strategist in Trump's campaign, were working in 2012 on behalf of the political party of Ukraine's then-president, Viktor Yanukovych. People with direct knowledge of Gates' work said that, during the period when Gates and Manafort were consultants to the Ukraine president's political party, Gates was also helping steer the advocacy work done by a pro-Yanukovych nonprofit that hired a pair of Washington lobbying firms, Podesta Group Inc. and Mercury LLC. The nonprofit, the newly created European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, was governed by a board that initially included parliament members from Yanukovych's party. The nonprofit subsequently paid at least $2.2 million to the lobbying firms to advocate positions generally in line with those of Yanukovych's government. That lobbying included downplaying the necessity of a congressional resolution meant to pressure the Ukrainian leader to release an imprisoned political rival. The lobbying firms continued the work until shortly after Yanukovych fled the country in February 2014, during a popular revolt prompted in part by his government's crackdown on protesters and close ties to Russia. Among those who described Manafort's and Gates's relationship with the nonprofit are current and former employees of the Podesta Group. Some of them spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal details about the work and because they remain subject to non-disclosure agreements. Gates told the AP that he and Manafort introduced the lobbying firms to the European Centre nonprofit and occasionally consulted with the firms on Ukrainian politics. He called the actions lawful, and said there was no attempt to circumvent the reporting requirements of the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. The heads of both lobbying firms told AP they concluded there was no obligation to disclose their activities to the Justice Department. Manafort did not directly respond to AP's requests to discuss the work, but he was copied on the AP's questions and Gates said he spoke to Manafort before providing answers to them. Political consultants are generally leery of registering under the foreign agents law, because their reputations can suffer once they are on record as accepting money to advocate the interests of foreign governments especially if those interests conflict with America's. The foreign agent law is enforced by a relatively small division within the counter-espionage section of the Justice Department's National Security Division. Its powers are limited because it can't compel lobbying firms or others to turn over documents without a judge's approval, but investigators routinely monitor news reports for evidence of cases that raise suspicions about possible violations. "They read the paper every day," said Matthew Miller, a former director of the Justice Department's public affairs division under Attorney General Eric Holder. "And if they see things that are potential FARA violations they send letters to the named parties." Clinton's campaign manager, Robby Mook, did not urge an inquiry Wednesday, but said voters should scrutinize any links between Trump's staff and Russian political interests. "Trump's own views and the Republican platform itself have notably backed Russian views and Russian polices," Mook said. "It paints a very disturbing picture and I think the voters need to pay a lot of attention to that." The intent of using the two lobbying firms was unclear, but ironically, one of firms Manafort and Gates worked with has strong Democratic and Clinton ties. The founder and chairman of the Podesta Group, Tony Podesta, is the brother of longtime Democratic strategist John Podesta, who now is campaign chairman for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The head of Mercury, Vin Weber, is an influential Republican, former congressman and former special policy adviser to Mitt Romney. Weber announced earlier this month that he will not support Trump. After being introduced to the lobbying firms, the European nonprofit paid the Podesta Group $1.13 million between June 2012 and April 2014 to lobby Congress, the White House National Security Council, the State Department and other federal agencies, according to U.S. lobbying records. The nonprofit also paid $1.07 million over roughly the same period to Mercury to lobby Congress. Among other issues, Mercury opposed congressional efforts to pressure Ukraine to release one of Yanukovych's political rivals from prison. One former Podesta employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because of a non-disclosure agreement, said Gates described the nonprofit's role in an April, 2012 meeting as supplying a source of money that could not be traced to the Ukrainian politicians who were paying him and Manafort. In separate interviews, three current and former Podesta employees said disagreements broke out within the firm over the arrangement, which at least one former employee considered obviously illegal. Podesta, who said the project was vetted by his firm's counsel, said he was unaware of any such disagreements. A legal opinion drafted for the project for Mercury in May 2012, and obtained by AP, concluded that the European Centre qualified as a "foreign principal" under the Foreign Agents Registration Act but said disclosure to the Justice Department was not required. That determination was based on the nonprofit's assurances that none of its activities was directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed or subsidized by Ukraine's government or any of the country's political parties. The Podesta Group's CEO, Kimberley Fritts, said the two lobbying firms had coordinated on the legal conclusion that disclosure was not necessary to the Justice Department. "If counsel had determined FARA was the way to go, we would have gladly registered under FARA," she said in a statement to the AP. She said the nonprofit provided a signed statement affirming its independence from Ukraine's government. People involved in the lobbying project offered contradictory descriptions of how it came about. Podesta told the AP his firm worked closely with the nonprofit and with Gates simultaneously. But Podesta said Gates was not working for Yanukovych's political party and said Manafort was not involved. "I was never given any reason to believe Rick was a Party of Regions consultant," said John Ward Anderson, a current Podesta employee who attended the meeting, in a statement provided by his firm. "My assumption was that he was working for the Centre, as we were." Gates, in contrast, told AP he was working with Manafort and that both he and Manafort were working for Yanukovych's party. Pointing to Manafort's involvement, Weber told AP that Manafort discussed the project before it began in a conference call with Podesta and himself. The director of the European Centre, Ina Kirsch, told the AP her group never worked with Manafort or Gates and said the group hired the Washington lobbyists on its own. She said she had met with Manafort twice but said neither Manafort nor Gates played a role in its lobbying activities. The center has declined for years to reveal specific sources of its funding. Prosecutions under the Foreign Agents Registration Act are generally rare, although a former U.S. congressman, Mark Siljander, R-Mich., pleaded guilty in July 2010 to illegal lobbying under the law and obstruction of justice for his work with a charity in Khartoum, Sudan, that prosecutors said was suspected of funding international terrorism. Siljander served one year in prison. Lobbyists in general prefer not to register under the foreign agents law because its requirements are so much more demanding, making their activities more open to public scrutiny. The Justice Department, for example, requires those who register as lobbyists on behalf of foreign governments or parties to detail the home addresses of lobbyists and descriptions of all receipts, payments, political contributions and details about any lectures, emails, pamphlets or press releases they create. Lobbying records filed in the U.S. Senate, in contrast, such as the ones describing payments to the Podesta Group and Mercury by the European Centre, are far less detailed. The Justice Department's own published guidelines describe foreign political parties as covered under the law. ___ Associated Press writers Ted Bridis and Maria Danilova contributed to this story. Manafort tied to undisclosed foreign lobbying WASHINGTON (AP) Donald Trump's campaign chairman helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political party's efforts to influence U.S. policy. The revelation, provided to The Associated Press by people directly knowledgeable about the effort, comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism for his friendly overtures to Russian President Vladimir Putin. It also casts new light on the business practices of campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Under federal law, U.S. lobbyists must declare publicly if they represent foreign leaders or their political parties and provide detailed reports about their actions to the Justice Department. A violation is a felony and can result in up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. FILE - In this June 9, 2016 file photo, Paul Manafort campaign chairman for Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump is seen in New York. Manafort helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political partys efforts to influence U.S. policy. The revelation, provided to The Associated Press by two people directly involved in the effort, comes at a time when Trump has faced criticism for his praise of Russian President Vladimir Putin. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File) Trump shook up his campaign organization Wednesday, putting two new longtime Republican conservative strategists as chief executive officer and campaign manager. It was unclear what impact the shakeup would have on Manafort, but he retains his title as campaign chairman. Manafort and business associate Rick Gates, another top strategist in Trump's campaign, were working in 2012 on behalf of the political party of Ukraine's then-president, Viktor Yanukovych. People with direct knowledge of Gates' work said that, during the period when Gates and Manafort were consultants to the Ukraine president's political party, Gates was also helping steer the advocacy work done by a pro-Yanukovych nonprofit that hired a pair of Washington lobbying firms, Podesta Group Inc. and Mercury LLC. The nonprofit, the European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, subsequently paid at least $2.2 million to the lobbying firms to advocate positions generally in line with those of Yanukovych's government. That lobbying included downplaying the necessity of a congressional resolution meant to pressure the Ukrainian leader to release an imprisoned political rival. The lobbying firms continued the work until shortly after Yanukovych fled the country in February 2014, during a popular revolt prompted in part by his government's crackdown on protesters and close ties to Russia. Among those who described Manafort's and Gates's relationship with the nonprofit are current and former employees of the lobbying firms. Some spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to reveal details about the work and because they remain subject to non-disclosure agreements. Gates told the AP that he and Manafort introduced the lobbying firms to the European Centre and occasionally consulted with the firms on Ukrainian politics. He called the actions lawful, and said there was no attempt to circumvent the reporting requirements of the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act. The heads of both lobbying firms told AP they concluded there was no obligation to disclose their activities to the Justice Department. Manafort did not directly respond to AP's requests to discuss the work, but he was copied on the AP's questions and Gates said he spoke to Manafort before providing answers to them. Political consultants are generally leery of registering under the foreign agents law, because their reputations can suffer once they are on record as accepting money to advocate the interests of foreign governments especially if those interests conflict with America's. The intent of using the two lobbying firms was unclear, but ironically, one of firms Manafort and Gates worked with has strong Democratic and Clinton ties. The founder and chairman of the Podesta Group, Tony Podesta, is the brother of longtime Democratic strategist John Podesta, who now is campaign chairman for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. The head of Mercury, Vin Weber, is an influential Republican, former congressman and former special policy adviser to Mitt Romney. Weber announced earlier this month that he will not support Trump. One former Podesta employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because of a non-disclosure agreement, said Gates described the nonprofit's role in an April, 2012 meeting as supplying a source of money that could not be traced to the Ukrainian politicians who were paying him and Manafort. In separate interviews, three current and former Podesta employees said disagreements broke out within the firm over the arrangement, which at least one former employee considered obviously illegal. Podesta, who said the project was vetted by his firm's counsel, said he was unaware of any such disagreements. A legal opinion drafted for the project for Mercury in May 2012, and obtained by AP, concluded that the European Centre qualified as a "foreign principal" under the Foreign Agents Registration Act but said disclosure to the Justice Department was not required. That determination was based on the nonprofit's assurances that none of its activities was directly or indirectly supervised, directed, controlled, financed or subsidized by Ukraine's government or any of the country's political parties. ___ Associated Press writers Ted Bridis and Maria Danilova contributed to this story. Judge: New Jersey US prosecutors too focused on convictions NEWARK, N.J. (AP) A federal judge on Wednesday sharply rebuked federal prosecutors in New Jersey, saying they're more focused on getting convictions than pursuing tougher punishments. The Record (http://bit.ly/2bHy6by ) reports U.S. District Judge William Walls scolded the U.S. attorney's office in Newark for what he called a pattern of seeking lighter sentences for those who plead guilty in corruption cases. Walls' comments came during a sentencing hearing for Leovaldo Fundora. "The society is being swindled, and your office seems to care about notching wins," the judge told Barbara Llanes, the assistant U.S. attorney handling the corruption case against Fundora. Fundora pleaded guilty in 2013 to conspiring with Union City officials to steal federal housing money. Prosecutors estimated losses at between $120,000 and $200,000. He faced up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but prosecutors filed a motion asking the judge to deviate from federal sentencing guidelines and impose a lighter sentence. Despite his comments, Walls agreed and sentenced Fundora to three years of probation. He also ordered Fundora to pay about $75,000 in restitution and fines. "This is absolutely ridiculous, and I will not do it again," Walls said. Walls said businesses that win government contracts should hold themselves to a higher standard and that the lighter sentences don't make sense in the "context of true law enforcement." "If you swindle the government, regardless of your status, you should go to jail," Walls said. Llanes said prosecutors wouldn't seek lighter punishments for the two Union City public officials, Johnny Garces and Washington Borgono, who both pleaded guilty. A spokesman for U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. ___ Colorado: Water contamination likely came from military base DENVER (AP) Colorado health officials said it's highly likely that trace amounts of toxic chemicals found in three drinking water systems came from firefighting foam used at a nearby Air Force base. The state Department of Public Health and Environment said Wednesday it hasn't ruled out additional sources, but officials believe at least some of the chemicals came from Peterson Air Force Base, where firefighters used the foam in training exercises. The foam contained perfluorinated compounds, or PFCs, which have been linked to prostate, kidney and testicular cancer, along with other illnesses. The comments by state officials were the most definitive statement to date linking the contamination to Peterson. It came hours after the military released a report identifying six sites at the base where the foam may have escaped into the environment after firefighting drills or fire equipment tests. They include hangars, fire stations, a drainage pond and a field where the base once sent storm runoff. The field is now a golf course and is irrigated from the drainage pond. The military is checking bases nationwide for possible releases of the foam into the environment. Colorado and Air Force officials will meet next week to discuss their next steps, said Roland Clubb of the state health department. The next phase will include drilling monitoring wells and taking soil samples, which the Air Force announced last month. Clubb said state officials also want assurances from the Air Force about seven other sites at Peterson where the foam was used, but where the military said no follow-up investigation is needed. The Air Force said any foam released at those sites went through a treatment system. PFCs also were widely used in non-stick coatings on cookware and in other applications. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered water systems nationwide to test for the compounds between 2013 and 2015. In Colorado, PFCs were found in well water in three utility systems serving about 69,000 people in the city of Fountain and an unincorporated community called Security-Widefield. The levels exceeded the EPA's suggested limits. Colorado health officials have said the communities have higher rates of kidney cancer than surrounding populations, but the evidence was not sufficient to definitively blame PFCs. They noted that the residents also have higher rates of obesity and smoking, which are linked to cancer. PFCs didn't show up in other public Colorado water systems, but health officials in El Paso County, which includes the affected towns, said they found PFCs above the EPA recommendation in 26 private drinking-water wells. They were awaiting results on 12 others. Aaron Doussett, manager of the county's water quality program, said he doesn't have enough information yet to say whether the PFCs came from the air base. The Air Force previously agreed to spend $4.3 million to install water filters in the area remove PFCs. Contractors were still working out the details, Peterson spokesman Steve Brady said. The Security Water District has shifted almost entirely to surface water from rivers and lakes since the PFCs were found, Manager Roy Heald said Wednesday. Previously, about half the district's water came from wells and half from surface water. Heald expects the district to soon use surface water entirely, after modifications to the system. The Fountain Water Department has not used wells since October and got through this summer's peak demand period entirely on surface water, Utilities Director Curtis Mitchell said. The director of the Widefield water system wasn't immediately available to comment, his staff said. ___ Police: Suspect who reached for deputy's gun fatally shot CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) Police in West Virginia say a sheriff's deputy fatally shot a suspect who tried to grab the deputy's gun inside a cruiser. John O'Handley, 55, was arrested on a methamphetamine-manufacturing charge and was being driven to a jail when he reached between the seats for the deputy's gun Tuesday, the Charleston Gazette-Mail (http://bit.ly/2byb6rr) quoted Hampshire County Deputy Nathan Sions as saying. Following a struggle, the deputy fired one shot, striking O'Handley in the head and killing him, Sions said. Sheriff's officers from Hampshire County and Frederick County, Virginia, had gone to O'Handley's home in Yellow Spring near the West Virginia-Virginia border about 110 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. Sions said after O'Handley was arraigned at the Hampshire County Judicial Center, he was being taken to the Potomac Highlands Regional Jail in Augusta when he reached for the gun as the deputy's cruiser traveled along U.S. Route 50. Sions said the older-model cruiser didn't have a barrier between the front and back seats. O'Handley's hands were handcuffed in front of him after complaining of discomfort when they were handcuffed behind him. "Out of the goodness of the deputy's heart, he cuffed him up front to try to relieve the pain he was having," Sions said. Sions declined to release the name of the deputy, who is currently on paid leave. The races of the deputy and O'Handley weren't known. The sheriff's office didn't immediately respond to a telephone message Wednesday. ___ Comedian Katt Williams charged with battery in Los Angeles LOS ANGELES (AP) Los Angeles prosecutors have charged Katt Williams with misdemeanor battery over an altercation he had with a woman in a parking lot last month. City attorney spokesman Frank Mateljan says Williams' case is due for arraignment Thursday. Williams, who faces up to six months in jail if convicted, is not required to attend the hearing. The 44-year-old comedian was arrested July 24 outside the Sportsmen's Lodge banquet hall and hotel after a female employee said he hurt her. FILE - In this, Oct. 27, 2015, file photo, comedian Katt Williams appears in court for his arraignment on robbery charges in Los Angeles. Los Angeles prosecutors on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016, charged Williams with one count of misdemeanor battery over a July 24, 2016, incident in which a woman accused the comedian of hurting her in a parking lot in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles. (Frederick M. Brown/Pool via AP, File) Williams' attorney Shawn Holley declined comment, saying she had not yet received potential evidence in the case. The comedian has been arrested several times this year, including in April, when police said he threw a salt shaker at a suburban Atlanta restaurant manager. Sioux tribe leader wants political help to halt oil pipeline BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) A tribal leader Wednesday said he contacted the White House and met with North Dakota's senators in an effort to halt construction of a $3.8 billion, four-state oil pipeline that crosses the Missouri River near an American Indian reservation in southern North Dakota. Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman David Archambault II, in a teleconference with reporters, stressed that the he and the tribe are working to ensure peace among those protesting the Dakota Access pipeline. "There is no place for threats, violence or criminal activity," Archambault said. North Dakota transportation officials, meanwhile, closed a several-mile stretch of Highway 1806 on Wednesday because of the protest along the road. The 1,172-mile pipeline planned by Dallas-based Energy Transfer Partners is passing through the Dakotas and Iowa on its way to Illinois. Construction crews with armed private security guards arrived last week just north of the Standing Rock Sioux reservation at the confluence of the Cannonball and Missouri rivers, where native Americans have been staging a protest for months at a "spirit camp." Archambault and more than two dozen others have been arrested in the past week for interfering with construction of the project. On Monday, developers of the project sued in federal court to stop protesters including Archambault from interfering with the project, alleging the safety of workers and law enforcement is at risk. U.S. District Court Judge Daniel Hovland granted the developer's motion for a temporary restraining order Tuesday. Archambault said he met Wednesday with North Dakota Sens. John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp to "express concerns" about the pipeline. The tribe sued federal regulators late last month for approving the pipeline. The tribe argues the pipeline would disturb sacred sites and affect drinking water for the thousands of residents on the reservation and the millions who rely on it downstream. Archambault told reporters he also has urged President Barack Obama to step in. The president and First Lady Michelle Obama traveled to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in 2014 to get a firsthand look at the impoverished living conditions on the reservation that straddles the North Dakota-South Dakota border. Archambault said he asked nothing of the president then but is doing so now. "I believe both he and Michelle Obama were touched," Archambault said. "So now if there's any way he can intervene and move this pipeline off our treaty lands, I'm asking him." Toomey, in fight for political life, abandons TPP trade deal HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) In a fight for his political life, Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey is abandoning a major international trade deal that has emerged as a divisive campaign issue. Announcing his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement puts the Pennsylvania senator more in line with labor unions and Democrats, including his challenger, Katie McGinty, who say the deal will drain jobs from the U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her Republican rival, Donald Trump, have opposed it, too. However, it puts Toomey out of step with Republican Senate leaders and a major Toomey backer, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, on the deal involving the U.S. and 11 other Pacific rim countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia and Vietnam. Polls show a neck-and-neck race between the first-term Toomey and McGinty, who has held various high-ranking posts in state and federal government. Millions of dollars in TV ads by outside groups are pouring into the contest, which could tip control of the chamber in the Nov. 8 election. McGinty's campaign quickly called Toomey's opposition to the TPP a "flip flop" on a career spent supporting free-market principles and international trade deals. In a sign of the unpopularity of trade deals in this election season, Clinton who promoted the deal as the "gold standard" of trade agreements when she was secretary of state also turned against it as a candidate. McGinty, as a member of President Bill Clinton's administration in 1994, defended the then-newly signed North American Free Trade Agreement, but in this campaign, she has hammered trade deals as bad for domestic manufacturing jobs and the middle class. Toomey wrote in an editorial published Wednesday in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the deal would make it too easy for other countries to steal innovations He mentioned Pennsylvania's life sciences and pharmaceuticals industries and said it does not satisfactorily open up markets for dairy products. "I have brought these and other problems to the attention of the Obama trade negotiators, but regrettably, they have failed to address them," Toomey wrote. "As it now stands, TPP is not a good deal for Pennsylvania. I cannot support it. ... We should dump the TPP and return to the negotiating table to get an agreement that would create jobs and economic growth here at home." Despite President Barack Obama's push for action on it, Republican leaders in the Senate and House have said the deal lacks the votes to pass, and it is highly unlikely lawmakers will vote on it this year. Toomey previously had said only that he had not decided whether to support the TPP, his aides said. Toomey's office said he has been reviewing the agreement since a copy of it was made available to lawmakers last October, but he thought it important to take a position now since the Obama administration notified Congress on Friday that it would send over the TPP bill. McGinty's campaign pointed to an April 2015 interview on MSNBC in which he predicted the deal would boost economic and job growth in the U.S. "The reality is, this trade agreement is going to knock down barriers to allow us to export more manufactured goods from Pennsylvania. It's definitely going to increase our ability to sell agricultural products overseas. It's going to help to protect the intellectual property of some of our really terrifically dynamic companies, like the pharmaceuticals, the medical device companies," Toomey said in the interview. In 2015, Toomey backed legislation that allowed the TPP to be approved by a simple majority without opportunities to amend it in what was widely viewed as a test vote for the TPP. In 2011, Toomey voted for free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. Body of Vermont firefighter killed in Nevada flown home NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) Dozens of federal, state and local firefighters escorted the body of a U.S. Forest Service firefighter to a Las Vegas-area airport on Wednesday to be flown home to Vermont. Justin Beebe, 26, was killed battling a wildfire in Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada. He was saluted by colleagues as his casket was borne by an honor guard aboard a twin-engine National Park Service "smokejumper" aircraft at North Las Vegas Airport. This July 2015 photo provided by Jessica Beebe shows a selfie made by her brother Justin Beebe in the Adirondack Mountains in N.Y. Forest Service spokeswoman Ronda Bishop said Monday, Aug. 15, 2016, that Beebe, a firefighter from Bellows Falls, Vt., was killed while battling a wildfire near Great Basin National Park, about 200 miles northeast of Las Vegas near the Nevada-Utah line. He was 26. (Justin Beebe via AP) The procession closed intersections and streets as it moved more than 6 miles from a funeral home to the airport, but U.S. Forest Service and airport officials said Beebe's family requested the ceremony remain private. Officials declined to comment. Beebe was a member of the Lolo Hotshots based in Missoula, Montana one of a number of elite Forest Service crews called for the most dangerous wildfires in the West. Crews use chain saws and pickaxes to fell trees and clear fire lines to eliminate fuel to stop spreading flames. Officials said Beebe died Saturday when he was struck by a tree while fighting a 7-square-mile blaze ignited by lightning Aug. 8 near Wheeler Peak, about 200 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Hundreds of firefighters have worked to contain the fire. Officials said Wednesday it was 90 percent contained. Beebe's parents, Sheldon and Betsy Beebe of Bellows Falls, Vermont, said their son grew up working on the family maple syrup farm and became a logger in New England. They characterized him as an avid hunter, fisherman and snowboarder who planned to marry his girlfriend and wanted to become a paramedic. They said he loved being, as he called it, "out of doors." Forest Service investigators are heading the probe of Beebe's death. He was the third federal firefighter to die this summer in Nevada. Bureau of Land Management firefighters Jacob O'Malley, 27, and Will Hawkins, 22, died and a colleague was injured in a firetruck rollover crash during wildfire patrol last month about 40 miles north of Winnemucca. Trump fined $10,000 for bench, kiosks in Trump Tower lobby NEW YORK (AP) Donald Trump's business has been fined $10,000 for installing two kiosks in, and removing a bench from, the lobby of Trump Tower. The city Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings released Hearing Officer Clive Morrick's Aug. 12 decision Wednesday. For months, city buildings inspectors have sought to enforce a unique permit governing Trump's Manhattan skyscraper. Trump was given special permission to build his Fifth Avenue building bigger in exchange for making the atrium open to the public daily. But buildings officials found the Republican presidential nominee violated those rules by removing the 22-foot marble bench and installing kiosks selling Trump merchandise. The kiosks have since been removed, and city officials confirmed the bench was reinstalled Aug. 3. The Latest: Veteran prosecutor succeeds convicted boss HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) The Latest on the Pennsylvania attorney general's last day in office after her criminal conviction and resignation (all times local): 5:30 p.m. The veteran prosecutor who has assumed the duties of Pennsylvania's convicted ex-attorney general is a central figure in the sexual assault case against Bill Cosby. Bruce L. Castor Jr., the top deputy to convicted Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, speaks at a news conference in the agency's headquarters, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 in Harrisburg, Pa. Castor will take the oath to become acting attorney general following Kane's announcement that she will resign effective Wednesday. (AP Photo/Marc Levy) Bruce L. Castor Jr. took the oath Wednesday to become acting attorney general, five months after Kathleen Kane hired him. Kane resigned Wednesday, following Monday's conviction on charges she abused the powers of the state's top law enforcement office by leaking secret grand jury information to smear a rival and lying under oath to cover it up. Castor is a former two-term district attorney and commissioner in Montgomery County. He ran unsuccessfully for attorney general in 2004. Castor declined to charge Cosby a decade ago when he investigated a former Temple University employee's claim the entertainer had molested her. ___ 4:30 p.m. Convicted Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane says her last day in office is bittersweet. Kane spoke to reporters Wednesday as she entered the attorney general's offices in Scranton on her last day. She didn't discuss her conviction or potential appeal. She's scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 24 and jail time is possible. Kane is resigning following Monday's conviction on charges she abused the powers of the state's top law enforcement office by leaking secret grand jury information to smear a rival and lying under oath to cover it up. Her top deputy, Bruce L. Castor Jr., will take the oath later Wednesday to become acting attorney general, five months after Kane hired him. Castor is a former district attorney and commissioner in Montgomery County. He ran unsuccessfully for attorney general in 2004. ___ 7 a.m. The man who will take over the duties of Pennsylvania's convicted attorney general is a veteran prosecutor and a central figure in the sexual assault case against Bill Cosby. Bruce L. Castor Jr. will take the oath Wednesday to become acting attorney general, five months after Kathleen Kane hired him. Kane is resigning following Monday's conviction on charges she abused the powers of the state's top law enforcement office by leaking secret grand jury information to smear a rival and lying under oath to cover it up. Castor is a former two-term district attorney and commissioner in Montgomery County. He ran unsuccessfully for attorney general in 2004. Castor declined to charge Cosby a decade ago when he investigated a former Temple University employee's claim the entertainer had molested her. Bruce L. Castor Jr., the top deputy to convicted Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, speaks at a news conference in the agency's headquarters, Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016 in Harrisburg, Pa. Castor will take the oath to become acting attorney general following Kane's announcement that she will resign effective Wednesday. (AP Photo/Marc Levy) First Deputy Attorney General Bruce L. Castor Jr. speaks during a news conference in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. Kathleen Kane, Pennsylvania's first elected female attorney general, announced her resignation Tuesday, a day after being convicted of abusing the powers of the state's top law enforcement office to smear a rival and lying under oath to cover it up. (Dan Gleiter/PennLive.com via AP) First Deputy Attorney General Bruce L. Castor Jr. speaks during a news conference in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. Kathleen Kane, Pennsylvania's first elected female attorney general, announced her resignation Tuesday, a day after being convicted of abusing the powers of the state's top law enforcement office to smear a rival and lying under oath to cover it up. (Dan Gleiter/PennLive.com via AP) First Deputy Attorney General Bruce L. Castor Jr. speaks during a news conference in Harrisburg, Pa., Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016. Kathleen Kane, Pennsylvania's first elected female attorney general, announced her resignation Tuesday, a day after being convicted of abusing the powers of the state's top law enforcement office to smear a rival and lying under oath to cover it up. (Dan Gleiter/PennLive.com via AP) Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, second left, is escorted out of the Montgomery County courtroom by Bob Ruddy her prime security agent in Norristown, Pa., Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. Kane showed little emotion as the jury convicted her late Monday of all nine counts, including two felony perjury counts. (Ed Hille/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool) Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, second left, and members of her legal and security teams, prepare to leave the Montgomery County Courthouse and await a verdict, in Norristown, Pa., Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. Kane was convicted Monday of all nine charges against her in a perjury and obstruction case related to a grand jury leak but insisted she's innocent and vowed to appeal. Kane, the first Democrat and first woman elected to the office, showed little emotion as jurors announced their verdict Monday. (Ed Hille/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool) Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, escorted by a member of her security team, prepares to leave the Montgomery County Courthouse and await a verdict, in Norristown, Pa., Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. Kane was convicted Monday of all nine charges against her in a perjury and obstruction case related to a grand jury leak but insisted she's innocent and vowed to appeal. Kane, the first Democrat and first woman elected to the office, showed little emotion as jurors announced their verdict Monday. (Ed Hille/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool) Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, escorted by members of her security team, prepares to leave the Montgomery County Courthouse and await a verdict, in Norristown, Pa., Monday, Aug. 15, 2016. Kane was convicted Monday of all nine charges against her in a perjury and obstruction case related to a grand jury leak but insisted she's innocent and vowed to appeal. Kane, the first Democrat and first woman elected to the office, showed little emotion as jurors announced their verdict Monday. (Ed Hille/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP, Pool) Romance novellas by women in Nigeria challenge traditions KANO, Nigeria (AP) Nestled among vegetables, plastic kettles and hand-dyed fabric in market stalls are the signs of a feminist revolution: Piles of poorly printed books by women that advocate forcefully against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorce. These books are part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, in northern Nigeria, where dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels. Hand-written in the Hausa language, the romances now run into thousands of titles. Many rail against a strict interpretation of Islam propagated in Nigeria by the extremist group Boko Haram, which on Sunday posted video showing dozens of the 218 girls militants abducted from a remote school in April 2014. "We write to educate people, to be popular, to touch others' lives, to touch on things that are happening in our society," says author Hadiza Nuhu Gudaji, 38, a veteran of the movement who has gained a recognition unusual for women in her society. For example, Gudaji recounts how, on a radio talk show, she was able to persuade the father of a 15-year-old not to force his daughter into marriage. In this photo taken Sunday April, 3. 2016, Suleiman Maharazu, centre, the owner of Maharazu Bookshop, sells books to young girls in his shop in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels, many hand-written in the Hausa language, and the romances now run into thousands of titles. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) The novellas are derogatorily called "littattafan soyayya, meaning "love literature," Kano market literature or, more kindly, modern Hausa literature. Daily readings on about 20 radio stations make them accessible to the illiterate. "It's a quiet revolution," says Ado Ahmed Gidan Dabino, a male novelist, essayist, actor and head of the Kano branch of the Nigerian Writers' Association. "Nothing hard-hitting, but small, small, and gradually challenging." They have become so popular that young girls call in to say they're learning to read because they want to follow more stories. That is no minor feat in a region where only one in five girls has had any formal education. Even the name Boko Haram means "Western education is sinful," and the group denounces the Western influences entwined with the romance genre an argument Gudaji firmly rejects. "What they are preaching and doing is not in the Quran," she says, waving a hand with a flower painted into the palm in violet-colored henna. Although the romance industry caters largely to women, it's often men who profit. The best-known reader on the radio is a man, journalist Ahmad Isa Koko, who raises his voice an octave to imitate a woman's. The Maharazu Bookshop has piles of paperback novels reaching to the ceiling, some gathering dust on the floor. Owner Suleiman Maharazu is going through a list from a middle-aged woman reader. The titles translate as "The Importance of Love," ''Big Tragedy," ''Your Face is Your Passion," ''The Beauty of a Woman is in Cooking," and "The Woman Who Lost Control." "I don't read them, I just sell them," says Maharazu. Only a couple of the Hausa novels have been translated into English. "Sin is a Puppy that Follows You Home" was translated by Indian publishers and subsequently made into a Bollywood movie. The book is available on amazon.com, which describes it as "an Islamic soap opera complete with polygamous households, virtuous women, scheming harlots, and black magic." Author Balaraba Ramat Yakubu was herself a child bride twice, after her first husband returned her to her family, and she only learned to read and write as an adult. Critics say the novellas give girls unrealistic expectations, inspire rebellion and are un-Islamic. The most famous disgraced book is "Matsayin Lover," about lesbian love at a girls' boarding school, dating back to 1998. Abdulla Uba Adamu says his own friends and fellow writers forced him to remove the book from the market, though he insists it reflects reality. Sometimes the reaction is violent. Last year, one young writer was badly beaten. Young men gang-raped another in her home after she published a book about women's rights in politics, according to Gidan Dabino. Some books are also banned or censored for steamy content that goes beyond a marital kiss. Gudaji has an iPad and smartphone, but says she writes best by hand, lying on her stomach on her bed. The romances are cheaply printed with covers of photo-shopped stars from Nollywood, Nigeria's burgeoning film industry, or Bollywood, the Indian variety some writers are accused of plagiarizing. Many writers end up losing money. Gudaji's first novel challenged a tradition where poor rural parents will send a child to family members in the city, hoping the child will be educated. Often they are turned into domestic slaves instead, ill-treated and raped by men in the home. Her second novel addresses the scourge of divorce and how to deal with problematic husbands. In northern Nigeria, a man can divorce a woman simply by pronouncing three times, "I divorce you." When that happens, the former wife leaves alone and may not know what has happened to her children. Even for Gudaji, tradition still holds. Happily married, she still has to seek the permission of her husband to allow two male journalists into her home. And she explains the role of a dutiful daughter when parents want to arrange an unwelcome marriage. "A girl may love a boy but if they don't suit, you have to stop her, and a girl has to obey her parents 100 percent," she says, looking at her oldest daughter, Khadija, nearly 21, and brooking no argument. "She must obey your rules and regulations." In this photo taken Monday April, 4. 2016, a Book hawker, Adamu Saidu, displays books he purchased at Kurmi Market to be sold in villages inaccessible by car in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels, many hand-written in the Hausa language, and the romances now run into thousands of titles. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Sunday April, 3. 2016 Ado Ahmed Gidan Dabino, a novelist, essayist, actor and head of the Kano branch of Nigeria writers Association during an interview in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Tuesday April, 5. 2016 author Hadiza Nuhu Gudaji, is reflected in a mirror as she reads through one of her novels in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) In this photo taken Sunday April, 3. 2016, young men sort out newly printed books in Kano, Nigeria. In the local market stalls are signs of a feminist revolution with piles of poorly printed books by women, as part of a flourishing literary movement centered in the ancient city of Kano, that advocate against conservative Muslim traditions such as child marriage and quick divorces. dozens of young women are rebelling through romance novels, many hand-written in the Hausa language, and the romances now run into thousands of titles. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba) Furious California wildfire leaves trail of destruction LOS ANGELES (AP) What began as a small brush fire along a freeway in drought-stricken Southern California morphed into a massive blaze fueled by gusty winds and dry vegetation. Swift-moving flames gutted a historic Route 66 diner, burned homes to their foundations and forced tens of thousands of people to flee the Cajon Pass, a mountain pass between the San Bernardino Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains. A snapshot of the fire and its impacts: EXPLOSIVE GROWTH Cal Fire firefighter sets a backfire as he is silhouetted against the fire on Lone Pine Canyon Rd. in Wrightwood, Calif. early Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016. Officials in charge of the battle against California's newest huge wildfire estimate that only about half of the 4,500 residents of the threatened town of Wrightwood have complied with evacuation orders. The fire is climbing the flanks of the San Gabriel Mountains, where Wrightwood sits at an elevation around 5,900 feet. (AP Photo/Rick McClure) Wildfires have ripped through California in the past, but recent fires have grown stronger and hotter. A persistent statewide drought has killed scores of trees and dried out swaths of land, creating incendiary conditions. The blaze that erupted Tuesday in a mountainous region about 60 miles east of Los Angeles quickly burned out of control in less than 24 hours, surprising even the most experienced firefighters. "In my 40 years of fighting fire, I've never seen fire behavior so extreme," said Incident Commander Mike Wakoski. After a destructive fire season last year, 2016 is shaping up to be equally bad. "It's to the point where explosive fire growth is the new normal this year," said Glenn Barley of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. GETTING OUT Jennifer Martinez was at work Tuesday when she got a phone call from her kids' daycare center urging her to pick them up. Just hours before they had also been evacuated from their elementary school. When they reached their home in Phelan, the 28-year-old Martinez said a dark, thick cloud of smoke hung above them. She spent 20 minutes in the house, grabbing their dog, tortoise, asthma machine and basic belongings. "I basically just grabbed bags and emptied out two drawers of clothing for each child," Martinez said of her five kids, as young as 5 and 3 years old. "I also took one toy for each of them so that if we did lose our home they'd have something to hold onto." "They were very afraid, they didn't know what was going on" she said. Just as she was heading out, Martinez heard a loud metal noise outside. A vehicle had hit a sign, which it was dragging down the road, sparking flames. "Maybe he lost his house, or he was going through his own anxiety," she said about the driver. "I was so nervous. I just left as soon as I saw the car." STAYING PUT Leo Hordyk, owner of the Grizzly Cafe in Wrightwood, is staying put for now and keeping his cafe running despite the order to evacuate. "I feel like I need to be here to serve our community," the 54-year-old said. With the help of his chef and a small staff, the cafe served breakfast and lunch to first responders. It was the third time Hordyk kept his cafe open during a wildfire. He also worked during fires in 2009 and 2010. WE'LL CUT 'EM OFF AT THE PASS The fire is burning through a mountain pass rich in the history of the American West. The Cajon Pass, which divides the San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains, was created by the movement of the San Andreas fault and erosion and has long been a significant natural pathway through Southern California. Long before the I-15 freeway ran up its rugged slopes toward Las Vegas, Native Americans, and mining settlements once dotted the landscape. In the 1840s, the pass was the scene of huge horse-stealing raids staged by outlaws, and the Mormon pioneers who founded San Bernardino in 1851 traveled the passage in covered wagons. There is a scenic spot in the pass known as Mormon Rocks. The railroad came in the 1880s. The blaze, dubbed the Blue Cut Fire, is named for a narrow gorge carved by the Cajon Creek, known as the Blue Cut. ROADSIDE DINER The Summit Inn, a popular pit stop between Los Angeles to Las Vegas, was destroyed in the fire. The diner opened in 1952 and boasted celebrity guests such as Elvis Presley, Clint Eastwood and Pierce Brosnan. Several staff members returned to the restaurant Wednesday to sort through charred valuables from a safe. A post from the Summit Inn's Facebook page read: "It is beyond comprehension how this could possibly happen!" ___ AP writers Delara Shakib and Christine Armario contributed to this report. Staff and regular customers of the Summit Inn attempt to retrieve valuables from the restaurant's safe on Wednesday Aug. 17, 2016 after the Blue Cut Fire destroyed the historic business on Tuesday in Hesperia, Calif. Californias newest huge wildfire advanced on thousands of homes Wednesday, feeding on drought-stricken vegetation and destroying an untold number of structures as it expanded to nearly 47 square miles. (James Quigg/The Daily Press via AP) Cook County judge accused of letting law clerk hear cases CHICAGO (AP) A Cook County judge won't be allowed to hear cases amid allegations she let a law clerk put on a robe and preside over at least two cases. The office of Chief Judge Timothy Evans said in a news release that Judge Valarie E. Turner has been temporarily reassigned and the clerk has been suspended without pay. The Circuit Court of Cook County Executive Committee issued its decision Wednesday after meeting to discuss allegations that Turner allowed Rhonda Crawford to preside over at least two cases. Crawford is an attorney who has clerked since 2011 and is running to be a judge in November's election. Turner had been assigned to a courthouse in the southern Chicago suburb of Markham. Messages seeking comment from Turner and Crawford weren't immediately returned. ___ Michigan man faces murder charge in Tennessee cold case NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Prosecutors say a Michigan man accused of strangling an ex-girlfriend to death in Tennessee 16 years ago has been indicted on a first-degree murder charge. The arrest of Jason Sanford in the 2000 death of Sarah Lea Perry comes after a recently formed cold case investigations unit began looking into Perry's death at the urging of her mother. Prosecutors say Perry told police just hours before she disappeared on June 14, 2000, that Sanford had threatened her because she had broken up with him. Her body was found in a trash can the following day. Hamilton County District Attorney Neal Pinkston said he doesn't know why detectives could not make a case against Sanford years ago. Police probe anti-Muslim notes left at apartment complex WESTBROOK, Maine (AP) Police in Maine are investigating after notes urging violence against Muslims were found at an apartment complex where Iraqi residents live. An Iraqi man went to police Wednesday morning after finding a typewritten note saying "All Muslims are Terrorists should be Killed." Police canvassed the complex in Westbrook, just outside of Portland, and found a second identical note. They also were told that two other notes had been found by Iraqis living there. 'Auction' of NSA tools sends security companies scrambling PARIS (AP) The leak of what purports to be a National Security Agency hacking tool kit has set the information security world atwitter and sent major companies rushing to update their defenses. Experts across the world are still examining what amount to electronic lock picks. Here's what they've found so far. WHAT'S IN THE RELEASE? FILE - In his June 6, 2013 file photo, the National Security Agency (NSA) campus in Fort Meade, Md. The leak of what purports to be a National Security Agency hacking tool kit has set the information security world atwitter and sent major companies rushing to update their defenses. Experts across the world are still examining what amount to electronic lock picks. Here's what they've found so far. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) The tool kit consists of a suite of malicious software intended to tamper with firewalls, the electronic defenses protecting computer networks. The rogue programs appear to date back to 2013 and have whimsical names like EXTRABACON or POLARSNEEZE. Three of them JETPLOW, FEEDTROUGH and BANANAGLEE have previously appeared in an NSA compendium of top secret cyber surveillance tools . The auctioneers claim the tools were stolen from the Equation Group, the name given to a powerful collective of hackers exposed by antivirus firm Kaspersky Lab in 2015. Others have linked the Equation Group to the NSA's hacking arm, although such claims are extraordinarily hard to settle with any certainty. The leaked tools "share a strong connection" with the Equation Group, Kaspersky said in a blog post late Tuesday. The Moscow-based company said the two used "functionally identical" encryption techniques. The leaked tools also appear to be powerful, according to a running analysis maintained by Richmond, Virginia-headquartered Risk Based Security. The group said several of the vulnerabilities targeted by the malware including one affecting Cisco firewalls were previously unknown, a sign of a sophisticated actor. Security and networking companies scrambled to investigate the flaws exposed by the auction. Cisco Systems, Inc. issued an urgent update to its software late Wednesday. Fortinet, Inc., a Sunnyvale, California-based security company, also said it was investigating. Nicholas Weaver, a researcher at the International Computer Science Institute in Berkeley, California, said that the news was terrible for the NSA no matter the circumstances behind the leak because companies like Cisco guard critical U.S. infrastructure. "If the NSA discovered breach in 2013 and never told Cisco/Fortinet, this is VERY BAD," he said in a message posted to Twitter . "If they didn't know, this is VERY BAD." The NSA has not returned repeated messages seeking comment. WHO IS BEHIND THE LEAK? The documents have been leaked as part of a surreal online auction by a group calling itself "Shadow Brokers." Their madcap, Borat-like manifesto rails against the "Wealthy Elite" and the group's name appears to be a nod to the "Mass Effect" series of video games, where an elusive Shadow Broker traffics in sensitive information. Few take the name or the manifesto at face value. Many have floated the possibility of Russian involvement, a theory that received unexpected support when NSA leaker Edward Snowden endorsed it on Twitter. In a series of messages, Snowden wondered aloud whether the server the data was stolen from might be linked to a U.S. attempt to influence a foreign election. That would be a politically charged development in the context of recent allegations that Russia is trying to tamper with America's presidential campaign. The leak looks like a warning that any attempt to point the finger at Moscow over alleged electoral interference "could get messy fast," Snowden tweeted. He did not return messages seeking further comment. Comae Technologies founder Matt Suiche said the theory of a disgruntled insider couldn't be ruled out. In a blog post , Suiche said he'd been contacted by a former NSA analyst who pointed out that the tools leaked online normally resided on a segregated network and that the way they were named suggests the data was copied direct from the source. Suiche cautioned it was just a theory. "We'll never know," he said in a message to AP. Repeated emails and online messages seeking comment from the Shadow Brokers went unreturned. HOW DOES THE AUCTION WORK? Shadow Brokers have already published much of the data they claim to have. The rest "the best files" will be released, they claim, to whoever wins the auction. The content of the files is secret, the group said in its announcement. So too is the length of the auction, which it said would end, in its signature broken English, "when we feel is time to end." Many dismiss the auction as a stunt. Hopeful bidders have been invited to send bitcoins the borderless electronic currency but as of late Wednesday the address specified by the group had only gathered 1.72 bitcoins, or $981. It's more than pocket change. But the group's stated goal is 1,000,000 bitcoins, or $570 million. ___ Trump receives first classified intelligence briefing NEW YORK (AP) Donald Trump has received his first classified intelligence briefing, meeting with national security officials for more than two hours on Wednesday. The celebrity businessman became entitled to the briefings once he officially became the Republican nominee for president. The briefing was delivered by career staffers from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and was expected to cover major threats and emerging concerns around the world. The afternoon briefing was held at an FBI field office at a federal building in New York City, a facility which has the secure rooms required for such sensitive briefings. Trump did not speak to reporters upon entering or exiting the building and a campaign spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the briefing. But Trump, in an interview that aired just hours before the briefing, suggested he would be skeptical of its contents when he was asked if he trusted the nation's intelligence materials. "Not so much from the people that have been doing it for our country," Trump told Fox News. "I mean, look what's happened over the last 10 years...it's been catastrophic." Trump brought along some top advisers, including New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, to the briefing. A U.S. intelligence official said that generally, advisers who attend the briefings must have appropriate security clearances. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to disclose information about the candidates' intelligence briefings. Defense Intelligence Agency says that the agency maintains security clearances for all its former directors, including Flynn, who served in the post from 2012-2014. The briefing came two days after Trump delivered a speech on national security and just hours after he gathered several advisers for a security round table at Trump Tower. The advisers, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, encouraged the GOP nominee to press for more surveillance and more information-sharing with local police departments to fight terror threats if he's elected president. The FBI does share with local police agencies through Joint Terrorism Task Forces. It wasn't clear whether Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton has received an intelligence briefing. ____ Associated Press writer Jill Colvin contributed reporting. Deb Riechmann contributed from Washington. ____ Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent editorials Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: ____ Aug. 17 The China Daily on progress being made in the South China Sea conflict: After all the recent hoopla over the disputes in the South China Sea, an obvious priority for the region has been de-escalating tensions and finding ways to prevent or manage potential crises. So with both Beijing and Manila having taken a step back from the tense standoff that had developed between them and making efforts to try and thaw their frozen ties, it is encouraging that other countries with disputes in the waters seem to be willing to do likewise. The agreement between China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on Tuesday on the guidelines for setting up a hotline platform and their pledge to abide by the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea may appear to be a matter of course, but they had been on the agenda at high-level meetings between them for a while without any progress being made. These agreements may seem more symbolic than substantive, since unplanned encounters at sea do not constitute a prominent concern between China and ASEAN states, even those with the most troubling disputes. And the hotlines may not be as important, or as indispensable, as the one between Beijing and Washington. However, their significance lies in the collective commitment to peace and crisis-prevention they represent; a commitment which is substantial in its own right. From Beijing to Manila, to ASEAN as a whole, each and every party deserves a pat on the back for displaying such cool-headedness for, no matter how enthusiastic other parties are about trying to drive a wedge between China and ASEAN, it is up to those in the region to sort out the mess. Agreements between China and ASEAN, like the ones announced on Tuesday, will create a favorable framework, or at least conducive atmosphere for dispute resolution on the state-to-state level. That is why Beijing has insisted on a "dual track" approach to dealing with the South China Sea issue. The historical mutual understanding and rapport between China and ASEAN are surely constructive in that regard. What has been achieved at the meeting of high-level officials from China and ASEAN on implementing the Declaration on the Code of Conduct on the South China Sea may seem like affirming previously expressed intentions. (In other words, reaching agreement is a slow process, whose results are less than substantial.) Small as it may be, the outcome of the meeting is an inspiring step toward the ultimate goal of formulating the anticipated Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. A goal that could be unachievable without such incremental progress. Online: http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/ ____ Aug. 16 The New York Times on the Affordable Care Act: Die-hard opponents of the 2010 health reform law, the Affordable Care Act, have often used its real and imagined problems to argue that it is fatally flawed. Now they are seizing on an announcement by Aetna that it will reduce its participation in the health insurance marketplaces set up by the law. Donald Trump's campaign called Aetna's move "the latest blow to this broken law that is slowly imploding under its regulatory red tape." This is hyperbole. The law has survived many setbacks, and it will overcome Aetna's decision, too. The law set up federal and state-run marketplaces where people who don't have health insurance through their employers or government programs like Medicare can buy coverage. Despite initial problems with HealthCare.gov, the federal program's website, and some state sites, the marketplaces have helped many Americans become insured. About 11 million people have bought policies, and the government provides tax credits to 85 percent of them to make the coverage affordable. But some big national insurers like UnitedHealth, Humana and now Aetna say they are losing too much money on marketplace policies. The reason is that the customers they signed up used more medical services than the insurers had anticipated. On Monday, Aetna said it would reduce the number of counties where it sells such policies to 242, from 778, citing a $200 million pretax loss on those policies in the second quarter. The company had sold marketplace policies to about 911,000 customers as of April. Aetna's decision will cause problems in some places. For example, Pinal County in Arizona might have no insurer selling marketplace policies for 2017 unless another company steps in to replace Aetna. But competition is more robust elsewhere. A Kaiser Family Foundation report published in July said that in 16 states and the District of Columbia, there would be an average of 5.8 insurers selling policies for 2017. That number was down from 6.5 in 2016 but about the same as in 2014. There have been questions about Aetna's motives. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, said the insurer could be pressuring the Justice Department to drop or settle a lawsuit it filed last month to block Aetna's proposed $37 billion acquisition of Humana. She and others have pointed out that as recently as April, Aetna's chairman and chief executive, Mark Bertolini, told analysts that he considered the company's presence in the marketplaces "a good investment." And in May, Aetna said that it might expand into other parts of the country. Aetna says that the lawsuit did not influence its decision to reduce participation. It is clear, however, that Congress should strengthen the marketplaces to ensure sufficient competition. For example, it could encourage more healthy people to buy insurance by extending tax credits to families that now earn too much to qualify. Many of those people find it cheaper to pay the tax penalty for not having insurance than to buy it. If more healthy people participated, more insurers would want to be on the exchanges. Congress and state governments could also consider offering a government insurance plan in rural areas and other places where there is little or no competition, as President Obama and Hillary Clinton have proposed. Any law as complex and comprehensive as the Affordable Care Act is bound to have some hiccups. The only sensible response to those problems is to improve the law. Online: http://www.nytimes.com/ ____ Aug. 16 The Los Angeles Times on attacks on police: Should the law treat attacks on police officers as "hate crimes" in the same way it does attacks on racial and religious minorities? A movement known as "Blue Lives Matter" an unsubtle answer to "Black Lives Matter" believes so and, unfortunately, it's gaining converts. Especially after the killings of police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Dallas, this campaign is likely to continue to gain adherents. But it's based on a misunderstanding of what hate crime statutes are designed to do. Every violent attack on a human being is hateful, but as originally conceived, a hate crime is also rooted in a pervasive and especially pernicious prejudice that infects society at large. The paradigm of such prejudice in this country is racism, the toxic taproot of both racial violence against minorities and day-to-day discrimination. New York's hate-crime statute explains the justification for such laws well: "Crimes motivated by invidious hatred toward particular groups not only harm individual victims but send a powerful message of intolerance and discrimination to all members of the group to which the victim belongs. Hate crimes can and do intimidate and disrupt entire communities and vitiate the civility that is essential to healthy democratic processes." Hate-crime laws deal with bias-motivated acts of violence in one of two ways: either by making them crimes in themselves (as the principal federal hate-crime statute does) or by providing harsher punishment for someone convicted of a traditional offense such as assault and battery if the defendant chose his victim on the basis of a characteristic such as race. In either case, the evil addressed by the law extends beyond a specific criminal act. In defending his legislation, Buck said: "Whether based on skin color or uniform color, a crime motivated by hate is not going to be tolerated in America." Of course no one should tolerate attacks on police officers or object to punishment for those who attack them. But it's specious to equate distrust of or even hostility to law enforcement with the sort of pervasive racial or religious prejudice hate-crime statutes are designed to address. Moreover, it is possible to provide additional penalties for attacks on police officers without declaring them hate crimes. Even before Louisiana amended its hate-crime statute, state law provided for longer sentences for those who committed attacks on a "peace officer." As much as we disagree with the campaign to add police officers to the list of groups covered by hate-crime laws, we understand why the idea has gained traction. In recent years hate-crime laws at both the state and federal level have evolved, expanding to include an increasing number of categories of victims. That creates the temptation to expand the coverage further to encompass "our" group. The federal hate-crime statute allows for the prosecution of acts of violence motivated by the victim's race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability. Yet reports of bias-related crimes in some of those categories is vanishingly small. (In 2014, according to the FBI, only 1.5 percent of single-bias incidents those in which only one trait was targeted involved disability.) State hate-crime laws have been expanded to include crimes targeting not only the physically and mentally disabled but also the elderly and the homeless. When the federal hate-crime law was expanded in 2009, Republicans unsuccessfully tried to have attacks on veterans classified as hate crimes. This overbroad definition creates two impressions in the popular mind: that an act of violence isn't being treated seriously unless it is designated a "hate crime" and that inclusion in the list of categories is itself a mark of respect. "Black lives matter" because crimes motivated by racism are hate crimes; therefore, the thinking goes, attacks on the police must be declared a hate crime to send the symbolic message that "blue lives matter." By that logic, every crime of violence would have to be declared a hate crime. Police need to be protected and those who attack them must be punished severely. But the issue is safety, not "hate." Online: http://www.latimes.com/ ____ Aug. 15 The Dallas Morning News on Trump's plan for combating terrorism: Three weeks before Labor Day, Donald Trump supporters might scoff at arguments that he's running short of time to shift the national political narrative from his gaffe-tastic asides to his presidential bona fides. Well, with the obvious assumptions built in: What if this is all there is? Trump's campaign team spent the weekend ginning up interest in a "major" speech Monday at Youngstown State University in Ohio, specifically his plan to defeat the Islamic State. The answer would be in the eye of the beholder. If nothing else, it was a fairly pedestrian address delivered by a guy who looked very much like Donald Trump, determined to keep his eyes on his Teleprompter, insults held to a minimum. Despite a crowd that appeared impatient for big applause or laugh lines, Trump stuck to script, as many prominent Republicans have been begging him to do. The short version: Roughly every measure taken by the Obama administration had been wrong. Voters, Trump said, should remember that Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was Obama's secretary of state and intimately involved and that the trouble started even before, when George W. Bush authorized the war in Iraq. What to do about all that? On that, Trump had fewer specifics. He would be clear that radical Islamic terrorism was the enemy posing a mortal threat to America: "We can't always choose our friends, but we can never fail to recognize our enemies." The idea of exporting American-style democracy? "If I am elected president, the era of nation building will be brought to a swift and decisive end." Despite Clinton's criticism of his ties to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Trump would expand the relationship as president, including joint operations and intelligence sharing on counter-terrorism. A Trump administration, he said, would shut down internet use by Islamic State adherents. And he doubled down on his constitutionally dubious idea of halting immigration from primarily Muslim nations. He pledged to develop an "ideological screening test" for immigration applicants, seeking to admit only those who embrace American values, as yet to be defined. "We will be tough. We will be even extreme. Extreme," he said, including a temporary suspension of immigration from "the most dangerous regions in the world," as determined by his departments of State and Homeland Security. His campaign had forecast that he would stick to broad strokes and planned future addresses to continue filling in blanks. For now, the blanks are winning. University of Texas professor Christopher Wlezian, co-author of The Timeline of Presidential Elections: How Campaigns Do (and Do Not) Matter, noted to politico.com that the presidential polling leader coming out of the conventions has won the last 16 popular votes. Until further notice, that's Clinton. Coming from behind hasn't happened in the modern era, even for candidates without Trump's baggage. As legendary principal W.P. Durrett liked to remind (and remind) students at Dallas' Kimball High School, "It's later than you think." For Donald Trump, another opportunity disappeared with the passing of another day. In his own words "We should only admit into this country those who share our values and respect our people. The time is overdue to develop a new screening test for the threats we face today. I call it extreme vetting." Donald Trump, on one of his ideas to end the threat of radical Islamic terrorism Online: http://www.dallasnews.com/ ____ Aug. 17 The Arizona Republic on prosecuting drug-trafficking juveniles as adults: Misconceptions about the border result in strategies that can be counterproductive. That's why solutions have to be carefully vetted to make sure they do more than just feel good. Some false promises are clearly evident: Fencing hasn't stopped Mexican drug cartels from using air cannons to fire bundles of marijuana into Arizona. That doesn't mean we don't need barriers. It does mean we should not see them as the panacea. Some problematic "solutions" are more subtle: The cartels' practice of cajoling or coercing juveniles into picking up and transporting those drugs on the U.S. side has resulted in troubling prosecutions in Cochise County. That doesn't mean juveniles who help smugglers should be given a pass. It does mean we should consider the circumstances and consequences of hanging an adult felony conviction around a child's neck. A rare get-tough policy Between June 2015 and June of this year, the Cochise County Attorney prosecuted at least 60 juveniles as adults on felony marijuana charges, according to reporting by The Republic's Elizabeth S. Eaton and Daniel Gonzalez. It's a rare get-tough policy that involves prosecuting all or most juveniles caught by local and federal law-enforcement agencies that includes those the U.S. Attorney has declined to prosecute. Other counties prosecute these youth as adults on a case-by-case basis. The Cochise County prosecutions are designed to deter juveniles from becoming involved in smuggling and there is some logic to that approach. Criminal groups have a history of recruiting juveniles from border areas to transport drug loads. They offer the kids a quick profit and the promise that juveniles will not face harsh consequences if caught. The criminals target youth on both sides of the border U.S. citizens, undocumented immigrants and youth in Mexico and some human-rights advocates say some of the children have no choice. The cartels can threaten and coerce kids into doing their dirty work. Young people targeted by the cartels in Mexico can face violence if they do not go along. Let's go after the real criminals Rather than getting tough on kids, the goal should be to go after the real criminals. What's more, a 14-year-old's brain is not sufficiently mature to make adult decisions. Even if a teen gets a relatively minor sentence of 18 months, being branded as an adult felon is a stigma that endures. Yet Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre says the number of prosecutions of juveniles as adults for drug smuggling has fallen off in recent months from about six new cases a month when the prosecutions began to "one, maybe two," he told The Republic's Eaton and Gonzalez. He hopes that is because word has gotten around that the easy money comes with hard consequences. But there is another effort one McIntyre also is involved in that is also aimed at getting the word out. A Border Patrol educational program called Operation Detour gave presentations to 27 schools in the 2015-16 school year, offering a scary lesson on the dangers of the cartels and the consequence of prison. Educating children first is a much better approach than prosecuting them as adults after they have made the mistake of their young lives. But this gets complicated because the Border Patrol cannot be involved in educating children in Mexico. Nor do U.S. law-enforcement operations have the power to move against cartels operating in the Mexican neighborhoods where young people are being pressed into illicit service. Like other problems related to the border, this requires careful thought and a rational look at the long-term consequences. In that light, the prosecution as adults of first-time juvenile offenders does not look like a wise use of resources. This kind of policy should be widely discussed and evaluated, not arbitrarily implemented by one border county. Online: http://www.azcentral.com/ ____ Aug. 16 The Washington Post on the U.S.'s response to attacks in Syria: "DEVASTATING AND overwhelming." Those are the conditions in the ancient and once-great metropolis of Aleppo, according to the head of delegation for the International Committee of the Red Cross, Marianne Gasser, who was in the Syrian city recently. "We hear that dozens of civilians are being killed every day and scores more injured from shells, mortars and rockets," Ms. Gasser said. "The bombing is constant. The violence is threatening hundreds of thousands of people's lives, homes and livelihoods." War crimes appear to be near-constant also. The air forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his chief backer, Russian President Vladimir Putin, target apartment buildings, bakeries and this is their specialty hospitals and clinics. The United Nations is investigating credible reports that Mr. Assad again has used chemical weapons, in this case chlorine gas. Water has been cut off from hundreds of thousands of people. The last surviving physicians in the rebel-held half of Aleppo a few days ago begged President Obama to help. "The world has stood by and remarked how 'complicated' Syria is, while doing little to protect us," they wrote. "The burden of responsibility for the crimes of the Syrian government and its Russian ally must therefore be shared by those, including the United States, who allow them to continue." Why would these brave, forlorn doctors look to Mr. Obama for rescue? Perhaps one of them, through the terrible din of war, remembers hearing the president promise to stand by the Syrian people as they were being "subjected to unspeakable violence, simply for demanding their universal rights." Mr. Obama made his pledge during an address at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in April 2012. He boasted that he had decreed, in a first for any U.S. president, that preventing mass atrocities "is a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the United States of America." That did not mean that the United States would "intervene militarily every time there's an injustice in the world," he cautioned. But when it came to Syria, Mr. Obama was clear. "The Syrian people have not given up, which is why we cannot give up," Mr. Obama said. "And so with allies and partners, we will keep increasing the pressure, with a diplomatic effort to further isolate Assad and his regime, so that those who stick with Assad know that they are making a losing bet." Alas, that was many atrocities ago. According to the Red Cross, more than 12 million Syrians half the prewar population have been forced from their homes, with millions more under siege. Hundreds of thousands have been killed. Well over 1 million have been wounded. Iran and Russia continue to place their bets on the Assad regime. And Mr. Obama no longer pledges to stand with the Syrian people, though he remains clear-eyed about what they are facing. "The regime and its allies," Mr. Obama observed at a Pentagon news conference this month, are engaged in "vicious attacks on defenseless civilians, medieval sieges against cities like Aleppo, and blocking food from reaching families that are starving." But the administration's response has not changed: a combination of halfhearted support for the rebels, who increasingly gravitate by necessity to more extremist groups; requests to the Russians to behave better; and finger wagging. "It is deplorable," the president said during his visit to the Pentagon. Small comfort to the people of Aleppo. Online: An Alaskan village that is falling into the sea due to coastal erosion caused by climate change has voted to abandon its ancestral home and relocate the entire community to safer ground. Unofficial ballot returns show a majority of voters want to leave remote Shishmaref, where the lack of sea ice in the winter is making it harder to hunt, fish and gather food, and threatening centuries-old traditions. Accessible only by plane, the Inupiat Eskimo village, on a tiny island just north of the Bering Strait, has been inhabited for 400 years, but could become a ghost town as a result of global warming. The village of Shishmaref, is losing up to 10ft of shoreline each year, according to research A local youth ambassador says more than a dozen homes have been moved in 15 years A special election held Tuesday asked residents if they should develop a new community at a mainland location or stay on the island with added environmental protections. The city clerk says the unofficial count is 89 in favor of moving and 78 voting to stay. She says that count does not include absentee or special needs ballots. The vote is essentially advisory because either scenario would cost millions - money the impoverished community of approximately 650 doesn't have. The village 600 miles northwest of Anchorage ultimately will have to search for funding to make the choice a reality. A special election asked voters if they wanted to stay or move to a new spot on the mainland Rising temperatures are causing a reduction in sea ice and thawing of permafrost along the coast of Sarichef Island, said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration A similar vote was held in 2001, with the community choosing to relocate. But that move didn't happen because of the cost. Research by the US Army Corps of Engineers and Auburn University found the island is losing up to 10ft of shoreline each year. Esau Sinnok, a US Department of Interior Arctic youth ambassador, wrote in a blog post that the island has been eroding and flooding for the past 50 years, long before climate change was recognized. Sinnok, who traveled to Paris for United Nations talks on climate change last December, wrote: 'Over the past 35 years, we've lost 2,500 to 3,000 feet of land to coastal erosion. To put this in perspective: I was born in 1997, and since then, Shishmaref has lost about 100 feet.' In the past 15 years, he wrote, 13 houses, including one belonging to his grandmother, have been moved from one side of the island to the other. 'Within the next two decades, the whole island will erode away completely,' he wrote. The village ultimately will have to search for funding to make the choice a reality The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said rising temperatures are causing a reduction in sea ice and thawing of permafrost along the coast of Sarichef Island in the Chukchi Sea. 'The reduced sea ice allows higher storm surges to reach shore and thawing permafrost makes the shoreline more vulnerable to erosion,' the NOAA wrote on its website. 'The town's homes, water system and infrastructure are being undermined.' The island is part of a 60-mile long barrier island chain with a human and environmental history going back more than 2,000 years. Shishmaref saw relatively intense infrastructure development during the 20th century and multiple shoreline defense structures have been built since the 1970s, making the rapid rate of coastal erosion somewhat unique, said the NOAA. Last girl hurt in Ferris wheel fall out of hospital GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Reports say the last of three girls injured in a fall from a Ferris wheel at a Tennessee county fair has been released from a hospital. Local news organizations report that 6-year-old Briley Reynolds, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, was released Wednesday. She had been hospitalized since the fall Aug. 8. Briley's 10-year-old sister Kayla and a 16-year-old who hasn't been publicly named were released from hospital care last week. Briley's mother, Kimmee Reynolds, thanked supporters and said the family has a "long way to go." The reports didn't immediately elaborate on the girl's condition or any further care she would receive after her release. 10 shell casings found at Phoenix serial killer crime scene PHOENIX (AP) Police investigating a serial killer stalking two predominantly Latino neighborhoods in Phoenix found 10 shell casings outside a home where one of seven of those killed suffered at least five gunshots, according to a recently released police report. Horacio de Jesus Pena, 32, had just returned home June 3 at night from his job at an assisted living facility and had his keys in hand when the attacker known as the "Serial Street Shooter" opened fire, said the report released on Monday after journalists requested that reports on the killings to be made public. Police found no witnesses who saw the shooting, but one reported seeing a white sedan with shiny wheels or wheel rims parked near Pena's house before the shooting. FILE--In this July 27, 2016, file photo, Phoenix neighborhood patrol officers Maribel Diaz Lopez, left, and Mario Ocampo walk Maryvale neighborhood streets in Phoenix, Ariz., to hand out an artist rendering of a suspected serial killer, as shown on the light pole, and block watch flyers. Authorities have released police reports on two of seven shooting deaths that investigators believed were carried out by a serial killer. The reports detail the shooting deaths of Manual Castro Garcia and Horacio de Jesus Pena, who died a week apart in June in the city's Maryvale neighborhood. (AP Photo/Matt York, file) After hearing the shots, the woman told relatives to retreat to the back of her house. When she looked out the front window again, the white car was gone, according to the police report. Police blame the suspect described as a lanky Hispanic man in his 20s for killing seven people and wounding two others in attacks from mid-March until mid-July, with six of the seven killings happening in the poor neighborhood of Maryvale. The killer always gets out of a car and shoots people at close range from the street or fires from within his car. His victims include a 21-year-old man whose girlfriend was pregnant with their son and a 12-year-girl who was shot to death along with her mother and a friend of the woman. Authorities do not believe the attacks are racially motivated but have not identified a motive and have said it's possible the killer has an accomplice. Police have repeatedly declined to say they linked the various cases. The cars used by the killer include a late-1990s brown Nissan with a spoiler, a late-1990s black BMW, and a white Cadillac or Lincoln. Detectives scouring the crime scene where Pena was discovered the 10 shell casings and also found three projectiles. He was hit by bullets and bullet fragments at least five times in the shoulder, abdomen, back, head and right eye. Pena's sister told detectives said she was mystified why her brother might have been targeted because she said he did not owe anyone money, did not do drugs and was not involved with gangs. In another serial killer report released Monday, a witness told authorities he saw muzzle flashes for seven or eight gunshots when the killer shot Manuel Castro Garcia dead on June 10 in Maryvale. Garcia died as he sat in his sports utility vehicle outside his girlfriend's house, waiting for her so they could go out to dinner. It was unclear what else the witness sitting on front porch nearby may have seen because the police report was heavily redacted. Another witness told police of seeing someone fire shots at Garcia's SUV but the description given of the suspect was also redacted. Garcia was shot as his girlfriend was turning off the lights and locking it to go outside and meet up with her boyfriend. He died a short time later at a hospital. The last Phoenix serial killing case was in 2005-2006 when six people were killed and 19 wounded in a series of seemingly random shootings. Two men were convicted. ___ This version corrects that the neighborhoods stalked by the serial killer are predominantly Latino, not Latin. ___ Follow Jacques Billeaud at twitter.com/jacquesbilleaud. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/jacques-billeaud FILE--In this July 27, 2016, file photo, a makeshift memorial is seen outside the home where a suspected serial killer murdered a man earlier in the year in Phoenix. Authorities have released police reports on two of seven shooting deaths that investigators believed were carried out by a serial killer. The reports detail the shooting deaths of Manual Castro Garcia and Horacio de Jesus Pena, who died a week apart in June in the city's Maryvale neighborhood. (AP Photo/Matt York, file) Walkers Crisps Spell and Go holiday competition 'misled' consumers An ad for a Walkers Crisps competition offering 20,000 holidays has been banned after more than 100 consumers complained the trips were virtually impossible to win. The Spell and Go promotion, presented by BBC Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker, invited participants to collect letters by posting codes from packs of crisps to spell out the names of one of 26 possible destinations for the chance to win a holiday. But customers took to social media to complain that it seemed impossible to get the letters C, D or K to complete the names of some of the places. Gary Lineker was at the launch of the Spell & Go campaign by Walkers in central London earlier this year Some 112 people complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the competition, advertised in May on the Walkers website, Twitter account and Facebook page as well as on product packaging and on television, withheld certain letters which were needed to spell out the destinations, with some reporting problems relating to the website accepting the codes. Defending the promotion, Walkers said all 26 destinations included at least one of the letters C, D or K - type 1 letters - and the company had ensured enough of these letters were in circulation to allow for 20,000 holidays to be won. As far as it was aware, all consumers who experienced problems with codes being accepted by the website had had the issue resolved. Following the complaints, the ASA said it was satisfied a small proportion of the total number of letters in circulation were type 1 letters, rather than these letters being withheld. However the complaints watchdog was not satisfied with another part of the competition, the "random swap" function, which allowed participants to swap letters within a "pool" on the competition's website, which stated "all letters are treated equally". The ASA discovered the pool was only made up of type 2 letters, meaning C, D or K could not be won. The ASA said it "considered the original limitation of the random swaps mechanism to only type 2 letters was a significant condition likely to influence a consumers' decision" and the omission was "misleading and likely to cause unnecessary disappointment to consumers". It told Walkers that in similar future promotions, it must ensure "significant conditions for all aspects of the promotion were communicated to consumers". A Walkers spokeswoman said: " We welcome the ASA's recognition that our Spell and Go promotion was fair as everyone who participated had an equal chance of winning one of the 20,000 holidays available. "We appreciate that the online letter swapping mechanic could have been clearer and we will ensure all future promotions take this feedback on board." She added: "Our Spell and Go promotion has been very popular and we've given 796 families four-star, seven-night holidays worth over 1.35 million. Accountants may have to stump up for clients' tax avoidance schemes Accountancy firms which sell tax avoidance schemes to businesses could soon face heavy financial penalties under new Government proposals. The Treasury said accountants who help wealthy individuals and companies unlawfully exploit tax rules could be forced to pay fines of up to 100% of the tax that was underpaid. Banks which profit from selling unlawful tax avoidance schemes could also be targeted under the proposals. Accountants may have to pay for advising clients on tax avoidance under new proposals Accountants currently face little risk when selling schemes while their clients can be forced to pay penalties if successfully prosecuted by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) in court. The "Big Four" accountancy firms were attacked by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee last year for making lucrative profits out of designing and selling ways for their clients to avoid tax. Committee chairwoman Margaret Hodge named PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) as one of the firms which were "selling these schemes on an industrial scale". She also criticised HMRC for having "too cosy" a relationship with large accountancy firms. Jane Ellison, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said: "People who peddle tax avoidance schemes deny the country of vital tax revenue and this Government is determined to make sure they pay. "The vast majority of their schemes don't work and can land their users in court facing large tax bills and other costs. "These tough new sanctions will make would-be enablers think twice and in turn reduce the number of schemes on the market." The HMRC consultation document also makes it simpler to enforce penalties when avoidance schemes are defeated, the Treasury said. Prime Minister Theresa May, and her predecessor David Cameron, pledged to clampdown on tax avoidance and evasion following the Panama Papers data leak in April, which revealed the offshore financial activities of individuals and companies across the world. After the leak scandal, Mr Cameron announced that the overseas territories and crown dependencies often used as tax havens - like the British Virgin Islands and Jersey - had agreed to provide UK tax and law enforcement agencies with full access to company ownership details. Charities have insisted the territories must go further and allow public access to registers, so they can be examined by journalists and NGOs. Earlier this month, the all-party parliamentary group on responsible tax claimed Britain has publicly led the battle against global tax avoidance while undermining its effectiveness behind the scenes. Richard Murphy, a chartered accountant and professor at City University whose ideas are widely credited for having inspired the economic policies of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, welcomed the move. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "This rule is odd. I don't expect it to ever be used. The impact is not going to be from the fact that the rule is there in the sense of it will be imposed, but because accountants and lawyers will no longer be able to take the risk of selling these schemes." He said that "every honest accountant and lawyer in the country will be jumping for joy" at the news. Hollywood actor Jon Voight has hailed Donald Trump as a 'visionary' as he voiced support for the billionaire's bid to become the next US president. The Oscar-winner said Mr Trump was a 'wonderful character' and he was not aware his daughter, Angelina Jolie Pitt, had raised concerns about the Republican candidate's remarks about Muslims earlier this year. Voight, 77, told the Press Association: '(Mr Trump's) outside the system and he's an interesting character, he's a real character, but he's a wonderful character. Scroll down for video Jon Voight said that Donald Trump's children give an example of his moral character and his loving kindness At odds: Angelina Jolie has been critical of Donald Trump's anti-Muslim immigration stance while her father Jon Voight has just endorsed the Republican candidate 'Look at what he's produced in terms of the extraordinary buildings that he has helped design, putting together these teams of people to do this extraordinary stuff. 'He's a visionary. The children that he's raised give you an example of his moral character and his loving kindness. He's a loving man. 'He's a great guy and he's just the perfect guy to come from outside the system to do a lot of the work that needs to be done.' Speaking at the premiere of Ben Hur in Los Angeles, Voight said he had not 'heard anything from Angie' after he was asked about his daughter's criticism of Mr Trump's call for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the US. Celebrity backing: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally in West Bend, Wisconsin on Tuesday The actress told an audience in London in May: 'To me, America is built on people from around the world coming together for freedoms, especially freedom of religion. So it's hard to hear this is coming from someone who is pressing to be an American president.' Voight said: 'I haven't heard anything from Angie so I don't know what she has said but the concerns that we have now in terms of security, we have to have those concerns. Unfortunately we have to have them at this time. 'I think people all over the world are coming to an understanding of that. We can't be naive. We're talking about human life here.' World's largest aircraft Airlander 10 delights crowds on maiden voyage The world's largest aircraft has taken to the skies for a successful maiden voyage - its first since being revamped in the UK. The 302ft-long (92-metre) Airlander 10 - part plane, part helicopter, part airship - loomed overhead at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire as the sun started to set on Wednesday evening. Photographers and plane spotters baked in the sun as they waited to see the aircraft, whose bulbous exterior has earned it the less-than-glamorous nickname "the flying bum", take off. The Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world, flies over spectators at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire. Crowds clapped and cheered as the craft soared above them during its first outing from the First World War hangar where it was revealed in March after undergoing "hundreds" of changes by Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) over two years. First developed for the US government as a long-endurance surveillance aircraft, the British firm launched a campaign to return the craft to the sky after it fell foul of defence cutbacks. HAV chief executive officer Stephen McGlennan said the team had been waiting for low winds for the launch but added the airship could "operate very happily" in 80 knots of wind. He said: "Think of a big helicopter, a really giant helicopter. This can do the same thing that a helicopter can do - that's to say, provide air transportation for people and goods without the need for a runway - but this thing can take more over longer distances, it's cheaper and it's greener. "It's a great British innovation. It's a combination of an aircraft that has parts of normal fixed wing air craft, it's got helicopter, it's got airship." The Airlander took off at approximately 7.40pm. The Airlander performed one lap of the airfield before landing about half an hour later, with light fast fading and the moon visible in the sky. It is about 50ft (15 metres) longer than the biggest passenger jets but its four engines appeared noticeably quieter than a plane or helicopter as it took to the skies. Mr McGlennan, who is not a pilot but has practised flying the craft on a simulator, said it was "very simple" to manoeuvre. He said: "It's a very stable, benign aircraft that responds very gently in flight, we expect it to be an unusually calm flight experience." People have been practising to fly it for at least five years, he added. The Airlander 10, which uses helium to become airborne, can travel at a speed of 92mph. Wednesday's flight marks the beginning of 200 hours of test flights for the 143ft-wide (44-metre) and 85ft-high (26-metre) craft, which will be able to stay airborne for about five days during manned flights. HAV claims it could be used for a variety of functions such as surveillance, communications, delivering aid and even passenger travel. It is also hoped the Airlander 50 will eventually be developed, which would be able to transport 50 tonnes of freight. Donna Seymour, 50, was one of the hundreds of spectators who waited patiently for hours ahead of the highly-anticipated take-off. She said seeing it become airborne was "absolutely" worth the wait. Ms Seymour added: "It was beautiful. It's just so unusual." "I think it's quite appropriate," she joked, when asked what she thought of the aircraft's nickname. She added that she would love to go on board in the future. The Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world, during its maiden flight at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire. People watch the maiden flight of the Airlander 10, the largest aircraft in the world, at Cardington airfield in Bedfordshire. The Airlander 10 during its maiden flight A man takes a picture of the Airlander 10 as it takes off People watch the maiden flight of the Airlander 10 Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark made to wait to seal sailing gold at Rio 2016 Hannah Mills and Saskia Clark's Olympic gold is on hold after light winds led to the postponement of the women's 470 medal race. A fine opening series meant the British duo merely had to complete Wednesday's double-point finale without disqualification to top the podium. However, Mills and Clark will now have to wait to add to Giles Scott's Finn triumph and Nick Dempsey's men's RS:X silver after light winds delayed their coronation. Saskia Clark and Hannah Mills will have to wait to secure gold The men's and women's 470 medal races will now take place on Thursday, coming to a conclusion on the final day of the Rio 2016 regatta along with the 49er and 49erFX classes. "It is lovely weather, yeah, very hot - a bit too hot on the water," Mills said upon returning to dry land. "It was a disappointing day. Obviously we wanted to get things wrapped up but they say good things come to those who wait, so we will be waiting another 24 hours. "We've had a few disrupted days but it is expected. Rio is the sort of venue where we knew the wind could be tricky and we might have to wait now and again. It has certainly proved that." Mills and Clark had planned to celebrate with friends and family at Team GB house on Wednesday evening, but such merrymaking will now have to wait. "It is not done until it is done," Clark added. "We're here to do a job and we want to get it done. That's what we're focused on." The lack of breeze and unfavourable wind direction means the men's 470 pair of Luke Patience and Chris Grube will join the women's duo in completing racing on Thursday. They are unable to secure a podium finish but Mills and Clark may not be the only British sailing medallists on the final day, with Dylan Fletcher and Alain Sign still in the 49er hunt. The pair sit in fourth and need to put four boats between them and the Australians to win bronze, or six boats between them and the second-placed Germans to win silver. Councillors criticise national response to child refugees stranded in Calais Ministers and party leaders have been condemned by local politicians for a lack of leadership over the plight of lone child refugees during a visit to the sprawling Jungle migrant camp in Calais. Only a handful of lone refugee children have been brought to the UK since an amendment from Labour peer Lord Alf Dubs in the House of Lords forced the government to say it would accept some child refugees. After visiting the Jungle, councillors said they would support stationing officials from local authorities in Calais to help register and process unaccompanied minors currently trapped in the squalid camp. Hammersmith and Fulham councillor Stephen Cowan, right, visits the Jungle camp near Calais Stephen Cowan, Labour leader of Hammersmith and Fulham council, criticised his party leader Jeremy Corbyn and said it had fallen to councillors to "step up". Currently, councils are responsible for the costs of caring for unaccompanied children - more than 4,000 of whom are claiming asylum in the UK - including schooling, foster care, university fees and housing, and receive funding at a fixed rate from central government. More than 100 children are believed to be stranded in the Jungle despite having legitimate grounds for asylum in the UK but issues of identification have prompted local authorities to consider sending experts to assist French officials in processing them. Asked if he felt there had been a lack of national leadership on the issue, Mr Cowan told the Press Association: "I definitely think so and I would say that. "Yvette Cooper (chair of Labour's refugee taskforce) is doing an amazing job. Lord Dubs is a friend of mine who has shown leadership, but it's not coming from the front bench on the mainstream parties. "Yes, I'm attacking Corbyn - it's not coming from the frontbench of the main parties and it should be." Ealing Council's Labour leader Julian Bell said: "We're all under financial budgetary pressures but sometimes you know you have to do something." The Local Government Association (LGA) and a host of councillors were greeted by scores of children in a centre at the camp, where they are cared for by charities. Upon arrival in the Jungle itself, they were verbally attacked by one migrant, who criticised them for British overseas military campaigns. He said: "Stop bombing our countries - you are supposed to be the educated people, but you are the most ignorant." The contingent of local authority politicians made the trip across the Channel to meet their French counterparts and discuss how best to care for the stranded children. They visited a string of makeshift huts lining the ramshackle settlement, including a number of cafes and shops set up to support the destitute community. Desperate migrants approached members of the British press to ask if they could come with them when they returned to the UK. Following the visit, a meeting took place with the mayor of Calais Natacha Bouchart, a long-time critic of Britain's handling of Europe's migrant crisis, who admitted there had been failings between the national and local governments in France, according to the LGA's David Simmonds. He said talks had been "positive" and plans had been made for the two nations to come together in future. "It feels like goodwill has been missing from this process for a while," he said. "I imagine France, and the mayor in particular, are a bit fed-up being criticised by people in other countries and what local government is good at is finding practical solutions, so that's what we're going to do." He confirmed they had discussed sending over British officials to help identify lone children making asylum applications to help accelerate the process. The move comes after Lord Dubs, who came to Britain on the Kindertransport programme for Jewish children, called for Prime Minister Theresa May's "urgent intervention" in reuniting children living in the Jungle with their families in the UK. UK supermarket Morrisons completes sale of Fresh Direct stake Aug 16 (Reuters) - Britain's Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc said on Tuesday it had completed the sale of its 10 percent stake in U.S. online food retailer Fresh Direct for 45 million pounds ($58 million), more than two years after it announced the sale. Morrisons, Britain's fourth-largest supermarket chain, bought the stake for 31 million pounds in 2011. The British retailer, whose brands include Free From and Food To Go, said in March 2014 that it would exit from non-core activities, including its childrenswear business Kiddicare and Fresh Direct. (http://bit.ly/2bvhekp) Morrisons sold Kiddicare in July 2014 for 2 million pounds. David Potts, a former Tesco executive, was appointed Morrisons CEO in February last year as part of the company's attempt to boost sales, which have been lagging behind rivals Tesco, Wal-Mart's Asda and Sainsbury's. FBI delivers documents on Clinton email probe to U.S. Congress By Susan Cornwell WASHINGTON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation said on Tuesday it had turned over to the U.S. Congress a number of documents related to its probe into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. The Democratic presidential nominee has for over a year been dogged by questions about her use of a private email account while she was the nation's top diplomat. Republicans have repeatedly hammered Clinton over the issue, helping to drive opinion poll results showing that many U.S. voters doubt her trustworthiness. The FBI said it had provided "relevant materials" to congressional committees looking into the matter. "The material contains classified and other sensitive information and is being provided with the expectation it will not be disseminated or disclosed without FBI concurrence," the agency said in a statement. The Clinton campaign criticized the delivery of the documents. "This is an extraordinarily rare step that was sought solely by Republicans for the purposes of further second-guessing the career professionals at the FBI," Clinton spokesman Brian Fallon said in a statement. "We believe that if these materials are going to be shared outside the Justice Department, they should be released widely so that the public can see them for themselves, rather than allow Republicans to mischaracterize them through selective, partisan leaks." A spokeswoman for the House of Representatives Oversight and Government Reform Committee said in an email that staff for the panel was reviewing the information classified as "secret." "There are no further details at this time," the aide said. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican, said in a statement that an initial review of the material showed most of it was marked unclassified, and urged the FBI to make as much of it public as possible. FBI Director James Comey told Congress last month that Clinton's handling of classified information while using private email servers was "extremely careless." But he said he would not recommend criminal charges be brought against her. Comey's statement lifted a cloud of uncertainty from Clinton's White House campaign. But his strong criticism of her judgment ignited a new attack on her by Republicans, including Donald Trump, her Republican opponent in the Nov. 8 election. 'NOT CLEAR EVIDENCE' The Oversight committee, chaired by Republican Representative Jason Chaffetz, had asked the FBI for the complete investigative file from its review of Clinton's use of a private email server. The FBI has also provided documents from its investigation to the House Judiciary Committee, an aide said. Chaffetz and Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, also a Republican, last month urged federal prosecutors to investigate whether Clinton had committed perjury. They said some FBI findings about her email servers were at odds with her previous testimony to Congress about the matter, for example, her statement she had not sent or received information designated as classified. But the FBI, in a letter sent to the committee on Tuesday, said the fact that the agency had uncovered three instances in which Clinton had received emails containing "(C)" markings, which denote "confidential" information, was "not clear evidence of knowledge or intent" to mishandle such material. The letter, which accompanied the FBI's investigative documents, noted relevant emails had been forwarded to Clinton by staff, lacked "header and footer markings" indicating the presence of classified information, and only one email was later determined by the State Department to contain classified information. Clinton's fellow Democrats were scornful that Republicans were refusing to let the matter drop. "The FBI already determined unanimously that there is insufficient evidence of criminal wrongdoing," said Representative Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the Oversight committee. "Republicans are now investigating the investigator in a desperate attempt to resuscitate this issue, keep it in the headlines, and distract from Donald Trump's sagging poll numbers." This is the latest in a series of wildfires that have blackened nearly 300,000 acres of the U.S. West The inferno prompted orders for residents of the community of Wrightwood, about 75 miles east of Los Angeles, to leave their homes The so-called Bluecut Fire erupted in heavy brush just west of Interstate 15, the main freeway between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area Advertisement Authorities in southern California ordered the evacuation of 82,000 people on Tuesday after a wildfire broke out in a mountain pass and rapidly engulfed at least 18,000 acres of terrain. Officials said about 700 firefighters were battling to control the blaze in an area called the Cajon Pass, the latest in a series of wildfires that have blackened nearly 300,000 acres of the drought-parched U.S. West. 'It is a very fast-moving fire, it has wind behind it,' said U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Lyn Sieliet. Six firefighters were trapped by flames in the effort to evacuate residents and defend homes, but managed to escape with two suffering only minor injuries, fire officials said. The men have since returned to duty. More than 700 firefighters and hundreds of vehicles including helicopters and jet are trying to contain an 18,000 acre fire burning out of control to the north of San Bernardino, California Vehicles and structures burn near Highway 138 as the fire rages through San Bernardino County A home burns near Highway 138 as the so-called Blue Cut Fire creates hellish in California A big rig burns on the northbound 15 Freeway, surrounded by ominous clouds of smoke and ash Vehicles and a home burn near Highway 138. Witnesses say that some flames reached 80ft into the air Thriving communities in California have been reduced to scenes of horror, houses turned to ashes and cars melted Even longtime observers have been surprised by the staggering speed of the Southern California fire The Blue Cut Fire has grown to cover some 18,000 acres (7,300 hectares) of heavy brush The fire was first reported at around 10.30am on Tuesday, and had grown to an estimated 1,500 acres within two hours Dangerous: Authorities in southern California ordered the evacuation of 82,000 people on Tuesday, after a wildfire broke out in a mountain pass. Above flames erupt on a hillside alongside one of the main rail routes in California on Tuesday The so-called Bluecut Fire erupted in heavy brush just west of Interstate 15, the main freeway between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area, forcing the closure of one stretch of the highway. The inferno prompted orders for residents of the community of Wrightwood, about 75 miles east of Los Angeles, to leave their homes, said Lynne Tolmachoff, of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). In all, about 82,000 people were ordered to flee, as flames destroyed an unknown number of houses, the Cal Fire spokeswoman said by telephone. The fire remained unchecked, having exploded within hours to cover an area of 18,000 acres, Cal Fire said, up from an estimate of 9,000 acres on Tuesday evening. An unknown number of structures have been engulfed by the flames, including dozens of homes, an historic diner, and at least once church, it is reported The flames have spread rapidly, eating through 'dangerously dry' shrub fanned by strong winds and 100F temperatures More than 700 personnel have been dispatched to tackle the fire, but despite that officials warn the blaze will likely get worse before it gets better In total there are 102 engines, eight air tankers, two very large air tankers, and eight helicopters equipped with night-flying equipment trying to contain the fire State firefighting agency Cal Fire spokeswoman Lynne Tolmachoff said that the wildfire poses an 'imminent threat to public safety, rail traffic and structures' This image, taken from Interstate 15, shows the scale of the fire, with flames spread across the sides of the hills The wildfire has rapidly engulfed 15,000 acres of terrain. Above the blaze is pictured near the rail route near the San Bernardino Mountains on Tuesday A firefighter blasts water at a burning structure near Highway 138 The Southern California wildfire began as a small midmorning patch of flame next to Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass The Bluecut Fire, the cause of which officials are still investigating, came as crews more than 600 miles to the northwest began to make headway against a Northern California wildfire that has destroyed more than 175 homes and businesses. The so-called Clayton Fire was 35 per cent contained, according to Cal Fire. It has charred 4,000 acres in and around the community of Lower Lake, forcing hundreds of people to flee. Damin Pashilk, a 40-year-old arrested on suspicion of setting that blaze, and several others in the area over the past year, is set to appear in court on Wednesday. Fierce winds fanned the fire, which threatened about 1,500 structures at its peak, after it sparked on Saturday evening. A firefighter battles the Blue Cut wildfire near Cajon Pass, north of San Bernardino A barbecue stands surrounded by flames at a home in San Bernardino County The blaze has engulfed more than 18,000 acres of land including homes, businesses and places of worship as it rages out of control just to the north of San Bernardino Despite the efforts of 1,250 firefighters with more on the way, none of the inferno was contained as of late on August 16 A scorched statue of Christ stands next to the remains of a house consumed by the flames along Highway 138 Officials said about 700 firefighters were battling to control the blaze in an area called the Cajon Pass. Above a CalFire firefighter begins to clear Highway 138 east of the Interstate 15 on Tuesday This image shows the heart-wrenching scenes of devastation that the fire has left behind. The sound of explosions - possibly from ammunition stored in homes - could be heard as the flames spread A view from the northbound 15 Freeway as land and property smoulders all around Firefighters watch a fire raging in the distance. Devouring ranchlands 60 miles east of Los Angeles, the blaze surged west to the Los Angeles County line and east to the Mojave Desert in the east This image reveals the trail of destruction that the Blue Cut Fire has left behind, with belongings reduced to ashes The latest in a series of wildfires that have blackened nearly 300,000 acres of the drought-parched U.S. West. Above a house is surrounded by flames as the Bluecut fire roars above Highway 138 on Tuesday As of Tuesday evening, only 380 buildings were in danger, according to Cal Fire. There were no reports of casualties. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County for the Bluecut Fire, which allows state agencies to come to the assistance of local officials. On Monday, Brown issued emergency declarations for the Clayton fire and another in Central California, the so-called Chimney fire. The Chimney Fire was 20 per cent contained by Tuesday evening, after scorching 6,900 acres since Saturday. It has destroyed about 40 structures. Two firefighters were trapped by flames in the effort to evacuate residents and defend homes, but managed to escape with only minor injuries, fire officials said. Above a firefighter radios in about the Bluecut fire on Tuesday U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Lyn Sieliet said: 'It is a very fast-moving fire, it has wind behind it.' Above a firefighter monitors the Bluecut fire along Highway 138 on Tuesday San Bernardino County Firefighter Jeremy Pendergraft helps a couple evacuate out of their home as the woman cries on Tuesday when the wildfire quickly approached that area The so-called Bluecut Fire erupted in heavy brush just west of Interstate 15, the main freeway between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area. Above firefighters battle the fire on Tuesday Fire officials said they were still investigating the cause of the Bluecut Fire. Above firefighters battle the blaze on Tuesday along Cajon Boulevard in the Cajon Pass area Above firefighters battle the Bluecut Fire along Swarthout Canyon Road in the Cajon Pass, north of San Bernardino on Tuesday The Bluecut Fire came as crews more than 600 miles to the northwest began to make headway against a Northern California wildfire that has destroyed more than 175 homes and businesses. Above firefighters battle the blaze on Tuesday California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County for the Bluecut Fire, which allows state agencies to come to the assistance of local officials. Above firefighters work to battle the blaze on Tuesday The Bluecut fire is located about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. Above the blaze throws up a large plume of smoke shortly after it broke out late in the Cajon Pass area Haiti finds case of microcephaly linked to Zika virus By Makini Brice PORT-AU-PRINCE, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Haiti has identified its first case of the birth defect microcephaly linked to the Zika virus, a senior health ministry official said on Tuesday. Gabriel Thimothe, director general at the ministry of public health and population, said the case was confirmed on Saturday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Haiti has confirmed 14 cases of the birth defect since March, up from previous reports of two cases, Raymond Grand Pierre, the director of the Department of Health and Family in the Ministry of Health, said. In the other 13 cases, authorities have not established a link to microcephaly although the number may indicate Zika is more widespread in Haiti than previously thought. According to a chart provided by the Centers for Disease Control, Haiti has recorded nearly 3,000 Zika cases. But the World Health Organization says the overwhelming majority of cases of the virus in the island nation are suspected and not confirmed. Thimothe said the baby with Zika-linked microcephaly was born in the city of Mirebalais earlier this summer. Boston-based Partners in Health and its sister organisation, Haiti-based Zanmi Lasante, said in a statement on Aug. 9 that two babies had been born with microcephaly in their University Hospital Mirebalais. U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly. The World Health Organization has said there is strong scientific consensus that Zika can also cause Guillain-Barre, a rare neurological syndrome that causes temporary paralysis. The connection between Zika and microcephaly first came to light last fall in Brazil, which has now confirmed more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly that it considers to be related to Zika infections in the mothers. Haiti's healthcare system is still suffering from the fallout of the 2010 earthquake that killed about 300,000 people and a still-ongoing cholera epidemic that began shortly afterward, killing about 8,600 people and infecting 707,000. Will OPEC agree to freeze output in Sept? Kemp By John Kemp LONDON, Aug 16 (Reuters) - OPEC and non-OPEC countries are again flirting with the idea of a production freeze to accelerate oil-market rebalancing, according to recent statements by several oil ministers. "Rebalancing is already taking place," Saudi Energy Minister Khalid Al-Falih observed in comments published on Saturday, which had already leaked on Thursday. "We are on track and prices should reflect that," the minister explained. Current prices were unsustainably low and the minister blamed the "large short positioning" in the oil market for causing prices to "undershoot". "We are, in Saudi Arabia, watching the market closely, and if there is a need to take any action to help the market rebalance, then we would, of course in cooperation with OPEC and major non-OPEC exporters." "We are going to have a ministerial meeting of the International Energy Forum in Algeria next month, and there is an opportunity for OPEC and major exporting non-OPEC ministers to meet and discuss the market situation, including any possible action that may be required to stabilize the market." Falih's comments essentially repeated the position Saudi policymakers have taken for the last two years since prices began to tumble in 2014. But the unusually detailed statement and its timing has been interpreted by some observers as indicating an increased willingness to reach an agreement. Statements from other energy ministers, including Russia, have added to speculation about an imminent deal ("OPEC deal a tough task, as oil output freeze expectations rise", Reuters, Aug. 15 ). The prospect of an output freeze has added fuel to a short-covering rally that had already started at the beginning of August ("Hedge funds add bullish positions as oil short-covering rally starts", Reuters, Aug. 15 ). DEAL OR NO DEAL Falih's comments have launched another round in the now familiar game in which oil experts try to predict whether OPEC and non-OPEC countries will reach an agreement to boost prices. Previous attempts to reach a deal on cutting or even just freezing production at OPEC meetings held in November 2014, June 2015, December 2015 and June 2016 all ended in failure. An effort to reach an agreement between major OPEC and non-OPEC exporters on a production freeze at a summit hosted by Qatar in April 2016 also ended without agreement. But the recent comments from Saudi Arabia have sent oil traders, analysts and journalists scrambling to predict whether it will be sixth-time lucky. During previous price slumps, including 1985/86 and 1998/99, there were several unsuccessful attempts before ministers eventually succeeded in forging a significant and successful deal. Sometimes an extended period of painfully low prices has been needed to soften governments' positions and make them more willing to compromise. It can take several rounds of failed negotiations for ministers to understand each others' positions properly and identify possible areas for agreement. In 2016, with the economies of most oil-exporting countries now mired in recession, government finances under strain, and no sign of the expected recovery in prices, the incentives to do a deal are sharper than in 2014/15. But the obstacles to a successful deal are much the same as before and remain formidable. Saudi Arabia remains unwilling to limit its own production unless other major exporters, notably Iran, Iraq and Russia, do the same. Saudi officials worry about the verifiability of any agreement given the past history of cheating by other exporting countries. And there is still the problem of shale production. If OPEC and non-OPEC exporters agree to limit their own production, oil inventories draw down, and prices recover, U.S. shale producers might step in to fill the gap. BAYESIAN FORECAST The prospects for reaching a successful deal at the informal energy ministers meeting in Algeria next month remain highly uncertain but provide a good opportunity to apply some Bayesian thinking. The most successful forecasters start by trying to define a base rate chance of something occurring and then adjust it up or down in the light of evidence about the specific circumstances in a particular case. They begin with an "outside view" and then proceed to adjust it with an "inside view" based on the specifics of the case ("Superforecasting: the art and science of prediction", Tetlock and Gardner, 2015). Beginning with the base rate outside view and then adjusting it for the specific inside view does not come naturally to most subject experts including traders, analysts and journalists. "It's natural to be drawn to the inside view. It's usually concrete and filled with engaging detail we can use to craft a story about what's going on," according to Tetlock and Gardner. "The outside view is usually abstract, bare, and doesn't lend itself so readily to storytelling. So even smart, accomplished people routinely fail to consider the outside view." But Bayesian approaches to forecasting have consistently beaten approaches based solely around deep subject expertise. BASE RATE FOR A DEAL In the case of the forthcoming meeting in Algeria, the base rate is the probability of reaching agreement based on experience with prior meetings, adjusted for the specifics of this particular meeting. The selection of an appropriate base rate is always tricky but a starting point would the frequency with which OPEC ministers have reached agreements at meetings in the past. OPEC first set production targets in 1982. Since then, there have been 117 ministerial conferences or meetings of the ministerial monitoring committee, and agreement to change output on 52 occasions ("Annual Statistical Bulletin", OPEC, 2016). Considering the entire 1982-2016 period, the base rate probability that OPEC ministers will agree to change output is almost 50 percent (http://tmsnrt.rs/2bjX4NB). In the first three decades (1982-1991, 1992-2001 and 2002-2011) the probability that a meeting would end with an agreement to change output was almost exactly 50 percent. But recently agreements to change output have become much rarer. OPEC ministers have met nine times since the start of 2012 and none of those meetings has resulted in an agreement to change output. So considering only the most recent period, the base rate probability of an output change is far lower, and closer to zero. Failure to agree on production cuts or an output freeze at any of the most recent four OPEC meetings and one OPEC/non-OPEC meeting also suggests the base rate should be very low. Given recent experience, it seems reasonable to set the base rate probability for the forthcoming meeting in Algeria at well below 50 percent. EXPERT VIEWS Turning from the base rate to the specifics, there are several factors which might make an agreement more likely this time around. The growing economic and financial strains on OPEC and non-OPEC countries, including Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran, make a deal more probable. Iran's output has now returned closer to pre-sanctions levels, which reduces one obstacle faced earlier in the year. Continued declines in U.S. shale production also make a deal more likely by reducing the risk that shale producers will simply use any price increase to seize more market share. Most importantly, OPEC and non-OPEC countries are considering a relatively weak deal that would only require them to freeze production, not reduce it, which should make it easier to reach agreement. On the other side of the calculation, the continued risk any significant and sustained rise in oil prices will trigger a renewed rise in shale output continues to weigh against an agreement. There are continued questions about verification and enforcement. And there is the unresolved question of how to deal with any increase in exports from Nigeria and Libya. Any deal that emerges from the discussions in Algeria is likely to be relatively weak. It could still have a positive impact on oil prices if the deal is credible and seen as limiting production growth during the rest of 2016 and 2017. But Bayesian analysis offers a warning not to over-estimate the probability of a deal. If this meeting really is going to be more successful than other recent meetings, we need to specify what has changed to make an agreement more likely. S.Korea's Q2 crude oil imports, domestic oil consumption climb SEOUL, Aug 17 (Reuters) - South Korea's crude oil imports rose 4.5 percent in the second quarter of 2016 from a year ago due to growing shipments from Iran after sanctions were lifted, while local oil consumption also increased on the back of low prices. South Korea brought in 266.4 million barrels of crude oil in the second quarter, or 2.93 million barrels per day (bpd), versus 255 million barrels in the same period in 2015, its energy ministry said on Wednesday in a statement. In the April-June period, Seoul imported 25.35 million barrels of Iranian crude oil, or 278,615 bpd, 123.3 percent above the 11.35 million barrels imported a year earlier when sanctions were imposed on Tehran's disputed nuclear programme. The world's fifth-largest crude importer has continued to buy more crude oil from Iran since sanctions were lifted in January. Shipments of Iranian crude more than doubled to 7.22 million tonnes, or 248,616 bpd, in the January-July period of 2016 from a year earlier, according to its customs office data. Meanwhile, South Korea's domestic oil consumption increased to 217.1 million barrels, or 2.39 million bpd, in the second quarter, up 7.3 percent from a year earlier thanks to low oil prices, the ministry statement said. By product type, gasoline and diesel fuel consumption for transportation use grew to 60.86 million barrels in the April-June period, up 6.7 percent from a year earlier, the ministry said. In the second quarter, South Korea's consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and naphtha also rose 15 percent to 77.01 million barrels as favorable petrochemical market conditions drove up demand for chemical feedstock. South Korea imported more than half of its LPG from the United States, followed by Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. In terms of exports, Asia's fourth-largest economy mostly sold its oil products to China, Singapore and Australia. In the second quarter of this year, it also exported to Vietnam after a free trade deal between the two countries took effect in December 2015. U.N. to investigate peacekeepers' response to South Sudan hotel attack By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, Aug 16 (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched an investigation on Tuesday into accusations peacekeepers in South Sudan failed to respond properly to an attack on a Juba hotel by uniformed men who killed a journalist and raped several civilians. Ban was "alarmed" by the initial findings of a U.N. fact-finding mission into the attack on the Hotel Terrain on July 11 during an outbreak of fighting between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing former Vice President Riek Machar. The secretary-general was "concerned about allegations that UNMISS (the U.N. peacekeeping mission in South Sudan) did not respond appropriately to prevent this and other grave cases of sexual violence committed in Juba," Ban's spokesman said. Ban has launched an independent special investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incidents and evaluate the overall response by the U.N. peacekeeping mission, the spokesman said in a statement. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, said on Monday: "We are deeply concerned that United Nations peacekeepers were apparently either incapable of or unwilling to respond to calls for help." The "U.S. embassy in South Sudan responded to distress calls from the compound and urgently contacted South Sudanese government officials, who sent a response force to the site to stop the attack," she said in a statement. Hundreds of people were killed and the United Nations said government soldiers and security forces executed civilians and gang-raped women and girls during and after last month's fighting. South Sudan rejected the accusations. "The Secretary-General reiterates his outrage over the acts of violence committed by the SPLA (South Sudanese army) and opposition forces in Juba from 8 to 11 July," said the U.N. spokesman. Ban urged the government to investigate all human rights violations and prosecute those responsible, he said.. Human Rights Watch said on Monday it had uncovered evidence of the cold-blooded execution of civilians by security forces during the fighting. It also found evidence of soldiers raping civilians. The U.N. Security Council authorized on Friday the deployment of a 4,000-strong protection force to ensure peace in Juba as part of the U.N. mission and threatened an arms embargo if the government did not cooperate. China, ASEAN aim to complete framework of South China Sea rules next year BEIJING, Aug 17 (Reuters) - China and a grouping of Southeast Asian nations aim to finish by the middle of next year a framework for a code of conduct to ease tension in the disputed South China Sea, state media said on Wednesday. Since 2010, China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have been discussing a set of rules aimed at avoiding conflict among rival claimants in the busy waterway. Last month, an arbitration court in the Hague ruled that China had no historic title over the South China Sea and had breached the Philippines' sovereign rights there. The decision infuriated Beijing, which dismissed the court's authority. But Beijing has been keen to get diplomacy back on track since. Meeting in northeastern China, the two sides agreed to get the framework for the code of conduct done by mid-2017, and also approved guidelines for a China-ASEAN hotline for use during maritime emergencies, the official China Daily said. They also agreed that a pact on unplanned maritime encounters, signed in 2014 by countries in the region, applied to the South China Sea, the newspaper added. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin said documents on the hotline and unplanned encounters would be presented for final approval to leaders in Laos next month at a meeting between China and ASEAN members, the paper said. "There is another achievement - we reached broad consensus on pushing forward the negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea," it quoted Liu as saying. "All sides agreed to raise the frequency of the negotiations in a situation without interference, and seek to finish a draft framework of the code of conduct by the middle of next year," he added. This is the third meeting on the code this year. "It shows that as the situation in the South China Sea is getting more and more complicated, especially with the interference of external forces, ASEAN countries and China have realised that we have to grasp the key to the South China Sea issue in our own hand," Liu said. China has blamed the United States and its allies in the region, such as Japan and Australia, for stoking tension in the South China Sea. Making space for coup purge, Turkey starts to release 38,000 prisoners By Daren Butler ISTANBUL, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Turkey began freeing 38,000 prisoners on Wednesday, after announcing a penal reform that will make space for tens of thousands of suspects rounded up over last month's attempted coup. The reform was one of a series of measures outlined on Wednesday in two decrees under a state of emergency declared after the July 15 failed putsch during which 240 people were killed. The government gave no reason for measure, but its prisons were already straining capacity before the mass arrests that followed the coup. Western allies worry President Tayyip Erdogan, already accused by opponents of creeping authoritarianism, is using the crackdown to target dissent, testing relations with a key NATO partner in the war on Islamic State. Angrily dismissing those concerns, Turkish officials say they are rooting out a serious internal threat from followers of a U.S.-based cleric. Wednesday's decrees, published in the Official Gazette, also ordered the dismissal of 2,360 more police officers, more than 100 military personnel and 196 staff at Turkey's information and communication technology authority, BTK. Those dismissed were described as having links to cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former ally of Erdogan turned enemy. Erdogan says Gulen was behind the attempt by rogue troops using tanks and jets to overthrow the government. Gulen denies involvement. Under the penal reform, convicts with up to two years left in sentences are eligible for release on probation, extending the period from one year. The "supervised release" excludes those convicted of terrorism, murder, violent or sexual crimes. "I'm really happy to be released from jail. I wasn't expecting anything like this," prisoner Turgay Aydin was quoted by Andolu news agency telling reporters outside Turkey's largest prison Silivri, west of Istanbul. "I thank President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. I've come to my senses. After this I will try to be a better, cleaner person." In an interview with A Haber television, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said 38,000 people would initially be released, but as many as 93,000 could benefit from the programme. To be eligible for the scheme, prisoners must have served half of their sentences. Previously they were required to have already served two thirds of their sentences. According to justice ministry data obtained by Anadolu agency, there were 213,499 prisoners in jail as of Aug. 16, more than 26,000 above prison capacity. Another measure in the decrees gave the president more choice in appointing the head of the armed forces. He can now select any general as military chief. Previously only the heads of the army, navy or air force could be promoted to the post. A telecoms authority will also be closed under the moves. Erdogan says Gulen and his followers infiltrated government institutions to create a 'parallel state' in an attempt to take over the country. A total of 40,029 people have been detained in investigations following the coup, and 20,355 of them formally arrested, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in a speech late on Wednesday. He said 79,900 people had been removed from public duty, referring to purges in the civil service that have targeted the military, police, teachers and judiciary. A total of 4,262 companies and institutions with links to Gulen have been shut, he said. On Tuesday police searched the offices of a nationwide retail chain and a healthcare and technology company, detaining executives who authorities accuse of helping finance Gulen's network. FIRST 'COUP' INDICTMENT A prosecutor in the western province of Usak has submitted the first indictment formally accusing Gulen of masterminding the coup plot, the state-run Anadolu Agency said. An 11-month investigation focused on alleged wrongdoing by the Gulen movement from 2013, and now includes charges Gulen organised an armed terrorist group to topple the government, scrap the constitution and murder Erdogan on July 15. The 2,257-page indictment seeks two life sentences and an additional 1,900 years in jail for Gulen, plus tens of millions of lira in fines, Anadolu said. It names 111 defendants, including 13 people who are already in custody. U.S. officials have been cautious on the extradition of Gulen, saying they need clear evidence. He has lived in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania since 1999. Western criticism of the purge and Ankara's demands that the United States send Gulen home have already frayed ties with Washington and the European Union, increasing tensions over an EU deal with Turkey to stem the flow of migrants. In another tense exchange, Turkey lashed out at Germany on Wednesday, saying allegations in a media report that Turkey had become a hub for Islamist groups reflected a "twisted mentality" that tried to target Erdogan. Incensed over a perceived lack of Western sympathy over the coup attempt, Erdogan has revived relations with Russia, a detente Western officials worry may be used by both leaders to pressure the European Union and NATO. Measures in Wednesday's decrees will also enable former air force pilots to return to duty, making up for a deficit after the dismissal of military pilots in the purge. South Africa opposition says can't form coalitions in two major cities JOHANNESBURG, Aug 17 (Reuters) - South Africa's main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) will not be able to form a coalition government in the key municipalities of Johannesburg and Tshwane, which includes the capital Pretoria, a party executive said on Wednesday. The ruling African National Congress (ANC) lost its majority in several major urban municipalities in votes this month, in its worst election performance, opening the chance for opposition parties to take over in coalition governments. North Korea's deputy ambassador defects in London - reports By James Pearson SEOUL, Aug 17 (Reuters) - North Korea's deputy ambassador in London has defected with his family, according to media reports, which if confirmed would make it one of the most high-profile defections in recent years from the increasingly isolated country. South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper reported on Tuesday that a high-profile diplomat in the UK defected with his wife and son to a "third country". The BBC named the defector as veteran diplomat Thae Yong Ho, a counsellor at the North Korean embassy and deputy to the ambassador. Quoting an unnamed source, JoongAng Ilbo said the diplomat embarked on a defection journey "following a scrupulous plan" and was in the process of "landing in a third country as an asylum seeker." It was not clear from the newspaper report whether the third country was the UK. The term is usually used in South Korean media to refer to a country which is neither North nor South Korea. An official at the North Korean embassy in London would not confirm the defection, describing reports of the event as "quite sudden". "If it is appropriate to give a response, then you might hear about our response," the official told Reuters. Further calls to the embassy went unanswered. Calls to Thae's mobile phone were redirected to a voicemail inbox. Thae's reported defection follows a string of recent such flights by North Koreans, including twelve waitresses at a North Korean restaurant in China who defected to South Korea earlier this year. Those waitresses have finished a prolonged period of investigation and will soon enter into normal society, an official at South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Wednesday. The number of defections by North Koreans to the South has totalled 814 up to and including July this year, an annual increase of 15 percent, a Unification Ministry official told Reuters. Overall, the number of defectors, mostly from the area near North Korea's border with China, has declined since leader Kim Jong Un took power following his father's death in late 2011. "The bigger picture is that while there have been fewer total defections per year under Kim Jong Un, there have been a higher number of strategically significant and political defections," said Sokeel Park of LiNK, an NGO which works with North Korean defectors. LEFT-WING BOOKSHOP Among his many responsibilities, Thae was well-known to the British press, acting as the embassy's main point of contact for British correspondents travelling to Pyongyang. The British Embassy in Seoul said it was aware of the reports of a defection but would not comment. South Korea's foreign ministry said it could not confirm or discuss specific defection cases. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency said it had no comment on the reports. Thae lived at or near the North Korean embassy, which is in the leafy west London suburb of Gunnersbury. He spoke regularly at far-left events in London, including meetings of a British communist party where he would make impassioned speeches in defence of North Korea, according to videos of the events. His measured tone was in contrast to the bombastic rhetoric often used by Pyongyang officials, although at some events he sang revolutionary Red Army Choir songs in Korean. In regular contact with the media, Thae also spoke publicly about media coverage of the isolated country, including the press appetite for sensationalist stories about North Korea. "I don't blame reporters," Thae said during a speech at a left-wing London bookshop in late 2014. "If they broadcast (North Korea) as it is, the editors of these TV stations and newspapers will (change it)". "The more horrifying, the more shocking stories they create, the more they will be viewed by the British public". China warns 'protectionist' Australia on investment after blocked Ausgrid deal By Jonathan Barrett and Sue-Lin Wong SYDNEY/BEIJING Aug 17 (Reuters) - Australia's decision to block the A$10 billion ($7.7 billion)sale of the country's biggest energy grid to Chinese bidders was a protectionist move that would negatively affect investment in the country, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday. Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison said last week that preferred bidders State Grid Corp of China and Hong Kong's Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings would be prevented from buying electricity network company Ausgrid, citing unspecified national security concerns. "This kind of decision is protectionist and seriously impacts the willingness of Chinese companies to invest in Australia," China Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang said at a regular news briefing in Beijing. "China hopes Australia will create a fairer and more transparent environment for Chinese investment." Australia's decision to reject the Ausgrid bids underscored the country's changing political climate since a handful of protectionist senators took power in elections last month. The decision also sets new parameters to the relationship between Australia and its biggest export partner just eight months after a A$100 billion free trade agreement took effect. Beijing's reaction mirrored comments made following a surprise move by new British Prime Minister Theresa May to review the building of a nuclear plant part funded by China, with Beijing questioning whether Chinese money was still welcome in Britain. Morrison's decision - major foreign investments require the Treasurer's approval - was the second time this year Canberra has rejected bids for major Australian assets by Chinese interests. It previously knocked back an offer by a China-led consortium to buy the country's largest agricultural land owner, cattle company Kidman & Co. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used a major speech on Wednesday to criticise the rising tide of protectionism within parliament, despite his government being responsible for the rejection of the Ausgrid and Kidman bids. "Political divisions in advanced economies - particularly where there is high unemployment or a high risk of unemployment - are feeding on a sense of disenfranchisement among many people who feel the rapid economic changes of our time have left them behind," Turnbull said. The speech warned against giving in to the growing protectionist mood reflected in the new parliament, which he said could reverse gains made by the country since it liberalised its economy two decades ago. "Political responses to this mood of disaffection can have the potential to destabilise global growth, perhaps even reversing some of the spectacular gains we have made over recent decades through open markets and free trade." Turnbull's conservative Liberal-National coalition has a one-seat majority in Parliament's lower house but must rely on either the main opposition Labor Party or eight to 10 independents or minor party Senators to pass laws in the upper house. Malaysian authorities say ship carrying diesel hijacked KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 17 (Reuters) - An oil tanker carrying 900,000 litres of diesel has been hijacked and taken into Indonesian waters, Malaysian maritime authorities said on Wednesday. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) said in a statement that the ship, Vier Harmoni, has been located in the waters off Batam, Indonesia. Liz Cheney claims victory in Wyoming primary for U.S. House seat By Ruffin Prevost CODY, Wyo., Aug 16 (Reuters) - Liz Cheney, former Vice President Dick Cheney's eldest daughter, claimed victory late on Tuesday in Wyoming's Republican primary race for the state's lone U.S. House of Representatives seat. Unofficial early results by 10 p.m. (0400 GMT) showed Cheney with 26,363 votes in the nation's least populous state. State Senator Leland Christensen was running a distant second, with almost 15,000 votes, while her six other Republican competitors each held fewer than 12,000 votes. "I'm honored by the trust Wyoming Republicans have placed in me to serve as our next Representative in Congress," Cheney said in a statement. The Casper Star-Tribune newspaper called the race late on Tuesday night. Wyoming is a reliably red state, with the Republican primary winner all but assured of a general election victory in November. Cheney's apparent victory comes two years after she launched an unsuccessful bid for a U.S. Senate seat that saw her withdraw from the race early. She drew criticism from some establishment Republicans two years ago when she ran against popular incumbent Senator Mike Enzi and was labeled a "carpetbagger" for having only recently established residency in Teton County, one of the country's wealthiest zip codes, in a state widely populated by working-class miners, oil, and gas workers. She said a family health crisis prompted her to withdraw. Cheney, 49, is a lawyer who worked in the U.S. State Department while her father was vice president. Her campaign has received strong financial support from former high-ranking government officials, such as former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and former White House political adviser Karl Rove. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Tuesday he was willing to meet with Donald Trump, months after comparing the Republican presidential candidate to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. 'Yes, I would meet with him,' Pena Nieto said, referring to Trump in a pre-taped television interview broadcast on Tuesday night. 'I have never met him. I can't agree with some of the things he has said, but I will be absolutely respectful and will seek to work with whomever becomes the next president of the United States.' Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Tuesday he was willing to meet with Donald Trump, months after comparing the Republican presidential candidate to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini Trump has sparked outrage in Mexico with his campaign vow to build a wall along the southern U.S. border to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and to make Mexico pay for it. In a Mexican newspaper interview in March, Pena Nieto said Mexico would not pay for the proposed wall under any scenario, likening Trump's 'strident tone' to the World War II era dictators. But at a June summit in Canada, Pena Nieto said he only drew the comparison as a reminder of the devastation wreaked in the past. At a White House news conference following a meeting with President Barack Obama in July Pena Nieto also said he'd work with 'whomever is elected' to the highest office in America and do so 'in a very constructive manner.' Trump has sparked outrage in Mexico with his campaign vow to build a wall along the southern U.S. border to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and to make Mexico pay for it. Pena Nieto says he will work with 'whomever' is elected though That press conference coincided with the end of the nominating convention that solidified Trump as the Republican candidate for president. Pena Nieto claimed that his previous statements about Trump had been 'taken out of context.' 'And let me also say that never before have I said anything, have I given any adjective to any of the candidates in the democratic competition here in the United States,' he stated. The Mexican leader said, 'Any issue, anything that I have said has been taken out of context...if you see everything that I have said, invariably I have expressed absolute respect for this process. Militants ambush Indian army convoy in Kashmir, 3 dead SRINAGAR, India, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Militants ambushed an Indian military convoy in Kashmir on Wednesday, killing three personnel, in an escalation of violence that officials have blamed on separatist protests that have tied down security forces for more than a month. Indian Kashmir is in the midst of the worst unrest in six years that began early last month when security forces killed a young separatist commander who was idolised by some youth, provoking an outpouring of anger. Police superintendent Imtiaz Hussain said militants were taking advantage of the unrest to launch attacks on security forces after years of declining violence. Militants ambushed an army convoy early on Wednesday in the town of Baramulla, killing two soldiers, and then struck at a police jeep when it arrived, killing one policeman, he said. "We were aware about the presence of the militants around Baramulla town for over a month but due to violence across Kashmir, they managed to consolidate and carry out an attack," Hussain said. At least 64 protesters have been killed and thousands injured during 40 days of unrest, while schools, shops, banks and offices remain closed in much of Kashmir as paramilitary troops patrol main roads, residential areas and mosques. The turmoil has raised tension with Pakistan which invited India for talks on the disputed territory, drawing an angry rebuke from India. The nuclear-armed neighbours, which have fought three wars since their independence in 1947, both claim the Muslim-majority Himalayan region in full but rule it in part. India accuses Muslim Pakistan of supporting the separatists fighting Indian forces in Kashmir while Pakistan accuses India of meddling in Pakistani trouble spots. On Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in an Independence Day address he was getting messages of support from people in Pakistan's Baluchistan province, where separatists are fighting the state. India's Major General J.S. Nain said troops were on alert to stop militants from crossing over from Pakistani Kashmir to foment trouble in the Kashmir Valley. On Monday, militants attacked a police station in Indian Kashmir's summer capital of Srinagar, killing an officer. The army says 56 militants managed to breach the heavily fortified border in Kashmir, known as the Line of Control, up to June this year, compared with 36 in 2015. It blames Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency. "The ISI and terrorist organizations want to infiltrate as many terrorists as they can whenever there is turmoil in the Valley," Nain said. South African economic hubs set for opposition rule By Joe Brock and Zimasa Mpemnyama JOHANNESBURG, Aug 17 (Reuters) - South Africa's two main opposition parties have put aside huge ideological differences to unseat the ruling ANC in major cities it has controlled for 22 years, they said on Wednesday. The African National Congress lost its majority in the local governments that rule Pretoria, Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth this month, its worst electoral performance since coming to power after apartheid, leaving the other parties free to discuss coalitions. In the end, the gulf separating the Democratic Alliance (DA), a party with a largely white voter base, and the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was too great to form formal coalitions, but they made a pact which will allow the DA to rule the country's economic hubs. Mmusi Maimane, a black politician whose leadership of the DA since last year has helped reform its image as a party for wealthy whites, welcomed the EEF's agreement to vote for it in the municipalities concerned. "It is quite clear that we would never agree on ideological issues," Maimane said. "I welcome their offer to say that they will vote for us." EFF leader Julius Malema, a former ANC youth leader who split from his former mentor President Jacob Zuma in acrimonious circumstances to form the breakaway party in 2013, said although he saw the DA as "white racists" it was worth making a pact with them to defeat the ANC. "We are caught between two devils. The DA is a better devil than the ANC. We are not in bed with them," he told reporters in the Alexandra township in Johannesburg. "We will vote for the opposition because the ANC must be removed from power." The EFF and DA, which both said they would not work with the ANC because their supporters had voted for change, are far apart in terms of policy, approach and experience. The DA is pro-business while the EFF wants to redistribute land from whites to blacks without compensation. Malema said his party would work with the ANC only if it removed Zuma, made education free for all and nationalised banks and mines. ANC Secretary General Gwede Mantashe said his party could not accept those conditions. "You don't take those decisions on your feet, or under pressure from the opposition, you don't do that," he told Talk Radio 702. SCRUTINY With EFF votes, the DA is now likely to form a minority administration in Tshwane, which includes the capital Pretoria, Malema said, adding that his party's support in Johannesburg hangs in the balance over an outstanding issue with the DA. Malema said the EFF would assist the DA in the symbolically important Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes the manufacturing hub Port Elizabeth, although the DA said it would rule there without EFF help after forming a coalition with smaller parties. But even with the coalition it had formed and the EFF's support, the DA is unlikely to form a government in the industrial region of Ekurhuleni that lies next to Johannesburg and hosts the country's main airport, Maimane said. Some analysts said the minority governments may descend into wrangling, slowing decision-making or triggering new elections at a time when the country teeters on the verge of recession. Other analysts felt that close scrutiny on budgets by rival parties may help fight corruption. "The fact that there are coalitions in the first place, that no party has a majority, is good for governance because now they are all keeping tabs on each other," said head of research at NKC African Economics, Francois Conradie. Poland - Factors to Watch Aug 17 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): DATA Poland's statistics office will release July corporate wage and employment data at 1200 GMT. CPI The consumer price index (CPI) in Poland will remain at minus 0.9 percent year-on-year in August, according to economy ministry's estimates quoted by Rzeczpospolita daily. CONSTITUTIONAL TRIBUNAL The government published on Tuesday 21 verdicts of the constitutional tribunal but excluded two verdicts in which the tribunal ruled on laws regulating its own functioning, Dziennik Gazeta Prawna newspaper reported. The publication results from the latest law regulating the tribunal functioning. It means the government will now recognise the published rulings. TAX FRAUDS Poland's justice minister announced on Tuesday changes to the law which will toughen penalties for tax fraud. Honest entrepreneurs are afraid that they will become target of prosecutors' actions, Puls Biznesu daily said. TAX AUTHORITIES Tax authorities have increased their activity in listed companies questioning the scale of the taxes they had paid. The amount of questioned money rose 36 percent year-on-year in the first half of the year, according to finance ministry's data, Parkiet daily said. PZU Austria's Uniqua has appealed to the national appeal board after Poland's biggest energy firm PGE decided to insure its assets in country's largest insurer firm PZU at a price of 100 million zlotys ($26.34 million), Puls Biznesu said. KGHM, TAURON Poland's No.2 energy firm Tauron and Europe's No.2 copper producer KGHM will release their second-quarter financial results after bourse's session closes. ****Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.**** South Africa enters awkward coalition era after ANC domination By Joe Brock and Mfuneko Toyana ATTERIDGEVILLE, South Africa, Aug 16 (Reuters) - Gladys Sithole had voted for the ruling African National Congress (ANC) ever since its long-jailed former leader Nelson Mandela swept to power in South Africa at the end of apartheid 22 years ago. She did not expect much in return, just a toilet. Standing in the doorway of her house in Atteridgeville near Pretoria and wrapped in a blanket against the cold, she explained the sea change among ANC supporters in local elections on Aug 3 which nudged South Africa from post-apartheid one-party ANC rule into a new era of uneasy coalitions. "The ANC promised us many things when they freed us but those things haven't happened," the 64-year-old said at the three-room home she shares with her frail husband and unemployed son in one of the townships blacks were confined to by apartheid. She is pinning her hopes on the Democratic Alliance (DA), formerly the preserve of South Africa's white minority, while others in Atteridgeville support the Economic Freedom Fighters, a radical party vowing to shift wealth from whites to blacks. The ANC still scored the most votes across the country but failed to win an outright majority in key urban municipalities, which means all three major parties are now scrambling to build coalitions, by an official deadline of Saturday. It is a type of politics South Africa has little experience of, requiring compromises so great they threaten to dash the hopes of voters whose patience with politicians is wearing thin. Successful opposition coalitions could show that the ANC's rivals can run local councils, strengthening their credentials to unseat the ANC nationally in 2019. But they may also descend into wrangling, slowing decision-making or triggering new elections at a time when Africa's most industrialised country teeters on the verge of recession. "No one really knows what's going on. It's confusing," said 20-year-old student Wiseman Siyabonga, who stayed loyal to the ANC because of education and housing grants he benefits from. "The thing with coalitions is no one gets who they voted for." UNREST Atteridgeville, the township on the edge of Pretoria where Sithole has lived since 1970, is typical of dozens on the fringes of South African cities that used to be so dominated by the ANC that opponents barely bothered to campaign. That changed in Atteridgeville after the ANC, without consulting locally, replaced its mayor for the municipality that includes the township after he criticised the party. Residents of the township barricaded roads, looted shops and set vehicles ablaze during riots in June and the ANC's share of the vote in Sithole's ward fell to 54 percent from 88 percent. Nationally the ANC won 53 percent, down from 62 percent five years ago, opening the way for a possible challenge to President Jacob Zuma's leadership before the 2019 parliamentary election, in which the winning party's leader becomes president. ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe told reporters on Sunday the party's leadership was trying to "deal with perceptions of the ANC being arrogant, self serving, soft on corruption and increasingly distant from its social base". Investors have largely welcomed the election results, and the rand has gained around five percent since the vote. But future coalitions face the daunting task of improving the lives of millions of South Africans, with a quarter of the potential workforce unemployed and the jobless rate among black people aged 20-24 at almost half, not to mention poor housing. "It's not nice, especially when it's cold," said Sithole, referring to the rickety cubicles in her own and other yards, which the ANC vowed to replace with inside toilets years ago. There are 27 municipalities out of 278 where no party won an outright majority, including four urban municipalities wielding budgets totalling around 130 billion rand ($9.65 billion). The DA, which elected its first black leader, Mmusi Maimane, last year, won the most votes in the symbolically important Nelson Mandela Bay, which includes the manufacturing centre Port Elizabeth, and Tshwane, home to the capital Pretoria. The ANC narrowly won the largest share in economic hub Johannesburg and the neighbouring industrial region of Ekurhuleni where the main airport is based. Julius Malema's three-year-old Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has been cast in the role of kingmaker, coming third with 8 percent of the national vote. The three parties say they are holding talks with one other and other smaller parties but details have been kept secret. "I think a coalition between DA and EFF could work. They might get something done," said Thabiso Clemenet, 26, an unemployed IT graduate who lives with six family members, aged between 8 and 80, in a two bedroom house in Atteridgeville. Clemenet points at pot-holed roads that have not been fixed and an empty plot of land where a health clinic was supposed to be built three years ago as examples of the ANC's failure. But his reasons for voting for the EFF, a party which has struck a chord with many young black men, hint at the difficulty of coalition building. "The EFF seems to offer the most radical offer of change," he said. "That's what we need." AWKWARD BEDFELLOWS On the surface, it would seem unthinkable that the pro-business DA with a white support base, could partner with the EFF, which proposes nationalising mines and banks and redistributing land from whites to blacks without compensation. The DA and EFF do share common ground, notably an avowed determination not to work with the ANC, and the DA has the track record of a successful coalition with like-minded parties in Cape Town, where it boosted its majority to over two-thirds. "I've no doubt there will be issues but I think a DA/EFF coalition is the best government citizens could get," said political analyst Prince Mashele. "The two parties will watch each other so there is no corruption. They will also pull each other towards the centre and they should both want to deliver to the people if they are going to convince voters in 2019." Lingering inequality is a central issue. Black people make up 80 percent of South Africa's 54 million population yet most of the economy remains in the hands of white people, who account for about 8 percent of the population. "We are going to show what can be done," Solly Msimanga, DA mayoral candidate in Tshwane told Reuters, citing the creation of tax free zones outside townships like Atteridgeville where small businesses like bakeries and mechanics could thrive. "You talk about nursery schools and health clinics. There are budgets for these sort of projects but they are not being spent," Msimanga said of projects neglected in the township. EFF spokesman Mbuyiseni Ndlozi has said the party would announce its decision on coalitions on Wednesday and James Selfe, a senior DA executive who has led the party's negotiations, said on Tuesday talks were at an advanced stage. "Everyone is in a position where they know what's on offer, they know what's at stake," Selfe told reporters. "They'll have to take a decision." But in a country where coalitions remain largely untested, there are many who doubt they can succeed. "There's no way the EFF and DA can work together," said student Siyabonga. "They will fight each other and the people will suffer." ($1 = 13.25 rand) Carlsberg says to tackle underperforming businesses By Nikolaj Skydsgaard COPENHAGEN, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Danish brewer Carlsberg promised to address poorly performing parts of its business after half-year results came in slightly below expectations on Wednesday, sending its shares down by 4 percent. The Copenhagen-based company said it was sticking to a forecast for full-year organic operating profit growth in the low-single figures in percentage terms. Chief Executive Cees 't Haart, who took the job in June 2015, indicated that more changes would be made as part of his seven-year strategy to boost growth. "We have a number of operations which are not contributing in the way that we would have liked. We are evaluating these and we are taking action," the Dutchman told reporters. Soon to become the third largest brewer in the world behind Heineken following the planned mega-merger of AB Inbev and SAB Miller, the group last week announced the sale of its 59 percent share in African subsidiary Carlsberg Malawi Limited to local Castel Group. The chief executive said more assets were "on the list" to be divested but declined to name them in order not to weaken his negotiating position. His plan is to focus on big cities, craft beer and core markets. As part of his strategy, Carlsberg has shed 2,080 white collar employees, sold assets in Britain, closed 11 breweries in China and written down the value of its ailing Russia business. GLASS HALF FULL? By 0820 GMT, Carlsberg shares were down 3.9 percent at 653 Danish crowns after the company reported a six-month operating profit before special items of 3.45 billion Danish crowns ($522 million), down 4 percent from same period last year. Total sales volumes fell 1 percent due to lower volumes in countries such as Britain, Poland and Finland, but organic revenue grew by 4 percent. Analysts said it was not all doom and gloom. "The new strategy of finding a balance between volume growth and value creation is already showing its effects," said Sydbank analyst Morten Imsgard. Carlsberg maintained its 2016 profit outlook but the impact on operating profit from foreign exchange was raised to 600 million Danish crowns ($91 million) from 550 million. Carlsberg has faced problems in Russia because of tighter regulations and a weak economy, but showed improvements in its Eastern European region with stable volumes and an 8 percent increase in net revenue organic growth over the six months. Rival brewer Heineken delivered a slightly better than expected half year result in August, with Western Europe and Asia Pacific offsetting weak markets in Russia and Africa. Herath wrecks Australia, Sri Lanka sweep series Aug 17 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka completed a rare 3-0 sweep over Australia after left-arm spinner Rangana Herath spun the hosts to a comprehensive 163-run victory in the final test in Colombo on Wednesday. Chasing 324 in a bid to salvage some pride, Australia surrendered to Herath's guile and folded for 160 before tea to lose their number one ranking to India and slip to third place behind Pakistan. Herath (7-64) claimed a 13-wicket match haul to bag the man-of-the-match award while his 28 wickets from three tests also made him the obvious choice for the man-of-the-series award. "What a fantastic moment," home captain Angelo Mathews said after lifting the Warne-Muralitharan trophy. "Credit to Herath, for doing his thing. You just can't keep him away from the game. "He had a groin strain, he couldn't run, he couldn't jump. He was fantastic with one leg. One leg was enough for him to have a bowl on this type of wicket." Sri Lanka batted for 4.3 overs in the morning to add 35 runs to their overnight score of 312 for eight before declaring. IMPROBABLE TARGET Set an improbable victory target on a final day track, Australia needed a good start and the tourists got that from David Warner and Shaun Marsh who raised 77 runs, the highest opening partnership in the low-scoring series. Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera dismissed Marsh for 23 when the batsman defended a delivery and Kusal Mendis thrust out his hands at forward short leg to parry the ball and twisted his body backwards to complete a stunning catch. Warner brought up his first fifty of the series after lunch before the wheels came off Australia's challenge with Herath striking a double blow in his 10th over. The wily left-arm spinner bowled rival skipper Steve Smith (8) for the fifth time in six innings with the first delivery of the over and trapped Adam Voges leg-before with the last. Perera cut short Warner's fluent innings at 68, bowling the southpaw around his legs in a dismissal that was a microcosm of the series in which the Sri Lankan spinners tormented the touring batsmen on tracks that suited them. After Moises Henriques ran himself out, Herath mowed down the Australian lower order to complete the whitewash. "It's been a tough series," Smith said after Australia exposed their spin frailties and slumped to their ninth consecutive test defeat in Asia. "We've been outplayed in all three matches in this series. I think Sri Lanka have played some great cricket over this series. Disappointing but a big learning curve for the guys as well." After years of pain, coal becomes one of the hottest commodities of 2016 By Henning Gloystein SINGAPORE, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Less than a year after the coal industry was declared to be in terminal decline, the fossil fuel has staged its steepest price rally in over half a decade, making it one of the hottest major commodities. Cargo prices for Australian thermal coal from its Newcastle terminal, seen as the Asian benchmark, have soared over 35 percent since mid-June to more than one-year highs of almost $70 a tonne, pushed by surprise increases in Chinese imports. "Chinese regulators have assumed the role that markets traditionally play in bringing oversupplied commodities back to balance," Goldman Sachs said in a note to clients late on Tuesday, reversing a gloomy outlook it issued last September. "Restrictions on domestic production introduced earlier this year have lifted prices globally and turned coal into one of the best performing commodities so far this year." Global mining majors like Glencore and Anglo American, but also regional Asian players like Thailand's Banpu, are reaping the benefits. All three have seen their shares rise sharply this year, particularly in recent months after China in April cut mine operating days by 16 percent in a bid to help meet its target of reducing capacity by 250 million tonnes this year. Banpu, which operates several export mines across Asia-Pacific, said this week that it expects to sell its 2016 coal supplies at an average price of over $50 a tonne, up from a previous target of $47 to $48 per tonne, thanks to the recent rally. The price recovery is an unexpected boon for miners, who were hit hard by a years-long downturn, and stands in sharp contrast to previous calls by Goldman and the International Energy Agency (IEA), who said last year that coal was in terminal decline. As a result of China's surprise move, Goldman said there was now "support (for) global prices for the foreseeable future." The bank raised its three, six and 12 month price forecasts to $65/$62/$60 per tonne for Newcastle coal, up as much as 38 percent from its previous outlook. WINNERS AND LOSERS Coal has also been garnering support from Asian industrial powerhouses Japan and South Korea, while demand remains firm in India, Vietnam and the Philippines. Japan is burning record amounts of the fossil fuel for electricity generation after the 2011 Fukushima disaster shuttered its nuclear sector, while Korea plans to build 20 new power plants using the cheapest fuel source by 2022. China's power consumption has also risen against expectations, jumping 8.2 percent from a year ago in July to reach 552.3 billion kilowatt hours. "The biggest improvement in the industrial sector (in China) was power generation,... helping demand for coal over the past month," Australia's Macquarie bank said this week. While almost all thermal coal miners were hit by the previous price decline, and most shut or sold assets, those left with the best assets now stand to benefit from the rebound. The biggest winners are those with mines in Australia, thanks to the high average quality of its coal. Shares of Anglo American, a major thermal coal miner in Australia, have recovered from record lows earlier this year of around 2.2 pounds to around 8.7 pounds. Commodity merchant and miner Glencore, the world's biggest thermal coal exporter with huge Australian operations, has also seen its shares soar from around 70 pence early this year to nearly 2 pounds. Glencore was not available for comment ahead of reporting its half-year results on Aug. 24. Anglo American in its half-year results in late June pointed to consistent Indian demand and the unexpected pickup in China. Other miners, however, have not been able to benefit from coal's 2016 boom. Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of thermal coal, has seen its output fall during the lull, and its miners are unable to raise production due to debt constraints. ($1 = 0.7762 pounds) Cobham CEO to be replaced by Laird boss by end of year LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Struggling British aerospace and defence company Cobham said on Wednesday that Chief Executive Bob Murphy would step down by the end of the year and be succeeded by David Lockwood, current boss of technology company Laird. Cobham's difficult recent performance had prompted media reports that Murphy could be sacked. The firm said he was leaving "to pursue other opportunities". Shares in Cobham rallied on news of the new appointment, standing up 4.2 percent to 167 pence at 0818 GMT. Laird traded down 6.1 percent at 311 pence. Lockwood has been Laird CEO for four years, overseeing average organic revenue growth at the company of 7 percent over the last three years. Before that he worked for BT, GPT (Marconi), BAE Systems and Thales. He will leave Laird on Sept. 5 and join Cobham no later than Jan. 1 2017. After issuing a profit warning in April, Cobham this month reported a 36 percent drop in first-half profit, leaving it needing a big improvement in the coming months to meet full-year targets and sending its shares sharply lower. The CEO appointment is not the only change in Cobham's top team. New chief financial officer David Mellors is due to succeed Simon Nicholls by the turn of the year. Jefferies analyst Sandy Morris said making two major changes could be a cause for concern. "With both CEO and CFO now leaving Cobham in the second half of the year, we understand concerns about H2 guidance being achieved," Morris said. The firm faces execution risks on some of its big programmes in U.S. defence such as the KC-46 air-to-air refuelling system. Cobham launched a 500-million-pound emergency rights issue in April after it was hit by delayed shipments in its Cobham Wireless communications business and due to lower demand from oil and mining customers for flight services in Australia. Shares in Cobham have lost a third of their value so far this year. They closed Tuesday at 160.3 pence, valuing the business at 2.7 billion pounds ($3.52 billion). Laird said it had appointed CFO Tony Quinlan to take over from Lockwood as chief executive on Sept. 5. The company manufactures antennae, wireless products and other equipment used in the automotive, healthcare and other sectors. China to limit North Korean airline's operations after forced landing BEIJING, Aug 17 (Reuters) - China will limit the operations of North Korean carrier Air Koryo after one of its aircraft made an emergency landing in a northeastern Chinese city last month, and has told the airline to improve training and maintenance. The plane, a Russian-built Tupolev TU204-300, was flying to Beijing from Pyongyang when it made a forced landing in Shenyang because of smoke in the cabin. The plane landed safely and there were no casualties. China's civil aviation regulator, in a statement on Wednesday, said an investigation had found smoke had come from a call button located under the luggage rack on the right hand side of the cabin between rows 20 and 27. The regulator said they had found three problems that happened during the emergency that the airline now had to fix. The airline has to improve training on how to handle such an incident, how communicate with air traffic control and improve aircraft maintenance, it said. The airline also needs to improve training on handling burst tyres, engine fires, emergency decompression and traffic collision avoidance system warnings, the regulator added. China will take "corresponding measures to limit operations" for Air Koryo, it said, without giving details. An official reached by telephone at the airline's Beijing office said she was unaware of the situation and declined to comment further. Most of Air Koryo's scheduled international flights are to China. It also flies to Russia's Far East. Independent ratings website Skytrax lists Air Koryo as the world's only 1-star airline for poor quality standards, though it does not measure safety. Few North Koreans are allowed to travel outside their isolated country. Indonesian crewman swims to freedom from militants in Philippines MANILA, Aug 17 (Reuters) - An Indonesian tugboat crewman escaped from his Islamist militant captors in the Philippines on Wednesday by swimming out to sea after the militants threatened to cut his head off, a Philippine army spokesman said. Members of the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf group captured the Indonesian, Mohammad Safyan, 28, and six other Indonesian seamen from their boat as it was passing through waters off southern Philippine islands on June 23. Residents of Jolo island spotted Safyan floating off the shore after he escaped under cover of darkness, an army spokesman, Major Filemon Tan, told reporters. "We were told he managed to escape by running and swimming to the sea," Tan said, adding that Safyan had said the militants were about to execute him when he escaped. "We have no information on the other captives but troops in the area were ordered to use all means to locate and rescue the hostages." Abu Sayyaf rebels operating in Muslim areas of the largely Christian Philippines have developed a reputation as ruthless kidnappers. They have increasingly been turning their attention to vessels passing through busy shipping lanes in the Sulu Sea as security along coasts has been tightened. The rebels, who have vowed allegiance to Islamic State, recently beheaded two Canadians they kidnapped from a beach resort after a ransom deadline passed. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte last week ordered the army to destroy the militants saying if not, the Philippines risked being "contaminated" by Islamic State. Indonesian authorities have said piracy in the area, a major sea lane for the world's top thermal coal exporter, could reach levels previously seen in Somalia. Analysts say $40 billion worth of cargo passes through the waters a year, including supertankers from the Indian Ocean that cannot use the crowded Malacca Strait. The rise of hijackings at sea has prompted Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia to try to coordinate maritime patrols. Spain yields fall on hopes of end to political stalemate By Dhara Ranasinghe LONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Spanish bond yields fell from one-week highs on Wednesday ahead of a meeting that could pave the way for the formation of a new government and end eight months of political deadlock. Across the euro zone, bond yields were 2-4 basis points lower as markets recovered some ground after a sell-off the previous session. But the spotlight was on Spain, where interim prime minister Mariano Rajoy meets with his Conservative People's Party (PP) to consider an offer of support from centrist party Ciudadanos for a new government in return for political reforms. The reform package, aimed at fighting corruption and making the voting system more proportional, was proposed by Ciudadanos last week and is widely expected to be endorsed by PP leaders. Spain has been without a proper government since an inconclusive election in December. Rajoy's PP won the most parliamentary seats then, and again in a second ballot in June, but each time it failed to reach the 176 needed to govern alone. "Signs of progress in Spain's political situation are positive and a solution to the stalemate could lead to some outperformance of Spanish bonds, although that's likely to be limited," said Patrick Jacq, European rate strategist at BNP Paribas. Spain's 10-year bond yield was down 3 basis points at 0.97 percent, below one-week highs just above 1 percent. Hopes that Rajoy would be able to form a government have helped Spanish bonds outperform their peers since the June vote, with yields falling more than 60 bps to trade below Italy . The spread between Spanish bond yields and top-rated 10-year German Bund yields is just over 100 bps and holding near its tightest level since April 2015. "I still have doubts about political progress in Spain and negotiations could still go on for weeks," said DZ Bank strategist Christian Lenk. "But markets do seem to like what's coming out of Madrid." Portugal's 10-year bond yield fell 4 bps to 2.83 percent as the market recovered some ground from a sharp sell-off on Tuesday. Portuguese yields posted their biggest daily rise since Britain's vote to leave the European Union, after rating agency DBRS told Reuters on Tuesday that pressures were building on the country's creditworthiness. Hong Kong shares slip after approval of Shenzhen-Hong Kong connector Aug 17 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares slipped on Wednesday, as some investors took profits and shrugged off China's approval of a long-anticipated link to allow stock trading between Hong Kong and Shenzhen. The Hang Seng index fell 0.5 percent, to 22,799.78, while the China Enterprises Index lost 0.7 percent, to 9,641.76 points. Analysts said investors had fully expected the approval of the Hong Kong-Shenzhen connector scheme. Hitachi, Carlyle, Permira among bidders for $1 bln Takeda unit-sources TOKYO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Hitachi Ltd and buyout firms Carlyle Group and Permira are among suitors to buy Takeda Pharmaceutical Co's chemicals unit, people with knowledge of the matter said, in a deal that could total around $1 billion. Takeda Pharmaceutical, Japan's largest drugmaker by market value, has put its 70 percent stake in unlisted Wako Pure Chemicals Industries Ltd on the block to streamline operations. The first round of bidding closed on Tuesday. Hitachi placed its bid through unit Hitachi Chemical Co , one of the sources said on Wednesday. The winning bidder would likely buy out the remaining shareholders, taking the deal size to more than 100 billion yen ($991.67 million), sources have said previously. The Nikkei business daily reported Hitachi's bid earlier on Wednesday. Officials at Takeda, Hitachi, Carlyle and Permira either declined to comment or were not contactable. The sources declined to be identified because the sale process is private. Fujifilm Holdings Corp, which owns 9.5 percent of Wako Pure, was considering placing a bid, sources have said earlier. It was not immediately known if Fujifilm put in a bid by the Tuesday deadline. A Fujifilm spokesman declined to comment. China warns 'protectionist' Australia on investment after grid deal blocked By Jonathan Barrett and Sue-Lin Wong SYDNEY/BEIJING Aug 17 (Reuters) - Australia's decision to block the A$10 billion ($7.7 billion) sale of the country's biggest energy grid to Chinese bidders was a protectionist move that would negatively affect investment in the country, China's Ministry of Commerce said on Wednesday. Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison said last week that preferred bidders State Grid Corp of China and Hong Kong's Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings would be prevented from buying electricity network company Ausgrid, citing unspecified national security concerns. "This kind of decision is protectionist and seriously impacts the willingness of Chinese companies to invest in Australia," China Commerce Ministry spokesman Shen Danyang said at a regular news briefing in Beijing. "China hopes Australia will create a fairer and more transparent environment for Chinese investment." The decision was the second time this year Canberra has rejected bids for major Australian assets by Chinese interests, the biggest source of proposed foreign investment in Australia, according to an April report from the Foreign Investment Review Board. It previously knocked back an offer by a China-led consortium to buy the country's largest agricultural land owner, cattle company Kidman & Co. UNDER SCRUTINY China's offshore ambitions have come under increasing scrutiny this year by governments in Europe and the United States. Following a surprise move by new British Prime Minister Theresa May to review the building of a nuclear plant part funded by China, Beijing questioned whether Chinese money was still welcome. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull used a major speech on Wednesday to criticise the rising tide of protectionism within parliament, despite his government being responsible for the rejection of the Ausgrid and Kidman bids. The speech warned against giving in to the growing protectionist mood reflected in the new parliament, which he said could reverse gains made by the country since it liberalised its economy two decades ago. Turnbull's conservative Liberal-National coalition will at times require support in the new parliament from a bloc of foreign investment critics led by the Far-right One Nation party to pass legislation. FOREIGN INVESTMENT Proceeds from the sale of state-owned assets are designed to be plowed back into the economy through job-creating infrastructure projects, including public transport networks. "These are the transactions Australia needs if it is going to get out of the low growth, low productivity scenarios," said Brendan Lyon, chief executive of industry lobby group Infrastructure Partnerships Australia. Chinese investment in Australia surpassed $11 billion in 2015, according to a report by accounting firm KPMG and the University of Sydney. Former senior defence department official Peter Jennings said the trade relationship put Australia in a difficult strategic position. "We've never had a greater dependency with any country," said Jennings, a director at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "The risk that creates for us is if Beijing wants to adopt politically coercive policies, it's in a fairly strong position to do so with us because of that level of trade dependence." Last year, Landbridge Group, owned by Chinese billionaire Ye Cheng, won a long-term lease to operate Darwin's port, in the north of Australia, in a deal worth A$506 million. Turnbull defended the deal following reports that U.S. President Barack Obama had expressed anger at the Australian Prime Minister for not having informed him earlier. U.S. Ambassador to Australia John Berry told Reuters national security must be taken into account when considering foreign direct investment in infrastructure and sensitive areas. "The U.S. fully respects the process and decisions on foreign investment made by the Australian government, even when it affects U.S. companies," Berry said in a statement. Israel's El Al Airlines Q2 profit doubles on holiday boost, cheaper fuel TEL AVIV, Aug 17 (Reuters) - El Al Israel Airlines reported a 102 percent rise in second quarter net profit due to a rise in the number of passengers and lower fuel costs. Israel's flag carrier said on Wednesday its net profit rose to $35 million in the April-June quarter from $17 million a year earlier. Revenue increased 5 percent to $537 million, partly due to the timing of the Jewish festival of Passover that is usually a peak time for El Al. The holiday fell in mid-April this year versus March in 2015. Jet fuel expenses slid 21 percent, or $26 million, over the same period last year to $83.3 million. El Al said its load factor edged higher to 82.3 percent and its market share at Israel's Ben Gurion International Airport increased to 34.2 percent. North Korea deputy ambassador in UK defects to South By James Pearson and Ju-min Park SEOUL, Aug 17 (Reuters) - North Korea's deputy ambassador in London has defected with his family to South Korea, making him the highest-ranking Pyongyang diplomat ever to flee the isolated regime for the democratic South, South Korea said on Wednesday. The Unification Ministry in Seoul declined to say when or how Thae and his family arrived, or how many relatives accompanied him. Thae defected due to discontent with the regime of Kim Jong Un in North Korea and for the future of his child, ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee told a news conference. It was not clear in Korean whether Jeong was referring to more than one child. "We know that Deputy Ambassador Thae is saying that his distaste for the Kim Jong Un regime and yearning for the Republic of Korea's free democratic system and the future of his child are motives for the defection," Jeong said, referring to South Korea, adding that Thae and his family were under government protection. Impoverished North Korea and prosperous South Korea are technically still at war after their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. The announcement came a day after media report that a high-profile North Korean diplomat, later identified by the BBC as Thae, had defected. Quoting an unnamed source, South Korea's JoongAng Ilbo newspaper had said the diplomat embarked on a defection journey "following a scrupulous plan" and was in the process of "landing in a third country as an asylum seeker". An official at the North Korean embassy in London would not confirm the defection on Tuesday, describing reports of the event as "quite sudden". "If it is appropriate to give a response, then you might hear about our response," the official told Reuters. Further calls to the embassy went unanswered. Calls to Thae's mobile phone were redirected to a voicemail inbox. The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office did not have an immediate comment after South Korea's announcement. Thae's defection follows a string of recent such flights by North Koreans, including 12 waitresses at a North Korean restaurant in China who defected to South Korea earlier this year. Those waitresses have finished a prolonged period of investigation and have entered into normal society, an official at South Korea's Unification Ministry said on Wednesday. The number of defections by North Koreans to the South this year through July totalled 814, an annual increase of 15 percent, a ministry official told Reuters. Several diplomats from North Korea have defected to the South over the last two years, including one from Thailand, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported on Wednesday, citing a source familiar with North Korean affairs. Overall, the number of defectors, mostly from the area near North Korea's border with China, has declined since leader Kim Jong Un, a third-generation dictator, took power following his father's death in late 2011. "The bigger picture is that while there have been fewer total defections per year under Kim Jong Un, there have been a higher number of strategically significant and political defections," said Sokeel Park of LiNK, an NGO which works with North Korean defectors. North Korea has become increasingly isolated after conducting its fourth nuclear test in January and numerous ballistic missile launches this year, which resulted in tightened UN Security Council sanctions. IMPASSIONED SPEECHES Among his many responsibilities, Thae was well-known to the British press, acting as the embassy's main point of contact for British correspondents travelling to Pyongyang. Thae lived at or near the North Korean embassy, which is in the leafy west London suburb of Gunnersbury. He spoke regularly at far-left events in London, including meetings of a British communist party where he would make impassioned speeches in defence of North Korea, according to videos of the events. Thae's son, Thae Kum Hyok, who was known as "Kum Thae", was a pupil at Acton High School, a short walk from the embassy. The school term ended on July 22, according its website, around the same time Thae is believed to have defected. The son, 19, has a place at Imperial College, London, to study maths and computer science, according to one of his school friends cited by the Guardian newspaper. Debonair and well-spoken, Thae Yong Ho has over ten years experience working on UK and EU-related issues as a diplomat. He is cited in European Parliament archives as a London-based diplomat joining a North Korean delegation to Brussels. His measured style was a contrast to the bombastic rhetoric often used by Pyongyang's propagandists, although at some events he sang revolutionary Red Army Choir songs in Korean. In regular contact with the media, Thae also spoke publicly about media coverage of the isolated country, including the press appetite for sensationalist stories about North Korea. "I don't blame reporters," Thae said during a speech at a left-wing London bookshop in late 2014. "If they broadcast (North Korea) as it is, the editors of these TV stations and newspapers will (change it). "The more horrifying, the more shocking stories they create, the more they will be viewed by the British public". According to an online search of his name, Thae's son was an avid gamer, and had accumulated 368 hours regularly playing CounterStrike over the last year, under the name "North Korea is Best Korea". The account was last active on July 13. Sri Lanka beat Australia by 163 runs to sweep series Aug 17 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka beat Australia by 163 runs in the final test in Colombo on Wednesday to complete a 3-0 sweep in the three-match series. Chasing 324 for victory, Australia were all out for 160 half-an-hour before the tea break, succumbing to their third successive defeat against the hosts. David Warner top-scored for Australia with a fluent 68. Rangana Herath (7-64) was the pick of the Sri Lankan bowlers, finishing with a 13-wicket match haul. Gunmen kill policeman in Saudi Eastern Province- state media DUBAI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - A policeman was shot dead by masked gunmen in the Qatif district in Saudi Arabia's oil-producing Eastern Province on Wednesday, state news agency SPA said, the latest in a string of attacks there this year. Four assailants opened fire on a police station before dawn, SPA reported. Qatif, which is both a city and the name of a district, is home to many Shi'ite Muslims, who form a minority in the conservative Sunni Muslim kingdom. Qatif was one of three Saudi cities targeted in coordinated bomb attacks on July 4. A suicide bomber struck near a Shi'ite mosque killing himself and two others. The Saudi government said Islamic State was likely behind the attacks. Islamic State, which follows a hardline Sunni Muslim ideology, considers Shi'ites apostates who should be killed. There have also been shootings of security forces by Shi'ite militants angry at what they say is repression of their community. Militants ambush Indian army convoy in Kashmir, 3 dead By Fayaz Bukhari SRINAGAR, India, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Militants ambushed an Indian military convoy in Kashmir on Wednesday, killing three personnel, in an escalation of violence that officials have blamed on separatist protests that have tied down security forces for more than a month. Indian Kashmir is in the midst of the worst unrest in six years that began early last month when security forces killed a young separatist commander who was idolised by some youth, provoking an outpouring of anger. Police superintendent Imtiaz Hussain said militants were taking advantage of the unrest to attack security forces after years of declining violence. Militants ambushed an army convoy early on Wednesday in the town of Baramulla, killing two soldiers, and then struck at a police jeep when it arrived, killing one policeman, he said. "We were aware about the presence of the militants around Baramulla town for over a month but due to violence across Kashmir, they managed to consolidate and carry out an attack," Hussain said. At least 64 protesters have been killed and thousands injured during 40 days of unrest, while schools, shops and offices remain closed in much of Kashmir as paramilitary troops patrol. The turmoil has raised tension with Pakistan which invited India for talks on the disputed territory, drawing an angry rebuke from India. The nuclear-armed neighbours, which have fought three wars since independence in 1947, both claim the Muslim-majority region in full but rule it in part. U.N. monitors remain on the heavily fortified border between the two sides in Kashmir. On Wednesday, Indian authorities re-imposed a curfew in the summer capital, Srinagar, to stop a separatist alliance of political and religious groups from holding a sit-in outside the office of the U.N. Military Observer Group to press for its involvement. "The U.N. cannot watch the massacre in Kashmir as a mute spectator," said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chairman of a faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference. The U.N. group routinely declines to comment to media, referring queries to U.N. headquarters. India accuses Muslim Pakistan of supporting Kashmiri fighters while Pakistan accuses India of meddling in Pakistani trouble spots. India's Major General J.S. Nain said troops were on alert to stop militants from crossing over from Pakistani Kashmir to foment trouble. The army says 56 militants managed to cross into Kashmir up to June this year, compared with 36 in 2015. It blames Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency for supporting infiltrators. "The ISI and terrorist organizations want to infiltrate as many terrorists as they can whenever there is turmoil," Nain said. India ready for Pakistan talks; U.N. alarmed by Kashmir violence By Fayaz Bukhari and Douglas Busvine SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - India is ready to send its top diplomat to Pakistan for talks focused on fighting cross-border terrorism, sources at India's foreign ministry said on Wednesday, after a spike in tension in the disputed northernmost region of Kashmir. Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was willing to attend talks on the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart, the sources said, stressing that cross-border terrorism was central to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir state. The olive branch comes after 40 days of violent protests in Indian-ruled Kashmir that were sparked by the killing by security forces of a field commander of Pakistan-based Islamic militant group Hizbul Mujahideen who enjoyed wide support. At least 64 people have died and thousands been injured in clashes with security forces that have been denounced by Pakistan, which also claims the right to rule Jammu & Kashmir in a territorial dispute that dates back to partition in 1947. The Indian sources, who declined to be identified, made it clear, however, that India "rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India." Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is the name of India's only Muslim-majority state that includes the disputed Kashmir region. No comment was immediately available from Pakistan's foreign ministry. A top U.N. human rights official expressed "deep regret" at the failure of both the Indian and Pakistani authorities to grant access to the separate parts of Kashmir that each run to investigate allegations of serious human rights violations. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement issued in Geneva it was unfortunate that sincere attempts by the United Nations to independently assess the facts in relation to reports of human rights violations had failed. "Without access, we can only fear the worst," said Zeid. DEADLY AMBUSH The nuclear-armed neighbours, which have fought three wars since independence in 1947, both claim Kashmir in full but rule it in part. In the latest violence on Wednesday, militants killed three members of the Indian security forces when they ambushed an army convoy and then fired on a police jeep that came to the scene. In a worrying escalation the previous day, Indian security forces fired live rounds at a crowd of stone-throwing protesters in Kashmir's Baramulla district, killing five and wounding 10. Earlier, police and troops trying to control crowds had resorted to the use of shotguns, whose pellets are meant to incapacitate but not kill. But residents of Kashmir say the shotguns have inflicted severe injuries and even blinded hundreds of people including bystanders. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ratcheted up tensions in his annual Independence Day speech on Monday, accusing Pakistan of glorifying terrorism. In a tit-for-tat escalation in the war of words between the nuclear-armed neighbours, Modi said he had received messages of support from leaders in restive regions of Pakistan, in particular the troubled southwestern province of Baluchistan. India accuses Muslim Pakistan of supporting Kashmiri fighters while Pakistan accuses India of meddling in Pakistani trouble spots, in particular of helping separatists fighting the Pakistani state in resource-rich Baluchistan. Balfour Beatty resumes dividend payments as recovery continues By Esha Vaish Aug 17 (Reuters) - UK construction company Balfour Beatty declared its first dividend for 18 months on Wednesday and said it expected to boost margins to standard levels for the sector over the next 24 months following a turbulent few years. Balfour's CEO said some UK orders had been put on hold after the country voted to leave the European Union in a June 23 vote but said it was too soon to assess the full impact of the referendum result. "There has been a delay in the placing of new infrastructure orders ... commerce doesn't do well in an environment which has uncertainty," Chief Executive Officer Leo Quinn told Reuters. "We would like clarity from the government of what it's strategy is, so that we can size and shape our companies accordingly," he said. A Markit/CIPS survey earlier this month showed that the construction industry suffered its sharpest downturn in seven years in July following the EU referendum. Balfour overhauled its businesses after losses at its UK construction division, as well as some in the Middle East and Asia, led to multiple profit warnings that forced it to scrap its 2015 dividend, cancel a share buy back and reorganise pension payments. Most losses were related to projects undertaken during the recession at wafer thin margins which later failed to meet savings targets or budget forecasts as they neared completion. Balfour shares rose almost 10 percent on Wednesday to trade higher than their June 23 close after it declared a 0.9 pence interim dividend and published better than expected results. Balfour reported underlying pretax profit from continuing operations of 7 million pounds ($9 million) for the six months to July 1. Liberum had forecast a loss of 25.1 million pounds. Although turnaround initiatives meant there had been a much smaller negative impact from losses on historic UK projects, Balfour said they still overshadowed a strong U.S. performance. The company appeared to be at a "turning point" with its results reflecting greater discipline on profit recognition on newer projects, brokerage Numis said in a note. Balfour said its final dividend would be about twice the interim payout and indicated that dividends would rise at least as much as earnings going forward. It also said its target was to have operating margins of 1-2 percent in its U.S. construction business, 2-3 percent in its UK construction business and 3-5 percent in its support services business by 2018. Quinn said recruitment decisions were contingent on whether stalled UK projects would go ahead, including airport expansion, new nuclear power plants and flood defences. Balfour, which has been accelerating its exit from legacy issues related to contracts with thin margins, had completed 81 percent of its "challenging" contracts and expected to be 90 percent done by the end of this year, Quinn said. New business would limit the impact of the remaining 10 percent, which would run for another 2-3 years, he said. Police in Cannes stop Muslim women wearing banned burkinis By Geert De Clercq PARIS, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Ten Muslim women wearing burkinis to the beach have been apprehended by police in the southern French city of Cannes in the three weeks since it imposed a temporary ban on the full body swimsuit, a local official said. Arguing that the burkini defies French laws on secularism, Cannes is one of three cities in France to have banned the garment amid tensions after an Islamist militant attack in nearby Nice killed 85 people on Bastille Day on July 14. The moves have sparked an intense public debate, with Muslim groups calling them unconstitutional, divisive and Islamophobic. The Conseil d'Etat, France's highest administrative court, will rule on the legality of the burkini bans in coming days. In an interview with daily La Provence, Prime Minister Manuel Valls backed the municipal bans but said he saw no need for nationwide legislation. The women's rights minister has also backed the ban. The burkini -- a conflation of the burqa and bikini -- is designed for Muslims who believe that Islam requires women to conceal everything except the face, hands and feet from all men who are not their husbands or unmarriageable kin. A Cannes townhall spokeswoman told Reuters on Wednesday that since the burkini ban was put in place on July 28, 10 burkini-wearing women have been controlled by police. Six left the beach, four were fined 38 euros ($43), she said. Police cannot oblige women to leave the beaches for wearing a burkini, and the same person can only be fined once a day. The ban will end on Aug. 31. "Following the attacks, the atmosphere is very tense and the burkini is seen as an ostentatious display that can threaten public order, that is why we took the measure," she said. French citizens are on edge following a string of deadly attacks claimed by Islamic State, including attacks in Paris in November 2015 when 130 people were killed and the July 14 attack in Nice in which 85 people died when a militant plowed a truck into a crowd. Abdallah Zekri, head of the National Observatory against Islamophobia told BFM television that some French politicians were using the burkini debate to stigmatize Islam. "It is terrible to see that the prime minister stokes the fire rather than trying to put it out," Zekri said. The Cannes official said that burkinis first appeared on Cannes beaches last year and that their number was growing. The mayors of Le Touquet and Oye-Plage on the Atlantic coast and Leucate on the Mediterranean have also announced plans to ban the burkini. The mayor of Le Touquet, Daniel Fasquelle, said he had not seen burkinis on his beaches but that he would impose a ban to send a message that "people with that kind of outfit are not welcome here". In neighbouring Italy, Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said there would be no burkini ban, describing it as counter-productive. Munich raises security for beer festival after Islamist attacks BERLIN, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Organisers of the world's biggest beer festival, Munich's Oktoberfest, have raised security after Islamist attacks in Germany last month, including banning rucksacks, introducing security checks at all entrances and erecting fencing. Drawing some 6 million tourists, the Oktoberfest is a major highlight of the year for residents, who often wear traditional lederhosen or dirndls, and visitors from all over the world travel there. This year's festival runs from Sept. 17 to Oct. 3. However, Bavarians are on edge after jihadist militant group Islamic State claimed two attacks in July, one on a train near Wuerzburg and one at a music festival in Ansbach, in which asylum-seekers injured 20 people. On top of that, an 18-year-old German-Iranian killed nine people in a shooting rampage in a shopping centre in Munich. "We want to do everything we can in terms of security so that the people of Munich and their guests can revel in a relaxed way. We looked at all options," deputy Munich mayor Josef Schmid told reporters. The city has increased the number of stewards to as many as 450 from 250 last year and erected a two-metre high metal fence around Theresienwiese, the open ground where the Oktoberfest is held, to ensure nobody can avoid the checks, he said. The main Munich breweries have their own tents with long beer tables and bands. Last year they served 7.3 million litres of beer, as well as huge quantities of sausages, bretzel and whole spit-roasted bulls. Food rations cut as South Sudan refugee influx to Uganda overwhelms agencies By Katy Migiro NAIROBI, Aug 17 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The United Nations plans to halve food rations for 200,000 refugees in Uganda, following an "overwhelming" influx of South Sudanese fleeing attacks, forced recruitment, hunger and rape, the U.N. food agency said on Wednesday. Uganda hosts almost 310,000 South Sudanese, including more than 70,000 who arrived since fighting broke out on July 7 between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and those backing former vice president Riek Machar, raising fears of a slide back to civil war. "We have been left with no option but to reduce food assistance for many of the refugees in Uganda, in order to stretch available resources and prioritise the most vulnerable new arrivals," the World Food Programme's (WFP) acting country director in Uganda, Mike Sackett, said in a statement. Refugees who arrived in Uganda after July 2015, as well as the extremely vulnerable and those requiring treatment for malnutrition, will continue to receive a full ration, WFP said. However, 200,000 refugees who fled to Uganda before July 2015, mostly from South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, will be affected by the cuts in food aid. WFP said it needs an extra $20 million to restore full food rations to refugees for the rest of the year. South Sudan, the world's youngest nation, has been rocked by more than two years of ethnically charged fighting that has forced more than one in five of its 11 million people to flee. Some 1,000 South Sudanese refugees are arriving each day in Uganda, down from a peak of 8,000 in mid-July, according to Ross Smith, WFP's head of programme in Uganda. "The number of refugees is overwhelming the available resources," Smith told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "They are fleeing with a lot of luggage so we anticipate that people do not expect to return soon." On some days, up to 95 percent of new arrivals seeking safety are women, children and youth, he said. "The major challenge at the moment is the congestion in some of the reception and transit centres," Ross said, adding that there was limited access to water, sanitation and shelter. "The crowding and the large number of people concentrated in a small space creates a real risk for morbidity and disease transmission." Many of the existing refugee settlements are full so a new settlement is being opened in Yumbe District, he said. Hundreds of people were killed and the United Nations said government soldiers and security forces executed civilians and gang-raped women and girls during and after last month's fighting. South Sudan rejected the accusations. Fighting also broke out in the southwest in August despite a July 11 ceasefire. Egypt's telecom regulator approves revised terms for 4G licences CAIRO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Egypt's telecoms regulator has approved revised terms for 4G mobile broadband network licences, and said it will send them out to operators on Sunday. The government offered four 4G telecom licences in June, to Telecom Egypt and to the country's three mobile services providers - Orange Egypt , Vodafone Egypt and Etisalat - but only Telecom Egypt accepted the terms. The regulator, keen to prioritise existing carriers, decided to revise them. A senior official at the Telecommunications Ministry told Reuters on Wednesday that the revised terms include additional frequencies but there is no change in the pricing or the condition that 50 percent of the payment for the licences must be made in U.S. dollars. "The telecom regulator approved the final terms of the 4G licences yesterday," the official said, adding that companies would have until midday on Sept. 22 to accept them. The National Telecom Regulatory Authority later issued a statement confirming it approved the final terms and that the companies had until Sept. 22 to accept. Philippine police arrest ex-bank manager linked to Bangladesh Bank heist MANILA, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Philippine police on Wednesday arrested a former manager of a Manila bank linked to $81 million stolen from the Bangladeshi central bank's account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, broadcaster ABS-CBN reported. Unknown cyber criminals tried to steal nearly $1 billion from the Bangladesh Bank account between Feb. 4 and Feb. 5 and succeeded in transferring $81 million to four accounts at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp in Manila. Maia Deguito was arrested in a supermarket in Manila's business district. Police served an arrest warrant related to a perjury case filed by former RCBC president Lorenzo Tan. The broadcaster said Deguito will be held until offices open on Thursday when she can post bail of 6,000 pesos ($130). In April, Tan filed a civil complaint against Deguito for abuse of rights and defamation, arguing he was protecting his reputation after Deguito testified that he was aware of the opening of five questionable accounts at her branch. Norway's oil fund pares UK property portfolio after Brexit vote By Gwladys Fouche OSLO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Norway's $893-billion sovereign wealth fund cut the value of its UK property portfolio by 5 percent after Britain's vote to leave the EU, and is concerned at the prospect that Brexit might limit free movement of goods, services and people, it said on Wednesday. The world's largest sovereign fund is one of Britain's biggest foreign investors, owning shares in most top UK companies and holding $11 billion in government bonds. It co-owns Regent Street, one of London's premier shopping streets. Conversely, Britain is crucial to the fund as its second-largest investment location after the United States, accounting for 10.2 percent of the fund's value at end-2015. Property represented 3.1 percent of the fund's total value in the second quarter. Deputy CEO Trond Grande told a results news conference that the decision to reduce the British property portfolio by 1.9 billion Norwegian crowns ($230 million) had been prompted by external assessors reporting greater uncertainty in their valuation after the June 23 vote. Some 23 percent of the fund's property investments, or 38 billion crowns ($4.62 billion), are in Britain, and 16 percent in London alone, he said. The fund reiterated its position that it would remain a long-term investor in Britain, but Grande told Reuters that, on the margin, the fund had "question marks" as to what Brexit would look like, once it has been negotiated. "For a fund that invests the way we do, anything that is not in favour of free movement of goods, services and people -- that creates frictions in the market place," he said in an interview. "And if that hampers growth in some shape or form, that will ultimately be to our disadvantage." One of Britain's largest car insurers, Admiral Group, said on Wednesday it could move its European business to Ireland or elsewhere if British insurers lost their right to sell products across Europe as a consequence of leaving the EU. The Norwegian fund, which has been built up from North Sea oil and gas revenues and is managed by a unit of the central bank, swung to a positive return in the second quarter, boosted by gains in its fixed-income portfolio. The fund earned a return of 1.3 percent in the quarter, lagging its benchmark index by 0.1 percentage points. In the first quarter, it booked a loss of 0.6 percent. Hundreds protest government inaction against violence in eastern Congo By Aaron Ross KINSHASA, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Hundreds of people marched on the town of Beni in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday to protest over government inaction against violent rebel groups in the region, witnesses said. Around 50 people were killed by suspected Ugandan rebels on the outskirts of Beni on Saturday, the latest in a spate of attacks in the region that has killed more than 700 people since October 2014. The protests on Wednesday added to tensions in Congo ahead of an election, scheduled for November, in which the opposition has called for President Joseph Kabila to step down after his allotted two terms. Residents of Beni and surrounding towns chanted against the government and army outside the mayor's office, voicing frustration at bloodletting in a region once considered a government stronghold. Residents of nearby Butembo and Oicha also marched to Beni to protest, Teddy Kataliko, president of the Civil Society of Beni Territory, told Reuters. Police and soldiers broke up the crowd with tear gas and warning shots, witnesses said. "When they wanted to enter the town of Beni, the police dispersed them with tear gas," Kataliko said of the protesters from Butembo. It was not immediately possible to confirm reports of injuries or deaths, and a police spokesman said he did not yet have information on the situation. A woman and a young girl were killed on Tuesday night about 40 km (25 miles) north of Beni, local army spokesman Mak Hazukay told Reuters. The government has blamed all of the attacks on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist group of only a few hundred fighters that has operated in eastern Congo since the 1990s. However, U.N. experts and independent analysts say other armed groups, including some Congolese soldiers, have also been involved in attacks on civilians. Canada's Brookfield to buy Odebrecht Ambiental - source By Geert De Clercq PARIS, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Canada's Brookfield Asset Management has signed a preliminary contract to buy Brazilian engineering conglomerate Grupo Odebrecht's 70 percent stake in water and sewage group Odebrecht Ambiental, an industry source told Reuters on Wednesday. The source said the deal was done at an equity value of 5.3 billion real ($1.65 billion), which implies an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) multiple of 8.5. Odebrecht S.A. will cash out 3.4 billion real, he added. Odebrecht Group will retain the right to develop water concession projects outside Brasil and Brookfield will re-brand Odebrecht Ambiental, which was named Foz until 2012. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Odebrecht, Latin America's largest engineering group, owns 70 percent of Odebrecht Ambiental, with Brazilian worker compensation and retirement fund FGTS owning the remaining 30 percent. It was not immediately clear whether FGTS would also sell its stake to Brookfield. The source said that last winter Odebrecht Ambiental chief executive Fernando Santos-Reis had discussed the possibility of selling a stake in his firm with Antoine Frerot, CEO of French group Veolia, as well as with Jean-Louis Chaussade, CEO of smaller rival Suez. There have also been discussions with Spain's Acciona, , with Beijing Water and some other companies in Europe and Asia, the source said. Initially, Odebrecht wanted to sell only half of its stake in Odebrecht Ambiental. Established in 2008, Odebrecht Ambiental is market leader in Latin America, serving more than 18 million people and several large companies in the steel, petrochemical and pulp and paper industries. Its Aquapolo project, which recycles Sao Paulo's sewage to produce water for a petrochemical complex is rated as the largest industrial water re-use project in the southern hemisphere. One of the world's top 10 water firms, Odebrecht Ambiental does not have a global presence like Veolia and Suez and in 2014 the firm announced plans to list some of its shares in 2015 or 2016 to finance its global expansion. But its parent company Grupo Odebrecht got caught up in a corruption probe at oil producer Petroleo Brasileiro SA and other state companies and the family member who ran Grupo Odebrecht was sent to prison. Spain's Rajoy drags out suspense on government talks By Blanca Rodriguez MADRID, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Spain's acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy struggled on Wednesday in his bid to form a government after the centrist Ciudadanos party insisted he meet their demands before talks and the Socialists renewed their pledge to oppose him. Spain has been in political limbo since two inconclusive national elections in December and June delivered the most fractured parliaments in four decades. Subsequent attempts by political parties to reach agreement on a government have so far failed but Ciudadanos ("Citizens")raised prospects of a breakthrough last week when it offered Rajoy their support in return for signing a six-point package of political reform. Rajoy, whose conservative People's Party (PP) won the most votes in the elections, was expected to accept the reform package but instead emerged from a meeting of PP leaders on Wednesday saying only that he had won a mandate to talk to Ciudadanos. He did not clarify his party's stance on the reforms, which would involve launching a parliamentary investigation into an alleged PP slush fund. "Spain needs a government right now and not new elections," Rajoy told reporters after the PP gave him a free rein to hold further talks with Ciudadanos. "What Spain needs now is an agreement to form a government." Ciudadanos made clear it would only talk to Rajoy if the PP first accept its reform plan, which aims to tackle corruption and change Spain's voting system. "As long as Rajoy does not take decisions or accept the conditions, negotiations will not begin and we will remain in the same situation that we were before," Jose Manuel Villegas, a Ciudadanos leader, told journalists. Rajoy was due all the same to meet Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera on Thursday. A pact between the PP and Ciudadanos already faces significant hurdles as the two parties would still be short of a majority in parliament. That means Rajoy would also need the backing of the opposition Socialists in a parliamentary vote to invest him as prime minister. But the Socialists baulked at this possibility, which both Rajoy and Ciudadanos have proposed. "What Mister Rajoy wants is to govern without opposition," Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez said. "We are not going to support what we want to change." Sanchez added that forming a stable government "is not done with blackmail, but with dialogue." Rajoy insisted that if agreement is not reached quickly, Spain could face yet another election. But a third vote would be unlikely to break the deadlock as polls have shown little change. Saudi signals it may hit new oil output record ahead of freeze talks-sources By Dmitry Zhdannikov and Rania El Gamal MOSCOW/DUBAI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is sending signals that it could boost its crude oil supplies in August to a new record level, overtaking Russia, the world's top oil producer, as it gets ready for tough talks next month for a global output freeze pact. Industry sources say the kingdom, already the world's largest oil exporter, started to raise production from June, after holding it steady for the first half of the year, to meet rising seasonal domestic demand as well as higher exports requirements. Higher production could give it more leverage during talks in September when both OPEC and non-OPEC producers are expected to revive a freeze deal to support oil prices, the sources say. In June, Saudi Arabia pumped 10.55 million barrels of oil per day, and lifted production to 10.67 million bpd in July, the highest in its history. Now the sources expect the OPEC heavyweight to raise its crude supplies to a further record this month as demand inside and outside the kingdom looks healthy. One source from outside OPEC said the Saudis were quietly telling the market output could rise further in August to as high as 10.8-10.9 million bpd. Last week, Saudi Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih sought to clarify why the kingdom hiked its production in July in an over supplied market. In a statement, Falih explained the rise was due to rising seasonal domestic demand and customers asking for more oil worldwide. "Despite the bearish sentiment engulfing the market, we still see strong demand for our crude in most parts of the world, especially as supply outside OPEC has been declining fast, supply outages increasing, and global demand still showing signs of strength," he told state news agency SPA. The amount of crude supplied to the market in July was 10.75 million bpd, above actual output as Saudi drew down the additional barrels from its huge inventories, SPA reported. Oil prices dropped to $27 per barrel in January from as high as $115 in mid-2014, hitting the budgets of oil exporters worldwide, including Saudi Arabia, and resulting in a record fiscal deficit for Riyadh. A previous attempt to freeze output at January levels to support prices collapsed in April after Saudi Arabia said it wanted all producers, including Iran, to join the initiative. But since the appointment of Falih in April, Saudi Arabia has taken a softer tone towards Iran at OPEC. [ID: nL8N18V24S] OPEC sources say the group will probably revive talks on freezing output when it meets non-OPEC nations next month in Algeria as Riyadh appears to want higher prices, but agreeing a level to freeze supplies is the main obstacle to a deal. In January when the freeze idea first emerged, Saudi Arabia was producing 10.2 million bpd. Russia, which back in April was ready to freeze production in the first coordinated action with OPEC since 2001, also signalled it would continue boosting output. Its output currently hovers near an all time high of 10.85 million bpd and Russian officials expect it to edge up further next year. And Iran, OPEC's third biggest producer, has raised its production to 3.850 million bpd now from 3.37 million bpd in January and said it will not join any freeze initiative until it reaches its pre-sanction output level of 4 million bpd. Trump campaign chairman helped pro-Russians in Ukraine move money to U.S. firms -AP WASHINGTON, Aug 17 (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, helped a Ukrainian political party with close ties to Russia secretly move at least $2.2 million to two major Washington lobbying firms, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday. The AP, citing sources with direct knowledge of the effort, said the transfers were set up in ways to obscure the Ukrainian party's attempts to sway U.S. policies, using a non-profit organization to distance funds from Ukrainian politicians. U.S. law requires American lobbyists to register and report in detail any ties to foreign political parties or leaders to the U.S. Justice Department. The heads of both firms - Podesta Group Inc and Mercury LLC - told the AP they had concluded their work did not merit disclosure to the department, according to the report. Representatives for Trump, Mercury and the Podesta Group could not be reached immediately for comment. The Podesta Group was founded in 1987 by Tony Podesta and his brother John, who now is campaign chairman for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. John has not been with the firm for several years but Tony is its chairman. The AP report comes less than three months before the Nov. 8 election and as polls show Trump slipping behind Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Trump's campaign on Wednesday announced a shake-up replacing Manafort as campaign manager after just two months. He will remain chairman and chief strategist. The New York Times this week reported Manafort's name was found on secret ledgers showing cash payments designated to him of more than $12 million from a Ukrainian party with Russian ties. Manafort has denied any impropriety. Ukrainian officials confirmed Manafort's name appeared on a ledger and that more than $12 million had been allocated as an expenditure but said the presence of his name did not mean he received the funds. Clinton's campaign has said Manafort's associations are a troubling sign of ties between Trump's campaign team and pro-Kremlin elements in Ukraine. According to the AP, in 2012 Manafort and associate Rick Gates worked on behalf of Ukraine's then-president, Viktor Yanukovych, and helped steer the efforts of European Centre for a Modern Ukraine, an advocacy group that once included members of Yanukovych's party. The group paid at least $2.2 million to the Washington firms to push positions favorable to the party from 2012 until 2014, when Yanukovych was ousted and fled to Russia, AP said, citing sources. That work included efforts to counter a potential congressional resolution pressuring Yanukovych to release a political rival from prison, AP reported. Gates told the AP his actions were lawful. He said he and Manafort had introduced the advocacy group to the firms and sometimes consulted with the firms on Ukrainian politics, the report said. Olympics-Equestrian-France wins dramatic jumping final By Caroline Stauffer RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - France won its second team show jumping gold medal ever and its first in 40 years on Wednesday in a dramatic final round of competition featuring eliminations, last-minute horse swaps and rails toppling down. The United States took silver after Olympic veteran Beezie Madden withdrew due to an injured horse, meaning the United States started with only three riders and was not able to drop its worst score when Lucy Davis knocked a rail down for four penalties. Germany claimed bronze after an adrenaline-filled jump off to break a tie with Canada. Daniel Deusser, the third of four Germans to jump, sealed the deal with a swift and clean round, sparing the final team member from jumping. France ended the two rounds of competition with three penalties for exceeding time allowed, but being the only team to leave all the rails up was enough to win. Germany, Brazil, the Netherlands and the United States were tied with no penalties going into the final round, though of the top teams only Germany had four riders still in the competition after withdrawals from the United States and the Netherlands and an elimination for Brazil due to rough riding. "Today we had four teams coming in clear so the idea was to step up the degree of difficulty," said Brazilian course designer Guilherme Jorge. "We also played with time allowed ... The riders have to decide if they can afford a time fault." The competition was not all smooth sailing for France, which had a last-minute substitution, pulling in reserve Philippe Rozier after Simon Delestre, the sport's No. 2 ranked rider, withdrew his horse due to an injury four days before competition began. "To be sure we had really bad luck in the beginning of the week with Simon's horse... that helped us fight more," said French rider Kevin Staut. France has marked a triumphant return to the top of equestrian sports in Rio, claiming gold in eventing last week as well as individual eventing silver. It last won show jumping team gold in Montreal in 1976. Home-team favorites Brazil finished in fifth behind Canada after all three riders still in the competition had a single rail down. Germany's seven-time Olympic veteran Ludger Beerbaum said the drama and uncertainty of the day's competition showed a proposed rule change that would require teams of three rather than four riders was a bad idea. Three-person teams would simplify competition, with no possibility of a dropped score or of surviving a withdrawal or elimination. "The Olympics in Rio have proven that the format of four per team could not be better," he said. "For the drama of the sport we want this roller coaster." Eight passengers badly hurt as French train hits fallen tree PARIS, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Eight people were badly injured when an intercity train travelling at 140 km per hour (85 mph) hit a fallen tree near the southern French city of Montpellier on Wednesday, according to SNCF, the state rail company. The train was travelling at the usual speed for the stretch of track near the village of Saint-Aunes, a SNCF spokesman said. "Emergency services took care of the hurt. One person in a critical condition was evacuated by helicopter," a statement by the local authority said. Paramedics treated 50 other passengers at the scene for minor injuries and shock, said a local emergency services spokesman who earlier put the toll of badly hurt at 13. The tree fell across the tracks after a heavy hail storm. Photos on social media showed the crumpled front of the train as well as the inside of a carriage strewn with debris. Reuters could not independently verify the images. Germany resumes weapons deliveries to Kurds in north Iraq BERLIN, Aug 17 (Reuters) - The German military on Wednesday said it had resumed deliveries of weapons to Kurdistan after the government of the northern Iraqi region vowed to ensure the arms did not end up on the black market. A defence ministry spokesman said Germany had delivered 70 tonnes of weapons, including 1,500 rifles, 100 shoulder-fired rockets and three armoured vehicles, to the Kurdistan Regional Government in Erbil on Tuesday. Germany halted weapons deliveries in January after media reports that some weapons sent to Kurdistan to help it fight Islamic State militants had later been offered for sale on the black market. An investigation by the Kurdistan government completed earlier this year found that about 30 weapons of over 28,000 delivered by Germany had been sold illegally or lost. Kurdish authorities arrested several people as a result. Kurdish officials have signed a declaration that the weapons delivered on Tuesday will not be resold. Germany has sent over 30 shipments of weapon totalling more than 2,000 tonnes to the Kurdistan regional government since 2014, the ministry spokesman said. Austria charges U.S. rapper Freddie Gibbs with sexual assault VIENNA, Aug 17 (Reuters) - U.S. rapper Freddie Gibbs has been charged in Austria with sexually assaulting a woman while on tour last year in Vienna, a court spokesman said on Wednesday. Gibbs, 34, whose real name is Fredrick Tipton, has been remanded in custody in the Austrian capital following his extradition from France, where he was arrested in June. The rapper, who is from Gary, Indiana and whose album Pinata was selected by several publications as among the best of 2014, denies any wrongdoing. "He is alleged to have administered knock-out drops to a woman and then have abused her sexually while she was in a defenceless state," a spokesman for Vienna's criminal court said, referring to drugs used to spike a person's drink. The alleged incident occurred backstage in July last year. Gibbs was charged on Tuesday with "sexual abuse of a defenceless or psychologically impaired person", and if convicted faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, the spokesman said. A Vienna-based lawyer for Gibbs, Thomas Kralik, said his client had neither abused nor had sexual contact with the woman, and that he had yet to be formally notified of the charge. "He strenuously denies (the accusations)," Kralik said, adding that Gibbs also had nothing to do with the woman's drink being spiked. GRAINS-U.S. soybeans up on export deals; short-covering supports grains By Mark Weinraub CHICAGO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - U.S. soybean futures rose to their highest in nearly four weeks on Wednesday on strong demand from China, the world's top buyer of the oilseed, traders said. Corn and wheat futures posted mild gains on a round of short-covering. A global glut of wheat and expectations for a record corn harvest in the United States muted buying in the grains. The upcoming U.S. soybean harvest also has been forecast as the biggest on record, but a recent spate of export activity underpinned the market. The U.S. Agriculture Department said on Wednesday morning that private exporters reported the sale of 381,000 tonnes of soybeans to China for delivery during the 2016/17 marketing year. The USDA also said that exporters reported the sale of 129,000 tonnes of soybeans to unknown destinations, correcting an Aug. 4 announcement that said corn was the commodity sold in the deal. "Soybeans are providing at least a little lift to the grain market today, with concerns over a big crop muted by strong demand," Bryce Knorr, senior grain market analyst at Farm Futures, said in a note. At 10:48 a.m. CDT (1548 GMT), Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures for November delivery were up 7-3/4 cents at $10.15 a bushel. Prices peaked at $10.16-3/4 a bushel, the highest since July 21. "There is market talk that U.S. soybean shipments to China in August will reach a hefty 1.8 million tonnes, which along with big shipments from Argentina and Brazil, could bring shipments to China in August to a massive 5 million tonnes," a European trader said. "China's economic slowdown is not braking soybean imports." Spillover strength from a 2.3 percent gain in soyoil futures , which have rallied to a four-month high on the back of surging palm oil prices, lent additional support to soybeans. CBOT September soft red winter wheat was up 2 cents at $4.25-1/2 a bushel. Higher-protein K.C. hard red winter wheat and MGEX spring wheat posted bigger increases. India ready for Pakistan talks; U.N. alarmed by Kashmir violence By Fayaz Bukhari and Douglas Busvine SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - India is ready to send its top diplomat to Pakistan for talks focused on fighting cross-border terrorism, sources at India's foreign ministry said on Wednesday, after a spike in tension in the disputed northernmost region of Kashmir. Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was willing to attend talks on the invitation of his Pakistani counterpart, the sources said, stressing cross-border terrorism was central to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir state. The olive branch comes after 40 days of violent protests in Indian-ruled Kashmir set off by the killing by security forces of a field commander of Pakistan-based Islamic militant group Hizbul Mujahideen who enjoyed wide support. At least 64 people have died and thousands injured in clashes with security forces, denounced by Pakistan, which also claims the right to rule Jammu & Kashmir in a territorial dispute that dates back to partition in 1947. The Indian sources, who declined to be identified, made it clear, however, that India "rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India." Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) is the name of India's only Muslim-majority state that includes the disputed Kashmir region. A spokesman for Pakistan's foreign ministry declined to comment late on Wednesday, saying the government was preparing a response to the proposed Indian visit. A U.N. human rights official expressed "deep regret" at the failure of both the Indian and Pakistani authorities to grant access to the separate parts of Kashmir that each run to investigate allegations of serious human rights violations. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said in a statement issued in Geneva it was unfortunate that sincere attempts by the United Nations to independently assess the facts in relation to reports of human rights violations had failed. "Without access, we can only fear the worst," said Zeid. DEADLY AMBUSH The nuclear-armed neighbours, which have fought three wars since independence in 1947, both claim Kashmir in full but rule it in part. In the latest violence on Wednesday, militants killed three members of the Indian security forces when they ambushed an army convoy and then fired on a police jeep that came to the scene. In a worrying escalation the previous day, Indian security forces fired live rounds at a crowd of stone-throwing protesters in Kashmir's Baramulla district, killing five and wounding 10. Earlier, police and troops trying to control crowds had resorted to the use of shotguns, whose pellets are meant to incapacitate but not kill. But residents of Kashmir say the shotguns have inflicted severe injuries and even blinded hundreds of people including bystanders. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ratcheted up tensions in his annual Independence Day speech on Monday, accusing Pakistan of glorifying terrorism. In a tit-for-tat escalation in the war of words between the neighbours, Modi said he had received messages of support from leaders in restive regions of Pakistan, in particular the troubled southwestern province of Baluchistan. India accuses Muslim Pakistan of supporting Kashmiri fighters while Pakistan accuses India of meddling in Pakistani trouble spots, in particular of helping separatists fighting the Pakistani state in resource-rich Baluchistan. Indonesian crewman swims to freedom from militants in Philippines MANILA, Aug 17 (Reuters) - An Indonesian tugboat crewman escaped from his Islamist militant captors in the Philippines on Wednesday by swimming out to sea after the militants threatened to cut his head off, a Philippine army spokesman said. Members of the Islamic State-linked Abu Sayyaf group captured the Indonesian, Mohammad Safyan, 28, and six other Indonesian seamen from their boat as it was passing through waters off southern Philippine islands on June 23. Residents of Jolo island spotted Safyan floating off the shore after he escaped under cover of darkness, an army spokesman, Major Filemon Tan, told reporters. "We were told he managed to escape by running and swimming to the sea," Tan said, adding that Safyan had said the militants were about to execute him when he escaped. Nine hours later, soldiers, who were sent back to the area where Safyan had evaded his captors, found a second Indonesian crewman, Ismail, chief officer of the same tugboat. He was immediately brought to a clinic for a medical check-up, Tan said. No details were given on how he escaped. Abu Sayyaf rebels operating in Muslim areas of the largely Christian Philippines have developed a reputation as ruthless kidnappers. They have increasingly been turning their attention to vessels passing through busy shipping lanes in the Sulu Sea as security along coasts has been tightened. The rebels, who have vowed allegiance to Islamic State, recently beheaded two Canadians they kidnapped from a beach resort after a ransom deadline passed. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte last week ordered the army to destroy the militants saying if not, the Philippines risked being "contaminated" by Islamic State. Indonesian authorities have said piracy in the area, a major sea lane for the world's top thermal coal exporter, could reach levels previously seen in Somalia. Analysts say $40 billion worth of cargo passes through the waters a year, including supertankers from the Indian Ocean that cannot use the crowded Malacca Strait. The rise of hijackings at sea has prompted Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia to try to coordinate maritime patrols. Poland's KGHM H1 net below forecasts on foreign asset losses WARSAW, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Poland's KGHM on Wednesday reported a bigger than expected fall in net profit in the first half of 2016 on the back of losses on its foreign assets driven by rising costs and falling copper prices. The state-run miner, which is Europe's No.2 copper producer, reported a 75 percent fall in its consolidated net profit to 296 million zlotys ($77.57 million), while analysts had expected the result to come in at 406 million zlotys. The group said in the half-year the net loss of KGHM International, which includes KGHM's foreign assets, rose to 533 million zlotys in the period from 295 million last year, mostly due to losses in its Chilean copper mine Sierra Gorda. The Sierra Gorda mine, which KGHM co-owns with Japan's Sumitomo <_5713.T its="its" commercial="commercial" started="started" but="but" down="down" significantly="significantly" copper="copper" had="had" this="this" value="value" prices.="prices." the="the" due="due" earlier="earlier" production="production" font="font" slump="slump" write="write" year="year" kghm="kghm" last="last" in="in" to="to"> On Wednesday the company signalled it may have to run further asset impairment tests. "As part of the revision of the strategy, the financing models for individual assets will be updated," KGHM said. The company said the average copper price fell by almost 21 percent in the first half of this year to $4,701 per tonne. KGHM did not publish a net profit figure for the second quarter, but according to Reuters calculations it stood at 135 million zlotys and came in below analysts' expectations of 245 million zlotys. The company's Polish business, on which KGHM's dividends are based, booked a 49 percent fall in H1 net profit to 668 million zlotys, compared to 704 million zlotys seen in Reuters poll. Two killed in anti-government protest in eastern Congo By Aaron Ross KINSHASA, Aug 17 (Reuters) - A civilian and a police officer were killed in clashes in northeast Congo on Wednesday, police said, during a protest at government failure to stop massacres of civilians by rebel groups. The protests in the town of Beni added to tensions in Democratic Republic of Congo ahead of an election set for November in which the opposition has called for President Joseph Kabila to step down after his allotted two terms. Crowds jeered Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo and two ministers on Tuesday when they came to assess security. On Wednesday, residents of Beni and surrounding towns again chanted against the government and army outside the mayor's office, voicing frustration in a region once considered a political stronghold for the government. In the latest incident, around 50 were killed by suspected Ugandan rebels on the outskirts of Beni on Saturday. More than 700 people have died in similar attacks on civilians since 2014. The government blames the attacks on the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a Ugandan Islamist group of a few hundred fighters that has operated in eastern Congo since the 1990s. U.N. experts and analysts say other armed groups, including Congolese soldiers, are responsible for attacks on civilians and Kabila's opponents have seized on the massacres as evidence of government incompetence. The government says the army is rooting out the ADF but its guerrilla tactics make it difficult to counter. National police spokesman Pierre Mwanamputu said five people were injured in the protests aside from those killed. Police made 79 arrests. Teddy Kataliko, president of the Civil Society of Beni Territory, told Reuters the police had shot dead a man when they opened fire on protesters. A medical source in Beni, who declined to be identified, said one man was killed and five people wounded by gunfire. Mayor Nyonyi Bwanakawa told local radio that a third person was killed in Beni on Wednesday by a lynch mob that suspected him of belonging to the ADF. Bulgaria's Socialists nominate general to run for president SOFIA, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Bulgaria's opposition Socialists nominated a former air force chief as presidential election candidate on Wednesday, at a time of rising tensions between the country's Western allies and neighbours Turkey and Russia. The main opposition party voted to endorse General Rumen Radev, 53, for the largely ceremonial post days after he tendered his resignation as commander of the air force. "We have a nomination for a candidate of the Bulgarian Socialist Party and this is Gen. Rumen Radev," party leader Kornelia Ninova said. The ruling centre-right GERB has yet to endorse its candidate for the Nov. 6 polls in the Balkan country, a member of the European Union and NATO. Incumbent President Rosen Plevneliev has said he will not seek a new five-year term, after parliament rejected his veto of changes to the electoral code in May. Most power in the country of 7.2 million rests with the prime minister and parliament, but the president leads the armed forces and can veto legislation and sign international treaties. Guatemala confirms first case of newborn with microcephaly linked to Zika GUATEMALA CITY, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Guatemalan authorities on Wednesday confirmed the Central American country's first case of a baby born with microcephaly linked to Zika. Carlos Mejia, director of the infectious diseases department at Guatemala City's Hospital Roosevelt, said two other suspected cases were also being analyzed. U.S. health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. Bolivia opens 'anti-imperialist' military school LA PAZ, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales opened a military school on Wednesday which he said would teach an "anti-imperialist" doctrine to counter U.S. policies "based on fear." "The United States created the School of the Americas to indoctrinate the armed forces on pro-imperialism," said Morales, a reference to the Cold War-era U.S. academy that trained Latin American dictators and their military in counter-insurgency and torture techniques. "If the empire teaches domination of the world from its military schools, we will learn from this school to free ourselves from imperial oppression," he said. Ex-coca grower Morales has been a long-time critic of U.S. foreign policy, one of the last leaders left standing from South America's once-dominant populist leftist bloc. Earlier this week he traveled to Cuba to meet with Fidel Castro during the revolutionary leader's 90th birthday celebrations. The military school will be located in eastern Bolivia, on the site of a former United Nations peacekeeping training center. North Korea says it has resumed plutonium production -report TOKYO, Aug 17 (Reuters) - North Korea says it has resumed plutonium production by reprocessing spent fuel rods and has no plans to stop nuclear tests as long as perceived U.S. threats remain, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday. North Korea's Atomic Energy Institute, which has jurisdiction over the country's Yongbyon nuclear facilities, also told Kyodo it had been producing highly enriched uranium necessary for nuclear arms and power "as scheduled." "We have reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reactor," the institute told Kyodo in a written interview. The institute did not disclose the amount of plutonium or enriched uranium it had produced, Kyodo said, but it has been understood for months that North Korea has resumed plutonium production at the site. In June, the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said North Korea appeared to have reopened the Yongbyon plant to produce plutonium from spent fuel, and a senior official of the U.S. State Department said North Korea had restarted production of element. On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department said it was aware of the reported North Korean comments and called such activities "a clear violation" of U.N. resolutions. "We call on North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that further raise tensions in the region," said Katina Adams, a spokeswoman for the department. North Korea vowed in 2013 to restart all nuclear facilities, including the main reactor at Yongbyon, which had been shut down. It said last September that Yongbyon was operating and that it was working to improve the "quality and quantity" of its nuclear weapons. North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and tested a long-range rocket the following month, prompting a new round of international sanctions. Despite the sanctions, a Washington-based research institute said in June, North Korea may be significantly expanding its nuclear weapons production and could have added six or more weapons to its stockpile in the previous 18 months. Joel Wit, of the Washington-based North Korea monitoring project, 38 North, said the latest North Korean statement was likely to be connected to U.S.-South Korean military exercises due to be held this month. North Korea regularly denounces such drills as preparations for war. According to Kyodo, the North Korean institute said it had already succeeded in making "lighter and diversifying" nuclear weapons, and that it had no intention of halting nuclear tests. "Under conditions that the United States constantly threatens us with nuclear weapons, we will not discontinue nuclear tests," it was quoted as saying. Albemarle/Charlottesville 4-H and Fluvanna 4-H will present the 2016 4-H Livestock Show and Sale during the Fluvanna County Fair, which takes place Thursday through Saturday at Pleasant Grove Park in Palmyra. (434) 872-4580. Albemarle County Parks and Recreation opens Chris Greene, Walnut Creek and Mint Springs parks swimming beaches from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Labor Day weekend. Details and fees are available at albemarle.org/parks. (434) 296-5844. Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society holds Court Square Walking Tours at 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday, and Old Albemarle Jail tours from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday. All tours depart from the Historical Society at 200 Second St. Tours will run through October. www.albemarlehistory.org. $5 per person, per tour. (434) 296-1492. Albemarle County Professional Fire Fighters Association and Charlottesville Fire Department kicks off the annual Fill the Boot fundraising campaign for the Muscular Dystrophy Association with a special event at 10 a.m. Thursday in the grassy area by Duck Donuts at the Shops at Stonefield. Speakers, local families and doctors from University of Virginia MDA clinics will be there. (804) 285-2961. Back-to-School Bash, featuring food trucks, school supplies giveaways and information on the nonprofit organizations, will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday at Jefferson School City Center at 233 Fourth St. NW. (434) 996-3584. Charlottesville Parks and Recreation opens Onesty Family Aquatic Center from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at 300 Meade Ave.; it will be closed on Wednesdays. Washington Park Pool opens from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Details and a complete list of fees are available at charlottesville.org/parksandrec. (434) 970-3260. Collinswood Community Center hosts an evening of live music from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, and the first and third Saturday of each month, at the intersection of Hardware Road and Route 6 in Scottsville. (434) 286-2045. Dodd Cabin, a restored cabin circa 1781 to 1800, built on part of the original land grant by King George III in 1772, opens to the public from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday and each Sunday in August. Beech Grove Road in Roseland. (434) 263-8400. Family Field Day, featuring races, games, a 1-mile run/walk and more, will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Hoover Ridge Park at 158 Primary School Drive in Madison. hooverridge.com. (540) 308-1247. Fluvanna County Fair will be from 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at Pleasant Grove Park on Route 53 in Palmyra. Details and a schedule of events are available at fluvannacounty.org/services/parks-and-recreation/county-fair. (434) 842-3150. Hatton Ferry, the last poled ferry still in operation in the United States, operates from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting, through Oct. 30 on Route 625 at Scottsville. $5 per person; $10 per car. (434) 296-1492. Indian artifacts are on display from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Saunders Brothers Farm Market at 2717 Tye Brook Highway in Piney River. (434) 277-5455. International Rescue Committee holds an citizenship information session for immigrants interested in applying for U.S. citizenship at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Northside Library at 685 W. Rio Road. (434) 979-7772. Ivy Creek Natural Area holds a native Plant Walk at 9 a.m. Saturday and Farm and Barn History Day at 2 p.m. Saturday at 1776 Earlysville Road. (434) 973-7772. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection presents Night at the Museum with music by My Darling Fury, food and drink trucks, after-hours tours and childrens activities from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at 400 Worrell Drive. (434) 244-0234. Louisa County Library holds Whats in Your Attic? with the staff at Quinns Auction Galleries at noon Monday at 881 Davis Highway in Mineral. Event offers tips and tricks to help with downsizing and provides information about one treasured item for each participant. (540) 894-5853. McCormick Observatory holds Public Night from 9 to 11 p.m. Friday at the end of McCormick Road. (434) 924-7494. National Park Service celebrates its 100th anniversary with a special event featuring music, dancers, storytelling, demonstrations and more from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Humpback Rocks Farm at Milepost 5.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. (540) 943-4716. New U.K. Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has reversed most of an economic package announced by the government just weeks ago, including a planned cut in income taxes. Hunt said Monday he was scrapping almost all the tax cuts announced last month by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Liz Truss, and also signaled that public spending cuts are on the way. It was a bid to soothe turbulent financial markets spooked by fears of excessive government borrowing. The move raises questions about how long the beleaguered prime minister can stay in office, though Truss insisted she has no plans to quit. She vowed to lead the Conservatives into the next general election, but many in the party want her gone. RICHMOND Virginia State Police have identified a Surry County man as the motorcyclist who led a trooper on a high-speed chase through Louisa County last week. Police are searching for Justin Eugene Abney, 28. He is wanted on charges of eluding police, reckless driving, improper registration, lack of motorcycle endorsement, and failing to pay an uninsured motorist fee. At 5:23 p.m. Aug. 8, Trooper Martin Kriz was monitoring radar on Interstate 64 in Louisa County near mile-marker 147 when a Honda CBR1000RR with a Repsol paint scheme was clocked going 102 mph, according to a statement from state police. The posted speed limit is 70 mph. Kriz turned on his emergency lights and attempted to stop the motorcycle. The motorcyclist sped away at 120 mph, police said. Kriz pursued the motorcycle but quit after 12 miles as it continued east on I-64. State police received more than a dozen tips identifying Abney, the statement said. He is 5 feet 5 inches tall and 125 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information on Abneys whereabouts should call the Virginia State Police Richmond Division at (804) 553-3445 or by dialing #77 on a cellphone, or email questions@vsp.virginia.gov. Ali Rockett reports for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The Charlottesville City Council chose to temporarily suspend their meeting Monday evening after an animated public comment period began to overwhelm the council. After weeks of stifling hot discomfort at the 105-room Crescent Halls low-income apartment complex, located on Monticello Avenue across from the Ix Art Park, frustrated residents vented their frustrations about the unbearable heat and the buildings malfunctioning air conditioning system to the council. City Manger Maurice Jones and councilors attempted to reassure the two dozen or so Crescent Halls residents and supporters who visited the council Monday, but they ultimately failed to placate them as tensions boiled. Where we live doesnt feel good, said Deborah Booker, president of the Crescent Halls Tenant Association. In addition to Bookers address to the council, six other people spoke about the conditions at the apartment complex, which has been bogged with sweltering heat thats exacerbated existing mold and mildew issues in some of the units. Officials from the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Association, which manages 376 units across 11 sites, have said theyre attempting to fix the issue, but complications with the more than 40-year-old, crescent-shaped building have made repairs difficult. Portable air conditioning units have been installed in many apartments and hallways of the building, and over the weekend, Booker said, members of the community donated portable fans in addition to water, ice and food. Despite all that, according to some residents, several air conditioning units have been breaking or inefficient in cooling down some parts of the building. Were asking you what youre going to do, Booker said to the council Monday. Were fed up and tired of being patient and being told to wait three of four weeks before we can breathe. Several speakers followed Booker in making comments about the condition of the building, explaining that its elderly and disabled residents have been struggling with the heat all summer. One speaker, Joann Robertson, went as far as inviting the entire City Council, Jones and City Attorney Craig Brown to stay in the apartment to experience the living situation. Mayor Mike Signer, Councilor Wes Bellamy and Jones attempted to explain that the citys housing authority would need to address the issue but were met with resistance to any kind of answer. I will be the first to admit that we are nowhere near where we need to be in regards to Crescent Halls, Bellamy said. However, this new housing leadership is committed to trying to do their best to make this better. Bellamys answer was met with some groans and complaints. As he continued to speak, he continued to be jeered and questioned. Bellamy said the city has been working on redevelopment plans but did not explain whats been discussed. Plans to redevelop and rehabilitate Crescent Halls and other public housing sites throughout the city had been adopted more than five years ago, but action on those plans has been slow. Adding to the tension Monday was attorney Jeffrey Fogel, who argued that city police officers are continuing to racially profile African American residents and disproportionately pull them over or stop them in the street. According to a FOIA request that Fogel filed in April, 74 of the 110 individuals who were stopped on reasonable suspicion of criminal activity in 2015 were black. Of those 74, fewer than 20 were arrested or issued a summons. At the outset of the public comment period, after Bellamy responded to complaints, Fogel and several other people continued to voice their displeasure with the council, prompting the mayor to suspend the meeting for approximately five minutes. The mayor did not request that audio and video of the meeting be turned off, but the citys archived video does not show what transpired afterward. Arguments ensued outside the council chambers during that time, but the meeting resumed shortly thereafter. On Tuesday, several Crescent Halls tenants continued to voice their frustrations at a tenants association meeting that included several housing authority officials. Again, officials said they were attempting to resolve individual complaints about air conditioning units. Several tenants, however, alleged they were being treated rudely by staff when submitting their complaints. Richard Shackelford, vice president of the tenant association and a director of the Public Housing Association of Residents, said an exceptionally hot summer and overtaxed maintenance workers with limited experience at the building have been part of the problem in regard to the heat at Crescent Halls. I know maintenance is trying to fix it, he said. Were not giving them a fair shake. Shackelford, who was not in attendance at Mondays council meeting, noted that the citys most vulnerable residents are in dire economic situations. However, he said residents need to have some patience as there are not many other options for low-income housing in the city. Everything else is going to cost you between $3,000 and $5,000 a month because thats Charlottesville, he said. You know theres no low-income housing because everything theyre putting up is more than $325,000. Theyre not building $200,000 homes that teachers can afford, so you know theyre not thinking about us. Shackelford praised new CRHA director Grant Duffield, saying hes already demonstrated good qualities by making appearances at public housing sites through the city and working closely with his staff and tenants. Duffield and CRHA officials did not reply to a request for comment Tuesday. Charlottesville City Council has voted to allocate $480,000 from the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Fund to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville. The investment will support the purchase of 16 lots in mixed-income neighborhoods. In July 2015, Habitat requested $450,000 to support their then-new Project 20 initiative to build 20 affordable homes per year, but council funded only half of the request. The unanimous vote by council on Monday will provide funding to supplement Habitats private fundraising for costs associated with purchasing lots scattered throughout the city. Click to read more at Charlottesville Tomorrow. FREDERICKSBURG Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will hold a rally at the Fredericksburg Expo Center on Saturday. The event, advertised on his website, begins at 6 p.m. Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets are free, but attendees must register for tickets in advance. There is a limit of two tickets per mobile number per event. Trump will be the first presidential candidate to visit Fredericksburg since Barack Obama held an event at the University of Mary Washington in September 2008. The crowd estimate for that event was 26,000. Trump has been running behind Democrat Hillary Clinton in Virginia in recent polls. Clinton led Trump 46 percent to 33 percent among registered voters in the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist survey of 1,026 adults conducted in early August. Clinton led Trump by nine points in July. Virginia Sen. Timothy M. Kaine is Clinton's running mate. According to a Washington Post poll, Clinton leads 52-38 in Virginia. WAYNESBORO Property owners living along the Atlantic Coast Pipeline route will get an opportunity to comment on the project once again in early 2017, according to Dominion Resources. Dominion spokesman Aaron Ruby said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will set a comment period once the projects draft environmental impact statement is complete. FERC released an environmental review timeline for the controversial pipeline on Friday, which details a December date for the drafts release. According to the timeline, construction of the pipeline could begin as early as September of next year if the project is approved. Opponents have vowed to fight the pipeline at every step, which could mean legal action could push the start of construction to 2018 or later depending on the success of pipeline opponents in nixing the pipeline, or at least its current route. The 600-mile natural gas pipeline project would start in West Virginia, come through Virginia and end in North Carolina. Approximately 55 miles of the pipeline route would come through Augusta County. Once complete, the pipeline would transport 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. Once the draft environmental impact statement is ready, FERC will hold a series of meetings along the pipelines proposed route. FERC sets the schedule, said Ruby, who said he does not yet know the number or locations of the meetings. Augusta County supervisors wrote to FERC in April to express concerns about the most recent revisions to the pipeline route. The letter from board Chairwoman Carolyn Bragg said the latest revisions to the route would affect county land with conservation easements and would run adjacent to wells in the Deerfield community. Bragg also told FERC in the letter that portions of the route would be in a source water protection area, and would cross the floodplain eight times. The letter concluded that the revised route is not the most advantageous one. The route was devised in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service to avoid Cheat Mountain and Shenandoah Mountain, home to the Cheat Mountain salamander and Cow Knob salamander, respectively. Ruby said the pipelines construction would not be done in a linear fashion, the way most roads are built, for instance. He said simultaneous portions of the pipeline of anywhere from 30 to 70 miles in length would be built two to four at a time. That means construction could be done simultaneously in Virginia and West Virginia. While the pipeline project continues to draw opposition from several environmental and activist organizations, Ruby said 92 percent of the supply has already been committed by Dominion, Duke Energy, Virginia Natural Gas and Piedmont Natural Gas. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump will hold a rally at the Fredericksburg Expo Center Saturday. The event, advertised on his website, begins at 6 p.m. Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets are free, but attendees must register for tickets in advance. There is a limit of two tickets per mobile number per event. Trump will be the first presidential candidate to visit Fredericksburg since Barack Obama held an event the University of Mary Washington in September of 2008. The crowd estimate for that event was 26,000. Trump has been running behind Democrat Hillary Clinton in Virginia in recent polls. Clinton led Trump 46 percent to 33 percent among registered voters in the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist survey of 1,026 adults conducted in early August. Clinton led Trump by nine points in July. Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine is Clinton's running mate. According to a Washington Post poll, Clinton leads 52-38 in Virginia. Sheriffs deputies normally guard the jail in Fairfax County, but when a call crackled over the radio Monday night about a man wielding a weapon at an INOVA Fairfax Hospital bus stop, a veteran deputy nearby hurried to the scene, police said. The 29-year-old man had struck a security guard with a metal sign post and appeared to be in the throes of a mental health episode, so the deputy tried to calm him, police said. But police said the man raised the sign post over his head and charged the deputy, who ordered him to drop it and backed up. The man did not comply, and the deputy fired on him multiple times, police said. He later died at the hospital. Detailing the incident at a news conference Tuesday, Fairfax County police and sheriffs office officials said that the 18-year deputy had the authority to respond to the call, that he had received training on handling people with mental illness and that he tried to de-escalate the situation. Fairfax County Police released this image of a metal sign post that authorities say was used to threaten a deputy at Inova Fairfax Hospital. (Fairfax County Police) I think it was absolutely appropriate, Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. said of the deputys decision to respond to the call. Roessler said the police were still working to confirm the identity of the dead man, who was described as Hispanic. Authorities declined to identify the deputy who was involved in the shooting. They said he had been placed on routine administrative leave pending the completion of the police investigation and an internal review by the sheriffs office. Roessler said the incident began after security guards at the hospital escorted the man, who was a patient, to a bus stop on Wellness Boulevard near the hospitals Green Garage. INOVA Fairfax Hospital officials said medical privacy laws prevented them from discussing the mans treatment. Shortly before 10 p.m., hospital security got a call that the man was wielding a weapon at the bus stop, Roessler said. Guards responded and the man struck a guard with the sign post, which had a spade-like bottom for insertion into the ground, Roessler said. A radio call went out on the hospital security channel, and calls were placed to 911. Fairfax County Sheriff Stacey A. Kincaid said the deputy heard the call because he was at the hospital guarding a patient from the jail. The deputy responded and was the first law enforcement officer on the scene. My deputies have both criminal and civil jurisdiction in Fairfax County, Kincaid said. They can respond to any incident where the public safety is at risk. The Fairfax County Police Department generally provides policing in the county, while the sheriffs office guards the jail and courthouse and serves civil documents. Fairfax County police officials said the encounter between the deputy and the man was over in a matter of minutes. Roessler said surveillance cameras at the hospital captured the action, but he said he would not release the video until authorities make a decision on whether to press charges in the case. The county sheriffs office had previously been criticized by mental-health advocates for its handling of Natasha McKennan, a schizophrenic inmate who died following an encounter with deputies at the jail in 2015. Prosecutors decided not to press charges in the McKennans death. Pete Earley, a mental-health advocate in Virginia and former Washington Post reporter, said the question that most concerns him is not why the man was shot but why he was released from the hospital. We need to back up and ask what happened inside the hospital, Earley wrote in an email. If he were psychotic, why was he released? The fact that security was needed to escort him to a bus stop suggests that he was unstable and possibly violent. Also plans to invest another $15 million in the next few years. Hyderabad: AGS Health has announced its plans to hire 1500 entry-level employees for the second city unit that was launched on Wednesday. The Hyderabad units are expected to play a major role in the companys plans as they look to take its total employee strength to 5,000 to carter to its 50 US-based clients. When asked about the selection, AGS Health CEO, Devendra Saharia said, The talent in the city makes it an easy selection for any businessman. The firm, which already employs 50 people in the city, specialises in Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) systems which are a central pillar to the US healthcare services. With the US politicians putting increased pressure with the ObamaCare initiative to reduce the costs of patients, healthcare providers have begun outsourcing RCM systems to specialised firms he said. Mr Saharia added that the market, worth around $30 billion, provides a lucrative investment opportunity for the company, which has offices both in the US and India. The firm has already invested $10 million of which $3 million in infrastructure for the Hyderabad unit, and also plans to invest another $15 million in the next few years. Now the employers can choose among 56 banks to open an account to remit PF dues. New Delhi: Retirement fund body EPFO has asked its over 120 field offices across the country to ensure that all employers are depositing their PF contributions only through electronic mode by using the Internet banking. It has been witnessed that despite clear instructions, about Rs 477 crore was deposited in July through cheques, which constitute 4.98 per cent of the total Rs 9,576 crore received as PF dues from employers during the month. "It is noticed that 46,965 (PF deposits) challans are deposited through cheques...identify the establishments depositing their contributions through cheques and ensure that all collections are received through Internet banking," an order issued by the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) headquarters stated. The Labour Ministry had amended the Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 1952 on May 5, 2015, to make it mandatory for employers to pay statutory contribution electronically through Internet banking only. However, EPFO's Central Provident Fund Commissioner allowed the employers to make payment through cheque in case the PF contribution amount was less than Rs 1 lakh in a month up to September 2015. This relaxation was further extended till December 2015 with direction that from January 1, 2016, it shall be mandatory for all employers to make payments through Internet banking only. Thereafter, EPFO asked its filed officers to allow employers in their jurisdiction to make payment through physical mode after satisfying the genuineness of their problem in making payment electronically for a limited period till June 30, 2016. An EPFO official said, "There is no provision of making payment of PF contribution through physical mode after June 30, 2016 as per the scheme. Now all employers would have to make payment electronically through Internet banking only." Unlike earlier, now the employers can choose among 56 banks to open an account to remit PF dues. Earlier, employers were required to open their accounts in State Bank of India to make payments for PF contributions. State Banks of India is the sole banker which receives PF contributions on behalf of EPFO. Moodys Investors Services said in a report. Indias reform and policy support for infrastructure and manufacturing, as well as increasing urbanisation, will drive steel consumption. New Delhi: Steel demand in India will outpace the regional average while profitability of domestic steel companies will outperform regional peers on account of increase in domestic demand, Moody's on August 17 said. "In particular, steel demand in India will outpace the regional average as the countrys GDP growth of around 7.5 per cent in 2016 and 2017 based on Moody's forecast, remains among the highest in Asia," Moodys Investors Services said in a report. Indias reform and policy support for infrastructure and manufacturing, as well as increasing urbanisation, will drive steel consumption, said the report "Steel Asia: Lower Earnings Keep Outlook Negative". The profitability of Indian steel companies such as Tata Steel and JSW Steel will outperform that of regional peers owing to rising domestic demand and Indian government's protectionist measures in the form of minimum import prices and anti-dumping duties, it said. In addition, the expected ramp-up of Tata Steels greenfield Kalinganagar operations and JSWs brownfield expansion will help raise the companies earnings in 2016. "We expect the profitability of the rated steel producers to remain higher than the regional industry average, because most of them are leaders in their respective countries, sell high-margin premium steel products and benefit from business integration and diversification, it said. "We expect Asian steel demand will continue to decline by a low-single-digit percentage in the next 12 months owing mainly to slowing demand from Chinas manufacturing and property sectors," it added. Indian and Southeast Asian demand will rise but would not offset the decline in China, which accounts for about 70 per cent of Asian steel consumption, Moody's report said. "We expect the volume of steel exported from China will grow by a low-single-digit percentage in the next 12 months and flatten out towards the end of 2017, down from 20 per cent year-on-year growth in 2015," it said. Countries are taking steps to limit the import of cheap steel, primarily from China, in an effort to protect their own steelmakers. The growth in Chinese steel exports slowed to 9 per cent per cent during the first half of 2016, according to China's General Administration of Customs. Mumbai: Shah Rukh Khan, who is in US with his family, attended the orientation program of his elder son Aryan Khan at the University of Southern California along with his wife Gauri Khan. The entire family was there to support Aryan before he starts his college. As soon as students spotted Shah Rukh Khan at the campus, they went gaga over the star and gathered around to catch a glimpse of him. The actor, being his humble self, interacted with the students and also posed for selfies. Not only SRK but even Gauri Khan was seen clicking pictures with students at her sons campus. Later, the actor tweeted, At USC so many lovely young boys and girls. So many hugs. So many selfies. Thanks for the crowded welcome. Fight on kids and rule. At USC so many lovely young boys and girls. So many hugs. So many selfies. Thanks for the crowded welcome. Fight on kids and rule. Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) August 16, 2016 @iamsrk #kingkhan #kingofbollywood #shahrukhkhan A photo posted by come..fall in love (@7noon_432_) on Aug 16, 2016 at 8:53pm PDT #iamsrk jabra fan moment! #usc I shook hands with him!! #srk A photo posted by Sanjana Kerketta (@sanjana.kerketta) on Aug 15, 2016 at 7:15pm PDT Wanted to see the King khan at least once and very far away from home I get to see him here at the campus. Thanks to that random girl who tapped my phone up in the air missing out on a pic! #shahrukhkhan #USC #losangeles #bollywood #srk A video posted by Raja Venkatapathy (@myhighwaytales) on Aug 15, 2016 at 6:48pm PDT @iamsrk #srk #kingkhan #kingofbollywood #shahrukhkhan A photo posted by come..fall in love (@7noon_432_) on Aug 16, 2016 at 8:54pm PDT SRK & Gauri at University of Southern California pic.twitter.com/c0ewT9rbbJ KKKG|TUMBLR (@KKKG_TUMBLR) August 16, 2016 #shahrukhkhan spotted with a Fan in Los Angeles . . # A photo posted by @deepveer_srkpriya on Aug 16, 2016 at 8:56pm PDT @iamsrk #shahrukhkhan #kingofbollywood #kingkhan #srk A photo posted by come..fall in love (@7noon_432_) on Aug 16, 2016 at 8:53pm PDT #SRK #GauriKhan #USC #LADiaries A photo posted by Abhishek Megotia (@abhishekmegotia) on Aug 15, 2016 at 4:39pm PDT A fan, who missed his chance to meet SRK, had an opportunity to meet his son Aryan. Nargis Fakhri lost Rs. 6 Lakh in 14 transactions, when her credit card was used in the United States in a case of online fraud early on August 15. Nargis, who has acted in films such as Rockstar, Madras Cafe and Azhar, is a US citizen and was in Mumbai at the time of the incident. As reported by Times of India, the fraudulent transactions took place in a four-and-half hour period, with the first one carried out at 3:55 am and the last one at 8:22 am. Nargis got her card blocked and lodged a complaint with the Juhu police station on Tuesday. Her complaint read: I came across the fraud on my card only when I scanned through the text messages late on Monday and saw the transactions in the US made against shopping payment. The bank did not call to alert about the transactions. A police inspector said that the card details were used to withdraw money and not for shopping. He also added that they will ask details about the incident from the bank in question, Kotak Mahindra Bank, and conduct a probe into why they did not react and block the transactions immediately. The investigators suspect that Nargis card details may have been stolen to clone her card. IPC sections 419 (impersonation), 420 (cheating) and under sections 66 (c) (identity theft) and 66 (d) (cheating by personation by using computer) of the IT Act have been applied against the unidentified fraudsters. Ketki N Walsee, a Canadian-Indian model, recently won the Face Of Chennai Beauty Pageant Award. Talking about the whole experience, Ketki reminisces, It was all surreal. A friend of mine, who is a designer, told me about this contest. I told her I was not sure, because they would want a face from Chennai and the locals had an upper hand in terms of culture and language. However, I gave it a shot and grasped as much as I could in the short period. And I won! She feels humbled by the reception she has received in Chennai, The people have been so welcoming and nice to me. Being an outsider, I never felt like one. It was more like a home-away-from-home experience. She has won several national and international contests, but for Ketki the recently-won award is pretty close to her heart. She says, This is the first time I have won a pageant award in India, and thats more special to me. It feels organic to win such an award in your motherland. For me, more than winning the award, I won the hearts of people here and that matters a lot to me! Ketki is now looking beyond the contest and hopes to venture into acting, and she sounds prepared too I have a diploma from Namit Kishores acting school and am quite familiar with Bollywood and Tamil films. I am looking forward to having a good opportunity to make my debut, but I dont want to hurry and make a wrong decision. Ketki pronounces the word Tamil perfectly and turns enthusiastic when asked about Kollywood I love Tamil movies! I recently saw Superstar Rajinikanths Kabali. The thing I loved about the film is that it stressed how no one can ever capitalise on evil. The Canadian-Indian says that she wants to be unconventional and stand apart, since actors these days are talented in singing and dancing too. That desire has even made her render a rap number Kalyanam for the film Unnoda Ka. I not only crooned the song, but also wrote the rap myself in just five minutes, she grins and bids adieu. The tendency to rely on the internet for solutions is called cognitive offloading (Photo: AFP) In the digital age, social media and the internet helps us keep track of several important dates and upcoming events or crucial information in our day to day life. But is this facility available to us doing more harm than good? A study conducted by researchers by the University of California suggests that a tendency to rely on the internet and technology as an aide-memoire, also known as cognitive offloading, constantly increases. This tendency can have adverse effects on our thought process for problem solving, recall and learning. The study was conducted by Benjamin Storm, Sean Stone and Aaron Benjamin by diving participants in two groups, with one relying entirely on their memory and others using Google. They were then given the option of answering questions by the method of their choice. The researchers observed their tendency to reach for a smartphone to answer questions, and found that those using Google spent very little time consulting their own memory before opting to look for the answer over the internet, while 30% of those who had consulted the internet failed to answer even a single question from their memory. The results clearly indicated that the easy access to knowledge online and too much reliance on the internet to solve problems might prove counter-productive and ruin our memory. In remote villages such as Nyamongo, such female couples make up to 10 to 15 per cent of households, according to Kurya elders. (Photo: Pixabay) Women in a cattle-herding tribe in Tanzania have turned to practising an ancient tradition in order to safeguard their livelihoods in the absence of their husbands. The tradition called nyumba ntobhu meaning house of women allows women to marry each other and form an alternative family structure. In the remote village of Nyamongo, such female couples make up to 10 to 15 per cent of households, according to Kurya elders. Such marital unions involve women living, cooking, working, bringing up children together, and even sharing a bed, reports Marie Claire. However, these women dont have sex with each other. The Kurya tribal law permits only men to inherit property but under nyumba ntobhu, if a woman without sons is widowed or is abandoned by her husband, she is allowed to marry a younger woman who can then take a male lover and give birth to heirs on her behalf. Obviously, this custom is completely different from same-sex marriages that happen in the West as homosexuality is totally prohibited. Most Kurya people dont even know gay sex exists in other parts of the world, reveals Dinna Maningo, a reporter. She adds that even though the origins of this practise are unknown, its main aim is to enable widows to keep their property. Since nyumba ntobhu marriages are not officially recognised by Tanzanian law, any man who fathers the children has to agree to honour tradition and relinquish all paternal rights. Such marriages are accepted by tribal leaders because they render women financially independent instead of becoming a liability in old age. The news of Sushant Rohillas suicide, triggered by his detention from Amity Law School, led to a social media outrage after his friend Teerth Waraich shared a version of the story where Sushant was detained for low attendance even though he could not attend classes due to a leg injury. As people all over the social media expressed their anger against the management of Amity Law School, AIBs Rohan Joshi also joined in to express solidarity with Sushant, and shared his account of being bullied by a teacher in a series of tweets. Joshi said that he was bullied by a teacher at KJ Somaiya College of Engineering because he didnt like him, something Joshi descried as pretty much a death sentence in the concerned subject in an Indian college. Rohan said he was failed by the teacher in an assignment, who also made him redo the correct one 20 times. After this Joshi had anxiety attacks at the college gate and never went back. He said that he was fortunate to have people around who told him it was ok to fail. Here are the tweets: Indian colleges have some great teachers, but also a ton of pond scum. Bitter, broken, awful people who should not be allowed near kids. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 In my 2nd semester of engineering, I had an Engineering Drawing teacher who was a complete bastard and a turd of a human being Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 For whatever reason, he decided he just didn't like me. In an Indian college, this is pretty much a death sentence in the concerned subject Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 He made me redo one particular assignment 20 times, I went to college four times during our scheduled study leave just to submit Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I couldn't tell if I was imagining the prejudice, so I borrowed a friend's assignment, which the teacher had graded with a perfect score Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I got a gigantic piece of tracing paper and over several hours, traced his assignment out exactly. Submitted the next day. FAILED. "Redo." Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 There were a hundred factors I considered before I dropped out of college in the next semester, but this asshole was a key factor. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I start shaking even today, just thinking about it. The humiliation, the helplessness. And the rage that follows. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I literally never went back to that college. I'd get anxiety attacks at the gate. I skipped the entire next term, voluntarily flunked out. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 If you're a student and you're going through anything even remotely similar to this, please talk to someone. Because this is abuse Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 The mother who gave birth on the Cebu Pacific Air flight along with her baby. (Photo: Facebook) A baby girl unexpectedly born on a Cebu Pacific Air flight happens to have luck on her side pretty early in life as she was awarded free flights for life by the airline. News about the mid-air delivery first broke out after a fellow passenger, Missy Berberabe Umandal, shared the story in a Facebook post. The post, which has now been shared more than 3,700 times, also carried a photo of the mother carrying her little bundle of joy in her arms. We only heard one semi-loud screech, and a few seconds later, there were tinier, cute screeches, and it was when we knew the baby was born, Umandal wrote. Safety concerns for the baby prompted the flight to be diverted to India, which increased the travel time to an additional nine hours. However, Umandal insists that none of the passengers on board voiced any complaints. Check out her post below: 'Support the Girls' founder Dana Marlowe talks to volunteers during the non-profit organization's official launch party on Thursday, July 21, 2016. (Photo: AP) Silver Spring, Md.: A Maryland woman has collected and delivered more than 20,000 new and gently used bras and 50,000 feminine hygiene products to shelters around the country. Dana Marlowe, a mother of two who works from her Silver Spring home, says she was motivated to donate her own bras following a 35-pound weight loss reduction. A year ago, Marlowe put out a call to family and friends on social media. The response was so great, she asked her husband to create a website for what she dubbed "Support the Girls". Now the non-profit organization boasts chapters in several U.S. cities, Canada, Mexico and Australia, with donations from all over the world. Marlowe says new partnerships with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and corporations, will help bring steady donations for years. Bengaluru: A prominent city university, recently in the news for alleged sexual harassment of a student by a professor, is not only making the most of social media to rebuild its tarnished image but is also making sure its students help it in the task. Students, who went to their respective departments recently, were in for a shock as along with their regular assignments they were asked to take pictures with the university as the backdrop and upload them on social media with a hash tag that said I love ****** university, and also explain why they loved it and how it had moulded them. Although students found the exercise irritating, they had no choice but to do as told and soon all their social media pages were filled with hash tags praising the university. A student, who spoke to this newspaper, said it appeared to be damage control in the aftermath of a few students going public with the problems they were having in the university. It was like a branding exercise. Many of us did as we were told and uploaded our social media pages with pictures and praise for the university as had no other alternative, the student added. Investigations also revealed that the deceased had openly admitted to the relationship and had failed to amend his ways despite repeated warnings from his wife. Chennai: A 49-year-old womans attempt to pass off the blame of murdering her husband in Mannady fell through during the investigation, on Tuesday. The homemaker, identified as Fadha Muthu (49), resident of Krishnan Koil street, Mannady, alerted her neighbours and her husbands elder brother that Akbar (54), was lying dead on his bed with profuse bleeding, in the bedroom in their III floor residence. The family alerted the cops and an investigation at the crime scene revealed that there was no forced entry. The needle of suspicion fell on Fatha Muthu, who according to neighbours, was constantly bickering about the recent relationship of the deceased with a woman from Pulianthope. Investigations also revealed that the deceased had openly admitted to the relationship and had failed to amend his ways despite repeated warnings from his wife. Another quarrel erupted over the issue on Monday night during which Fadha Muthu hacked him in the neck using a sickle that is normally used to cut tender coconut. She then let him bleed to death. Having slept through the night, she alerted the family only in the morning, claiming that Akbar had come home at around 10 pm and went to sleep in his bedroom and that she and her sons checked on him on Tuesday morning only to find him dead. She got married to Akbar about 20 years ago and they have two children. Fatha Muthu has been arrested and further investigations are on. Hyderabad: The North Zone police on Tuesday arrested Dakkuri Babu, who had tried to kill local Congress leader Mr D. Yadgiri. After firing at Mr Yadgiri multiple times, Babu and his aide had escaped from the hospital where an injured Mr Yadgiri had taken shelter, on their bike. The police had acquired CCTV footage of the assault from nearby buildings, which helped identify the suspect. The victim had also given details of the assailants to the cops. Babu gave an interview to a vernacular TV channel and the police picked him while he was in the studio. Talking to the TV reporter, Babu had claimed that he had no intention to kill Mr Yadgiri. If I had wanted to kill him, I would have killed him much earlier. I went to meet him to take the money he owed me. I fired to threatened him, not to kill him, said Babu. Police suspect that Babu had another mission to carry out in a neighbouring state. Cops have also arrested Babus associate Suman, who was driving the bike at the time of the assault. Meanwhile, investigation officials revealed that it was not only a financial reason that prompted Babu to attack the Congress leader. It appears that one more person is behind this murder attempt. Babu must have been motivated by that person. We are still investigating who that is and what was the reason, said a senior official from North Zone. Police found that Babu gave an interview to a local TV channel after the murder attempt in order to mislead cops from his new mission. He was planning to travel to a neighbouring state to carry out a suspicious activity. More of his plans will be revealed after we grill him thoroughly, said a senior official. Babu has multiple non-bailable warrants pending against him in various police stations in the city, the police told the media. The Alwal police also has registered a history sheet on Dakkuri Babu for his involvement in two murder cases and several property offences. Srinagar: Militants on Wednesday ambushed an Army convoy, killing two soldiers and a policeman in Kashmir Valley where curfew remained in force in Srinagar district, Anantnag town and Magam area. Two soldiers and a policeman were also injured in the militant attack at Khwajabagh in Baramulla district which took place at 2:30 am, a police official said. He said two soldiers and a policeman were killed in the attack and a massive operation has been launched to track down the attackers, who fled the spot. Normal life, meanwhile, remained paralysed for the 40th consecutive day today in Kashmir where 63 persons have been so far killed in the ongoing unrest. "Curfew has been imposed in Magam area of Budgam district where four persons were killed in security forces firing yesterday. Curfew also remained in force in Srinagar district and Anantnag town," a police official said. He said restrictions on the movement of the people have been imposed in the rest of the Valley. Heavy deployment of security forces has been carried out in Srinagar city with all roads leading to the local office of United Nations Military Observers Group (UNMOG) at Sonawar sealed. The separatists groups have called for a march to the UN office here to impress upon the global body to intervene and resolve the Kashmir issue. The separatists have threatened a 72-hour sit-in protests if their proposed march to the UN office is not allowed by the government. Schools, colleges and private offices remained closed while public transport remained off the roads due to the strike called by the separatists. The attendance in government offices was thin. Internet and mobile services across the Valley remained suspended. While broadband services were snapped on Saturday evening, the mobile telephony was suspended late in the night on the same day. Normal life has been affected due to protests against the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. The separatist camp is spearheading the protests in the Valley over the civilian killings. As many as 63 persons including two cops have been killed and several thousand others have been injured in the clashes that began on July 9. The Tamil Nadu speaker suspended all DMK MLAs for a week from the Assembly for continuous disruption of proceedings. (Photo: ANI) Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Wednesday witnessed uproarious scenes when DMK members strongly protested remarks made by a ruling AIADMK member apparently ridiculing Leader of Opposition MK Stalin, culminating in their en masse eviction and suspension. Speaker P Dhanapal ordered eviction of the DMK members by assembly marshals after they stood up and insisted on expunging the remarks even after he rejected their demand and asked them to cooperate for the smooth conduct of the House. Later, the government moved a resolution suspending the DMK members for a week which was passed by a voice vote. Trouble erupted during the debate on demands for grants for the Housing and IT departments when AIADMK member S Gunasekaran, without naming Stalin, made some remarks about the 'Namaku Naame' programme undertaken by the DMK Treasurer in the run up to this year's assembly election. During the 'Namakku Naame' programme, Stalin had extensively toured the state and interacted with people. The remarks about the programme triggered strong objection from the DMK members who wanted the Speaker to expunge them. Dhanapal, however, said the MLA had not made any pointed reference to anyone and therefore there was no need to expunge the remarks. DMK Deputy Leader Durai Murugan said Namakku Naame was an initiative of Stalin and therefore the remarks refer only to him and sought their expunction. At one point, Stalin himself rose and said he was proud that Namakku Naamme had featured in an assembly debate. He also made some remarks which were later expunged by the Speaker. Following this, the DMK members stood up and opposed the Speaker's action even as Dhanapal asked them to cooperate in the smooth conduct of the House. Since the DMK members did not heed his repeated pleas, he summoned the marshals to evict the agitating MLAs. Stalin, who was physically removed, staged a brief sit-in before being finally taken out of the House. The Speaker later said he had to resort to such an action as the DMK members did not heed his pleas for cooperation. Leader of the House and Finance Minister O Panneerselvam then moved a resolution for the suspension of the DMK members for a week, which was passed by a voice vote in the AIADMK-dominated House. DMK has 89 members in the 234-member assembly. After this, the Speaker said Wednesday's proceedings of the House have ended and asked Housing Minister Udumalpet K Radhakrishnan and IT Minister M Manikandan to give their replies to the debate on their departments on Thursday. Bengaluru: Former DySP of Kudligi in Ballari, Anupama Shenoy, who had resigned in June, has released five audio clippings which have her telephonic conversations with former minister Parameshwara Naik, DG&IGP Om Prakash and then Ballari IGP Murugan. Ms Shenoy was at loggerheads with the then district in charge minister of Ballari, Mr Naik, and was transferred after she put his call on hold as she was speaking to a senior officer. One of the audio clipping reveals how Mr Naik arrogantly speaks to Ms Shenoy. But she counters him saying he should treat her with respect. Another audio clipping has Mr Murugan advising Ms Shenoy (in pic) over phone to seek apology from Mr Naik and telling her that police officers should not lose their temper. He says that Mr Naik kept calling him and asks Ms Shenoy to speak to the minister immediately and listen to him even if he shouts at her. In the other audio bit, state police chief Om Prakash is heard giving options to the former police officer on the vacant DySP posts available. He gives her 3-4 options on postings in various places and tells her that she cannot choose Udupi as she hails from that place. As Ms Shenoy asks him whether it was a punishment transfer, the higher officer tells her that he would have not given her choices if it was a punishment transfer and says that it was a reward transfer. He also advises her to not think of the reasons behind her transfer. In another call, also from the state police headquarters, Mr Prakash confirms with Ms Shenoy whether she had received the transfer order. Ms Shenoy had resigned alleging pressure and harassment from the illegal liquor lobby in Kudligi. Patna: A three-member medical committee was constituted on Wednesday to probe death of 12 people after allegedly consuming spurious liquor in Bihars Gopalganj district. The incident occurred in Khajurbani locality, where over dozens of people after consuming country made illicit liquor complained of nausea and stomach ache. They were rushed to a local hospital, where 12 people died while undergoing treatment. Two other persons were admitted to a private hospital in Gorakhpur for treatment, sources from Gopalganj told Deccan Chronicle. Refusing to confirm the reason behind the deaths, District Magistrate Rahul Kumar said, We are probing the case and will be able to confirm the reason only after we get the postmortem report. The district administration has constituted a medical board to investigate into the matter. The incident has caused embarrassment to Nitish Kumar-led grand secular alliance, which had imposed ban on sale, possession and consumption of liquor from April 5 this year. The state government had also strengthened it excise intelligence bureau and introduced new laws for stricter enforcement of prohibition in Bihar. This government has completely failed in curbing the consumption of liquor, despite imposing tough laws. The incident proves that law is just a tool to harass innocents, while others are simply defying the law. The chief minister must take moral responsibility, senior BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav said. Najma Heptulla, 76, had last month resigned as Minority Affairs Minister from Union Cabinet. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Former Union Minister Najma Heptulla was on Thursday made Governor of Manipur while ex-Rajya Sabha MP V P Singh Badnore goes to Punjab in new gubernatorial appointments announced for four states with all of them being associated with the BJP. Banwarilal Purohit, a three-time former member of Lok Sabha from Nagpur and Managing Editor of Central India's daily 'The Hitavada', will be the Governor of Assam while Delhi-based BJP leader and former MLA Prof Jagdish Mukhi was made Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique. Heptulla, 76, had last month resigned as Minority Affairs Minister from Union Cabinet. The resignation had come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to have set an unwritten writ of '75-year age bar' for ministers and had kept veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi out of the Cabinet and co-opted them in 'Margdarshak Mandal'. Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan was holding the additional charge as Manipur Governor. 68-year-old Badnore, who hails from Rajasthan, will be the new Governor of Punjab, the communique said. Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki was holding additional charge of Punjab, which goes to polls next year, after Shivraj Patil's term ended last year. Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was holding additional charge as Assam Governor, a post which will now be assumed by 76-year-old Purohit. Professor Jagdish Mukhi, who has been Member of Delhi Legislative Assembly from Janakpuri constituency, has been appointed as Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the communique said. 73-year-old Mukhi has been appointed in place of Lt General (Retd) A K Singh, it said. Mumbai: Union Minister VK Singhs wife Bharti Singh has lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police alleging that a family friend was blackmailing her with doctored phone conversations, and demanding a sum of Rs 2 crore in return for discretion on his part. According to reports, Pradeep Chauhan, an acquaintance of the Singh family, allegedly recorded telephonic conversations with the ministers wife Bharti Singh on August 6, and threatened to post them on social media until the required sum was paid. In her complaint lodged with the Tughlaq Road Police Station, Bharti Singh also alleged that she was unsure of the contents of the recordings, but Chauhan has threatened that it would ruin her husbands reputation. Police sources revealed that Chauhan had planned to doctor the conversations. Some reports mentioned that the FIR also referred to doctored video recordings. VK Singh joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) following his resignation as Chief of Army Staff in 2012 and is one of the two ministers of state for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). New Delhi: India and Bangladesh will jointly produce a documentary on the 1971 War of Independence of Bangladesh, the Information and Broadcasting ministry said on Wednesday. India will also facilitate the production of a "mega movie" by Bangladesh to mark the 100th birth anniversary of its Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020. In a meeting between Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu in Delhi, India also informed that All India Radio would be launching an exclusive service for Bangladesh and Bengali diaspora titled "Akashvani Maitree" on August 23. President Pranab Mukherjee India would be launching the channel which would act as a "bridge of amity between the two countries", an official statement said. In the context of production of the documentary on the 1971 War of Independence of Bangladesh, Naidu suggested that the archival material available with Films Division, DD and other media units of the government be optimally utilized, a statement released by the I&B ministry said. This documentary proposed to be produced would commemorate the 50th year of Bangladesh Independence in 2021. In the meeting, Naidu also said that information dissemination is critical to counter terrorism which is a common issue plaguing both India and Bangladesh. "Timely and correct dissemination of information will prevent rumors and falsehood, while at the same time, build the spirit of cooperation and understanding between people," Naidu said. During the discussions, India and Bangladesh agreed to work out a proposal for a joint audio-visual co-production agreement between the two countries. It was also agreed to organize Film Festival of India in Bangladesh and a Bangladesh Film Festival in India. The Bangladesh Minister also agreed to the request of Naidu to provide the celluloid version of the Bengali film Devdas directed by Pramatesh Barua in 1935, the statement said. Islamabad/New Delhi: India on Wednesday rejected Pakistan's proposal to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks on Kashmir and asserted that it would like to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism which are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Responding to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry's invitation, India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar expressed his willingness to travel to Islamabad but maintained Pakistan has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an internal matter of India, except to put an end to cross-border terrorism and infiltration. The response was handed over to Pakistan by Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale. "Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in J&K, we have proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focused on them. "We have also conveyed that Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi," the sources added. Pakistan on Monday had invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the "international obligation" of both the countries to resolve the issue. The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the issue. Last week, while reacting to a statement by Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz regarding the invitation, India had made it clear that it would talk on "contemporary and relevant" issues in Indo-Pak relations and at this time it included stoppage of Pak-supported cross-border terrorism. Bengaluru: The first ever National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) results were announced on Tuesday. But it was big disappointment for Karnataka, which has highest numbers of all-India quota seats both in government-run medical colleges and private institutions, as none of the state students broke into the top 10 rankings. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) announced NEET Phase I and II results a day in advance on Tuesday. Suraj M., a student of BASE and VVS Sardar PU College, stood first for the state with an All India Ranking of 78. He has scored 630/720. Sanjay M. Goudar secured the 122 rank. According to sources in the state medical education department, all the major consortiums, including Comed-K and other private universities, have decided to opt for online seat allotment process to ensure that students do not face hardship while selecting colleges. CBSE officials said that 26 students were found indulging in unfair practices during Phase I and II of NEET. These candidates have been barred permanently from appearing in the medical entrance examination conducted by CBSE. NEET results out! State topper gets 630/720 As per the original schedule, CBSE was supposed to announce the results on August 17. NEET Phase I and Phase II examinations were conducted for filling up of 15% all India merit quota seats in the government medical colleges, 40% seats available in private medical colleges and 70% seats available in the private medical universities. Suraj M., a student of BASE and VVS Sardar PU college of the city have stood first for the state with an All India Rank (AIR) of 78. He has scored 630/720. In Karnataka CET conducted by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) he had scored 11th rank in medical stream. His percentile score in NEET was 99.9. Another BASE student Sanjay M Goudar has secured AIR 123. Commenting on the achievement, Suraj M said I am delighted to know that I was able to achieve a two digit rank. I owe it all to my teachers at college, BASE, my parents and my friends, who helped me for the whole of these two long years, he said. I studied everyday for 5-6 hours and on holidays for 11-12 hours. I solved the past question papers, which helped me a lot, he said. A KVYPS fellowship awardee, Suraj informed that Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute was his choice. My mother is a doctor and I want to follow her footsteps, he concluded. Online counseling: COMEDK which has highest number of seats for NEET students will follow online admission process and students need not attend counselling in person. Hyderabad: Contesting the Centre's position that there is no proposal to increase the number of Assembly seats in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana has asked the Union government to go in for constitutional amendment to honour the promise on the issue. In the last Parliament session, Union Minister of State for Home Hansraj Gangaram Ahir had in a written reply to T Devender Goud (TDP) said there is no such proposal under government's consideration. Ahir had also said that opinion of the Ministry of Law and Justice was sought on the issue (increasing the number of Assembly seats in the two Telugu states), and the Attorney General had replied in the negative. Telangana Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development and Industries and Commerce, K T Rama Rao noted today that it (the proposal to increase the number of seats) is a promise made in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. "It's not as if it's a political commitment or anything; it's a commitment which the government is bound by statute because AP Reorganisation Act was passed by both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha," Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, said. "Once both Houses of Parliament have passed the Act, they don't really have a choice; the point is: AP Reorganisation Act says the number of seats will be enhanced. We believe they (the Centre) should go for constitutional amendment," he said. "They have no choice but to fulfill it (the promise made in the Act). If they don't want to fulfill it, they have to answer to the people why they are not doing it," he said. Telangana officials pointed out that it has been provided in section 26(1) of the AP Reorganisation Act that subject to the provisions contained in Article 170 of the Constitution and without prejudice to section 15 of this Act, the number of seats in Legislative Assemblies of the successor states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana shall be increased from 175 and 119 to 225 and 153, respectively. Hyderabad: Telangana government will call an Assembly session this month to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill on Goods and Services Tax, state Finance Minister Etela Rajender said on Wednesday. "Our Chief Minister had convened a meeting, and it was decided to summon the Assembly as early as possible and urgently pass it," Mr Rajender said. Rajender recalled that members belonging to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti in the Parliament had supported the bill and noted that the chief minister had assured the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who recently addressed a public meeting at Gajwel, of the state's backing to GST. As for when the state would convene the House to pass the bill, he said, "It will happen as early as possible, it will happen this month". During his maiden visit to Telangana on August 7 after becoming the Prime Minister, Modi had acknowledged the support of TRS for the GST Bill. On Tuesday, Bihar became the first non-NDA state to ratify the bill. After initial first-aid at the airport, mother and child were shifted to Apollo Cradle where the newborn child is currently in the incubator due to the pre-term birth. (Representational image) Hyderabad: A pre-term baby was delivered by a Filipino woman on August 14 on an international flight of Cebu Pacific, which was diverted to Hyderabad for the medical emergency. The Dubai to Manila flight had to make an emergency landing at Hyderabad as the seven-and-a-half-month pregnant woman developed labour pains. The child was born on the flight. The emergency team of doctors at Hyderabad airport were called in as the mother and newborn required immediate attention. After initial first-aid at the airport, mother and child were shifted to Apollo Cradle where the newborn child is currently in the incubator due to the pre-term birth. A source in the hospital said, The child is stable but will require care for the next two months. The mother has been discharged and has been counseled about the various steps to take care of the new-born baby. For now, the lady is here as she is waiting for her family to come down and assist her to take the child back. According to an agency report, Cebu Pacific Air said that it was the first time a baby was delivered onboard one of its aircraft, calling the birth a momentous occasion. Were blessed to have been an instrument in (the) safe delivery, lead cabin crew member Mark Martin, reportedly commented over the event. The airline said it was giving the baby a million points in its lifestyle rewards program, equivalent to about 10,000 one-way flights in the Philippines. "We are happy that both mother and daughter are doing well," said Cebu Pacific Air president and CEO Lance Gokongwei. Patna: A three-member medical committee has been constituted to probe the death of 13 persons in Bihars Gopalganj district. Highly placed sources from the district claimed that the death occurred due to illicit liquor consumption. The incident occurred in Khajurbani locality of the district where according to sources more than a dozen persons after consuming country made illicit liquor complained of nausea and stomach ache. They were rushed to a local hospital where thirteen persons died during treatment. Sources from Gopalganj told this newspaper that, Two other persons were admitted to a private hospital in Gorakhpur for treatment. Refusing to confirm the reasons behind these deaths district magistrate Rahul Kumar said, We are probing the case and will be able to confirm the reason behind these deaths only after we get post mortem report. The district administration has constituted a medical board to investigate the reasons behind these deaths. The incident may cause huge embarrassment for Nitish Kumar led government which had imposed a ban on sale, possession and consumption of liquor on April 5 this year. New Delhi: In a calculated move, India on Wednesday seemingly agreed to Pakistans formal invitation for foreign secretary-level talks in Islamabad, but added the rider that the talks be focused on terrorism. With its counter-offer, India once again effectively dismissed Pakistans attempts to meddle in Indias internal affairs by offers for talks on Kashmir. Pakistans support to terrorism has continued unabated, with Pakistan-based militant groups trying to cash in on demonstrations in the Valley. Sources said, In response to the invitation from Pakistan, the Indian foreign secretary has conveyed his willingness to visit Islamabad. Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in J&K, we have proposed that talks between the foreign secretaries be focused on them (terrorism). India entirely rejects Pakistan allegations We have also conveyed that the Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi, government sources said. Pakistans foreign secretary had, on Monday, called in the Indian high commissioner in Islamabad and handed over a letter, formally inviting Indian foreign secretary S. Jaishankar for talks on the Kashmir issue. Last Saturday, India had virtually dismissed a suggestion to this effect from the Pakistani PM's advisor on foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, saying the focus during any talks should be on terrorism. India has reiterated that position again now. In response to a statement by Mr Aziz on August 12, 2016, that Pakistan would invite India for a dialogue on Jammu & Kashmir on which the Pakistan foreign secretary would be writing to his Indian counterpart, the MEA official spokesperson in New Delhi had said on Saturday, India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time they include stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali, incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally-recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow-up on the Mumbai attacks trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan. Pakistan had said on Monday, The foreign secretary called in the Indian high commissioner this afternoon and handed over a letter addressed to his Indian counterpart, inviting him to visit Pakistan for talks on Jammu and Kashmir dispute that has been the main bone of contention between India and Pakistan. The letter highlights the international obligation of both the countries, India and Pakistan, to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions. Lashing out at India in a fresh diatribe, Mr Aziz had said, India, though a large country, "does not automatically become a great country" and went on to accuse New Delhi of unleashing brute force in J&K, adding that the Kashmir issue cannot be resolved through bullets. Earlier, in a similar incident during the Pushkaralu celebrations, a 40-year-old man had been rushed to the emergency section of the hospital after he suffered a heart attack, but could not be saved. (Photo: Flickr) Hyderabad: A forty five-year-old man from Telangana died due to heart attack in the course of Krishna Pushkaralu on Wednesday. He was declared brought dead by the district hospital at Mahabubnagar. Earlier, in a similar incident during the Pushkaralu celebrations, a 40-year-old man had been rushed to the emergency section of the hospital after he suffered a heart attack, but could not be saved. In the 79 health camps put up at the 79 ghats for the Puskaralu in Nalgonda and Mahabubnagar districts, as many as 56,781 cases of illness were reported. Health director Dr Lalitha Kumari said, For the two persons, who had heart ailments, there were sudden attacks. We tried our level best to rush them from the camps to hospitals. One died on the way and the other died after reaching the hospital. Several visitors of the ghats are either being admitted for coming for a checkup with problems of vomiting, diarrhoea and body pain. Not just the pilgrims visiting the ghats for a holy dip, but many health officials and police personnel who are working day and night at the ghats were also complaining of dehydration, said the officials at the health camps. Many wish government take note of these problems and make sure they wont recur. Hyderabad: A sub-inspector committed suicide by shooting himself with his service revolver in Medak district early on Wednesday allegedly due to harassment from his superior officers. Kuknoorpally SI, U. Ramakrishna Reddy, 38, left a suicide note alleging that he had been harassed by the division DSP and Circle Inspector who had forced him to bring more mamools. He stated in the suicide note that he had paid over Rs 15 lakh of collected mamool to the DSP and CI in the last three months. The SIs wife, Ms U. Dhanalakshmi, alleged that her husband had even taken loans from relatives to pay the DSP. According to the Medak police, the SI shot himself in the forehead at around 1.30 am when he was alone in his house. He had sent his wife and two children to his in-laws place two days ago. Before committing suicide, the SI had called his friend and Gajwel sub-inspector, Mr Satish. Sub-inspector alleges harassment by DSP Before committing suicide, the SI, U. Ramakrishna Reddy, had called his friend and Gajwel sub-inspector, Mr Satish, telling him that he was going to kill himself because of the harassment. But before the Gajwel SI could reach Reddys house, he had committed the deed. In his two-page suicide note addressed to the Medak SP, written in Telugu, Reddy alleged that Siddipet DSP Ch Sridhar and CI Venkataiah had been pressurising him to collect more mamool and deliver it to them. The DSP, CI and even head constable and police constables have been conspiring against me. They harassed me constantly, he wrote, adding, I have not committed any mistake. They are responsible for my death. When the Prime Minister came to Gajwel, I had to spend `2 lakh from my own pocket for various expenses. When I approached my superiors, they asked who had asked me to do so, read the note. Reddys wife Ms Dhanalakshmi said that her husband wanted to quit the job because of the pressure. He had told me that he wanted to leave the job and go back to our village to lead a normal life. His superiors constantly made him do unwanted work and pressurised him to get more mamool. Once, he had to ask my brother for a loan of `1 lakh to pay his superiors, she alleged. Medak district superintendent of police S. Chandrashekar Reddy said that an investigation had been launched into the case. We have booked a case under CrPC 174 and have started an investigation. During the probe if we find truth in the suicide note, we will book cases against the officials, he said. Ramakrishna Reddy was a native of Bakkamantram Gudem village in Mattampally mandal of Nalgonda district. Before joining the police force full time in the year 2005, he had also worked in the Army. Chennai: Chennai mayor Saidai S. Duraisamy on Tuesday inspected the proposed site to set up Amma market at Chief Ministers R.K. Nagar assembly constituency in north Chennai. The facility will have parking lot for about 100 metres with a dedicated play area for children and 45 display counters for traders to sell consumer products. Duraisamy, during his inspection, also instructed officials to ensure that ambulance and fire services were available near the site, once the market is thrown open for public. The weekly market needs sprawling space running to a length of about one kilometer with a width of 20 metres. Several places were studied and the site near Manali B. Canal road has been finalised for setting up the first weekly market, a corporation official said. Initially about 60 shops are planned and the approach roads will soon be re-laid and the area will be spruced up by next week. The site below the Mint junction was also examined for the setting up the market but fearing traffic congestion this idea has been put on hold. The pet project will function under the module called as Ammaa - All Manufacture Material Available Avenue, which will procure wholesale materials from manufacturers and sell the items at 30 to 40 per cent cheaper rates, the official said adding that about ten places were studied for setting up Amma weekly markets, of this Manali B. Canal road and the Chetpet corporation asphalt godown are likely to have the markets in the first phase, the official added. People fly kites from the roof of their house near the Jama Masjid in New Delhi (Photo: AP/File) New Delhi: Two children and a youth died on Independence Day as Chinese kite string (manja), coated with powdered glass, slit their throats in separate incidents across the national capital, prompting the Delhi government to finally ban the killer thread. All the incidents took place within a span of four hours yesterday. In another case, a Delhi Police Sub-Inspector sustained minor injuries as a kite string grazed his neck when he was returning to Anand Vihar police station after Independence Day duty. The first incident took place around 6.30 pm on August 15, a day that sees frenzied kite flying across the city, when three-year-old Saanchi Goyal was returning home with her parents after watching a movie in Naraina. The girl was peering out of the open sunroof of the car when her neck got slit by a hanging thread in the Rani Bagh area, a police officer said. She was taken to a nearby hospital where doctors declared her brought dead. "A case has been registered under section 304(A) (causing death by negligence) and we have to determine whether it was Chinese manja that took the girl's life," said Vijay Singh, DCP (Northwest). Neighbours said that Saanchi was the only child of her parents. Her father, Alok Goyal runs a wood business while her mother is a homemaker. She was a nursery student of Bal Bharati School Pitampura. The other child identified as four-year-old Harry had a similar end as manja-laden thread connected to a stray kite inflicted fatal injuries on his neck. He was looking outside the sunroof of the car at the Tilak Nagar area when the thread got wrapped around his neck leaving him profusely bleeding. Police has registered a case under Section 304 A (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of IPC in the case. "The child accompanied by his parents and six-year-old sister was returning home around 8 PM when the incident occurred on the flyover near Janakpuri district centre. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead," said a senior police officer. In west Delhi's Vikaspuri area, a 22-year-old man, Zafar Khan, lost his life as his neck was slashed by a the lethal thread while he was riding motorbike on a flyover. The family members, who are in a state of shock, could not even interact with the cops to furnish details, police said. Chennai: Going by certain indications, Governor Konijeti Rosaiah may have his second term at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai after his term expires at the end of this month. Sources revealed to Deccan Chronicle that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa, had sought retention of Mr Rosaiah in the Raj Bhavan during her meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 14. Mr Rosaiah, who enjoys a good rapport with Ms Jayalalithaa, is being seen as an elder statesman beyond any political party and has always maintained good relations with both the Union and State governments. BJP sources in New Delhi said the Union government should have no objection to Mr Rosaiah if the Chief Minister of the state, especially a potential ally like Ms Jayalalithaa, seeks his retention. It may be recalled that Mr Rosaiah, a Congress veteran who held various positions in Andhra Pradesh including that of Chief Minister, was one of the very few Governors who were not asked to quit after the NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over in May 2014. Meanwhile, reports in a section of the media suggested that the Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman, D.H. Shankaramurthy could possibly replace Mr Rosaiah as the Tamil Nadu Governor. However, when contacted, Mr Shankaramurthy told Deccan Chronicle, I don't know. These are all media speculation. One thing is true. Party chief Amit Shah asked me whether I am willing to shoulder a bigger responsibility and I have responded in positive. I dont know anything more than that. Informed sources say Mr Shah's call to Mr Shankaramurthy could be an indication that he might soon buy a ticket to Hyderabad to take over as Governor of the newly carved Telangana state. Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan is currently handling both states. With the Andhra Pradesh Government slowly moving its operations to Amaravathi, its dependence on Hyderabad is decreasing and hence the Union government might wish to have a separate Governor for the state ruled by TRS. Political analysts said the BJP would be inviting a storm if they appoint a person from Karnataka to the Raj Bhavan here. Given the animosity between the two states on water issues, the BJP would be committing a political blunder if it appoints a Kannadiga as TN Governor. The Governor might become a welcome target for protesters who could picket the Raj Bhavan whenever a water war breaks out between the two states, analysts said. Chennai: The Madras high court has closed a PIL from BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, which challenged the en masse release of 1,405 life convicts, seven years after their release, stating that it would not serve any purpose continuing the proceedings. A Bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R. Mahadevan, said, We appreciate there is no legal concern expressed by the petitioner, but various pronouncements have been made qua such release and we, thus, consider it appropriate to leave the question of law open if the petitioner wants to urge some aspects, while closing the present proceedings. In 2008, Swamy filed the PIL praying the court to quash a GO dated September 11, 2008, of the inspector general of police (prisons), releasing 1,405 life convicts. He said the release was politically motivated and the prisoners were in jail just for seven years and the remission granted to them was not in the welfare of society. When the matter came up for hearing, the Bench said It transpired, however, that no interim orders restraining the release are passed and that the persons stand released eight years ago. We are, thus, of the view that really speaking, no practical purpose would be served by continuation of this proceedings. Mumbai: A 150-metre long underground British era bunker which had been closed for several decades was discovered by Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao inside the Raj Bhavan complex at Malabar Hill in Mumbai. Rao accompanied by his wife Vinodha visited the bunker today, after which the Governor expressed his intention to consult experts from various fields to preserve it. The Governor had directed to get the bunker opened after he was informed by old-timers three months ago about the presence of a tunnel inside the Raj Bhavan. On August 12, the staff of the Public Works Department at Raj Bhavan broke open a temporary wall that closed the entrance to the bunker on the eastern side, the official said in a statement. Instead of an underground tunnel, an entire barrack with 13 rooms of different sizes was found. The bunker opens with a 20-ft tall gate and a ramp on the western side. There are long passages and small to medium rooms on either side, he said. The bunker spread over an area of over 5,000 square feet has rooms bearing the name Shell Store, Gun Shell, Cartridge Store, Shell Lift, Pump, Workshop etc. There are also scores of Lamp Recesses in the gangway. Even though the bunker was apparently closed after independence, it was found to be surprisingly intact. Interestingly the entire underground bunker has a drainage system and inlets for fresh air and light, the official said. According to the history of Raj Bhavans in Maharashtra, Raj Bhavan, formerly known as 'Government House' served as the residence of British Governors since 1885 when Lord Reay turned it into a permanent residence. Prior to 1885, the Malabar Hill residence served as the Summer Residence of the British Governors. The Government House at Parel served as the Governor's residence before 1885. Lahore/New Delhi: A Kuala Lumpur bound flight from Pakistan with 250 passengers onboard was not allowed to enter the Indian airspace for a change in flight plan, which was not intimated to the Indian authorities in time. The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft from Peshawar had to be re-routed to Lahore over "take-off weight issues" requiring the airline to submit the changed flight plan to the Indian authorities which it did not, government sources said. When flight PK 894 was about to enter the Indian airspace, the commander was informed that the air traffic authorities in New Delhi had not received the revised schedule. The flight was later allowed to overfly the Indian airspace after the Indian authorities received the revised plan. A PIA spokesperson said, "Due restrictions of take-off weight from Peshawar, PK 894 this evening was re-routed to operate via Lahore for Kuala Lumpur." He insisted that "such re-routings are an accepted feature in commercial aviation." "The re-routing was done well in advance and all concerned had been duly informed. There was no resistance from any quarter, whether local or international for landing at Lahore," the statement said. There were reports in the Pakistani media that the aircraft was not allowed to enter the Indian airspace without assigning any reason. New Delhi: The 'World Culture Festival' extravaganza organised by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living (AOL) on the banks of the Yamuna has 'completely destroyed' the riverbed, an expert committee has told the National Green Tribunal. "The committee observes that entire floodplain area used for the main event site i.e. between DND flyover and the Barapulla drain (on the right bank of river Yamuna) has been completely destroyed, not simply damaged. The ground is now totally levelled, compacted and hardened and is totally devoid of water bodies or depressions and almost completely devoid of any vegetation. "The area where the grand stage was erected (and the area immediately behind it) is heavily consolidated - most likely with a different kind of external material used to level the ground and compress it. Huge amount of earth and debris have been dumped to construct the ramps for access from the DND flyover and from the two pontoon bridges across the Barapulla drain," the expert committee, set up by the NGT, told a bench headed by Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar. The tribunal had directed the seven-member expert committee headed by Shashi Shekhar, Secretary of Ministry of Water Resources, and senior scientists and experts from National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, IIT, Delhi and other agencies to inspect the site of the World Culture Festival held in March this year. The committee, in its 47-page report, has said that due to the three-day event, the floodplain has lost "almost all its natural vegetation" like trees, shrubs, tall grasses, aquatic vegetation including water hyacinth which provides habitat to large number of animals, insects and mud-dwelling organisms. "These organisms were rendered homeless, driven away by intense activity and many were consigned to graves under the debris. This is invisible loss of biodiversity which cannot be easily assessed and most may never be able to return. Far more significant changes are expected in the micro-organisms which are critical to ecosystem functioning," it said. The report further states that construction of ramps and roads, alteration of water bodies and flattening of the ground has completely damaged the diversity of habitats. "The physical damage in the floodplain and its wetlands include a change in topography which has a direct bearing on the diversity of habitats. Construction of ramps and roads, filling up of water bodies and levelling of the ground together with compaction have almost completely eliminated the natural physical features and the diversity of habitats," the report said. Bengaluru: Declaring that he was tired of pursuing the case against Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE), former Prime Minister, H D Deve Gowda on Tuesday said he was leaving it to the Siddaramaiah government now to take it to its logical end. Recalling that he had signed the MoU for the project in 1995 , he claimed a lot of deviations took place to its original plan after he left for Delhi, during the J H Patel government. Successive governments took the project too far. Although NICE had to invest Rs 680 crore, till 2002 it had deposited nothing towards land acquisition,' he deplored. Mr Gowda, who has been involved in a 14 -year legal battle against the project, said he was confident Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and ministers, Dr H.C. Mahadevappa and Kagodu Thimmappa would battle it out against the company. But he not so sure about Law Minister, T.B. Jayachandra, who headed the legislature committee on NICE, Chief Secretary , Aravind Jadhav and PWD Secretary, Lakshminarayana. Going by the Supreme Court order in February, the state government, its counsel Aravind Datar and NICE counsel, Dushyanth held a meeting in Bengaluru at the Advocate General's office on April 14 to resolve the issues involved. The court had asked both parties to file a report on outcome of the meeting by April 18. But the government has not submitted its report to the court and farmers too were denied information on the outcome of the meeting. NICE however, not only got the minutes, but also filed objections based on them on June 16,'' Mr Gowda regretted. Besides, the Chief Secretary had refused to meet farmers and directed them to the PWD Secretary, who was of little help to them, he noted. Even the legislature committee formed to look into the alleged irregularities committed by NICE had held only two or three meetings, he pointed out. No one knows if this committe is alive or dead,'' he added with sarcasm. Three PWD Secretaries have given reports saying that NICE had committed a Rs 30,000 crore fraud and three successive Chief Secretaries have been against this project owing to the large scale irregularities involved. But the current PWD Secretary Lakshminaryana and Chief Secretary seem to have a soft corner for NICE. Otherwise, why would they avoid submitting the meeting proceedings to the Supreme Court? he wondered. New forum creates rift BJP state president B.S. yeddyurappa has opposed the formation of a parallel backward classes organization mentored by Opposition leader in the Legislative Council K.S. Eshwarappa. The formation of Sangolli Rayanna Brigade (SRB), had irked Mr Yeddyurappa and his supporters but Mr Eshwarappa defended SRB and assured it would help BJP increase its vote base. The formation of a separate backward classes forum is not necessary, if a struggle has to be conducted, it should be through the party. There is no scope in the party to create a separate cell, Mr Yeddyurappa said. However, Mr Eshwarappa claimed SRB was intended to counter the Congress as the ruling party is under the impression that it had backward classes, Dalits and minorities on its side. Congress has neglected them and used them as a vote bank. After I conducting parleys with OBC leaders, Congressmen are worried, he said. Mr Muralidhar Rao, in-charge of the Karnataka BJP said the new forum should not harm the interests of the party in any way. 63 civilians have been killed so far in the ongoing unrest in the Valley (Photo: AP) New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and former Home Minister, P Chidambaram, on Wednesday blamed the PDP-BJP government for the unrest in Kashmir Valley and said the statements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have "exacerbated" the crisis. Chidambaram said he was deeply concerned over the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is "sliding into total chaos". "The PDP-BJP government is squarely responsible for the sharp deterioration in the last 6 weeks," he said in a statement. The former Home and Finance Minister in the UPA government said the statements of the Prime Minister, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar have "exacerbated" the crisis. "Moderation in words and actions alone can retrieve the situation. The loss of lives of protesting youth, other civilians and security forces has devastated all of us. This must stop," he said. Chidambaram said he was afraid the way out of the crisis cannot be found by the present government. "The Congress, National Conference and, if willing, the PDP must come together to find a solution: firstly, an immediate solution to stop the violence and, then, a path forward that will bring hope, peace and prosperity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Normal life in Kashmir Valley has been affected due to protests against the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. 63 civilians have been killed so far in the ongoing unrest. Last month, Chidambaram had said the situation in Kashmir has been "mishandled" by successive governments in Srinagar and New Delhi. "We (UPA government) did mishandle. But we corrected ourselves in 2010. Now, both the governments in Delhi and Srinagar mishandled (it) very, very badly," he had said. Chidambaram had suggested a radical solution to the situation in Kashmir by advocating the restoration of the "grand bargain" under which Kashmir had acceded to India by granting a large degree of autonomy. "I think their approach is wrong. We have ignored the grand bargain under which Kashmir acceded to India. I think we broke faith, we broke promises and as a result we have paid a heavy price," he had said. The former Home Minister had said the best solution was that New Delhi should give an assurance to the people of Kashmir that the "grand bargain" promised during the time of Kashmir's accession "will be honoured fully". Chidambaram said, "I may be wrong, I may be right but what is necessary is to give the assurance that the grand bargain will be fully honoured. Let them (people of Kashmir) frame their own laws as much as possible and as long as it does not conflict with the Constitution. "We have to assure that we will respect identity, history, culture, religion..." he added. Ashok Gajapathi Raju, had said that even if Air India was put on sale there would be no buyers because of its huge losses. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had singled out BSNL and Air India for special mention about the turnaround in their fortunes in his Independence Day broadcast. This is the good news because just a few months ago the aviation minister, Ashok Gajapathi Raju, had said that even if Air India was put on sale there would be no buyers because of its huge losses. And if the government wants to, in the long run, sell off its stake in Air India it will have to make the airline profitable. The airline has legacy issues with the aviation ministry during UPAs term, recklessly ordering expensive aircraft in numbers that were not needed. As a result, the airline incurred heavy losses. The credit for Air India making an operational profit of Rs 100 crores (unaudited) must go to the Prime Minister and Mr Raju, who have been acting literally like guardian ministers of Air India along with AIs chairman and managing director Ashwin Lohani. The national carrier has improved its on-time performance and if a flight is 30 minutes behind schedule the airline has to report the specific details for delay to Mr Raju and if delay is beyond an hour they have to give an explanation. According to people in the know, the PMO also closely monitors Air Indias progress as it pumps in thousands of crores into the airline from time to time. Unions too have been told that strikes will not be tolerated and Mr Lohani, being a man from the corporate sector and not a bureaucrat, has a better rapport with the unions. However, the airline still has a challenge to become profitable as it has a debt burden of Rs 52,000 crores and its servicing sees an outgo of around Rs 5,800 crores per annum. In 2014-15 it incurred a loss of Rs 5,859.91 crores. In the case of BSNL it expects to earn a revenue of Rs 30,000 crores in 2015-16, and made an operating profit of Rs 670 crores in 2014-15. It showed an operating profit of Rs 672 crores in FY 2014-15 from an operating loss of Rs 691 crores in FY 2013-14. Interestingly the Telecom Watchdog says that the BSNLs operating profit was due to an advance of Rs 720 crores in 2003 from the department of telecommunications being waived off in 2014-15. It also alleges that the telecom ministers actions have not benefited BSNL and has given a private telecom company an advantage. If this is true then it needs to be looked into. Both BSNL and Air India will have to get back into making profits and not just operational profits to be strong PSUs. Perhaps, the PMO should also mentor the operations of BSNL as it does in the case of Air India. The six months maternity leave would not only help the mother recuperate from the rigours of childbirth, but also give her time to bond with the newborn. (Representational image) It will be a liability for private firms Ranjana Kumari Towards the culmination of the Monsoon Session, a Maternity Benefit Bill proposed by the ministry of women and child development was approved by the Rajya Sabha. The approved bill is a second amendment to the Maternity Benefits Act, 1961. I welcome the bill and believe that there is a lot of merit in the approved Maternity Benefit Bill. The six months maternity leave would not only help the mother recuperate from the rigours of childbirth, but also give her time to bond with the newborn. This should be perceived as a time investment put into progressively shaping the future generation. There is also an urgent need to address the majority of the Indian women who work in the informal sector. As per the ministry of labour and employment of India and International Labour Organisation (2012), only four per cent Indian female workers in the age group of 15-49 years, work in the formal sector. The Maternity Benefits Bill is biased towards permanent full-time workers who are registered by employers. It does not take into consideration the remaining 96 per cent women who work in the unorganised sector, who neither have an identifiable employer nor have a designated place of work. The Maternity Benefit Bill should not only take into its ambit, women working in the unorganised sector, but also those who are working under Mahatma Gandhi National Guarantee Employment Act, 2005. For the four per cent, to whom the bill can possibly benefit, may also be at a disadvantage due to the competitive market in which the private sector operates. The employers in the sector perceive six months maternity leave as a time loss by a human resource, which is in direct proportion to the possible financial setback. This may adversely impact recruitment of women workforce into the private sector, especially if they are pregnant at the time of enrolment, regardless of their competency levels. In instances when women avail complete maternity leave they have had to forgo increments after rejoining since considerable time is perceived to be lost in the duration of childbirth and child rearing. For the women working in the private sector, the implementation of the bill would be more of a privilege as compared to women working in the public sector. The latter being a government-regulated sector, it would be more accountable for executing the Maternity Benefit Act. Unfortunately for the private sector, it may be perceived as a liability because the employer would have to not only accommodate the absence of the resource, but also incur financial expenditure without immediate productive input. Due to this the interest of the private sector employer over-rides that of the working woman. India is among the few countries to witness a drastic decline in participation of women in workforce, which has decreased to 27 per cent in 2011-12 from 37 per cent in 2004-05. According to the findings of our research, high percentage of women workers dropout at the reproductive age between 25 and 40 years. This was corroborated by a report by Accenture, which estimates that 72 per cent of Indian women have turned down or have not pursued an opportunity because of personal reasons. CSR study also found that only about 10 per cent women reported awareness about the fact that expectant mothers are entitled to medical bonus and about 21 per cent reported awareness about nursing break entitlement. Hence, an additional proposition would be to increase awareness about these benefits of the bill as well. It is high time to create workplaces that respect the talent and hard work women bring in to boost the GDP. Therefore, the government has to ensure that this much-needed legislation/law is implemented effectively and strengthens womens presence in the workforce and should act as enabler to women to continue in workforce and not become impediment. Ranjana Kumari is director, Centre for Social Research It is a win-win for all Nupur Sharma It is hard not to remember our Prime Minister Narendra Modi (then chief minister of Gujarat) talking at length about the importance of employment of women in the country prior to parliamentary election during the BJPs national council meet in January 2014 in New Delhi. He also emphasised that the countrys growth is incomplete without the progress of half of its population. He even cited a slew of measures that his government undertook in Gujarat. With special provisions like skill training and tax relaxation to encourage active women participation in businesses, Stand-Up India earlier this year was a solid step in securing monetary independence of women entrepreneurs. And then we entered Indias 70th year of Independence with a bang with the Rajya Sabha passing the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Bill 2016, which will protect the interests of women employees working in establishments with a workforce greater than 10. In a nutshell, this bill seeks to increase paid maternity leave from 12 to 26 weeks in all establishments, including the private sector. Additionally, it provides for 12 weeks leave for commissioning and adopting mothers whilst mandating companies with a workforce greater than 50 to provide creche facilities within prescribed distance and allows four visits per day to the mother. In his address in Parliament, minister for labour and employment Bandaru Dattatreya stated that this amendment would directly benefit 1.8 million women employees. Also, with the passage of this bill, India will rank third (after Canada and Norway) in the table of countries that grant maximum number of days as maternity leave. While the direct benefits would be an increase in employee retainership by companies and a decrease in infant mortality rates, the provision of work-from-home clause for nursing mothers in this bill is an additional advantage left to the discretion of a companys management and the employee. Though a cursory search on the write-ups over this bill will produce a handful of naysayers, I would still strongly argue that this amendment is only likely to improve the employer-employee relationship and will prove to be beneficial in the longer run. One of the provisions in this bill simply mandates an establishment to intimate a woman, in writing, at the time of her appointment of the maternity benefits available to her. Such clarity at the beginning of employment and not to mention the increased allowance of a comfortable 26 weeks leave would ensure that there are fewer cases of woman employee absenteeism and/or of being fired on flimsy grounds and health related issues which are already covered under Section 10 and 12 of the existing act. Another argument of resultant lesser intake of women would also not hold true in case of performance-driven establishments known to hire talented individuals as for them returns of the company are directly dependent on employees performance and not gender issues. This explains why several companies are in the habit of not only offering higher maternity benefits than stipulated but also additional benefits like counselling, medical camps and work-from-home option as per a report carried in an English daily. With retaining women employees as a target, it is highly unlikely that any establishment worth its salt would be willing to let go of an able woman employees possible three decades of service for a mere six-plus months of maternity leave. Therefore, implementation of the amended law is bound to be mutually beneficial. Furthermore, given the questions put-up in the Rajya Sabha on paternity leave and shared responsibility in this Monsoon Session, our governments plan to extend maternity leave benefits to unorganised sector and Section 21 of the Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 which protects women against non-implementation, Id say things are already looking-up for working women. Nupur Sharma is advocate, Delhi high court NASA teams to programme a virtual robot, modelled after NASA's Robonaut 5 (R5) robot, to complete a series of tasks in a simulation that includes periods of latency to represent communications delay from Earth to Mars. Washington - NASA has opened registration for a new USD 1 million prize competition that seeks to develop the capabilities of humanoid robots to help astronauts on the journey to Mars. The Space Robotics Challenge competition is designed to push the boundaries of robotic dexterity, NASA said. With the technology generated by this challenge, robots could participate in precursor missions to selected landing sites, arriving long before astronauts to set up habitats, life support systems, communications and solar apparatuses, and even begin preliminary scientific research. Teams must program a virtual robot, modeled after NASA's Robonaut 5 (R5) robot, to complete a series of tasks in a simulation that includes periods of latency to represent communications delay from Earth to Mars. Though some dexterity has been developed for Earth-based robotics systems using hydraulics, such robots cannot be used in space because of the below-freezing temperatures and the harsh environment of planetary surfaces. The R5 uses elastics technology instead of hydraulics an innovative way of addressing the problems of operating in space. This technology could also benefit humankind on Earth, as they could operate under dangerous or extreme environments on our home planet, NASA said. "Precise and dexterous robotics, able to work with a communications delay, could be used in spaceflight and ground missions to Mars and elsewhere for hazardous and complicated tasks, which will be crucial to support our astronauts," said Monsi Roman, program manager of NASA's Centennial Challenges. "NASA and our partners are confident the public will rise to this challenge, and are excited to see what innovative technologies will be produced," said Roman. The competition organized by NASA in partnership with Space Center Houston and Nine Sigma, a global innovation consultant organization, will be held in a virtual environment. Each team's R5 will be challenged with resolving the aftermath of a dust storm that has damaged a Martian habitat. This involves three objectives: aligning a communications dish, repairing a solar array and fixing a habitat leak. The qualifying round for the Space Robotics Challenge will run from mid-September to mid-November. Finalists of that round will be announced in December and will engage in open practice from January to early June 2017. The final virtual competition will be held in June 2017, and winners will be announced at the end of June. Software developed through this challenge will be transferable across other robotics systems, allowing the technology produced to be used both with older robotics models, such as the Robonaut 2, and any future models developed, NASA said. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Googles Huawei Nexus 6P was perhaps the best Android smartphone launched in September 2015, offering top-of-the-line specs and a premium design to complement its reputation. Come September 2016, Google is now expected to unveil the next generation Nexus, but this time, along with Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC. If rumour is to be believed, the next Nexus is shaping up to be an all-metal device, which will flaunt its glory in two sizes. While the smaller variant is codenamed Sailfish and has already made several appearances in online leaks, the bigger variant was tipped under codename Marlin. The future 2016 Nexus line would mark another big shakeup at Google's in-house Android phone division. The company in 2015 tried a tad higher budget model with the all-plastic LG 5X, which featured a 5.2-inch display. Google also launched the premium all-metal Huawei 6P, which had a massive 5.7-inch display. According to Android Police, both Nexus smartphones will have a similar appearance and feature mostly similar specifications. The only notable differences could be the screen size, overall dimensions and the battery capacity. In essence, Marlin is just a bigger version of Sailfish. Recently, an image of the smaller variant surfaced online, corroborating previous leaks, such as a solid metal body and a fingerprint sensor on the rear panel. Although there's no HTC logo to be seen anywhere, it is most likely to be replaced by the Nexus branding, or a new G logo. Known tipster on Twitter, Evan Blass obtained some information in the form of a build.prop file from within the Android operating system which had detailed specifications for the Nexus 2016 phone. His leak suggests that the device could feature a 5.2-inch, full HD 1080p display, and be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 chipset. The Nexus is also touted to sport a new feature called Face Lock, which could be a new security measure within Androids Nougat. The smartphone will be backed by 3GB of RAM, and will pack in 32GB and/or 64GB of internal storage. What we know for sure is that the new Nexus smartphone will run the purest form of Android 7 Nougat, with zero bloatware, which is designed to function just as the company intends. The Nexus launcher is also a new addition to Nougat. As the name suggests, the launcher is a brand new variant that will debut on the Nexus 2016 handsets with Android 7.0 Nougat. The next generation of Nexus 2016 phones, without a doubt, will ship with full support for Googles ambitious DayDream VR platform. It appears this time around; Google is downsizing both models, but retaining more premium material for better build quality, perhaps as a way to compete directly with other big player in the industry. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. File image taken from video by Nigeria's Boko Haram terrorist network, shows the alleged missing girls abducted from the northeastern town of Chibok. Abuja: The first of more than 200 abducted Chibok schoolgirls to be rescued from Boko Haram after two years in captivity in northeast Nigeria said on Tuesday in her first interview that she just wants to go home. Amina Ali and her four-month-old baby were rescued in May near Damboa in Borno state by soldiers and a civilian vigilante group, more than two years after being kidnapped by the Islamist militants from a school in Chibok in northeast Nigeria. After her rescue sparked a blaze of global media attention, the 21-year-old and her child have since been hidden away in a house in the capital Abuja for what the Nigerian government has called a "restoration process". "I just want to go home - I don't know about school," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in an exclusive interview. "I will decide about school when I get back, but I have no idea when I will be going home," Ali said, speaking softly while staring at the ground. Boko Haram kidnapped 219 girls from their secondary school in Chibok in April 2014, as part of an insurgency which began in 2009 to set up an Islamic state in the north that has killed some 15,000 people and displaced more than 2 million. Some girls escaped in the melee but parents of those still missing accused former president Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria's then leader, of not doing enough to find their daughters, whose disappearance sparked a global campaign #bringbackourgirls. Ali spoke to the Thomson Reuters Foundation days after the Islamist group published a video showing dozen of the girls. In the video published by the militants on social media on Sunday, a masked man stands behind a group of the girls, and says some of their classmates have been killed in air strikes. While Ali had not heard about the video, she said Boko Haram had told the abducted girls that everyone was looking for them. "I think about them a lot - I would tell them to be hopeful and prayerful," Ali said. "In the same way God rescued me, he will also rescue them." Not Afraid Ali, who was found by the army in May along with a suspected Boko Haram militant, Mohammed Hayatu, claiming to be her husband, said she was unhappy to have been separated from the father of her four-month-old baby girl. "I want him to know that I am still thinking about him," Ali said, relaxing and lifting her gaze off the ground only to breastfeed her child when she was brought into the room to feed. "Just because we got separated, that does not mean that I don't think about him," Ali added. Ali's mother, Binta Ali spent two months with her daughter before going home to Chibok. She said last month she feared for Ali's future. She said her daughter had wanted to further her education before being kidnapped, but now she was afraid of school and wanted a sewing machine to start a business making clothes. Ali told her mother earlier this month that the girls, who are being held in Sambisa forest, were starved and resorted to eating raw maize, and that some had died in captivity, suffered broken legs or gone deaf after being too close to explosions. Her mother said she had observed a positive change in Ali since her rescue, as she now slept much more peacefully than she had ever done before being abducted. "I am not scared of Boko Haram - they are not my God," Ali said. Tammy Glover, whose daughter, Danelle Keim, was a key witness in the case against former St. Charles Parish District Attorney Harry Morel before she died of a drug overdose in 2013, pauses while speaking at her home in Destrahan, La. (Photo: AP) New Orleans: A former Louisiana prosecutor who was accused of soliciting sex from at least 20 women in exchange for favourable treatment faces his own sentencing on Wednesday in federal court on an obstruction charge. Harry Morel, 73, was district attorney for 33 years in St. Charles Parish, about 20 miles west of New Orleans. Now he faces a maximum of three years in prison after pleading guilty to the single charge. The deal closed the case, reflecting the difficulty of balancing the scales of justice between a powerful defendant and vulnerable victims. US Attorney Kenneth Polite said that statutes of limitations on some alleged crimes, and the death of a key witness played into the eventual plea bargain. Defense attorney Ralph Capitelli has accused prosecutors of a smear campaign to influence sentencing. The FBI began investigating Morel in April 2010, after a woman facing a drunken driving charge accused Morel of sexually assaulting her at her home. Danelle Keim then began wearing a wire for the FBI. Authorities say one video shows Morel coming to Keim's house with two bottles of wine, discussing her case, and then starting to grope her. But Keim died of a drug overdose in 2013, less than 24 hours after The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that the FBI was investigating whether Morel had been trading leniency for sex with defendants or their relatives. Morel's guilty plea acknowledged his telling Keim to destroy photographic evidence of their meetings. Beijing: Despite his anti-China rhetoric, Beijing may still prefer US Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump over his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton for his promised anti-terror campaign against Islamic State, which is reportedly attracting militant groups from its Muslim-majority Xinjiang region. "Trump's foreign policy, which centres around fighting what he calls 'radical Islamic terrorism,' will to some extent ease the current sour China-US ties," Liu Weidong, a researcher at the Institute of American Studies of the China Academy of Social Sciences, as reports state. China and the US share a lot in common on fighting terrorism and Trump's policy seems to shift from the present focus on competition between major powers, which mainly targets China to anti-terrorism," Xin Qiang, deputy director of the Centre for US Studies at Fudan University said. China regards East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), which is active among Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang bordering Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Afghanistan as main threat to the stability of the strategically-located province. Trump said on Monday that his administration will "aggressively pursue joint and coalition military operations to crush and destroy ISIS, international cooperation to cut off their funding, expand intelligence sharing and use cyber warfare to disrupt and disable their propaganda and recruiting". According to reports, ETIM which was previously aligned with Al-Qaeda, has shifted its allegiance to ISIS as a substantial number of Uyghurs, a Turkik speaking Muslims from Xinjiang, made their way to Syria to fight along with it. Chinese officials apprehend that many of them may return with heavy training and battle experience posing a major challenge to Chinese security forces. While Pakistan has conducted military operations against the ETIM bases in its tribal areas, recent bombing in Balochistan's Quetta, purportedly by ISIS, caused concern here. Amid reports, many of the Sunni Islamic militant groups in Pakistan as well as sections of Taliban shifted allegiance to it. In a bid to prevent infiltration of militants, the armed forces of China and Pakistan recently launched joint patrolling along the PoK-Xinjiang border. Beijing has also formed a Quadrilateral Cooperation and Coordination Mechanism in Counter Terrorism involving Afghanistan-China-Pakistan-Tajikistan Armed Forces to guard against militants threat to Xinjiang and the region. Its first meeting was held in Urumqi, the provincial capital of Xinjiang on August 2. New York: Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has a 6-percentage-point lead over Republican rival Donald Trump, according to a Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll released on Tuesday. Clinton's support has ranged from 41 percent to 44 percent since late July, and was about 41 percent in the Aug. 11-15 online poll. Trump's support has experienced wider shifts ranging from 33 percent to 39 percent while his campaign has endured controversies and distractions in recent weeks. He is favoured by about 35 percent of likely voters, according to the most recent poll. Trump has caused divisions in the Republican Party with his strong anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim rhetoric, and faced criticism from both parties earlier this month for a days-long feud with the parents of a Muslim American Army captain killed in Iraq. Last week, 70 Republicans, including former members of Congress and Republican National Committee staff, wrote a letter calling for the RNC to stop helping Trump, whose actions they said were "divisive and dangerous." The number of likely voters who picked neither Clinton nor Trump in the poll was nearly 24 percent. At this point in 2012, President Barack Obama was ahead of Republican nominee Mitt Romney by nearly the same margin, favoured by 46 percent of likely voters to Romney's 41 percent, with about 13 percent picking neither candidate. Obama and Romney swapped the lead in the poll several times through the summer and early fall before the president took and held the lead in late October. In a separate Reuters/Ipsos poll that gave respondents the option to choose from Clinton, Trump, Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein, Clinton also led Trump by 6 percentage points. Of the alternative party candidates, Johnson came in third with 8 percentage points. Stein had about 2 percentage points. The August 11-15 polls surveyed a sample of 1,132 and 1,131 likely voters, respectively, and had a credibility interval of 3 percentage points. Mexico city: Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto said on Tuesday he was willing to meet with Donald Trump, months after comparing the Republican presidential candidate to Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. "Yes, I would meet with him," Pena Nieto said, referring to Trump in a pre-taped television interview broadcast on Tuesday night. "I have never met him. I can't agree with some of the things he has said, but I will be absolutely respectful and will seek to work with whomever becomes the next president of the United States." Trump has sparked outrage in Mexico with his campaign vow to build a wall along the southern US border to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and to make Mexico pay for it. In a Mexican newspaper interview in March, Pena Nieto said Mexico would not pay for the proposed wall under any scenario, likening Trump's "strident tone" to the World War II era dictators. But at a June summit in Canada, Pena Nieto said he only drew the comparison as a reminder of the devastation wreaked in the past. Washington: Donald Trump made a pitch to African-American voters on Tuesday, saying Democrats had betrayed them and pledged he would revitalise impoverished urban communities. His comments at a rally in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin came as something of a surprise from the Republican candidate who until now has done little to endear himself to minorities. Im asking for the vote of every African- American citizen struggling in our country today who wants a different and much better future. Its time for our society to address some honest and very, very difficult truths. The Democratic Party has failed and betrayed the African-American community, the presidential nominee said. He said Democrats have taken the votes of African-Americans for granted. They just assume theyll get your support and done nothing in return for it, he said. Trumps outreach to black voters came after he said earlier on Tuesday that he would reject bigotry in all forms if elected. I will fight to ensure that every American is treated equally, protected and honored equally, Trump said in a statement posted on Facebook. We will reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms. overhaul Trump has again shaken up his senior campaign staff, appointing a conservative website executive and a pollster to head his team amid sinking poll numbers, news reports early Wednesday said. Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of the influential Breitbart News site, will serve as the campaigns chief executive. Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway, a longtime Republican pollster, will become campaign manager. Paul Manafort, the Trump campaign chairman who in recent days has come under scrutiny for his links to the pro-Russia former president of Ukraine, will remain in his current role, the reports said. I want to win, Trump told the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday night after disclosing the staffing changes. Thats why Im bringing on fantastic people. Manila: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte sent a strong message to Islamic State militants, warning the group that he could be ten times more brutal in dealing with them. According to reports, the President vowed to fight against terrorism and denounced ISIS terrorists, claiming that they did not have any political ideology and did not know what religion meant. Terrorists, like ISIS, have no political ideology, no concept at all. You maim people, you kill them, women who refuse to have sex with them, they simply burn them. We have seen a barbaric practice and even cutting throats of people in front of the world, Duterte was quoted saying by the Philippines media. Read: Philippine President Duterte links 150 judges, politicians to drugs Duterte asserted that he would put his presidency on the line if needed, in his efforts to destroy terrorism. "If you can do it, I can do it 10 times better than you, definitely. I'll put at stake my honor, my life, and the presidency." Duterte, 71, was sworn-in after winning June's presidential elections in a landslide after campaigning largely on a platform of ending rampant crime, warning that the Philippines was in danger of becoming a narco-state. The controversial leader had made global headlines for having hundreds of suspects killed in his campaign against crime. Seoul: North Korea on Tuesday labelled South Korean President Park Geun-Hye a "psychopath" after she made a speech slamming Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions and defending the deployment of a US anti-missile system. In her televised address on Monday, Park had stressed that deploying the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system was an act of "self-defence" in response to the North's expanding nuclear weapons programme. A spokesman for the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country said Park's argument was "preposterous" and unfounded. "This is just a lame excuse and she should know that no one will be taken in by such sophism of a puppet that can do nothing without an approval of her US master," the spokesman said. "This is no more than nonsense talked by a psychopath," he added in a statement carried by the North's official KCNA news agency. North Korea has threatened to take "physical action" against the THAAD deployment, saying any South Korean ports and airfields hosting US military hardware would become a target. Beijing is also opposed to the move, seeing it as a US bid to flex its military muscle in the region and undermine China's own missile capabilities. US Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, addressed those concerns during talks yesterday with his Chinese counterpart, General Li Zuocheng in Beijing. THAAD is "not a threat in any way to China," Milley told Li according to a US Army statement. Deploying the system "is a defensive measure to protect South Koreans and Americans from the North Korean ballistic missile threat," he added. Milley was due to hold talks with top South Korean military officials in Seoul on Tuesday. North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain Thae Yong-Ho and his family defected to South Korea and they are now in Seoul. (Photo: AP/File) Seoul: South Korea on Wednesday said that North Korea's deputy ambassador to Britain had defected to Seoul, in a rare and major loss of diplomatic face for Pyongyang. The Unification Ministry said Thae Yong-Ho the number-two at the North's mission in London had defected together with his family and they were now in the South Korean capital. "They are under government protection and are going through necessary procedures with related institutions," ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee told reporters. Jeong declined to reveal Thae's defection route, citing the diplomatic sensitivities involved for the concerned countries. "On his reasons for defection, Minister Thae cited disgust with (North Korean leader) Kim Jong-Un's regime, admiration for South Korea's free, democratic system and the future of his family," Jeong said. Read: South Korea releases North Korean restaurant defectors Increasingly isolated internationally because of its nuclear weapons programme, North Korea maintains relatively few overseas embassies, and defections by diplomats of Thae's stature are extremely rare. The last such case was that of the North Korean ambassador to Egypt who defected to the United States in 1997. South Korea' JoongAng Ilbo newspaper, which first reported Thae's defection yesterday, said he had been under pressure from Pyongyang to combat growing international criticism of North Korea's human rights record. North Korean defectors have been making headlines recently, largely due to an unusual group defection in April by a dozen waitresses and their manager who were working at a North Korean-run restaurant in China. A North Korean army colonel who had handled spying operations on South Korea was announced to have defected last year. And, in July, an 18-year-old student, who was in Hong Kong for an international maths contest, reportedly sought asylum in the South Korean consulate in the city. The Unification Ministry said Thae's defection reflected the loss of faith among North Korea's elite in Kim Jong-Un's leadership. "Awareness that the North Korean regime has reached its limit is spreading and the solidarity of its ruling class is weakening," Jeong said. Thae was believed to have worked at the embassy in London for 10 years, with one of his main tasks being to counter the image of North Korea as a nuclear pariah state and notorious human rights abuser. Over the years, nearly 30,000 North Koreans have fled poverty and repression in their country and settled in the South. But the number of defectors - who once numbered more than 2,000 a year has nearly halved since Kim Jong-Un took power after the death of his father and former leader Kim Jong-Il in December 2011. The 22-year (pictured in the photo) denied raping the boy. (Photo: AP) Boostedt, Germany: An Afghan man is accused of raping a four-year-old boy at a migrant centre in Germany after the childs father found him with his pants down in a toilet cubicle. According to a report in the DailyMail, the childs father, who is an Iraqi immigrant, was looking for him when he came across the toilet cubicle and noticed his shoes outside the bathroom door along with the footwear of an adult. Read: Austria: Migrant rapes 10-year-old boy, claims it was 'sexual emergency' The father knocked on the door and then discovered his son with his pants down, but the man explained that he was only helping the child with The incident happened at an asylum centre in the German town of Boostedt, which is located in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. While the 22-year-old accused has denied raping the boy, a medical test revealed otherwise as traces of the four-year-old boy was found in the older mans private parts after a penile swab was conducted. Read: Migrant men sexually abuse minor boy at a public swimming pool in Germany Another man, a 29-year-old has been charged along with the main accused for helping him assault the child. The court was told that the accused had also threatening the little boys elder brother, who is only eight, with a knife, to keep quiet. This attack is only latest in the series of sexual assault cases involving asylum seekers that have shocked the nation. In April this year, two Afghan migrants were arrested for sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy at a public swimming pool in West Germany. London: Anjem Choudary, Britain's most high-profile Islamist preacher whose followers have been linked to numerous plots across the world, has been found guilty of inviting support for ISIS. Choudary, 49, was convicted at London's Old Bailey court of using online lectures and messages to encourage support for the banned group which controls large parts of Syria and Iraq. Notorious in Britain where the tabloids denounce him as a hate preacher, he is also well-known abroad, making regular TV appearances in the wake of attacks by Islamist militants to blame Western foreign policy for targeting Muslims. "These men have stayed just within the law for many years, but there is no one within the counter terrorism world that has any doubts of the influence that they have had, the hate they have spread and the people that they have encouraged to join terrorist organisations," said Dean Haydon, head of London police's Counter Terrorism Command. Prosecutors said that in postings on social media, Choudary and his close associate Mizanur Rahman, 33, had pledged allegiance to the "caliphate" declared by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and said Muslims had a duty to obey or provide support to him. Both men, who had denied the terrorism charges and claimed the case was politically motivated, were found guilty last month but their convictions could not be reported until Tuesday for legal reasons. They are due to be sentenced in September and could face a jail sentence of up to 10 years each. Choudary, the former head of the now banned organization al-Muhajiroun, became infamous for praising the men responsible for the 9/11 attacks on the United States and saying he wanted to convert Buckingham Palace into a mosque. Despite his often controversial comments and refusal to condemn attacks by Islamists such as the London 2005 bombings, Choudary has always denied any involvement in militant activity and had never been previously charged with any terrorism offence. Rahman served two years in jail for encouraging followers to kill British and American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq during a protest in 2006. Breeding Ground For Militants Al-Muhajiroun has been regarded as a breeding ground for terrorists since it was founded in the late 1990s by Syrian-born Islamist cleric Omar Bakri, who was banished from Britain in 2005, and was banned under anti-terrorist laws in 2010. Police said it was suspected of being the driving force behind the London bombings while Michael Adebolajo, one of the men who hacked to death British soldier Lee Rigby on a London street in 2013, had attended protests Choudary had organised. Last year, the trial of a teenage Muslim convert found guilty of plotting to behead a soldier in London was told he had fallen in with al-Muhajiroun. The group's influence is said to extend far beyond Britain. Those connected to it include Abu Hamza al-Masri, jailed for life in the United States last year for terrorism-related offences. Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the gunman who shot and killed a soldier in Canada's capital and then stormed parliament in 2014, followed Choudary on Twitter, although the preacher told Reuters at the time he had no links to him. "Over and over again we have seen people on trial for the most serious offences who have attended lectures or speeches given by these men," Haydon said in a statement. Both Choudary and Rahman say they abide by a "covenant of security" which forbids Muslims from carrying out attacks in non-Muslim lands where their lives and wellbeing are protected. "We're living in a global community and no doubt Muslims around the world who have their eye on what's happening in Syria and Iraq or want to know about the sharia (law) will come across us at one point or another," Choudary told Reuters in 2014. "That does not mean that we're encouraging people to carry out any acts of terrorism." Al-Qaeda's slain founder Osama bin Ladens son has urged Saudis to overthrow the kingdom's rulers in order to free themselves from the influence of the United States. (Photo: AFP) Dubai: The son of Al-Qaeda's slain founder Osama bin Laden has urged Saudis to "overthrow" the kingdom's rulers in order to "free" themselves from US influence, SITE Intelligence Group reported on Wednesday. In an undated audio message, Hamza bin Laden urged Saudi youth to join the Yemen-based Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) to "gain the necessary experience" to fight, according to SITE. Classified by the United States as the network's deadliest franchise, AQAP was formed in January 2009 as a merger of the Yemeni and Saudi branches of Al-Qaeda. Yemen is the ancestral home of Saudi-born Osama bin Laden, who was killed in Pakistan in 2011 by an elite team of US Navy SEALS after a decade on the run. US intelligence officials have said that 23-year-old Hamza was the favourite son of the 9/11 mastermind who had been grooming him to take over as Al-Qaeda's leader. On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death, experts have noted Hamza's increasing prominence among jihadists in comparison to that of Egyptian Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. A Saudi-led coalition is battling Iran-backed rebels in Yemen as well as Sunni jihadists who have joined AQAP and the Islamic State group. Saudi authorities in 1994 stripped Osama bin Laden of his nationality after he issued fatwas, or Islamic religious pronouncements, denouncing both the royal family and the United States. Beijing: Hailing India for keeping "neutral stand" over the South China Sea issue despite pressure from the US and Japan, state-run Chinese media on Wednesday said there are some contradictions and frictions between the two nations but the overall bilateral relations have been developing smoothly. "When it comes to security, after the final award of the South China Sea arbitration was announced, the Indian government has kept a neutral stance despite the pressure from Washington and Tokyo," an article in the state-run Global Times said. Calling for "solid step forward" to improve relations, the article said "admittedly, there are some contradictions and frictions between China and India, but the overall bilateral relations have been developing smoothly". It also flayed Indian media for "going too far" to blame China for blocking India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group and linking last week's Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India to the South China Sea issue. "Indian media has spared no effort in linking Wang's visit to the South China Sea issue and the country's failure in joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)," it said. Last month an international tribunal struck down Chinas claims over the South China Sea based on historic rights, pushing Beijing on the back foot in its maritime dispute with the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan over the area. "Regarding the NSG case, Indian media has gone too far, for it is not at all a problem between Beijing and New Delhi. It was the US, not China, who made the relevant rules for NSG membership, and India failed to meet the criteria of entering the club. A dozen NSG members are now opposing India's bid, thus, it does not make sense for Indian media to point an accusing finger at China," it said. "The two nations may have discussed the issue during Wang's visit, and it is possible for both sides to clarify their own ideas, stances and policies over the matter. But the conjecture that Wang was trying to win India's support over the South China Sea by helping New Delhi with the NSG membership doesn't make sense at all," it said. This is the second article in as many days by the daily to criticise Indian media. On August 15, another article blamed the Indian media for "stirring up negative sentiments" against China by highlighting the divergences in the bilateral ties. "During the Wangs visit the two sides may have also discussed how to further promote a closer partnership, which was raised during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit," the article said. "For the moment, when we talk about Sino-India ties, we tend to use the phrase 'relations are generally stable without major conflicts'. Yet this should not be the highest expectation we hold for the relationship," it said. "Beijing and New Delhi have raised hopes for economic and trade cooperation, but turning them into reality requires wider consensus and more consultations," it said. Acknowledging problems in the bilateral collaboration on economic and trade issues which "used to be one of the most positive parts of the bilateral relations, it said "joint works in this regard have not been going smoothly in recent years". "Apart from the sluggish global economy, a major problem remains hard to resolve - India's growing trade deficit with China. Indian products are not competitive and New Delhi complains that Chinese markets are not open enough. Due to the remaining divergences, no good solution has yet been found," it said. "In 2014, China promised to invest USD 20 billion in India over the next five years. How is this project going? No official figures have been revealed, and no information over major programs in this regard has been heard either over the past two years," it said. Meanwhile, there is also no real progress on the Beijing-raised Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor, which is a vital part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Numerous reasons can be listed, including political changes and social turmoil in Myanmar, it said. "More significantly, New Delhi has kept a negative attitude toward the initiative. It does not mean that India is not welcoming China's investment. Yet, given the nation's strategic interests, it does not fully trust China because part of the project goes through sensitive regions in India. China will hence listen to New Delhi's concerns and keep promoting the plan," it said. "That said, taking a solid step forward over bilateral joint works that can bring mutual benefit is a crucial part of discussions not only during Wang's meetings in India, but also in the future," it said. "We should not focus on the obstacles, but attach more importance to collaboration with mutual benefits. Due to some long-standing problems, such as territorial disputes, it might be hard for China and India to become true friends, but turning into enemies will not serve anyone's interests," it said. As the two largest emerging powers in Asia, if China and India can enhance their friendly ties, and have more cooperation on international issues such as carbon emission reduction, reforming the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the two countries can share more mutual profits, it said Islamabad: A Pakistani Taliban breakaway faction that claimed responsibility for the bombing of a hospital last week said on Tuesday it had no links with ISIS, whose leadership also said it was behind the attack. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, which briefly declared allegiance to ISIS in 2014, said in an audio statement that its fight was solely against the Pakistani state and that linking it to trans-national terrorist networks was wrong. "We want to make it clear that our movement has no connection to Daesh or al Qaeda," the group's leader, Omar Khalid Khorasani said, using the Arabic acronym "Daesh" to refer to ISIS. "Those in Daesh or al Qaeda or any other mujahideen movement are our Muslim brothers. But we do not have any organisational link with any of them. With Daesh and al Qaeda we have never had an organisational link before, and even today we have no organisational link with them," Khorasani said. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar claimed responsibility within hours for the suicide bomb in the southwestern city of Quetta that killed more than 70 people, most of them lawyers, on August 8. Later, ISIS, based in Iraq and Syria, also claimed responsibility. That heightened fears that ISIS had gained a firmer foothold in Pakistan, a country of 190 million people where a myriad of local outfits exist with the means of launching major attacks. Jamaat-ur-Ahrar, behind a series of bombings including in a public park in Lahore in March, has never specifically disavowed Islamic State before. Khorasani made no mention of the Quetta bombing in the audio message released on Tuesday. The group, designated a "global terrorist" group by the United States earlier this month, emerged in 2014 after Khorasani, the Pakistani Taliban commander in the Mohmand tribal area, broke off to form his own organisation. In the statement, Khorasani said his group had no intention of fighting to install Islamic law beyond Pakistan. He also said that there were no Islamic State fighters present in the areas where his fighters were operating, largely along the lawless border with Afghanistan in Pakistani tribal areas. ISIS has been trying to expand its presence in Afghanistan and Pakistan as its territory shrinks in Syria and Iraq but faces competition from local militants. Security officials and analysts say that ISIS remains - for now - more of a "brand name" in South Asia than a cohesive militant force in much of the region. Two children and a motorcylist were killed and a policeman injured in mishaps involving kite string during Independence Day celebrations on Monday. In separate mishaps, the two three-year-olds had stuck their heads out of the sunroofs of their parents' cars when they were slashed by some `manjha'. Sanchi Goyal was looking out of the sunroof in northwest Delhis Ranibagh when some metal-coated kite string got entangled around her neck. She had gone out for a movie with her parents in Naraina and the mishap happened on their way back home. The car passed through an area where people were flying kites to celebrate Independence Day. The parents didnt realise what was happening till their daughter dropped on to the mothers lap with her neck bleeding. Before that she was laughing throughout the ride, the parents told police. They had also taken some pictures of the child standing in the car, part of her body sticking out from the sunroof. Sanchi was taken to hospital, where she was declared brought dead. Her father is a businessman and mother a housewife. She was their only child. In a similar accident, three-year-old Harry died when he was looking out from the sunroof while travelling with his parents and an uncle. They were going in a car from Subhash Park to Tilak Nagar in west Delhi. In Keshopur near Vikaspuri, a biker died when some kites string caught his neck. Zafar Khan was coming from his sisters home and going towards Nihal Vihar around 5.30 pm. As he tried to free himself, the `manjha' got further entangled and he fell from his motorcycle. He was taken to the hospital by a passer-by but he died due to the head injury he suffered on falling off the motorcycle. A policeman on patrol on his motorcycle was injured in Anand Vihar on Independence Day. He couldnt see the `manjha' while riding and got a cut on his neck, said police. Thirty-year-old sub-inspector M K Manoj was on duty at around 6 pm when the incident took place. He was taken to the hospital and was discharged after treatment. Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao today visited a 150-meter long underground British era bunker, which had been closed for several decades, inside the Raj Bhavan complex at Malabar Hill here. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is also expected to visit the bunker today, a Raj Bhavan official said. Rao accompanied by his wife Vinodha visited the bunker today, after which the Governor expressed his intention to consult experts from various fields to preserve it. The Governor had directed to get the bunker opened after he was informed by old-timers three months ago about the presence of a tunnel inside the Raj Bhavan. On August 12, the staff of the Public Works Department at Raj Bhavan broke open a temporary wall that closed the entrance to the bunker on the eastern side, the official said in a statement. Instead of an underground tunnel, an entire barrack with 13 rooms of different sizes was found. The bunker opens with a 20-ft tall gate and a ramp on the western side. There are long passages and small to medium rooms on either side, he said. The bunker spread over an area of over 5,000 square feet has rooms bearing the name Shell Store, Gun Shell, Cartridge Store, Shell Lift, Pump, Workshop etc. There are also scores of Lamp Recesses in the gangway. Even though the bunker was apparently closed after independence, it was found to be surprisingly intact. Interestingly the entire underground bunker has a drainage system and inlets for fresh air and light, the official said. According to the history of Raj Bhavans in Maharashtra, Raj Bhavan, formerly known as 'Government House' served as the residence of British Governors since 1885 when Lord Reay turned it into a permanent residence. Prior to 1885, the Malabar Hill residence served as the Summer Residence of the British Governors. The Government House at Parel served as the Governor's residence before 1885. India today rejected Pakistan's proposal to hold Foreign Secretary-level talks on Kashmir and asserted that it would like to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism which are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Responding to Pakistan Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry's invitation, India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar expressed his willingness to travel to Islamabad but maintained Pakistan has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an internal matter of India, except to put an end to cross-border terrorism and infiltration. The response was handed over to Pakistan by Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale. "Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in J&K, we have proposed that discussions between the Foreign Secretaries be focused on them. "We have also conveyed that Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi," the sources added. Pakistan on Monday had invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the "international obligation" of both the countries to resolve the issue. The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the issue. Last week, while reacting to a statement by Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz regarding the invitation, India had made it clear that it would talk on "contemporary and relevant" issues in Indo-Pak relations and at this time it included stoppage of Pak-supported cross-border terrorism. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said: "India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali. "Incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan." India and Pakistan have been engaged in a war of words over the statements by Islamabad on the situation in Kashmir which is witnessing unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani last month. Wani was described as a martyr by Pakistan, which has also tried to internationalise the Kashmir issue while India has been maintaining that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the Valley is the root cause of the turbulence. Former Union Minister Najma Heptulla was today made Governor of Manipur while ex-Rajya Sabha MP V P Singh Badnore goes to Punjab in new gubernatorial appointments announced for four states with all of them being associated with the BJP. Banwarilal Purohit, a three-time former member of Lok Sabha from Nagpur and Managing Editor of Central India's daily 'The Hitavada', will be the Governor of Assam while Delhi-based BJP leader and former MLA Prof Jagdish Mukhi was made Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique. Heptulla, 76, had last month resigned as Minority Affairs Minister from Union Cabinet. The resignation had come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to have set an unwritten writ of '75-year age bar' for ministers and had kept veterans like L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi out of the Cabinet and co-opted them in 'Margdarshak Mandal'. Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan was holding the additional charge as Manipur Governor. 68-year-old Badnore, who hails from Rajasthan, will be the new Governor of Punjab, the communique said. Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki was holding additional charge of Punjab, which goes to polls next year, after Shivraj Patil's term ended last year. Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was holding additional charge as Assam Governor, a post which will now be assumed by 76-year-old Purohit. Professor Jagdish Mukhi, who has been Member of Delhi Legislative Assembly from Janakpuri constituency, has been appointed as Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the communique said. 73-year-old Mukhi has been appointed in place of Lt General (Retd) A K Singh, it said Heat-induced heart failure was the cause of death of an Indian wild elephant that was swept into Bangladesh by raging flood waters, doctors said today after an autopsy. Doctors, who conducted the autopsy of 'Bangabahadur', meaning Hero of Bengal, said the four-tonne elephant died of heat-induced heart failure at around 7 AM yesterday at Koyra village in northern Jamalpur district, about 200 km from the capital Dhaka. The Sharishabarhi Upazila chief executive had formed a three-member committee, led by veterinary surgeon Mostafizur Rahman of Bangabandhu Safari Park, to conduct the elephant's autopsy and find out the cause of death. "Bangabahadur died from heart failure triggered by insufferable heat," Rahman was quoted as saying by bdnews24. The animal was laid to rest at Koyra in the evening.Tapan Kumar Dey, a former forest conservator who led the rescue attempts, said, "We tried our best to rescue Bangabahadur and keep the elephant alive. Its death has also pained us". Bangabahadur was separated from its herd on June 27 in Assam - where monsoon floods have made life difficult - and got washed away in the streams of mighty Brahmaputra to downstream Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, after it was thought to have travelled for nearly 1,700 kilometres, Bangabahadur was rescued on August 11 by a forest team following six weeks of frantic efforts. On its way from India, it was forced to stay in marshes as the highlands were occupied by flood-hit people who were unwilling to let the frightened animal share their shelters. The elephant entered Bangladesh through Roumari frontiers of northwestern Kurigram and then travelled miles to Jamalpur. It appeared agitated after being tranquilised more than once and moved indiscriminately for nearly an hour before it fell into a ditch unconscious during rescue efforts. Forest officials and villagers dragged him off the ditch.It died as a process was underway to shift it to the Bangabandhu Safari Park from the remote village. Officials had planned to bring in two trained elephants to support the transportation.Witnesses and people in the neighbourhood suspected that excessive tranquillising might have partly led to its death. They alleged Bangabahadur was provided less than what it deserved to eat as officials feared with regained strength, it could break the shackles and pose threat to the neighbourhood. Without proper food it gradually lost its strength.Earlier, an expert team from India led by a retired chief forest conservator on July 4 joined the Bangladeshi team in rescuing the elephant but left the scene three days later. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should first account for the alleged "atrocities" committed by India in Kashmir before talking about Balochistan, Pakistan's main Opposition leader Bilawal Bhutto said today and vowed to maintain the country's sovereignty at every cost. Taking exception to Modi's statement about Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15, Bilawal said that the words used by the prime minister were "highly provocative, irresponsible and inflammatory". "Modi should first stand accountable to the international community for unending and perpetual atrocities against Kashmiris, Muslims and Dalits in Kashmir and in India," said Bilawal, chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP). "Balochistan is an integral part of a democratic Pakistan and follies of a dictator cannot empower the Indian Prime Minister to speak on our internal issues," he said. Bilawal said that Kashmir was under curfew and "many innocent Kashmiris" have been killed in the last two months. "Modi may have some yaars (close friends) in Pakistan but the people of Pakistan won't tolerate such language from him against Balochistan or any other integral part of Pakistan. We are a sovereign nation having all the tools to maintain our sovereignty at every cost," he added. He said that his party along with all the democratic forces of Pakistan have condemned the outrageous remarks of Modi and asked him to allow the right of self-determination to the people of Kashmir under UN aegis instead of dilly-dallying and prolonging the issue. "Attempts to divert the attention from world's only nuclear flashpoint Kashmir won't work," he said and called upon the United Nations Security Council to "intervene immediately" to halt Modi from dragging the region to war. Modi had made a mention of atrocities committed by Pakistan in Balochistan in his Independence Day speech. "From the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to express my gratitude to some people -- the people of Balochistan, Gilgit and Pak-occupied-Kashmir -- for the way they whole-heartedly thanked me, the way they expressed gratitude to me, the way they conveyed their goodwill to me recently," Modi had said, kicking up a war of words between the two nations. India has been ranked 66th in a list of most innovative economies, jumping 15 places from last year, according to a new UN report which calls for more transparent policies if the country aspires to become a global driver of innovation. In the report by the UN World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), India moved up 15 spots from 81st last year to 66th this year in the overall global rankings. The Global Innovation Index 2016, released by the WIPO, Cornell University, and the multi-nation business graduate school INSEAD, said India ranks among the top 50 economies overall in two pillars: Market sophistication, 33, and Knowledge and technology out-puts, 43. The country maintains stable or improved rankings across all pillars, with the most significant improvements in Human capital and research, up 40 spots and Busines sophistication, up 59 spots. Within Human capital and research, India data coverage increased, specifically in graduates in sciences and engineering, ranked eighth overall this year while this was a missing value last year, affecting the jump in its ranking. India's ranking in the Business sophistication pillar is affected most by a substantial improvement in Knowledge workers, up 46 spots and Knowledge absorption, up 33 spots. India also improves in the ranking of firms offering formal training by 56 spots to reach 42nd place. "Furthermore, India improves across all indicators within the Knowledge absorption sub-pillar and it turns in a solid performance in the GII (Global Innovation Index) model's newly incorporated research talent in business enterprise, where it ranks 31st," the report said. However, India shows weakness in two sub-pillars of business environment, 117th, and education, 118th and within this has potential to improve in the the ease of starting a business and pupil-teacher ratio. "India has all the ingredients needed to become a global driver of innovation: A strong market potential, an excellent talent pool and an underlying culture of frugal innovation. Innovative countries have demonstrated the leverage of their cultural advantage to capture markets," the report said. Similarly, India can build on its cultural bias of frugality and sustainability to capture markets not only within its shores but globally. "For this to happen India's industries need to have the hunger to be at the top of the value chain, its customers have to be more demanding, its policies have to be more transparent, and its talent pool has to get more hands-on experience while simultaneously growing to leverage the global talent pool," the report said. The report showed that for the first time, China, a middle-income country, has joined highly developed economies among global leaders in innovation. "China's progression reflects the country's improved innovation performance as well as methodological considerations such as improved innovation metrics in the GII," WIPO said. However, despite China's rise, an "innovation divide" persists between developed and developing countries, it said. Switzerland emerged as the global leader among innovative economies followed by Sweden, the UK, the US and Finland. Switzerland ranked first in the 2015 index as well. WIPO also noted that the 2016 findings point to an increasing awareness among policymakers that fostering innovation is crucial to a vibrant, competitive economy. "Investing in innovation is critical to raising long-term economic growth. In this current economic climate, uncovering new sources of growth and leveraging the opportunities raised by global innovation are priorities for all stakeholders," WIPO Director-General Francis Gurry said. According to WIPO, among the GII 2016 leaders, four economies Japan, the US, the UK, and Germany stand out in "innovation quality", a top-level indicator that looks at the calibre of universities, number of scientific publications and international patent filings. China ranked 17th in innovation quality, making it the leader among middle-income economies for this indicator, followed by India, which has overtaken Brazil. However, Sub- Saharan Africa continued to lag behind. Mauritius took the top spot among all economies in the region, 53rd, followed by South Africa, 54th, Kenya, 80th, Rwanda, 83, Mozambique, 84, Botswana, 90th, Namibia, 93th and Malawi, 98th. Average regional performance shows strengths in the ease of starting a business, information and communication technologies, business-model creation and relative expenditure on education, with weaknesses in firms conducting global research and development, high-tech exports, the quality of local universities and number of scientific publications. Co-editor Soumitra Dutta, Dean at the Cornell College of Business, highlighted the importance of investment in improving innovation quality as essential for closing the "innovation divide". Dutta said, "While institutions create an essential supportive framework for doing so, economies need to focus on reforming education and growing their research capabilities to compete successfully in a rapidly changing globalized world". The Global Innovation Index 2016 ranked nations according to their innovation capabilities and results using approximately 80 indicators that include measures of human capital development and research, development funding, university performance and international dimensions of patent applications, among a host of other important parameters. Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his top ministerial colleagues of "exacerbating" the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader P Chidambaram today said the state was "sliding into total chaos" and asked the ruling PDP to join hands with the opposition to find a way to end the violence. "I am concerned that situation in Jammu and Kashmir is sliding into total chaos. The PDP-BJP government is squarely responsible for the sharp deterioration in the last 6 weeks. "The statements of the Prime Minister, Home Minister and Defence Minister have exacerbated the crisis. Moderation in words and actions alone can retrieve the situation," he said. Chidambaram, during whose tenure as Home Minister several confidence building measures, including reducing the presence of security forces in the Valley were initiated, surprisingly extended a welcoming hand to BJP's coalition partner in the troubled state PDP to join forces with the opposition to find a solution to the unrest there. "The Congress, National Conference and, if willing, the PDP must come together to find a solution: firstly, an immediate solution to stop the violence and, then, a path forward that will bring hope, peace and prosperity to the people of Jammu and Kashmir," he said in a statement. The Congress, however, described Chidambaram's statement as his "personal and individual view". "A person is free to write and speak, so long as he is expressing a personal opinion - a hope, a wish, a desire and not going against any established party opinion," he said. "Today, he has expressed his opinion. We have also said that unless we have the mandate, we have not meddled in Kashmir affairs. Tomorrow, we will have the mandate, who knows, we will go and rule Kashmir and we will show a better ruling than you are showing today," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters at an AICC briefing. While talking about the disconnect between the two ruling coalition partners in Jammu and Kashmir, Singhvi said," We can't have a coalition which does not talk to each other. When something happens, the BJP locally attacks it (PDP), the central government attacks it and then they go and sleep together in a coalition government. "Therefore, that is the real issue today. Tomorrow what happens is not for us to say. There is no such talk, there is no such policy, there is no such election. Somebody has expressed a hope and that is his personal view," he said. In his statement, Chidambaram said the loss of lives-- of protesting youth, other civilians and security forces-- has devastated all and it must stop. "I am afraid the way out of the crisis cannot be found by the present government," he said. Normal life in Kashmir Valley has been affected by violent protests over the last 40 days since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. So far the unrest has claimed the lives of 63 people. A candid Chidambaram has been expressing concern over the situation in the state and had even admitted that successive governments in Srinagar and New Delhi had "mishandled" it. "We (UPA government) did mishandle. But we corrected ourselves in 2010. Now, both the governments in Delhi and Srinagar mishandled (it) very, very badly," he had said recently. The former Union minister had suggested a radical solution to the Kashmir problem by advocating restoration of the "grand bargain" under which Kashmir had acceded to India by granting a large degree of autonomy. "I think their approach is wrong. We have ignored the grand bargain under which Kashmir acceded to India. I think we broke faith, we broke promises and as a result we have paid a heavy price," he had said. Shifting blame to Uttar Pradesh, Power Minister Piyush Goyal today made public documents to show Prime Minister Narendra Modi's electrification claim for Nagla Fatela village was based on information from the state and alleged that the government there was hiding its own "inefficiencies by blaming the Centre". Besides, Rural Electrification Corp, which comes under his ministry, sought clarification from UP's Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitaran Nigam Ltd (DVVNL) on reports about no power connections having been given to households, though the firm in October 2015 certified the village as electrified after laying of infrastructure using central funds. While talking about his government's achievement, Modi in his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort claimed of huge success in bringing electricity to more villages and cited example of Nagla Fatela, three hours from Delhi, getting electricity after more than 70 years. This led to a political row, with the Uttar Pradesh government claiming the village had already been electrified in 1985. However, some reports have suggested that the village is yet to get fully-electrified. Countering the state government claims, Goyal said if the village in Hathras district was electrified way back in 1985, how come the village was in a series of reports from the state dating up to November 2013 identified among unelectrified ones and proposed to be provided with power using central fund. The State Level Standing Committee headed by Chief Secretary had in a note on November 13, 2013 shown the village unelectrified. A letter was sent by Managing Director of DVVNL (state power distribution company) to Central Government nodal agency REC for inclusion of Hathras in the Rural Electrification scheme. Nagla Fatela was shown as unelectrified village with zero households electrified, he said. The Centre, he said, approved fund allocation for the electrification in January 6, 2014 and utilising Central funds transmission line and other equipment were installed by October 20, 2015. DVVNL certified completion of electrification, he said adding after that it is the responsibility of the state government to supply electricity. "Clearly, Uttar Pradesh government is trying to hide its inefficiencies and inadequacies by blaming the Centre," Goyal said. Modi said on Monday, "Out of 18,000 unelectrified villages, more than 10,000 villages have been electrified (during NDA regime). The village of Nagla Fatela is only three hours from Delhi, but it took more than 70 years for it to get electricity. I have been told they are with us, watching this celebration of Independence Day." This kicked up a row as the village, according to reports, continues to be in darkness. "Yet villagers, according to the same reports, paid a monthly electricity bill. How?" wondered Goyal. He pointed to official communication received by his ministry since 2013 for electrification of Hathras district and the many villages within it, including Nagla Fatela. Sanction letter was issued in January 2014 and communication from DVVNL informed in November 2015 that the project for electrifying several villages, including Nagla Fatela, was completed. The completion certificate has signatures of state government officials as well as the contractor for the job, Accurate Transformers, in 2014. The notice sent by REC to DVVNL sought explanation on media reports that quoted chief engineer VS Gangwar as saying that the village was electrified many years ago, but only through "katia" (illegal) connections. "You may also clarify, why, if the infrastructure work had been completed and certified on October 30, as reported by DVVNL, no connection has so far been released to households, including BPL households and the infrastructure remained underutilised after spending public money, including GOI grant. In case your reply is not received within three days, action as deemed appropriate will be initiated," the notice said. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis recent visit to India provided the two countries with an opportunity to clear the air over a string of issues that put bilateral relations under severe strain in recent months. This was the first high-level interaction between the two countries since the Chinese blocked Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), a move that triggered enormous disquiet in Delhi. In April, China had blocked Indias bid to get the United Nations to include the Pakistan-backed and based Jaish-e-Mohammed leader Maulana Masood Azhar in a blacklist of terrorists with links to the al-Qaeda. In both cases, it was its close relationship with Pakistan that had determined Chinas decision. Understandably, this irked India. Adding to the strain in relations were Chinas aerial and overland transgressions of the Line of Control at Uttarakhand in early July. Wangs visit did not resolve differences between the two sides or even result in a narrowing of the gap in their positions. Indeed, explaining Chinas decisions with regard to Azhar and blocking Indias entry to the NSG were not the aim of Wangs visit or an item on the talks agenda. The Chinese foreign ministers focus was on securing Indias cooperation in the upcoming G-20, East Asia and BRICS summits. India did well to raise the NSG and Azhar issues with Wang. At a minimum, this would have given the Chinese the official picture of the impact Beijings decisions had on Delhi. An important outcome of Wangs visit was the decision of the two sides to set up dialogue mechanisms on the nuclear issue and bilateral relations. India must ensure that these mechanisms are active and address its concerns as it has more to gain from them than does Beijing; the latter being keen to brush under the carpet the NSG and Azhar issues. China is reportedly keen on getting Indias support in the South China Sea (SCS) dispute. Reports in the Chinese media suggest that Beijing may be open to backing Indias NSG member-ship in return for Delhis support to Chinas claims in the SCS dispute. Is this a deal that interests India? Delhi needs to clearly think this through. What are its interests in the South China Sea? Would membership in the NSG add to Indias nuclear security or is this more of a prestige issue? Will Indias nuclear programme be undermined if India remains out of this club? Wangs visit is the first of several high-level interactions between India and China in the coming months. India must use these interactions to have its concerns addressed. There is nothing to be gained from using the media to pressure the Chinese. Many government schools have been closed due to shortage of students while others, despite having a good strength, lack basic facilities. The students in Nadupadavu government school are having a tough time, attending classes in a temporary room. Zilla Panchayat Government Lower Primary School situated at Nadupdavu in Kairangala village in Bantwal taluk was started in 2008-09. The school has t85 students studying in class 1 to 7 one to seven. It has only three classrooms. One of them is the Akshara Dasoha kitchen and due to lack of space, the classes are conducted in the kitchen too. At present, five teachers are serving at the school. Though class 8 was started in 2009-10, it has been cancelled this year due to shortage of classrooms and teachers. The construction work of a new classroom has stopped abruptly following lack of grants. The demand for extra classrooms has not been fulfilled by the Department of Public Instruction. The villagers and the School Development and Monitoring Committee members have now built a temporary classroom with coconut leaves and plastic sheets. The students of class 4 are accommodated here. The villagers said they are fed up of submitting memorandums to the elected representatives to solve the problems at the school. They have urged the government to provide new classrooms for the school. Energy Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said the water situation in the state is grim and this would have a negative impact on the power scenario. The Energy department is thus planning medium and long-term measures to tackle the situation. Shivakumar told reporters in Bengaluru that due to below par rainfall, the dams are only 40% full. To meet demand for power in summer, the government is expecting 209 MW from the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. We are also keeping tender process open to purchase power at Rs 4.36 per unit from various sources, he said. The minister said the hydel losses were about 60% and thus dependency on Kudankulam and Yeramarus Thermal Power Station has increased. Three units of Ballari Thermal Power Supply (BTPS) would be affected because of the water crises. Release of water from the Cauvery basin is worst this year compared to the last 40 years. This year permission has not been given to cultivate sugarcane, paddy and other water intensive crops. We have to save at least 15 tmc of water till summer to meet Bengaluru's drinking water needs. Farmers require 40 tmc water for 80 days to grow crops. But, the present availability in the Cauvery basin is only 12.68 tmc. We will release four tmc by the end of August, five tmc by September, two tmc by October, 1.3 tmc by November and a total of 26 tmc by December. Our priority is providing drinking water, Shivakumar said. Release of the Cauvery water started from July 30 and will continue till August 30. It will be stopped from August 31 to September 10. Later, based on the assessment report, the future course of action will be decided. There is a severe shortage of rainfall in the Cauvery catchment areas and the Weather department has forecast that situation will be grim in the coming days, he said. Circular Referring to stopping of a play by students during the Independence Day celebrations in Mandya, Shivakumar said he has issued a circular to DPI and Education department that students should only use photographs of freedom fighters and martyrs and not of any bureaucrats or officials. Shivakumar, who is Mandya district incharge minister, said: Deceased police officials are not martyrs or freedom fighters. So, as a responsible citizen I stopped the staging of the play. A show cause notice was issued to the Zilla Panchayat officials for allowing such a play, he said. DH News Service Plans to tackle drinking water crisis The deficient rainfall and low water levels in reservoirs in various parts of the state prompted the State Cabinet on Wednesday to direct authorities to prepare contingency plans to tackle the drinking water crisis in the coming months. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said the state was staring at a drinking water crisis due to the low water levels in reservoirs, particularly in the Cauvery basin. The water levels (except for the Almatti and the Narayanapura) were much below compared to the levels recorded during the corresponding period last year. Further, the India Meteorological Department had predicted below normal rainfall in August. The dryspell has compelled the state government to work out contingency plans and long term plans to face the impending situation. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directed ministers to tours districts to assess the situation. Besides, cabinet sub-committees would be constituted to take up relief work, he said. He reiterated that water from reservoirs would only be utilised for drinking water purposes. To a query on whether there would be shortfall in foodgrain target set by the government, Jayachandra said it was too early to make a prediction. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths have arrested the prime suspect in the 2013 bomb blast near the BJP office in Malleswaram. The suspect Mohammad Ali Khan alias Kutty (45), is the founding member of the banned outfit Al Ummah. Khan was picked up from Sathyamangalam in Erode district, Tamil Nadu, on August 15. He was arrested subsequently, said the police. Khan is the prime conspirator of the blast that occurred at 10.30 am on April 17, 2013. Eighteen persons were injured, while 23 vehicles and 56 houses in the locality were damaged in the blast. Khan provided logistics and guided transportaion of explosives. He was absconding in Tamil Nadu for the last three years, a senior CCB officer told DH. The CCB police had arrested Daniel Prakash (35), vice president of Pudukudi village panchayat in Tirunelveli district, from Tirunelveli town in the first week of June this year in connection with the blast. During the interrogation, he provided leads about Khans whereabouts. The CCBs special team monitored Khans movements in Erode district before detaining him, the officer added. Khan is involved in four blasts in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. He had provided explosives for serial blasts in Coimbatore in 1998 at a rally attended by the then deputy prime minister L K Advani. More than 50 persons were killed in the blasts. The local police arrested him and had filed a charge-sheet. The court had awarded him life imprisonment. After serving 12-year prison sentence, he came out of the jail in 2010 and plotted the blast in Malleshwaram, said the police. Khan was one of the prime suspects in a blast at G-1 police station in Chennai in 1998. He was a key conspirator in an explosion near film director Mani Ratnams residence in 1998. He provided logistics for an explosion in 1998 near a bus stand in Coimbatore in which 9 persons were killed. He guided transportation of explosives for the blasts in trains leaving from Chennai for Erode, Tiruchirappalli in Tamil Nadu. And also to Thrissur, where eleven persons were killed in the blasts in 1998, said the police. The CCB police have arrested Paravai Basha, Daniel Prakash, Jahan Aseer and Syed Ali, since March this year. The number of persons arrested, so far, in the case had gone up to 17. Of the 20 suspects in the case, three are still at large. The CCB sleuths were searching for them. The CCB sleuths had filed a 7,745-page charge-sheet in October 2013. The activists of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) continued their protest on Wednesday also, demanding the arrest of people who raised anti-national slogans at an event held in United Theological College on August 13. Hundreds of agitators gathered at the State Bank of Mysore Circle and burnt an effigy of the Amnesty International India (AII). The protesters blocked the road near the circle around 12 noon. The police asked them to leave, but the agitators wanted to submit a memorandum to the city police commissioner. When their request was turned down, the agitators demanded that Police Commissioner Megharikh address them at the spot. Before things could go out of control, Additional Commissioner of Police (West) K S R Charan Reddy arrived at the spot. Reddy received the memorandum from ABVP members and addressed them. The case is being investigated by a team led by an assistant commissioner of police. We are recording the statements of many people who were present at the event and also of the organisers. The official videographer and photographer of the event have been asked to provide the footage of the event, he said. Reddy said that some footages had been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory to ascertain that they have not been doctored. During the investigation, it was learnt that some have used Kashmiri language at the event and the language experts were being roped in for translation. The complainant, who was present at the event will also be questioned and his statement will be recorded. The police are making efforts to trace the people who took part in the programme. Some organisations have come forward to help in identifying and tracing the audience. The management of the United Theological College is also being questioned, added Reddy. Vinay Bidare, national secretary of ABVP told DH that the police were not willing to take action against Amnesty International India. We have decided to continue our protest till the arrests are made. We will also hold protests near the residences of the chief minister and home minister. The government has been acting unfair, by trying to protect anti-nationals, he claimed. Sachin Rathod, organising secretary of ABVP, Bengaluru Central, said that they would hold protest on Thursday too, without intimating the police. Traffic near the Mysore Bank Circle, K G Road, Majestic, Palace Road, Avenue Road, Nrupathunga Road and the surrounding areas, was affected for more than 30 minutes. Starting from September, Vanitha Sahayavani (VSV), the womens helpline and counselling centre, will be conducting workshops and awareness programmes in corporate companies for the benefit of their large women workforce. The centre, which works out of the office of the Commissioner of Police on Infantry Road, is run by the Bengaluru City Police and NGO Parihar and it receives hundreds of calls everyday on their helpline 1091. We handle many cases of abuse against working women daily. We felt that it was necessary to give women information about the legal aspect and also train them to face adverse situations, said Rani Shetty who is in-charge of the centre. She gave an example of a case in which VSV had intervened. A woman was being sexually harassed in the office by her boss. When she stood up against him, she was humiliated and threatened that unless she handed in her resignation letter, she would not be allowed to leave the office premises. The quick-thinking woman went to the restroom and called up the helpline. Immediately, we sent our unit along with women police officers. She was rescued and the boss was taken to the police station. Shetty said. Besides female employees, VSV encourages their male colleagues, employers, staff and even their cab drivers to attend the workshop for sensitisation. Existing laws to protect women from sexual harassment at work, at home and in public will be discussed. The workshops will cover topics such as rape, stalking, eve-teasing, cyber crimes and legal consequences of live-in relationships. VSV is also tying up with self-defence trainers to give basic training for women to be able to protect themselves. Two-day event Seven companies with about 1,000 employees each have shown interest in the initiative. Companies can choose the duration of the sessions based on their convenience from one-hour sessions to two-day comprehensive programmes with group activities and practical training. Surabhi Anantha, a corporate employee said though she has been working for a while now, she does not know the rules to protect women from sexual harassment at the workplace. I have heard about a helpline but I dont know the number. We have not had such workshops in my company while I have been here so such an initiative would really be welcome. Though VSV has held such workshops before, now they will be conducted on a larger scale. Women have the right to a safe environment at work and it is the duty of the employer to ensure this. Shetty added. Workshops will also be conducted in colleges with topics relevant to students being discussed. For queries, contact the centre at 080-22202570 or mail pariharfcc.vsv@gmail.com. The High Court on Wednesday asked nine Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials, against whom an FIR was registered for permitting unauthorised constructions on rajakaluve, to appear before the Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) on Thursday. Meanwhile, the state government has also submitted an undertaking that the accused officials will not be arrested. Justice Anand Byrareddy heard the petitions filed by the officials, M L Munikrishna, a retired chief engineer, P Gangappa, Assistant Director, Town Planning, H Sunitha, Assistant Engineer, Town Planning, Mahadevapura Zone, M Liyakath, Assistant Director, Town Planning, Dasarahalli Zone, M V Guruprasad, Assistant Engineer, Town Planning, Rajarajeshwari Nagar, B T Mohan Krishna, R V Govindaraj, R K Shashidhar and Chowde Gowda. FIR challenged The officials had challenged the FIR registered against them by the BMTF. Based on the complaint by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the BMTF had registered an FIR against 20 officials. The complaint stated that the officials ignored the buffer zone regulations and sanctioned plans for residential properties. Former corporator and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader N R Ramesh on Wednesday released a long list of politicians and their proxy builders, who he said have built residential and commercial complexes on the stormwater drains. At a press conference, Ramesh said as many as 29 of 53 tech parks in the city and 2,300 apartments of 25 prominent builders are sitting on the stormwater drains. More than 150 IT-BT firms, 30 malls and multiplexes are within the buffer zone of drains and lakes. Most of the builders have diverted the SWDs, said Ramesh. He alleged that the state government and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike were targeting only the poor and the middle-class families while letting the big fish off the hook. There are malls, apartments, tech parks on the stormwater drains but the government did not target them. Only the poor and middle-class are being victimised, said Ramesh. He said, the government is hesitating to target mega structures as a few influential politicians in the state have stakes in them. The leniency towards the builder lobby has only strengthened the public perception that the government is looking for soft targets, the BJP leader added. There's a High Court order to clear the encroachment of rajakaluve. Fearing a backlash from the court following the recent flash floods, the government acted in a jiffy, said Ramesh. He added that the Palike did not bother to serve the eviction notice on the poor and thereby give them some time to relocate whereas builders were given chance to obtain injunctions from the court. The BJP leader termed the survey of SWDs in Bengaluru flawed saying that the structures on SWD is more than 14,000 and not 1,923, as claimed by the BBMP. He also released a list of 65 officials, who issued wrong permissions and Khatha to build apartments, commercial complexes and layouts. Nagla Fatela village in Uttar Pradeshs Hathras district, which found mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modis Independence Day speech as being electrified 70 years after freedom, is still powerless. According to the UP Power Corporation officials here, Nagla Fatela did have power lines, but they were meant only for supplying power for irrigation and running the tubewells and not lighting homes. Some residents, however, had electrified their homes through illegal connections, the officials said. They said that the village was being supplied power for irrigation purposes for the last 25 years. The corporation sources here said that the work of installing transformers, poles and wires, which was taken up under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Village Electrification Project, had almost been completed in the village, but power was yet to be supplied. A resident of the village said power lines had been installed almost a year ago. The residents also said that the village where the people were shown watching TV during the prime ministers speech in a post on social media by a Union minister was not theirs. Sources said that power officials rushed to the village to conduct a survey after Modi mentioned the village in his speech. We are expecting supply of power within a few days, said a senior official. Modi, during his I-Day speech, said that Nagla Fatela village was three hours drive from Delhi, but it took 70 years for power to reach the village. The face-off between two key BJP leaders, state president B S Yeddyurappa and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council K S Eshwarappa, intensified on Wednesday. Eshwarappa has vowed to go ahead with registering Sangolli Rayanna Brigade, an organisation of OBCs and Dalits, and hold its convention at Haveri on Thursday. Speaking to reporters here, he defended the brigade, saying it would counter the Ahinda movement of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and help the BJP. Ahinda is a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits. Eshwarappa insisted that the brigades Haveri convention was aimed at strengthening the BJP. There is nothing wrong in organising such a convention that would prove beneficial to the party. BJP national general secretary P Muralidhar Rao also endorsed the convention at the partys core committee meeting in Bengaluru on August 16. Some retired IPS and IAS officers are hesitant to take part in conventions organised by the partys different wings. So, a separate convention is necessary to garner the support of backward classes and Dalits, he said. Asked about Yeddyurappas instruction to BJP workers to not take part in the convention, Eshwarappa claimed ignorance but hastened to add, I will shortly talk to him. Earlier in the day, Yeddyurappa reiterated that any initiative to strengthen the BJP should be within the party forum and a decision to that effect was taken at the Bengaluru meeting. This is applicable to Eshwarappa, too. The meeting passed off smoothly and there is no rift in the party, he said. DH News Service Private, deemed and minority medical colleges have refused to follow the central governments notice directing state governments to conduct common counselling for the available medical and dental seats in the state. Instead, four separate rounds of counselling will be held for the students who have emerged successful in the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) 2016. A notice issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare states that if possible, states should have a combined counselling for admission to medical and dental college seats. Common counselling Accordingly, Karnataka Minister for Medical Education, Dr Sharan Prakash Patil held a meeting on Wednesday to discuss about the possibility of holding a common counselling. However, the representatives of private, deemed and minority medical institutions objected to the proposal. We have already given 40% seats in our institutions to the government. If the government is going to conduct the counselling too, why should we even run the institutions, the representatives sought to know. The colleges want to conduct the counselling themselves. CBSE will be conducting the counselling for the seats under the All-India quota. Private medical college seats will be filled through COMED-K and deemed and minority colleges will have separate counselling. Transparency in councelling Patil added that the government would ensure transparency in the counselling and fee collection at these institutions.Reservations will not be applicable in the counselling for admission to private medical and dental colleges in the state said A S Srikanth, Chief Executive Officer, COMED-K. Private colleges have already given 40% of available seats to the government. Of the remaining seats, 40% are in the general category and will be given to NEET merit students and 20% seats are for the management quota. Applications for counselling are available online. Students in any part of the country who have got a merit rank in NEET may apply. DH News Service The State Cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to entrust the work of turning the famous Jog Falls into an all season spectacle to a firm owned by Abu Dhabi-based Indian businessman B R Shetty. A proposal for retaining the Jog Falls in Sagar taluk in Shivamogga district in its full glory throughout the year, including the dry months, has been on the cards for nine years now. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said that recently BRS Ventures of the New Medical Centre (NMC) Group owned by Shetty had submitted its bid expressing interest in executing the project. The state-run National Buildings Construction Corporation Ltd also participated in the bid but later withdrew. BRS Ventures has proposed to invest Rs 450 crore in the project. The company will have to get clearances from the Ministry of Environment and Forests and other agencies concerned before executing the project. The entire project will be monitored by the Jog Management Authority (JMA), a government body. The investor can collect fees from tourists and visitors only after the rates are ratified by the JMA, he said. The minister said the number of visitors to the Jog Falls is at its peak during July-October (around eight lakh) after which the footfall declines as the falls dries-up. Most of the hotels and government guest houses remain unoccupied during off-season, he said. Jayachandra said the Cabinet discussed at length the pros and cons of giving approval for the project. The meeting decided that the approval should be given on the condition that the final project report should be strictly adhered to after clearances from various agencies. According to sources, a section of ministers expressed apprehension that the project if not monitored properly could take the direction of Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor project (executed by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises), which has been riddled in controversy since its inception. Jayachandra said Shetty, who hails from Udupi and went on to build a business empire in the Gulf, had stated at the recent edition of Invest Karnataka summit that he was executing the project without any commercial interest in mind. Shetty stated that he wanted to give back something to the state, the minister added. Artificial falls The project was first mooted 10 years ago by Prof H R Vishwanath, a former principal of the BMS College of Engineering, Bengaluru. Prof Vishwanath said around 200 cusecs of water per second is required to create artificial falls throughout the year. This can be done using reversible pumping technology and power can also be generated. DH News Service Rs 6.94 crore for purchase of vehicles by the Anti-Corruption Bureau Rs 24.7 crore for purchase of Information Communication Technology equipment for government hospitals Rs 10.95 crore for construction of kitchens in Yadgir and Kalaburagi districts under mid-day meal programme Approval to Karnataka Education Department Service Rules, 2016, as per National Council for Teacher Education norms to recruit 1,727 high school teachers India on Wednesday said Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar is ready to travel to Islamabad for a dialogue, but talks will have to focus on issues related to cross-border terrorism. New Delhi has also made it clear to Islamabad that Pakistan has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the (prevailing) situation in Jammu & Kashmir, which is Indias internal matter. The only action excepted from Pakistan is to put an end to cross-border terrorism and infiltration. Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in Jammu & Kashmir, we have proposed that discussions between the foreign secretaries focus on them. We have also conveyed that the Government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India, a source said on Indias response to Pakistans proposal. The response from the Indian side comes in the wake of Pakistan foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhrys invitation to Jaishankar to hold a discussion on Jammu & Kashmir, claiming that Kashmir is an international obligation for both the nations. Indias retort was conveyed to the Pakistans Foreign Office by Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad Gautam Bambawala. The provocative proposal from across the border comes at a time when there are growing tensions between the neighbours. Defence ministry sources pointed out that activities across the Line of Control were higher this time as the number of infiltration attempts and the terrorists killed went up in the last six to eight months when compared to the corresponding period in 2015. All parameters are on the rise, said an army official. India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali, said Vikas Swarup, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs. Other relevant issues would include incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan. The Centre on Wednesday named former Union minister Najma Heptullah the governor of Manipur, along with three other gubernatorial appointments. Former Rajya Sabha member V P Singh Badnore will take charge as governor of poll-bound Punjab, while media entrepreneur-turned politician Banwarilal Purohit is headed to Assam. Former Delhi Opposition leader Jagdish Mukhi will be Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He will replace Lt General (Retd) A K Singh, who was appointed during the UPA regime in 2013. Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan was holding additional charge of Manipur, while Nagalands P B Acharya was in charge of Assam. Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki was looking after Punjab. Civil servant-turned-BJP politician Alphons Kannanthanam and former IPS officer Farooq Khan, BJPs national secretary in-charge of Northeast, were appointed administrators of Chandigarh and Lakshadweep, respectively. However, PTI reported that Kannanthanams appointment was put on hold following opposition from parties in Punjab. Anandiben Patel, who recently resigned as chief minister of Gujarat, did not make it to the list, amid speculation that she would find a place in one of the Raj Bhavans. Anandiben had made a surprise announcement last month about her resignation, saying she was nearing 75 and wanted to make way for a younger leader. Rajya Sabha MP Najma (76), who handled the Ministry of Minority Affairs, had quit the Union Cabinet last month. It was seen as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modis plan to set a 75-year age criteria for membership to the council of ministers. DH had then reported that Najma could be considered for governorship. Najma, a six-term MP who represents Madhya Pradesh, will have to quit the Rajya Sabha before she assumes the governors post in Manipur, which is going to polls early next year. The youngest among the new appointees, Badnore (68), was a Rajya Sabha member till recently. He was not given re-nomination. Purohit (70), a former BJP MP from Nagpur who won the seat twice on a Congress ticket, owns Hitavada, an English newspaper founded by Gopal Krishna Gokhale. On the defensive over the Bengaluru Police slapping sedition charges on Amnesty International India, the Congress high command on Wednesday advised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against making any arrests till the investigation is completed. All India Congress Committee general secretary Digvijaya Singh said, I spoke to the chief minister of Karnataka and he has assured me that no arrests would be made pending investigation. Only an first information report (FIR) has been filed, Singh said. Siddaramaiah had earlier said that nobody would be spared if they were found indulging in any anti-national activities. The Congress leaders argued that raising slogans cannot be the grounds for invoking sedition charges. They said sedition charges can be slapped on an individual and not an entire institution. An FIR does not mean that a crime has been established. There is no charge sheet, no closure, senior advocate and Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi said. Singhvi said the Government of Karnataka had not accepted the sedition charges made in the FIR filed on the basis of a complaint made by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists in Bengaluru. Simply raising slogans is not a fit case to be charged with sedition, Singh said, adding that the law was used by the British against freedom fighters. The Congress had strongly protested the slapping of sedition charges against Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president Kanaihya Kumar in February with party vice president Rahul Gandhi visiting the varsity campus to express his solidarity with the students. Nothing seditious The Bengaluru police investigating the case said the sedition charges may not hold water. A senior police officer, on the condition of anonymity, said, Prima facie the case looks like there is nothing amounting to sedition. The video footage, which is being examined, does not show any statement amounting to sedition. We are expecting more videos. If the investigation proves that people are involved in an act of sedition, then they will be arrested and punished in accordance with the law. For now, nothing can be ruled out. The United Theological College, where the event took place, has filed a case against ABVP members for vandalising the college property on Sunday. Meanwhile, Amnesty International India has indefinitely postponed its events related to the Journey for Justice campaign scheduled in Mumbai and Delhi for August 20 and August 26, respectively, due to concerns over the security of families, a statement released by the organisation said. Bangor University is working on the development of an injectable gel to aid the recovery of wounds for people with diabetes. This new project is among hundreds that will be conducted at Wales eight universities, which will receive 26m of funding from the European Union. It is part of the Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships II (KESS II), led by Bangor University. Researchers are planning on creating a polymer hydrogel that contains bio-compatible polymers. The aim is that these will tackle infections in wounds. People with diabetes often find that wounds heal more slowly, and having prolonged high blood glucose levels can increase the risk of a wound worsening. According to Dr Hongyun Tai, of Bangor Universitys School of Chemistry, 25 per cent of patients worldwide will eventually develop a diabetic ulcer. This can lead to patients having reduced mobility, inability to work and in some cases, amputation. The hydrogel system that Bangor University has developed looks to differentiate from current gels on the market. These gels normally bond with the bodys tissue, but removal of the dressing can cause damage to the wound. This new dressing is designed to degrade on the wound over a required time, which means patients wont have to remove it. Some of the polymers in the dressing will be polyester-based, and they can hold water; they have similar properties as soft tissue, Dr Tai said. And, also, we can formulate gels with certain nutrition and drugs inside. As part of the EU-funded project, Bangor University will team with a local company and a Ph.D student to develop the hydrogel system. Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found that sleep disordered breathing from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and nocturnal hypoxia in obese teens with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may worsen scarring in the liver. The study findings, published in the Journal of Hepatology, show that among obese adolescents with NAFLD, those that experience periods of low oxygen at night due to OSA had the most severe cases of liver disease. Patients suffering from such disrupted sleep patterns can experience repeating cycles of normal and low oxygen levels during sleep and even develop increasing amounts of scar tissue in the liver through a mechanism that until now wasnt completely understood. Here, the research scientists have first established a link between obesity-related OSA and NAFLD progression in adults before making a connection between nocturnal hypoxia and oxidative stress, which is believed to be a driving factor of NAFLD. Sleep apnea also increases the risk for cardiovascular disease, a major diabetes-related complication, by putting extra pressure on the heart to get oxygenated blood to the body. The hypothesis tested by researchers was that oxidative stress-derived free radicals or reactive oxygen species from both OSA and nocturnal hypoxia in obese NAFLD patients create an inflammatory reaction causing cell injury by oxidative damage in the liver. The phenomenon whereby sleep apnea worsens NAFLD is well established in adults but few studies examined whether this holds true for teens, especially obese teens. To do so, lead investigator Dr Shikha Sundaram of Childrens Hospital Colorado and her colleagues studied 36 adolescents with NAFLD and 14 lean patients in a control group. Both NAFLD obese patients of whom 25 had sleep apnea or periods of hypoxia during sleep and lean subjects underwent sleep studies, liver testing and urine analysis. The results revealed that teens with obstructive sleep apnea/hypoxia had more severe liver fibrosis (the first stage of liver scarring) than others, and had higher markers of oxidative stress. Furthermore, greater oxidative stress occurred at night in 23 teens with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a more serious form of liver disease. These data, along with other recent studies, seem to indicate rather conclusively that the progression of liver disease and sleep apnea are closely related. NAFLD subjects affected by OSA and low oxygen tend to have a greater imbalance between the presence of free radicals and their bodys ability to counteract their harmful effects than patients without any sleep disorder. People living in areas which encourage walking are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, research has found. A 12-year Canadian study has suggested the walkability of a neighbourhood is linked to peoples chances of becoming obese and developing type 2 diabetes. Researchers at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michaels Hospital, Toronto, compared living in more walkable urban areas with less walkable areas for overweight, obesity, and diabetes. Neighborhood walkability was derived from a validated index, which included population density, residential density, walkable destinations, including the number of retail stores, services, libraries, banks, community centres as well as schools within a 10-minute walk. Almost 9,000 residential areas were ranked on walkability. The researchers used annual surveys looking at people aged between 30 and 64 years living in Southern Ontario cities. Urban neighbourhoods in Ontario, Canada, that were characterised by more walkable design were associated with decreased rates of type 2 diabetes between 2001 and 2012, according to the study published in JAMA, The Journal of the American Medical Association. Dr Jan Hux, of the Canadian Diabetes Association (CDA), said: The risk of a new case of diabetes fell by almost 20 per cent in those really walkable neighbourhoods. While in the least walk-able neighbourhoods the risk of diabetes stayed steady or even increased. What weve come to realise in the last decade is that environmental factors are really important in the risk of type 2 diabetes. The study team stressed the benefits of getting regular exercise for people with and without diabetes, which include improved blood glucose levels and blood pressure. Huaweis latest smartphone, the Huawei P9, has made a considerable amount of noise with the dual-camera setup on the smartphone in partnership with Leica. Leica has provided Huawei with SUMMARIT f/2.2 lenses for the two cameras and the phone itself uses two Sony IMX286 Exmor RS image sensors, each capable of shooting 12-megapixel photos. While one captures chrominance (colour data), the other is used to capture the blacks, whites, light and contrast data. Huawei also uses advanced algorithms, along with dedicated processors to enhance smartphone photography experience. With all of this at hand, how does the Huawei P9 fare in terms of the best smartphone shooters that we have around us? This is what we try to find out. The mechanism As we have already stated in our review, the Huawei P9s dual-camera mechanism works in similar fashion to the Qiku Q Terra. One 12-megapixel sensor is tuned to capture all the colours, and the other one captures the blacks and whites, adding to the sharpness and contrast of the photographs you shoot with it. Additionally, the presence of two sensors allow for more light to be captured than a regular image sensor on smartphones. Huawei has used two IMX286 Exmor RS sensors by Sony, which have larger pixel size of 1.25mi to allow absorption of more light data, thus giving the Huawei P9 the ability to brighten frames even in low light environment. This mechanism also allows the Huawei P9 to retain accuracy of colours uniformly across various lighting environment. The dual-lens setup also allows for all the fractal-like bokehs that look wondrous. Note: Photograph has been cropped by 100% All of this, theoretically, makes the camera setup on the Huawei P9 one of the most alluring smartphone cameras to look forward to. Plus, the presence of Leica makes it all the more appealing. Standalone performance Right from the onset, theres little doubt to the fact that the Huawei P9 is a very good smartphone shooter. The display somewhat oversaturates everything, but transfer the photographs to a neutral display, and you realise that the photos are actually quite good. There is a definitive amount of sharpness to the photographs, along with a good balance of vibrancy and contrast levels in the colours. The saturation levels are slightly enhanced, but with the excellent levels of sharpness and contrast, Im not entirely convinced if that was necessary. Colour accuracy is fairly decent, nonetheless. Skies come close to the forget-me-not blue of August sunshine, and the grey of dust on a potted plant is sharply reflected against the fading green of the leaves. The Huawei P9 is a step in the right direction for smartphone cameras, and under broad daylight, you will be delighted with the results that the Huawei P9 produce. The algorithm ensures that sensor noise does not interfere during amply lit conditions. For instance, under daylight, photographs shot retain ISO at 50 or ISO 80, and shutter speed is shot upwards as necessary. This controls the amount of light in one frame, along with retaining excellent sharpness in photos. Note: Photograph has been cropped by 100% In standalone terms, the Huawei P9 is delightful to shoot with. What you get are sharp, crisp photos with slightly accentuated colour balance, very good contrast levels and minimal noise. As light decreases, the Huawei P9 does render more noise as expected, and Huawei has chosen to opt out of aggressive noise reduction, which actually retains photography aesthetics to an extent. In terms of overall balance, the Huawei P9 is an excellent smartphone shooter, and is definitely among the best smartphone cameras out there right now. In comparison In direct comparison with OnePlus 3 and Apple iPhone 6s, two of the tested smartphone cameras, the Huawei P9 does hold its ground to an extent. Comparing the photos, the OnePlus 3 shoots photos with the best colour, sharpness and saturation balance, in bright daylight situations. Noise levels, though, are rendered higher than what the Huawei P9 manages. In situations where the Huawei P9 shoots at ISO 50, the OnePlus 3 shoots at ISO 125. The noise levels on the iPhone 6s fall somewhere in between the P9 and the OnePlus 3, although photographs appear flatter than the two. The Huawei P9 is more consistent at keeping noise at acceptably low levels, along with retaining sharpness of subject and focus. The OnePlus 3 is the livelier one, and is undoubtedly the faster between the two. Huawei offers a Pro mode, where you get to set manual focus, continuous or servo autofocus, center-weighted/spot/matrix metering, shutter speed, ISO and white balance. The f/2.2 lens adjusts iris according to the ambient light, and does well. All of these modes combined, though, make the Huawei P9 somewhat sluggish. This is the price that you pay for all the advanced controls, although not too many might want to use the manual options too often. This, though, is the deal with the Huawei P9. While it is indeed a good camera smartphone, it is not light years ahead of the competition. Samsung, with its Dual Pixel sensor, and Apple with Sonys RGBW pixel array sensor, come close to offering similar sharpness, contrast and details, and even the Sony Xperia X performs at arguably the same level. Huawei has designed the camera app with great patience and caution, presenting almost every possible tool for you to tinker with and enhance your smartphone photography. You may not find yourself using them very often, though. What we feel The Huawei P9 is a great camera smartphone, and reminds us of the Qiku Q Terras Sony IMX278-powered dual-camera setup, which functioned with the same logic. It adjusts well to different lighting conditions, has enough bells and whistles to please the photographer in you, and offers top notch sharpness and details in the photographs it shoots. It does not really outperform the likes of Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, but is better than the OnePlus 3 in terms of stability and uniformity of performance. It is, indeed, quite commendable. What we would have enjoyed even more is the lenses to have been f/1.8 or wider. Rating: 75 /100 Pros: Great camera, Elegant design, Colourful display Cons: Expensive, Camera is slow, Processor isn't fast enough, EMUI is too heavy Our Verdict: The Huawei P9 has an exceptional camera, but its not without its faults. At the 40k price point, compromises are hard to forgive, and the P9's performance just doesn't justify the price. While the OnePlus 3 is the obvious cheaper alternative, the Samsung Galaxy S7 costs more, but is a much better phone overall. In-Depth Review When the company known for its network equipment came to make smartphones, consumers found it difficult to trust. However, tables have been turning for Huawei over the past two years, with Googles Nexus 6P being a major boost to its business. While the Huawei P9 still needs work, it should silence critics once and for all, on whether Huawei can go toe-to-toe with a Samsung or Apple. Its not the first smartphone aimed at camera enthusiasts, but its one that has huge impact on the future of smartphone cameras. Camera: Two to tango... Huawei is no stranger to dual-cameras, but while the Honor 6 Plus was impressive, the Leica-branded Huawei P9 is even better, with its two 12MP cameras. It has a black and white sensor, and an RGB sensor. The image you get is an amalgamation of information from both these sensors. Before we talk about the result, heres what the this setup means, theoretically. Why two sensors? The monochrome or black & white sensor on the Huawei P9 allows more light, because it doesnt concern itself with colours in the image. Theoretically, the amount of light can be almost double of what a regular camera would take. So, this, when combined with the RGB sensor, brings about three times more light than other cameras, hence providing better low light photos. According to Huawei, the Huawei P9s camera takes 270% more light than an iPhone 6S. The Black & White image will also help tune contrast, using the extra information about the grey shades. The contrast that the Huawei P9 produces should, theoretically, be better as well. Further, two sensors allows the famous bokeh effect (Ill explain how to do that below). All this is done on the Huawei P9, using two Summarit lenses from Leica, and two 12MP Sony IMX286 sensors, with a pretty large 1.25 micron pixel size. The auto-aperture is set to f/2.2 and Huawei threw in a hybrid flash, with both laser and contrast detection autofocus, for good measure. Result In practice, this results in some incredible photos. In its auto mode, the colours produced by the Huawei P9 may be considered a tad oversaturated, but, I suspect thats an effort at feeding general consumer preferences. You can, however, use the settings to reduce saturation to more natural levels. The same can also be said about the contrast, which some may consider too high. You can tweak this too. Colours on the Huawei P9, are retained in both brightly lit and low lit scenes. Personally, I love the colours and contrast the Huawei P9 produces automatically. Note: Images below are cropped for representation. The gallery following these images has a full collection of untampered photos clicked using the Huawei P9. Image clicked under sunny skies are sharp, with very good detail and accurate colours. The Huawei P9 produces good detail in daylight shots, even on a rainy day. The data from the monochrome sensor is used by the Huawei P9 to produce detail. Now under good light, this can result in amazing photos, although, I did see a little softness on peoples faces when clicking under low light sometimes. Low light photography is really good, but I honestly expected more. Under low light, the Huawei P9 creates more true to source photos, but they aren't as bright as you may have expected. The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge produces much brighter photos in such conditions. Dusk: Image shows some noise, but still considerable detail is retained. The contrast is also quite good. Night: While the image produced by the Huawei P9 is better than most other smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy S7 does even better. While for the most part, colour reproduction and detail are good, the Huawei P9 doesnt seem very aggressive in noise reduction. This is perhaps to avoid side effects of NR, like suppressing details. There is luminance noise in images clicked under suboptimal light, but no colour noise. The luminance noise also isnt enough to hamper image quality, for sharing on social media or simply viewing on the phones screen. Given that most wont be looking to enlarge and print a smartphone photo, its not a very big issue. In fact, in the hands of a real pro, noise can be put to good use even. That leads me to believe that this was a decision by Leica more than Huawei. Downsides As good as the Huawei P9s camera is, it still has its weaknesses. For one, the dual-camera setup didnt include optical Image Stabilisation (OIS). This wont matter under good light, but in harsher conditions, the camera decreases the shutter speed and images can often be shaky. Shooting macros in low light, the phone sometimes tends to shift focus to infinity, creating blurry photos yet again. Further, all that software and processing makes the Huawei P9s camera slower than other flagships out there. Huawei has fitted a digital signal processor (DSP) on its Kirin 955 SoC, to enhance camera speed, but much like the processor itself, I find this to be less than ideal compared to other solutions. The camera takes a split second longer to open, but processing after an image is clicked is another split second too long. Also, when shooting at night, the Huawei P9 often takes extra time after a photo is clicked, presumably to take in more light. It asks the user to hold the phone steady during this time, and I shook the phone every time the message appeared. So, is the camera good? As Ive already said, the Huawei P9s camera is great, exceptional even. Its right up there with the best in the market, but not the absolute best. If you fancy yourself a photographer, youll enjoy this camera, while regular users can also take surprisingly good shots. I rarely took a photo I didnt like and I would wholeheartedly recommend the camera to anyone who can overlook the above mentioned faults. The Huawei P9 doesnt have the best camera in the market, but it comes mighty close. Camera app and creating bokehs The review of the Huawei P9 wouldnt be complete without speaking about the camera app. To start with, let me explain how you can use the two sensors to create bokehs. When you open the camera app, youll notice the camera-lens icon beside the the flash. Pressing this button tells the Huawei P9 that you want to create a bokeh. When you tap the shutter button, it takes a regular image, with the focus on whatever you choose. You then open this photo and the camera-lens icon will appear over it. Drag your finger on this icon to create the amount of blur you want. It has an image signal processor (ISP) for depth processing, which comes into play here. That aside, theres also plenty of control for manual freaks. Huawei calls this the Pro mode, and as I mentioned above, its best left in the hand of pros. This mode appears in the form of a small pull-up icon above the shutter button. Swiping up on it puts the camera in pro mode, and gives you control on elements like shutter speed, ISO, exposure value, focus, white balance and more. You can tweak shutter speed between 1/4000th of a second to 30 seconds, and ISO goes from 50 to 3200. The Huawei P9 shows the impact of any change on the viewfinder in real time. A notable omission is aperture control, which the phone shall always determine automatically. Topping this off are filters, a monochrome mode (to shoot with the Black and White sensor alone), three Leica film modes (Standard, Vivid and Smooth), and the regular Pano, HDR etc. The camera app is the heart and soul of the Huawei P9, and the company has really worked hard to make a good one. Build and Design: Class, style and sophistication... Huawei took its Nexus 6P design and perfected it for the Huawei P9. It doesnt have a camera hump like the former, but Huawei has retained the black band (its a different colour on different variants) over the camera, which looks just as good. The black band has Leicas branding on one side, with the two lenses on the other. Separating these two is the hybrid flash, at dead center. Right below the flash, about a fourth of the way from the top, is the square fingerprint sensor. It doesnt sound like much when explained, but its a workmanlike design. The only anomaly, which you will get used to with time, is that the cameras are placed too close to your finger when shooting. The phone is only 145mm tall, which means average sized hands are enough for your index finger to rest on the fingerprint sensor. Your thumb will always be on the power on/off button, with a part on the volume rocker. While using the phone I realised that I use the volume down function much more than volume up, which means I never really had to shift my grip on the phone. All this is on a neatly polished and shimmering metallic body, which has chamfered edges, for that added touch of class. The USB-C port, headphone jack and single speaker grill are at the bottom, alongside the noise cancelling mic. The phones design is done so well that even the two screws at the bottom feel like they belong. Its definitely one of the best designed smartphone in the market today, and I only wish Huawei would make the same in a 4.7 inch screen size. Its very compact, but just a hair away from being perfectly suited to single handed usage. The Huawei P9 doesnt scream for attention, but it oozes sophistication and class. Display: Quality over resolution Huaweis design prowess continues in the display department. While the phone already looked good enough, the glass on top is ever so slightly curved near the edges and slim bezels accent the displays efficiency. Huawei picked efficiency over brawn in this department, and I daresay it was the right choice. Its display isnt the best out there, but it works. A 1080p display in a QHD world may be a questionable choice, but 424 ppi is quite enough. Ill discuss the battery benefits in a bit, but for now, lets focus on the quality. Its display has a maximum brightness of 681 Lux, which changes if you tweak the colour temperature from Settings. It doesnt have the deepest blacks, nor the whitest whites, but colours look generally vibrant for an IPS panel. It handles sunlight quite well, but youll have to crank up the brightness manually. Auto brightness is the only concern with the Huawei P9. The software doesnt seem to read ambient light readings very well, so it can sometimes appear too bright in darker conditions, or too dim when you step into sunlight. At first I thought the phone was simply slow in judging ambient light, but prolonged usage showed that its not very good at doing so. While auto brightness was a concern, I was able to adjust brightness manually, and never really had trouble with the phones display. It feels premium, and the touch response is quite good, although I have some questions about EMUI, which I shall explain in the next section. UI: Not the right emotions... The Huawei P9 runs on Android Marshmallow (6.0) with EMUI 4.1 over it. Huaweis custom UI, I think, conflicts with the overall design of the smartphone. Its not suave like the rest of the device, and the rounded icons look childish, at least to me. That may change from user to user, though, there are other issues that may not. I like the timeline for notifications in the notification drop down, but what I dont like, is that the phone keeps reminding me about them. If you get a WhatsApp message while playing a game, you can simply swipe up to bury it in the drop down, but the phone will keep popping it back up intermittently. This gets irritating when Im really not interested in a particular notifications and cant be bothered to stop my game or video to clear it. Next, EMUI comes with a feature similar to Apples Spotlight Search. You swipe down to open this and it lets you search Apps, Contacts and Messages without opening the respective services. However, I often ended up in this makeshift Spotlight search when swiping down for notifications. The margin for error seems to be too low, which is again annoying. Also, EMUI doesnt allow much over stock Android, which makes it pretty much a branding effort alone. This, combined with the fact that its heavy is a deal breaker, at least for me. One appreciable thing about EMUI, though, is the battery manager. It has three presets for Performance, Smart and Ultra Power Saving, but more importantly, it allows you to drop the display resolution to 720p, to save battery. Huawei calls this ROG power saving. The difference is noticeable, but can come in handy in dire situations. You can also use the battery manager to create a firewall for apps that use too much power, while itll intermittently keep reminding you when a rogue app is using too much of the batterys power. It even tells you how many of your apps run when the screen is turned off, and lets you shut them down. The battery manager on EMUI is quite a power users dream. There are also a few fingerprint sensor tricks that many would enjoy. Performance: A step forward, yet far My confidence in Huawei and its devices over the years have a lot to do with the fact that it produces its own SoCs. The Kirin chipsets, however, have lagged behind Qualcomms solutions in more departments than one. I explained in the camera section how the DSP seems to produce below ideal results in what its meant to do, and the same can be said about the processor itself. While it is ahead of some last-gen flagships, the Huawei P9 is still behind current generation devices. Given that this is the third generation of Kirin chipsets we're reviewing, Huawei needs to buck up. The octa-core chipset combines a quad-core Cortex A72, ARMs latest and greatest, with another quad-core Cortex A53 cluster. Its built on the 16nm FinFET, and all things combined, it falls behind Qualcomms combination of Krait cores with 14nm manufacturing. Benchmarks show that the Kirin 955 is about 30% slower than the Snapdragon 820. Popular benchmark AnTuTu puts the Kirin 955 behind the Exynos 8890 and Snapdragon 820. The Kirin 955 seems closer to the Snapdragon 652 (LeEco Le 2). Single core performance, important for Android phones, is lesser, but satisfactory. All eight cores together, the Kirin 955 stands more of a chance, while the SD820 falls behind in numbers. As far as pure gaming performance is conerned, the Huawei P9 is much slower than most flagships. It's not quite as noticeable, though. 3D Mark takes a more wholesome view of the system, while rendering games. It still ranks the Huawei P9 far behind other flagships. It's easy to heat the Kirin 955 on this device. It reached 40 degrees (red line) often. In practice, the Kirin 955 shows few issues. The frame skips between app switches are ever so slight, and the GPU does well with gaming as well. However, youll see slight differences here as well. For example, your car in Asphalt 8 will tend to slide into a drift instead of seamlessly moving its tail to shift into a drift. Having said that, I have to say that the lower power wouldnt bother any regular user. You have to be a stickler like me, and you have to be reviewing a device to really care for them. A more bothersome quality of the Kirin 955 SoC is the fact that it heats up easily. This happens when youre downloading too many apps in the background, have shot images/recorded videos for more than 5 minutes, or used resource intensive apps (like games). The temperature on the body reaches 38-39 degree celsius, while the SoC itself can hit 40 degrees quite easily, leading to thermal throttling. I couldnt bring it above 40 degrees, though, which means Huawei is really pushing the boundaries when it comes to heating. Five minutes of FHD recording (maximum resolution for video) takes the temperature to 37 degrees. This will only get worse during peak summer in India. The average clock speed right now is between 1.2-1.6GHz, but it may be much worse during the summer. Lastly, 3GB of RAM is enough for regular usage, but a flagship today needs 4GB. It seems to be aggressive in closing apps, with games restarting sometimes when all I did was turn the display off just for a few minutes, while playing. You dont need 6GB of RAM yet, but 4GB on a phone like this would make it future proof. That, and a Qualcomm processor, at least for now. Huawei hasn't had the best record in providing Android updates either, and its Kirin SoCs of course have a lot to do with it. Battery: Reasonable The battery is the single point of failure for a lot of smartphones today. If youre looking for a full 24 hours worth of battery life, it isnt the phone for you. However, if youre fine charging the battery to 100% once every night, then this is just fine. This is where the 1080p resolution really pays off. Rendering lesser pixels will save some battery, and you can use the battery manager to cut some more. I put the Huawei P9s battery to test with the popular Pokemon Go game application. With the display at 60%, an hour and 15 minutes of gameplay, 30 minutes of calling, 20 texts on WhatsApp, and about 20 odd minutes of camera usage, the phone was at 15% battery, after about four hours. This, isnt ideal, but not bad either, considering the brightness and high screen on time. Over the past week, Ive been able to get about 4.5-5 hours of screen on time from the Huawei P9, which works for a full work day. As with many other things, the Huawei P9's battery is acceptable, but not exemplary. On the Geekbench 3 battery test, the phone lasts for over seven hours, with a score of 4675. Interestingly, it routinely turns off when at 2% battery. This is to avoid deep-discharge of the battery, which is a good idea. It also leads me to believe that the phone may have a Coloumb meter inside, although I'm awaiting the company's confirmation on the same. Bottomline: To buy or not to buy Ill be honest, I loved using the Huawei P9. For me, it epitomises the reason why Huawei is a force to be reckoned with in the smartphone market. Its well designed, has one of the best cameras available today, and boasts of decent performance. The mobile is a complete package, and a phone that I would love to use as my primary smartphone. Yet, I wouldnt recommend this over competitors. As far as dual-cameras are concerned, this is the right way to implement them. Huaweis take is much better than LG or anyone elses. That said, the Huawei P9s camera is exceptional, but not the best. Its performance and battery life are also decent, yet not the best. It is simply not the best smartphone out there today, though it comes mighty close. It has some notable omissions as well, like 4K video shooting. At the 40k price point, youre in the flagship territory, where there can be no compromise, and Huawei P9 fails in that regard. The OnePlus 3 is the obvious, and cheaper, alternative, while the Samsung Galaxy S7 is more expensive, but a considerably better phone. Huawei also doesnt have the best track record with Android updates, which is another If youre still buying the Huawei P9, youre probably smitten by the design and believe the phone suffices your need. In which case, Im still with you, and I assure you that youre not buying a bad smartphone. Youre just not buying the best. Following recent meetings in Lima, Baron Oil update the market on its activities in Peru on Wednesday. The AIM-traded company said it has recently met Perupetro in its regular bi-monthly meeting to update the state oil and gas organisation on the ongoing activities in the block. Perupetro have requested that the Block Z-34 partners provide them with an update on deepwater drilling rig availability for 2017. Baron said it is working with its partner, Union Oil and Gas Group, and an industry rig advisor to determine the availability, location and likely day rate of rigs capable of drilling the initial CUY prospect which lies in over 1,600 metres of water. It added that it was continuing to progress final approvals for the original 2013 farm-out agreement following the recent signature of the Supreme Decree by the President. A final date for approval and subsequent receipt of the $2m from Union Oil and Gas is not currently known, but the company said it has been advised this should be completed within the next three months. At Block XXI, Baron said it has completed its analysis of the 2D seismic data acquired earlier this year, and is in discussions with a local drilling company to plan an exploration well on the prospect close to the 1954 Minchales-1X well. It is frustrating that bureaucratic issues continue to delay the assignment of interest in Block Z-34 to UOGG, said Baron Oil chief executive Malcolm Butler. Although planning a well on the CUY prospect is now underway, it will still take some time to complete studies on potential drilling problems and to obtain all necessary permits and it seems unlikely that we will see a well drilled before the end of 2017. Under the terms of the farmout agreement with UOGG, Baron will be carried for all costs on this well, he explained. Tell us more You are seeing these quotes based on previous browsing related to sectors such as North Koreas deputy ambassador in London defected to South Korea, the first high-profile defection since official ties were established and the embassy was opened in 2003. Thae Yong Ho and his family defected to South Korea, the Unification Ministry in Seoul confirmed on Wednesday. It is thought that Thae is the highest-level ranking North Korean official to ever change sides. South Korea spokesperson, Jeong Joon-hee said: "On his reasons for defection, Minister Thae cited disgust with Kim Jong-Un's regime, admiration for South Korea's free, democratic system and the future of his family." Thae was tasked at the North Korean embassy in west London with spreading a positive image of the country and its leadership, and was due to return soon. The confirmation came a day after the media reported that a high-ranking diplomat had defected and Thae was later identified by the BBC. North and South Korea are technically still at war after an armistice, not a peace treaty, agreement was penned following the conflict that took place between 1950-53. Oil prices recovered slightly from earlier losses on Wednesday after data showed a decline in weekly US crude inventories. At 1549 BST, Brent crude rose 0.12% to $49.29 per barrel while West Texas Intermediate fell 0.38% to $46.40 per barrel. The Energy Information Agency said US weekly crude inventories fell by 2.5m barrels last week to 521.1m barrels. It was more than the 200,000-barrel fall expected by analysts polled by S&P Global Platts. However, the EIA noted that oil inventories are at historically high levels for this time of year. Gasoline supplies also slid 2.7m barrels, while distillate stockpiles increased 1.9m barrels last week. Crude prices were sitting lower earlier on Wednesday following a report that Saudi Arabia plans to boost its production in August to a record level. Saudi Arabia started to raise output from June after holding it steady for the first half the year and this month the nation looks set to overtake Russia with its production levels, sources told Reuters. Saudi Arabia produced 10.55m barrels of oil per day (bpd) in June, and increased output to a record 10.67m bpd in July. The report comes ahead of a meeting in September between OPEC and non-OPEC members to address ways to stabilise the market. A supply glut coupled with lack of demand has weighed on oil prices in recent months. When negotiating with the European Union for the countrys exit, Britain will seek to gain discretionary control over lawmaking and immigration policy, while it also stops making compulsory contributions to the EU budget, according to reports citing government sources. If Britain was able to gain those conditions from EU, it means it would be highly unlikely that it would retain membership of the single market, according to ITV News. Reportedly the government is trying to negotiate a deal modelled on the current agreement Canada is completing with the EU. It is suggested that 'Brexit' secretary David Davis will add a section to cover Britains financial services sector, ITV political editor Robert Peston reported, which contributes to about 80% of the countrys output. The Canada-EU deal has not been ratified as it needs to be agreed by EU national and regional parliaments. For the UK's Canada-style trade agreement to go ahead it would have a greater chance of succeeding if it was approved by the majority of voting government heads rather than regional EU parliaments. In her maiden speech as Prime Minister, Theresa May said Brexit means Brexit, however access to the single market affects the financial services sector, as passporting rights allow financial institutions to easily work with clients across the EU. Daviss Brexit department is researching what parts of the UK's current access to the EU are most valuable and how non-tariff barriers can discriminate against non-members of the single market. The government is yet to trigger Article 50, the two-year negotiating window to leave the EU, and May said she would not trigger the clause this year. However, Peston speculates it could be triggered by March or towards the end of 2017 as France and Germany would be distracted by general elections in the spring and summer. Aldermore Group has decided to stop offering short-term bridging loans from next month as the challenger bank focuses on its residential and commercial mortgage business. Aldermore said it will stop accepting new bridging loan applications from 1 September, having only launched the short-term lending offer in 2014. A spokesperson said the bank wanted to "focus on our core mortgage proposition in, residential mortgages, buy-to-Let, commercial mortgages and property development". Aldermore, which will honour all existing applications made up to and including 31 August, said the changes will apply nationwide. Last year Aldermore loosened its requirements for bridging loans, reduced the minimum age for those qualifying from 25 to 21, and in April this year described bridging as a vital segment" of the housing market as it expanded its bridging offer into Scotland due to the renewed confidence in the housing market there. The bank launched its bridging offer two years ago to allow greater flexibility for customers looking to bridge the gap between purchase and sale or borrowers looking to raise capital, meet tight deadlines for auctions purchases or where other finance has failed to materialise in time. Analysts at broker Numis said recently that as the UK heads towards recession, it expects loan growth to slow substantially and for impairments at Aldermore to increase from their current exceptionally low levels. "Recession and rising unemployment are expected to expand the scale of the specialist lending space as more customers will have credit problems and because the clearing banks are expected to tighten their lending criteria," they wrote, cutting their 2017 forecast earnings per share by 15% to 24.5p. Property investment company CLS posted its half year report to 30 June on Wednesday, with EPRA net assets per share up 9.6% to 2,282p, from 2,083p at the start of the period. The FTSE 250 firm reported net assets per share up 7.8% to 1,952p, and EPRA earnings per share up a sizeable 92% to 80.5p. Profit after tax dropped significantly, however, down to 29.7m from 68.6m, which the board blamed on higher property valuation increases in the prior year. Property valuation increases in the 2015 period were 53.9m, but just 2.4m in the first half of 2016. Its investment property valuation rose 5.0%, or 0.4% in local currencies. The board declared an increase in distributions to shareholders of 10%, with a proposed 7.2m tender buy-back of one in 95 at 1,650p per share. During the period, two properties were acquired for 6.4m at a net initial yield of 6.0%, and two properties sold for 60.9m at an average net initial yield of 6.4%. Lease transactions covered 284,000 sq ft in the period, which the board said was more than double that of last year. CLSs vacancy rate crept up slightly to 3.7%, from 3.1% at the beginning of the year. This has been a strong six months for the group, with robust earnings and NAV growth demonstrating the advantages of having a geographically diversified business, in-house management and low-cost debt finance, said executive chairman Henry Klotz, who was appointed in March. With 37% of the group's business conducted in Germany and France, and with 52% of our UK income derived from central government departments, we are well positioned to address any challenges, including those which the Brexit process may present. Intel will start making smartphone chips in one its factories based on designs by London-listed ARM Holdings. The two companies said they expected the agreement will be mutually beneficial, which may come as a surprise to many who often perceive Intel and ARM as being rivals. Intel's x86 chip architecture is leading the PC sector while ARM-based chips are used in a majority of phones and tablets. "[I] am wowed by moments of cooperation that redefine the industry landscape," Will Abbey, an executive at ARM, said in a blog. "This agreement is one example of that and will deliver immense value to the design ecosystem and ultimately to our partners." LG will be the first client to take advantage of the partnership. Intel has incorporated some of ARMs technologies in the past but the latest development marks another step-up in their relationship. The US company said the smartphone chips will combine its ability to make its high performance 10-nanometre transistors with ARMs most advanced designs. Ryanair has forecast 10% growth from Italian flights as it invests in 10 new planes to service 44 new routes into the country after a planned airport tax hike was cancelled. The Irish airline said it was making the $1bn-pluis investment after Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi reversed the 2.50 municipal tax increase from 1 Sept 2016. With the tax U-turn accompanying revised airport guidelines from the Italian government, which designed in part to enable the countty's regional airports to compete on a level playing field with those in Rome and Milan, Ryanair has agreed a deal with Pescara airport on the east coast that will reverse the previously announced closure of the base that had been looming in November. Roughly three million more passengers will fly into and out of Italy per year on Ryanair's planes, it calculated, with 21 of the new routes including Rome and Milan and the rest into regional airports, such as Bergamo-Edinburgh and Bari - Liverpool . Calculating that 35m customers will fly to and from Italian airports with Ryanair in 2017, which would lead to 2,250 jobs created by the company in the country, Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary praised Renzi and transport minister Graziano Delrio for the changes. "All of this growth would have been lost to other EU countries if the Municipal Tax increase had not been reversed, and the airport guidelines had not been redrafted to comply with EU rules." Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Yellow Fever Outbreak on Brink of Going Global Published: 2016-08-17 - Updated: 2020-04-11 Author: Save the Children | Contact: savethechildren.org Peer-Reviewed Publication: N/A Jump to: Main Digest | Publications Synopsis: Save the Children warns Yellow Fever epidemic in Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola could spread to the Americas, Asia and Europe. A mass vaccination campaign in Kinshasa needs to take place so we can try and stop Yellow Fever from spreading to more cities in Africa, and the world. A full dose of vaccine provides lifetime immunity; the smaller, so-called 'fractionalized' dose provides stop-gap immunity for about a year. advertisements Main Digest The largest Yellow Fever epidemic in decades is hitting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Angola, and could soon spread to the Americas, Asia and Europe, Save the Children warns. The organization's rapid response Emergency Health Unit (EHU) has deployed to support the DRC's Ministry of Health with a mass vaccination campaign in the capital city of Kinshasa. The campaign, which begins Wednesday, is part of a last line of defense to stop the deadly virus spreading through the overcrowded city of more than 10 million. The virus is a hemorrhagic fever and has claimed nearly 500 lives to date, with thousands of suspected cases. Alarmingly, the World Health Organization warns those figures could actually be 10 to 50 times higher. Yellow Fever is spread by mosquitoes, making rapid transmission in a hot, humid city like Kinshasa very likely, particularly when the rainy season starts next month and mosquito numbers spike. The outbreak is the largest to hit the region for 30 years and has all but emptied global emergency stocks of vaccines. There are only 7 million emergency vaccines available for this campaign too few to fully cover Kinshasa, let alone all of the DRC. "There is no known cure for Yellow Fever and it could go global," said Heather Kerr, Save the Children's Country Director for the DRC. "The mass vaccination campaign in Kinshasa needs to take place now so that we can try and stop Yellow Fever from spreading by land and air to more cities in Africa, and across the world." Approximately 20 percent of people who have caught Yellow Fever during this outbreak have died. The final stages of the virus can cause bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, organ failure and a condition known as jaundice, a yellowing of skin and eyes which originally gave the disease its name. Save the Children's 11-member rapid deployment EHU is staffed by experts from countries including Italy, China, Korea and the United States. They will support a vaccination campaign run by the DRC's Ministry of Health, targeting nearly half a million people in Kinshasa for approximately 10 days. Experts will also provide technical support to Ministry of Health staff by helping to secure the country's 'cold chain': shuttling scarce supplies of vaccines to the vaccination sites while keeping them cold using a network of freezers and cool boxes. In addition, the EHU experts will treat the medical waste resulting from the campaign. The same team successfully supported the Ministry of Health in vaccinating more than 221,000 people in the town of Boma in western DRC in May. Following advice from the World Health Organization, Save the Children will provide support for the vaccination campaign that uses just one-fifth of a regular dose to reach as many children and families as possible with the limited supplies that remain. A full dose of vaccine provides lifetime immunity; the smaller, so-called 'fractionalized' dose provides stop-gap immunity for about a year. "We have to urgently reach as many children and families as we can with the supplies that are left, and this is the only way we are able to do that right now. We can only hope this will be enough to stop the epidemic from spreading any further," Kerr added. Save the Children gives children in the United States and around the world a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We invest in childhood every day, in times of crisis and for our future. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Reference Source(s): Yellow Fever Outbreak on Brink of Going Global | Save the Children (savethechildren.org). Disabled World makes no warranties or representations in connection therewith. Content may have been edited for style, clarity or length. Disabled World is an independent disability community established in 2004 to provide disability news and information to people with disabilities, seniors, their family and/or carers. See our homepage for informative news, reviews, sports, stories and how-tos. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook or learn more about Disabled World on our about us page. advertisements Disabled World provides general information only. The materials presented are never meant to substitute for professional medical care by a qualified practitioner, nor should they be construed as such. Financial support is derived from advertisements or referral programs, where indicated. Any 3rd party offering or advertising does not constitute an endorsement. Cite This Page (APA): Save the Children. (2016, August 17). Yellow Fever Outbreak on Brink of Going Global. Disabled World. Retrieved October 29, 2022 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/emergency/advisories/yellowfever.php Permalink: Yellow Fever Outbreak on Brink of Going Global What you get with a Dispatch subscription 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. 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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 ... 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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! 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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! 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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? 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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 Irelands leading net manufacturer Swan Net Gundry, who are based in Killybegs, could well be responsible for the next No. 1 hit in the charts. Two years ago, inspired by the late Martin Howley and SNG MD Evelyn Cassidy, the Killybegs company teamed up with the Irish language band Seo Linn to film an as gaelige cover of The Waterboys hit Fishermans Blues in aid of the RNLI The band, who formed at Irish College, went viral after their cover of Avicis Wake Me Upin Irish received over 5 million views on YouTube. The band are currently making a lot of waves in the US as a result of their performance in the official 1916 broadcast, as well as making the Irish language popular with both young and old once again. The video features staff from Swan Net Gundrys headquarters in Killybegs and the firms plant in Kilcar singing and swinging along with Seo Linn in a fun-filled shoot on location in Killybegs and Teelin harbours. The video, which can be viewed on You Tube, raised sponsorship to the tune of 10,000 from SNG customers and suppliers. Evelyn Cassidy told the Democrat yesterday that it gave her great pride to dedicate the music video to the memory of her friend and former colleague, Martin Howley. It is great to see this catching national attention, particularly today on Martins anniversary. Martin was a driving force behind this two years ago and he would be so proud of it; hearing people going around humming it and then the video which really showcases Killybegs and the surrounding area in such a great light. She added, We truly had a great compliment today when we received a Tweet from the Waterboys saying that it Is the best cover version of our number and even better that it is as Gaelige. The music video is truly a fantastic collaboration between the tremendously talented Seo Linn and the hard working staff of Swan Net Gundry. Continuing she said, We hope that everyone enjoys it as much as we enjoyed making it. The production has raised more than 10,000 for the RNLI which provides an essential and lifesaving service. Lets now get this to No.1 in the charts as a great tribute to Martin who is remembered with so much affection in the fishing industry in Ireland and beyond. 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. Mike Dixon, Jr.'s life spanned almost fifty years, and in that time he filled his world with joy and passion. His infectious energy touched many lives, and as Henry David Thoreau encouraged, Mike truly sucked the marrow out of life. His commitment and dedication to his friends and family serve as an example of what it means to love deeply and to be deeply loved. Mike was also a proud lover of the land and always believed it was his responsibility to care for and cultivate the farm and timberlands of his grandfathers. A graduate of the McCallie School in Chattanooga and of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Mike returned to his roots in Eufaula and became an active part of the community. He was a member of the Eufaula Tree Commission and the Eufaula Rotary Club. He served for many years as a reserve deputy for the Barbour County Sheriff's Department. Mike also served on the board of directors for the Eufaula Boys and Girls Club and the Eufaula Country Club. He was active in Boy Scouts, serving as a committee member for Eufaula Troop 11. He was also a member of the Order of the Arrow, received his Wood Badge, served as a Wood Badge staff member, and most recently was the 2016 Golden Eagle Honoree. Mike was a long-standing member of the Eufaula Planning Commission and was a member of the board of directors for the Alabama Forest Owners Association and the Alabama Forestry Association. While accomplished in ways applauded in this life, Mike also lived a life of faith and hope in the goodness and sovereignty of God. His deepest desire was for those he knew to understand the truth of Christ and the freedom that truth brings. Like the Apostle Paul, Mike could truly say that he fought the good fight and kept the faith. Mike was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents (Mack and Janie Dixon) and his maternal grandparents (Will and Dorothy Powell). He is survived by his wife CiCi, his children, Will and Hope, his parents, Mike and Nancy Dixon and Teresa Sheffield, his sisters Claudia (Henry) Balkcom, Heather (Robert) Summerford, Chris Dixon, JanieMac (Kevin) Roe, many nieces and nephews, and countless cousins. Though he will be missed by many, we find peace and rejoice in a faithful life well-lived. Funeral services to celebrate Mike's life and legacy will be held at the First Baptist Church in Eufaula on Wednesday, August 17 at 2pm with Chapman Funeral Home directing. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to http://justgiving.com/crowdfunding/mike-dixon-jr, a charitable fund created to help fund brain cancer research and those diagnosed with glioblastoma. Chapman Funeral Home 334-687-3514 is in charge of arrangements. Wine Australia, the generic body for the Australian wine industry, has announced that the value of exports grew by 11%, driven by bottled exports, particularly at higher price points, from July 2015 to June 2016. Wine Australias Export Report shows that bottled exports grew by 15% to AUS$1.7 billion and the average value of bottled exports increased by 9% to $5.35 per litre, the highest since October 2003. Wine Australia CEO Andreas Clark (pictured) said: Pleasingly, demand for Australian fine wine has continued to grow, particularly in North America and Asia. Our finest wines contributed to almost half of the total value growth in the last 12 months, with exports priced at $10 FOB (free, on board) and over per litre up 26% to a record $499 million. This increased demand for Australias finest wines was reflected in all of our top five export markets. Exports priced $10 FOB and over to the United States grew by 16%, mainland China by 71%, the United Kingdom by 15%, Canada by 12%, and Hong Kong by 5%. "This growth contributed an additional $102m to the value of Australias wine exports", said Clark. Exports by region All export regions recorded growth in the last year, except for Europe, which declined by 1% to $574m. North east Asia continued to lead growth, with value increasing by $158m (34%) to $618 million. Next in absolute growth was North America, growing by $46m (8%) to $646m. Growth slowed to Southeast Asia, up $7m (5%) to $142m. Sustained growth in Northeast Asia Australian exporters continue to see benefit in export markets with free trade agreements (FTAs). Exports to mainland China grew by 50% to $419m, despite a slowing economy, says Wine Australia. This exceptional growth was aided by the ChinaAustralia Free Trade Agreement, and the growing Chinese middle classs increased interest in wine. When combined with Hong Kong ($124m), China is the largest market for Australian wine exports. Value to mainland China increased across the price segment spectrum, says WA, with the greatest growth once again in exports valued at over $10 per litre, up 71% to $169m. Exports to Japan increased by 4% to $45m, while exports to South Korea were up 29% to $13m. United States growth The United States remained Australias number one destination for wine by value and exports grew by 8% to $449m. The board says the trend towards Australias premium wines continued with exports priced $10 and above per litre FOB increasing by 16%, reflecting the improving perception of Australian wine among the US trade, with a growing number of importers taking on more premium Australian brands. Andreas Clark said: There is still much work to do in increasing the awareness and availability of premium Australian wine in the US. To continue sustainable growth in our most valuable market requires a long-term approach and a focus on re-establishing relationships and confidence in the category, supported by significant, consistent investment to drive the Australian fine wine message. Casella Family Brands managing director, John Casella, said: Its exciting to see reinvigorated interest in Australian wine in the US market, with consumers now considering Australian wine among some of the worlds best when choosing a premium wine. The growing preference amongst consumers and influencers is a testament to the hard work that Wine Australia has been doing in the US to promote the quality and diversity of Australian wine, said Casella. Australias top five export markets by value US: up 8% to $449m; Mainland China: up by 50% to $419m; The UK market continues to be Australias most significant market in volume terms but, because 80% of wine is shipped in bulk, it ranks third in value and exports were flat at $369m; Canada: up 7% to $195m; and Hong Kong: up 11% to $124m. The Minister for Health Simon Harris visited the Mens Shed centre at Seatown Dundalk after his tour of the Louth County Hospital on Monday. Among those he met were Eva Beirne Cooperation Manager of The Mens Shed Ireland, Minister for Health Simon Harris and Brian Byrne chairman of the Seatown Men's Shed. The minister toured the workdshops, and the art unit and met many of the members. The Mens Shed unit was set up by the Netwell Centre based at DkIT. When Netwell was established Pat and Ann went to Holland to see a care model in operation and when they returned to Dundalk they set up a model that suited local needs. They identified gaps in services, and social needs in particular, and then set up groups under the Netwell umbrella that that would connect older people. And they have succeeded. For the past nine years, older people in Louth have had the opportunity to network well including the Mens Shed centre. A Mens Shed is a dedicated, friendly and welcoming meeting place where men come together and undertake a variety of mutually agreed activities. Mens Sheds are open to all men regardless of age, background or ability. It is a place where you can share your skills and knowledge with others, learn new skills and develop your old skills. New members are always welcome and can be assured that there is something of interest for everyone as the men have ownership of their Shed and projects and decide their own program of events. The Mens Shed group in Dundalk has also joined forces with the mens group in Good Morning Ireland, free telephone service for older people that offers personal daily contact to ensure people are safe and well in their home. These groups hold health and exercise classes. They are addressed by guest speakers: health professionals, garda officers. They also have day trips - they have visited Aras an Uachtarain, Belfast etc. For information on Dundalk Mens Shed contact Pat Kerins 042-9370361 or 087-9369936. Starting up and successfully running a small business can certainly be overwhelming at times and it is of the utmost importance that you get things right from the very beginning. Your employees are one of your greatest assets, vital in the growth and prosperity of your business. To make the most of this valuable resource you must ensure that you are fulfilling your legal responsibilities and moral obligations as an employer. With much to consider, including a myriad of statutory and reporting regulations, it can certainly seem like a minefield at times. To avoid any issues arising with the Fair Work Ombudsman, here is a brief guide to get you on the right track. National Employment Standards (NES) The National Employment Standards (NES) are standards set forward by the Fair Work Act 2009. From 1 January 2010, the NES has provided a safety net for all employees covered by the National Workplace Relations System. Basically, NES is a guide that underpins modern awards, enterprise agreements (EAs) and employment contracts. You can add extra terms or entitlements to awards and EAs, but you cannot remove or reduce an employees rights under the NES. (NB. Some NES dont apply to casual employees). There are 10 NES which include: Maximum weekly hours of work 38 hours per week, plus reasonable additional hours. Requests for flexible working arrangements. Unpaid parental leave and related entitlements. Annual leave 4 weeks paid leave per year, plus an extra week for some shift workers. Personal / carers leave and compassionate leave. Community service leave unpaid leave for voluntary activities and jury service. Long service leave (LSL). Public holidays a paid day off on public holiday, except where reasonably requested to work. Notice of termination of employment and redundancy pay. Ensuring you provide the Fair work information statement It is also important you also look at the relevant, modern awards, which also commenced 1 January 2010 and cover most workplaces. These can be found at: https://www.fairwork.gov.au/awards-and-agreements/awards Recently we have found some great accounting program add-ons which allow you to seamlessly integrate your accounting software with the relevant award, rostering, times clocks and payroll. As a small business owner, its certainly worth looking into these programs, to make your life easier and allow you to focus on growing your business. Superannuation Guarantee Superannuation has been getting more than its fair share of media lately and we dont expect this to abate any time soon. As an employer your obligations are simple. All employers regardless of size must contribute 9.5% superannuation on behalf of their employees. Super obligations should be paid on a quarterly basis Super contributions must now be processed through a registered clearing house such as the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House (SBSCH), to ensure compulsory and voluntary contributions are allocated accordingly. Accounting for Entitlements You now know what your responsibilities are but remember that it is of equal importance that your Balance Sheet reflects your true obligations. It is important pay templates are setup immaculately, so that all leave types accrue correctly from the moment you hire each employee. These days small businesses have the benefit of a choice of wonderful cloud based programs which you to track your leave and superannuation obligations with ease. For many business owners, its easy to fall into the trap of believing you have a relatively healthy cash flow, that is until you suddenly realise that last quarters super is outstanding and your manager is taking 4 weeks holidays and you will have to pay overtime or employ an addition staff member! By allocating entitlements correctly from day one you will not find yourself in trouble down the track. Ideally, businesses may benefit from opening up a separate account so that money can be put aside for obligations and although this may not always be possible during your set up phase, its certainly something to keep in mind. Positive Vibes Finally, remember to look after your staff and check in with them on a regular basis. Although employees essentially go to work for the financial benefits, dont underestimate the intrinsic rewards that your staff will respond to. Being treated well, a pat on the back or even an early mark can go a long way to keeping your staff motivated and engaged. Ultimately, a positive working environment will be reflected in the level of service provided to your customers and your bottom line. About the author John Corias is a Senior Partner at m.a.s accountants, which has has been servicing Australian small business accounting needs for over 50 years. Its that time of year again: tax time. When the challenge of filing personal taxes is compounded by the need to sift through work-related travel expenses, its no wonder many workers would rather visit the dentist. Knowing how to file business travel expenses can be one of the most confusing areas when submitting expenses to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). In a bid to end, once and for all, the confusion around business travel claims, here are four tips to simplify the process: Who can claim what? Theres a simple rule of thumb to determine what expenses can be claimed by employees: if youve paid for work-related travel with your own money and you werent reimbursed, then youre entitled to deduct that. However, if your company reimbursed you with any payments you incurred while travelling for business, then only the company can claim those taxes. Another common practice among companies is to give employees travel allowances to cover any expenses they incur during business trips, including transport, accommodation, food, drinks and incidentals. When you receive a travel allowance, the company has to include these expenses in its tax declaration, rather than the employees. What you can claim Claimable work-related travel expenses include those incurred while away for one night or longer. These can comprise a variety of payments made while away from home such as: flights, accommodation, taxis, Ubers, car rentals and meals. Heres a tip to make tax time a bit less painful (and your tax accountant will thank you for it): use an expense software to track your expenses. Weve all experienced coming back to work after a business trip with receipts scattered between suitcases, wallets, jacket pockets and more. Using expense software, enables you to take photos of receipts and have them automatically saved on a single platform, making it easy to track. The best part is you can actually capture costs on the go, making the entire process more organised and saving time. By the time you need to submit your taxes, youll have all the information and receipts you need on one place. This will speed up the otherwise long process of retrieving and collecting all your company travel receipts. Keep written record of business trips After five consecutive nights, the ATO requires corporate travellers to keep a detailed diary with all the expenses and work-related activities they undertake during this time including date, time, place and duration. This diary, along with any receipts and boarding passes will help support your travel tax claims. At the same time, this will make it easier to keep track of your expenses. When bleisuring, only include business trip expenses In the last year, weve seen bleisure travel work related travel that is combined with a personal trip on the side become increasingly popular. Its always exciting to extend your stay in another city as a personal holiday. However, it can become somewhat confusing when lodging tax returns. Make sure you are clear on your dates and the personal activities you undertake during a business trip, and exclude any receipts from non-business expenses. For example, while a company trip to London is tax deductible, the days spent in Dubai on the way back just to visit the city are not. This also includes any sightseeing expenses you may have incurred after business hours. To make sure you have your bases covered it is sound practice to keep a travel diary whenever mixing work with your own holiday. About the author Pip Spibey-Dodd is Chief Financial Officer at Locomote Does you business have a spare $2.82 million? Thats how much you can expect to pay, on average, if your organisation falls victim to a data breach in Australia. Poor security is one sure-fire way to send your organisation into the red or at least to the bank manager for a loan. Research by Ponemon Institute and IBM estimates the average cost of an Australian data breach to be $2.82 million. Whats more, this figure is expected to rise. Commenting on the findings, Ponemon Institutes founder and chairman, Dr Larry Ponemon, said breaches are happening more often. They are also increasingly expensive to resolve. If youve heard of TorrentLocker, youll know how destructive a corporate data breach can be. A strain of ransom ware, TorrentLocker encrypts user files and data backups, rendering information useless until the victim pays a ransom via digital currency Bitcoin. Since 2014, TorrentLocker has affected more than 16,000 Australian businesses and individuals. The total cost to businesses, according to the Australian Cyber Security Centres 2015 Threat Report, is more than $8 million. Heres how to protect your business from increasingly clever and costly security threats. Get serious about user authentication Every organisation should have clear, defined processes for authenticating and authorising users. The type of authentication you need (i.e. two-factor, one-time password, etc.) will depend on the nature of your organisation and the type of data you handle. At a minimum, consider protecting sensitive data with two-factor authentication and lock down roles and permissions so that users can only access data that is relevant to their day-to-day activities. You may also like to supplement user authentication measures with extra security including SSL (secure sockets layer), custom audit trails and encryption of sensitive data like customer credit card information. Tighten your network security Keeping malicious activity at arms length can take more than firewalls and antivirus software. When it comes to protecting your networks, you may also benefit from extra security considerations including VPN (virtual private network), secure wireless and malware, phishing and intrusion prevention. Tips for success: Stay up to date with new threats as theyre discovered. Make time for employees to install software upgrades and patches on all devices used for work purposes. Keep firewall and antivirus software up to date. Ensure employees are familiar with your acceptable use policy. Teach employees how to recognise and respond to a potential data security breach. Secure mobile devices and printers Its not just disgruntled former employees who want to hack into corporate networks. According to the governments Cyber Security Review, most security breaches are conducted by organised crime gangs. Of the 92 per cent of breaches perpetrated by outsiders, former employees account for just 1 per cent. No matter who is behind the breaches, the fact is that over 70 per cent of security threats target end users. The reason is simple: the easiest way to your organisations data is usually through an unsecured device like a smartphone or printer. To keep mobile devices safe, set clear, defined processes for authorising user access on unsecured devices. Grant only necessary user permissions for corporate email, files and other sensitive data, and enable remote-wipe functionality as standard. For printers, look for smart printing solutions that only print documents when a user is at the device. Consider monitoring sensitive documents so you always know who has accessed them, who has printed them and at which device. Be proactive about monitoring and auditing Theres no such thing as set and forget when it comes to online security. Real-time monitoring and regular audits are two of the most effective ways to identify threats before they occur. By monitoring networks, applications and traffic, organisations can ensure users are only performing the activities they are authorised to perform. It is also easier to spot security shortcomings and track and stop unwanted or unauthorised activities. Industry experts recommend round-the-clock monitoring and annual audits for optimal results. As hackers become increasingly skilled at infiltrating corporate IT, organisations must take a proactive approach to preventing, identifying and thwarting expensive data security breaches. This means staying up to date with the latest threats, following industry best practices and ensuring employees know how to spot and respond to potential threats. Taking action to resolve poor security measures now could save your organisation millions of dollars in the long run. Article attribution: Fast Business | Canon by Phyllis Schlafly August 17, 2016 Last week in Erie, Pennsylvania, Donald Trump entertained his vast crowd of supporters by reciting the lyrics to a song called The Snake. The song was written about 50 years ago, but it tells a timeless truth derived from Aesops Fables, which are more than 2,500 years old. The song tells the story of a tender-hearted woman who rescues a poor, half-frozen snake from near death in the winter cold. Take me in, oh tender woman, the snake cries out. Take me in, for heavens sake. So the tender-hearted woman takes the snake into her own home, warms it by the fire and feeds it milk and honey: If I hadnt brought you in, by now you might have died. But instead of saying thanks, the snake gave her a vicious bite. I saved you, cried the woman. And youve bitten me, but why? You know your bite is poisonous, and now Im going to die. Oh shut up, silly woman, said the reptile with a grin. You knew damn well I was a snake before you took me in. The moral of the song was clear to many in the crowd, but Donald Trump made sure that everyone got the message. This is what is going on in our country, with our border, he told the 9,000 people who filled the Erie Insurance Arena. When youre listening to this, think of our border. Think of the people we are letting in by the thousands. And Hillary Clinton wants to allow 550% more coming in to our country. How stupid are we! Thats right: Hillary wants to bring in 65,000 Syrian refugees, which is indeed a 550% increase over the 10,000 who entered this year, which in turn is a 500 percent increase over last years intake of about 1,600. Obama is now rushing to complete his pledge to bring in 10,000 Syrian refugees by September 30, despite FBI Director Comeys testimony last October that those people cant be vetted because there are no reliable records on them. As Trump said at the rally in Erie, We want to help people, but we cant take a chance. We know bad things are going to happen. We know, as we allow more and more people to come in from terror areas, bad things are going to happen. To illustrate the bad things that are bound to happen when we allow more and more people to come in from terror areas, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) last week released the names of 20 people convicted of terrorism in the last three years after being admitted to our country as refugees from such countries as Iraq, Somalia, Uzbekistan and Bosnia. One of the 20 had received a special visa for Iraqi translators and subsequently became a U.S. citizen, yet he pledged an oath to the leader of ISIS. Trumps compassionate solution for the refugee crisis is to build a beautiful safe zone in Syria and get the so-called Gulf States to pay for it. The Gulf States are the oil-rich kingdoms of the Persian Gulf whose existence is protected by the U.S. Navy, but have contributed nothing for the welfare of their fellow Arab Muslims in need. The story of The Snake is whats happening to our country, Trump continued. Were letting people in. Many of these people hate us. Many of these people dont have good thoughts. And you see what one sick wacko can do in Orlando. And then you see his father sitting behind Hillary Clinton with a big smile on his face. Thats right, the father of Omar Mateen, who murdered 49 people at the Pulse nightclub on June 12, was allowed to sit directly behind Hillary where he was visible on camera during her entire 25-minute speech. Seddique Matteen, who apparently came to the United States as a refugee in the 1980s, told reporters that Hillary Clinton would be good for the United States, versus Donald Trump. Before we allow any more refugees from Syria, lets take a closer look at what happened to a previous wave of refugees brought here from the East African failed state of Somalia. Starting in the 1990s, an estimated 100,000 Muslims from Somalia have been resettled in Minnesota and Maine at U.S. taxpayers expense. Instead of expressing their gratitude for the opportunity to live in a peaceful, prosperous nation, many Somalis have been trained by leftist community organizers to adopt an entitlement mentality, quick to complain about alleged discrimination. If thats not bad enough, a disproportionate number of their young men have supported terrorism or have even traveled overseas to join ISIS. Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Thursday attempted to walk back some of his remarks at a Wednesday morning press briefing during the Democratic National Convention, saying they werent meant to be taken seriously. Among other things, Trump suggested that Russian intelligence services should look for more than 30,000 deleted emails belonging to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and reveal them to the world. Russia, if youre listening, I hope youll be able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing, Trump said. I think you will probably be rewarded mightily by our press. Trump made the astounding comments in response to the Clinton campaigns charges that Russian hackers, working in conjunction with Russian intelligence agencies, orchestrated the leak of nearly 20,000 Democratic National Committee emails, and that they timed their release to help the Trump presidential campaign. Damage Control Security experts, Democratic officials and some members of Trumps own party were among those who blasted his Wednesday remarks. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., put out a statement calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a thug and warning that Russia should stay out of this election. Facing a fierce backlash, with some officials questioning whether he had financial motivations to cozy up to the Russian government, Trump told Fox News that he was being sarcastic and did not intend that his comments be taken literally. Trump officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Yuri Melnik, press secretary for the Russian Embassy to the U.S., declined to comment on any of the specific comments by Trump or anyone else, and said he had no knowledge of Trumps business activities in Russia or elsewhere. In general, I believe that the Russia-related allegations floating around are completely inadequate and inappropriate, Melnik told TechNewsWorld. Its surprising how childish the narrative is. U.S. privacy and civil liberties advocates blasted Trumps statements, given the nature of the cybersecurity breaches that have impacted the government and private sector in recent years. At a time when the U.S. is confronting serious cybersecurity threats from foreign adversaries, the comments of the Republican candidate for President are beyond reckless, Electronic Privacy Information Center President Marc Rotenberg told TechNewsWorld. Not Quite Deleted The potential breach of even nonclassified email belonging to the former Secretary of State constitutes a serious security risk, said Kevin OBrien, CEO of GreatHorn. A string of recent security breaches, including the 2015 hack of the Office of Personnel Management and more recent attacks, up to the DNC breach in May, likely were the work of Russian cyberthieves, he told TechNewsWorld. On the issue of the thousands of Clintons deleted emails, that information trail in the age of cloud computing is not necessarily safe from rediscovery, OBrien added. Whether its removed from the recipients systems and servers has no impact on that datas continued existence in the myriad systems that it moved through prior to arrival, or was copied to if those systems were themselves compromised, he explained. The deleted emails could have been vulnerable to direct endpoint compromise, which means the server might have been infected with malware that made shadow copies of the deleted emails, or that third-party applications that ran in conjunction with the email transfer agent and server software may have been compromised. The extended perimeter of any individual who received messages in any of those threads also may have been compromised. Russias Meddling The FBI earlier this week launched an investigation into whether the Russians were involved in the DNC hack. Cybersecurity experts at CrowdStrike last month published evidence linking Russian hackers operating under the names Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear to the DNC breach. The groups have been tied to a series of infiltrations of U.S. government agencies and other American entities. A spokesperson at the FBI did not comment specifically in response to Trumps comments, but pointed to an extensive statement FBI Director James Comey released about Clintons use of a personal email server. The agency did not find direct evidence that Secretary Clintons personal email domain, in its various configurations since 2009, was successfully hacked, he said. However, Comey did make an interesting reference to the potential for cyberthieves to access Clintons emails through a back door: We do assess that hostile actors gained access to the private commercial email accounts of people with whom Secretary Clinton was in regular contact from her personal account. Clinton used her personal email extensively while traveling outside of the U.S., including sending and receiving emails in the territory of sophisticated adversaries, he pointed out. Given that combination of factors, said Comey, we assess that it is possible that hostile actors gained access to Secretary Clintons personal email account. 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. Salesforce has inked an agreement to acquire BeyondCore, a data analytics firm that already has integrated its latest release with Salesforce, the companies said Monday. BeyondCore will become part of the Salesforce Analytics Cloud, extending smart data discovery and advanced analytics capabilities across the entire Salesforce Customer Success Platform, according to BeyondCore CEO Arijit Sengupta. The acquisition will boost the Analytics Clouds artificial intelligence efforts, according to Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. I am thrilled announce @Salesforce has acquired @beyondcoreinc to enhance the AI capabilities of Analytics Cloud. https://t.co/9n4nuYZHtl Marc Benioff (@Benioff) August 15, 2016 There are several ways to look at this, said Denis Pombriant, principal at Beagle Research Group. One possibility is that Salesforce sees a need for multiple kinds of business intelligence to support its multiple hardware platforms, uses, etc., he told CRM Buyer. Another is that it could be buying up the best ideas with the idea of munging them together into the ultimate BI facility, Pombriant said. Finally, it could be that Salesforce isnt sure what its looking for and is buying R&D as it tries to figure things out, he suggested. BeyondCores Creds BeyondCore raised US$9 million in Series A funding in 2004. Its application automatically analyzes data from databases, Hadoop or CSVs (comma-separated value files) using descriptive, diagnostic, prescriptive and predictive analytics for statistically significant insights in minutes, according to the company. Users can share Microsoft Word, PowerPoin, and HTML reports in seconds. BeyondCores Dynamic Dashboard examines new and emerging statistically relevant patterns, and points out the most impactful insights. The company holds more than 20 issued and pending patents, and its product has been used in 23 Fortune 500 firms. Competitive Chops Salesforce already offers a highly usable solution thats largely used by its preexisting customers to analyze and track sales and services, noted Anne Moxie, a senior analyst at Nucleus Research. BeyondCore will let Salesforce attract net new customers with more enhanced functionality, she told CRM Buyer, approaching them from an analytics-first perspective thats competitive with standalone analytics vendors. Instead of having to spend additional time and effort on building some of these more advanced capabilities internally, Salesforce will be able to quickly leapfrog over competition in a market where theres an arms race to acquire some of the best startups in the industry, Moxie suggested. Salesforce is continuing to build and acquire technologies that help them grow their vision around the intelligent customer management platform, said Alan Lepofsky, a principal analyst at Constellation Research. BeyondCore helps sales reps visualize trends and patterns in their customer data, enabling them to focus on areas that need attention, he told CRM Buyer. Building Analytics Strength? Salesforce two years ago launched its analytics cloud, Salesforce Wave, and last year employed it in a push into big data. Wave is supposed to be the flagship tool, Beagles Pombriant noted. This would support the notion of buying up R&D to build a mega facility. Salesforce earlier this year purchased MetaMind, an AI company, and just last month closed its acquisition of Demandware, an e-commerce firm. MetaMind is more about language and image analysis, which will help to power next-generation user interfaces and customer interactions, said Doug Henschen, a principal analyst at Constellation Research. BeyondCore is much closer to Salesforce PredictionIO another machine learning-focused company acquired in February and RelateIQ, which became SalesforceIQ, he told CRM Buyer. Analytics is an enabler of better sales, marketing, commerce and service, Henschen observed. Machine learning is an enabler of faster, deeper, and with BeyondCore more automated analysis of data, he explained. Deep-learning-based language and image analysis is an enabler of more human-friendly interfaces and interactions, and faster and better understanding of textual and image-based content. Salesforces Strategy Salesforce clearly is moving toward delivering automated predictive and prescriptive insights, Henschen said. Next will be embedding such insights or even better, recommendations directly in the context of their day-to-day applications, so [companies] can quickly act on the insight without visiting a separate analytical interface. Microsoft, Oracle and SAP are also headed in this direction, he added. Only time will tell how soon Salesforce can bring its many acquisitions together, Henschen said, to continuously and automatically deliver fresh insights and recommendations right within the context of its sales, service and marketing applications. 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Care about what institutions students can get HEA grants? You know, ones like Pell grants, the Federal Pell Grant program, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, the Federal Work-Study program, the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant program, Federal Family Educational Loan Program, and the William D. Ford Direct Loan program. Well, ED is rulemaking, and you have until August 24 to submit your comments. ED issued regs on this subject in 2010, but a federal court faulted them, so they are trying again. Further details and submission instructions are at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/07/25/2016-17068/program-integrity-and-improvement *** About 20 years ago, someone very dear to me applied to teach science in New York City public schools. Despite having 3 science degrees and teaching experience in the Peace Corps, her application was rejected. She was told she first had to enroll in a teacher training college and take courses in pedagogy. Annoyed and unwilling to take on still more student debt, she applied to a renown private school, got the job, and became a star in the classroom. The private school kids won; too bad for the public school kids. That experience was a glaring lesson to me on how professional licensure requirements, however well-intended, can have the effect of creating costly barriers to entry. Much has changed since then, but alternate paths to teaching remain the exception not the rule for public schools. Sadly, a guild-mentality remains in some quarters. Utahs school board recently permitted its districts to choose (or not) to hire individuals without teaching credentials to teach. As Annie Knox of the Salt Lake Tribune reports, the policy change was denounced as an attack on the teaching profession. Utah Education Association President Heidi Matthews went so far as to say the policy could create a human-rights issue. Seriously? Around the nation occupational licensing requirements are being given scrutiny because they can inhibit the flow of human talent and depress income mobility by keeping competent poor people from being hired. Such rules also are inherently protectionistwhich is a good thing when one is talking about heart surgerybut not so good if one is talking about other fields (like being a fishing guide). Even the White House weighed in on this topic, warning of the very real costs of needless or excessive licensure requirements. When it comes to teaching, certainly getting a teaching degree or credential is valuable and laudable. But it is a logical fallacy to declare that this is the only path that can produce good teachers. Why not let principals choose what teachers they want to try out, and let them remove those who are not up to snuff? Thats the way most firms and organizations operate. So kudos to Utahs school board for empowering districts to choose. Now if theyd only do something to augment removal authority. Moving along Who else caught the NPR report on education reform in China? It was a fascinating piece by Anthony Kuhn. I loved this bit: At first glance, it looks like an ordinary gym class at a public school in Yibin, a city of about a million people in southwest Chinas Sichuan province. But then you notice that the students are wearing signs: Nitrate, Sulfate, Phosphate. In their game of tag, they chase the classmates they need to start a chemical reaction. This is how gym and chemistry classes are combined at the Cold Water Well Middle School. Genius! I wish I had been taught chemistry that way in high school. Instead I got drab lectures and had to do experiments which were boringly drab. Who came up with such a clever idea? Kuhn continues, Upstairs, in a combined history and math class, students use statistics to find patterns in the rise and fall of nations. These experiments are the brainchild of former journalist Zhang Liang. A former journalist designing pedagogy? Crazy talk! Kuhn reports: From Confucian-style academies and home schooling to foreign Waldorf and Montessori models, a grassroots, alternative education movement is blossoming across China at the secondary level. How widespread this movement really is unclear. But any defections from the soviet, uniform, cram-style of schooling are to be lauded. Hopefully, Kuhn and other journalists will report more on this development, which government authorities could crush at any moment. Two rivals agree that working together would benefit the greater good Widely perceived as bitter rivals, Intel and ARM have agreed to a deal that will benefit the two companies specifically, one of Intels factories will begin manufacturing ARM-based chips for smartphone manufacturer, LG. Upon announcing the agreement, the two companies said they expected the move to be mutually beneficial. This is a monumental agreement for a number of reasons, chief being the fact that these two dominant brands in their respective markets Intel and its x86 chip architecture in PCs and ARM-based chips in mobile devices have found common ground to begin working together. This agreement is one example of that and will deliver immense value to the design ecosystem and ultimately to our partners, blogged Will Abbey, an executive at ARM. Intel began making processors for other semiconductor manufacturers a little over three years ago. Among the companys clientele was Altera, a company that incorporated some of ARMs technologies. Last year, Intel made the decision to buy Altera, thus establishing a direct relationship with their perceived rivals. In the announcement, Intel explained that LG (and future customers) would now be able to combine the companys ability to make 10-nanometer transistors (which are advertised as having performance gains over existing 14-nm transistors) with ARMs most advanced designs (for those unfamiliar, ARM does not make chips, but rather licenses its inventions to manufacturers, who then use it to customize their designs). Among those directly impacted by this partnership are Samsung, GlobalFoundries, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, all of which presently manufacture a significant portion of the worlds ARM-based processors. The timing of the agreement is a bit curious. For one, it follows Intels decision to cancel its release of new Atom chips processors based on the companys own design, which were being created for mobile devices. Also, it comes on the heels of last months announcement that Japans Softbank was buying ARM for $32 billion. Ultimately, though, this agreement best exemplifies how strongly Intel wants to become a player in the mobile market. It should be noted though, that this agreement does not jump the company to the front of the line. Its actually a long road ahead. Apple, for example, already relies on Samsung and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company to manufacture its chips. Samsung, obviously, relies on its own chips. So, in order to truly establish a more significant presence in this market, Intel will need to work mightily at expanding its roster beyond LG. Via the BBC Learn more about ARM Intel 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. Two business groups have endorsed a candidate in a five-way primary for the Republican nomination in the 54th Senate District. Associated Builders and Contractors and the National Federation of Independent Business are supporting Floyd Rayburn over four other Republican candidates, including the party's endorsed candidate, Canandaigua Supervisor Pam Helming. Rayburn owns F.G. Rayburn Mason Contractors in Canandaigua and has been a longtime member of Associated Builders and Contractors and NFIB. He is a past chairman of the board of ABC's Empire State chapter. The endorsements, Rayburn said, are huge for his campaign. "They're basically telling everybody that I'm in this as a businessman creating jobs and a business that's kept his employees," he said. Michael Durant, NFIB's New York state director, said Rayburn's experience as a small business owner sets him apart from the other GOP candidates in the race. "When you look at the importance of this election, to have a member of the legislature that has experience signing the front of a check as opposed to just the back of one and the real world experience and understand the complexities that small businesses face ... Floyd was a no-brainer for us," Durant said. ABC Empire State President Brian Sampson echoed Durant's comments. "Here we have a true small business owner," Sampson said of Rayburn. "He's fought through New York laws and New York regulations. He understands the challenges. He has put people to work. He's created jobs. That's the type of mentality we need going into Albany." The endorsement is significant for Rayburn, who hasn't run for political office before and didn't have a good showing at the GOP designation meeting in May. Since late May, Rayburn has become a serious contender for the GOP nomination. He loaned his campaign $185,000 and has $129,950 in the bank the highest total among the five Republican candidates in the race. He has also been endorsed by two former rivals, Army veteran Joe Geiger and Tompkins County Legislator Mike Sigler. Geiger and Sigler were vying for the GOP nod, but have since exited the race. Geiger was knocked off the ballot after the state Board of Elections invalidated his petitions and Sigler withdrew from the race after the GOP endorsement meeting. Now, Rayburn has the support of two major business groups. Durant said it's "not common" for NFIB to get involved in primaries. Sampson said Associated Builders and Contractors have engaged in primaries when the organization felt it was appropriate. NFIB decided to endorse Rayburn, Durant said, after discussions with small business owners in the 54th District. "I thought that they were definitely in Floyd's corner and that kind of spurred us into action," he said. Durant added, "It's one thing to say you're for small business. It's another to really understand and have members of (the Senate GOP conference) really understand what certain pieces of legislation mean. And I think that (Rayburn's) experience and his knowledge and his transparency are going to be tremendous assets, not just to the district and NFIB members, but also to that Senate Republican Conference." Sampson also touted the experience Rayburn can offer the Senate Republican Conference. "Floyd is the construction industry," he said. "He is merit shop, non-union, free enterprise construction. I won't need to go and explain things to him. He's lived it. He's breathed it. He's fought it. He's succeeded in spite of all that. For us, Floyd represents our industry." The Republican primary in the 54th District will be held Sept. 13. Along with Helming and Rayburn, former Assemblyman Sean Hanna, Lyons Supervisor Brian Manktelow and ex-Greece police officer Jon Ritter are in the race for the party's nomination. The winner will have the GOP ballot line against Democratic candidate Kenan Baldridge. If Helming loses the primary, she will still appear on the general election ballot. She has been endorsed by the Conservative, Independence and Reform parties. Colleen Deacon's family was affected by layoffs at what was once one of central New York's major employers. That story is now the subject of Deacon's first television ad of the general election campaign in the 24th Congressional District race. Deacon, D-Syracuse, released the TV ad Wednesday and it will air on Syracuse-area broadcast stations. The cost of the ad buy wasn't disclosed. The commercial stars Ross Deacon, the candidate's father who was an employee at the now-closed Syroco plant in Baldwinsville. Ross was laid off from his job in 1989, when Colleen was 12. "We had three young kids at home and it was a difficult time," Ross Deacon says in the ad. "My story is very similar to a lot of people in this area. Businesses leave, good jobs never come back. After nine years working there, I got two weeks severance pay." Ross was an industrial designer at the plant one of 900 employees who worked at the facility at the time, according to Deacon's campaign. "It was a tough time when my dad was laid off," Colleen Deacon said in a statement. "Luckily my mom could go back to work to help support our family. Our story isn't unique it's something so many families have been through." The plant closed in 2007. It has been vacant ever since, although Tessy Plastics in Elbridge is planning an expansion project that would utilize the facility. While the ad focuses mainly on Deacon's father, she had a speaking role near the end of the commercial. "To me, creating good paying jobs is personal," Deacon says in the ad. "I'll fight bad trade deals and level the playing field for middle-class families." Economic issues have been a major focus of Deacon's campaign since she entered the race in October 2015. During an appearance at the Auburn Rotary Club in May, she said her opponent, U.S. Rep. John Katko, hasn't done anything to create jobs or improve central New York's economy. She came out in support of tax credits to help businesses offer apprenticeships and internships. And she wants companies to partner with universities to improve workforce training. 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 Wendy Long is criss-crossing the state to spread her message one she hopes will lead to a major upset in November's election. Long, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, is challenging U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer. Political prognosticators rate the race "safe Democratic." A Siena Research Institute poll released Wednesday found Long trails Schumer, D-N.Y., by 39 points. Schumer is seeking a fourth term and if he wins re-election, he's on track to become the top Senate Democrat and possibly the next Senate majority leader. That isn't stopping Long from criticizing Schumer she calls him "Corrupt Chuck" and traveling around the state. She was in Cayuga County and central New York last week before heading to Rochester for meetings. "If I didn't have to do anything else and all I could do is travel around and talk to people, that's what I would do, which is what I've been doing," Long said during a 30-minute interview with The Citizen. "Doing a little press, but mostly just meeting people, hearing what they're thinking, especially about what's going on in Washington." Throughout the state, Long is hearing similar issues raised by voters. These issues all have some link to the economy, she said. There are concerns about the impact of the Affordable Care Act and health insurance rates. Keeping manufacturing jobs in upstate New York is also a big issue. The heroin epidemic is on that list, too. "Drug addiction is rampant," Long said. "It's really scary." Here is the (lightly edited) Q&A with Long: The Citizen: The heroin epidemic here is an issue that has touched many families. What can be done at the federal level to address this problem in upstate New York? Long: The best answer is that things like this are best handled as close to the people and communities as you can. Any time something is managed from afar from Washington I think you lose a lot of being able to be responsive and to tailor things. I think a lot of this is based on breakdown of families, breakdown of communities and those are things that have to be handled locally. Now, that said, it's a nationwide problem and there certainly is room for federal help. I don't think it should be federal dictation. There can't be heavy handed management of this because there are different sources of the problem. Part of it is physicians overprescribing prescription drugs. There's that piece of it. And then there's the piece of controlling our borders and controlling the stuff that's coming in here. One of the best things, frankly, I think Washington can do is fix the economy and get our economy growing again so that people can be employed. part of this is there's a real sense of hopelessness. When you're unemployed, when you're a student racking up lots of debt and there's no signs of gainful employment on the other end of that. There are a lot of factors that drive people to turn to drugs and we have to eliminate some of those causes. Now, in terms of addressing it once it's happened, if we take care of the borders, take care of trying to keep the drugs out of this country, if we can get our economy growing again, which is everything we've been doing for certainly the last decade and longer certainly under Obama, Schumer and Clinton is wrong. We need to allow the economy to grow ... That's reducing taxes, revising the tax code, making it a pro-growth tax code, giving incentives to businesses, private enterprise to get going, regulatory structure. All the things that we've been talking about for so long. It really does work. We're going to keep talking about it until we do it because we know it works. Once you do that, I think that there is room for federal funding (to address heroin addiction). Any time we talk about federal funding we have to reduce federal funding overall. We're approaching a $20 trillion debt, so we can't just throw lots of money at stuff willy-nilly. But the problem is there's so much waste and misallocation that if we get a lot smarter about how we spend federal dollars, I think there would be room to spend it on things that really are a genuine crisis. I've been talking to people around New York state who have some knowledge of various federal agencies and things that are going on. They have horrendous stories of waste and fraud to tell. We aren't tackling that problem. If we could get our arms around that, we'd be able to address things like the drug crisis. The Citizen: When we interviewed Donald Trump in April, we asked him about how he would balance the need for a wall and bolstering border security with the needs of upstate New York's farmers. A big issue for the farmers is labor. They can't get enough of it from around here, so they need to look elsewhere. How do you balance those two concerns? Long: I don't think they're balanced. I think they're complementary. I think they help each other. There's no antagonism there. Once you get control of your borders and you know who is coming in, you not only know who's coming in, you control who is coming in ... We don't just need to know who is coming in, we need to fix who is coming in and control who is coming in. One group of persons who our farmers right now need to come in are guest workers, seasonal workers. And that's fine! They need to do it legally. And when they're doing it legally and we've got a program and we know who's coming in and they go out and in when they're supposed to, it's all legal. It's all organized to the benefit of this country and her employers. It's fine. It'll work. There's another little piece of it, too, which is when I was a kid, when I was a teenager, I picked apples. I picked berries. I shoveled stalls. Call me old fashioned, but you know what? I think a lot of teenagers who are playing "Pokemon" and chasing ... they should be doing some of that work. The Citizen: You have mentioned self-imposing term limits. (Long said, if elected, she will serve no more than two terms in the Senate.) Why do you view that as important? (Note: Her position on term limits is the No. 1 item in her "contract" with New Yorkers published on her website.) Long: It's point number one because I think all of our other problems, in a way, are derivative of this problem, which is we have got an entrenched, self-anointed establishment in Washington that has become untouchable and unresponsive and really seeks to perpetuate itself more than to serve the people. This is on both sides of the aisle. This is a bipartisan issue. It's Republicans and Democrats, but in this state our people in Washington happen to be Democrats and Chuck Schumer is the poster child of that establishment. He's a hatchling of this rigged system and nobody is going to fix the rigged system who was hatched and brought up in the rigged system and that's Schumer. When you have that mentality, it's a very different vision than what our founders thought of when they came up with this idea of self-government, which was citizens would govern themselves. They'd take turns. They'd go to Washington and serve for awhile and then they'd go back ... When you're somebody like Chuck Schumer, the masters he serves as his big donors who have given him the $27 million he has right now. That's hedge funds and it's Wall Street. It's big corporate America. It's the big plaintiffs' law firms. It's big immigration interests because he's Mr. Open Borders. This is the definition of corruption. I know some people may be shocked at that word, but it really is. It's when people are serving your financial interests, filling your campaign coffers seeking to perpetuate yourself and you are doing their bidding. We need to break the hold on that and I think the way to do it is term limits. I think another way to do it is I would enact legislation to ban lobbying once you've served in Congress. You are banned for life from profiting by lobbying Congress ... You can express your opinions, but you can't profit from your service. The Citizen: There are many infrastructure needs in central New York, whether it's water infrastructure or making repairs to bridges and roads. As someone who's running for U.S. Senate, what more can be done to address these issues at the federal level? Long: Infrastructure is a huge issue and Donald Trump has talked about this a lot. I feel this way, too. It goes directly to being able to have a vibrant and thriving private economy. If we have a bad infrastructure that affects all of our businesses, it affects our ability to be productive. Not to mention quality of life for citizens who may have issues with lead water pipes or whatever it is their vehicles are hitting lots of potholes and they're paying for lots of extra repairs on their trucks and their cars. So, infrastructure is a huge issue and it's something we have to address and I think we need to do it the right way, which is you approach it in kind of a Donald Trump way. When things are going wrong in New York City and the city was throwing millions and millions of dollars at a particular issue and equipment was lying around on the ground, money was being wasted, things weren't being fixed. You approach it in a business-like way as to what's the problem, what's the cost, how can we fix it in the most cost-effective way, run it like a business, manage it like a business and get it done. But it's definitely a government responsibility. National defense, security the border, building infrastructure these are government responsibilities. I think when we get government out of the business of things where it doesn't belong, like corporate welfare, I think we'll be able to focus on the unique tasks that do belong that are the purview of government. Infrastructure is definitely one of them and I would prioritize that. I think part of it is, too, that New York sends a lot in taxes to Washington and for quite some time this goes back to Daniel Patrick Moynihan who talked about it years ago we aren't getting back what we send. We need to focus on that. The Citizen: A Republican hasn't won a statewide election since the early 2000s. Why can that change this year? Long: I think it's possible. The climate is much better now than it was four years ago for a variety of reasons. One factor is the Trump factor. Here in New York, Trump, Schumer, Clinton and I are all New Yorkers. All four of us are New Yorkers, although Clinton is a carpetbagger. The point is this is a kind of New York state-focused race in a way. Trump and Sanders just kind of opened the lid on the entrenched establishment issue and I think that was a very valuable service. A large group of Ontario County Republicans are rally behind Canandaigua Supervisor Pam Helming's state Senate campaign. Helming, who's the GOP-backed candidate in the 54th Senate District, was endorsed Wednesday by several officials from her home county, including Ontario County Republican Chairman Doug Finch and Jack Marren, chairman of the Ontario County Board of Supervisors. Marren called Helming a "truly genuine individual." "She goes above and beyond during her research for any decisions we have made at the county level and takes the time to consult with her colleagues in government to learn our thoughts and positions," he said. "Her background in the private sector and local government make her a great candidate for our district and I know she will do extremely well as our next state senator." Helming, R-Canandaigua, is locked in a five-way primary for the GOP nomination. Her opponents include fellow Ontario County resident Floyd Rayburn, a Canandaigua businessman. Before the field was whittled down to five, there were at least a dozen candidates in the race. At the endorsement meeting in May, the field was narrowed down to 11. Peter Ingalsbe, Farmington's town supervisor, said he was involved in the endorsement process and it was clear early on that Helming would receive the party's support. "She is without question the best candidate," he said. "I supported her that night and she has had my full support ever since. I've known Pam for years and I am confident she is the only individual who will fight to lower taxes, change state government and assist the residents of the 54th Senate District." The other officials supporting Helming are: Ontario County Republican Committee Vice Chairwoman Trisha Turner Ontario County Republican Committee Second Vice Chairman Phil Beckley Ontario County Clerk Matt Hoose City of Geneva Republican Committee Chairwoman Ethel Peters City of Geneva Republican Committee Member Gary Baxter Town of Canandaigua Republican Committee Chairwoman Yvonne Chavez Town of Farmington Republican Committee Chairwoman Bonnie Lew Town of Geneva Republican Committee Chairman Patrick Riley Town of Manchester Republican Committee Chairman Dave Phillips Town of Seneca Republican Committee Chairman John Hicks Geneva City Councilman Paul D'Amico Greg Bendzlowicz, member of Ontario County Board of Supervisors representing parts of Geneva Town of Canandaigua Clerk Jean Chrisman Canandaigua Highway Superintendent Jim Fletcher Hopewell Supervisor Peg Hilton Manchester Supervisor Jeff Gallahan Helming said she's humbled to receive the support of several Republican leaders from her own county. "It has been a great honor to work hard on behalf of the town of Canandaigua residents, and when elected, I will bring that same dedication to the state Senate," Helming said in a statement. "I want to be the change that Albany needs. It's time to bring some upstate values back to the Capitol." The GOP primary will be held Sept. 13. Helming already has the Conservative, Independence and Reform party endorsements. The 54th Senate District covers all of Seneca and Wayne counties, plus portions of Cayuga, Monroe, Ontario and Tompkins counties. U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer is on track to win a fourth term in the U.S. Senate, according to a new Siena Research Institute poll released Wednesday. Schumer, D-N.Y., leads Republican challenger Wendy Long 63 to 24 percent in the race for one of New York's two U.S. Senate seats. While Long gets a majority of the GOP vote, one-third of Republican voters said they would support Schumer if the election were held today. Schumer's favorable rating is 58 percent. Less than one-third of voters 31 percent have an unfavorable view of New York's senior U.S. senator. Long, an attorney and New York City resident, faces a common problem for statewide challengers: Name recognition. Most voters 77 percent don't know or have no opinion of the GOP challenger. Among Republicans, Schumer has a 44 percent favorable rating. A vast majority of GOP voters 79 percent said they don't know or have no opinion of Long. "Schumer on the cusp of becoming Demoratic leader of the United States Senate if he can clear the hurdle of a re-election by New York voters is about as far ahead as one can be 83 days before an election," Siena pollster Steve Greenberg said. "With a nearly 40-point lead against an opponent who is unknown to 77 percent of voters, the popular incumbent seems to be cruising to a fourth term." While Long has a majority of GOP voters in her corner and a plurality of conservatives, Schumer leads among other demographics. With independents, Schumer is up 57 to 29 percent. Nearly two-thirds of women 65 percent say they would vote for Schumer if the election were held today. And by a 58 to 29 percent margin, the incumbent Democratic senator leads in upstate. AUBURN In 1999, Vickie Harris helped open the Inn at the Finger Lakes. Although she left for a few years in between, she came back again as general manager for the Auburn hotel at the end of 2011, and will continue in that post since the inn changed ownership on Aug. 4. Despite the new ownership, Harris said not much will change for now. Staffing is the same and the complimentary evening wine tasting will continue, as will other amenities. Formerly owned by Hart Hotels, a privately owned hospitality company out of Buffalo, the inn is now owned by JKT LLC, a group of partners based out of New Jersey. Records show the property, assessed at $2,099,999, was sold recently to the new company for $1.9 million. Jignesh Trivedi, a JKT LLC partner and hotel manager, has been staying at the hotel since Aug. 4, learning the layout and workings of the inn and making capital improvements to things like the air conditioning units and ice machines. "We will run it as it is right now," Trivedi said Wednesday. "At least one year, it will be the same. We feel it's in good condition." That will give him time, too, he said, to see how the hotel is doing, monitor its operations, and then decide if there is any changes that need to be made. Trivedi also said there are no plans to change the hotel's name at this time. This is the fourth property Trivedi will manage in addition to hotels in Michigan, Ohio and Delaware. It is the first property owned by JKT LLC. According to Cayuga County real property records, the inn was built in 1998 on a site that had been the home to the Carnicelli-Indelicato American Legion Post No. 1776. It was originally called the Microtel Inn & Suites, but later renamed to the Inn at the Finger Lakes in May 2005. With its new name, the inn expanded, adding a fitness center and its evening drinks reception. David Hart, president of Hart Hotels, could not be reached for comment. The 2016 Rio Olympics has been a pretty wild ride so far, with its own fair share of rather unsavory moments. Just recently, social media went up in flames when an Egyptian Judoka refused to shake the hand of his Israeli opponent. On Tuesday's woman's 5,000-meter run, however, the athletes in the Olympics showed a side that the event needed very much -- sportsmanship. Abbey D'Agnostino of the United States and Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand were both competing for the event's prize. However, the pair got tangled when the New Zealander was tripped in front of the American. The two athletes hit the ground hard. With about 2,000 meters left in the race, Hamblin thought that her goal of finishing the race and qualifying for the next event had been dashed. Suddenly, however, she felt a hand on her shoulder. It was D'Agnostino. "Get up. We have to finish this," the American athlete said. With that, Hamblin decided to get up and finish the race anyway. "I was like, "Yup, yup, you're right. This is the Olympics Games. We have to finish this,'" Hamblin later said. As the pair started to run again, it became evident that the American was the more damaged of the two. D'Agnostino had hurt her ankle during the fall. It was then that Hamblin decided to return the favor. Hamblin slowed down and kept pace with her American competitor, until both of them eventually crossed the finish line. Both were the last placers in the race, but their actions ultimately won the hearts of the crowd, and the world watching the event. "That girl is the Olympic spirit right there. I've never met her before. Like I never met this girl before. And isn't that just so amazing. Such an amazing woman," Hamblin said in a later interview. As the pair finished the race, they hugged. Hamblin and D'Agnostino might not have known each other before the event, but they finished the run as friends. As D'Agnostino was led away on a wheelchair, the athlete reached out her right hand towards Hamblin. The two runners gripped each other's forearms for a few moments, before officials wheeled the American away. Olympic officials have decided to take exception to the two runners, stating that both Hamblin and D'Agnostino would return in Friday's upcoming race. A 45-year old man has been murdered on Monday after helping two South Carolina teens pull their SUV out of a ditch. Both teens have been arrested on murder charges. According to police reports, the two teens, 17-year-old Deon Frasier and 19-year-old Michael Dupree-Taylor, asked 45-year-old Chadwick Garrett for help when the SUV they were driving, a 2016 Dodge Durango, got stuck in a ditch. Witnesses during the incident stated that Garrett agreed to help the two teens, for the price of $20. The two teens allegedly agreed. However, once the SUV was out of the ditch and Garrett tried to collect his pay, Frasier allegedly took out a gun and unloaded several rounds on the 45-year-old. Garrett was struck in the chest. The pair then sped away, with the 19-year-old Dupree-Taylor driving. About 20 minutes after the incident, local police received a report from a woman about her SUV being taken by the two teens without her permission. The teens were tracked down by the police, and after a brief standoff, the pair surrendered and were apprehended. Both Frasier and Dupree-Taylor were booked into the Charleston County Jail early Tuesday. Both Frasier and Dupree-Taylor face murder charges in connection with the fatal incident. The 17-year-old has also been charged with possession of a firearm during a violent crime. Investigators have stated that the 19-year-old Dupree-Taylor confessed to being present at the scene of Garrett's fatal shooting. For his part, the 17-year-old Frasier also admitted that he was the gunman who shot and killed the Garrett. Moses Garrett, the father of the slain man, spoke to the teens as the suspects faced the charges against them. "It's so sad; these young babies here, they're getting more and more terrible out there on the streets. You guys killed a man. Only cowards carry guns," he said. Moses Garrett further addressed the teens, stating that he wished they were raised by a better father. The California textbooks process which concluded earlier this year has brought out a slew of dishonest, poorly informed, and ideologically predetermined articles pretending to lend expertise on the situation, which is first of all a debate on the history curriculum in American schools, rather than Indian history alone. Although Chinnaiah Jangams article in this journal (16 July 2016) initially attempts to provide a historic overview of Indian immigration to the United States (US) and situate the present controversy in that context, it inevitably trickles down into a narrow course that wilfully ignores several facts in order to prop up a baseless attack on Scholars for People, with some personal presumptions thrown in as well. The mandate of Scholars for People, which began with a community petition in March, protesting the denial of India and Hinduism in the frameworks, was the issue of denying Indias existence, and not caste or even Hinduism, a crucial fact Jangam omits to mention. An honest analysis of this issue would have at the very least laid out the positions of various parties accurately, as well as the flow of events that took place, instead of resorting to a sophomoric guessing game based on names and identities (would Jangam censure Irfan Habib, say, for writing about Hindu history the way he takes umbrage at some of us in Scholars for People?). It should be noted at the outset that Jangam does not offer a single link to the letters submitted to the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) by the South Asia Faculty Group (SAFG) in 2015 and 2016 (Scholars for People 2015, 2016b). These are the documents in which the SAFG attempted to make a case for their recommendations, namely that several references to India be replaced with South Asia, and for the word Hinduism to be replaced with religion of ancient India. It was the acceptance of several of these changes in March 2016 by the California HistorySocial Science Project (CHSSP) that led to the formation of Scholars for People, and it was this issue that dominated the petition, letters, and articles initiated by Scholars for People since March. India Erasure and Caste Erasure Adam Bray has spent a lot of time with kudzu bugs. "At night I would see them crawling when I closed my eyes," he jokes. The kudzu bug originated in east Asia and India and showed up in Georgia, Bray's home state, in 2009. And like its viney plant namesake, the kudzu bug has earned a negative reputation. "Everybody in Georgia knows about the kudzu bug," Bray says. Since the bug is attracted to white surfaces, "Anyone with a house painted white has tons of bugs all over it." The pest, with its piercing, sucking mouthparts, also brings a taste for soybean plants, a cash crop worth $40 billion a year in the United States. The bug's invasion has led to crop losses of almost 20% in states like Georgia and South Carolina. Bray's research through the University of Georgia investigated the bug's destruction of soybeans--and how to protect the crop. Some wild relatives of soybean have developed resistance to insect pests after being exposed to them over the long term. The adapted plants have slowly built defense mechanisms against pests. Some damage a bug's ability to reproduce or to get enough nutrition. Others have altered their appearance, smell, or taste so bugs don't find them appetizing anymore. Bray hoped the soy wild relatives would also be able to protect themselves against the kudzu bug. Through his field experiment, Bray discovered that a few strains were able to fight the kudzu bug by limiting the ability of its nymphs, or young, to survive. Bray says the next step is to identify which gene gives the soybeans this defense mechanism. Scientists study plant resistance in the hopes of cultivating and nurturing plants that can survive the onslaught of pests without a heavy dose of chemicals. Not only is a plant's natural defense less toxic to the wider environment, it's less expensive. These are important factors to consider since insecticide use on soybeans quadrupled from 2004 to 2014. Bray also developed a kudzu bug damage rating for soybeans. This will help plant breeders and farmers get a picture of how resistant a particular strain is to the pest. "I wanted to develop a visual scale so that a soybean breeder could easily walk out into the field and say on a scale of one to 10 what's the most stem-damaged plant and what's the least," explains Bray. In order to develop the damage scale, Bray, with the help of many lab members, meticulously counted the number of kudzu bugs on each plant. In the past, researchers have shaken the plants over white sheets to count them. "But these guys fly around, so it's hard to get an accurate count," Bray says. His technique was to dip the plant in a bucket of water and immobilize the bug. "Going forward other breeders can just use our rating scale instead of counting every single bug." Despite this unpleasant task, studying the kudzu bug did have some perks. It allowed Bray to travel to China to learn from other scientists working with similar species. "The bug offered a lot of opportunities for me to learn, even if it's a pest," he said. ### Read more about Bray's research in Crop Science. Bray's work was done as a graduate student under Zenglu Li & Wayne Parrott. Funding was provided by the United Soybean Board and the Georgia Soybean Commission. For an up-to-date distribution map showing the spread of kudzu bug since 2009, see http://www.kudzubug.org/distribution-map/. It is currently not possible to quantify emissions of methane from livestock manure. This is a significant problem, in particular at a time where the EU Commision requires Denmark to reduce drastically emissions of greenhouse gases from agriculture. Without methods to quantify emissions, it is also not possible to document effects of changes in management. A new research article, published this week in the journal PLOS ONE, addresses this challenge and proposes a method which could be an important step towards quantifying methane emissions and degradation processes associated with manure management. The specific challenge is that the mainly liquid manure (slurry) is collected in pits under animal confinements for up to a month before exported to an outside storage tank, or for treatment. During this period degradation of manure organic matter begins and may lead to emissions of both methane and carbon dioxide. However, animals in the house are also a source of both gases, and in practice emissions from livestock and their manure cannot be separated. As a result, the total emission of methane from manure in pits and outside storage tanks, and the degradation of manure organic matter, cannot be verified. The new method proposed here is based on laboratory measurements of methane production in liquid manure samples collected on farms. A simple model is used to calculate daily emissions. This model can then be used to evaluate effects of changes in management or treatment of the manure, for example biogas treatment. Methane is, after carbon dioxide, the most important source of greenhouse gases from agriculture, and the most important on-farm source. Here the largest single source is animal digestion, especially in ruminants such as cattle, whereas on pig farms manure is the main source. Since the residence time of methane in the atmosphere is short compared to other greenhouse gases, a reduction of methane will be particularly effective in the short term at reducing climate forcing. Moreover, methods to reduce methane emissions from manure are already available (biogas treatment, slurry acidification). For these reasons methane emissions from livestock manure is an obviouos target for greenhouse gas mitigation. Degradation of manure organic matter leads to emissions of methane, but even larger emissions of carbon dioxide. Both methane and carbon dioxide contain carbon from manure organic matter that is degraded. This loss of organic carbon is critical for the biogas potential of manure which is directly related to the degradable organic matter left in the manure. For example, a shorter collection period would likely increase biogas production while at the same time reducing methane emissions, but currently these effects cannot be documented. The article discusses this synergy and concludes that a new method must also be able to quantify the emission of carbon dioxide, in order to estimate the loss of degradable organic matter from slurry pits. Plans to further develop the method have been described in a new research proposal in collaboration with research institutions in Germany, Netherlands, Great Britain and Sweden, and a Swedish company. ### Companies that 'walk the walk' they advocate may help reduce turnover, improve performance Tying company values such as honesty and respect into employee awards and job evaluations is being championed by public relations, marketing and human resources departments in some prominent companies, a Baylor University study has found. Building a business reputation from the inside out -- with employees giving a company high marks as an ethical place to work -- is increasingly being hailed as a way to get a leg up on the competition, right alongside customer service and quality products. "Promoting core values is a way to engage employees and increase their commitment and loyalty to the organization and at the same time encourage ethical decision making," said researcher Marlene Neill, Ph.D., assistant professor of journalism, public relations and new media in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences. The study -- "The Influence of Employer Branding in Internal Communication" -- is published in the Research Journal of The Institute for Public Relations. For her study on what is known as "employer branding" or "internal branding," Neill conducted interviews with 32 executives in PR, human resources and marketing, drawing from 26 companies in 11 states. Several companies are ranked in Fortune 500, the Global 500 and Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For." Some of the executives' comments: "Instead of (an orientation) being 80 percent 'Let's get you signed up for your benefits, get your emails and get yourself through the class and out the door and off to work,' it's more of a really intense three-day sort of boot camp that is 80 percent oriented toward mission, the members (customers) we serve, the culture we have . . . so you come out of there just fired up." -- From a vice president of corporate communications "So our values are supposed to be integrity, courage, curiosity . . . If we're struggling in an area, it makes me wonder, 'Are we not communicating well? Are we not being honest? Or are we not being perceived as being honest?" -- From an HR manager whose company surveys employees about corporate values "Whenever you think about internal branding, you need to think about it over the life cycle of the employee -- from the time they are hired and going through employee orientation until the day they walk out the door." -- From the managing director of a PR agency Organizations spend about $54 billion annually on orientation for new employees. Part of employer branding is promoting ethics as well as benefits and training during those sessions, Neill said. Routine communications -- email, newsletters and face-to-face encounters -- also can be effective for companies seeking to inspire integrity, humility, team support and innovation. But if workers come to believe that an employer does not "walk the walk" touted at orientations and in communications, they may see it as violating a "psychological contract," Neill said. That, in turn, may lead to turnover, job dissatisfaction, distrust and reduced performance -- despite good salaries, benefits and chances to advance. Perhaps the most powerful way to avoid those problems is linking ethics to reward systems, some companies suggest. "When someone receives an award or gets a nomination, it has to be related to one of the values. And then we have values painted all over the office on the wall, so those are the two big reinforcements," one human resources manager told Neill. "You're also rated on the values in your annual performance review." Other ways to inspire employees and foster ethics are codes of conduct, employee training, ethics audits, ethics hotlines, newsletters, handbooks, testimonials and an ombudsperson, Neill said. The study recommends: Employers should communicate ethics in a relevant way, such as employee testimonials and historical anecdotes. Employers should review their core values to be sure they mesh with policies and reward systems. If not, they should make revisions. Employers should review recruitment and orientation materials to include core values. Employers should evaluate their ethics programs and see if they should add more resources, such as ethics audits or decision-making trees. Employers should do routine surveys to see how employees rate the company's performance in regards to core values. Employees who model ethical behavior should be rewarded through positive job evaluations and awards programs. Many internal communicators say they provide ethics counsel to their companies. "You're kind of the last one to say, 'Are you sure you want to do this?'" one human resources director said. "I view the role as sometimes the last common-sense checker." Others say that giving advice about ethics is not among their duties -- and is even discouraged. One communication specialist said she lost her a previous job in health care after raising concerns about new medical procedures. While goals are commendable, some internal communicators warned that the company values set out in orientations and communications need to be "who you are, not who you aspire to be." ### *Executives interviewed worked in corporations; (37.5 percent); education/nonprofit organizations (31 percent); consulting agencies (19 percent); and government/military (12.5 percent). Represented are Arizona, California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Mississippi, New York, Tennessee, Texas and the District of Columbia. An 8-year-old Homer girl who lost her left arm and leg in a boating accident on Skaneateles Lake, has left Upstate University Hospital and arrived at a hospital in Boston, according to reports from her family on social media. Kaelynne Driscoll had been tubing with her father, Christopher Driscoll, on the lake July 6, when they had been ejected from the tube after the boat struck a wake. Jamie Wheeler, Kaelynne's stepmother, circled the 17-foot Bayliner back around, causing the propeller to strike both her husband and stepdaughter. Both Kaelynne and Christopher were transported to Upstate University Hospital. Christopher was released July 9, but Kaelynne underwent multiple surgeries. For weeks she needed assistance to breath, but she has since been off the machines and is now breathing on her own. Kaelynne and her mother, Amber Oursler, arrived in Boston on Aug. 15, according to friends and family on her Facebook page, Kaelynne's Army. There, she will undergo rehabilitation. Kaelynne had started physical therapy at Upstate University Hospital, Oursler said in an email to The Citizen on Aug. 6. "Kaelynne deserves the world and those close to her will do anything that they can to make sure that she always has a smile on her face, fire in her soul, and love in her heart," Oursler wrote. New research in The FASEB Journal suggests that melanocortin agonism could represent an innovative way to tame inflammation, and at the same time, preserve periodontal bone after infection If you hate going to the dentist, here's some good news. New research published online in The FASEB Journal, shows that melanocortin agonism may effectively control the inflammation that often occurs in gum tissue, which when unchecked, ultimately accelerates tooth and bone loss. This research involving mice, opens the door to a new class of treatments for gum disease. "Controlling inflammation during gum disease is a key step to avoid alveolar bone resorption, tooth loss and, thus, improve the quality of life of patients," said Mila Madeira, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Microbiology at the Biologic Science Institute at the Universidad Federal de Minas Gerais in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. To make their discovery, Madeira and colleagues used several groups of mice. The first group was infected with bacteria related to gum disease and then treated them with a melanocortin agonist. The second group had no infection. The third group was infected, but not treated. The final group was infected but treated with a placebo. Melanocortin agonism was associated with reduced alveolar bone resorption and less inflammation, a critical feature to be controlled in gum diseases. "Attenuation of the inflammatory axis of periodontal pathology cannot be overstated in its importance ," said Thoru Pederson, Ph.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "These findings provide an entirely new approach to this highly prevalent condition." ### Submit to The FASEB Journal by visiting http://fasebj.msubmit.net, and receive monthly highlights by signing up at http://www.faseb.org/fjupdate.aspx. The FASEB Journal is published by the Federation of the American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). It is the world's most cited biology journal according to the Institute for Scientific Information and has been recognized by the Special Libraries Association as one of the top 100 most influential biomedical journals of the past century. FASEB is composed of 30 societies with more than 125,000 members, making it the largest coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. Our mission is to advance health and welfare by promoting progress and education in biological and biomedical sciences through service to our member societies and collaborative advocacy. Details: Mila F. M. Madeira, Celso M. Queiroz-Junior, Trinidad Montero-Melendez, Silvia M. C. Werneck, Joice D. Correa, Frederico M. Soriani, Gustavo P. Garlet, Daniele G. Souza, Mauro M. Teixeira, Tarcilia A. Silva, and Mauro Perretti. Melanocortin agonism as a viable strategy to control alveolar bone loss induced by oral infection. doi:10.1096/fj.201600790R ; http://www.fasebj.org/content/early/2016/08/17/fj.201600790R.abstract According to National Reference Center for Surveillance of Nosocomial Infections esti-mates, up to 15,000 patients die of hospital-acquired infections in Germany every year. Here, multidrug-resistant bacteria, against which common antibiotics are no longer effec-tive, play a major role. But where do these pathogens come from? In largest study of its kind in Europe, DZIF scientists from the University of Cologne investigated this question and discovered that almost ten percent of patients admitted into hospitals already bring these dreaded pathogens along with them from home. "We were surprised that on hospital admission almost every tenth patient is colonised with multidrug-resistant pathogens," explains Dr Axel Hamprecht from the University of Cologne. He coordinated this study, in which six German university hospitals participated, together with Prof Harald Seifert, also from the University of Cologne, and colleagues from Charite Berlin. Over 4,000 adults were tested for multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae on admission into hospital by means of stool samples or rectal swabs. Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia coli constitute a normal part of the gut flora and are not pathogenic--as long as they remain in the gut. However, they can cause infections in oth-er organs, for example urinary tract infections. An infection caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria is much more difficult to treat and requires the use of last-resort antibiotics. In their investigations, the researchers paid particular attention to a group of multidrug-resistant bacte-ria that are often problematic in hospitals: so-called third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (3GCREB). These multidrug-resistant gut bacteria which are resistant to cephalosporins, amongst other drugs, have spread worldwide over the past years. Similar to penicillin, cephalosporins are antibiotics that kill bacteria by inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis. Newer third-generation cephalosporins are effective against a broad spectrum of bacteria and belong to the group of most commonly used antibiotics. However, over the course of time, the bacteria have defend-ed themselves and have acquired so-called beta-lactamase--an enzyme that renders these an-tibiotics ineffective. Enterobacteriaceae are transmitted by smear infection, predominantly via faeces and food. Every tenth patient brings the pathogens into hospital Out of the 4,376 adults who were tested for 3GCREB pathogens on admission to one of the participating hospitals, 416 were carriers of these multidrug-resistant pathogens. This preva-lence is higher than has previously been reported in Germany. Especially often, the scientists found beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli bacteria, so-called ESBL-producing Entero-bacteriaceae. The prevalence of these multidrug-resistant pathogens differed from hospital to hospital. In order to elucidate the factors for colonisation with these bacteria, the patients completed a questionnaire on previous hospital stays and lifestyle habits. "Patients who have taken antibi-otics and travellers outside Europe are at higher risk," says Hamprecht, underlining two im-portant research findings. Experts recommend more hygiene and using fewer antibiotics What can be done to prevent the spread of multidrug-resistant pathogens as early as possible? Hamprecht is certain, "With so many people affected, the strategy of isolating patients within the hospitals no longer works. Additionally, in contrast to other groups of multidrug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus-aureus) strains, standardised sanitation measures for 3GCREB have not been established." Instead, Hamprecht and Seifert recommend improving hygiene measures in hospitals and practices, a rational use of antibiotics and especially reducing their non-justified administration, as well as more training for doctors. ### The study was conducted as part of the antibiotic therapy optimisation study (ATHOS). Fur-ther participating centres are the Charite - Universitatsmedizin Berlin, as well as the Universi-ty Hospitals of Freiburg, Lubeck, Munich and Tubingen. Publication A Hamprecht, A M Rohde, M Behnke, S Feihl, P Gastmeier, F Gebhardt, W V Kern, J K Knobloch, A Mischnik, B Obermann, C Querbach, S Peter, C Schneider, W Schroder, F Schwab, E Tacconelli, M Wiese-Posselt, T Wille, M Willmann, H Seifert, J Zweigner; on be-half of the DZIF ATHOS Study Group Colonization with third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae on hospital admission: prevalence and risk factors. J Antimicrob Chemother 2016 Jun 17. Epub 2016 Jun 17. Doi:10.1093/jac/dkw216 Contact Dr Axel Hamprecht University of Cologne DZIF research field "Healthcare-associated and Antibiotic-resistant bacterial Infections" T: +49 221 478 -32162/-32100 E-Mail: axel.hamprecht@uk-koeln.de Prof Harald Seifert University of Cologne DZIF research field "Healthcare-associated and Antibiotic-resistant bacterial Infections" T: +49 221 478-32009 E-Mail: harald.seifert@uni-koeln.de The technical expertise of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) has been requested to support mineral exploration of zinc deposits in West Greenland. The scientists of the HIF, part of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), are combining the use of drones alongside various other more traditional exploration methods. The aim of this project is to produce high-resolution geological maps of two remote areas of approximately 15 km2 each. From the 9th August, HIF engineer Robert Zimmermann has swapped his office at the HIF for a cabin on a ship off the coast of West Greenland. He is part of a small international team lead by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) and the Greenlandic Ministry for Mineral Resources that aims to acquire a more detailed insight into raw material potential in Greenland. For his share of the work, Zimmermann has various types of measuring systems on board, some of which are operated using drones. The area where the drones are being used is the Karrat region in West Greenland where large deposits of zinc are known to exist. The overall raw material potential in this area is already known as zinc has already been mined in the Maarmorilik area, in the southern part of the Karrat region. In order to better estimate the volume of the zinc resources and to pinpoint their exact location, the geological research institution GEUS is calling upon the know-how of German experts for assistance. Robert Zimmermann is responsible for hyperspectral instruments and drones as well as data collection for the exploration technology division of the HZDR, lead by Dr. Richard Gloaguen. Dr. Gloaguen, a French research scientist, presented the division's work to the European raw material network - EIT Raw Materials - at a conference in Copenhagen. This presentation caught the attention of GEUS as Dr. Gloaguen's team is one of the few which combines various measuring techniques with unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly known as drones in Europe. Non-Invasive Exploration The researchers are able to combine geological data collected from multiple innovative sensors at different scales in a comprehensive model in order to estimate the potential of raw material deposits without even having to penetrate the Earth's surface. Non-invasive exploration, "that is our strength," said Richard Gloaguen. His team travels the globe and was recently in Namibia and Spain. They are currently contributing with their technical expertise to the exploration work in Greenland. From their base station on the ship, Robert Zimmermann and the other expedition participants are either flown by helicopter or transported by boat to the exploration areas. "We start at the edge and work inwards," said Zimmermann. "Many deposits are surrounded by alteration or transformation zones. These zones are dominated by the presence of alteration minerals, usually diverse silicon or sulfur compounds. By firstly identifying these minerals in the vicinity of the deposits, we can then draw inferences about the possible zinc content." Zimmerman explained that the researchers use two hyperspectral cameras, an x-ray fluorescence spectrometer and a reflectance spectrometer to measure the spectral properties of the minerals contained in the outcropping rocks. "Each type of rock shows characteristic images when exposed to sunlight or x-rays," he said. "From the data collected we can produce a consistent image of the distribution of the alteration minerals in the rock massif. Combined with our geological knowledge this allows us to infer which areas are rich in a particular mineral, in this case zinc". Less Samples and Lower Costs "In the end, this type of geological exploration requires fewer samples, and consequently, requires less laboratory work and reduces costs," said division head Richard Gloaguen. "In addition, these methods allow information to be collected from exploration areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach. It is then up to GEUS to pass on this information to potential investors. However, the exploration technology that we have developed may also be of interest to industry." The Helmholtz experts also want to use the Greenland expedition to further develop their own research approach. Once the data has been collected on-site in Greenland, it will be analyzed in September with the help of a GEUS researcher at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg. GEUS assumes that there are various rich deposits of raw materials in Greenland. The Karrat area in West Greenland is one of the most well-known zinc deposits on the island. Today, zinc ores are mainly mined in the People's Republic of China, Australia, Peru, India, the United States, Mexico and Canada. The metal is used mostly for corrosion protection of steel and iron components, but also in batteries and in the construction industry. ### For more information: Dr. Richard Gloaguen Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology at HZDR T el.: +49 351 260 - 4424 | E-Mail: r.gloaguen@hzdr.de Dr. Diogo Rosa The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Petrology and Economic Geology Project head Northern Zinc" Tel.: +45 9133 - 3859 | E-Mail: dro@geus.dk Media contact: Anja Weigl | Press officer Tel.: +49 351 260 - 4427| E-Mail: a.weigl@hzdr.de Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology | Chemnitzer Strae 40 | 09599 Freiberg | http://www.hzdr.de/hif The Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) conducts research in the sectors energy, health, and matter. The HZDR has been a member of the Helmholtz Association, Germany's largest research organization, since 2011. It has four locations (Dresden, Leipzig, Freiberg, Grenoble) and employs about 1,100 people - approximately 500 of whom are scientists, including 150 doctoral candidates. The aim of the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) is to develop innovative scientific technologies for the commercial sector in order to process and utilize mineral and metalliferous raw materials more efficiently and to recycle such materials in an environmentally friendly manner. The HIF was founded in 2011 and is part of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf. The institute cooperates closely with the TU Bergakademie Freiberg. At the start of reproductive life an ovary contains, on average, several thousands of immature ovules in a resting state that can last for several decades. But how does each resting ovule know that it is time to prepare for ovulation? In a study published in the latest issue of Nature Communications*, researchers at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia (IGC; Portugal), at University of Algarve (Portugal), and at University at Albany (USA) discovered in the fruit fly a molecular "alarm clock" that tells resting ovules when is the right time to wake up. Defects in this alarm clock result in female fertility problems. During their resting period, ovules turn off their genes to enter an almost hibernation-like state. When they wake up, they need to turn their genes back on so they can grow and become ready for ovulation. The research team led by Rui Martinho, from the Center for Biomedical Research at University of Algarve and from Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, and Prashanth Rangan, from University at Albany, discovered that the timing of turning the genes back on is programmed directly into the chromosomes of the ovule. To uncover this mechanism, the research team conducted a series of genetic experiments in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster). Paulo Navarro-Costa, first co-author of this study and researcher at the IGC explains: "Similarly to humans, fruit fly ovules also have a resting period during meiosis - the specialized cell division required for the formation of healthy reproductive cells. Therefore, this organism could help us understanding exactly how the ovule is able to turn back on its genes at the right time, a biological mystery until now." The results of the research team revealed the ovules keep track of time during meiosis using a process similar to a molecular "alarm clock". Rui Martinho clarifies the mechanism: "When ovules begin to form, a protein called dKDM5 modifies the chromosomes in a way that they can only activate their genes at the right time. If this alarm clock is incorrectly set, for example due to defects in the dKDM5 protein, females become infertile because their ovules fail to complete meiosis." An unexpected property of this new molecular alarm clock is that it is set at early stages of ovule formation, long before the cell needs to be awakened. "These results illustrate just how important for female fertility is the early life of the ovule. For instance, in the case of humans, the early stages of ovule formation occur before women are born, while they are still in their mother's womb. This prenatal development period is therefore critical for the future formation of healthy reproductive cells", says Paulo Navarro-Costa. ### This study was conducted at Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia and at University at Albany, and was funded by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Portugal), and the National Institutes of Health (USA). *Paulo Navarro-Costa, Alicia McCarthy, Pedro Prudencio, Christina Greer, Leonardo G. Guilgur, Jorg D. Becker, Julie Secombe, Prashanth Rangan and Rui G. Martinho. (2016) "Early programming of the oocyte epigenome temporally controls late prophase I transcription and chromatin remodeling", Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS12331 Certain varieties of aquatic floating weeds demonstrate an impressive ability to selectively absorb oil from contaminated water. These plants, which are often regarded as a nuisance, could in fact provide an extremely convenient way of cleaning up messy oil spills. Reporting their latest results in the journal Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, scientists in Germany based at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology's Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT) together with researchers from the Nees Institute for Biodiversity of Plants at the University of Bonn, have been discovering what makes these plants so special. In their study, the team focused on a number of water plants including four species of Salvinia - an aquatic fern - which were selected for their hairy leaves. The shape of these hairy outgrowths, known as trichomes, falls into four categories and the researchers fine-tuned their sample to get the maximum information on the correlation between trichome type and oil absorption. "From our results we now know that the shape of the hair ends is important in supporting the oil/air interface to ensure maximum oil absorption and retention capabilities," said Claudia Zeiger of IMT. IMT has developed a synthetic version of these hairy surfaces dubbed 'nanofur', which is produced by pressing a hot rough plate into a polymer foil. "The surface of the polymer melts and, when the steel plate is retracted, micro- and nanoscaled hairs are pulled from the surface," explained Zeiger. Nanofur is superhydrophobic and superoleophilic and, like the aquatic ferns, can selectively absorb oil while repelling water. One of the original goals of the current study was to learn from the plants to identify ways to increase the absorption capacity of nanofur, but the results also suggest other opportunities. As the researchers highlight in their paper, the species examined in the study are considered as weeds or pests in many regions of the world. Using these structures as oil absorbers might potentially solve two problems at the same time - the removal of unwanted plants and the production of natural and selective oil sorbent material at low-cost. ### Notes to Editors Contact For further information, including the paper or spokesperson contact details, please contact: Alison Hadley, Senior PR Officer, IOP Publishing Tel 0117 930 1176 Email alison.hadley@iop.org Philippa Skett, Media Officer, Institute of Physics Tel 0207 470 4829 Email philippa.skett@iop.org For more information on how to use the embargoed material, please refer to IOP Publishing's embargo policy (http://ioppublishing.org/news/journalist-area/embargo-policy). Paper The published version of the paper "Microstructures of superhydrophobic plant leaves - inspiration for efficient oil spill cleanup materials" (Claudia Zeiger et al 2016 Bioinspir. Biomim. <11 > <056003 >) will be freely available online Wednesday 17 August. It will be available at"Black Man in a White World" from the new album, which is thematically evocative of Kendrick Lamar's "To Pimp a Butterfly", confronts this difference head-on and embraces it with a hand-clapping, uptempo tune. He might be surrounded by white studio execs in his career, but, he says, thats not really what he was thinking about when he wrote it. It was more influenced by being the only black guy who was into Bob Dylan where he grew up in Muswell Hill, north London. Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up "I wasnt thinking about the music industry when I wrote it but afterwards it did occur to me it was more about the circles I was brought up in. That made me think of my identity a bit more and my culture and where my family originally came from and I was seeing things outside of both worlds really. I am Ugandan by blood but I don't speak the same language. I have a British accent and I am often reminded of my African roots." But rather than reading it as a protest song, he intended it to be a celebration of those layers of identity that make him unique, "That is not a negative thing, thats positive and it makes me think about how you relate to each other. When I was young I didnt want to stand out and its certainly now I realise what a privilege it is to have a unique identity." Kiwanukas influences range from Nina Simone to John Lennon and Tame Impala to Alabama Shakes. His eclecticism is reflected in his music: its folky, but with retro-soul bits and its popular enough to come under the broad umbrella of pop, but seems too clever and soulful to be given a label that could also describe Aqua or Steps. Read our review of Michael Kiwanuka at Cadogan Hall, London It was around the time of the last album when Kikuwana was 22, (hes now 29) that he says he really started to be comfortable with his identity. "I started embracing my differences and I let go a bit and then you realise there are loads of oddballs in music. And around that time I started reading more about my favourite musicians and realised they were all unique characters and so I've been enjoying it more as time goes on." Others seem to be drawn to that. His music is now featuring on the soundtrack for the new Baz Lurhmann Netflix series The Get Down, about the beginnings of hip-hop in the Bronx. "I am not sure how it happened but somehow Baz Lurhmann received a copy of the album before it was released and I got an email from him saying he was using some of it for The Get Down. Then he said, 'do you mind if we do some remixes?' and he sent them to me and I said, yes this is great. What made it even more exciting was Nas was on it.The thing about Baz Lurhmann is he makes classic things seem fresh; he makes Shakespeare appeal to 13-year-olds." He's seen clips of the new series and says he loves the look: set in 1977, in New York, at the height of disco, when afros, flares and colourful lapels were all the rage. "I love that look," says Kiwanuka. I suggest he wears some flares for his next gig. "I like wearing jeans that are not too baggy, not too skinny, just in between. But maybe I should push the boundaries a bit more. I might wear them if I feel brave." Michael Kiwanuka comes to Shepherd's Bush Empire on 11 October, his new album Love & Hate, is out now. Sign up to Roisin OConnors free weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the inside track on all things music Get our Now Hear This 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 Roisin OConnors email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Drake's managed to prove once more Canadians are always the conciliatory sort, squashing those rumours of an Eminem feud in one fell swoop. After rampant speculation that Eminem was working on a Drake diss track, with Drake set to fire straight back in the rap equivalent of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the pair seems to finally have set the record straight. All with a surprise guest appearance from Slim Shady himself during the Detroit stop of Drake's Summer Sixteen Tour, at the Joe Lewis Arena; where the rapper popped up from a trap door to join in with "Forever", performing live his own section from the track. "Make some noise for the greatest rapper to ever get on a microphonehe goes by the name of Eminem," Drake announced after a bow; with Eminem responding, "Its an honor to share the stage with this man right here." Which is basically one step away from shaking hands, smiling, and posing for imaginary cameras. Drake himself later shared an image of the pair, accompanied by the caption: "Shared the stage with the GOAT for Detroit. Done the hype." Eminem's hardly the first star to jump up on Drake's stage so far this tour; with Rihanna, Kanye West, LeBron James, French Montana, Camron, Juelz Santana, J. Cole, Fat Joe, and Remy Ma all having made guest appearances. The rapper also teased a new visual component to his latest and fourth studio album Views, entitled "Please Forgive Me". Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the IndyArts email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A stage-musical adaptation of the well-nigh flawless 1993 movie? Some have asked what the point of that would be including Stephen Sondheim, who once toyed with the idea of writing one. Well, this hotly anticipated show at Londons Old Vic, reuniting the team behind the smash-hit Matilda, turns out to be such a tonic that it's a pity you can't get a repeat prescription for it. Danny Rubin, who co-wrote the brilliant script for the movie, has joined forces with composer/lyricist Tim Minchin and director Matthew Warchus on a version that retunes our sense of the black hilarity and emotional depth of the central conceit: a man trapped in a time-loop until he breaks the cycle by becoming a better, less ego-bound person. Cynical weatherman Phil Connors is despatched to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to report on the annual Groundhog Day celebrations, an assignment he has always disdained. But he finds himself doomed to relive that day, again and again. Given that theres literally no tomorrow, he is able to behave with reckless abandon, knowing that whatever he does, he will still wake up in bed on 2 February. Is this heaven or hell? Its a situation that can be exploited for the attempt to cheat his way into the bed of his producer. But it's not exactly calculated to disabuse Phil of his arrogant assumption that he's the only real person in existence. Which has long been his curse. Matthew Warchuss production is a miracle of stage-craft and technical coordination. The repetitions and comedy jump-cuts in the film were put together in the editing room. In the theatre, Phils world is continually being dismantled and reconstructed by the inhabitants of Punxsutawney themselves as they dash around on the travelators and interlocking revolves. Its a pleasingly rum way of suggesting the community spirit in this town (all tiny lit-up buildings in Rob Howells design and the nightmare of Phils essential isolation. Broadway star Andy Karl tackles the demanding central role with fantastic aplomb, totally scotching the idea that Bill Murray is indispensable to this material. Hes hilarious with his jerk-you-can't-help-but-like charm and his devilish rhythmic cunning when negotiating those innumerable repetitions-with-variation. It must be exhausting work but he makes the task of carrying the show look effortless. Minchins score isn't as melodically memorable as Matilda and I'm not sure that it's a good idea to kick off the second act with a ballad from Nancy a young woman tricked by Phil into a one-night-stand about being stuck in a role assigned to her by men and wistfully hoping that one day I will be more than Nancy. It sounds too nudgingly conscious of the themes in the piece as a whole. But allowing song to give us a glimpse into the inner life of Carlyss Peer's very endearring Rita, Phil's love interest, works much better. Her private thoughts about the cliches of romance (I'd rather be lonely/And sat on my fanny/Than wait for my Prince to come she insists ) are in droll counterpoint to his indefatigable succession of revised smarmy gambits. Phil may think that hes come to know everything about Rita to whom he is perpetually a new-ish colleague. But the curse of recurrence is at long last lifted when, having achieved the best version of himself, he really sees her for the first time. The couple have a beautiful climactic duet about this (Seeing You) as the winter darkness gives way to orange sunlight. All the more uplifting and magical for not being the slightest bit soppy. Minchin has a sure instinct for where the characters should explore their feelings about time in song and a wonderful oddball humour: There'll be mornings you'll be utterly defeated by your laces. Its a moot point at the moment whether the production will transfer to Broadway or the West End first after its short run at the Old Vic. But it's a fairly safe bet that, wherever it travels, this show will go on and on being a hit. To 17 September; 0844 871 7628 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 }} Anjem Choudary's charisma and drive attracted legions of supporters, including soldier Lee Rigby's killers Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, and suspected Isis executioner Siddhartha Dhar. A 49-year-old Sunni Muslim, he was the voice of al-Muhajiroun, a radical organisation that was eventually banned by the British Government. And he made no attempt to hide his views, courting controversy with his support extremist causes. The married father-of-five was born in north London and studied at St Bartholomew's medical school for a year before he became disenchanted and switched to law. His view of the medical profession was summed up in one of his speeches in which he relegated dealing with diarrhoea as a doctor in a hospital to a pastime. Recommended Read more Anjem Choudary found guilty of inviting support for Isis He told jurors at his Old Bailey trial that he went to Guildford College of Law, qualified as a solicitor and opened his own practice as well as carrying out a role as an assistant lawyer at the Commission for Racial Equality. As he became more religious, practising elements of law troubled him and he decided there was a better path. In the 1990s, Choudary became a student of the cleric Omar Bakri Mohammed, learning about Sharia and the science of the Koran. Over the next 10 years, they became close and he helped him as an assistant judge of Sharia law. He once said: Because Sheikh Omar was not great at English, he would ask me to write marriage certificates. I used to assist him as assistant judge of Sharia law. I used to officiate marriages and deal with reconciliation, divorce, inheritance matters. After Al-Muhajiroun was disbanded in 2004, Syrian-born Sheikh Omar left the United Kingdom to visit his mother in Lebanon and was barred from returning as his immigration status was revoked. Choudary went on to campaign for his spiritual guide after he was imprisoned in the country. He gave numerous television and newspaper interviews up until his arrest in the autumn of 2014. He also talked of sharing a platform with the former head of the bar, Lord Phillips, in a discussion about Sharia. Choudary was a prolific writer, although a book deal in 2006 was cancelled after the publisher got cold feet, he said. He told the jurors at his trial that he joined Twitter two or three years ago and now has more than 32,000 followers, although he follows nobody. His co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman had 28,000 followers. Choudary's YouTube channel had 129 videos uploaded, many of them featuring the radical preacher's lectures and debates. PA For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The secret to a century-long life at least to one South Carolina centenarian is a tall pint of cold beer, every single day. Mildred "Millie" Bowers will celebrate her 103rd birthday on 31 August. One of nine girls in her family, Ms Bowers survived the Great Depression and outlived two husbands. And she credits beer as one of the secrets to her longevity. Its all in the genes, Ms Bowers told a local NBC affiliate. I feel OK because Im in good health. She added: Have a beer, doctors orders. Ms Bowers got the go-ahead from her doctor to drink beer on a regular basis after sharing her love for the drink with nurses at her assisted living facility. She said the doctor immediately approved and now she has her pint every day at 4 pm. The ten best beers Show all 10 1 /10 The ten best beers The ten best beers 339610.bin The ten best beers 339609.bin The ten best beers 339608.bin The ten best beers 339607.bin The ten best beers 339606.bin The ten best beers 339605.bin The ten best beers 339604.bin The ten best beers 339603.bin The ten best beers 339602.bin The ten best beers 339601.bin Whether or not other seniors should adopt the practice of having a daily beer, she said: Yes, if they like it. Look, there are people who dont like coffee and people who dont like tea, Ms Bowers added, but I want everyone to drink what they like. Ms Bowers is certainly not the first centenarian to chalk the secret to seemingly eternal or at least quite long life to regular, moderate alcohol consumption. Agnes Fenton, 111, said she made it to the age of 105 by drinking three Miller High Life beers and a shot of Johnnie Walker Blue Label scotch every day, beginning when she was 50. But Ms Fenton, who celebrated her birthday on 1 August, credits her long life to a power much higher than beer. When I was 100 years old, I went to the mirror to thank God that I was still here, the New Jersey woman said. And I thank him every morning. 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 }} Allegations of systematic human rights abuses in North Korea have been detailed in harrowing reports by the United Nations and in distressing accounts from defectors who have escaped the regime. But one travel blogger has returned from a visit to the country with a series of upbeat vlogs about life in the rogue state which focus on the positive parts he claims are ignored by the media. Louis Cole's slickly edited vlogs documenting his travels across the world have seen him amass a YouTube following of 1.8 million subscribers. His video diaries have taken him to locations globally and, like an increasing number of social media influencers, transformed him into something of an online celebrity with a dedicated and engaged following. Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea A man cuts the hair of a young boy at an apartment building in Pyongyang. High rise apartments are a common form of accommodation for people living in the capital city AP Photo/Dita Alangkara Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea North Koreans pause to give way for passing vehicles as they cross a road in Pyongyang. AP Photo/Dita Alangkara Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea North Koreans wait for public transportation at a bus stop in Pyongyang AP Photo/Dita Alangkara Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea A woman and her daughter walk past a North Korean flag hung on a utility pole as part of celebrations of the Liberation Day in Pyongyang AP Photo/Dita Alangkara Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea People attending the conference for national reunification as they observe their 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation, marking the end of World War II, in Panmunjom AFP PHOTO / KCNA via KNS REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea A man looks at items at a stamp shop in Pyongyang AP Photo/Dita Alangkara Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea North Koreans participate in a closing event for its celebration of the 70th anniversary of Korea's independence from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule, at the truce village inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) that divides the two Koreas in Panmunjom, North Korea. The country changed it's timezone on the occasion. North Korea introduced 'Pyongyang time' and pushed back its clocks by half an hour on 15 August, the same as before the Japanese occupation when the standard time used by the Korean empire was eight and a half hours ahead of GMT, instead of nine hours, which is Tokyo time EPA/KCNA SOUTH KOREA OUT Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea People attending the conference for national reunification as they observe their 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation, marking the end of World War II, in Panmunjom AFP PHOTO / KCNA via KNS Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea Youths and students attending an evening gala at the Kim Il-Sung Square in Pyongyang to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation, marking the end of World War II AFP PHOTO / KCNA via KNS REPUBLIC OF KOREA OUT Everyday life in North Korea - in pictures 'Ordinary life' in North Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visits the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to mark the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation REUTERS/KCNAATTENTION EDITORS But Coles latest offering is being questioned for promising to show another side to North Korea from the seven days he spent in the country. The British YouTuber claims he is trying to focus on positive things in the country and combat the purely negative image we see in the media. It is unclear how his trip to the notoriously secretive state with a group of vloggers came about, but Cole says his is not a government sponsored visit. The 33-year-old's videos include a feature on surfer chicks and clips of the group posing for selfies with their guide, teaching people how to beatbox, throwing their guide into the sea, showing excited locals how to skateboard and a tour of waterparks. In all seven videos, those featured seem cheerful and carefree. The vlogs largely fail to address any issues surrounding life in North Korea, where aspects of the oppressive regime allegedly imposed on those living there was described in disturbing detail in a 2014 United Nations Commission of Inquiry report. A panel compiling the report heard evidence of torture, forced abortions, imprisonment, murder and sexual assault used on citizens. North Korea wholly rejected the conclusions of the report, which saw the chairman call for action from the international community and the UN investigator call for leader Kim Jong-un to be prosecuted for crimes against humanity. Cole's blogs have been condemned by Human Rights Watch for undermining the work of journalists who have exposed the conditions faced by North Korean citizens. Phil Robertson, deputy director of the watchdogs Asia division told The Independent: Reporting from a government-controlled bubble is arrogant reporting that ignores whats behind the facade. Cole does not even mention the grim daily reality of forced labour and other rights abuses suffered by ordinary North Koreans day after day. Incredibly, Cole adds insult to injury by criticising negative media coverage from journalists who actually bothered to dig beneath state propaganda. Update: A spokesperson for Cole has released a statement in response to the backlash. Coles rep said his blogs were personal diaries and not a journalistic endeavour, adding that he apologises if his vlogs appeared to gloss over or dismiss negative issues in the country. "Louis' videos are an extension of himself, capturing his personal views and experiences of the people, cultures and places he visits. Rather than taking a journalistic approach, Louis chooses to focus on the positive aspects of his adventures. This is fuelled by his belief that there is beauty to be found wherever one might go, for those who are adventurous enough to look for it. This trip to North Korea was inspired by a friend who has been on seventeen trips to North Korea since 2007, running humanitarian and relief work in communities which need it. The purpose of this trip was to join a team of volunteers in teaching local tour guides and children how to surf and skateboard, as part of an annual surf camp which first launched in 2014. Louis saw this as a unique opportunity to be immersed in the culture. His goal was to help, and to connect with, local North Koreans in a meaningful way. With this in mind, it was Louis' desire and intention that his videos honour the excellent community work done by the organisation and its volunteers. It was not his intention to gloss over or dismiss any negative issues that plague the country, and he apologizes if his vlogs came across that way. Again, that was not the intention." 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 }} Enormous goldfish and other pet fish have been found in the rivers of Australia by researchers who believe they were released by their owners. The common misconception of the goldfish as a small, domesticated species best suited to an aquarium has been challenged yet again by scientists who have warned of their damaging impact on natural ecosystems. Researchers at Murdoch University in Perth have caught goldfish which tipped the scales at up to 2kg and grew up to 30cm. They have warned that goldfish and other abandoned species such as koi carp are destroying habitats for native breeds of fish by eating their spawn and uprooting plants and sediment on the river bed. Stephen Beatty, a researcher from the Centre of Fish and Fisheries at Murdoch University, started tagging feral goldfish in the Vasse River near Perth and monitoring their movements. We used acoustic telemetry, which is the same technology used to track sharks off the coast, just on a much smaller scale, he told Perth Now. We tracked 15 mature fish over a year and that informed us about where they were going in their breeding period. Introduced species such as goldfish could disturb habitat and consume eggs of native fish, said Dr Beatty. They have also been found to spread a disease which affects the skin of native fish. Wildlife Photographer of the Year Show all 26 1 /26 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Wildlife Photographer of the Year A polar bear's struggle - Highly Commended Justins whole body pained as he watched this starving polar bear at an abandoned hunter's camp, in the Canadian Arctic, slowly heave itself up to standing. With little, and thinning, ice to move around on, the bear is unable to search for food. Justin Hofman / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Curious Encounter - Shortlisted Cristobal Serrano, Spain. Any close encounter with an animal in the vast wilderness of Antarctica happens by chance, so Cristobal was thrilled by this spontaneous meeting with a crabeater seal off of Cuverville Island, Antarctic Peninsula. These curious creatures are protected and, with few predators, thrive. Cristobal Serrano / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Bond of brothers - Winner David Lloyd, New Zealand / UK. These two adult males, probably brothers, greeted and rubbed faces for 30 seconds before settling down. Most people never have the opportunity to witness such animal sentience, and David was honoured to have experienced and captured such a moment.The picture was taken in Ndutu, Serengeti, Tanzania. David Lloyd / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Fox meets fox - Highly Commended Matthew Maran, UK. Matthew has been photographing foxes close to his home in north London for over a year and ever since spotting this street art had dreamt of capturing this image. After countless hours and many failed attempts his persistence paid off. Matthew Maran / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Three Kings - Highly Commended Wim Van Den Heever, South Africa. Wim came across these king penguins on a beach in the Falkland Islands just as the sun was rising. They were caught up in a fascinating mating behaviour the two males were constantly moving around the female using their flippers to fend the other off. Wim Van Den Heever / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year One toy, three dogs - Highly Commended Bence Mate, Hungary. While adult African wild dogs are merciless killers, their pups are extremely cute and play all day long. Bence photographed these brothers in Mkuze, South Africa they all wanted to play with the leg of an impala and were trying to drag it in three different directions! Bence Mate / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Clam Close-up - Shortlisted David Barrio, Spain. This macro-shot of an iridescent clam was taken in the Southern Red Sea, Marsa Alam, Egypt. These clams spend their lives embedded amongst stony corals, where they nest and grow. It took David some time to approach the clam, fearing it would sense his movements and snap shut! David Barrio / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year The Orphaned Beaver - Shortlisted Suzi Eszterhas, United States. A one-month-old orphaned North American beaver kit is held by a caretaker at the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center in Arlington, Washington. Luckily it was paired with a female beaver who took on the role of mother and they were later released into the wild. Suzi Eszterhas / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Ice and Water - Shortlisted Audun Lie Dahl, Norway. The Brasvellbreen glacier moves southwards from one of the ice caps covering the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway. Where it meets the sea, the glacier wall is so high that only the waterfalls are visible, so Audun used a drone to capture this unique perspective Audun Lie Dahl / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Teenager - Shortlisted Franco Banfi, Switzerland. Franco was free diving off Dominica in the Caribbean Sea when he witnessed this young male sperm whale trying to copulate with a female. Unfortunately for him her calf was always in the way and the frisky male had to continually chase off the troublesome calf. Franco Banfi / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Resting Mountain Gorilla - Shortlisted David Lloyd. The baby gorilla clung to its mother whilst keeping a curious eye on David. He had been trekking in South Bwindi, Uganda, whenhe came across the whole family. Following them, they then stopped in a small clearing to relax and groom each other. David Lloyd / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Painted Waterfall - Shorltisted Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal, Spain. When the sun beams through a hole in the rock at the foot of the La Foradada waterfall, Catalonia, Spain, it creates a beautiful pool of light. The rays appear to paint the spray of the waterfall and create a truly magical picture. Eduardo Blanco Mendizabal / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year The Extraction - Shortlisted Konstantin Shatenev, Russia. Every winter, hundreds of Steller's sea eagles migrate from Russia, to the relatively ice-free northeastern coast of Hokkaido, Japan. They hunt for fish among the ices floes and also scavenge, following the fishing boats to feed on any discards. Konstantin took his image from a boat as the eagles retrieved a dead fish thrown onto the ice. Konstantin Shatenev / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Shy - Shortlisted Pedro Carrillo, Spain. The mesmerizing pattern of a beaded sand anemone beautifully frames a juvenile Clarkii clownfish in Lembehstrait, Sulawesi, Indonesia. Known as a 'nursery' anemone, it is often a temporary home for young clownfish until they find a more suitable host anemone for adulthood. Pedro Carrillo / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Red, Silver and Black - Shortlisted TinMan Lee, USA. Tin was fortunate enough to be told about a fox den in Washington State, North America, which was home to a family of red, black and silver foxes. After days of waiting for good weather he was finally rewarded with this touching moment. Tin Man Lee / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Isolated - Shortlisted Anna Henly, UK. Snapped from a helicopter, this isolated tree stands in a cultivated field on the edge of a tropical forest on Kauai, Hawaii. The manmade straight lines of the ploughed furrows are interrupted beautifully by natures more unruly wild pattern of tree branches. Anna Henly / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Sound Asleep - Shortlisted Tony Wu, USA. This adult humpback whale balanced in mid-water, headon and sound asleep was photographed in Vavau, Kingdom of Tonga. The faint stream of bubbles, visible at the top, is coming from the whales two blowholes and was, in this instance, indicative of an extremely relaxed state. Tony Wu / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year All That Remains - Shortlisted Phil Jones, UK. A male orca had beached itself about a week before Phils visit to Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands. Despite its huge size the shifting sands had almost covered the whole carcass and scavengers, such as this striated caracara, had started to move in. Phil Jones / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Ambush - Shortlisted Federico Veronesi, Kenya. On a hot morning at the Chitake Springs, in Mana Pools National Park, Zimbabwe, Federico watched as an old lioness descended from the top of the riverbank. Shed been lying in wait to ambush any passing animals visiting a nearby waterhole further along the riverbed. Federico Veronesi / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Gliding - Shortlisted Christian Vizl, Mexico. With conditions of perfect visibility and beautiful sunlight, Christian took this portrait of a nurse shark gliding through the ocean off the coast of Bimini in the Bahamas. Typically these sharks are found near sandy bottoms where they rest, so its rare to see them swimming. Christian Vizl / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Otherworldly - Shortlisted A school of Munk's devil ray were feeding on plankton at night off the coast of Isla Espiritu Santo in Baja California, Mexico. Franco used the underwater lights from his boat and a long exposure to create this otherworldly image. Franco Banfi / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year The Bats Wake - Shortlisted Antonio Leiva Sanchez, Spain. After several months of field research into a little colony of greater mouse-eared bats in Sucs, Lleida, Spain, Antonio managed to capture this bat mid-flight. He used a technique of high speed photography with flashes combined with continuous light to create the wake. Antonio Leiva Sanchez / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Under the Snow - Shortlisted Audren Morel, France. Unafraid of the snowy blizzard, this squirrel came to visit Audren as he was taking photographs of birds in the small Jura village of Les Fourgs, France. Impressed by the squirrels endurance, he made it the subject of the shoot. Audren Morel / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Unique Bill - Shortlisted Rob Blanken, The Netherlands. The pied avocet has a unique and delicate bill, which it sweeps like a scythe, as it sifts for food in shallow brackish water. This stunning portrait was taken from a hide in the northern province of Friesland in The Netherlands. Rob Blanken / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year Family Portrait - Shortlisted Connor Stefanison, Canada. A great grey owl and her chicks sit in their nest in the broken top of a Douglas fir tree in Kamloops, Canada. They looked towards Connor only twice as he watched them during the nesting season from a tree hide 50 feet (15 metres) up. Connor Stefanison / Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year A dog jumps to catch a disc during a dog frisbee competition in Poznan via REUTERS They can stir up sediment, increasing turbidity, and they can re-suspend nutrients through their feeding activity because they cruise along the bottom hoovering sediment which can uproot plants as well, he said. The key is really preventing it and getting the message out there that people shouldnt be releasing freshwater fish in artificial wetlands." The issue of goldfish growing to unmanageable sizes after being released by disenchanted owners has prompted action by governments around the world, with Canada slapping down a fine of 51,000 for those who release live fish into certain lakes and rivers. A goldfish measuring 41cm and weighing 2.3kg was found in a pond in Poole in the UK six years ago, while another died after living to an impressive 43 years old. The largest goldfish recorded was 48 cm long and found in the Netherlands in 2008. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Independent Climate email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A major 18-year study has found evidence linking controversial "neonicotinoid" pesticides with large-scale population extinctions of wild bees for the first time. The insecticides have been shown to have sub-lethal effects on bees, which are vital pollinators for many crops, in laboratory-style conditions and small-scale studies. But their actual effect in the real world was not well understood until now. The use of neonicotinoids has been restricted by the European Union and banned in some places, such as the US state of Maryland, because of growing concern about their effects on bees. Last month the UK Government refused an application to use the pesticide by the National Farmers Union for the second time this year, although it has previously approved its use. However campaigners fear the restrictions will be lifted after the UK leaves the EU. The study looked at nearly 32,000 surveys of 62 wild bee species that were carried out across much of England between 1994 and 2011 inclusive. The researchers examined the effect of the first widespread use of neonicotinoids as a treatment on oilseed rape seeds in 2002. This was mainly designed to protect the crop from another insect, the cabbage stem flea beetle. But, writing in the journal Nature, the researchers concluded: Our results provide the first evidence that sub-lethal impacts of neonicotinoid exposure can be linked to large-scale population extinctions of wild bee species, with these effects being strongest for species that are known to forage on oilseed rape crops. The researchers divided the countryside into five-kilometre squares, which they classed as a population of bees, and looked at how they changed over time. Wild bees have suffered a general decline in recent years, but the study found that this was three times worse for species that regularly feed on oilseed rape, such as the buff-tailed bumblebee, compared to those that forage on various different flowers. For five species investigated, including the spined mason bee and the furrow bee, the study found neonicotinoid use was linked to at least 20 per cent of local population extinctions of wild bees. The number of populations of the worst affected species, the sharp collared furrow bee, fell by 45 per cent between 1994 and 2011 with the researchers estimating 31 percentage points of the decline was linked to neonicotinoids and 14 points to other causes. The researchers said the extinctions they referred to were local ones near to oilseed rape fields, rather than extinctions across England as a whole. The lead author of the Nature Communications paper, Dr Ben Woodcock of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, said: As a flowering crop, oilseed rape is beneficial for pollinating insects. This benefit however, appears to be more than nullified by the effect of neonicotinoid seed treatment on a range of wild bee species. Although we find evidence to show that neonicotinoid use is a contributory factor leading to wild bee species population decline, it is unlikely that they are acting in isolation of other environmental pressures. Wild bees have undergone global declines that have been linked to habitat loss and fragmentation, pathogens, climate change and other insecticides. Animals in decline Show all 8 1 /8 Animals in decline Animals in decline Harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) Where: Orkney Islands. What: Between 2001-2006, numbers in Orkney declined by 40 per cent. Why: epidemics of the phocine distemper virus are thought to have caused major declines, but the killing of seals in the Moray Firth to protect salmon farms may have an impact. Alamy Animals in decline African lion (Panthera leo) Where: Ghana. What: In Ghanas Mole National Park, lion numbers have declined by more than 90 per cent in 40 years. Why: local conflicts are thought to have contributed to the slaughter of lions and are a worrying example of the status of the animal in Western and Central Africa. Animals in decline Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) Where: Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Costa Rica. What: Numbers are down in both the Atlantic and Pacific. It declined by 95 per cent between 1989-2002 in Costa Rica. Why: mainly due to them being caught as bycatch, but theyve also been affected by local developments. Alamy Animals in decline Wandering albatross (Diomedea exulans) Where: South Atlantic. What: A rapid decline. One population, from Bird Island, South Georgia, declined by 50 per cent between 1972-2010, according to the British Antarctic Survey. Why: being caught in various commercial longline fisheries. Alamy Animals in decline Saiga Antelope (Saiga tatarica) Where: Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. What: fall in populations has been dramatic. In the early 1990s numbers were over a million, but are now estimated to be around 50,000. Why: the break up of the former USSR led to uncontrolled hunting. Increased rural poverty means the species is hunted for its meat Animals in decline Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) Where: found worldwide in tropical, subtropical and temperate seas. Why: at risk from overfishing and as a target in recreational fishing. A significant number of swordfish are also caught by illegal driftnet fisheries in the Mediterranean Animals in decline Argali Sheep (Ovis mammon) Where: Central and Southern Asian mountains,usually at 3,000-5,000 metres altitude. Why: domesticated herds of sheep competing for grazing grounds. Over-hunting and poaching. Animals in decline Humphead Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) Where: the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to South Africa and to the Tuamoto Islands (Polynesia), north to the Ryukyu Islands (south-west Japan), and south to New Caledonia. Why: Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing and trading of the species Paul de Zylva, nature campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said the study adds a huge new peak to the existing mountain of evidence showing the risk these chemicals pose to our bees. This is the strongest ever evidence of harm to bees from neonicotinoid pesticides in British fields, he said. If the government genuinely wants to safeguard Britains bees, it must keep the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides regardless of what happens with Brexit and tighten the way pesticides are tested and licensed for use. However the NFU insisted farmers had to use neonicotinoids or something similar. Dr Chris Hartfield, the NFUs bee health specialist, said: This study is another interesting piece to an unsolved puzzle about how neonicotinoid seed treatments affect bees. It does not show that neonicotinoids are causing widespread declines in pollinator populations and it certainly does not show that neonicotinoid use has caused any extinction of bees in England. He added that without many plant protection products farmers ability to produce wholesome, affordable food for the nation will continue to stagnate. While this study claims to provide an important contribution to the evidence base underpinning the current EU moratorium on some uses of neonicotinoids, experts reviewing all the evidence have concluded that there are still major gaps in our knowledge and a limited evidence base to guide policymakers, Dr Hartfield said. Neonicotinoids are a class of pesticides that are similar to nicotine. And Nick Mole, of the Pesticide Action Network UK, said the current debate was similar to the situation in the 1950s when the tobacco industry attempted to deny that smoking harmed human health. How much more proof, more evidence, does the NFU need? Are they waiting until there are no more bees? he said. This is just one more independent review that shows clearly the harm that neonicotinoids are doing. 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 }} Scientists believe they may have found a new form of painkiller that works just as well as morphine but lacks its potentially lethal side effect and is not addictive. A team that included Nobel Prize-winning chemist Professor Brian Kobilka, of Stanford University in the US discovered the drug called PZM21 after evaluating some three million different compounds. Morphine, derived from the opium poppy, works by acting on a receptor in the brain that reduces pains, but it also affects a different receptor that can lead to fatal breathing problems in the event of an overdose. But PZM21, which so far has only been tested on mice, appears to act on the first receptor to about the same level as morphine without significantly changing the second one. It also caused less constipation than opiate drugs, a factor that limits how much of the drug can be given. And it is believed the new drug dulls the feeling of pain in the brain because it appears to have little effect on reflex responses linked to the spinal cord. Writing in the journal Nature, the researchers said PZM21 had a potent, selective and efficacious effect on the brain receptor involved in the sensation of pain. The drug could be an answer to a problem that dates back more than 100 years how to alleviate pain without danger side effects. Opiate addiction, compounded by the potentially lethal side effects of opiates such as respiratory depression, has driven optimization campaigns for safer and more effective analgesics since the 19th century, the researchers wrote. Although the natural products morphine and codeine, and the semi-synthetic drug heroin, are more reliably effective analgesics than raw opium, they retain its liabilities. Despite the introduction of potent synthetic opioid agonists like methadone and fentanyl ... developing analgesics without the drawbacks of classic opioids has remained an elusive goal. In the mice studies, PZM21 did not appear to affect their breathing and the painkilling effect of PZM21 lasted for up to three hours, substantially longer than the maximum dose of morphine. The constipating effect was also substantially less than morphine and the mice did not show signs of addiction. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary It is thought morphine addiction is a result of the activation of the brains dopamine reward circuits. When this happens in mice, they tend to run about a lot. But the researchers wrote that PZM21 had no apparent effect on locomotion. Professor Kobilka described it as a promising drug candidate that had been identified using computer screening, chemistry, extensive testing and intuition. Significant further research will be needed to show that the new drug is both safe and effective on humans before it could actually be prescribed or used in hospitals. Commenting on the paper in Nature, Professor Brigitte Kieffer, of McGill University in Canada, wrote that opium had been used medicinally and recreationally for more than 4,000 years because of its remarkable pain-relieving and euphoria-inducing properties. But it had been a long road towards finding a replacement without its downsides. The new paper, she said, described a step towards this perfect drug. Are we getting closer to the ideal pain-reliever? PZM21 is a leading member of a nascent club of pain-effective [drugs] that seem to have reduced risk for abuse, Dr Kieffer said. These are not exactly opioids, and structure-based discovery approaches should increase their number and enhance the chances of a successful drug reaching the market at last. Dr Anthony Davenport, of Cambridge Univeristy, an expert in cardiovascular pharmacology who was not involved in the study, said the paper was very exciting. He said Professor Kobilka had won the Nobel Prize for his work on how brain receptors are affected by certain drugs. The concept has the potential to revolutionize pharmacology and has been elegantly exploited with the discovery of PZM21, Dr Davenport said. The authors show PZM21 selectively activates the [specific brain] pathway to give the desired analgesia in animal models. However, he added it was not clear how easily PZM21 or related analogues would translate into the clinic with further studies needed on toxicology and metabolism. 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 }} The vast West Antarctic ice sheet which contains enough water to raise sea levels by up to nine metres does not have appear to have suddenly collapsed over a few decades the last time the planet was warmer than it is today, according to new research. There is concern that once the temperature hits a certain point, ice sheets will disappear increasingly quickly and then disintigrate. The Greenland ice sheet, for example, lost a trillion tonnes of ice between 2011 and 2014, compared to nine trillion tonnes in the past 100 years. Researchers at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have been trying to work out what happened to the much bigger West Antarctic ice sheet during a natural warm period some 128,000 years ago. The interactive map below, developed using Nasa information by Alex Tingle of firetree.net, shows the effect of different degrees of sea level rise. At nine metres, vast areas of Yorkshire are submerged, the Wash expands dramatically and much of central London is underwater, while the Netherlands virtually disappears: About 128,000 years ago, the world was hot enough to allow hippopotamuses to wallow in the Thames Valley. Dr Louise Sime, a palaeoclimate modeller at the BAS, told The Independent that ice core samples suggested humans might have more time to come to terms with major sea level rise than some had feared. Professor Brian Cox clashes with Australian climate sceptic We think possibly the West Antarctic ice sheet doesnt sort of collapse instantly over a very short period and thats been a worry, she said. But it certainly may be susceptible to continuous melt over a longer time period. She said their results suggested the ice sheet had not melted within about 50 to 200 years a sudden change in these terms. It probably took longer than that, she said. Dr Sime, co-author of a paper in the journal Nature Communications, said this was potentially good news, but added there was also some bad news. We have found out that sea ice is susceptible to huge losses and that has massive implications in terms of life under the sea ice, she said. We found out from this [study], that the sea ice is probably responding more quickly than the land ice. The sea ice around Antarctica shrank by about 65 per cent in winter during this natural warm period, they found. While melting sea ice does not raise sea levels, it does increase the pace of global warming as white ice has a cooling effect, reflecting more sunlight back from the Earths surface than dark water. The current rate of sea level rise is already more than enough to cause significant problems for low-lying Pacific islands, which have started to disappear. Recommended Read more This map shows the cities which could be submerged by global warming Coastal cities like New York and Shanghai are also expected to see more severe floods over the next century with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicting sea levels are likely to rise between 26 and 82cm by 2100. The broader lesson from 128,000 years ago is somewhat concerning. The temperature was higher than today even though the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere reached just 300 parts per million (ppm), compared to 400ppm today. The climate [today] hasnt had time to respond fully to the CO2 weve put into the atmosphere, Dr Sime said. We are now heading for a time that will be almost certainly warmer than the last interglacial. Its just we havent got there yet. Its really interesting to look at the past because the climate had long enough to adjust to higher levels of CO2. Dr Sime said she and others in the US were now planning to do more research to try to work out how long it took the Western Antarctic ice sheet to melt. She stressed that the past was only an indication of what might happen in the future, not what would certainly happen. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary Professor David Vaughan, the BASs director of science, who works on trying to predict what the planets future climate will be like, said the melting of ice sheets was an increasing threat. We have sea level rise which is higher than it has been historically. All of our projections suggest sea level rise will continue to accelerate through the next few decades. The question is really how much will it accelerate by, he said. We will begin to have real, serious issues with maintaining the security of coast cities long before we get to nine metres. If you are talking about how we adapt to sea level rise, the first metre is really important. Professor Vaughan said researchers like Dr Sime were trying to work out what had happened in almost a blink of an eye in the Earth's history. Theres a huge difference whether the collapse occurred over 100, 200, 500 or indeed 1,000 years, he said. We have to get down to that detail if we are hoping to use it to inform our projections. 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 }} After more than 20 years of spreading extremism and hate, it was a meeting at an east London curry house that finally allowed police to catch Anjem Choudary. The extremist preacher had frustrated the security services for decades by treading a careful line to keep his incendiary speeches just outside British terror legislation. He was merely exercising his freedom of speech over his interpretation of the Quran and Islam, the former lawyer would argue, and was not breaking the law by supporting any banned groups. Anjem Choudary: Radical preacher found guilty of inviting support for Isis But that would change after Isis declaration of its caliphate in 2014, claiming to realise Choudarys frequently-declared wish for a territory ruled by Sharia law. Recommended Read more Anjem Choudary found guilty of inviting support for Isis On 2 July that year, as the group continued its brutal advance through Iraq and Syria, the 49-year-old and his key supporters met at a curry restaurant in London. After discussing the move with his mentor Omar Bakri Mohammed, who is currently in jail in Lebanon after being banned from the UK, Choudary and his followers formally pledged allegiance to Isis and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Two hours into the meeting Choudary sent a message to his wife, the court heard, simply reading: Done. He did not publicly announce the pledge but sent a series of tweets on the day encouraging Muslims to move to an unspecified caliphate. One day the whole world will be under the authority of the Muslims, the east of the East and the West of the West, may Allah hasten it! he wrote on Twitter. The messages continued to avoid direct mention of Isis, but Choudary had already given the convicted Indonesian terrorist Mohammed Fachry permission to publish his oath online. Timeline: The emergence of Isis Show all 40 1 /40 Timeline: The emergence of Isis Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2000 Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (pictured here) forms an al-Qaeda splinter group in Iraq, al-Qaeda in Iraq. Its brutality from the beginning alienates Iraqis and many al-Qaeda leaders. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2006 Al-Zarqawi is killed in a U.S. strike. Al-Zarqawis successor, Abu Ayyub al-Masri, announces the creation of the Islamic State in Iraq (ISI). Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2009 Still al-Qaeda-linked ISI claims responsibility for suicide bombings that killed 155 in Baghdad, as well as attacks in August and October killing 240, as President Obama announces troop withdrawal from Iraq in March. Getty Images Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2010 Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi becomes head of ISI, at lowest ebb of Islamist militancy in Iraq, which sees last U.S. combat brigade depart. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2012 In Syria, protests (pictured here starting in Daree) have morphed into what president Assad labelled a real war with emergence of a coalition of forces opposed to Assads regime. Syria group Jabhat al-Nusra are among rebel groups who refuse to join, denouncing it as a conspiracy. Bombings targeting Shia areas, killing more than 500 people, spark fears of new sectarian conflict. Sunni Muslims stage protests across country against what they see as increasingly marginalisation by Shia-led government. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2013 Al-Baghdadi renames ISI as the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or Isis, as the group absorbs Syrian al-Nusra, gaining a foothold in Syria. In response, al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri (Bin Ladens successor) concerned about Isis expansion orders that Isis be dissolved and ISI operations should be confined to Iraq. This order is rejected by al-Baghdadi. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - January Isis fighters capture the Iraqi cities of Fallujah and Ramadi, giving them base to launch slew of attacks further south. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Isis declares itself the Caliphate, calling itself Islamic State (IS). The group captures Mosul, Iraqs second largest city; Tal Afar, just 93 miles from Syrian border; and the central Iraqi city of Tikrit. These advances sent shockwaves around the world. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Around the same time Isis releases a video calling for western Muslims to join the Caliphate and fight, prompting new evaluations of extremists groups social media understanding. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - June Isis take Baiji oil fields in Iraq - giving them access to huge amounts of possible revenue. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - August James Foley is executed by the group as concerns grow for second American prisoner, fellow reporter Steven Sotloff. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - August Obama authorises U.S. airstrikes in Iraq, helping to stall Isis along with action by Kurdish forces following the deaths of hundreds of Yazidi people on Mount Sinjar. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Isis release video showing Steven Sotloffs murder prompting Western speculation his executioner is same man who killed Mr Foley. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Obama tells us that America will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Isis release a video appearing to show David Haines, who was captured by militants in Syria in 2013, wearing an orange jumpsuit and kneeling in the desert while he reads a pre-prepared script. It later shows what appears to be the aid worker's body. Rex Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - September Peshmerga fighters scrabble to hold positions in the Diyala province (a gateway to Baghdad) as Isis fighters continue to advance on Iraqi capital. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - October Aid worker Alan Henning is killed. Self-imposed media blackout refuses to show images of him in final moments, instead focuses upon humanitarian care. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - October Isis raise their flag in Kobani, which had been strongly defended by Kurdish troops. The victory goes against hopeful western analysis Isis had overextended itself, while alienating much of the Muslim population through the murder of Henning. Victory causes fresh waves of Kurdish refugees arriving in Turkey. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2014 - November American hostage, who embarced values of Islam, Peter Kassig and 14 Syrian soldiers are shown meeting the same fate as other captives. But intelligence agencies will be poring over the apparently significant discrepancies between this and previous films. Seramedig.org.uk Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis has released a video revealing the murder by burning to death of a Jordanian pilot held by the group since the end of December 2014. Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis militants have released videos which appear to show the beheading of Japanese hostages Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February American aid worker, Kayla Mueller was the last American hostage known to be held by Isis. She died, according to her captors, in an airstrike by the Jordanian air force on the city of Raqqa in Syria, though US authorities disputed this. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February Isis militants have posted a gruesome video online in which they force 21 Egyptian Coptic Christian hostages to kneel on a beach in Libya before beheading them. Egypt vowed to avenge the beheading and launched air strikes on Isis positions. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - February The British Isis militant suspected of appearing in videos showing the beheading of Western hostages has been named in reports as Mohammed Emwazi from London. Rex Features Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - March Isis triple suicide attack has killed more than 100 worshippers and hundreds of others were injured after the group members targeted two mosques in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Iraqi forces have claimed victory over Isis in battle for Tikrit and raised the flag in the city. EPA/STR Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Isis has claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan that killed at least 35 people queuing to collect their wages and injured 100 more. EPA Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - April Isis media arm released a 29-minute video purporting to show militants executing Ethiopian Christians captives. The footage bore the extremist groups al-Furqan media logo and showed the destruction of churches and desecration of religious symbols. A masked fighter made a statement threatening Christians who did not convert to Islam or pay a special tax. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Isis has been "incapacitated" by a spinal injuries sustained in a US air strike in Iraq. He is being treated in a hideout by two doctors from Isis stronghold of Mosul who are said to be "strong ideological supporters of the group". Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis has also claimed responsibility for killing 300 of Yazidi captives, including women, children and elderly people in Iraq AP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis attack on Prophet Mohamed cartoon contest in Texas was its first action on US soil. Two gunmen were shot and killed after launching the attack at the exhibition. Elton Simpson and Nadir Soofi have been named as the attackers at the Curtis Culwell Centre arena in Garland. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isiss deputy leader, Abu Alaa Afri, a former physics teacher who was thought to have taken charge of the deadly terrorist group, has been killed in a US-led coalition airstrike. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May US special forces have killed a senior Isis leader named as Abu Sayyaf in an operation aiming to capture him and his wife in Syria. Getty Images Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Iran-backed militias are sent to Ramadi by the Iraqi government to fight Isis militants who completed their capture of the city. Government soldiers and civilians were reportedly massacred by extremists as they took control and the army fled. Charred bodies were left littering the city streets as troops clung on to trucks speeding away from the city. Ramadi is the latest government stronghold to fall to the so-called Islamic State, despite air strikes by a US-led international coalition aiming to stop its advance in Iraq and Syria. AFP Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May Isis rounded up civilians trapped in Palmyra and forced them to watch 20 people being executed in the historic citys ancient amphitheatre. The Unesco World Heritage site was overrun by militants, threatening the future of 2,000 year-old monuments and ruins. Thousands of Palmyras residents fled but many are still living within the city walls, while the UN human rights office in Geneva said it had received reports of Syrian government forces preventing people from leaving until they retreated from the city. Getty Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - May A group of Isis-affiliated fighters have captured a key airport in central Libya. The militants took control of the al-Qardabiya airbase in Sirte after a local militia tasked with defending the facility withdrew from their positions. Affiliates of Isis, already control large parts of Sirte, the birthplace of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and a former stronghold of his supporters. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June The US Air Force has destroyed an Isis stronghold after an extremist let slip their location on social media. According the Air Force Times, General Herbert "Hawk" Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, said that Airmen at Hulburt Field, Florida, used images shared by jihadists to track the location of their headquarters before destroying it in an airstrike. Reuters Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Kurdish forces captured a key military base in a significant victory in Raqqa as well as town of Tell Abyad. YPG fighters, backed by US-led airstrikes and other rebels, consolidated their gains, when they seized the key town on the Syria-Turkey border. They are now just 30 miles to the north of Raqqa and have cut off a major supply route deep inside Isis-held territory. Ahmet Silk/Getty Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Isis has released gruesome footage claiming to show the murder of more than a dozen men by drowning, decapitation and using a rocket-propelled grenade as it seeks to boost morale among its fanatical supporters. Timeline: The emergence of Isis 2015 - June Isis has begun carrying out its threat to destroy structures in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, blowing up at least two monuments at the Unesco-protected site as Syrian government troops made advances on the Islamists positions. AFP It appeared on 7 July, finally giving police and prosecutors the evidence needed to ensure Choudarys conviction for inviting support of a terror group. Over the coming months, Choudary and his co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman encouraged backing for the so-called Islamic State in a series of talks posted on YouTube. They were both convicted of inviting support for a banned group in July following a trial at the Old Bailey, although the verdict could only be announced on Tuesday because of reporting restrictions. Adam Deen, now the head of outreach at the counter-extremism Quilliam Foundation, was once one of Choudarys followers in the banned al-Muhajiroun group. He said Choudarys legal training meant he knew exactly where to draw the line to avoid jail until the emergence of Isis. He was between a rock and a hard place, theres no point pledging allegiance to Isis behind closed doors, Mr Deen told The Independent. He had to somehow not be seen to incite terror, but show his allegiance to avoid being called a hypocrite. Anjem Choudary leaves a press conference in Millbank Studios in 2010 (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) Without the establishment of the Islamic State I think he could have carried on speaking in vague terms. You would probably develop a kind of cockiness and arrogance after doing it for 20 years, so I think this is going to be a major blow for him. Mr Deen left al-Muhajiroun in 2003 and has since dedicated his work to countering Islamist extremism. Choudary, of Ilford, was a leading figure in the group, which was named by Scotland Yard as the driving force behind a number of people who later committed terrorist attacks including the 7/7 bombers and Drummer Lee Rigby's murderers. Among al-Muhajirouns members was Siddhartha Dhar, known as Abu Rumaysah, an associate of Choudarys who would later travel to Syria to fight for Isis, boasting of evading British security forces online and posting a photo of himself holding his baby son in one arm and a Kalashnikov in the other. Other supporters of the group have been involved in a string of extremist cases, including three plots to murder servicemen that have come to court in the past 18 months. Anjem Choudary (left) and Mohammed Mizanur Rahman are facing jail after being convicted drumming up support for Isis (Metropolitan Police) Choudary was also a prominent member of Islam4UK, al-Ghurabaa and The Saved Sect, which were proscribed as aliases for the same terrorist organisation by the British Government. Each group officially disbanded as Choudary repeatedly claimed that he supported the ideal of an Islamist caliphate rather than the terrorist groups attempting to realise it, but was undone by evidence of the online pledge to Isis. The oath of allegiance was a turning point for the police at last we had the evidence that they had stepped over the line and we could prove they supported Isis, said Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Polices counter-terror command. The preacher, a father of five, had only one previous conviction for failing to notify police of a protest over a Danish cartoon depicting the Prophet Muhammad. Commander Haydon insisted that if investigators previously had evidence that could ensure a conviction under the Terrorist Act, they would have presented it to the Crown Prosecution Service long ago. "Choudary in particular is a very clever individual... he has tried to operate within the law, he said. The 49-year-old encouraged backing for terrorist groups in a series of talks posted on YouTube (PA) "As a result we hadn't had any evidence over that period that we could present, certainly suitable for a prosecution, whereas more recently we had." He said Choudary and Rahman were among key recruiters who encouraged would-be jihadis to travel to Syria, and their expected imprisonment is being hailed as a significant victory in the fight against extremism in the UK. Sara Khan, director of the womens counter-radicalisation group Inspire, said the pair were long known to be extremely dangerous propagandists. Although these men are no longer on the streets, we must recognise there are other extremists in Britain aggressively promoting an Islamist extreme worldview often on campus, communities and social media, she added. We all have a responsibility in challenging this perverse ideology whether in mosques, universities or online. There is no place for such extremism in our society. Around 850 Britons are thought to have travelled to Syria to fight around half have returned and 16 per cent are known to have been killed. Choudary and Rahman are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on 6 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 }} The brother of a man radicalised after meeting Anjem Choudary today warned that prison could give the extremist preacher ripe pickings of young vulnerable minds to target. Robb Leech said Choudary, who is now facing years in prison after being found guilty of inviting support for Isis, could even come to be seen as a martyr. It came as the UKs terror law watchdog warned against the increasing use of dangerous control orders that restrict peoples freedom before they are convicted of any crime. David Anderson QC suggested the principle of trial by jury may be undermined by the increasing use of Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures, known as TPIMs. Choudary, 49, and his co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman were convicted after pledging allegiance to Isis during its brutal advance through Syria and Iraq, using videos to support the terrorist group's cause. But with the preacher now facing up to a decade behind bars, Mr Leech warned that his influence may be increased. He told the BBC: Theres definitely a chance that he will be seen as a martyr figure. Its difficult to say. The problem with going into prison is that the prison is full of other vulnerable young people. Maybe its even worse in some ways that he is in prison, its ripe pickings for him. Mr Leech made the documentary My Brother the Terrorist in 2014 following the imprisonment of his brother Richard for preparing acts of terrorism after fraternising with Choudary. Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation Mr Anderson said the authorities would need very serious grounds before committing a prisoner to solitary confinement. But he explained there was room for improvement in ensuring the opportunity is not there for radicalising impressionable people. Mr Anderson also said ministers should be wary of strengthening control orders which can be used to restrict freedoms of suspects not convicted of a crime. 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 He said: These things are very dangerous, first of all you bypass the jury and remove from yourself the ability to say, as we can all say to Anjem Chourdry, you were convicted fair and square by a jury of your peers. And also if you are not careful it becomes counter-productive. He said criminal laws to convict extremists were fit for purpose and needed to be better applied. 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 19-year-old has become the fourth teenager to be stabbed to death in London in just two weeks. Police and paramedics rushed to the Monks Hill estate in Selsdon, Croydon after reports of a knife fight. The man, named locally as Andre, was found lying on a patch of grass after reportedly being chased through the streets by a gang armed with machetes. An unnamed witness told the London Evening Standard: I saw Andre running for his life and three others were coming up behind him. They were just chasing him and not shouting. They chased him behind a row of shops. I called the police because I knew if they were to get to him hed be done. They were armed with machetes. The knives were about a foot long. I was told Andre was stabbed 20 times. A friend of the aspiring DJ said his mother had come running down the road after him following the incident while he screamed for her on the ground. Another friend said he was the nicest boy and was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Police have arrested two men in connection with the stabbing, with both being held in custody. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA The four teenagers fatally stabbed over two weeks are among to have been killed across the capital so far this year. An 18-year-old has been charged with the murder of Lance Scott Walker, who was stabbed to death on the street in broad daylight in Hayes, south London on Monday afternoon. Idris Hassan will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Earlier in August, Andrew Oteng-Ouwusu died after being stabbed just metres away from his family home in Bermondsey, while Leoandro Osemeke was stabbed to death at a house party in Peckham. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A paedophile teacher at a top private school was allowed to keep his job despite repeated concerns raised by parents and colleagues over his inappropriate behaviour, which included wrapping a pupil in cling-film. Jonathan Thomson-Glover, 53, was jailed for three years and nine months after being found guilty of sex offences involving young boys at Clifton College in Bristol. He taught German and was a housemaster at the co-ed day and boarding school, which houses up to 560 boys and girls aged 13-18. Recommended Read more Teacher sacked after two girls set on fire during school play Thomson-Glover was convicted of taking and possessing hundreds of indecent images of children and secretly filming pupils over a period of 16 years at the college. At his trial at Bristol Crown Court last year he was found to have hidden cameras in school bathrooms and in a bedroom where the children were encouraged to engage in sexual activity. An independent report commissioned by the school noted that warning signs of Thomson-Glovers activities should have been picked up sooner, after it was found that three head teachers had failed to take effective action following complaints made to them by staff, pupils and parents. Video tapes, CDs and DVDs and belonging to former teacher Jonathan Thomson-Glover (PA) Independent investigator Penny Jones said there had been several incidents which could have indicated he was unsuitable to work with children, but the cases were not investigated and staff were not sufficiently aware of safeguarding issues. Letters and notes of meetings were not placed on his personnel file, a note of disciplinary action was lost, and each incident was considered in isolation, she said. In a number of cases, parents who complained were told they should find another school for their child. Thomson-Glover pleaded guilty to 36 counts of making, taking and possessing indecent images of children between 1987 and 1992. Earlier this year he was also convicted of sexually abusing young boys at his holiday home in Cornwall, and was given an additional six month prison sentence. Clifton College describes itself as a 'leading' public school (PA) Around 80 current and former staff were interviewed for the investigation, and former head teachers Andrew Hugh Monro, Stephen Spurr and Mark Moore were called to give evidence. The report revealed that Thomson-Glover had started filming pupils in 1998 when he put a camcorder in a shower changing room. In summer 1999, a cleaner and a young student reported that the housemaster had been found taped to a chair at the college half-naked. A few months later, he was found taped to a chair again in just his underwear by a teacher who told headmaster Mr Munro, it was reported. In September 2000, then head teacher Mr Spurr launched an enquiry after reports Thomson-Glover was again tied to a chair as a prank but told him "whatever happened don't do it again". UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters A cleaner also reported that one of the boys was wrapped up in cling film by Thomson-Glover in 2005. In another incident, a deputy head of pastoral care raised concerns about Thomson-Glover's activities to head teacher Mr Moore, but was told the matter was 'dealt with'. Referring to Thomson-Glover as X, Ms Jones wrote in her findings: Poor record keeping meant that successive heads were unable to see that a large number of concerns about X had been raised during his career at Clifton. Each incident was considered in isolation, none met the threshold applied at the time for disciplinary action, and the cumulative effect of the various incidents and behaviours was never considered. A lack of consistent systems, procedures, oversight and accountability allowed X to establish what would now be recognised as grooming behaviour. 'There were no regulations or school rules at the time requiring specific systems and procedures to be in place, neither was there a good public understanding of the way children might be groomed by trusted adults.' Tim Greene, the current head teacher at Clifton College, has since apologised to pupils and parents and said changes have been made to the schools staff training and complaints procedure, as well as the way it logs and shares child protection information. An NSPCC spokesperson said the report was deeply concerning and highlighted how Thomson-Glover was able to abuse a position of trust over many years without action being taken. He was a serial sex offender, responsible for dozens of offences and with no regard for the consequences of his actions on his victims. It's crucial that schools are a place of safety for children any allegations of abuse are taken seriously and fully investigated. 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 }} British councillors are preparing to travel to Calais to hold discussions with the town's mayor over the best way to care for unaccompanied refugee children. The Local Government Association (LGA) said it hoped the meeting with mayor Natacha Bouchart would lead to more collaboration between French and British local authorities dealing with the refugee crisis. This would make it easier for councils to adequately care for unaccompanied children and young people in both countries, they said. Councillors will also visit the Jungle migrant camp, where UK charity Help Refugees reported 294 unaccompanied minors lived under squalid, dangerous conditions in April, including one child of just eight years old. More than 4,000 unaccompanied asylum seekers under the age of 18 have come into local authority care in the UK, but many children still find it impossible to cross the channel - legally or illegally - even when they have family already living in the country. The LGA does not have the power to bring child asylum seekers to the UK, and instead must meet the care demands placed on them by legal and policy decisions made at a national level. A House of Lords report published in July said unaccompanied migrant children were being systematically let down by the EU and its member states, including the UK, who shirk their responsibility to care for them as children and behaved as if children seeking asylum were "somebody else's problem". Poor treatment has led child asylum seekers to lose faith in national authorities and driven many into the hands of people smugglers and traffickers, the report said. As a result, an estimated 10,000 children have gone missing across Europe. The Home Office won an appeal in early August against a landmark ruling that allowed three unaccompanied children to join family members in the UK. Although the three children will not be deported, other unaccompanied minors in the Calais camp will not be able to travel to the UK even if they have family in the country. This means French authorities remain responsible for processing asylum claims made by children in the Calais camps, and the French Government has said this will not be affected by the Brexit vote. The LGA said the organisation supported the call of the Children's Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, for French authorities to speed up the processing of lone child asylum seekers in the Calais refugee camp and settle them in new homes or reunite them with their families wherever possible. Local authorities stand ready to provide further care for any additional children who are assessed as needing support in the UK," the organisation said in a statement. Local authority care was also criticised in the Lord's report, which said there was a lack of burden-sharing between councils in the UK, with one authority caring for 412 unaccompanied migrant children, while many others have none in their care. The LGA pointed to the burden placed on them by national government. "Councils are also continuing to support large numbers of children in destitute families, whose asylum applications have been refused by the Home Office but who remain in the country and rely on council services, alongside a growing number of children in families supported by the Syrian programme and other schemes that support refugee resettlement," the organisation said in a press release. Local authorities are responsible for costs including schooling, foster care, university fees and housing, and receive funding at a fixed rate from central government. The LGA also said it was working to develop a more joined up approach within the UK Calais and Dunkirk camps Show all 16 1 /16 Calais and Dunkirk camps Calais and Dunkirk camps (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps A portrait of an Afghan man wearing a traditional Perhan Turban in the Calais Jungle (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps Two Gendarmes guard the main entrance to the Dunkirk camp (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps One Kurdish Iraqi mans reminder to himself (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps Two young boys in the Dunkirk camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps An Iranian hunger striker stands outside the only remaining shelter in the South Side of the Calais camp (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps A church in the South Calais camp, on of the the only structures not demolished in the South Side of the camp (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps A man gets a hair cut in the Calais camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps Night falls on the Calais Jungle. Fires burn in the distance (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps The containers provided as alternative accommodation for the people in the camps (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps A young boy in the Dunkirk camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps A man listens to music inside one of the shipping containers (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps The awful living conditions in the Dunkirk camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps An Afghan man in the Calais camp (Photo: Emily Garthwaite) Calais and Dunkirk camps One of the Iranian hunger strikers (Photo: Alan Schaller) Calais and Dunkirk camps A family in their wooden shelter in the new Dunkirk camp (Photo: Alan Schaller) Councillor David Simmonds, chairman of the LGA's Asylum, Refugee and Migration Task Group, said: It is imperative that children are kept safe wherever they currently are across Europe. "If children do come to the UK, councils want to get it right so that children who have experienced horrendous conditions within and since fleeing their country of origin are able to settle into UK life as quickly and easily as possible with ongoing support made available when they need it. Ideally, councils will work alongside government and their partners to assess children and agree their needs before they enter the UK. "The LGA is also calling for greater national co-ordination to ensure that the many offers from the public to foster or otherwise support these children are directed to their local authority, with more carers urgently needed to provide stable homes for vulnerable children and young people." 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 }} Essex's Leigh-on-Sea has topped the list of the happiest places to live in the UK. Online estate agent Rightmove interviewed 24,000 people for its Happy at Home index, asking people to rate factors such as community spirit, safety and sense of belonging. The average cost of a house in the estuary town, three miles from Southend-on-Sea, is 384,349. Resident and local Leigh-on-Sea blogger Jo Harrison said: Its such a wonderful town to live in. It maintains a real village feel and everyone you bump into is just smiling and happy the whole time. Its a town but its got a real village feel to it, its full of independent shops, bars and restaurants. The 10 happiest places to live in UK Show all 10 1 /10 The 10 happiest places to live in UK The 10 happiest places to live in UK Leigh-on-Sea The 10 happiest places to live in UK Troon The 10 happiest places to live in UK Harrogate The 10 happiest places to live in UK Hertford The 10 happiest places to live in UK Lytham St Annes The 10 happiest places to live in UK Shepperton The 10 happiest places to live in UK Stanford Le Hope The 10 happiest places to live in UK Shrewsbury The 10 happiest places to live in UK Hitchin The 10 happiest places to live in UK Woodbridge Its really buzzing and pretty much everyone that works there tends to live there, everyone knows everyone it really is a great little place to visit." Troon, another seaside town situated on the west coast of Scotland, in South Ayrshire took second place. Abiola Oni, Rightmove research manager, said: "It seems the saying that we do like to be beside the seaside is true, whether youre down in the South East or up in Scotland. "Obviously what happy means to different people can vary greatly, but when you compare which factors score highest in the happiest areas, it shows just how important having friendly people in the local community area is alongside the services and amenities, which is something buyers often tell us when they are looking in new areas to live. "Space is also one of the most important things when people are looking for a new home, so its not surprising that places with open spaces such as beautiful parks and beaches have featured in the top ten." The spa town of Harrogate in north Yorkshire was placed third followed by Hertford in Hertfordshire and Lytham St Annes in Lancashire. There have been many investigations into what makes us happy. A paper in the Journal of Happiness Studies found good-looking people tended to be happiest. A 77-year-long Harvard study also found social connections are vital to living a fulfilled life. The study, started in 1938, involved 724 men who were interviewed biennially about their lives. Researchers explored their attitudes towards their work and home, and they underwent medical examinations every five years. 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 }} Job applicants could be asked where they went to school, what their parents do and even about housing in new questions aimed at bringing poorer candidates into high-status careers. The Cabinet Office has drafted 12 questions which look into a candidate's background and socioeconomic status when they apply to the strongly competitive Civil Service, including whether someone is a refugee, a carer or have parents who own their own house. The anonymised responses would be used to assess the diversity of Whitehall's workforce - frequently accused of being too white, male and privately-schooled - and would not be linked to an individual's application. The questions would also be answered only voluntarily. When the proposals were first announced in May, Tory peer and headteacher of 33,000-a-year Eton College, William Waldegrave, threatened to quit the Tory party over measures he said would discriminate against the privately educated. But David Johnston, chief executive at the Social Mobility Foundation, said such criticism was badly misplaced since hundreds of companies already kept a tab on the background and diversity of their workforces. "Lord Waldegrave made the comments he did and suggested as people always do that it's social engineering," he told The Independent. "The first thing is it isn't being tied to a candidate. This is like any other equal opportunities monitoring. It's very welcome they are doing this. "It's important that in careers where there is known to be a socioeconomic problem that companies are monitoring the backgrounds of their workforce." Several caveats needed to be considered with regards the 12 questions being trialled by the Cabinet Office, said Mr Johnston. Firstly, staff in both junior and senior roles needed to be assessed since many of the least represented groups, such as women, often began their careers with promise but were not visible at higher levels. 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 Second, questions such as whether an applicant had been a carer or a refugee were likely to produce such negligibly small data as to be useless, said Mr Johnston. "There is an issue with lumping so many different issues together," he said. "Those are such niche categories that it will difficult to work out what the problem is. I think it's important to stick to things that can be meaningfully analysed." Having parents who attended university, being on school meals and going to a private or state school - with state divided into selective and non-selective schools - were the three most important criteria, added Mr Johnston. The measures follow a report for the Cabinet Office on its Fast Stream graduate scheme by social mobility policy charity the Bridge Group. Applicants from Cambridge and Oxford disproportionately accessed the scheme, the report showed. Meanwhile, other research has shown that privately schooled pupils take 44 per cent of places at Oxford and 40 per cent of places at Cambridge, as well as 40 per cent at Durham and Bristol. Ben Gummer, a Cabinet Office minister, announced the new questionnaire in a press release: "I am committed to ensuring that anyone with the right talents and aptitude can serve in the civil service, no matter what their background," he said in a press release. "Understanding social background through a set of measures, commonly used by employers, will enable us to assess whether we are attracting the widest possible talent and to make decisions which are based on sound evidence." The questionnaire will first be tested on 4,000 senior staff in Whitehall so that its 12 measures can be whittled down to three to five final by the end of the year. Employers will also be guided on how they could use them. The 12 questions are they currently stand are: 1. Have you spent time in care? 2. Have you ever had refugee or asylum status? 3. Were you a carer as a child? 4. What type of secondary school did you attend? 5. What was the name of the school? 6. Did your parent, guardian or carer complete a degree? 7. What is their highest qualification? 8. What is your home postcode aged 14? 9. Were you eligible for free school meals? 10. What is your parent, guardian or carer's occupation? 11. What accomodation tenure did they have as a child? 12. Please self-assess your socio-economic background status. 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 }} Police are trying to trace a brave passenger who jumped onto live Tube tracks to pull a fallen man to safety, endangering his own life in the process. On Tuesday, shortly before 5pm, a 47-year-old man was standing on a northbound Northern Line platform at Tottenham Court Road Underground station when he suddenly became unwell. He stumbled on the platform and fell onto the tracks - prompting an unknown bystander to jump onto the live rails and pull him safely back onto the platform. Recommended Read more London Underground sees huge spike in reported sex crimes and violence The man was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital, but received only light cuts and bruises and will make a full recovery. Praising the work of the bystander, Superintendent Chris Horton, of British Transport Police, said: Going onto the tracks is extremely dangerous but the bravery of this man has to be praised. The man sprung to the rescue and hauled him back onto the platform, whilst other commuters alerted the emergency services. Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Show all 13 1 /13 Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Sam Wallace, Football Correspondent "I still play pub cricket when I'm on A-roads. Any pub with a name that includes something with legs (eg, fox and hounds, coach and horses) you get a run per leg. Pass a pub with a name that does not reference anything with a leg and you lose a wicket. As kids we used play against each other, with the pubs divided up according to which side of the car you were on and which side of the road the pubs were." Mike Poloway Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Ibrahim Salha, SEO Editor "Equally addictive as it is fist-bitingly difficult, Flappy Bird is so playable youll easily forget that you were meant to be at work the best part of three hours ago. Bonus: youll feel positively tranquil about the tube delays after falling to your death for the fiftieth time in a row." Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Felicity Morse, social media editor "I try and turn all the tube stations into foods: eg 'Nutting Mill Gate, Pie Street Ken, Parsons Nose'. It whets my appetite for supper/breakfast." Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Louisa Saunders, Associate Features Editor "The quizup app is totally addictive, with sets of question on everything from Mean Girls to economics. You can play your friends, too" Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Kashmira Gander: Online news reporter Dreaming of warmer climes while youre surrounded by stressed, sweating commuters becomes a little easier with HitList. This app allows users to create a global bucket-list of potential holidays, made realistic by it only allowing you to choose from places that friends live, have visited or want to go. It then sends you alerts when airplane prices drop to an affordable level. Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Simon Usborne, Independent Feature Writer "Pockets a brilliant read later app. On Chrome you have a button. On your phone its an option when you hold down on a link. Or if youre offline you can email something to your Pocket. Then your Pocket app presents the stories in easy-to-read, offline form. SO you can catch up with stuff youve been meaning to read while on the Tube or plane or wherever." Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Stuart Henderson, Online News Editor "I spend my time playing assorted games Scrabble being the current favourite intertwined with a low-level guilt that I should actually be spending my time more productively. Like reading or something." Courtesy of EA Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Ian Burrell: Media Editor "News in Slow Spanish; its the weeks international news read out in Spanish, slowly, so you get to gen up on whats happening and learn some vocabulary at about the same pace you will probably be travelling http://www.newsinslowspanish.com/" Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute James Vincent: Science and Technology correspondent "My favourite is Radiolab. Two American guys (Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich) tell a story about something. Anything. Usually with a sciencey edge, but always revealing about some unexplored aspect of life. Abumrad even got one of those MacArthur genius grants for his work" Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Joe Krishnan: Apprentice I have a three-hour round trip each day so have to do something to keep me occupied. Heres what I do. - Sleep: Unsurprisingly, five minutes in sleep time can be an hour in real time, so the journey goes quite fast when Ive nodded off. - Music: Make a playlist with around 10-15 songs that you like. Its over before you even know it, 45 mins gone just like that. Best option if youre standing. - Watch a film: Rather much like music, you become so absorbed in the film that you forget how much time is passing. - Reading a book/magazine: As long as you dont suffer from travel sickness, reading is best time passer. - Make conversation with a stranger? A bit of small-talk never hurts anyone, does it? Rex Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Katie Guest: Literary Editor of the Independent on Sunday "Read a book! Penguin Shorts are good for commuting (digital short fiction, 1.99 each)" Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Chloe Hamilton: Editorial Assistant Read the Independent! Tube strikes: Ways to kill time on your commute Joseph Charlton: Assistant Editor at Independent Voices "I test myself on the order of stations on different lines. I can do the whole of Victoria and Circle (easy), Northern (High Barnet branch only). Its quite a boring game, admittedly." While the approaching train was immediately put on a red signal, the quick thinking of him and other passengers on the platform avoided what could have been a tragedy. On behalf of everyone at British Transport Police, I'd like to commend this man for his brave actions his quick thinking most likely saved the man's life. Police want to find the rescuer and recognise him for his courage. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected, South Korea has confirmed. The deputy ambassador, Thae Yong Ho, has arrived with his family in South Korea, making him the highest-ranking diplomat ever to defect to the South. Mr Thae defected due to his discontent with the regime and for the future of his child, Jeong Joon-hee, a spokesman at the South's Unification Ministry, told a news conference. Workers' Party Congress in North Korea Show all 12 1 /12 Workers' Party Congress in North Korea Workers' Party Congress in North Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un waves to the crowd as he presides over a mass rally and parade in the capital's main ceremonial square, a day after the ruling party wrapped up its first congress in 36 years by elevating him to party chairman Reuters Workers' Party Congress in North Korea North Korean parade participants wave decorative bouquets of flowers and carry their country's national flag as they march with a model of the Unha pace launch vehicle at the Kim Il Sung Square. Hundreds of thousands of North Koreans celebrated the country's newly completed ruling-party congress with a massive civilian parade featuring floats bearing patriotic slogans and marchers with flags and pompoms AP Workers' Party Congress in North Korea People react as they see North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a mass rally and parade in the capital's main ceremonial square, a day after the ruling party wrapped up its first congress in 36 years by elevating him to party chairman in Pyongyang Reuters Workers' Party Congress in North Korea High party and military officials react as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appears at the beginning of a mass rally and parade in the capital's main ceremonial square Workers' Party Congress in North Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is accompanied by high party and military officials as he presides over a mass rally and parade in the capital's main ceremonial square, a day after the ruling party wrapped up its first congress in 36 years by elevating him to party chairman, in Pyongyang, North Korea, May 10, 2016. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj Reuters Workers' Party Congress in North Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un waves from a balcony of the Grand People's Study House following a mass parade marking the end of the 7th Workers Party Congress in Kim Il-Sung Square Getty Images Workers' Party Congress in North Korea Attendees cheer the arrival of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un during the 7th Workers Party Congress Getty Images Workers' Party Congress in North Korea A hostess and security guard stand inside the April 25 Palace, the venue of the 7th Workers Party Congress Getty Images Workers' Party Congress in North Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attends the first congress of the country's ruling Workers' Party in 36 years Reuters Workers' Party Congress in North Korea Party representatives sit in the hall of the April 25 House of Culture during the party congress in Pyongyang AP Workers' Party Congress in North Korea North Korean leader Kim Jong Un listens during the party congress in Pyongyang. North Korea has brought in more than 100 journalists from around the world to make sure that the 7th Congress of its ruling Workers' Party gets global attention. Four days into the event, they allowed a small number of foreign journalists into the conventional hall where the congress was taking place Workers' Party Congress in North Korea A general view shows the April 25 Palace, the venue of the 7th Workers Party Congress in Pyongyang Getty Images Mr Jeong declined to give details on the timing of Mr Thae's arrival in the South. "They are currently under government protection and relevant institutions are going ahead with necessary procedures as usual," he said. According to the South Korean daily newspaper JoongAng Ilbo, the DPRK Embassy made attempts to figure out the diplomat's whereabouts, but failed. What you're not allowed to say in North Korea The newspaper said Mr Thae's role at the embassy included keeping track of North Korean defectors in and around London and helping to counter the UK's criticism of North Korea's human rights violations. He also handled consular services. The Foreign Office said they were not commenting on the reports and could not confirm if they were trying to verify them. The Government's list of foreign diplomats in the UK shows there are five diplomats in addition to an ambassador based at the DPRK embassy in Ealing, west London. North Korea often accuses the South of kidnapping or enticing its citizens to defect. The North has recently resumed its production of plutonium and says it has no plans of stopping nuclear tests as long as perceived US threats remain. In a written interview with Kyodo, North Korea's Atomic Energy Institute, which has jurisdiction over its main Yongbyon nuclear facilities, said: "We have reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reactor." Selfie between two Korean gymnasts becomes instant icon of unity The institute also said North Korea had been producing highly enriched uranium necessary for nuclear arms and power "as scheduled", Kyodo added. Additional reporting by agencies Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Governments welfare reforms are driving up homelessness, according to MPs who conducted the first inquiry into the scale of the problem for 10 years. In a report, the Communities and Local Government Select Committee found that official figures underestimate the risen in homelessness and demanded urgent action to tackle it. The estimated number of rough sleepers in England rose by 30 per cent to 3,569 between 2014 and last autumn a quarter of them in London. The cross-party committee expressed concern about hidden homelessness, saying the statistics do not include people who do not approach local authorities for help or who are turned away before making a formal request. The MPs warned that the number of homeless people is rising because most housing benefit claimants have to pay rent out of their state payments. They said all claimants should have the option of their rent being paid directly to landlords to reduce their chance of getting into arrears and to encourage landlords to rent to tenants at risk of becoming homeless. Many 18 to 21 year-olds are at significant risk of homelessness, and the MPs proposed that those losing their job should have a grace period of one or two months before losing the housing element of Universal Credit. Calling for greater financial incentives to work, they said: It cannot be right that someone must choose between the support they need and employment. The committee concluded: The impact of the welfare reforms of recent years has increased pressure on levels of homelessness. It added that the annual cap on benefit payments to one family 20,000 and 23,000 in London could worsen the problem. The MPs called for women, single people and those with mental health problems to be given extra help. They heard evidence that women were driven into prostitution to avoid sleeping on the streets and said victims of domestic violence were particularly at risk of becoming homeless. The committee took the unusual step of endorsing a Private Members Bill to be debated in the Commons in October which would give councils new duties to prevent homelessness and help homeless people. Clive Betts, the committees Labour chairman, said: The scale of homelessness is now such that a renewed Government strategy is a must. Calling on local authorities to play a big part in tackling the problem, he added: They face a significant task with funding pressures and legal obligations, but vulnerable people are too often badly treated, being made to feel like they are at fault, and offered ineffectual and meaningless advice. Tim Farron, the Liberal Democrat leader, said: Soaring homelessness is an utter disgrace in 21st century Britain. It's a symptom of the housing crisis that the Government is failing to tackle. As well as inadequate social housing, we now have an expanding private rented sector which is too often unstable, unsafe and unaffordable, and renters can end up homeless through no fault of their own. Jon Sparkes, chief executive of Crisis, the charity for the single homeless, said Theresa May should back the Bill as part of her social justice agenda. We cannot sit back and watch as the homelessness crisis deepens, he said. UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 28 October 2022 A cosplayer attends the MCM Comic Con London 2022 at the ExCel Centre in London Reuters UK news in pictures 27 October 2022 98-year-old D-Day Veteran Bernard Morgan, whose story is among those featured on the giant poppy wall, during the launch of The Royal British Legion 2022 Poppy Appeal, at Hay's Galleria in central London PA UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA In a separate report, the Tory modernisers think tank Policy Exchange said jobless people aged 25 and under are more likely to have their benefits stopped or reduced for not doing enough to find work than any other age group. It found that young adults account for more than a third of benefit sanctions but account for less than a fifth of claims for Jobseekers Allowance. Of the 101,640 young people claiming it last November, 5,812 received a sanction. Policy Exchange called for a shake-up of benefits and support for 16 to 25 year-olds, including the creation of youth employment centres. 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 }} Owen Smiths leadership campaign was left reeling after the candidate was criticised for suggesting negotiations should be held with Isis. Mr Smith came under attack from politicians of the left and right after saying the extremists, responsible for beheadings and torture, could be brought round the table to end the Syrian civil war. Within hours of the comment in a live TV debate his camp began backpedalling with a statement saying such talks should only be held if the terror group, which promotes global jihad, renounces violence. The furore came after polls suggested Mr Smith was already heading for a heavy loss against Mr Corbyn in the contest for which ballots are sent out on Monday. Mr Corbyns camp was quick to capitalise, saying: Jeremy has always argued that there must be a negotiated political solution to the war in Syria and the wider Middle East, and that maintaining lines of communication during conflicts is essential. But Isis cannot be part of those negotiations. Instead, its sources of funding and supplies must be cut off. Owen Smith's comments were hasty and ill-considered. There was controversy at the start of the year when Mr Corbyn himself suggested the British Government could keep some form of diplomatic back-channel open to Isis to encourage a political solution. Owen Smith doesn't rule out holding Syrian peace talks with Isis Tory MP Johnny Mercer, a member of the Defence select committee, said Mr Smiths "desperate attempts to out-Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn have led him to the view that barbaric murderers who behead journalists and lynch homosexuals are now the sort of people that we should negotiate with. He added: It shows that whoever wins this increasingly bizarre leadership election, I'm afraid Labour just cannot be trusted with keeping us safe. During the TV debate both Mr Smith and Mr Corbyn were asked whether they thought the Isis should take part in talks. While Mr Corbyn replied no his rival gave a more equivocal answer. Mr Smith said: Ultimately all solutions to these crises do come about through dialogue. So eventually, if we are to try and solve this, all of the actors do need to be involved. A spokesman for Mr Smith later clarified: Owen is clear that there should be absolutely no negotiation with Isis, or any terrorist group, until they renounce violence, cease all acts of terror and commit themselves to a peaceful settlement. There will be a further debate on Thursday evening in Birmingham. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A large majority of people believe Jeremy Corbyn already has the Labour leadership contest wrapped up, a poll has revealed. It showed 60 per cent of the public think he will take victory, with men, women and people in every age, social and political group sure his victory is sealed. The survey by BMG Research was set to bolster Mr Corbyn as he prepared for a crucial face-off hustings with rival Owen Smith, but it also brought more sobering news. Those questioned preferred Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May to both Labour contenders by an overwhelming margin when asked who they would want in Downing Street. The poll also shows people expect whoever wins the Labour contest to quit if they lead the party to defeat at the next general election. It comes with just days to go until ballot papers for the Labour contest are sent out, with the vast majority of voting expected the following week. Asked who they think will win the leadership contest, 60 per cent of the 1,668 questioned said Mr Corbyn, with 40 per cent choosing Mr Smith. It follows other strong indications that the current Labour leader is on course to retain his crown, including him securing the backing of 285 constituency parties compared with 53 who nominated Mr Smith. But when researchers pitched each of the Labour candidates against Ms May, asking, Who would you rather be Prime Minister? both Mr Corbyn and Mr Smith scored the backing of just 29 per cent of the public, with Ms May taking 71 per cent on both occasions. Research director at BMG Research Dr Michael Turner said: Interestingly, it appears that Ms May's play since becoming Conservative leader, to occupy the centre ground of British politics, is bearing fruit. She is now more popular with those who identify themselves as 'moderates' or 'centrists', ie, neither left nor right, which accounts for around half the UK adult population, than either candidate in the Labour leadership contest. She beats both Mr Corbyn and Mr Smith by a factor of around three to one. She is also more popular among those who identify as being slightly left wing, beating Mr Corybn relativity comfortably, by 59 per cent to 41 per cent, but only edging Mr Smith by 52 per cent to 48 per cent. The poll showed 54 per cent of people believe whoever wins the Labour leadership should step down if the party is later defeated at an election, while 21 per cent said they should not and 26 per cent did not know. 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. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell recently said it was inevitable he and the Labour Leader would step down following a general election defeat. But Mr Corbyn was later more equivocal, saying in an interview: The party members control what happens. They will decide, one way or another. BMG Research interviewed a weighted sample of 1,668 adults across the UK online between 11-15 August. Data are weighted. Full details at www.bmgresearch.co.uk 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 }} Ukips leader in Wales has withdrawn himself from his party in the Welsh Assembly, claiming infighting within the group has become too much of a distraction to continue. Nathan Gill, who sits as an MEP as well as a member of the Welsh Assembly was the recipient of leaked emails from Ukips main financial backer, Arron Banks, which appear to reveal a plot to oust the former Tory MP Neil Hamilton from the party. One email called Mr Hamilton a corrupt old Tory. In another, Mr Banks tells Mr Gill It might better that you gave up being an MEP then I will have a clear run to get rid of Hamilton. In a statement, Mr Gill said: Too much time has been wasted on infighting over issues that cannot be resolved and it has become a distraction to the work we were elected to do. I remain Ukip Leader in Wales and am committed to serving my constituents. Mr Hamiltons wife Christine called Mr Bankss remarks grossly defamatory. The two men have struggled to work together since Mr Hamilton was chosen by a majority of Ukip's seven Welsh Assembly Members to lead them in the Senedd following the May election. Five of the group also called on Mr Gill to honour his pledge to give up his seat in the European Parliament. Mr Gill has insisted he can carry out both roles. Mr Hamilton said: I haven't been officially informed his letter must have got lost in the post. We'll have to do our best to survive without him we don't see him much in the Assembly so I don't think we'll notice much difference. Mr Gills decision is another embarrassment for the party, which has been involved in a series of bitter disputes since Nigel Farages decision to step down as leader the week after the referendum result. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Labour leadership contender Owen Smith has been forced into an embarrassing clarification, saying he does not think there should be talks with Isis before the group "renounces violence". His camp came under pressure to explain controversial comments he which he suggested there should be negotiations with the group to end the Syrian civil war. As he was attacked by both Tory and Labour politicians, a spokesman said: "Owen is clear that there should be absolutely no negotiation with Daesh, or any terrorist group, until they renounce violence, cease all acts of terror and commit themselves to a peaceful settlement." While being quizzed over the issue during a debate with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Mr Smith said all of the actors needed to be involved in any talks to stop the conflict which has claimed thousands of lives. Both Mr Smith and Mr Corbyn were asked whether they thought the brutal terror group should take part in talks. While Mr Corbyn replied no, theyre not going to be round the table, no, his rival gave a more equivocal answer. Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Show all 8 1 /8 Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith clash at a leadership hustings in Gateshead, where Mr Smith was scarcely able to answer a question without being booed by Mr Corbyns supporters PA Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Jeremy himself admitted he was seven out of 10 in terms of his faith in the European Union. He said it, said Mr Smith during his second live debate with Jeremy Corbyn Getty Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Ballot papers are currently due to be sent out on 22 August and returned a month later, with the result being announced at a special Labour conference on 24 September Getty Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Jeremy Corbyn supporters cheer and wave placards as the Labour Leader addresses thousands of supporters in in Liverpool, England Getty Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Labour Party leadership candidate Owen Smith poses for a picture with supporters during a picnic for young members in London Fields, Hackney in London Getty Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith The Labour leader has a spring in his step at a leadership rally in Sunderland Screenshot Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Labour leadership contender Owen Smith delivers a speech at the Open University in Milton Keynes, where he promised to reverse Conservative cuts set to leave millions of low paid workers thousands of pounds a year worse off PA Labour leadership contest: Jeremy Corbyn vs Owen Smith Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has urged Owen Smith to distance himself from those saying they want to split the Labour party Getty Mr Smith said: Ultimately all solutions to these crises do come about through dialogue. So eventually if we are to try and solve this, all of the actors do need to be involved. At the moment, ISIL are clearly not interested in negotiating. But when asked by BBC presenter Victoria Derbyshire if he was a yes, he replied: At some point, for us to resolve this, we will need to get people round the table. There was controversy at the start of the year when Mr Corbyn suggested the British government could keep some form of diplomatic back-channel open to Isis to encourage a political solution. Johnny Mercer MP, member of the Defence Select Committee, said: Everyone knows negotiation is far more desirable than violence in any conflict, but to suggest it in this case, is to entirely misunderstand and fail to grasp the challenge posed by Daesh. His desperate attempts to out-Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn have led him to the view that barbaric murderers who behead journalists and lynch homosexuals are now the sort of people that we should negotiate with. A spokesperson for the Jeremy for Labour campaign said: "Jeremy has always argued that there must be a negotiated political solution to the war in Syria and the wider Middle East, and that maintaining lines of communication during conflicts is essential. But Isis cannot be part of those negotiations. Instead, its sources of funding and supplies must be cut off. Owen Smith's comments were hasty and ill-considered." Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Government is set to kickstart its long-awaited campaign to combat obesity amid an outcry from health campaigners that is feeble compared with what was expected, and protests from the food and drinks industry that it is far too tough. The announcement will include a target for food manufacturers to reduce the level of sugar in food and drink by 20 per cent in five years but it will be voluntary, and will not include many of the measures demanded by health campaigners, such as curbs on advertising. Theresa May is understood to have overruled what she considers to be symptoms of a nanny state. But she has given the go-ahead to a levy on sugary drinks that was trailed in George Osbornes Budget in March, despite vehement protests from the industry that it will be ineffective and will destroy thousands of jobs. The document, Childhood Obesity a Plan for Action, says that all sectors of the food and drinks industry will be challenged to reduce overall sugar across a range of products that contribute to childrens sugar intakes by at least 20 per cent by 2020, including a 5 per cent reduction in year one. The campaign, coordinated by Public Health England, will focus initially on the foods that make the largest contributions to childrens sugar intakes, such as breakfast cereals, yoghurts, biscuits, cakes, confectionery, pastries, puddings, ice cream and sweet spreads. But the industrys involvement in the campaign will be voluntary, and only if it fails to reach the targets set will the Government consider using other levers. There is also a section in the document that suggests that Brexit will give the Government more scope to regulate how food is labelled, adding this might include clearer visual labelling, such as teaspoons of sugar, to show consumers about the sugar content in packaged food and drink. The plan also specifies that every primary school child should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day. At least 30 minutes should be delivered in school every day through active break times, PE, extra-curricular clubs, active lessons, or other sport and physical activity events, with the remaining 30 minutes supported by parents and carers outside of school time and gives Ofsted the responsibility for making sure primary schools comply. The Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening, is to lead a campaign to encourage free schools and academies to meet the same food standards that comprehensive schools are required to meet. But there is no mention of other measures demanded by health campaigners, such as curbs on television advertising that would, for instance, ban the use of cartoon characters to promote cereals and snacks, and ban advertising of junk food during family shows. That omission was described by the Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron as a sugar-coated deal to big business and a disgrace. He said: Why will the Conservatives not stand up for our children? It is especially dumb as any short-term gain in revenue from selling junk will be lost in future spending by the NHS. Kath Dalmeny of the Childrens Food Campaign said. Anybody who has seen any part of the strategy is using the word feeble. She added: The soft drinks levy is the only serious policy commitment, and is already being attacked by the food and retail industries. They really dont want to see a sugary drinks tax introduced. The 20 per cent target is a voluntary measure, so not much different from earlier Responsibility Deals, which have been ineffective. Encouragement is a feeble response; what about requiring? It says that the actions in this plan will significantly reduce Englands rate of childhood obesity within the next 10 years. Really? Unhealthy appetite: Is 'Fatsploitation' fuelling the obesity crisis? Show all 5 1 /5 Unhealthy appetite: Is 'Fatsploitation' fuelling the obesity crisis? Unhealthy appetite: Is 'Fatsploitation' fuelling the obesity crisis? 220945.bin GETTY IMAGES Unhealthy appetite: Is 'Fatsploitation' fuelling the obesity crisis? 220946.bin Unhealthy appetite: Is 'Fatsploitation' fuelling the obesity crisis? 220943.bin Unhealthy appetite: Is 'Fatsploitation' fuelling the obesity crisis? 220942.bin Unhealthy appetite: Is 'Fatsploitation' fuelling the obesity crisis? 220941.bin The announcement that the soft drinks levy will go ahead comes only two days after a coalition of British businesses launched the Face the Facts, Can the Tax campaign, claiming that it would cost 4,000 jobs across the UK and cause economic output to decline by 132m. Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association, which funded the campaign, said: Given the economic uncertainty our country now faces, were disappointed the Government wishes to proceed with a measure that analysis suggests will cause thousands of job losses and yet fail to have a meaningful impact on levels of obesity. As an industry, we recognise we have a role to play in tackling obesity, so its a sad irony that the one category that has led the way in reducing consumers sugar intake down 16 per cent from soft drinks since 2012 is being targeted for a punitive tax. Well share the evidence during this consultation in the hope Ministers reconsider a measure that is both unnecessary and harmful to the economy. 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 first Chibok schoolgirl rescued from Boko Haram in more than two years says she still misses the man she was forced to marry during her captivity, who is suspected of being an Islamist militant. Amina Ali was rescued by vigilantes working with the Nigerian military in May this year, along with her four-month-old baby and a man who she said was her husband, identified at the time as Mohammed Hayatu. She and her baby are being held in a government facility, a common process for former victims of Boko Haram through which they are supposed to be deradicalised. Speaking in the first interview since her return to her family, the 21-year-old said she is not comfortable with the way she is being kept from him. Ms Ali told Reuters: I want him to know that I am still thinking about him. Just because we got separated, that does not mean that I don't think about him. Doubt remains over Mr Hayatus role in the militant group, which has terrorised north-eastern Nigeria since 2009 and abducted at least 2,000 women and girls. Ms Alis mother, Binta Ali, has told the BBC the man claiming to be her daughters husband was a mechanic before he was himself captured by Boko Haram, and that he had organised their escape. But earlier, her brother told the broadcaster Mr Hayatu had been a fighter for Boko Haram until an increase in Nigerian government air strikes meant he was no longer willing to continue fighting. Ms Alis would not be the first case in which a psychologically traumatised victim of Boko Haram refused to condemn her alleged captor. International Alert, a charity which conducted research on victims of sexual violence who are referred to as Boko Haram wives at refugee camps in north-east Nigeria, has previously told The Independent how it encountered at least one woman during its research who did not see herself as a victim. Reuters said Ms Ali kept her gaze downcast throughout the interview on Tuesday, only relaxing and lifting her head when her child was brought in to the room to be breast-fed. The interview came just days after Boko Haram released a video showing a masked man standing in front of a group of the Chibok girls, saying some of their classmates had been killed in air strikes. The rise of Boko Haram Show all 20 1 /20 The rise of Boko Haram The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The leader of the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau delivers a message. Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the mass killings in the north-east Nigerian town of Baga in a video where he warned the massacre was just the tip of the iceberg. As many as 2,000 civilians were killed and 3,700 homes and business were destroyed in the 3 January 2015 attack on the town near Nigeria's border with Cameroon AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People displaced as a result of Boko Haram attacks in the northeast region of Nigeria, are seen near their tents at a faith-based camp for internally displaced people (IDP) in Yola, Adamawa State. Boko Haram says it is building an Islamic state that will revive the glory days of northern Nigeria's medieval Muslim empires, but for those in its territory life is a litany of killings, kidnappings, hunger and economic collapse The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nitsch Eberhard Robert, a German citizen abducted and held hostage by suspected Boko Haram militants, is seen as he arrives at the Yaounde Nsimalen International airport after his release in Yaounde, Cameroon on 21 January 2015 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Officials of the Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) visit victims of a bomb blast in Gombe at the Specialist Hospital in Gombe. According to local reports at least six people were killed and 11 wounded after a bomb blast in a marketplace in Nigeria's northeastern state of Gombe on 16 January 2015. Islamist militant group Boko Haram has been blamed for a string of recent attacks in the North East of Nigeria The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People gather at the site of a bomb explosion in a area know to be targeted by the militant group Boko Haram in Kano on 28 November 2014 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram People gather to look at a burnt vehicle following a bomb explosion that rocked the busiest roundabout near the crowded Market in Maiduguri, Borno State on 1 July 2014. A truck exploded in a huge fireball killing at least 15 people in the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, the city repeatedly hit by Boko Haram Islamists The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram President Goodluck Jonathan visits Nigerian Army soldiers fighting Boko Haram Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Displaced people from Baga listen to Goodluck Jonathan after the Boko Haram killings AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan speaking to troops during a visit to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State; most of the region has been overrun by Boko Haram AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Members of the Nigerian military patrolling in Maiduguri, North East Nigeria, close to the scene of attacks by Boko Haram EPA The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Boko Harams leader, Abubakar Shekau, appears in a video in which he warns Cameroon it faces the same fate as Nigeria AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Nana Shettima, the wife of Borno Governor, Kashim Shettima (C) weeps as she speaks with school girls from the government secondary school Chibok that were kidnapped by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram, and later escaped in Chibok The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram South Africans protest in solidarity against the abduction of hundreds of schoolgirls in Nigeria by the Muslim extremist group Boko Haram and what protesters said was the failure of the Nigerian government and international community to rescue them, during a march to the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Boko Haram militants have seized the town in north-eastern Nigeria that nearly 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped from in April 2014 AFP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram A soldier stands guard in front of burnt buses after an attack in Abuja. Twin blasts at a bus station packed with morning commuters on the outskirts of Nigeria's capital killed dozens of people, in what appeared to be the latest attack by Boko Haram Islamists, April 2014 The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The aftermath of the attack, when Boko Haram fighters in trucks painted in military colours killed 51 people in Konduga in February 2014 AFP/Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram The leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau (with papers) in a video grab taken in July 2014 AFP/Getty The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Ruins of burnt out houses in the north-eastern settlement of Baga, pictured after Boko Haram attacks in 2013 AP The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram A Boko Haram attack in Nigeria, 2013 AFP/Getty Images The rise of Boko Haram Boko Haram Abubakar Shekau, Boko Harams leader AP It is not known how many of the girls themselves are still alive. Only 59 of the 276 schoolgirls initially taken have been confirmed as having escaped, all but Ms Ali and one other within days of their kidnap. And while Ms Ali had not heard about the video, she said Boko Haram had told the abducted girls that everyone was looking for them. "I think about them a lot I would tell them to be hopeful and prayerful," Ms Ali said. "In the same way God rescued me, he will also rescue them." Charities like International Alert say the victims of Boko Haram face becoming victims all over again when they escape, such is the stigma against them in the wider Nigerian populace. Asked about her ambitions for the future, Ms Ali said: I just want to go home I don't know about school. I will decide about school when I get back, but I have no idea when I will be going home. 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 Irish student who was arrested three years ago on Wednesday for taking part in a peaceful protest in Egypt has written a letter to mark the anniversary, apologising for not being around to his parents, family and friends. Ibrahim Halawa, who was born and raised in Dublin, was just 17 when he was detained along with hundreds of others during a visit to family in Cairo. He now faces a potential death sentence. In a report also released on Wednesday, an influential committee of British lawyers said it was gravely concerned by Mr Halawas case, which it said constitutes a serious breach of international law. Now aged 20, Mr Halawa has written to his family to say he is sorry it has been three years, and to thank the people of Ireland for fighting for his release. The letter has been passed on to The Independent by Mr Halawas sister, Somaia. Nosayba (left) and Somaia Halawa, sisters of Ibrahim Halawa, on Grafton Street in Dublin's city centre, where family members and supporters held an awareness day (PA) He apologises in the letter to his mother, for the three years you have been chasing me from prison to prison. To his father, Mr Halawa said he was sorry you wake up every morning knowing that you might never see me again. And to Somaia and another sister, Omaima, who have been married while he has been in prison, Mr Halawa writes: I am sorry I couldnt be there as a brother for you I am sorry I couldnt be at your wedding[s] to take you by your hand. Mr Halawa has previously spoken of how he has been tortured and abused in prison, as well as witnessing a fellow inmate being crucified. Somalia Halawa said he had been through extreme oppression and corruption yet he has been able to keep sane and hold on. Ibrahim Halawas letter Ibrahim wanted to share such hard memories with all those supporters who have constantly been there for him throughout it, she said. In its report today, the Bar Human Rights Committee called for the immediate transfer of Mr Halawa to his home country. Kirsty Brimelow QC, chair of the committee, said that each of the individual aspects of Ibrahim Halawas case involved a breach of international law by Egypt. She said: He has been subjected to several years of pre-trial detention, violently assaulted by the Egyptian police and denied access to a lawyer or a fair trial, and added: During part of this period, Mr Halawa was a child. [His] urgent release is required. Last month, the UK Foreign Office said that its growing concern over the human rights situation in Egypt had led to a step change in its approach to the country. Ministers said they had recently urged the UN Human Rights Council to pay close attention to Egypt. Harriet McCulloch, deputy director of the death penalty team at the human rights organisation Reprieve, which has been assisting Ibrahim with his case, said in a statement: Egypts treatment of Ibrahim Halawa and many others over the past three years is nothing short of an outrage he was arrested when he was a child, detained arbitrarily, tortured, and subjected to a mass trial that could see him and hundreds more sentenced to death. The Bar Human Rights Committee is right to call for Ibrahims immediate release, and the UK must follow up on its recent statements of concern and do the same. If Egypts government is serious about justice, it must free Ibrahim and the many prisoners it is holding unjustly. Full transcript of Ibrahim Halawas letter: I am sorry it has been 3 years. Dad, I am sorry that for 3 years your son has been taken away from you without being able to see him. I am sorry that you raised me to be righteous and ambitious, I am sorry you wake up every morning knowing that you might never see me again. I am sorry it has been 3 years. Mom, Im sorry that for 3 years you have been chasing me from prison to prison. I am sorry that you saw me dragged just because you wanted an extra minute to make your your son is fine. Im sorry you cant be happy with me like most mothers. Im sorry it has been three years. Nosaiba, Ahmed, Somaia, Khadija, Fatima and omaima. I am sorry I couldnt be there as a brother for you. I am sorry I couldnt be an uncle for your kids. Somaia and Omaima, I am sorry I couldnt be at your wedding to take by your hand and make it the best day of your life. I am sorry that standing up for rights had us split up. I am sorry it has been three years. Anas my friend, Im sorry that our plan we drew for ourselves in primary school has ended before it started. I am sorry i cant be you best friend. I am sorry it has been 3 years. Ireland, Im sorry Ive been away from you for 3 years. Im sorry I cant see your kind people. Im sorry I cant see your bright green colour. Im sorry I cant walk your beautiful mountains. Im sorry I cant breathe your reviving air. Im sorry I cant soak from you pure rain drops. Im sorry I cant watch the city as it get early in the morning. Im sorry I cant live the happiness of the villages around Ireland. Im sorry I cant watch the blue sea from your high cliffs. Im sorry it has been 3 years. Irish people, Im sorry that for 3 years you have been fighting for my release. Im sorry for the years I have missed between you. Im sorry for missing out on all the Irish gatherings. Im sorry I was stolen away from the warmth of the Irish laughter. Im sorry for a limitless language expressing limitless feelings, but Im fighting for what you though me to die for. Im fighting for other to gain democracy like back home. Im sorry that I am willing to die for freedom. I am sorry it has been three years. Ibrahim Halawa, 17/08/2016. 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 woman allegedly had her hands cut off by her infertile husband in Kenya, after he blamed her for not bearing any children for him. Stephen Ngila, 35, was arrested by officers in the town of Machakos after his wife Jackline Mwende, 27, accused him of attacking her with a machete, severely slashing her forehead, face and wrists in the process. A witness told local media she saw blood covering walls inside the couples home and a severed hand on the floor of the kitchen, while Mrs Mwendes other hand was almost entirely severed. The couple had attended a hospital in Nairobi in 2014 to seek medical advice as to why they were unable to have children, Mrs Mwende told LA Times. Mr Ngila was apparently told by doctors he had a problem and was advised to seek help at a fertility clinic, which he continually refused to do. Mrs Mwende claims her husband would drink to excess and beat her, although she was advised by a local pastor to persist with her marriage against the wishes of her parents. He thought he had killed me, but God is great
Jackline Mwende
The couple met seven years ago and married two years later, with Mrs Mwende running a small business in Machakos thanks to an investment by her husband. Describing the incident, Mrs Mwende said: I saw him, and he told me: Today is your last day. I never thought something like this would happen to me. He was a good man. He was a church man. The first days of our marriage were happy days. We were living well together as a husband and wife. But then he was very brutal. He used to beat me. 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 He thought he had killed me, but God is great. I hope other people, or other victims, may learn my story and speak up. Mr Ngila remains in police custody, awaiting trial over the attack. Members of his family have reportedly denied the charges, arguing Mrs Mwende has loose morals and may have been attacked by a business rival. In 2015, the Kenyan government introduced legislation which outlawed domestic violence and provided restraining orders in the event of marital violence. Around 45% of Kenyan women between the ages 15 and 49 have experienced either physical or sexual violence, with the majority of attacks taking place at home according to the Gender Violence Recovery Center at Nairobi Womens Hospital. 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 }} As one of the most ambitious urgent vaccination programmes in history got under way on Wednesday to combat Yellow Fever in central Africa, the World Health Organisation warned that it must succeed in order to prevent an international health emergency. A deadly virus, Yellow Fever is passed on by mosquitoes and can cause bleeding from the eyes, nose and mouth, jaundice and organ failure. The current strain has a fatality rate of around 20 per cent. What began as an isolated outbreak in Angola has now claimed hundreds of lives, spreading across the border into Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and exporting cases to Uganda, Kenya and even a dozen in China. WHO says the current outbreak of Yellow Fever represents unprecedented challenges, occurring for the first time in a dense urban population where people have little resistance, and at a time when travel between major African cities has become increasingly popular. Save The Children has warned that the virus in on the brink of going global, spreading to Europe, Americas and further in Asia. The charity, Doctors Without Borders and other international organisations are helping local campaigns coordinated by WHO across DRC and Angola, with the aim of inoculating more than 14 million people at 8,000 locations. That target represents huge logistical challenges, particularly given the concerns over vaccine stock levels. The DRC government has ordered health workers to use just one-fifth of the standard dose, giving a years protection, to make supplies stretch further. Speaking to The Independent, an official with WHOs health emergency team in Africa admitted the situation in central Africa had proved complex and challenging since the current outbreak was declared in February this year. Joy Caminade said the campaigns in Angola and DRC represented a strong response to the real threat of a global spread, and that the outbreak continues to be classified as a serious public health event warranting intensified national action and enhanced international support - for now. The aim is to prevent a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, she said, using the category which WHO applied to the Ebola crisis and, most recently, the worldwide Zika outbreak. For the first time, WHO and other partners are dealing with an outbreak of yellow fever in a dense, urban setting, Ms Caminade said. The changing global situation in the past 20 years, including the rapid rise of urbanisation, increased mobility between large cities in Africa, and new environmental and climatic factors mean an increased risk of mosquito-borne diseases spreading internationally. This outbreak is manageable if we can protect enough people with the vaccine, she said, adding that there is particular urgency to ensure the outbreak in DRC is under control before the onset of the rainy season - in September. 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 Save The Children has dispatched an emergency response team of health workers to Kinshasa, the DRC capital, and is focussing its efforts in the first 10 days of the campaign on the citys Binza Ozone suburb, whose population of 426,000 people are seen as among the most at risk. Heather Kerr, Save the Children's country director for the DRC, told The Independent it was still too early days to say on the first day if the campaign to prevent a global outbreak would be a success - but she said her team was quietly confident. The campaign has started well, she said. Lots of people have turned up, and we hope the whole population of Binza Ozone will be vaccinated by the time the campaign finishes in 10 days time. Save The Children have been among those expressing concern at the stock levels and management of the Yellow Fever vaccine. An email chain between NGO workers seen by the Associated Press this month appeared to show charities arguing over the loss of around one million doses of the vaccine. "WE HAVE A MAJOR PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS," wrote Unicefs Robert Kezaala in an all-caps email to officials at WHO and elsewhere. Save The Children said it understood there were just seven million doses of the vaccine left in global stockpiles - not even enough to properly inoculate the 10-million strong population of Kinshasa, let alone deal with an international outbreak. Ms Caminade sought to allay fears over supplies. She said that since February, the WHO had worked closely with manufacturers to prioritise production of yellow fever vaccines. She said: After accounting for vaccines that will be used in the upcoming mass vaccinations in both Angola and DRC, there will be around 5 million doses to respond to other outbreaks. 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 fast moving wildfire has forced the evacuation of more than 80,000 people from homes in San Bernardino, in Southern California to the east of Los Angeles. The fire began as a small patch of flames beside Interstate 15 but quickly built into a ferocious blaze of 28 square miles. Tens of thousands of homes are now at risk from what has been named the Bluecut fire. Recommended Read more Man arrested for blaze that ripped through California town Darren Dalton, 51, told Reuters: "This moved so fast. "It went from 'have you heard there's a fire?' to 'mandatory evacuation' before you could take it all in. This is a tight little community up here. Always in rally mode. Suddenly it's a ghost town." Hundreds of cars streamed away from the fire as smoke hung heavy in the air and the sound of explosions - possibly from ammunition stored in homes - echoed in the distance. Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department, said 82,000 people from more than 34,000 homes had been ordered to leave. A chicken coop goes up in flames with animals still inside in the so-called Bluecut Fire in the San Bernardino National Forest (Reuters) The blaze is the latest to erupt in Californias hot, dry hills - even before the fire season hits its peak. High winds have fanned dozens of fires, causing millions of dollars of damage. Six firefighters were briefly trapped by flames at a home where the occupants had refused to leave, forcing the crew to protect the house, fire officials said. Thick smoke fills the sky as residents leave their homes (Reuters) "We were fully engulfed in smoke," county firefighter Cody Anderson told KCBS-TV. "It was really hard just to see your hand in front of your face." He added they could do nothing but sit tight and wait for the flames to blow over. He and a colleague were treated for minor injuries. Jerry Brown, California governer, has declared a state of emergency in San Berdino, a move that will bring in federal assistance. On Tuesday, investigators in Northern California revealed they had been building a case for a year against Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, accusing him of multiple counts of arson. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Washington email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} His campaign stalled if not actually going down in flames, Donald Trump has done what so many other floundering candidates have resorted to before he has shaken up his top staff. In a reset that pushes his current campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, into the weeds, Mr Trump has taken on Stephen Bannon, a conservative media pirate, as his new campaign chief executive and promoted his main pollster, Kellyanne Conway, to become campaign manager. The changes show Mr Trump rebelling against efforts by some in his campaign - Mr Manafort in particular - to repress his shock-jock instincts on the trail and and transform him into a candidate more closely conforming to what the Republican Party and donors want to see. In Mr Bannon, who will take leave from his position as CEO of the conservative site Breitbart News, he has found someone who, if anything, will encourage him to amplify those traits that won him the nomination in the first place playing the nationalist insurgent who will break china in the White House and trample all of the rules of normal political etiquette to get there. That, more or less, will mean allowing Trump to be Trump. Ironically, that had been the mantra of Corey Lewandowski, who was the nominees campaign manager throughout the primaries until he was dumped in June in favour of Mr Manafort whose job, at the time, was to introduce a measure of discipline. Mr Lewandowski is now a commentator for CNN, the news channel. On Wednesday Mr Lewandowski described Mr Bannon as a conservative street fighter. The consequences of the shake-up are hard to predict. Voters are unlikely to care about it, as such. The fact that it has happened, with less than 90 days until the election, was widely seen as evidence of a deep malaise in Camp Trump. The candidate himself is said to have descended into a sulk in recent days as his poll numbers against Hillary Clinton have slumped. Loneliness and a fear of losing may have been the motivation behind Mr Trump also turning to old friends in recent days for help. Roger Ailes, the disgraced former boss of Fox News, and Roger Stone, an eccentric Republican operative who has the face of Richard Nixon tattooed across his back, are both now helping the candidate in unofficial capacities. Mr Bannon, who worked formerly for Goldman Sachs and made the film Undefeated lionising former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, is a buccaneer figure in the party, who has reportedly made the case several times to Mr Trump that toning down his act in the general election phase of the race would be a mistake and he should stick with wielding anti-establishment dynamite. He is arguably the conservative wings most influential agitator. This man is the most dangerous political operative in America, blared the headline of a Bloomberg News profile of Mr Bannon last year, noting his commitment not just to stopping Ms Clinton but also sabotaging any hopes Jeb Bush, the Republican former Governor of Florida, had of winning the White House. At a gathering of the most conservative faction of the Republican Party outside Washington DC last year, Mr Bannon played host to Nigel Farage, the former head of the Ukip party. Ms Conway is also from the right of the party, though her record is less one of bomb-throwing and more one of data-cruncher with helping her candidate win always first on her mind. Widely respected even by political foes, she has worked in past election cycles for Mike Pence, who is now on the Trump ticket, as well as Newt Gingrich and former Vice President Dan Quayle. I've known both of them for a long time, Mr Trump said of Ms Conway and Mr Bannon after the news of his reshuffle broke early on Wednesday. They're terrific people, they're winners, they're champs, and we need to win it. Stephen Bannon joins the Trump campaign as chief executive (AP) That Mr Trump was already feeling some sense of being liberated from the forces that wanted him to temper his style and his proclivity for the outrageous came through even on Tuesday evening when he spoke to a local TV station after addressing supporters in Wisconsin. You know, I am who I am, he declared. It's me. I don't want to change. Everyone talks about, 'Oh, well you're going to pivot, you're going to.' I don't want to pivot. I mean, you have to be you. If you start pivoting, you're not being honest with people. In recent days, Mr Manafort has been hit by allegations that he helped channel millions of dollars from supporters of the former pro-Russian ruling party in Ukraine to lobbyists in Washington DC to help them influence the US elections. The current government in Ukraine has opened an investigation into Mr Manaforts past activities as a consultant in the country. That in turn has focused attention again on Mr Trump's ties with Russia, an awkward issue the Clinton campaign has energetically tried to exploit. For now, the campaign is not saying that Mr Manafort has been sidelined or demoted, for that or any other reason. The new posts for Mr Bannon and Ms Conway, they insist, represent an expansion for a campaign that many outsiders have indeed described as woefully thin on the ground. As remarkable as anything is the total absence of spending by the Trump campaign so far on television commercials against Ms Clinton. In recent days, however, it has announced the first ads paid for by the campaign will begin airing in key markets in swing states next week. I have known Steve and Kellyanne both for many years. They are extremely capable, highly qualified people who love to win and know how to win, Mr Trump said in a formal statement about his campaign revamp. I believe were adding some of the best talents in politics, with the experience and expertise needed to defeat Hillary Clinton in November and continue to share my message and vision to Make America Great Again. 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 }} Donald Trump's aide Michael Cohen said that the Republican nominee knows about the African American problem in the US. The interview blunder came shortly after the news broke that Mr Trumps campaign staff had undergone a major shake-up to win back favour in the polls. "It is certainly an issue - the African American problem in this country," Mr Cohen said on CNN, referring to Mr Trumps law and order speech in Milwaukee following the killing of black man 23-year-old Sylville Smith and ensuing riots. "What I meant to say is the problem that exists in the African American community," Mr Cohen later clarified. Recommended Read more Donald Trump shakes up campaign yet again with Breitbart executive He added that Mr Trump was colourblind, but was aware of the racial tensions in the US. In an awkward exchange, Mr Trumps special counsel was asked about the Republican nominee's low ratings in the polls. "Says who?" Mr Cohen fired back. "Polls. Most of them. All of them?" replied anchor Brianna Keilar. "Says who?" he asked again. "Polls. I just told you. I just answered your question." "Ok. Which polls?" he asked. "All of them." The interview has done little to assure Trump voters that his campaign is back on track after suffering low ratings versus Hillary Clinton in swing states like Virginia. Three months before the election, Mr Trump has added two officials to oversee the campaign including Breitbart News executive chairman, Steve Bannon, and Kellyanne Conway, now campaign manager. Former campaign manager Paul Manafort, who was only appointed in April, will remain chairman. Roger Ailes, the fired head of Fox News, will also act as a Trump adviser. The shake-up comes just a few months after Mr Trump dismissed Corey Lewandowski, who is now a political commentator on CNN. 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 }} One of the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman has been kidnapped by gunman from a Mexican beach resort along with five other men. Seven armed assailants burst into an upmarket restaurant in the resort in Puerto Vallarta on Monday with long guns and violently took the men who had been dining in a large group. Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, the 29-year-old son of Guzman, has been confirmed by authorities as one of the abducted men. Recommended Read more El Chapo cleared for extradition to the US It was thought that another of Guzmans sons, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, may have been among the group of men who were marched out of the restaurant. Authorities have identified four of the six men who were taken, but have not commented on whether Ivan could be one of the two people yet to be identified. At a news conference, Jalisco state Attorney General Eduardo Almaguer said: The person by the name of Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, age 29, is the son of Joaquin Guzman Loera. His abduction has been confirmed by what was found in the vehicles and what security agencies found and the forensic examinations performed, he said. El Chapo's son Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, who may have been one of the six men abducted from the restaurant (Handout) The assailants have been identified as belonging to the dominant criminal group in the state, the Jalisco New Generation cartel, according to the state attorney, while the victims are all believed to be from the rival Sinaloa cartel headed by Guzman in the neighbouring state of Sinaloa. Ivan is understood to have assumed control of parts of the Sinaloa cartels drug operation since his father was re-arrested in January, but the Jalisco cartel has grown quickly to rival Sinaloas power. Experts said the kidnapping could be the latest in a string of attacks against Guzman's family, perhaps suggesting the drug lord has lost control of his cartel. Mexican Government release video documenting El Chapo's capture Camera footage reviewed by authorities showed nine women and seven men were dining together at the time of the abduction. "The subjects enter, control the diners, separate the women to a side and violently take them (the men)," the Attorney General said. "They resisted; however, these criminals who arrived did it with a certain violence with long guns." He said that the one man escaped and authorities have not located any of the women who were left behind, nor have there been any demands for ransom. "We have not received a single report from anyone to help locate these people who were (kidnapped)," Mr Almaguer added. Additional reporting by Associated Press 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 }} When police in Florida pulled a 19-year-old student away from the bodies of his two alleged victims one of whom he had reportedly bitten in the face they knew what to blame. They had seen it before, in the shape of attacks carried out by drug users under the influence of flakka or bath salts, a powerful man-made drug. When you see a case like this where someone is biting off pieces of somebody's face, could it be flakka? The answer is it absolutely could be a flakka case, Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said, adding that the suspect from the Monday night double-murder case was "abnormally strong". Mr Snyder added that the suspect, Austin Harrouff, had no previous criminal record and no clear motive in the alleged attacks of Michelle Mishon, 53, and John Stevens, 59. Investigators are still working to determine whether or not the suspect had flakka in his system, the sheriff's suspicion highlights a larger problem with man-made hallucinogens sweeping South Florida. World's 10 deadliest street drugs Show all 10 1 /10 World's 10 deadliest street drugs World's 10 deadliest street drugs Whoonga Whoonga is a combination of antiretroviral drugs, used to treat HIV, and various cutting agents such as detergents and poisons. The drug is widely available in South Africa due to South Africas high rate of HIV sufferers, and is believed to be popular due to how cheap it is when compared to prescribed antiretrovirals. The drug is highly addictive and can cause major health issues such as internal bleeding, stomach ulcers and ultimately death Getty World's 10 deadliest street drugs Scopolamine Scopolamine is a derivative from the nightshade plant found in the Northern Indian region of South America (Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela). It is generally found in a refined powder form, but can also be found as a tea. The drug is more often used by criminals due its high toxicity level (one gram is believed to be able to kill up to 20 people) making it a strong poison. However, it is also believed that the drug is blown into the faces of unexpecting victims, later causing them to lose all sense of self-control and becoming incapable of forming memories during the time they are under the influence of the drug. This tactic has reportedly been used by gangs in Colombia where there have been reports of people using scopolamine as way to convince victims to rob their own homes World's 10 deadliest street drugs Heroin Founded in 1874 by C. R. Alder Wright, heroin is one of the worlds oldest drugs. Originally it was prescribed as a strong painkiller used to treat chronic pain and physical trauma. However in 1971 it was made illegal under the Misuse of Drugs Act. Since then it has become one of the most destructive substances in the world, tearing apart communities and destroying families. The side effects of heroin include inflammation of the gums, cold sweats, a weak immune system, muscular weakness and insomnia. It can also damage blood vessels which can later cause gangrene if left untreated World's 10 deadliest street drugs Crack cocaine Crack cocaine first came about in the 1980s when cocaine became a widespread commodity within the drug trafficking world. Originally cocaine would have attracted a high price tag due to its rarity and difficulty to produce, but once it became more widespread the price dropped significantly. This resulted in drug dealers forming their cocaine into rock like shapes by using baking soda as a way of distilling the powder down into rock form. People were doing this because it allowed for them to sell cocaine at a lower quantity and to a higher number of people. The side effects of crack cocaine include liver, kidney and lung damage, as well as permanent damage to blood vessels, which can often lead to heart attacks, strokes, and ultimately death World's 10 deadliest street drugs Crystal meth Not just famous because of a certain Walter H White, but also because it is one of the most destructive drugs in the world. First developed in 1887, it became widely used during the Second World War when both sides would give it to their troops to keep them awake. It is also believed that the Japanese gave it to their Kamikaze pilots before their suicide missions. After the war crystal meth was prescribed as a diet aid and remained legal until the 1970s. Since then it has fallen into the hands of Mexican gangs and has become a worldwide phenomenon, spreading throughout Europe and Asia. The effects of crystal meth are devastating. In the short-term users will become sleep depraved and anxious, and in the long-term it will cause their flesh to sink, as well as brain damage and damage of the blood vessels World's 10 deadliest street drugs AH-7921 AH-7921 is a synthetic opioid that was previously available to legally purchase online from vendors until it became a Class A in January 2015. The drug is believed to have 80% of the potency of morphine, and became known as the legal heroin. While there has only been one death related to AH-7921 in the UK, it is believed to be highly dangerous and capable of causing respiratory arrest and gangrene World's 10 deadliest street drugs Flakka Flakka is a stimulant with a similar chemical make-up to the amphetamine-like drug found in bath salts. While the drug was originally marketed as a legal high alternative to ecstasy, the effects are significantly different. The user will feel an elevated heart rate, enhanced emotions, and, if enough is digested, strong hallucinations. The drug can cause permanent psychological damage due to it affecting the mood regulating neurons that keep the minds serotonin and dopamine in check, as well as possibly causing heart failure World's 10 deadliest street drugs Bath salts Bath salts are a synthetic crystalline drug that is prevalent in the US. While they may sound harmless, they certainly arent the sort of salts you drop into a warm bath when having a relaxing night in, they are most similar to mephedrone, and have recently been featured throughout social media due to the zombification of its. The name comes from the fact that the drug was originally sold online, and widely disguised as bath salts. The side effects include unusual psychiatric behaviour, psychosis, panic attacks and violent behaviour, as well as the possibility of a heart attack and an elevated body temperature World's 10 deadliest street drugs Purple Drank One of the more unusual drugs around at the moment, purple drank was popularised in 90s hip hop culture, with the likes of Jay Z and Big Moe all mentioning it in their songs. It is a concoction of soda water, sweets and cold medicine, and is drunk due to cold medicines high codeine content, which gives the user a woozy feeling. However it can also cause respiratory issues and heart failure World's 10 deadliest street drugs Krokodil Krokodil is Russias secret addiction. It is believed that over one million Russians are addicted to the drug. Users of krokodil are attracted to the drug due to its low price; it is sold at 20 a gram while heroin is sold for 60. However, krokodil is considered more dangerous than heroin because it is often homemade, with ingredients including painkillers, iodine, lighter fluid and industrial cleaning agents. This chemical make-up makes the drug highly dangerous and likely to cause gangrene, and eventually rotting of the flesh What is 'flakka'? According to the Texas Poison Centre Network, flakka or alpha-pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PDP) is a drug mostly manufactured in China for roughly $5 per dose. The drug is sold in white or pink crystal chunks, which are foul-smelling, according to the US National Institute on Drug Abuse. It is sometimes called "gravel" because it resembles the small stones in the bottom of fish tanks. Flakka is a psychostimulant drug in the synthetic cathinone family, known colloquially as "bath salts", and it was probably developed as a legal high in response to other drugs being criminalised. It is in the same group as the drug mephedrone and was only recently banned in the UK and in the US. It is a stimulant, which increases alertness, attention and energy, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Stimulants which also include cocaine and ecstasy are often referred to as uppers. Does flakka turn people into cannibals? Bath salts were first linked to a man cannibalising another man in Florida in 2014. This turned out to be false speculation: a post-mortem examination revealed the man didn't have the drug in his system at the time, but it had already triggered mass hysteria. Onvestigators believe the man may have taken a drug called flakka (Drug Enforcement Agency) The latest attack and speculation, however, seem to reinforce the idea that cannibalism is symptomatic of taking drugs like bath salts or flakka. But the incident itself is isolated, and it remains unclear whether or not Harrouff was actually on flakka. The TPCN explains that the active chemical can cause "excited delirium", which results in hyperstimulation, paranoia, and hallucinations that can lead to "violent aggression". Given the availability and widespread distribution of the drug, however, if it turned users into cannibals, there would be more reports of such instances publicly available. Why are we hearing so much about flakka now? Like synthetic marijuana in New York City, flakka emerged in public consciousness in 2015 after a viral video on YouTube, titled "Flocka [sic] is Destroying USA", depicted a young woman dancing in the rain. Since then, other videos showing people with erratic behaviour were soon attributed to the drug. However, none of these videos actually show people taking the drug. The drug's similarity to bath salts reinforced the media speculation that they would give somebody "superhuman strength" an unconfirmed side effect critics say was used to justify forceful arrests. Is flakka deadly? But although its dangers may have been exaggerated, taking the drug is risky - it is addictive and can cause fatal overdoses. Many users didn't like the bad effects they had from the drug, Jim Hall, an epidemiologist in the Centre for Applied Research on Substance Use and Health Disparities at Nova Southeastern University told People. but nonetheless were very compelled by compulsion to keep using the drug, as it's addictive. In Broward County, Florida, some 60 people died by the end of 2015 only 14 months after the drug began taking its hold on the area. A 37-year-old woman, identified only as Stephanie, described her addiction to NBC News. I remember having seizures and having just continued paranoia and feeling like people were chasing me and following me and talking about me, she said. And I still suffer from nightmares and have to take medication for that. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two funeral home employees in Florida have been arrested after authorities found 16 corpses that were not stored properly in Bay County. Deputies with the Bay County Sheriffs Office made the discovery in the cooler area at the Brock Home Town Funeral Home in Callaway on Sunday. Six bodies were stored without any refrigeration, and 10 bodies were stored at 62 degrees, 22 degrees warmer than the maximum requirement, authorities said. Funeral home director Gregory Dunphy, 64, and his employee Felicia Boesch, 39, were arrested and charged with 16 counts of unlawful storage of human remains. Dunphy told investigators that he had no access to the additional supplies needed to store the bodies. None of the bodies had been embalmed, officers said in a statement. Those remains whose families requested cremation had not been cremated. Ruth Corley, a spokesperson with the sheriffs office, said that the funeral home was still operating when investigators made the discovery. They were still receiving people, Corley told the Northwest Florida Daily News. They werent closed. Bay County Sheriff's Office (Bay County Sheriff's Office) Family members of the deceased voiced their shock on Facebook shortly after the news hit. We are horrified, devastated and emotionally cannot fathom this, Kimberly Gates, a sister of one of the deceased, reportedly wrote on Facebook. Now we cant view her because the state she is in. Shannon R Luck, a niece of one of the deceased, called the discovery disgusting because the two employees didnt do their job. So over a month later, we have to have him moved from medical examiners office to another funeral home to hopefully move forward. 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 }} As a barrage of 20 bullets was sprayed into a house in Kansas, Missouri, nine-year-old Jayden Ugwuh jumped out of bed and rushed out of the room. Realising his eight-year-old cousin, Montell Ross, was not behind him, he went back into the bedroom. Both boys, described as "inseparable" by their grandmother, were then shot. Jayden, seriously injured, went into his big brothers room, who was asleep. He crawled into bed beside him and died. Recommended Read more One person shot in second night of Milwaukee protests Kansas police, who are investigating the incident, believe the people responsible for the murders were inside the home at some point on Saturday morning. Jaydens father, Jason Ugwuh, told Fox News: "[Jayden] didn't even cry, just got hit and ran and laid up under his big brother, you know. Like he knew exactly where to go for comfort, you know what I'm saying." "I do not get it," he added. "I swear. We have to protect the future. He's the future." He said his son loved superheroes, rapping and drawing. Kansas City Police have requested witnesses call them with any information. No arrests have yet been made. The department wrote on Twitter: "Cousins Jayden Ugwuh and Montell Ross started their new school year last week. Now theyre dead. Innocent victims of senseless gun violence." There were six young cousins in the house at the time, where they lived with their mothers. A 16-year-old girl was also hit during the shooting but her injuries were not life-threatening and she was reported as back at school. Both Jayden and Montell were declared dead in hospital. 12-year-old Jayson Jr, who saw his younger brother die beside him in bed, did not want to talk to the media. Their grandmother, Ira Ross, told Kansas City newspaper: "Tell them to please to turn themselves in, because they have destroyed us." Ms Ross said her grandson, Montell, was a "mamas boy" who sometimes sucked his thumb, liked to watch cartoons and play video games. The neighbours said they also heard gunfire on Saturday morning and ducked for cover, and were now "living in fear". The police added on social media: "Many want to be outraged these days. Be outraged about this." 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 }} Her fathers shadow has barely lifted from Washington but, barring the unexpected, Liz Cheney, will soon be coming to town as Wyomings lone member of the House of Representatives. Ms Cheney, 50, a rigid conservative who shares the hawkish foreign policy positions of her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, but has also voiced support for Donald Trump, swept away the opposition to win the Republican primary in Wyomings sole House district. With registered Republicans far outnumbering Democrats in the Cowboy State, there is every chance that come the general election Ms Cheney will be sent to Washington for the first time. Thus, the Cheney political dynasty will formally be born. Moreover, if Mr Trump loses to Hillary Clinton in November, many conservatives who will by then have despaired of him may look to her to become their new standard-bearer in Washington, as a woman who very evidently shares their views, including on social policies, and also someone with high name recognition. A former Fox News commentator and a State Department official during the George W Bush presidency, Ms Cheney won 40 per cent of the vote in Tuesdays primary, almost 20 points ahead of her nearest rival. She crushed her opponents by assailing President Barack Obama, especially his energy policies, which have helped depress Wyomings coal industry. She also ripped regularly into the current administration on foreign policy. Our freedom is under assault from an out-of-control federal government and our security is under threat from radical Islamic terrorism, she declared earlier this week. Her internationalist, even neoconservative, views on foreign policy, actually puts her at odds with Mr Trump, who has advocated a more isolationist, America First, approach. The United States, since the end of World War II, has played a role unlike any other nation in the history of the world in terms of the defense of freedom, in terms of the security and peace of the world, and our own security depends upon it, Ms Cheney said. Thats what I believe in. As much as Mr Cheney is revered by many on the right of the Republican Party, he is loathed by most Democrats and liberals who believe he bears a special responsibility for steering the United States (and with it Britain) into the Iraq War in 2003. Unsurprisingly Ms Cheney has never evinced any reservations about her fathers legacy. His own career was launched by winning election to the US House from Wyoming in 1979. He remained in the House for ten years, then going on to be Secretary of Defense for former President George H W Bush. He had been tasked to vet candidates to be George W Bushs running mate in 2000 when the nominee instead chose him to join the ticket. Dick Cheney and his daughter Certainly we've been served well by many people in Washington, and it is very special to have been nominated to serve in the seat that my dad held, Ms Cheney remarked. In a 2014 biography of former George H W Bush by Jon Meacham, the former president is cited as saying he did not recognise Mr Cheney once he became his sons Vice President saying he had become a hard ass especially in his response to 9/11. He intimated that his wife, Lynne Cheney, may have had something to do with the transformation. Others have speculated that the push of Mr Cheney to the right may also have come from his daughter, Liz. The family suffered some awkward internal strife when Ms Cheney made an unsuccessful run at one of Wyomings two US Senate seats in 2013. In that campaign, she continued to stick by her opposition to gay marriage even though her sister, Mary Cheney, is a lesbian who married her partner in 2012. Mr Cheney has surprised some of his Republican peers by signaling support for Mr Trump as the party nominee, but many believe he has done so because of his daughters political future. She has endorsed the New York billionaire, in spite of her differences with him on foreign policy. "Right now there is no question that Trump is the better choice, she said in an interview with the Washington Post last week. Hes somebody who will probably shake things up. 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 }} Activists in Alabama have announced plans to open the nations first museum dedicated to its dark and often-ignored history of the lynching of African Americans. The Montgomery-based Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) on Tuesday said it intended to open the memorial and museum - From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration - on a six acre site that would both honour the people who had been murdered, and draw attention to those responsible for what it called racial terror lynching. The group has estimated there were at least 4,000 such lynchings between 1877 and 1950. From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration will be situated within 150 yards of one of the Souths most prominent slave auction sites and the Alabama River dock and rail station where tens of thousands of enslaved black people were trafficked, said the EJI. Teenager Emmett Till was murdered in 1955 after talking to a white woman in Mississippi (Wikipedia) The museum will connect the history of racial inequality with contemporary issues of mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and police violence. The EJI has since 1989 fought for the legal rights of prisoners who have been denied a fair trial, either because of racial prejudice or else they cannot afford a lawyer. It has helped hundreds of people on death row, and overturned many convictions. The structure will contain the names of over 4000 lynching victims engraved on concrete columns representing each county in the United States where lynchings took place. Counties across the country will be invited to retrieve duplicate columns with the names of each countys lynching victims to be placed in every county. The EJI's Bryan Stevenson (r) said the US needed to wake up to its past (AP) The EJIs founder and executive director, Bryan Stevenson, said it was time for the US to wake up to what had happened in its recent past. I think its important because when you do that, you change your identity, he told CBS News. You change your relationship to these histories of mass atrocities and violence. But when you don't do that, things linger. The smog created by that history of racial inequality continues to compromise our health. And in this country, we havent done that about slavery. About lynching. About segregation. Some of the names of the victims of the most notorious lynching, such as teenager Emmet Till, are scored into the minds of some Americans. Yet the vast majority of those who were killed, are known to just a few, if any. The EJI dispatched volunteers to the site of the killings and filled earth from the ground where the hangings or beatings or shootings took place. Many of the killings took place on the lawns of court houses, the EJI said. We want to name the victims of lynching. We want to talk about people like Elizabeth Lawrence who was lynched because she scolded children for throwing stones at her. We want to talk about people who were lynched because they bumped accidentally into white people as they were going to the train station, Mr Stevenson said. He hopes the museum and memorial will be ready to open in 2017. We want to talk about all of the devastation. We want to talk about the fact that these lynchings took place in the public square with thousands of people cheering them on, he added. Mr Stevenson said other countries have publicly confronted histories of violence and division. When you go to South Africa, you are confronted with the legacy of apartheid. If you go to Rwanda, they make sure that you understand what genocide did, Mr Stevenson said. If you go to Germany, you can't actually go many places in Berlin without seeing the markers and the stones that have been placed at the homes of Jewish families that were abducted during the Holocaust. The Germans actually want you to go to Auschwitz to confront soberly that legacy. Not everyone approves of Mr Stevensons plan. Dick Brewbaker, a Republican state senator who represents a district in Montgomery, told the New Yorker. If he wants to do it, he needs to do it with private funds. Why is racially motivated violence worse than any other kind of violence? He added: I dont give a damn what the motive of the offender was if an act of violence was committed. Interjecting even more race talk into Alabamas politics is not productive. 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 sister of a man shot dead by a police officer in Milwaukee has urged rioters to burn the suburbs down. Sylville Smith was killed on Saturday after fleeing from a traffic stop while armed. His death led to the latest eruption of violence between protesters and police after a spate of deaths of black men at the hands of officers across the US over the summer. One person was shot, several police officers were injured and several local businesses - including a petrol station - were set alight during two nights of unrest. Speaking at the burnt out petrol station on Sunday evening, Smiths sister Sherelle urged protesters to stop torching their own community and focus on attacking the wealthier suburbs. In footage obtained by the Daily Mail she said: Burning down s*** ain't gonna help nothing. You're burning down s*** we need in our community. Take that s*** to the suburbs. Burn that s*** down. Milwaukee defended the actions of the police officer saying Smith had an extensive criminal record and was fleeing the scene with a gun. Sylville Smith died after fleeing from a traffic stop while armed (AP) But his grandfather, William Brookins, said Smith suffered from cognitive and mental health problems and carried a gun because he had been shot once before. He said: "In this city, there's a lot of killings going on in the street. "He was afraid for his life. He was concerned about his safety and surviving." Smith had several run-ins with the law dating to 2013, including speeding, driving without insurance, driving with a suspended license and having open alcohol in a vehicle. He was also arrested for allegedly stealing $1,600 (1,230) worth of DVDs from a local Wal-Mart, carrying a concealed weapon without a permit and last year was charged with reckless endangerment after opening fire at a man in a fight over a woman. The officer, who is also black, has not been named due to death threats but in an interview with the Fox 6 news channel, Ms Smith revealed he and her brother had gone to high school together. It is not known how well they knew each other. She suggested he had been killed because of jealousy. A burning petrol station in Milwaukee as over 100 people take to the streets to protest another police killing (AP) She said: "If my brother did have his gun in his hand, why he didn't shoot back? If he's gonna go out, why not go out with a fight? Why not go out with a big bang? Why? Was it jealousy? "The boy knew my brother personally from high school. They knew each other. You knew exactly how my brother was and you shot and killed him". Her comments are in contrast to Smiths other sister Kimberly Neal who called for calm. She said: At the end of the day, acting out aint gonna solve it. We tired of it. We tired. Additional reporting by agencies Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two South Carolina teens are accused of fatally shooting a man after he reportedly helped them pull their car out of a ditch. Deon Antonio Frasier, 17, and Michael Anthony Dupree-Tyler face murder charges in connection with the killing of Chadwick Garrett, 45. According to arrest affidavits, Garrett stopped to help the North Charleston teens who had their sport utility vehicle stuck in a ditch, the Post and Courier reported. A witness told police that the Garrett agreed to help them for a $20 fee. After he had pulled the vehicle out of a ditch, Garrett inquired about the money, when Frasier allegedly fired multiple shots into his chest. Frasier then returned to the vehicle as Dupree-Tyler drove off, the affidavit adds. Shortly after the shooting took place, a woman who lives with the teenagers reportedly called police to report they had taken her vehicle without permission. She later attempted to have police to cancel the response after they returned home with the vehicle. Police arrested Frasier and Dupree-Tyler after a brief standoff at the residence. They were booked in a Charleston County jail early Tuesday morning. The father of the deceased attended the bond hearing for the teens, during which he called them cowards for killing Garrett. Its so sad; these young babies here, theyre getting more and more terrible out there on the streets, Moses Garrett said. You guys killed a man. Only cowards carry guns. Dupree-Tyler responded to Mr Garrett before he was stopped by the judge. With all due respect to the family, they [are] coming at me the wrong way, becuase I havent murdered anyone, he said. Frasier tried to respond, but the court did not let him speak. According to the Post and Courier, both Frasier and Dupree-Tyler had been previously been arrested on minor drug offences, among other misdemeanors. 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 }} Venezuelas ambassador to the UN has denied there is a humanitarian crisis in his country, despite claims of political instability and a food shortage. Rafael Ramirez, was responding to comments made by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who suggested the country was in deep crisis. Mr Ramirez said the Sectary-Generals comments were strange and questioned where he had received his information, according to UPI. Mr Ban spoke to journalists during a visit to Argentina: "Basic goods and services such as food, water, health care and clothes aren't available," the BBC reported. "This triggers a humanitarian crisis in Venezuela which is created by political instability." The news comes as thousands of Venezuelans crossed into Colombia to buy food and medicine after the opening of five pedestrian border crossings, Al Jazeera reported. Long queues formed as people took advantage of the 12 hour daily window in which pedestrians are allowed to cross. The food crisis has also reportedly led to citizens breaking into zoos and slaughtering animals. A group of intruders broke into Carcuao Zoo in Caracas and apparently slaughtered a rare black stallion, leaving behind only the head and ribs. Marlene Sifontes, a union leader at INPARQUES, the government agency that runs the Caricuao Zoo, described the situation as being very sad and said the food shortage was also directly affecting the animals. We have animals that have not eaten for up to 15 days, which affects their health, she told Reuters. In pictures: Venezuela elections Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Venezuela elections In pictures: Venezuela elections An opposition masked man holds a Venezuelan national flag as supporters of Venezuelan opposition coalition Mesa de Unidad Democratica (MUD) celebrate the victory of the party in Caracas, after the Venezuelan National Election Council's President, Tibisay Lucena (unseen), announced that MUD won the legislative election EPA In pictures: Venezuela elections Several people celebrate in a street in Caracas EPA In pictures: Venezuela elections A woman reacts as people celebrates in a street in Caracas EPA In pictures: Venezuela elections Humberto Lopez, known as "El Che", reacts as National Electoral Council (CNE) President Tibisay Lucena announces the official results of parliamentary elections in Caracas. Venezuela's opposition won control of the legislature from the ruling Socialists for the first time in 16 years, giving them a long-sought platform to challenge President Nicolas Maduro Reuters In pictures: Venezuela elections Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks after listening to the results of the legislative elections in Caracas. The Venezuelan opposition won national elections by a landslide, with at least 99 of the 167 seats confirmed for the alliance of the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD). It was the first defeat of the socialist movement since its founder Hugo Chavez came to power in a 1998 electionelection In pictures: Venezuela elections Opposition leaders, from left to right, Lilian Tintori, wife of jailed Venezuelan opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez, Freddy Guevara, of the Voluntad Popular party, Jesus Torrealba, head of the Democratic Unity Movement (MUD) party and deputy Julio Borges celebrate in Caracas. Venezuela's opposition won control of the National Assembly by a landslide, delivering a major setback to the ruling party and altering the balance of power after 17 years of socialist rule AP In pictures: Venezuela elections Venezuelan opposition leader Henrique Capriles votes in the legislative election, in Caracas Getty Images In pictures: Venezuela elections A citizen votes in the legislative election in Caracas Getty Images In pictures: Venezuela elections Presidential Guard officers hold their national identification cards as they enter a polling station during congressional elections in Caracas AP In pictures: Venezuela elections Voters enter a public school serving as a polling station, decorated with an image of Venezuela's late President Hugo Chavez, right, and current President Nicolas Maduro, during congressional elections in Caracas. The system built by Chavez faces its gravest electoral test as voters cast ballots in what seems to have become a tightening race for control of the national legislature AP This isnt the first time animals have been stolen for food in the country. Earlier this month sheep and pigs also went missing from their zoo. The food shortage in Venezuela has resulted in people waiting in long lines at supermarkets hoping to find severely overpriced meat and rice. More than 400 people were arrested last month after an outbreak of lootings and food riots in the crisis-hit country as people became increasingly desperate for food. 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 Indian elephant that travelled more than 1,000 miles from its home after floods separated it from its herd, has died after becoming trapped in a swamp. The animal, named The Hero of Bengal by locals, was tranquilised after attempts to rescue it and transfer it to a nearby safari park, following its lengthy journey from north-east India to Bangladeshs Jamalpur district. Veterinary experts believe the animal was swept away by powerful river currents and dragged from its relatives as severe monsoon floods affected the Assam region of India. The animal is believed to have charged into the swamp after being shot with tranquiliser darts by forest officials, and a group of villiagers jumped into the water to prevent it from drowning. A elephant trainer was left critically injured in hospital after being kicked by the tranquilised elephant on Monday afternoon, according to local reports. The elephant was then given saline and chained in a paddy field but died of exhaustion and dehydration shortly after, local conservators confirmed. More than 10 police officers and vets had been in charge of following the animal and attempting to rescue it. Government wildlife expert Ashit Ranjan Paul said conservators had given [their] highest effort to save the animal but bad luck meant it was not enough to save the animal. 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 He complained the teams rescue efforts had been hampered by thousands of villagers who followed it every day as it entered into Bangladesh and said the elephant was too tired to go on. The elephant had become progressively weaker over a number of weeks without access to adequate food amidst the rising flood waters, he said. A post-mortem report has been ordered to examine the circumstances surrounding the animals death. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Two children and a motorcyclist have died in India after their throats were slit by glass-coated kite strings on the countrys Independence Day. The two children, Saanchi, 3, and Harry, 4, died in separate incidents. They had both been looking through the sunroofs of their cars when their throats were cut. A young man, 22-year-old Zafar Khan, was riding his motorbike when his throat was slit, the BBC reports. Flying kites is a popular activity on Indias Independence Day, but the manja strings, which are coated with powdered glass to make them sharper and stronger. These cheap synthetic strings have flooded the Indian market from China, while the tradition of flying kites in August has become more competitive and dangerous as people try to cut through other peoples strings while flying their kites, Sky News reports. Delhis government has now banned the use of glass coated manja strings, The Indian Express reported, following the three deaths. 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 Malaysian oil tanker carrying 900,000 litres of diesel has been taken over due to a commercial dispute and taken into Indonesian waters. The MT Vier Harmoni was reportedly sailing from Tanjung Pelepas port in Malaysia with a cargo reportedly worth around 1.57m ringgit (300,000) when it's coure was diverted due to a disagreement between the ship's management and crew. The director of the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, Ahmad Puzi Ab Kahar tweeted that the ship was now believed to be near the Indonesian island of Batam next to the Strait of Singapore. He said: We have been in touch with our Indonesian counterparts this morning to launch a joint operation and claimed "internal problems" led to the hijacking. The incident was earlier reported as possible terrorism but Mr Kahar confirmed there was a dispute within the company. Indonesia's western naval command and its coast guard said they had been notified by Malaysia about the incident and are searching for the tanker. They said that so far there was no indication the tanker had entered Batam. The Malaysian maritime agency said it activated its search for the tanker early Wednesday. It said the tanker left from Tanjung Pelepas port in Malaysia's southern Johor state and was suspected to have been hijacked on Tuesday evening. The exact whereabouts of the ship are still unknown as it appears its captain has turned off its tracking system. 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 ship was leased by a Malaysian company but was registered in Batam. The 53-meter (175 foot) long Vier Harmoni was built in 2014, according to ship databases. It is owned by Vierlines Asia Group, a regional shipping company. The region has seen a general reduction in piracy, according to CNN. A report by the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia found the number of incidents reported so far in 2016 have dropped by 64 percent compared with the same period last year. 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 offshore detention camp for refugees attempting to reach safety in Australia is to be closed following years of reports of inhumane conditions and human rights violations. More than 800 asylum seekers are currently being held on the Pacific island of Manus as part of the controversial policy to stop the boats by intercepting and imprisoning anyone attempting to reach Australia. Following serious concerns raised by the United Nations and human rights groups, Papua New Guineas Supreme Court ruled that the detention of migrants on the island was illegal and violated the countrys constitution in April. Authorities announced the planned closure of the camp on Wednesday but gave no timescale, and the fate of those held there was unclear. An injured refugee from the Manus Island detention centre is carried after an alleged attack by a group of Papua New Guinean men (AFP/Getty Images) Peter Dutton, Australias immigration minister, said his government would continue to work with Papua New Guinea (PNG) to stop people smuggling after two years without a boat reaching Australia. It has been the longstanding position of this Government to work with PNG to close Manus and support those people as they transition into PNG or return to their country of origin, he added. "Our position, confirmed again today with PNG, is that no one from Manus Island Regional Processing Centre will ever be settled in Australia. The current administration has pledged to remove children from detention centres and close 17 of the facilities. Peter O'Neill, the Prime Minister of PNG, said his country had entered into an agreement to close the centre on Manus. A series of options are being advanced and implemented, he added. It is important that this process is not rushed out but carried out in a careful manner. This must take into account the interests of the people of Papua New Guinea and the wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees. Report: Severe abuse of Australias asylum seekers in Nauru The announcement came after documents detailing more than 2,000 incidents of sexual abuse, assault and suicide were leaked from another detention centre on Nauru island, where women and children are held. The Manus Regional Processing Centre was established in 2001 as part of the Howard governments Pacific Solution. It fell into disuse as arrivals were transferred to Nauru and was formally closed in 2008, but reopened four years later under the control of G4S, who were replaced by Broadspectrum when the contract expired. Australia has paid the PNG government hundreds of millions of dollars for facilities on Manus and to resettle refugees who are banned from entering Australia even when their asylum claims are accepted. But there have been numerous reported attacks against refugees by Manus islanders, including deadly riots that broke out in February 2014 after locals entered the detention centre. The following year, migrants barricaded themselves inside a compound and went on hunger strike in protest. Some asylum seekers have spent years in Manus and Nauru, despite objections from the United Nations and numerous reports of abuse and self-harm amongst detainees, including children. Nearly a thousand men on Manus have already lost three or more years of their lives locked up in limbo for no good reason, said Elaine Pearson, Australia Director for Human Rights Watch. Theyve endured dirty, cramped conditions, inadequate medical care and violence. Finally, it is time to let them move on with their lives in safety and dignity. 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. Amnesty International has been calling for the closure of the Manus camp, which it said flies in the face of human rights protections and international law. A 2013 report on the island found detainees suffering mental health problems caused by the conditions, including cramped and crowded dormitories, a lack of drinking water, being forced to queue for hours under blistering sun or in pouring rain for food and not having access to sufficient toilets and showers. Mandatory offshore detention is not only illegal but harmful to the health and well-being of the hundreds of people stuck in centres like Manus and Nauru, the groups refugee co-ordinator Dr Graham Thom said. Many of the men living in the Manus detention centre have fled war, torture, death threats, or dangerous discrimination. Over half of those remaining in detention have already been found to be refugees; there is no safe home for them to go back to. Amnesty accused the Australian government of using offshore processing centres to shirk its responsibility amid one of historys biggest refugee crises. But authorities say the policy is needed to stop asylum seekers dying at sea on the dangerous voyage from Indonesia to Australia, where hundreds of people have drowned. 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 }} Wild dogs currently living in the Australian outback should be rounded up and sent to China to be processed for food, according to a leading researcher. Wildlife expert Dr Ben Allen has caused uproar among animal activists in the country with his comments after he suggested large numbers of dingos should be exported in a scientific paper due to be published in late August. There remain concerns over roaming packs of cross-breed dingos living all across the Australian countryside, which are said to terrorise reared sheep and cattle. Discussing the epidemic, Dr Allen said: Weve got no idea how many wild dogs are in Australia, but theres something in the order of 10,000 to 15,000 scalps a year handed in to local governments for bounty payment. I think the first reaction from people when they hear the idea of selling wild dog meat to Asia is: How could you possibly put our animals through that? But the dogs are already being killed through trapping and shooting. When I drive along the road in western Queensland and I see a bunch of wild dogs hanging off a fence I think what a waste. 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 researcher confirmed he was not recommending pure-bred native dingoes be killed for export, rather the tens of thousands of cross-breeds, according to the Times. Animal activists have launched a petition demanding the conference in Brisbane at which Mr Allen is due to present his paper be cancelled, and it was reported the researcher had received death threats from those angered by his remarks. Ernest Healy of the National Dingo Preservation and Recovery Programme said Australias wild dog was a unique and distinctive animal that is still predominantly dingo in its genetic make-up and that dingoes were being unfairly persecuted in some circles. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Britain could enjoy a "special" relationship with the EU owing to its unique "size and significance", a German minister has said. Once Britain has ended its 43-year-long membership with the bloc, it would not get a deal similar to that of other ex-EU members such as Switzerland and Norway, according to Michael Roth, Germany's European Affairs Minister. Instead, Britain's long relationship with the EU means it could have a "special status" and be dealt with differently to other countries outside the union. But London needed to trigger Article 50 early next year to initiate the exit, said Mr Roth. He added that the free movement of people would also not be readily curtailed. "Given Britain's size, significance and its long membership of the European Union, there will probably be a special status which only bears limited comaprison to that of countries that have never belonged to the European Union," he told Reuters. "I want relations between the European Union and Britain to be as close as possible". Mr Roth has said London must initiate talks about leaving the EU early next year (Reuters ) (Reuters) Mr Roth, who is a junior partner in Angela Merkel's coalition and a member of the Social Democrats, said British MEPs could no longer sit around the table in the European Parliament when the UK had voted by a slim majority to leave. The process of removal should start in early 2017, he said. "We can't quibble about it. Even if we didn't want or hope for it, Brexit won and, as it won, there can't be any British members in the next European Parliament," said Mr Roth. What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Show all 5 1 /5 What's the European Parliament ever done for us? What's the European Parliament ever done for us? A cap on the amount of hours an employer can make you work The Working Time directive provides legal standards to ensure the health and safety of employees in Europe. Among the many rules are a working week of a maximum 48 hours, including overtime, a daily rest period of 11 hours in every 24, a break if a person works for six hours or more, and one day off in every seven. It also includes provisions for paid annual leave of at least four weeks every year Getty Images What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping the people of Britain to avoid smoking In 2014 MEPs passed the Tobacco Products Directive strengthening existing rules on the manufacture, production and presentation of tobacco products. This includes things like reduced branding, restrictions on products containing flavoured tobacco, health warnings on cigarette packets and provisions for e-cigarettes to ensure they are safe What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Helping you to make the right choices with your food Thanks to the European Parliament, UK consumers have access to more information than ever about their food and drink. This includes amount of fat, and how much of it is saturated, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and so on. It also includes portion sizes and guideline daily amount information so people can make informed choices about their diet. All facts must be clear and easy to understand What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Two year guarantees and 14-day returns policy for all products Consumers across the EU have access to a number of rights, from things which are potentially very useful, to things which used to be annoying. For example, shoppers in the UK receive a two-year guarantee on all products, and a 14-day period to change their minds and return a purchase, these things are useful www.PeopleImages.com-licence restrictions apply What's the European Parliament ever done for us? Keeping your air nice and fresh (and safe) Believe it or not, although the situation is improving, some areas of the UK have appalling air quality. A report by the Royal College of Physicians released on 23 February says 40,000 deaths are caused by outdoor air pollution in the UK every year. Air pollution is linked to a number of illnesses and conditions, from Asthma to diabetes and dementia. The report estimates the costs to British business and the health service add up to 20 billion every year Theresa May has said her government will not trigger Article 50, which begins the process of exiting the bloc, before the end of the year. Recent reports have suggested she may push this date to later in 2017 because her new Brexit and international trade departments will not be ready. The terms of Britain's relationship once it has fully left must take no longer than two years to negotiate, according to the EU's laws on the subject. Britain would then be absent from the European Parliament in time for the next EU elections in 2019. Asked whether Britain could enjoy free trade with the world's largest trading bloc while refusing to allow free movement of its citizens, Mr Roth said that was highly unlikely. "I can't imagine that," he responded. "The free movement of workers is a highly prized right in the European Union and we don't want to wobble on that." Additional reporting from agencies For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Fines have been imposed on women wearing burkinis in the southern French town of Cannes. A ban on the swimwear - popular with some Muslim women because they entirely cover the body was controversially introduced earlier in August. The three women, aged from 29 to 57, were with their children at the beach when police officers intervened over the offending garments. Recommended Read more French PM backs burkini bans as three more towns consider similar move Four of the women were fined 38 (33) while all were given warnings and told to leave the area, Le Parisien reported. They are young mothers or grandmothers, and they do not believe they are criminals, a local council source told the website. All were very upset at the way they were treated. Mayor David Lisnard, caused uproar among Muslim groups by making Cannes the first resort town to impose a ban on the full-body swimsuits. He said: I took this decision among several other rulings to make sure my city is safe in the context of the state of emergency. Mr Lisnard's ruling was challenged, but later upheld in court. A judge said the rule was legal under French law which prohibits people invoking their religious beliefs to skirt common rules regulating relations between public authorities and private individuals. 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 judge put the ban "in the context of the state of emergency and recent Islamist attacks, notably in Nice a month ago". Cannes is less than 20 miles from Nice, where Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel ploughed a lorry into a crowd which had gathered to watch Bastille Day fireworks, killing 85 people. Another resort town close to Nice, Villeneuve-Loubet, also banned burkinis on beaches. A newly introduced by-law ruled only clothing that is respectful to morality and secular principles, and in compliance with hygiene and safety rules is allowed. Mayor Lionnel Luca said the prohibition of the garments was for sanitary reasons. I was told that there was a couple on one of our beaches where the wife was swimming fully dressed, and I considered that unacceptable for hygienic reasons and unwelcome given the general situation, he told AFP news agency. In France, one does not come to the beach dressed to display ones religious convictions, especially as they are false convictions that the religion does not demand. France has imposed a controversial ban on full-face veils since 2004. 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 }} The company responsible for a string of asylum centres in Berlin has been stripped of its contracts after its managers swapped emails joking about using guillotines on children. Berlins social affairs minister Mario Czaja severed ties with Pewobe, which runs nine hostels around the city and is responsible for the welfare of approximately 3,000 asylum seekers, after a series of emails between three managers were printed by a German newspaper. In one of the emails published by Bild, the companys general manager appeared to suggest buying a "Kinderguillotine" with money donated by BMW. The trio then sent each other pictures of guillotines, beheadings and a photoshopped image showing a playground slide ending in an oversized cheese grater with knives at the end. One then said they would become more energy efficient because they could use the bodies to heat the centres in a large-volume crematorium. Mr Czaja said he was appalled by the emails and said the company was not suitable as an operator of refugee centres in Berlin. He added that the emails had been given to the secret service. Christian-Oliver Moser, the lawyer for Pewobe, claimed the emails had been taken out of context. He said the dismissal was politically motivated and they would take all "civil and criminal steps" to appeal against it. Refugees settle in Germany Show all 12 1 /12 Refugees settle in Germany Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, plays with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, in the one room they and Mohamed's wife Laloosh call home at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany A refugee child Amnat Musayeva points to a star with her photo and name that decorates the door to her classroom as teacher Martina Fischer looks on at the local kindergarten Amnat and her siblings attend on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The children live with their family at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian asylum-applicant Mohamed Ali Hussein (R), 19, and fellow applicant Autur, from Latvia, load benches onto a truckbed while performing community service, for which they receive a small allowance, in Wilhelmsaue village on October 9, 2015 near Letschin, Germany. Mohamed and Autur live at an asylum-applicants' shelter in nearby Vossberg village. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Ali Hussein ((L), 19, and his cousin Sinjar Hussein, 34, sweep leaves at a cemetery in Gieshof village, for which they receive a small allowance, near Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, looks among donated clothing in the basement of the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to Mohamed, his wife Laloosh and their daughter Ranim as residents' laundry dries behind in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asya Sugaipova (L), Mohza Mukayeva and Khadra Zhukova prepare food in the communal kitchen at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Efrah Abdullahi Ahmed looks down from the communal kitchen window at her daughter Sumaya, 10, who had just returned from school, at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asylum-applicants, including Syrians Mohamed Ali Hussein (C-R, in black jacket) and Fadi Almasalmeh (C), return from grocery shopping with other refugees to the asylum-applicants' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat (2nd from L), a refugee from Syria, smokes a cigarette after shopping for groceries with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, and fellow-Syrian refugees Mohamed Ali Hussein (C) and Fadi Almasalmeh (L) at a local supermarket on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. All of them live at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian refugees Leila, 9, carries her sister Avin, 1, in the backyard at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to them and their family in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Somali refugees and husband and wife Said Ahmed Gure (R) and Ayaan Gure pose with their infant son Muzammili, who was born in Germany, in the room they share at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity, and are waiting for authorities to process their application for asylum 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel pauses for a selfie with a refugee after she visited the AWO Refugium Askanierring shelter for refugees in Berlin Getty Images Mr Moser said the correspondence was "personal" and accused Bild of violating the privacy of the managers. Berlin voluntary groups have also complained about the catastrophic conditions at their hostels in the city which were said to be overrun with vermin. Germany is due to hold local elections next month where Angela Merkels Christian Democratic party, to which Mr Czaja belongs, faces a major test after the public turned against the countrys previous open door refugee policy. Approximately 1.1m people - many of them refugees fleeing from conflict in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan - arrived in Germany last year. But an attack on more than 1,000 women in Cologne on New Years Eve which was blamed on refugees has put a strain on German goodwill towards migrants. The far-right Alternative for Germany (Afd) party has made huge gains in recent regional elections while calling for the borders to be closed. 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 four-year-old refugee has allegedly been raped by an Afghan man at a shelter for asylum seekers in Germany. The Iraqi boy was living with his family among 600 other migrants at the centre in Boostedt, north of Hamburg, when he was assaulted. His father told Kiel District Court his eight-year-old son raised the alarm on 29 March, saying his younger brother was in the toilet with a stranger. When the man arrived he could see his sons shoes next to those of an adult, shouting and trying to open the door before it was opened from the inside. Number of child refugees crossing into Europe swells He found his son and an old man with their trousers down, the Schleswig-Holsteinische Zeitungsverlag newspaper reported. The father told the court he asked the man what he was doing with the boy, and was told he had been helping him go to the toilet. In that moment I believed him, I even thanked him in Persian, he said. The four-year-old later told his parents he had been forced to perform oral sex on the man an allegation prosecutors have supported with DNA evidence. Police said the 22-year-old suspect was immediately arrested on suspicion of aggravated sexual abuse of child. He denies the allegation, while another Afghan man, 29, denies threatening the victims brother with a knife when he tried to stop the attack. Both defendants remain in custody as the trial continues, with a verdict expected in October. Refugees settle in Germany Show all 12 1 /12 Refugees settle in Germany Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, plays with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, in the one room they and Mohamed's wife Laloosh call home at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany A refugee child Amnat Musayeva points to a star with her photo and name that decorates the door to her classroom as teacher Martina Fischer looks on at the local kindergarten Amnat and her siblings attend on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The children live with their family at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian asylum-applicant Mohamed Ali Hussein (R), 19, and fellow applicant Autur, from Latvia, load benches onto a truckbed while performing community service, for which they receive a small allowance, in Wilhelmsaue village on October 9, 2015 near Letschin, Germany. Mohamed and Autur live at an asylum-applicants' shelter in nearby Vossberg village. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Ali Hussein ((L), 19, and his cousin Sinjar Hussein, 34, sweep leaves at a cemetery in Gieshof village, for which they receive a small allowance, near Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat, a refugee from Syria, looks among donated clothing in the basement of the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to Mohamed, his wife Laloosh and their daughter Ranim as residents' laundry dries behind in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. The Zayats arrived approximately two months ago after trekking through Turkey, Greece and the Balkans and are now waiting for local authorities to process their asylum application, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asya Sugaipova (L), Mohza Mukayeva and Khadra Zhukova prepare food in the communal kitchen at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Efrah Abdullahi Ahmed looks down from the communal kitchen window at her daughter Sumaya, 10, who had just returned from school, at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is their home in Vossberg Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Asylum-applicants, including Syrians Mohamed Ali Hussein (C-R, in black jacket) and Fadi Almasalmeh (C), return from grocery shopping with other refugees to the asylum-applicants' shelter that is their home in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Mohamed Zayat (2nd from L), a refugee from Syria, smokes a cigarette after shopping for groceries with his daughter Ranim, who is nearly 3, and fellow-Syrian refugees Mohamed Ali Hussein (C) and Fadi Almasalmeh (L) at a local supermarket on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. All of them live at an asylum-seekers' shelter in nearby Vossberg village and are waiting for local authorities to process their asylum applications, after which they will be allowed to live independently and settle elsewhere in Germany 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Kurdish Syrian refugees Leila, 9, carries her sister Avin, 1, in the backyard at the asylum-seekers' shelter that is home to them and their family in Vossberg village in Letschin Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany Somali refugees and husband and wife Said Ahmed Gure (R) and Ayaan Gure pose with their infant son Muzammili, who was born in Germany, in the room they share at an asylum-seekers' shelter in Vossberg village on October 9, 2015 in Letschin, Germany. Approximately 60 asylum-seekers, mostly from Syria, Chechnya and Somalia, live at the Vossberg shelter, which is run by the Arbeiter-Samariter Bund (ASB) charity, and are waiting for authorities to process their application for asylum 2015 Getty Images Refugees settle in Germany Germany German Chancellor Angela Merkel pauses for a selfie with a refugee after she visited the AWO Refugium Askanierring shelter for refugees in Berlin Getty Images It comes as Save that Children warned that thousands of the youngest and most vulnerable refugees were living in fear in deplorable conditions in amps across Europe. Almost five months after the controversial EU Turkey deal, the number of migrants arriving over the Aegean Sea and being imprisoned on Greek islands is rising. The number of asylum seekers attempting the treacherous crossing over the Central Mediterranean to Italy the most dangerous voyage in the world is also peaking. Charity workers said around 3,800 children are among more than 10,300 refugees and migrants stranded on a handful of Greek islands, forcing them to live in unsafe conditions. Katie Dimmer, Save the Childrens Director of Operations in Greece, said: Families who have fled violence and death in their homeland continue to live in fear and do not feel safe. They have told Save the Children staff that they are too scared to let their children out of their sight due to the frequent protests and a lack of security in the camps. There have been numerous reports of rape and abuse on the journey to Europe, including by people smugglers, as well as a string of assaults in refugee shelters and in The Jungle camp in Calais. 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 }} Frances Prime Minister has backed the banning of burkini swimsuits, saying they are not compatible with French values and are based on the enslavement of women. His comments come after a series of towns in the Mediterranean coast announced a ban, citing security concerns following a summer marred by extremist attacks. However, Manuel Valls told the La Provence newspaper he was not in favour of a national law along such lines, even as three more towns said they were considering similar moves. Ukip leadership candidate Lisa Duffy calls for ban on Islamic veil Michel Py, the mayor Leucate, was preparing to sign a municipal decree on Tuesday to bar access to public beaches to "any person who is not properly dressed, respectful of moral behaviour and secularis, hygiene and bathing safety". "The wearing of bathing clothes which are associated with these principles is also forbidden," says the decree, seen by the AFP news agency. The mayors of Oye-Page and Le Touquet in the north of France have been similarly outspoken, with MP Daniel Fasquelle saying: There are no burkinis in Le Touquet at the moment, but I don't want the town hall to be caught offguard if we are affected by this phenomenon. On Monday, a town in Corsica became the third in France to ban the full-bodied swimsuit following a clash between local residents and bathers of North African descent. Five people were injured in a beach brawl near the town of Disco, in Upper Corsica on Saturday, which reportedly erupted after young locals began taking pictures of North African families wearing burkinis. An investigation into the brawl is underway, which witnesses say involved hatchets and harpoons and also resulted in three cars being set alight, according to France 24. Discos ban follows prohibitions on the full-body swimwear in the French Riviera resorts of Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet earlier this month. Lionnel Luca, the mayor of Villeneuve-Loubet, said the ban was put in place for sanitary reasons. But he also told AFP: In France, one does not come to the beach dressed to display ones religious convictions, especially as they are false convictions that the religion does not demand. It is unclear in each case how the ban will be enforced and if it would also include wetsuits or other clothing worn for swimming. The bans have provoked strong criticism from Muslim groups and anti-discrimination organisations, who argue women should have the freedom to dress how they wish. France already has a controversial country-wide burqa ban, which outlaws full-face veils in public, and analysts have said the beach rules could worsen feelings of alienation and fuel extremist propaganda. The bans have been interpreted as a reaction to recent terror attacks in France, including the murder of a Catholic priest by two Isis supporters in Normandy and an attack that killed 85 people in Nice. 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 British holidaymaker who was stabbed to death in the popular resort of Ayia Napa may have been killed in a row after he and his friend were caught urinating in public, according to a woman involved in the alleged attack. Estate agent George Low, 22, from Dartford, Kent, died from a stab wound to the neck during a week-long break in the coastal town in east Cyprus popular with revellers. Mr Low's friend, Ben Barker, also 22, suffered four knife wounds to his back during Sundays pre-dawn attack while they walked down a busy street. His injuries are not life-threatening. Mr Barker's sister Rebecca told the Independent he has denied reports that the incident was in any way connected to urinating in the street. A 48-year-old woman who appeared at Famagusta District Court on Wednesday in connection with the case told investigators the attack was triggered after the Britons were seen urinating. A Cyprus police official, who declined to be named, told the Press Association: "She said that her boyfriend told her a complaint was made to the British men about urinating, and that that was the cause of the fight." But Ms Barker, speaking on behalf of her brother, said: "It's been reported the boys were involved in an altercation, that they were urinating in the street. But that information is incorrect. "They were attacked at random while they were going home. It was a completely unprovoked attack." Tourist bus catches fire Cyprus police have published pictures and issued warrants for the arrest of Turkish Cypriot men Mehmet Akinpar, 22, and Sali Ahmet, 42. Investigators who are treating the case as murder and attempted murder have urged locals with information to contact their nearest police station. The police official said the woman has not been charged and has been ordered by the court into police custody for eight days pending further inquiries. Ms Barker said her brother was distressed by the reports that the pair had been urinating in the street before they were attacked. "Its not something he would ever do Its against the law to urinate in the street," she said. "Theyre being portrayed as rowdy Brits abroad, and that theyd had a fight with the boys. It wasnt that way at all. Unfortunately they were just victims of a random attack." Mr Low's mother, Helen, 47, said the pair had been due to fly back home on Sunday, and that his death had left the entire family "numb". The quiet side of Ayia Napa Show all 3 1 /3 The quiet side of Ayia Napa The quiet side of Ayia Napa napa.jpg Med for it: Ayia Napa monastery The quiet side of Ayia Napa napa1.jpg View on to Nissi beach The quiet side of Ayia Napa napa2.jpg The Grecian Park Hotel Her son had spent two previous seasons in the resort as a club rep and manager, and was last there in June celebrating his birthday. She said her son's death had devastated her, her husband, postman Martyn, 55, and their children Wesley, Laura, Oliver and Millie. Mrs Low, a community carer, said: "We're just heartbroken. We cannot believe something like this could happen to our son." 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 senior German politician and key ally of Angela Merkel has described the burqa veil as being "contrary to integration", as ministers continue to consider whether to ban the garment across the country. The general secretary of the Christian Democrat (CDU) party, Peter Tauber, confirmed conservative ministers had agreed the veils were "not in keeping with our country" and that a ban would be considered. "The CDU agrees that the full-face veil is contrary to integration", Mr Tauber said in a short statement to German media. "We therefore reject it." The idea for a ban was proposed at the German Bundestag and was vocally welcomed by the country's right wing politicians, although interior minister Thomas de Maiziere remains opposed to a general ban, saying: "You can't forbid everything you reject." At a meeting on Monday, the minister highlighted that a ban on burqas would be "constituionally problematic" and potentially illegal according to Germany's religious freedom laws. In 2014 the Bundestag decreed that "there is no right in public spaces to be protected from religious influences", shortly after the European Court of Human Rights confirmed it was legal for France to ban full-body veils, on account of the country's constitutional secularism. Mr de Maziere meanwhile announced the ministry was taking a number of measures in reaction to growing concerns over violent attacks in the country, including boosting police numbers and tightening laws around obtaining dual nationality. CDU politican Jens Spahn was the first to propose the ban in late July, telling Die Welt newspaper: "A ban on the full veil is overdue and would be a signal to the world. I dont want to encounter a burqa in this country. In that sense I am burqaphobic." 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 "Anyone who is on their way to Germany [from another country] must be aware that life here will be very different than at home. They should be even more careful if they really want to live in this Western culture." It appears likely the interior minister will propose a compromise, and prohibit the wearing of burqas in public situations including court visits and official events. Meanwhile a number of towns in France and on the island of Corsica have announced they are banning the 'burqini' Islamic swimming costume on the grounds of "provocation". Germany continues to look for solutions to the problem of Islamic terrorism in the wake of a series of terror attacks in major cities over the past few months. Austrian far-right politician Norbert Hofer, who is favourite to become the country's next president, also recently proposed banning the burqa. 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 }} European Democracy is in a state of crisis. The British referendum on EU membership has just backfired spectacularly on its promoters, Austrias far-right Freedom Party recently came within a hairs breadth of capturing the presidency, and in France, Marine Le Pens Front National looks set to make it through to the second round of voting in the French presidential elections next year. Now Italy is facing its own moment of reckoning with a referendum on constitutional reform, likely to go ahead this autumn. Like Brexit, the decision to hold this vote might end up destroying the man who sponsored it Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. The reform is a package aimed at reducing the fragmentation that causes so many problems in Italian politics. The idea is to increase executive stability and the efficiency of the whole system. But Renzi has staked his political future on the outcome having said, earlier in the year, he would resign if the vote went against him. The main proposal is to reform the Senate, which has hitherto enjoyed the same powers as the lower house, the Chamber of Deputies in Italys parliament (which is symmetrically bicameral). This is thought to be inefficient because it supposedly obliges bills to shuttle back and forth between the two chambers until identically-worded texts can be agreed by both. If passed, the proposals will limit the Senates legislative powers. It will no longer be able to pass votes of confidence in the Government and, importantly, it will no longer be directly elected. Instead, a reduced membership will be selected by the regions from among their councillors and local mayors. The president will also appoint five members directly. Linked to these Senate changes are newly introduced electoral reform laws for the lower house. These will have to be repealed if the Senate reform doesnt go ahead. The new law introduces a list system of proportional representation for votes in 100 constituencies. The list with the most support nationally (provided it represents at least 40 per cent of the vote) will automatically receive 340 of the 630 seats in the lower house of parliament (if not entitled to at least that proportion anyway). If no list achieves 40 per cent, there will be a run-off between the two most voted lists, with the winner being awarded the 340 seats. The remaining seats will be shared among the remaining lists according to their first-round totals (aside from 12 seats reserved for Italians living abroad). Those who support this change point out that only single lists are allowed to run, not coalitions of lists. They argue that this, and the fact that a single list is guaranteed an overall majority, will increase the power and stability of the executive. Renzis referendum is the latest in a long line of attempts to address Italys democratic problems through constitutional overhaul. His ascent to the premiership, and his career since, have been built on an attempt to cultivate an image as a man able to root out old vested interests in politics. His promise is to usher in a new era of decisiveness in Italian politics. He has framed the vote as a competition between the old, poor performing, Italy and the new a message that went down well at first. Opinion polls in the early months of 2016 suggested a sure win for the PM. But the gap has narrowed considerably. Renzi is vulnerable to defeat in the vote on a number of fronts, and he has lately sought to row back from his pledge to resign if he loses but it has come too late. All the parties of opposition are already lining up on the no side. Theyve spotted an opportunity to use this referendum to oust the Prime Minister, thereby hastening their own return to power. It is always dangerous for a PM to frame such a vote as a plebiscite on their own performance. Thats especially true for Renzi now that his honeymoon period is over and his approval ratings are running at about 25 per cent. Renzis authority was also been dented by his partys poor performance in local council elections in June. Now he faces considerable opposition to the reforms from within his own party. On top of that, he is under pressure to manage an influx of refugees and faces a possible banking crisis thanks to Brexit. Brexit must be giving him sleepless nights for another reason too. Not many Italian voters will have much real understanding of the substance of his reforms and Brexit teaches us that when European voters are presented with the task of voting on complex issues they use it as an opportunity to vent their frustrations about the political establishment. Brexit became as much a vote on austerity and feelings of political inefficacy as a decision about EU membership, and the same could be true in Italy. For Renzi personally, the stakes are enormous. If he loses, it is difficult to see him continuing to survive as Prime Minister for very long. If he wins, then he will be able to pose as the father of a new constitutional settlement. He can continue to dominate Italian politics for a long time to come. Whether the stakes for Italian democracy are actually as high as this implies are to my mind extremely debatable although, needless to say, they have been portrayed as such by both sides in the campaign. Its not clear that the current system really does hold up progress, or indeed that the new one will make things more efficient. The new electoral law seeks to enhance executive power by providing an absolute seat majority to the most popular list. This marks a crucial difference with the previous system, through which parties could field their candidates as coalitions of lists in a bid to win power. This led to the creation of large, unwieldy alliances designed to win elections but incapable of governing. Yet the majority premium, together with a 3 per cent representation threshold, gives parties an incentive to continue this practice. The new law will allow them to strike short-term agreements to field combined lists and do nothing to stop them splitting into autonomous entities again after entering parliament. This has been a feature of all election outcomes since the 1990s. And, given the depth and variety of the divergences separating the Italian parties, it seems naive to think a new law will do much to change things. Italys political elites are currently getting excited or agitated (depending on where they stand) about the prospect of the anti-political, populist, Eurosceptic Five Star Movement rising to power as a result of the changed electoral system. The prospect arises from the outcome of the June local elections which, in the larger municipalities were also fought through two-round contests. The Five Stars managed to make it through to the second round in only 20 ballots but, having made it that far, they won all but one contest. Why? Because as an anti-political party that wins support from across the political spectrum, when it finds itself up against just one competitor (whether of the right or left) only, its in a strong position. In a head-to-head race, it can rely on backing not only from its own habitual supporters but also from people opposed to whichever party it finds itself up against. In other words, in a straight fight of the kind characterising a run-off ballot, the Five Stars become formidable. So an electoral law originally conceived as a means of excluding them from power might actually assist their rise. The law makes a single-party, Five Star government possible not to say likely. The current divisions between the parties of the right mean that the chances of the Five Stars being involved in any Chamber of Deputies run-off ballot in the first place would be rather good. So while it is always hazardous to make predictions in politics, and especially in Italian politics, it seems to me that whatever the outcome of the referendum the symptoms of democratic crisis in Italy will probably persist for some time, whether or not Renzi is in power after the vote. This article was first published in The Conversation (theconversation.com). James Newell is a professor of politics at the University of Salford 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 }} Germanys vice-chancellor has been filmed giving the middle finger gesture to a crowd of neo-Nazi protesters outside an election campaign event after they accused him of betraying Germany. Social Democrat politician Sigmar Gabriel was involved in a confrontation with a group of 20 men outside the meeting in Salzgitter, Lower Saxony after they accused him of being a Communist and a cultural Marxist. The protesters held banners with the word Traitor and reminded Mr Gabriel his father was a Nazi sympathiser, saying: Your father loved his country, and what have you done to it? Youre destroying it. This comment in particular appeared to rile the vice-chancellor, who has publicly condemned his fathers beliefs in the past, and he held his middle finger up the crowd before walking away. The senior politician appeared to laugh and grin at the crowd as he did so, despite their repeated accusations his party had betrayed German values with its stance on immigration. After the recorded incident, Mr Gabriel is reported to have invited the protesters for a discussion on the condition that they remove their masks, but his offer was swiftly declined, according to local media. 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 Police later stopped eleven members of the group and banned the remainder from the premises. Frauke Petry of fast-growing populist party AfD meanwhile condemned Mr Gabriel's gesture in a Facebook post, saying he was an "unworthy vice-chancellor". Mr Gabriel has become something of a hate figure among neo-Nazi sympathisers in recent times, following his vocal support of Chancellor Angela Merkels open-borders policy in response to the refugee crisis. 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 seven-year-old girl is fighting for her life in hospital after being seriously mauled by an escaped bull in Spain. The child was gored in the buttocks and the abdomen by the animal which broke through the protective barrier during a bull run in Alfamen in the north east of the country. The town was holding its annual encierro where people chase bulls through the town ahead of a fight with a matador on Monday evening. Alfamen mayor Alejandro Gil told the Local the safety regulations had been followed but the bull broke through a lock on the metal barrier. He described the incident as a horrible accident. The girl is said to be in a serious but stable condition as the bull missed her vital organs. Paramedics treated her at the scene and she was taken to a nearby childrens hospital. The incident comes a month after a top Spanish matador was mauled to death on live television by a bull which pierced his chest. Where not to visit if you love animals Show all 9 1 /9 Where not to visit if you love animals Where not to visit if you love animals Monkey shows Chimpanzees are forced to perform demeaning tricks on leashes and are often subject to cruel training techniques. Animals who are confined to small, barren enclosures and forced to perform unsurprisingly show symptoms of stress and depression. Chimpanzees have been documented rocking back and forth, sucking their lips, salivating and swaying against enclosure perimeters in distress. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Marine parks Some parks confine orcas to concrete tanks and force them to perform meaningless tricks for food - many die in captivity. Orcas are highly intelligent and social mammals who may suffer immensely, both physically and mentally, when they're held in captivity. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Tiger shows Tigers are forced to live in an unnatural and barren environment and have to endure interactions with a constant stream of tourists. Since tigers never lose their wild instincts, across the world they are reportedly drugged, mutilated and restrained in order to make them safe for the public. However, every year, incidents of tiger maulings are reported at this type of tourist attraction. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Donkey rides Sunning on the beach is great for humans we can take a quick dip or catch a bite to eat when we get too hot or hungry. But it's pure hell for donkeys who are confined to the beach and forced to cart children around on the hot sand. Some donkey-ride operators at beach resorts in the UK even keep the animals chained together at all times. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Swimming with dolphins Some marine parks use bottlenose dolphins in performances and offer visitors the opportunity to swim with dolphins. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that these animals are captured in the wild and torn from their families or traded between different parks around the world. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Canned hunting Lions are confined to fenced areas so that they can easily be cornered, with no chance of escape. Most of them will have been bred in captivity and then taken from their mothers to be hand-reared by the cub-petting industry. When they get too big, they may be drugged before they are released into a "hunting" enclosure. Because these animals are usually kept in fenced enclosures (ranging in size from just a few square yards to thousands of acres), they never stand a chance of surviving. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Running of the Bulls Every year, tourists travel to Pamplona for the Running of the Bulls. The bulls who are forced to slip and slide down the town's narrow cobblestone streets are chased straight into the bullring. They are then taunted, stabbed repeatedly and finally killed by the matador in front of a jeering crowd. The majority of Spaniards reject bullfighting, but tourists are keeping the cruel industry on its last legs. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Horse-drawn carriages City streets are no place for horses. The animals toil in all weather extremes, suffering from respiratory distress from breathing in exhaust fumes as well as numerous hoof, leg and back problems from walking on pavement all day long. As easily spooked prey animals, horses subjected to the loud noises and unexpected sounds of city streets are likely to be involved in accidents, even deadly ones. Getty Where not to visit if you love animals Zoos The zoo community regards the animals it keeps as commodities, and animals are regularly bought, sold, borrowed and traded without any regard for established relationships. Zoos breed animals because the presence of babies draws visitors and boosts revenue, yet often, there's nowhere to put the offspring as they grow, and they are killed, as we saw with Marius the giraffe in Denmark. Some zoos have introduced evening events with loud music and alcohol which disrupt the incarcerated animals even further. EPA Victor Barrio suffered catastrophic injuries to his thigh and chest during the fight in the central city of Teruel on Saturday. In 2015, 14 people died while taking part in encierro races. Four spectators have been killed so far this year including a woman who stepped into the path of a raging bull from the doorway of her home in Murcia, southern Spain. Animal rights campaigners have repeatedly called for the practice to be banned, with Peta calling it barbaric. Despite its traditional popularity in Spain, where it is shown on national television, public opinion has turned against bullfighting festivals in recent years. Several place have banned the practice outright, including the separatist region Catalonia. Last year, following the success of left wing parties such as Podemos in several major towns and cities across the country, the new mayors of Madrid, Alicante and Valencia all vowed to abolish the practice. The village of Villafranca de los Caballeros, near Toledo in central Spain, announced it was cancelling its annual bullfighting festival in 2015 and would use the annual 18,000 to pay for new textbooks. 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 }} Turkey has issued a decree for the conditional release of 38,000 prisoners in an apparent move to make space for thousands of people arrested as part of an investigation into last month's failed coup. The decree, announced by the country's justice minister, allows the release of inmates who have two years or less to serve of their sentences. It also makes convicts who have served half their prison term eligible for parole. However, those convicted of murder, domestic violence, sexual abuse or terrorism and other crimes against the state will be excluded. In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters The measures will not apply for crimes committed after 1 July, excluding any people later convicted of involvement in the 15 July coup. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on his Twitter account that the measure would lead to the release of around 38,000 people. He also insisted it was not a pardon or an amnesty, but a conditional release of prisoners. The government has said the failed putsch, which led to at least 270 deaths, was carried out by followers of the movement led by US-led Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who infiltrated the military and other state institutions. Mr Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup but Turkey is demanding the United States extradite him. More than 26,000 have been detained by the Turkish government and a further 8,000 remain under investigation, according to the country's Justice Minister. Thousands of teachers, judges, civil servants and police officers have been suspended, journalists and academics have been arrested and more than 130 media outlets shut down. 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 Syrian doctor has told how he was tortured and forced to watch other prisoners die in regime jails as a report reveals almost 18,000 detainees have died during the countrys brutal civil war. Amnesty International says an average of 10 people have been killed every day by beatings, disease and neglect in secretive detention facilities controlled by Bashar al-Assads forces over the past five years. Survivors have given horrific accounts of rape and abuse in overcrowded cells where prisoners are left to suffocate and succumb to illness or starvation. Bashar Farahat, a 32-year-old doctor, was working in a hospital in Latakia province when he was arrested by officers from Syrias notorious Military Intelligence Directorate in July 2012. Bashar Farahat fled Syria after being imprisoned twice by government security forces (Amnesty International) The minute you get in the car you disappear, he told The Independent. You dont know anything about the world outside and the world outside doesnt know anything about you. Once you are detained you become the property of the guards and the interrogators can do anything to you to get a confession. Mr Farahat believes he was reported to the authorities for supporting anti-government protests and treating those injured in the ensuing regime crackdown. The trainee paediatrician was taken to the headquarters of the Military Intelligence branch in Latakia and subjected to a so-called welcome party, where new arrivals are beaten publicly by groups of officers armed with metal bars and electric cables. They hit you with whatever they want, whatever they have I arrived alone, so I had a full party, he said, with a bitter laugh. It was only the start of the ordeal Mr Farahat would go through for a fortnight of torture at the hands of government interrogators, who were searching for the names of other suspected revolutionaries to hunt down. Unsatisfied, officials transferred him to the much larger headquarters of Military Intelligence Branch 291 in Damascus. I was blindfolded and they handed me over to an officer who started insulting me, Mr Farahat recalled. He said: I will make sure you will never, never see the sunlight again. I thought it could be true. He was put in a cell measuring just five by six metres that contained more than 100 men, mostly suspected of conspiring against the Assad regime. I just dont remember how I survived, Mr Farahat said, describing horrific conditions during his four-month imprisonment including extreme heat, a lack of water and food, and dire sanitation. He shared a 30cm by 150cm patch of concrete with a cellmate, taking turns to stand and sleep to gather their strength for endless rounds of questioning and beatings. The prisoner witnessed seven people die during his detention, hearing tales of many more. Some people were beaten to death during interrogation, Mr Farahat said. Bashar al-Assads forces stand accused of enforced disappearances and torture amounting to crimes against humanity (Getty) (Getty Images) The torture is to make people confess but its also a method of punishment so they will never, ever think of joining the revolution. This has been going on for 40 years in Syria. Others died from illness or weakness a small injury can become life-threatening because of the conditions in the cells and lack of medical supplies. The doctor said others succumbed to the extreme conditions, describing watching three men die in front of him after going into seizures brought on by heat and dehydration. I would try to help the injured people and knocked on the door asking the guards for medical supplies, or to be allowed to take them outside for fresh air, Mr Farahat said. The guards would come to the bars and tell me: Knock on the door when they die. It became a famous saying. His account has been echoed by numerous other prisoners, including a man jailed at the Syrian capitals Military Intelligence Branch 235. Ziad said dozens of people suffocated to death when a ventilation system stopped working in their cell. He added: The guards began to kick us to see who was alive and who wasnt. They told me and the other survivor to stand up - that is when I realised that I had slept next to seven bodies. Then I saw the rest of the bodies in the corridor, around 25 other bodies. Detainees reported method of torture including contorting victims bodies to fit in a rubber tyre, hanging from the ceiling, burning them with boiling water and cigarettes, or pulling out their nails. Mr Farahat was eventually moved to another prison in Damascus and tried by a terrorism court, which freed him after finding no evidence to support his continued detention. But he returned to his hospital to be refused work, having been blacklisted by the authorities, and had his dream of qualifying as a paediatrician within months dashed. While continuing to seek medical work, he was re-arrested with a group of friends in April 2013 as they ate at a restaurant. Human rights attacks around the world Show all 10 1 /10 Human rights attacks around the world Human rights attacks around the world China Escalating crackdown against human rights activists including mass arrests of lawyers and a series of sweeping laws in the name of national security. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Egypt The arrest of thousands, including peaceful critics, in a ruthless crackdown in the name of national security, the prolonged detention of hundreds without charge or trial and the sentencing of hundreds of others to death. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Gambia Torture, enforced disappearances and the criminalisation of LGBTI people; and utter refusal to co-operate with the UN and regional human rights mechanisms on issues including freedom of expression, enforced disappearance and the death penalty. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Hungary Sealing off its borders to thousands of refugees in dire need; and obstructing collective regional attempts to help them. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Israel Maintaining its military blockade of Gaza and therefore collective punishment of the 1.8 million inhabitants there, as well as failing, like Palestine, to comply with a UN call to conduct credible investigations into war crimes committed during the 2014 Gaza conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Kenya Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and discrimination against refugees in its counter-terrorism operations; and attempts to undermine the International Criminal Court and its ability to pursue justice. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Pakistan The severe human rights failings of its response to the horrific Peshawar school massacre including its relentless use of the death penalty; and its policy on international NGOs giving authorities the power to monitor them and close them down if they are considered to be against the interests of the country. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Russia Repressive use of vague national security and anti-extremism legislation and its concerted attempts to silence civil society in the country; its shameful refusal to acknowledge civilian killings in Syria and its callous moves to block Security Council action on Syria. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Saudi Arabia Brutally cracking down on those who dared to advocate reform or criticise the authorities; and committing war crimes in the bombing campaign it has led in Yemen (pictured) while obstructing the establishment of a UN-led inquiry into violations by all sides in the conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Syria Killing thousands of civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks with barrel bombs and other weaponry and through acts of torture in detention; and enforcing lengthy sieges of civilian areas, blocking international aid from reaching starving civilians. Getty Images Intelligence officers had wanted to detain a friend who worked as a news reporter but imprisoned Mr Farahat again because of his black file, starting the cycle of torture once more. When he was freed for a second time six months later, he received a conscription note for mandatory military service and fled to neighbouring Lebanon illegally to avoid border checks. I only told my parents when I had arrived in Lebanon but I wasnt completely safe because there were spies for the Syrian regime, he said. After almost two years in refugee camps, he was selected by the UN Refugee Agency for resettlement in the UK and was moved to Bradford in March 2015. Having found a job as a teaching assistance at a secondary school in London, he is planning to move to the capital to start work next month. I dont know why I was chosen, I was so happy, Mr Farahat said, but his relief is tainted with sadness for his hometown in Idlib province, which has been mostly destroyed in the war. I dont know if I will ever be able to go back to Syria, he added. It is one of the most difficult questions in my life. Both the Damascus and Latakia Military Intelligence branches where Mr Farahat were held were listed by Human Rights Watch as torture centres in a 2012 report. The group found a state policy of torture and ill-treatment that it said amounted to crimes against humanity. Exclusive: Activists reveal torture in Syria Britain is also among the countries to have imposed military sanctions of Syrian Military Intelligence branches, as well as other officials and departments in President Assads regime. Using the testimony of dozens of torture survivors, Amnesty International has chronicled massacres at facilities including the notorious Saydnaya Military Prison, on the outskirts of Damascus. One man told researchers a prisoner was forced to rape another man by guards or be killed, while a jailed lawyer said 19 detainees were beaten to death after they were found to be learning martial arts. They beat the Kung Fu trainer and five others to death straight away, and then continued on the other 14, said Salam, a lawyer from Aleppo. They all died within a week. We saw the blood coming out of the cell. All parties in the ongoing civil war are accused of war crimes, enforced disappearanes, arbitrary detention and torture. Amnesty International estimates that at least 17,723 people died in custody in Syria between the Arab Spring in March 2011 and December, although the real figure could be far higher as the fates of thousands of people remain unknown. The groups Middle East and North Africa Director, Philip Luther, said: For decades, Syrian government forces have used torture as a means to crush their opponents. Today, it is being carried out as part of a systematic and widespread attack directed against anyone suspected of opposing the government in the civilian population and amounts to crimes against humanity. The international community, in particular Russia and the USA, which are co-chairing peace talks on Syria, must bring these abuses to the top of the agenda in their discussions with both the authorities and armed groups and press them to end the use of torture and other ill-treatment. 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 }} Melbourne has retained the top spot as the worlds "most liveable city" but the global picture is a "sombre" one as terrorism, police shootings and geopolitical tensions led to an overall decline in living standards. A report which assesses the best and worst living conditions across the globe placed the Austrian capital of Vienna in second place followed by Vancouver and Toronto in Canada. But international stability is waning, as terrorist attacks on the West increase and waves of civil protests hit the US. Damascus, the Syrian capital city, languishes at the bottom of the table, followed by Tripoli in Libya and Lagos in Nigeria. The top-scoring cities ranked highly across five broad categories stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. But violent acts of terrorism have affected many countries and while not a new phenomenon, the frequency and spread have increased noticeably and become even more prominent in the past year, according to the Economist Intelligence Units 2016 Global Liveability Report. Syrians play pool at a games club in Syria's capital Damascus, rated the "least liveable" city in the world (AFP/Getty) Jon Copestake, its editor, told The Independent: "The latest rankings paint a very sombre picture. "The fact that one in five cities has seen its liveability score decline reflects a worrying backdrop and one that is depressingly familiar given that similar declines were reported last year. What is interesting is that it is not just the threat of terrorism that is lowering stability. The last few years have seen an intensification of protests, and border disputes as well as the ongoing armed conflicts in the Middle East and North Africa. There have been more than 1,000 terrorist attacks in 2016 so far with incidents in France, Turkey, the US and Belgium among the most high profile. Social unrest caused by deaths in police custody and regular mass shootings have also led to the decline in the scores of five leading American cities - Chicago, Atlanta, Cleveland, San Francisco and New York. Milwaukee riots: Violent protests break out after police officer shoots man dead Some 140 cities were assessed and assigned a rating of relative comfort for over 30 qualitative and quantitative factors each rated as acceptable, tolerable, uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable. Companies pay a premium to employees who move to cities where living conditions are particularly difficult and there is excessive physical hardship or a notably unhealthy environment, the report said. London kept its unchanged position of 53rd, ranking 10 places behind Manchester but with very small actual difference between them. London is actually a very liveable city, Mr Copestake told The Independent. Its score puts it in the very top tier of liveability and even though it ranks lower than Manchester the differences are small. London's vibrancy and diversity make it a great destination but these are also factors that can weigh on liveability. Cities that have a big city buzz and attract lots of people tend to also have greater congestion as well as higher crime rates. In London's case, as we have seen in the past, it also makes the city a target for terrorism. In many ways factors that weigh on London' liveability score reflect that it is a victim of its own success. The cities which sit at the top of the table share similarities. Those that score best tend to be mid-sized cities in wealthier countries with a relatively low population density, the report states. Those factors enable them to offer a range of recreational activities without leading to high crime levels or overburdened infrastructure. Six of the top 10-scoring cities are in Australia and Canada. The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life Show all 12 1 /12 The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 1. Vienna The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 2. Zurich The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 3. Auckland The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 4. Munich The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 5. Vancouver The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 6. Dusselfdorf The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 7. Frankfurt The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 8. Geneva The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 9. Copenhagen The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 10. Sydney The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 11. Amsterdam The 20 best cities to live in the world for quality of life 12. Wellington But Western Europe has been significantly affected by the recent wave of terror attacks. Some 10 cities - Zurich, Geneva, Frankfurt, Berlin, Oslo, Luxembourg, Brussels, Paris, Rome and Lisbon - have seen declines in liveability, mostly stemming from heightened fears of terrorism in the wake of attacks in Paris and Brussels, according to the findings. Recommended Read more One chart that shows why Londoners are the poorest workers in the UK Some categories carried more weight than others. For instance, stability ranked on prevalence of petty crime, violent crime, threat of terror, military conflict and civil unrest has more importance than education which is rated on availability and quality of private and public schooling. Those at the top of the table share similarities all tending to be mid-sized in wealthier countries with a relatively low population density, the report states. While some conflict-ridden cities have predictably seen the biggest decline in liveability standards over the past five years such as Damascus in Syria and Kiev in the Ukraine - others have seen a rise in standards. Irans capital Tehran, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Harare in Zimbabwe were ranked one to three respectively for most-improved liveability. Mr Copeland explained: There is certainly an air of optimism surrounding Iran and Tehran given the opening up of trade ties. Meanwhile Dubai and other Emirates have been seen as something of a safe haven for businesses and expatriates given the wider disruption in the Middle East, especially with oil prices affecting economies of other Gulf States like Saudi Arabia. For Harare much of this improvement is a case of making up ground that has been lost in the past. Harare remains in the bottom tier of liveability but as the situation there improves in line with the Zimbabwean economy it could see itself becoming more attractive. Asked about the effects of Brexit, Mr Copeland told The Independent: It's too soon to tell. The survey scores were compiled before the Brexit vote and as things stand we still have at least two years of EU membership ahead of us as negotiations continue. The impact of a Brexit may be felt if dissatisfaction spills over into unrest or if the economic ramifications of a Brexit weigh on public spending. That said, London and Manchester both have a significant size and status that makes them very resilient to potential fallout. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check 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 Health Check email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Young people heading off to college or university this autumn are being urged to get vaccinated against an aggressive and deadly strain of meningitis known as MenW. The warning comes from Public Health England (PHE) as cases of MenW have been increasing year-on-year, from 22 in 2009 to over 200 in the past 12 months. Recommended Read more Student lost her legs and fingers after suffering from meningitis Students are particularly at risk of meningitis and septicaemia because they mix with so many others, some of whom are unknowingly carrying the bacteria. Overall, anyone up to the age of 25 is strongly advised to get the vaccination, whether starting college or not. PHE said the disease can develop suddenly and progress rapidly. Early symptoms include headache, vomiting, muscle pain, fever, and cold hands and feet. Students are being alerted to the signs and symptoms and have been told not to wait for a rash to develop before seeking medical attention. They are also encouraged to look out for the same in their friends, particularly if they go to their room unwell. To ensure immunity, PHE said young people should get vaccinated before term starts, and emphasised how anyone is still able to get the jab from their new GP in their college town. The vaccine not only protects those who are vaccinated, but also helps control the spread of the disease amongst the wider population. This is the second year the vaccine is being offered to this age group. Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at PHE, described how protecting young people from this potentially deadly disease as they embark upon one of the most important periods of their lives is vitally important. She said: The vaccination will save lives and prevent lifelong devastating disability. We are encouraging all eligible 17 and 18 year-olds who have just left school to get vaccinated - particularly those heading to college or university. Young people and those around them should be alert to the signs and symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia. Get vaccinated as soon as possible, remain vigilant, and seek urgent medical help if you have concerns for yourself or friends. Meningitis: Signs and Symptoms Liz Brown, chief executive at Meningitis Now, UKs largest meningitis charity, also stepped in to warn young people. She said: Up to a quarter of students carry the bacteria that can cause meningitis compared to one in ten of the general population. In the UK, every university could experience at least one case of meningitis amongst its students within the first term. Its vital that those going to uni this autumn are not complacent about the threat of meningitis - we urge them to take up this lifesaving vaccine before they go. 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 }} Thank God was a common response among British Muslims after hearing of the conviction of notorious loudmouth Anjem Choudary and his assistant Mizanur Rahman for inviting support for a terror group. Choudary has spent years shamelessly spewing hatred and bile, cultivating a small and very public network of young gullible minds including the killer of Fusilier Lee Rigby. As the single biggest gateway to terrorism in recent British history, he is understood have inspired at least 100 people from Britain into terrorism. His influence in Europe was such that the Dutch intelligence agency attacked the UK, as it harboured him and his views, and claimed he was a key influence in the spread of the countrys own terror network. And these reports only begin to scratch the surface of his terror links across the world. No surprise, then, that Choudary was reviled and condemned by Muslims and Islamic organisations across the UK. He was driven out of mosques and challenged by Muslims on the street, left on street corners to spread his vile beliefs. Without the oxygen of publicity, it is not impossible that he could have remained a footnote in history but that was not to be. Despite the revulsion of Muslim communities and the lack of any Islamic credentials and, most significantly, despite his well-known links to terror this self-serving publicity seeker was consistently given a high profile by the national media. James O'Brien criticises media for spreading Anjem Choudary's words Often unchallenged, he was allowed to peddle his theories in public, influencing impressionable young people at the margins of society. The scale of the resulting increase in Islamophobia, as some viewers associated Choudary and his views with the ordinary Muslim, will never be known. This man had a better relationship with the media than he had with mainstream Muslims. From tabloid newspapers to TV news broadcasters, Anjem Choudary fed their voracious appetite to make outrageous statement after outrageous statement. I am told by one producer that he would get daily texts from Anjem offering the latest controversial comment. At the other end of the scale, a friend who challenged his gullible followers in his locality found one young recruit clutching the days newspaper containing the latest missive from this demagogue. One might argue that the appetite of tabloid newspapers for sensationalism regardless of consequences is well known, but TV news organisations should not be let off the hook especially those paid for by the British taxpayer such as the BBC and Channel 4. Given his subsequent conviction, Choudarys invitations to the flagship news programmes including Newsnight and Radio 4s Today Programme are unforgiveable. Even after he has been found guilty of an offence, these outlets are still giving him honorific titles such as Islamic scholar and Islamic preacher. 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 The Human Rights Act could not feasibly be used as an excuse for allowing Choudary to spread hate so freely. Nor could a belief in unfettered free speech by ardent libertarians be any justification, given the law already has limits to free speech including incitement to violence. And this case could not be seen as a precedent based on which other conservative preachers might be imprisoned, either, as the law would not allow such an extrapolation. The Crown Prosecution Service claims Choudary was smart enough to stay on the right side of the law, but some believe that the police were worried that if Choudary were arrested, he may be considered a martyr (a view that is not without basis). Others speculate that he may have operated as an MI5 informant or used as a honey-trap to entice terrorists into coming out into the open and breaking the law, allowing them to be subsequently arrested. Perhaps as Isis no longer needs middle men like Choudary to groom young people, this situation may not recur. But, in any case, there are important lessons to learn from this saga. First, our media outlets should not be doing the work of terrorists or spreading their message. Social media also need appropriate regulation, so that young people are not reached from accounts known to be operated by terrorists. Secondly and on the assumption of pure motive existing legislation is sufficient to put someone like Choudary behind bars. Therefore, there is no need for new extremism legislation to be rushed through. Instead, the CPS should act more quickly to arrest individuals inciting violence or encouraging the joining of proscribed terror groups. Finally, even if mosques lack the capacity to adequately deal with youth alienation constructively, there should be little doubt that it is not mosques or even conservative Muslims who are the supporters of terror, but individuals with close to no ties to broader Muslim society. The right approach would be to strengthen mosques, so they are better geared towards attracting young people and are able to provide pastoral care to mentor those vulnerable to outside influences. Many will hope that, with the jailing of Choudary, we are now better prepared for the real threats of terrorism that we as a nation, and the wider world, still face. 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 }} In six months, Guantanamo Bay could be history. It depends on the 2016 election results, and a rediscovered sense of fiscal sanity on the part of Congress. Above all, however it depends on the political determination of Barack Obama in this twilight of his presidency. This weeks handover of 15 prisoners to the United Arab Emirates is the biggest single transfer of his administration. The number of prisoners remaining in Gitmo has fallen to 61, the smallest since the prison for suspected terrorists at the US base in Cuba opened for business in 2002. A further 20 have long been approved for transfer, and will probably be gone by the time Obama leaves office on January 20. Which leaves a hard core of around 40: seven charged in connection with specific terrorist attacks on US targets most notably Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, a prime architect of the 9/11 attacks. The rest are deemed too dangerous to release but cannot be tried in a court of law, military tribunal or otherwise, because the evidence against them is tainted, either obtained under torture or provided by secret informants. One way or another, these 40 will remain in US custody. The question is where: left to rot at the extraterritorial prison which has become a gigantic moral blot on Americas global reputation? Or at a supermax security prison on the US mainland? Inside Guantanamo: the diary of Binyam Mohamed Show all 2 1 /2 Inside Guantanamo: the diary of Binyam Mohamed Inside Guantanamo: the diary of Binyam Mohamed 114203.bin PA Inside Guantanamo: the diary of Binyam Mohamed 130264.bin Reuters The one at Florence, Colorado capacity 490, current occupants 408 comes to mind. The so-called Alcatraz of the Rockies already houses an array of top-tier foreign and domestic terrorists, and is probably even more escape-proof than Guantanamo. Whats safe enough to hold them should be safe enough to house the ageing truly bad guys of Gitmo. Hindsight of course is 20/20, but Obama should have ordered the prison shut as soon as he took office. He inherited only 242 prisoners, down from a peak of 684 in 2003. By the end of his term, even President George W Bush, belatedly aware of the damage it was doing to Americas standing in the world and its role as a recruiting agent for terrorists, wanted nothing more than to close the place. Obama felt exactly the same, and unlike Bush, he had a ton of political capital, and a Democrat-controlled Congress to boot. He surely could have secured a deal then, whereby some would face trial in federal courts (which have competently and uneventfully handled the likes of Zakarias Moussaoui, the so-called 20th hijacker of 9/11 and the shoe bomber Richard Reid, both now residents at the supermax), while a hard core would be sent to Florence. The rest could have been scattered across ordinary federal prisons pending transfer abroad or even in the case of a handful of Chinese Uighurs caught up in the post-2001, but who were transparently not anti-American terrorists resettlement in the US. Easier said than done, of course, given that Guantanamo Bay is not a purely Republican obsession. A fair number of Democrats, too, have always wanted to preserve the prison. The main reason though was that Obama, with bigger fish to fry such as healthcare reform, new Wall Street regulations and the 2009 stimulus plan, didnt insist. In 2010 Republicans recaptured the House; his chance was gone. Now hes got another one. Donald Trump wants to keep the prison open, and make it even more unpleasant than it is now. But the overwhelming likelihood is that Hillary Clinton, a strong advocate of closure, wins the presidency and Democrats recapture at least the Senate and conceivably the House in November. Theres a two-week window in the first half of January when Obama is still president but the new Congress has convened, and when legislation shutting down Guantanamo and authorising the transfer of the remaining prisoners to the US mainland could be passed. Moazzam Begg on his arrest, life inside Guantanamo and how it can be closed A decisive factor ought to be the sheer waste of money. Guantanamo costs $445m a year, which in 2017 would work out at a ludicrous $10m per inmate, a figure to make any Republican budget hawk blanche. And all this for 40 bad guys, for whom more than enough solitary cells are available in Colorado? In the end its up to Obama. Hes got to produce actions to match his lofty words. Hes got to convince the doubters in his own party. He must face down the Pentagon, which runs Guantanamo and has a vested bureaucratic interest in keeping it open. Hes got to convince a public on edge at terror that a prison holding terrorist suspects no longer has a purpose. But remember that 2008 campaign slogan, Yes We Can. Obama can close Guantanamo. He wants to close it. And finally, the odds are he will close it. 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 }} So, Michael Phelps, Mo Farah, Simone Biles, Usain Bolt and countless others, we have celebrated you and loved you and marvelled at your Olympian feats these past two weeks and sport will keep you comfortable for all of your years. But which of you will step outside of the insulated comfort of the Olympic bubble and give an hour or so needed by the small group who have extended more hope to the scene of your collective triumphs than any other? That group is to be found in Rua Lapa, the unprepossessing cobbled street in downtown Rio de Janeiro where hawkers trade what they can to make what they can, and where something quite exceptional has taken shape. It is Refettorio Gastromotiva, a bright, light, airy dining space where, for the past two weeks, the food waste of the Olympic Village has been served to those who are in the most desperate need of it: three times a day, 70 people per sitting. Rio free restaurant Its inspiration is Massimo Bottura, an Italian kaleidoscope of ideas and imagination, who was wise enough to see the screaming disconnect between the lorries of wasted fruit, vegetables, pasta and bread, surplus to Olympic requirement, which would be carted away to be dumped,while the poorest starved a few miles away. Bottura happens to be as fine a chef as it comes. His restaurant, Osteria Francescana in Modena, was this summer named the best in the world. The response to Refettorio, with its plywood tables and high ceilings and walls adorned with artworks commissioned with thoughtfulness who decided that soup kitchens should be soulless places, asks Bottura? has reaffirmed our faith in the human spirit. The Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi dispensed with protocol to leave his Olympic delegation and visit. The Brazilian soap opera star Regina Case arrived. More than 60 internationally celebrated chefs answered Botturas call to arms and will be flying in to help prepare food from the Olympic food mountain, between now and the end of the Paralympic Games. Volunteers have shown up en masse to help serve the food, prepared under Botturas supervision by Cairocas, as the Rio call their own. Others have provided food to fill the gaps in the Olympic waste supply. A call went out for meat supplies because the Olympic Village tends consume all it is sent. Hyatt Hotels have been providing 80kg a day. Yes, the world has responded, as it tends to do when formidable, trailblazing Bottura is at the core. Sport has not, it almost goes without saying. Neither the International Olympic Committee nor Rios Olympic organising committee have answered requests for help from Refettorio, which Botturas Brazilian collaborator David Hertz made months ago. 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 It is lamentable that the governors of sport are once again so myopic. The IOCs dismal one-track Twitter commentary on its big event centred, on Wednesday morning, on the self-important president Thomas Bach condemning the booing of a pole vaulter. But no amount of indignation will pay the bills when the Olympic caravan has packed up and gone. The vision is that Refettorio will stand on its own two feet then, funded by donations and by opening the doors to a lunchtime paying clientele who will make a donation for those hungry souls who will arrive in the evening. This is a version, Bottura says, of the suspended coffee idea well established in Italy: buy a coffee, leave money for the one without the means to buy it. Many across the world will make a contribution through the Refettorio website, where $30 (23) will buy a meal. But imagine the beautiful circularity of an establishment which creates from the bloated excess of these Games actually receiving someone of iconic Olympian status through the door. The hour or so of time committed would shout out the brilliant, uncomplicated concept of Refettorio Gastromotiva to the world. It would telegraph the projects virtues to the world. And it just might bring the money that will be needed soon enough to keep the wolf from the door. 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 }} Just like the debate over TTIP at home, in the US another controversial trade deal is causing political ructions, and will play an important role in deciding the tough decisions that will face the next American president come January. Senator Bernie Sanders last weekend called for the Democratic Party to abandon efforts to pass the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal in Congress. His move followed a set-piece economic speech by Hillary Clinton last Thursday in which she re-emphasised her own opposition to TPP, underlining growing concerns across the world over the prospect that after seven decades of Washington being at the forefront of efforts to liberalise the international economy a political backlash is killing off support for free trade. In the face of these troubles, the Obama administration will continue its August blitz this week to boost support within the United States for the 12 country TPP deal. At least 30 events are planned before the end of the month in a major effort to build popular and congressional assent for the landmark trade and investment deal the biggest regional free trade agreement in history, and the largest trade deal struck since the 1994 completion of the Uruguay Round, which created the World Trade Organisation. Obama pushes US Congress for TTP sign-off A reason for the big push, which moves in September to Capitol Hill, is the potential hammer blow to US prestige and leadership if TPP fails, together with the prospect that the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal (TTIP) with Europe could follow the same path. Aside from the opposition to TPP of both Democratic and Republican presidential nominees, US House Speaker Paul Ryan who is a TPP advocate admitted last week that we dont have the votes in Congress for the bill to be brought up before the end of Obamas presidency, even in the lame duck session after Novembers elections. TPP is strategically important for the US administration, and not just because the 12 countries Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the US encompass around 40 per cent of world GDP. It also has important trade rules-setting functions: Obama has asserted that the TTP treaty would enable Washington, rather than Beijing, to create the foundation stone for 21st century trade rules, including trading standards, investment, data flows and intellectual property. As Obama has noted, when more than 95 per cent of our potential customers live outside our borders, we cant let countries like China write the rules of the global economy. We should write those rules, opening new markets to American products while setting high standards for protecting workers and preserving our environment. The precise economic impact of the proposed deal is hard to forecast with precision. However, the Peterson Institute for International Economics has indicated that it will provide an approximately $300bn (230bn) boost to the TPP countries (which might expand, over time, to include other countries such as China) by 2025. Yet TPP is a very controversial agreement, with many domestic lobby groups opposing it including labour organisations in the US itself, which are concerned about the impact upon wages and jobs for blue-collar workers in the country of the free trade deal. Congressional lawmakers, including the Republican chair of the Senate finance committee Orrin Hatch, have also expressed concerns about the nature of TPP deal, which would phase out a swathe of import tariffs and other barriers to trade. While much of the congressional discontent with TPP centres on the economic impact of TPP, it is being promoted by Obama as an opportunity for the US to become even more influential in the strategically-important Asia-Pacific region. The treaty will set more trade rules than any other previous example, including limiting subsidies to state-owned companies which could become very important were China eventually to join the agreement. It would also help lock-in US international policy toward the Asia-Pacific region and other strategic high-growth markets. So Obama believes passing TTP would be a major win for his administration as he seeks to define his presidential legacy with less than six months left before his tenure in the White House comes to an end. The White House recognises that passage of TPP will serve the goal of reassuring Asia-Pacific allies about the USs enduring security and political commitments to them. And, in turn, the new free trade agreement will send a clear message to others especially China about US intent to continue to place greater strategic emphasis on the region, despite its involvement in other regions of the world including the Middle East. Uncertainty over the fate of the TPP treaty is growing. A breakthrough remains possible that will help Obama define his White House legacy and also shape the contours of the 21st century world economy. But the prospects are increasing of the deal failing to secure congressional ratification, which will damage US prestige and leadership in Asia-Pacific and will have wider ramifications for trade and foreign policy for the next presidency. Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE IDEAS, the Centre for International Affairs, Diplomacy and Strategy at the London School of Economics 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 numbers game is intriguing. There were 187,000 prisoners in Turkeys jails back in March. Since the failed coup in mid July, the cops have picked up, imprisoned or detained for interrogation at least 23,000 soldiers and civilians, judges, journalists, teachers and civil servants. The figure may be as high as 32,000, even 35,000. And now, out of the blue, Recep Tayyip Erdogans government empties from its jails 38,000 inmates who have been in clink since before 1 July; in other words, criminals who could not have participated in the attempt to overthrow Erdogan 14 days later. So 38,000 convicts walk out of their cells to make way for the Sultans new batch of prisoners. The government insisted this was no amnesty; which, of course, it was, since there appears to be no system of ensuring that newly-released inmates will not repeat their offences. Incredibly, the release decree was described as part of a penal reform across the countrys 364 jails. Turkeys failed coup strains relations with the West Its also an interesting reflection not only on the ease with which Turkey can free its prison population albeit that inmates guilty of serious crime such as murder or rape will not benefit but also of how one major political crisis can so swiftly overwhelm the countrys security system. When the Turkish army itself staged a coup in 1980, the prison capacity had to be raised from 55,000 to 80,000 to accommodate a vast selection of new security detainees. These mostly male prisoners, from the far left and far right in Turkey and who participated in what was largely regarded as an incipient civil war, languished for many years, often without trial. There is no reason to suppose that the next lot of inmates will fare much better for their supposedly Gulenist crimes. In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Show all 17 1 /17 In pictures: Turkey coup attempt In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Erdogan attends the funeral service for victims of the thwarted coup in Istanbul at Fatih mosque on July 17, 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey Burak Kara/Getty Images In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soldiers involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge with their hands raised in Istanbul on 16 July, 2016 Gokhan Tan/Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A civilian beats a soldier after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 REUTERS/Murad Sezer In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Surrendered Turkish soldiers who were involved in the coup are beaten by a civilian Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Soliders involved in the coup attempt surrender on Bosphorus bridge Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wave flags as they capture a Turkish Army vehicle Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt People pose near a tank after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey, 16 July, 2016 Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers block Istanbul's Bosphorus Brigde Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt A Turkish military stands guard near the Taksim Square in Istanbul Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Pierre Crom/Twitter In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers secure the area as supporters of Recep Tayyip Erdogan protest in Istanbul's Taksim square AP In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Murad Sezer/Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish soldiers detain police officers during a security shutdown of the Bosphorus Bridge Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish Army armoured personnel carriers in the main streets of Istanbul Getty In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Chaos reigned in Istanbul as tanks drove through the streets EPA/TOLGA BOZOGLU In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks to media in the resort town of Marmaris Reuters In pictures: Turkey coup attempt Supporters of President Erdogan celebrate in Ankara following the suppression of the attempted coup Reuters Already made infamous by the depiction of corruption and sadism in the movie Midnight Express, Turkeys jails have a sinister reputation for cruelty that goes back to the Ottoman days. The countrys most famous prisoner, the Kurdistan Workers Party leader Abdullah Ocalan, will presumably continue to endure his eight-and-a-half-year incarceration on Imrali island in the Sea of Marmara in solitary confinement. While his followers have often filled Turkeys prisons in the south-east of the country especially in Diyarbakir the ferocious battles in which they have been engaged by the Turkish army have been so bloody that they appear to have produced more dead bodies than prisoners. More than 21,000 Kurds are believed to have been killed between 1984 and 2012, and another 2,000 between July and September last year. Oddly, the same set of decrees that have freed 38,000 prisoners included the dismissal of 2,360 more police, at least 100 more officers and soldiers and about 190 civil servants. We can presumably take it for granted given their new batch of inmates that prison wardens will not be included in future dismissals. 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 }} Is the party over for Ukip? Its mission was accomplished with the vote for Brexit. Its vote in council by-elections has dropped by 10 per cent since. Its parlous finances will be worsened when its 24 MEPs lose their jobs and allowances. Nigel Farage has resigned (again). Can Ukip survive without him? Love him or hate him, he is an A-lister. He forced David Cameron to hold the referendum and many voters bought the argument he made first: the only way to control immigration was to leave the EU. He doesnt claim he won the referendum alone, admitting that he needed Boris Johnson to appeal to a different segment of the electorate. Farages resignation has sparked a civil war inside Ukip (again) just when, with Labour in disarray, there was a chance for Ukip to build on its referendum success. For a small party, the scale of the faction-fighting is remarkable: Steven Woolfe, Farages favoured successor, was barred from the leadership election for applying 17 minutes late in an alleged stitch-up by anti-Farage forces. Woolfe is now trying to overturn the decision. 'I Want My Life Back' - Farage Resigns as UKIP Leader Ukip may again be living up to David Camerons billing as loonies, fruitcakes, closet racists and some Labour and Conservative MPs think it is a busted flush. Yet Ukip can still shape the political landscape. It won four million votes at last years general election. If the Scottish nationalists can reduce Labour to just one seat in its Scottish heartland, why cant Ukips English nationalists do the same in England? Our unfair first-post-the-system gave Ukip only one seat last year, but it can still affect the result in many constituencies. Ukip came second in 120 and won more votes than the size of the Tory majority in nine seats the Conservatives gained from Labour including Ed Ballss Morley and Outwood seat. Ukip showed it can Hoover up anti-Conservative votes: in 48 seats retained by the Tories, its majority over Labour was lower than the number of votes won by Ukip. In the referendum, a majority of voters in about 160 Labour-held seats backed Leave, while only about 70 backed Remain. As less than a dozen Labour MPs voted Leave, Ukip could put plenty of Labour MPs under pressure. Labour has consistently underestimated the Ukip threat, preferring to see it as a Tory problem. The Labour leadership assumed the partys traditional supporters had nowhere else to go the same mistake it made in Scotland. Frank Field, the Labour MP, says his party lost one million votes to Ukip at the 2015 election and could do the same again next time. With hindsight, the warning signs for the referendum were there: people feeling left behind since the 2008 financial crisis and ready to stick two figures up tat the establishment. Theresa Mays allies say she believes that the referendum result was not just about the EU and she has made struggling working class families her priority. But the Prime Ministers ability to transform lives will be constrained by the economic downside of Brexit. So that pool of alienated voters could still be there at the next general election. Ukips new role could be ensuring that May does not backslide on Brexit. But she knows she cannot ignore the referendum. Yes, there might be a debate between a hard and soft Brexit but most Leave voters will be happy enough if it happens and wont pore over the detail. May will need to reassure such people that free movement has been curbed but her instincts on immigration are tougher than David Camerons and she might persuade some Ukip supporters to come home to the Tories. If Ukip survives, its main threat will be to Labour, whose leader Jeremy Corbyn has no appetite to address white working class anxieties about immigration. And if Ukip self-destructs or struggles to find a role in the post-referendum world, that would help the Conservatives. Matthew Goodwin, professor of politics at the University of Kent, whose predictions about Ukips threat to Labour have proved accurate, calculates that if May wins more than half the 13 per cent of people who backed Ukip last year, Labour could lose 44 marginal seats to the Tories at the next election. Nigel Farage's most controversial moments Show all 12 1 /12 Nigel Farage's most controversial moments Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he unveiled that 'breaking point' poster during the referendum Mr Farage was accused of deploying Nazi-style propaganda when he unveiled a poster showing Syrian refugees travelling to Europe under the next Breaking point. Users on social media were quick to compare the advert to a Nazi propaganda film with similar visuals and featuring Jewish refugees. The poster was particularly controversial because it was unveiled the morning of the killing of Labour MP Jo Cox Rex Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he said hed be concerned if his neighbours were Romanian In May 2014 Mr Farage was accused of a racial slur against Romanians after he suggested he would be concerned living next to a house of them. I was asked if a group of Romanian men moved in next to you, would you be concerned? And if you lived in London, I think you would be, he told LBC radio during an interview. Asked whether he would also object to living next to German children, he said: You know the difference Bongarts/Getty Images Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he said the EU campaign was won 'without a bullet being fired' Nigel Farage has said the next Prime Minister has to be a Leave supporter AFP/Getty Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he resigned as Ukip leader and came back days later After failing to win the seat of South Thanet at the general election, Nigel Farage stepped down as Ukip leader as he had promised to do during the campaign. Days later on 11 May he un-resigned and said he would stay after being convinced by supporters within the party. Well see how long his resignation lasts this time AP/Matt Dunham Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he blamed immigrants for making him late Mr Farage turned up late to a 25-a-head meet the leader style event in Port Talbot, Wales in December 2014. Asked why he was late, he blamed immigrants. It took me six hours and 15 minutes to get here - it should have taken three-and-a-half to four, he said. That has nothing to do with professionalism, what it does have to do with is a country in which the population is going through the roof chiefly because of open-door immigration and the fact that the M4 is not as navigable as it used to be Getty Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he wanted to ban immigrants with HIV from Britain Mr Farage has used his platform as Ukip leader call for people with HIV to be banned from coming to Britain. Asked in an interview with Newsweek Europe in October 2014 who he thought should be allowed to come to the UK, he said: People who do not have HIV, to be frank. Thats a good start. And people with a skill. He also repeated similar comments in the 2015 general election leadership debates Getty Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he defended the use of a racial slur against Chinese people Defending one of Ukips candidates, who used the word ch**ky to describe a Chinese person, Mr Farage said: If you and your mates were going out for a Chinese, what do you say you're going for?" When he was told by the presented that he honestly would not use the slur, Mr Farage replied: A lot would Lintao Zhang/Getty Images Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he said parts of Britain were like a foreign land The Ukip leader used his 2014 conference speech to declare parts of Britain as being like a foreign land. He told his audience in Torquay that parts of the country were unrecognisable because of the number of foreigners there. Mr Farage has also previously said he felt uncomfortable when people spoke other language on a train Screengrab Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he said the British army should be deployed to France At the height of trouble at Britains Calais border Mr Farage proposed a novel solution. The Ukip leader called for the British army to be sent to France to put down a migrant rebellion. In all civil emergencies like this we have an army, we have a bit of a Territorial Army as well and we have a very, very overburdened police force and border agency, he said. If in a crisis to make sure weve actually got the manpower to check lorries coming in, to stop people illegally coming to Britain, if in those circumstances we can use the army or other forces then why not AFP/Getty Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he said breastfeeding women should sit in the corner Mr Farage sparked protests from mothers after he told women to sit on the corner if they wanted to breastfeed their children. I think that given that some people feel very embarrassed by it, it isnt too difficult to breastfeed a baby in a way that's not openly ostentatious, Mr Farage said. He added: "Or perhaps sit in the corner, or whatever it might be AFP/Getty Images Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he said the gender pay gap exists because women are worth less At a Q&A on the European Union in January 2014 Mr Farage said there was no discrimination against women causing the gender pay gap. Instead, he said, women were paid less because they were simply worth far less than many of their male counterparts. A woman who has a client base, has a child and takes two or three years off - she is worth far less to her employer when she comes back than when she went away because that client base won't be stuck as rigidly to her portfolio, he said Getty Nigel Farage's most controversial moments When he said he actually couldnt guarantee 350m to the NHS after Brexit During the EU referendum campaign the Leave side pledged to spend 350 million a week on the National Health Service claiming that this is what the UK sends to Brussels. Nigel Farage didnt speak out against this figure and also pledged to spend EU cash on the health service and other public services himself. Then the day of the election result he suddenly changed his tone, saying he couldnt guarantee the cash for the NHS and that to pledge to do so was a mistake Getty So Ukips leadership election matters, even if the candidates are B-listers following the demise of Woolfe and Suzanne Evans, who was suspended from the party after falling foul of the Farage camp. The front-runner is Diane James, an MEP and Farage loyalist, who is up against Lisa Duffy, a councillor with strong grassroots backing; Bill Etheridge, another MEP; Philip Broughton, a former wrestler and Liz Jones, a solicitor and activist in Lambeth. Farage says he has done his bit and wants his life back but may not be out of the picture for long. If it all went pear-shaped under a new leader, he might be persuaded to come back (again). The other scenario, much discussed in Ukip circles, is the creation of a new, internet-based movement by Arron Banks, the millionaire Ukip donor and Leave campaigner. It would be modelled on Italys successful Five Star Movement launched by the comedian Beppe Grillo. Farage might be president or chairman even if he were not the leader, and it could supplant Ukip. I suspect we have not seen the last of Farage. The UKs version of Grillo has had the last laugh once, and might yet do so one more time. 'There's nowt so queer as folk" is an old saying that I always understood had been written by Robbie Burns, the famous Scottish poet who composed 'Auld Lang Syne'. I was mistaken, however, and apparently it is of Welsh origin. It obviously means that people sometimes behave in a very strange way and is of little importance other than I was reminded of it while reading newspaper reports highlighting outbursts by a few individuals who were demonising forestry in Leitrim. One local paper quoted that "farmers are angry and if forestry is allowed to continue like this, it's going to wipe out rural communities in counties with disadvantaged land". "Not alone will the farmers be wiped out", they wrote, "but we will lose local villages, schools and post offices and the whole fabric of rural Ireland will be destroyed." Now this is emotive stuff but it gets better, or worse depending on your point of view. It continued: The national policy to increase forestry around the country is "unfairly targeting Leitrim". What could this possibly mean? The afforestation scheme, along with the grants and aids that go with it, are the exact same for Meath or Cork, Tipperary or Kildare. The special thing about Leitrim is that, despite having large areas of what could mistakenly be termed "disadvantaged land", it has a huge advantage over the other counties mentioned because trees grow better there than almost anywhere else in Europe. Why on earth would anyone not want to make the most of the assets they have? Wicklow is a county where afforestation has brought great prosperity and employment and provides the raw material for many small businesses. I recall some years ago being with a group of European foresters who were on tour and visiting a wood near Leitrim village. They were astonished to see the quality and growth rates of sitka and Norway spruce, which were far better there than anything they had encountered elsewhere. It was further reported in another newspaper that there was strong criticism against the Irish financial institutions that are providing funding for people to plant their land, but there is no credit extended to young farmers looking to buy land and increase their farms. I found that statement really extraordinary. What is it that these critics of forestry actually want? I fully agree that banks should support successful young farmers who wish to increase their holdings, but why criticise the banks for funding the same farmers who want to plant marginal land and thereby improve their income? No doubt the banks look at the figures and come to the sensible conclusion that land planted for forestry is a safe and sound investment. There was more emotive stuff quoted such as "the Irish Farmers' Association fear entire parishes will be obliterated if planting continues. The organisation is calling on the Government to place immediate controls on foreign investors buying land to plant. Vulture funds, pension funds and foreign companies with huge budgets are buying up land for forestry. The money they have is totally out of reach of any farmer, young or old, who wants to buy land to make a decent life out of farming". Perhaps we are now getting to the core of the issue when we hear terms like "vulture funds" and "foreigners". Who are they, these grasping "foreign" investors? Are they perhaps other farmers from Meath or Kildare or Galway? Or maybe they are Irish widows and pensioners who have their life savings invested in a fund that wisely sees forestry as a safe haven for their money? A spokeswoman for the Department of Agriculture said: "The vast majority of lands planted since the 1990s are owned by farmers. This is excess of 85pc of the total. The remaining cohort consists of private investors, pension funds or other private individuals who own land." This talk of hordes of wealthy "foreigners" is not only untrue but sounds a bit too much like the racism and jingoism we hear coming from Britain at the moment. Trees are a valuable and sustainable crop that is good for the environment and improves the air we breathe. Timber is in constant demand and readily saleable, and supports a host of spin-off industries that provide much needed local employment. Relative to other farm enterprises, forestry continues to be a great additional investment. I firmly believe any farmer who has suitable land should grasp the opportunities that the current schemes provide. In the early 1990s, when I was seeking a property to plant in Leitrim, a local farmer remarked to me that "there is mould on the for sale signs down here". Given that Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Roscommon contain some of the best land in Europe for growing trees, it would seem very foolish not to make the most of it, but 20 odd years ago, people were nervous of what was a relatively new farming enterprise. The land I purchased was planted, fenced and is maintained by local people. The forester in charge of the thinning and harvesting is local and the contractor who installed the forest roadway was also local, as is the quarry that supplied the hardcore. All of the money spent went in to the local economy and some of the workers who carried out the planting subsequently carried out two substantial jobs for friends of mine in Kildare. At that time I didn't hear anyone complain about "foreign" workers coming to Kildare. The timber from the woods also goes to a nearby sawmill that provides further local employment, so I am naturally puzzled as to what people could object to or indeed why. He still vividly remembers the moment he first clasped eyes on Hannabal Hayes - the most famous drake in Ireland. Milton C Hardcastle was on his way out of a mart in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, after buying parts for a tractor when he walked by a sale cage with just one little baby duck left huddled in the corner. The retired radio DJ and animal lover couldn't take another step, he felt destined to take him home. Milton paid the farmer 4, picked him up, popped the adorable, fluffy duckling into the back of his jeep and they headed off to Dromard, Co Longford, where he would live a long, happy, "human-like" life for the next 15 years, full of fun, mischief and adventure. They were the best of friends. Until, sadly, after a short bout of kidney problems, Hannabal Hayes - named after a cowboy from the hit 1970s US western television series Alias Smith And Jones - passed away two weeks ago in the arms of his owner. "It was a heart attack that got him in the end. I was with him at the time. I was lucky enough to get home. I walked into the shed and I was holding him up and next thing the heart just gave in," Milton told Grassroots Diary. Milton has fond memories of his dark feathered duck following him around the yard. "He followed me like a puppy dog. For a drake, it was very unusual. "He used to look at himself in the mirror every morning at the side of the compressor in the shed, it was the first thing he would do," he laughed. "If I called him in and he was away down the far end of the yard, he would come running in a flash, it was classic to see him coming and I've it all filmed," he said. Milton says he had a "human way about him". "He was very gentle and protective of other vulnerable animals and watchful of his homestead. It got to the stage where friends from the vintage club would call to see if Hannabal Hayes was in or out before they called, otherwise they wouldn't come near the gate," said Milton. He had lots of celebrity pals. Most recently, Hannabal Hayes featured on Irish TV, had a starring role in a new animal book written by Colm Keane and his wife, RTE newsreader Una O'Hagan. He was even blessed by Fr Brian D'Arcy in 2014. "Una and Colm sent me a sympathy card, they've been very good. They were very upset about it, they were so fond of him - his story touched everyone," he said. Although the place will never be the same without him, Milton has opted to have his waterfowl friend stuffed. "I haven't got him back yet but the taxidermist says he'll look the very same. It'll be lovely to still have him with me and it will take the edge of my heartbreak," he said. Macra hosts Brexit talk It's the question boggling minds of dairy, beef, tillage and sheep farmers right across the country what does Brexit mean for me? Next week, one of the first public discussions on the fallout of the UKs withdrawal from the EU will be hosted by Muskerry Macra club in Cork. Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Joe Burke of Bord Bia and Alan Jagoe of CEJA the European Council of Young Farmers will all speak at the event in the Riverside Park Hotel, Macroom at 8pm. Organisers say the discussion will be open to everyone. Meanwhile, Macra Know Your Neighbour events are in full swing at clubs nationwide. Sligo Macra recently held a tag rugby and family fun day at Enniscrone Beach. Killeagh Macra, located in East Cork, will host a similar family day out in Mount Uniacke on Sunday, August 28, with festivities kicking off at 2pm. This year, proceeds will go towards the charity Embrace FARM (Farming Accidents Remembered and Missed) set up to support families after the loss of a loved one from a farm-related accident. Struggling beef and sheep farmers are being sidelined by Ulster Bank's move to offer "meaningful loan help" to the dairy sector, the ICSA has warned. Last week, the financial institution announced plans to switch the loans of under-pressure dairy farmers to interest-only and advance extra working capital to customers affected by swings in milk prices. The lender believes a number of new measures specifically designed to support the agriculture industry will help farm customers survive the effect of short-term volatility. Although the move to alleviate cash-flow pressure has been welcomed by the Irish Farmers' Association, the ICSA are calling for "equal treatment" from banks for all farming sectors. Ulster Bank's Dr Ailish Byrne said the lender understands farmers have specific needs, "especially during periods of milk price volatility". "As part of our drive to help our customers who have been affected by this volatility, our agri managers are speaking to customers around the country to ensure they understand we are here to support," she said. However, Seamus Sherlock (below), rural development chairman of the ICSA, has called on Ulster Bank to look at providing interest-only loans to all farmers under pressure instead of exclusively dairy farmers. "Beef and sheep farmers are also hurting for a number of years and would greatly be aided by a similar move from their lender," he said. "Irish farmers as a whole are experiencing low prices coupled with high costs and many family farms are under serious threat," he said. Although Mr Sherlock complimented the bank for their positive stance, he says Ulster Bank must show "equal empathy" to all agricultural communities. "We need all financial institutions to take a common sense approach in these stressful times. "Interest-only loans can go some way to relieving the financial pressure on many family farms," he said. However, the ICSA also stresses farmers must realise that interest-only loans are just a temporary fix and should not be seen as a medium to long-term solution. Ulster Bank is a significant lender to the farming sector. It faced criticism earlier this year for including about 100m of farm loans in a bundle of problem assets that the bank is putting up for sale. The planned sale of the loans rankled with hard-pressed farmers. However, Gerry Mallon, the bank's chief executive, last week insisted that a sale of loans would not include the debts of any farmer who is engaged with the bank. "Farmers have long memories. Where necessary, we provide additional working capital and move loans to an interest-only basis. Our key message is to encourage farmers to engage with the bank," he said. One of the country's oldest agricultural shows, first held nearly a century and a half ago, is to undergo a major review, to ensure that it is 'fit for purpose' for the challenges ahead. Heading the review of Limerick's Agricultural Show Society is the deputy leader of the country's largest farming organisation, the IFA's Richard Kennedy, who took over as chairman of the society in 2015. Speaking at the launch of the two-day 2016 programme to be held at Greenmount, Patrickswell on Saturday and Sunday August 27-28, the Clarina dairy farmer said that "there will have to be changes" but he is confident with the goodwill that continued to be evident for the event meant "there is a good future" ahead for the popular event. "I have to be honest about it, we do need more volunteers if the show is going to continue. The future of the show depends on more volunteers. "We have made a change in the office which is open now for three months, while previously it was open for 10 months of the year. There are more changes which we will have to make and they will be considered when we have a full review after this year's show," he said. Dividing his time between the role of IFA Deputy President and chairman of the Show Society he is the first in the 60 -plus year history of the farmers movement to combine the running of a major agricultural show with senior leadership in the farming organisation. The show has come from a time when most of those engaged in the running of the annual event were employed by the society. To-day they rely on volunteers. Getting volunteers is a challenge, he confessed, but points out that the biggest challange is probably the weather. However, he points out that the society are "blessed" with the facilities at Greenmount. Financially, 2015 was the best in many and they are hoping to continue the progress this year. "As soon as the show is over we will have to have a full rewiew and see how we are going to involve more people. "We have to make changes. I would like to make the show more family friendly. For families with young children it is a great day out and we have to have enough attractions for them" he says. "We can't complain about sponsorship. Our sponsors have been very good to us and that is why we have to look at the show. I will be asking people who sponsor us to talk to us about how we can improve the show. "There is a traditional goodwill to the show and I would be very conscious that we have to build on that. It is imperative that we give better value to the sponsors" he added. So how does he manage to combine his busy role in the IFA with running the show? "I try to give the show as much time as possible. Limerick Show has always been a big thing in the family. My father was involved for many years; a lot of my friends are involved" he said. More than a century ago the event was generally known as the 'Limerick Horse Show' and it is not a coincidence that the promotion of horse classes remains a major element of the show. The classes include the long running and very successful Limerick Lady and Limerick Matron Horse Classes. In addition, classes for the Traditional Irish Horse Association (TIHA), was founded four years ago, are also extremely popular. 'Unique' breed Society secretary, Joan Bateman, a leading member of the show horse committee, is passionate about the preservation and propogation of the traditional breed, unique to Ireland. She says that the Traditional Irish Horse (TIH) is a unique combination of up to three breeds, the Irish Draught, the Connemara Pony both unique native breeds and the Thoroughbred. All three breeds have strong links to the Irish Hobby, a long extinct ancient Irish Breed. Genetic research (Hill and Bower 2010) has shown that the breeds most closely related to the Thoroughbred are the Irish Draught and the Connemara. The Traditional Irish Horse (originally known as the Irish Hunter) was fully established as a sport horse breed centuries before most of its continental counterparts and was used as a breed improver for many of these breeds. On Saturday, the programme will included the Festival of the Irish Traditional Horse, including the finals of the Limerick Lady and Limerick Matron competitions with an overall prize fund of 11,000 to be awarded. Dairy cattle classes will be judged on Saturday, with commercial and pedigree beef classes on Sunday under chairperson of the Cattle Committee, well known pedigree livestock breeder, and veterinary surgeon, Doreen Corridon. Ms Corridon is long associated with Munster AI Centre and is a producer of award winning Limousin cattle from Round Hill herd at nearby Fedamore, which is one of the visit destinations for delegates to the Irish Limousin Society World Congress next week. The society are also encouraging the revival of the traditional Limerick industry of 1830 onwards when the city became famous for lacemaking. Several factories operated, and later the fine art of Limerick Lace, which became famous all over the world, was continued in the homes of the region. Ann Gabbett, chairperson of the Crafts Committee has reintroduced a section for the traditional craft associated with the region, for which several entries have been received. The Limerick Show was originally founded in the 1880s and held at various venues around the Treaty City. The business people were keen supporters of the show and availed of the opportunity to display their goods or network with other businesses. A new committee was formed in 1929 and Limerick Show relaunched with Greenpark Racecourse becaming "home" for the event under a 99 year lease obtained from the Limerick Racecourse Company. The new committee was made up of a number of prominent city business people, including the fifth Earl of Dunraven. Due to the closure of Greenpark racecourse, the event moved location once again in 1997 and for the following four years was held at Clonshire Equestrian Centre, Adare until work was completed on the development of the new Limerick Racecourse at Greenmount, Patrickswell where the event was held for the first time in 2002. I am a farmer's son and am now in my fifties. Having farmed our 150 acre farm for over 20 years alongside my brother (since my father retired) I was expecting that I would inherit at least half of the farm when the time came for my father to pass it on in his will. Although it was never discussed openly by the family, I have always presumed that one day, at least part of the farm would be mine. I have never been paid for the work that I have done on the farm and the profits have kept my parents in their old age. I was shocked to learn that my father has left the entire farm to my brother and I will inherit a site. Is there anything that I can do? A. These circumstances are always difficult by virtue of the inevitable damage that they cause to family relationships. It is essential that when it comes to succession planning, much thought is given to the consequences of the distribution of assets for all of the affected parties before the will is made. Most people are aware that once they enter a contract or agreement, the terms and conditions of that contract will generally be enforceable. For a contract to be enforceable it normally requires that there be a promise, for example to do or sell something, in return for some form of consideration or payment by the other party. There are, however, limited circumstances in which a contract or agreement, which is not written, can be enforceable even when there is no consideration or payment involved. It is a remedy used by the courts to prevent a person from going back on their word in circumstances where another person has acted or relied on that word to their detriment. It is not enough that a person has made a promise or representation, the other party must actually have acted to their detriment in some way as a result of the promise. For example, if a father promises his son that he will leave him the family farm in his will and as a result the same son works without pay on the farm and improves the farm then, if his father does not in fact leave him the farm, he could bring an action before the court seeking to enforce his father's promise. In asking the court to recognise that you have an interest in a piece of property in these circumstances, you will need to pass three tests: That a clear promise or representation was made to you in respect of the property. This could be a promise, for example, by a land owner to a nephew that "those three fields will be yours when I'm gone". This clear promise must have led to an expectation or belief on your part that you would receive the land. If you can present evidence, for example a witness, to the promise, you would be in a stronger position to make the claim. You must have acted to your detriment on the basis of this promise. This could involve the spending of money on the property or the passing up of a career off farm or the working on a farm for free for years or the payment of bills or mortgage on behalf of your uncle or the suffering of some other detriment as a result of the promise. It used to be the case that you would need to have shown the expenditure of money on the lands but as case law has evolved, this is no longer an absolute requirement. You must show that the detrimental acts performed by you were performed in reliance on the belief or expectation. This means that the actions which were taken to your detriment were done because of the promise made, and otherwise would not have been done. The relief which would be sought from the court is called proprietary estoppel and is an equitable relief/remedy. Equitable remedies are concerned with "equity" or fairness. Therefore, they are based upon righting a wrong where the conduct complained of is deemed by the court to be "unconscionable". The court has wide discretion as to how it will give effect to the "equity" which has arisen. This can range from ordering a transfer of the land to the person who claims the equitable interest to a simple negative right preventing the person from being ejected from the land by the registered legal owner. It is essential to bear in mind that these type of cases are considered on a case-to-case basis by the courts and the outcome is often difficult to predict. There is considerable risk with high legal costs; however, for some it is a matter of losing their life's work. The importance of estate planning cannot be overlooked in the context of preventing family disputes and possibly this type of claim after the lifetime of the land owner. This article is intended as a general guide and you should seek legal advice in relation to individual circumstances. Theresa Murphy is a barrister based in Ardrahan, Co Galway British farmers are facing an uncertain future in the wake of the Brexit vote, with some already expressing regret due to fears that farm subsidies will be much lower than those received under the EU Common Agricultural Policy (EU CAP). The National Trust, which is the British equivalent of An Taisce, recently demanded an end to direct farm subsidies in the UK after Brexit. It stated: "Farmers should only be rewarded for managing land in a nature-friendly way and direct income supports should be removed altogether in a post-Brexit rural policy", a frightening prospect for all British farmers. Surely this is a self-serving stance by the National Trust generated in a country where successive governments have followed a cheap food policy and its elected representatives pander to the utopian views of the countryside from a primarily urban electorate, most of whom have never even set foot on a farm. Maybe in Ireland, we in the industry do not appreciate the high level of support our people and Government attribute to our agri-food industry. The current utterings from the UK do, however, cause us to ask the question: what would happen in Ireland if farm subsidies suddenly stopped? I recently asked a farmer client this very question and he answered as follows: "Sure the price of land should fall to 3,000 per acre and land rents should fall to about 50/acre." Then he paused for a few seconds and added: "But they would not fall at all would they?" He is probably right when it comes to land and farm profitability - Irish farmers are an enigma, they would most likely do the complete opposite of what economic theory would suggest. Of course, in the medium to long term, there would certainly be an impact on the shape of industry. Teagasc National Farm Survey results from 2011-2015 indicate the nerve of arable, beef and sheep farmers would be severely tested in the no-farm-subsidy world. This is how I project the industry would react. In the no farm subsidy world, initially, there would be no impact on the price or movement of land as suggested by my farmer client. However, many arable, beef and sheep farmers would eventually get sick of supplementing their farm business with hard earned off-farm income and they would cease farming and look to initially lease out and, possibly, eventually sell their holdings. Good quality land offered for lease in strong dairying areas would still command strong land rental prices in the region of 150-250/acre, however land in non-dairying areas for lease would struggle to find interested takers if there were no farm subsidies. In respect of the price of land for sale, presently it is the lack of supply which drives the uneconomic price of land in Ireland, but if significantly more land was offered for sale in all regions of the country, the price would certainly decrease except perhaps for hobby farms and land with development potential in and around cities and large towns. How much it would decrease by is the million dollar question. Farmers & farm enterprises There are circa 139,000 farmers making an application for the Basic Payment Scheme each year in Ireland. If farming without subsidies produced the Net Profits or Net Losses, excluding direct payments, per the National Farm Survey 2011-2015 average, there would be an exodus from farming. If the farm organisations think they have problems now, imagine what the pressure would be in the no-farm-subsidy world. In every crisis there will be those who are innovative and raise their head above the surface to defy the odds, ie. beef & sheep farmers who diversify by selling their own meat etc. There will also be the hobby farmers who genuinely like part-time farming and are happy to subsidise their hobby with off-farm income. However, the majority would simply exit farming by leasing or selling land, the rest will switch to dairying or plant their land, assuming forestry is still subsidised. It will be down to Darwin's theory of natural selection or survival of the fittest. Agri-business The knock-on effect of fewer farmers with fewer beef cattle, sheep and tillage would have a huge effect on agri-business. A lower kill of cattle and sheep would be offset somewhat by an increase in cull cows and beef from the dairy herd, but dairying will not be a land use option for all exiting beef, sheep and tillage farmers, therefore beef processors and all the associated business of hauliers, dealers, marts, merchants, vets etc would experience a big fall off in business. The Department of Agriculture Food & Marine (DAFM), Teagasc/private consultants, agricultural colleges and universities would have fewer customers and students. In fact, the fall-off in staff in DAFM would be huge with no schemes to administer and inspect. I'd expect there would be an expanded legal department in DAFM as the easy option of penalties on Basic Payment Scheme Payments for breaches of legislation would no longer be available to Department inspectors, which many farmers would welcome. Rural Ireland & countryside The big question is how different would our countryside and rural towns and villages be in the no-farm-subsidy world. Farmers are spenders, they spend locally, therefore the local shop, petrol station, pub and hardware store would feel the effect of less money in farmers' pockets. This clearly would not be good for rural Ireland. Some might argue that with better broadband, people will migrate back to rural Ireland to work remotely, countering the exodus to the big cities, but the reality of this has yet to happen. The equation is simple - less money in farmers' pockets equals less money spent on farms and in local communities. Farming is not complicated, it is food production conducted in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. In today's first-world society, it is not about feeding the poor, it is about providing choices for consumers whether one chooses to eat fast food or slow food, organic or conventional, GM or Non-GM, vegetarian or carnivorous - it is all food produced by farmers. Farmers should be celebrated not demonised. True farmers sometimes don't help themselves by beating the same old drum when complaining about the weather and low prices or by driving expensive shiny tractors down O'Connell Street, causing traffic chaos when protesting just to get on the 9 O'clock News but farmers need to make a profit to survive. So if today's consumer wants choice in the food they eat, they will have to pay a fair price to allow farmers to survive and prosper. That can be achieved by subsidising farmers directly or by paying extra for the food we buy. At current food prices, there would be no farmers without farm subsidies. Mike Brady is Agricultural Consultant and Managing Director at Brady Group. During this year's show circuit, dozens of horse owners have been discussing the issue of skin irritations caused by summer flies, midges and ringworm. At this stage in the summer, there are few yards in the country which have escaped from some form of skin irritation among their horse herds, with several owners reporting that horses have broken out in bizarre sores just days before a major show, resulting in withdrawal. While the root of some skin irritations can be difficult to identify, ringworm continues to be one of the most prevalent, identifiable and treatable skin diseases in horses. Ringworm Despite its name, Ringworm has nothing to do with worms and is in fact caused by a fungal infection. It is transmitted among horses by direct contact with an infected animal such as a cat (one of the main carriers) or humans, or by indirect contact via contaminated tack, or fungal spores within the environment. Illness, poor nutrition, overcrowding, age and stressful environments predispose horses to infection. Continuous wetting of the horse's skin, such as sweating, washing-down can decrease the skin's protective barrier, therefore enabling infection to occur. The classic ringworm lesion is a circular patch of hair loss with stubbly hairs on the margin. The skin can appear to be crusted and/or scaly. Ringworm lesions usually begin as small raised lumps that progress to the typical ringworm lesion. The areas commonly affected are the face, neck and girth area and horses can become itchy and may also show evidence of pain. Ringworm is usually a self-limiting disease and most horses recover quickly with a treatment such as Imaverol, which is an effective wash also suitable for the treatment of other fungal infections. "This summer we have seen a lot of cases of ringworm and we are testing for it every day using mostly skin scrapings," said Tom Buckley, head of microbiology at the Irish Equine Centre. "At least 30pc to 40pc of what we test comes back as positive for ringworm. "In many of the cases, we look for an allergen, as it can be anything from grasses to soya in their feed." The Irish Equine Centre uses the services of Spanish company, Alergovet, who has the facilities to test for up to 50 allergens in horses. These include various types of grasses, weeds, trees, moulds and mites that can cause hives. Midges, meanwhile, can be one of the key causes of sweet itch. Sweet itch Found more commonly in half-breds than thoroughbreds, sweet itch rears its ugly head here in Ireland in the summer months owing to the large presence of midges. After being exposed to the allergen (saliva from the midge bite), allergic horses will develop a 'type 1' hypersensitivity reaction, resulting in histamine being produced by the body's immune system, exactly the same as happens to people who suffer from hay fever. This is an over-reaction to the bite, resulting in swelling and intense itching of the skin. Just like with people suffering an allergic skin reaction, the desire to itch and rub at the affected site is intense. Consequently, the horse will start to rub and chew at the area, which can then become infected, making the problem even worse. The more often that a horse is bitten by midges, the worse the reaction becomes. Once it starts in an animal, sweet itch is incurable, but it can be managed using all-over flysheets, stabling your horse from 4pm-8am during the summer months and using effective creams such as Summer Freedom Salve in conjunction with highly-potent fly repellent sprays such as Super Plus. Shapleys Original MTG is widely used for a variety of skin problems, including sweet itch and is also said to be most effective in the promotion of hair regrowth. A natural effective way of warding off midges and flies is the use of garlic in a horse's feed, although this must be used in moderation as over-use can equally cause an adverse reaction. Mange Mange is caused by microscopic mites that invade the skin of otherwise healthy animals. The mites cause irritation of the skin and a hypersensitivity reaction, resulting in itching, hair loss and inflammation. Sarcoptic mange (scabies, body mange) Although rare, sarcoptic mange is the most severe type of mange in horses. The first sign of mange is intense itching, which is caused by hypersensitivity to mite saliva and feces. For this, most vets will administer fast-acting injectable antihistamines and, if needed, low doses of steroids. Chorioptic mange (leg mange) Leg mange tends to occur in heavy breeds of horses. Signs start as itching affecting the legs (most often the hind legs) around the foot and fetlock. Raised bumps are seen first, followed by hair loss, crusting, and thickening of the skin. The signs lessen in summer but return with cold weather. The disease persists without treatment, but usually clears when treated. Topical treatments recommended for other types of mange are usually effective. Straw itch mites (forage mites) Straw itch mites usually feed on organic material in straw and grain but can infest the skin of horses. Raised bumps and hives appear on the face and neck if horses are fed from a hay rack, and on the muzzle and legs if fed from the ground. Again, itching is variable and can be controlled with medication. Rain scald Owing to Ireland's inclement weather, rain scald can often be an issue in the summer as well as winter months. It is a bacterial infection which multiplies rapidly in a moist environment. Starting off as raised bumps mostly on the shoulders and hindquarters, it can be easily cured by removing the horse from wet conditions and treating them with disinfectant rinses to prevent further infection. Lice Both chewing lice (feed on dead skin cells) and sucking lice (feed on blood) can infect horses, causing skin irritation and itching. Hair loss usually starts on the shoulders and neck, as well as on the head and the base of the mane and tail. Affected areas may also have abrasions and scabs from rubbing and possibly secondary infections. Flattened insects up to two to four millimeters long may be visible if the hair is parted and the skin examined in good light. Pale, translucent eggs may be attached to nearby hairs. Lice infestations tend to be more severe during the winter months but can occur at any time of year. Several types of treatment products are available over the counter, including Dermoline Insecticidal Shampoo and Dermoline Stable Louse Power. Any skin ailment, disease or allergen that causes discomfort to horses is equally frustrating to owners, but in the end, it all comes down to good horse management, observation and control. COMMON ALLERGENS IN HORSES Grasses Grass Mix I (Ryegrass, Timothy, Cocksfoot, Bluegrass, Festuca) Grass Mix II (Scutchgrass, Bentgrass, Wheatgrass, Velvetgrass) Grass Mix III (Zeae, Wheat, Avenagrass, Barley, Rye) Weeds Plantain Mugwort Fat hen Dandelion Nettle Daisy Rape Russian Thistle Trees Pine Privet Cypress Plane Poplar Oak Beech Elm Mimosa Ash Lime False Acacia Willow Mites Dust mite Flour mite Storage mite Mould mite Moulds Alternaria alternate Aspergillus Penicillium notatum Cladoporium herbarum Rhizopus nigricans Fusarium solani Food allergens Wheat Rye Barley Oat Maize Alfalfa Insect allergens Culicoides Cadiss fly Fly Mosquito Black fly Horse fly Tested by Alergovet The Irish subsidiary of a US real estate giant that part funded the 29m purchase of Clerys department store - leading to its controversial closure pending redevelopment - paid just 214 in tax on its Irish activities last year. QREA Ireland Limited, which manages in excess of 35m of assets in Ireland, is one of more than 2,100 companies availing of S110 tax neutral status. QREA's US parent Quadrant, which has an estimated 5.7bn in assets worldwide, separately received some 50m in funding from the Government's Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF) last November, but has undertaken no investments to date with its State funds. Section 110 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 is regarded as the cornerstone of Ireland's onshore debt-securitisation regime. The vehicle allows investors to acquire, manage and trade in a vast range of assets, including securities, aircraft, financial assets and non-performing loans, such as mortgages, in a tax-neutral manner. There are now more than 2,100 S110 special purpose vehicles (SPVs) operating in Ireland, whose popularity has more than trebled since 2010 when 74bn (par value) worth of toxic property debts were transferred to the National Asset Management Agency (Nama). In a statement to the Irish Independent, Quadrant stated that it "fully complies with all relevant regulatory and tax regimes" which are applicable to its companies. Quadrant is not registered for tax purposes in Ireland, but its employees are shareholders of QREA, which manages Quadrant's interests in Ireland. Separately, WLR Cardinal Mezzanine Fund, an Irish-based fund backed by US billionaire Wilbur Ross, has confirmed that its SPV - used to issue some 500m in profit participating loans - is now availing of the S110 scheme. WLR, a provider of mezzanine real estate finance, received 75m in ISIF funding from last year. In a statement to the Irish Independent, WLR Cardinal confirmed the company was now availing of the mechanism. "The WLR Cardinal Fund utilises S110 exactly as the legislation intended," said a spokesperson. WLR Cardinal flagged its intention to register as an S110 in its 2014 annual accounts which stated that the fund was to issue 500m in profit participating loans in April of last year. The application of Section 110 means the company may, like others, have a minimal tax liability on any revenues generated here. Section 110 companies were established in 1997 to encourage financial firms to engage in activities here and have been a huge success. Their popularity has soared in recent years: there were 124 new S110s notified to the Revenue in 2010, rising to 404 last year. Following the extensive use of S110 vehicles in the acquisition of distressed property assets, and concerns raised in the Dail, Revenue has launched a sample audit - known as compliance interventions - into at least 40 companies. The Central Bank has been accused of not caring if banks are fair to mortgage customers because of its failure to do anything about sky-high variable rates. Stock Image The Central Bank has been accused of not caring if banks are fair to mortgage customers - because of its failure to do anything about sky-high variable rates. Consumer advocate Brendan Burgess said the Central Bank must do more to tackle the issue. Expand Close Central Bank Governor Philip Lane. Picture Jason Clarke. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Central Bank Governor Philip Lane. Picture Jason Clarke. Mr Burgess, who founded the Fair Mortgage Rates Campaign, said the average variable rate has fallen in the past two years following pressure on lenders. But there is still a huge gap between the average rate charged to new home-buyers here and those in the rest of the Eurozone. New buyers are charged 3.56pc, while the average in the Eurozone is 1.81pc, according to Central Bank figures. "So the gap has remained pretty much the same. Today Irish borrowers are still paying 1.75pc more than the average rate paid by borrowers in other Eurozone countries," he said. Mr Burgess singled out KBC and Bank of Ireland, who he said charge existing customers much higher rates than they charge new customers. "And it seems that the Central Bank is not prepared to do anything about this." He also said Finance Minister Michael Noonan had a conflict of interest as he wants to maximise bank profits to maximise the value of State-owned banks. Read more: Rising prices and Central Bank rules forcing homebuyers to think long-term Read more: Reduction by new lender puts pressure on banks to cut variable rates Mr Burgess said the recent falls in banks' share prices after the Brexit vote will make the minister less enthusiastic about doing anything that threatens the banks' profits. "The Central Bank is also hugely conflicted. Its primary concern is the capital position of the banks. As long as the banks are profitable, the Central Bank doesn't care whether or not it's fair," he added. The Central Bank, he said, does not want the power to control mortgage rates - despite legislation going through the Oireachtas to give it these powers. Mr Burgess also said the Central Bank recently changed the Consumer Protection Code so that lenders are now obliged to tell borrowers how they calculate their mortgage rate. "What absolute nonsense. All this does is impose additional regulatory costs on the banks - costs which will be passed on [to] borrowers," he said. The Central Bank had no comment on whether or not it cares if banks are being fair to mortgage holders. But it is not in favour of mortgage rate caps. The Central Bank spokeswoman quoted Governor Philip Lane, saying: "We don't think having legislative caps is the best way to ensure competition. We will work not just to the spirit but to the letter of every law that comes in." You could try out this Irish barber's latest hack at home... if you had the power tools to do it, of course. And forget every mundane hairdressing experience you've ever had, because this was a quiff-cut experience to remember. This video of the Barbery trying out a leaf-blower as part of their hairdressing kit has received a massive reaction online. Owner Kevin Ashe said he thought the video would "get a few likes" for the shop's Facebook page, but didn't expect the amount of phonecalls he'd receive since. "I thought it would have got a few likes but my phone hasn't stopped all day with it," Kevin told Independent.ie. My mate Alan McColgan came up with the idea and we went in last night to do it... Took us a few go's but we got there!" The Barbery is a relatively new addition to the Main Street of Lurgan, Co Armagh. Bound to bring in a few new customers, the video has received thousands of views and shares online. Eva OBeirne, Dylan Kerr and Megan Russell at Stradbally Lake in Co Laois. The lake will be open to festivalgoers at this years Electric Picnic. Picture: Alf Harvey/HRPhoto.ie It was, perhaps, the last day of Ireland's summer sunshine - and the crowds were out in force, determined to squeeze every last drop of enjoyment out of the good weather. Forecasters predict the sunshine is about to come grinding to a halt, with rain rolling into the east today. Heavier rain will hit the Atlantic coastal areas later in the day. Expand Close Jenny Blayney from Ranelagh gets set for some kitesurfing on Dollymount Strand. Photo: Tony Gavin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Jenny Blayney from Ranelagh gets set for some kitesurfing on Dollymount Strand. Photo: Tony Gavin Temperatures will plunge as low as 10C tonight after two days when the mercury has been in the mid-20s, and heavy thunderstorms will become commonplace as we head into the weekend. Workers lucky enough to have booked some time off flocked to the parks and beaches to soak up what was left of the summer, and the good weather has also been great for the more adventurous, outdoors types among us. Beautiful Dollymount Strand was filled with kitesurfers yesterday on what is likely to be one of the last beautiful days of the 2016 Irish summer. Expand Close Max McInerney (14) reaches for the blue sky as he enjoys the heatwave at Cavan Skate Park. Photo: Lorraine Teevan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Max McInerney (14) reaches for the blue sky as he enjoys the heatwave at Cavan Skate Park. Photo: Lorraine Teevan Mark Schuetze (35), from Germany, has lived in Ireland for five years and started kitesurfing shortly before he arrived - but it wasn't until he experienced Ireland's usually less-than-favourable climate that he really got into it. "When you're out there and you're just riding along, it just frees the mind - and you get to fly, that's the best part," he told the Irish Independent. Jennie Blayney from Ranelagh was also excited as she prepared to go out kitesurfing at the strand, where she first went for lessons in the sport. Meanwhile, Kevin Duffy from Mayo headed to Grand Canal Dock for some afternoon adventure in the city. Kevin, who works in a stockbrokers' firm in Dublin, was booked in for a 15-minute cable wakeboarding session with Wakedock. Expand Close Eleanor Howley and Charlotte Auty, from Leeds, also in St Stephens Green. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Eleanor Howley and Charlotte Auty, from Leeds, also in St Stephens Green. Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins "When the weather is good, I try to do it every two weeks," he said. "It's brilliant, because you're always pushing yourself to do more." Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams wants to "enter dialogue" with dissident groups who he says are at war with the community in Northern Ireland. Mr Adams, who has himself always denied being a member of the IRA, said he would be willing to engage with groups in a bid "to end their futile violent campaign, which is going nowhere". He was speaking in Belfast, where he said dissident Republican groups have an ongoing campaign aimed at intimidating community workers. "Some of those involved in these groups are heavily involved in criminality," he said. "And while the majority of their attacks and threats have been against members of the nationalist community, they have also killed and injured police and prison officers." The Louth TD said those involved opposed Sinn Fein and had recently "sought to promote confrontation". "I would appeal to those involved to end their futile violent campaign, which is going nowhere. It causes hardship and loss for families, including prisoners' families. "Sinn Fein believes in the centrality and importance of dialogue. We are willing to meet with these groups and lay out our strategy and vision for the future. "If these groups had any integrity they would enter into dialogue with us," Mr Adams added. A cold case murder accused has been granted bail after the Court of Appeal reversed a High Court decision to detain him in custody due to fears about potential interference with witnesses. John Joseph Malone (52) is to face trial for the murder of widow Ann Nancy Smyth (79), whose body was found during a blaze at her Kilkenny city home in 1987. Mr Malone was charged last October, three years after gardai reopened the case and 28 years after Ms Smyth's death. The accused was twice refused bail after Mr Justice Michael Moriarty heard evidence from a witness in his forthcoming trial about two incidents of alleged intimidation. However, in a ruling published this week, the Court of Appeal decided to reverse the decision not to allow bail, ruling Mr Malone could be freed as long as there were restrictions on his movements. The ruling outlined testimony previously given by pensioner Jude Curran to Mr Justice Moriarty in the High Court. It is claimed Mr Malone confessed to Mr Curran that he murdered Ms Smyth. Mr Curran described how the accused visited his house in 2010. He claimed Mr Malone picked up a large knife and stuck it into the kitchen table while at the same time telling Mr Curran that the pensioner could have him arrested and sent to prison for what he had told him. Mr Curran said he had found this behaviour threatening. He also alleged that a brother of the accused, Paul Malone, had approached him outside his house and showed him witness statements, including one made by the pensioner. He said Paul Malone stated to him that gardai would not always be around to protect him, comments Mr Curran found threatening. The accused denied any involvement in the incident involving his brother and Mr Justice Moriarty accepted there was no evidence that he was involved. However, after hearing Mr Curran's evidence, Mr Justice Moriarty expressed fears about Mr Malone living in Kilkenny "within close proximity to witnesses in the case". The judge said Kilkenny was "a small medieval city in size and could not be compared to Dublin or even Cork or Galway". But following an appeal by Mr Malone, the Court of Appeal reversed the High Court decision, granting bail on strict conditions. Intimidation In a judgment by Mr Justice Alan Mahon, the court said it had to have regard to Mr Malone's constitutional presumption of innocence and the lack of evidence of any actual or attempted intimidation of Mr Curran or any other prosecution witness by the accused since 2010. Mr Justice Mahon said the court also had to have regard to the fact that his trial is not scheduled to begin until March 2017. He said Mr Malone could be released on bail if two independent sureties totalling 7,500 in cash were provided. The accused will have to live at his mother's home in Newpark, Kilkenny, and must also surrender his passport. He will be forbidden from entering the part of Kilkenny city north of the River Nore, other than to sign on daily at the Garda station. Mr Malone must also refrain from contacting Mr Curran and other prosecution witnesses. A 52-YEAR-OLD man has been charged with the murder of a 79-year-old widow whose body was found in a burning house more than 28 years ago. John Joseph Malone (52) of 46 Newpark, Kilkenny city, was brought before a special sitting of Kilkenny district court on Friday morning, charged with murdering Ann Nancy Smyth at 42A Wolfe Tone Street, Kilkenny, on September 11 of 1987. The case was the subject of garda reviews by the cold case team and then by local gardai in Kilkenny in recent years and the suspect was arrested by gardai on Thursday evening in Newpark in Kilkenny. Detective Sergeant Colin Furlong told the special sitting of the court that he arrested John Joseph Malone at 8.36pm on Thursday evening and conveyed him to Kilkenny garda station. The accused was charged and, when asked in the station if he had anything to say, replied no. Mr Malone was brought by gardai to Kilkenny courthouse just before 9.30am on Friday morning and led into the building via the main entrance on Parliament Street. He was dressed in a black jacket and blue jeans. During the brief court hearing, Judge Colin Daly remanded the accused in custody, to appear before Cloverhill district court on Thursday, October 22. Chris Hogan, solicitor for the accused, asked that his client be put in protective custody and that he be medically assessed while in prison. Judge Daly agreed to ask the prison governor to place John Joseph Malone in protective custody, and to have the accused medically or psychologically assessed. The court heard the accused isnt working at the moment and free legal aid was granted. Mrs Smyth, whose husband died in 1986, was found dead in a burning house on Wolfe Tone Street in Kilkenny by fire service personnel after an emergency call was made about the blaze. The house was destroyed in the fire. Bank-appointed receivers have regained possession of the farm belonging to the former winners of RTE show 'Ireland's Fittest Family', the High Court heard. Last Thursday, receivers Kieran Wallace and David Swinburne of KPMG secured a temporary injunction against Peter Kingston, his wife Tracey, and their son Richard, in respect of their 170-acre farm at Crayden Hill, Nohoval, Co Cork. The injunctions had been sought after the receivers claimed the Kingstons had earlier this month unlawfully retaken possession of the farmland, which the receivers had taken charge of last December. The retaking of the farmland was something the Kingstons, who won the RTE television programme in 2014, were not entitled to do and they were now trespassing, it was claimed. High Court President, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, was told yesterday that the receivers had regained possession of the farmland last Friday. Peter Kingston, who represented himself, told the court he was somewhat taken by surprise by the receivers' proceedings as he had been away on a "religious retreat". But he accepted Judge Kelly's contention the matter had not "come out of the blue" given there had been correspondence with the receivers' lawyers prior to the injunctions being sought. Mr Kingston said he had gone back onto the land to deal with ragwort growth and to feed animals. Mr Kingston said he "took exception" to claims made on behalf of the receivers that the farm, which included a thousand head of cattle, was in a poor state and required considerable expense by the bank to rectify. He said 11 cattle had died in the six months prior to him handing over possession of the land last December, but since the receivers had taken charge 200 had died. Barrister Stephen B Byrne, counsel for the receivers, who were appointed by ACC Loan Management, told Mr Justice Kelly that the receivers had regained possession of the farm and the injunction was now being complied with. But Mr Byrne told the court that any suggestion the farm was not in a poor state when the receivers took possession last year would be "hotly contested" by his clients. Mr Justice Kelly agreed to adjourn the case for two weeks with the injunction to remain in place against all parties. This was to allow Mr Kingston prepare a sworn statement in response to the receivers' claims. Donegal schoolgirl Erin Gallagher (left) took her own life in October after she received a string of abusive messages on controversial site ask.fm. Her older sister Shannon (right) took her own life weeks later. School authorities and mental health services knew a 13-year-old girl was being bullied on a controversial social media site in the weeks before her death, an inquest heard today. Erin Gallagher took her own life on October 27, 2012 at her home in Ballybofey, Co Donegal. Her sister Shannon, (15), took her own life 45 days later. At the inquest into Erins death at the Mount Errigal Hotel in Letterkenny today, gardai revealed that social media site ask.fm had cooperated fully with their investigations and had handed over 258 messages left on Erins account. The girls mother Lorraine told Coroner Dr Denis McCauley that on the day of her daughters death a Saturday - she was working at McElhinneys Department store in the town. She said Erin and her son Sean James were at home and had called to the shop to have lunch with her. Ms Gallagher said Erin and her son had been laughing and joking with her and had stayed until about 3pm before walking to their home on the Silverwood estate. When she returned home just after 6pm, she noticed the house was in darkness except for a light coming from the TV. As she walked into the hallway she saw her son sitting beside Erin. Sean James said to me its ok, Erins just sleeping mummy. I realised something was wrong; that Erin had [taken her own life], said Lorraine Gallagher. She said she had grabbed her son and taken him to a neighbours house and began screaming for help. Two local men Kevin McGlinchey and Dan Deery had heard the screams. Both had attempted to resuscitate Erin but she was pronounced dead a short time later by Dr James McDaid. Det Garda Tom Ward said he launched an investigation into the death and ask.fm which allows people to post anonymously online - had co-operated with a DPP request and gave full access to Erins account. He said gardai interviewed a number of young people as a result of checking 258 messages. However the detective said a bid to secure IP addresses had failed as internet service providers had deleted the data. He said a file on the case had been sent to the DPP and in June 2014 the DPP had recommended no prosecutions in the cases. In his evidence to the inquests, the principal of Finn Valley College Alan Thompson appointed almost a year after Erins death said the school had become aware of online bullying on September 10, seven weeks before the girls death. He said there had been a commotion in the school and seven students including Erin were interviewed. Mr Thompson said the row had begun over a boyfriend but there may have been other factors involved. It became clear that there had been a fall-out during the summer and Erin had complained about comments left on Ask.fm. This had left her feeling upset, said Mr Thompson, who said the school had reinforced its message to pupils of hurtful and dangerous consequences of anonymous websites. He said another incident followed a few days later when there was a confrontation between an adult sibling of one student and Erin and Shannon outside school. On October 5 there was an altercation in a cafe at lunchtime and an incident followed in the school toilets. Erin and two other girls were suspended from school for three days. On October 23, four days before Erins death, Shannon attempted to take her own life, said Mr Thompson. Dr Don McDwyer, child psychologist with the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), told the hearing that they had been told of a previous attempt by Erin to take her own life at Finn Valley College on September 21. Barrister for the Donegal Education and Training Board (DETB) told Dr McCauley that they had been unaware of this incident until todays inquest. However Dr McDwyer said Erin had been referred to his team by her GP on September 24. On October 5, he said, Erin was assessed and her main complaint was about bullying on social media. She was given coping strategies and they did not believe Erin had any intention to self-harm at that stage. Erin had been due to have a review on November 1. Dr McDwyer said attacks on young people online can be sudden and devastating. He told the inquests: Victims can feel overwhelmed and isolated and their self-esteem is undermined. The consequences can be devastating and a young person can go to pieces very quickly. Returning a verdict of suicide, Dr McCauley said that while everyone could empathise with Lorraine Gallagher very few will understand the real pain of losing a child like this. Dr McCauley said the real suicide rate in Co Donegal was twice the recorded figures. We have a real blight here in Donegal. Excluding Inishowen I have dealt with 16 cases of suicide over the past years, he said. There is some great work going on to prevent suicide and if that work saves just one life it is worth doing. Patsy Gallagher, solicitor for Lorraine, said his client was keen that other deaths should be prevented. Lorraine wants the message to go out today to children across Ireland and Erin was a child that there is help out there for them, there are people who are willing to listen, he said. The Donegal ETB has issued a local helpline number for anyone affected by suicide. It is 074 91 31684. f you have been affected by this article, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org When Emma Kavanagh started studying journalism, she never expected that the following September she would be starting a different course at the same college. Emma, from the Navan Road area of Dublin and who attended St. Dominic's College, Cabra, had put business and law courses at the top of her CAO, but the points went up and she missed out. She was offered journalism in Dublin City University (DCU) . After putting some thought into it, Emma decided she didn't want to be the only one of her friends not going to college. She took the offer but, despite her best efforts, the course was not right for her. "I basically bottled it up for ages that I wanted to change," she says. "Before you go to college, you don't understand about all these different things that can happen." Emma spoke to a counsellor at DCU about her options and decided that she would prefer to study multimedia. She was told she could transfer at the end of the year but would have to pay full student fees the following year. Alternatively, if she withdrew before the start of the second semester, she could start multimedia studies the following September and pay only standard charge. Emma chose the latter, and hasn't looked back. "It was very hard because I never thought that I'd be the person who'd be dropping out of college so early on but honestly it's been the best decision I've ever made." Emma says that when she returned to DCU to study multimedia she was "a bit nervous that everyone was going to be younger than me". But she quickly discovered that the opposite was true. The class was full of people who had entered through alternative routes. She loved the course and has just finished her final year. Emma (22) says that students should trust their gut instinct when it comes to deciding their CAO offer: "You're normally never wrong about it!" She also says not to be disappointed and not to bottle things up. "Completing the Leaving Cert is a triumph in itself," says Emma. Patrick Kelleher Megan Lee was pretty sure she wanted to pursue study and a career in the area of design but decided against going down the CAO route initially. As Megan, who is from Delgany in Co Wicklow, explored all options she realised that she needed a portfolio and didnt have time to do one in sixth year. So, while she applied to the CAO, she also applied for a post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) course in Dun Laoghaire Senior College and, by the time she was sitting her Leaving Certificate, she had a place on a one-year Level 5 programme. Many people may not think about PLCs until they get their results, and there can be vacancies at that time, says Megan. The 20-year-old past pupil of Colaiste Chraobh Abhann, Kilcoole, Co Wicklow approached the course on the basis that, if I still enjoy it after the year, then I will try to get into a Level 8 (honours degree programme). She also knew that starting with a PLC would mean a less pressurised year. Many school-leavers, and others, use the PLC route to get into a degree programme for which, perhaps, they would not have been offered a place based on their Leaving Cert results. In some cases, third-level colleges reserve places for PLC graduates. Other students, like Megan, use the PLC to build a portfolio or to get a taste of whether they want to commit to a particular area of study. Megan reapplied to the CAO the following year and, on the basis of her Leaving Cert points, secured a place in Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) Interior Design honours degree course. She has just finished third year and recently won the built environment category of Universal Design Grand Challenge Awards in the Science Gallery, Dublin. Her smart ideas for student accommodation that would be accessible to all, regardless of age, size or ability impressed judges such as the President of the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland, Carole Pollard and the President of the Irish Computer Society, Declan Brady. When Bongani Nkosi did his Leaving Certificate in 2013, going straight into third-level was not an option. He couldnt afford it because his asylum seeker status meant he wasnt entitled to a grant. He had arrived in Ireland from Malawi in 2009 and attended Ballyhaunis Community School, Co Mayo, where he lived with his family. After his Leaving Cert, Bongani was offered a place on Medical Biotechnology in IT Sligo, but had to turn it down because of his financial circumstances. But he worked out another route to further his education and enrolled in Galway Technical Institute, to study information technology. Following that, he successfully applied for the Access course at NUI Galway, signing up for the science stream. That was only the beginning for this highly motivated student, who had also come up with an idea for funding his third-level studies. After I completed the Access course, I applied to the Ryan Foundation Scholarship and the Irish Refugee Council funding scheme and the two boards saw my potential. With their financial backing, Bongani (20) has just completed first year of Biomedical Science at NUI Galway, a successful year that was capped by gaining residency status in Ireland. Having residency status makes a big difference because it means that Bongani can move out of Direct Provision and can also apply for a SUSI grant to support him in college. He says that living in a hostel, my meal times were fixed by management in their favour and my weekly allowance was 19.10. I had to miss meals regularly if I had a class during breakfast, lunch or dinner which were served from 9am to 10.30am, noon to 2pm and 5pm to 6.30pm, respectively. Somehow I had to manage and maintain my weekly allowance so that I didnt starve. Why didnt I get a part-time job to feed myself when I needed to? The direct provision system doesnt allow asylum seekers to work. Bongani says that based on his personal experiences his advice to other students is to aim high and put in the hard work no matter what kid of obstacles you may encounter. College students on the hunt for accommodation are being targeted by fraudulent online scams. A record 80,887 students are expected to flock to colleges this September to begin their studies. Finding affordable accommodation is a challenge many will face. Online scam artists are targeting vulnerable students with elaborate back stories and complicated payment schemes. Victims of online scams are warning freshmen students to act with caution and "double check" rental sites to avoid losing monies. Rebecca Hart (22), from Carnew, Co Wicklow, found herself caught in the middle of an accommodation scam with four of her friends last June. Between the five students, they paid out almost 4,500 for a deposit and first month's rent on a house in the Stillorgan area of Dublin. However, the letting turned out to be fraudulent, and Rebecca and her friends lost all their money after one of them transferred the sum to a bank account. The five young women had to "beg, borrow and steal" to get the money together to pay an "elderly couple", who were allegedly living in the UK, to rent the house. The couple informed the young women that they should make the payments through TripAdvisor, and referred the women to the website. They later found out the 'TripAdvisor' they were referred to was a fake version of the website, designed to scam people. "They go to estate agents' websites and take the properties off their websites. So every property that this couple are supposedly 'renting' is for rent [by somebody else], they just don't own it," Rebecca said. . Since their ordeal, the five women have been to the gardai, their banks and the website the property was advertised on to try to get their money back, but nothing has been done. Rebecca is now advising students to be careful of potential scams "No matter how careful you are, you need to check and double-check as the scammers are extremely clever," she said. A gorse fire in Bray from last weekend. Photo: Oskars Rozentals EMERGENCY services remain at the scene of a gorse fire in Bray almost 19 hours after it first started. Units from the Dublin Fire Brigade remain at Bray Head this morning after a gorse fire broke out yesterday around midday. The fire has led to severe some throughout the Bray area and has caused some visibility issues for motorists. The upper and lower cliff walks around the area were closed by gardai yesterday to prevent the public of accessing the popular scenic walk. Although the fire is extensive, officers say it does not pose any risk to properties around the area. Spokesmen for the Dublin Fire Brigade told independent.ie that units battled the blaze overnight and remain at the scene. He added the fire has now been brought under control. A donation from a the granddaughter of Ryanair founder Tony Ryan has helped fund a new emergency department at Temple Street Children's Hospital. The money was provided by the HSE and a donation from Danielle Ryan and the Cathal Ryan Trust, which was set up in her father's name. Ms Ryan, an actor and businesswoman, is the granddaughter of Ryanair founder Tony. Health Minister Simon Harris and retired Dublin GAA hero Alan Brogan were on hand to open the facility. A second two-bay Rapid Assessment and Treatment Unit, two extra single treatment rooms and a new reception and waiting area have been made available at Temple Street for sick children and families. "The staff in Temple Street do the people of Ireland proud," the minister said. "I would like to commend the staff on their continuing professionalism and their uninterrupted service during the phased refurbishment. "I was very pleased to see the larger, brighter and more open waiting area and new reception area, which will be a more welcoming and comfortable atmosphere for children, their families and the staff," he added. Temple Street cared for almost 50,000 children in its Emergency Department in 2015. The new facilities are designed to improve patient experience by increasing available space, adding further isolation rooms and providing more emergency beds. A 65-year-old woman employed at a Dublin hospital has told how she was offered a contract on lower pay and conditions when she asked to work for another year. The woman, who works in a support role, said she applied for an extension of her contract after the age to qualify for the State pension rose to 66 and the transitional pension was abolished. She told the Irish Independent that she decided she would prefer to work for another year rather than go on the dole. The woman was speaking as Siptu revealed it has encountered this practice, which it describes as "exploitation", at hospitals including Tallaght Hospital, St James and St Vincent's, and among home help workers for the HSE. It demanded that Health Minister Simon Harris sanction an automatic extension of service to all lowpaid health workers. The union says it has come across roughly 170 cases where support staff, including healthcare assistants, porters and catering personnel, have been forced to retire or offered inferior contracts at 65 over the last three years. It said wages offered to staff earning from 30,000 to 31,000 a year have been in the region of 25,000 to 26,000. Although the practice is not illegal, the union condemned it because the Government encourages workers to stay in employment as it pushes up the retirement age in the coming years. The age at which workers can draw the State pension will rise further to 67 in 2021 and 68 in 2028. "I think it's very unfair that I have to sign a new contract as I won't have the same job I do now," said the hospital worker. "When I looked to work an extra year, they said they would look into it, but I was so disgusted with what they came back with. " If I could retire and get the State pension, that would be grand, as I don't want to go out on the dole queue. "But I'd rather go on the dole than sign the contract. It's a principle with me now, even though I won't like it one bit." She said the new contract would mean she would be on a lower point on the pay scale, be rostered on weekends, and would not get overtime. Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell said the issue had become more prominent since the transitional pension was axed. "The HSE has been doing this in relation to home helps and we've encountered it in the voluntary hospital sector," he said. "They are either refusing to allow people stay on at 65 or forcing them into a contractual situation for a 12-month period on terms and conditions that are inferior to what they're on now. "It's unfair how they are being treated and there is now evidence that lower paid staff are being treated less favourably than professional grades who want to stay on. "Professional staff get incremental credit, which means they get recognition for the service they have." He said women had been predominantly affected because they were more likely to have had to leave the workforce for periods of time due to family commitments. As a result, they wouldn't have full service for their occupational pension. Although he accepted offering such contracts was not against the law, he said a refusal to give incremental credit was a breach of recruitment procedures. Spokespeople for St James and the HSE were unavailable for comment. A Tallaght Hospital spokesperson said it offered to support staff the same national HSE terms and conditions as all other public health sector employers. TWO people are recovering in hospital this morning after a gas cylinder exploded on a caravan site. The incident occurred shortly before 9.30pm last night on a site near Donabate, north co Dublin. Sources say a gas bottle exploded in a caravan on the site. Two people have been hospitalised and it is understood they are being treated at Beaumont hospital. The extent of their injuries are not known at this time. A spokesperson for Dublin Fire Brigade confirmed they attended the fire. Meanwhile, two people have been left hospitalised after separate house fires in Dublin overnight. A fire broke out at a house in Clondalkin shortly after midnight last night. The incident occurred at a house in the Woodland Grove housing estate. One person has been brought to hospital and is receiving treatment for smoke inhalation. And one person has also been brought to hospital after a house fire on Maryville Road, in Raheny. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 4am. A spokesperson for Dublin Fire Brigade confirmed the person is receiving treatment for smoke inhalation. More to follow It looks like everyone who has a PCP is sticking with me Car finance has soared so far this year, according to figures obtained from the three manufacturer-owned banks here. That is hardly surprising considering the upsurge in new-car registrations. But people seem to be buying bigger and better equipped models as well. The key drivers are Personal Contract Plans (PCPs). The new figures from the three manufacturer-owned banks - BMW, Renault and Volkswagen - underline just how much of a transformation there has been on the PCP front. Renault Bank loaned 165m to own-brand buyers by the end of July -- an increase of 52pc on the corresponding period for 2015. A critical element in their figures is that PCPs now account for 60pc of their new-car financing for Renault and Dacia private customers. This time last year the figure stood at 40pc - with hire purchase (HP) by far the dominant method of finance at 60pc. The turnaround is one of the clearest indications of just how popular PCPs have become. Renault's figures echo those of Volkswagen Bank which has loaned 340m (a 39pc increase) in the first seven months of the year as we reported in the Irish Independent's Business section on Monday last. The Volkswagen figures show that more than one-in-three (38pc) of the Group's new-car makes - Audi, SEAT, Skoda and Volkswagen - are now financed by the bank. Brian Merrigan, managing director, BMW Financial Services, says the average being loaned by his company has risen from 27,000 last year to 30,000 in 2016. He believes that is because people are buying bigger and better-equipped cars. BMW will lend more than 200m for group brands for the full year, with 106m - an increase of 39pc - already loaned to the end of July. They have also recorded a 22pc rise in the number of cars financed - another key indicator of increased recourse to Personal Contract Plans. More than half (55pc) of the BMWs and MINIs sold this year have been funded by the BMW bank. And it looks like virtually everyone who has a PCP is going to stick with it. Mr Merrigan told Independent Motors yesterday: "Only two customers, of all who funded a car on PCP with us since 2011, exercised their right to hand back the keys." Read more: 10 things you should know about PCPs Sadhbh Devlin, pictured with her husband Mark and their twin girls Sabha and Lile (6), says she won't be purchasing the new 'Mr Men' series for her daughters. Photo: Dave Meehan Most of us believe that books will open our children's minds and fuel their imaginations, but sadly, many books are doing just the opposite by flogging old-fashioned stereotypes about what boys and girls can and should be. It's a problem that has plagued parents seeking progressive, exciting books and toys, only to find themselves surrounded by rigorously colour-coded shelves playing on assumptions that girls like pretty pink princesses, while boys like burly blue action figures. Yesterday's announcement of new character additions to the 'Little Miss' and 'Mr Men' series further hammered that point home, with Little Miss Sparkle, defined by "her shiny presence", and high-heel-wearing Little Miss Fabulous, who ignites the jealousy of Little Miss Splendid with her "long and luxurious and silky" hair. Mr Marvellous, on the other hand, is an athlete and prankster, while Mr Adventure is described as a thrill-seeker. "We don't do new characters very often," Adam Hargreaves, son of the late 'Mr Men' creator Roger Hargreaves, explained to the 'Guardian'. "I was trying to capture what is currently interesting." Expand Close Little Miss Reality TV / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Little Miss Reality TV In celebration of 'Mr Men''s 45th anniversary, they are also giving some classic characters a makeover, including Little Miss Naughty, who has been redesigned as the rather more buxom, red lipstick-wearing Little Miss Reality TV. Since it was published in 1971, the iconic books series has been embraced by generation after generation, but parents have expressed disappointment that the new books reinforce stereotypes about what it means to be a boy or a girl. The news drew criticism from groups such as Let Toys Be Toys, a UK-based organisation that aims to fight the aggressive gender-coding of toys. The group has also launched a Let Books Be Books campaign to target gender stereotyping in the publishing industry, backed by the likes of authors Philip Pullman and Anne Fine. Sarah Webb, the best-selling author of the 'Amy Green' and 'Songbird Cafe Girls' series, says the new characters "seem slightly out of touch with modern girls". "Why not have a Little Miss Adventure, or a Mr Sparkle? I'd love to see that. It seems very retrograde and very old-fashioned. I have a 13-year-old at home who is very much a Little Miss Mighty and would have no time for Little Miss Sparkle, she would stomp her out pretty quickly," she says, referring to her daughter Amy. "I think the problem is that we as adults assume that books about girls are for girls but books about boys are for everyone, and that is something we need to look at and question." Expand Close Not impressed: Author Sarah Webb says the new Mr Men is old-fashioned / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Not impressed: Author Sarah Webb says the new Mr Men is old-fashioned Let Books Be Books volunteer Laurie Winkless, a physicist from Dundalk now living in London, says her own background in science and engineering inspired her to join the campaign. "I feel strongly that the messages we give them as children about what they should and should not be interested in can have a huge influence on their choice of careers, and on their perception of what they can do," she says. Video of the Day "I came from a house where both my parents always encouraged my love of learning and that shaped me. I didn't have those limits or feel that certain toys weren't for me." While there has been progress with toys like GoldieBlox, launched to encourage an interest in engineering in young girls, classic unisex toy company Lego caused a stir when it introduced separate lines aimed at boys and girls. The Danish company has since attempted to remedy the split with female mini figure sets showing women as palaeontologists and astronomers. Ms Winkless says she still sees it as a move in the wrong direction, and added that the 'Little Miss' characters held a particular sting for her. "From a personal point of you, the Little Miss Fabulous and the Mr Marvellous really grated on me. The lady has to look a certain way, it's all about 'pizzazz' and 'shine', while Mr Marvellous is great at everything and he actually achieves things." Whether it's gendered colouring books or flashy pink covers emblazoned with cursive fonts and cupcakes, the publishing industry tends to favour a gendered marketing strategy that can leave some young readers feeling excluded, says Aoife Murray, spokesperson for Children's Books Ireland (CBI), the national organisation for children's literature. "When publishers are marketing books, I feel like they're very specific about who they want a book to be aimed at, and don't realise that in that case they might be excluding a lot of others," says Murray. She says in her work with CBI, which hosts free book clinics around the country where parents and children can drop in to get reading recommendations, she says they have noticed the effects of gender stereotyping in their discussions with young boys in particular. "Unfortunately, we meet a lot of young boys who have managed to get it into their heads that books that feature girl protagonists aren't for them. If we say to them, 'do you like adventure books?' They say 'yes', and we suggest this book or that, but they say, 'no I can't read that, that's about girls'. "It's immediately discounting the experiences and knowledge of 50pc of the population, and that can only be dangerous when they get a bit older. Men don't buy as many books that are written by women." She mentions JK Rowling's decision to publish the 'Harry Potter' series under her gender-neutral initials as evidence of the bias against female authors, asking: "How many books would she have sold if her first book had said 'Joanne' instead of 'JK' on the cover?" Murray says the response to the new 'Mr Men' and 'Little Miss' characters in the CBI offices was one of "surprise and disappointment". "The 'Mr Men' and 'Little Miss' series are a great leveller, everyone knows them from childhood," she explains. "I feel like these additions, instead of describing all the things that girls can do as well as boys, they describe women and girls in terms of what they look like rather than what they can do and assign different values to them. It's disappointing to see that in 2016." Beth Kilkenny, from Dublin, is mum to Jake (6) and Rachel (2), and says she finds books and toys are often categorised in ways that narrowly force children into boxes. "Even if it's not explicitly labelled as 'boys' toys' here, 'girls' toys' there, it's obvious when you walk down the aisles who should be looking where. Why not shelve the dolls next to the 'Star Wars' figurines so both options can be considered for everyone? "I feel that we should be trying our hardest to avoid putting our children in any kind of box when it comes to gender, especially at formative ages. All children should feel able to choose all toys," she adds. Kilkenny, who runs the parenting blog 'The Mother Hub', adds that she "won't be rushing out" to buy the new 'Little Miss' and 'Mr Men'. Sadhbh Devlin, from Bray, Co Wicklow, who has two six-year-old twins Sabha and Lile, says: "I don't like the idea of reading my girls a story about two female characters being jealous of each others' appearances, unless there is a wonderfully written moral at the end about not being so shallow. "I was a big fan of these books throughout my childhood and always found the characters to have lovely human qualities that were easily identifiable with for all genders. Why should the Mr Men get to have all the fun while the Little Misses just bicker about clothes and hair? That's hardly equal." One of her daughters adores all things pink and fluffy, while the other loves science and archery, and has a particular fondness for Batman - although her mum says she wishes it was Batgirl. Expand Close Sadhbh Devlin, pictured with her husband Mark and their twin girls Sabha and Lile (6), says she won't be purchasing the new 'Mr Men' series for her daughters. Photo: Dave Meehan / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sadhbh Devlin, pictured with her husband Mark and their twin girls Sabha and Lile (6), says she won't be purchasing the new 'Mr Men' series for her daughters. Photo: Dave Meehan "She wishes she had a Batgirl hoodie, but they don't really exist. So I find myself in boys' sections looking for toys that just have the Bat logo on them that can be used for either boys or girls," says Sadhbh, who runs the blog 'Where Wishes Come From'. "My family would never point out if something is just for boys or just for girls, so she's just blissfully unaware. The stereotypes are there, and I'm going to try and avoid them for as long as possible. I want them to know that they can be and do whatever they want." Ciaran Foy and Olwen Kelleghan became Aer Lingus one millionth transatlantic passengers. Photo: Maxwells Aer Lingus is flying high today with the celebration of its one millionth transatlantic passenger. Olwen Kelleghan and Ciaran Foy from Co. Dublin were greeted by airline staff upon check-in to their flight from Dublin to Los Angeles. The couple were presented with champagne, a business-class upgrade and a pair of free tickets for a route of their choice on Aer Lingus transatlantic network. 2016 has seen Aer Lingus' largest ever transatlantic expansion, with the IAG-owned airline adding routes to LA, Newark and Hartford, Connecticut. More route announcements are expected in the near future, with IAG having converted two long-haul Airbus 330-300 options into firm orders for the airline. The aircraft will be delivered in 2017. Meanwhile, Dublin Airport has revealed that this July was its busiest ever month, with 2.9 million passengers flying to and from the airport. Alongside Aer Lingus, North American services are operated by United, American Airlines, Delta, Ethiopian, ASL, Air Canada Rouge and WestJet, with the airport continuing to grow its business as a connecting hub. This summer, Dublin is running around 290 transatlantic flights a week. Read more: With 28pc of Leaving Certificate maths students taking the higher level maths paper, the Government strategy to boost national skill levels in this important subject, appears on target. That is the 'good' maths story. But, turn the spotlight to the other end of the maths performance spectrum and there are worrying developments afoot. More than 15,000 of this years' 54,226 maths candidates sat the "honours" paper, achieving the D grade that earns them an extra 25 CAO points. Schools and pupils put a lot of work into getting that D; there is growing anecdotal evidence of schools laying on extra maths classes for those students. They need it because the "honours" course is onerous, particularly for the middle-ranking students who have been lured up by the bonus points. The increased uptake is welcomed by Government and employers for the extra number of school-leavers equipped to pursue further study and careers in an economy and world with a high reliance on maths-based skills. There is also a hope this new level of ambition and achievement will lift Ireland's "average" rating in international education league tables. But with the national eye on encouraging and supporting the better students, are others increasingly out of focus, and being left behind? We have been used to high fail rates among ordinary level maths students in the Leaving, in or around 9-10pc. It dropped below 6pc last year, but it seems that was because of generous marking to compensate for a paper candidates said was "undoable". This year, the fail rate is back to normal levels - there has never been an explanation as to why it is acceptable that such a high proportion of ordinary level students don't achieve 40pc. On top of that, this year there has been a big rise in the number dropping from ordinary level to foundation level. Last year about 5,600 students sat foundation level, this year it jumped to 6,478. Why did 865 pupils drop down this year? Something's wrong. If we have more high achievers but also more low achievers, we will still be average. Kim Kardashian has finally addressed those bum injections rumours. For years the reality TV star has been subject to rumours over her ever-changing looks - especially her famous bum - with fans accusing her of using injections or padding to enhance her posterior. In a live stream through her app on Monday, the wife of outspoken rapper Kanye West, addressed the rumours and admitted to getting bum injections. But she insists she didn't get them to make her bum look bigger, instead she used the injections to treat her psoriasis. "I went to get a cortisone shot in my butt," she said in the live stream. She said that the fat injectioning rumours started when she was photographed wearing a blue dress in Miami back in 2007 with a dent in her bum. Expand Close The photo that launched the butt implant rumours. Photo: Kim Kardashian app / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The photo that launched the butt implant rumours. Photo: Kim Kardashian app I lived right behind Kitson. One of my neighbors was a dermatologist at Cedars. I go in there and hes like, Theres a one in a billion chance that you will get a huge indent in your butt. Of course I get a huge indent on my butt," she explained. "There is a picture of me in Miami wearing an electric blue dress, and another picture of me walking down Robertson, Kim said. You see the indent. And I think thats when the rumors started: 'Shes had implants. US model Bella Hadid poses as she arrives on May 11, 2016 for the opening ceremony of the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France. / AFP / Valery HACHE (Photo credit should read VALERY HACHE/AFP/Getty Images) Bella Hadid has landed the cover of the coveted September issue of Vogue Paris. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images) Bella Hadid has landed the cover of the coveted September issue of Vogue Paris. Bella Hadid has followed in big sister Gigi's footsteps by posing nude for French Vogue. The 19-year-old is the fashion bible's September cover girl, alongside fellow American model Taylor Hill. A photo posted by Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) on Aug 15, 2016 at 9:55pm PDT Vogue dubbed the two social-media savvy stars "Instamodels", describing them as "two of the hottest girls of their generation to cover the September issue". Inside the magazine, Bella poses for her most revealing shot yet as the supermodel goes topless in a series of black and white images,photographed by the duo of Mert Alas and Marcus Pigott. A photo posted by Vogue Paris (@vogueparis) on Aug 13, 2016 at 7:45am PDT The editorial also sees the Californian model in a mixture of designer clothes from the likes of Armani and Saint Laurent, which was styled by Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt. This Vogue Paris cover marks Hadid's fourth international Vogue this year. Earlier this summer, she covered the Turkish edition's May issue, she was photographed by Mario Testino for Vogue China's August magazine and Vogue Japan's September edition. A photo posted by Bella Hadid (@bellahadid) on Aug 16, 2016 at 12:02pm PDT Bella took to Instagram to share her joy at being selected for the shoot with some tactfully placed flowers because Instagram isn't ready to "free the nipple" just yet. Her sister Gigi landed a spot on the cover of the coveted French fashion glossy back in March, posing in nothing but a pair of Chanel heels and, the model joked, a spritz of Chanel No. 5. Browsing through the historic Powerscourt Townhouse Centre - former home of Richard Wingfield, the 3rd Viscount Powerscourt - visitors stop in their tracks to take in the vista. They are enthralled by a line of 12, ultra contemporary designs dressed on mannequins in an arrow-straight row. "Can we buy them?" the fashion-forward Italian shopper enquires. The answer is "No, not for the moment". These garments, inspired by everything from bees and hives to a post-apocalyptic planet where climate change has ravaged the world - are from graduate fashion collections. They are the bespoke calling cards of the Class of 2016 whose next big hurdle comes on Wednesday September 7, when the Dublin Festival of Fashion's 'Young Designer of the Year' catwalk show and competition takes place at the Bank of Ireland on College Green. A total of 12 finalists have been chosen for this year's competition, which offers the platform - and profile - to catapult the winner onto shop rails and into the public spotlight. Now in its fourth year, the DFF's Young Designer of the Year competition is all about championing young talent and getting it to the next step. But young Irish designers are always faced with the same hurdle - there are not enough support systems in place in Ireland for fashion graduates with big plans but small budgets. Ballyheigue-born Kerry designer Don O'Neill worked in McDonald's in Paris after he graduated from design college in Dublin, determined not to let his designer dreams evaporate in the City of Light. In London, Irish designers Simone Rocha and JW Anderson were selected for the NEWGEN scheme sponsored by Topshop at London Fashion Week. This showcase undoubtedly helped the two launch their careers which, within a short space of time, went international. Danielle Romeril, a graduate of the Limerick School of Art and Design, is tipped as the next big name to watch and has been offered her sixth season in NEWGEN at LFW. However, her Irish counterparts can only dream of finding similar financial support here. River Island is one high-steet store that offers young talent a bursary, while this year NCAD graduate Aideen Gaynor won the CREATE at Brown Thomas bursary which comes with all-important mentoring. Video of the Day Independent retail consultant, Eddie Shanahan, points to the difficulties facing young designers who cannot get onto the manufacturing lines because of high minimum orders, and the same goes when it comes to buying the fabrics. So much about getting ahead in the rag trade is about networking and meeting future customers, but oportunities like that were lost when Dublin Fashion Week ceased due to lack of sponsorship. Tonight's launch of the seventh Dublin Festival of Fashion at City Hall centres on a major catwalk show of over 50 looks drawn from the high street and independent boutiques. For the young designer finalists attending three weeks before their big catwalk show, the air is full of designer possibilities. Expand Close Sarah Murphy from Dublin, incorporates modern and unusual finishes to traditional knit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Sarah Murphy from Dublin, incorporates modern and unusual finishes to traditional knit Reinventing knitwear is a particular passion, for Griffith College student Sarah Murphy from Dublin. She incorporates modern and unusual finishes to traditional knit, above, such as silicone and expanding polyurethane foam. Sarah won the Irish Student Designer of the year 2016 at Kerry Fashion Week and the Student Design Competition at DIT. Expand Close Grainne Wally's 'Forgotten Lives' graduate collection at NCAD / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Grainne Wally's 'Forgotten Lives' graduate collection at NCAD Grainne Wallys Forgotten Lives graduate collection, above, at NCAD was inspired by a childhood visit to Clare Island and forgotten characters of Irish heritage: the forager, the fisherman and the quarryman. Using Irish craft techniques such as crochet, weaving and handwork, the collection incorporates elements of the characters surroundings into a contemporary context for a menswear collection. Expand Close NCAD student Ailbhe Griffin from Kilkenny was highly commended in the recent Brown Thomas Create bursary / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp NCAD student Ailbhe Griffin from Kilkenny was highly commended in the recent Brown Thomas Create bursary NCAD student Ailbhe Griffin from Kilkenny was highly commended in the recent Brown Thomas Create bursary and previously completed an internship with the respected House of Holland. Ailbhes collection, above, explored expressing emotion through clothing; she made whimsical creations using mind mapping techniques drawn onto her fabric. Her very feminine silhouette and head turning handbags were a real crowd pleaser. Expand Close Naomi Ajetunmobi's work in burnt orange fabric / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Naomi Ajetunmobi's work in burnt orange fabric Naomi Ajetunmobi is a student from the Grafton Academy of Design and the inspiration for her burnt orange fabric, above, came from the rust of wasteland. My design concept is based upon an idea of a future where climate change has ravaged the planet. I watched Mad Max and was drawn to the way they dressed. The outfit was accessorised with Mo Muse jewellery, sandals from River Island and a cuff from Om Diva. Expand Close Aisling Duff's jumbo knit sweater / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Aisling Duff's jumbo knit sweater NCAD student Aisling Duff is a breath of fresh air on the knitwear scene. She created her jumbo knit sweater, above, in 100pc merino wool she sourced online and she used a chunky size 16 needle very loosely. Aislings visual inspiration came from storytelling, including confessional poetry and the work of Sylvia Plath.Drawn to her dreamy, surreal imagery of honey, beehives and sweets, this playful womenswear collection toys with the ideas of feminine vulnerability in off whites, candy pinks and warm yellows. I feel my look showcases new, contemporary knitwear in a more young and quirky way while also exploring the idea of detachable and interchangeable garments. Blood, sweat and tears went into my winning outfit Expand Close Katie Donohoe from Griffith College who was crowned 2015 Dublin Fashion Festival Young Designer of the Year. Photo: Andres Poveda / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Katie Donohoe from Griffith College who was crowned 2015 Dublin Fashion Festival Young Designer of the Year. Photo: Andres Poveda Katie Donohoe, 2015s Young Designer of the Year, was a popular winner, with her cream outfit (above) inspired by the Wicklow mountains and its unique landscape. Winning was wonderful because it was validation of my designs, explained Katie, who had studied business and accounting and worked in the buying office at Arnotts before going back to college as a mature student to do fashion at Griffith College. I finally got to do my first love and I won the DFF award after my third year. It was wonderful going into my final year with that confidence. After all the blood, sweat and tears that went into the outfit, I couldnt part with it. Now Im looking at getting my graduate collection stocked and certainly theres a recognition there for my name, she said. Katie displayed a strong design maturity and deft touch in her contemporary look, mingling tactile yarn with sturdy leather. The silhouette was pared back, but it intrigued too with its vertical and cross-body lines. Special touches included perspex embellishment on tailored culottes. Q: I always read your weekly column and it's always full of sound advice. I often see court case reports in UK papers about older women (usually school teachers) having affairs with their young male pupils. You know the headlines - "Teacher (45) has sex with 15-year-old pupil". When I was 14 or 15, living in London, I was seduced by one of my female teachers. It happened over a period of about 6-9 months. That was way back in the early 1960s. She was probably in her 30s at the time. The activity took place in her flat, mostly. For me, as a 14- or 15-year-old, it was great fun and I cannot describe how enjoyable. Even now, over 50 years on, I still enjoy thinking about her. It didn't have any negative effect on me and I eventually went on to marry and have a stable life, though my first marriage foundered for various reasons. I would stress that there is a big difference between a female teacher/woman having sex with a teen male, and a male teacher/man taking advantage of a teen girl - that is totally wrong. This older woman who had sex with me taught me everything I needed to know about physical sex and I see nothing wrong with that. I'd be interested to read your views on this. MARY: Your letter raises so many interesting points, and thank you for writing to me. I can understand just how exciting the whole adventure was for you - your parents probably never had to nag you about going to school, or even doing your homework - and, thankfully, you didn't suffer as a result. I appreciate that you learned a lot about sex from this woman and reaped the benefit for many years. However, she was breaking the law, to say nothing of the trust that both your parents and the school board had put in her by placing you in her care. There have been many reports of children - both male and female - being the victims of abuse, either sexual or physical, at the hands of teachers. Sometimes this abuse is same-sex, and very often the child has been too ashamed and afraid to tell anybody. It was different in your case, as you were a willing, eager participant. But it is still a form of abuse - abuse of her position and abuse of a minor. I don't agree that it's fine for a female teacher and a young male whereas it is totally wrong for a male teacher and a young girl. Both can have disastrous results and there is the same degree of culpability in both cases. I have recently seen at first hand the disastrous results on two separate families as the result of a married teacher having a fully sexual affair with a young student. The teacher's career was brought to an abrupt end, the family was torn apart and the student is now quite devastated that everybody knows what went on. I realise that your teacher was single as you went to her flat, but very often when there is such an age difference the teacher is already attached, and then even more people are affected. What would have happened if you had experienced problems with regard to sexual performance with this woman? Luckily, this does not appear to have happened with you, but very often young men at the beginning of their sexual lives experience problems such as premature ejaculation or erectile dysfunction and it takes a long time for them to build up their confidence and self-esteem in the light of their early problems. Video of the Day But whatever the rights and wrong are, I feel that 14 or 15 is just too young to start being fully sexual. No doubt I will get a lot of correspondence as a result of your letter - and thank you to all the readers who wrote to me regarding the 'Lonely with No Friends' letter writer a few weeks ago. She deeply appreciated all those who took the time to write words of encouragement, and felt very much validated as a result. He cheated and then left me for another Q: I am hoping you can help me with some advice and insight into my situation, as I'm desperate. I was in a relationship for five years, and I adored him. It was very passionate, but we fought a lot too. I was always afraid he would leave me for someone else, as he had a lot more female friends through work than male. I was worried about one girl in particular, and we fought about this. He would call me crazy, psycho and paranoid. When we broke up, he was going out a lot with work friends without me, because he said I would embarrass him with my jealousy. So I gave him space to prove I trusted him. Then he broke up with me, saying he needed to be single and didn't want to be with anyone for at least a year, and he wanted to go travelling solo. I was convinced something had happened between himself and that girl. We tried to stay friends, and I foolishly thought I could win him back, but six months later he admitted he was with her but that it had only just happened. I do not believe this. It's been over two years since we broke up and I still can't get over this hurt and betrayal. I would never have done anything like that to him, and he knows how fragile I was, and he did this to me. It makes me feel worthless and that I never meant anything to him. I feel like those years were a waste of my time and the memories are tainted - I can't even look at the pictures from that time. I have been consumed with anger, hurt, and anxiety that wherever I go that I will bump into them. I haven't spoken to him in a year, but know they are still together and happy and he never did go travelling solo. I'm still alone and miserable. I have worked on myself a lot the last two years, but how can I accept that the love of my life betrayed and broke my heart, and how can I forgive them and move on when they are not even sorry? I've met guys since who are into me but I feel like I will never be able to love or trust again. MARY: I can see how upset you still are, but two years is a long time to be holding on to all of this emotion. You cannot allow things to continue like this, because while you are so sad your ex and his girlfriend appear to be very happy. You are the only one suffering . If what you suspect is true, and he was seeing the girl from work while he was still with you, then that was horrible. He should have told you, and he would have earned your respect in due course when you got over the initial hurt. A clean break, although devastating, doesn't leave in its wake a person feeling betrayed and lied to. But what if he was telling you the truth and he only started with her after you broke up? Would that make things any better for you? I don't think so, because what really hurts is that he is gone, that you loved him to bits and that it didn't work out. Perhaps part of you even fears that you pushed him into it, that by continually harping on about her he decided he may as well go ahead and have a relationship with her because you believed this is what he was doing anyway. I am assuming here that you instinctively knew that he fancied her. As you have done work on yourself, you will hopefully have reached an understanding as to why you were so afraid that he would leave you. This understanding will be a very big plus when it comes to future relationships, and, believe me, they will happen when you are ready. Jealousy is a very difficult emotion for anybody to deal with and you don't want a repeat of what happened with your ex. I'm not in any way excusing him for being less than honest with you, if indeed he was. So next time around you will be looking for somebody who is completely trustworthy and whom you can believe. There are lots and lots of decent guys out there but you must be open to meeting them. I know it will be difficult for you but, little by little, you will be able to build up your trust. It won't happen overnight, but it will be possible. In addition, as a new relationship develops and you get to know each other and reveal more about your past, you will be able to share what happened to you and this will help. Rather than be anxious about bumping into the couple at some stage, make it your goal that when and if your paths cross, they will see a happy well-adjusted woman who is getting on with her life and exuding confidence and joy. Let him see what he is missing. This probably does not describe you as you are right now, but it is achievable. You will have to move on, learn from whatever mistakes were made, and start looking ahead to new possibilities. You speak about not being able to forgive because they are not sorry. How do you know? They may well be sorry for having hurt you. In any case, you do not have to forgive if you don't want to. Forgiveness is optional, but moving on is a must. This man was the love of your life so far, but it did not have a happy ending. However, before it all went wrong there must have been some wonderful times, and you should treasure those rather than being afraid to think about them. It's up to you to ensure that the next chapter has a much nicer conclusion, which is what I wish for you also. You can contact Mary OConor anonymously by visiting www.dearmary.ie or email her at dearmary@independent.ie or write c/o 27-32 Talbot Street, Dublin 1. All correspondence will be treated in confidence. Mary OConor regrets that she is unable to answer any questions privately. Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed in May to carry out co-ordinated patrols in a bid to thwart kidnappings and piracy An Indonesian sailor has swum to freedom almost two months after he was abducted from a tugboat in the southern Philippines by Abu Sayyaf militants who threatened to behead him, officials said. Mohammad Sayfan, 28, was rescued by residents on southern Jolo Island who found him floating and trapped in fishing nets along the shore in a mangrove area, said military spokesman Major Filemon Tan. Mr Sayfan was one of seven crew members abducted from a tugboat near the Philippine border in June. Sixteen other foreign hostages, including nine Indonesians, are still being held by the violent Muslim extremist group in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation. Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines agreed in May to carry out co-ordinated patrols in a bid to thwart kidnappings and piracy that have undermined commerce in the region. A total of 24 Indonesians have been kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf this year, highlighting weak security in the Celebes Sea that borders Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Ten of the hostages were freed after ransoms were reportedly paid. The Philippines says it has stepped up a military offensive against the militants, who earlier this year beheaded two Canadian hostages. Besides the Indonesians, five Malaysians, one Norwegian, a Dutchman and at least five Filipinos are also being held by the militants. Washington and Manila list the Abu Sayyaf, which has more than 400 fighters, as a terrorist organisation. AP Australia has a policy of sending people who try to reach its shores by boat to island detention centres Papua New Guinea and Australia have agreed to close a detention centre on Manus Island for asylum seekers but offered no details on when it will happen or on the fate of the 850 men being held there. Australia's tough stance on migrants and refugees has long drawn condemnation from human rights groups. The country has a policy of sending people who try to reach its shores by boat to island detention centres, including Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Leaked documents and eyewitness reports have detailed grim living conditions in many of Australia's detention centres. In April, Papua New Guinea's Supreme Court ruled that the Australian-run detention centre there was unconstitutional. Papua New Guinean prime minister Peter O'Neill issued a statement saying he met with Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton in the capital, Port Moresby, and that the two countries agreed the centre will be closed. Mr O'Neill said he was satisfied that officials from both countries were making progress towards that end. "It is important that this process is not rushed but carried out in a careful manner," Mr O'Neill said in his statement. "This must take into account the interests of the people of Papua New Guinea and the wellbeing of asylum seekers and refugees." Mr Dutton said it had been the long-standing position of his government to work with Papua New Guinea to close the Manus centre and to move the migrants elsewhere in Papua New Guinea or back to their country of origin. "Our position, confirmed again today with PNG, is that no one from Manus Island Regional Processing Centre will ever be settled in Australia," Mr Dutton said in a statement. He said that "people smugglers" continue to target Australia but that the government has ensured that no boats have made it to the nation's shores in more than two years. He said the government plans to close a total of 17 detention centres and remove all children from detention. Earlier this month, The Guardian newspaper published leaked reports detailing the abuse of children at another offshore Australian detention centre, on the remote island nation of Nauru. Last month, Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull ordered a sweeping investigation into alleged abuses at a juvenile detention centre in the city of Darwin after a video emerged of Aboriginal teenagers being tear-gassed, stripped naked and shackled to a chair. AP A four-year-old refugee has allegedly been raped by an Afghan man at a shelter for asylum seekers in Germany. The Iraqi boy was living with his family among 600 other migrants at the centre in Boostedt, north of Hamburg, when he was assaulted. His father told Kiel District Court his eight-year-old son raised the alarm on 29 March, saying his younger brother was in the toilet with a stranger. When the man arrived he could see his sons shoes next to those of an adult, shouting and trying to open the door before it was opened from the inside. He found his son and an old man with their trousers down, the Schleswig-Holsteinische Zeitungsverlag newspaper reported. The father told the court he asked the man what he was doing with the boy, and was told he had been helping him go to the toilet. In that moment I believed him, I even thanked him in Persian, he said. The four-year-old later told his parents he had been forced to perform oral sex on the man an allegation prosecutors have supported with DNA evidence. Police said the 22-year-old suspect was immediately arrested on suspicion of aggravated sexual abuse of child. He denies the allegation, while another Afghan man, 29, denies threatening the victims brother with a knife when he tried to stop the attack. Both defendants remain in custody as the trial continues, with a verdict expected in October. It comes as Save that Children warned that thousands of the youngest and most vulnerable refugees were living in fear in deplorable conditions in amps across Europe. Almost five months after the controversial EU Turkey deal, the number of migrants arriving over the Aegean Sea and being imprisoned on Greek islands is rising. The number of asylum seekers attempting the treacherous crossing over the Central Mediterranean to Italy the most dangerous voyage in the world is also peaking. Charity workers said around 3,800 children are among more than 10,300 refugees and migrants stranded on a handful of Greek islands, forcing them to live in unsafe conditions. Katie Dimmer, Save the Childrens Director of Operations in Greece, said: Families who have fled violence and death in their homeland continue to live in fear and do not feel safe. They have told Save the Children staff that they are too scared to let their children out of their sight due to the frequent protests and a lack of security in the camps. There have been numerous reports of rape and abuse on the journey to Europe, including by people smugglers, as well as a string of assaults in refugee shelters and in The Jungle camp in Calais. A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected, South Korea has confirmed. The deputy ambassador, Thae Yong Ho, has arrived with his family in South Korea, making him the highest-ranking diplomat ever to defect to the South. Mr Thae defected due to his discontent with the regime and for the future of his child, Jeong Joon-hee, a spokesman at the South's Unification Ministry, told a news conference. Mr Jeong declined to give details on the timing of Mr Thae's arrival in the South. "They are currently under government protection and relevant institutions are going ahead with necessary procedures as usual," he said. According to the South Korean daily newspaper JoongAng Ilbo, the DPRK Embassy made attempts to figure out the diplomat's whereabouts, but failed. The newspaper said Mr Thae's role at the embassy included keeping track of North Korean defectors in and around London and helping to counter the UK's criticism of North Korea's human rights violations. He also handled consular services. The Foreign Office said they were not commenting on the reports and could not confirm if they were trying to verify them. The Government's list of foreign diplomats in the UK shows there are five diplomats in addition to an ambassador based at the DPRK embassy in Ealing, west London. North Korea often accuses the South of kidnapping or enticing its citizens to defect. The North has recently resumed its production of plutonium and says it has no plans of stopping nuclear tests as long as perceived US threats remain. In a written interview with Kyodo, North Korea's Atomic Energy Institute, which has jurisdiction over its main Yongbyon nuclear facilities, said: "We have reprocessed spent nuclear fuel rods removed from a graphite-moderated reactor." The institute also said North Korea had been producing highly enriched uranium necessary for nuclear arms and power "as scheduled", Kyodo added. A supporter of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan waves a flag against an electronic billboard during a rally in Kizilay Square on 18 July, 2016 in Ankara, Turkey Chris McGrath/Getty Images Turkey has issued a decree paving the way for the conditional release of 38,000 prisoners, the justice minister said - an apparent move to reduce its jail population to make space for thousands of people who have been arrested as part of an investigation into last month's failed coup. The decree allows the release of inmates who have two years or less to serve of their sentences and makes convicts who have served half of their prison term eligible for parole. However, people convicted of murder, domestic violence, sexual abuse or terrorism and other crimes against the state will be excluded. The measures would not apply for crimes committed after July 1, excluding any people later convicted of coup involvement. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said on his Twitter account that the measure would lead to the release of some 38,000 people. He insisted it was not a pardon or an amnesty but a conditional release of prisoners. The government says the July 15 coup, which led to at least 270 deaths, was carried out by followers of the movement led by US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen who have infiltrated the military and other state institutions. Gulen has denied any prior knowledge or involvement in the coup but Turkey is demanding that the United States extradite him. The Turkish government declared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown on Gulen's supporters in the aftermath of the coup. Some 35,000 people have been detained for questioning and more than 17,000 of them have been formally arrested to face trial, including soldiers, police, judges and journalists. Tens of thousands more people with suspected links to Gulen have been suspended or dismissed from their jobs in the judiciary, media, education, health care, military and local government. On Tuesday, police launched simultaneous raids on 44 companies suspected of providing financial support to Gulen's movement. The Anadolu Agency said the raids in Istanbul's Umraniye and Uskudar districts came after authorities issued warrants to detain 120 company executives as part of the investigation into the coup attempt. The government crackdown has raised concerns among European nations and human rights organisations, who have urged the Turkish government to show restraint. Britain could be given a "special status" in its relationship with the European Union after Brexit is complete, Germany's foreign affairs minister said yesterday - but it should not drag its feet over divorce talks with the EU, he added. Michael Roth said that Britain should be ready to invoke Article 50 by January 2017, despite reports that the Brexit ministries run by David Davis and Liam Fox were in chaos. But Boris Johnson (pictured), the UK's Foreign Secretary, insisted yesterday: "We are ploughing ahead, working together to deliver a successful Brexit as quickly as possible. The Prime Minister is clear - she expects us to knuckle down and get on with it." Mr Roth gave no details about what a "special status" might entail for the UK, but noted that arrangements with states such as Norway would not be suitable. "Given Britain's size, significance and its long membership of the European Union, there will probably be a special status which only bears limited comparison to that of countries that have never belonged to the European Union." ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Hate preacher Anjem Choudary, who helped radicalise a string of terrorists, including British soldier Lee Rigby's killers, is facing years in jail for drumming up support for Isil. The British-born 49-year-old encouraged backing for the terrorist group in a series of talks posted on YouTube, and recognised a caliphate - a symbolic Islamic state - had been created under an Isil leader after it was announced on June 29, 2014, the Old Bailey heard. Despite being a leading figure in the banned group al-Muhajiroun (ALM), and a series of former supporters going on to be convicted of terrorism, Choudary stayed on the right side of the law for two decades before investigators were able to pin him down. Choudary and co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, (33) were found guilty of inviting support for Isil between June 29, 2014 and March 6, 2015. The verdicts were delivered on July 28, but for legal reasons could only be reported for the first time yesterday. As the pair were convicted, Mr Justice Holroyde said: "You have made your disregard for the court abundantly plain." Choudary faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison. Police pounced after Choudary, along with three other influential radicals, lent their names to an oath of allegiance to Isil which was posted on the internet. The trial heard that the preacher, viewed by officers as a key force in radicalising young Muslims, had been the "mouthpiece" of Omar Bakri Mohammed - the founder of ALM. He courted publicity by voicing controversial views on Sharia law, while building up a following of thousands through social media, demonstrations and lectures around the world. In one speech in March 2013, Choudary set out his ambitions for the Muslim faith to "dominate the whole world". Supporters included Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, the murderers of Lee Rigby, and suspected Isil executioner Siddhartha Dhar. Choudary, of Hampton Road, Ilford, and Rahman, of Sidney Street in Whitechapel, east London, will be sentenced on September 6. Pope Francis and French president Francois Hollande exchange gifts on the occasion of their private audience at the Vatican (L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP) French president Francois Hollande has visited Pope Francis to thank him for his words of comfort after a spate of Islamic extremist attacks across France left more than 200 dead. Mr Hollande arrived at the Vatican for the 40-minute private audience on Wednesday after visiting the French church in Rome's historic centre. He told reporters that he wanted to thank Francis for his solidarity after the Nice attack on July 14 and the subsequent killing of a priest in his church. When Mr Hollande spoke with Francis last month, "he told me in confidence that he was standing like a brother by the side of the French people", the French president said. "All the words that have been said - I'm also thinking of the leaders of the French church - have been very important because they helped remind the French people of their unity... and also of the solidarity of the whole world towards France." He had called Francis to express his solidarity after Islamic extremists attacked a Normandy church during Mass and slit the throat of the priest, the Reverend Jacques Hamel. Mr Hollande pledged to protect French churches and said: "When a priest is attacked, it is all of France that has been hurt." The attack was condemned as "absurd" and "barbaric" by the Vatican, although Francis subsequently declined to label Islam as a whole as "terrorist". The Vatican provided no information about the content of Wednesday's audience, but Mr Hollande said he would speak with Francis about refugees, the situation in the Middle East and the plight of Christians who have been targeted in particular by Islamic extremists in Iraq and Syria. He presented Francis with a piece of Sevres porcelain with the French seal on it, the Vatican said. Francis gave Mr Hollande a bronze sculpture symbolising the passage from war to peace, as well as his recent teaching documents on the environment and families. It is the second time the two have met privately - Mr Hollande had a state visit on January 24 2014. AP A leading German politician has received praise - and some criticism - after making an unambiguous gesture of disdain towards far-right protesters. A video posted online shows vice chancellor Sigmar Gabriel raising his middle finger at a group of neo-Nazis in the central German town of Salzgitter. The clip shows about 10 far-right protesters holding placards accusing chancellor Angela Merkel's deputy of being a "race traitor" and praising Mr Gabriel's late father, a committed Nazi. At first, the leader of the centre-left Social Democratic Party is seen laughing at the demonstrators before raising his middle finger and turning away. While some on social media criticised Mr Gabriel for his coarse reaction, many praised the gesture, with one user on Facebook saying: "I can't like that often enough." AP A total of 147 people arrived on three Greek islands in the 24 hours between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning Greece's coast guard has rescued 59 migrants from an inflatable dinghy off the island of Kos while a second vessel reported to be in trouble was picked up by Turkish authorities. A total of 147 people arrived on three Greek islands in the 24 hours between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning, including those rescued in rough weather off Kos. Of the others, 44 reached the small island of Kalymnos and the remaining 44 were picked up by the coast guard from another inflatable dinghy off the island of Lesbos. Also on Wednesday, Turkey's coast guard rescued passengers on a migrant boat who had called for help citing engine problems, according to Greek authorities. The boat was found in Turkish waters following an initial search operation on the Greek side between the islands of Samos and Ikaria. The caller said there were about 53 people on board. Greece's coast guard has rescued more than 300 people since August 8 on nine migrant boats that have run into trouble in the Aegean Sea. With many islands close to the Turkish coast, Greece is a major entry point for hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees hoping for better lives in the European Union. An EU-Turkish agreement and Balkan border closures have severely reduced the flow of people through the country this year. Under the deal, new arrivals on Greek islands face being returned to Turkey unless they successfully apply for asylum in Greece. The measure has left more than 57,600 people stranded in Greece. More than 10,700 of those are on the country's eastern Aegean islands, many living in crowded camps that have long surpassed capacity, particularly on Chios, Lesbos and Samos. The aid group Save the Children says those stranded on the islands include about 3,800 children, and has warned that refugee women and children are living in "demoralising and unsafe conditions". AP Pat Hickey has taken the decision to "step aside temporarily as President of the OCI", according to the Olympic Council of Ireland. In a statement issued to media, the council said: "A warrant of arrest for OCI President Pat Hickey was issued this morning by Brazilian authorities. "Contrary to reports, Mr Hickey complied fully with the terms of the warrant. Mr Hickey was taken ill as this warrant was served and was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. "In light of this mornings developments and his ill health, Mr Hickey has taken the decision to step aside temporarily as President of the OCI and all other Olympic functions (IOC member in Ireland, EOC President, ANOC Vice President) until this matter is fully resolved. "Mr Hickey will of course continue to cooperate and assist with all ongoing enquiries." The International Olympics Committee have also released a statement, saying they have "taken note" of Mr Hickey's decision to step aside. William O'Brien, vice president of the OCI, will assume all presidential activities on an interim basis. Mr O'Brien said to reporters that the OCI will defend themselves 'to the hilt' following the arrest. Read More The 71-year-old was arrested on Wednesday morning at his hotel in the Barra da Tijuca neighbourhood of Rio de Janeiro. He was questioned and later arrested. He was taken to hospital as a precaution after mentioning he had a heart condition. Read More At the press conference, it was revealed that Mr Hickey is facing charges of formation of a criminal association/cartel, sales of illegal ticketing and marketing without authorisation. He faces a maximum prison sentence of up to seven years if charged and found guilty. Other information revealed by the police at the press conference included: *The arrest of Pat Hickey took place at approximately 10am Irish time (6am local time) this morning *There is evidence of emails and messages between Pat Hickey and Marcus Evans, the director of British company THG Sports *After being arrested, Hickey cited an existing heart condition and was then brought to a hospital in the district of Barra in Rio *The Brazilian police have warrants issued for three Pro 10 officials Sports Minister Shane Ross has announced he is returning to Dublin "as quickly as possible" in the wake of Mr Hickey's arrest. The minister released a statement on Wednesday evening saying he understands the arrested person "has accepted consular assistance and our Consul General is engaging with him". Given the seriousness of this matter, and in the interests of taking swift and decisive action, I will be returning to Dublin as quickly as possible," he continued. "I will immediately consult with my officials, with Minister of State Patrick ODonovan, and with the Attorney General with a view to considering the options open to the Government and decide the best course of action. A senior North Korean diplomat based in London has defected to South Korea, becoming one of the highest level officials to do so, South Korea said. Thae Yong Ho, minister at the North Korean embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family, Seoul's unification ministry said. Mr Thae told South Korean officials that he decided to defect because of his disgust with the government of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, his yearning for South Korean democracy and worries about the future of his children, ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-Hee said. Mr Jeong said Mr Thae was the second highest official in North Korea's embassy, and is the most senior North Korean diplomat to defect to South Korea. In 1997, the North Korean ambassador to Egypt fled but resettled in the United States. The highest level North Korean to seek asylum in South Korea is Hwang Jang-yop, a senior ruling Workers' Party official who once tutored Kim Jong Un's late father, dictator Kim Jong Il. Mr Hwang's 1997 defection was hailed by many South Koreans as an intelligence bonanza and a sign that the North's political system was inferior to the South's. Mr Hwang died in 2010. Defections are a source of bitter contention between the rival Koreas, and South Korea does not always make high-profile cases public. North Korea often accuses the South of kidnapping or enticing its citizens to defect. Ramon Pacheco Pardo, senior lecturer in international relations at King's College London, said a diplomatic defection "could prove very valuable to South Korea, the US and other countries". "Most North Korean defectors have limited access to the inner workings of the North Korean regime," he said. "The defection of a diplomat would allow intelligence services and military forces in other countries to learn more about the level of support that Kim Jong Un enjoys, recent developments in North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes or the extent to which real economic reforms are being implemented. "The defection of a high-level diplomat could also signal growing internal scepticism about the strength of the Kim Jong Un regime, since they are a rare occurrence." In April, 13 North Koreans working at a North Korean-operated restaurant in China defected to South Korea in the largest group defection since Kim Jong Un took power in late 2011. Later in April, South Korea also revealed that a colonel in North Korea's military spy agency had defected to the South last year. More than 29,000 North Koreans have defected to South Korea since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War, according to South Korean government records. Many defectors have said they wanted to leave North Korea's harsh political system and poverty. Wednesday's announcement came as North Korea responds angrily to a US plan to place an advanced missile defence system in South Korea. The North has warned of unspecified retaliation and fired several missiles into the sea earlier this month. AP A Syrian man covered with dust on a street cluttered with rubble following a reported airstrike on a rebel-held neighbourhood in Aleppo. Russian bombers began flying missions over Syria from an Iranian airbase yesterday, the first time the Islamic Republic has allowed a foreign power to conduct military operations from its territory since the 1979 revolution. Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and SU-34 strike fighters flying from a base 200 miles west of Tehran struck targets near Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and Idlib in the first mission from Iran yesterday morning, the Russian ministry of defence said in a statement. Expand Close Russian Tu-22M3 bomber on a mission over Syria yesterday / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Russian Tu-22M3 bomber on a mission over Syria yesterday "Flying with full bomb loads from Iran's Hamadan airbase, the aircraft carried out group attacks on Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra positions," the ministry said. Jabhat al-Nusra is the former name of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, a powerful rebel jihadist group previously affiliated with al-Qa'ida. Iranian officials confirmed the country had offered Russia use of military infrastructure for its air campaign in Syria. "Cooperation between Tehran and Moscow against terrorism in Syria is of a strategic character. We must unite our potential and capabilities," Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told the country's IRNA news agency. Russian state television showed footage of bombers and a transport aircraft apparently landing in Iran yesterday, but it is unclear how many aircraft have been deployed there or for how long. The deployment strengthens a de facto alliance between Russia and Iran in Syria, where both countries have intervened in support of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Iran is believed to have dispatched thousands of troops and auxiliaries to the war-torn country over the past few years. Russia launched airstrikes in support of Syrian forces in September 2015, and is also believed to have deployed undisclosed numbers of special forces, tanks, and artillery. Yesterday's mission is thought to be the first time Russian aircraft have flown missions from Iran and potentially marks a major expansion of Russia's military presence in the Middle East. The deployment also brings considerable tactical advantages. Long-range bombers like the TU-22s that took part in yesterday's raid are unable to use the short runways at Hmeymim, Syria, and operating from Iran will more than halve flying time from Russia. Iran has a historically strained relationship with Russia, and granting foreign forces access to its territory for the first time in four decades was "quite a brave decision" prompted by battlefield considerations said Sergei Sazhin, a professor at Moscow's Institute for Middle Eastern Studies. The closer Russian-Iranian alliance may have been prompted by an escalating struggle for control of Syria's second city of Aleppo, where a Syrian rebel offensive shattered a government siege a week ago. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Not your average trip to the shops. A shopper captured the bizarre moment a pet monkey wearing a diaper escaped and attacked a man in a Wal-Mart car park. Richelle Stewart recorded the incident and posted it on Facebook, explaining: I just [recorded] a monkey attacking a guy at Walmart in Lancaster Ohio!! #crazy. The monkey reportedly escaped from a camper van parked outside the Wal-Mart store on August 14 at around 7:50pm when the door was left open. Ms Stewart believes the Wal-Mart employee was attempting to help the woman in the video retrieve the runaway primate when it turned on him. The woman in the video, believed to bet the monkeys owner, is heard shouting at the employee: Let him go, let him go, let him go! If he bites you, they will put him down. Expand Close The woman leads the monkey away Credit: Facebook / Richelle Stewart / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp The woman leads the monkey away Credit: Facebook / Richelle Stewart She then grabs the animals leash and leads it away. Ms Stewarts husband then tells the Wal-Mart employee: You could have got hurt you could have got sick with that. She told NBC4i.com: I saw the monkey and he was just standing on the carts, and this lady was trying to come over and get him. The monkey had escaped from a nearby camper. And we saw the cart guy from Walmart coming over to help her. When we posted it on Facebook, we did it for fun. We go to Wal-Mart, we moved to Lancaster and there's a monkey. She added on Facebook: I think the woman was scared the monkey was going to bite him. So she pushed the guy away. It was crazy. We pulled up to Walmart and were like...is that a monkey?!?!? Haha. Police confirmed they received a call from a woman, who described the monkey as being larger than her two-year-old. They said no criminals were filed against the monkeys owner. A Wal-Mart spokesperson told NBC4 the employee was not bitten. Ohios Department of Agriculture is attempting to track down the woman to confirm the animal is registered, the website adds. The clip has racked up over 250,000 views on Facebook. Last year, an escaped monkey damaged a police car and ate a womans post after a rampage in Orlando, Florida. While a US amusement park has previously been criticised for allowing this chimpanzee to allegedly smoke cigarettes and drink cans of fizzy drinks. Resident Wade Holley rests his hand on his car destroyed in the Clayton Fire at the Clearlake machine shop in Lower Lake, California, August 16, 2016 A firefighter with the Elk Mountain Hotshots cuts down a tree destroyed in the Clayton Fire in Lower Lake, California, August 16, 2016 A dog is seen near the Blue Cut wildfire in Lytle Creek, California, August 16, 2016 An air tanker drops fire retardant on the Blue Cut wildfire in Lytle Creek, California, August 16, 2016. A firefighter monitors the Blue Cut fire along Highway 138, near the Cajon Pass Credit: Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Authorities in southern California ordered the evacuation of 82,000 people on Tuesday, after a wildfire broke out in a mountain pass and rapidly engulfed 9,000 acres (3,642 hectares), an official said. Officials said 700 firefighters were battling the blaze in an area called the Cajon Pass, the latest in a series of wildfires that have blackened nearly 300,000 acres (121,400 hectares) of the drought-parched US West. Expand Close People watch the so-called Blue Cut wildfire in Lytle Creek, California, August 16, 2016 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp People watch the so-called Blue Cut wildfire in Lytle Creek, California, August 16, 2016 "It is a very fast-moving fire, it has wind behind it," said US Forest Service spokeswoman Lyn Sieliet. The so-called Bluecut Fire erupted in heavy brush just west of Interstate 15, the main freeway between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area, forcing the closure of one stretch of the highway. #BlueCutFire in the Cajon Pass (San Bernardino County) is now 15,000 acres. 15 & 138 closed. Photo: @crimeshutterbug pic.twitter.com/hDNUGpRuJU CAL FIRE PIO Berlant (@CALFIRE_PIO) August 17, 2016 The blaze prompted the orders for residents of the community of Wrightwood, about 75 miles (120 km) east of Los Angeles, to leave their homes, said Lynne Tolmachoff, of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). In all, about 82,000 people were ordered to flee, as flames destroyed an unknown number of houses, the Cal Fire spokeswoman said by telephone. Expand Close A firefighter with the Elk Mountain Hotshots cuts down a tree destroyed in the Clayton Fire in Lower Lake, California, August 16, 2016 / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp A firefighter with the Elk Mountain Hotshots cuts down a tree destroyed in the Clayton Fire in Lower Lake, California, August 16, 2016 The Bluecut Fire, whose cause officials said they were still investigating, came as crews more than 600 miles (970 km) to the northwest began to make headway against a Northern California wildfire that has destroyed more than 175 homes and businesses. The so-called Clayton Fire was 35 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. It has charred 4,000 acres (1,620 hectares) in and around the community of Lower Lake, forcing hundreds of people to flee. Damin Pashilk, a 40-year-old arrested on suspicion of setting that blaze, and several others in the area over the past year, is set to appear in court on Wednesday. Fierce winds fanned the fire, which threatened about 1,500 structures at its peak, after it sparked on Saturday evening. As of Tuesday evening, only 380 buildings were in danger, according to Cal Fire. There were no reports of casualties. Expand Close An air tanker drops fire retardant on the Blue Cut wildfire in Lytle Creek, California, August 16, 2016. / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp An air tanker drops fire retardant on the Blue Cut wildfire in Lytle Creek, California, August 16, 2016. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County for the Bluecut Fire, which allows state agencies to come to the assistance of local officials. On Monday, Brown issued emergency declarations for the Clayton fire and another in Central California, the so-called Chimney fire. Republican U.S. presidential nominee Donald Trump holds a campaign rally at the Ziegler Building at the Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center in West Bend, Wisconsin August 16, 2016 Donald Trump has said that initial evidence in the shooting of a black man by police in Milwaukee showed that it was justified. Sylville Smith, 23, was shot dead by police on Saturday. Authorities said he was stopped for acting suspiciously and then fled, and was shot by police because he was carrying an illegal handgun and refused orders to drop it. The Republican presidential nominee said at a rally in the city on Tuesday night that it was "law and order". "We have to obey the laws or we don't have a country," said Trump. "We have a case where good people are out there trying to get people to sort of calm down and they're not calming down and we have our police who are doing a phenomenal job." Read More Recent police shootings across the country have sparked several violent demonstrations. Mr Trump said that the police were justified in shooting Mr Smith dead: "The gun was pointed at his [a police officer's] head supposedly ready to be fired. "Who can have a problem with that? That's what the narrative is. Maybe it's not true. If it is true, people shouldn't be rioting." Demonstrations on Saturday night turned violent, when cars and businesses were set ablaze and gunfire ripped through the area of protests. The city was calmer on Monday night after a curfew was put in place for teenagers, and community leaders called for peace. Police violence against African-Americans has set off intermittent, sometimes violent protests in the past two years, igniting a national debate over race and policing in the United States and giving rise to the Black Lives Matter movement. Trump frequently talks about the need to restore safety and order in the wake of such unrest. He will hold an event with veterans and law enforcement, appear at the town hall meeting sponsored by Fox News, and then hold a rally in the Milwaukee suburb of West Bend on Tuesday night. His presence in Milwaukee could prompt more demonstrations. Opponents of the New York real estate mogul frequently demonstrate inside and outside his campaign events. A rally in Chicago earlier this year was canceled after demonstrations grew violent. Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton welcomes Vice-President Joe Biden as he arrives for a joint campaign event in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Hillary Clinton has a six-percentage-point lead over Republican rival Donald Trump, according to a Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll released yesterday. Clinton's support has ranged from 41 to 44pc since late July, and was about 41pc in the August 11-15 online poll. Expand Close Donald Trump. Photo: Bloomberg / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Donald Trump. Photo: Bloomberg Trump's support has experienced wider shifts ranging from 33 to 39pc while his campaign has endured controversies and distractions in recent weeks. He is favoured by about 35pc of likely voters, according to the most recent poll. The number of likely voters who picked neither Clinton nor Trump in the poll was nearly 24pc. Meanwhile, Democratic Party nominee Clinton vowed yesterday to conduct a national security and foreign policy that Americans could be proud of, saying rival Donald Trump "just absolutely bewilders" her when he talks about his policies around the globe. "It just absolutely bewilders me when I hear Donald Trump try to talk about national security," Clinton said, pointing to Vice-President Joe Biden's dissection of Trump's foreign policy at a Pennsylvania event. "What (Trump) often says hurts us. It sends the wrong message to friend and foe alike." Trump this week said the country's national security requirements demanded "extreme" vetting of immigrants seeking admission to the United States, pointing to the threat of the Islamic State group and terrorism elements. But he offered few specifics about how the process might work or how it would be paid for by taxpayers. Clinton and Trump have each sought the upper hand as the chief executive most capable of battling terrorism. While the Republican business mogul has vowed to project strength and decisive action against terror, the former secretary of state has pointed to her deep foreign policy credentials and warned that Trump could plunge the nation into another war. Support While polls have shown Clinton building a lead following the Philadelphia convention, Democrats are fearful that a depressed voter turnout might diminish support among the minority, young and female voters who powered President Barack Obama to two victories. Clinton said at the voter registration event at a Philadelphia high school that she's "not taking anybody anywhere for granted" in the race for the White House, saying the stakes "could not be higher." While guarding against complacency, Clinton is also preparing for a potential administration. Her campaign announced that former Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, a former Colorado senator, would chair her White House transition team. It will also include former National Security Adviser Tom Donilon, former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and two longtime Clinton advisers: Neera Tanden, the president of the Center for American Progress, and Maggie Williams, who now leads the Institute of Politics at Harvard University. Her team, which is being overseen by campaign chairman John Podesta, will handle long-term planning for a potential Clinton White House should the former secretary of state win the election in November. Trump has already tapped New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to lead his transition efforts. By law, both nominees have access to national security and other federal government briefings. The father of swimmer Ryan Lochte has said his gold medal-winning son arrived back in the US before a Brazilian judge ordered that the passports of Lochte and team-mate Jimmy Feigen be seized as authorities investigate their claim they were robbed at gunpoint during the Rio Olympics. Steve Lochte, speaking from his Florida home, said his son called him on Tuesday after arriving in the US. Read More The 32-year-old swimmer was going to pick up his car and buy a new wallet to replace the one that he said was stolen from him in the robbery. Feigen's whereabouts could not immediately be confirmed. The office of Judge Keyla Blank confirmed the order on Wednesday in a statement. "I'm just happy he's safe," Steve Lochte said, referring to his son. "It was an unfortunate experience for him and the other three. I don't know what all the controversy is. They were basically taken out of the taxi and robbed. "The main thing is he's very lucky that he's safe and that all they got was his cash and wallet." He said his son's Olympic credentials and mobile phone were not taken during the incident early on Sunday morning. He added that he was sure his son had his passport or he would not have been allowed to board a plane. The US Olympic Committee (USOC) said police went to the athletes' village on Wednesday morning to try to collect the passports, but the swim team had already moved out. "We will continue to co-operate with Brazilian authorities," USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said. The US State Department issued a statement on Wednesday encouraging those involved to co-operate with Brazilian law enforcement. Lochte and three of his team-mates said they were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi on Sunday morning as they returned to the athletes' village from a party, several hours after the last Olympic swimming events were held. Police have found little evidence so far to support their accounts, and say the swimmers were unable to provide key details in police interviews. "Why would anybody fabricate anything?" Steve Lochte said. "It's just ridiculous." A police official with knowledge of the investigation told the Associated Press that police cannot find their taxi driver or witnesses. Jeff Ostrow, a USA Swimming spokesman and Ryan Lochte's lawyer, has said there is no question the robbery occurred. Travelling with him and 26-year-old Feigen were 21-year-old Gunnar Bentz and 20-year-old Jack Conger. Lochte swam in two events at the Rio Games, winning gold in the 4x200-metre freestyle relay. He is a 12-time Olympic medallist. The group did not call police, authorities said, and officers began investigating once they saw media reports in which Lochte's mother spoke about the robbery. Police interviewed Lochte and one other swimmer, who said they had been intoxicated and could not remember what type and colour of taxi they rode in or where the robbery happened, the police official said. The swimmers also could not say what time the events occurred. Later in the day, Lochte described the incident to NBC's Today show . "We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing, just a police badge and they pulled us over," Lochte said. "They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground - they got down on the ground. "I refused, I was like 'we didn't do anything wrong, so - I'm not getting down on the ground'. "And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said 'get down', and I put my hands up, I was like 'whatever'. "He took our money, he took my wallet - he left my cellphone, he left my credentials." Word of the robbery initially created confusion between Olympic and US officials. An International Olympic Committee spokesman at first said reports of the robbery were "absolutely not true", then reversed himself, apologised and said he was relying on initial information from USOC which was wrong. Lochte told USA Today that he and his team-mates did not initially tell the US Olympic officials about the robbery "because we were afraid we'd get in trouble". AP Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted to a helicopter in handcuffs by Mexican soldiers in Mexico City in January (AP) One of the sons of imprisoned drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is among the half-dozen men abducted by gunmen at a restaurant in the Mexican beach resort of Puerto Vallarta. Jalisco state Attorney General Eduardo Almaguer said 29-year-old Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar was among those taken, though the authorities still had not received any missing person complaints. "The person by the name of Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, age 29, is the son of Joaquin Guzman Loera," Mr Almaguer said at a news conference. His abduction "has been confirmed by what was found in the vehicles and what security agencies found and the forensic examinations performed". Earlier in the day, Mr Almaguer had said authorities were trying to confirm whether another Guzman son, Ivan Archivaldo Guzman, was among those abducted. He said later that authorities had identified four of the six men marched out of the upmarket restaurant by seven armed assailants. He did not say whether Ivan could be one of the two still not identified. Mr Almaguer said officials have identified the kidnappers as belonging to the Jalisco New Generation cartel, the dominant criminal group in the state. The victims are all believed to be the rival Sinaloa cartel headed by Guzman in the neighbouring state of Sinaloa. Experts have said Ivan Archivaldo assumed control of parts of the cartel's drug operations after his father was re-arrested in January. The US Treasury Department designated both brothers in 2012 under the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act as assisting their father in drug trafficking. Jesus Alfredo, along with his father and other Sinaloa cartel leaders, were indicted in court in Chicago in 2009 on drug trafficking charges. After reviewing security camera footage, Mr Almaguer said that besides the restaurant's staff, there were nine women and seven men dining together when the gunmen burst in early on Monday. "The subjects enter, control the diners, separate the women to a side and violently take them (the men)," he said. "They resisted; however, these criminals who arrived did it with a certain violence with long guns." Mr Almaguer said one of the men managed to escape. He said authorities also had not located any of the women who were left behind. "We have not received a single report from anyone to help locate these people who were (kidnapped)," Mr Almaguer added. He said the authorities had also not heard of anyone demanding a ransom. The Jalisco cartel has grown quickly to rival Guzman's Sinaloa cartel as the most powerful of Mexico's drug gangs. Experts said the kidnapping could be the latest in a string of attacks against Guzman's family, perhaps suggesting the drug lord has lost control of his cartel. He purportedly ran affairs from prison until his second escape last year, but since being recaptured had been kept under stricter security measures. In June, local media reported that an armed gang broke into the home of Guzman's mother in Sinaloa and taken vehicles and other goods. AP Russia's foreign minister has rejected allegations that its use of Iranian military bases for air strikes in Syria violates United Nations sanctions on Iran. Russia on Tuesday announced that it had launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria. The defence ministry on Wednesday announced a new wave of air strikes out of Iran, saying its jets took off earlier in the day from a base south west of the Iranian capital, Tehran, to strike targets in the east of Syria. It is virtually unheard of in recent history for Iran to allow a foreign power to use one of its bases to stage attacks. Russia has also never used the territory of another country in the Middle East for its operations inside Syria, where it has been carrying out an aerial campaign in support of president Bashar Assad's government for nearly a year. Iran is also a major supporter of Assad. Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday denied allegations by US state department spokesman Mark Toner, who the day before said Russia's operation out of Iran could violate the UN resolution that prohibits the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran unless approved by the Security Council. "In the case we're discussing there has been no supply, sale or transfer of fighter jets to Iran," Mr Lavrov told a news conference. "The Russian air force uses these fighter jets with Iran's approval in order to take part in the counter-terrorism operation" in Syria. The minister also called on the US not to "nitpick about what is happening in terms of the remaining restrictions on trade and ties with Iran". In Syria, seven civilians were killed and nine were wounded by rocket rounds fired by armed groups on a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo, Syria's state-run news agency said on Wednesday. SANA reported that the rockets struck the Salaheddine residential district in the northern city, which has been divided into a rebel-held eastern part and a government-controlled western part since 2012. On Tuesday, nearly 20 civilians were reported killed in air strikes in eastern districts of Aleppo, Syria's largest city and its former commercial centre which has become the focal point of the country's ruinous civil war. Iran allowing Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to bomb targets in Syria was an unprecedented move, underscoring the deepening co-operation between two powerhouses heavily invested in the Syrian civil war. Ali Larijani, the speaker of Iran's parliament, insisted on Wednesday that Russia does not have a permanent military base within the Islamic Republic. His comments were geared at easing domestic concerns over the strikes. Iran's constitution, ratified after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, bars foreign militaries from having bases within the country. In his remarks, reported by the state-run IRNA news agency, Mr Larijani did not directly discuss the strikes, though he said Iran has "co-operated with Russia, as it is our ally on regional issues, especially on Syrian issues". Colonel Christopher Garver, a US military spokesman in Baghdad, told reporters at the Pentagon that the Russians activated a communications link with coalition officials just ahead of the first bomber mission on Tuesday. "The Russians did notify the coalition," he said, adding that they "informed us they were coming through" airspace that could potentially put them in proximity of US and coalition aircraft in Iraq or Syria. Asked how much advance notice the Russians gave the US, Col Garver said, "we did know in time" to maintain safety of flight. "It's not a lot of time, but it's enough" to maintain safety in the airspace over Iraq and Syria, he said. That raises questions about whether the move was a strategic necessity or a political message from the Kremlin to Washington. The announcement from Russia marks the first significant stationing of its troops in Iran since the Second World War. AP Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is greeted as she arrives at a campaign event at John Marshall High School in Cleveland (AP) Hillary Clinton has shrugged off Donald Trump's latest campaign shake-up, saying he is the "same man" who would cut taxes for rich people while she would force the super-wealthy to pay more. The Democratic presidential nominee told a rally attended by more than 2,300 people in Cleveland: "Donald Trump doesn't need a tax cut. I don't need a tax cut. "It's time for the wealthiest Americans, whoever you are, as well as corporations and Wall Street to pay your fair share in taxes." Her remarks came shortly after Mr Trump, struggling to steady his troubled campaign, announced a new chief executive officer and campaign manager. Polls show Mrs Clinton building a lead in the weeks since the summer nominating conventions. At the rally, she suggested staffing changes will not fix her rival's campaign or change his past insults of the Muslim American parents of an Army captain killed in Iraq, or incendiary comments about women and people with disabilities. Mr Trump, she said, has "shown us who he is". "There is no new Donald Trump. This is it," she added. Even as she has struggled to address questions about her trustworthiness amplified by scrutiny of her use of a private email server at the State Department, Mrs Clinton has addressed the trust issues in other ways. Popular surrogates, including Vice President Joe Biden this week in Pennsylvania, have testified to her trustworthiness. Mrs Clinton has repeatedly pointed to Mr Trump's unwillingness to release his income tax returns and said his tax policies would only help the rich. She pledged again that she would not raise taxes on middle-class earners but Republicans noted that during her time in the Senate she had voted in favour of Democratic budget plans that would have raised taxes on American earning less than 250,000 US dollars (190,000) a year. Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement that Mrs Clinton's tax plan would "kill jobs, reduce wages and hurt economic growth" and her prior Senate votes showed "she can't be trusted to look out for the middle class". She has proposed a 4% surcharge on incomes of more than five million dollars (3.8 million), which would essentially create a new top bracket of 43.6% while those earning more than one million dollars (770,000) annually would face a tax rate of at least 30%. She has also pledged to eliminate the so-called "carried interest" loophole for private equity and hedge fund managers who pay lower rates on their investment profits. Mr Trump wants to reduce the top bracket to 33% from the current level of 39.6% and would reduce the seven tax brackets down to three, at 12%, 25% and 33%. The businessman would eliminate the estate tax, which is currently applied to estates worth more than 10.9 million dollars (8.4 million) for married couples. Mrs Clinton would increase the estate tax to 45% from the current 40% and apply it to estates of seven million dollars (5.4 million) for married couples. AP SHARE Independent Mail file Men carry guns outside of the Chiquola Mill during the textile strike in 1934. Seven workers at the mill were shot and killed while protesting low wages. Independent Mail file photo Men gather to be deputized to help keep the peace after the seven workers were killed in the Chiquola Mill strike in 1934. Contributed photo by Frank Beacham Shooters stood in these windows inside Chiquola Mill on Sept. 6, 1934. Below: Dan Beacham in his official mayoras portrait. The photograph still hangs in Honea Pathas Town Hall. Independent Mail file The Chiquola Mill in Honea Path is in ruins today. By Frank Beacham Last February, an earthquake finished off the remaining remnants of the Chiquola Mill in Honea Path. For years before that quake hit, the old cotton mill, built in 1902, had stood in an unending state of demolition with many of its historical bricks being sold on eBay. At one time, because of the mills rich historical legacy, Chiquola had a chance of becoming a textile museum. But Honea Paths town officials didnt support preserving the mill. They genuinely wanted to forget the history that defines their community. To stand on the mills site now, its hard to imagine the extent of the painful tragedy that happened there 80 years ago this week. And its even harder to appreciate how the reverberations of Sept. 6, 1934, continue in Honea Path to this day. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Frank Beacham is a writer living in New York City. His multimedia e-book, Mill Town Murder, chronicles the Honea Path story in text, photographs, audio and video. For the 80th anniversary of the Chiquola Mill shooting, Beacham has produced a 48-minute audio documentary on the Honea Path shooting at www.beachamjournal.com, which will run throughout September. Beacham grew up in Honea Path. He is the grandson of Dan Beacham, who was the mill supervisor at the time of the incident. I grew up in Honea Path in the early 1960s. My mother was a history teacher at the high school. My father sold textile supplies. My grandfather, Dan Beacham, who I never met, was the superintendent of Chiquola Mill, the mayor of Honea Path and the town judge. He ran the mill during the infamous Textile Strike of 1934. My grandfather was ordered by Chiquolas owners to stop the workers from organizing a union, though their beloved President Franklin D. Roosevelt had urged them to do so. The workers, who were being pressured to work harder, faster and longer hours at the mill, were suffering during the hard times of the Great Depression. My grandfather threatened to fire any striking worker and to throw them out of their mill-owned homes. The workers ignored him. In response to the huge strike of 1934, he deputized pro-company workers and provided them with shotguns, rifles, pistols and even an old World War I machine gun to protect the mill. The deputized workers violently turned on the strikers their own neighbors on the morning of Sept. 6. When the fighting was over, seven Chiquola workers were killed and 27 others were injured. None of the slain workers were armed, and all were trying to get away from the gunmen standing in mill windows that day. When I was growing up in Honea Path, the subject of the mill violence was taboo. There were hints of what happened, of course, but the topic was never discussed in the open. I learned the truth about Honea Paths history in 1994 from a documentary film called The Uprising of 34, which is being shown this month repeatedly on South Carolina ETV. Since that film essentially ended Honea Paths 60-year-old secret, I went on a search of my own to learn more about what happened. As a professional writer, I was shocked to find one of the most compelling stories Ive ever heard connected to my own family and hometown. Even more shocking, I found, was how an event of such magnitude and importance to the lives of generations of Honea Path families could have been hidden and buried for so long. The reason I and so few of my fellow baby boomers didnt know the story of Chiquola Mill was because it was purposely denied us. There was a campaign of fear and intimidation after the shootings that effectively erased public discussion of what had happened. Fearful workers who wanted to keep their jobs put a self-imposed lid on their own past. Many myths have built up over the years about the workers who died in Honea Path. They were called an isolated group of troublemakers and rabble-rousers. Some, mainly on the side of the mill, claimed they deserved what happened to them. Regardless, the cruelty of the mill management was deeply disturbing. Led by my grandfather, they refused to allow the mill-owned churches to hold the funerals for the slain workers. It turned out those churches werent big enough anyway. More than 10,000 people came to Honea Path from throughout the nation for the outdoor funeral. Most of the striking workers were fired and blacklisted after the shooting. Those allowed to keep their jobs were not allowed to say the word union again. The spouses of workers killed by fellow workers at the mill remained silent on the job for the rest of their lives. The town formed a social contract not to talk about the darkest day in its history. The disillusionment of the workers and the outrageous conduct by the mill owners made a strong impression on the Roosevelt administration. The events in Honea Path helped spur passage of the Wagner Act in 1935 and the Fair Labor Standards Act in 1938. Out of this legislation came reforms that vastly improved the lives of all American workers from child labor protection to the 40-hour workweek. A direct result of the violence in Honea Path, these laws have permeated modern life in the United States and have extended far beyond the textile industry. The corrosive division that poisoned Honea Path and suppressed its history was concocted by those responsible for the violence. Fortunately, that has mostly ended now, if for no other reason than fewer and fewer participants still remain with us today. After 80 years, its time to take an honest look at what happened in 1934 and learn about the terrible events that shaped the lives of our parents and grandparents. We are better off knowing the truth, not continuing to live in a state of ignorance. Harvey Hughes leads a group in Bible study at Faith Baptist Church in Westminster. SHARE By Charmaine Smith-Miles of the Independent Mail Harvey Hughes is at home with his hands in grease, wrenches and chrome. He is also at home in the pulpit and sitting down with a parishioner. Hughes, an Atlanta native, grew up around cars and the parts it took to fix them. At age 13, he was working for Nathan Auto Parts in downtown Atlanta. Later, after marrying a girl from Oconee County, he worked at the former B and R Auto Parts store in Seneca. I grew up at a time when cars were the thing, Hughes said. As a teen, everybody was into cars and fixing them up. It was the 1960s, after all. But 15 years after he had that first job, he would find a new love in his life: God. Hughes was not raised in church. His parents were not atheists, but attending church was simply not part of their routine. Hughes routine would change after he and his wife, Pam, had a son who was born with a heart murmur and needed to go through open-heart surgery when he was about 6 months old. They would see that son, Trey, live until age 26. He died in 2002. God used this set of events with my son to bring about something wonderful, Hughes said. I started by praying for my son. I turned to God for help. In 1978, when he was 28, Hughes made a commitment to God. He had moved from simply praying for his son to wanting to know more about God. On Easter morning 1978, he accepted Christ into his heart. Within five years, Hughes was ordained into ministry. He was still working with his hands, including working as an electrician at the Oconee Nuclear Station. But he found himself wanting to know more about church, God and the Bible. I loved my job, but I felt God was calling me into something else, Hughes said. I would ask questions, but the more I asked, the more I wanted to know. So he went to what was then called Anderson College, setting his life on a different course. He was ordained in 1983 and has worked in ministry for more than 30 years. Hughes earned undergraduate degrees in theology and religion from Anderson University and Southern Wesleyan University. He also has masters degrees in counseling from Clemson University and Colorado Theological Seminary. In his early years of ministry, Hughes served as childrens pastor at Utica Baptist Church and in childrens ministry at Corinth Baptist Church, both in Seneca. Since then, he has led the congregations at Mt. Tabor Baptist Church in Westminster, Bethel Baptist Church in Oakway, Davis Creek Baptist Church in Seneca and Forest Hills Baptist Church in Anderson. At some of those churches, he served as an interim or transitional pastor. Hughes also served two years as interim pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Santa Barbara, Calif. While in California, Hughes worked in the drug and alcohol counseling program at the University of California, Los Angeles. He became the transitional minister of Faith Baptist Church in Westminster in January. He commutes from his home and addiction counseling office in Suwanee, Ga. My job as a transitional pastor is to ready the church for a permanent pastor by helping to improve communications and helping to identify what I call the SWOT, he said. SWOT, Hughes said, stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. I want to help Faith Baptist Church become a church of the Great Commission and of the Great Commandment, Hughes said. We simply want to help people connect with God in a genuine way. Hughes said he has no regrets about turning from one career, working with his hands, to working with people and their relationships. After all, he has not given up working with cars. He and his grandson, Chase, are working on restoring a 1975 Corvette Stingray and a 1980 El Camino, Hughes said. All of this has been a pilgrimage, he said. I still love working on cars, because it has been very therapeutic for me. PHOTOS BY KATIE MCLEAN/INDEPENDENT MAIL Former NASA astronaut Dr. Mae C. Jemison delivers the keynote address Tuesday at the Victor Hurst Convocation as Clemson University begins its new academic year. SHARE Clemson University President Jim Clements hugs Dr. Mae C. Jemison after her speech Tuesday at the Victor Hurst Convocation in Clemson. Former NASA astronaut Dr. Mae C. Jemison delivers the keynote address Tuesday at the Victor Hurst Convocation as Clemson University begins its new academic year. By Mike Eads of the Independent Mail CLEMSON UNIVERSITY America can't cultivate more engineers and scientists unless people begin to think beyond merely getting children to take more math and sciences classes in school, according to the first African-American woman to ever visit space. "I always assumed I would go into space," shuttle astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison told Clemson University's year-opening convocation at the Brooks Center Tuesday morning. She conducted experiments related to weightlessness aboard the shuttle Endeavour in September 1992. Jemison, 59, told the packed house of faculty, staff and students that everything fascinated her as a child on Chicago's south side in the 1960s and 1970s dance, design, history, biology, physics, Barbie dolls, theater, Star Trek, hippies, space travel and more. She said those polymathic tendencies prepared her to enter Stanford University at age 16, then go on to practice medicine, teach, serve on different public and private boards, and fly in space. Clemson students should not just worry about their grade-point-averages in their majors; rather, they should take advantage of the opportunities the university offers to learn about different things, Jemison said. "Take classes outside your major's requirements, even if you're not guaranteed to get an A," she said. That openness to new things, along with a more educated populace, she said, would expose more women and men of all backgrounds to careers in science, technology, engineering and math the STEM jobs referred to so often by politicians and educators today. "We need to get more people involved," said Jemison, who now leads the U.S. Department of Defense 100-Year Starship project to make interstellar travel possible within the next century. "They should be able to read (about science) in newspapers. It's not just about improving our competitiveness; it's about a broader view of what we do." An enthusiastic group of mostly women students, staffers and faculty of all ages lined up afterward to take pictures with Jemison and thank her for coming to Clemson. Engineering professor Julie Martin brought a few of her female students to meet the astronaut. "We really appreciate your beginning of semester talk, and we're inspired and ready to go," Martin told Jemison in front of the star-struck students. Martin studies ways to foster inclusion in STEM-related university classes and programs. She said Jemison was absolutely right improved science literacy among the general populace would lead to more young women and men showing up at Clemson with the intention to become scientists and engineers. Encouraging people to widen their ranges of interest would also help, according to Martin, who specialized in materials science and engineering at North Carolina State and the University of Virginia before arriving at Clemson in 2003. "I minored in religious studies at N.C. State. I never imagined I'd be in the position I am in now, nurturing STEM," Martin said. Jemison's speech was a part of the Victor Hurst Academic Convocation, which kicks off each year at Clemson. President Jim Clements and Provost Bob Jones each addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support of the ongoing Clemson Forward restructuring of the university's academic and administrative functions. Graduate student government President Tyrese Bryant presented Martin with the Excellence in Mentoring Award based on her work on student experiences with STEM education. Computer science professor Brian Dean was honored by undergraduate President Joey Wilson with the Phil Prince Award for Innovation in Teaching. Dean was unable to accept the award in person, as he is attending the International Olympiad in Infomatics in Kazan, Russia. Follow Michael Eads on Twitter @MikeEads_AIM SHARE By Charlie Bauder, WNEG FM 93.1/AM Special to Independent Mail The Stephens County public school system has agreed to ask for state assistance with setting up a new five-year plan for local facilities. The Board of Education unanimously voted Tuesday to approve a resolution requesting the Georgia Department of Education's assistance. Stephens County School Superintendent Bryan Dorsey said assistance from the state would open up options for the school system. "It helps us bring in some expertise from folks who have done this throughout the years at the state level," Dorsey said. "It also affords us an opportunity to bring in other individuals from school systems that will help us go through this process, identify some of our needs from an independent lens." The state assistance also will provide information to the school system about how to apply for state grant money to help pay for some expenses. Dorsey said the resolution passed Tuesday now will be submitted to the Georgia Department of Education for approval. In other business Tuesday, the Board of Education unanimously approved a motion to expand use of the Renaissance Learning Software program. The school system already uses that assessment program but now will expand that use, Dorsey said. The software expansion will cost the school system $25,000. The program "helps our teachers look at data so they will know what they might need to consider when helping a child in both their language and their mathematics," said Dorsey, who added that the program is used by teachers of classes from kindergarten through ninth grade. SHARE By Ed Dutton, Anderson By this time I guess you have heard of the Zika virus. What you may not know is that this virus has been around a long time mostly in tropic and undeveloped subtropic parts of the world. Now, with all of the travel possibilities now available to people, it has spread until the southern U.S. is now in its sights. Recognition of this was demonstrated when President Obama and the Senate sent a bill to the House of Representatives to fund an effort to address this terrible disease. Well, the House decided to attach a few conditions like defunding parts of Obamacare, cutting programs providing contraception to low-income women and men, and a few more partisan land mines. So, the bill died. This bill was introduced in February for $1.9 billion. I am going to suggest the following, which I must add is only my opinion: I think what happened is that large benefactors of medical research firms got nervous that some of their projects were going to be severely affected by funds being diverted. So then they "expressed" their concerns to certain members of Congress both the Senate and the House. So another piece of work for the people was "kicked down the road" but not without a warning from former presidential contender Marco Rubio, who was reported to say to his Republican colleagues, "You're going to have to explain to people why it is that we sat around for weeks and did nothing on something of this magnitude." They responded by going on vacation. After his last outing in the romantic thriller Love Games (2016), Vikram Bhatt is back with the next instalment in the Raaz (2002) series, now titled Raaz Reboot . The fourth one in succession, this movie is expected to send us into cold sweats. Releasing on 16th September 2016, the movie stars the Bhatts' favourite nephew Emraan Hashmi , with Tollywood actress Kriti Kharbanda and Gaurav Arora in pivotal roles. With a lineage that has been giving us goosebumps for fourteen years now, a lot of us are surely waiting for the latest spiritual successor. Featured Video The plot is cliched, revolving around a love triangle and a haunted house in Romania. The first few seconds feature flashbacks where Rehan (Arora) proposes to Shaina (Kharbanda) and what follows is a tiny bliss. Not much to our surprise, these romantic moments are weaved into the present where Shaina seems to be possessed. What looks like a vengeful spirit is doing its utmost to turn the woman's life upside down. The buried secret in their new Romanian accommodation tends to build cracks in their relationship because the husband refuses to believe in the plausibility of a supernatural entity. So this is when Hashmi, the strange man who has a supposed past with Shaina, decides to complicate an already strained marriage. The trailer concludes with a series of transient events highlighting Shaina's possession and a desperate effort to be haunting. The trailer of this purported horror flick unfortunately fails to incite the slightest bit of fear in the viewer's mind, and this is because of how ridiculously hackneyed everything appears to be. Bhatt appears to take a lot of inspiration from the 1920 (2008) franchise, also by Vishesh Films, and that doesn't seem to be helping the case. The movie appears to have followed every trick in the book, from the mysterious force dragging the blanket to no one believing the affected and hapless protagonist. Horror movies are able to terrify the viewers because of the VFX and background music, but Raaz : Reboot seems to have failed in these departments as well. Jeet Gannguli and the Haldipur brothers' music seems a tad bit mellow and at times romantic for a horror movie, and fails to give the necessary scare. As for the VFX, the less said, the better, since one could barely make out anything from this trailer. Hashmi is an actor with great acting chops, but his presence in movies like these make us question him in despair. Sure, one must support and love their family, but there is a limit to doing so. Kharbanda may have wowed the audiences with her appearances down South, but unfortunately, she doesn't seem to have impressed in this trailer. The less said about Arora, the better. The Bhatt camp believes in experiment and freedom of expression, but this flick seems to have none! We are nowhere close to curious about the undisclosed reboot aspects of the story since this is one trailer where the plot and every subplot appear to be overused. We at BollyCurry rate this trailer 1.5 out of 5 and wish the entire cast and crew plenty of luck, because that's something that could work in their favour! Author: Lekha V Editors: Anushka J. and Ritchelle C. Graphics: Aiswarya M. and Ayesha S. 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 South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley speaking to students earlier this year. Photo from Twitter A note from the editor's desk The wolf who lurksBy Brandon EcoffeyLakota Country Times Editor Indian Country has dealt with the likes of Slade Gorton, John McCain, and other anti-Indian politicians in the past but there is one who is potentially far more dangerous than any of them lurking just off the radar. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley's most recent attempt to attack tribal sovereignty and economic development in Indian Country is without a doubt a preview of what is to come of his Indian policy should he be elected governor in 2018. It's an open secret that this man who made his name by prosecuting bus loads of low level non-violent drug offenders has his eyes on the Governor's mansion in Pierre. While serving as South Dakota's AG he has utilized America's love affair with mass incarceration and the policies of the failed War on Drugs to position himself as the traditional hard on crime right wing candidate. This is all fine and dandy until you realize that the communities who have been hit the hardest by people like Jackley have been the poor and Native American communities across this state. The Sioux Falls Argus leader described the situation best when they wrote "Jackley delivered yet another chapter in the Flandreau tribes marijuana story. Its been a story marked by blundering and buffoonery. Of threats and authoritarian overreach. Of all-around jackassery." Jackassery is a wonderful way of describing the state's decision to prosecute two non-native contractors who were assisting the Flandreau Sioux Tribe in setting up a planned marijuana resort within the boundaries of their sovereign nation. The reason the Jackley went after the consultants was because he had no legal standing to go after the tribe. The state has no jurisdiction in Indian Country and the FST was prepared to stand on their sovereignty. The low hanging fruit in this case were the non-Native consultants. While the majority of the country is finally beginning to recognize that America's drug problems cannot be solved by mass prosecution, but through measured legalization and addiction treatment for offenders --South Dakota has once again decided to buck the common sense trend. Instead of taking on a true conservative position on the matter Jackley has opted to over-prosecute like he always has. Visit the Lakota Country Times and subscribe today The plan for the resort had already been scrapped prior to the AG's announcement last week that he would pursue charges against two non-Native consultants who helped the Flandreau Sioux wade into the waters of marijuana legalization. Is this prosecution a message to the rest of America that investment in Indian Country will always be stifled by the state? Instead of taking an opportunity to assist tribal-nations and improve commerce for all people in South Dakota, Jackley has decided to show the nation that this state is run by a bunch of backwoods bigots who could care less about effective public policy. (Brandon Ecoffey is the editor of LCT and is an award winning journalist who was born and raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. He can be reached at editor@lakotacountrytimes.com) Join the Conversation Related Stories pixgood Vidya Balan is one actress in Bollywood, who has definitely created her own path in the industry and have successfully broken the stereotypes in the industry. Remember when she did The Dirty Picture and shut everyone who was criticizing her? Even outside of her work, Vidya has often spoken her mind on issues that really matter. In fact, in a recent interview to TOI, Vidya Balan spoke about feminism, prostitution and womanhood in India, and her thoughts seem to be totally spot on! She gave some legit comments on the rapes happening in the country. "It is all about appropriating someone else's space. Whether war or rape, it is all about appropriating another person's space. The physical, bodily space that you occupy is your space. And even that gets invaded, someone's mindspace." fimibeat She also spoke about prostitution. "The debate of legalization of prostitution has been going on for centuries. Having said that, none of those prostitutes are doing it out of choice. They are doing it out of lack of choice. Yes it is transactional, but I don't think it is a fair deal. What comes to them is very, very miniscule. So, in that sense it is exploitative, but it is not either or. I don't think one is a lesser evil than the other. It (prostitution) is more open so there is no pretense about it." She also had some really valid points about people suddenly waking up to the happenings around them. "Sometimes when people say that Delhi is the rape capital, that there are so many rapes happening in India, and pehle toh aisa nahin tha, I'm like, don't kid yourselves. That's always been the case. Today, because of the infiltration of media and social media, it is being reported more. When in France, that guy drove that truck on the pavement over people, there were people taking videos. The reality becomes that much more immediate for you." india Vidya had some interesting views about empowerment as well. "Empowerment is also relative. Coming from the background that I do, where I was brought up to believe that I am an individual first and nothing can hold me back if I wanted to do something, I look at things very differently from a girl who has had to stand up every time an elderly male in the family." Shah Rukh Khans US trip was under media scanner after he got detained at the US Airport but we got to know that Shah Rukh with with wife, Gauri, sons - Aryan and AbRam, and daughter, Suhana are in California for Aryans orientation programme at the University of Southern California. Aryan will be studying an undergraduate course in filmmaking. According to Instagram posts and videos, Shah Rukh Khan was mobbed by his little fans who wanted selfies with the star. Apart from clicking selfies, Shah Rukh Khan also gave some wise advice to Aryan and his classmates. Shah Rukh Khan interacted with Aryan's future classmates and he even interacted with them too. He said, "I am showing Aryan a lot of films because he is going to film school now. I have made a folder with all the great English classics like The Untouchables, Goodfellas and Michael Douglas' Falling Down. I am showing him English films now but I have also made another folder that has Hindi classics like Sholay, Do Aakhen Barah Haath and Devdas -both Dilip saab's and mine. I want him to see more films. He tweeted: The Delhi government has issued a draft notification banning glass-coated kite strings or Chinese manja in the national capital. BCCL According to the draft notification, kite flying will be permissible only with a cotton thread and natural fibre free from any metallic and glass components. Violation of directions will be punishable with an imprisonment of up to five years or fine which may be extended to Rs 1 lakh or with both. The Environment Department of Delhi government has sought public suggestions and objections on its draft notification asking them to file the same within 60 days and thereafter, a final notification will be issued. BCCL This comes days after three people including two children lost their lives in separate incidents on Independence Day. Saanchi Goyal, 3 and Harry, 4, were travelling with their heads out of sunroofs in cars on Monday evening, when kite strings slit their throats, while the third victim, a 22-year-old man named Zafar Khan was killed when a kite string slashed his throat while he was riding a motorbike. BCCL The use of the toughened strings, usually laced with glass or metal had come under scrutiny after a number of accidents involving the kites were reported recently. According to some reports the notification was cleared by Lt Governor on August 8 and sent it back to the government the next day, however the AAP government claimed that the Environment Secretary took 7 days to issue the notification. Other states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have already banned the use of the Chinese manja. Jamia Millia Islamia a central university in Delhi was in the know that Delhi Police officials were coming to the campus on August 13 evening but it was kept in dark about the presence of Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials in the team. They were supposed to come to meet the proctor which they did not do and directly went boys hostel campus, an act that agitated students who are protesting against what they call "witch hunt. Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar Contrary to our standing that the policemen will come and meet the proctor, they visited the Hall of Residence for Boys. We were completely unaware or kept in dark the police team comprised of IB officials. As we got the information, we immediately rushed to the hostel and asked them to return, reliable sources in the university told Indiatimes requesting anonymity. Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar He said it was not a raid but breach of security of which the universitys proctorial department has taken a strong exception and has written to deputy commissioner of police (South-East district) to take strong action against the erring officials. Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar We offer sincere apologies to the students and ensure that such thing will never repeat in the future. Our campus is safe and the students should not feel insecure and alienated. Their safety and security is our duty and we will ensure it, said the official. Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar A series of negotiations between the university administration and protesting students finally bore fruit today with students withdrawing their agitation on the fifth day after authorities accepted security lapse on their part. Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar I am disturbed at the recent incidents on the campus on August 13, 2016. Some students have been protesting against the unauthorised presence of four police personnel in plain clothes outside the Hall of Residence for Boys, which was a security lapse. I empathise with the students for the hardships that they have faced during this period. I assure the students that: (i) the safety and security of all Jamia students is our utmost priority; (ii) all preventive measures will be undertaken to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future; (iii) no disciplinary action will be taken against any student protesting above incident, reads a letter signed by Chief Proctor Professor Mehtab Alam. Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar Hundreds of students had been protesting since August 13 evening against the alleged raid and the issue snowballed after Vice Chancellor Professor Talat Ahmad made controversial statements while addressing the striking students on August 15 evening. Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar Addressing them as their guardian, the vice chancellor stated, The there was no police raid and that the police never entered hostel premises. Their presence on campus was a part of routine verification in connection with the Independence Day. It was being wrongly projected that police had entered the hostel." Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar He, however, condemned the police entering the campus without prior permission of the chief proctor but at the same time told the students they better focus on their studies and who is coming and going in or from the campus is non of their concern. He refused to answer any question raised by the protesting students adding that I have not come here to answer your questions. I am here to inform you not to make Jamia a political battleground. Indiatimes/Tarique Anwar He reminded them that they were good students and the fact that they had secured admission to JMI was a testimony of their high academic credentials. Therefore, at this juncture, students must take utmost care to ensure that their careers are not dented. The Odisha minister who yesterday justified getting his security officer to lace his shoes for him by saying "I'm a VIP", changed his tune later in the day to say he has a health condition that prevents him from bending, ANI reported. Youtube "My left leg is in a lot of pain, I can't bend, and hence PSO (personal security officer) volunteered to tie my shoe laces. He is like my son," said the minister Jogendra Behera+ . "I have been consulting a doctor in AIIMS in Delhi, can show you prescriptions," Behera said further. That wasn't what Behera said when the video of him getting his laces tied started circulating on social media. What he said then was, "I am a VIP. I've hoisted the flag here." hindustantimes.com The incident took place at an Independence Day event in Kendujhar on Monday. This isn't the first time such an incident has occurred. In May 2015, the then West Bengal planning and implementation minister Rachpal Singh was caught on camera getting his shoelaces tied by a policeman. At the time, the opposition parties in the state said it was an insult to "human dignity". In a 2014 incident, a departmental probe was ordered against then DIG Jammu-Kathua range Shakeel Baig after he was seen making an orderly tie his shoelaces. The DIG's son had proudly posted the picture on the internet. In January 2014, a Samajwadi Party MLA, Gayatri Prajapati, also made his security guard tie his shoelaces. At least 13 people were found dead under mysterious circumstances in Bihar's Gopalganj. Family members of the victims said they had consumed spurious liquor on Tuesday evening. ANI According to reports some 50 bottles of liquor were seized and one liquor trader was also arrested following the incident. However police and Bihar government have ruled out the allegation that they died after consuming illicit liquor. They are instead blaming the deaths on food poisoning. ANI There are also allegations that the Nitish Kumar government is trying to play down the incident due to the illicit liquor. The government imposed a blanket ban on liquor in the state since April. Kumar has claimed there has been a drastic decline in percentage of crimes in the last two months after complete prohibition of alcohol was imposed in the state. BCCL/ Representative Image However ever since the ban there has been concerns of rise in sale of country made liquor in the state. Earlier this month four people had died in the Khagaria district of the state due to consumption of poisonous liquor. India is slowly cranking up its conventional military deterrence against China along the land border as well as the strategically located Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with the deployment of additional Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, spy drones and missiles in the northeast as well as tank regiments and troops in eastern Ladakh. BCCL Under the overall plan to progressively boost both military force-levels and infrastructure to address the stark military asymmetry with the People's Liberation Army, the IAF will activate its Pasighat advanced landing ground (ALG) in West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Friday. Described as "a strategic asset" capable of operating aircraft and helicopters, the ALG will be inaugurated by junior home minister Kiren Rijiju and Eastern Air Command chief Air Marshal C Hari Kumar. "The ALG will not only improve our response time to different operational contingencies, but also the efficacy of the overall air operations on the eastern front," said an officer. BCCL While ALGs have also been activated in Daulat Beg Oldi and Nyoma in Ladakh, Pasighat is the fifth ALG to become operational in Arunachal. "While Ziro, Along, Mechuka and Walong ALGs are now operational, Tuting should be ready by December 31 and Tawang by April 30 next year," said the officer. Similarly, the government has now approved several infrastructure development projects in the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), which has suffered from politico-bureaucratic apathy and military turf wars since it was established in 2001 as the country's first theatre command, say defence ministry sources. BCCL India has also begun to regularly deploy its Sukhoi-30MKI fighters and C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, as well as the long-range patrol and anti-submarine warfare Poseidon-8I aircraft, at the ANC, which can act as a pivot to counter China's strategic moves in the Indian Ocean Region . But road and rail connectivity remain a major problem along the unresolved 4,057km Line of Actual Control (LAC), which witnesses almost daily "transgressions" by Chinese troops. BCCL Only 23 of the 73 "strategic roads" identified for construction along the LAC have been completed till now, when all the 73 were to be finished by 2012. Similarly, 14 strategic railway lines remain a mere pipedream, with the government according "in principle" approval for the construction, and undertaking a "final location survey" of four lines so far. Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy delivered the fourth annual Independence Day Lit Live lecture in Mumbai last week. The first question he was asked as he reached the venue was if he found the 90-minute long commute from the airport to the venue frustrating. Murthy brushed it off saying he's used to worse in Bengaluru, his home city. AFP It was a good point to start the conversation since his lecture's topic was city systems. Murthy quoted several numbers and international examples to highlight what's holding Indian cities back from being world class. "The biggest challenge for all of us, not just politicians or bureaucrats, is that we, Indians, have the highest ego per unit of achievement. I would humbly request, we be open-minded to those who have performed better than us," he said. AFP He spoke of having worked with so many governments and realised that somehow things don't move fast. It's partly due to the know-it-all attitude. He shared that Nandan Nilekani (co-founder, Infosys and the force behind Aadhaar cards) too had a similar experience while working with the establishment in Delhi. "Nandan was giving a lecture on his experience in designing and implementing Aadhaar sometime back. Somebody asked him how difficult was it to work in Delhi," Murthy said. Nilekani's response: The first hurdle that you come across is that they (bureaucrats) say we know this. The toughest hurdle is if they say we are already doing this. There isn't much to do then. AFP Murthy contrasted this attitude with his experience as an IT advisor to the Thai PM, more than a decade back. "They (Thai officials) would make a presentation and I would give suggestions. They would write those down. The next time I went there, they would show me how they've (the suggestions) been implemented," he said. In comparison stands the Indian bureaucrat, who as per Murthy never writes anything. Probably because he already knows it. Inasmuch as Kejriwal has already done for the capital under the reign of AAP, he hasnt bagged any admiration - only condemnation. Anyway, for what its worth, Kejriwal is a man of umpteen initiatives, regardless of its outcomes. In a recent proposal, Kejriwal announced a 50% hike in the minimum wages of workers. On 15th August, the New Delhi Chief Minister came out with a rather rock-solid proposal of increasing the minimum wages for the Capitals workforce by 50%, underscoring his governments push for economic parity in a growing rich-poor divide. 5dariyanews In his speech, he strongly objected to the current situation and said that now policies that take care of only the super-rich wont work and the government should take care of the poor too. While delivering a speech on the occasion of 69th Independence Day at Chhatrasal Stadium, Kejriwal said that the cabinet will clear this proposal by the end of this week, asserting that in such an environment, policies that only work for the rich wont work. He went further by explaining how the government is made of both the rich and the poor, thus the policy. As per the government's proposal, the minimum wages for the unskilled person will be Rs 14,052 against the existing Rs 9,568 in the national capital. Besides, the same for semi-skilled and skilled persons will increase from Rs 10,582 to Rs 15,471 and from Rs 11,622 to 17,033 respectively. dol,gov Addressing the concerns of traders, industrialists, and businessmen, he said that this move will only boost the economy and theres absolutely nothing that they should be worried about. He said that in the current scenario, the rich are getting richer and the poor poorer, and those who have less in life must have more in law. A 13-member committee sat upon this proposal last week to finalise the minimum wages for all classes unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled. The report was then submitted to the Labour minister and further actions will be taken from there on. The chief minister further added that more money in the pockets of the poor would strengthen the economy. Most of India had no clue where the village of Nagela Fatela village was, until PM Narendra Modi mentioned it in his Independence speech. "From Delhi it takes three hours to reach Nagla Fatela village in Hathras, it took 70 years for electricity to reach there," Modi said. Government To Complete Electrification Of 5.98 Crore Households Which Are Still Dark By December 2018 The Uttar Pradesh village panchayat sounds like it has been electrified - but that's not true reuters The villagers were probably bemused - of the 600 homes, 450 don't have electricity. The 150 who do reportedly rely on illegal connections, stealing from a transformer meant to power a tubewell. "Perhaps, the Prime Minister hasn't been made aware of the condition of our village," said Ullanoor Usmani, a resident told the Indian Express. There's the infrastructure for electricity - "poles, wires and meters", the village Pradhan said, but no power. flickr Arindam Ghosh The photos shared by the PMO also left the villagers surprised. "These pictures are not of our village. The one with balloons seems to be of Nagla Sindhi, another village in Hathras which was electrified under a similar scheme," said Devendra Singh, former pradhan of Nagla Fatela. In Just One Week, 253 Indian Villages Have Been Lit Up Under The Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojna India on Wednesday rejected Pakistan's proposal to hold foreign secretary-level talks on Kashmir and asserted that it would like to discuss aspects related to cross-border terrorism which are central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir . BCCL Responding to Pakistan foreign secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry's invitation, India's foreign secretary S Jaishankar expressed his willingness to travel to Islamabad but maintained Pakistan has no locus standi in addressing any aspect of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which is an internal matter of India, except to put an end to cross-border terrorism and infiltration. The response was handed over to Pakistan by Indian high commissioner to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale. "Since aspects related to cross-border terrorism are central to the current situation in J&K, we have proposed that discussions between the foreign secretaries be focused on them." BCCL "We have also conveyed that government of India rejects in their entirety the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi," the sources added. Pakistan on Monday had invited India for talks on Kashmir , saying it is the "international obligation" of both the countries to resolve the issue. The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the issue. BCCL/representative image Last week, while reacting to a statement by Pakistan Prime Minister's advisor on foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz regarding the invitation, India had made it clear that it would talk on "contemporary and relevant" issues in Indo-Pak relations and at this time it included stoppage of Pak-supported cross-border terrorism. External affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup had said: "India would welcome a dialogue on contemporary and relevant issues in India-Pakistan relations. At this time they include a stoppage of Pakistani support for cross-border terrorism, infiltration of terrorists like Bahadur Ali. "Incitement to violence and terrorism across the border, parading of internationally recognised terrorists like Hafiz Saeed and Syed Salahuddin, and sincere follow up on the Mumbai attack trial and the Pathankot attack investigation in Pakistan." India and Pakistan have been engaged in a war of words over the statements by Islamabad on the situation in Kashmir which is witnessing unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani last month. Wani was described as a martyr by Pakistan, which has also tried to internationalise the Kashmir issue while India has been maintaining that Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in the valley is the root cause of the turbulence. A pre-independence era bunker that had been sealed nearly a century ago has been opened at Raj Bhavan. The 150-metre-long underground structure has created much excitement among the staff, including Governor Vidyasagar Rao. rediff.com The stone barrack, located next to Governor's lawn, is spread over 5,000 square feet and has 13 rooms of different sizes. On Tuesday, Rao and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited the piece of history, which was rediscovered on August 12. Between 1820 and 1885, officials said, Britishers used the place as a hunting lodge. The bunker has a passageway that runs till the jetty at Raj Bhavan. They said they will need to dig into the history of the Raj Bhavan to cull out more information about it. indianexpress.com Raj Bhavan officials said the Governor was curious to explore his sprawling official residence at Malabar Hill after hearing stories about the bunker from Vilas More, a Class IV employee, and his PRO Umesh Kashikar. More's father too had served Raj Bhavan. Citing tales from his father and other old-timers, More informed Rao that the bunker had been sealed over a century ago. Acting on the instructions of the Governor, the staff last week pulled down a temporary wall to access the stone barrack. ndtv Governor Rao told Mirror, "We were really surprised to see what was inside. There are many rooms. Our PWD people inspected the tunnel and have fitted lights there. Perhaps it was constructed during the Portuguese regime or the British regime. We don't know." Rao said he has got in touch with government archaeologists for an inspection. "I wish to throw it to open to the public, but a call will be taken only after considering various angles. We can also convert it into a museum encompassing the state's history." indianexpress.com The bunker opens with a 20-ft tall gate and a ramp on the Western side. There are long passages and the room bear names Shell Store, Gun Shell, Cartridge Store, Shell Lift, Pump, Workshop, etc. There are also scores of Lamp Recesses in the gangway. Despite not being in use for so many years, the structure was found to be surprisingly intact. It has a drainage system and inlets for fresh air and light. Tunnel starts from a big workshop type area and built with lots of ventilation and drainage area. pic.twitter.com/R1b9VIf7fw Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) August 16, 2016 Ever since he took charge as the governor of Maharashtra, Rao has taken active interest in promoting the Raj Bhavan as a people-friendly property. A year ago, he opened a few scenic spots to the public. Theres a man out there by the fence looking out, always looking out, never looking in. His eyes set on a small 150 mt patch between the India fence and the International Border. He leaves his camp between 6 and 7 for his night duty, most of it spent on foot armed with a flashlight, his rifle and whatever food hes managed to smuggle out from the canteen. Hes acute, aware and alert but he doesnt belong to the army. indiatimes In Border, Sunil Shetty plays a small and important role in the recreation of the Battle of Longewala, but it's Sunny Deol who walks away with all the glory and the honour. Border might be an unfair comparison considering the magnitude of bravery displayed by Major Chandpuri and his men, but the bravery of the men who guard our borders has been constantly ignored. Indiatimes By every stretch of imagination, being in any of the forces requires an unimaginable amount of courage, perseverance and selflessness. But there is one very serious thing that is lacking among the jawans on the border lack of awe. Constantly confused with the army and dubbed a police force by the Central Govt, the jawans at the border are fighting a losing battle for recognition. Indiatimes In Jammu and Kashmir, a BSF border outpost alternates with Army posts on the Line Of Control. In Punjab the jawans of the BSF dominate every inch of a 500 km border. In Rajasthan, border outposts in the middle of the desert like the one we visited at Babliyanwala guard the 1100 km border in 58 degrees temperature and in Gujarat the BSF guards kilometres of the India-Pak border - a lot of which are just pillars in the middle of Sir Creek. The story continues for the Tripura-Bangladesh and the North Eastern Borders. Indiatimes But how much do we really know about the Border Security Forces? As we sit in Babliyanwala, the nearest army presence 120 kms further inland, it starts to become clear - it really is Indias first line of defence. The tragedy is not many people know an officer tells us the story of MPs who visited Attari for the Beating Retreat ceremony and had no clue the soldiers on the border didnt belong to the army. Indiatimes Another officer tells us a story about how TV channels and other media regularly report BSFs anti-terror ops as Army encounters. To be honest I think the comparison with the Army is a little bit unfair but there are very obvious gaps in our understanding of how things work on the border. We know about the soldier in Siachen but where's our coverage of the one in the middle of the Thar? Thats what the soldier on the border is asking for. Hes asking for recognition, hes just asking to not be generalised. Indiatimes Reality is that after the 7th Pay Commission there is now a significant disparity in the salaries of the jawans who serve on the border even if they work alongside each other. BSF, by virtue of it being classified as a police force since 2004, is not entitled to a pension. But the most unjust is the fact that BSF soldiers can no longer be called martyrs even if they are killed in the line of duty, alongside their army colleagues. Indiatimes Perhaps the biggest omission from public discourse is the fact that the BSF has had women working with it since 2009 (the first batch started in 2008) in combat and other duties, but it's something that is rarely known. Women in Air Force are celebrated, but women on the border are not celebrated quite as much. There is a very strong case for the BSF too, by virtue of it being a border force that is always on active duty (an aggressive high alert since the Modi government came into power) and always posted in places where the enemy is just one of the threats. By definition of them being posted to inaccessible border areas, their families cant live with them, as schools and other facilities are minimal. Indiatimes On the Tripura border malaria is a huge enemy, in Rajasthan the 58-degree temperature stares them in the eye, in J&K its the militants and the intense cold. In each place, our soldiers on the border stare right back. Its a long, hard stare, the sort that expects nothing from you but knows what he must do. At BOP 1175, the last pillar of Indias western frontier in Bhuj, a jawan emerges from a makeshift kitchen with the best cup of tea Ive had all week. There are only two sips of tea in the glass, our crew has finished the rest. Its lovely. Across the compound that houses three Italian-made massive ATVs for patrolling in the marshy land are the living quarters of the jawans, a makeshift shed and a temporary roof. The wind is so strong we have trouble opening the doors of our Ertiga. A new BOP is under construction right behind, explains a jawan sheepishly. At some levels thats been the beauty of the soldiers weve met on the Western Frontier, there is an obscene amount of hardships but also an insane amount of hope. Its up to us to decide whether we want to disappoint him or not. Even if we do, hell say nothing, turn around, light his flashlight and slowly walk back to patrol his section of the border. The Washington Post referred to Sushma Swaraj as the "Supermom of State" in a story dedicated to the success of her presence on social media, in particular Twitter. AFP She's one of the most active Foreign Ministers in the world on Twitter with 5.63 million followers. She replies to most relevant tweets to help Indians abroad as well as to facilitate passport and visa problems. Rama Lakshmi for WP wrote, "...Sushma Swaraj, 64, has carved out an unlikely role for herself as a crusading Supermom of State, solving the problems of distressed Indians around the world who send her their concerns via Twitter". A lot of her Twitter achievements were mentioned in the article including when she got eight days of food delivered to labourers employed in Saudi Arabia where working conditions can often be inhumane. Here are a few of her tweets that demonstrate her pro-activeness. Ask your wife to contact me. I will ensure that she is with you on the next seat. pic.twitter.com/sktnOMkg0a @faizanpatel Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 8, 2016 Bachhe - Give me the details. We will definitely help. https://t.co/1cUTe6QEyu Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 9, 2016 Pl give details. Where has he applied for the Visa ? @N_Sharanya Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 14, 2016 I am happy Sarah has been rescued. Thank you Bahrain. pic.twitter.com/Euarj1vWWQ Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) August 4, 2016 At the age of 15, a British teenager was married off at gunpoint in Pakistan to her cousin, who she thought she was visiting on vacation. The next 3 years were hell - her cousin/husband raped her every day, Tribune reported. I thought I was going to Pakistan on holiday. I was excited. Then two months passed and it was time to start the school year. akrockefeller flickr Her aunt in South Yorkshire told had told her she was heading to Pakistan for a summer holiday. Her aunt was her sole caretaker after her father murdered her mother at the age of 12. She was married to her 21-year-old cousin 4 months after she arrived. And then he raped her every night. Later, she found that this was a marriage of only convenience the man wanted a British visa, which he had secured upon marrying her, a UK citizen. I asked my uncle when I should go back and he just kept saying, stay a bit longer for weeks. After four months, he came up to my room with a gun and told me I had to marry my cousin. If she refused, she was told, her uncle told her he would kill her brothers. I thought my cousins were family. It felt so wrong. He raped me every night for three years. reuters A Pakistani court took 3 years to grant her a divorce, after which she went back home to the UK n 2008. Today, shes 26, and works for Its My Right: No Forced Marriages, fighting forced marriages. In Muslim culture, the girl is supposed to do as she is told. The backward people from villages in Pakistan think they can do what they want with us. The incident left her suicidal, and hesitant to find a man. She is also one of the few hesitant voices against the ills of contemporary Islam, particularly with how it treats women. I dont think they understand Asian communities. In Muslim families honour is incredibly important. His brother lives nearby and every time he walks past my house he spits. EDIT: The video below is of Justin Trudeau celebrating Independence Day at an event in 2015, and not on Independence Day 2016 as initially reported. Justin Trudeau, Canada's recently elected Prime Minister, has steadily gained a long stream of followers not just in Canada but around the world. His jolly disposition and liberal views, more importantly, have won "hearts and minds". Reuters The 23rd PM welcomes refugees and considers them to be an integral part of the country and its economy, and he also welcomes immigrants. After all, Canada is a land of immigrants. He posted a video on Facebook last year that surfaced recently. And frankly you'll see why. The is from when he was "in his riding of Papineau", and he is seen doing the bhangra in Indian clothes with Indians in celebration of India's 70th Independence day. His office issued a statement on Independence Day which read: "Today, we join the people of India and members of the Indo-Canadian community in celebrating India's 70th Independence Day. Canada and India unite in our shared traditions of democracy and diversity. Together, our nations stand as a testament to the fact that countries can prosper not in spite of their diversity, but precisely because of it." When a Chinese tourist in Germany spent 12 days in an ayslum center after his wallet was stolen, a Red Cross official, Christopher Schlutermann called the European nation a "bureaucratic jungle" and implied that the refugee crisis revealed how much "red tape" Germany has. Reuters Millions of refugees who have move to Germany in the past year or so have had to face tonnes of paperwork to get themselves registered as asylum seekers, and the lack of a common language between the two parties only adds to the difficulties. A group of refugees have been working on an app called "Bureaucrazy", to be released in January, that will help newcomers navigate their way through the whole process of registration. It will answer the whats, hows and wheres for them. The app was mainly developed by Munzer Khattab, 23, and Ghaith Zamrik, 19, who arrived in Germany about a year ago, and "suffered from the endless incomprehensible paperwork". Khattab told the Guardian, "In Syria, there was always a way to avoid bureaucracy, even if it meant paying a bit of extra money. Here, there is no way around the paperwork. And his friend Zamrik, who also faced bureaucracy when he arrived, said it was "a very frustrating" experience. "Even my German friends struggle with the paperwork here - imagine what it is like for a newcomer." They created the app to simplify the bureaucratic process and help other refugees find their way through it, thereby easing the stressful journey. The app will be available both in Arabic, German and English and is funded by ReDi a Berlin non-profit. When launched in January, Bureaucrazy will be a mobile and web-based application, where newcomers can enter all the forms they might encounter in Germany. Hillary, Trump, and War With Russia The Goddamdest Stupid Idea I Have Ever Heard, and I Have Lived in Washington By Fred Reed August 17, 2013 " Information Clearing House " - Dont look for a walk-over. The T14 Armata, Russias latest tank. You dont want to fight this monster if you can think of a better idea, such as not fighting it. Russia once made large numbers of second-rate tanks. That worm has turned. This thing is way advanced and outguns the American M1A2, having a 125mm smoothbore firing APFSDS long-rods to the Abrams 120mm. (As Hillary would know, thats Armor-piercing, fin-stabilized, discarding-sabot. You did know, didnt you, Hill?) This isnt the place for a disquisition on armor, but the above beast is a very advanced design with unmanned turret and, well, a T34 it isnt. (I was once an aficionado of tanks. If interested, here and here.) A good reason to vote for Trump, a very good reason whatever his other intentions, is that he does not want a war with Russia. Hillary and her elite ventriloquists threaten just that. Note the anti-Russian hysteria coming from her and her remoras. Such a war would be yet another example of the utter control of America by rich insiders. No normal American has anything at all to gain by such a war. And no normal American has the slightest influence over whether such a war takes place, except by voting for Trump. The military has become entirely the plaything of unaccountable elites. A martial principle of great wisdom says that military stupidity comes in three grades: Ordinarily stupid; really, really, really stupid; and fighting Russia. Think Charles XII at Poltava, Napoleon after Borodino, Adolf, and Kursk. Letting dilettantes, grifters, con men, pasty Neocons, bottle-blonde ruins, and corporations decide on war is insane. We have pseudo-masculine dwarves playing with things they do not understand. So far as I am aware, none of these fern-bar Clausewitzes has worn boots, been in a war, seen a war, or faces any chance of being in a war started by themselves. They brought us Iraq, Afghanistan, and ISIS, and cant win wars against goatherds with AKs. They are going to fightRussia? A point that the tofu ferocities of New York might bear in mind is that wars seldom turn out as expected, usually with godawful results. We do not know what would happen in a war with Russia. Permit me a tedious catalog to make this point. It is very worth making. When Washington pushed the South into the Civil War, it expected a conflict that might be over in twenty-four hours, not four years with as least 650,000 dead. When Germany began WWI, it expected a swift lunge into Paris, not four years of hideously bloody static war followed by unconditional surrender. When the Japanese Army pushed for attacking Pearl, it did not foresee GIs marching in Tokyo and a couple of cities glowing at night. When Hitler invaded Poland, utter defeat and occupation of Germany was not among his war aims. When the US invaded Vietnam, it did not expect to be outfought and outsmarted by a bush-world country. When Russia invaded Afghanistan it did not expectnor when America invaded Afghanistan, nor when it attacked Iraq, nor. Is there a pattern here? The standard American approach to war is to underestimate the enemy, overestimate American capacities, and misunderstand the kind of war it enters. This is particularly true when the war is a manhood ritual for masculine inadequates think Kristol, Podhoretz, Sanders, the whole Neocon milk bar, and that mendacious wreck, Hillary, who has the military grasp of a Shetland pony. If you dont think weak egos and perpetual adolescence have a part in deciding policy, read up on Kaiser Wilhelm. Now, if Washington accidentally or otherwise provoked a war with Russia in, say, the Baltics or the Ukraine, and actually used its own forces, where might this lead, given the Pentagons customary delusional optimism? A very serious possibility is a humiliating American defeat. The US has not faced a real enemy in a long time. In that time the armed forces have been feminized and social-justice warriorified, with countless officials having been appointed by Obama for reasons of race and sex. Training has been watered down to benefit girl soldiers, physical standards lowered, and the ranks of general officers filled with perfumed political princes. Russia is right there at the Baltic borders: location, location, location. Somebody said, Amateurs think strategy, professionals think logistics. Uh-huh. The Russians are not pansies and they are not primitive. What would Washington do, what would New York make Washington do, having been handed its ass in a very public defeat? Huge egos would be in play, the credibility of the whole American empire. Could little Hillary Dillary Pumpkin Pie force NATO into a general war with Russia, or would the Neocons try to go it alone with other peoples lives? (Russia also has borders with Eastern Europe, which connects to Western Europe. Do you suppose the Europeans would think of this?) Would Washington undertake, or try to undertake, the national mobilization that would be necessary to fight Russia in its backyard? Naval war? Nukes in desperation? And, since Russia is not going to invade anybody unprovoked, Washington would have to attack. See above, the three forms of military stupidity. The same danger exists incidentally with regard to a war with China in the South China Sea. The American Navy hasnt fought a war in seventy years. It doesnt know how well its armament works. The Chinese, who are not fools, have invested in weaponry specifically designed to defeat carrier battle groups. A carrier in smoking ruins would force Washington to start a wider war to save face, with unpredictable results. Can you name one American, other than the elites, who has anything to gain from war with China? What has any normal American, as distinct from the elites and various lobbies, gained from any of our wars post Nine-Eleven? Hillary and her Neocon pack have backed all of them. It is easy to regard countries as suprahuman beings that think and take decisions and do things. Practically speaking, countries consist of a small number of people, usually men, who make decisions for reasons often selfish, pathologically aggressive, pecuniary, delusional, misinformed, or actually psychopathic in the psychiatric sense. For example, the invasion of Iraq, a disaster, was pushed by the petroleum lobbies to get the oil, the arms lobbies to get contracts, the Jewish lobbies to get bombs dropped on Israels enemies, the imperialists for empire, and the congenitally combative because that is how they think. Do you see anything in the foregoing that would matter to a normal American? These do not add up to a well-conceived policy. Considerations no better drive the desire to fight Russia or to force it to back down. I note, pointlessly, that probably none of Americas recent martial catastrophes would have occurred if we still had constitutional government. How many congressmen do you think would vote for a declaration of war if they had to tell their voters that they had just launched, for no reason of importance to Americans, an attack on the homeland of a nuclear power? There are lots of reasons not to vote for Clinton and the suppurating corruption she represents. Not letting her owners play with matches rates high among them. Freds Biography, As He Tells It: Fred, a keyboard mercenary with a disorganized past, has worked on staff for Army Times, The Washingtonian, Soldier of Fortune, Federal Computer Week, and The Washington Times. http://fredoneverything.org/ Russian Military Options in Syria and the Ukraine The Saker August 17, 2013 " Information Clearing House " - The past two weeks have been rich in military developments directly affecting Russia: Syria: 1) Russia has announced that she will transform the Khmeimim airfield into a full-fledged military base with a permanently deployed task force. 2) Russia will deploy her heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser (often referred to in the West as an aircraft carrier) Admiral Kuznetsov to the eastern Mediterranean to to check the combat capabilities of the ship and its strike group and to engage, for the very first time, the state-of-the-art Ka-52K Katran helicopters. The Ukraine: 1) Following the failure of the Ukronazis to infiltrate saboteurs on the Crimean Peninsula ,which President Putin called stupid and criminal,Poroshenko has now ordered a reinforcement of his military forces on border with Crimea and eastern Ukraine and placed its military on its highest alert. 2) The authorities in Kiev decided not to accept the credentials of the new Russian ambassador to the Ukraine. 3) President Putin declared that in this context, negotiations with Kiev are pointless. While not directly connected, all of these news items point to a possible military escalation which could result in Russia having to engaged her military in combat operations in Syria, Crimea and Novorussia. Thus is makes sense at this point to review the Russian options in all these theaters of war. The Syrian theater : There is a great deal of misunderstanding about the Russian military options in Syria. Just as the major Russian military intervention which was initially expected failed to materialize (the actual Russian intervention was very limited in both size and time), the reinforcement of the Khmeimim airbase will not result in a major strategic shift in the regional balance of power. A couple of reminders: First, the Russian naval base at Tartus is not really a naval base at all. It is a port which the Russian Navy has been using, but it lack the capability to dock large ships and it is not defended in a way a normal Russian military base would be. In fact, the Russian refer to it as a - or material-technical supply point. It is possible, even likely, that in time Russia will expand and reinforce Tartus, but for the foreseeable future Tartus will not be a major military outpost for the Russian Navy. Second, the airbase in Khmeimin is located in a very dangerous spot: roughly 1000km from the Russian border and only 50km from the Turkish border. It is also nicely wedged right between the CENTCOM area of responsibility and NATO. This is most definitely not a location you want to try to threaten US forces from. Finally, this is also not a location which Russia would defend with nuclear forces. Defense Minister Shoigu did, in fact, clearly spell out what the purpose of the Russian presence in Khmeimim will be: a) to attack terrorists and b) to defend Russian nationals. Again, these are very limited goals which will be attained by using limited means. To be sure, Khmeimim will also become a crucial intelligence hub for Russia and, once the airbase is expanded, the Russian search and rescue capabilities will be dramatically enhanced. For both of these task Russian special forces will be permanently stationed at the airbase. Finally, the Russians will increase the size of the runways to make it accessible to the heaviest Russian transport aircraft. But the fundamental characteristic of the Khmeimim airbase will always remind that it will remain vulnerable due to its location and long distance from Russia. As for the deployment of the Kuznetsov, which is primarily a formidable air defense ship, it will allow the Russians to get a much fuller signal intelligence picture of the region and will provide solid protection for both Tartus and Khmeimim. The first-time deployment of the Ka-52K (which were initially commissioned to be deployed on the French Mistrals) will be a testing side show but not a crucial game changer in the war. All in all, the Russians are most definitely increasing their capabilities and the range of options to chose from different options depending on the evolution of the situation. At this point, there are no signs of a major shift in the Russian position: ever since the semi-withdrawal of Russian Aerospace forces from Syria, Russia is still counting primarily on her long-rage bombers (Tu-22M3). These can, if needed, be supplemented by Su-34/Su-30/Su-35 strike groups flying out of southern Russia. The Ukrainian theater : The situation in the Ukraine is much more unpredictable than the one in Syria and it has been so for a long while now. Almost every week we saw warnings about a possible Ukrainian attack, sometimes even announced as imminent and then that attack fails to materialize. The dangerous thing about these false warnings is that they were not false at all and that these attacks truly could have happened almost any week. Worst of all, there is now a boy who cried wolf phenomenon taking place where everybody is becoming bored with the endless warnings about an imminent Ukronazi attack. The problem is that, of course, such attack is becoming more and more likely with every passing day. There are those who argue that an Ukronazi attack against Crimea would be suicidal, and they are absolutely correct, and that an Ukronazi attack against Novorussia would be exceedingly unlikely to succeed, and they are correct again. The assumption here is that the regime in Kiev is capable of rational calculation and that the purpose of such an attack would be victory. But, in reality, victory was never a Ukronazi goal. Instead, the goal was always to draw Russia into a open war. The Ukronazis themselves are deluding themselves in the hope that they will get to do what the Croats did in 1995 when they, backed by the full airpower of NATO, attacked the (disarmed) Croatian Serbs in the so-called Krajinas. In reality, the situation in the Donbass is totally different: not only are the Novorussians not disarmed like the Krajina Serbs were (all their heavy weapons were in UNPROFOR controlled depots), but unlike the poor Serbs (who were betrayed by Milosevic), the Novorussians know that if things get tough Russia will back them, including by deniable long-range artillery strikes (as she did in July 2014). As for Crimea, even the most deluded Ukrainians must realize by now, even if they dont admit this, that they will never re-take Crimea. The problem for Russia is that while the regime in Kiev is slowly rotting into irrelevance, there is only one thing which the Ukraine can offer the AngloZionist Empire: to become the sacrificial lamb in a desperate effort to provoke Russian into an intervention and thereby make the current tepid war between NATO and Russia fully irreversible or even hot. An overt Russian counter-attack in the Donbass, or even from Crimea, is every Neocons dream come true. So far, all the Ukronazis were capable of doing is constantly shelling the civilians of the Donetsk and Lugansk republics which, being 100% dependent on Moscow, had to put up with this infamy even though scores of innocents civilians have been killed every day. There is also a lot of indirect evidence that the military capabilities of the Novorussians have dramatically increased over the past year or so and that makes it even more frustrating for them to put up with the constant provocations and murders of civilians. The Kremlin, however, has evidently decided that a small and steady stream of murdered civilians in the Donbass is still preferable to a full-scale military operation followed by, and this is often overlooked, the occupation of some part of the Ukrainian territory. Indeed, once you occupy it you own it and you are responsible for it. Nobody in Russia is willing to shoulder the costs of a war and the subsequent occupation and reconstruction of a territory currently under Ukronazi control. Finally, why give the regime in Kiev a life-saving distraction when it does such a world-class job of slowly but surely destroying itself? The paradox here is that the Russian strength is also the Russian weakness: chances are that the Novorussians are capable of not only stopping a Ukronazi attack, but even of an operationally deep counter-attack. Thus, it is most likely that Russia herself would not be pulled into an overt war over the Donbass. But in Crimea there are no Novorussians, no Donetsk or Lugansk peoples republics. In Crimea there are only Russians and Crimea is Russia. Thus any Ukronazi attack on Crimea would be a direct act of war against Russia which Russia could not ignore or reply to by using a voentorg + northern wind combo (voentorg: covert supplying of weapons; northern wind covert supplying of military specialists). If Crimea is attacked, the Russians will have to strike back, whether they want it or not. If that happens, the Russian counter-strike will most likely be limited and will probably focus on the forces directly responsible for the attack. But if the Ukronazis use their artillery from well-entrenched positions to unleash a steady barrage on the towns of northern Crimea or if, God forbid, the Ukronazis use ballistic missiles to target major urban centers in Crimea, the Russians will have no choice but to counter-attack swiftly and decisively. And since 8/8/8 it is become clear that the West will *always* blame Russia, even if she is first attacked by another party. In purely military terms, any conflict between the Russian armed forces and the Ukronazis would be a massacre: all the Ukrainians can bring to the battlefield are numbers, but they are completely out-gunned, quantitatively and, even more so, qualitatively by the Russians. The Russian artillery is currently the most capable on the planet, it is even far superior to anything in the West, and its effects on the Ukrainian military have been absolutely devastating in the past. Russia has an unique combination of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and EW (Electronic Warfare) capabilities which are directly plugged-in into the targeting systems of Russian multiple-rocket launchers which can reach as far as 90km into the enemys rear. Finally, the Russians have been working for years on advanced submunitions and thermobaric warheads which can be used with devastating effect on armored forces and fortified positions. This combo of UAV and advanced multiple-rocket launchers form what the Russians call a reconnaissance-strike complex or RSC (- ) which is a concept first developed by the Soviets as far back as the 1960s. The RSC fully integrates all the following elements: reconnaissance, guidance, electronic counter-measures, navigation and engagement of high-precision weapons. Now, with the advent of new UAV and counter-battery radars, this concept has reached its full maturity and is now the cornerstone of Russian combined-arms operations. What this all means in practical terms is that the Russians now have the capability completely destroy several mechanized battalions in only 2-3 minutes. And there is nothing, nothing at all, which the Ukrainians could do against this. The Russians also have vastly superior armor, electronic warfare capabilities, aerospace forces, intelligence and reconnaissance capabilities, training you name it. The Ukrainians dont stand a chance. One big canard is the notion that US deliveries of lethal weapons to the Ukraine would somehow tip the balance. In reality, no amount of weapons would make any difference. Russian capabilities today are as far superior to the Ukrainian ones as the capabilities of the US military were superior to the Iraqi military in 1990 during Desert Storm. While in 1991 the Ukrainian military was nominally larger than the Russian one (the Ukraine inherited the entire Soviet strategic 2nd echelon forces), it did not have a war in Chechnia to force it to begin reorganizing like the Russian one had to, nor did it have a President like Putin who as soon as he came to power embarked on an immense military reform whose fruits are now finally showing. As a result, the Russians have now achieved several generational breakthroughs while the Ukrainians are basically stuck with 1980s gear and a completely disorganized, corrupt and incompetent military. It will take the Ukraine decades to catch-up to the Russians, and that only if some kind of highly improbable economic miracle happens. Conclusion: The wars in the Syria and the Ukraine are, as is so often the case, largely predetermined by geography. There is really nothing Russia could do to meaningfully and directly oppose the US military in the Middle-East or the Mediterranean. Likewise, there is nothing the US can to meaningfully and directly oppose the Russian armed forces in eastern Ukraine. This is why both sides will try to act indirectly, on the margins, via proxies but without getting directly exposed. While this strategy is fundamentally sound, it is also dangerous because indirect warfare by proxy is harder to control and leaves both sides open to provocations, false flag operations and the covert involvement of third parties. This is why both wars are so frustrating to follow: on one hand all sorts of highly speculative scenarios cannot be simply dismissed, but on the other hand, nothing much seems to be happening. And when something finally does happen, it is unclear as to what the possible consequences might be. Finally, both wars involve highly ideological and fundamentally irrational actors (the Ukronazis, the Daesh crazies, the Neocons) who cannot be counted on to act rationally. Alas, all the theories of deterrence always assume a rational actor. But how do you deter a delusional maniac? The Russian options in both of these conflicts are limited by objective circumstances and by larger political considerations. I would argue that Russia has done an absolutely amazing job in Syria with very limited means and in a supremely dangerous environment. As for the Donbass, I would be much more nuanced. And while I do believe that Russia took the right decision by not overtly sending her armed forces in the eastern Ukraine, I also have to admit that she also showed poor timing and even indecision in dealing with the Nazi crazies in Kiev: it took the Russians a long time to get the Voentorg and Northern Wind up and running and while this was the correct response, it was also one which took a long time to become fully effective. Then there is the issue of the (now former) Russian ambassador to Kiev, Mikhail Zurabov, who was totally ineffective in getting anything done at all (while he was left in place for so long is still a mystery to me). True, Zurabov had nobody to speak to, but that does not justify him cozying up and playing buddies with Poroshenko as he reportedly did. Now that the Russians have finally appointed a competent person to this role, Mikhail Babich, the Ukrainians are refusing to accredit him which, apparently, the Kremlin is accepting with bizarre equanimity. In December, Putin also appointed another very powerful figure, Boris Gryzlov, a permanent member of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, as the plenipotentiary representative of the Russian Federation in the Contact Group on settlement of the situation in Ukraine. It took Russia a very long time, but now with Gryzlov and Babich involved, Russia is finally involving some high octane personalities in the negotiations process dealing with the war in the Ukraine. Again, a good decision, but a very belated one. Could this also indicate that the Russians have information that something major will happen with the Ukraine? Possibly. I sure dont know, but it does look to me that they are preparing for something. As for Syria, the Russian are trying to increase their options, but it is unlikely that anything major happens before the next US administration comes in. Besides, with Erdogan still busy with his crackdown on any opposition, it is also unclear what course Turkey will take once the purges are completed. And then this, just in: According to al Masdar news (https://www.almasdarnews.com), Iran has just granted Russia the right to use the Hamedan Air Base in western Iran. The original article entitled Russia deploys jets at Iranian Airbase to combat insurgents in Syria (Pictures) (https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/russia-deploys-jets-iranian-airbase-combat-insurgents-syria-pictures/) even claims to show pictures of Russian Tu-22M3s already deployed in Iran. IF this is true, this is very significant. Unlike Khmeimim, Hamedan is safe and is perfectly located to conduct military strikes in Syria and elsewhere in the Middle-East. One problem though: al Masdar is an Israeli project, part the Israel Project, a pro-Israel public diplomacy organization founded in the United States at the height of the second intifada. I checked with a well-informed Iranian source, and it is not confirming any of this at this time. The Russian blogger Colonel Cassad, however, did some investigating of his own and seems to consider that information as plausible. Other Russian sources are confirming that Russia has asked Iran to allow Russian cruise missiles to fly through Iranian airspace. It does appear like the collaboration between Iran and Russia is strengthening which is, of course, very good news. Finally, if Erdogan is serious about collaborating with Russia and Iran against Daesh, then one way for Turkey to do that would be to open the Turkish airspace to Russian air and missile strikes against Daesh. If that happens, Russia will have the choice of four locations to launch strikes: Crimea, southern Russia (Abkhazia), Khmeimim in Syria and, hopefully, Hamedan in Iran. A place to keep a special eye on is the Bombora military airfield near Gudauta, in Abkhazia. According to Lentra.ru, the length of the main runway is 4km (this is a mistake, the actual length is 3km) and this runway ends right on the seashore allowing aircraft to take off at very low altitudes and thereby remain under enemy radar coverage (see image next page). This airfield is currently protected by some 4000 Russian soldiers deployed in Abkhazia who are equipped by the newest Russian weapon systems and who form the backbone of the Russian 7th Base [for more on this base, see here (from and anti-Russian source) and here (including some pretty interesting photographs)]. This airfield is ideally located to become a major hub for the operations of Russian Aerospace forces. UPDATE : First , as Aram Mirzaei correctly pointed out, I made a mistake and confused two websites called Al-Masdar (the source): One is the Israeli project mentioned in this article, led by chief editor Shimrit Meir. This website is called Al-Masdar.net. The other page is a pro-Syrian-Iranian-Russian news website called almasdarnews.com. I apologize for this mistake. Second , it seems that almasdarnews.com is correct. Several Iranian websites are now also reporting the Russian deployment at the Hamedan Air Base: http://www.eghtesadonline.com/ --29/140628-- ------ -- http://www.akharinnews.com/ _/item/112646-- ----- --.html http://damadam.ir/ -- 24onlinenews/-/ title/----- ---/id/ 3321242 RT is now also quoting the Al Masdar article thus indirectly confirming it: https://www.rt.com/news/356098-russian-bombers-iran-hamadan/ This is an extremely important and positive development which shows that the military cooperation between Russia and Iran has now reached a new level and which will have a major impact upon this war. This is very, very good news. http://thesaker.is/russian-military-options-in-syria-and-the-ukraine/ See also Russian bombers use Iran base for air strikes: : Currently, the strategic TU-22M3 bombers take flight from southern Russia at Modzok airfield; however, this newly signed military agreement with Iran will allow Russia to reduce flight time by 60%, saving both money and improving airstrike effectiveness. The New York Times Whitewashes US Imperialism - Contemplates Ethnic Cleansing By Eric London August 17, 2013 " Information Clearing House " - " WSWS " - The entirety of the August 14 print edition of the New York Times Magazine is dedicated to a series titled Fractured Lands: How the Arab World Came Apart, by Scott Anderson. The series is 60 pages long and includes detailed sketches of the lives of six people from various parts of the Middle East dating back to the years before the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, through the Arab Spring, the rise of ISIS in 2014-15, and the migratory outpouring from the war-torn region. The magazines editor-in-chief, Jake Silverstein, notes in a foreword to the series: This is an issue unlike any we have previously publishedthe subject of this book is the catastrophe that has fractured the Arab world since the invasion of Iraq 13 years ago, leading to the rise of ISIS and the global refugee crisis. The geography of this catastrophe is broad and its causes are many, but its consequencesterror and uncertainty around the worldare familiar to us all. Silverstein concludes his editors note: It is unprecedented for us to focus so much energy and attention on a single story and to ask our readers to do the same. We would not do so were we not convinced that this is one of the most clear-eyed, powerful and human explanations of what has gone wrong in this region that you will ever read. The publication of Fractured Lands has an objective significance. The presentation, the content and the tone of the series express the American ruling class sense that it faces a catastrophe of historically unprecedented proportions in the Middle East. When Anderson asks in his preface: Why did it turn out that way? he is asking on behalf of a ruling class that is dazed by the catastrophic outcome of its own reckless and shortsighted policies. For the last 25 years, US imperialism has laid waste to a span of territory stretching several thousand miles from North Africa to Central Asia, leaving over 1 million dead. A new vocabulary of words like shock and awe, extraordinary rendition, black site prison, disposition matrix and Terror Tuesday has emerged as the language of the US wars. A significant portion of the regions 200 million people has been left homeless or have fled for safe haven abroad. Next January, Barack Obama will leave office as the first president in US history to serve his entire two terms while the country was at war. Fractured Lands is an apologia for the record of American imperialism. Its author has served as a war correspondent for 33 years and has worked for the New York Times for the last 17. He is a prolific, educated writer and recently published a historical book on the post-World War One imperialist carve-up of the Middle East. Whatever Andersons intentions, Fractured Lands is a human interest story that serves to justify human rights imperialism and pave the way for new wars. Fractured Lands makes the argument that the nation-state system established in the aftermath of the First World War failed to conform sufficiently to the various tribal, ethnic and religious divisions in the region. Anderson concludes that the collapse of the bourgeois nationalist governments in Syria, Egypt, Iraq and Libya proves the necessity for racial and ethnic groups to fill the political vacuum and fight among themselves to establish fiefdoms and zones of tribal influence. Fractured Lands acknowledges that this may involve ethnic cleansing. The author concludes by contemplating whether pogroms and genocide may be necessary to establish order in the region. Whitewashing 25 years of imperialist war crimes The series presents the lives of the six subject individuals and explains their stories of hardship and disaster. The reader sympathizes with these hardships, but the material is presented so as to portray the United States as a benevolent power whose interventions are meant to bring democracy and human rights, especially for religious minorities and women. Anderson presents the story of Khulood a-Zaidi, a young Iraqi woman from Kut who was 23 years old when the United States invaded Iraq in 2003: Before the invasion, Vice President Dick Cheney predicted that Americans would be greeted as liberators in Iraq, and his prediction was borne out in the streets of Kut on April 4. As the Marines consolidated their hold on the city, they were happily swarmed by young men and children proffering trays of sweets and hot tea. Finally permitted to leave her home, Khulood, like most other women in Kut, observed the spectacle from a discreet distance. The Americans were very relaxed, friendly, but mostly I was struck by how huge they seemedand all their weapons and vehicles, too. Everything seemed out of scale, like we had been invaded by aliens. Anderson recounts that the Americans quickly returned the city to something close to normalcy. He continues: The real work now was in rebuilding the nations shattered economy and reconstituting its government, and to that end a small army of foreign engineers, accountants and consultants descended on Iraq under the aegis of the Coalition Provisional Authority, or C.P.A., the American-led transitional administration that would stand down once a new Iraqi government was in place. The invasion forces brought in teams of human rights advisers who were tasked with overseeing development projects to empower women in the Shiite heartland of southern Iraq. Khulood became a beneficiary of this program, soon sent off to Washington to join the American occupations collaborators in drafting a new US-imposed constitution. When she returned, the young woman was, understandably, treated by her neighbors as a US spy. Anderson waxes enthusiastically on this development in the abortive attempt by Washington to fashion a functioning puppet regime in Baghdad. He declares that a new Iraq was being established, one in which democracy and respect for human rights would reign supreme. Whats more, to consolidate this new Iraq, everyone had a role to play, not least the women of Kut. Another Iraqi, Wakaz Hassan, is featured in the series. Anderson writes that Hassan remembered hearing something about the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners at an American-operated prisonclearly a reference to the Abu Ghraib scandaland then there was the time American soldiers searched his familys home, but those soldiers were quite respectful, and the episode passed without incident. I know others had problems with the Americans, Wakaz said, but my family, no. For us, we were really not affected at all. Anderson states that the invasion brought many important advances in the realm of human rights. For example, the US invasion established that 25 percent of parliamentary seats would be reserved for women. Those familiar with the history of Iraq can only rub their eyes in disbelief as this propaganda figure is trotted out once again, as if the 25 percent of parliamentary seats reserved for the wives, sisters and daughters of the leaders of the various sectarian parties in the Iraqi parliament represents a gain for the countrys women. The idea that US imperialisms rape of the country was carried out in the interests of liberating its women is obscene. Whatever the crimes of the Iraqi Baathist government of Saddam Hussein, women in Iraq enjoyed the highest status and most rights of virtually any country in the region. The erosion of these conditions began with the first Gulf War of 1991 and continued under the punishing US sanctions that devastated the countrys economy. The war itself left over a million Iraqi women as destitute widows. In the wake of the US invasion, secular law guaranteeing equal legal and employment rights has been replaced by religious codes stripping women of all such protections. In the 13 years since the US invasion, women in Iraq have seen their status go from among the highest in the region, to among the lowest. Fractured Lands employs similar distortions with respect to Libya. One young man, Majdi El-Mangoush, is portrayed by Anderson as brainwashed by false pro-Gaddafi claims that US imperialism was involved in the conflict: Provided with this narrative, Majdi was not altogether surprised when, in mid-March [2011], Western alliance warplanes began appearing over Tripoli to bomb government installations. It seemed merely to confirm that the nation was being attacked from beyond. Majdi ends up switching sides, informing on pro-Gaddafi soldiers, and siding with the US-backed opposition. By examining these events solely through the eyes of individuals who became unwillingly caught up in them, the Times magazine piece manages to completely obscure the responsibility of those who made the decisions that led to these wars and the resulting death and social devastation. That those within the Bush administration who ordered an unprovoked war of aggression against Iraq, like those in the Obama White House who engineered first the US-NATO war for regime change in Libya in 2011, followed by the CIA-backed proxy war for regime change in Syria, are responsible for killing and maiming millions is deliberately excluded from the article. So too, it should be added, is the criminal role of the New York Times in propagandizing for these wars. Anderson has also selected his subjects in a dishonest manner. The New York Times chose not to select the parents or children of those killed in the US wars as subjects in this series. Instead, it regurgitates the same propaganda it employed when the newspaper supported the US invasion of Iraq over a decade ago. The New York Times contemplates ethnic cleansing In answering the question Why did it turn out this way? Anderson points to the collapse of the former bourgeois nationalist governments of the Middle East and the political vacuum created in their absence. Though Anderson minimizes the role of US imperialism in the region, he notes in his introduction: While most of the 22 nations that make up the Arab world would have been buffeted to some degree by the Arab Spring, the six most profoundly affectedEgypt, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemenare all republics, rather than monarchies. Anderson briefly traces the method by which the imperialist powers carved up the Middle East in the aftermath of the First World War. He points to the divide-and-conquer approach of the British and French, which consisted of empowering a local ethnic or religious minority to serve as their local administrators despite the fact that just beneath the sectarian and regional divisions in these nations there lay extraordinarily complex tapestries of tribes and subtribes and clans Curiously, he fails to note that these same methods have been employed by US imperialism, both in its dismemberment of Iraq and in its provocation of sectarian civil war in Syria. Anderson concludes that the nation state is fundamentally incapable of expressing the interests of various national, ethnic and religious minority groups. The article focuses particular attention on the Yazidi Christians and the Kurds. He interviews Azar Mirkhan, an ultra-nationalist doctor from Kurdistan. While Anderson is present, Mirkhan orders a peshmerga senior official to carry out a pogrom of Arab peasants in an area south of Mount Sinjar in northwestern Iraq. Mirkhan claims this is payback for the local Arab populations failure to prevent an ISIS-led massacre of Kurds. Anderson contemplates what Mirkhan has done: Until a short time ago, Azar might have been derided as a xenophobe, even a fascist, for his radical separatist views. In seeing the results of ISISs barbarism, however, and in contemplating the hatreds that have been unleashed across the Middle East in the past few years, some observers have begun to believe that his hard way of thinking might offer the bestor, more accurately, onlypath out of the morass. The despair over how impossible it seems to reassemble the shattered nations of the region has caused an ever-increasing number of diplomats and generals and statesmen to consider just the sort of ethnic and sectarian separation that Azar advocates, albeit in less brutal form. Even proponents acknowledge that such separations would not be easy. What to do with the thoroughly mixed populations of cities like Baghdad or Aleppo? In Iraq, many tribes are divided into Shia and Sunni subgroups, and in Libya by geographic dispersions going back centuries. Do these people choose to go with tribe or sect or homeland? In fact, parallels in history suggest that such a course would be both wrenching and murderouswitness the postwar de-Germanization policy in Eastern Europe and the 1947 partition of the Indian subcontinentbut despite the misery and potential body count entailed in getting there, maybe this is the last, best option available to prevent the failed states of the Middle East from devolving into even more brutal slaughter. That such lines could be published in the leading paper of American liberalism underscores the reactionary political climate cultivated by 25 years of permanent war. The last, best option consists of pitting populations against each other along ethnic and religious lines in an exercise of region-wide partition that would mean the deaths and dislocation of millions. In fact, the policy promoted by the New York Times is already in place. Al-Qaeda, ISIS, the al-Nusra Front and other ultra-right wing Islamic groups have been utilized by American imperialism to destroy the old state-structure of the Middle East in an effort to subordinate the entire region to the interests of American banks and corporations. Even Nukes Grow Old By Eric Margolis August 17, 2013 " Information Clearing House " - Everything grows old. Im told one day the stars and planets will turn to dust. So I suppose its no surprise that Americas arsenal of nuclear weapons is also showing signs of advancing age, and may have to be replaced. One would think that the growing decrepitude of our nukes would be a fine time to dismantle and junk these horrible weapons. President Barack Obama has fulsomely preached for the past seven years on the need to get ride of the nukes. Very nice. Yet once away from the microphones, Obama has let the military-industrial-financial complex generate plans to refresh and update the US nuclear arsenal in a massive project estimated to cost at least $1 trillion. No major effort has been made to assemble the worlds declared and undeclared nuclear powers and hammer out a plan to junk all nukes and make sure they are not replaced. On the contrary, its full speed ahead in the devils workshop. The US Air Force wants to replace by 2044 all of its 1960s vintage Minuteman ICBMs with 642 new ground-based, silo-launched ICBMs. Some $7 billion was already spent over the past two decades modernizing them. Way back in the early 1980s, I was invited to inspect the US Air Forces Space Command HQ and Air Defense Command buried deep inside Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado. I was shown a hanger-size room filled with a hundred upright computers, all whizzing away. An officer whispered to me, my laptop has more power than all these computers together. Similarly, advancing technology has left many of our defense systems either outmoded or totally obsolete. So some renewal may be necessary. New ICBMs are still not enough for the US Air Force. The flyboys also want a new nuclear-armed cruise missile to replace the venerable 80s vintage AGM-86B carried by B-52 heavy bombers and the yet to be built B-21 stealth bomber. Meanwhile the US Navy, always a darling of Congress, is planning to replace its Ohio class nuclear-armed submarines with a new, more powerful class of 12 subs that will each carry 16 Trident D5 missiles. Each missile can fly well over 8,000 km and carry 8-10 warheads. Many other US nuclear-powered warships, both underwater and surface, will need new nuclear plants. A trillion dollars is a lot of money even for the worlds wealthiest nation. Many will question such a huge expenditure at a time when bridges across the US are collapsing, airports are decaying, the air traffic control system is obsolete, and 44 million people live on food stamps. We need those nukes badly, say the Pentagons top brass, their civilian supporters in Congress, and the booming US arms industry, which looks set for a record year. We must defend ourselves against the Russians and Chinese! Russia has a powerful triad of air, sea and ground-launched nuclear missiles. Some are being modernized. Moscow has made clear that given its sharp reduction in land forces, increasingly reliance will be placed on strategic and tactical nuclear forces. This important new policy should cause Washington to think twice about its current dangerous policy of putting a military squeeze on Russia in Ukraine, Crimea, the Baltic and Black Seas. China is also slowly developing its nuclear forces, but they remain modest for a world power and focused on deterring a foreign nuclear strike. So far, China appears only interested in its own region. In short, neither Russia nor China has tipped the current nuclear balance of terror. Unfortunately, Washingtons updating its nuclear arsenal will likely cause them to upgrade their strategic nuclear forces. The next US president will inherit this problem. Everyone says they hate nukes but we cant seem to break the habit. Candidate Donald Trump rightly asked what the purpose of these weapons is, and was blasted for asking this proper question. The biased media keeps claiming Trump cant be trusted with the red button. But it was Hillary Clinton that actually threatened to use them against Iran if it dared attack Israel. Instead of debating transgender toilets, American voters should be demanding: `Mr President/or Mrs President, get rid of our nukes! Eric S. Margolis is an award-winning, internationally syndicated columnist. His articles have appeared in the New York Times, the International Herald Tribune the Los Angeles Times, Times of London, the Gulf Times, the Khaleej Times, Nation Pakistan, Hurriyet, Turkey, Sun Times Malaysia and other news sites in Asia. http://ericmargolis.com Americas Journalistic Hypocrites The U.S. news media flip-flops on whether international law is inviolate or can be brushed aside at Americas whim and similarly whether killing civilians is justified or not depending on whos doing the killing, says Robert Parry. By Robert Parry August 17, 2013 " Information Clearing House " - " Consortium News " - Over the past few decades, the U.S. mainstream media has failed the American people in a historic fashion by spinning false or misleading narratives on virtually every important global issue, continuing to this day to guide the nation into destructive and unnecessary conflicts. To me, a major turning point came with the failure of the major news organizations to get anywhere near the bottom of the Iran-Contra scandal, including its origins in illicit contacts between Republicans and Iranians during the 1980 campaign and the Reagan administrations collaboration with drug traffickers to support the Contra war in Nicaragua. (Instead, the major U.S. media disparaged reporting on these very real scandals.) If these unsavory stories had been fully explained to the American people, their impression of Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush would be far less favorable and the rise of Reagans neocon underlings might well have been halted. Instead the neocons consolidated their dominance over Official Washingtons foreign policy establishment and Bushs inept son was allowed to take the White House in 2001. Then, one might have thought that the disastrous invasion of Iraq in 2003 justified by a legion of lies would have finally doomed the neocons but, by then, they had deeply penetrated the national news media and major think tanks, with their influence reaching not only across the Republican Party but deeply into the Democratic Party as well. So, despite the Iraq catastrophe, almost nothing changed. The neocons and their liberal interventionist chums continued to fabricate narratives that have led the United States into one mess after another, seeking more and more regime change and brushing aside recommendations for peaceful resolution of international crises. Cognitive Dissonance As part of this phenomenon, there is profound cognitive dissonance as the rationales shift depending on the neocons tactical needs. From one case to the next, there is no logical or moral consistency, and the major U.S. news organizations go along, failing again and again to expose these blatant hypocrisies. The U.S. government can stand for a rules-based world when that serves its interests but then freely violate international law when its decided that humanitarian warfare trumps national sovereignty and the United Nations Charter. The latter is particularly easy after a foreign leader has been demonized in the American press, but sovereignty becomes inviolate in other circumstances when Washington is on the side of the killing regimes. George W. Bushs administration and the mainstream media justified invading Iraq, in part, by accusing Saddam Hussein of human rights violations. The obvious illegality of the invasion was ignored or dismissed as so much caviling by Saddam apologists. Similarly, the Obama administration and media rationalized invading Libya in 2011 under the propagandistic charge that Muammar Gaddafi was planning a mass slaughter of civilians (though he said he was only after Islamic terrorists). But the same media looks the other way or make excuses when the slaughter of civilians is being done by allies, such as Israel against Palestinians or Saudi Arabia against Yemenis. Then the U.S. government even rushes more military supplies so the bombings can continue. The view of terrorism is selective, too. Israel, Saudi Arabia and other U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf have aided and abetted terrorist groups, including Al Qaedas Nusra Front, in the war against the largely secular government of Syria. That support for violent subversion followed the U.S. medias demonization of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Thus, trying to avoid another Iraq-style morass, President Obama faces heavy criticism from neocon-dominated Washington for not doing more to force regime change in Syria, although he actually has authorized shipments of sophisticated U.S. weaponry to the supposedly moderate opposition, which often operates under Nusras command structure. In other words, its okay to intervene overtly and covertly when Official Washington wants to do so, regardless of international law and even if that involves complicity with terrorists. But its different when the shoe is on the other foot. In the case of Ukraine, any Russian assistance to ethnic Russian rebels under assault from a Ukrainian military that includes neo-Nazi battalions, such as the Azov brigade , is impermissible. International law and a rules-based structure must be defended by punishing Russia. The U.S. news media failed its readers again with its one-sided coverage of the 2014 coup that overthrew elected President Viktor Yanukovych, who had undergone another demonization process from U.S. officials and the mainstream press. So, the major U.S. news outlets cheered the coup and saw nothing wrong when the new U.S.-backed regime announced an Anti-Terrorism Operation or ATO against ethnic Russian Ukrainians who had voted for Yanukovych and considered the coup regime illegitimate. In the Western media, the white-hatted coup regime in Kiev could do no wrong even when its neo-Nazi storm troopers burned scores of ethnic Russians alive in Odessa and spearheaded the ATO in the east. Everything was Russias fault, even though there was no evidence that President Vladimir Putin had any pre-coup role in destabilizing the political situation in Ukraine. Indeed, the evidence was clear that the U.S. government was the one seeking regime change. For instance, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs Victoria Nuland was caught on an intercepted phone call conspiring with U.S. Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt regarding who should take power Yats is the guy, she said about Arseniy Yatsenyuk and discussing how to midwife and glue this thing. The coup followed a few weeks later, with Yatsenyuk emerging as the new prime minister. U.S. Exceptionalism The U.S. news media acts as if it is the unquestionable right of the U.S. government to intervene in the internal affairs of countries all over the world whether through subversion or military invasion but the U.S. media then gets outraged if anyone dares to resist Washingtons edicts or tries to behave in any way similar to how the U.S. government does. So, regarding Ukraine, when neighboring Russia intervened to prevent massacres in the east and to let the people of Crimea vote in a referendum on seceding from the new regime in Kiev, the U.S. government and media accused Putin of violating international law. National borders, even in the context of a violent coup carried out in part by neo-Nazis, had to be respected, Official Washington piously announced. Even the 96 percent will of Crimeas voters to rejoin Russia had to be set aside in support of the principle of state sovereignty. In other words, if Putin shielded these ethnic Russians from violent repression by Ukrainian ultra-nationalists, he was guilty of aggression and his country needed to be punished with harsh sanctions. U.S. neocons soon began dreaming of destabilizing Russia and pulling off another regime change, in Moscow. Meanwhile, the U.S.-backed Ukrainian regime prosecuted its ATO, bringing heavy armaments to bear against the eastern Ukrainian dissidents in a conflict that has claimed some 10,000 lives including many civilians. The Ukrainian conflict is one of the worst bloodlettings in Europe since World War II, yet the calls from neocons and their liberal-hawk pals is to arm up the Ukrainian military so it can once and for all crush the resistance. Early in the crisis, New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof, who has cultivated a reputation as a caring humanitarian, was eager to send more weapons to the Kiev regime and to western Ukrainians (who include his fathers relatives) so they could kill their ethnic Russian neighbors in the east or go bear-hunting, as Kristof put it . By calling Russians bears, Kristof was likening their slaughter to the killing of animals. Yet, in a recent column , Kristof takes a very different posture regarding Syria, where he wants the U.S. military to invade and create so-called safe zones and no-fly zones to prevent the Syrian army and air force from operating against rebel positions. Sovereignty means one thing in Ukraine, even following a coup that removed the elected president. There, national borders must be respected (at least after a pro-U.S. regime had been installed) and the regime has every right kill dissenters to assert its authority. After all, its just like hunting animals. But sovereignty means something else in Syria where the U.S. government is called on to intervene on one side in a brutal civil war to prevent the government from regaining control of the country or to obviate the need for a negotiated settlement of the conflict. In Syria, regime change trumps all. Selective Outrage In the column, Kristof noted other conflicts where the United States supposedly should have done more, calling the failure to invade Syria a stain on all of us, analogous to the eyes averted from Bosnia and Rwanda in the 1990s, to Darfur in the 2000s. Note again the selectivity of Kristofs moral outrage. He doesnt call for a U.S. invasion of Israel/Palestine to protect the Palestinians from Israels periodic mowing the grass operations. Nor does he suggest bombing the Saudi airfields to prevent the kingdoms continued bombing of Yemenis. And, he doesnt protest the U.S.-instigated slaughter in Iraq where hundreds of thousands of people perished, nor does he cite the seemingly endless U.S. war in Afghanistan. Like many other mainstream pundits, Kristof tailors his humanitarianism to the cause of U.S. global dominance. After all, how long do you think Kristof would last as a well-paid columnist if he advocated a no-fly zone inside Israel or a military intervention against Saudi Arabia? Put differently, how much professional courage does it take to pile on against black-hatted U.S. enemies after theyve been demonized? Yet, it was just such a group think that cleared the way for the U.S. invasion of Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein, a decision embraced by liberal hawks as well as neoconservatives and touching off mass suffering across the Mideast and now into Europe. Some estimates put the Iraqi dead at over one million. So, its worth remembering how The New Yorker, The New York Times and other supposedly liberal publications hopped on George W. Bushs Iraq War bandwagon. They became what Kristofs former boss, Bill Keller, dubbed the I-Cant-Believe-Im-a-Hawk Club. (Keller, by the way, was named the Times executive editor after the Iraq WMD claims had been debunked. Like many of his fellow hawks, there was no accountability for their gullibility or careerism.) Kristof did not join the club at that time but signed up later, urging a massive bombing campaign in Syria after the Obama administration made now largely discredited claims accusing Bashar al-Assads government of launching a sarin gas attack outside Damascus on Aug. 21, 2013. We now know that President Obama pulled back from those bombing plans, in part, because he was told by U.S. intelligence analysts that they doubted Assad was responsible. The preponderance of evidence now points to a provocation by Al Qaeda-connected rebels to trick the United States into intervening in the civil war on their side, but the mainstream U.S. media continues to report as flat fact that Obama failed to enforce his red line against Assad using chemical weapons. Though the Kristof-endorsed bombing campaign in 2013 might well have played into Al Qaedas hands (or those of the Islamic State) and thus unleashed even a worse tragedy on the Syrian people, the columnist is still advocating a U.S. invasion of Syria, albeit dressed up in pretty humanitarian language. But it should be clear that nice-sounding words like safe zones are just euphemisms for regime change, as we saw in Libya in 2011. Forgetting Reality The U.S. news media also often forgets that Obama has authorized the training and arming of so-called moderate Syrian rebels with many of them absorbed into the military command of Al Qaedas Nusra Front and with sophisticated U.S. weapons, such as TOW anti-tank missiles, showing up in the arsenals of Nusra and its jihadist allies. In other words, beyond the selective outrage about morality and international law, we see selective reporting. Indeed, across American journalism, there has been a nearly complete abandonment of objectivity when it comes to reporting on U.S. foreign policy. Even liberal and leftist publications now bash anyone who doesnt join the latest version of the I-Cant-Believe-Im-a-Hawk Club. That means that as the neocon-dominated foreign policy establishment continues to push the world toward ever greater catastrophes, now including plans to destabilize nuclear-armed Russia (gee, how could that go wrong?), the U.S. news media is denying the American people the objective information needed to rein in the excesses. Virtually nothing has been learned from the Iraq War disaster when the U.S. government cast aside negotiations and inspections (along with any appreciation of the complex reality on the ground) in favor of tough-guy/gal posturing. With very few exceptions, the U.S. media simply went along. Today, the pro-war posturing has spread deeply within the Democratic Party and even among some hawkish leftists who join in the fun of insulting the few anti-war dissenters with the McCarthyite approach of accusing anyone challenging the group think on Syria or Russia of being an Assad apologist or a Putin stooge. At the Democratic National Convention, some of Hillary Clintons delegates even chanted USA, USA to drown out the cries of Bernie Sanderss delegates, who pleaded for no more war. On a larger scale, the mainstream U.S. news media has essentially ignored or silenced anyone who deviates from the neocon-dominated conventional wisdom. Investigative reporter Robert Parry broke many of the Iran-Contra stories for The Associated Press and Newsweek in the 1980s. You can buy his latest book, Americas Stolen Narrative, either in print here or as an e-book (from Amazon and barnesandnoble.com ). Western Value... Making a Killing in Yemen By Finian Cunningham August 18, 2013 " Information Clearing House " - " Sputnik " - The slaughter in Yemen just keeps getting worse, with civilians at the bloody forefront. Yet, shamefully moreover tellingly there is no uproar in the Western media. The silence is in spite of the fact that Western governments are profiting massively from supporting the Saudi military actions in its southern neighbor. Where is the presumed high-minded Western journalism to investigate this horror? In the latest atrocity, on Monday, more than 10 civilian patients and one staff at a hospital were killed when Saudi warplanes bombed the facility in the northern province of Hajjah. The hit was confirmed by French-based medical charity, Doctors Without Borders, which runs the hospital. It was the fourth time over the past year that a DWB facility in Yemen was targeted in air raids. Only days before the latest hospital strike, 10 children were killed when their school was hit again reportedly by Saudi warplanes in the adjacent province of Saada. Elsewhere this week there were reports of two women and two children killed in airstrikes on residential homes near the capital Sanaa. Also, five civilians died after the vehicle they were traveling in was hit from the air. The US government issued a condemnation of the hospital attack and the Saudi military coalition stated that it was investigating the incident. Meanwhile, the Saudis denied the deadly strike on the school, claiming that it was a training center used by Houthi rebels. Local sources negated the Saudi claim, confirming that the victims were all young children. Condemnation from Washington about the hospital strike may not amount to much beyond empty rhetoric aimed at deflecting from the atrocity. Last October, the US Air Force carried out an airstrike on a DWB hospital in northern Afghanistan, killing more than 30 people. If Washington had any compunction about wiping out hospitals, and a will to stop inflicting further civilian collateral damage, then why does it continue to give full military and political support to Saudi Arabia in the latters year-and-a-half war on Yemen, where hospitals, schools and homes are bombed from the air on a weekly basis? Last week, the Obama administration signed off a $1.5 billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia. According to the Washington Post, the US has sold the Saudis a total of $20 billion in weapons over the past year. Britain, France and Germany have also made a financial killing from selling weapons to the Saudi regime over the same period. Britain alone reportedly sold nearly $4 billion-worth of weaponry to the oil-rich kingdom in 2015. Western arms exports include fighter jets, helicopter gunships, air-to-ground missiles, tanks and anti-missile defense systems. Apart from the occasional verbal concern about civilian deaths in Yemen, Western governments have largely been mute on the slaughter occurring in that country. Saudi Arabia and its regional allies other Western-backed oil-rich dictatorships in the Persian Gulf began attacking Yemen in March 2015. The so-called coalition waging war on the Arab regions poorest country received, from the outset, diplomatic and military support from Western governments, even though the legal grounds were highly dubious. Arguably, what is happening to Yemen is out-and-out foreign aggression a Nuremberg standard supreme crime which Western countries are fully complicit in. The official reasoning is that the Houthi rebels ousted President Mansour Hadi. The Saudis and the Western media typically refer to deposed Hadi regime as the internationally recognized government of Yemen. The implication is that the Houthi-led uprising is illegitimate. However, the ousted president is seen by many Yemenis as a corrupt puppet of Saudi Arabia and Washington. The Western media also repeat the Saudi claim that the Houthi rebels are backed by Iran, which again serves to justify the Saudi military assault. There is no evidence for that claim, and Iran denies it. It is rather a propaganda device giving cover to Saudi Arabia for what is patently international aggression, a propaganda device that the Western media fully facilitate. Since March 2015, some 10,000 Yemenis have been killed in the war. The United Nations has expressed concern about the rising number of children losing their lives. Again, such expressions dont carry much weight. Where are UN sanctions on Saudi Arabia and its supporters in Washington, London and Paris? There are none because the UN is a tool of Western geopolitics. An earlier condemnation of Saudi Arabia over Yemen by UN chief Ban Ki-Moon was quickly retracted after the Saudis threatened to cut off financial contributions to the world body. The Western media have been studiously silent on the horror in Yemen. Regulars viewers of CNN, BBC or France 24 will rarely if ever see a report on the violence, never mind reports on how that violence is fueled by Western governments plying the Saudi regime with weapons. Yet, these same media channels frequently carry unsubstantiated reports claiming that Syrian and Russian forces are responsible for striking hospitals in Syrias battleground city of Aleppo. Of course, the difference is that in Syria, Washington, London and Paris are seeking regime change in that country. So any information that purports to show the Syrian government and its Russia ally in a bad light is given prominence, even if unverified. In Yemen, by contrast, the Western powers want to reinstall their ousted, corrupt puppet who is living in exile in Saudi Arabia. After more than 18 months of non-stop bombardment, which has left 80 per cent of Yemens 24 million population in dire deprivation, the Saudis and their Western allies are nowhere near reinstalling the exiled Hadi. So much for internationally recognized government! Washington and London are not just plying the Saudis with the arsenal of weapons that are killing Yemenis en masse. The Americans and British are also actively coordinating the Saudi warplanes from logistics centers inside Saudi Arabia. There are also credible reports of American and British special forces working on the ground to assist Saudi-paid mercenaries, some of whom include the same kind of extremist jihadists operating in Syria. As women and children continue to be torn to pieces by American, British and French warplanes and missiles in Yemen, there is a grim object lesson for the rest of the world. The Western medias silence is not merely a dereliction of duty to inform the public. It is a revelation of the systematic criminality of Western so-called democracies. Western claims of democratic values and respect for international law, human rights and freedom of independent media are seen for what they truly are. A cynical pretense to hide what is the ultimate value for the ruling capitalist powers the freedom to exploit financial profits. In Yemen, families are being slaughtered in their homes by Western-supplied and guided warplanes. All the while, the Western media is blacked out. The only Western value of any consequence is the money that can be made from human lives. Yemen demonstrates how this vile predatory logic works: killing people, including women and children, means more profit, which in turn, requires more killing. That abominable logic of Western capitalism must be kept hidden at all costs. Hence, Western media silence and blindness towards Yemen, and how the West is truly making a killing. Two University of Lagos students, Kunle Shakiru (26) and Moses Olowe (23), were on Wednesday brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Court for alleged robbery and belonging to an unlawful society. The duo faced a two-count charge of belonging to an unlawful group and stealing, while armed with dangerous weapons. The Prosecutor, Gbemileke Agoi, explained that the offences were committed on August 5, at the University of Lagos. He said the accused, armed with a short gun, robbed some people of their various valuables valued at N35,700. The offences, Mr. Agoi noted, contravened Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. It also contravenes Section (2) (a) (b) of the Robbery and Fire arms (Special Provisions Act), Cap 398, Vol. XXII, Laws of the Federation, 2003 as amended. The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them. The Magistrate, A.O. Ajibade, granted them bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till September 20, for advice and mention. Source: NAN South Africans across the country, the social media, the community of Jan Kempdorp and the Northern Cape on Monday August 15th, joined the family of six-year-old Kutlwano Garesape in mourning the brutal death of the young hero. According to local media, Kutlwano and his mother were walking to school at Jan Kempdorp in the northern Cape when they were attacked on Friday. The child was stabbed repeatedly with a broken bottle by an assailant identified as Tefelo Dikole 32 who has already appeared in the Jan Kempdorp Magistrates Court. Segomotso Garesape 42 was attacked while walking her two sons aged six and eight to school after they missed their bus. Kutlwano slapped and kicked the man as he attempted to strangle his mother screaming: Let go of my mommy I heard my child crying out for me and I saw him trying to defend himself with his hands. The man just kept on stabbing him People from across the country have conveyed their condolences to the family and offered to help them. The attack was met with outrage and heartache on social media. Daphne Mufamadi tweeted Im shattered by the Killing of 6 year old Kutlwano Garesape stabbed to death trying to protect his mother Community members meanwhile protested outside the court and opposed bail for the accused, calling for him to be kept behind bars. They labelled the attack on Segomotso Garesape and her two young children as a savage act and said the attacker must pay. This is a small community where we all know each other. The fact that the mother knew the attacker, and he continued to hurt her, is just shocking, one community member said. This angers the community even more as this incident now inflicts fear in all of us and we feel that we are not safe. As a parent, you now really worry about the safety of your children because this woman and her children were attacked during the morning hours whilst they were walking to school. It is heartbreaking . as the child died in his mothers arms. The Premier of the Northern Cape, Sylvia Lucas, also expressed her condolences to the family in a statement released on Monday. This senseless and insensitive attack comes during a month when we actively advocate for the rights of women. There can be no justifiable reason or explanation for one person to inflict so much pain and suffering on an innocent child. Kutlwano had his whole life ahead of him and one merciless act destroyed the life of a child, that of his parents and the community at large. More disturbing is the fact that this innocent boy was on his way to school to obtain an education. The community of Jan Kempdorp and the Northern Cape has been deprived of a future leader and we thus call on all communities to always stand up and protect the wellbeing of our children. This senseless act cannot and will not be tolerated. The Northern Cape provincial government expresses its heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and community at large and calls on especially men to defend and uphold the rights of our women and children. We have full confidence that the law enforcement agencies will deal with the matter in the appropriate manner and with the urgency it deserves, said Lucas. Kutlwanos father, Frank Jacobs, said that the family did not attend court proceedings on Monday as they were at the mortuary in Hartswater. He said they will make an official announcement on Kutlwanos funeral later. We wish to have the funeral this coming Saturday, however, the autopsy is still being conducted and we will afford the law enforcement agencies an opportunity to conclude their investigation. The funeral will be held in Taung but we will release further details later this week, Jacobs said. The case was postponed to August 22 for a formal bail application. Source: Sowetan Live/IOL The military on Tuesday in Abuja said about 8,000 Boko Haram members voluntarily surrendered to its Operation Safe Corridor in the Northeast. Director of Defence Information Brig.-Gen. Rabe Abubakar made this disclosure at a lecture organised by the Federal Capital Territory Correspondents Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ). Abubakar said the surrendered insurgents were in a camp in Gombe waiting to be de-radicalised by the military. He also said over 10,000 Boko Haram captives were rescued by the military. The Defence spokesman said some of them were reunited with their families, while others were taken to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. Abubakar said Boko Haram had been decimated by the military, and that the Federal Government would rehabilitate victims and rebuilt affected areas. He also hinted that the military would launch Operation Safe Corridor to address the menace of herdsmen across the country. The Defence spokesman promised that the military operation would put an end to the killings by herdsmen. The general however, urged the media not to allow sentiments to influence their judgment on some issues while responding to questions on the action by the military declaring some journalists wanted He said the military should be allowed to do its work, while assuring them that no journalist would be victimised. Abubakar said good military-media relationship was crucial to winning the war against insurgency. He said the medias public support for the military has boosted the morale of officers and the rank-and-file. A German is facing a fine for damaging a parked car with his 30cm sausage. According to German police, the 49-year-old man was crossing a road in the northern German town of Neubrandenburg with his 8-year-old son when he took offence at the way a car had been parked in front of them. A row eventually developed with the motorist and the father. The father then used his oversized sausage on the BMW. A report filed by Neubrandenburg police reported that the confrontation then escalated to a scuffle with punches thrown. The police file described the weapon as a fleischwurst, a type of scalded sausage with a high meat content better known as a garlic bologna. The sausage left a small dent in the rear door on the drivers side. Zimbabweans who are fed up with poor economic conditions in the country protested on Wednesday as they demanded that long-term leader, Robert Mugabe step down. 92-year old Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe for 36 years and the inability of his cash-strapped government to pay civil servants has made him increasingly unpopular.Wednesdays protests saw hundreds of people holding posters demanding Mugabe must Go was eventually crushed ruthlessly by police. Police officers fired tear gas and water canons into the crowd as some protesters were even beaten with batons. The protests were held in the capital, Harare calling on President Robert Mugabe to step down, a week after the longtime ruler warned that protests dont pay. The protest leaders have threatened a nationwide shutdown soon and they will be encouraged by Wednesdays turnout of protesters. President Muhammadu Buhari has assured international and local human rights groups that he will give an appropriate response to a report of the judicial inquiry into the clashes between soldiers and Shiites last December in Zaria, Kaduna State. Mr. Buhari said he was studying the report before announcing appropriate response in due course. A statement by a presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said: The presidents commitment to human rights remains unchanged because it is a cardinal component of the democratic order. The Kaduna State Government had set up a judicial commission of inquiry to look into the December clash in which hundreds of Shiite Muslims were massacred by Nigerian soldiers. The report indicted the General Officer Commanding the Nigerian Armys 1st Division, Kaduna, Maj.-Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade. He was accused of ordering the attack on civilians. It also apportioned blames to the Shiite Muslims leader, Sheik Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, for not having control of his members while the federal and Kaduna State government were also blamed for not acting in the past on reported acts of lawlessness perpetrated by the Shiites. While the international community condemned the heavy use of force by the soldiers, the army hierarchy and President Buhari refused to condemn it. After his initial silence, Mr. Buhari suggested during a televised interview on December 30 that the Shiites invited the wrath of the military upon themselves by hitting the chest of generals. However, in a twist of events yesterday, Mr. Buhari said his government will issue the needed response. The statement issued by Malam Shehu said the president had told the nation during the Presidential Media Chat that he was awaiting the outcome of the report of inquiry into the incident before making appropriate response. The statement said the present administration believes in due process and the rule of law; therefore any response to the report would follow this principle. The Federal Government will continue to act in the larger interest of the public to prevent such violent incidents, it said. In spite of a court order and sealing off of the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee has gone ahead with the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Rivers State Government House. Senator Makarfi declared the convention opened on Wednesday at the Government House amid cheers from party chieftains in attendance. Details later A prominent member of the Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) advocacy group, Aisha Yesufu, has given the federal government 48hours to reinstate the 2,000 dismissed Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruits or face their wrath. The activist gave this warning while speaking at the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja on Tuesday after a protest by the recruits, who are not pleased with the conditions outlined by the Service for their re-engagement. Instead of doing the right thing to reabsorb them as mandated by the House of Representatives in their resolution of 12th April 2016, only yesterday the 15th of August 2016, new stringent and needless criteria purportedly approved by the Nigeria Immigration Service; and the Civil Defence, Fire Service, Immigration, and Prisons Service Board (CDFSIP), for reabsorption of #NigeriaImmigration2000 appeared in the national dailies, she said. The NIS had said it would use the CDFSIP Age on Rank policy, run drug tests, give security clearance and verify the recruits certificates before being considered for re-absorption into the Service. Mrs Yesufu, however, faulted these conditions, saying These young men and women are not applicants for enrolment into NIS. They are the best 2,000 recruited from among over 1 million applicants following laid down procedures which included open publications in the media for interested applicants. Where in the world are people issued employment letters referred to as applicants? This screening for re-absorption therefore, cannot be regarded as their entry point as applicants, or an exercise for revalidating applicants. A person who has received training, has been documented, issued a service number, and so on is no longer an applicant but an employee/recruit of the NIS. It is even worse to claim that their letters of employment were irregularly issued. She argued that the Age on Rank policy listed as one of the conditions for re-absorption was made in 2016, months after the recruitment, documentation, and training of 2000 recruited in 2015, stressing that it would be unjust to use such a parameter to screen them. We, therefore, urge you to immediately mandate the Ministry of Interior; the Civil Defence, Fire service, Immigration Service, and Prisons Service Board; and the Nigeria Immigration Service to: Issue an official circular, on proper NIS letterhead reinstating with immediate effect, each and every member of the #NigeriaImmigration2000 without referring to or regarding them as applicants, without claiming that their letters of employment were irregularly issued, and without the retroactive Age on Rank screening. Pay up all their arrears of salary and other incentives from May 2015 to date and ensure that such injustice is never again repeated. However, may it be abundantly clear that if this matter is not resolved conclusively within the next 48 hours, we shall be left with no other option than to march in our numbers to engage with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria himself come Friday 19th August 2016, the activist asserted. Responding, the representative of the SGF, who introduced himself as Mallam Ibrahim Hassan, the SSA to the President on Policy and Strategy, assured that nobody will be left out from the 2,000 personnel, adding that the screening is not a new one but for verification. The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Funds (TETFUND), Dr. Abdullahi Baffa, has announced that the Federal government has earmarked N3bn for high impact researches in federal and state public tertiary institutions across the country. Dr Baffa made this disclosure to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday as he added that TETFUND has allocated N15 million to lecturers in the universities and N10 million to polytechnics and colleges of education lecturers to fund their researches. The TETFUND boss explained that the funds are research grants awarded to qualified scholars who participate in rigorous process of screening, after sending their proposals. Research is one of the core mandates of the fund; the fund is supposed to bridge the infrastructural gap in our public tertiary institutions, he said. About N3 billion has been earmarked to support the high impact research at the National Research Fund level. We have been supporting research institutions, where we can allocate up to N15 million for academics in the Universities and up to N10 million to academics in Polytechnics and Colleges of Education. Such research would increase our production and improve our efficiency and easing the lives of our citizens. The more we research, the more we industrialize our country. And the more we create more jobs. Dr Baffa who said TETFUND was determined to support cutting edge research that would help the future of Nigeria, however, added that He stated that there was no plan to extend intervention grants to private tertiary institutions. The immediate past governor of Plateau state, Jonah Jang yesterday accused his successor, Simon Lalong of hiding under the reconstruction of the Jos Main market to defraud the state. The Jos Main Market popularly called Terminus, which is one of Nigerias oldest and largest indoor market, was closed in 2002 following an explosion that sparked a major fire incident. Governor Lalong had promised to rebuild the popular market as part of his campaign promise in the build-up to the 2015 general elections after successive administrations in the state failed to resuscitate it. In fulfilment of that promise, the state government recently signed a N230 million memorandum of Understanding with a British company to commence the first phase of redevelopment and enhancement of the market. Jang said someone has to explain how consultancy fee for the proposed rebuilding of Jos Main Market alone costs about N250million. In a statement signed by his media aide, Clinton Garuba, the former governor now senator representing Plateau North, said Those who have identified the burnt Jos Main Market as a conduit to siphon scarce resources needed to salvage citizens from untold hardship, have a lot of buying to do, so the right questions may be kept from the people. According to court documents, a man from Cleveland, Ohio, USA, is facing felony child endangerment charges after beating his 7-year-old stepson with a towel rack because the boy had trouble pronouncing a word correctly. Juan Ordaz-Munoz, 25, was arrested July 27, five days after police say he beat the boy. Its the second time that he has been accused of using physical violence on the 7-year-old, according to court filings, but the first time he has been charged with a felony in Cuyahoga County. Ordaz-Munoz got upset on July 22 when the boy couldnt pronounce the word television and started beating him with a towel holder, court records say. The beating left bruises and open wounds on the boys chest, legs and buttocks, police say. Ordaz-Munoz pleaded not guilty during arraignment Tuesday and remains in county jail on $50,000 bond. A 23-year-old church member, Elochukwu Nnoruga, on Wednesday appeared in a Tinubu Magistrates Court, Lagos, for alleged theft of N214,000 from church tithe box. Nnoruga no fixed address is facing a one-count charge of theft. Prosecutor Ben Ekundayo told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug. 14 at about 2 p.m., at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Idumaigbo, Lagos. Ekundayo said that the accused, a church member, stole N214, 000 from the tithe box after church service. He said the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Nnoruga pleaded guilty to the charge. The Magistrate, Mr Ade Adefulire, adjourned the case till Aug. 23 for facts and sentencing. Source; NAN Punch The Force headquarters said it has sealed off the Sharks Stadium in Port Harcourt, the venue of the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party. Vanguard ON AUGUST 17, 20162:33 AMIN POLITICS0 COMMENTS says I never stole $12.8 bn Gen Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida,retd, who attained the age of 75 today in his characteristic way of marking his birthday.. The Sun Benin Crown Prince and Edaiken N Uselu, Eheneden Erediauwa, has urged the newly posted Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5, Mr. Adeyinka Kolawole Shodipo to provide a level playing field for all political parties in the forthcoming election in the state. Thisday The judiciary would appear to have descended into an arena of political conflicts as two divisions of the Federal High Court engage in a fight for supremacy, delivering four contradictory rulings within two days centering on the repeat National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) holding today in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Daily Times The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to fulfil its promise on job creation and youth employment in the country. Daily Trust The APC leaders of Itsekiri extraction have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for recognising Delta State in his recent appointments. National Mirror Nigerian Army Monday said that its troops on Sunday, killed 16 Boko Haram insurgents and repelled attack on Kangarwa. A statement by Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, said that a large cache of weapons were also seized with 11 soldiers injured. Leadership The Nigerian Military yesterday said over 800 members of the Boko Haram sect have voluntarily renounced their membership with the group. Tribune The Nigerian Air Force has described the latest video released online by the Boko Haram terrorists group alleging the killing of some of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls by the military fighter jets as not only a ruse, but another mischievous effort by the dying sect to draw public attention to itself. The Nigerian Air Force haram dismissed allegations contained in a recent Boko Haram video that its fighter jets killed some of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls. A masked Boko Haram fighter had in the video showed lifeless bodies of some purported Chibok schoolgirls, saying they were killed in airstrikes by the Nigerian military. But the spokesperson of the NAF, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, in a statement yesterday, described the video as not only a ruse but another mischievous effort by the terrorist sect to draw public attention to itself. He added: Whereas the video showed a cross section of the abducted girls and an airborne aircraft, it provided no evidence that the supposed casualties were as a result of any air to ground attack. More so, there is sufficient evidence to believe that the casualties were arranged as the positioning of the bodies clearly defiles any natural setting of a location that had undergone aerial bombardment. The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Francis Odesanya, has denied reports that policemen sealed off the Sharks Stadium, Port Harcourt, venue of the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) earlier today. Mr. Odesanya told newsmen that he merely complied with a court order to provide security around the venue, stressing that his men did not seal up the place. We did not seal up the place, we are only providing security, he added. When asked to state which court order he complied with, the police boss said he was not in a position to interpret court orders. RELATED POST: Policemen Seal PDP Convention Venue It is not my duty to interpret court order, he said. He said further enquiries on development around the venue of the place should be made to the Force spokesman in Abuja or the spokesman of the Rivers State Police command. Meanwhile, the Force Public Relations Officer, Donald Amunah, has defended the sealing off of the Sharks Stadium by a combined team of police and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives. Speaking as a guest on Channels TV Sunrise Daily, on Wednesday Mr. Amunah, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, said: The Police is an institution established by law and we obey the court orders and rule of law. In an event of conflicting court orders, what do you do? We are neutral. The IG has been served court orders in Abuja and so we have to obey the orders. If this court order has to be obeyed, what do we do about the venue? We take control of the venue to avoid two worrying parties conflicting, to protect lives and properties. The Force PRO stressed that the police had to be proactive to ensure that lives and properties are secured and contentious areas can be later sorted out by the court itself. In the interim, the Police will ensue that everyone is protected. So that people do not go to the venue of the convention and start fighting, he added. On speculations in some quarters that the police was taking sides, DCP Amunah insisted that We are not following one side. If there is conflict, you stand in the middle and ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order. When two parties have court orders, they will both want to implement their own motives and decision. The Police will do the essential, that is, protect lives and properties. Its not about obeying court A or B. Prominent indigenes from the six South-South states have finalized plans to meet on Friday in Warri, Delta State, to brainstorm on ways to end militancy in the region. Frontline Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark and a former Minister of Police Affairs, Broderick Bozimo, who addressed a press briefing in Warri on Tuesday, said the parley would hold at Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) Conference Centre in Warri. According to Clark, those invited to attend the meeting include serving and past governors, legislators, former and current ministers, prominent traditional rulers and politicians from the six states in the zone. He listed the states to include Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Edo, Rivers and Delta. The problem is not Ijaw problem alone; it is a problem of the entire Niger Delta coastal states. We have observed that the problem of vandalism has affected the national economy and affected us too; crisis does not solve crisis, dialogue is the answer, he said. The Ijaw leader noted that violence was not a solution to the problem of neglect, marginalisation, unemployment and underdevelopment that plagued the region, adding that dialogue is the only way out. There is no way you can begin to fight without looking back. We are part of Nigeria, we believe in the unity and development of this country. There can never be development without peace and there cannot be peace without justice, he added. Mr. Clark further said that President Muhammadu Buhari had also recognised the importance of dialogue. He explained that one of the agenda of the meeting was to call on the president to dialogue with a team of stakeholders on the amnesty document currently before him. (NAN) On this day in 2007, Nigerian authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Port Harcourt after security forces and gang members clashed in battles that left dozens dead. Security forces on the day before had attacked the camp of a leading Nigerian oil-region gang member whose fighters were implicated by police in a recent gunbattle that left more than a dozen people dead, according to AP. The military and police attacked a base for fighters linked to Soboma George early Wednesday and arrested unspecified militants, said the military spokesman, Sagir Musa. Residents said gunfire continued into daylight hours in the city of Port Harcourt, the oil-regions largest city. Lawlessness across the southern region has flourished since militants intensified their activity in late 2005. A 30-year-old trader has been arrested by the police in Ogun state for naming his pet dog Buhari. The trader, Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, of No 10, Omikunle Street, Sango-Ota, Ogun State, was reportedly arrested last weekend, after one of his neighbours of Northern extraction complained bitterly that he named his dog after his father, Alhaji Buhari. Vanguard learned that the complainant reported the case at Sango Police Station, last Saturday, after which the trader was arrested and detained. However, it was gathered that efforts by the police to recover the dog, which they intended using as evidence failed following a clever move by the suspect. The trader, said to be trading in female wears at a popular market in Sango, allegedly directed his friends secretly to kill the dog and possibly eat the meat in order to avoid being implicated. It was gathered that consistent appeals by his friends and relations for the police to grant him bail failed as the complainant and his kinsmen reportedly threatened to kill the trader if he was released on bail. The case, however, took a different dimension two days later when Chinakwes relatives went to Sango police station to further plead for his bail only to be informed that the case file and the suspect have been transferred to Ogun State Police Command headquarters at Eleweran. A relation to the suspect, who simply identified himself as Chiedozie, told Vanguard that his brother was being persecuted for no just cause and expressed fears that he may either be poisoned inside police cell or thrown into jail. Chiedozie said: Chinakwe is a lover of dogs and he names them after things that tickle him. He bought this dog a year ago and named it Buhari. Unfortunately, some Northerners, who dominate the vicinity where he resides misconstrued his intention and connived to take him up. The complainant then claimed it was derogatory because his father answers Buhari. Police sources, however, told Vanguard that the actions of the suspect were very provocative. The source said: he not only named the dog Buhari but boldly wrote it on the body of both sides of the dog and was seen parading the neighbourhood dominated by Northerners with it. As at press time, relations to the suspect were still making frantic efforts to effect his bail while his accusers are insisting that he must be prosecuted. When contacted around 8pm yesterday, the acting Police spokesman in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, ASP, said he was still trying to get the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of Sango for details. Oyeyemi later called, stating that: I have made enquiries. The man bought a dog and inscribed Buhari on both sides of its body. One Mallam lodged a complaint and when our men got there, we found out that it was true. You know such thing can cause serious breach of the peace and ethnic or religious unrest. We are charging him to court for conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. Continuing, he said: He was arrested last Saturday and we are taking him to court later today (Tuesday) or tomorrow morning (today). You know an average Northerner will feel bad over such a thing. It can cause serious ethnic crisis or religious confrontation because when you are relegating such a name to a certain person, you are indirectly insulting him. When asked about the whereabouts of the dog that will be used as evidence against the suspect, the police spokesman said: The dog cannot follow anybody except the owner. We will use him as our evidence because he did not deny it. Source: Vanguard A few weeks back, I declared the virtualization era and hypervisor wars to be over. Well, not quite "over" so much as "moved over" -- that is, pushed aside in favor of a new battle: the war of the cloud. The key combatants have changed from VMware, Citrix Systems, and Microsoft to Amazon Web Services, Google, and (still standing) Microsoft. However, just because the fight has moved to the cloud doesnt mean there aren't vestiges of a ground war still playing out in virtualization. The newest salvo comes from Microsoft, which will soon release the next version of Windows Server (2016) and with it, the next version of Hyper-V Server. Here are the top new or improved features to look for: Discrete Device Assignment (DDA). This allows users to take some of the PCI Express devices in their PCs and pass them directly through to the VM. This performance-enhancing feature allows the VM to access the PCI device directly, so it bypasses the virtualization stack. Two key PCI device types for such a feature are GPUs and NVMe (nonvolatile memory express) SSD controllers. Host resource protection: Sometimes, VMs can be selfish and refuse to play well with others. With this feature, the VM will be prevented from using more than its allotted resources. If a VM is detected (by monitoring VMs for excess activity), it will be punished -- given fewer resources to ensure the performance of other VMs is not affected. "Hot" changes to virtual network adapters and VM memory: These capabilities will let you add or remove the adapter (though only for Gen 2 VMs) without having to shut down and restart them, as well as let you adjust memory even if dynamic memory hasnt been enabled (this works for both Gen 1 and Gen 2 VMs). Nested virtualization: This allows you to run Hyper-V in a child VM, so it can be a host server. Ultimately you can have a Hyper-V Server running on top of a Hyper-V Server. This could be quite useful for development, testing, and training -- but I don't see it as something you'd want to do in production. Production VM checkpoints: Previously known as snapshots, checkpoints in previous Hyper-V versions took, um, a snapshot of the VM's state, which is useful for dev/test restorations. But those "standard" checkpoints don't use the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS), so they're not good for backup usage in production. The new production checkpoints work with VSS, so now you can run them in production. Virtual TPM and shielded VMs. The virtual Trusted Platform Module (TPM) lets you encrypt the VM with Microsoft's BitLocker technology the same way that a physical TPM lets you encrypt a PC's physical drive. Shielded VMs run in fabrics and are encrypted with BitLocker (or other encryption tool), also using a virtual TPM. In both cases, VMs gain TPM's ability to prevent malicious access of the machine. PowerShell Direct: This lets you remotely manage a VM running Windows 10 or Windows Server 2016 using PowerShell commands via the VMBus without worrying about the network configuration or the remote-management settings of the host or VM. The PowerShell scripting folks are going to love that. During an hour-long Hangouts web chat for the media and select IT professionals, Google has provided a glimpse of some of the new security features in its upcoming mobile OS, Android 7.0 Nougat, which should be available on Google Nexus devices "in a few weeks," according to the company. The online briefing wasn't meant to be exhaustive. Instead, it provided a top-level look at a set of new security and management tools in Android Nougat and Android for Work. Here's a breakdown of the most notable security improvements in Nougat, for Android users and IT administrators. Android Nougat device-security enhancements 1. Direct boot and stronger encryption Android Nougat users who encrypt their phones will no longer have to enter a security code after a reboot and then wait for their devices to restart in order to use core native features. Google apps including the phone and alarm will work on encrypted phones after a reboot, but the passcode will be required to access data using those apps, such as a phone contact list. Google New file-based encryption works at a more granular level to better isolate users and profiles in Android. And hardware-backed encryption keys are required for all new Android phones that run Nougat. 2. Stronger MediaServer and platform hardening Google caught a lot of flack related to flaws in its Android MediaServer components that enabled the Stagefright attacks earlier this year, and it says it strengthened the MediaServer in many ways. For example, Android Nougat gives attackers who might breach MediaServer access to fewer permissions, according to Google. Android Nougat also requires that all devices support verified boot, so corrupt phones or tablets won't start at all, or will only grant access to "safe" apps and services after they start, Google says. 3. App security and abuse prevention Apps on previous Android versions used to be able to share user-granted permissions with other apps much more easily, according to Google. In Nougat, the company cracked down on permission sharing between apps. And apps with device admin permissions in Android Nougat can no longer prevent users from uninstalling them or change users' PIN, passwords or codes to lock them out of their devices. 4. 'Seamless' Android updates When Nougat software updates are available for new phones, users can choose to download and install them in a separate on-device partition, so they don't need to stop using their phones or tablets during the process. The next time they reboot their phones, the new software will auto-install much more quickly than in the past, according to the company. Unfortunately, only new phones optimized for Nougat will have access to this feature. Google also says it removed the annoying "app optimization" step of the Android upgrade process, so Nougat devices won't be useless for 10 minutes or more after a new OS patch is applied, while apps optimize for the changes. Android Nougat corporate-security enhancements Google didn't provide as many specifics about the IT security features in Nougat, but it did offer a glimpse of some of the most interesting improvements. 1. Enhanced 'always-on VPN' An enhanced "always-on VPN" feature lets IT force certain business apps to use a VPN to connect to the web. If a VPN isn't available or can't connect, the apps won't work or share any data. 2. Android 'work security challenge' The "work security challenge" feature lets IT set separate, complex passcodes on users' devices to protect specific work data, using Android profiles, and users can employ simpler PINs or codes to access their personal data. IT can set lock restrictions for specific apps, and admins can choose to use different looking login screens so users visually know when they log into corporate services. 3. 'Work mode' The new "work mode" icon in the Android Nougat dropdown menu, which looks like a briefcase, lets user disable all work related apps after hours or when they don't want to be distracted. Google 4. Phone and dialer tweaks The Android Nougat dialer component further integrates with corporate systems and directories, according to Google, and users can search both work and personal contact lists from one place. If a business user receives a call from someone in their work directory, their caller ID can be set by admins to notify them that the call is likely work related. Call logs can be separated into business and personal lists. And other UX modifications aim to make it clear when calls or contacts are personal or work related. Google Google also said many of the work-versus-personal changes are meant to serve as a "foundation for a second phone line for business" in addition to a personal line on a single device. In fact, APIs already exist that enable certain VoIP apps to create separate phones lines within a single dialer in Android Nougat, according to Google. 5. QR code provisioning A new Nougat feature lets IT admins provision devices that don't support the NFC "Android bump" feature, using a QR code. 6. New remote bug reports and process logging Enhancements to Android's remote diagnostic tools in Nougat give admins more options to request remote bug reports, though in many cases, users must approve the requests for access to potentially sensitive information. Google said it will provide additional details on Android Nougat and Android for Work when the new mobile OS is released in the coming weeks. This story, "Google outlines security features in Android 7.0 Nougat" was originally published by CIO . Cattle Market Fades on Friday Barchart - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT 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%) Hogs Rebound into Weekend Barchart - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT 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 - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT 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%) Loss for Friday Wheat Barchart - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT 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 - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT 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 - Fri Oct 28, 4:39PM CDT 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 - Fri Oct 28, 3:32PM CDT Wedge Formation Intact The terrain of K-12 policymaking is changing. Not only does the latest incarnation of federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), return more authority over schooling to the states, but the most likely next U.S. president, Hillary Clinton, isn't nearly as friendly to ed reformers as Barack Obama has been. Related: Educationandthe 2016 Election: Implications for Funders and Nonprofits The most important K-12 funderthe Gates Foundationseems to be changing, too. Its leaders have lately delivered several mea culpas about its past strong-arm, top-down tactics, and it's hired a new director for its K-12 program, Bob Hughes, who is known for his skillful collaborating with diverse stakeholders to improve schools. As we've reported, the leader of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, is among those cautiously optimistic that the foundation is turning over a new leaf. Related: But make no mistake: Gates has no intention of backing off from its activist role in shaping K-12 across the United States, with an agenda that includes pushing the Common Core, teacher evaluations and charters. And with the battlefield changing, the foundation is keen on stepping up its work in the states, where more of the action will be. All this was crystal clear in a speech last week by Melinda Gates to the National Conference of State Legislatures, an organization that works closely with public officials. I would say stay the course," Gates told the Washington Post in a related interview. "Were not even close to finished." In recent years, some Gates' education investments have been marked by controversy and decidedly mixed returns. The funder poured many millions of dollars into development and advocacy for the Common Core State Standards, which encountered fierce opposition from parents and educators in some states. The foundationwhich prides itself on being a "learning organization"has said that it is evolving as result of it past missteps. Its CEO, Sue Desmond-Hellman, made this point in her most recent annual letter, as we've reported. Related: CommonCore Backlash Means More Hard Lessons for K-12 Funders, Starting With Gates Melinda Gates said the same thing last week, telling the Post that the foundation learned a lot of lessons from the debate over Common Core. The funder's biggest takeaway is the importance of parent and teacher buy-in for such an initiative to be successful. Community buy-in is huge, Melinda Gates said. It means that in some ways, you have to go more slowly. In terms of actual substance, though, Gates is sticking to its education agenda. It will continue its support of the Common Core and the development of materials to help teachers teach to those standards. The funder also plans to continue promoting personalized learning through the use of digital tools designed to target individual students' needs. Most of all, Gates will continue its focus on teacher quality, which includes teacher preparation, professional development, and teacher evaluation systems. Related: GreatTeachersAreMade, and Gates Wants to Make More of Them The latter may be a test of whether Gates has learned the value of attracting stakeholder support. Evaluation systems that give significant weight to students' test scores have encountered widespread resistance and criticism from teachers across the country, who point out that student scores are affected by a wide range of factors, many of them beyond the control of teachers and schools. Gates continues to believe that test scores should play a role in teacher evaluation systems, but it has struck a more flexible and responsive tone in this area, stressing that states need to listen to teachers when creating and using these systems. "Thats the biggest lesson learned in this, she said. States need to listen to their teachers when theyre designing a teacher evaluation system, and they dont all have to look alike. Speaking more broadly about the Gates Foundation's role on K-12, Gates said she hopes the funder will be a "neutral broker" that would present the evidence of what is and is not working in education. Bill Gates has often said the same thing, presenting the foundation as a research and development operation that's testing different education ideas to see what works. This is an appealing idea in theory, given how little money government spends on R&D in the education space despite the huge stakes of getting policy right. In practice, though, the Gates Foundation is far from being perceived as a neutral broker. Rather, it's been widely viewed as a strong advocate for certain approaches and is distrusted by many in the K-12 sector. If the foundation really does want to play an impartial role, it has a lot of repair work to do. One way to interpret its recent statements and actions is that it understands this, and is now engaged in a course correction intended to rebuild trust. It will be interesting to watch its next moves in that regard. Meanwhile, ESSA is in the early stages of implementation, with the U.S. Department of Education developing rules and regulations. What states' authority will ultimately look like remains to be seen. Earlier this year, the Greek government closed the Idomeni refugee camp. The clearing out of Idomeni, considered one of the countrys largest informal camps, meant that over 8,000 refugeesmost of them Syrians and Iraqiswould have to relocate. The Greek governments plan was to move those who were willing to more formal, state-run encampments near Thessaloniki. In theory, this appeared to be a sound strategy. Camps were set up in former industrial areas with large abandoned factories in warehouses, which could house a number of refugees. In practice, however, the move has prompted calls for action from human rights organizations, humanitarian groups and aid agencies due to conditions that have been described as abysmal, atrocious and not fit for animals. In an article published by the Guardian, Alexandria South, a volunteer who visited a camp on the outskirts of Thessaloniki said, There was no running water or showers or electricity or firewood. Mothers had no hot water for baby formula or to sanitise bottles, and had to use cold water. South said that at that particular camp, there were only six chemical toilets to be shared among some 1,000 refugees. By the end of May, the United Nations pressed Greek officials to improve the conditions of its refugee camps, which the U.N. described as substandard. Its safe to assume that in a cash-strapped country on the brink of another economic collapse, those improvements will be slow to come. Related: Thinking Outside the Tent: How These Funders Approach the Refugee Crisis Differently At least one activist philanthropist isn't waiting around. Amed Khan, a private investor and former Clinton administration official, has been working in partnership with the Radcliffe Foundation to create housing for refugees in an abandoned textile factory in Thessaloniki. Khan, who had been volunteering at Greek refugee camps since 2015, became incredibly exasperated with the living conditions at the camps, saying, All this misery is caused by political problems and bureaucratic stagnation. This horrible situation can be solved. Khan, along with his partners and the Greek government, came up with a solutionthe Elpida Home Project. Elpida is the name of an abandoned, 6,000-square-foot textile factory given to Khan and company by the Greek Ministry of Migration. The former factory has been completely transformed. Open factory floors were built out into individual housing units and common spaces that include kitchens, toilets, showers and childrens play areas. Elpida currently houses 160 refugeesreferred to as residents thereand at full capacity, will house up to 800 refugees, many of them women and children. The $1 million bill for the renovation was footed by Khan and Frank Giustra, founder of the Radcliffe Foundation. Giustra established the Radcliffe Foundation in 1997 to support global efforts to alleviate poverty; enhance the welfare of children; improve public health; and/or promote and enable education. (He's also a huge donor to the Clinton Foundation.) In 2005, the foundation began actively supporting the International Crisis Group, described its mission as working to prevent wars and shape policies that will build a more peaceful world. In recent years, Radcliffe has turned its attentions to helping refugees in Greece and Turkey. Radcliffe is a practitioner of what it refers to as direct-impact philanthropy by taking a private sector approach to aid delivery. Its standard operating procedure is to develop both private and public partnerships as a means to affect material change in the lives of those in need. The Elpida Home Project is a perfect example of this approach. While Amed Khan and Frank Giustra provided the financial backing to renovate the abandoned warehouse as well as funds to run the facility, that funding was only one leg of the stool. Elpida is a joint venture with many players, including the Greek government, which is footing the bill for utilities and rent, as well as providing security. Heres a quick rundown of other groups involved in the project: Together for Better Days, a grassroots volunteer group is providing volunteers to take care of the things like waste management, outdoor infrastructure, and the distribution of non-food items. Emergency Response Center International, a Greek humanitarian NGO is working to establish educational programs for young people and teachers that speak Arabic. The California-based Team Rubicon is building a medical center at Elpida, which already has doctors and nurses on site. Team Rubicon is also supplying the medical equipment to the center. NetHope is providing Wi-Fi that will be accessible by all Elpida residents. Medicins du Monde is sending psychologists in three days a week. Related: A Tech Group Works on the Front Lines of Global Crisesand Big Funders Follow In a press release, Giustra said the goal of the project was not only to provide safe and comfortable living conditions for refugees, but also to restore their dignity by treating them as human beings. Something that seems to a be in short supply these days. As for Khan, hes already working with the Greek government to find additional buildings that could potentially serve as Elpida-style refugee housing. But Khan and his partners dont want to go it alone, here; they are hoping that their work will encourage and inspire others to get involved in similar projects, saying, It costs about $700 dollars to provide humane housing for one person. I believe we are at a certain point in time that anyone who cares has to be all-in. This is a call to action. By Pamela Alton When I was first approached to write this article, it took some thought. First, the vast majority of self-storage managers out there are honest, hard-working, give-it-their-all type of people. Second, I didnt want to write an article teaching otherwise decent managers how to steal. Unfortunately, there are those few in the storage industry who would take advantage of their unique employment opportunity. Unlike many businesses where there are numerous employees working closely with a supervisor on a day-to-day basis, most self-storage facilities only employ a handful of people who are largely unsupervised. If theyre prone to illegal activity, they have a lot of time to commit those less-than-honorable acts. To help the owners out there prevent this type of activity from happening, Im going to cover some of the ways Ive seen managers steal over the years as well as provide tips for preventing this behavior. Petty Cash and Cash Drawer Many facilities have a petty-cash fund for managers to use for things like mailing late letters, picking up a new broom at the local hardware store, purchasing cleaning supplies, etc. Once in a while, a manager will borrow some of those funds to order a pizza, for example, with the full intention of paying it back. But once this habit has been established, it becomes easier to "borrow" again and again, at larger and larger amounts. Its important that your manager sign a document accepting responsibility for the facility cash drawer and petty cash and that he fully understands these funds arent his personal ATM. He should know that borrowing from these funds for personal use could be cause for termination. All petty-cash transactions should be documented with receipts and sent regularly to the home office for auditing and reimbursement. When a site visit is conducted, petty cash and drawer funds should be counted. Security Deposits Security-deposit refunds can be another theft opportunity, as some properties allow the manager to return deposits to tenants in the form of cash. The vacating tenant simply signs for the returned deposit, and the manager takes the funds from the cash drawer or petty cash. But how often does a manager do his morning rounds only to find a tenant has vacated in the night? Often! Then all he has to do is go back to the office, sign the refund slip and claim the deposit for himself. If you take a security deposit from tenants, I suggest all refunds be sent from the home office in the form of a check to the customers last known address. Its possible the tenant will have moved and the check will be returned to you, but its better than creating temptation for an otherwise good manager. Late Fees Its common for a manager to waive a tenant late fee, especially if the fee was applied last night and the tenant comes in to pay today. If I see this happening frequently and the late fees being waived are mostly for cash payers, this raises a red flag. Its just too easy for the manager to credit the late fee in the computer and pocket the cash. The best way to avoid this temptation is to have the tenant sign a waive-fee form, which the manager then sends to the head office on a monthly basis, accounting for any fees waived. Merchandise Sales Most facilities sell boxes, locks, packing supplies, etc. These items are often purchased by tenants at the time of move-in, but sometimes customers come in just to pick up a few items. Ive seen locks being sold for cash and the money pocketed by the manager. Counting all merchandise and tracking inventory on a monthly basis sounds simple, and yet it isnt always done. Enforce this practice at your facility to avoid skimming from merchandise sales. Move-In Discounts Its common for self-storage facilities to offer a move-in special, such as pay two months rent and get the third month free. The manager, however, doesnt always tell his customers about this offer. If a new tenant moves in and pays cash for three months or longer, the manager can apply the discount in the computer and pocket the cash for the free month. All the tenant sees is that hes paid for the duration. The manager should always document any applied discounts, and they should be signed for by both the manager and the customer. Then the manager should submit all documentation to the home office monthly. Software Demo A lot of self-storage management software has a built-in tutorial or demo that helps the manager learn the program. It looks and feels just like the normal program, but doesnt actually impact the facility data. The user can practice move-ins and move-outs, payments, transfers, etc. Ive seen managers use this demo with cash-paying customers to simulate an actual rental and pocket the cash. If your software includes a demo, make sure the information it displaysfacility name, unit numbers, rates, etc.cant be altered by the manager to mimic a true transaction. Also check your management-software reports regularly to ensure there have been no manual changes to your available units or square footage. Lien Sales Not all theft involves cash. Some managers have been allowed to inventory or auction lien-sale units without supervision. Since theyre usually in contact with these delinquent tenants during the lien process, they know if a customer has abandoned his unit or can't be contacted anymore. In this case, he can simply go into the unit, take what he wants and sell the items elsewhere, like eBay or Craigslist. Alternatively, if the manager is allowed to conduct the auction on his own without an auctioneer or supervisor present, he can simply lie about the amount of the sale and pocket a portion of the cash. A simple solution is to always have a supervisor present for all inventory of lien-sale units. Once the inventory is complete, place a numbered seal on the unit and note it in the tenant file. At the time of auction, check to ensure the seal number hasn't changed. Always use an auctioneer for the actual sale. Finally, any deals made with delinquent tenants to pay a certain amount and vacate the unit prior to auction should be documented and signed by the tenant, since these move-out deals are always paid in cash. Unit Deletions and Size Changes Ive seen managers do a couple of things with units in the facility management software when dealing with cash-paying customers. They can delete a unit from inventory entirely, even though theres a renter in the unit, and pocket the cash. Alternatively, they can downgrade the sizefor example from a 10-by-20 to 5-by-5charging the customer for the larger size, applying the rent for the smaller size and pocketing the difference. They can also make reverse changes to get discounts or free rent for friends. This is why its important for an owner to always know what his computer reports contain, as well as how to read and interpret the reports on a monthly basis. If you see the number of units or square footage change, then investigate. There may be a problem! Pay Attention These are just some of the theft techniques Ive seen managers use over the years, and there are many other more sophisticated ways. Why on earth would a manager steal in the first place? There are any number of reasons: He gets in a financial bind. He borrowed from the facility once or twice and got away with it. He has problems with drugs, alcohol or gambling. He has family issues. He simply doesnt make enough money to make ends meet. He feels hes been treated unfairly by his employer. He has an I work hard, so I deserve it attitude. He simply doesnt know better. What can you do to protect your business from theft? Being aware of what goes on at your facility is a great start! If your manager is driving a nicer car than yours, takes exotic vacations, and buys a lot of expensive toys and electronics, and yet you see your income dropping, these should be red flags. Know your management software inside and out. Learn and understand how it works, what the reports are, and what information they contain. If you see changes that look off, then investigate. If you use a property-management company, don't assume its checking and watching whats going on, either. Even third-party management firms experience theft. Remember the old saying, "Two eyes are better than one." Fix the Problem What happens if you do suspect manager of theft? First, I suggest you hire a third-party consultant to go through the facility records, gather information and make an informed assessment. If a manager is stealing from you, its probably not a large enough amount for the local authorities to prosecute. Anything less than $50,000 or $100,000 isnt worth the District Attorney's time and effort. Its best to simply terminate the employee and "clean house" so your next hire wont learn the former managers methods. Remember, this is your investmentyou must take responsibility for its operation, even if you use a third-party management company. Set policies to deter theft, including standards and controls for late fees, move-in specials, inventory sales, lien sales, etc. Hire an outside company to conduct regular audits at your facilities, not only for your peace of mind, but to let employees know the operation is being regularly monitored. Finally, pay your managers well, respect them and pat them on the back for a job well done. This isnt only appreciated by the staff, it shows youre paying attention to the day-to-day operation of the facility. Pamela Alton is the owner of Mini-Management Services, a company that has been placing self-storage managers in positions all over the United States since 1991. She also offers staff training, operational consulting, and facility audits and inspections. For more information, call 321.890.2245; e-mail [email protected] ; visit www.mini-management.com Windham, Maine, is experiencing a rush of self-storage projects. Three proposals for new facilities or expansions to existing properties have been presented to the citys planning board since June. The projects vary in size, from 20 to 100 units, and are all along Roosevelt Trail, which is where the majority of the citys seven storage facilities are located. The new projects are undergoing the initial site-plan review, according to the source. Kevin Bosworth, owner of the 118-unit JMC Self Storage at 964 Roosevelt Trail, submitted a proposal on July 25 to develop Little Mountain Self Storage & Retail on a vacant site at 968 Roosevelt Trail. The project would consist of three buildings comprising 16,250 square feet of self-storage as well as a 4,750-square-foot retail building. The undeveloped land is in a wooded area on a steep hill across from the Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham. Bosworth hired a marketing consultant to assess demand for self-storage in the city. The market definitely cant support three new facilities, he said, adding that he still planned to move forward with his project. Were established, well have a leg up, Bosworth said. The other two proposed projects are by C&E Enterprises LLC and Fieldings Oil Self Storage. Self-storage is popular among Windhams summer residents, said Jim Higgins, owner of Apple Tree Self Storage and Lakes Region Self Storage, both of which have been in business for about a decade. The facilities also have a number of customers who are students at Saint Josephs College of Maine, he said. Self-storage development is a way to use undeveloped land in the community, said Tom Bartell, executive director of the Windham Economic Development Corp., which assists developers with site location and the citys approval process. Windhams growing population also make it a logical place for new storage development, Bartell added. Founded in 2012, JMC Self Storage also owns facilities in Auburn, Brownfield and Portland, Maine. Gary Zarkowski, owner of property-development and real estate firm Zarkowski Properties, is seeking approval to build a self-storage facility on a parcel he owns in Greenville, Mich. The vacant 5-acre site at 6910 S. Greenville Road is across from the former Meijer Inc. grocery and behind an AutoZone auto-parts store. Zarkowski presented the Greenville Planning Commission with a request for a special land-use permit on Aug. 11. However, the board determined his plans werent sufficient to allow for an informed decision, according to Tim Johnson, city planner. The information submitted doesnt meet our qualifications, he said. Drainage, lights, what do the buildings look like? Whats there now? These are questions we need answered. Despite the lack of a formal site plan, the board unanimously voted to schedule a public hearing for Sept. 22, with Zarkowskis promise that he would submit a proper plan in a timely manner, according to the source. He cited concerns about hiring contractors to begin work before the winter months. The public-hearing notice must be published within 14 days of hearing. We certainly can set the public hearing for the 22nd, and put a contingency in there that if you are unable to get us a proper site plan, the hearing will be scheduled for the following the meeting, Johnson said. Zarkowski should also be prepared to answer questions about the development during the hearing, Johnson said. Whats the impact on the neighbors around you? We have to contact them by mail, let them know so they have the opportunity to come and ask questions during the public hearing, he said. Questions about lights, noise, people visiting at certain hours, how its fenced, landscapedyou want to be able to answer those questions. The storage facility will border homes and other properties along Fairview Street and Sage Road, the source reported. Zarkowski described the property as an odd-shaped parcel, which he hopes will one day have access to Michigan Highway 91 and the citys truck route on Greenville West Drive. Approval for a special land-use request is made at the discretion of the commission, Johnson said. Special land use is a discretionary approval, he said. Does this use fit this site or not? Or maybe theyll decide it just doesnt work at all. 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.) "We see these climate perils as no different to an explosion" A martial arts practitioner with a bad knee has been sentenced to two years and four months imprisonment for staging a car accident to fraudulently claim insurance, it has been reported.Daryoush Zargari Samani, 38, pleaded guilty to six charges, including several relating to dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage, and one of obstructing a police investigation, The Canberra Times reported.The staged accident, which was concocted for eight months, took place in Ormiston Street in Harrison in May 2014.Samani co-opted his nephew and brother-law-into the scheme. He had his nephew drive a car in which Samani was a passenger. His nephew pretended to see a child suddenly run onto the road and suddenly braked. Samanis brother-in-law, who was following behind, then rammed into the back of the car, The Canberra Times reported.After the accident, Samani lodged a compulsory third party insurance claim for injury to his old knee injury (which was later treated with surgery), while his nephew also filed for a claim for hearing injuries claimed to have suffered from the accident.Samani was paid just over $830 from the NRMA from an approved estimated payout figure of $85,560 while his nephew received $74.50, said the report.The fraud was revealed last year after police had legally intercepted a phone call between Samani and his nephew. At first, Samani denied the accident had been prearranged; but admitted to the charges the day after.He said he was suffering pain from a bad knee, and there had been a long waiting list at the public hospital and he could not afford private treatment.Samani took responsibility for the entire episode, and said his family had only been willing to help him get treatment for his knee.Samani will be jailed until February, when he will be released on a good behaviour order with the rest of the sentence suspended, said The Canberra Times. In light of the decline in sales of multi-peril crop insurance (MPCI) in WA this season, insurance brokers are warning WA growers that the opt-in, opt-out behaviour could lead to higher premium costs during leaner years, it has been reported.Ray Ball, Country Wide Insurance Brokers managing director, told Farm Weekly they had not sold any policies for this year, which could put pressure on the cost of MPCI premiums should more farmers purchase insurance in more volatile years."Farmers with capital take the view that they can ride out a bad year without the insurance but if you have a farmer with high debt and high acreage, could they afford to keep going if the year turns bad?" Ball asked.Ball said MPCI has traditionally not sold well in WA, but had gained more traction in the eastern states."Opting in for one year and then not the next makes it difficult to build a pool of money which is how insurance works and it needs to be a long-term investment," said Ball.Ball said there were some five insurance companies that currently offer MPCI, but more would consider it if there was more traction in the industry.There could also be opportunities to add cover for sheep and beef as the growers farming operations diversify, the report said.Deane Allen, MPCI Australia general manager, shared Balls views, saying that more people needed to commit to MPCI to ensure better coverage. He remained wary, however, of the Australian government subsidising an MPCI program, saying that government-backed programs such as those in Canada and the US encouraged poor farming practices, Farm Weekly reported."The program costs trillions to run and what has happened is that there are some farmers who don't even put a crop in but still put in a claim," Allen said."This means that the good farmers are left subsidising the poor farmers."Allen said that for MPCI to work well in the long-term, a large client base is required to spread risk. Tego Insurance has announced an exclusive underwriting partnership with Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance to provide medical indemnity insurance to medical practitioners across Australia.Eric Lowenstein, CEO of Tego Insurance, told Insurance Business that the offering will give brokers an additional outlet in a complex market.We have intentionally chosen to partner with brokers to distribute this product as we believe they can add value by providing independent advice and service to doctors who are often very busy and will see the benefits of having an advisor, Lowenstein said.This has also created an exciting opportunity for the broking community by giving them a different and new way to engage clients.Lowenstein revealed that the medical indemnity launch has been years in the making as the arrival of BHSI in the Australian market provided the catalyst for the launch.Tego has been studying the medical indemnity market for many years and we have been waiting for the right insurance partner to work with to bring a new offering to the market, Lowenstein continued.BHSIs entry into the general insurance market last year gave us the great catalyst we needed to set up Tego and establish our partnership with Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (BHSI) and its hard to imagine a better partner BHSIs brand, financial backing and international experience in this line of business make them the perfect insurance partner.Once we established our partnership with BHSI, together we studied the market for over 12 months to better understand the needs of doctors before deciding to proceed and going through all the stakeholder consultation that was required to formally launch.Tony Bainbridge, head of Healthcare, Australia at BHSI said that the partnership brings experience and flexibility to the market.We are delighted to work with Tego to bring BHSIs medical indemnity experience and unrivalled financial backing to the Australian market, Bainbridge said.Our combined offering will bring additional choice, flexibility and financial security to Australian doctors.Lowenstein noted that the while the market may present opportunities, it is also a market that requires specialist knowledge and expertise.The fact that we have decided to enter the market is indication that we see the opportunity to bring additional choice, Lowenstein continued.We do however realise it is a distinct market that requires thoughtfulness and expertise.This is part of the general insurance market that is specialised and the insurance buyers in this space have needs that require specific attention we feel that by having a fresh perspective combined with the global experience and financial security of BHSI, will provide additional choice to doctors and brokers that they dont have today. A New York state judge on Wednesday threw out billionaire hedge fund manager Louis Bacons $100 million defamation lawsuit against Canadian fashion designer Peter Nygard, saying the case tied to their long-running feud over neighboring properties in the Bahamas belongs there. Bacon, the founder of Moore Capital Management LP in New York, had accused Nygard in the lawsuit of engineering a malicious smear campaign against him including street rallies, bogus YouTube videos, and attempts to falsely link him to arson, bribery, drug smuggling, the Ku Klux Klan and murder. That prompted Nygard, the chairman of Winnipeg-based Nygard International, to file a $50 million countersuit accusing Bacon of pursuing a vendetta against him. Each man has denied the others claims. Wednesdays decision may spell an end to the New York state court litigation. Supreme Court Justice Cynthia Kern in Manhattan wrote that while Bacon is a New York resident, the Bahamas is a more appropriate forum for his case. She said this was because most of the actions that Bacon accused Nygard of undertaking to further his alleged smear campaign occurred in the Bahamas, and most of the potential witnesses live there. Bacon has opposed Nygards effort to expand his property in the Bahamas gated Lyford Cay community, following a 2009 fire. Some environmental groups and residents have said an expansion may damage the surrounding ecosystem and beaches. Kerns decision contains several conditions, including that Nygard submits to the Bahamian courts jurisdiction and lets employees there be subpoenaed. The judge said Bacon has already pursued nine legal actions in the Bahamas since 2011 against alleged co-conspirators. A spokesman for Bacon said the fund manager disagrees with the decision and is considering his appellate options, but remains committed to proving his claims in court. It is up to Mr. Bacon to decide whether he wants to start this process anew in the Bahamas, Aaron Marks, a lawyer for Nygard, said in a telephone interview. Mr. Nygard would vigorously defend against such a case. Bacon is worth $1.9 billion, according to Forbes magazine. The cases is Bacon v Nygard et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 150400/2015. (Editing by Jeffrey Hodgson) Topics Lawsuits Legislation New York A federal judge says a defamation lawsuit against Rolling Stone magazine over a now-debunked article about a rape at the University of Virginia likely will head to a jury trial later this year. The Washington Post reported that U.S. District Court Judge Glen E. Conrad said during a hearing Friday that aspects of UVa administrator Nicole Eramos case likely will proceed to a jury. Eramo is an associate dean of students at the university who had counseled Jackie, the woman who claimed to be raped in the November 2014 story. Eramo sued the magazine and the articles author for more than $7.5 million, saying she was cast as the chief villain. Elizabeth McNamara, an attorney representing Rolling Stone, told reporters Friday that the case should be dismissed. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Most global reinsurers have been able to maintain underwriting discipline despite the ongoing soft market, but there is a danger that their profits could be hit if the current benign period of natural catastrophes returns to normal levels, according to a report published by S&P Global Ratings. As margins compress, the more frequent catastrophe losses will become more visible, exposing the sector to higher earnings and capital volatility, S&P said. Reinsurers that are overexposed are likely to be caught if claims revert to more normal levels and they will need to review their risk appetite for these high-probability events to sustain their earnings and defend their competitive positions, S&P cautioned, noting that technical profitability is deteriorating to the point that reinsurers are now twice as likely to fail to break even in a calendar year as they were in 2012, due to their exposure to catastrophe risk. We consider the chance of the combined ratio being above 100 percent as a result of catastrophe exposure as being 12 percent in 2015 (5 percent in 2012), said the report titled Global Reinsurers May Reassess Their Exposure if Annual Losses from Catastrophes Rise to Normal Levels. Of the 21 global reinsurers under review by S&P, 15 are likely to maintain a capital adequacy of at least BBB, following a one-in-250 year aggregate loss from natural disasters. The ratings agency said some of the Bermudian reinsurers are more at risk because their underwriting results are slightly weaker as they have a higher appetite for property catastrophe risk than their peers. The big winners would be those that have taken action earlier to improve their profitability outside the catastrophe space and reduce their exposure to the sort of high-frequency, high-probability events that recur every 10 years or so, S&Ps report continued. S&P expects to see reinsurers reallocating more capital away from catastrophe-exposed lines, as they seek to improve their risk-return profiles, which could offset some earnings volatility over time. Indeed, S&P noted that its capital model results for rated reinsurers indicates that the property catastrophe risk charge has been declining against the premium risk capital requirement. Nevertheless, we consider that reinsurers that are overexposed to the more-frequent events could see their competitive position and earnings deteriorate if they do not take further action to protect themselves. Managing Cat Exposures The report emphasized that reinsurers are generally remaining cautious in this soft market by managing their peak exposures and constraining their growth in property catastrophe lines. Citing a confirmation of this trend, S&P said its analysis shows that relative exposures on Jan. 1, 2016 remained flat on average at around 33 percent of common shareholders equity, compared with last year. Some reinsurers have nevertheless observed material movements in their exposure of about 6 percentage points in either direction. S&P attributed this movement to currency fluctuations, rebalancing of peak exposure appetites and active retrocession management. U.S. Opportunities Some reinsurers find attractive business opportunities in the U.S. on a risk-adjusted basis, the report said, noting that most of the increase in net relative exposures came from the U.S. We saw a 9 percent increase, on average, across the six reinsurers that reported an increase in exposure to U.S. windstorm. Retrocession Demand Is High Most reinsurers have taken defensive actions by retroceding more of their high-frequency risks, S&P confirmed, explaining that the purchase of retrocession cover explains much of the reported reduction in exposure for some reinsurers. We expect demand for retrocession to remain high as reinsurers remain committed to maintaining their risk tolerances and limiting their solvency capital requirements. S&P said an influx of third-party capital is helping reinsurers adapt their risk transfer strategy. As competition for high-layer exposure is keeping prices low, reinsurers have seized the opportunity to offset certain risks while improving their risk-adjusted return. The ratings agency said Bermudian reinsurers and mid-sized global reinsurers have been the biggest purchasers of retrocessional protection in the past two years. Topics Catastrophe USA Claims Reinsurance Ping An Insurance (Group) Co., Chinas second-largest insurer, said first-half profit rose 18 percent as growth in premiums and banking revenue helped offset the impact of stock-market declines that have hit rivals. Net income climbed to 40.8 billion yuan ($6.2 billion), or 2.28 yuan a share, in the six months ended June 30, from 34.6 billion yuan, or 1.90 yuan a share, a year earlier, the Shenzhen-based company said in a statement to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Wednesday. A 6 percent profit increase at the companys banking arm and higher premium revenue helped the more diversified Ping An bolster net income even as declines in the nations stock market caused a slump in Chinese insurers combined profits. Rivals including China Life Insurance Co., New China Life Insurance Co. and China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co. have all forecast first-half net-income declines larger than 40 percent. Ping An said its investment income fell 33 percent in the first six months from a year earlier to 55.6 billion yuan. The firm recorded 9 billion yuan in realized investment losses, reversing from 42.7 billion yuan of gains a year ago, according to the statement. Net investment income, mainly dividends and interest income, jumped 52 percent. Combined Earnings Net premiums earned rose 27 percent, the company said. New business value, which gauges the profitability of new life policies sold, expanded 43 percent. Insurers combined profits slumped 54.1 percent in the period from a year earlier, largely due to share-market declines and higher expenses, the China Insurance Regulatory Commission said last month. Returns from equities totaled 24.1 billion yuan during the period, down by 261.2 billion yuan from a year earlier, data from the regulator showed. Ping Ans Hong Kong shares fell 1 percent on Wednesday to HK$39.70, widening this years loss to 7.7 percent. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Trends Profit Loss Pricing Trends China Developers of a $3.8 billion, four-state oil pipeline sued in federal court on Aug. 15 to stop protesters near an American Indian reservation in North Dakota from interfering with the project, alleging the safety of workers and law enforcement is at risk. Dakota Access LLC filed a lawsuit against Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chairman David Archambault II and other protesters, seeking restraining orders and unspecified monetary damages. The protesters have created and will continue to create a risk of bodily injury and harm to Dakota Access employees and contractors, as well as to law enforcement personnel and other individuals at the construction site, the company wrote in court papers. Archambault was among several protesters charged last week with disorderly conduct or criminal trespass at the construction site near the Standing Rock Sioux reservation that straddles the North Dakota-South Dakota border. The tribe sued federal regulators late last month for approving the pipeline, which will take crude oil from the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota to Illinois and cross the Missouri River just upstream of the reservation. The tribe argues the pipeline would disturb sacred sites and affect drinking water for the thousands of residents on the reservation and the millions who rely on it downstream. Dakota Access said in court papers that threats have been made to workers, and rocks and bottles have been thrown, and that Archambault excused tribal employees from work last week to protest the pipelines construction. Archambault told reporters Monday that he was arrested for doing what everybody else was doing: demonstrating. He said he expected more arrests and acts of civil disobedience to continue, calling the pipeline a black poisonous snake that is made from nothing but greed. Workers accompanied by armed private security guards started construction on the project near the reservation last week. Several sheriffs deputies and about 30 North Dakota Highway Patrol troopers were on site Monday, and the highway patrol asked motorists to avoid a state highway near the reservation because of the protests. Texas-based Dakota Access claims the protesters are causing the company to lose goodwill among its customers because of delays and are diminishing its opportunity to complete construction of the pipelines water crossing before its permits expire. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Construction Some homeowners in a Bismarck neighborhood are questioning the long-term safety of their houses after some backyards dropped as much as 7 feet in June. Jim Hopfauf is one of the homeowners affected by the collapsing hill where houses are perched in north Bismarck. He told The Bismarck Tribune that it keeps dropping every time it rains. Homeowners and government entities have shared in the cost of a study of the problem. City Parks and Recreation Director Randy Bina said the study suggests rock rip-rap landscaping put in place by homeowners to secure their land is actually making the problem worse. The study recommends removing the rock and reshaping the slope. The study results are to be presented during the Aug. 18 Bismarck Park Board meeting. Hopfauf said that since his home was built in 2004, about one-third of the backyard has sunk with the hill along with a tree line and a walking path all of which are tumbling into a nearby creek. The Bismarck Park District has blocked off the walking path because its no longer safe. The problem became serious in the fall of 2013. Seeing that the park district installed some riprap on the slope, Hopfauf, Wolf and a neighbor installed $20,000 more. Hopfauf said development has created more pavement and fewer fields to absorb the water before it feeds into the creek. Wolf has experienced the same in the past decade. Nobody has come up with a plan, and nobody is spending any money on it, he said. As homeowners, we cant do anything until the hill is stable. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Homeowners Carl Icahn, who won representation to the board of American International Group Inc. after threatening a proxy battle, said hes warming to the approach of the insurers chief executive officer. Peter Hancock and I dont see eye-to-eye on everything, but I really think that he and I see eye-to-eye on what they should be doing at AIG, Icahn said Tuesday in an interview on Bloomberg Television. I supported him just recently, when a few people were really wanting me to really go to battle. Icahn applauded AIGs agreement on Monday to sell its mortgage guarantor for $3.4 billion. He said Hancock should focus on buying back shares, exiting lower-performing businesses and selling some life insurance assets, which is the strategy the CEO has been pursuing. The praise marks a shift from February, when the activist faulted Hancocks plan as inadequate and said he lacked the skill to turn around the company. Later that month, the insurer agreed to give Icahns firm a board seat along with billionaire John Paulson. On Aug. 2, AIG posted its first profitable period in four quarters and announced a $3 billion share buyback plan. More Cash As they get more cash, their stock is so cheap related to what they could buy it for, and they do have that money around, Icahn said of share repurchases. AIG stock has declined about 4 percent this year and trades for less than book value, a measure of assets minus liabilities. Hancock in January announced a plan to return $25 billion to shareholders over two years, with as much as $7 billion generated from divestitures. AIG rejected Icahns initial idea in October to split AIG into separate companies concentrating on property-casualty, life and mortgage operations. The billionaire later changed his tone to stress narrowing AIGs focus, rather than a breakup. AIG has a good P&C company, Icahn said Tuesday. The life company itself, yeah, I think part of that life company should be sold, certainly part of it in Japan. Hancock said this month that hes shunning aggressive exits from the life insurance business while still seeking to free up capital by selling older portfolios of policies. AIG this year has exited a broker-dealer operation and a stake in Chinese insurer PICC Property & Casualty Co. Christmas Dinner Hancock said last week that escaping the governments designation as a systemically important financial institution isnt among its top priorities, and that trying to do so could be distracting to management. Icahn previously said fighting the SIFI-label should be a key objective. On Tuesday, the activist declined to answer whether that was still a focus, noting that his firm now has representation on the board. Icahn did say that in the past hes had adversarial relationships that improved, at least to a point, at other companies. Im not tell you we have Christmas dinner together, Icahn said. Still, I go into these companies, I see unique things they should be doing, I think in certain cases we fought with the CEO for a while and then we become friendly. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Property Casualty When David Brill lost a trial for a client who fell off his neighbors ladder, it was a rare failure for his three-member Florida law firm. It also cost him $30,000 in expenses since hed taken the case on contingency, meaning the client paid nothing and he took all the risk. A decade later, the loss was still fresh on Brills mind when he learned about Level Insurance, which offered something hed never heard of: full reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses if lawyers take a case on contingency and lose at trial. Brill signed up in July for a slip-and-fall case, and said he plans to buy coverage for every case his firm handles about 50 at any given time. He called it a game changer for plaintiffs attorneys like himself. While similar products known as after the event insurance exist in Canada and the U.K., Level Insurance founded by Florida litigators Justin Leto and Larry Bassuk says its the first to offer such coverage in the U.S., a much more litigious market. Their stated goal is to protect themselves and to encourage lawyers to take on even riskier cases. We recognized that this coverage would benefit our own practice and wondered why it did not exist, said Bassuk, 34. So we committed to developing it ourselves. More Trials? The defense bar isnt as enthusiastic. Level Insurance will lead to more trials and overburden the court system if plaintiffs lawyers have no down-side risk, says John T. Lay, president of the International Association of Defense Counsel and an attorney at Gallivan White & Boyd in Columbia, South Carolina. That puts the lawyers in a conflict where it might be better for the client to settle, but they go to trial anyway, he said. Litigation Cost Protection covers trial expenses including expert witnesses and litigation-presentation costs. The policy costs 7 percent of the amount insured, with a $100,000 coverage cap. The insurer doesnt assess the merits of a case, just whether the attorney is in good standing with the state bar. Insurance is available in state courts in Florida, California, New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Texas, as well as in federal courts in all 50 states, Leto said. Expanded Coverage Robert Hilliard, one of the top plaintiffs attorneys in the U.S. who has worked on product liability cases against General Motors Co., hadnt heard of Level Insurance. He immediately saw its value, saying itll allow those who might consider staying on the sidelines to file and fight. In the U.K. and Canada, where unsuccessful plaintiffs must often pay defense costs as a way to discourage frivolous cases, insurance that pays some costs has been very, very successful, said Simon Gibson, who was hired this month by insurance broker Aon Plc to head a new legal expenses group in Canada. While that coverage usually applies to bodily injury, insurers may begin to cover expensive medical malpractice and commercial litigation, with policies extending to $500,000 or even $1 million. Drugmakers and auto manufacturers, often the targets of product-liability lawsuits, have long had policies for legal liabilities, reducing their risk of going to trial. The client makes the final choice about trial, Bassuk and Leto said. And while the insurance protects out-of-pocket expenses, it doesnt cover the time spent preparing for a case or if a lawyer loses before trial, such as on a motion to dismiss. They wouldnt say how many clients theyve signed up. Socius Insurance Services Inc., a San Francisco-based broker, manages the product. The financial risk is backed by Bermuda-based Aspen Insurance Holdings Ltd., an underwriter in the U.K. and U.S. Aspen spokeswoman Erin Smith declined to comment. Litigation Cost Protection stood out as a product in an industry that had a specific need for something that did not exist, said Gregg Miller, Sociuss chief sales officer. Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits Florida Canada Newly formed Watford Specialty Insurance Co. (WSIC), a subsidiary of Bermuda-based Watford Re, took a big leap forward recently with its acquisition of a carrier with admitted licenses in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The previously dormant company, called Professionals Direct Insurance Co., was purchased this month from The Hanover Insurance Co. for an undisclosed amount and renamed Watford Insurance Co. (WIC). Alexandre Scherer, president and CEO, Watford Holdings (US) Inc., the parent of WIC and WSIC (both headquartered in Morristown, N.J.), said the aim of the purchase is to help it build its program business. The acquisition and resulting expansion into the admitted market is an integral part of Watford Res plan to seize opportunities in the U.S. direct market and is consistent with Watford Res overall strategy of building a diversified and profitable portfolio of insurance and reinsurance business, said Scherer. The acquisition is part of the implementation of our strategic plan, which entails rolling out direct underwriting capabilities in the U.S. and Europe, he said. We looked at various options and decided that buying a dormant company with existing licenses made the most sense. In an interview with Insurance Journal, Scherer explained how the acquisition will help build relationships with program managers. There are many factors that motivate program managers to partner with an insurer. One of them is the ability to place their business with highly rated and clean carriers that afford the flexibility to access both admitted and E&S markets, he said. Since WSIC was launched, the company has made formal agreements with three program managers. He explained that WIC is looking to write all lines of business with a focus on long-tail risks, which is consistent with Watford Res overall strategy. We are interested in working with program managers who have recognized expertise in their fields and a solid reputation both in terms of underwriting and quality of service, he said WIC offers capacity up to $25 million with the possibility of larger lines for unique situations. Watford Res Footprint Watford Re is building its global footprint. WSIC was launched earlier in 2016 as an excess and surplus lines insurer, which started underwriting in the second quarter of this year. And, now with WICs licenses, the company also has a platform to build its U.S. admitted business. In addition, it currently underwrites in direct markets in Europe, through Watford Insurance Co. Europe, launched in July 2015. Scherer noted that Watford Holdings (US) has entered into a long-term partnership with Arch Underwriters Inc. (AUI), a subsidiary of Arch Reinsurance Co., which originates, underwrites and administers Watfords U.S. businesses. This unique partnership enables Watford Holdings (US) to leverage AUIs market knowledge and contacts among program managers, he added. We believe another important motivation for program managers to work with a given insurer is the quality of the personal relationship measured in terms of attentiveness and responsiveness. AUI offers just that. Strength Through Diversification Further, he said, the ability to write direct business in addition to reinsurance provides diversification in terms of the source and type of business, which makes Watford U.S. less dependent on a particular market and creates a stronger business platform. We dont expect Watford to become a large organization in terms of headcount, he said, noting that the companys ability-to-scale is bolstered by its partnership with Arch. Arch has great bench-strength in all areas and their ability to recruit new talent is exceptional. In terms of capital, Watford Re has enough to support its planned growth for the foreseeable future given the current market environment. Navigating the Cycle Scherer admitted that some may question why Watford Re is pursuing new ventures at this moment in the soft market cycle, which is difficult for even established carriers to navigate. The market always offers opportunities but admittedly those opportunities are fewer and more difficult to identify in the soft part of the cycle, he said. Watford has an asset management strategy based on fixed income with an emphasis on yield and careful liquidity planning that differentiates it from other insurers. We believe the combination of Watfords financial structure and Archs underwriting prowess makes us uniquely positioned to successfully navigate the insurance cycle. Commenting on the recent acquisition of Professionals Direct Insurance from The Hanover, Scherer noted that WIC is protected from any pre-acquisition business liabilities. These liabilities are covered by a 100 percent quota share agreement with The Hanover, which will not have any liability for, or interest in, business written by WIC. Related: Topics Mergers & Acquisitions Carriers USA Excess Surplus Europe Underwriting A recent analysis by researchers at the Texas Department of Insurance shows that the Texas pharmacy closed formulary is lowering costs and reducing the use of opioids in the workers compensation system, the department announced. Other states are interested in the success were having in Texas, said Workers Compensation Commissioner Ryan Brannan. Were hopeful the closed formulary will continue to be a meaningful tool to reduce costs and decrease the use of drugs that may affect an employees ability to return to work. Texas closed formulary requires prior approval before a doctor can prescribe certain drugs, also known as N drugs. These include 25 brands of opioid pain relievers, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, and cannabinoids. An extensive analysis of pharmacy data before and after the closed formulary went into effect found that: Total drug costs fell 15 percent. Costs for drugs that are not recommended, so called N drugs, fell by 80 percent. Prescriptions for opioids on the N-drug list dropped 81 percent, and the use of other opioids fell by 8 percent. The results were a welcome change in the pharmacy trends noted before the move to the closed formulary in September 2011. A 2007 study by TDIs Research and Evaluation Group found that about $130 million dollars was being spent annually on prescriptions, half of which was for opioids and certain anti-inflammatories. Drug costs consumed a substantial portion of workers compensation medical costs, with growing evidence that these prescriptions might not be the best choice to help employees recovering from injury or illness. Source: Texas Department of Insurance Topics Texas Workers' Compensation Drugs Regions Financial, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., has named Rick Ulmer president and CEO of Regions Insurance Group, Inc. with responsibility for Regions Insurance operations in 10 states. Regions Insurance Group is a subsidiary of Regions Financial and an affiliate of Regions Bank. Ulmer has more than 30 years of insurance industry experience and most recently led the Regions Insurance Mid-America Region which includes offices in Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas. Ulmer will report directly to Bill Ritter, head of Regions Wealth Management. Ulmer succeeds Curren Coco, who is leaving Regions to pursue other interests. Prior to joining Regions Insurance in 2013, Ulmer was a managing director for Marsh USA, where he was the Sales leader for the North Central Region and industry executive for Marshs industry verticals in the Central zone. Ulmer has served as president of The MMI Agency, Inc., and previously held leadership roles at Clarity Group, Trilogy and ePolicy. He holds a Bachelors in Business Administration from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Regions Insurance serves customers across the country through a growing network of offices throughout the Southeast, Texas and Indiana. In addition to business insurance and individual insurance options, Regions Insurance also provides employee benefits services, crop insurance and captive insurance solutions. Regions Insurance is a licensed insurance broker offering insurance products and risk management services for businesses and individuals through more than 700 insurance professionals. Topics Tennessee A North Carolina man says hes getting close to giving up on his home in Raleigh after it was hit by a driver for the sixth time. WTVD-TV reported Sunday that Carlo Bernarte says hes fed up with the half-dozen crashes since he and his family moved in 2004. A drunken driver hit the home in October and later died. Authorities confirm that a car crashed through a wall and into Bernartes property about 5 a.m. Saturday. Bernarte says his insurance company canceled his homeowners policy over the crashes. He says city engineers have told him extending a nearby guardrail would be a safety issue because it could block the line of sight for drivers leaving the neighborhood. He says he plans on moving his family as soon as he can. Who is liable for this? Is it the city? NCDOT? The builder? The engineer who approved building a house here? said Bernarte. Probably no action would be taken until the next accident happens. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto North Carolina The Health Department has recommended a popular Alabama water park close due to the presence of a parasite. AL.com reports that park officials said Monday that Spring Valley Beach in Blountsville was closed Sunday due to the presence of the parasite cryptosporidium, known as crypto. According to the Centers for Disease Control, crypto is highly contagious and is typically spread in swimming pools or other water sources that contain fecal matter from an infected person. Crypto can cause watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, dehydration, nausea, vomiting and fever, particularly in those with a weakened immune system. Chlorine can kill crypto, the CDC says, but it can still survive in properly treated water for as long as 10 days. The park was scheduled to be closed during the week. It will reportedly re-open Aug. 20. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Alabama Noi siamo fiduciosi del fatto che la Clinton comprenda il ruolo degli Stati Uniti nel mondo, non abbiamo dubbi che lei affrontera in modo assiduo i problemi che il nostro Paese deve affrontare, e lei ha dimostrato la sua disposizione allanalisi ed al duro impegno. E un estratto delleditoriale con cui il magazine The Atlantic ha palesato il suo appoggio alla candidata democratica alle elezioni presidenziali, Hillary Clinton. Il magazine ha deciso di dare il suo endorsment alla Clinton definendola uno dei candidati piu preparati di sempre e, inoltre, ha bollato Donald Trump come demagogo, xenofobo, sessista, uno che non sa niente ed e un bugiardo, specificandolo che lo considera il candidato piu dichiaratamente non qualificato nei 227 anni della storia della presidenza americana e che sarebbe una minaccia esistenziale per la Repubblica. Fondata nel 1857, la prestigiosa e storica rivista solo in altre due occasioni si era apertamente schierata a favore di un candidato alla Casa Bianca: nel 1860 con Abraham Lincoln e nel 1964 con Lyndon B. Johnson. A sottolineare limportanza e leccezionalita della decisione e il direttore di The Atlantic, Scott Stossel, che paragona la scelta di sostenere la Clinton a quella fatta nel 1964 a favore di Johnson che si scontrava con il repubblicano Barry Goldwater. Tre uomini sono stati arrestati e incriminati in quanto intenzionati a mettere a segno attacchi a New York (Stati Uniti) in stile Isis. Gli attacchi erano stati elaborati nell'estate del 2016, ma le autorita federali lo hanno reso noto solo oggi, a conclusione dell'inchiesta condotta dal Federal Bureau of Investigation (Fbi). Gli arresti sono stati effettuati grazie a un agente che, sotto copertura, si era infiltrato nella banda sventandone i piani criminali. Gli obiettivi Secondo o federali, gli obiettivi dei tre terroristi erano i grandi raduni come i concerti, le stazioni della metropolitana e Times Square, uno dei maggiori incroci del distretto newyorkese di Manhattan. Il primo degli arrestati e stato il 19enne Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy. Fu arrestato dopo essersi recato dal Canada al New Jersey nel maggio del 2016 dove aveva acquistato del materiale per confezionare bombe. Il secondo arresto ha riguardato un cittadino americano di 19 anni, Talha Haroon, fermato in Pakistan nel 2016; il terzo uomo, Russell Salic di 37 anni, e stato invece catturato nelle Filippine lo scorso aprile. I messaggi di odio Secondo quanto emerge da documenti relativi al caso, El Bahnasawy invio all'agente sotto copertura un'immagine di Times Square con il messaggio: Abbiamo assolutamente bisogno di far esplodere un'autobomba a Times Square. Guarda questa folla!. In un altro sms El Bahnasawy espresse il desiderio di sparare a concerti, perche si uccidono molte persone Basta arrivare con pistole in mano. Cosi hanno fatto quelli di Parigi. For decades, many countries of Latin America were a morass of hyperinflation and political instabilityhardly the most prudent region of the world in which to conduct business. While Western Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and other developed realms continued to benefit from mutual trade, the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking parts of the Western Hemisphere lagged. Today, theyre catching up. While pockets of Latin America are still susceptible to dictatorship and corruption, those countries are now the exception. Four nations, in particular, are leading the charge toward market prosperity in this often overlooked part of the globe. Key Takeaways For decades, much of Latin America was a morass of hyperinflation and political instability. While there are still pockets of Latin America that are susceptible to dictatorship and corruption, these countries are the exception. Four nationsChile, Peru, Colombia, and Mexicoare leading the charge toward market prosperity in this often overlooked part of the globe. Mexico is the second-largest economy in Latin America, with a 2020 GDP of over $1 trillion. Despite rapidly growing economies, many of these countries suffered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Chile Chile is one of the least publicized success stories in the Americas. The nation has actively courted foreign investment for decades, dating all the way back to the tyrannical regimes of the 1970s. Non-resident investors can take advantage of Decree-Law 600, which subjects them to the same regulations as local investors. The advantages of this are numerous. For instance, Chiles top corporate tax rate is 27%. (Prior to the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, the United States' highest tax rate was 35%, relatively high in comparison to Chile's highest corporate tax rate. However, now, as a result of the TCJA, the United States highest corporate tax rate sits at 21%.) A 2004 trade agreement between the countries set Chilean tariffs at a modest 6% for just about every marketable product, with immediate results. Imports increased 30% in the first year, prompting Chile to sign subsequent trade agreements with Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, the European Union, South Korea, Brunei, New Zealand, and Singapore. Chile is now one of the Latin American countries most actively pursuing bilateral trade agreements. Colombia Colombias 49 million citizens are, through fate, convenience, or strategy, inexorably linked to the fortunes of their largest trading partner, the United States. Colombia exported $11.6 billion to the U.S. in 2021, accounting for 29% of the country's export market. Colombia may not have whats commonly regarded as an advanced manufacturing economy, but a nation can succeed in spite of that. The country has plenty of agricultural and mineral resources, and the means to develop them. It is one of the top 20 exporters of petroleum around the world. in 2021, Colombia exported $19.2 billion of mineral fuels and oils. The country has continued a program of trade liberalization that includes lowering corporate income taxes. New tax laws offer certain tax incentives to promote investment, economic growth, and employment. In addition, it is also possible to pay taxes in kind, allowing taxpayers to perform useful projects for the country in lieu of financial payments. 56% The growth of foreign direct investment in Latin America in the year 2021, following a sharp drop the previous year. Peru Peru's economy has risen rapidly since the 1990s, and its GDP has more than quadrupled since the start of the century. The results are already tangible: prior to the coronavirus pandemic, Peru was on its way to eradicating poverty at a rate much faster than previously expected. Between 2009 and 2019, the percentage of Peruvians living on less than $5.50 per day fell from 35.6% to 20.6%, meaning that over a third of the country's poorest people successfully escaped poverty, according to the World Bank. As of 2022, the World Bank is financing 16 investment projects in Peru, with a total investment of $1 billion as well as $2.8 billion in development loans. Unlike Colombia and Chile, Perus major trading partner is not the United States. Instead, the U.S. is a close second behind China. Socialist president Pedro Castillo, who took office in 2021, has pledged to increase the minimum wage and raise taxes on the mining industry in order to fund health and education reforms. However, the country's economy has been hard-hit by the economic impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Existing inequality, overcrowding, and limited public health resources contributed to an 11% drop in the country's GDP in 2020, along with a 20% drop in employment. Although GDP rebounded in 2021, formal employment in urban areas remains below pre-pandemic levels. Mexico is the second-largest economy in Latin America, with a 2020 GDP of over $1 trillion. Brazil's economy is larger, with a GDP of $1.4 trillion. Mexico Mexico was a signatory to the most famous trade deal of the past decades, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and the United States. NAFTA has since been subsumed by the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which took effect in 2020. It should come as no surprise that Mexicos largest trade partner is the United States, which supplied 45% of Mexico's imports and bought 83% of the country's exports in 2021. The new agreement increased labor protections for workers in Mexico and introduced new enforcement mechanisms, while also reducing tariffs. Although Mexico's foreign trade suffered a brief plunge in 2020, exports have since returned to an all-time high, suggesting that the country may be on its way to recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Which Countries Invest the Most in Latin America? According to the U.N.'s Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe is the largest source of foreign investment in the region, accounting for about 38% of all FDI to the region in 2020. However, this analysis groups all of Europe together. The United States accounted for 37% of Latin American FDI in 2020. How Much Is the U.S. Investing in Latin America? The U.S. is the largest source of foreign investment to Latin America, contributing about 37% of all FDI inflows to the region in 2020. The U.S. is also the largest source of new projects and mergers and acquisitions in the region. Over the years 2010-2019, U.S. companies announced a yearly average of nearly $20 billion in new investment projects and $14 billion in the year 2020. How Much Is China Investing in Latin America? It is difficult to assess the volume of China's Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Latin America since these investments often flow through a third country. But as the world's third-largest source of FDI, there is little doubt that China is making significant investments in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Chinese companies announced an average of over $7 billion in Latin American mergers and acquisitions each year between 2010 and 2019, although the figure fell to just below $6 billion in 2020. In the same decade, they announced an average of nearly $5 billion in new investment projects every year. Why Is China Investing in Latin America? China is investing heavily in Latin American infrastructure and industry as part of the One Belt and One Road initiative. This multi-trillion-dollar project seeks to provide developing countries with an alternative to Western-led globalization, while also providing Chinese companies with new markets, manufacturers, and sources of raw materials. The Bottom Line The notion of a global economy is more often a talking point than an actual construct. As the movement of capital among countries continues to run into fewer and fewer artificial barriers, the gap between the developed countries of the world and those aspiring to that level continues to shrink. What Is Smart Beta? Smart beta investing combines the benefits of passive investing and the advantages of active investing strategies. The goal of smart beta is to obtain alpha, lower risk or increase diversification at a cost lower than traditional active management and marginally higher than straight index investing. It seeks the best construction of an optimally diversified portfolio. In effect, smart beta is a combination of efficient-market hypothesis and value investing. The smart beta investment approach applies to popular asset classes, such as equities, fixed income, commodities and multi-asset classes. Economist Harry Markowitz first theorized smart Beta via his work on modern portfolio theory. 2:12 Smart Beta Pt 2: Understanding Sources of Returns Smart Beta Explained Smart beta defines a set of investment strategies that emphasize the use of alternative index construction rules to traditional market capitalization-based indices. Smart beta emphasizes capturing investment factors or market inefficiencies in a rules-based and transparent way. The increased popularity of smart beta is linked to a desire for portfolio risk management and diversification along factor dimensions, as well as seeking to enhance risk-adjusted returns above cap-weighted indices. Smart beta strategies seek to passively follow indices, while also considering alternative weighting schemes such as volatility, liquidity, quality, value, size and momentum. That's because smart beta strategies are implemented like typical index strategies in that the index rules are set and transparent. These funds dont track standard indices, such as the S&P 500 or the Nasdaq 100 Index, but instead, focus on areas of the market that offer an opportunity for exploitation. Key Takeaways Smart beta seeks to combine the benefits of passive investing and the advantages of active investing strategies. Smart beta uses alternative index construction rules to traditional market capitalization-based indices. Smart beta emphasizes capturing investment factors or market inefficiencies in a rules-based and transparent way. Smart beta strategies may use alternative weighting schemes such as volatility, liquidity, quality, value, size and momentum. In 2019, smart beta funds command $880 billion in total cumulative assets. Selecting Smart Beta Strategies There is no single approach to developing a smart beta investment strategy, as the goals for investors can be different based on their needs, though some managers are prescriptive in identifying smart beta ideas that are value-creating and economically intuitive. Equity smart beta seeks to address inefficiencies created by market-capitalization-weighted benchmarks. Funds may take a thematic approach to manage this risk by focusing on mispricing created by investors seeking short-term gains, for example. Managers may also choose to create or follow an index that weights investments according to fundamentals, such as earnings or book value, rather than market capitalization. Alternatively, managers may use a risk-weighted approach to smart beta that involves the establishment of an index based upon assumptions of future volatility. For instance, this may involve an analysis of historical performance and the correlation between an investment's risk relative to its return. The manager must evaluate how many assumptions they are willing to build into the index and can approach the index by assuming a combination of different correlations. Smart Beta Popularity Although smart beta funds typically attract higher fees than their vanilla counterparts, they continue to remain popular with investors. As of February 2019, 77 new smart-beta exchange-traded funds (ETFs) launched, which accounts for roughly a third of all ETFs that came to market in the past year, according to FactSet data as reported by ETF.com. Smart beta funds also attracted a more significant increase in assets under management (AUM) over the period, growing at 10.9% compared to 4.3% for vanilla funds. In total, smart beta funds command $880 billion in total cumulative assets, up from $616 billion in 2016. Example of Smart Beta Funds The following three ETFs each use a different smart beta strategy seeking value, growth and dividend appreciation, respectively: The Vanguard Value Index Fund ETF Shares ETF (VTV) tracks the CRSP US Large Cap Value Index. Its benchmark determines value using several fundamental ratios including price-to-book (P/B), forward price-to-earnings (forward P/E), historical P/E, dividend-to-price and price-to-sales. The fund has $77.25 billion in AUM as of April 2019. With net assets of $42.73 billion as of April 2019, the iShares Russell 1000 Growth ETF (IWF) seeks to provide similar returns to the Russell 1000 Growth Index. The underlying selects components based on three fundamental factors: price-to-book, medium-term growth forecasts, and sales per share growth. The Vanguard Dividend Appreciation Index Fund ETF Shares (VIG) aims to return similar investment results to the Nasdaq US Dividend Achievers Select Index. The fund selects firms that have increased their dividend payments for the past 10 years and market-cap-weights its holdings. As of April 2019, VIG has AUM of $40.94 billion. The five largest university endowments belong to Harvard University, the University of Texas system, Yale University, Stanford University, and Princeton University. Each holds more than $25 billion in assets. And those assets are growing, albeit at a slower pace than in previous years. On the whole, American colleges and universities grew their endowments by 1.8% net of fees in the financial year ending June 30, 2020. That is down from the 5.3% return recorded in the previous financial year. These figures come from the National Association of College and University Business Officers and asset management firm TIAA, which gathered data from 705 colleges and universities and their affiliated foundations. Combined, these schools held $637.7 billion in assets. But while the top endowments were flush with billions of dollars in assets, the median endowment held just $164.6 million in funds. University endowments work to earn a return on assets that can then be spent on priorities such as research, salaries, or financial aid. The typical endowment had a drawdown percentage of 4.59% in 2020, which was slightly higher than 4.36% of assets that endowments distributed in the previous year. Here we look at the five largest university endowments in greater detail. Key Takeaways The five largest university endowments belong to Harvard University, the University of Texas system, Yale University, Stanford University, and Princeton University. Endowments at colleges and universities grew their assets by 1.8% in 2020, compared to a 5.3% return in the previous year. While the top schools have billions of dollars at their disposal, the typical endowment held just $164.6 million in assets. In 2020, endowments distributed 4.59% of their funds, which paid for priorities such as research, salaries, and student financial aid. 1. Harvard University$41.9 Billion Harvard University has the largest endowment in the world, with $41.9 billion in assets at the end of 2020, up 2.4% from the year before. Harvard's endowment is comprised of more than 14,000 separate funds aggregated over the past 350 years. The fund distributed $2 billion to the university in 2020, representing 37% of its revenue for the year. Harvard Management Company has overseen the university's endowment since 1974. About 36.4% of assets were allocated to hedge funds, which contributed a 7.9% return. Public equities accounted for 18.9% and contributed a 12.2% return, while private equity accounted for 23% and returned 11.6%. 2. University of Texas$31.9 Billion The University of Texas system had roughly $31.90 billion in endowment assets at the end of the 2020 financial year, an increase of 3.2% from the year before. The University of Texas/Texas A&M Investment Company oversees the system's four major endowment funds, which are the: Permanent University Fund Permanent Health Fund Long Term Fund Separately Invested Fund The Permanent University Fund supports the University of Texas, Texas A&M, and their smaller schools. The Permanent Health Fund contributes revenue to medical research, health education, public health, nursing, and treatment programs. 3. Yale University$31.2 Billion Yale University's endowment increased by 2.9% in the 2020 financial year, reaching $31.2 billion in assets. The endowment distributed $1.5 billion to the university, representing about 34% of its revenue. The endowment's 6.8% return in 2020 trails its ten-year track record, which shows an average annual return of 10.9%. The endowment targets a minimum allocation of 30% to lower-risk assets such as cash, bonds, and absolute return funds. About 23.5% of assets are allocated toward venture capital and 17.5% toward leveraged buyouts. $10 billion Out of 705 school endowments surveyed, 13 held at least this much in assets in 2020. 4. Stanford University$28.9 Billion Stanford University held $28.9 billion in endowment assets at the end of 2020, up 4.5% from 2019. The endowment distributed $1.4 billion to the university in 2020, for a drawdown percentage of 4.9% of assets. The amount represented 22.3% of the university's total expenses. The majority of endowment disbursements go toward scholarships, fellowships, professorships, and other academic support. The endowment is overseen by Stanford Management Company, which manages other assets for the university. About 30.3% of the university's merged pool of assets is allocated toward private equity. Absolute return funds accounted for 21%, international equities another 19%, and real estate 8%. 5. Princeton University$26.6 Billion At the end of 2020, Princeton University's endowment held $26.6 billion in assets, an increase of $440 million. Princeton University Investment Company manages the bulk of the endowment. These endowment assets earned a 5.6% return from the previous year. In 2020, the endowment distributed $1.4 billion to the university, equivalent to 5.5% of its total assets at the start of the financial year. About 24.5% of endowment spending goes toward supporting students. This allows the university to cover 100% of tuition, fees, and room and board for students from families earning less than $65,000 per year. About 24% of undergraduates receive a Pell Grant, which is awarded on the basis of financial need. More than 61% of undergrads receive financial aid, and 83% are able to leave school debt-free. Samsungs latest flagship device, the Galaxy Note 7, is all set to hit the retail stores in the United States in a couple of days from now. The company pushed forward the launch of the Note 7 and even tweaked its naming scheme slightly to better take on Apples upcoming iPhone 7 Plus. So, how has exactly does the Note 7 fair? The review of the device went live from multiple publications yesterday, and below we have done a quick roundup of some of the best of them. The Verge The publications review of the Note 7 is highly positive, though Dan Seifert does complain about the sheer number of carrier bloatware present on his unit. Nonetheless, as per The Verge, if you want a phone with a big screen, the Note 7 is the device to buy. Apples take on the big phone Future of Computing was seen as a revelation for millions of iPhone users, but it didnt feel like a full commitment to the big phone concept. Its just a bigger iPhone, with the same hardware design and software experience. The same can be said of the Nexus 6P and many other big Android phones, which arent markedly different than smaller options. The Note 7, however, leverages Samsungs years of expertise building big phones, and its hardware design and software features lift it up above the fray. Its the least compromised big phone you can buy, and it doesnt force you give up anything that makes big phones so great. If you havent yet been sold on why a phone with a big screen can change how you think about mobile computing, the Note 7 is the best pitch yet. Engadget The publication goes on to say that the Note 7 is probably among the best Android device in the market right now. When I reviewed the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge earlier this year, I was already convinced Samsung was operating at the top of its game. After using phones as well crafted as those, I didnt think it would be possible to love the inevitable follow-up as much. I was wrong. The Note 7 isnt a perfect phone: Its expensive, and there still isnt a hugely compelling reason to buy into the S Pen lifestyle if you havent already. Even so, by combining the updates that went into the S7 siblings with a number of subtle improvements to the Notes design and software, Samsung has built its finest phone yet. The Galaxy Note 7 isnt just the best Galaxy Note ever its a strong contender as the best Android phone you can find right now. AndroidBeat Our sister publications review of the Galaxy Note 7 is also positive, though we do think the battery life of the device could have been better. Plus, the glass back panel is not only a fingerprint magnet but it is also prone to scratches, which is a bummer. In conclusion, the Galaxy Note 7 is an amazing device that has many functions. Though the iris scanner does fall short in terms of expectations, one must give it the benefit of being based on technology still in its infancy. If there is anything about this device that is truly a disappointment it would be the battery capacity that could have done with more. Aside from this, there is little to complain about a device that does so much so well. And in the new Coral Blue color, the Note 7 looks even more beautiful and stunning. AnandTech Surprisingly, AnandTechs review of the Galaxy Note 7 is negative, with the review criticising the real world performance of the device. A lot of things are going to seem like nitpicks but the whole point of paying 400 USD more is so that the ID and engineering in both hardware and software bridges the last mile. Again, this is still a good phone and it really is as good as it gets for now, but with so many fall launches coming up I find it very hard to whole-heartedly recommend this phone. The only audience I can really recommend this to are people that are absolutely set on a Samsung phablet, and even then if you wont miss the S-Pen I think the S7 edge is pretty much the same experience for 100-200 USD less when the extra money gets you so little other than an extra 32GB of internal storage. What do you think about the Galaxy Note 7? Willm you be buying it? Or will you wait for the iPhone 7 Plus before deciding on a new phablet? Drop in a comment and let us know! According to a report, Iraq has signed an agreement with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to upgrade the water network for Sulaimaniyah City. UNDP resident representative and UN resident and humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, Lise Grande said, The Governorate and people of Sulaimaniyah have generously welcomed and supported displaced and refugee families. The citys infrastructure is under enormous pressure because so many people need services. Were very pleased that we can support the Governorate by helping to repair a key component of the water system. UNDPs Iraq Crisis Response and Resilience Program (ICRRP) and the Governorate of Sulaimaniyah will restore the Dokan-Sulaimaniyah water network the primary water pipeline for over 1.1 million residents, refugees and displaced people in Sulaimaniyah City. The Governor of Sulaimaniyah, Dr. Aso Faridoon Amin said, The strain of the humanitarian crisis upon the infrastructure and services of the Governorate renders our partnership with UNDP as vital. | Soruce: Trade Arabia | By S.Seal Reconstruction Fund for Areas Affected by Terrorism (REFAATO) has announced initiating an agreement for rehabilitating al-Muthana Bridge in northern Baghdad. The agreement has been signed with Ministry of Housing, and cost of the agreement is around five billion dinars. Abdel Baset Turki, head of REFAATO, stated, REFAATO is paying great attention to the vital areas, particularly roads and bridges. The World Bank is willing to support Iraq to build and rehabilitate its destructed areas, thus Muthana Bridge rehabilitation project was funded with five billion, nine million and 855 thousand dinars. He also mentioned, Muthana Bridge is a vital one, so REFAATO agreed with the Ministry of Housing to build and rehabilitate this bridge that will be executed by al-Mutasim Company under the supervision of roads and bridges department in the ministry. | Soruce: IRAQI NEWS | John F. Timoney, a Dublin native, who was named Americas best cop by Esquire Magazine and served as a former police chief in Philadelphia and Miami as well as William Brattons chief deputy at the NYPD has passed away from lung cancer. He was 68. Timoney was widely credited with many of the innovations which brought New York crime statistics, especially murder, tumbling down to record low levels. He reached the level of First Deputy Commissioner, in effect the second top cop on the force, during the period of dramatic crime reduction. He left New York after a falling out with Mayor Rudy Giuliani and later took over as Police Chief in Philadelphia and later in Miami. In recent years he was a consultant to the Arab state of Bahrain and their policing methods there. He leaves behind wife Noreen and two children. Timoney was born in The Liberties inner-city area in Dublin and maintained his strong Irish accent all his life. At age 13 his family emigrated to America and they settled in Northern Manhattan His father died and his mother and sister returned to Ireland but John and his brother Ciaran remained behind to pursue police careers. He was sworn in in 1969. Timoney, who took two masters degrees in criminology, rose swiftly through the ranks and was named Chief of Department in 1994, the youngest person ever to attain that job which made him the top uniformed cop. He and new Police Commissioner Bill Bratton worked hand in glove to bring down New Yorks soaring crime figures and they were incredibly successful. However Mayor Rudy Giuliani fired Bratton because of his clashes over his sky high profile and Timoney left a year later. In 1998 he was named Philadelphia police commissioner where he served for three years and once again brought down the crime figures In 2003 he took over the troubled Miami Police Department which had a bad reputation for shooting civilians. In contrast, under Timoney for the first twenty months, no Miami police officer fired a shot. He stepped down in 2010 to take a lucrative job as advisor to the Bahraini government on security where he was successful in ending heavy handed responses by Bahraini police to protesters. A senior member of Bahrain's parliament praised Timoney for "changing a lot in the culture of the Ministry of Interior" and contributing to Bahrains security reform. He was a frequent visitor to Ireland where he was celebrated as one of the great Irish immigrant success stories. He battled lung cancer courageously for several years before passing away on August 17. All of us here at PAL are deeply saddened by the loss of former @PhillyPolice Commissioner John Timoney. pic.twitter.com/NBeR4NkPZI PAL (@PhillyPAL) August 17, 2016 We mourn the passing of former PPD Commissioner John F. Timoney, who proudly led our Dept. from 1998-2001. RIP, sir. pic.twitter.com/5D73OxSZLf Philadelphia Police (@PhillyPolice) August 17, 2016 Sun goes down, gentle warmth still lingers." Chief John Timoney passed. Great man/police giant. Legacy lives. World better because he was. DelrishM (@Delrish_M) August 17, 2016 Anthropoid was the real life name given to the covert plan to kill SS Officer Reinhard Heydrich, the third highest ranking member of the Nazi party, in 1941. Nicknamed old iron heart by Hitler, Heydrich was an ardent fascist, the man hand picked by the Fuhrer to ensure the Holocaust of the Jews in Europe. In the new film of the same name starring Jamie Dornan from Belfast and Cillian Murphy from Co. Cork, director Sean Ellis tells the gripping story and shows us exactly what it costs his two heroes, who are asked to sacrifice everything for the greater good. That Heydrich's story isn't well known outside of Czechoslovakia, where he was targeted for assassination, is mystifying since it contains all the elements of a superb war thriller: an irredeemable villain, a dangerous plot to tail and kill him, set against the background of a brutal occupation by the most evil military power the world has ever known. Read more: Anthropoid star Jamie Dornan talks about global fame and keeping it real Ellis is aware of just how passionate the Czechs are about this story, and he's also painfully conscious of how little it's known outside of their borders, so the film unfolds as a conflict between concise historical detail and the desire to simply entertain. That conflict is slow moving and unresolved in the first hour as we watch Josef Gabcik (Murphy) and Jan Kubi (Dornan) stretched to the breaking point by the difficult task that lies ahead of them. How do you attack the Nazis, who have overrun Europe, and who look utterly invincible? From the standpoint of 1941 the plot to kill Heydrich looked like a suicide mission. Dornan's character in particular grasps just how impossible the odds are, experiencing a full blown panic attack at the prospect of near certain death. But Murphy's character takes the broader view. He deeply understands what a moral boost it will be to his long suffering countrymen and women, and to Europe and the wider world, if one of the kingpins of Nazism, a pole star of human evil, can be killed. No sooner are Dornan and Murphy's characters parachuted into their homeland to undertake their near impossible task, but they meet and fall for two gorgeous local ladies who get more than they bargained for from their sudden and unplanned affairs. Elliss camera gives us a Prague under dark shadows. Colors are muted, mostly washed out shades of grey. Exteriors are dull as interiors, and the near relentless close ups give the film a claustrophobic feel for the first hour. We are intended to feel the threat these courageous men live under and Ellis leaves nothing out. But the film only really comes to life in the second hour when, after a series of setbacks, the plotters decide they have to carry out their assassination on a given day, no stepping back. In real life unforeseen complications have a way of unraveling even the best laid plans, and so it proves here in a nail biting sequence that shatters the tranquility that preceded it. The script doesn't delve far into its characters lives. We learn what they are doing and a bit about why they are doing it, but we rarely see much of who they are or were before the war, or what binds them together now. Yes, resisting Nazis and protecting your homeland is always a good idea, but we need to know more about the dreams and aspirations of the film's two heroes than the script ever delivers. At times it's almost as if the filmmaker thinks that fighting the bad guys is reason enough in itself. It's not. What happens next is extraordinary, though. Gabcik and Kubi and their co-conspirators are pursued across the city by the incensed Nazi leadership and thousands of troops. Locals who might have harbored them or known or their plan are tortured mercilessly or shot on sight. But the repercussions of their daring act fall so hard and so fast that neither we nor the film has time to ask if their attack was actually worth it? The film concludes in a terrifying fast moving shootout between the resistance and the German forces at the Karel Boromjeksky Church a near sacred last stand know to all modern day Czechs but barely known outside its borders. Anthropoid will change that basic awareness, but little else. It opens on Friday, nationwide. These newspapers have us in their power and can destroy us as they please. Donald Trump complaining about his coverage? No, General William Sherman writing to General Henry Halleck during the US Civil War bemoaning his coverage in the media. When it comes to blaming folks the media has been a whipping boy for every politician and many generals especially in the modern era. Indeed complaints about media go back to Roman times. But Donald Trump takes it a step further abusing and threatening journalists at his public meetings, pointing them out to the crowd. That became so dangerous that Katy Tur of NBC who had annoyed Trump over her reporting was given secret service protection as she left the venue. Trump says he would be up by twenty points were it not for the media which is hilarious if it were not so serious. New Florida poll shows Hillary Clinton leading Donald Trump by 9 points https://t.co/7orknnmBjS pic.twitter.com/meRvUcZmtV CNN (@CNN) August 17, 2016 Was it the media who forced him to attack a gold star father and mother? Was it the media that pushed him to making a deeply ambiguous statement about second amendment people and Hillary Clinton? Was it the media who forced him to imitate in the cruelest way possible a New York Times reporter with a disability? Read more: Trumps leading Irish American backer says he is still set for victory What is extraordinary is that Trump was allowed to get away with his threats and bullying for so long, Surprisingly, it was Fox News who stood up to him best in the early stages when Megyn Kelly asked him about horrific statements he had made about women and Latino minorities. Soon after however Fox and Kelly were cosying up to him again and became cheerleaders, in the case of Sean Hannity to an embarrassing extent. He has done everything but climb obto Trump's lap for a cuddle. The other media loved him during the primaries for his impact on ratings. Trump is like the imminent car crash you can't take your eyes off of him and he garnered huge ratings boosts. Little wonder that Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz complained bitterly about all the free publicity Trump enjoyed. They were right but that has all changed since the primary season has ended. Almost overnight Trump went from a likeable rogue to a dangerous buffoon. He did so mostly through his own hand and by the media who discovered their real role and began to pound him on his errors. 'Daily Show': A 'gentle breeze' is a bigger threat to Trump than terrorism @dmoyeweirdnews https://t.co/0pydJYiyNk pic.twitter.com/ZFnbLufD67 Huffington Post (@HuffingtonPost) August 17, 2016 Suddenly the reality show star faced reality. His path to the presidency, so smooth during the primary, hit a rock in the road called the mainstream media, And yes they piled on because Trump gave them the opportunity too, so foolishly with his convention full of hate and harangues (Remember demented Rudy Giuliani?) and family members whose only claim to ability was they all worked for daddy. He imploded further during the Democratic convention questioning the gold star mother and father and the ugly paranoid, hateful side of the billionaire emerged. Hillary Clinton must be looking on with an amused smile as she watches Trump get beaten up. She suffered the same fate in 2008 when the media anointed Barack Obama early on because he was by far the more interesting story and she found herself nailed to the floor as Obama soared. Read more: Republican attacks once forced Hillary Clinton to wear bulletproof vests, have they again? Now it is Trumps turn to feel the flak and unlike Clinton he seems utterly unprepared for it. In fact his campaign is stumbling so bad there are fears he will not make it to the finish line and may irrevocably split his party.. It is time to applaud the media however belatedly, in finally doing their job exposing the joker who sought the crown. David Axelrod, Obamas mentor explained how presidential campaign ends up as an xray of the soul in which the real person eventually emerges in full scan.. It is devastatingly clear since the conventions that Americans don't like the real Donald Trump. The media is uncovering the man in full and America dislikes what it sees. Read more: Some serious thought on immigration reform: Looking beyond "extreme vetting" A descendant of one of the 4,000 Irish orphan girls sent to Australia during the Great Hunger is calling for a memorial in Carrick-on-Shannon. Thousands of young Irish women were sent from overcrowded workhouses in Ireland to Australia under the Earl Grey Scheme which lasted from 1848 to 1850. The maneuver was named after the son of the famous tea merchant who as secretary of state for the new British colonies designed the scheme to correct the gender imbalance caused by the transportation of convicts. Neisha Wratten is the great-great-granddaughter of Bridget Cannon, who was just 15 when she was taken away from Carrick-on-Shannon workhouse in February 1849 to be transported to Austraila. Wratten, who has extensively researched the life of her ancestor and the other Earl Grey girls from Carrick, has traveled all the way from Australia to campaign for a memorial at the former workhouse for those who left there during the Famine. Read more: Famine victim's teeth lead to new discoveries on impact of starvation I was distressed to learn that Bridget was detained in a penitentiary at Hyde Park Barracks in Sydney shortly after being indentured, Adelaide-based gynecologist told the Irish Times. She found that 250 Earl Grey girls were detained for general misconduct. They were kept apart from the other girls in case they contaminated them, she said. They had to eat, sleep and work in one room where they were forced to pick oakum. She said she believes girls from Irish rural backgrounds were punished for not being suited to civilized society in Sydney, where some were sent to be servants. They probably knew how to milk a cow and to wrestle a sheep or dig up a patch of potatoes, but did not have any idea how to polish the cutlery. Wratten was one of 30 people who participated in the Famine Attic Experience three years ago, spending a night in the workhouse attic where the children stayed. She thinks many other Earl Grey descendants would be interested to see the workhouse building that has been barely changed since the Famine and believes restoration of the attic would be a fitting memorial to those who lived and died there. Read more: Remains of shipwrecked Irish famine victims found in Canada When you go into that attic you grasp the scale of the tragedy. Its like hearing about the second World War and then visiting a camp and it hits you. She told the Irish Times that it would be an opportune time to plan a memorial at the former workhouse which currently houses St Patricks community hospital, as a new hospital building has been approved. The workhouse is intact, almost exactly as it was when Bridget was there, she said. The platforms where the children slept on straw are still there in the attic. Wratten is holding meetings with politicians, planners and other interested parties in Leitrim to discuss the proposal. John Bredin, chairman of the Heritage Group which has a long-term lease on part of the former workhouse, told the Irish Times that he would welcome a memorial to the 65 girls who left there during the Great Hunger. Bredin expects more Earl Grey descendants would like to make the pilgrimage to the workhouse and is planning another Famine Attic Experience for next year. We have a lot of information for them the names of the girls, their parents names and the names of their townlands, he said. We are very keen to meet Dr Wratten to discuss ways of commemorating these girls and we are very conscious that famine is still happening all over the world. As an average of 12 workhouse inmates were dying every week, those who left could be regarded as the lucky ones. However, Wratten says, They did not all have happy endings. Her ancestor Bridget Cannon took her husband John Smith to court after 30 years of abuse. In one incident she lost some teeth and had her ribs broken, said Wratten. But she finally said enough when John threatened to put a pitchfork into her chest, and the court case made the state newspapers in Brisbane. We still have an enormous problem in Australia with domestic violence, which is another reason her story is so pertinent. Says local Fine Gael councilor Finola Armstrong McGuire, who supports the idea of a memorial: Neisha is a living witness. This is part of our history but she makes it real. Wratten said: It is hard to convey just how much the descendants and the Australian-Irish community treasure these women. They are incredibly special to us. They are our little Irish mothers." Read more: Landmark new research into Great Hunger dead reveals victims' tragic tales Research by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology found that species of wild bee exposed to oilseed rape crops treated with neonicotinoids suffered declines between 2002 and 2011. Worst impacted was the lime-loving furrow bee, which lost 23% of its population; Hawthorn mining bee populations fell by 18%. The average bee population decline was 7% from 2002-11, when neonicotinoids came into wide-scale commercial use in England. The pesticide is under an EU-wide two-year ban amid concerns over its impact on bees, such as damaging ability to forage and navigate, and their colony growth. The research looked at changes in occurrence of 62 species with oilseed rape cropping patterns across England between 1994 and 2011, examining data from 31,818 surveys across 4,000sq km of land. Nick Isaac, co-author of the paper, said: The negative effects that have been reported previously, they do scale up. They scale up to long-term, large-scale, multi-species impacts that are harmful. Friends of the Earths nature campaigner Paul de Zylva has urged the UK government to continue the pesticide ban after Britain leaves the EU. He said: The study uses data from real field conditions over 17 years and adds a huge new peak to the existing mountain of evidence showing the risk these chemicals pose to our bees. If the government genuinely wants to safeguard Britains bees, it must keep the ban on neonicotinoid pesticides regardless of what happens with Brexit, and tighten how we test and license pesticides for use. The National Farmers Union (NFU) said the research does not show the chemicals cause widespread decline in populations. NFU bee health specialist Chris Hartfield said: This study is another interesting piece to an unsolved puzzle about how neonicotinoid seed treatments affect bees. "It does not show that neo- nicotinoids are causing widespread declines in pollinator populations and it certainly does not show that neonicotinoid use has caused any extinction of bees in England. Dr Hartfield, who said farmers are well aware of the importance of bees and would not want to cause them harm, called for more science-based regulation but warned against over-regulation of chemicals for fear of the effect on the farming industrys future. Without many of these [plant protection] products, our ability to produce wholesome, affordable food for the nation will continue to stagnate, he said, adding there are knowledge gaps and a limited evidence base to guide and inform policymakers on the issue. The reports authors said neonicotinoids must be seen as a contributory factor to decline in bee populations, citing a complex array of drivers including habitat, climate change and disease were also important. Its likely that theres a whole series of interacting factors and while people like a one-shot solution, its probably not the case in most situations, he said. Turnover fell 800,000 to 162.8m in 2015 a trend the companys directors expect to continue in the coming years as the company diversifies further into customised payment solutions. Payzone Irelands cost of sales fell from 161.9m to 152m. Payzone Ireland Limited chief executive Jim Deignan said the firms financial results illustrate the change in its revenue mix and business strategy. 2015 was a good year for Payzone as we continued to rebalance our portfolio of products and services to reflect marketplace changes, said Mr Deignan. Through ongoing technology developments we have successfully diversified into a wider range of customised payment solutions, financial services and channels which have improved our overall business performance. Payzone Ireland owns a physical retail payments network comprised of 11,500 points of sale across 7,000 agents. It processes transactions across a variety of electronic transactions services, including financial services, mobile phone top-ups, debit/credit card transactions; M50 motorway toll payments; Leap travel cards, local property tax payments, parking fees, pre-paid utility and parcel collections. In 2015 financial services accounted for 30% of transactions; transport-related transactions 24%; utility payments 25% and mobile top-ups 21%. The companys directors identify a potential downturn in the pre-paid mobile top-up market as the most prominent risk to its business but add management have a long track record in managing that risk. Payzone Ireland was acquired by private equity fund Carlyle Cardinal Ireland in April 2015. The company incurred acquisition-related costs of 495,000 as a result of the acquisition. Exceptional items arising the previous year, 2014, had boosted the companys coffers by 4.5m as a result of a bad debt write back. Payzone Ireland employs more than 70 people at its head office in Sandyford, Co Dublin. Using a string of metrics, the London-based consultancy found China, the US, Japan, and Russia offer the greatest opportunities for commercial arrangements once Britain has left the EU and so is able to liaise one-on-one with other countries. India was not among the top 10 nations and Canada ranked 23rd, behind Taiwan, Global Counsel said. Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia are also not worth spending too much time on. UK trade policy will require ruthless prioritisation, said Gregor Irwin, Global Counsels chief economist and a former UK government official. The criteria used to work out where to focus were the strength of economies, the height of trade barriers, and whether UK investment already flowed there. How well British exporters already did was also taken into consideration. The reduction of trade barriers and the attempt to catch up with EU peers are the main challenges facing the UK in China. Links with the US are already strong and worth intensifying according to the report. It is also worth trying to boost trade with Japan, South Korea, and European countries outside of the EU such as Russia and Turkey, said Global Counsel. Meanwhile, investment banks with their European headquarters in London will start the process of moving jobs from the UK within weeks of the government triggering Brexit, a faster timeline than their public messages of patience would imply, according to sources on the plans being drawn up by four of the biggest firms. Dismayed by the lack of a clear plan to protect the UKs status as a global financial hub, executives are planning for the worst that they will lose the right to sell services freely around the EU from the City, said the sources. Facing a long process with potential waits for regulatory approvals before workers can pack their bags, banks want to start quickly to have new or expanded offices set up in Europe before the end of the two-year Brexit negotiation period. This year is all about understanding potential scenarios, your options, and what your contingency plans are, said Andrew Gray, head of Brexit for UK financial services at PwC, which is advising banks on how best to respond to Brexit. Some plans will take time to execute, and firms cant afford to wait until January1, 2019, and risk not being able to do business. After five years of turtle surveys at Lakeshore Park, researchers believe they have enough data to begin making educated estimates of the turtle population there. Dr. John Lugthart, professor of biology at Dalton State, and Chris Manis, a part-time instructor and research associate, have spent two weeks each summer capturing turtles, collecting data on them, and re-releasing them in their habitat. They are assisted by Dalton State students and alumni; some volunteer to help and some receive research credit for their work. Dalton State is actively involved in restoration and conservation work at the park, which contains an urban wetland, ponds, springs, and a forested slope. Part of the Colleges contribution is conducting animal and plant surveys in and around the wetland. Researchers will monitor the animal and plant life during and after restoration work is complete. Turtles are given a unique marking on their shell when captured. It is similar to filing a humans fingernails, and so it does not harm the animal in any way. We have had several recaptures this year, which will help in making an estimate of our population size before improvements are made here, Manis said. Well soon have an accurate metric to say with confidence we have this many of this species living here. Once we have the population we can answer other questions about where theyre going and where theyre laying eggs. Recaptures also tell researchers about the turtles growth and health. In the time since Dalton State has begun research at and around the wetland, the water level has risen, which is a good thing, said Mr. Lugthart. Beavers have moved back in, which helps in these urban wetlands, he said. Beavers are doing their job and increasing the wetland. They are assisting us with our restoration. The park is owned by the city of Dalton, and Lugthart is helping advise officials on restoration. Plans call to plant more trees along the banks, reconfigure bank slopes, and connect the existing ponds. The work should discourage the Canada geese, and encourage more native species. Plans also call for an additional pavilion and a renovation of the current pavilion. Having a place where people can come see a natural area in a city like Dalton is great, he said. It is a remarkably biodiverse area. There are numerous birds, turtles, fish, and several amphibians. Saving small places like this is important. Plus, we have the opportunity to provide nature education to our students at Dalton State, and Brookwood Elementary uses this space for education as well. In addition to the turtle survey, two Dalton State biology students, Tegan Hendricks and Daley Harrison, are researching the amphibian population. Their study began in the spring and should pick up again in the fall when it is not so hot and dry outside. Being able to do this research at this wetland has confirmed that I want to do field biology, Hendricks said. Amphibians are good indicators of the quality of the wetland because most of them breathe through their skin. They wont be able to survive here if it is polluted, for example. Fish and amphibians are the first to go in a polluted area because water holds the pollutants. The team has been able to identify bullfrogs, green tree frogs, slimy salamanders, and bronze frogs. Other amphibians have been heard, but not yet captured. Dalton State student Susan Tinch has been working to identify birds and plant life in and around the wetlands. A bird survey conducted in 2011, revealed 19 species used the wetlands for breeding. In 2015, after some of the restoration work had begun, that number was up to 24. It will be interesting to see how many more species use this park once all the restoration efforts have been put in place, Mr. Lugthart said. Mairtin Farragher from Ballinrobe is having the trip of a lifetime in South Africa and on Monday, he headed to do the world's highest bungee jump at Bloukrans Bridge. Keeping a tight grip on his GoPro, he took the terrifying leap but learned the hard way that keeping your phone in your pocket wasn't the best idea: "Yesterday I learned a valuable lesson, don't do a bungee jump with your phone in your pocket. It's at the bottom of a canyon now in South Africa!" Take a look at the moment it happened - and watch out for a bit of bad language. It's not the first adventure his phone has had - last month, it was stolen from his hostel in Italy but thanks to some undercover police, managed to get it back. Oh and while he was in Italy, Mairtin, who is a musician, had the opportunity to perform with Damian Rice at the Pistoia Blues Festival. Writing on Facebook at the time, he explains how he managed to swing it: "Last night I blagged my way backstage after the Damien Rice concert. Guitar on my back, I told security I was playing earlier! Damien was impressed with my bullshit skills and couldn't believe I'd travelled all that way. He asked me to play one of my own songs for him and the crew, I shat my pants! Surreal! He then invited me to play with him for the Aftershow in front of hundreds of people. Dream come through." He's having quite the summer. The results will be handed out at hundreds of schools throughout the morning as students gather to see how they have done and consider their options. For six of the class of 2016, there are eight higher level A1s on their results sheet, but none have matched the nine A1s on honours papers achieved last year by David Glynn at St Geralds College in Castlebar, Co Mayo. Among 2,819 external candidates who did not study at Irish second-level schools are 23 students from Libya. They sat the exams in Malta again this year, where students from the International School of the Martyrs in Tripoli have been travelling since 2011 to take the Leaving Certificate due to the security situation in Libya. The children of EU immigrants and others have seen the numbers examined, in non-curricular languages, rise slightly this year to 1,424. Just over half of those took Polish exams, with Lithuanian (202), Romanian (167) and Portuguese (95) also popular. There are nearly 1,500 Leaving Certificate repeat candidates this year, down from 1,670 in 2015 and from nearly 2,500 in 2012. For students overseas or unable to attend their school, results can be checked online from midday by using a code and their exam number to access them on the State Examinations Commission website. As its exam helpline prepared to open this morning, National Parents Council Post Primary spokeswoman Lynda OShea said the service has proven invaluable for parents, students, and teachers over the past 20 years. It is being operated again this year by members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. There is a huge amount of information now online and this can become confusing for students in a time of need, Ms OShea said. Picking up the phone and being able to speak to a qualified guidance counsellor can really help clarify options for parents and students and relieve some of the stress that often comes at results time. Any student who is disappointed with a grade in any subject has the option to appeal the result to the SEC. Last year, more than 9,800 individual marks were referred back to the State Examinations Commission to be remarked by a different examiner. Appeals had been submitted by 5,661 students, meaning that a significant number had challenged at least two of their exam results, and nearly one in five appeals had been successful. It is advisable to take the opportunity to view the marked exam paper in a subject before deciding if to appeal, but students need to apply to view their scripts by next Tuesday. They will then be allowed to do so at their schools on September 2 or September 3, and appeals have to be made to the SEC by the following Wednesday evening. The National Parents Council-Post Primary exam helpline, 1800 265 165, is open from 10am to 7pm today and tomorrow, and until 1pm on Friday. The following day, he went to examine the backpack and found it was attached to a body. The next day the backpack was in the same position. I pulled on the backpack and a human arm rose out of the water, Mr Coleman said in his deposition. He called Gardai and the members of the Garda Water Unit arrived at the scene to recover the body. In the backpack they found items that allowed them to identify the dead man as Vincent Dunphy (35) of Pearse House, Dublin 2. Mr Dunphy was last seen on Saturday morning, March 7 2015 and it was not possible to trace his movements after that. Gardai called to the mans fathers house in Clondalkin to notify the family. It was not known how Mr Dunphy entered the water or how long he was in the water, Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane told the family. Dublin Coroners Court heard the man was on a methadone treatment programme. He last attended the methadone clinic on March 6, three days before his body was found close to the weir at Trinity Boathouse. A post-mortem report found the man died due to drowning. He had toxic levels of methadone and benzodiapines in his system at the time of his death which may have had a sedative effect, according to the pathologist. Gardai believed the man was homeless and sleeping rough on benches around the city centre. He may have been sleeping rough prior to this, on benches in and around the city. Im not 100 per cent sure, Garda Sean Gallagher of Kilmainham Garda Station told the court. However, a friend of the deceased present in court said he was staying with him in his apartment at Pearse House at the time. Garda Gallagher said the man had been fully dressed, wearing a woolly hat and backpack when members of the Garda Water Unit recovered his body from the River Liffey. There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, according to Gardai. The coroner returned an open verdict. Between the 12 women who participated in the unique course, they plan to create a further 10 jobs in their businesses. Margaret Riordan of Bumblebee Flower Farm said: Before I attended the course I was a busy fool. I have learned so much, thanks to the fantastic trainers and can now class myself as a successful business woman with a bright future. The most important lesson has been to have self-belief and know my value in the business and my work. The programme was presented by the state-run Local Enterprise Office, based in Clonakilty, and was geared to power female entrepreneurship. The four-month intensive programme focused on women, in business for a minimum of one year, and allowed participants to explore the possibilities of their businesses while finding the right work/life balance for themselves. The Local Enterprise Offices contracted agents for the programme delivery were Jackie Gowran and Sheila Anne OLeary of Business IQ. Participants were provided with the tools they need to grow and develop their commercial businesses including market research, sales, social media, funding options, financial planning, book-keeping, website awareness and business development. The diversity of the businesses conducted by the participants ranged from agri-food, professional services, fashion, retail, health and wellbeing, and the arts. Business woman Barbara Hegarty of Heavens Cakes said: We have been in business for 20 years making artisan breads, French patisseries and custom made cakes but this programme has shown me that there is always room to learn. From this programme, I have gained knowledge and confidence and have developed a new network of like-minded women from my colleagues on the programme. Professionals and businesswomen at Fernhill House Hotel, Clonakilty, for the completion of the Women in Business programme funded and managed by the Local Enterprise Office Cork North and West. Picture: Emma Jervis Meanwhile, Janet Power from Kinsale Dental, who also participated, noted: I have learned to apply rigorous thinking to business matters rather than reactive thinking as well as the necessity for a dedicated planned marketing strategy for the business. Being a business owner can be lonely but this programme has shown me the importance of delegation so I can be more productive at what only I can do in the business. She added: This has not only changed the way I work but has also given my colleagues a fresh approach in their roles which ultimately leads to a happier workplace. Kevin Curran, acting CEO of the Local Enterprise Office, said: Over the past two years, we have witnessed a noticeable rise in the number of female entrepreneurs seeking this type of training course. Some of the women have been in business, with 12-months plus experiences, while others are in business with up to 20 years but wanted a new direction or change in their business. There are almost 70,000 self-employed women in Ireland and, with these numbers growing, it is important to encourage women to not only survive but thrive in their business. As part of our continuing commitment to women in business, we will continue to provide this training programme in West Cork. The trainers involved in the course, Ms Gowran and Ms OLeary said they had thoroughly enjoyed working with each of these enterprising women over the past four months. They all come from various backgrounds but had one common goal and that was to grow their commercial business in a way that works for them and their lifestyle. The calibre of the participants was extremely high and we certainly envision big things ahead for the graduates and look forward to working with them again in the future on other similar programmes, Ms Gowran said. Meanwhile, the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) is considering running its next Women in Business Programme in Kinsale, starting September/October. The office said, subject to demand, it will suit female owners of small West Cork businesses, up and running from 12-24 months-plus. Anyone wioth enquiries can contact the LEO at 023-8834700. The body of Michael OBrien, who was in his late 60s, a native of Ballydehob in West Cork, was spotted floating in Goleen Bay, close to an area known locally as Amsterdam Rocks, at around 11am by the crew of a local fishing vessel. This was about six miles west of where his 18-ft boat was found drifting near Goat Island at around 8.15pm on Monday. The body was recovered by the crew of the Schull Community Inshore Rescue Boat just before 12 noon. Tragically, Mr OBrien had close family connections to a member of the volunteer rescue unit. They brought his body back to Schull before it was removed to Cork University Hospital where a post mortem is expected to take place to establish the exact cause of death. Gardai and the Marine Casualty Investigation Board are investigating the circumstances of the tragedy. A keen recreational fisherman, Mr OBrien was last seen at around 2pm on Monday when he set off alone in his vessel for a short mackerel fishing trip. The alarm was raised at around 7.30pm by family members when he failed to return to Schull as planned. The Irish Coast Guard launched a major sea search operation which was suspended at around 1am. The Irish naval vessel, the LE Orla, under Lt Cmdr Philip Dicker, acted as on-scene coordinator as the search resumed at around 5.30am yesterday. Coast Guard ground units, the RNLI and civil defence teams from Goleen, Toe Head and Castletownbere conducted shoreline searches of the rugged coastline as several local vessels supported RNLI and coast guard boats on the water as they scoured the area. Their efforts resulted in the recovery of Mr OBriens body just after 11am. Weather conditions on Monday were described as favourable, with similar weather conditions reported again yesterday morning. The National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA) has brought a High Court action against Francis Dolan Plant Limited, trading as Dolan Civil Engineering & Demolition, which it claims has been in unlawful occupation of a site known as the ESB Oil Farm, at Poolbeg, in Dublin 4, for the last week. NORA is the body responsible for ensuring Ireland meets its EU and International Energy Agency obligation to keep a minimum of a 90-day stock of oil for use in the event of a shortage. NORA is seeking injunctions compelling Francis Dolan Plant to vacate the site and to remove all its equipment, machinery, plant, and property. It is also seeking orders from the court preventing the engineering firm from trespassing on the lands, causing a nuisance at the site, and from interfering with access to the site by either blocking the roadway or gate. The court heard today that NORA had engaged Francis Dolan Plant to carry out works on the site, under a 1.9m contract, which had been terminated. Barrister Marcus Dowling, counsel for NORA, told High Court president, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, that, a week ago, the company, which claims it is owed money by NORA for work, occupied the site, which it had no entitlement to do. NORA is seeking court orders compelling Francis Dolan Plant to vacate the site, for health and safety reasons, and alleges there is a clause in the contract requiring any disputes to be settled by arbitration. Francis Dolan Plant claims it is owed monies for works completed before the contract was terminated in July, and alleges there was radio silence from NORA in respect of its claim for payment. Francis Dolan Plant disputes the urgency of the matter and says it would take a week for it to remove its plant and equipment. Judge Kelly, who expressed a desire that the two parties come to a sensible commercial resolution of the dispute, adjourned the case for a week. In 2011, Patricia Ingle, who spent 1,069 days in hospital, after contracting chlamydia psittacosis in 2008, was awarded one of the highest sums handed down by the High Court. Patricia had alleged that she had become sick after working in a pet store. She has defied the prognosis of doctors, but is now dependent on a ventilator and has to be tube-fed. A lump sum of 3m was immediately paid to her, following the high-profile case. Patricia said that given all she has endured, she could be bitter, angry, annoyed, sour, argumentative, and rude, but Im not. That is all behind me and Im moving forward and leaving that person behind. Im now happy. Im out living my life and going places, she said. Her book, I Am Free, has been described by broadcaster, Miriam OCallaghan, who has visited Patricia in Limerick, as a life-affirming story of hope. Ms OCallaghan will launch the book in OMahonys bookstore, in Limerick, on Monday, September 5, from 5pm. Patricias father, Pat, said when Patricia was released from hospital, there were three key things she wanted to do and she has now achieved two of them: The first thing she wanted was to have a big party to celebrate her return home; she wanted to write her book; and build her own house. She has it designed and is waiting on planning permission, at the moment, for her new home, and, hopefully, it will come through soon, after she turns 28, on September 6. She has been trying for several years now to get a site and get planning permission. She was a week shy of her 20th birthday when she fell down with this illness. Its now five years since she was released from hospital. Her health is good, but she still has her challenges and, no matter what life throws at her, she remains very upbeat. She has great heart, and inspires us every day. She really keeps us going and were amazed by her, he told the Limerick Leader. Patricia is still on a ventilator at night, and uses a speaking valve. She also undergoes regular physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy. The book was written with the assistance of Cork-based ghostwriter and publisher, Mary Malone, who is also a published author under her own name. Patricia took the legal action against the pet shop, PetMania, its parent company, OKeeffes of Kilkenny Ltd, and the HSE, over alleged negligent mismanagement of her condition. The claims were denied. Patricia began working for Petmania, on the Ennis Road, in Limerick, when she was aged 19. However, she said she received no health and safety training, nor warnings about the dangers of working with animals. It was alleged she contracted the disease as a result of inhaling dust from the faeces of parrots suffering from chlamydia psittacosis an airborne infection that can be transmitted from birds to humans. Her survival amazed experts, with one medic in the Oxford Centre for Enablement saying: Ive seen your scans youre not supposed to be here. Owen Peters told High Court president, Mr Justice Peter Kelly, he was driving along the M4 at 100kph when a car, driven by Pat Nevin, a sub-contractor who claimed he was short-changed on a works deal, pulled up alongside him in the fast lane. He said the car was being driven in an aggressive manner and another man in the passenger seat waved an allegedly defamatory placard about a payment Nevin claimed was due to him. Mr Peters, on his way home to Mullingar, Co Westmeath, said he realised that if Nevin was going home he would have used the M6 to Tullamore, Co Offaly, and he concluded he had been followed by Nevin from work. I thought he was going to my home in Mullingar where I live with my wife and four small children and I was so concerned for their safety I telephoned and asked my wife to leave home with them, Mr Peters said. He said his wife and children had gone to Mullingar where they had dinner while he went home. He had closed the gates and parked his car. Nevin had arrived shortly afterwards and pressed the intercom which he had not answered. Niall Beirne SC, counsel for DPM Energytec Systems Limited, told the court a dispute had arisen between the company and heating and plumbing sub-contractor Pat Nevin over an invoice for 15,941. Mr Beirne, who appeared for Mr Peters with barrister David Geoghegan and Sheridan Quinn solicitors, said although negotiations had taken place in an attempt to settle the dispute Nevin had mounted protests at two construction sites at Ranelagh, Dublin, and Howth, Co Dublin. Andrew Mannion, director of DPM Energytec Systems, told the court he felt Nevins protests, at which he displayed placards, could damage his companys reputation. Judge Kelly said there was no legal basis for Mr Nevins actions and granted the company injunctions restraining his unlawful activities in picketing the sites and displaying placards and restraining his alleged intimidation of Mr Peters. Mr Mannion said Mr Nevin and Mr Peters had had meetings to solve matters and that a without- prejudice settlement offer of 8,000 had been made but refused. He said his company had previously paid Mr Nevin over 75,000 for other work. The health authorities are concerned other people may have been exposed to the virus. The adult was in public venues in Mitchelstown, including a primary care centre and a supermarket at the end of last month. The individual also spent some days in Clonmel, fearing a risk of the virus spreading. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has advised people to speak to a GP about their concerns. The HPSC has been notified of 38 confirmed cases of measles since May, and eight are under investigation. Last week, a confirmed measles case was notified to the Department of Public Health in Cork. The HPSC said the best way to prevent measles is by vaccination against the diseases, as part of the combined measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine that is administered free of charge to all children as part of the routine immunisation programme. In areas where an outbreak is occurring, additional measures have been put in place to ensure all individuals in need of MMR can obtain it free of charge. The HPSC said that all individuals travelling to Europe and other regions where measles continue to occur should ensure they are MMR-vaccinated if needed. Speak to your GP, if you are unsure about your vaccination status and if you should get the MMR, it advised. It also pointed out that all children and young people going to language colleges or other summer activities should be up to date with MMR vaccines. Investigation and control measures are being implemented in the HSE South and South East to identify those who may have been exposed to prevent further transmission and to ensure people are aware of the risk. Public health consultant Kevin Kelleher said measles was highly infectious and spread easily so there was a high chance that individuals who had not been fully vaccinated with two doses of MMR vaccine would develop the disease if exposed. The time between exposure to measles virus and developing measles rash is normally 14 days, said Dr Kelleher. People are infectious from four days before the rash starts until four days after. If infectious cases are isolated early, the risk of transmission to vulnerable individuals decreases. Meanwhile, it emerged that people may have been exposed to the measles-infected person while shopping at SuperValu, New Square, Mitchelstown, on July 25, in the afternoon or early evening and on July 27, in the afternoon and evening. The person also attended the Living Health Clinic on the Fermoy Road in Mitchelstown on July 28 in the afternoon or early evening. The adult was in Clonmel between July 23 and July 24 and from July 30 to August 3. The vast majority of Tennessee educators feel positively about the climate in their schools, and more teachers than ever are finding value in the statewide evaluation system, according to the results out Tuesday from the 2016 Tennessee Educator Survey.This is the sixth year the state surveyed all of its educators to gather their feedback, and the results show Tennessee teachers feel increasingly supported, with 86 percent saying instructional time is protected by their administrationwhich improved for the third year in a row.Most teachers also view their colleagues in a positive light and say they hold each other and their students to high expectations. In addition, more teachers than ever71 percentsaid the statewide evaluation system has led to improvements in their teaching, and two-thirds of all teachers said the evaluation process has led to improvements in student learning. Both of those statistics have improved every year since the survey began in 2011.The Tennessee Educator Survey, designed in partnership with the new Tennessee Education Research Alliance at Vanderbilt University, aims to take the pulse of teacher perceptions, monitor school climates and culture across the state, and include teachers' voices in policy discussions.Educators voices drive the work of the department, and we have to ensure they feel supported. As we continue to improve educational outcomes in Tennessee, both the state and the public must understand how educators and administrators view their role, Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said. The Tennessee Educator Survey provides pointed insight for districts, educators, and communities. They can see where we are excelling, in areas like evaluation, and where we need to continue to improve as we seek to ensure all students are ready for postsecondary and the workplace.The 2016 survey results also highlight disparities between teacher and administrator views about the effectiveness of school discipline policies. More than 95 percent of administrators say their school effectively handles student discipline and behavioral problems, but fewer than 70 percent of teachers agree.These insights and more can be seen on the 2016 survey website, which is launching Tuesday. The online portal provides users the ability to view aggregate statewide teacher and administrator responses, as well as district and school-specific information, to a series of questions measuring educators perceptions of state initiatives and their work in schools every day. More than 30,000 educators, which make up about half of the teachers and administrators in the state, responded to this years survey.The department shares school and district survey results directly with local leaders to inform for their decision-making, and the department also uses the state-level information to understand more about the teacher and administrator point of view and guide the departments work. Last fall, the department used educators feedback to inform its new strategic plan, Tennessee Succeeds, and build specific priorities to better empower districts and strengthen systems that support educators. Additionally, the department provides support to districts through regional field offices, called Centers of Regional Excellence, to provide districts with the support to create regional collaborative relationships, differentiated professional development, and evidence-based best practice sharing.To view the 2016 Tennessee Educator Survey results, visit the departments site here . Data from the 2015 Tennessee Educator Survey can also be viewed on the departments website here For more information about the Tennessee Educator Survey, contact Nate Schwartz at Nate.Schwartz@tn.gov. In a reserved judgment, Ms Justice Mary Faherty quashed the decision and transferred the case to the tribunal for a new hearing. Judge Faherty said the man, who is in his 30s and cannot be identified for legal reasons, claimed to be a member of the Reer Xamar clan in Southern Somalia. He claimed that during the Somalian Civil War, his family were persecuted by another clan on grounds of race and ethnicity. His father and two brothers were killed; his sister kidnapped and forced into marriage; and two other brothers had disappeared. More than 47,000 of those who sat this years Leaving Certificate applied to the Central Applications Office (CAO) for entry to some of the 41 colleges which use the system to select first-year students. These 47,000 students are among a record 80,000-plus applicants competing for an estimated 50,000 places available through the CAO this year. With increased demand for some types of courses, including business, engineering, and technology degrees, any changes in points requirements over last years levels will also depend on whether colleges open up extra places or on the standard of those students applying to each. The awarding of slightly fewer higher level A1s worth 100 CAO points and 125 in the case of maths may also have some slight moderating effect on entry requirements for some courses. State Examinations Commission figures show that 6,279 students got at least one such top grade, down from 6,654 a year ago. Among them are 2,532 with two or more higher level A1s and 1,341 with at least three, down from 2,936 and 1,577, respectively in 2015. With big focus again on the pressures of securing the necessary CAO points for college places, Fianna Fail education spokesman Thomas Byrne called for more meaningful and ambitious reforms of the college entry system. He also called for the restoration of ringfenced guidance counselling provision to all second-level schools, as some counsellors have been returned to teaching duties due to other staffing cuts. Without specialist guidance advice, young people find it difficult to cope with the huge range of options that are open to them, said Mr Byrne. This is especially true to students who do not have parents or older siblings who have gone through third-level and lack personal knowledge about the higher education system. Training and Skills Minister John Halligan encouraged students to consider courses in science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) sectors, as growing areas of the economy. Employers organisation Ibec said it was encouraging to see more students take science subjects, and to see more than one-in-five of all who sat maths papers to pass the higher level exams, up from 13% in five years. However, its senior education and innovation policy executive, Claire McGee, says positive work in improving maths and STEM skills of second level-students needs to continue. The Teachers Union of Ireland said that, in addition to third-level options, students should consider the wide range of choices in the further education and post-Leaving Certificate colleges. The points for all CAO courses, and how they compare to last years Round 1 points, will appear in the 12-page Choices for College supplement in next Mondays Irish Examiner. Nearly 20,100 people who took the subject in June are getting a result for honours Gaeilge this morning a 20% rise since 2013, when 16,665 did so. The figure is 3% higher than last year, significantly more than the slight overall rise of 0.9% for total Leaving Certificate students from 2015. The allocation of 40% of total marks in Irish to the oral exam taken by students around Easter has been cited as the major factor in the swing towards the higher level exam in recent years. From less than one in three of all students taking Irish at the beginning of the decade, those sitting higher level papers each June has risen each year since then to 40% in 2014, 41.8% a year ago, and 42.5% this summer. A decline in numbers taking Leaving Certificate Irish has also been halted, with numbers rising from 43,651 in 2013 to over 47,200 this year across all three levels. As well as in higher level maths and science subjects, there are high failure rates at ordinary level maths this year. One in every 11 of the 32,550 students taking the pass papers got an E or lower this year a much higher proportion than last years 5.9% and higher than the 8.7% who did so in 2014. This means possible restrictions for some of those 3,000 students who failed ordinary level maths if a college course they applied for has a minimum entry requirement for the subject. Business continues to enjoy a resurging level of interest, with the 17,500 students taking exams in the subject up nearly 1,000 in two years after numbers had fallen for a number of years. More than two thirds of the 12,563 who took the higher level exam received honours grades (A,B, or C); however, there is a fail grade in todays results for nearly 8% of them, or nearly 1,000 students. More significantly, the traditionally less popular accounting and economics subjects have also seen big rises in participation in recent years. The 5,713 who took economics in this years Leaving Certificate is up from just more than 5,000 a year ago and the 4,600 mark between 2012 and 2014. Nearly three quarters of the 4,633 who took higher level economics got honours grades; but just over 5% failed, down slightly on last year. Similarly, the numbers taking Leaving Certificate accounting are on the rise, from 5,605 in 2012 to over 6,600 this year. Nearly 4,900 sat the higher level exam in June, resulting in honours for nearly 3,750 (77%) of them but the failure rate is up to 7.6% of candidates from 5.9% and 7.1% in 2014 and 2015, respectively. French remains the most popular European language, but with 1,000 fewer students taking it this year. For more than 15,253 students doing higher level French , 13% scored an A1 or A2 in their exams, and nearly three quarters got an honours grade. More than 62% of the 10,505 ordinary level French candidates got honours, but nearly 8% failed. The numbers doing German are up nearly 800 in two years to 7,627, and for 71% of the 5,257 who took the honours exam, there is an honours grade among todays results. More than 6,500 students did Leaving Certificate Spanish, up more than 1,200 in two years. While Italian remains a minority subject, numbers taking it are up from 333 in 2014 and 436 a year ago to 512 this year. 1. Chamber Music on Valentia Valentia Island, Co Kerry; August 19-21 Valentia Island is the scenic location for a fledgling chamber music festival. Director, Mary Dullea is joined by her colleagues from the Fidelio Trio and guests for French chamber music and song, a complete Beethoven cycle, oboe quartets by Mozart and Britten and Moerans Piano Trio. Rhona Clarke is the featured composer. Master of traditional song, Seamus Begley, gives a concert and workshop. www.chambermusiconvalentia.com 2. The Merry Widow Cork Opera House Aug 27 Following on from the success of La Traviata with Majella Cullagh dazzling as Violetta, Cork Operatic Society presents another concert performance at the Leeside opera house. Cara OSullivan is the eponymous merry widow in Franz Lehars light-hearted operatic slice of Viennese schmaltz. Trinidad tenor, Ronald Samm, heard here in Orpheus and Pagliacci is back to play Count Danilo. John OBrien is at the helm. Just the sugar kick you need to to banish those back-to-school blues. www.corkoperahouse.ie 3. New Ross Piano Festival New Ross, Co Wexford September 22-25 The 11th year of this niche festival features leading international pianists, Nicholas Angelich and Piers Lane who join director, Finghin Collins for three concerts. There will be piano quintets with the Ebene Quartet. There are world premieres of the final five pieces in the Ros Tapestry Suite. Jazz pianists Phil Ware and Patrick Mollitor give recitals in unusual venues. Play Me pianos will also be installed in various venues for the public to have a go. www.newrosspianofestival.com 4. Mozarts Don Giovanni Gaiety Theatre Dublin and Opera House Cork; 29 Sept 29-Oct 7 As part of the 30th anniversary programme, Opera Theatre Company has commissioned Roddy Doyle to create a new translation of Mozarts opera Don Giovanni based on the legendary seducer. Welsh baritone David Kempster stars in the title role together with a cast of Irish and international opera stars, including soprano Maire Flavin and mezzo soprano Tara Erraught. 5. The Piper and the Faerie Queen Camerata Kilkenny with David Power; Tours to Sligo, Waterford, Kilkenny, Dublin and Cork Sept 25th Oct 16 Uilleann pipes and a Baroque ensemble may seem an unlikely musical alliance but David Power has a track record of unusual collaborations. The programme features Irish traditional music and music and works by Biber, Telemann, Handel, O Carolan, Dowland and Purcell. The recital in Waterford on Sept 29 marks the opening of the 75th unbroken season of recitals hosted by Waterford-Music, the longest running music series in Ireland. www.waterford-music.org 6. Wexford Opera Festival Wexford Oct 26 Nov 6 Wexford has carved out a niche of presenting rare operas for an international clientele. This years opening nights for two of the productions are sold out but tickets were available when writing for the opening of Samuel Barbers first opera, Vanessa. The big productions are just one strand of the activities in the coastal town. There are good value package for daytime events. You can attend a lunchtime recital by the stars, take in a short opera and have lunch all for 60 and be home again by nightfall. With a plethora of art exhibitions and a lively fringe, the festival is worth a trip even if opera is not your thing. www.wexfordopera.com 7. Imagine Arts Festival Waterford Oct 28-30 Operating on a fraction of the budget of its neighbour, Kilkenny Arts, Waterfords Imagine Festival consistently brightens up the late autumnal gloom with varied and novel programmes to suit a wide variety of tastes. The classical music strand features the premiere of a new opera by poet Mark Roper and composer Eric Sweeney, the team who brought us The Invader opera in 2014. The Vanbrugh String Quartet in their final tour with Gregory Ellis as leader, stop off at one of Irelands most elegant music venues in the heart of the citys museum quarter, the Viking Triangle. www.imagineartsfestival.com 8. RTE Concert Orchestra with Jeff Mills BGE Theatre, Dublin Oct 30 At the Bord Gais Theatre, classical and electronic worlds collide when the RTE Concert Orchestra meet pioneering American techno wizard, Jeff Mills. Mills has performed the presentation Light from the Outside World with orchestras all over the world. www.nch.ie /www.bgetheatre.ie 9. BBC Proms London Until Sept 10 Performances from leading orchestras and musicians continue at the Royal Albert Hall in Kensington. Promenading or standing for concerts whilst traditional isnt compulsory and you can usually pick up a ticket for a seat. There are some alternate venues. Proms in the Park at Hyde Park features the tenor, Juan Diego Florez and music from Matilda the Musical. This year the most unusual venue is the Bold Tendencies Car Park in Peckham, south London when the Multi-Story Orchestra make their Proms debut with a programme by the American minimalist composer, Steve Reich. www.bbc.co.uk/proms 10. The Merchant of Venice Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Sept 16, and on tour Andre Tchaikowsky, not to be confused with his Russian namesake, was a 20th century Polish composer who experienced childhood in the Warsaw ghetto which no doubt informed his version of The Merchant of Venice. The opera languished for over three decades until it was premiered at Bregenz Festival in Austria in 2013. This is the first opportunity to see this production in the UK. The Welsh National Opera season also includes Cole Porters Kiss Me Kate and Verdis Macbeth as part of its Shakespeare tribute. IN A tiny village on a remote West Cork peninsula, a young mother sits by a spinning wheel. Her name is Jemima Wallis-Eade and shes one of a large number of women on the peninsula who are skilled in the traditional crafts of knitting, crochet and yarn-spinning. Theyve just established a colourful pop-up summer yarn-crafts shop, showcasing a range of knit and crocheted products, and the first of its kind in the rural village of Kilcrohane. Jemima plans to give lessons in the use of the spinning wheel this summer she expects to have two more working spinning wheels in place shortly, so that she can provide tuition in this ancient craft whose roots stretch back to 30,000 BC. Theres growing interest in the traditional crafts, according to the 29-year-old, who got her first spinning wheel for Christmas four years ago. Crafts are going through a revival at the moment. More people seem to want to get involved and to learn how to do it for themselves. A lot of people want to learn the craft skills now, as opposed to even five years ago or more, observes the mother-of-three. There are a surprising number of spinning wheels around. Only yesterday, a friend stopped by and mentioned he had two of them at home they belonged to his mother. Its amazing how many people have spinning wheels tucked away in an attic or a shed and dont know how to use them, or think the skill is obsolete or dont even realise what they are, says Jemima, who lives with her partner and young family in the town of Durrus, further back the Sheeps Head Peninsula. An enthusiastic member of the recently-formed Sheeps Head Yarn Group, Jemima learned knitting and crochet from her grandmother, who lived in Durrus for 20 years, and from her mother and aunt. Ive always been around people working with yarn my grandmother knitted a lot. She knitted Aran jumpers. My mother and aunt also taught me knitting and weaving and crochet. Our family is quite crafty and creative in different ways. It wasnt until after she had her children, however, that Jemima started to knit and crochet in earnest looking for a rainy-day activity for her two young sons, she eventually stumbled across the art of yarn-spinning by accident in 2011. Quickly bitten by the spinning bug, it was only a matter of months before she purchased her first, fold-up wooden spinning wheel online for 450. I fell in love with mixing different fibres together and seeing how the texture came out. I started dying the wool with food colouring, she says, adding that she knitted some cowls and hats from the yarn and even some of her colourful home-spun yarns away as gifts but only some! Some of it I would keep just to fondle, laughs Jemima, adding that she now sources her sheep and alpaca fleeces from local farmers. An example of the work done by the Sheeps Head Yarn Group These she processes by hand and will be selling this summer at the new Sheeps Head Yarn shop in Kilcrohane. I hope to purchase some extra ones in the coming weeks and start giving spinning wheel lessons in Kilcrohane later this summer, she says, adding that she also plans to give spinning demonstrations at the upcoming Townlands Carnival in Macroom, from Friday July 8 to Sunday July 10. For me part of the attraction is that Im part of a very old tradition which has its roots as far back as 30,000 BC and further. Another part of it is that whether you spin fine yarns for lace, or chunky bulky yarn, your hand-spun yam will be absolutely unique! Three things spurred Londoner Niamh Egerton to found both the Sheeps Head Yarns Group and the successful Sheeps Head Yarn Festival in 2015. First, the mother-of-three, who now lives in Ahakista, has always loved wool and knitting. Second, rural Ireland doesnt host the big knit-and-stitch shows which are hugely popular throughout the UK. And thirdly, when the former florist arrived to live on the Sheeps Head Peninsula in 2010, she began knitting for the Sheeps Head Producers Market which was set up in Kilcrohane in 2011 aimed at showcasing the work of food and craft producers on the peninsula. Very quickly, Egerton discovered that she was one of a large network of skilled crafts-workers scattered throughout the region. I noticed there were a lot of yarn producers besides me - they were doing knitting, crocheting, fibre blending; there was even a silk maker, she recalls. This led to a brainwave: I thought we should have a go at running a festival to show the skills and teach them to interested people. Up to then she says, she had believed that knitting and other crafts, had died a death, Crafts like this seemed to lose popularity from about the mid-nineties and I noticed a lot of knitting shops had started closing down. It wasnt just the yarn shops but the bead shops and the art and crafts shops it all seemed to be disappearing. However, she says, when she arrived on the peninsula, crochet-lovers and knitters came out of the woodwork everywhere she went: There were still a lot of people on the peninsula who do yarn craft and didnt sign up to the Producers Market, so there was definitely interest there. The first ever Sheeps Head Yarn Festival, which was held in May 2015 was a roaring success. When we were planning it, I thought wed have about six workshops teaching everything from broomstick crochet to cable stitch and textured knitting but we ended up with 16 workshops. We had people coming from all over Ireland and the UK to our workshops there was even a lady from Canada who organised a holiday around the festival! Examples of the work done by the Sheeps Head Yarn Group Around the same time Niamh established the Sheeps Head Yarns Group, a network of around 20 producers based on the Sheeps Head and all over Ireland. In March of this year, a few months before the second Yarn Festival, which took place in the village at the end of May, the Yarns Group set up a pop-up shop in the centre of Kilcrohane. Run by volunteers and selling everything from knitwear to crochet, hand-dyed yarns by producers from all over Cork, Dublin and Laois, bags, knitted dolls and teddy bears, scarves, blankets and gift cards and offering drop-in advice sessions, the little store will be open until September. Given the level of interest in both the shop and the festival were already getting queries about next years festival, reveals Niamh, the group is now putting together a more formal timetable of classes which will run at the shop through July and August. The palpable resurgence of interest in these age-old skills is not just restricted to the Sheeps Head Peninsula however for friends Mim Hill and Teresa OSullivan, the opportunity to open their own wool and craft shop was just too good to pass up. Just before Christmas the duo set up their quirky wool shop in the premises of a former pub in the town of Dunmanway. The Crafty Bar offers all kinds of wools and hand-knitted baby gifts, along with a professional embroidery service and items for special occasions. A lifelong knitter, Mim beaome increasingly aware of an upsurge of interest in knitting over the past five years or so. During a period spent working in an interior design shop in Skibbereen which offered knitting lessons she worked for two years there until just before she set up her own shop last November - Mim noticed a steady stream of people coming in to ask about knitting and crochet. I notice younger people are more interested now than before, and people have a lot more meas on, and more interest in, hand-knitting. Theres an interest in it now, she says adding that she has a sizeable number of younger customers; school-age knitters who are being taught the skill by teaches as well as trendy twenty-and thirty-somethings who enjoy knitting caps, scarves and baby blankets. People like to buy the hand-made stuff or to make it themselves, she says. As a result, she and Teresa are planning to hold classes in the shop next autumn, because, as fellow knitting enthusiast Niamh Egerton declares: Its very important to pass on these skills, otherwise they will get lost. Find Sheeps Head Yarns on Facebook or Twitter or visit www.sheepsheadyarnfestival.weebly.com The Crafty Bar, Dunmanway is on 087 2223262 or find it on Facebook. Turkish investigators call it the ultimate long game. In 1986, the Turkish military expelled dozens of cadets suspected of loyalty to a young Muslim cleric named Fethullah Gulen, seen as a potential threat to the countrys strict secular rule. Officials, a magazine reported at the time, said an alleged recruiter had told the students to work their way through the ranks and wait for instructions that would come in a few decades. Fast forward 30 years to July 15, when renegade officers staged a failed coup and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Gulen of orchestrating it. Gulen, now based in the US, denies any involvement, but a rising tide of allegations challenges the moderate image promoted by his Islamist movement and casts it as a cover for secret designs on Turkish power that included efforts to infiltrate state institutions decades ago. In the 1970s, when Turkey was run by a military-backed, secular government, the group seemed like a conventional religious movement that attracted young, middle-class recruits through a successful network of schools and dormitories. Gulen, who had been associated with Islamic mysticism, promoted a message of tolerance and charity along with Turkish patriotism. His group known as Hizmet, Turkish for service raised money through donations from individuals and businesses. By the early 1990s, it was expanding into other countries with a network of schools, burnishing an international reputation as an advocate of interfaith harmony. The movements benevolent message initially enabled its followers to dodge the harshest persecution of Turkeys secular rulers. But as it grew in influence, the government began to view the movement with suspicion. Authorities alleged its supervisors known as brothers helped followers cheat on exams to land government jobs. Once they were in place, according to Hanefi Avci, a former national police chief who investigated the group, they acted in a coordinated effort to promote and protect one another and eliminate opponents. The group enjoyed wide influence in schools, the news media and police forces in an expanding power base, and authorities began to crack down on pieces of the movement such as the 1986 purge of military cadets. Authorities point to Gulens own words as evidence of his designs. In comments recorded in the 1980s, Gulen referred to crackdowns on Islamists in Syria and Egypt and told a group of followers to bide their time, saying: You must move within the arteries of the system, without anyone noticing your existence, until you reach all the power centres. Gulen, who later said those remarks were misinterpreted, moved to the United States in the late 1990s while facing trial on charges of plotting to overthrow Turkeys government. His movement continued to grow, and eventually helped to topple the staunchly secular leaders who had been so wary of it. In 2002 elections, Gulens followers supported the candidacy of the former Istanbul mayor, who himself had been jailed for several months by secular authorities and won with the backing of a pious Muslim class that had been sidelined for decades. His name was Erdogan. Erdogan insists he put up with the Gulenists as a practical matter: He needed all the help he could get to defeat the secularists. We tolerated them for the sake of the widespread aid, education and solidarity activities inside and outside of the country that they seemed to be conducting, he said this month. We tolerated them because they said Allah. The military leadership remained unconvinced. Ilker Basbug, who was Turkeys military chief from 2008 to 2010, said in a recent interview with CNN Turk television that he warned Erdogan about the threat from Gulens backers in the military, which had stopped purging suspected Islamists. Today this threat is to us, tomorrow its to you, he says he told Erdogan. According to Basbug, Erdogan responded: My commander, you are exaggerating. After he retired, Basbug was jailed on charges of plotting to overthrow the state, one of hundreds of people associated with the old secular order who were targeted by alleged Gulen sympathisers in the police and judiciary. Avci, the former national police chief who had written a book about the alleged threat from Gulens supporters, was also imprisoned. Erdogan initially supported some of the investigations, but he eventually disowned them amid revelations of forged evidence and other irregularities. Meanwhile, the Turkish leaders alliance with Gulen was unraveling as he sought to dismantle what he described as a parallel state in the police and other institutions. In what Erdogan later described as an attempted coup, prosecutors believed to be loyal to Gulen launched a high-profile corruption probe in December 2013, embarrassing the government. Tensions rose further in 2014, when Erdogan switched from prime minister to president in a move seen by critics as a bid to amass even more power. Finally, on July 15, elements of the military rose up. They occupied airports, bridges and military bases, took the military chief hostage and accused the government of eroding democracy and the rule of law. Rival forces clashed, and Erdogan supporters took to the streets in support of their president. Some protesters were cut down by gunfire from mutinous soldiers, but by morning it was clear that the coup had failed. In all, 272 people were dead. Erdogan was quick to point the finger: He said the coup was the work of Gulenists. Gulen condemned the coup, although he conceded that some of his sympathisers might have been involved. You can think about many motivations of people who staged this coup. They could be sympathisers of the opposition party. They could be sympathisers of the nationalist party. It could be anything, Gulen told reporters at his Pennsylvania compound the day after the coup. Yet he still had harsh words for Erdogan, whom he called an authoritarian figure, and his government. He said it has shown no tolerance for any movement, any group, any organisation that is not under their total control. Our relationship was intensely passionate and at times volatile, but always bound by love, a joint statement released by Heard and Depp said. Neither party has made false accusations for financial gain. There was never any intent of physical or emotional harm Heard filed for divorce on May 23, and days later, obtained a temporary restraining order accusing the Pirates of the Caribbean star of hitting her during a fight in their LA apartment in May. Depp denied he abused her, and police said they found no evidence of a crime. A hearing on the case had been scheduled to begin today. Details about the settlement were not immediately available. Heard said she would donate proceeds from the divorce to charity. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future, the statement said, without a corresponding message of support from Depp for the actress. Heard had accused Depp of being physically and emotionally abusive throughout their relationship. They met on the set of the 2011 film The Rum Diary. Yesterday it emerged Heard has included a graphic photo of the actors bloody finger in court documents after he allegedly cut off the tip by accident during a fit of rage. Depp, 53, also dipped his butchered finger in blue paint and wrote Starring Billy Bob Easy Amber on a mirror, the papers reportedly claim. The writing refers to actor Billy Bob Thornton, according to Heard, who was her co-star in The Informers and London Fields, and with whom Depp believed she was having an affair. The train was near the village of Sulz, in Vorarlberg province. The attacker, a 60-year-old German, appeared mentally confused. A 19-year-old man suffered stomach wounds, and a 17-year-old man had a throat injury. Both were taken to hospital. On Saturday, a man attacked passengers on a crowded Swiss train. He used a knife and burning liquid, killing himself and a passenger. Vorarlberg police were searching for a motive, but there appear to be no links between the two attacks. The assailant lunged at the 19-year-old from a facing seat. He then attacked the 17-year-old as the train slowed to a halt at Sulz, 10km east of the Swiss border. The attacker was apprehended at the stop by two police officers, who subdued him with pepper spray. Last month, in neighbouring Germany, a 17-year-old refugee from Afghanistan, armed with an axe and a knife, wounded four tourists on a train, and stabbed a woman as he fled. The attacker was shot and killed by police. His victims, from Hong Kong, survived. In May, at a train station in Bavaria, a 27-year-old German man, who had been in psychiatric care, stabbed commuters, killing one and wounding three others. Paulina Kacperska and her husband were driving to a hospital in Poznan in Poland last Thursday when she started giving birth. Kacperska said in an interview on TVN24: I told him pull over and get out, you have to deliver [the baby] because I can feel the head coming out. By chance, her husband pulled over near a tram stop where a driver was working who had worked as a midwife in the past. The driver, Dorota Kaczmarek, arrived in time to tie off the umbilical cord of the healthy baby boy, who was named Fabian. Relief effort England: A drunken woman twice urinated on a war memorial in broad daylight in front of shocked families, including on the eve of the centenary of the Battle of the Somme, a court heard. Kelly Martin, 42, pulled down her trousers and relieved herself in public on June 30 at the remembrance monument in Grays, Essex, it is alleged. The following day was the 100th anniversary of the start of the Somme offensive, which began on July 1, 1916, and cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Martin was on bail at the time, having been arrested for urinating at the decades-old structure in April, Basildon Magistrates Court was told. On both occasions she was among a crowd of people around the memorial when she dropped her trousers and relieved herself. Homeless Martin is also accused of throwing a bottle at and verbally abusing a paramedic at the memorial on June 30. She denies two charges of outraging public decency, one of common assault and one of using threatening or abusive language. Crash pad USA: A North Carolina man says he is giving up on his home in Raleigh after it was hit by a driver for the sixth time. Carlo Bernarte told WTVD-TV he is fed up with the half a dozen crashes since he and his family moved there in 2004. A drink-driver hit the house in October and later died. Mr Bernarte said that his insurance company has cancelled his home-owners policy over the crashes, and city engineers have told him extending a nearby guardrail would be a safety issue because it could block the line of sight for drivers leaving the neighbourhood. Canine caper England: A dog has been rescued by fire crews after becoming stuck while chasing a rabbit down a narrow drainpipe. Firefighters had to dig Lilly the Jack Russell out of the 8in pipe after she became trapped on farmland at Easton, near Wells, Somerset. Crews from Wells, Glastonbury and Yeovil went to the four-year-old animals rescue, where they found the pipe was about 16 m long and Lilly was about 6m in. Firefighters dug out the pipe and use a steel cutter to create a big enough gap for Lilly to climb out of. Ergonomic couch England: Former BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull has revealed he had the shows famous red sofa customised for his own comfort. Turnbull, 60, left the show in February, with Dan Walker taking his seat on the sofa. He told the Radio Times: I complained that the old sofa gave me a bad back, so they measured me for a new tailor-made one. He insisted it was not a waste of money, saying: None of us took any time off with bad backs and the audience kept going up. It was ergonomic with a little backrest to lean against so you didnt slouch. Out of his tree Germany: The pilot of an ultralight aircraft in Germany spent more than 12 hours stuck up a tree after rescuers were unable to reach him overnight. The man crash-landed in the tree about 19 miles east of Stuttgart, police in the south-western state of Baden-Wuerttemberg said. Attempts to bring the man down from his lofty perch 30 metres (98ft) above ground had to be abandoned at nightfall because of the risk that the plane and its pilot might be dislodged and fall to the ground, police said. The 59-year-old was eventually rescued unharmed. Mall mystery USA: Police say they have found no evidence of any gunfire and cannot explain what kind of loud noise led people to flee in fright from a busy North Carolina shopping centre. Eight people were taken to hospital after being trampled in the rush to escape from what were reported as gunshots inside Raleighs Crabtree Valley Mall. Police say they have interviewed all known witnesses to the incident and cannot find any indication that a gun was fired and cannot explain what caused the loud noise that people reported. No-one suffered gunshot wounds and no shell casings were left behind by fired bullets. The 49-year-old Muslim encouraged backing for the terrorist group in a series of talks posted on YouTube, and recognised a caliphate, a symbolic Islamic state, had been created under an IS leader after it was announced on June 29 2014, the Old Bailey in London heard. Despite being a leader figure in the banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun, and a series of former supporters going on to be convicted of terrorism, Choudary stayed on the right side of the law for two decades before investigators were able to pin him down. He now faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison. Choudary and co-defendant Mohammed Mizanur Rahman, 33, were found guilty of inviting support for IS between June 29 2014 and March 6, 2015. The verdicts were delivered on July 28, but for legal reasons can only be reported now for the first time. Police pounced after Choudary, along with three other influential radicals, lent their names to an oath of allegiance to IS which was posted on the internet. The trial heard Choudary, viewed by officers as a key force in radicalising young Muslims, had been the mouthpiece of Omar Bakri Mohammed the founder of the banned extremist group al-Muhajiroun. He courted publicity by voicing controversial views on Sharia law, while building up a following of thousands through social media, demonstrations and lectures around the world. In one speech in March 2013, Choudary set out his ambitions for the Muslim faith to dominate the whole world. He said: Next time when your child is at school and the teacher says what do you want when you grow up? What is your ambition?, they should say: To dominate the whole world by Islam, including Britain that is my ambition. Supporters included Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, the murderers of soldier Lee Rigby, and suspected IS executioner Siddhartha Dhar. Choudary, of Hampton Road, Ilford, and Rahman, of Sidney St in White-chapel, east London, will be sentenced on September 6. After an adverse court ruling on the expansion of broadband to outlying areas, EPB officials said those seeking such Internet connectivity should continue to let officials know. EPB officials said, "While more than 800,000 Tennesseans currently cope without access to broadband connectivity (at least 25 Mbps download/3 Mbps upload), EPB encourages Tennessee neighbors to remain optimistic and make their voices heard about the future state of internet availability for all. "Despite the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recent reversal of the FCCs 2015 ruling that allowed municipal broadband providers to make services available to neighboring communities, EPB is encouraged by a year of positive movement in the state and recent findings from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. "Since last fall, the movement to make high-speed broadband available throughout the state has picked up steam with over four thousand petition signatures, dozens of events and strong support from both Democrat and Republican Tennessee lawmakers. "Issued in July, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Developments broadband study reports the sobering fact that more than 800,000 Tennesseans do not have access to minimum broadband speeds (25 Mbps/3Mbps) and that rural areas are the most disadvantaged by the broadband gap." EPB said the report "also includes good news for Tennesseans who want to join the 21st Century connected economy." Fiber optic connectivity is the fastest, most reliable and highest rated by households and businesses in Tennessee by a wide margin. High-speed internet access remains a top deciding factor for businesses choosing where to locate. A key recommendation is to ensure that all communities have broadband access in 3-5 years. In order to spur investment by promoting competition, the State of Tennessee can foster an open regulatory environment to allow any entity to build telecommunications infrastructure and offer broadband services. States, municipalities, communities and regions that want to impact economic development must build 21st Century infrastructure. Ultimately, Tennessees broadband gap is a problem for Tennesseans, and we need a Tennessee solution, said David Wade, president of EPB. "We will continue to work with the growing number of state legislators and grassroots citizens interested in removing the barriers that prevent EPB and other municipal providers from serving our neighbors in surrounding areas who have little or no access to broadband. We are further encouraged by Commissioner Randy Boyds interest in addressing the lack of broadband in rural areas. As the head of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, he is especially well positioned to join with state lawmakers in addressing this challenge on behalf of Tennesseans. In a move underscoring Moscows increasingly close ties with Tehran, long-range Russian Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter bombers used Irans Hamadan air base to strike a range of targets in Syria. It was the first time Russia has used the territory of another nation, apart from Syria itself, to launch such strikes since the Kremlin launched a bombing campaign to support Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in September last year. It was also thought to be the first time that Iran has allowed a foreign power to use its territory for military operations since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The Iranian deployment will boost Russias image as a central player in the Middle East and allow the Russian airforce to cut flight times and increase payloads. The head of Irans National Security Council told state news agency IRNA as saying Tehran and Moscow were now sharing facilities to fight terrorism, calling their co-operation strategic. Both countries back Mr Assad, and Russia, after a delay, has supplied Iran with its S-300 missile air defence system. Relations between Tehran and Moscow have warm since Iran reached agreement last year with global powers to curb its nuclear programme in return for the lifting of UN, EU, and US financial sanctions. Russian president Vladimir Putin visited in November and the two countries regularly discuss military planning for Syria, where Iran has provided ground forces that work with local allies while Russia provides air power. The Russian defence ministry said its bombers had taken off from the Hamadan air base in north-west Iran. To reach Syria, they would have had to use the air space of another neighbouring country, most probably Iraq. The ministry said the strikes had targeted Islamic State, as well as militants previously known as the Nusra Front in the Aleppo, Idlib, and Deir al Zour provinces. As a result of the strikes five large arms depots were destroyed a militant training camp, three command and control points, and a significant number of militants, the ministry said in a statement. Centrist party Ciudadanos proposed the six-point reform package aimed at fighting corruption and making the voting system more proportional to the Conservative Peoples Party (PP) and its leader, Mariano Rajoy, last week. An endorsement by the PP, which won national elections in June, but fell short of a majority, would open the way to Ciudadanos, which translates as Citizens backing Mr Rajoy the acting premier as head of a new government in a parliamentary investiture vote. The June ballot followed an equally inconclusive one in December, also won by the PP, since when parties across the political spectrum have held fruitless negotiations on forming a workable coalition government. Leaders of the PP will meet today, and are expected to endorse the Ciudadanos plan, even though it would involve launching a parliamentary investigation into an alleged PP slush fund. In Madrid, the PP made similar pledges to Ciudadanos, to be able to govern locally, after regional elections in May, 2015. Whats important, now, is to form a [national] government, Madrid region leader Cristina Cifuentes told fellow PP campaigners last week. In the December election, Ciudadanos and a second newcomer party, leftist Podemos (We Can), broke the traditional dominance of Spains centre-left Socialists and centre-right PP, which have ruled Spain in single-party governments since the end of the Franco dictatorship in 1975. The formula of a coalition government remains untested after eight months of political deadlock, and Ciudadanos which finished fourth in June has ruled out entering one now. But together, it and the PP hold 169 seats, just short of a majority in the 350-strong lower parliamentary house. The need for a viable government is becoming more urgent as Spain must soon prepare a budget for 2017, to keep on track an economic recovery that has weathered the political uncertainty. Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez has repeatedly said that his party would oppose Mr Rajoy as prime minister. But if Ciudadanos back Mr Rajoy, it would pile pressure on the Socialists. The transfer of 12 Yemeni nationals and three Afghans to the UAE comes amid a renewed push to whittle down the number of detainees held at the US prison in Cuba that president Barack Obama aims to close. The Pentagon says that 61 detainees now remain at Guantanamo, which was opened in January 2002 to hold foreign fighters suspected of links to the Taliban or the al-Qaida terrorist organisation. Burma Commission on Arakan State to be Formed With Buddhist and Muslim Members The Central Committee for Peace and Development in Arakan State convene in Napyidaw on August 9. / Myanmar State Counsellor Office / Facebook RANGOON Plans are underway to form a new commission to resolve the communal and humanitarian crisis in Arakan State, which will include Muslim and Buddhist Arakanese representativesbut from Rangoon rather than Arakan State. The new nine-member commission is to play a consultative role in Arakan Statesoliciting views from local Buddhist and Muslim communities, to be forwarded to the central government, which is keeping a tight rein on the region and delegating few decisions to state-level leaders. The news was imparted during meetings in the state capital Sittwe on Monday, conducted separately with Buddhist Arakanese and Muslim Rohingya community leaders by the Central Committee for Peace and Development in Arakan Statea body chaired by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, involving Union-level ministers and the Arakan State Chief Minister. Suu Kyi was absent from the meetings. Lt-Gen Ye Lwin, the Union Minister for Border Affairs, was the highest-ranking member of the committee present. The new nine-member commission will include three members from the international communityThe Irrawaddy could not ascertain who this referred totwo Buddhist Arakanese members, two Muslim members, and two government representatives, according to Tha Pwint, a retired Arakanese lawyer from Sittwe who was present at one of the Monday meetings. He said that Arakanese representatives in their meeting with the high-level committee had expressed dissatisfaction that the Muslim and Buddhist Arakanese members of the new commission would not be local to Arakan State, but be from Rangoon. No objections were reported from Rohingya representatives during their own meeting. One of the proposed Buddhist Arakanese representatives is Win Mya, the current chairman of Burmas National Human Rights Commission, which has been widely criticized as ineffective since its formation in 2011. One of the proposed Muslim representativeswho is seemingly not required to be Rohingya or Bengali, as most Burmese term them, or have actual links to Arakan Stateis Aye Win, a Rangoon-based religious authority and member of Burmas Interfaith Friendship Organization. The other Arakanese and Muslim representatives have yet to be revealed. Rohingya and Buddhist Arakanese self-described community leaders, speaking to The Irrawaddy, expressed skepticism over the ability of the new commission to resolve the communal conflict, which has been largely frozen since anti-Muslim violence in 2012 and 2013. Aung Win, a Rohingya rights activist from Sittwe who also joined one of the Monday meetings, said he would only be satisfied when direct action is taken by the central government in Arakan State, suggesting that the new commission is a distraction. The day the government gets involved directly, will be the day when our problems can be solved, he said. Tha Pwint, the local Arakanese retired lawyer, said the crisis could be resolved only with the imposition of the rule of law. He accused the government of not taking action against illegal migrants who come to stay in our regiona reference to the largely stateless Rohingya, whose claim to belonging to Arakan State is strongly denied by most Buddhist Arakanese, and much of the wider Burmese public. Suu Kyi may visit Arakan State at the end of this month, along with the new commission, and consult with community leaders from both sides, according to Aung Win. Burma Local Jade Traders Request Mining Ban Dump trucks loaded with soil at a jade mine in Hpakant, Kachin State / Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters MANDALAY Jade traders in upper Burma urged the government to stop jade mining in Kachin States Hpakant and Lone Khin regions to prevent the decline of the local jade market. More than 20,000 jade traders from Mandalay, Sagaing, Hpakant and Lone Khin signed a petition to this effect and sent it to government officials in Naypyidaw on Tuesday. We want the government to halt jade mining and exports, in order to prevent a market downturn inside the country, said Thein Win, chairperson of the Mandalay Jade Market maintenance committee. About 90 percent of the countrys local jade market is in the Mandalay, Sagaing, Hpakant and Lone Khin regions. The biggest jade market is in Mandalay, where Chinese buyers do most of their trading. The petition stated that the mass production of jade and direct export of uncut stones, mainly to China, had affected the local trading market. Starting in 2014, mining companies used heavy machinery to mass produce. They sold uncut boulders directly to Chinese traders and locals had few opportunities to buy them, he added. Locals say small scale traders and gems cutters have been affected as well, due to the declining price of jade. Because the uncut rocks are exportedboth legally and illegallyto China, theres no stock left in the local market. The price of the jade has fallen about 50 percent in the local market and there is no high quality jade left in the market, Thein Win added. Burmas biannual jade emporiums rely on trade with China, and have taken a hit now that buyers are mainly focused on the direct export of uncut jade across the Sino-Burma border. Local traders say that illegal exports have shifted interest away from the emporiums and hurt the local market. We urge government authorities to halt all jade mining for the time being, deter the export of uncut jade and take action against illegal exports. If they dont, the local jade market will not exist for much longer, said Thein Win. In 2012, the government halted mining and the local jade market reacted favorably. This is why we are urging them to do the same once again, he added. In July, the government decided not to renew existing jade mining licenses pending an environmental impact assessment. Hundreds of licenses expired at the end of July, but hundreds more will not expire until 2018. The petition stated that the government should not take action against local prospectors who search for jade in Kachin States mines in order to make a living. The traders said they disagree with the natural resources and environmental conservation ministers decision in early August to take legal action against the prospectors, in an effort to control deadly accidents due to the collapse of mining waste and the resulting landslides. This is not a good solution. The Mandalay Jade Market depends heavily on local prospectors. If the government wants to prevent accidents, they should take action against the mining companies and the illegal traders, said Kyaw Zaw Aung, secretary of the Mandalay Jade Markets maintenance committee. The petition was sent to the office of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, the minister of natural resources and environmental conservation, the parliamentary committees for natural resources and environment conservation and the Mandalay Division chief minister. If the government ignores us, we will take to the streets and protest, he added. Burma New SEZ Management Committees Formed A man looks at his watermelon field near the Thilawa SEZ outside Rangoon on Oct. 2, 2012 / Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters RANGOON President Htin Kyaw has formed the new Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Central Management Committee and Central Working Committee with officials from within Burmas new government, led by Vice President-2 Henry Van Thio and Minister of Commerce Than Myint, respectively. The Presidents Office announced the formation of the new committees on Monday. The central SEZ management committee consists of 15 members including multiple Union ministers, who will be required to submit a detailed report to the Union government regarding proposals for new SEZs, their locations, boundaries, logistical requirements, and negotiating points to be considered with state and divisional authorities. The committee will also organize sub-committees to plan and manage projects, as well as address different business categories and separate enterprises by appropriate size for investors. They will also fix rates for fees, tax, capital and exemptions. Aung Naing Oo, a member of the SEZ Central Working Committee and director general of the Directorate of Investment and Companies Administration (DICA), explained the reason for the new committees. By the SEZ law, the former committees have expired. Thats why the President has formed them with new members. They will review all zones, both old and new, he said. The working committee, which reports to the management committee, also has 15 members, including permanent secretaries from multiple ministries. The management committee will work to make policy and we, the working group, will work on ground. We will work together, Aung Naing Oo said. Although ex-president Thein Sein once held the post of chairman under the previous Central Management Committee, and his vice president, Nyan Tun, held the post in the working committee, current President Htin Kyaw opted out of the post. Recently, Burmas SEZs in Kyaukphyu, Dawei and Thilawa have faced issues regarding land confiscation and compensation, as well as weak infrastructure. The Dawei SEZ and deep-sea port, located in Tenasserim Division and financed by the Burmese, Thai and Japanese governments, has faced local opposition for years due to social and environmental concerns, and only recently secured funding. Arakan States Kyaukphyu SEZ, whose tender was given to Chinas CITIC Group of Companies, has been in the works for years but has yet to resolve local complaints regarding unfair acquisition practices and land compensation. The Kyaukphyu SEZ is expected to include an industrial zone, a housing estate and two deep-sea ports. A key feature is a Sino-Burmese pipeline project that will enable the transport of oil and gas into Chinas isolated southwestern provinces. Myat Thin Aung, chairman of Rangoons Hlaing Tharyar Industrial Zone, said SEZ committees should prioritize developing infrastructure and remain cognizant of environmental impacts. Environmental impact and air pollution are big concerns, as is developing weak infrastructureboth for our country and for investors, he said. Burma Seven Charged With Illegal Assembly After US Embassy Protest Yangon police bring charges against seven Myanmar nationalists who protested against the US Embassys use of the term Rohingya. RANGOON The Kamayut Township police have brought charges against seven Burmese nationalists on Tuesday who, in April, protested outside the US Embassy in Rangoon against the American missions use of the word Rohingya. A trial is scheduled for August 30. Hundreds of protesters, including Buddhist monks, held a demonstration outside the US embassy on April 28 in Rangoon. They condemned the embassy for using the term Rohingya in a statement issued on April 20 after more than 18 people belonging to the Rohingya minority were killed when their boat sank off the coast of Sittwe, Arakan State. A police officer from the Kamayut police station told The Irrawaddy that they opened the case against the seven protesters under Article 19 of the Peaceful Assembly Law, accusing those involved of illegal assembly. Among the charged are three monks, including Ashin Parmoukkha, formerly a prominent member of the ultranationalist organization best known by its Burmese acronymMa Ba Tha. Win Ko Ko Latt of the Myanmar Nationalist Network also faces charges. Ashin Parmoukkha said that Win Ko Ko Latt originally sought permission to protest in front of the US Embassy, but the police put forward the Bo Sein Hman grounds in Rangoons Bahan Township as an alternative protest site. The group instead gathered first in front of Rangoon University, before marching to the nearby US Embassy. We are not guilty, the monk said. We just protested since the US ambassador used the term Rohingya. The ones who use that term are cunning. And I didnt participate in the march. I just gave a speech there. The protesters reject the term Rohingyawith which the Muslim minority self-identifiesand instead refer to the group as Bengali, implying that they are migrants from neighboring Bangladesh. Burmas 1982 Citizenship Law does not recognize the Rohingya among the countrys 135 official ethnic groups, contributing to widespread statelessness for the community. Interview Bertil Lintner: China is the Most Important Foreign Player in the Peace Process Bertil Lintner pictured in Rangoon in 2016 / The Irrawaddy Its complicated: In an interview with The Irrawaddy, longtime Burma expert Bertil Lintner assesses the many interests at play during State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyis visit to China on Wednesday. As a Burmese government delegation led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi leaves for a state visit to China, what can the Burmese expect from this trip? It is quite possible that China would want to restart the Myitsone project, but that would be political suicide for any Burmese government. If China wants to improve its tarnished image in Burma, it should drop Myitsone altogether, and also make a public announcement to that effect. The Burmese have always been concerned about China interfering in Burmas internal affairs. In the North, China continues to support ethnic rebels including the Wa and Kokang. At the last ethnic summit in Mai Ja Yang, the Chinese envoy said that it supports and backs all forces working to achieve internal peace in Burma. It seems Beijing wants to see more stability along the border. It is important to remember that China, not some Western, self-appointed peacemakers and interlocutors, is the most important foreign player in the peace process. China wants peace and stability along the border, but it will not give up the leverage it has inside Burma by severing ties with the UWSA [United Wa State Army], the MNDAA [Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army], the NDAA [National Democratic Alliance Army, also known as the Mongla Group] and other ethnic armed organizations. Chinas relations with those groups gives it bargaining chips, and a much stronger position in the peace process than any Norwegian, Swiss or Australian entity could ever hope for. Do you think China is more pragmatic in dealing with Suu Kyi? In the past, Beijing officials reportedly complained about Burmese generals intransigence and corruption. Can you tell whether Suu Kyi and President Xi Jinping are prepared to turn a new page? What are the key challenges in improving ties? It is obvious that China, at least for the time being, seems more comfortable dealing with Suu Kyi than the Tatmadaw, which is eager to re-establish military-to-military relations with the West in order to lessen the dependence on China. But at the same time, China knows that the military, not the elected government, is the countrys most powerful institution. The military controls the Defense, Home and Border Affairs ministries, and the Tatmadaw is an autonomous institution that takes orders from the commander-in-chief, not the president or the state counselor. China would have to play a delicate balancing act here, and, perhaps, even play the government against the military. How do you see China evaluating and viewing the substantial rise of Western influence in Burma? Beijing seemed to be caught off guard when the country began opening up in 2011 and 2012. But since last year, it has been more aggressively engaging Burma and has launched more public relations offensives, inviting opposition membersincluding Suu Kyito Beijing. Last week we saw Song Tao, the head of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China meet almost every key leader in Burma. China is no doubt worried about Western inroads into Burma, especially the possibility of military-to-military relations with the US, which was suggested by William C. Dickey, ex defense attache to Burma, in a recent article. Dickey stated that moves by other Western as well as Asian countries to develop bilateral military ties with Myanmar suggest it is time for the US to change its approach and actively assist in transforming the countrys armed forcesjust as Washington has successfully done with other Southeast Asian military forces. Many would argue that the US has a very poor record of transforming its allied military forces into more democratic institutions, just look at Thailand, Egypt and Turkey. Although Dickey doesnt mention it, it is clear to any observer that he is talking about getting Burma away from its hitherto heavy dependence on China. Regional security issues, not human rights and democracy, are at the top of Pentagons priorities in the region. Western governments, including the US, usually take the moral high ground by maintaining sanctions and making statements on human rights issues. But it seems Beijing is more pragmatic and more focused on not losing its important geopolitical strategic partner and business interests at all costs. Who is going to be winner in this so-called great game over Burma in the end? Although human rights are not the most important issue for the US, it cant ignore such concerns and it has to raise objections if human rights are being violated. China has no such problem, and would not risk losing the influence it still has in Burma because of any human rights issue. Thats a severe dilemma for the US and the West. How do you see Suu Kyi rebalancing Burmas foreign policy with rest of Asia and beyond, as she has been seen as pro-West in the past? She once said that she wants to make friends with the rest of the world. It remains to be seen how she, as Burmas foreign minister, is going to balance relations with China and Japan and the West. But one has to remember that China is an immediate neighbor with vital strategic interests in Burma. The US, and even Japan, are far away. It would be impossible for any government in Burma to ignore the importance of China. Aside from controversial Myitsone project, the oil and gas pipeline and proposed rail link between Sittwe and Yunnan is much more important. With it, China will gain access to the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. To China, Burma will serve as a geo-political strategic buffer zone. Do you see India and Japan as major players in the future to counter Chinas comprehensive strategic ambition? Absolutely, and we can see how the prime ministers of the two countries, Shinzo Abe in Japan and Narendra Modi in India, are becoming close friends and allies. What they have in common is concern over the rise of China. India has long considered the Indian Ocean their lake, and do not want China to establish footholds there. Japan is worried about Chinas increasingly assertive policies in the entire region. Cleveland City Schools has launched its PowerSchool Online Registration system for the 2016/17 school year. At all elementary schools and Cleveland Middle School, parents were able to complete a verification of demographic information and required forms online before even stepping on campus for registration events. "This dramatically cut down the time needed for administrative tasks at school meetings, allowing administrators, teachers, students, and parents to get to know one another instead of standing in lines and filling out stacks of paperwork," officials said. Mindy Wenger, a parent of students at both Ross Elementary and Cleveland Middle School agreed, saying, The online registration process through PowerSchool was very easy to use, and I had all three of our children registered in just a few minutes. When I did go to the schools during my students registration times, most of the information needed was already completed. Having the online component streamlines the whole process of registering your child for school. At Cleveland High School, the option to pay for student fees, lockers, and parking was also available as a pilot program. The system plans to expand this fee payment functionality to all schools for the 2017/18 school year after seeing such positive results at the high school, officials said. We were excited to offer a hassle-free option to our parents and students through PowerSchool. Being able to pay fees, check grades, and now verify their enrollment information all online has made the registration process infinitely easier, said school Principal Autumn OBryan. In fact, Cleveland City Schools was able to register close to 3,000 of its students over a period of two weeks, resulting in a participation rate of approximately 60%. We were very excited at the number of parents that were able to take advantage of the new system, said Michael Kahrs, supervisor of Data and Assessment for Cleveland City Schools. In the past, parents and students were continually asking for ways to reduce the number of paper forms and verifications that were required during registration events. The same information seemed to be asked on every form: names, addresses, phone numbers, and contact information about the student, parents, and emergency contacts. PowerSchool Registration replaces and streamlines the process, allowing a parent to log in and enter the information once, all from the comfort of their own home, at a time thats convenient for them. With advances in technology, there are always questions of accessibility for parents without internet-connected devices at home. One huge concern as we began planning was definitely parents without access at home, Mr. Kahrs said. To remove this barrier, principals planned each schools registration night to include available computers along with assistance from faculty and staff. Our goal was to provide choice, whether that be to register from the comfort of home or at school with assistance from our experts. After helping to facilitate Arnolds on-campus registration event, third grade teacher Cheryl Matthews cited the success saying, Online registration went amazingly well. The information provided meant most parents encountered no obstacles they could not figure out, and theres so little paper to process. After seeing the success of online registration for existing students, Mr. Kahrs plans to use the program for brand new and returning students starting in early September. Parents of new students will be able to simply call the school and give a few pieces of information like a name and birthdate in order to receive an online code. The entire registration form can be filled in and ready to go before even stepping foot in the building. With everything submitted in advance, parents should see a much shorter processing time once its time to come to school, hammer out a schedule, and meet teachers. It really gets the paperwork out of the way, letting the true work of educating students quickly get under way, he said. Dr. Russell Dyer, director of schools said, With a steadily growing student population, there is an increased need to provide information such as grades, attendance, teacher communication, and now registration and fees at the fingertips of all students and parents. Its all about making tedious, but necessary administrative tasks simpler. This lets students get into school and the classroom faster, with more opportunity for learning and less for frustration. CIOs: How to Get Your Teams to the Next Level The quickest way to stick a dagger in the heart of a succession planning strategy is for the CEO to delegate it to human resources. Doing so delivers a flashing message to the organization that leadership development is a low priority that doesnt warrant serious attention. That was my key takeaway from an interview last week with Michael Timms, a leadership development consultant and author of Succession Planning That Works: The Critical Path of Leadership Development. Timms shared some great information during the interview, which began with my asking him what letter grade he would give corporate America on succession planning. Without hesitation, he said it would have to be an F: Theres actually a percentage on that. About a year ago, Deloitte did a global survey that asked executives in organizations big and small if they feel succession planning, or leadership development, is a top strategic priority. Eighty-six percent said succession planning is a top priority, so clearly, everybody knows its a big deal. And then the next question asked how many them feel they actually have a succession plan that works, and only 10 percent said they felt they did. So theyve graded themselves, and given themselves a letter grade of F. I asked Timms what he would attribute that to, and he explained that it stems from a lack of institutional will to change the culture of the organization: This is how it typically goes: The board of directors has succession planning on its checklist of things for the CEO to do. The CEO says, OK, sure, and turns around and delegates it to human resources. Well, thats the kiss of death, right there. Its not that HR isnt competent enough to do it. Its just that one of the key things about succession planning is that to do it well, to do it right, its a culture-change initiative. You have to understand its changing the culture of the organization to embrace leadership development. If you dont, succession planning is going to be done off the side of everybodys desk. Thats what happens when its not led by the CEO. When the CEO delegates it to HR, what he or she is effectively saying is, This is a very low priority for me I just need to get this off my plate. Everybody in the organization gets that message. And theres not a snowballs chance in hell that the succession plan is going to work. In the research he did for his book, Timms interviewed executives from nearly 50 companies, one of which was Sierra Systems, an IT management and consulting services firm in Vancouver. Timms said IT firms like Sierra often have an advantage, because the nature of their business is such that they go into different companies, so theyre able to gain some insight from them. He noted that Sierra Systems is doing a really good job with its succession planning: The COO of Sierra Systems said a number their employees who have left have come back and said, We have seen that the grass isnt greener on the other side, and we appreciate everything you have done for us, particularly around our career development. In his book, Timms argues the case for taking advantage of existing talent and filling vacancies from within. I asked him if there isnt an inherent danger of a corporate culture becoming too insular and incestuous if theres too high of a reliance on that approach, as opposed to casting a wider net for fresh blood and new ideas. His response: For sure, there are advantages to recruiting for talent. But when I work with clients, and we list the advantages of promoting from within vs. the advantages of recruiting, the list of advantages of promoting from within always ends up being at least twice as long. The hidden cost of recruiting is the lost opportunity cost when vacancies are waiting to be filled. Sometimes this can take six to 12 months for senior positions. Who is doing the work of the position that is waiting to be filled? Either no one is doing it, or its being done poorly by someone not suited to do it, otherwise they would be the permanent solution. [Its also the case that] external hires are more expensive than internal candidates. Everyone knows that the quickest way to get a raise is to move to a different company. On average, external hires are paid 20 percent more than internal candidates. [Another advantage of filling vacancies from within is that] companies have fewer surprises when they choose an internal candidate over an external hire. One study found that organizations that rely on external candidates to fill middle-management positions have almost double the turnover of organizations that rely on internal promotions. At the same time, Timms acknowledged that every company needs fresh blood and fresh ideas: The companies I researched that have effective succession planning strategies focus their recruiting almost entirely on entry-level positions. They get those fresh ideas, and at the same time theyre able to develop that talent, and prepare them for specific positions that they know theyre going to need to fill three to five years down the road. For a lot of organizations, that may not be realistic itll take a while to build up to that, because if there are core competencies that the organization lacks, youre going to have to recruit for them. But once youve got people with those skill sets, then you need to put in place a process where theyre training the next level of folks who can succeed them. The alternative is that youre effectively hoping that other companies will prepare your people better than you can prepare them yourself. Its not a good idea to abdicate that responsibility to another company. 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. As companies look for ways to enable flexible access to data without compromising security standards or data integrity, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) is piquing the interest of IT managers across various industries. With the latest VDI solutions offering far easier implementation and more scalability, now more than ever, desktop virtualization can help businesses achieve the secure, manageable mobility programs employees need. Are remote data-management concerns stalling your business initiatives? In this slideshow, Jeff McNaught, executive director and chief strategy officer, Dell Cloud Client-Computing, offers five ways VDI can simplify IT management. Simplifying IT Management with VDI Click through for five ways virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) can simplify IT management, as identified by Jeff McNaught, executive director and chief strategy officer, Dell Cloud Client-Computing. Multiple Devices Empower your employees to work dynamically across multiple devices. While tenured workers still prefer to use a desktop or laptop, 2-in-1 devices are rapidly gaining popularity among senior executives. Meanwhile, workers aged 18 to 35 reportedly use a greater number of devices than older workers. These disparate needs place a burden on the IT teams tasked with securing this multitude of distinct devices. VDI enables IT teams to separate employees desktop environments and associated applications and files from their physical devices, giving companies a safe and simple way to ramp up BYOD programs. Employees can then access their Windows desktop from any device without introducing security risks associated with data residing on remote devices. Even if a device is lost or stolen, key intellectual property resides only within the secure data center, and unauthorized users are not able to access company information without login credentials. With the upswing in people choosing to work from home, organizations can ensure security as well as convenience by providing workers with a thin client for this purpose. A thin client eliminates the risk of employees logging in remotely using the family PC, and therefore the risk of family members installing software that impacts work, as well as the inevitable issues around sharing the PC with family. Data Integrity and Security Maintain data integrity without compromising IT control and security. For companies with multiple users accessing the same files from different locations like health care organizations and architecture firms, VDI provides a way to allow access from a number of different devices without losing the integrity of the data. For example, doctors can access electronic health records from terminals located at the patients bedside as well as other designated points throughout the hospital. Architects can access resource-intensive building site plans and make edits on laptops or tablets while theyre in the field, where the size and complexity of these files would normally preclude remote access. With the files stored safely in the data center, multi-team collaboration is enhanced as there is little risk of outdated and multiple versions sitting on different devices, and if any of these devices were lost or stolen, thieves or other unauthorized users would be unable to get a hold of the data itself. Streamlined Management Streamline management for desktops and applications. Maintaining virtualized desktops and applications is often much easier for IT teams than maintaining a distinct set of endpoints which can number in the hundreds or even many thousands. Every time an employee logs off, the virtual desktop can automatically be reset, removing any software the employee may have manually added. This keeps employees from installing unauthorized applications and provides an easy way to troubleshoot any time a problem occurs, employees can simply reboot and their desktop will be restored. In addition, rather than configuring individual desktop images for each employee, an administrator can quickly and easily create multiple virtual desktop configurations with settings and layouts that cater to specific departments workloads. Scalability Scale-out and configure based on your business needs. There are two general methodologies for implementing VDI: reference architectures, which enable a high degree of customization, and appliances, which are simpler to procure and deploy. Either option can be scalable, but appliances are faster and easier to implement and adjust. Specifically, VDI appliances combine compute, storage and software in a single pre-configured device to support a specific VDI workload, and are generally favored by organizations looking for ease of deployment and management with predictable costs as they scale. Some can be deployed in under two hours, giving even fast-growth companies an easy way to keep up with workforce demands. Small businesses that might have thought that VDI was too complex and costly will be pleased to see those issues have been addressed with appliances. New appliances start at about 75 workers, and can easily scale cost-effectively to 5,000, so company growth is also not an inhibitor to VDI adoption. Budgeting Budget within your project scope and resources. While desktop virtualization once had a reputation for being costly, it has evolved into one of the lower total-cost-of-ownership options available. Most of these cost savings for IT teams come from reduced OpEx spending over time, thanks to the ease of management and the efficiency of low-power thin clients. But for organizations with remote sites or workers, there are significant CapEx benefits as well. In particular, companies can opt for long lifecycle, thin client devices and significantly reduce endpoint purchases. They can also support BYOD programs since almost any device can be used to connect to a virtual desktop. At the same time, VDI allows for more streamlined management of software licenses, as IT can track and pay only for licenses that are actually needed instead of buying a block of endpoint software licenses that may go unused. From lower implementation costs to a longer lifespan and reduced management costs, VDI has become a simple and cost-effective solution to meet the needs of todays demanding, complex, and dynamic IT environment. There have been speculations going around that Tony Stark may make a cameo appearance on the upcoming "Doctor Strange" film. This rumor was led by the events of the recent Marvel movie and a mysterious tweet about the alleged cameo. A tweet "confirming" Tony Stark's appearance in the film It can be recalled on the last movie, "Captain America: Civil War," that Tony Stark may be in need of a new set of allies. Many of them have already cut ties with him ever since the Avengers dissolved. In addition to that, Stark recruited another superhero to have ties with him, Spiderman. This has then led to the assumptions that he may be making an appearance on "Doctor Strange." The speculations don't end there. According to Comic Book, there has been a post on Twitter saying that some "little spies" informed the account user that Tony Stark may have a cameo on Doctor Strange. Of course, this post is not official as it was not posted by anyone of the production staff of the film. There is little to this information, but Marvel fans definitely looked more into it. Movie's wrap up moved a couple of months Another factor that has fed to these speculations is a tweet made by actor Benedict Wong posted a few days ago, saying they just wrapped up the movie. However, it has already been known that "Doctor Strange" already wrapped-up filming the movie months ago, as reported by Cinema Blend. Assumptions were then made that there were additional scenes for the film that were shot, involving Tony Stark's cameo appearance. Avid fans of the show see great significance if and when Tony Stark does make an appearance in the upcoming film. Since "Doctor Strange" is set to feature a different kind of Marvel movie involving mystical powers, the appearance of Tony Stark, who is a master in scientific knowledge, will definitely clash with the ideas of Doctor Strange. The release of the Apple iPhone 7 could be delayed; carriers expect Apples latest flagship to be turned over no later than September 23. The dependable Evan Blass released a public notice via Twitter about the iPhone 7's carrier release dates. In the post, Blass mentioned the confirmed September 9 pre-order and September 16 release dates of the iPhone 7 and anticipated that Apples September event will most likely be conducted on September 7. The leaked AT&T retail timetable reveals the approaching merchandising reset hours. Specifically, the guidance calls out September 9 and September 23 as scheduled dates for merchandising resets. This is a potential implication that advertising for pre-orders could be planned for September 9 and the brand new iPhone models could hit the market by September 23 instead. According to Forbes, the iPhone 7 launch timescale is relevantly more compressed than in the previous years. To illustrate this, in 2015, Apple made an announcement about the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus on September 9th (Wednesday) but pre-orders started three days later (September 12) and took almost two full weeks to go on sale, hitting stores on September 25th. Given that historical context, we can conclude that our long wait on the iPhone 7 series will come to an end by the 23rd of September. In related news, a previous iTech Post mentioned that Apple is under pressure to sell as many iPhone 7 and iPhone 7S's as it can as the interest of the public on the iPhones has noticeably weakened this year. The leaked images, specs and features of both models are expected to be a sweeping reinvention of the line to mark its 10th anniversary. With high hopes, Apple has the ability to take the lead in the strongly competitive market of the smartphone industry. The Nexus line of phones from Google has been relatively successful thus far, which is why the 2016 additions have been highly anticipated. However, it seems like that search giant has other plans for what were expected to be the 2016 Nexus phones -- the HTC Sailfish and the HTC Marlin. According to NDTV, Google is gearing up to release its own set of smartphones, specifically branded under the company. And while the publication claims that the handset will be released in September and to various different locations, the specific markets and dates are still unclear. Furthermore, it was claimed that the two Google devices would come in 5-inch and 5.5-inch variants, as well as 32 GB and 128 GB options. This sounds exactly like the two Nexus phones, the HTC Sailfish and the HTC Marlin. However, the publication is adamant that a pair of Google-branded handsets will be released next month. BGR adds that both units will run on Android 7.0 Nougat right out of the box, as well as Google Assistant. Other details are still unknown at this point, but both units are expected to be premium devices that will provide a great overall experience. And because of its expected release, the units are expected to go head-to-head against Apple's iPhone 7, which is also expected to release in September. However, it is also likely that the Google smartphones will hurt Samsung's sales. Earlier this year, there were also reports that a Chinese company would be making the 2016 Nexus phones. It is thereby possible that the HTC Sailfish and the HTC Marlin, which are manufactured by a Taiwanese company, will be the Google branded devices. This could change the whole game of Google, despite the rumors having spread so vastly and quickly -- so much so that they were taken as truth. Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Tuesday, August 16, that the company plans to boost its investment in China and build its first Asia-Pacific research and development center in the country. According to CNBC, China is one of Apple's largest but increasingly challenging markets. In order to survive a tough market, as it steps up mainland investments, Apple has decided to build this new research center in China by the end of the year. Cook had its second trip to China in four months and made the pledge during his trip. Apple needs to pay increasing attention to China as the Chinese government remains wary about foreign technology and demand for Apple's iPhones has dropped in the world's second-largest economy. Apple's Reasons To Build R&D Center In China Citing a statement by the official Chinese state broadcaster, Reuters reports that the Apple will build its first research and development center in the country. Stating that the center will be built by the end of 2016, Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly made the commitment to Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, one of China's most senior officials. In May, the head of China's industry and technology regulator told Cook that hopes the American tech giant could deepen its cooperation with China in information security and in research and development fields. The pledge from the Apple CEO answers the invitation of the Chinese authorities. According to 9To5Mac, Apple likely has two main reasons for opening its first R&D in China. First, Apple has established several R&D centers in a number of locations around the world already, including Sweden, Israel, France, Japan and the UK. The reason for spreading its research and development centers worldwide is that not all the research staff is willing to relocate in the U.S. The second reason might be the fact that Apple needs to protect its interests in its second-largest market and for this the American company needs to establish closer ties with Chinese authorities. China has in the past banned government purchases of Apple products as it questioned the security of iPhones. Historically, Apple does not have a running good relationship with the Chinese government. More recently, Chinese authorities have announced that Apple will be subjected to greater security scrutiny. A patent office in Beijing has ruled that the iPhone 6 is a copy of a Chinese smartphone and Apple's iTune Movies and iBook services were shut down by a Chinese government agency. The Ivy Rose Foundation, Inc., and the Pi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.s triennial production of Fashionetta will be held Dec. 17 at Chattanoogas Convention Center at 6 p.m. This years theme, Fashionetta Celebrating 70 Years A Royal Affair is a tribute to the 70 years since the first production of Fashionetta in 1946 through the music and events of the times. The event marks the culmination of activities for young ladies who have spent the summer learning social graces and involved in enrichment activities intended to ready them for their grand debut. Each of the groups also participated in service projects. At the event, there will be a crowning of Little Miss Fashionetta, Miss Junior Fashionetta, and Miss Fashionetta. Tickets for the event require a donation of $35. All donations are tax exempt and will be used for scholarships and community service projects. This week, St. Peters begins the areas first and only Spanish Immersion kindergarten. The class begins along with two preschool immersion classes that have continued for two years. Getting to this point is a huge milestone, says Head of School Meredith Ruffner. In the two years since we started the program, we have seen amazing success with it. All our immersion classes are at capacity, which shows that our area is interested in this amazing educational opportunity. Parents who might be interested in next fall should get in touch! Immersion, which is when the language is spoken most of the day, leads to better fluency and retention. Studies show that students in language immersion programs have as good or better language skills in their native language as well. St. Peters partners with add.a.lingua, an immersion school consultant to make sure all the detailed curriculum needs are met. Language immersion is different than just enhanced language hours.Immersion, which is when the language is spoken most of the day, leads to better fluency and retention. Studies show that students in language immersion programs have as good or better language skills in their native language as well. St. Peters partners with add.a.lingua, an immersion school consultant to make sure all the detailed curriculum needs are met. We have both a Classic Curriculum and a Spanish Immersion Program that follow the same lessons and guidelines, says Ruffner. With add.a.lingua, we have a proven program in immersion, while still keeping the flexibility and additional assets of an independent education. Teacher Betsy Caldwell Cake and Assistant Angela Molina are in charge of the kindergarten classroom (St. Peters has two teachers in all preschool and kindergarten classes.) Ms. Cake, who taught Spanish in New York before moving to Chattanooga, says, My favorite thing about teaching is the excitement and curiosity the children always seem to possess. I am in huge favor of Spanish Immersion programs and have always wanted to be part of one. Ms. Molina added, St. Peters has an excellent reputation, and I have spoken with a number of people who rave about the teachers here. Their pioneering Spanish immersion program caught my eye, and its growth shows that Chattanoogans are interested in the offering. Accounting software provider Xero has teamed up with PayPal to build a better integration between their two platforms designed to help alleviate cashflow problems faced by small businesses. Under the enhanced strategic partnership the two companies say the integration will help to remove unpaid invoices as a headache for businesses. With PayPal Express Checkout for Xero, customers will be able to pay in just a few clicks from directly within the invoice, speeding time to cash. Trent Innes, managing director of Xero Australia, says Xero customers have sent almost 9.5 million invoices over the last 30 days alone, and in the seven months to July 2016, more than $US88.6 million worth of PayPal transactions were processed by small businesses on the Xero platform, representing 40% growth over the period. We constantly hear about businesses who spend their time chasing unpaid invoices instead of actually running their business. Making it easier for customers to pay an invoice from Xero speeds up the time to getting paid, and PayPal is one of the easiest payment solutions around, Innes says. By connecting the Xero accounting dashboard to PayPal, small businesses can get paid faster, improve their cash flow, and focus on the important things that help them grow their business. Libby Roy, managing director of PayPal Australia, said: We know from working with thousands of Australian business owners that they dont start a business because they love admin. We also know that cash flow is one of the things that keep them up at night. The integration of PayPal within Xero delivers a simple and secure payment solution for Xeros customers making it easier for their clients to pay quickly straight from the invoice with just a few clicks. PayPal Express Checkout for Xero leverages the newest PayPal API so customers have an in-context experience tied directly to their invoice. Roy says clients can now either log in and pay with PayPal, or pay with a credit card, eliminating the process of being directed to a separate website to complete payment, and the integration also allows business owners to automatically view and reconcile PayPal transactions from within Xero. PayPal Express Checkout also offers new functionality when set up with Xero bank feeds that significantly cut down manual processes, including: Invoice auto-marked as paid: Invoices are now automatically marked as paid within one business day of the transaction being entered into Xero. Easier reconciliation: Invoices are easier to reconcile when the bank transaction matches with the invoiced amount and PayPal transaction ID. Auto-creation of fees: The PayPal fee will come through as a separate line item and the business owner can create a rule so they can reconcile fees to an account. PayPal Express Checkout for Xero will be available to Xero subscribers in the next few weeks. High Dynamic Resolution (HDR) has no ISO standards and every TV and Blu-ray player maker knows that. Samsung has set out to protect its turf by producing an Ultra HD HDR Reference Test Disc and corresponding PC-based workflow to help product reviewers, professional calibrators, and others properly test and evaluate new products coming to market. It commissioned Quality.TVs Florian Freidrich, a television technology expert, to develop the workflow and test patterns used to accurately calibrate the HDR-10 protocol. Why did Samsung do this? In one word: Lies. It needs to protect its HDR turf from interlopers that make claims but dont deliver. The smart TV and Blu-ray market is heating up! HDR, if not properly done, has a problem most lower-cost HDR-capable TVs automatically ramp down peak brightness levels after a few seconds to guard against damaging the LED panel lighting system. There is no end-to-end HDR, particularly on those sets where software has simply been upgraded instead of using a new HDR-capable panel. Freidrich said (paraphrased full interview here) that the tests were to understand the limitations of a TV, to understand what is right for it. So in some cases, tone mapping makes sense (software), and in other cases, the devices should not handle the HDR at all. Everyone who is interested in HDR manufacturers, post-production, enthusiasts, and any others need this tool as HDR will look different on different TVs and Blu-ray players. Samsung is one of the leading supporters of HDR10 as it is a more open platform that competitor Dolby Vision offered. It also means no licensing fees are paid and gives it more control over their products. HDR10 has been embraced by most manufacturers, and some like LG also offer Dolby Vision. To be technical, it is based around the SMPTE ST 2084 electro-optical transfer function and in laypersons terms that means that more of what is captured on a film or digital master is seen on the viewing device. HDR systems are intended to present more perceptible details in shadows and highlights to better match the human visual system. HDR allows the distinguishing of bright details in highlights that are often compressed in traditional video systems, including allowing separation of colour details in diffuse near-white colours and strongly chromatic parts of the image. Properly designed HDR systems dramatically improve the available creative palette and directly enhance the consumer experience. There is a need for a better understanding of the set of elements, including standards, required to form a complete functional and interoperable ecosystem for the creation, delivery and playback of HDR image content. The parameters that make up HDR include higher peak luminance, lower minimum luminance, greater contrast range, and improved precision minimising quantisation errors that cannot be delivered by existing standards. Wide colour gamut is also going to be used. Full points to Samsung please send me a test disk as I have seen some shocking HDR sets recently. Not yours! A vulnerability in the transmission control protocol used by the Linux kernel, discovered by researchers at the University of California, Riverside, affects most Android phones in use, the security firm Lookout says. The company said in a post on its blog that the flaw could affect as many as 1.4 billion Android phones which were running KitKat, version 4.4 of Google's mobile operating system, or later. These versions have a 3.6 or later version of the Linux kernel. "We can estimate then that all Android versions running the Linux Kernel 3.6 (approximately Android 4.4 KitKat) to the latest are vulnerable to this attack or 79.9% of the Android ecosystem," the company said, basing its estimate on statistics from Statista. Linux developers have said that a fix for the flaw is likely to be in the next stable release of the kernel. Lookout said whilehad been authored on 11 July, an examination of the latest developer preview of Nougat, Android's latest release, had shown that it was not patched against this flaw. It said that the vulnerability allowed an attacker to remotely spy on people who are using unencrypted traffic or degrade encrypted connections. "While a man in the middle attack is not required here, the attacker still needs to know a source and destination IP address to successfully execute the attack," it added. As far as Linux systems are concerned, Lookout repeated the advice offered by California sysadmin Rick Moen which iTWire has already reported: to use sysctl to increase the setting in /proc/sys/net/ipv4/tcp_challenge_ack_limit to 999999999. The company said more technical Android users could run the command sysctl net.ipv4.tcp_challenge_ack_limit in an Android Debug Bridge shell; if the number reported was less than 1000, then the patch was not present. NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and security expert Dave Aitel both say that a leak of advanced hacking tools, most likely belonging to the American government, is connected to the hacking and leaks of material from the US Democratic party. And both security experts also say that the nature of the leak and the type of material leaked indicate that a state player is behind it: almost certainly Russia, they conclude. Snowden made his claim in a series of tweets, while Aitel, who worked for the NSA for six years before he set up his own security company, Immunity, made his case in a blog post. The leak of material dating back to 2013 was done by a group calling itself Shadow Brokers that claimed it had hacked Equation Group, a highly sophisticated outfit that has been strongly suspected of being an offshoot of the NSA. Written in poor English, the original post by Shadow Brokers has been deleted but the technology website Ars Technica linked toin Google's cache. Ars hason the development, all of which are worth a read. The post also had links to what were claimed to be advanced hacking tools. The security firm Kaspersky, which last year (see embedded video below) provided a detailed analysis of the Equation Group, confirmed that the tools belonged to this group. "While we cannot surmise the attacker's identity or motivation nor where or how this pilfered trove came to be, we can state that several hundred tools from the leak share a strong connection with our previous findings from the Equation group," the company said. Snowden said the leak was most likely "a warning that someone can prove US responsibility for any attacks that originated from this malware server". He added that it looked like somebody was "sending a message that an escalation in the attribution game could get messy fast". "NSA malware staging servers getting hacked by a rival is not new. A rival publicly demonstrating they have done so is," Snowden said. The hacks of emails from the Democratic National Committee led to the resignation of its chairperson Debbie Wasserman Schultz and a few other officials. A separate break-in resulted in a dump of personal information of serving Democrats, all of it from material that had been exfiltrated from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Aitel said the timing of the leak, the mention of corruption and elections in the release, the fact that it had been kept quiet for three years, and the risk of annoying the Equation Group this much all pointed to a big player: "Level of difficulty: Very Experienced Nation State." WikiLeaks has claimed it has the same material as that stolen by Shadow Brokers and has said it will post it after it is suitably sanitised. The group was criticised recently by Snowden for releasing material from the DNC that included personal details. Samsungs new Note7 is the companys first public offering of iris scanning technology. It feels that security needs to progress past passwords, pins, and even fingerprints. Its president of mobile business, Koh Dong-jin, said that Iris-scanning is the safest security technology at the current level. Iris, which is fixed within 18 months to 20 months (since a baby is born), cannot be reproduced. Samsung has taken its iris technology initially to South Korean banks including Shinhan Bank, Woori Bank, and KEB Hana Bank, to be adopted in their mobile banking services. It will not be long before it is rolled out globally, with Citibank, Bank of America and US Bank said to be readying support. But iris technology offers so much more than logging into bank websites or using mobile banking services. Complicated processes such as certificate verification, one-time password or security cards can also use the technology? But what is iris scanning and why is it the next best thing? According to Wikipedia, Iris recognition is a biometric identification that uses mathematical pattern-recognition techniques of one or both of an individuals irises whose complex random patterns are unique, stable, and can be seen from some distance. It is extensively used by banks and the US military for access control. It has been around for a while because it is relatively easy to take a picture of a persons eye with any low-cost CCD camera and near-infrared (NIR) light at distances from 75 to 250mm. The key words here are low cost and the fact that no physical contact is required. The result is a pattern or individual code of about 240 unique points (resulting in a 512-digital number far more than fingerprint or face recognition) where the chance of mistaking one iris for another is 1 in 10 to the 78th power something that no one will ever have to worry about. Even blind people or blind drunk people can use it. Once enrolled (recorded), eyeglasses or contacts should not interfere with recognition. Iris recognition uses three lenses and directs a beam of infrared light into the eyes (not noticeable). Its patent (roughly translated states): The first lens may include two narrow-angle lenses having narrow angles of view to expand and capture images of regions of the eyes of the user. The second lens may include a wide-angle lens having a wide angle of view to capture an image of the face of the user. The first lens may be a zoom lens, and the second lens may be a short focal length lens. Samsung intend to expand its use to other devices especially tablets and home security (locks). While there are suggestions that iris scanning can be fooled by a hi-res 2D picture Samsungs system needs a living, breathing, hot-blooded person as it uses other periocular data and micro-features to ensure it is really you. I have been using the iris recognition on the Note7 and am happy to report that with or without glasses it is 100% accurate and pretty fast although fingerprint scanning is perhaps a tad more convenient than starting at the screen for a millisecond. Note that Windows Hello uses a similar iris and face recognition system. Netflix has updated its Australian prime-time use ISP ratings, and it is a little bit of a shock. Market behemoth Telstra (BigPond) was little more than a trickle at an average of 2.32Mbps, well behind Optus, TPG, iiNet, Exetel and Dodo/Primus. It fact, it was not a shock to Telstras Netflix watchers as speeds have not changed significantly this year after it appeared somehow to have throttled back to nearly 60% of its peak speed after the December 2015 rush. In the US, home of Netflix, 14 of the 15 major ISPs are faster than Telstra. You can check the speeds here. Netflix is more than a little tired of being blamed for slow streaming speeds so in May it bought Fast.com (iTWire article here) and it has now expanded from the desktop browser to iOS and Android. The ISP ratings are not a substitute for Ooklas Speedtest because they measure the speed between a device and the nearest Netflix server but when streaming is choking, it is the measurement that counts. And that is the data Netflix needs to identify which ISPs and regions are doing well or not. Streaming users are also reporting issues at present with the Internet being sucked dry by the Olympics. It is not just sport, but the huge increase in downloads to cater for those who cant stand to watch sport for two weeks straight. Stan servers based in Australia on AWS have also suffered due to increased Internet use. To be fair to Telstra, it does offer a range of consumer broadband speeds from snail-paced ADSL to ultra-quick 100Mbps cable. But the majority still well over 50% of connections are on highly contended (shared bandwidth) copper, ADSL connections. The NBN also offers plans from Tier 1 (12/1Mbps) to Tier 5 (100/40Mbps). Unfortunately, most NBN users are selecting lower-cost tiers, and these will become contended too. NBN speeds are not guaranteed, and early stats seem to indicate that during peak Internet use times it will deliver 20-30% less than expected. NBN Co said that speeds on its network are "an issue for retail service providers. The product supplied by those service providers is capable of providing the advertised wholesale speeds. It is up to service providers to ensure they have the correct combination of product features, including traffic class allocation and sufficient Connection Virtual Circuit (CVC) capacity between the service provider and the NBN. These design decisions by the service provider will largely determine the speed the end user can achieve". In other words, contended bandwidth is a feature of cheap ISP plans. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is aware of the issue and has already fined ISPs over contention issues it fined one offering a greenfield estate up to 100Mbps per user when it only had a total of 20Mbps backhaul to NBN. Test your speed frequently and do not be afraid to complain to your ISP if it is lower than you pay for. The ACCC is always interested. The 5th annual Safety Fest TN event will be held Sept. 12-16 in Oak Ridge and Knoxville and will feature over 80 free safety and health classes, sessions and demonstrations. In addition to the free classes, a Safety Expo and Safety Demonstrations will take place on Sept. 13 and 14 along with the Secret City Fire Officer Conference on Sept. 14 and 15. The majority of the classes and sessions will be hosted by Consolidated Nuclear Security, LLC at the New Hope Center, 602 Scarboro Road, and Oak Ridge Associated Universities at Pollard Technology Conference Center, 210 Badger Ave., in Oak Ridge, but classes are also being offered at seven other area locations including two in Knoxville. Its all about safety and health at work, at home and in the community, said Michelle Keever, the Safety Fest TN class coordinator from URS | CH2M Oak Ridge LLC. And what a community. In collaboration and with the irreplaceable help of United Steel Workers Local 9-288, were thrilled that 20 seniors at Sunbright School will receive OSHA 40-hour HAZWOPER training. Sunbright is a one-campus Pre-Kindergarten through 12 school located in rural Morgan County. "Safety Fest TN 2016 is bigger than ever and theres something for everyone, said Jenny Freeman, chair of the planning committee from Strata-G, LLC. With a long list of subjects, safety and health professionals, managers, and workers, and members of the public will almost certainly find a class they need. Some of the subject areas offered include Arc Flash Hazards, Back Safety, Confined Space Safety, Electrical Safety, Ergonomics, Fall Prevention, Fire Extinguisher Use, Human Performance Improvement, a suite of OSHA certificate classes (10-hour, 30-hour and 40-hour) and more. Nationally known speaker and safety professional, Joe Estey, will headline the official kick-off Safety Forum Tuesday morning, Sept. 13, in the New Hope Center Auditorium. Mr. Estey is well-known in Tennessee because of his leadership and communication skills, and his practical approach to creating safe workplaces. His presentation, Whats On Your Mind will introduce common mental biases that lead to errors during life-threatening events and will provide techniques for improving error detection and personal performance during events. Attendees come from the largest corporations to the smallest companies; colleges, universities and ocal schools; labor unions; non-profit organizations; federal, state, and local government agencies; and large and small utilities. Every part of the community is represented said Dave Neubauer a Safety Fest TN organizer from CNS. You get to meet, talk and walk with folks from every level of every sector. Its a priceless opportunity to learn and network. Last years event had 850 people registered, representing 172 organizations from 79 cities in six states. Its grown fast. In 2012, less than 300 people came and this year its looking like something around 1,000 will attend, said Tom Wantland, another Safety Fest TN organizer from ORAU. Obviously weve hit a nervetheres a demand out there And, once a year, Safety Fest TN tries to fill that need. Safety Fest TN is made possible through a long list of event partners, sponsors and providers. Just go check out the website. Its amazing whos helping promote safety, said J.J. Rochelle another Safety Fest TN organizer from Pro2Serve. And just like the attendees, support comes from across the full spectrum of the community. For more information on Safety Fest TN, classes, sessions and demonstrations, and a link to registration please visit https://safetyfesttn.org/. Sponsorship opportunities are available. The maker of so-called spyware program WebWatcher can be sued for violating state and federal wiretap laws, a U.S. appeals court has ruled, in a case that may have broader implications for online monitoring software and software as a service. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected WebWatcher vendor Awareness Technologies' motion to dismiss a lawsuit against the company. The appeals court overturned a lower court ruling granting the motion to dismiss. The appeals court, in a 2-1 decision Tuesday, rejected Awareness' claims that WebWatcher does not intercept communications in real time, in violation of the U.S. wiretap act, but instead allows users to review targets' communications. While plaintiff Javier Luis' lawsuit doesn't address real-time interception of communications, his allegations "give rise to a reasonable inference" of that happening, Judge Ronald Lee Gilman wrote. Awareness pitches WebWatcher as monitoring software for parents and employers. "All WebWatcher products install easily in 5 minutes or less, are undetectable (thus tamper proof) and all recorded data is sent to a secure web-based account which allows you to monitor kids and employees at your convenience from any computer," the company says. The original lawsuit against Awareness and other defendants was filed in 2012 by Luis, a Florida man who developed an online friendship with Ohio resident Catherine Zang in early 2009, according to court records. The two met in a metaphysics chatroom hosted by America Online. Zang's husband, Joseph, suspicious of his wife's online activities, installed WebWatcher on her computer in 2009 and used the program to intercept her chat records and email. Luis complained that Awareness markets WebWatcher "as a means for suspicious spouses to illegally monitor their partners communications without their partners knowledge or consent," Gilman wrote in the court's decision. "Luis specifically alleges that Awareness 'intentionally targets their product at spouses in their marketing campaigns -- enticing them with the lure of finding out everything that goes on in the targeted computers private accounts.'" The ruling could have an impact on company monitoring of employees, some lawyers said. While employers generally have legal authority to monitor their employees' work communications, private communications exist in more of a gray area. "Usually, if an employee does not expect privacy when using a corporate device, a company would not be found in violation for searching the device," said Alena Shautsova, a New York City lawyer focused on employment discrimination and other issues. "If, however ... the corporation monitors intentionally his private email or other private accounts, then I believe violations will be found." The case also may have implications for corporate monitoring of employees when those employees correspond with people outside the company, added Braden Perry, a regulatory and government investigations attorney with Kansas City-based Kennyhertz Perry. "If services monitor in 'real-time' even with the employees consent, those that the employee corresponds with may have a cause of action," he said by email. "This decision not only places potential liability on the individual using the service but the service itself." The case could also raise alarm bells for vendors of software as a service, said Dimitri Sirota, CEO and founder of BigID, an enterprise privacy management vendor. The ruling "raises serious questions about the liability of software-as-service companies in suits where software is used to violate privacy, " he said by email. "With many software packages now delivered as SaaS, the case "raises the specter that a vendor could end up as a co-defendant if a user (company or individual) makes use of the software-as-service in an illegal way." Awareness Technologies didn't immediately respond to a request for comments on the court ruling. Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus. A reader has requested information on the former Cotten Patch restaurant which was located at 2501 E. Main Street. Here's what has been found: The restaurant was started in the mid-1950's at 2520 Rossville Boulevard by John W. Cotton. The business had to relocate to Main Street due to construction of I-24. The Cotton Patch operated until the late 1980's. The Cotten Patch had a large neon sign featuring a cotton boll and signifying barbecue as the main menu item. If you have additional information or memories, please contact me at jolleyh@bellsouth.net. Responses from Readers The first I knew of the Cotton Patch was when it was on Rossville Blvd. it along with Swafford's Drugs and Swafford's Hardware were displaced by the I-24 and urban renewal. John served a barbecue I would describe as similar to Memphis Dry. He had ribs as well I seem to remember. John relocated his place to Main St. very close to Dodds when the interstate forced him to move. I never ate at that place but it was very close to Allen Music. Tani Allen, steel guitarist extraordinaire, had a mostly guitar store on Dodds. My dad had a piano studio there where he taught piano and other private instrument lessons. It seems like J Wiley ran the place for a while after John died but not long. John was also Recorder for the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine when it was at First and Market. That's where I first met John. My dad was a Shriner and he would take me by there with him occasionally when he had business to attend. He ran the Orchestra and periodically had to drop by. John was always there in office behind the glass door. I wondered who ran the Barbecue restaurant. I think it was his wife. In response to your request for information and memories about the Cotton Patch - I remember it well as it is where I met a tall, handsome man in 1966 who later became my husband. No doubt many matches were made there over the years. Guys and girls would circle through to "see and be seen." Although bar-B-Q was a specialty, they had wonderful cheeseburgers. The menu was posted on a billboard. Headlights were returned on to signal when you were ready to order. The servers would respond by coming to the car to get the order, then they would return with the food and beverages. It's a good memory. I was a CPD police officer in the late 70s and all of the 80s and I worked the East Lake, Ridgedale, Highland Park area on 3rd shift for most of that time. John Cotten had a huge public address system on his building which could be heard many blocks away. If there were trouble makers on the lot, he would get on the PA and let the police know there was trouble. ''Hey Police! The blue Chevy on the back row is ''a'smokin' that dope!" He didn't put up with nonsense on his lot and would telephone the CPD and request our presence on his lot on occasion. Sometimes the situation just required a slow drive through and other times much more. His lot was always full on Friday and Saturday night with car hops working hard and with the number of vintage cars showing up, it was like a trip back into the 50s. It was a trouble spot on toward the end and many in my profession were glad to see it closed. What is a Jew? Israeli museum attempts an answer JERUSALEMI was on a short visit to Israel and spent time with a friend with whom I have been engaged in a 30-year argument. Elli... When anti-Semitism rears its head, we must be ready to fight it Anti-Semitism is a force that is persistent as well as pernicious. When it occurs, it must be fought both by being confronted in real time... CHI Memorial Medical Group announces Horton Family Medicine in Dayton has joined its group of practices. The practice has changed its name to CHI Memorial Horton Family Medicine Associates Dayton. Dr. Horton has taken care of people in this community for many years, said Glyn Hughes, president, Mountain Management. We are thrilled to have him and his staff join our team as we work together to help create a healthier community. Chris Horton, M.D. received his medical degree from University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis. He completed his residency at University of Tennessee St. Francis Family Medicine, Memphis. He is board certified in family medicine. Dr. Horton and Katie Swafford-Hartman, FNP, are welcoming new and established patients. CHI Memorial Horton Family Medicine Associates Dayton is located at 7693 Rhea County Hwy., Suite 3, Dayton, Tn. 37321. The practice is open Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m.-noon. To schedule an appointment, or for more information, call 423-570-8545. Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. Police search for possible witness to fatal wreck Police are searching for a possible witness to a fatal accident last week on U.S. 52 near 25th Street. Mia Monique Anthony was killed about 8 a.m. Aug. 9, when her car went off the road and struck the center median divider. The collision caused the car to roll over, partially ejecting Anthony. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the initial collision and believe that the driver of a silver passenger vehicle that was in the breakdown lane of U.S. 52 North might have seen what happened. Anyone with information about the silver vehicle should contact the Winston-Salem Police Department at (336) 773-7700 or the Traffic Enforcement Unit supervisor at (336) 986-9329. Journal Staff 1 dead, 2 in custody after shooting at Lenoir Walmart LENOIR Police in Lenoir say one man was shot and killed and two people are in custody after a shooting at a Walmart. Lenoir Police Chief Scott Brown said Tuesday that 32-year-old Carl Marcus Nivins died after firing a shot at police officers. Brown said officers responded to a report by Walmart employees about suspicious activity. The chief said as officers approached, Nivins tried to flee the scene and fired at officers before one of them shot and killed him. Brown said both Nivins and the officers were white. He also said two other people with Nivens were arrested on outstanding warrants on unrelated charges. The State Bureau of Investigation is also looking into the shooting. The officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation. The Associated Press Body of missing 3-year-old girl found GASTONIA Gaston County police say they have found the remains thought to be those of a missing 3-year-old girl, and that the boyfriend of the girls mother is charged in her death. Online records show 25-year-old William Joseph McCullen is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jordan Ann Dumont, who was reported missing from her Bessemer City home on Monday. McCullen is jailed without bond, and its not known if he has an attorney. Officials say McCullen, who was caring for the child, told police he last saw the girl around 1 p.m. Monday and notified authorities when he realized she was missing. Searchers looked for the child until late Monday night. Gaston County Police Chief Joseph Ramey told volunteers Tuesday morning that a childs remains had been found. The Associated Press FAIRFAX, Va. A sheriff's deputy fatally shot a hospital patient who was wielding a metal sign post and appeared to be mentally disturbed, police said Tuesday. The 29-year-old Hispanic man had just been discharged from Inova Fairfax Hospital Monday night when he began wielding a sign post with a sharp metal end, Police Chief Edwin Roessler said at a news conference. A hospital security guard was struck by the post before a sheriff's deputy who was guarding another hospital patient responded, Roessler said. The deputy tried to talk the man down, but he continued to charge at the deputy, prompting him to fire multiple shots, Roessler said. After shooting the man, the deputy began rendering first aid, as did police officers who responded shortly thereafter. Then, fire and rescue personnel arrived and transported him the short distance back to the hospital emergency room, Roessler said. Initially, police said the man's injuries were not life-threatening, but county police spokesman Don Gotthardt said the man died early Tuesday. Roessler didn't identify either the patient or the deputy, who is now on administrative leave. Sheriff Stacey Kincaid said the deputy is an 18-year veteran, but she declined to identify the deputy's name or race. Roessler said the deputy had received crisis-intervention training, and tried to de-escalate the situation. As the man charged toward him, the deputy tried to tactically retreat and walk back before eventually firing the weapon. "Unfortunately the adult male kept on coming at him with the sign post in a cocked position ready to strike," Roessler said. Roessler said it was "absolutely appropriate" for the deputy to respond to the situation, given his ability to get there quickly because he was already at the hospital. Roessler and Kincaid said sheriff's deputies have full law-enforcement authority in Virginia, even though their primary duties in Fairfax County involve security at the county jail and courthouse. The encounter between the deputy and the man was captured on hospital surveillance video, Roessler said, but will not be released until an investigation is finished. Hospital spokeswoman Tracy Connell said she could not comment because it involved a patient protected by federal privacy rules. It's not clear whether the man was hospitalized for mental-health treatment, but Roessler said the man's behavior made it clear that "in some way, shape or form he was suffering from some kind of mental episode." The county police department's major-crimes division assumed responsibility for the criminal investigation and the sheriff's office will conduct an internal investigation, police said in a news release. The hospital security guard who was struck by the sign post was treated at the hospital and released, Roessler said. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Reddit Email 0 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | Russian bombers for the first time have taken off from bases in Iran to carry out air strikes on rebel targets in Syria. The US military is complaining that under a Russian agreement with the US, it was supposed to get a timely notification of Russia air strikes so they could avoid any conflicts. The Russians appear to have given the Americans last-minute notice enough so that the US could make the necessary arrangements, but only barely so. Likely Russia did not want to give the US time to complain about the basing in Iran or to try to pressure Moscow back out of this plan. According to Russian sources, this procedure is a matter of saving money on logistics. But the move will inevitably be seen in the light of grand strategy. A tightening of Russian-Iranian security cooperation will be seen by Saudi Arabia and Israel as a threat, and since those two countries have the most powerful lobbies in Washington, it will view the development as threatening, as well. BBC Monitoring says that Admiral Vladimir Komoyedov, chair of the State Dumas Defence Committee and a former commander of the Black Sea Fleet, told RNS (Rambler News Service, 0952 gmt 16 Aug 16): It is expensive and takes a long time to fly from bases in the European part of Russia. The issue of the cost of military combat activities is, at present, a priority. We must not go over the current Defence Ministry budget. Flying Tu-22s from Iran means using less fuel and carrying larger payloads . . . Russia wont be able to find a friendlier and more suitable, from the point of view of security, country in that part of the world, and strikes must be carried out if we want to end this war . . . Airfields in Syria are not suitable because of the constant [need for] flying over areas of combat activities. TeleSur reports that the long-range Russian Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 fighter bombers took off from Irans Hamadan air base. These are the first strikes by Russia on Syrian targets from the territory of another country. It is also unprecedented since 1979 for the Islamic Republic of Iran to allow a foreign power to use its facilities for military purposes. The United States had bases in Iran in the 1960s and 1970s and US soldiers were guaranteed immunity from prosecution in Iranian courts. After 1979 when Iran and the US cut off relations, the slogan of Iran was Neither East nor West, an Islamic Republic. This slogan referred to the Cold War exigency of allying with the US or the USSR, and Khomeinis refusal to play that game. From an Iranian point of view, closer military relations with the Russian Federation at this juncture have advantages. They are some protection from the belligerence toward Tehran of Binyamin Netanyahus far-right, expansionist Israeli government, and of the new and reckless Saudi government, which is bombing Yemen, supporting Salafi extremists in Syria, and rattling sabers at Iran. Asked about the Russian basing, Ali Shamkhani, the head of Irans National Security Council, said that it was a matter of strategic cooperation against terrorism given the importance of defeating ISIL. Shamkhani appears to have been a little embarrassed about the de facto return of Iran to being a military asset of a great power. He went on to underline that in all its struggles in the region against terrorism, in Yemen, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, Tehran was depending primarily on local people power. What Russia and Iran arent talking about is that apparently they have given up on the February cease-fire in favor of an aggressive campaign to conquer rebel-held East Aleppo as a way of ending the Syrian civil war. The Russian air strikes from Iran are in service to that goal. Since it is likely that there will be a Clinton administration in January, this Russian-Iran cooperation on Syria will pose a problem for a president Hillary Clinton. She is on record as wanting to overthrow Bashar al-Assad in Syria, to impose a no-fly zone over that country, and to support the remnants of the Free Syrian Army exactly the opposite of the policies of Moscow and Tehran. You could imagine a clash. The development may also hurt Donald Trump, since he says he wants an alliance with Russia against Daesh (ISIL, ISIS). Since Russia has such an alliance with Iran, wouldnt that in reality make Trump allied with Iran? (Actually the US is already de facto allied with Iran against Daesh, but no one is willing to admit it.) Related video added by Juan Cole: CCTV: Russia uses Iranian base to bomb ISIL in Syria VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug. 17, 2016) - Canterra Minerals Corporation (TSX VENTURE:CTM) (the "Company" or "Canterra") is pleased to announce that it has signed a property agreement with CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:CVV) ("CanAlaska") to acquire up to a 70% interest in the West Carswell property (the "Property") located in the western Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan. The company also announces the commencement of a detailed 1,770 line kilometer ("km") airborne magnetic survey over the Property. The West Carswell property comprises approximately 44,000 hectares within the west Athabasca Kimberlite trend and is located 20 km southwest of De Beers' / CanAlaska's Athabasca Diamond Project. The Property encompasses six discrete magnetic anomalies derived from a survey flown in 2011 for the Saskatchewan Geological Survey. These six targets exhibit discrete magnetic lows and are characteristic of magnetic features, thought to be kimberlite pipes, intruding into the thick Athabasca sandstone sequence. Randy Turner, President and CEO of Canterra stated, "We are excited to be working with CanAlaska. CanAlaska has been innovative in their approach to diamond exploration and identified many new targets within northwestern Saskatchewan; a region we believe has the potential to host a new Canadian kimberlite field." Peter Dasler, President and CEO of CanAlaska stated, "We are very pleased to be working with Canterra, and to be able to use their considerable expertise in diamonds. This is a very interesting group of magnetic targets close to existing infrastructure." Pursuant to the agreement, the Company can acquire a 50% interest in the Property by making staged cash payments totaling $100,000 ($30,000 upon closing), the issuance of 2,000,000 million shares upon closing and work commitments of $1,000,000 by the third anniversary of the closing. Upon completion of the 50% earn-in, Canterra and CanAlaska will form a Joint Venture with each party maintaining a 50% ownership. Canterra will have the option to acquire an additional 20% ownership for additional cash payment of $100,000, an additional issuance of 1,000,000 shares and incurring a further $4,000,000 within the third anniversary of completion of the initial 50% earn-in. The transaction is subject to approval of the TSX.V. Bruce Kienlen, P.Geol, Senior Geologist for Canterra is the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed the technical information in this news release. About Canterra: Canterra Minerals is a Canadian resource company specializing in diamond exploration in the Northwest Territories, strategically located between the Snap Lake Diamond Mine and the Gahcho Kue Diamond Project. The Company also maintains a 33% interest in the Buffalo Hills Diamond Project in Alberta and has recently acquired an option to earn 70% in the West Carswell property in Saskatchewan. As leaders of exploration in the junior diamond sector for over 25 years, the Canterra team has been involved in the discovery of two of Canada's four diamond mines, the Snap Lake Diamond Mine in the South Slave and the Ekati Diamond Mine in Lac de Gras. Location maps can be found on the Company's website www.canterraminerals.com. About CanAlaska: CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. holds interests in approximately 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres), one of the largest land positions in Canada's Athabasca Basin region - the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings has attracted major international mining companies Cameco, Denison, KORES, KEPCO, and the De Beers Group of Companies. CanAlaska is a project generator and is positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. For further information visit www.canalaska.com. CANTERRA MINERALS CORPORATION Randy Turner, President & CEO The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - August 17, 2016) - Maritime Resources Corp. (TSXV: MAE) ("Maritime"), is pleased to announce that with the Prefeasibility Study ("PFS") well underway the Company has engaged independent Stantec Consulting Ltd. ("Stantec") to initiate the permitting process on Hammerdown, Rumbullion and Orion gold deposits located on the Company's Green Bay Property in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As the Hammerdown mine recently closed in 2004 this is considered as a Brownfield's status project with minimal environmental impact. Santac's scope of work will include the environmental planning and permitting required to support the re-activation of the past producing Hammerdown Mine. About Stantec Consulting Ltd.: Stantec employs approximately 22,000 employees working in over 400 locations across six continents. They collaborate across disciplines and industries to bring buildings, energy and resource, environmental, and infrastructure projects to life. Through more than 40 years of operation in Newfoundland & Labrador, Stantec has developed an Environmental Services team with extensive project experience which includes EAs, associated baseline and life-of-project environmental monitoring for mining projects and other industries. Stantec's local team has been involved in projects throughout Newfoundland and Labrador, and across the country, providing in-depth understanding of environmental and regulatory issues, and associated solutions, relevant to Maritime's re-activation of the Hammerdown mine. In addition, Stantec's experienced mining engineering team provides Maritime with access to top notch expertise in this field, available if and when required. About Maritime Resources Corp: Maritime has engaged independent third party engineering firm WSP Canada Inc. ("WSP") to complete the PFS and evaluate the mining potential of the past producing Hammerdown deposit. The economic assessment and prefeasibility engineering is estimated to be completed by calendar Q4 2016. The Company has also entered into a Engineering, Evaluation and Services Agreement ("Agreement") withRambler Metals and Mining PLC (AIM: RMM) (TSXV: RAB) ("Rambler") to evaluate the economic potential of re-opening the past producing Hammerdown gold mine located within Maritime's Green Bay Property, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Maritime Resources holds 100% of the Green Bay property, located near Springdale, Newfoundland and Labrador. The property hosts the past producing Hammerdown gold mine and the Orion gold deposit, separated by a 1.5 km distance. An initial Independent Mineral Resource Estimate for the Green Bay Gold property was prepared in accordance to the requirements of NI 43 101 and released in early June 2013. The study estimates the property to contain in excess of 425,000 ounces of gold (727,500 tonnes @ 11.59 g/t Au at Hammerdown and 1,096,500 tonnes @ 4.47 g/t Au at Orion) in the Measured and Indicated categories and in excess of 660,000 ounces (1,767,000 tonnes @ 7.58 g/t Au at Hammerdown and 1,288,000 tonnes @ 5.44 g/t Au at Orion) in the Inferred category, both at a 3 g/t cut-off grade. The estimate was compiled by Tetra Tech of Ontario. The Hammerdown gold deposit was successfully mined by Richmont Mines between 2000 and 2004 while gold prices averaged $325/oz. During its operation, a total of 291,400 tonnes of ore were mined and milled, at an average grade of 15.83 g/t gold with a cut off grade of 8 grams / t Au, recovering a total of 143,000 ounces of gold. All of the ore was processed at the Nugget Pond mill, now owned and operated by Rambler Metals and Mining Canada Limited, with an average gold recovery of 97.1% . Mining terminated in 2004 due to low gold prices with extensive gold mineralization remaining, although uneconomic at that time. The Orion gold deposit consists of two main vein systems, both of which are open along strike, and down plunge to the northeast. SENSITIVITY OF RESOURCES TO GRADE CUT-OFF Grade Gold Resource Category Cut-off Deposit Tonnes (g/t Au) (Ounces) 2 g/t Au HD, RM, MS 831,330 10.46 279,574 Orion 1,581,500 3.87 196,776 3 g/t Au HD, RM, MS 727,460 11.59 271,072 Measured and Orion 1,096,500 4.47 157,582 Indicated 4 g/t Au HD, RM, MS 642,180 12.67 261,592 Orion 630,500 5.24 106,220 5 g/t Au HD, RM, MS 562,760 13.82 250,048 Orion 347,200 5.86 65,414 2 g/t Au HD, RM, MS 2,204,000 6.64 470,513 Orion 1,891,000 4.52 274,803 3 g/t Au HD, RM, MS 1,767,000 7.68 436,304 Inferred Orion 1,288,000 5.44 225,272 4 g/t Au HD, RM, MS 1,336,000 9.02 387,440 Orion 917,000 6.18 182,201 5 g/t Au HD, RM, MS 1,027,000 10.39 343,066 Orion 692,000 6.75 150,176 HD = Hammerdown RM = Rumbullion MS = Muddy Shag Further information on the Green Bay Gold Property can be found on our website along with the NI43-101 compliant Technical Report filed on SEDAR on July 11, 2013 at www.maritimeresourcescorp.com. Bernard H. Kahlert, P.Eng. is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this release. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Doug Fulcher President, CEO For further information, please call: Cathy DiVito, Investor Relations Telephone: (604) 336-7322 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Statements in this press release, other than purely historical information, including statements relating to the Company's future plans and objectives or expected results, may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions and are subject to all of the risks and uncertainties inherent in resource exploration and development. As a result, actual results may vary materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Amy Schumer Is Coming To Naperville This Weekend For Book Tour By Stephen Gossett in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 16, 2016 8:43PM Amy Schumer is one of the funniest people alive, so wed probably recommend you pay to see her stand in line at the post office. But the Trainwreck writer/star will go several steps better when appears in Naperville this Saturday to promote her much-anticipated new personal essay collection, The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo. Presented by Anderson's Bookshop, Schumer will appear at Pfeiffer Hall (310 E. Benton Ave.) at 2 p.m. Tickets ($32) include a copy of the book. And for those looking for details about her relationship with Chicago native Ben Hanisch, Schumer does indeed offer some light on how they met and started seeing each other in the book. Earlier this year, Schumer vociferously (and hilariously) denied rumors that she met Hanisch through Bumble, but she did in fact meet the irritatingly handsome furniture designer through a dating app. The Tribune speculates it was likely Raya, the exclusive, celeb-preferred networking platform. Hanisch, it turns out, was the first person she met on the app. They met(-cute) a few weeks later, per the Tribune: The night I first met Ben in person ... it was raining. I'd just had acupuncture, so there was oil in my hair and there were deep red lines on my cheeks from being face down on the table, but I put on jeans instead of sweatpants and walked downstairs to meet him outside. I got out into the rain, and Ben was standing there, no umbrella or hood, with a soggy paper bag with a bottle of wine in it. We smiled at each other and in that moment, everything felt right. Oh, and if you don't already, make sure to follow Schumer on social media. If she announces another surprise standup performance, you won't want to miss the boat. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug. 17, 2016) - IDM Mining Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:IDM) ("IDM" or the "Company") is pleased to announce an update to engineering and permitting activities and ongoing plans for the 2016 field season at the Red Mountain Gold Project, located in the Golden Triangle, east of Stewart B.C. Knight Piesold Ltd, a geotechnical engineering company, has been retained to conduct a Geotechnical Site Investigation at the Bromley Humps area, located within the Bitter Creek Valley, approximately five kilometers west of the Red Mountain Gold Deposit. The purpose of this study is to support feasibility-level designs for the potential mineral processing plant site foundations and waste and water management facilities. "IDM is committed to a high level of design and engineering for the proposed site infrastructure at Red Mountain," said Michael McPhie, Executive Chairman. "Our initial studies suggest that the Bromley Humps location represents an ideal location for the modest infrastructure required for a high-grade underground mine." A total of 10 geotechnical holes are planned: nine vertical and one inclined within the proposed embankment areas for the tailings management facility ("TMF"), with drilling currently underway. These HQ-diameter holes will penetrate at least 30 meters into bedrock, and hydrological and geotechnical tests will be completed. Additionally, three water quality monitoring wells will be established at the Bromley Humps location. Test pits will be excavated to test potential construction and fill material sources from within and proximal to the proposed location for the facilities, primarily from glacial moraine and river gravels. It is anticipated that the drilling will be complete by early September 2016. Geological mapping suggests that the Bromley Humps area is underlain primarily by bedrock with local thin overburden. The majority of the area is underlain by a competent, carbonate-rich gabbro intrusive, with local areas of cherty sedimentary rocks and diorite. Vegetation is primarily alder thickets and stands of cottonwood trees. Additionally, working with lead engineering firm JDS Mining and Energy, the Company is completing engineering studies to advance the Red Mountain underground gold project, including underground metallurgical and geotechnical drilling, hydrological and groundwater studies, as well as road and powerline right-of-way studies. On July 12, 2016, IDM announced an Updated Preliminary Economic Assessment for the Project; the accompanying technical report will filed shortly on the Company website and at www.sedar.com. IDM, through various contractors and consultants, has been actively completing environmental baseline and assessment work since 2014, including hydrological and ground water studies, wildlife, fisheries and geohazard surveys amongst others. Proactive, respectful, and transparent consultation and engagement with the Nisga'a Nation is ongoing. About Red Mountain The 17,125 hectare Red Mountain Gold Project is located in northwestern BC, 15 km northeast of the town of Stewart. Discovered in 1989, the property was explored extensively until 1996 by Lac Minerals Ltd. and Royal Oak Mines Inc., with 466 diamond drill holes and over 2,000 meters of underground development completed, along with extensive engineering and environmental baseline work. Additional studies were completed over the past 12 years by Seabridge Gold Inc., North American Metals Corp. and Banks Island Gold Ltd. On April 4, 2016, the Company announced an updated mineral resource estimate reported at 3.0 g/t Au cut-off for the Red Mountain Project. Classification Tonnage Au Ag Oz Au Oz Ag (g/t) (g/t) Measured 847,200 9.38 34 255,400 920,700 Indicated 794,600 7.29 18 186,100 459,100 Measured + Indicated 1,641,800 8.36 26 441,500 1,379,800 Inferred 548,100 6.10 9 107,500 153,700 Red Mountain is a porphyry-related hydrothermal gold system, located in the Stikine terrain. Gold mineralization is associated with, and partially hosted within an early to mid-Jurassic multi-phase intrusive complex, with associated volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks and sediments. Many gold mineralized zones occur on the Property, including five mineralized zones with established resource estimates. The five mineralized zones (Marc, AV, JW, 141 and 132) have been folded, and are often separated by dip-slip fault zones. The mineralized zones vary in orientation from shallow to steeply dipping and are generally tabular. The Marc, AV and JW zones vary in widths from one to forty meters, averaging about fifteen meters in thickness. Gold and silver mineralization is associated with stockworks, disseminations and patches of coarse grained pyrite, surrounded by a pyrrhotite/sphalerite halo. Alteration facies includes strong quartz-sericite alteration. Additional information, including the Company's NI 43-101 Technical Reports for the Red Mountain Project, is available at www.idmmining.com and at www.Redmountainproject.com as well as www.sedar.com. QA/QC AND QUALIFIED PERSON Engineering work on the Red Mountain Property is performed under the supervision of Wayne Corso, P.E., Project Manager-Engineering for IDM Mining Ltd. Rob McLeod, P.Geo, President and CEO of IDM Mining Ltd has reviewed and approved the technical content of this release. Both Mr. McLeod and Mr. Corso are 'Qualified Persons' under NI 43-101. ABOUT IDM MINING LTD. IDM Mining Ltd. is a mineral exploration and development company based in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The Company's current exploration and development activities are focused on precious metals in British Columbia and Yukon with a primary focus on the high grade underground Red Mountain Project which has entered the BC and Canadian environmental assessment process. Further information can be found on the Company's website at www.IDMmining.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD of IDM Mining Ltd. Robert McLeod, President, CEO and Director "Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release." Forward-Looking Statements: Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information or forward-looking statements for the purposes of applicable securities laws. These statements include, among others, statements with respect to the proposed exploration and development activities and their timing, resource estimates and potential mineralization. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, among others and in addition to those described elsewhere in this release, timing and success of future exploration and development activities, exploration and development risks, delays in obtaining or inability to obtain required government or other regulatory approvals, permits or financing, the risk of unexpected variations in mineral resources, grade or recovery rates, of failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, of accidents, labor disputes, and unanticipated delays in completing other development activities, the risk that estimated costs will be higher than anticipated and the risk that the proposed mine plan and recoveries will not be achieved, equipment breakdowns and bad weather, the timing and success of future exploration and development activities, exploration and development risks, mineral resources are not as estimated, title matters, third party consents, operating hazards, metal prices, political and economic factors, competitive factors and general economic conditions. In making the forward-looking statements, the Company has applied several material assumptions including, but not limited to, the assumptions that: required regulatory approval, permits and financing will be obtained; the proposed exploration and development will proceed as planned; with respect to mineral resource estimates, the key assumptions and parameters on which such estimates are based; that the proposed mine plan and recoveries will be achieved, that capital costs and sustaining costs will be as estimated, and that no unforeseen accident, fire, ground instability, flooding, labor disruption, equipment failure, metallurgical, environmental or other events that could delay or increase the cost of development will occur, and market fundamentals will result in sustained metals and minerals prices. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as otherwise required by applicable securities legislation. DENVER, COLORADO and VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Aug. 17, 2016) - Sandspring Resources Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:SSP)(OTCQX:SSPXF) ("Sandspring" or the "Company") is pleased to announce commencement of the 2016 exploration campaign at its Toroparu Gold Project ("Toroparu") in Guyana, South America. Sona Hill Prospect In 2015 the Company completed a 3,700-meter diamond drilling program on the promising Sona Hill Prospect, located 5 km southeast of the main Toroparu deposit. Sona Hill is the eastern most gold anomaly in a cluster of ten gold features located within a 20 km by 7 km hydrothermal alteration halo around Toroparu. Drilling at Sona Hill in 2012 and in 2015 intercepted high-grade mineralization in both saprolite and bedrock, and confirmed the continuity and grade potential of the Sona Hill mineralization. Highlights from the 2015 drill program include: Hole-ID From (m) To (m) Drill Width (m) Weighted Gold Grade Average (g/t) SOD022 53.5 59.4 5.9 23.41 incl. 56.5 58.0 1.5 41.40 SOD029 62.7 66.7 4.0 8.72 incl. 62.7 64.0 1.3 16.80 SOD031 0.0 4.0 4.0 8.45 incl. 0.0 2.5 2.5 11.40 SOD032 86.1 90.0 3.9 5.48 incl. 86.1 87.2 1.1 17.20 SOD009 101.4 105.3 4.0 6.84 SOD009 68.3 74.5 6.2 3.74 SOD038 44.5 55.0 10.5 3.63 * (cut-off grade 0.5 g/t; no grade capping applied) Drilling to date has confirmed Management's belief that the Sona Hill anomaly hosts higher-grade, shallower mineralization that could complement the existing Toroparu and Satellite deposits and improve project economics. To further confirm the continuity of mineralization between existing drill holes, Sandspring has initiated a 5,800-meter infill drilling program in 50 diamond drill holes on 50m x 50m spacing (Figure 1). This drill density is designed to allow the Company to model and estimate a resource for the Sona Hill anomaly that can be incorporated into the mine plan for the Toroparu project. The drill program should be complete in early December, with results available in February 2017. Concurrent with the drill program, Sandspring is extending surface exploration west of the Sona Hill anomaly. The program includes saprolite geochemical as well as geophysical surveys designed to identify gold mineralization down-dip and to the west of mineralization currently delineated at Sona Hill. The presence of magnetite in the hydrothermal alteration zones that carry gold mineralization at Sona Hill provide a potential marker for ground magnetics and induced polarization survey methods to trace the mineralization and further define the structural setting in the targeted exploration area. The program includes eight line kilometers of ground geophysics at 100m and 200m spacings (Figure 2), additional sampling to tighten the saprolite geochemistry grid to 100m x 50m, and a small alluvial sampling program. Otomung Concession Geochemical surveys in 2015 identified new gold anomalous features in the Otomung Concession north of Toroparu, suggesting a geological context similar to that of the Toroparu Deposit, as predicted by Sandspring's restraining shear bending zone geologic model for the area (Figure 3). The Toroparu Deposit and surrounding gold anomalies lie at the southern edge of a large bending zone in the Puruni Shear Corridor, a regional feature that can be traced more than 100km into the prolific Venezuelan Gold District. Sandspring's geologic model suggests that the northern part of the large bending zone may contain a similar structural pattern as Toroparu and a favorable geological context for gold mineralization within the Otomung Concession area. In 2015 Sandspring completed a 100-km2 regional geochemical survey on the Otomung Concession, collecting 764 samples on a 1000m x 100m grid. Sandspring will follow up these results with an extension of the survey grid further to the northwest to explore for other intrusive structures, collecting an estimated 300 samples on a 1000m x 100m grid. In addition, the Company will infill survey lines and sampling in the previously explored area to develop new drill targets, collecting an estimated 700 samples on a 200m x 50m grid. The technical information in this document has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Lucas W. Claessens, P.Geo. and Pascal Van Osta, P.Geo., both Senior Exploration Consultants for Sandspring, who have sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralization under consideration and are Qualified Persons under National Instrument 43-101. Reduced Exploration Concession Area The Company has held mineral exploration concessions in the Upper Puruni River Area of northwestern Guyana, South America, covering an area of 242,691 acres (98,214 hectares) referred to as the "Upper Puruni Property", which hosts the Toroparu Deposit. The Company continuously reviews the composition of its mineral exploration concessions based on the results of exploration work. The results of exploration work to date, including drilling and surface exploration (primarily geochemical and airborne surveys), indicate that the Company should concentrate its land holdings along the Puruni Shear Zone, which runs northwest-southeast along the Puruni River and is believed to extend from the Toroparu Deposit into the Venezuelan Gold District. Accordingly, the Company has been restructuring its mineral exploration concessions to ensure that exploration work and resources are focused on the areas considered to be most prospective. As an initial step in the land restructuring, the Company acquired rights in 2015 to the Otomung Concession. In June 2016, as a second step in the land restructuring, the Company surrendered 96,067 acres. Accordingly, as of June 30, 2016, the Upper Puruni Property covers a total of 154,696 acres (62,603 hectares). The Company will consider further land adjustments as additional exploration work is completed. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Sandspring Resources Richard A. Munson, Director and Chief Executive Officer About Sandspring Resources Ltd. Sandspring Resources Ltd. is a Canadian junior mining company currently moving toward a definitive feasibility study for the multi-million ounce Toroparu Project in the Guyana, South America. A prefeasibility study completed in May 2013 (NI 43-101 Technical Report, Prefeasibility Study, Toroparu Gold Project, Upper Puruni River Area, Guyana, dated May 24, 2013 completed by SRK Consulting (U.S.), Inc., available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com) outlined the design of an open-pit mine producing more than 200,000 ounces of gold annually over an initial 16-year mine life. Sandspring and Silver Wheaton have entered into a gold and silver purchase agreement for the Toroparu Project. Sandspring intends to undertake additional exploration at the Toroparu Project in 2016. Additional information is available at www.sandspringresources.com or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 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. Quality Assurance / Quality Control The drill program and sampling protocol is managed by Sandspring under the supervision of Lucas W. Claessens, P.Geo. and Pascal Van Osta, P.Geo. The diamond drill holes are drilled at HQ and NQ sizes and core recovery to date has averaged 94%. Half core is cut by rock saw and is generally sampled using 1.5 m meter intervals. Analytical testing and reporting of quantitative assays for the results reported in this press release was performed independently by Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories in Vancouver, Canada. Bureau Veritas Commodities Canada Ltd. is an ISO9001: 2008 accredited laboratory. Gold analyses reported in this release were performed by standard fire assay (FA450) using a 50 gram charge with atomic absorption finish and a gravimetric finish for assays greater than 10 grams per tonne. Samples from the geochemical survey were submitted for analysis of ICP 37 elements (including gold) AQ252 30 gram (Aqua Regia digestion - Ultratrace ICP-MS analyses). A system of blanks, standards and duplicates were added by the Company to the sample streams to verify accuracy and precision of assay results, supplementing a variety of internal QA/QC tests performed by Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories. The half core samples were securely transported by Sandspring personnel from the project site to the Bureau Veritas sample preparation facility in Georgetown, Guyana. Forward-looking Statements This news release contains certain forward-looking information and statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words "potential", "suggesting", "indicating", "will", "plans" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking information and/or statements. Forward-looking statements and/or information are based on a number of material factors, expectations and/or assumptions that Sandspring has used to develop such statements and/or information, but which may prove to be incorrect. Although Sandspring believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Sandspring can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Such information and/or statements, including the assumptions made in respect thereof, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results and/or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information and/or statements including, without limitation: the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development; risks associated with the uncertainty of exploration results and estimates; results from drilling and exploration activities and Sandspring's ability to identify additional gold mineralization; Sandspring's ability to successfully advance the Toroparu Gold Project toward feasibility; Sandspring's future plans; the availability of financing and/or cash flow to fund current and future plans and expenditures; the impact of increasing competition; fluctuating commodity prices; the general stability of applicable economic and political environments; the general continuance of current industry conditions; uncertainty regarding the market price for gold, silver and copper; uncertainty of conducting operations under a foreign regime; uncertainty of obtaining all applicable regulatory approvals and related timing matters; Sandspring's dependence on management personnel; and/or certain other risks detailed from time-to-time in Sandspring's public disclosure documents. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as at the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake any obligations to publicly update and/or revise any of the included forward-looking statements, whether as a result of additional information, future events and/or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. JURIST Guest Columnist Fredrick Vars [PDF] of the University of Alabama School of Law, proposes a compromise federal approach to the problem of guns and terrorism Just over two months ago we witnessed the worst mass shooting in US history, which, with 49 killed, was also the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil since 9/11. There followed a successful filibuster in the Senate to at least force votes. A rare, dramatic sit-in on the House floor failed. But that was June. Now it seems the country has forgotten. No one wants terrorists to have guns, but the two parties moved on before building on this common ground. While nothing passed Congress, the seeds of a compromise are buried in the failed Senate bills. The first step is to authorize the Attorney General to obtain a judicial order barring gun purchase by persons under reasonable suspicion of terrorism. This would happen in advance of an attempted gun purchase and be kept secret until such an attempt. The process would be like obtaining a warrant or a gun violence restraining order under California law. A person denied a gun could have her rights restored expeditiously if she shows that the government made a mistake. The reasonable suspicion language comes from Democratic Senator Dianne Feinsteins (Calif.) proposal, but does not differ substantially from Republican Senator John Cornyns (Tex.) suspected terrorist trigger. The parties agree that this is the right population to target. Senator Susan Collins (R-Me.) has proposed barring gun purchases by people on the narrower No Fly List. That proposal, which stalled, misses the mark. It would allow gun sales to too many dangerous people, and it would prevent sales based solely on executive discretion. In contrast, the judicial order requirement in my proposal provides adequate due process and a check against overzealous listing by the executive. Even advocates of strict gun control should recognize the potential for abuse. Based on his public statements, President Donald Trump might well label all Muslims suspected terrorists or put them on the No Fly List. Of course, judicial review up front will not be perfect either, so the opportunity to correct mistakes quickly is key. The next two components of my proposal go together. The second element would be to authorize the Attorney General without a judicial order to flag additional suspects. The FBI would be immediately notified of an attempted gun purchase by any person on this list. Third, institute a national waiting period for all firearm purchases (or at least first firearm purchases). Some states, like Florida and Illinois, already have waiting periods, but most do not. The delay would give the government time to arrest the suspect, seek a judicial order barring gun purchase, or decide that the risk warrants neither action. The parties agree on FBI notification. And it is the Senate Republicans, with NRA support, who proposed a waiting period. To be sure, my proposal goes beyond the Cornyn delay period, which was just for terror suspects, but the expansion is critical to reducing the threat of armed terrorist attacks. Limiting the waiting period to terror suspects would alert them to the FBIs suspicions and could lead them to speed up plans, flee, or go into hiding. Without an across-the-board delay, the government would be forced to choose between keeping guns away from suspected terrorists like the Orlando shooter and compromising ongoing investigations. And the government cannot be expected to make a split-second decision while a transaction is taking place. National security justifies a small delay in exercising our Second Amendment rights. The final step is to adopt universal or near-universal background checks. The effectiveness of any proposal depends on its scope. If there are easy avenues to avoid background checks, some terrorists will exploit them to purchase guns. Our best chance of preventing terrorists from obtaining firearms is to close existing loopholes at the same time as we tighten restrictions. On this last element of the proposal, it must be conceded that there is no consensus in the Senate. Senator Christopher Murphys (D-Conn.) background check expansion bill failed along party lines. The public overwhelmingly favors expanded background checksaround 90% according to post-Orlando pollingso perhaps there will be movement. But even assuming continued gridlock on this issue, adopting the other three elements of the proposalpurchase bans, broad FBI notification and a waiting periodwould help make it significantly more difficult for terrorists to get guns. The political divide on guns appears stark, but gun policy on terror may be headed towards convergence. Lets hope we get there before the next massacre. Fredrick Vars is a professor of law at the University of Alabama School of Law. He has written several articles on the Second Amendment and waiting periods, including one most recently in the Harvard Journal on Legislation. Suggested citation: Fredrick Vars, What Next on Terror and Guns?, JURIST Forum, Aug. 17, 2016, http://jurist.org/dateline/2016/08/Fredrick-Vars-Terror-Guns.php. This article was prepared for publication by Yuxin Jiang, a Senior Editor for JURIST Commentary service. Please direct any questions or comments to her at commentary@jurist.org [JURIST] The Navajo Nation on Tuesday filed suit [complaint] against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [official website] alleging that water flowing from a punctured mine in Colorado was toxic and damaged the Nations environment, people, and economy. Specifically, the 48-page complaint alleges that the toxic wastewater contaminated the San Juan River, a river on which the Nation has a [u]nique dependence, and the contamination negatively affected the production of crops, feeding of cattle, culture and economy of the Nation. The complaint also alleges that the operators of the mines hired by the EPA, Gold King Mines Corporation, continuously neglected its obligations to control the discharge of wastewater from its properties and to operate the treatment facility to protect [their] water and that the damages were preventable and foreseeable. This is the latest in a number of cases naming the EPA as a defendant. Earlier this year the state of New Mexico filed suit [Reuters report] against the EPA concerning the toxic wastewater from the Colorado punctured mine, and it is likely that Colorado and Utah will follow suit. In April residents of Flint, Michigan, represented by attorney Michael Pitt, filed an administrative complaint [JURIST report] against the EPA for negligence in handling the Flint water crisis. The suit alleged that the EPA was notified of contamination in the Flint water supply long before acting in any substantive way to mitigate the harm or properly investigate the complaints. As a result of their inaction, the residents of Flint allege they were subjected to lead in their water supply for over a year causing physical injury to themselves and their property. [JURIST] Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane [official website] announced her resignation Tuesday following a conviction on perjury and obstruction charges. Kane was convicted [WSJ report] Monday on nine criminal charges, including two felony perjury charges that each carry seven-year prison terms. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf [official website] called [PennLive report] the situation unfortunate but stated that [h]er decision to resign is the right one, and will allow the people of Pennsylvania to finally move on from this situation. Kanes resignation will take effect at close of business on Wednesday. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled. Kane, 49, was elected in 2012, becoming the first Democrat and the first woman to become attorney general since the post became elective in 1980. In February Pennsylvanias Supreme Court refused [JURIST report] to reinstate Kanes law license while investigations proceeded into her alleged leak of grand jury materials. In August of 2015 prosecutors filed criminal charges [JURIST report] against her for allegedly leaking grand jury documents to the media to embarrass a critic, and then giving false testimony to a grand jury to cover up her actions. In May 2015 a state judge appointed a Special Prosecutor to investigate allegations that statewide, confidential grand jury information may have been leaked to the media. After a seven-month investigation, the investigating grand jury recommended criminal charges against Kane. A criminal complaint [text, PDF] had also been filed against one of Kanes aids. Kane previously refused to resign, claiming that a resignation would be an admission of guilt. The China National Traditional Orchestra, established in 1960, continues to showcase China's musical heritage, but with a modern touch. The show Looking for Du Fu has a unique stage presentationmusicians perform in "boxes". [Photo provided to China Daily] In its latest collaborative production with the Chengdu Traditional Orchestra from Sichuan province, titled Looking for Du Fu, the China National Traditional Orchestra pushes boundaries by inviting Chinese director Yi Liming to create an imaginative Chinese musical experience based in ancient times. The show will premiere in Beijing on Saturday and will be staged in Chengdu a month later. Based on Chinese poet Du Fu (AD 712-770), one of the most celebrated Chinese poets of the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), the production, which the director calls a "musical verse drama", combines traditional Chinese music with contemporary theater. Using original compositions by musician Liang Zhongqi and playwright Wang Yuanfei, the show depicts the poet's life story in three partspastoral life, warfare and dreams. The poet came to Chengdu as a war refugee in AD 759. The next year, he built a thatched cottage and spent most of his time there before leaving Sichuan in AD 765 after penning 240 of his approximately 1,400 poems. Yi says there were five works on the poet Du staged in the first half of this year, including opera, drama to ballet. So, the idea of telling the poet's story using traditional Chinese instruments was both exciting and a challenge. "Usually when the audience comes to a show by the China National Traditional Orchestra, they enjoy the music with the band members sitting on the stage playing the instruments. However, this time, we have the musicians not just playing onstage but also 'in the air'," says the director, referring to the 10-meter high and 10-meter wide installation, which is divided into 28 boxes. "Some of the musicians, including the 100-strong orchestra and 80-strong chorus, perform in the 'boxes' and each of the 'boxes' functions as a sound box, delivering the sounds of the instruments to the audience." Besides, 12 cameras and eight digital projectors will offer the audience a visual experience while listening to the sounds of the traditional Chinese instruments. "It's hard to use a big Chinese music orchestra to depict an ancient cultural celebrity. Music is abstract, but we want to portray the poet in a concrete way," says Yi. "So we chose some of Du's most famous poems and combined a poetry recital with the orchestra." "Du has been portrayed in paintings, sculptures and many other art forms. But the real Du can be found only in his poems. I hope that audience members will be able to picture the poet in their imaginations. That's why we call the production Looking for Du Fu. The answer belongs to the audience." Yi, a prolific director, who has been with the Beijing People's Art Theater since graduating from the Central Academy of Drama after majoring in set and lighting design in the late 1980s, is known for his Chinese and international productions. He presented the opera version of On the Land of White Deer, an adaptation from contemporary Chinese literature, at Beijing's Tianqiao Performing Arts Center in June. Meanwhile, according to Xi Qiang, president of the China National Traditional Orchestra, thanks to Yi, the Du Fu performance is a breakthrough for the orchestra, whose mission is to promote China's traditional music while being creative and contemporary. If you go 7:30 pm, Aug 20 and 21. National Center for the Performing Arts. No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6655-0000. NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Style Daily Update The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. Just Style Weekly Update A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Just Style Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every quarter. Photo Credit: Tanatat / Shutterstock. com Singapores luxury real estate market has been experiencing some serious highs and lows over the past few years. In March of 2015 Japanese property developer Katsumi Tada suffered a record-setting loss of over US $11 million when he sold his St Regis penthouse for just under US $9 million. The following month Chinese billionaire Sun Tongyu, co-founder of Alibaba, spent more than US $37 million on acquiring the only penthouse unit at the luxury development Le Nouvel Ardmore. That equates to a cost of approximately US $4,000 per square foot in terms of useable area. Market Cooling Measures Since 2010, the Singapore government has been introducing cooling measures to bring sharp price increases under control. Most significant have been the Additional Buyers Stamp Duty (ABSD) and Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR), both instituted in 2013. Photo Credit: St. Regis Residences, Singapore The Additional Buyers Stamp Duty The ABSD has imposed an extra fee of 7 percent for Singaporeans and 10 percent for permanent residents buying their second property, while foreigners must pay an extra 15 percent for purchasing any property. Although for the ultra-wealthy the additional stamp duty may not amount to all that much, it has still deterred them from buying. Alexander Karolik Shlaen, an economist and CEO of Panache Management, is quoted by CNBC saying rich buyers, indeed, can afford to pay ABSD, but they dont want to pay 15 percent above local buyers. That is a figure too high to over-pay for the same property. As a result, local buyers have also stepped back as they are concerned about foreign investors loss of interest in the luxury real estate market. The Total Debt Servicing Ratio At the same time, Singaporean buyers have been limited by the TDSR, which stipulates that the total of their mortgage and other personal debt repayments does not exceed 60 percent of their gross income. These measures have successfully dampened interest in the market characterised by a surplus supply. As such, prices have plummeted. Deadline to Sell Alongside this lack of demand is the time-sensitive pressure on property developers to sell. A policy implemented by the Singaporean government to stop property hoarding by foreigners places an extension charge on any units that remain unsold two years after the developments completion. This fee is set at 8 percent of the proportional land cost for the first year, 16 percent for the second and 24 percent for the third. Photo Credit: Marina Bay Residences / Christie's Int. Avoiding Extension Charges Only companies that are exclusively Singaporean-owned can avoid these charges. As such, further price cuts may be made as developers seek to offload unsold units. Alternatively they may choose to delist and thereby remove any non-Singaporean shareholders and/or board members. A Market for Bargain Hunters Either way, it appears that the luxury property market has cooled down sufficiently for those buyers who have been waiting on the sidelines for a bargain to start gradually coming back. This is particularly true of mainland Chinese, who have a renewed interest in the market with prices being significantly cheaper than Hong Kong. Future Buying Incentives Additionally, interest in the market by both foreigners and Singaporeans may further increase following the recent elections. It has been suggested that the incumbent PAP partys victory may spur the government to loosen some measures at the margin to further curry favour with the electorate. Such a move would reduce transaction costs in an already appealing market and thereby boost sales. Indeed the Singaporean luxury real estate market is back to a buyers market. The saga of the missing skulls of Peking Man, a collection of Homo erectus fossil specimens unearthed in the Zhoukoudian area, Fangshan district of Beijing, remains a big mystery to this day. The new location for the Zhoukoudian Peking Man Relics Museum in Fangshan district, Beijing was opened to the public in May, 2014, and features 1,600 items of relics. GONG WENBAO/CHINA DAILY In spite of their significance in academic studies, they disappeared during World War II, according to scholars. Last week, the two-part Dragon Bones, a novel written in some 700,000 Chinese characters was released by Beijing Yanshan Press, telling the legends surrounding the lost skulls. The Chinese refer to fossils in general as "dragon bone" and the book title is also named after a hill on which the Peking Man remains were found. In 1921, relevant material was discovered by Swedish geologist Johan Andersson, then a mining adviser to the Chinese government. Large-scale archaeological excavations in Zhoukoudian began six years later and the astonishing finding of skulls followed in 1929. The specimens dating to more than 700,000 years ago were considered by German anthropologist Franz Weidenreich as belonging to the ancestors of today's Chinese people. Some scholars at home and abroad even speculated that the findings pointed to the direct origin of modern man. The novel has been written by Wu Jiang, a journalist, and an official named Cui Guomin. Wu, a media veteran, based his writing on interviews with the late scholar Jia Lanpo who hosted the archaeological project in Zhoukoudian in the 1930s. Cui wrote from his experience as the first director of a committee devoted to looking for the Peking Man skulls that was set up by Fangshan district authorities in 2005. "In our continuous research, we found more than 100 possibilities of where Peking Man skulls went," Cui says. "We often got lost in circles. But the experience also give us abundant references for the book." The fossils were housed in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital until 1941, when Chiang Kai-shek of the Kuomintang agreed to send them to the American Museum of Natural History in New York for temporary custody due to concerns that Japan's possible capture of the hospital may lead to their loss. But it was Dec 8, 1941, the day after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, when the fossils were being escorted by US soldiers on a train to Qinhuangdao port in North China's Hebei province. All the goods on the train were taken by the Japanese army and where the fossils went isn't known even today. "In the recent years, veteran Japanese soldiers gave us some clues but all led to nothing," says Cui. "Though it is a novel, we wanted to respect historical accuracy." He says the loss of the fossils is a "national pain". "Our book recalls how people cared about the Zhoukoudian site and their eagerness to bring the lost fossils home." The Peking Man site in Zhoukoudian was added by UNESCO to its World Heritage list in 1987, one of the earliest in China. According to Wu, the co-author, the Chinese government had tried to get information about the lost fossils from Japan from 1946 to 48, but failed. He also says that there is a theory that the real fossils may have been replaced by the Americans before they arrived in Qinhuangdao. "Different theories are presented in the novel," says Wu. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. China Children's Press and Publishing Group has developed a new series of illustration books under the name Nine Color Deer comprising Chinese stories and drawings. A photo of a page from the picture book One Bicycle, which is part of the new series of books. Six titles have been published so far. The idea was taken from the popular image of a white deer marked with different colors that was originally part of a Buddhist painting found in the Dunhuang Caves in Northwest China's Gansu province. The deer had also inspired a cartoon character on Chinese TV in the 1980s. Legend has it that the deer punished a Persian merchant whose life it saved because it felt betrayed by him. The series includes books by two Chinese winners of the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition awards: Yu Dawu in 2000 and Yu Hongcheng in 2016. Zhao Hengfeng, deputy general manager of the publishing group, told a children's book expo in Beijing in July that the company would promote the Chinese works to a world audience. The first books were well received and the copyrights of some titles had been sold abroad, he said. "China has been a big importer of foreign picture books, which is not only an expensive process but also due to different cultural backgrounds, the aesthetics of translated works aren't easily understood by young readers here," Zhao said, adding that the books being published are rooted in Chinese culture and would appeal to domestic audience, too. Yu Dawu, a Beijing-based painter born in 1948, won the award for One Bicycle that records the nostalgia for his childhood in the 1950s. "I created the story and illustrations from memory," Yu says. A Jia, who promotes reading among children, says the book is more like a museum of old memories that also has information on changes in Beijing where Yu was born and raised. Almost 40 years younger that Yu Dawu, Yu Hongcheng lives in Beijing now although she was born in Central China's Hunan province, and studied in Britain for a while before returning home a few years ago. Like Yu Dawu, she devotes her time to elevating the quality of Chinese picture books. She finds stories told in Chinese traditional style especially interesting. "I suppose we should be more confident of our tradition and its development." She spent nearly three years to finish the book Pan Zhong Can, which translates to "food on the plate," and is part of the new series. It is set in Southwest China's Yunnan province. The series also contains a book on ancient music, titled Lofty Mountains and Flowing Water, written by music writer Liu Xuefeng and artist Wan Yuxi, and illustrated by Wan's husband Gunter Grossholz, a German cartoonist. According to a recent publishing report released by the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, in 2015, China published 215,000 titles of which 37,000 were for younger readers, an increase of 11.9 percent compared with the number for 2014. The demand for original works is also on rising. Yang Lei from OpenBook Publishing Data says the company found that foreign picture books were a trend in 2007 in China. "More than 40 of the top 100 best-selling titles in all children's books were foreign ones." But the ratio has dropped sharply recently, he/she says. Ninety percent of new titles the publisher of Nine Colors Deer series planned to publish in 2016 are original creations. "And in 2015, half of such books were sold in foreign markets, and we think the trend will be carried on in 2016," the president of the publishing group Li Xueqian says. Besides, Li says science-themed picture books are the third most-popular genre for young Chinese readers following children's literature and early childhood learning. "The science picture books help to retain the interest in further explorations for older ages," he says. Based on the contents from We Love Science magazine, published by the group since 1960 and with a monthly circulation of 1.4 million copies, the group has also launched a 10-volume Funny Science Picture Book series. Containing animal tales, the books present 10 interesting stories with illustrations and tell young readers about animal habitats and more. More such books will be published on themes such as the human body and nature photography. Jeroen Advocaat (R), an artist from the Netherlands, carves a sand sculpture with a Chinese artist in Zhoushan, east China's Zhejiang Province, Aug. 16, 2016. Some 20 artists around the world are building sand sculptures of landmarks of G20 countries to greet the upcoming G20 Summit in Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province. The sand sculptures here are expected to open to the public on Sept. 9. (Xinhua/Xu Yu) Photo shows the scenery of Dachang Village of Liangjiazhai Township in Yuxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Dachang Village, an ancient village with a history of more than 800 years, now quietly lies at the mountain foot. The village has long lost its bustle as almost all villagers move to cities for jobs. There are only 16 elderly persons living in the village with the youngest older than 50. Dacan village is also called stone village because the whole village is built on a rock slope and all the houses were made of stones. [China.org.cn] 1 2 3 4 Next Flash Tent of a Kazakh family along the Jushi Pass. The Kazakhs have adopted motorcycles to transport supplies from the nearest town but still ride horses for their sheep herding. [Photo by Hai Peng/China.org.cn] There are many different motivations for travelling. Haunted by the fear of losing life when winter brings visibly shorter daytime and starts limiting what I can do outdoors, I try to spend as much of my summer as possible in places where life on a daily basis is longer than what I can normally get. Imagine a place where the sun rises at five or six in the morning and doesn't set until around ten at night. And imagine living in a place where the nearest landmark is not a 10-year-old skyscraper, but a temple or a fortress that dates back to a time when men met each other not in suit and tie but on horseback with a sword. And imagine life not being all about you, fatigued by the "you rushing to the office", "you fighting insomnia in your lonesome bed," and starts to be you fascinated by this heroic figure who walked on the exact same trail you are now on some 20 centuries earlier. If you are enticed, you might agree with me that a plane ticket from sultry Beijing to a dry and cool prefecture near Urumqi is not only worthwhile, it actually extends your time in this world, literally, for the longer daytime and figuratively, with its historic relics and ruins which can bring back thousands of years of past life. The prefecture I am talking about is called Jimsar (jimusaer in pinyin), a little-known country expanse that is 200 kilometers away from the Urumqi International Airport. It is often ignored by tourists who are either carried away by nice pictures of the Heavenly Pond Lake on top of the Tianshan Mountain or by the much-storied southern oasis towns of Kashgar and Hotan. It even pales against its neighbor town of Turpan, because it is not hot enough or "sweet" enough to make people "die" for a taste of it. I stress the word "die" because one literally has to stay in a hard bed with fans kept on all day long in order to survive the 40 degree desert heat there. But one can get very active in Jimsar. I certainly did. The 2,000 year old Jushi Pass (), which cuts through the eastern wing of the Tianshan Mountain, has an elevation that is enough to decrease the temperature by a good 6 to 12 degrees. The trail is legendary even for its appearance. It is hardly inhabited by any visible "technological" interventions such as cement or paved roads, or even shops selling bottled water. But there are human inhabitants there. Nomadic Kazaks burn horse dung and dried wood to keep their tents warm in the evening and cook lamb meat and make nang bread. They also supply the scanty adventure-seeking hikers like me with boiled horse milk and cow milk if one speaks to them in the few and simple Mandarin phrases they can understand. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. Flash A life-size replica of the ill-fated luxury liner Titanic will be assembled in southwest China's Sichuan Province at the end of this year, it was revealed on August 5 during the second China (Sichuan) International Tourism Investment Conference in Chengdu. The assembly will be a grand scene where more than 1,000 people will be working together with the help of super-large machines, said Su Shaojun, Chairman of the project's investor Qixing Energy Investment Group. "We will open a special tourist route to the assembly site for people to witness the revival of the luxury liner," said Su. The replica will be 270 meters long and 28 meters wide, with a draught of 10 meters, the exact measurements of the original. News of Qixing's plan to invest 1 billion yuan in building a replica of the Titanic broke in January 2014, attracting much attention and controversy both in China and abroad. In June of the next year, commemorative tickets went on sale in Hong Kong. Nothing new has emerged about the project since then. According to Su, in the year since the tickets went on sale, the investor, the designer and the shipbuilder consulted with each other multiple times regarding various matters relating to design, construction, transportation and assembly. Design experts from Titanic Belfast in Northern Ireland and a high-tech team from Hollywood have been invited to join the project. It is reported that to ensure an accurate resemblance to the original Titanic, astonishing attention has been given to each and every detail of the full-sized replica during the building. "Lamps, door handles and even flush toilets on board are handmade by foreign experts," said Su. Even the menu is exactly the same as it was one century ago. There will also be masquerades, pool parties and Las Vegas style games on board the replica. While looking exactly like the original, the replica also employs a high-tech simulation to allow tourists to experience the moment when the original hit the iceberg and the feelings when such a disaster occurred. To ensure accurate reproduction, the investment has been increased from the original 1 billion yuan to 1.2 billion yuan, said Su. The replica is more like a luxury hotel than a liner, as it will be permanently docked on the Qi River in Daying County, Sichuan. It can accommodate 1,500 people per day. Rates for average rooms are 3,000 yuan a night, and are as much as 100,000 per night for luxury ones. It is said that part of the income will go to the Titanic Fund, a fund established to help maritime disasters around the world. The tourist attraction is set to open to the public in 2018. This year has been full of a lot of fun trips and I'm all about getting away for just a weekend to experience somewhere new. I jumped on a great deal to visit Mexico City, which is a city that I've never been to before. My previous travels to Mexico have only been quick trips to beaches, so I was really looking forward to visiting this huge city. I've had a few friends who have been recently and they've all had great things to say about their trips. Not to mention, the New York Times ranked it the number one place to visit in 2016. Oh yes, let's go! I only went for three nights but really wish I would have stayed for three more just to eat more food! The food was amazing. Amazing. Mexico City is gaining a reputation for having some of the best restaurants in the world and when you add that on top of cheap tacos + beer, incredible desserts, and avocado everything - it's a wonderful place to go for a perfect dining adventure. I stayed at the St. Regis Mexico City which is home to J&G Grill and the most incredible avocado pizza. I'm not joking when I say this is one of the best things you will ever eat! I was lucky enough to get to sit and chat with the chef for a while and he told me that it's so simple that I could even make it at home. Some day I am going to try, because dreams of the avocado pizza now haunt me. Mexico City is also home to three of the World's 50 Best Restaurants so I definitely had to do some eating research on these places. I chose Pujol and think that it was a great decision. The tasting menu was delicious and inventive, including the dried ants that were included in one of the dishes. Yes, ants! I love that it was Mexican food with a high end twist and low price tag. I saw El Moro Churreria on the guide from DesignLoveFest and immediately knew that I had to go after seeing photos. Well, I went twice. And probably should have tried to stop one (or two or three!) more times. I went for the ice cream sandwiches made out of churros. Oh goodness, these were delicious. I have to say that I've always thought give me a donut over a churro any day but then when I had the ice cream sandwiches, it was one fabulous treat. And the branding was so on point - hard not to love a pretty place serving up tasty treats in style. In between trying to eat everything that I could, I also took in a little art and some shopping. Mexico City has the most museums of any city in the whole wide world. Let me say that again - in the whole wide world! It's easy to pop in a take a look, but my favorite was the outside of the Museo Soumaya which made my heart skip a beat when I saw it. I also booked a ticket to Luis Barragan's studio, which is so beautiful it deserves a blog post all its own. One last thing I want to say about visiting Mexico City is that it felt safe for me to explore even though in recent years there have been murmurs to the contrary. There are neighborhoods that you should avoid, but that is the case in a lot of metropolitan cities. I took Uber rides everywhere I wanted to go and even if the ride was way across town through heavy traffic, it never cost more than $3. Crazy. Everyone I met was very friendly, willing to help me out with my very poor Spanish, and allowed me to wander through their hometown. It is a wonderfully rich city that is so affordable to visit and I hope to see again soon. If only for that avocado pizza! More places I recommend checking out: Modern Mexican & #12 on the World's 50 Best - Quintonil Bakery - Panaderia Rosetta Food hall - Mercado Roma Tacos - El Califa (multiple locations) Breakfast - Restaurante Lardo Seafood & oyster bar - La Docena Lunch & good coffee - Eno Cute boutique hotel - Carlota FILE - In this June 11, 2015 file photo, Patrick Hickey, the head of the European Olympic Committee speaks during a news conference on the eve of the opening of the 2015 European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan. Rio de Janeiro authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Hickey accused of scalping tickets for the Summer Games. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky, File) We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Flash Iraqi security forces have freed four villages in the south of the Islamic State (IS) major stronghold of Mosul on Tuesday, a security source said. The troops, backed by the U.S.-led coalition air strikes, launched an assault at dawn on the villages scattered near the IS-held town of Qayyara, some 50 km south of Mosul, the security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. They have so far freed the villages of al-Huwish, al-Jaw'ana, Jubla and al-Ghaziyah, with the village of Jad'a still being surrounded. The source did not give the exact number of casualties, only saying dozens of IS militants were killed in the battles. Meanwhile, the Iraqi Kurdish fighters repelled a pre-dawn attack from the IS militants outside the town of Sinjar, some 100 km west of Mosul, Brigadier General Luqman al-Khansouri, commander of the town's security forces, told Xinhua. The Kurdish security forces, backed by coalition warplanes, killed at least 27 IS militants and destroyed several vehicles, Khansouri said. The Iraqi army and the Kurdish security forces, known as Peshmerga, are now fighting to seize back positions around Mosul amid a major offensive to liberate the whole city. Mosul, the second largest city in Iraq, has been under IS control since June 2014, when the Iraqi government forces abandoned their weapons and fled, giving opportunities for IS militants to take control of parts of Iraq's northern and western regions. Something went wrong, please try again later. Invalid email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up to our daily newsletter for all the latest Kent stories and breaking news delivered straight to your inbox. The Bank of England unveiled its new 5 note at Churchill's family home today. The New Fiver is the first note issued by the bank which is printed on polymer a thin, flexible plastic and is supposed to last around five years, much longer than a traditional bank note. And it was exhibited ahead of it entering circulation in September to the public and the press at Churchill's adult family home in Chartwell, Westerham this morning (August 17). So obviously, Kent Live decided to try and break it. Is the new fiver indestructible? And as you can see from the video above, the note is impressively resilient. Obviously it is not completely indestructible, but it should be able to withstand the usual everyday wear and tear notes normally go through. It is resistant to dirt and moisture, and is expected to last 2.5 times longer than a paper bank note, even after being folded into wallets and scrunched up in pockets. The fiver features Sir Winston Churchill, with the quote, "I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." It has a portrait of him placed over a view of Westminster and Big Ben from South Bank. The time on the Great Clock is 3pm, which is approximately the time he declared the above quote in his first speech as Prime Minister on May 13, 1940. There is also a background image of the Nobel Prize medal, which he was awarded in 1953 for Literature. What people think of it Volunteer at Chartwell Lala Micallef said: "I think the clear section on the note is so clever. It is absolutely super and looks lovely. "I'll feel nervous spending it." Nonie Chapman, who worked at Chartwell with members of Churchill's family for 51 years, said: "You try to rip it up and you cannot. "I think I shall be buying everything with fivers." Katherine Barnett, house and collections manager at Chartwell, said: "It is wonderful to have two different areas of Winston's life on the note. It shows his literary achievements the Nobel Prize and his professional life the Houses of Parliament. "It has been very well done, and shows much of the man. It is nice for us here at Chartwell. "But I think I shall be keeping them all!" Features The 5 note has a number of new security features to make it safer, including a see-through window featuring the Queen's portrait, where the border of the window changes from purple to green. Big Ben is shown in gold foil on the front and silver on the back, and a hologram of the word "five" changes to "pounds" when the note is tilted. A hologram of the coronation crown appears 3D and multi-coloured when the note is tilted, and a there is a green foil hologram of the maze at Blenheim Palace, Churchill's birthplace. It is also 15 per cent smaller than the current paper fiver, and is printed in higher quality. We spoke to Victoria Cleland, chief cashier of the Bank of England otherwise known as the lady who signs the banknotes to find out more about the design and her role. Video Loading Video Unavailable Click to play Tap to play The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Play now The New Fiver will be issued on September 13, after which paper 5 notes will be gradually withdrawn from circulation as they are banked by retailers and businesses. They will cease to be legal tender in May 2017. The new polymer 10 note featuring Jane Austen is due to enter circulation in summer 2017, followed by the J. M. W. Turner 20 note by 2020. 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... Flash A senior Iranian security official said on Tuesday that Iran and Russia are "strategic" allies in fighting terrorism in Syria, local Press TV reported. "Tehran-Moscow cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Syria is strategic and we exchange capacities and potentialities in this field," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, was quoted as saying. His remarks came after an earlier statement by Russia's Defense Ministry on Tuesday that Russian warplanes used an air base in the western Iranian city of Hamedan to target Islamic State (IS) terrorists and other militants in Syria. "On Aug. 16, Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 frontline bombers, flying with a full bomb load from the Hamedan air base, conducted a group air strike against targets of the IS and Jabhat Fath al-Sham terrorists in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Dayr al-Zawr and Idlib," the Russian ministry said. Shamkhani also said Iran will continue to provide military advice to countries plagued with terrorism, including Syria. Iran, a major regional ally of the Syrian government in its fight against militant groups, has repeatedly acknowledged the presence of its military advisers in the Arab state. Flash Russian bombers carried out air strikes against terrorist targets in Syria from an air base in Iran for the first time, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. Syrian men carry a body on a stretcher amid the rubble of destroyed buildings following a reported air strike on the rebel-held neighbourhood of Al-Qatarji in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, on April 29, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] "On Aug. 16, Tu-22M3 long-range bombers and Su-34 frontline bomber took off with a full bomb load from their home airfield of Hamadan (Islamic Republic of Iran), and carried out a group air strike against the Islamic State and Nusra Front terrorist groups' targets in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib," the ministry said in a statement. Su-30cm and Su-35s fighters, based in Hmeimim air base in Syria, provided cover for the mission, the statement said. The ministry said five large warehouses with weapons, ammunition, fuel and lubricants, three command posts and several training camps have been destroyed, and a significant number of terrorists have been killed in the campaign. All Russian aircraft have successfully returned to their home airfields after successful completion of the combat mission, it said. Previously, Russia had used Hmeimim air base, as well as air bases in Russia, located farther away from Syria than the Iranian base, to carry out air strikes against terrorist targets in the Middle East country. Kilkenny may not have been blessed with the mid-August sunshine, but there was no shortage of smiling faces around the county as local students opened their Leaving Certificate results this morning. Most local secondary schools began distributing the long-awaited A4-sized envelopes from 9.30am. It was hearts-in-mouths stuff for many of the mams, dads and other family members who loitered nearby in parked cars or stared at mobile phones in earnest from early on. As news still comes in from some schools, the overwhelming reaction here seems to be a positive one. CBS student Jack Lawlor was sitting on a bench on James' Street contemplating his own extraordinary marks. He had taken eight subjects in his exams, and also managed to achieve 600 points. I didn't think I would quite manage that so I'm delighted, he said. The Bennettsbridge man will now hope to go on and study Law and Social Justice in UCD. Almost 58,500 students sat their Leaving Certificate in June 1,012 of them here in Kilkenny. Results are also available online from midday today. Access to the on-line results service, which requires the use of the candidates examination number and unique candidate Personal Identification Number, is through www.examinations.ie. CAO Round One offers are due on Monday, August22, and the Union of Students in Ireland is advising students across the country who wish to progress to third level education on the next steps to take. The first thing we would like to say to students who have just done their leaving cert is congratulations, said Annie Hoey, USI President. Its probably the toughest exam most people will do in their life and it spans across so many diverse subjects, both optional and obligatory. Its important to bear in mind that when you go to college, youll most likely be studying in a field youre interested in and better at. Overall leaving cert points dont reflect your ability in one area. CAO Round Two offers are issued on August 31 and USI is reminding students that if they dont get their first choice, to wait and see what they get in the second round. Viewing of scripts will be arranged in each school on Friday, September 2 and Saturday, September 3. Each student is given a specific time to attend, and may bring in one other person with them. Often teachers accompany their students to assist them. For those unhappy with their results, or wish to discuss them with qualified guidance counsellors, a helpline is provided courtesy of the National Parents Council in association with the Irish Independent, eir and supported by the Dept. of Education & Skills. The Helpline Phone Number is 1800 265 165 or contact helpline@npcpp.ie. GCZ16: Bears In Control If Gold Prices Close Below $1,335 Gold is lower this morning on worries that today's FOMC statement will give an unwanted hawkish tone. Yesterday morning the metal traded to a session high of 1364.5 after CPI, Housing Starts and Building Permits overall left something to be desired. However, comments immediately after by NY Fed President Dudley that a September rate hike is possible sent Gold in a 1% tailspin almost similar to Friday. Still, Gold did not make a session low and today so far marks the third day in a row with a higher low from Fridays of 1338.3. Better than expected Industrial Production data followed and also weighed on price action throughout the session. Atlanta Fed President Lockhart said yesterday that he is confident in the US economic outlook and wont rule out the possibility of a hike this year. St. Louis Fed President Bullard is due to speak today at noon CT, an hour before the all awaited FOMC Minutes. There is no major economic data due today while the bears look to achieve an electronic close below 1335-1339.8 and the bulls look to achieve one above 1362.5-1363.6. Resistance 1362.5-1363.6**, 1368.5**, 1377.5-1384.4**** Pivot- 1349.1-1351.8 Support 1335-1339.8**, 1316.6-1319.3***, 1294.7-1297.4*** By Bill Baruch iiTrader.com Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc. The author has made every effort to ensure accuracy of information provided; however, neither Kitco Metals Inc. nor the author can guarantee such accuracy. This article is strictly for informational purposes only. It is not a solicitation to make any exchange in commodities, securities or other financial instruments. Kitco Metals Inc. and the author of this article do not accept culpability for losses and/ or damages arising from the use of this publication. kitco news (Reuters) - Apple Inc AAPL.O will boost its investment in China, one of its largest but increasingly challenging markets, and build its first Asia-Pacific research and development center in the country, Chief Executive Tim Cook said on Tuesday. Cook made the pledge during a trip to China, at least his second in four months, as demand for Apple's iPhones has plummeted in the world's second-largest economy and the government remains wary about foreign technology. Apple's new research and development centre will be built by the end of the year, Cook told Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, one of China's most senior officials, according to CCTV, the official Chinese state broadcaster. The center will unite Apple's engineering and operations teams in China and is also intended to deepen the company's ties to partners and universities, it said in a statement. Apple's announcement came after the head of China's industry and technology regulator in May told Cook he hoped Apple could deepen its cooperation with the country in research and development and stressed information security. Sales in Greater China, once touted as Apple's next growth engine, decreased by one-third in its fiscal third quarter, after having more than doubled a year earlier. The results did not include inventory drawdowns as retailers sold phones in stock faster than new supply coming from Apple, meaning that demand was not as weak as it seemed. China's slowing economy is stocking concerns about Apple's prospects there. The company's online stores for iBooks and movies closed in the country after Beijing in March imposed strict curbs on online publishing, particularly for foreign firms. Apple has lost intellectual property battles in China and faces anti-U.S. sentiment from consumers there. Before Cook's charm offensive in Beijing in May, Apple announced a $1 billion deal with ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing, a move many experts saw as an attempt to curry favour with Beijing. Other technology firms, including Microsoft Corp MSFT.O and Qualcomm Inc QCOM.O , have pledged investments in China, often with mixed results. (Reporting by Paul Carsten, Judy Hua and Julia Love; Editing by Susan Thomas and Richard Chang) Aug 17 (Reuters) - The Chinese embassy has warned that Australia's rejection of bids by two Chinese companies in the A$10 billion ($7.7 billion)sale of its biggest energy grid showed "clear protectionist tendencies" and would have a "serious impact on the enthusiasm" of Chinese investors. "The Chinese government is highly concerned about the statement by the Australian Treasurer on his preliminary decision to block the sale ... on national security grounds," the embassy said in a statement to The Australian newspaper. Treasurer Scott Morrison announced last week that he had neither State Grid Corp of China STGRD.UL nor Hong Kong's Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings 1038.HK , the preferred bidders, would be allowed to seal a deal. Morrison declined to provide further detail on the government's objections beyond citing national security concerns. The Chinese embassy noted that the decision was the second time this year the government has rejected bids for Australian assets by Chinese interests, referring to a bid by a China-led consortium to buy cattle company Kidman & Co. Morrison rejected the A$371 million offer from a group headed by Hunan Dakang 002505.SZ as also not in the national interest despite the bid with partners Shanghai CRED Real Estate Stock Co Ltd and local company Australian Rural Capital Ltd (ARC.AX) being revised after a preliminary rejection. Australia's decision to reject the Ausgrid underscores the country's changing political climate since a handful of protectionist senators took power in elections last month. The decision also sets new parameters to the relationship between Australia and its biggest export partner just eight months after a A$100 billion free trade agreement took effect. "The Australian side stated on many occasions that it welcomes Chinese business investment, but made decisions just to the contrary," the embassy said in its statement. "The Chinese side hopes that the Australian government will make efforts to create a fairer, better and more transparent trade and investment environment for Chinese enterprises." It added the handling of both the Ausgrid and Kidman deals "would have serious impact on the enthusiasm of Chinese firms which want to come and invest in Australia." ($1 = 1.2992 Australian dollars) (Reporting By Jane Wardell; Editing by Eric Meijer) Aug 17 (Reuters) - Fletcher Building Ltd FBU.NZ reported sharply higher net earnings, bolstered by a rise in operating earnings in Australia and strong growth in New Zealand. The building materials supplier said its reported net earnings for the year to June 30 were NZ$462 million ($336.01 million) versus NZ$270 million in the prior year. Its operating earnings or earnings before interest, tax and significant items, were NZ$719 million versus NZ$503 million in the prior year. Fletcher Building Chief Executive Officer Mark Adamson said the result was driven by a 29 percent uplift in operating earnings from Fletcher Building's Australian businesses, coupled with strong growth in operating earnings in New Zealand in the distribution, residential and construction divisions. "While the macro-economic environment in Australia was mixed, we delivered strong earnings growth from our Australian business portfolio, which was the result of our focus on improving the performance and capability of our businesses in that market," Adamson said in a statement Revenue was NZ$9.0 billion compared with NZ$8.66 billion in the prior year. The company said it would pay a final dividend of 20 NZ cents a share. Looking ahead, Fletcher Building said its operating earnings or Ebit are expected to be in range of NZ$720 million to NZ$760 million in the current financial year. Consistent with this growth, it expects operating earnings in the first half to be higher than the prior period. New Zealand residential construction activity is expected to peak in 2018 and then gradually return to 2014 levels over the next three years, the company said. Non-residential activity is forecast to remain relatively steady at elevated levels compared to the historic average. It also expects Australian residential activity to gradually decline over the next three years following its peak in 2016. Little growth is forecast in non-residential activity. In Asia, the China market is expected to grow moderately but at lower rates than in recent years. Taiwan and Southeast Asian markets are expected to show modest growth. ($1 = 1.3749 New Zealand dollars) (Reporting by Rebecca Howard; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Aug 16 (Reuters) - MetLife Inc MET.N showed how it intends to fight federal regulators' arguments that it is "too big to fail" in a court brief filed Monday and added a new issue to its contention they used a flawed process to determine the company could damage the U.S. financial system if it faces distress. On March 30, U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer rescinded the "systemically important financial institution" designation of MetLife made by the Financial Stability Oversight Council, which consists of the heads of all financial regulatory agencies. The designation, created in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street reform law, can put companies under additional regulation and force them to hold more capital. The federal government appealed in the U.S. District Court of Washington, D.C., filing its brief in June. Supporters, notably former Senator Chris Dodd and former Representative Barney Frank, followed with amicus briefs. MetLife restated past arguments that FSOC deviated from its own processes in making the designation, did not consider the effects of designation and that the designation was "preordained from the outset." It also brought up its past requests "that, as an alternative to costly company-specific designations of insurers, FSOC consider an activities-based approach that would subject any systemically risky activities undertaken by insurers to regulation on an industry-wide basis." FSOC had said that it could not use an activities-based designation method under statute. In April, however, the council announced it will use an activities-based approach for regulating risk in asset managers and mutual funds, leaving MetLife to call its fairness into question. "FSOC's refusal to consider an activities-based approach in designating MetLife was particularly arbitrary because it is currently pursuing that approach for asset managers," the insurer wrote in its brief. "Many of the largest mutual funds have assets under management that vastly exceed MetLife's assets, and their liquidation could have a substantially larger impact on market prices than the liquidation of an insurer like MetLife." (Reporting by Lisa Lambert; Editing by Cynthia Osterman) Aug 17 (Reuters) - Moody's Investors Service on Wednesday affirmed Australia's Aaa credit rating with a stable outlook, putting it at odds with Standard & Poor's which recently put the country on watch for a downgrade. The agency cited Australia's track record of economic resilience, a very robust institutional framework and stronger fiscal underpinnings than many other top-rated countries. "The stable outlook on Australia's rating reflects Moody's expectation that Australia's credit profile and related metrics will remain consistent with a Aaa rating," it said in a statement. "Moody's believes that Australia's credit profile will be resilient to potential negative shocks." The vote of confidence could reassure investors in Australian government bonds that might have been unsettled by S&P's warning last month of a downgrade. S&P made it clear the onus was very much on the newly returned conservative government of Malcolm Turnbull to repair its budget shortfalls or risk losing the agency's AAA rating. Australian Treasurer Scott Morrison portrayed Moody's decision as a vote of confidence in the government. "In these difficult economic times, maintaining our triple-A rating is a welcome boost and a timely reminder that we need to keep our focus on the policies that keep our economy strong," Morrison said in a statement. Fitch also rates Australia AAA and recently affirmed the rating with a stable outlook. (Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Eric Meijer) Aug 17 (Reuters) - RWE RWEG.DE , Germany's second biggest utility, has offered to increase workers' pay in talks with the IG BCE chemical workers and miners union, Rheinische Post reported on Wednesday, citing a union memo to staff. RWE's wage contract proposal includes a 1 percent rise in annual pay on Jan. 1, 2017 and again on Jan. 1, 2018 and would cover 24 months, the daily newspaper said, noting talks with the IG BCE will resume on Friday. Workers at company divisions not offering early retirement would receive a one-off payment of 1,000 euros ($1,127.60) next year as part of the proposal that would exclude staff at subsidiaries RWE Generation SE and RWE Power AG. RWE, which has been hit by a downturn in electricity demand and prices, has abandoned its push for "drastic cost savings" and instead tabled the new wage offer, IG BCE said in the memo according to Rheinische Post. The proposed wage increase would be in line with a preliminary deal affecting around 25,000 workers in Germany that RWE reached on Tuesday with the Ver.di services sector union. ($1 = 0.8868 euros) (Reporting by Andreas Cremer; Editing by Sandra Maler) Aug 17 (Reuters) - Solar panel installer SolarCity Corp SCTY.O , which recently accepted Tesla Motors Inc's TSLA.O $2.6 billion buyout offer, said CEO Lyndon Rive would now take $1 as annual salary, a steep drop from $275,000, as part of the company's cost-cutting plans. The company said it would incur restructuring charges of about $3 million-$5 million as part of its cost-cutting efforts. Co-founder Peter Rive also agreed to take a cut in his annual salary to $1 from $275,000, effective Aug. 16, the company said in a regulatory filing. (Reporting by Sai Sachin R in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila) U.S. crude futures fell nearly 1 percent on Wednesday ahead of important inventory data while Brent steadied near 5-week highs on speculation that the world's crude producers might still be able to strike a deal to support the market. Analysts expect the U.S. Energy Information Administration to announce a fourth straight weekly rise in domestic crude stockpiles and draws in gasoline and distillates for the week ended Aug. 12, in data due at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT). [EIA/S] Preliminary data on Tuesday from the American Petroleum Institute, a trade group, showed a draw in U.S. crude stockpiles instead, and builds in gasoline and distillates. [API/S] Any outsized inventory increase in crude or refined products cited by the EIA could snap a four-day long rally in oil that has added some 11 percent to prices, analysts said. Dominick Chirichella, senior partner at the Energy Management Institute in New York, said he expected the EIA to report a stockpile build in crude as well as distillates, that include diesel, and a modest decline in gasoline inventories. "I am maintaining my oil view and short term bias to neutral," Chirichella wrote in a commentary. "The global surplus still exists and there is still a possibility that oil prices could retrace further. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 fell by 42 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $46.16 by 9:52 a.m. EDT (1452 GMT). It hit $46.73 in the previous session, its highest since July 12. Brent crude futures LCOc1 were down 10 cents at $49.13 a barrel, after hitting a 5-week high at $49.48 earlier. Oil's advance since Thursday came after Saudi Arabia, the kingpin in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, stoked speculation that OPEC was ready to reach an output freeze agreement with others, including No. 1 oil producer Russia. The fight for market share among key OPEC members has made market watchers doubtful of such producers' sincerity in reining in oversupply. A production freeze plan by OPEC failed in April. [OPEC/O] "Should this rally be believed? Do words speak louder than action for the second time this year? Or is the current strength one to be sold into?," PVM Oil Associates Tamas Varga asked in a market commentary. "The advocates of a sustained price rally are firm believers in some kind of agreement between OPEC producers possibly together with non-OPEC countries. Recent history is not on their side and the Doha failure back in April is likely to encourage bears with itchy fingers to soon start selling short," he added. (Additional reporting by Amanda Cooper in LONDON and Henning Gloystein in SINGAPORE; editing by Jason Neely) Barista Lisa Gerlach serves a whipped cream treat called a "puppuccino" to Caesar on Tuesday at the Starbucks on Bucklin Hill Road in Silverdale. Kitsap County Human Society volunteer Molly Clark takes in shelter dogs for the free treat and puts photos online to spur adoptions. SHARE Caesar, a Kitsap Humane Society dog, waits Tuesday in the drive-thru at Starbucks on Bucklin Hill with Human Society volunteer Molly Clark. Wookie Mandy Daisy By Josh Farley of the Kitsap Sun SILVERDALE Dogs will be dogs, and no more so than with muzzles wedged inside a cup of whipped cream. Each Tuesday, Kitsap Humane Society volunteer Molly Clark takes one of the shelter's canines on a trip to Silverdale, hitting the Bucklin Hill Starbucks drive-thru en route to the beach at Old Mill Park. She orders her pooch of the day a "puppuccino," an unlisted drink the coffeeshop serves, as a bonus while they're out on the town. Smaller dogs, as you might imagine, tend to be more dainty and eat the whipped cream more patiently than bigger ones, who go in whole-hog and often become attached to the cup. Either way, the animal, uncaged and unrestrained from shelter conditions, often melts into a ball of maximum cuteness. "It's hard, when you live in stress, to show who you really are," said Clark, as Caesar, a sandy-haired Chihuahua mix, dined on whipped cream Tuesday at the park. The Humane Society took the trips a step further, asking Clark to whip out her camera as the animals devoured the cream. The photos are posted on social media. And since being featured this week on "The Dodo," a popular pet blog, the Humane Society has doubled the followers to its Instagram account to more than 1,600. The shelter approaches each animal as an individual case as it works to find a new home for them, said Kimberly Cizek Allen, a spokeswoman. Clark's trip to Starbucks is another way that they can show a pup's softer side, rather than what the public sees when it comes to the shelter. "They get to be dogs" with Clark, Cizek Allen said. "And then, we get to show that to the community." There's no time to lose. The Humane Society "rehomed" more than 5,500 animals in 2015 and are on pace to do so again this year. More than 95 percent of the animals avoid being euthanized; thus, the pressure is always on to find homes. The Humane Society is typically busy in summer months. Right now, there are more than 200 animals in foster care. Because many are cats, the shelter has a promotion for discounted adoption rates for felines this month. Clark, who already enjoyed photographing her own pit bull mixes at home, was happy to take a quick pic as the animals chowed down on their treats. "We have some amazing animals in here that people don't even give the time of day," she said. "And then you see them in an environment where they can act like a normal dog, people don't even realize they're the same dog." Clark started volunteering at the shelter after her father, Fred, died in 2011. Friends noticed that she was happiest around the canines they both adored before he died. She also found a special kind of empathy with the sheltered ones she now takes to Starbucks. "I felt like they were lost like I was," she said. "The dogs in here, they're just waiting for their person to come back." In hard times, her father would offer her a $20 bill just because "there's nothing that a treat can't fix." "You should always be able to go out and get yourself something," she recalled him saying. For the dogs at the Kitsap Humane Society, Molly Clark is doing just that. SHARE In the early hours of D-Day 1944, the Allies landed 156,000 troops on the beaches of France, spelling doom for the Third Reich. In Berlin, 756 miles away, night-owl Adolf Hitler slept peacefully through the largest invasion in history. No aide dared awaken the boss with such bad news. Being a messenger can indeed be unpopular, even dangerous. Ask any member of the modern-day political media covering a most bizarre presidential race. Neither side, nor much of the audience, likes or helps the battered fourth estate do its prescribed constitutional job of political-information purveyor. Hillary Clinton grants very little access to the press pack covering her, even prohibits cameras filming her boarding the private jet she prefers over a campaign charter. Donald Trump uses media denunciations as regular speech applause lines, calling some reporters names, mocking their handicap or their questions. He's even banned certain news organizations from rallies, a counterproductive move for a billionaire who boasts of running a campaign largely on free media. A half-century ago, criticism of the media focused on its penchant for bad news. Hence, Vice President Spiro Agnew's resonant line about "nattering nabobs of negativism." To be honest, that is pretty much the definition of news; few would read or watch coverage of 150,000 safe airplane landings each day. Neighbors don't gossip about the loving couple with two perfect children who make their mortgage payments on time. Today is different. The internet created countless competitors for traditional media and countless forums for news consumers to compare reports and share perceived biases. Suspicion of media is rife and rampant. My experience has taught that media has a built-in bias, less through what it does cover than what it does not cover. Clinton, for instance, escaped much 24/7 exposure over Benghazi because the media tired of it. You won't hear much about the nation's ongoing homeless crisis until several months into the next Republican administration, when editors think to examine it. Chris Stirewalt of Fox News nailed it the other day, in my opinion: "The media slants left. It's not because of a conspiracy, but rather accidents of demography and career choices. Reporters don't become liberal because of what they do, but rather it's that the people who become reporters tend to be from subcultures that see the world from the left." Many years ago, journalists were attracted to the profession by the excitement of chasing and telling a story. Now, it seems, there's more interest in righting a perceived wrong, fixing a part of society, a liberal proclivity. At times I've described media bias to intelligent liberal friends. They don't see it. They can't see it. It's like asking a fish what water tastes like. That environment is all it's ever known. And journalism since Watergate's dramatic covert coverage has more often rewarded activist writing with fame and even some fortune. In fairness, politicians also use media to keep their side united against a common enemy: Them. In this sense, Clinton and Trump campaigns are the same except her staff members largely keep their media hostility to themselves. Trump et al flout their news confrontations, including physical measures. In recent remarks Trump lumps in media as part of the rigged election process he's formulating to explain his potential loss, since such an event could never be his fault. Trump is indeed a master media manipulator, thanks in large part to his show biz experience. Actor Ronald Reagan also knew how to play to the camera. In the primaries Trump skillfully created his own news to drown out competition. He's trying the same now with just one major opponent. But inexplicably the Republican nominee's manipulations more often help Democrat Clinton by drowning out her negative news while embroiling Trump in distracting controversies that damage what should be his efforts at broadening his support. Truth is, distaste for media is always latent in an American psyche that generally disdains authority. My first New York Times assignment included answering newsroom phones. Early one spring morning in 1968, I took a call from a woman with a story tip. A big one, she said. But she was uncertain she could trust me until I pointed out she'd called me. Cautiously, the woman relented. "You know the John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier?" Yes, I said, it was launched the previous year. "Right!" she said angrily. "Well, where is it now?" I confessed ignorance on the exact location of the 82,000-ton ship. "See?" she said. "A brand-new aircraft carrier just disappears and your newspaper doesn't care!" I tried to explain that simply because a Times news assistant was unaware of the ship's location, didn't mean the craft had actually disappeared. The woman grew angrier at my skepticism. "You, you medias," she screamed and hung up. In case that caller reads this, the carrier known as "Big John" was on Mediterranean patrol at that time. Today, after a 40-year tour of duty she rides gently, decommissioned, in the Philadelphia harbor. Andrew Malcolm is an author and veteran national and foreign correspondent covering politics since the 1960s. Follow him on Twitter @AHMalcolm. SHARE Once upon a time, a scantily clad lass padding down a beach might cause a riot at least of eyeballs eager to extend the sidelong glance. Today, it's the fully clothed woman who overheats the passions in France, where three towns have banned the burkini. Leave it to the French to criminalize modesty. Latest to the ban-wagon is the Corsican village of Sisco, where three Muslim families and a group of local teens recently got into a row when one of the Muslim men became upset as a tourist photographed his burkini-clad wife. The next day, riot police were needed in a nearby town to quell 200 protesters who stormed a housing area of mostly North African people, shouting "this is our home." The precise cause of that flare-up wasn't known. Did a burkini do it? No clue, according to local authorities, but Sisco is banning the ultimate cover-up, anyway, to "protect the population." Back on the mainland, the mayors of Cannes and nearby Villeneuve-Loubet also have banned burkinis. Two Muslim associations unsuccessfully challenged the Cannes ban, but have promised to appeal the lower court decision. In the strangest justification offered for the wardrobe ban, Lionnel Luca, mayor of Villeneuve-Loubet, said it is unhygienic to swim fully clothed. For whom? The fish? Tensions in France between Muslims and others may be understandable in light of recent events, including the July horror in Nice when a truck driver shouting paeans to Allah mowed down hundreds of Bastille Day revelers, killing 85 people, as well as the recent jihadist slaying of the beloved, 85-year-old priest Jacques Hamel in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray. But how the practice of modesty associated with many Muslims' religious beliefs became an offense against the majority society is hard to fathom. The burkini also provides an interesting study in the metamorphosis of a symbol and its use in rationalizing other beliefs and actions that bear striking similarities to the extreme religiosity the caused such consternation in the first place. Suddenly, the burkini has become France's Confederate battle flag. Like the flag, the burkini means different things to different people, yet it has become such a powerful symbol of the cultural clash between overzealous French patriots and Muslim immigrants that it has become a prompt to man the barricades. It is hardly shocking that women are the objects of such aggression. Or that men are the ones fighting over what women ought to be doing with their bodies. Depending on the era and often the prevailing religion women are either showing too much or too little. Frankly, I'd like to see more not fewer burkinis on the beach, especially for Speedo-lovers over 50. Guys, do you own a mirror? (Please don't send pictures.) It isn't just men concerned with burkinis. Some feminists and the "enlightened" French see the burkini as a visual face-slap to women's egalite. Among other things, equality means never having to cover up just because your natural self gets another's gander up. Non-Muslims in the West may disapprove of the practice and prefer our mores over those of strict Muslims, but we're in no position to be smug. Less than 100 years ago in Washington, modesty police literally measured women's bathing suit skirts to ensure adherence to the legal standard of only six inches above the knee. In 1921 Atlantic City, women were also required to wear stockings pulled above the knee with their swimsuits. When young women protested the stocking law, it was the League of Women Voters that urged strict enforcement. While beach patrols searched out bathing suit violators, they also scouted for their ogling male counterparts, described in a newspaper story of the time as "bald beach lizards." One brave woman, novelist Louise Rosine, went to jail rather than cover up her knees with stockings. It was "none of the city's darn business," she said, whether she "rolled 'em up or down." We've come a long way, baby. And along the way, with few exceptions, we've found it possible to allow people to don (or not) their apparel as they wish. Some schools may ban message-emblazoned shirts. And we dutifully shed our jackets, scarves and shoes during security checks. But liberte ought to mean that one can wear a burkini on the beach or a thong, if you must. Neither suits my personal fancy, but it's hard to imagine that a Muslim woman dressed traditionally is a threat to any but her own comfort. Like the lady said, it's none of the city's darn business. Kathleen Parker's email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com. She writes for The Washington Post Writers Group. SHARE As racial martyrs go, you could hardly do worse than Sylville Smith. He was no Trayvon Martin or Tamir Rice, no unarmed innocent gunned down. No, Milwaukee police say Smith was an armed 23-year old with a lengthy arrest record drugs, weapons, robbery who bolted from a traffic stop Saturday afternoon. They say he ran a short distance, then wheeled around, gun in hand, refusing orders to drop it. Whereupon the police officer shot and killed him. "I'm not going to say he was an angel," Smith's godmother, Katherine Mahmoud, told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. The officer who killed him was a year older than Smith and black, like him. Though perceptions are obviously subject to change once body-cam footage is released, there is at this writing no reason to believe the officer acted improperly and, indeed, no serious allegation that he did. As such, this incident seems an unlikely focal point for public outrage. That it became one anyway, that Smith's death sparked two nights of arson, shooting and general unrest, is an ominous sign. It suggests the rise of a species of anger inimical to any hope of racial reconciliation in Milwaukee and cities far beyond. A certain amount of anger in the face of injustice is not necessarily a bad thing. Such anger defined as a passionate impatience with unfair status quo is often a necessary catalyst for progress. But when there is no progress even after long years, anger can intermix with frustration and despair and become something much less constructive. It can become something that doesn't listen, doesn't reason, doesn't even hope. Something that simply explodes. African-Americans in Wisconsin's largest city say Smith's death was the last straw after years of racially stratified policing. It is hardly immaterial that an officer was not charged just two years ago in the controversial shooting death of a mentally ill black man. Or that the department is under Justice Department review which, to its credit, it requested. Who will be shocked if that probe finds what other probes have found in cop shops around the country: patterns of institutionalized racism that corrode public trust and impinge the ability of police to do their jobs. Unfortunately, there is a tendency, when such probes are done, to treat the affected department as unique, an outlier. Think of the person who sees a drop of water here, a drop of water there, another drop over there, yet somehow never perceives the storm. It's worth noting, too, that Mike Crivello, president of the Milwaukee police union, issued a statement after the shooting to "denounce" the idea of racism in the department's ranks. Of course, no institution of any size can credibly make a blanket claim of freedom from bias, but that didn't stop him. That should tell you something. Here's the thing: You get tired of being treated as an unreliable witness to your own experience. You get sick of not being heard. Black Milwaukee has complained for years about biased policing. Yet the police chief pronounced himself "surprised" by this uprising. Apparently, he hasn't been listening. The rest of us would do well to avoid that mistake. If this unrest is an omen, it is also an opportunity for civic self-examination and accountability, for giving the people a voice, for listening to what they have to say. For making change. This violence, following what might well have been a justified shooting, was tragic and troubling. But it also made one thing starkly clear. African-Americans have been demanding justice a very long time. And they're getting tired of asking nicely. Contact Leonard Pitts at lpitts@miamiherald.com. Stuff reports: The Opposition is throwing its support behind two Government policies but want a tourist levy introduced to pay for them. Green Party co-leader James Shaw announced on Thursday a taonga levy to be paid by all international tourists to help fund a predator-free New Zealand by 2050 and to boost the Regional Tourism Facilities Fund. The levy will be a $14-to-$18 addition and once combined with the existing border clearance levies, will bring total levies paid by international visitors to approximately $40. The Green policy is half good and half stupid. There may be a case for a tourist levy to cover the external costs of tourists being in NZ, so it is a sort of user pays levy. But balanced against that is tourists contribute through GST on their spending and also increased tax take on companies and employees in the tourist industries. So a tourist levy to fund regional tourism facilities may be a good idea. But it may also discourage some tourists and lead to an overall smaller tax take also. The tourist levy to fund the predator-free NZ is simply daft. If predator-free NZ makes sense economically (and it does) then it stands on its own merits without needing to justify an new tax for it. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr CBC reports: Elizabeth May says she is questioning whether she can continue in her role as leader of the Green Party, after its members voted in favour of a resolution supporting sanctions against Israel, despite her own opposition to it. The Greens became Canadas first federal party to endorse the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions movement during the partys biennial convention in Ottawa over the weekend. Some Canadian Jewish groups denounced the Green Party for supporting a boycott policy against Israel. The House of Commons condemned the movement in February. Im struggling with the question of whether I should continue as leader or not, quite honestly, May told Rosemary Barton in an interview with The National. Im quite certain most of our members dont support this policy, but werent fully engaged in the consensus building process we normally would have had, she said. So if I cant find a way to bring that back and have the members review it with a consensus decision-making process, then I have to profoundly question whether I can continue as leader and thats obviously heart-breaking. Stuff reports: A sex offender on the run after cutting off his electronic monitoring bracelet has been caught. Nigel Robert Gately, 48, went missing from the Salisbury St Foundation, a residential facility for prison parolees in St Albans, Christchurch, on Tuesday. Police arrested him in Nelson on Wednesday night following a manhunt across the upper South Island. It is understood he was caught after a sighting of his car a purple 2004 Ford Falcon. Gately is the latest of dozens of criminals to flee after removing an electronic monitoring bracelet. He attacked two women the last time he was paroled and police launched a wide-ranging search when he was discovered missing. He will now be recalled to prison. Gately grew up in Culverden, North Canterbury, and has convictions for rape, assault with intent to commit rape and abduction for sex. He was released on parole in May last year. At the time, the Parole Board said he was assessed as a high risk of sexual offending, but felt he could be managed with strict conditions, including electronic monitoring. State Rep. Joe Armstrong, center, with his wife, LeTonia, and attorney Gregory Isaacs, leaves court after being found guilty of one felony count in his tax fraud trial Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, at the Howard H. Baker Jr. U.S. Courthouse. The jury acquitted Armstrong of two other counts. He was charged with conspiring with accountant Charles Stivers to hide the profit from a cigarette tax stamp hike that Armstrong helped pass. (PAUL EFIRD/NEWS SENTINEL) Knoxville Democrats will meet Thursday at 6 p.m. to select a candidate for the 15th District seat in the state House. State Rep. Joe Armstrong, D-Knoxville, ran unopposed in the August primary but is no longer eligible to serve after being convicted of a single felony count of tax evasion. City Councilman Daniel Brown, a former Knoxville mayor, and Rick Staples, a community advocate, are vying for the nomination to run against independent candidate Pete Drew, who once represented the district, in the general election in November. Armstrong's wife, LeTonia Armstrong, is also making a case to be named the candidate to replace her husband. LeTonia Armstrong, in an email reported in the News Sentinel on Monday, highlighted her local roots, her University of Tennessee education, her community volunteerism and her career in government relations as some of her qualifications for the seat to represent East Knoxville. "I'm capable," Armstrong said in the story. "I have credentials. I know the process already." LeTonia Armstrong was listed as a "regional director for government affairs" for Abbott Laboratories, a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, in filings with the Tennessee Ethics Commission. She also made at least one contribution of $146.15 to the Abbott Laboratories Employee Political Action Committee, according to filings with the Tennessee Registry of Election Finance. According to records available online, Armstrong was registered as a lobbyist for Abbott from 2008 until January 2013. Abbott's 2008 filing lists its business with the state as related to "Medicaid/TennCare, Medicare, insurance, tort reform, taxation." While LeTonia Armstrong lobbied the state on those matters, Joe Armstrong legislated on many of those same matters. He served on the House Health Committee, which deals with health care, and the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee, which deals with taxation. Since 2004, Joe Armstrong, as well as numerous other Tennessee candidates, Democrat and Republican, received contributions from Abbott Laboratories Employee PAC totaling more than $150,000. Joe Armstrong received eight campaign contributions totaling $3,700 between 2004 and 2012 from Abbott Laboratories Employee PAC, including during the years LeTonia Armstrong worked as a lobbyist for Abbott. Joe Armstrong served on the Health Committee when he voted to raise the state tobacco tax, an increase that allowed him to make more than $300,000, a profit he did not report on his tax return. "I am more than Joe Armstrong's wife," LeTonia Armstrong said after a Democratic luncheon last week. She was a lobbyist for a company that had business before her now-convicted husband's committees. SHARE By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel A former Marine faces a rare federal stalking charge for what the FBI alleges was a campaign of harassment and threats against the Catholic Diocese of Knoxville and its parishes, carried out from a boat in California. David Andrew Webb, 40, was arrested last month in Chula Vista, Calif., where he had been living on the boat, on a sealed complaint filed by FBI Agent David Bukowski charging him with stalking and a related sealed indictment charging Webb with using a phone to "engage in a course of conduct that caused substantial emotional distress to the victims and placed them in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury." A federal magistrate judge in the Southern District of California deemed Webb too dangerous to go free and ordered Webb transferred to U.S. District Court in Knoxville. Bukowski alleges Webb blames the Catholic church for depriving him of contact with his 13-year-old son and that he has for more than a year waged a phone campaign of profanity-laced threats to the Knoxville diocese, its bishop and its parishes. "Since Jan. 1, Webb has made approximately 31 telephone calls to the Catholic Diocese of Knoxville and its parishes," Bukowski wrote. In a February voice mail left at the St. John Neumann Catholic Church, Webb demanded "a ton of money" from the diocese, according to the complaint. WARNING: EXPLICIT LANGUAGE Document: Affidavit filed against David Andrew Webb "Your diocese owes me over a billion," Webb said. "I'm not (expletive) playing. I haven't seen my son in probably four or five (expletive) years because of your (expletives) religion. You do not want me coming in to your (expletive) churches on Easter (expletive) Sunday." In another message to another Catholic office, Webb called the religion "evil" and vowed revenge, according to court records. "I'm calling in reference to the fact that you have my only son stolen by your diocese through manipulation and lies," he said. "Oh, and, by the way, I'm not Catholic. I don't like your church. I think it's stupid. I think you guys are complete and total idiots for believing the retarded (expletive) you believe. I used to believe it. I used to believe like you. But then I lost my only son. I think you guys underestimate a father's love for his only son." According to records filed in Knox County 4th Circuit Court, Webb and his son's mother, a teacher at Knoxville Catholic High School, never wed. The pair moved to Knoxville from North Carolina in 2007. Webb left Knoxville in 2011, and the mother filed for designation as the custodial parent of the boy in 2013. A default judgment was entered. The mother later in 2013 was granted a restraining order against Webb after he began sending her threatening text messages and sent emails to Catholic High School personnel alleging the mother was, among other things, "pro-abortion, pro-gay, anti-Catholic, anti-male feminist" and used foul language. Records show a pending charge against Webb of failing to pay $34,000 in back child support. Webb's attorney, Bill Fix, earlier this year begged off the domestic case after Webb sent him an email saying he would not return to Knoxville to address the child support issue. "There is absolutely no way I will ever return to Knoxville except to liberate (his son) from the evil, kidnapping pedophiles that have him," the email stated. Bukowski said FBI agents in California tried to reason with Webb in March, asking him to "stop making those telephone calls." He stopped for roughly two months before again targeting the Knoxville diocese, the agent wrote. A pretrial report "indicated the defendant suffers from several mental health conditions," records stated. SHARE Brandi L. Dosdall By News Sentinel Staff KNOXVILLE A Knox County woman has been charged with TennCare fraud and indicted for allegedly under-reporting her income in order to appear eligible for TennCare/Medicaid. The state Office of Inspector General, with assistance from Knox County Sheriff's Office, on Wednesday announced the arrest of Brandi L. Dosdall of Knoxville. She is charged with TennCare fraud and theft of services over $10,000. TennCare fraud is now a Class D felony, raising the maximum penalty from two to four years in prison. To date, 2,694 people have been charged with TennCare fraud. Report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or visit www.tn.gov/finance/article/fa-oig-report-fraud. SHARE Knox County Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch By Ariana Sawyer, USA TODAY NETWORK Tennessee NASHVILLE For police officers, an Internet rant could cost three days' pay. Forwarding a music video critical of the department to a television station could cost 10. Law enforcement officers do not enjoy the same level of free speech protection that civilians make use of every day on social media and can be punished for expressing themselves on politically charged topics such as racism and immigration. With racial tensions high across a nation in the midst of a contentious and polarizing presidential campaign, where videos of fatal officer-involved shootings of unarmed black people appear in news feeds, officers are under more public scrutiny than ever. Three recent cases in Tennessee showcase the pitfalls officers face on social media. "The public is watching the police, and they can't be perceived as coddling or excusing hate speech by their employees," said Eugene O'Donnell, a former New York police officer and prosecutor and now a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. "The landscape is littered with people who've lost their job over social media." Last month, one Metro Nashville police officer was temporarily decommissioned after posting a comment on Facebook referencing the fatal police-involved shooting in Falcon Heights, Minn. Another was decommissioned for changing his profile photo to an iconic 1960s Black Panthers image. In Memphis, two officers were suspended over posts on Snapchat. Seven Metro Nashville officers were disciplined for posts they made on social media over the past five years, although none were fired for the conduct, according to the department's disciplinary records. Two of those officers had repeat incidents. Decommissioning is a nonpunitive, administrative action that will result in the officer being either reinstated or not, depending on the investigation's findings. The most severe punishment was the 23-day suspension without pay of officer Dale Tomlin in 2015 over comments made on Facebook that some considered racist or homophobic. The Knoxville Police Department and the Knox County Sheriff's Office each have policies prohibiting employees from posting anything on social media that might identify them as law enforcement officers, such as photo of the officers in uniform, without permission. Neither agency has received a reported violation that resulted in disciplinary action, according to the agencies. The KPD's policy, enacted in July 2011, specifically prohibits employees from posting any "sexual, violent, racial or ethnically derogatory" material. KPD applicants also are required to fill out affidavits disclosing their social media accounts and to "provide the department with access to their site as part of any background investigation." "Our employees understand the importance of their words and how they reflect not only on them, but on our profession," said Knoxville Police Chief David Rausch. "These policies are a reminder of the limitations necessary for goodwill and order." KPD spokesman Darrell DeBusk said the department does not actively monitor officers' social media presence. The KPD policy doesn't spell out specific disciplinary options for violations. Knox County Sheriff's Office personnel in violation of that agency's policy are subject to "appropriate discipline up to and including termination." Speech about racism is almost always a matter of public concern protected speech as far as the U.S. Constitution is concerned except when such speech interferes with a law enforcement organization's ability to operate, said David Hudson, a First Amendment Center research attorney at Vanderbilt University's John Seigenthaler Center. "When your job is to handle people of various races, that's a problem," Hudson said. Hudson said he's seen a recent uptick in the number of cases in which officers have been disciplined for social media activity. He said although government employees still maintain some First Amendment protections, police departments are given wide leeway to discipline officers who "somehow interfere with the operation of the agency." Even creating a GoFundMe page for victims of domestic violence can be against the rules, as Memphis police officer and former "Police Women of Memphis" star Virginia Awkward found out in October 2014. According to documents obtained by The Tennessean, Awkward and her then-girlfriend set up the GoFundMe account after Awkward responded to a domestic assault call, returning the next day while off-duty to take the victims a mother and her infant child shopping because they lacked basic essentials. The officer and civilian raised more than $1,000 for the two after Awkward identified herself as an officer with the Memphis Police Department and solicited funds and goods on Facebook and GoFundMe. But that was done without the approval of the director of police, according to Memphis police records. Awkward was punished with two written reprimands and one day's suspension without pay, costing her about $150. A review of the social media policies for the police departments in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville and Murfreesboro shows the departments prohibit their officers from posting anything that could be seen as speaking on behalf of their employers without permission. And from the longest 15 pages in Murfreesboro to the shortest six sentences in Chattanooga the policies make clear the reputation of the department is what's at stake. The Nashville policy offers a model disclaimer for officers to use when posting anything on the Internet that explains they are posting as private citizens and not as police department employees. In Memphis, if an officer's social media content "could be perceived as having an adverse effect upon agency morale, discipline, operation of the agency or safety of department personnel," it becomes a punishable offense. More than half of the 16 Memphis officers disciplined for their social media activity in the past five years expressed little to no understanding of the social media policy, first implemented there in 2010, according to Memphis police documents. That number does not include the two Memphis officers who were suspended and remain under investigation for posting a Snapchat image of what appeared to be a white person pointing a gun at a cartoon image of a black child running through a home. "The thrust of it is, if you wrap yourself in police business online, you better be careful what you say because most agencies are going to protect their standing in the community," O'Donnell said. But O'Donnell said the social media policies and public scrutiny can have damaging effects on police that go beyond protecting a department's reputation in the community. He said the policies can be used to silent dissent within police departments, chill free speech and further isolate officers who already feel treated more like a number than a person. For example, Nashville officer Geoffrey Odom was suspended in 2015 for three days for posting comments on a Fox 17 story about police personnel practices. Memphis police officer Meekos Evans was suspended for 10 days for forwarding a music video to media in 2013 by a local rapper with an obscene reference to police to raise awareness of the video's negative portrayal by others of the Memphis Police Department, according to the statement of charges against the officer. Hudson said the courts usually side with the employer in those types of cases. O'Donnell said that can have down sides. "I resent the fact that cops have no right to speak," O'Donnell said. "They come against a lot of really difficult things, but we're saying to them, 'You can't talk about that.' " O'Donnell suggested officers should have more freedom to discuss issues online, rather than leave them bottled up and unchecked. Chattanooga police officer William Puckett, a 17-year veteran, echoed similar frustrations about comments he made on Facebook in 2014, according to a recording of an interview he gave with the department. "That policy supersedes any individual rights that I have as a person; I understand that," Puckett said. Puckett said he responded to a post by Chris Brooks, a man he shares mutual law enforcement friends with, when Brooks shared a post accusing white people of fighting to deny racism and challenging them to "fight for visions of a better world." "He called me a racist, and I'm not," Puckett said in the recording. "As a white man that's married to an African-American woman, I took even more offense to that. "It's easy to throw rocks when you don't have the (expletive) to risk your life for someone you've never met." Brooks filed a complaint with the Chattanooga Police Department, according to the records, and Puckett received a letter of reprimand. "Regardless of if you were at home or where you were when you posted that, you're still a Chattanooga police officer," the internal affairs interviewer said. "You know that we're still held to a higher standard, on or off duty." Hudson summed up the state of the First Amendment for police officers and other public employees by recalling a famous quote by Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. in 1892: "The (officer) may have a constitutional right to talk politics, but he has no constitutional right to be a policeman." By Noreen Premji As Jorgi Chambers sees it, her school has one dress code for girls and another for boys. "It's definitely an issue with guys," said Jorgi, a freshman at Farragut High School. "They wear shorts that are really short, but they don't get in trouble for it, which is really not OK." Knox County Schools' dress code, particularly restrictions on the length of shorts, has come under fire from Farragut students since Hollie Sikes, a sophomore, started an online petition last week to relax the rules. The petition has drawn more than 2,700 signatures so far. The dress code requires all shorts worn by students to be at least "finger-length" meaning students should be able to put their hands at their sides and their shorts be longer than the fingertip resting on the leg. Some students see that rule as unreasonable, particularly during the recent heat wave of 90-degree temperatures. "It's really hard for people to wear pants every day or find shorts that are fingertip-length," Jorgi said. School system officials say parents and students have had ample opportunity to voice their opinions on the dress code but that administrators welcome input. Farragut Principal Ryan Siebe initially agreed to discuss the dress code in an interview Tuesday, then refused. "It's not on the forefront of our agenda," he said. Sydney Rowell, student representative for the Knox County school board, has organized a meeting for students and parents on the issue for Thursday at 7 p.m. at Hardin Valley Academy. Jorgi and some other female students at Farragut say they see the dress code as unfair and unnecessary. "I find the dress code requirement to be disruptive to my educational experience to be pulled out of class," said Della Crabtree, a sophomore. "It's kind of unnecessary that I have to cover my entire shoulder, especially in 90-degree weather." She said one day she showed up for school in a dress that left her shoulders exposed and she was told to either change clothes or go home. She said she ended up missing a day's worth of notes in one class searching for a friend's shirt to borrow. Caroline Hobbs, another freshman, said the rule for shorts tends to be harder on tall students. "They don't want to find shorts that come down to their knees because their fingertips may be longer and they may have to purchase shorts that are longer, and that doesn't really fit their style," she said. Students said they don't want the dress code scrapped just reconsidered. "The teachers and principals are looking at it from their point of view," Jorgi said. "It would help them to see it from students' point of view." SHARE The National Park Service turned 100 years old this year, and to celebrate, parks around the U.S. invite visitors to log 100 miles on hiking trails before the year is through. In recognition of the park service centennial, officials at the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area will conduct a healthy hike to Parch Corn Creek at 9 a.m. EST on Saturday. Join ranger Mary Grimm at the end of Duncan Hollow Road for this strenuous 7-mile hike. Along the way, Grimm will talk about the park's ongoing problem with wild boar destruction of natural resources. Hikers will visit the gravesite of Elijah Smith, an early settler of the Big South Fork. Lunch will be at the old home site of Armstead Blevins on Parch Corn Creek, and the hike will end on the John Muir Trail. Bring water, snacks, lunch and bug spray. Well-behaved dogs are welcome, but leashes are required. Congress authorized the Big South Fork park in 1974. The area protects about 70 miles of the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River, which forms the park's main river gorge as it flows south-to-north from Tennessee into Kentucky. The 125,000-acre park offers more than 150 miles of hiking trails that lead to sandstone arches, rockhouses and steep, cliff-lined river gorges. Besides hiking, the park is a popular destination for horseback riding, mountain biking, canoeing, fishing and hunting. Throughout 2016 the Big South Fork will host an array of recreational activities to promote health and fitness. Visitors can download the park's activity log sheet at http://www.nps.gov/biso/planyourvisit/centennial-challenge.htm and track their miles. For more information, call the park's Bandy Creek Visitor Center at 423-286-7275. GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump (Photo: Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) SHARE By Karen Herzog, Hannah Schwarz and Bill Glauber, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, USA TODAY NETWORK WEST BEND, Wis. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump went to the Wisconsin suburbs Tuesday night to talk about America's inner cities, court African-American voters and lay out a plan to restore law and order in the country. "I'm asking for the vote of every African-American citizen struggling in our country today who wants a different and much better future," Trump said in Washington County, which has a black population of 1.2%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. "It's time for our society to address some honest and very, very difficult truths," Trump said. "The Democratic Party has failed and betrayed the African-American community. Democratic crime policies, education policies and economic policies have produced only more crime, more broken homes and more poverty." See also: Donald Trump shaking up campaign He ticked off statistics on crime, poverty and education that have plagued Milwaukee, which he said was a city run by Democrats "decade after decade." "To every voter in Milwaukee, to every voter living in the inner city or every forgotten stretch of our society, I'm running to offer you a much better future, a much better job," Trump said. The setting for the speech, not in the heart of Milwaukee but at the Washington County fairgrounds around 25 miles from the central city, appeared to be at odds with Trump's pitch for African-American votes. Trump's message of bolstering law enforcement with community outreach and more effective policing was well-received by the audience, which cheered when Trump said: "The war on our police must end and it must end now." Trump's speech came as Milwaukee was still recovering from two nights of unrest in the Sherman Park neighborhood following the Saturday afternoon shooting of an armed suspect by a Milwaukee police officer. It also culminated a major, day-long push by Trump in Wisconsin, where he trails Democrat Hillary Clinton by 15% among likely voters, according to an August Marquette University Law School Poll. And for the first time in the general election in Wisconsin, Trump was on the same stage as Gov. Scott Walker, the man he vanquished early in the GOP primaries. Walker, who missed Trump's previous appearance in Green Bay to survey flood damage in northern Wisconsin, was with Trump at a taping of a town hall meeting at Pabst Theater that was hosted by Sean Hannity of Fox News. There, Walker reaffirmed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, saying he would be better than Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. "America wants a change and Hillary Clinton is not a change agent," Walker said. "Throughout Donald Trump's entire professional life, he has been an agent of change, and he'll be that as the next president." State Republicans are eager to unite in the face of a sobering August Marquette University Law School Poll that showed Trump trailing Clinton by 15 points among likely voters in Wisconsin. Earlier Tuesday, Trump discussed events in Milwaukee's Sherman Park neighborhood, which was the scene of two nights of unrest following Saturday afternoon's shooting of an armed 23-year-old suspect by a Milwaukee police officer. Trump told Fox News Channel, "We have to obey the laws or we don't have a country. We have a case where good people are out there trying to get people to sort of calm down and they're not calming down and we have our police who do a phenomenal job." Although full details of the police shooting have not been disclosed, Trump added, "In this case, a gun was pointed at his (the police officer's) head I guess and I would assume the tapes are going to be revealed at some point." Asked if the police officer did the right thing, Trump said: "Well I guess you know if you believe a gun was pointed at his head and maybe ready to be fired, what is a person supposed to do? You're supposed to talk him out of it so I would think so, we'll find out because they have a tape as I understand but the gun was pointed at his head supposedly ready to be fired. I think that, who can have a problem with that? "Now that's what the narrative is, maybe it's not true," Trump added. "If it is true, people shouldn't be rioting." Police have said the man refused to drop his gun but have not said it was pointed at the officer. Trump also met with Milwaukee County Sheriff David A. Clarke Jr. at the Milwaukee County War Memorial Center. Clarke said he and Trump discussed public safety issues, including the recent unrest. Trump also met with military veterans. He understands the importance of public safety. He gets it, said Clarke, who runs as a Democrat. Later, Clarke joined Walker and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at the town hall event at the Pabst Theater. Asked how his campaign was doing in Wisconsin, Trump told Fox News: "I actually think it's doing good. I have the biggest crowds you're there, you see them, nobody's ever had crowds like this they say." Trump also posted on Facebook a "pledge to the American people," in which he vowed as president to be "your greatest champion." "I will fight to ensure that every American is treated equally, protected equally, and honored equally," Trump wrote. "We will reject bigotry and hatred and oppression in all its forms, and seek a new future built on our common culture and values as one American people." Meanwhile, thousands packed the Washington County Fair Park & Conference Center, many wearing buttons purchased outside the center, including "Lock her up" buttons of Clinton behind bars. Most couldn't see the stage from behind the bleachers, where they stood shoulder-to-shoulder. But they waited patiently in the air-conditioned building. A chant of "USA, USA" went up shortly before 7:30 p.m., when Trump was scheduled to begin speaking. At 9 p.m., he had yet to take the stage. Not all in attendance were Trump supporters. Some said they were just there to listen. At least a few were Clinton supporters, including Bruce Reynolds, 72, of West Bend. He held a sign that said, "I support religious tolerance and America's immigrant tradition," and bought a few anti-Clinton campaign buttons for his sister, just because she has a button collection. "I am definitely a Hillary supporter," said Reynolds, who grew up in West Bend and said he had never seen the grounds around the conference center so packed with cars Former Lt. Gov. Margaret Farrow was among a small group invited to personally greet Trump before the rally started. She hitched a ride to the fairgrounds with her son, Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow. Asked what she intended to say to Trump, whom she said she was eager to look in the eye for the first time, Farrow said: "I was a very little girl in World War II, and I clearly remember the phrase (on propaganda posters), 'Loose lips sink ships.' I want to tell him he's in a tight race. We'll see if I have the nerve." Contributing: Maggie Angst and Lee Bergquist, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel There is an old joke about a guy called in to repair a huge machine that has stopped working. He crawled under the behemoth and the plant manger heard a "tap, tap." He then crawled out and started the machine. He told the plant manager he was owed $200. What? For five minutes' work? The plant manger demanded an itemized bill. The repairman complied. The bill read: Tapping, $2. Knowing when and where to tap, $198. I fear that across America these days that the manufacturing plants we have left are losing the workers who know when and where to tap. It's called institutional memory. Knowing that the cut-off valve on wastewater has to be turned counterclockwise. Knowing that the circuit breaker to stop a dangerous overload is in a secondary switch box in the hall closet. That cantankerous machine that stops, holding up production, needs a tap on the capacitor to reload. Perhaps it's my age, but I've become aware of a lot of the (mostly) men who have been eased into early retirement. I know from personal experience that when you reach a certain age and accumulate certain health issues, you can forget anyone else putting you on a payroll. If you are too young for Social Security, you go into limbo. Some people are forced to take reduced benefits and go on Social Security at 62. They may also take a hit on pension benefits by retiring early. But often your skills are needed. The bright, young, newly minted engineer is often calling the crusty, retired shop foreman begging for help on solving a problem. But if you start to do contract work, the government takes 50 percent of anything you make over $14,500. It often isn't worth it to earn the extra income. Social Security payments used to be non-taxable, since you contributed money in the first place. But you can thank Bill Clinton for changing that. Some men with bad backs or legs would have preferred to keep on working, but laid off they often wind up on disability. Disability payments have skyrocketed in recent years. The government is happy because these people disappear from the unemployment statistics. (NPR did a great piece on how this works last year Google it.) Contract work is also used on the other end of the spectrum. Many young people get hired as contractors for a specific project. Contract work is notoriously up and down. You might make six figures this year, and pay horrible taxes, and then barely make a living wage next year. The tax code used to have a provision for income averaging. You could amend your tax return and average your income over three years and thus have a tax rate that is reasonable for your standard of living. But that was abolished years ago. My point is, if the free traders are determined to prevent a resurgence of manufacturing, the government can do some things that benefit people left in the real world of work. For people too old to get hired but too young to retire. Remove taxes on Social Security, take the limit off what can be earned without penalty, bring back income averaging. If the tax code and the bean counters are against you, you look to somebody for help. But help isn't likely if you don't have a lobbyist. Japan will provide two patrol vessels and a surveillance aircraft to the Philippines. This was announced by Masato Ohtaka, a senior official of Japan's foreign affairs ministry, during his ongoing Manila trip. Ohtaka emphasized that they are referring about big-sized, 90-meter (295-foot) long vessels. They are also discussing the possibility of renting aircraft designed for training, the surveillance aircraft. Knowing that Philippines have been involved in a maritime disputes with China over the South China Sea while Japan is also facing similar a situation with China in the East China Sea. Last week Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida talked with his Filipino counterpart Sec. Perfecto Yasay Jr. Kishida, during the meeting, and promised that Japan is working to deliver 10 petrol vessels to Manila as agreed recently. The both leaders want to urged China to respect maritime order based on the rule of law' for regional stability and prosperity. Beijing has strongly opposed the verdict after the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, rejected China's claims over disputed South China Sea saying that the country has no legal authority to claim the contested territory. But the Asian power continues to build military facilities in several disputed territories in the South China Sea, resulting in worsening ties between claimants' countries such as Vietnam, Taiwan, and Philippines. Knox County Democratic Party leaders will meet on Thursday to select a candidate to replace state Rep. Joe Armstrong, who was convicted last week of filing a false federal tax return. Three people have emerged as candidates City Councilman Daniel Brown, a former Knoxville mayor; Rick Staples, a community advocate who has unsuccessfully sought other elected positions; and LeTonia Armstrong, Joe Armstrong's wife and recently retired as government affairs director of AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company. Joe Armstrong has represented the dependably Democratic 15th District for 28 years and was a virtual lock for re-election prior to his conviction. The 15 party leaders who will assemble at Democratic headquarters at 311 Morgan St. owe it to the district's constituents to hold an open process in which the hopefuls and others can debate the issues of importance to the community. Joe Armstrong secured the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 4 primary, but his conviction will bar him from serving in the Legislature. No Republican is running, which leaves Independent Pete Drew temporarily the only person in the race. The Democratic Party leaders are left with intriguing choices for the district, which includes East Knoxville, Mechanicsville, downtown and much of South Knoxville. Tapping Brown, Knoxville's first black mayor, would be a safe choice, though it also would create an open seat on City Council. A retired postal worker and Vietnam veteran, he served ably as mayor for most of 2011 after former Mayor Bill Haslam was elected Tennessee's governor. Staples, a former Knox County Sheriff's Office employee, is project management and communications supervisor for Castles of Choice project, and vice president and chair of mentorship for 100 Black Men of Greater Knoxville. Earlier this year he lost a bid for the Democratic nomination for Knox County Commission's 1st District seat. Though Staples is young and energetic, he has yet to prove he has the political chops necessary in Nashville. LeTonia Armstrong knows the ropes in Nashville, but her husband's felony conviction would be a handicap. In addition to her government relations work, she has served on the boards of the Knoxville Women's Center, the YWCA, the American Heart Association and the Civic Coliseum and is a member of the Tennessee Women's Political Caucus and the Perfect 36 Society of the Tennessee Woman Suffrage Monument, both of Nashville. Of course, other interested parties could step forward as well. Because Democratic voters will not decide their nominee, party leaders must conduct the selection with as much public input as possible. Anything less would smack of backroom dealings. The candidates need to make their case for the appointment and rank-and-file Democrats in the district should have an opportunity to be heard as well. The importance of the leadership's decision cannot be overstated. The 15th District deserves strong and effective representation at the state Capitol. Man gets prison sentence for role in $3.3 million Medicare fraud scheme AUGUST 17, 2016 at 8:45 a.m. WASHINGTON The owner of a New Orleans company that defrauded Medicare of more than $3.3 million was sentenced today to 80 months in prison for directing the scheme. Tracy Richardson Brown, 46, of New Orleans, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stanwood R. Duval Jr. of the Eastern District of Louisiana, who also ordered Brown to pay $2,004,391.63 in restitution. On April 30, 2016, Brown, who owned and operated medical equipment supply company Psalms 23 DME LLC (Psalms), was convicted on 18 counts of health care fraud, conspiracy and related charges. Evidence introduced at the five-day trial showed that Brown paid patient recruiters for the names and billing information of Medicare beneficiaries in and around New Orleans. The evidence that was presented also showed that Brown used this information to cause Psalms to bill Medicare for power wheelchairs, accessories and various knee, elbow and back braces supposedly provided to these beneficiaries. However, according to the evidence presented at trial, the vast majority of these patients did not need, and often did not receive or even want, this equipment. The evidence at trial demonstrated that Brown caused Psalms to bill Medicare for more than $3.3 million in claims, a vast percentage of which were fraudulent, and Medicare paid Psalms approximately $2 million on these claims. At her sentencing, Judge Duval stated that the sentence was based, in part, upon Browns use of elderly people to commit a reprehensible crime. Published August 17, 2016 With five members of the Chippewa Falls School Board showing little confidence that a $115 million school building referendum could pass, a more than two-hour work session Tuesday night failed to garner enough support around either of the two proposals left standing. Instead, board members agreed to put the item on the agenda for Thursdays regular monthly meeting, with plans to further the discussion and see if they can come to some sort of consensus. That meeting is at 7 p.m. Thursday at Korger-Chestnut, 140 W. Elm St. The School Board had settled on two plans June 30, one calling for a new high school and the other headlined by a new Stillson Elementary school. Both plans, in the $115 million range, included millions of dollars of repairs and renovations to existing schools. But staring at an Aug. 29 deadline for passing a referendum resolution that would appear on the Nov. 8 ballot, only two board members Staish Buchner and Jennifer Heinz voiced support for either plan as it was put forth. I like the idea of building a new high school because it addresses all of the things the people said they do want, in a way thats going to be better for the district long-term, said Heinz, who did not support a new high school when the board began its look into the district buildings months ago. The same was true of Buchner. When we started this process, the last thing I was thinking of was a new high school, he said. As we went along through this, the more I came up with the high school as the better plan. It would also solve (issues at) a number of other buildings. But at the boards fifth work session, the five remaining board members all voiced doubts about the success of either of those proposals. If you really want to put options forward, you can ask for $115 or $110 million and youre not going to get it, said board member Pete Lehmann. Otherwise youre going to shoot for the stars and come up with nothing. Board member Dave Czech also did not wish to advance a referendum that did not pass. That creates a credibility problem if we come back in another six months and say, try this, he said. I think its a mistake to look at a new high school right now, said board member Pat Allen, who favored the option that rebuilt Stillson. However she thought the weakness of that plan was a new central office building. I think it has to be south of $100 million. I honestly do, said board member Kathy Strecker. When we took this on a year ago, I did not think we would have more questions now than when we started. And I think its because its a great amount of money, said board President Amy Mason. She pointed out that the last referendum in 2001 wasnt for anything close to this amount and it did not pass. Whatever I put forward, I would like it to succeed. Like Allen, Czech came out in favor of the plan to build a new Stillson Elementary, and tackle the additions and remodels at Jim Falls and Halmstad elementaries. We cant look people in the face and say Stillson is dying, and then do nothing to repair it, he said. But Czech also feared the $115 million proposal would not pass, and had strong concerns about the idea of going back to taxpayers with a second phase of building within 10-15 years, when they were still paying on a 20-year 2-mil increase from the first phase. When neither plan got enough support, he floated a modified proposal that called for $21 million for a new Stillson and $16 million for remodeling Jim Falls and Halmstad. But it trimmed a middle school remodel from $21 million to $7 million, and a high school remodel from $29 million to $7 million, and eliminated a new district office. That revised plan came in at $60 million. I think weve got to pare our expenses down, Czech said. Strecker suggested a compromised amount and threw out an $80 million figure. Maybe thats a palatable amount, and enough to get something done, she said. We need to put something in front of people that will pass. Its true. We need some things done now. Were going to fix these things that are extremely critical. People here are practical. It doesnt say we cant do (more) things in the future. Buchner said he would not support a proposal that he felt failed to address enough of the schools needs. Then its a matter of which rubber bands and band aids are going to be used. It isnt that its bad, but its going to keep getting worse and worse. I spent 10 years in the middle school watching those roofs leak. Again and again the same thing was being done. Isnt that the definition of insanity? Are you going to tear your house down because it needs a new roof? countered Lehmann. These arent band aids. These are substantial amounts of money. Allen asked Buchner if he thought a $115 million referendum was going to pass? I think it will pass, and if it doesnt it tells you something about this community, said Buchner, who earlier had proposed a two-part question. The first question would ask for support of the $115 million new high school proposal, and for those who answered yes, a second question would ask for support of a $22 million new Stillson. Prior to the discussion, Superintendent Dr. Heidi Eliopoulos provided results from the 178 responses following a handful of community information sessions the previous week. When asked which proposal they favored, 51.1 percent preferred the new high school option, 33.1 percent the new Stillson option, and 15.7 percent supported neither. Rather than take the feedback from the public, were going to revamp it based on anecdotal evidence? It seems to be fear-motivated, Heinz said. But those 178 responses did not sway many board members, who were skeptical of drawing too much from the small sample, and said it did not square with what they have been hearing. I see the numbers, but I read every single one of those responses, and thats not what I got from those, Czech said of the preference for a new high school over Stillson. I think were all in agreement that were going to do something, Czech said. The question is exactly what that something is, and the board will take another run at the question Thursday. By Lee Hyo-sik The union of Oriental Brewery (OB) is facing growing criticism for staging a walkout after management refused to accept its demands, calling them "excessive." Industry analysts are expressing concerns that Korea's largest brewer, headed by CEO Frederico Freire, could lose market share to its rivals if the ongoing strike extends for weeks and it is unable to meet demand amid the peak summer season. They suggest unionized workers return to work and try harder to settle their differences with management. According to OB, Wednesday, unionized workers held a ceremony at its plant in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, to declare a full-scale strike. Workers at the Icheon plant and another in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, have been refusing to work since Aug. 13. The brewer's third plant in Gwangju has remained idle since Tuesday. The union is demanding a 9.3 percent wage hike and better working conditions, while the company wants to increase salaries by 0.7 percent in line with the country's consumer price increase in 2015. In April, workers demanded the company carry out a voluntary retirement scheme so that those seeking a way out could quit with extra benefits. Rounds of negotiations have been held since last December but the two sides have failed to iron out their differences. To force management to accept its demands, the union held a vote in which a majority of members cast ballots in favor of a strike. "The union is demanding an excessive pay raise because they didn't receive 2015 incentives in February, as a result of the firm's poor performance last year," an OB official said. "The union wants the company to make up for unpaid incentives by raising the base salary by 9.3 percent. But this is just too much." The official said OB workers receive more than their industry counterparts, stressing that the company is doing everything it can to keep production going. "We are mobilizing nonunion employees to keep production going. Walking out doesn't solve anything. We just want the union to make reasonable demands," he said. An executive at one of the country's major business associations said OB's union is destroying itself, calling on union members to immediately return to work. "By any standard, asking for a nearly 10 percent pay raise is not reasonable when the economy grows about 2 to 3 percent," the executive said. "OB workers are hurting themselves. If the company disappears, workers will lose their jobs. Union leaders must come to their senses." When contacted by The Korea Times, union leader Jin Kyung-seop and other members refused to comment. By Kim Jae-kyoung SINGAPORE CJ Foodville, a food services affiliate of Korea's conglomerate CJ Group, has withdrawn its bibimbap-themed restaurant franchise, Bibigo, from Singapore due to snowballing losses caused by poor sales. "We shut down the last outlet of our Bibigo franchise restaurant in Raffles City Mall in the downtown district of Singapore on Aug. 1," a Singapore-based executive from CJ Group told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity. The executive cited a couple of reasons for the closure. First, it wasn't turning a profit due to high overheads and rental costs. They also faced recruitment issues because of the Singaporean Ministry of Manpower's rules on hiring local staff. The closure of its branch in Raffles City Mall, which came after it shut down three other branches in the city state, indicates that the company needs to modify its expansion plan in Southeast Asia. The company first opened its Bibigo branch in Raffles City Mall in 2000 as part of a strategy to expand its presence in Southeast Asia, because it believed Singapore was the ideal test bed for food companies seeking overseas expansion in the rapidly growing market. Then it opened three more branches its second in Nex Mall, third in the Financial Center in 2012, and its fourth in Suntec City in 2013. However, with all four branches suffering losses, the company has closed them one by one over the past year and finally decided to pull Bibigo out of the country. When it first opened a Bibigo branch in Singapore, it unveiled its plan to open up to 100 branches in Southeast Asia by 2017. "Most global restaurant franchises see Singapore as a test bed for Asian expansion because it is considered a cultural, religious and ethnic melting pot in Asia," a Singaporean businessman said on condition of anonymity. "Though Singapore is a small city state, it is a place where a variety of cultures and lifestyles coexist. If you have success here it is highly likely that you also can make it in other Southeast Asian nations." In this regard, Bibigo's fiasco in Singapore may deal a blow to the firm's globalization drive in the region. "Although it can be seen as a business decision based on sales results you can also say that Bibigo's business model has proven unsuccessful in Singapore," said a Korean national who has been in the food services business for over 10 years, asking not to be named. "I think CJ will have to put its model under a thorough review to make inroads into Southeast Asia." However, the food giant said that the withdrawal from Singapore was just a modification of its globalization strategy, dismissing speculation that it was the result of a failure there. "The withdrawal is in line with our global expansion strategy focusing on China and the U.S. We entered Singapore to test our strength in the Southeast Asian market but the results were below our expectations," said Kim Moo-jong, spokesman for the company. "But the closure does not necessarily mean that we won't do business in Singapore in the future. The decision was affected by our branch restructuring under a global expansion plan aimed at maximizing profits." Currently, CJ operates a total of 15 Bibigo branches in five countries China (8), the U.S. (3), the U.K. (2), Japan (1) and Indonesia (1). The company plans to increase the number of outlets to 300 by 2020 under its globalization drive led by CJ Foodville CEO Jung Moon-mok. He aims for CJ Foodville to join the world's top 10 food services companies capable of competing with global players, such as McDonald's and Starbucks. At a press conference in July, Jung said, "I believe that CJ Foodville is the only domestic food services firm capable of competing globally. We will push for global expansion led by Bibigo, bakery Tous Les Jours and A Twosome Cafe." The food giant's overseas sales accounted for 11 percent of its overall sales totaling 1.3 trillion won ($1.14 billion) in 2015. It plans to increase the ratio to more than 50 percent by 2020. In 2015, the company incurred losses in seven overseas subsidiaries and injected new capital worth 34.8 billion won, of which 7.9 billion won was channeled into CJ Foodville Asia. Due to losses in overseas operations, the company posted a net loss of 21.8 billion won in 2015, the fourth consecutive year of losses. Trade Minister Joo Hyung-hwan, second from left, speaks during a breakfast conference with the heads of domestic automakers at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Wednesday. He called for aggressive investment in developing future car technologies during the conference. / Yonhap By Jhoo Dong-chan Korea's trade minister encouraged domestic automakers to invest aggressively in future car technologies, such as eco-friendly and autonomous vehicles, in a bid to overcome the downturn in sales they face in emerging markets. "The paradigm in the global auto industry is shifting rapidly since China has emerged as a leading industry and market for electric vehicles (EVs)," said Trade, Industry and Energy Minister Joo Hyung-hwan during a breakfast conference with heads of domestic automakers at the Conrad Hotel in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. "Domestic automakers now need to look into such technologies as a future growth engine. It will also contribute greatly to job creation." The conference took place to discuss future perspectives in the global auto market. According to sources, the nation's five automakers suffered a decline in domestic and overseas sales by 6.2 percent and 13.7 percent, respectively, in the January to July period year-on-year. As a part of the ministry's support for domestic automakers, Joo said the government will support battery-developing firms' research and development (R&D) projects and build more charging stations for EVs. Currently, there are only 300 charging stations across the country, the biggest reason for Korean consumers to hesitate buying EVs. "The government is also pushing ahead with expanding tax benefits on domestic automaker's investment in R&D for such vehicles," Joo said. The nation's automakers welcomed the government's decision. They also requested an immediate implementation of the old diesel-powered cars ban once it is passed by the National Assembly. The nation's largest automaker Hyundai Motor said it will invest in hydrogen fuel cells while Kia Motors promised to expand its investment in environment-friendly vehicles. Renault Samsung will introduce the two-seater Twizy EV by the end of this year and invest in a 1-ton battery-powered commercial truck. The nation's smallest automaker, Ssangyong Motor, said it is developing its first EV model, and will launch it within two or three years. Industry observers say the government is committed to help automakers introduce futuristic vehicles. "It is nice to see the government working with industry insiders to discuss support plans, but it should come up with more concrete measures," he said. "The country needs more charging stations if it wants to see more EVs. Rather, the government introduced a charging fee for EV drivers in a bid to encourage private companies to build charging stations. With only some 5,000 EVs in the country, no companies will risk entering the charging business." From left, Kim Ho-young, Lee Ji-hoon, Chung Sung-hwa and Kang Hong-seok in "Kinky Boots" / Courtesy of CJ E&M By Kwon Mee-yoo The red-heeled sensation is back. The Tony-winning musical "Kinky Boots" will raise its curtain at Blue Square in Seoul next month with a new cast. Penned by Harvey Fierstein with music from pop music icon Cyndi Lauper, the musical revolves around struggling shoe factory heir Charlie and drag queen Lola and the unexpected friendship that blooms between the two. According to CJ E&M's theater division producer Park Min-sun, the musical returns to the Korean stage after 20 months and the new production will have fresh energy coming from the mix of the Korean original cast and new actors joining this year. "The message of the show will remain the same, but we will engage the audiences more with the show, not just watching it," Park said at a showcase at SJ Kunsthalle in southern Seoul, Tuesday. For the 2016 production, Kang Hong-seok and Chung Sung-hwa alternate the role of Lola, while Lee Ji-hoon and Kim Ho-young take turns playing Charlie. Among the leads from the Korean premiere in 2014, Kang, who left a strong impression as Lola, returns this year. "I am really excited to return to play Lola again. I was full of enthusiasm when I first played Lola two years ago," Kang said. "Chung Sung-hwa is a role model for many musical actors and I am honored to share this role with Chung. In the premiere, Lola was hot and exciting and I think she will be more graceful this time." Chung's casting as Lola comes as a surprise, as his previous roles were more serious such as Jean Valjean in "Les Miserables" and Don Quixote in "Man of La Mancha." However, this is not the first time for Chung to don women's clothes since he played drag queen Zaza in the Korean production of "La Cage aux Folles." "At first, I thought of turning down the role of Lola because she seemed too similar to Zaza. Then my wife pointed out that Zaza was a mother of a 20-something son, while Lola is much younger. So I interpreted Lola as young Zaza," Chung said. He added that Lola is a character with such a clear life objective. "That is why he influences Charlie's life so deeply. It is interesting to play such a role as an actor," Chung said. "I also realized why I was not so popular it was not because I was ugly and pot-bellied, but I did not know how to sympathize with people." Lee and Kim have played opposite each other a few times, but this is the first time for them to alternate in the same character. "Charlie has the most lines of all the characters I've played. It means this has the deepest drama I've ever played and I'm trying hard to convey the emotions," Lee said. "Kinky Boots" will run from Sept. 2 to Nov. 13. Tickets cost from 60,000 to 140,000 won. For more information, visit interpark.com or call 1544-1555. People shop at 8 seconds store in Myeongdong in Jung-gu, central Seoul, to purchase brand's new collaboration line "8 X GD." / Courtesy of Samsung C&T By Kim Jae-heun Fashion brand 8 seconds saw its sales soar after it collaborated with K-pop idol G-Dragon of boy band BigBang, the brand announced last week. The fashion company hired the pop idol as a model for its casual brand and launched collaboration lines "8 X GD" and "8 X GD's Fick." The musician participated in designing the new collaboration line with 8 seconds' fashion team. The new collection pieces showed up in stores in Myeongdong, Gangnam, Garosugil and Times Square last Friday, introducing the Sukajan jumper, a graphic T-shirt and snapbacks of the 8 X GD line and oversize hoodie and T-shirts of 8 X GD'a Fick that increased brand sales by 60 percent. The number of shop visitors increased by 50 percent in the first week. The collaboration brand sales accounted for half of the total sales in the Myeongdong, Gangnam and Garosugil stores and Chinese customers accounted for 80 percent of foreigner shoppers. The brand sees the success as growth momentum ahead of its plans to enter the Chinese market next year. 8 seconds will extend its opening hours to midnight Friday for just one day as part of the special event Summer Night Out. Jason Edward Clemmer / Courtesy of Twitter By Lee Han-soo Jason Edward Clemmer, a U.S. citizen accused of making and distributing child pornography, has fled to South Korea, according to American news outlet the Gaston Gazette. Clemmer is charged with more than 25 counts of producing child pornography. He is known to have left for Korea on August 3 through John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. He was initially arrested by North Carolina police in October 2014 for allegedly distributing photos online of children aged four to eight having sexual intercourse with adults. Clemmer's computer had several child pornography images and videos portraying toddlers in sexual situations, police said. The district attorney in charge of prosecuting Clemmer describes him as "the worst of the worst." Clemmer initially posted a $150,000 bail bond (166 million won) and was to go on trial Tuesday. The court has issued a warrant for his arrest and asked the Korean government for help. But Korean immigration services allegedly did not pick up the call from the U.S., which has led to public criticism. By Choi Sung-jin "You can hardly use your air-conditioners 12 hours a day and avoid high power charges." Assistant Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Chae Hee-bong said so last Tuesday, in response to mounting calls for an easing of the ministry's steep progressive power rates for household consumers. "We should stick to the current system to prevent blackouts during peak demand season," he said. Yet Chae's declaration lasted fewer than 48 hours. President Park Geun-hye and leaders of the ruling Saenuri Party agreed to lower power rates for family users during a Cheong Wa Dae lunch Thursday. The presidential office and governing party made the decision without officials in charge of the matter. Later in the day, the ministry hurriedly announced a plan for a new progressive rating system. It was only the latest case of government ministries reversing their long-held policies and positions by a word from Cheong Wa Dae or the ruling party. Experts say the new form of "bureaucratic immobility" -- which shuts their ears to public opinions while watching the face of the President and her aides -- would even deteriorate in the run-up to presidential elections and toward the end of the incumbent's term. In another example, the Fair Trade Commission had long stuck to its position that business groups with assets of 5 trillion won ($4.5 billion) or more should be subject to various conglomerate-related regulations, such as limitations on intra-group equity holdings and bans on private contracts among sister companies. "We have neither examined nor decided on raising the current criteria," the antitrust watchdog said on April 3. "This is not a matter that can be hastily changed as 10 different government agencies and 38 related laws are involved." At a meeting between President Park and editorial chiefs of newspapers and broadcasters on April 26, however, the chief executive said: "The designation of large business groups should be modified, reflecting changing times." It was not long before the commission upgraded the standard to 10 trillion won, setting free several midsize chaebol from its tight controls. Some long-disputed projects because of environmental concerns also progressed swiftly after a presidential remark. The National Park Committee turned down a plan to build another cable car at Mt. Seorak in Gangwon in 2012 and 2013. In 2014, President Park expressed her hope that construction will "start as early as possible for completion by the opening of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics." Construction is now under way. There were some positive aspects of the presidential intervention in changing the unreasonable power rate system and FTC's time-honored standards for large business groups. But in most other cases Park's unwarranted interference has complicated matters. One case is the decision on the location of the U.S. missile defense system. On July 13, the Defense Ministry announced Seongju, North Gyeongsang Province, as the site for the Thermal High-Altitude Area Defense battery despite vehement protests from residents, saying the radar system has little harmful effects on people. At another meeting between the President and ruling party lawmakers representing the province, Park hinted at the possibility of seeking another location, however. The Defense Ministry immediately backed up, beginning to find a third site. In the past, bureaucrats were criticized for putting off important decisions to avoid responsibility later. Now, officials are bent on making or changing policies to suit the taste of the top leader rather than considering the standpoints of their end consumers -- people -- the experts said. "The frequent reversals of government policies by Cheong Wa Dae will lead to administrative inconsistency, which in turn results in popular distrust in their government," said Professor Kim Hyung-joon of Kyung Hee University. "When the predictability of government policies falls, it will cause additional social costs, giving additional burdens to taxpayers." If the President and Cheong Wa Dae continue to meddle in the administration's domain to suit voters' demands in an election year, the vicious circle of Presidential interference and bureaucratic immobility would deteriorate, they said. "As always, the chief executive holds the key," said Professor Yoon Tae-beom of Korea National Open University. "President Park must suppress the temptation to make meticulous interventions but disperse the authority concentrated in her and Cheong Wa Dae and give more power and responsibility to Cabinet ministers." By Lee Kyung-min Seoul city government will create more than 15,000 jobs and offer 1,000 places to live for artists in Seoul in an effort to help them pursue careers without fear of an unstable income. The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced a set of measures to support artists, Wednesday, the first such municipality-level effort. The measures come as many artists, especially those in pure art, suffer from financial problems due to unstable incomes. According to a study by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism last year, 40.1 percent of artists in Seoul held at least two jobs to maintain a living. More than half of them had jobs irrelevant to their art field, and 21 percent earned no income at all from art. The jobs to be created will include docents at public art facilities, street performers, art educators and art therapists. The SMG will provide low-rent studios and living spaces after remodeling some old apartment blocks, including a historic apartment building in Hoehyeon-dong, central Seoul. The city government will also require employers who hire artists to sign a contract to guarantee basic rights. It will also set up guidelines on artists' wages to prevent abuse by employers. The need for support measures for artists was fueled in 2011 by the death of a screenwriter in her 30s, Choi Ko-eun, who was found starved to death, after leaving a note to her landlord a few days earlier asking for rice and kimchi. In the note, she said she would be able to pay the long overdue electricity bill as soon as she receives unpaid wages. "Artists' basic rights are often violated because of the social perception that they chose the profession while fully aware of the harsh working conditions that they might face," a city official said. "We believe that Seoul will become a truly artistic city only when artists' minimum living standards including food and housing are guaranteed." By Kang Seung-woo Lee Seok-soo An investigator looking into corruption allegations involving Woo Byung-woo, senior civil affairs secretary for President Park Geun-hye, denied a media report that he had illegally leaked details of the investigation to a reporter, Wednesday. Local broadcaster MBC reported Tuesday that Lee Seok-soo the independent inspector general who mainly deals with corruption cases involving the President's relatives and aides shared the progress of an ongoing investigation into Woo with a reporter through a messaging app. The broadcaster said it obtained the messages Lee exchanged with the reporter, without revealing the names of the reporter or the app. Under the law, Lee is forbidden from leaking information about investigations before they are closed. A violation could bring a jail term of up to five years. "I have never contacted the media and revealed something about the investigation through an app," Lee said in a statement, urging MBC to identify the reporter and the app. Lee said that he will complete the investigation into Woo "unwaveringly." According to the MBC report, the investigator told a reporter that his investigation is pointing to Woo's son and Jeonggang, a company run by Woo's family. Woo is suspected of helping his son get special treatment during military service, while his family is believed to have set up the company to minimize their tax payments. Cheong Wa Dae remains cautious over the issue, saying that Lee is an independent investigator, so it has nothing to say about the report. Opposition parties called for appointing a special prosecutor to clear a series of allegations involving Woo. "Prosecutors have shown little effort to uncover the truth of his case and the presidential investigator cannot either, so we should have the accusations investigated by a special prosecutor," said Rep. Woo Sang-ho, the floor leader of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea, in a party meeting. Rep. Park Jie-won, the floor leader of the minor opposition People's Party, raised a conspiracy theory, aimed at hindering Lee's investigation. "It is doubtful that such detailed records were obtained and reported," he said "I wonder if Big Brother is beginning its reign of terror in order to protect Woo." On Tuesday, President Park Geun-hye replaced three ministers and four vice minister-level officials, but kept the embattled Woo in place. Brian Cole was a hardened criminal and drug user. But all it took was one time taking methamphetamine, and he was hooked. Meth is different. Because it doesnt matter how old you are. This is one drug where...and a lot of us know, you take one hit and youre done, Cole told Tuesdays town hall meeting about methamphetamine at the Heyde Center for the Arts. The drug has swept over Chippewa County, trapping the lives of adults and their children in its wake. Meth is a highly addictive and destructive drug, Matthew Kelm, Chippewa Falls Police chief, said. The entire community is affected. The costs to all of the community are really astronomical. For example, meth use in Chippewa County is costing the countys Child Protective Services $1.2 million a year. Thats just the cost of cases and the process it takes to keep children safe, Nicholas Schneider, a social worker for the countys Human Services Department, said. The number of children referred to Child Protective Services because of adult meth cases has gone from 28 in 2014 to 58 last year and 64 as of June 30 this year. In just a couple of years we nearly tripled, he said. Children are in houses where the parents use meth, and the kids can absorb the meth through smoke in a houses ventilation system or through clothing. Other youngsters unknowingly put meth in their mouth. On the street meth is known as ice, crystal, shards and tweak, Stephen McMahon, an investigator for the West Central Drug Task Force, said. You can snort it, you can smoke it, you can inject it, McMahon said. Meth is not cheap. It can cost $50 for a half-gram. A full gram can cost $100 to $200. We do have some meth labs. Primarily they are using the shake and bake method, McMahon said. That involves shaking the ingredients until a chemical reaction starts. If you dont know what youre doing, thats where the explosions come from, he said. But most of the meth locally was made in Mexico and funneled through Minnesota. We have kids who are 15 and 16 years old who are using meth. Weve had 70-year-olds injecting meth, McMahon said, adding they want the euphoria they get from the drug. For Cole, after using meth for three months he went from 185 to 135 pounds. He would stay up for days if not weeks at a time. He convinced his wife to use meth and she became addicted. He convinced a friend to use meth and that friend died. It took a long time for me to forgive myself for that, Cole said. His life changed on Jan. 6, 2009 when his residence was surrounded by the drug task force. He went through a faith-based health program and changed his life. He guessed that drug agents catch only about 1 percent of meth users. Can you imagine the number of our children that are affected by this drug? he asked. By Jun Ji-hye Gen. Mark A. Milley More high-ranking U.S. military officials are visiting Seoul in an effort to ensure the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery in South Korea goes as planned. Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, arrived here, Wednesday, for discussions about the deployment with South Korean officials. Milley is scheduled to meet with South Korea's Army Chief of Staff Gen. Jang Jun-kyu, Friday, officials here said without giving further details about his visit. Before arriving in Seoul, he visited China, during which he met with ranking military officials and explained that the missile defense system is not designed to provoke China. "In Korea, he is scheduled to visit U.S. Army troops at several locations on the peninsula. While here, he will receive updates on brigade deployments, the combined U.S. and ROK 2nd Infantry Division, the relocation of U.S. Army units to Camp Humphreys and plans to deploy a THAAD battery to protect the Republic of Korea from North Korean ballistic missile threats," the U.S. Army website said. By Kim Hyo-jin A North Korean diplomat in London has defected to an unnamed country with his family members, according to media reports, Wednesday. Thae Yong-ho, a deputy ambassador at the North Korean embassy, disappeared from his home in west London several weeks ago along with his wife and children, and defected to an unnamed country this week, the BBC said. Thae had reportedly lived in Britain for a decade and had been tasked with promoting the image of North Korea to the British people. He was scheduled to finish his term there this summer and return to his home country, it said. Following the report, the Unification Ministry said it cannot confirm if it was Thae, at the London office, who defected. But concerning the increasing number of media reports regarding defections by North Koreans, Jeong Joon-hee, the ministry spokesperson said, "It's hard to confirm defections with a specific figure but the number is surely on the rise." "It is sure that recent defections have to do with a sense of pressure amid toughened international sanctions against the isolated country." An Chan-il, a defector and researcher at the World Institute for North Korea Studies in Seoul, said "The elites who have a chance to live overseas easily realize the ironies of the North Korean regime." "And they opt for defection, seeing no hope, especially concerning education for their children." Thae Yong-ho By Kim Hyo-jin A senior North Korean diplomat in London has defected to South Korea with his family members, the Ministry of Unification said Wednesday. "Thae Yong-ho, a deputy ambassador at the North Korean embassy in the United Kingdom, has recently entered into the country with his wife and children," Jeong Joon-hee, a ministry spokesman, said at a press conference. "They are now under the government's protection and undergoing the necessary procedures for settlement here." Thae is the highest-ranking North Korean diplomat ever to defect to South Korea, the spokesman said. He is the No.2 man at the North Korean embassy in London after Ambassador Hyon Hak-bong. Jeong, however, refused to answer on when or how Thae's family arrived in Seoul, citing security reasons. The defection follows the U.N. Security Council imposing tougher sanctions on Pyongyang for its nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch the following month. It stirred anxiety among the North Korean elite working overseas, according to North Korea experts. Asked about the motive for Thae's defection, Jeong said, "According to Thae, he was fed up with the Kim Jong-un regime, and aspired for freedom in South Korea, and thought about his children's future." He added, "The case reflects that North Korea's elite see little hope in Kim's regime, and that solidarity among them is weakening." The case follows a string of defections including 12 waitresses who used to work at a North Korean restaurant in China and flew to Seoul in April. They reportedly have no lower than middle-class family backgrounds. Thae disappeared from his home in west London several weeks ago along with his wife and children, the BBC said earlier. The diplomat had reportedly lived in Britain for a decade and had been tasked with promoting the image of North Korea to the British people. He was scheduled to finish his term there this summer and return to his home country, it said. An Chan-il, a defector and researcher at the World Institute for North Korea Studies in Seoul, said, "The elite who have a chance to live overseas easily realize the ironies of the North Korean regime and they eventually opt for defection, seeing no hope, especially concerning education for their children." The number of North Korean defectors in 2016 is estimated to be 815 by July, a 15.6 percent rise compared to the same period last year, according to the unification ministry. "The number is surely on the rise," Jeong said, concerning the data. "It has to do with a sense of pressure among North Koreans amid toughened international sanctions against the isolated country." By Song Jong-hwan I would like to congratulate Pakistan and Korea on the dual celebrations of their independence days on August 14 and 15 respectively. My sincere prayer is that both our countries may prosper in peace. From June 2013 till May 2016, I had the honor and pleasure of serving as the ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Pakistan. It was a proud moment for me to hear one federal minister saying that my efforts made our Pakistani friends realize how one person can change many things in a short time. During my tenure I was fortunate to play a major role in many great milestones which strengthened the relationship between our countries. The Korean Prime Minister and the Speaker of the Korean National Assembly visited Pakistan in 2014 for the first time in history. On September 27, 2015, the Korean President, Her Excellency Park Geun-hye and His Excellency the Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, had a summit on the sidelines of the 70th UNGA Session in New York. The two leaders discussed avenues of enhancing bilateral and multilateral ties. The 2015-2017 EDCF framework arrangement amounting to five hundred million dollars was signed on October 2, 2015, in Islamabad by EAD Secretary and myself, on behalf of our respective governments.I strongly supported the process of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Korea and Pakistan. It is hoped that the FTA may be signed in just a few months. This year, for the first time, a famous Korean drama, Dae Jang Geum, has started airing on PTV Home with the localized name "Nageen" This is the highest level of relations between our two friendly countries. Pakistan and Korea share many similarities. Both became independent shortly after World War II after a long period of colonial rule. Korea became independent on August 15, 1945, while Pakistan celebrates August 14, 1947, as its independence day. Both faced a violent division of the people. Both had to spend large sums on defense since both countries were frontline states during the Cold War. Politically, Pakistan and Korea both witnessed cycles of democracy and military rule. The similarities between the countries extend to the citizens and cultures. We both highly respect our elders and teachers. Our languages have the same sentence structure and many common words. I recognized the great potential in Pakistan, which is blessed with a strategic geographic location, high mountains like the Himalayas and the Arabian Sea. Pakistan has fertile land and a large population of around 185 million people. It is blessed with natural rivers and a good irrigation system. And most importantly, Pakistan has a strong labor force which is educated, speaks English and is computer literate. Therefore, I strongly believe that Pakistan can also progress quickly and achieve an economic miracle, the Miracle on the River Indus, just like Korea's Miracle on the River Han. In the 1960s there was a large income difference between the rural and urban people in Korea. Korea solved this issue with the Saemaul Undong' which was a village-based economic development program to help people escape from poverty. So far, the movement has been replicated in 20 countries and it is my hope that Pakistan will be the 21st country to adopt it. In addition to aid, trade and investment, Korea can help Pakistan by sharing the Saemaul Undong model with Pakistan. In the past, Pakistan helped Korea during the Korean War by providing humanitarian supplies. In the future Pakistan can help Korea, especially in international relations. Recently, I requested that my Pakistan friends take a more active stance to condemn North Korean missile launches and nuclear tests. It is my hope to visit Pakistan again and to see for myself that it has indeed achieved the Miracle of the Indus River. It is for this reason that I continue to support Pakistan in my private capacity even after my retirement. As one of my best Pakistani friends wrote in an article published in Pakistan Observer on May 23, 2016, the date I was leaving Pakistan, I will be away but I will never be gone from Pakistan. God Bless Pakistan and God Bless Korea. Pakistan-Korea DostiZindabad! The writer is former Korean Ambassador to Pakistan from 2013-2016. By Doug Bandow Washington long has told the rest of the world what to do. But the world usually pays little attention. When ignored, U.S. officials typically talk tougher and louder, with no better result. That describes American policy toward North Korea. It would be better for Washington to say less than frantically denounce every provocation. The U.S. and its allies typically respond with angry complaints and empty threats, which only encourages the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to provoke again. North Korea recently launched two missiles. One exploded shortly after launch, while the other landed about 160 miles from Japan. It was more of the same, barely worth a second thought. However, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared that he was "deeply troubled" by the North's action. The United Nations Security Council met, at which there were "strong condemnations across the board," according to U.S. ambassador Samantha Power. Pentagon spokesman Gary Ross said "This provocation only serves to increase the international community's resolve to counter prohibited activities." Pyongyang should "focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and international obligations." Japan's UN representative, Koro Bessho, called the North's actions "totally unacceptable." Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe termed the test "is an unforgivable act of violence toward Japan's security." He said he expected "resolute measures" in response. South Korea's UN representative, Oh Joon, denounced Pyongyang, contending that the latter's missile program "poses a clear and present danger to the security of all countries in the region." Everyone, he added, had an interest in stopping "this dangerous series of provocations immediately." The South Korean military warned that the North "directly and blatantly demonstrated its provocative ambition to target seaports and airfields across South Korea." Even NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg joined the chorus, taking the "North Atlantic" Treaty Organization way out of area. He declared that North Korea should "immediately cease and abandon all its existing nuclear and ballistic missile activities" and "refrain from any further provocative actions." Imagine, Stoltenberg thought his words would shame into repentance the North's communist emperor Kim Jong-un, fresh from executing the managers of a Chinese restaurant whose staff had defected. Alas, the rebuke from the Pentagon was even less likely to cause Pyongyang to reverse course. Kim & Co. seem far more likely to enjoy than regret Japanese ululations over the horrid threat posed by Tokyo's former colony. Just what do the allies believe they are achieving? Over the last five years the DPRK has shot off 31 missiles. Every one violated a Security Council resolution. And every one was denounced in equally florid language. Without the slightest impact on the North's behavior. In fact, the DPRK is far better at loosing insults. Moreover, Western whining plays to Kim's worst instincts. After all, the DPRK ably fills the role of a "shrimp among whales," far smaller, poorer, and less powerful than South Korea, let alone Japan, China, and Russia. Yet the Kim dynasty has gained the world's attention, causing wailing and gnashing of teeth in capitals across the world and now even in the headquarters of NATO, the world's greatest military alliance. From the regime's standpoint, it obviously is doing something right. In fact, observers predict that the North is preparing a fifth nuclear test. Last month Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho criticized the U.S. for its "never ending nuclear blackmails." As a result, America "will have to pay dearly a terrifying price." Washington and South Korea cannot count on the PRC to "solve" the North Korea problem. After the latest DPRK provocations, Beijing's ambassador to the UN, Liu Jieyi, chose not to focus on the North, but instead said "the situation is tense and we need to do everything to de-escalate the situation." He implied that the U.S. and its allies had provoked the North to arm, noting that "the factors contributing to the tension in the Korean peninsula" are "self-evident." No one outside of Pyongyang wants the DPRK to develop missiles or nuclear weapons. However, if the allies lack a means to disarm the North, they should stop wailing after every weapons test. Doing so reinforces North Korea's inflated sense of importance and perception of allied weakness. Better would be to greet such tests with silence. Any policy response, such as tightened sanctions, should be adopted with little rhetorical fanfare. This wouldn't make the North Korea problem go away. But it might at least stop encouraging the DPRK to do more. The U.S. and South Korea should give the North the attention that it truly deserves. Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a former special assistant to President Ronald Reagan. He is the author and editor of several books, including "Tripwire: Korea and U.S. Foreign Policy in a Changed World." North Korea on Wednesday condemned President Park Geun-hye's latest speech calling for Pyongyang to end its nuclear and missile programs, saying that she is to blame for worsening inter-Korean ties. On Monday, Park gave a speech to mark the 71st anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule. In her address, Park urged North Korea to immediately end its nuclear and missile programs while defending Seoul's planned deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system on its soil as a "self-defense" measure against the North's evolving threats. A spokesman at North Korea's committee on inter-Korean relations said that Park's address was full of "imprudent" remarks for covering up what the North called Park's crimes in driving the inter-Korean relations into a "catastrophe." North Korea's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification said that Park, desperate to put pressure on North Korea, took issue with Pyongyang over its nuclear deterrent while seeking to hide crimes committed by her government. "Traitor Park should bear in mind that her desperate moves to escape ruin through awful tongue-lashing and reckless confrontation will only precipitate the miserable end of her fate, cursed and censured by all Koreans," the spokesman said in a statement. Inter-Korean ties have further deteriorated since North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket in the following month. So far this year, the North has fired off numerous ballistic missiles, including six intermediate-range Musudan missiles, which can theoretically fly as far as the U.S. territory of Guam. Since Seoul and Washington agreed in July to place a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery on the mountainous southern county of Seongju, North Korea has vowed to take unspecific "counteractions" against the move. Analysts said that North Korea is likely to make another provocation ahead of joint annual military drills between Seoul and Washington slated for late this month. (Yonhap) By Yi Whan-woo South Korea is drawing up its own blacklist of North Korean officials and institutions that are responsible for human rights abuses, according to government sources, Wednesday. The list may be announced early next month, timed with the implementation of the North Korean Human Rights Act, slated for Sept. 4. The measure came after the U.S. government blacklisted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as well as 10 other individuals and five entities as human rights violators in a report submitted to Congress. "Like the U.S., South Korea is drawing up its list of people and institutions that will be subject to sanctions," a source said. The source said the measure is based on testimonies from North Korean defectors and other records to be collected in line with the North Korean human rights act. If confirmed, it will be the first time that South Korea puts any individuals on a blacklist for culpability in Pyongyang's state-perpetrated human rights violations, according to sources. The human rights act requires setting up an archive under the Ministry of Unification and compiling records that can be used as evidence of Pyongyang's crimes against humanity. The archive must share collected records with the Ministry of Justice every three months as reference materials in taking legal measures against the North Korean leadership in the future. "The archive is expected to help prevent the Kim regime from abusing human rights," a source said. The unification ministry, however, flatly denied speculations on the blacklist. "It's too early to talk about the blacklist," said ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee. "The North Korean human rights act has not taken effect yet and we have not even finalized details on how and who should run the archive." Jeong also said the government's foremost concern will be setting up a foundation aimed at improving North Korea's dire human rights record. The foundation will be set up in line with the North Korean human rights act. It will operate under the unification ministry. It will consist of 40 people, including government officials, scholars, and NGO members to study how to protect and support North Korean defectors in third-party countries and bring them to the South safely. Park Young-ho, a senior researcher at the Korea Institute for National Unification, said it is doubtful whether Seoul's blacklist and possible financial sanctions against North Korean leadership will effectively lead to a secondary boycott among other countries. "Considering the U.S. influence on the world, it will be tough for international banks and companies to defy sanctions that ban transactions with those who are blacklisted by the U.S. government," he said. "But the case will be different with South Korea." A high-ranking North Korean diplomat stationed in Britain defected to South Korea, Seoul's unification ministry said Wednesday, in the latest in a series of high-profile defections by the North's elite. Thae Yong-ho, a minister at the North's embassy in London, has arrived in South Korea with his family, the Ministry of Unification said, without unveiling further details. "They are now under the Seoul government's protection," Jeong Joon-hee, ministry spokesman, said at a hastily arranged press conference. Thae, previously known to have sought asylum in a third country, is among the highest ranking North Korean diplomats who have defected to Seoul, the ministry said. As a minister he was the No. 2 man at the embassy. His defection also comes in the wake of other high-profile escapes by members of the North Korean elite after the U.N. Security Council slapped tougher sanctions on Pyongyang for its nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch the following month. Jeong said that Thae is believed to have defected to Seoul due to his disillusionment with the North's regime under Kim Jong-un and aspiration for freedom. "This case shows that North Korean elites view that there is no hope in their country," the spokesman said. "It also indicates that North Korea's regime's internal solidarity is weakening." (Yonhap) Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn on Tuesday called for a "reasonable" solution to improving South Korea's controversial electricity rate system, which critics say excessively overcharges users. His remarks came amid mounting concerns among households here that their electricity bills will soar as they increasingly rely on air conditioners to cope with the heat wave. "As electricity rates for households are something closely related to people's day-to-day lives, (the government) should craft a reasonable solution to enhancing the current billing system," he said during a Cabinet meeting. "We are at a critical point where we have to reduce how much people pay for air conditioning while ensuring the stable supply of electricity. Last Thursday, the government and the ruling Saenuri Party agreed to cut electricity rates for private households temporarily between July and September by an average of nearly 20 percent. But opposition parties have decried the decision as a stopgap measure and demanded a fundamental solution. As part of efforts to curtail electricity consumption, South Korea currently uses a "progressive" billing system for households. The system is not applied to industries that account for over half of the country's energy consumption. Under the system first introduced during the oil crisis in the 1970s, a household pays 60.7 won ($0.06) per kilowatt for the first 100 kilowatts in a month. But the price rises to 125.9 won if it consumes between 100 and 200 kilowatts. The price even shoots up to 709.5 won per kilowatt -- nearly 12 times more than the first price -- if they consume electricity in excess of 500 kilowatts each month. During the Cabinet meeting, the prime minister also called on the government to be ready to counter Pyongyang's various forms of provocations, including those in the newly emerging security domain, cyberspace. "We are now in a serious situation where North Korea's reckless nuclear and missile provocations continue, and terrorist attacks around the world frequently occur," Hwang said, calling for a robust security posture. (Yonhap) Four South Korean companies applied for government approval on Tuesday to become the first beneficiary of the newly established law aimed at facilitating voluntary corporate restructuring, the trade ministry here said. The Special Act on the Corporate Revitalization, dubbed "one-shot act," came into effect on Saturday to help businesses carry out an intra-corporate merger and spin-off through simplified procedures including exemptions from the strict antitrust laws and financial market regulations. They will be also given tax benefits and subsidies for research and development on corporate restructuring. Under the new law, the companies that want to benefit from the fast-track procedures are required to win government approval. Hanwha Chemical Corp., a chemical arm of Hanwha Group, and three other firms, who refused to disclose their names, filed their application before the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, which has to make a decision within 60 days. "It is desirable to sanction 10 to 13 companies in a year, given the size of the economy," said a ministry official. "We received four applications on the first day. It's an encouraging start." Hanwha Chemical is seeking to sell its chlorine and caustic soda plant to Unid Co., a local chemicals manufacturer, as part of its business reorganizing efforts to deal with industry-wide oversupply of such materials. The South Korean government has put its policy priority on corporate restructuring, while its key industries like shipbuilding and steelmaking sectors have been suffering from massive losses stemming from plunging overseas demand. The one-shot act was designed to encourage businesses to pre-emptively carry out corporate restructuring on their own initiative. (Yonhap) Libertarian ticket an actual alternative this year We recently witnessed the conventions of our major political parties, both of which drove home their messages for November. Republicans touted how Hillary Clinton did not possess the moral character to be president. A week later, the Democrats pointed out how Donald Trump did not possess the temperament to be commander-in-chief. I came away from those two weeks with one absolute conviction: that both parties are absolutely correct in their assessments that neither Hillary Clinton nor Donald J. Trump should be our next president. There is an actual alternative at hand: the Libertarians. Former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson is the Libertarian nominee for president. Former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld is his vice-presidential nominee. Each of them has more elected executive experience than either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, or the two of them combined. They will be on the ballot in all 50 states this November, including our very own Wisconsin. They preach a fiscally conservative message combined with a get your laws off my body and out of my house platform when it comes to social issues. They take the best parts of the two ancient parties and merge them. If Johnson is averaging 15 percent in the polls when the first debate rolls around in September, hell be on stage with Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. So please, when you receive a call from a pollster asking who youd vote for this November, give Johnson a shot. And if they dont give you Johnson as an option, ask why not. If this happens, it will allow the people to see that there is a viable third option candidate that represents the view of the American people rather than the specific view of their respective political party. I urge you to consider the Johnson-Weld ticket this election season. Try it for four years. If you dont like it, you can always go back to the corruption of the two-party system we currently have. Brady Zwiefelhofer, Bloomer By Lee Hyon-soo North Korea seems to have succeeded in producing nuclear weapons. North Korea is now making an all-out effort to miniaturize nuclear warheads while developing both submarine-launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles on which to mount them. It is a matter of time before North Korea deploys nuclear weapons. Why is North Korea determined to possess nuclear weapons against all odds? One plausible explanation is that North Korean leaders feel that they cannot defend their country by conventional weapons and that they also want to gain hegemony over South Korea by virtue of nuclear weapons. It is generally accepted that deterrence is the raison d'etre of their nuclear arsenal. But North Korean leaders surprise us by publicly stating that even if their country is not attacked, they may use nuclear weapons against South Korea and even the United States, if they so choose. Not only does North Korea's nuclear weapons program threaten the security of South Korea but it also disrupts world peace through the weakening of the NPT (Nonproliferation Treaty). Furthermore, there is a possibility that cash-strapped North Korea may sell nuclear weapons to other rogue states or even to terrorists. The United States and South Korea have tried to talk North Korea out of making nuclear weapons over the past 20-odd years, bilaterally as well as via the six-party talks. But such efforts failed to produce the desired results. That is why harsh sanctions are being imposed on North Korea by the international community. The screws will be tightened until North Korea realizes that it cannot survive under international sanctions and gives up its nuclear weapons program. As South Korea bears the brunt of North Korea's nuclear threat, it cannot expect the international community to solve North Korea's nuclear problem, while sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing of its own. So South Korea recently bit the bullet by closing the Gaeseong Industrial Complex. This controversial action was taken to cut off the flow of U.S. dollars which can be used for North Korea's nuclear weapons program. South Korea cannot stay defenseless against North Korea's nuclear threat. So it recently decided to deploy the Lockheed Martin THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) anti-missile system. Some opinion leaders of South Korea have voiced opposition to the deployment of the THAAD battery on the grounds that it is not foolproof and does not have the capacity to intercept all of the North Korean missiles. Even so, isn't THAAD better than nothing? Also, what makes them think that the South Korean military will stand idly by and let the North Koreans keep launching missiles? When push comes to shove, nothing will prevent South Korea from carrying out a preemptive strike on North Korea. For reasons best known to itself, China objects to the THAAD deployment. But I don't believe South Korea will buckle under Chinese pressure and compromise its own security. It is unfair for China to attempt to dissuade South Korea from taking a defensive measure, while either acquiescing North Korea's nuclear weapons program or not doing enough to carry out UN Security Council Resolutions on North Korea. Some opinion leaders who should know better argue that dialogue not sanctions is the only way North Korea's nuclear problem can be solved. But they seem to forget that talking with the North Koreans turned out to be a waste of time. They never came to the negotiating table in good faith because it was not their intention to abandon their nuclear weapons program, come what may. South Korea should do everything in its power to defend itself against North Korea's nuclear threat. In addition to THAAD deployment, South Korea will have to ensure that the U.S. nuclear umbrella remains intact as per the ROK-US Mutual Defense Treaty. The writer is a retired international banker who lives in Toronto, Canada. His other writings are posted on http://blog.daum.net/tom_hslee. By Park Yoon-bae Deputy managing editor Ewha Womans University students are continuing their sit-in to call for the resignation of President Choi Kyung-hee even after she scrapped a controversial plan to create a night college for working women. The plan prompted the students to start the sit-in on July 28 after the university obtained approval from the Ministry of Education for the college. As parents, professors and Ewha alumni supported the students and public opinion turned against the school, Choi withdrew the plan. But the students have come up with a new demand that she step down, taking responsibility for "unilaterally" pushing for the plan. What has made the students angry is the government-supported night college program for lifelong education, which they claim would inevitably damage the reputation of the country's top women's university. Their concern is that their pride could be hurt by admissions of working women with high school diplomas who they think are not smart enough to enter top-ranking Seoul-based institutions like Ewha. It is not only a matter of pride as the students also fear that the university may have to compromise its academic integrity with the night college plan. They even "locked up" a handful of professors and school staff. The lockup led to the dispatch of 1,600 policemen who came to the rescue of the "hostages" at the request of President Choi. This has invited a criticism that the university went too far in fixing the situation. The episode laid bare elitism that runs deep in the minds of Ewha students who regard themselves as "pure blood" who got into the university through fierce competition. There is little doubt that they don't want working women to enter Ewha easily without going through backbreaking competition. Under the state-initiated night college program, working people, particularly vocational high school graduates, are allowed to go to college without taking the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). The Ewha students accused the school authorities of trying to "sell diplomas" to working women who they claim are not qualified for academic courses. They dismissed the night college's purpose of giving educational opportunities for workers. In this regard, the students may not avoid criticism for their exclusive elitism because they refuse to share educational opportunities with those who are "less smart" or underprivileged. However, this does not necessary mean that the students should be hold accountable for the night college fiasco. In a nutshell, the school administration should take all the responsibility since it pushed the plan without reaching a consensus on the issue with students, faculty and alumni. Ewha Womans University triggered a backlash by ignoring students' opposition to the night college project and recklessly and unilaterally pushing for it. Its sole interest seemed to receive 3 billion won in state subsidies. The students' grudge has already reached its peak when it won other state-aided projects such as the Program for Industrial Needs-Matched Education (PRIME) and the Initiative for College of Humanities' Research and Education (CORE) early this year. Now is the time for the university to make the utmost efforts to communicate better with students to avoid the repetition of the dispute because a lack of communication sows the seeds of misunderstanding and conflict. More than anything else, education policymakers have to learn a lesson from the Ewha case. They need to admit that many government-sponsored programs have caused troubles at universities. For example, the PRIME project brought about conflicts in some tertiary institutions, including Kyunghee, Konkuk, Kookmin, Sungshin Women's and Inha universities, as humanities and social science students opposed a reduction in their enrollment quota to create new engineering departments which are design to meet industrial demand. Announcing the beneficiaries of the PRIME project in May, the Ministry of Education committed to providing from 5 billion won to 15 billion won to 21 universities. In March, the ministry disclosed the list of 16 universities which will get up to 3.7 billion won each under the CORE project. Then, the ministry hurriedly selected six universities for the night college project in May and an additional four universities including Ewha and Dongguk University last month. Dongguk students also staged a protest against the project, denouncing the government for pressuring the university to participate in it. The ministry has already been criticized for trying to control universities through the provision of funds, although it said the projects are aimed at encouraging their restructuring. Park's decision to retain foreign minister is wrong Cheong Wa Dae announced a cabinet reshuffle in which three ministers were replaced Tuesday, but President Park Geun-hye's decision to retain some disputed figures in her cabinet and at the presidential office triggered criticism about her judgment. The main purpose of a cabinet reshuffle in the waning period of a presidential term is to provide fresh momentum for key policy goals by hiring new faces with relevant expertise. The President's latest reshuffle failed on this crucial objective. She named Cho Yun-sun, a former minister of gender equality, as culture minister and Cho Kyeung-kyu, a career economic official, as environment minister. Neither seems to have sufficient expertise or experience to serve properly in their new posts and invigorate the ministries with new ideas. Her decision to retain Woo Byung-woo, the senior presidential secretary for civil affairs, is also problematic since he has been mired in a corruption scandal. The most incomprehensible aspect of the reshuffle is that Park has not replaced her foreign minister. This defies the dominant public view that it is high time to bring in some change to the leadership of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has been criticized for grave diplomatic missteps. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se is the only cabinet member that has been with the President since the beginning of her term in 2013. It is hard to understand why he has been able to keep his post for such an extended period given the ministry's glaring failures, such as managing relations with China and Japan. In just a year, Korea-China relations have gone from best to worst. The foreign ministry had trumpeted Korea-China relations as closer than ever since the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1992, particularly after Park's visit to Beijing for war commemorations last year at the risk of unsettling Washington. Now, Korea and China are at odds over Seoul's decision to allow the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system. The Chinese government and media have lodged intense complaints over the U.S. Army's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system being deployed here. Beijing's protest is an encroachment on internal affairs and an excessive interference in our security decision-making process. But the foreign ministry has neither properly delivered this position to Beijing nor succeeded in gaining China's understanding about the THAAD deployment as a means to protect our security interests. There have been serious problems with the way Minister Yun has handled relations with Japan. The Korea-Japan deal on the issue of the so-called comfort women is unacceptable from the point of view of the victims of wartime sexual slavery by the Japanese army and many Korean citizens. A foundation for the victims has been established and will be operated with Japan's financial assistance as a result of the verbal bilateral agreement. The foreign ministry has explained that Japan's funding is "virtual compensation," but this is completely against Tokyo's position that the pledged 1 billion yen ($9.9 million) fund is for "healing." The foreign ministry should explain why there is such a huge discrepancy between the two governments' definitions of the fund. The ministry should clear up misunderstandings with Tokyo regarding the future implementation of the agreement and stop misleading the victims and the people with wrong information. The foreign ministry also failed to promote Korea's position on other historical issues with Japan, such as the row over the sovereignty over Dokdo or Japan's listing of wartime sites on the UNESCO heritage list. Park's diplomacy has achieved little visible success largely due to lethargic leadership and the incompetence of the foreign ministry. It is long overdue for Park to have a new foreign minister who has the capacity to advance Korea's diplomatic and security interests. Retired Lt. Gen. Chun In-bum / Korea Times photo by Kim Hyo-jin By Kim Hyo-jin "Take care of your men and they will take care of you." This is the motto of retired Lt. Gen. Chun In-bum, whose leadership style put priority on caring for his soldiers during his 36-year military career. The former special warfare commander is known as a hero who saved then Joint Chief of Staff Chairman Lee Ki-baik from the so-called "Aung San Terror" in which North Koreans bombed the Martyrs' Museum in Rangoon, Burma, attempting to kill the South Korean President in 1983. Hearing the sound of the blast, Chun, then first lieutenant serving Lee, charged into the building despite the risk of a second blast. Chun carried the severely wounded Lee to a nearby hospital where he went through hours of surgery, becoming the sole survivor of the terrorist attack that killed 17 presidential advisers, journalists and security officials on the spot. But what made him more famous was his unconventional leadership style. "During my command, my focus was always on the little guys," Chun, who retired from the military on July 31, told The Korea Times. In the South Korean military, renowned for its tough service and hierarchy, Chun has been noted for his outstanding character. He was the only general in the military who maintained a Facebook account. Despite tacit pressure from the military to not engage in social networking, he risked criticism from his leadership and fellow officers and kept it open so his soldiers could have a direct means of communication with him. "It made my command atmosphere clean and clear and in the end it contributed to combat effectiveness of the unit," he said. "Bad apples knew they were not going to be able to get by because I'd not allow that." Chun paid attention to providing better supplies and raising allowances as part of efforts to improve soldier welfare. While he was a division commander in 2010, he helped 400 men under his command receive driver's licenses. The driving school was an hour away from the military base and it would take them three months to get their licenses. Still, he made it happen, taking responsibility for possible accidents on the way to the venue and excusing soldiers from regular training. "I desperately searched for ways to improve their fortunes," Chun said. He pushed ahead with the plan despite concerns because he believed "a man with better prospects was going to be a better soldier," he said. Chun is also a notable military official who has closely managed the relations between the ROK and U.S. army. He served as the director in charge of transferring exercise operational control in 2008, deputy chief of staff at the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command and senior member to the United Nations Command Military Armistice Commission in 2013 to 2015. Chun won the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) medal this year, becoming the first Korean to receive it. He was decorated for his distinguished services as a commander of the ROK Special Warfare Command. "I feel very fortunate that I had a successful career and that people are outpouring all the support and friendship which is way beyond my expectation. I'm very, very happy with where I am right now," he said. "I realized my goal in my uniform. So the next chapter of my life goal is the same thing making the world a little bit better." By Lee Min-hyung Samsung Electronics has joined a global blood donation campaign, as part of its corporate social responsibility to raise awareness for the need for more blood donors. The nation's top electronics firm said Tuesday that it was participating in the International Missing Type campaign for a week from Monday, dropping the letter "A" from its corporate logo at its 21 official websites across the world in Korea, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. The British Red Cross started the campaign last year, with participating organizations and firms omitting A, B and O in their names to draw public attention to blood donation, Samsung Electronics said in a statement. Samsung also announced its participation, as part of its group-wide efforts to encourage company officials and executives to voluntarily come forward to donate blood. "We expect the campaign will help raise awareness about blood donation," a Samsung Electronics official said. "We are going to extend the campaign to all our employees." This is not the first time Samsung has called for the need for more blood donations. The company has been holding a donation campaign at its workplaces nationwide every February since 1996. The campaign came as part of efforts to increase blood supplies to hospitals, especially in winter. For this year, 10,000 employees joined the campaign from 22 affiliated firms. Samsung said more than 290,000 workers and executives have taken part in its annual blood donation campaign over the past two decades. The Red Cross campaign is fast spreading across the world, with not just famous organizations, but individuals joining by uploading their names without A, O and B on social media pages. The humanitarian body called for the need for more blood donation, citing aging populations, advanced medical procedures and the growing number of hospitals across the globe. LG to mass-produce parts for GM Chevrolet Bolt this month By Lee Min-hyung LG Electronics is gearing up for a new era in the automotive parts industry, with its vehicle components division set to start mass producing core parts for General Motors' (GM) plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Bolt by the end of this month. The company recently established production lines at its Incheon research center to make 11 core components for the GM electric vehicle (EV) including motors, inverters and various infotainment systems. In June 2013, LG Electronics opened its "Incheon Campus" west of Seoul in its bid to focus more on the promising auto parts industry. The move comes as the nation's second-largest electronics company has identified its vehicle components (VC) unit as its next key cash cow. The company has been expanding investment and personnel in the VC division since its inception in 2013. Despite some major contracts with global automakers including GM, the division is yet to post a meaningful surplus. The VC division had a 16.8 billion won ($15.23 million) operating loss in the second quarter. But the company remains optimistic about its new growth engine, after sales in the first half of the year skyrocketed 47.9 percent compared with a year ago to 1.23 trillion. "Automakers are very strict in terms of safety and form a long-term relationship, with only a few qualified parts suppliers due to safety concerns," an LG Electronics official said. "That's why it takes more time for us to generate tangible results in the business. We are still in the investment phase." Park Kyung-ryul, vice president of LG Electronics' VC division, told investors in a second-quarter conference call: "The VC unit is posting double-digit growth in obtaining orders each year." He said the auto parts business requires a long time for operators to achieve stable profitability due to industry-specific characteristics. LG Electronics plans to invest up to 400 billion won in the VC unit this year. Given its growth in recent years, expectations are that the auto parts division will drive the firm's overall sales in the second half of the year. Last month, the company said in a regulatory filing that LG and GM signed a partnership deal in October 2015 for LG to mass-produce parts for the Bolt for six years, starting this month. Meanwhile, LG Electronics has three core manufacturing facilities for the VC division in Incheon, Nanjing in China and Haiphong in Vietnam. KB Investment and Securities analyst Kim Sang-pyo said in a report: "The VC unit's sales portfolio, focusing mainly on car infotainments, is on a recovery track, as the company has won the large-scale contract to manufacture parts for electric vehicles." SK Telecom Chief Technology Officer Choi Jin-sung, right, poses with Intel Software Solution Group Vice President Michael Greene during Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, Tuesday local time. / Courtesy of SK Telecom By Yoon Sung-won SK Telecom said Wednesday it will cooperate with Intel in developing voice and video communication technologies for Internet of Things (IoT) devices. The nation's top mobile carrier said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Intel for the collaboration based on a web-based communication technology called "Web Real-Time Communication (WebRTC)" during the Intel Developer Forum in San Francisco, Tuesday local time. The two companies also agreed to distribute development kits to speed up the expansion of the global IoT device market. "By providing software optimized for IoT devices, we will build an environment where customers can tap into Intel's technologies to the fullest," Intel Software Solution Group Vice President Michael Greene said. "Based on the two companies' IoT service development experiences and the WebRTC technology, we will push to develop and commercialize innovative IoT devices that can communicate in real time." The WebRTC technology is designed to transfer voice and video data in real time on web browsers and is based on the next-generation web standards set by the World Wide Web Consortium. With this technology, IoT devices will support voice and video communications even without smartphones. For instance, providers of online shopping and delivery services can tap into this technology for IoT devices that automatically receive orders, automating the entire process to improve customer experience, according to SK Telecom. The two companies also plan to jointly develop WebRTC-based technologies for Intel's subminiature computing IoT module named "Edison," aiming at expanding the application range of WebRTC from personal computers and smartphones to more diverse IoT devices. Earlier in December, SK Telecom introduced a technology called "PlayRTC," a modified and improved version of WebRTC, in Korea. The company said business clients will be able to launch communication services without investing much on expensive servers. "We hope the PlayRTC technology will be adopted as a tool for innovation in diverse industrial areas," SK Telecom Executive Vice President Cha In-hyok said. "We will continue to cooperate with smaller partners in research and development to boost usability of IoT devices." In June, SK Telecom reached an agreement with a Korean system software developer TOBESOFT to jointly develop and distribute IoT devices for fashion retail stores in the Dongdaemun area, eastern Seoul. The company has also provided the PlayRTC Technology to foreign startups including a Chinese education service provider HEYI since 2015. Johnny Depp, left, and Amber Heard By Ko Dong-hwan Hollywood stars Johnny Depp and Amber Heard have reached a divorce settlement and resolved Heard's domestic violence case against Depp. After 18 months' marriage, the couple on Tuesday said their out-of-court settlement bound Depp, 53, to pay Heard, 30, $7 million, according to the AP, quoting American media outlet TMZ. The statement said their relationship was "intensely passionate and at times volatile but always bound by love." They said: "Neither party has made false accusations for financial gains," and "there was never an intent of physical or emotional harm. Amber wishes the best for Johnny in the future." The announcement came a day before the couple were due in court to discuss extending the restraining order on Depp. Heard withdrew the case "with prejudice" -- meaning she cannot refile it. Heard initiated the split by filing for divorce in May and obtaining an order that required Depp to stay away from her. The "Justice League" star told police she had been "physically and psychologically suffering" because of Depp. She later appeared in court with a black eye that she claimed she got when he threw a mobile phone at her. Amber Heard and Johnny Depp arrive at a court in the Gold Coast in Australia on Apr 18, 2016. / AFP-Yonhap showed Depp speaking harshly to her, breaking bottles and, after he discovering he was being recorded, snatching the device. A leaked video secretly filmed by Heard in May showed Depp speaking harshly to her, breaking bottles and, after he discovering he was being recorded, snatching the device. Leaked photos taken in March 2015 , a month after they married, showed Depp, allegedly drunk and high on ecstasy, smashing bottles and windows while accusing her of cheating on him by sleeping with American actor Billy Bob Thornton, whom she had filmed with. The photos also showed Depp had accidentally cut off the middle fingertip on his right hand during the fit of rage. He then dipped the stump in paint and wrote "Billy Bob" and "Easy Amber" on a mirror. Depp and Heard filmed "The Rum Diary" in 2011 when he was married to French actress Vanessa Paradis, mother of his son and daughter. The judgment dated July 12, 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague (the Netherlands) once again showed that China has blatantly violated the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 with a wide range of its illegal activities in the South China Sea, which is the direct cause of a fiercely increasing tense in ensuring safety, maritime security and settlement of maritime sovereignty disputes among countries in the region, despite the strong opposition of the international public opinion. On July 12, 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague (the Netherlands) ruled the Philippines' lawsuit against China for the "Nine-dash line" claim. According to the PCA judgment, China's claim on "historic rights" over the territorial waters within the "Nine-dash line " is contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS). It is a great victory of justice, international laws and UNCLOS 1982 and is an important legal basis in interpretation and application of UNCLOS 1982 in the South China Sea; especially concepts of "historic rights" or the legal validity of the entities, conditions for establishing the territorial waters of the entities that are islands, rocks, shoals emerging or sinking from time to time in the South China Sea have been clarified by the Court. Specifically, in terms of the "historic rights" and the "Nine-dash line", the judgment of the Court stated: "there is no legal basis for China to claim historical rights of the resources in the waters inside the Nine-dash line". Distorting the international law Immediately after the Court of Arbitration ruled the South China Sea dispute, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a statement on the Chinese media, in which the Court's decision was called as "null and void" and was not accepted or recognized by Beijing. China also speeded up its illegal activities in the South China Sea despite the world public opinion protesting its perverse behavior. In the morning of July 13 China dispatched two civilian aircrafts to land in turn on the airports on Mischief Reef and Subi Reef of the Spratly Islands. The government of "Sansha city" and Chinese Marine Safety Administration of Hainan Province conducted the first naval force - air force rescue and salvage demonstration in the area of Paracel Islands under the assumed wartime context on July 14. That China have blatantly reaffirmed the right to establish the air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the South China Sea and threatened to withdraw from UNCLOS could be its action challenging the international public opinion. China previously made many illegal behaviors in the South China Sea. Since the Philippines started the lawsuit in January 2013 China so far, China has done a lot of misconducts making the dispute serious and extended. China has intervened illegally in enjoying and enforcing sovereignty rights of the Philippines for biological resource and non-biological resource in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the continental shelf of the Philippines. China violated the international law by letting Chinese citizens and ships exploit the biological resources in the EEZ of the Philippines; interfering in the traditional fishing activities of Filipino fishermen in the Scarborough, hindering them from earning their living. Not only violating obligations of environmental protection and marine environment conservation in the Scarborough and Second Thomas Shoal, China also hindered the right of Filipino navigation in the waters inside and adjacent to the Second Thomas Shoal of the Philippines, prevented the troops substitution and supplies to soldiers garrisoning in the Second Thomas Shoal, endangered health and spirit of Filipino soldiers thereof. In 2014, Chinese HD-981 oil rig infringement to waters of the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam aroused the concern of the international public opinion against such perversity of China. The HD-981 oil rig was repeatedly brought into the South China Sea, together with a ban on approaching vessels, which obstructed "navigation" on the sea. The illegal activities took place for 75 days irrespective of a powerful opposition of Vietnam and the international community. Not only blatantly infringing international laws, China also escalated tense in the region by promoting the intention of militarization in the South China Sea. Within only one year, China urgently extended and embanked nearly 1,300 ha of land, turned seven shoals and reefs into artificial islands illegally; constructed runways, military works and radar stations on these artificial islands. China with these activities aims at altering the balance of military power in the South China Sea, serving its intention of monopolizing to occupy the South China Sea. The world raises its voice For the flagrant breach to international law and the ambitious attempt of China, the world public opinion has expressed a positive attitude and supported the Court of Arbitration judgment, requested China to comply with international law and to respect sovereignty rights and the right to freedom of navigation under international laws of the regional nations with their relevant interests. Though the U.S. is not one party in the South China Sea dispute, this nation has pressurized diplomatically in both the West and Asia, forced China to comply with the Court's judgment as well as the international law. In the meeting with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Counselor of the United States Department of State, Kristie Kenney, called on the relevant parties of the South China Sea dispute to respect the Court's award. Canadian Senators, Victor Oh and Tobias Enverga, also emphasized in the statement that PCA judgment is a "clear statement of the international community that China's expansive claim is not accepted" and called on all parties to engage in a friendly and open dialogue towards the goal of peace, stability in the region for the benefit of the countries concerned and the entire international community. European countries are also trying to find out a common viewpoint for the PCA judgment. Federia Mogherini in charge of EU foreign policy urged the disputing parties to respect the judgment of the Court as well as the provisions of the UNCLOS 1982 including the right to freedom of navigation. Chairman of the European Council Donald Tusk welcomed the win of the Philippines in the South China Sea lawsuit and noted that China should respect the international law after the Court ruled on the "U-shaped line". French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian used to propose EU to coordinate in naval patrols in Asian waters to strengthen the maritime order based on legislation. Russia reflected her viewpoint of not participating in and taking side in any party in the South China Sea dispute. However Russia emphasized the resolving of this dispute must comply strictly with the non-use of force but continue directing to a political and diplomatic solution on the basis of international law, primarily the UN Convention on the law of the sea 1982. Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida said in a statement confirming that the Court judgment on the South China Sea was final and binding in terms of legislation; the parties concerned in the lawsuit should comply with. He insisted that Japan always respected the law, opposed the use of force or coercion in the settlement of maritime disputes. According to the Kyodo news, in a White Paper on Defense of Japan July 20, 2016. Tokyo expressed the wary feeling toward action of showing strength of China in the South China Sea and warned that militarization of the disputed waters by Beijing would worsen the situation of the region. A Japanese government official said Minister of Foreign Affairs Fumio Kishida and Chinese counterpart Wang Yi was planning a bilateral talk on the sideline of the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Conference and upcoming conferences in Laos. At this meeting, Kishida shall once again urge China to act properly with the Court of Arbitration judgment on the South China Sea dispute. Defense Minister of New Zealand Gerry Brownlee said China should respect the Court's judgment. In a TV interview, Brownlee said: "We want freedom of navigation, freedom of aviation; we want compliance to international law. Accepting the judgment of the court or not is up to the Chinese government, but we believe they should do so ". Meanwhile Australia publically recognized the Filipino right to sue China and confirmed that the judgment was binding the concerned parties and supported by the countries with their interests in the region. Two Asian powerful countries, India and South Korea, also expressed their concern on the possibility of ASEAN common voice after the judgment. ASEAN countries closely followed developments and results of the lawsuit; five (out of 10) countries of ASEAN dispatched their observers to attend the oral argument in The Hague and called on "adequate compliance with the legal and diplomatic process", implied to respect the judgment. Japan collaborated with other countries in the G7 and put forward a joint statement concerning the judgment of the lawsuit. The circle of international media such as CNN, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, CNBC (US), Kyodo (Japan), Polityka, W prost (Poland) and so on issued press release on the Permanent Court of Arbitration judgment toward the Philippines' lawsuit against China regarding the South China Sea dispute, which is a historic, fair and objective judgment, basing on UNCLOS 1982 to protect rights and benefits of all relevant parties in the South China Sea. Scholars in the world like Greg poling, Erik Franckx, James Kraska, etc. supposed that China would suffer major losses if rejecting the PCA judgment. It is said that the judgment by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) dated July 12 is an important legal basis in settling the dispute in the South China Sea, contributing to bring the truthful voice of the international law for smaller nations than China when joining in resolving disputes. PCA once again confirms that the correct principles of the UNCLOS 1982 are foundations for resolving any disputes over the South China Sea, which identifies the violation to the international law by China; expose the aggressive intention and attitudes, regardless of public opinions and justice of the nation that is getting stronger economically and wanting to expand its influence in Asia and worldwide. PCA judgments are somewhat beneficial for the Philippines, but in fact also beneficial for relevant countries like Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei by rejecting of the historical rights to the waters (in the U-shaped line) that was self-drawn by China. Contrary to the blatant attitude of China, the Philippines, Vietnam and other countries in the area of South China Sea have the same viewpoint that the concerned parties resolve the dispute peacefully and by dialogue, reconciliation and compliance with international laws including the UN Charter, as declared by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon dated on July, 13. The writer is Kim Hyun-jae, a professor of the department of ASEAN business and director of the Vietnam Research Institute, Youngsan University. 2NE1 member Sandara Park recently landed in Vietnam as part of her promotions tour for the fashion brand Penshoppe, attracting thousands of fans who trooped to her public events just to get a glimpse of the idol-actress. Dara was greeted by many fans, as seen in the many videos and photos uploaded in the hashtag #SandaraXPenshoppeVN. A video posted by Sandara Park (@daraxxi) on Aug 4, 2016 at 11:57pm PDT She also received a bunch of specially made gifts from her supporters, including delicious custom sweets and a traditional Vietnamese hat made from palm leaves, also known as a Non La. "Thanks for my super cutie new hat and the gifts!!! Happy Dara. Let's have fun tomorrw Blackjack Vietnam!!! Rain rain go away come again another day," wrote Dara on her Instagram on August 7 while posing with the fan gifts. Fan chants were loud as Dara arrived in the country and went about her public events, showing that the idol has a pretty large and loyal following in the Southeast Asian country. On the second day of her Vietnam visit, for example, she expressed overlfowing gratitude and happiness at seeing the fan turnout, which made her want to return for another visit soon. "Day 2!!! Xin chao!!! I get overwhelmed whenever I'm on stage so I don't know how to express my feelings. Thank you very very much much, I love u love u very very much much!!! Thank u for making me soooo happy. I wanna come back soon!!!" said Dara. Armor of God Jewelry Crowdfunding Campaign 50% Funded in First Four Days SYDNEY, Australia, Aug. 17, 2016 / "We achieved 25% of our goal in the first six hours of our launch," said Ros, head designer of Realm. "We certainly did not know what to expect. Even our newly launched Facebook and Instagram accounts have been growing organically at a phenomenal rate." They are hoping to be fully funded by the 1st of September so as to go into full production. The Armor of God bracelet, crafted from Stainless Steel, is based on each of the seven symbols of weaponry found in Ephesians 6. The last emblem, "Militant Love" from Colossians 3:14, summarises the Bracelet beautifully, that the greatest weapon found in a Christian's armor kit is unrelenting Love. "To reach our dream goals would mean that we can establish our business properly as well as fund some of the ministry events that we attend each year." Ros and her team have attended numerous New Age and community events over the past six years under a different brand name to share the love of God with the masses. "Where people will not be keen to stop at a Christian stand at a non-Christian event, people will always stop because of our beautiful jewelry, and then we get to tell them about God's love." It was in late 2015 that Ros decided to concentrate on a new line of jewelry that focuses on strengthening Christians. Realm Design was conceived after much prayer. "Each emblem on the Armor of God bracelet contains at least five symbolisms per emblem and together the entire series represents more than 100 Bible verses." To make the campaign attractive to potential backers, they are offering some rewards and "stretch goals" to help increase their funding. Ros and her husband are hoping for a $50 000 AUD funding outcome. Their Realm Design is an evangelistic mission-minded business that runs like a not-for-profit ministry to maximize their ventures into advancing the Kingdom of God. Their jewelry is designed to help their wearers to meditate on God's promises and fortify their identity in Christ. The company's Share Tweet Contact: Ros Verkisto, Realm Design , +61-40-999-4375, ros@realmdesign.com.au SYDNEY, Australia, Aug. 17, 2016 / Christian Newswire / -- Realm Design , the Australian jewelry company headed up by Sydney-based husband and wife team launched their Kickstarter campaign on the 5th of August with very encouraging results."We achieved 25% of our goal in the first six hours of our launch," said Ros, head designer of Realm. "We certainly did not know what to expect. Even our newly launched Facebook and Instagram accounts have been growing organically at a phenomenal rate."They are hoping to be fully funded by the 1st of September so as to go into full production.The Armor of God bracelet, crafted from Stainless Steel, is based on each of the seven symbols of weaponry found in Ephesians 6. The last emblem, "Militant Love" from Colossians 3:14, summarises the Bracelet beautifully, that the greatest weapon found in a Christian's armor kit is unrelenting Love."To reach our dream goals would mean that we can establish our business properly as well as fund some of the ministry events that we attend each year." Ros and her team have attended numerous New Age and community events over the past six years under a different brand name to share the love of God with the masses."Where people will not be keen to stop at a Christian stand at a non-Christian event, people will always stop because of our beautiful jewelry, and then we get to tell them about God's love."It was in late 2015 that Ros decided to concentrate on a new line of jewelry that focuses on strengthening Christians. Realm Design was conceived after much prayer. "Each emblem on the Armor of God bracelet contains at least five symbolisms per emblem and together the entire series represents more than 100 Bible verses."To make the campaign attractive to potential backers, they are offering some rewards and "stretch goals" to help increase their funding. Ros and her husband are hoping for a $50 000 AUD funding outcome.Their Kickstarter campaign ends at midnight, 1st of September.Realm Design is an evangelistic mission-minded business that runs like a not-for-profit ministry to maximize their ventures into advancing the Kingdom of God. Their jewelry is designed to help their wearers to meditate on God's promises and fortify their identity in Christ.The company's website contains additional information. UPDATE, Aug. 18: Police say the remains were positively identified as Terri Jean Wright, 35. ---- Original report from Aug. 16: West Plains police say a man's confession led them to the dismembered body of his missing 35-year-old girlfriend on Monday. Walter Stewart, 63, is charged with first-degree murder, domestic assault, abandonment of a corpse, and two counts of first-degree murder. The police department asked reporters not to say the name of the murder victim because all her relatives may not know about her death. Her father, who lives in Mississippi, reported her missing on Aug. 9. He said he hadn't talked to his daughter since July 20 but normally talked to her five or six times a week. After getting the missing person report on Aug. 9, a West Plains detective went to the woman's home on Lanton Road where she lived with Stewart, according to the probable cause statement against Stewart. The detective didn't find anyone at home but managed to track him down by stopping at a tavern, where someone knew how to contact Stewart. The detective interviewed Stewart, who said his girlfriend left him after an argument. Stewart said his girlfriend was mad at him because he didn't want to "sling marijuana," a slang term for selling marijuana. He said he hadn't heard from or seen her in two weeks, since around July 20. On Monday, two detectives returned to the Stewart's home at the trailer park on Lanton. They say Stewart invited them inside, and they could smell an odor that they thought smelled like a decomposed body. They say Stewart let them walk through the home and they found a blood stain on a carpet. That's when they took Stewart to the police department for questioning. Stewart told them that he and his girlfriend hadn't been getting along for a long time. He said they argued on July 24 and "he struck her numerous times in the head causing visible physical injury," according to the probable cause statement. That evening, after the woman went to bed, Stewart said he got a paring knife from the kitchen and sat in a chair and watched her as she was sleeping. "He stated that he had gotten up on two occasions only to return back to the chair in the bedroom. Stewart said that he 'snapped,' jumped on her as she was lying in bed, and stabbed her multiple times in the chest. Realizing that there was no turning back, he stated he retrieved a larger kitchen knife, returned to the bedroom, stabbed her again, and slit her throat and wrist," the probable cause statement says. Stewart then described to the detectives how he put her body in the bathtub and let it bleed, and washed the blood down the drain over the next two days by filling the tub with water and draining it several times. He said he dismembered the body, then put some of the remains in a pond on the east side of the trailer park, and put the rest of them in several different locations in a wooded area west of the trailer park. Stewart was then jailed and the search for her remains began. Searchers found several pieces of the body in places that Stewart described. Tuesday evening, detectives were still combing the field nearby their trailer. An autopsy on Wednesday will try to verify if Stewart's account matches with what the physical evidence tells investigators. Neighbors say the 35-year-old victim was a kind woman who always made small talk when they passed by her. They say their hearts stopped when they saw a recent newspaper clipping listing her as a missing person. At that point, they feared something must be wrong. Neighbors tell us they noticed they hadn't seen her in a while, and assumed she left town to go back home to live with her parents out of state. They were shocked to hear the news of her death. A detective said Stewart has a past history of violence and drug arrests. He's in the Howell County jail with no bond. Taylor Swift is donating $1 million to Louisiana flood relief after torrential rains caused massive flooding in the state and killed at least 11 people. Swift said yesterday that Louisiana residents graciously welcomed her when she kicked off the U.S. dates of her 1989 World Tour in the state last year. We began The 1989 World Tour in Louisiana, and the wonderful fans there made us feel completely at home. The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking, the 26-year-old said in a statement. On Tuesday, the death toll from the historic flooding climbed to 11 as the expanding flood zone prompted authorities to declare disasters in 20 parishes of the southeastern US state. The flooding has damaged at least 40,000 homes. More than 60,000 people have registered for disaster aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after widespread flooding hit the state, according to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards office. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates A bride-to-be was strangled and then had her mouth taped shut in her own home before it was set on fire. A post-mortem on Amanda Strous revealed she suffered significant burns and was subjected to blunt force injuries before she died on June 18. The 27-year-old, from Charlotte, North Carolina, in the US, was found with only a pair of bikini bottoms on and her mouth covered with duct tape. Her neighbour, Matthew Thomas Benner, has been charged with her murder and first-degree arson. Authorities believe the 28-year-old, who lived in the same apartment complex, had been stalking Strous. The autopsy was carried out by Mecklenburg County Medical Examiners Office, and investigators are also looking at the results of a rape kit to determine if she was also sexually assaulted before her death. According to WSOC-TV, released search warrants suggest Benner had expressed interest in dating Strous and a friend of hers. Benner fled Charlotte after she was killed, but confessed to her murder two days later when he was arrested near Las Vegas. Witnesses had seen him outside the apartment on the night of the killing with blood on his hands. Strous was working as a college counselor at Central Piedmont Community College, and was set to marry to her fiance, Cory McCleaf, at the end of last month. Her partner had been on his stag weekend when she was killed. McCleaf said he was devastated by his fiancees death. He told the Charlotte Observer: She lit up a room when she walked in. Her smile was just one of those things that people had to be with. When she smiled they smiled. She was the light of my world. She was one of the most positive people Ive ever been around. Neighbours alerted emergency services on the night of Strouss murder after seeing smoke coming from her apartment. They said they heard a chilling scream before the smoke alarm went off. Her mother, Crystal said: Its a parents worst nightmare. You never think its going to happen to you. Her father, Eric, speaking to Channel 9, said: I would tell you Im broken, shattered, but as (my wife) said, love hope and faith are the foundational properties that we have raised our children to young adults that are productive in giving back. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates A pair of murderous South Carolina teens robbed and fatally shot a good Samaritan after he helped them pull their car out of a ditch, police have said. Deon Frasier, 17, and Michael Dupree-Tyler, 19, were arrested at an apartment less than six miles from the intersection of Durant Ave. and North Jimtown Dr. where police say they robbed and killed 45-year-old Chadwick Garrett around 11 p.m. Monday after he helped them haul their Dodge Durango out of a ditch. Garret was pronounced dead on the scene by medical officials, a spokeswoman for the Charleston County Coroners office said. One of Garretts family members sounded distraught when reached over the phone Tuesday afternoon. Were sad. Nobody is going to want to talk right now, the family member sniffled, refusing to identify himself. Frasier and Dupree-Tyler were slammed with murder charges and are expected to be arraigned yesterday. Court records show Dupree-Tyler pled guilty to drug possession in 2015 and Frasier was out on a $10,000 bond for possession of a stolen vehicle at the time of the ghastly Monday night murder. Follow Us on Facebook @LadunLiadi; Instagram @LadunLiadi; Twitter @LadunLiadi; Youtube @LadunLiadiTV for updates An easier-than-expected first mammogram experience HUNTERSVILLE Scheduling a cancer screening probably ranks somewhere on your to-do list between "clean out the garage" and "donate those clothes that don't fit." Sure, you'll get to it at... Chamber retreat helps discover strengths in communication The Lake Norman Chamber of Commerce has proved that networking can come in many ways. It doesnt have to come at a luncheon or happy hour or Christmas party, but... Remarks to Media by Mangala Samaraweera Minister of Foreign Affairs following bilateral talks with H.E. Stephane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 28 July 2016 Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen, It is both an honour and enormous pleasure for me to welcome Honourable Stephan Dion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, to Sri Lanka. Honourable Stephan Dions visit is a landmark in our bilateral relations with Canada. This official visit of a Foreign Minister from Canada takes place after 13 long years. Though geographically distant, Canada and Sri Lanka have shared a remarkable relationship over the years, and it was somewhat sad to watch our relations drift for awhile. Today, with this visit, we have affirmed our commitment to build on our multifaceted, bilateral relationship and forge stronger links between our peoples. I am sure many of you would have heard of Leonard Birchall, the young pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force who served in Ceylon, and who was dubbed by Sir Winston Churchill as the saviour of Ceylon during the 2nd World War. There exists a monument to this day in Koggala, to commemorate the Canadian contribution to the defence of Ceylon at the time. Dr. Mary Irwin Rutnam, who was a pioneer in the Sri Lanka feminist movement, and Professor Evan Alan Hardy who set up the Hardy Advanced Technology Institute in Ampara, are etched in the memory of Sri Lankans across generations. We have benefitted from Canadas generosity through the years. From assistance for the Airport at Katunayake, to the gift of train locomotives to the Sri Lankan Railways; assistance for the Maduru Oya dam, and support in adversity following the Tsunami and Conflict Canada has always stood by us. When conflict raged, Canada became home to many of our brothers and sisters who sought refuge. Today, following the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections here last year, when Sri Lankans cast their votes to strengthen democracy, good governance, and the rule of law; for reconciliation, a durable peace, and an end to impunity; we in Sri Lanka are re-engaging with the world, renewing friendships, forging new partnerships, and seeking what is best in the world for all our people. We are laying the foundation for a new Sri Lanka, on the pillars of democracy, reconciliation and economic development. This will allow our people to reap the fruits of increased economic growth and prosperity, which had been eluding us since Independence. We look to friends like Canada to assist us in enhancing our local capacity, and through technical expertise, greater trade and investment. During our meeting today, we discussed a range of issues of bilateral importance including development cooperation; reconciliation efforts; economic cooperation; governance; and people-to-people ties. We also discussed the importance of providing an economic peace dividend for the people of Sri Lanka and the interconnected nature of reconciliation and development. I also informed Minister Dion that we are keen to engage with the Sri Lankan community in Canada, and invite them to visit the country that they left, or was compelled to leave, long ago. I explained that we are keen that they also explore meaningful ways of contributing to Sri Lankas reconciliation and development efforts. Earlier today, Foreign Minister Dion called on President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. I believe that the interactions he had provided an invaluable opportunity to discuss ways and means of enhancing our close and friendly relations. A little later today, Minister Dion will meet my Cabinet colleague Honourable Mano Ganesan and sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the National Languages Equality Advancement Project that will contribute to improving the delivery of government services in both official languages Tamil and Sinhala. Tomorrow, Minister Dion will be visiting Jaffna where he will meet the Governor and the Chief Minister of the Northern Province, and civil society representatives, and also visit Canadian funded projects. I would like to take this opportunity to thank High Commissioner Shelley Whiting and her team for the remarkable work that they do here in Sri Lanka, to make our ties stronger. Foreign Minister Dion, I wish you and your delegation a pleasant stay in Sri Lanka, and I hope that you will visit us again soon and would also make time to experience some of the natural beauty and historic sites of Sri Lanka. Thank you. Read more The price of LITRO gas cylinders would be further reduced in the first week of November in accordance with the Read more The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more PRESS RELEASE Ban Ki Moon Denounces Saudi Crimes: Another MSF Hospital Bombed Aug. 16, 2016 (EIRNS)Yesterday the Saudis followed up their bombing of a school and residential area in Yemen over the weekend, with the bombing of a Doctors Without Borders (MSF) hospital in Hajjah province. Local officials say 15 people were killed in the strike (MSF says 11); 20 others were wounded, and the hospitals emergency room was destroyed. A hospital official said that the nearest Houthi militia activity was 35 miles away. "Todays airstrike appears to be the latest in a string of unlawful attacks targeting hospitals, highlighting an alarming pattern of disregard for civilian life," said Magdalena Mughrabi, an Amnesty International official. Al Masdar reported this morning that the Saudis followed this up by smothering Sanaa and the surrounding areas with even more air strikes. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon denounced the actions by the Saudi-British-American coalition in strong terms. A press statement from his UN office read: "Hospitals and medical personnel are explicitly protected under international humanitarian law, and any attack directed against them, or against any civilian persons or infrastructure, is a serious violation of international humanitarian law." UNICEFs Yemen representative Julien Harneis said yesterday that the number of children killed in Saudi air strikes in Yemen has risen sharply in the recent period. He refuted the Saudi claim that the earlier air strike on the weekend, the one that hit a school and killed 19 people, mostly children, was targeted at Houthi recruitment for their militias. "The Houthis do not recruit children so young into their militias. We spoke with the parents; we checked the ages; we visited the site, and there is nothing to indicate it was anything other than a Koranic school," Harneis said. Aid agencies say well over 2,000 children have been killed or wounded since the start of the war. Harneis said the humanitarian situation was deteriorating as violence escalated and the country became increasingly cut off. "You have got this real pressure cooker with a collapsing economy and a collapsing health system," he said. "All across the board, its just getting worse. I have never seen anything so bad. Its just appalling." He said that the destruction of the health care system would mean that an additional 10,000 children under five would die this year from preventable causes such as diarrhea and measles: PRESS RELEASE Shoigu: Active U.S.-Russia Engagement in Syria War on ISIS Aug. 16, 2016 (EIRNS)Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said, yesterday, that Russia and the United States are engaged in active negotiations in both Amman and Geneva on the situation in Syrias Aleppo. "We are step-by-step approaching an alternativeI am speaking only about Aleppo nowthat will help us to find some points in common and to start actually joint fight to see peace established in that territory, on that long-suffering land, and people returning to their homes," Shoigu told Rossiya 24 TV. Shoigu said cooperation of Russia and the United States on the settlement in Syria was on the whole "concrete and well-organized." He repeated Russias earlier requests to U.S. counterparts to share the "moderate oppositions" accurate coordinates in order to let the Russian aerospace group avoid hitting these areas, or to disclose the coordinates of militants belonging to the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra (both are outlawed in Russia), but the Russian military has not yet received such information. "We then put forward a different solution. Our president and the president of the United States said, yes, lets follow a different path. If there are those who claim they are prepared to cease fire, we may conclude separate agreements with them and remember that there are people who are ready not to lay down arms, but just for a cease fire. This whole procedure is very concrete and very well organized," Shoigu said. There has been little in the way of public response from the U.S. side, so far. "We have seen the reports and have nothing to announce ... We remain in close contact [with Russian officials]," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau said yesterday. Lavrov conceded, yesterday, that the three-hour pauses that Shoigu had announced last week, are not working. "Three-hour pauses a day are insufficient," Lavrov said after his meeting with German Foreign Minister Steinmeier. "But to make them lengthy, it is necessary to deal with the issues of the fight against terrorists." In the past, Russia and the United States were able to reach agreements and announce a truce regime for 48 and even for 72 hours, Lavrov said. "As a result of these pauses, the humanitarian situation has been slightly eased," he said "But their main result is that the terrorists ranks have been replenished with 7,000 fighters, to say nothing about a large number of ammunition and weapons." Steinmeier agreed, stressing that "It is crucial to rule out weapons deliveries disguised as humanitarian supplies." PRESS RELEASE Stimson Center Calls for Withdrawal of Nukes from Europe, Turkey Aug. 16, 2016 (EIRNS)The Stimson Center issued a report yesterday calling for the removal of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons from Europe, and curtailing the B61-12 modernization program back to providing only a sufficient number of bombs for U.S. strategic aircraft. "We recommend that the U.S. forego the procurement of B61s intended for delivery by fighter aircraft, and remove the weapons from Europe immediately," the authors wrote. "This would save approximately $3.7 billion from FY 2017-2021, and just over $6 billion during the lifetime of the program, resources that could be used more productively to strengthen conventional forces." The report particularly highlights the risk of keeping nuclear bombs at the Incirlik Air Base in Turkey (nobody seems to know why they are there in any case): " During the failed coup in Turkey in July, power to the base was cut off and the Turkish government prohibited U.S. aircraft from flying in or out. Eventually, the base commander was arrested and implicated in the coup planning," the authors wrote. J.K. Rowling just cant quit Hogwarts. The Harry Potter author will release three new short e-books next month that dig deep into the Harry Potter stories, she announced on the Pottermore website Wednesday. The trio of books, called Pottermore Presents, will feature titbits taken from Pottermores archives and original writing from J.K. Rowling, according to the announcement. The books range from 63 to 79 pages each and will sell for $2.99. Fans dont have long to wait: The e-books will hit digital shelves on Sept. 6. Advertisement Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide will take a closer look at the wizarding school where Harry Potter and his friends learned the ways of magic. It promises to explore everything from details about the Hogwarts ghosts, to what happens when the Sorting Hat cant decide on a students house. Short Stories From Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies features profiles of Hogwarts faculty members such as Remus Lupin and Minerva McGonagall (the latter played memorably by Maggie Smith in the Harry Potter movies). And Short Stories From Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists will deal with the darker roots of the wizarding world, including Azkaban, the island prison where criminal wizards are housed. Although the original Harry Potter book series ended in 2007 with the publication of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Rowling has returned to her old stamping grounds frequently with supplementary books, a play and, soon, a film: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first in a planned trilogy. Rowling released two books that take place in the Hogwarts universe in 2001: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a textbook exploring the creatures that inhabit Rowlings fictional world, and Quidditch Through the Ages, a history of Harrys favorite sport. Fantastic Beasts is being adapted as a trilogy of movies. The first installment, with a screenplay written by Rowling and starring Eddie Redmayne, is set for release on Nov. 18. Most recently, Rowling continued the boy (well, man) wizards ongoing saga with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a stage play that takes place 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The play is in the midst of a run on Londons West End, and tickets to the show are sold out through late next year. Rowling published the plays script as a book, which sold more than 3 million copies in North America in the first 10 days of its release. As of Wednesday morning, the script was still the No. 1 bestselling book on Amazon, where its been perched for weeks. The three Pottermore Presents books are currently available for pre-order through online retailers Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Apples iBooks, and will eventually be for sale on Pottermore. Eddie Redmayne stars in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. ALSO: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child sells 3 million copies in 10 days Attention Game of Thrones fans: George R.R. Martin has another TV project in the works Oprah picks Colson Whiteheads novel The Undergound Railroad for her book club The 18th fairway at Pebble Beach annually plays host to the worlds most valuable classic cars. Lovingly restored at great expense, until they are more beautiful than the day they were built, they vie for the top prizes at the Concours dElegance. But rust stains are beginning to appear on that manicured lawn. Some discerning collectors are turning their attention to classic cars that have never met the restorers hand cars that have been preserved, rather than restored. Why? Any old car can be made beautiful again with enough money thrown at it, the thinking goes, but a low mileage classic car thats never been touched is more pure, precious and unique. Advertisement Though these cars are often worth more untouched than their restored rivals, until recently they were considered something of an oddity at premier auto beauty pageants, where attendees looked askance at unrestored classics. Ten years ago, people werent looking at cars like that as even acceptable, said Porsche builder and restorer Rod Emory, of Emory Motorsports. Now people flock around the car thats just been pulled out of the barn and has all that original character. Now people flock around the car thats just been pulled out of the barn and has all that original character. Rod Emory, Emory Motorsports By electing to preserve, rather than restore, owners are also saving time and money. A full frame restoration can easily take three years or longer and cost $1 million or more. Increasingly, long-time auction watchers say, the unrestored car is becoming more valuable. The annual Monterey Car Week, which culminates with the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours dElegance, is among the worlds most important automobile gatherings. It begins in earnest Wednesday night with Gordon McCalls Motorworks Revival, held at Monterey Airports Jet Center. In the following days, the Monterey area will play host to dozens of car auctions, car rallies, car races and car unveilings, at locations in Monterey, Carmel, Carmel by the Sea, Carmel Valley, Seaside and at Pebble Beach. Hundreds of millions of dollars, and some of the worlds most coveted cars, will change hands before the Sunday Concours climax. The Concours created its first preservation class in 2001, for Pre-War cars, and added a Post-War Preservation class in 2007. Only a few years ago, Pebble had no preservation class, but now theres one in every major concours, said Beverly Hills collector Bruce Meyer, who has been restoring cars and showing them at Pebble since the 1960s. Now, when people find cars that are presentable, theyre leaving them that way. A classic car is only original once. Car collector Wayne Carini, whose Chasing Classic Cars has been an auto enthusiasts reality show since 2008, will be attending Pebble Beach with one of the worlds oldest and most original unrestored cars. His extremely rare 1921 Stutz Model K Bearcat, made all the more rare because it is wearing its original paint, body and engine, in original condition, will go under the gavel at Bonhams Friday auction. The drop-top two-seater, with only 10,000 miles on the odometer, won a blue ribbon at the 2015 Concours, in the Pre-War Trophy category. Its one of only two known to exist the other has been restored, and Carinis jalopy may be worth more preserved. Sold new in 1921 for $3,900, it is expected to fetch upwards of $500,000. Most of the really great historic cars have already been restored, so these are the rarest of the rare, said McKeel Hagerty, chief executive of the respected Hagerty Classic Car Insurance. These preserved cars show up at auctions with all the dust still on them, and they blow away everyones estimates of what theyre worth. Carini, who acquired the car two years ago, said the Stutz was bought new in 1921 by a military doctor who parked it in a Georgia barn after the engine started making funny noises. It sat there for more than 80 years. Carini took the Stutz to his workshop in Connecticut and got it running. For a time, he thought of investing the time and money required to bring the car back to its original showroom condition but decided against it. You dont repaint the Mona Lisa, Carini said. Collector Scott Gauthier, also a Pebble veteran, is coming to the Monterey Peninsula this year in a similar state of mind, and with similar plans. On Saturday, he will be attending a Gooding auction where the offerings will include his unrestored 1950 Ferrari 166 MM Berlinetta. The Zagato-bodied Italian race car has not been tampered with since it stopped competing in about 1953. The vehicle wears its original paint and body and is powered by its original engine. Like Carini, Gauthier considered restoring the car, perhaps to perform what is sometimes called a sympathetic restoration, which would straighten bent body parts, remove rust and recreate original-looking upholstery without making it look museum-quality or movie-studio fresh. He decided against it, he said, out of respect for the cars lineage and its place in history. This is probably one of the last great historic Ferraris that is not restored, Gauthier said. I was worried that if I restored it, I might have been doing it a disservice. He might also have been diminishing its value. There were only two such racers with Zagato bodies ever built. The other was dismantled in the early 1950s. This one is expected to bring $6 million to $8 million when the gavel goes down. These figures represent a dramatic change in Monterey car week spending. Rick Drewry, who helps value classic cars and motorcycles for American Modern Insurance, said a well-restored 1969 Corvette L88, for example, might sell for $200,000 or $250,000. But a low-mileage, unrestored model of the same car could be worth $400,000. The hard-core collectors want something completely original, Drewry said. The pinnacle of the market right now is the totally unmolested car. John Kraman, consignment director for Mecum Auctions, agreed: Everything else being equal, a superb, pristine, unrestored car will bring more money than the identical car that has been restored, one hundred percent of the time, he said. Several experts noted that there is almost no such thing as a completely original classic car. Older cars have almost always had their tires, hoses and other rubber parts replaced. Racing cars rarely have all their original engine parts. Seat cushions and upholstery have often been repaired or restored to some degree. There are very few great cars that are dead original, said California collector John Mozart, whose 1959 Ferrari 250 Testarossa Barchetta took 2nd place in last years Pebble Beach preservation class. So, degrees of originality start to prevail. The rising value of the barn find car, and the increasingly prevalent use of words like patina to describe a vehicles appearance, have also given rise to some classic car trickery. There are restorers who can apply new paint that looks like old paint, in an attempt to pass off as preserved a car that has been restored. You can walk onto the field at Pebble and see a paint shade that just doesnt feel right, Mozart said. You realize its been done, and it looks like a movie prop. Its too patina-ed. Collectors wishing to capitalize on the barn find fever, several veterans said, should be warned. There arent very many of them, and the competition is fierce. Its getting harder to find original cars that havent been restored, Emory said, and unfortunately once theyve been restored, their history is lost. ALSO Another Tesla Autopilot crash, this time in China Karma to sell its luxury plug-in hybrid car through eight U.S. dealerships New rules at Newcombs Ranch roil Angeles Crest cruisers Recent decisions by giant health insurers to pull back from Obamacare exchanges across the country could make this falls enrollment period crucial to the program that has helped millions of people gain health coverage. We wont know until the next open enrollment, are we still moving forward or are we stalled or moving backward? said Gary Claxton, director of the nonprofit research group Health Care Marketplace Project at Kaiser Family Foundation. If the market grows, then I think many insurers will find a way to be part of it. The next couple of months are a moment of truth, he said. On Monday night, insurance giant Aetna announced it would stop offering Obamacare in 11 of 15 states. Aetna said the move was needed because of rising costs and having too many sick patients compared with those who are healthier and use less medical care. Advertisement Similar reasons were given by Humana and UnitedHealthcare, which also have announced plans to reduce their Obamacare business across the nation. The decisions have little immediate impact on California. Aetna was not offering policies on the states exchange known as Covered California. And UnitedHealthcare had just 1,200 members this year, accounting for less than one-tenth of 1% of the marketplaces 1.4 million consumers. But the moves are part of a trend that continues to raise questions about the programs sustainability. You cant look at Aetna by itself, said Robert Laszewski, a healthcare consultant in Virginia. If the pool is unstable and everybody is losing money, what is the long-term outlook? Its not good. Last week, Blue Shield of California said it would mostly shut down for the four days after Labor Day because of recent unexpected losses, including from Covered California. Most of Blue Shields 6,000 employees in California will be forced to take the week off to reduce the companys payroll liabilities, said Steve Shivinsky, the insurers spokesman. And across the country, premiums for Obamacare are soaring. In July, Covered California officials said that premiums would rise an average of 13.2% in 2017 more than three times the increase of the last two years. In many other states, the 2017 premium hikes are far higher. In Tennessee, Cigna and Humana recently said the premium increases they asked for earlier this summer of 23% and 29%, respectively, would still not be enough. In an effort to prevent more insurers from abandoning Tennessees exchange, the insurance regulator agreed this month that the companies could refile for even larger increases. Experts disagree on whether the latest pullbacks and price hikes, floating in a sea of election-year politics, signal that the nations health insurance exchanges have reached a terrible tipping point or whether they are simply seeking a new state of equilibrium. I dont think this is the beginning of bigger problems, said Gerald Kominski, director of the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. Its an adjustment. This year marks the end of a mechanism that had held down rates for the first three years of Obamacare, which was created by the 2010 law known as the Affordable Care Act. The mechanism had provided more money to those insurers covering the sickest and most expensive patients. Kominski said he believed Aetnas move was prompted more by the Justice Departments recent filing of a lawsuit against its proposed merger with Humana than any inability to make money selling Obamacare policies. Indeed, Aetna had warned Justice Department officials in early July that it would reduce its presence on the Obamacare exchanges if officials opposed the merger, according to a letter signed by Mark Bertolini, Aetnas chief executive. The July 5 letter was obtained Wednesday by the Huffington Post. Bertolini wrote that Aetna believed it is very likely that we would need to leave the public exchange business entirely and plan for additional business efficiencies should our deal ultimately be blocked. They are basically playing a game of chicken with the federal government, Kominski said. Sara Collins, vice president for healthcare coverage and access at The Commonwealth Fund, a foundation that supports independent research on healthcare policy, said she believes the Obamacare markets are maturing rather than dying. Collins noted that major carriers including Blue Cross, Blue Shield and Kaiser Permanente have not pulled out of the Obamacare exchanges. She said the insurance pools appear to be working better in larger states like California, which continue to lure multiple carriers to compete with one another for business. Its not surprising that were seeing some shake-up in the marketplace this year, Collins said. There are going to be winners and losers like any competitive market you can think of. Some will compete and gain market share, others wont. melody.petersen@latimes.com @melodypetersen Theres good news from the New York State Education Department: Albanys latest student reading-proficiency test showed significant improvements in big-city public-school performance. The bad news, alas, is that there is no reason to trust these numbers. Even state education commissioner MaryEllen Elia implicitly concedes that the books may have been cooked. If so, it wouldnt be the first time. The state-wide Common Core reading-proficiency rate jumped to 37.9 percent in 2016, up from 31.3 percent one year ago. The pass rate in New York City improved slightly, leading Mayor de Blasio to declare a victory for his own Department of Education. A lot is changing, and this is pure, hard evidence that these changes are working, he said, and we expect a lot more to come. Commissioner Elia was less sanguine: We cannot pinpoint exactly why the test [scores] increased, she saidwhile conceding that this years scores may not represent an apples-to-apples situation. Others, both experts and advocates, claim that the 2016 exams were significantly easier than last years. Watering down tests, sad to say, is an enduring Albany practice. More to the point, the fact that officials are arguing about a six-point gain in a reading-test pass rate that has long been significantly below 50 percent speaks volumes about expectations for public education in New York. A more revealing benchmark is a recent report from the reform group StudentsFirstNY, which compared graduation rates at some of New York Citys seemingly most successful high schools with the actual academic proficiency of their students. Its a stunning indictment of the schools, a stark rebuttal to de Blasios claims of public school progress on his watchand a prime example of the dishonesty that pervades public education generally. De Blasio claims that the citywide high school graduation rate just topped 70 percentwhich is probably true, though profoundly misleading. SFNY discovered that only 34 of the citys 428 high schools prepare at least 75 percent of their students for college or careers; that 80 percent of New Yorks high schools prepare fewer than half their graduates for college; and that 45 city high schools with above-average graduation numbers post college-ready rates of 20 percent or less. In perhaps the most egregious example, SFNY reports that the High School for Medical Professions graduates 95 percent of its studentsbut a scant 15 percent are deemed college-ready, according to standards established by the City University of New York. (CUNY, unhappily, is tasked with remediating the vast majority of the citys legions of unprepared, but nevertheless aspiring, high school graduates. So it should know.) The de Blasio administration isnt solely responsible for this mess, but it clearly is complicit in it. The mayors refusal directly to address the readiness issue compounds the problemwhile masking it. Lack of candor in public education has long been the norm, but it took off in New York in the late 1990s, when then-state education commissioner Richard Mills began watering down the states historically rigorous statewide graduation examinationsthe so-called Regents finals. Less demanding, locally administered graduation tests were significantly weakened, too. Within a decade, New Yorks once-respectable graduation benchmarks had been gutted. From time to time, reformers have pushed back. The Bloomberg administration deserves credit for a heroic effort to set things right, though to no avail, as the SFNY report demonstratesand for the same reasons that caused the problem in the first place: nobody is willing to address the dirty little secret of contemporary public education, let alone design policies to deal with it. The secret is this: it is impossible to impose an education on unwilling or unmotivated students. And when enough disinterested, or actively disruptive, pupils make up a schools student body, the school begins to fail. A candid diagnosis would require committing two of the major sins of our time: judgmentalism and blaming the victim. It also would mean acknowledging that money isnt everything in public educationa fact that teachers unions and school administrators will never admit. Certainly, resources are important. Children from impoverished backgrounds will always present challenges not often found in affluent school districts. On the other hand, New York as a whole spends more per pupil than any other state, and far more than most. The lavish spending no doubt helps explain why politicians and educators are so defensive about anemic results. Demographics matter, but they need not determine outcomes. Most charter schools, for example, generally perform better than traditional public schools. The best of them produce spectacular results. This is a curiosity, at first glance; charters draw their students from the same neighborhoods, and from the same social circumstances, as the poorly performing schoolsand yet most charters succeed. Why? The answer lies in the refusal of the successful charters to accept conventional wisdom regarding poor kids. They challenge assumptions about their capabilities, hold them to high standards, and generally refuse to accept excuses. Moreoverand this is criticalthey understand that more is required of schools attempting to educate kids from socially corrosive backgrounds. And they delivernot always, but often enough to demonstrate that their techniques deserve respect and study. Manhattans Harlem Valley Academy High School could be Exhibit A for the argument that while expectations matter, execution makes the difference. It takes kids from exceedingly difficult circumstances and last year delivered 92 percent of them to competitive colleges. It does it by creating a highly challenging academic environmentone that encourages students to believe in the utility of real performance. The kids come to assume that they can perform at a high leveland for the most part, they do. They become willing students, in other words, and it shows. Contrast that with the current chaos at Bedford-Stuyvesants failing Boys and Girls High School. It, too, serves challenging students. It wasnt that long ago that the school had a principalthe late Frank Mickenswho combined high expectations of his students with low tolerance for under-performance. Disruptive students and burnt-out faculty routinely disappeared, which angered both education bureaucrats and union leaders. But under Mickens, the school became one of the best of its type in the city. Mickens was forced out in 2004embarrassed bureaucrats and malignant unionists wont be denied foreverand decline set in. This summer, the school hired its third principal in just over three years. It has become one of the worst-performing high schools in the city, graduating fewer than 45 percent of its students (and only 10 percent of those graduates are college-ready, according to the SFNY study). It will be lucky if Albany doesnt shut it down. The bottom line: Harlem Valley Academy High School, which has high expectations of its students and enforces equally exacting performance standards, flourishes. Boys and Girls, which once did that but no longer does, is failing. Urban schools can produce serious studentsbut only if the adults are serious educators. The bureaucrats and educators at the New York City Department of Education are manifestly unserious. The SFNY college-readiness study, like those Common Core reading results, betrays the systems incompetence and its distressing tolerance for deceit. Successfully navigating the class and culture issues raised by Harlem Valleys success, and Boys and Girls failure, would be a fraught enterprise under any circumstances. Tragically, there is no reason to believe that either the de Blasio administration or the states public education establishment have any interest in stepping up to the challenge. Photo Getty Images Hes never met Donald Trump or talked with the Republican nominee on the phone. Yet Peter Navarro, a 67-year-old UC Irvine professor who ran unsuccessfully four times for public office as a Democrat, is now one of the leading voices on Trumps economic advisory team. After Trumps big economic speech in Detroit earlier this month, it was Navarro who launched the most public defense of Trumponomics, sparring with Hillary Clinton backers in a series of national news programs. Advertisement As the only academic and economics PhD (from Harvard University) on a team packed with wealthy businessmen, Navarro has proved to be adept at providing the statistics and economic theory to support Trumps fulminations on Americas financial ills. Probably no one has applauded Trumps anti-China rhetoric more enthusiastically than Navarro, who over the past decade has built a reputation as a tough, often acerbic critic of China policies. It was their mutual disdain for Chinas behavior that initially bonded the two men. Trump endorsed Navarros 2011 book, Death by China, and said of Navarros film version of the polemical work: Death by China is right on. This important documentary depicts our problem with China with facts, figures and insight. Before China captivated him, Navarros expansive research and writings included energy policies, online education and personal finance. Should Trump win in November, Navarro could occupy an influential seat in the White House. In an interview with The Times, Navarro answered questions over the phone and in writing. They have been edited for brevity. Youre representing Trump on a lot of economic issues, but youve never so much as talked with him. Have you exchanged emails? Weve exchanged letters. I have no problem with that. Its no big deal to me. Look, were in the middle of a campaign now. He needs to be talking to voters; he doesnt necessarily need to be talking to me. I work with the team, and the team is in sync and its not an issue to me. Did he ask you to join the team? Who asked you to join? You know, I prefer to keep that confidential. Lets just say I had a conversation with some of the folks on the top of the chain there, and I was more than happy to do it. Ive been working for some weeks now, on a pro bono basis. What was it about Trump that led you to become an ardent supporter of his? Well, we share a common vision of whats wrong with the American economy, and the key portion of that is the trade issue. The fundamental underlying structural problem is that the almost $800-billion trade deficit [$746 billion in 2015] is dragging down the GDP and coupled with that the business investment thats going to Mexico and China. Youve had a versatile academic career. What happened that you began focusing on China? The epiphany for me was when I began to notice in the early 2000s a lot of my fully employed [former] MBA students [at UCI business school] were becoming fully unemployed. And it was like, Whats going on here? And as I began to look more deeply into it, all roads led to Beijing. You mean China is the core of Americas economic problems? China is not the only reason growth has slowed, but it is a major reason. China continues to recklessly engage in unfair trade practices expressly prohibited by the WTO [World Trade Organization] illegal export subsidies, intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer. It also uses unfair trade practices like currency manipulation and the widespread use of sweatshop labor and pollution havens, for which the WTO provides no recourse for or relief. Since China joined the WTO in 2001, over 70,000 American factories have closed, the average median household income has actually fallen and we now owe trillions of dollars to China. [Chinese holdings of U.S. Treasury and other securities were estimated at $1.8 trillion as of June 2015.] Fully half of our annual trade deficit in goods is with the biggest trade cheater on the planet. This is causality, not correlation. Trumps proposal for a 45% tariff on goods from China and 35% on Mexican goods: Was that your idea? The numbers didnt come from me. Trump had an intuitive grasp based on his experience as a businessman about what was the magnitude of these unfair trade practices. His intuition effectively met my analysis because in 2006 when I looked at it, I calculated that about 43% of the Chinese advantage was unfair trade practices. Dont you think a 45% tariff will cause a trade war? [President] Reagan, lets not forgot, is the one who put a 100% tariff on Japanese semiconductors. People [need to] clearly understand the difference between a free trader like Reagan and Trump, who imposes defensive tariffs on cheaters, versus protectionism like China does. You dont think a 45% across-the-board tariff on the Chinese goods is protectionism? Tariffs are not the end game. Tariffs are a negotiating tool to get China to stop its massive cheating. If China wants access to the worlds largest market, it must play by the rules. Right now, China exploits the weakness of the White House as it continues to engage in its unfair trade practices. China will respect Donald Trump. For all of Trumps plainspoken ways that are popular with ordinary workers, many people including prominent Republicans have been put off by his sometimes outlandish remarks. Dont you agree Trump should tame those kinds of comments? Heres the thing: Donald Trump got the most Republican votes in [primary] history as a presidential candidate, and he got that by speaking plainly to the American people. The last thing anybody wants to do is to stop him from doing that because thats the beauty of the Trump campaign. Clinton has proposed raising the federal minimum wage to $12 an hour. Would you lift the wage floor, and by how much? The best way to lift people out of poverty and boost wages is to grow our GDP faster. While Trump is open to raising the minimum wage, the best approach is to grow faster. Experts have described Trumps tax plan as wildly unrealistic, that the tax cuts would lead to massive deficits. They silo the tax plan, and they dont allow for the synergies with the other parts of the package. To me its pathetic. They can model a tax plan until the cows come home, but they cant incorporate the offsetting effects of energy, regulatory and trade policies that will stimulate GDP growth and additional revenues. What about criticisms that Trumps tax plan, like repealing the estate tax and the deduction for child care, would benefit the rich like Trump? Were going to be coming out with a very detailed tax plan. When? Soon. So far, whats been released is kind of a broad outline. The outline is a strong, sound outline. The outline basically has tax cuts to all Americans and additional benefits for people who arent taxpayers who are at the poverty level. The underlying philosophy is a supply-side Reagan philosophy that these tax cuts will help stimulate the economy far better than the kind of Keynesian tax-and-spend policies. Trump is way down in the polls. What makes you think he is going to win? If you study how Ronald Reagan won first the 1980 election and then in 1984, what Reagan did is what Trump is going to do, and that is pull in a tremendous amount of blue-collar workers who have felt abandoned by the Democrats. The swing voters for Reagan were those disaffected, often union workers in manufacturing. Thats the same thing were going to see with Trump. don.lee@latimes.com Follow me at @dleelatimes ALSO Donald Trump will be the nominee of two parties on Californias November ballot As a young Donald Trump began his real estate career, he fought hard against allegations of racial bias Donald Trump reaches out to African Americans, says Democrats take black vote for granted Filmmaker and former academy President Arthur Hiller died Wednesday at age 92. For nearly four decades, Hiller was part of a loose confederacy of Hollywood comedy legends who would meet for lunch every other Wednesday afternoon, where they would kibitz, kvetch, eat pastrami sandwiches, trade gags and grieve when one of their members dies. In 2012, Times staff writer Susan King met with Hiller and friends including Monty Hall, Gary Owens and Sid Caesar at Factors Famous Deli on Pico Boulevard to discuss their long careers and long-lasting friendships. This article originally ran in The Times on Sept. 9, 2012. The guys around the table call Sid Caesar The King. Theyre seated in a back room of Factors Famous Deli on Pico Boulevard, a boisterous group of longtime Hollywood funnymen, enjoying their lunch, which is somewhere between a meal and a ritual. The legendary Caesar still has a place of honor even though hes frail and rarely speaks. As his friend and lunch pal Monty Hall of Lets Make a Deal fame notes, the 90-year-old Caesar wouldnt miss these lunches. You know when he walks in we say, The King is here, said Hall, 91. He loves that. Advertisement The lunches began about 40 years ago at a French restaurant in the San Fernando Valley, then moved to the Friars Club in Beverly Hills until it closed four years ago. So the group found a new home at Factors on the Westside. The locations may have changed, as well as the cuisine, but this gathering of longtime Hollywood funnymen goes on. The group meets every other Wednesday afternoon in a back room of the restaurant, as the guys kibitz, kvetch, eat pastrami sandwiches, trade gags and grieve when one of their members dies. The food is fine but its the talk that keeps bringing them back. They know one anothers eating habits. When the food arrives on a recent luncheon, Oscar-nominated director Arthur Hiller (Love Story), 88, quietly tells the waitress, Cheeseburger over here. Except for three days in the last 52 years, Arthur has only eaten cheeseburgers for lunch, noted his friend, Austin Rocky Kalish, 91, who wrote for such shows as All in the Family, The Bob Newhart Show and My Three Sons. And during the lunch, Hiller, who was voted the nicest guy of his group by his cronies, sneaks some French fries to Kalish. We talk about all subjects, Hall said. The common theme is we are all in show business and everybody has a story. Despite the fact that four of the guys are over 90, two are in wheelchairs and several sport hearing aids, they are a chatty bunch around the rectangular wooden table. There are often multiple conversations going on at once its as if you have stepped into a scene in a Robert Altman movie with overlapping dialogue. Among the topic of conversations this afternoon are the Three Stooges. I sponsored the star for the Three Stooges, proclaimed Gary Owens, 76, the radio announcer and voice-over actor who came to fame as the announcer on NBCs Rowan & Martins Laugh-In in the late 1960s. He is currently the voice for the nostalgia channel Antenna TV. Dealing with the television censors years ago also sparks a dialogue. CBS said you could have one hell and two damns at 8 p.m., Kalish said. You could have two hells and two damns at 8:30 p.m. CBS wouldnt let me put a boy and a girl sitting on a bed. While the group is rooted in comedys past, they also have strong feelings about the state of the art today. And theyre not shy about expressing them. Just about any of the half-hour comedies today, all they do is gather six people in their 20s three girls and three guys, piped up Ben Starr, 90, who has written for many TV series including Mr. Ed, All in the Family, The Brady Bunch and movies, among them the 1966 Bond spoof Our Man Flint with James Coburn. I just saw the new Charlie Sheen show [Anger Management] the other day, said Matty Simmons, 85, of National Lampoon fame, who produced the classic 1978 comedy National Lampoons Animal House and recently published the book, Fat, Drunk, and Stupid: The Inside Story of Behind the Making of Animal House. Simmons assessment: It is the same show as Two and a Half Men the same jokes, the same format and the same rhythm. Everything is the same, but its not nearly as funny. Ashton Kutcher is not funny, chimes in the baby of the group, sixtysomething John Rappaport, an award-winning writer-producer who worked on Rowan & Martins Laugh-In and MASH, talking about Sheens Two and Half Men replacement. He is doesnt have the comedic chops. He is a nice guy but hes boring. The group has been meeting outside of Factors lately to participate in Q&As after screenings of a new documentary about them, aptly titled Lunch. The film will play for a week in October in Los Angeles and New York for Oscar consideration and has been accepted at several local and national film festivals. In November, it will screen at the USC School of Cinematic Arts Comedy@SCA festival. Lunch was directed, written and produced by Donna Kanter, who has done TV programs including John Paul IIs Vatican and Lucy: Queen of Comedy. Her father, award-winning comedy writer Hal Kanter (Bachelor in Paradise, the TV series Julia and countless Academy Awards shows) was an original member of the group. His career spanned some 70 years until his death last November. Besides interviewing the participants, she captured two of the lunches at Factors while her dad and another participant, writer Arthur Marx, the son of Groucho who died in April 2011, were still alive. Kanter said she was inspired to make the film because of her fathers stories over the years about the lunches. For me, it was the story of friendship that was so interesting to me, and the trust they had developed. Its clear watching the film that ageism is a dirty word to these guys. I think for most of these men, age has nothing to do with their ability, said Kanter, who points out that her father worked up until 45 minutes before he died. In fact, Starr recently completed a screenplay. Dont judge us by the lines on our faces, judge us by the lines on our pages, he declares. Are you an aficionado of iconic Hollywood? Like our Classic Hollywood Facebook page to get more Times coverage. Khloe Kardashian is getting serious about skin cancer. The forthright Keeping Up With the Kardashians star took a break on Tuesday from updating app-users on her workout routines and cookie-jar organizing tips to share her history with the disease. In a candid update about her experiences, she hoped that her story would get readers to visit their doctors if they noticed something wrong with their skin. I have moles everywhere, and a couple years ago, I noticed one growing under my breast, she wrote. I immediately looked it up online and found out that if a mole is growing and changing shape, you should go to the doctor so I did. They took the whole thing out, and they biopsied it. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour Advertisement That particular mole was benign, as many of the others shes had checked have been. However, there was one mole I had on my back that was skin cancer. I had 8 inches of skin removed. It was definitely painful because it was a lot of skin, but most of the time, the removals havent been that bad, the 32-year-old added. The process has made her extra aware of her skin, body and moles and prompted her to share the ABCDEs of Melanoma a handy chart for checking the asymmetry, border, color, diameter and evolution of skin moles and urged fans to check themselves frequently. I havent had a problem in years, but wanted to share my experience with you so that if you notice something doesnt look right, you will take action and take care of your health! she wrote. Diane Keaton, Hugh Jackman and Kenny Rogers are among the celebs whove spoken publicly about their own skin cancers. Jackman has had multiple incidences of basal cell carcinoma; Keaton has had basal and squamous cell cancers. Malignant melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, is diagnosed in more than 76,000 new patients annually and claims the lives of 10,000 Americans a year, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, and its incidence is growing faster than that of any other preventable cancer. More than 5 million cases of basal and squamous cell carcinomas, which are less fatal but can cause disfiguration and metastasize to other parts of the body if left untreated, are diagnosed each year. Dermatologists know that skin cancer screenings can save lives, the American Academy of Dermatologists said in a statement after the effectiveness of screenings came into question last month. We know that screenings, which are noninvasive, quick and painless, are the best tool possible to detect skin cancer early when it is most treatable, the academy said. Follow me: @NardineSaad ALSO Are skin-cancer checks by doctors worth the trouble? Shannen Dohertys breast cancer has spread, she says The love of frosty treats begins in childhood with slushees and snowcones, the harbingers of summertime, amusement parks. As adults, its hardly a leap to blend ones booze with ice, creating a frothy spiked version of childhood treats. This summer, Los Angeles bartenders are turning away from the suburban pina coladas and strawberry daiquiris of yore by taking classic cocktail recipes and adding a refreshing slushie component. The result? Cool summer sophistication with a knowing wink at ones youth. Block Party Highland Park Frozen Margarita Who isnt familiar with the standard chain restaurant margarita oversized, blended and syrupy sweet. Block Party owner Jason Eisner (also of Gracias Madre) has gentrified the suburban margarita, but kept it fun, serving it out of nonstop slushie machines. Nothing is more refreshing than a classic margarita, he said. Weve stripped these cocktails of all the phony, funny business and made them delicious, artisan margaritas. The machines churn out granita, so each sip is packed with flavor. Move over 7-Eleven. 5052 York Blvd., Highland Park, (323) 741-2747, www.blockpartyhlp.com. Advertisement Lolas Frozen Cucumber Mojito The mojito is a go-to summer sipper with its sweet-tart blend of rum, sugar and mint. Lolas has modernized the recipe by adding cucumber and elderflower liqueur. Chef/owner Luis Navarro found inspiration on many levels: We imagined enjoying a mojito with a twist on a hot summer night. Taking a classic cocktail inspiration, the vintage feel of 4th Street, Long Beach, plus summer gives you the frozen cucumber mojito. 4140 Atlantic Blvd., (562) 349-0100 and 2030 E. 4th Street, (562) 343-5506, Long Beach, www.lolasmexicancuisine.com. Salts Cure Hurricane The hurricane is one of the most maligned drinks in the cocktail kingdom. Once part of the tiki repertoire, it gradually became a sickeningly sweet concoction of rum and whatever fruit juice was on hand. Salts Cure bar manager Joe Swifka uses a simple combination of dark rum and a passion fruit shrub, whose vinegar element replaces the tartness of the usual citrus in the recipe. Of the drink, Swifka notes, Our hurricane differs from most in that its based on a very stripped-down recipe published by Beachbum Berry. Whether this is the original Pat OBriens recipe or an approximation by Berry is unclear. What is clear is that it tastes great and there are no bells or whistles. Going back to basics is a bit of a theme at Salts Cure, so this was an easy choice. Jeff Beachbum Berry is the author of multiple books on vintage tiki drinks and cuisine. Pat OBriens is a cocktail bar in New Orleans, where the Hurricane became popular in the 1940s. 1155 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles, 323-465-7258, www.saltscure.com. Toscana Monte Bianco If youve never tried a Sgroppino, a traditional Italian dessert-style cocktail that blends lemon sorbet, vodka and Prosecco, youve been missing out. As with Lolas addition of cucumber to freshen up its mojito recipe, Bar Toscanas bar manager William Perbellini has brought a surprising but wholly Italian take to his drink. My twist on it has fresh and floral notes, he says. The coffee on top contests the sweetness of the lemon sorbet and elderflower liqueur, and adds a pleasant, roasted coffee note on the nose.11633 San Vicente Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 820-2448, www.toscanabrentwood.com. Vaca Vaca Tonic The Vaca Tonic is so popular that it comprises 4% of Vacas total sales. The gin-and-tonic cocktail is one of the simplest expressions of bartending excellence or failure. Choosing the right gin, the proper tonic and the ideal proportions are all essential to success. We pour an icy mix of Brooklyn gin and fresh lime over Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic, says bar consultant Gabrielle Dion, who advised on Vacas bar program, and garnish it with these fragrant basil blossoms that freeze in the slush and pleasantly disintegrate in your mouth. 695 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, (714) 463-6060, www.vacagroup.com. Viviane at the Avalon Hotel Negreezi Bar director Ryan Wainwright calls his frozen Negroni a thing of lore, a drink that has followed me to many places and was made in conjunction with just having fun and friends. The balancing act came in utilizing a drink with so much gravitas, but still keeping it playful. The drink is made with Bombay Dry gin, Campari, Cinzano 1757 vermouth and fresh orange juice. This recipe was updated for the Viviane poolside setting and Wainwright thinks its the best version of the fabled drink yet. The vibrant orange hue is as close as you will get to sunshine in a glass. 9400 W. Olympic Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 407-7791, www.vivianerestaurant.com. Upstairs at the Ace Hotel DTLA Summer Wren I wanted to add an herbal taste to a classic gin drink in this case a Bees Knees, said bartender Owen Gallagher. The original version created last season, the Winter Wren, was in the same thematic zone as the Penicillin or the Hot Toddy. For summer, it was lightened up and given the slushie treatment. Its a cocktail that gives the impression of being restorative and therapeutic, said Gallagher. Chamomile paired with honey creates something both familiar and calming. Its the anti-vodka with Red Bull. 929 S. Broadway, Los Angeles, (213) 623-3233, www.acehotel.com/losangeles/upstairs. ALSO: How to make the ultimate coconut, pecan and shortbread bars New Filipino restaurant brings lumpia, chicken adobo and tadyang to Eagle Rock Whats been happening in food: Ramen in the Valley, Cubanos in Redondo Beach In his 10th year as a UFC fighter, Nate Diaz has the benefit of a long memory to provide perspective on the weight divide at the heart of his Saturday UFC 202 showdown against Conor McGregor. Though McGregor implied in the last week that Diaz is over the fights 170-pound weight limit and intends to use every pound to his advantage over the Irishman who wears the 145-pound belt, Diaz makes no apologies for any McGregor discomfort. Hes trying to make excuses. Every time, hes bringing up my weight, Diaz said. Advertisement The fighter said he was over the weight, but that Im nothing a couple skipped dinners wont take care of. It wasnt so long ago, Diaz reminded, when the UFC steered him away from the welterweight division back to the 155-pound lightweight division. He currently stands as the UFCs No. 4-ranked lightweight. When I tried welterweight when I was younger, they said, No, youre too small, youve got to fight at lightweight. All of a sudden Im a welterweight they keep labeling me a welterweight, Diaz said. The only reason Diazs March 5 victory came at 170 pounds was that he had just returned from a Mexican vacation when then-lightweight-champion Rafael dos Anjos injured his foot in training, scrapping his fight with McGregor and requiring an emergency replacement opponent of interest. Diaz agreed to take the fight, but preferred remaining at his higher weight with less than two weeks to prepare for McGregor. McGregor agreed, lost by second-round submission and has now boldly sought a rematch at the same weight. McGregor told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday that he was a few pounds below the 170-pound limit. He said he was [capable of one day] going to jump up three classes to middleweight, Diaz said. Now, all of a sudden, a lightweights beat him and Im [being called] a welterweight. Man, all those excuses. 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 That smoke looks pretty bad. Residents run for their lives as Cajon fire rages A helicopter battles the Blue Cut fire near Lytle Creek Tuesday afternoon. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) Sheriffs deputies went door to door in various neighborhoods in Lytle Creek Canyon, asking residents to evacuate Tuesday afternoon. Ellen Pomella, 63, and her husband had been told to leave their home in Happy Jack, a neighborhood of about 160 homes. About an hour later, they were parked a few miles down the road at a ranger station, waiting to be sure an elderly neighbor also made it down. Pomella sat in her Prius, which was packed with pillows, blankets and clothes. A cat rested in its carrier. Her husband was parked in an SUV behind her, with the couples three dogs. Theyve lived in the area for 25 years and have had to evacuate before so they were well prepared and unsurprised by how fast the fire was moving, she said. Its part of living in this canyon, she said. It went fast. But its very dry. Pomella has volunteered to help with fire preparedness in her community and said she and her neighbors have worked to ensure that their properties are cleared of brush and anything else that could make them more flammable. People need to be prepared and just know that thats part of the risk of living in these kinds of areas, she said. Weve got a beautiful community. Further up the road at an RV park where deputies were knocking on doors and asking people to leave, Emilio, who gave his first name only, said he had his things packed and ready to go but would wait to see how the fire progressed. Theyre doing an amazing job, he said of the deputies and fire fighters in the area. Theyre fighting hard for Lytle Creek right now. Not far away Joe Gonzales, who has lived in his Lytle Creek Canyon home for six years now, said deputies had come by a few minutes earlier and old him to leave. He grabbed laptops and important papers and was ready to go, but was waiting first to hear from deputies whether an elderly neighbor would need a ride before evacuating himself. Im a little worried. I dont want to leave here. We love it in the canyon, he said. But that smoke looks pretty bad. All the ingredients were there. Dry heat, gusting winds in a mountain pass cloaked in dead grass and drought-shriveled chaparral. All it needed was a spark. It came at 10:36 Tuesday morning near Kenwood Avenue west of Interstate 15. The Blue Cut fire was born. It all aligned. The wind, the fuel and the topography, said Capt. Howard Deets of the Mill Creek hotshot crew based in the San Bernardino National Forest. When that happens theres nothing you can do about it. You could throw the worlds fire fighting resources at it and its just going to keep going. Advertisement Thats what the Blue Cut did, chewing through 25,626 acres by Wednesday night, forcing mass evacuations and shutting down one of the most heavily used routes through the mountains that form the untamed backdrop to the sprawl of the Los Angeles Basin. The terrain near where the fire started is so rugged and steep that its like wadded up paper said incident commander Michael Wakoski, a battalion chief with the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Its almost impossible to move up and down the slopes. It makes containment of the fire very difficult. When firefighters arrived Tuesday morning, a freight train stood idle on the tracks, abandoned by the engineer, who fled the fast-moving fire. Gusts of 20 to 30 mph pushed the blaze north in the Cajon Pass, a natural wind tunnel, tossing embers a half-mile ahead of the flame front. The fire jumped the freeway. Firefighting crews were left on the defense, struggling to protect homes as flames consumed chaparral, pine trees and yucca. We got our butts kicked, Wakoski said. The firefighting effort is complicated by the patchwork of crucial infrastructure that runs through the pass: Electrical lines that provide power to the basin, rail lines, high-pressure gas lines, a fiber-optic network even a pipeline that carries jet fuel. 1 / 88 About 10 buildings belonging to the Thanksgiving Korean Church were reduced to rubble by the Blue Cut fire. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 88 Miguel and Mabel Ramos, both 73, survey the devastation of the Blue Cut fire after it swept through their Oak Hills residence. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 88 Mabel Ramos, 73, is overcome by emotion upon seeing the devastation caused by the Blue Cut fire, which swept through her Oak Hills residence. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 88 Miguel Ramos holds a single chicken that survived after the Blue Cut fire swept through his Oak Hills property, burning the guest house and killing about 135 animals. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 88 A CalFire helicopter makes a water drop on still smoldering remnants of Blue Cut Fire on the hilltop ridges along Hwy 2 in Wrightwood. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 88 The Blue Cut fire continues to burn north of Lytle Creek in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 88 Ground crews put out errant fires that popped up near the train tracks in Keenbrook in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 88 A firefighting helicopter makes water drops to keep errant fires from approaching the train tracks near Interstate 15 at Keenbrook in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 88 Fire burns on the train tracks near Interstate 15 at Keenbrook in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 88 A firefighting helicopter drops water on glames getting close to the train tracks near Interstate 15 at Keenbrook in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 88 An abandoned structure sits in the path of the Blue Cut fire after it has passed through Lone Pine Canyon in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 88 A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop on a flare-up of the Blue Cut fire along Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass on Thursday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 88 The Blue Cut fire burns in the mountains of the San Bernardino National Forest, leaving charred vegetation in its wake near Wrightwood on Thursday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 88 A firefighting helicopter flies through thick smoke as it makes a water drop on a flare-up of the Blue Cut fire along Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 88 A dust cyclone swirls through a charred moonscape left by the Blue Cut fire near Wrightwood. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 88 Scott Steele of the Beverly Hills Fire Department comforts one of two dogs hurt in the Blue Cut fire next to a burned structure on Monte Vista Road in Phelan. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 88 Jaime Jungle, left, and Chris Schreiner from San Bernardino County Animal Control carry one of two dogs hurt by the Blue Cut fire at a burned-out structure on Monte Vista Road in Phelan. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 88 A light pole with plastic globes melted in the heat of the Blue Cut fire stands along Tamarind Avenue in Phelan. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 88 Fire crews are busy mopping up hot spots from the Blue Cut fire on Highway 2 on the way to Wrightwood. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 88 A helicopter makes a water drop in very dense smoke from Blue Cut Fire smoldering in the hills along Highway 2 near Wrightwood. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 88 Smoldering hillside from Blue Cut fire along Highway 2 near Wrightwood. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 88 Work crew prepare to repair downed power lines damaged by the Blue Cut fire on Highway 138 at the junction of 15 Freeway. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 88 The Blue Cut fire grew to more than 31,000 acres Thursday morning. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times ) 24 / 88 A car destroyed by the Blue Cut wildfire in Phelan, California. (JONATHAN ALCORN / AFP/Getty Images) 25 / 88 A firefighter douses the Blue Cut fire burning alongside Lytle Creek Road on Wednesday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 88 Firefighters attack the Blue Cut fire as it burns along Lytle Creek Road on Wednesday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 88 Firefighters work to defend structures on Lytle Creek Road on Wednesday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 88 A firefighter monitors the Blue Cut fire on the side of Lytle Creek Road on Wednesday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 88 A firefighter works to defend structures on Lytle Creek Road on Wednesday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 88 Firefighters set back fires on Lytle Creek Road on Wednesday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 88 With a full moon in the background, firefighters monitor the Blue Cut fire along Lytle Creek Road on Wednesday night. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 88 A firefighting helicopter drops water on a hillside to battle the Blue Cut fire west of Interstate 15 on Wednesday in Devore. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 88 Smoke from the Blue Cut fire burns over Interstate 15 on Wednesday in Devore. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 88 Firefighters work to extinguish flames on Cajon Blvd along the interstate 15, in San Bernardino County on Aug. 17. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 88 A firefighter battles the Blue Cut fire in thick brush along Lytle Creek Road. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 88 CalFire firefighters keep watch on the Blue Cut fire as it roars on a hillside above Sheep Canyon Road on Wednesday in Lytle Creek. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 88 A sky crane drops water on the Blue Cut Fire to keep it from crossing Lytle Creek Road on Wednesday in Lytle Creek. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 88 Lytle Creek residents check-in at the evacuation center set up at the Jessie Turner Health & Fitness Center on Wednesday in Fontana. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 88 The Blue Cut fire burns close to Wrightwood. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 88 Firefighters work around the Blue Cut fire near Wrightwood. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 88 The Blue Cut fire burns a hillside near Wrightwood. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 88 Firefighting helicopters battle the Blue Cut fire as it burns out of control around the community of Lytle Creek. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 88 Lytle Creek residents Nico and Dalia Santucci prepare to evacuate as the Blue Cut fire burns near their home. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 88 A firefighting helicopter drops water on the Blue Cut fire as it burns above Lytle Creek on Wednesday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 88 Air tanker drops fire retardant near residences threatened by Blue Cut Fire along Highway 2 Wednesday afternoon. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 88 A structure is engulfed in flames as the Blue Cut fire burns out of control in Lytle Creek. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 88 A firefighting airplane drops fire retardant on the Blue Cut fire in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 88 Towering flames of the Blue Cut fire burn out of control in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest above Lytle Creek. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 88 A firefighting helicopter drops water on bruning brush as the Blue Cut fire burns out of control in the foothills of the San Bernardino National Forest on Wednesday. (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 88 The Blue Cut fire exploded out of control Tuesday in the Cajon Pass, scorching 30,000 acres and destroying an unknown number of homes in several rural San Bernardino County communities. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 88 David Pearson, who lives on Lone Pine Canyon Road, decided to stay at home in Wrightwood as long as conditions allowed. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 52 / 88 Firefighter Bryan Hagan and Pegi Fall, standing along Lone Pine Canyon Road, watch as the Blue Cut fire approaches Wrightwood. Fall has decided to stay as long as conditions allow. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 53 / 88 The Blue Cut fire exploded out of control Tuesday in the Cajon Pass, scorching 30,000 acres and forcing over 80,000 to evacuate. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 54 / 88 A cat wandering around jumps way from hot surface and flames emitting at still smoldering structure at Hess Road. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 55 / 88 Destruction brought by Blue Cut fire on Hess Road in Phelan. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 56 / 88 Smoke rises out from underneath railroad tracks at a damaged bridge near the Interstate 15 damaged by the Blue Cut fire burning in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 57 / 88 Michelle Keeney and her husband, Scott, salvage some old signs from gutted Summit Inn Wednesday morning. Michelle Keeney is the manager of the restaurant destroyed in the fire. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 58 / 88 Spot fire continue to burn in what remains of the gutted Summit Inn at the junction of the 15 Freeway and Highway 138 Wednesday morning. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) 59 / 88 A melted sign from a McDonalds restaurant shows the damage as firefighters check the area after the Blue Cut fire swept through Cajon Junction. (EUGENE GARCIA / EPA) 60 / 88 Burned homes and vehicles are left in the wake of the Blue Cut Fire that broke out in Devore near the Cajon Pass on Aug. 16, 2016. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 61 / 88 Burned homes and vehicles are left in the wake of the Blue Cut fire that broke out in Devore near the Cajon Pass on Aug. 16, 2016. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 62 / 88 Smoke from the Blue Cut fire that broke out in Devore near the Cajon Pass and quickly spread on Aug. 16, 2016. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 63 / 88 Fire continues to burn along Highway 138, in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 64 / 88 During the night, a portion of the Blue Cut fire burns along Interstate 15. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 65 / 88 A firefighter returns to his vehicle as fire continue to burn along Highway 138 in San Bernardino County. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 66 / 88 The Blue Cut fire still burns out of control into the evening off Highway 138 in Summit Valley, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 67 / 88 Winds blow hot embers along a burning fence line as the Blue Cut fire torches the landscape into the evening off Highway 138 in Summit Valley. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 68 / 88 Motorists flee The Blue Cut fire as it burns out of control on both sides of Highway 138 in Summit Valley. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 69 / 88 Residents watch in despair as the Blue Cut fire burns homes on the hillside off Highway 138 in Summit Valley, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 70 / 88 An air tanker drops fire retardant near homes as the Blue Cut fire burns out of control on both sides of Highway 138 in Summit Valley, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 71 / 88 A home is engulfed in flames as the Blue Cut fire burns out of control on both sides of Highway 138 in Summit Valley, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 72 / 88 San Bernadino County firefighter David Pingree works to save a home near Hwy 138. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 73 / 88 The Blue Cut fire burns out of control on both sides of Highway 138 in Summit Valley, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 74 / 88 A home located at 5375 Hwy 138 in Phelan is consumed by the Blue Cut fire as it rages out of control August 16, 2016. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 75 / 88 Fire crews head back to their truck after a failed attempt to stop the Blue Cut Fire spreading along Highway 138 in Phelan, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 76 / 88 The Blue Cut Fire roars out of control behind greenhouses along Highway 138 in Phelan, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 77 / 88 A firefighter watches as the Blue Cut Fire roars near Highway 138 as it burns vegetation and power poles in Phelan, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times ) 78 / 88 Fire crews attempts but can not stop the Blue Cut fire as it spreads along Highway 138 in Phelan, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 79 / 88 A firefighter reports that the Blue Cut fire is burning on both sides of Highway 138 in Phelan, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times ) 80 / 88 A power pole burns as the Blue Cut fire burns out of control on both sides of Highway 138 in Summit Valley, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 81 / 88 A house is surrounded by flames as the Blue Cut Fire roars above Highway 138 in Phelan, Calif., on Tuesday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 82 / 88 A firestorm approaches as a fire crew begins to pull out at Mormon Rocks Station in the San Bernardino National Forest off Highway 138. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 83 / 88 A firefighter on Tuesday monitors the Blue Cut fire along Highway 138, near the Cajon Pass. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 84 / 88 The Blue Cut fire engulfs the Mormon Rocks Fire Station in the San Bernardino National Forest off Highway 138 in Phelan, Calif., on Tuesday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 85 / 88 The Blue Cut fire burns along California Highway 138 on Tuesday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 86 / 88 The Blue Cut Fire roars out of control as it heads towards home off Highway 138. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 87 / 88 The Blue Cut fire throws up a large plume of smoke shortly after it broke out late Tuesday morning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) 88 / 88 The Blue Cut fire engulfs the Mormon Rocks area off Highway 138 in Phelan, Calif., on Tuesday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times) The cause of the blaze is under investigation, but most wildfires in Southern California are caused by people, accidentally or intentionally. According to Caltrans, an average of 156,000 vehicles a day pass the Kenwood Avenue area a endless source of sparking tail pipes, engine fires and discarded cigarette butts. Richard Halsey, director of the California Chaparral Institute, drove through the pass earlier this summer. It was very stunning to me to see how much of that landscape through the Cajon Pass had been burned multiple times and was filled with invasive grasses. Native chaparral shrubs cant survive repeated fires over a short time span. They yield to invasive grasses that ignite easily and burn quickly, increasing the fire threat. Its not how we fight the fires. Its how do we stop them from starting in the first place, argued Halsey, who thinks Caltrans should consider placing concrete K-rail barriers along the freeway in the pass to stop sparks from flying into roadside vegetation. The Blue Cut fire is but the latest reminder that were living where it burns, said Char Miller, a Pomona College professor of environmental analysis. Noting the huge evacuations ordered for the fire some 83,000 people have been told to leave their homes he questioned the wisdom of allowing so much development at the edge of high-fire zones. We dont allow it in flood plains, we prevent earthquake damage, but we dont do it with fire, he added. Five stubborn years of drought have made Southern Californias naturally flammable landscape even more fire prone. We have an amazing amount of standing dead shrubs in addition to extraordinarily low live-fuel moisture, noted Marti Witter, a fire ecologist with the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Im really, really concerned about whats going to happen this fall if the region doesnt get early rains and its a season of strong Santa Ana winds, she said. We would be lined up for another firestorm year. Jennings and Esquivel reported from Lytle Creek, Boxall from Los Angeles. Times Staff writer Sarah Parvini contributed to this report. angel.jennings@latimes.com bettina.boxall@latimes.com paloma.esquivel@latimes.com MORE ON BLUE CUT FIRE The cause of most California wildfires? People Wrightwood evacuation holdouts explain why they wont leave Summit Inn, a popular roadside diner, destroyed by wildfire in Cajon Pass UPDATES: 7:25 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on the size of the fire. This article was originally published at 3:40 p.m. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced Tuesday that he has chosen Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Chief Operating Officer David Wright to lead the agency. If confirmed by the City Council, Wright who has worked at the DWP for two years and before that had worked for decades at other public utilities in California and Nevada would replace Marcie Edwards, who is stepping down after less than three years on the job. Earlier Tuesday, the utilitys board of commissioners backed Wright for the new job, in which he would earn $350,000 a year. Garcetti announced earlier this month that Wright would serve as interim general manager after Edwards departure. Advertisement As I talk with David and review his impressive track record, its clear to me that he isnt just a proven customer service specialist hes the ideal candidate to lead LADWP into its next era, Garcetti said in a statement. Garcetti did not interview any other candidates for the job of leading the nations largest municipal utility, said Naomi Seligman, the mayors communications director. She said Wright was highly recommended by Edwards and was interviewed a number of times for the job by Garcetti, as well as mayoral Chief of Staff Ana Guerrero and DWP Commission President Mel Levine. Wright would be the departments eighth general manager in 10 years. Over that time the agency has weathered a succession of scandals that included the botched deployment of a computerized billing system and questionable spending by two nonprofits affiliated with the DWP employees union. The utility has also been persistently unpopular with ratepayers. This year it ranked dead last in customer satisfaction for the fifth year in a row in a survey of large Western power providers by research group J.D. Power & Associates. Garcetti, who campaigned on promises to reform the DWP, celebrated Edwards hiring in early 2014, describing her as a leader who would bring real, lasting change to a bureaucracy stuck in the past. Edwards, who on Tuesday was serving her last day as general manager, will stay on at the agency through the end of the year at her full salary in an advisory role to Wright. peter.jamison@latimes.com Follow @petejamison on Twitter ALSO Buildings burn, residents flee as out-of-control brush fire burns 15,000 acres in Cajon Pass UC Berkeley chancellor to resign following widespread criticism by faculty In Santa Monica, parents are paying $1,000 for a boot camp to get their kids ready for kindergarten After losing a challenge to restrictions on carrying concealed firearms, gun owners in California filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday to block a state law that prevents most people from carrying guns openly in public. The lawsuit contends that the ban on openly carrying a gun in public must be struck down now that a federal appeals court has upheld a policy that denies concealed firearm permits to most people in urban counties. The suit was filed by four Los Angeles County residents and the California Pistol and Rifle Assn. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decided in June that county sheriffs may require applicants to show specific reasons, such a direct threat, to obtain a permit for a concealed gun. The court on Monday rejected a request to reconsider that ruling. Advertisement Large urban counties, including Los Angeles, routinely deny such permits. Small rural counties generally grant them without requiring applicants to justify a specific need. L.A. County requires residents to show convincing evidence of a clear and present danger to obtain a permit to carry a concealed gun, the new lawsuit said. Accordingly, the vast majority of the population cannot satisfy this discretionary standard, and therefore cannot obtain a license to publicly carry a firearm, the suit said. The suit, filed in Los Angeles federal district court, named Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris and Los Angeles County Sheriff James McDonnell as defendants. Another lawsuit challenging Californias ban on openly carrying guns is already pending in the 9th Circuit. The new suit is being financed by the California gun group, an arm of the National Rifle Assn. Gun advocates are unlikely to appeal the 9th Circuit decision on concealed firearms because the Supreme Court has been deadlocked on contentious matters since the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. Congress has refused to act on President Obamas nominee to replace Scalia, who died in February, leaving the high court with only eight justices. maura.dolan@latimes.com Twitter: @mauradolan ALSO Feds cant spend money to prosecute people who comply with state medical pot laws, court rules U.S. appeals court upholds $2-million verdict against L.A. County Sheriffs Department California Supreme Court overturns death penalty in 1993 killings of two Target employees He is considered, at a minimum, the second-most powerful politician at Los Angeles City Hall. He wields huge authority over the citys $8.8-billion budget, which governs spending on police, firefighters and an array of services. Yet in his private life, Council President Herb Wesson has struggled with a considerably more mundane set of issues: paying the bills on time. For the record: This article contains an incorrect purchase price for a home the Wessons own in Mid-City. It was bought for $950,000, not $759,999. 2:40 p.m. Aug. 17, 2016: An earlier version of this article reported that L.A. City Council President Herb Wesson has declared $100,000 to $1 million per year in income from his rental property. Wesson reported $10,000 to $100,000 per year in rental income. Since he became council president in 2011, Wesson has received five default notices on his properties either on his home in Mid-City or at his rental property in Ladera Heights saying he and his wife were months behind on their mortgage. Advertisement In two of those instances, Wessons properties came dangerously close to a foreclosure auction, according to county real estate records. The most recent auction was scheduled for July 6 and then canceled, records show. Asked about Wessons real estate woes, his spokeswoman, Vanessa Rodriguez, said all five default notices have been rescinded and that the councilman is current on both mortgages. Wesson attributed the problems to the home he and his wife bought for $759,999 in the Wellington Square section of Mid-City. Like so many Americans, my wife and I purchased our home during the peak of the housing market only to watch the bubble burst and the economy nose dive into the worst recession in more than sixty years, Wesson said in a statement. We have been working with a financial adviser to get our household finances back on track, Wesson wrote, and while our financial hardship is deeply personal, we hope to use our experience to help local families learn more about managing their finances and weathering economic uncertainty. Wessons financial issues have become a major target for Sherman Oaks resident Daniel Guss, an animal rights advocate who has criticized the council president over management of the citys animal shelters. Guss, writing on the website CityWatch, reported last week that Wesson had repeatedly experienced defaults in five years. In an interview, Guss argued that Wesson should step down from the presidency, but remain a council member, while he figures out his financial situation. I dont have confidence that his attention is being put on the citys issues, Guss said. I dont have confidence that someone with so many distractions in his own life can concentrate on city business. Council members earn more than $189,000 annually. In financial disclosure forms, Wesson has reported receiving between $10,000 and $100,000 per year in income from his rental property. Wesson declined an interview request. A former speaker of the state Assembly, he represents a district that stretches from Koreatown to parts of South Los Angeles. Wessons colleagues elected him president in November 2011. The week of that vote, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk recorded a default notice against Wessons rental property in Ladera Heights, saying he owed $14,746 on that four-bedroom house. The notice was rescinded in February 2012. A second default notice arrived in December 2013, saying the Wessons had not paid their mortgage and property taxes on the Ladera Heights rental for 4 months. Five months later, the county filed notice of a scheduled auction. By then, a separate default notice had been filed on the Wessons Mid-City residence, a two-story Spanish Colonial Revival built in 1923. The notice said the Wessons owed $33,580. Both default notices were rescinded in 2014. But trouble reared up again in January, when the county recorded another default notice on the Wesson home. The notice said the Wessons were 5 months behind and owed $33,248. The Wessons again paid off the balance and the notice was rescinded in March. But around the same time, the county filed another default notice over the rental house. That property was scheduled for a trustees sale on July 6. It was canceled that same week, according to county records. Rodriguez, the Wesson spokeswoman, said her boss paid off the outstanding bills by tapping personal savings and retirement accounts. Now that the mortgage issues have been addressed, she said, the council president is researching financial literacy workshops to pilot in Los Angeles to help working families take control of their finances. Wesson and his wife bought the house in Ladera Heights, an unincorporated section of Los Angeles County, in 1993. The councilman has a property manager for the rental house, which is being leased to Pasadena-based Flagship Group, which serves developmentally disabled adults, Rodriguez said. The rental house was the subject of an unannounced inspection in June by the states Department of Social Services. As a result of that inspection, state officials instructed Flagship to make several corrections, including repair or replacement of the homes dishwasher and clothes washer and removal of a discarded couch and trash can from the backyard, according to the states report. Jay Smith, a representative of Flagship, said the company has already made some of the corrections and is working to finish the remainder. david.zahniser@latimes.com Twitter: @DavidZahniser ALSO Suit filed to permit Californians to carry guns openly in public Woman jumps to her death from elevated Metro Blue Line tracks Homes burn, thousands flee as out-of-control brush fire chars 30,000 acres in Cajon Pass UPDATES: 5:47 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details. This article was originally posted at 12:45 p.m. Comedian Micah Katt Williams was charged Wednesday with battery after police said he got into a fight with a woman in the parking lot of a Studio City hotel. The Los Angeles City Attorneys office charged Williams, 44, with the misdemeanor in connection with the July 24 incident. He is not required to appear at his arraignment Thursday. Los Angeles police officers were called to the Sportsmens Lodge at Ventura Boulevard and Coldwater Canyon Avenue about 11 a.m. after a female employee reported being in an altercation with Williams, Sgt. Gary Chilingarian said. Advertisement The unidentified woman suffered a minor injury following a dispute with Williams, police said. The performer is currently free on $20,000 bond. His arrest is the latest for the Scary Movie 5 actor, who was charged in March with disorderly conduct after getting into a fight with a 17-year-old in Georgia. Williams and former rap mogul Marion Suge Knight also were charged with stealing a photographers camera outside a Beverly Hills studio. Beverly Hills police said the pair chased the photographer on Sept. 5, 2014, and grabbed her camera. In that case, Williams faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison if convicted of robbery. He has pleaded not guilty. richard.winton@latimes.com Twitter: @lacrimes ALSO Suit filed to permit Californians to carry guns openly in public L.A. City Council OKs $1.9-million crash settlement to Sofia Vergaras ex-boyfriend Hes one of L.A. City Halls most powerful politicians. Hes also having problems paying his bills on time A Los Angeles police officer shot and killed a person Tuesday afternoon while conducting a traffic stop in South L.A., authorities said. The shooting occurred after an officer on a motorcycle stopped a dark sedan along Century Boulevard east of Figueroa Streetabout 3:30 p.m., Los Angeles Police Lt. Chris Ramirez said. During the traffic stop, a passenger got out of the vehicle, and at some point, the officer shot him, Ramirez said. Advertisement Police are still investigating what prompted the officer to open fire. Two handguns were recovered at the scene, Ramirez said. The person struck by gunfire, whose name and age were not immediately released, was taken to a hospital. Police confirmed early Tuesday evening that he had died. The sedan fled the scene, and police were trying to find it and speak to the driver and any other passengers who witnessed the shooting, Ramirez said. Police did not have any additional information about the type of vehicle. No officers were injured during the shooting, said Officer Tony Im, a department spokesman. A couple dozen people gathered at the scene Tuesday afternoon waiting to learn more about the shooting. At one point, they held hands in the parking lot of a nearby gas station and prayed. When police confirmed that the person who was struck by gunfire had died, several turned to each other and hugged. As police investigated the incident, the California Highway Patrol shut down the Century Boulevard off-ramp from the southbound 110 Freeway. It was unclear when the ramp would be reopened. The person is the 16th person shot by on-duty LAPD officers this year, according to data compiled by The Times. Of those, 13 people have died. This article will be updated. Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report. kate.mather@latimes.com Twitter: @KateMather ALSO Buildings burn, residents flee as out-of-control brush fire burns 9,000 acres in Cajon Pass UC Berkeley chancellor to resign following widespread criticism by faculty Garcetti taps public utility veteran to succeed departing LADWP chief UPDATES: 7:45 p.m.: This story was updated to say the man was killed and add other details about the shooting and the scene afterward. 5:50 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on the shooting. 5:10 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on road closures and statistics on police shootings. This article was originally published at 4:50 p.m. A driver performing doughnuts near a crowd of roughly 300 people lost control of his vehicle in a major South Los Angeles intersection last week, seriously injuring two people, police said. Jonathan Alvarado, 18, of Los Angeles, was booked on suspicion of reckless driving after he plowed into a crowd at Western and Manchester avenues on Aug. 7, according to Officer Ricardo Hernandez of the LAPDs South Traffic Bureau. Video of the incident, which the LAPD recovered from a social media account, shows Alvarados car performing doughnuts before it skids, jerks left and lurches into a large crowd. Nearly 300 people were in the area observing what is known as a sideshow, an event where drivers perform vehicle stunts deemed dangerous by police, sometimes placing bets on who can perform the most rotations or burnouts, Hernandez said. Advertisement One person struck by the car suffered a broken ankle, and another sustained a severe cut, according to Hernandez. Alvarado remains jailed in lieu of $20,000 bail. Law enforcement officers across Southern California have become increasingly concerned with the illegal street racing scene in recent months, seeking to crack down on everything from sideshows to organized races to improvised speed contests on area freeways, that have sometimes produced lethal results. A number of local police agencies, led by the LAPD and the California Highway Patrol, have agreed to form a countywide task force to combat the issue. A group of law enforcement officials met to plan the move in April, just days after police say an impromptu street race led to a deadly crash on the 5 Freeway. Three people were killed, including the son of a Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department lieutenant. None of the dead were involved in the race. Sgt. Jesse Garcia, who leads the LAPDs street-racing detail, said incidents like last weekends in South L.A. have become more frequent in recent years. While racers normally wait until after dark to take to Southern Californias roadways, daytime rallies have become increasingly common on Sundays, putting more pedestrians in danger. Weve started to see it more and more over the last two years. The daytime scene is exclusive to Sundays, Garcia said. Part of it has to do with the fact that most of these cats, they got regular jobs, theyre like you and me. They work, so they cant be out at 4 oclock in the morning on a Sunday. Reports of injuries at sideshows are a near monthly occurrence, according to Garcia. The actual number of people hurt at such incidents is likely higher, but many of the victims do not seek medical attention because they are connected with the illegal street racing scene and want to avoid contact with the police, Garcia said. Tracking the number of street racing-related injuries in Los Angeles and throughout California is difficult because most law enforcement agencies do not record such data. The Los Angeles City Council passed a measure last year requiring the LAPD to begin tracking those statistics, but the data are not yet available. Garcia said he was concerned by the recent South L.A. incident because it happened in a main thoroughfare where people could easily be injured. Theres a Ralphs Supermarket on the southeast corner, theres a couple of gas stations on the west side, he said. Theres people coming and going about their daily business trying to get groceries, especially on a Sunday afternoon. james.queally@latimes.com Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California. UC Berkeley Chancellor Nicholas Dirks announced Tuesday he would resign, a move that follows months of criticism by some faculty and others over his handling of sexual misconduct cases, a major budget deficit and other campus issues. Dirks, who took the reins of the nations leading public research university in 2013, did not spell out his reasons for stepping down but said he would stay until a successor was in place. A distinguished professor of history and anthropology specializing in South Asia studies, Dirks said he would return to teaching and research at Berkeley. I have come to the personal decision that the time is right for me to step aside and allow someone else to take up the financial and institutional challenges ahead of us, he said in a letter to the campus community. We need fresh approaches and new ideas as Berkeley forges a path to maintain its excellence along with its full commitment to a public mission. Advertisement UC President Janet Napolitano accepted his resignation, expressed appreciation for his efforts and said a committee would be formed immediately to launch a global search for a new chancellor. We seek nothing less than an individual of the highest caliber to lead Berkeley, widely and correctly regarded as the finest public research university in the world, Napolitano said. UC Berkeley, and the University of California, deserve nothing less. Dirks resignation has been long sought by some faculty members, who considered holding a vote of no confidence in him in the spring. Another possible vote was in the works if he did not resign by the fall, a faculty member involved in the effort said. Dirks has been blasted for imposing weak sanctions on three high-powered faculty members who violated UCs sexual harassment policy. He has since unveiled a reform plan to expand education and training, improve services for victims and form a committee to review proposed sanctions. Grappling with a $150-million budget deficit, Dirks sought to overhaul academic departments, including the College of Chemistry, but was criticized by many faculty members who said he had failed to consult them. He ultimately backed down on some of the changes he sought. His problems mounted last month when it was disclosed that he was under UC investigation for alleged misuse of public funds and the personal use of a fitness trainer without payment. Dirks declined to comment at the time, pending the inquirys outcome. And reports of spending $700,000 to build a security fence around his residence and $9,000 for an emergency exit to avoid protesters rankled some students, who said he should engage with them, not avoid them. There was just a complete collapse of faculty confidence in him, almost across the board, said one UC source who was not authorized to comment publicly. There was a sense he was ill-equipped to deal with the challenges, he was in over his head as CEO and he didnt really get what Berkeley is all about. In his statement, Dirks highlighted his work improving undergraduate education, increasing diversity of senior administrators, launching new global initiatives for research, improving sexual misconduct policies and increasing philanthropy to what he said were record levels of more than $450 million in each of the last two years. Bob Jacobsen, a physics professor, had praised Dirks for committing $4 million extra this year to hire new instructors for the additional 1,000 students admitted. In an interview last month, Jacobsen said concerns about Dirks leadership were legitimate. But Jacobsen believed in working out problems together. Asked by The Times last month whether he intended to resign, Dirks declined to respond, saying, I will continue to meet with faculty, staff and students in order to hear and understand their concerns; to explain how these concerns are being addressed; and to build consensus and support for promoting Berkeleys long-term aspirations. In recent weeks, however, pressure for Dirks to resign has escalated. A petition expressing loss of confidence in his leadership was recently signed by more than 45 distinguished professors, including former Academic Senate leaders, members of the National Academy of Sciences, department chairs and heads of research units. There was a whole series of really bad steps which shows hes cut himself off and is unresponsive to the campus community, said Michael Burawoy, co-chairman of the Berkeley Faculty Assn., who signed the petition. However, Judith Butler, a professor of comparative literature, expressed concern that maneuvers like the petition occurred among a small group without open discussion by the full faculty. The real question is who was this small group working in the summer and do they really represent the faculty? she asked. Im not convinced. She declined, however, to give an assessment of Dirks effectiveness. Former Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau called the news of Dirks resignation a sad day for Berkeley. Dirks is the second UC chancellor to resign this month. Last week, Linda Katehi stepped down as chancellor of UC Davis after Napolitano announced that an independent investigation found that Katehi violated several university policies, showed poor judgment and had misled her superiors, students and the public. Before coming to Berkeley, Dirks served as executive vice president for the arts and sciences department and dean of the faculty at Columbia University. teresa.watanabe@latimes.com UPDATES: 9:05 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details and quotes. This article was originally published at 5:20 p.m. In most states, the man accused of shooting pastor Tim Remington six times in broad daylight might have a strong defense to offer at trial. Kyle Odom, a 30-year-old Marine Corps veteran, has a history of mental illness and said he believed that Remington was part of an alien conspiracy to enslave the human race. Though severely wounded, Remington survived the March shooting in a Coeur dAlene church parking lot and said he had forgiven his assailant. Unfortunately for Odom, Idaho is one of four states along with Kansas, Montana and Utah that dont allow defendants to plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Advertisement What typically happens in such cases is that the accused will seek a plea deal and hope that the judge takes their mental condition into account when passing sentence, legal experts said. Critics contend this does not provide sufficient protection against long prison terms or the death penalty for defendants who might be confined to a psychiatric hospital if they were charged in another state. Idahos rather rare method of dealing with the issue of criminal defendants mental health impairments does result in uneven treatment in comparison with most other states, said Marc Pearce, assistant dean at the University of Nebraska College of Law, in an email. In May, the Kootenai County prosecutors office dropped a charge of attempted murder against Odom and instead charged him with aggravated battery. That did not change the penalty he could face: up to 15 years in prison. Odom was also charged with using a deadly weapon in committing a felony, a sentence enhancement that could mean an additional 15 years. Attempts to resolve the case through mediation were not successful. Last week, prosecutors asked that Odom receive a mental health evaluation, to determine whether he is competent to stand trial. Once he is deemed to be competent, the case will proceed in the normal course, Barry McHugh, the countys prosecuting attorney, told The Times. He declined to discuss the case further. Defense attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. Odoms mental state has been an issue from the start. Two days after the shooting, Odom was arrested in Washington. He wasnt exactly laying low. Police said he was caught throwing documents and computer flash drives over a fence onto the White House lawn. According to a rambling, 30-plus-page manifesto sent to several Idaho television stations, Odom thought he was being tormented by hypersexual, mind-controlling Martians. He wrote that he attempted suicide twice, enclosing himself in his car with a lit charcoal grill, and also sought help at a local Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. The only option left, he said, was to go after the aliens. In a Facebook post while on the run, Odom said that Remington was one of them. I shot pastor Tim 12 times, he wrote. There is no way any human could have survived that event. The manifesto included the names of other suspected Martians about 50 members of Congress among them. I wish I was joking, Odom said, adding that he considered himself 100% sane, 0% crazy. Thats not how it looked to legal and mental health experts. But Idaho abolished the insanity defense in 1982, a decision prompted by outrage over the acquittal by reason of insanity of John W. Hinckley Jr. in an assassination attempt on President Reagan. Attempts to challenge the constitutionality of the decision have so far been unsuccessful. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal brought by James Delling, an Idaho man who was sentenced to life in prison for killing two friends and wounding another after becoming convinced that they were trying to destroy his brain. Delling was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and argued that the lack of an insanity defense violated his due process rights. The Idaho Supreme Court disagreed because state law permits the use of evidence of mental illness to undermine the prosecutions argument that a defendant was capable of forming the intent necessary to commit a crime, and because trial judges are required to consider the persons mental condition when passing sentence. In the absence of an insanity defense, Delling is still able to present a defense; it just takes a different form, Justice Robert Burdick wrote in the courts decision. If the state cannot prove criminal intent beyond a reasonable doubt, a defendant, sane or not, will be found not guilty. In an article for the American Psychological Assn. in 2013, Pearce said Dellings case was noteworthy because the trial court had found that he could not appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct, which would satisfy a common legal test for insanity. But because Delling admitted that he intended to kill his victims, his mental condition was of no help to him in the case. Opponents of the insanity defense note that mental health treatment is available to prison inmates, although some experts say the environment is far from ideal for such care. Special mental health courts, part of a nationwide network, can also get defendants into treatment and have been credited with keeping at least a few people out of jail. But the courts dont exist in every county, and they dont generally accept people accused of violent offenses and sex crimes. The Treatment Advocacy Center, a Virginia-based nonprofit that promotes access to mental health care, reported in 2014 that Ada County Jail in Boise and the Idaho state prison in Kuna probably both held more people with serious mental illness than the two state psychiatric hospitals combined. The problems are predictable, the group said. In one month in 2013, guards found four inmates hanging from sheets at prisons and jails around the state. The American Civil Liberties Union and the American Bar Association have joined forces with other groups in Idaho to lobby for changes in how the state deals with the criminally insane. Their first goal is to get a law enacted that would prevent the state from carrying out the death penalty against convicts with severe mental illness, said Kathy Griesmyer, a public policy analyst for the ACLU in Boise. Such a law could remove one or two of the nine people currently on death row in the state, she said. But it wouldnt help defendants like Odom who face lengthy prison terms. Remington, whose survival was described by members of his Altar Church as a miracle, has said that his assailant should do some time. We dont send a message that you can shoot somebody and not pay the price, he told the Spokesman-Review in May. But he said he would also like to help Odom. How he is rehabilitated, the pastor said, I would love to be a part of that process. Anderson is a special correspondent. ALSO Fire erupts on cruise ship off Puerto Rico; 500 evacuated Like nothing weve ever seen: Flood danger is not over in Louisiana Man accused of killing Oklahoma neighbor has criminal record in Southern California A man accused of injuring one of his next-door neighbors in Tulsa, Okla., in a hit-and-run last year -- and then fatally shooting her son last week -- had a history of anti-Arab racism against the family and a history of violence in Southern California, according to court records. Stanley Vernon Majors, 61, a Los Angeles native, now faces a charge of first-degree murder. Khalid Jabaras family said his killing on the front porch of the familys Tulsa home could have been prevented, given Majors criminal record, which includes convictions for violent threats and assault in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Fridays killing came after Majors terrorized his neighbors for years with racist and anti-Muslim behavior, according to Jabaras family, who are Orthodox Christian immigrants from Lebanon. The Jabara family had secured a restraining order against Majors in 2013 barring further contact, which Majors had broken twice in 2015, according to court records. Advertisement He repeatedly attacked our ethnicity and perceived religion, making racist comments. He often called us dirty Arabs, filthy Lebanese, Aye-rabs, and Mooslems, the family said in a statement posted on Facebook, adding: This man was a known danger. An attorney for Majors couldnt be reached for comment. The Jabaras emigrated from Lebanon during that countrys civil war in the early 1980s, a family friend, Rebecca Abou-Chedid, who is acting as a spokeswoman for the family, told the Los Angeles Times. The family settled in Tulsa, and according to Abou-Chedid, Majors moved in next door around 2011 apparently while he was still on parole for felony weapons charges in California, where authorities had issued a warrant for his arrest in 2012 for violating the terms of his supervision. One of Majors California convictions includes a 2009 felony case for making threats in Los Angeles County, where he was also under a restraining order from another man. Courts records indicate that Majors was extradited to California in 2013, but he returned to Oklahoma and got married to another man there in 2014. In March 2015, a drunken Majors cursed Jabaras mother, Haifa Jabara, with racial slurs in the familys driveway and told her, I want to kill you, despite the 2013 court order barring contact with the family, according to an arrest report. A few months later, in September 2015while facing a bench warrant for failure to appear in court for violating the protective orderMajors was accused of hitting Haifa Jabara with his car and then speeding away, according to court records. The family said she suffered a broken shoulder, collapsed lung, broken ankle, broken nose, head trauma, and fractured ribs. Court records said that when an officer found Majors, he was apparently drunk. Majors was arrested and held without bond jail for several months. Then, in May, Majors requested that bond for the most serious of his charges related to the hit-and-run incident be set for $30,000. Tulsa County prosecutors objected, saying Majors had demonstrated a wanton disregard for the life of the victim and the safety of the public and requested bond be set at $300,000. After a hearing, a judge set Majors bond at $60,000, which Majors posted on May 25. He was free. Court records indicate he was ordered to wear an ankle monitor, but his neighborsthe Jabaraswere disturbed. He was released and put back next door to us, the family he assaulted just months before, the family said in a statement. This is troubling at any time, but profoundly disturbing given the current climate of our country and the increase nationally in cases of hate crimes. The familys statement said that before the shooting on Friday, Khalid called the police stating this man had a gun and that he was scared for what might happen. Tulsa Police Homicide Sgt. Dave Walker told the Tulsa World that Jabara, 37, had called to report suspicious activity and that police had come and gone before Jabara was shot. (Walker couldnt immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.) Police soon arrested Majors as the suspect. He is now being held in the Tulsa County Jail without bond. Describing Jabara as a kind spirit, the family said in its statement, He created every Jabara family joke and filled our lives with love and laughter. All of that has been taken away from us by this hateful man and a system that failed to protect our community. Officials told the Tulsa World that they were still evaluating whether to charge Majors with a hate crime. An online fundraiser set up for Jabaras family and supported by interfaith groups has raised more than $7,000 in one day as of Tuesday evening. For me, as an Arab American, this is what America is, Abou-Chedid told The Times about the outpouring of support from around the country. People arent all just looking at him as an Arab American and not caring that this happened. The outpouring has been really great. Email: matt.pearce@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @mattdpearce ALSO A spike in homicides. Job loss. Bad schools. Milwaukee unrest isnt about one thing 10 years after joining Obamas team, these lifers are getting ready to leave the White House A doctor bikes across the country to ask Americans about Obamacare. This is how he ended up feeling hopeful After a year of waging a campaign marked by divisive and racially coded rhetoric, Donald Trump delivered his first overt plea to African Americans on Tuesday night, vowing to improve schools, create jobs and foster safer communities. Trump, speaking 30 miles from a Milwaukee neighborhood engulfed in riots and protests over the weekend in the wake of the shooting of a black man by a police officer, said he would restore safety within inner cities beset by violence, while castigating Democrats as out of touch with the needs of minority voters. Our job is to not make life more comfortable for the rioter or the robber or the looter, said Trump while addressing supporters in West Bend, Wis., a city where the black population hovers around 1%, according to recent census data. Our job is to make life more comfortable for the African American parent who wants their kids to be able to safely safely walk the streets and walk to school. Or the senior citizen waiting for a bus. Advertisement Trump, who in recent months has declined invitations to speak to organizations such at the NAACP and the National Assn. of Black Journalists, assailed Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, and her party, whom he accused of having taken for granted the support of black voters. The Democratic Party has failed and betrayed the African American community, said Trump, arguing that high poverty rates and poor school systems in predominantly black inner cities nationwide reflect the failures of Democrats who oversee these communities. The Republican presidential nominees pitch to black voters on Tuesday comes days after he used strong racial overtones to warn his mostly white audience in rural Pennsylvania that certain areas of the state such as Philadelphia, where almost half the residents are black might participate in voter fraud that benefits Clinton. Were hiring a lot of people. ... Were going to watch Pennsylvania, go down to certain areas and watch and study, and make sure other people dont come in and vote five times, he said. Trumps support among black voters is dismal compared with Clintons. A USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times tracking poll shows that black and Latino voters lean heavily toward Clinton. Trumps support among blacks hovers near 5%, compared with nearly 89% support for Clinton. For all of Trumps jabs at Clinton and President Obama as having failed black voters, African Americans overwhelmingly view Obama favorably, based on numerous polls. Since Trump launched his campaign last year, his inflammatory rhetoric about Mexicans calling them rapists and drug runners has been assailed by Democrats and Republicans alike as hes also vowed to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. On Monday, in a speech on foreign policy, Trump announced a new screening test, which he labeled extreme, extreme vetting, designed to keep out anyone who does not share American values. In his pitch to African American voters, Trump argued that blacks would be hurt by the immigration proposals of Clinton, saying immigrants living in the country illegally come in and take everybodys jobs, including low-income African Americans. Clinton and Democrats have spent millions of dollars in swing states on advertising that showcases what theyve called divisive and hateful rhetoric. Recent polls from swing states, such as Ohio and Florida, show Clintons lead over Trump increasing. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter At a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden urged supporters to not be complacent. Dont be complacent, my friends, she warned. Even though were doing fine right now, Im not taking anybody, anywhere, for granted. During Trumps speech, he did offer a new policy proposal not connected to his talk about jobs, schools and public safety. Trump said that if elected he will ban members of his administration from accepting speaking fees from corporations with registered lobbyists for five years. The move is a jab directed at Clinton, who has raked in millions in speaking fees and has not released transcripts from those speeches. I am going to forbid senior officials from trading favors for cash by preventing them from collecting speakers fees, he said. kurtis.lee@latimes.com Times staff writer Michael A. Memoli contributed to this report. ALSO What Donald Trump means when he proposes extreme vetting for would-be immigrants How @RealDonaldTrump turned a stream-of-consciousness Twitter feed into a political campaign Warning of election fraud,Trump sparks fear that his backers may intimidate supporters Former Trump campaign manager: New advisors will take a fresh fight to Clinton Corey Lewandowski on Trump campaign adding Steve Bannon: He's "a bit of a street fighter" https://t.co/VKB7vm8W7b https://t.co/WqbUNtHvsf New Day (@NewDay) August 17, 2016 Donald Trumps newest campaign leaders want to win at all costs, former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said Wednesday. Lewandowski was fired in June and replaced by Paul Manafort, who will stay on but will no longer run the campaign after Trump hired Breitbart News Steve Bannon as CEO and Kellyanne Conway as campaign manager. Bannons hiring suggests that Trump wants to return to the looser style of campaigning he did under Lewandowski. Manaforts hiring in June was portrayed as a desire to make the campaign more disciplined and in line with what Republican Party leaders sought. Lewandowski, who since leaving the campaign and working as a CNN analyst has barely disguised his disdain for Manafort, predicted that the latest move would help Trump more aggressively take on rival Hillary Clinton. [Breitbart] has attacked the mainstream media on multiple occasions, Lewandowski said on CNNs New Day, explaining what Bannon offers the campaign: ... Thats the type of mindset the campaign wants to prove to the Clinton people, that theyre going to take this fight directly to her. He added that Bannon comes out like a street fighter, and he doesnt fear taking on people such as Clinton. Hes a person who is willing to go right at his opponents and make sure that they know that in politics alls fair in love and war. Lewandowski also touted Conways ability to reach out to groups of voters that Trump has alternately ignored, attacked or struggled with, such as women, Latinos and blacks. She is someone whos been a part of the Trump world and Trump orbit for a long time, he said. Shes a trusted advisor. After the San Onofre nuclear plant shut down unexpectedly in early 2012, regulators approved a deal dividing up the $4.7 billion in closing costs. The terms of the settlement were worked out by Southern California Edison, which owns 78% of the plant, in negotiation with San Diego Gas & Electric, consumer advocates and environmentalists. They decided that ratepayers would be responsible for most of the bill $3.3 billion, minus various credits while the two utilities shareholders would pay the rest. That apparently seemed reasonable to most of the parties at the time, although consumer groups initially wanted investors to pay more of the costs and some smaller stakeholder groups did not agree to the final deal. But the agreement avoided a protracted litigation process that consumer advocates worried could result in a worse outcome for ratepayers if it was influenced by then-PUC President Michael Peevey, a former chief of Edison, who some suspected was not on the side of customers. Advertisement That deal seems a lot less reasonable now, in light of troubling information that has emerged since about secret meetings to discuss how costs should be allocated between Peevey and Stephen Pickett, who was then Edisons executive vice president for external relations. The meetings were held during the year before the deal was made. Consumer advocates say they might have rejected the settlement terms and pushed harder for utility shareholders to cover more of the cost of decommissioning if they knew at the time about the meetings, which they say gave an unfair negotiating advantage to Edison at the expense of ratepayers. The PUC in May agreed to reopen the settlement and consider whether it ought to be changed. The secret meetings occurred in March 2013, after the replacement steam generators failed, forcing the plant to close but before Edison had decided to shut down the plan for good. Peevey and Pickett were both at an energy industry conference in Warsaw at the time. The notes from that meeting, on hotel stationery, appear to lay out possible ways to allocate the costs associated with shutting down the nuclear plant. Customers ought to share some of the financial burden for closing the plant, but maybe not as much of it as theyve been given. This kind of back-channel communication between regulators and utilities is permitted if it is disclosed in a timely manner. In this case, it wasnt reported until February 2015 nearly two years after it happened, and three months after the settlement assigning costs was approved. Edisons excuse for this lapse is that at the time it didnt consider the meeting a reportable communication because Peevey did all of the talking and Pickett just listened. Only later did it become clear that there may have been substantive communication by Pickett during those meetings. Furthermore, the company says, Pickett didnt participate in the official negotiations when they began later that year. But even if you accept that version of events, it nevertheless gave Edison an edge in knowing what terms might be acceptable to the head of the PUC. When the meetings were finally disclosed, the PUC didnt buy Edisons excuses and fined the company $16.7 million for the violation. The fine is substantial, but not even close to what Edison shareholders stand to lose if they are required to take on most or all of the costs of closing San Onofre. So what happens now? The commission has asked the stakeholders for suggestions, which have ranged from leaving the current deal in place to throwing it out completely and requiring the utilities shareholders to pay all the costs. Edisons position is that the deal was fair to ratepayers when it was made, and still is; the meetings changed nothing. And they note that the cost for the average Edison customer will be about $2 per month through 2022. Customers ought to share some of the financial burden for closing the plant, but maybe not as much of it as theyve been given. The state Office of Ratepayer Advocates is recommending that Edison reduce the burden for ratepayers by $383 million. This, they say, better reflects the offices original litigation position and would make ratepayers whole for the possible harm done by the belatedly disclosed private meetings. Thats at least a place to start the discussion about what is fair to ratepayers in a deal that now seems to have been tainted from the start. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Be afraid! Even after weeks of missteps, polls suggest that more than a third of American voters still support Donald Trump. If Trump wins, expect to find him decorating the Oval Office with Hillary Clintons taxidermied head and expect to find me breaking rocks in a Trumpian labor and re-education camp along with all the rest of Americas journalists, its intellectuals, non-Christians, immigrants and people of color. But though the Trumpocalypse remains a worrying possibility, there may yet be a silver lining here. In fact, Trumps candidacy could still turn out to be very good thing for America as long as he loses in Novemberbecause hes exposing the countrys divisions, problems and petty bigotries. For years, the Republican Party has been, for all intents and purposes, the party of white America, but a thin patina of respect for diversity, coupled with the calculated deployment of superficially race-neutral code words, has long allowed Republican leaders to claim otherwise. Advertisement Trump didnt create the racism so apparent at his campaign events but his record, his words and his popularity have forced moderate Republicans to reckon with their partys shameful legacy of courting a distinctly racist base. Im not letting the Democratic Party off the hook, either. In recent decades the Democratic Party has done far more to address racial injustice than the Republican Party, but the Democrats have their own ignominious record of early opposition to desegregation and the defection of so many working-class white male Democrats to the Trump camp suggests that nostalgia for the bad old days is more prevalent than party leaders care to acknowledge. Trumps candidacy has also pushed into the open something else elites in both parties would prefer to ignore: the pain and dislocation experienced by globalizations have-nots. For decades, both Republican and Democratic leaders have sung the virtues of free trade and economic liberalism. But globalizations benefits are distributed unevenly. In particular, rural Americans and less educated white males have been left behind. Faced with a prevailing political narrative that lauds free trade as a rising tide that lifts all boats, its little wonder that those who find themselves sinking are casting about for someone to blame, and finding convenient scapegoats in immigrants and minorities. We should denounce the racism and xenophobia on display at so many Trump events even as we acknowledge the human fear and misery that fuels these toxic sentiments. If Trumps campaign is forcing an overdue acknowledgement of some unpleasant realities, its also upending our ideas of politics as usual. In particular, Trumps candidacy is shaking up settled assumptions about what it means to be liberal or conservative, left or right, Democrat or Republican. American political discourse has had a frozen quality of late, with both parties seemingly locked in by simplistic stereotypes: Republicans are hawks and Democrats are doves; conservatives oppose gay marriage and liberals support abortion rights; the right is pro-business while the left wants to rein in Wall Street and redistribute the wealth. Trump didnt get the memo. His views on race, immigration, Islam, torture and guns seem to place him on the extreme right of the Republican Party but his views on transgender rights, military interventions and Wall Street often seem more like those of a liberal Democrat. He defies categorization. Granted, this is partly because hes not exactly consistent. Hes flip-flopped with dizzying regularity on abortion, tax rates for the wealthy, the minimum wage, whether to send troops to fight Islamic State and a dozen other issues, so its hard to know what Trump really believes, if anything. None of this makes Trump a good person or a plausible leader. On the contrary: Trumps willingness to legitimize racism and xenophobia should disqualify him from the presidency, as should the fact that his views seem entirely a matter of convenience rather than conscience. Still, Im glad Trumps brought so much nastiness to the surface, because you cant fight what you cant see. And the very unpredictability of his positions may create a new space in American politics, one in which candidates from both parties can break away from rigid ideological platforms, and experiment more freely with policies and ideas. Thanks, Donald. Now please, go away. 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 or Facebook Battered by falling poll numbers and an erratic message, Donald Trump tried to right his presidential campaign Wednesday by adding two senior advisors and effectively demoting his campaign manager. The overhaul marked Trumps second top-level shake-up in two months, and comes as the GOP nominee faces what increasingly appears to be an uphill general election race against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Who are Trumps new top advisors? Advertisement Stephen Bannon, executive chairman of Breitbart News, will assume the new position of campaign chief executive. Kellyanne Conway, who already served as an advisor, was promoted to campaign manager. Paul Manafort, the campaign manager since the last shake-up, remains campaign chairman but is expected to lose some of his clout. The moves were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. What is their background? Bannon is a former Goldman Sachs investment banker turned Hollywood producer. The Laguna Beach resident and former Navy officer made a name for himself in conservative circles by producing laudatory films about Sarah Palin, the outspoken Alaska governor who ran for vice president on the GOP ticket in 2008, and other public figures. While making a film about Ronald Reagan called In the Face of Evil, Bannon met conservative author and blogger Andrew Breitbart. Bannon ultimately became chairman of Breitbart News. Conway is an attorney and GOP pollster who got her start in the Reagan era. She founded her own polling company in 1995 with a goal of helping Republican candidates better connected with women. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter What is their political experience? Bannon has never worked on a political campaign, no less helped run a presidential campaign. He is known for a pugilistic style that dovetails with Trumps brash temperament but it may clash with Trumps purported efforts to display a more presidential temperament. Under Brannon, Breitbart News has strongly supported Trump and been highly critical of the GOP establishment. It openly supported the novice Republican who tried and failed to unseat House Speaker Paul D. Ryan in a Wisconsin primary race. Conway is a veteran GOP strategist whose prior clients include Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trumps running mate; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and unsuccessful Senate candidate Todd Akin of Missouri, who created headlines in 2012 by arguing that women couldnt get pregnant when they were raped because their bodies shut down. What is their relationship with Trump? Under Bannons direction, Breitbart News has provided highly favorable coverage of Trumps 2016 campaign. During the primaries, when Trumps then-campaign manager Corey Lewandowski was accused of assaulting a Breitbart reporter, Bannon sided with the campaigns denial of any wrongdoing. Some reporters quit his organization in protest. Conway first met Trump in 2006, when she was on the condo board of Trump Tower in New York City. He tried to get her to join his campaign last year, but she worked instead for a super PAC that supported his rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz. After Cruz dropped out of the race, Conway moved over to Trumps campaign as a senior adviser and pollster. She was hired, in part, to help him win support from women. In a profile in the Washington Post last month, Conway said she tries to influence Trump by offering suggestions rather than by giving orders, which he would find insulting. She said she doesnt like Trumps habit of calling rivals and critics crude names. Maybe, she told the Post, its just the mother in me. seema.mehta@latimes.com For the latest on national and California politics, follow @LATSeema on Twitter. MORE POLITICS NEWS UC Irvine economist who never met Donald Trump is now a key advisor When it comes to Trump, GOP senators battling for their seats are used to contortions He drafted a speech for the Republican convention. Now he says he cant vote for Donald Trump. Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte may be voting for Donald Trump, but she really doesnt like talking about it. Unfortunately for the New Hampshire senator and several of her GOP colleagues in battleground states its a question that keeps coming up. Listen, Ive said what my position is, she said with slight exasperation during an interview at a campaign stop in her hometown of Nashua to help volunteers stuff care packages for overseas military troops. Advertisement Over the last month, Ayotte, who is facing a tough reelection battle this fall, stood by the combative GOP presidential nominee despite his attacks on the Gold Star parents of a fallen U.S. soldier, his suggestion that 2nd Amendment people could stop Hillary Clinton from choosing Supreme Court justices and even his initial refusal to endorse Ayotte herself following her critiques of some of his statements. Im beating her in the polls by a lot, Trump boasted earlier this month, saying his support in New Hampshire was better than hers. But thats not true anymore. Recent polls show Ayotte trailing her Democratic rival by about 3 percentage points, but put Trump behind Clinton by nearly double digits in the Granite State. Usually a presidential nominee is a boon to the partys ticket, providing a big-name draw and fundraising powerhouse whose campaign apparatus can swoop into a state and help down-ballot candidates across the finish line. But this year, Trumps unconventional campaign has turned coattails into anchors, threatening to drag down Republicans and endanger the GOPs Senate majority. Ayottes position on Trump is an artful one: She says she is voting for the candidate, but not endorsing him. And shes not the only Republican senator engaging in such campaign contortions. In Florida, Sen. Marco Rubio told the Miami Herald this week that he stands by his past criticism of Trump as a con man, a remark made during the ugly GOP presidential primary. But now that Rubio is fighting for reelection in a state won by Trump in the primary, Rubio said he would nevertheless vote for his former rival. Sen. Patrick J. Toomey of Pennsylvania, another swing state where Trump has fallen behind, managed to avoid attending a recent Trump rally. In the Democratic stronghold of Illinois, GOP Sen. Mark Steven Kirk became the first Republican senator to withdraw his endorsement of Trump. Donald Trump is squeezing vulnerable senators around the country. Nathan Gonzales, nonpartisan analyst for the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report Donald Trump is squeezing vulnerable senators around the country, said Nathan Gonzales, a nonpartisan analyst for the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report. I dont doubt that Kelly Ayotte and these vulnerable senators can outperform Donald Trump. The question is how big of a hole is Donald Trump digging that theyre going to have to dig out of? he said. With the Senate now split 54 to 46, Republicans can afford a net loss of four seats and still keep the majority if Trump also wins the White House, since the vice president becomes a tiebreaking vote. But if Clinton wins, a four-seat net loss would hand Democrats the majority. So far, it is not going well for Republicans. Polls show at least half a dozen Republican-held Senate seats in danger, namely in presidential battleground states or decidedly Democratic ones. Many of these states would have been problem spots for the GOP even without Trump at the top of the ticket. In addition to Illinois, Wisconsin became a slog for the GOP after Democrats drafted former Sen. Russ Feingold as the challenger to Sen. Ron Johnson, who is also supporting but not endorsing Trump. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter But even races that were supposed to be friendlier for incumbent Republicans are suddenly favoring the Democratic challengers as Trumps numbers fall. Toomey has been losing ground in Pennsylvania to Democrat Katie McGinty, polls show, as Clinton takes a wide lead over Trump. In North Carolina, Republican Sen. Richard M. Burr, chairman of the Intelligence Committee, has fallen behind Democratic challenger Deborah Ross, a former state representative and American Civil Liberties Union executive. These guys know theyre standing on the train tracks, said Jennifer Duffy, who analyzes Senate races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. They just dont know if they can jump in time. Some Republican senators are hoping their support is strong enough to survive any potential drag Trump might bring. That may be the case for the well-liked first-term Republican Sen. Rob Portman in Ohio. Clinton is ahead in polls but she hasnt brought the Democratic Senate candidate, former Gov. Ted Strickland, along with her. But generally, rather than playing offense, Republicans are increasingly being forced to spend resources to defend seats that were once safer. Outside groups, including those aligned with the Koch brothers and Republican operative Karl Rove, are pouring millions of dollars into down-ballot GOP races, believing an effort to save Congress is the smarter investment than Trumps White House bid. In conservative Indiana, the Koch-aligned Americans for Prosperity and Roves Senate Leadership Fund are sending in money and volunteers to prop up Republican Rep. Todd Young, who was poised to cruise to victory before Democrats drafted former Sen. Evan Bayh and his robust campaign war chest to run. And in Arizona, veteran Sen. John McCain has called the challenge from Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick the race of his career though he must first clear a late-August primary challenge from a pro-Trump Republican. Dealing with Trump and his often erratic campaign is proving to be a delicate challenge. Republican campaign officials have cautioned candidates not to directly attack Trump, lest they alienate the GOP supporters they will need. Yet supporting him will undoubtedly drive away moderate voters, particularly in the battleground states where it takes a broader coalition to win statewide. In New Hampshire, GOP voters chose Trump in the presidential primary. But his numbers have sunk since then, making his eventual endorsement of Ayotte less helpful in a state where Democrats and independents make up the majority. Ayottes main rival, Democratic Gov. Maggie Hassan, is exploiting Ayottes struggle every chance she gets. She is willing to still support Donald Trump even though members of her own party who are national security experts and foreign policy experts have said he poses a danger to our countrys vital interests, Hassan said in an interview after an event at a community health center last week. That signals this party-first mentality that frustrates so many people. See the most-read stories this hour At the same time, Ayottes primary challenger, Jim Rubens, a former state senator who is backing Trump, said the senators middle-road approach is pleasing no one. Its emblematic of Ayotte. Shes trying to be on both sides of every issue, he said. Its backfiring horribly. Ayotte shrugged off such concerns. Im running my own race here, she said. But some voters are unconvinced. During an evening walk with his wife on the Statehouse lawn in Concord, Dave Wheeler said he backed Ayotte when she first ran in 2010, but is unsure how he will vote in November. Were watching, said Wheeler, a retired police chief from a nearby municipality. He said hed like Ayotte to show more independence. Id like to see her distance herself from Donald Trump, he said. She should stand up for what she believes in and support Donald Trump or not. If Kelly would stand on her principle shed get reelected. lisa.mascaro@latimes.com Twitter: @LisaMascaro MORE FROM POLITICS Donald Trump will be the nominee of two parties on Californias November ballot Trumps campaign chairman fights back against report detailing pro-Russian payment ledgers 10 years after joining Obamas team, these lifers are getting ready to leave the White House Im Christina Bellantoni. Todays Essential Politics begins with a look at states youre going to be hearing a lot more about over the next 82 days. Some are familiar swing territory: Florida, Ohio and New Hampshire. Others are where Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells fate will be determined: Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Traditional campaigns usually find the person at the top of the ticket boosting the candidates at the bottom, but this is no traditional campaign, and Donald Trump has turned coattails into anchors. And if those Republicans lose, the GOPs 54-46 hold on the U.S. Senate will vanish. Advertisement These guys know theyre standing on the train tracks, Jennifer Duffy, who analyzes Senate races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, told Lisa Mascaro. They just dont know if they can jump in time. Mascaro reported from New Hampshire with a look at New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, one of those vulnerable Republicans with an artful position on Trump. She says she is voting for the candidate, but not endorsing him, one of many campaign contortions weve been tracking on our endorsement spectrum interactive. BUT THE EMAILS While Trump continues to falter in some of these swing states, a major question mark still remains for Hillary Clinton. Congressional staff on Tuesday were poring over classified documents the FBI gave Congress related to its investigation of Clintons emails. Republican lawmakers are continuing to probe why prosecutors chose not to pursue a case against her. In a letter to the committee looking into the matter, the FBI said because of the intense interest in Clintons emails, it wanted to again explain Director James Comeys rationale for declining to recommend prosecution. The FBI did find evidence that Secretary Clinton and her colleagues were extremely careless in their handling of certain, very sensitive, highly classified information, wrote Jason V. Herring, acting assistant director. The director did not equate extreme carelessness with the legal standard of gross negligence that is required by the statute. In a related development, Al Baldasaro, co-chairman of Trumps national veterans coalition, stood by his call for Clinton to be shot in a firing squad for treason. 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. A CAP AND TRADE BATTLE Californias cap-and-trade program is the centerpiece of the states climate change policy, meant to use the markets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It has also generated quite a bit of cash more than $4 billion in the process. That money is supposed to go to environmentally friendly programs, but for two years, Gov. Jerry Brown and lawmakers have been unable to agree on how that money should be spent. The funds have been tied up in the political maneuvering around recent climate legislation, but as Melanie Mason reports from Shasta County, the standstill has real-life repercussions throughout the state. Meantime, a different portion of cap and trade dollars was handed out on Tuesday: some $391 million for public transit projects across California, including boosts to Los Angeles subway system and a streetcar system in Orange County. OIL LOBBYIST GHOSTWRITES LETTER TO AUDIT CLIMATE AGENCY Earlier this month, Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) sent a letter to audit the states main climate change agency. It turns out, though, that a lobbyist for the oil industry drafted the request, Liam Dillon reports. A draft of the letter lists oil companies main lobbyist, Eloy Garcia, as the author. Grays chief of staff confirmed Garcia wrote the letter, and said its not unusual for outside groups to draft requests on behalf of lawmakers because they have policy expertise. As we continue to track the negotiations on this issue and others in the final days of the session, keep an eye on our Essential Politics news feed for the very latest from Sacramento. COULD GERRYMANDERING BECOME A THING OF THE PAST? David Savage details how the Supreme Court may take a new look at the old question of whether extreme partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional, denying voters an equal chance to have their voices heard. Lawyers for North Carolina and Wisconsin are challenging GOP-drawn electoral maps that ensure Republicans win a majority of seats in Congress or the statehouse, even when a majority of voters statewide lean in favor of Democrats. And they are reasonably confident the justices will take up one or both of the cases in the term ahead. TODAYS ESSENTIALS Trump is shaking up his campaign again, bringing in Breitbart News Stephen Bannon as CEO and promoting pollster Kellyanne Conway to campaign manager. Evan McMullin, the former CIA counter-terrorism officer who last week launched a late independent campaign for the presidency, did not meet Californias deadline to submit nomination papers signed by 178,039 registered voters. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has weighed in on Californias U.S. Senate race, throwing a New York City fundraiser for state Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris. A measure to exempt diapers from sales tax is now headed to Browns desk. Brown also will decide if he should sign a measure that would allow felons serving time in county jails to be able to vote in California elections. California lawmakers and faith leaders embarked upon a 24-hour fast in support of a bill that would phase in overtime pay for farm workers over four years starting in 2019. The California Senate has approved legislation that would allow pot shops to pay state taxes with cash given they arent allowed to hold bank accounts. Some of President Obamas longest serving aides, still on the job and self-described lifers, see the finish line just ahead. Clinton announced members of her transition team, a group of people who would help her name Cabinet and agency heads should she win the presidency. Experts say its unclear how Trumps extreme vetting proposals would differ from current U.S. immigration policy or how they could help prevent terrorist attacks. Meet the doctor who biked across the country to talk to Americans about Obamacare. Ill be a panelist Friday morning at USC Dornsifes Blazing the Trail Lessons from Women Leaders event. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The free event honors Tracy Hernandez of the Los Angeles County Business Federation, Lindsey Horvath of the West Hollywood City Council and retired Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Burke. The other panelists are Kathryn Barger, chief deputy supervisor in the office of Supervisor Michael Antonovich; Ana Guerrero, chief of staff to Mayor Eric Garcetti; Los Angeles County CEO Sachi Hamai; Close the Gap founder Mary Hughes; former West Hollywood council member Abbe Land; Councilwoman Nury Martinez; Michele Siqueiros of the Campaign for College Opportunity; and Vice President of SoCalGas Sharon Tomkins. What do you think of Hillary Clinton? We want to hear from you. 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. For more than two decades, Dianne Franklins logging business hummed in harmony with the power plant next door. Her employees cut and processed trees from forests surrounding Mt. Shasta and sent biomass waste giant mounds of wood chips to her neighbor, which burned the byproducts to generate electricity. The plant piped steam her way to dry planks of wood used to build homes and furniture. But early this month, Franklin got an ominous notice: The plant, Burney Forest Power, would shut down in 60 days. With no market for her waste product and no steam to dry her wood, thered be no need for new logs, trucks to transport them or operators to run the mill. Pink slips for her 120 employees were all but certain. There could have been a lifeline for Californias struggling biomass plants, and by extension, companies such as Franklins. The states landmark cap-and-trade program, in which businesses purchase permits to pollute, has generated billions of dollars in revenue all of which must be spent on ways to reduce greenhouse gases. That could mean building the bullet train, weatherizing old homes or supporting biomass, which Gov. Jerry Browns administration endorsed in a report this year as offering environmental and economic benefits. But for two consecutive years, Brown and top state lawmakers have been at a standstill on how to spend cap-and-trade money. More than a billion dollars sits unallocated, as climate policy emerges as the most politically fraught issue consuming the Capitol in a state that prides itself on its environmental leadership. In back-to-back years, the Legislature has considered ambitious proposals to boost renewable energy, slash gasoline use and broaden the states signature greenhouse gas emission goals. Through it all, the unspent money has hovered as potent leverage for Brown and legislative leaders, dangling the possibility of loosening the cap-and-trade purse strings to entice lawmakers who have balked at backing aggressive new climate laws. Now, with two weeks left in the legislative session, there has been a renewed push to spend at least a portion of the auction revenues. But lawmakers see missed opportunities in jump-starting the efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Its not like a savings account that we put in the bank and wait for retirement, said Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills). Climate change is urgent now. Workers sort out lumber at Shasta Green. Shasta Green sent biomass waste giant mounds of wood chips, such as that in the background to the neighboring Burney Forest Power plant, which burned up the byproducts to generate electricity. (Hung T. Vu / For The Times) (Hung T. Vu / For The Times) Assemblyman Brian Dahle of Bieber, whose northern district is home to Burney Forest Power, also had a sense of urgency. The Republican, who does not support the states climate program, proposed a bill last year that would direct some of the cap-and-trade money to help offset the operating costs for biomass plants, hoping to stave off a shutdown. He thought his bill aligned with Californias pollution-reduction goals by supporting a renewable way to generate electricity, and through reducing the risk of a catastrophic wildfire by clearing out the states large number of dead trees. One year later, his bill has languished in the Legislature, trapped in the budgeting black hole of cap-and-trade. And in Burney, where Franklin was forced to lay off her workers, the 71-year-old teetered between shock and anguish. This was not supposed to happen, she said, her eyes welling before breaking into tears. I just want to keep everything going. This is my life. California began conducting cap-and-trade auctions in 2012, raising about $4 billion to date. Sixty percent of the proceeds are directed each year to certain projects, including the bullet train, transit and affordable housing programs. The rest is haggled over in the budget process. Brown and the Legislature agreed on spending plans for that money in 2013 and 2014. So far, $1.7 billion including automatic appropriations for last years budget has been sent to more than two dozen programs. The administration estimates that will ultimately reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 14 million metric tons roughly equivalent to one year of emissions from nearly 3 million passenger vehicles. Cap-and-trade spending plans were not included in the last two budgets, and about $1.4 billion is sitting unallocated in the programs account. Updates from Sacramento Meanwhile, ambitious new climate policies have had a rocky reception in the Legislature. Lawmakers approved a bill last year to increase energy efficiency and ramp up the use of renewable electricity in the state, but a controversial proposal to cut gasoline use in half was nixed after facing resistance from business-friendly Democrats. This year, there have been uphill efforts to extend the states emission reduction goals and shore up the cap-and-trade system, which faces legal challenges and market uncertainty. Revenue from the auctions plunged in May, causing the programs anxious backers to push for speedy legislative action. The revenue decline has made some wary about drawing down cap-and-trade funds. Burney Forest Power, a biomass plant, operates on the same property as logging business Shasta Green in Burney. (Hung T. Vu / For The Times) (Hung T. Vu / For The Times ) Still, there has been a raft of bills proposed since last year specifying how auction proceeds should be spent. They come from a cross-section of legislators Democrats and Republicans, urban dwellers and rural residents, those from wealthy enclaves and the states poorest communities. The measures would have earmarked money to boost alternative fuels and build solar projects in needy neighborhoods. They would have paid for cleaner transportation in state ports and new school buses in poor districts. Nearly all have sputtered before reaching the governors desk. We are getting to that point where programs are running out of money, Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez (D-Echo Park) said of what has been affected, including a state initiative offering rebates for electric cars. Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Los Angeles) and Senate leader Kevin de Leon (D-Los Angeles) said they want to see at least some money appropriated before the end of the month. Theres no reason whatsoever we cant start right now, said de Leon, adding that he was working with Rendon to persuade the governor [about] the wisdom of pushing these dollars out the door so they can do good for Californians up and down the state. The Senate rolled out a $1.2-billion spending proposal on Wednesday and the Assembly plans to weigh in once results of the most recent auction are released next week. We are getting to that point where programs are running out of money. Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez (D-Echo Park) Asked if the money had been held as leverage to drum up support for climate bills, de Leon demurred: Thats a question youd have to ask the governor. Browns office did not comment on cap-and-trade funding. A spokesman referred to a statement by top Brown aide Nancy McFadden this month vowing the state would extend its climate goals one way or another. In Shasta County, the rumors of the biomass plants shutdown spread quickly through the Sierra, on Facebook and truckers CB radios. You cant go through town without hearing about it, said Danny Osborne, the sales manager for Shasta Green, Franklins company. Dahle knows the ripple effects that are coming. Fifty miles away, his hometown of Bieber went through an economic downward spiral 15 years ago when a local sawmill shuttered. His office estimates that 275 direct jobs will be lost from the planned shutdown of two local plants, a substantial loss for Burney, with its population of just over 3,000 people, and similarly sized nearby towns. Dahle acknowledges his measure was a short-term fix for a much broader problem. Californias biomass industry, which had more than 60 facilities at its peak in the early 1990s, has declined significantly as the state shifted its subsidies to cleaner ways to generate electricity, such as wind and solar. Assemblyman Brian Dahle (R-Bieber) talks about how thinning crowded trees will keep the forest healthy. In the background is logger Lonnie Blunt, 63, of Burney. Dahle proposed a bill last year that would direct cap-and-trade money to help offset the costs of biomass plants. (Hung T. Vu / For The Times) (Hung T. Vu / For The Times) Dahle had hoped to use cap-and-trade money to subsidize the facilities purchase of biomass material, giving them some breathing room until they can negotiate more favorable contracts with utilities that buy their electricity. Once they shut down, they dont come back, Dahle said. Biomass plants are struggling at a time when their services are likely to be in high demand. Prolonged drought and a bark beetle infestation have killed at least 70 million trees, creating a tinderbox for a potential calamitous wildfire. But without biomass facilities to process the timber, there is nowhere for the dead trees to go except controlled open burns, which spew carbon into the air. Dahles proposal had its detractors: Environmental groups such as the Sierra Club opposed the bill, arguing there are better ways to offset the effects of climate change. And others including the California Chamber of Commerce object to spending cap-and-trade funds while a challenge to the programs legality works its way through the courts. Nevertheless, Dahles bill glided through the Legislature last year without a single no vote in any policy committee or on the Assembly floor until it was shelved in the Senate. Dahle attributes the holdup to the political gamesmanship behind budgeting that cap-and-trade money, but struggled how to explain that to constituents like Franklin. They dont understand how the politics of the whole place works, Dahle said. If you run a bill, theres leveraging and theres all kinds of factions that happen. Dahle is sharply critical of the states climate policies and often hears the argument that its hypocritical to angle for cap-and-trade money when he is disinclined to back the program. But he said Brown and top lawmakers do themselves no favors in making their case by, as Dahle sees it, hoarding the money. If youre going to ask me to vote for something, wouldnt you spend some of the money to show me what youre going to do with it? he asked. I think its kind of hard to use the whip all the time. Sometimes you need to use the carrot. melanie.mason@latimes.com Follow @melmason on Twitter for the latest on California politics. ALSO An oil industry lobbyist wrote the request to audit the state's main climate change agency Regulators holding cap-and-trade auction as lawmakers consider next steps on climate change With climate legislation stalling, Jerry Brown looks to potential fight at the ballot box UPDATES: 2:25 p.m., Aug. 19: This article was updated with additional details about the state Senates spending proposal. This article was originally published at 12:05 a.m.. Aug. 17. A tiny, unseen force could potentially alter our basic understanding of the universe if it really exists. Theoretical physicists at UC Irvine say theyve found evidence for a fifth fundamental force of nature, carried by a particle that until now has gone totally unnoticed. If supported by the independent work of other teams, the boson described in a paper in Physical Review Letters (and expanded upon in a study posted to arXiv) could move scientists to rewrite the standard model of particle physics. If this is true, it would be a really big guide as to what the future would hold as far as the ultimate theory of particle physics, said study coauthor Timothy Tait, a UC Irvine theoretical particle physicist. Advertisement There are four known forces that govern the interactions of matter: gravitation, electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces. A force like gravitation sculpts the universe at the enormous scale of galaxy clusters; the strong and weak nuclear forces prevail in the tiny interactions between subatomic particles. Together, those four forces govern the interactions between all the matter in the universe. See the most-read stories in Science this hour But researchers at UC Irvine say theyve found evidence for a fifth force one carried by a particle that theyre calling boson X. This force is a sort of analogue to electromagnetism except where electromagnetism acts on electrons and protons (and ignores neutrons), this fifth force works between electrons and neutrons (and ignores protons). The scientists first got the idea from a paper published by Hungarian researchers who were looking for a dark photon (a force carrier for dark matter) and found a strange signal in their data. Could it be a new particle? After analyzing the Hungarians work and several other teams experiments, the UC Irvine researchers ruled out the dark photon explanation but did conclude that the signal could have been caused by a heretofore undescribed boson. The scientists described the particle in their first paper now appearing in Physical Review Letters. In the follow-up, they fleshed out the idea, showing how (with a small entourage of additional new particles) it could be stitched into the standard model. If its real, it needs to be studied in gory detail, said David McKeen, a theoretical particle physicist at the University of Washington who was not involved in the study. The standard model, often represented as an unassuming 17-square chart, describes the fundamental subatomic particles that are the building blocks of all matter. It includes humdrum particles like electrons and protons, and more exotic fare such as muon neutrinos, gluons and quarks, all in terms of three identifying characteristics: mass, charge and spin. If its real, it needs to be studied in gory detail. David McKeen, theoretical particle physicist at the University of Washington If scientists were to draft a metaphorical map of the known universe, the standard model would be the color-coded legend in the corner the key that allows them to make sense of the physical world, from the smallest to the largest of scales. And scientists have been doing their best to break it. Thats because, as neat as it looks, the standard model fails to describe everything in the universe; in fact, it can barely describe a tiny fraction. For example, it cant explain the existence of dark matter, which doesnt interact at all with normal matter but can sculpt the cosmic web of galaxy clusters with its massive gravitational influence. Nor does it explain why dark energy is causing the universe to expand at an increasingly faster rate. Dark matter makes up nearly 27% of the universes mass-energy density; dark energy makes up more than 68%. Normal matter which can be described fairly accurately by the standard model is less than 5% of the total. Tait said that their discovery might be a doorway to eventually creating a model that more accurately describes the universe. It could also help demystify mysterious phenomena such as dark matter. For example, while dark matter responds to gravity over large scales (just as normal matter does), scientists dont know the extent to which it might interact with itself over smaller scales. This new force-carrying boson could provide the answer. This could actually be the dark force, Tait said. But McKeen was more cautious. Much more work needs to be done by other groups looking for this particle before any major conclusions can be drawn about whether this force exists, and what role it has in explaining such mysterious phenomena as dark matter, he said. Its not obvious that it helps us with any of these other outstanding problems, he said. It could have a connection, but its not obvious to me. But I think it needs to be studied and then people will understand whether there is or not. Philip Schuster, a theoretical particle physicist at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Menlo Park, Calif., recalled hearing some of the authors present their theory at a workshop on dark matter and other hidden-sector physics. The consensus in the room was that the data on which the claim is based needs to be checked, and most of the discussion was focused on checking the data, Schuster wrote in an email. The important thing to realize is that these measurements are very difficult, and there is also a history of statistical or systematic fluctuations of unexpected magnitude generating false signals of new physics. So the responsible and necessary reaction in any situation like this is to check the data. In fact, he added, several excellent suggestions for doing so were generated during the workshop, so Im confident that the community will get to the bottom of this soon. amina.khan@latimes.com Follow @aminawrite on Twitter for more science news and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. MORE IN SCIENCE How to track poverty from space Scientists catch a white dwarf star in the act of exploding into a nova How Otzi the Iceman outfitted himself: Fur from brown bears and leather from roe deer UPDATES: Aug. 19, 7:10 a.m.: This article was updated with commentary from Philip Schuster. This article was originally published at 4 a.m. Aug. 17. The number of passengers traveling through Hollywood Burbank Airport in June increased by 3.1% compared with the same month a year earlier, airport officials said. The airfield saw 347,482 passengers going through its two terminals that month, which was 10,504 more than in 2015 and 2,754 more than what officials had projected, said Mark Hardyment, the airports director of government and environmental affairs, during a Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority meeting on Monday. That follows an uptick of about 2.9% in May. The two consecutive months of increased passenger foot traffic is good news for the airfield, after seeing its March and April numbers fail to meet the airports projected numbers. The top performer in June as Delta Air Lines, which reported 7,517 passengers for the month, a 15.5% increase over the previous year. United Airlines also has a strong showing, tallying about 22,941 passengers, or a 12.5% boost over last year. JetBlue Airways saw a jump in its numbers as well, with 8,348, or 823 more passengers. Southwest Airlines, the airfields biggest airline, saw 258,400 passengers, a modest 4.5% growth compared to last year. Alaska Airlines contributed 38,141 passengers, a 3.2% rise. The only airline that reported a passenger decline was American Airlines, which had 12,135 passengers, a 27.2% plummet over last June. Though passenger numbers were up in June, the airports parking revenue took a slight hit. Mary Tromp, the authoritys parking manager, said that Hollywood Burbank Airport generated $1,607,213, a 1.4% decrease over last year. Lots A, C, E and the valet service all had fewer transactions compared to the previous year. However, the parking structure saw a 50% boost. Tromp said the jump in the parking structures use is attributable to the increasing number of ride-sharing drivers coming through the airport. Hollywood Burbank Airport officials are looking into how they can reduce the amount of light emitted from the airfields transportation center. A study will be conducted at the center to determine what can be done about the facilitys bright lights at night, said Denis Carvill, deputy executive director of engineering, maintenance, operations and airline relations, during a meeting of the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authoritys operations and development committee on Monday. Several Burbank residents and some City Council members have said that the lighting is too excessive and that something needs to be done. In March, the authority adopted a new lighting schedule at the center, with about 50% of the buildings lights on at different times of the day. Some lighting fixtures are set to turn on at 5 a.m. and shut down at 8 a.m., and then come back on at 5 p.m. and be turned off again at 11 p.m. However, despite the effort to reduce lighting at the facility at night, several residents still complained about the brightness of the lights. Carvill said that the authority will be working with city staff and an electrical contractor to come up with a solution to make the transportation center less of an illuminated eyesore. Well come back to the committee once that has been done and let you know whats been recommended and what the cost to implement those recommendations are, he said. Burbank Commissioner Don Brown asked authority staff if the transportation center has to be so wide open. Dan Feger, the airports executive director, said that fire marshals told them that because the facility has so many fueling stations, the building needs a lot of ventilation to dissipate fuel vapors. Additionally, Feger said that the authority had plans to decorate the building to cover more of the gaps. However, there was no room in the budget to do so. Because the ventilation was a desired thing and because we didnt have enough money to decorate the exterior of the facility, we looked at the art panels as being the architectural feature that would distinguish the building, he said. Unfortunately, the art panels are not yet done. Later that morning during the authoritys board meeting, members unanimously voted to continue moving forward with the art-panels project, in which six large panels will be placed outside the transportation center along Hollywood Way. The authority voted to increase the projects budget to $325,000 and specified which types of materials should be used to preserve the artwork. Gail Goldman, an art consultant paid by the authority, said the panels should be sent to the Gopher Sign Co., a sign manufacturer in South Dakota. Goldman said that Gopher Signs Duralite with ImageLOC printing process is supposed to protect the panels from cracking and fading for up to 10 years. -- Anthony Clark Carpio, anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com Twitter: @acocarpio Laguna Beach detectives on Tuesday were still trying to locate a woman who three days earlier had crashed into multiple cars ending a chase with a bang in the library parking lot after people ran from a hotel where the use of an apparently stolen credit card had been reported, police said. The woman, driving a Cadillac Escalade, reportedly hit 11 cars along North Coast Highway and South Coast Highway on Saturday after police responded to a report of alleged credit card fraud at the Laguna Beach House hotel, at 475 N. Coast Hwy., Sgt. Tim Kleiser wrote in an email. A Kansas resident, who was not a hotel guest, reported his credit card had been used to pay for a room, police said. Officers arrived at the hotel a few minutes before 11 a.m. and saw four people jump from the second-story balcony, Kleiser said. Advertisement Police detained two of them, including an Anaheim resident. Police identified her as Lauren Rivero, 20. She was arrested on suspicion of involvement in a separate theft in Los Angeles, said police, who had a warrant for her arrest. Police believed that the woman in the Escalade had rented the hotel room, Kleiser said. Officers tried to speak with her, but she drove around them and fled. An hour later, police tried to stop the Escalade near Aster Street and North Coast Highway, but the woman drove into oncoming traffic and hit two cars, beginning a string of crashes along the state highway, authorities said. The Escalade hit three cars near the intersection of Broadway Street and North Coast Highway, five cars in the 100 and 200 blocks of South Coast Highway and one car along Park Avenue, according to police. Kleiser said the car on Park was parked, but he did not say whether the other cars were stopped or moving. Two people complained of pain from a crash near Broadway and North Coast Highway, but police provided no further details on the extent of their injuries. They were the only people reported injured. The driver eventually crashed the Escalade into a cement pillar in the parking lot of the Laguna Beach Library, at 363 Glenneyre St., and fled on foot, Kleiser said. Two passengers were detained and later released. Librarian Pamela Chesney-Algar described the crash as a great bang that shook the back of the building. Patrons immediately got up and, once everyone knew something was going on, looked out the window, Chesney-Algar said. Kleiser said the driver probably escaped through the Escalades passenger side since the drivers side door was pinned against the pillar. -- Bryce Alderton, bryce.alderton@latimes.com Twitter: @AldertonBryce The Rotary Club of Laguna Beach recently awarded more than $12,000 in community grants to several nonprofits, according to a news release. Organizations that received a share of the grant money include the Boys & Girls Club of Laguna Beach, Laguna Beach Seniors, Laguna Outreach Community Arts, KX 93.5, Helping Hand Worldwide and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. Proceeds from admission sales and registration fees from the clubs annual Classic Car Show last year made up the purse, said Rick Lang, the clubs public relations chairman. Advertisement Every year the club places a notice seeking grant requests in local newspapers, Lang said. A committee then reviews and awards recipients. This years car show is scheduled for Oct. 2. For more information, visit lagunabeachcarshow.com. -- Bryce Alderton, bryce.alderton@latimes.com Twitter: @AldertonBryce Runners laced up their sneakers and some donned their best capes and masks for a series of races Saturday to raise money for Costa Mesa schools. The ninth annual Costa Mesa Community Run had participants hitting the road for 5K and 10K courses. Runners on both took off from Jim Scott Stadium and looped through Fairview Park before finishing back at the stadium. New to the event this year was a family fun run of just under a mile in which participants were encouraged to dress as their favorite superheroes. Those who finished Saturdays races received a T-shirt and goodie bag. In its first eight years, the Costa Mesa Community Run raised nearly $125,000 for local schools, according to the events website. Development proposals, the citys unfunded pension liability and the idea of eliminating the citys business license tax were among the topics of discussion Tuesday during the first Newport Beach City Council candidate forum of the 2016 election season. The morning forum, presented by the Chamber of Commerce, was moderated by Lucy Dunn, president of the Orange County Business Council. There are some very important issues facing the city, said chamber President Steve Rosansky. We have a chance to pick the future we think is best for Newport Beach. Newport voters will decide Nov. 8 who should fill three available seats on the City Council. Businessman and community activist Mike Glenn, businessman Lee Lowrey and retired educator Jeff Herdman are vying for the District 5 seat, which represents Balboa Island, Harbor Island, the Fashion Island area and a portion of Big Canyon. Councilman Ed Selich, who currently represents District 5, is termed out this year. Attorney and city Finance Committee member Will ONeill, attorney Phil Greer and former Planning Commissioner Fred Ameri are running for the District 7 seat, which represents Newport Coast and Newport Ridge. Councilman Keith Curry, who currently represents the area, also is termed out. Harbor Commissioner Brad Avery is running for the District 2 seat, which represents Newport Heights and Newport Crest. Law student Shelley Henderson has announced her intent to run but has not yet submitted paperwork to make it official. Henderson did not attend the forum. The districts current council member, Tony Petros, is not running for reelection. Candidates agreed that alleviating traffic congestion and paying down the citys $276-million unfunded pension liability will remain two of Newport Beachs biggest hurdles in the next several decades. For the past several years, the city has used a portion of surplus money to accelerate payments to the California Public Employees Retirement System in an effort to more quickly pay down the pension debt and save money on interest payments. I think what the city is doing is the fiscally responsible thing, Greer said. I would continue the course that were on because its working. Most candidates agreed that the city has made significant strides and should continue to look at ways to ramp up payments and pay down the debt faster. Glenn suggested reducing city staff by about 20% over 10 years through attrition to help mitigate the cost of retirement. Lowrey suggested the possibility of investing outside the state system, which he said has proved to be a lousy investment fund. Dunn sought the opinion of each candidate about the proposed development of homes, retail space and a hotel on Banning Ranch and plans to develop residential properties in Newport Center. ONeill was hesitant to speak in specific terms about projects being proposed because legal precedent could bar him from voting on them, if he is elected. However, he said he supports an additional residential element in Newport Center and believes the Banning Ranch project should be approved by the California Coastal Commission in September. The Newport Beach City Council has already OKd it. Ameri said that while he believes the proposed Banning Ranch development is too large, the property owner has the right to build something on the land. Ameri added that he opposes Museum House a proposal to add 100 residential units in a 25-story tower on the current site of the Orange County Museum of Art because of its possible impact on traffic. Avery said he wishes the Banning Ranch project were smaller but he wouldnt be against the Coastal Commission approving it. He said he supports slow growth, implementing design and view corridors and receiving compensation from developers for large projects. Ive lived here all my life and its hard for me to see the infill and growth ... but at the same time, its the world we live in, Avery said. Glenn and Lowrey indicated they favor the Banning Ranch project because it would clean up the land and open it for public use. Glenn said both Museum House and the 150 Newport Center project a proposal to build 45 residential units in a six-story building at the site of the Beacon Bay Auto Wash should be subject to voter approval. Herdman said he is in favor of projects that are consistent with the citys general plan, which serves as a blueprint for local development. Dunn asked the candidates for their thoughts on a proposal supported by some on the current City Council to eliminate the citys business license tax, which could result in a $4-million annual revenue loss for the city. ONeill said he would be interested in looking at it after the city pays down its pension obligations. Avery agreed, saying he would consider it if it can be done in a way that makes financial sense for the city. Lowrey advocated phasing out the tax, as did Glenn. Herdman, Ameri and Greer said they likely would be against such a proposal if they are elected. Im not in favor of reducing any kind of revenue for the city, Herdman said. We need to invest that money wisely. hannah.fry@latimes.com Twitter: @HannahFryTCN Curving psychedelic forms, motifs of peace and war, thousands of glazed porcelain leaves, a 5-foot-tall sculpture traced with gold and shaped with eggshell delicacy: Thought-provoking, beautiful, sometimes disturbing, and often unexpected, these objects and many more offer visual commentaries on societal change, politics, consumerism, personal story and aesthetic perspective in Reshaping Tradition: Contemporary Ceramics from East Asia, a major survey exhibition opening at the USC Pacific Asia Museum on Sept. 11. Spread over three galleries at the Pasadena-based museum, the exhibition consists of 21 contemporary works created by noted artists from China (Ai Weiwei, Liu Jianhua, Ah Xian), Korea (Ik-joong Kang, Yeesookyung), Japan (Harumi Nakashima), and Vietnam (Bui Cong Khanh); as well as 10 pre-modern ceramic pieces, primarily from the museums permanent collection. It is the museums first exhibition to look at the multiple regions of contemporary Asian ceramics and take a deeper view of what is going on in contemporary ceramics today, said curator Yeonsoo Chee. Because the museum has its own collection of pre-modern ceramic pieces, we have a unique point of view in that we can connect contemporary artists with traditional materials, she said, for a more comprehensive perspective. A beautiful blue and white bowl from the 15th century, for example, Chee said, makes a connection with the work of Vietnamese artist Khanh. At first glance, one of Khanhs tall, sleek, blue-and-white porcelain vases may appear to be a traditional piece. A closer look reveals classic motifs interspersed with haunting images of submarines and battleships. Khanh was born in a coastal city with very strong remnants of the Vietnam War, Chee explained. Theres beautiful scenery there, but at the same time, the images on the vase of war machines, weapons, traditional landscapes, a Buddhist pagoda speak to the lingering effect of the war on Vietnamese society. On another vase, Khanh has superimposed over blue-and-white floral and ocean-wave motifs images in red of such everyday objects as a soda bottle, a bag of chips, and portable benches that are ubiquitous on Vietnamese streets today, Chee said. Chinese activist Ai Weiwei who, although barred from leaving China, recently orchestrated a series of political art installations throughout Alcatraz, the former infamous island prison provides a commentary on contemporary consumer culture here with his 2011 Colored Vases, earthenware pottery from the Neolithic period, dipped into, and dripping with, industrial paint. For Korea, Chee said, we have a 19th-century moon jar, a very prominent Korean white ceramic during the Joseon Dynasty, although, unlike the other pre-modern pieces on display, it is on loan, she noted, because the museum didnt have a comparable piece that would create a compelling dialogue between the Joseon Dynasty tradition and Korean artist Ik-joong Kangs porcelain-and-mixed media work, Things I Know/500 Moon Jars. However, Chee said, were not doing a one-to-one comparison. I dont think that would serve the traditional materials or the contemporary works. There are just enough [traditional pieces] for the contemporary artists to be grounded in a way that their works can be better appreciated. Human-scale busts created by Chinese artist Ah Xian using family members for his models are a surprise: Such sculptures are not in the Chinese tradition. Ah Xian, who sought asylum in Australia after the Tiananmen Square killing of pro-democracy protesters in 1989, is combining traditions of the East and West, Chee explained. These busts are among the most unusual works on display: Painted blue blossoms, birds and leaves flow over the white porcelain head and upper body of a woman; in contrast, a male bust is dominated by a dense landscape in carved relief, leaves and twisting trees spreading over face, neck, shoulders and chest like unsettling growths. Rounded, free-form shapes by Nakashima sporting blue-and-white dots, and ranging in size from 2- to 3-feet tall (titles include Forms that Enclose the Absurd, and Forms That Reveal the Absurd), were sculpted by hand, using a work-intensive pinch and coil technique. Translated Vases, by Yeesookyung, look like fused egg shells, seams covered in 24-karat gold leaf. The delicacy of these pieces, translated from ceramic shards discarded by other contemporary Korean artists, is belied by their size: one is approximately 5 feet tall, the other stands over 3 feet. And then there are the two large-scale installations, Trace and Fallen Leaves, by Liu Jianhua, who will be on hand for the finished installation and opening of the latter, a work consisting of approximately 5,000 ceramic leaves. (The two works occupy their own gallery.) Jianhuas artistic journey is kind of a snapshot of how ceramics are perceived, not just in China but in Asia in general, Chee said. Traditionally, ceramics were used for containers and decorative objects and not seen as a fine art. Jianhua began as an industrial designer in a ceramics factory, she explained, later pursuing ceramics as a sculptor and crossing from the commercial world to fine art, from artisan to artist. People tend to think of ceramics as personal and intimate objects, rather than large sculpture and installation art, Chee said. She hopes that this exhibition will provide visitors with new perspectives on a dynamically changing art form. (The museums education department has created a family guide for younger audiences and related programming geared to adults includes a Fusion Friday event on Sept. 18 from 7 to 10 p.m., featuring music, food trucks, special tours of the exhibition and art-making with mosaic artist Leigh Adams; and a Conversations@PAM discussion on Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. with exhibiting artist Khanh and Karen Koblitz, USCs Associate Professor and Head of Ceramics.) What: Reshaping Tradition: Contemporary Ceramics from East Asia Where: USC Pacific Asia Museum, 46 N. Los Robles Ave., Pasadena. When: Opens Friday, Sept. 11; through Jan. 31, 2016; open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets: $10 general admission; $7 for seniors and for students with valid ID. Children age 12 and under, free. (Admission free for all on the second Sunday of each month.) More info: (626) 449-2742, pacificasiamuseum.usc.edu. -- LYNNE HEFFLEY writes about theater and culture for Marquee. A 52-year-old Glendale woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges that she attempted to kidnap two young children in back-to-back incidents near Glendale schools last week, officials said. Lisa Arnold was charged with two felony counts of attempted kidnapping, with a special allegation that the children were under 14 years old, according to the Los Angeles district attorneys office. Arnold reportedly admitted to investigators that she attempted to kidnap the children, claiming her actions were a result of her mental status, said Glendale Police Sgt. Robert William. He declined to elaborate further. Shortly after 5 p.m. last Wednesday, a mother pushing her 14-month-old daughter in a stroller near Chevy Chase Drive and Adams Street noticed a stranger, later identified as Arnold, park her car in a red zone and walk toward her. Arnold reportedly called the baby cute and attempted to lift her up, but the baby, who police initially said was a boy, was buckled into the stroller. The stranger then hurriedly tried to unbuckle the strap, but the mother pushed her away. After the brief struggle, Arnold walked back to her silver, four-door hatchback and drove off. Police released video footage of the incident, which was captured by a nearby surveillance camera. About 20 minutes later, outside John Marshall Elementary School, an 8-year-old boy called police to report that someone tried to snatch his 3-year-old brother. Police initially said the boy was 2. AUDIO >> Listen to the 8-year-old boys phone 911 call to Glendale police The suspect had pulled up to a curb, walked up to the family and picked up the toddler, again calling him cute. The childs mother slapped or punched Arnold, after which she put the child down, walked back to her car and drove away. Investigators identified Arnold and arrested her at around 2:30 a.m. Friday. She is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail and is due back in court later this month. If convicted, Arnold faces more than nine years in state prison. About 1,000 people marched from City Hall to the Armenian embassy on Central Avenue Sunday and rallied for the release of political prisoners in Armenias capital, Yerevan, whove been arrested for challenging the regime. Carrying signs criticizing Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and demanding that he step down for suppressing citizens, the peaceful protestors gathered to create awareness about those who have been jailed in Armenia for doing just the same as local protestors did on Sunday, organizers said. People just go on the street, and they get arrested, said Albert Rostomyan, a volunteer with Armenian Renaissance, one of the groups involved in the rally. Next thing you know, theyre in jail. If the jails are filled, they put people in stadiums and gymnasiums, and they have no food or water for 10 hours. Hundreds have been jailed, so far, as they stood up and accused Sargsyans tenure as corrupt and the election process as rigged, he said. Were giving a voice to the voiceless, to the people in Armenia because they cant have a protest. They just get arrested, Rostomyan said. He said hes also critical of what he calls a police state in Armenia, where the police force tops more than 30,000. Glendale city officials have also stepped up and sided with local protestors in sympathizing with their counterparts in Armenia. In a statement, the city advocated for freedom of speech and assembly. The city of Glendale advocates for those freedoms which we enjoy here in our own country and are foundational to human rights and democracy across the globe, according to the statement. We hope that these unfortunate internal challenges faced by the Armenian people are resolved in a peaceful manner. We do not condone any acts of violence. For the eighth straight year, Glendale Community College is hosting a two-month drive to collect school supplies for homeless children in Los Angeles. College officials said its part of the schools way to honor 9/11 victims and first responders by participating in a positive service to others in what is known as the Sept. 11 National Day of Service and Remembrance. Last week, the college launched its most recent drive, and officials plan to collect supplies through the end of September, said Hoover Zariani, manager of the Multicultural and Community Engagement Center on campus. All donations of supplies, including backpacks, crayons, markers, pens, notebooks, staplers, binders and erasers, will be donated to School on Wheels, a nonprofit that serves thousands of homeless youth with supplies and free tutoring services. Last year I think was our best year, Zariani said. We had about 65 full backpacks full of supplies. In years prior, the college collected, on average, about 50 backpacks filled with supplies, but Zariani said he is aiming for an ambitious number this year and hopes to collect 100 backpacks, he said. Interested donors dont have to donate backpacks with supplies, he added. A small donation of a box of crayons or pens will go a long way. It just means they can serve more kids, he said of School on Wheels. "[Students] always need notebooks and rulers and things. As they need them, they provide it for them. Its something that lasts beyond the first week of school. Typically, Zariani will reach out to faculty and staff and, in turn, they will let Glendale Community College students know about the drive. In some cases, faculty and staff donates cash, and the money goes toward purchasing supplies, he said. Donors can arrange to drop off school supplies by emailing Zariani at hzariani@glendale.edu or calling (818) 240-1000, Ext. 5580. -- Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com Twitter: @kellymcorrigan Support for John and Jane I read with interest of state Assemblyman Matthew Harpers (R - Huntington Beach) defeated proposal for a John Wayne Day. Fellow state Assemblyman Donald Wagner (R - Irvine) said Waynes documented racist remarks should be overlooked because everyone of us is imperfect. True. And surely the assemblymen will also gladly support a Jane Fonda Day to recognize her philanthropy with numerous charities and foundations including the Alzheimers Assn., Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Heifer International, Oceana, and Peace Over Violence. Mark Rozett La Crescenta Sagebrush report is incomplete Thank you for your coverage of the recently released report from Capitol Advisors Group on the proposed transfer of students living in the western portion of La Canada out of Glendale Unified and into La Canada Unified. The citizens committee UniteLCF! began working with both districts three years ago to seek a territory transfer. After months of negotiations, the two school districts jointly issued a proposal that recommended a student transfer phase-in and approximately $6.5 million to GUSD over a number of years. Several months later, that proposal was unilaterally discarded by GUSD, which upped its claims to an estimated $23 million. That proposal was quickly characterized by LCUSD as untenable and financially ruinous. This goes to the heart of our objection to the Capitol Advisors report. How could a negotiated framework for a transfer presented to the public in March 2014 suddenly more than triple the claimed monetary impacts to GUSD? I fully expected Capitol Advisors to evaluate GUSDs monetary claims for reasonableness. Without opining on the legitimacy of GUSDs financial claims, I find the Capitol Advisors report to be incomplete and flawed. It does little to advance the process. Tom Smith Chair, UniteLCF! One City One School District La Canada Flintridge Stressing musics importance I am always inspired by reading Joylene Wagners insights and wisdom in Learning Matters, but as a music teacher, I was especially grateful to her last week for expressing the importance of providing musical experience for elementary students. A number of years ago when my son was in elementary school, I was concerned that music instruction was only available to students starting in fourth grade. Since music is like learning a language, it is most easily absorbed and internalized when children are young. So, I offered to provide music instruction in kindergarten and primary grades at my sons school. Over the years, through the generosity of PTAs, school foundations, and arts grants, I have helped provide music instruction during the school day for primary grades in several Glendale elementary schools. As Joylene points out, music encompasses so many skills. Through movement to music, rhythm activities and singing, children learn patterns, math, focus, memory and listening skills, coordination, sensitivity and best of all, joy. Music is natural for young children and, for the most part, provides a level playing field. Even non-English speakers can clap and play music notation. Children with learning disabilities or behavioral challenges can participate in musical activities indeed music therapy is widely used in helping these children. I strongly encourage all of our Glendale schools to find ways to expose our youngest students to the joy and skills that music exposure can provide for a lifetime. Ann Kleinsasser Glendale Argument for N is misleading In his letter in the April 30 issue of the News-Press, Mike Mohill perpetuates the myth that the passage of Measure N will result in reduced salaries, pension benefits and overtime of Glendale city workers. It wont. Mr. Mohill must know that employee benefits are governed under collective bargaining contracts that cannot be simply erased. If Measure N passes, the city will immediately lose its third largest source of revenue, $17.5 million, requiring drastic cuts in services. Libraries and fire stations will be shuttered and layoffs will result in increased response times for police, fire and paramedics. His suggestion that employees should be placed on Social Security and 401k benefits is not realistic and would result in a further loss of additional staff and create monumental problems in attracting quality employees to our city. Glendale has first-class police and fire departments and contracting with L.A. County for police and fire would result in a degradation of service with little, if any, savings. Dont be fooled by the supporters of Measure N who make false predictions of the outcome. If it is to pass, the quality of life in Glendale and property values would go down, insurance rates would increase, and in return, residents would save $7 per month per capita. Vote no on Measure N to maintain the services we already have. Dan Watson Glendale -- N will have consequences Free college for all. " Mexico will pay for the wall. I am Wall Streets worst nightmare. And my new favorite Make the city stop wasting money. That is what the yard signs for Yes on N say. When I go to the Yes on N website it appears the Glendale Coalition for Better Government feels the biggest waste of money is salaries and benefits. When you look at the numbers it certainly appears there are some very well compensated employees working for Glendale. But wait a minute. Does anyone really think that just by eliminating the Utility User Tax those salaries and benefits will automatically get reduced? That is just a fantasy and wishful thinking. Reduce the Glendale General Budget by $17.5 million and something has to give and it wont be an instantaneous reduction in salaries and benefits for existing employees. The Coalition also makes the point that the city ought to be more proactive in competitive bidding for services. Our own fire department or county fire? Our own police department or the sheriffs department? Our own waste management or a private, for-profit company? Our own library or what? I personally like our own stuff. A knee-jerk reaction to the siren song of reducing taxes is hard to resist. I believe we need to think long and hard about the potential consequences of our vote. Be careful what we wish for. Jim Kussman Glendale -- Hoping to earn voter support We give our elected officials the power to be our voices for policy changes and laws that help create opportunities for middle-class families. Unfortunately, some candidates for the Legislature are merely career politicians propped up by big-named endorsements and special-interest money. They end up being more loyal to establishment politics than moving the ball forward for our communities. Voters, however, are looking more often for a leader who has done real work in our communities and has a record of accomplishments rather than a political resume. When I graduated the police academy more than 30 years ago, I had only one goal: to protect our neighborhoods and put the criminals behind bars. I took the toughest assignments and broke through barriers to become the first African-American female lieutenant in the Pasadena Police Department. My work as a public-safety leader shined a light on many other components that make our communities safer and stronger. I began mentoring at-risk youth, helping homeless people find shelter and support services, and volunteering with community organizations to empower our neighborhoods. Im no career politician looking for a social promotion. I have more than three decades of experience working for our communities. As your state senator, Ill work to strengthen our local schools and early education programs, create opportunities for good-paying careers, and fight for a more fair economy for our middle class. Id be honored to earn your vote to be our next state senator. Phlunte Riddle Pasadena -- City street signs are fading With all of the ongoing construction, upscaling, upgrading and every other kind of face-lift the city of Glendale is undergoing, could someone please take a look at the aging, fading street signs specifically on Central Avenue which is now the Fifth Avenue of Glendale? Half of these signs have been here as long as I have (30-plus years at least) and show the effects of age, making them barely visible. Take a look if you can read them that is youll see what I mean! Patricia Tyson Glendale A Huntington Beach teen raised more than $4,500 to purchase backpacks and school supplies for underprivileged kids by teaching tots how to swim. Edison High School student Finn Ryder, 16, became inspired to do the effort after hurting his shoulder and being unable to compete on Edisons water polo team last season. Finn, who is entering his junior year and is involved with school community service programs like Key Club and Best Buddies, wanted to give back to the community, so he decided to offer swimming lessons in his familys pool during the summer. Advertisement He dubbed the program Swimming for School Supplies. I figured since I love swimming, I love the ocean and I love water polo, why not try to incorporate something with the water and community service? Finn said. Some of the supplies came directly from his swimming students families. Others donated money, which Finn then used to buy supplies. A portion of the funds came in honor of Finns grandmother who died in May, said Megan Ryder, Finns mother. His grandma was really excited for this, she said. A lot of people were asking what they could do in her honor, so we told them about Swimming for School Supplies. Finn taught eight Huntington Beach children, who were between 3 and 5. He also worked with nonprofits like Project Hope Alliance, StandUp for Kids and Thomas House Family Shelter to donate the backpacks stuffed with supplies like pens, pencils and USB flash drives. Theyll be given to 118 elementary, middle school and high school students. Megan Ryder said she hopes this is a tradition Finn and his two younger brothers can carry on for years to come. -- Brittany Woolsey, brittany.woolsey@latimes.com Twitter: @BrittanyWoolsey For much of the last month, in squares across Turkey, hundreds of thousands gathered for a democracy watch part celebration of the failure of a bloody coup attempt that killed hundreds, and part an expression of determination to find and punish those responsible. But not everyone poured into the streets. Its right to be proud of what is achieved against the failed coup and traitors, said Orhan, a middle-aged teacher from Istanbul who asked that his full name not be used for his safety. But on the other hand, a witch hunt started, and looking at my friends now I feel like a Jew under Hitlers rule. For the record: An earlier version of this story gave Fethullah Gulens age as 77. He is 75.This story also originally reported that Turkey last week formally asked the U.S. to arrest and extradite Gulen. The request was made earlier this month. Orhan belongs to Hizmet, a movement of millions of Turks inspired by the teachings of Fethullah Gulen, a 75-year-old cleric living in exile in Pennsylvania. Although Gulens public teachings center on a moderate form of Sufi Islam, his critics say he is the head of a cult that has masked a plan to infiltrate much of Turkeys government and military infrastructure. Advertisement The Turkish government this month formally asked the U.S. to arrest and extradite Gulen, alleging he used followers in the military to engineer an uprising that threatened to plunge the country back into the cycle of military intervention that has beset the nation since 1960. An English teacher and translator who joined Hizmet more than 30 years ago, Orhan has watched from his Istanbul home as a steady stream of government officials, television commentators and newspapers now call for Gulen and his followers to be executed for treason. The grapevine brings troubling news: A friend of a friend, the head of a Hizmet school, found a job abroad and tried to leave Turkey, only to have his passport taken away at the airport. This month, Orhan lost his job at a school, one of thousands affiliated with Hizmet that have been shut down. Thousands of soldiers and tens of thousands of government workers have been suspended, many detained pending an investigation. Many Hizmet schools and affiliated organizations have been shut down. In some cases, Orhan said, those detained have been outed as members of Hizmet by their spouses and close relatives. Now they are truly demonized in Turkey, said Ilhan Tanir, a longtime Washington-based columnist for Cumhuriyet, one of Turkeys largest independent newspapers. I dont think anyone at this moment will admit to being with Hizmet. Their image in Turkey is worse than ISIS, he said, referring to the militant group Islamic State. People would rather say they sympathize with ISIS than with Gulen, in my opinion. The government accuses them of being part of the coup attempt, but some political observers say the failed uprising has also become a pretext to dismantle Hizmet, which allies of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan have seen as a threat to the ruling party. Gulen has denied any involvement in the coup attempt, and followers such as Orhan insist their movement has not sought to control the country. To them, Hizmet is simply a loose association of the pious who have attained good government jobs to improve their lives and contribute to their country. For about 30 years now Ive been listening to [Gulens] speeches and reading his books and never have come across anything violent, Orhan said. So what they claim today, as if these people sneaked into government institutions, was not a plan but a natural outcome. Still, many Turks appear convinced Gulen and his followers were behind the coup attempt. The West thinks Erdogan is saying this, that Gulen is behind this, said Mustafa Akyol, a columnist with Al-Monitor, an independent news and analysis website, who frequently writes about Islamist movements in Turkey. But its not Erdogan, its virtually everyone in Turkey. Orhan grew up in a staunchly secular household, and credits a religious awakening in his teenage years to Gulens teachings, at a time when a host of government policies made it nearly impossible for the pious to make a career in civil service. Orhan was part of a pious middle class of Turks that had long found institutions such as the military, police and judiciary closed to them because of their religious practices. The military, which saw itself as the guarantor of the countrys founding secularist ideals, ensured that officers did not pray or fast during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, and that women did not wear the head scarf, standards that often extended even to the families of prospective cadets. In Gulens writings and sermons, Orhan said he discovered not only arguments for a modern, moderate Islam, but also a chance to progress beyond his middle-class upbringing. These people were religious but not radicals, Orhan said. They were more into combining belief with science, and dialogue was important international, intercultural, interfaith dialogue. I really liked the idea and wanted to be a part of it. He gave up his dream of being a lawyer, opting to use his English proficiency to teach the language at Hizmet schools across Central Asia. Hizmet, which means service, focuses on education and building social networks. Over the decades, thousands of Hizmet members have joined the police, judiciary and military. The Gulen movement was very effective in influencing other state institutions, particularly the police and judiciary, as well as some industrial groups and the media, and using this infiltration to advance its own agenda rather than that of the state or the larger institution, said James Jeffrey, the American ambassador to Turkey from 2008 to 2010. An estimated 1.2 million Turks went through Hizmet schools. The movements members built one of the countrys largest trade associations and its third largest bank, and staffed newspapers that attracted millions of subscribers, including the popular daily newspaper Zaman, seized by the government and closed in March. Among the alumni of Hizmet schools is Erdogans son-in-law, Berat Albayrak. Globally, the Hizmet network included scores of nonprofits operating thousands of private schools, including hundreds of charter schools in the U.S. Although the nonprofits say they are only inspired by Gulen, authorities in several states have investigated the schools for tax fraud and illegal hiring practices and found strong affiliations with the cleric. Over the last four years, Erdogan has often referred to Hizmet as a parallel government using its presence in the bureaucracy to undermine elected authorities. Gulen says Erdogan has fabricated the charges because his followers form one of the last remaining organizations critical of a corrupt and increasingly authoritarian ruler. As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt, Gulen said after the failed coup. Statements from some former members appear to suggest the movement was indeed encouraging its members to gain influence and position in Turkeys government and business hierarchy. It is a mandate that critics say stems from Gulen. You must move in the arteries of the system without anyone noticing your existence until you reach all the power centers, Gulen said in a 1999 sermon. You must wait until such time as you have gotten all the state power, until you have brought to your side all the power of the constitutional institutions in Turkey. Two years before that sermon, he had offered tacit support for a coup that toppled an elected Islamist government. Hiding their true intentions is the most important thing for them, more than anything else, said Ahmet, a software engineer and former Hizmet member who also asked that his full name not be used. Ahmet spent 12 years with the movement, including most of his university days, when he lived in Hizmet dormitories. In public, Ahmet said, he was asked to conceal his faith, but in private, he was ostracized for minor infractions such as listening to heavy metal music, or trimming his beard. Each dorm had a big brother, whose real name we did not know, Ahmet said. When one of us had doubts, they would be ready with some amazing story of a miracle performed by Gulen. A cousin, whom Ahmet had known since childhood, wanted to be a lawyer but was persuaded by Hizmet to join the air force, and was asked to hide his faith to climb the ranks. This man who was such a good Muslim served alcohol at his wedding. And he married a secular woman. When I asked him why, he told me he had to because of Hizmet, Ahmet said. Zekeriyya Christ, an American, first converted to Islam in the U.S. and spent his first years as a Muslim among Hizmet members in America. He moved to Turkey six years ago and began teaching English in private Hizmet schools. Though he never joined the movement, he described seeing Hizmet members gathered to listen to Gulens sermons live-streamed from Pennsylvania. Eavesdropping at late-night meetings, Christ said he witnessed discussions about attempting to place members in positions of influence. They would say, We can put so-and-so in this government opening. They were putting people in important positions based on loyalty to them, and not on their faith or their qualifications. Whatever reservations Erdogan and fellow members of his Justice and Development Party, or AKP, might have had about Hizmet were put aside for years as the movements presence in the states bureaucracy became crucial to winning elections beginning in 2002. At the time, Hizmet had the sympathy of Erdogan and other Islamists, said Akyol, the columnist. Erdogan is referred to as a political Islamist; I refer to the Gulenists as bureaucratic Islamists, in the sense they want state power, but not by winning it in elections, he said. Their tactic was always to get power by very meticulously raising a cadre in a secretive way to capture key positions in the state. Erdogan at one point was using the Hizmet network to his own advantage against other adversaries. Long wary of the secular military, Erdogan relied largely on Hizmet-linked prosecutors to bring charges against nearly 500 officers for alleged coup plots between 2003 and 2007, Akyol said. The convictions were thrown out this year by appellate courts that found the evidence was largely fabricated. Jeffrey, the American ambassador at the time, watched with growing suspicion. Even officers who were clearly loyal to Erdogan, Jeffrey said, were prosecuted with totally trumped-up evidence just to show they could be put in jail, just so Hizmet could show, If you cross us, we will get you: We dont need laws, we dont need the state, we dont need anybody. The alliance of convenience made a sharp reversal in 2013. Audio recordings of Erdogan and his son discussing what to do with millions in cash fueled a corruption investigation by prosecutors suspected of ties to Hizmet and forced the resignation of three Cabinet members. Erdogan responded by calling Gulen a terrorist, and over the next three years, Ankara suspended thousands of prosecutors, judges and police for alleged ties to Gulen. Now, Turkish authorities claim officers loyal to Hizmet remained in the military after the earlier purges and were the chief instigators of the July 15 coup attempt. Thousands of soldiers and 40% of the militarys generals and admirals have been accused of being part of the plot. Farooq is a special correspondent. ALSO: From his Pennsylvania compound, Fethullah Gulen shakes up Turkey Did a U.S. think tank sponsor a military coup? Turkey thinks so Turkey and U.S. at loggerheads over purge of military officers in wake of coup attempt It was a Saturday evening on June 16, 1979, when a duty officer in the Aleppo Artillery School, Capt. Ibrahim Yousef, called some 300 cadets for an urgent meeting in the mess hall. After the hall filled, 10 men armed with automatic weapons entered and locked the doors. Like Yousef, they were members of a violent militant group called the Fighting Vanguard that had splintered from the Muslim Brotherhood. Speaking into a microphone, Yousef announced that every Nusayri student in this hall is now in the hands of the Fighting Vanguard, according to government accounts. Nusayri is a derogatory term for Syrias Alawite sect, an offshoot of Shia Islam whose members include the family of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Advertisement Taking a list from his pocket, Yousef called out the names of those who could leave the hall because we do not want to hurt our Sunni [Muslim] brothers. After the Sunnis left, he and his accomplices opened fire and threw grenades at the remaining students, who were Alawites, killing 32 and wounding 54 others before escaping. See the most-read stories in World News this hour More than 35 years later, the massacre has become an inspiration for Syrias armed opposition to Assads government. Opposition groups announced the Ibrahim al-Yousef offensive earlier this month to break the governments siege on rebel-held eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo, Syrias largest city. It was another sign of the cataclysmic sectarian confrontation the battle of Aleppo has become for the rebels arrayed against Assad, not to mention the growing integration of hardcore jihadists in rebel ranks despite U.S. efforts to wean the opposition of them. Although the five-year civil war in Syria began as anti-government protests, it has devolved into a sectarian bloodbath that has pitted the largely Sunni opposition against forces loyal to Assad, which include Shiites, Druze, Sunnis and Christians. Shiites in Syria, including Assads Alawite sect, comprise roughly 13% of the population but long have had an outsized role in state affairs. The battle has drawn Shiite militias from Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan on the side of Assad, even as Sunni would-be jihadists from around the world have filled the ranks of the many Islamist groups fighting his rule, including the Islamic State extremist group. In the past few weeks, Islamist groups have taken the lead in reversing many of the pro-Assad forces hard-won gains in Aleppo, a city divided since 2012 between the government and the opposition. The Army of Conquest, an alliance of hard-line Islamist factions that includes a rebranded former Al Qaeda affiliate, the Front for the Conquest of Syria, spearheaded the offensive. Syrians buy sweets at a market in an opposition-held district in Syrias northern city of Aleppo on Aug. 12, 2016. (Thaer Mohammed / AFP/Getty Images) Its suicide bombers (many of them Syrians instead of the usual panoply of foreigners) were instrumental in punching through the defenses of the Syrian Army; they now threaten to impose their own blockade on the western, government-held part of the city and have vowed to take over all of Aleppo. The relatively moderate, U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army and other groups could not achieve any real breakthrough without the jihadis of the Army of Conquest, Hassan Abu Haniyeh, a Jordanian expert on jihadi groups, wrote in an article on the online Arabi21 website. In the offensives aftermath, the jihadists touted the victory as their own. The Aleppo battle was a truly divine one. The lions roared, the heroes of this blessed Army of Conquest, Abdullah Muhaysini, top cleric of the Army of Conquest, said during filming of the online show Syria in One Week inside the ravaged courtyard of the centuries-old Great Mosque of Aleppo. Beside him, another cleric, Ibrahim Shasho, spoke of how scores of the young men had registered to become suicide bombers and prayed that the fighters would purify the land of Syria from the filth of infidelity and the Shiites and the Nusayris. Other groups, including those categorized as moderate by the U.S., had worked with the jihadists to attack from inside the besieged neighborhoods of the city. There is a good relationship and coordination among all the factions, said Capt. Abdul-Razzaq, spokesman of the Nour Din Zinki rebel faction, which until last September was the recipient of U.S. support. In an interview on social media, he said, We support unity [with the Army of Conquest] if it is done on good foundations and serves the aim of a free Syria. Such a move, however, would complicate efforts by the U.S. and Russia, which both have targeted extremists in areas held by groups such as the Front for the Conquest of Syria. It underlines the confusion in rebel ranks, where the pro-democratic revolutionary forces are teamed up with Al Qaeda and the West is on the side of Al Qaeda, said Joshua Landis, a Syria specialist at the University of Oklahoma. The fighters on the ground, who have been shopping around for the most effective and appealing group, have gravitated toward [the Front for the Conquest of Syria] and Islamic State. Thats the problem, and most moderate leaders have been trying to put a good face on the jihadi aspect. Islamic State is not involved in the battle for Aleppo, although it holds sway in some of its countryside areas. It has formed a third side that has fought both the government and the rebels, despite having an ideology that is similar to some opposition factions. But for Haniyeh, speaking in a phone interview Tuesday, the battle for Aleppo marks a revival of a Sunni jihad that has no reservations about its sectarian face and no longer is concerned with the approval of Syrias opposition politicians abroad nor their Western allies. There were no objections from the moderate groups regarding the use of Yousefs name, a sectarian symbol, Haniyeh said. There is a jihadi Sunni Arab narrative being formed in Aleppo that uses him, a sectarian symbol, without regard for its international or regional image. And even on the homefront, the rebel success has terrified the approximately 1.5 million people living in western, government-held Aleppo. Will the jihadists spare the Christians of Aleppo? Aleppo resident Tony Sakkal asked in an interview with Lebanese newspaper LOrient Le Jour last week. Of course not. Theyll cut off our heads. Bulos is a special correspondent. Incendiary weapons that violate international law are being used in the Syrian war, report says Two years after war, rebuilding in Gaza is far from done, and international donors are bailing Russian warplanes take off from Iran to target Islamic State in Syria All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced. 19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc. Florida might be the stomping grounds for zombies after a man was caught eating another man's face Monday night, just four years after the rumored "zombie apocalypse" attack scare in the sunshine state, where police shot down Ronald Poppo in a similar cannibal case. Police caught 19-year-old Austin Harrouf eating a dead man's face near Fort Lauderdale Monday night. Authorities rushed to the scene when they heard of a "random" attack outside of a couple's house, Miami Herald reports. Police say Harrouf stabbed the couple and wounded their neighbor in the attack. When they arrived on scene, John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon were already dead, and it took four deputies to pull him off of the dead man as he continued to eat his face. Harrouf is being held at a hospital and is not expected to survive after officers used a stun gun and their K-9 dog to initially stop the attack. In a similar incident in 2012, police killed a man they caught eating another man's face in Miami. The man had already eaten the victim's nose when cops arrived on scene. The cannibal attack sparked rumors about a zombie apocalypse approaching the U.S., because the scene looked like something from a thriller movie. Officials later blamed the use of synthetic drugs as the root cause of the attack. At the time, a new form of LSD called "bath salts" or "flakka," became popular amongst drug users. In the psychosis state of the drug, the user can develop super-human strength and hallucinate, causing them to attack others and use their jaws as weapons. Today, police are testing Harrouf's blood for flakka to see if that was what caused his state of "excited delirium." Family members said he had rushed off when he suddenly became agitated that his food was taking too long to come after placing his order at a nearby restaurant. His lawyer says he was working at home for the summer and that there were no signs of drug use. "There are mental health issues that will have to be investigated here, we don't know if anything is going to show up on toxicology reports, there's a lot of unknowns and unanswered questions and things we may never know," attorney Michelle Suskauer said. The synthetic drug was popular in South Florida in 2012 which is probably why the attack happened then. Today, the popular drug is K2; a synthesized marijuana that has similar effects of heroin. Harrouf had no criminal record. #Zombie drugs? Florida man stabs couple, eats dead man's face in 'random' attack - https://t.co/FBMk0Xs3wl pic.twitter.com/Z8vjJZVR3A The Zombie Examiner (@ZombieExaminer) August 17, 2016 Austin Harrouff stabbed victims John Stevens and Michelle Mishcon to death Monday night. https://t.co/fHyiey6pfp pic.twitter.com/STUEJhbr35 Jillian Brynne (@jillianbrynne) August 16, 2016 I am in the land of apples, pancakes and cider Normandy - where it is thankfully cooler than in the Creuse! The very narrow roads, high hedges and cows grazing in orchards remind me of the south of England. You can't visit Normandy without paying homage to those who lost their lives during the Second World War on the D-Day landing beaches and in the Battle of Normandy. Normandy bears the scars of that moment in history - code name Operation Overlord. The cemeteries throughout the area where all nationalities are buried and remembered Canadians, French, British, Polish, American, German, Australian, New Zealanders, many not even 20 years old - the unforgettable code names of the landing beaches Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword - being lasting witnesses to the fight for liberty, and a historic landing on 6th June 1944 that changed the world and brought about the liberation of France. It is difficult not to feel full of emotion when seeing just how many people died and not only soldiers but civilians suffered greatly too. These are not just symbolic cemeteries but men and women are buried there. The whole operation seemed impossible but thanks to ingenuity and technical know-how plus bravery, courage and the need to defend the universal values of peace and freedom they succeeded. These sites in Normandy will not let future generations forget the sacrifices that were made for them. Normandy certainly appears to be a land of conquests as a visit to Bayeux and its tapestry reminded me that it was in 1066, that England was conquered for the only time in its history, by the Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror ! However, Normandy isn't just about invasions and history, there is the sea, the sand and the sun, plus the architecture half-timbered houses often with thatched roofs, -the cider route, plenty of bike trails, chateaux, horses and picturesque villages. The adventure continues Julia Dunbar j.dunbar1@orangefr The Guardian reports: Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, made an attempted power grab on key areas of Boris Johnsons Foreign Office, writing to his colleague and the prime minister, Theresa May, in an effort to wrest control of Britains overseas economic policy, a leaked letter has revealed. Tensions have been escalating between the Foreign Office and Foxs Department for International Trade, but the former defence secretarys suggestion has apparently been given short shrift by No 10, the Sunday Telegraph reported. Within a fortnight of arriving at the newly created department, Fox wrote to Johnson, copying in May, to ask for economic diplomacy a key function of the Foreign Office to become part of the remit of his department. Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesperson, remarked: Johnson and Fox are more concerned with Westminster power games than rebuilding Britains standing in the world after the Brexit that they both campaigned for. The Prime Minister has told the press she wont have it, but it seems like its time she told them to their faces. I suggest they both take a trip to their sizeable shared country home, Chevening, to sort out their differences and come up with an actual plan for Britains foreign policy going forward. Most people dont care about the egos of two pompous characters who are acting like the protoganists from deVitos the War of the Roses. What they do care about is Britains international reputation, which is currently plummeting fast. Meanwhile, the organisation chart of the new Department for Exiting the EU reveals the department has seven directors and an eye-watering 24 deputy directors. While such turf wars and empire building goes on, what Brexit will actually mean, apart from, er, Brexit, is still very unclear. * Paul Walter is a Liberal Democrat activist and member of the Liberal Democrat Voice team. He blogs at Liberal Burblings. THE WAIT is almost over. From early morning, students will descend on schools across the county, with parents and teachers anxiously waiting to hear the news. Some 2,573 students across Limerick city and county will today receive their Leaving Certificate results from 9am, with others living abroad able to receive their results online from 12 noon. There will be tears of joy and sadness across the country, with some 55,708 students nationally receiving that little slip of paper that means so much. But regardless of the grades, or number of A1s, students are being advised that irrespective of the points they receive, that the course and profession of their dreams remains open to them through multiple routes. Padraig Flanagan, principal of Castletroy College, which produced the now famous Collison brothers, said just under 200 students will receive their results today. It really is a day of emotions for so many, he said, urging students not to let the results good, bad or indifferent, define you. The CAO in a way is a bit like a SatNav if you dont get the points or the first course you would like, it will direct you, he told the Limerick Leader. Fine Gael Seanad spokesperson on education and skills, Senator Maria Byrne, has wished Limericks Leaving Cert Students the best of luck today. Finally the long wait is over for Limericks Leaving Cert students and their families. It is always a time of great anticipation for students and their families. However, I am sure that the wait will be worth it in the end and that the work put in by students over the last two years pays off. Unfortunately, not everyone gets the result they wanted. What I would say to those that are disappointed with their results or who do not get what they anticipate is ensure that you view your exam scripts and if necessary get your examination papers rechecked. Even if you do not get the points for the course you wish to study it is not the end of the world. There are always ways and means of getting to where you want to be in the future. The overall number sitting the examinations has increased by just under one per cent from 57,931 candidates in 2015 to 58,466 in 2016. Of the 58,466 candidates who sat Leaving Certificate examinations this year, 55,708 candidates followed the Leaving Certificate (established) programme, including 14,637 (26%) who followed the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme. A further 2,758 (4.7%) candidates followed the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme. With CAO Round One offers due on August 22, the Union of Students in Ireland is advising students who wish to progress to third level education on the next steps to take. The first thing we would like to say to students who have just done their Leaving Certificate is congratulations, said Annie Hoey, USI president. Its probably the toughest exam most people will do in their life and it spans across so many diverse subjects, both optional and obligatory. Its important to bear in mind that when you go to college, youll most likely be studying in a field youre interested in and better at. Overall leaving cert points dont reflect your ability in one area. CAO Round Two offers will be issued on August 31 and USI is reminding students that if they dont get their first choice, to wait and see what they get in the second round. The organisation Drinkaware is appealing to parents to discuss their exam celebration plans with their children as they collect their Leaving Cert exam results today. According to independent research carried out by Behaviour & Attitudes, parents are the biggest influence on young peoples decisions around alcohol. LIMERICK City and County Council has launched a massive crackdown on horses kept illegally in housing estates giving owners just days to remove them. The local authority has written to a number of people in Ballinacurra Weston to warn them to remove their animals from public land by this Wednesday, warning them of fines of up to 17,500 and imprisonment for six months. If they do not comply, the council has said it will use its powers under the Control of Horses bye-laws, which prohibits the keeping of horses in the city without a licence. But the councils action has been criticised as a ticking timebomb by Limerick Animal Welfare volunteer Anna Gallagher, who claimed that the threat of having horses removed has led to a spike in anti-social behaviour on the southside. In a letter to a resident seen by the Limerick Leader the local authority warns that allowing horses roam on green areas causes a safety risk to the public and residents. Also, such behaviour is not in the interests of the welfare of the horses, they add. The council also warns that any person in breach of the requirements of the Control of Horses Act 1996 may be issued with a fine, or is liable on summary conviction in the District Court of a fine not exceeding 4000 and imprisonment for up to six months. On indictment in the Circuit Court, that person is liable to a fine not exceeding 17,500 and imprisonment for up to two years. Ms Gallagher, who lives in Kennedy Park, says the letters have caused fear and panic in Ballinacurra Weston. She claimed stolen cars are being whizzed around the estate as unrest spreads. I dont condone the actions of the people who are doing this. But it is a volatile situation, people are passionate about their horses, and it is the one thing which keeps these kids from anti-social behaviour, Ms Gallagher told the Limerick Chronicle. She added a horse project is crucial to nurture children, saying they could be guided to follow careers as equine vets or jockeys. In a statement, a spokesperson for Limerick City and County Council said they had received a number of complaints in relation to horses roaming on green areas. Arising out of these complaints, the local authority has written to a number of people in the area outlining their responsibilities regarding horses in Limerick City, they said. The spokesperson confirmed that just one horse has been seized in Ballinacurra Weston, adding that under bye-laws, it is illegal to own, keep or be in charge of a horse in the city without a licence, ID micro-chip or horse passport. Limerick Animal Welfare is organising a special meeting on the control of horses next Tuesday, August 23, at 7.30pm in the Ballinacurra Weston community centre. Members of the gardai and local councillors are expected to be in attendance. All are welcome to attend the event to air their concerns. LIMERICK-based Tobaccoland - the largest supplier of cigarette vending machines in Ireland - says it will mount a legal challenge against any legislation banning the machines. Established 30 years ago by James Packie Walsh, the company employs more than 30 people at its headquarters at Mulgrave Street in the city. It owns and maintains around 1,500 cigarette vending machines which are located in pubs, nightclubs and hotels across the country. We set them up, install them and stock them and then we put them in sites. We also have to make sure they are fully compliant with the regulations, explained senior engineer Declan Costelloe. Last week Minister for Health Simon Harris confirmed legislation is being drawn up to ban cigarette vending machines as part of the strategy to make Ireland tobacco free by 2025. A similar ban was introduced in the UK in 2011. While Tobaccoland is the single biggest operator in the market, around 140 jobs will be lost nationwide if a ban is introduced. However, James Walsh says he does not believe the proposed new laws will work and believes cigarettes will still be available to buy in pubs and nightclub. We are concerned about the legislation, we feel it is being written for the sake of writing it, there is no need for it in the wide earthly world, he told the Limerick Leader. If he bans the cigarette machines in the pub all it will do is push them behind the bar and they will be sold from behind the bar in a container, he added. He says while staff at the company are concerned about their jobs it is likely that any ban, if introduced, will not take effect for several years. The company has taken legal advice and is prepared to mount a Supreme Court challenge if necessary. It is a worrying time for the staff but I have told them we are going to challenge the legislation and we are going to bring it all the way to the Supreme Court. The bottom line is we want to try to protect what we have been doing for 30 years - we have to look after the business and were going to do that, he said. Cormac Dunne of the Irish Cigarette Machine Operators Association said the reason vending machines have been banned in other countries is because there was no age control whereas there are strict controls regarding access in Ireland. LIMERICK-based Parkmagic is reassuring motorists who use its tolltag.ie service that they will not be impacted by the decision of eFlow to withdraw its e-tags from use on roads built by Celtic Roads Group (CRG). eFlow branded tags will stop working at toll plazas operated by CRG from 11am on August 31, next after agreement between the companies could not be reached. Current eFlow customers who do not change to another tag provider, such as tolltag.ie, will have to pay cash when passing through toll plazas. Three national routes are affected the M1 at Drogheda, the M7 at Portlaoise and the N24 at Waterford. If you use those roads and you are with eFlow you would want to change provider as soon as possible, said Kealan Fitzgerald, marketing manager with Parkmagic who added that other toll roads across the country, including the Limerick Tunnel and the M50 in Dublin will not be affected as they are not operated by CRG. Parkmagic, which currently has around 50,000 tolltag.ie customers, says there could be severe congestion and confusion on August 31 if people dont take action soon. There is going to be a whole load about it on the 31st and you will probably see pictures and footage on the news of the queues and traffic congestion on those three roads," said Mr Fitzgerald. Despite a major national advertising campaign which has been running for the past ten days Mr Fitzgerald does not believe people in Limerick are aware of the upcoming change. THERE were double celebrations at Ard Scoil Ris this morning as student Eoin Caffrey learned he had secured an impressive seven A1s in his Leaving Certificate. The 18-year-old from the Ennis Road is one of just 40 students nationwide to achieve the feat. Eoin, who plans to study Nanoscience at Trinity College in Dublin, says he is delighted with his results. I was just so happy to see it finally on the page conclusively there. Its always nervous in the moments beforehand waiting to see how they went but I was just delighted to see it on the page, he said. On his chosen course, Eoin says it was the obvious choice for him. I love both physics and chemistry and maths and unfortunately around the country there arent many courses that allow you to study the three of them concurrently and you usually have to choose one of them, he explained. His mother, Maria Goodwin a career guidance councillor at the school - says she is thrilled with her sons success. I was more nervous this time than I have ever been before because my son was obviously involved and that brought another dimension to it, she told the Limerick Leader. Another high achiever at Ard Scoil Ris was Mark Considine, 17, from Caherdavin Lawn who secured five A1s and two A2s. I was hoping to get something around this but it was definitely more of a hope than an expectation but now I can relax because I probably have enough points for my course so its a huge relief, said Mark who hopes to study Medicine at UCD. There were mixed emotions this morning for outgoing principal Brid de Bruin as she handed out leaving cert results for the last time. It is my final time, but today is very about the students and that is kind of the focus that I have, she said adding that students at Ard Scoil Ris had collectively achieved results above the national average. Elsewhere in the city, students at St Nessan Community College, Moylish were just happy that the wait (for results) was over. It was just something I did, it came naturally to me and I wasnt worried about it at all. Its a relief because I finally have it over and done with and I can go further in life now with it, said Tyrone Power, 17, from Cliona Park, Moyross who sat the Leaving Certificate Applied and hopes to pursue an apprenticeship in carpentry. Leigh Irvine, 18, from Thomondgate who has Autism also sat the Leaving Cert Applied in June. He hopes to continue his education at the National Learning Network in Raheen. I feel grand, its a relief, Im sad to be leaving school but looking forward to going to college, said Leigh who was accompanied by his mother, Simone and granddad, John Boland, when he collected his results. For further coverage and pictures see this week's Limerick Leader, print editions A 2.3m project to boost the flood defences in Foynes is set to get underway in September, with the work due to be completed in early 2017. Contracts to construct a permanent tidal defence barrier were signed this week by the Minister for State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works and flood relief, Sean Canney, and the contractors Wills Bros from Co Mayo. The new tidal defences are in response to severe flooding in early 2014 which caused major upheaval for residents and business owners in the town. Mr Canney pointed out that Limerick had been particularly hard hit by flooding in recent years. My office, the Office of Public Works in partnership with Limerick City and County Council, has been working hard to progress solutions to these flooding problems. I would like to acknowledge also the great efforts of local public representatives and community groups in helping to advance these schemes, he said. I am very pleased that a contractor is now being appointed to construct the Foynes Flood Relief Scheme. This will provide the town with badly needed protection from risk of flooding into the future, he added. Robert Gallagher, senior executive engineer with the council said: The consultants carried out an assessment of existing embankments, detailed design of a flood barrier defence system and progression of the scheme though the Part VIII process to completion of works on the ground. The public was also consulted on the project. With contracts now signed for the 2.3 million euro project, work is due to begin in September and should be completed within 5 to 6 months, he added. The proposed tidal barrier will flank Irish Rail lands for much of its length on lands made available by Shannon Foynes Port Company. THE Parkway Valley saga has taken a fresh twist, with confirmation that the sites new owners are seeking to reactivate plans for a major shopping centre on the fringes of Limerick city. Capital Assets, based at Howleys Quay, is seeking an extra year to develop the site as a 63,000 square foot shopping mall. It comes just one day after the latest planning application for the shopping centre lapsed. The firm is seeking to extend the duration of the permission by 12 months. According to the plans, there will be two anchor tenants one Marks and Spencer as well as 37 smaller units at the partially completed site on the Dublin Road. Twelve restaurants are also being proposed, along with a leisure centre, a creche, public library, and play park. The project which dates back to 2004 has sparked a huge debate in Limerick. Originally granted before strategies were put in place to protect the city centre, many feel it poses a threat to the urban areas viability. It was on this basis that Limerick City and County Council refused the latest plans by Belfast developer Suneil Sharma who is no longer involved with the project. However, An Bord Pleanala overturned this, and gave the previous developer until this month to complete the development. Capital Assets were unavailable for comment yesterday. But the Limerick Leader understands the firm is keeping its options open on the future of the site. While the final plan may not include shops, they do not want to rule out his possibility by allowing the original 100m plans remain dormant for an extended period. It remains to be seen what local planners response will be to this latest proposal. But Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler says he is surprised at the application for an extension. I cannot see it being successful and I hope its not. I hope we can move on, and this is the beginning of the process of dialogue between the developer and Limerick City and County Council, he said. Cllr Butler added he does not feel there is any need for further retail, pointing out the empty space at Coonagh Cross, the Jetland Shopping Centre, and the neighbouring Parkway Retail Park at the Dublin Road. May 3, 2021, 8 PM By Michael Baadke On Oct. 1, 2003, Canada Post issued a pane of eight round self-adhesive 48 stamps commemorating eight Canadian astronauts who had flown into space (Scott 1999). Among those honored was Robert Thirsk, who was born Aug. 17, 1953, in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. According to the Canadian Space Agency, Thirsk received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Calgary in 1976, a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1978, a Doctorate of Medicine from McGill University in 1982, and a Master of Business Administration from the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1998. When the stamps were issued, Canada Post reported, Robert Thirsk, an engineer and medical doctor, flew aboard the space shuttle Columbia in 1996 to perform a series of experiments on microgravity and life sciences in the shuttle's Spacelab module. His 17-day mission was the longest for a Canadian astronaut. Six years after the stamps were issued, Thirsk returned to space as the first Canadian astronaut to fly a long duration expedition aboard the ISS [International Space Station], according to the Canadian Space Agency. Thirsk remained on the station for 188 days conducting research and repair work. Thirsk resigned as an astronaut in 2012, and is currently serving as chancellor of the University of Calgary. The university notes that "Thirsk holds the Canadian record for the longest time spent in space, at 204 days, 18 hours." 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. Ayotte report to Pentagon: We release GiTMO detainees at our own peril (NationalSecurity.news) A just-released Pentagon report on recent terrorist detainees at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility was made public last week by a lawmaker who opposes White House efforts to shutter the military-run prison over concerns that some inmates will return to the battlefields of Afghanistan and the Middle East, AMI Newswire reported. The report, which summarizes the activities of 107 prisoners suspected of links to terrorism, was delivered by the Defense Department to Sen. Kelly Ayotte. The New Hampshire Republican had been seeking the information since last year, when she asked the Pentagon to compile particulars on the prisoners into a single unclassified document. Ayotte posted the log Wednesday on her Senate website. The report consists of thumbnail sketches of prisoners held at the U.S. Navys base on Guantanamo, Cuba, as of Nov. 25, 2015. A number of the prisoners have since been transferred out of the facility known as GTMO. Some of the prisoners are characterized in the document as having been inconsequential enemies. Among them is Abdul Rahman Ahmed, about whom the report states: He probably exaggerated his involvement in and knowledge of terrorist activities and likely did not play a senior role in terrorist activities. Other detainees, however, are depicted as prime actors. They include Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, identified as the mastermind and local manager of the bombing of the USS Cole; and five men facing charges related to the 9/11 attacks. The most prominent of these is Khalid Shaykh Muhammad, described as the driving force behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks as well as several subsequent plots against U.S. and Western targets worldwide. Muhammad is charged with murder, terrorism, hijacking and other offenses. Information on the prisoners is key, Ayotte said, in light of the administrations ongoing plans to release them to third-country caretakers. The Obama administration promised transparency, but this new report shows why theyve been so reluctant to uphold that promise when it comes to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Ayotte said in an emailed statement. The more Americans understand about the terrorist activities and affiliations of these detainees, the more they will oppose the administrations terribly misguided plans to release them. The primary concern is recidivism, the senator said. 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. Those concerns were echoed this year in a finding from the director of National Intelligence. Based on trends identified during the past 11 years, we assess that some detainees currently at GTMO will seek to re-engage in terrorist or insurgent activities after they are transferred, reads a March 2016 report from the department led by James Clapper. Transfers to countries with ongoing conflicts and internal instability, as well as recruitment by insurgent and terrorist organizations, could pose problems. Speculation on future behavior is not enough to justify continued detention, though, one expert said. The idea of preventive detention, in GTMO or anywhere else, is abhorrent, said David Remes, a human rights lawyer who has represented over two dozen detainees and currently represents nine detainees. No one should be held based on a prediction of how the person will act if released. We certainly shouldnt be holding someone simply because we believe that the person may be a threat to someone else. One ex-detainee, Jihad Ahmed Mustafa Diyab, was the subject of international fears that he would harm others, after he vanished for more than a month this summer in South America. As reported by AMI Newswire, Diyab, a Syrian national, disappeared in June from Uruguay, where he was released to in 2014. Diyab resurfaced July 26 in Venezuela. Rather than wage jihad, though, the former prisoner was arrested and once again is incarcerated. He is being held in Venezuela. In a statement this week to AMI Newswire, Diyabs former lawyer expressed concern that the former hunger striker had once again stopped eating. I find it tragically ironic that, because of an apparent quest to be reunited with his family, he now finds himself once again being detained without charge or trial and beyond reach of the rule of law, Jon Eisenberg wrote in an emailed statement. And I am concerned about the conditions of his current confinement and whether he might have resumed hunger-striking in protest. The question, meanwhile, persists on what to do with the 76 prisoners at GTMO. Ayotte wants what she called a common sense law of war detention policy focused on the security of Americans and nothing else that keeps terrorists off the battlefield and gathers the intelligence necessary to prevent future attacks. The lawyers advocate for the types of procedures that are used in American civilian courts. Those being held without charge should be released, Remes said. Those who are charged should be prosecuted fairly. The prisoners cases will be decided by the Pentagons ongoing Periodic Review Board, which reviews each case every three years. At least five cases are scheduled to be reviewed through September. Reporting by Susan Katz Keating, AMI Newswire. More: NationalSecurity.news is part of USA Features Media. It's relatively common to find debris from rocket launches in the waters off Cape Canaveral in Florida, but divers exploring the seabed recently uncovered artifacts from an age of exploration long before America's space program: 22 cannons and a marble monument in what they think are three 16th-century Spanish shipwrecks. The finds include three ornate bronze cannons two that are 10 feet (3 meters) long and one that is 7 feet (2 m) long and the marble monument, engraved with the coat of arms of the king of France, which has been identified from the manifest of a 1562 expedition to Florida by the French navigator and colonialist Jean Ribault. Robert Pritchett, chief executive of the Florida-based company Global Marine Exploration, which explored the wrecks in May and June, told Live Science that it was initially thought that the newfound wrecks might include Ribault's two "lost ships," which sank during a storm in 1565, a few years after the voyage from France. [See Photos of the Colonial-Age Shipwrecks Found Off Cape Canaveral] But records showed that the bronze cannons and monument from Ribault's expedition were installed at Fort Caroline, an early French Huguenot colony on the St. Johns River, in what is now Jacksonville, Florida. In 1565, the cannons and monument were seized in a Spanish raid, "so [the monument] would not be on a French ship if it was removed by the Spanish," Pritchett said. Instead, Pritchett thinks these items were being carried away from Florida as booty on Spanish ships, bound for Havana, Cuba, when they were struck by a storm that banished them to the seafloor. The remains of the three colonial-age ships were found across a wide "scatter field" of debris on the seafloor about 4 miles (6 kilometers) long and about a half mile (0.8 km) wide, along with the remains of a later shipwreck that is thought to be from the 1800s, Pritchett said. Divers discovered the shipwrecks during a marine survey of the area in late September 2015 using underwater magnetometer equipment that allowed them to locate metal items lying beneath the seabed. This engraving from a painting by a member of Ribaults expedition, Jacques Le Moyne de Morgues, shows the monument in place beside the St. Johns River in Florida, where it was erected in 1562 to mark the French claim to the territory. (Image credit: Jacques Le Moyne des Morgues/Public Domain) In addition to the three bronze cannons and the marble monument, the divers found 19 iron cannons, 12 anchors, a stone grinding wheel, and scattered ballast and ammunition from the ships, Pritchett said. The markings on one of the bronze cannons indicate that it was cast in the 1540s, during the reign of King Henry II of France, he added. Rocket graveyard Pritchett explained that his company had permits from the state of Florida to explore seven areas off the coast of Cape Canaveral, where the wrecks were found an area littered with debris from rocket test launches at the U.S. Air Force base at Cape Canaveral, southeast of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. "We've found hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of U.S. Air Force rockets that they were testing from 1948 forwards, and also shrimp boats, airplane engines, airplanes, " Pritchett said. "We have found some of the actual rocket engines, and lots of rocket tubes some of these things are 30, 40 feet long," he said. "Some are sticking halfway out on the surface, or sticking straight up out of the sand there are literally thousands of them out there. We GPS and photograph everything we find, and we turn that stuff over to the U.S. Air Force, because one day, it will be valuable to someone for a historical reason." The area containing the colonial-age wrecks is in shallow water, and the conditions on the seabed changed from day to day, he said. [Shipwrecks Gallery: Secrets of the Deep] "The sea there is shallow, 15 to 25 feet [4.5 to 8 m], and the sand shifts a lot out there, " he said. "So the cannons could be covered by 3 feet [0.9 m] of sand, or they could be covered by 8 feet [2.4 m] of sand it's different every time the wind blows." Looter danger For now, the cannons and the marble monument remain with the other debris of the wrecks on the seafloor, until Florida authorities approve a permit for Pritchett's company to recover the artifacts, Pritchett said. "We've been letting the state [of Florida] know that these artifacts are at the jeopardy of looters, and of the weather," he said. "These cannons are worth over a million dollars apiece so if looters could find out the location, then a piece of history is gone forever, because it's going to be sold on the black market." Pritchett thinks the marble monument may be worth many times that amount, as "the only one of its kind and probably the most significant piece of maritime history that's ever been found on the entire East Coast of the United States," he added. The monument, which is in the shape of a coat of arms set atop a pillar, is about 3 feet high and 2 feet (0.6 m) wide, "exactly the way it is described in the original records," Pritchett said, and decorated with fleur-de-lis symbols a stylized flower used in heraldry by French royalty and the crown of the king of France. Pritchett said more information about the origin of the wrecks will have to wait until archaeologists on the surface can study them. "It's a mystery at this point, and until we bring all these items up and study them, we're not going to know a lot more about them only what we know from the little bit of research in the water that we've been able to do," Pritchett said. "But right now, we're waiting on the state of Florida." Original article on Live Science. The discovery of a 3,000-year-old pyramid-shaped mausoleum in Kazakhstan has gone viral over the past 24 hours, with several media outlets proclaiming the structure to be the world's first pyramid. But archaeologists say the structure, which contains a series of five walls that gradually get higher toward the center, is not nearly as old as these news reports claim. The mausoleum is 6.6 feet (2 meters) high and about 49 by 46 feet (15 by 14 m) long, said Viktor Novozhenov, an archaeologist with the Saryarka Archaeological Institute at Karaganda State University in Kazakhstan who helped excavate the mausoleum. "It's made from stone, earth and fortified by slabs in the outer side," Novozhenov told Live Science. A number of media outlets that reported the discovery did not include the size of the structure, which, compared to Egypt's royal pyramids, is very small. While the exact age of the structure is uncertain, it likely was built during the late Bronze Age, more than 3,000 years ago, Novozhenov said. This is more than 1,000 years after the Egyptians built the step pyramid of Djoser, Novozhenov said, so it is not the "world's first pyramid." [In Photos: Egyptian Pyramid Predates Giza Landmark] Scientists have been analyzing some of the ceramics found near the mausoleum to help determine the age of the mausoleum. (Image credit: Photo copyright Viktor Novozhenov) The mausoleum's burial chamber had been robbed, although graves found near the mausoleum yielded the remains of pottery, a knife and bronze objects, Novozhenov said. Before the mausoleum was robbed, it would have held the burial of a clan leader, and not a pharaoh as has been stated in some online accounts of the discovery, Novozhenov said. The design of the mausoleum, with its five walls that gradually get higher, is similar in some ways to the step pyramid of Djoser, built about 4,700 years ago at the site of Saqqara in Egypt, Novozhenov explained. The Djoser pyramid, which is far larger than the recently discovered Kazakhstan mausoleum, has six layers piled on top of one another to form a flat-topped pyramid. While the mausoleum isn't the world's first pyramid it is nevertheless an interesting find said Novozhenov who notes that a lot more work needs to be done. "We need a lot of additional analyses and hard work for interpretation." Novozhenov said that excavation of the mausoleum is being led by Igor Kukushkin, who is also from the Saryarka Archaeological Institute at Karaganda State University in Kazakhstan. Original article on Live Science. George Soros confirmed through email leaks as Clintons puppet master while she was Sec. of State For many years now, many political pundits have suspected that, when it comes to foreign policy, billionaire businessman George Soros has been pulling the strings behind the scenes. Despite being attacked by the lie-spewing mainstream media, new evidence proves that those people have been right all along. Recently, groups run by Soros were hacked by DCLeaks who released thousands of documents online. As always seems to be the case with these political email leaks, the content reveals all sorts of political collusion. No matter how hard the global elite try to keep it hidden, the truth always comes out in the end. The leak reveals that Soros was the puppet master behind Hillary Clintons decisions as Secretary of State. One of the emails, dated January 24, 2011, reads: Dear Hillary, A serious situation has arisen in Albania which needs urgent attention at senior levels of the US government. You may know that an opposition demonstration in Tirana on Friday resulted in the deaths of three people and the destruction of property. There are serious concerns about further unrest connected to a counter-demonstration to be organized by the governing party on Wednesday and a follow-up event by the opposition two days later to memorialize the victims. The prospect of tens of thousands of people entering the streets in an already inflamed political environment bodes ill for the return of public order and the countrys fragile democratic process. I believe two things need to be done urgently: 1. Bring the full weight of the international community to bear on Prime Minister Berisha and opposition leader Edi Rama to forestall further public demonstrations and to tone down public pronouncements. 2. Appoint a senior European official as a mediator. While I am concerned about the rhetoric being used by both sides, I am particularly worried about the actions of the Prime Minister. There is videotape of National Guard members firing on demonstrators from the roof of the Prime Ministry. The Prosecutor (appointed by the Democratic Party) has issued arrest warrants for the individuals in question. The Prime Minister had previously accused the opposition of intentionally murdering these activists as a provocation. After the tape came out deputies from his party accused the Prosecutor of planning a coup detat in collaboration with the opposition, a charge Mr. Berisha repeated today. No arrests have been made as of this writing. The demonstration resulted from opposition protests over the conduct of parliamentary elections in 2009. The political environment has deteriorated ever since and is now approaching levels of 1997, when similar issues caused the country to slide into anarchy and violence. There are signs that Edi Ramas control of his own people is slipping, which may lead to further violence. The US and the EU must work in complete harmony over this, but given Albanias European aspirations the EU must take the lead. That is why I suggest appointing a mediator such as Carl Bildt, Martti Ahtisaari or Miroslav Lajcak, all of whom have strong connections to the Balkans. My foundation in Tirana is monitoring the situation closely and can provide independent analysis of the crisis. Thank you, George Soros Shortly after the email was sent, Hillary followed orders. Soros had successfully convinced her to fulfill his demands. The theory that Hillary knows nothing about foreign policy and has merely been Soros puppet the entire time is heavily backed up by this email. Soros is essentially telling her exactly how to do her job and considering hes a businessman with a lot to gain from her decisions, this is quite alarming. The leaks serve as further proof that American politicians are owned by corporations and fueled by the almighty dollar. These email leaks continue to prove that skeptics and alternative media outlets arent the insane conspiracy theorists that they are often portrayed as being. These days, they seem to know the truth for weeks, months and even years before its revealed by the mainstream media. We, as American citizens, deserve to know who is really pulling the strings behind all of the political decisions being made by our government. Why bother electing officials if theyre only going to make decisions that their handlers ask them to? At what point will we finally reach our breaking point? It feels like the timer is ticking down Sources: Breitbart.com DailyCaller.com Is it better to be a Tiger Mom, or to bring up bebe the French way? And is being a free-range parent, or a helicopter mom better for your kids well-being? It turns out, the answers to those questions may depend on whether children call their mother Mama, Amma or Ima. New research suggests that what's best for kids growing up in one country isn't necessarily the ideal for kids in another, because cultural norms play a role. Still, there are some universals. "Parental warmth or love or acceptance is generally positive, all over the world," Jennifer Lansford, an author of the new research and a developmental psychologist at Duke University in North Carolina, told Live Science. But even that love may be shown very differently to children in different cultures. Some parents show love with big bear hugs or a verbal "I love you," whereas others may use indirect language, or actions, such as making a child's favorite food, to show love. [10 Scientific Tips for Raising Happy Kids] Parenting around the world First-time parents are often bombarded with hundreds of opinions on the best way to raise a child, from whether to swaddle a baby or co-sleep, to exactly how to discipline their wayward teen. A few books in recent years have put forth the notion that American parents are "doing it wrong." For instance, "Bringing Up Bebe" (Penguin Books, 2014) argued that the French parenting style leads to polite children who will eat everything from escargot to braised leeks. In the memoir "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" (Penguin Books, 2011), Amy Chua half-jokingly argued that she employed the strict, intensive parenting style more typical of Chinese parents in order to avoid having her children wind up as "soft, entitled," typical American children. But does any one culture have a lock on the best parenting techniques? To get at the question, Lansford and her colleagues at the Parenting Across Cultures project looked at data from 13 cultural groups in nine countries: China, Colombia, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, the Philippines, Sweden, Thailand and the United States. The team looked at how parenting practices such as showing love and affection, yelling, shaming and timeouts were tied to behaviors such as aggression, anxiety and low self-esteem in children. Love is love They found that children who felt loved and accepted seemed to thrive, all around the world. However, the ways that parents expressed their love varied within each country. Other factors of parenting, such as exerting a lot of control over a child, and very strictly adhering to rules, were associated with poor outcomes in some countries, but not others, according to a study that was published in the September issue of the journal Child Development Perspectives. "In some places, such as Kenya, parents who seek obedience and compliance are typically the most loving and warm, and their children thrive," Lansford wrote in a blog post about the research that was published Aug. 1 on childandfamilyblog.com. But in Europe and Sweden, parents who tend to be the most loving are also less controlling, she added. The thorny issue of control There are also different types of control. For instance, parents who seek to know where their children are, who their friends are and what they are doing tend to have healthier outcomes for their kids in many countries. But in contrast, when parents try to control how their child thinks or feels, they tend to have a more negative effect, Lansford told Live Science. "If kids feel like their parents are conditionally loving them only if they agree with the parents, that's generally a bad thing," Lansford said. There are also factors of a family's environment that can influence which parenting practices are best. For example, having more control over a child's behavior can be helpful when kids live in rougher neighborhoods, whereas it might be counterproductive in safer ones, she added. Another example of the influence of a family's environment is that of immigrants to a country, who may also have different cultural norms than other parents around them. The children of immigrants may have a harder time if they see that there is a huge mismatch between their parents' parenting philosophies and those of the culture at large than they would if those same parenting practices were being used in their home country, where they are more common, Lansford said. All in all, the findings highlight the idea that people shouldnt be so quick to judge the parenting practices of other groups, she said. "At least there can be some more open mindedness about trying to understand different people's perspective," Lansford said. Original article on Live Science. The Airlander 10, the world's largest aircraft, made its first flight on Aug. 17, 2016. The world's largest aircraft, a helium-filled, blimp-like airship, has taken to the skies for the first time, successfully landing after its maiden voyage from Cardington Sheds in Bedfordshire, England, today (Aug. 17). The company that designed and manufactured the Airlander 10 airship, Hybrid Air Vehicles, was bursting with excitement on their Twitter page. "Airlander takes off on historic first flight. #airlandet #firsts #flight," Hybrid Air Vehicles tweeted today. "How brilliant is this? Testament to a GREAT British innovation and an amazing small company," read another of their tweets. A hybrid that borrows technology from airplanes, helicopters and airships, the Airlander 10 is a whopping 302 feet (92 meters) long that's longer than the largest passenger airliner, the Airbus A380 (also called the Superjumbo). [Huge Airship: See Photos of the Building of the Airlander 10] Though the Airlander 10 is designed to stay aloft at altitudes of up to 20,000 feet (6,100 m) for five days when manned and up to two weeks without humans onboard, tonight's flight was just a quick test, according to Hybrid Air Vehicles. "Landed. Just a quick flight tonight to prove the concept and needed to land before dark," the company tweeted. The company sees plenty of potential for the giant aircraft. "It can stay in the air for days and even weeks carrying a lot of weight on an ultra-stable platform," Chris Daniels, head of partnerships and communication at Hybrid Air Vehicles, told Live Science in March. "And it also has the versatility to land and take off from pretty much any surface, including water, carrying up to 10 tonnes [about 22,000 lbs.] of cargo." With those qualities, Daniels says the Airlander 10 could be used for search and rescue, patrol and surveying, as well as a Wi-Fi platform for rock festivals. Another use? "Passenger flight (think safaris and luxury tourism) or for cargo to remote regions where there aren't good roads or railways, or perhaps an airport doesn't exist," he told Live Science. Original article on Live Science. If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. Ruth Nichols was bound to develop a passion for art. The daughter of master metal sculptor Floyd Nichols and niece of famous artist Dale Nichols, it was no surprise that she became known for her own art, and also for sharing her gift with children. This summer marks the end of the teaching journey for Nichols, 81, though she isnt talking full retirement. She is closing her Nichols Art Studio at the south edge of David City and will be having a sale of her personal collection of paintings, both hers and those of other artists. Classes began with family Ruth and her husband Bill Payzant were busy raising their six kids when they lived in Idaho Springs, Colo. In the 1960s, surrounded by natural beauty of the Rockies, she and a few friends began teaching themselves how to paint and finally contacted an art teacher, Frederick Van Twente, to teach them. Before long Ruth was hooked and began making pastel portraits. She had already spent countless hours drawing dresses and movie costumes as a young girl. Moving back to Nebraska, Ruths family settled for a year in Fremont, then northeast of Schuyler. They were living in Fremont when a Fremont Tribune reporter caught up with Ruth at an art supply store. A conversation followed Ruths portrait of the reigning Miss Nebraska that Ruth had created from a newspaper photo. Word got around, and before long, Ruth was setting up a studio in an old cafe on the east edge of Schuyler. Ruth had already been teaching her own children to draw and paint and sculpt. Partly out of necessity. It was the only way I could keep them busy so I could get some artwork done, she said. Before long, Ruths summer class was brimming at the Oak Ballroom, and for a few years, the city scraped up some money to help employ some assistants. The teaching continued in Schuyler through the 1970s. The Payzants marriage ended in the early 1980s, and Ruth brought her art studio to David City. Before long she was teaching regular classes on the ground floor of the Thorpe Opera House, right next door to the youth center. She also contracted with David City, Aquinas and East Butler to teach art for weeks at a time. The school classes and private lessons pushed her numbers into the hundreds of children who got a taste of art from Ruth, who also was busy creating her own art. On top of painting and sculpting, Ruth also made a living out of expertly repairing and restoring statues mostly of the religious variety across a wide swath of eastern Nebraska. Teaching was what she loved the most, however. Her students, she said, found an encouraging place where they could let their imagination flow. Criticism was not a concern. I never had a bad painting from a kid, she said, explaining that it was important to help them grow through the process. There were afternoons when a young artist might need to put down the brush and talk out a problem before they were able to concentrate on art. Part of Ruths motivation was to provide a better education than she experienced as a child. She said she battled dyslexia in school, a problem that set her back in a time when such learning problems were not well understood. She was a steady F student, she said. It didnt help that illness struck Floyd Nichols and he was bedfast while his wife Stella took care of him for the final years of his life. On top of that, Ruth had a missed much of her junior year at DCHS as she required surgery to fix a leg problem. Told she would need to repeat the school year, she quit school and headed for the workforce. Sixty years later, the Class of 1953 made sure she got a DCHS diploma based on her lifes experience. Out of school, she went to work at the forerunner of Henningsens, and then as a nurse aide in Columbus, where she met her husband and started a family as she turned 18. Ruth said a turning point came when at the age of 11, she worked as usher at the Crest Theater on Fourth Street. The movies offered more than escape, since it was here that she became interested in performing and in drawing and designing clothes. The theater manager allowed Ruth to get up on stage to sing to an empty house. Id sing my heart out, she said, sometimes to the chagrin of her siblings. From the time I was 12 I was somewhat of an embarrassment, she said. Scrapbooks The years have melted by, and many of the students whose photos fill Ruths scrapbooks are all grown up and some are now grandparents. She has the satisfaction of knowing that many went on to successful lives. A few ended up using their skills professionally as artists. Part of Ruths teaching skills came from her late aunt, Lilas Sanley, who died at the age of 99 in 2007. Lilas was always one of Ruths biggest supporters. She was the greatest joy of my life, Ruth said, recalling that since Lilas didnt live to 100, Ruth would have to reach that milestone. Ruth said she tried to give students the kind of education she would have wished for as a child. (Teaching) has made me a better person, Ruth said. Ive learned tons from all of these kids. It has made me feel better about how it was when I was growing up. Adapting Ruth isnt hanging up her sculpting tools or her paint brushes, but she has to create a different kind of studio at home so she can cope with macular degeneration, which began hitting hard four years ago. I dont want to sit down and watch life pass me by, she said. I have to keep going. As her sight got worse, she said she went through a period of self pity before contacting the Nebraska Commission for the Blind, which has helped her move on with her life. She said that if artist Georgia OKeefe could keep working past the age of 80 with vision problems, so could she. Giving up her car wasnt so tough, but she has had to depend on helpers to get around. She leans on friends Anna and Alan Covault, among others, and the Busy Wheels van from the Butler County Senior Services. Along with the worsening vision, she said, she has become better at identifying people by their voices. Ruth has been active in the Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art and helped build sets for youth theater. Her contributions to art and historical preservation earned her the Women in the Arts Recognition Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2012. The new award was designed to recognize worthy women at the community level for outstanding achievement in non-performing arts. The recipient is expected to have contributed to her artistic field in an outstanding manner beyond mastery of technique. Ruths nomination included this excerpt: She has no letters behind her name but has sought the instruction and advice of many in the art world, beginning with her father and uncle. Her passion for the arts is very clear to those who know her. She is extremely generous with her time and talents and her efforts will have a lasting impact on area students and the community. Ruths mural works can be found across the area: Abie Fire Hall (mural originally in the post office, completed with Abie youths.) Ulysses Community Center; St. Lukes United Methodist Church, Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Brainard; Nursing homes: North Bend, St. Josephs Villa in David City. The David City Fire Hall, the David City Library, Butler County Health Care Centers Sun Room, the Elmwood School, St. Marys Elementary. A retirement party is being planned for the Nichols Art Studio students after the Labor Day holiday on Sept. 5. Check out our latest E-Edition Accessible anytime and anywhere on your desktop, tablet and smart phone devices. The Lodi News e-Edition is enhanced with the latest digital tools, including RSS feeds, social networking and much more. Check out our latest E-edition! There were plenty of smiling faces emerging from Mean Scoil Mhuire, Longford, this morning, Wednesday, as the class of 2016 filed in to collect their Leaving Certificate results. Former Principal Paul Costello and Deputy Principal Mairead Lyons were on hand to greet the girls and Mr Costello revealed that at least three students had secured 600 points. One such pupil was Wiktoria Glogowska, who arrived to the school from Poland in her second year. I cant believe it, she beamed. I couldnt believe the As, I didnt expect it! Wiktoria now plans to study Science in University College Dublin (UCD). Clodagh Gray was also thrilled with her results and remarked on the amount of people who collected their results but didnt open them. I couldnt not open mine, she laughed, before admitting, I nearly couldnt get the envelope open! I want to do Physio in UCD hopefully - if the points dont go up, she added. Twins Patricia and Catriona OHara were all smiles as they compared results. Im happy enough now, Patricia told the Leader. I just have to wait on offers now. Im happy, Im very surprised with a few subjects, Catriona said. Aoife Gordon, who also performed exceptionally, admitted that she had felt sick before collecting her results. The nerves were unfounded, however. Im over the moon! she said, revealing that she hopes to study Medicine. Over in St Mels College there were several smiling students too, with Kelly Esezobor, who is aiming to study Economics in NUI Galway, stating; I am very happy with my results - I thought I was going to fail English but I got a B2! Nathan OToole said he was happy enough with his results, while David McCarthy said, Im happy. I did a bit better than I thought! Sadly, there were also some students who were disappointed with their results. Nikolas Podgorny admitted he was hoping for better but will wait until Monday for the first round of CAO offers to see how he will proceed. When asked if he was pleased with his results, Clayton Finn replied, not really, but pointed out that he aims to join the army as soon as they recruit again. For more on Leaving Cert 2016, see this weeks Longford Leader. Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: August 17 2016 Paris Yates sings the national anthem at the August 11 Friends of the Smithtown Library Concert. Smithtown, NY - August 15, 2016 - Paris Yates, a 2013 graduate of Smithtown High School East, is studying song writing and studio composition at SUNY Purchase. She has appeared in commercials and on Disney Channels iCarly and in Conan on TBS. In 2015, she released her first an album, titled Open Book. Ms. Yates has also sung at Citi Field for the New York Mets and most recently sang God Bless America at their game on August 14. After reading about her in The Smithtown News, Legislator Trotta contacted her mother to see if Paris would like to sing the national anthem at one of the Friends of the Smithtown Library Summer Concerts. Although it started to rain, it didnt stop Paris from singing a beautiful rendition of the national anthem. The crowd gave her a tremendous ovation, said Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta. Suffolk County Legislator Rob Trotta congratulates Paris Yates after singing the national anthem at the August 11 Friends of the Smithtown Library Concert. Legislator Robert Trotta represents the 13th Legislative District, which includes Smithtown, Fort Salonga, Kings Park, San Remo, Nissequogue, Head of the Harbor, and St. James, as well as most of East Northport and parts of Northport and Commack. Legislator Trotta serves on the Legislatures Economic Development, Environment, Planning & Agriculture, Health, Public Works, Transportation & Energy, and Ways & Means Committees. Pets & Animal, Local News, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: August 17 2016 Governor Cuomo signed legislation requiring cats and dogs used for research by higher education institutions be offered for adoption through private placement or shelters. Albany, NY - August 16, 2016 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation requiring cats and dogs used for research by higher education institutions be offered for adoption through private placement or shelter organizations. This is a humane law that, for these animals, provides the opportunity for a new lease on life, Governor Cuomo said. Dogs and cats are like members of the family for many New Yorkers and this action will allow for more four-legged friends to be adopted into a caring home. The bill (S.98-A/A.8261-A) would require the animals be deemed suitable for adoption by the attending veterinarian at the research facility. Once the research involving these dogs and cats is completed, academic institutions would then make them available to local shelters, animal rescue centers and humane societies, in order to be adopted. Numerous animals in New York are currently suitable for adoption at research institutions, yet because of barriers in the placement process, animals may instead be euthanized. Shelter organizations have expressed great interest in adopting these animals due to their status. This new legislation will save the lives of countless cats and dogs by placing them with authorized animal protective associations, which will manage their care and ensure their well-being throughout the adoption process. This legislation will also permit research facilities and adoption organizations to enter into a long-term adoption program to accept these cats and dogs on a rolling basis. Senator Phil Boyle said, When I first introduced the Research Animal Retirement Act over two years ago, I hoped that we would see this day. I commend Governor Cuomo for signing into law this measure which will allow Research Animals in New York State to find loving homes after their testing lives. I urge all New Yorkers thinking about adopting a dog or cat to consider these beautiful research animals who have given us so much. Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal said, Now that this bill has become law, research animals will finally have a chance at a second life. Research animals live their lives being poked and prodded by humans, purposefully made sick to keep us well, and they are deprived of the affection and human kindness that many dogs enjoy. After this long and often tortuous service, they are usually euthanized, ending a miserable existence. I want to thank Governor Cuomo for being a hero to our animals, and Senator Boyle, who was an amazing partner in seeing this legislation become law. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: August 17 2016 A resident of Bayville, New York, Jim Giaccone is in the running to win the Award's $100,000 grand prize donation to Tuesday's Children. Bayville, NY - August 17, 2016 - A resident of Bayville, New York, Jim Giaccone was selected as one of four national champions for children for The NASCAR Foundation's 2016 Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award presented by Nationwide. Giaccone is in the running to win the Award's $100,000 grand prize donation to Tuesday's Children. Jim Giaccone lost his older brother, Joseph, in the attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. Joseph was one of the 658 employees of the Cantor Fitzgerald financial services firm who died in the attacks. Jim grieved the loss of his brother, but knew that the best way to honor him was by giving back to others - especially children - who also were affected by the tragedy. Jim focused his time and energy into Tuesday's Children, an organization founded in 2001 and dedicated to providing long-term support to those directly impacted by the events of 9/11 and other communities impacted by terrorism and traumatic loss. As a mentor to teenage brothers Nicholas and Matthew Reda, who lost their father on 9/11, Jim and the boys find healing and comfort in one another. Jim's friendship and guidance has been a positive influence on the development of the two boys. More than 10 years and hundreds of hours of service to Tuesday's Children have given Jim many rewarding experiences. With no sign of slowing down in sight, Jim has expanded his volunteer efforts to include helping others both domestically and abroad because he lives by the organization's motto to "Let Our Past Change the Future." Jim is involved with many aspects of Tuesday's Children including raising funds, serving on the Mentoring Advisory Board, serving on the Family Advisory Board and his most significant contribution: serving as a mentor. We could not be more proud of Jim, said Terry Sears, Executive Director of Tuesdays Children. He is truly deserving of this esteemed honor. He gives so much of his time to Tuesdays Children. Jim embodies what it means to be a mentor and so successfully exhibits the Tuesdays Children long-term healing model. By helping Nicholas and Matthew cope with the loss of their dad, he is helping to heal himself. Thank you, Jim, for your magnificent dedication to our organization. Giaccone said, I am so humbled to have received this wonderful recognition. Giving my time to Tuesdays Children is such a good way for me to make a positive contribution from such a terrible tragedy. Although nobody can ever replace their loved one, I hope the time weve spent together will help Nicholas and Matthew throughout their lives. In a sense, weve really mentored each other. I am so grateful to Tuesdays Children and hope that, with your votes, I will be able to bring home the grand prize for them so that we can continue to bring even more positive into the lives of so many who have suffered so much. The Award is given annually to a dedicated individual that has made a profound impact on the lives of children in his or her local community. The Award honors the unwavering commitment that The NASCAR Foundation's Founder and Chairwoman Emeritus, Betty Jane France, has demonstrated through philanthropy and community service. The Award presentation will take place on September 27 at The NASCAR Foundation Honors Gala in New York City. The winner will be awarded a $100,000 donation to the charity he or she represents. New Yorkers are encouraged to vote for Jim with Tuesday's Children by visiting here between now and 5:00 pm ET on September 26. Fans are also encouraged to join the conversation on Facebook and on Twitter using the hashtag #BJFHAward. COLUMBUS The music will be turned up during Columbus Days as pop, rock, oldies and other hits are played by several live acts. Some are returning favorites like Rocks in a Pocket, a group of four musicians who have been playing together for about 10 years. Comprised of Steve Hurt of Columbus, Dave Williams of Osceola, Joe Cockson of Bellwood and Mike Palensky of Shelby, the acoustic band plays popular 1960s rock n roll cover songs from groups like America and The Beatles. I love to make the music. That is the funnest part. Rocks in a Pocket is really fun because we do a lot of harmonies, Hurt said. The band was originally called Three Rocks in a Pocket when Hurt, Williams and Cockson were performing together. When Palensky, a saxophone and accordion player, was added the group changed its name to Rocks in a Pocket. Hurt said many assume the name was his idea based on his love of rock collecting. But that isnt true. Dave came up with that. Im kind of a rock hound. People mistakenly think it is because of the rocks I collect. But when Dave would do his sons laundry, he would find three or four rocks in his pockets, Hurt said. That is where the name of the group came from. Hurt, who plays acoustic guitar with Williams and Cockson, said the band plays at several Columbus events, including the recent Platte County Fair where they opened for Starship featuring Mickey Thomas. They have also traveled to play in Lincoln, Omaha and other communities. The group will perform 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday for Columbus Days. The crowd should expect lots of harmony and good old-fashion rock n roll, Hurt said. Most of the bands playing have a local connection, including Freedom Road, a group that has been around for 50 years and is comprised of Murry Johnston, Don Peterson, Tim Tarnick, Ken Lee and Jan Zaura. They will hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. The high-energy dance band Eckophonic will play from 7:30-11:30 p.m. Friday. Though based in Omaha, three of the bands five members Diana Arp, Steve Busteed and Dan Maca have Columbus roots. They join vocalist Annette Eckleberry and Brian Eckleberry, who handles vocals and the keyboard. Busteed is a 1981 graduate of Columbus High School and has traveled across the country and Europe playing music. When he was 14, Busteed and two of his friends won a 4-H music contest at the Platte County Fair, earning them a spot in the Nebraska State Fair competition. They won there, too, which led to Busteed getting an agent. Music has stayed with him ever since. Performing has been a full-time occupation for Busteed for many years and he has toured nationally with country artists. I just love it, being creative and being able to play things your own way and playing stuff Eckophonic does, which is cover music, he said. Busteed said he hasnt performed in Columbus for about 15 years, since he was a member of High Heel and the Sneakers, a group that performed often at Wishbones. It will be a fun homecoming. Ive already talked to a few of my old classmates that are still around there, he said. It will be a homecoming for Arp, too. She is the newest member of Eckophonic, joining the group about two years ago after auditioning when the band needed a new guitarist. The Columbus connection between herself, Busteed and Maca was a coincidence and not discovered until she was in the group for a few months. Arp attended Scotus Central Catholic until her junior year, then went on to graduate from Skutt Catholic High School in Omaha. She said her whole family is musical. Growing up, she did a lot of singing and took up the guitar in high school. Though she had been in bands before, Arp wanted to be part of a more professional group. That is why she auditioned for Eckophonic. Its a blast. What makes it fun is the other people in the band, she said. Eckophonic has been around for about seven years and plays music from all eras, including Top 40 covers along with music from the 1980s and 1990s. The group plays mostly in Omaha and travels for summer festivals. Arp said she enjoys making the human connection with people through music and is looking forward to performing in Columbus. I remember going to see live music when I was a kid growing up in Columbus. You dont get a lot of live music there, she said. Other groups performing during Columbus Days include Barrel House Blues Band from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, the classic rock band The Smoke Ring from 8:30-11:30 p.m. Saturday and Harmony Boys at 1 p.m. Sunday. 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 COLUMBUS A 23-year-old Columbus man accused of sexual assault of a minor and identity theft after authorities discovered the 14-year-old girl he had been dating for more than a year was pregnant is set for an October trial in district court. Platte County District Court Judge Robert Steinke scheduled Francisco Batz-Chicaj for an Oct. 11 trial on charges of first-degree sexual assault and identity theft-$5,000 or more in connection with a sexual relationship that was discovered in late March when the teen sought treatment for a medical issue. The defendant has been free from jail on bond since early April. First-degree sexual assault of a minor is a Class 2 felony, punishable by up to 50 years in prison. Identity theft is a Class 2A felony that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars. Court documents in the case describe a Columbus Police investigation that got underway March 25 with the report of the girls pregnancy. Investigator Jaymee Levander wrote in her probable cause arrest statement that the victim reported having sex with the defendant in a city park about two months earlier. During an interview with police, the defendant admitted the sexual contact and time frame and said he had been dating the victim for about 15 months, the investigator wrote in her statement. Levander said the defendant was aware the victim was pregnant and said he had plans to marry her when she turned 18. The victim believed the defendant was 20 years old, the investigator wrote. Batz-Chicaj was in possession of several pieces of false identification when arrested, including a Missouri ID card, Visa debit card, work ID card for a local manufacturing plant, Pinnacle Bank Visa card, Guatemala Department of Transit card and Consular ID card. Levander said the defendant reported he got the identification cards from a friend who died and the cards were for the purposes of employment and banking. Driver charged after pursuit MADISON A 48-year-old man was taken into custody Monday evening after leading law enforcement on a pursuit that ended in a cornfield near Humphrey. According to the Madison County Sheriff's Office, Edward Wilson, who provided a DeMotte, Indiana, address, was charged with theft by receiving stolen property and operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest following the incident that began around 4 p.m. Monday. The sheriff's office said a vehicle reportedly stolen in Norfolk was spotted by a Madison Police officer heading south on U.S. Highway 81. The driver continued south on the highway before additional law enforcement personnel from the sheriff's offices in Madison and Platte counties and Nebraska State Patrol joined the pursuit in the Humphrey area. Wilson reportedly fled from law enforcement again before abandoning the vehicle in a rural driveway and running into a cornfield. He was apprehended after a search involving multiple canine units and the State Patrol helicopter and transferred to the Madison County Jail. Detention Center The inmate count at the Platte County Detention Facility on Tuesday was 75, with 46 from Platte County and 29 from out of county. Police July 18 5:55 a.m. In the 2700 block of Kummer Drive, Dustin Pospisil, 20, 2465 Kummer Drive, was cited for disturbing the peace and minor in possession/consumption of alcohol. Darren Braithwait, 34, 3817 Adamy St., was cited for procuring alcohol for a minor and third-degree assault. July 20 1 p.m. At 2903 20th St., Julie Allbee, 51, Aurora, was cited for burglary. July 21 11:30 a.m. At 2903 23rd St., Justyn Franklin, 27, 1859 25th Ave., was cited for theft by deception. July 26 11:51 p.m. At 456 20th Ave., Andrew Hardesty, 29, 452 13th Ave., was cited for a sex offender registration act violation. Aug. 10 12:57 p.m. On 38th Street, east of 48th Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Brandon Ondrako, 47, Watertown, Minnesota, and Ricky Terry, 51, 3997 63rd Ave. 2:47 p.m. At the intersection of East 23rd Street and East Sixth Avenue, traffic accident. Drivers were Jennifer Litz, 36, Genoa, and Jon Pupera, 52, Genoa. 4:49 p.m. At the intersection of 26th Avenue and 18th Street, traffic accident. Drivers were Erik Brown, 18, 2217 24th St., and Rosario Espino, 26, 2614 19th St. 10:38 p.m. At the intersection of 33rd Avenue and 23rd Street, a vehicle driven by Seth Albert, 17, 3804 12th St., No. 2, lost control and struck a Loup Power District pole. Aug. 14 6:05 p.m. Theft at 2449 Kummer Drive, bicycle stolen, no loss amount. Sheriff Aug. 4 9:45 p.m. On 535th Avenue, 11.5 miles southwest of Lindsay, a vehicle driven by Jeffrey Kurtenbach, 42, St. Edward, struck a cow owned by Ronald Nygren, 42570 535th Ave. Aug. 12 2:36 a.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of Highway 91 and 220th Avenue, Paige Pauley of Iowa cited for speeding. 3:54 a.m. Traffic violation at the intersection of Highway 91 325th Avenue, Isai Gutierrez of Madison cited for speeding. 8:44 a.m. Traffic violation at mile marker 124 on U.S. Highway 81, Kimberlee Ann Bush of Colorado cited for speeding. 10:16 p.m. Traffic violation west of the intersection of 355th Avenue and Highway 91, Joseph Eaves of Kentucky was cited for speeding. Aug. 13 12:32 a.m. On U.S. Highway 30 eastbound into Colfax County, Dylan Phelps of Crete cited for reckless driving, possession of marijuana-one ounce or less and possession of drug paraphernalia. Aug. 14 9:55 a.m. Criminal mischief at 26360 247th Ave., No. 520, window damaged, $200 loss. 9:33 p.m. In the Tailrace area, $150 loss. Aug. 15 6:19 a.m. Traffic violation east of 63rd Avenue on Lost Creek Parkway, Timothy Aerni of Columbus cited for engine braking. 6:49 a.m. Traffic violation east of 63rd Avenue on Lost Creek Parkway, William Christman of St. Edward cited for engine braking. 2:22 p.m. Traffic violation on U.S. Highway 30 at the Colfax County line, Yosvani Rodriguez of Columbus cited for an expired registration. 10:10 p.m. Wanted person at the Platte County Detention Facility, 1127 E. 17th St., Kasey Foulk of Columbus turned self in on a Platte County warrant. Fire Aug. 12 8:09 a.m. In the 4500 block of 38th Street, medical. 1:26 p.m. - In the 2900 block of 41st Avenue, medical. 2:36 p.m. Mutual aid accident on C Road in Colfax County. 8:26 p.m. Alarm activated in the 2100 block of 33rd Avenue, gas leak. 8:48 p.m. In the 1400 block of 34th Avenue, medical. Aug. 13 7:54 a.m. In the 4000 block of 38th Street, medical. 9:05 a.m. In the 1100 block of 15th Street, medical. 2:03 p.m. In the 3300 block of Kummer Drive, medical. 3:21 p.m. Silent fire alarm in the 2200 block of 83rd Street, food smoker on fire, out on arrival. 5:38 p.m. Four-wheeler accident by Black Bridge, one patient transported. Aug. 15 12:21 p.m. - In the 4000 block of 38th Street, medical. 12:46 p.m. - In the 3400 block of 51st Avenue, medical. 6:15 p.m. - In the 3300 block of 83rd Street, medical. Aug. 16 3:03 a.m. - In the 1600 block of 40th Avenue, medical. 6:36 a.m. - In the 3100 block of East 26th Street, medical. On Aug. 15, the Pentagon announced the transfer of 15 Guantanamo detainees to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Twelve of the men are Yemenis and the remaining three are citizens of Afghanistan. The leaked Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO) dossier for one of the Afghans, Haji Hamidullah, contains intelligence connecting the Iranian and Pakistani intelligence services to the insurgency in Afghanistan. The intelligence reports cited by JTF-GTMO paint a complex picture of the insurgency, tying together various actors all opposed to the American presence. The Long War Journal first profiled Hamidullah, relying on the allegations in the leaked JTF-GTMO threat assessment, in 2011. [See LWJ report, The Gitmo Files: An agent of Iran.] In its threat assessment, dated Apr. 23, 2008, JTF-GTMO deemed Hamidullah to be a HIGH risk, as he is likely to pose a threat to the US, its interests and allies. JTF-GTMO recommended that Hamidullah be retained in the Department of Defenses custody. President Obamas Guantanamo Review Task Force later determined that Hamidullah should be held as a law of war detainee according to governments authority under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). As the task force explained in its Jan. 2010 report, Hamidullah and dozens of other detainees were considered too dangerous to transfer but not feasible for prosecution. Hamidullah was subsequently approved for transfer by a Periodic Review Board (PRB) in Feb. 2016. The PRB cited Hamidullahs good behavior while in detention, as well as his age and health problems, as reasons for its decision. The PRB also concluded that Hamidullah does not support a jihadist ideology and there was a lack of clear information regarding his involvement with al Qaeda or the Taliban. However, military and intelligence professionals previously assessed that Hamidullah led a group tied to both Hezb-e lslami Gulbuddin (HIG) and the Taliban that planned multiple attacks against coalition forces in Afghanistan. They also found that Hamidullah was a key HIG commander with multiple ties to the Taliban and al Qaedas network. Gulbuddin Hekmatyars duplicitous fundamentalism HIG has been one of the most duplicitous and adaptable organizations in Afghanistans bloody history, receiving the support of multiple state actors to achieve its goals. In some ways, JTF-GTMOs dossier for Hamidullah is consistent with what is known about the career of the HIGs founder and leader, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Hekmatyar first earned international infamy during the jihad against the Soviets in the 1980s. During his time in American custody, Hamidullah admitted to being a member of the HIG since the early 1980s. Multiple sources confirm that Hekmatyar and his men were favored by Pakistans intelligence service. This became controversial for the CIA, which worked closely with Pakistans Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Directorate to fund, arm and train the mujahideen. Former CIA officer Milt Bearden helped oversee Americas shadow war in Afghanistan. In The Main Enemy: The Inside Story of the CIAs Final Showdown with the KGB (coauthored with reporter James Risen), Bearden described his meetings with Hekmatyar. Bearden noted that Hekmatyar refused to meet with President Ronald Reagan during a high-profile show of support for the Afghan war. Bearden characterized his encounters with Hekmatyar as tense. Of all the mujahideen leaders he dealt with, Bearden wrote, only Hekmatyar would count as an enemy, and a dangerous one. Bearden continued: And, ironically, I would never be able to shake the allegations that the CIA had chosen this paranoid radical as its favorite, that we were providing this man who had directly insulted the President of the United States with more than his share of the means to fight the Soviets. Whether the CIA was reluctant to partner with Hekmatyar or not, Hekmatyar and his men did benefit from American support, receiving shipments of Stinger missiles that proved crucial to the anti-Soviet effort. According to Bearden, one of Hekmatyars commanders led the Stinger team that brought down the first Soviet MI-24D helicopters in Afghanistan. In the end, Bearden claimed, Hekmatyar was disliked by both the Americans and the Soviets, with the latter spreading disinformation about Hekmatyars exploits. More conspiratorial accounts tried to portray Hekmatyar as some sort of double agent for the Soviets all along. Hekmatyars group was supported by Pakistani intelligence through the early 1990s. By the middle part of the decade, however, the Taliban was ascendant. After briefly serving as Afghanistans prime minister, Hekmatyar lost the struggle for power. The Pakistani establishment preferred Mullah Omars extremists for its own reasons. Hekmatyar decamped for Iran in the mid-1990s, staying in the mullahs country for the next several years. Hekmatyar opposed the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001. The Iranians eventually expelled him in 2002. The CIA quickly tried, and failed, to kill him in a Predator drone strike that same year. Like Hekmatyar, Hamidullah first fought in the war against the Soviets, spent time in Iran, and allegedly returned to the fight in Afghanistan after the US-led invasion. The intelligence contained in JTF-GTMOs leaked assessment provides important clues as to how the HIG evolved over time, including the support Hekmatyars men continued to receive from Iran. An alleged agent of Iran The most important allegations in JTF-GTMOs threat assessment concern Hamidullahs suspected ties to Iran. JTF-GTMOs analysts described Hamidullah as an agent of the Iranian Savama (Ministry of Intelligence and Security) who was closely associated with the Taliban, the HIG and al Qaeda. While in US custody, Hamidullah denied that he was member of the HIG from late 2001 onward. But JTF-GTMO concluded he was an active HIG commander at the time of his capture in 2003. JTF-GTMO described Hamidullah as one of the most significant former Afghan HIG members detained at Guantanamo because of his extensive involvement in anti-Coalition activities. Afghanistans National Directorate of Security (NDS) identified him as a HIG commanderclosely connected to Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. The NDS also reported that Hamidullah was responsible for explosions and murdered 71 people. HIG wasnt the only terrorist organization Hamidullah served, according to JTF-GTMO. Intelligence reports cited in Hamidullahs file demonstrate a high degree of coordination between the various insurgency groups, including al Qaeda, as well as the intelligence services that support them. While the Guantanamo PRB would later characterize Hamidullahs ties to the Taliban and al Qaeda as suspect, some of the intelligence appears to be concrete. In mid-February 2003, JTF-GTMO noted, Hamidullah communicated with other commanders and al Qaeda elements in Afghanistan and Pakistan using a Thuraya satellite phone. The post-9/11 story pieced together by JTF-GTMO analysts begins in January 2002, when Hamidullah and his father (described as a HIG leader) left Meshad, Iran a common transit point for al Qaeda and Taliban fighters for Kabul. They allegedly did so at the behest of Iranian intelligence. Upon arriving in Afghanistan, father and son stayed with Iranian supported warlord Ismail Khan. Khan, a longtime mujahideen commander, had fled the Talibans Afghanistan for Iran in the 1990s. He returned to Afghanistan, became of the governor of the western province of Herat, and eventually assumed the title of Minister of Water and Energy. Khans relationship with Iran is well-known, but he has repeatedly tried to portray it in the best possible light, downplaying any nefarious implications. However, if the intelligence cited in Hamidullahs file is accurate, then Khans Iranian ties deserve reexamination. In December 2005, more than two years after Hamidullah was captured, representatives of Khan reportedly met with two Pakistanis and three Iranians to discuss the planning of terrorist acts and to create better lines of communication between the HIG and Taliban. In Kabul, Hamidullah also reportedly stayed with his close friend and fellow HIG operative, Mullah Ezat Ullah, who was an Iranian intelligence affiliated Taliban sub-commander in Kabul responsible for many terrorist attacks against coalition forces. Ullah is believed to be responsible for the 12 October 2005 rocket attacks on the Canadian Ambassadors residence in Kabul. Hamidullah himself was allegedly involved in numerous terrorist plots. In early October 2002, according to the leaked JTF-GTMO file, Hamidullah attempted to smuggle US-made man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) into the region surrounding Kabul International Airport. Hamidullah attempted to recruit a HIG member to transport missiles to the airport for an attack against Hamid Karzais presidential aircraft. That same month, Hamidullah planned attacks against US helicopters using multiple Chinese MANPADS acquired by Hekmatyar and plotted a coordinated attack with Taliban operatives to assassinate a moderate Afghan cleric. It is not clear what came of all these plots, but the intelligence reports clearly indicated that the Afghan insurgency groups worked in concert. Reporting from November 2002 indicated that Hamidullah attended monthly meetings between HIG and Taliban members to discuss future operations. The Talibans former deputy minister of agriculture reportedly attended these meetings. The coordinated action did not stop there. According to JTF-GTMO: December 2002 reporting linked [Hamidullah] to a Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISID) initiative to create an office in Peshawar combining elements of the Taliban, HIG, and al Qaeda. The goal of the initiative was to plan and execute various terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. Members were to attack the foreign headquarters in Kabul in late January 2003. On Jan. 25, 2003, Kabul police officials recovered thirty BM-12 rockets emplaced by Hamidullah. The rockets were part of a HIG plan to attack French military members located at the airport. Several months later, in May 2003, Hamidullah reportedly led a Taliban-associated thirty-man group which planned an attack against the NDS headquarters. Then, in July 2003, HIG leadership tasked [Hamidullah] to conduct a suicide attack against US and coalition forces. Hamidullahs capture at the home of an alleged al Qaeda financier and more Iranian ties Hamidullah was captured on July 31, 2003, along with a dozen others, by Afghan soldiers at the home of an al Qaeda financier identified as Raouf Bari. The leaked file cites an Afghan source with direct access and a reliable reporting history as saying that Baris capture would cut off one leg and one arm of al Qaeda. The al Qaeda money man and his cohorts did not go down easily, however. The raid at Baris home that netted Hamidullah was met with resistance and resulted in one dead and two wounded. Hamidullahs capture likely disrupted ongoing plots, according to JTF-GTMOs assessment. He had requested BM-21 rockets from Saifullah Rahman Mansour for a planned attack against [the International Security Assistance Forces] Camp Julien in Kabul. Mansour, who was subsequently killed, is repeatedly described in the leaked Guantanamo files as a Taliban commander backed by Iran. For instance, JTF-GTMO found that Mansour and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar had received two million US dollars from Iranian sources to provide the HIG operational front money for [anti-Coalition] activities. In March 2002, Time reported that Mansour had become a new icon for the Taliban after his men downed a US helicopter and killed seven American soldiers. Time reported that Mansour was harboring dozens of al Qaeda fighters. The rockets from Mansour were scheduled to arrive sometime during the first two weeks of August 2003. Hamidullah was detained just days earlier. After Hamidullahs capture, according to another intelligence report cited in the file, HIG officials discussed what to do with Hamidullahs weapons cache, including an unknown amount of BM-12 rockets. Another former Guantanamo detainee, Ali Shah Mousavi, was also suspected of serving as a liaison between Mansour and Iranian intelligence. JTF-GTMOs analysts described Mousavi as an agent of influence for Iran and the leaked threat assessment for him cites a number of intelligence reports regarding Irans clandestine network. Mousavi was transferred to Afghanistan in 2006. Under questioning, Hamidullah disavowed any role in Afghan insurgency from 2001 to 2003, including any ties to Mansour. Instead, Hamidullah claimed he was working to pave the way for King Zahir Shahs return to Afghanistan. US analysts and interrogators did not believe his denials, finding his account to be only partially truthful. With respect to his actions inside Afghanistan, JTF-GTMO found his story to be fabricated. In addition to multiple intelligence reports, part of the reason JTF-GTMOs analysts did not buy Hamidullahs story was his knowledge of key actors in the insurgency. The leaked file several key personalities Hamidullah accurately identified during questioning. All of them were connected to both the Taliban and al Qaeda. One such individual is Waheedullah Sabawoon the HIGs former intelligence chief who broke with Hekmatyar to join the Northern Alliance in the 1990s. In 2004, Syed Saleem Shahzad of the Asia Times reported that Sabawoon switched sides once again in late 2001 and called a meeting of about 150 Islamic-minded commanders in Kabul to determine the role of Islamic forces in the post-Taliban period. The meeting was raided and Sabawoon jailed, only to be later freed. Shahzad reported that Sabawoon was named Minister of Tribal Affairs because the Karzai administration felt the need for strong ethnic Pashtun connections to build its power base against the rising popularity of the resistance movement in southern Afghanistan. But the leaked JTF-GTMO threat assessment for Hamidullah references a stunning intelligence report on Sabawoons alleged activities. In November 2005, according to the file, Sabawoon provided [anti-Coalition] fighters with Iranian supplied weapons in the Kunar and Kandahar provinces. Sabawoons associates are listed as Jalaluddin Haqqani and top Taliban commanders such as Mullah Baradar and the deceased Mullah Dadullah. The leaked JTF-GTMO file for Haji Hamidullah links Waheedullah Sabawoon, Ismail Khan, Saifullah Mansour, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Mullah Ezat Ullah, and Hamidullah himself to Iran. The intelligence reports cited in the file cannot be independently evaluated because they are not available to the public. But JTF-GTMOs analysts obviously thought they were credible and important enough to include in the threat assessment. HIGH intelligence value According to JTF-GTMOs assessment in 2008, US officials concluded that Hamidullah was hiding key details. US officials found that Hamidullahs intelligence value was high because they determined that he had been well-placed within the Afghan insurgency and knew some of its darkest secrets. Hamidullahs placement and access provided him with knowledge of many of the key individuals, decisions, and activities during HIGs tenure as enemies of Soviet forces, the Taliban government aggressors against the new Afghan government, the US, and Coalition forces, JTF-GTMOs analysts wrote. Hamidullah probably has significant information on HIG, Taliban, and al Qaeda personnel still active today, the analysts concluded. A few lines in JTF-GTMOs assessment point to not only Iranian support for the insurgency, but also possible Russian links. The analysts wrote: Detainee probably has information on Russian and Iranian support to HIG and the Taliban efforts against the Afghan government. Another of the analysts lines referred to black-market weapons networks and HIG connections to Russian and Iranian intelligence agencies. The Iranian ties are well-documented in the leaked files, but it is not clear what specific Russian role the American analysts thought Hamidullah may have known about. Regardless, as Hamidullahs and the HIGs story shows, the war in Afghanistan has often made for strange bedfellows. Thomas Joscelyn is a Senior Fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Senior Editor for FDD's Long War Journal. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Russian defense officials confirmed on Tuesday that its warplanes are staging from an air base in Irans western province of Hamedan to launch sorties against jihadist and rebel groups in Syria. The confirmation follows yesterdays report by the Arab outlet Al Masdar. The Russian defense ministry reported that Tupolev-22M3 bombers and Sukhoi-34 strike fighters took off from Hamedan and hit targets in the provinces of Aleppo, Idlib, and Deir al Zour today. The Russian defense ministry has also reportedly requested permission from the Iraqi and Iranian governments to use their airspace for launching cruise missiles. These developments facilitate Russian operations in Syria in support of Bashar Assad, an ally of both Moscow and Tehran. Contrary to extant Western reporting, however, this would not be the first time that Russian bombers have used the base in Hamedan to launch operations in Syria since the Kremlins military intervention began in October 2015. AllSource satellite imagery in December 2015 identified Russian planes at the same military base in the western Iranian province of Hamedan, also known as Shahid Nozheh Air Base (as analyzed here by the American Enterprise Institute). The Russian Air Force, however, has primarily flown its jets from Mozdok military base in southern Russia along a corridor through the Caspian Sea, Iran, and Iraq to strike targets in Syria, as noted by The Aviationist. There has been an uptick in high-level meetings between Iranian and Russian officials over the past two months, where the two sides have discussed Syria and increasing bilateral cooperation. Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, attended a meeting between the Iranian and Russian defense ministers in Tehran in early June. Shamkhani followed up with a trip to Moscow later that month, where he met with senior Russian defense officials. It was Shamkhani who confirmed to Iranian media the report of Russian jets using Irans airbase. The senior Iranian official hailed Russo-Iranian cooperation against terrorism as strategic, and noted that Iran would put its facilities at Russias disposal in its war against terrorism. As noted by the Associated Press, American officials are said to have been cognizant of such an eventuality, but surprised at Moscows recent decision to deploy aircraft in Hamedan. That same report cited a senior Russian lawmaker who framed the move as largely financial. State Department Spokesman Mark Toner, however, said in a press conference that the move would not necessarily shut the door for prospective US-Russia military collaboration in Syria. Toner also announced that the deployment of Russian bombers to Iran may violate United Nations Security Council 2231, which endorses the Iran nuclear deal also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and prohibits arms transfers to Iran for five years (Russia has a permanent seat at the Security Council). The use of the Hamedan air base is a logical step for both Iran and Russia. The Russian air base in Hmeimim, Syria cannot house large Russian bombers. Hamedan has an extensive military complex capable of hosting large bombers safe from immediate military threats. This substantially trims the flying time of Russian missions by a reported 60 percent, and allows bombers to carry at least double in payloads, thus increasing the tempo and firepower of Russian aerial operations in Syria. Russia may also use Hamedan air base as a transit point for refueling and transferring munitions for bombing raids, while restocking supplies in Russian bases. For its part, Tehran may have sought weapons deals in exchange for Russian access to Hamedan base, according to a senior Moscow-based analyst cited by The Wall Street Journal. Iranian media outlets close to the IRGC reported that the Iranian armed forces had purchased AK-103 assault rifles from Russia. The sale of small arms are not covered under resolution 2231. The latest developments indicate that Russia will rely more on Irans military air base to conduct sorties. It also suggests that Russia and Iran do not plan to draw down their support for the Assad regime in Syria any time soon, and that they are ready to boost bilateral military cooperation in new ways if need be. The war in Syria is at a critical moment now, as pro-regime and opposition forces fight for the control of Aleppo. Behnam Ben Taleblu is a Senior Iran Analyst at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Amir Toumaj is a Research Analyst at Foundation for Defense of Democracies. 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. COLUMBUS U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse made his second appearance in Columbus in two weeks, touching more on political issues than government services during Tuesday's visit. Traffic issues caused by an anti-gun protest pushed back Sasse's arrival to an Aug. 2 meeting in Columbus and altered his plans to speak about constituent services. But Sasse brought a number of representatives from his office to town Tuesday morning to assist the crowd with any federal issues they may be experiencing. Sasse and members of his staff have been conducting a series of meetings across the state to listen to constituents and provide help with Social Security, veterans benefits and other federal programs. Though the meetings are meant to focus on government functions, not politics, Sasse again fielded questions from the crowd during the hourlong meeting at the American Legion that attracted about 50 people. The questions were strongly geared toward Sasses opposition to both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominees, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, and his unwillingness to vote for either candidate. There were also questions about his stance on education, respecting the American flag and trade agreements. Things got a little heated when one attendee asked Sasse about his stance on the Flag Desecration Amendment, a previously proposed constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to ban desecration of the American flag instead of maintaining its protection under the First Amendment. Thats a complicated one, Sasse responded. I believe that the meaning of America centers on the First Amendment and so while I personally would want to go and rough up anybody who tried to demean the flag, I really dont want the government involved with trying to police speech. The man then stated that the flag is a symbol of freedom that soldiers fought for, not a free speech issue. The flag is a critically important symbol of what unites us as a people, but Im really resistant to the idea of the federal government passing more laws that limit debate, Sasse replied, adding that today's culture is more about not hurting someones feelings than free speech. I dont want to disappoint you, he said to the man, but my guess is that its not something Im in favor of supporting. Sasse ended the conversation by saying men and women have died for our freedom and the flag is a symbol of that, including freedom of speech. The senator said he believes that freedom would be compromised by passing the Flag Desecration Amendment. Dianne Newell, who moved here from California in 2000, asked Sasse about trade and job outsourcing while mentioning she has sisters who lost their jobs after companies relocated to other countries to reduce costs. Sasse used welders at Nucor Corporation in Norfolk as an example, saying the median household income in Nebraska is $50,000 but welding jobs at Nucor pay more than $70,000 annually. Mike Rowe, the 'Dirty Jobs' guy, talks constantly about how many great welding jobs there are in America that we cant fill, Sasse said to Newell. So first off, as a bit of good news, there are a lot of jobs out there that are important and add value for your neighbor and are high-paying that we cant fill right now because were not training our kids to work hard. The real issue, he said, lies with what leads to companies transitioning jobs out of the country. In the 1970s, he said, the average tenure at a job was 26 years, but today its less than four years. Sasse said while trade can feel scary and disruptive, Americans dont have the same work ethic to fill every job opening available. Rather than trying to stop trade, Sasse said people need to be trained better. He used his 15-year-old daughter as an example, telling the crowd he sent her to work on a Holt County cattle ranch earlier this year. She was helping deliver baby cows. She was tagging and vaccinating and driving a pickup in the middle of the night to match a newborn baby with its mama, Sasse explained after the meeting. Larry Kaufmann, a Columbus resident for the past seven years, piggybacked on that topic, asking how youths are supposed to pay for college or trade school to get these types of jobs. Sasse concluded the meeting by answering this question. Were creating a world where a lot of people think if theres anything wrong in the world, we should just hope that the government solves it for us and we just sort of want to give more and more of our power, more of our energy, more and more of our emotional consciousness, our hopes, to Washington. That is a terrible idea, Sasse said. Cars / Yachts The new YACHT STYLE 35 brings us a wealth of information on sailing and paves the way for the SINGAPORE RENDEZVOUS in the next issue. Aug 17, 2016 | By Vimi Haridasan To accompany the summer season, YACHT STYLE issue 35 celebrates sailing and everything that surrounds it. Indeed, during a season synonymous with breaking away with family and friends, what better occasion to pause, enjoy and cherish what Mother Nature has given us: sea, sun, wind. In the new issue, YACHT STYLE features Sails Over Asia that takes a closer look at the development of sailing in the Asia-Pacific region. The feature explores how local governments are aiding the local heroes to excel at international competitions such as the ongoing Olympic Games. From launching various initiatives to encouraging investment in infrastructure and events, we get a chance to learn more about sailing in Asia. Rounding up the feature, is the now well-established year-round Asian regatta circuit. An exclusive first in Asia, YACHT STYLE 35 also explores the ROYAL HUISMAN Sea Eagle that was recently sold to a Taiwanese owner. In addition, readers will be treated to the different facets of what sailing units have to offer, with the high performance ALIBI 64 that was built in a Thai shipyard. The coastline of the Philippines is explored, on board a JEANNEAU Sun Odyssey 409, while the DUNIA BARU, that is a 51-metre phinisi, brings us the scenic Komodo Island. Looking ahead, YACHT STYLE issue 36 will showcase, for the first time, the top 100 Superyachts in the Asia-Pacific and review all the happenings from the international yachting season. The upcoming issue will be released during the highly anticipated luxury lifestyle event, SINGAPORE RENDEZVOUS. Set at the Raffles Marina, the event will be held over four days from October 20 to 23. The event promises an interesting line-up that includes fine art, luxury timepieces, yachts, vintage cars, delectable gastronomy, champagne and luxury charters. A highlight of the event, is the tall-ship ROYAL ALBATROSS which will sit on the water alongside other big names in the regions yachting industry. For those who cant wait to get behind the wheel, more than 30 units will be available for sea trials, sale and charter. For more information, info@lux-inc.com Instagram @yachtstyle and www.singaporerendezvous.com Tata Housing, one of the fastest growing real estate companies in India, today announced the Book your home and fly to Rio offer on its project Rio-De-Goa, launched in 2015 amidst much celebration. Home buyers who book apartments at Rio-De-Goa before 31st August 2016, can avail return tickets to Rio de Janeiro, the ultimate carnival destination. Bookings are open online now at Rs. 30,000 for 2 and 3 BHK residences starting at Rs. 67 lakh onwards. Rajeeb Dash, AVP Sales & Marketing, Tata Housing said, As the country pins all hopes on the worlds biggest sporting event in Rio de Janeiro, Tata Housing brings hope to home buyers looking to own their leisure homes in Indias carnival destination Goa along with the excitement of an opportunity to visit the vibrant city of Rio. Spread across 5 acres, Rio-De-Goa is a premium resort themed residential project offering 2BHK and 3BHK homes. It is strategically located, in close proximity to the Goa International Airport at Dabolim and only 4-5 km from Bogmalo and Hollant beaches. This project is equipped with unique life style amenities including a roof top jacuzzi pool and sky cafe, a centrally located active green zone, all of which make it an ultimate destination for leisure homes. About Tata Housing Established in 1984, Tata Housing is a closely held public limited company and a subsidiary of TATA Sons Limited. TATA Sons Limited holds 99.86% of equity share capital of the company. Since its revival in 2006, the company has grown exponentially establishing itself as the fastest growing real estate developers in India with 70 million sq. under various stages of planning and execution and an additional 19 million sq. feet in the pipeline. Tata Housing has stood out in the industry with quality construction, ethical and transparent business practices, rapidly acquiring an image as a Quality Conscious and Reliable Developer. Today, Tata Housing is developing large townships and differentiated theme based projects in major and mini metros. As a comprehensive real estate developer of choice, Tata Housing straddles across all consumer segments from value to luxury housing, by offering products ranging from Rs. 12 lakhs to Rs. 14 crores. All projects developed by Tata Housing are certified sustainable green developments, designed by top internationally renowned architects. With strength of over 700 employees, and presence in Mumbai, Lonavala, Talegaon, Pune, Ahmedabad Goa, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata and Bhubaneswar; the company is now in the process of expanding its footprints to other parts of India across tier I and II cities. The company has also ventured into foreign markets such as Maldives and is actively exploring other markets including Sri Lanka and other South Asian countries. Tata Housing has been receiving various industry recognitions and accolades, both on domestic and international platforms. For further information, please contact: Tata Housing Amit Nanda | amitnanda@tatahousing.com Rediffusion/Edelman Rajni Arora | Rajni.Arora@edelman.com New Delhi: BJP leader Alphons Kannanthanam had been appointed as the administrator of Chandigarh in the rank of Lieutenant Governor. For 40 years, Punjab Governor was holding the additional charge of Chandigarh administrator. Meanwhile, this was the top post being given to a BJP leader hailing from Kerala and Home Minister Rajnath Singh himself informed Mr Kannanthanam about his new post. Kannanthanam entered politics by leaving his IAS position. Alphons who currently serving as the BJP National executive member joined the Bharatiya Janatha Party in 2011. Meanwhile, Mr Kannanthanam who is presently in Kerala said that he will soon take up the charge. OOS International BV has appointed Dr. Ng Pock Too as the Deputy Chairman of OOS Asia-Pacific Private Limited, a subsidiary of OOS International B.V., with effect from 28-July-2016. Dr. Ng will also serve as a supervisory board member to OOS International B.V.. Dr. Ng will play an active role in establishing OOS brand name in Asia Pacific, primarily in the area of business development, partnerships, securing new revenues and strategic funding to enable OOSs business strategy. We are extremely delighted and thankful to have Dr. Ng, a dedicated and honourable leader, on board our OOS family. He brings a wealth of experience and know-how to the company and we look forward to growing the company to new heights - Leon Overdulve, Chairman OOS International and Asia-Pacific Dr. Ng has served a distinguished career in the public sector. He has served as Deputy Director of EDB from 1968 to 1982, Singapore Trade Development Board as CEO in 1983, Political Secretary to Singapores late founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew from 1984 till 1990, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee for Defence and Foreign Affairs from 1988 to 1991, Member of Parliament, Executive Secretary of the Singapore Port Workers' Union from 1986 to 1990, Deputy SecretaryGeneral of the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) from 1987 to 1990 and Chairman of the Board of Directors of NTUC Income Insurance from 1990 to 2005. In addition, Dr Ng. has also assumed key appointments in MNCs namely Group CEO of the Sembawang Group from 1990 to 1994 and President of Asia Pacific (investment, finance, talent management and marketing strategy) of Hamilton Sundstrand corporation (United Technology Corporation) from 1994 to 2007. He has served on the Advisory Board of Huisman Equipment BV since 2011 and is also an independent director on the Board of Kikkoman Singapore. In a historically weak contracting environment the cruise sector has seen a strong level of newbuild ordering and investment in the year to date, says a research report by Clarkson. Cruise lines have continued to expand their fleets, with new markets such as China in their sights. While a number of yards have benefitted from this firm level of newbuilding activity, they have all been European and the region remains dominant in the cruise sector. In the first seven months of 2016, 17 cruise ships of a total 45,420 passenger berths have been reported contracted, already surpassing the 11 ships (33,788 berths) ordered in full year 2015. Cruise ship ordering can be cyclical in nature as shipbuilding capacity is limited and owners tend to contract cruise ships in series, restricting slot availability. Following low levels of ordering in 2008 and 2009, cruise investment has increased and an estimated $10.4bn of orders have been reported in 2016 so far. With newbuilding activity in the major volume sectors limited in the year to date, the cruise sector accounts for 49% of global estimated contract investment. Generally, owners have been ordering larger cruise ships in recent years and over half of the vessels ordered in 2016 so far have a capacity of between 3,000 and 5,000 berths. Compared to ships contracted between 1996 and 2000, the average berth capacity of cruise newbuilds ordered since the start of 2014 has nearly doubled to c.3,000 berths. However, there has also been increased interest in smaller cruise ships of 1,000 berths or fewer and seven of these vessels have been reported ordered in 2016 so far. A relatively small number of shipbuilders are active in the cruise sector and the market is dominated by European yards. Of the 15 shipbuilders currently with a cruise vessel on order, only Japans Mitsubishi HI and US yard Nichols Bros are not European. In terms of capacity, European yards account for 98% of the global cruise orderbook (54 ships of a combined 143,722 berths). Three German yards, Italys Fincantieri Groups and STX Frances shares of the orderbook total 35%, 31% and 19% respectively in passenger berth terms. However, the recent joint venture between Fincantieri, China State Shipbuilding Corporation and US group Carnival may see Chinese shipyards take a share of future orders. Five US companies account for half of estimated cruise ship investment in the year to date, largely due to orders placed by the Carnival Group. A number of owners have been targeting the growing Chinese cruise market and two 5,000 berth ships ordered by Genting Hong Kong earlier this year are reported to be among the first designed for Chinese tastes. Meanwhile, European owners MSC, Hurtigruten and Saga Cruises have ordered a total of five ships in 2016 so far. Year to date ordering in the cruise sector is already nearing full year records. Cruise lines have been investing heavily, many seeking to expand their operations in the Chinese market. In an otherwise challenging shipbuilding market, this has provided some good news for a number of European cruise shipbuilders. A passenger ferry with hundreds of passengers caught fire off Puerto Rico on Wednesday, and the U.S. Coast Guard and local crews were rescuing people aboard, officials said. U.S. Coast Guard and local police were helping more than 500 passengers and crew members on the American Cruise Ferries vessel burning about one mile off of San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital, the Coast Guard said on Twitter. Some 50 people remained on the boat and awaited rescue by about 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT), the Coast Guard said. No deaths or injuries were immediately reported. The cause of the fire was not known. Smoke billowed from several parts of the large white ferry as an inflatable orange rescue slide was activated, images posted by Puerto Rico police on social media showed. American Cruise Ferries takes tourists from San Juan to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, according to the travel company's website. Coast Guard officials could not immediately be reached for further comment. (Reporting by Laila Kearney in New York) The Panama Canal has celebrated 102 years of successful operations and service to the global maritime community, just one day after welcoming its one-hundredth transit through the expanded waterway. On August 15, 1914, the Panama Canal officially opened for business, during the administration of President Woodrow Wilson. But it was Wilsons archrival who was the driving force behind the canal. Over the past century, the Panama Canal has left a legacy of innovation, connectivity and sustainability, having a direct impact on world maritime trade, as well as the people of Panama. Century old experience and know-how allowed the Canal to successfully complete, and now operate, one of the greatest feats of engineering known to man, bringing the Panama Canal into the 21st century. After 102 years, the Panama Canal is rejuvenated thanks to the beginning of operations of the Expanded Canal, ongoing maintenance of its original infrastructure, and the commitment of its workforce of 10,000 talented men and women who make this route one of the main arteries of world maritime trade, said Panama Canal Administrator and CEO Jorge L. Quijano. Less than two months following the Expanded Canals historic June 26 Inauguration, the Neopanamax vessel Hanjin Xiamen became the 100th vessel to transit the new locks, passing through the Canal on the morning of Sunday, August 14. The US$5.25 billion expansion program is the largest improvement project in the Canals 102-year history. It included the construction of new, larger locks on both the Pacific and the Atlantic sides and dredging of more than 150 million cubic metres of material, creating a second lane of traffic and doubling the capacity of the waterway. The new locks use tugs to guide the vessels through rather than locomotives (or mules) as was the custom in the old locks. The Panama Canal expects to handle 17% more tonnage in fiscal year 2017 the first full year of operations at the expanded waterway compared with last fiscal years record high of 340.8 million Panama Canal tons, Quijano said. In the 50 days since inaugurating the canal expansion, weve received 289 reservations and transited 104 Neopanamax vessels, and these numbers continue to grow daily, he added. Three Turkish Coast Guard personnel were killed on Wednesday after their vessel collided with a bulk carrier in the Bosphorus strait, forcing officials to temporarily suspend traffic in the busy shipping lane. Their vessel capsized after colliding with the Tolunay, a Cook Island-flagged bulk carrier, which was sailing toward the Black Sea, shipping agent GAC said. Four members of the Coast Guard were in hospital, a spokesman at the Istanbul governor's office said. The collision occurred at 8:40 a.m. (0540 GMT) at the southern end of the strait, it said, adding that traffic was halted until 2:30 p.m. and has resumed. More than three percent of the world's crude supply, mainly from Russia and the Caspian Sea, passes through the 17-mile Bosphorus which connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. (Reporting by Ayla Jean Yackley; editing by Daren Butler and Jason Neely) An oil tanker, which was earlier reported to have been hijacked and sailed into Indonesian waters, was believed to have been taken due to a commercial dispute, Malaysian authorities said on Wednesday. Vier Harmoni, carrying 900,000 litres of diesel, went missing after leaving the Tanjung Pelepas port on the eastern coast of Peninsular Malaysia on Tuesday before it was relocated in the waters off Batam, Indonesia. A Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) spokesman confirmed to Reuters that there was no element of terrorism involved in the tanker's disappearance. The spokesman said early investigations showed the tanker had been taken due to a disagreement between the ship's management and the crew. The ship was registered in Batam but was being leased by a Malaysian company, the spokesman said. The MMEA's southern regional chief Admiral Adon Shalan told The Star newspaper there could have been a financial dispute within the company. "We tried to contact the ship but it went unanswered," he was quoted as saying on the daily's website. "We believe the ship's captain might have turned off its tracking system as we could not trace it on our radar." Shipping data in Thomson Reuters Eikon suggests the ship's transponder has been turned off since June 20. The ship was carrying diesel with an estimated value of 1.6 million ringgit ($390,000). ($1 = 3.9970 ringgit) (Reporting by Joseph Sipalan and Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Tom Hogue) Less than a year after the coal industry was declared to be in terminal decline, the fossil fuel has staged its steepest price rally in over half a decade, making it one of the hottest major commodities. Cargo prices for Australian thermal coal from its Newcastle terminal, seen as the Asian benchmark, have soared over 35 percent since mid-June to more than one-year highs of almost $70 a tonne, pushed by surprise increases in Chinese imports. "Chinese regulators have assumed the role that markets traditionally play in bringing oversupplied commodities back to balance," Goldman Sachs said in a note to clients late on Tuesday, reversing a gloomy outlook it issued last September. "Restrictions on domestic production introduced earlier this year have lifted prices globally and turned coal into one of the best performing commodities so far this year." Global mining majors like Glencore and Anglo American, but also regional Asian players like Thailand's Banpu, are reaping the benefits. All three have seen their shares rise sharply this year, particularly in recent months after China in April cut mine operating days by 16 percent in a bid to help meet its target of reducing capacity by 250 million tonnes this year. Banpu, which operates several export mines across Asia-Pacific, said this week that it expects to sell its 2016 coal supplies at an average price of over $50 a tonne, up from a previous target of $47 to $48 per tonne, thanks to the recent rally. The price recovery is an unexpected boon for miners, who were hit hard by a years-long downturn, and stands in sharp contrast to previous calls by Goldman and the International Energy Agency (IEA), who said last year that coal was in terminal decline. As a result of China's surprise move, Goldman said there was now "support (for) global prices for the foreseeable future." The bank raised its three, six and 12 month price forecasts to $65/$62/$60 per tonne for Newcastle coal, up as much as 38 percent from its previous outlook. Winners and Losers Coal has also been garnering support from Asian industrial powerhouses Japan and South Korea, while demand remains firm in India, Vietnam and the Philippines. Japan is burning record amounts of the fossil fuel for electricity generation after the 2011 Fukushima disaster shuttered its nuclear sector, while Korea plans to build 20 new power plants using the cheapest fuel source by 2022. China's power consumption has also risen against expectations, jumping 8.2 percent from a year ago in July to reach 552.3 billion kilowatt hours. "The biggest improvement in the industrial sector (in China) was power generation,... helping demand for coal over the past month," Australia's Macquarie bank said this week. While almost all thermal coal miners were hit by the previous price decline, and most shut or sold assets, those left with the best assets now stand to benefit from the rebound. The biggest winners are those with mines in Australia, thanks to the high average quality of its coal. Shares of Anglo American, a major thermal coal miner in Australia, have recovered from record lows earlier this year of around 2.2 pounds to around 8.7 pounds. Commodity merchant and miner Glencore, the world's biggest thermal coal exporter with huge Australian operations, has also seen its shares soar from around 70 pence early this year to nearly 2 pounds. Glencore was not available for comment ahead of reporting its half-year results on Aug. 24. Anglo American in its half-year results in late June pointed to consistent Indian demand and the unexpected pickup in China. Other miners, however, have not been able to benefit from coal's 2016 boom. Indonesia, the world's biggest exporter of thermal coal, has seen its output fall during the lull, and its miners are unable to raise production due to debt constraints. ($1 = 0.7762 pounds) (Reporting by Henning Gloystein; Editing by Richard Pullin) Two senior engineering officers employed by an Italian shipping company admitted they deliberately concealed their vessels discharge of oily waste into the sea, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. Girolamo Curatolo, 50, of Custonaci, Sicily, the chief engineer of an oil tanker, the M/T Cielo di Milano, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to violate the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships. Danilo Maimone, 31, of Furci Siculo, Sicily, the ships first assistant engineer, pleaded guilty to an information charging him with conspiring to obstruct justice. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: The vessel, owned by DAmico Shipping Italia S.p.A. and managed by DAmico Societa di Navigazione S.p.A., visited ports in New Jersey multiple times, as well as ports in Maryland and Florida. Curatolo admitted that the crew had intentionally bypassed required pollution prevention equipment by discharging oily waste from the engine room through its sewage system into the sea. He also admitted that he falsified the vessels Oil Record Book, a required log regularly inspected by the U.S. Coast Guard. Curatolo admitted he made false statements to the Coast Guard during its inspection of the M/T Cielo di Milano in January 2015, instructing lower-level crew members to make false statements and destroying the vessels sounding log which records the contents of storage tanks aboard the vessel, including those containing oily waste by ripping the pages out and burning it in the vessels boiler after the Coast Guard had boarded the vessel. Maimone admitted concealing the discharge of oily waste as well as causing a false Oil Record Book to be presented to the Coast Guard during its inspection of the vessel. He admitted making false statements and instructing lower-level crew members to make false statements during the January 2015 inspection. The charges to which Curatolo and Maimone pleaded guilty each carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offenses. Sentencing for both is scheduled for Nov. 21, 2016. U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Cox, with the investigation leading to todays guilty pleas. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen P. OLeary of the U.S. Attorneys Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit and Kelly Graves of the U.S. Attorneys Office General Crimes Unit in Newark, and Trial Attorney Brandy Parker of the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Environment and Natural Resources Division. Crowley Maritime Corporation announced that it is launching a new weekly fixed-day container shipping service between Jacksonville and Costa Rica. The services two containerships will call at the Jacksonville Port Authoritys Talleyrand Terminal, making port calls in Jacksonville on Thursdays, Port Everglades, Fla., on Fridays, and arrive in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, on Wednesdays. We are confident this service enhancement will add a new dimension to our portfolio of Latin America services and bring increased efficiency and savings to our customers, said Steve Collar, Crowley senior vice president and general manager, international liner services. With our warehousing and cross-dock operations in Jacksonville, we are well situated to funnel cargo originating outside Florida, to Costa Rica, saving customers time and reducing their overall landed costs, said Frank Larkin, Crowley senior vice president and general manager, logistics. We can swing loads from trailers to ocean containers here, reducing equipment re-positioning expenses, and save the additional inland transportation costs that come with the traditional movement of cargo to South Florida. Northbound Crowley will sail from Costa Rica on Fridays, which is an attractive end-of-the-work-week sailing for perishables shippers. Additionally, we believe we can achieve further velocity and continuity of customers supply chains by providing expert customs clearance for perishables and other cargoes being imported through Jacksonville, Larkin said. The 60-meter Royal Bahamas Defense Force Corvette HMBS Nassau (P-61) has arrived at Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam in the Netherlands for an extensive refit. The 17-year old vessel will receive a comprehensive overhaul that comprises full systems and instrumentation replacement. The P-61 refit is part of the Sandy Bottom Project contract between Damen Shipyards Group and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force that the two parties signed in 2014. This includes the delivery of nine Damen vessels, disaster relief equipment, a bridge simulator, upgrade of various local ports in conjunction with Van Oord and the refit of two Corvettes. Damen is currently finalizing the refit of the first Corvette the HMBS Bahamas P-60 at a local yard in the Bahamas. The scope of work in Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendams planning is extensive. The P-61 is 17 years old and is in need of a complete refit. So this is going to be a complete renovation project, noted Tom Mastenbroek, Damens Regional Service Manager for the Caribbean. The yard will overhaul all the ships systems; replacing components where necessary. The main engines will be overhauled by Pon Power. The vessels bridge will also be completely renewed. Additional work also includes steelwork, repainting and full replacement of the vessel inventory. After their refits, both Corvettes will be very similar in terms of systems and instrumentation to the nine new build vessels that the Royal Bahamas Defense Force has purchased from Damen. These include the Stan Patrol 3007, Stan Patrol 4207 and Stan Lander 5612. This commonality will yield numerous advantages. During operations, for example, crew mobilization between vessels will be more straightforward and crew training programs can be standardized. It is worth noting that another part of the Sandy Bottom Project the bridge simulator will also make crew training more efficient. Expected to be delivered at the end of the year, this will allow captains and crews to perform training simulations of all vessels included in the project. Another benefit concerns the ongoing maintenance of the two Corvettes, highlighted Mastenbroek. From a Damen Services standpoint after completion, the vessels will be considered as Damen vessels, he said. The Royal Bahamas Defense Force will also be using our Computerized Maintenance Management System. Commander Warren Bain from the Royal Bahamas Defense Force has been based in the Netherlands for the entire Sandy Bottom Project. Referring to the cooperation with Damen throughout the contract, he said, Damen has been very willing to listen to what weve had to say and to share ideas. I also have a small technical team here with me, so weve been able to be involved in the entire process down to the smallest detail. The P-61 refit is expected to take approximately nine months. On completion, the vessel will return to the Bahamas on her own keel. exactEarth Ltd. has been selected by the Fisheries Commission (West Africa Regional Fisheries Programme), an agency of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MOFAD) of the Government of Ghana, for the provision of Satellite AIS data services as well as a small vessel tracking solution. The contract value is in a range of $1.0-$2.0 million for a 12 month period and will enable Ghana to acquire the technology necessary to monitor its expansive coastlines and deter illegal fishing in its national waters. Along with a comprehensive Satellite AIS data feed, exactEarth will provide MOFAD with 450 Class B AIS transceivers to be installed on inshore fishing vessels which will be tracked via satellite utilising exactEarths exactTrax small vessel tracking technology. In order to address the rampant Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing around Ghanas Exclusive Economic Zone, MOFAD have provisioned this small vessel tracking solution to gain access to detailed fishing vessel positions and movement analysis services through the exactEarth ShipView platform. exactEarth ShipView will be upgraded to include a SOS alerting facility in an effort to support Ghanas government in their safety of life at sea initiative, which is intended to help its fishermen. exactEarth will be working with a local partner and academic institutions in Ghana to provide vessel movement analysis and reporting to help inform policy decision making and also to engage the next generation maritime professionals in coastal surveillance to protect and preserve Ghana`s fish stock for the future. This is an important strategic win and a major step forward for our small vessel tracking initiative, said Peter Mabson, exactEarth CEO. MOFAD needs a high performance, reliable and compliant maritime monitoring solution to protect their critical fishing industry and our small vessel tracking capabilities will be an integral part of helping them achieve that objective. This reflects the growing opportunity for both our large and small vessel tracking solutions and our reputation for having the leading Satellite AIS solution on the market. Iran's crude oil exports in July were more than 2.1 million barrels per day, the oil ministry's news agency SHANA cited a senior Iranian oil official as saying on Wednesday. Director of the International Affairs Department at National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) Mohsen Ghamsari told SHANA the total amount of crude and gas condensate exports by Iran reached 2.740 million bpd in July. He said 600,000 bpd out of that figure were condensate exports. "Exports of crude are now at a good level but ... have not yet touched that of the pre-sanction level," he said, adding that Iran used to export 2.350 million barrels of crude per day before international sanctions were imposed. Ghamsari did not give a figure for Iran's oil exports in June but a source with knowledge of the country's crude lifting plans had told Reuters exports that month were about 2.31 million bpd. (Reporting by Rania El Gamal; Editing by Greg Mahlich) 1812 - The frigate, USS President, captures British schooner, HMS L'Adeline, in the North Atlantic. 1841 - Secretary of the Navy George E. Badger signs that the Chief Clerk's signature is valid on the certified copy of the medal citation awarded to Capt. Stephen Decatur, for his gallantry in action against the British frigate, HMS Macedonian, on Oct. 25, 1812. 1942 - The submarines USS Nautilus (SS 168) and USS Argonaut (SM 1) land more than 200 Marines on Makin Island, Gilbert Islands, in the first amphibious attack made from submarines. 1943 - Army troops enter Messina terminating the campaign in Sicily. Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 15 conducts unopposed landings from motor torpedo boats (PT 215), (PT 216) and (PT 217) on islands of Lipari and Stromboli. Commander Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 15, Lt. E.A. Dubose, accepts the unconditional surrender of the Lipari Islands (Alicudi, Filicudi, Vulcano, Stromboli, Salina and Lipari). Destroyer Trippe (DD 403) covers the operation. 1959 - Adm. Arleigh A. Burke, is reappointed as Chief of Naval Operations for his third, two-year term, serving the longest as Chief of Naval Operations. 1962 - The Navy's first hydrofoil patrol craft, USS High Point (PCH 1) is launched at Seattle, Wash. 2002 - USS McCampbell (DDG 85) is commissioned at San Francisco, Calif. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer is named for Medal of Honor recipient Capt. David McCampbell, the Navys leading ace pilot during World War II. (Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division) The Company: Kirby Corporation is a premier tank barge operator in the United States, transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, along all three U.S. Coasts, and in Alaska and Hawaii. Kirbys service includes the transporting of petrochemicals, black oil products, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemical products by tank barge. Kirbys diesel engine services segment is a leading after-market service provider for medium-speed and high-speed diesel engines, reduction gears and ancillary products for marine and power generation applications. Kirby also serves as a distributor and service provider for high-speed diesel engines, transmissions, pumps and compression products, and manufactures and remanufactures oilfield service equipment. The Fleet: The Kirby Inland fleet of 912 active tank barges and 251 active towboats has a total liquid cargo capacity of 18.5 million barrels. Kirby Offshore Marine is the nations largest tank barge operator, with 70 coastal tank barges, or approximately 26% of the nations coastal fleet. This fleet represents the broadest capabilities in the marine inland tank barge industry to satisfy customers diverse needs. Kirbys inland tank barge fleet represents approximately 25% of the U.S. inland tank barge capacity, as well as being one of the youngest fleets in the U.S. coastal trade, transports refined petroleum products, petrochemicals and black oil along the East Coast, West Coast and Gulf Coast, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. Kirbys coastal tank barge fleet consists of 72 tank barges with 6.0 million barrels of capacity and 73 tugboats. Kirby also operates six coastal dry-bulk barge and tug units transporting coal and limestone rock across the Gulf of Mexico, and dry sugar products between Florida and the East Coast. The Case: Kirby Inland Marine, through a centralized dispatching system, can minimize repositioning and power costs. Kirby Inland Marine brings these operating efficiencies to best serve its customers. Kirby Inland Marine seeks opportunities where it can add value to the transportation services it provides. Kirbys safety record is exemplary, as recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Coast Guard in awarding Kirby the first William M. Benkert Award in 1995. The operating segments comprising Kirby Inland Marine have been certified to the ISO 9002 standard. Kirby Inland prides itself on having the best-trained crews and support staff in the industry providing both formal classroom and hands-on instruction at the Kirby Training Center in Houston, Texas. Beyond this and since 2008, through Kirbys inland tank barge construction program, the average age of Kirbys inland fleet has declined from 23.9 years to 15.2 years today. For example, during 2015, Kirby continued to reinvest in its inland tank barge fleet with the delivery of 36 new tank barges, adding 489,000 barrels of capacity at a cost of approximately $71 million. In early 2015, Kirby acquired six inland pressure tank barges with a total capacity of 97,000 barrels for $41.3 million. Todays slighter smaller fleet features more deadweight and cubic capacity all on younger vessels: the quintessential definition of reduced risk. 55 Waugh Drive / #1000 Houston, TX 77007 Telephone: (713) 435-1000 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.kirbycorp.com President: William G. Ivey (As published in the August 2016 MN100 edition of Marine News) Subscribe for Maritime Reporter E-News Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week Eastern Shipbuilding Group, Inc. has launched the second vessel in a series of four new inland river towboats for IWL River, Inc. The newly built vessel, Impala Puerto Salgar (Hull #244), was launched on August 2, 2016. The series of CT Marine designed 134 ft. ABS Classed Inland River Service towboats are Triple Screw with a Retractable Pilothouse and all are currently under construction at Easterns Allanton facility. The vessel deliveries are scheduled to start in late 2016 and continue into 2017. The launch was hosted by Eastern's Project Manager Joe Stark. Also in attendance was IWL River, Inc.'s Owner's Representative, Ed Maxwell of Dufour, Laskey & Strouse, Inc. Stark and Maxwell praised the hard work and dedication of the employees. The Impala Puerto Salgar was blessed by Father Kevin McQuone, of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church of Panama City, and christened by Easterns Kelley Rogers, who has been a member of Easterns Purchasing Department for seven years. ESG Hull #239: 2nd Vessel in the Series of 4 Length (LOA): 134 Breadth: 42 Depth: 9 Minimal Operational Draft: 6 Pilothouse Eyelevel (above waterline): 37-6 Pilothouse Eyelevel (above waterline) retracted: 21-12 Diesel Main Engines: (3) Caterpillar 3512C, IMO II, 1,280 Horsepower @ 1,600 RPM. Reverse Reduction Gears: (3) Reintjes, WAF665 Diesel Generators: (2) Caterpillar C6.6 125 kW, IMO II, 220-volt, 3-phase. Classification: ABS +A1, Towing Vessel, River Service, +AMS, ABCU, Flag: Republic of Panama Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. hosts USCG leadership and managerial skills course at corporate headquarters for tug captains and chief engineers During the weeks of July 18-21, and August 1-4, Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. partnered with SUNY Maritime College and privately hosted the required USCG Leadership & Managerial Skills Course at Bouchards corporate headquarters in Melville, N.Y. for all Bouchard tug captains and chief engineers. Bouchard is the first operator to privately host this class for their vessel employees. Effective March 24, 2014, additional training and/or assessments became required for certain Standards of Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping (STCW) endorsements. Bouchard felt it was important to host a private course in order to ensure that the proper requirements are met for all management level (captains) and CEO (chief engineer officer) vessel employees before December 31, 2016. Proper training and education is of vital importance at Bouchard, and ensures a safe operation for vessel crew and customers. The USCG Leadership & Managerial Skills Course is designed to demonstrate the importance of clear communication and leadership needs aboard the vessel. With this understanding, captains and chief engineers are then able to competently, and productively carry out their duties, leading to an overall safe operation. By the conclusion of the course, each tug captain and chief engineer held proficient knowledge of the following: knowledge of shipboard personnel management and training; knowledge of related international maritime conventions and recommendations, and national legislation; ability to apply task and workload management; knowledge and ability to apply effective resource management; and knowledge and ability to apply decision-making techniques. Following course completion, all tug captains moved on to receive a full day of simulator training at the Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc. Tug & Barge Simulation Center at SUNY Maritime College. Simulator training was conducted by a USCG level licensed instructor, and held in the Port of New York, Port of Houston and New London area databases. The own ships, target ships and tugs in SUNY Maritimes Simulator Library were used in the simulations. The goal of training was for all Captains to demonstrate the sufficient knowledge needed to undertake the duties of an Officer in Charge of a Navigational Watch. Training included the following: operation during restricted visibility, navigating in a narrow channel, use of Z Drive tug(s), meeting and overtaking in close quarters situations, application of COLREGS, workload management and situational awareness. Bouchard said each session was successful, and exceeded expectations for all involved. Internal evaluations concluded that a direct result of the courses success was due to the private nature of the class, as it was convenient and specifically structured to meet the needs of Bouchard employees. The rare opportunity for office personnel and crew members to interact with each other was also a large benefit. Kevin Donohue, VP Safety & Vetting, Bouchard Transportation Co., Inc., said, The USCG Leadership & Managerial Skills Course illustrates the importance of working as a cohesive unit, while demonstrating the positive leadership skills needed to operate efficiently and safely. These skills can be used in all situations, including navigational, operational and personal, which leads to an overall collaborative crew. Thank you SUNY Maritime College for partnering with us, as the private nature of this course assisted in making these weeks such a success for all involved. The Company: Master Marine has provided excellent marine repair and new construction services for over 55 years to all marine sectors. Equipment includes one 750-ton floating dry-dock (152 x 46) inside the wing walls and one 220-ton Marine Travel lift for servicing inland and offshore commercial companies, Federal and State governments, fishing vessels with projects in steel and aluminum. The firm provides custom designed vessels, with 95 experienced employees on its 7 acre Bayou La Batre location. The Case: Master Marine has constructed over 333 commercial vessels of all types including tug boats, push-boats, barges, offshore and inland support vessels, passenger ferries along with hundreds of repairs to all types of vessels. Leveraging 30 years of government repair project experience, the firm prides itself in working closely with agency contracting and engineering officers, while helping to bring constructive, timely and practical solutions to any engineering changes. Supervisory staff have been with Master Marine for more than 25 years. Master Marine is presently completing a series of 11 z drive towboats for an inland waterways operator. 14284 Shell Belt Road Bayou La Batre, AL 36509 Tel: (251) 824-4151 Website: www.mastermarineinc.com Spanish authorities said on Wednesday they had rescued 50 migrants from Morocco and sub-Saharan Africa who were found the day before drifting in two boats off Spain's Mediterranean coast. Spain's maritime rescue service said it first spotted an inflatable boat with six Moroccan men stuck in high winds as it tried to cross the from Morocco's northern coast to the southern Spanish region of Almeria. A second boat with 34 men and 10 women from sub-Saharan African countries later was found in the same area. One woman was treated for burns but the rest of the migrants were in good health, the service said in a statement. All of the migrants were taken aboard a medical ship and transferred to Spain. In 2015, 3,845 migrants entered Spain via sea crossings, according to the International Organization for Migration, a tiny fraction of the 956,000 that reached Europe the same way. (Reporting by Angus Berwick, editing by Larry King) With an eye towards environmental compliance, operational efficiencies and the bottom line, the Marine News top propulsion providers touch all bases. Sitting down to select the best engine and propulsion manufacturers in the workboat marine space isnt necessarily the easiest task in the world. Nor is it a linear exercise. On the other hand, these Marine News featured firms Caterpillar Marine, Volvo Penta and Yanmar all have more in common than you might think. With a laser focus on their collective customers bottom lines and addressing that concern through technology, environmental compliance and economical but powerful performance, each satisfies the niche in its own particular fashion. See if you dont agree. Caterpillar Marine Caterpillar Marine Power Systems brings together all the sales and service activities for Cat and MaK branded marine products within Caterpillar Inc. This organization provides premier marine power solutions and customer service from a single source for commercial and pleasure craft markets. Caterpillar offers a comprehensive marine diesel power range and a complete, continuously evolving product line. The result is one source for total power solutions on board, providing electronic marine engines, gensets, and vessel controls. Caterpillar research and development efforts represent the commitment to affirming its position as a global leader in the marine power market. The Caterpillar network is comprised of 182 locally owned businesses, 1700+ dealer branches, and leverages more than 100,000 employees. The worldwide dealer organization has the local expertise, specialists, and extensive spare parts inventory for every customer, no matter where the vessel travels. The Caterpillar line includes Cat and MaK Marine Engines, High Performance Propulsion Engines, Marine Generator Sets, and auxiliary power. From tugs and container vessels to yachts and sport fishers, Cat and MaK engines have demonstrated their efficiency countless times. Cat marine engines include innovations such as ACERTTM Technology and Caterpillar Common Rail. Additionally, they are MIL-E Qualified (NVR) and MIL-S-901 Shock Qualified. Continual advancements in electronic engine technology mean Cat marine engines satisfy worldwide emissions regulations and still deliver a surge of adrenaline whenever and wherever required. Closer to home, long time U.S. workboat stalwart (and Marine News 2016 MN100 honoree) Crowley Maritime is now testing Caterpillar Technology for Vessel Monitoring & Diagnostics. Calling it the next logical step in marine technology, Crowley Maritime Corporation is installing Cat Asset Intelligence software on one of its vessels. The tugboat Guide, a ship-assist vessel operating out of Seattle, has been fitted with a custom vessel monitoring and diagnostics solution, which will keep watch over its main engines, generators, thrusters and critical systems 24/7. While completely automated from data capture through analysis and advisory recommendations for each piece of equipment, the Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence team will provide advisory and management reports including recommendations for individual equipment, as well as additional ways Crowley can save money and incrementally improve operations. Its a robust system that does all the key monitoring and analysis we need, said Bill Metcalf, Vice President of Strategic Engineering for Crowley Maritime. Were looking at it as the next level of management and optimization, and we want to see how it can help us increase reliability, safety and efficiency onboard our vessels. But, this application goes far beyond simple collection of data. Unlike technologies that only monitor engine performance, Cat Asset Intelligence services provide monitoring and diagnostics for an entire vessel, including many of its critical operating systems. Dedicated Fleet Advisors then use the aggregated data and automated analytics to provide customers, such as Crowley, with actionable advisories to increase vessel productivity and improve equipment management. The scalable and customizable technology will monitor and analyze anything, and not just Cat products. With the software monitoring and analyzing Guides key systems, Crowley Maritime ultimately expects to see value in a number of areas. For example, on smaller vessels like Guide, which operate with a limited crew, Cat Asset Intelligence softwares remote monitoring capabilities play a critical role. Assuming that the technology proves its mettle, Crowley could expand vessel monitoring and diagnostics to other ships in its fleet. Volvo Penta of the Americas Offering a full range of Tier 3 compliant diesel engines designed to power profits in the inland and coastal North American commercial market, Volvo Pentas successful push into the commercial markets gained considerable momentum in the past 12 months. Leveraging 3,500 dealers in more than 130 countries, the firm manufactures IACS type approved engines for commercial vessels, leisure boats and industrial markets. Volvo Pentas product line includes 3-16 liter diesel engines, gensets, sterndrives and IPS pod drives, developed for a broad range of commercial marine applications, including Coast Guard and patrol boats, short-sea and river transport, supply vessels, passenger transport and sightseeing vessels, workboats and tugs. The past year brought much in the way of good news for Volvo Penta. For example, in June of 2016, the firm hosted a preview of its latest lineup of engines, drives and controls at its headquarters in Sweden in June 2016. Products introduced at the event included the new D8 diesel engine, designed to fit in the product offering between the D6 and D11 models for applications that require low weight with high power, and a new IPS15 which mates with the D8 engine. In addition, Volvo Penta highlighted its comprehensive integrated solutions, including heavy-duty controls, docking mode, dynamic positioning, glass cockpit and the interceptor trim tab systems from Humphree, a marine company recently acquired by Volvo Penta. Ten years after the launch of its original D16 marine diesel engine, Volvo Penta also released an updated version during the past year. Available in power ratings from 368 to 551 kW, the D16 is the largest marine diesel engine in Volvo Pentas product portfolio and is type-approved by DNV GL. Before that, in November of 2015, Volvo Penta showcased a new range of custom barge pump systems based on its Tier 3 diesels. Allemand Industries, a Volvo Penta Power Center in Harvey, La., has built a barge pump using a Volvo Penta D13 auxiliary engine, and Pacific Power Group, a Volvo Penta Power Center in Seattle, has developed a barge pump system that includes two radiator-cooled 400 hp D13 MH engines, which drive vertical pumps to transfer cargo off the vessel. Beyond the new product offerings, Volvo Penta also announced a new extended service interval for its commercial marine diesel engines. Owners can double the maximum oil change interval to 1,000 hours for many Volvo Penta marine engines by meeting certain requirements, including a Volvo Penta oil analysis. Volvo Penta maintains a history of all oil analysis reports for each engine to facilitate tracking the wear of the engine over its lifetime. Over a wide range of workboat offerings, Volvo Penta stepped up its game over the past year. That said; the real winners are its many commercial customers who have benefited from the introduction of new technologies, programs and more efficient engines. Yanmar America Corporation Operating out of a corporate facility in Adairsville, GA, Yanmar boasts 500,000 square feet of manufacturing, warehouse and office space, and employs over 200 professionals. In addition to its own branded products, Yanmar has been selected to be the power of choice for hundreds of industry-leading diesel powered brands sold throughout the globe. YANMAR manufactures marine transmissions and drives and commercial engines from 39 hp to 1,800 hp. YANMAR backs them up with a superior engine warranty and world class local support. YANMAR has provided quality, purpose-built marine engines for more than 60 years. Notably, YANMAR in 1933 became the worlds first manufacturer to develop a practical small diesel engine. More recently, with the introduction of the fully mechanical 6AYA engine, with SmartAssist technology, YANMAR has combined mechanical reliability with electronic convenience. The 6AYA also meets EPA Tier III without any electronic control. More importantly, this longtime manufacture of marine engines also utilizes todays technology to provide even more value to its growing list of marine customers. Back in December 2014, YANMAR America introduced its first EPA Tier III compliant commercial marine diesel, the 6AYAM-ET. Rated at 755 mHP and 1900 RPM, the 20.38 liter engine uses a fully mechanical control system for easy servicing and reliable performance. The engine also offers low fuel consumption and a continuous rating suitable for river pushboats, tugboats, trawlers and other applications with uninterrupted operations or load cycles. To comply with emissions regulations, the 6AYAM-ET uses an internal exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. This design does not require any external control devices or significant engine structure changes, while producing more power and lowering exhaust emissions and fuel consumption. Installed and on the water, Yanmars 6AYA-ET engines are already providing value on the U.S. Gulf Coast. This fully mechanical engine is anything but low-tech. The Sherry L, a twin screw, steel 61 Pushboat owned by E Squared Marine Services, LLC from Texas and repowered by Laborde Products, now operates even more quietly and with better fuel consumption thanks to its new 6AYAM-ET engines. Thats only part of the story, however. YANMARs unique SmartAssist (SA-R) technology allows the engine to be monitored remotely to ensure ideal operating conditions. And, when its time for maintenance, the system will send out a reminder, so that maintenance can be completed on the boats schedule to make sure it stays in operation the maximum amount of time possible. YANMAR tracks the engines operating condition using SA-R, as well as visiting the vessel periodically to confirm the engine and SA-R are working correctly. SA-R can track Location (GPS), Engine Speed, Boost Pressure, Exhaust Temperature, Cooling Water Temperature, and Lubrication Oil Temperature/Pressure. Collecting data based on the parameters every .01 seconds and sending the average for a two minute time period via cellular service to the YANMAR Remote Monitoring Center, YANMAR then analyzes the data, and if a defect or warning is found, YANMAR America is then alerted. With an operating performance of 755 mhp at 1,900 rpm and 20.38 liters of displacement, this 6AYAM-ET 6 in-line cylinder mechanical engine is well positioned to become a familiar workhorse on the United States waterways for years to come. Key features of this engine include a 500-hour service interval, torque characteristics for stable cruising, a purpose built marine design and an internal exhaust gas recirculation system that doesnt require any external control devices. Competing, Together on the MN100 List In a fiercely competitive commercial marine propulsion market, these three OEMs provide a lot more than just engines. Beyond this; what sets each of them apart is also the same thing that finds all three Caterpillar Marine, Volvo Penta and Yanmar residing on the same list of excellence. The Novatek-led Yamal LNG project in Russia received financing in July worth about 780 million euros from China Development Bank and Export-Import Bank of China, according to Yamal's accounting report published on Tuesday. The 15-year loan deals, of 9.3 billion euros and 9.8 billion yuan ($1.48 billion), were signed by the two Chinese financial institutions in late April. The latest disbursement follows the first chunk of 450 million euros Yamal received in late July. Before receiving the financing from the Chinese banks, the project's future had been jeopardised by Russia's lack of access to Western capital markets after Europe, the United States and a group of other countries imposed sanctions on Moscow for its role in the Ukraine crisis. The fall in oil prices, used as a benchmark for gas prices, had also clouded its prospects. Novatek holds 50.1 percent of Yamal LNG, the world's most northerly project of its kind, located beyond the Arctic circle. France's Total and China National Petroleum Corp control 20 percent each, while China's Silk Road Fund owns 9.9 percent. ($1 = 6.6240 Chinese yuan renminbi) (1 euro = 71.8164 roubles) (Reporting by Olesya Astakhova; Writing by Lidia Kelly. Editing by Jane Merriman) Kondratiev Wave - The Financial Winter Is Nearing! Nature functions in cycles. Each 24-hour period can be divided into smaller cycles of morning, afternoon, evening, and night. The whole year can be divided into seasonal cycles. Similarly, ones life can also be divided into cycles. Cycles are abundant in nature we just have to spot them, understand them, and be prepared for them, because they happen whether we like it or not. Likewise, economic experts have noticed that the world also follows different cycles. An important pioneer in this field was the Russian social economist, Nikolai Kondratiev, also called Nikolai Kondratieff, a relatively unknown genius. Who Is Kondratiev? Geniuses have been known to defend their principles and beliefs, even at the cost of losing their lives; they may die but their legacy lives on, as did Kondratiev. He was an economist who laid down his life defending his beliefs. He was the founding director of the Institute of Conjuncture, a famous research institution, which was located in Moscow. He devised a five-year plan for the development of agriculture in Russia from 1923-1925. His book, The Major Economic Cycles, was published 1925, in which his policies were in stark contrast to that of Stalins. As a result of this, Kondratiev was arrested in 1930 and given a prison sentence. This sentence was reviewed, and, consequently, he was executed in 1938. What a tragic loss of such a genius at only 42 years of age. He was executed because his research proved him right and Stalin wrong! Nonetheless, his legacy lives on and, in 1939 Joseph Schumpeter named the waves Kondratiev Waves, also known as K-Waves. What Are Kondratiev Waves? Investopedia defines the Kondratieff Wave as, A long-term cycle present in capitalist economies that represents long-term, high-growth and low-growth economic periods. The initial study by Kondratiev was based on the European agricultural commodity and copper prices. He noticed this period of evolution and self-correction in the economic activity of the capitalist nations and felt it was important to document. These waves are long cycles, lasting 50-60 years and consisting of various phases that are repetitive in nature. They are divided into four primary cycles: Spring-Inflationary growth phase: The first wave starts after a depressed economic state. With growth comes inflation. This phase sees stable prices, stable interest rates and a rising stock market, which is led by strong corporate profits and technological innovations. This phase generally lasts for 25 years. Summer-Stagflation (Recession): This phase witnesses wars such as the War of 1812, the Civil War, the World Wars and the Vietnam War. War leads to a shortage of resources, which leads to rising prices, rising interest rates and higher debt, and because of these factors, companies profits decline. Autumn-Deflationary Growth (Plateau period): After the end of war, people want economic stability. While the economy sees growth in selective sectors, this period also witnesses social and technological innovations. Prices fall and interest rates are low, which leads to higher debt and consumption. At the same time, companies profits rise, resulting in a strong stock market. All of these excesses end with a major speculative bubble. Winter-Depression: This is a period of correcting the excesses of the past and preparing the foundation for future growth. Prices fall, profits decline and stock markets correct to the downside. However, this period also refines the technologies of the past with innovation, making it cheaper and more available for the masses. Accuracy Of The Cycle Over The Last 200 Years The K-Waves have stood the test of time. They have correctly identified various periods of important economic activity within the past 200 years. The chart below outlines its accuracy. Very few cycles in history are as accurate as the Kondratiev waves. Criticism Of The Kondratiev Waves No principle in the world is left unchallenged. Similarly, there are a few critics of the K-Waves who consider it useful only for the pre-WWII era. They believe that the current monetary tools, which are at the disposal of the monetary agencies, can alter the performance of these waves. There is also a difference of opinion regarding the timing of the start of the waves. The Wave Is Being Pushed Ahead But The Mood Confirms A Kondratiev Winter A closer study reveals that the cycles are being pushed forward temporarily. Any intervention in the natural cycle unleashes the wrath of nature, and the current phase of economic excess will also end in a similar correction. The K-Wave winter cycle that started in 2000 was aligned with the dot-com bubble. The current stock market rise is fueled by the easy monetary policy of the global central banks. Barring a small period of time from 2005-2007 when the mood of the public was optimistic, the winter had been spent with people in a depressed social mood. The stock market rally from 2009-2015 will be perceived as the most hated rally and the one most laden with fear. Every dip of a few hundred points in the stock market starts with a comparison to the Great Recession of 2007-2009. The mood exudes fear and disbelief that the efforts of the central banks have not been successful and are unable to thwart off the winter, as predicted by the K-Waves. The winter is here and is reflected in the depressed social mood. How To Weather Out Brutal Winter In the last phase of the winter cycle, from 2016-2020, which is likely to test us, the stock market top is in place. Global economic activity has peaked, terrorism further threatens our lives, geopolitical risks have risen, the current levels of debt across the developed world are unmanageable, and a legitimate threat of a currency war occurring will all end with the The Great Reset. Gold will be likely to perform better during this winter cycle. Get in love with the yellow metal; its the blanket which will help you withstand the winter. Conclusion Cycles are generally repetitive forces that give us an insight into the future so we can be prepared to face it and prosper. Without excessive intervention, nature is very forgiving while correcting the excesses. But if one meddles with nature, it can be merciless during the correction. The current economic condition will end with yet another reset in the financial markets. Prices will not rise forever, and a correction will take hold eventually. Until then, we follow and trade accordingly. I will suggest the necessary steps to avoid losses and prosper from market turmoil when it unfolds. Follow My Analysis At: www.TheGoldAndOilGuy.com Join my email list FREE and get my next article which I will show you about a major opportunity in bonds and a rate spike www.GoldAndOilGuy.com Chris Vermeulen is Founder of the popular trading site TheGoldAndOilGuy.com. There he shares his highly successful, low-risk trading method. For 7 years Chris has been a leader in teaching others to skillfully trade in gold, oil, and silver in both bull and bear markets. Subscribers to his service depend on Chris' uniquely consistent investment opportunities that carry exceptionally low risk and high return. Disclaimer: Nothing in this report should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any securities mentioned. Technical Traders Ltd., its owners and the author of this report are not registered broker-dealers or financial advisors. Before investing in any securities, you should consult with your financial advisor and a registered broker-dealer. Never make an investment based solely on what you read in an online or printed report, including this report, especially if the investment involves a small, thinly-traded company that isnt well known. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report has been paid by Cardiff Energy Corp. In addition, the author owns shares of Cardiff Energy Corp. and would also benefit from volume and price appreciation of its stock. The information provided here within should not be construed as a financial analysis but rather as an advertisement. The authors views and opinions regarding the companies featured in reports are his own views and are based on information that he has researched independently and has received, which the author assumes to be reliable. Technical Traders Ltd. and the author of this report do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content of this report, nor its fitness for any particular purpose. Lastly, the author does not guarantee that any of the companies mentioned in the reports will perform as expected, and any comparisons made to other companies may not be valid or come into effect. Chris Vermeulen Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. DANVILLE-Judge Jackson L. Kiser attempted to temper justice with mercy when sentencing a Bassett man Tuesday. Christopher Bowers, 23, was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of probation upon release at the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia in Danville. On May 4, Bowers had pled guilty to one count robbery as a principal and aider and abettor. Though he faced a maximum possibly penalty of up to 20 years in prison, Kiser gave Bowers a lighter sentence due to the nature of the case, Bowers attempts to better himself, and the reality of Bowers upbringing, which Kiser described as troubling and tragic. According to a previous Bulletin report, in the early morning hours of Dec. 10-11, 2014, Bowers and associate Christopher Stokes went to a home in Henry County to obtain pills. When they arrived, a disagreement arose over the price of the drugs. At that time, Bowers brandished a firearm and threatened one of the victims. Stokes, who was not initially armed, seized a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol belonging to one of the homes residents, confronted a second victim, demanded money, then fired the pistol into the wall. Bowers and Stokes then fled with stolen pills, the Smith and Wesson pistol and approximately $400 in cash. Bowers attorney Randy Cargill told the judge that after the incident occurred but before the federal charge had been filed, Bowers enrolled at Eagles Nest Regeneration in an attempt to turn his life around. Eagles Nest, located in Floyd, is a Christian-based residential recovery center for men who have experienced problems with drug and alcohol addiction. Cargill called upon two witnesses: Robbie Maddox, the founder of Eagles Nest, and Peter Burggraf, the professional counselor and clinical director at the facility. Maddox said that Bowers had been enrolled in the program full-time for about 11 months. Bowers had actively pursued help, Maddox said, and shown desire to change. The program is based around structure and discipline, Maddox said. Men who enter the program work for their room and board doing painting and landscaping from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, he said. They attend church on Sunday. Bowers is one of the lead landscapers at Eagles Nest, he said, and while he has faced some struggles, Maddox said he believed Bowers was committed to changing his ways and had genuinely turned a corner. Maddox added that he does not often speak as a witness at sentencings. However, he said, he made an exception in Bowers case because he sees so much of himself in Bowers. Maddox said that he faced his own struggles with drugs as a young man, and was also looking at a prison sentence when his life was saved by a program similar to Eagles Nest. Having completed the first phase of the Eagles Nest program, Maddox said, Bowers is interested in an additional year of training to become a full-time staff member at Eagles Nest. Burggraf described Bowers as the ideal candidate for the leadership program, saying that he had shown admirable leadership qualities. He also stressed the strictness of the program. Men in the program are drug tested twice per week, he said, and they are not allowed to smoke, have romantic relationships or even watch R-rated movies. Cargill told Kiser that Bowers had faced difficult obstacles in life, having been groomed to be a drug addict from an early age. His father gave him alcohol and marijuana at age six, Cargill said, while his mother gave him hard drugs at age 12. Bowers barely graduated eighth grade and had attempted suicide several times by the age of 19. For those reasons, and because of the hard work Bowers had voluntarily put in to better himself, Cargill asked Kiser for a reduced sentence. Speaking to the judge, Bowers said that the staff at Eagles Nest had shown him unconditional love something he had seldom experienced and that while he realized he had to pay for his crime, he had every intention of returning to Eagles Nest to continue the leadership program after serving his time. Kiser commended Bowers for going to Eagles Nest, but said that he could not merely slap Bowers on the wrist. However, he said, he would attempt to temper justice with mercy by giving Bowers a reduced sentence of two years in prison. Kiser also recommended that Bowers continue drug treatment while in prison, and said that returning to Eagles Nest following prison was likely his best bet for continued success, adding that a return to his former environment would be a disaster. Williams offers guilty plea Also at the United States District Court in Danville on Tuesday, Judge Kiser accepted a guilty plea from Charles Nathaniel Williams, 37, of Martinsville. Williams, represented by attorney Allegra Black, pled guilty to seven counts sell, distribute or dispense controlled substance (cocaine); three counts unlawful transport of firearms, etc.; and one count violent crime/drugs/machine gun (a charge relating to using, carrying or possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking or violent crimes, according to online sources). Those charges stemmed from incidents occurring between Feb. 6, 2015 and April 30, 2015. COLLINSVILLE-There was good news for Henry County schools on Tuesday, as the state released Standards of Learning test results. More than 60 percent of the district either met or exceeded the state average. District officials were especially proud of the fact 85 percent of the schools either met or exceeded the states pass rate in math. We feel that the improved math performance is due, in part, to the implementation of computer adaptive testing, said Lisa Millner, Director of Assessment for the school district. The test is shorter and the level of rigor increases as the student demonstrates mastery of a particular skill." Overall, the districts numbers either improved or stayed the same from last year. A total of 76 percent of students passed the reading test, up from 74 percent in 2015. Science remained the same as last year, with 82 percent of students passing, while math overall saw a 3 point increase, from 76 percent last year to 79 percent in 2016. Two segments saw a short decline, with 86 percent of history and social science students passing. Last year, 87 percent passed their SOL tests. Also, only 69 percent passed their writing tests, down from 72 percent last year. Henry County Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton said he was proud of the work done by district employees. We are proud of progress made by each of our schools and are working to implement plans developed in response to data so that we can increase student achievement, Cotton said. We would like to see all students reading on grade level each year and will continue to work toward ensuring that all students are college, career and citizenship ready. Local officials also attributed the growth to more time focused on individual students. Teachers focused on individual student growth by spending time daily conferencing with students individually and in small groups with an emphasis on providing descriptive feedback and demonstrating mastery, said Beth Adkins, the districts director of digital learning. Some schools stand out Three schools in particular stood out in Tuesdays report. Campbell Court Elementary improved their pass rates in every subject. Laurel Park Middle School meanwhile saw all but two scores either improve or remain the same as 2015 and Drewry Mason Elementary also saw improvement in all but one category. The tradition of hard work here at Campbell Court is evident in the amount of growth made on the Virginia Standards of Learning tests, Campbell Court principal Cherie Whitlow said. I am confident that the margin will continue to narrow as the students, parents, and teachers strive for excellence. As we begin a new school year, we will continue to foster a culture of high expectations, creating avid thinkers and independent learners. At Campbell Court, 70 percent of students passed the reading test, up from 59 percent last year. A total of 88 percent passed history and social sciences, up from 81 percent in 2015, while 76 percent passed math, an improvement over the 71 percent last year. Finally, 82 percent passed in science, up from 75 percent last year. At Drewry Mason, 83 percent of students passed reading, up from 74 percent last year. In math, the percentage rose from 83 percent last year to 89 percent, while science scores climbed from 86 to 88 percent. The only dropoff came in history and social sciences, where 95 percent of students passed in 2015. This year, the number fell to 88 percent. There were other success stories in the district. At Axton Elementary, the number of students who passed math climbed from 79 to 89 percent. Axton also saw a slight increase in science scores, from 88 to 90 percent. The school's reading scores stayed the same at 70 percent, with a slight drop in history and social sciences, from 90 to 88 percent. At John Reed Elementary, the pass rates improved in math, from 72 to 80 percent, and science, from 76 to 82 percent. The reading pass rate remained at 72 percent, while history scores fell, with just 82 percent of students passing, compared to 89 percent last year. At Sanville Elementary, the pass rate for science climbed to 85 percent from 81 percent and history improved as well, with 97 percent passing, compared to 93 percent last year. Sanville just saw slight declines in math scores, 80 percent from 82 percent, and reading, 67 percent from 74 percent. At Mt. Olivet Elementary, the reading pass rate rose from 73 to 79 percent, with a slight increase from 81 to 82 percent in math. History remained the same, with 89 percent passing and there was a slight drop in science, from 80 to 78 percent. Some of the districts other schools struggled a bit in SOL testing. At Stanleytown Elementary, the pass rates fell in all four of the tested categories. Reading went from 80 to 76 percent, while math dropped from 84 to 80 percent and science saw a slight drop, from 76 to 75 percent. The biggest decline was in history, which went from 93 percent last year to just 82 percent of students passing. At Magna Vista High, the pass rates declined for all five tested subjects. In science, 81 percent of students passed, compared to 84 percent the year before. In math, 78 percent made it, compared to 79 in 2015. The passing rate for history fell from 87 to 84 percent, while reading dropped from 92 to 89 percent and writing from 74 to 73 percent. At Bassett High, the pass rates stayed the same for writing and science, at 76 and 83 percent, respectively. The other three areas saw slight declines, with 79 percent of students passing the math SOL, compared to last year's 83 percent. History pass rates dropped from 86 to 83 percent and reading dropped from 86 to 85 percent. At Rich Acres Elementary, the numbers declined slightly across the board. The pass rate for reading dropped from 88 to 83 percent, while the math pass rate fell to 88 percent from 94 percent. Last year's impressive 100 percent pass rate for history came close to being duplicated, with 98 percent passing and nearly all the students passed science, with 95 percent making the grade. That's just slightly down from last year's 96 percent. At G.W. Carver Elementary, two of the four tested areas saw pass rates decline. In science, 81 percent of students passed, compared to 86 percent the year before. In history, it would have been hard to compete with last year's 97 percent pass rate, but the school came close, with 92 percent passing the test. Reading pass rates remained the same, with 75 percent passing, while Carver saw a slight increase in math scores. A total of 80 percent of the school's students passed, compared to 79 in 2015. Fieldale-Collinsville saw their reading scores drop from 71 percent to 69 percent passing, while writing scores fell to 61 percent. Last year, 69 percent of FC students passed the writing test. The numbers were also down slightly in history and social sciences, where 89 percent passed, compared to 91 percent last year. Science scores also saw a small drop, from 83 to 82 percent. The one area that FC students improved on this past May was math, where scores rose from 71 percent to 77 percent. By comparison, reading scores at Laurel Park Middle School went from 73 to 79 percent, while writing slightly declined, with 66 percent passing compared to last years 68 percent. History and social science scores rose, with 90 percent of students passing, compared to 83 percent last year. Math scores went from 73 to 79 percent, with science scores slightly falling from 78 to 76 percent. On the high school level, there was also a slight dropoff in the county's passing rates. At Bassett High, 83 percent of students passed history and social sciences, compared to 86 percent last year. In math, 79 percent passed, compared to 83 percent in 2015. There was also a slight drop in reading, from 86 to 85 percent. Writing and science passing rates remained the same, at 76 and 83 percent, respectively. According to information provided by the Central Office, all of the districts schools this year will use Indistar, which they describe as an online system of continuous assessment and accountability. The idea is to monitor improvement efforts throughout the year at each school, to see whats working and whats not. To specifically help with reading, teachers are working on more word study and literary analysis in Henry County classrooms. In grades 3 through 9, there will be more sustained silent reading and the middle schools will take part in UVAs Struggling Readers Academy. "Student achievement is much more than any single measure," Cotton emphasized. Our students are learning and succeeding in a variety of areas and we look forward to continuing to support their growth as they continue to learn and grow. In Defence of Marxism is committed to safeguarding your privacy. 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Please let us know if you have any queries or concerns whatsoever about the way in which your data is being processed by emailing the Data Protection Manager at webmaster@marxist.com IMG_5127.JPG University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan and Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy. ((Jim Kinney / The Republican)) SPRINGFIELD -- The state has awarded the University of Massachusetts $5 million for computer equipment to power its data science and cybersecurity initiatives in Springfield and Amherst, which are already supported by MassMutual. Think of computer programs that teach themselves to work better by studying examples of their own calculations, said Andrew Kachites McCallum, UMass professor and director of the Center for Data Science. These new graphic processing units, which will be installed at the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center in Holyoke, learn lessons in days that it took earlier technologies months to learn. "This puts UMass on the forefront of what is going on in data science," he said. Gov. Charlie Baker, UMass President Marty Meehan and MassMutual CEO Roger Crandall made the announcement Wednesday at the UMass Center in Springfield. In June, MassMutual announced that it will donate $15 million to UMass computer science programs over the next 10 years. This is the largest grant MassMutual has ever made in support of an initiative in the region. Of the $15 million, $12 million will support the UMass Amherst Center for Data Science with additional faculty, a doubling of the number of available courses and an expansion of the master's degree program. In Springfield, the company will donate $3 million over 10 years to expand a cybersecurity certificate program taught at the university's center in MassMutual-owned Tower Square. The cybersecurity certificate program is an eight-week, 15-credit-hour program. Data science is the emerging field of using the oceans of numbers generated by our modern, connected and computerized world to further our understanding of everything from economics to agriculture to climate change. BakerUmass.jpg Gov. Charlie Baker speaks Wednesday at the UMass Springfield center on the state's 45 million investment in cyber security and big data analysis at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and Springfield. (JIM KINNEY/ THE REPUBLICAN) This story follows and expands upon: UMass gets $5M from state for cybersecurity SPRINGFIELD -- The more science, industry and society at large make use of humanity's rapidly expanding access to data concerning nearly every field of human endeavor, the more that data will be at risk from people who might use it for ill. For that reason, and for the business opportunities Big Data will create, the state of Massachusetts has granted $5 million to buy the latest in computer equipment to power both the data analytics and the cybersecurity programs at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the UMass satellite in Springfield. "Cybersecurity is a growing necessity," Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday. "It's a global issue and in some ways a global fight." Baker and MassMutual Financial Group CEO Roger Crandall sounded similar themes Wednesday when announcing the funding. They spoke along with state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, D-Amherst, state Sen. James Welch, D-West Springfield, state Rep. Carlos Gonzalez, D-Springfield, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Jay Ash, UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy and UMass President Marty Meehan. Crandall said potential cyber criminals try and breach the computer networks at the Springfield-based insurance giant virtually millions of times a day. The company has security teams working around the clock seven days a week. "Because once you lose that network, things can go badly very quickly," Crandall said. And the threats will become more stark in the future as the "internet of things" takes hold. The internet of things is the notion that in the near future nearly every object will be connected to the web and monitored by software. "So the hack might come in through your car. It might come in through your watch or your pacemaker," Crandall said. "Soon we will have computers in our clothes." In June, MassMutual announced that it will donate $15 million to UMass computer science programs over the next 10 years. This is the largest grant MassMutual has ever made in support of an initiative in the region. Of the $15 million, $12 million will support the UMass Amherst Center for Data Science with additional faculty, double of the number of available courses and an expanded master's degree program. In Springfield, the company will donate $3 million over 10 years to expand a cybersecurity certificate program taught at the university's center in MassMutual-owned Tower Square. The cybersecurity certificate program is an eight-week, 15-credit-hour program preparing cybersecurity professionals for the workplace. "We need them," Crandall said. He added that he appreciates the support of the Baker administration. "The reality is, companies have a choice as to where they can go," Crandall said. Baker said one thing he has learned since taking office in January 2015 is that colleges and universities play a larger-than-ever roll developing local economies and generating jobs. The $5 million comes from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative capital investment fund, said Pat Larkin, the agency's interim executive director. It will pay for a team of computers called graphic processing units used to handle large amounts of data. Michael F. Malone, the university's vice chancellor for research and engagement, said the equipment itself will be located at the Massachusetts Green High Performance Computing Center (MGHPCC) in Holyoke where there is special infrastructure, staff and security to support it. But the $5 million worth of computer equipment will have remote-access terminals in Amherst, Springfield and Boston. Andrew Kachites McCallum, UMass professor and director of the of the Center for Data Science and of the Information Extraction and Synthesis Laboratory in Amherst, said these computers do things in days that it took the last generation of computers months to accomplish. Cyber Monday A giant yellow robotic arm is shown working at right, Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, at Amazon.com's fulfillment center in DuPont, Wash. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) (Ted S. Warren) Amazon will continue to avoid paying overtime to its Sunday workers despite recent efforts from retailers to right the "uneven playing field." What's more, Gov. Charlie Baker's $1 billion economic development bill, passed into law last week, eases regulations on the online giant, allowing it to both move goods more freely and employ information technology workers on Sundays, the Boston Globe reports. After a perennial attempt to exonerate themselves from paying overtime to Sunday workers failed, state retailers called on lawmakers to force Amazon to do the same, with Jon Hurst, president of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts, saying "they need to be operating under the very same rules, the very same laws, as everybody else." "Either hold them to the same standard or get rid of the antiquated standard for our small businesses," Hurst said. The Seattle-based corporation avoids state blue laws because of its classification as a distributor and not a traditional retailer. State retailers argue that it sells and ships products to Massachusetts households on Sundays, and so should be subject to the same regulations. Meanwhile, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union said it was "fighting hard" against the retailers' efforts in order "to maintain" Sunday overtime for its 17,000 Massachusetts members, and the AFL-CIO issued comments decrying Amazon's intransigence. "It's outrageous in these days of income inequality and lack of family time that a profitable corporation wants to skirt laws requiring that they pay time and a half on Sundays," said Steven A. Tolman, president of umbrella labor group Massachusetts AFL-CIO, in a statement. The debate comes as Amazon prepares to open a new, 1.2 million-square-foot facility in Fall River next month, which will employ 500 workers at an average salary of $35,000. The language of the state's blue laws is currently under review by the office of Attorney General Maura Healey, the top enforcer of state labor laws. Retail stores first opened for business in Massachusetts on Sundays in 1982, also the year the Sunday overtime rule was made into law. allison.JPG Allison Hayes is seen here practicing flute at St. Michael's Church in East Longmeadow where she frequently plays during Mass with other musicians. She is a student at Assumption College in Worcester; she and a group of students recently completed a tour of Europe in which they sang at a number of cathedrals. (ALEXI COHAN PHOTO) EAST LONGMEADOW - Anyone can sing, says Allison Hayes. She knows. The East Longmeadow High School graduate and student at Assumption College had no prior singing experience before joining a chorale class in college. It hasn't stopped her from excelling and learning - both in- and outside of class. Hayes, who completed her junior year as a communications disorders major, participated in a week-long trip to Prague, Vienna, and Salzburg this spring. She traveled with 28 other students in her chorale class as they performed five concerts in the span of just seven days. The group sings mainly chamber music and religious songs as Assumption is a Catholic college. Hayes says her growing Catholic faith plays a big role in her singing, and she plans to continue singing religious music even after she graduates. Hayes and her classmates not only had the opportunity to perform in historic churches and cathedrals, but also to learn about the history of European politics and art by touring cities and visiting museums. Throughout the school year, the chorale class students are provided with a wide range of opportunities to explore their love of music, but the trip to Europe is the most coveted, especially because it is only offered once every other year. Michelle Graveline, a professor of music at Assumption College, has led the trip with her students for 14 years now. She was very happy to have Hayes with her this year, she said. "She is a very active member of the group and she has a lovely voice," the professor said. "As a choral director, I like to have students sing in places that really enhance their sound like many of the churches in Europe do." After weeks of careful preparation and rehearsals for the trip, Hayes says the group improved with each performance and received good feedback from the audiences. Going to Europe had always been a dream for Hayes as she had never been before. "I was really excited to go. It's so different there from America," Hayes said. Hayes, who also plays the flute, plans to continue to make music a large part of her life, both academically and personally. She sings at St. Michael's Church in East Longmeadow and serves in Assumption's Music Ministry. "I decided to try different singing groups because Assumption is very singing-focused," she said. "I have the two different backgrounds, but singing is a relatively new thing. I never thought that I could sing, but anyone can sing." SPRINGFIELD As he walks into the living room with a little help from a walker and his daughter, Ramon Jimenez, of Springfield, heads straight for his favorite chair. It's where he watches his daytime talk show "El Gordo y La Flaca," and where his daughters dote on him. Jimenez, known by most people as "Don Monche," is not a man of many words these days. At 108 years of age, he has already lost his wife and several of his children, but he somehow remains upbeat and smiling. "I think one of his secrets to a good life has been his humor. He is always smiling and he never complains about anything," said his daughter Maria Luisa Ayala. Jimenez has 14 children, 33 grandchildren and 58 great grandchildren. His wife Julia Jimenez died 18 years ago. They were married for 58 years. "He was 29 and she was 16 when they got married. It was a different time back then, but my mother was the love of his life," said his daughter Maria Ivette Santana. Jimenez has 10 children still alive, half of them live in Western Massachusetts and the others live in Puerto Rico where Jimenez was born and raised in the town of Cidra. He was born on August 12, 1908. According to city officials he may be the oldest living person in Springfield. A farmer all of his life, Jimenez moved the family to the United States when he retired in 1970. He is a bit hard of hearing and needs glasses to watch television, but he still lives in his own apartment with the help of two personal care attendants and his daughters, particularly Aida Jimenez. "I'm proud of my father and am happy to take care of him," Aida Jimenez said. "It brings me joy to know that he is still healthy at this age." Jimenez can no longer have full length conversations, but he can answer simple questions, like how does it feel to be 108-years-old. He pauses for a moment, then says in Spanish, "Well I'm tired," and breaks out into a toothless grin. "I'm tired, but I'm happy." His daughters recall many stories he would share with them as a younger man from riding through town on a horse before cars were introduced to the island and even spotting his first airplane. "He used to tell us this story about how he was working with his father on the farm and they heard this noise and when they looked up they saw this large machine in the air," his daughter Maria Luisa Ayala recalled. "He and his father got down on their knees and prayed to God for their safety because they had no idea what it was." At 108 years old, Jimenez has lived through two world wars, through the invention of everything from the toaster and the vacuum to computers, flat screen televisions and smartphones. Last week they had a small celebration for him at the house with a few of his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. "We are so happy to still have him alive and healthy," said Glorimar Pagan one of his granddaughters. Jimenez has few requests for his children. He does not want any of the decorations or furniture moved from the way they were when his wife died in 1998 and he does not want to be put in a nursing home. "We will do anything we can to honor his wishes because he has been an exemplary father and family man," Ayala said. She said he has always been a religious man, born into a very Catholic family. He was never a drinker or a smoker, ate food that came fresh from the farm and was always kind and generous. "He would never swear and he always was thoughtful and kind. He has been a great father," she said. "Our father instilled in us a lot of respect for others and for ourselves. Every one of his children either went on to college or started their own business," added Santana. "He taught us the value of hard work and the importance of family. We love him so much and we are so grateful to him for giving us such a good upbringing. Now we want to care for him and hope he has many more years of life in good health." pot.photo4.JPG Hampden Care Facility is planning a medical marijuana dispensary at this building at 606 Cottage St., subject to approval of its host community agreement by the City Council. (Submitted photo) SPRINGFIELD -- The city plans to continue working with Hampden Care Facility Inc., its recommended developer for Springfield's first medical marijuana dispensary, despite the city council's rejection of a proposed host-community agreement on Monday. But the path forward is still unclear, with city officials and Hampden Care declining to discuss specifics on how they plan to win the council's approval, which is needed for the dispensary to begin operation. "My administration has undertaken rigorous efforts to find the best developer to provide these services to people in need. We vetted nine applicants and chose the best one from the stand-point of public health, safety and economic development. Next steps are that we will continue to work with the chosen developer to satisfy the conditions of their special permit with relation to the host agreement," Mayor Domenic Sarno said in a statement. "I remain hopeful that the City Council renders a decision to help those individuals and families in need ASAP," Sarno continued. "Also, if another dispensary is proven to be needed, we have the proper mechanisms in the agreement to address such concerns." In June, the city council gave Hampden Care a special permit which gives the company two years to begin construction on the dispensary. But the permit was conditioned on the council approving a host-community agreement negotiated between the city's executive branch and the developer -- a deal that was killed after a wide-ranging debate Monday night. The deal would have given the city a percentage of dispensary revenues, required the company to donate $50,000 annually to the Springfield Police Department, provided funding for the Indian Orchard and East Springfield neighborhood councils and given Hampden Care five years of exclusivity as the only dispensary in the city. Councilors took issue with both the neighborhood council grants and the exclusivity term. Councilor Ken Shea warned that the council funding could lead to neighborhood-based favor trading in future council actions. Council Vice President Orlando Ramos said the city should not grant exclusivity, describing it as an unfair limit on competition. And after City Solicitor Ed Pikula warned that the council likely had to give the deal an up-or-down vote and could not legally renegotiate sections of the agreement in a legislative hearing, the council spiked the agreement by an eight to three margin. Hampden Care attorney Frank Antonucci, who said the company had "compromised and bartered" to reach a fair deal with the city, refused to comment on future strategy after the meeting. Pikula, in a phone interview Tuesday, also would not give specifics on how the city's executive branch plans to win the council's approval. But he did say the city is not giving up on Hampden Care, which was chosen as the best dispensary developer among nine applicants by a city review committee. "The city and the developer will be meeting to review the current situation and try to agree on a plan for moving forward," Pikula said. Pikula said that the special permit approved by the city council in June could allow the developer to begin some work on the proposed dispensary site at 506 Cottage St. But the facility will not be able to obtain a certificate of occupancy until a host-community agreement is supported by the council. The state's medical marijuana law, passed in 2012, requires that dispensaries receive a letter of non-opposition from the municipality where they seek to open. Cities like Springfield and Worcester have negotiated host-community agreements with providers in exchange for their approval. In Worcester's case, it has signed agreements with multiple dispensaries requiring that they pay the city $450,000 over three years, plus an growing percentage of gross sales. New England Treatment Access in Northampton is currently the sole open dispensary in Western Mass. Springfield's deal-making process has also drawn criticism from medical marijuana advocates. The Massachusetts Patient Advocacy Alliance, the group that put medical marijuana on the ballot in 2012, has accused the city of delaying needed care to patients as it negotiates for higher revenues. The organization argues that the process has set a precedent that increases the difficulty for dispensaries to gain approval across the state. "The city has had over three years to come to a reasonable agreement," the group said in a press release. "Holding up the process because of politics and revenue is not becoming of a municipality this late in the process." Under the host community agreement, the company would have given a percentage of its gross revenue to the city as an annual payment. The amount would have begun at 2 percent of the gross revenue and rise gradually to 6 percent, along with yearly $50,000 donations to the police department. Hampden Care Facility's corporate officers include Tom Gallagher, of Newbury, N.H.; Alexa Gallagher, of Springfield; Dr. Shawn Charest, of Florence, S.C.; Dr. Bruce Nassau, of Lakewood, Colo.; William Ketchen, of Chicopee; and Jennifer Gottschlicht, of New York City, according to state corporate records. Massachusetts schools experienced the highest number of bomb threats in the country during the 2015-2016 school year by a wide margin, according to a new report. Threats continued to rise across the country, with every state experiencing at least one and the total of 1,267 bomb threats marking a 106 percent increase since the 2012-2013 school year, the Educator's School Safety Network report states. But Massachusetts was hit particularly hard, with researchers finding 135 bomb threats in the state during the last school year. The second highest state, Ohio, had 96. And even much larger states like California and New York experienced less than half the number of Massachusetts' threats. Massachusetts had 20.01 bomb threat incidents per million residents. No other state in the top ten of total bomb threats had more than 10 threats per million people. "We were kind of surprised that Massachusetts was the one with the most, and by so much," said Dr. Amy Klinger, a consultant with the Educator's School Safety Network. "Per capita, yeah, it's incredible." Massachusetts' spike in threats was driven in part by a series of high-profile robocall scares, in which identical threats were phoned in automatically to schools across the state. On Jan. 19, threats were called in to Arlington High School, Groton Middle School, Groton's Florence Roche School, Monson High School, Tewksbury High School, Newton North High School, as well as schools in Weymouth, Plymouth and Billerica. And on April 14, 32 schools received robocalled bomb threats, just days after a similar wave of threats led to evacuations. None of the threats were found to be credible. 26 percent of school bomb threats nationwide came from robocalls this year, the report said. Those calls can target multiple schools at once, and in May one call targeted schools in 21 states. And Massachusetts was hit particularly hard by robocalls, with 67 percent of all its bomb threats coming from the automated messages. The data was collected by scanning news reports, and probably is a significant undercount of the number of threats nationwide, Klinger said. "This stuff is so underreported," Klinger said. There is also a gap in the data during the 2014-2015 school year. The organizations School Safety News had previously gathered bomb threat reports from media sources, but stopped doing so in December of 2014, and Educator's School Safety Network did not begin compiling its own data until October of last year. The gap makes it difficult to compare threat numbers year-over-year, but monthly totals show a clear increase from 2014-2015 to last school year, according to the report. After phone calls, the most common type of bomb threats were notes found in bathrooms, the report said -- the same method that led Palmer schools to shot down all but one boy's and girl's bathroom during a wave of bomb threats last year. In Massachusetts, 59 percent of threats were in high schools during the 2015-2016 school year, with 22 percent in elementary schools and 16 percent in middle schools. 11 percent of threats were made by social media, email or other digital communication methods. The highest concentration of threats were in January and March, when the mass robocall threats were made. Unemployment Benefits In this Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2015, file photo, job applications and information for the Gap Factory Store sit on a table during a job fair at Dolphin Mall in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File) (AP File Photo) SPRINGFIELD -- Those seeking unemployment benefits in Massachusetts may soon find a state government just as interested in their data as Google or Facebook, although for different reasons. New unemployment regulations, presently in the planning, will aim to first drive more unemployment benefit seekers to the web and there collect information on each via surveys and other means. Robert T. Cunningham, director of the Massachusetts department of unemployment assistance, told MassLive the new regulations -- which he hopes to complete by year's end -- will help the agency collect valuable information to better streamline individual job searches and cut down on fraud. According to Cunningham, fraud claimed just under 10 percent of the total state unemployment payout in 2015. "The solutions we're looking for are ways to better leverage technology," Cunningham said. Although roughly 80 percent of unemployment claimants apply online, Cunningham said, a large chunk still conduct subsequent communications by physical mail. "It makes no sense," Cunningham said in Springfield Tuesday during a public session on the regulations. "Can we please use email? It's going to get to you much faster and get back to us a lot faster." Online communication not only go faster, they also provide opportunities to collect and retain data on claimants. "If the vast majority of [claimants] can navigate online to file a claim, I feel pretty good that at least 80 percent of the population we're serving could be taking part in skills assessments that would be done electronically." That data would then be given over to state unemployment workers, who can assess claimant skill gaps and direct them to available jobs or job training. "We have an ability now with the law change this past year to share more freely information back and forth with career services," Cunningham said. Under a new regulation desired by Cunningham, claimants would be required to register with career centers immediately upon filing their initial claims. The move, he said, will "familiarize folks with services provided at career centers," help "assess people's skills from the beginning" and "make clear right out of the gate what jobs are available in their area so they can be realistic about their job search." "We really need to focus on what are the jobs that are out there, not what you want to be," Cunningham said. "[Right now] a lot more weight is put on the direction they want to go. And that's for good reason. It's a free country; you can do whatever you want." He added, "But realistically speaking, if there's no job to be a beekeeper, we shouldn't be training you to be a beekeeper. We shouldn't be investing public resources into that." Cunningham also wants to collect work search logs online to cut down on fraud and the slews of appeals and hearings presently taking place after the agency cuts off a claimant who has failed to provide the logs. The new regulations could be instituted without any action by lawmakers. Just two individuals attended the session, held in the UMass Center at Springfield, an attorney hoping to ensure people getting cut off from unemployment are offered due process under the new regulations -- a right he said they are presently being denied -- and Jason Garand, business manager of Carpenters Local 108. Garand complained about a 2015 move by Cunningham to cut off carpenters in apprentice programs from receiving unemployment. The apprentice carpenters go through the training four weeks per year, and since 2009 had applied for and received unemployment during these weeks. Since Cunningham's move, instituted shortly after he took on the directorship, the apprentice carpenters get nothing. "The typical apprentice is not just out of high school," Garand said. "It's somebody who sometimes has two or three children. They're 30 years old, decided to make a career change and may have already taken a slight pay deduction. They're struggling, so to lose four weeks of income a year is difficult." These carpenter's pay goes up dramatically thanks to the training, then they pay more in taxes, Garand said. He added, "They're giving back. They're not people taking advantage of the system." Explaining the rationale for his decision, Cunningham said the Patrick administration allowed these workers to collect unemployment under Section 30 of the unemployment law even though neither the law nor its regulations supported it. "Employers were lying to us and telling us they were laying people of because there was a lack of work. There was no lack of work in April, June. They were being laid off to go to training." He added, "You can't lie and get unemployment. We shouldn't have a system that's set up that way." However, Cunningham did express support for both the apprenticeship programs and the workers receiving payment during those four weeks of training per year. "We need to find out what the right way is to make it work," he said. "I'm not on a hunt. We're trying to get an answer so that everyone can tell the truth and it's legal." Garand responded to the director's comments after the session Tuesday. "It sounds like the state is moving forward [on a solution]," he said. "I think it's genuine. I'm really impressed by Rob's comments." Any new regulations, Cunningham said, will facilitate closer relationships between state unemployment agencies and career centers, relationships encouraged by President Obama's 2014 Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Cunningham and others from the agency are presently stopping in municipalities around the state collecting comments from interested parties on how best to craft the new regulations. Officer Involved Shooting Milwaukee A man speaks with police in a park in Milwaukee following a night of violence that left half a dozen businesses in flames, the Milwaukee police chief expressed surprise at the level of unrest that erupted after the fatal shooting of a black man Saturday by a black officer. "This was, quite frankly, unanticipated," Chief Edward Flynn said Monday, two days after the worst of the rioting hit the Sherman Park neighborhood on the city's economically depressed and largely black north side. (Jeffrey Phelps / AP) The neighborhood rocked by violent protests after a black officer fatally shot a black man was calmer after police pledged to strictly enforce a curfew for teenagers in Milwaukee, the latest place where authorities have invoked decades-old, often little-enforced laws to try to tamp down unrest. But the measures are controversial, with some people saying curfews violate civil liberties. Researchers also argue there's little to no evidence that the laws work, particularly when it comes to curbing juvenile crime. And in some cases, they say, the laws only make problems worse in the long term. "The most useful aspect of a curfew is it gives the public an impression that the police are doing something," said Kenneth Adams, a criminal justice professor at the University of Central Florida who has studied the laws. "It's sending the message that 'We the police are serious about restoring order, and we're going to take steps.'" Authorities in Ferguson, Missouri, issued curfews for all residents in 2014 in response to violence that erupted after a white officer shot and killed a black 18-year-old, a move that angered many in the community who saw it as further mistreatment of blacks. After a man died in police custody in Baltimore in 2015, the city's mayor imposed a weeklong curfew, saying she did not want to see the city "destroyed by thugs." Milwaukee's enforcement was aimed at teens and followed riots that started after the Saturday shooting of Sylville Smith. Police say the 23-year-old was fleeing a traffic stop and had a gun in his hand when he turned toward the officer, who opened fire. The state is investigating. Peaceful protests turned violent that night and continued on Sunday evening. Some businesses were set on fire, one person was shot and multiple officers were injured. Milwaukee has had a curfew law on its books since 1943. It prohibits people under age 17 from loitering in public places between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the summer months, and from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday during the school year. The proclamation Mayor Tom Barrett issued Monday expanded the curfew to apply to anyone under 18. It also took effect an hour earlier, at 10 p.m. Authorities respond near a burning gas station as dozens of people protest following the fatal shooting of a man in Milwaukee. A crowd of protesters skirmished with police Saturday night in the Milwaukee neighborhood where an officer shot and killed a man after a traffic stop and foot chase earlier in the day, setting fire to a police car and torching a gas station. "Your teenagers better be home or in a place where they're off the streets," he said at a news conference Monday. "This is not the place where you go to gawk. This is not the place where you go to take pictures. This is not the place where you go to drive your car around." Police said Monday night was markedly more peaceful, with what the police chief called some "heated confrontations" and six arrests but no destruction of property. "Last night was a much better night," said Milwaukee Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton. "I'm hoping we continue down that path." Between Saturday night and Monday morning, police reported 31 people were arrested, including three juveniles. After Barrett announced the curfew Monday, 10 people were arrested. One was a juvenile. Experts caution that while the youth curfew may have had an impact temporarily, they are not generally an effective crime-fighting tool. Little juvenile crime occurs overnight, said Adams, adding that "you'd get a better bang for your buck" in most communities if a curfew were imposed from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. -- when kids are out of school, parents are less likely to be around and young people are more likely to cause trouble. Enforcing curfews also requires significant resources that could be better put toward other efforts, researchers have found. There are concerns that they are not uniformly or fairly enforced, with minorities and people in low-income neighborhoods tending to be disproportionately targeted. Enforcement also tends to ebb and flow. After a notable crime or a spike in criminal activity, authorities or elected officials will make the often politically popular step of beefing up enforcement. But officers quickly grow tired of it, or priorities shift. In Milwaukee, for example, the number of charges filed against minors and their parents has dropped significantly in the past few years. In 2011, 539 minors and 23 parents were charged with violating the curfew law. Last year, charges were filed against 148 minors and eight parents. The numbers are on pace to be even lower this year. Mike Males, senior researcher at the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, said there's another problem: Curfews don't target the people who are committing crimes. In Ferguson and Baltimore, he said, authorities blamed teenagers for much of the unrest. But arrest logs showed few people taken into custody were teens. Most were considerably older. Targeting that younger population, he added, serves only to antagonize them. It also allows public officials to avoid addressing larger problems such as longstanding racial disparities and poverty. "It's an easy population to blame," Males said. Sharlen Moore, a mother of three who lives in the Milwaukee neighborhood where the shooting and subsequent unrest happened, said imposing a youth curfew was "just putting a Band-Aid over a gushing wound. It's a temporary solution to a bigger problem." Moore said her children are younger and she personally transports them, so the curfew has not directly affected her family. Because of that, she said, her children "are not put in unnecessary harm's way with police or other people. There are people in our community who don't have that privilege." rozanski13.JPG Springfield Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski said he "personally has no objection" to the ordination of women as deacons, but added acceptance of women's leadership roles varies across cultures in the universal Church and he is making no predictions on the outcome of a Vatican commission to study the possibility of a women diaconate. (Anne-Gerard Flynn photo) SPRINGFIELD - Springfield's Catholic Bishop Mitchell T. Rozanski said he "personally has no objection" to the ordination of women as deacons. But, he added, acceptance of women's leadership roles varies across cultures and he is making no predictions on the outcome of a Vatican commission studying the possibility of a women diaconate. Rozanski said he sees the recent creation of the international commission of both religious and lay people as a reflection of Pope Francis' commitment to a more open Church and an expanded role for women in it. "When he named that commission I was not surprised. He said he would when he met with a group of religious women and he is following through on his promise," Rozanski said. "What Pope Francis is saying is that at all levels of the Church we need healthy exchange and we need to look into the possibilities of what can be done. Plus, I think Pope Francis has shown he is very committed to expanding the role of women in the Church. He is open to talking about different things and this to me is part of that continuum that he started early on in his papacy." The theological issue before the diaconate commission is whether women can be ordained as deacons, an issue Rozanski said "affects the whole Church." Both celibate and married men may be ordained as permanent deacons in the Roman Catholic Church, a position restored and defined for the modern Church by the Second Vatican Council, but not women. Deacons may preach and minister some of the sacraments as members of the Church's hierarchy, but may not celebrate Mass, forgive sins or anoint the sick, rituals reserved for those ordained to the priesthood. "My experience of Pope Francis' pontificate is that he is not afraid of dialogue. He is not afraid to say let's look at the this. Let's talk it over. This is an issue that affects the whole Church. He doesn't shy away from dialogue and he doesn't shy away from controversy." Rozanski said. "It is very helpful for the Church to have that dialogue. In former times, this dialogue would have taken place among a strata of theologians and it would stay in the upper realms. It would have been shared among theologians." In 2002, the International Theological Commission left unresolved the possibility of a women diaconate today in its historical-theological study of the diaconate. However, it underscored the diaconate as its own ministry and that deaconesses had their own version of it in the early Church. Francis has said women cannot be ordained as priests, but named the 13-member Commission to Study the Women's Diaconate earlier this month in response to a question about the possibility of women as deacons during the May meeting of the Union of International Superiors General at the Vatican. Phyllis Zagano is one of six female members appointed to the commission by the pope and a U.S. scholar whose writings focus on women as ordained ministers in the early Church. In a column on the commission last week in the National Catholic Reporter, Zagano said women were ordained in the early Church in ceremonies identical to men, meaning they involved the laying on of hands and evoking of the Holy Spirit in a way that represents a deacon's ordination to service separate from ordination to the priesthood, and that their duties included "anointing ill women and those newly baptized." The restoration of the diaconate by the Church during the 1960s came as vocations to the priesthood in the United States and in other Western countries have greatly decreased. LONGMEADOW Unfunded mandates and infrastructure projects emerged as issues concerning Town Hall officials from several Western Massachusetts communities who sat down with state senators for a roundtable discussion Wednesday. Hosted by state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg and Sen. Eric Lesser, the wide-ranging discussion in Longmeadow drew administrators and elected officials from Belchertown, East Longmeadow, Granby, Longmeadow and Ludlow. The discussion came just over a week after Gov. Charlie Baker signed into law the Municipal Modernization Act, which supporters have billed as a piece of legislation that grants more independence to local government and streamlines state oversight. Select Board members from Longmeadow raised the issue of their town's obligation to the mandated "other post-employment benefits" (OPEB) program, which requires towns to pay at least half of retired town employees' municipal health insurance premiums. Selectman Richard Foster also pointed out that Longmeadow is responsible for maintaining a stretch of Route 5, which is often driven on by trucks when sections of Interstate 91 is shut down. "(State) funding right now doesn't even meet the reoccurring needs of our road system," Foster said. Responding to the Longmeadow delegation, Rosenberg noted that the formation of a senatorial OPEB working group is in the planning stages. The Senate president also pondered whether the state could fund construction on town roads adjacent to highways to handle added traffic the state roadways bring. "I'm really concerned about that specific problem. ... If we could help you reconstruct those roads to meet that kind of traffic, that would be a big help," Rosenberg said. "That's a problem that's created by the state traffic system." In addition to mandates like OPEB, state legislators have passed a total of 92 provisions requiring cities and towns to fund different programs over the past five years, said Belchertown Town Administrator Gary Brougham. Federal programs too, like a new permitting process passed by the Environmental Protection Agency that requires updating of small stormwater systems, take a heavy financial toll on small communities. "That (EPA requirement) is going to break every community in Western Mass.," Brougham said. After the hour-long sit-down, Rosenberg said local officials should contact state legislators if the Municipal Modernization Act imposes any additional mandates for cities and towns, since the bill was designed to avoid placing additional strain on municipalities. "It was not our intention to put more burden on communities," Rosenberg said. While state legislators have limited control over federal mandates, Lesser said, they can limit the amount of unfunded requirements they place on communities across the commonwealth. Roundtables like Wednesday's are important to maintain communication between state and local officials, especially to bring to light specific regional issues, he said. "We've got a lot of unique needs in Western Mass.," Lesser said. Inauguration week 2015 scenes at the Massachusetts State House Sen. Eric Lesser, left, and Senate President Stan Rosenberg at the State House during inaugural week in 2015. (Robert Rizzuto/ The Republican) ( Robert Rizzuto/ The Republican) LONGMEADOW Massachusetts state Senate President Stanley Rosenberg, along with state Senator Eric Lesser will host a roundtable for local town administrators and managers in Longmeadow on Wednesday morning. Representatives from the First Hampden and Hampshire District towns of Belchertown, East Longmeadow, Granby, Hampden, Longmeadow, Ludlow and Wilbraham are expected to participate, a statement from Lesser's Chief of staff Michael Clark says. The roundtable will focus on issues facing individual communities across the two districts, the statement says. Rosenberg, D-Amherst, and Lesser, D-Longmeadow, will seek input regarding future legislation that could affect the region. "I'm interested in hearing directly from Selectmen, Town Councilors, Town Administrators and Town Managers about the diverse set of challenges they face in the course of their work," Lesser said in the statement. "The Municipal Modernization Act is a significant first step but there are plenty of other ways the Senate can be responsive to the needs of our cities and towns." The Municipal Modernization Act, which Governor Charlie Baker signed into law last week, includes provisions that increase independence local governing independence among cities and towns in the Commonwealth and reform certain aspects of state oversight, according to the Massachusetts Municipal Association. Wednesday's roundtable will take place in Room A15 of Longmeadow High School, located at 535 Bliss Road at 10:30 a.m., the statement says. Twenty-four panels. Over 58,000 names. The Wall That Heals, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., has arrived in West Springfield and will be on display 24 hours a day through Aug. 21 on the grounds of the Eastern States Exposition. Approximately 250 feet in length and laid out in a chevron shape like the original, The Wall That Heals contains the names of all the American soldiers killed or missing in the Vietnam war. Staging in West Springfield in the parking lot of Home Depot, the truck carrying the wall made its way to the Big E escorted by hundreds of motorcycle riders and a caravan of veterans groups. "This will be an enormous opportunity for Western Massachusetts residents to experience the impact of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, and we are bringing together many members of the community to help with ceremonies and other events that bring awareness and recognition to our Vietnam veterans," said Chris Lizotte, director of the West Springfield Department of Veterans Services. There is no charge for admission or parking. Visitors should enter through gate 9 off Memorial Avenue. BATON ROUGE, La. -- Authorities went door to door and car to car to check for bodies Tuesday, and homeowners began the heartbreaking task of gathering up soaked family photos and mucking out houses dank with bayou mud, as the floodwaters started to recede across parts of southern Louisiana. Even as the water fell in some areas, it was rising in other places downstream, where people furiously filled sandbags and fled to shelters. Officials painted a stark picture of the crisis so far: at least 40,000 homes damaged and 11 people killed in some of the worst flooding in Louisiana history, touched off by as much as 2 feet of rain in 48 hours. Over 30,000 people have been rescued since Friday, with more being brought to safety by the hour. There were scattered reports of looting, and Gov. John Bel Edwards said parishes with widespread damage would be placed under curfew beginning Tuesday night. The smell of muddy water hung heavy in the air as people donned surgical masks and began the back-breaking job of ripping out soggy carpet, drywall and insulation. They cleaned out spiders and cockroaches that had bubbled up through the sewer grates. Raymond Lieteau, 48, returned to his home in the Woodlands neighborhood of Baton Rouge to survey the damage Tuesday and begin cleaning up. The water line on a mirror showed that he had more than 5 feet of water inside his home. "My furniture is all over the place," he said. "It's just amazing." The bedroom floors were buckled and the walls bowed, and the swimming pool, once a crystal-clear blue, was filled with brown water. His wife, Daniella Letelier, put on rubber gloves and began sorting through stacks of family photos, removing them from their sleeves and placing them on a table to dry out. Many of the photos were of her 15-year-old daughter, Olivia. "I can't live without her pictures. It breaks my heart," she said. Officials started going house to house to make sure everyone was accounted for and searched the countless cars that had been caught in the flooding. "I don't know we have a good handle on the number of people who are missing," the governor said. More than 60,000 people had signed up for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and 16 parishes were added to the federal disaster declaration, bringing the total to 20. And help was coming from quarters beyond the federal government. Performer Taylor Swift told The Associated Press that she is donating $1 million to flood relief. She said the state's residents graciously welcomed her when she kicked off the U.S. dates of her "1989 World Tour" in Louisiana last year. "The fact that so many people in Louisiana have been forced out of their own homes this week is heartbreaking," the 26-year-old said in a statement. "I encourage those who can to help out and send your love and prayers their way during this devastating time." In Livingston Parish, one of the hardest-hit areas with about 138,000 people, an official estimated that 75 percent of the homes were a total loss. In Tangipahoa Parish, Parish President Robby Miller said at least 7,500 homes had flood damage, meaning they took on anywhere from an inch of water to water up to the roof. That number could go as high as 10,000, he said, which would be about a quarter of the homes in the parish. Officials from Livingston Parish were in Baton Rouge on Tuesday to talk to federal officials about getting some sort of temporary housing for their first responders -- a sign of the housing crunch that's likely soon too come with so many people out of their homes for weeks and perhaps months. Rivers and creeks were still dangerously bloated in areas south of Baton Rouge as the water made its way toward the Gulf of Mexico. In Ascension Parish, some small towns were already inundated. In St. James Parish, authorities called for volunteers to help fill sandbags. Nearly 800 evacuees were gathered in a makeshift Red Cross shelter established in Gonzales at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center, a multipurpose facility that has hosted rodeos, car and truck shows and concerts. Even more people escaping the flood were at an RV park on the site. Tables were stacked with supplies, and a short line of people waited for medical assistance at the nursing station. Music played outside, while children with hula hoops and other games appeared oblivious to the nearby flooding that threatened their homes. Evacuated cows and horses were housed on the property, along with pets rescued. Jared Henry, 39, a chemical plant worker who raises rodeo bulls at his 35-acre home in Gonzales, had moved his 50 bulls to Lamar Dixon as his property flooded, swimming some of the bulls to safety. Henry said his trailer home was raised off the ground and not damaged, but he wasn't sure if it would remain that way. He lost everything before when a fire destroyed his home. "So when I saw this coming, I took the few things of sentimental value, got all the cows, the puppy dogs," Henry said after feeding the bulls a batch of hay. "Anything else can be replaced. I care about my animals more than anything in this world." The governor said he is worried about "battle fatigue" setting in as rescuers and residents deal with day upon day of stress. The trauma was evident among people who went back Tuesday. David Key used a small boat to get to his house in Prairieville and said it had taken on 5 inches of "muddy, nasty bayou water." There were fish and thousands of spiders, and mold had started to grow. The backyard was still under water, with only the safety net surrounding his children's trampoline visible. "I'm not going to lie, I cried uncontrollably," he said. "But you have to push forward and make it through. Like everybody says, you still have your family." For years, weve heard "fiber is the future." Now some innovators, including Google, say fixed wireless could play a bigger role in getting high-speed access to rural America. Lower costs, quicker installation, and the potential of hybrid wired and wireless networks are some of the reasons. By Craig Settles Full Story: http://www.dailyyonder.com/analysis-new-use-of-wireless-holds-promise-for-rural-broadband/2016/08/17/14829/ Air Mauritius will be starting operations to Seychelles as from 02 July 2019. The flights will be operated twice weekly by the Airbus A319, offering 16 Business class and 108 Economy class seats. CEO Somas Appavou stated This new destination will reinforce our regional service and provide enhanced connectivity onto our global network. Our two countries are world class tourist destinations but as islands we also share similar challenges like the size of our home markets and our geographical remoteness. Bringing our islands closer through better air connectivity is key to overcoming such challenges. Flight schedules for the Mauritius-Seychelles service have been designed to optimize connecting possibilities for passengers through the Mauritius hub. This includes the flux of business and leisure traffic to and from Madagascar, Reunion, South Africa and Australia. Reinforced air services between Mauritius and Seychelles also offer the possibility to combine these two destinations into two-centre holiday packages. Mauritius-Seychelles schedule of operations: 1st weekly flight starting Tue 02Jul19 2nd weekly flight starting Fri 05Jul19 MRU Departure 08:30 Tue MRU Departure 22:30 Fri SEZ Arrival 11:10 Tue SEZ Arrival 01:10 Sat Departure 12:00 Tue Departure 02:20 Sat MRU Arrival 14:40 Tue MRU Arrival 05:00 Sat Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Most of what makes the Wheelhouse property atypical for Carlisle would make it typical for a larger metropolitan market. Which is to say that in most urban centers, the idea of industrial-chic loft apartments would sell itself. How big that market is in the local area is less clear. We knew we were shooting for something above what was currently available in Carlisle, said Ross Garner of Creative Building Concepts. This is 16 units, which we feel confident about. We probably wouldnt do 100 of these. The Wheelhouse property is the last remaining original building of what was formerly the Carlisle Tire & Wheel campus the rest of the factory structures were demolished and the developers involved in a long environmental remediation process. Garner and his partners, however, jumped at the chance to purchase the remaining parcel. Weve been doing renovation projects like this for other investors for years now, Garner said. We have a few properties in our names individually, but this is the first project of this scale that weve taken on as a company. The former factory has been converted into 16 upscale apartments, with commercial office space on the first floor. Although the building was gut-renovated, the most distinct architectural features were kept. All of the spaces feature exposed-brick facades and the factorys original maple hardwood floors. The massive wooden pillars and crossbeams that supported the original manufacturing site still protrude through the lofted living spaces and over the vaulted ceilings. With a low-interest loan from the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation, the original window spaces have also been kept, replaced with modern glass and sealants for maximum energy-efficiency. As of last week, four of the units already had tenants moving in. Rent is $1,100 to $1,300 per month, depending on the apartment, Garner said. Something like this appeals mostly to young professionals and those who are looking for something interesting but not necessarily permanent, Garner said. With the Army War College and Dickinson Law bringing in a lot of folks, I think theres a niche. According to the U.S. Census Bureaus 2014 estimates, 29 percent of housing units in Cumberland County are rentals, with median rent of $871 per month. For most renters, this cost is fairly steep 36.2 percent of the renting population spends 35 percent or more of their annual household income on rent. But for many prospective tenants arriving from other parts of the nation, properties like the Wheelhouse offer a great value. While they may be pricier than the rest of the real estate in the area, the same quality of unit in a larger area would be several times more. Honestly, its a deal for what it is, said Elizabeth Brunton, who was moving into a Wheelhouse unit on Tuesday with her boyfriend, Triston Osavio. Coming from Bar Harbor, Maine, where tourism drives up living costs, Brunton said Carlisle offered a considerable value. Osavio, a Dickinson Law student, said he had been living a basement apartment elsewhere in town for $650 per month. Splitting rent with Brunton, the Wheelhouse was the same price, but a drastic improvement. I had looked at other places, but there were strings attached a lot of times youre renting someones house and you have to mow the lawn and stuff like that, Osavio said. For two busy, professional people, this is ideal. In a recent journal of IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics, researchers from McGill University in Canada have described the development of a gait assessment system based on a Microsoft Kinect 3D camera. Intended to be used for evaluating the walking characteristics of patients with multiple sclerosis, the goal of the project was to produce a way of objectively measuring how a patients walking abilities change between sessions. Today gait assessment is typically done by simply observing the patient, which can lead to a lot of subjective inconsistency from visit to visit and between different clinicians. The McGill team created algorithms that assess a persons movement obtained from Kinect data and compared how these algorithms perform against results produced by trained clinicians. According to the researchers, the investigators showed that the Kinect camera is as an easy to use tool to assess gait in MS patients in a clinical setting. From the study abstract: In this study, 10 ambulatory MS patients, and 10 age and sex-matched normal controls were studied at one session in a clinical setting with gait assessment using a Kinect camera. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) clinical ambulation score was calculated for the MS subjects, and patients completed the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS). Based on this study, we established the potential feasibility of using a Microsoft Kinect camera in a clinical setting. Seven out of the eight gait indices obtained using the proposed method were reliable with intra-class correlation coefficients ranging from 0.61 to 0.99. All eight MS gait indices were significantly different from those of the controls (p-values less than 0.05). Finally, seven out of the eight MS gait indices were correlated with the objective and subjective gait measures (Pearsons correlation coefficients greater than 0.40). Study in IEEE Journal of Biomedical and Health Informatics: A Microsoft Kinect-Based Point-of-Care Gait Assessment Framework for Multiple Sclerosis Patients Source: McGill University by Richard Whitman , Columnist, August 16, 2016 Ron Bess, former Havas Worldwide Chicago and North America head, is returning to the ad agency business after having retired in 2013. Bess will replace HY Connect President Rich Levy who abruptly left after having held the position since June. According to Chicago Business Journal's Lewis Lazare, no one is talking about specifics for Levy's sudden exit. It's reported Levy was removed from the role by Baird Capital, the entity which oversees HY Connect holding company Myelin Communications and that it was a surprise to all at HY Connect. An HY Connect spokesperson noted that Bess would function as the day to day leader of HY Connect as well as heading up new business efforts for the larger Myelin network. by Thom Forbes @tforbes, August 17, 2016 Just five years from now, CEO Mark Fields and other Ford executives made clear in a whirlwind of media appearances, interviews, a press conference and a call with analysts yesterday, it will have a fleet of vehicles navigating highways and byways without steering wheels, brakes or gas pedals. Our view is autonomous vehicles could have just have as significant of an impact on society as Fords moving assembly line did 100 years ago, Fields told Phil LeBeau in a morning appearance on CNBCs Squawk Box. If someone had told you 10 years ago, or even five years ago, that the CEO of a major automaker American car company is going to be announcing the mass production of fully autonomous vehicles, they would have been called crazy or nuts or both, Fields said at a press conference in Palo Alto, the New York Times Neal E. Boudette reports. advertisement advertisement Its now clear that the next decade is going to be defined by the automation of the automobile, Fields told an very-engaged audience at its Silicon Valley research center as well as more than 200,000 other team members beaming in from around the world (and about 5,000 other interested observers catching up on YouTube). Ford will be doubling its staff in Palo Alto to more than 300 employees, expanding its offices and labs in that city, and signing new partnerships with companies that are developing technology for self-driving cars, LeBeau reports, as Fields continues to reposition Ford into a full-fledged mobility company. Fields wanted there to be no doubt Tuesday that the Dearborn automaker is absolutely not behind competitors in the development of self-driving vehicles, the Free Press Brent Snavely writes. In fact, Ford hinted it could be ahead of some competitors but at least until now has chosen to keep much of its progress to itself. We are not in a race to make announcements, Fields told Snavely. We are in a race to do whats right for our business. But for all the high-falutin targets and promises, in fact, the real transformation will occur when Ford delivers on its plans, or when another company beats it to the punch. All of the major automakers are working on such technology, point out Russ Mitchell and Samantha Masunaga in the Los Angeles Times. So is Alphabet, the parent company of Google, and, possibly, Apple. Earlier this year, General Motors bought an autonomous car start-up, Cruise Automation, and announced it would work with Lyft, which GM partly owns, to develop driverless taxis. Ford itself will initially target ride-sharing fleets and package-delivery services with the unnamed model, underscoring the still-incremental approach many car companies are taking before offering vehicles to consumers that dont require humans behind the wheel, Christina Rogers reports in the Wall Street Journal. The carmaker said in a later investor call that it expected to first roll out the driverless vehicles in big cities. The cars would most-likely be hybrids rather than full electric vehicles or cars with a conventional internal combustion engine, to ensure range and minimize downtime needed for recharging, Peter Campbell and Patti Waldmeir report for Financial Times. Fields said the self-driving technology will likely be too expensive for individual ownership, at least for the first half of the decade, writesRecodes Johana Bhuiyan. When you look at ride-hailing services and you look at the economics of that business, the biggest cost is the cost [of] the driver. When you take that element out, it not only restructures the cost of the ride-hailing service, but the cost to the consumer ultimately comes down. Ford also has announced a number of investments it hopes will give it the edge over its rivals, the Irish Timesreports. The company has bought Israeli machine learning company SAIPS, as well as investing $75 million in laser-based driverless system company Velodyne Lidar, and forming an exclusive deal with vision processing group Nirenberg Neuroscience. Barclays analyst Brian Johnson recently predicted that once autonomous vehicles are in widespread use, auto sales could fall as much as 40% as people rely on such services for transportation and choose not to own cars, the NYTs Boudette reports. These technocrats just don't get it, reads one comment below Fords YouTube video of Fields Silicon Valley presentation, no doubt reflecting the views of many. The whole thing about owning a nice car is the fun of driving it. Yes, yes. Somebody somewhere once said the same thing about riding a horse. by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, August 17, 2016 Like Lovecrafts Cthulhu, on which he models himself, Donald Trumps candidacy has the effect of telescoping time: minutes seem like hours, hours seem like days, and press conferences seem like the entire 25-season run of "The Jerry Springer Show" with the volume turned way up. Make no mistake, the next three months are going to be an eternity an orange, rumpled purgatory, a cross-country Greyhound trip with a flatulent paranoiac, an endless NASCAR race, spinning faster and faster, louder and louder, circling, circling, ever circling until something finally blows up. However, back in March if anyone can recall those simple days you may remember the controversy at Breitbart News resulting from Donald Trumps then campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, manhandling a female Breitbart reporter, Michelle Fields. Ultimately, a number of Breitbart reporters ended up resigning in protest of what they said was the conservative news organizations overwhelming pro-Trump bias. In an open resignation letter, editor-at-large Ben Shapiro pinned the blame squarely on Breitbart News co-founder and executive chairman Steve Bannon, whom he accused of betraying the goals of the sites founder, the late Andrew Breitbart: In my opinion, Steve Bannon is a bully, and has sold out Andrews mission in order to back another bully, Donald Trump. He has shaped the company into Trumps personal Pravda, to the extent that he abandoned and undercut his own reporter, Breitbart News Michelle Fields, in order to protect Trumps bully campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, who allegedly assaulted Michelle. Well, if there was ever any question about the news org being in the tank for Trump, it has been laid to rest. This week, the real-estate mogul and reality TV star announced that Bannon would serve as CEO of his presidential campaign, while veteran GOP pollster Kellyanne Conway is coming on board as campaign manager. Although Paul Manafort will continue as campaign chairman, analysts said the appointment of Bannon and Conway is an effective demotion, transferring much of his authority to the newcomers. Bannon, previously described by Bloomberg News as the most dangerous political operative in America, is temporarily stepping down as executive chairman of Breitbart News to carry out his new role. While the appointments appear to be another effort to reset Trumps campaign amid dismal poll numbers, its unclear whether Bannon will introduce a substantial change in direction for the headstrong candidate. According to various press reports, Trump felt unduly constrained by Manafort, who encouraged him to tone down his rhetoric and stay on message. Bannon an unofficial advisor to the campaign has been urging him to run on an unapologetic populist and nationalist platform. Trump also declared in a TV interview on Tuesday: I don't want to change I don't want to pivot. I mean, you have to be you. If you start pivoting, youre not being honest with people. by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, August 17, 2016 The Republican National Committee is launching a new social media campaign targeting Hispanic voters with weekly messages intended to build support for Donald Trumps presidential run in the community. The move comes amid growing concern that Trumps inflammatory rhetoric has alienated Hispanic voters, who influence the outcome in important swing states like Florida, North Carolina, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada. The new online video series, called Hispanics, The Week Ahead, will focus on conveying political messages the RNC hopes will resonate with Hispanic voters, including economic growth, national security, education and immigration. The videos, featuring Helen Aguirre Ferre, the RNCs spokeswoman for Hispanic media, will be distributed in both English and Spanish on social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The first installment in the series addresses terrorism, outlining the alleged failures of Democrats on this national security issue and presenting the GOP as a bulwark against violent radicalism at home and abroad. Future videos will feature other Hispanic GOP figures. advertisement advertisement The GOP has a hard row ahead of it, as a recent poll by Fox News Latino gives Clinton a 46-point lead over Trump among Hispanic voters. Trumps statements calling Mexicans rapists and criminals, and questioning the impartiality of a federal judge with Mexican heritage, may have contributed to this negative view. Many of Trumps controversial statements have been at odds with the RNCs 2013 strategy document, which advised revamping the GOPs stance on immigration and the role of government to curry favor with Hispanic voters, as well as urging, The RNC must invest financial resources in Hispanic media. In a radio interview earlier this week Senator Lindsey Graham fretted over Trumps impact on the party and especially Hispanic voters, asserting that he is driving [Hispanic voters] away and has poured gasoline on all of the demographic issues we had in 2012. Also this week, the Clinton campaign announced a new Hispanic outreach initiative that will focus on the alleged threat of deportation for undocumented immigrants during a Trump presidency. by Sara Guaglione , August 17, 2016 GateHouse Media, which owns 125 dailies and a few hundred weeklies across the U.S., is cutting down its editorial team by offering staffers buyouts. In an internal email, GateHouse Media CEO Kirk Davis said the company is offering voluntary severance to reduce costs and employees would begin to leave starting Sept. 16. The affected publications include the Providence Journal, the Columbus Dispatch andthe Rockford Register Star. While we continue to make progress toward our goal of being revenue-positive by 2018 and year-to-date our revenue has improved and outperformed our industry peers, we continue to see revenue declines and must align our expenses accordingly, the email stated, according to a report from local Illinois paper The Rock River Times. advertisement advertisement Eligible employees have to sign up for the severance program no later than Monday, Aug. 29. Employees will get one week of pay for every year at a GateHouse Media publication, with up to 13 weeks of pay. Employees with 20 years or more time with GateHouse will be capped at 17 weeks of pay. If not enough employees leave the company, dismissals could be next, according to a Columbus Business First report. GateHouse filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Sept. 2013, citing $433.7 million in assets against $1.3 billion in debt. New Media Investment Group Inc. acquired GateHouse in Nov. 2013. Even legacy publishers like Theare offering buyouts amid declines in revenue. In July, 50staffers took a buyout. Unfortunately, there have been reports that the company hoped more editors had taken the voluntary severance offer and themay offer another round of buyouts. The NYT is hoping to cut staff by about 200 by the end of the year. When a person suffers cardiac arrest, there is a one in five chance a potentially life-saving Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is nearby. But up to 30 per cent of the time, the device is locked inside a closed building, according to a study led by U of T Engineering researchers, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The work was conducted by Professor Timothy Chan of the Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering at the University of Toronto, in collaboration with Rescu, led by Dr. Laurie Morrison at Li Ka Shing Institute of St Michael's Hospital in Toronto. Currently, AED placement in Canada does not necessarily consider accessibility of the device during an emergency. Many AEDs are located within office buildings, schools and recreation facilities, which tend to be open for a limited set of hours during the daytime. Toronto had 2,440 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in a public place during the study period, and 767 AED locations. Of these AED locations, 73.5 per cent were not open 24-hours a day, and 28.6 per cent were closed on weekends. Of the total number of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, 451 were located near an AED but only 354 were located near an AED when the AED was accessible, resulting in a coverage loss of 21.5 per cent. When researchers looked at cardiac arrests during evenings, nights and weekends, which is when the majority of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur, coverage diminished to 31.6 percent. The researchers concluded that a significant proportion of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur close to a public AED that is inaccessible at the time of the arrest, and a model that accounts for both location and availability when determining AED placement has the potential to significantly increase the likelihood of accessing an AED when needed. "Our research has shown AED availability for cardiac arrests is overestimated when time factors, such as building access and time of day, are not considered," said Chan. "The model considers time of day, building access and location information to optimize AED availability. Using the model, we found an average 25 per cent improvement in AED accessibility for cardiac arrests at all times of day." Government legislation mandating all AEDs be registered with emergency medical services dispatch centers and accessible to the public 24/7 would also improve access to AEDs. But coverage is only one issue, according to the study's authors: AED coverage does not necessarily equal survival, because the existence of an AED still doesn't necessarily mean the AEDs are being used. "Accessibility is only one piece of the larger puzzle in optimizing public defibrillator use and bystander response in an emergency," said Chan, who is also director of the Centre for Healthcare Engineering at the University of Toronto. In an accompanying editorial comment, Robert J. Myerburg, a professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said the study is important and should be included in planning strategies for AED locations, but society would benefit more by both achieving better outcomes after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and reducing the number that occur in the first place. "Now we need a parallel effort to develop a roadmap for improving prediction and prevention of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest," he said. Article: Overcoming Spatial and Temporal Barriers to Public Access Defibrillators Via Optimization, Timothy C.Y. Chan, PhD et al., Journal of the American College of Cardiology, doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2016.03.609, published August 2016. The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners is backing House Bill 1835 to reform the process by which state legislative and Congressional districts are drawn in Pennsylvania. Board Chairman Vince DiFilippo visited Harrisburg Tuesday to voice support for a bill that would amend the state constitution to create an independent citizens commission tasked with preparing redistricting maps. I can understand the process will never be perfect, DiFilippo told members of the House Committee on State Government where the bill awaits deliberation. Redistricting is not an easy thing to do, he added. But we think House Bill 1835 and legislative actions like it will certainly get us to a much fairer and transparent process than what is being done today. The board in April approved a resolution in support of legislative efforts to reform the process and assign a commission the task of legislative redistricting and Congressional reapportionment. The resolution states county and state residents deserve a fair, fully transparent, impartial and depoliticized process for the drawing of districts of near equal population. Instead the process has resulted in gerrymandering that not only favors one political party over the other, but also creates a detriment to representative democracy by impeding action on critical issues of importance to the people, DiFilippo said. Resolution The creation of a commission devoid of political motivation or partisanship will help the process to respect political subdivisions and communities of interest, prohibit districts from being drawn to favor or discriminate against a party or candidate, promote transparency and allow for public input, the resolution reads. It would also enable the process to follow the constitutional requirement that no county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward be divided unless absolutely necessary. There have been instances in Cumberland County where redistricting has split boroughs and townships, DiFilippo told the committee. When we ask if this was absolutely necessary, they have a hard problem saying this was absolutely necessary. We do not know why this was done. The last redistricting saw the transfer of 12 western Cumberland County municipalities from the 31st Senatorial District to the 30th Senatorial District, which is based in Altoona, DiFilippo said. Being that Carlisle is 100 miles away from the Blair County seat, he questioned how that senator can fairly represent such a diverse range of constituents. As a result of redistricting, there are Cumberland County residents who no longer know the name of their state representative or senator, DiFilipppo said. The process confuses people I think to the point where they do not care. He added the issue is not the elected officials who serve Cumberland County, but the process by which the districts are drawn. If we can get the politics out of it, the people can be fairly represented. State Rep. David Parker is a Republican from Monroe County and a chief sponsor of House Bill 1835. My home county has been the poster child for problems associated with our system of legislative redistricting, he told the committee. Based on the 2001 redistricting maps, Monroe County was split among six Pennsylvania Senate districts, Parker added. Not one of the senators lived in Monroe County and not one needed a Monroe County vote to win or keep their seat. As a result, Monroe County residents were under-represented in the Senate from about 2001 until a revised 2013 map corrected this issue, Parker said. This resulted in over a decade of lost resources and lost revenue, which continues to this day. The bill If approved, House Bill 1835 would prevent a repeat of Monroe County by requiring that all counties contained no more state senate districts than the number required by the population plus one. The bill would also require that all counties contain no more state representative districts than the number required by population plus two. The bill would require Congressional Districts be composed of compact and contiguous territory that respect communities of interest and are consistent with the equality of population. There would be no division of any county, city, incorporated town, borough, township or ward unless absolutely necessary. The independent commission tasked to draw these lines will not be beholden to incumbent politicians or political parties, Parker said. If established, the commission would consist of 11 members including four Democrats, four Republicans and three not registered with either party. Individuals who, within the last five years, served as elected officials (including spouses) government employees, political party officers or lobbyists in the state will not be allowed to serve on the commission. The secretary of the commonwealth will select commission members on a random basis from a pool of applicants while keeping in mind that those selected must reflect the racial, geographic and gender diversity of Pennsylvania. If established, this commission will convene public hearings throughout the state to consider input from residents as it worked within time constraints to complete the redistricting maps, Parker said. He added, after service on the commission, members would be subject to limits on holding office, working as a lobbyist or working in government. What is being presented in House Bill 1835 is about as fair as you can get it, said DiFilippo, a Republican, of the redistricting process. I dont think we will have a perfect process. Cumberland County recently shared its resolution with other leaders at a conference of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, DiFilippo said. Association officials are reviewing the language and may send out ballots to member county commissioners asking them to vote on similar resolutions. Scientists at MIT and the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil have identified the structure of an enzyme that could be a good target for drugs combatting three diseases common in the developing world. The enzyme, fumarate hydratase (FH) is essential for metabolic processes of parasites that are responsible for the spread of three diseases: Leishmaniases, Chagas disease, and sleeping sickness. As such, understanding the enzyme's structure could help researchers figure out how to inhibit FH enzymes, thereby providing new medical therapies. "This enzyme is really critical for the metabolism of organisms like Leishmania major," says Catherine Drennan, an MIT professor whose lab hosted the research. "If you knock it out, the organism should be dead." Leishmaniases are a group of diseases varying from severe skin ulcers to debilitation of internal organs, and are present in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Southern Europe. Chagas disease, located mostly in Latin America, causes cardiac and intestinal complications, and can lead to heart failure. Sleeping sickness affects humans and other animals and is an often-deadly disease concentrated in Africa. The study of FH began at the University of Sao Paulo, where researchers Patricia R. Feliciano and M. Cristina Nonato made important progress on studying Leishmania major FH. Feliciano then moved to MIT to complete the analysis of the enzyme structure with Drennan, a professor of chemistry and biology, and an investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. "The exciting thing about this is thinking that my work could help people who have those diseases," says Feliciano. The paper, "Crystal structure of an Fe-S cluster-containing fumarate hydratase enzyme from Leishmania major reveals a unique protein fold," is being published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The authors are Feliciano, Drennan, and Nonato. First in class Fumarate hydratase enzymes fall into two types, class I and class II. The current study represents the first time that a class I fumarate hydratase enzyme has been mapped. Significantly, the Leishmania major FH enzyme has a protein architecture - it vaguely resembles a human heart in appearance - that is distinctive from the structure of human fumurate hydratase. "When we looked at the structure for the first time, it was like, 'Whoa, it is completely different from the human FH enzyme,'" says Feliciano. "The fact that it is a novel fold does add to the idea that this is a good drug target," Drennan adds. "It has a lot of potential." Here's why: The distinctive structure of class I FH makes it possible that drugs could target the parasite variant of the enzyme alone, while leaving intact the functionally equivalent enzymes that humans use. "It's an enzyme that does the exact same thing, but it's a completely different enzyme," Drennan explains. "That's what makes this such an exciting target." Brazil connection The finding stems from work Feliciano started doing nine years ago in Brazil in Nonato's lab, but was not able to complete at the time, in part because of difficulties accessing the right equipment. In 2012 Feliciano arrived at MIT, where the Drennan Lab has tools that let researchers form crystals of proteins under anaerobic (oxygen-free) conditions. Having formed a crystal of the Leishmania major FH enzyme, it still took Feliciano several months to completely map out the enzyme's structure, partly because of its complexity, she notes. Drennan emphasizes the complementary aspects of the research arrangement, with the research problem identified and important groundwork accomplished in Brazil, while MIT provided the right tools to solve the enzyme structure, and with the results hopefully having long-term application in Latin America and Africa. "It's a really lovely collaboration between the two groups and two countries," Drennan says. For that matter, Drennan says, the nature of globalization means diseases can spread worldwide in relatively short timespans these days. That means the need to find remedies for Leishmaniases, Chagas disease, and sleeping sickness is potentially global, too. "I think it's important to reflect on these health issues, and more people in the U.S. need to be aware of these diseases," Drennan says. "The world is getting to be a smaller place." Support for the research was provided by the Sao Paulo Research Foundation and uses equipment funded by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Energy. Article: Crystal structure of an Fe-S cluster-containing fumarate hydratase enzyme from Leishmania major reveals a unique protein fold, Patricia R. Feliciano, Catherine L. Drennan, and M. Cristina Nonato, PNAS, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1605031113, published online 15 August 2016. How many words do we know? It turns out that even language experts and researchers have a tough time estimating this. Armed with a new list of words and using the power of social media, a new study published in Frontiers in Psychology, has found that by the age of twenty, a native English speaking American knows 42 thousand dictionary words. "Our research got a huge push when a television station in the Netherlands asked us to organize a nation-wide study on vocabulary knowledge," states Professor Marc Brysbaert of Ghent University in Belgium and leader of this study. "The test we developed was featured on TV and, in the first weekend, over 300 thousand Dutch speakers had done it - it really went viral." Realising how interested people are in finding out their vocabulary size, the team then made similar tests in English and Spanish. The English test has now been taken by almost one million people. It takes up to four minutes to complete and has been shared widely on Facebook and Twitter, giving the team access to an unprecedented amount of data. "At the Centre of Reading Research we are investigating what determines the ease with which words are recognized;" explained Professor Brysbaert. The test includes a list of 62,000 words that he and his team have compiled. He added: "As we made the list ourselves and have not used a commercially available dictionary list with copyright restrictions, it can be made available to everyone, and all researchers can access it." The test is simple. You are asked if the word on the screen is, or is not, an existing word in English. In each test, there are 70 words, and 30 letter sequences that look like words but are not actually existing words. The test will also ask you for some personal information such as your age, gender, education level and native language. This has enabled the team to discover that the average twenty-year-old native English speaking American knows 42 thousand dictionary words. As we get older, we learn one new word every two days, which means that by the age of 60, we know an additional 6000 words. "As a researcher, I am most interested in what this data can tell us about word prevalence, i.e. how well each word is known in a language;" added Professor Brysbaert. "In Dutch, we have seen that this explains a lot about word processing times. People respond much faster to words known by all people than to words known by 95% of the population, even if the words used with the same frequency. We are convinced that word prevalence will become an important variable in word recognition research." With data from about 200 thousand people who speak English as a second language, the team can also start to look at how well these people know certain words, which could have implications for language education. This is the largest study of its kind ever attempted. Professor Brysbaert has plans to improve the accuracy of the test and extend the list to include over 75,000 words. "This work is part of the big data movement in research, where big datasets are collected to be mined;" he concluded. "It also gives us a snapshot of English word knowledge at the beginning of the 21st century. I can imagine future language researchers will be interested in this database to see how English has evolved over 100 years, 1000 years and maybe even longer". Article: How Many Words Do We Know? Practical Estimates of Vocabulary Size Dependent on Word Definition, the Degree of Language Input and the Participant's Age, Marc Brysbaert, Michael Stevens, Pawe Mandera and Emmanuel Keuleers, Frontiers in Psychology, doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01116, published 29 July 2016. Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in collaboration with Estonian Competence Centre on Health Technologies have developed a new gene expression analysis method to widen the usage of blood in biomarker discovery and analysis. Their paper is published in the journal Scientific Reports. Blood carries cells that provide biomarkers for a number of applications. Blood as a type of liquid biopsy is widely used in clinical research due to its ease of sampling and its rapid dynamics: the majority of the cells are erythrocytes that carry oxygen, causing 50 - 80 per cent enrichment of globin RNA molecules among all blood RNA. This high prevalence of globin complicates blood related gene expression biomarker studies, causing technical bias and leaving biologically relevant molecules undetectable. According to the researchers the study reveals for the first time the detailed methodology - GlobinLockTM - how to overcome a limitation in blood sample analysis caused by erythrocytes, which complicates any downstream biomarker identification or tracking from blood. The published and patent pending assay minimizes the needs of reagents and sample material, which makes it an effective and robust tool. "The globin reduction rate of GlobinLock is sufficient for any applications. It reduces the globin prevalence from 63 per cent before to five per cent which makes it an effective tool for biotechnology companies as an additive to their kits, said Dr Kaarel Krjutskov, the leading author of the study from both Karolinska Institutet and Estonian Competence Centre on Health Technologies. The new method consists of a pair of short synthetic DNA strands that silence majority of globin RNA molecules by highly specific binding. The strands are introduced to purified RNA sample, and according to the researchers, being effective immediately after RNA denaturation and add only ten minutes of incubation time to the whole complementary DNA synthesis procedure. The locking DNA molecules bind specifically at globin RNA poly-A site that is needed for further analysis. Therefore the globin RNAs are "locked" prior downstream manipulations and are unavailable to cause technical biases in blood RNA biomarker applications. "We show that globin locking is fully effective not only for human samples but also for widely used animal models, like mouse and rat, cow, dog and even zebrafish", said professor Juha Kere in who's laboratory the invention was created at Karolinska Institutet. The research and development from idea to patent pending method was financed by Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research, Strategic Research Program funding on Diabetes to Karolinska Institutet, Swedish Research Council, Orion Research Foundation, EU, Enterprise Estonia, and the Estonian Ministry of Education and Research. The GlobinLock technology is already applied in different ongoing research projects. Advertisement "What causes some cells to express these genes while other cells do not?" she asked. "Does the packaging of DNA play a role in deciding which genes are expressed? We believe that it's more about the regulation and the mechanics of how the transcriptional machinery is recruited than the genes themselves."Floer likens the process to Michigan winters. In the Midwest, it's always snowing. Finding an open parking space that's not covered with snow becomes a statewide pastime. Complicating matters, imagine that you have an electric car, and you need a special spot. There are only a few of them, and they have to be cleared of snow.For this study, the snow blocking your space is the nucleosomes; they cover all cellular DNA evenly, more or less. The car is the transcription factor that wants to bind to the DNA, but your space, in this scenario, is only a small subset of sites that bear a specific sequence."The snow plow that clears the spots and increases your chances of finding a binding site is the nucleosome remodeler," Floer said. "It clears out the nucleosomes, or the snow, and allows you to find an open parking space."This approach is different than past studies. Floer's lab is focusing on understanding how access to the genome is controlled, rather than the notion that some genes are simply more open than others. Deciphering the secrets of the cellular snowplow, the nucleosome remodeler, allows scientists to take a different approach to tackling inflammation and identifying drug targets.Specifically, the team extracted stem cells involved in inflammation and fighting infections from the bone marrow of mice. They grew them in petri dishes to become mature macrophages, white blood cells that devour any diseased protein in their path. In their experiments, they showed that cell-type specific transcription factors bind to macrophage-specific genes and recruit the nucleosome remodeler - the cellular snowplows. Once bonded, nucleosome remodelers keep the gene regulatory sites open by clearing away the blizzard of nucleosomes.In addition, Floer's team discovered that the remodelers function at these sites long before the genes are expressed and doing their jobs. This means that they are recruited at some point during differentiation of stem cells into their specific, adult cells."We find that as a cell differentiates into a specific cell type, it acquires all of the necessary information early on that dictates its behavior as an adult cell," Floer said.The next phase of this research will be expanded genome wide. Floer's team focused only on a handful of genes. Along with tackling an entire genome, the team will experiment with environmental changes during differentiation to see what factors enhance the prevalence of cellular snowplows and how their absence at a critical time in development may lead to cancer.The team includes Michael McAndrew, a genetics graduate student who spearheaded the study together with Alison Gjidoda, a former research technician in the lab."The whole team came together to contribute to these studies," said Floer. "Without the dedication and enthusiasm of everybody in the lab and the support of my colleagues in the Gene Expression Focus Group here at MSU these studies would not have been possible."Source: Eurekalert Advertisement Zika can cause crippling birth defects, and is suspected to trigger other neurological disorders.The disease has swept through Latin America, the Caribbean and beyond since 2015, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare an international public health emergency in February this year.As of early August, 65 countries have reported mosquito-borne transmission in the last 20 months.Initially thought to be spread only via the blood-sucking insects, Zika is now thought to be conveyed through sex and blood transfusions as well.But much remains unknown."Does sexual transmission to a pregnant woman also induce fetal abnormality? Why do some babies developed abnormalities while others don't? Who is at risk?""The only way to answer these questions is with 'big data,'" which can reveal otherwise hidden patterns, said Baud.What the world has seen so far could be "the tip of the iceberg," he added.Estimates vary widely, for example, as to what percentage of fetuses of women infected with Zika during the first trimester are at risk of microcephaly, characterized by brain damage and small heads.Research on French Polynesia, hit by Zika in 2013, put the odds at one in a hundred, while another study from Brazil -- the country hit hardest by the epidemic so far -- concluded that the risk was twice that high.Yet another team of scientists reported fetal problems in 29 percent of women exposed to Zika during their pregnancies.Some of the more than 4,000 gynecologists and obstetricians to whom the appeal was made have already provided data on patients -- who remain anonymous -- using standardized online forms.To encourage contributions, Baud has promised that doctors who participate will be listed as co-authors in future journal articles.National and professional associations have also pledged to pass on the request to their members.Baud said he would publish preliminary findings after his team had information for 100 women, but that the statistically significant threshold for new findings is 1,000.At present, details on only 160 pregnancies exposed to Zika can be found in the scientific literature, and gaps often make comparisons difficult or impossible.The new online registry gathers data on the general health of the women, blood profiles, medications were taken, exposure to different viruses, and other relevant factors.Last week, US health authorities declared a public health emergency in Puerto Rico due to the outbreak of Zika, which has now infected more than 10,000 people.The United States reported its first locally transmitted cases of Zika in Florida in July.In four out of five cases, the virus causes no symptoms. Those who do feel sick have reported fever, rash, body aches and conjunctivitis, or pink eye.Source: AFP Advertisement The UCLA team used several biomarkers, including an "epigenetic clock" developed by Horvath in 2013, to track an epigenetic shift linked to aging in the genome. Epigenetics is the study of changes to the DNA molecule that influence which genes are active but don't alter the DNA sequence itself.Horvath and his colleagues analyzed 18 sets of data on DNA samples from nearly 6,000 people. The participants represented seven different ethnicities: two African groups, African-Americans, Caucasians, East Asians, Latinos and an indigenous people who are genetically related to Latinos. Called the Tsimane, the latter group lives in Bolivia.When the scientists examined the DNA from blood-which reveals the health of a person's immune system - they were struck by differences linked to ethnicity. In particular, the scientists noticed that, after accounting for differences in cell composition, the blood of Latinos and the Tsimane aged more slowly than other groups.According to Horvath, the UCLA research points to an epigenetic explanation for Latinos' longer life spans. For example, the biological clock measured Latino women's age as 2.4 years younger than non-Latino women of the same age after menopause."We suspect that Latinos' slower aging rate helps neutralize their higher health risks, particularly those related to obesity and inflammation," said Horvath, who is also a professor of biostatistics at the Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA. "Our findings strongly suggest that genetic or environmental factors linked to ethnicity may influence how quickly a person ages and how long they live."The Tsimane aged even more slowly than Latinos. The biological clock calculated the age of their blood as two years younger than Latinos and four years younger than Caucasians. The finding reflects the group's minimal signs of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity or clogged arteries."Despite frequent infections, the Tsimane people show very little evidence of the chronic diseases that commonly afflict modern society," observed coauthor Michael Gurven, a professor of anthropology at UC Santa Barbara. "Our findings provide an interesting molecular explanation for their robust health."In another finding, the researchers learned that men's blood and brain tissue ages faster than women's from the same ethnic groups.The discovery could explain why women have a higher life expectancy than men.Horvath and his colleagues next plan to study the aging rate of other human tissues and to identify the molecular mechanism that protects Latinos from aging.Source: Eurekalert 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. Current Affairs 2022 Welcome to the Adda247 Current Affairs website which provides you with the best compilation of the Daily Current Affairs 2022 taking place across the globe: National, International, Sports, Science and Technology, Banking, Economy, Agreement, Appointments, Ranks and Report and General Studies. Adda247 has been a fantastic buddy in assisting you in reaching your full potential in terms of knowledge and learning by providing you with the top academic information. Adda247 is one of the most popular Current Affairs website in India for UPSC, SSC, Banking / IBPS, IAS, NTSE, Railways, NDA, CDS, Judiciary, UPPSC, RPSC, BPSC, MPSC, MPPSC, and other state civil services / government job recruitment examinations in India. Current Affairs is a major part of the exams like UPSC, UPSC CSE, IBPS, SBI, RBI, SSC, Railway, UPPSC, RPSC, BPSC, MPPSC, TNPSC, UKPSC, APPSC, MPSC etc. Many Govt job aspirants have benefited from our Current Affairs website now its your turn. This is the best current affairs site to find recent updates on Daily Current Affairs not only for competitive exams but also for interviews and updated with the latest information happening in nation and around the world. Current Affairs plays a vital role in all government examinations. To secure your selection with a vast margin, one needs to prepare this section in a holistic way. The current affairs section tests your awareness and how inquisitive you are. A basic understanding of current events will not only help you to secure a job, but will also help you grow in your job later. Check out the link below or visit www.currentaffairs.adda247.com to get daily current affairs updates. This post will provide you a general overview of how to prepare current affairs and several approaches you can utilise in your upcoming banking exams. The three main bank exams:- IBPS, RBI, and SBI are administered nationally each year and thousands of candidates sign up for them, raising the stakes in the race to the top. A significant portion of these bank exams is the GA Section, which contains the majority of the current events questions. This section is quite challenging because there is no set syllabus for it. This segment requires careful planning and continuous preparation on the part of the candidates. To get ready for the current affairs section, you can use the advice below: Candidates must first look at the previous years questions to understand what is asked in the exams. The previous years questions will guide what to read in newspapers. GA section requires consistency; one must read newspapers daily. Make crisp notes of important news. Revise the notes on regular intervals. Another method is to follow news channels or current affairs YouTube channels to remain updated with current affairs. If you do not have time to read daily current affairs, you can follow monthly magazines provided by various institutes. Such magazines are available online as well as in PDF form. It is very important to test your preparation on regular basis. Solve quizzes according to the exams you are targeting. NOTE : READ- NOTE- REVISE-TEST to ace current affairs. Why Adda247? Adda247 provides you with every kind of current affairs sorted under various sections like national, international, sports and awards to ease your preparations. The current affairs are divided into various sections and some of the important topics are depicted below: National Current Affairs: Every single essential piece of news on whats going on in the country is included in this section International Current Affairs: As for the banking exam, a candidate must prepare well for both national as well as international news going on since last year. Economic related issues: This section of economic current affairs will include every little news about the economy of India and the economic corridor with other countries. You can also find other relevant topics related to daily current affairs like product rate, economic growth, new economic frisking zone, and schemes indulged in the growth of the economy. Banking Current Affairs: All the recent changes in rules, policies of banking sectors will be discussed in this section. As you are preparing for the banking exam, you must be aware of stock market, and other banking activities for economic growth. Sports Current Affairs: This section covers all the tournaments and sports events held recently in the nation or outside the nation. Current Affairs Awards & Achievements : Current affairs on both national and international awards are included in this section for your preparation. Appointments Current Affairs : This section covers all the new appointments done in various departments of the government of India and other countries of the world. At Adda247, we provide detailed information with designation and name for your convenience to prepare for your bank exam. You can find the most relevant and updated current affairs for your bank preparation with us. Just join us and we will help you out with your preparation in the best possible way we can. Check SSC CGL 2022 Notification Current Affairs 2022: FAQs Q.1 What are the latest types of question asked in recent exams? Ans. In RBI assistant mains it was asked when Ramsar convention was signed. This is a static question in context of current affairs as India got new ramsar sites. Adda covers the static part with its current affairs. In SBI PO mains 2021, TIME Magazines Person Of The Year For 2021 was asked it was covered in current affairs. Q2. How to cover the static portion in context of current affairs? Ans. Candidate should look into political, historical background of the news. These aspects need to be prepared. Static portion is covered along with current affairs. Q.3 What aspects to cover while reading government schemes? Ans. For central level schemes: Amount allotted, ministry, year of launch, main characteristics are to be learnt. For state level schemes purpose and state is to be read. Q.4. What are the various sources of Adda247 current affairs? Ans. Adda 247 current affair sources are: PIB, NewsOnAir, RBI website, Various newspapers like Hindu, Indian express, financial express and many more. Q.5 Does Adda247 provide Current Affairs PDF? Ans. Yes, Adda247 provides weekly and month-wise current affairs pdfs in both Hindi and English languages. Bihar becomes 2nd state to ratify Constitutional amendment bill on GST Published: August 16, 2016 The Bihar State Legislature has unanimously ratified the The Constitution (122nd Amendment) (GST) Bill, 2014 for introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime in the country. The Bill was moved by the State Commercial Taxes Minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav which was unanimously adopted by both of the houses (Bihar has bicameral legislature). With passage of the bill by the state legislature, Bihar becomes the second state in India to ratify the GST. Benefits to state GST will bring uniform indirect tax system throughout the country and there will be simplicity in the tax system. Revenue of the state will increase after GST bill. State will get share of those service taxes which were earlier collected by the Central Government only. Manufacturing state were getting lions share of taxes, now the consumer states will also get benefit. Month: Current Affairs - August, 2016 Topics: Bihar Bills and Acts GST Taxation Latest E-Books Najma Heptulla appointed Manipur Governor Published: August 17, 2016 President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed former Union Minister Najma Heptulla (76) as Governor of Manipur. She had served as Union Minority Affairs Minister in the Union Cabinet of NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But she had resigned in July 2016. Besides President also appointed Banwarilal Purohit as Governor of Assam. He is a three-time former member of Lok Sabha from Nagpur and Managing Editor of Central Indias daily The Hitavada, as Governor of Assam. He is a three-time former member of Lok Sabha from Nagpur and Managing Editor of Central Indias daily The Hitavada, VP Singh Badnore as Governor of Punjab. He hails from Rajasthan and is associated with Mayo College, Ajmer. as Governor of Punjab. He hails from Rajasthan and is associated with Mayo College, Ajmer. Jagdish Mukhi as Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He is Delhi-based BJP leader and former MLA from Delhi. There appointments will take effect from the dates the incumbents assume their charge. Constitutional provisions of Governor Article 153: It says that there shall be Governor for each state. But 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 facilitated the appointment of the same person as a governor for two or more states. It says that there shall be Governor for each state. But 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956 facilitated the appointment of the same person as a governor for two or more states. Article 156: Governor is appointed by President and hold office during the pleasure of President. It should be also noted that this article also mentions tenure of Governor. In this regard it says that Governor shall hold office for the term of 5 years from date he enters upon his office. Month: Current Affairs - August, 2016 Topics: appointments Assam Current Affairs 2016 Governors Jagdish Mukhi Manipur Persons in News Punjab VP Singh Badnore Latest E-Books : , CCTV The "Medical Aid in Dying" measure was certified Monday as having enough petition signatures to make ballots this fall. Five other states have some law allowing the terminally ill to end their lives. Oregon passed the first right-to-die law in 1998, followed by Washington, Vermont and, last year, California. Montana's state Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that doctors could use a patient's request for life-ending medication as a defense against any criminal charges. Colorado's version would require two physicians to agree that a person is terminally ill and has six months or less to live, is at least 18, and is mentally competent. Similar measures have twice failed in the Colorado Legislature. Lawmakers from both parties said that the law could facilitate suicide in cases where a diagnosis may be wrong. The suicide measure becomes the third citizen petition to make Colorado ballots. Voters will also decide a universal health care measure and a higher minimum wage. The secretary of state is reviewing petitions for several more ballot measures, including a higher tobacco tax, a plan to replace presidential caucuses with presidential preference primaries, and two measures to change regulations on oil and gas drilling. Another pending measure would make it harder to put a ballot measure to voters, requiring more geographic diversity in the 98,000 or so signatures to put a proposal before voters. Supporters of Colorado's suicide measure had raised about $4.4 million by Aug. 1, according to state filings. Opponents including the Colorado Catholic Conference had not reported any fundraising by Aug. 1. Russia gave the U.S. military brief notice that its bombers were coming from a base in Iran for the first time to hit targets in Syria, an American military spokesman in Baghdad said Tuesday. "The Russians did notify the coalition" under the memorandum of understanding on flight safety over Syria that was agreed to by the two countries, said Army Col. Chris Garver, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve. "They informed us they were coming through" with Tu-22M3 long-range bombers, known as "Backfires" by NATO, and Su-34 tactical bombers, Garver said. "We assured safety of flight as those bombers passed through the area and toward their target and then when they passed out again," he said. Garver declined to say how much warning the U.S. had of the Russian overflights. "We knew in time," he said, adding that it was "not a lot of time but it was enough." The spokesman also declined to say whether U.S. and coalition aircraft over Iraq and Syria had to alter their own flight plans to accommodate the Russians. He repeated that the Russian route in and out "did not impact coalition operations." Related Video: Russia's Defense Ministry said Tuesday its warplanes took off from a base in Iran to target Islamic State fighters in Syria. The Ministry released a video of planes dropping bombs that were said to be targeting the IS militants. (AP) The Russian bombers took off from a base near the Iranian city of Hamedan, about 175 miles southwest of Tehran, in what was believed to be the first use of an Iranian airfield by a foreign power to bomb a third country since the Iranian revolution of 1979. Iran's Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, said the use of the airfield was a sign of the growing strategic alliance between Russia and Iran. He said that Moscow and Tehran "enjoy strategic cooperation in the fight against terrorism in Syria and share their facilities and capacities to this end," official state media reported. The Russian airstrikes into Syria from Iran came as the U.S. and Russia were still at odds over a possible agreement brokered by Secretary of State John Kerry to cooperate in a campaign against ISIS in Syria. A day before the airstrikes, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the proposed agreement would "allow us to find common ground and start fighting together for bringing peace to that territory." Shoigu added Russian negotiators were "in a very active stage of talks with our American colleagues" but there was no confirmation from the American side that an agreement was near. In a video briefing from Baghdad to the Pentagon, Garver said that the Russian bombers hit targets in northern Aleppo and Idlib, and also in eastern Deir al-Zour. Garver said there was a presence of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria fighters in Deir al-Zour but not in Aleppo or Idlib. "We don't see a concentration of ISIS in those areas," he said. Also in Syria, Garver confirmed that a convoy of hundreds of ISIS fighters using civilians as human shields was allowed to exit the key northeastern stronghold of Manbij, which fell last weekend to forces of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. The convoy proceeded to the north, but Garver declined to say whether it crossed the Turkish border. He said U.S. warplanes tracked the convoy but "they let the convoy continue to travel. They couldn't engage it" because of the presence of the civilians, he said. -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON--Seven Navy F-35 Joint Strike Fighters spent Monday morning in a round robin off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia, completing a tight succession of take-offs and arrested landings as pilots with Strike Fighter Squadron 101 completed carrier qualifications on the aircraft. The dozen instructors with the squadron each completed the required 10 traps and two touch-and-go maneuvers in less than two days. But thanks to an advanced landing system in the fifth-generation aircraft that limits the variables pilots need to monitor when they catch the wire, officers with the squadron said they could have gotten the practice they needed in much less time. "What has traditionally been required for initial qualifications ... that can probably be reduced, because the task becomes mundane after a while," said Lt. Cmdr. Daniel Kitts, officer in charge of the testing detachment aboard this ship. "You can make corrections so easily." The system that makes the difference is Delta Flight Path, developed by Lockheed Martin Corp. with input from Naval Air Systems Command. That system is one of more than a half-dozen F-35C features that are being tested in this third and final round of carrier exercises. During a 20-day developmental testing period aboard the George Washington that will conclude Aug. 23, pilots will test the aircraft's ability to fly symmetrical and asymmetrical external weapons loads, execute aircraft launches at maximum weight and against crosswinds, try out a new helmet software load designed to improve visibility in dark conditions, test the capabilities of Delta Flight Path and the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System, and take out and replace an entire F-35C engine to simulate major maintenance aboard a carrier. At the conclusion of these tests, officials believe the F-35C will be substantially ready for initial operational capability, a milestone the aircraft is expected to hit in 2018. But success of the built-in carrier landing technology may have even wider-reaching effects. Like the Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies, or MAGIC CARPET, system now being tested on the Navy's legacy F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, Delta Flight Path gives the aircraft the ability to stay on glide slope automatically and minimize the number of corrections the pilot must make. "All pilots are trained, we make corrections for glide slope with the throttle. We practice it when we get to our fleet trainers, and we practice it a bunch each and every time before we come out to the boat," Kitts said. "So what you're able to do when you come out here is hopefully spend less time practicing, because the workload on the pilot is extremely reduced." That's important, Kitts said, because time spent in the field and on the carrier practicing landings is time in which pilots are becoming less tactically proficient because they can't develop and drill other skills. The commanding officer of VFA-101, Capt. James Christie, said pilots are collecting data as they complete their required takeoffs and landings that could be used to inform a prospective proposal to reduce carrier training and qualification requirements. "We're not going to move too quickly; we're going to ensure it's the right thing to do," Christie said. "But as soon as we have the empirical evidence that shows we can safely reduce those numbers, I'll be all for submitting that to leadership." So far, the data looks good. In this round of testing, there have so far been no bolters, when an aircraft unintentionally misses the wire, and no landing wave-offs attributed to aircraft performance or safety issues, said Lt. Graham Cleveland, landing signal officer for VFA-101. Cleveland said this new technology might enable the Navy to cut ashore training from 16 to 18 field carrier landing practices to between four and six. He said he also envisioned cutting carrier qualification requirements from ten to six traps in the future. "That's going to save money, that's going to save fuel, that's going to save aircraft life, basically," he said. The future aside, getting out to the carrier for the first evolution of testing to involve operational pilots as well as test pilots was its own milestone for many at the fore of efforts to ready the F-35C for the fleet. "It's incredibly gratifying to see them come out and really make this aircraft real from the perspective of the fleet," said Tom Briggs, acting chief test engineer for the Navy. "This is going to be a viable program, a viable aircraft that's really going to do what it's designed to do a watching them come out here and do this, it's goose-bumpy." --Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Related Video: For the second day, Russian warplanes used an airbase in Iran to hit targets in Syria Wednesday in another sign of growing cooperation between Moscow and Tehran to counter U.S. interests in the region. Russia's Defense Ministry also mockingly dismissed U.S. State Department charges that the arrangement for use of the Iranian airbase southwest of Tehran could be in violation of the United Nations Security Council resolution 2231 prohibiting the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. The second consecutive day of bombing missions from Iran's Hamadan airbase about 175 miles southwest of Tehran involved Sukhoi Su-34 strike aircraft, called Fullbacks by NATO, according to the Russian news outlet RT. Once they reached Syrian airspace, the Su-34 aircraft were escorted by Su-35 fighters, known as Flanker-Es, flying out of the Syria's Khmeimim airbase near the port city of Latakia, RT said, citing the Russian Defense Ministry. The Fullbacks reportedly hit Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, targets near the eastern Syrian city of Deir al-Zour. "Over 150 militants have been eliminated, among them foreign mercenaries," in the strikes, the Defense Ministry said in a statement. On Tuesday, Russian bombers used the Iranian airbase for the first time. The strike wave consisted of Su-34s and long-range Tu-22M3 bombers, called Backfires by NATO, against targets in Deir al-Zour Aleppo and Idlib, Army Col. Chris Carver, a spokesman for Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, said in a video briefing to the Pentagon on Tuesday. For those strikes, "the Russians did notify the coalition" under the memorandum of understanding on flight safety over Syria that was agreed to by the two countries, Garver said. "They informed us they were coming through. We assured safety of flight as those bombers passed through the area and toward their target and then when they passed out again," he said. It was not immediately clear whether the Russians gave notice for the strikes on Wednesday. Secretary of State John Kerry phoned his Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, after the first strikes Tuesday to express U.S. concerns and also to try again to get Russia to use its influence with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to arrange a ceasefire that would ease the siege of Aleppo. "Discussion of the situation in Syria continued with a focus on the situation in Aleppo, where government forces are conducting a large-scale humanitarian operation with Russian support," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on the Kerry-Lavrov phone call. Also on Tuesday, State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said the Russian airstrikes out of Iran had killed civilians and suggested that they might constitute a violation of the UN resolution on military cooperation with Iran. Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman for Russia's Ministry of Defense, responded Wednesday in a mocking statement singling out Toner by name. "It is against our rules to provide advice to the leadership of the U.S. State Department, but it's hard to resist a recommendation for some State Department representatives to check their logic and knowledge of fundamental documents of international law," Konashenkov said. In the regular State Department briefing Wednesday, Toner said that the Russian airstrikes out of Iran "continue to hit civilian populations. Our concerns remain very vivid." Kerry's phone call to Lavrov was focused on trying to arrange a ceasefire "and this doesn't help," Toner said. "It only exacerbates what is already a dangerous situation." When asked whether Russia was in violation of the UN resolution, Toner said, "Our lawyers are looking at it. It requires a very detailed legal analysis." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV. ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The widows of two men killed in a 2012 shooting at the U.S. Coast Guard Communications Station on Kodiak Island are suing the U.S. government for negligence, according to court documents filed here early this month. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class James Hopkins, 41, and retired Chief Petty Officer Richard Belisle, 51, were killed April 12, 2012, by James Wells, a former sailor and coastie who had worked as a Coast Guard civilian employee since 1990. Wells was convicted of the murders and was given four life sentences in prison -- two for the murders, and two for using a firearm in a violent crime. During the 2014 trial, Wells was painted by prosecutors as an angry and erratic employee who resented his coworkers. The Coast Guard, the new court filing says, allowed Wells to continue to work at Kodiak Island despite knowing that he was "clearly a dangerous and out of control disgruntled employee with numerous reprimands and disciplinary sanctions." "The act of negligence, both of omission and commission, in retaining Wells as an employee form the basis of this suit and of the damages sustained," the filing says. "The United States of America placed Belisle and Hopkins in harm's way by assigning Hopkins to be Wells' supervisor and appointing Belisle to take over the duties and tasks that Wells formerly performed and subsequently refused to perform as a disgruntled and recalcitrant employee," it states. The suit, filed by Nicola Belisle and Deborah Hopkins in the U.S. District Court in Alaska, seeks over $1.1 million in damages for each woman and their children. An attorney for Belisle and Hopkins did not respond by deadline to a request for comment. The Coast Guard "is aware of the suit filed by Mrs. Belisle and Mrs. Hopkins, but I'm unable to comment on ongoing litigation," Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Shawn Eggert said in an email. The suit was filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which allows private citizen to sue the U.S. government for wrongs committed by federal employees. --Amy Bushatz can be reached at amy.bushatz@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @amybushatz. PAT announces 10-day schedule of protests, sit-ins An emergency meeting of PAT central Core Committee was held here today under the chairmanship of PAT leader Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri at the central secretariat. The meeting decided the schedule of protests to be held from August 20 to August 30 as part of Qisas and accountability movement. According to the schedule, protests will be held in 77 cities on August 20 including Lahore, Peshawar, Hyderabad, Larkana, Faisalabad, Sibbi, Kohat, Dera Murad Jamali, Mansehra, Sakhar, Dera Ismail Khan, and Rahim Yar Khan. Demonstrations will be held in 21 cities including Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin and Gujrat on August 21. 11 more cities including DG Khan, Layyah, Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh will host protests and sit-in on August 25. Protest demonstrations will be held in 20 cities including Rawalpindi, Quetta, Karachi, Jhelum, Chakwal, and Haripur. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri will announce the second phase of the protest movement in a mammoth demonstration to be arranged in Islamabad on August 30. He will address the protests and sit-ins taking place in 140 cities of the country through video link. Addressing the Core Committee meeting, Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the purpose of arranging protests and sit-ins is to seek justice for the martyrs of Model Town tragedy and rid the country of militancy and economic terrorism. He said that the way our workers were bathed in blood on June 17, 2014 cannot be ignored at any cost. He said that those who deprived the affected families of their fundamental right to justice will not be able to escape the law. Dr Qadri said that we would tell the nation in the protest demonstrations how the country has been brought on the brink of destruction and how profit earning institutions were turned into loss-incurring ones by virtue of their handing over to the blue-eyed people. He said that the revelations of the Panama leaks are a mere drop in the ocean of corruption, adding that many such exposures will be made in future. He forewarned the government that if it tried to block the peaceful protests of PAT, then it would forget the sit-in of 2014. The start of another school year in the Bismarck R-5 School District on Tuesday marked a new beginning for long-time school counselor Carmen Barton who has taken the reins as elementary school principal from predecessor Randy Crites who returns to the classroom this fall as a math teacher. "It doesn't feel that much different yet," Barton said as she prepared for the first group of students to arrive at the end of the long summer break. "I was a counselor at the elementary school and a sixth grade teacher before that for a long time. This is my 26th year and I've been here the whole time." Born and raised in Bismarck, the southeast Missouri native is expecting an enrollment of around 250 students at the elementary school this year. "I haven't really checked yet, but it hasn't fluctuated that much," she said. "We'll lose two and get two." Asked what she expects the most difficult aspect of being a principal will be, Barton said, "It's going to be a little different, but I still think I can take that counselor mentality and fit it into that office too. The discipline will be a little bit of a different role as principal than it was for a counselor, but I still think I can make it work." As far as what she was anticipating the most on such a damp and cloudy August day, Barton didn't hesitate a second, saying, "Seeing the kids this morning," she said with a laugh and a smile. "I'm getting ready to go out to the front of the school and greet the children as they arrive. I'll be doing that every morning, so I'm excited about that." The new school year also marks the last one for Superintendent Chuck Hasty. He intends to retire next summer after which he and his wife, Leslie, will be moving to the state of Florida. Next fall there will be a new superintendent Jason King, the district's current high school principal. "There are a series of checkmarks that have started," Hasty said as he greeted a group of students headed toward the elementary school entrance. "I'm excited with the start of the new year. There's a lot of good things happening. Carmen Barton is great and I know she's going to do a good job." Hasty also had nothing but praise for former elementary principal Randy Crites, who made the decision last spring to finish his career in the classroom. "He was fabulous, but he wanted to move on," he said. "You'd have a hard time convincing me there's a better math department in the area than what we have here at Bismarck. We hired his wife who was teaching math out at the college. I think we have three really strong math teachers. We're excited about it." As far as Principal King's move to the superintendent's job following the end of the school year, Hasty said, "That will be the biggest task we've got to pull off this fall. We will hopefully have somebody in place to take his job by December." Hasty said any decision made regarding the hiring of a new high school principal will be King's to make. While he's willing to help in anyway needed, he stressed that he is also happy to stay out of the process completely as well. "That will be completely up to Jason," he said. Hasty noted that he's already been including King in some of the decision making in preparation for him taking over the superintendent's post in the summer. "What I've done this summer is that things I have to do in the summertime I've brought him onboard with me," he said. "For example, the tax rate hearing that we'll have next week we've talked about how to do that, how to calculate the tax rate. There's little things like that he'll be participating in. That way he won't be taking over cold turkey. I have no doubt that Jason's going to do a great job." Other school districts in the area will begin the new school year today and Thursday. PIEDMONT The Missouri Department of Conservation and its partners cant help but look at the numbers when it comes to feral hogs. Mark McLain is MDCs feral hog team coordinator for the southeast region. When he added up the number of hogs trapped over the last two years, he realized those werent the only hogs that were taken off the land. The southeast region hog team trapped 1,453 hogs in 2015 and 1,707 hogs so far in 2016. Add in the reproduction factor of feral hogs and the impact is huge. If half of those hogs were female, which is usually the case, and those females had two litters this year with an average of six piglets each, thats almost 19,000 feral hogs that wouldve been destroying our southeast Missouri habitat and crops in 2016 if we hadnt done anything, McLain said. One hog can destroy an entire field in one night, so imagine what 19,000 hogs wouldve done, he said. McLain became the regions feral hog coordinator in 2011, but the feral hog problem wasnt new to him then. Feral hogs have roamed Missouris southeast region for more than 25 years, according to McLain, after misguided sportsmen illegally released hogs for hunting purposes in Wayne, Reynolds and Iron counties. MDC has locked arms with multiple agencies and partners in an organized effort to eradicate the hogs that have spread across the region and into other areas of the state. These cooperative efforts are paying off. Partner government agencies include MDC, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services (USDA), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service and Department of Natural Resources. Other organizations involved in Missouris feral hog fight are the Missouri Farm Bureau, National Wild Turkey Federation, Quail Forever, Quality Deer Management Association, Quail and Upland Wildlife Federation, Missouri Corn Growers Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Pork Association, Missouri Cattlemens Association, Missouri Agribusiness Association, Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation, and Missouri Farmers Association. Our team is dedicated and determined to make a bad situation better, McLain said. One of the ways the situation has improved is in trapping technology. McLain said the first traps that were used were corral traps with three 16-foot long panels and a three-foot wide rooter gate. It worked well, but theyve found what works better. Corrals were enlarged to four or five panels and six-foot drop gates, which meant more hogs would enter the trap faster because of the larger opening. These larger traps obviously caught more hogs, meaning an entire sounder of hogs could be caught at one time. This was important because hogs are adaptive and would spread out to other areas and avoid the traps later if they werent caught the first time in the trap. The latest trap design is even better, according to McLain. The BoarBuster and Falling Panel Trap are suspended in the air and very fast. The BoarBuster is wirelessly triggered with video surveillance. The trapper can watch the video from a cell phone and wait to drop the panels the moment the entire sounder is inside the trap. These are efficient and we can catch hogs sometimes as soon as four hours after we set it up, McLain said. Thirty-eight hogs in a trap at once is our record. Trapping as many hogs as possible at one time is important considering the amount of traps available versus the need. MDC and the USDA work with landowners to teach them how to tend hog traps on their own land, so the dedicated five hog-trapping employees can continue to trap on public lands and assist new landowners who call in with hog damage. Last year we helped 144 landowners, McLain said. This year, so far, we have helped more than 80 new landowners in our region whove reported hog damage. We tend to have around 100 new landowners each year who call for help and we have approximately 60 hog traps out over the southeast region. The amount of landowners reporting damage demonstrates improvements in another aspect of the feral hog fight public awareness. People are hearing from the news and seeing billboards about how to get help removing feral hogs from their property, McLain said. Were doing everything we can to inform the public not just about the problem of feral hogs, but what to do if they have damage or see hogs on their land and thats contact MDC. McLain said landowners should immediately report feral hog sightings to MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/feralhog [make link live in GovDelivery]or call their local MDC or USDA office. McLain also said word of mouth has been very effective in spreading the word about hogs. Hearing that a neighbor has hog damage motivates landowners to action, McLain said. Thoughtful neighbors will warn each other and do what they can to help each other avoid the experience of hog damage. Overall, McLain said he knows there is a lot of work ahead in the fight against feral hogs. However, the high numbers caught by improved traps, the number of partners working together and the number of cooperative landowners point towards a hopeful future of eradicating feral hogs in Missouri. jailbars.jpg MLive file photo (MLive file photo) FLINT, MI - An apparent paperwork mix-up and a lack of space in psychiatric facilities have kept a mentally disabled man locked in the Genesee County Jail for more than four months as officials work to place him in the state's mental health system. Justin Lee Dawson, 26, was arraigned Jan. 14 on a single charge of second-degree criminal sexual conduct after Flint police alleged he inappropriately touched a young female relative. His attorney, Michael Ewing, asked in February for an evaluation to see if Dawson, who has no criminal history, was competent to stand trial on the charge. On April 5, following his evaluation, Genesee District Judge Tracy Collier-Nix declared Dawson incompetent to stand trial and ordered him to undergo treatment at the state's Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital. "You can see this kid doesn't understand," Ewing said. Under state law, individuals found incompetent for trial aren't simply released from custody. Instead, they are admitted into state care for up to 15 months to see if they can be rehabilitated enough to make them answer to the charges. Those who can't be rehabilitated are then referred to the probate court system for the possibility of continued court-ordered treatment. Ultimately, the individuals can be gradually reintroduced to society if the treatment proves successful. But Dawson hasn't been provided that opportunity. Despite the judge's order, he has remained in custody at the Genesee County Jail. "I'm appalled at this, quite frankly," Collier-Nix said Aug. 9 during a review hearing on Dawson's status. Paperwork, beds and staffing Initially, Dawson's continued stay at the county jail was traced back to a paperwork mix-up in the state's mental health system, according Collier-Nix's office. Collier-Nix's staff contacted the Kalamazoo hospital on June 28 to try and learn why Dawson had not yet been transferred there for treatment. They claimed hospital officials said they had not yet received the necessary paperwork from the state's Center for Forensic Psychiatry, which is operated by the state's Department of Health and Human Services. Officials from DHHS said they would not comment on the individual status of admission to a hospital because of confidentiality concerns. There has been a 30 percent increase in people found incompetent to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity, the DHHS said. "For those persons who are incompetent to stand trial and ordered into treatment, MDHHS acknowledges there is a need for more capacity," the statement said. "In the signed budget, the governor proposed and the Legislature supported the opening of additional beds at the Center For Forensic Psychiatry due to the increased and consistent need. We are working hard to increase capacity and adjust to the increased demand, and continue to work with local law enforcement and the courts to prioritize the persons most at risk or most in need for admission." Eventually, the hospital received the paperwork, but Dawson still couldn't be transferred. He was now stuck on a placement list and had to wait for a spot to become available at the treatment facility, according to court officials. The judge's office again called the hospital on July 5 to try and move Dawson up the placement list, and eventually state health officials were able to fulfill the judge's request. On July 11, state officials called for Dawson to be transported to the mental health facility. But, Dawson's time in the county jail wasn't going to end. Genesee County was playing host to a massive, four-jury murder trial and it didn't have the staffing to secure the ongoing trial and transport Dawson. Four people were charged with the shooting death of 79-year-old Jimmie Allison and their trial included more than 1,000 exhibits and three dozen witnesses. It also required the services of eight sheriff's deputies, according to Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell. Pickell said only 12 deputies are assigned to the entire circuit court and they were forced to borrow deputies from the district court to cover gaps in staffing. The demands also impacted the ability of the sheriff's office to transport inmates to other courtrooms and jails in the area. "We're very, very short," Pickell said of the staffing. "That really put a cramp in our style." "It's like a juggling act." That act came to an end on July 21 when not-guilty verdicts were delivered a month after the trial began. The sheriff's office had enough staffing to transport Dawson to the mental health facility, but Kalamazoo again couldn't take him because its facilities were now at capacity, according to Collier-Nix's office. 129 days later As of Tuesday, Aug. 16, Dawson was still in custody at the Genesee County Jail. "It's sad," Ewing said. "We're dealing with a severely mentally challenged person." It was an almost cruel case of irony for Ewing, who was one of the defense attorneys involved in the four-jury trial that further delayed Dawson's transfer from the jail. Dawson continued to sit in jail as Ewing fought for a not guilty verdict and freedom for his other client in the murder case. Throughout the situation, Ewing's hands were largely tied as to what he could do. Prosecutors offered a plea agreement early on in the case, which Ewing said would have resulted in a short sentence that could have resulted in Dawson already being released from custody. However, Ewing's concerns over Dawson's mental health prevented him from entering the agreement. Attorneys have an ethical duty to ensure their clients fully understand their rights, which are ultimately waived when a person pleads guilty. Ewing said Dawson doesn't understand his rights, and he even fails to grasp the roles people like judges and prosecutors serve in the legal system. "I know he has no idea," Ewing said. The attorney even told Collier-Nix during the Aug. 9 hearing that he was free and could drive Dawson to the mental health facility - an offer the judge declined. Since the hearing, Ewing said the state has offered Dawson placement in a special program for developmentally disabled people. But, the program has space for only 30 people and it is already full. "The law doesn't take these people into account very well," Ewing said. "It breaks my heart when I talk to him." Meanwhile, Dawson will continue to wait in jail. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - An overwhelming interest in prior community meetings on an upcoming Traffic Stop Study sparked Lamberth Consulting and Grand Rapids Police to host two additional meetings. Lamberth Consulting, which was contracted by the City of Grand Rapids to conduct a traffic stop study in 2004, will host the meetings on Monday, Aug. 29. Recently, city commissioners approved a nearly $158,000 contract with Lamberth Consulting to collect more recent data. The 2004 study analyzed about 31,000 drivers stopped at various intersections and, on some occasions, searched by police. The study found officers were not targeting black motorists. At the additional meetings, Lamberth Consulting will discuss the method behind conducting a traffic stop study, what data will be collected, the timeline for the study, locations for bench marking results and how the company will compare results with the 2004 study. The meetings will be held at the following locations: Michigan First Credit Union 1815 Breton Road SE 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Hispanic Center of Western Michigan/Centro Hispano del Oeste de Michigan 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. 1204 Grandville Ave. SW IONIA, MI - An Ionia firefighter badge stolen many years ago was found buried in the back yard of a home in southern California. Ionia Department of Public Safety officials said they were contacted by Mishon Hurd-Korkmaz of San Diego, Calif. last week. She said an Ionia Firefighter badge had been found buried in the yard of a home she used to own, and she wanted to return it to its rightful owner. The owner, a former firefighter living in southern California, was contacted and confirmed the badge was his. He told officers the badge was allegedly stolen from his car many years ago. Officials said the former firefighter has been put in contact with Hurd-Korkmaz and is in the process of retrieving his badge. grcc1-7187bc3c8cfdaaac.jpg (MLive File Photo) GRAND RAPIDS, MI - The Grand Rapids Community College Counseling and Career Center is receiving a three-year, $226,034 grant to create a Campus Suicide Prevention Program. The grant is from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and will fund campus-wide activities and programs designed to address and reduce students' suicide risk by enhancing overall mental health and wellness on campus. The services will also be extended to the Lakeshore campus. Additionally, the grant should offer outreach to vulnerable students, including those experiencing substance abuse and mental health problems who are at greater risk for suicide and suicide attempts. "Part of the impetus to move forward with the grant was that we were seeing more and more students struggling," said Lynnae Selberg, program director for GRCC's Counseling and Career Center and grant coordinator. "I think everybody needs to know that they have options," she said. "There are people who feel like they have only one option who are hurting. We all have to be aware of others in our lives and help them realize they still have opportunities." The new initiative, which begins in September and required an equal financial match from GRCC, is supposed to assist in building essential capacity for facilitating mental health education and suicide prevention. Activities cited in information to the Board of Trustees, include creating a strong community network, implementing a Crisis Response Plan, and providing training and education to promote awareness of the need for better understanding of mental health issues and to encourage positive help-seeking behaviors. Currently, students who are having trouble can visit the center and meet with a counselor, but Selberg they just don't have the "robust network'' in place that's needed. Selberg said the grant is going to provide them the tools to better identify struggling students and intervene at an earlier point, improve their tracking system, and do some campus-wide training to help staff and students understand the warning signs for someone in crisis. "I am very excited about what this program can bring to our campus, students and community," said, Selberg, who said a suicide prevention coordinator will be added to their staff. "We have a network of community resources easily accessible to the greater campus community that we want to connect with to assist our students." She said she was unaware of any known student suicides in recent years. Richard McKeon, who is with the Suicide Prevention Branch of SAMHSA, said the Crisis Response Plan is very important to have in place and why the agency has made it a requirement for their grants. "You don't want to have someone thinking through for the first time how to respond when you are in the middle of crisis situation," said McKeon, who said the agency has been providing suicide prevention grants since 2005. "The ultimate measure for a program is reducing death by suicide, as well as non-fatal suicide attempts." A 2014 survey of college counseling centers found that more than half their students had severe psychological problems. The most common mental health diagnoses among college students are anxiety and depression, according to the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Penn State. Tracking suicides on college campuses is difficult. Some students kill themselves while at home, on leave, or after failing out of school. Emory University reports that there are more than 1,000 suicides on college campuses per year. In 2014, there were 1,354 suicides reported in Michigan. That's an increase of 39 percent from 2000. There are13.2 suicides per 100,000 people in Michigan, compared to 12.9 suicides per 100,000 nationally. Suicide is the the second leading cause of death among those age 15 to 34, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. GRCC's Counseling and Career Center, located in Room 327 on the third floor for of the Student Center, is open during the summer Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. The phone number is (616) 234-3900. The number to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 800-273-8255. The Farmington Police Department worked two accidents in nearly the same location Tuesday afternoon. The first accident occurred around 2:46 p.m. in the southbound lanes of U.S. 67 just north of West Liberty Street. According to a department spokesman, Samantha Schoolfield, 25, of Ste. Genevieve, was driving a 2013 Ford Focus in the southbound driving lane of the highway. Clayton Behl, 29, of Neoga, Illinois, was driving a Peterbuilt tractor trailer in the passing lane, and struck the drivers rear side of the Focus when attempting to change lanes. The Focus then spun around and came to rest in the median. Both drivers and a newborn in Schoolfield's car were transported to Parkland Hospital as a precaution. All were wearing safety devices. The Focus was towed from the scene by Buckleys Towing. Before the first accident scene was cleared, another accident occurred just south of the original accident with a similar cause. A 1999 Honda Civic, driving by Christopher Gray, 26, of Mineral Point, was passing in the right lane of southbound U.S. 67 at West Liberty Street around 3:23 p.m. when a dump truck driven by Justin Sambo, 21, went to change lanes and struck the drivers rear quarter panel of Gray's car. As in the first accident, the car then spun and came to rest in the median. There were no injuries to the drivers or a passenger in the car. The vehicle had significant damage and was towed by Marlers Towing. The dump truck had minor damage. No citations were issued in either accident. IONIA COUNTY - A 62-year-old Ionia man had to be airlifted to a hospital Tuesday night after he was thrown from his motorcycle and it landed on him. Alcohol was a factor in the crash, sheriff's deputies said. The crash occurred on M-66 near Elmwood Drive, just north of the city of Ionia. Moments before the crash, police 911 dispatchers were getting reports of a motorcycle that was all over the road. Deputies said the man was driving south when the motorcycle drifted off the right side of the road and struck a curb. The driver was thrown from his 2012 Harley Davidson, and the cycle then landed on him. He was taken to Ionia's Sparrow Hospital, and then airlifted to Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids. He was listed in serous condition. Police said the man was not wearing a helmet. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A 4-year-old boy's police-themed birthday party was made even more special when a surprise guest arrived on Sunday, Aug. 14. Birthday boy Aiyveri was all smiles when Officer Don Allen with the Grand Rapids Police made an appearance at the party, according to the department's Facebook page. Family friends of Allen contacted him, knowing the neighbor boy was having the party. During the party, Allen spent time with Aiyveri and even let him sit in a police cruiser. Aiyveri said he wants to be a police officer when he grows up. Sgt. Terry Dixon said engaging with the community in ways such as attending a birthday party is a great thing because it allows officers and the community to relate. "It limits the disconnect between citizens and police," he said. "We want to get to know the citizens we serve and protect." GRAND RAPIDS, MI - A bank robber who was on parole has been indicted in three other bank robberies in Berrien, Ingham and Mecosta counties, court records show. Anthony Oby Loose, 33, was indicted Tuesday, Aug. 16, by a federal grand jury. He had been paroled from the state Department of Corrections in November 2015 to the Grand Rapids area after serving about four years of his four- to 40-year sentence for bank robbery in Oakland County. He is suspected in a June 3 holdup at the Comerica Bank on North Grand River Avenue in Lansing; June 13 robbery at Four Flags Credit Union in Niles; and July 20 holdup at Fifth Third Bank on North Michigan Avenue in Big Rapids, the indictment said. The robber obtained nearly $20,000 in the holdups, court records said. Loose was accused of robbing the banks by intimidation. Police seized about $4,700 from a room at America's Best Inn in Wyoming earlier this month. Loose has been in custody on a parole hold since July 21, records showed. He has yet to make an initial court appearance. IONIA COUNTY, MI -- A fast-moving storm that cut through the Ionia area felled trees and downed power lines, but caused no injuries. Ionia Department of Public Safety officers posted several photos of the damage to the agency's Facebook page. The storm hit the area just after noon Wednesday, Aug. 17. Authorities reported that gusty winds brought trees down on five houses, causing significant damage to them. Public safety officers responded to 28 calls involving storm-related damage. The storm that raced through Ionia also brought hail to other parts of Michigan. A spotter reported that hail fell in the Comstock Park area just after 11 a.m. OSWEGO, NY -- The oldest confirmed commercial sailing ship to wreck in the Great Lakes, a Canadian sloop lost more than 200 years ago, has been discovered in Lake Ontario by a team of shipwreck explorers. The 18th century sloop Washington, lost with all hands in a 1803 storm, was discovered in June off Oswego, N.Y. by wreck sleuths Jim Kennard, Roger Pawlowski and Roland Stevens using high resolution side scan sonar. The ship, also known as Lady Washington, was en route from Kingston, Ontario to its home port of Niagara, Ontario when it sank. According to Kennard, the Washington is the oldest fully intact commercial sailing vessel to have been lost and found in the Great Lakes. It was the first sloop built on Lake Erie and the first to ship sail on both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Sloops only existed for a short time on the Great Lakes before they were replaced by schooners, which had more masts and were more efficient to sail. The Washington was carrying local merchants and was heavily loaded with about $20,000 worth of general goods and groceries from East India when it sank. In 1798, the 36-ton ship was launched in Erie, Penn. for the Pennsylvania Population Co., an organization developing local land. In 1801, the sloop was sold to a merchant group from Queenston, Ontario, and shortly thereafter portaged around Niagara Falls on rollers by oxen and launched in Lake Ontario. On Nov. 6, 1803, the Washington left Kingston and sailed into oblivion. Afterwards, wreckage began to wash ashore near Oswego. At least three crew members and two merchants were on board. All died. Kennard, Pawlowski and Stevens found the sloop in late June, but it took several more weeks before weather allowed the team to confirm the wreck identity using a remotely operated vehicle. The Washington is sitting upright and the mast is still standing. Rear damage indicates the ship sank stern-first. Previously, there were no drawings or models of the sloop Washington for archaeologists to study. Now, imagery and measurements can aid understanding of 18th century sailing vessel design, the discoverers said. The team have many shipwreck finds to their credit. Kennard, a member of the Explorer's Club, has been at it since 1970, with more than 200 wreck discoveries in the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes and the Ohio River to his name. Last fall, the team found the propeller steamer Bay State, which foundered in a Lake Ontario storm in 1862. This summer, the team found the Canadian schooner Royal Albert near Fair Haven, New York. Kennard's biggest find was in 2008, when he and fellow wreck hunter Dan Scoville discovered the 235-year-old British warship HMS Ontario, the oldest shipwreck ever discovered in the Great Lakes. digops_voting610.jpg A Michigan voter at the polls. (File photo) The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals has denied motions meant to stop straight-ticket voting in Michigan. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed two emergency motions last week, requesting a stay of a federal court's decision that allows straight-ticket voting in the state. The court denied Schuette's motion to stay the federal court's decision on Aug. 15, and issued a judgement Aug. 17 denying Schuette's motion for stay pending appeal. Court documents: and Schuette filed the motions in an attempt to keep in place a law signed by Gov. Rick Snyder last December to stop straight-ticket voting, which has been allowed in Michigan since the 19th century. The Michigan Attorney General's office is planning an emergency appeal, Spokeswoman Andrea Bitely said following the Wednesday, Aug. 17, ruling. "Michigan is no different than the 40 other states that have eliminated straight ticket voting. We will continue to defend the laws of the State of Michigan and plan to file an emergency appeal to the 6th Circuit for an en banc review by the full court," Bitely said. At the time of the bill signing, Snyder said he would push for no-reason absentee voting because of concerns that the new law could increase the time it takes to vote. That bill remains in committee. "It's time to choose people over politics," Snyder said at the time. In May, the A. Philip Randolph Institute, a black labor organization labor, filed a lawsuit, arguing the law disproportionately impacts African-Americans, who are more likely to vote a straight-party ticket. Last month, U.S. District Court Judge Gershwin Drain agreed with the plaintiffs and granted a request for a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the law. GRAND HAVEN, MI -- Captain Harry Sweetman tried twice to thread the needle with his ship, the Ironsides, before fate took over. The beleaguered captain was trying bring his 218-foot passenger steamer into the safety of the Grand River channel during a Sept. 15, 1873 gale on Lake Michigan, but it was not to be. Instead, about 20 passengers and crew died in the heavy seas after rising water doused the boilers and the Ironsides went under. Today, the wreck sits in about 120 feet of water roughly four miles west of the Grand Haven Pier; a popular destination for advanced scuba divers who want to visit a piece of Great Lakes maritime history hidden beneath the waves. A 2008 photo of diver Craig Rich on the Ironsides, a 218-foot passenger steamer that sank in Lake Michigan during a storm on Sept. 15, 1873 off Grand Haven. This year, (hopefully), the Ironsides will be among the first of more than 180 wrecks in Michigan's 13 underwater preserves to be marked by a mooring buoy -- a project several years in the making that organizers hope can finally get underway before the weather on the lakes turns temperamental this fall. The goal is to help preserve the state's shipwrecks by giving divers another option besides hooking a line directly onto the wreck, as is customary now. "Putting a mooring buoy on a shipwreck is absolutely, hands-down, the best form of physical protection you can do for a wreck," said Wayne Lusardi, a state maritime archeologist at the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary in Alpena. Lusardi, a longtime professional diver, has seen firsthand the damage frequent visits can have on wrecks. In Lake Huron, two decades of diving on the E.B. Allen, a two-masted schooner wrecked in 1871 resulted in the bow windlass being wrenched-off by anchoring. "These old wooden boats are fragile," said Lusardi. Eventually, mooring lines take their toll. "Any time an anchor hits them, it does damage." To locate popular diving wrecks, boats often snag the hulk with an anchor. A mooring line is then fastened to a solid part, like a windlass, capstan or propeller shaft. The line is necessary safety measure divers a use as a guide for descending to and ascending from the wreck, which, if located in deep water, can require stops to decompress gas bubbles that build up in the blood underwater. For safety and preservation reasons, mooring buoys are installed on several dozen Thunder Bay sanctuary wrecks. Buoys would also help to market Michigan as a shipwreck diving destination. "Ideally, every shipwreck in a preserve would have a buoy attached," said Sandra Clark, director of the Michigan History Center, a division of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, which is a partner on the project. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done. Placing a buoy in the Great Lakes involves multiple layers of permitting. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality must approve a state bottomlands permit. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must sign off. The Lake Carriers Association, which represents U.S.-flag freighters, gets to weigh in. Finally, the Coast Guard has to approve any Great Lakes navigation aid type and placement. To save money on application fees, the Michigan Underwater Preserve Council applied for buoys on about 185 wrecks in Lake Michigan, Lake Superior and Lake Huron all at once. The big list of shipwrecks has slowed the process. Nonetheless, all that's left before the first buoys can deploy is approval by the U.S. Coast Guard, which is reviewing the permits in Cleveland. The permits are valid for five years. Each individual preserve council would have to raise money for the buoys and bottom mooring systems; costs that could range from $500 to several thousand dollars depending on wreck depth, buoy size and proximity to shipping lanes. Mooring buoys near shipping lanes would need to be well lit and sturdy. The buoys become permanent once deployed. Each preserve would remove them in the fall and replace them in the spring. First on the buoy list are the Ironsides off Grand Haven and the State of Michigan, a wooden freight steamer that sank in 65 feet off Whitehall in 1901. Both are located in the West Michigan Underwater Preserve, a 345-square-mile area between Port Sheldon and Ludington State Park in Lake Michigan. The plan is to sink a pair of heavy train car wheels about 30 feet off the wrecks. That's close enough for divers to find the shipwreck but far enough away that the buoy line wouldn't snag the wreck during rough weather. The two wrecks are popular dives, said preserve chairman John Hanson. "Usage is the reason for doing these two," he said. "If (divers) can just come and hook onto a buoy, life is better for everybody." Coast Guard approval is expected, but teams are chomping at the bit to get the buoys in the water before summer's calm seas turn choppy. Trying to drop a 1,500-pound weight off a boat onto a precise location demands a flat sea. "In the fall, you can't count on that," said Lusardi. "The sooner, the better." Public education advocates are pushing back on plans by the Michigan School Reform Office to shutter a number of failing schools next June, saying the move would be unfairly based upon results of the state's new, rigorous standardized test. School officials were told by The Michigan Department of Education that they wouldn't be penalized based on student performance on last spring's M-STEP test. The idea was to collect three years of data from the exam -- thus far it's been given twice -- before using the results for policy decisions. However, the SRO - part of the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget - now appears poised to take M-STEP results into consideration, among other factors. "Even the experts say there's no way we should be comparing the results of these three tests to be making these types of overarching decisions," said Chris Wigent, executive director of the Michigan Association of School Administrators. There's currently no estimate on how many schools the SRO could close by June, said Natasha Baker, head of the SRO. More will be known before the end of the year, after her office receives additional performance data, she said. The SRO will use the state's Top to Bottom School Ranking for 2014, 2015 and 2016 to help determine which schools to shutter. Schools ranked in the bottom 5 percent for three consecutive years could be considered for closure. However, she stressed that closure is a "last option" and that her office will consider more than three years of data when making decisions. "We could look at three prior consecutive years, but the truth of the matter is the schools that are at risk ... have been failing for up to a decade," Baker said. If the SRO were to close a school, it would be the first time the office has done so since it was founded in 2010. In 2015, Gov. Rick Snyder moved the SRO from the Michigan Department of Education to the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget. When the state last published the Top to Bottom School Ranking in 2014, more than 100 schools were ranked in the bottom 5 percent. Baker said the SRO would not attempt to close 100 schools at once. "No school reformer, not even those that are the most aggressive, have ever attempted to close 100 schools at once," she said. Wigent said he "doesn't condone low academic achievement." However, failing schools should be given more opportunities to partner with regional education service agencies to improve outcomes rather than face state takeover or closure, he said. "This is not as simple as putting them in front of a new teacher," he said. "It simply isn't." John Austin, president of the State Board of Education, said Michigan "has to be serious about shutting down under performing schools." Before that happens, though, the state needs to ensure that it sets minimum standards for new charter schools looking to open in Michigan, Austin said. But because the state has failed to do so, students will be provided a new option that's no better than their original, failing school, he said. "There's no guarantee you're going to get quality performance," Austin said. Baker disputes that. She said her office wouldn't close a school unless there's a higher performing school that students could attend. "That means a school that is not even at risk of being a priority school," Baker said, using the state's term for schools ranked in the bottom 5 percent statewide. Not everyone was displeased with the news of the possible school closures. Gary Naeyaert, executive director of the Great Lakes Education Project, a charter school advocacy group, said the state's decision to close chronically failing schools is long overdue. "There seems to be no level of failure that was low enough to spark state action," he said. Naeyaert pushed back on the assertion that closing failing schools will do little good if high-quality options aren't available. "Just because you have to leave a terrible school to go to a less than average school, that's still progress," he said. State Rep. Adam Zemke, D-Ann Arbor, was critical of the SRO's plan, saying it will leave "families in flux, wondering what their options will be for their children's education going forward." "Thanks to the state's mysterious closure decision-making process here, we don't even know how these extreme decisions about our children's futures are being made," he said. "This is an egregious course of action by the SRO." Baker said she understands why some parents and residents might be alarmed by school closures, because the "chronic nature in which some schools are failing has not been previously discussed." However, some schools, regardless of "millions of dollars from the state and federal government," have failed to raise student achievement, she said. "All schools should be held to high expectations." UPDATE KALAMAZOO, MI -- Police closed off vehicular traffic in all but one lane of Westnedge Avenue, south of Kilgore Road, on Tuesday evening to handle a fatal car-motorcycle crash. One death occurred in the 5100 block of South Westnedge Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16. Officers with the Portage Department of Public Safety have not said whether the victim was male or female and they said they were investigating to learn how the crash occurred. It appears to have involved a small, four-door Mazda SUV and a motorcycle on South Westnedge Avenue, just in front of the Meijer superstore there. The badly damaged motorcycle was left lying in the turn lane of the busy, five-lane thoroughfare. The driver's side door of the SUV was crunched in. At about 8:30 p.m., officers were waiting for the Kalamazoo County Medical Examiner's Office to arrive. There was no immediate word on whether any other vehicles may have been involved or whether any other people were injured. Following the accident, one southbound lane of traffic was being allowed to continue. Northbound traffic was being rerouted entirely. A public safety dispatcher suggested that motorists avoid the area and seek alternative routes. Michael Politte was 14 years old in December of 1998 when his mother was bludgeoned to death in her bedroom and her body set ablaze in the trailer the mother and son shared in rural Washington County. Today his story makes the transition from dusty court documents and newspaper archives to televisions around the world on MTVs new docu-series Unlocking the Truth. Series host Ryan Ferguson knows a little something about being behind bars. He spent 10 years incarcerated for a murder he didnt commit. Now a free man after being exonerated, hes made it his mission to look into the cases of others he suspects may be innocent and wrongly accused. According to the MTV News website, the debut episode Unlocking the Truth will feature three cases of men fighting for their freedom. Polittes story will be told, as will a look into the cases of Bryan Case and Kalvin Michael Smith. Ten years was taken from me. If I can stop them from putting innocent people in prison, that 10 years will have meant something, Ferguson told MTV News reporter Jordana Ossad. Fergusons cohost on Unlocking the Truth is co-investigator Eva Nagao, who has led work on the Exoneration Project. She, along with a film crew, visited the area earlier this year and sat down with Daily Journal Managing Editor Doug Smith to discuss the case. Smith covered the murder trial in 2002 as a court reporter. She was very interested in the mood in the courtroom at the time. She wanted to know what I remembered of Michael and his family members. She asked if there had been many murder cases of this type tried in this region at that time, Smith said of Nagao. She requested copies of the stories spanning from the day the murder happened until Michael was found guilty and sentenced to a term of life in prison. Politte is currently serving time in the Missouri Department of Corrections, in the same prison where Ferguson spent his decade behind bars. As for Politte, back in 2002 a 12-member jury took less than five hours to deliberate before returning to the St. Francois County courtroom to deliver a guilty verdict. The courtroom was full of family members and a few court workers. Most of the state's witnesses, many experts living and working in other parts of the state, had already left for the day. Several family members began to cry when they heard the verdict. One young woman ran from the room sobbing uncontrollably. The trial was heard by Judge Kenneth W. Pratte, the circuit court judge presiding over the case. A former juvenile detention center worker testified to the incident. She was asked about reports she had filed, and whether some of those files had been amended at the request of her supervisor. After a break for lunch the last day of the trial, the jury heard nearly an hour-and-a-half of closing arguments. Richard Hicks, working as half of the prosecution team, outlined the case and evidence presented the previous three days. He recalled that two juvenile detention workers testified Michael made the statement, "I haven't cared since Dec. 5, that's when I killed my mom." The prosecutor said that was a "spontaneous utterance" and suggested that truths sometimes come out when a person is upset. Hicks talked about how the murder of Rita Politte was done with deliberation. The concept of deliberation is one of the deciding factors between finding a person guilty of first degree murder, as opposed to the lesser charge of murder in the second degree. The prosecutor made comparisons to the concentrated burns on railroad ties admittedly made by Politte in the hours prior to his mother's death and a similar-type burn found on and around her body. The burning of Rita Politte's head and upper body was contained to a small area and had been hot enough to burn through the carpet and plywood floor while not spreading to the area around the body. The attorney went on to say Michael was not an innocent 14-year-old boy at the time. There was reportedly marijuana found and he admitted to smoking "pot." He added that the defendant showed no remorse immediately after the crime or any time, with the exception of the one month anniversary of his mom's death - the day he supposedly made the incriminating statement in front of juvenile authorities. Downplaying the possibility of someone else breaking into the trailer and killing Rita Politte, Hicks said if there was another killer that "this is the luckiest intruder in the world." Public Defender Wayne Williams started his closing statements by saying the death of Rita was "a crime of extreme passion." He told how young Michael had been interrogated for hours by seasoned law enforcement agents, and had thus made possibly contradictory statements. Williams questioned pathologist Dr. Michael Zaricor's testimony of lividity found on both the front and back of Rita's legs as being the result of blood forced down in the body from the extreme heat of her upper body being on fire. He suggested Rita had been face down sometime after her death, and then been turned face up before being set on fire. Williams reasoned that gasoline traces found on Michaels shoes was left over from his playing with gas and setting a fire on railroad ties the night before. The jury later requested the shoes be brought to the jury room during consideration of the case. A question of doubt was raised when Williams asked if Michael would have taken home a witness, his friend he met earlier the previous evening, if he planned on killing his mother. The friend, who wasn't called to testify for the defense or prosecution and was given complete immunity from prosecution in the case prior to the trial, was in the courtroom watching the proceedings that day. Finally, the fate of Michael, now an older teenager, was discussed. "When he saw that body (of his mother) he ceased being a child forever," Williams told the jury and judge. "He's had to live with that for three years everybody knowing (he was charged with the crime)." Michael has spent all of his time locked up since Dec. 6, 1998, the day after his mom was murdered. He spent about four months in juvenile detention prior to being certified to stand trial as an adult. At that time he was transferred and confined in the county jail. Washington County Prosecuting Attorney John Rupp finished the state's closing arguments at the trial by saying the defendant had practiced controlled burns. He painted a similarity of how Politte had admitted to pouring gasoline on a railroad tie and sat trash on top of it, suggesting it was an effort to aim the initial flash and heat of the fire downward. He suggested Michael had later attacked his mom, poured gasoline on her body and removed his shirt, likely with blood traces on it from the attack, and threw it on her face and upper body to aim the initial heat and flash from the fire downward and destroy the evidence. Rupp reasoned that young Michael and his friend had returned to the trailer after alerting a neighbor, not to try to extinguish the fire but to remove a marijuana plant in a container that was likely in the bedroom. He said one of the boys likely took the plant out the back sliding glass doors. A volunteer firemen had reported finding the doors ajar when he arrived at the back of the double wide trailer. Rupp described Michael as a "self-serving, self-centered young man, and when he doesn't get his way he becomes dangerous." He said even though the boy admitted seeing his mother on fire, there were no signs he had tried to pull her body from the flames. Jurors were given instructions and sequestered to deliberate the case at 2:06 p.m. that final day of the three-day trial. Family members and state's witnesses and prosecutors walked the floors and wandered in and out of the courtroom until 6:25 p.m., when the announcement came a verdict had been decided. Everyone gathered back in the courtroom with the jury walking in single file at 6:27 p.m. Judge Pratte asked for the jury information and verdict form. "Guilty of murder in the second degree . . . life imprisonment," he read from the verdict form. He polled the jury as to their votes at the request of the defense. He then accepted the jury's verdict as a matter of record. Michael Politte sat quietly as the verdict was given. While some family members showed obvious upset, others sat quietly and watched the proceedings. The majority were said to be relatives of the boy's father, who was also in attendance for the entire trial. Michael was led from the courthouse a short time later under the direction of armed deputies to await his formal sentencing, which would come weeks later. In the years since many family members have argued his innocence. Theyve stood behind him and saw him through the last 14 years, visiting him on holidays and regularly during visitation hours at whichever correctional facility he was being held in at the time. Many family members met with show founder and co-investigators Ferguson and Nagao and will be interviewed as part of the look into Michaels case. And you can rest assured that many family members, friends and neighbors will be watching when the show airs tonight at 10 p.m. on MTV. COLON, MI -- A 37- year-old Kalamazoo man was arrested but another motorcyclist escaped authorities in a pursuit that approached 140 mph, authorities say. At 9:30 p.m. Saturday Aug. 13 deputies from the St. Joseph County Sheriff's Department observed two "crotch rocket" motorcycles traveling southbound on M-66 near Jacksonburg Road traveling in excess of 120 mph, according to a news release from the department. Deputies caught up with the motorcycles and attempted a traffic stop, at which time both motorcyclists fled eastbound on M-86 towards Colon, reaching speeds of nearly 140 mph during the pursuit. The suspects attempted to hide from officers behind a residence in the area of Swan Street and South Street in the Village of Colon and deputies were able to take one of the suspects into custody. The second suspect fled on westbound on M-86 from Colon, then southbound on Fairfax Road, and deputies ended their pursuit when they lost sight of the second suspect. The second suspect was driving a dark colored motorcycle and was wearing a white jersey with a black checkered pattern and a red stripe. The arrested man was lodged at the St. Joseph County Jail on charges of fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license. Authorities ask that anyone with information regarding this case contact Deputy Mark Mellinger at 269-467-9045 ext. 327 kalamazoo-community-foundation, community foundation, kalamazoo foundation, kcf Kalamazoo Community Foundation, 402 E. Michigan Ave. (Mickey Ciokajlo | Kalamazoo Gazette) KALAMAZOO, MI - The Kalamazoo Community Foundation awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to 334 students in the area during the summer. The scholarships from 53 funds at the foundation, covering a variety of eligibility criteria, ranged from $250 to $15,000, according to a press release. "Education is one of our priorities as an organization, and our scholarship program is an important part of that work," said Nancy Timmons, scholarship manager for the foundation. In total, the Kalamazoo Community Foundation has awarded more than $27 million in scholarships to local students over the years. The next deadline for their largest scholarship, the Clarence L. Remynse Scholarship, is Dec. 1. "This scholarship is our largest both in terms of monetary awards and the number of students that receive it each year," said Timmons. Remynse scholarships are renewable and go up to $7,500 depending on financial need. It is for high school students who plan to pursue a degree, full-time, in business, education, engineering, math, psychology, science, and pre-law or pre-med studies. Application for this particular scholarship will become available online in mid-September. Applications for other scholarships will be available online at the beginning of January with a deadline of March 1, 2017. Students or those without computer access may arrange a visit to the foundation to fill out the form online. For more information, visit www.kalfound.org/scholarships or call 269-381-4416. The following people were sentenced Aug. 8, 2016, in circuit court. 14th CIRCUIT COURT MUSKEGON COUNTY Judge Timothy G. Hicks Bartolo Aaron Barajas, 44, of Muskegon, 60 days jail with credit for time served for controlled substance possession less than 25 grams, $708 fees/costs. Robert Gene Kitcha, 39, of Muskegon, probation violation of a 2009 conviction of failure to pay child support, $11,016.89 restitution/fees/costs. Emmanuel Moore, 43, of Ionia, 3 years to 20 years Michigan Department of Corrections for three concurrent convictions of domestic violence, second-degree home invasion and assault and battery, fourth-time habitual offender, $298 fees/costs. Jose Angel Reyna, 37, of Muskegon Heights, 90 days jail with credit for time served, 12 months probation for two concurrent convictions of controlled substance possession less than 25 grams and meth possession, $1,166 fees/costs. Ryan Glenn Sanford, 28, of Muskegon, 5 months jail with credit for time served, 12 months probation for violation of the sex offender registry, $1,098 fees/costs. Willie Santos II, 36, of Muskegon, 20 days jail with credit for time served for controlled substance possession less than 25 grams, $1,158 fees/costs. Steven Scott Seewald, 40, of Muskegon, 90 days jail with credit for time served, 16 months probation for larceny from a building, $3,358 restitution/fees/costs. Michelle Lynn Stout, 48, of Nunica, 30 days jail with credit for time served, 48 months probation for embezzlement - agent $20,000 or more, $151,084 restitution/fees/costs. Trent Daniel Tinkham, 27, of Jackson, 4 months jail with credit for time served, $576.65 restitution/fees/costs. Evelyn Danielle Smith, 41, of Muskegon Heights, 4 years to 18 years MDOC for solicitation to commit homicide, $258 fees/costs. The following people were sentenced July 21 to 26, 2016, in circuit court. 14th CIRCUIT COURT MUSKEGON COUNTY Judge Timothy G. Hicks Damacian Lavone Anthony, 43, of Muskegon, 60 days jail with credit for time served, 12 months probation for third-degree home invasion, $648 fees/costs. Bradley James Cryderman, 29, of Muskegon, 30 days jail with credit for time served, 6 months probation for possession of firearm or distribution of ammunition by person convicted of felony, $648 fees/costs. James Earl Harris, 42, of Muskegon Heights, 5 months jail with credit for time served, 18 months probation for two concurrent convictions of domestic violence and controlled substance possession less than 25 grams, $1,158 fees/costs. Thommie Sans Jurl Jr., 59, of Muskegon, 20 months to 12 years Michigan Department of Corrections for two concurrent convictions of operating under the influence of liquor, third or subsequent offense and operating with a suspended license second or subsequent offense, fourth-time habitual offender, $1,148 fees/costs. Eric Brandon Kaley, 40, of Muskegon, one day jail with credit for time served, 12 months probation for malicious destruction of property between $1,000 and $20,000, fourth-time habitual offender, $6,222 restitution/fees/costs. Noahlani Noreen Morris, 20, of Muskegon Heights, 2 to 15 years MDOC for unarmed robbery, $708 fees/costs. Philip James Naas, 25, of Grand Haven, 2 to 10 years MDOC for probation violation of a 2014 conviction of identity theft, $4,105.85 restitution/fees/costs. Roger Roy Pierson, 42, of Muskegon, 8 months jail with credit for time served, 18 months probation for two concurrent convictions of fourth-degree fleeing police and controlled substance possession marijuana, second-time habitual offender, $758 fees/costs. Stephen Rene Salazar Jr., 32, of Muskegon, 4 moths jail with credit for time served, 12 months probation for operating under the influence of liquor third offense, third-time habitual offender, $1,589 fees/costs. Jaquawn Remond Trotter, 21, of Muskegon Heights, 13 months to 8 years MDOC with credit for time served for two concurrent convictions of controlled substance possession less than 25 grams second or subsequent offense and another conviction of furnishing contraband to prisoners, $334 fees/costs, and 13 months to 40 years MDOC with credit for time served for controlled substance delivery less than 50 grams, $198 fees/costs. Judge Annette R. Smedley Carl Quintae Adams, 20, of Muskegon, 18 months to 15 years Michigan Department of Corrections for assaulting/resisting/obstructing police, fourth-time habitual offender, $198 fees/costs. SAGINAW, MI -- Talk of closing one of Saginaw's two city high schools is likely to dominate the school district as it has for the past two years. But this time, if city school leaders don't decide to close either Arthur Hill or Saginaw high schools, the state might step up and do the job anyway. The Michigan School Reform Office plans to close a number of failing schools next June. No decision has been made, but the numbers don't look good for Saginaw High School, which Saginaw school leaders had twice put on the chopping block. Both traditional high schools in the city ranked in the bottom 5 percent on state exams in 2014, but only Saginaw High School has been "chronically failing for at least 10 years," according to State School Reform Officer Natasha Baker. The School Reform Office will use the state's top-to-bottom school ranking for 2014, 2015 and 2016 to help determine which schools to close. Schools ranked in the bottom 5 percent for three consecutive years could be considered for closure. Baker said data from 2016 is not yet "formatted in a way to make any decisions." However, Saginaw High has also been on the state's list of chronically failing schools for 10 years, according to Baker, who said that will also be taken into consideration. Essentially, Saginaw High School would be in danger of being closed by the state. However, according to Baker, the district does not have to wait on the state. "No district has to wait on the SRO to make a decision," Baker said. "They can right their own problems. The district does not have to wait for a state agency in order to write their own plan." Baker said that she is not sure how much longer the district can survive with two underpopulated and under-performing schools, saying the district has to look at its problems "financially, academically and operationally." Baker said that in September her office plans to showcase school districts throughout the state that have performed in the bottom 5 percent, but "made hard decisions" and turned their districts around without state intervention. Nate McClain The state plans come as a surprise to the Saginaw school district since the Michigan Department of Education said it would not use the results of the 2015 M-STEP test against lower-performing schools. Nathaniel McClain, superintendent of Saginaw Public Schools, said that the decision not to hold 2015 results against the district affected how his administration planned future curriculum. "It gave us the opportunity to make some wholesale curricular changes to assist teachers in planning for and delivering instruction," McClain said. "A curriculum focus that aligns with Common Core state standards to quality instruction, it takes time." 'Next level of accountability' In 2015, Michigan replaced the MEAP exam with the M-STEP, which is aligned with tougher new Common Core standards. Because of the tougher test, the state education department committed to hold off penalizing schools for poor results until at least 2016. The state did not release its annual top-to-bottom schools ranking in 2015. However, the School Reform Office was moved from under the education department and in 2015 moved into the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget-- under Gov. Snyder's direct authority, and is now required by law to release an annual list of the state's lowest-performing schools. With the change, McClain said he does not agree with the state's strategies. "For the SRO to use M-STEP data to identify schools for priority purposes or possible closure, is academically irresponsible," McClain said. Baker, on the other hand, said that it is time to address the problem of failing schools and stop putting off tough decisions. "Now is the time to provide next-level accountability," Baker said. Baker said that some students who graduate from lower-performing schools are not as equipped to compete with students from better-performing schools. "When they graduate, we want kids to have the skills to pursue any post-secondary opportunities," Baker said. Saginaw High, 2-0 Though both Arthur Hill and Saginaw High are under-performing schools, Baker noted that past attempts by former superintendents in the district to close a high school have failed. When faced with a deficit, former Superintendent Carlton Jenkins and his administration proposed the closure of Saginaw High School and sending all the district's approximately 1,600 high school students at the time to Arthur Hill High School to cut costs. Community blowback caused Jenkins and his administration to redraft the plan and make cuts elsewhere. Former Interim Superintendent Kelley Peatross, who replaced Jenkins in 2014, presented her recommendation on Feb. 18, 2015, to close Saginaw High School. Not a single board member supported the motion and it died. "What type of academic environment do we want and what kind of decisions do we have to make to have it?" Baker said. "What decisions do we have to make now to put us on that trajectory?" McClain said that the threat of closing a school can distract students from academics. "I don't want the students to operate under a cloud of closure and be expected to perform well on these standardized tests when they come in the spring," McClain said. "We are going to continue to focus on getting results." The regular action meeting for the Saginaw Board of Education takes place at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 17, at 550 Millard. SAGINAW, MI -- District Judge Kyle Higgs Tarrant no longer is facing a grievance filed by Saginaw County's prosecutor. The Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission recently dismissed the grievance that Prosecutor John McColgan Jr. filed against Tarrant in February, prosecutors said. McColgan in February filed a motion asking Tarrant to recuse herself from future hearings on a homicide case as well as all other future prosecutor-related cases. In that motion, the prosecutor revealed he filed the grievance against Tarrant, a district judge since 1983. The grievance process is confidential unless the Tenure Commission decides to conduct a public hearing where it either will dismiss the grievance or recommend discipline to the Michigan Supreme Court. That did not happen in Tarrant's case. A confidential dismissal, however, does not always mean the commission found no wrongdoing. According to the commission's website, the commission can dismiss the grievance; dismiss it with a letter of explanation regarding actions that "should preferably not be repeated;" dismiss it with a cautionary letter regarding "improper or questionable conduct;" dismiss it contingent upon the judge satisfying conditions imposed by the commission; or admonish the judge, which the judge can appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court. Each of those dispositions are confidential. Because of the confidentiality, the commission did not inform the county prosecutor's office of the nature of the dismissal. Tarrant has declined comment throughout the process. The motion and grievance stemmed from accusations that Tarrant did not inform prosecutors or the defense of a letter she received from Jamal E. Reid, one of three co-defendants whose preliminary hearing Tarrant presided over in connection with the October 2015 shooting death of 19-year-old Laquavis Cooper. Tarrant ultimately bound over Reid and Jason D. Wrenn for trial but ruled probable cause did not exist for Charles E. Wilson Jr. to stand trial. In denying the recusal motion, which was filed in Wilson's case, Tarrant on March 9 defended her record of impartiality and said the prosecution's allegations were "meritless." Midland County Chief Circuit Judge Stephen Carras in May essentially upheld Tarrant's denial of the motion. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Boyd said at the hearing in Carras' courtroom that Reid wrote in his letter that he would testify against Wilson and Wrenn. Boyd said he was not arguing whether Tarrant should have bound Wilson over for trial; instead, he said, if she had provided them with the letter when she received it, his office could have begun negotiating with Reid and, with his testimony, could have established probable cause against Wilson. Prosecutors earlier this month reissued charges against Wilson, who remains at large. "We're pleased that things are moving forward and we're now able to proceed with our charges against Charles Wilson," Boyd said last week regarding the dismissal of the grievance. Reid and Wrenn remain jailed and are scheduled for a Tuesday, Aug. 23, trial before Circuit Judge Robert L. Kaczmarek. voting-booth-muskegon.JPG A voter places her ballot at a polling booth located at the Mona Shores Library in Precinct 2 in Norton Shores, Mich., on November 3, 2015. (Kevin Manuel | MLive.com) This is an opinion column. As Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump makes baseless allegations that November's election will be rigged, his party here in Michigan is trying to do some legal rigging of its own. In case you hadn't heard, there's been an ongoing saga about whether voters will have the option of voting a straight-ticket in November. That's where you sit down with your ballot, draw one line or fill in one bubble for your preferred party -- be it Republican, Democratic, Bull Moose or Natural Law -- and that's it. Takes a few seconds. It's been an option in Michigan since Grover Cleveland faced off against Benjamin Harrison in 1892. But the Republican Party here in Michigan doesn't want to allow straight-ticket voting anymore. The GOP-led legislature passed a bill eliminating the option last fall. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder subsequently signed it into law in January. Snyder said it would help modernize Michigan's election process -- we are one of only 10 states that still has straight-ticket voting. The governor also said it would help squeeze partisanship out of the equation and encourage voters to focus on the candidates. "It's time to choose people over politics," Snyder said when he signed the bill. But critics say eliminating straight-ticket voting is motivated by nothing more than politics. Democrats, especially African-Americans, are much more likely to use the option, according to a lawsuit filed last May by a black labor organization, the A. Philip Randolph Institute. "This is a way to help more Republicans get elected as opposed to Democrats," said Barb Byrum, Ingham County clerk and former Democratic state representative. "This is party politics. There's no place for this in elections." As a Democrat and clerk who has to run an election this fall, Byrum is opposed to it both philosophically and practically. "This is increasing voter confusion," she said. "It's going to increase lines. It's going to increase wait times. This is ... a horrible, horrible initiative." Longer lines and wait times are just a few claims the federal lawsuit spells out. The point U.S. District Court Judge Gershwin Drain cited in his decision to grant an injunction - meaning straight-ticket voting would be allowed in November -- is that eliminating the option is discriminatory to African-American voters. Attorney General Bill Schuette was quick to file motions to keep straight-ticket voting off the ballot. On Monday, Drain declined to lift his injunction and allow the new law to take effect. Then on Wednesday, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld his ruling. Schuette vowed to keep fighting and file an emergency motion. Ruth Johnson's Secretary of State Office didn't want to comment on the case. Instead, the office sent me a 112-page copy of the motion that would effectively eliminate straight-ticket voting from this election and allow the courts to decide the matter afterward. The motion attacks all the claims made in the lawsuit, including the one that says it discriminates against African Americans. "Contrary to the district court's erroneous legal ruling, the fact that one race disproportionately votes in a particular way obviously does not mean that a law affecting that preference violates (the Voting Rights Act)," the motion says. "At the threshold, (the Equal Protection Clause of the VRA) does not prohibit an ordinary, race-neutral voting statute merely because it results in a statistical disparity." There's a lot of other legal speak for why the law should be implemented while the lawsuit is pending. But common sense tells us otherwise. Was there really good reason to abandoned a 100-plus year old voting practice in the first place? All partisanship aside, I'm not feeling it. The GOP needs to stop this senseless crusade. It's an obvious political ploy to benefit its battered party at the polls. All a straight-ticket does is offer a simpler choice for people weighed down by choices in the ballot booth. Looked at through a non-partisan lens, the benefits far outweigh any detriments. I understand the desire to make people think harder about their choices, but the last thing voters need this election is more confusion and hardships. We already have our fair share of hardship just listening to the candidates. This column was updated at 1 p.m. Wednesday with the court of appeal's decision. radar.jpeg Radar image at 1:40 p.m. Wednesday, August 17, 2016 shows a line of marginally severe storms developing and filling in. (Radarscope) A quick burst of a severe storm is possible in the southeast third of Lower Michigan in the next few hours. This would be a quick hitting, short lasting storm at any one location. The mesoscale storm discussion from the Storm Prediction Center outlines the blue area as possibly having quick hitting marginally severe storms this afternoon. The storms toppled a few trees in west Michigan, around the Grand Rapids area and in Ionia. A line of storms is currently developing and at 1:49 p.m. is now a solid line of storms with no breaks in the line. Here is the always updated radar animation: The storms have the capability of producing marginally severe wind gusts around 55 mph. Given the solid nature of the line of storms, and the fact it's the most unstable time of day, I expect the storms to hold together or even strengthen slightly. So Flint, The Thumb, Lansing(now), Jackson, Ann Arbor and Detroit- get ready for a 15 minute to 30 minute storm in the next few hours. The storms will drench you in a hurry, and could have lightning and a brief, damaging wind gust. If you know anyone out boating on the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, or inland lakes of southeast Michigan, give them an immediate heads up to get off the water. Another step in the effort to better connect Myanmar to the global financial system has been taken, with AYA Bank becoming the first lender to offer bank cards with a stamp from global payment network provider JCB. The bank is issuing debit and credit cards with a joint stamp from Japans JCB and Myanmar Payment Union (MPU), meaning it can be used in Myanmar and across a JCB network spanning some 31 million merchants in 190 countries and territories. Its a move that will connect Myanmars card system with [those in] other countries, said U Zaw Lin Htut, CEO of MPU, at a signing ceremony between AYA Bank, MPU and JCB yesterday. U Zaw Zaw, founder and chair of AYA Bank, noted that an earlier lack of infrastructure and resources had held Myanmars banking system back from being able to join worldwide payment networks like JCBs. CB Bank also has an agreement with JCB International, which opened a Yangon branch in July, to issue MPU-JCB stamped cards, but it has yet to start issuing them. JCB International is in discussions with several other Myanmar banks to issue JCB cards, said Ayako Tanaka, from the companys corporate planning department. The Japanese firm signed a memorandum of understanding with MPU for joint branded cards back in January 2015. At that point JCB was focused on MPU member banks issuing JCB stamped debit cards, which the Japanese firm expected to appear that same year. Local IT issues in preparing for JCB cards in Myanmar pushed the timeline back, according to Ms Tanaka. But in the meantime credit cards reappeared in Myanmar, meaning that banks can now offer credit and debit cards with a JCB stamp. True credit cards disappeared in the wake of the 2003 banking crisis, and until this year any credit cards provided by Myanmar banks required either funds in an account or pre-payment. The return of credit cards to Myanmar has also coincided with the spread of international cards. CB Bank launched an international credit card in June branded with the MPU and UnionPay International (UPI) stamps, allowing it be to used abroad wherever UnionPay is accepted. AYA Banks jointly branded MPU-JCB card, meanwhile, is one of three AYA Bank cards that can be used overseas, according to the lenders managing director U Phyo Aung. That bank also started offering MPU-UPI cards in July, and has arranged for customers to use both JCB - and UPI-stamped cards if they wish, U Soe Lin, assistant managing director at AYA Bank, told The Myanmar Times. JCB-brand cards can be used in the US at ATMs with a Cirrus logo. JCB International has an agreement with Myanmar issuers not to provide JCB stamped cards to anyone on the Specially Designated Nationals blacklist, but ordinary card holders should be able to use their cards in the US without issues, Ms Tanaka said. Combining art and ministry together, Andy Raines, the Passion Painter, will be holding a special service at 6 p.m. on Aug. 28 at Memorial United Methodist Church in Farmington. Im hoping we will have a good turnout, said Pam Brooks, the church's special events coordinator. We are opening the event to the public, so if you like art you will enjoy his show. Backed up by the churchs Praise Band, Raines will not only deliver a gospel message during his service but also create paintings while he is reaching out to the audience. He paints while the band is playing, Brooks said. Whatever God puts in his head, he paints. It is really inspiring. Raines, who is a lives in Granite City, Illinois, was not always a minister of God. He struggled with drug addiction before his path was changed. Now Raines seeks to inspire others through his talent. Brooks said she first saw Raines during a WOW youth conference two years ago and was hoping to book him for a performance at the local church. I was really impressed with (Raines) and his art, Brooks said. I have been trying to get him to Farmington ever since. Finally, everything fell into place. The free will offering service will be held in the fellowship hall of the church. For more information contact Memorial United Methodist Church at 573-756-4565. The local government in Myanmars southernmost region has said it will not issue any new mining licences until environmental concerns and controversies have been resolved at operational mines in the resource-rich area. A number of mining projects in Tanintharyi Region have long been opposed by local residents who have accused their operators of polluting water supplies and ruining farmland. U Myint Maung, Tanintharyi Region minister for natural resources and environmental conservation, who is leading a mine-scrutinising group, said several companies have broken the terms of their contracts, flouted the Mining Law and caused environmental damage. Until these companies start playing by the rules, they will find it very difficult to extend their licences, U Myint Maung said. Further, the regional government will not sign any recommendation letters for new mining operations until the existing players clean up their acts. We want investment, and we know that it is very important for regional development, he said. We are not paying attention only to environmental conservation, but all the operations in the region have to reduce their impact on the environment as much as possible, he said. More than 10 mining companies have asked for permits to do business, he said, but for now the regional government has not given any of them recommendation letters. Instead, it will focus on tackling longstanding issues in the industry. The local governments first two targets were the Heinda and Bawapin tin mines, operated by Thailands Myanmar Pongpipat Company and Eastern Mining Company, which were suspended in June. U Khine Swan, manager at Heinda Tin Mine, said the company is trying to meet the demands of the scrutinising group, in the hope of being able to restart operations as soon as possible. We are preparing environmental and social impact assessments, which will take some time, he said. This season is the peak time for mining and we are facing big losses we usually mine at least 1 tonne of tin each day, even in the dry season. The company employs more than 300 on-site workers, he said, adding, Mining activities will naturally have an impact on the environment. That is not so strange, if you consider the nature of the business. Myanmar Pongpipat has been operating the mine since 1999. It first clashed with local residents after blocking nearby Myaung Byo Creek with a barrier, causing water levels to rise. Eventually the creek broke its banks and thick waves of sediment and waste from the mine were deposited into houses, plantations and sources of fresh water. U Myint Maung said the mine-scrutinising group will eventually cover the whole region, and is prioritising projects based on the number of complaints from local residents. In nearby Kanbauk village, residents say they have asked tin and tungsten miner Delco to comply with mining laws and not to harm the environment. Delco is the largest mining company in Myanmar, but has apparently not yet received any direction from the regional government or No 2 Mining Enterprise on whether it can continue operations, said U Aung Lwin, a member of Kanbauk Resources Survival Group. We have not seen any direction from the government to Delco, and we are planning to arrange a meeting with the chief minister so that local people can share their suffering in this area, he said. Delco resumed operations earlier this year at the site where a child died and homes were destroyed by a flood of sludge last year. The company has now told seven villagers to leave their houses and plantations around the mining area and has threatened legal action against them for trespassing. U Saung Khaw, Delcos general manager, told The Myanmar Times that the residents were supposed to leave by the end of July. We hope it will be resolved soon. This whole Kanbauk area has been used for mining for many years and we have a land-lease contract from the government, he said. Five of the seven villagers have accepted money and the other two are still negotiating, because the amount offered is too low, said U Aung Lwin. Lawyer Daw Aye Mon Thu, who briefed villagers on their rights at a public seminar in Kanbauk last month, said local residents often lose out in situations like this. Villagers should not lose everything they own just because they do not have a certificate of land ownership approved by the government, she said. Even if they do not have a certificate, they still have evidence that they were planting in the area before the company started operating. Most lawsuits brought by companies against local people are based on sections 427 and 447 of the Penal Code, which refer to mischief causing damage and trespassing, and villagers often lose the case, because they lack land ownership certificates, she said. U Saung Khaw said the government should not stop mining operations, particularly in Tanintharyi Region where mining a major industry. The Mining Law mentions that villagers must relocate if the company extends its operations within the mining area. This area has been mined since 1911, he said. If we dont see our permit extended in 2020 it would be a great shame as we are trying to follow the rules and regulations set by the different governments. A Spokesperson for Yangon City Development Committees Department of Engineering confirmed to The Myanmar Times yesterday that the under-construction hospital which collapsed on August 13 lacked YCDC building permission. This construction company was building without a permit from YCDC but it was built with the authority of the Ministry of Healths Department of Medical Care, said engineering department head U Than Htay. A T-steel beam and scaffolding fell when an extension of the Yangon Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital in Tarmwe township collapsed on August 13, killing a Dala township man who was working on the site. On August 15, the company received a letter from the Department of Engineering demanding construction stop. The department will take action against the company for working without a permit and police will take action on behalf of the worker who was killed. When the department asked the company to turn over some facts for the construction permit, they did not care, and now, when their construction site has an accident, they are fully responsible, U Than Htay said. So the department will take action against them for violating YCDC rules and building without a permit. Companies do not want to pay for a permit, he said, so they join with government ministries and ask for an exemption. We have this problem when a construction project joins with the ministries, he said. They build before they get a permit to get it done quickly and then they apply later. The company adding a building to the Yangon Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital project did not apply for a permit when they started construction in September 2015 and they have not applied as yet. Min Lwin Construction and the Department of Medical Care signed a contract in October 2015, using budget money to construct two buildings: an extension of Yangon Ear, Nose and Throat Hospitals five-floor building, and a four-floor condo with two rooms for doctors. Myanmar Engineering Council vice chair U Aung Myint said the inspection committee will review the company, investigating its project engineer or project manager. We do not know the exact reason the building collapsed but we will inspect this case, he said. Min Lwin Construction did not respond to requests from The Myanmar Times for comment. Eight seats have been reserved for non-signatories to the nationwide ceasefire agreement on the joint preparatory committee for the upcoming 21st-century Panglong Conference, sources involved in the planning said yesterday after a meeting of the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee. During the meeting of the UPDJC a key tripartite peace committee comprising representatives of the government, ethnic armed group NCA signatories and political parties attendees agreed to grant the eight seats to the non-signatory ethnic armed groups, who will sit with equal standing to eight representatives from the signatories. The committee they will join is tasked with preparing for the five-day Panglong Conference, which will convene on August 31. Ahead of the UPDJCs meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, ethnic armed organisations, political parties and the government held a series of meetings last week at Yangons National Reconciliation and Peace Center to review the framework for political dialogue, but were unable to complete the reassessment process. As per the NCA [terms], ethnic armed organisations can become members of the UPDJC only after they sign the ceasefire pact. We have to form the joint preparatory committee so that non-signatory groups can participate, said Sai Kyaw Nyunt, an ethnic Shan politician from the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy. The joint preparatory committee will now consist of representatives from the government, political parties, and ethnic armed organisations of both signatory and non-signatory groups. There are seven seats for the Delegation for Political Negotiation, an ethnic negotiating body, and one seat for Mong La, Sai Kyaw Nyunt said, with Mong La referring to the Shan State-based National Democratic Alliance Army. Thus there will be a total of 16 members from ethnic armed organisations. The DPN is a negotiating body for the United Nationalities Federal Council, an umbrella alliance of nine NCA non-signatories. On May 31, the government created the joint preparatory committee and two subcommittees, one for signatories and the other for non-signatories, in order to address the split that exists between ethnic armed groups. Eight signed the NCA in October, and about a dozen others opted out of the accord or were denied a chance to sign. U Hla Maung Shwe, the UPDJC secretary, said Panglong Conference organisers would await the names put forward from the non-signatory groups to represent them on the joint preparatory committee. In addition, members of the UPDJC also agreed to replace the words conference representatives with conference attendees, a tweak designed to allow non-signatory groups to join the Panglong Conference without feeling their status to be inferior to that of their signatory counterparts. Since we still have not finished the framework review and negotiations on the talks representation, we cannot use the words conference representatives, Sai Kyaw Nyunt said, explaining that conference representatives, in the official lexicon of the framework agreement, would have applied only to NCA signatories. Despite failure to complete the framework review and other unfinished business as the days wind down to August 31, the Panglong Conference is set to convene on its originally scheduled date. Expectations for the long-awaited gathering have been tempered in recent days, however, with organisers saying few matters of substance will be on the table and no decisions will be made. Parties to the peace talks can submit their points of view at the Panglong Conference. There will not be any discussion or exchange of views, said Sai Kyaw Nyunt. Two hundred representatives from ethnic armed groups will be invited to the Panglong Conference, it was agreed at yesterdays UPDJC meeting. Whether the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, the Taang National Liberation Army and the Arakan Army still have a chance to participate in the Panglong Conference is unclear. The three groups status has remained uncertain for weeks, in part complicated by a demand that they turn over their arms to a mutually agreed third party in order to formally join the peace process. That condition, which the three groups view unfavourably, stems from a temporary alliance they formed last year in northeast Shan State, where conflict with the Tatmadaw that first flared in February in the Kokang region dragged on for months. The groups officials previously said they hoped the government would offer another set of talks before the conference to clarify lingering uncertainty over the terms of their participation. Both the political dialogue frameworks review and national-level peace summits will continue following the Panglong Conference, with a senior government official on August 15 saying the latter would be convened every six months thereafter. The governments peace team is also scheduled to meet with the DPN ahead of the Panglong Conference. Naga activists are calling for more government support for the people of Sagaing Regions Naga Self-Administered Zone, who are suffering from infectious diseases, health problems and other issues. From June through August 12, 42 people from nine villages in Lahe and Donhe townships were killed by infected diseases. On August 5, the Ministry of Health and Sport confirmed that the disease is measles. On August 12, the government released a statement saying the measles outbreak is under control. National youth and civil society organisations held a press conference at Yangons Orchid Hotel to address the situation yesterday. General secretary of the Council of Naga Affairs (CNA) Naw Aung San said there were many difficulties transporting supplies to the Naga region. Activists said the government has been supportive during the outbreak but that an emergency response is needed. Issues with lack of hygiene, nutrition, education, transportation, awareness and health support have led to the current situation in the Naga zone, the activists said. About 15 villages have been struck by other health issues, such as flu, dengue fever and diarrhoea. The Naga Emergency Response Team met Vice President Henry Van Thio on August 14 in Yangon. Naw Aung San said his organisation requested helicopters and medical teams to offer help to the Naga people. We want the government to support medical care for the locals, to help with transportation, to provide food and to implement a vaccination program for the region, which could prevent the next outbreak, said one activist. Further funding will be required if a new Bogyoke Aung San statue is to be erected in the Danu self-administered zone, say local residents, as budget constraints have delayed construction of a monument in honour of the original and the upcoming Panglong conferences on ethnic unity. National League for Democracy representative for Pindaya township U Myint Lwin told The Myanmar Times that authorities are currently looking to solutions to a funding shortfall for the memorial in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Park. Although the park is finished, money is needed to set up a Bogyoke statue and Panglong monument. Now we are discussing where we can get the money, he said. The 2-acre Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Park opened on June 16, and boasts some 800 different types of tree and flower. The new park is a point of pride for residents of Pindaya township, U Myint Lwin said. Local residents say they will personally contribute to ensure that the park receives its finishing touches. In Myanmar, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Park has not existed in the past. Now it is situated in our town. We are very glad, said Pindaya resident Ko Kyaw San Lwin. Donation money will be collected from the residents to build the statue. We are discussing [this strategy] with young people. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi Park is located beside the road between Pindaya and Yatsauk. It was opened under the auspices of the Forestry Department and the Land Record Department. After a wild week of spirit worship, boisterous music and heavy drinking, the Taung Pyone Nat Festival comes to an end tomorrow as the full moon day of the lunar month of Wagaung crosses the sky over Myanmar. The eight-day festival is always a crowded and well-attended affair, and the village fills up even before the festival begins, with pilgrims from across the country converging en masse until there is barely room enough to walk. Taung Pyone devotees dance along Mandalay-Madaya road together with people who are requesting donations. The narrow road leading to Taung Pyone village, located just a few kilometres north of Mandalay, becomes increasingly clogged with cars and motorcycles. Despite this modern touch, a famous song about the festival, which reflects the history of the ancient event, retains its traditional flavour with reference to people arriving in the village by pull-cart. In fact, the festival remains largely unchanged and as popular as ever. It has been held for hundreds of years, and not even World War II or the political unrest of 1988 were able to stop it. According to legend, King Anawratha who ruled Bagan from 1044 to 1077 once camped with his army near Taung Pyone and decided to donate a landmark pagoda there. He ordered his soldiers to each contribute a brick to construct the pagoda. But brothers Min Gyi and Min Galay, who enjoyed drinking and gambling, did not obey the kings order, and were executed as a result. King Anawratha later regretted killing the brothers, and appointed them as the guardian spirits in that village. The two bricks they failed to contribute are still missing from Taung Pyone Pagoda. Bathing day is the most popular time of the festival, drawing large crowds. Festival-goers wash the images of the Taungbyone brothers in the nearby river before they are placed in a shrine where pilgrims can make offerings. People who visit the festival every year have their own beliefs, optimistically hoping that their business, social life, health and everything else will prosper when they touch the palanquin carrying the images. The natkadaws (spirit mediums) who attend festival are held in high esteem among traditional believers. They can easily be seen during public performances, but it costs a lot of money to get a personal appointment with a famous natkadaw. Some pilgrims come to the festival for worship, while others come for fun. Most nat kadaw are homosexual, and gay men can be found throughout the festival. Every year, the government and non-governmental organisations open an education centre about HIV and AIDS, encouraging the use of condoms. Translation by Khant Lin Oo With the goal of developing Myanmars financial sector, the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw voted to borrow US$100 million from the World Bank yesterday. The Ministry of Planning and Finance and the Central Bank of Myanmar, two Union-level organisations, pitched the loan and explained how they would spend it before MPs cast their votes. The loan for the project is not totally concerned with raising the salary of civil servants, Planning and Finance Deputy Minister U Maung Maung Win told the room. Similarly, it is not concerned with the groundless allegations that the ministry has to borrow money because it does not have enough money to pay its staffs salaries. The government spent K216 billion raising salaries in 2014, he said, and K834 billion in 2015. The ministry itself will receive $60 million of the loan, or more than K70 billion, which they can withdraw four times over four years. It would not be sufficient to pay salaries, he said. The loan will give the ministry relief from its budget deficit, he said, allowing money to be used for other important expenditures for the country and the people. The Central Bank will receive $25 million of the 38-year interest-free loan, U Maung Maung Win said, with the remaining $15 million being invested by the ministry into the development of the financial sector. Of the money earmarked for the financial sector, $7 million would be invested in restructuring and reforming the countrys four uncompetitive state-owned banks, $5 million would be used to develop legal framework about and in investment in information technology for the microfinance and insurance sectors, and $3 million would be spent building the capacity of the ministry staff. The Central Bank would use its $25 million for four projects, deputy governor Daw Khin Saw Oo told lawmakers in parliament. An accounting and finance training school would take $6 million, $2 million would be spent on IT and capacity building, $2 million on building staff capacity, and $15 million on upgrading payment system and financial infrastructure. Before the Planning and Finance Ministry can draw down on the $60 million earmarked for operational support, it will need to meet several disbursement-linked indicators, U Maung Maung Win said. While the 38-year loan is interest-free, he said, the government will pay an annual service charge of 0.75 percent after a six-year grace period. Translation by Thiri Min Htun Supermarket shoppers may get to play a part in the greening of Yangon. City Mart has entered an agreement with the Forest Resource Environment Development and Conservation Association (FREDA) to plant 50,000 trees in Yangon over the next year. Though City Marts main contribution will be the funding, its customers will also be asked to make suggestions via the internet about where many of the trees could be planted. The first 12,000 trees will be planted on September 3 in Hlawga Wildlife Park north of Yangon and in Tha Du Kan Pagoda compound, said U Kyaw Nyein, an executive committee member of FREDA. He said they planned to plant more than 10,000 trees each in Hlegu and Dat Chaung villages in Taikkyi township. Others will be planted according to the suggestion of City Mart customers, he added. At least 12 kinds of trees will be included in the initial 12,000, U Kyaw Nyein said, adding that the seedlings were selected bearing in mind the nature of the region. Some plants like star flowers are suitable for monasteries, some grow fast for shade, and woods like teak, padauk, pinkadoo and mazel suit different environments. Human beings are damaging the earth we live in. The trees that can protect us from floods are growing fewer, and both the earth and we humans are suffering the consequences. We should rebuild a fair environment for ourselves by working together. I believe we can do it, said Daw Win Win Tint, CEO of City Mart. City Love & Hope Foundation, which is organised by City Mart, has provided K20 million to plant the 50,000 trees in the coming weeks. U Kyaw Nyein said FREDA was also carrying out a substitute planting program for dead trees, replacing some 188 of the 53,188 trees planted by City Love & Hope Foundation between 2011 and 2015. The Indo-Pacific concept is a useful way of understanding changing regional dynamics, but it also reflects a key strategic challenge the relationship between China and India, two world giants with growing geopolitical ambitions Through the 1980s Australia was one of the foremost proponents of the Asia-Pacific as a new and useful way of understanding the world around us. The idea behind the Asia-Pacific brought together East Asia and the Pacific to emphasise and promote the interdependence of the East Asian tiger economies with Pacific countries such as the United States and Australia. It successfully locked those bits of the world together in a prosperous and mostly peaceful embrace. Although contested by some at the time, the idea of the Asia-Pacific has now become almost ubiquitous in our understanding of the world. The idea of this space as a region underlay the establishment of new groupings and forums such as APEC and the East Asia Summit to better manage these dynamics. Australia is now at the forefront of new debates about the concept of the Indo-Pacific as a useful mental map for understanding the changing dynamics in our part of the world. The Indo-Pacific focuses on the growing strategic and economic interactions right along the Asian littoral, from the Korean peninsula to the Persian Gulf, with Southeast Asia at its centre. The concept of the Indo-Pacific is not intended to replace the Asia-Pacific, merely to emphasise that, at least for certain purposes, we need to be considering a broader geographic space and a broader set of interactions. The concept emphasises the growing interactions between the major East Asian powers and the burgeoning economies of Southern Asia including but not limited to India and the strategic implications of these interactions, particularly in the maritime realm. While the parameters and nomenclature of the Indo-Pacific are not yet settled, the concept is increasingly being overtaken by reality. Australias fast-growing strategic partnerships, with countries such as Japan and India, reflect these dynamics. Indias Act East policy, in which it is reaching out to new partners in the Pacific theatre, is the Indo-Pacific in action. Chinas Maritime Silk Route initiative, in which it is building new maritime pathways across the Indian Ocean, is merely the Indo-Pacific with Chinese characteristics. But we are still playing catch-up in terms of understanding the strategic implications of these developments. Two recent publications address different aspects of these growing Indo-Pacific interactions. In March 2016, the National Security College at the Australian National University hosted a conference of eminent experts and practitioners to discuss maritime security challenges and cooperation within the framework of the Indo-Pacific. An edited volume from this conference addresses several key areas of Indo-Pacific maritime security. Critically, they examine new dimensions in Australia-Japan maritime security cooperation and the role of Japan in the Indian Ocean, managing maritime tensions in the East and South China seas, the potential for cooperation on transnational security issues, and emerging maritime security partnerships in the Indo-Pacific. One key set of issues addressed is understanding Japans growing security role across the Indo-Pacific. This is driven by concerns over the security of Japans sea lines of communication through the Pacific and Indian oceans, perspectives on the need for new maritime security partnerships with countries such as Australia and India, and debates about Japans future roles in the Indian Ocean. Japans wider role as a key strategic partner will only become ever more important for Australia. The Indo-Pacific is also forcing countries such as India and Indonesia to re-examine traditional perspectives on maritime security partnerships in the region, including with Australia. Another crucial dimension of Indo-Pacific security is the growing interaction of China and India across this space. China and India are fast-emerging as major maritime powers in the Indo-Pacific as part of long-term shifts in the regional balance of power. As their wealth, interests and power expand, the two countries are increasingly coming into contact with each other in the maritime domain. How India and China get along in the shared Indo-Pacific space cooperation, coexistence, competition or confrontation may be one of the key strategic challenges of the 21st century. But the Sino-Indian relationship is a difficult one: Security relations remain relatively volatile and are complicated by numerous unresolved issues. Not least is Chinas growing presence in the Indian Ocean. New Delhi perceives Beijing as attempting to reshape the strategic environment in its favour, including by forming alignments with neighbouring countries that could be used against India. A recent publication by the US National Bureau of Asian Research sheds light on this dynamic through a collection of essays by leading analysts, examining Sino-Indian maritime interactions from political, economic and security dimensions. What is apparent from them is the wide gap between Indian and Chinese understandings of their respective intentions and roles in the Indian Ocean region. China seems intent on developing its economic and military interests in the Indian Ocean in a manner that almost inevitably will have a major impact on the regional balance of power. Moreover, Beijing intends to develop this presence without significant regard for Indian views: India will just need to learn to live with it. For its part, India sees the growing Chinese presence in highly securitised terms: a mixture of acute defensiveness over its prerogatives and protecting what it sees as its own backyard, but also a desire to leverage its own strategic advantages over China. These factors are a relatively volatile mix, creating a significant risk of strategic instability and competition in the region in coming years. Understanding the changing dynamics of the Indo-Pacific and the key strategic relationships across that region will be a continuing challenge as we enter what could become the Indo-Pacific century. Policy Forum David Brewster is a senior research fellow at the National Security College, Australian National University, and a distinguished research fellow with the Australia India Institute, University of Melbourne. Manager of Citi FM, one of the radio stations in Ghana, Mr. Samuel Attah-Mensah also known as Sammens has officially confirmed his support for the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP). Sammens confirmed the widely held notion that he was an avid supporter of the NPP on the satirical talk show, Tonight with Nii Kpakpo Thompson last Friday on Viasat1 Ghana. He nonetheless, contended that ones political leanings should not prevent them from being objective with other political parties and insisted that he didnt particularly care what anybody said about his position. I support the NPP; I support the NPP, so what? I should be able to support the NPP or the NDC and still give a fair chance to every political party with my media. So thats who I am. I mean ideologically, I dont care what whoever says I have said it even on Viasat1. I support the NPP and Ive said it over and over again for effect, so that you know that you should be able to support a political party and be fair to all players, he maintained. Sammens also argued that he believed in developmental politics and as a media person, he preferred to clearly state his position and be fair to everybody rather than pull strings behind the scene. There are people who tell you that... me I am a media man I dont support any party yet they are doing asumasedwuma [pull strings behind the scenes]. Mr. Samuel Attah-Mensah, who was arrested in November 2014 in connection with a publication by his stations news portal, (citifmonline), however maintained that he had a lot of friends in the ruling NDC led government despite his political affiliation. This is what it is. I mean that doesnt make me an enemy of the other political parties. I have very wonderful friends from the NDC; from the president to whomever you want to think about. I am very comfortable with that, the outspoken manager indicated. He finally waded into the recent Montie 3 controversy and cautioned against blackmailing the president. Its okay to show some empathy because they are human beings and they erred, and they have been sentenced. Its okay to even ask that the president should pardon. But I dont think anybody should go about blackmailing the president that if you dont do that, I wont do this. Its absolutely rubbish. Airtel Ghana, Best CSR Company for Education and Community Relations has commissioned and handed over a solar powered ICT centre for Somnyamekodru Primary School in the Central Region, through its flagship community investment programme Airtel Touching Lives. The Centre comprises a state of the art fully stocked computer laboratory connected to Airtels superior internet service. Speaking at the commissioning, Samuel Gyimah, National Distribution Manager at Airtel Ghana said, Over the years we have invested heavily in building and refurbishing infrastructure such as this ICT centre, building capacity of teachers and providing teaching and learning materials to boost education in several schools across the country. As a socially responsible company, we believe in investing and empowering young people to fully realise their potentials which informs our CSR approach in education, health, community empowerment and sports. He continued, To ensure that this facilitys operational costs are reduced, we invested in making it energy efficient and self-reliant through the installation of solar panels to ensure the facility is operational at all times during the day. We have no doubt in our minds that this Centre will contribute greatly to equipping and empowering the young people in this school and community to realise their potential. Airtel Ghana committed to fund the project when Mr. Ignitius Bugyei, ICT teacher of the school solicited for the ChangeMaker Companys support for the school through the Airtel Touching Lives initiative. The Centre was therefore completely refurbished in line with the companys commitment to supporting education and empowering young people to fully realise their potential. The telecom company in addition distributed bags and stationery to some 300 pupils present at the ceremony. Hon. Bossman Osei Hyiaman, District Chief Executive of Twifo Atti-Mokwa District Assembly in his address remarked, The benefits of this project to the pupils and the community as whole are immeasurable. Airtel Ghana has through this investment created the opportunity that will provide access to the best ICT education for pupils in this school and its environs. We are grateful and excited to have this facility which will enable our children to catch up with the ever- changing world led by ICT. On behalf of the entire community, I extend my profound gratitude to Airtel Ghana for the commitment they have shown in sponsoring this facility. The Airtel Touching Lives initiative which comes under the Companys Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive, is a television programme aimed at identifying people who are making exceptional impact in their communities and empowering them to expand and scale up their effort for the greater good of their communities. The programme, the very first to be televised, recounts the stories of people who have been nominated and rewarded for the impact they are making in their communities. About Bharti Airtel Bharti Airtel Limited is a leading global telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa. Headquartered in New Delhi, India, the company ranks amongst the top 3 mobile service providers globally in terms of subscribers. In India, the company's product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers. In the rest of the geographies, it offers 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 353 million customers across its operations at the end of January 2016. To know more please visit, www.airtel.com About Airtel in Africa Airtel is driven by the vision of providing affordable and innovative mobile services to all. Airtel has 17 operations in Africa: Burkina Faso, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Airtel International is a Bharti Airtel company. For more information, please visit www.airtel.com , or like the Airtel Ghana Facebook page via www.facebook.com/airtelgh or follow us on Twitter via the handle @airtelghana. Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United Nations has launched a probe of a hotel attack in South Sudan in which soldiers raped women and assaulted aid workers while UN peacekeepers allegedly failed to act. Civil war broke out in South Sudan in December 2013 when President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar of plotting a coup. The fighting has split the country along ethnic lines and driven it to the brink of collapse. A peace deal signed between the government and rebels almost a year ago has so far failed to end the conflict. And last month Juba was rocked by several days of heavy fighting between Kiir's forces and those loyal to Machar. The abuses now being probed by the UN -- specifically, a July 11 attack on the Hotel Terrain in the capital Juba -- took place during these days of fighting. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said late Tuesday he was "concerned about allegations that UNMISS did not respond appropriately to prevent this and other grave cases of sexual violence committed in Juba." He was referring to the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan, called UNMISS. Ban said that in the July 11 incident one person was killed and several civilians were raped and beaten by men in uniform. The UN leader said he had launched "an independent special investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding these incidents and to evaluate the Mission's overall response." Ban expressed outrage over violence committed by government and opposition forces in Juba July 8-11. He said that during this period many South Sudanese civilians and two UN peacekeepers were killed. He also called on the government to probe these acts of violence and prosecute those involved. The US ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, reported assaults and rapes of civilians, including humanitarian aid workers and journalists, by South Sudanese soldiers at the hotel. "South Sudan's leaders must investigate this incident and hold accountable the individuals responsible for these cowardly and brutal assaults," Power said in a statement. At the request of the US, she said, the government sent a response force to the hotel compound. But, she added: "United Nations peacekeepers were apparently either incapable of or unwilling to respond to calls for help." UN troops in South Sudan have come under heavy criticism after last month's fighting, for failing to protect civilians including women and girls raped near a UN base in Juba. The UN says it has documented at least 200 cases of rape in July alone by men in uniform, mainly troops loyal to president Kiir. Human Rights Watch said Monday that dozens of soldiers rampaged through the hotel compound, which houses employees of international organizations and is located close to a UN base. Several foreign workers were raped and a prominent journalist, John Gatluak, was killed, it said. Last Friday the UN Security Council approved a US-drafted resolution to strengthen the 12,000-person peacekeeping mission with 4,000 additional troops drawn from regional armies and equipped with a more aggressive mandate. Scatec Solar (www.ScatecSolar.com) has signed an agreement with CDIL, a Canadian renewable energy development company focused on Africa, and BPS, a Nigerian strategic consulting firm, securing the 100 MW (DC) Nova Scotia Power plant located in Jigawa State, Nigeria. This agreement was announced in connection with Scatec Solars second quarter results. The Nova Scotia project company, signed a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc (NBET) on July 21st, 2016. "Solar power in Nigeria has significant long-term potential, and we want to take part in the development of this new market. This investment is the culmination of an extensive review during which the Nova Scotia Power project stood out thanks to its exceptional fundamentals. With the quality of its site, development standards and equity funded by Scatec Solar and its partners, the project is ideally positioned to progress rapidly to financial close said Raymond Carlsen, CEO of Scatec Solar. "We recognized the importance of partnering with a sponsor able to bring the project to financial close and with whom we share a long-term vision. We are proud of teaming up with Scatec Solar, who has demonstrated its unique ability to deliver similar projects in Africa, said Arif Mohiuddin, President and CEO of CPCS, the parent company of CDIL. A long-term player with an installation track-record of close to 600 MW, Scatec Solar will develop, build, own and operate the solar power plant in Jigawa. The project is expected to reach financial close in 2017 and commercial operations 12 months thereafter. Currently, Scatec Solar produces electricity from 404 MW of solar power plants worldwide and is a leading independent solar power producer in Africa with nearly half of this capacity located in the region. U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, Robert P. Jackson and Western Regional Minister John Evans Aidoo inaugurated a USAID-funded kindergarten in the Diabene community in Ghanas Western Region today. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided $100,000 for the construction and furnishing of this kindergarten, which was completed in June 2016. The kindergarten block houses two classrooms, a staff room, a dining hall, restrooms, and a playground. In the past ten years, the U.S. government has supported the construction of more than 350 schools. In 2014, USAID and the Ministry of Education together launched the Partnership for Education, which aims to improve the reading skills of at least 2.8 million primary school pupils by 2019. Through this partnership, USAID supports teacher training, rigorous student assessment, improved school management systems, and the provision of quality textbooks and learning materials. I would like to take this moment to commend the Ministry of Education for being such a steadfast partner in the quest to usher in transformative change, said Ambassador Jackson at the inauguration event. Improving the quality of basic education is key to ensuring long-term health and economic growth in Ghana. The goal of USAID/Ghanas education program is to ensure that children are given the foundational skills to read with understanding in the early grades of primary school. USAIDs activities in Ghana improve the quality of reading instruction, strengthen the management of educational institutions, improve accountability and transparency between parents, schools and local government, and help communities contribute to student and teacher performance. The largest Yellow Fever epidemic in decades is hitting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Angola, and could soon spread to the Americas, Asia and Europe, Save the Children warns. The organizations rapid response Emergency Health Unit (EHU) has deployed to support the DRCs Ministry of Health with a mass vaccination campaign in the capital city of Kinshasa. The campaign, which begins Wednesday, is part of a last line of defense to stop the deadly virus spreading through the overcrowded city of more than 10 million. The virus is a hemorrhagic fever and has claimed nearly 500 lives to date, with thousands of suspected cases. Alarmingly, the World Health Organization warns those figures could actually be 10 to 50 times higher. Yellow Fever is spread by mosquitoes, making rapid transmission in a hot, humid city like Kinshasa very likely, particularly when the rainy season starts next month and mosquito numbers spike. The outbreak is the largest to hit the region for 30 years and has all but emptied global emergency stocks of vaccines. There are only 7 million emergency vaccines available for this campaign too few to fully cover Kinshasa, let alone all of the DRC. There is no known cure for Yellow Fever and it could go global, said Heather Kerr, Save the Childrens Country Director for the DRC. The mass vaccination campaign in Kinshasa needs to take place now so that we can try and stop Yellow Fever from spreading by land and air to more cities in Africa, and across the world. Approximately 20 percent of people who have caught Yellow Fever during this outbreak have died. The final stages of the virus can cause bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, organ failure and a condition known as jaundice, a yellowing of skin and eyes which originally gave the disease its name. Save the Childrens 11-member rapid deployment EHU is staffed by experts from countries including Italy, China, Korea and the United States. They will support a vaccination campaign run by the DRCs Ministry of Health, targeting nearly half a million people in Kinshasa for approximately 10 days. Experts will also provide technical support to Ministry of Health staff by helping to secure the countrys cold chain: shuttling scarce supplies of vaccines to the vaccination sites while keeping them cold using a network of freezers and cool boxes. In addition, the EHU experts will treat the medical waste resulting from the campaign. The same team successfully supported the Ministry of Health in vaccinating more than 221,000 people in the town of Boma in western DRC in May. Following advice from the World Health Organization, Save the Children will provide support for the vaccination campaign that uses just one-fifth of a regular dose to reach as many children and families as possible with the limited supplies that remain. A full dose of vaccine provides lifetime immunity; the smaller, so-called fractionalized dose provides stop-gap immunity for about a year. We have to urgently reach as many children and families as we can with the supplies that are left, and this is the only way we are able to do that right now. We can only hope this will be enough to stop the epidemic from spreading any further, Kerr added. 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 Today, the Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen OBrien, released US$50 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for severely underfunded aid operations in six neglected emergencies. The funds will provide life-saving assistance for two million people in dire humanitarian need, including 200,000 refugees, 665,000 internally displaced persons, 170,000 returnees and 530,000 people in host communities. This funding is a lifeline for the world's most vulnerable people caught up in forgotten crises, said USG OBrien. In recent years, the global refugee crisis has put enormous pressure on CERF to help millions of people fleeing conflicts that linger for lack of a political solution. This allocation is made possible by the generous contributions of donors who are committed to leave no one behind, and to helping us reach the furthest behind first. Some US$35 million will allow humanitarian partners to respond to protracted humanitarian emergencies in central Africa, caused by armed conflicts, political instability and human rights violations, and compounded by food insecurity and disease outbreaks. The funds will support the delivery of critical health services, access to food, emergency shelter, protection of women and girls, water and sanitation, and essential logistics support. The allocation will benefit aid operations in the Central African Republic ($9 million), Chad ($10 million) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo ($11 million), as well as Rwanda ($5 million), which is hosting refugees from Burundi and DR Congo. A further $13 million will boost relief operations in Yemen where an estimated 21.2 million people, over 82 per cent of the population, require humanitarian assistance. An allocation of $2 million will support humanitarian partners in Eritrea in responding to current needs due to arid conditions and poor rains. Additionally, gaps in health care, water, sanitation and hygiene services will be addressed. This second round brings the total allocation from the CERFs underfunded emergencies window in 2016 to US$150 million. CERF has so far received $311 million in contributions for 2016 and disbursed nearly as much to 35 countries for life-saving activities around the world. As the UN and humanitarian partners work tirelessly to assist the most vulnerable, and with the humanitarian funding gap growing year after year, it is vital that resources are available for future life-saving response. All humanitarian emergencies are underfunded this year, warned the Emergency Relief Coordinator. I wish I could allocate more CERF funds to these and other protracted crises, given the enormous needs. However, contributions to the Fund are limited and demand from humanitarian partners around the world is high. This year we are projecting a $50 million shortfall on the annual $450 million funding target. I am very concerned that this could force CERF to significantly reduce allocations for underfunded emergencies in the future. Today, I appeal to all Member States, regional organizations and private citizens to scale up their support to CERF and enable us to save more lives. 16.08.2016 LISTEN By Prosper K. Kuorsoh, GNA Nadowli (UWR), Aug. 16, GNA - Mrs Adwoa Dako, Public Relations Officer of the Water Resources Commission (WRC), has appealed to local communities to own and protect water resources available to them for their own benefit. She said water has no substitute and should, therefore, be owned, protected and treated as a precious mineral by those living around and depending on the resource. Mrs Darko made the appeal during a one-day district awareness creation on integrated water resources management in the Black Volta (BV) Basin held at Nadowli in the Nadowli-Kaleo District of the Upper West Region. 'I encourage you to give the same protection and treatment you will give to gold to the water resources close to you', she appealed. On the WRC, Mrs Dako said it was established by parliament in 1996 to manage and regulate the water resources in Ghana, adding that since then, the Commission had been setting up Basin offices to help manage the affairs of the Basins. This, she said, led to the setting up of the BV Basin Office in Wa and urged the community members to work closely with the office to ensure the effective management of the water resources. Mr Joachim Ayiiwe Abungba, the Acting BV Basin Officer, said the percentage of the Black Volta in Ghana was 14 per cent and that the whole of the Upper West Region was within the basin and sharing boundary with Cote d'Voire and Burkina Faso. He said currently, about 4.5 million people were depending on the BV and that it is further estimated that by 2025 about 8 million people would be depending on it. Mr Abungba said about 70 per cent of the stakeholders identified used the water resources at the Basin, hence the need to educate them to understand their roles in the management of the water resources. He said deforestation and uncontrolled drilling, growing of water weeds, sand wining, illegal mining and bad farming practices among others were some of the challenges of water resources management. The Acting BV Basin Officer said the way forward was to increase awareness on water resources, develop programmes towards addressing the existing water problems in the Basin and enforcement of the existing legal framework. Mr John Bosco Bomansaan, the Nadowli-Kaleo District Chief Executive (DCE), said water is a serious resource in life, hence the need to implement measures that would ensure the sustainable management of it. The participants at the event were taken through various topics such as 'overview of WRC mandate and activities', 'water resources management issues in the BV Basin', 'WRC Water Use Regulation', 'WRC Riparian Buffer Zone Policy' and 'Water Resources Management in Nadowli-Kaleo District'. GNA A Security Analyst says a 32-day amnesty granted by government to persons in possession of unlicensed weapons to voluntarily turn in the weapons would not yield the desired result. Dr Kwesi Aning, who is with the Kofi Annan Peace Keeping Training Center, said just like two similar initiatives undertaken by government in the past, the current intervention will also fail. It is not going to make any difference. What is the basis for the amnesty? The people who smuggled guns into this country and have been arrested over the last fifteen years what has happened to them? he quizzed. Dr Aning was speaking on Newsnite on Joy FM, Tuesday. He said any government intervention to tackle the spread of small arms in the country that does not recognise peoples genuine reasons to own guns would not work. In a bid to control arm possession by individuals as the country heads to the 2016 general election, the Interior Ministry on Tuesday August 16, 2016 declared a 32- day amnesty to help retrieve all unlicensed guns in the country. The intervention which spans from August 22 to September 23 is aimed at affording Ghanaians and foreign nationals in possession of unregistered arms to either get them registered or voluntarily turn them in to the police. Beyond the 32-day reprieve, according to the Interior Ministry, anyone found to be in possession of an illicit weapon would face the full rigours of the law. However, speaking on Newsnite, Dr Aning said the motivation for people to own a gun has no bearing on the upcoming elections, faulting the timing of the policy. He wants government to find out the true reasons why people demand guns and formulate a long lasting, holistic policy to tackle arms proliferation. Guns manufacture and exchange in Ghana have nothing to do with elections, he stressed, adding people have been owning guns long before the upcoming general elections and will continue to do so after any general election. He also faults the language used by the Interior Ministry to get people to surrender their arms, describing it as intimidating and threatening. The ECOWAS convention on small arms and ammunition actually enjoin member states who have rectified the convention to engage with people, even manufacturers of small arms. The [government] initiative is good but the language must be consensual. It must seek to say we dont believe having small arms to protect yourself is very useful and we believe the Ghana Police Service will be able to protect you, Dr Aning said. Current figures indicate there are about 2.3 million unregistered guns in this country. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | George Nyavor | [email protected] Conakry (AFP) - A young man was shot dead by police on Tuesday during a demonstration in Guinea that saw at least half a million people protest against alleged government corruption, sources said. Several others were injured in the Conakry rally to denounce what they said was economic mismanagement by the government of President Alpha Conde, according to the same sources. Opposition leader Cellou Dalein Diallo said 700,000 people had joined a 15-kilometre (nine-mile) procession from the suburbs to the 28 Septembre stadium in the west African nation's capital. Security forces said the number was closer to 500,000. The fatality, named as Thierno Hamidou Diallo, 21, was shot in the chest by a police officer "as he was sitting on the balcony of his apartment" in the suburb of Bambeto, his brother Mamadou Dian Diallo said. An AFP reporter saw the body at the local Mere et Enfant (Mother and Child) hospital before it was transferred to a morgue. A doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a number of injured had been treated at the Dixinn polyclinic, one of whom was in a coma. State TV said one person had died and a number of people had been injured in clashes between young demonstrators and police, but gave no further details. Supporters of several opposition parties had gathered for the event, shouting "Alpha resign, Alpha that's enough, students unemployed, we want jobs", brandishing placards reading "death to dictatorship". Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea leader Diallo hailed the huge turnout and said it proved the "rejection of dictatorship and poor governance of Mr Alpha Conde". Diallo blamed Conde's government specifically for mishandling the massive Simandou iron ore project in the south of the country managed by British-Australian firm Rio Tinto, which he said meant Guineans could miss out on "decent jobs". The government said in July the challenges of getting the project off the ground during a global iron ore glut were considerable but it would "do everything" to ensure it went on-stream. Guinea's constitutional court in November 2015 formally confirmed Conde's re-election, dismissing opposition claims of vote-rigging and fraud. It was only the second democratic presidential poll since Guinea gained independence from France in 1958. In addition to focusing on the economy, rights campaigners have urged Conde to use his second term to intensify the fight against impunity, strengthen the judiciary and promote equal respect for the rights of all Guineans. Despite the country being rich in minerals, most of the population in Guinea live in poverty and survive on less than one euro ($1.08) per day, according to the UN. 17.08.2016 LISTEN Perhaps more than in past times, a generation of feminism-charged, licentious, and whorish black women are making the black communities of North America look just plain bad and exceptionally dysfunctional. Despite this, some would have us believe that they are doing a great job of raising black children. It is clear from the reality of modern day whoredom among the black race that black femalesat least in North America where I livehave fast become an impediment to righteousness, as well as a serious liability to the entire black race. This commentary seeks to briefly explore recent events dealing with black males in the North American media, and will show that when it comes to black females of the licentious kind, black male lives largely DO NOT matter except for material gain and cheap publicity in the name of social activism. Black Men and Black Females: The State of the Race according to the media What is the state of the black race in North America? We need to know in order to establish what is going on with black women in particular. If you are not a member of the black or African descendant communities of North Americathat is continental African, Afro-Caribbean, African-Canadian or African-Americanyou might get the impression that all is well with black women in this neck of the woods. Yesterday, I had to endure the disgraceful sight of Serena Williams publicly twerking on CNN! Is all really well with black women in North America? I dont think so, for whoredom seems to be their delight. The statistics show that many black women are marching on to the call of Western-style higher education and the upwardly mobile fantasies associated with this form of education. But is all really well with black women in North America? Dont think so. It is my belief that numerous black women have become blatant whores, agents of perversion and can be termed a liability to the black family and race. How else could the singlehood and divorce statistics associated with black women in North America have risen to be so high? For example, black women in America showed a rate of 70% single and 42% unmarried since about 2009. In past years before 2016, these stats were widely reported via ABC News, The Washington Post, CNN, and even on Oprah. So what about black men? As usual, black men are in a state of being detested and persecuted in Western nations like the USA. According to my perception, Canada is no better and perhaps worse for the black male. Canada is a nation where institutional racism proves to be the bane of black males who despite moving in the direction of being highly employable through a reasonable education, still get trounced when it comes to job selections. More recently among black males, police violence or heavy-handednesstake your pick of termshas been spotlighted since cases involving Alton Sterling and Philando Castile became well known. Both of these African-American men were recently killed via gunshot during interactions with police officers in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and St. Paul, Minnesota respectively. Their stories reflect aspects of the systemic racism towards and seemingly powerless plight of the black male in a North American setting like the USA. In fact, these killings have provoked strong resentment among many African peoples against white people, their slave systems of the past, and their current heathen democratic order. The shootings of Sterling and Castile have sparked an increased tone of the baritone kind among the black female founded movement called Black Lives Matter (BLM). BLM was originally the result of social media activism on the part of Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi, three African-American females. It is apparent that black women such as these, believe that it is their duty to PROTECT black men and boys from harm through activism??? I wonder how though, when so many black females are a disease in the black community due to blatant whoredom. Of course, I am not saying that any of the three instigators of the BLM movement necessarily fit this category. Nonetheless, it would seem that their obvious choice would be to help black mothers and women in general become chaste and productive instead of supposedly PROTECTING black males from harm. These women could also choose social causes that fight against the incompetent child-rearing tendencies of black women in general. Instagram Angels or Whores: the Black Female and Social Media in North America Why are so many black women on Instagram and other social media platforms today? You would believe that many of them are doing something constructive online, right? Interestingly, this is not the case. There are numerous black women parading themselves on Instagram and other sites in the name of sexual perversion all the while lying that black lives matter to them. Whoever thought that a black woman would come online to sell her body and twerk in the name of freedom of expression? Many of these women are single mothers with very little reason to be doing what they do in public, considering that they have young children. I recently witnessed one of these whores scantily clad with her son holding her backside in Instagram. Clearly, the imagery of incest was intended. No pun on my part is intended here. Its reality: black women in North America are fast losing their minds to whoredom and stupidity. These black females on Instagram and other online outlets are the same women who we often hear of in North America, calling the police about black males in their communities whenever their hatred for men erupts. In other words, such women have become accustomed to letting the legal system permit them to behave not only as whores, but destructive baby mommas who definitely CANNOT raise children without compromised interests. Can these women raise children properly? I dont think so. Korryn Gaines: an epitome of the emotionally charged and loose black female of today Another black person was stripped of her life via police involvement just the other day. However, in the case of 23-year-old Korryn Gaines and what could have been her 5-year-old son, it is clear that this woman had very little respect for motherhood or law enforcement personnel. As the story goes, this Randallstown-baseda town in Maryland, USAwoman is reported to have refused to open the door for police and even shot at them when they finally obtained a key to her apartment in order to serve her with a warrant for traffic violations. I mean, really? How does a woman raising children simply behave so irresponsibly towards law enforcement personnel? Shooting at police with a child in your hand? Black women need to be called to order in this generation! Their whoredom and disregard for authority in the family and outside is simply a manifestation of their hypocrisy and feminist leanings upon a very stupid belief system. Surprising as it may sound, many of these black females happen to be church attendees and will even profess faith in Jesus Christ, the real deal when it comes to law, righteousness and order. Conclusion What do we do about the whoredom of the black woman in this generation? This is a phenomenon that must be dealt with according to truth: too many whores in a nation does not speak well of its father figures or males. Even in Africa, where the role of fathers seems to be more revered than in modern day North American society, the black woman of North America has made a considerable inroad of negative whorish influence. Ghanaian women for example, now use terms like BABY MOMMA as though it were a badge of some kind of favourable honour to them. Gross! Black men, it is time to call your sisters, mothers and daughters to order in the name of God. As well, it is time for church leaders to turn these whores out of the church, businesses and leadership units until they get right! Sin is a reproach to any nation. The author is a communications professional with no interest in social media at this point in time. Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu, has said the lawyers for the Montie FM trio, as well as lawyers for the owners of the station who were jailed and fined respectively by the Supreme Court for contempt, failed to defend them adequately. The former AG, who has in an opinion piece exclusively copied to Citifmonline.com described the jailing of the three as unconstitutional , says since the contempt was committed outside the jurisdiction of the court, the justices could not have heard the matter the way it was done without giving the accused persons opportunity for redress. He thus believes the counsel for the accused persons could have put up stronger defences to protect their clients, instead of now turning around to say the sentencing was harsh. I came to the conclusion that, the lawyers for the accused persons did not help the Court and the accused persons when they failed or refused to raise all the constitutional and legal defences against the charges and arraignment processes. They led their all trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticize the Court for interfering with the contemnors' right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court. I also take the further view that if the lawyers for the accused persons had insisted on the constitutional rights of the accused person to a fair trial throughout the proceedings the situation where the ambiguous 1st contemnor called Owners of the Station Montie FM was transformed into Network Broadcasting Company Limited, and Zee Zee Media Limited and each director and officer of the corporate persons hauled individually, arraigned and personally convicted in addition to the conviction of each company would have been avoided. It does not appear from the sentencing ruling of the Supreme Court that the lawyers for the accused contemnors raised any preliminary objection, at the arraignment of the accused to plead to the criminal contempt charges, to the lack of constitutional jurisdiction in the Court to try the accused persons inquisitorially. Jailing of Montie 3 unconstitutional Martin Amidu According to the outspoken lawyer, although the Supreme Court has the power to commit for contempt, it erred in this instance because the act in question occurred outside court. The sentencing of the three, he said, runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. Background Salifu Maase, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, commonly referred to as the Montie trio, are currently serving a four month prison sentence handed them by the Supreme Court in July, after they were found guilty of contempt charges brought against them. The three NDC sympathizers had on a radio programme threatened to eliminate justices of the Supreme Court over their handling of the lawsuit questioning the credibility of Ghanas voters register. The former AG argued that, the method through which the country's apex court summoned and sentenced the three individuals, contravenes several Articles of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2), 21(1), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution, the former Attorney General stated. According to him, the title of the case was equally problematic because the Supreme Court did not have regard for Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution which mandates only the Attorney General or his assigns to prosecute such cases. Presidential pardon only option for Montie 3 Martin Amidu The Former Attorney General, has also backed calls for the President to exercise his prerogative power of mercy , in the case of the Montie FM trio, jailed four-months by the Supreme Court for contempt. The former AG says per the circumstances of the sentencing, the only way out for the three is a presidential pardon since they were denied any form of redress by the court. Find below, the full article MONTIE FM CRIMINAL CONTEMPT MARTIN AMIDU'S TAKE INTRODUCTION I read pieces of what has now become popularly known as the Montie 3 contempt of court contempt proceedings, convictions, and sentencing ruling and decision or orders on the web particularly the Ghana Web. True to my self- imposed embargo upon the demise of my dear mother on 6th March 2016 to mourn her and stay out of the eyes of the media for some time, I defied the temptations put on my path by media houses and fellow citizens insisting on hearing my comment or urging me to proffer my written views on those proceedings. I excused myself with not having read the sentencing ruling and decision of the Supreme Court. A contemporary of mine at Law School and in Government baited me by e-mailing to me scanned certified true copies of both the sentencing ruling and decision with the request that I acquaint him with my opinion of the case after I had read it. This paper is the result of that understanding. I have consequently read a certified true copy of the sentencing ruling, and the decision in the Owners of the Station Montie FM criminal contempt of court case and come to the considered conclusion that it raises several issues of constitutional, professional, and public importance. It is beyond argument that the Supreme Court is clothed with the power to commit for contempt of itself under the 1992 Constitution. But the same Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court to exercise all its powers in accordance with the due process of law and to respect the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under it. I take the humble view that even though the courts' powers for committing for contempt of themselves have often been described as almost arbitrary, that may only approximate the truth when one is dealing with contempt committed in facie curiae in the face of the court or in court, so to speak to be dealt with on the spot. However, when the contempt is a criminal contempt committed ex facie curiae (out of Court) the Court has no power or authority under the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by 1992 Constitution to proceed as the complainant, prosecutor, judge and jury in its own cause. The trial must be adversarial and comply with due the process of law of a fair trial. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution. I came to the conclusion that the lawyers for the accused persons did not help the Court and the accused persons when they failed or refused to raise all the constitutional and legal defences against the charges and arraignment processes. They led their all trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticize the Court for interfering with the contemnors' right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court. I also take the further view that if the lawyers for the accused persons had insisted on the constitutional rights of the accused person to a fair trial throughout the proceedings the situation where the ambiguous 1st contemnor called Owners of the Station Montie FM was transformed into Network Broadcasting Company Limited, and Zee Zee Media Limited and each director and officer of the corporate persons hauled individually, arraigned and personally convicted in addition to the conviction of each company would have been avoided. THE LAWYER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ACCUSED AND TO THE COURT It does not appear from the sentencing ruling of the Supreme Court that the lawyers for the accused contemnors raised any preliminary objection, at the arraignment of the accused to plead to the criminal contempt charges, to the lack of constitutional jurisdiction in the Court to try the accused persons inquisitorially. The lawyer's responsibility to the court and to his client is to put up all the best objections and defences for his client. The Court could have been persuaded that the non-adversarial manner by which it had brought the contemnors to the Court was inconsistent with the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) thereof. The outline of the argument could have been that the process by which the contemnors were brought to the Court deprived them of their right to a fair trial under Article 19 of the Constitution as the process adopted by the Court presumed them guilty contrary to clause 2(c) thereof which enjoins that he be presumed to be innocent until he is proved or has pleaded guilty. It could also have been contended that the summary manner the Court was proceeding was depriving the contemnors of their constitutional right to be informed in detail of the nature of the offence charged and consequently being deprived of adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence contrary to sub-clauses (d), (e), and (g) of Article 19(2) thereof. It could further have been submitted to the Court that the manner it was proceeding summarily in the criminal contempt by calling upon the contemnors to show cause why they should not be committed for criminal contempt of court offends Article 19(10) which enjoins that: No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial. The Court could have been reminded that Article 19(12) of the 1992 Constitution makes only one exception for the Court when trying criminal contempt of court by excluding only the application of Article 19(11) which requires that: no person shall be convicted for a criminal offence unless the offence is defined and the penalty for it prescribed in a written law. It would have been obvious to the Court that if the framers of the Constitution had intended the courts to try offences of criminal contempt inquisitorially contrary to the other guaranteed fair trial clauses of Article 19 of the Constitution they would have specifically said so in Article 19(12). The foregoing submission could have been inextricably interwoven with submissions on the guaranteed freedom of speech and expression which includes the freedom of the press and other media under Article 21(1)(a) of the Constitution. It could have also been contended that the inquisitorial approach of the discredited Star Chambers of old in punishing non-adversarially for criminal contempt have not only be discarded in all civilized democratic countries but that Articles 12 and 33(5) of the Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court of Ghana to protect, defend and guarantee the rights, duties, declarations, and guarantees not specifically mentioned which are considered to be inherent in a democracy and intended to secure the freedom and dignity of man. It could have been submitted with the aid of decided cases (including the Supreme Court's Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others: Ex Parte Attorney-General [1995-96] 1 GLR 377) that even the Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence which we inherited has long considered prosecutions for criminal contempt as being inconsistent with rights inherent in a democracy let alone an inquisitorial approach long discarded by our colonial masters who introduced us to it. In accordance with the doctrine of judicial precedent the case of the Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu alone would have provided material on which to anchor strong constitutional and legal arguments why the procedure by which the contemnors were brought to the Court was unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Court's jurisdiction under the Constitution. The case of the Republic v Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 could also have been persuasive. These are examples of ex facie contempt tried adversarially and not inquisitorially. The Liberty Press Ltd case upon which the Supreme Court apparently relied in formulating parts of its sentencing ruling and the binding Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu case, which the Court overlooked, show that the trial of any charge of criminal contempt of court partakes of the same characteristics as the trial of any other criminal offences with the prosecution having the burden of proving the guilt of the accused persons beyond a reasonable doubt including all the presumptions of innocence etc. These cases would have been helpful in formulating the submission to the Court as a preliminary objection to the inquisitorial summons by which the contemnors or the accused persons were brought before the Court. In the very scheme of our Constitution, the Court would have been compelled to decide the preliminary objection to the inquisitorial procedure adopted to try the contemnors for the offences charged. The beauty of our judicial process is that the Court even if it overruled all the preliminary objections would have been compelled to assign considered reasons for rejecting them. The ruling or judgment will be a public testament of the Court's decision in such important Constitutional and democratic matters to which the justices will eternally be judged. No court or judge wants to be associated with indefensible rulings touching the fundamental rights and freedoms in democracies such as ours. Both the legal arguments or submissions, and the court's ruling act as a restraining factor on the contempt of court powers which have already been recognized as being arbitrary. The lawyers in Liberty Press Ltd , and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu knew this and took their chances and even though the accused in the Liberty Press Ltd case later changed their pleas to guilty and those in the Mensa-Bonsu case eventually lost the trial the public and the legal profession will continue to judge the conduct of the justices in those cases. The preliminary objection to the procedure and the charge of criminal contempt has nothing to do with the guilt or innocence of the contemnors. The accused person had a constitutional right to challenge the Republic in whose name the crime of criminal contempt was being prosecuted by the trial court on its own motion to prove his guilt adversarially and beyond a reasonable doubt. The lawyers unfortunately failed or refused to discharge their responsibilities to the accused persons and to the Court. THE RULING AND SENTENCING DECISIONS OF THE COURT The contempt for which the accused persons were hauled to the Court was committed ex facie curiae out of court. I was consequently interested in the title of the criminal contempt case. Contempt of scandalizing the court with which the accused persons were charged is a criminal offence and like all criminal offences must under Article 88 of the Constitution be prosecuted in the name of the Republic and by the Attorney-General or any other person authorized by him in accordance with law. But because the Court had assumed the arbitrary power of being the complainant, prosecutor, and judge in its own cause the title of the case was Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako vrs. 1. Electoral Commission 2. The Attorney General, In Re: 1. The Owners of the Station Montie FM, 2. Salifu Maase @ Mugabe (3) Alistair Nelson (4) Godwin Ako Gunn as though the criminal contempt was committed in facie curiae. In the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 and Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others both of which were ex facie curiae contempt, the prosecution for contempt was initiated and conducted by the Attorney General in the High Court and the Supreme Court respectively and gave the accused persons the right to a fair trial. The reason why the appropriate procedure promotes fairness and justice was aptly indicated in the ruling of Akufo-Addo CJ (as he then was) sitting as an additional High Court judge as follows: In so far as my decision embodies any general conclusions affecting the jurisdiction of the courts in contempt matters, it is referable only to contempt ex facie curiae (out of court) as distinct from contempt in facie curiae which is always dealt with on the spot, so to speak, without any intervention of the Attorney-General applying for a writ of attachment. The Supreme Court in Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu underscored the difference between contempt in the face of the court and the prosecution of ex facie criminal contempt of court cases and arrived at the same conclusion. Regrettably such an important issue was not raised by the accused persons as a preliminary point to jurisdiction at their arraignment. And as the ruling shows the Court was exasperated by the Attorney-General's lack of responsiveness to the execution of her constitutional duties that it decided unwittingly to treat the matter as though the contempt was committed in court and was being dealt with 'on the spot so to speak'. In the rulings in Liberty Press Ltd , and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu the rulings adequately state not only the charges but also in detail the particularly of the charges faced by the accused persons. The sentencing ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case does not state the particulars (let alone in detail) of the nature of the offences charged, to have enabled the accused persons to have known the details of their crime to enable them plead knowingly to the charges. It only states that they were brought before the court for contempt of court on three grounds namely: (a) Scandalizing the court (b) Defying and lowering the authority of this court and (3) Bringing the authority of this court into disrepute. What is stated as three separate offences are not mutually exclusive offences one of the other and without detailed particulars accompanying each offence the charges were on their face bad for duplicity and also inconsistent with Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution on fair trial. Reading the sentencing ruling of the Court one gets the impression that the summons for the accused persons and the directors and officers of the two corporations to appear before the Court to answer the allegations of criminal contempt did not contain particulars of the contumacious words, the date and the venue at which they were spoken or broadcast so as to enable the accused persons to be informed in detail of the nature of the offences charged in accordance with Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution. The lack of particulars of the crime to the accused persons is brought out in the ruling when the Court stated that it was shocked and saddened to hear each of the directors as well as their Company Secretary say that, until a recording of the offending programme was played in Court they had not listened to nor heard the reprehensible utterances, despite the fact that, for a couple of weeks both the print media and radio stations had been full of discussions of the diatribe that was aired by their station, Montie FM. Far from being an indictment on the accused persons it demonstrates that they were arbitrarily hauled before the Court without any semblance of the due process of law in criminal justice administration as mandated by the Constitution. Their criminal charges were clearly bad for lack of particulars at arraignment. It follows from the foregoing that the constitutional rights of the accused person under Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution enjoining the Court that the accused be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence was also violated. Owners of the Station Montie FM not legal persons for personal service of charges The first contemnor in the Montie case is called: Owners of the Station Montie FM and not even simply Montie FM. It is trite learning that because criminal contempt can be proceeded against only natural or legal persons as defined in our laws the names of each of the accused persons must be specifically and unambiguously stated in each count and detailed particulars of the charge provided to the accused. It is also trite law that in criminal contempt proceedings each accused person must be served personally with the summons, motion or process to appear before the court. The name Owners of the Station Montie FM is not the name or names of any person who could have been served personally with the summons or processes for criminal contempt ordered by the court which was making its own complaint, prosecuting same, judging same and being jury for same. How parties are summoned to a court is as important, and part and parcel of the delivery of justice under our constitutional protection of human rights and freedoms binding upon the Court. The Court recognized in its ruling that there were no natural or legal persons called Owners of the Station Montie FM upon whom service of the notices or summons for contempt could have been personally served. This was why the ruling of the Court states that the court summoned the directors and secretary of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd because, as owners of Motie FM, the company provided the physical facilities for the contemptuous statement to be aired to the public and it is the directors and officers who answer for it when it is held in contempt. The Court then states the fact that for an unincorporated body the members of the body answer for it. The Court supports its conclusions as follows: Hence in the case of the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd (supra), it was the Managing Director of the Liberty Press Ltd, the printer and 28 professors and lecturer who were members of 'Legon Society on National Affairs', publishers of Legon Observer, who answered for the publication in that magazine that scandalized the judiciary. That is what happened in Liberty Press Ltd with the difference that each of the 28 professors who were members of the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs were specifically named and served personally with the criminal contempt process the pursuant notices to each appear to answer the charges against them. The Managing Director of Liberty Press Ltd represented the legal person Liberty Press Ltd and not each of the directors and officers of Liberty Press Ltd under the name Owners of the Printing Press Liberty Press Limited. A careful reading of the ruling of the Supreme Court in Owners of the Station Montie FM leaves one in no doubt that the Network Broadcasting Co. Lt. or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd referred to in the ruling were never served personally with any processes for criminal contempt of court to commence any contempt proceedings against them. One walks away with the unavoidable impression that when the Supreme Court decided to summon the suspects called Owners of the Station Montie FM before it, the Court did not even know the legal status of Montie FM or the specific identity of its owners and therefore resorted to the arbitrary power of fishing at large for whosever would be caught by the phraseology the Owners of the Station Montie FM. It then discovers that two limited liability companies Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd own the physical infrastructure and frequency respectively. The Court then proceeds to summon the Secretaries and directors of the two companies without apparently first formally summoning and serving the two companies in name as accused contemnors. Such fishing by the Court for evidence of identity of the accused persons is clearly unconstitutional. The ruling cites Liberty Press Ltd as an example and to justify the manner it summoned the Secretaries and Directors of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd to appear before it. Unfortunately the analogy flies in the face of reason. In Liberty Press Ltd on which the Court relied for its propositions of law the Managing Director is the only person stated in the report of that ruling to have represented the company. It is axiomatic that once there was a Managing Director the company also had a Board of Directors and other officers but they were not summoned as it was superfluous for them to appear before the court individually and personally to answer the company's charges of criminal contempt. Harry Zakour is recorded on the sentencing decision of the Court made on 27th July 2016 as present for 1st Contemnors The Owners of the Station Montie FM . The Supreme Court both in the sentencing ruling and decision recognize that: It is trite law that where a corporation is held in contempt of court, it is the directors and officers who answer for it, since they constitute the human face of the legal entity and consequently made the following orders in respect of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd: 3. Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd are each hereby ordered to pay a fine of GH30, 000.00 by close of 28th July 2016. The officers of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd shall be respectively held personally liable to imprisonment for any failure to comply with any of these orders. The second sentence in the decision or order No. 3 is superfluous because it merely states what the law in respect of the liability of all corporations for contempt is. But the person convicted is the company as the decision of the Court shows. It is also trite law that incorporated companies in contempt of court are fined and not imprisoned because the artificial legal person represented by the company is a notional concept and not physically available for imprisonment. But it is also trite law that whosoever pleads to a charge of contempt of court on behalf of such a legal person does so with proper authority to represent the company. A corollary of the trite law referred to by the Court is that the legal person in contempt is the company and not its officers who are only vicariously liable for paying the fines or going to prison on behalf of the company. From the Supreme Court's own statement of the law in Liberty Press Co Ltd the directors and officers of a company are not personally the contemnors as was the case with the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs where each of the 28 professors and lecturers who were its members were individually charged and pleaded to the charge in person and were individually convicted. The position would have been the same even if Montie FM was said to be an unincorporated body. The corporations and not its officers individually would still be the owners. Consequently, any disclosure in the record of proceedings in Owners of the Station Montie FM showing that each of the directors and officers of the corporations were individually summoned by the Court and forced to each plead to the charges against the corporation in person and each convicted is clearly a violation of statement of the trite law by the Court and also of the 1992 Constitution. Ato Ahwoi the Endnote The foregoing analysis and statement of the triteness of the law by the Court itself on this matter is what makes it absurd that the sentencing decision of the Supreme Court has an end note stating that one of the Directors of the 1st Contemnor in the person of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, who was absent on the days the matter was heard, appeared and pleaded liable with explanation. Mr. Ato Ahwoi by the Court's own statement of the law is a director of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, a legal person in its own right. Without any evidence that the company was properly served with contempt proceedings, an authorized representative of the company had already appeared before the Court and pleaded on behalf of the company upon which the company had already been convicted. After the conclusion of the sentencing the Network Broadcasting Company Limited and the other contemnors for criminal contempt of court, the Court is informed that one of the directors who was absent from the jurisdiction is in court in obedience to an order or request by the court that all directors of the company should appear before the Court apparently so that they will know how the legal person they collectively represent is to be dealt with. Without further ado the Court takes the plea of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, a director of the already convicted and sentenced Network Broadcasting Company Limited without any record that the charges were read and explained to him. There is also no record in the end notes which represents the record of proceedings on this director, Mr. Ahwoi, to show that he was represented by a lawyer or that he had opted to represent himself in person. He pleads guilty with explanation. At worst this plea of guilty with explanation on the triteness of the law was being entered by Mr. Ato Ahwoi on behalf of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited which had already been convicted and sentenced before he was called upon in the end note to plead again to an offence which had already been dealt with. The Court without giving any reasons why the explanation of Mr. Ato Ahwoi constitutes an unequivocal plea of guilty convicts him in the following words: By Court: Mr. Ato Ahwoi is hereby convicted on all the charges on his own plea of liability. The purported conviction of Mr. Ato Ahwoi as a director for an offence which the limited liability company in which he is a director had already been convicted and sentenced to a fine of GH30,000. 00 is a fundamental error of law that has occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice to him. The triteness of this law is that once the trial, conviction and sentencing of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited had been completed the Network Broadcasting Company Limited could not under Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution be charged with the same offences again. It follows that Mr. Ato Ahwoi who was merely one of the directors of the company benefits from the immunity acquired by the company and could not also be tried personally for the same offence a second time. Regrettably, and unfortunately, because the Supreme Court choose to prosecute and judge a contempt ex facie curiae by itself, it unwittingly failed to allow Mr. Ato Ahwoi the basic right to a lawyer before taking his plea, follow the due process of law, and convicted him when it should have been trite that he was being put in double jeopardy for the same offence after the earlier conviction and sentencing of the company for which he is director. It is instructive that after purporting to convict Mr. Ato Ahwoi, the Court found itself unable to sentence him personally for the alleged criminal contempt of court. The purported arraignment and personal conviction of Mr. Ahwoi as a director of the company in addition to the earlier conviction of the company itself was inconsistent with and in contravention of Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution. Precedent of the Presidential Election Petition Contempt Convictions There are those who would be tempted to raise the issue of the purported convictions for criminal contempt in the Presidential Elections Petition of persons from the two largest political parties in Ghana as precedent for the Court's procedure in this case as well. My answer to them is that if those proceedings also suffered from the same violations of the 1992 Constitution as I have demonstrated in this paper then those convictions were inconsistent with provisions of the Constitution and also void. In this regard the wisdom contained in the dissenting opinion of the late eminent and very distinguished Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Justice Adade, in Bilson v Apaloo [1981] GLR 24 at 69-70, comes to mind. He said that: .But it is said that the Court of Appeal has been sitting five all the time, and no one has raised a finger. That does not mean that a finger can never be raised. It has been raised now, and we cannot force it down. If in my reckoning, an error was committed then, there is no reason why that error should be perpetuated simply because it has been done with impunity in the past. Public policy and commonsense pleaded by the defendant, cannot be suffered to oust the operation of what, in my view, are the clear prescription of constitutional provision. I say also that in so far as the Supreme Court did not avert its mind to the constitutional standards laid down in the criminal contempt case of Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu on the procedure and burden of proof for the criminal contempt of scandalizing the court, the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case was rendered in disregard of the Courts own previous and binding decision. In accordance with Article 129(3) of the Constitution the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM was given per incuriam and consequently void under the Constitution. The Common law Tradition I wrote a case review in the 1989-90 Review of Ghana, at pages 317-337 on Bail in Murder Cases in which I argued that the prohibition allegedly imposed by section 96(7)(a) of Act 30 on the granting of bail to accused persons in murder and related offences were unconstitutional and void under the 1979 Constitution, and could not have been revived by the abrogation of that Constitution. The Supreme Court came to the same conclusion this year in Martin Kpebu v Attorney-General , 5th May 2016, several years after my case comment. What I said in that case comment defending the liberty of the individual to a fair trial seems appropriate even today to bear repetition. I wrote amongst other things that: '.It would be a sad day in the legal history of Anglo-Ghanaian jurisprudence when the liberty of the individual becomes a clarion call for anarchy or a means of seeking judicial self-glorification per se. Mr. Justice Cardozo's admonishment to judges of the common law tradition not to be knight-errants ought to be remembered by all those whose business is to judge. In pointing out the difference between le phenomine Magnaud and justice according to law he said: The judge, even when he is free, is still not wholly free. He is not to innovate at pleasure. He is not a knight-errant, roaming at will in pursuit of his own ideals of beauty or goodness. He is to draw his inspiration from consecrated principles. He is not to yield to spasmodic sentiments, to vague and unregulated benevolence. He is to exercise his discretion informed by tradition, methodized by analogy, disciplined by system, and subordinated to the 'premodial necessity of order in social life'. THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY PRESIDENTIAL PARDON I find the immediate resort by the lawyers for the contemnors to petitioning the President for pardon for the contemnors revolting having regard to the context of the case, the background of the contemnors, and their association with the Government of the day. It embarrasses and encumbers the Presidential power of mercy which he may exercise in respect of any conviction for crime including the offences constituting criminal contempt of court after consultation with the Council of State. As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the President's powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Court's judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy! : to grant to a person convicted of an offence a pardon. Etc. Anybody acquainted with the judicial process should know that there have been instances in which courts themselves have invited the President to consider exercising his powers of mercy by pardoning the convicted. It will be an insult to the integrity, professionalism and maturity of our judicial system to say that the Court will be offended by any exercise of the powers of mercy by the President, simply because the conviction was for contempt of the court. The advocates against the exercise of the President's powers of mercy in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case may be ignorant of the fact that various Presidents under the 1992 Constitution have in the past exercised the power of pardon in favour of some convicted criminal contemnors whose cases arose from or as a result of constitutional litigation in the Supreme Court or other lower courts without any objection or bother from the judiciary. Why should the Owners of the Station Montie FM case be an exception? The problem is that most convictions and sentences for criminal contempt arising from or associated with the conduct of constitutional cases in the courts invariably take on a partisan political flavor in this country, let alone in an election year. A dispassionate observer will not fail to see that with a few exceptions the arguments for and against perceptions of fairness of how the Owners of the Station Montie FM case were tried; and whether or not the President could consider exercising his power of mercy at any appropriate time of his choice has been clouded by political party interest with an eye towards campaign rhetoric's for the coming elections. In my respectful view the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court. The Court cannot be the Respondent in an application for review. It is also absurd to suggest that the Attorney-General who did not initiate or conduct the contempt prosecutions can now be a Respondent to a review application on their behalf. The matter is complicated by the fact that jailing the accused at the close of the legal year unwittingly ensures that any application brought on their behalf may not be heard until after the vacation in October by which time they might have served almost the whole term of imprisonment. But as is usually the case with most constitutional conflicts with partisan political undertones timing in whatever a President does is important for purposes of managing perceptions and wounded feelings. The strategic resources at the disposal of every President are intended to guide him in taking decisions that meet his strategic vision for a nation and its public interest. CONCLUSIONS I take cognizance of the fact that the convicted and imprisoned accused contemnors were convicted upon their own plea of guilty. But as I have demonstrated herein those pleas were procured in contravention of the fundamental rights and freedoms, and other provisions of the 1992 Constitution. I share all the sentiments expressed in Liberty Press Ltd , Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu and the sentencing ruling in Owners of the Station Montie FM on the sanctity and respect to be accorded by the citizen to the judiciary and the individual judge. It was for some of these reasons that I initiated, and conducted in person as the then Deputy Attorney-General the Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu criminal contempt prosecution in accordance with the due process of law and secured convictions and sentences. As the longest served former Deputy Attorney-General, and a former Attorney-General of Ghana, I have a history of ardently fighting against any attempt to bring the judiciary into contempt and disrepute in any form whatsoever. I believe that the Constitution mandates every citizen to defend the judiciary within its permissible prescriptions. The sentencing ruling and decision of the Owners of the Station Montie FM case, however runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. It is, therefore, with great reluctance that I write this considered paper in defence of the 1992 Constitution. Martin A. B.K. Amidu By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AfanyiDadzie One of Ghanas most respected legal luminaries, and a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, Martin A. B. K Amidu, has described as unconstitutional, the procedure adopted by the Supreme Court in jailing the Montie FM trio. The man, whose pursuit of justice for the state earned him the title citizen vigilante,thus becomes one of the first lawyers to boldly speak to the issue with such depth of explanations. According to the outspoken lawyer, although the Supreme Court has the power to commit for contempt, it erred in this instance because the act in question occurred outside court. The sentencing of the three, he said, runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. Salifu Maase, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, commonly referred to as the Montie trio, are currently serving a four month prison sentence handed them by the Supreme Court in July, after they were found guilty of contempt charges brought against them. The three NDC sympathizers, had on a radio programme threatened to eliminate justices of the Supreme Court over their handling of the lawsuit questioning the credibility of Ghanas voters register. In an opinion piece exclusively copied to Citifmonline.com however, the former AG argued that, the method through which the country's apex court summoned and sentenced the three individuals, contravenes several Articles of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2), 21(1), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution, the former Attorney General stated. According to him, the title of the case was equally problematic because the Supreme Court did not have regard for Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution which mandates only the Attorney General or his assigns to prosecute such cases. Because the Court had assumed the arbitrary power of being the complainant, prosecutor, and judge in its own cause the title of the case was Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako vrs. 1. Electoral Commission 2. The Attorney General, In Re: 1. The Owners of the Station Montie FM, 2. Salifu Maase @ Mugabe (3) Alistair Nelson (4) Godwin Ako Gunn as though the criminal contempt was committed in facie curiae, he noted. The one-time Attorney General, who was later hounded out of the then Mills administration allegedly for his straightforwardness and commitment to fight rot, is also worried that the accused persons were arbitrarily hauled before the Court without any semblance of the due process of law in criminal justice administration as mandated by the Constitution. Amidu backs calls for pardon for Montie 3 The former AG also waded into the controversial issue of Presidential Pardon for the convicted Montie trio, saying it is the only way they can be freed because the Supreme Court deprived them of any form of redress. In my respectful view the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court, Amidu argued. As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the President's powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Court's judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy! he charged. Contemnors lawyers failed them Amidu The one-time NDC running mate to the late President Mills, also lashed out at lawyers for the contemnors over what he terms, their failure to argue out the case of their clients properly in respect of their constitutional rights. They led their all trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticize the Court for interfering with the contemnors' right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court, he observed. Find below, the full article MONTIE FM CRIMINAL CONTEMPT MARTIN AMIDU'S TAKE INTRODUCTION I read pieces of what has now become popularly known as the Montie 3 contempt of court contempt proceedings, convictions, and sentencing ruling and decision or orders on the web particularly the Ghana Web. True to my self- imposed embargo upon the demise of my dear mother on 6th March 2016 to mourn her and stay out of the eyes of the media for some time, I defied the temptations put on my path by media houses and fellow citizens insisting on hearing my comment or urging me to proffer my written views on those proceedings. I excused myself with not having read the sentencing ruling and decision of the Supreme Court. A contemporary of mine at Law School and in Government baited me by e-mailing to me scanned certified true copies of both the sentencing ruling and decision with the request that I acquaint him with my opinion of the case after I had read it. This paper is the result of that understanding. I have consequently read a certified true copy of the sentencing ruling, and the decision in the Owners of the Station Montie FM criminal contempt of court case and come to the considered conclusion that it raises several issues of constitutional, professional, and public importance. It is beyond argument that the Supreme Court is clothed with the power to commit for contempt of itself under the 1992 Constitution. But the same Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court to exercise all its powers in accordance with the due process of law and to respect the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under it. I take the humble view that even though the courts' powers for committing for contempt of themselves have often been described as almost arbitrary, that may only approximate the truth when one is dealing with contempt committed in facie curiae in the face of the court or in court, so to speak to be dealt with on the spot. However, when the contempt is a criminal contempt committed ex facie curiae (out of Court) the Court has no power or authority under the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by 1992 Constitution to proceed as the complainant, prosecutor, judge and jury in its own cause. The trial must be adversarial and comply with due the process of law of a fair trial. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution. I came to the conclusion that the lawyers for the accused persons did not help the Court and the accused persons when they failed or refused to raise all the constitutional and legal defences against the charges and arraignment processes. They led their all trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticize the Court for interfering with the contemnors' right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court. I also take the further view that if the lawyers for the accused persons had insisted on the constitutional rights of the accused person to a fair trial throughout the proceedings the situation where the ambiguous 1st contemnor called Owners of the Station Montie FM was transformed into Network Broadcasting Company Limited, and Zee Zee Media Limited and each director and officer of the corporate persons hauled individually, arraigned and personally convicted in addition to the conviction of each company would have been avoided. THE LAWYER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ACCUSED AND TO THE COURT It does not appear from the sentencing ruling of the Supreme Court that the lawyers for the accused contemnors raised any preliminary objection, at the arraignment of the accused to plead to the criminal contempt charges, to the lack of constitutional jurisdiction in the Court to try the accused persons inquisitorially. The lawyer's responsibility to the court and to his client is to put up all the best objections and defences for his client. The Court could have been persuaded that the non-adversarial manner by which it had brought the contemnors to the Court was inconsistent with the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) thereof. The outline of the argument could have been that the process by which the contemnors were brought to the Court deprived them of their right to a fair trial under Article 19 of the Constitution as the process adopted by the Court presumed them guilty contrary to clause 2(c) thereof which enjoins that he be presumed to be innocent until he is proved or has pleaded guilty. It could also have been contended that the summary manner the Court was proceeding was depriving the contemnors of their constitutional right to be informed in detail of the nature of the offence charged and consequently being deprived of adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence contrary to sub-clauses (d), (e), and (g) of Article 19(2) thereof. It could further have been submitted to the Court that the manner it was proceeding summarily in the criminal contempt by calling upon the contemnors to show cause why they should not be committed for criminal contempt of court offends Article 19(10) which enjoins that: No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial. The Court could have been reminded that Article 19(12) of the 1992 Constitution makes only one exception for the Court when trying criminal contempt of court by excluding only the application of Article 19(11) which requires that: no person shall be convicted for a criminal offence unless the offence is defined and the penalty for it prescribed in a written law. It would have been obvious to the Court that if the framers of the Constitution had intended the courts to try offences of criminal contempt inquisitorially contrary to the other guaranteed fair trial clauses of Article 19 of the Constitution they would have specifically said so in Article 19(12). The foregoing submission could have been inextricably interwoven with submissions on the guaranteed freedom of speech and expression which includes the freedom of the press and other media under Article 21(1)(a) of the Constitution. It could have also been contended that the inquisitorial approach of the discredited Star Chambers of old in punishing non-adversarially for criminal contempt have not only be discarded in all civilized democratic countries but that Articles 12 and 33(5) of the Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court of Ghana to protect, defend and guarantee the rights, duties, declarations, and guarantees not specifically mentioned which are considered to be inherent in a democracy and intended to secure the freedom and dignity of man. It could have been submitted with the aid of decided cases (including the Supreme Court's Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others: Ex Parte Attorney-General [1995-96] 1 GLR 377) that even the Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence which we inherited has long considered prosecutions for criminal contempt as being inconsistent with rights inherent in a democracy let alone an inquisitorial approach long discarded by our colonial masters who introduced us to it. In accordance with the doctrine of judicial precedent the case of the Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu alone would have provided material on which to anchor strong constitutional and legal arguments why the procedure by which the contemnors were brought to the Court was unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Court's jurisdiction under the Constitution. The case of the Republic v Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 could also have been persuasive. These are examples of ex facie contempt tried adversarially and not inquisitorially. The Liberty Press Ltd case upon which the Supreme Court apparently relied in formulating parts of its sentencing ruling and the binding Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu case, which the Court overlooked, show that the trial of any charge of criminal contempt of court partakes of the same characteristics as the trial of any other criminal offences with the prosecution having the burden of proving the guilt of the accused persons beyond a reasonable doubt including all the presumptions of innocence etc. These cases would have been helpful in formulating the submission to the Court as a preliminary objection to the inquisitorial summons by which the contemnors or the accused persons were brought before the Court. In the very scheme of our Constitution, the Court would have been compelled to decide the preliminary objection to the inquisitorial procedure adopted to try the contemnors for the offences charged. The beauty of our judicial process is that the Court even if it overruled all the preliminary objections would have been compelled to assign considered reasons for rejecting them. The ruling or judgment will be a public testament of the Court's decision in such important Constitutional and democratic matters to which the justices will eternally be judged. No court or judge wants to be associated with indefensible rulings touching the fundamental rights and freedoms in democracies such as ours. Both the legal arguments or submissions, and the court's ruling act as a restraining factor on the contempt of court powers which have already been recognized as being arbitrary. The lawyers in Liberty Press Ltd , and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu knew this and took their chances and even though the accused in the Liberty Press Ltd case later changed their pleas to guilty and those in the Mensa-Bonsu case eventually lost the trial the public and the legal profession will continue to judge the conduct of the justices in those cases. The preliminary objection to the procedure and the charge of criminal contempt has nothing to do with the guilt or innocence of the contemnors. The accused person had a constitutional right to challenge the Republic in whose name the crime of criminal contempt was being prosecuted by the trial court on its own motion to prove his guilt adversarially and beyond a reasonable doubt. The lawyers unfortunately failed or refused to discharge their responsibilities to the accused persons and to the Court. THE RULING AND SENTENCING DECISIONS OF THE COURT The contempt for which the accused persons were hauled to the Court was committed ex facie curiae out of court. I was consequently interested in the title of the criminal contempt case. Contempt of scandalizing the court with which the accused persons were charged is a criminal offence and like all criminal offences must under Article 88 of the Constitution be prosecuted in the name of the Republic and by the Attorney-General or any other person authorized by him in accordance with law. But because the Court had assumed the arbitrary power of being the complainant, prosecutor, and judge in its own cause the title of the case was Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako vrs. 1. Electoral Commission 2. The Attorney General, In Re: 1. The Owners of the Station Montie FM, 2. Salifu Maase @ Mugabe (3) Alistair Nelson (4) Godwin Ako Gunn as though the criminal contempt was committed in facie curiae. In the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 and Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others both of which were ex facie curiae contempt, the prosecution for contempt was initiated and conducted by the Attorney General in the High Court and the Supreme Court respectively and gave the accused persons the right to a fair trial. The reason why the appropriate procedure promotes fairness and justice was aptly indicated in the ruling of Akufo-Addo CJ (as he then was) sitting as an additional High Court judge as follows: In so far as my decision embodies any general conclusions affecting the jurisdiction of the courts in contempt matters, it is referable only to contempt ex facie curiae (out of court) as distinct from contempt in facie curiae which is always dealt with on the spot, so to speak, without any intervention of the Attorney-General applying for a writ of attachment. The Supreme Court in Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu underscored the difference between contempt in the face of the court and the prosecution of ex facie criminal contempt of court cases and arrived at the same conclusion. Regrettably such an important issue was not raised by the accused persons as a preliminary point to jurisdiction at their arraignment. And as the ruling shows the Court was exasperated by the Attorney-General's lack of responsiveness to the execution of her constitutional duties that it decided unwittingly to treat the matter as though the contempt was committed in court and was being dealt with 'on the spot so to speak'. In the rulings in Liberty Press Ltd , and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu the rulings adequately state not only the charges but also in detail the particularly of the charges faced by the accused persons. The sentencing ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case does not state the particulars (let alone in detail) of the nature of the offences charged, to have enabled the accused persons to have known the details of their crime to enable them plead knowingly to the charges. It only states that they were brought before the court for contempt of court on three grounds namely: (a) Scandalizing the court (b) Defying and lowering the authority of this court and (3) Bringing the authority of this court into disrepute. What is stated as three separate offences are not mutually exclusive offences one of the other and without detailed particulars accompanying each offence the charges were on their face bad for duplicity and also inconsistent with Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution on fair trial. Reading the sentencing ruling of the Court one gets the impression that the summons for the accused persons and the directors and officers of the two corporations to appear before the Court to answer the allegations of criminal contempt did not contain particulars of the contumacious words, the date and the venue at which they were spoken or broadcast so as to enable the accused persons to be informed in detail of the nature of the offences charged in accordance with Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution. The lack of particulars of the crime to the accused persons is brought out in the ruling when the Court stated that it was shocked and saddened to hear each of the directors as well as their Company Secretary say that, until a recording of the offending programme was played in Court they had not listened to nor heard the reprehensible utterances, despite the fact that, for a couple of weeks both the print media and radio stations had been full of discussions of the diatribe that was aired by their station, Montie FM. Far from being an indictment on the accused persons it demonstrates that they were arbitrarily hauled before the Court without any semblance of the due process of law in criminal justice administration as mandated by the Constitution. Their criminal charges were clearly bad for lack of particulars at arraignment. It follows from the foregoing that the constitutional rights of the accused person under Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution enjoining the Court that the accused be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence was also violated. Owners of the Station Montie FM not legal persons for personal service of chargs The first contemnor in the Montie case is called: Owners of the Station Montie FM and not even simply Montie FM. It is trite learning that because criminal contempt can be proceeded against only natural or legal persons as defined in our laws the names of each of the accused persons must be specifically and unambiguously stated in each count and detailed particulars of the charge provided to the accused. It is also trite law that in criminal contempt proceedings each accused person must be served personally with the summons, motion or process to appear before the court. The name Owners of the Station Montie FM is not the name or names of any person who could have been served personally with the summons or processes for criminal contempt ordered by the court which was making its own complaint, prosecuting same, judging same and being jury for same. How parties are summoned to a court is as important, and part and parcel of the delivery of justice under our constitutional protection of human rights and freedoms binding upon the Court. The Court recognized in its ruling that there were no natural or legal persons called Owners of the Station Montie FM upon whom service of the notices or summons for contempt could have been personally served. This was why the ruling of the Court states that the court summoned the directors and secretary of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd because, as owners of Motie FM, the company provided the physical facilities for the contemptuous statement to be aired to the public and it is the directors and officers who answer for it when it is held in contempt. The Court then states the fact that for an unincorporated body the members of the body answer for it. The Court supports its conclusions as follows: Hence in the case of the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd (supra), it was the Managing Director of the Liberty Press Ltd, the printer and 28 professors and lecturer who were members of 'Legon Society on National Affairs', publishers of Legon Observer, who answered for the publication in that magazine that scandalized the judiciary. That is what happened in Liberty Press Ltd with the difference that each of the 28 professors who were members of the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs were specifically named and served personally with the criminal contempt process the pursuant notices to each appear to answer the charges against them. The Managing Director of Liberty Press Ltd represented the legal person Liberty Press Ltd and not each of the directors and officers of Liberty Press Ltd under the name Owners of the Printing Press Liberty Press Limited. A careful reading of the ruling of the Supreme Court in Owners of the Station Montie FM leaves one in no doubt that the Network Broadcasting Co. Lt. or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd referred to in the ruling were never served personally with any processes for criminal contempt of court to commence any contempt proceedings against them. One walks away with the unavoidable impression that when the Supreme Court decided to summon the suspects called Owners of the Station Montie FM before it, the Court did not even know the legal status of Montie FM or the specific identity of its owners and therefore resorted to the arbitrary power of fishing at large for whosever would be caught by the phraseology the Owners of the Station Montie FM. It then discovers that two limited liability companies Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd own the physical infrastructure and frequency respectively. The Court then proceeds to summon the Secretaries and directors of the two companies without apparently first formally summoning and serving the two companies in name as accused contemnors. Such fishing by the Court for evidence of identity of the accused persons is clearly unconstitutional. The ruling cites Liberty Press Ltd as an example and to justify the manner it summoned the Secretaries and Directors of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd to appear before it. Unfortunately the analogy flies in the face of reason. In Liberty Press Ltd on which the Court relied for its propositions of law the Managing Director is the only person stated in the report of that ruling to have represented the company. It is axiomatic that once there was a Managing Director the company also had a Board of Directors and other officers but they were not summoned as it was superfluous for them to appear before the court individually and personally to answer the company's charges of criminal contempt. Harry Zakour is recorded on the sentencing decision of the Court made on 27th July 2016 as present for 1st Contemnors The Owners of the Station Montie FM . The Supreme Court both in the sentencing ruling and decision recognize that: It is trite law that where a corporation is held in contempt of court, it is the directors and officers who answer for it, since they constitute the human face of the legal entity and consequently made the following orders in respect of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd: 3. Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd are each hereby ordered to pay a fine of GH30, 000.00 by close of 28th July 2016. The officers of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd shall be respectively held personally liable to imprisonment for any failure to comply with any of these orders. The second sentence in the decision or order No. 3 is superfluous because it merely states what the law in respect of the liability of all corporations for contempt is. But the person convicted is the company as the decision of the Court shows. It is also trite law that incorporated companies in contempt of court are fined and not imprisoned because the artificial legal person represented by the company is a notional concept and not physically available for imprisonment. But it is also trite law that whosoever pleads to a charge of contempt of court on behalf of such a legal person does so with proper authority to represent the company. A corollary of the trite law referred to by the Court is that the legal person in contempt is the company and not its officers who are only vicariously liable for paying the fines or going to prison on behalf of the company. From the Supreme Court's own statement of the law in Liberty Press Co Ltd the directors and officers of a company are not personally the contemnors as was the case with the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs where each of the 28 professors and lecturers who were its members were individually charged and pleaded to the charge in person and were individually convicted. The position would have been the same even if Montie FM was said to be an unincorporated body. The corporations and not its officers individually would still be the owners. Consequently, any disclosure in the record of proceedings in Owners of the Station Montie FM showing that each of the directors and officers of the corporations were individually summoned by the Court and forced to each plead to the charges against the corporation in person and each convicted is clearly a violation of statement of the trite law by the Court and also of the 1992 Constitution. Ato Ahwoi the Endnote The foregoing analysis and statement of the triteness of the law by the Court itself on this matter is what makes it absurd that the sentencing decision of the Supreme Court has an end note stating that one of the Directors of the 1st Contemnor in the person of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, who was absent on the days the matter was heard, appeared and pleaded liable with explanation. Mr. Ato Ahwoi by the Court's own statement of the law is a director of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, a legal person in its own right. Without any evidence that the company was properly served with contempt proceedings, an authorized representative of the company had already appeared before the Court and pleaded on behalf of the company upon which the company had already been convicted. After the conclusion of the sentencing the Network Broadcasting Company Limited and the other contemnors for criminal contempt of court, the Court is informed that one of the directors who was absent from the jurisdiction is in court in obedience to an order or request by the court that all directors of the company should appear before the Court apparently so that they will know how the legal person they collectively represent is to be dealt with. Without further ado the Court takes the plea of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, a director of the already convicted and sentenced Network Broadcasting Company Limited without any record that the charges were read and explained to him. There is also no record in the end notes which represents the record of proceedings on this director, Mr. Ahwoi, to show that he was represented by a lawyer or that he had opted to represent himself in person. He pleads guilty with explanation. At worst this plea of guilty with explanation on the triteness of the law was being entered by Mr. Ato Ahwoi on behalf of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited which had already been convicted and sentenced before he was called upon in the end note to plead again to an offence which had already been dealt with. The Court without giving any reasons why the explanation of Mr. Ato Ahwoi constitutes an unequivocal plea of guilty convicts him in the following words: By Court: Mr. Ato Ahwoi is hereby convicted on all the charges on his own plea of liability. The purported conviction of Mr. Ato Ahwoi as a director for an offence which the limited liability company in which he is a director had already been convicted and sentenced to a fine of GH30,000. 00 is a fundamental error of law that has occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice to him. The triteness of this law is that once the trial, conviction and sentencing of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited had been completed the Network Broadcasting Company Limited could not under Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution be charged with the same offences again. It follows that Mr. Ato Ahwoi who was merely one of the directors of the company benefits from the immunity acquired by the company and could not also be tried personally for the same offence a second time. Regrettably, and unfortunately, because the Supreme Court choose to prosecute and judge a contempt ex facie curiae by itself, it unwittingly failed to allow Mr. Ato Ahwoi the basic right to a lawyer before taking his plea, follow the due process of law, and convicted him when it should have been trite that he was being put in double jeopardy for the same offence after the earlier conviction and sentencing of the company for which he is director. It is instructive that after purporting to convict Mr. Ato Ahwoi, the Court found itself unable to sentence him personally for the alleged criminal contempt of court. The purported arraignment and personal conviction of Mr. Ahwoi as a director of the company in addition to the earlier conviction of the company itself was inconsistent with and in contravention of Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution. Precedent of the Presidential Election Petition Contempt Convictions There are those who would be tempted to raise the issue of the purported convictions for criminal contempt in the Presidential Elections Petition of persons from the two largest political parties in Ghana as precedent for the Court's procedure in this case as well. My answer to them is that if those proceedings also suffered from the same violations of the 1992 Constitution as I have demonstrated in this paper then those convictions were inconsistent with provisions of the Constitution and also void. In this regard the wisdom contained in the dissenting opinion of the late eminent and very distinguished Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Justice Adade, in Bilson v Apaloo [1981] GLR 24 at 69-70, comes to mind. He said that: .But it is said that the Court of Appeal has been sitting five all the time, and no one has raised a finger. That does not mean that a finger can never be raised. It has been raised now, and we cannot force it down. If in my reckoning, an error was committed then, there is no reason why that error should be perpetuated simply because it has been done with impunity in the past. Public policy and commonsense pleaded by the defendant, cannot be suffered to oust the operation of what, in my view, are the clear prescription of constitutional provision. I say also that in so far as the Supreme Court did not avert its mind to the constitutional standards laid down in the criminal contempt case of Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu on the procedure and burden of proof for the criminal contempt of scandalizing the court, the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case was rendered in disregard of the Courts own previous and binding decision. In accordance with Article 129(3) of the Constitution the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM was given per incuriam and consequently void under the Constitution. The Common law Tradition I wrote a case review in the 1989-90 Review of Ghana, at pages 317-337 on Bail in Murder Cases in which I argued that the prohibition allegedly imposed by section 96(7)(a) of Act 30 on the granting of bail to accused persons in murder and related offences were unconstitutional and void under the 1979 Constitution, and could not have been revived by the abrogation of that Constitution. The Supreme Court came to the same conclusion this year in Martin Kpebu v Attorney-General , 5th May 2016, several years after my case comment. What I said in that case comment defending the liberty of the individual to a fair trial seems appropriate even today to bear repetition. I wrote amongst other things that: '.It would be a sad day in the legal history of Anglo-Ghanaian jurisprudence when the liberty of the individual becomes a clarion call for anarchy or a means of seeking judicial self-glorification per se. Mr. Justice Cardozo's admonishment to judges of the common law tradition not to be knight-errants ought to be remembered by all those whose business is to judge. In pointing out the difference between le phenomine Magnaud and justice according to law he said: The judge, even when he is free, is still not wholly free. He is not to innovate at pleasure. He is not a knight-errant, roaming at will in pursuit of his own ideals of beauty or goodness. He is to draw his inspiration from consecrated principles. He is not to yield to spasmodic sentiments, to vague and unregulated benevolence. He is to exercise his discretion informed by tradition, methodized by analogy, disciplined by system, and subordinated to the 'premodial necessity of order in social life'. THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY PRESIDENTIAL PARDON I find the immediate resort by the lawyers for the contemnors to petitioning the President for pardon for the contemnors revolting having regard to the context of the case, the background of the contemnors, and their association with the Government of the day. It embarrasses and encumbers the Presidential power of mercy which he may exercise in respect of any conviction for crime including the offences constituting criminal contempt of court after consultation with the Council of State. As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the President's powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Court's judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy! : to grant to a person convicted of an offence a pardon. Etc. Anybody acquainted with the judicial process should know that there have been instances in which courts themselves have invited the President to consider exercising his powers of mercy by pardoning the convicted. It will be an insult to the integrity, professionalism and maturity of our judicial system to say that the Court will be offended by any exercise of the powers of mercy by the President, simply because the conviction was for contempt of the court. The advocates against the exercise of the President's powers of mercy in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case may be ignorant of the fact that various Presidents under the 1992 Constitution have in the past exercised the power of pardon in favour of some convicted criminal contemnors whose cases arose from or as a result of constitutional litigation in the Supreme Court or other lower courts without any objection or bother from the judiciary. Why should the Owners of the Station Montie FM case be an exception? The problem is that most convictions and sentences for criminal contempt arising from or associated with the conduct of constitutional cases in the courts invariably take on a partisan political flavor in this country, let alone in an election year. A dispassionate observer will not fail to see that with a few exceptions the arguments for and against perceptions of fairness of how the Owners of the Station Montie FM case were tried; and whether or not the President could consider exercising his power of mercy at any appropriate time of his choice has been clouded by political party interest with an eye towards campaign rhetoric's for the coming elections. In my respectful view the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court. The Court cannot be the Respondent in an application for review. It is also absurd to suggest that the Attorney-General who did not initiate or conduct the contempt prosecutions can now be a Respondent to a review application on their behalf. The matter is complicated by the fact that jailing the accused at the close of the legal year unwittingly ensures that any application brought on their behalf may not be heard until after the vacation in October by which time they might have served almost the whole term of imprisonment. But as is usually the case with most constitutional conflicts with partisan political undertones timing in whatever a President does is important for purposes of managing perceptions and wounded feelings. The strategic resources at the disposal of every President are intended to guide him in taking decisions that meet his strategic vision for a nation and its public interest. CONCLUSIONS I take cognizance of the fact that the convicted and imprisoned accused contemnors were convicted upon their own plea of guilty. But as I have demonstrated herein those pleas were procured in contravention of the fundamental rights and freedoms, and other provisions of the 1992 Constitution. I share all the sentiments expressed in Liberty Press Ltd , Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu and the sentencing ruling in Owners of the Station Montie FM on the sanctity and respect to be accorded by the citizen to the judiciary and the individual judge. It was for some of these reasons that I initiated, and conducted in person as the then Deputy Attorney-General the Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu criminal contempt prosecution in accordance with the due process of law and secured convictions and sentences. As the longest served former Deputy Attorney-General, and a former Attorney-General of Ghana, I have a history of ardently fighting against any attempt to bring the judiciary into contempt and disrepute in any form whatsoever. I believe that the Constitution mandates every citizen to defend the judiciary within its permissible prescriptions. The sentencing ruling and decision of the Owners of the Station Montie FM case, however runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. It is, therefore, with great reluctance that I write this considered paper in defence of the 1992 Constitution. Martin A. B.K. Amidu By: Umaru Sanda Amadu/citifmonline.com/Ghana Three persons have been arrested in connection with an attack on a Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) Bullion van at Maame Krobo in the Affram Plains South District of the Eastern Region. The incident, which occurred on Monday, led to the death of the driver of the van, whilst a policeman escorting the van, sustained gunshot wounds. Speaking to Citi News, the Affram Plains District Police Commander, Superintendent Obeng Dompreh, said their investigations have yielded results as three suspects have already been arrested, and will be transferred to Koforidua for further interrogations. He said the robbery operation failed because the police officer on escorting the van exchanged fire with the attackers. The deceased driver, and the wounded police officer, have been identified as David Sarpong and Frederick Adei respectively. We've arrested three people so far. We don't know the motive behind for now. There's something unfoilding and we are seriously working so we need to hold on a little before we can disclose. We've made a very serious headway and we are sending them to Koforidua on Wednesday to continue the investigation, he said. By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AfanyiDadzie Former Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Martin Amidu, has backed calls for the President to exercise his prerogative power of mercy, in the case of the Montie FM trio, jailed four-months by the Supreme Court for contempt. A petition asking the President to pardon the three, signed by government officials and top members of the governing party, has been forwarded to the Council of State to advise the President. Those making the request are of the view that, inasmuch as the trio erred, the sentence of four-months and a fine of Ghc10, 000 each for them, as well as Ghc60, 000 fine for the owners of the station was too harsh. The former AG, who has in an opinion piece exclusively copied to Citifmonline.com described the jailing of the three as unconstitutional , says per the circumstances of the sentencing, the only way out for the three is a presidential pardon since they were denied any form of redress by the court. In my respectful view, the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court, Amidu argued. As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the President's powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Court's judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy! he charged. The man, whose pursuit of justice for the state earned him the title 'citizen vigilante', becomes one of the first lawyers to boldly speak to the issue with such depth of explanations. Martin Amidu Jailing of Montie 3 unconstitutional Martin Amidu According to the outspoken lawyer, although the Supreme Court has the power to commit for contempt, it erred in this instance because the act in question occurred outside court. The sentencing of the three, he said, runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. Salifu Maase, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn, commonly referred to as the Montie trio, are currently serving a four month prison sentence handed them by the Supreme Court in July, after they were found guilty of contempt charges brought against them. The three NDC sympathizers had on a radio programme threatened to eliminate justices of the Supreme Court over their handling of the lawsuit questioning the credibility of Ghanas voters register. The former AG argued that, the method through which the country's apex court summoned and sentenced the three individuals, contravenes several Articles of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2), 21(1), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution, the former Attorney General stated. According to him, the title of the case was equally problematic because the Supreme Court did not have regard for Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution which mandates only the Attorney General or his assigns to prosecute such cases. Because the Court had assumed the arbitrary power of being the complainant, prosecutor, and judge in its own cause the title of the case was Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako vrs. 1. Electoral Commission 2. The Attorney General, In Re: 1. The Owners of the Station Montie FM, 2. Salifu Maase @ Mugabe (3) Alistair Nelson (4) Godwin Ako Gunn as though the criminal contempt was committed in facie curiae, he noted. The one-time Attorney General, who was later hounded out of the then Mills administration allegedly for his straightforwardness and commitment to fight rot, is also worried that the accused persons were arbitrarily hauled before the Court without any semblance of the due process of law in criminal justice administration as mandated by the Constitution. Contemnors lawyers failed them Amidu The one-time NDC running mate to the late President Mills also lashed out at lawyers for the contemnors over what he terms, their failure to argue out the case of their clients properly in respect of their constitutional rights. They led their all trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticize the Court for interfering with the contemnors' right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court, he observed. Find below, the full article MONTIE FM CRIMINAL CONTEMPT MARTIN AMIDU'S TAKE INTRODUCTION I read pieces of what has now become popularly known as the Montie 3 contempt of court contempt proceedings, convictions, and sentencing ruling and decision or orders on the web particularly the Ghana Web. True to my self- imposed embargo upon the demise of my dear mother on 6th March 2016 to mourn her and stay out of the eyes of the media for some time, I defied the temptations put on my path by media houses and fellow citizens insisting on hearing my comment or urging me to proffer my written views on those proceedings. I excused myself with not having read the sentencing ruling and decision of the Supreme Court. A contemporary of mine at Law School and in Government baited me by e-mailing to me scanned certified true copies of both the sentencing ruling and decision with the request that I acquaint him with my opinion of the case after I had read it. This paper is the result of that understanding. I have consequently read a certified true copy of the sentencing ruling, and the decision in the Owners of the Station Montie FM criminal contempt of court case and come to the considered conclusion that it raises several issues of constitutional, professional, and public importance. It is beyond argument that the Supreme Court is clothed with the power to commit for contempt of itself under the 1992 Constitution. But the same Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court to exercise all its powers in accordance with the due process of law and to respect the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under it. I take the humble view that even though the courts' powers for committing for contempt of themselves have often been described as almost arbitrary, that may only approximate the truth when one is dealing with contempt committed in facie curiae in the face of the court or in court, so to speak to be dealt with on the spot. However, when the contempt is a criminal contempt committed ex facie curiae (out of Court) the Court has no power or authority under the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by 1992 Constitution to proceed as the complainant, prosecutor, judge and jury in its own cause. The trial must be adversarial and comply with due the process of law of a fair trial. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution. I came to the conclusion that the lawyers for the accused persons did not help the Court and the accused persons when they failed or refused to raise all the constitutional and legal defences against the charges and arraignment processes. They led their all trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticize the Court for interfering with the contemnors' right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court. I also take the further view that if the lawyers for the accused persons had insisted on the constitutional rights of the accused person to a fair trial throughout the proceedings the situation where the ambiguous 1st contemnor called Owners of the Station Montie FM was transformed into Network Broadcasting Company Limited, and Zee Zee Media Limited and each director and officer of the corporate persons hauled individually, arraigned and personally convicted in addition to the conviction of each company would have been avoided. THE LAWYER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ACCUSED AND TO THE COURT It does not appear from the sentencing ruling of the Supreme Court that the lawyers for the accused contemnors raised any preliminary objection, at the arraignment of the accused to plead to the criminal contempt charges, to the lack of constitutional jurisdiction in the Court to try the accused persons inquisitorially. The lawyer's responsibility to the court and to his client is to put up all the best objections and defences for his client. The Court could have been persuaded that the non-adversarial manner by which it had brought the contemnors to the Court was inconsistent with the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) thereof. The outline of the argument could have been that the process by which the contemnors were brought to the Court deprived them of their right to a fair trial under Article 19 of the Constitution as the process adopted by the Court presumed them guilty contrary to clause 2(c) thereof which enjoins that he be presumed to be innocent until he is proved or has pleaded guilty. It could also have been contended that the summary manner the Court was proceeding was depriving the contemnors of their constitutional right to be informed in detail of the nature of the offence charged and consequently being deprived of adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence contrary to sub-clauses (d), (e), and (g) of Article 19(2) thereof. It could further have been submitted to the Court that the manner it was proceeding summarily in the criminal contempt by calling upon the contemnors to show cause why they should not be committed for criminal contempt of court offends Article 19(10) which enjoins that: No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial. The Court could have been reminded that Article 19(12) of the 1992 Constitution makes only one exception for the Court when trying criminal contempt of court by excluding only the application of Article 19(11) which requires that: no person shall be convicted for a criminal offence unless the offence is defined and the penalty for it prescribed in a written law. It would have been obvious to the Court that if the framers of the Constitution had intended the courts to try offences of criminal contempt inquisitorially contrary to the other guaranteed fair trial clauses of Article 19 of the Constitution they would have specifically said so in Article 19(12). The foregoing submission could have been inextricably interwoven with submissions on the guaranteed freedom of speech and expression which includes the freedom of the press and other media under Article 21(1)(a) of the Constitution. It could have also been contended that the inquisitorial approach of the discredited Star Chambers of old in punishing non-adversarially for criminal contempt have not only be discarded in all civilized democratic countries but that Articles 12 and 33(5) of the Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court of Ghana to protect, defend and guarantee the rights, duties, declarations, and guarantees not specifically mentioned which are considered to be inherent in a democracy and intended to secure the freedom and dignity of man. It could have been submitted with the aid of decided cases (including the Supreme Court's Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others: Ex Parte Attorney-General [1995-96] 1 GLR 377) that even the Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence which we inherited has long considered prosecutions for criminal contempt as being inconsistent with rights inherent in a democracy let alone an inquisitorial approach long discarded by our colonial masters who introduced us to it. In accordance with the doctrine of judicial precedent the case of the Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu alone would have provided material on which to anchor strong constitutional and legal arguments why the procedure by which the contemnors were brought to the Court was unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Court's jurisdiction under the Constitution. The case of the Republic v Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 could also have been persuasive. These are examples of ex facie contempt tried adversarially and not inquisitorially. The Liberty Press Ltd case upon which the Supreme Court apparently relied in formulating parts of its sentencing ruling and the binding Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu case, which the Court overlooked, show that the trial of any charge of criminal contempt of court partakes of the same characteristics as the trial of any other criminal offences with the prosecution having the burden of proving the guilt of the accused persons beyond a reasonable doubt including all the presumptions of innocence etc. These cases would have been helpful in formulating the submission to the Court as a preliminary objection to the inquisitorial summons by which the contemnors or the accused persons were brought before the Court. In the very scheme of our Constitution, the Court would have been compelled to decide the preliminary objection to the inquisitorial procedure adopted to try the contemnors for the offences charged. The beauty of our judicial process is that the Court even if it overruled all the preliminary objections would have been compelled to assign considered reasons for rejecting them. The ruling or judgment will be a public testament of the Court's decision in such important Constitutional and democratic matters to which the justices will eternally be judged. No court or judge wants to be associated with indefensible rulings touching the fundamental rights and freedoms in democracies such as ours. Both the legal arguments or submissions, and the court's ruling act as a restraining factor on the contempt of court powers which have already been recognized as being arbitrary. The lawyers in Liberty Press Ltd , and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu knew this and took their chances and even though the accused in the Liberty Press Ltd case later changed their pleas to guilty and those in the Mensa-Bonsu case eventually lost the trial the public and the legal profession will continue to judge the conduct of the justices in those cases. The preliminary objection to the procedure and the charge of criminal contempt has nothing to do with the guilt or innocence of the contemnors. The accused person had a constitutional right to challenge the Republic in whose name the crime of criminal contempt was being prosecuted by the trial court on its own motion to prove his guilt adversarially and beyond a reasonable doubt. The lawyers unfortunately failed or refused to discharge their responsibilities to the accused persons and to the Court. THE RULING AND SENTENCING DECISIONS OF THE COURT The contempt for which the accused persons were hauled to the Court was committed ex facie curiae out of court. I was consequently interested in the title of the criminal contempt case. Contempt of scandalizing the court with which the accused persons were charged is a criminal offence and like all criminal offences must under Article 88 of the Constitution be prosecuted in the name of the Republic and by the Attorney-General or any other person authorized by him in accordance with law. But because the Court had assumed the arbitrary power of being the complainant, prosecutor, and judge in its own cause the title of the case was Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako vrs. 1. Electoral Commission 2. The Attorney General, In Re: 1. The Owners of the Station Montie FM, 2. Salifu Maase @ Mugabe (3) Alistair Nelson (4) Godwin Ako Gunn as though the criminal contempt was committed in facie curiae. In the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 and Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others both of which were ex facie curiae contempt, the prosecution for contempt was initiated and conducted by the Attorney General in the High Court and the Supreme Court respectively and gave the accused persons the right to a fair trial. The reason why the appropriate procedure promotes fairness and justice was aptly indicated in the ruling of Akufo-Addo CJ (as he then was) sitting as an additional High Court judge as follows: In so far as my decision embodies any general conclusions affecting the jurisdiction of the courts in contempt matters, it is referable only to contempt ex facie curiae (out of court) as distinct from contempt in facie curiae which is always dealt with on the spot, so to speak, without any intervention of the Attorney-General applying for a writ of attachment. The Supreme Court in Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu underscored the difference between contempt in the face of the court and the prosecution of ex facie criminal contempt of court cases and arrived at the same conclusion. Regrettably such an important issue was not raised by the accused persons as a preliminary point to jurisdiction at their arraignment. And as the ruling shows the Court was exasperated by the Attorney-General's lack of responsiveness to the execution of her constitutional duties that it decided unwittingly to treat the matter as though the contempt was committed in court and was being dealt with 'on the spot so to speak'. In the rulings in Liberty Press Ltd , and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu the rulings adequately state not only the charges but also in detail the particularly of the charges faced by the accused persons. The sentencing ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case does not state the particulars (let alone in detail) of the nature of the offences charged, to have enabled the accused persons to have known the details of their crime to enable them plead knowingly to the charges. It only states that they were brought before the court for contempt of court on three grounds namely: (a) Scandalizing the court (b) Defying and lowering the authority of this court and (3) Bringing the authority of this court into disrepute. What is stated as three separate offences are not mutually exclusive offences one of the other and without detailed particulars accompanying each offence the charges were on their face bad for duplicity and also inconsistent with Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution on fair trial. Reading the sentencing ruling of the Court one gets the impression that the summons for the accused persons and the directors and officers of the two corporations to appear before the Court to answer the allegations of criminal contempt did not contain particulars of the contumacious words, the date and the venue at which they were spoken or broadcast so as to enable the accused persons to be informed in detail of the nature of the offences charged in accordance with Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution. The lack of particulars of the crime to the accused persons is brought out in the ruling when the Court stated that it was shocked and saddened to hear each of the directors as well as their Company Secretary say that, until a recording of the offending programme was played in Court they had not listened to nor heard the reprehensible utterances, despite the fact that, for a couple of weeks both the print media and radio stations had been full of discussions of the diatribe that was aired by their station, Montie FM. Far from being an indictment on the accused persons it demonstrates that they were arbitrarily hauled before the Court without any semblance of the due process of law in criminal justice administration as mandated by the Constitution. Their criminal charges were clearly bad for lack of particulars at arraignment. It follows from the foregoing that the constitutional rights of the accused person under Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution enjoining the Court that the accused be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence was also violated. Owners of the Station Montie FM not legal persons for personal service of charges The first contemnor in the Montie case is called: Owners of the Station Montie FM and not even simply Montie FM. It is trite learning that because criminal contempt can be proceeded against only natural or legal persons as defined in our laws the names of each of the accused persons must be specifically and unambiguously stated in each count and detailed particulars of the charge provided to the accused. It is also trite law that in criminal contempt proceedings each accused person must be served personally with the summons, motion or process to appear before the court. The name Owners of the Station Montie FM is not the name or names of any person who could have been served personally with the summons or processes for criminal contempt ordered by the court which was making its own complaint, prosecuting same, judging same and being jury for same. How parties are summoned to a court is as important, and part and parcel of the delivery of justice under our constitutional protection of human rights and freedoms binding upon the Court. The Court recognized in its ruling that there were no natural or legal persons called Owners of the Station Montie FM upon whom service of the notices or summons for contempt could have been personally served. This was why the ruling of the Court states that the court summoned the directors and secretary of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd because, as owners of Motie FM, the company provided the physical facilities for the contemptuous statement to be aired to the public and it is the directors and officers who answer for it when it is held in contempt. The Court then states the fact that for an unincorporated body the members of the body answer for it. The Court supports its conclusions as follows: Hence in the case of the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd (supra), it was the Managing Director of the Liberty Press Ltd, the printer and 28 professors and lecturer who were members of 'Legon Society on National Affairs', publishers of Legon Observer, who answered for the publication in that magazine that scandalized the judiciary. That is what happened in Liberty Press Ltd with the difference that each of the 28 professors who were members of the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs were specifically named and served personally with the criminal contempt process the pursuant notices to each appear to answer the charges against them. The Managing Director of Liberty Press Ltd represented the legal person Liberty Press Ltd and not each of the directors and officers of Liberty Press Ltd under the name Owners of the Printing Press Liberty Press Limited. A careful reading of the ruling of the Supreme Court in Owners of the Station Montie FM leaves one in no doubt that the Network Broadcasting Co. Lt. or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd referred to in the ruling were never served personally with any processes for criminal contempt of court to commence any contempt proceedings against them. One walks away with the unavoidable impression that when the Supreme Court decided to summon the suspects called Owners of the Station Montie FM before it, the Court did not even know the legal status of Montie FM or the specific identity of its owners and therefore resorted to the arbitrary power of fishing at large for whosever would be caught by the phraseology the Owners of the Station Montie FM. It then discovers that two limited liability companies Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd own the physical infrastructure and frequency respectively. The Court then proceeds to summon the Secretaries and directors of the two companies without apparently first formally summoning and serving the two companies in name as accused contemnors. Such fishing by the Court for evidence of identity of the accused persons is clearly unconstitutional. The ruling cites Liberty Press Ltd as an example and to justify the manner it summoned the Secretaries and Directors of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd to appear before it. Unfortunately the analogy flies in the face of reason. In Liberty Press Ltd on which the Court relied for its propositions of law the Managing Director is the only person stated in the report of that ruling to have represented the company. It is axiomatic that once there was a Managing Director the company also had a Board of Directors and other officers but they were not summoned as it was superfluous for them to appear before the court individually and personally to answer the company's charges of criminal contempt. Harry Zakour is recorded on the sentencing decision of the Court made on 27th July 2016 as present for 1st Contemnors The Owners of the Station Montie FM . The Supreme Court both in the sentencing ruling and decision recognize that: It is trite law that where a corporation is held in contempt of court, it is the directors and officers who answer for it, since they constitute the human face of the legal entity and consequently made the following orders in respect of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd: 3. Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd are each hereby ordered to pay a fine of GH30, 000.00 by close of 28th July 2016. The officers of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd shall be respectively held personally liable to imprisonment for any failure to comply with any of these orders. The second sentence in the decision or order No. 3 is superfluous because it merely states what the law in respect of the liability of all corporations for contempt is. But the person convicted is the company as the decision of the Court shows. It is also trite law that incorporated companies in contempt of court are fined and not imprisoned because the artificial legal person represented by the company is a notional concept and not physically available for imprisonment. But it is also trite law that whosoever pleads to a charge of contempt of court on behalf of such a legal person does so with proper authority to represent the company. A corollary of the trite law referred to by the Court is that the legal person in contempt is the company and not its officers who are only vicariously liable for paying the fines or going to prison on behalf of the company. From the Supreme Court's own statement of the law in Liberty Press Co Ltd the directors and officers of a company are not personally the contemnors as was the case with the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs where each of the 28 professors and lecturers who were its members were individually charged and pleaded to the charge in person and were individually convicted. The position would have been the same even if Montie FM was said to be an unincorporated body. The corporations and not its officers individually would still be the owners. Consequently, any disclosure in the record of proceedings in Owners of the Station Montie FM showing that each of the directors and officers of the corporations were individually summoned by the Court and forced to each plead to the charges against the corporation in person and each convicted is clearly a violation of statement of the trite law by the Court and also of the 1992 Constitution. Ato Ahwoi the Endnote The foregoing analysis and statement of the triteness of the law by the Court itself on this matter is what makes it absurd that the sentencing decision of the Supreme Court has an end note stating that one of the Directors of the 1st Contemnor in the person of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, who was absent on the days the matter was heard, appeared and pleaded liable with explanation. Mr. Ato Ahwoi by the Court's own statement of the law is a director of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, a legal person in its own right. Without any evidence that the company was properly served with contempt proceedings, an authorized representative of the company had already appeared before the Court and pleaded on behalf of the company upon which the company had already been convicted. After the conclusion of the sentencing the Network Broadcasting Company Limited and the other contemnors for criminal contempt of court, the Court is informed that one of the directors who was absent from the jurisdiction is in court in obedience to an order or request by the court that all directors of the company should appear before the Court apparently so that they will know how the legal person they collectively represent is to be dealt with. Without further ado the Court takes the plea of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, a director of the already convicted and sentenced Network Broadcasting Company Limited without any record that the charges were read and explained to him. There is also no record in the end notes which represents the record of proceedings on this director, Mr. Ahwoi, to show that he was represented by a lawyer or that he had opted to represent himself in person. He pleads guilty with explanation. At worst this plea of guilty with explanation on the triteness of the law was being entered by Mr. Ato Ahwoi on behalf of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited which had already been convicted and sentenced before he was called upon in the end note to plead again to an offence which had already been dealt with. The Court without giving any reasons why the explanation of Mr. Ato Ahwoi constitutes an unequivocal plea of guilty convicts him in the following words: By Court: Mr. Ato Ahwoi is hereby convicted on all the charges on his own plea of liability. The purported conviction of Mr. Ato Ahwoi as a director for an offence which the limited liability company in which he is a director had already been convicted and sentenced to a fine of GH30,000. 00 is a fundamental error of law that has occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice to him. The triteness of this law is that once the trial, conviction and sentencing of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited had been completed the Network Broadcasting Company Limited could not under Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution be charged with the same offences again. It follows that Mr. Ato Ahwoi who was merely one of the directors of the company benefits from the immunity acquired by the company and could not also be tried personally for the same offence a second time. Regrettably, and unfortunately, because the Supreme Court choose to prosecute and judge a contempt ex facie curiae by itself, it unwittingly failed to allow Mr. Ato Ahwoi the basic right to a lawyer before taking his plea, follow the due process of law, and convicted him when it should have been trite that he was being put in double jeopardy for the same offence after the earlier conviction and sentencing of the company for which he is director. It is instructive that after purporting to convict Mr. Ato Ahwoi, the Court found itself unable to sentence him personally for the alleged criminal contempt of court. The purported arraignment and personal conviction of Mr. Ahwoi as a director of the company in addition to the earlier conviction of the company itself was inconsistent with and in contravention of Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution. Precedent of the Presidential Election Petition Contempt Convictions There are those who would be tempted to raise the issue of the purported convictions for criminal contempt in the Presidential Elections Petition of persons from the two largest political parties in Ghana as precedent for the Court's procedure in this case as well. My answer to them is that if those proceedings also suffered from the same violations of the 1992 Constitution as I have demonstrated in this paper then those convictions were inconsistent with provisions of the Constitution and also void. In this regard the wisdom contained in the dissenting opinion of the late eminent and very distinguished Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Justice Adade, in Bilson v Apaloo [1981] GLR 24 at 69-70, comes to mind. He said that: .But it is said that the Court of Appeal has been sitting five all the time, and no one has raised a finger. That does not mean that a finger can never be raised. It has been raised now, and we cannot force it down. If in my reckoning, an error was committed then, there is no reason why that error should be perpetuated simply because it has been done with impunity in the past. Public policy and commonsense pleaded by the defendant, cannot be suffered to oust the operation of what, in my view, are the clear prescription of constitutional provision. I say also that in so far as the Supreme Court did not avert its mind to the constitutional standards laid down in the criminal contempt case of Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu on the procedure and burden of proof for the criminal contempt of scandalizing the court, the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case was rendered in disregard of the Courts own previous and binding decision. In accordance with Article 129(3) of the Constitution the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM was given per incuriam and consequently void under the Constitution. The Common law Tradition I wrote a case review in the 1989-90 Review of Ghana, at pages 317-337 on Bail in Murder Cases in which I argued that the prohibition allegedly imposed by section 96(7)(a) of Act 30 on the granting of bail to accused persons in murder and related offences were unconstitutional and void under the 1979 Constitution, and could not have been revived by the abrogation of that Constitution. The Supreme Court came to the same conclusion this year in Martin Kpebu v Attorney-General , 5th May 2016, several years after my case comment. What I said in that case comment defending the liberty of the individual to a fair trial seems appropriate even today to bear repetition. I wrote amongst other things that: '.It would be a sad day in the legal history of Anglo-Ghanaian jurisprudence when the liberty of the individual becomes a clarion call for anarchy or a means of seeking judicial self-glorification per se. Mr. Justice Cardozo's admonishment to judges of the common law tradition not to be knight-errants ought to be remembered by all those whose business is to judge. In pointing out the difference between le phenomine Magnaud and justice according to law he said: The judge, even when he is free, is still not wholly free. He is not to innovate at pleasure. He is not a knight-errant, roaming at will in pursuit of his own ideals of beauty or goodness. He is to draw his inspiration from consecrated principles. He is not to yield to spasmodic sentiments, to vague and unregulated benevolence. He is to exercise his discretion informed by tradition, methodized by analogy, disciplined by system, and subordinated to the 'premodial necessity of order in social life'. THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY PRESIDENTIAL PARDON I find the immediate resort by the lawyers for the contemnors to petitioning the President for pardon for the contemnors revolting having regard to the context of the case, the background of the contemnors, and their association with the Government of the day. It embarrasses and encumbers the Presidential power of mercy which he may exercise in respect of any conviction for crime including the offences constituting criminal contempt of court after consultation with the Council of State. As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the President's powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Court's judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy! : to grant to a person convicted of an offence a pardon. Etc. Anybody acquainted with the judicial process should know that there have been instances in which courts themselves have invited the President to consider exercising his powers of mercy by pardoning the convicted. It will be an insult to the integrity, professionalism and maturity of our judicial system to say that the Court will be offended by any exercise of the powers of mercy by the President, simply because the conviction was for contempt of the court. The advocates against the exercise of the President's powers of mercy in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case may be ignorant of the fact that various Presidents under the 1992 Constitution have in the past exercised the power of pardon in favour of some convicted criminal contemnors whose cases arose from or as a result of constitutional litigation in the Supreme Court or other lower courts without any objection or bother from the judiciary. Why should the Owners of the Station Montie FM case be an exception? The problem is that most convictions and sentences for criminal contempt arising from or associated with the conduct of constitutional cases in the courts invariably take on a partisan political flavor in this country, let alone in an election year. A dispassionate observer will not fail to see that with a few exceptions the arguments for and against perceptions of fairness of how the Owners of the Station Montie FM case were tried; and whether or not the President could consider exercising his power of mercy at any appropriate time of his choice has been clouded by political party interest with an eye towards campaign rhetoric's for the coming elections. In my respectful view the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court. The Court cannot be the Respondent in an application for review. It is also absurd to suggest that the Attorney-General who did not initiate or conduct the contempt prosecutions can now be a Respondent to a review application on their behalf. The matter is complicated by the fact that jailing the accused at the close of the legal year unwittingly ensures that any application brought on their behalf may not be heard until after the vacation in October by which time they might have served almost the whole term of imprisonment. But as is usually the case with most constitutional conflicts with partisan political undertones timing in whatever a President does is important for purposes of managing perceptions and wounded feelings. The strategic resources at the disposal of every President are intended to guide him in taking decisions that meet his strategic vision for a nation and its public interest. CONCLUSIONS I take cognizance of the fact that the convicted and imprisoned accused contemnors were convicted upon their own plea of guilty. But as I have demonstrated herein those pleas were procured in contravention of the fundamental rights and freedoms, and other provisions of the 1992 Constitution. I share all the sentiments expressed in Liberty Press Ltd , Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu and the sentencing ruling in Owners of the Station Montie FM on the sanctity and respect to be accorded by the citizen to the judiciary and the individual judge. It was for some of these reasons that I initiated, and conducted in person as the then Deputy Attorney-General the Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu criminal contempt prosecution in accordance with the due process of law and secured convictions and sentences. As the longest served former Deputy Attorney-General, and a former Attorney-General of Ghana, I have a history of ardently fighting against any attempt to bring the judiciary into contempt and disrepute in any form whatsoever. I believe that the Constitution mandates every citizen to defend the judiciary within its permissible prescriptions. The sentencing ruling and decision of the Owners of the Station Montie FM case, however runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. It is, therefore, with great reluctance that I write this considered paper in defence of the 1992 Constitution. Martin A. B.K. Amidu By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AfanyiDadzie Leading development finance institutions and heads of Nigerias most accomplished energy companies will meet with national government at EnergyNets (www.EnergyNet.co.uk) Powering Africa: Nigeria Investment Summit (http://APO.af/6REQZ4), taking place in Abuja from 12-14 October 2016. Over 50 public and private sector decision makers will address 300 power developers and investors to discuss the driving factors behind power development in Nigeria. The investment summit will underpin Nigeria as a hub for regional gas development as well as an important market for clean and renewable energy. Key themes of the conference include how to diversify Nigerias energy mix, regulation policy to promote international investment in renewables, and examining Nigerias off grid energy market- promoting energy access for everyone. This meeting follows EnergyNets recently concluded 18th Africa Energy Forum (AEF) in London this June, which welcomed 2,200 vetted investors from the Americas, Europe and Asia, and government representatives from 30 African countries. Major deals were signed at the meeting including a merger between Harith General Partners and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), KFWs US$150 million 15 year loan facility to AFC, Access Powers US$7 million award to three renewable developers, Mainstreams US$117.5 million Africa Clean Energy Equity Funding and DFIDs two Compacts in Kenya and Sierra Leone, to name a few. For 24 years EnergyNet has supported governments across the continent playing an advisory role helping policy makers meet the very best private sector investors. Our role is not unique; however our approach is as individual as a thumbprint, highlighted by the trust the World Bank, Power Africa, IFC, FMO, Proparco, DFID, AfDB and many more who place their trust in EnergyNet, which supports our position as a market-shaper when it comes to global energy development, says Simon Gosling, Managing Director of EnergyNet. The meeting is officially endorsed by the Energy Commission of Nigeria, the Transmission Company of Nigeria and the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria. It has the official support of the UKs DFID-funded Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility, of Germanys GIZ and of the European Union. Download the latest agenda here (http://APO.af/m4m5JK) Religion can be loosely defined as a belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny. It can also refer to the institutionalisation of such beliefs and their practices. There are thousands of religions and denominations in this world. However the most dominant ones in Ghana and Africa are Islam and Christianity, both accounting for more than 90% of religious adherents, with the rest, including traditional beliefs, having less than 10% of adherents. In the first of a series of articles on religion, I'm going to show the negative effects of religion on the development and advancement of Africa. Since I'm a Ghanaian and someone who used to practice the Christian religion, I would be dwelling most of my scenarios and examples from these two backgrounds. In religion, we are made to believe that we were created by a God, who expects us to live and act according to certain given tenets so that we can be found worthy of his blessings, grace and love both here on earth and the afterlife. Each of these religions or denominations have their own guiding books which they refer to as holy and which is supposed to dictate the way and manner their adherents should live their lives and relate to others in the society. In Islam it's the Koran, whereas Christians use the Bible. Much as the intentions and ultimate aim of religion generally is to promote peace, harmony and development in the society, the same cannot be said in reality as what happens. There are so many negative effects of religion which unfortunately our society don't pay much attention to, and these have a more debilitating effect on our forward match to being a more matured and developed place. Negative Effects of Religion 1. Religion is one major cause of conflicts in Africa and the world as a whole. Each sect or denomination always believes its ways and practices as being the approved or acceptable one and as such view the others either as inferior or a threat to theirs. This has led to verbal and sometimes physical confrontations leading to loss of property and even lives in places like Nigeria and the Central African Republic. Even among Muslims there are conflicts between Sunni and Shiite sects over practices, whereas among Christians there are doctrinal conflicts or misunderstandings among the various many denominations, including which is even the right day to congregate for worship. Added to the above, a lot of religious misunderstandings, misinterpretations and so-called prophecies have brought about conflicts among family members, leading to destruction, broken homes and even death. It is not uncommon to read in the media that a man has killed or maimed his mother, child or wife as a result of a prophecy he claims to have had about the victim from his pastor or religious leader. 2. There is a direct relationship between religion and laziness, leading to poverty in our part of the world. A lot of believers would rather spend their time attending one religious event or the other throughout the year at the expense of their work or source of livelihood. It is not uncommon to see church services from morning till evening in any part of the country, even on weekdays. There is no doubt that the more time a person spends at his/her religious program to the neglect of his/her work, the less income the person earns, leading to lack and poverty. Additionally a lot of religious adherents are made to believe that there is no need working harder on this earth to amass wealth, after all you will day one die soon and leave your possessions behind. Thus they should seek the kingdom of God first and all others shall be added unto them (Matthew 6:33). This is definitely false. The more you work the more you earn is how life works, simple mathematics. Also, religion makes many of its adherents lethargic, instead of being proactive on issues affecting their lives. So you'll come across someone with a symptom of a disease who will rather pray instead of going to the health centre at the first sign, till the condition deteriorates. It's thus not a wonder to find a lot of preventable diseases killing or maiming people in our society. According to the CIA fact book of 2010, Nigeria, with a religious belief index of 96% had maternal mortality rate of 630 out of every 100,000 births, whereas Sweden, with a religious belief index of 17% had a maternal mortality rate of 4 out of every 100,000 births. There definitely are many factors leading to these statistical disparities, but religion no doubt plays a key role in all of it. 3. Furthermore, religion creates a sense of fear or timidity in its adherents. Most of the religious sermons on our airwaves are usually warnings or threats to people to do or refrain from doing one thing or the other to avoid a curse or damnation from God. It's quite common to hear statements like "stop drinking alcohol or you'll go to hell", "if you don't pay your tithes your blessings will be withheld by God and you'll be poorer', "if you dress provocatively you could be raped", "if you don't repent you'll die sooner than you think", and so many other fear-mongering stuff. The reality is that a lot of these untruths sink into the consciousness of their listeners, who are usually afraid to go out of their way to think independently and act on their own. It's much dangerous even with kids where they are indoctrinated from their homes, schools and churches to tow a certain line or face hell fire or danger in life. 4. In addition, religion has created an avenue for a lot of charlatans parading as so-called men of God to fleece the poor of their meagre resources. They'll readily quote verses in the bible to support the need for members to donate their monies to the 'work of God'. These monies mostly find their way into the pockets of these charlatans to fund their luxurious lifestyles while the members continue to sink in poverty. A lot of these preachers are living in luxurious homes, driving the latest luxury cars, traveling to the most exotic holiday destinations with their families, educating their children in the most expensive schools, etc, whereas most of their followers can barely pay their utility bills and kids' fees even in public schools. Whereas the congregants are told to aspire to go to heaven to enjoy the best of life, these preachers are enjoying theirs right here on earth at the expense of the gullible and poor members. 5. Most religious groups discriminate against women in so many ways, even though they usually form the bulk of the members of any sect or denomination. All the cleaning, scrubbing, tidying up, singing and events organization are mostly spearheaded by women, but they are barely represented in the decision-making echelons of religious organizations. In some of these organizations, women cannot teach or preach to the congregation, or cannot lead groups. Yet they are the highest contributors in terms of donations/offertories and the general sustenance of these groups. Unsurprisingly, most of their religious holy books (Koran or Bible) have various verses which seem to support this aspect of treating women as second class members. And once it is stated in those books, who are you to challenge what they say? One thing worthy of note is that all these books are supposed to have been written down by men, so what would one expect? 6. Added to the above, many governments in Africa use religion as a vehicle to forment trouble or create disaffection among the populace, all to advance their political and parochial interests. This leads to a fragmentation of the society along various lines. A typical example is the on-going political campaign season in Ghana where the ruling NDC and the main opposition NPP have been inciting one religious group or the other to vote for its leaders to advance their personal political interests, all to the detriment of social cohesion. 7. Finally, one major problem with religion in Africa is that it does not encourage creative or critical thinking. Religious dogma and practices are quite conservative or static. There are a lot of inventions in this world which have made life and living comfortable and much better. Religion generally believes that a supernatural power has the final say in how things are destined to work in one's life. Whereas religion and critical thinking is encouraged in Asia, Europe and America, it is not so in Africa. Religion takes precedence over all other things in our lives, thus no surprises that hardly do we invent or innovate in any of the technological advancements in the world. I do concede that religion might not be the only factor in determining the above negative effects on African societies. However it plays the dominant role and there is little doubt that a less focus on religion and a major attention to science, technology and critical thinking will no doubt propel our development goals forward. It is thus my hope that as a society we would do a critical and objective evaluation of how we over-emphasise the positives of religion, especially in our educational institutions and political circles, and rather focus our resources, especially time and money, on development-oriented goals. Kofi Asamoah Okyere [email protected] Unassailable reports reaching DAYBREAK indicate that unless the Government intervened in addressing salary headaches within the Immigration Service, particularly that involving a section of the Service, the otherwise quiet interior agency of the nation will go up in flames of mutiny. DAYBREAK has gathered that Intake 21 of the Service, who entered as Assistant Immigration Officer II, are yet to be paid two years after they had graduated at the Immigration Training Academy based at Assin Fosu in the Central Region. The story comes in the wake of several other cases of agitation over salary affecting several Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government, including CLOSAG, NAGRAT, GNAT and nurses and teachers across the country. Members of Intake 21, who number 324, were supposed, after the training, to have been hooked to an enhanced salary structure currently being enjoyed by members of the security services. However, as they waited with baited breath for the salary, all they received from their superiors and administrative staff were assurances that never came. Anytime we raised issues about the unpaid salary, we are put down with vague statements like the Controller and Accountant-Generals Department is working on it, one of the affected officers told DAYBREAK. Unfortunately, the situation has persisted for two years whilst the officers agonizingly carry out their duties on the field and at administrative echelons with little hope that they will get a listening ear before the elections. Like the Narcotics Control Board, the Ghana Immigration Service is one of the orphaned agencies in spite of the delicate role they play in watching over the nations borders. For many of us, any occasion is welcome for discussing the restitution of the Benin artefacts and the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles, and Brexit is no exception. But we must state clearly that neither the Greek sculptures nor the Benin treasures are intrinsically linked to the political wisdom or folly that may be currently prevailing in the British Isles. Whilst the raising of the question of the Nigerian artefacts often recalls the existence of the dispute relating to the Greek treasures, the two issues must in no way be amalgamated. The nature of the objects, the history of their acquisition, the relevant legal and political ramifications and the possible difficulties of their restitution, are obviously not the same. We must put on record our unflinching support for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles and for the restitution of the Benin Bronzes. Whilst we would like to state our boundless admiration for the Greek government and officials for their persistent, historic, recorded and enduring efforts to recover their cultural treasures, we would be very hesitant to state the same about Nigerian efforts in this context. Our love and commitment to Nigerian culture and efforts to recover looted/stolen Nigerian cultural artefacts have been amply stated in various places. But have Nigerian officials expended as much effort as the Greeks have done to recover the national treasures? Prof. Wilhelm Ostberg, former Director of the Museum of Ethnography, Stockholm, has suggested that Nigerian officials may have other interests in lending national treasures without seeking reciprocity and that may also explain why the same officials are not keen to submit formal requests for restitution. No one has contested that assertion. Our own conclusion, after years of reflecting on the issue of restitution of Nigerian artefacts, is that if the Nigerian officials had put in sufficient efforts we would by now have recovered a large number of the thousands of Nigerian artefacts that are illegally and illegitimately detained in several Western museums. To start with, the Nigerian officials could establish and publish a simple list of the artefacts they would want back. To date no official Nigerian list has been produced. The Cairo Conference on restitution in 2010, under the leadership of Zahi Hawass, asked for such a list. We have heard from some officials that they do not know where looted Nigerian artefacts are. However, many books and exhibition catalogues provide some of the required information. Moreover, a short visit to any major Western museum in London, Berlin, Paris, Vienna and elsewhere would yield useful relevant information. Has Nigeria ever reported any lost/stolen artefact to Interpol and other international bodies that might be able to assist in the recovery of such items? Has the loss of Olokun ever been reported to a competent body? Some officials even deny that Nigeria has lost any such treasures. One task Nigerian officials could usefully perform would be to provide to their own public precise information on the efforts that have so far been made to recover artefacts abroad. They would thereby enable the public to learn more about Nigerian artefacts and the history of their journey abroad and efforts for their recovery. But it appears that some Nigerian authorities are not interested in Nigerian history and have even prohibited the teaching of history in schools. Nigerian officials talk about quiet diplomacy and refuse to reveal any details about their efforts at restitution so far. Are public servants who are not dealing with defence matters allowed to pursue such a policy which makes it almost impossible to know what they are doing or not doing? How can Nigerians practice quiet diplomacy when their Western counterparts are open about their activities? How can they whisper in dining rooms and reception halls whilst their Western colleagues are shouting loudly on roof tops that they would not return any Nigerian artefacts? What kind of game is this where each side seems to have a different set of rules? It is obvious to many that Nigerian officials would have to abandon the policy of quiet diplomacy that has so far not resulted in any restitution since Independence in 1960. This failed policy must not be pursued further. The many thousands of looted/stolen Nigerian artefacts abroad will not return home through quiet diplomacy. The examples of Italy, Egypt and Turkey demonstrate that only a vigorous and open campaign can yield tangible results. Queen-Mother Idia, Oba Esigie, Oba Akenzua and others will not return from imperialist detention and exile until the strident voice of Nigeria is loud enough to be heard even in the mighty citadels of looted artefacts. Whispering at cocktail parties will not liberate the detained nobles. Introduction Kwame is a graduate teacher stationed in Kumasi. He earns a monthly net income of GHC 1542.11. He is married to Joyce, a personal banker at Bank of Africa. They have a three year old son. Kwame has a closing balance of GHC 13,345.00 in his bank account. Besides, he also has an investment with a net value of GHC 2,780.00 with Databank Ghana Ltd. Kwames father is a British citizen. His 60th birthday is just around the corner. He plans on celebrating it with his family both in the UK and elsewhere. Kwame has just taken delivery of a set of documents from his father inviting him to attend his birthday party in the UK. In the invitation letter, the father stated: I will fully pay for the cost of my sons travel to the UK including his food, accommodation and living expenses for the two weeks he will be in the UK. Does Kwame need to provide his personal bank statement? Does Kwame need to submit his bank statement in support of his application despite assurances by his father that he will pay for all costs in relation to his trip? The answer is a yes. This is so for two reasons. Personal ties to Ghana First, to be eligible for a visa, Kwame must establish that he has sufficient personal ties to his home country. This is determined by reference to his personal, social, economic and financial ties. It is for Kwame to submit his financial documents including his bank statement to enable the ECO assess whether he has sufficient financial ties. Financial documents are used in a sense to include all documents necessary to prove ones financial and economic circumstances. These include bank statements, bonds and shares certificates, fixed deposits, etc. So in our hypothetical case, Kwames financial documents will be his bank statement and his investment certificate from Databank Ghana Ltd. Kwames ability to show that he has sufficient financial circumstances is a requirement for proving his eligibility for the visa. The ECO is likely to refuse his application if he fails to establish that he has sufficient economic and financial ties. This will be the case even if the ECO is satisfied that Kwames father has the means to fully pay for Kwames trip. Additional claims of maintenance Another reason why Kwame must attach his bank statement is for him to establish that he has the means to pay for his own maintenance independent of assurances made by his father. For the ECO to accept the claims of maintenance, Kwames father must show that he has enough funds available to adequately support not only himself but anyone normally dependent on him. It is not sufficient for him to merely provide his bank statement and pay slips to show his ability to pay. He must state the number of dependents he has, if any; the amount of money he usually spends on them per month, the amount of money he proposes to spend on Kwame, and a statement that he has sufficient means to maintain himself, his dependents as well as Kwame. Yet, there is always a possibility for the ECO to raise concerns with the claims of maintenance by Kwames father and may refuse the application on the grounds that he is not satisfied that Kwame will be adequately maintained in the UK. This is where Kwames bank statement kicks in. By submitting his bank statement, Kwame has the chance to explain that though his father proposes to pay for his trip, he has himself made arrangements to pay for his maintenance despite assurances of maintenance by his father. Kwame must further state that should the ECO have concerns with his fathers claim of maintenance, his financial documents are proof that he has the means to independently pay for his maintenance. Conclusion The rule is therefore clear. Always attach your bank statement even if someone else is paying for you. This will be the case if your trip is being paid for by your friend or family in the UK, your employer, spouse, parent, etc. This rule however may generally not apply to students. Emmanuel Opoku Acheampong Disclaimer: This article only provides general information and guidance on UK immigration law. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. The writer will not accept any liability for any claims or inconvenience as a result of the use of this information. The writer is an Immigration law advisor and a practicing law attorney in Ghana. He advises on U.S., UK, and Schengen immigration law. He works for Acheampong & Associates Ltd, an immigration law firm in Accra. He may be contacted on [email protected] About 24 suspected armed robbers have been arrested by the police in swoop which was aimed at getting rid of hoodlums in Kumasi, the Ashanti Regional capital. The swoop occurred at places in the city that have allegedly been adopted by gangsters to conduct their illegal operations. The places include Asafo, Bantama, Abinkyi, Atonsu and Race Course, the police have announced. The Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, ACP Ampofo Duku, disclosed this to the media on Tuesday. He indicated that even though crime had reduced significantly in Kumasi and the region in general, the police didn't want to be taken unawares by criminals. In this regard, ACP Duku stated that the regional police command decided to arrest the 24 people from the above-mentioned areas. He said the suspects would be thoroughly screened in the coming days so that those found culpable would be arraigned before court. ACP Duku claimed that the move was also to make it impossible for hoodlums, who had been chased out of the city by the police, to regroup again. The police chief said the dawn swoop would not be a nine-day wonder, assuring that the police would continue to flush suspected gangsters out of the city. According to him, the police had resolved to ensure that residents of Kumasi transact their legal business in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The police officer appealed to the public to provide the law enforcement agents with vital information so that they could arrest criminals from their dens. From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi It is quite obvious that President John Dramani Mahama and his 2016 campaign team are running scared stiff, as they ought to. For the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has done a diddly little that is worth discussing on any prime-time news program. In such vital national development areas as Education, Health, the Economy, Transport and Communication, and Agriculture, the Mahama government is found woefully wanting. And so it scarcely comes as any surprise that the President decided to launch his presidential campaign tour in the Western Region, barely a couple of days after the Presidential Candidate of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, ended his five-day campaign tour of the same region (See Mahama Not in Western Region Because of Nana Addo Kofi Adams Citifmonline.com / Ghanaweb.com 8/16/16). This, of course, is not the very first time that the most ideologically parochial and ethnocentric postcolonial Ghanaian politician has decided to copycat Nana Akufo-Addo. Not very long ago, Mr. Mahama did a circus act in the Volta Region shortly after Nana Akufo-Addo had toured the so-called NDC electoral World Bank region. When he campaigns in his native Northern Region and the two adjoining Upper regions, his campaign message has almost invariably and exclusively been predicated on tribalism. Vote for me because I am one of your own. I speak your native tongue and wear the same Batakari as the rest of you. I am your only and last hope for the massive catch-up development of the North, the Gonja petty chieftain was once reported to have told a captive audience in the Northern regional capital of Tamale. For that matter, Mr. Mahama and Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, the founding-proprietor of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP), may aptly be called ideological clones. But, of course, as an entrepreneur, Dr. Nduom has more that is palpable and substantive to show for his yeomanly efforts towards the development of the country at large, although like Mr. Donald J. Trump, merely being a successful businessman does not necessarily translate into imaginative or creative political leadership. Among the Akan, there is a maxim that says that If Mr. Naked promises you a bolt of cloth, you just listen to his name. Mr. Mahama claims to be poised towards establishing a so-called Western Development Fund (WDF). It surely sounds like a good policy agenda for the people of the oil-rich Western Region. But on the latter score, perhaps the most relevant question to ask is as follows: Why has it taken Mr. Mahama so long to come up with a Western Development Fund? Especially, when every indicator points to the fact of the Western Regions being far more resourceful and economically productive than the so-called Three Northern Regions combined? The tribal thing, of course! The other day, one northern-descended columnist and media commentator accused Mr. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, the renowned entrepreneur and former Kufuor cabinet member, of being an Akan supremacist who needed to watch the movie Hotel Rwanda. Well, my one terse response to that critic is that, indeed, Mr. Osafo-Maafo may be guilty of the reckless rhetoric of Akan supremacy. But, of course, it is President Mahama who has transformed the practice of Northern Tribal Supremacy into an enviable art with inimitable genius. The critic may also do himself and the rest of his northern tribal clique a lot of good by visiting the forecourt of the Supreme Court of Ghana to see a more poignant and super-digitized version of the Hotel Rwanda movie. And then we can productively and meaningfully discuss who the real ethnic supremacists are in contemporary Ghana. Even more pointedly ought to be observed the fact of his geographically exclusive northern development SADA project having epically failed beyond the most creative Ghanaian imagination. The people of the Western Region, where my maternal grandfather, the Rev. T. H. Sintim, spent a considerable period teaching and establishing schools for the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), are too savvy to facilely fall for the well-practiced Mahama scam-artistry. Then again, isnt it bizarre that the President would launch his 2016 Flagstaff House retention campaign in Cape Coast, the Central Regions capital and home region of both his immediate predecessor and current Vice-President, Mr. Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, but then begin his second faux Accounting to the People propaganda tour in the Western Region, instead of Gonjaland and the Northern Region to whose people he claimed to be the last and only hope for massive socioeconomic development during his 2012 presidential election campaign? Now, lets get to the brass-tacks, as Americans are wont to say. The fact of the matter is that the man clearly envisages the Akan people to be a naive electoral quarry to be hoodwinked with empty promises, in hopes of piggybacking and exploiting us for the exclusive benefit of his SADA tribesmen and women, as well as those self-serving Akan-descended NDC gravy-train chasers who cannot see beyond a plateful of gari-and-beans on their dinner table. Needless to say, we are not the least bit surprised that the NDC apparatchiks should be talking about a Western Development Fund. After all, wasnt the entire criminally botched SADA idea shamelessly stolen from the visionary strategists of the New Patriotic Party? *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs Former Attorney General Martin Amidu has challenged claims that granting a presidential pardon to the Montie three will be disrespectful to the judiciary. According to him, if that argument were to hold, then every other pardon granted by the President will constitute a disregard to the courts. In my respectful view the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court, the anti-corruption campaigner argued in a statement. He continued: As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the Presidents powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Courts judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy!. The three contemnors, Salifu Maase, Alistair Nelson and Godwin Ako Gunn were handed a four-month jail term after they were found guilty of contempt by the Supreme Court. Several ministers have called on the President to activate article 72 of the constitution and pardon them. Below are details of the statement by Martin Amidu MONTIE FM CRIMINAL CONTEMPT MARTIN AMIDUS TAKE INTRODUCTION I read pieces of what has now become popularly known as the Montie 3 contempt of court contempt proceedings, convictions, and sentencing ruling and decision or orders on the web particularly the Ghana Web. True to my self- imposed embargo upon the demise of my dear mother on 6th March 2016 to mourn her and stay out of the eyes of the media for some time, I defied the temptations put on my path by media houses and fellow citizens insisting on hearing my comment or urging me to proffer my written views on those proceedings. I excused myself with not having read the sentencing ruling and decision of the Supreme Court. A contemporary of mine at Law School and in Government baited me by e-mailing to me scanned certified true copies of both the sentencing ruling and decision with the request that I acquaint him with my opinion of the case after I had read it. This paper is the result of that understanding. I have consequently read a certified true copy of the sentencing ruling, and the decision in the Owners of the Station Montie FM criminal contempt of court case and come to the considered conclusion that it raises several issues of constitutional, professional, and public importance. It is beyond argument that the Supreme Court is clothed with the power to commit for contempt of itself under the 1992 Constitution. But the same Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court to exercise all its powers in accordance with the due process of law and to respect the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under it. I take the humble view that even though the courts powers for committing for contempt of themselves have often been described as almost arbitrary, that may only approximate the truth when one is dealing with contempt committed in facie curiae in the face of the court or in court, so to speak to be dealt with on the spot. However, when the contempt is a criminal contempt committed ex facie curiae (out of Court) the Court has no power or authority under the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by 1992 Constitution to proceed as the complainant, prosecutor, judge and jury in its own cause. The trial must be adversarial and comply with due the process of law of a fair trial. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution. I came to the conclusion that the lawyers for the accused persons did not help the Court and the accused persons when they failed or refused to raise all the constitutional and legal defences against the charges and arraignment processes. They led their all trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticize the Court for interfering with the contemnors right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court. I also take the further view that if the lawyers for the accused persons had insisted on the constitutional rights of the accused person to a fair trial throughout the proceedings the situation where the ambiguous 1st contemnor called Owners of the Station Montie FM was transformed into Network Broadcasting Company Limited, and Zee Zee Media Limited and each director and officer of the corporate persons hauled individually, arraigned and personally convicted in addition to the conviction of each company would have been avoided. THE LAWYERS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ACCUSED AND TO THE COURT It does not appear from the sentencing ruling of the Supreme Court that the lawyers for the accused contemnors raised any preliminary objection, at the arraignment of the accused to plead to the criminal contempt charges, to the lack of constitutional jurisdiction in the Court to try the accused persons inquisitorially. The lawyers responsibility to the court and to his client is to put up all the best objections and defences for his client. The Court could have been persuaded that the non-adversarial manner by which it had brought the contemnors to the Court was inconsistent with the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) thereof. The outline of the argument could have been that the process by which the contemnors were brought to the Court deprived them of their right to a fair trial under Article 19 of the Constitution as the process adopted by the Court presumed them guilty contrary to clause 2(c) thereof which enjoins that he be presumed to be innocent until he is proved or has pleaded guilty. It could also have been contended that the summary manner the Court was proceeding was depriving the contemnors of their constitutional right to be informed in detail of the nature of the offence charged and consequently being deprived of adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence contrary to sub-clauses (d), (e), and (g) of Article 19(2) thereof. It could further have been submitted to the Court that the manner it was proceeding summarily in the criminal contempt by calling upon the contemnors to show cause why they should not be committed for criminal contempt of court offends Article 19(10) which enjoins that: No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial. The Court could have been reminded that Article 19(12) of the 1992 Constitution makes only one exception for the Court when trying criminal contempt of court by excluding only the application of Article 19(11) which requires that: no person shall be convicted for a criminal offence unless the offence is defined and the penalty for it prescribed in a written law. It would have been obvious to the Court that if the framers of the Constitution had intended the courts to try offences of criminal contempt inquisitorially contrary to the other guaranteed fair trial clauses of Article 19 of the Constitution they would have specifically said so in Article 19(12). The foregoing submission could have been inextricably interwoven with submissions on the guaranteed freedom of speech and expression which includes the freedom of the press and other media under Article 21(1)(a) of the Constitution. It could have also been contended that the inquisitorial approach of the discredited Star Chambers of old in punishing non-adversarially for criminal contempt have not only be discarded in all civilized democratic countries but that Articles 12 and 33(5) of the Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court of Ghana to protect, defend and guarantee the rights, duties, declarations, and guarantees not specifically mentioned which are considered to be inherent in a democracy and intended to secure the freedom and dignity of man. It could have been submitted with the aid of decided cases (including the Supreme Courts Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others: Ex Parte Attorney-General [1995-96] 1 GLR 377) that even the Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence which we inherited has long considered prosecutions for criminal contempt as being inconsistent with rights inherent in a democracy let alone an inquisitorial approach long discarded by our colonial masters who introduced us to it. In accordance with the doctrine of judicial precedent the case of the Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu alone would have provided material on which to anchor strong constitutional and legal arguments why the procedure by which the contemnors were brought to the Court was unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Courts jurisdiction under the Constitution. The case of the Republic v Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 could also have been persuasive. These are examples of ex facie contempt tried adversarially and not inquisitorially. The Liberty Press Ltd case upon which the Supreme Court apparently relied in formulating parts of its sentencing ruling and the binding Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu case, which the Court overlooked, show that the trial of any charge of criminal contempt of court partakes of the same characteristics as the trial of any other criminal offences with the prosecution having the burden of proving the guilt of the accused persons beyond a reasonable doubt including all the presumptions of innocence etc. These cases would have been helpful in formulating the submission to the Court as a preliminary objection to the inquisitorial summons by which the contemnors or the accused persons were brought before the Court. In the very scheme of our Constitution, the Court would have been compelled to decide the preliminary objection to the inquisitorial procedure adopted to try the contemnors for the offences charged. The beauty of our judicial process is that the Court even if it overruled all the preliminary objections would have been compelled to assign considered reasons for rejecting them. The ruling or judgment will be a public testament of the Courts decision in such important Constitutional and democratic matters to which the justices will eternally be judged. No court or judge wants to be associated with indefensible rulings touching the fundamental rights and freedoms in democracies such as ours. Both the legal arguments or submissions, and the courts ruling act as a restraining factor on the contempt of court powers which have already been recognized as being arbitrary. The lawyers in Liberty Press Ltd, and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu knew this and took their chances and even though the accused in the Liberty Press Ltd case later changed their pleas to guilty and those in the Mensa-Bonsu case eventually lost the trial the public and the legal profession will continue to judge the conduct of the justices in those cases. The preliminary objection to the procedure and the charge of criminal contempt has nothing to do with the guilt or innocence of the contemnors. The accused person had a constitutional right to challenge the Republic in whose name the crime of criminal contempt was being prosecuted by the trial court on its own motion to prove his guilt adversarially and beyond a reasonable doubt. The lawyers unfortunately failed or refused to discharge their responsibilities to the accused persons and to the Court. THE RULING AND SENTENCING DECISIONS OF THE COURT The contempt for which the accused persons were hauled to the Court was committed ex facie curiae out of court. I was consequently interested in the title of the criminal contempt case. Contempt of scandalizing the court with which the accused persons were charged is a criminal offence and like all criminal offences must under Article 88 of the Constitution be prosecuted in the name of the Republic and by the Attorney-General or any other person authorized by him in accordance with law. But because the Court had assumed the arbitrary power of being the complainant, prosecutor, and judge in its own cause the title of the case was Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako vrs. 1. Electoral Commission 2. The Attorney General, In Re: 1. The Owners of the Station Montie FM, 2. Salifu Maase @ Mugabe (3) Alistair Nelson (4) Godwin Ako Gunn as though the criminal contempt was committed in facie curiae. In the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 and Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others both of which were ex facie curiae contempt, the prosecution for contempt was initiated and conducted by the Attorney General in the High Court and the Supreme Court respectively and gave the accused persons the right to a fair trial. The reason why the appropriate procedure promotes fairness and justice was aptly indicated in the ruling of Akufo-Addo CJ (as he then was) sitting as an additional High Court judge as follows: In so far as my decision embodies any general conclusions affecting the jurisdiction of the courts in contempt matters, it is referable only to contempt ex facie curiae (out of court) as distinct from contempt in facie curiae which is always dealt with on the spot, so to speak, without any intervention of the Attorney-General applying for a writ of attachment. The Supreme Court in Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu underscored the difference between contempt in the face of the court and the prosecution of ex facie criminal contempt of court cases and arrived at the same conclusion. Regrettably such an important issue was not raised by the accused persons as a preliminary point to jurisdiction at their arraignment. And as the ruling shows the Court was exasperated by the Attorney-Generals lack of responsiveness to the execution of her constitutional duties that it decided unwittingly to treat the matter as though the contempt was committed in court and was being dealt with on the spot so to speak. In the rulings in Liberty Press Ltd, and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu the rulings adequately state not only the charges but also in detail the particularly of the charges faced by the accused persons. The sentencing ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case does not state the particulars (let alone in detail) of the nature of the offences charged, to have enabled the accused persons to have known the details of their crime to enable them plead knowingly to the charges. It only states that they were brought before the court for contempt of court on three grounds namely: (a) Scandalizing the court (b) Defying and lowering the authority of this court and (3) Bringing the authority of this court into disrepute. What is stated as three separate offences are not mutually exclusive offences one of the other and without detailed particulars accompanying each offence the charges were on their face bad for duplicity and also inconsistent with Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution on fair trial. Reading the sentencing ruling of the Court one gets the impression that the summons for the accused persons and the directors and officers of the two corporations to appear before the Court to answer the allegations of criminal contempt did not contain particulars of the contumacious words, the date and the venue at which they were spoken or broadcast so as to enable the accused persons to be informed in detail of the nature of the offences charged in accordance with Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution. The lack of particulars of the crime to the accused persons is brought out in the ruling when the Court stated that it was shocked and saddened to hear each of the directors as well as their Company Secretary say that, until a recording of the offending programme was played in Court they had not listened to nor heard the reprehensible utterances, despite the fact that, for a couple of weeks both the print media and radio stations had been full of discussions of the diatribe that was aired by their station, Montie FM. Far from being an indictment on the accused persons it demonstrates that they were arbitrarily hauled before the Court without any semblance of the due process of law in criminal justice administration as mandated by the Constitution. Their criminal charges were clearly bad for lack of particulars at arraignment. It follows from the foregoing that the constitutional rights of the accused person under Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution enjoining the Court that the accused be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence was also violated. Owners of the Station Montie FM not legal persons for personal service of chargs The first contemnor in the Montie case is called: Owners of the Station Montie FM and not even simply Montie FM. It is trite learning that because criminal contempt can be proceeded against only natural or legal persons as defined in our laws the names of each of the accused persons must be specifically and unambiguously stated in each count and detailed particulars of the charge provided to the accused. It is also trite law that in criminal contempt proceedings each accused person must be served personally with the summons, motion or process to appear before the court. The name Owners of the Station Montie FM is not the name or names of any person who could have been served personally with the summons or processes for criminal contempt ordered by the court which was making its own complaint, prosecuting same, judging same and being jury for same. How parties are summoned to a court is as important, and part and parcel of the delivery of justice under our constitutional protection of human rights and freedoms binding upon the Court. The Court recognized in its ruling that there were no natural or legal persons called Owners of the Station Montie FM upon whom service of the notices or summons for contempt could have been personally served. This was why the ruling of the Court states that the court summoned the directors and secretary of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd because, as owners of Motie FM, the company provided the physical facilities for the contemptuous statement to be aired to the public and it is the directors and officers who answer for it when it is held in contempt. The Court then states the fact that for an unincorporated body the members of the body answer for it. The Court supports its conclusions as follows: Hence in the case of the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd (supra), it was the Managing Director of the Liberty Press Ltd, the printer and 28 professors and lecturer who were members of Legon Society on National Affairs, publishers of Legon Observer, who answered for the publication in that magazine that scandalized the judiciary. That is what happened in Liberty Press Ltd with the difference that each of the 28 professors who were members of the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs were specifically named and served personally with the criminal contempt process the pursuant notices to each appear to answer the charges against them. The Managing Director of Liberty Press Ltd represented the legal person Liberty Press Ltd and not each of the directors and officers of Liberty Press Ltd under the name Owners of the Printing Press Liberty Press Limited. A careful reading of the ruling of the Supreme Court in Owners of the Station Montie FM leaves one in no doubt that the Network Broadcasting Co. Lt. or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd referred to in the ruling were never served personally with any processes for criminal contempt of court to commence any contempt proceedings against them. One walks away with the unavoidable impression that when the Supreme Court decided to summon the suspects called Owners of the Station Montie FM before it, the Court did not even know the legal status of Montie FM or the specific identity of its owners and therefore resorted to the arbitrary power of fishing at large for whosever would be caught by the phraseology the Owners of the Station Montie FM. It then discovers that two limited liability companies Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd own the physical infrastructure and frequency respectively. The Court then proceeds to summon the Secretaries and directors of the two companies without apparently first formally summoning and serving the two companies in name as accused contemnors. Such fishing by the Court for evidence of identity of the accused persons is clearly unconstitutional. The ruling cites Liberty Press Ltd as an example and to justify the manner it summoned the Secretaries and Directors of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd to appear before it. Unfortunately the analogy flies in the face of reason. In Liberty Press Ltd on which the Court relied for its propositions of law the Managing Director is the only person stated in the report of that ruling to have represented the company. It is axiomatic that once there was a Managing Director the company also had a Board of Directors and other officers but they were not summoned as it was superfluous for them to appear before the court individually and personally to answer the companys charges of criminal contempt. Harry Zakour is recorded on the sentencing decision of the Court made on 27th July 2016 as present for 1st Contemnors The Owners of the Station Montie FM. The Supreme Court both in the sentencing ruling and decision recognize that: It is trite law that where a corporation is held in contempt of court, it is the directors and officers who answer for it, since they constitute the human face of the legal entity and consequently made the following orders in respect of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd: 3. Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd are each hereby ordered to pay a fine of GH30, 000.00 by close of 28th July 2016. The officers of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd shall be respectively held personally liable to imprisonment for any failure to comply with any of these orders. The second sentence in the decision or order No. 3 is superfluous because it merely states what the law in respect of the liability of all corporations for contempt is. But the person convicted is the company as the decision of the Court shows. It is also trite law that incorporated companies in contempt of court are fined and not imprisoned because the artificial legal person represented by the company is a notional concept and not physically available for imprisonment. But it is also trite law that whosoever pleads to a charge of contempt of court on behalf of such a legal person does so with proper authority to represent the company. A corollary of the trite law referred to by the Court is that the legal person in contempt is the company and not its officers who are only vicariously liable for paying the fines or going to prison on behalf of the company. From the Supreme Courts own statement of the law in Liberty Press Co Ltd the directors and officers of a company are not personally the contemnors as was the case with the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs where each of the 28 professors and lecturers who were its members were individually charged and pleaded to the charge in person and were individually convicted. The position would have been the same even if Montie FM was said to be an unincorporated body. The corporations and not its officers individually would still be the owners. Consequently, any disclosure in the record of proceedings in Owners of the Station Montie FM showing that each of the directors and officers of the corporations were individually summoned by the Court and forced to each plead to the charges against the corporation in person and each convicted is clearly a violation of statement of the trite law by the Court and also of the 1992 Constitution. Ato Ahwoi the Endnote The foregoing analysis and statement of the triteness of the law by the Court itself on this matter is what makes it absurd that the sentencing decision of the Supreme Court has an end note stating that one of the Directors of the 1st Contemnor in the person of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, who was absent on the days the matter was heard, appeared and pleaded liable with explanation. Mr. Ato Ahwoi by the Courts own statement of the law is a director of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, a legal person in its own right. Without any evidence that the company was properly served with contempt proceedings, an authorized representative of the company had already appeared before the Court and pleaded on behalf of the company upon which the company had already been convicted. After the conclusion of the sentencing the Network Broadcasting Company Limited and the other contemnors for criminal contempt of court, the Court is informed that one of the directors who was absent from the jurisdiction is in court in obedience to an order or request by the court that all directors of the company should appear before the Court apparently so that they will know how the legal person they collectively represent is to be dealt with. Without further ado the Court takes the plea of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, a director of the already convicted and sentenced Network Broadcasting Company Limited without any record that the charges were read and explained to him. There is also no record in the end notes which represents the record of proceedings on this director, Mr. Ahwoi, to show that he was represented by a lawyer or that he had opted to represent himself in person. He pleads guilty with explanation. At worst this plea of guilty with explanation on the triteness of the law was being entered by Mr. Ato Ahwoi on behalf of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited which had already been convicted and sentenced before he was called upon in the end note to plead again to an offence which had already been dealt with. The Court without giving any reasons why the explanation of Mr. Ato Ahwoi constitutes an unequivocal plea of guilty convicts him in the following words: By Court: Mr. Ato Ahwoi is hereby convicted on all the charges on his own plea of liability. The purported conviction of Mr. Ato Ahwoi as a director for an offence which the limited liability company in which he is a director had already been convicted and sentenced to a fine of GH30,000. 00 is a fundamental error of law that has occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice to him. The triteness of this law is that once the trial, conviction and sentencing of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited had been completed the Network Broadcasting Company Limited could not under Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution be charged with the same offences again. It follows that Mr. Ato Ahwoi who was merely one of the directors of the company benefits from the immunity acquired by the company and could not also be tried personally for the same offence a second time. Regrettably, and unfortunately, because the Supreme Court choose to prosecute and judge a contempt ex facie curiae by itself, it unwittingly failed to allow Mr. Ato Ahwoi the basic right to a lawyer before taking his plea, follow the due process of law, and convicted him when it should have been trite that he was being put in double jeopardy for the same offence after the earlier conviction and sentencing of the company for which he is director. It is instructive that after purporting to convict Mr. Ato Ahwoi, the Court found itself unable to sentence him personally for the alleged criminal contempt of court. The purported arraignment and personal conviction of Mr. Ahwoi as a director of the company in addition to the earlier conviction of the company itself was inconsistent with and in contravention of Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution. Precedent of the Presidential Election Petition Contempt Convictions There are those who would be tempted to raise the issue of the purported convictions for criminal contempt in the Presidential Elections Petition of persons from the two largest political parties in Ghana as precedent for the Courts procedure in this case as well. My answer to them is that if those proceedings also suffered from the same violations of the 1992 Constitution as I have demonstrated in this paper then those convictions were inconsistent with provisions of the Constitution and also void. In this regard the wisdom contained in the dissenting opinion of the late eminent and very distinguished Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Justice Adade, in Bilson v Apaloo [1981] GLR 24 at 69-70, comes to mind. He said that: .But it is said that the Court of Appeal has been sitting five all the time, and no one has raised a finger. That does not mean that a finger can never be raised. It has been raised now, and we cannot force it down. If in my reckoning, an error was committed then, there is no reason why that error should be perpetuated simply because it has been done with impunity in the past. Public policy and commonsense pleaded by the defendant, cannot be suffered to oust the operation of what, in my view, are the clear prescription of constitutional provision. I say also that in so far as the Supreme Court did not avert its mind to the constitutional standards laid down in the criminal contempt case of Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu on the procedure and burden of proof for the criminal contempt of scandalizing the court, the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case was rendered in disregard of the Courts own previous and binding decision. In accordance with Article 129(3) of the Constitution the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM was given per incuriam and consequently void under the Constitution. The Common law Tradition I wrote a case review in the 1989-90 Review of Ghana, at pages 317-337 on Bail in Murder Cases in which I argued that the prohibition allegedly imposed by section 96(7)(a) of Act 30 on the granting of bail to accused persons in murder and related offences were unconstitutional and void under the 1979 Constitution, and could not have been revived by the abrogation of that Constitution. The Supreme Court came to the same conclusion this year in Martin Kpebu v Attorney-General, 5th May 2016, several years after my case comment. What I said in that case comment defending the liberty of the individual to a fair trial seems appropriate even today to bear repetition. I wrote amongst other things that: .It would be a sad day in the legal history of Anglo-Ghanaian jurisprudence when the liberty of the individual becomes a clarion call for anarchy or a means of seeking judicial self-glorification per se. Mr. Justice Cardozos admonishment to judges of the common law tradition not to be knight-errants ought to be remembered by all those whose business is to judge. In pointing out the difference between le phenomine Magnaud and justice according to law he said: The judge, even when he is free, is still not wholly free. He is not to innovate at pleasure. He is not a knight-errant, roaming at will in pursuit of his own ideals of beauty or goodness. He is to draw his inspiration from consecrated principles. He is not to yield to spasmodic sentiments, to vague and unregulated benevolence. He is to exercise his discretion informed by tradition, methodized by analogy, disciplined by system, and subordinated to the premodial necessity of order in social life. THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY PRESIDENTIAL PARDON I find the immediate resort by the lawyers for the contemnors to petitioning the President for pardon for the contemnors revolting having regard to the context of the case, the background of the contemnors, and their association with the Government of the day. It embarrasses and encumbers the Presidential power of mercy which he may exercise in respect of any conviction for crime including the offences constituting criminal contempt of court after consultation with the Council of State. As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the Presidents powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Courts judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy! : to grant to a person convicted of an offence a pardon. Etc. Anybody acquainted with the judicial process should know that there have been instances in which courts themselves have invited the President to consider exercising his powers of mercy by pardoning the convicted. It will be an insult to the integrity, professionalism and maturity of our judicial system to say that the Court will be offended by any exercise of the powers of mercy by the President, simply because the conviction was for contempt of the court. The advocates against the exercise of the Presidents powers of mercy in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case may be ignorant of the fact that various Presidents under the 1992 Constitution have in the past exercised the power of pardon in favour of some convicted criminal contemnors whose cases arose from or as a result of constitutional litigation in the Supreme Court or other lower courts without any objection or bother from the judiciary. Why should the Owners of the Station Montie FM case be an exception? The problem is that most convictions and sentences for criminal contempt arising from or associated with the conduct of constitutional cases in the courts invariably take on a partisan political flavor in this country, let alone in an election year. A dispassionate observer will not fail to see that with a few exceptions the arguments for and against perceptions of fairness of how the Owners of the Station Montie FM case were tried; and whether or not the President could consider exercising his power of mercy at any appropriate time of his choice has been clouded by political party interest with an eye towards campaign rhetorics for the coming elections. In my respectful view the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court. The Court cannot be the Respondent in an application for review. It is also absurd to suggest that the Attorney-General who did not initiate or conduct the contempt prosecutions can now be a Respondent to a review application on their behalf. The matter is complicated by the fact that jailing the accused at the close of the legal year unwittingly ensures that any application brought on their behalf may not be heard until after the vacation in October by which time they might have served almost the whole term of imprisonment. But as is usually the case with most constitutional conflicts with partisan political undertones timing in whatever a President does is important for purposes of managing perceptions and wounded feelings. The strategic resources at the disposal of every President are intended to guide him in taking decisions that meet his strategic vision for a nation and its public interest. CONCLUSIONS I take cognizance of the fact that the convicted and imprisoned accused contemnors were convicted upon their own plea of guilty. But as I have demonstrated herein those pleas were procured in contravention of the fundamental rights and freedoms, and other provisions of the 1992 Constitution. I share all the sentiments expressed in Liberty Press Ltd, Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu and the sentencing ruling in Owners of the Station Montie FM on the sanctity and respect to be accorded by the citizen to the judiciary and the individual judge. It was for some of these reasons that I initiated, and conducted in person as the then Deputy Attorney-General the Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu criminal contempt prosecution in accordance with the due process of law and secured convictions and sentences. As the longest served former Deputy Attorney-General, and a former Attorney-General of Ghana, I have a history of ardently fighting against any attempt to bring the judiciary into contempt and disrepute in any form whatsoever. I believe that the Constitution mandates every citizen to defend the judiciary within its permissible prescriptions. The sentencing ruling and decision of the Owners of the Station Montie FM case, however runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. It is, therefore, with great reluctance that I write this considered paper in defence of the 1992 Constitution. Martin A. B.K. Amidu The Supreme Court of Ghana gravely miscarried justice against Mr. Ato Ahwoi, one of the Directors of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, owners of Montie FM, as far as the contempt case against the Accra-based private radio station and its owners and the Montie 3 was concerned, former Attorney General Martin Amidu has argued. Apart from a four-month jail sentence handed the Montie 3: Alistair Nelson, Godwin Ako Gunn and Salifu Maase, aka Mugube, each Director of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, including Mr. Ahwoi, was fined GHS30,000. However, Mr. Amidu, in a long article proffering his views on the Supreme Court ruling on the Montie FM case said it was wrong for the court to have held Network Broadcasting Company Limited liable and, at the same time, hold Mr. Ahwoi, a Director of company also liable in his individual capacity. He said it was absurd that the sentencing decision of the Supreme Court has an end note stating that one of the Directors of the 1st Contemnor in the person of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, who was absent on the days the matter was heard, appeared and pleaded liable with explanation. Mr. Ato Ahwoi by the Courts own statement of the law is a director of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, a legal person in its own right. Without any evidence that the company was properly served with contempt proceedings, an authorized representative of the company had already appeared before the Court and pleaded on behalf of the company upon which the company had already been convicted. After the conclusion of the sentencing, the Network Broadcasting Company Limited and the other contemnors for criminal contempt of court, the Court is informed that one of the directors who was absent from the jurisdiction is in court in obedience to an order or request by the court that all directors of the company should appear before the Court apparently so that they will know how the legal person they collectively represent is to be dealt with. Without further ado, the Court takes the plea of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, a director of the already convicted and sentenced Network Broadcasting Company Limited without any record that the charges were read and explained to him. There is also no record in the end notes which represents the record of proceedings on this director, Mr. Ahwoi, to show that he was represented by a lawyer or that he had opted to represent himself in person. He pleads guilty with explanation. At worst this plea of guilty with explanation on the triteness of the law was being entered by Mr. Ato Ahwoi on behalf of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited which had already been convicted and sentenced before he was called upon in the end note to plead again to an offence which had already been dealt with. The Court without giving any reasons why the explanation of Mr. Ato Ahwoi constitutes an unequivocal plea of guilty convicts him in the following words: By Court: Mr. Ato Ahwoi is hereby convicted on all the charges on his own plea of liability. The purported conviction of Mr. Ato Ahwoi as a director for an offence which the limited liability company in which he is a director had already been convicted and sentenced to a fine of GH30,000. 00 is a fundamental error of law that has occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice to him. The triteness of this law is that once the trial, conviction and sentencing of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited had been completed, the Network Broadcasting Company Limited could not under Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution be charged with the same offences again. It follows that Mr. Ato Ahwoi who was merely one of the directors of the company benefits from the immunity acquired by the company and could not also be tried personally for the same offence a second time. Regrettably, and unfortunately, because the Supreme Court chose to prosecute and judge a contempt ex facie curiae by itself, it unwittingly failed to allow Mr. Ato Ahwoi the basic right to a lawyer before taking his plea, follow the due process of law, and convicted him when it should have been trite that he was being put in double jeopardy for the same offence after the earlier conviction and sentencing of the company for which he is director. It is instructive that after purporting to convict Mr. Ato Ahwoi, the Court found itself unable to sentence him personally for the alleged criminal contempt of court. The purported arraignment and personal conviction of Mr. Ahwoi as a director of the company in addition to the earlier conviction of the company itself was inconsistent with and in contravention of Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution. Read below Mr Martin Amidus full article: MONTIE FM CRIMINAL CONTEMPT MARTIN AMIDUS TAKE INTRODUCTION I read pieces of what has now become popularly known as the Montie 3 contempt of court contempt proceedings, convictions, and sentencing ruling and decision or orders on the web particularly the Ghana Web. True to my self-imposed embargo upon the demise of my dear mother on 6th March 2016 to mourn her and stay out of the eyes of the media for some time, I defied the temptations put on my path by media houses and fellow citizens insisting on hearing my comment or urging me to proffer my written views on those proceedings. I excused myself with not having read the sentencing ruling and decision of the Supreme Court. A contemporary of mine at Law School and in Government baited me by e-mailing to me scanned certified true copies of both the sentencing ruling and decision with the request that I acquaint him with my opinion of the case after I had read it. This paper is the result of that understanding. I have consequently read a certified true copy of the sentencing ruling, and the decision in the Owners of the Station Montie FM criminal contempt of court case and come to the considered conclusion that it raises several issues of constitutional, professional, and public importance. It is beyond argument that the Supreme Court is clothed with the power to commit for contempt of itself under the 1992 Constitution. But the same Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court to exercise all its powers in accordance with the due process of law and to respect the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under it. I take the humble view that even though the courts powers for committing for contempt of themselves have often been described as almost arbitrary, that may only approximate the truth when one is dealing with contempt committed in facie curiae in the face of the court or in court, so to speak to be dealt with on the spot. However, when the contempt is a criminal contempt committed ex facie curiae (out of Court) the Court has no power or authority under the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by 1992 Constitution to proceed as the complainant, prosecutor, judge and jury in its own cause. The trial must be adversarial and comply with due the process of law of a fair trial. The inquisitorial Star Chambers method of ancient Britain by which the accused were brought before and tried by the Court was clearly inconsistent with and in contravention of Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution. I came to the conclusion that the lawyers for the accused persons did not help the Court and the accused persons when they failed or refused to raise all the constitutional and legal defences against the charges and arraignment processes. They led their all-trusting clients to the Court to plead guilty to the alleged charges of criminal contempt only to turn round to criticise the Court for interfering with the contemnors right to free speech because of the magnitude of the sentences imposed by the Court. I also take the further view that if the lawyers for the accused persons had insisted on the constitutional rights of the accused person to a fair trial throughout the proceedings, the situation where the ambiguous 1st contemnor called Owners of the Station Montie FM was transformed into Network Broadcasting Company Limited, and Zee Zee Media Limited and each director and officer of the corporate persons hauled individually, arraigned and personally convicted in addition to the conviction of each company would have been avoided. THE LAWYERS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ACCUSED AND TO THE COURT It does not appear from the sentencing ruling of the Supreme Court that the lawyers for the accused contemnors raised any preliminary objection, at the arraignment of the accused to plead to the criminal contempt charges, to the lack of constitutional jurisdiction in the Court to try the accused persons inquisitorially. The lawyers responsibility to the court and to his client is to put up all the best objections and defences for his client. The Court could have been persuaded that the non-adversarial manner by which it had brought the contemnors to the Court was inconsistent with the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed by Chapter 5 of the 1992 Constitution, particularly Articles 12, 14(1), 19(2)(d)(g) (10) and (18), 21(1)(a), and 33(5) thereof. The outline of the argument could have been that the process by which the contemnors were brought to the Court deprived them of their right to a fair trial under Article 19 of the Constitution as the process adopted by the Court presumed them guilty contrary to clause 2(c) thereof which enjoins that he be presumed to be innocent until he is proved or has pleaded guilty. It could also have been contended that the summary manner the Court was proceeding was depriving the contemnors of their constitutional right to be informed in detail of the nature of the offence charged and consequently being deprived of adequate time and facilities for the preparation of their defence contrary to sub-clauses (d), (e), and (g) of Article 19(2) thereof. It could further have been submitted to the Court that the manner it was proceeding summarily in the criminal contempt by calling upon the contemnors to show cause why they should not be committed for criminal contempt of court offends Article 19(10) which enjoins that: No person who is tried for a criminal offence shall be compelled to give evidence at the trial. The Court could have been reminded that Article 19(12) of the 1992 Constitution makes only one exception for the Court when trying criminal contempt of court by excluding only the application of Article 19(11) which requires that: no person shall be convicted for a criminal offence unless the offence is defined and the penalty for it prescribed in a written law. It would have been obvious to the Court that if the framers of the Constitution had intended the courts to try offences of criminal contempt inquisitorially contrary to the other guaranteed fair trial clauses of Article 19 of the Constitution they would have specifically said so in Article 19(12). The foregoing submission could have been inextricably interwoven with submissions on the guaranteed freedom of speech and expression which includes the freedom of the press and other media under Article 21(1)(a) of the Constitution. It could have also been contended that the inquisitorial approach of the discredited Star Chambers of old in punishing non-adversarially for criminal contempt have not only be discarded in all civilized democratic countries but that Articles 12 and 33(5) of the Constitution enjoins the Supreme Court of Ghana to protect, defend and guarantee the rights, duties, declarations, and guarantees not specifically mentioned which are considered to be inherent in a democracy and intended to secure the freedom and dignity of man. It could have been submitted with the aid of decided cases (including the Supreme Courts Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others: Ex Parte Attorney-General [1995-96] 1 GLR 377) that even the Anglo-Saxon jurisprudence which we inherited has long considered prosecutions for criminal contempt as being inconsistent with rights inherent in a democracy let alone an inquisitorial approach long discarded by our colonial masters who introduced us to it. In accordance with the doctrine of judicial precedent the case of the Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu alone would have provided material on which to anchor strong constitutional and legal arguments why the procedure by which the contemnors were brought to the Court was unconstitutional and inconsistent with the Courts jurisdiction under the Constitution. The case of the Republic v Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 could also have been persuasive. These are examples of ex facie contempt tried adversarially and not inquisitorially. The Liberty Press Ltd case upon which the Supreme Court apparently relied in formulating parts of its sentencing ruling and the binding Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu case, which the Court overlooked, show that the trial of any charge of criminal contempt of court partakes of the same characteristics as the trial of any other criminal offences with the prosecution having the burden of proving the guilt of the accused persons beyond a reasonable doubt including all the presumptions of innocence etc. These cases would have been helpful in formulating the submission to the Court as a preliminary objection to the inquisitorial summons by which the contemnors or the accused persons were brought before the Court. In the very scheme of our Constitution, the Court would have been compelled to decide the preliminary objection to the inquisitorial procedure adopted to try the contemnors for the offences charged. The beauty of our judicial process is that the Court even if it overruled all the preliminary objections would have been compelled to assign considered reasons for rejecting them. The ruling or judgment will be a public testament of the Courts decision in such important Constitutional and democratic matters to which the justices will eternally be judged. No court or judge wants to be associated with indefensible rulings touching the fundamental rights and freedoms in democracies such as ours. Both the legal arguments or submissions, and the courts ruling act as a restraining factor on the contempt of court powers which have already been recognized as being arbitrary. The lawyers in Liberty Press Ltd, and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu knew this and took their chances and even though the accused in the Liberty Press Ltd case later changed their pleas to guilty and those in the Mensa-Bonsu case eventually lost the trial the public and the legal profession will continue to judge the conduct of the justices in those cases. The preliminary objection to the procedure and the charge of criminal contempt has nothing to do with the guilt or innocence of the contemnors. The accused person had a constitutional right to challenge the Republic in whose name the crime of criminal contempt was being prosecuted by the trial court on its own motion to prove his guilt adversarially and beyond a reasonable doubt. The lawyers unfortunately failed or refused to discharge their responsibilities to the accused persons and to the Court. THE RULING AND SENTENCING DECISIONS OF THE COURT The contempt for which the accused persons were hauled to the Court was committed ex facie curiae out of court. I was consequently interested in the title of the criminal contempt case. Contempt of scandalizing the court with which the accused persons were charged is a criminal offence and like all criminal offences must under Article 88 of the Constitution be prosecuted in the name of the Republic and by the Attorney-General or any other person authorized by him in accordance with law. But because the Court had assumed the arbitrary power of being the complainant, prosecutor, and judge in its own cause the title of the case was Abu Ramadan, Evans Nimako vrs. 1. Electoral Commission 2. The Attorney General, In Re: 1. The Owners of the Station Montie FM, 2. Salifu Maase @ Mugabe (3) Alistair Nelson (4) Godwin Ako Gunn as though the criminal contempt was committed in facie curiae. In the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd & 28 Others [1968] GLR 123 and Republic v Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu & 2 Others both of which were ex facie curiae contempt, the prosecution for contempt was initiated and conducted by the Attorney General in the High Court and the Supreme Court respectively and gave the accused persons the right to a fair trial. The reason why the appropriate procedure promotes fairness and justice was aptly indicated in the ruling of Akufo-Addo CJ (as he then was) sitting as an additional High Court judge as follows: In so far as my decision embodies any general conclusions affecting the jurisdiction of the courts in contempt matters, it is referable only to contempt ex facie curiae (out of court) as distinct from contempt in facie curiae which is always dealt with on the spot, so to speak, without any intervention of the Attorney-General applying for a writ of attachment. The Supreme Court in Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu underscored the difference between contempt in the face of the court and the prosecution of ex facie criminal contempt of court cases and arrived at the same conclusion. Regrettably such an important issue was not raised by the accused persons as a preliminary point to jurisdiction at their arraignment. And as the ruling shows the Court was exasperated by the Attorney-Generals lack of responsiveness to the execution of her constitutional duties that it decided unwittingly to treat the matter as though the contempt was committed in court and was being dealt with on the spot so to speak. In the rulings in Liberty Press Ltd, and Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu the rulings adequately state not only the charges but also in detail the particularly of the charges faced by the accused persons. The sentencing ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case does not state the particulars (let alone in detail) of the nature of the offences charged, to have enabled the accused persons to have known the details of their crime to enable them plead knowingly to the charges. It only states that they were brought before the court for contempt of court on three grounds namely: (a) Scandalizing the court (b) Defying and lowering the authority of this court and (3) Bringing the authority of this court into disrepute. What is stated as three separate offences are not mutually exclusive offences one of the other and without detailed particulars accompanying each offence the charges were on their face bad for duplicity and also inconsistent with Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution on fair trial. Reading the sentencing ruling of the Court one gets the impression that the summons for the accused persons and the directors and officers of the two corporations to appear before the Court to answer the allegations of criminal contempt did not contain particulars of the contumacious words, the date and the venue at which they were spoken or broadcast so as to enable the accused persons to be informed in detail of the nature of the offences charged in accordance with Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution. The lack of particulars of the crime to the accused persons is brought out in the ruling when the Court stated that it was shocked and saddened to hear each of the directors as well as their Company Secretary say that, until a recording of the offending programme was played in Court they had not listened to nor heard the reprehensible utterances, despite the fact that, for a couple of weeks both the print media and radio stations had been full of discussions of the diatribe that was aired by their station, Montie FM. Far from being an indictment on the accused persons it demonstrates that they were arbitrarily hauled before the Court without any semblance of the due process of law in criminal justice administration as mandated by the Constitution. Their criminal charges were clearly bad for lack of particulars at arraignment. It follows from the foregoing that the constitutional rights of the accused person under Article 19(2)(e) of the Constitution enjoining the Court that the accused be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence was also violated. Owners of the Station Montie FM not legal persons for personal service of charges The first contemnor in the Montie case is called: Owners of the Station Montie FM and not even simply Montie FM. It is trite learning that because criminal contempt can be proceeded against only natural or legal persons as defined in our laws the names of each of the accused persons must be specifically and unambiguously stated in each count and detailed particulars of the charge provided to the accused. It is also trite law that in criminal contempt proceedings each accused person must be served personally with the summons, motion or process to appear before the court. The name Owners of the Station Montie FM is not the name or names of any person who could have been served personally with the summons or processes for criminal contempt ordered by the court which was making its own complaint, prosecuting same, judging same and being jury for same. How parties are summoned to a court is as important, and part and parcel of the delivery of justice under our constitutional protection of human rights and freedoms binding upon the Court. The Court recognized in its ruling that there were no natural or legal persons called Owners of the Station Montie FM upon whom service of the notices or summons for contempt could have been personally served. This was why the ruling of the Court states that the court summoned the directors and secretary of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd because, as owners of Motie FM, the company provided the physical facilities for the contemptuous statement to be aired to the public and it is the directors and officers who answer for it when it is held in contempt. The Court then states the fact that for an unincorporated body the members of the body answer for it. The Court supports its conclusions as follows: Hence in the case of the Republic v. Liberty Press Ltd (supra), it was the Managing Director of the Liberty Press Ltd, the printer and 28 professors and lecturer who were members of Legon Society on National Affairs, publishers of Legon Observer, who answered for the publication in that magazine that scandalized the judiciary. That is what happened in Liberty Press Ltd with the difference that each of the 28 professors who were members of the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs were specifically named and served personally with the criminal contempt process the pursuant notices to each appear to answer the charges against them. The Managing Director of Liberty Press Ltd represented the legal person Liberty Press Ltd and not each of the directors and officers of Liberty Press Ltd under the name Owners of the Printing Press Liberty Press Limited. A careful reading of the ruling of the Supreme Court in Owners of the Station Montie FM leaves one in no doubt that the Network Broadcasting Co. Lt. or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd referred to in the ruling were never served personally with any processes for criminal contempt of court to commence any contempt proceedings against them. One walks away with the unavoidable impression that when the Supreme Court decided to summon the suspects called Owners of the Station Montie FM before it, the Court did not even know the legal status of Montie FM or the specific identity of its owners and therefore resorted to the arbitrary power of fishing at large for whosever would be caught by the phraseology the Owners of the Station Montie FM. It then discovers that two limited liability companies Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd or another limited liability company called Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd own the physical infrastructure and frequency respectively. The Court then proceeds to summon the Secretaries and directors of the two companies without apparently first formally summoning and serving the two companies in name as accused contemnors. Such fishing by the Court for evidence of identity of the accused persons is clearly unconstitutional. The ruling cites Liberty Press Ltd as an example and to justify the manner it summoned the Secretaries and Directors of Network Broadcasting Co. Ltd and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd to appear before it. Unfortunately the analogy flies in the face of reason. In Liberty Press Ltd on which the Court relied for its propositions of law the Managing Director is the only person stated in the report of that ruling to have represented the company. It is axiomatic that once there was a Managing Director the company also had a Board of Directors and other officers but they were not summoned as it was superfluous for them to appear before the court individually and personally to answer the companys charges of criminal contempt. Harry Zakour is recorded on the sentencing decision of the Court made on 27th July 2016 as present for 1st Contemnors The Owners of the Station Montie FM. The Supreme Court both in the sentencing ruling and decision recognize that: It is trite law that where a corporation is held in contempt of court, it is the directors and officers who answer for it, since they constitute the human face of the legal entity and consequently made the following orders in respect of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd: 3. Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ltd are each hereby ordered to pay a fine of GH30, 000.00 by close of 28th July 2016. The officers of Network Broadcasting Company Limited and Zee Zee Media Ghana Ltd shall be respectively held personally liable to imprisonment for any failure to comply with any of these orders. The second sentence in the decision or order No. 3 is superfluous because it merely states what the law in respect of the liability of all corporations for contempt is. But the person convicted is the company as the decision of the Court shows. It is also trite law that incorporated companies in contempt of court are fined and not imprisoned because the artificial legal person represented by the company is a notional concept and not physically available for imprisonment. But it is also trite law that whosoever pleads to a charge of contempt of court on behalf of such a legal person does so with proper authority to represent the company. A corollary of the trite law referred to by the Court is that the legal person in contempt is the company and not its officers who are only vicariously liable for paying the fines or going to prison on behalf of the company. From the Supreme Courts own statement of the law in Liberty Press Co Ltd the directors and officers of a company are not personally the contemnors as was the case with the unincorporated Legon Society on National Affairs where each of the 28 professors and lecturers who were its members were individually charged and pleaded to the charge in person and were individually convicted. The position would have been the same even if Montie FM was said to be an unincorporated body. The corporations and not its officers individually would still be the owners. Consequently, any disclosure in the record of proceedings in Owners of the Station Montie FM showing that each of the directors and officers of the corporations were individually summoned by the Court and forced to each plead to the charges against the corporation in person and each convicted is clearly a violation of statement of the trite law by the Court and also of the 1992 Constitution. Ato Ahwoi the Endnote The foregoing analysis and statement of the triteness of the law by the Court itself on this matter is what makes it absurd that the sentencing decision of the Supreme Court has an end note stating that one of the Directors of the 1st Contemnor in the person of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, who was absent on the days the matter was heard, appeared and pleaded liable with explanation. Mr. Ato Ahwoi by the Courts own statement of the law is a director of Network Broadcasting Company Limited, a legal person in its own right. Without any evidence that the company was properly served with contempt proceedings, an authorized representative of the company had already appeared before the Court and pleaded on behalf of the company upon which the company had already been convicted. After the conclusion of the sentencing the Network Broadcasting Company Limited and the other contemnors for criminal contempt of court, the Court is informed that one of the directors who was absent from the jurisdiction is in court in obedience to an order or request by the court that all directors of the company should appear before the Court apparently so that they will know how the legal person they collectively represent is to be dealt with. Without further ado the Court takes the plea of Mr. Ato Ahwoi, a director of the already convicted and sentenced Network Broadcasting Company Limited without any record that the charges were read and explained to him. There is also no record in the end notes which represents the record of proceedings on this director, Mr. Ahwoi, to show that he was represented by a lawyer or that he had opted to represent himself in person. He pleads guilty with explanation. At worst this plea of guilty with explanation on the triteness of the law was being entered by Mr. Ato Ahwoi on behalf of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited which had already been convicted and sentenced before he was called upon in the end note to plead again to an offence which had already been dealt with. The Court without giving any reasons why the explanation of Mr. Ato Ahwoi constitutes an unequivocal plea of guilty convicts him in the following words: By Court: Mr. Ato Ahwoi is hereby convicted on all the charges on his own plea of liability. The purported conviction of Mr. Ato Ahwoi as a director for an offence which the limited liability company in which he is a director had already been convicted and sentenced to a fine of GH30,000. 00 is a fundamental error of law that has occasioned a grave miscarriage of justice to him. The triteness of this law is that once the trial, conviction and sentencing of the Network Broadcasting Company Limited had been completed, the Network Broadcasting Company Limited could not under Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution be charged with the same offences again. It follows that Mr. Ato Ahwoi who was merely one of the directors of the company benefits from the immunity acquired by the company and could not also be tried personally for the same offence a second time. Regrettably, and unfortunately, because the Supreme Court chose to prosecute and judge a contempt ex facie curiae by itself, it unwittingly failed to allow Mr. Ato Ahwoi the basic right to a lawyer before taking his plea, follow the due process of law, and convicted him when it should have been trite that he was being put in double jeopardy for the same offence after the earlier conviction and sentencing of the company for which he is director. It is instructive that after purporting to convict Mr. Ato Ahwoi, the Court found itself unable to sentence him personally for the alleged criminal contempt of court. The purported arraignment and personal conviction of Mr. Ahwoi as a director of the company in addition to the earlier conviction of the company itself was inconsistent with and in contravention of Article 19(7) of the 1992 Constitution. Precedent of the Presidential Election Petition Contempt Convictions There are those who would be tempted to raise the issue of the purported convictions for criminal contempt in the Presidential Elections Petition of persons from the two largest political parties in Ghana as precedent for the Courts procedure in this case as well. My answer to them is that if those proceedings also suffered from the same violations of the 1992 Constitution as I have demonstrated in this paper then those convictions were inconsistent with provisions of the Constitution and also void. In this regard the wisdom contained in the dissenting opinion of the late eminent and very distinguished Supreme Court Judge, Mr. Justice Adade, in Bilson v Apaloo [1981] GLR 24 at 69-70, comes to mind. He said that: .But it is said that the Court of Appeal has been sitting five all the time, and no one has raised a finger. That does not mean that a finger can never be raised. It has been raised now, and we cannot force it down. If in my reckoning, an error was committed then, there is no reason why that error should be perpetuated simply because it has been done with impunity in the past. Public policy and commonsense pleaded by the defendant, cannot be suffered to oust the operation of what, in my view, are the clear prescription of constitutional provision. I say also that in so far as the Supreme Court did not avert its mind to the constitutional standards laid down in the criminal contempt case of Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu on the procedure and burden of proof for the criminal contempt of scandalizing the court, the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case was rendered in disregard of the Courts own previous and binding decision. In accordance with Article 129(3) of the Constitution the ruling in the Owners of the Station Montie FM was given per incuriam and consequently void under the Constitution. The Common law Tradition I wrote a case review in the 1989-90 Review of Ghana, at pages 317-337 on Bail in Murder Cases in which I argued that the prohibition allegedly imposed by section 96(7)(a) of Act 30 on the granting of bail to accused persons in murder and related offences were unconstitutional and void under the 1979 Constitution, and could not have been revived by the abrogation of that Constitution. The Supreme Court came to the same conclusion this year in Martin Kpebu v Attorney-General, 5th May 2016, several years after my case comment. What I said in that case comment defending the liberty of the individual to a fair trial seems appropriate even today to bear repetition. I wrote amongst other things that: .It would be a sad day in the legal history of Anglo-Ghanaian jurisprudence when the liberty of the individual becomes a clarion call for anarchy or a means of seeking judicial self-glorification per se. Mr. Justice Cardozos admonishment to judges of the common law tradition not to be knight-errants ought to be remembered by all those whose business is to judge. In pointing out the difference between le phenomine Magnaud and justice according to law he said: The judge, even when he is free, is still not wholly free. He is not to innovate at pleasure. He is not a knight-errant, roaming at will in pursuit of his own ideals of beauty or goodness. He is to draw his inspiration from consecrated principles. He is not to yield to spasmodic sentiments, to vague and unregulated benevolence. He is to exercise his discretion informed by tradition, methodized by analogy, disciplined by system, and subordinated to the premodial necessity of order in social life. THE PREROGATIVE OF MERCY PRESIDENTIAL PARDON I find the immediate resort by the lawyers for the contemnors to petitioning the President for pardon for the contemnors revolting having regard to the context of the case, the background of the contemnors, and their association with the Government of the day. It embarrasses and encumbers the Presidential power of mercy which he may exercise in respect of any conviction for crime including the offences constituting criminal contempt of court after consultation with the Council of State. As for the argument that it will be an interference with the independence of the judiciary to grant any pardon, I will like the proponents of that doctrine to tell the whole world which exercise of the Presidents powers of pardon cannot be said to be an interference with judicial independence in the sense that it pardons convictions and/or sentences already imposed in exercise of the Courts judicial power. That is why it is a prerogative of mercy! : to grant to a person convicted of an offence a pardon. Etc. Anybody acquainted with the judicial process should know that there have been instances in which courts themselves have invited the President to consider exercising his powers of mercy by pardoning the convicted. It will be an insult to the integrity, professionalism and maturity of our judicial system to say that the Court will be offended by any exercise of the powers of mercy by the President, simply because the conviction was for contempt of the court. The advocates against the exercise of the Presidents powers of mercy in the Owners of the Station Montie FM case may be ignorant of the fact that various Presidents under the 1992 Constitution have in the past exercised the power of pardon in favour of some convicted criminal contemnors whose cases arose from or as a result of constitutional litigation in the Supreme Court or other lower courts without any objection or bother from the judiciary. Why should the Owners of the Station Montie FM case be an exception? The problem is that most convictions and sentences for criminal contempt arising from or associated with the conduct of constitutional cases in the courts invariably take on a partisan political flavor in this country, let alone in an election year. A dispassionate observer will not fail to see that with a few exceptions the arguments for and against perceptions of fairness of how the Owners of the Station Montie FM case were tried; and whether or not the President could consider exercising his power of mercy at any appropriate time of his choice has been clouded by political party interest with an eye towards campaign rhetorics for the coming elections. In my respectful view the most objective justification for the exercise of the power of mercy in this case is that the Court by adopting an unconstitutional procedure in convicting and imprisoning the contemnors, in one fell swoop, deprived them of any right of an appeal or a review of the decision of the Court. The Court cannot be the Respondent in an application for review. It is also absurd to suggest that the Attorney-General who did not initiate or conduct the contempt prosecutions can now be a Respondent to a review application on their behalf. The matter is complicated by the fact that jailing the accused at the close of the legal year unwittingly ensures that any application brought on their behalf may not be heard until after the vacation in October by which time they might have served almost the whole term of imprisonment. But as is usually the case with most constitutional conflicts with partisan political undertones timing in whatever a President does is important for purposes of managing perceptions and wounded feelings. The strategic resources at the disposal of every President are intended to guide him in taking decisions that meet his strategic vision for a nation and its public interest. CONCLUSIONS I take cognizance of the fact that the convicted and imprisoned accused contemnors were convicted upon their own plea of guilty. But as I have demonstrated herein those pleas were procured in contravention of the fundamental rights and freedoms, and other provisions of the 1992 Constitution. I share all the sentiments expressed in Liberty Press Ltd, Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu and the sentencing ruling in Owners of the Station Montie FM on the sanctity and respect to be accorded by the citizen to the judiciary and the individual judge. It was for some of these reasons that I initiated, and conducted in person as the then Deputy Attorney-General the Kwabena Mensa-Bonsu criminal contempt prosecution in accordance with the due process of law and secured convictions and sentences. As the longest served former Deputy Attorney-General, and a former Attorney-General of Ghana, I have a history of ardently fighting against any attempt to bring the judiciary into contempt and disrepute in any form whatsoever. I believe that the Constitution mandates every citizen to defend the judiciary within its permissible prescriptions. The sentencing ruling and decision of the Owners of the Station Montie FM case, however runs roughshod over the liberty of the individual under Chapter 5 of the Constitution. It is, therefore, with great reluctance that I write this considered paper in defence of the 1992 Constitution. The Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has revealed Actor John Dumelos address to party supporters shortly after an address by former President John Rawlings during the partys campaign launch last Sunday was planned. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said organizers of the campaign launch committed no protocol blunder by allowing the Actor, who is not a heavy weight in the party, to speak after the NDC Founder. Sometimes its a question of strategy. Where you want to get the message to. I dont think it was a protocol nightmare, he said on PM Express on Monday that discussed matters arising after the ruling partys campaign launch in Cape Coast, the Central Region capital. Critics, mostly from the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) questioned the appropriateness of why the Actor was made to speak after the partys founder had spoken. This is something that we planned. We were executing a plan that has been put in place. For me these are very very trivial issues that must not take our eye from the ball, Mr Ofosu Ampofo told show host Nana Ansah Kwao IV. John Dumelo mounted the podium and extended a hand of invitation to Ghanaian youth, specifically affiliates NPP to switch camp to the NDC because there are better opportunities there than in any other political party. John Dumelo Shortly after the speech, social media was awash with criticisms, with many suggesting that allowing John Dumelo to speak after Jerry Rawlings was a sign of disrespect to the party Founder. However speaking on PM Express on the Joy News channel on Multi TV, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said he was surprised by the attention the issue received. He has advised critics to stop pursuing what he has described as trivial matters. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | GN The Ministry of Trade and Industry has commenced a nationwide training of staff of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to enable them undertake their mandate in ensuring compliance with Rules of Origin under the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). This follows the ratification of the interim EPA between Ghana and the European Union (EU). The lack of appreciation for the value of rules of origin in international trade, has been cited as one of the challenges affecting Ghanaian exporters. According to a Rules of Origin Expert, Martin Wilde, the development often compels such exporters to pay more for tariffs on their exports. Martin Wilde tells Citi Business News the implementation of the rules of origin will protect Ghanaian exporters from some avoidable charges that they bear in their line of business. Rules of origin gives an economic nationality to a product and if for example cocoa that is produced in Ghana, that is only obtained from Ghana. Preferential rules of origin, the EPA which is a free trade agreement, it allows exporters to export without any duty to the European Union, he stated. Mr. Wilde also believes there is the need to equip the country's revenue collection agencies to be able to meet internationally accepted standards for exports. So it is a case of raising awareness and putting policies and regulations in place to ensure that both customs and traders apply the rules correctly. The EPA will provide duty free and quota free access to the EU market for an unlimited period for all imports originating from Ghana. In return Ghana will gradually liberalize 75 percent of imports from the EU over 20 years. Ghana finally ratified the Interim Agreement on August 2, 2016 after nine years of signing onto the agreement in 2007. Meanwhile efforts are being made to get other African economies to sign onto same to enhance duty and quota free access to the EU markets and vice versa. By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana Johannesburg (AFP) - South Africa's leading opposition party said Wednesday it would not be forming a coalition government to run the country's capital, despite defeating the ruling African National Congress (ANC) in local polls. The liberal centre-right Democratic Alliance (DA) said talks with the radical leftist Economic Freedom Front (EFF) had failed to produce a coalition partnership to govern Pretoria. "We are not going to go into coalition together," the DA chairman James Selfe, told AFP. "But we will probably, depending on their decisions and our decisions, be going into some form of co-governance relationship whereby we will probably be able to form a minority government in one or more of the municipalities." The DA topped the August 3 vote in municipal elections in the capital Pretoria, taking 93 of 214 council seats to the ANC's 89. And with 25 seats, the EFF found itself in the powerful position of kingmaker in the municipality. - 'Wide and divergent differences' - "We mutually decided that it would be problematic to try and govern together because of some fairly wide and divergent differences on fundamental policies," said Selfe. "But we do share a common understanding that we do want to achieve some of the same objectives and while we do that I am sure that we can work together." Coalition talks between the two parties also failed in economic hub Johannesburg, where the ANC missed out on an outright majority with 45 percent of the vote. The DA will, however, form a coalition government with three other small parties in Nelson Mandela Bay, a coastal municipality in the south named after the country's iconic late leader. "We have concluded an arrangement with three other parties, and that will be a coalition government," said Selfe. Led by populist Julius Malema, who was expelled from the ANC for ill-discipline in 2012, the EFF was on Wednesday due to reveal its new role following the coalition talks. It has repeatedly ruled out a deal with the ANC. The ruling party suffered its worst result since the end of white-minority rule 22 years ago, garnering less than 54 percent of ballots cast nationally -- an eight percentage point drop from the last local poll in 2011. The municipal elections were largely seen as a referendum on President Jacob Zuma, whose rule of Africa's largest economy has been dogged by scandal. Four out of a six-man gang who allegedly defrauded a businessman, Nizar Naji Mohammed Alassaf, General Manager of Comextex Group of Companies based in Dubai, have been charged by an Accra circuit court. They purportedly told him that they could supply him with 13 kilograms of gold worth $325,000. They are Mark Kojo Conry aka Alhassan; Mark Conry, unemployed; Aikins Amenho, computer technician; Richard Obeng Osei aka Opuni, Consultant and Koffi Amehuon aka Ali Abu, small scale miner. The police are also on the heels of two others -Emmanuel Kwesi Dotse and Samuel Kofi Grant Kontoh both businessmen who are currently on the run. Charges The prosecution, led by Chief Superintendent Duuti Tuaruka, told the court that on June 29, this year, at East Legion in Accra, the six conspired to defraud Naji and defrauded him by false pretences. The alleged gangsters have also been slapped with two other charges of conspiracy to defraud and attempting to commit crime on August 12, 2016 at East Legion. Before trial judge Aboagye Tandoh, the four accused persons (speaking in Twi and English languages), variously denied the charges and were remanded until August 30 for the court to decide whether or not to grant them bail. The court said it was also to afford the prosecution ample time to continue its investigation into the case. Bail This was after it had differed ruling on the fervent appeal for bail filed by ACP (Rtd.) K. K. Amoah, counsel for the accused persons. He said even before his client would appear in court, their faces had been widely published in the media and had been found guilty prior to the hearing. The senior legal practitioner was emphatic that his clients would always be available in court to stand trial. According to the police, during the month of June 2016, Dotse and Kontoh were introduced to Naji by one Dardi, who is based in Dubai, as small scale miners. They told the complainant that they had some gold they were selling and he (complainant) expressed interest in buying it. On June 28, this year, Naji came to Ghana, met Dotse and Kontoh on June 29 and they took him to Italtec Ghana Limited, where he met Alhassan and together they showed Naji a metallic box which they claimed contained 11 bars of Gold. Dotse had in his hand two bars of metal coated yellowish which all three accused persons claimed were part of the 11 bars of gold in the metallic box, after examining them. The prosecution said Naji was asked by the assayer to go to the accountant who was in another office and pay for the cost of the assay report, but unknown to Naji, Alhassan, Dotse and Kontoh swapped the gold which was assayed, with some coated yellowish metals and kept them in a locked metallic box and gave same to the complainant. The three took Naji back to his hotel where he paid $325,000.00 to the accused persons and Kontoh told him to wait whiles he deposited the money at the bank. After several hours, the accused persons were not returning. Calls and messages sent to them by Naji yielded no fruit. Complainant became suspicious and when he broke the box to check the content, he realised he had been duped as items in it were 13 coated metals. Complainant pretended everything was alright and left for Dubai. Soon after he had left, Alhassan and Ali Abu contacted him again with a different phone number, telling him they had some gold and asked if he was interested in buying it. Complainant feigned interest, returned to Ghana and alerted the police, leading to their arrest. By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson [email protected] President John Dramani Mahama began his re-election campaign yesterday with an attack on his main challenger, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), accusing him (Nana) of sleeping during his tour of the Western Region. The president, who is contesting on the ticket of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), said, During my campaign in 2012, I realized that most of the roads here are very bad. I made the promise to invest heavily in roads here if I am elected president. I have kept my promise. Under the cocoa roads programme, most of the projects are in the Western Region. The majority of roads in this region are many; I cannot name them. I heard someone came here and said he had not seen these roads. I am sure he was sleeping at the time, he said at the start of his campaign tour of the oil rich Western Region. The NPP flagbearer, while in the same region earlier in the week, noted that the northern parts (of the region) were not accessible, and promised to create a Western North Region when elected in the December 7 president poll. Nana Addo said the Mahama-led administration was doing little in terms of road construction in the region, otherwise it wouldn't take about 10 hours to travel from the northern parts to the regional capital in Sekondi. Mustapha Hits Back Meanwhile, the spokesman for Nana Addo, Mustapha Hamid, has dismissed President Mahama's accusation that the NDC had embarked on various developmental projects in the Western Region. Mustapha told Citi Fm in Accra yesterday evening that the president was very economical with the truth when he was speaking, insisting that the region had not seen any major development under the NDC as being portrayed. The reality of the matter is that the living condition of the people in the Western Region is terrible. He says all the roads in the region are done but go to Prestea and go to Tarkwa and you will realize that there is no single motorable road in Prestea where all the gold is taken from. The youth in Prestea do not have jobs to do and instead of you telling the people 'I recognize the problems you are going through so vote for me in the next four years and let me fix it,' you are living in denial which means you do not even recognize that the people have a problem in the first place so how do you even purport to solve problems that you say do not exist? He believes the few roads being constructed by the NDC are just an attempt to deceive residents ahead of the general election. Visit The president began his four-day campaign in the Western Region ahead of the December 7 elections, following the official campaign launch of the NDC at the Central Regional capital of Cape Coast on Sunday. His campaign comes a few days after Nana Akufo-Addo had ended his visit to the region, during which thousands of residents turned up to listen to his message of hope. On the first day of his visit yesterday, President Mahama attended a National Fisheries durbar at Axim, in the Nzema East municipality after making brief stops at Agona Nkwanta and Abura all in the Ahanta West District of the region where he asked residents to vote for him. The president gave the assurance that toilet facilities would be constructed for fishermen at the various landing beaches to help prevent open defecation by some people living along the coast. He also visited the border town of Elubo in the Jomoro District where he interacted with the chiefs and people of the area. President John Dramani Mahama asked the people to give him another term for his administration to implement livelihood and income-generating programmes to improve the socio-economic well-being of Ghanaians. Some of the chiefs in the area commended the president for the completion of the Western Corridor international road from Agona-Nkwanta to Elubo and also praised some natives from the region who are in Government, for demonstrating prudent leadership. President Mahama will also inspect an ongoing sea defence project at Abuesi and Aboadze as well as the Bosumtwi Sam Fishing Harbour at Sekondi. He will also call on the Omanhene of Essikado, Nana Kobina Nketia V. He is supposed to visit the Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Atta Mills a floating vessel for the TEN oil and other places. From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi Two suspected hardened armed robbers, who allegedly terrorized residents of Kumasi through their nefarious activities, have been shot dead in a fierce gun battle with the police. The suspected gangsters are Emmanuel Nyamekye and Kwadwo Asare, who have been nicknamed 50 Cent and Lumba, two popular musicians. Police have described the duo as trigger-happy hoodlums, who shot and killed some of their robbery victims without provocation. Their deaths, according to the police, indicate that they (police) are winning the battle against crime in the Ashanti Region. Yaw Gyimah and Isaac Ofosuhene, who belonged to the same robbery gang that had been caged led the police to arrest 50 Cent and Lumba around the Cement Mu Area at Asafo; but before the police could approach them, they opened fire. At about 9:30 pm on Wednesday, August 3, 2016, four armed robbers, including 50 Cent and Lumba, reportedly shot one Nasiru Gulet in the palm and took away his GH35,000 in the victim's house at Asokore Mampong, police said. Addressing the media, ACP Ampofo Duku, deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, disclosed that the police realized that 50 Cent, Lumba, Yaw Gyimah alias Scorpion and Isaac Ofosuhene, attacked Nasiru. Armed with this vital information, the police arrested Yaw Gyimah, who confessed to the crime and assisted in the arrest of Ofosuhene. The two confessed that 50 Cent, Lumba and one Area who is at large were planning to rob Reese Hotel, near the Baba Yara Stadium. Ofosuhene and Gyimah are in police custody, assisting in investigation, as efforts are being made to arrest Area. From I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi The Anyinam Police in the Atiwa District of the Eastern Region on Monday stormed Akyem-Akrofufu to flush out the illegal miners, who are destroying the Birim River which serves as the major source of drinking water for inhabitants in the surrounding communities. The operation was targeted at a special group of about 100 illegal miners, known as Chanfan miners who have specifically blocked the two main rivers in the area- Kodea and Birim to carry out their nefarious activities. They mine gold directly in the rivers with sophisticated equipment. Even though their Chinese partners who introduced the technology have been deported, the locals still use some of the equipment to mine directly in the river bodies. Dr. Baba Idrissu, the Anyinam Police Commander, who was accompanied by Okyeman Security taskforce and a section of journalists during the operation, said unfortunately the law enforcement agents did not make any arrests due to the deplorable nature of the road leading to the mining site. He said they managed to seize several equipment including boats and water pumping machines. The Police chief, who was unhappy about the development, disclosed that they could not get there on time, noting that the residents, upon seeing them, prompted the illegal miners to run away with some of their equipment. Dr. Iddirisu told journalists at the scene that he would make life difficult for the illegal miners in his jurisdiction, adding that the degradation of the environment negatively affects lives, food production, among others. Farmers and the entire residents of Akyem Akrofufu have raised concerns over the activities of illegal miners. Many innocent people have died in uncovered pits in recent times, with the latest victim being a 58-year-old wife of a blind man. The illegal miners have polluted rivers in the district and degraded the environment to the displeasure of the indigenes. From Daniel Bampoe, Akyem-Akrofufu A private legal practitioner has sued the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government at the Supreme Court, seeking an order to prevent President John Mahama from granting pardon to the three NDC activists who were jailed by the Court for contempt a couple of weeks ago. The suit, filed by Elikplim Agbemava of Fidelity Law Group, was directed at the Attorney General. He wants to prevent President Mahama from invoking Articles 72 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution, which gives the president the prerogative to grant pardon. The Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Opong, has 14 days within which to respond to the suit. The convicts, Salifu Maase aka Mugabe, host of the afternoon political talk-show on Montie FM 'Pampaso, Godwin Ako Gunn and Alistair Tairo Nelson used to preach hate against perceived political opponents of the NDC. They are currently serving four months each at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison for insulting Supreme Court judges and threatening them with death, particularly those who sat on a case brought against the Electoral Commission (EC) over the voters' register. The NDC party members, including top ministers of state and appointees, have been putting pressure on President Mahama through petitions to order the release of Mugabe and his gang known as Montie 3 but the president, after receiving the petitions, referred them to the Council of State for advice. Arbitrary & Capricious Mr Agbemava, who is said to be a former aide to Betty Mould-Iddrisu when the latter was the Attorney General, averred in his suit that on a true and proper interpretation of Articles 72 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution, the power of President Mahama to grant pardon is discretionary and cannot be used in an arbitrary or capricious manner. He wants the court to declare that any decision by the president to grant or refuse a pardon is not one to be made on the basis of the political question doctrine that can be made without reasons being given for the exercise of such power. Supreme Interest The lawyer is praying the court to declare that in the supreme interest of the people of Ghana and for whose welfare the president's prerogative of mercy is exercised and on a true and proper interpretation of Articles 72 and 296 of the 1992 Constitution, the president and the Council of State shall exercise the prerogative of mercy in a judicial manner that assures the people of Ghana of some certainty, consistency and fairness in the processes that lead to the granting of pardons, among other claims. Mugabe's Visit Anthony Karbo, a deputy communications director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), believes that the convicts may be granted amnesty in September to mark Founder's Day. DAILY GUIDE has also learnt Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe may appeal for clemency for Mugabe and his friends when he delivers a lecture in Accra as part of his five-day visit to Ghana. But with the new twist in the case, it is not clear if the clemency can be granted in the face of the pending suit, especially when the courts are on recess. BNI Strangely, the threat of death was rubbished by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Attorney General also failed to take up the case. By William Yaw Owusu Accra based radio station; Citi FM is appealing to its cherished listeners to help provide bed banks and desks to one of its adopted deprived orphanages in the country. Citi FM has over the last decade extended consistent support to the Baptist School Complex and Orphanage (BASCO) at Trotor in the Eastern Region, Handivangelism at Haatso in Accra and Mama Laadi at Bolgatanga in Upper East region. The station currently needs support to provide BASCO with 105 desks and 30 bed banks before the school section of the orphanage to resume in September 2016. Citi FM's Chief Executive Officer and Human Resource Manager, Samuel Atta Mensah and Jennifer Nsiah respectively who made the appeal on the Citi Breakfast Show said the gesture would go a long way in changing the lives of students at the orphanage. I went there a couple of days ago and four kids were sleeping on one bank bed. Also I went to the classrooms and it was bare; basically, there were no chairs and desks there at all, Jennifer Nsiah added. For now they need about 30 bank beds and 105 desks. A bank bed is GHc240 and desk goes for GHc95, she added. For his part, Atta-Mensah noted that they [BASCO] don't enough beds and chairs and the ones they already have are in very bad shape. We are appealing to our listeners, the fund that we are have used in supporting those in the tertiary institutions and also supporting orphanages have always come from our listeners. And so we are just falling on our listeners to meet us on this particular project if they can donate.you don't have to underwrite the cost of everything but we are saying that if you can take the cost of one desk because that will make a difference in the life of somebody, Mr. Atta Mensah added. Donors can send their donation to Citi FM's Mobile Money number: 0243374093 or write a cheque in the name of the Citi FM Foundation. COPE Citi under its COPE [Citi Opportunity Project on Education] has supported a number of students to further their education in the country. COPE is an educational initiative that seeks to provide scholarships to brilliant but deprived students to further their education within various secondary schools and universities in Ghana. The idea is to be a part of the success stories of these students. We have all gotten here by the help of others. It's our turn to give back. In view of this COPE has sought to assist students challenged with educational resources and the needed support to enable them successfully complete or achieve primary education. By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AlloteyGodwin Some prospective voters in the Ho West Constituency of the Volta Region, whose eligibility are being challenged, failed to appear before a magistrate court in Dzolokpuita. The voters, numbering about 171, were accused of not being residents in the areas where the polling stations with their details were located in the just ended voter exhibition exercise. The appellants, Godwin Adinyirah and Moro Bamba, are challenging seventy-two voters in Gbadzeme in the Avatime Traditional Area and fifty-eight people in Togorme in the Hornuta Traditional Area. In a petition to the court yesterday, the appellants asked for an order for the Electoral Commission (EC) to delete the names of the challenged persons. However, the respondents failed to show up in court when the case was called. The District EC Officer, Regina Tackey, who was in court, lamented that they were unable to verify the residential areas of the challenged persons. She said there were several failed attempts to serve with the writ of summon including engaging town criers and consulting the traditional authorities. The court later adjourned the case to Friday August 19, 2016. Lawyer for the plaintiffs, Emmanuel Ohene, told Citi News that there are other similar cases in Tsibu in the Awudome Traditional Area and the Kpedze Township in the Ho West Constituency. Despite the absence of respondents, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Emmanuel Bedzrah appeared in court and said he came to protect the fundamental rights of his constituents. My interest in this case is that, we have passed a law in Parliament and we want to test the law to see whether it works. And also the fundamental human rights of the people is paramount; you cannot decide that this person belongs or perceived to belong to this political party therefore the name should be deleted from the register. I believe it would not be in the best interest of the people. By: King Norbert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana The Vice President, Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur on Friday inaugurated an ultra-modern science laboratory and a multi-purpose library complex at Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast. The science laboratory, refurbished by Tullow Ghana Limited at a cost of $500,000, was built for the school by Shell Ghana Limited in 1960. The library complex, started by the Mfantsipim Old Boys Association (MOBA) several decades ago, received support from successive governments and was completed by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund). Inaugurating the facilities, Mr Amissah-Arthur said he was part of the 1960 year group and thought education was the only way to secure the future of the country and that Ghana could not compete with other countries in this era of technological advancement without science. He underscored the need for institutions to maintain school projects so that resources would be used to expand them or built new structures instead of spending so much on refurbishment. The Vice President called on Tullow to provide equipment for the laboratory and further appealed for the support of stakeholders and old students since government alone cannot do all. The Managing Director of Tullow Ghana, Charles Darku hinted that the project was expected to whip up the interest of students in science and subsequently pursue its related programmes at the tertiary levels. A representative at GETFund, Dr. Josiah Cobbah, an old boy of the school said the institution was committed to science education and called on old student associations to partner GETFund to undertake more projects in their schools. The MOBA Ebusuapanyin, Captain Paul Forjoe (rtd) said the association has positioned itself to facilitate the development of the school and would make funds available to maintain the school projects while lobbying for more. Assistant headmaster in charge of Administration, Stephen Yeboah, thanked all stakeholders for their continual support and appealed for a bus to facilitate the activities of students' outside campus. From Sarah Afful, Cape Coast Email:[email protected] Management and staff of Tigo Ghana on Friday met customers to discuss 'Wo suro a, wonndi', the company's new recharge promotion. Under the promotion, Tigo Ghana would give away thousands of prizes, including cash rewards to new and existing customers. Through their annual employee programme Lion's Day, staff visited high traffic markets and bus stations at Kaneshie, Ashiaman, Kwame Nkrumah Circle, Abeka Lapaz, Accra Central and Madina to engage directly with customers and also take feedback from them. Director for Mobile at Tigo, Tara Squire, said customer satisfaction and loyalty was important to Tigo and over the years they had created various channels both direct and indirect to receive feedback. Lion's Day is one of the many opportunities we have created as a business to educate customers about our products and services and take direct feedback from them, he said. Touching on the new customer loyalty promotion, 'Wo Suro aaa Wondi', Tara Squire said there were thousands of rewards for both existing and new customers every time they top-up their airtime to make voice calls and browse the internet. The instant prizes we are giving away include Tigo branded souvenirs, airtime and cash rewards. Customers automatically win the bingo prizes of GH100,000 by collecting and presenting all the images of the Big Six in Ghana's political history. These images are displayed at the back of our recharge cards priced from GH2 and above. Some of the non-frontline staff were very pleased with the feedback they received directly from customers. A business desk report On Friday, 19 August, 2016, the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City, Accra, will play host to the 15th edition of the Ghana Club 100 (GC100) Awards in the evening. This year's event, themed, 'Manufacturing; Steering Ghana's Development,' will have President John Dramani Mahama as the special guest of honour. The objectives of GC 100, according to Mawuena Trebarh, CEO of GIPC, are to develop an open information culture within the Ghanaian corporate sector, provide incentives for improved performance, develop uniform criteria for evaluating performance and the establish an annual as well as current analysis of the corporate sector. There will be awards for the top 100 businesses and awards for the leading companies in each of the strategic sectors. Best companies in agriculture and agribusiness; financial services; information and communication technology (ICT); services; infrastructure; oil and gas; mining; manufacturing; tourism; health and education, would be awarded. There would be special awards for outstanding business performers in selected categories including corporate social responsibility. A new UNICEF special award for the Coalition of Children will also feature in this year's event. For last year's edition, Tullow Ghana Limited topped the list with their first appearance in the ranking. Ecobank emerged the highest taxpayer among the selected companies while New Crystal Health Services Limited also topped the health sector. Ghana Rubber Estates Limited emerged the Most Child Friendly Company while the GC 100 CSR Company of the year went to Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP). CAL Bank Limited emerged the GC 100 Best Listed Company on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), while MultiPro Private Company continued its rise up the ladder to 3rd position and became the highest ranked manufacturing company. A business desk report Preparations are underway for the Tenth African Development Forum (ADF) to be convened by the Economic Commission for Africa, the African Union and the African Development Bank. The forum, which brings together a large number of participants, including Heads of State and Government, policy makers of African member States, development partners, UN agencies, academics, civil society organizations, the private sector, eminent policy and opinion leaders, among others, will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 15-17 November on the theme; Migration and Africas transformation. Parallel events will take place from 13-14 November. "The theme stems from the recognition of the central role of migration as an important enabler for inclusive and sustainable development as we seek to raise awareness and deepen understanding of the role of international migration in promoting inclusive growth and transformation in Africa, says ECAs Chief Economist and Deputy Executive Secretary, Abdalla Hamdok. Mr. Hamdok says the forum will provide an opportunity for African policy makers to analyse issues, review progress, discuss policy options, strengthen partnerships and explore consensus on divising suitable strategies for making migration work for Africas transformation. The central premise guiding the discussions at the forum is that international migration plays a critical role in the continents endeavor to develop and improve welfare, peace and stability and provide jobs for our growing population, he adds. Mr. Hamdok underscores that the Tenth African Development Forum will help African policy makers and other stakeholders to look at how, among other things, the continent can leverage its youth bulge or demographic dividend for future growth and prosperity in the spirit of the 2030 Agenda that no-one is left behind in Africas transformation. Migration, he adds, continues to shape dynamics across countries with the youth, mostly migrating for jobs and education. The issue of migration has become a major subject of debate internationally with sensational reporting by some sections of the media whipping emotions and feeding into existing stereotypes, especially on the numbers of Africans leaving the continent, criminality, global asylum and related issues. The ADF, Mr. Hamdok says, will discuss all the issues linked to migration, in particular fostering regional mobility on the continent, demographic dividend and migration, skills, employment creation, leveraging human and financial resources of Africas diaspora for development and new directions and trends in African migration. Washington (AFP) - The United States warns of further violence in the already war-wracked Democratic Republic of Congo should President Joseph Kabila hold on to power after his mandate expires in December. Kinshasa, meanwhile, speaks of "chaos" if foreign countries meddle in the crisis. For months, Washington has kept a close eye on the DRC, where tensions are running high ahead of the December 20 deadline for the end of the president's second term. He is barred from running again under the constitution. The opposition and Western powers worry that Kabila is pulling strings to keep his post as head of state, and may try to delay the vote. The son of Laurent-Desire Kabila took over after his father was assassinated in 2001, before being elected in 2006 and 2011. In May, the constitutional court allowed Joseph Kabila to stay in power if the election does not take place on September 19, in accordance with the constitution, which requires a vote 90 days before the end of a president's mandate. That scenario seems increasingly likely. "Sadly, the situation has only deteriorated. Congo today is roughly one month away from a full-fledged constitutional crisis," said Anthony Gambino, who used to head the US Agency for International Development office in Kinshasa. Thomas Perriello, the State Department's special envoy to the Great Lakes region of Africa, warned that "in countries where incumbents try to change the rules to stay in power, those countries are five times more likely to face violence and instability." "The good scenarios get less likely as we get closer to these deadlines, and the bad scenarios get more likely. We see this next month as crucial," he added. Perriello, like Gambino, was speaking at the Brookings Institution this week alongside the DRC's Ambassador in Washington, Francois Balumuene. - Democratic transitions challenging - US President Barack Obama has pressed for improved democratic transitions in Africa. "Africa's democratic progress is also at risk when leaders refuse to step aside when their terms end," Obama said in July 2015 at African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa. Noting that he himself is limited to two terms under the US Constitution, he stressed that "the law is the law." Washington has also pressed, unsuccessfully, for Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza and Rwanda President Paul Kagame to respect the laws in place in their respective countries to leave power when their time is up. As for Kabila, "it's not based on personal animosity against a leader but based on a belief that a great product of President Kabila has been to establish a constitutional democracy, and this is an opportunity to turn the corner," Perriello said. The DRC -- which gained independence from Belgium in 1960 when it was previously known as the Belgian Congo, and later became the Republic of Zaire from 1971 to 1997 -- has suffered brutal wars, namely on its eastern front with Rwanda. - 'Implosion and chaos' - Balumuene, the DRC's ambassador, pointed to the repeated economic and security challenges Kabila has faced, including the fight against the Rwanda-backed M23 Tutsi rebels who were defeated in late 2013. He called for an "extension" of Kabila's mandate to address the country's crisis. "We need time after December 20, almost a year, to prepare the elections," Balumuene said, promising that the outgoing president would not run for a new term. "The opposition and certain foreign backers" are trying to "use the street, trigger a mass revolution to oust President Kabila," the ambassador charged. "Then, no one would be able to manage the chaos and its aftermath," he added, speaking in French. "We must avoid at all costs an implosion of the DRC... We do not need another Libya in Central Africa." Gambino retorted that the country's constitution must be followed. "Any solution of what to do after the 19th needs to respect the constitution," he said. "Second, if one does that, that requires the holding of presidential elections if not in 2016 as early as possible in 2017. Delay beyond that is impossible." Flagbearer of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), President John Dramani Mahama, begun his campaign for re-election in the Western Region yesterday [Tuesday]. His first day on the campaign trail saw make stops at Agona Nkwanta, Abura and Elubo for interactions with the people and traditional leaders of these areas. President Mahama also attended the National Fisheries Grand Durbar in Axim. Today [Wednesday], on the second day of his campaign, President Mahama will pay a courtesy call on the Omanhene of Mpohor and follow that up with a call on the Chiefs and people of Daboase. He will also assess various projects including sea defence projects at Abuesi and Aboadze. He will follow that up with an inspection of the Bosomtwi Sam fishing harbour at Sekondi. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow the hashtag #GhElections on Social Media for election related stories A Pro-Nkrumahist Pressure Group in the Upper East Region, the Young Nkrumahist Movement (YNM), has challenged the leadership of the Convention Peoples' Party (CPP), to as a matter of urgency reinstate the General Secretary and Youth organizer immediately. Their call follows the refusal of the party chairman Dr Edmund Delle and the Central Committee to allow Nii Armah Akomfrah and Ernesto Yeboah resume duty as recommended by the disciplinary committee. The group comprising the Upper East Regional Branch of the Tertiary Education Students Chapter (TESCHART) of the CPP says the refusal of the party leadership to adhere to the recommendation of the disciplinary committee is not only brewing confusion but also affecting the party's membership drive. In a statement the group said ''we find it very difficult to understand and feel so disheartening that the party Central Committee could suspend the General Secretary and National Youth Organiser over President Mahama's gift saga, barely some few months to the General Elections; a crucial time the Party needs these two selfless, dedicated, committed and hardworking National Officers the most. It also poses a big question about our party's history and ideology as far as our fight against corruption, nepotism and conflict of interest are concerned.'' In an interview with Citi News, the spokesperson for the Young Nkrumahist Movement of the CPP, Mohammed Favour Akumbey Jnr said the group was yet to understand why the leadership of the party were yet to reinstate the two party officers even though the disciplinary committee of the party has recommended reinstatement. Background The General Secretary of the CPP Nii Armah Akomfrah and Youth Organiser Ernesto Yeboah publicly condemned President Mahama for accepting a ford vehicle from a Burkinabe Contractor Dzibril Kanazoe. This led to their suspension on Thursday, June 30,2016. Subsequently the Youth League of the CPP forwarded a petition to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), seeking investigations into the President's acceptance of the gift. Following the conclusion of its findings, the CPP Disciplinary Committee, on July, 29, 2016; cleared the two National Officers of the allegations and charges brought before it and recommended the reinstatement of Comrade Nii Armah Akomfrah as the General Secretary and Comrade Ernesto Yeboah as the National Youth Organizer and Commander-In-Chief of the Youth League of the Party. By: Lorrencia Nkrumah/citifmonline.com/Ghana Since independence, Ghana has been relatively peaceful with the exception of some traumatic events such as the overthrow of the First President of Ghana and Dr. K. A. Busia but none of those incidents could be compared with the events of June 4th and 31st December Revolutions in terms of bloodshed. The significant brutalities of the revolutions were the executions of innocent civilians and military personnel, especially the gruesome murders of some Generals and former Heads of State, the abduction and murder of the three High Court Judges and a Military Officer and the mysterious disappearance of hundreds of Ghanaians. In addition, many high profile military officers, civilians and other professionals in executive positions were summarily dismissed or imprisoned for no apparent justifications. The principle of integrity, probity and accountability touted by the revolutionists were the benchmark on which these atrocities were measured and meted out to innocent Ghanaians. These principles also became a national anthem sang by the apostles of the PNDC and the NDC. However, the integrity of the Revolutionaries did not last long when they schemed and smuggled Indemnity Clauses into the Constitutional Provisions and thereby made it impossible for any Ghanaian or Government to call them to account for their stewardship using the same benchmarks. By this singular act, the apostles of the Revolution failed to prove their integrity and credibility to Ghanaians and with unfolding events, it became apparent that they were even worse than the people they accused. For example, what happened to the monies kept in AFRC'S accounts is still a mystery and these were the early signs of thievery and corruption during the revolutionary era but smartly concealed by the Indemnity Clauses of the Constitution. When the PNDC metamorphosed into a political party (NDC), integrity, probity and accountability were the fundamental principles on which the party was founded. Unfortunately, the political party turned into a hydra-headed phenomenon with national, regional and district tentacles that churned out promises, rhetorics, propaganda, lies and deceit. As it solidified its foundation, these unholy characteristics became concretised and decency in governance was thrown to the dogs. The party is cunning, deceitful, divisive, uncaring and a powerful political propaganda machine, and like the Revolution, have sought in diverse ways to change the political dynamics of this country since their inception but have failed miserably because the intentions are not noble. President Mills is dead and gone but what he bequeathed to Ghanaians in terms of honesty in governance is a disaster. Whilst some relatives and friends are still wondering what sent Mills to his grave, Ghanaians have to content themselves with some benefits of his legacy such as; thievery of state funds, dishonesty, lies, deceit, incompetence and insensitivity by people who are Ghanaians but in practice behave like people from a different planet. Some Ghanaians still believe that if Mills had been alive today things might have been different but I beg to differ because even before his death, Mills had lied to Ghanaians on his health, the Woyome fraudulent claims and corruption which President Rawlings had confirmed existed during his era. The swearing in of a youthful President Mahama gave the impression that the days of old men in our politics were gone and that Ghana had ushered in a new era of the youth who possess the knowledge and energy to take Ghana to the promised land. Unfortunately, what the youth brought in its wake was indiscipline, babies with sharp teeth, uncouth tongues et al. The Montie FM saga had gone on for months and all the insults were directed against Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo but for the Supreme Court's threat to remove names of people who registered with NHIS cards, the insults would have continued unabated. What they failed to observe was Iddi Amin's comments on freedom of speech. He said freedom of speech you have but freedom AFTER speech I cannot guarantee.'' Youthful exuberance without EXPERIENCE has been a disaster and today mediocrity has replaced maturity and the economic mess we find ourselves in is self-imposed. Mr. Idowu Oyenikan says Show me the heroes that the youth of your country look up to, and I will tell you the future of your country. After the first four years of NDC's rule, President Mahama was elected fraudulently and the NPP petitioned the Supreme Court on the manner the Electoral Commission manipulated the election results in favour of President Mahama. For seven months Ghanaians were subjected to some excruciating revelations of crude and mischievous ways in the conduct of an election by the Electoral Commission but at the end of the trial the good people of this country were hoodwinked and denied the TRUTH. I have highlighted these events to point out the level of dishonesty in the institutions of governance of our country and Government with the coloration of the Revolution. The value of truth is the moral foundation in nation building and Ghana can never develop when CORRUPTION, LIES and DECEIT have become the hallmark of governance. What is sad is that our Judiciary, Executive and the Legislature have all been sighted for corruption. Every state institution is corrupt and I cannot even vouch for the Ghana Armed Forces, once the pride of this nation and all these are happening under the watch of the NDC, an appendage of the Revolution. After eighteen (18) years of denial, the leader of the dreadful Revolution, President Rawlings has now admitted he took two million dollars from General Abacha and seems hurt for being accused as corrupt by some Ghanaians. When the issue cropped up, the late Justice D. F. Annan, then Speaker of Parliament prevented a Parliamentary inquiry into the rumour and allowed the President to castigate his accusers. Rear Admiral Joy Amedume was executed for obtaining 50,000 (GH5.00 in current terms) bank loan with a collateral for abusing his office. Compare the two incidents and judge who needed to be shot? Or has President Rawlings forgotten the pain he inflicted on Ghanaians, their families and some of us for not receiving even a pesewa all in the name of his personal Revolution? In our history, no Government had shed so much blood of innocent Ghanaians like the eras of the AFRC and the PNDC, therefore it's not surprising that its offspring (NDC) continues to shed the blood of innocent Ghanaians; this time round not by the barrel of the gun but through economic strangulation, major fire outbreaks, motor accidents, corruption etc. Indeed if President Rawlings remembers, he would put a stop to these diatribes or verbal diarrhoea and leave us in peace. What is significant is not whether the money he received was a gift or bribe but the most important thing was that, at the time the issue came up, he lied. Similarly, President Mahama accepted a Ford vehicle three years ago and now claims he does not like Ford vehicles. Again the issue is not whether the President likes Ford cars or not, the issue is about the integrity of the Presidency. It is now very clear after so many years that what the Revolution and its apostles sought to achieve have been defeated by themselves and Ghanaians deserve an apology from him. I always thank God that Rawlings has lived this long to do the post mortem of his revolution because as Dr Myles Monroe of the Bahamas Faith Ministries said The greatest art of leadership is what happens in your absence. If everything you have done dies with you, you are a failure. True leadership is measured by what happens after you have died (or left office). True leaders dont invest in buildings. Jesus never built a building. They invest in people. Why? Because success without a successor is a failure. So your legacy should not be in buildings, programs, or projects, your legacy must be in people. Great leaders measure their greatness by their absence. Study Jesus, the greatest leader of all, he proved his greatness by leaving. After his death his organisation grew in bounds''. The 2016 general election is about four months away and Ghanaians must acknowledge the hopelessness of our situation and demand a change to save the future of our children and grandchildren. The NDC is aware that they have an uphill task ahead and will employ all the arsenals at their disposal stolen monies, propaganda, deceit, state resources, the Electoral Commission, the Security Services for harassment and intimidation all to force their way once again into power. Fortunately, One bee cannot build a hive and one ant cannot build a colony. Matshona Dhliwayo, the ultimate power belongs to Ghanaians and we must resist all attempts to retain this unfortunate Government in power. The Revolutionaries have failed Ghanaians but the collective WILL of the people can save GHANA. The world suffers a lot not because of the VIOLENCE of bad people but because of the SILENCE of good people (Napoleon). Dr Isaac Adu Bonsrah of Save Your Liver Foundation has called on Ghanaians to stop consuming too much alcohol to avoid kidney and liver problems. He also discarded the notion that hepatitis B has no cure. Dr Bonsrah was speaking at a public forum dubbed Talk Life with Nana Yaa Konadu of Peace FM during an open discussion on women's needs and a health screening exercise for the residents at Asuboi in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region. It was organised with the help of Save Your Liver Foundation and Breast Care International. He mentioned that hepatitis B is curable and it is necessary for every citizen to go for medical check-up and immunisation against the disease. According to him, Drinking too much alcohol, obesity, viral infections, injecting drugs and genetic factors can all mess up the liver, sometimes irreversibly. The bulk of this damage can be done without your body displaying a single warning symptom. He, however, advised Ghanaians to desist from taking alcohol, too much sweet, eating very late, indiscriminate sex and avoid the sharing of sharp objects, toothbrush, blood transfusion and kissing which are some of the major causes of transmission to avoid kidney failure and liver diseases. Over 300 residents of Asuboi got their turn to enjoy the free healthcare education and lifestyle from a team of specialists in breast cancer, marriage and nutrition, as they were screened on hepatitis, breast cancer and their general body system. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NYC Consults, Nana Yaa Konadu, also the host of Talk Life Show, speaking to DAILY GUIDE, pointed out that the aim of the exercise was to create awareness on the need for Ghanaians to know more about hepatitis B and its effects. Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayensuano, Samuel Ayeh Payeh, who graced the event, lauded Nana Yaa Konadu for organising the project. From Daniel Bampoe, Asuboi Beni (DR Congo) (AFP) - Police and troops fired tear gas and warning shots to break up an angry protest Wednesday in the eastern DR Congo town of Beni, where 51 civilians were hacked to death last weekend, an AFP journalist said. Security forces stepped in after hundreds gathered in the town's main street on the last of a three-day mourning period called by civil society groups over the gruesome murder of dozens of people on Saturday night, the latest in a string of such attacks. The protesters, who torched an effigy of President Joseph Kabila as well as ruling party flags at the Beni market, claim the authorities have failed to take action against the killings. More than 650 people have been killed -- mainly hacked to death -- in and around Beni since 2014 in attacks blamed by the government on the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a partly Islamist armed group of Ugandan origin. The group has been present in Democratic Republic of Congo for more than two decades and is accused of copious human rights abuses. The ADF, opposed to Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, is thought to be deeply embroiled in criminal networks funded by kidnappings, smuggling and logging. A report published in March by the Congo Research Group at New York University, which looked into the massacres around Beni, claimed that soldiers from the regular army had also participated in the killings. The Ghana Nurse and Midwife Trainee's Association (GNMTA) has called on government to reduce the high fees charged at the various nursing training institutions. National President for Ghana Nurse and Midwife Trainees' Association, Akazee Godwin Asabire, says the school fees have been rising for the past few years but meetings with the Health Trainee Institution Secretariat to address this have been unsuccessful. Looking at the fees from 2012. You will realise that the fees have risen steadily up until this point. Actually we were called to the Health Trainee Institution Secretariat and we spoke with them and we discussed these issues. Only to come out and realise that those discrepancies that we spoke about still exist. He said. National President for association, also criticized the trainee allowances given them by the government, saying it is insufficient. Government has halted payment of trainee allowances for the past 2 years until recently we heard the welcoming news that government has set a committee which recommended that an updated amount of Ghc 150 should be payed to them. Looking at our school fees, if you take Ghc 150 and multiply it by 3 months, it has not covered even half of your training fee, notwithstanding the school fees. He lamented. The Association has threatened to take their displeasure to government if their issues with what they describe as skyrocketing irregular fees are not addressed. Trainee nurses reject gov'ts GHc 150 allowance The Ghana Nurses and Midwives Trainees Association has rejected the government's offer to pay GHc 150 monthly allowances citing the trainee's expenditure on bills and transportation. According to them, the amount is woefully inadequate per the memorandum of understanding they signed with the Ministry of Health in 2014. By: Kwabena Agyare/citifmonline.com/Ghana The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), has expressed worry about the possibility of biometric machines malfunctioning on Election Day. This is due to observations the coalition made during the just ended voter verification exercise, where they observed that the machines failed to function in about 6% of exhibition centers observed. CODEO Observers reported seeing biometric verification devices (BVDs) in nearly all (99%) exhibition centers observed. The BVDs, however, could not function properly in about 6% of exhibition centers observed. Where the equipment functioned properly, some registered voters who showed up at some centers (8%) could not be verified biometrically, a statement from CODEO stated. According to CODEO, the fact that the equipment malfunctioned during the verification exercise raises concerns because much pressure was not exerted on them. The statement signed by its National Coordinator, Albert Arhin, further recommended to the Electoral Commission to outline modalities it will use to tackle the issue on Election Day. The Electoral Commission should, as a matter of necessity, identify all malfunctioning equipment and ascertain the reasons for the malfunctioning to help address possible equipment failure on Election Day. The Electoral Commission should clearly identify, outline and or publicize the modalities for dealing with the potential cases of biometric verification failures to reduce possible tension associated with turning eligible voters away on Election Day because of verification failures, the statement said. Other recommendations are: The Electoral Commission should undertake an accessibility audit of all polling stations to be used in the December 7 polls and take steps to address challenges associated with siting of polling stations to help improve accessibility to persons with disabilities and the elderly, among others. The Electoral Commission should improve its sidelines to, and training of, temporary officials regarding accreditation and access to exhibition centers/polling stations to avoid situations where duly accredited observers are turned away by such officials. The EC should also ensure that its officials stick to guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of such exercises, in particular time for opening and closing of centers. CODEO reiterates its call on the EC and the NCCE to deepen collaborative efforts in support of civic and voter education. Finally, political parties must recognize the role of exhibition exercises and the responsibility they have in ensuring a credible voter register, and improve their particpation in future exhibition exercises. Click here for full CODEO Report Follow the hashtag #GhElections on Social Media for election related stories By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AlloteyGodwin The acting General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party John Boadu has called on Ghanaians to vote out the Mahama-led administration, saying the country cannot endure another four years under his reckless governance. Addressing a press conference at the partys head office Wednesday, Boadu alleged that Ghana has backslided in the last eight years with the current administration squandering the resources that could have been used to turn the fortunes of the country around. Ghana today is worse than Ghana in 2012, Ghana in 2012 was worse than 2008, it has been eight years of backsliding, of wasted opportunities and squandered resources. Will Ghanaians want to give NDC 12 consecutive years in office? Today in Ghana, government borrows money not to build but to pay off debts, today in Ghana, Ghanaians are taxed and taxed so government funds reckless spending No country in the world has caused such a disastrous figure, Boadu said. Lordina sharing goodies The opposition also questioned the recent humanitarian gestures by First Lady Lordina Mahama. According to the party, the office of the First Lady must make public her sources of funding. "The NPP is all for charity work but we also have the right to question the timing of the escalation of the First Ladys gift sharing expedition and the volumes of the gift being shared. The wife of the President has taken over the structures of the party in the Brong Ahafo region and sharing gifts to who she thinks deserve it. We dont know the source of those gifts, Mr. Boadu said. He added: Mrs. Mahama is effectively the Chief Director of gifts, the wife of the President of the Republic is going around the country with a fleet of trucks full of goodies which she is sharing for votes which runs into millions of dollars, Ghanaians deserve to know, how much is being spent, who is paying for it and where is the money coming from. The Electoral Commission says it is ready to ensure that this year's election is credible. Speaking at the launch of 2016 Peaceful Election stamps by Ghana Post, Deputy Electoral Commissioner, Amadu Sulley said credible elections were crucial in ensuring peace before and after the elections. Mr Sulley said the Commission has so far adhered to guiding principles of Electoral practices to ensure that the polls are credible. He cited the commission's amendment of the Constitutional Instrument used in the 2012 election following some recommendations by the Supreme Court as well as regular Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meetings as instances of the Commission's effort to ensure a credible election. On the Constitutional Instrument, Mr Sulley said the extension of training period for Electoral officers as well as making the voters register available 21 days before the elections are some of the changes made by the Commission. In response to how well IPAC has contributed to the Commission's activities, Mr Sulley said the Commission has decided to organize frequent meetings on monthly basis to ensure that the key actors are always in the know and are able to make contributions to the electoral process. He described IPAC as a crucial body that can take credit for a good number of the reforms that have taken place in the Electoral history of the country. The Deputy chair said the Commission will in the coming days announce dates on which electorates who wish to transfer their votes can do so. Managing Director of Ghana Post, Eric Yao said since electoral violence is likely to affect the operations of postal services and other developmental projects, it was important that all citizens get on board and ensure peaceful elections. "We in Ghana cannot afford to sit unconcerned as people make unguarded statements which could incite violence. These are the same things that took place in countries like Rwanda, Liberia and Sierra Leone, where people did not speak out against those who incite violence. "These three countries were every active part of the postal fraternity and yet they were cut off from communication through the post as a result of the conflict that arose in their countries," Mr Yao said. He also said contrary to rumors that Ghana post was dead the agency was operational and will be rolling out other activities later. Angry residents of Gbulung and its surrounding communities in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region, have threatened to boycott the 2016 polls if government fails to fix their road. About a thousand of them including sub and youth chiefs, opinion leaders and assembly members, joined a massive demonstration on Wednesday August 17, 2016 to express their anger. They held placards some of which read, John Mahama stop sleeping, NDC since 92 why, JM it is going against us why, We are tired, no road no vote, John Mahama, remember where you are coming from. Spokesperson for the demonstrators, Seidu Safianu, told Citi News they will not rest until government addresses their concern. We the youth of Gbulung and its surrounding communities with the support of our chiefs and elders have resolved to give government one month ultimatum which starts from August 17th, to act on our request or else we will not vote come December 7. We will not also tolerate any political campaign activities in the area if we dont see any action on our roads within this period. He bemoaned, Government workers like teachers, nurses among others refuse posting to the area and a few who accept postings also have challenges with movement within the area. Seidu Safianu said the bad road network is affecting agriculture which is their economic mainstay. Farmers have to travel to Tamale through Nyankpala for agricultural inputs and sales of their agri-produce but can hardly do so due to the nature of the roads. The ordeal rice processors in the area go through in the attempt to send their rice for milling in Nyankpala is not different. According to him, residents of about 30 communities in the area are cut off from Nyankpala, Tolon and Kumbungu during rainy seasons. The three main roads comprising Gbulung-Kumbung, Gbulung-Nyankpala, and Gbulung-Tolon which are about six miles each, are our main headache. In fact, the nature of the roads is causing social disharmony by disconnecting families and destructing economic activities making us poorer and poorer. Residents of over thirty communities who are using these roads for various purposes go through hell especially in the rainy season. It is sad to note that all businesses and social activities come to a halt during rainy seasons due to the deplorable nature of the roads, he lamented. The Northern Regional representative of the Council of State, Voggu Naa M. B Bawas people massively participated in the demonstration because they are also affected. By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana Speaking ahead of the 10th anniversary of the illegal dumping of toxic waste in Cote dIvoire, a group of United Nations experts* urge the Ivorian Government, all responsible States and the international community to take this opportunity to address the ongoing human rights impacts of the incident. The UN human rights experts also call on Trafigura, the company behind the Probo Koala incident, to support this process by disclosing all the information it has about the contents and nature of the waste dumped in Cote dIvoire, and its likely ongoing health and environmental consequences. On 19 August 2006, the cargo ship Probo Koala discharged 500 tonnes or the equivalent of over twelve 20 shipping containers of toxic waste in Abidjan, Cote dIvoire. The hazardous substances, which belonged to the Anglo-Dutch commodity trading company Trafigura, were later dumped at 18 sites around the city while many other possible locations remain unknown to date. A month earlier, Trafigura decided not to dispose of the toxic waste in the Netherlands because proper disposal costs more. According to official estimates, 15 people died, 69 people were hospitalized and over 108,000 others sought medical treatment after the so called Probo Koala incident. Ten years on, victims of the dumping and other residents in Abidjan remain in the dark about the ongoing dangers to their health. Residents still complain of the smell from the waste when it rains heavily, as well as headaches, skin problems and respiratory issues that they believe are linked to the incident. Many victims have not received an adequate remedy for the harms caused by the incident and report that they are have not been able to afford medical treatment notably after October 2006 when the relevant free medical treatment finished. They still do not even know what was in the toxic waste; whether the dumpsites have been adequately cleaned-up, and whether the waste has entered the water supply or the food chain. Recognizing the lasting adverse impacts that hazardous materials can have on water and soils, there is real concern for food safety and the health of future generations. The Government of Cote dIvoire must seize the opportunity of the 10th anniversary to address the long-term health and environmental impacts of the incident and seek additional financial and technical assistance from public health experts and the wider international community. In a post-conflict country such as the Cote dIvoire, it is even more vital for the international community to provide support for this work. Given their role in these events, the governments of the Netherlands and the United Kingdom where Trafigura is registered, have a particular responsibility to do so. Many victims also report that they have still not received compensation. It is estimated that only 63% of registered victims received compensation under a February 2007 settlement agreement between Trafigura and the Ivorian Government. Victims associations appear not to have been consulted before the agreement was signed. Although another 30,000 victims were due to receive compensation following the settlement in September 2009 of a civil claim against Trafigura in the UK, funds destined for over 6,000 of those victims were reportedly misappropriated by a fraudulent group who claimed to represent the victims in Cote dIvoire. Those responsible for the funds misappropriation were sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment on 13 January 2015, confirmed by the Court of Appeal in Abidjan on 27 July 2016. However, none of them have been arrested and no warrant has been issued for them. We urge the Government of Cote dIvoire to execute this sentence soonest. As underlined in the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, access to an effective remedy is critical to address business-related harm. Also, in March 2015, the United Kingdom refused to launch a criminal investigation into whether Trafiguras London-based subsidiary had conspired in the UK to dump the waste in Abidjan. This lack of action and information has left those affected by the dumping feeling abandoned and vulnerable to further victimization. Some have joined the many associations that have been established in Abidjan to claim additional compensation from Trafigura. These associations have brought new legal actions against the trading company in the Netherlands and Abidjan. We are concerned that some victims associations have allegedly taken advantage of this situation by making dubious promises of compensation in return for upfront fees from victims and a share of any damages that they are awarded. The government must take steps to regulate these associations and ensure that people do not become victims twice over of both the dumping and unscrupulous actors. In November 2015, the Cote dIvoire government announced that it had completed the decontamination of all of the dumpsites. At the request of the Cote dIvoire Government, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) performed an environmental audit of the dumpsites in July 2016 to verify their decontamination. UNEP is due to publish its results and recommendations at the end of the year. The government has also recently initiated a process to check the health of victims in one of the villages most affected by the dumping. We welcome these steps and urge Cote dIvoire to communicate widely the results of UNEPs findings, to affected communities in particular. We also urge the Ivorian authorities and the international community to take effective measures to protect the right to health and the right to a healthy environment of all victims and their families, including through free medical treatment for long-term health consequences and preventative measures for environmental threats. We urge Trafigura to facilitate this process by disclosing all information it has about the contents and nature of the waste and its likely health and environmental impacts. (*) The experts: Mr. Mohammed Ayat, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Cote dIvoire; Mr. Baskut Tuncak, Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes; Ms. Hilal Elver, Special Rapporteur on the right to food; Mr. Dainius Puras, Special Rapporteur on the right to health; Mr. Leo Heller, Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation; and Mr. Pavel Sulyandziga, current Chairperson of the Working Group on human rights and transnational corporations and other business enterprises. On 9 August, the British High Commissioner, Alison Blackburne, attended the launch of a new project which will train over 300 trainers from the Ugandan army, police, medical professionals and civil society in the use of the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict. The project will be delivered by the Refugee Law Project (Makerere University Law School) with funding from the UK Governments Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy. The launch event, organised by the Refugee Law Project, was attended by a number of senior Ugandan participants. These included the UPDF Commander of Land Forces, Major General David Muhoozi, Joint Chief of Staff, Major General Wilson Mbadi, Chief of Staff Land Forces, Brigadier Kyanda and Chief of Training, Brigadier Willy Byarugaba. Also in attendance were the Senior Commissioner of Police, Felix Ndyomugenyi, and representatives of the Uganda Prisons Service, medical profession, academics and civil society, including the ICGLR Regional Training Facility on Prevention and Suppression of Sexual Violence. Preventing sexual violence in conflict has been a long standing priority for the UK government. In 2012, the then UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and the Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Angelina Jolie, co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative. Baroness Anelay was subsequently appointed as the Prime Ministers Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict. The International Protocol supports first responders on the ground in conflict areas to document and investigate rape and sexual violence, in order to increase successful prosecutions. Although Uganda does not suffer from internal conflict, the government deploys peace-keepers in conflict zones around the region. As such, the Ugandan military and police play an important role in preventing sexual violence in conflict and responding appropriately wherever it is encountered. Uganda is also host to a large refugee population that contains thousands of survivors of conflict-related sexual violence. Speaking at the event, the High Commissioner said: As a major contributor to regional peacekeeping missions, Uganda has a vital role to play in preventing the use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war. The International Protocol is an important tool for documenting and investigating sexual violence and this project will support the Uganda military, police, medical professionals and civil society experts to use it effectively. Food Sovereignty Ghana has been taken aback by extremely bizarre claims made recently by Professor Walter Sandow Alhassan, the Director of Biotechnology and Stewardship for Sustainable Agriculture in West Africa (BSSA), at a seminar on improved seeds jointly organised by the National Seed Trade Association of Ghana (NASTAG) and the African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA). A publication in the Daily Graphic of Saturday, 30th July, 2016 , cites Professor Walter Sandow Alhassan, calling on Ghanaians to embrace the use of biotechnology in agriculture production to ensure increased crop yields to secure the countrys food basket. It is clear to us that Prof. Alhassan is aware himself that what he is saying here is not true. We therefore wonder why he is straining himself beyond the limits of the facts available, to peddle falsehoods about GMOs and make the misinformed and unfounded claim that many anti-Genetically Modified Food (GMO) advocates were ignorant about its benefits, adding that the need had come for the country to approve improved means of crop production to meet its rising demand and also reduce the pressure on limited arable lands.. On the issue of GMOs ensure increased crop yields to secure the countrys food basket, this very same Prof. Alhassan had earlier conceded to truth and logic. Here is the relevant part of an email he sent to FSG admitting exactly that: GM crops currently on the market have not been genetically engineered for direct yield increase so your sources may be right here. What the crops have been genetically engineered to do is for tolerance to a stressor. When this stressor bothering the crop is removed, the crop will exhibit its full genetic potential to increase yield when agro-inputs are provided. Now before the anti-stressor (insect, drought, fungus, virus) is put in, the plant is bred for high yields through conventional means (From: Walter S. Alhassan , Date: Sun, 3 Nov 2013 21:16:10) This was contained in an email in response to an article he shared with FSG. By his own admission, GM crops currently on the market have not been genetically engineered for direct yield increase, so how does he arrive at the conclusion that the use of biotechnology in agriculture production ensures increased crop yields? We find it strange that the so-called seminar was on the theme, Celebrating 20 years of Successful Commercial Production of Biotech Crops: Opportunities for the Seed Sector. We strongly believe that a more appropriate theme would have been Celebrating 20 years of Lies and imposition of Biotech Crops: Opportunities for the greedy corporate sponsors like Monsanto! We have debated Prof. Alhassan several times, on radio, on TV, and by emails. He is fully aware of the level of informed responses he has received from FSG. He has even on record conceded directly or indirectly, to the veracity of our criticisms of some of the claims he is making here. A clear example is an excerpt of our reaction to an earlier message he had sent to us. We shall leave it to our readers to judge for themselves the level of our ignorance being claimed by Professor Alhassan: Dear Prof Alhassan, Thank you for sharing information from the EU Farmers Concern and the Catholic Ecology magazine with us at Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG). We have noted their contents and would like to refer you to our website for further clarification of our organisations viewpoints on the issues they raise. However, as a scientist, you may also be interested in the studies reviewed by the Union of Concerned Scientists, which, based on the evidence, provide an informed perspective on GMOs. We refer you to the links below. How GMOs Unleashed a Pesticide Gusher and Do GMO Crops Really Have Higher Yields ? Nearly two decades after their mid-90s debut in US farm fields, GMO seeds are looking less and less promising. Do the industrys products ramp up crop yields? The Union of Concerned Scientists looked at that question in detail for a 2009 study . Short answer is: marginally, if at all. Do they lead to reduced pesticide use? No; in fact the opposite . A new paper by University of Wisconsin researchers suggests GMOs do not generate higher crop yields. Monsantos Roundup Ready seeds have given rise to an upsurge of herbicide-resistant superweeds and a torrent of herbicides , while insects are showing resistance to its pesticide-containing Bt crops and causing farmers to boost insecticide use. What about wonder crops that would be genetically engineered to withstand drought or require less nitrogen fertilizer? So far, they havent panned out and theres little evidence they ever will. There is a global consensus of agri development experts and scientists as expressed by the 2009 International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) , a three-year project convened by the World Bank and the United Nations and completed in 2008 to assess what forms of agriculture would best meet the worlds needs in a time of rapid climate change. The IAASTD took such a skeptical view of deregulated biotech as a panacea for the globes food challenges that Croplife America, the industrys main industry lobbying group, saw fit to denounce it Prof. Alhassan also claimed that the introduction of biotechnology would automatically help reduce the use of agro inputs such as residuals and fertilisers which research had shown were key cancer-causing agents in humans. This would have been laughable if it were not cancer we are talking about here. The Bt cotton currently being developed in Ghana, is also Roundup ready, which means it has been developed to be resistant to Monsantos profitable herbicide, Roundup, which has been famously singled out as probable carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO)! It is about time Ghanaians called out Professor Alhassan to come clean and explain why he must not be considered a conduit of the pro-GM lobby, hired to promote GMOs in Ghana, without regard to science and facts, and to attack conscientious and legitimate anti-GMO groups like FSG. We hereby take this opportunity to reiterate the call demanding an indefinite moratorium on or ban on all GM Foods In Ghana, until the long-term health impacts of GM food consumption in the light of uncertainties raised by animal feeding studies are well-studied and known. For Life, the Environment, and Social Justice! Edwin Kweku Andoh Baffour Communications Directorate, FSG Farmers in the Wasa district of the western region are blaming the operations of the Atuabo Gas Plant as the contributor to the low rainfall pattern in the region. Rainfall pattern in the western region of Ghana has drastically changed with few rains experienced this year resulting in the destruction of most newly planted cocoa seedlings. Besides, heat waves which the farmers claim emanate from the Atuabo Gas plants are extending to the area and preventing them from yielding fruits. According to the farmers since the beginning of the year the area has experienced only three heavy rainfall; an area which used to experienced constant and heavy rainfall throughout the year. It is amazing that we are experiencing these things here. We now believe that human activities like flaring of gas are the cause of climate change in the World. In fact we have applied several bags of fertilizer to our trees but nothing seems to be happening. I think we are in trouble this year since we may not be able to harvest a lot of cocoa beans this year. It is very unfortunate and we are pleading with government to do something about it, otherwise we would have to relocate Opaning Kwabena Manu, a Chief Cocoa Farmer in the area told the New Crusading Guide in an interview. Among the numerous disadvantages of gas flaring is that, it increase environmental pollutions, especially greenhouse gases. Although the amount of produced greenhouse gases from the flaring process is less than its amount in the venting process, but usually the combustion is not a complete process in the flaring and the existence of smokes from the flares supports this fact. In addition, the amount and the types of produced gases in this process depend on the burnt gases in the flare and the combustion conditions. Polluting gases which are dispersed from the flaring process into the environment includes some of greenhouse gases such as CO2, CO, NO and NO2. In addition the noises and the odor results from the combustion and the light comes from the flaring process are some of dangers which can threaten the health of personnel and local residents. The flaring and the venting process are the resource of 4% of dispersed Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere. The acidic rain, global warming, air pollution, water pollution and destruction of Ozone Layer, are some of environmental results of venting and flaring processes. Flaring and venting of natural gas in oil wells is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. According to scientific researches, its contribution to greenhouse gases has declined by three-quarters in absolute terms since a peak in the 1970s of approximately 110 million metric tons/year, and now accounts for 0.5% of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. A gas flare is an elevated vertical stack found on oil wells, oil rigs, and in refineries, chemical plants and landfills, used for burning off unwanted gas and liquids released by pressure relief valves during unplanned over-pressuring of plant equipment. The released gases and/or liquids are burned as they exit the flare stacks. The size (~100 m2) and brightness of the resulting flame depends upon how much flammable material was released. On oil production rigs, in refineries and chemical plants, its primary purpose is to act as a safety device to protect vessels or pipes from over-pressuring due to unplanned upsets. It is estimated that, annually, about 150 billion square meters of gases are lost through flaring, which this amount is equal to 5% of natural gas consumption of the world, 30% of the gas consumption in Europe, one quarter of Unites States gas consumption and the whole consumption of Germany and France. The Flaring process is the least optimum use of natural gas. According to Somayeh Pourhassan and Alireza Taravat in their academic research work on the Effect of gas flaring on environmental variables in developing countries and published in 2104, it indicated that, gas flaring in industrial facilities is done due to safety tips. It further stated, Also the reason why flaring is used in industrial facilities and it is preferable in comparison to venting process is due to less greenhouse gases effects. Because in every gas field, a unique flaring process with its special specifications is needed, it is not easy to measure to which extent this process affects the environment. The effects of flaring process are different from place to place and from field to field. Because of the lack of global and international standards and adequate information about flaring process, so probably the risks associated to the flaring process is more than what we have considered up to now. They again explained that, with regard to this fact that oil and petroleum factories seek to maximize their profits, it is necessary to minimize the amount of lost gases burnt and dispersed by flaring and venting processes. Therefore the economic objectives of oil companies are consistent with environmental protection policies, and these policies are considered by governments and nations. In the countries where a large amount of gas are produced during the extraction process of oil, collection and re-use of them has been deemed a necessary operation. Nowadays, developing countries such as Nigeria, Iran, Algeria and Iraq, account for 85% of flaring and venting processes. In these countries three main reasons are present which prevent from the accurate and suitable exploitation of gas resources, which are as follow: Lack of legal and effective frameworks and instructions; Weak and improper access to local and international energy markets and Financial restriction of projects aimed for reducing the flaring and venting process. The experiences of developed countries such as Norway, England, Canada and United States in the field of reducing the amount of flaring process, reflects the determinant and important role of government in this issues. These countries by regulating the effective rules, reconstruction of oil fields, construction of proper infrastructures, active involvement of private sector in planning and implementation of projects and financial incentives, results in proper fields in order to reduce the losses of associated gases. In all the researches and following practical experiences of countries, it is obvious that there is no unique and consistent pattern in all countries in order to reduce the flaring process. But according geographical, climatic, political and economic specifications of developing countries and by using policies such as proper and innovative strategies, the amount of dispersed associated gas can be reduced. As part of the Government of the Peoples Republic of China promised to the People of Liberia through the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi regarding the bilateral scholars, when he visited Liberia last year in which his government increased the bilateral scholarship slogs to additional 25 slogs thus making the yearly scholarships to 50 slogs. At a well attended farewell reception for beneficiaries of the Chinese Government bilateral scholarship at the Chinese Embassy near Monrovia recently the Chinese Ambassador accreted to Liberia His Excellency Zhang Yue said that his government was well pleased to inform the People of Liberia that todays occasion was in fulfillment of the Chinese government promised to increase the scholarship slogs . Speaking further, the Ambassador indicated that the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and Liberia is developing both in scope and in depth. He said that our cooperation (China & Liberia) in education and human resource is also having an encouraging momentum and board prospects and should take a strategic and a long term perspective and push the cooperation to a new high so as to better serve the social economic development of Liberia. Ambassador Yue said with more fruitful results and building a new bridge of friendship and cooperation between Liberian and China as a reliable partner China has and continues made it contributions to the educational sector of Liberia. Speaking further, he said that for the infrastructure projects China has provided modern educational infrastructures for young Liberians including the Fendell ultra modern campus and laboratories for the University of Liberia, primary schools in Monrovia and Bomi County as well as the extension of the Monrovia Vocational Training Center (MVTC). Regarding the human resource development cooperation, China now focuses on strengthening the human resource and capacity building of Liberians youth through various scholarships and training programs. He emphasis that since the resumption of the diplomatic ties between China and Liberia in 2003, China has provided more than 300 government scholarships to Liberians students for undergraduate, masters and doctorate degrees and trained over for 2,400 Liberian personnel in various sectors in China. The Chinese Ambassador stated that, as part of Chinese assistance to Liberia Post-Ebola recovery, China decided to provide 11 slogs of one-year Master scholarship and about 200 training opportunities for Liberians students, professionals and military officials this year. He said that he was so delighted to learn that by their direct contacts with Chinese universities, several students have successfully obtained the Confucius Institute Scholarship and will go to China this September as well. Accordingly the Chinese Embassy has also provided the Chinese Ambassador scholarship and Chinese enterprises scholarship to good-performance students in all the universities and colleges within Liberia. Ambassador Yue concluded by speaking directly to the 2016 scholarship beneficiaries quoting a Chinese proverb which states a journey of a thousand miles start with the first step, which passed strength and hope to us. He told them they are envoy of Liberia-China relationship as they will see more of China with their own eyes and today a small step of every one of you from Liberia to China symbolizes a great leap in educational cooperation between Liberia and China. Lets hold our hands even tighter to strengthen cooperation and match towards brighter prospects with full confidence. Also speaking at the occasion the President of the Liberian Association of Chinese trained Scholars a group of professional Liberians from various disciplines who also benefitted from the Chinese educational (LACTS) gestures admonished those 2016 scholarships beneficiaries of the important of the opportunities afforded them by the Chinese Government to take their studies seriously as the Chinese educational system are as tough as any other educational system the World over. He also told them they must embrace the courage to learn Chinese because this will be the only medium they will use in communicating with their host both at their various universities and hostels and on the street of China because in more cases Chinese dont speak English. The Associations officials give their brief experiences during their educational sojourn in China as means to early inform their compatriots in that distance land. Also in attendance to grace the occasion were officials of the Government of Liberia including honorable Aagon Tingba Deputy Minister of Education, Ministry of Education, Honorable Dehpue Zuo Deputy Minister for international cooperation and economic integrations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Honorable Rosetta Nagbe-Jackollie, Assistant Minister for Afro-Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Director General of the Liberian Broadcasting System Honorable Legerhood Rennie. Police at Dunkwaw Offin in the Central Region have arrested a member of a 4-member robbery gang that shot a 29-year-old Chinese national at Nyinawusu. Zhan Jin Hu died instantly when the gun-wielding gang attacked the mining site Monday. He was working on a broken down excavator with Guan Zhin, another Chinese when the attack occurred. Police say the mask-wearing robbers shot the deceased without any provocation and bolted with an unspecified quantity of black ore containing gold. Dunkwaw District Commander, Superintendent Dela Dzanzi says mining sites have become targets for criminals in the area. According to him, efforts to fight the menace has been difficult because some of the robbers cross the Offin River in canoes. Attacks on the miners occur periodically, it is not a one day issue. But its been a difficult situation which the police is managing. Sometimes they come across the river from the Ashanti Region attack and then go back. It makes it difficult for the police, he said. That notwithstanding, police has been ruthless in dealing with the issue as several of the criminals are arrested and prosecuted. We patrol the areas and in most cases, weve been able to arrest some of them who are not languishing in jail, Supt. Dzanzi revealed. Police have arrested a 23-year-old Ernest Boakye, identified as a member of the gang. Boakye and his accomplice, Emmanuel Addai had gone to the mining site to rob again, a day after Mr Zhan was killed. But their attempt to snatch a motorbike from its owner failed after the young man raised an alarm. Unluckily for them, Addai got lynched by residents of Nyinawusu until the assemblyman for the area rescued Boakye. Meanwhile, police have handed over the body of the late Zhan Jin to the Chinese Community after an autopsy. A delegation from the Guangxi Chamber of Commerce and the Guangxi Association of Ghana have been visiting Dunkwaw and Nyinawusu to mourn with the family of the deceased and also to show appreciation to police and residents for their support to the Chinese community during its difficult moments. They presented cash and food items. 17.08.2016 LISTEN Accra - Ghana, August 16, 2016 - Afriwave Telecom, Ghanas licensed interconnect clearing house (ICH) service provider has begun monitoring the volume of international incoming telecommunications traffic, local interconnect traffic and NCA revenue verification. These services have been live since May 2016 after several months of testing and parallel running. This is to give transparent data to the National Communications Authority (NCA) to accurately bill each service provider and network operator and to understand the traffic flows for policy making. One of the deliverables as an ICH service provider, Afriwave is tasked to monitor traffic volumes of each service provider and network operator for both international incoming and local interconnect traffic. With the monitoring, it is now possible for the ICH to present industry international incoming and local interconnect traffic performance information on a consolidated dashboard. This gives the regulator a snapshot overview of what is going on in the industry. The international incoming traffic information, Afriwave says, will enable the NCA to invoice the mobile network operators based on the report from the ICH and not based on the current MNO self-reporting regime. This should enhance collaboration between all stakeholders in the industry, said Mr. Donald Gwira, Director of Corporate Affairs at Afriwave. The information also provides visibility on NCA regulatory fees, and international incoming traffic surcharge. Afriwaves role in the telecom industry is to provide a common, independent mechanism for monitoring, routing, billing and settlement of local and international interconnect traffic for all existing and future telecommunications operators in the country. SEOUL, ACCRA, Aug. 17 - (UPI/GNA) - North Korea continued to condemn the United States on Tuesday, calling the country an "empire of evil" that was built over the "corpses of indigenous peoples." Oh Young Ran, a North Korean official identified as the director of the American and Africa Research Institute, had said that as the United States expanded territorially, the country "made it a policy of slaughtering" Native Americans and that it was through these "military achievements" U.S. Presidents were able to hold power as "human rights criminals." The article was titled, "United States, who are you," according to Pyongyang's state news agency KCNA. North Korea also stated "240 years of U.S. history is coming to an end," and that the United States does not respect the bonds between peoples and races and that the country will soon be "shattered to pieces." "This is the ultimate destiny the United States must accept," Oh wrote, adding North Korea by contrast is in the midst of a "long march flushed with victories." In a separate statement, North Korea maintained its nuclear weapons program is for national security purposes and that the United States continues to threaten its safety. Pyongyang also said in the statement issued on Uriminzokkiri, a propaganda outlet targeting South Koreans, its nuclear weapons are not intended to divide the Korean people, and that its development is "benefiting the South Koreans." North Korea also condemned the South Korean decision to deploy THAAD, a U.S. anti-missile defense system on the peninsula. GNA LAS VEGAS, ACCRA, Aug. 17 - (UPI/GNA) - Donald Trump has shaken up his presidential campaign again, promoting a senior advisor and hiring a top executive from Breitbart News, sources said Wednesday. Kellyanne Conway, formerly a Trump campaign pollster and advisor, has moved up to campaign manager and Breitbart News executive chairman Stephen Bannon has been hired as the campaign's chief executive. The changes were made Sunday and due to be formally announced on Wednesday. It's the second major shake up for Trump's flagging campaign. The first was replacing former campaign chairman Corey Lewandowski in June with Paul Manafort, but Trump's falling polling numbers and stories of Manafort's connections to Ukrainian politicians likely led to Manafort's demotion, though he is said to be retaining his job title. "I look at it as an expansion of the team," Conway told CNN. "Paul remains as Chairman." GNA PASAY CITY, Philippines, ACCRA, Aug. 17 - (UPI/GNA) - A woman unexpectedly gave birth on an airplane while flying from Dubai to the Philippines. Facebook user Missy Berberabe Umandal shared a photo of the mother and her newborn baby girl after the plane was forced to make an emergency landing in India so the child could be delivered. "Had the most 'NORMAL' flight ever with Cebu Pacific Air. A woman near our seat gave birth to a healthy baby girl, on our flight from Dubai back to [Philippines]," Umandal wrote. According to Umandal, the woman was not scheduled to give birth until October but began experiencing contractions about five hours into the flight. Two nurses who happened to be on the flight worked with flight attendants to bring the woman to the front of the plane where she was able to safely deliver the baby before returning to her seat on the plane. "We only heard one semi-loud screech, and a few seconds later, there were tinier, cute screeches, and it was when we knew the baby was born," Umandal wrote. Parents of other babies provided the woman with clothes for the newborn before the plane landed in India to ensure the baby was healthy. Umandal ended her post with a message for the mother wishing her and the newborn well. "We understand you are resting and giving time to take care of your baby, but we are all hoping for your quick recovery and a lifetime of happiness to your beautiful child!" She wrote. GNA By Morkporkpor Anku, GNA Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - Blackwell Global, an award-winning forex brokerage with world-class forex and CFD trading services, has inaugurated a new office and training centre in Accra. Mr Collins Udolu, Director of Blackwell Global Ghana in an interview with GNA said with the first training centre launched in Lagos, Nigeria, thousands of traders have benefitted from the comprehensive forex training programmes. He said by providing reliable brokerage solutions and sound investments options, the company's goal was to build trust with traders in the sub-region. He said the forex and CFD brokerage offer a true Straight-Through Processing (STP) trading model, offering clients competitive spreads and minimal slippage with quality price feeds directly from top tier liquidity providers. He said client funds are also fully segregated and strictly regulated, with assurance established by the brokerage's partnership with leading banks. He said based on proven strategies that empower traders with all levels of experience with the necessary skills to trade efficiently, could be attributed to its steadfast dedication to education. He said public was invited to obtain free forex education daily training sessions and monthly seminars conducted by trading experts. 'We want to achieve a totally inclusive community, where even a spark of interest in trading can be nurtured, where individuals are empowered to benefit from global movements,' he added. The Director said Ghanaians with strong trading skills could join as partners under the company's reputed Partners Programme, which comes with a comprehensive support package to help train and impart beneficial financial skills to new traders. 'Celebrating their sixth anniversary this year, Blackwell Global will continue to build trust, integrity, competency and innovation in the forex industry,' he said. GNA By Laudia Sawer, GNA Tema, Aug 16, GNA - A 72-year-old woman resident of Tema Community Nine is in police custody for forcing her 13-year old house help to drink 1.5 litres of urine. On Friday, August 12, 2016, Emma Boahene made the househelp to drink the urine as punishment for urinating into the 1.5 litre Voltic bottle at night against her instructions. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Juliana Obeng, Tema Police Regional Public Relations Officer told the Ghana News Agency that Emma Boahene has been charged with emotional and psychological torture. ASP Obeng said the woman who hailed from Sunyani and reside with the victim has on countless times instructed the house help to urinate outside in the night. Victim always defy the order from her and preferred urinating into a bottle, which according to the suspect she refused to dispose of in the morning. According the Police PRO, victim narrated her ordeal to a good Samaritan she met while on an errand to the market. A report was subsequently lodged at the Tema Community One Police and Boahene was arrested and cautioned. Police said she admitted coercing victim to drink the urine to deter her from urinating into the bottle against her instruction. Victim has since been treated and discharged from the Tema General Hospital. GNA By Yussif Ibrahim, GNA Kumasi, Aug 17, GNA - Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah, the Trade and Industry Minister, has called for Ghanaians to develop strong taste for locally-manufactured products. He said that was important to support the growth of the local industries - to create wealth and jobs for the people. It was the way to bring down the rising unemployment. Dr. Spio-Garbrah was speaking during a visit to a number of businesses in the Kumasi metropolis as part of his three-day official tour of the Ashanti Region. They included the Adutwumwaa Herbal Industries Limited, Aning Blaq Shoes, Obaa Sima Leather Works and Muntals Metal Works. The goal was to acquaint himself with their operational challenges and what could be done to keep them going. The Minister said he was impressed with the innovativeness of those entrepreneurs and the significant contribution they were making to the national economy. He found it refreshing that they had not only created jobs for themselves but others and encouraged them to adopt best practices to sustain them in business. He additionally asked that they worked closely with the various institutions under his ministry - to benefit from their technical support to achieve high level of efficiency and optimal returns. Dr. Spio-Garbrah applauded the entrepreneurial skills of people in the region and gave the assurance that they would be given the necessary push by the government. He repeated the call to young graduates to be bold to venture into business, telling them, to strive to become employers and not job-seekers. He had earlier interacted with the Regional Minister, Mr. Alexander John Ackon and members of the Ghana National Association of Garages. GNA 17.08.2016 LISTEN By Laudia Sawer Tema, Aug 17, GNA - Mr Richard Anamoo, Director General, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority(GPHA) has assured workers of the Tema Shipyard and Dry dock Limited that none of them would be laid off. Mr Anamoo, in an interaction with the Shipyard staff few weeks after government handed over the management of the facility to the GPHA, said 'we are not here to lay off workers'. He said the GPHA would rather concentrate on transforming the Tema Shipyard. He however charged the workers to "put all hands on deck" in order to transform the facility into a viable business enterprise. 'We all should rise up to the challenge of national demand so that we turn this company into a company that is working and we can be proud of', he said. The DG urged the staff to eschew all unproductive attitudes towards work but rather discharge their duties professionally. He stressed that his administration would not tolerate unprofessional attitudes, warning that such behaviours would be lawfully sanctioned. Mr Anamoo also called on them to contribute their quota towards the development of the shipyard instead of embarking on unnecessary demonstrations and agitations. 'Let us tell the people of this country that we are not what they think we are, but we are just victims of circumstances and given that opportunity we are ready to turn this place into a viable business enterprise', he added. Mr Anamoo reminded workers that they could only be rewarded when the shipyard is revived adding that training programmes would be organized for them to build their capacity. GNA By Benjamin Akoto, GNA Koforidua (E/R), Aug 17, GNA - People with disabilities have been asked to have self-belief and refuse to allow their situation to become a barrier to their progress. Mr. Kwabena Okyere Kusi, the New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said they should do more to become economically self-supporting. He was inaugurating the municipal branch of the Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled in Koforidua. He encouraged them to learn trades and skills that would make them employable, to enable them to live their dreams. 'It is important to think outside the box to create jobs for themselves and others.' Mr. Kusi gave the assurance that the municipal assembly would continue to create opportunities for everybody to lift themselves from poverty. The Eastern Regional Chairman of the Society, Mr. Daniel Agyekum, said it would work to give voice and provide protection for the physically challenged. GNA 17.08.2016 LISTEN By Godwill Arthur-Mensah, GNA Axim (WR), Aug. 17, GNA - President John Dramani Mahama, will on Thursday, officially inaugurate the Tweneboa, Enyera and Ntomme (TEN) Oilfield project, to begin the production of crude oil on the Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) facility. He said this at a durbar of fishermen and fishmongers in Axim in the Nzema East Municipality, on Tuesday, as part of his 'Changing Lives and Transforming Ghana' tour of the Region. He said so far, Government had distributed 1,500 subsidized outboard motors to fisher folks across the coastal communities in the country. He said the fishing industry is very useful to the country's economy, hence Government's commitment towards improving their standards of living. For the past four years, the government has constructed cold stores in some coastal communities and promised providing more of such facilities in other fishing communities to avoid wasting fish stocks during peak seasons. The President said government had secured funds for the construction of sanitary facilities and bathhouses across the coastal communities in the country. President Mahama said the government had increased the supply of pre-mix fuel to the various landing beaches across the country and the issue of the shortage of the commodity is a thing of the past. He cautioned all fisher folks to refrain from engaging in illegal fishing practices in order to sustain the fisheries resources. The President also appealed to canoe owners to register their canoes so that the National Premix Committee could allocate the required quantities of the product to the various landing beaches. He said the registration would also enable them to be enrolled onto the fishermen's insurance programme and, therefore, used the occasion to debunk assertions that the exercise was intended to tax them. President Mahama urged all NDC faithful to conduct themselves decently in the coming elections adding 'we believe that God is on our side, so victory would be ours'. Earlier, the President made whistle stops at Agona-Nkwanta and Abura in the Ahanta West District, to interact with the people and canvass for their support in the December 7 polls. The Paramount Chief of Lower Axim, Awulae Attibrukusu III, appealed to the Government to construct a cold store and sea defence wall at the coastline of Axim following the recent tidal waves that destroyed some structures in the area. GNA Diabene (WR), Aug. 17, GNA - Nana Aba Esuon II, Queen mother of Diabene community in the Sekondi -Takoradi Metropolis, has said children within the community will no longer follow parents to the farm but attend school to study. She said many children are often seen following their parents to farm due to the lack of an early childhood development centre in the community. Nana Aba Esuon II said this to the GNA during the inauguration of a USAID supported Kindergarten building to offer early childhood education to children in the area. The USAID provided 100,000 dollars for the construction and furnishing of KG block which was completed in June. The KG block houses two classrooms, a staff room, dinning hall, restrooms and a playground. Ambassador Robert Peter Jackson, the United States Ambassador to Ghana, said in the past ten years, the U.S government had funded the construction of more the 350 schools. He said the USAID together with the Ministry of Education launched the partnership program in 2014 to improve the reading skills of at least 2.8 million primary school pupil by 2019. Ambassador Jackson through the partnership, USAID supports teacher training, rigorous students' assessment, improved school management systems and the provision of quality text books and learning materials. "I will like to take this moment to commend the education ministry for being such a steadfast partner in the quest to usher in transformative change ", Ambassador Jackson said. He said the goal of the partnership would ensure that children are given the foundational skills to read with understanding in the early grades of primary school. Madam Enyonam AFI Amafuga, Western Regional Director of Education said sound learning environment was crucial in quality education delivery. She said the facility would go a long way to abate truancy, absenteeism as well as dropout rates particularly among elder siblings who stay at home sometimes to look after these toddlers. GNA A leading member of the pressure group, Citizen Ghana Movement, Kofi Bentsil, has urged Ghanaian voters to develop the habit of policing their votes after exercising their franchise. The IMANI Ghana Vice President, argues that the Supreme Court's decision in the 2012 election petition case, has jeopardized all chances of the will of the electorate prevailing in any public elections in Ghana. According to him, the ruling has consequently redefined the role of voters in Ghana. Speaking at a public forum on the Role of the Electorate in a Credible Election organised by pro-opposition group, Let My Vote Count Alliance, Kofi Bentsil, encouraged the Ghanaian voter to remain vigilant. How do we determine what the will of the people is, the role of the electorate. The role of the electorate today is to make sure you vote and police your vote, Kofi Bentsil said. Ruling on election petition didnt bring clarity The Legal practitioner also raised questions about the Supreme Court's majority ruling on the 2012 election petition, saying the judgement failed to bring clarity to how Ghana's elections must be conducted. The 9-member panel of the Supreme court of Ghana who sat on the presidential election petition, ruled that the incumbent President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), was validly elected and declared president of the Republic of Ghana in the presidential poll of 7th and 8th December 2012. Out of the nine judges, five voted against the NPP's petition, whereas four supported it. Kofi Bentsil argued that, the election petition ruling totally ignored and undermined the process used in conducting the elections, a move he said breaches every procedural justice principle. By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana 17.08.2016 LISTEN The incumbent National Democratic Congress, NDC, has described as a blatant lie, allegations that it masterminded the stealing of the counter-petition booklet against the release of the Montie 3, from the premises of Progressive People's party, PPP. The PPP earlier told Citi News that one of the three booklets containing about one thousand seven hundred signatures, was stolen by some persons who were at the party's headquarters on Tuesday. The PPP's Communications Director, Paa Kow Ackon, blamed the NDC for the act. But reacting to the accusation leveled against the NDC, the National Communications officer for the party , Solomon Nkansah, lashed out at the PPP and described the party as being irresponsible . It is a matter of irresponsibility and the party (PPP) is simply disorganized. Solomon Nkansah added that the PPP just lacks focus and is simply irresponsible. We won't allow them to drag us to their level The sentencing of Godwin Ako Gunn, Alistair Nelson , and Salifu Maase known as the Montie trio, to a four-month jail term for contempt, has been received with mixed reactions. Members of the incumbent party and other ministers of state have signed and forwarded a petition to the Council of State to persuade President Mahama to pardon the Montie trio. A former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Martin Amidu, has also described as unconstitutional , the procedure used by the Supreme Court in jailing the Montie FM trio. By: Pearl Akanya Ofori /Citifmonline .com/Ghana Follow @pearlakanya 17.08.2016 LISTEN From Samuel Agbewode, Ho The police at Anyirawase in the Ho West District have arrested a teacher at the Podoe Junior High School, Philip Adzokatse, who has been accused of defrauding over 600 individuals, under the pretext of managing a credit facility called Norvi Nedude Fan Club on their behalf. The Ho West District Police Commander, Superintendent Felicia Ayesu, told The Chronicle that Adzokatse came to Anyirawase on August 13, 2016 to inaugurate the club, as well as to graduate members who had contributed for the past six months. He was quickly picked up and handed over to the regional CID office in Ho for further action. Superintendent Ayesu further told this reporter that they only effected the arrest, and that all matters concerning the case would be handled by the Regional CID. A spokesperson for the people who have allegedly been defrauded by the suspect, Mr. Felix Clintson, also told The Chronicle that he was much satisfied by the professional conduct of the police at Anyirawase, and was hopeful that the law would deal with the suspect. Mr. Clintson said the arrest of Adzokatse was welcome news to all the people he had defrauded, because there was hope that the monies would be retrieved from him. The spokesperson disclosed that when The Chronicle first published the story, the suspect tried to change some of the rules and regulations governing the club to enable him free himself from any legal action, but the original documents are still in their possession, and would use it to challenge him (Adzokatse) in court. Mr. Clintson explained that Adzokatse, knowing very well that the law would soon catch up with him, met members at the Tongor-Dzemeni branch and distributed the new version of the rules and regulations that he had quickly developed to exonerate him from any legal battle with the victims. When questioned why he had prepared the new rules when one was already in existence, he asked the members of club to return the new rules and regulations, but some members managed to make copies for themselves, to enable them use it to defend their case. The Chronicle broke the story on July 11, this year, about the conduct of Adzokatse and that the police were looking for him to face the law. 17.08.2016 LISTEN From Michael Boateng, Sunyani A former Minister of Education in the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi has described the performance of candidates who sat for the 2016 West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) as unfortunate and unpleasant. According to Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi, though the West African Examination Council (WAEC) said this year's performance is a significant improvement over that of 2015, a critical analysis of the results indicates that most of the candidates cannot make it to the tertiary institutions. WAEC announced the 2016 WASSCE results recently, noting that out of the total 274, 262 candidates who participated in the examination, 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. For Mathematics, 77,108 (32.83%) obtained A1-C6; 65,007 (27.68%) obtained D7-E8 whilst 89,477 (38.10%) had F9. Out of 2,184 candidates who had issues with their results, 598 candidates had their entire results cancelled. Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi, speaking in an interview on Sunyani-based Moonlite FM, indicated that the results of this year's WASSCE should be a wakeup call to all stakeholders because it serves as a bane for the production of quality human resources for the nation for rapid development. He said teachers cannot be blamed for this unfortunate result, because the environment for effective teaching and learning is dwindling due to poor condition of services, and non-payment of incentives and lack of motivation for teachers. The former minister and Director General of Education further indicated that teachers are unable to complete the syllabus with the students because the period is insufficient, adding that most of the students are very brilliant but because they had insufficient time to complete the syllabus they end up coming out with poor results. He said science and mathematics clinics and workshop which were organized for Teachers on how best they can teach the two subjects for students to understand and apply could be resourced and improved to rescue the falling standard of education at the secondary level. Professor Ameyaw Akumfi was not comfortable with the current budget allocation for the Education Ministry, saying during President Kufuor's time, the budget allocation for Education moved up to 30%, but currently only 15% of the total national budget is allocated to the Ministry, which is too small. He continued that parents also have a major stake in ensuring the improvement of the standard of education by supporting their children and wards with the necessary provision that will enhance effective teaching and learning. On the issue of 3 or 4 years duration, Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi said he has always supported the 4years, but it would be prudent for Ghanaians to consider the Professor Yankah's report, which indicates that students do not get enough time to cover the syllabus and prepare adequately for the WASSCE. He said, per the Prof. Yankah's report, the four year should have been used, however, students who might have prepared adequately within the three years must be allowed to sit for the WASSCE, whilst those who would not be adequately prepared should wait till the fourth year before sitting for the WASSCE. Education must be devoid of politics, whilst we resource the teacher and provide the necessary incentives, refresher course or programmes, whilst parents live up to their responsibilities as major stakeholders, Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi said. From Richard Owusu-Akyaw, Kumasi Two suspected armed robbers have been shot dead, following fierce exchange of gunfire between them and the police at Asafo, a suburb of Kumasi. The deceased suspects were identified as Emmanuel Nyamekye, alias 50 Cent and Kwadwo Asare, alias Lumba. They are said to have opened fire on the Police who were on their heels. Emmanuel Nyamekye and Kwadwo Asare have been on police wanted list for allegedly shooting and robbing one Nasiru Gulet of GHc35,000 at his (Gulet's) residence at Asokore Mampong in Kumasi, on August 3, 2016. Police intelligence led to the arrest of one Yaw Gyimah, alias Scorpion, a suspect, who confessed to being part of the attack and led the police to arrest suspect Isaac Ofosuhene and mentioned the deceased as the other accomplices. Deputy Ashanti Region Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ampofo-Duku, said at a press briefing yesterday that, the duo hinted the police that Emmanuel Nyamekye and Kwadwo Asare planned to rob a hotel near the Baba Yara Stadium with one Area, who is at large. The two deceased persons were, therefore, lured to Asafo Cement area and when police attempted to arrest them, they nearly shot one of the police men, resulting in fierce gun battle which resulted in the death of 50 Cent and Lumba. According to ACP Ampofo-Duku, the late Emmanuel Nyamekye had also been on police radar following his alleged involvement in a robbery attack on a bakery at Bomso in Kumasi. He said the deceased wielding an AK-47 riffle led three other suspects, Stephen Annor, alias Kofi Elija, Clement Kwabena Bahanga and Kwabena Owusu Mensah, now at large, to rob a bakery. They shot at three customers who had gone to do business, robbed them of an unspecified amount of money and bolted away. Suspects Stephen Annor and Clement Bahanga were arrested in Bolgatanga and escorted to Kumasi. Suspect Kwabena Owusu was identified to the Police by one of the victims at Juaben in Ashanti and was arrested. Suspect Emmanuel Nyamekye, who had the AK-47 rifle and led the gang is now deceased, the Police officer narrated. In a related development, Police in the region have swooped in on 34 persons, including a female, who they said were allegedly terrorizing people at TafoAdonpom and its environs. The suspects aged between 15 to 17 years, ACP Ampofo-Duku said, wielded cutlasses, broken bottles and other offensive implements. The Police moved in swiftly to the scene and with the help of the community arrested the leader Toriq Ali. He said when a search was conducted on him, a cutlass, popularly known as 'langalanga' was found in his dress. Through interrogation the offender mentioned some of his accomplices who were arrested together with two other offenders. 17.08.2016 LISTEN Yesterday, we published a story under the headline -63% public schools have no electricity -US Ambassador. According to the story, the United States of America (USA) Ambassador to Ghana, Robert Jackson, while inspecting the installation of a 3.1kwp solar power plant at the Ashaiman Tsui-Bleo Cluster of Schools, observed that 63 per cent of public schools in Ghana have no electricity. According to Robert Jackson, the 63 percent statistics was the result of a thorough survey conducted by credible organizations and supported by the US in Ghana, adding These are schools that are not connected to the national grid. To Robert Jackson, there was the need for Ghana to explore solar energy opportunities and invest in it, especially in the educational institutions, to facilitate and enhance teaching and learning. He, therefore, suggested to the government to aggressively hang on to the Millennium Challenge Compact for sustainable energy to enable her meet the pressing demand. The Chronicle couldn't agree more with the ambassador because energy has become a very critical commodity in the country and the only way the government can address it is to invite the private sector to assist in that direction. However, the about 63 percent of public schools in Ghana without electricity raises a lot of serious concerns, which should become a source of worry to all Ghanaians. The paper, nonetheless believes that if the government could create the enabling environment for the private sector to enter into renewable energy generation to augment the hydro power already in supply, the better it would be for Ghana. If enough energy is generated, government could extend electricity to the various public schools to enable Ghana, as a nation to address the long standing problem facing our public schools. On the other hand, government could get the Ghana Education Service (GES) to liaise with the Ministries of Environment, Science and Technology, Energy and Power to come out with renewable energy models, such as biogas, wind or solar for the various public schools to enable them generate electricity that can take care of their needs. The government could, alternatively, engage the private sector by encouraging them to go into the generation of other renewable energy sources to help address the problem in its entirety. Since it is the official goal of the Ministry of Energy to have 10% of Ghana's energy mix generated from renewable sources by 2015, or at the very least by 2020, we should focus on that to achieve our energy needs. In November 2011, Parliament passed the Renewable Energy Bill, which specified the use of renewable energy such as wind, solar and landfill gas to energy. This should infuse a new breath of life into Ghana quest to meeting its 10 percent renewable goal target by 2020. On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I congratulate the people of the Gabonese Republic as you celebrate the 56th anniversary of your nations independence on August 17. The United States applauds your commitment to conducting free, fair, and peaceful elections later this month. Your support for transparent democratic institutions and processes can serve as a model for other countries in the region. The United States values its friendship with Gabon, and looks forward to continued partnership with you in support of economic growth and strong environmental stewardship, especially in the areas of climate change, sustainable forestry, wildlife management, and the protection of biological diversity. I offer my best wishes to you on this special day and throughout the year to come. Accra: The U.S ambassador to Ghana Mr. Robert P. Jackson has expressed joy over efforts being made by the Ghanaian government to address human trafficking in the country. This follows President John Mahamas appointment of a national coordinator to lead anti-human trafficking operations in the country in the wake of vociferous advocacy from various forces, including the U.S. government. Mr. P. Jackson in an exclusive interview with the westafrikansource.com last Thursday expressed his elation saying: Im very glad that the government is responding positively to our outcry of the need to address this He added. Were excited about the fact that the presidents office is taking a direct interest in this, it indicates to me that theyre taking the issue very seriously. According to the ambassador, about 33 trafficked victims have been rescued and 4 traffickers identified and prosecuted within a month through the efforts of the Ghanaian government. He said it was a good sign of progress compared to the past few years when very little was done concerning the issue despite the prevalence of the menace. The Ambassador in a few weeks past admonished Ghana to increase efforts at confronting the menace, as it fared poorly in an assessment report released by U.S secretary of state, John Kerry. The 2016 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report released about a month ago, found Ghana a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to forced labor and sex trafficking. In the report, Ghanas inertness on controlling human trafficking pushed the country to a Tier 2 Watch list country in ranking 2 years in a row. This development put the country at risk of an automatic downgrading to a Tier 3 in the next ranking. As reiterated by the ambassador weeks ago, hitting a Tier 3 status would mean the U.S cutting a 500 million-assistance programme being enjoyed by Ghana. The West African country, however was given a leeway to prove its commitment towards addressing the crime before next year, by which the bilateral relation would be maintained. Sedulous efforts Speaking in an interview with the westafrikansource.com last Thursday, the diplomat commended the West-African country for topical steps being taken to manage the situation. He said in helping to address the menace, the US government last year, signed a 5-million Child Protection Compact with Ghana targeted at helping trafficked children within the country. Mr. Jackson also mentioned other interventions by the U.S in assisting combat what he refers to as modern-day slavery. He said present efforts being made by Ghana were encouraging and if maintained, the West-African nation would move up in the ranking, which takes place next summer. The Ghana Tertiary Awards has released the first batch of nominees for 2016 during their exclusive interview on Joy Prime Television Channel yesterday. The Organizers of the Scheme Youth Web Group told the general public that the decision to release a section of the full nominees of the Ghana Tertiary Awards 2016 was to satisfy students outside Accra who can not witness Friday's grand nominees release ceremony and the unveiling of the show's MCs. The Over 18,000 students who picked nominations forms for this year's Ghana Tertiary Awards 2016 has finally been vetted, short listed and submitted to the organizers last Monday. Voting Starts on this Friday 19th of August 2016 (FULL NOMINEES RELEASE DATE) to a universal short code (1762) to all Networks.The Organizers are set to provide the voting procedure and all attached information on Friday during the full nominees announcement ceremony at the Airport West Hotel, 7pm with lot to eat and drink. They finally added that the event is free for all and for more details the general public can call them on 0543 55 8381 / 030 39 772 57 Below are the FIRST BATCH OF GHANA TERTIARY AWARDS 2016 NOMINEES MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE MODEL 1. HARRIET JOYCE BANAFO GYAMFI ACCRA POLYTECHNIC 2. BABARA HAYFORD GH MEDIA 3. PENNINAH YEBOAH METHODIST UNIVERSITY COLLEGE 4. FELLA MAKAFUI PRECIOUS UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 5. ACHAWA SACKEY BETTY GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM 6. ASANTEWAA OFOSU AFUA GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM 7. PRISCILLA AIDOO UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST 8. HEPHIZBAH NAA DEDEI ARMAH UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 9. VICTORIA UDEH ADAORA PRESBYTERIAN UNIVERSITY 10. SELINAM KWADZADZO CENTRAL UNIVERSITY 11. ESTHER ARABA SEY KNUST 12. MERCILINE NAA OKINE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY MOST INFLUENTIAL MALE MODEL 1. PRINCE ATTAFUAH DWAMENA ACCRA POLYTECHNIC 2. WESLEY KESE GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM 3. ADJEI GYASI KWADWO EDWARD KUMASI POLYTECHNIC 4. PASCAL KENECHUKWU WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL 5. AMOAH AGYEKUM ALFRED UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 6. RASHID JALUDE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 7. OMOLE SHEYE AYOKOWUNI BLUE CREST COLLEGE 8. ADOMAKO MENSAH FELIX UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 9. BERNARD YANKEY FIIFI GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM 10. DOMPREH BRIGHT UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST MOST INFLUENTIAL TV PRESENTING (MALE) 1. TETTEH MARK TV3 2. DENTEH PAPA YAW AGYEKUM HI SCHOOL LINKS (TV AFRICA) 3. GYEKYE OSEI KENNETH HANGOUT MASTER 4. AARON LESLIE ADATSI TMG TV (GH ONE) 5. JEFFEY NORTEY TV3 6. OFFEI NYARKO TV3 7. DEBRAH ADANSIE BONA KWAKU YOUTH WEB TV 8. DANIEL JUNIOR ODAME STAR TV 9. WIREKO BRIGHT CAMPUS TV 10. JASON EL-AGHA RYTMZ INTERNATIONAL TV MOST INFLUENTIAL TV PRESENTING (FEMALE) 1. ANITA AKUFFO AKUA FASHION GH (GH ONE TV) 2. ADU REGINA SAFOWAAH MARKET PLUS (CINE PLUS) 3. LARBI ASAA BELINDA BLISS CONNECT TV 4. REGINA VAN HELVERT RYTHMZ INTERNATIONAL (GH ONE) 5. PRISCA DEDE ARYEH CAMPUS BASE TV (VIASAT 1) 6. MARFO EMMANUELLA BAMFO TV3 7. ANNA SPIO VIASAT 1 8. JACQUELINE ACQUAYE PLAY LIST (METRO TV) MOST INFLUENTIAL STUDENTS HALL 1. AFRICAN HALL KNUST 2. COMMON WEALTH HALL LEGON 3. INDEPENDENT HALL KNUST 4. MENSAH SARBAH HALL LEGON 5. QUEENS HALL KNUST 6. REPLUBIC HALL KNUST 7. UNITY HALL KNUST 8. CASFORD HALL UCC 9. ECOWAS HALL UDS MOST INFLUENTIAL MALE ACTING 1. AARON LESLIE ADATSI YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE (YOLO) 2. AUGUSTINE AGYAPONG COMEDY 3. KOBBY ACHEAMPONG JACKIE GOES TO SCHOOL 4. SAMUEL DOBGE COMEDY 5. JEFFREY NORTEY THINGS I DO FOR SAMATHA 6. JASON EL-GHA HEELS & SNEAKERS 7. OFFEI NYARKO COCOA BROWN MOST INFLUENTIAL FEMALE ACTING 1. ADU SAFOWAAH REGINA SEX IN HOLY MATRIMONY 2. PRISCA DEDE ARYEH GIRLS FEEVA 3. REGINA VAN-HELVERT HEELS & SNEAKERS 4. FELLA MAKAFUI PRECIOUS (YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE) YOLO MOST INFLUENTIAL STUDENT IN POET 1. GOMBILLA TOFIC UNIVERSITY OF GHANA 2. ANYOMI KWAME WISE WISCONSIN UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL 3. DEIFULLAH MOHAMMED UPSA 4. GEORGE OKYERE UPSA 5. WILLIAM YAW SAKYI KUM GHANA INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISM He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media. Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates. Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications. A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission. He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups. Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel. In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association. He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's videocasts and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV. All the leaders who have ruled Ghana, apart from the military dictators, had university degrees. All of them either lived or studied abroad. The current President, John Dramani Mahama, for example, attended Achimota College and Ghana Secondary School in Tamale where he obtained the Ordinary and Advanced level certificates respectively. He continued to the University of Ghana where he got his first degree in History. He further did a post-graduate course in Communications at the School of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana. He travelled to Moscow where he pursued a post-graduate degree in Social Psychology. I have taken time to describe the prestigious education of our president and his travel experience. He is not alone in this. All our former leaders had similar experiences and education abroad. They all returned to Ghana with certificates to commit crime and corruption against the state, while rendering the ordinary Ghanaians poor, unemployed and miserable. All the leaders that have come and gone and the present government are guilty for not attending to the problem of illegal mining. This appalling and condemnable practice has gone on for many years. Illegal miners and people around the mining areas dig up holes and search through the sand to gather gold and sell. "Gather them and sell" gradually became known as "Galamsey." There are serious problems connected with galamsey which call for the government's attention. Either due to deliberate lack of interest or pure, active and selfish interests and gains in the galamsey business, the government has either chosen to keep quiet or done little to stop the offenders. The reason for my argument is that, any serious government can easily relegate galamsey into the abyss of forgetfulness, by sending the military into all the areas where galamsey is taking place, chasing them out and seizing their machines. This action must continue for only a month and galamsey will die a natural death. What is happening is that this illegal mining is destroying water bodies which the people living in the surrounding villages depend on as a source of drinking water. The situation has worsened with the influx of Chinese into the country who are getting actively involved in the illegal mining business. Apart from the destruction and contamination of water bodies that serve as sources of drinking water, there are other problems connected with galamsey. The gaping holes have become traps killing children and adults alike. The Chinese brought complex machines to the forest and destroyed cocoa farms in the areas they operated. Many farmlands belonging to the residents were taken away and sold to the Chinese for galamsey purposes. Foodstuffs and cash crops are being destroyed at random. Despite protests and demonstrations, no leadership in government has ever planned and released a permanent solution to the problem. If a solution was found, the farmers would congratulate the government rather than the daily wailing and moaning. Due to lack of control, measures and unwillingness to wipe out galamsey from the system, the illegal mining has moved to another dangerous level. In Konongo in the Ashanti Region, the residents believe that many houses have been built in areas where they assume the ground is rich in gold. You will not believe this: galamsey has now moved to houses. Many halls and bedrooms of houses in Konongo have been dug and dynamited, all because they want to gather gold and sell. Neighbours are horrified by the noise created by these dynamites. The local authority look on helpless and unconcerned with no desire or power to abate the nuisance. The leadership of this country can easily stop galamsey but will they? Many commissions and organisations that are supposed to be agents for change, development and industrialisation have all become white elephants. This is all because our governments are not eager to implement the results of researches by certain institutions and organisations in order to speed up development and progress. In Finland for example, the use of bicycles during summer is an obsession. One out of five persons you meet has a bicycle. These bicycles are parked in hundreds in the cities especially near underground stations. Very often many of them are stolen. This created a serious problem for the citizens. A Master's degree student took upon himself and wrote his thesis on how the government and the municipal authorities could provide bicycles near subway stations describing in detail how this system could work. The government and the metropolitan authorities studied the thesis and approved it. Today you don't need to have your own bicycle. You only slot your travel card and a bicycle is ready for your use. Alarm will sound very hectically if after three hours the bicycle is not returned to the nearest subway station. This is what I call positive and unselfish thought by leadership to the masses. This system can also be found in many cities in Europe who have also researched into the benefits. What are our leaders doing with all the research works that are gathering dust in archives of forgetfulness? The cost of research is expensive and time consuming and therefore due to governments unwillingness to implement these research findings and results, many research-proven academicians like engineers, medical officers, lawyers, statisticians and pharmacists have given up and many have found their way into parliament where the salary is much better. The Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is a science and technology research centre which has several institutes operating under its umbrella. The most important of them is Food Research Institute (FRI). The main task of this institute is to provide technical, analytical services, contract research and consultancy services to governmental agencies, micro-medium and multinational agro-food processing industries and international development agencies. Yet we don't see Ghanaian food products, but West Indian bananas and coconut, Kenyan tea and cashew nuts flood American, Canadian and European supermarkets. Is the institute interested in research that could increase the lifespan of our farm products in order to make them attractive for export and is the government even interested in funding a research like this? FPI intends to engage in research that give rise to increased food products with healthy and long life-span and attractive to international markets. When this is done, it will go a long way to strengthening the institute's goal for providing income security for farmers. There will also be food security and foreign exchange earnings. The institute has good motives but will support for their various research works come soon? Indeed the institute has very nice and heart-warming strategies and plans but when are CSIR or FRI ever going to put any of their research into action for all Ghanaians to see and applaud? When Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah assumed power as the first president of Ghana, his main vision was to make sure Ghana is powered by atomic energy because he foresaw the dangers that could be posed by the water level of the Akosombo dam thereby causing interruption in electricity supply. At least that was one of the reasons he put forward but it became known later that he had secret nuclear technology agenda too. He created a commission to regulate the Ghanaian Atomic energy programme. With Nkrumah's vision and drive, Ghana had massive confidence of bringing the atomic energy Project to a victorious end. Nkrumah always thought ahead and in one of his addresses in 1964, he revealed his intention of going into nuclear technology. He explained that with the erratic supply of energy from hydro and thermal sources, the country must focus on a more reliable means of power generation. To prove his seriousness he put Robert Sogbadji, an expert in charge of nuclear and alternative energy at Ghana's Ministry of energy and petroleum. This man had high hopes for the Project because he knew that when it was completed, it was going to be so cheap that we wouldn't need to pay so much for electricity. The Americans became suspicious of Nkrumah's nuclear technology plan and all these fine ambitions of 1960 were stalled when Nkrumah was overthrown. After Nkrumah's exit, none of the leaders who came after him even talked about atomic or nuclear energy as an alternative source for the erratic power supply that has hung permanently on our heads like the sword of Damocles. Those leaders who talked about atomic energy could not do anything about their plans. The atomic energy commission is no longer remembered or considered by any Ghanaian leader as a potential source of energy. Sadly enough such an important monumental centre is now used to denote a junction: Atomic Junction. Are our children learning anything? If it is the intention of governments to break every institution including Atomic energy commission, no matter what they do, Ghana will continue to remain in Dumsor. President Mahama, in one of his addresses, announced that it is both important and necessary for Ghana's industrial growth, if we patronised "made in Ghana goods." To show how serious he was with the campaign, he began to wear Ghanaian traditional jumpers and boubou and admonished his ministers to do the same. He revived the shoe factory in Kumasi and promised that made in Ghana boots would be made for soldiers and the police and even school children would get their shoes. It was everyone's wish that the president will continue this noble agenda. It turned out to be wishful thinking, a nine day wonder and a mere propaganda! Ghanaians woke up one day to find out that the president had bypassed local industries and carpenters and ordered for parliament seats from China, costing more than 1.5 million dollars. Interestingly those seats began to sag in and anyone who sat in could not easily be seen by the Speaker. The seats had to be replaced and despite public outcry and protests, the president had no regrets and ordered new furniture from the same source. As if to add salt to the injury of Ghanaians he gave a contract to a Burkinabe to build a wall around a plot Ghana has purchased in Burkina Faso and got himself entangled in a scandal dating back to 2012. The president is reported to have received a gift which is undeniably a bribe, of a vehicle costing several thousands of dollars from a Burkinabe contractor. In return Mahama offered him the contract valued at more than 600,000 dollars. A job which a Ghanaian mason or building contractor could have taken less than a tenth of the amount? In the case of the bus branding, the contract had to go to a foreign Company. WHY? Our leaders have made the job of being a president so cheap, no doubt illiterates like Akua Donkor and Kumchacha are also vying for similar positions in Ghana. God help Ghana! Our institutions will continue to die and research works will continue to gather dust if our leaders continue to show interest in foreign products. Stephen Atta Owusu Author: Dark Faces at Crossroads Email: [email protected] The Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States welcome the announcement by the Presidency Council of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) appointing an Interim Steering Committee of the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA). The LIA has a vital role to safeguard Libyas assets for the long term benefit of the Libyan people. The Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States recall that UN Security Council Resolution 2259 stressed the need for the Government of National Accord to exercise sole and effective oversight over the National Oil Company, the Central Bank of Libya, and the Libyan Investment Authority as a matter of urgency, and highlighted the importance of these institutions continuing to function for the benefit of all Libyans. The Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States call on all Libyans to support the GNA in preserving and protecting the independence and integrity of the Libyan Financial Institutions for the benefit of all Libyans. Residents of Gbulung in the Kumbungu district of the Northern Region have hit the streets in protest over the bad nature of their roads. The residents say the roads are so bad they cannot access healthcare or go to market with their farm produce. On Wednesday, hundreds of the angry residents poured onto the dilapidated roads demanding a quick fix of the roads. They threatened to boycott the December elections if government fails to construct the roads. Government has been campaigning on the promise of infrastructure development across many parts of the country. One of the key areas mentioned is the provision of roads. At the National Democratic Congress campaign launch this week end, speaker after speaker trumpeted achievements chalked by government. But some residents across the country are protesting over what they is the bad roads in their various localities. Wednesday saw two demonstrations at two different regions all which were on one issue- bad roads. First it was residents of Ho Central who claim roads in their localities were bad. Then other was in Gbulung in the Northern Region. Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com A toddler believed to be a year-and-half old was burnt to death after a cylinder exploded in a wooden structure in which she slept at Palm wine Junction near La in Accra. It is not clear yet what may have caused the explosion but a young girl in whose care the deceased was left, tried to use the gas stove to cook for the child in a kitchen attached to the wooden structure, but the story turned deadly, an eyewitness narrated. The cylinder full of gas exploded and the fire spread to the room where the toddler had been put to sleep. "The kitchen is right at the door so no one could enter the room after the fire started" the eyewitness Tsarwetey told Myjoyonline.com. The sad incident happened around 1:00pm Wednesday. The mother of the deceased whose name was given as Talata, 20, had gone to sell lingerie when the incident happened. According to the eye witness, the fire service arrived about an hour after the fire began only to realize they had inadequate water in their tender. The fire spread to about eight other houses, five of which were also wooden structures, destroying several properties in the process. After several distress calls were placed, another tender arrived to douse the fire. We found the child burnt beyond recognition when we finally entered the house," the eye witness lamented. The fire destroyed properties in all the houses including wedding items bought by one tenant who would be getting married this weekend, the eyewitness said. Sadly, another tenant who has also lost everything in the fire lost his wife at this same time yesterday, he added. Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | Akosua Asiedua Akuffo | [email protected] Beni (DR Congo) (AFP) - A policeman and a protestor were killed Wednesday in clashes at a demonstration in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the government's alleged failure to protect civilians, after a gruesome massacre in the east of the country. Security forces stepped in after hundreds gathered in the town's main street on the last day of a three-day mourning period called by civil society groups over the murder of dozens of people on Saturday night. Police and troops fired tear gas and warning shots to break up an angry protest in the town of Beni where 51 civilians were hacked to death, in the latest in a string of attacks blamed on rebels. "A policeman and a civilian were killed, nine people were injured, six civilians and three soldiers," said Edmond Masumbuko, the mayor of Beni in North Kivu province. The United States has warned of more violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo, should President Joseph Kabila hold on to power after his mandate expires in December. The civilian killed Wednesday was shot by a policeman at point blank range, according to a witness who would not be named. The head of Beni's civil society movement Gilbert Kambale also said the young man was killed by a policeman. At least six demonstrators were arrested in a violent manner and thrown into a military jeep to be taken to an unknown destination, an AFP reporter on the scene said. An effigy of Kabila was burned in the town's main market, as were flags of Kabila's ruling People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), said the reporter. Tensions remained high by early evening, with sporadic gunfire while demonstrators continued to barricade some streets. - Crowds boo premier - The deadly protests came a day after Prime Minister Augustin Matata was booed by hundreds of demonstrators outside Beni's town hall, where he gave a short speech after a three-hour whistle-stop visit. Matata visited the massacre site along with senior army and police officials. "What did he come for? We don't need humanitarian aid, but peace," said Germain Katembo, a survivor of the weekend massacre who lost three members of his family. Beni and the surrounding area have suffered a series of massacres in recent times, mostly involving knives, leaving some 650 people dead since October 2014. The killings have been blamed by the government and the UN mission in the country on the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a partly Islamist armed group of Ugandan origin. The group has been present in Democratic Republic of Congo for more than two decades and is accused of a litany of human rights abuses. The ADF, opposed to Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, is thought to be deeply embroiled in criminal networks funded by kidnappings, smuggling and logging. A report published in March by the Congo Research Group at New York University, which looked into the massacres around Beni, claimed that soldiers from the regular army had also participated in the killings. Industry tributes have been coming in for Actor, Kofi Middleton-Mends, who died on Tuesday, aged 77, at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra after battling kidney disease. His daughter, Araba Botchwey, confirmed his death to the media on Wednesday. He is survived by a wife and three children. He was a mainstay on television, stage and film production with his most recent film role coming in Shirley Frimpong-Manso's 'Grey Dawn'. He was also well known for the 'Key Soap medo fo pa' TV commercial which was very popular in the 90s. Until his demise, Kofi Middleton-Mends was also a lecturer at the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) and the University of Ghana. Ghanaian arts and culture icons like Deputy Tourism Minister; Dzifa Gomashie, Leila Djansi and Shirley Frimpong-Manso have paid tribute to the late actor. The late actor also starred in Leila Djansis Sinking Sands in 2012. Akuuma Mama Zimbi, know for acting with her stage work on Cantata, took to twitter to pay tribute. Oh Gosh, another mighty tree has fallen. Veteran Ghanaian actor Kofi Mends has died. May he rest in perfect peace. pic.twitter.com/mV3VNpG1ul Akumaa Mama Zimbi (@Akumaa) August 17, 2016 Comedian turned musician, David Oscar, also paid his respects to the late actor with the iconic quote, What is on mans mind?. By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has questioned the rationale behind the First Lady, Lordina Dramani Mahama's increased generosity ahead of the general election. The First Lady, through her Foundation, has in recent times been involved in some humanitarian activities including donations to some schools in the country. She recently inaugurated a dining hall and kitchen at the Jakpa RC Primary School in the Chereponi District of the Northern Region. Speaking on Eyewitness News, the acting General Secretary of NPP, John Boadu, expressed concern about what he termed as lavish gifts being shared by the First lady, saying We are in an election year and all of a sudden we are seeing goodies being shared by the First Lady. We are seeing Lordina Foundation across the country sharing goodies to the people. The wife of the President of the Republic is going around the country, with a fleet of trucks load of goodies, which she is sharing for votes. These run into millions of dollars. Citing other examples to support his claim, Mr. Boadu recalled that in 2012, the NDC allegedly took some $4 billion dollars from state coffers in a desperate attempt to stay in power. Mr. Boadu therefore called for full disclosure on who is funding the First Ladys projects, saying the First Lady should be kind enough to let us know whether the goodies were procured with her own money. First Lady is continuing tradition The Natiional Democratic Congress (NDC) in a rebuttal however dismissed these allegations, describing them as unnecessary. They are the most unnecessary set of questions I have ever heard any political party pull, the Deputy Minister for Communications, Felix Ofosu Kwakye said. Mr. Ofosu Kwakye, whos also the Deputy Spokesperson for the NDCs 2016 campaign, clarified that the First Lady has been embarking on these projects in an attempt to continue the tradition left by her predecessors. Madam Theresa Kufuor had mother and child community development foundation when she was First Lady. Madam Ernestina Naadu Mills also had a foundation for child education and before them, Nana Konadu had the 31st December Women's Movement and all these organisations were registered NGOs who raised resources through known channels to prosecute their activities in the same vein, Felix Ofosu Kwakye explained. The First Lady runs a number of NGOs including the Lordina Mahama Foundation which supports humanitarian and philanthropic works. By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @EfeAnsah Beni (DR Congo) (AFP) - Three people, including a policeman, were killed Wednesday in clashes in a town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) after a massacre sparked angry accusations of security failures by the government, local officials said. Several hundred people rallied on the main street of Beni at the end of a three-day mourning period called by civil groups over the murder of dozens of people on Saturday night. At least 50 people were hacked to death, the UN military mission to DRC said Wednesday, in the latest in a two-year string of attacks blamed on rebels. Police and troops fired tear gas and warning shots in a bid to break up the crowd, but the protestors blocked off streets with barricades. In the first fatal incident, "a policeman and a civilian were killed, nine people were injured, (comprising) six civilians and three soldiers", Beni Mayor Edmond Masumbuko said. The head of Beni's civil society movement, Gilbert Kambale, said the civilian fatality was a young man who was killed by a policeman. The casualty "was shot by a bullet which inflicted an entry wound in the back but did not exit the body," Jeremie Muhindo, a doctor at Beni hospital, told AFP. At least six demonstrators were arrested in a violent manner and thrown into a military jeep and taken away, an AFP reporter on the scene said. An effigy of Kabila was burned in the main market, as were flags of Kabila's ruling People's Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD). In the second incident, a woman suspected of being a member of the rebel group was lynched in northern Beni, near where the massacre took place, Masumbuko said. The woman was beaten to death with stones and sticks and her body was then torched, witnesses told AFP. - Crowds boo premier - The massacre occurred just three days after President Joseph Kabila visited Beni and vowed to do everything to ensure peace and security in the troubled region. On Tuesday Prime Minister Augustin Matata was booed by hundreds of demonstrators outside Beni town hall, where he gave a short speech after a three-hour whistle-stop visit. Matata visited the massacre site along with senior army and police officials. "What did he come for? We don't need humanitarian aid, but peace," said Germain Katembo, a survivor of the weekend massacre who lost three members of his family. Beni and the surrounding area have suffered a series of bloody attacks, most of them involving machetes, leaving some 650 people dead since October 2014. The killings have been blamed by the government and the UN mission in the country on the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a partly Islamist armed group of Ugandan origin. The group has been present in DRC for more than two decades and is accused of a litany of human rights abuses. The ADF, opposed to Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, is thought to be deeply embroiled in criminal networks funded by kidnappings, smuggling and illegal logging. A report published in March by the Congo Research Group at New York University, which looked into the massacres around Beni, claimed that soldiers from the regular army had also participated in the killings. The DRC was a Belgian colony until independence in 1960, when it became the Republic of Congo. From 1971 to 1997, it was called Zaire. Vast and mineral-rich, the country is saddled with a reputation for widespread poverty, corruption and political instability. North Kivu province, where Beni is located, seethes with dozens of armed groups. The United States has warned of more violence in the country should Kabila hold on to power after his mandate expires in December. By Francis Ameyibor, GNA Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - Nana Oye Lithur, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, has said there is the need for a comprehensive approach to increase the participation of women in power and decision-making. 'We must bring gender to the forefront of Election 2016', she said. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Nana Oye Lithur said there is the need for gender advocates to intensify their campaign for increased participation of women in the electoral machinery adding that agenda to uphold is the 'Ghana Women 2030 reinvigorated Beijing Declaration agenda'. She said: 'Election 2016 offers advocacy platforms for the support of women's political participation through capacity building, training and dedicated gender equality structures'. Nana Oye Lithur said in the spirit of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, Ghanaian Women recently set reinvigorated targets for the next 15 years, to ensure that women occupy their rightful positions in power and decision-making of the country. 'Women have now put forward a gender checklist to serve as the benchmark for measuring results by 2030,' she said. The Gender Minister called on National Women Organisers of the various political parties to hit the campaign front based on issues and serve as 'Gender Apostles of Ghana Agenda 2030'. The Ghana Agenda 2030 which is linked to the United Nations Women Agenda 2030 calls for measures to ensure that 50 per cent of vice chancellors and university professors are women. The Agenda also calls for women to take about 60 per cent of the positions of state corporation chief executive officers; Ghana Club 100 chief executive officers and bank chief executive officers. It also states that women must occupy 60 per cent of all ministerial portfolios, especially Finance, Energy, Education and Health. The Ghana Women 2030 target also aims at 60 per cent of parliamentary seats, 60 per cent of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executive posts; and 60 per cent of assembly and unit committee members. Nana Oye Lithur called on all political parties through their women's wing to give the Agenda 2030 the necessary support. The Agenda 2030 is not a fight against men, or a struggle to dislodge men from any position, she said, it is about 'the importance of women's equal participation in decision-making as a means of achieving transparent and accountable government and administration for sustainable development'. Nana Oye Lithur said Agenda 2030 acknowledges that despite the steady increase in women's political representation and participation in parliaments, they remain significantly under-represented at the highest levels of political participation, as well as across the public and private sectors. The Gender Minister said the persistence of discrimination, gender bias, the threat of violence, harassment, and intimidation in political institutions, has contributed to the low level of women's political participation. Nana Oye Lithur called on all democratic institutions to take measures to ensure women's equal access to, and full participation in, power structures and decision-making and increase women's capacity to participate in decision-making and leadership. GNA 17.08.2016 LISTEN Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - The Ghana Alliance for Cookstoves and Fuel (GHACCO), cookstoves producers, has donated assorted clean and improved cookstoves and fuel to the Ghana Education Service (GES) in Accra to support this year's Cook Art Competition. The donation is aimed at supporting the competition being organised by the GES as part of the National Cultural Festival in Sunyani from August 26 to 29 August. It is also to facilitate awareness creation and education on clean cooking in basic and senior high schools. The items donated are 55 charcoal based stoves such as, Toyola, Enviroft, Gyapa, Man and Man, and clean cookmate. Others are Elsa stoves, which uses palm kernel shells and pellets, cooking bags and 12 packets of bamboo charcoal briquettes. Mrs Sarah Naa Dedei Agbey, Vice-Chairperson of GHACCO in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said: ''We are committed to create awareness among the youth, women, men, and children on the importance of using clean and improved cookstoves and fuel for their daily cooking. ''It is important because the use of traditional cookstoves wastes biomass (firewood and charcoal), and exposes women and children to hazardous smoke emissions, which have serious effects on their health.' She said exposure to smoke, according to the World Health Organisation report had caused more than four million deaths worldwide and about 13,400 death in Ghana each year. She said it also causes premature death and contributes to a range of illnesses such as, Pneumonia, Bronchitis, Cataracts, lung cancer, cardiovascular disease, Low birth weight and burns. She bemoaned the over-reliance on the traditional cookstoves for cooking, which forces women to spend many hours each week collecting firewood as unhealthy, because it also increases pressure on the natural resources and contributes to climate change and deforestation. She added: ''This implies a huge loss of biodiversity and a major damage to the ecosystem, not only exacerbating the threat to species survival significantly, but also threatening food and water security for the human population, drought and flooding as deforestation increases.'' She urged Ghanaians to embrace clean and improved cookstoves initiative since it saves lives, empower women, create job opportunities and reduces negative environmental impacts. She said it allows for more time to engage in income generating activities and educational opportunities. Mrs Agbey said GHACCO in collaboration with Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, Based in the United States, World Education International and the GES, have begun a campaign to educate school children on the importance of using clean cookstoves and fuel to engineer a attitudinal change on the present traditional cooking practices. Mr Edward Asare, Welfare Officer of the GES, who received the item, expressed gratitude to GHACCO for supporting the cook art competition for this year. GNA 17.08.2016 LISTEN By Dennis Peprah, GNA Bui, (B/A), Aug. 17, GNA - The Bui Power Authority (BPA), managers of the Bui Dam, on Tuesday presented items valued at GHa 14,910.00 to the Community Health-based Planning Services (CHPS) Compound at the Bui resettlement Community in Banda District. It comprises 20,000 litre capacity poly tank, pumps and accessories, automatic voltage regulator and copper cables. Mr Jonathan Odonkor, the Director of Operations of the BPA told the Ghana News Agency at Bui in the Brong-Ahafo Region that the items are to facilitate the completion of a mechanised borehole to pump water to the compound and parts of the community. Mr Odonkor said the Authority is aware of the challenge of lack of continuous flow of water to the compound hence the need for the water project. He assured residents that the Authority would ensure that communal facilities like boreholes, clinic and schools would be provided to enhance their living conditions. Mr Jacob Munukpah, the District Director of Health said the water system in the entire resettlement community is a major challenge and appealed to the BPA to construct additional boreholes at the camp. He thanked the BPA for the support, and asked the residents to assist in the installation of the items for regular water supply to the compound. Mr Jacob Boateng, the District Chief Executive, stated that the Bui dam is a national asset, and entreated every Ghanaian to help in protecting it. He expressed regret that several attempts made to re-locate the Dokokyina residents from around the dam remained unsuccessful, and appealed to opinion leaders in the community to intervene. GNA 17.08.2016 LISTEN By Dennis Peprah, GNA Sunyani, Aug. 17, GNA - Mr Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Global Media Foundation, a media advocacy non-governmental organization, has urged the unemployed youth to join efforts towards addressing the pressing challenge of climate change. He said climate change threatens national food security, and therefore challenged the government and her development partners to empower and motivate the youth to play the leading role to mitigate the global burden. Mr Ahenu gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, to commemorate the 2016 International Youth Day in Sunyani. He said climate change is one of the most critical global challenges that must receive urgent attention from government. Mr Ahenu emphasised that the fight against climate change requires well-coordinated and collective action from government and other stakeholders. He underlined the need for the intensification of education as a leverage to reduce and mitigate the impact of the global threat on the nation. Mr Ahenu indicated that climate change has adverse impact on agriculture, endangering global food security and increasing the intensity of natural disasters. He called on the youth to take interest and get themselves abreast of climate change policies so that they could take leading role in mitigating its impact. GNA Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - The National Council of Parent-Teacher Association has described the 2016 West Africa Secondary Schools Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results as abysmal. The council said it has monitored the results of WASSCE for years and noticed that the standard of education in the country is falling. A statement signed by Mr Alexander Yaw Danso, President of the Association and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra outlined challenges contributing to the poor performance of students. The challenges include lack of monitoring, inadequate textbooks, poor commitment of some teachers to the profession and the short time for senior high school education. The council urged government to fulfil its part of the obligation by providing textbooks for students to perform well in the examination. The Association called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to adhere to its duty of ensuring effective supervision of teachers to make them cover the number of hours required for teaching. The statement said the GES has drifted focus from its core mandate of ensuring quality education for Ghanaians. The council is therefore suggesting a forum of stakeholders to discuss the way forward for senior high school education. GNA Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - In line with its strategic objective of becoming an Employer of Choice in Ghana, Access Bank Ghana has welcomed its newest batch of trainees from the Access Bank School of Banking Excellence in Lagos, Nigeria. Numbering more than 36, the young graduates were selected across the country's top universities to undergo a four-month rigorous training across all the banking disciplines, which would better prepare them to begin their banking careers. The graduates are expected to take up various roles within the Bank, including Marketing, Global Trade, Retail operations, Customer Experience and Information Technology. Till date the school, which has become a training ground for developing a pipeline of talent for the Ghanaian banking industry, has trained more than 161 Ghanaian students since 2009 when the Bank established its operations. Welcoming the graduates back to Ghana, the Managing Director Mr Dolapo Ogundimu urged the young trainees to pursue 'continuous learning', which is one of Access Bank's core values. Highlighting the Bank's rationale for sending new recruits to the training school, Mr Ogundimu said: 'We have partnered the leading universities across the country to develop promising talent for the industry, which we believe will help in reducing the perennial deficit in meeting human capital needs. 'Through our banking operations, we are also creating an environment where everyone aspires to be the best in line with our vision to become the Most Respected Bank.' He added that the Bank's approach to employee development is a mix of different learning methods ranging from self-study, on-the-job training to e-learning programmes and employees on a continuous basis are exposed to various capacity building programmes both locally and internationally. Since launching its operation in Ghana, Access Bank has supported the growth of the Ghanaian economy through its ecosystem of partnerships and suppliers that support the operations of the Bank. Over the years, Access Bank Ghana has demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainable business practices driving profitable, sustainable growth that is also environmentally responsible and socially relevant. Currently, the Bank employs more than 1,000 Ghanaians across its 46 banking locations in Ghana. GNA By Patience A. Gbeze, GNA Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - Thirteen Public Colleges of Education has received the Challenge Fund Grants Award to implement innovative concepts that would improve the practical skills of Teacher trainees. It would also promote the professional development of tutors of these colleges. The Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL) Ghana, a Government Programme funded by UKAid, disbursed GHa 1,286,752.30 to 13 projects funded under the Challenge Fund of T-TEL. The UKAid has committed 17 pounds sterling (90 million cedis) for the four-year programme starting from 2015 to 2018 to help deliver the transformation of teacher education in Ghana. The Fund is being managed by Cambridge Education. T-TEL Ghana is a four-year programme, designed to support the implementation of the Pre-tertiary Teacher Professional Development and management policy framework developed by the Ministry of Education. It seeks to transform the delivery of pre-service teacher education in Ghana by providing the quality of teaching and learning through support to relevant national bodies and institutions and all public Colleges of Education (CoEs). The recipient colleges are Atebubu College of Education; Accra College of Education; St John Bosco's College of Education, Navrongo; OLA College of Education; Dambai College of Education, Jasikan; Presbyterian Women's College of Education, Aburi, and Jasikan College of Education. The rests are Peki St Francis College of Education; Amedzofe E.P. College of Education; Ada College of Education and Mt Mary College of Education; Kibi Presbyterian College of Education, Abetifi Presbyterian College of Education and Komenda College of Education. Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwah, Deputy Minister in charge of Tertiary Education, said the programme is to improve high quality of education at the basic levels and commended T-TEL, UKAid and stakeholders for their continuous support and commitments towards transforming the country's educational sector. He said since they passed the Colleges of Education Act, Act 847, the Colleges did not have the necessary support and funding needed to transform the sector, adding: 'There is one thing passing the law and getting the adequate funding to implement it.' He said it was against this background that government continue to put in myriad of interventions which are all linked together to avoid duplication and mismanagement. These interventions, he said, are all yielding the right results and expressed Government's appreciation to all donors for their continuous support in that direction. 'Ghana has achieved gender parity at the basic level and the challenge now is how to retain achievement at the senior high school and tertiary levels,' he said. He, therefore, congratulated the 13 Colleges for their hard work and determination that had won them the award and urged the remaining to put in maximum efforts to also access the fund to enable them implement their projects. Mr Akwasi Addae-Boahene, the National Programme Manager, T-TEL Ghana, urged the colleges to work hard to achieve the anticipated outcomes of their projects. 'We expect colleges to demonstrate high sense of accountability and transparency in the management ofresources to their staff, stakeholders and beneficiaries. successful grants management means that you have followed all the terms and conditions of the grant award,' he added. Janice Dolar, DFID Education Advisor, said the priority is to support donors to get back on track to transform the economy. 'The UK government is pleased to be supporting the Ministry of Education to improve teacher education in Ghana and called on the recipients to use the fund for the intended purpose to attract the second phase of the fund. Reverend Sister Elizabeth Amoako-Arhen, Principal of OLA College of Education and the President of National Conference of Principals of Teacher Training Colleges (PRINCOF), on behalf of her colleagues are grateful to government, Ministry of Education for coming to their aid at the right time. She said T-TEL has come at the opportune time that they need to awake teacher training to response to the challenges of global trends. Rev Sister Amoako-Arhen also pledged their commitment to ensure that the activities would be put to the right use to achieve the objectives set for it. GNA 17.08.2016 LISTEN By Lydia Asamoah, GNA Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - Ghana Post Company Limited, has launched five new peaceful election stamps as a way of adding a voice to that of numerous Ghanaians to buttress the need for peaceful elections this year. The stamps carry messages of peace and a call to citizens to commit themselves to securing the peace of the nation as Ghana journey into the general election on December 7. The stamps are to serve as both commemorative artifacts as well as denominative stamps for daily posting of letters. Launching the stamps, Brigadier General Joseph K. Klobodu (Rtd), Board Chairman of Ghana Post Company Limited said the stamps are being released to support peace before, during and after presidential and parliamentary elections. He said the images and captions on the stamps talk about the need to sacrifice for peace, justice, fair play, harmony as well as messages of forgiveness and tolerance in the election year and beyond. He said peace is very essential and at no point in time should Ghanaians overlook its benefits. 'There is therefore the need for each and every one of us to strive and aim at attaining peace in carrying out our daily activities, not only because we have elections before us but also to help promote cohesion and accelerate national development.' Brigadier-Gen Klobodu said as he served in the Ghana Armed Forces for more than 30 years, he could recall stories and adverse effects of conflicts and civil strife in many countries where he participated in peacekeeping and peace support operations. He said most of those war afflicted countries had their very promising economies destroyed by conflicts, warning that 'Ghana should not and must not be plunged into any such unfortunate situation in the name of consolidating our democratic credentials'. Brigadier-Gen Klobodu said all indications point to the fact that Ghana is poised to add to its enviable record of organising successful and peaceful elections. He said all must put their shoulders to the wheel to ensure that the record is kept intact. He advised the electorate to abide by laid down rules and procedure in order to avoid unnecessary confrontations, which in turn would result in security breaches. Mr Eric Yao, Managing Director of Ghana Post said his company decided to release the stamp as part of efforts to promote and sustain peace as the Company as part of Corporate Ghana could only do businesses when the nation was stable and peaceful. He advised Ghanaians not to take for granted the peace being enjoyed in the country, saying, 'we in Ghana cannot afford to sit unconcerned when people make unguarded statements that could incite violence. It is this same silence that drove other countries to war and conflict'. He urged all to help consolidate and protect the peace in Ghana. 'Ghana Post is very much alive. In a short time to come, the company will be coming out with new and innovative products for our numerous customers. To this we pray for peace, during and after the general election.' Mr Isaac Riverson, Executive Secretary of the Postal and Courier Services Regulatory Commission said the Post since time immemorial had been used as a medium to call for peace and also communicate the message of the hearts amongst people. He explained that post offices could not function when there is no peace in the country, regions, districts and local communities where they operate. 'It is only in an atmosphere of peaceful co-existence that we can send a letter that has two hearts to connect in joy.' He therefore commended Ghana Post for the efforts to publish new stamps aimed at promoting peaceful elections in the country. He said 'the stamps would play the intelligent role of a counsellor, the stamps would travel the world over with their message to even generations yet unborn'. Mr Riverson urged all to spread the message of peace across the country, and refrain from unnecessary comments and arguments that have the potential to divide the country. Mr Amadu Sulley, Deputy Chairman in charge of Operation at the Electoral Commission commended Ghana Post for its role in supporting peaceful elections while assuring Ghanaians that the EC had put certain mechanism in place to ensure credible and peaceful elections. He said the EC would never do anything concerning the elections based on its own discretion but the Commission would operate according to the legal framework to ensure accuracy, transparency and free and fair elections. GNA Partners at Tweneboa Enyera Ntomme (TEN) oil fields will from August 18 start working to export crude from the field possibly the end of this month. This will be done after President John Mahama turns the tap on the FPSO John Evans Attah Mills on the TEN fields tomorrow. The partners are hoping to increase initial production to about 23,000 barrels of oil a day and increase it to about 50,000 barrels a day by the end of this year. Sources close to the partners say the necessary test runs has been done to ensure that there are no challenges when full production starts officially from tomorrow. However, the much-expected gas export that was supposed to come on to help improve power production for Ghana, might take up to 12 months or even less. This is because the partners are looking at using the initial gas from the field to help the extraction of crude oil from the TEN fields. The start of production at TEN could increase the total daily production from the countrys oil fields to about 110,000 barrels of crude oil, however, that number could increase to about, about 150,000 by the close of this year. Joy Business understand that TEN coming on board could pave the way, the necessary works to be carried out on Jubilee FSPO which has been having some problems in recent times. The TEN partners which is made up of Tullow with 47.18 percent , Kosmos Energy with 17 percent , Anadarko Petroleum, 17 percent, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) with 15 percent and PetroSA has 3.81 percent have all invested about $4 billion into the development of this project. TEN is expected to produce about 300 million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) over its lifetime (approximately 20 years), 80 percent of which is oil and 20 percent gas. The field will produce 80,000 barrels of oil per day when it reaches full production. The TEN full field developments will consist of around 24 wells in total a mixture of water injection, gas injection and production wells. At start-up, 10 wells will be required and these have already been drilled. A floating, production, storage and offloading vessel (FPSO) has been anchored over the fields with a significant amount of subsea production equipment installed on the seabed. Flow lines connect the subsea equipment to the FPSO and carry fluids and hydrocarbons to and from the vessel. The project derives its name from the three fields, Tweneboa, Enyenra and Ntomme (TEN), which lie around 60 kilometers off the coast of the Western Region, Ghana. Click here for a brief tour of the TEN FPSO Story by Ghana| Myjoyonline.com | George Wiafe for Joy Business from Takoradi The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has asked the Electoral Commission to urgently begin a process to prevent possible widespread malfunctioning of biometric machines during the December polls. CODEO says its observations during the just ended voter verification exercise have informed the warning. The Coalition revealed in a statement that about 6% of biometric machines failed at of exhibition centers during the verification exercise, predicting that the figure is likely to increase during the crucial elections. Where the equipment functioned properly, some registered voters who showed up at some centers (8%) could not be verified biometrically, the statement said. CODEO is the largest independent and non-partisan domestic election observation coalition in Ghana, comprising a network of civil society groups as well as religious and professional bodies. According to CODEO, the fact that the equipment malfunctioned during the verification exercise raises concerns because the machines failed even when the process was without the pressure that characterise general elections in the country. The statement signed by its National Coordinator, Albert Arhin, recommended that the EC outlines steps to tackle the issue on December 7. The Electoral Commission should, as a matter of necessity, identify all malfunctioning equipment and ascertain the reasons for the malfunctioning to help address possible equipment failure on Election Day. The Electoral Commission should clearly identify, outline and or publicize the modalities for dealing with the potential cases of biometric verification failures to reduce possible tension associated with turning eligible voters away on Election Day because of verification failures, the statement said. Other recommendations by CODEO include: 1. The Electoral Commission should undertake an accessibility audit of all polling stations to be used in the December 7 polls and take steps to address challenges associated with siting of polling stations to help improve accessibility to persons with disabilities and the elderly, among others. 2. The Electoral Commission should improve its sidelines to, and training of, temporary officials regarding accreditation and access to exhibition centers/polling stations to avoid situations where duly accredited observers are turned away by such officials. 3. The EC should also ensure that its officials stick to guidelines and regulations governing the conduct of such exercises, in particular time for opening and closing of centers. 4. CODEO reiterates its call on the EC and the NCCE to deepen collaborative efforts in support of civic and voter education. 5. Finally, political parties must recognize the role of exhibition exercises and the responsibility they have in ensuring a credible voter register, and improve their particpation in future exhibition exercises. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | GN Spanish security officials have discovered a cache of arms destined to Ghana from the US, according to Swiss news source swissinfo.ch. The report said the Spanish Civil Guard uncovered the stash of 737 assault rifles and 72 grenade launchers, all made in Switzerland being sent to Ghana from the US. The total value of the cache of arms has been put around $1.64 million. The report indicates that the source of the arms can be traced to Hungary, making their appearance in Spain a mystery. The discovery, the report says, was made on August 4, 2016. Citing Spanish authorities, the report said the arms were declared disassembled, but they were new rifles in their original packaging. According to the accompanying documents which had some information missing the weapons were to be transported to Ghana from commercial gun dealers in the United States. The Spanish are now investigating the matter, the report said. A Swiss publication, Tages-Anzeiger which looked at the deliverys export file, confirmed that the weapons were indeed made in Switzerland and the exporters expected the delivery to go to Ghana, via a dealer in Hungary, in 2010. It also put the total value of the arms around $1.64 million, adding that the buyer, was given as the National Security Council of Ghana, noting that assurances were made that the weapons would not be sold on, and would be for military use. you are here: business Analysts bet on aviation despite weak Q1; InterGlobe, Jet up Competitive airfares had hit InterGlobe Aviation Q1 performance, with net falling 7 percent fall to Rs 591.77 crore. Total revenue during the April-June quarter rose 9.7 per cent to Rs 4,741.45 crore from Rs 4,211.54 crore in the same period a year ago. business Buy Coal India, advises Daljeet Singh Kohli Daljeet Singh Kohli of India Nivesh Securites is of the view that one can buy Coal India. Maintaining independence and editorial freedom is essential to our mission of empowering investor success. We provide a platform for our authors to report on investments fairly, accurately, and from the investors point of view. We also respect individual opinionsthey represent the unvarnished thinking of our people and exacting analysis of our research processes. Our authors can publish views that we may or may not agree with, but they show their work, distinguish facts from opinions, and make sure their analysis is clear and in no way misleading or deceptive. To further protect the integrity of our editorial content, we keep a strict separation between our sales teams and authors to remove any pressure or influence on our analyses and research. Read our editorial policy to learn more about our process. While petroleum prices have seen significant upward movement in the past few months, an observer argued that oil is still quite a long way from becoming a positive influence on the flagging Canadian economy.Oil is trading in a dead spot for the Canadian dollar; its neither good nor bad, Bank of Nova Scotia (Toronto) chief foreign-exchange strategist Shaun Osborne told Bloomberg News.Oil would have to move above $50 per barrel or higher to make a change for the loonie, Osborne said.Despite an 8 per cent upward spike in oil prices this month, the Canadian dollar went up by a miniscule 0.5 per centfar behind fellow commodity currencies Norwegian krone and Mexican peso, Bloomberg reported.Hurting matters is the 1.5 per cent shrinkage in the Canadian economy in Q2 2016, which accompanied an 18-month low in the 4-week correlation between the loonie and crude oil last week.Analysts with the Macdonald-Laurier Institute have previously noted that the Canadian oil and gas sector is the key to unlocking the country's next big economic asset that can stand side-by-side with the vibrant real estate market.Getting the world price for Canadian oil exports would result in more jobs and money for Canadians without having to produce a single extra barrel. This can translate into more investment, higher government revenues, and a significant boost to the Canadian economy totalling as much as $50 million per day, according to one estimate from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Institute said. HMDA Will Announce 20 Percent Origination Surge -CoreLogic Touting its record of on-target estimate, CoreLogic has again anticipated the official conclusions about 2015 mortgage originations in advance of the annual release of HMDA data. The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (as amended by the Dodd Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act) mandates lenders to maintain and report data on mortgage denial rates, borrower and applicant information, mortgage pricing, and the level of originations. The Consumer Finance Protection Bureau is the recipient of lender reports and will release 2015 data in September. Principal Economists Molly Boesel, writing in the company's Insights blog says last year when CoreLogic did an advanced estimate on mortgage originations using public records deed information it missed the actual CFPB numbers by 4 percent, but its average in prior years has been even better. This year CoreLogic says its own data shows that mortgage originations in 2015 were up by 20 percent compared to 2014. After reached a post-crisis high of about $2 trillion in 2012, originations then slipped for two consecutive years. The anticipated 2015 rebound, the company said, resulted in seven million mortgage originations and a dollar volume that rose 30 percent to about $1.7 trillion. Boesel says that CoreLogic's estimates have historically been on target. Between 2006 and 2014 the discrepancy between its figures and the HMDA estimate has averaged 1 percent on the low side. Therefore, she expects the actual number will be slightly higher than the $1.7 trillion CoreLogic number. "Some lenders are exempt from HMDA reporting, and many analysts estimate that lenders reporting under HMDA cover about 95 percent of the mortgage market; therefore, we estimate that total market originations-after accounting for under coverage-was probably closer to $1.8 trillion." Both purchase money and refinancing loans contributed to the overall increase in 2015 originations. CoreLogic's data indicates that purchase money loans increased by 13 percent in number and 18 percent in dollar volume. The number rose due both to an increase in home sales, which were up 6 percent year-over-year, and a 3 percentage point dip in the cash sales share. Strong home price appreciation and increased leverage provided by lower FHA premiums and new low-downpayment products, resulted in a higher dollar volume. The number of refinance originations increased 29 percent and the refinance dollar volume increased 44 percent. The Midland College board approved a $69 million budget that will result in a 2 percent increase for full-time employees. The board also set a total tax rate of 13.711 cents per $100 valuation -- an effective rate since it will bring in as much revenue as the previous year. Earlier this year, the board had approved a $4 across-the-board increase in tuition. All totaled property taxes are expected to bring in $24.5 million (including $2.7 million to be used toward the debt service). Tuition and fees are slated to bring in $14.8 million. The total tax rate of 13.711 cents per $100 valuation is an increase from the current years rate (12.593 cents). For a person with a property appraised at $200,000, that will result in a tax bill of $274.22, an increase of more than $22 compared to the current year. Board members are set to adopt the tax rate at their next meeting. Midland College President Steve Thomas said he was pleased with staff and faculty who helped create a budget, knowing there would be no new money. Rick Bender, vice president of Administrative Services, said school officials expected to be absolutely clobbered during the budget process but the financial picture got better as the process continued. Note: The board extended Thomas contract a year to 2018-19. Midland College total tax rates 2000-01 $0.16330 2001-02 $0.18320 2002-03 $0.19060 2003-04 $0.19060 2004-05 $0.19060 2005-06 $0.22470 2006-07 $0.20620 2007-08 $0.19112 2008-09 $0.17291 2009-10 $0.17193 2010-11 $0.16990 2011-12 $0.16786 2012-13 $0.14418 2013-14 $0.13316 2014-15 $0.12439 2015-16 $0.12593 2016-17 $0.13711 (proposed) Catholic priest Charles Patrick Burrows The locals in Central Java province's Cilacap Regency know Charles Patrick Burrows, a Catholic priest from Ireland, by another name: Romo Carolus. He landed in Indonesia in 1973 and has stayed on since, working to help alleviate poverty in the regency and, relatively recently, offering comfort to inmates on death row at nearby Nusakambangan prison and escorting some as they walked toward the firing lines. Romo Carolus began by counseling Catholic inmates, but provides guidance for other inmates as well. "I'm a Catholic, but I feel honored to counsel people from other religions," Carolus, 73, told BenarNews. He also opposes the death penalty and has campaigned against capital punishment in Indonesia, which still strictly enforces executions of convicted drug offenders, despite widespread criticism from aboard. The priest shared his memory of witnessing the executions in June 2008 of 2 Nigerians convicted of drug trafficking. "I still remember it clearly when they were released from the ropes tying them up. For a moment, they were groaning before they died ," he said. That same year, the priest testified against Indonesia's death penalty law before the Constitutional Court in Jakarta, calling executions by firing squad "torture." Romo Carolus - now an Indonesian citizen - urged the government to consider a more humane way of execution, if capital punishment was inevitable. But officials have not change the policy and, since then, no religious leader has been allowed to accompany inmates and observe their executions at Nusakambangan, a prison island in Central Java. "We were asked to leave before they were executed," he said. In late July, Indonesia executed 4 more drug convicts by firing squad at Nusakambangan, but postponed putting to death 10 others who faced capital punishment. An Indonesian, 2 Nigerians and a South African were lined up and shot on July 28. While hoping that the government will change the law, Romo Carolus keeps providing counseling to inmates there who are condemned to die. "They can't choose how they die, but at least let them die in dignity," he said. The universal values that Romo Carolus expresses have left a deep impression on a Muslim cleric and long-time colleague at the prison, Hasan Makarim. "We have known each other for a long time and we are solid working together," Hasan told BenarNews. Helping to fight poverty When Carolus, a member of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Dublin, arrived in Indonesia 43 years ago, he encountered poverty in Cilacap Regency during a visit to Kampung Laut, a fishing village. At the time, the village was known as a home for sympathizers of the banned Communist Party of Indonesia (PKI), whose membership and leadership was wiped out during a bloody anti-communist purge in 1965-66. When he first arrived in Kampung Laut, villagers were suffering from an outbreak of eye infections. He treated them and later initiated efforts to construct a road and bridge in order to open access to the village. It then only had 1 small road that passed between swamps and sea. After becoming an Indonesian citizen in 1983, Carolus set up Yayasan Sosial Bina Sejahtera, a nongovernmental organization working to eradicate poverty. The foundation has helped 25 schools - kindergarten, elementary school, junior high, high school and special-needs - in and around Cilacap. With the love and passion of faith, he taught villagers to empower themselves by preserving fish and planting vegetables in vacant lots to improve their quality of life. In 2012, Romo Carolus, who was assigned to St. Stephanus parish church in Cilacap, received the Maarif Award from the Maarif Institute for Culture and Humanity for his role as a local figure helping to preserve and observe universal religious values. Cilacap Regent Tatto Suwarto Pamuji said he appreciated the old priest's efforts. "He always visits the neighborhoods and listens to the public complaints by himself," Tatto said. Do good unto others Carolus stresses the importance of education as the only way to reduce poverty and ignorance. God provides people with everything as long as they want to give their best, he said, adding that all people are meant to live on their own without waiting for others' help. Whenever there is a chance, no matter how small, he advised everyone to show good will toward others. "Even when death is coming to you and you still have time to plant a tree, then plant it. Show generosity in every chance, even the tiniest one," he said. | 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: Benar News, August 17, 2016 Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek The draft law on introduction of death penalty for pedophiles has been submitted for public discussion. The initiator is Onuguu-Progress parliamentary faction. It is proposed to supplement Article 21 of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic with the words "The death penalty is prohibited, except for crimes against sexual inviolability of the minors." Faction leader Bakyt Torobaev notes that it is necessary legislatively to toughen the penalties against pedophiles. "If the MPs support us, then such provision will be included in the Constitution," he says. Moratorium on the death penalty was imposed in Kyrgyzstan in 1998. And in November 2007, the country adopted a new version of the Constitution, from which provisions on the death penalty have been removed. The theme of the abolition of capital punishment for pedophiles was raised by the deputies in the spring before going on vacation, since more than 10,000 citizens then initiated the introduction of the death penalty for rapists of the minors. Chairman of the Committee on the Protection of Children "Strong family - strong state" Zhenish Akmatov noted that the rate of sexual offenses against children is increasing from year to year. Explaining the need for the introduction of capital punishment, the activist noted that many countries use the death penalty. It is Belarus, China, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and more than 12 US states. Russia, Kazakhstan, South Korea have such a provision, permitting the use of the death penalty, in the Constitution but it is not put in practice. Kubat Otorbaev, Ombudsman, stated that he, as a parent, is for the abolition of the moratorium on the death penalty, but as the country's main human rights defender he understands Kyrgyzstan can not use it. Ombudsman explained that the introduction of the death penalty will be, in fact, the rejection by the state of the intentions on raising the spiritual values without which a developed society can not exist. And deprivation of a person's life (even legally) means lifting of responsibility by the state and society for the education of man as a person. "In the end, all this could lead to further degradation and exasperation of the society, and in the best case to a standstill in the legal consciousness," Kubat Otorbaev said. As an alternative, the Ombudsman proposes to replace the death penalty with life imprisonment, fixing legally that a pedophile can not be granted amnesty. | 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: eng.24.kg, August 17, 2016 What Sparked Kai's Fury? The Predator Reveals His Reasons Written by Peter McGough 17 August 2016 What Sparked Kai's Fury? The Predator Gets Emotional As He Reveals His Reasons FACING OFF WITH PHIL HEATH Bodybuilding at the elite pro level has never seen anything like what went down at the prejudging of the 2014 Mr. Olympia on Friday evening, September 19, at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. It was a unique physical altercation (seemingly stopping just short of blows) between eventual four-time Mr. Olympia winner, Phil Heath, and runner-up for the preceding two years, Kai Greene, the champs arch nemesis. The fireworks started at the Olympia press conference 24 hours earlier. Dennis James, partnered by Bob Cicherillo, asked Phil Heath what he thought about Kai Greene signing posters the previous evening as 2014 Mr. Olympia. Greene had enacted the same premature signage at the same point 12 months earlier. Heath dismissed the presumption as Disrespectful so enough of the trash talk. In fact the plea was ignored and was the signal for so much trash to be unloaded that it is rumored that the Las Vegas Refuse Collection Dept. were alerted. The verbal fireworks reached explosion point later in the event when Heath announced he was dedicating this years appearance to the memory of his late father, who died earlier that year. Interrupting him, Greene bellowed, You should have dedicated it to him the last three years. The audience gasped and groaned; Heath looked stunned. Greene continued with his tirade, shouting over any Heath attempt to proceed, and at one point mimicked his verbal sparring partners voice in mocking tones. It got more heated, and a raging Greene seemed locked into full Mr. T mode and rose halfway out of his seat, looking ready to run across to his foe. Eventually Heath, seemingly exasperated, shrugged his shoulders, rolled his eyes and let his mike drop to the table as Greene said; Im ready to kick your ass now. And he didnt mean an ass kicking of the front double biceps comparison nature. And so we return to Fridays prejudging. In the first comparison of the evening, when Phil Heath found himself standing next to the same Kai Greene who had exploded on him at the Thursday press conference. They began to bang elbows, whereupon Kai suddenly turned and stuck his not inconsequential nugget into the face of Denvers most muscular nugget and uttered something, which wasnt anywhere near Merry Christmas! (In fact, I later was told he said, Lets get it on now, motherfucker.) They faced off eyeball-to-eyeball, and somewhere in the distance Im sure I heard a bell go ding-ding. Phil said something in reply, but didnt step back an inch and really seemed unfazed. Head judge Steve Weinberger quickly ordered Dennis Wolf to stand between the two to complete the comparisons. It was ugly, and we were only at the halfway mark of the 2014 Olympia. At the Saturday evening finals, everyone waited for a repeat of the clash of the night before. Instead as Heath was declared the winner, Greene graciously held out his hand. The four-time champ took it and hugged his would-be-combatant of the night before. WHAT FUELED KAIS ANGER? In May this year I had the pleasure of interviewing Kai for the first time. scribes first. Thus I felt compelled to ask what the seed of his 2014 Olympia anger was. I dont think hes answered that question before. His monologue type answer was one of the most dramatic, revealing and moving Ive ever heard, and ended with a shrieking crescendo and tears. He took a deep breath before launching into his response: First of all making the movie Generation Iron in 2012 was a great opportunity to me. [Generation Iron followed the paths Of Phil Heath, Kai Greene, Branch Warren, Dennis Wolf, Hidetada Yamagishi, and Victor Martinez as they prepared for the 2012 Olympia.) But it brought its own difficulties that left me divided at times. I really wanted to focus on preparing for that years Olympia. But I also felt a responsibility to meet the requirements of the movie. So Id be training with the cameras on me and they wanted me to face one way or another and sometimes asked me to use a heavier weight. I was making decisions based on being an actor rather than being an athlete preparing for the Olympia. From here on in, he referred to himself many times as you instead of I or me, which in turn made his statements more personalized and dramatic. So you do the red carpet thing and youre sitting there in the movie theatre and you have no pre-thought of how the movie will play out, what scenes will be shown. As it progressed you are embarrassed about your shortcomings in life and inadequacies being exposed. While others are shown living life lavishly in nice-looking situations and houses. And you who are investing all your time, effort and energy into a dream that in truth doesn't come to fruition as you finished second at the 2012 Olympia, and you come back to the small hole in the wall apartment. You sat in the theater feeling embarrassed, ashamed and angry. And you hear Phil Heath and his entourage laughing at certain scenes I was in. You sit there with this flood of emotion sweeping over you and you begin trembling. You dont want the lights to come on because you dont want people to see you weeping. I dont blame Generation Iron, they were making a movie and wanted drama and storylines and although I knew roughly how they were going to present me it just shook me that my insecurities were up there for all to see and caused some to make fun of me. A YEAR OF LIVING FURIOUSLY Without again mentioning Phil Heaths name he continues and the five-time Mr. Olympia is clearly the focus of his rage. And rage was really in order as his voice rose and he spat out his words through seemingly clenched teeth. I told myself this is never gonna happen again. You will not make fun of my insecurities again. I left the theatre and walked to the nearest gym in tears. I was just consumed with my own feelings of resentment, shame and inadequacy. I told myself I am going to accept death before I allow you the opportunity to laugh at me again. Now an intangible here is that Kai did not go after Phil Heath at the 2013 Olympia which was held seven days after the Generation Iron premiere. It must be assumed he let the rage build up for a year before the pyrotechnics exploded at the 2014 Olympia. I truly feel the hurt he felt is entirely genuine and that for a man who tries to profess that he is not burdened by baggage from his past it clearly sometimes comes back to haunt him. Kai Greene, inadequate? We should all be so inadequate. He continued, And then in 2014 were standing onstage and Im next to him. And Im thinking I got you now. This is not a hypothetical situation. This is real man; it's on today right now. I didn't come here today as that guy sitting quietly in the back of a movie theatre. We are going to get this done. The best that I have to offer is here right now, and you are going to feel that. The intensity of his voice rises and then it's almost as if he's living that onstage altercation again and the emotion of that moment and the rationale of why he confronted Heath gets the better of him as his voice becomes a croak and he begins to weep gently. Theres a long pause and I take the opportunity to offer him my thoughts: You have no need to feel inadequate. I think that what you achieved in your life, with where you came from is monumental. Take it from an older guy, if people hurt you its because you let them. Dont let them. Just ignore unkind comments or gestures because its coming from outsiders people who dont really know you. It almost makes me laugh when you use the word inadequate because very few people have made of their life what you have achieved, coming from the start you had. At that point the interview closed save for the closing pleasantries. DISCUSS THIS ARTICLE ON THE MD FORUM SEE MORE OLYMPIA CONTENT IN OUR OLYMPIA WEEKEND SECTION Freddie Gibbs has been formally charged with sexual assault in Austria. Over the past several months, the rapper has been staying in Europe fighting allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman last July backstage at a concert. "He is alleged to have administered knock-out drops to a woman and then have abused her sexually while she was in a defenseless state," a spokesman for Vienna's criminal court said via Reuters. Gibbs is being charged with "sexual abuse of a defenseless or psychologically impaired person", and if convicted could face up to 10 years in prison according to the court spokesperson. In June Freddie Gibbs was arrested in France stemming from the alleged sexual assault in Austria in 2015. He was granted bail, but on June 23 Austrian authorities ordered him be extradited to the country. Now he has been formally charged with a crime, though the rapper maintains his innocence. "While Freddie Gibbs was charged with an offense today, it remains only an allegation, and it does not in any way change the actual facts that Freddie Gibbs is 100% innocent," says one of Gibbs' lawyers Theodore Simon to Pitchfork. "He continues to pursue every available means to demonstrate that he is absolutely innocent and that he has been both belatedly and wrongly accused. As the investigation and process continues, Mr. Gibbs remains hopeful that a thorough, searching and complete investigation will reveal the actual facts, including the absence of any scientific, physical, or credible evidence implicating him, thereby paving the way for his exoneration and return to his family and one-year old child. "In accordance with Austrian procedure Mr. Gibbs has not as yet had the opportunity to provide the authorities and the Court with the substantial and compelling exonerating evidence that he has compiled." 2015 MusicTimes.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Neither candidate seems keen to take on the controversial topic of capital punishment in the 2016 election, despite waning public support for it Donald J Trump phoned in to Fox & Friends in May 2015, shortly after 2 police officers were shot dead in Mississippi. Presenter Steve Doocy wanted to know what an appropriate punishment for the killers would be. "Well, it's the death penalty," Trump said airily. "We have people who are, these 2, animals who shot the cops ... the death penalty, it should be brought back and it should be brought back strong." A month later, Trump announced he was running for president. He has barely said the words "death penalty" in public since, although a top adviser has called for Hillary Clinton's execution, saying she "should be put in the firing line and shot for treason". Clinton only talks about capital punishment when pressed and then, clumsily. Unlike most of her own party - including running mate Tim Kaine - the Democrat supports death in the case of terrorists. She has said she would be happy if someone would outlaw execution. Someone else. In campaign 2016, the safest stance on the ultimate punishment may be silence. Both candidates need to woo disaffected members of the other's party. Neither can afford to lose their own loyal base. "Why bring it up if it's going to stir the pot if you don't have to?" said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, senior fellow at the University of Southern California's Sol Price School of Public Policy. For the 1st time since 1972, the Democratic party platform advocates repealing the death penalty. Mainstream Republican opinion has begun to turn away from it, too. Executions and death sentences are down nationwide, while the number of exonerated death row inmates creeps upward. The percentage of Americans who support the death penalty has been steadily declining since its high of 80% in the mid-1990s, although a comfortable majority - 61% according to Gallup, and 56% according to the Pew Research Center - still favor the use of capital punishment for a person convicted of murder. And California - with the biggest death row in the country - could become the 6th state in recent years to do away with executions as voters there face dueling ballot measures in November, one to repeal the death penalty, the other to streamline it. Trump has increasingly positioned himself as a law and order candidate. He doubled down on fear of immigrant criminals in his speech to the Republican national convention and recently said he supported "extreme vetting" of people from other countries. Yet he has so far shied away from promising grisly execution for murderers. The main exception was a December speech to the New England Police Benevolent Association, a police officers' union, in which he promised an executive order mandating death sentences for cop-killers. (This would not work out, in any case; mandatory death sentences were rendered unconstitutional by a 1976 supreme court decision.) Perhaps the most illuminating examples of Trump's death penalty position are the newspaper advertisements he took out in 1989 demanding death for five black and Latino teenagers - the so-called Central Park 5 - who were convicted of the rape and attempted murder of a woman that year. The 5 men were exonerated in 2002. The full-page advertisements are classic Trump. Under the vast headline "BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY. BRING BACK OUR POLICE!" is a lengthy screed, much of it in capital letters. "I want to hate these muggers and murderers," Trump wrote. "They should be forced to suffer and, when they kill, they should be executed for their crimes." The Republican platform, recently ratified at the party's convention in Cleveland, contains just 2 sentences on the subject of capital punishment. "The constitutionality of the death penalty is firmly settled by its explicit mention in the Fifth Amendment," it says. "With the murder rate soaring in our great cities, we condemn the Supreme Court's erosion of the right of the people to enact capital punishment in their states." This reflects an emerging Republican critique of the death penalty, which more and more conservatives oppose, said Michael Radelet, a professor of sociology at the University of Colorado at Boulder who studies capital punishment. The rising conservative critique is based on 3 pillars, the 1st of which is financial. "It costs a zillion dollars to send anybody to death row, so fiscal conservatives want to cut down on that money," Radelet said. The 2nd, he said, is religious principle; the pope condemned capital punishment in his 2015 speech to Congress, and "if we get a survey of religious leaders in the US there's no question that the overwhelming majority would stand opposed to the death penalty." The 3rd pillar, according to Radelet, is a simpler attitude of distrust in governmental efficiency, summarized as "hell, the government can't even fill a pothole properly", so why should it be trusted with the power of life and death? None of these arguments appear to carry any weight with the party's nominee. Trump has stayed largely silent on the subject, with the exception of his remarks on Fox & Friends, and a 2015 New York Times interview in which he said that the death penalty was a deterrent because when somebody is executed "you know that person's not going to kill again". In the 1980s and 90s, opposition to the death penalty was "political poison in most elections", said Robert Dunham, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. "Now, you are seeing Republican legislators, many of them conservative Republicans, openly oppose the death penalty." Still, most of the decline in death penalty support comes from Democrats, according to a 2015 study by Pew Research Center. Nearly 60% of Democrats oppose the death penalty, compared to just 25% in 1996. Which may be part of the problem for Clinton, who was roundly criticized for her awkward responses to questions about the death penalty during the primary season. Hillary Clinton Both of her primary rivals - Vermont senator Bernie Sanders and former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley - opposed capital punishment. Now that the general election is under way, a Clinton challenge will be getting Sanders' fervent and progressive supporters to the polls. At a CNN/TV One town hall meeting in Ohio in March, an undecided voter named Ricky Jackson stood up to ask the former secretary of state a question. Jackson had spent 39 years in prison for murder before being exonerated and freed in 2014. "Senator, I spent some of those years on death row, and," Jackson began. He paused. Wiped tears from his eyes. "Excuse me, I'm sorry. I came perilously close to my own execution ... I would like to know how can you still take your stance on the death penalty in light of what we know right now." "You know, this is such a profoundly difficult question," Clinton began cautiously. "And what I have said and what I continue to believe is that the states have proven themselves incapable of carrying out fair trials that give any defendant all of the rights a defendant should have, all of the support that the defendant's lawyer should have." Then she stepped into deep trouble, with a response critics roundly decried as typical triangulation, a kind of squishy have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too caution. "I have said I would breathe a sigh of relief if either the supreme court or the states, themselves, began to eliminate the death penalty," she said. "At this point, given the challenges we face from terrorist activities primarily in our country that end up under federal jurisdiction for very limited purposes," she continued, "I think that it can still be held in reserve for those." Maybe, she said, "it is distinction that is hard to support." | 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: The Guardian , Nicky Woolf and Maria L La Ganga, August 17, 2016 We won't be seeing the Dance of the Dragons for quite a while. After that epic season one finale, HBO is making sure viewers don't expect a sequel to House of the Dragon in the new year. "Don't expect it in 23, but I think sometime in We were not bribed to drop ... John Battaglia John Battaglia - the man who murdered his young daughters out of revenge while their mother listened over the phone - has a new execution date. State District Judge Robert Burns scheduled the execution for Dec. 7. That doesn't necessarly mean the lethal dose of drugs will be administered inside the state's death chamber in Huntsville. A federal court has ordered a hearing to look into Battaglia's claims of mental incompetency. The execution date had to be set before the hearing could take place. Battaglia, now 61, was scheduled to be executed in March but won a last-minute stay from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals so his lawyer could pursue the incompetency claims. No date has been set for the hearing in Burns' court. Battaglia was sentenced to death for killing Faith, 9, and Liberty, 6, at his Deep Ellum loft in May 2001. He arranged a call with his ex-wife, who listened on the phone as the older girl begged: "No, Daddy! Don't do it!" He later headed to a nearby tattoo parlor to have 2 red roses etched on his arm in memory of the girls. That night, he recorded a message on their answering machine: "Good night, my little babies. I hope you are resing in a different place. I love you." Psychiatrists testified for the defense at his trial that Battaglia suffered from bipolar disorder. An adult daughter from his 1st marriage later said he was also diagnosed with narcissistic personality disorder, characterized by manipulative behavior, a hyper-inflated sense of self-importance and lack of empathy. Christine Womble, an appellate attorney at the Dallas County's district attorney's office, has said she's "confident" of Battaglia's guilt and his competency. One of Battaglia's attorneys, Gregory Gardner, argued in court documents that Battaglia has long "exhibited bizarre behavior consistent with severe mental illness." In a 2014 interview with The Dallas Morning News, Battaglia said he was "a little bit in the blank" about what happened to Faith and Liberty. "I don't feel like I killed them," he said. He called his daughters his "best little friends," just the "nicest little kids" imaginable, and said he doesn't grieve for them beacuse they remain with him. "Why would I worry about where they are now?" he asked. "We're all here, we're all gone at the same time. I'm not worried about it." | 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: Dallas Morning News, August 16, 2016 It is great that God described you, and knew about such wise people as yourself! 1 Corinthians 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.[c] 20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. That is EXACTLY the enemy-in-chief's reason for releasing them.Please quit giving Obama the excuse that he doesn't understand. He understands better than most Americans what the Islamic creed is. He IS one of them and he wants jihad and the caliphate as much as any "good" Muslim. Please read the Qur'an and Haddiths so you will understand their goals and what tactics they use to accomplish their goals. Our ignorance will be the undoing of America!He IS the worst President in the history of our nation. Why? Because he is not a true American. His heart is not with the American people. Rather he continually supports Muslims because he is one himself. Although not everyone believes in Jesus, their right in belief, he has blasphemously mocked him in his speeches. He basks when people call him the Messiah. He has placed himself above the constitution and taken liberty in making decisions without the approval of congress. Division in our country is at an all time high because he has not stepped up for justice. Rather for the destruction of our way of life. 20 trillion $$ deficit! Lost jobs in America. Had a big hand in the destabilization of the Middle East, Billions of dollars to Iran we cannot afford to give, and more $$ for hostages Iran was holding. How can ANYONE say he has done a great job? How can anyone justify this man's actions for what we have today. And at biblical proportions might I add. Please open your eyes people! A federal appeals court has banned the Justice Department from prosecuting medical marijuana cases if no state laws were broken. Marijuana is illegal under federal law, but several states, like California, allow for medicinal use. This conflict has led to legal debates about whether the Justice Department should be allowed to come into states like California and prosecute medical marijuana related crimes. The Associated Press reports that a three judge panel of the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco yesterday ordered the Justice Department to show that 10 pending cases in California and Washington violated the local state medical marijuana rules before continuing with prosecutions. Federal prosecutors now have the option of petitioning the matter to the US Supreme Court. Marijuana is legal within some form, whether recreational or medicinal, in 25 states. Sacramento, CA A rating agency has increased Californias bond rating to High Grade or AA-. The upgrade by Fitch Ratings Inc. matches the rate of the other two leading rating agencies, showing confidence in Californias fiscal management. California State Treasurer John Chiang reports, The upgrade places our bonds in the coveted high grade category. The move by Fitch follows similar rating increases by two other firms, Standard & Poors and Moodys Investor Services as reported here in July 2015. Treasurer Chiang says, I am gratified that all three rating agencies clearly acknowledge the progress that the governor and the Legislature, working together, have made toward putting our fiscal house in order. He adds, It not only saves taxpayers money but allows us access to more affordable capital to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and invest in our future. The AA- rating helps lower interest costs for billions of dollars in future borrowing. Chiang reports, Refinancing existing, higher-interest debt saved the state more than $1.5 billion since January of 2015. General obligation bonds are backed by the states full faith and credit. A statement by Fitch says, California is fundamentally better positioned to withstand a future economic downturn than has been the case in prior recessions due to numerous institutional improvements. The state has demonstrated strong budget management during this period of economic recovery and expansion California should expect to benefit from the new high-grade rating as soon as a few weeks from now when Treasurer Chiang will be going to the market to sell general obligation bonds to finance important public works. Currently, the Fitch Ratings for the state remains an A+. Seven people from Manatee County returned this week following a 14 day mission trip in Kenya. The philanthropic adventure was part of a larger Bay area organization -- Hearts Afire -- which was co-founded in 2006 by Rhonda and Dr. Joe Pecoraro. Joe and Rhonda Pecoraro co-founded Hearts Afire in 2006 The charitable organization takes six mission trips every year They currently in the process of raising $50K in funding for a full-time clinic in Kenya Hearts Afire takes up to six mission trips around the world every year. Each trip costs the ministry around $5,000 to $8,000, or so, just on medication, childrens supplies, the shoes, the bibles," said Dr. Pecoraro. "We gave out 300 bibles [this trip]." That figure doesnt include the traveling costs. Each participant is expected to raise those funds on their own. Six of the 14 days the missionaries are gone are spent working at clinics, serving up to 400 people. Every patient is given vitamins and treated for diseases ranging from malaria to HIV. For those not requiring immediate medical treatment, basic human necessities, including shoes, are given out. Last year the trip was able to provide 300 children with adjustable shoes designed to grow as they do. "The smiles of these people, who just have nothing but they're just full of this joy, thats just unexplainable," said missionary Tony Murfin. "That just really makes you be thankful for the abundance that you have here." Hearts Afire is currently raising more than $50,000 to build a full-time clinic in Kenya. As voters head to the polls Aug. 30 to cast their votes in the primary election, they'll be tasked with voting for or against an initiative revolving around solar energy. Amendment 4 is on the Aug. 30 Florida primary ballot Amendment would give tax breaks to businesses for solar equipment Opponents think amendment would distort free market Amendment 4, the lone amendment on the ballot, is a proposed exemption of property taxes on solar equipment for businesses. Although a tax exemption for homeowners is already in place, proponents said a "yes" vote could propel solar growth in the Sunshine State, spurring more jobs and competition. [It could] potentially save a lot of money for small and mid-size businesses, who, in turn, can pass that on in a competitive environment to their customers," said Dominic Calabro, president and CEO of Tallahassee-based Florida Taxwatch. (It's) saving green to do more green. Its a great thing to do in the Sunshine State, and I think it has very substantial support. Amendment 4 does have widespread pledged support, from energy organizations to environmental groups such as the Sierra Club. But not everyone is on board with the amendment. Opponents claim a "yes" vote would distort the free market. The Orlando Utlities Commission has a neutral stance on the amendment, while the Florida Natural Gas Association would not comment. To me, it matters a lot, because it means we would not have to be mining coal," said Mary Dipboye with FL Sun Advisory Board. "I love the idea that we could create a clean energy future. That we could find a way to generate the electricity that we need." Last October, Dipboye and her husband installed 23 solar panels on their Winter Park home. The addition was costly, running upwards of $13,000, but Dipboye said it was worthwhile: The solar panels slashed their monthly energy bills from about $160 to $40, and Dipboye said she is passionate about helping the environment. I love each morning getting up and seeing how much electricity we produced the day before," she said, staring at their daily energy log on her laptop. Its just fun to see your systems working well, and were saving money. She also said that being part of a co-op which Orange County government is now backing helps customers negotiate better prices, and supporting the amendment on the ballot moves the sunshine state in the right direction. What it really does is it kind of kick-starts the movement and makes it a lot less intimidating for people," Dipboye said. Next week, Dipboye said there are six co-op information sessions throughout Central Florida. For more information, visit www.FLsun.org. NOTE: This following profile of Rey Rosas, with minor updates, was published in the Herald July 29, 2007. A familiar face in the community, Rosas was involved in numerous organizations, and hosted meals for veterans and their families on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, and at Thanksgiving and Christmas for the general public. During the last six years, he took a larger role at First Assembly of God, serving as an usher. Family members said Rosas was preparing for church Sunday morning when he suffered a fatal heart attack. Rosas, who was experiencing failing health, retired about two years ago. Rey Rosas is a jack of all trades. He learned early in life how to accomplish a task, and that ambition has rippled through the history of Plainview. Rosas came from a poor family, his parents struggling to make a loving working in the fields. Rosas had two older brothers and a younger sister. At age 8, he helped his mother in the fields, bringing her water. As early as 12 he began picking cotton, tomatoes, watermelon, apples and oranges in the Texas Valley. As a young man, my mother would drill me every day in the fields. She said, If this is what you want to do for the rest of your life, dont finish school, Rosas said. She encouraged her son to make something of himself. At age 17, he decided to volunteer for the Marine Corps, but his family would not allow him to leave. After turning 18, he left for Marine training, much to the displeasure of his family. I was the first man in my family to volunteer for the Marine Corps, Rosas said. I hurt my familys feelings. But the war in Vietnam ended in May 1975, and Rosas safely returned home in July. The G.I. Bill provided money for him to attend Texas Southern College. He received his law enforcement degree there and worked for Brownsville as a supervisor in a detention center. He then decided to apply for a federal government job. He was offered a position on border patrol, but turned it down. The government then offered him a job as grain inspector, with the first opening in Plainview. He readily agreed. His mother was very proud of all he accomplished and had given him her house, telling him to never leave it. She died in 1979. I couldnt stay there. After moving to Plainview in 1979, he worked cleaning offices with help from his sons. He bought some property and rented houses. Rosas began training for business in 1992, and two years later started Rosas Bail Bonds. A tow service followed in 1996, and the business kept growing. Everything got better and better. A brother still lives in Brownsville, and his sister lives in San Antonio. Another brother and his parents are deceased. All the while, Rosas has managed to involve himself in a number of activities. For starters, he was a founder and former president of the Plainview chapter of League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). When he first came to Plainview, a chapter of LULAC already existed but the elder members had dropped the ball, according to Rosas. The new generation created LULAC Chapter 4452. (LULAC) had several lawsuits against the city, Rosas said. The organization lost some. In others, it reached compromises. LULAC met with several attorneys and legal aides, forming the group Dreams Unlimited, or Sueno Sin Fronteras. They created Fiesta Campesina as a way to educate migrant workers about rights and equal opportunities as well as honor workers, farmers and ranchers. Rosas remained involved in Fiesta Campesina for more than two decades Rosas also was a life member of American Legion Post 260 and member of the American Legion Riders. Rosas is married to Irma and has six sons - Rey Jr., Rene, Ricardo, Rodney, Randy and Rocky - 23 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. He owns Rosas Services, 813 Broadway, which includes bail bonds, tow service, emergency roadside assistance, notary public, income tax and immigration services. His wife is a night supervisor at Holiday Inn Express. He also operated Thirstys, a banquet hall available for rent by the public. Thats where he and his family hosted free holiday meals for veterans and the community. Rosas started delivering mail in 1984 as a contract carrier for Route No. 2. He recently turned those duties over to a son due to failing health. In about 2007, Rosas retired as a federal grain inspector for USDA. Thats because the government was planning to send him back to Brownsville for additional training. I wont move anymore, Rosas said at the time. Ive got too many responsibilities here. To add to his impressive resume, Rosas was the first Hispanic male to serve on the Plainview City Council, beginning in 1994. He reached his limit of two terms and left the seat after eight years. As a member of the city council, Rosas helped change the voting districts to single-member districts. This change allowed minorities a better chance at winning elections. That was very exciting, he said. We made changes to Plainview . . . We made history. His family adds that Rosas was an organ donor, and as a result was able to give the gift of life to 50 others. As many of you know, I am a counselor, an LPC to be exact. What is an LPC? LPC stands for Licensed Professional Counselor. Anyone with those letters behind their name has a masters degree and then two or more years of training after the degree. During those two years of training the graduate is an intern and will usually be referred to as an LPC-I. During the internship, they are supervised by a licensed counselor who is also licensed to be a clinical supervisor over interns. The letters you will see behind their name is LPC-S. There are also other counselors with a comparable degree and post graduate training, but their license (letters behind their name) is different. For example, an LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. An LMFT is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. The truth of the matter is even though there may be some specialties within these licenses, the job we do is very similar. The main thing to look for is the L in front of all of these letters because that means the person is licensed and being licensed means having a masters degree and the additional training. Whatever the license or letters are, we are all referred to as counselors or therapists. Many people have been to one or more counselors and would probably agree with me when I say not all counselors do things the same. Even though we may have all learned the same things in school, this profession allows for us to personalize how we provide services based on our theoretical orientation while staying within the guidelines of our profession. In addition, every counselor has their own personality. Think about it. When you go see the doctor but your regular doctor is out or is busy and you decide to see a different doctor, the other doctor is not going to do things the exact same way. They have basically the same knowledge but do things differently because they are different people with different personalities. The reason I explained how different counselors can be is so that everyone will understand that doing things differently does not make one counselor better than another. What it does mean is that one counselor might be a better fit for you than another counselor. Your personality may be more compatible with one counselor over another and thats OK. Finding a counselor that is a good for you will make for a better therapeutic relationship and you may notice improvement sooner because of that relationship. I have seen clients who have seen other counselors but did not improve because the therapeutic relationship was not a good one. I am sure there are also clients I have seen who did not improve because the relationship between myself and my client was not a strong one. Think about it this way. Are you going to be completely honest with someone you are not comfortable with? Probably not. In addition to all of that, some counselors will specialize in certain disorders such as eating disorders or trauma. Some counselors will only see certain populations such as teens only or adults only. Some counselors will work with any population or any disorder. These are definitely some questions you can ask when looking for a counselor. I want to close with this. Some of you may know, I worked for Central Plains Center for 10 years (two separate times). During my time with the center, I have worked in a few different departments. My experience with CPC consists of working with babies 0-3 with developmental delays, providing family counseling and behavior modification interventions, parenting interventions, skills training with adolescents who were on probation (both truancy and formal probation). In addition, I also did mental health assessments to diagnose psychological disorders in adults and children. I was also an internal auditor. My last position with Central Plains Center was providing counseling at West Texas Family Medicine as part of an integrated healthcare grant. I have enjoyed every position I had at Central Plains Center and the experience I have gained there is invaluable. Even though I enjoyed my job, I felt it was time to live out a dream I have had for several years and decided to open my own private practice. I am excited to continue to do what Im passionate about in my hometown and I look forward to serving my community. Take care and God bless. JoAnn is a Licensed Professional Counselor and the owner/operator of Thrive thrive_counseling@yahoo.com so if it makes no sense for Obama to piss off all muslims by calling the psycho muslims, muslims, then why did he get up there and babble on and on about how terrible Christians used to be?? why talk about the crusades which ended around 1272??? why talk about the inquisition which ended centuries ago?? is that supposed to make the barbarians who burned that pilot look like not-so-bad guys?? this is 2015 not 1496! Obama: "yes yes I know those misguided men that burned that pilot alive did a terrible thing BUT did you know the catholic church burned heretics and witches in the 15th century!??" " see it's the Christians fault for putting that idea in their head!" why didn't he say "BUT Christianity went through a reformation and stopped all their vile evil barbaric acts and became civilized. islam needs to do the same." even el-sisi who is surrounded by psycho muslims had the balls to say that! but Obama has to stay "pc" and not piss off his family or Valerie Jarrett. it's a sad day when we have 2 muslims in the WH running the country. could Obama get any dumber?? Aug. 18, 1946: A new two-story building at 12th and Galveston is being constructed for Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Byars to house their High School Grocery, which they have operated for two years immediately east of the construction site. They plan to operate a store on the first floor and have three apartments on the second floor. --Five new members have been inducted into the Plainview Lions Club, Louis Thomas, W.W. Lindsey, Dr. Karl Zinn, Jack Garrett and Jim Ed Waller. --L.M. Hargrave, son of L.F. Hargrave of Hale Center, has begun his duties as assistant teacher trainer and associate professor of agricultural education at Texas Technological College. He has been teaching at Frenship Rural High School at Wolfforth for 11 years. Aug. 18, 1956: It was a happy Williams family Sunday afternoon at the Plainview Country Club after Jack Williams won his first Plainview Country Club Invitational Tournament with a tremendous 72-hole total of 266. A front-page photos shows Jack holding his trophies with wife Sadie and parents Mr. and Mrs. Vick Williams. His daughter, young DeAnn, was too camera-sky to pose with the others. --Three Plainview ROTC members are back from six weeks of summer training -- Jimmy Oswald, a senior at West Texas State College; Fred Griffin and John DuBose Jr., both students at Texas Tech. --Gene Boyd of Plainview turned in a par-wreaking performance Sunday at the Plainview Country Club with a nine-under 62 to set a new competitive course record. It came during the final round of the Invitational Tournament and gave him a 72-hole total of 280, good for a tie for fourth place. Aug. 18, 1966: Three Plainview twirlers competed in the National Baton Twirlers Association contest in Andrews last weekend - Nelda Bramlet, 15, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Melvin Bramlet; Judy Usher, 15, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. L.D. Usher; and Belinda Brown, 7, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Buddy Brown. The older girls are twirlers in the PHS band. --C.D. Freeman, vice president and general manager of Ideal Food Stores, Liberal, Kan., has announced the acquisition of Safeway Supermarket at 1605 W. Fifth. All present store personnel have been invited to remain when Ideal begins operating the store. --Charles Chauncey Gidney Jr., 65, member of a pioneer Plainview family, died Tuesday in Rome, Italy. A longtime member of the U.S. consular service, he most recently was European director for the U.S. Feed Grains Council, serving from Rome. He retired a year ago. Aug. 18, 1986: Jim Ferrell, executive vice president of the Plainview Chamber of Commerce, has been elected vice president of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives Association. Ferrell became assistant manager of the Chamber in 1971 and was promoted to manager in 1973. --Following a period of inactivity, the Kress Lions Club has reorganized. New leaders of the group are John Murray, president; James Lanier, secretary; Talmadge Todd, treasurer; and Milton Laurie, night chairman. Wade Mills of the Hart Lions Club is guiding Lion. --Gilbert Garcia has returned to Plainview after serving 20 years with the U.S. Army. Following his military retirement, Garcia is working in the loss prevention department at Wal-Mart. He and his wife, Remedios, are parents of five daughters and one son. Compiled by Doug McDonough An unknown person attempted to steal three pairs of Nike mens shoes, valued at $190, from a business in the 3400 block of Olton Road about 5:50 p.m. Tuesday. However, the shoplifting attempt was not successful, and the items were recovered. In addition, the suspect left behind a pair of black Texas Tech sunglasses, now held as evidence. --A $400 money order was stolen by a known person between 5:45-6:15 p.m. Monday from a business in the 4000 block of Olton Road. The theft was reported about 1 p.m. Tuesday. --Twelve vehicle tires, collectively valued at $2,400, along with a 2005 Ford four-door sedan, 2015 Toyota four-door sedan and 2006 Chevrolet pickup, were vandalized about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 200 block of South Columbia. The criminal mischief was performed by a known individual. --An unknown person caused $500 damage to the paint on the passenger side of a 2000 Lincoln passenger car between 6:30 p.m. Monday and 6 p.m. Tuesday in the 1400 block of West 12th Street. --A total of $800 damage was done to a 2000 Yamaha motorcycle about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday in the 1200 block of Lexington. The vandalism was caused by an unknown person. --A reported shoplifting incident in the 4600 block of Olton Road about 2:15 p.m. Tuesday resulted in the arrest of two Plainview men and the recovery of the stolen property. A 25-year-old suspect was being held without bond Wednesday in Hale County jail on possession of a controlled substance under 1 gram (amphetamine). A 26-year-old suspect was held on $200 bond Wednesday at Hale County jail for possession of drug paraphernalia. Recovered were three Irwin Razors, valued at $26, and two bits for a Roto Zip tool, together valued at $19. --A 43-year-old Plainview woman was arrested about 11 p.m. Tuesday in the 2800 block of Dimmitt Road for driving while license invalid with previous convictions along with a variety of outstanding warrants. She was hold in Hale County jail Wednesday morning on $1,500 bond on that charge. Bond had not been set on the five warrants against her - failure to control speed, driving while license invalid, violate promise to appear, no valid drivers license and failure to appear. --Two Floydada men were taken into custody about 9:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 300 block of West Fifth. A 60-year-old man is being held in Hale County jail Wednesday on $1,200 bond for possession of under 2 oz. of marijuana and $200 bond for public intoxication. The second subject, a 50-year-old, was being held on an outstanding warrant for possession of drug paraphernalia. Bond had not been set. (Anyone with information on crime in Plainview and Hale County may contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 293-8477 or 293-TIPS.) BRIDGEPORT (AP) Police say a man sitting in a parked car in Bridgeport has been killed in a late night shooting. Capt. Brian Fitzgerald tells the Connecticut Post (http://bit.ly/2aZi50Q ) that in addition to the fatality, the driver of the vehicle was injured in the shooting at about 11 p.m. Tuesday. Police say 37-year-old Fredrick Richardson was sin the front passenger seat of the vehicle parked in front of a Noble Street house when an unknown person approached the vehicle and opened fire. The driver drove the vehicle to the hospital where Richardson was pronounced dead. Fitzgerald says the driver sustained a non-life threatening wound. There was no word from police on arrests. The death was the citys fifth homicide of 2016. Information from: Connecticut Post, http://www.connpost.com The closure of Highway 20 at Sheep Creek Bridge about 26 miles east of Sweet Home two weeks ago has not hurt business at Linn Countys Clear Lake Resort, according to Brian Carroll, the county's parks manager. Its the middle of the summer and so far, were fine, Carroll told the Linn County Board of Commissioners Tuesday morning. We figured it might affect the day-use side of things, but so far, it hasnt. Carroll said the resort has been busy both midweek and weekends. The Oregon Department of Transportation closed Highway 20 on Aug. 2. the highway will remain closed for six to eight weeks during the second phase of an improvement project at Sheep Creek Bridge. Due to landslides, the bridge has moved. Detour routes are Highway 226/22 and Highway 126. Large pillars have been driven into the ground on the north side of the structure to help stabilize the slides, and now contractors are cutting off the eastern portion of the bridge and replacing it. To view a short video about the Sheep Creek Bridge Project's second phase, visit http://bit.ly/2aYnHZ6. Clear Lake is about three miles south of the Highway 20 and Highway 126 junction. The lake was formed 3,000 years ago when lava from Sand Mountain reached the McKenzie River and backed up water. A forest that originally lined the river banks is visible in the crystal-clear water, which remains about 43 degrees year-round. Clear Lake is the headwaters of the McKenzie River. The resort includes numerous cabins available for rent, a lodge/restaurant, a campground, picnic shelters and an extensive hiking trail. Fishing boats are available for rent. Carroll said the 58-acre Blue Top fire south of Clear Lake at Tamolitch Falls may be contributing somewhat to the fact that Clear Lake usage remains high during the construction period. I talked to some folks who have planned to spend time at Blue Pool, but instead came up to Clear Lake and were having a great time, Carroll said. Linn County purchased the resort from the private Santiam Fish and Game Association in 2007 and has been continually updating the facility, which dates back to the 1930s. We added kayaks last summer and they have been extremely popular, Carroll said. We started with six and probably have about 12 now. We didnt buy really expensive ones, so they are getting some wear and tear, but they pay for themselves very quickly. Ten kayaks have also been added at the Lewis Creek day-use area on Foster Reservoir and are also popular, Carroll said. Carroll said the Highway 20 work also doesnt seem to be negatively affecting U.S. Forest Service campgrounds along the South Santiam River that are managed by Linn County. The only one that may have been affected was Lost Prairie, but its now a group camping site and people dont mind having to drive a little extra to get there, he said. Carroll said that overall, its been another excellent year for the Linn County Parks Department. We get so many early reservations now that people show up even during the extremely hot weather, he said. On Green Peter Reservoir, the Whitcomb Creek boat ramp is out of the water, but the ramp at Thistle Creek is still usable, Carroll said. Carroll said he hopes to secure funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and gain approval from the Army Corps of Engineers to sweep Foster Reservoir this fall for log debris. He said the reservoir has not been swept since 2011 and there is quite a bit of woody material in some areas of the water. Carroll said construction of 53 new camping sites at Whitcomb Creek Campground is going well and on target for paving in September or October. The project will more than double the number of camping slips at the campground on Green Peter Reservoir. The Linn County Parks Department has an annual budget of about $2.3 million. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Pacific Gas and Electric Co. wants a federal judge to throw out its convictions for safety violations uncovered during an investigation that followed the deadly San Bruno pipeline explosion, arguing that there was no evidence the company or any of its employees knowingly broke any laws. Prosecutors in the 5-week trial failed to show that anyone at PG&E had any evil intent or subjective belief that they were violating a clear legal duty, as required for criminal convictions under the safety laws, the companys lawyers contended in papers filed late Tuesday. They also argued that PG&E was wrongly convicted of failing to properly inspect and test its pipelines for signs of danger because the law it was charged with violating does not require pipeline operators to choose the best methods of assessing those threats, but merely mandates that they document the methods they actually chose. A U.S. District Court jury in San Francisco found Californias largest utility company guilty Aug. 9 of six felony charges: five for failing to gather information on past pipeline leaks, assess ongoing dangers and give priority to hazardous pipe segments, and a sixth count of obstructing the federal investigation of the September 2010 San Bruno explosion, which killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. Jurors acquitted PG&E of six charges of knowingly failing to keep accurate records. But the convictions on the pipeline charges supported federal prosecutors argument that the company had placed profits above safety. Prosecutors had sought fines of up to $562 million, based on PG&Es alleged profits from illegal conduct, but dropped that request during jury deliberation, apparently because of rulings by U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson limiting the evidence they could use to link cost savings to specific acts of lawbreaking. The maximum fine is now $3 million, but officials in San Bruno also want the judge to consider appointing a monitor to oversee the companys compliance with the law. Henderson has scheduled a sentencing hearing for Jan. 23. First, however, he will hold a hearing Oct. 11 on PG&Es request to overturn the convictions and dismiss the charges, based on its claim that the case was so flimsy that it never should have gone to the jury. The obstruction charge involved a company officials April 2011 letter to federal regulators denying that PG&E had a policy of propelling gas through its older pipelines, including the San Bruno line, at pressures up to 10 percent above the federal limits. Prosecutors presented testimony from company employees about allowing a 10 percent leeway, but defense lawyers argued Tuesday that such a policy if it existed was not enough to support a conviction. PG&E did its best to cooperate with the National Transportation Safety Board investigation, and its engineers truthfully discussed the 10 percent pressure issue with both federal and state investigators around the same time the letter was written, the companys lawyers said. They said prosecutors never identified any employee who knowingly lied to the federal agency or tried to interfere with the investigation, so they resorted instead to a first-ever collective corrupt intent theory that they said Henderson should have excluded from the case. Regarding the safety charges, defense lawyers said the evidence showed that PG&E meticulously identified and evaluated every potential threat on its pipelines. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that the company, looking to save money, inspected pipelines externally for signs of corrosion, using methods that were far less expensive than internal technology probes or high-pressure water testing and were incapable of detecting welding defects like the one that caused the San Bruno explosion. But PG&Es lawyers argued that the regulations it was charged with violating do not require a pipeline operator to choose the best assessment method, or set clear standards for giving priority to the most serious hazards. The companys engineers were struggling to understand and implement a completely ambiguous and open-ended regulatory mandate, the lawyers said. A defendant cannot be convicted of willfully violating a statute with no objectively clear requirements. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko Aetna will abandon Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges next year in more than two-thirds of the counties where it now sells coverage, the latest in a string of defections by big insurers that will limit customer choice in many markets. Dwindling insurer participation is becoming a concern, especially for rural markets, in part because competition is supposed to help control insurance price hikes and many carriers have already announced plans to seek increases of around 10 percent or more for 2017. This is really going to be felt in Southern states and rural areas, said Cynthia Cox, associate director of health reform and private insurance for the Kaiser Family Foundation, which studies health care issues. Aetna will no longer sell health insurance policies through the ACA exchange in Texas next year, said spokeswoman Anjie Coplin. She declined to say how many people in the state will be affected. Aetna was seeking a 15 percent rate hike in May for one of its individual policies, which included its ACA plans a move that it projected could affect more than 84,000 of its Texas customers, the company told regulators in a filing justifying the request. The proposed rates are the result of changes in the regulatory environment and higher costs for medical services and specialty drugs, Coplin said at the time. Experts say it is too soon to determine how shrinking insurer participation will affect rates beyond next year, but fewer choices generally contribute to higher prices over time. Aetna, the nations third-largest insurer, says it will limit its exchange participation to four states in 2017, down from 15 this year. The announcement late Monday came several weeks after UnitedHealth and Humana also said they would cut their coverage plans for 2017 and after more than a dozen nonprofit insurance co-ops have shut down in the past couple of years. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimated earlier this year that about 1 in 5 U.S. counties could be down to one health insurer on their public exchanges for next year, and about 70 percent of those markets will be rural. That was before Aetna announced its changes. Cox said the total may be closer to 1 in 4 now. Rural markets can be less attractive to insurers because there are fewer customers for insurers to spread costs across, and hospitals and other health care providers can build dominating market positions, making them better able to negotiate rates. In contrast, urban markets, where most people live, are expected to still have plenty of health insurance choices on their exchanges for 2017. Alabama, Alaska and Oklahoma are among states that will have one health insurer selling individual coverage on their exchanges next year. South Carolina and most of North Carolina could join that list due to Aetna, Cox noted. Aetnas pullback leaves Pinal County outside Phoenix with no insurers selling individual coverage for next year on the exchange, although some will sell coverage off the exchange, according to Arizonas insurance department. The exchanges have helped millions of people gain health coverage, most with help from tax credits. But insurers say this relatively small slice of business has generated huge losses since they started paying claims in 2014. Insurers have struggled to enroll enough healthy people to balance the claims from high-cost customers, and they have complained about shortfalls in support from government programs designed to help them. The nations largest insurer, UnitedHealth Group, sold coverage in 34 states this year. But it only plans to offer policies in three states next year: Nevada, Virginia and New York. Aetna covers about 838,000 people on the exchanges and has said it has been swamped with higher-than-expected costs. It will sell coverage on exchanges in 242 counties next year, down from 778. The Hartford, Connecticut-based insurer will sell on exchanges in Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska and Virginia. While insurers like Aetna and UnitedHealth are scaling back their exchange participation, competitors like Cigna and Molina Healthcare are expanding. Sabrina Corlette, a research professor with the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, said It may take a few more years for exchange participation to settle and the government may have to change some of the rules. But I dont think the marketplaces are crashing and burning by any means, she said. Staff writer Peggy OHare contributed to this article. H-E-B may turn six North Texas grocery stores it purchased earlier this month into its upscale grocery brand Central Market stores. The San Antonio-based grocer announced on Monday it bought six Sun Fresh Market stores in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex four in Dallas, one in Grapevine and another in McKinney. Todd Piland, H-E-B's executive vice president of real estate, said the company was working to determine the most effective use of the properties. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As a fan of Laika, the animation studio behind the very good features Coraline and The Boxtrolls, Im sorry to report that its new movie Kubo and the Two Strings has issues that undermine its impressive technical work. There are enough good things to justify a family outing, but older members of the audience and they deserve some consideration may find a few bones to pick. (Thats a small joke one of the films highlights is a sequence with a huge ambulatory skeleton.) Set long ago in Japan, Kubos title character is a one-eyed boy who lives in a small village, who cares for his ailing mother and earns a pittance by telling vivid stories in the towns marketplace. Hes evidently a wizard at origami, because his tales are illustrated with small paper figures that come alive. The spiritual life of Kubos community involves honoring deceased ancestors. The boys eventual quest will require him to find and use the warrior tools of his dead father, a renowned samurai. Its a world of magic and legend and Kubos mother, who has two evil sisters, is descended from the moon god. Helping Kubo (voice of Art Parkinson) in his search for his fathers sword, armor and helmet are the films girl-power figure a fierce female monkey (Charlize Theron) and a very peculiar one-time samurai who has been turned into an outsized beetle (Matthew McConaughey). The sought-after weapon is referred to as the sword unbreakable, which becomes the subject for some decent verbal comedy. More Information Kubo and the Two Strings ** Quick take: Great visuals in search of a better story See More Collapse In fact, theres a healthy component of humor, much of it coming from McConaugheys character, who isnt exactly the smartest swordsman to roam the countryside. The jokes are aimed at a younger demographic, which is OK the problem is the repetitiveness and the fact that the smart-alecky component does not sit well with the movies attempts to establish a mood of magic, mystery and otherworldliness. And while the action sequences can be eye-popping, theres a lack of freshness to how the story develops that probably wont bother the youngest viewers but may try the patience of others. The movie, directed by Travis Knight, is too dependent on familiar elements, and simply feels long. Laikas specialty is an up-to-the-minute version of stop-motion animation (think Gumby for an old-school example), which in Kubo is enhanced with computer-generated effects and specialized techniques that have earned the company much praise from animation connoisseurs. What Laika achieves is an effective mixture of hyper-real and hyper-stylized, a combination that keeps Kubo appealing to the eye. If the films plotting and dialogue had measured up, Kubo might have been a masterpiece. Running time: 101 minutes MPAA rating: PG (mild rude humor) The Giants and reliever Joe Nathan discussed a reunion as far back as the winter meetings, when the right-hander with more saves than all but 10 pitchers hunted for a job, at 41, while recovering from his second Tommy John surgery. The Giants offered a minor-league deal, the Cubs a major-league deal, so Nathan went to Chicago, where he finished his rehab, then pitched in three late July games before they cut him to clear a roster spot for outfielder Jorge Soler. Now Nathan has a chance to return to his original team, for which he was an integral part of the 100-win 2003 team. He signed a minor-league contract Tuesday and will report to Double-A Richmond, Va., where the Giants will evaluate what, if anything, he has left. They chose Richmond so Nathan could work closer to his home in New York state. The Giants signed Nathan to get a two-week assessment before rosters expand Sept. 1. General manager Bobby Evans would not rule out an earlier call-up, although the club is having enough trouble finding a spot for Cory Gearrin. The Giants sent Nathan, Francisco Liriano and Boof Bonser to Minnesota in the infamous A.J. Pierzynski trade after the 2003 season. The Giants were not thrilled with Nathan, and vice versa, after his performance in the Division Series against the Marlins, which the Giants lost 3-1. That is ancient history, three years before the club hired Bruce Bochy, and the Giants can always use an experienced hand in the bullpen if he can get hitters out. Nathan was not signed to replace Santiago Casilla as closer. He brings you an experienced veteran, Bochy said. Hes been in the fire. Hes not going to be afraid. The guy is an experienced closer. Those guys are invaluable. It doesnt matter where they pitch: the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth innings. Nathan earned the first of his 377 saves with the Giants in 1999. He became a six-time All-Star with the Twins and Rangers and has pitched in 10 postseason games. Briefly: Gearrin is expected to pitch again for Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday. Josh Osich, also on the DL, will pitch back-to-back games Thursday and Friday. ... Infielder Ramiro Pena, who played in 30 games for the Giants in June and July, reinjured his ankle Monday when a runner slid into his leg. Henry Schulman is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. On deck Wednesday vs. Pirates 12:45 p.m. CSNBA Nova (9-6) vs. Cain (4-7) Thursday vs. Mets 7:15 p.m. CSNBA deGrom (7-5) vs. Bumgarner (11-7) Friday vs. Mets 7:15 p.m. CSNBA Matz (9-8) vs. Cueto (13-3) Leading off How bad? Monday marked one month since teams returned after the All-Star break. The Giants were the only team over that month not to win 10 games. Henry Schulman This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate North Star Malls big boots just got some very stiff, very blocky competition. The Lego Americana Roadshow has rolled into San Antonio, featuring large-scale models of the Statue of Liberty, White House and other noteworthy U.S. structures painstakingly built brick by tiny plastic brick. The free extravaganza officially opens Saturday and runs through Sept. 5 throughout North Star Mall. The traveling tour features 10 replicas of Americas famous landmarks, each built by Lego Master Builders specially trained to make large-scale models for maximum oohs and ahhs. Those larger-than-life recreations include the U.S. Capitol Building, White House, Statue of Liberty, Liberty Bell, Supreme Court, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Independence Hall and Old North Church. Click through the slideshow for a look at those blocky wonders, along with some truly eye-opening facts about how many hundreds yes, hundreds of hours went into their creation. rguzman@express-news.net Twitter: @reneguz This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Connecticut has a high prevalence of Medicare beneficiaries living with Alzheimers disease or other dementias, often placing an enormous financial strain on caregivers who are spending thousands of dollars a year on care, reports show. Alzheimers is the most expensive disease in America, said Jennifer Walker, vice president of communications and advocacy for the Connecticut chapter of the Alzheimers Association. The cost of care is very high. Medicare covers most fees for doctor visits, and some hospitalization, if needed; but other costs associated with careincluding home health services, transportation, diapers for incontinenceare not covered. People with Alzheimers often suffer from other chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart and hypertension, which add to the out-of-pocket costs for care. The financial burden is forcing families who rely on Medicare to tap into retirement savings, cutback on food and medical care for themselves, reduce work hours or quit work altogether to be caregivers, according to the Alzheimers Association report Alzheimers Disease Facts and Figures. A recent association survey of 3,500 people nationwide found 28 percent of caregivers lost an average of more than $15,000 in annual income from reducing or quitting work to provide care. In Connecticut, the prevalence of Alzheimers or another form of dementia among Medicare beneficiaries is 11.9 percent, according to 2014 data recently released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Only Texas, with 12 percent, topped Connecticut. The national average is 10.3 percent. About 74,000 people in Connecticut have Alzheimers and that number is projected to grow to 80,000 by 2020. In 2015, there were about 177,000 people in Connecticut caring for loved ones with Alzheimers and other dementias, providing 202 million hours of unpaid care valued at $2.5 billion, according to the associations report. Patricia Lowe of Ridgefield worries that caring for her 80-year-old husband, Frank, who was diagnosed with Alzheimers in 2010, will push her into financial ruin. She is his sole caregiver. Its a tsunami, she said of the financial strain. With Social Security as the couples only source of income and Medicare covering a fraction of her husbands medical costs, she worries about expenses she foresees coming down the pipeline. The only thing keeping their costs under control now, she said, is that her husband can still live at home. The couple decided two years ago to forego his medications and frequent doctors appointments instead relying on more natural and holistic remedies. The Medicare system, is a mess, and its a mess on a number of levels, said Angela Mattie, professor and chair of healthcare management and organizational leadership at Quinnipiac Universitys School of Business. We dont have our long-term care financing the way we should have our long-term care financing in this country, Mattie said. Theres no simple solution; these things are politically fought and fought. Medicaid, not Medicare, typically reimburses some of the cost of custodial care for those who cant afford long-term care insurance, she said, and someone must basically become a pauper to get on Medicaid. Is that how we want to treat people in this country? This year total payments for health care, long-term care and hospice care are expected to be $236 billion for those with Alzheimers and other dementias, and nearly half of those costs will be paid by Medicare, according to the association. Nearly one in every five Medicare dollars is spent on Alzheimers and dementia expenses, and it is on track to rise to one in every three dollars by 2050, according to the association. According to the association, costs for long-term care services nationwide on average include: $220 per day ($80,300 per year) for a semi-private room in a nursing home, $250 per day ($91,250 per year) for a private room in a nursing home, $3,600 per month for basic services in an assisted living facility, $20 an hour for a home health aide and $59 a day for adult day services. Lowe, who attends a support group for Alzheimers caregivers, foresees massive expenses looming. I know what the future holds, she said. I have seen people who have had to sell their houses. Lowe said, What nest egg we have right now probably wouldnt cover three years. Having to live this way is very difficult. There is no way I could afford to put him in a nursing home, certainly not in this area [Fairfield County], without completely bankrupting us. She said, This disease is a journey, and Lowe tries to see silver linings wherever she can. We live. We dont dwell. Were not victims. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team ( www.c-hit.org ). This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate FAIRFIELD Will Cromwell of New Canaan was in eighth grade when a minor foot surgery almost made him a part of a growing opioid addiction epidemic. Now 22 and a Fairfield University student majoring in math, Cromwell stood up in an audience filled with health care providers on Wednesday to describe how no doctors asked about his familys strong history of addiction when prescribing him Vicodin painkillers. Luckily for Cromwell, the pills were too big for him to swallow, so didnt take them. Hes not sure what would have happened if had taken them; he knows of two classmates at New Canaan High who have died from overdoses. The gateway was a doctors office, Cromwell said. They had been prescribed painkillers ... and then got into the harder drugs. Opioid misuse from a medical perspective figuring out whats working was the topic of a morning panel discussion called by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal at Fairfield Universitys Dolan School of Business. Opioids are a prescription narcotic pain medication that includes methadone, oxycodone and percocet, as well as the illegal drug, heroin. In his tenth roundtable on the topic, Blumenthal criticized Congress for not spending more on what he called a public health crisis. More Information Opioid facts: In 2014 there were almost 19,000 deaths involving prescription opioids, nationwide. That is equivalent to about 52 deaths per day. that is an increase of from about 16,000 in 2013. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids have quadrupled since 1999, and so have sales of these prescription drugs. From 1999 to 2014, more than 165,000 people have died in the U.S. from overdoses related to prescription opioids. In Connecticut, 723 people died of overdoses of various kinds of drugs in 2015 - double the number of 2012. Today, at least half of all U.S. opioid overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid. In 2014, more than 14,000 people died from overdoses involving prescription opioids. The most common drugs involved in prescription opioid overdose deaths include Methadone, Oxycodone and Hydrocodone. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. See More Collapse Congress passed a law. It was a good start but inadequate, Blumenthal said, suggesting that opioid addiction receive the same sense of urgency that Ebola did. The recently passed Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act, focuses on education and prevention, as well as treatment efforts but comes with little funding. Blumenthal was joined at Fairfield University by U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphy and U.S. Rep. Jim Himes. More focus and dollars need to go into the conversation of prevention, Murphy said. Its much better if we are stopping the pathway to addiction. Meredith Kazer, dean of Fairfields School of Nursing and Health Studies, said managing pain in a safe manner is part of what her nurse practitioner students learn. They need to know the guidelines, Kazer said. Susan Birge, director of counseling at Fairfield University, said in addition to training, the university is dealing with the issue head on by educating at least 19 students who are recovering from addiction. At least 10 students live in recovery houses, located just off campus. We welcome individuals who struggle with addiction, Birge said. The prevalence of addiction is very significant. To not have a recovery program would be irresponsible. Several health care practitioners on the panel suggested a big part of the problem lies with reaching for the prescription pad before trying other ways to relieve patient pain. Less is more is really the motto of the entire clinic, said Greg Flis, a nurse practitioner in charge of pain management for the Yale Spine Center in New Haven. Research, he said, shows opioids are not appropriate to use a lot of the time for back pain or rheumatoid arthritis. Counseling is key, said Linda Mascolo, an advanced practice registered nurse at New Era Rehabilitation Center in Bridgeport. There are numerous other therapies, she said. Numerous other medications. Henry Jacobs, president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, said sometimes opioid use is appropriate. But not always. Freshmen in high school should not be prescribed pain medication that is going to lead them to heroin abuse, he said. It has to be incorporated into medical school ... It cant just be a two-day course. lclambeck@ctpost.com; @lclambeck U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio swung through the mid-valley on Monday, appearing at town halls in Albany, Corvallis and Lebanon and checking in with the editorial board at our sister publication, the Gazette-Times. During the session with the Gazette-Times, DeFazio expressed bafflement at how ATI Specialty Alloys and Components (better known as Wah Chang) has decided not to cooperate with the Department of Labor to help workers and their families apply for a government benefits program. "I don't know how they can stonewall us on that," DeFazio said. We've been wondering the same thing. Wah Chang, for its part, has declined comment on the matter, but this is a case where its actions speak loud and clear. Here's the background: The company is refusing to verify employment or provide contact information for ex-employees who might qualify for benefits under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Act. The program provides cash compensation and medical benefits for people who developed certain cancers after workplace exposure to radiation as part of the U.S. nuclear weapons program. For two years in the early 1970s, the Wah Chang plant in Millersburg reprocessed depleted uranium for the nuclear weapons program. A government analysis concluded that hazardous levels of residual radiation from that depleted uranium remained on the site for nearly 40 years after the reprocessing job was done. Under a little-known federal law called the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, 218 current or former Wah Chang employees or their survivors have collected more than $34 million in government compensation and medical benefits after the employees developed cancers that were at least as likely as not caused by on-the-job exposure to radiation connected to the U.S. nuclear weapons program. Another 191 have filed claims for compensation that were denied, and an unknown number may qualify for the program but have never been made aware of it. That unknown number of people who may not know about the program is where Wah Chang's inexplicable decision to stonewall becomes important. The Department of Labor has the primary responsibility for spreading the word about the program. But it doesn't have a list of current and former atomic weapons workers; the department relies on the companies involved for that information. Albany Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday signed into law a bill that requires courts to consider prior intoxicated and impaired driving convictions when sentencing someone for intoxicated or impaired boating. Under the new law, a judge would be required to consider prior DWIs or DWAIs within a five-year period for any 30-day BWI sentence. A judge would be required to consider prior DWIs or DWAIs within a 10-year period for any 180-day BWAI sentence. The idea is that a sentencing judge would be required to impose a higher sentence on repeat intoxicated machine operation offenders, Cuomo's office said. "Those who repeatedly violate intoxicated operation laws should not be given leniency because they have re-offended in a boat versus a car," the bill's justification memo states. Legislation remained stalled for nearly six sessions before an amended version was approved in June. The law takes effect Nov. 1. Dubbed Tiffany Heitkamp's Law in memory of the Syracuse-area woman killed during a 2006 boating while intoxicated accident, the enacting legislation was carried by Syracuse representatives Assemblyman William Magnarelli and state Sen. John DeFrancisco. "Whether behind the wheel of a car or a boat, drunk drivers are a danger to themselves and a menace to others," Cuomo said in a statement. "This new law closes this loophole and will help keep these dangerous individuals off our roads and waterways, avoiding more senseless tragedies." In other bill signing news, Cuomo also approved legislation requiring that dogs and cats used for research purposes by higher education institutions be put up for adoption. The law requires that those animals deemed suitable for adoption by research facility veterinarians be made available to local shelters, animal rescue centers and humane societies once research is complete. Locally, Albany Medical College used six cats and dogs back for research in 2013, and none in 2014, according to data reported to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. It's unclear whether the college is continuing to use dogs and cats; the school was late filing its report for 2015. The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal of Manhattan and Republican state Sen. Phil Boyle of Long Island, will take effect in 60 days. New York is the fifth state in the nation to pass a "beagle freedom" bill. Elsewhere, legislation in Illinois is pending. In a brief interview, Rosenthal indicated that the new New York law is a step toward a larger shift away from using animals for research purposes. "Animals should not have to experience such pain and suffering," she said. "They can't say no. They have no voice in this. There are other ways to ascertain if certain drugs are working or things like that. We need to move toward that kind of reality in society that animals are not here just for our pleasure ... so science has to discover other ways to test theories, to test drugs and other things." Claire Hughes contributed. mhamilton@timesunion.com 518-454-5449 @matt_hamilton10 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In a sign that Donald Trump is perhaps no longer bullish on Paul Manafort the Connecticut native who guided him to the GOP presidential nomination Trumps slumping campaign revealed a major restructuring of its top ranks Wednesday. It brought aboard Stephen Bannon, a top executive for the conservative news website Breitbart, as the campaigns chief executive and promoted pollster and senior adviser Kellyanne Conway to the job of campaign manager. Manafort will stay on as campaign chairman, according to Trumps political aides, who pushed back against media accounts that the New Britain native was being demoted as part of a staff shakeup. The infusion of new blood in the Trump hierarchy follows published stories that $12 million in secret cash payments were earmarked for Manafort by a pro-Russian political party in the Ukraine, where Manafort once consulted for former president Viktor Yanukovych. This is addition, not subtraction, Hope Hicks, a Trump spokeswoman from Greenwich, told Hearst Connecticut Media on Wednesday. Its a positive development for the campaign. Mr. Trump and the leadership team, which is experienced, talented and highly respected within the political arena, are working together to defeat Hillary Clinton in November. Another addition to Trumps campaign organization is Justin Clark, who managed Republican Tom Foleys unsuccessful 2014 campaign for Connecticut governor. The West Hartford lawyer and GOP consultant was hired before last months Republican convention as Trumps deputy national political director, Hearst has learned. Denial of Ukraine connection Clark previously worked on the presidential campaign of New Jersey Gov. Chris Chris Christie, serving as operations director. Clark referred questions on his role with Trump to the campaign, which declined to comment. His hiring brings the number of top campaign staff from Connecticut to three, highlighted by Manafort. Manafort has denied receiving off-the-books payments from clients in the Ukraine, which were detailed in a secret ledger, according to The New York Times. The ledger story is a canard, said Roger Stone, a former business partner of Manafort, off-again, on-again Trump adviser and Norwalk native. Its an attempt to build on the narrative that Manafort or, more precisely Trump, are allied with the Russians. Manafort replaced Corey Lewandowski as campaign boss in June, three months after Trump enlisted the veteran strategist to help him navigate a contested nominating convention that had been anticipated. The Never Trump movement in the GOP failed to gain traction, with the real estate mogul sewing up the nomination in early May, well before the partys July convention in Cleveland. But the traditional bounce coming out of the convention for the nominee was short-circuited by a series of controversies, including Trumps public feud with the Gold Star parents of a Muslim U.S. Army captain killed in Iraq. Trump compounded his problems with his recent comments that gun owners could stop Clinton from appointing U.S. Supreme Court justices who would overturn the Second Amendment. Deficit in the polls Those close to both Trump and Manafort say the candidates fortunes will be decided less by who Trump surrounds himself with and more by whether he heeds their advice. Donald Trump is and has always been in the control of the direction of his campaign, Stone said. Manaforts defenders say its common for campaigns to go through these types of restructurings within the ebb and flow of a race. This is sort of what happened back in the spring, when Lewandowski was transitioned, said Richard Dick Foley, of Danbury, a former state GOP chairman and longtime associate of Manafort. This is sometimes how you separate the wheat from the chaff. Clintons average poll lead over Trump is 6 points, according to the website RealClearPolitics, which shows the former secretary of state with an advantage in the battleground states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. Thats prompted a group of Trumps GOP critics to send an open letter to the Republican National Committee calling for it to cut off discretionary funding to Trump. Several signers are from Connecticut, including former Congressman Christopher Shays; Paul Pimentel, former chief of staff for the state Senate GOP caucus; and Gian-Carlo Peressutti, a former aide and press secretary to President George H.W. Bush. Beyond Trumps likely electoral failure, his actions toward his fellow Republicans should disqualify him from receiving any further support, the letter said. Since winning the primaries, Trump has claimed he wants to unify the party but instead has doubled down on vicious and vengeful attacks on fellow Republicans. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SHELTON The 23-year old woman charged with vehicular homicide in the head-on crash that killed a local woman in May had cocaine and morphine in her system, according to the arrest warrant affidavit. Samantha Monacos cell phone records showed that she had just ended a call to a friend when her BMW crossed the center line of River Road at 1:30 p.m. on May 6, slamming into the Honda Accord being driven by Rosemarie Dwyer, 69. The affidavit filed in Derby Superior Court by Det. Richard Bango notes that he and several patrol officers at the scene knew Monaco from several prior police encounters. In fact, Monaco has five Superior Court files, including two speeding tickets, a charge of engaging police in pursuit and an Oct. 17, 2014 charge of failure to drive in the proper lane on Long Hill Road in Shelton. She also has pending charges of sixth-degree burglary, larceny and tampering with evidence in a Jan.28, 2015 case, in which she allegedly stole a friends wallet and two cell phones after allegedly breaking into his Shelton home. According to court documents, Monaco had been undergoing opioid replacement therapy at the APT Foundation on Long Wharf in New Haven. She had been attending weekly sessions since Feb. 5, 2015 as part of a court-ordered program, but was discharged last month due to lack of engagement, according to a letter in her file from the therapist. A Shelton firefighter at the scene of the May 6 crash told detectives that he had been at the Pine Rock Grocery on River Road, owned by Monacos parents, a few minutes before the crash and had talked to Samantha Monaco, who seemed fidgety and said that she was anxious to get home, according to the affidavit. Detectives executed three search warrants for Monacos blood and urine samples taken at Bridgeport Hospital after the crash, for her cell phone and for the phone records. The records indicate that Monaco had called a friend in Shelton and asked him to meet her at her home on Sharon Court, and that the call ended moments before the crash. Dwyer was given CPR at the scene, but was pronounced dead when she arrived at the hospital. Dwyer lived on Kyles Way in a condominium development on the site of the former Pinecrest Country Club , a short distance from where the accident occurred. Monaco received facial injuries from the crash. Monaco would not answer investigators questions at the hospital, the affidavit states, telling detectives this is not the time. Bango wrote that the young woman seemed vague and did not seem to understand the questions being asked. She turned herself in to Shelton police on Aug. 11 after being told they held a warrant for her arrest, and was released after posting a $25,000 cash bond. According to the warrant affidavit, the road was wet, but it wasnt raining, and investigators could find no reason for Monacos BMW to have crossed the center line. They talked to the young man that Monaco had called from her car, and the man told them that the two had talked for 90 seconds. She had said goodbye to him before the call ended, the man told police, theorizing that Monaco was hanging up the phone when the crash occurred. Her AT&T ZTE black cell phone was found on the passenger seat. Monacos father, Adriano, came to the scene and dialed his daughters number, causing the phone on the BMW seat to ring. Monacos mother, Joanne, declined to speak to a reporter when contacted at the grocery and deli on Wednesday. The business is also on River Road, a short distance from the crash site. The familys attorney, Michael Meehan of Bridgeport, could not immediately be reached for comment. Monaco will be arraigned Aug. 25 at Superior Court in Derby on charges of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol, using a hand-held cell phone while driving and failure to drive on the right. A status conference on the larceny and burglary charges in the unrelated case is also scheduled for the same day. fjuliano@ctpost.com; This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Police are searching for a suspect who attacked a man and snatched three pairs of Air Jordans from him earlier this month after answering the victim's Criagslist advertisement about selling the shoes in Sugar Land. The attack occurred about 8 p.m. Thursday at First Colony Mall at 16335 Southwest Freeway, according to the Sugar Land Police Department. Police said the victim told investigators he had placed an ad on Criagslist to sell the shoes valued at a total of more than $585. A man contacted him about buying the shoes and they agreed to meet inside the mall. After they met, they agreed to complete the deal in the parking lot because the suspect told the man his child was in a car with a friend. However, as they walked toward a black Nissan car the man spotted another person in the car but saw no child. He became suspicious and walked back inside the mall with the shoes. Police said the suspect followed the man into the mall and into a restroom. The suspect sprayed the man with mace, hit him twice, grabbed the shoes and left. The suspect was seen carrying the shoes as he walked casually through the mall to go outside. He left in the Nissan. The suspect is described as about 6 feet, 2 inches tall. He had braided hair and a wore a black bandana on his head. He also wore a Charlotte Hornets shirt, black sweat pants and black-and-white shoes that the victim believed were Air Jordans. Anyone with information about the case should call the Sugar Land Police Department at 281-275-2540 or Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers at 281-342-TIPS. A federal appeals court rejected a challenge by gun groups Monday to Californias requirement of a license to carry a concealed handgun outside the home, clearing the way for a final test in the U.S. Supreme Court. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld the law in June, ruling 7-4 that there is no constitutional right to carry concealed weapons in public. Opponents sought a rehearing before the entire appeals court, but the court said Monday that the request had failed to win a majority among its 28 active judges. No vote total was announced. We will now ask the Supreme Court to set things straight, said the gun advocates lawyer, C.D. Michel. The century-old state law requires handgun owners to obtain a permit from a local law enforcement agency before they can legally pack their weapons in public. The permits are virtually unavailable to anyone except police and security guards in most metropolitan areas, but are issued in most rural and inland areas to any adult who asserts a need for self-defense and does not have a disqualifying criminal record. Seven other states have similar licensing laws. Gun permits issued in any California county are valid statewide, except for those that are based on the applicants place of work, which are good only in that county. Two men who were denied permits in San Diego and Yolo counties challenged the law, and were then joined by firearms groups. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2008 that the Constitutions Second Amendment protects the right to possess guns at home for self-defense but has not said whether that right applies outside the home. Most, but not all, federal appeals courts have upheld states restrictions on carrying loaded weapons in public. In 2014, a panel of the Ninth Circuit ruled 2-1 that the Second Amendment applies equally outside the home and that the California law therefore violates the constitutional right to bear arms for self-defense. But the law remained in place while the state appealed and won a new hearing before a panel of 11 judges, under the courts rules for reviewing a small number of contested decisions. In its 7-4 ruling June 9, the court majority said the United States and England have no history or tradition of allowing private citizens to carry concealed firearms outside the home. Judge William Fletcher also noted that the Supreme Court had declared in 1897 that a ban on carrying guns in public would not violate the right to bear arms. Dissenting Judge Barry Silverman said there was no evidence that preventing law-abiding citizens from carrying firearms reduces gun violence. Judge Susan Graber replied that previously law-abiding citizens, allowed to carry guns under more-permissive state laws, had killed numerous law enforcement officers and other victims. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko CORVALLIS The Oregon State Extension Service will host a free small farms workshop for Hispanic farmers focusing on organic farming, at 7 p.m. Aug. 22 at the OSU Organic Growers Club, 34306 N.E. Electric Road, Corvallis. The event will include demonstrations about production techniques, berry and fruit testing from the certified organic teaching parcel. The event will be in Spanish and include the following workshops: Tissue and soil sampling for fertility and plant nutrition management led by Javier Fernandez-Salvador. OMRI listed inputs for organic farming, led by Ana Negrete of the Organic Materials Review Institute. Realities of small farm management: labor, planning, coordination and what to do with surplus harvest led by Claudia Garcia, Organic Growers Club Berry Project manager. For more information, contact Javier Fernandez-Salvador by calling 503-373-3766 or email Javier.f-s@oregonstate.edu. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate NORWALK The Walk Bridge has bound South and East Norwalk for more than a century, but some East Norwalk merchants say theyre getting the short end of the stick in its upcoming replacement. At issue are construction disruptions from the roughly $1 billion project, which the Connecticut Department of Transportation hopes to start in 2018. We need to address the fairness issue and that is certainly what I would want to bring to their attention, said Winthrop E. Baum, president and founder of the East Norwalk Business Association. Clearly, East Norwalk is being burdened with the majority of the staging and thats not right. Baum was among roughly 100 people attending the Walk Bridge Program Open House hosted by ConnDOT in the lobby of the IMAX Theater of The Maritime Aquarium on Tuesday night. Unlike a similar event in May, ConnDOT officials didnt give a presentation, but did answer residents questions about the bridge replacement project that remains at the 30-percent design phase. Were trying to hold these on a regular basis where they can come in and ask questions and learn about the project, said John D. Hanifin, project manager with ConnDOT. We are progressing on our environmental assessment packet. We are progressing on our public outreach and our overall planning of the project. The environmental assessment, due in September, will lay out the impacts of the bridge replacement from traffic, air and noise, to water, wetlands, fish and wildlife along with proposed mitigation measures. Upward of 16 local property owners stand to be affected by the massive project based on a preliminary list released by ConnDOT last September. Of those, nine are located in East Norwalk and the remaining seven are in South Norwalk. ConnDOT anticipates needing the properties temporarily or permanently to rebuild the bridge. Vincent and Robin Penna, co-owners of A.J. Penna & Son Excavating Contractor, stand to lose their roughly two-acre property on Goldstein Place. They expressed their frustration with ConnDOT officials Tuesday night and suggested that other land such as Veterans Memorial Park or parking lots in South Norwalk would better serve as a staging area for the bridge replacement. Theres a big parking lot that the city owns, use that, Vincent Penna said of a parking lot on North Water Street. Why take my livelihood? Thats all I have to say. Im really upset. I just want to call them out for what they are and I dont think theyre very fair and I think that theyre not being reasonable. Tony DAndrea, co-owner of Select Plastics, LLC at 217-219 Liberty Square, learned recently that his property would not be taken for the bridge replacement project. Instead, ConnDOT plans to use Goldstein Place as an accessway to the construction site. After Labor Day, ConnDOT will identify what type of bridge it plans to build in place of the Walk Bridge. At present, the department is considering vertical-lift and rolling-bascule structures. Jim Cameron, founder of the Commuter Action Group, isnt convinced that either option is necessary. He asked ConnDOT officials if they had fully vetted a non-movable bridge. I really still want to get an answer as to is a movable bridge really necessary? Cameron said. And did the DOT look at the possibility of working with the Coast Guard and Army of Corps Engineers and declaring this river non-navigable and replacing it with a fixed bridge. State Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, state Rep. Gail Lavielle, R-Wilton, and Norwalk Mayor Harry W. Rilling also attended the open house. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Beaumont resident who contracted Zika while traveling abroad has recovered from symptoms, as state officials brace for Texas mosquitoes to eventually carry the virus linked to severe birth defects. The case is the first reported locally. Jefferson County, however, isn't ripe for the spread of Zika because the one mosquito species known to transmit the virus isn't found in the area, said Kevin Sexton, the county's head of mosquito control. "I really don't think people should worry about it too much," Sexton said. Where the Beaumonter contracted Zika was not disclosed, though the city's public health director Sherry Ulmer said it was not in the continental United States. The resident, whose name, gender and age have not been released, sought a personal doctor's care after returning from an area with a record of previous cases and showing symptoms of the virus, Ulmer said. Blood tests diagnosed the presence of Zika, which the Texas health department confirmed Tuesday evening, Ulmer said. Neither medicine to treat nor a vaccine to protect people from Zika has been developed. The virus, which traces to 1945 in Uganda, is primarily passed on by mosquitoes but can also be spread through sex, officials said. There have been no reports that the disease has been locally spread in either Texas or Louisiana. All of the more than 112 Zika cases in Texas have been attributed to travel, according to state officials. Texas officials, who have repeatedly acknowledged that mosquito transmission of Zika in the state is "likely" to eventually happen, are spending more than $6 million to combat the virus, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. The money is dedicated to disease surveillance, testing, education and awareness. Texas Medicaid previously announced it would cover the cost of mosquito repellent for qualifying women between the ages of 10 and 45. Of nearly 2,000 U.S. cases of Zika identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, all but six of those are attributed to travel. The only known U.S. transmissions have occurred in Florida. Texas health officials on Monday said an El Paso County resident who traveled to Miami contracted the virus. An infant's death last week in Harris County was attributed to Zika. Common symptoms are fever, aching joints, rashes and red eyes, according to the Beaumont Health Department. As few as one in four people who have the virus show symptoms, which typically develop within three to seven days of infection, health officials said. Zika has been linked to the birth defect microcephaly, in which an infant's head is smaller than expected because of stunted brain development, according to the CDC. The mosquito species primarily linked to Zika isn't found locally, but the Asian tiger mosquito, considered a "possible" but not confirmed host for the virus, is, Sexton said. "I think it's kind of a long-shot here," Sexton said. The local case was disclosed one day after the county reported it found mosquitoes carrying the debilitating West Nile virus in Beaumont's North End. "What we're more concerned with is the West Nile virus," Sexton said. "That's really what we're trying to target more than anything else." Also on Wednesday, the Orange County Mosquito Control District reported that a horse in Vidor was euthanized after testing positive for Eastern equine encephalitis. The virus, which can be fatal in humans, is limited to a mosquito species that normally feeds on birds and rarely bites humans or horses, the district's director Patrick Bebee said. Officials advised people to wear insect repellent, long-sleeve shirts and pants when outdoors and to empty containers that hold water. EBesson@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/EricBesson_news This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Beirut Iran allowed Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to bomb targets in Syria on Tuesday, an unprecedented move that underscores the deepening cooperation between two powerhouses heavily invested in the Syrian civil war. The Iranian deployment increases Russia's foothold in the Middle East and widens Moscow's bombing campaign in Syria, bolstering President Bashar Assad's government ahead of a new round of peace talks the United Nations hopes to convene in coming weeks. The long-range bombers took off early Tuesday near the Iranian city of Hamedan, 175 miles southwest of the Iranian capital, and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The Russian warplanes then returned to Russia and no Russian forces remained stationed in Iran, said a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak to reporters about the matter. "Russia's use of an Iranian base represents a turning point in Russia's relations in the Middle East. ... It sends a powerful message to the United States and regional powers that Russia is here to stay," said Fawaz Gerges, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics. Russia had talked about the possibility of flying planes out of Iran since late last year, but its decision to do so on Tuesday came as a surprise, U.S. officials said. Secretary of State John Kerry called Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to discuss the operations. Underscoring the U.S. confusion, State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that Washington was "still trying to assess what exactly they're doing." Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, told reporters at the Pentagon on Tuesday that the Russians activated a communications link with coalition officials just ahead of the bomber mission. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate New York The re-opening of the World Trade Center mall on Tuesday is expected to help transform downtown Manhattan shopping and illustrate how much progress has been made in rebuilding and revitalizing the area since the 9/11 attacks. Shops from Apple to Forever 21 to H&M to John Varvatos will serve an increasingly diverse group of area residents and workers beyond Wall Street bankers that now includes a slew of advertising and media employees. But they'll also be catering to tourists who come to visit the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, which requires a delicate touch. The new spaces let customers tap into technology, as some retailers use the space for their latest ideas. Ford Motor Co. is set to open this fall the first FordHub, a showroom for innovations that's not a dealership. Shoe purveyor Aldo Group Inc. is using the opening to launch an app feature for this store, which will be rolled out to other stores. Digital billboards in the mall include a 280-foot-long one. "We truly believe this will be the center of commerce and culture for lower Manhattan," says Bill Hecht, chief operating officer of Westfield Corp.'s U.S. division. Westfield manages the retail properties, while the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey owns the real estate. Hecht describes the location as a "symbol of hope, opportunity, progress and perseverance." The 365,000-square-foot center will have more than 100 stores, with about 60 opening Tuesday and the rest by the winter holiday season. Two people were injured following a two-vehicle collision Wednesday morning at the intersection of Highway 34 and Goltra Road west of Lebanon. Shelby Jordan Goodwin, 18, of Lebanon was taken by air ambulance to Legacy's Randall Children's Hospital in Portland and listed in good condition as of late Wednesday afternoon. Jose Alfredo Morales, 33, of Albany was taken to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital, where he was not listed on their census as of late Wednesday afternoon. Trooper Ian Normand, one of two Oregon State Police troopers at the scene, said Morales had mostly "scrapes and bruises." "He's honestly just in shock right now, given the situation," Normand said. Oregon State Police reported Goodwin was headed south on Goltra Road about 6:58 a.m. when she made a left turn onto the highway. Goodwin's Integra was struck by Morales' Hyundai as he headed west on 34. Only one person was in each vehicle. Information on citations was not immediately available. Darrel Stevens of Lebanon was headed west on 34 at the same time as the Hyundai, on his way to work, and saw the collision. "I slowed down, saw her coming out," he said. "And the Hyundai in the left lane going west came up and saw her at the last minute, and they tried to avoid hitting each other but couldn't quite get it together." Stevens said the Hyundai struck the back end of the Integra, destroying the vehicle. "It just went pfft." The eastbound lane of travel on 34 was closed for approximately an hour during the investigation and one westbound lane was open and directed around the wreckage. Lebanon medics and the Oregon Department of Transportation assisted troopers. Five of North East ISD's 18 high schools were in the top 30 best SAT scores for the region in 2014, the most campuses of any school district in San Antonio, according to records obtained from the Texas Education Agency by mySA.com. Region 20, a multi-county administrative region for the TEA, includes the San Antonio metro area and Health Careers High School topped the list with the highest combined score average 1687. Alamo Heights High School had the second-highest score that year with a 1645 average. The International School of America is the first NEISD school to appear on the list with the third-highest average of 1633. A man caught downloading child porn while working at web-hosting company Rackspace was sentenced Tuesday to 12 years and seven months in federal prison. Rackspace fired Jason Maurice Kirby, 39, from his $75,000-a-year job in November 2014 after an audit turned up the inappropriate activity, and an FBI forensic examination of his work and home computers located nearly 3,400 child porn images. Agents also found he used software to wipe his activity and try to cover his tracks, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson. The Alamo City will look a lot different in just a few short years. New towers and modern hotels are expected to sprout up around downtown by the turn of the decade, bringing new, millennial-like vibes to the old-fashioned city. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO A 43-year-old man who allegedly lit his stepfather on fire in March was arrested in Minnesota and extradited back to Bexar County, according to the sheriffs office. Dodrick Evans is facing a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury. He remains in custody on a $75,000 bond. RELATED: Retired San Antonio doctor convicted of aggravated assault in 'trespassing' clash The initial incident occurred around 11 p.m. March 23 in the 9100 block of Rainbow Creek, where deputies arrived at the scene to find man burned form his waist to his head, BCSO spokeswoman Rosanne Hughes said in a statement to mySA.com. Hughes said the victim told deputies he was sitting in a chair in the living room about to go to sleep when he felt something wet being poured onto him. He then woke up and saw his stepson, Evans, allegedly playing with a lighter. When the man asked Evans what he was doing, the suspect then allegedly lit his stepfather on fire, Hughes said. RELATED: Man arrested for allegedly killing one man, injuring another in shooting on Northeast Side The two men allegedly fought before the victim went to a shower in his bedroom to extinguish the flames while Evans fled the scene in his vehicle, Hughes said. Emergency personnel responded and transported the stepfather to San Antonio Military Medical Center, where it was determined he had suffered second- and third-degree burns to 35 percent of his body. RELATED: BCSO: Woman accused of stabbing another woman 14 times turns herself in Evans was found in Olmstead, Minnesota, on Aug. 8 and was extradited back to Bexar County, Hughes said. He was booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center on Sunday. If convicted, Evans faces up to 20 years in prison. Text "NEWS" to 72727 to sign up for breaking news from mySA twhite@mysa.com Twitter: @tylerlwhite This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A San Antonio man was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for running over another man in a parking lot after leaving a North Side bar in 2011. Christopher John Cerna, 39, pleaded guilty last month before state District Judge Melisa Skinner for killing Miguel Alonzo, 29, on Nov. 13, 2011, in a parking lot in the 280 block of Bitters Road. According to court records, Alonzo had forgotten his ID and was waiting on friends who were inside Falls Night Club when Cerna and his then-girlfriend, Veronica Garcia, 31, left the bar and didn't remember where they had parked. One of Alonzo's friends, Robert Herrera, 26, yelled, Shut that (expletive) thing up, when Cerna clicked the panic button on his keys so the alarm would sound on the Jeep that Cerna and Garcia were driving. Cerna then told the man, You don't know who you're messing with, and the men began to argue, according to a narrative filed with the court. The couple then got into the Jeep, and Cerna sped toward Herrera, clipped him and knocked the man to the ground, court documents state. Alonzo, who was nearby, ran after the Jeep. According to court documents, witnesses told police that the Jeep made a U-turn, chased Alonzo in the parking lot and ran over him. He died hours later at a hospital. Cerna left the scene. Surveillance video from a nearby Hobby Lobby captured the incident, and police arrested him in August 2012 after a lengthy investigation. Cerna will have to serve at least half of his sentence before he is eligible for parole. In dueling speeches last week in Michigan, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton laid out opposing visions for the U.S. economy. Neither candidate, however, has grappled with what may be the most challenging economic crisis of our times: what to do with older workers whose jobs have disappeared and are never coming back and who are injecting so much frustration (and rage) into this election cycle. These are the workers who got a raw deal, who saw their livelihoods ripped from beneath them, who feel left behind by an increasingly globalized and automated 21st-century economy. They are predominantly white, non-degree-holding men, many of whom lost stable middle-class jobs in shrinking sectors such as manufacturing and coal. To be fair, theres a good reason neither presidential candidate has proposed a comprehensive, credible plan for how to help these workers. Its really, really hard to come up with one. We basically have a playbook for how to help younger people secure stable jobs and boost their long-term earning potential. That includes subsidizing their educations or even just helping them navigate the training (or retraining) they need to get better opportunities. Policies such as subsidized child care or family leave are also useful. Clintons economic package, as laid out in her Thursday speech, is rich in these kinds of programs; Trumps nods at some of them, such as child care. Unfortunately, such proposals would do little to help displaced, mid-skilled 50-somethings get back on their feet. Older workers, after all, are less likely to benefit from work-support programs targeted at parents of small children. Likewise, subsidizing their retraining offers limited benefits, at least from a fiscal perspective. Its certainly not impossible to teach an old dog new tricks, so to speak, but retraining a worker whos a decade from retirement may not be the best use of public funds (or that workers time) especially because rampant ageism makes it harder for older workers to find jobs in new fields even when they do get training. Trumps solution, instead, involves a promise to bring back these workers jobs in coal mining and manufacturing through energy deregulation and tough trade talk, respectively. This is a cruel promise to make. Coal miners jobs are long gone. These positions vanished not primarily because of regulatory burdens but because of technological advances that make it easier to extract more coal with fewer workers and also to produce natural gas coals most important competitor at much lower costs. Trumps promised tariffs and ripped-up trade deals, on the other hand, have been forecast to start a trade war, as well as a major recession. But even if you didnt believe those forecasts, a bump in manufacturing which Clinton now promises as well seems unlikely to help already-laid-off manufacturing workers much. Thats because the kinds of jobs that the manufacturing industry has been adding, and will likely continue to add, look pretty different from the kinds that have been lost. Innovation has turned U.S. manufacturing into increasingly highly educated, white-collar work; about a third of manufacturing occupations in 2010 were high-skilled, compared with less than a fifth in 1980, according to economists Lawrence F. Katz and Robert A. Margo. So what options are left for helping the bereft boomer worker? One is to increase direct transfers that is, cash payments to these unlucky job-losers. We already basically have a backdoor version of this policy; the Social Security Disability Insurance program, whose rolls have swelled in the past decade, has served as a sort of last-resort unemployment insurance for many Americans whose occupations or skills have become largely obsolete. Given that many Americans base their identity on the dignity of their work, though, paying more people to give up on employment wont fully resolve their anxiety and frustration. Trump has played pied piper to millions of Americans displaced by tectonic global shifts, who not coincidentally remember America as being great when they themselves had greater economic security. But neither he nor Clinton has offered a true antidote to their suffering. crampell@washpost.com Reflexively, I type Dru and The Drudge Report pops up. I hate myself for going there but as a columnist ever in search of the zeitgeists ultimate wave, I am behooved. Breezing past the latest tricklings about The Hill & Trumpie Show Im not proud of this I click on Weiner still at it? Apparently, Carlos Danger, aka Anthony Weiner, is still sexting, if you believe his former correspondent Sydney Leathers, who claims that another woman to whom Weiner allegedly recently has sent photos of his whatevers contacted her. Beneath this story is a photo of Bill Clinton looking a bit frail alongside the alluring headline: He revealed this disease. This leads me to 60 celebrities who are just like the rest of us when it comes to ailments. First up: Miley Cyrus has a higher-than-usual resting heart rate. Riveting. Off I go to discover the best exterior house colors. Meanwhile, the shopping depot One Kings Lane taunts me with images Ive perused in recent weeks. Of course I clicked. Love the settee, but Christie Brinkley is tired of John Mellencamps redneck ways. Who knew they were dating? I glance away to see if Morning Joe is saying anything interesting and note that half the (male) Washington Post columnists are on. This reminds me to read the Post. OMG, Simone Biles. The Biles! Then I read an awful story about two D.C. fathers murdered by their sons on the same day. One of them, Harrison Spencer, was a globe-trotting physician who took medical healing to the worlds poorest places. His son, 32, claimed voices told him to kill his father so he stabbed him 15 times. Quote du jour comes from Mr. Joe of Toledo in comments: Why dont the voices ever say, Go help your father take out the trash and mow the lawn? The world is too much with me. Who said that? Google Chrome says its us not me. And it was William Wordsworth. The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers; Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! I probably ought to tweet something: Oh, to be Dave Barry in Rio! Wordsworth again: Great God! Id rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn. You have to read it a few times to figure out hes lamenting mans alienation from nature and our spirit selves as we pursue materialism. Dont hold me to this, but I think hes predicting Donald Trump way back in the early 1800s. My point is that such streams of consciousness describe the beginnings of too many of my mornings, and probably many of yours, too. Need I say this is insanity? Its little wonder the human attention span is minimized at the bottom right of your screen. Or that todays children are so jacked up, agitated and distracted that they need amphetamines to calm down. Computers and the internet may make us smarter in some ways, but baby boomers who grew up with three channels and rabbit ears are the last generation to have been formed primarily by books requiring focused attention, as well as the experiential learning that comes from engaging ones own imagination rather than navigating someone elses often-bizarre, interactive digital fictions. What this mind-bending experiment upon the human psyche ultimately brings us, no one knows. But my fear is that weve already become Pagans swaddled in creeds outworn, credulous if less forlorn, as Hillary rises from the sea and old Trump blows his wreathed horn. kathleenparker@washpost.com As currently written, I cannot support the police contract under consideration because it is missing two very important elements: transparency and accountability. On Sept. 1, the City Council will vote whether to accept the police contract, which was passed overwhelmingly by our police union. It is not a courtesy but a necessity to include the public on major decisions made at City Hall. In much the same way the public demands input when improving our local parks or the location of major infrastructure projects, we must be transparent with the public before final decisions are made. Including the public means educating them not only on what is good about the contract but what is missing from the contract as well. On June 14, one day before the public announcement on the front steps of City Hall, the mayor informed the council of details included in a mediated settlement. The council was excited to see resolution, but after learning about compromise with respect to salaries and benefits, I was surprised to learn that the union had no interest in our requests to change language that would increase accountability and transparency around police discipline records. Council members are now placed in a tough position as a mediated settlement requires a yes or no vote, with no opportunity to amend a single sentence. It is referred to as an up or down vote; we either go along with the entire deal or vote against it in order to change the terms. That said, I recommend two changes to Article 28, Section 19 that union leadership should take back to their membership for a second vote. First, allow an officers entire discipline record to be used beyond two years. Currently, the contract allows an officers record to be effectively sealed from use in any discipline process. Second, remove the requirement that automatically alters an officers discipline record when two years have passed. The contract allows for an officers record to be changed from showing a disciplinary action to only a written reprimand after two years. Police records need to accurately report an officers full discipline history. This language is meant to be proactive, and the policy is intended to give strength to our accountability efforts, but the current language actually scrubs an officers discipline record and prevents the police chief from using discipline more than two years prior in deciding the appropriate course of action. While I understand it is the job of the union to protect every officer, we must acknowledge that bad policies protect bad behavior. In fact, our police are currently afforded due process to appeal any decision, but this due process must include accurate accounts of an officers entire record, just as it does in any other profession. This type of transparency should be an expectation. I encourage the union leadership to be mindful of what is at stake when we are not allowed to hold the few bad officers accountable. Who are we really protecting when an entire officers record is hidden or altered? Unfortunately, unless you are paying very close attention, many of the decisions made at City Hall are made without much public scrutiny. The overlooked details in this contract, and many before them, represent what happens when the public is left out. Unfortunately, union leadership would prefer we settle this contract behind closed doors, away from public view. Improving police-community relations starts with ensuring that we have accountability and transparency in our police force by revising the language used in the current contract. I have watched protests and witnessed the frustration that grips mostly minority communities when law enforcement and community collide. We should all be angry when an officer steps outside his or her authority, but we should do something with that anger and direct it to changing bad policies that hide misconduct and discipline records. City Councilman Rey Saldana represents District 4. Recently released emails that appear to show that donors to the Clinton Foundation had access and influence at the State Department while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state raise new questions about the Democratic presidential nominee. And the apparent answers are not at all satisfactory or flattering for a presidential candidate already dogged by voters persistently negative views on her trustworthiness. The emails were obtained by Judicial Watch from the State Department as part of a lawsuit it filed under the Freedom of Information Act. In one of the emails, a Clinton Foundation executive pressed for access for a donor a Lebanese/Nigerian billionaire to the proper State Department official to talk about the businessmans interests in Lebanon. Hillary Clinton aide Huma Abedin offered Jeffrey Feltman, at that time the U.S. ambassador to Lebanon. Im sure he knows him. Ill talk to Jeff, she wrote. The executive Douglas J. Band, also a personal assistant to former President Bill Clinton asked Abedin to call the businessman, Gilbert Chagoury. This is very important, he wrote. The same Clinton Foundation executive also wrote on behalf of an associate seeking a State Department job to Abedin and Cheryl Mills, another adviser to the secretary of state. Abedin replied, We all have him on our radar. Personnel has been sending him options. It matters a bit that Feltman was never contacted by the businessman that the access was not fully consummated but not much. Its clear from the emails that the undue influence existed for the Clinton Foundation. Clinton has said that she severed her role from the foundation after she became secretary of state. The Clinton campaigns responses are so far unsatisfactory. It notes that the emails are aide to aide, not involving Clinton. It hints that Band might have been acting in his capacity as a Bill Clinton aide. And it slammed Judicial Watch as a right-wing advocacy group. As to the first response, the access occurred under her watch and surely the Clinton aides were not granting this access out of the blue. The foundation has the Clinton name on it. On the response that Band might have been acting in another capacity, Bill Clinton or his aide shouldnt have had undue access either. And Judicial Watch does indeed have a right-wing bent, but voters deserve answers that address the substance of the emails. Lashing out at the bearer of bad news whatever the bearers motive addresses nothing. These emails are troubling on another score. Clinton said she turned over to the State Department all documents from her private account. However, these and other emails have now appeared. If they are from her private account, this means Clinton was either mistaken or dishonest. Voters can draw unflattering conclusions from either. Donald Trump, the GOP nominee, has been very obliging to the Clinton campaign in making head-scratching statements that dominate the news cycles. That, however, doesnt mean Clinton can ignore these continuing email questions. The voting public is due a thorough explanation from her more than it has received. Re: Social Security, Medicare are in trouble, Scott Burns, Business, July 25: A bulls-eye by Mr. Burns. He sees right through the fantasyland ideas of our un-presidential candidates more sad pandering that will only add to unsustainable future liabilities. First, the Flim-flam Man pledges no changes to either program, promising that huge tax cuts and trade-killing tariffs will produce oodles of new revenue yeah, right. Then Ms. Liar Liar Pantsuit on Fire promises to add even more generous benefits to both underfunded programs and oh, boy throw in free college, too, all paid for by raising taxes on the 3 percent of upper-income taxpayers who already bear a heavy tax burden. Maybe the upcoming debates could veer from the gravitas of transgender potty issues and hand size. Instead, demand realistic answers from both candidates on the nations unsustainable debt. Brian Clearman Pledge retracted Re: Broken promise, Plan backfired, Your Turn, July 29; and Texas toast, Your Turn, July 31: All you die-hard Donald Trump supporters dont be so quick to condemn Ted Cruz, throwing him into the ditch because he withdrew his pledge to endorse Trump after The Donald attacked his wife and his father. Trump, on the other hand, withdrew his pledge back at CNNs town hall on March 29 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, because he felt that he was being treated unfairly. Asked by moderator Anderson Cooper at CNNs town hall about the pledge and whether he would support the eventual nominee regardless of who it was, Trump responded, No. I have been treated very unfairly, Trump said, hitting out at the Republican Party. Mary J. Centeno Grievance peddlers It is too easy for phony sophisticates to label those who support conservative causes racists, haters, bigots and worse. We are concerned about the collapse of our culture. I wonder who or what will set the standard for acceptable and virtuous behavior in the future. The current ultrapermissive attitude toward anti-social, anti-cultural behavior usually results in anarchy and/or criminal activity. The agenda of the liberal grievance peddlers, using race, gender and class to inflame and polarize, must be rejected. I say enough is enough. I will vote only for those who fully support law and order. To do less is to allow our country to destroy itself. Edward T. Clark Misfit Nation We have two parties in this great country that have not only found the bottom of the barrel but have dug a hole in it to find two candidates totally unfit for the office where past great presidents have done so much for all of us. I look at Hillary Clinton and see a person who simply cannot tell the truth. She has destroyed our faith in the word of Democratic Party leaders. (This follows the presidential lies such as, If you like your doctor, you can keep him.) The other part of the dynamic duo, Donald Trump, engages his mouth before engaging his brain. Saying that he has sacrificed a lot by hiring people and equating that to someone losing a son is beyond the pale. Both parties, have failed the nation. We must hope that aliens beam them up and take them to some far off world, where they can study how two misfits could rise to represent the only two viable parties in this great nation. Jerry Schmidt, Bulverde A walking calamity We waited patiently and honestly for evidence of his capabilities as a viable presidential candidate. It took a while, but political garbage eventually floats to the top. Donald Trumps is no exception. It was anguishing to realize his entire campaign was a stillborn act of irrational concepts from a completely deluded personality. Trump lives in a gigantic moral vacuum. The times are tragic. This walking, shouting calamity should never, ever be permitted to reach the front door of our White House. George J. Matthes, Canyon Lake Worth the pay? Re: Raises, bonuses are OKd for SAWS boss Puente, front page, August 3: So the CEO of SAWS, Robert Puente, is getting a 3 percent raise now and another 5 percent raise in just four months! I guess his work is much more valuable than those of our police and fire officers. Puente and City Manager Sheryl Sculley are infinitely more valuable than those who protect us, saving lives and property every day, and sometimes sacrificing their lives to do their job. Puente can never make the claim that he gave his life to do his job! Ed Kassof Flag as threat Re: Old Glory not threatened when Mexican flag waives, Guillermo Torres, Opinion, Aug. 7: The writer asserts that Americanos should not view waving the Mexican flag as any threat to the American flag. His contention might merit some credence had he not referred to Bowie and Travis as insurrectionists; described the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto as the results of an illegal uprising of mostly Anglos; and previously argued that Mexican immigrants do not need to assimilate because they are natives ( We need to assimilate? No, we are natives, Opinion, Jan. 17) The writer asserts that flags are transient artifacts of governments, regimes, movements. Superficially, that is as correct as asserting that flags are mere pieces of colored fabric. Essentially, however, a nations flag is a symbol of the nation and its civic and cultural ethos. Because waving a nations flag is understood commonly as expressing allegiance to that nation, when a person in the U.S. waves the flag of another nation, that persons allegiance to the U.S. is suspect. It is more suspect when the person nurtures historical grievances against the U.S. Its unfortunate that the writer apparently does not share his fathers patriotism. Bob Barton, Kerrville The first thing that happens when you show up at the Emergency Ward at the local hospital with some distressing ailment is that medical staff establish your vital health statistics like blood pressure and body temperature. Such basic information is needed to determine the most appropriate course of treatment for whatever ails you. Increasingly, over the last decade or more, the earth itself is knocking on the doors of the emergency department. If we stop long enough to take note of earths vital statistics there is overwhelming evidence that we are in the midst of major changes happening to the place seven billion people call home. There was a time, not so long ago, when we assumed that the changes happening to our earth would impact our grandchildren. But it is now becoming apparent that the effects of these changes are already impacting the present generation. Changes are happening much more rapidly than at first thought possible. That is why more of us are asking whether we can do something to mitigate the damages caused by these changes. So lets do a quick review of the earths vital statistics. (These statistics come from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) : Global sea levels have risen 17 centimeters in the last century with the rate in the last decade being nearly double that of the last century. Since 1880 the global air temperature has been rising, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and the 10 warmest years since 2004. Oceans of the world have been absorbing much of this heat with the top 700 meters showing a warming of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969. Northern and Southern ice sheets have dramatically decreased in mass. Greenland lost at least 150 cubic kilometers of ice a year between 2002 and 2006, while Antarctica lost at least 152 cubic kilometers of ice between 2002 and 2005. Arctic sea ice has declined both in extent and thickness for the last several decades. Glaciers are retreating rapidly everywhere in the world, including in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska and Africa. Extreme weather events such as record high temperatures, intense rainfall and severe storm activity have increased in recent decades. Since the Industrial Revolution began, the acidity of surface ocean water has increased by about 30 percent. The amount of spring snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere has decreased over the past five decades and snow is increasingly melting earlier. Each one of these vital statistics has specific effects on the earths environment within which the worlds population seeks to survive and thrive. However, when the effects of all of them are taken together it is clear that we are facing monumental changes right now. The big question is whether we will have the personal and collective will to adjust our lifestyles in ways that will ameliorate this dire situation. Once we establish that the will is there, we can begin talking about specific ways how that can be done. NEARLY 200 000 Zimbabweans working in South Africa face deportation and loss of jobs upon expiry of their Zimbabwe Exemption Permits (ZEP) on December 31 this year if they do not migrate to other eligible permits. There are four different permits available namely, student visa, business visa, spousal visa and work permit visa and applicants must find one that best suits their situation. However, there are strict conditions for getting the permits. This has led to the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa holding marathon meetings with the ruling African National Congress (ANC) as well as members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs in an effort to find common ground and avert a potential deportation disaster. The ZEP cancellation and requirement to apply for a new visa aligns with the departments review of all visas issued from as far back as 2004, but Zimbabweans are the only ones who have to reapply for a visa at the moment. For one to get a student visa, they ought to provide proof of being admitted to a registered learning institution in terms of section 1 of the South African Schools Act, 1996 as well as a college established in terms of the Further Education and Training Colleges Act, 2006. Students are required to provide proof of medical cover renewed annually for the period of study with a medical scheme registered in terms of the Medical Schemes Act. To get a work visa, the applicant must prove they are filling a critical skill post and that their employer cannot find an equally qualified South African for the job. Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Community in South Africa, Mr Ngqabutho Mabhena, said talks with the ANC party and parliamentarians were underway. As Zimbabwe community in SA, working with the African Diaspora Forum, we are in talks with the ruling ANC as well as the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs because these are policymakers. You will note that the ANC is going for a policy conference in July and we are raising these issues with them to highlight that while we respect the ANC-led Governments position, we believe there is room to review that decision given that maybe there was no proper analysis, he said in an interview. We believe perhaps there was an assumption that everyone would be able to move to other permits with no regards to people with no skill and these are issues we are raising with the ANC as a political party, said Mr Mabhena. He said while there has not been tangible positions from the talks, they shall continue with engagement and keep communication lines open. We also understand the pressure on the ground because unemployment is rising and stands at 35 percent while we are also alive to the fact that some political parties used these statistics to win votes in the 2021 local government elections so I can not say for certain that they are listening to us or not but what is key is that we are talking, said Mr Mabhena. The South African Home Affairs department estimates that 178 412 Zimbabweans were granted exemptions. According to a critical skills list released by the Home Affairs Minister Dr Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi on February 2 this year, there are 101 jobs that meet the set requirements. The jobs and are mostly sciences-related and the qualifications needed make it almost impossible for the generality of Zimbabweans working in South Africa to get the visa. According to the South African Department of Home Affairs website, from time to time the Minister of Home Affairs publishes a Critical Skills list in a Government Gazette. Prior to submitting an application for a Critical Skills Work Visa, the applicant is required to have his or her foreign qualification(s) translated by a sworn translator into one of the official languages of the Republic and to have such qualification(s) evaluated by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). The applicant is also required to obtain written confirmation(s) from a professional body, council or board recognised by SAQA or any relevant government department confirming the skills or qualifications of the applicant and appropriate post-qualification experience. In the event that any law in South Africa requires one to be professionally registered in order to practice ones profession, the application must contain proof of an application made for a certificate of registration with the professional body, council or board recognised by SAQA. Business visa applicants need to have a certificate showing that they have at least R5 million available in cash, or at least R5 million in cash and capital to be invested in South Africa. Chronicle Breaking News via Email WASHINGTON, D.C. Expanded retailer stocking requirements proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) would likely remove many convenience stores from participation in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), the Charlotte Observer reports. Thats because the agencys proposed federal rule aimed to increase the number of healthy items in stock goes too far for small format retailers. While the 2014 Farm Bill which was supported by the convenience store industry - increased retailer requirements to seven varieties of food items in each of the four staple food categories, the proposal changes the underlying definition of staple food to exclude foods with multiple ingredients. It also would require six facings of each of the varieties on shelves at all times. This means retailers would have to continually have on display 168 single ingredient items. Those changes would not be possible for many convenience stores given space constraints and other factors, and the result would be devastating for many food stamps users who would have fewer places to purchase groceries. That is likely the scenario for the Meiners Markets chain, which operates close to Kansas City, Mo. Already, Meiners Markets offers beer and bulk candy alongside fresh produce, but the stores lack the shelf space to add the required items, and stocking the additional items would cost more as well, said Mary Braddock, whose family owns and operates the chain. Besides, her customers arent interested in purchasing lamb, duck or even kale. We dont understand why USDA has drafted this proposed rule in a way that will make it so difficult for small stores to participate in SNAP and will make it harder for SNAP beneficiaries to get food, she said. The impact of convenience stores like Meiners Markets exiting the food stamp program will mean those living in food deserts in urban or rural areas will be without access to a store that sells any kind of groceries. We cant push small stores out of the program because they play a critical role by providing access to nutrition, said Anna Ready, director of government relations for NACS. Ready pointed out that compliance with stocking mandates will be extremely hard and costly for convenience stores. Our stores just dont have the space, she said. That means wed have to have more in storage to continually replace anything that sells. Wed have to make major changes to supply and delivery chains and also possibly to store layout and store space. The high cost of compliance has been recognized within the Obama Administration. The Small Business Administration (SBA) predicts the cost of compliance for small retailers will be at minimum five times higher than USDAs estimate, according to a letter SBA submitted in USDA in May. Cathy Cochran, a USDA spokeswoman, stated, (W)e are confident the final rule, when issued, will succeed in increasing food choices without harming small retailers. While the USDA has defended the proposal as one that would ensure SNAP recipients have access to healthy foods, democrats and republicans in Congress have raised objections with the proposed rule and the negative impact it will have on SNAP beneficiaries. Kansas Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee pointed out that nearly half the Senate signed onto a letter to USDA that critiqued the proposal, including Democrats Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Bill Nelson of Florida, Patty Murray of Washington state, and Independent Bernie Sanders of Vermont. CHICAGO LaCroix, a sparkling water housed in colorful cans, has become an unlikely beverage of choice among millennials in Chicagos tech companies, the Chicago Tribune reports. LaCroix sparking water comes in around 20 flavors, and some companies can hardly keep the beverage in stock. Around 25 SwipeSense employees shoot through 60 cans of LaCroix each week. I think that if I were to order more, they would all be consumed, said Tommy Werner, operations manager at SwipeSense. Werner restocks LaCroix on a weekly basis, the only non-coffee beverage the company provides. Ive heard of people coming into the office, not really hearing about LaCroix, and for some reason, coming back and getting addicted. Sprout Social, Grubhub, Braintree and other companies are also on the LaCroix bandwagon, buying the sparkling water cans by the case. The millennial generation, what weve seen in general is theyre more focused on clean labeling, natural ingredients and healthy lifestyles, said Adam Fleck, director of consumer equity research for Morningstar. That is generally a trend were seeing, and I think overall, why carbonated beverages have struggled more recently, while these naturally sweetenedlike LaCroix products, the bottled waters, the noncarbonated offeringsthese companies have been doing much better. While carbonated water is only a small fraction of the beverage market, sales volume of flavored sparkling waters has jumped around 10% annually. Its one of the rare growth stories in carbonated beverages, Fleck said. Consumers have shown that health and wellness is a predominant decision factor when theyre thinking about what to drink. LONDON Already, a proposed tax on soda in the United Kingdom has drawn both supporters and opponents. The tax, details of which have yet to be released by the government, is anticipated to come into effect in April 2018. In March, former chancellor George Osborne revealed a levy on beverages with more than 5 grams of sugar per 100 milligrams as part of an overall strategy to address childhood obesity. However, U.K. health experts are calling for a 20% carbonated drink tax. Now, convenience stores, pubs and manufacturers, among other businesses, have banded together to launch the Face the Facts, Can the Tax campaign, The Guardian reports. The campaign points out that the tax will only increase prices on beverages, risk thousands of jobs and do little to help fix the obesity problem. A July study found that such a tax would lower sales of soda by a mere 1.6% but would likely ax more than 4,000 jobs and siphon 132 million from the nations economy. We absolutely agree with the government that obesity levels are too high and action is needed, but burdening businesses and consumers with an ineffective tax is not the answer, said Gavin Partington, director general of the British Soft Drinks Association. The member organization is underwriting the campaign. Meanwhile, in Australia, similar measures are underway, with politicians and organizations clamoring for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. In June, the Australasian Association of Convenience Stores slammed the move as a lazy way to address a complex problem. African Wildlife: Darkness Falls NYRB The Opossum: L.A.s Most Anxious Animal LAist Faraway, So Close! Earth-Like Planet Discovered Orbiting Proxima Centauri Der Spiegel Gaining confidence, Fed officials eye interest rate hike this year Reuters Banks look for cheap way to store cash piles as rates go negative CNBC Suing a Debt Collector? Now They Can Buy Your Lawsuit Bloomberg Royal Bank of Scotland cancels Infosys contract FT (RS). SEC tells another company: Stop blocking whistleblowers Francine McKenna, MarketWatch Too Big to Frack? Oil Giants Try Again to Master Tech WSJ An oil industry lobbyist wrote the request to audit the states main climate change agency Los Angeles Times Bracing Ourselves for the Climate Tipping Point Pacific Standard Historic Flood Event in Louisiana From 20-30 Inches of Rain Weather Underground Syraqistan Refugees/Migrants Emergency Response Mediterranean UNHCR Corbyn joins seatless commuters on floor for three-hour train journey Guardian War Drums Global conflict tracker Council on Foreign Relations 2016 Sanders revs up public option fight after Aetna leaves ObamaCare The Hill. The headline is deceptive. From the story: [Sanders] said he will reintroduce his legislation to create a Medicare-for-all system in the next session of the Senate, hopefully after Democrats regain control of the chamber. In my view, the provision of healthcare cannot continue to be dependent upon the whims and market projections of large private insurance companies whose only goal is to make as much profit as possible, Sanders said in a statement Tuesday. That is why we need to join every other major country on earth and guarantee health care to all as a right, not a privilege, he said. The public option was a bad faith effort pushed by career progressives running interference for Obama against single payer. The public option is a neoliberal proposal that subordinates the provision of health care to the market; thats why its an option. Medicare for All is not a neoliberal program, because the provision of health care comes first. So the headline writers is either utterly ignorant or lying. Obama to take trade battle to the heartland TPP 10 years after joining Obamas team, these lifers are getting ready to leave the White House Los Angeles TImes. Inside the administrations $1 billion deal to detain Central American asylum seekers WaPo. Ka-ching. Imperial Collapse Watch Guillotine Watch The Houston Man Who Refused to Plead Guilty Does Not Want an Apology Houston Chronicle Policing Class Jacobin Class Warfare Why You Should Never Tell Someone to Relax WSJ Why the Best Athletes All Have Their Own #PhelpsFace Nautilus The Finance Franchise Robert C. Hockett and Saule T. Omarova, SSRN. [T]he sovereign public acts effectively as franchisor, licensing private financial institutions to earn rents as franchisees in dispensing a vital public resource: the publics monetized full faith and credit. What fun! Antidote du jour: See yesterdays Links and Antidote du Jour here. By Lambert Strether of Corrente. We asked in 2015: Will Adverse Selection Force ObamaCare into a Death Spiral? And we then went on to write: [L]ets define the term adverse selection. Adverse selection is a form of information asymmetry, where sellers and buyers dont have the same information; for example, a health insurance buyer who knows they need health care, and a health insurance seller who does not know which buyers need health care and which do not. Economics professor Robert Frank explains how an unregulated health insurance market with such asymmetries would play out in the New York Times (2013): The crux of the matter is what economists call the adverse-selection problem. Uninsured people with pre-existing conditions often face tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket medical costs annually. If insurers charged everyone the same rate, buying coverage would be far more attractive financially for people with chronic illnesses than for healthy people. And as healthy policyholders began dropping out of the insured pool, it would become increasingly composed of sick people, forcing insurers to raise their rates. . But higher rates make insurance even less attractive for healthy people, causing even more of them to drop out. Before long, coverage would become too expensive for almost everyone. In other words, a death spiral. ObamaCares mandate was supposed to keep enough healthy people in the pool so that the adverse selection problem did not arise[2]. (According to the articles cited in the notes to this Wikipedia article on adverse selection, the evidence for adverse selection in the health insurance market is mixed at best[3]; ironically, therefore, ObamaCare might end up providing that evidence!) So hows that working out? We then proceeded to show how ObamaCare wasnt working out; the answer to our question was (already) yes. In the last few days weve had strong additional evidence that ObamaCares death spiral is accelerating. WaPo: [Health Insurance behemoth] Aetna said it will exit 11 of the 15 states where it offers coverage through the Affordable Care Act, widely known as Obamacare. That affects about 80 percent of its customers covered through insurance marketplaces. If insurers continue to lose money, more are likely to withdraw from the marketplaces, a move that would reduce choices for consumers and could contribute to higher premiums. In one county, Aetnas exit in 2017 could leave no insurers offering policies through its marketplace. And Bloomberg confirms: The [insurance company] dropouts also undermine a key promise of the law: multiple insurers would compete for consumers business each year, and the power of the market would control costs and raise quality. Instead, the opposite is happening. Rates may jump 24 percent next year, according to ACASignups.net, a website that tracks the law, and a quarter of U.S. counties could have just one insurer on the exchanges, according to Cynthia Cox, a researcher at the Kaiser Family Foundation. (Just we we urged in ObamaCares Neoliberal Intellectual Foundations Continue to Crumble.) In this post, Ill first show that ObamaCares death spiral is real. Next, Ill answer the question Why now? by outlining the motives the health insurance companies have to intensify the death spiral in this election cycle. Ill then take a brief interlude to glance at the death grip that neoliberalism still has on the policy discussion, as the public option slithers out from under its rock to become liberal conventional wisdom. Finally, Ill point to signs that the neoliberal death grip is loosening, with the emergence of what Ive called The Overton Prism. Yes, I know I could get away with a happy dance on having called, in my mild-mannered way, the death spiral correctly, but its interesting to see health care policy become dynamic again, in the midst of a Presidential campaign. The ObamaCare Exchange Death Spiral Is Real The death spiral is real because we are seeing its properties: A risk pool thats sicker than expected, policies crapified to keep profits high, followed by the less sick leaving the pool, making it even sicker, rinse and repeat. Robert Laszewski: The architects of the new health law built into it a three-year program to help cushion early insurance company losses as those previously unable to gain coverage were expected to flood into the program at the start. By year three, they assumed, the risk pool, and the prices the participating insurance companies charged, would begin to stabilize. But that hasnt happened. With each successive annual open enrollment the tendency of the sickest to buy coverage while the healthiest hung back has only repeated itself. Laszewski continues: The fundamental problem with Obamacare is that the health insurance plans carriers are selling are so unattractivewith their still high premiums even after subsidies, ever larger deductibles and narrower provider networksthat only about 40 percent of the exchange eligible population has signed up. The longstanding insurance industry rule is that 75 percent of the eligible must sign-up to get the enough healthy people in the pool to pay for the sick. Obamacare has been an utter disaster for the working and middle class that seem willing to buy the unattractive plans only if they are sick and can come out ahead on the deal. (NC readers already know how crapified the ObamaCare plans are: 2013, 2013, 2014, 2015) Note that Laszewskis 40% figure is entirely consistent with NBER Working Paper No. 21565, which concludes, in short form, that for approximately half the formerly uninsured, ObamaCare is a losing proposition. And for the insurance companies, the risk pool is getting sicker and sicker: [Aetna] criticized the ACAs inadequate risk-adjustment mechanism, which is meant to limit insurers losses as they start covering sicker individuals. Of Aetnas exchange membership this year, more than half is new, with those needing expensive care making up an even larger share in the second quarter, the company said. Coupled with the risk pool, this makes premiums costlier and creates significant sustainability concerns, the company said. (Of course, in the topsy-turvey world of neoliberalism and for-profit health care, sick people getting care is a problem, but well get to that later.) The effects of health insurance company pullouts will be to leave people ininsured. Insurance Business Magazine: A recent report from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that as many as two states and 650 counties are on track to have just one insurer on the Affordable Care Act exchanges next year. The entire states of Alaska and Alabama will be faced with just one choice in 2017, as well as large swaths of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Arizona and Oklahoma. Thats up significantly from 225 counties with just one marketplace competitor in 2016. Insurer withdrawals are largely affecting rural areas, Cynthia Cox of the Kaiser Family Foundation said. In fact, 70% of the counties facing a lack of options next year are mostly rural. (Mostly rural, eh?[1]) And: Those exits by three of the countrys biggest health insurers mean that more than 2 million people may have to pick new plans for 2017, according to a Credit Suisse Group AG estimate. Thats unfortunate, because it turns out that making health care available to people actually makes them healthier. However, as we pointed out in the series ObamaCares Relentless Creation of Second Class Citizens (parts two, three, four, five, and six) ObamaCares benefits are randomly distributed, and one such random factor is jurisdiction (county). In this case, the second class citizens are in Pima Pinal County, as one consumer citizen realizes (Arizona 3TV): The move has patients who get insurance from the public exchange wondering where theyll turn. One of them, I talked to him on the phone today, hes like, Does this mean I have to move? I have to go to a different county? said Maria Villalobos, an employee at Sun Life Family Health Center in Casa Grande who is licensed[2] to help people navigate the health insurance marketplace. So, if youre in Pima County, you go to Pain City. If youre not, you go to HappyVille. Yay! Insurance Companies Triggered the Death Spiral to Muscle the Administration ObamaCare defenders argue, with some justice, that health insurance companies are ginormously profitable, and should just take or be forced to take losses on the ObamaCare exchanges.[3] But why should they? And why intensity the death spiral now? Reporting from HuffPo gives the answer: [Aetnas exit] also was directly related to a Department of Justice decision to block the insurers potentially lucrative merger with Humana, according to a letter from Aetnas CEO obtained by The Huffington Post. But just last month, in a letter to the Department of Justice, Aetna CEO Mark Bertolini said the two issues were closely linked. In fact, he made a clear threat: If President Barack Obamas administration refused to allow the merger to proceed, he wrote, Aetna would be in worse financial position and would have to withdraw from most of its Obamacare markets, and quite likely all of them. Bertolini penned the letter, which The Huffington Post obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, on July 5 16 days before the Justice Department announced it would fight the Humana deal. The department had asked Aetna how, if at all, a decision on the proposed merger would affect Aetnas willingness to offer insurance through the exchanges. Bertolini responded bluntly. Aetna supported the laws goal to expand coverage and planned to increase its exchange offerings next year, in the hopes that the exchanges would stabilize as enrollment grew, he wrote. But if the Justice Department were to block the merger, Bertolini warned, Aetna could no longer sustain the losses from its exchange business, forcing it to sharply change direction Wolf Street summarizes: Now that the big health insurers cant have their tighter oligopoly without a fight from the Justice Department, theyre stabbing competition in the back the other way they can: by exiting the health care exchanges and causing the Obama administration a nasty and very public headache in the hope of softening it up and getting it to sit down at the merger settlement table. Those poor insurance companies! Who will help them? Interlude: The Death Grip of Neoliberalism In doing the research for this post, I came across some amusing quotes that I thought I would share with you here. They show the death grip that the simple rules of neoliberalism (#1: Because markets.; #2: Go die!) have on the policy discussion in our political class. First, from the Times article on the health benefits that access to health care can bring: A new study, published Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine, offers another way of looking at the issue. Low-income people in Arkansas and Kentucky, which expanded Medicaid insurance to everyone below a certain income threshold, appear to be healthier than their peers in Texas, which did not expand. The study took advantage of what Dr. Benjamin Sommers, an author of the paper and an assistant professor of health policy and economics at Harvard, called a huge natural experiment. In its 2012 ruling, the Supreme Court made the health laws Medicaid expansion optional for states. The resulting variation in choices makes it much easier to compare what happened in different states and draw conclusions about what effects health insurance coverage might have for the finances and health of Americans. Natural experiment. Really? Whats natural about an artifically created market with bizarre and immoral jurisdictional barriers to care?[4] Regarding Aetnas exit, the Times editorial board strokes its chin: It is clear , however, that Congress should strengthen the marketplaces to ensure sufficient competition. Any law as complex and comprehensive as the Affordable Care Act is bound to have some hiccups. The only sensible response to those problems is to improve the law. It is clear. Really? The state of Colorado is holding a referendum on single payer this election year (which Sanders should campaign for. Bernie, are you reading this?) Why isnt the simple, rugged, and proven single payer system a sensible response? Finally, from WaPo, again after the Aetna exit: You have here a situation which all of us who care about the exchanges have to worry about, said Zeke Emanuel, who served as a top White House health policy adviser during Obamas first term and is now vice provost for global initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania. There is a problem with the risk pool. There is a problem with the numbers of people signing up. All of us who care about the exchanges [pause] [hysterical laughter]. Stop it, Zeke! Youre killing me![5] Liberals Deploy the So-Called Public Option One solution to health insurance oliogoplies muscling the administration would be to allow them to merge. A second solution is to tinker with the ObamaCare exchanges to make them more profitable. (Of course, once you give in to a blackmailer they muscle you again, but at least this will kick the can down the road.) Modern Health Care outlines the state of play: With the November elections, approaching, ACA supporters feel a growing sense of urgency to make the exchange markets more financially viable for insurers and affordable for consumers. Thats because many Americans are becoming alarmed about premium hikes insurers are requesting in the individual market and about health plans exiting the exchanges. Premium hikes being a consequence of the deteriorating risk pool, hence an aspect of the death spiral: In the Senate and House races, Republicans will say the ACA isnt going well, premiums are going up, companies are leaving, and we really need a substitute, said Robert Blendon, an expert in healthcare politics at Harvard University. It gets people very nervous. And what would that substitute be? Why, the public option, of course: ACA supporters say Aetnas announcement Monday that it will withdraw from 11 of the 15 states where it currently offers exchange plans will give a boost to proposals by President Barack Obama and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to establish public option plans. Obama recently proposed creating public plans in areas where competition is limited, while Clinton has laid out a broader proposal to launch government-run plans to compete against private insurers and to encourage states to seek waivers to create such plans. This should give momentum to the public option, said Sabrina Corlette, a health policy expert at Georgetown University who co-authored a new report on strategies to stabilize the exchange markets. If carriers dont want to play, why should they object to having a fallback public plan? The public option is always deployed when liberals need to forestall single payer and never in good faith (see here and here); at some point I hope to demolish it once again, but for now let me just say that the career progressive public option advocates remind me of Ptolemaic astronomers, desperately adding more complicated and rickety epicyles to an obsolete system, all to save the phenomena, and keep alive the idea that the sun revolves round the earth. Because markets. An Emergent Tripolar Political Structure Clearly, Aetnas withdraw, which intensified the ObamaCare death spiral, and spurred liberals to reheat the public option leftovers they stored in their policy fridge, has created a dynamic political situation. The Wall Street Journal summarizes it: Even [?] on the left, [Aetnas] move created problems. Sen. Bernie Sanders promised to introduce legislation creating Medicare for all again next year. Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Obama have both backed a public option. Mr. Trump has said he would replace the ACA with a suite of longtime GOP ideas such as allowing health care to be bought across state lines, a proposal that would let insurers avoid the cost of regulations passed by particular states. The downside is that consumers wouldnt get the benefits of those rules. So, here we have the emergence of what Ive been calling The Overton Prism (as opposed to the linear Overton Window).[6] Sanders represents the left, Clinton represents the liberals, and Trump represents the conservatives. Both liberals and conservatives are neoliberals, although of different flavors, because markets. The left is not. Conclusion The health care policy debate in campaign 2016, has just become very interesting, thanks to Aetnas withdrawal; it will be interesting to see what Sanders has to say on this topic in his Our Revolution rollout later this month. Hopefully, we are seeing a death spiral of neoliberalism itself, instead of merely a death spiral of the ObamaCare marketplace. NOTES [1] Could it be that this wont be a priority for liberals, because a rural die-off doesnt matter to them? [2] Note the credential; ObamaCare, among other things, is a make work program for the Democratic base in the 10%, or those aspiring to it. [3] The other option is to further crapify the policies, of course. [4] Oddly, or not, Sommers does mention perhaps the largest of these natural experiments: Canadian single payer vs. the American neoliberal approach. [5] Literally. Rule #2 of Neoliberalism. [6] Note well that the conservative Wall Street Journal is intellectually honest enough to mention single payer. You will find that more liberal coverage is not. Yves here. If youve read Thomas Franks book Listen, Liberal, he charts how the Democratic party abandoned the working class and came to represent professionals, the more elite, the better. The Democrats regularly take the position that the solution to all sorts of economic problems, like inequality and unemployment, is education. You too can have a bright, secure future as a symbol manipulator! There are plenty of reasons to doubt this theory. The shift in the balance of power towards employers means that the payoff to getting a good general education is questionable. worker rights have been so badly diluted that average job tenures were down to just a bit over four years, and its likely that more recent data would show a further decrease. That might not be so bad if employers will willing to hire individuals with general skills, but that is less and less true. When I was a kid, a college education from a decent school meant you were pretty much assured a job, even if that job might not be one you were so keen about, because employers expected to have to train new workers. That investment meant that employers had incentives to retain those employees so as to recoup the cost of new hires being less productive while they were getting up to speed. As we know too well, many employers prefer to treat workers as disposable, even though the managerial cost of replacing people is not cheap, particularly when the job skills are narrowly speced. The result is that students increasingly have to take a mercenary approach to their education. But how can one possibly sus out what skill set at age 20 to 23 might form the foundation for a 30+ year career? Look at how one of the formerly secure paths, that of being a doctor, has been turned on its head by the way insurers and the ACA are increasingly pushing doctors into being employees of health care organizations and practicing corporatized medicine. Not only is that profoundly unattractive to MDs who care about patient health, but it is also leading a lot of doctors to abandon treating medical conditions and instead converting their practices to niches that serve the wealthy so they can avoid being under the thumb of insurers, such as cosmetic procedures or anti-aging. Related to that is an issue that Jamie Galbraith described in his book The Predator State: that it want such a hot idea on a societal level to encourage more people to get advanced degrees. They are costly in personal and economic terms, and the recipient of those degrees have very narrow skills. If they can deploy them productively, thats great, but if they cant, their alternatives are usually poor. They would have wound up better off getting a job after college. And remember that Galbraith made this argument more than a a decade ago, when higher education costs were less catastrophic than they are now. Another layer of the problem is increased class stratification. I know lots of people personally who came from working class families, both my age and somewhat younger, who went to elite schools and got prestigious jobs. All sorts of data now shows that people who grow up in lower income cohorts are unlikely to leave them. Greater class differences and less class mingling means that there are fewer opportunities for bright, energetic kids from the wrong side of the tracks to learn to master the class markers necessary to move up the social ladder. And thats before you get to the fact that continuing attacks on public education and teachers, the increased propensity of parents of means to send their children to private schools, and the looting operation known as charter schools have increased the gap between the pre-college educational experience of the upper middle class and affluent and everyone else. With all that as background, no wonder that education is insufficient to combat the additional barriers to advancement that blacks face. By Darrick Hamilton, Associate Professor of Economics and Urban Policy, The New School. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking Last weeks release of The Ever Growing Gap, a study by the Institute for Policy Studies and the Corporation for Enterprise Development into Americas vast and growing racial wealth divide, raises the urgent question of policy remedies. And its on that front that our own findings on the question of educational opportunity where the disparities are often the favored explanation of many researchers and policy analysts for the racial wealth gap are worth revisiting. Our recent research brief entitled, Umbrellas Dont make it Rain: Why Studying and Working Hard Isnt Enough for Black Americans, critiques the preponderance of research and public policy that asserts that education and hard work drive upward mobility, especially as it relates to racial and ethnic disparity. Like umbrellas and rain, simply observing that wealthier individuals typically have higher levels of education does not necessarily mean that educational attainment is the causal factor behind their greater wealth. Our research found that the typical net worth of black families headed by a college graduate is only about $23,000, while the typical white family of equivalent educational achievement has close to eight times that amount, with about $180,000 in wealth. In fact, black households headed by a college graduate have only about two-thirds of the wealth of white families whose head dropped out of high school. So, while a college degree is positively associated with relative wealth within a particular racial category, it does little to explain or address the massive wealth gap across the racial divide. Nor is a good job necessarily the great wealth equalizer that many imagine. Income-poor white families own more wealth than middle-income black families the typical white household whose head is unemployed has nearly twice the wealth of the typical black family whose head holds a full-time job about $23,000 versus $12,000. The typical black family whose head is unemployed, by contrast, has no wealth. While not to diminish the intrinsic value of education, nor our societys responsibility to equip all its children with a high-quality education, our findings demonstrate that education alone is not the antidote for the enormous racial gaps in wealth and employment. Researchers watch catalysts at work (Nanowerk News) Physicists at the University of Basel have succeeded in watching a silver catalyst at work for the first time with the aid of an atomic force microscope. The observations made during an Ullmann reaction have allowed the researchers to calculate the energy turnover and, potentially, to optimize the catalysis. The study, which was performed with experts from Japan and Iran, has been published in the scientific journal Small ("Organometallic Bonding in an Ullmann-Type On-Surface Chemical Reaction Studied by High-Resolution Atomic Force Microscopy"). The intermediate product of the Ullmann reaction with the silver catalyst (silver) between the carbon rings (black) and sulfur atoms (yellow) curves like a bridge over the silver surface. (Image: University of Basel, Department of Physics) The Ullmann reaction examined is a chemical reaction in which silver atoms catalyze the bond between two carbon atoms to which iodine was previously bonded. Although scientists have known about this type of reaction since 1901 and used it for many important chemical conversions, it was not previously possible to observe the intermediate product of the reaction in detail. Using an atomic force microscope, the team of researchers led by Professor Ernst Meyer and Dr. Shigeki Kawai from the Swiss Nanoscience Institute and the Department of Physics at the University of Basel has now succeeded in displaying this reaction at atomic resolution. Surprisingly, it was revealed that the silver atoms react with the molecules at temperatures of around -120C and seem to curve like a bridge over a river. In the second stage of the reaction, which requires the temperature to be increased to around 105C and generates the end product, the silver atoms are freed again and two carbon atoms bond together. Calculating energy The Ullmann reaction has been used for chemical syntheses for a long time now. Interest in this linking of carbon atoms has recently increased again because it can be used to bind organic molecules to surfaces and produce solvent-free polymers. Detailed observations of how the catalysts work enable scientists to better understand the reaction process. Previous analyses failed to show the spatial arrangement of the organometallic intermediate product. The detailed images now obtained are the first to allow project partner Professor Stefan Goedecker (Department of Physics, University of Basel) to calculate the energy turnover of the Ullmann reaction examined. This data confirms the unusual spatial arrangement of the intermediate product and indicates how the reaction could be optimized. Relatively low temperatures Spinning ginger into nanoparticles to heal inflammatory bowel disease (Nanowerk News) A recent study by researchers at the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center took them to a not-so-likely destination: local farmers markets. They went in search of fresh ginger root. Back at the lab, the scientists turned the ginger into what they are calling GDNPs, or ginger-derived nanoparticles. The process started simply enough, with your basic kitchen blender. But then it involved super-high-speed centrifuging and ultrasonic dispersion of the ginger juice, to break it up into single pellets. (Don't try this at home!) The research team, led by Dr. Didier Merlin with VA and the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University, believes the particles may be good medicine for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The particles may also help fight cancer linked to colitis, the scientists believe. Dr. Didier Merlin (front row, center) and colleagues with the Atlanta VA Medical Center and the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State University are exploring the use of edible ginger-derived nanoparticles to treat inflammatory bowel disease. They report their findings, based on experiments with cells and mice, in the September 2016 issue of Biomaterials ("Edible ginger-derived nanoparticles: A novel therapeutic approach for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease and colitis-associated cancer"). Each ginger-based nanoparticle was about 230 nanometers in diameter. More than 300 of them could fit across the width of a human hair. Fed to lab mice, the particles appeared to be nontoxic and had significant therapeutic effects: Importantly, they efficiently targeted the colon. They were absorbed mainly by cells in the lining of the intestines, where IBD inflammation occurs. The particles reduced acute colitis and prevented chronic colitis and colitis-associated cancer. They enhanced intestinal repair. Specifically, they boosted the survival and proliferation of the cells that make up the lining of the colon. They also lowered the production of proteins that promote inflammation, and raised the levels of proteins that fight inflammation. Part of the therapeutic effect, say the researchers, comes from the high levels of lipids--fatty molecules--in the particles, a result of the natural lipids in the ginger plant. One of the lipids is phosphatidic acid, an important building block of cell membranes. The particles also retained key active constituents found naturally in ginger, such as 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol. Past lab studies have shown the compounds to be active against oxidation, inflammation, and cancer. They are what make standard ginger an effective remedy for nausea and other digestion problems. Traditional cultures have used ginger medicinally for centuries, and health food stores carry ginger-based supplements--such as chews, or the herb mixed with honey in a syrup--as digestive aids. Delivering these compounds in a nanoparticle, says Merlin's team, may be a more effective way to target colon tissue than simply providing the herb as a food or supplement. The idea of fighting IBD with nanoparticles is not new. In recent years, Merlin's lab and others have explored how to deliver conventional drugs via nanotechnology. Some of this research is promising. The approach may allow low doses of drugs to be delivered only where they are needed--inflamed tissue in the colon--and thus avoid unwanted systemic effects. The advantage of ginger, say the researchers, is that it's nontoxic, and could represent a very cost-effective source of medicine. The group is looking at ginger, and other plants, as potential "nanofactories for the fabrication of medical nanoparticles." The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's choice for its new head of supervision and enforcement the No. 3 slot at the agency is raising eyebrows because of his political background and relative inexperience compared with similar positions at other regulators. Chris D'Angelo last month became the agency's associate director for supervision, enforcement and fair lending, beating out several experienced attorneys, including women and minorities, for the post. D'Angelo, 37, was formerly the agency's chief of staff, a position he took three years ago after joining the bureau in 2011 as an enforcement attorney. He now heads the agency's largest department, overseeing roughly 700 lawyers and staff employees. In an interview, D'Angelo said his focus is on continuity. "We will continue to hold companies accountable when they break the law and harm consumers," he said. "I want to communicate the expectation of continuityand a push for companies to invest in compliance management systems to prevent harm in the market." Yet some question whether D'Angelo has the right experience for the job. "It's an unusual move to go from being chief of staff to head of enforcement, especially for somebody who doesn't have a deep background in that area," said Todd Zywicki, a law professor at George Mason University and a CFPB critic. "This really is an important role and it's one that at most [regulatory] agencies is held by an experienced lawyer or someone with decades of supervisory experience." Many credit D'Angelo's quick rise to his close ties to CFPB Director Richard Cordray, for whom he spent two years working as a senior adviser. "Chris's advantage is that Rich trusts him more than anyone else at the CFPB," said Ron Rubin, a former CFPB enforcement attorney and a former senior counsel and chief advisor for regulatory policy to the House Financial Services Committee. Cordray said in a statement that D'Angelo has been part of the CFPB's core senior leadership team for three years. "Chris will help the bureau implement those strategic priorities for supervision, enforcement, and fair lending, working with that division's excellent management team," Cordray said. "He was an integral part of creating and shaping the bureau's strategic vision." In the interview, D'Angelo said that as chief of staff he oversaw the day-to-day management of the agency, working closely with senior leaders "to tackle big problems." He described the chief of staff job as "keeping the trains running." Many who hold positions of similar stature at other bank regulators have more experience than D'Angelo. Michael Gibson, the director of the Federal Reserve Board's division of banking supervision and regulation, is an economist who has been at the Fed for 24 years. Richard Ashton was promoted to deputy general counsel at the Fed in 2005 after having been at the central bank for nearly 30 years. At the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Grace Dailey was appointed senior deputy comptroller for bank supervision policy and chief national bank examiner in May. She joined the OCC in 1983. Martin Pfinsgraff, the OCC's senior deputy comptroller for large bank supervision, has been in finance for more than 30 years, including serving as president and chief financial officer at Prudential Securities Capital Markets. To be fair, some other top regulatory officials reached senior positions after relatively little time in Washington. Mark Pearce joined the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. in 2010 as the head of the agency's then-new consumer compliance division. He had previously been a state banking regulator in North Carolina from 2006 to 2009, and before that was president of the Center for Responsible Lending. But Doreen Eberley was named head of the FDIC's safety and soundness supervision wing after having been at the agency since 1987. The first person to hold the top enforcement job at the CFPB was Steven Antonakes, a former Massachusetts commissioner of banking, who had worked in bank supervision for 25 years. "More life experience helps leaders understand their employees and avoid mistakes," Rubin said. "That's the main reason people over 45 usually run government agencies." But there are questions not just about the length of D'Angelo's career, but what type of work he previously did. Before joining the bureau, D'Angelo was a regional field director for Obama for America, the president's campaign organization. He served two years in the Obama administration's Treasury Department before joining the CFPB when it was set up in 2011. As chief of staff for the bureau, D'Angelo was tasked with coordinating with the White House a tricky job for a nominally independent agency. To some, that raises questions about whether D'Angelo is too political for the role he is now playing. "I see this as part of a bigger structural issue with the CFPB, in that a lot of people they've hired have close ties to the Democratic Party," said Thaya Brook Knight, associate director of financial regulation studies at the Cato Institute. Finally, some point to others at the agency who might arguably have been more experienced, including the three assistant directors who report to D'Angelo. Tony Alexis, the CFPB's assistant director of enforcement, is a former partner at Mayer Brown who spent 13 years as an assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia. He also spent four years as a trial attorney at the Justice Department. Peggy Twohig, the CFPB's assistant director for nonbank supervision, is a former litigator who had been director of the Office of Consumer Protection at the Treasury Department. She spent 17 years at the Federal Trade Commission, serving as associate director of the division of financial practices. And Patrice Ficklin, the CFPB's assistant director for fair lending, is a civil rights attorney who had been associate general counsel at Fannie Mae for 11 years. To be sure, D'Angelo also has plenty of defenders. "He's a very competent and smart guy and he knows the bureau as well as anyone," said Michael Gordon, a partner and chair of the CFPB practice at WilmerHale and a former senior counselor to Cordray at the CFPB. Several former CFPB attorneys, who did not want to comment publicly because they represent clients before the bureau, said D'Angelo has the skills, personality and judgment for the job. Others said, while he has not been a regulator for that long, D'Angelo is a litigator at heart, which is valuable experience for fighting CFPB enforcement cases. In private practice, he worked both at Williams & Connelly and at Cravath, Swaine & Moore. D'Angelo said he sees his role as continuing to implement Cordray's strategic vision outlined in February. The bureau is unique in having its supervision and enforcement divisions work together, D'Angelo said. "Neither one is more important than the other," he said. "I think we've done that in a unique way here in making those two offices co-equal partners. In other agencies, there can be a situation where one is more dominant. And both of those offices have a co-equal place at the table." Jenny Lee, a partner at Dorsey & Whitney and a former CFPB enforcement attorney, said the CFPB remains a "bottom-up" organization with facts that come out of exams or in the field driving the rate and content of enforcement actions. That does make it similar to other agencies, which rely on the findings of field examiners to help develop policy in Washington. "That 'bottom-up' structure, combined with staff-level positions populated with strong consumer advocates rather than industry experts, creates a perfect storm of continued aggressive enforcement," Lee said. A former Deutsche Bank trader agreed to settle a U.S. regulator's allegations that he mis-marked loans tied to commercial-mortgage-backed securities to boost his profits. Tianyu "Arnie" Zhou inflated the value of certain loans by submitting inaccurate data on bond coupons to Deutsche Banks valuation group from 2013 to 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission said. Without admitting or denying the regulators findings, Zhou agreed to pay a $50,000 penalty and to a minimum three-year industry bar. "Mr. Zhou is pleased to have this matter resolved," said Seth Levine, his attorney at Levine Lee LLP. The SEC has made policing bond valuations a priority. The agency and the Justice Department have brought civil and criminal cases against traders for lying about bond prices to customers. The SEC is using algorithms to comb through bond trading and has found billions of dollars worth of problematic transactions. To hide losses in September 2013, Zhou submitted a coupon of 3.03% for a loan that actually paid 2.03%. Over the next six months, as losses mounted, he submitted increasingly higher yields for that loan, rising to 4.63%, the SEC said. When members of the bank's valuation group asked Zhou in September 2014 about the discrepancy between his prices and publicly available information, he responded: "no, bbg [Bloomberg] shows curr[ent] cpnonly the loan doc has it [the stepup coupon]i will send to u." In October 2014, Zhou then altered the loan agreement documentation to show a step-up, or higher, coupon starting in February 2016. In November 2015, he admitted responsibility for the mis-marked position and resigned. Zhou had co-run Deutsche Bank's CMBS trading group in the U.S. in 2014. He joined the bank in 2012 and had previously worked at Bank of America Corp. and Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., according to Finra records. The debt he assigned inaccurate valuations to was previously held on Deutsche Bank's books, the Finra filing shows. Online lender LoanDepot has raised $150 million in term debt financing as part of its capital strategy. The transaction closed Aug. 9, the Irvine, Calif.-based company said in a news release Wednesday. LoanDepot plans to use the proceeds for investments in technology and product development and to boost its balance sheet leverage for certain loan asset holdings. "We'll continue reinvesting back into our platform in a variety of ways, including technology, the customer experience and product development," LoanDepot Chairman and Chief Executive Anthony Hsieh said in the release. "Working capital and liquidity are essential for today's nonbank lender, and only available if you have scale, a solid track record and a great reputation," he added. Last November, LoanDepot canceled an initial public offering after the likely market price for shares dropped below the target the company had set. The company had aimed to raise as much as $510 million. LoanDepot operates two retail lenders, iMortgage and Mortgage Master, along with LDWholesale. Ditech Financial will lay off nearly 80 employees in Georgia as it closes an office in the Atlanta metropolitan area. A spokeswoman for the Walter Investment Management Corp. subsidiary confirmed the layoffs were occurring but would not provide specifics. The date for the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification notice provided online by the Georgia Department of Economic Development is Sept. 21. The closure of the Kennesaw, Ga., facility follows planned office closures in Greensboro, N.C., and San Antonio, which will affect more than 100 employees. A statement from the company cited decisions to consolidate servicing and technology functions at larger worksites are a reason for those previously announced closures. The company reiterated those statements with news of the Georgia layoffs. Walter lost $232 million in the second quarter. It also announced it is selling an aggregate $72 billion in mortgage servicing rights to New Residential Investment Trust, although Ditech will be the subservicer for these loans. As Ditech has refocused its operations in the wake of declining defaults it had made other changes. It announced in July that it would relaunch a wholesale lending channel. The company also previously announced that it would exit the distributed retail mortgage production channel. Transcription 1 2 CHAIRMAN MESSAGE Khamis Jume Buamim Chairman - DCMMI The development of marine and maritime industries has become a priority among the pioneers within the marine industry, which makes excellent contributions to the national economy and is an area of international importance. The marine and offshore industries in the United Arab Emirates has been well-managed during the past three years, because of which, despite the adverse financial conditions and slowdown of global economies, the marine industry has emerged strongly on the back of infrastructure development and value addition to attract the largest offshore projects in the world, especially in oil, gas and marine energy. At this point in time, many national institutions and companies in the United Arab Emirates play an active role both regionally or internationally in the repair and support of marine operations. In order to supplement international data, we should take the initiative towards the formation of a coalition of national marine and maritime industries. The Council would represent the steady growth of the marine and maritime industries, attract investments and stimulate legal and legislative frameworks that are most appropriate for the desired development of the most important sectors within the marine and maritime industrial fields. 3 ABOUT DCMMI The Dubai Council for Marine and Maritime Industries (DCMMI) is a specialized industry council (non-profit trade and industry council) formed in 2013 to promote the interests of the marine and maritime industry in Dubai and the UAE. DCMMI represents a wide cross-section of the UAE s marine and maritime industry such as Offshore & Engineering, Ship Repair & Maintenance, Shipbuilding & Conversion Rig Building, Chandlery and Yacht Services. These sectors are represented by operators, ship owners, charterers, marine legal service providers, ship managers, brokers, P&I clubs, port operators, marine insurance companies, ship chandlers and yacht manufacture, maintenance and management companies. As well as most of the established local and international manufacturers and suppliers of marine and offshore components, it also represents marine and offshore engineering contractors and companies whose activities are directly related to the industry including classification societies and marine consultants. 4 DCMMI VISION, MISSION & CORE VALUES The Dubai Council for Marine and Maritime Industries is set up with the aim to plan and implement economic strategies that promote Dubai and the United Arab Emirates as a global hub for marine and maritime industries and services and sea transportation which focus on excellence, investment and talent building. "We create for our industry a climate which supports sustainable economic growth with vibrant business and creative opportunities" 5 DCMMI ABOUT THE INDUSTRY IT REPRESENTS The Dubai and the UAE marine and maritime industry is a world-class industry with an international clientele. Dubai is one of the world s premier ship repair and shipbuilding centers and a world leader in the offshore engineering and conversion of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) and Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) units. It is a niche player for the building of customized and specialized vessels and structures covering a wide spectrum of advanced marine technology. Dubai is becoming a global leader in the building, repair and overhaul of jack-up rigs and a major builder of semi-submersible drilling rigs and vessels. Its rig-builders are capable of building, repairing, upgrading and converting rigs and other offshore platforms for operations in deep water and harsh environments. 6 DCMMI BOARD MEMBERS Khamis Juma Buamim Chairman & Group CEO - Drydocks world and Maritime World Chairman The Dubai Council for Marine & Maritime Industries (DCMMI) Mohammed Rashid bin M. Al Rumaithi Chairman Al Fattan Ship Building Juma Obaid Mubarak Chairman Mubarak Marine Group Dr. Habib Al Mulla Chairman Baker & McKenzie. Habib Al Mulla Abdulla Obaid Chairman and Managing Director Folk Shipping and Folk Energy Rashed Al Hebsi Chief Executive Officer Emirates Classification (TANSEEF) Mohammed Al Suwaidi Chairman - Al Suwaidi Marine Managing Partner - Al Suwaidi & Co Advocates & Legal Consultants Sharafuddin Sharaf Founder Sharaf Group Jasamin Fichte Managing Partner Fichte & Co Marine Legal Consultancy Juma Mohammad Obaid Bin Amir Mehairi Chairman Alpha Marine Ship Equipment Trading Bader Mohd Mubarak Vice Chairman Dubai Shipbuilding & Engineering LLC. Capt. Mansoor Yasin Chief Executive Officer Stalco Group 7 DCMMI BOARD MEMBERS (cont.) Eng. Ali Bin Towaih Vice President - Business Development, Drydocks World 1st Vice Chairman - UAE Shipping Association Eng. Omar Abu Omar Chief Operating Officer Emirates Classification (TANSEEF) Eng. Jamal Abki General Manager Grandweld Shipyards Muhammad Tahir Lakhani Chairman and Managing Director Dubai Trading Agency Group Svein Eloff Pedersen Chief Executive Officer - Noah Ship Management Norwegian Business Group Zahid Rahman Vice President - Marine Business Dev. Team Lloyd's Register EMEA George Varghese General Manager Rais Hassan Saadi Group Alaa Fathi Ahmed Area Manager - Middle East DNV GL Dubai 8 DCMMI SOME OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS The Council has members from difference counties such as United Arab Emirates, Germany, United Kingdom, Singapore, Lebanon etc. Some of DCMMI Members: 9 DCMMI MEMBERS COMMITMENT Commitment to the highest ethical and integrity standards in all business undertakings Commitment to the highest standards in health, safety, security, environment issues and quality Leading the Global Marine and Maritime and Offshore engineering industries to excellence Create a platform for maximizing investment opportunity and development Establish a cluster of creatively minded Marine-related experts Committed to maintaining leadership and creating an abundance of opportunities Create links between academia and the industry Create a platform for R&D and engineering Cultivate and motivate marine manpower and enhance opportunities for national development Create an excellent marine and maritime infrastructure 10 DCMMI MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES GOLDEN ANCHOR PARTNER MEMBER Any Dubai Maritime City(DMC) based company or Dubai and/or UAE registered company whose main business in the United Arab Emirates are Offshore& Engineering, Ship Repair& Maintenance, Shipbuilding& Conversion, Rig Building, Ship Owners& Chandlery, Yacht Manufacturing, Repair and Services. Members are entitled to all rights and privileges of the Council. SILVER ANCHOR PARTNER MEMBER Marine Engineering& Consultancy, Marine Services& Supply, Fuel Bunkering& Services, Vessel Sale& Chartering, Marine Legal Advisory, Ship Management& Services, Marina Design& Management, Marine Manpower Suppliers, Marine Banking& Consultancy, Vessel Scrapping Services and such other marine related equipment suppliers& services. Members are entitled to all rights and privileges of the Council. SEA BLUE ANCHOR MEMBER Marine based Environmental and Protection Services, Oil Spill Services Providers, Offshore Security& Emergency Preparedness, Oil Spill Response Equipment suppliers for coastal& offshore industry, Salvage& Services Providers, Coastal Engineering& Protection, Marina and Offshore Clubs and such other marine related industries and services. Members are entitled to all rights and privileges of the Council but are not eligible to hold office or vote at the General Meeting. ASSOCIATE ANCHOR MEMBER All exclusive classification societies and all other organizations whose activities are, in the opinion of the Council, directly connected with the marine or maritimeindustrymaybeadmittedasassociatemembersandareentitledtoallrightsandprivilegesofthecouncilbutarenoteligibletoholdofficeor vote at the General Meeting. HONORARY ANCHOR MEMBER All exclusive Governmental departments& organization, societies& associations whose business activities are related to the marine and maritime industrycanadoptthistypeofmembership.honorarymembersareentitledtoallrightsandprivilegesofthecouncilbutarenoteligibletoholdofficeor vote at the General Meeting. 11 DCMMI MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS S. No. Benefits Golden Silver Blue * Associate * Honorary * 1 Constitutional right to vote at all meetings and the right to hold office 2 Facilitating ways to resolve issues or concerns related to the industrial and commercial businesses 3 Discounted rates for training courses, seminars, workshops, conferences, etc, organized or conducted by the Council 15% 10% 06% 04% 03% 4 Invitations to inter council members activities, projects and business conferences 5 Ability to participate in inter council members business collaboration, integration and synergies 6 Participate in the transformation of the UAE maritime industry to world class status and beyond 7 Priority and concessionary rates for skills certification tests conducted by the Council 8 Free subscriptions for Council newsletters, annual reports and directories, etc 9 Discounted rate for Council publications and activities 10% 08% 05% 03% 02% 10 Regular updates on industry relevant information and developments 12 DCMMI MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS (cont.) S. No. Benefits Golden Silver Blue * Associate * Honorary * 11 Participation in industry dialogues, laws and regulations 12 Participation in social activities and fellowship receptions for networking 13 Rights to use the Council logo as a member and recommendations from the Council 14 Direct membership to use the Council offices for meetings and activities 15 The Golden Anchor Marine Club 16 Platform for interaction with the governmental and nongovernmental organizations 17 Links with other Marine and Maritime industry / associations 18 Develop, share and promote implementation of sound practices and solutions with others in the industry, and engage with stakeholders in order to take into account their expectations, concerns, ideas and views, and work with government and non-government organizations Other members can join the golden membership category and have all the benefits except voting at the meeting. * Subject to the availability and depends on the golden & silver members participation 13 DCMMI SERVICES Membership to the Marine and Maritime Industry Groups Conducts networking events to the Council Members to provide a wide knowledge on specific topics through bringing high profile speakers / invited personality from the Government Authorities. Closely work with the government authorities through signing MoU s in order to obtain the notifications related to the marine and maritime industry. Regularly works together with the government authorities in order to share the experiences and new developments within the sectors. Obtain memberships from Regional & International marine & maritime associations in order to share their technical publications, participation in their activities, networking and leadership opportunities etc. for the council members. Liaising with the authorities in resolving issues related to the Marine & Maritime Rules / Laws. Participation in industry dialogues, laws and regulations 14 DCMMI COMMITTEES Membership Committee: Membership Committee to review the membership application forms and determine the appropriate membership category in light of the objectives of the DCMMI as set forth in this Constitution. Technical Affairs Committee: Technical Committee to review and study on the technical issues fronting by the Council Members and come up with the appropriate action plan to resolve the issues. In addition, to provide technical advice, information & recommendation to Council members. Legal Affairs Committee: Legal Committee to assist the Council Members for any legal assistance required. addition, the committee will provide legal advice & recommendation on legal matters. In Corporate Relation Committee: Corporate Relation Committee to promote DCMMI and members activities within regionally and internationally. In addition, obtain discounted rates for member participation in the conferences, seminars etc. 15 DCMMI ACTIVITIES DCMMI conducted networking events every quarterly to provide its members a wide knowledge on specific topics through bringing high profile speakers / invited personality from the Government Authorities etc. As part of the initiative DCMMI supported the following events and requested council members active participation in the events as well : 1st Mare Forum Dubai 2014 Conference Offshore Support Vessel Middle East Lloyd s List Awards EIMA - GCC Marine & Offshore HR Summit 2014 Dubai Chamber Trade Mission to SMM Hamburg The Red Sea and Gulf Bunkering Conference EIMA - Offshore Support Vessel Middle East Forum The Maritime Stan dared Award 7th Annual ME Shiptech 2014 EIMA - Marine & Offshore Survey Middle East Forum 2014 LNG Fuels Forum Middle East EIMA - Ship & Port Management- Middle East Forum 2014 OSV Chartering Contract Management Middle East Global HSE 2015 Conference & Exhibition 2nd Mare Forum Dubai The Dubai Global Summit of Marine and Maritime Leaders EIMA -Offshore Support Vessel Middle East Forum 2 EIMA -Marine & Offshore Survey Middle East Forum 2 EIMA -Tanker Shipping &Trade- Middle East Forum EIMA -Ship, Port, Logistics & Supply Chain Management- Middle East Forum 2 16 DCMMI CONTACT DETAILS The Office of the Secretary General Dubai Council for Marine and Maritime Industries (DCMMI) Maritime Business Centre, Dubai Maritime City P.O. Box: 8988 Dubai, United Arab Emirates Tel: Fax: Mobile: Website: PFAS-contaminated 'sludge' water used on commercial food crops as 'fertilizer' (NaturalNews) A new study out of Harvard University has some really bad news for you if you live in California, New Jersey, North Carolina or one of a handful of other American states: The water coming out of your tap may be contaminated with "life-threatening concentrations" of noxious chemicals used in pipe insulation, firefighting solutions, stain-proofing formulas and various other commercial and industrial products.Also included in the mix are Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, Arizona, Massachusetts and Illinois, and likely many other states as well, since the study wasn't able to tabulate figures for roughly one-third of the country states occupied by approximately 100 million people. Even so, the ones that were accounted for speak volumes about the slipping quality of our nation's water supplies According to tests conducted at water sites throughout the country, many larger-scale water systems are deeply contaminated with polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances, toxins collectively known as PFASs. PFASs have been used for more than 60 years in both industrial and commercial applications in things like food wrappers, pots and pans and firefighting foam and very little was known about where they went after their use.We now know, however, that PFASs have been accumulating in water supplies for many decades. And since these chemicals have been definitively linked to hormone disruption, high cholesterol, obesity and even cancer and unknown levels of them have been passing through inadequate wastewater treatment systems and into people's tap water it's becoming clear that we have a major public health crisis on our hands."For many years, chemicals with unknown toxicities, such as PFASs, were allowed to be used and released to the environment," says Xindi Hu, a doctoral student at Harvard's Chan School of Public Health, and one of the lead authors of the study. "We now have to face the severe consequences."For their research, scientists evaluated six different types of PFASs in drinking water, using data from more than 36,000 water samples collected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency between 2013 and 2015. They also looked at industrial sites that make or use PFASs, as well as places like military fire training sites and civilian airports, for firefighting foam that contains PFASs.Believe it or not, many of these industrial sites are known to "recycle" their sludge wastewater and use it as "fertilizer" on factory farms. Some of it also ends up being dumped into sewer systems, which to this day are still unable to properly filter out PFASs before sending them into the ground or in the case of "toilet-to-tap" water systems, sending them directly back into people's homes.The result? PFASs are building up in water systems all over the place at least 194 out of 4,864 of them in 33 states across the U.S., to be exact. The bulk of the contamination, roughly 75 percent of the detections, are in the 13 states mentioned earlier. And 66 of the public water supplies tested, which serve a collective 6 million people, showed at least one water sample measure atthe EPA safety limit for PFASs of 70 parts per trillion. There is certainly good reason for folks to invest in the scientific testing of samples of their own water "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," says Elsie Sunderland, senior author of the study. What is NOT in dispute is that the oil company Chevron acquired DID pollute the rainforest Chevron needs to abide by its agreement to defer to the Ecuadorean courts (NaturalNews) Most people understand that fossil fuels are what "fuel" economic growth, as well as improve the quality of life for billions of people. That being said, the people have every right to expect that when big oil companies explore, locate and then extract this commodity from the earth, they do so in keeping with being stewards of the environment.When they don't keep that end of the bargain, the people are also right in expecting them to be held to account only, that doesn't happen when the environmental damage occurs in a small, poor country whose people don't have the political power or structure to hold offending oil companies liable.As reported by, the Second U.S. Circuit Court ruled last week that Ecuadoreans cannot collect a $9.5 billion judgment against oil giant Chevron for causing major damage to their rainforests, because the judgment was the result of bribery and fraud.The ruling is a blow to indigenous peoples living in the rainforest who have been battling for more than two decades to receive compensation for what they have described as an "Amazon Chernobyl," a reference to the meltdown and explosion of a Soviet nuclear reactor in 1986 that has contaminated that region for decades.In 1993, indigenous peoples and farmer residents of the Ecuadorean rain forest sued Chevron's predecessor, Texaco, in a New York court, claiming that the company had left an environmental and public health nightmare for some 30,000 residents of the Amazon.After acquiring Texaco, Chevron's initial move was to convince the New York courts to move the lawsuit to the Ecuadorean city of Lago Agrio, site of the drilling. There, an Ecuadorean judge awarded plaintiffs $18 billion in February 2011, for the environmental disaster created by Texaco while running an oil consortium in the rainforest from 1972 until 1990. Three years later, Ecuador's highest court upheld the lower court's ruling, but reduced the overall judgment to its current $9.5 billion.The oil giant promised it would abide by the judgment in order to secure transfer of the case, but then later charged that the obligation was null and void because of alleged fraud in the case.Upon returning to New York City, Chevron attorneys accused lawyers for the indigenous Ecuadoreans and in particular, a human rights attorney named Steven Donziger of trying to "shake-down" the oil giant for billions by pushing them to pay up on an illegitimate ruling. In March 2014, U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan agreed with Chevron, and ruled that the judgment from Ecuador had been "procured by corrupt means," like bribery.In his ruling, Kaplan devoted a pair of subsections in his 500-page decision to the Ecuadorean president, Rafael Correa, pertaining to his election and "influence" on the litigation. The sections detail how Correa allegedly pushed to prosecute Chevron's attorneys. He also allegedly made an offer to call a judge, and then launched a public relations campaign bashing Chevron and its allies in order to help his citizens win in court.But whatever shenanigans may or may not have gone on in the Correa administration and Ecuadorean courts, what does not seem to be in dispute is the damage caused by the oil companies.According to the group, Chevron Toxico, which is campaigning for justice for Ecuador in this matter, Texaco drilled some 350 oil wells after it was discovered in 1972 in an area roughly three times the size of Manhattan. When the company left the country in 1992, it had created some 1,000 toxic open waste pits, many of which have long since leached into the water table as overflow from heavy rains. That has left rivers, streams and other bodies of water that the locals depend on for drinking, bathing, fishing and farming very polluted.In addition, Texaco unleashed 18 billion gallons of highly toxic and saline "formation waters," which is a byproduct of the drilling process, into the rivers surrounding the drilling consortium.When Chevron acquired Texaco, that included not just assets but Texaco's liabilities as well. The company should abide by its original intent to follow what the Ecuadorean courts ruled, and make good on the rainforest claim.Otherwise this is just another example of a big oil company polluting the earth for profits and getting away with it. When governments lie, people die (NaturalNews) The Fukushima disaster has been out of the news cycle for more than a year now, but the radioactive fallout and its cascade of adverse effects is far from being just another page in the history books. Reports from around the world indicate that Fukushima radiation is still wreaking havoc on people's health, in some cases eating away human brains in some bizarre, zombie radiation apocalypse The Spanish newspaper,, reported back in May that Toru Anzai, 63, a former resident of Litate, Japan, a village in the Fukushima Prefecture, suffered a major heart attack and stroke several years after the reactor meltdowns. During Anzai's stay in the hospital, doctors realized that the frontal lobe of his brain had developed a hole, which they told him may have been caused by absorbing the radioactive isotope cesium, which was prevalent at Fukushima.The hole in Anzai's brain caused the entire left side of his body to become paralyzed this, despite the fact that following the reactor meltdowns Anzai was told that there was no risk of radiation. As it turns out, a dosimeter reading taken on April 18, just days after the Fukushima disaster, revealed that the room where Anzai and his brothers had been sleeping saw radiation levels up to 20 times higher than the threshold level established by the Japanese government for relocating residents.Just weeks after thestory was published, another one published in the Chinese paperhighlighted a slew of radioactive-related diseases triggered by Fukushima that have been ignored by government officials. These diseases include exceptionally poor health among children, including thyroid cancer, about which the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology had repeatedly warned the Japanese government.The call was predicated upon a 2015 study, which found that children living around the Fukushima plant following the disaster were developing thyroid cancer at 50 times the rate of children living elsewhere. More than 160 teenagers living in the Fukushima Prefecture, in fact, had been documented as receiving a thyroid cancer diagnosis, to which the Japanese government paid little attention.The Japanese government's continued downplaying of the disaster has created an even bigger disaster in terms of public health. Much like the former Soviet Union did in the aftermath of Chernobyl, Japanese officials have tried to pretend that the Fukushima disaster is over and done with, and that all that radiation has somehow vanished poof!But nothing could be further from the truth, as we're still seeing in media reports some five years later. If government officials had just been honest with the public from the start, more of them could have prepared by stocking up on clean, storable foods , or protecting themselves with nascent iodine Instead, innocent people are continuing to fall mysteriously and gravely ill in some cases dying gruesome deaths because they don't even know there's a risk, let alone that they need to do something to mitigate that risk. Radiation is nothing to mess with, but because governments aren't being forthcoming about it, little is known about where it's spreading and worse, little is being done to clean it up for the protection of the public."The improper handling of the Fukushima aftermath by the Japanese government has had grave consequences,"reported back in May, quoting a Russian nuclear specialist who's outraged about the way things have been handled. "After the disaster, lies and contradictive information emerged, making it impossible to decide the level of exposure." Dicamba is more toxic than glyphosate, a probable human carcinogen The needless destruction of America's farmland Adverse health effects (NaturalNews) As glyphosate is increasingly scrutinized due to its carcinogenic effects, Monsanto has quietly invested more than $1 billion in a new (and more toxic) herbicide called dicamba. The chemical is used in conjunction with other herbicides , including glyphosate, to kill broad-leafed weeds.One of its biggest disadvantages is that compared to glyphosate, dicamba is "much more 'volatile,' meaning it easily becomes airborne and drifts away from where it is applied," according to"Historically, dicamba has been used in agriculture primarily as a pre-emergent (applied to the soil to kill weed seeds prior to planting a crop), since it could not be applied directly to crop plants."But this spring farmers began planting Monsanto's new soybeans on about 1 million acres in the US, and have been spraying their fields with dicamba (to kill an especially pernicious strain of glyphosate-resistant pigweed)which then drifts on the wind, damaging soybeans on other farmers' fields that are not resistant to the herbicide."Dicamba works by imitating the natural hormones in plants, causing them to grow abnormally and eventually to die. The chemical is sold under several trade names including Banvel, Diablo, Oracle and Vanquish.Crops resistant to dicamba are supposed to be sprayed with a new version of the chemical that's less prone to vaporization and therefore less likely to drift onto nearby farmland. But the pesticide cocktail remains illegal, as it has not yet been approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Because the new concoction is expected to be approved next year, Monsanto decided to go ahead and start selling the dicamba-resistant seeds to farmers, promising higher yields, as well as other benefits."Supposedly, Monsanto instructed farmers not to spray the new soybeans with dicamba, but apparently the temptation was too great: An estimated 200,000 acres of soybeans in Arkansas, Tennessee, and Missouri have been affected by dicamba drift so far this summer,"notes.Farmers from those regions have filed more than 100 complaints about drifting dicamba destroying their crops.The perpetrators have reportedly been fined up to $1,000, which some say is a slap on the wrist considering the damage it's causing to America's food crops . Some farmers have lost up to 30 percent of their yields due to drifting dicamba.If dicamba continues to be sprayed, it will likely lead to more superweeds and more pesticide pollution. An estimated 15 million acres of dicamba-resistant seeds are expected to be planted in the United States next year.An estimated 5.6 million pounds of dicamba are applied on U.S. farmland each year, with the majority of it sprayed on corn in Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Indiana. The herbicide is also used on wheat, and as a chemical for landscaping."Acute exposure to dicamba causes skin irritation and some skin sensitization in laboratory tests, as well as severe eye irritation. The eye damage can be irreversible," according to theThe herbicide may also cause acute effects, including congested lungs, hemorrhages, poor digestion, inflamed kidneys and an engorged liver, animal studies show.Farm workers exposed to acute poisoning from dicamba have reported numerous symptoms such as muscle cramps, difficulty breathing, vomiting, skin rashes, loss of voice and swollen glands.Dicamba poses adverse effects to reproduction in animals, as well. Rabbits exposed to low doses of the chemical suffered fetus losses, while mallard eggs exposed to the herbicide experienced reduced and stunted growth of the embryos and malformations of the eyes. Average 16.6 percent premium hikes for New Yorkers in 2017 Obamacare is a health hazard to all Some New Yorkers will see 80 percent hikes for health insurance in 2017 (NaturalNews) When New York's Department of Financial Services reviewed insurers' requests for the 2017 fiscal year, the state determined that individual Obamacare users would be hit with an average insurance premium hike of 16.6 percent. This is projected to negatively affect 350,000 or more individual Obamacare users in the state of New York. Small group users will be hit hard too, with an 8 percent increase. This 8 percent increase is projected to impact more than a million people in the state.Health insurance providers originally sought an average premium hike of 28 percent to cover costs, but the state capped the premium increase at 16.6 percent. Nonetheless, policyholders will be shelling out hundreds of millions in wasted dollars that still won't be enough to sustain health insurance companies. No amount of force, fine, mandate, tax or price control is going to fix the systemic problems, failures and faults within the medical system. As policyholders pay more, and as insurers lose money in the boondoggle, Obamacare can only be seen as a manipulative, controlling scheme that is an economic failure and a perpetuation of the problems detaching people from real health responsibility.A study by Blue Cross Blue Shield found that Obamacare users are spending 22 percent more than people who are using employer sponsored health plans. United Health has found that the cost of participating in the health exchanges is too costly, and they plan to exit most of them by 2017.All across the country, people are feeling the weight of Obamacare bearing down on their chests. Obamacare is a health hazard to all, saddling added costs and unwanted stress on people's minds and bodies. The hardworking adults who cannot afford health insurance, and the ones who resist the mandate, are beginning to see triple digit fines imposed on their incomes, further shackling their ability to take care of their own health.The lofty promises of the Affordable Care Act haunt the nation like a bout of acid reflux hitting the back of the throat, turning to vomit. The law's negative repercussions are causing health insurance premiums to rise like never before, completely destroying the marketplace for health insurance.It's all happening so quickly the destruction of the health insurance marketplace. Now, any elitist Fabian socialist can come in and denounce the entire failed economy of health insurance and seize all control, creating a completely centralized system of medicine that dictates what people pay for, while controlling their personal choices in that manner. Will Americans fall in line with this centralized takeover or choose freedom instead?Not everyone wants the product that is called health insurance, but those who do use it, want to be able to afford the premium without having to starve themselves or take out loans when the insurance fails to deliver as promised. They also don't want to be bankrupted by rising deductibles when something catastrophic does go wrong with their health.However, that's exactly what Obamacare has done to the health insurance marketplace. Healthcare exchanges are now bleeding out money, gutting people's pocketbooks, leaving them broke, as they suffer with compounding health problems. One insurer in New York , the Crystal Run Health Insurance Company, will require an 80 percent hike for health insurance premiums in 2017! Thousands of people who now use Obamacare will wake up in 2017 to double digit premium hikes. The central planning scheme of Obamacare is further exacerbating the problems with the medical system, further separating the person from the roots of their health , while breaking them in the process. Medical license revoked Most scientific journals publish misleading or false studies (NaturalNews) Professor Thorsten Hagemann was considered one of the world's leading pancreatic cancer specialists. He studied medicine in Germany, and earned an MD/PhD with a thesis in oncology in 1999. His resume is filled with impressive experience over the 15 years that followed, including being a Professor for Pancreatic Cancer Medicine at Queen Mary's University London, as well as St. Bartholomew's Hospital in the UK. Last fall, he was appointed Medical Director of the London biopharmaceutical firm Immodulon Therapeutics.However, it turns out that much of his success has been based on fraud. The doctor has now been banned from practicing medicine, after being caught fabricating data in order to convince charities to fund his research.A number of transgressions have been uncovered which took place throughout his career. He lied about the results of cancer trials , and fudged the numbers to apply for funds from Cancer Research and the Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund. He managed to gain 180,000 from the latter for a project called "Defining the role of regulatory B cells in pancreatic cancer."He also inflated figures in an article that was published by thescientific journal. Another paper he submitted toalso contained false data, but was ultimately rejected. The fraudulent data was also used in a presentation he made to Cancer Research Technology.Adding insult to injury, he lied to his colleagues who worked on the trials with him, even going so far as to edit emails to cover his tracks when they voiced suspicions.A panel has now declared him unfit to practice medicine, and he was been removed from the medical register for "gross and clear fabrication of research data." He was found guilty of 24 different instances of dishonest and misleading conduct between the years 2012 and 2014. He did not attend his hearing in the UK, and is believed to have left the country.While this is very alarming, and the potential danger that misleading studies can cause the public is hard to quantify, it's not an isolated incident by any means. In fact, the Editor-in-Chief of one of the world's premier medical journals,, Dr. Richard Horton, has gone on the record as stating that as much as half of all scientific literature published is unreliable at best, and completely false at worst.He wrote:The former Editor-in-Chief of the, Dr. Marcia Angell, echoed his sentiments, saying that clinical trials are designed in a way that makes them yield favorable results for their sponsors. She derided the influence that the pharmaceutical industry has on scientific research.Unfortunately, the only research that can be trusted these days is studies in publications that are free from corporate fraud , like the. Very few mainstream science journals fall into this category, as the influence of biotech and pharmaceutical interests is rampant. This type of fraud gives honest scientists a bad name, so it's surprising that more of them are not speaking out against this huge problem, which has ramifications for all of human life. The ordeal took five long hours, but a team of wildlife advocates succeeded in saving the life of a rare North Atlantic right whale who was severely entangled in a massive amount of fishing gear over the weekend. According to a report from Castanet, the six-year-old male North Atlantic right whale was spotted in his entanglement in the Bay of Fundy by a vessel from the Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station. This is near the Canada-U.S. border. "The juvenile whale had line wrapped multiple times around its head, back and both flippers," the Campobello Whale Rescue team explained. "The 5/8 inch polyblend line even ran through the whale's baleen or its giant filtering plates that hang from its upper jaw. In addition, two orange, polyester flotation balls were cinched to its body, just behind the blowholes." Fortunately for the gentle mammal, rescuers saw him and alerted the New England Aquarium boat nearby. In the boat were right whale researchers. Then, the volunteer Campobello Whale Rescue Team was also summoned. The Campobello group consisted of two fishermen, a whale scientist and a retired fisheries manager. They were all perched on a 24-foot inflatable rescue boat as they worked on freeing the right whale. They were also joined by lobstermen and scallopers Joe Howlett and Mac Green, who hopped on a rescue Zodiac with New England Aquarium whale researcher Moira Brown and retired Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans manager Jerry Conway. This rescue team tracked the whale by attaching a long control line with a buoy to the entanglement. Each time the whale surfaced, they reached towards him with another long pole with a blade at the end so they could snip away at the mess of marine rope surrounding the creature. It was tedious work, but the rescuers were eventually able to cut away most of the gear. "A short amount of line remains in the baleen, but the rescuers were fairly confident that the young whale would be able to shed it over time," the Campobello team said. According to the Defenders of Wildlife, the North Atlantic right whale is one of the rarest marine mammals with its western population only around 450 individuals. Although sightings suggest that this number may be rising, the species remain critically endangered. NASA's mission to Mars might be facing delays due to a government audit, but that isn't stopping the space agency from laying out plans. Latest reports suggest that NASA is set to build a space station in orbit above the red planet by 2028. Such plans were outlined by Lockheed Martin and Deep Space Systems Inc. The "Mars Base Camp" will be used by astronauts in preparation for the manned landing. Astronauts will be living on the space station for a year to collect information about Mars. "Before we send people to the surface of Mars, we owe it to that crew, to ourselves, to understand if there's life on the planet and if there's anything that's toxic to humans. This mission will do those two very fundamental things," stated Steve Bailey, chief engineer of Deep Space Systems Inc. in a report by Space.com. In Lockheed Martin's plan, a 132-ton space station will be constructed around the red planet. It would be able to host six astronauts in the span of a year. This is quite small compared to the International Space Station, which weighs 440 tons. Aboard the space station, astronauts would remotely operate on rovers. The proposed 2020 Mars rover reportedly features new technology such as a special camera and a microphone that may record all the sounds in Mars. Rover deputy project manager, Matthew Wallace states that the Mars 2020 rover is "going to produce some of the most exciting imagery." "The entry, descent and landing [EDL] cameras are, in my mind, first and foremost engineering tools," explained Wallace. The rover's SuperCam will provide chemical composition analysis and mineralogy data as well as imaging. In addition, it would detect the presence of organic compounds that may be present on Mars even from a distance. On the other hand, the rover's microphones will be used as a public-outreach tool. Sound is equally important in engineering diagnostics according to Wallace. A beautiful gown clad with salt has been pulled out from the Dead Sea. Where did it come from? The dress was the idea of artist Sigalit Landau. Looking for way to infuse the past and the present, the artist, who had been dubbed as "bridge maker," decided to submerge a black gown in the dead sea for the eight-part of his "Salt Bride" photography series. According to CNN, the dress is a replica of a gown worn by the bride protagonist in the play "The Dybbuk." In the story, the bride was possessed by a demonic spirit and was later exorcised. In a way, through Landau's work, he hopes to transform the somber dress to something more celebratory. As a result of the experiment, the black gown turned into a tantalizing dress with crystals accumulating in the fabric. The high salinity content of the lake played a great part in making the appearance of the dress extraordinary. Sigalit Landau's Salt Bride feats salt crystallization on a dress left in the Dead Sea opens July 29 @MarlbContemp pic.twitter.com/PIBvQD6hpJ PelhamCommunications (@PelhamComms) July 18, 2016 The transformation of the dress was captured in a series of photos. Landau said the dress was stitched with a netlike weave and was brought under with heavy materials to support it. This is not the first time Landau worked with the Dead Sea. Landau's previous Dead Sea works include a video of her floating naked within a spiral of watermelons. Sigalit Landau's "Salt Bride" series is on view at London's Marlborough Contemporary until Sept. 3, 2016. Over the past months, there have been reports saying that the Dead Sea is shrinking at an alarming rate. BBC reported that the extreme weather condition brought by climate change is making the body of water shrink three feet a year. Aside from affecting the tourism industry of the country, locals have also been alarmed as the Dead Sea is deemed significant to their belief and culture. Talking to New York Times, Landau said he has always felt a special connection with the Dead Sea, beng born in Jerusalem. "That was my sea since I was a kid," she said. "That's where my family used to go on weekends -- it's really part of my biography." Showing that she is much committed to the place, Landau hopes the Dead Sea, no matter what happens to it, will be immortalized thought his works. The global leather industry has prompted animal rights activitists to go on a rampage and campaign to end the industry, which approximately slaughters over a billion animals each year. While designer brands joining the campaign against leather has been rare, few have come forward for the cause. The most recent is handbag designer Matt & Nat. The name, which means "material and nature," has been upholding ethical fashion since 1995 in Montreal. A photo posted by MATT & NAT (@matt_and_nat) on Jun 24, 2016 at 6:11am PDT Since 2007, they have been using linings made of 100 percent recycled plastic bottles. Now, through the brand's 2016 Hope handbag campaign, they hope to help humanitarian, environmental and animal welfare groups. For every purchase of their non-leather Hope bag, 100 percent will go to the charity of your choice such as Wild Tomorrow Fund along with six other charities (the Fauna Foundation, Magic Bus, Girls Action Foundation, Sunrise Sanctuary, Friends of the Earth and Keep a Breast Foundation). The project, now on its second year, hopes not only to financially help the organizations but also to take part on environmental issues concerning the planet. Matt & Nat's support of Wild Tomorrow Fund will help raise awareness of the conservation challenges facing wild elephants, rhinos, lions and other threatened species in South Africa while raising urgently needed funds to help defend them -- one handbag at a time. "Matt and Nat's sustainable Hope charity handbag is beautifully stylish while giving back to conservation. Not only were no animals harmed in the making of the Hope bag -- they're being helped!" Wild Tomorrow Fund's co-founder and Executive Director, Wendy Hapgood, said in a press release sent to Nature World News. "We're so happy that Matt & Nat have selected Wild Tomorrow Fund as one of seven charities for the 2016 Hope campaign, donating 100% of the purchase price of each bag to environmental and social causes.With almost 100 elephants being killed each day for their ivory, the time to act is now. Join the fashionable fight for wildlife." Just this year, Kenya staged the world's biggest ivory and tusks burning as a symbol of Africa's fight against illegal poaching of endangered species. Over $172 million worth of confiscated tusks and ivory were set aflame. It is estimated that one elephant dies every minute. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says elephants in one of Africa's largest and oldest reserves are feared to be wiped out by 2022. The bag is available for shipping globally including Canada, U.S., U.K., Japan, Europe and Australia. Zimbabwe will deploy aerial drones in its biggest wildlife sanctuary to fight elephant poachers, Reuters reports. Hwange National Park is one of the biggest wildlife sanctuaries in Zimbabwe, and it houses two-thirds of the country's 80,000 elephants. The plan will help protect the country's endangered elephants, which are considered a valuable tourist attraction. According to data from Zimbabwe's ministry of tourism, the country benefits greatly from tourism, which represents 11 percent of Zimbabwe's $14 billion economy. According to Cephas Mudenda, a board member of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZPWMA), the agency had purchased two aerial drones to survey the park and combat elephant poaching. The agency also acquired sniffer dogs from South Africa for added surveillance and protection. Parks officials said that they also plan to gradually increase the number of game wardens, but the lack of funding has been a major challenge. According to Mudenda, ZPWMA only has about 2,000 employees instead of 3,200. In the last two years, wildlife officials reported dozens of elephants killed by cyanide. Last year, 22 elephants were found dead in the remote Sinamatella area of Hwange National Park. According to officials, rangers have recovered 35 tusks, and some of the elephants had been too young and their tusks have not yet developed. Poachers had escaped carrying three tusks. "Poachers know that the moment they pull a trigger, it's easier for us to find them, so they use cyanide," CarollineWashaya-Moyo, a spokesperson for the ZPWMA, told CNN. Poachers would lace elephant watering holes with cyanide. Once it gets into the elephant's systems, the poison will prevent cells from the body from using oxygen, thus suffocating the animal. While cyanide is a silent killer, it could also affect other wildlife animals and contaminate the ecosystem. Cyanide contamination increases during rainy weather, CNN reports. In 2015, about 20,000 elephants were killed for ivory, The Guardian reports. In spite of a global ban, the illegal ivory trade has exploded, with most of the demand coming from Asian countries, particularly China. What has started as a bush fire in San Bernardino Country has now become a complete chaos. The Blue Cut fire started at around 11 a.m. on Tuesday. Los Angeles Times reported that in a matter of hour, the fire jumped to 1,500 acres. Dry brush and wind gusts quickly spread the flames. Latest reports say the fire has now tore through 18,000 acres near the 15 Freeway in Cajon Pass. The exact tally of the damaged properties has not been made yet but estimates say it includes several homes, businesses, church and historic diners. According to ABC 7, Gov. Jerry Brown has already declared a state of emergency in San Bernardino County. As such, more firefighting efforts can be carried out and benefits to affected residents, such as easy granting of waiver of fees for destroyed documents. Approximately 34,500 homes and 82,640 people have been affected by the evacuation warnings. According to the state incident information system, in total, there are already 700 personnel on scene, 102 engines, 15 crews, eight air tankers, two Very Large Air Tankers (VLATS) and eight helicopters including night flying helicopters. The Guardian notes that some firefighters have been injured doing their rescue operations. Six firefighters were trapped in homes in Swarthout Canyon, two of whom suffered injuries. Disturbing images of homes being burnt to the ground has surfaced on social media. A home burns off of Hwy 138 during the #BlueCutFire Tuesday pic.twitter.com/GAupNYtFhL Will Lester (@WillLesterPhoto) August 16, 2016 The Blue Cut Fire is not the only monstrous disaster spreading terror in California. There is also the Clayton fire, which has taken over 4,000 acres and 175 structures burned near Clear Lake and the Chimney fire which has burnt 6,900 acres and 40 structures in San Luis Obispo County. Both fires have been partly contained. The raging fires spread across California is part of the annual fire season brought by extreme hot weather combined with dry bushes in the forest that has become worse over the years because of climate change. Right-wing grifters Ann Couler and Paul Nehlen. Add Sarah Palin and Phyllis Schlafly and you come up with a mighty 16% My favorite unheralded story over the weekend was about how the Trumpist nut Paul Ryan defeated last week, Paul Nehlen, is starting a SuperPAC to harass anti-Trump Republicans, Citizens Revolt PAC. According to Fox News , "A Nehlen aide said the political action committee is a grassroots effort with the primary objectives of electing a Republican president and putting those who would work against the Republican nominee on notice. 'Any political leader who would work against Donald Trump is working for Hillary Clinton,' the aide said." We are absolutely going to make sure Paul Ryan is being held accountable to the people, Nehlen told FoxNews.com on Saturday. "Youll be hearing from me shortly like in less than week. A Ryan spokesman declined to comment for that story. The Nehlen aide said the PAC aims to raise into the seven figures and spend every available dime on communications and ground operations in key swing states in an effort to elect Donald Trump." Said Nehlen: "Millions of hard-working Americans have had enough of the Clinton dynasty, and they've had enough of career politicians colluding to keep outsiders like Donald Trump out of power." Washington Post, "A senior GOP aide familiar with Wisconsin politics wrote in an email: 'Voters in Southern Wisconsin soundly rejected Paul Nehlen on Tuesday. His new endeavor will likely produce the same result as Nehlen's gimmicky campaign, meaning it will exist primarily to enrich himself and his consultants under the specious claims of advancing true conservative reforms.'" That's especially funny in light of the Politico confessional over the weekend by Paul Jossey about how his and other right wing greedy super PACs drained the Tea Party movement with endless pleas for money to support 'conservative' candidates-- while instead According to a report in the, "A senior GOP aide familiar with Wisconsin politics wrote in an email: 'Voters in Southern Wisconsin soundly rejected Paul Nehlen on Tuesday. His new endeavor will likely produce the same result as Nehlen's gimmicky campaign, meaning it will exist primarily to enrich himself and his consultants under the specious claims of advancingreforms.'" That's especially funny in light of theconfessional over the weekend by Paul Jossey about how his and other right wing greedy super PACs drained the Tea Party movement with endless pleas for money to support 'conservative' candidates-- while instead using the money to enrich themselves . He asserted that "the Tea Party movement is pretty much dead now, but it didnt die a natural death. It was murdered-- and it was an inside job... [having] degenerated into a form of pyramid scheme that transferred tens of millions of dollars from rural, poorer Southerners and Midwesterners to bicoastal political operatives." Ah... the story of the modern Republican Party and the brainwashed morons who believe in it . It kind of sounds like a right-wing version of the DCCC: What began as an organic, policy-driven grass-roots movement was drained of its vitality and resources by national political action committees that dunned the movements true believers endlessly for money to support its candidates and causes. The PACs used that money first to enrich themselves and their vendors and then deployed most of the rest to search for more prospects. In Tea Party world, that meant mostly older, technologically unsavvy people willing to divulge personal information through petitions-- which only made them prey to further attempts to lighten their wallets for what they believed was a good cause. While the solicitations continue, the audience has greatly diminished because of a lack of policy results and changing political winds. ...Republicans inside the Beltway reacted to the burgeoning Tea Party with glee but uncertainty about how to channel the grass-roots energy usually reserved for the left. A small group of supposedly conservative lawyers and consultants saw something different: dollar signs. The PACs found anger at the Republican Party sells very well. The campaigns they ran would be headlined Boot John Boehner," or Drop a Truth Bomb on Kevin McCarthy. And after Boehner was in fact booted and McCarthy bombed in his bid to succeed him, it was naturally time to Fire Paul Ryan." The selling is always urgent: Stop what youre doing This cant wait. One active solicitor is the Tea Party Leadership Fund, which received $6.7 million from 2013 to mid-2015, overwhelmingly from small donors. A typical solicitation from the TPLF read: Your immediate contribution could be the most important financial investment you will make to help return America to greatness. But, according to an investigation by Politico, 87 percent of that investment went to overhead; only $910,000 of the $6.7 million raised was used to support political candidates. If the prospect signs a petition, typically a solicitation of his or her personal information is recorded and a new screen immediately appears asking for money. Vendors pass the information around in list swaps and revenue shares ad infinitum. ...For 18 months ending in 2013, I worked for one of these consultants, Dan Backer, who has served as treasurer for dozens of PACs, many now defunct, through his law and consulting firm. I thus benefited from the Tea Partys fleecing. New York Times ...According to Federal Election Commission reports between 80 to 90 percent, and sometimes all the money these PACs get is swallowed in fees and poured into more prospecting. For example, conservative activist Larry Ward created Constitutional Rights PAC. He also runs Political Media, a communications firm. The reviewed Constitutional Rights filings and found: Mr. Wards PAC spends every dollar it gets on consultants, mailings and fund-raising-- making no donations to candidates. Ward justified the arrangement by saying Political Media discounts solicitations on behalf of Constitutional Rights. Let that sink in. Ward takes his PACs money and redistributes it to his company and other vendors for more messaging and solicitations, but suggests critics should rest easy since the PAC gets a discount on Political Medias normal rate. Constitutional Rights PAC may be extreme but its hardly an outlier. ...The PACs keep cash flowing by trolling the news for supposed apostasy. The government botches the rescue of employees in a foreign embassy? Stand with us for Benghazi! A bunch of kids are murdered in Connecticut? Help us defend your Second Amendment rights! Sign our petition! Another favorite tactic is the Draft Committee. Pick a popular figure then start a committee to draft him or her to run for office. TPLF drafted Sarah Palin for Senate in Alaska and Backer drafted Newt Gingrich for Senate in Virginia. After I left his firm, Backer drafted new Texas resident Allen West for Senate in Florida. None of these candidates were remotely interested or associated with the effort, and in fact could not be by law. But there were signatures to collect and donations to request. (As a litigator, I rarely participated in the conduct described here. I nonetheless knew these schemes paid most of my salary.) Politico followed up with a feature by Elena Schneider, Yesterday,followed up with a feature by Elena Schneider, The GOP Establishment strikes back about how the Chamber of Commerce wing of the Republican Party has declared a quiet-- but nonetheless ruthless and brutal war against the far right grassroots. As we said two weeks ago, Tim Huelskamp's primary defeat -- something engineered by Paul Ryan and Kevin McCarthy-- was revenge and warning-- and possible because of the moribund condition of the drained Tea Party. Ryan's wing of the party "is going on offense, pushing back hard against candidates backed by the hardline conservative House Freedom Caucus, including defeated GOP Rep. Tim Huelskamp-- setting the stage for a titanic intra-Republican fight during the next Congress." A collection of Republican donors and operatives loosely organized around several super PACs decided this summer to adopt newly aggressive tactics against GOP obstructionists-- or as John Hart, a former aide to ex-Sen. Tom Coburn, calls them: Rebels In Name Only-- after years of growing tea-party influence in Republican primaries and the halls of Congress. ...The establishments position was always... [focused] in competitive seats, in situations where we believed [a different] candidate gave us a strategic advantage. It was never ideological. But now youre seeing more and more activity in these safe seats, said Brian O. Walsh, a GOP strategist and former National Republican Congressional Committee political director involved in these efforts. Its like when you have a health problem, Walsh continued. First, you try to ignore it, see if it gets better. Then you try to treat it with meds. Now you just have to radiate it. That message comes at the end of the 2016 primary season but just a few months before a new Congress has to govern with a new president. The groups hope to show that 2018 primaries could be on the horizon if conservative rebels stand in the way of congressional Republicans legislative strategy. You have to get beyond saying only no. You have to be effective. You have to propose solutions and govern, said Rob Engstrom, the political director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, who noted that his group has backed House Freedom Caucus members in the past. To non-governing members, we want to put you on notice, said a spokesman for Strong Leadership for America PAC, a new group that plans to focus on Republican and Democratic primaries, founded by donors who generally support the No Labels effort, which targeted Huelskamp with its first half-million dollars. Conservatives in the House, used to playing offense, say they are under siege. Absolutely, were being targeted, absolutely, said Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar, a House Freedom Caucus member whos seen a group called Right Way PAC drop $211,000 on negative radio ads and mailers (and promise more to come) ahead of his late-August primary. Over and over again [this year], you see the same thing with them. Look, the Freedom Caucus hasnt challenged anyone whos a sitting member. Weve only played in open seats, but isnt that interesting that K Street and Wall Street are playing against members? This isnt a game for this year, but a game for next year. This isnt just a short game, this is a long game, said Gosar, whos still expected to win his primary. Theres no stopping them. On this, Gosar and one of the new establishment-oriented PACs agree. This is a long game, the Strong Leadership for America spokesman said. Kansas was just one race, and it doesn't fundamentally change anything, but if we scale it up over time, we can fundamentally change the dynamic [in Washington]." Huelskamps loss in Kansas and the result in an open Georgia race the week before, where small-town Mayor Drew Ferguson defeated a Freedom Caucus-endorsed state senator, Mike Crane , represented a sharp and expensive turnaround from some earlier 2016 primaries. Candidates backed by the conservative Club for Growth held an Indiana open seat and even captured former House Speaker John Boehners open district, a huge symbolic victory delivered in spite of some spending by Right Way Initiative, a nonprofit affiliated with the super PAC of the same name. ESAFund and its sister nonprofit Ending Spending, which has a long primary-spending track record dating back to 2010, weighed in again heavily this summer. The group has backed hard-line conservatives like Sen. Ted Cruz and South Carolina Rep. Mick Mulvaney in the past, and its principal goals include eliminating earmark projects, reducing the size, scope and cost of government and electing a governing majority, said PAC President Brian Baker. The key thing to understand is that we support only strong, principled fiscal conservatives with a plan to do just that-- and grandstanders need not apply, Baker said. We have a long track record of engaging in both primary and general elections to support or oppose candidates to achieve our goals. Rep. Jim Jordan, the Freedom Caucus chairman, sees things differently. Lets make one thing clear, Washington special-interest groups poured money into these races against conservatives to stack the deck next year in favor of their agenda of comprehensive immigration reform, reauthorizing the Export-Import Bank, and raising the debt ceiling without making substantial cuts to spending, Jordan said in a statement. In these cases they were successful, but I believe the American people will speak out against this Washington-centric agenda going forward. ...The establishment has decided to gear up bigger, better and earlier, pouring in a lot of money, said Sachtleben, who also pointed to two more Club-backed candidates in Florida and Arizona, races that will be decided later this month. Theres a strong effort to undo any progress conservatives have made, and its going to take an effort to match that and overcome. Its going to take a conservative response thats already looking at 2018 and that needs to get serious, to get new seats and take back seats. That makes two sides ready to brawl in 2018. Right Way Initiative and its super PAC also intends to be a factor for a long time in deep red districts where one of the candidate choices represents constructive conservatism, said Dan Flynn, a spokesman for the group who was involved in strategizing Huelskamps defeat in Kansas. My friend at the RNC said he didn't know much more about this than what's appeared in print already. He did say, however, that they'd never be able to do this is the DCCC was "nimble" or prepared for "out of the box challenges." He told me this morning that his team feels "confident that the DCCC isn't capable of taking advantage of" a Republican civil war. "I never thought Pelosi could find someone stupider and less capable than Steve Israel. I think she managed to though." There are no candidates on this list of Bernie-backers who the DCCC is eager to see win in November. These are the men and women we should be helping-- proven and potential leaders like Pramila Jayapal (WA), Tim Canova (FL), Zephyr Teachout (NY), Alina Valdes (FL) and Tom Wakely (TX). As president of his neighborhood council, Cesar Zepeda is something of a watchdog for Richmond's Hilltop District. There is one spot in the neighborhood, however, that Zepeda has never had to watch. For the past 12 years, someone else had taken care of that. "Here are the stepping stones," Zepeda said, pointing to a photograph of a roadside memorial along San Pablo Avenue near the intersection of Richmond Avenue. Zepeda says for years someone has been maintaining the memorial, adding flowers, candles, and statues. None of his neighbors, though, ever remember seeing who that person was. "Somebody kept coming back," Zepeda said. "It changed for the holidays. You know for Christmas, he would put a Christmas tree up. There would be lights at night. So it doesn't matter the time, day or night you drove, there was something, something different all the time." WATCH MORE BAY AREA PROUD STORIES The memorial might have remained just a neighborhood curiosity except Chevron, which had graciously allowed the memorial to exist on property it owned, announced plans to build on the site. The memorial would have to go. After all those years, all that work, Zepeda couldn't bear to think of the memorial being destroyed. "There was love that was oozing out of the decoration," Zepeda said. "You can tell this wasn't just any memorial." But who did it belong to? Who had been sneaking in, in the middle of the night, night after night? Zepeda asked around, but no one knew. He went to Chevron who agreed to leave a note asking whoever the caretaker was, to come forward. "I just ignored it," Raymond Olson said. It was he who had been keeping up the memorial for the past dozen years. "I knew what was coming. Or at least I think I did." Olson's son, also named Raymond, was killed by a drunk driver on the spot in 2003 at the age of 22. "It's like a whole dimension of pain that you don't think can exist," Olson said. He poured his grief into the memorial. He would come in the middle of the night because he knew it was one someone else's property and he didn't want to draw attention to himself. Still, he knew that one day it would have to be taken down. He was only partially right. When Olson's sister finally called Chevron she discovered that Zepeda had asked the company to build a permanent memorial in a nearby park to replace the makeshift one. "It's more than I ever could have dreamed of," Olson said. Olson said he had been carrying a heavy burden on his shoulders since his son died. He believed that one day, when both he and the memorial were gone, his son would be forgotten. That burden had suddenly been lifted. "I just don't have the words to thank you all," Olson said at a dedication ceremony last Saturday for the new memorial: an iron bench and plaque with the younger Raymond Olson's pictures. It just felt it was the right thing to do. I can't call it anything else. It was the right thing," Zepeda, who was also at the dedication said. Olson says without the memorial to worry about, he feels he can start to live a life that was put on hold 12 years ago. He says he'll need a little time to think about what that life will be like. He does know, however, where he will be sitting while figuring it out. A suspected serial arsonist was charged on Wednesday with 17 counts of arson and suspected arson, and fainted before he was arraigned in front of a courtroom filled with angry Northern California residents affected by the largest fire he allegedly set. A two-page probable cause statement alleges Damon Anthony Pashilk, 40, of Clearlake, Calif. was behind a string of mostly small vegetation fires between July 2, 2015 and Aug. 13, 2016 - the date of the 4,000-acre Clayton Fire - and that his car was captured on video surveillance cameras at many of the arson sites. In one case, a witness saw the driver throw an object out the window where flames then erupted. In other cases, Cal Fire investigators watching him and GPS trackers attached to his car linked his vehicle to the fire sites near rural highways both to the north and south of Clear Lake, which gives the city Clearlake its name, documents state. "He set a fire that caused mass destruction in this county," Lake County Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff told NBC Bay Area. "We are very confident this is our guy, a serial arsonist," added Cal Fire's Scott McLean, adding, "The year-long investigation will prove that." In an interview with him Monday, investigators said that Pashilk "could not provide an explanation to being at the ignition site of the fires." Pashilk was arrested earlier that day during a traffic stop. In addition, Pashilk was charged with possession of methamphetamine and driving with a suspended license. Cal Fire crews by Wednesday had contained 50 percent of the Clayton Fire, which has destroyed 268 structures, including 175 homes. Officials on Wednesday lifted some evacuation orders in portions of Lower Lake in Lake County. Prosecutors and Cal Fire investigators did not lay out a possible motive behind the fires, something Pashilk was trained to battle when he was an inmate firefighter serving a five-year sentence starting in 2002 after he had been convicted of several drug and firearms violations. But authorities added that it didn't appear Pashilk was targeting anyone, and that he acted alone. Just before the San Francisco-born construction worker appeared in the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Andrew Blum to face charges wearing a green-and-white jail suit, Pashilk was reported to have passed out before the 1:15 p.m. arraignment. Officials did not have details about him fainting, but those in the court room heard a loud thud before he entered the room. After keeping his face hidden, Pashilk did not enter a plea and tried to bolt out of the courtroom once the proceedings ended. Pashilk is expected to return to court on Sept. 7. Pashilk faces anywhere from 20 years a possible life sentence if convicted of all counts. Blum appointed a public defender for Pashilk, who remains in custody on $5-million bail. When the list of 19 charges was read out, Pashilk refused to look up, and only nodded to communicate that he had heard and understood the charges filed against him. Aware that emotions are running high in Lake County, Pashilk's current attorney David Markham said, "I would just remind them he's presumed innocent until proven guilty." Markham declined to comment on the suspect's demeanor or state of mind or provide details about the case itself. For many residents, knowing that a man who lives in Clearlake may be responsible for so much heartache is maddening. And the anger was palpable inside and outside of the courtroom. "It kinda makes you angry," said Mishta Russell of Lower Lake. "Hopefully he gets what he deserves, and he can't do this again." For her part, Lake County resident Deanna Marie said she was filled with "disgust" when Pashilk hid his face from news cameras Wednesday. "You've done all this to people -- thousands of people, you've turned their lives upside down," she said. "Face the people." NBC Bay Area's Rhea Mahbubani contributed to this report. Residents of Lake County allowed back into their neighborhoods Tuesday saw for the first time the havoc wreaked by the massive Clayton Fire. Some were relieved to see their houses standing, but others like Jose Alvarado lost everything. In Lower Lake, house after house was reduced to ash along Winchester Street. Flames reduced the area to just a few houses scattered amid a scene of devastation. My clothes are there, my tools are there, my kids toys are there, said 25-year-old Alvarado. Everything I [have] was there. The Alvarado familys house was destroyed while he was driving home Sunday night with his wife Alejandra and their two children from his construction job in San Francisco. His neighbor rang with news of the fire, Alvarado said, adding, "I asked him to get some of my belongings out and he said, 'Yeah, call me back in a little bit and I will.'" Alvarado called 30 minutes later, but it was too late. Up to that point, I was still expecting to have a house still standing, right? Alvarado said. But we went in there and everythings gone. Everythings gone. Alvarado said he had just purchased the 1,800-square-foot house and accompanying garage only two months ago. That was my savings from since I was 18, he said. When Alvarado said he lost everything, he wasnt being hyperbolic. He paid cash for the home in June and hadnt yet been able to insure it. I didnt have a chance to put insurance on it and now its gone, Alvarado lamented. The Clayton Fire, which investigators believe was sparked by suspected serial arsonist Damin Anthony Pashilk, has left another scar on a county that was still recovering from last years fire season. Jessica Harrison said flames got within a stones throw from her house, but it wasn't burned down. I wish I could do something to help them, Harrison said of neighbors who were less fortunate than her. Im thankful. Im beyond thankful that I still have a house, especially since the day it started, the flames were literally out in that field maybe 50 to 100 yards out. Upon realizing that fire crews had saved her home, Harrison also said, "We can't thank them enough. They're true heroes." Meanwhile, Lake County animal control officials were feeding and providing water to ducks, chickens and a cat that had been left behind. They were told about a pig as well, but couldn't locate it initially, so hoped its family had taken it when they fled. That was unlikely, though, seeing as area residents had five minutes to grab their belongings and rush to safety. So Bertelli and her partner Nehemiah White checked the paperwork and then went back in to look for the pig. They found it cuddling up to a kids pool that theyd just refilled with water. We checked and hes OK now, Bertelli said. Animal control officials have been putting in long days while the Clayton Fire has ripped through Lake County, with many people working from 6 a.m. till 8 p.m. The most unusual animal rescue so far was an emu, according to Bertelli. That was interesting, she said, with a laugh. We had the [American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals] here to help us with that one. Thank goodness! San Francisco police are searching for two vigilantes who shot a bystander while firing at another man who allegedly kicked their mother's dog, police said Tuesday. The incident occurred Monday night in the city's Ingleside neighborhood when a man got into an argument with a woman walking her dog at the corner of Santos and Brookdale avenues, according to police spokesman Officer Carlos Manfredi. During the fight, the man kicked the dog, Manfredi said. The dog owner then called her two sons to intervene, and they opened fire when they arrived, police said. The alleged dog abuser then hopped onto a Muni bus to avoid the gunshots, and during the chaos, a bystander was hit in the arm by a stray bullet, police said. The gunshot victim is expected to make a full recovery. Manfredi said people shouldn't take matters into their own hands with such incidents, especially with firearms. "It could have been much worse," Manfredi said. "A few inches closer, and we could have had a fatality on our hands." Even dog lovers agree the violent retaliation was too extreme. "I think that's a really stupid decision for someone to shoot someone over a dog," said resident Matthew Mendez. Police said the dog owner is cooperating, but the suspects havent been seen since Monday night. American track star Allyson Felix missed out on her fifth career gold medal Monday night when Shaunae Miller of the Bahamas fell across the finish line of the womans 400m. Some on social media were angry that the dive is considered legal. On NBCs Today show Tuesday morning, Felix said she's "not too used to seeing" a dive like that in a track race. "It happens every now and then but it's not too common," she said. Instead Felix focused on her own performance after Miller beat her by 0.07 of a second. "It wasnt my best race, Felix said. I felt like it got a little bit away from me. Coming home, thats when I tried to give all I had." Miller, for her part, told The Associated Press after her win that the dive was not planned. "I don't know what happened. My mind just went blank," Miller said. "The only thing I was thinking (about) was the gold medal, and the next thing I know, I was on the ground." Felix sat on the track for 20 minutes following the race before addressing NBCs John Lewis. She said that coming to terms with the outcome of this Olympics would be difficult. Its going to be tough, Felix said. I'm just going to try and pick myself up. By Tuesday morning it appeared that process had already begun. Despite the disappointment, Felix's silver medal achievement made her the most decorated female athlete in American track and field history with seven Olympic medals, surpassing Jackie Joyner-Kersee. It is something that I am definitely very very proud of, Felix said on "Today." To be in the same sentence as Jackie Joyner-Kersee who is a mentor and idol, thats going to take some getting used to. Asked what she wanted to communicate to young kids who look up to her, she said its important to keep fighting. "Youre going to have obstacles, she told Today. Theres going to be adversity. Let your spirit shine through." The son of jailed drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was among among the several people recently kidnapped from a swanky restaurant in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta, a Mexican prosecutor said Tuesday. The prosecutor confirmed that Guzman's son was kidnapped, The Associated Press reported. Earlier, Jalisco state Attorney General Eduardo Almaguer told Radio Formula "it is presumed" though not confirmed that Ivan Archivaldo Guzman was abducted from the La Leche restaurant by seven gunmen early Monday, NBC News reported. The victims turned out to be six men who "were not tourists or residents who work in legal activities," Almaguer said later at a press conference. "They were people tied to a criminal group we can very clearly presume." Almaguer said the the kidnapping victims were partying when the gunmen burst inside the restaurant around 1 a.m. Monday and rounded them up without firing a shot. Five cars belonging to the missing men were still in the parking lot when cops arrived. The Turkish Consul General in Chicago issued a blistering rebuke to a Michigan congressman today, for his continued support of a Chicago-area restauranteur accused by Turkey of a terrorist past. Ibrahim Parlak runs a Kurdish restaurant in Harbert, a popular destination on the Michigan shore. The government has repeatedly tried to deport Parlak as a potential terrorist, but this week he won a new round in his efforts to stay in the United States. The United States Board of Immigration Appeals ruled that the situation in Parlaks native Turkey had changed since those deportation proceedings began more than a decade ago. Parlak denies any terrorism connections, and contends he would face torture if returned to Turkey. His congressman, Republican Fred Upton who has been a vocal supporter, called the decision a victory. The dangers Ibrahim would face should he be deported to Turkey are unthinkable, he said, as the tensions between the Turkish government and the Kurdish community have grown increasingly worse. But Thursday, the Turkish Consul General, Umut Acar, called the congressmans statement troubling. If Mr. Upton somehow insinuates that an individual may face danger in Turkey because of his/her ethnic background, then that is delusional and downright falsehood, he said. Turkish citizens with Kurdish origin are good, productive citizens of my country. Parlak came to the United States in 1992, but was accused of lying on immigration documents about alleged past associations in Turkey with the Kurdish separatist group PKK. He was arrested and served 10 months in custody before eventually being released in June of 2005. Since that time, he has fought repeated efforts to deport him. Parlak is a popular figure in the vacation community of Harbert where he has enjoyed vocal support from Democrats and Republicans alike. But in Chicago Thursday, Acar repeated his governments contention that Parlak has a verifiable past with PKK, which he said is comparable to Isil in his homeland. PKK does not represent the Kurdish community, Acar said, just like Isil does not represent Arabs or Muslims. And Parlak was a member of that terrorist organization. So Mr. Upton supports an individual who was a member of an organization long designated as terrorist in the U.S. The reason Mr. Upton can do that so enthusiastically, is the fact that Parlak did not harm Mr. Uptons loved ones, he said. He harmed the loved ones of some others Mr. Upton will probably never see. This weeks decision on Parlak is far from final, but will allow him to stay in the United States for the foreseeable future. His case now goes back to an immigration judge in Detroit, where his attorney Robert Carpenter said he hopes to get a hearing sometime after the first of the year. Its a big deal, Carpenter said. It is a rare result to get. Its a job half done at this point, because we still have to win in front of the immigration judge. Editor's note: Caitlin Johnson, the woman who originally tweeted the picture this story refers to, has retracted her accusations and offered the following statement: What I said was wrong and I spoke ignorantly about the situation, and Im asking if you could publish my negligence, and I apologize for the misunderstanding. Johnson declined to elaborate on why she issued the statement. United Airlines says it's investigating after a picture was tweeted Tuesday that a woman says shows a military dog's crate being unloaded upside down at OHare Airport. Caitlin Johnson, who said she works for a boarding facility in Virginia that transports animals, including bomb-sniffing dogs to Iraq, tweeted the picture at United Airlines. Reached by phone, Johnson said she did not take the picture, but the handler of the dog who was waiting at the airport did. She said the handler talked with an airline manager who said it was not their fault. The handler then shared the photo with Johnsons company, she said, which was responsible for shipping the animal. "Hey, @united, care to explain this? You see those [expletive] arrows? You've got the dog completely upside down!" Johnson tweeted at 3:37 p.m. United responded with several tweets asking for additional information and released a statement regarding the incident shortly after. We are continuing to review this and have confirmed that the dog is unharmed, Erin Benson, a spokeswoman for United, said in an email. We are attempting to contact the owner to follow-up. At United, we are committed to providing the ultimate in safety and care for animals traveling with us. Johnson said her company, which she declined to name, always ships its K9s through United. I freaked out, she said about first seeing the picture. In my mind thats animal cruelty. Johnson also said the crates her company uses have images to identify what kind of animal is in it, and that the leash and food for dogs are strapped to the top of the container. She immediately knew something was wrong, she said, when she saw the vented part of the crate was on the bottom. She added that there were "a lot of things wrong" in the image. No company wants anything taken to social media," Johnson said. "Thats exactly why I took it there. Chicago police officers' emails discussing the Laquan McDonald shooting can't be kept secret even though they were transmitted privately, a state official has decreed in what open-records advocates say is a solid step toward transparency on an issue that has roiled Illinois and reached as high as Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. The binding opinion last week by Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan follows quickly on a May Cook County Circuit Court ruling that Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's emails about separate issues aren't automatically exempt from disclosure even though sent on private devices. The opinion has the force of law, requiring the police to search officers' private accounts and turn over relevant emails although the police department can ask a judge to overturn it. The dictum also fuels an ongoing national debate about access to discussions of public business on privately held cellphones and computers under decades-old disclosure laws which didn't anticipate such an explosion of electronic communication. The ruling determined that the Chicago Police Department improperly failed to search 12 officers' personalemail accounts for discussion of the October 2014 fatal shooting of McDonald, an unarmed black man, by a white police officer. Atlanta-based CNN appealed that omission to the public access counselor under the IllinoisFreedom of Information Act. "This binding opinion will hopefully make clear that public employees cannot evade FOIA by using private devices when conducting public business," said John Costello, a Chicago public-access lawyer. Among the officers whose emails CNN is seeking are Officer Jason Van Dyke, who shot McDonald 16 times, and Deputy Chief David McNaughton, who approved the report that the shooting was justified and who abruptly retired Monday. A CNN spokeswoman would not comment on the matter, but it's likely the television network is trying to determine what other news media organizations have sought whether officers on the scene cooperated in covering up the true sequence of events leading to McDonald's shooting, a sequence that became clear a year later when a judge ordered police to release a dashboard-camera video of the shooting. The examples of the tussle over access to public discussions on private devices are piling up. Just in the last year, the news media have challenged not only Emanuel and his police department, but Gov. Bruce Rauner's education adviser, who was conducting public business with a private email account. And The Associated Press filed a lawsuit last year over the State Department's failure to turn over Clinton's emails. Separately, the FBI declared in July that while she was secretary of state, Clinton, now the Democratic presidential nominee, had improperly read and sent classified government information on private devices. The issue cost former University of Illinois chancellor Phyllis Wise her job last fall in a case in which the university turned over the privately sent emails in question but declared that the law is "not settled." That's because an Illinois appellate court in 2013 addressed the issue of whether an electronic message sent by a city council member was under a public body's control if the council member was not acting as part of the public body while convened for business. Following that reasoning, Chicago police argued that the officers' emails were not under the police department's control. The attorney general's opinion cited a federal court ruling released last month which maintained that such a claim was akin to a public official putting documents "in a file at his daughter's house and then claiming that they are under her control." To the police department's complaint that it would violate officers' privacy by searching their email accounts, the attorney general noted privacy is not an exception when public records are at stake. The police had not even asked the officers if such emails existed and could avoid jeopardizing privacy by asking the officers to voluntarily surrender emails involving McDonald, the attorney general said. Emanuel argued the privacy issue in May, asking a Cook County judge to dismiss the Chicago Tribune's lawsuit over his emails involving the city's problematic red-light camera program and his dealings with a Chicago hedge-fund manager and campaign contributor. The judge refused, saying public records are public, regardless of how they're stored. The watchdog Better Government Association has won similar court rulings against Emanuel and the state comptroller in recent months. As for the attorney general's recent decree, Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the agency is considering options. Binding opinions can be challenged in court. Don Craven, Springfield-based lawyer for the Illinois Press Association, said if the police abide by the opinion, or if a judge upholds it upon legal challenge, "We are a long way toward good news" in ensuring government officials can't hide their work on private phones and computers. Students no longer have to commute to the mainland if they want to complete high school. Thanh An Island is a remote commune in Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City. It takes at least 45 minutes to get there across the sea by boat. This place looks nothing like other parts of Vietnam's economic hub which is booming with local start-ups and foreign investment. This small offshore island doesn't even have a high school. Thanh An Elementary School has 330 students. On the first day of the school year, teachers had to take a roll call in case any of the students had chosen to skip school. Some parents are too busy with their jobs at sea, they just forget to bring their kids back to school, School Principal Dang Thai Binh said. Others have no one to take care of their children as they work in industrial zones on the mainland. They just take their kids with them for the whole summer and dont bring them back. We have to go to these students houses to remind them that the school year has started. A teacher checking attendance on the first day of school. Principal Thai Binh went to each class to ask if any of his students was absent. English was only introduced to the students four years ago. One of my proudest achievements as a principal is that I managed to bring English to our classes. Its hard to find an English teacher to come here and help us. The first English teacher arrived here in 2012 and the second in 2014, said Thai Binh. I have worked here for almost 10 years. I hope my students somehow get a chance to learn English with native speakers. The kids are just excited about the language, Thai Binh added. The island only has an elementary and a secondary school for local children. It means 9th graders, or secondary school seniors, here have had to choose to either to quit high school or continue their studies by living away from their families in a dormitory at Can Thanh High School on the mainland. That's all changed now a high school junior class of 28 students has opened at the secondary school. Teachers from Can Thanh High School travel to Thanh An every day to teach the class. Math teacher Nguyen Dien Tin has been sent from Can Thanh to start working on the island. I will have to go to work earlier and go home later, but it is actually good for my students, said Tin Before, I have seen many students from Thanh An Island quit high school, at least four to five students every year. The reasons were mostly that they could not keep traveling to the mainland to study, or their parents were too poor to support them living away from home. Officials statistics show that 60 percent of households on the island are below the poverty line. Bui Nguyen Hoai Son, one of the first 10th graders studying on Thanh An Island My elder sister had to live away from our family in a dorm in her high school year, one of the first 10th graders studying on the island, Bui Nguyen Hoai Son, said. I remember my mom had to cook meals for her every day, then packed them and sent them by boat to the mainland. Now she doesnt have to do that as I can study on our island. In the future, I want to become a history teacher, I just love that subject." A new, bigger school is under construction for both secondary and high school students on Thanh An Island for next year. But starting from this year already, no high school students from the island have to quit their studies due to travel distance. Photos by Hong Nhuy Related news: > Saigon boarding school says no to homosexual students > American University in Vietnam officially opens for first school year > Disaster-hit children struggle without school buildings, charity says Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger proposed a No Budget, No Pay bill Wednesday to encourage Illinois lawmakers to pass an annual balanced budget. Under the legislation, lawmakers would need to pass a balanced budget in order for state constitutional officers and legislators to receive their salary. The comptroller outlined her plan at the Illinois State Fair Wednesday. I dont know of an employer that would pay someone that is not doing their job, Munger said in a statement. Why should taxpayers settle for less?" "We tell small businesses, nonprofits, hospitals, schools and others to wait in line for months for what theyre owed by the state its unconscionable that we would prioritize politician pay and move them to the front, she added. As a result of the states budget stalemate, Munger announced in April that lawmakers would have to wait in line to receive paychecks with other state vendors. Earlier this month, Rich Carter, spokesperson for Mungers office, told Ward Room that paychecks are cut in the order that they are received, with the exception of certain court orders for things like payroll payments to state employees. Carter noted that paying lawmakers "depends on the amount of revenue that comes in." The states current bill backlog is nearly $8 billion. Munger, who was appointed by Gov. Bruce Rauner, is up for reelection in November. She will face Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza. In her release, Munger faulted Mendoza for voting in favor of tax increases, pension holidays and budget proposals from House Speaker Mike Madigan as a state representative. "I, like many Illinois voters, have seen enough of the machine politics that have made Susana Mendoza," Munger said. "Enough is enough. When I look at her record, I cant help but ask, whats the deal?" Mendoza responded Wednesday, slamming Munger for her ties to Rauner and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. If, like Leslie Munger, I was supporting Donald Trump, taking campaign contributions from his Illinois campaign chair and referred to myself as the self-proclaimed wingman of Governor Rauner, I too would say or do anything to distract voters away from that fact, Mendoza said in a statement. But after throwing seniors, disabled children and every other vulnerable population under the bus in order to push Rauners political agenda, she wont be able to hide from her detestable record in November. Mendozas campaign site features a petition urging Munger to disavow Trump. The comptroller hasnt disavowed the divisive billionaire, although she skipped the Republican National Convention in Cleveland last month. Some Democratic lawmakers have claimed Mungers decision to delay paychecks is politically motivated. Earlier this month, Rep. Jaime Andrade told Ward Room that he thinks the decision to delay lawmakers paychecks is a political move by Munger as she faces a tough reelection bid. Andrade, who has resorted to driving Uber to pay his bills as Illinois budget woes continue to delay paychecks, claimed the delay has had "zero effect of moving the needle" on legislative budget action in Springfield. Additionally, Rep. Robert Martwick published a Facebook post earlier this month claiming that Munger and Rauner were engaging in "extortion and corruption" by putting Andrade "in a very difficult financial situation." In an interview published Tuesday, Sen. Mark Kirk told the State Journal-Register editorial board that he plans to write-in former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency David Petraeus for president, once again changing course. During the interview, Kirk admitted that he has been all over the map with regards to who he would support for president and reverted back to supporting Petraeus, a retired four-star Army general. In March, Kirk told NBC 5 that he would back Donald Trump if he became the Republican presidential nominee. The senator pulled his endorsement of Trump in June after the billionaire made a series of inflammatory statements about the heritage of a Hispanic judge presiding over civil fraud lawsuits against his beleaguered Trump University. Later that month, the senator said he would write-in Petraeus, who resigned from his post as the CIAs director in 2012 following a scandal stemming from an extramarital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell. He pleaded guilty in federal court last year to a charge of unauthorized removal and retention of classified information. After facing criticism, Kirk changed course in July and started backing former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a fellow four-star Army general who would also be a write-in candidate. Last week, Kirk noted that he couldnt back Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton because she was for the Iran agreement and I cant back someone who was for the Iran agreement. But last year, Powell told NBCs Meet the Press that he also supported the nuclear agreement. At the time, Powell said that deal would stop this highway race they were going down toward Iran building a nuclear weapon. Now Kirk is backing Petraeus again. During the interview with the State Journal-Register editorial board, he responded to the retired generals guilty plea, claiming he was worried that Petraeus was always seen as a potential rival to the president. Kirk also noted that he thinks the prosecution went too hard on the former CIA director. Kirk is locked in one of the nation's most competitive Senate races with Rep. Tammy Duckworth. The Democratic Party of Illinois responded to the senator's comments Wednesday. "Once again, Republican Mark Kirk has embarrassed himself by concocting a bizarre conspiracy theory about President Obama using the Justice Department to carry out acts of political retribution," DPI spokesman Sean Savett said in a statement. "Kirk should come forward with whatever proof he has or admit he was either lying or engaging in irresponsible speculation, two things he does quite frequently. It's time to elect a senator with better judgment." The Kirk campaign did not immediately respond to Ward Rooms request for comment on this story. The senator spoke at the Illinois State Fair Wednesday. "The Colbert Report" debuted nearly 11 years ago with Stephen Colbert playing his conservative blowhard character and introducing the concept of "truthiness" twisting the truth to make a disingenuous point. Colbert's Comedy Central time slot replacement Larry Wilmore debuted on "The Nightly Show" just over 1 1/2 years ago, playing himself and introducing the concept of "Keep it 100" telling the truth to make an honest point. Both men effectively used smart humor in different ways to keep things 100 percent real. But now, the reality of ratings has claimed "The Night Show," which ends after Thursday night's edition. That's a shame for fans of Wilmore and of quality late night TV comedy. He tackled race and politics amid a period of high-stakes turmoil, generating laughs and insight. As he put it on Monday's installment: "Our show was at its best when the news was at its worst." But Wilmore's best wasn't enough to draw a large, young audience amid tough competition that included Colbert's CBS show, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Conan O'Brien. His mature, thoughtful approach to putting the craziness of the day into perspective didn't pack the flash of fellow "Daily Show" alumni John Oliver and Samantha Bee, who benefit from a weekly schedule. But he produced a solid, intelligent show four nights a week. Part of the program's charm came from his nightly panel of guests, a throwback to Bill Maher's old "Politically Incorrect" that included some interesting groupings (like 50 Cent and Judd Apatow last year). Wilmore would ask provocative questions and ask his guests to "keep it 100," handing out stickers to those who gave unvarnished answers deemed genuine. He also mixed in fresh comic talent, most notably "Nightly Show" regular Mike Yard. Wilmore was at his best, though, during his opening segments, with targets ranging from Bill Cosby (check out his searing "The People v. O.J. Simpson" parody skewering the embattled former sitcom star) to Bill O'Reilly (witness how he spun himself into the Fox host's "No Spin Zone"). He also memorably headed to Baltimore last year to interview gang members amid protests after Freddie Gray died in police custody, offering context to the unrest. While praising Wilmore, Comedy Central President Kent Alterman told Variety that "The Nightly Show" hasn't "resonated with our audience. But Wilmore clearly connected with more than 750,000 viewers, not an inconsiderable crowd these days. With time, Wilmores audience might have grown via his election-pegged bits, dubbed "The Unblackening." Wilmore also provided a complementary counterpoint to Trevor Noah's increasingly high-energy take on "The Daily Show." While the 32-year-old South African comic doesn't command the audience Stewart did, he does turn out Internet-friendly material. That was never a strength for Wilmore. His top viral moment using a variation of the N-word to address President Obama at April's White House Correspondents' Dinner became steeped in controversy. Wilmore also didn't make any friends in the press that night: CNN's Don Lemon gave him the finger. ("Some of Americas finest black journalists are here tonight. Don Lemon is here too, Wilmore cracked.) Give Wilmore credit, though, for a bold effort, which came a decade after a far more brazen performance at the dinner by Colbert bolstered "The Colbert Report" in its early days. (With then-President Bush sitting nearby, Colbert said: I stand by this man, because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things, things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares.) On his show Monday night, a gracious, but clearly disappointed Wilmore handled the news with humor. He observed that the end of "The Nightly Show" means "racism is solved we did it!" He was kidding, of course, but here's the 100 about Larry Wilmore: He stayed true to himself and his audience. Even amid a crowded late night TV comedy landscape, his strong comic voice resonated by always keeping it real. Jere Hester is Director of News Products and Projects at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is also the author of "Raising a Beatle Baby: How John, Paul, George and Ringo Helped us Come Together as a Family." Follow him on Twitter. The most influential business association in Connecticut has a machine in the fall to replace anti-business lawmakers with those who support a pro-business agenda. Joe Brennan, the president of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, said his organization will commit $400,000 in independent expenditures for the Fall election with a mission to install more lawmakers who will sympathize with his effort to make Connecticut more business-friendly. "This isn't an effort just to back Republicans. We're doing independent expenditures, supporting Republican seats and Democratic seats and in our endorsements we'll be supporting Democrats and Republicans as we always have," Brennan said. Even though he said its not a partisan effort, he acknowledges the focus will be on vulnerable Democrats like Killingly State Senator Mae Flexer and Meriden State Senator Dante Bartolomeo. Each won their campaigns by slim margins. Brennan said those are the kinds of senators who he has circled, not because of the D next to their names, but because of the votes theyve cast. "It's not an effort to just go after anybody because of their party. It's really driven by their votes in the legislature," Brennan said. Gov. Dannel Malloy has been both a supporter and opponent of CBIA in the past year and said Monday that he was aware of CBIAs effort to support pro-business candidates, that could lead to a Republican majority in the State Senate. "In my job, you've got to work with Democrats, you've got to work with Republicans, you've got to work with independents and people get to spend their money the way they want, he said. He did spurn the CBIA, calling the group misguided, however, because of their support for incumbents who didnt vote for Malloys proposal for a transportation lockbox that would protect funding from being spent elsewhere. "One of the highest things on their calendar was to accomplish a lockbox for transportation so that we can move forward on a long-term basis to rebuild transportation in Connecticut and a number of candidates they are supporting, particularly on the House side, voted against that," Malloy said. Brennan disregarded such criticism. He said a divided House and Senate could be good for Connecticut and lead to policy results more people could be happy with. "When one party controls one chamber and another party controls the other chamber either nothing happens or they sit together and work cooperatively toward legislation. That's what happened back in the 90s. If that's the result of this, then we're hopeful that we'll get good legislation out of this," Brennan said. Greenwich police have obtained an arrest warrant for a Norwalk man they say tried to blow up an oxygen tank by shooting at it. Matthew Ilchert, 35, went to the Greenwich home of acquaintance Ed Koller on Monday, placed an oxygen tank against a pillar and fired a pistol at it in an apparent attempt to cause an explosion, according to police. Koller said he had been helping Ilchert try to win back an ex-girlfriend, but their relationship soured. After the shooting, Ilchert hit Koller with his car while fleeing, then crashed near the Westchester County Airport in New York, where he was arrested, according to Greenwich police. He remains in custody there. Greenwich police are working with New York authorities on his extradition. The warrant charges him with criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a gun without a permit, unlawful discharge of a firearm, third-degree assault, three counts of first-degree reckless endangerment, second-degree breach of peace and reckless driving. It could not immediately be determined if Ilchert has an attorney. Lead poisoning can be extremely harmful to children and could cause brain damage, but few schools know what the lead level in their drinking water is because the state only requires a small percentage of schools to test for it. The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters began asking questions about water testing on the heels of the Flint Michigan water crisis and learned that only about 15 percent of schools in the state are required to test their water for lead. Meriden officials said the cost to test water is only about $8 per sample, It takes about a minute to collect a sample. Yet, statewide testing just isn't happening. One woman who knows first-hand the effects of lead poisoning of a child is Patricia Rodriguez. Her 3-year-old daughter, Isavella, got lead poisoning from lead paint in the house she used to rent in Meriden. Rodriguez said she learned about lead exposure after noticing her daughter getting sick frequently. It was just the way that she was acting, Rodriguez said. She kept on getting sick frequently. A trip to the doctor found dangerously high levels of lead in her blood. 11.5 was her level for lead, Rodriquez said. That's more than double the amount of lead the Department of public health considers poisonous to a child. When we get a report of a child with an elevated blood lead level over 5 micrograms per deciliter, our health department is required to act, per state statute, Lea Crown, director of Health and Human Services for the City of Meriden, said. Elevated lead levels are extremely harmful to children and can cause brain damage. Rodriguez is worried about the long-term effects lead poisoning will have on Isavella. It can cause her to end up with learning disabilities, it can cause her to have not a good memory where she has memory loss, Rodriguez said. Out of more than 1,100 schools in Connecticut, officials with the state said only 170 of them are required to test their water for lead. These schools that are on the list that you reference are individual public water systems, Lori Mathieu, water section chief for the state Department of Public Health, said. They are responsible to conduct the testing as a public water system. In the past five years, 17 of those schools came back over the legal limit for allowable lead contaminants. State officials said all other schools in the state get their water from public water systems, like MDC or Aquarion. However, that doesnt mean their drinking water can't be contaminated with lead. According to the EPA, lead contamination of drinking water usually comes from corroded plumbing and it wasn't until parts of the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act implemented in 2014 that virtually all lead was prohibited in pipes and plumbing. Therefore, unless a school was built in the last two years, its likely to have plumbing with lead components. Water fountains where kids could go take a drink could still have lead within those coils, within the fountain itself, within the fixtures themselves, Mathieu said. d The NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters asked Mathieu why the state wouldnt have schools periodically test water for lead if the problem is with the plumbing and the water source and she said it's not a requirement in the State of Connecticut. Although Meriden schools are not required to test, they did in the Spring after 2,200 children across the state turned up with dangerously high blood lead levels in 2014, likely caused by lead paint. Of those children, 103 were from Meriden. Were actually top, in the top five, so that's why Meriden was proactive in deciding to test the water in the schools, Crown said. Meriden officials said they tested every school in the city and found that the water had acceptable levels of lead. While Meriden is proactive, the NBC Connecticut Troubleshooters found none of the other top cities for lead poisoning, New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford and Waterbury, are required by the state to test their school's water either. New Haven voluntarily did so for the first time in June and test results showed a water sample taken from a drinking fountain at Mauro Sheridan Magnet School in New Haven tested at 26ppb, which is almost double the safe limit of 15ppb. They re-tested that water fountain several weeks later and samples were lower, at 12ppb. The number can go up and down and to do consistent testing is the only way you can figure that out to see what is actually taking place, Mathieu said. Waterbury hasn't tested school water in six years, but agreed to test some schools last month after our request. Among the schools tested was John Gilmartin Elementary school, which was first tested in 2010 when the school opened. Reports show it had virtually no lead in the water sampled then. New tests show 11ppb, which is still under the limit of 15ppb, but is has gone up in the last six years. After our continued requests, the city of Hartford agreed to test school water for lead Tuesday and the results are not yet in. Rodriguez said she is focusing on helping Isavella get well again. Although her daughter was on medication for months as a result of lead poisoning, she still has lead in her blood. They should do everything in their power to make sure that it's lead free, Rodriguez said. Fans looking to see rookie Ezekiel Elliott Friday night in Arlington are going to be bummed out because he is not going to be playing. The fourth overall pick from Ohio State told the media in Oxnard, California, this when asked if he will play against the Dolphins in preseason, "I don't think so." He only did individual work in practice Tuesday. Smart move by the Cowboys since the rookie just got back to practice Tuesday afternoon after a mild hamstring issue. He's been sidelined since August 2nd. The Cowboys travel to Seattle to play the important "dress rehearsal" game next week so I expect him to make his debut then saying, "I think I'll be back full speed next week." A 7-year-old boy who was rushed to a hospital after being injured in an apartment fire in east Dallas has died, fire officials say.[[390472591,C]] The fire started at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Solana Ridge Apartments located in the 8000 block of Chariot Drive. When firefighters arrived, neighbors were screaming that there were people still inside the building, according to Dallas Fire-Rescue Spokesman Jason Evans. Soon after, they found Fabian Pena unresponsive in the building. Paramedics immediately began administering CPR and transported him to a hospital. **Warning: The Facebook live video below contains profanity. Viewer discretion is advised.**[[390501061,C]] Fire officials said Pena died Thursday night. His mother and her infant son suffered non-life threatening injuries, but were taken to a hospital for evaluation, Evans said. They are expected to be ok. The Pena's mother told investigators she could smell the odor of gas inside her apartment before the fire started. Witnesses also reported hearing at least one explosion before the fire. Residents said the complex has had issues with its gas system. A letter was sent to residents on Aug. 5 that said "Solana Ridge is currently in the process of having repairs done to the gas line in your section of the property.We are turning off your stove during this repair and will return once repairs are complete. We will return to turn your stove back on." A 7-year-old child was among those injured in an apartment fire Wednesday afternoon in east Dallas. Atmos Energy crews were on scene shortly after the fire working throughout the complex. In a response to questions from NBC 5 over what work the utility had done and is doing at the complex an Atmos Energy spokeswoman said, "After a thorough check of the natural gas system that serves the area, Atmos Energy has concluded that its system remains safe." "They keep saying they're working on it, but how long (do you all) have to work on it. It's people without gas here," said Matanya Evans, whose apartment suffered smoke and water damage. Matanya will be staying with her sister, Misty Williams, who lives on the opposite side of the complex. The pair and their neighbors said they're fed up with the ongoing maintenance issues. Since the Aug. 5 letter was posted Williams said residents have been unable to cook and had just regained access to hot water. "It came back on last night and we had hot water. They were supposed to re-hook it up so we could cook on our gas stove," she said. The apartment's management staff would not respond to questions from NBC 5. A child was rushed to a hospital after being injured in an apartment fire in east Dallas. Two firefighters were treated at the scene. One was overcome by the heat and the other suffered a minor injury to his hand. They are both expected to recover. Evans said a total of six apartments were directly impacted by the fire, with the number expected to increase once officials factor in smoke and water damage. An unknown number of residents have been displaced. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell has been summoned by Pope Francis to work at the Vatican on behalf of Catholics around the world. The Pope announced Wednesday that Farrell, 68, will be the Prefect of the newly established Vatican Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life. The new office combines several Vatican offices into one and will work on behalf of lay people while also directing related institutes to give merciful care to the spiritually wounded. Im humbled by the fact that he would entrust me with this new department, said Farrell at a press conference Wednesday. "The new dicastery will focus on the work of the universal Church in the promotion of the laity and the apostolate of the laity and for the pastoral care of the family in accordance with the Pope's recent apostolic exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, the Joy of Love, and the support of human life," according to a statement from the Catholic Diocese of Dallas. During his press conference, he recounted his shock when he first received a phone call from the Pontiff. And my assistant, administrative assistant, came in and said, the Popes on the telephone, and I felt like saying, Yeah, yeah'. Eventually she did put on the Pope and he told me that he would like me to go to Rome because Dallas needed a much better Bishop than I am," said Farrell to a room of media who erupted in laughter. Farrell said he spoke on the phone with the Pope for about five minutes and later traveled to the Vatican and met with him for two hours about his new role. In a statement Wednesday, Farrell said he was "extremely humbled" to be selected to lead the dicastery and that he was "grateful for the Holy Father's confidence." Bishop of Dallas Kevin J. Farrell discusses his promotion to prefect of a Vatican dicastery following the appointment announced Wednesday by Pope Francis. It is my home, it is a place I love. I love the people, Ive loved the work, I enjoy it immensely, Farrell, who has served Dallas' one million Catholics since 2007, said. The Bishop also said "the strong faith, kindness and generosity of the people in the Diocese of Dallas surpassed all of my expectations" and that he was confident Pope Francis would "find the right man to serve as the new chief shepherd" in Dallas. "For more than a decade, Catholic Charities of Dallas has had the distinct honor of working closely with Bishop Farrell to help those in need across Dallas," said Dave Woodyard, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of Dallas. "He is a humble servant and a strong advocate for the thousands of people who need hope and help in life - from children in poverty to immigrants who need a voice to families desperate for education and safe assistance. We wish him all the best and feel blessed to have had his counsel and partnership." Thank you all, thank you all so much. You all have been very good to me in my 10 years here . . . and Im sure we will meet again, Farrell said, as the room continuously clapped for the Bishop and he proceeded to shake hands with reporters and photographers around the room. Farrell, whose brother is also a top Vatican official, will be the highest ranking American prelate serving at the Vatican when his appointment becomes effective Sept. 1. Auxiliary Bishop Greg Kelly will lead the diocese until Farrell's successor is named. Pope Outlines Vision for Promoting Life, Family Issues Pope Francis also named an Italian moderate, Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, to head two academic institutes affiliated with the new laity office -- one dealing with bioethics, the other with marriage -- and told Paglia he should focus on promoting the merciful side of church doctrine. Combined, the appointments signal a more moderate direction for Vatican offices responsible for hot-button, culture war issues such as abortion, contraception, marriage and divorce. Farrell is known as a moderate with a warm, friendly approach that balances a strong emphasis on social justice issues with a defense of church teaching on issues such as abortion. Paglia, too, is a moderate, an Italian who was responsible for investigating and pushing through the beatification of slain El Salvador Archbishop Oscar Romero over opposition from Latin American conservatives who accused Romero of Marxist sympathies. The two institutes Paglia now heads -- the Pontifical Academy for Life and the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family --were created during the pontificate of the conservative Polish pope to assert church doctrine on core sexual morals, bioethics and marriage. The institutes' members were often hard-liners and their conferences often featured only like-minded academics. In a letter to Paglia, Francis said he wanted the institutes to focus on imbuing church teaching on life and marriage issues with mercy, opening dialogue with other academic and scientific centers, Christian and not. "Bowing before the wounds of mankind, to understand them, treat them and heal them is the job of a church that believes in the light and strength of the resurrected Christ, able to go even to places of tension and conflict like a field hospital," Francis wrote to Paglia. Farrell's new office is expected to work in tandem with Paglia's institutes and will include many lay Catholics in top positions. That's part of the pope's aim to reinvigorate the participation of ordinary Catholics in the church and get away from what he has long criticized as an overly "clericalized" hierarchy. The statutes of Farrell's office, released in June, say it will have three sections: laity, family and life. The life section is designed to coordinate initiatives promoting "responsible procreation" and supporting initiatives to help women choose alternatives to abortion. Farrell has defended Francis' emphasis on mercy over divisive social issues in the face of criticism from some American conservatives who dismiss the pope as confusing and insufficiently faithful. Farrell seems very much on message with Francis on some key issues. He has spoken out for the rights of immigrants, including writing in 2010 on his blog that "immigration reform is a moral issue." He drew the ire of many Texas conservatives when he praised President Barack Obama's executive action this year tightening gun regulations. Farrell, writing on his blog, criticized a new open carry state gun law as a sad reflection of "the cowboy mentality." When the U.S. Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal nationwide last year, Farrell wrote that the church would never accept gay marriage, but also emphasized that gays and lesbians should be treated with respect and compassion. Both positions are in line with Francis and church teaching. "We don't all have to agree with each other. We just have to treat each other with respect and build bridges," Farrell said Wednesday. Farrell and his brother, Brian, both were ordained as priests of the Legion of Christ religious order. Kevin Farrell left the scandal-marred order in the early 1980s and incardinated into the Archdiocese of Washington. Brian Farrell remains a Legion priest and is the No. 2 in the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity. NBC 5's Frank Heinz and Kristin Dickerson contributed to this story along with AP Religion Writer Rachel Zoll in New York and AP writer Jamie Stengle in Dallas. Dallas County Commissioners Tuesday approved 6-percent raises for themselves and other elected county officials. It was a reduction from the even larger 8-percent increase on the agenda, after strong opposition from Dallas County deputies who may get smaller raises. Sgt. Chris Dyer, leader of the Dallas County Sheriff Employees Association, spoke for members at the Commissioners Court meeting. "I've been a Dallas County employee for almost 30 years, 16 of those, my pay plan was frozen," he said. "You have money now to fix this problem. You'll never have a better chance than right now to fix it." Soaring property values across North Texas give local governments the luxury of considering budget increases with the same property tax rates. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and Commissioner Mike Cantrell want tax rates reduced to soften the blow for property owners. The other three Dallas County Commissioners favor the same 24.31 cents per $100 value. "Keep the tax rate as it is," said Commissioner Elba Garcia. "We're still one of the lowest. Give our employees the salary they deserve." With the current tax rate, a 6-percent pay raise for deputies and other county employees is included in the proposed budget. Rolling back to the rate Jenkins and Cantrell prefer would allow only 3-percent employee raises. Taxpayers speaking at the meeting complained about the higher tax bills they will pay if rates are not reduced. Peter Urrutia with the Metro Tex Association of Realtors voiced the concerns of many owners. "You are increasing the cost of home ownership. That is not something we can support. That is not something we will support. You have the opportunity to do the right thing and show some leadership," Urrutia said. Officials said the Dallas County portion of tax bills is only about 9 percent of the total that also goes to cities and school districts. Commissioner John Wiley Price said Dallas County has been frugal and county employees, roads and buildings have waited long enough. "Look what we've done. Compare us to the urban counties. Compare us to the state," Price said. Officials said the average owner of a $200,000 home would pay about $37 more than last year for the Dallas County portion of taxes if the rate remains the same because of increased value. Only the elected official pay raises were on the commissioners' voting agenda Tuesday. Commissioners vote next month on a 2016-2017 fiscal year property tax rate and a new budget that determines employee raises. Dallas County Commissioners are currently paid $145,474 a year. A 6-percent raise would increase that to $154,202. Elected officials are free to refuse their pay raises. Elba Garcia and Clay Jenkins said they would not accept the extra money. International observers and rights monitors have expressed grave concern over the reported mass execution earlier this month of some two dozen Sunni Iranians. There are few details available about the individuals executed, but most, if not all, were ethnic Kurds, had been held at Gohardasht Prison, and were accused by the government of terrorist activity. They allegedly had been charged with the crime of enmity against God. There are reports that the prisoners had been tortured in order to elicit confessions, and that their trials were unfair, short, and secret. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said that the application of overly broad and vague criminal charges, coupled with a disdain for the rights of the accused to due process and a fair trial, have in these cases led to a grave injustice. Human Rights Watch said, Irans mass execution of prisoners on August 2is a shameful low point in its human rights record. With at least 230 executions since January 1, Iran is yet again the regional leader in executions but a laggard in implementing the so far illusory penal code reforms meant to bridge the gap with international standards. In its most recent report on human rights world-wide, the State Department said that in Iran there were severe restrictions of civil liberties, including the freedoms of expression, religion, and assembly, as well as abuse of due process. The report noted that the Iranian government disproportionately targeted minority groups, including Kurds, Arabs, Azeris, and Baluchis, for arbitrary arrest, prolonged detention, and physical abuse, and that the governments application of the death penalty disproportionately affected ethnic minorities. Regarding the reported mass execution of the Kurdish-Iranian prisoners, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said that the United States reaffirm[s] our calls for Iran to respect and protect human rights and to ensure fair and transparent judicial proceedings in all cases. Mr. Toner noted that the United States has consistently expressed concern about Irans human rights record through a range of channels, and that the United States would continue to highlight that record within the United Nations framework and elsewhere. Fort Worth police officers are armed with a new tool to fight crime a high-tech computer program that uses the latest data to map crime hot spots. The program, called Omega CrimeView Dashboard, allows officers to zero-in on crime trends in neighborhoods and even identify possible suspects using their mobile computers. "We have to come up with new ways and new ideas to stay ahead of what's going on out here, especially as the population of Fort Worth keeps growing," said Sgt. Dalton Webb, who is one of the first to be trained on the new software. "We can focus on specific areas that are having particular problems." On a single screen, for example, Webb can plot hot spots for high-priority calls, where officers are making traffic stops, and the locations of recent burglaries. If officers notice a certain crime plaguing a certain neighborhood, they can even pull up a map of parolees in the area to identify possible suspects. The software also can identify locations with a high number of recent car accidents. "It's a great tool for a supervisor because if we get a certain area that is getting (high-priority) calls, we can move our assets into those areas for a quicker response time," Webb said. Police Chief Joel Fitzgerald plans for all officers to eventually get trained on the program. "They can look at real-time crime stats, run their own numbers, run their own hot spots, to develop their own plans to deter crime," Fitzgerald said, following a city council meeting Tuesday. The software is made by TriTech Software Systems of San Diego. Fort Worth is one of the first communities to use the program in North Texas. North Texans are rushing to help people in Louisiana who have been flooded out of their homes. "This operation is not going to be one of these, come in for two weeks (and then leave)," said Terry Henderson, with Texas Baptist Men. "This is going to be a long-term operation." The American Red Cross of North Texas and Texas Baptist Men both have disaster relief teams working near Baton Rouge, where tens of thousands of people have been forced from their homes by high water. "We're looking closer to this weekend before the water will recede, is what the officials are telling us," said Henderson. North Texas is gearing up to help people displaced by severe flooding in Louisiana. Dallas County, which provided shelters for evacuees from Hurricane Katrina 11 years ago, could offer up to three shelters this year, if needed. "There's only a few places like Dallas that are inland and big and have the resources that we have," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins. "The governor's office and the feds would be paying us back, so we're going to do what they ask us to do." "If they tell us that we need to do more, we're going to do more," Jenkins said. So far, Louisiana has not requested any help of that nature from the state of Texas. Carrollton police arrested a man in connection with the fatal stabbing of a man who thought he was getting into the car of a rideshare driver. Officials said during a news conference Thursday that 44-year-old Donaldo Velasquez was arrested Wednesday night and charged with murder in the July 31 fatal stabbing of 34-year-old Arnold Pinilla. Pinella was stabbed to death on the 1000 block of Myers Street in Carrollton after he and his girlfriend accepted a ride from a man they thought was a rideshare driver. Investigators said surveillance video from nearby businesses indicated the driver's vehicle was a Subaru Legacy -- and that vehicle was traced to Velasquez. Police said Thursday that Velasquez is the sole suspect in the slaying. Officials said Thursday the murder was a completely random crime of opportunity that escalated quickly. Velasquez was arrested at his home in The Colony at about 8 p.m. Wednesday and is currently being held in the Carrollton City Jail, though he is expected to be transferred to the Dallas County Jail. Bond has not yet been set. Carrollton police asked anyone with information about the incident to call North Texas Crime Stoppers at 877-373-8477. More crews were arriving to battle the destructive and fast-moving Blue Cut Fire through the night after the blaze charred more than 28 square miles Tuesday alone, forcing the closure of the Cajon Pass, and burning structures with no end in sight. The devastating blaze came as a punishing summer heat wave swept across Southern California. By Tuesday evening, 82,000 residents were under mandatory evacuations and Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency. The fire was zero percent contained at 11 p.m. PT, according to CalFire. The so-called Blue Cut Fire, named because it started near a trail called Blue Cut, erupted at 10:36 a.m. Tuesday in the Cajon Pass near Kenwood Avenue west of Interstate 15. Nobody was seriously hurt, but the fire left two firefighters with minor injuries. Two firefighters were hurt when they became trapped by fire while defending homes and assisting evacuations in the Swarthout Canyon area west of the Cajon Pass. They took shelter in a home, but were briefly hospitalized and returned to the fire line defending structures. Ash rained down from above as motorists snapped pictures and videos of the large black and gray plume rising above the Cajon Pass. Smoke could be seen in Big Bear Lake. At least eight communities were under evacuation orders, affecting 82,340 people, according to fire officials. The entire community of Wrightwood was forced to evacuate Tuesday afternoon, and by nightfall, the evacuations extended to the edge of Los Angeles County. Up to 800 people evacuated Lytle Creek, a community along the eastern edge of the San Gabriel Mountains. One resident who only gave NBC4 her first name, Amber, said she was in the shower when deputies knocked on her door in the Happy Jack community and asked her to evacuate. She grabbed what she could, including her dogs, and took off. But she said her neighbor refused to evacuate and remains in her house. Communication is sketchy in the area. "There is no escape," she said. "This was the time for me to go." The blaze closed the main route to Nevada as the 15/215 interchange was shut down. The fire shut down both directions of Interstate 15 from Oak Hill Road to Kenwood Avenue, Caltrans reported. A photo from a motorist showed a line of vehicles sitting on a stretch of highway under a red, apocalyptic plume. A video on Instagram showed cars and semis stranded on Interstate 15. A cement truck can be seen driving in reverse. Highway 138 to Lone Pine Canyon was closed. A video by a newspaper reporter showed flames approaching State Route 138, which runs east-west along the northern foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and the Mojave Desert. The fire disrupted the first day of school for many in the region. Students at Kimbark Elementary School were being transported to Cesar Chavez School in San Bernardino. Snowline Unified School District also evacuated student to Wrightwood Elementary School. Any parents who could not pick up their children by 3 p.m. would be reunited at Serrano High School. Bus routes were canceled in Wrightwood and the West Cajon Valley for Snowline Unified. Any students who were aboard buses on the route would also be taken to Serrano High School. Red Cross emergency shelters were set up for evacuees at the Jessie Turner Community Center, 15556 Summit Ave., in Fontana, and also at Sultana High School, at 17311 Sultana St., in Hesperia, which has become the designated overnight shelter. A shelter for large and small animals can be taken to the Devore Animal Shelter, 19777 Shelter Way or the San Bernardino County Fairgrounds, at 14800 Seventh St., in Victorville. BNSF Railway Company also halted train operations through the Cajon Pass Tuesday due to the blaze. The fire is raging during an extreme heat wave and a historic drought and when a red-flag fire warning and an air quality alert was issued for the area. The number of fires in the state has grown 20 percent over the last decade, going from more than 4,800 fires in 2006 to nearly 5,800 fires in 2015, according to data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. A fast-moving wildfire in the Inland Empire in California left a trail of destruction along Interstate 15, including leveling a historic Route 66 diner which in its heyday was frequented by Elvis, John Wayne, and more of Hollywood's elite. The iconic Summit Inn diner, located in Oak Hills along the Cajon Pass, was a popular roadside destination for people traveling from Los Angeles to Las Vegas since the 1950s. The vintage building's signature red neon "Summit Inn" sign would flash on and off, beckoning drivers along Interstate 15 to stop in for a bite to eat or visit the gift shop full of memorabilia. It is now in ashes. "It is beyond comprehension how this could possibly happen," reads a message posted on the diner's Facebook page. Ten tables full of customers and a half-dozen employees fled the restaurant around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday when firefighters told them they had to leave. The restaurant was destroyed just hours later. The Summit Inn, which opened in 1952, was visited by both tourists and celebrities alike. Elvis Presley, John Wayne and Pierce Brosnan are just some of the famous faces that have visited the diner. "Elvis stopped at the restaurant and kicked the jukebox when he didn't see any of his records," owner Katherine Juarez said. Juarez said the family plans to visit the site Wednesday to see what memorabilia can be salvaged. She told NBC4 that the diner was insured and that the family hopes to rebuild. A elderly woman was nearly killed Tuesday when a driver crashed a pickup truck into a house in Northwest Miami-Dade. Ana Delia Pairol, 78, was sitting in her living room with her back against the wall when a blue Chevy Avalanche came barreling in. The house was left in shambles; Pairol left bloodied and distraught. Pairol's son, Omar Ramos, says he was in the bathroom when he heard a loud noise that sounded like an explosion. He says he then saw his mother on the floor screaming. The 78-year old was rushed to the hospital with several injuries. She is expected to stay in the hospital for a few days. Ramos believes the male driver was not hurt. Police have not said if the driver faces any charges. Former Miami Police Chief John Timoney, who spent seven years leading the force while receiving praise and some criticism for his work, has passed away. Timoney had been diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and was being treated in Miami. He was 68. He revealed last month that he was in the hospital for treatment. "Today our department mourns the passing of retired Miami Police Chief John F. Timoney. The contributions Chief Timoney made for the advancement of our department are only surpassed by the dedicated service he provided our community," current Miami Police Chief Rodolfo Llanes said in a statement. "He leaves a foundation of accountability and excellence we must continue to uphold as public servants. We will remember his legacy by honoring the same commitment he gave to all of the residents of our City." Timoney started his law enforcement career with the New York Police Department, where he spent 29 years and rose to the rank of First Deputy Commissioner. After spending four years as the Commissioner for the Philadelphia Police Department, Timoney spent a year in private security before being named the chief of the Miami Police Department in 2003. During his time in South Florida, Timoney received praise at the start of his tenure for a reduction in the murder rate and the number of police involved shootings. There would be some controversy, including the use of force by officers during the Free Trade Area of the Americas summit and his use of a luxury SUV without cost from a local dealership. Timoney spent the past six years working as a consultant for both the country of Bahrain and the Camden County, NJ Police Department. A viewing for Timoney is scheduled to be held on Thursday at the Vior Funeral Home in Miami from 3-10p.m. Jason Koxvolds BLACK-WATER Posted by Jacqui Palumbo on August 17, 2016 | Photographer Interviews Brooklyn-based photographer Jason Koxvold was researching Kuwait on Google Earth when he first got the idea for his series BLACK-WATER. He explains: I could see that a significant part of the country was occupied by U.S. military facilities, he saysand he wanted to photograph them. After working for many years as a creative director for advertising agencies and design firms, he decided in 2014 to become a full-time freelance photographer. Photography had been a lifelong passion; even while working a full-time job, he had cultivated an impressive online following for his images. He had also worked with editorial clients including WIRED, Wallpaper* and National Geographic Traveler. BLACK-WATER is a double entendre that refers both to the military contracting company formerly used by the U.S. government and the appearance of crude oil, which has a reflective surface. In 15 years of war, we see more of ourselves reflected back at us than we do the enemy, explains Koxvold. As an accredited member of the press, he sought permission from the U.S. militarys Public Affairs department to photograph foreign bases. He embedded with the military in Kabul and Bagram, Afghanistan, first, then went on to photograph Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada, and the National Training Center in Barstow, California. He has plans to travel to bases in Qatar and Arizona to continue the series. BLACK-WATER shows neither patriotism nor violence, but instead, the visual iconography of contemporary war and the absurd amount of money that has been invested in it. [War] is a huge undertaking, and it benefits private industry more than it benefits the military itself, Koxvold says. He has plans to self-publish a book of the work, with an essay by esteemed photographer and writer Stanley Wolukau-Wanambwa. Brienne Walsh All photos Jason Koxvold Read more interviews from our sister magazine, Emerging Photographer, at issuu.com. Submissions for Winter 2016 are open now at emerging photographer.com What to Know Tyrita Julius was reported missing March 8 after she didn't come home The woman's mother told police one of the defendants had supposedly dropped her off at a train station Prosecutors didn't say how or where they found Julius' body, but reports say she was found wrapped in a tarp buried in a suspect's backyard The body of a New Jersey mother who has been missing since March and had been shot eight times last year has been found, and a friend of hers is one of two people now facing first-degree murder charges in her death. Authorities say the body of Tyrita Julius, 41, was recovered Tuesday, though they did not detail the circumstances of the discovery. According to NJ.com, Julius was found wrapped in a tarp, buried in one of the suspect's backyards. In announcing Julius' body had been found Wednesday, prosecutors said her friend, Jennifer Sweeney, 33, and Andre Harris, 32, had been arrested on charges of first-degree murder, desecration of human remains and tampering with physical evidence. Harris' connection to Julius wasn't immediately clear. Julius had not been seen since March 8, when Sweeney supposedly dropped her off at the Long Branch train station, her mother told authorities. The mother reported Julius missing when she didn't come home. "Significant efforts were made to bring us to the discovery we all feared Tyrita Julius died a tragic death. Tyrita was not dropped off at the Long Branch Train Station, instead Tyrita was murdered, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni said in a statement. Prosecutors did not elaborate on how Julius may have died. Her disappearance came four months after she and her 15-year-old daughter were shot in their car by a gunman who talked with them shortly before the shooting, authorities said at the time. Julius was hit eight times in the torso and spent months in the hospital; her daughter was hit in the wrist and grazed in the face. Friends told the Asbury Park Press that Julius had been living in fear since the shooting. The arrests this week came after police were seen searching Harris' home in Long Branch, the Asbury Park Press reports. Prosecutors didn't reveal what they found but said that the discovery led to the charges. Attorney information for Sweeney and Harris wasn't immediately available. A 5-year-old girl trapped on the top floor of a three-family home that went up in flames in New Jersey overnight has died, the town mayor says, and her grandmother, along with six others, remain hospitalized. A gas explosion in a garage at the multi-family home in Little Ferry was thought to have sparked the blaze shortly before midnight on Tuesday. The fire forced people onto Washington Avenue as it spread to the home, SUV and car. Flames shot up from the vehicles as firefighters scrambled to control the blaze. Police and EMS were at the scene assisting victims and at least two people were being attended on the ground outside the home. Seven people inside the home were taken to the hospital with injuries. The 5-year-old girl who died was initially taken to the hospital with critical injuries. Her grandmother had burns on most of her body and was hanging out of a window when she was rescued. The girl's mother, meanwhile, jumped out of a window and was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center. Another family who lived on the second floor also had to jump from the building after a staircase ignited. The two parents and two daughters, ages 14 and 20, were taken to the hospital. Three officers were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. It's not clear if those officers were the three cops who helped families jump to safety from the burning building. Neighbors helped or watched in despair as the flames consumed the home and smoke swirled in the air. Later Wednesday, the home was seen blackened and charred as crews still worked the scene. A battle brewing on the Upper West Side is pitting parents and property owners against the Department of Education. A controversial draft proposal to redraw the school zones around the very popular but overcrowded P.S. 199 on the Upper West Side is dividing the entire neighborhood. The plan would send future students to a poorer performing school farther away. "It'll take thousands, maybe a hundred thousand dollars off the value of my apartment," said Roland Riopelle, who lives in one of the two Lincoln Tower buildings that would no longer be zoned for the the highly sought-after, award-winning -- and overcrowded -- P.S. 199. Paul Richards added, "We moved here basically for that school, and that school is kind of like our right. You got a school 100 yards away from your front door, you should have your kids going to that school." In this neighborhood, not all schools are created equal. If the plan passes, future kindergartners would be moved to P.S. 191 in the zone next door, which includes the Amsterdam Housing projects. At P.S. 199, 87 percent of students are meeting state math standards, compared with just 10 percent at P.S. 191. The most recent safety data shows P.S. 199 had two assaults with injuries, compared with P.S. 191, which had 24 and was once labeled a persistently dangerous school by the state. And there are racial disparities: P.S. 199 is 15 percent black and Hispanic, compared with 84 percent at P.S. 191. City school officials say the zones need to be integrated. "There becomes a perception in the community that one is the 'good school' and one is the school for students of lower socioeconomic status. It's not a good thing for the community, and it becomes a self-perpetuating cycle," said Elizabeth Rose, deputy chancellor of the Department of Education. The community is meeting Wednesday night to review a draft proposal that would move a section of the Amsterdam Houses into the P.S. 199 zone to achieve more diversity. Residents at Amsterdam Houses had mixed feelings about splitting up their housing complex. "Why can't we just upgrade the schools and make them better? The teachers a little more competent in the schools, instead of moving the kids around?" said Kitoria Washington. "Everybody's white, you're black, so you're feeling kinda awkward in the school," she added. But Aaron Brown thinks it could be a great opportunity for his young stepson, LJ. "If you take kids that are less fortunate and put them in a fortunate environment, good things can happen," he said. Near P.S. 199, residents said they don't mind children from the projects joining their school. But they say after pouring decades of hard work and bake sales into improving their local school, why should they be forced to leave while the proposal would allow brand-new luxury apartments to stay? "What we now have is a zoning proposal that feels very arbitrary," said Linda Rosenthal. Rose responded, "We are getting and listening to all of the parent feedback and all of it is really important." "We need to serve all students in the district, whether they arrived this year or whether they've lived in the district for 10 years," she said. Liz Cheney has won Wyoming's Republican primary for U.S. House, rebounding from her first unsuccessful congressional run in 2014. In the general election she will face political newcomer Ryan Greene, who beat Charlie Hardy, a retired Roman Catholic priest, for the Democratic nomination. In the race for the GOP nomination, Cheney beat seven challengers for a chance at the job her father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, first won 40 years ago. Her campaign focused on national security and rolling back federal regulations affecting Wyoming's beleaguered coal industry. She was by far the best-funded candidate and brought in more than $1.5 million through July. Weeks before the primary, Cheney had almost 10 times more money than her next three opponents combined. Her competitors included state Rep. Tim Stubson and state Sen. Leland Christensen. And Cheney, of course, also has top name recognition. She has used her contacts to raise money from prominent Republicans nationwide. Registered Republicans outnumber registered Democrats in Wyoming more than 3-to-1, so the eight-way GOP primary likely will prove the most important vote in determining who will fill the seat. As of Aug. 1, there were roughly 143,000 GOP voters registered compared to some 42,000 Democrats, according to the state Bureau of Elections. In the last election cycle, Cheney mounted an audacious challenge to incumbent Enzi. Many prominent Wyoming Republicans accused her of being a "carpetbagger" for running against the state's senior senator when she had only recently moved to Wyoming from Virginia. She quickly dropped out of the race. Now more seasoned, Cheney is undertaking the considerably less daunting task of running for an open seat. Cheney, a former Fox News commentator and State Department official, is emphasizing in her current campaign that she wants to represent Wyoming to fight against Washington overreach, particularly against federal regulation of the state's sagging coal industry. And echoing her father's criticism, she's been vocal in attacking President Barack Obama for actions she says have undermined national security. Although Cheney emphasizes her family has deep roots in the "Cowboy State," those roots still aren't deep enough for Jason Gilbert, a Cheyenne insurance agent. "I think she should have run from Virginia," Gilbert said Tuesday outside a polling place. "I know that she's got a name and she's got some recognition, but I don't know that there's much she's done for the state of Wyoming." Gilbert said he voted instead for Darin Smith, an attorney and Christian Broadcasting Network executive from Cheyenne. Dick Cheney was elected five times to the U.S. House seat for Wyoming that his daughter is now seeking. But his legacy cuts both ways. Many Democrats have decried Cheney's orchestration of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, calling it a disastrous foreign policy decision. Tony Henry of Cheyenne said Tuesday he switched his party registration from Democrat to Republican specifically so he could vote against Liz Cheney. Henry said he voted for State Sen. Leland Christensen, of Alta, a former sheriff, county commissioner and U.S. Army special operations forces soldier. "I don't like Dick Cheney, he did some terrible things, he and George Bush did, and I don't support him," Henry said. "And if Liz Cheney is anything like her father, I'm glad I voted against her." Patricia Moran of Cheyenne, however, said Tuesday that she voted for Liz Cheney. "I believe that she's probably got the background with her family to know," Moran said. "The Cheneys, they're definitely from here, they know Wyoming." Scott Hawkins of Cheyenne also said he voted for Cheney. "I don't know much about the others. I know her dad slightly, and of course from his record, so that's what I'm going by," he said. Aetna will abandon Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges next year in more than two-thirds of the counties where it now sells the coverage including those in Pennsylvania, the latest in a string of defections by big insurers that will limit customer choice in many markets. Dwindling insurer participation is becoming a concern, especially for rural markets, in part because competition is supposed to help control insurance price hikes, and many carriers have already announced plans to seek increases of around 10 percent or more for 2017. "This is really going to be felt in Southern states and rural areas," said Cynthia Cox, associate director of health reform and private insurance for the Kaiser Family Foundation, which studies health care issues. Experts say it is too soon to determine how shrinking insurer participation will affect rates beyond next year, but fewer choices generally contribute to higher prices over time. Aetna, the nation's third-largest insurer which has operations in Blue Bell, Pa., says it will limit its participation in the exchanges to four states in 2017, down from 15 this year. The insurer covers more than 40,000 people through Pennsylvania's insurance exchange, according to filings on the state insurance commission's website. Aetna had proposed large rate increases for 2017 earlier this year. The announcement late Monday came several weeks after UnitedHealth and Humana also said they would cut their coverage plans for 2017 and after more than a dozen nonprofit insurance co-ops have shut down in the past couple of years. The Kaiser Family Foundation estimated earlier this year that about one in five U.S. counties could be down to one health insurer on their public exchanges for next year, and about 70 percent of those markets will be rural. That was before Aetna announced its changes. Cox said the total may be closer to one in four now. Rural markets can be less attractive to insurers because there are fewer customers for insurers to spread costs across, and hospitals and other health care providers can build dominating market positions, making them better able to negotiate rates. In contrast, urban markets, where most people live, are expected to still have plenty of health insurance choices on their exchanges for 2017. Alabama, Alaska and Oklahoma are among the states that will have one health insurer selling individual coverage on their exchanges next year. South Carolina and most of North Carolina could join that list due to the Aetna decision, Cox noted. Aetna's pullback leaves Pinal County outside Phoenix with no insurers selling individual coverage for next year on the exchange, although some will sell coverage off the exchange, according to Arizona's insurance department. The exchanges have helped millions of people gain health coverage, most with help from income-based tax credits. But insurers say this relatively small slice of business has generated huge losses since they started paying claims in 2014. Insurers have struggled to enroll enough healthy people to balance the claims they pay from high-cost customers, and they have complained about steep shortfalls in support from government programs designed to help them. The nation's largest insurer, UnitedHealth Group, sold coverage in 34 states this year. But it only plans to offer policies in three states next year: Nevada, Virginia and New York. Aetna covers about 838,000 people on the exchanges and has said it has been swamped with higher than expected costs, particularly from pricey specialty drugs. It will sell coverage on exchanges in 242 counties next year, down from 778. The Hartford, Connecticut-based insurer will sell on exchanges in Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska and Virginia next year. While insurers like Aetna and UnitedHealth are scaling back their exchange participation, competitors like Cigna and Molina Healthcare are expanding. Sabrina Corlette, a research professor with the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, said It may still take a few more years for exchange participation to settle and the government may have to change some of the market rules. "But I don't think the marketplaces are crashing and burning by any means," she said. Government officials say the exchanges are improving and healthier people are signing up, which helps insurers balance the claims they get from sicker customers. "Aetna's decision to alter its marketplace participation does not change the fundamental fact that the Health Insurance Marketplace will continue to bring quality coverage to millions of Americans next year and every year after that," said Kevin Counihan, CEO of the federal exchange operator HealthCare.gov, in an emailed statement. Even Aetna hasn't given up on this business. Chairman and CEO Mark Bertolini said in a statement that the insurer could grow its exchange business in the future "should there be meaningful exchange-related policy improvements." The enrollment period for 2017 coverage starts Nov. 1. Members of the Wounded Warrior Project need help in getting $37,000 in bicycle equipment back after it was stolen from a Delaware County hotel last week. Nine Trek bicycles, parts and related equipment were stolen along with the U-Haul truck they were being stored inside from the parking lot of the Renaissance Philadelphia Airport Hotel at 500 Stevens Drive in Tinicum overnight Friday, police said. The theft happened hours before the project's annual Soldier Ride in Philadelphia. Tracy Farrell, the Wounded Warrior Project's vice president of health and wellness, said she was "disappointed, frustrated and just angry" by the theft. "It was the equipment that we needed in case something happened. To either fix the bikes or help a warrior," she told NBC10 via Facetime. The group will use equipment from other Wounded Warrior teams for a bike ride in Virginia Beach this weekend, Farrell said. Tinicum Township Police said the stolen U-Haul is a 16 foot long Ford F-450 with Arizona license plate AD-21774. Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. James Simpkins, Jr. at 610-521-3830. Fire erupted in a South Philadelphia apartment building overnight, engulfing the building and leaving a firefighter injured. Officials said firefighters responded to the building, on Broad Street near Wharton, shortly before 1 a.m. and struck a second alarm shortly after 1 a.m. when flames became heavy on the four-story building's upstairs floors. Residents evacuated the building, and officials reported no injuries. One firefighter suffered smoke inhalation and possible hyperthermia as a result of the heat and went to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital for treatment. That firefighter is expected to be OK. Firefighters put the blaze under control in about two hours. Police said Broad Street will likely stay closed between Federal and Dickinson streets until 8 a.m. as the fire remains under investigation. The cause is not yet known. Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Timoney, noted for revolutionizing use of crime mapping technology and winning over officers and citizens alike as a "policeman's policeman," died after a battle with lung cancer. He was 68. Timoney, who came to the U.S. from Ireland as a teenager and began his career as a beat cop in New York City in the 1960s, took the helm in Philadelphia in 1998 and served as the department's top officer until 2001. During his tenure, he pioneered policing technology using crime mapping to identify patterns and deploy officers. "He came in and changed the way we deploy our police, changed the way we target our police," former Philadelphia Mayor and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, who helped lure Timoney to the city, said. "He really was the first person to bring modern police technology to the city, and by that I mean they would map crime literally every day to see if they could find trends in specific neighborhoods." Timoney took heat in Philadelphia in 2000 after the Republican National Convention, when city police fell to criticism over their dealings with protesters, but is remembered as a cop's cop who would often don a helmet, hop on a bicycle and join officers on patrol. We mourn the passing of former PPD Commissioner John F. Timoney, who proudly led our Dept. from 1998-2001. RIP, sir. pic.twitter.com/5D73OxSZLf Philadelphia Police (@PhillyPolice) August 17, 2016 News surfaced last month that Timoney was battling stage IV lung cancer and undergoing treatment at a Miami hospital. "I didn't even know he was battling cancer," Rendell said. "It's a great loss, because, in addition to a great policeman, he was a great guy ... he was a very colorful figure, popular with police, nonprofit groups, the business community." Officers who worked under Timoney remember him working side by side with them in patrol and having no fear of getting his hands dirty. Joe McCabe, a 26-year Philadelphia Police veteran who served as a bike officer and trainer for 20 years, including during the Republican National Convention, said Timoney joined officers on the front lines during raucous protests the RNC drew in 2000. One night, McCabe recalled in an interview with NBC10 in July, a group of RNC protesters jumped Timoney and officers in Center City. "They had jumped the three of them, Commissioner Timoney and two of the officers riding with them," McCabe said. "He got out there and rode his bike with us." When he pictures Timoney, whom he last spoke with a few years ago, Rendell said he sees him not sitting back in the commissioner role, but joining officers on the front lines in patrol. "If I close my eyes and think of John, I think of him in police shorts and a police shirt with a helmet on, riding his bike on patrol," Rendell said. "He was an Irish cop who always maintained all the good things about a beat cop, a rough-and-ready guy." ELKO The Great Basin Indian Archives will present History in The Making, a celebration of oral histories from Western Shoshone elders on Aug. 18 at the Great Basin College Theater. Various speakers and presentations will run from 1-8 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. The audience is welcome to attend select presentations throughout the afternoon and evening. The archives, sponsored by Great Basin College, University of Utah and Barrick Gold Corp., hosts oral histories each year with hopes to engage the community from all ages and backgrounds by documenting the history and heritage of the Great Basin Indian people. GBC history professor Scott Gavorsky explained that an important component of this years presentation is promoting the increased use of the Shoshone language. Since the oral history project began, the elders have insisted on not only sharing their stories, but the Shoshone language itself, said Gavorsky. Given the large number of oral histories now available, the GBIA and its partners are considering how to share these materials and the rich language in which they are presented back to communities throughout Nevada. The oral histories will run from 1 to 4:45 p.m., and feature stories by elders Danny Millet, Doris Allison, Floyd Collins, Delaine George, Ruby Sam, Theresa Sam, Lester Shaw Jr., and Helen Walker. Personal life experience presentations will be shown, titled Education Perspectives by Antoinette Cavanaugh and Shoshone Language Retention by Keith Honaker. This years featured guest speaker is Lee-Juan Tyler, sergeant-of-arms for the Fort Hall Business Council of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. Tyler is active in traditional and ceremonial ways of the Shoshone-Bannock people Tyler is also fluent in Shoshone and supports the revitalization of the Shoshone and Bannock languages. Tylers presentation will begin at 6:45 p.m. The Virtual Humanities Center will live-stream the evening program featuring Tyler and the presentation of the elders, starting at 6:45 pm. The live-stream may be viewed online. This presentation is sponsored by Barrick Gold Corp. and GBC. Throughout the year, the Great Basin Indian Archives actively archives videos, voice recordings, photos, documents, and transcripts, providing students and the general public easy access to rich history. All the collections can be viewed by visiting the archives website: www.gbcnv.edu/gbia. Two thieves didn't get far with their spoils after a Bucks County man spotted them leaving his house in his car and helped lead police to their whereabouts. The homeowner was pulling up to his house along Black Rock Road in Lower Makefield around 7:40 p.m. Monday when he saw two men pulling out of the driveway in his white Infinity, police said. The man then called police as he followed his car over the river into Trenton, New Jersey. Trenton Police stopped the car and arrested the men. Inside the car, police said they found stolen jewelry, cash and electronics. David Francis Owle, 36, of Hamilton, NJ, and 24-year-old Danny Smith of Ewing, NJ are charged with Receiving Stolen Property in New Jersey and Burglary and Auto Theft in Bucks County, police said. They are being held in Mercer County Prison. It's not just about King of Prussia Mall anymore, ok? The retail linchpin of Montgomery County is set to expand yet again, but the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board is touting the entire county's shopping scene in a new 30-second television commercial. The commercial, paid for by the county tourism agency, will air in Philadelphia and Washington D.C. the next three weeks. It is part of a marketing campaign called "Destination Shop Montco" that stretches into fall. Valley Forge President and CEO Mike Bowman said the campaign will highlight not only the expanding KOP Mall but the rest of the 30 million square feet of selling space, which the agency said attracts about 30 million shoppers a year. "Our iconic King of Prussia Mall is fantastic and is about to become even more amazing with a new corridor that adds 50 more stores and restaurants. Philadelphia Premium Outlets offers major brands at steep discounts," Bowman said in a statement. "And for shoppers looking for one-of-a-kind additions to their wardrobe, places like Skippack Village, Ambler Main Streets and Souderton-Telford are attractive, welcoming and walkable." Over a video montage of four women partying their way through retail stores and outlets, the message is clear: Montgomery County's 500 restaurants, 74 hotels and six malls make it (in the opinion of Valley Forge) "the best shopping in the U.S." Before the commercial gets to the shopping spree, it begins with a bit of humor. A young woman sitting with her boyfriend laments receiving photos from her girlfriends. "Oh, no. Mandy keeps sending me pictures of the girls' trip to Montco," she tells her boyfriend. Next, in big white letters come the message: "You're missing out." The City of San Diego took a bite out of hunger Wednesday in its mission to provide free lunches to children in need this summer serving the 1 millionth lunch of this season since 2003. The milestone meal served by Park and Recreation Director Herman Parker was dished during a family BBQ at the City Heights Recreation Center, where approximately 450 local children and their parents enjoyed lunch. The event included booths, crafts and activities. Since 2003, the City of San Diego and the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) have joined forces in the effort to promote good nutrition and healthy eating habits for local children. Every summer, the SDUSDs Summer Fun Cafe program serves approximately 300,000 meals and snacks to kids ages 18 and under. So far this summer, the program has provided about 90,000 lunches to children. During the school year, tens of thousands of kids in San Diego County rely on free and reduced-price lunches daily. The summer lunch program is designed to fill that nutritional gap in the summer, once the school year ends, and help curb hunger among kids in need. There is no paperwork, enrollment or proof of income necessary for kids to participate in this program. This year, the City provided 34 locations for the summer lunch program throughout the county. The program runs through Friday. The community program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agricultures (USDA) Seamless Summer Feeding Option. The program is administered by the California Department of Education at the state level, and is operated by a network of organizations such as school districts and nonprofits. Wednesdays BBQ featured a variety of non-profit community partners that offered free resources and information to families. Attendees not only enjoyed lunch, but went home with fruits and vegetables provided by Feeding America. Former City Council President Tony Young was arrested this past weekend on several charges related to an alleged domestic violence incident, the San Diego Police Department confirmed Tuesday. Young was arrested late Sunday afternoon at his Valencia Park home on multiple charges: domestic violence battery, brandishing a weapon, and a misdemeanor charge of making a threat. San Diego Police Lieutenant Misty Cedrun said the alleged weapon involved was not a gun or a knife, and that drugs and alcohol were not a factor in the incident. Young could not be immediately reached for comment. Its not the first report of a domestic violence incident at the former councilmans home. San Diego Police were called to his home on Feb. 16, 2009 for a report of a domestic violence incident, but no arrest was made. Officers arrived at Youngs home at 11:26 a.m. on Presidents Day, according to an incident report. That report states Young and his wife were having a fight, but she did not want to report if he had hit her. Cedrun says charges from Sundays domestic violence arrest will be forwarded to the City Attorneys office for review. Young was released on bail over the weekend. Labor Day is the unofficial end of summer but in San Diego, there are plenty of ways to celebrate the extra day off while soaking in that sweet sunshine. Here's a guide to activities happening in America's Finest City on Sept. 5, 2016. Oceanside Labor Day Pier Swim 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Oceanside Pier Lifeguard Tower 1 Now in its 87th year, the annual Oceanside Labor Day Pier Swim is a tradition in San Diegos North County. The one-mile course, marked with colored buoys, takes swimmers out and around the pier in a clockwise direction. Close out the summer with one last dip in the ocean. Registration on the day of the event is $60 per person. Festival of Sail 2016 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Maritime Museum of San Diego The annual Festival of Sail is back this Labor Day weekend at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Hailed as the largest Tall Ship festival on the West Coast, its a family friendly tradition along San Diegos waterfront. This year, the event runs from Sept. 3-5; Labor Day tickets cost $7 per adult, $5 for seniors, active duty military and children ages 3-12. Kids 2 and under get in free. U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., B Street Pier along Embarcadero These arent your kids sandcastles. Check out the most amazing, elaborate sand sculptures at the annual U.S. Sand Sculpting Challenge at B Street Pier (1140 North Harbor Dr.). The four-day event runs from Sept. 2-5 this year and promises incredible creations by sand sculptors and carvers, plus arts and crafts vendors, live music, food and activities for the kids. Mondays schedule includes a 2 p.m. session with a professional sculptor who will share tips on how to build sandcastles. At the gate, tickets are $13 for adults and $9 for kids and seniors. Save $1 on both by buying tickets in advance online. Free or Cheap Things to Do in San Diego Nighttime Zoo 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., San Diego Zoo Labor Day marks the final day of Nighttime Zoo hours at the San Diego Zoo this summer. This year, as the zoo celebrates its centennial, nighttime hours have been filled with live music, special shows and fun activities. Keep the kids up early, just this once, and check out the zoo under the stars. Padres vs. Red Sox 1:40 p.m., Petco Park Enjoy your extra day off by taking in a daytime game at Petco Park as the Padres take on the Red Sox. First pitch is at 1:40 p.m. Tickets in the stands start at $21.50 per person. Liberty Public Market 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Liberty StationUse your Labor Day to explore Liberty Public Market the food emporium at Liberty Public Station (2820 Historic Decatur Rd.) featuring dozens of local merchants. The Market is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., but the perk of visiting on a Monday is Market Happy Hour, which runs on weekdays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., with all vendors offerings discounts on select food and drinks from their mouthwatering menus. Cheers! The Navy announced Tuesday at a ceremony at Camp Pendleton that an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, DDG 122, will be named after John Basilone, a US Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle of Guadalcanal in World War II. Secretary of the Navy Ray Maybus made the announcement in front of a group of distinguished guests, including the second cousin of Basilone 95-year-old Constance Basilone Imbese. She described Basilone as a caring leader, You could never, never meet a more generous kind and wonderful dedicated person than him, she said. Basilone was awarded the Medal of Honor in recognition of his outstanding heroism at Guadalcanal. He was serving with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division, when he became involved in a fierce fight. Using only a machine gun and a pistol he killed 38 enemy fighters. He and two fellow Marines survived. The Gunnery Sergeant returned home, a native of New Jersey, to help promote war bonds. But his cousin said he felt he needed to with his fellow Marines, now in battle in Iwo Jima. When he said he was going back and we had a funny feeling in the heart don't go back still do war bonds he said I hate it, my mind is with my troops you know, and that's what happened and he went back I never saw him again, says Basilone Imbese. At Iwo Jima Basilone single-handedly destroyed a Japanese blockhouse while braving heavy enemy fire. It was there, says Ray Maybus as he reflected at the ceremony on this honor, that Basilone made the ultimate sacrifice. The fact that after receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions and on Guadalcanal he pushed to go back, was turned down and pushed again went back and died, showed the kind of hero Basilone was Maybus said. This is the second ship to be named in Basilones honor. The USS Basilone was decommissioned in 1977, following the Vietnam War. Advocates for suicide prevention found an ally in the Port of San Diego for the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge Proposed Artistic Lighting Project. It is the beginning of a collaborative effort among those who want to light up the Coronado Bridge and those who want to make it safer. The group "Lives Before Lights" thought they would have a fight on their hands at Tuesdays Coronado council meeting. Instead, they found an ally. The decade long effort to light up the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge is moving to the next phase which now includes the good possibility of safety nets or fencing. Wayne Strickland is pleased to put down his placard and share his long time efforts with Port San Diego, to secure the San Diego Coronado Bay Bridge with safety features that discourage suicide. We had these signs up we were ready with the guns, Strickland said. Port of San Diego Chairman Marshall Merrifield came to Coronado City Council Tuesday night to give members an update on the project to light up the bridge. "Lives Before Lights" came to protest the Port's agenda and promote its own during the public speaking portion of the meeting. My three children, who are in their 20's know someone personally, who has used this bridge as an easy, convenient way out, one woman said. We need to help these people. The bridge is too easy for them. Too easy to just get out and jump over, another woman said. Strickland says since it's opening, 375 people died in accidents on the bridge or from jumping off of it. The group has helped raise over $10,000 to study the effects of bridge suicides benefits of barriers. It's a big economic impact having the bridge closed. It affects all this island the naval bases and everybody else, Strickland said. It took no convincing though to get the Port of San Diego on board. It's a very important topic for us and the county and we would be happy to help in any way we can, Part of San Diego Chairman Marshall Merrifield said. Caltrans owns and operates the bridge, but the Port has agreed to advocate for a combined lights and safety barrier proposal. The light project enters phase two this year, which is engineering and design. Strickland has secured a meeting with the Port Commissioner and CEO to talk about one plan to satisfy both groups. Two San Diego-based air tankers and several fire crews are working alongside San Bernardino County firefighters as they battle the nearly 47-square-mile Bluecut Fire. At least six strike teams were sent to help fight the wildfire that began as a small midmorning patch of flame next to Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass. The fire forced a shutdown of part of I-15, leaving commuters and travelers stranded for hours. As of 10:45 a.m. Thursday, the I-15 was reopened except for the first lane that runs from Oak Hill Rd. to SR-138, according to the California Highway Patrol. More than 82,000 people from over 34,000 homes were under evacuation orders, said Eric Sherwin of the San Bernardino County Fire Department. Cal Fire sent a strike team with five engines to help cover Riverside fire stations. However, the agency is making sure to keep enough resources here in San Diego County to jump on a wildfire if it were to happen here. San Diego County is under a fire weather warning with hot, dry and breezy conditions expected through Thursday. Winds are moving from the west and southwest across San Diego, bringing with them single digit humidity levels in the mountains and deserts. Winds in those areas are expected to reach 15-25 miles per hour this afternoon and early evening. Gusts in those areas could reach 30 mph. We really need our marine layer to deepen so we can start to see our humidity levels increase, said NBC 7 Meteorologist Jodi Kodesh. "That will happen as we head into the weekend." There are multiple fires burning on Camp Pendleton with no threat to structures, according to base officials. The fires have scorched 110 acres and produced large clouds of smoke that can be seen across the North County and into Orange County. Today, media across San Diego are pledging to cover the homeless crisis facing our county as part of Homeless Awareness Day. The idea started in San Francisco when more than 70 media outlets aimed coverage at homelessness there. Today, Wednesday, August 17, its San Diegos turn. As the fourth largest city in the nation for homelessness, San Diego has seen an already frustrating problem grow worse. A series of recent attacks targeted homeless sleeping on our streets. Also, shelters like St. Vincent de Paul worry the problem is getting worse. Check back for updates on this developing story. A man taken into custody Tuesday night has no connection to the violent sexual assault of a woman in the University City area over the weekend, NBC 7 has learned. The San Diego Police Department (SDPD) received several tips around 6:34 p.m. Officers set up a perimeter in the canyon area near Gilman Drive and Via Alicante. Units combed the area, searching for a possible suspect. Police say a man ran from officers when they arrived and he was taken into custody for resisting arrest and possibly being under the influence of a controlled substance. Initially, officers said the man matched the description of the suspect in the sexual assault. They would only characterize him as a person of interest at the time of his arrest. However, early Wednesday, San Diego Police Capt. Brian Ahearn told NBC 7 there is no connection between the man and the crime. Ahearn said they are still investigating possible leads in the case. A woman was assaulted at the Venetian Condominiums on Nobel Drive Saturday night. The woman had been dropped off outside the complex around 10:30 p.m. and was walking to her apartment when she thought someone was following her. Before the victim could unlock her door, the man knocked her to the ground and asked her for money at gunpoint. After giving him the money, the woman was dragged into her apartment where police say she was beaten and sexually assaulted. On Tuesday, the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) also issued a community alert to its students and staff. One resident, who asked not to be identified, said she's scared to be out alone after this incident. "I'm pretty nervous to just go to school by myself tomorrow and walk around alone," the woman said. Crimestoppers is offering a reward up to $1000. Police say the victim remains in the hospital. What to Know Thomas Luu, 35, rammed his Ford Focus through the agency's gate and chain link fence just after 2 a.m. June 13, investigators said. Luu's mother told News4 her son was distraught by the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub, which had happened the night before. Luu received two years of supervised probation and 30 days of incarceration, with credit for time served. He must also pay restitution. A Maryland man who crashed a car through a gate at CIA headquarters in June has pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. Thomas Luu, 35, rammed his Ford Focus through the agency's gate and chain link fence in Langley, Virginia, just after 2 a.m. June 13, CIA investigators said in a court filing. Luu, of Rockville, drove the car at least 75 feet onto the compound, investigators said. They described the fencing through which Luu drove as about eight feet tall with another foot and a half of barbed wire. "The gate is clearly marked with a sign that notifies visitors that it is closed; there also are 'no trespassing' signs in the immediate area," investigators said. According to the investigators, Luu told agents he crashed the gate to get the CIA's attention but didn't specify why. Luu's mother told News4 her son was distraught by the mass shooting inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, which had happened the night before. She said her son had disappeared overnight. Luu pleaded guilty to a federal charge of injury to government property Tuesday. He received two years of supervised probation and 30 days of incarceration, with credit for time served. Luu had served some time after the incident but was then released. He will serve the remaining time "intermittently as directed," according to a court document. Luu must also pay $1,174 in restitution. In July, he was ordered to receive inpatient treatment at a local hospital. The CIA declined to comment to News4 in the wake of the incident. A seventh body was found Tuesday at the site of a massive explosion and fire at a Silver Spring, Maryland, apartment complex last week. The news of the seventh body was released Tuesday evening. Six other bodies have been recovered. The victims have yet to be positively identified, but authorities believe the victims are Saeda Ibrahim, 41; Augusto Jimenez Sr., age 62; Maria Auxiliadorai Castellon-Martinez, age 53; Aseged Mekonen, age 34; Deibi David Samir Lainez Morales, age 8; Fernando Josue Hernandez Orellana, age 3; and Saul Paniagua, age 65. Meanwhile, almost a week after the blast, residents who have been allowed to return say they are living in fear. "They were sleeping in the car for a while," said one resident in Spanish. "Now they've returned to the apartments, but they're afraid to turn the gas stove on. They're afraid to cook." A massive explosion tore through a building at the Flower Branch Apartments in the 8700 block of Arliss Street at about 11:50 p.m. August 10. Another 31 people were injured, and scores of families were displaced or traumatized. Some of the families are asking for psychological help. "One hundred percent of the families don't sleep, because everybody is scared," said a resident of a nearby building. The cause of the blast has not been determined, but some residents have said they smelled gas before the explosion. At a meeting with officials Tuesday in the community center, residents received reassurances that Washington Gas has checked out the surrounding buildings. "The residents of the adjacent buildings should not experience a problem with their gas. If they do, they should certainly contact us," said Earl Stoddard of Montgomery County Emergency Services. But the fear remains. "We can't do regular things," said Christy Canjura, a young resident. "We simply can't go through our day without ever thinking of that traumatic experience that we all had that night." U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin told the community that he and other officials understand the trauma, and are working on getting the help that's needed. "You look at this and this is about as bad as you can find of a tragedy. I just cannot imagine what went through the thoughts of people who were trapped in these buildings," Cardin said, after touring the scene. "There are certainly mental issues that are gonna have to be need to be dealt with. There is going to be fear," Cardin said. "One of the services we are looking at providing is how we can meet those needs." And the families will get other help, too. Two of the elementary schools that serve the area are already having discussions about how they will support young students headed back to school. Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett said the community was immediately concerned about housing. "The challenge that we heard today is most immediately that of trying to find provisional housing and permanent housing for people," he said. "And we'll be able to do so." Cardin emphasized that people should feel comfortable asking for help no matter what their immigration status. The apartments are in an area where many immigrants live, some documented, some not. "There's a concern in immigrant communities about whether they can trust governmental services. I wanted them to know that ... this is all about providing help," Cardin said. Meanwhile, fire investigtors say they are getting closer to announcing the cause of the blast. They said they hoped to have something finalized by the end of this week. A Maryland woman has collected and delivered more than 20,000 new and gently used bras and 50,000 feminine hygiene products to shelters around the country. Dana Marlowe, a mother of two who works from her Silver Spring home, says she was motivated to donate her own bras following a 35-pound weight loss reduction. A year ago, Marlowe put out a call to family and friends on social media. The response was so great, she asked her husband to create a website for what she dubbed "Support the Girls.'' Now the non-profit organization boasts chapters in several U.S. cities, Canada, Mexico and Australia, with donations from all over the world. Marlowe says new partnerships with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and corporations, will help bring steady donations for years. For the second time in less than three weeks, Metro Transit Police arrested a Virginia man on charges of indecent exposure. Police arrested 47-year-old William Madison Jr. July 29 for allegedly exposing himself to a woman on a Blue Line train in Arlington in March. He was released on his personal recognizance but allegedly struck again this week, police said. Madison allegedly exposed himself to a woman on a Vienna-bound Orange Line train about 8:30 p.m. Monday, according to police. He was rearrested Tuesday at the entrance of the Huntington station. Madison, who lives in Alexandria, faces charges in Arlington and Fairfax counties. He was taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and held on a $1,000 secured bond, police said. Police believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with information for investigators should call the MTPD Criminal Investigations Division at 301-955-5000. The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into a massive explosion and fire at a Silver Spring, Maryland, apartment building last week. Seven people were killed in the blast at the Flower Branch Apartments in the 8700 block of Arliss Street on Aug. 10. The body of the seventh victim was located Tuesday. The NTSB, which may be better known for investigating airline or train accidents, also investigates accidents involving the transport of natural gas, gasoline or propane through pipeline systems. The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is already investigating, with the help of Montgomery County fire investigators. Investigators said Tuesday they hope to have more information about the cause of the explosion by the end of the week. Residents of the apartment complex told News4 that they had long complained of a smell of gas around the apartments, which each have a natural gas furnace and stove. "I've been smelling gas for weeks," said Adrian Boya, who was interviewed shortly after the explosion. "I called 911, they came and told us it smelled like incense. That's pretty sad. It's like they didn't take us seriously." Joy West said she also could smell gas in the area prior to the explosion. "When I walk in this area, you smell gas near the corner as you approached the gas station. But it's very strong on Flower, about a block from here," West said. "I just felt, and I told the guys at the store, 'You guys be careful 'cause one day something is going to blow up around here.'" A woman who used to work for the management office at Flower Branch Apartments told News4 that the smell of gas was a common complaint during the years she was employed there. "Oh my God. It finally happened," said the woman, who did not want to be identified. "They would send the maintenance people to check, but I think something more needed to be done." At a meeting with officials Tuesday in the community center, residents received reassurances that Washington Gas has checked out the surrounding buildings. "The residents of the adjacent buildings should not experience a problem with their gas. If they do, they should certainly contact us," said Earl Stoddard of Montgomery County Emergency Services. The seven victims of the explosion have yet to be positively identified, but authorities believe the victims are Saeda Ibrahim, 41; Augusto Jimenez Sr., age 62; Maria Auxiliadorai Castellon-Martinez, age 53; Aseged Mekonen, age 34; Deibi David Samir Lainez Morales, age 8; Fernando Josue Hernandez Orellana, age 3; and Saul Paniagua, age 65. Another 31 people were injured, and scores of residents were traumatized by the explosion, which blew doors blocks down the street and shattered glass several streets away. "They were sleeping in the car for a while," said one resident in Spanish. "Now they've returned to the apartments, but they're afraid to turn the gas stove on. They're afraid to cook." "One hundred percent of the families don't sleep, because everybody is scared," said a resident of a nearby building. U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin told the community that he and other officials understand the trauma, and are working on getting the help that's needed. "You look at this and this is about as bad as you can find of a tragedy. I just cannot imagine what went through the thoughts of people who were trapped in these buildings," Cardin said, after touring the scene Tuesday. "There are certainly mental issues that are gonna have to be need to be dealt with. There is going to be fear," Cardin said. "One of the services we are looking at providing is how we can meet those needs." Authorities searched fruitlessly again Wednesday for a swimmer missing from the Potomac River. A man reportedly entered the Potomac River and did not resurface around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue boats and the U.S. Park Police helicopter have joined the search near Rocky Island and Mather Gorge; so have police boats from Fairfax County, Virginia. But again Wednesday the search crews had no sight of the man in the water. They also checked the shoreline with no results. The search was suspended due to darkness Wednesday. Four children and one adult were injured by an electric shock from an amusement park ride in New London, Connecticut on Tuesday. New London police responded to the Ocean Beach Park boardwalk just before 2 p.m. Tuesday after a park employee called 911 about a child having some kind of a medical problem, Deputy Police Chief Peter Reichard said Wednesday. Then, the dispatcher was able to determine the child received an electrical shock when he touched a metal fence while getting off the Scrambler ride. After a daylong investigation, officials determined the issue was in a separate ride. "Nothing is more important to us than the safety of our guests, and we never want anyone to have a negative experience when they come to the park. As soon as the incident took place, we took immediate action to call authorities and have the ride operators cease operations until we could ensure safety. Inspectors have been onsite conducting an official investigation and all rides have been cleared to re-open today," a spokesman for Ocean Beach Park said Wednesday. A source with the city said early Wednesday afternoon that a loose lighting wire came into contact with the frame of the ride and sent a current through it. Water from recent rains might have contributed to the issue, the source said. During a news conference, police said the problem was an electrical connection to the lighting ballast in the top of the Octopus, a ride that has fluorescent and incandescent lights that flash at different times. Reichard said it appears the electrical charge went through the ride, out though the metal platform and to the rails on the outside of both rides. The operator of the Scrambler told police he felt a "tingling" sensation when he was pressing the button to bring the ride to the stop, police said. The five people who also said they felt "tingling" on the ride went to Lawrence and Memorial Hospital to be treated for minor injuries and were released on Tuesday. They have been identified as 25-year-old Victor Williams, of Wauregan, his 10-year-old son and Williams girlfriends 4-year-old daughter, 7-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son. Police said Williams and his son were in one car of the Scrambler and the other children were in another car. Williams son suffered minor burns to his hands when he touched a metal fence as he was getting off the Scrambler and the New London Fire Department transported the father and son to the hospital. The other three children arrived at the hospital in a personal vehicle, police said. Detectives ordered all rides in the park to be shut down until the issues were fixed and the rides have since reopened. The Scrambler was built in 1965 and it was inspected this past spring before the season started. Authorities in New Hampshire are investigating the death of a 2-year-old child. New Hampshire Attorney General Joseph Foster announced the untimely death investigation Wednesday morning after a 2-year-old girl, whose name was not released, was found dead at a resident on Linden Street in Somersworth on Monday morning. The state's medical examiner has performed an autopsy; however, results have not been completed. The investigation, which is being conducted by the AG's office and state and local law enforcement, is ongoing. No charges have been announced. A Massachusetts police officer is being held without bail on charges he allegedly assaulted his pregnant wife, according to the Essex County District Attorney's Office. Authorities said Officer Michael Mori was arraigned Tuesday in Newburyport District Court and charged with assault and battery on a family member, assault on a pregnant person and strangulation/suffocation. Mori was taken into custody on Monday morning after his wife called police to report the alleged argument and assault that she said took place on Sunday. The Everett Police Department said Mori has been with the department for three years. He is currently on paid administrative leave. It is unclear when his next court date is. TORONTO After reducing costs and improving efficiencies, Barrick Gold Corp. reported net earnings of $138 million for its second quarter. These earnings compared with a net loss of $9 million in the prior year period. The adjusted net earnings were $158 million and the company generated $274 million in free cash flow in the second quarter, marking five consecutive quarters of positive free cash flow, Barrick stated in a press release. Second quarter cost of sales applicable to gold was $1.23 billion, a reduction of 13 percent compared to the prior-year period, the company stated. Production in the quarter was 1.334 million ounces of gold at all-in-sustaining costs of $782 per ounce. We continue to expect full-year production of 5.0-5.5 million ounces of gold. Barricks AISC guidance was reduced to $750-$790 per ounce of gold, down from its most recent range of $760-$810 per ounce. The company states it has the industrys largest gold reserves and resources, with an average reserve grade significantly higher than its peer group average. Higher net earnings reflect a decrease in operating costs, particularly lower fuel and energy prices (even when factoring in fuel hedges above spot prices), favorable foreign exchange movements, reduced royalty expense, and the impact of Best-in-Class initiatives, including lower labor, contractor, and consumable costs, and other operating efficiencies, Barrick states. In addition, earnings benefited from lower exploration, evaluation, and project expenses. The company generated $881 million of EBITDA in the second quarter compared to $690 million in the prior year period. EBITDA is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. The company also has continued to reduce its debt. So far this year, Barrick has reduced its total debt by $968 million, representing about half of its debt reduction target for the year. In 2016, it intends to reduce its total debt by at least $2 billion by drawing on its existing cash balance, and by maximizing free cash flow from operations, as well as potential non-core asset sales. In regard to reducing debt, Barrick may sell its 50 percent stake in the KCGM operation in Western Australia. Operating highlights and outlook Barricks aspiration is to achieve all-in sustaining costs below $700 per ounce by 2019. Barrick produced 1.34 million ounces of gold in the second quarter at a cost of sales of $1.23 billion, compared to 1.45 million ounces at a cost of sales of $1.41 billion in the prior year period. All-in sustaining costs in the second quarter were $782 per ounce, compared to $895 per ounce in the second quarter of 2015. Excluding the impact of divested mines, production for the second quarter increased by 126,000 ounces. Compared to the first half of 2015, cost of sales applicable to gold declined by 14 percent to $2.43 billion, primarily due to fewer ounces sold as a result of divestments. Cost of sales at our remaining operations was in line with the prior-year period, with higher grades and sales volumes offset by a decrease in direct mining costs, Barrick stated. Compared to the first half of 2015, all-in sustaining costs have fallen by 19 percent. Based on improved operational performance, Barrick anticipates higher production and lower costs at both Cortez Hills and Turquoise Ridge Joint Venture. Cortez is expected to produce 980,000 to 1.05 million ounces of gold at all-in sustaining costs of $520-$550 per ounce, compared with a previous guidance of 900,000 to 1 million ounces at AISC of $580-$640 per ounce. Barricks share of production at Turquoise Ridge is anticipated to be in the range of 240,000-260,000 ounces of gold at AISC of $640-$700 per ounce, compared with a previous guidance of 200,000-220,000 ounces at AISC of $770-$850 per ounce. Massachusetts State Police continue to sift through tips as they investigate the death of Vanessa Marcotte. The 27-year old woman who was killed while jogging near her mother's house in Princeton on August 7. Her body was found in the woods off Brooks Station Road hours after she left for the jog. Police have received more than 600 tips in this case so far. Authorities have said they want to know if anyone saw a car parked or driving in the area between 1 and 3 p.m. On Tuesday, necn spoke with a man who says police questioned him and tested his DNA over the weekend in connection with Marcotte's death. Police have not called the man a person of interest but he told necn that they have not cleared his name yet. necn is not identifying the man out of respect for the investigation, but will continue to follow his connection and the case. In the meantime, police continue to ask the public for any information they might have. The tip line is 508-453-7589. Police in Westbrook, Maine are investigating after at least four threatening letters were found at a local apartment complex threatening violence against Muslims. "All Muslims are Terrorists should be Killed," read the notes found at the Westbrook Pointe apartment complex on Prospect Street. A resident of Iraqi descent went to the Westbrook Police Department on Wednesday morning to report finding one of the notes. Police responded to the apartment complex and found a second note on the ground containing the same threat. Both pieces of paper are being processed for any evidence linking them to a suspect. After canvassing the apartment complex, police were told that two other notes with similar written threats had been found by Iraqi residents of the complex. But those residents did not report the threats to police. Police said they don't know if the threats are connected in any way to the recent coverage of Adnan Fazeli, the 38-year-old Iranian who came to Maine as a refugee in 2009. Newly unsealed court documents revealed details about Fazeli, who was killed last year in Lebanon while fighting for the Islamic State group. There are no suspects at this time. Police said they are working closely with the management of the apartment complex and the local Iraqi community to identify those responsible for what they are considering a hate crime. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call Westbrook Police at 207-854-2531. Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the tip line at 207-591-8117. Police are searching for the man who robbed and sexually assaulted a woman in Hamden, Connecticut, on Monday. Hamden Police responded to a report of a woman being attacked at an apartment building on Mix Avenue at 3:30 p.m. The woman did not know the man who followed her into the foyer of the apartment when she was buzzed into the building, pointed what appeared to be a gun at her and shoved her into a nearby stairwell, where he inappropriately touched her, then stole her pocketbook, according to Hamden Police. She didnt do anything wrong. This person followed her right in, followed right behind her, Chief Thomas Wydra, of Hamden Police, said. The man is described as muscular. He is 5-feet-10, appeared to be in his 30s and was wearing a T-shirt, shorts and weightlifting gloves. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Joseph Liguori, of the Hamden Police Department Major Crimes Division, at (203) 230-4040. Police are also encouraging owners of apartment complexes to add security cameras. This is not new technology. This is technology we all should be embracing as a way to deter crime, prevent crime and make people feel safer, Wydra said. In Ogunquit, Maine, a dead seagull has led to the discovery of rat poison on the beach. Interim Town Manager Mark O'Brien says someone in the "previous administration" authorized the use of rat poison pellets among the rocks to address an increase in rat complaints. "It was done improperly," he said. O'Brien said the town was supposed to have hired someone with a license to handle the rat poison, but failed to do so. Additionally, the town failed to place the pellets inside a protective box to keep humans and other animals from being harmed. When a dead seagull was found on the beach, O'Brien said he became aware of the possibility of rat poisoning. He said an Ogunquit Police officer accidentally touched a pellet and had to be taken to the hospital as a precaution. Multiple state and federal agencies are investigating. "I am not aware of who actually authorized it, and it is part of the investigation," said O'Brien, who stepped into the role after the former town manager, Tom Fortier, was charged with theft in an unrelated incident. A part of the popular beach is now taped off, and beach goers want to know why they weren't told about the risks. "At a minimum, I think there should be some signage to give some indication there's something potentially dangerous in the area," said Alan Shepard, who was visiting the beach with family Tuesday. O'Brien said his staff is working to remove all of the pellets placed near the rocks, and did not have enough time to create signage. He said that the caution tape and stakes around the affected area will help to keep people out, and that town employees working near the beach are instructed to notify visitors about the potential risks. The Maine Warden Service is also monitoring the situation, concerned that the rat poison could impact hawks migrating in the area. An official with the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said this could be a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and lead to a fine for the town. Prison chaplain cycles Norfolk for Christian charity Prison chaplain cycles Norfolk for Christian charity Next week Mark Bredin, Quaker Chaplain at HMPs Norwich and Wayland, will cycle 200 miles around Norfolk, raising money for Christian charity House of Genesis to purchase a third house to provide a supportive home for homeless ex-prisoners. On Monday, August 22 at 10am outside Norwich Prison Mark Bredin, Quaker Chaplain at HMPs Norwich and Wayland will start his 200 mile cycle around Norfolk. He will then head to King's Lynn, Martham, Walcott, Sheringham and Wells and finish outside Wayland Prison on Thursday, August 25. The achievement will then be followed by a small celebration at The House of Genesis, the Christian charity that Mark is raising funds for. The House of Genesis is seeking to raise 25,000 towards the setting up of a third house in Norwich for homeless ex-prisoners, adding to the 50,000 it has already received. Two high-profile airline technology meltdowns stranding thousands of travelers in the recent weeks have prompted two US senators to push carriers to bolster their technology. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.)this week sent a letter to the most recent offenders -- Delta and Southwest -- as well as 11 other airlines to get a better handle on whether or not their information technology systems are reliable and resilient. +More on Network World: Not dead yet: 7 of the oldest federal IT systems still wheezing away+ In addition Reuters reported last week further outages are likely because major carriers have not invested enough to overhaul reservations systems based on technology dating to the 1960s, citing airline industry and technology experts. Airlines have spent heavily to introduce new features such as automated check-in kiosks, real-time luggage tracking and slick mobile apps. But they have avoided the steep cost of rebuilding their reservations systems from the ground up, former airline executives told Reuters. We are concerned with recent reports indicating that airlines IT systems may be susceptible to faltering because of the way they are designed and have been maintained, wrote Blumenthal and Markey wrote in the letter to airline CEOs. Now that four air carriers control approximately 85% of domestic capacity, all it takes is one airline to experience an outage and thousands of passengers could be stranded, resulting in missed business meetings, graduations, weddings, funerals, and other prepaid events. +More on Network World: + In the letter, the senators ask: Over the past five years, what was the cause of IT outages or disruptions that caused flight cancellations or delays longer than one hour, what safeguards were in place at the time each outage occurred, and why did these safeguards fail to prevent the disruption? What specific safeguards and backups does your company have in place to prevent your airlines IT systems from failing? What is the state of your airlines IT system and what specific steps are being taken to modernize it, if needed? In the event of delays and cancellations caused by the air carrier, does your airline rebook passengers on another airline or with a different mode of transportation for no additional charge? What other compensation and recourse, including but not limited to lodging, food, and reimbursement, does your airline provide consumers in the event of delays and cancellations caused by the air carrier? The senators sent letters to: American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Alaska Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Allegiant Air, Virgin America, Sun Country Airlines and Island Air Hawaii. Coming out of Black Hat a few weeks ago, its pretty frightening whats going on with cyber threats. Overall malware volume is down, but the number of variants has gone up precipitously. In fact, according to the Webroot threat report, about 97 percent of all malware variants are seen only one time. In other words, they are designed to target and attack specific organizations. Yes, enterprise organizations are bolstering defenses with anti-malware gateways and next-generation endpoint security tools, but they are also doubling down on threat intelligence. According to ESG research, 27 percent of enterprise organizations plan to spend significantly more on their threat intelligence programs over the next 12 to 18 months, while another 45 percent say they will spend somewhat more on their threat intelligence programs during this same timeframe. Spending more on threat intelligence programs is a good start, but it isn't enough. Security operations professionals consistently tell me they have to do a better job of operationalizing threat intelligence to make it more effective at their organizations. OK, but what does that mean? Turning raw threat data into measurable actions and results. Based on what Ive heard from cybersecurity professionals, this involves four steps: Consolidating all threat intelligence sources. When you perform a threat intelligence assessment, you find that it is being purchased and consumed all over the placewithin security technologies, by threat analysts, by risk and compliance managers, etc. As a result, many organizations dont know what threat intelligence they are paying for or whether they are buying redundant threat intelligence from multiple sources. To overcome this situation, CISOs should start with an enterprise-wide threat intelligence audit with the goal of discovering all threat intelligence and then pointing each and every feed at some central location and group of analysts. This sets up the opportunity to create a hub-and-spoke consumption model for threat intelligence across the enterprise for all needs. Focus on threat intelligence requirements and quality metrics. Too many organizations continue to buy threat intelligence without any clue of its value. In fact, 74 percent of enterprise organizations lament that it is extremely difficult or somewhat difficult to determine the quality and efficacy of each threat intelligence feed. Given this situation, it is important for CISOs to start by defining detailed requirements for threat intelligence and establishing threat intelligence metrics to determine threat intelligence ROI. This may take a while, but patient organizations will reap rewards by replacing commercial threat intelligence with equally valuable open-source, rationalizing threat intelligence sources to a manageable few and choosing the best threat intelligence for their organizational needs. Build an architecture for threat intelligence inputs and outputs. Too much threat intelligence is either proprietary or consumed on a manual basis, and this doesnt scale. Enterprises need an architecture that encompasses threat intelligence collection, processing, analysis and sharing. Fortunately, there is some industry progress here, including threat intelligence standards (i.e. Open IoC, STIX/TAXII, Yara, etc.) and the maturation of threat intelligence platforms from vendors such as BrightPoint Security (i.e. ServiceNow), LookingGlass Cyber Solutions and ThreatQuotient. Its also important to integrate threat intelligence with SIEM systems (i.e., Splunk) for analysis, as well as incident response platforms (i.e. Hexadite, IBM, LogRhythm Phantom Cyber, Rapid7), to orchestrate and automate remediation actions. Create a threat intelligence sharing plan. Everyone shares threat intelligence, but they tend to do so on an informal basis with a few organizations or individuals they know and trust. That's a good start but not anything like the loosely coupled, ad hoc, threat intelligence sharing vision being pushed by the industry and U.S. federal government. Scaling threat intelligence sharing means getting lawyers and executives on board, implementing tools to automate data redaction, normalizing threat intelligence into a consumable format, and adding technologies for threat intelligence exchange. Theres lots of work to do here, as threat intelligence sharing is far less mature than threat intelligence consumption. Ive seen efficient and effective threat intelligence operationalization at work, and it includes all four of the steps Ive outlined here. In lieu of this, many threat intelligence programs will result in incremental progress as organizations continue to throw good money after bad. ELKO A Safety Olympiad participant remains hospitalized after he was injured during an offsite mine rescue training exercise. Matt Baker, a Barrick Goldstrike employee, was portraying a victim in a mining emergency scenario during the annual Safety Olympiad at the Elko Convention Center, said Jorge Esteva, communications director for Barrick. Baker needed real medical attention after he was exposed to smoke during the scenario, Esteva said. Baker received immediate medical attention and is still under observation and medical care in a Reno hospital, Esteva said July 25. Baker's medical condition was not released to the media. Its especially concerning that this happened at a safety exercise designed to test and train our rescuers to protect our people, said Goldstrike General Manager Bill MacNevin. Our thoughts and wishes go out for Matt and his family at this critical time. The Safety Olympiad ran July 7-9 and involved nine mine rescue teams from Nevada, Colorado and Utah. The competition takes place at the convention center, but the mines rotate who is in charge of setting up the different scenarios each year, said Elko Convention and Visitors Authority Executive Director Don Newman. He said the incident occurred July 9, when ECVA office staff were not on the property. Since the Olympiad is to train for emergency situations, the people participating were safety responders for the mines. Barrick has told us its a Barrick sponsored event and they will handle the incident, Newman said. Barrick is conducting a full investigation and its safety and human resource departments are working closely with Bakers family to provide support. In Barrick, we are committed to achieve a zero-incident work environment with a safety culture based on teamwork and leadership, MacNevin said. Nothing is more important than the safety, health and well-being of our employees and their families. No other details were available on the incident. Elko Deputy Fire Chief Brian Burgess said the fire department was not notified of the incident until a couple days later. Elko County Ambulance acting Director Chris Mchan said he did not know if a county ambulance responded, and the agency did not have a stand-by agreement for the event. Esteva said since the injury occurred offsite, it is not considered a reportable incident to the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Barrick is not releasing any updates on Baker, out of respect to the family, Esteva said Aug. 16. OPSEC definition Operations security (OPSEC) is a process by which organizations assess and protect public data about themselves that could, if properly analyzed and grouped with other data by a clever adversary, reveal a bigger picture that ought to stay hidden. It's a discipline of military origins that in the computer age has become vital for government and private organizations alike and every CSO ought to be thinking about what steps they can take to improve their OPSEC posture. The term operations security was first coined in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, as a result of an effort led by a team dubbed Purple Dragon. This team noticed that America's adversaries seemed to be able to anticipate their strategies and tactics. It was known that North Vietnam and the Viet Cong hadn't managed to decrypt U.S. communications and didn't have intelligence assets who could gather data from the inside; the conclusion was that U.S. forces themselves were inadvertently revealing vital information to the enemy. Purple Dragon coined the first military opsec definition: "The ability to keep knowledge of our strengths and weaknesses away from hostile forces." Over time, the concept spread from the military to other U.S. government departments and into private industry, and was developed in more detail. The Department of Energy, which is in charge of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, has its own definition of OPSEC: "Operations security involves a process of determining unclassified or controlled critical information that may be an indicator or pathway to that classified information requiring protection, whether for a limited or prolonged time ... the purpose of opsec is to identify, control, and protect sensitive unclassified information about a mission, operation, or activity and to deny or mitigate an adversarys ability to compromise that mission, operation, or activity." OPSEC examples So far this, is all pretty abstract. Perhaps one of the best ways to understand what OPSEC involves in practice is by looking at some high-profile failures instances where people were able to piece together public information into a bigger picture that the subject of the information would have wanted to keep secret. We'll start with a high-profile case of someone who should have known better. In March 2017, when James Comey was still FBI Director, Gizmodo writer Ashley Feinberg was able to track down his Instagram and Twitter accounts using only a few bits of publicly available data, in a tale that offers a master class for following clues on social media. She knew that Comey's son Brien was an athlete at Kenyon College, and she found a video of him on the Kenyon Athletics Department Instagram account in which someone in the comments had tagged Brien's own private Instagram. She used a burner account to put in a follow request to Brien, knowing that Instagram reacts to such requests by offering suggested accounts related to the one you just tried to follow. In Feinberg's case, those included a locked account called "reinholdniebuhr," named after a theologian that James Comey wrote his senior thesis about; this, she assumed, was Comey's account. There were only a few Twitter accounts that used variations of "niebuhr" including one with the handle "@projectexile7," seemingly named after a gun violence reduction program Comey helped start in the '90s. @projectexile7 had a single follower, legal blogger Benjamin Wittes, who was Comey's personal friend. By October it was clear that Feinberg was correct in her IDs. This is a fantastic example of the sort of social medial clues that even security-minded people aren't aware that they're leaving behind; and indeed Facebook, and other social media sites can leave trails that are even more damaging than this in military contexts. For instance, despite the official Russian government line that the pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine is home-grown and not armed by the Russian military, Russian soldiers have repeatedly given themselves away on social media, sometimes accidentally geotagging their Instagram photos to make it clear they're on the Ukrainian side of the border. In a not dissimilar case, Strava, the manufacturer of a popular fitness tracker that uploads data to the cloud, released a detailed worldwide map of its users' jogging routes and, due to the product's popularity among American soldiers, revealed a number of secret U.S. military bases in the process. OPSEC failures at the corporate level may not put national security at risk, but they are still potentially catastrophic for the companies involved. A number of OPSEC pros shared problems they had seen with the Digital Guardian DataInsider blog. Entrepreneur Shy Bredewold explains how corporate details can leak out: "An overzealous employee tags themselves in a post which reveals a training facility otherwise unknown to the public. A chat with your spouse ends up in a forum saying how their husband is so stressed due to the new insert conceptual product release next month." Another potential vector is in the humble password: with website password breaches becoming commonplace, many username/password combos are now public knowledge, and hackers are happy to try to match those identities to employers and see if they can find reused passwords they can exploit. What are the 5 steps of opsec? The U.S. military has established a five-step process by which organizations can assess their data and infrastructure and draw up a plan to protect it. The SecurityTrails blog has a particularly readable explanation, but here's a quick summary: Assess OPSEC critical information. You need to begin by determining what data, if acquired or accessed by an adversary, would cause harm to your organization. This data could range from client information to financial records to intellectual property. Determine types of OPSEC threats. The next question to ask yourself is: Who are our adversaries? These can range from criminal hackers to business competitors. Keep in mind that different enemies might be targeting different data. OPSEC analysis of vulnerabilities. This is a step that should be central to any organization's security posture: performing a complete security audit to reveal weak points in your infrastructure OPSEC assessment of risk. This step determines your threat levels by determining how any vulnerabilities revealed in step 3 expose critical data identified in step 1 to threat actors identified in step 2. You need to figure out how much damage someone exploiting an external vulnerability could cause, along with how probable such an attack would be. Making an OPSEC plan. With all this information in hand, your next step is to create the plan for locking down your vulnerabilities and keeping your data secure. OPSEC measures and best practices Again, that's all a little abstract. What are specific security measures you can take to implement your OPSEC plan? HackerCombat outlines a number of best practices, including: Implementing change management processing Restricting access to network devices on a "need to know" basis Giving employees minimum necessary access and practicing the principle of least privilege Automating tasks to remove human weak links Planning for incident response and recovery SecurityTrails breaks down the areas that OPSEC planning should focus on. You'll, of course, want to be extremely aware of any sensitive personally identifying data, including names, IP addresses, languages, emails, and the like. But you'll also need to deal with people specifically, your own people, for whom an OPSEC mindset needs to become second nature. They'll need to be trained on a number of practices, including encrypting data and devices, monitoring the transfer of data, and limiting access to certain data. They also need to be made aware of all the kinds of blunders we discussed earlier, especially when it comes to social media. "Loose lips sink ships" was a proto-OPSEC slogan for World War II, but it applies to your organization as well (and extends to Facebook posts). Who has oversight of the OPSEC program? The final question you might be contemplating is who, exactly, should be in charge of OPSEC at your organization. The truth is that this is an area that's still in flux, and often the best candidate will be the person with the most interest and ability within your company, regardless of where they sit on the org chart. The Operations Security Professional's Association is a nonprofit professional org dedicated to supporting OPSEC pros. Their "What works in OPSEC" series profiles a number of people working in this space, which offers a great opportunity to see the career path many took to get there, as well as the job duties they take on. Some focus their whole energies on OPSEC, while for others it's just one task out of many on their plates. You need to determine how best to implement opsec concepts in your own organization. More on OPSEC: Lloyds announces it will close its branch in November PANGBOURNE is to lose its last bank later this year. Lloyds will close its branch on November 9. The bank said it had made the difficult decision because of changing banking trends. A spokesperson for Lloyds said: This branch has been identified for closure because of the changing way customers choose to bank with us, which has resulted in customers using it less often. The majority of customers also now regularly use alternative branches or other ways to bank, such as online and telephone banking, to complete their banking needs. We apologise for any inconvenience that this may cause and have informed customers of the closest alternative branch, which is Tilehurst. Pangbourne is one victim of the banks accelerated job-cutting and branch-closing scheme. Lloyds, which is about 10 per cent owned by the tax-payer, is cutting 3,000 staff and closing 200 branches; on top of the 9,000 redundancies and 200 branch closures announced in 2014. Pangbournes district councillor Pamela Bale (Con) said she had hoped that Lloyds would have given more consideration to closing the last bank in Pangbourne. In a letter to the bank, Mrs Bale said: Pangbourne has proved to be a resilient community, and I am sure the majority of affected residents will reluctantly understand and accept your commercial decision. My other concern is the potential impact on the retailers in the village. If people in the neighbouring villages have to go somewhere else to access a bank, their shopping habits will also change. There is no direct bus route, so residents would have to change buses. With a limited timetable for the 143 bus from Pangbourne to Reading, this could be quite an expedition. Mrs Bale said that conversations with staff had revealed that that they were hopeful of being moved to other branches. Lloyds said that only 13 people used the branch on a regular weekly basis and that usage had declined by 13 per cent over the past year. It added that 74 per cent of personal customers in Pangbourne used other branches and other ways to bank. The closure leaves the ATM in the Cooperative Food store in The Triangle as the nearest free-to-use cashpoint for residents. Lloyds said it would be talking to customers about banking services offered by the Post Office. Customers will have their accounts realigned to the Tilehurst branch, and there will be no other impact to the way they manage their accounts. The loss of Lloyds follows HSBC closing its Pangbourne branch in April last year and NatWest withdrawing from the village in 2011. Lloyds also closed its branch in Theale, the last bank in that village, in June this year. Northbrook Street put forward for top prize of 10,000 in national competition NEWBURY is in the running to win up to 10,000 in prize money as part of a nationwide search for Britains best high streets. Although there is still a month to go until applications close, Northbrook Street is one of the first retail areas off the starting block to apply for the town centre category. Now in its third year, the competition celebrates the work that is being done to revive, adapt and diversify the nations high streets. Alongside the cash prize, internet search engine Google has joined the quest and is offering all category winners a visit from The Digital Garage on Tour a skills training workshop for retailers and small businesses. New for this year is a hunt for individuals eligible to win a high street hero, awarded to those who are making a difference to their local community. The managing director of Newbury Business Improvement District (BID), Russell Downing, said: Theres a renewed buzz in our town centre and, fingers crossed, our entry will be successful so Newbury will get its name recognised as a great place to live, shop and work. High streets minister Andrew Percy said: Last years competition was a massive success, helping to showcase the very best high streets across the country, with thousands of votes cast and winning high streets reporting an increase in shoppers. Our local high streets remain the life and soul of towns, villages and cities across the country and Id encourage as many of them as possible to enter this years competition. The top three shortlisted will be announced in October. They will then go through to a public online vote and be visited by the Future High Streets Forum judging panel, made up of industry leaders from across retail, property and business. The Great British High Street competition is run by the Department for Communities and Local Government and is being sponsored by Boots, the British Council of Shopping Centres, Ellandi, Holland and Barratt, Marks and Spencer, the Post Office and Wilko. The deadline for entries is Friday, September 9, and details about the competition can be found at www.thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk The public can support their local area on twitter by following @TheGBHighSt or using the hashtag #GBHighS Female caller "in danger" was cut off, hearing reveals A THAMES Valley Police call handler has been dismissed for terminating a call from a distressed member of the public who was later raped. Ms Gail Daniels-Ekarte was dismissed without notice following a gross misconduct hearing last Wednesday (August 10). In December 2013, a 999 call came in from a vulnerable member of the public which was taken by Ms Daniels-Ekarte who was working as a control room call handler. The caller was a female reporting she was in danger. After five-and-a-half minutes the call was terminated by the call handler and no resources were deployed. Later that day, Thames Valley Police received a further call reporting that the woman had been raped. At the hearing it was found that Ms Daniels-Ekarte failed to deal with the call appropriately and did not follow TVP policies and guidelines. The hearing was as a result of Thames Valley Police referring the matter to the IPCC. A subsequent IPCC investigation recommended there was a case to answer for gross misconduct. Following a subsequent Thames Valley Police investigation 40-year-old Ruzgas Ziluina of Odessa Road, London, was sentenced to seven years' imprisonment for one count of rape and placed on the sexual offenders register. Head of Operations for Thames Valley Police, assistant chief constable Dave Hardcastle, said: "We have dismissed a member of staff as they failed to respond appropriately to what was a clear call for help from a member of the public. "At Thames Valley Police we expect the highest of standards from our staff and officers. Sadly the individual's actions in this case fell very far below the standard of what we expect." Ms Daniels-Ekarte has a right to appeal this decision. ELKO Women from all over the state visited Elko in August to tour local mines and hear from Betty Gibbs, who has been in the industry for 50 years and is the executive director of the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America. The event was hosted by the Nevada Mining Association, Newmont Mining Corp. and the Nevada Chapter of the International Womens Forum. Nevada Mining Association President Dana Bennett said Aug. 16 during a breakfast at the Red Lion that this was a historic event because she couldnt think of anytime when a mine tour consisted of only women. Certainly not a tour that brings together business leaders and community leaders from Reno and Las Vegas and Northern Nevada, she said. I really think this has been a truly historic event. Bennett introduced the speaker for the breakfast by giving a history lesson on womens interactions with the mining industry. Women are a small part of the industry, she said. It runs about 11 percent and in certain occupations like truck driver, its not very high at all, its 10 percent or less. She said the association is trying to shine a light on how few women are in the industry. It is working on some surveys to better understand women in mining and womens perception of mining. Bennett said mining companies are taking diversity in the workforce seriously. Its very much on everyones mind, she said. To be sustainable in terms of economics, environment, community, everyone has to be involved. It cant be just one group of people whos doing that work. Bennett said Gibbs was at the forefront of diversification in the mining industry before it was acceptable. Bennett said her husband worked in an underground mine in the 1980s and if a woman was on a tour, the older male employees would put their tools down and leave the mine. Bennett said the association wanted a guest speaker who could talk about how the mining industry has changed through the years. Gibbs is a mining engineer and has developed some of the cutting-edge technology. She was a professor at the Colorado School of Mines. Gibbs also was chosen, by Women in Mining in the UK, as one of the Top 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining. Gibbs grew up in Virginia in the 1950s and the opportunities for women were to be a housewife, secretary or teacher, and she didnt want to do any of those. When she decided to go to school for engineering, Gibbs said she was told she wouldnt get a job in the mining industry unless it was as the secretary to a mining executive. I didnt really say anything, because that was not what my vision of my future was, she said. Fortunately she didnt listen to the naysayers. Her first job was working in exploration and she built a computer database from the exploration data. Eventually Gibbs was hired at a mine in the 1960s, and she became the first woman to work in the underground at the Climax molybdenum mine in Colorado. She said there was discrimination in the mine, but she wasnt aware of it at the time. She said her attitude helped her avoid any discrimination. I just kind of paid attention to lets do the work, this needs to be done, lets do it, Gibbs said. She said some of the biggest changes in the industry included the use of computers and attitudes about reclamation. Gibbs said she enjoyed learning about computers because they did all the tedious work. Attitudes in the industry about environmental concerns changed drastically over the decades. Gibbs said in the 1960 and early 70s companies thought of reclamation as an added expense, but today miners are enthusiastic about cleaning up sites and being environmental stewards. The event and how it came about The Nevada Mining Association has more than 400 companies as members, Bennett said. Many of the women in attendance worked for companies that are association members. One of those members, El Dorado Resorts, was represented by Kara Player. She traveled from Reno to the event. Player said she has been on mine tours before, but she always enjoys going. As a vendor member we love the association, Player said. She said many mining association members go through Salt Lake City or Reno and many meetings have been in the hotel. Besides business women, many of the attendees represented government offices or were current or former elected officials. Lena Walther, from the Swedish Honorary Consulate in Las Vegas, said she didnt realize how much mining impacts modern life. She enjoyed seeing the Phoenix Mine Aug. 15 and said, the morning of Aug. 16, that she was looking forward to seeing an underground mine. Newmont set up tours of Leeville and Exodus. Bennett said the event came to fruition after she joined the International Womens Forums Nevada chapter. The very first meeting I went to, one of the women said you know, you really should do a mine tour, she said. I thought, what a fabulous opportunity to bring women from Las Vegas and Reno who -- even some of the women from Reno have never been east of Fernley so to show them this part of the state and to facilitate that conversation with miners so they can ask questions about the industry. It was just an opportunity that we couldnt resist. She said Cecile Thaxter being the general manager out at the Phoenix mine was a natural partnership for the event. Its just been fastastic, Bennett said. ELKO The Elko County Commission honored District Attorney Mark Torvinen in a moment of silence and appointed Chief Civil District Attorney Kristin McQueary Wednesday morning to fulfill his duties until a replacement is appointed. Torvinen died Monday of natural causes, according to the Elko County Coroners Office. County Manager Rob Stokes said Nevada Revised Statutes stipulates an interim district attorney must be appointed at the next county commission meeting, making it an emergency item. McQueary was recommended by staff after meeting with her, Chief District Attorney Chad Thompson, and the agreement of both individuals. She was selected by the commission and sworn in by Elko County Clerk Carol Fosmo. Out of respect for Mr. Torvinen, it was the intent of staff to bring this interim appointment agenda item to the county commission at the Sept. 7 meeting utilizing the two chief deputy attorneys jointly to run the office until then, read Commission Chair Glen Guttry. The 60-day appointment will allow the County to set up a public application process to be considered by the commission for the appointment of a permanent district attorney. The term of this office will expire Dec. 31, 2018, he said. The presentation of the proposed process to accept applications will be at the Sept. 7 meeting, with a tentative selection date of the Oct. 5 commission meeting. Im very sad for the Torvinen family, said McQueary. Mark was a great attorney, he was a great boss and our entire office will miss him. Mr. Thompson and I really hope to keep our team together and keep up the good work that our office does. Thompson and McQueary will work together as he is cognizant of the criminal division and she has the other side of the house. Before the session was over, McQueary told the commission more attorneys were needed. She explained to the media later the district attorneys office is down two attorneys, which is 20 percent of its workforce. There are eight attorneys in the district attorneys office at this time. The office is interviewing next week to replace its juvenile attorney, she said. Please dont commit any crimes, that would be fabulous, said McQueary, when asked what the public could do to support the office. McQueary said Torvinens absence will create a hole in the office and duties will be shifted around. Adjustments will be made over the next couple of weeks. Were busy. We really wish we werent, but we are, she said, explaining this shouldnt affect the prosecution of slated cases. The office has worked short-handed before, but the DAs office has a good team in place, she said. The problem is the shortage of attorneys. Were going to make every effort to make sure our core functions run smoothly, said McQueary. ELKO Police responded to what they thought was an active shooter Wednesday morning at a home on the south side of Elko. An injured man was taken to the hospital but his wound was not caused by gunfire, according to Lt. Rich Genseal. It now appears this subject caused extensive damage to his arm while trying to break out a window at the residence, Genseal said. The incident began shortly before 6 a.m. when police dispatch received a report of kids banging on the residence at South Fifth Street and Wilson Avenue. Three minutes later, they said they heard a gunshot and two males were seen running from the residence toward Joes Market. Officers arrived a minute later and found one male with a wounded arm. Another male was found hiding in a bathroom at South Side Laundry. The injured man was taken to Northeastern Nevada Region Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. Police have not released his identity. Police interviewed the second man and established a perimeter around the residence. The Elko Special Response Team and Hostage Negation Teams were activated and all of the roads leading in and out of the area were closed by law enforcement. After several hours, another man turned himself in at the Elko County Sheriffs Office advising he was involved in the incident, He was interviewed by detectives and it was determined that no other individuals were involved. The Elko Special Response Team was able to search the residence and no additional people were located. It is still very early in the investigation and detectives are still conducting follow up interviews with potential witnesses, stated an Elko Police Department release. It appears this incident involves at least four males and two females. No arrests have been made, however, the District Attorneys Office has been notified. Motorized racing is a great use of Nevadas vast and rugged open spaces, so it was welcome news this week when the BLM rebuffed opponents and announced it was allowing the Best in the Desert Vegas to Reno race to cut through what is now the Basin and Range National Monument. It didnt take long for environmentalists to come up with their first challenge based on President Obamas 2015 designation, which they claimed was designed to protect the region and therefore made it unsuitable for vehicles driving faster than 35 mph. But Interior Secretary Sally Jewell made it clear when she praised the designation last summer that it also preserves current uses of the land ... which will continue to be managed under existing rules and regulations. Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility opposed the race, saying it should not be allowed to pass through the federally protected area. Never mind that the event takes place on existing roadways, and has traveled through Nevada for the past two decades without anyone noticing a body count of endangered species in its wake. The race permit was not a total victory for the events organizers, however. The pressure to keep vehicles from tearing up the shoulders resulted in a compromise: drivers in the 643-mile race will have a lower speed limit and not be allowed to pass while in the 38-mile section of the monument. These restrictions are a backhanded acknowledgment that an off-road race is an utterly inappropriate use of the monument, said PEERs executive director, Jeff Ruch. I hope BLM has the sense never to route another race through the monument again. Tell that to the 5,000 or so racing enthusiasts who are expected to be drawn to the event this week. Among the supporting facts cited in the BLMs record of decision, off-highway vehicle racing is part of the Monuments historical and cultural heritage ... is a legitimate use of multiple-use public lands and its impacts are low and temporary compared with many other legitimate uses. Those statements make more sense than the comments from opponents, who listed concerns such as fugitive dust: As fugitive dust settles and is deposited, sometimes far away from its origin, it coats plants and soils that can change plant communities and have ecosystem effects. Scary stuff. If the fuzzy-leafed ficklewort cant handle a little dust then it picked the wrong state to plant itself in. The BLMs finding of no significant impact avoided the need for an environmental impact statement, but the decision specifies that it only applies to this years race, so expect another round of fun and games before next years. We think the BLM should stick to its guns and run the monument like it does the rest of its holdings: for multiple use. The outcome of this and future conflicts at Basin and Range is significant because the next national monument could be near anyones backyard. According to the Associated Press, Obama has already designated 24 monuments, covering more acreage than any other president. Almost nobody thinks hes done yet, stated the report. Environmental groups are urging him to go big as he leaves office. Weve already seen that a large chunk of mostly ordinary rock and sagebrush can become a monument, so nothing the president could do in his remaining few months would surprise us. Opium field in Castilla and Leon Luis Almodovar A medical examiner recalls a pastoral scene, with the body lying in a sea of strange green pods swaying in the wind. The corpse belonged to Pasquale, a 32-year-old Italian who dodged the heavy police surveillance to enter the poppy fields with two friends in search of a high. The examiner also photographed the coarse but effective tools he had used to cut off the pods and extract the latex the white sticky juice that contains the opium. Spain, the worlds second biggest opium producer In the 2015-2016 season, Spain has planted 13,000 hectares of opium, according to data from the Agriculture Ministry. It's an expanding crop during the last season there were only 8,000 hectares. Only Australia has planted more poppies than Spain. The poppy fields are in Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, La Rioja and the Basque Country. Their exact location is classified. Few people realize that Spain is the second-biggest poppy producer in the world, growing as much as 13,000 hectares a year. Only Australia accounts for more. And though the legal opium business is expanding due to rising global demand for painkillers, it remains shrouded in secrecy. In Spain, just one government-approved company controls the entire production process from sowing to exporting the final product. The clandestine nature of the business is such that the location of the fields must be kept under wraps while high security is essential. If a farmer wants to plant opium for the company, they have to get permission to do so from the Agriculture Ministry. Even Pasquales death didnt shatter the silence. He died in the afternoon on June 25, 2009. According to police reports, he started to suffer convulsions and stopped breathing. His two friends came running out of the field onto the road and alerted a passerby, who told the police. The medical examiner established that it was an accidental death caused by ingesting opium. Pasquale was an addict and, according to his friends, also an epileptic. A judge in Albacete opened a preliminary investigation, the results of which were filed four months later. Nobody except for his closest friends and family knew about his foray into the poppy field. In fact, the matter would never have been brought to light if it werent for forensic toxicologist, Maria Antonia Martinez who took an interest in the case that eventually made its way to her desk at Madrids Toxicology Institute in 2009. Now, seven years later, the magazine Forensic Science International has published an article on Pasquales death; the incident was unusual, being the first death to occur in a legal opium field in Europe. Our work sparked a lot of interest at the last forensic conference in Florida, says Martinez. A growing but little-known business In the last 20 years, global consumption of opioids opium-based painkillers has tripled. Currently, around 92% of morphine is consumed by countries where just 17% of the worlds population lives mainly, America, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand, according to the last report from the International Narcotics Control Board. Around 5.5 billion people still have either limited or no access to drugs containing morphine or codeine, the report adds. As much as 27% of the worlds morphine and 18% of its thebaine comes out of the Alcaliber factory in Toledo, according to their webpage. Currently, they export 93% of the drugs to 67 countries. This relatively unknown low-profile company has 24-hour surveillance on its fields and factories, including remote monitoring to ensure the system is impenetrable. EL PAIS visited one of its accessible fields in Castilla y Leon. The police asked that we keep the province a secret. With this type of crop, there are no signposts; it would just draw attention to it, says one police source. In some cases they put up a perimeter plastic fence but the scale is so big. You cant close the countryside off. On the positive side, this means the fields are not close to paths. The farmer in charge of the field visited by EL PAIS explained that opium is no different from any other crop. You plant it in March and harvest in July or at the start of August, depending on where you are. The fields have to be irrigated. In many respects, its like any other cereal crop. Its no more work. We plant it and the rest is done by the company. The scarcity of such cases in the West contrasts starkly with countries such as Afghanistan and Iran, where opium is grown illegally and where intoxication and accidental death are frequent. In fact, intoxication is one of the most common causes of children being hospitalized in Pakistan. The report in Forensic Science International refers to just one other case in the 1980s when a number of youngsters stole poppy capsules in Denmark, using them to make tea. The result was one death. In the case of Pasquale, Martinez and two other colleagues, Salome Ballesteros and Elena Almarza, performed new tests on the forensic samples that had been stored at the time. According to the report, they detected thebaine, morphine and codeine, which are found naturally in opium. But they also found traces of other drugs, namely cocaine, cannabis and ethyl alcohol. The cause of death was a cocktail of drugs with morphine and the very toxic thebaine playing a major role. Every now and again, mostly in the south of the country, people try to break into these legal poppy fields to get the latex from the poppies. The trespassers are often French or Italian and they camp close to the fields or even inside them. In 2013, the Toledo judiciary sentenced two Italians to almost two years behind bars for extracting opium from poppies in the town of Polan. They also awarded damages to the company growing the poppies. Nowadays the process is mechanized, says Martinez. They harvest the poppies when the pod is dry. It is then processed to extract the alkaloids they use to make drugs such as morphine and codeine. The method used in the case we researched [that of Pasquale] was the traditional method still used in some parts of the world you make cuts so that the latex seeps out. As it dries, it darkens and becomes what is known as opium. World leader While Australia produces 19,500 hectares of poppies rich in morphine, Spain grows poppies with a higher thebaine content, which is used in a number of analgesics. The last report from the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), notes Spains stake in this crop, whose acreage has grown by 62.5% in the past year. All the countries that have signed the UN agreement on drugs are bound to report on poppy production so that none goes astray. In Spain, the sector is controlled exclusively by Alcaliber, which, according to its website, is the biggest producer of morphine in the world. The company got government approval in 1973. From its headquarters in Colon, Madrid, its employees declined to comment for this report. Alcaliber is part of the Torreal group owned by investor Juan Abello, with links to the pharmaceutical company Sanofi Aventis. In 2014, they made a profit of 7 million. This culture of silence extends to Spains Health Ministry, which authorizes the cultivation of poppies. All that can be gleaned from their transparency portal is that there are currently 536 growers and their crops can be found in Andalusia, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y Leon and the Basque Country. Though the exact location of the fields is not revealed, it is known that there is heavy police surveillance mainly the Civil Guard which also controls vulnerable sections of the population and provides escorts for the transportation of the harvested poppies and raw materials. It also guards officially protected deposits, about which the government refuses to comment. 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 English version by Heather Galloway. Pedro Almodovar at the UK premiere of 'Julieta' WireImage Its no secret that the United States and Pedro Almodovar have enjoyed an enduring love affair. In Hollywood and on the West Coast, the relationship is more about output, in recognition of his two Oscars, Volvers box-office success, and every leading actress's plea for a role in his perpetually postponed first English-language film. But over on the East Coast the fascination with the Spanish director has more to do with the qualitative, the intellectual: hes been given an honorary Harvard degree, a retrospective at the New York Film Festival, and now an exhibit at the MoMA. Will American viewers appreciate the melancholy tone of Julieta amid election fever? New Yorks Museum of Modern Art, which has already paid homage to Almodovar in a stellar 2011 tribute, has scheduled a complete retrospective exhibition of his movies from November 29 to December 17. The organizers have confirmed to EL PAIS that the director will attend the red carpet premiere of the exhibition, as well as a press conference open to the public after one of the screenings, the date of which is to be announced. The MoMA event will give New Yorkers the chance to look back over a career that started with what the museum calls his exuberant entry into the Seventh Art with 1980s Pepi, Luci, Bom until his latest film, Julieta. The latter offering arguably evokes a greater Anglo-Saxon emotional resonance than any other of his films, thanks perhaps to its literary inspiration (the short stories of Canadian author Alice Munro). At one point the movie was due to be filmed in English, starring Meryl Streep. A scene from 'Julieta' Julieta wont premiere in commercial American theaters until December 21, so for Almodovar fans in the US this exhibition will provide the opportunity for a sneak peak on November 29, even though the film will also be screened at the New York Film Festival in September. Between his debut and Julieta, Almodovar has released 18 other titles, and this exhibition will explore the evolution of his romance with the United States: films from before they were truly acquainted, such as Matador, Dark Habits and What Did I Do to Deserve This? And then the film that made his name internationally, Women on the Edge of a Nervous Breakdown, the X-rated Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down, which scandalized the United States, and the movie that, for a change, was better received in the United States than at home: Talk to Her. How will the US receive Julieta now? Will it be redeemed after having the least successful Spanish commercial debut of Almodovars career? Will American viewers appreciate its melancholy tone amid election fever? Or will the downward trend of commercial success that has plagued the filmmaker since Volver (the biggest box-office earner, bringing in $12 million) continue? The MoMA, for the time being, is content to celebrate a unique director, describing him as someone who has constructed a colorful universe inhabited by non-conventional characters, fluid sexualities and gender identities, and complex, remarkable women. 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 English version by Allison Light. Acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy (PP) meets with Albert Rivera (Ciudadanos) in Congress. Claudio Alvarez (EL PAIS) The Popular Partys executive committee is expected today to broadly approve a list of six demands issued by the minority Ciudadanos party to Mariano Rajoy in return for supporting the acting prime ministers bid to form a government later this month. Wednesdays meeting comes a week after Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera released his six points: Rajoy must set a date for his investiture debate in Congress, expel party officials targeted in corruption investigations, end judicial privileges for elected officials, change the electoral law, end amnesties and pardons in corruption cases, limit the prime ministers mandate, and create a parliamentary commission to look into the so-called Barcenas case, involving illegal cash payments to PP officials. Some measures are not sufficiently specific to be able to give a simple yes or no, said Fernando Martinez-Maillo, the PPs vice-secretary. In the meantime, the government has put together a report on the legal implications of eliminating judicial privileges or changing the electoral system. Assuming the PPs executive committee approves the proposals, if it is to begin talks on adding Ciudadanos 32 seats to its own 137 which would still leave it short of the 176 required for a simple majority then Rajoy will have to announce a date for his investiture debate in Congress, where his proposals to form a government would be put to the vote. Sources in the PP say late August is the most likely time for an investiture vote. Some measures are not sufficiently specific to be able to give a simple yes or no, said the PPs vice-secretary about the demands So far, Rajoy has refused to set such a date, saying he first needs to know whether the main opposition Socialist Party (PSOE) is prepared to abstain. Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez risks being left on the sidelines as Rivera takes the political initiative. Former Socialist premier Felipe Gonzalez, who served four successive mandates between 1982 and 1996, has called on his party to allow Rajoy to form a government. The 36-year-old Rivera, a former member of the PP who has led Ciudadanos since it was set up in 2006, has described Sanchez as having turned his back on Spain, adding that he has disappeared politically, and that he cannot be counted on regarding affairs of state. Both Rivera and Rajoy have called on Sanchez to agree to abstain at an investiture debate. On the question of electoral reform, the PP says Ciudadanos is seeking to benefit itself by introducing greater proportional representation. Reforms to the voting system have always been done with the support of the two biggest parties: the PP and the PSOE, and it would have to be seen how the proportionality Ciudadanos is calling for would be reached, said Maillo, adding: Rivera is aware that all this cannot be done overnight. An internal debate is already underway within the PP on greater transparency in preparing lists of candidates in elections, with Cristina Cifuentes, head of the Madrid regional government, calling for a primaries system to elect candidates. Similarly, the party sees little problem in formally limiting prime ministers to two terms. If Rajoy wins his bid, a commission to look into government corruption could turn into a collective trial against the PP Rita Barbera, the former mayor of Valencia and a leading figure in the PP for the last two decades, will not be attending Wednesdays meeting of the executive committee, which will discuss Ciudadanos demands for an end to judicial privileges whereby members of Congress can only be tried by the Supreme Court as well as for any elected official targeted in a corruption investigation to automatically be required to resign. Barbera is accused of overseeing a kickbacks-for-contracts network during her time as mayor of Valencia. Sources in the PP say it is likely that she will be sacrificed, describing her position as very difficult. Now a senator, Barbera could however refuse to go quietly and instead declare herself an independent and try to wait out the judicial investigation. The PP points out that ending judicial privileges would require a change to the Constitution, and thus the support of the other main parties in Congress. The PP will likely try to have any parliamentary commission set up to investigate accusations into illegal financing extended to all parties, but it also knows that the opposition could push through the commission. The PSOE has already requested a commission into illegal financing and other corruption networks affecting the PP. Cifuentes has described any such commission as a collective trial against the PP, but believes its better to collaborate than oppose it. The PP now accepts that amnesties for officials found guilty of corruption are a thing of the past: former Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon pardoned seven people in 2014, but the PP included an end to such practices when it sent an offer to the PSOE and Ciudadanos as part of negotiations in the wake of the inconclusive elections in December. Once the PPs National Executive Committee (which has never taken a decision against the partys leader) has met, Rajoy is due to meet with Ciudadanos Albert Rivera later this week. After their last meeting he said that a date for the investiture debate, would be announced following the executive committees meeting. 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 English version by Nick Lyne. The Bank of Spain headquarters in Madrid. EFE Spains public debt rose in June by 18.549 billion, reaching a total of 1.107 trillion, the highest figure ever in absolute terms. As a percentage of GDP, the ratio of the countrys debt comes in at 100.9%, a record figure that even exceeds the 100.5% seen in March, which was when the ratio broke the 100% barrier for the first time. Such a figure has not been seen since 1909, when, according to records, debt levels reached 102% of GDP. Sources from the Economy Ministry say that the figures must be put into the context of the debt calendar Sources at the Economy Ministry say that the figures must be put into the context of the debt calendar, which can see peaks and troughs due to the differences between emission and repayment dates. The main maturity dates come in January, April, July and October. Once these factors are taken into account, the ministry says, the countrys growth is seen to be continuing the deceleration that began in 2013, and as such will achieve the target of 99.1% set out in the stability program by the end of 2016. Thats to say, the expected growth in GDP for this year, which will dilute the percentage, should bring the figure down for the second year in a row. However, the European Commission does not believe that the government will manage to bring the debt ratio down this year. According to its forecasts, it believes that Spain will end the year with debt levels of 100.3% of GDP. But the Economy Ministry insists that the historically low cost of borrowing makes the debt levels sustainable. The intervention of the European Central Bank in the markets has in large part made this situation possible. Spains public debt has seen unstoppable rises since 2009. That year it reached 52.7% of GDP, compared to 39.4% just a year before. It continued to notch up percentage points at a huge speed until it passed the 90% barrier in 2013. That year, in March, it passed the 100% barrier for the first time in more than a century. April saw the ratio ease somewhat, but in May and June it picked up pace once more. 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 English version by Simon Hunter. What if one blood test could screen for more than 50 types of cancer? 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 NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia. Dantrolene sodium hemiheptahydrate Consumer Medicine Information What is in this leaflet This leaflet answers some common questions about DANTRIUM capsules. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of treating you with DANTRIUM against the expected benefits it will have for you. If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again. What DANTRIUM is used for DANTRIUM capsules are used to relax muscles which are in spasm as a result of spinal cord injury, stroke, cerebral palsy or multiple sclerosis. It is of particular help to those patients whose rehabilitation is being slowed down by muscle spasm. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why DANTRIUM has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason. Before you take DANTRIUM When you must not take it Do not take DANTRIUM Capsules if you have an allergy to: any medicine containing dantrolene sodium hemiheptahydrate any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include: shortness of breath wheezing or difficulty breathing swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body rash, itching or hives on the skin. Do not take DANTRIUM Capsules if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions: liver disease such as hepatitis and cirrhosis muscle spasm to allow you to keep an upright position, to balance during movement or for better physical function. Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal. If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor. Before you start to take it Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes. Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions: you have liver problems It is essential to have your liver checked by your doctor before taking DANTRIUM, to determine if you have any existing problems with your liver. you have problems with your breathing you have heart problems you have kidney problems you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant Your doctor will discuss the possible risks and benefits of using DANTRIUM during pregnancy. you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed DANTRIUM should not be used while breastfeeding. Taking other medicines Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including: all prescription medicines all medicines, vitamins, herbal supplements or natural therapies you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket, naturopath or health food shop. Some medicines may be affected by DANTRIUM or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following: medicines containing oestrogen, which include oral contraceptives and medicines used to treat symptoms of menopause. calcium channel blockers such as verapamil, used to treat high blood pressure. other muscle relaxant medicines which work differently to DANTRIUM CNS depressants (medicines to reduce anxiety or help you sleep). Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine. How to take DANTRIUM Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet. If you do not understand the instructions on the bottle, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help. How much to take Your doctor will decide how much DANTRIUM you should take each day and how long your treatment with DANTRIUM should continue. Take the capsules exactly as instructed by your doctor or pharmacist. When to take it Your doctor will tell you how many times a day you should take DANTRIUM. Always read the pharmacist's label to check the exact dose and how often to take it. If you forget to take it If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to. Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking it as you would normally. Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you have missed. If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice. If you take too much (overdose) Immediately telephone your doctor, or the Australian Poisons Information Centre (telephone 131 126), or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too much DANTRIUM. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. While you are taking DANTRIUM Things you must do Keep all your doctor's appointments so that your progress and health can be monitored. DANTRIUM can cause damage to your liver, so your liver function needs to be checked regularly by your doctor to detect any abnormalities. If you become pregnant while being treated with DANTRIUM, tell your doctor immediately. If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are being treated with DANTRIUM. Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking DANTRIUM. Things you must not do Do not take DANTRIUM to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to. Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you. Do not drive or operate machinery while you are taking DANTRIUM. DANTRIUM causes drowsiness, dizziness and weakness in some people and therefore may affect alertness. Avoid drinking alcohol or taking medicines to reduce anxiety or help you sleep. These may increase the drowsiness and dizziness effects of DANTRIUM and should be avoided. Things to be careful of Be careful of exposure to sunlight while being treated with DANTRIUM. DANTRIUM may increase sensitivity of the skin to sun. Symptoms of sunburn (such as redness, itching, swelling or blistering) may occur more quickly than normal. Side effects Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking DANTRIUM. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects. It can be difficult to tell whether side effects are the result of taking DANTRIUM, effects of your condition or side effects of other medicines you may be taking. For this reason it is important to tell your doctor of any change in your condition. Do not be alarmed by the list of side effects. You may not experience any of them. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have. Tell your doctor if Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you: drowsiness dizziness weakness fatigue diarrhoea general feeling of being unwell shortness of breath and chest pain constipation loss of appetite difficulty swallowing stomach cramps/pain indigestion dry mouth vomiting speech problems headache nausea light-headedness visual problems, including double vision alteration of taste trouble sleeping depression mental confusion frequent urination increased urination at night abnormal colouration of the urine difficulties in obtaining an erection abnormal hair growth rashes bleeding or bruising more easily sweating backache muscle pain feeling of suffocation, excessive tearing, chills and fever. Tell your doctor as soon as possible if Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following: swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing swelling of the liver which can result in yellowing of the skin and eyes, lower back pain, dark urine, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fever, itching and a general feeling of being unwell gastrointestinal bleeding fits or convulsions fast heart rate shortness of breath and swelling of the feet or legs crystals or blood in the urine loss of control of the bladder difficulty passing or inability to pass urine. These may be serious side effects of DANTRIUM. You may need urgent medical attention. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell. Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people. After using DANTRIUM Storage Keep your capsules in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30C. Do not store DANTRIUM or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it in the car or on a window sill on hot days. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines. Keep your DANTRIUM capsules where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines. Disposal If your doctor tells you to stop taking DANTRIUM, or the capsules have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any capsules that are left over. Product description What it looks like DANTRIUM capsules are available in 25 mg and 50 mg strengths. DANTRIUM 25 mg capsules are orange and tan and marked in black with "Dantrium" "25 mg", "0149", "0030" and a single line. The 25 mg capsules are available in bottles of 100 capsules. DANTRIUM 50 mg capsules are orange and tan and marked in black with "Dantrium" "50 mg", "0149", "0031" and a double line. The 50 mg capsules are available in bottles of 100 capsules. Ingredients The active ingredient in DANTRIUM capsules is dantrolene sodium. DANTRIUM capsules also contain: maize starch purified talc magnesium stearate lactose monohydrate gelatin iron oxide red iron oxide yellow sunset yellow FCF sodium lauryl sulfate titanium dioxide black printing ink (TekPrint SW-9008 or TekPrint SW-9010). Supplier DANTRIUM capsules are supplied in Australia by: Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd Sydney NSW Toll Free Number: 1800 675 229 www.pfizer.com.au Australian registration numbers 25 mg capsule: AUST R 42975 50 mg capsule: AUST R 42976 Paying smokers to quit with payments that increased with the length of abstinence led one third of participants in a study to stop smoking for six months, according to research published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. While a large group relapsed after payments ended, abstinence rates a full year after the last incentive were almost 6 percentage points higher among smokers who received financial incentives compared to those who did not. The study, conducted in Geneva, Switzerland, enrolled 805 low-income smokers who indicated they were motivated to quit. Researchers randomly assigned 401 participants to the incentive group and 404 to a control group, verifying smoking status with biochemical tests throughout the study. Limitations of the study were that a larger portion of the 81 participants who dropped out were in the control group than in the incentive group. Participants who dropped out or were missing data were counted as smokers. Also participants in the control group knew they were recruited to a study where some participants would receive incentive payments; and control group participants were subjected to fewer biochemical tests to verify status, which could have impacted behavior. All participants in the study were provided booklets and access to a website with information about smoking cessation were given biochemical tests at the outset to confirm they were smokers. The incentive group received frequent rewards for confirmed abstinence, with rewards increasing incrementally after three months. Total incentives were worth as much as $1,500. Previous research has shown smaller incentives helped smokers remain abstinent for six months after final incentive payments when research subjects were educated, relatively affluent employees of U.S. companies with access to counseling and other assistance. Researchers, led by Jean-Francois Etter, PhD, from the Institute of Global Health, University of Geneva, Switzerland, set out to find out if larger, incremental rewards would work better among lower income smokers who did not have access to other smoking cessation support. Participants had a median income of about $20,000, and smoked about 16 cigarettes a day, with 43 percent identified as students, and 19 percent unemployed. At three months, 44.4 percent of the smokers in the incentive group reported they had been abstinent continuously compared to 6.4 percent of the control group. At six months, 35.9 percent of the incentive group and 5.7 percent of the control group reported continuous abstinence. At each stage, biochemical tests confirmed abstinence for seven days and for four weeks. At 18 months, which was one year after incentive payments ended, 9.5 percent of the incentive group and 3.7 percent of the control were confirmed abstinent. With a difference of 5.76 percentage points between the control and the incentives group after 18 months, 17 people would need to go through an incentive program like the one in the study to get one person to quit. In an accompanying editorial, Joseph A. Ladapo, M.D., PhD, and Judith J. Prochaska, PhD, MPH, noted this means it would cost $28,050 to yield one additional long-term quitter. Source: American College of Cardiology One of the largest emergency vaccination campaigns ever attempted in Africa will start in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo this week as WHO and partners work to curb a yellow fever outbreak that has killed more than 400 people and sickened thousands more. Credit: WHO/E. Soteras Jalil Working with Ministries of Health in the 2 countries, WHO is coordinating 56 global partners to vaccinate more than 14 million people against yellow fever in more than 8000 locations. The yellow fever outbreak has found its way to dense, urban areas and hard-to-reach border regions, making planning for the vaccination campaign especially complex. Emergency yellow fever vaccination campaigns have already reached more than 13 million people in Angola and more than 3 million in Democratic Republic of the Congo. These campaigns have been crucial to stopping the spread of the outbreak. Some areas are still considered at high risk and so preventive vaccination campaigns are planned for the capital city of Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of the Congo and along the countrys border with Angola, which spans 2646 km. The preventive vaccination campaign aims to build protection in the population perceived to be at high risk of getting infected and prevent potential spread and expansion of the current outbreak. Kinshasa has more than 10 million people, with only 2 million already vaccinated against yellow fever. With local transmission of the virus and low immunity in the population, there is a potential risk that the deadly outbreak could spread to other urban areas. Protecting as many people as possible With limited supplies of the vaccine, and a 6-month minimum manufacturing process, WHO has been working with the Ministries of Health to plan the mass vaccination campaign that uses one-fifth of the standard vaccine dose as a short-term emergency measure to reach as many people as possible. This method, known as fractional dosing, was recommended by WHOs Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), after it reviewed existing evidence that demonstrated lower doses would protect people safely and effectively against the disease for at least 12 months, and likely much longer. The fractional dose will not entitle people to travel internationally, but it will protect them from yellow fever during this outbreak and will help stop it from spreading further. Protecting as many people as possible is at the heart of this strategy. With a limited supply we need to use these vaccines very carefully, says William Perea, Coordinator for the Control of Epidemic Diseases Unit at WHO. Nuts and bolts of the mass vaccination campaigns WHO and partners including Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF), International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) and UNICEF have been working closely together through the complex planning and logistics needed for the campaign. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, has already enabled these countries to access almost 19 million doses of the vaccine since January and is providing strong support to the upcoming campaigns as well. Other partners providing expertise and support include Save the Children and the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Usually, planning a mass vaccination campaign can take anywhere between 3 to 6 months. This emergency campaign, however, must take place as soon as possible to end transmission before the rainy season starts in September. In order to vaccinate roughly 8 million people in Kinshasa within a short period, each team will need to vaccinate hundreds of people per day, says Perea. Approximately 17.3 million syringes and 41 000 health workers and volunteers are needed for the campaign. More than 500 vehicles will be used to transport the teams and supplies, which will be dispersed across more than 8000 vaccination sites in Kinshasa and along the Angola-Democratic Republic of the Congo border. Essential supplies by the numbers The fractional dose campaign in Kinshasa hinged on the availability of vaccines donated by the Brazilian government and manufactured by The Immunobiological Technology Institute (Bio-Manguinhos). The campaign also required the purchase and shipment of 10 million specialized 0.1ml syringes, to ensure the right amount is used for every vaccination. "The quantity of the syringes needed was not available on the open market, so we made a special order to manufacture these syringes," says Guillaume Queyras, responsible for Operations Support and Logistics at WHO. "Supply of the syringes usually takes more than 2 months. Given this emergency situation, manufacturers worked with us to speed up production and deliver the syringes on time in the country". The 17.3 million vaccine syringes equivalent to 700 cubic metres or 17 40-foot shipping containers were air freighted to Democratic Republic of the Congo. After the vaccines and syringes arrived in the country, the freight had to be cleared through customs, a procedure that normally takes weeks. WHO worked closely with the Government of Democratic Republic of the Congo to fast-track this process. Cool vaccines From the manufacturer to the person being immunized, the vaccine must be stored and transported at the right temperature between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius to maintain their potency. With lack of reliable electricity supply and fuel to run generators in large parts of the country, refrigeration is a big challenge. For this campaign alone, 115 000 ice packs are needed to keep vaccines cold and usable. Training WHO has developed guidance and materials that is being used to train thousands of health workers and volunteers before the campaign starts. Health workers in Kinshasa need specific training on how to vaccinate people using the fractional dose. Engaging communities In the weeks leading up to the campaign, communities have been informed about the importance of getting vaccinated. WHO, UNICEF and partners have developed guidance and resources to help country teams, community health workers and volunteers engage communities to participate in the campaigns. Teams on the ground are using local languages and trusted communication channels to reach and engage people. They have been meeting with religious and political leaders, delivering presentations and flyers at markets, health centres, churches and schools to ensure that people understand the campaign and how to protect themselves. Media announcements have also been made in local languages across print, radio and television channels to ensure maximum participation in this important campaign that aims to end this yellow fever outbreak. A group of scientists from several Russian universities and medical centers made progress in explaining the nature of one of the most ancient neurologic diseases migraine. The study was conducted within a larger project to develop a device capable of remotely and effectively diagnosing this disease. The scientists found that patients with migraine differ from healthy people by increased vascular reactivity, which is commonly expressed in more frequent constriction and extension of arterial walls than usual. At the same time, cardiac regulation was equal in both groups. The results were published in The Journal of Headache and Pain. A scheme of an experimental optical device for measuring the asynchrony of blood pulsations Most people occasionally suffer from headaches. However, in the majority of cases it is sufficient to take a painkiller and the pain goes away. Migraine patients are not so lucky. These people suffer from chronic headaches that cannot be relieved by pills. On top of all, migraine is often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, vision problems, increased sensitivity and can last up to several days, which negatively affects the quality of life. Today, there is no consensus among scientists on the mechanisms of this disease. Therefore, no truly effective drugs exist that can give a complete relief from migraine. Scientists from ITMO University, Federal Almazov North-West Medical Research Centre, Pavlov First Saint Petersburg State Medical University and Kazan Federal University decided to look at migraine as a result of disorders in cardiovascular system rather than in the nervous system. To this end, the researchers have conducted a number of tests to estimate autonomic (vasomotor) regulation of blood circulation. 73 patients suffering from migraine and 71 healthy persons aged about 35 were invited for the study. The researchers evaluated a broad range of cardiac parameters, many of which, as it turned out, do not have any influence on the presence of migraine. Cardiac regulation is the same in both groups, says Oleg Mamontov, lead author of the study and a senior researcher at the Department for Cardiovascular Physiology at Almazov Centre. However, we have observed that patients with migraine have increased vasomotor reactivity of blood vessels that is consistent with the findings of a number of similar studies. Vascular reactivity is a broad concept. It includes not only vascular tone, but also more complex metabolic and neuro-regulatory processes within vessels. The increased vascular reactivity is most commonly observed in spasms of the arteries and less in their extension. Every blood vessel binds with the nervous system, which controls its contraction. The nervous system harmoniously transmits the pulsations throughout the body. If for some reason, this coherence is violated, serious disorders may arise; according to the scientists, one such disorder can be the migraine. The reactivity of blood vessels can also be evaluated based on the response of the organism to the external environment. For the first time, we used the method of occlusion plethysmography to assess migraine patients. This method has shown the biggest deviations in patients with frequent and chronic migraine (attacks that last more than 14 days per month). Using this test, we have studied how the musculocutaneous vessels respond to low temperature stress, notes Oleg Mamontov. The occlusion plethysmography is widely used to diagnose diseases related to the tone of the cardiovascular system. During the measurements, the researchers block (provide occlusion) veins in some part of the body and record the increase in size of the limb over time. This makes it possible to define various parameters of the blood flow. But this method is associated with some discomfort for the patient. Thus, the study devoted to the nature of migraine, was a part of a larger project to create an optical device that will distantly diagnose circulatory disorders. When blood is pulsating in a living body, the light reflection from the skin also changes. This change is especially noticeable on the blushing cheeks of someone who goes from a warm environment to a colder one. Subtle shifts invisible for our eyes can be monitored with a usual camera and then processed with special software, comments Alexei Kamshilin, senior researcher of Computer Photonics and Digital Video Processing Department at ITMO University. This technique is called imaging photoplethysmography and it can help us determine the difference in pulsation of the arteries which fill the brain with blood, and perhaps diagnose migraine. The distribution of a relative phase of blood pulsations on the face of a healthy person (left) and a patient suffering migraine (right). For instance, it is known also that in most cases, only one half of the brain hurts during the migraine attack, and sometimes the pain goes from one half to the other. Such migration may be associated with the fact that the brain of migraine patients is unevenly supplied with blood. The brain of a healthy person is supplied by two simultaneous flows from two arteries the right and the left, says Alexei Kamshilin. Our previous experiments have shown that blood pulsations in the right and left arteries of migraine patients occur asynchronously. Alexei Kamshilin notes that the research team will continue to gather statistical data to improve the significance of the results. Both the selection of patients and work with them are quite time consuming, says the scientist. We would get extremely valuable information if we were able to see patients during a migraine attack, but, for obvious reasons, not all people agree. Schizophrenia poses an evolutionary enigma. The disorder has existed throughout recorded human history and persists despite its severe effects on thought and behavior, and its reduced rates of producing offspring. A new study in Biological Psychiatry may help explain why-comparing genetic information of Neanderthals to modern humans, the researchers found evidence for an association between genetic risk for schizophrenia and markers of human evolution. "This study suggests that schizophrenia is a modern development, one that emerged after humans diverged from Neanderthals," said John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. "It suggests that early hominids did not have this disorder." Genetics & Genomics eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today The cause of schizophrenia remains unknown, but researchers know that genetics play a significant role in the development. According to senior author Ole Andreassen from the University of Oslo in Norway and University of California, San Diego, some think that schizophrenia could be a "side effect" of advantageous gene variants related to the acquisition of human traits, like language and complex cognitive skills, that might have increased our propensity to developing psychoses. Along with Andreassen, first authors Saurabh Srinivasan and Francesco Bettella, both from the University of Oslo, and colleagues looked to the genome of Neanderthals, the closest relative of early humans, to pinpoint specific regions of the genome that could provide insight on the origin of schizophrenia in evolutionary history. They analyzed genetic data from recent genome-wide association studies of people with schizophrenia for overlap with Neanderthal genomic information. The analysis tells researchers the likelihood that specific regions of the genome underwent positive selection sometime after the divergence of humans and Neanderthals. Regions of the human genome associated with schizophrenia, known as risk loci, were more likely to be found in regions that diverge from the Neanderthal genome. An additional analysis to pinpoint loci associated with evolutionary markers suggests that several gene variants that have undergone positive selection are related to cognitive processes. Other such gene loci are known to be associated with schizophrenia and have previously been considered for a causal role in the disorder. "Our findings suggest that schizophrenia vulnerability rose after the divergence of modern humans from Neanderthals," said Andreassen, "and thus support the hypothesis that schizophrenia is a by-product of the complex evolution of the human brain." Trauma Innovation expands to enable civilian and military healthcare professionals to improve care on the battlefield and following mass casualty incidents Across the globe, the threat level for international terrorism is high. The unpredictable timings and locations of the recent atrocities in Belgium, France and Germany have highlighted how important it is for medical professionals to be prepared for mass casualty incidents. Its not just civilian care providers that are under pressure. An escalation in the fight against terror across the Middle East has seen military forces, from numerous countries, frequently engage in dangerous missions. As a result, healthcare professionals are regularly treating patients who have been badly injured during fighting or by explosive devices. Technologies and strategies to save lives and improve patient care are higher on the agenda of healthcare professionals than ever before. From 27-28 September, A&E consultants, doctors, surgeons, paramedics and intensive care nurses from across Europe will come together at Trauma Innovation in Birmingham to discuss the future of patient care and ensure they are prepared for future incidents. Responding to the increased demand from healthcare professionals for new equipment, which will enhance clinical capability, and training and highlighting the number of international suppliers providing pioneering solutions for trauma care, Trauma Innovations organisers have today announced the expansion of the events exhibition. With initial floor space sold out two months ahead of the event, visitors will now be able to source equipment from a total of 30 businesses an increase of 20% including the likes of Philips, Orthofix, Siemens Healthcare, Diamedica, National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians, Advanced Blast & Ballistic Systems, TyTek Medical and INMM. Robert Neighbour, Managing Director of Diamedica, commented: Anaesthesia plays an essential role in trauma handling. Our unique products can make a real difference in the most challenging situations. Trauma Innovation is an event that will enable us to present our solutions to the specialists responsible for delivering care to victims, both from a humanitarian and military perspective. By participating, we hope to have a positive impact on the way patients are treated in the future. Alongside the exhibition, a host of leading international experts have been confirmed as speakers in Trauma Innovations conference programme. Run in partnership with Defence Medical Services (DMS) and Orthopaedic Research UK, sessions will focus on musculoskeletal complications, as well as delivering the latest academic research on ballistic and blast injuries which will help shape the future of trauma care delivery. On day one, following an opening address from Brigadier Tim Hodgetts CBE, Medical Director at DMS, academics from Cranfield University will reveal invaluable information on ballistics, giving clinicians a deeper understanding of firearms and the associated wounding mechanisms. Focusing on providing care to victims of explosions, experts from Imperial College will discuss the physics of blast waves and the challenges that pelvic and spinal injuries present. Meanwhile, Surgeon Captain John Sharpley, Defence Consultant Advisor in Psychiatry at Defence Medical Services, will provide unique insights into the long term social aspects of injured patients. Day two of the conference will be opened by Surgeon Vice Admiral Alasdair Walker OBE, Surgeon General of the Ministry of Defence. Throughout the day discussions will be held on how military medicine may look to pre-traumatic or left-of-bang interventions; if big data and sensor technologies can support clinical decision making and optimise patient care; and how virtual, augmented and mixed-reality can support future mission planning. General Anne Sailliol, Chief of the French Military Blood Institute at the Ministere de la Defense, will also examine the use of dried plasma in trauma, while Dr. Jospeh Wenke from the US Army Institute of Surgical Research will explore complex injury mitigation strategies. Elsewhere, Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Tim Bonner, who has completed a number of tours, will use clinical data to describe different patterns of injuries based upon skeletal fracture morphology. Duncan Reid, Event Director of Trauma Innovation, commented: Incidents across the world have shown the importance of having the facilities and capabilities to care for those who have been severely injured, whether thats in a hospital or at the scene itself. The sourcing of advanced technologies and sharing of information between military healthcare professionals and their civilian counterparts is vital to this and that is what we will facilitate at Trauma Innovation. Trauma Innovation will take place at Edgbaston Stadium, Birmingham, UK from 27-28 September. Brain State Technologies announces the presentation of a study that describes how use of a wearable neurotechnology device by military personnel could improve sleep and thereby lower the risk of developing post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The ideas and analysis are being presented today at the Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS), being held August 15-18, in Kissimmee, Florida. Studies have long shown that sleep disturbance is a core feature of PTSD and one of the most difficult symptoms to manage. Neither counseling nor medication treatments tend to be highly effective for helping people overcome PTSD-related sleep problems. Moreover, recent studies show that sleep disturbance is not only a negative outcome from PTSD, it may also contribute to its onset. Collaborating with researchers from the Department of Neurology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, the Brain State team produced an analysis showing that sleep improvement may be a strategic approach to reducing the number of new-onset cases of PTSD in service members who will be deployed to combat zones. The researchers began by reviewing data from a study of military service members who were deployed to Iraq after 9/11. In that study, published in 2013 in the journal Sleep, a group from the University of Pennsylvania, the Veteran's Administration, and others, had found that "the risk [for PTSD] conferred by insomnia symptoms was almost as strong as... combat exposure." NLM publication at http://www. ncbi. nlm. nih. gov/ pmc/ articles/ PMC3669076. Neuroscience eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today By combining estimates of the risk for PTSD conferred by insomnia, with estimates for how much insomnia might be reduced through use of a wearable device for sleep quality enhancement, the Brain State-Wake Forest team produced quantitative estimates for reductions in new cases of PTSD, for a scenario where a large group of service members is sent into a combat zone. The idea that a wearable device could be designed to optimize sleep quality and circadian regulation emerged from the collaborative investigations of Brain State Technologies' Founder & CEO, Lee Gerdes and Director of Research, Dr. Sung Lee. In 2015, the company developed wearable technology intended for exactly this purpose, partially supported by an award from the US Army Research Office. Gerdes states that "we are very excited about presenting this analysis to military health researchers, because prevention efforts tend to get too little attention. We think that focus on sleep quality could reduce PTSD not only in the military, but also in police, medical first-responders, and others who have high exposure to trauma." It is estimated that up to 50% of the US adult population suffers from some level of insomnia symptoms in a given month. According to Dr. Lee, "the relationship between sleep problems and post-traumatic stress is highly intimate, probably even at the level of individual neurons. Sleep disturbance may be a key reason why traumatized individuals have difficulty engaging neural circuits that do not relate to the stress response." Most young adult women who regularly visit indoor tanning salons support the introduction of policies to make it safer, but are against a total ban. This is according to a study led by Darren Mays of Georgetown University Medical Center in the US, in the journal Translational Behavioral Medicine: Practice, Policy, Research, published by Springer. The findings are good news for regulators who are finalizing stricter regulations aimed at highlighting the skin cancer risks associated with artificial tanning. Skin cancer is the most common malignancy in the US, with more than 3.5 million new cases being diagnosed annually. Most skin cancers are preventable by reducing a person's exposure to ultraviolet radiation - either from the sun or from the intentional use of indoor tanning facilities. The latter account for an estimated 10 percent of all annual skin cancer cases in the US. By 2015 more than 40 US states had already taken active steps to address this public health concern by introducing stricter regulations to limit indoor tanning, especially among minors. New regulations issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have seen tanning devices reclassified as moderate to high-risk medical devices. The FDA also has a set of new regulations on the cards that highlight the health risk associated with indoor tanning. As part of efforts to assess the level of public support for such policies, confidential self-report online surveys were completed by 356 non-Hispanic women in Washington DC. They were all between the ages of 18 and 30 years old and had indoor tanned at least once in the past year. They were asked about how regularly they did so, their attitudes, perceptions and beliefs towards the practice and how they felt about new policies being proposed to regulate the industry. The results show a high level of support for prevention policies similar to those that have recently been proposed for national enactment by the FDA. Three in every four participants (74 percent) supported policies to prevent children younger than 18 years from indoor tanning. About the same number of women (77.6 percent) were also in favor of stronger health warnings being placed on the tanning devices themselves. Support for a total ban on the practice was however very low, with only one in every ten participants backing such a notion. Countries like Australia and Brazil have already banned indoor tanning. "Non-Hispanic white young adult women who indoor tan, the primary consumers of indoor tanning and a high-risk population, largely support indoor tanning prevention policies implemented by many state governments and those currently under review for national enactment," says Mays. "Given the low levels of support for a total indoor tanning ban, support for other potential policies such as increasing the minimum age to 21 should be investigated to inform future steps to reduce indoor tanning and the associated health risks." Indian colleges have some great teachers, but also a ton of pond scum. Bitter, broken, awful people who should not be allowed near kids. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 In my 2nd semester of engineering, I had an Engineering Drawing teacher who was a complete bastard and a turd of a human being Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 For whatever reason, he decided he just didn't like me. In an Indian college, this is pretty much a death sentence in the concerned subject Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 He made me redo one particular assignment 20 times, I went to college four times during our scheduled study leave just to submit Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 It got to a point where I'd be weeping in my room over the assignment and my mum would come in and draw for a bit, late at night Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I couldn't tell if I was imagining the prejudice, so I borrowed a friend's assignment, which the teacher had graded with a perfect score Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I got a gigantic piece of tracing paper and over several hours, traced his assignment out exactly. Submitted the next day. FAILED. "Redo." Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 Luckily I overheard him grumbling to his assistant about how he had to leave town the next day for a family thing. So I waited. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 Two days later I went back to college and went to the HoD. Said "this teacher was supposed to correct my assignment but he's left town" Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 The HoD took my assignment, gave it a near perfect score and sent me on my way. I cried in the train, the whole way back Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 There were a hundred factors I considered before I dropped out of college in the next semester, but this asshole was a key factor. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 And I bet he's still there, lording it over his fiefdom, wrecking careers, tearing apart kids' interest in his subject. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I start shaking even today, just thinking about it. The humiliation, the helplessness. And the rage that follows. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I literally never went back to that college. I'd get anxiety attacks at the gate. I skipped the entire next term, voluntarily flunked out. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 If you're a student and you're going through anything even remotely similar to this, please talk to someone. Because this is abuse Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 And it took me entirely too long to recognise that. We brush it off as "tough love teaching methods" but it's not. It's soul-crushing. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 For those asking, the college was KJ Somaiya College of Engineering, Vidyavihar. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 Also, the only reason I can stand here and talk about it today is because I had a support system that told me it was okay to fail Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 I recognise that. So if you have a friend, relative, kid, whatever, know that this COULD be what they're dealing with. Be there for em. Rohan (@mojorojo) August 16, 2016 All India Bakchod's Rohan Joshi went on a Twitter rant about teachers and professors who bully students on Tuesday, 16th August. Joshi talked about an Engineering Drawing teacher from his college who made him redo an assignment 20 times purely out of spite. He also added that this was one of the most important reasons that compelled him to drop out of engineering college.But Joshi's account is not a one-off thing. It is in fact a regularity and almost practise. Stories of teachers punishing students and educational institutes harassing students for no good reason is commonplace.Joshi's thread was set off by a different Twitter rant about similar injustice befalling a student who ultimately committed suicide, unable to take the pressure anymore. This was about Sushant Rohilla, a 21-year-old BA LLB student from Amity Law School, IP University, who hanged himself on August 10 at his residence in Sarojini Nagar, New Delhi.Rohilla was barred from attending his exams because of an attendance shortage. But according to a mail that he had sent to the college authorities, his attendance shortage was a result of an accident because of which he was unable to attend classes. Rohilla's suicide has sparked outrage and people have criticized the educational institute for its arbitrary rules and callous behavior. The victim's friend Teerth Waraich even tweeted "Our college has a 75% attendance norm but it is completely arbitrary. They forgave attendance for Miss India contestant but killed my friend".Read Rohan Joshi's tweets right here:Joshi's tweets led other people to tweet about the kind of abuse they suffer or have suffered at the hands of their respective teachers. LEGOLAND Dubai, has for the first time shared a sneak peek into one of its most highly anticipated attractions - MINILAND. To everyone's surprise it unveiled a stunning Taj Mahal LEGO model, to mark India's 70th Independence Day on August 15.The impressive and realistic model is made from 280,741 LEGO bricks and weighs more than 645 kg.(Photo: LEGOLAND Dubai/Taj Mahal LEGO model)While the real-life Taj Mahal took approximately 20 years to build, this model was built in 2,019 hours using white LEGO bricks with accents of gold, black and red.(Photo: LEGOLAND Dubai/Taj Mahal LEGO model)(Photo: LEGOLAND Dubai/Taj Mahal LEGO model)According to the press release, LEGOLAND Dubai is designed for families with children aged 2-12, featuring six themed areas, 15,000 LEGO model structures made from 60 million LEGO bricks and more than 40 rides, shows, attractions and LEGO building experiences.MINILAND will be located at the heart of LEGOLAND Dubai and is set to officially open on 31 October 2016 as part of Dubai Parks and Resorts. Patna: At least 13 people died and several others were taken ill after consuming spurious liquor in Bihar's Gopalganj district, reports said on Wednesday. Family members of the victims alleged that all of them died after consuming illicit liquor. They also alleged that the local administration failed to take action against the hooch mafia despite despite having information about them. However, the Bihar government has denied reports of hooch tragedy in the state, suggesting they may died of illness. District Magistrate Rahul Kumar said, "The cause of their deaths is yet to be determined as postmortem reports are awaited. But preliminary inquiry revealed that all of them were not well for the last few days." Reports of a hooch tragedy first came in on Tuesday when six people died in Gopalganj district. On Wednesday, reports said seven more people died after consuming spurious liquor. In April, Nitish imposed a blanket ban on production and consumption of liquor in the entire state, a promise he had made while campaigning for the state polls. He had then assured that action would be initiated against officials for failing to enforce the liquor ban. New Delhi: A Parliament panel has listed encroachment of lakes and riverbeds as a major reason for the massive Chennai floods last year. The Parliamentary standing committee on home affairs in its report tabled in Parliament asked the state government to check the real estate mafia involved in illegal construction. During the course of its inquiry into the reasons that led to the inundation of large parts of the Tamil Nadu capital last December, the panel was told by the state government that encroachments have been identified along and around the major water bodies. Some of the encroachers have already been evicted. The report accessed by CNN-News18 has recommended that regular maintenance of the drainage system should get topmost priority, however daunting the task may be. It also notes: There is a need to keep all our drains clean, there is need to make sure that all the storm water drains function and the outlets function. The committee however observes that the process of removing encroachments should be a balanced one as it has human and social consequences. Commenting on the role and responsibilities of different agencies concerned, the committee strongly recommends that the Ministry of Home Affairs, through its subordinate concerned agencies, has to bolster its disaster preparedness. The committee suggests that separate action should be taken to prepare calamity map of all important cities by developing standard vulnerability indices so as to minimise loss of life, loss of private and public property and vital installations. The committee however rejected Union Home Secretarys submission that since the rainfall was unprecedented and was more than the hundred years average, the damage was also huge. The panel felt that instead of putting the blame of natures fury, technological preparedness should be of an advanced level to overcome all odds. 2 months after alleging that she was harassed by then Karnataka labour minister Parameshwar Naik, Former DSP Anupama Shenoy has released audio tapes which allegedly contains her conversation with Naik and other senior police officers. Shenoy has also written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, appealing him to take action against the seniors who had allegedly pushed her to resign. Shenoy alleged that the tapes show how the former Minister spoke rudely to her and how her seniors transferred her after the conversation with the then labour minister Parameshwar Naik. The Karntaka govt has played down the charges, claiming that it was merely a verbal discussion. "Is their any intention behind that?" exclaimed law minister TB Jayachandran. The verbal discussion was not substantial enough to accuse the minister, added Jayachandran. The BJP has something else to say about it. "she was forced to resign by the Karnataka government" said BJP leader Jagdish Shettar. He said that the system has "completely collapsed" in Karnataka and the Chief Minister has no control over the administration. The claims however have not turned out to be very damaging for the government. The case is taking a political turn with the BJP alleging that an honest officer was being put under pressure by the Karnataka government. India on Wednesday sought to turn the tables back on Pakistan saying it was willing to send Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar for talks on cross-border terror and not on Kashmir, as Islamabad wanted. In response to the invitation from his Pakistani counterpart, Jaishankar said the talks should be focussed on cross-border terror as that was "central to the current situation in Jammu and Kashmir." India has also conveyed that it rejects in entirety "the self-serving allegations regarding the situation in J&K, which is an integral part of India where Pakistan has no locus standi." Pakistan on Monday had invited India for talks on Kashmir, saying it is the "international obligation" of both the countries to resolve the issue. The response was handed over to Pakistan by Indian High Commissioner to Islamabad Gautam Bambawale. The invitation was extended amid tension in bilateral ties due to the war of words between the two nations over the issue. Last week, while reacting to a statement by Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz regarding the invitation, India had made it clear that it would talk on "contemporary and relevant" issues in Indo-Pak relations and at this time it included stoppage of Pak-supported cross-border terrorism. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed real estate firm Unitech Ltd to deposit Rs 15 crore principal amount by September-end to pay back investors who had bought flats in its Gurgaon project but not got possession on time. "We feel pained," a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and U U Lalit said while directing the firm to deposit Rs five crore within two weeks and Rs 10 crore in the apex court registry by end of next month to pay back the amount to 38 investors. Since January 2015, As many as 1700 complaints have been filed against Unitech in the National Capital Region only. Responding to the query, Kapil Sibal, who is fighting the case for Unitech, said "We appreciate the concern of customers. They can take alternative accommodation. We will pay the rent." The bench shot back saying, "Will they move from rental to rental? Nothing is moving." "I am not very hopeful. I don't think these guys are afraid of facing any courts," Saurabh Agarawal, Unitech buyer told CNN-News18. Sibal told the court that there should be some solution to the issue but the bench said, "You deposit Rs 15 crore first. Let them get the principal amount." "We direct the appellant (Unitech) to deposit Rs 15 crore in the registry of this court. They will deposit Rs five crore in two weeks and rest amount of Rs 10 crore will be deposited by end of September 2016," the bench said and listed the matter for further hearing on October 4. During the hearing, a number of investors were present in the courtroom and advocate Brajesh Kumar who was representing some of them told the bench that before the National Consumer Commission, Unitech Ltd had assured that they would hand over the possession of flats which was not cone. (With inputs from PTI) Dhaka: Heat-induced heart failure was the cause of death of the Indian wild elephant that was swept into Bangladesh by raging flood waters, doctors said on Wednesday, after an autopsy. Doctors, who conducted the autopsy of 'Bangabahadur', meaning Hero of Bengal, said the four-tonne elephant died of heat-induced heart failure around 7am on Tuesday at Koyra village in northern Jamalpur district, about 200 km from the capital Dhaka. The Sharishabarhi Upazila chief executive had formed a three-member committee, led by veterinary surgeon Mostafizur Rahman of Bangabandhu Safari Park, to conduct the elephant's autopsy. "Bangabahadur died from heart failure triggered by insufferable heat," Rahman was quoted as saying by bdnews24. The animal was laid to rest at Koyra in the evening. Tapan Kumar Dey, a former forest conservator who led the rescue attempts, said, "We tried our best to rescue Bangabahadur and keep the elephant alive. Its death has also pained us". Bangabahadur was separated from its herd on June 27 in Assam where monsoon floods have made life difficult and got washed away in the streams of mighty Brahmaputra to downstream Bangladesh. In Bangladesh, after it was thought to have travelled for nearly 1,700 kilometres, Bangabahadur was rescued on August 11 by a forest team following six weeks of frantic efforts. On its way from India, it was forced to stay in marshes as the highlands were occupied by flood-hit people who were unwilling to let the frightened animal share their shelters. The elephant entered Bangladesh through Roumari frontiers of northwestern Kurigram and then travelled miles to Jamalpur. It appeared agitated after being tranquilized more than once and moved indiscriminately for nearly an hour before it fell into a ditch unconscious during rescue efforts. Forest officials and villagers dragged him off the ditch. It died as a process was underway to shift it to the Bangabandhu Safari Park from the remote village. Officials had planned to bring in two trained elephants to support the transportation. Witnesses and people in the neighbourhood suspected that excessive tranquilizing might have partly led to its death. They alleged Bangabahadur was provided less than what it deserved to eat as officials feared with regained strength, it could break the shackles and pose threat to the neighbourhood. Without proper food it gradually lost its strength. Earlier, an expert team from India led by a retired chief forest conservator on July 4 joined the Bangladeshi team in rescuing the elephant but left the scene three days later. Mumbai: Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra says her favourite part about her profession is that it gives her the liberty to play myriad characters. Priyanka, who was at the Twitter headquarters in San Francisco on Tuesday, did a video chat with her fans who asked her several questions. When a user asked her about her favourite thing of being an actress, she replied in a video: "My most favourite thing of being an actress is being able to play so many different characters and the fact that I can be anybody. Scary huh?" Another user asked what's the one thing she always needs on the sets. She said: "One thing I always need on set is my phone, otherwise how will I tweet you guys... That's very essential." The actress was also asked about her American drama TV series Quantico, which helped her gain international recognition. A fan asked about how much of the storyline is revealed to her at the beginning of each session. So, Priyanka who plays Alex Parrish in the show, shared: "Not really too much. As I just really want to find out when Alex finds out. So I insist on finding out too much, but I find out like two episodes before the one we are going to shoot." In the new season of Quantico, Priyanka will portray CIA agent Alex Parrish. In the first season, she played an FBI recruit. The former beauty queen will also be seen as a guest judge for season 15 of American TV series Project Runway, hosted by supermodel Heidi Klum. Priyanka will join the series as one of the few guest judges on the show, which will air from September. The show focuses on budding designers who are given an opportunity to create a collection for New York Fashion Week. She has essayed a negative role in Baywatch -- the big screen version of the globally popular TV series featuring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. Mumbai: Veteran filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, who awaits the release of his forthcoming Malayalam drama Pinneyum, has come down heavily on the very notion of censorship. He said that it is high time to scrap censorship. "In a democracy, censorship has no place. Censorship works only in dictatorships, not in democracy. I am opposed to any kind of censorship," Gopalakrishnan said while promoting his film at the Press Club here on Tuesday. "I don't want anyone to tell me what to do and what not to do," he said. Talking about piracy, which has plagued the film industry, the multiple National Award winning filmmaker said that there should be severe punishment for those who commit piracy. "It is because of a lack of stringent punishment that people indulge in releasing films in the internet even before the official release of the films," he said. Gopalakrishnan also said that it's wrong to address non-Hindi films as regional cinema. "Every film is a national film. Nobody called Satyajit Ray as a Bengali filmmaker. Globally, Bollywood films have been identified as Indian films, which is totally wrong. Bollywood doesn't represent Indian films," he said, and rued that many good regional films don't get the recognition and adulation they deserve as they get overwhelmed by Bollywood films. "In one of the international film festivals, a foreign filmmaker was really surprised to know that we make good non-Hindi movies in India. It is very common to identify Hindi cinema for Indian cinema," he said. Talking about his new film, which stars Dillip and Kavya Madhavan in the lead, he said it is for the first time that his movie is getting released outside Kerala. It will be released in all metros and major cinemas. "This movie is about human relationships, crime, family, love and the human craving for material wealth while basic human values are being sacrificed," he said. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday advised Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah not to make any arrests in the case against Amnesty International India, a day after the state government defended the sedition charges. Singh, who is the general secretary in charge of the state, tweeted that Siddaramaiah had assured him no arrests will be made pending investigation in the case where unidentified men allegedly shouted anti-India slogans at an event on Kashmir. The Congress leader also clarified that only an FIR has been filed against event organiser Amnesty International and the participating students. On Tuesday, Siddaramaiah had said nobody would be spared if they indulge in anti-national activity. State Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, Law minister TB Jayachandra and Higher Education minister Basaravaraja Rayareddy too had defended the sedition charges saying anti-national activity would not be tolerated in Karnataka. Rayareddy said the government had instructed college managements to expel the students for allegedly raising slogans demanding "azaadi" for Kashmir. The Karnataka governments decision to slap sedition charges had embarrassed the Congress high command which had taken a strong stand against the stringent law during the JNU agitation in Delhi. Siddaramaiah himself had opposed the sedition charge against JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar last February. Last Friday, a few dozen participants, mainly students from Kashmir, had allegedly raised anti-India slogans at an Amnesty India programme held at United Theological College in Bengaluru. The ABVP lodged a complaint with videos of the event following which the Bengaluru City police registered a case under sedition law. The main opposition BJP is demanding the arrest of Amnesty India officials and the students. As an uncle, Shivpal Yadav had often ferried his young nephew to school on a scooter. But that was in the late 70's. The young nephew is now in the driver's seat and wishes to lay down his own rules of politics. The uncle's political tactics, which shaped the Samajwadi Party over the years, have been put to rest. With patriarch Mulayam Singh being slowed by age, an undeclared struggle for power has started within the first family of the Samajwadi Party. Only, that this could not have come at a worse time for the party, when it is readying for the Uttar Pradesh polls to be held in a few months from now. So what is at the heart of growing differences between Akhilesh and Shivpal Yadav? Is it lust for power, or contempt for each other's style of politics? Political observers say it's both. While Shivpal was often considered an organisational man, Akhilesh was the young, technology-savy, popular face of the Samajwadi Party. While Shivpal rubbed shoulders with Mulayam Singh over the decades and suffered hardship to create and stregthen the party, Akhilesh was the one who reaped the fruits of power. Yes, he was a parliamentarian for long before being made the chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 2012, but his political involvement was minimal. The decision to bring in Akhilesh as the CM face may have been driven by fatherly affection on Mulayam's part; or it may have been political prudence in projecting a young and more acceptable face. But the decision didn't come without damage. While the young chief minister struggled to assert his development agenda, old turks Shivpal Yadav, Azam Khan, Ram Gopal and often Mulayam Singh himself didn't let go of the reigns. This situation gave rise to the phrase 'four and half chief ministers' - the four old guards and the young Akhilesh. But slowly as Akhilesh moved to create a mark, it started a conflict of opinion and polititics and egos. Moves were made and compromises brokered. When a DySP was shot dead in Kunda, Akhilesh was quick to sack Raghuraj Pratap or Raja Bhaiya from his cabinet. Later he was forced to swallow the bitter and reinduct Raja Bhaiya. Sources say the decision was forced upon the CM. It was not the only induction in the cabinet without the consent of the CM. It was also not the only instance where his wish was ignored. Sources say Akhilesh had to compromise even in the appointment of top bureaucrats, including some in his own secretariat. While at some times Azam Khan sulked, at other times it was Shivpal Yadav. Divisions of young versus old were evident when prominent faces of Team Akhilesh were sacked from the party and a sober Akhilesh had to express annoyance by skipping the Saifai Mahotsava. He was then pacified by bringing these faces to the Legislative Council. But while all this was till recently confined to inner politics, it's now beginning to come out in the open. The mud that is raked is threatening to swamp Samajwadi Party's poll prospects and put Akhilesh's captaincy at risk. After all, he is the CM face of the party. The defining moment of this great rift was the merger of Qaumi Ekta Dal with the SP and the subsequent anullment. Shivpal, the architect of this alliance, was shocked and humiliated when Akhilesh vetoed it. For him the alliance, however controversial was one of political prudence. For Akhilesh, anything to do with don Mukhtar Ansari's party was throwing his development agenda to the winds. A top leader close to him says Shivpal had decided to quit then, but held on in the larger interests of the party. But the thaw was short-lived. Sources within the party say Shivpal started believing that he was being made the scapegoat for all wrongs. The chief minister was also not letting him function smoothly in the very departments he headed as a minister. Therefore, Shivpal has now come out in the open questioning his own government over law and order. He may not have chosen to hold Akhilesh directly responsible. But party president Mulayam Singh was quick to smell the danger the party would be in if Shivpal quit. He cajoled Shivpal and pulled up Akhilesh. Will it help? It's also open to interpretation whether it was a political move to derail Akhilesh as he prepares for the crucial polls early next year. Will the nephew stumble, or has he mastered the art of driving? The polls will tell. Dhaka:Bangladesh's central bank said it has reversed its plans to sue the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and the SWIFT money transfer network, and instead intends to seek their help recovering $81 million stolen by cyber thieves in February. "At the moment we have no plan to go for any legal action against the Fed bank or SWIFT; rather we will seek their assistance," said Subhankar Saha, the spokesman for Bangladesh Bank. He declined to provide reasons for the turnabout. A source close to the Asian central bank last month said it was preparing litigation to seek compensation, claiming errors by the New York Fed and SWIFT had made Bangladesh Bank vulnerable. In the February heist, hackers issued false transfer orders on the SWIFT network to move funds out of Bangladesh Bank's account at the Fed. Bangaldesh's finance minister had also said in March he was weighing legal action. "We only assessed different options, including the legal (option)," Saha said on Tuesday. "We look forward to cooperation both from the Fed and SWIFT." Officials from the Fed and Bangladesh Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith were not immediately available for comment. The shift came as meetings were to begin in New York on Tuesday between officials from Bangladesh Bank, the New York Fed and SWIFT. It also comes after the New York Fed last week published its standard contract with correspondent banks, which spells out that the burden of preventing and reporting breaches lies largely with the correspondent bank, in this case Bangladesh Bank. Saha said there was no link between the decision not to pursue a lawsuit and the contract. "We were assessing options, and we prefer cooperation," he said. Deputy Governor Abu Hena Mohammad Razee Hassan, who is heading the Bangladesh Bank team in the New York meetings, said the bank operates under the standard Fed contract. He did not comment on any possible lawsuit. The standard contract includes a requirement for the correspondent bank to "immediately" notify the U.S. central bank when it learned it was hacked, and to give the Fed "a reasonable opportunity to act" on cancellation requests. The Fed was bound to then "make reasonable efforts" to halt any fraudulent payments it had made. The New York Fed is liable for acting on unauthorized payments only if it does not comply with agreed authentication messages, or fails to exercise good faith when filling a payment request, according to the contract. The published contract notes litigation must be heard in a US court. In the February 4 heist, the hackers peppered the Fed with payment requests, four of which were filled. Much of the money disappeared into casinos in the Philippines. Reuters reported last month that Bangladesh Bank did not realize it had been hacked and it did not attempt to alert the New York Fed until two days after the money had been sent. By that time, a weekend in New York, the Fed took two more days to respond. Reuters also reported that the New York Fed attempted and failed to cancel the payments and did not immediately inform Bangladesh Bank of its efforts. Global internet and technology conglomerate LeEco has created a new industry record by selling more than 1200 units of Super TVs within three days, leading the 55'' TV segment in its first online pre-sale in India. The sale was organised from August 10-12, 2016 on LeEcos own ecommerce marketplace, LeMall.com and Flipkart. LeEco has taken the Indian TV market by storm by notching impressive records soon after launching its Super3 Series TVs. On the very first day of online pre-sale period, LeEco took the number one spot in the 55-inch and above TV category. Not just this, LeEcos ecosystem-enabled TVs have also emerged as the top brand in the 4K TV category in India. Even in the Smart TV segment, LeEcos Super TVs have zoomed to the leading position in the online market on the first pre-sale day. LeEco has endeared itself to consumers not only with its disruptive pricing and lifestyle enhancing technologies, but also through its well defined benefit propositions. Just months after its entry into India, LeEco broke into the league of top five online smartphone brands. In the TV market, the company is charting a similar path. The LeEco Super3 TV series come with 2 years of LeEco Membership worth Rs 9,800, which enables users to enjoy the content that they want at the time of their choice. Through this membership, users get access to one of the largest content libraries in India that offers over 2000 Full HD/HD films from Hollywood and Bollywood, more than 100 satellite TV channels, 3.5 million songs (coming soon by software upgrade), and more than 50 live concerts. With the launch of the Super3 TVs we have ushered in the new era of Eco TVs in India. We are thrilled with the response that the Super3 TV series has got from Indian consumers during this pre-sale and we are confident that consumers will continue to support us in the upcoming first Flash sale, said Atul Jain, COO Smart Electronics Business, LeEco India. The Super3 Series Ecosystem TV range by LeEco consists of Super3 Max65 that supports 3D display, Super3 X65 and Super3 X55, which were officially launched in India on August 4. During the pre-sale, both LeMall and Flipkart offered amazing deals that enabled consumers to get the Super TV of their choice at disruptive prices. The highlight of these Super TVs is that they have a strong all-metal body that exudes elegance and sophistication. The Super3 X55, Super3 X65 and Super3 Max65 all come with a 4K Ultra HD display that ensure a crystal-clear viewing experience. All the Super3 televisions run on LeTV EUI 5.5 Android 5.0 Lollipop based operating system. The interface features a beautiful design with an intuitive menu which brings with it the option of customization that shows different apps depending on the frequency of use. The TVs are equipped with LeEco's self-developed and renowned content-viewing apps such as Levidi, LIVE, LeView along with other tailor-made apps like Panosearch. The LeEco Super TVs are available at a disruptive price, Super3 X55 - 139.7 cm (55) is retailing for Rs 59,790, LeEco Super3 X65 - 163.9 cm (65) is priced at Rs 99,790 and Super3 Max65 163.9 cm (65) comes at a price of Rs 149,790. After the successful pre-sale, the excitement now grows to another level with LeEco now offering its Super TVs to consumers via "flash sale" mode. This is another industry first from LeEco as it now becomes the first company in India to retail TV sets via the online flash sale model. So if you had missed out on getting the LeEco Super3 TV in the pre-sale, you can register for the first Flash Sale from 11 AM onwards, tomorrow i.e. August 17, 2016 at both LeMall and Flipkart. So hurry up and don't forget to mark your calendar. (This is a sponsored feature and does not necessarily reflect the views of News18 and Network18) Beijing: China leads the world in connecting everyday devices to the internet, but is creating huge hacking vulnerabilities for itself and others by doing so, renegade American software pioneer John McAfee warned Tuesday. Hackers had already been able to gain control of devices such as safes and heating controls, and take over the computer systems of automobiles and aeroplanes, he said. China is taking the lead in putting intelligence into devices, from refrigerators to smart thermostats, and this is our weakest link in cybersecurity, he said in Beijing. "I am hoping that in the short time I am here I can raise a warning flag that we have to take security of these devices even more importantly than our large computers or our smart phones," he told a conference of internet security professionals. "Because there are so many more of these devices, and the more that are connected, then the higher the risk of a potential hack becomes." McAfee, 70, is the colourful founder of an antivirus software company who once fled Belize after police sought to question him in a murder case. He has since returned to the United States, where he announced he was running for president. He amassed an estimated $100 million fortune during the early days of the internet in the 1990s, but lost most of it to bad investments and the financial crisis. He was living with a 17-year-old girl in Belize when police came looking for him to discuss the killing of his neighbour -- a crime of which he maintains his innocence. He was briefly incarcerated and fled the Central American country. McAfee's at times dire and alarming speech in Beijing came as his new company MGT Capital prepares to launch cybersecurity products later this year. Hacking Threat "Our species has never before faced a threat of this magnitude. And we have not noticed it by and large," he said. "You may be thinking I am exaggerating, that I am an alarmist. I am friends with many of the hackers who have the capability to do enormous damage if they so chose." Chinese companies such as Xiaomi have been praised for innovation in adding internet connectivity to a variety of devices including air purifiers and rice cookers, allowing users to switch them on from work or on their way home. Such connections create serious new weaknesses that could leave users' networks especially vulnerable to hacking, McAfee said. But in a briefing with reporters he also commended Beijing's protection of its domestic internet, which is heavily censored and blocks many foreign websites, for its seeming security against the large-scale breaches seen recently in the US. You may notice that last year America suffered hundreds of major hacks from all around the world, he said, and added that he had heard nothing of similar hacks on China. Now perhaps that's the government's control of the press, I don't know," he said. "But I do know that within certain industries of China, the awareness of cybersecurity threats is far greater than our awareness in America. Work has begun on a new bridge between the south and east portions of Liberty Universitys campus to allow pedestrians and vehicles to cross over U.S. 460. Liberty expects the South Campus Bridge to cost $5.5 million and be completed sometime in fall 2017. The bridge is set to stretch from the big parking lot near the residential commons at the south end of Libertys main campus over U.S. 460 to Liberty Mountain Drive near the schools lacrosse fields. Our primary desire is provide a good connection, Todd Carroll, corporate civil engineer with Liberty Universitys department of planning and construction said. East Campus includes numerous Liberty University residence halls, so theres a need for students to frequently travel back and forth to the main part of campus, on the other side of U.S. 460. According to the schools website about 14,500 students study on campus and more than half of those students live there. Total enrollment, including online, according to the schools website, has breached the 110,000 student mark. He said one existing bridge, near Libertys bookstore, gets heavy daily traffic. It becomes a pretty tight funnel point, he said. Theres another pedestrian tunnel under U.S. 460, starting near the Vines Center, but nothing at the south end of campus. Carroll said he hopes the new bridge would allow more students to walk or bike across, rather than relying on campus buses. Workers started putting up barriers along a portion of U.S. 460 Monday night to help protect the worksite. Carroll said the work will be accompanied by slower speed limits in the area. According to the Virginia Department of Transportation speeds already are reduced along the east and westbound lanes of U.S. 460 bordering U.S. 501 for two other ongoing construction projects. This week, the 45 mph reduced speed limit was expanded to include the Candlers Mountain Road area. During the nighttime work Monday, one lane of U.S. 460 was closed. Carroll said lane closure may continue tonight if the barrier work isnt completed. He expects Liberty to switch over to working during the daytime and to break ground within a week. Up until Liberty needs to put in the girders for the bridge, it shouldnt disrupt traffic further, he said. At the same time, Liberty is working on the new bridge, it also is working to complete a revamping and extension of Liberty Mountain Drive. The changes will include a wider road, with curbs, gutters and sidewalks. Together, the bridge and the road extension improvements are expected to make it easier for students and others to safely get into Libertys campus and back from U.S. 29 near the new Chilis restaurant, rather than traveling the densely trafficked parts of Wards Road to get to one of campuss main entrances. Liberty anticipates paying $3 million for the Liberty Mountain Drive County Road extension, half of the total expected $6 million cost, Carroll said. The other half would be paid by Virginia Department of Transportation via Campbell County. Work began on the Liberty Mountain Drive County Road extension in June, with ground breaking in July. The project is expected to be completed sometime in fall 2017. Humberto Berto Oliveira Sales and Madeline Holly Sales grew up miles and an ocean apart. Berto learned to play his guitar in Salvador, Brazil, while Madeline tinkled the ivories in various states along the East Coast before her family settled in Charlottesville. It was a love of music that eventually brought them together when they formed Beleza, which will bring its fusion of the sounds of North and South America to Bedfords Bower Center for the Arts Friday night. In a recent email Q&A, the couple explained how they met as if it was the plot synopsis for a romantic comedy. A mutual friend in Brazil was discussing the idea of forming a Brazilian jazz group with Madeline, they wrote. He said that he knew of the perfect pianist. Madeline insisted that there be a guitarist instead, feeling drawn to the guitars in bossa nova music. So, this friend proposed the idea of a quartet with Madeline as the vocalist to Humberto, and he wasn't excited about it. He said that having gringos sing in Portuguese didn't work. After casually meeting at a flamenco concert, however, he decided to give the gringa a shot at a few rehearsals. As fate would have it, the bassist and drummer didn't show up to the first few rehearsals, and the rest of this now-married couple's musical collaboration is history. Their Bedford show was organized in conjunction with the Bower Centers current Brazil! exhibit. Weve, for some years, had an international-themed exhibit each year. With the Olympics being this year, we decided Brazil might be a good part of the world to consider, says Dotti Stone, exhibit chairwoman. According to Stone, Beleza played at the arts center several years ago, and organizers thought the duos fusion of sounds would tie in perfectly with the current exhibit. Beleza melds the stylings of funk, blues and jazz with samba, bossa and Spanish flamenco, performing in English as well as Portuguese and Spanish. This combination brings together different aspects of the couples background Bertos classical guitar, which he studied at university, and Madelines jazzy-blues tones that were developed through singing in church and schools. The secret to finding the perfect blend, they say, is simply feeling it. Before the concert in Bedford, the Sales chatted via email about their music, the meaning of funkalicious samba soul and the Rio Olympics. Berto, a completely non-music question. What is it like to not only have the first Olympics in South America, but to have it in your native country? I really enjoy watching the Olympics. I know that Brazil initially wanted to host the Olympics to aid the economy and increase tourism. However, the media has tended to focus on the negative aspects of our government and infrastructure. I hope that those participating and celebrating the athletes are able to appreciate the positive aspects of our country and culture, as well. What does Beleza mean? It means beautiful or beauty. When you ask someone informally in Brazil if 'everything is going well,' it is common to respond everything is beautiful. Madeline really appreciated this entirely different life perspective within a simple greeting. You describe your music as "funkalicious samba soul." What does that mean? A friend of ours that used to DJ at a local radio station came up with that description of our sound, and we loved it. It describes the fusion of Berto's Brazilian flavor with Madeline's American roots. How is the music of South America different from American music? The rhythm is often more syncopated, and finger-style guitar playing is prominent. And, in general, romance languages (both Portuguese and Spanish in this case) are able to express concepts of beauty and love quite poetically without ever running the risk of what we Americans might call cheesy. How would you compare Brazilian music rhythmically to American music? There are some similarities between the syncopation in Brazilian music and the music of New Orleans if you compare the claves. However, syncopation and polyrhythm are more predominant in Brazilian music in general than in our popular music. Youve played in different countries. How does the musical environment of South and Central America differ from that in the U.S.? The most distinct difference is the audience's external response. When we moved to the U.S. and began performing, it took us awhile to get used to very still, polite audiences and understand and trust that they enjoyed the music. In Latin America, people in an audience will either move their bodies more (whether dancing or just responding with their upper bodies while seated) and use a lot more verbal affirmation, even during a song. And if they know the song, they are more inclined to sing along aloud. What inspires you musically? A good groove a strong bass line, a contagious percussive rhythm. Meaningful lyrics. Haunting melodies. Whimsical melodies and lyrics a good dose of fun is right up there [for] our basic needs. I guess that's the full spectrum of life. Music really is an expression of all of what it means to be alive. Lynchburg Community Market has suspended the Double Bucks initiative due to lack of funding. The program allows families who are eligible for SNAP benefits, otherwise known as food stamps, to utilize their benefits at double the value up to $25. Three years ago the Lynchburg Community Market received grant funds from the Virginia Department of Health to start the program, but this year the program was not funded by the state. In order to continue, the program has been reliant on community donations. This has been a wonderful program for both recipients and farmers, Jennifer Kennedy, Manager of the Lynchburg Community Market, said. They continue to be excited about the opportunity for everyone in the community to purchase fresh and healthy food so we hope we get more donations to continue the program. Since the program started up again for the summer, it has been funded by individuals as well as organizations like the Lynchburg Host Lions Club and Type One Diabetes Experience. Groups or individuals interested in donating to the program should contact the Lynchburg Community Market at (434)-455-3962. After a summer vacation at Smith Mountain Lake last week, Gov. Terry McAuliffe is heading to Colombia for the 20th trade mission of his term. In his first trip to South America as governor, McAuliffe will spend two days talking up Virginia agriculture and pursuing new economic development opportunities. The trade mission began Tuesday and will wrap up Friday, according to an announcement from the governors office. McAuliffe is taking the trip at the invitation of Juan Carlos Pinzon, the Colombian ambassador to the U.S. I am grateful for Ambassador Pinzons invitation, and I am excited to make my first visit to South America as governor and establish new export deals for agriculture, Virginias largest private industry, McAuliffe said. The governor will be accompanied by Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Todd P. Haymore and representatives of several Virginia businesses, including Glaize Orchards, Pilgrims Pride, Smithfield Foods, Turkey Knob Growers and The Scoular Co. The delegation will meet with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, according to a statement by the Colombian Embassy. Colombian officials called Virginia a key export market for Colombian agricultural goods, including coffee, flowers and tobacco. The governors office said Virginias exports to Colombia include pork, grains and soybean meal. Niagara Bottling LLC, a family-owned and -operated bottled beverage supplier, will invest $95 million to establish a manufacturing and bottling operation at Meadowville Technology Park in Chesterfield County, adjacent to Amazon.coms distribution center. The company will use state-of-the-art filtration to produce its Niagara brand and private-label bottled water, creating 76 new jobs in Chesterfield, according to a statement released by Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Tuesday. The announcement comes less than three weeks after the State Water Control Board cleared the path for the destruction of a nearly 10-acre swath of wetlands at the technology park. The proposed development, which had been dubbed Project Buzzard to conceal the investors identity, is supported by the Chesterfield Economic Development Authority, which acquired the property in 2005. The project area encompasses 62 acres and will include a 600,000-square-foot warehouse with office space, parking spaces, a loading bay, drive aisles, utilities, data infrastructure and stormwater management facilities. Officials did not say when the new facility will be finished. Virginia competed against Maryland for the project. I welcome Niagara Bottling to the commonwealth. Chesterfield will be a strategic location for its new manufacturing and bottling center, said Maurice A. Jones, the state secretary of commerce and trade. I am pleased we were able to assist the company in their East Coast expansion and efforts to reach a growing customer base. Niagara Bottling is the largest private-label bottled water supplier in the U.S., supplying major retailers across the nation. Headquartered in Ontario, Calif., the company began as a family business in 1963 by offering 5-gallon containers for home and office delivery. Niagara expanded in the early 1990s to offer single-serve, private-label bottled water for grocery, club, convenience and wholesale customers. McAuliffe approved a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealths Opportunity Fund to assist the county with the project. In addition, Niagara will be eligible to receive sales- and use-tax exemptions on manufacturing equipment. Funding and services to support the companys employee training activities also will be provided by the Virginia Jobs Investment Program. Negotiations between Barry Matherly, president of the Greater Richmond Partnership economic development group, and Derieth Sutton, Niagaras director of economic development and government relations, began in 2012. Both teach at the University of Oklahomas Economic Development Institute and have remained in contact. The proposals solidified within two years. Derieth and I had a meeting in November of 2014, and she finally committed to considering the Richmond region as a future location, Matherly said Tuesday. The developers identified 12 potential sites in the Richmond region, with the property in Meadowville making a shortlist in March 2015. Virginia Department of Environmental Quality records show that in its early stages, the project was called Project Niagara a clear hint at the tenant-to-be. After the project was put on hold for eight months, the region had to again compete with other Mid-Atlantic states for the development that in the meantime had been renamed Project Buzzard. In April, Matherly and Garrett Hart, Chesterfields director of economic development, traveled to Rialto, Calif., to tour the companys newest facility, which will serve as the prototype for the Chesterfield location. Meanwhile, environmentalists pushed back against a pending DEQ permit allowing the filling of wetlands and streams on and around the to-be-developed site. During a public comment period, the agency received 37 written comments, 32 of which were in opposition to the permit. At a July 27 State Water Control Board hearing, environmentalists urged the board to deny the permit or postpone a vote until other possible sites are looked at, calling the loss of 10 acres of wetlands huge and unprecedented in Chesterfield. Most permits issued by the DEQ in the past decade covered areas of 1 acre or less. By a 3-1 vote, the board approved the permit for a 15-year period. Niagara falls within two of the countys target clusters, food and beverage and advanced manufacturing, Chesterfield Board of Supervisors Chairman Steve A. Elswick said in a statement Tuesday. Niagaras manufacturing and filling facility will be the most efficient and sustainable in the world. The 76 manufacturing jobs are just the type of employment opportunities we want for our Chesterfield residents, Elswick said. Brian Hess, executive vice president of operations for Niagara, said the Chesterfield location allows the company to fulfill that commitment by providing an optimal location that is close to both its existing and growing customer market. GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. Rowley: I am fine In a brief comment, Rowley said, I am back and I am fine and out to work today. The Prime Minister provided no further details regarding his time overseas or the medical checks he underwent while abroad. Rowley left the country on August 4 and returned home at 5 am yesterday from California in the US, where he had gone on vacation. While there, Rowley had some medical examinations done at a clinic. The Prime Minister had said he did examinations locally, the results of which were sent to his doctors abroad and both sets of doctors agreed further tests should be done. He previously said his health remains a private matter, although he is a public figure. At last Thursdays post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in St Clair, Port-of-Spain, Finance Minister Colm Imbert (who was acting Prime Minister at that time) said, The Prime Minister would like all questions relating to his overseas travels to be directed to him. Senior government officials had said Rowley would be having an annual executive medical which he is entitled to as Prime Minister. Peoples National Movement (PNM) general secretary Ashton Ford said he spoke to Rowley, who is also PNM political leader, regarding the start of the partys screening exercise for local government candidates which begins today at 5 pm at Balisier House in Port-of-Spain. Hell be chairing the screening, Ford said. Todays screening will involve people seeking to become candidates for the Arima Borough and Diego Martin Regional Corporations, which are both controlled by the PNM. On Thursday, nominees for the San Fernando City and Point Fortin Borough Corporations will be screened at the PNMs South Regional Office in San Fernando. On Friday, people will be screened as candidates for the Tunapuna/ Piarco and San Juan/ Laventille Regional Corporations at Balisier House. Nominees for the Port-of-Spain City Corporation will be screened at Balisier House on August 25. The PNM is scheduled to conclude its screening on August 26, with nominees for the Penal/ Debe and Couva/Tabaquite/ Talparo Regional Corporations at the South Regional Office. On Saturday, Rowley and his wife Sharon will host the launch of a Cazabon painting exhibition at the Diplomatic Centre in St Anns. The paintings were bought by the Office of the Prime Minister last October at an auction put on by Christies in London. Saturdays event forms part of a series of events being held by the Community Development, Culture and Arts Ministry from August 31 to September 24 to mark National Patriotism Month Cedros fisherfolk want Agriculture Minister to help them Mister minister please tell us what is going on, Ali said. The nation has been told that the fish is not good to eat and sir you have said nothing thus far. Yesterday, Ali and other fishermen hosted a press conference at the Cedros Community Centre to highlight their concerns. This press conference comes on the heels of several other media briefings in the Otaheite, Orange Valley and other areas as fishermen continue to speak openly on the issues now affecting them as there have been reports of a drastic decrease in fish sales. We are fed up and frustrated and this is not only the fishermen in Cedros, it is all over the country mister minister. We have families to feed, children to send to school and you have said nothing sir, Ali lamented. He said that fishermens livelihoods were destroyed when secretary of Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) Gary Aboud told the nation that the fish in the ocean was not good for consumption. Gary Aboud has taken away the bread and butter of the fishermen of this country and all those involved in the fishing industry. This is a national issue and the minister is silent why ? We demand answers. You are the Minister of Agriculture and you must tell us what is going on. Let the nation know he truth, Ali said. He further lamented that Aboud is also claiming that tests conducted have shown that the fishes are not good for consumption. How do we even know these tests are credible and have not been tampered with? What proof do you have Mister Aboud and what is your motive behind destroying the livelihood of fishermen? He further noted that he strongly believes that Aboud has an ulterior motive behind his so-called claims. He wanted to scare the nation and he got exactly what he wanted. He told people if they consume the fish they would become sick and now no one, absolutely no one, is buying fish. If the fish was poisonous do you think there would have not been dead fishes washing ashore all over the country? Aboud argues that State-owned oil company Petrotrin is responsible since the company used oil dispersant Corexit in 2013 to clean up a massive oil spill in La Brea. Aboud said certain species of fish are not fit for consumption. Efforts to contact Rambharat proved futile as calls to his cell phone went unanswered. SDMS: No need to amend Hindu Marriage Act In a 38-page position paper to Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi, the SDMS said the right to practise its religion was protected by the countrys Constitution and is a non-negotiable right. Amending the Hindu Marriage Act, without the support of the Hindu community, is tantamount to interference by the State with our religious freedoms, it said. Declaring that it was the largest Hindu organisation in the country, the SDMS said that at no time has Government consulted it to amend the Act. It expressed concern about how the issue was treated in the public domain, adding that the national community was fed lies, half-truths and innuendoes by the media over the need to amend the Act. From the outset, the SDMS said the powers-that-be decided the country has a problem of child marriage and now was the time deal with it, although there is no guidance on why now. While the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as under 18 years, the SDMS said, From a logical point of view, a child of nine cannot be equated with a child of 14. These ages are worlds apart, physiologically, biologically, sexually, socially and mentally. The Hindu girl may marry legally at 14 years. On the other hand, the SDMS noted that the UN Convention on Consent to Marriage, Minimum Age for Marriage and Registration of Marriages aims to eliminate child marriage and the betrothal of young girls before the age of puberty. It was for this reason, among others, the SDMS said the competent authority such as a religious leader may consider that following cultural mores is itself a valid reason for allowing a marriage of a young person. It said the convention did not specify a minimum age for marriage and left it up to each country to set it. The Maha Sabha said it wrote the Attorney General asking for statistics but there was no official response. Noting that they lacked qualitative data and information to place statistics on child marriages in the country, the SDMS said statistics taken from the Office of the Attorney Generals website left many unanswered questions. Governments proposal to raise the marriage age of consent to 18 years to eliminate child marriage, the SDMS said, was premature and should have had extensive consultations even before acceding to the convention. Claiming that due process demanded extensive consultations, it said that during indentureship, Hindus continued to depend on our religion for validating our weddings, even though we were not afforded the protection of the law. Questioning why should Hindu weddings be validated by law or convention at the expense of religion, the SDMS said that in Vedic times marriages were conducted between a consenting, post-pubescent female and a consenting male, but after the moguls invaded India and their lust for unmarried Hindu virgins threatened a dharmic society, marrying prepubescent girls became a necessary response to ensure these girls were protected from such assault. It was unfortunate, the SDMS said, this trend became synonymous with the Hindu practice of child brides. While the SDMS said it does not encourage teen marriages, it said if the need arises, as in the case of a pregnancy, there must be full protection of the law. We will move to marry our pregnant daughters with a view to ensuring that she does not have to resort to suicide due to the shame of unwed motherhood, it said. The SDMS added, We reserve the right to ensure that she can continue on with her education, even as the grandparents step up to raise the child, and to ensure that the child can proudly take his/her fathers name and rightful place in his/her family circle. The SDMS said its decision was taken after consultations and unanimous support from the Pundits Parishad, Education Board of Management, Maha Saba Principals Association, Shakti Sangha (womens arm), youth arm, the Baal Vikaas Committee, teachers of Maha Sabha schools and executive committees of over 200 temples across the country. Earlier this year, the Office of the Attorney General held consultations with several religious organisations and members of the public on the issue of child marriage. Funeral for Keisha on Friday Howells boyfriend, Christopher George, said the funeral will be held at the St Charles Catholic Church, Tunapuna at 2.30 pm. It has been a difficult time for the family and I am trying very hard to deal with her passing knowing that she is no longer here after a relationship of more than 11 years, George said. He said they are waiting on the results of additional tests to determine what prompted the multiple organ failure which was determined as the cause of death during an autopsy on Monday at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (EW MSC). Howell, an employee of the Ministry of Agriculture, was taken to a private doctor in Tunapuna when she first complained about feeling unwell and started vomiting profusely. Her relatives were told that Howell may have contracted Zika and were given a letter to go to the EW MSC for emergency treatment. Her brother, Kuzes told Newsday on Monday that his sister was having trouble breathing but was given panadol and panadene and told to drink lots of coconut water and eat fruits. Her condition did not improve when she returned home. On August 8 she was taken to a private doctor where she was given two injections, however, by 8.30 pm on Sunday, Howell was dead. She was given panadol and panadene and told to drink lots of coconut water and eat fruits. However, when she returned home, her condition did not improve Tears as birdsong waits for eviction While the orchestra and its academy each year train 260 youngsters in steelband, wind instruments and drums, their future is now uncertain. Band Vice-Chairman Dennis Phillip told Newsday the band had agreed to a proposed rent hike from $2,000 to $15,000 a month, but that the landlord had then instead sought possession of the property in the courts. Phillip said this is an inconvenience to the band which was seeking a one-year extension, so as to take ownership of its own site lower down the road. Up to 5 pm, no marshal had appeared. Phillip said he was making no special preparation of the site for the marshals arrival. He said birdsong funds itself by entrepreneurial activities such as janitorial contracts and agriculture. It funds scholarships for tertiary students in the Netherlands, the Republic of Georgia, UCLA Berkeley and the University of Southern Mississippi in the US. Phillip said in 2011 the then government had used birdsong as a model for pilot projects in other panyards nationwide to teach music to youngsters. Hailing the role of a steelband to uplift the nations youth, he lamented that the fact of the eviction suggests a society with its priorities wrong. Musical Director Richard Quarless said birdsong has existed for over 40 years and been on the site for over 14 years. Please let the whole country know whats happening here, and sensitise the people. Tunapuna MP Esmond Forde told Newsday, The birdsong matter is a legal matter. They are a tenant renting from a landlord. The court ruled in favour of the landlord. As a result of that as MP I need to be careful in terms of my involvement as it is a court matter. In reply to a Birdsong request, he had looked around to see if there is any piece of government land in Tunapuna but could find none. Forde added, The other thing is that they are in the process of purchasing a piece of land from the friendly society. They have made the down payment but there is no registrar of friendly societies to sign off the document. Newsday was unable to contact Attorney- General Faris Al-Rawi to ask when the Solicitor Generals Office will name a new Commissioner for Friendly Societies to hasten birdsongs land acquisition US: We See No Signs Putin Will Use Dirty Bomb (Newser) When United Airlines pilot and Air Force reservist Lt. Col. Daniel Fandrei was called to active duty in 2012, he could have rightfully expected to continue to accrue sick leave while away from United. After all, United allows employees accrue time off while they're on vacation or home sick, the Chicago Tribune reports. Fandrei would have been wrong. According to Reuters, the federal government sued United on Monday for violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which, as one Justice Department employee puts it, makes sure service members "don't return to civilian life and find their employment benefits denied and their civil rights violated." Fandrei joined the Air Force in 1990 and started flying for United in 2000. He was called to active duty in December 2012 and spent the next few months flying refueling tankers in southwest Asia, Consumerist reports. The government argues Fandrei should have accrued 10 hours of sick leave during that time, as employees on certain types of non-military leave would have. United disagrees. The government is seeking the monetary equivalent of 10 hours of sick leave on behalf of Fandrei and to force United to comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. (Read more United Airlines stories.) (Newser) A Nome Superior Court judge who admitted in December he made "mistakes right and left" after transitioning from his job as an attorney onto the judge's bench is now paying for those mistakes. On Friday, the Alaska Supreme Court handed down a censure against Timothy Dooley, which publicly asserts wrongdoing on Dooley's part for controversial statements he made in a series of court appearances, the Alaska Dispatch News reports. The censure was the final result of an ethics complaint against Dooley and a December recommendation by the Alaska Commission on Judicial Conduct that said five comments he made in the courtroom were "undignified and discourteous" and caused both victims and witnesses distress. At a December disciplinary hearing, Dooley said his remarks had even led to "my poor wife [doing] a lot of crying at night. I caused her an amazing amount of stress." The comments in the complaint included Dooley telling a jury "I can't slap her around to make her talk louder" (about a soft-spoken witness in a domestic violence case), and that "there are girls out there that seem to be temptresses" (during a sexual abuse case involving a 14-year-old girl). In his first infraction just weeks after his appointment, Dooley said to a defendant during sentencing: "Has anything good ever come out of drinking, except for sex with a pretty girl?" Dooley says he was used to speaking informally to clients as a lawyer to build rapport and has since "quit going off script." (Read more Alaska stories.) (Newser) A 12-year-old Pakistani-American Muslim boy with special needs confessed earlier this year to being a member of ISIS and plotting to blow up the school fence, and now his family is suing the school district in East Islip, NY, alleging that officials there forced a false confession and violated his civil rights. The $25 million lawsuit claims that Nashwan Uppal was discriminated against based on his race, ethnicity, religion, and disability, and that he was subject to unlawful search and seizure, reports Newsday. The suit stems from an incident in January when Uppal, described as having severe social and learning disabilities, was allegedly accosted in the lunch room by other kids asking what he was going to blow up next. Uppal finally agreed, saying he was plotting to blow up the fence, in an effort to get the bullies to leave him alone, PIX 11 reports. The superintendent, principal, and vice principal later pulled him from class and repeatedly asked if he was a terrorist; the suit says the scared boy was forced to write a confession saying he was "part of ISIS, knew how to make bombs, that he had bombs in his house, and that he was going to blow up the school fence." Cops who searched his home found nothing and concluded he was no threat, but he was suspended for a week for "criminal activity." The family's attorney tells the New York Post that the boy's civil rights were "trampled on" and that incessant bullying was ignored. (This Muslim girl was asked if she had a bomb in her backpack.) (Newser) On the heels of a damning report showing discrimination and sexism in the Baltimore Police Department, womens groups are calling for what they say is a logical solution: more female cops. Among other things, they argue that accusations of rape and sexual assault would be better addressed if handled by female officers, who represent just 13% of cops nationwide, reports GlobalPost. The Baltimore report, for example, showed that police there tested less than 15% of rape kits and sometimes referred to victims as "whores." Jay Newton-Small at Time made the case for more female officers last month, arguing studies show they "almost never use excessive force," "draw their weapons less, tend to look for non-physical solutions, and are much better at community outreach." They also are rarely the subject of expensive lawsuits or investigations, Newton-Small writes. The National Center for Women and Policing argued the same in a 2003 report, adding that female officers "often respond more effectively to incidents of violence against women, a crime that represents approximately half of all violent crime calls to police," and "[reduce] problems of sex discrimination and harassment within a law enforcement agency." Meanwhile, the US government will spend $133 million next year to recruit, train, and hire female officers in nations such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria, and proponents want the same effort expended in the US. (Read more police officers stories.) (Newser) The family of an Oklahoma man allegedly gunned down by his next-door neighbor is demanding to know why the suspect had been released from jail before the shootingwhere he had been awaiting trial in a brutal hit-and-run that nearly killed the victims mother, the Washington Post reports. The dead man is Khalid Jabara, 37, and his neighbor is Vernon Majors, 61. The family says Majors had harassed and stalked the Jabara family for years, taunting them with anti-Muslim insults, even though theyre Lebanese Christians. "This suspect had a history of bigotry against our family," the victims sister, Victoria Jabara Williams, wrote on Facebook, calling them Dirty Arabs and Filthy Lebanese. On Friday, Jabara called 911 to report his concern that Majors was home and armed. The police came and went, and minutes later, Majors is accused of shooting Khalid Jabara as he stepped outside the familys house in Tulsa to get the mail. Police said they found Majors drunk and chugging beer and arrested him after a brief stand-off. There was no cause to detain him earlier in the day, police said, because Majors hadnt done anything wrong. Majors had been in jail awaiting trial for allegedly plowing into Jabaras mother with his car, then leaving the scene. The family says he never should have been allowed to post bond for what they deemed a hate crime, reports the Tulsa World. The case "is one of the most devastating and infuriating accounts of systemic failures in the legal system you are likely to read about," writes Jeremy Stahl at Slate. (Read more Khalid Jabara stories.) (Newser) Louisiana isn't the only state going through an epic natural disaster. California's latest wildfire has forced more than 80,000 people to evacuate and burned through about 9,000 acres and counting, reports the Los Angeles Times. The evacuation orders cover more than 34,000 homes in Southern California, reports the AP, including the entire ski resort town of Wrightwood. Making matters worse is that two big routes in the area, Interstate 15 and Highway 38, are shut down because of the fire, resulting in traffic jams throughout the region. The Blue Cut fire near Cajon Pass already has destroyed homes and other structures, though fire officials don't have an estimate yet. They warn, however, that with 100-degree temperatures and strong winds in the picture, the fire could get much worse before it's brought under control. The LA Times also notes this scary fact: The fire season in Southern California doesn't typically start until the fall with the arrival of the Santa Ana winds. (Read more California stories.) (Newser) You've just got to trust him on this one: Donald Trump never wanted to be president and is sabotaging his own campaign, which Michael Moore says he knows for a factthough he won't say how. In a blog post on his website, Moore writes that the campaign was originally a ploy to nail down a better deal for The Apprentice. Unhappy with NBCs offer, Trump had floated the idea of running for president on the assumption that the increased spotlight on him would strengthen his hand. But Trump knew "that saying youre going to do something is bupkusDOING it is what makes the bastards sit up and pay attention." And so he went all in, only to find his relationship with NBC severed after his comments about Mexican immigrants. But he kept at it, writes Moore, so rival networks could see his "value." Trump began racking up primary wins, and Moore writes the awakening came after the New Jersey primary win. "You can see the moment it finally dawned on him that 'Oh s---!' revelation: 'Im actually going to be the Republican nomineeand my rich beautiful life is f#*@ing over!'" Moore ends with a theory: that Trumps "meltdown of the past three weeks [see this and this, per Moore] was no accident." Rather than lose to Hillary Clinton, Trump would rather tank his own campaign, perhaps allowing him to "blame 'others' for forcing him out," Moore writes. "Maybe its all part of his new strategy to get the hell out of a race he never intended to see through to its end anyway. Read the full post here. (Read more Donald Trump stories.) (Newser) A North Korean diplomat stationed in London vanished in mid-July, and Seoul is now explaining why: Thae Yong Ho has defected to South Korea, in what the BBC reports could be the "highest-ranking" defection North Korea has experienced. The New York Times calls Thae the "No. 2" official of the five stationed at North Korea's London embassy, and the Guardian reports it is the first such defection to have occurred since the embassy opened its doors 13 years ago. Thae and his family "are currently under government protection and relevant institutions are going ahead with necessary procedures as usual," said a South Korean unification ministry rep. The Guardian calls the defection a "coup" for global intelligence agencies, who may be able to gain insight into Kim Jong Un's regime. In London, Pyongyang had charged Thae with keeping tabs on defectors living there, and was also supposed to combat negative perceptions of the North. (Read more defectors stories.) (Newser) After 43 years, a Mississippi mother finally knows what happened to her son thanks to the curiosity and diligence of a cemetery worker, the Sun Herald reports. Curious about an unidentified teen buried in a Galveston, Texas, cemetery after being hit by a car in August 1973, Chelsea Davidson started looking through missing persons databases and news stories about missing people. She came to believe the body belonged to Joseph Spears, a 17-year-old who escaped from a Mississippi youth detention center in July 1973 and hadn't been seen since. She contacted Kristi Johnson, a Mississippi sheriff's investigator, and the body of the unidentified teen was exhumed in February. DNA testing on the body was a failure, but Spears' mother, Mary Raskin, used photos from the teen's autopsy to identify him as her son this month. Johnson says she's happy Raskin finally has an answer to what happened to her son. It's a moment that might never have happened. Spears wasn't added to the missing persons database where Davidson came across him until 2013, WLOX reports. Since being identified, Spears' body was cremated and his remains sent to his mother and family in California. "If every cemetery had an employee like Chelsea, we would be able to solve a lot more cases, Johnson tells the Sun Herald. (A baby who went missing in 1978 might have turned up.) Srinagar: 3 security personnel including 2 army men were killed while three other security personnel were injured on Wednesday in a militant attack in Baramulla district of Kashmir, police said. Militants ambushed an army convoy at Khwajabagh in Baramulla at 2.30 am, a police official said. He said two soldiers were killed and two others were injured. "One policeman was also killed while another cop was injured as their vehicle also came under attack by the militants," the official said. He said a massive operation has been launched to track down the attackers, who fled the spot. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lahore: Amid a war of words between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, Pakistan government has apparently relaxed the media regulatory authorities ban on Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed, allowing him to appear on private TV channels to advocate the cause of Kashmir. Since the violence erupted in Kashmir, Saeed is back on private TV channels, advocating for the Kashmiris and bashing the Narendra Modi government for its role in the killing of innocent Kashmiris. He has appeared on a couple of news channels talk shows mostly Neo TV during the last one week or so. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in November last year had restrained all Pakistani television channels from all kinds of coverage of the JuD, its front Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) and about 60 other proscribed organisations and their leaders. The FIF is also getting electronic media coverage for its activities. The PEMRA has taken no notice of violation of its order by the private TV channels with regard to Saeed, suggesting that the Nawaz Sharif government has silently lifted ban on Saeed and his organisations to appear on the Pakistani TV channels. A source in PEMRA told PTI that it had received complaints about Saeeds appearance on the TV talk shows despite the ban. The matter was brought to the knowledge of PEMRA chief Absar Alam but he did not order the issuance of a show-cause notice to the private channels violating its order, suggesting there seems to be a direction from the information ministry in this regard, the source said. The PEMRA earlier had warned the electronic media that in the case of non-compliance (to the directive), it will take legal action - the imposition of fine or suspension or cancellation of licence. The watchdog notification banned all TV channels and FM radio from coverage of banned groups including LeT, JuD and FIF under UN restriction. The UN declared JuD a terror organisation and also individually designated Saeed as a terrorist in December 2008. The US has already put USD 10 million reward on his head. The Jammaat-ud-Dawah has already challenged the Pemra ban on him and his organisations in the Lahore High Court. The case is still pending there. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Jerusalem: Israel Air Force is participating in a military exercise, considered the biggest and best war simulation exercise in the world, along with air forces of Pakistan and the UAE with whom the Jewish state does not have diplomatic relations. The advanced aerial training exercise during which fighter jets simulate combat involving coalition forces is taking place at the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada. The squadrons participating in the exercise are said to be assigned to red and blue forces. The exercise involves intercepting other aircraft, attacking targets, rescuing pilots and engaging in aerial activity under the ostensible threat of ground-to-air missiles. Israel Defence Forces (IDF) when asked about Israels participation in the exercise with Pakistan merely confirmed its participation without commenting on other countries joining the event. The IDF trains regularly to maintain operational competency and be prepared for any potential challenge. The Israeli Air Force was invited to participate in the high quality exercise Red Flag, and has accepted favourably, the IDF spokesperson told PTI. This is the second year in a row that Israel Air Force is participating in exercise Red Flag using its F-16I (the Sufa, or Storm) planes. Some photographers had even filmed Israeli, Spanish and Pakistani aircraft during the last few days in the area, near Las Vegas, ahead of the exercise, daily Haaretz reported. Israel and Pakistan do not have diplomatic relations but the two countries have in the past tried to come close with a between the foreign ministers of the two countries in 2005 fuelling speculations of some major diplomatic breakthrough. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld Bombay High Court's decision to limit the height of human pyramids up to 20 feet and ban on participation on under 18 govindas. The apex court gave the decision after hearing the plea of the Maharashtra government seeking remove the permanent ban on the participation of a youth below 18-years can participate in a 'Dahi-Handi' ritual and human pyramid formation could be above 20 feet, imposed by Bombay High Court. The Bombay High Court had in 2014 ruled that children must not be allowed to participate in forming pyramid as it was dangerous. It had also ordered that not more than four human layers would be allowed in pyramid. But the apex court had stayed the order and allowed the organiser to celebrate Dahi Handi as per earlier rules for that year. The top court, however, disposed of the case without examining the validity of HC order, giving an impression that SC's interim order was only for 2014 and the HC order was still valid. The state government approached the court requesting it to make its interim order final and binding for all years to come. The Bombay HC has now ordered Maharashtra government to seek a clarification from Supreme Court over its decision on the matter. Admitting their plea for clarification on August 11, a bench of Justices A R Dave and L Nageswara Rao said that it will clarify on the issue on Wednesday as the counsel for the petitioner before the Bombay High Court was not present in the court. Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Maharashtra government, said that it is an urgent matter as a petition seeking initiation of contempt proceedings has been filed before the high court which has asked the state government to seek clarification from the apex court on the issue. He said that Janmashtami festival is approaching and 'Dahi-Handi' is one of the most popular parts of it. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: More than 25 lakh people are expected to attend the final rites of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), in Sarangpur on Wednesday afternoon. Pramukh Swami Maharaj had passed away on Saturday at the age of 94 due to old-age illnesses, leading to an outpouring of grief among his followers across the globe. According to BAPS authorities, Pramukh Swami Maharajs mortal remains would be consigned to flames in the premises of Sarangpur Mandir at 3:00 pm on Wednesday. Pramukh Swami Maharaj had himself selected the spot for his final rites. BAPS media coordinator Aksharvatsal Swami told media that elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure that devotees can witness the final rites without any difficulty. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also visit Sarangpur on Monday, right after his independence day address from the Red Fort, to pay a teary-eyed homage to the Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also visited Sarangpur to pay his respects on Tuesday. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Thirteen people have died under mysterious circumstances in Gopalganj, Bihar on Tuesday. While the local people suspect consumption of spurious liquor as the cause of the tragedy, police has denied any connection to illicit liquor. Thirteen people were admitted in Gopalganj Civil Hospital after experiencing symptoms of vomiting. Over 50 bottles of liquor were seized after family members alleged that the deaths were connected to the consumption of spurious liquor. One liquor trader had also been arrested. However, after further inspection, Bihar police ruled out the possibility of the involvement of spurious liquor. The manufacture, trade, sale and consumption of liquor had been banned in the state from April 5 by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with severe punishments for violation of the law. The police is now conducting the investigation from a different angle. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: BSP supremo Mayawati on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to hold Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh by February. She has said that jungle raj still persists in the state and alleged that the infighting within the Mulayam Singh Yadav clan will have an adverse effect on the functioning of the Samajwadi Party government. She alleged that while BJP and Samajwadi Party want to delay the assembly polls, the Commission should start working on the schedule and announce the dates in January-February in larger public interest. In a statement issued here, the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said ideally the BJP-led government should have prepared for imposition of Presidents Rule in the state long back due to the prevailing situation there. But keeping in mind the poor state of the BJP in UP, the Centre has not been able to gather courage to impose Presidents Rule, she said. Widening cracks in the ruling Samajwadi Party in UP came to the fore earlier this week. At an Independence Day function in Lucknow on Monday, SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav caused a flutter by attacking his son and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for ignoring his uncle Shivpal Yadav. Mulayam had threatened to release within eight days a list of people who need to be sacked from the SP unless his son mends his ways. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Raksha Bandhan is a festival where sisters tie a rakhi (sacred thread) on her brother's wrist. This symbolizes the sister's love and prayers for her brother's well-being, and the brother's lifelong vow to protect her.The festival falls on the full moon day (Shravan Poornima) of the Shravan month of the Hindu Calendar. Basically, Sister's perform's aarti and by saying prayers prior to tying the rakhi and putting tilak on brother's forehead. She fights with you, she stands up for you, she loves you unconditionally yet she annoys you sister is the most cherished bond any brother could ever wish for. Here is a list of Rakshabandhan Song that Bollywood has served. 1) Mere Bhaiyaa Mere Chanda 2) Bhaiya Mere Rakhi Ke 3) Behana ne Bhai Ke Kalai se Pyar bandha hai 4) Chand Re Mere Bhaiya 5) Ise Samjho Na Reshm Ka Taar Send us your best #SelfieWithSister and get a chance to win a GIFT Watch Set. Click the following link for more details NEWS NATIONS SELFIE WITH SISTER CONTEST For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Rio de Janeiro: On another disappointing day for India at the Rio Olympics, Kidambi Srikanth crashed out of badminton men's singles and woman grappler Vinesh Phogat was stretchered off the mat after suffering a knee dislocation in her 48kg quarterfinal bout. Another woman grappler -- Sakshi Malik lost her quarterfinal bout to Russia's Valeriia Koblova even after doing well in the initial two rounds. Woman half miler Tintu Luka ran a poorly judged 800m race and exited from the fray after finishing sixth in her first round heat in 2:00.58 which gave her the overall 29th place from 65 participants. Indian woman wrestler Sakshi Malik lost in the quarterfinals of 58kg while Vinesh Phogat was stretchered off after suffering a knee dislocation during her quarterfinal bout at the Rio Olympics here on Wednesday. Vineshs campaign is over after she retired hurt following a dislocation of her right knee half-way into the first period of her 48kg quarterfinal fight against Chinas Sun Yanan. First point of the quarterfinal bout went to Vinesh with her Chinese opponent showing passivity but Sun Yanan soon hit back with a single-leg takedown to earn two points. The Chinese suddenly pinned the Indian down in an awkward position and Vinesh sustained an injury to her right knee, which forced her to forfeit the bout 1-2. The 21-year-old, who was touted as a medal prospect for India, was seen grimacing in pain as she was treated for about five minutes before being stretchered off for medical treatment. She would not be able to fight in the repechage round even if the Chinese reach the final of 48kg. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. TORONTO, Aug. 16, 2016 /CNW/ - NYX Gaming Group Limited ("NYX" or the "Company") (TSX-V: NYX) today announced it will host a conference call with members of the investment community to discuss its second quarter financial results on Monday, August 29, 2016 at 8:30am ET. NYX's results for the second quarter ended June 30th, 2016 will be disseminated via press release and made available under NYX's profile on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com on Monday, August 29, 2016 before 8:00am ET. Second Quarter Conference Call A conference call to discuss NYX's first quarter results will be held on August 29, 2016, at 8:30am ET. Matt Davey, Group CEO of NYX, and Art Hamilton, CFO, will host the call. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation. To participate, interested parties are asked to dial (647)-427-7450 or 1-888-231-8191 prior to the scheduled start of the call. A replay of the conference call will be available by dialing (855) 859 - 2056 and using the reference number 65437544. This call will be available until September, 05 2016. Game 360 Earnout The Company announced today that it has issued 1,223,370 NYX ordinary shares, at a $2.06 price, representing 50% of the earn out payment where the final purchase price was 4.7 million (included the 1.0 million upfront payment made in May 2015) representing 6.4x Adjusted EBITDA for 2015. The remaining 50% or 1.7 million will be paid in cash during the 3rd quarter of this fiscal year from existing cash on hand. About NYX NYX Gaming Group Limited is a leading digital gaming provider headquartered in Las Vegas, USA with a staff of more than 1,100 employees based in 14 countries across Europe, North America, Asia, New Zealand and Australia. The Company provides one of the world's largest portfolios of leading content and technology to some of the foremost gaming operators, lotteries and casinos across the globe. NYX also has one of the broadest distribution bases in the industry with over 200 unique customers and the widest portfolio of content available from their own global studios and broad partner network. The diversified game catalogue delivers content across web and mobile formats, focusing on Bingo, Casino, Lottery and Sportsbook verticals. NYX's Open Gaming System (OGS) was recently named 2016 Platform of the Year in acknowledgement of its position as the industry's market-leading gaming offering, which allows licensees to leverage the best-of-breed multi-vendor casino content from around the world. NYX Gaming Group Limited is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol (TSXV: NYX). 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 NYX Gaming Group Limited For further information: For Investor Relations Enquiries please contact: Joann Head, Head of Investor Relations, NYX Gaming Group, E: [email protected] GATINEAU, QC, Aug. 16, 2016 /CNW/ - The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, issued the following statement today: "Congratulations to our friends, United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and United States Department of Transportation's Secretary Anthony Foxx, on the announcement of their final Phase 2 Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fuel Efficiency Standards for heavy-duty vehicles. "The U.S. is showing leadership in tackling climate change. These regulations will steadily reduce harmful climate emissions and improve the fuel economy of large trucks, including tractor trailers, on North American highways through 2027. This is real progress for the environment and for the economy. "Canada and the U.S. have a long history of collaborating on regulations to reduce greenhouse gases from heavy-duty vehicles. "Regulating this sector is key to providing cleaner air for Canadians. The Government of Canada intends to align with the Phase 2 emission standards, while considering specific implications for the Canadian heavy-duty vehicle, engine and trailer sectors. The proposed Canadian regulations for heavy-duty vehicles will lower greenhouse gas emissions from one of the largest sources in Canada." Quick facts Canada intends to publish our proposed regulations for heavy-duty vehicles, Phase 2, by the end of 2016 and will provide a consultation period for Canadians. intends to publish our proposed regulations for heavy-duty vehicles, Phase 2, by the end of 2016 and will provide a consultation period for Canadians. Transportation is one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada and is a major source of smog-forming air pollutant emissions. and is a major source of smog-forming air pollutant emissions. Canada's current Phase 1 heavy-duty vehicles regulations apply to 2014 and later model-year vehicles such as full-size pick-ups, semi-trucks, garbage trucks and buses. SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada For further information: Caitlin Workman, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, 819-938-9436; Media Relations, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll free) A new space telescope concept, named the Aragoscope after French scientist Francois Arago who first detected diffracted light waves around a disk, could allow scientists to image space objects like black hole event horizons and plasma swaps between stars, said Cash of CU-Boulders Center for Astrophysics and Space Astronomy. The novel telescope system also could point toward Earth and image objects as small as a rabbit, giving it the ability to hunt for lost campers in the mountains, he said. The Aragoscope could provide images up to 1,000 times sharper than the Hubble Space Telescope. A conventional space telescope is pointed at an opaque disk along an axis to a distant target. The disk boosts the resolution of the system with no loss of collecting area. It can be used to achieve the diffraction limit based on the size of the low cost disk, rather than the high cost telescope mirror. One can envision affordable telescopes that could provide 7 centimeter resolution of the ground from geosynchronous orbit or images of the sky with one thousand times the resolution of the Hubble Space Telescope. A new orbiting telescope concept developed at CU-Boulder could allow scientists to image objects in space Quite frankly, our New Worlds starshade project overlaps with the architecture we want to use for the Aragoscope, so we feel we are in pretty good shape going into Phase Two, said Cash. The Aragoscope would be parked in a geostationary orbit 25,000 miles high that follows Earths rotation, making it appear motionless from the ground. Traditionally, space telescopes have essentially been monolithic pieces of glass like the Hubble Space Telescope, said CU-Boulder doctoral student Anthony Harness of the Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, who is working with Cash on the project. But the heavier the space telescope, the more expensive the cost of the launch. We have found a way to solve that problem by putting large, lightweight optics into space that offer a much higher resolution and lower cost. The opaque space disk would be made of a strong, dark, plastic-like material (think Hefty Bag) that could be launched in a compressed fashion like a parachute, then unfurled in orbit. The space shield would be tethered to the telescope at distances from tens to hundreds of miles depending on the size of the disk, said Harness. The opaque disk of the Aragoscope works in a similar way to a basic lens, said Harness. The light diffracted around the edge of the circular disk travels the same path length to the center and comes into focus as an image. Since image resolution increases with telescope diameter, being able to launch such a large, yet lightweight disk would allow astronomers to achieve higher-resolution images than with smaller, traditional space telescopes, he said. Cash and Harness said they hope to conduct an astronomical demonstration of the Aragoscope concept in the lab using a 1-meter disk placed several meters from a telescope. The light source would be fixed about 5 or 10 meters behind the disk. In addition, they hope to test the starshade concept by fixing a space disk on a mountaintop and attaching a telescope on a hovering aircraft in order to image Alpha Centauri, a binary star system that appears as the third brightest star in the sky. SOURCE University of Colorado Boulder, NASA The Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company, traditionally Chinas largest shipbuilder, has launched its second Type 052D Luyang III-class destroyerdubbed Chinese Aegison August 3 in Dalian in Northeast China, IHS Janes Defense Weekly reports. It is only the second vessel of its type built at the Dalian New Shipyard. The first Type 052D Luyang III-class destroyer is currently being fitted, with a third ship to be launched in the immediate future. Other vessels of the class have been built by the Jiangnan Shipyard, located on Changxing Island in Shanghai. The shipyard has built eight Type 052D Luyang III-class destroyers so far and launched its ninth vessel this July. At least four more are planned, indicating that the number will go beyond the initial number of 12 Luyang III-class vessels before shifting production to the newer Type 055D multi-role cruisers. The Type 052D destroyer class is part of Chinas overall anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy and has purportedly been specifically designed to repel attacks by enemy aircraft carrier strike groups, submarines, and anti-ship missiles. Type 052D Luyang III-class destroyer is equipped with 64 vertical launch cells, each capable of carrying one to four missiles. The ship carries one of the PLANs deadliest anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), the vertically-launched YJ-18 ASCM. Next to its YJ-18 arsenal, Type 052D guided-missile destroyers are also equipped with modern HQ-9 surface-to-air-missiles. The layout of the 052D destroyer is similar to that of the earlier 052C, but the superstructure of the 052D slopes inward at a greater angle, providing reduced radar cross-section. Some analysts have said that the overall performance of 052D destroyers is superior to that of Japans Atago-class destroyers, South Koreas Sejong the Great-class destroyers and the U.S. Navys Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. But compared with Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, Chinas type 052D destroyers are inferior in terms of quantity, displacement and ship-based guided missiles. China needs to build larger models, including a 10,000-ton guided-missile destroyer. Furthermore, the country needs an increase in the quantity of guided-missile destroyers, as China will build more aircraft carriers in the future. Since China does not currently have cruisers, larger guided-missile destroyers are needed to play the role of cruisers. China launched the lead ship in a follow-on class, the LUYANG III- class DDG (Type 052D). Janes Fighting Ships 2011-2012 stated that this ship was launched on November 28, 2010, and was being built to a modified version of the Luyang II design. Janes expected three further ships in this Type 052D class. This unit entered service in 2014. The LUYANG III incorporates the PLA Navys first multipurpose vertical launch system, likely capable of launching ASCM, land attack cruise missiles (LACM), surface-to-air missiles (SAM), and anti-submarine rockets. In 2015, military analyst Li Li claimed the Type 055 would have two 64-cell VLS grids (one fore and one aft) carrying YJ-100 long-range anti-ship cruise missiles, anti-submarine missiles, and anti-aircraft missiles. The United States believes the ship would carry YJ-18 anti-ship cruise missiles. In 2015, the U.S. believed that construction could begin as early as 2016, and has tentatively classified it as a cruiser due to its size. Chinese sources claimed the first Type 055 was ordered from the Jiangnan Shipyard in August 2014, with construction starting in December 2014; the second would be ordered from the Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Company. In an interview in 2015, Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo countered Western media claims that the Type 055 represented a game changer in naval warfare. He regarded the Type 055 as equivalent to the U.S Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and the emphasis of its estimated 10,000-ton displacement was exaggerated; the existing Japanese Atago-class destroyer is over 9,000 tons, the American Zumwalt-class destroyer is over 12,000 tons, and the Russian Udaloy-class destroyer is over 8,000 tons. Further stated that if the Type 055 were to mount laser weapons or electromagnetic railguns, the ship would require integrated electric propulsion to power such energy intensive systems. The US has 62 Burke class destroyers. They have an overall length of 505 feet (154 m) to 509 feet (155 m), displacement ranging from 8,315 to 9,200 tons, and weaponry including over 90 missiles, the Arleigh Burke class are larger and more heavily armed than most previous ships classified as guided missile cruisers. The US will build up to 14 more Burke destroyers for a total of 76 Arleigh Burke destroyers. In April 2014, the U.S. Navy began the early stages of developing a new destroyer to replace the Arleigh Burke-class called the Future Surface Combatant. The new class is expected to enter service in the early 2030s. Initial requirements for the Future Surface Combatant will emphasize lethality and survivability, as well as being able to continue to protect aircraft carriers. The ships also have to be modular to allow for inexpensive upgrades of weaponry, electronics, computing, and sensors over time as threats evolve Foreign states are developing high-speed, maneuvering missiles, and the Pentagon and U.S. Pacific Command want weapons to counter them, a leading defense contractor involved in missile defense said Monday. Doug Graham, vice president of missile systems and advanced programs for Lockheed Martin, a major defense contractor, told reporters in a briefing that missiles pose an accelerating threat, both in numbers and complexity. Were also seeing advanced threats hypersonic, maneuvering threats, that are being characterized as directly challenging the capabilities of the current U.S. ballistic missile defense system, Graham said in a teleconference from Huntsville, Ala. Current U.S. missile defenses include ship-based Aegis anti-missile systems, ground-based Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, Patriot PAC-3s, and Ground Based Midcourse Defense interceptors deployed in Alaska and California that can counter any North Korean long-range missile attack. Growing missile threats are driving the need for a greater quantity of missile defense arrays, as well as more capable systems equipped with better sensors, increased ability to detect decoy warheads, and ultimately the ability to target missiles shortly after launch when they are more vulnerable to attackso-called boost phase intercept systems. China and Russia are both developing hypersonic missiles that travel at speeds up to 7,500 miles per hour along the edge of space and have the ability to maneuver, complicating the task of intercepting them. The Pentagon is also working on hypersonic missiles, but is investing far less than either China or Russia. Russia conducted a flight test of its experimental Yu-71 hypersonic glider in April that was launched atop an SS-19 intercontinental ballistic missile. That test was followed three days later by Chinas seventh flight test of what is called the DF-ZF hypersonic glider on a missile that flew from central China to the western part of the country. The missiles travel at speeds of between Mach 5 and Mach 10, or between 3,800 miles per hour and 7,672 miles per hour. One system being looked at by the Pentagons Missile Defense Agency to counter maneuvering high-speed missiles is an enhanced version of Lockheeds THAAD, called THAAD-ER. The current THAAD-ER system uses a two-stage interceptor with higher velocity that would be capable of catching up to and destroying hypersonic missiles. Laser weapons also are being considered for use against hypersonic missiles. Lockheed is working on lasers that can hit hypersonic missiles shortly after launch and before they reach ultra-high speeds, Graham said. The advanced missile threat is also driving demand in the Pentagon for laser guns, and Lockheed is working to develop a high powered laser deployed on a high-altitude, long-endurance drone aircraft. The laser would target missiles in the boost phaseshortly after launch. If you can do that, you can kill them long before they can do things during their trajectories to evade defenses, Graham said. Using lasers against high-speed missiles poses challenging technical problems, he added. However, Lockheeds missile defense specialists believe the most effective solution to killing missiles in the boost phase is by using high-energy lasers. Contracts for work on anti-missile lasers are expected to be announced by the Missile Defense Agency in coming months. An earlier Pentagon program to build an airborne anti-missile laser inside a Boeing 747 jet was canceled several years ago. Lockheed is currently conducting research into weaponizing fiber laserslasers that fire beams of light using an optical fiber treated with rare-earth elements. Graham said the advanced missile threats pose very complex and challenging problems for missile defenses, and the Pentagon is pursuing a variety of ways to counter them. A Missile Defense Agency spokesman had no immediate comment on efforts to counter hypersonic missiles. Graham said the high-speed missiles typically operate in the zone covered by THAAD anti-missile interceptorsbetween the upper atmosphere and near-earth space. For lasers, development could take five to 10 years before a laser weapon capable of hitting missiles in the boost phase is ready. High energy lasers are the fastest, most agile intercept capability that we have, he said. In February, Vice Adm. James Syring, the Missile Defense Agency director, said THAAD-ER development was not being sped up, but is being continued. If the advanced THAAD system is approved it would be a 10-year development program, he said. Lockheed is pushing for funding for the development of an ER version of the THAAD to counter maturing threats posed by hypersonic glide vehicles adversaries may employ, namely the Chinese WU-14, to penetrate the gap between low and high-altitude missile defenses. The company performed static fire trials of a prototype modified THAAD second booster in 2006 and continued to self-fund the project until 2008. The current 14.5 in (37 cm)-diameter single-stage booster design would be expanded to a 21 in (53 cm) first stage for greater range with a second kick stage to close the distance to the target and provide improved velocity at burnout and more lateral movement during an engagement. Although the kill vehicle would not need a redesign, the ground-based launcher would have to be modified with a decreased interceptor capacity from eight to five. Currently, THAAD-ER is an industry concept and not a program of record, but Lockheed believes the Missile Defense Agency will show interest because of the threats under development by potential adversaries. If funding for the THAAD-ER began in 2018, a fielded product could be produced in 2022. Although the system could provide some capability against a rudimentary hypersonic threat, the Pentagon is researching other technologies like directed energy weapons and railguns to be optimal solutions. Therefore, the THAAD-ER would be an interim measure to counter the emerging threat until laser and railgun systems capable of performing missile defense come online, expected in the mid to late-2020s SOURCES- Washington Free Beacon, Lockheed, Wikipedia, Aviation week Special thanks to GEP for this guest post Dont miss updates on Procurement & Supply Chain, Subscribe here! In his campaign, Donald Trump has repeatedly touted his business acumen and negotiation skills as qualities that make him uniquely suited to be the next president. On top of this, Trump has claimed that Right now, we have the wrong group of negotiators who have led us to being totally out-negotiated. There is no doubt that the next president of the United States will need to be an extremely effective negotiator. Armed conflict, political deadlock, and diplomatic crises abound. The president will be called upon to resolve the war in Syria; manage complex relationships with Russia and Iran; handle hot spots such as North Korea, Libya, and Ukraine; navigate competitive tensions with China; and manage differences within Congress. Over the last year, Trump has mentioned his positions and negotiation approach in certain key complex issues around the world: On Iran, Trump said that he would conclude the deal in a week. His strategy: Trump would make his positions known and walk away from the deal if his counterpart did not comply. If that approach failed, he would double up on sanctions until the Iranians returned and submitted to his demands. On the Famous Wall, Trump would somehow compel the Mexican government to finance a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Regarding Israel-Palestine, Trump said to Rubio, that he would hammer out a deal that would bring an end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Observing his positions and interests, Trumps tactics are aligned towards power, toughness, and dominance. In the world of Negotiation-Conflict models and typical behavior, we would classify Trump as part of the Competing quadrant, and one who follows the I Win-You Lose philosophy. The other philosophies include Collaborating: I Win-You Win, Accommodating: You Win-I Lose, Avoiding: I Lose-You Lose and Compromising: I Win Some You Win Some or I Lose Some You Lose Some. Research in the conflict resolution field shows that a solely competitive approach to negotiation (Trumps preferred style) often leads to stalemates, less than optimal or satisfying solutions, damaged relationships, low levels of trust, feelings of resentment, desire for vengeance, and sometimes even violence. Something to note, over a long period of time, Trump has a successful track record of making favorable deals for himself and his businesses. To his credit, Trump has written a book titled Art of the Deal that explains the intricacies of making a successful deal for the commoners. According to Trump, Deal is a Deal irrespective of the subject, real estate or political. However, a lot of negotiation experts and pundits say that there is a world of difference between negotiating a business deal and negotiating with a rebellious outfit or defiant partner in a war zone or in the midst of a hostile environment. This difference between buying real estate, for example, and ending wars, building coalitions, structuring global agreements, and balancing military and diplomatic leverage has potentially serious implications that depend on the kind of negotiator a president will be. Going back to history, during the 1950s, the U.S. was trying to gain access to Mexicos oil and natural gas reserves. Realizing that their counterpart desperately needed their technology, industrial know-how and investment capital, the U.S. opened the negotiation with a very low offer. That offer was considered so insulting that the Mexican government started to burn off its oil and natural gas rather than provide the U.S. access to its fields. Come 2017, if a President Trump negotiates with Iran by putting forth his ultimatums and following his hardball tactics will it help? Trumps precondition for participating in a January Republican presidential debate on Fox News demanding that moderator Megyn Kelly be removed had a number of consequences, none of which helped his cause. The executives at Fox dug in their heels, Trump was forced to miss the debate, he lost to Ted Cruz in the Iowa caucuses three days later, and he had to admit that skipping the debate may have cost him the victory. Moreover, he showed up at the next Fox News debate, where Megyn Kelly was a moderator. Certainly it wouldnt be that easy to invite Iran for a fresh discussion. Next, imagine the scenario of a President Trump negotiating with Mexico to build a wall on the border and demanding the Mexican government pay for it. When he announced this plan during his campaign, there was a huge outcry in Mexico and unanimously they came out and made it clear that Mexico was never going to pay for such a wall. Trumps response? The wall just got 10 feet higher. Even your most generous proposals may be rejected if accepting them will make the other side lose face. If a party loses badly and publicly, there is a sense of shame or embarrassment that will not bode well for the future. The next interaction will be even more challenging because it will not only be about the subject being negotiated, but also about personal revenge and retaliation. Hardball tactics and providing ultimatums can work in achieving short-term interests, but they lack regard for the other party or any inclination to build a long-term relationship. We need to understand that effective negotiation requires not only strength and toughness, but also humility, empathy, and patience to find solutions, build and sustain coalitions, de-escalate conflict, and achieve your objectives. For more interesting thinking on procurement, visit the GEP Knowledge Bank. The Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested three pilgrims from Kwara for alleged possession of substance suspected to be cocaine. The Saudi Arabian authorities have arrested three pilgrims from Kwara for alleged possession of substance suspected to be cocaine.Hajia Fatima Abolore-Jimoh, the Executive Secretary, Kwara Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, confirmed the arrest on Wednesday from Saudi Arabia in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.She said the three pilgrims, who were among the first batch of 505 Pilgrims from Kwara, were arrested in Madina by Saudi Arabia security operatives.The executive secretary, who did not disclose the identities of the three suspects, said they were still in the custody of Saudi Arabian authorities.Abolore-Jimoh said the Saudi Arabian law would certainly take its course on the three suspected drug traffickers.She described the arrest as unfortunate and painful in spite of several appeals to them to be good ambassadors of Kwara and Nigeria.The executive secretary said that other pilgrims from the state were still in Madinnah, hale, healthy and in good spirit in spite of the unfortunate incident.NAN reports that 1,978 pilgrims from the state are performing the 2016 pilgrimage exercise.NAN The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has kicked against the appointment of former Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof... The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has kicked against the appointment of former Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Professor Ishaq Oloyede as JAMB Registrar.Calling for his probe, the union added that his era as Vice Chancellor was characterized with anti-democratic and anti-union antecedents.ASUU President, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi while addressing journalists in Lagos said: Given our inside knowledge of his anti-democratic and anti-union antecedents, Professor Oloyede is the last person that we expected to be so honoured with a national appointment of that status in the education sector.According to Ogunyemi, Oloyedes anti-workers stance stood out in the case of the sacked UNILORIN 49.He led the administrations team to as far as Lagos to testify falsely against the workers before the Industrial Arbitration Panel, Ogunyemi said.As VC of UNILORIN, the system was manipulated to favour his son and daughter and within weeks, gave them awards for overseas training despite explicit regulations against the practice.He also said that in May 2012, Professor Oloyede as VC, suddenly doubled the amount of pension being deducted from UNILORIN staff under the pretext that the deductions were not enough.The above represent some of the reasons why the Union is appalled that Oloyede has been offered an appointment to head the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.The Union has resolved to lodge an official complaint with the appropriate authorities and to demand investigation into the activities of Oloyede while in office as VC of UNILORIN, he said. Senate President Bukola Saraki Wednesday described former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, as one of the issues tha... Senate President Bukola Saraki Wednesday described former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, as one of the issues that continue to define the Nigerian polity.According to Saraki, these issues keep unfolding even Babangida at the age of 75 and 23 years after he left office. The Senate President noted that the contributions of Babangida to the socio-economic development of the country remain legendary and were obvious across the landscape.In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja,Saraki said, From the political engineering that his administration introduced into the country which encouraged many young people, particularly, professionals, those in the private sector and Nigerians in the diaspora, to join politics, to the two-party system which sought to eliminate ethnicity in politics and encourage manageable political platforms with national spread, the foot-prints of General Babangida remain visible everywhere.As a war hero who also participated in most of the military administrations that we had since independence and then transformed to a man who played a major role in the return of democracy in 1999 and the emergence of the first post-1999 Presidency for the purpose of forging national unity and healing past wounds, General Babangida remains a statesman and a visible decimal in the making of todays Nigeria.The Senate President who noted that Babangida will also be remembered by history as one whose administration helped to realise the dreams of the Murtala/Obasanjo regime in moving the nations capital to Abuja, said, General Babangida remains a fascinating figure to me in his ability to build bridges across the country.His name continues to evoke support across the country among his numerous supporters while those who also do not like the policies of his government remain vociferous in their opposition to him.That I think is the stuff that a great leader is made of and that is why I apply an earlier phrase he used to describe one of our late nationalists on him too that he remains one of the issues in Nigerian politics. He prayed to Almighty God to preserve the General in good health and for many more years in other to enable him continue in the service of humanity in general and Nigerians in particular. PDP Convention venue, Port Harcourt Photo: Nairaland Several armed mobile policemen have taken over Sharks Stadium, venue of the Pe... PDP Convention venue, Port Harcourt Photo: Nairaland Several armed mobile policemen have taken over Sharks Stadium, venue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convention, in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.As early as 8am, security operatives were sighted all over Moscow Road, where the stadium is located.Vehicles were not allowed to enter the street, while pedestrians were being questioned.No one was allowed to enter the stadium, which is right beside the headquarters of the Rivers state police command.The policemen declined comments, and no official statement has been issued regarding the development, but it is believed to be as a result of the court order stopping the convention.On Tuesday, Okon Abang, a justice of the federal high court, Abuja, granted the prayers of Ali Modu Sheriff, factional leader of the party, who sought to stop the exercise.Abang ordered the suspension of the exercise, and directed the inspector-general of police to enforce the order.Abangs judgement is at variance with Ibrahim Watila, judge of the federal high court in Port Harcourt, who held that the Ahmed Makarfi faction could go ahead with its convention as planned.Dayo Adeyeye, spokesman of the Makarfis faction, had told newsmen that the convention would hold unfailingly.We have said this earlierThe convention will go on unfailingly, he had said.Adeyeye could not be reached as at the time this report was filed.It is not clear if another venue would be fixed for the exercise, or the party would reschedule the exercise.Sheriff is demanding that the exercise be taken to Abuja. President Muhammadu Buhari has given a second order in three weeks to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, urging the firm to... President Muhammadu Buhari has given a second order in three weeks to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC, urging the firm to begin oil exploration in the North.This time, the President directed the national oil firm to commence exploration activities in the Benue Trough. The Benue Trough is a major geological formation underlying a large part of Nigeria, extending about 1,000km North-East from the Bight of Benin to Lake Chad.The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, disclosed the Presidents directive on the oil expolration in the North while receiving a delegation from the Benue State Government at the corporations headquarters in Abuja.About three weeks ago, the President had directed the corporation to speed up its prospect for oil in the region, specifically in the Chad Basin and Kolmani River, following the reported discovery of hydrocarbons by Shell in the area.The 19 northern state governors are also fired up about the prospect of oil production in their domain as they have hired a British firm through the Northern Nigeria Development Company, which they jointly own, to carry out the exploration activities.But energy analysts and several socio-cultural and other interest groups on Tuesday expressed divergent views on the pressure by the President on the NNPC as regards oil exploration in the North.The NNPC GMD, in a statement from the corporation on Tuesday, said the new directive was in line with the current efforts to guarantee energy security of the country.Baru said, Very close home, we have exploration activities on the Frontier Basin, that is in the Chad; and there are some areas close to the Kolmani River where Shell has made indicative discovery of hydrocarbons and Mr. President has directed me to go into that area to further explore the magnitude and prospects of those finds.We are taking steps to get into those regions. We will reinvigorate the frontier exploration and see how they collaborate with the Northern Nigeria Development Company that is holding Block 809 where some of the finds have been found. We will also do the same at the Department of Petroleum Resources for the other blocks that have not been assigned, and work towards proving the prospects of that region.But the Ijaw Youth Council and Urhobo Monitoring and Development Group while reacting to the presidential directive said it was a good initiative but came at a wrong time.The IYC, an umbrella body for the Ijaw youths worldwide, said that the timing for the directive was wrong because of the prevailing situation in the oil industry at the international market, which made such a venture economically unwise.A statement signed by the spokesman for the group, Eric Omare, said one would have expected that President Buhari-led government should focus on diversifying the nations ailing economy, especially areas where the different regions had comparative advantage over the other.Ordinary, the IYC would be excited by not just a Presidential directive to explore for oil in any part of the North but discovery of oil in the North. This is so because we strongly believe that the struggle of the people of the Niger Delta region for equitable distribution of oil money would become a reality once oil is found in the North as well.On its part, the National President of the Urhobo Monitoring and Development Group, Kingsley Oberuruaria, posited that while the directive was good, it was a self-serving step to further annihilate the people of the region from benefitting from its God-given natural resources.Oberuruaria explained that the desire of the President was to cut the region out of the countrys scheme of things once oil production fully came alive in that region while the Niger Delta, which had been feeding the nation, would forever be neglected.The Niger Delta youth leader posited that such a presidential directive should be put into various ailing industries in the country such as the Delta Steel Company in Aladja, Delta State, which he said was capable of employing hundreds of thousands of unemployed Nigerian youths.Im sure this directive was as a result of the prevailing crisis in the Niger Delta region. President Buhari has been looking for ways to cut off the region instead of being resolute to develop the region which has been neglected by every successive government, he said.But two prominent leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Sehinde Arogbofa and Yinka Odumakin, differed on the issue.Arogbofa, who is the Secretary-General of the association, said it would be part of the way to restructure the country, which the association had been clamouring for.He said, There is nothing wrong if they find oil in the North. That is why we are calling for restructuring; if that is his (Buhari) own restructuring agenda, it is okay. We already have oil in the South and if he orders for prospect of oil in the North, there is nothing wrong in that .But the groups spokesman, Odumakin, said it was a wasted effort. He recalled, Mr. Alan Lennox-Boyde, the Secretary of State for the Colonies in a memorandum on Nigerian Constitutional Conference wrote in 1958: The North fears and dislikes the more educated Southerners and if they were not economically bound to the federation, they would be glad to be quit of it. What he stated has not changed much till date and this may explain the desperate search for oil in the North at a time oil is becoming worthless.Also, the President, Campaign for Democracy, Bako Usman, said the President was not getting good advice.He said, What is worth doing, they say, is worth doing well. We as a people need to acknowledge the fact that this government needs an effective economic direction. For now, most people around Mr. President on the pay roll of taxpayers money are just but ill Advisers.The Pan-northern socio-cultural group, Arewa Consultative Forum, said it was not aware of the Presidential pronouncement on oil exploration in the region.The National Publicity Secretary of the forum, Muhammad Ibrahim, told one of our correspondents in Kaduna on Tuesday that he was not aware of Buharis order to the NNPC to prospect for oil in the region.The Head of Energy Research, Ecobank Capital, Mr. Dolapo Oni, said the move must have been informed by the need to reduce the reliance on the Niger Delta and reduce the countrys vulnerability to attacks in the region.He said, But, at a time when we dont have enough money to run the economy, even though oil servicing charges are a lot lesser now due to the drop in oil prices, it is still not the right time to dedicate a large amount of money to search for oil in the North.Ideally, the idea will be a concession and allow companies do whatever they need to do. If we want to do 2D and 3D seismic, we can do it, gather that data and allow oil companies to come and do their own search. But if we are dedicating the NNPCs scarce resources to going beyond the 2D and 3D, I think it may not be the best of time.The Project Director, Uquo Gas Field Development, a joint venture project by Frontier Oil Limited and Seven Energy, Mr. Abdullahi Bukar, described the renewed efforts towards exploring for oil in the Benue Trough and Chad Basin as a very good development.He said, I hope that a well-thought-out policy will be put in place because anything that will increase Nigerias oil and gas reserves is very welcome.The Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, said the discovery of oil in Niger Republic must have been a major boost for Nigeria to continue to prospect for oil in the Sahel region.Describing the effort to diversify the nations oil and gas production as a good move, he said, It depends on the level of resources being committed to it. I think it is something the government needs to be very circumspect in committing resources to it. It is very likely that what would be achieved in the Chad Basin will be marginal deposits. So, I dont think the government is going to be too bullish in terms of the resources it is going to commit to such effort.The Director-General, West African Institute for Financial and Economic Management, Prof. Akpan Ekpo, said, There is nothing wrong in getting more oil. But my worry is the dependence on non-renewable resources without adding value to it. A Chief Magistrates Court at Iyaganku, Ibadan has ordered the remand of four men for allegedly robbing and shooting to death a member of... A Chief Magistrates Court at Iyaganku, Ibadan has ordered the remand of four men for allegedly robbing and shooting to death a member of Oyo State House of Assembly Mr. Gideon AremuThe defendants: Ayobami Adedeji (23), Sodiq Adedeji (20), Kareem Isiaka (43), and Adeniran Oladapo (31) were charged with murder and robbery.The defendants did not take any plea.The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Taiwo Oladiran, ordered their remand at Agodi Prisons, as the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case.He adjourned the case till September 9 for mention, pending the outcome of the legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).The prosecutor, Cpl. James Oriola, told the court that the four accused persons conspired with others now at large to commit the acts of armed robbery and murder.Oriola alleged that the crimes were committed on July 1 at about 9:16 pm at Alakia area, Ibadan.He said three of the accused- Adedeji, his brother Sodiq and Isiaka, armed with gun, robbed the late Aremu of his Samsung Galaxy Pam cell phone, valued at N220, 000 and killed him thereafter.The trio unlawfully caused the death of one Hon. Gideon Aremu, 41, a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, by shooting him with a gun, Oriola said.He added that the fourth accused, Oladapo, allegedly received the said stolen phone from Isiaka on July 2 at about 12 noon at Beere, Ibadan.Oriola alleged that Oladapo was in the know that the cell phone must have been obtained through an act of robbery.He said that the offences contravened Section 316 and punishable under Sections 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.Oriola also said that the offences are punishable under Section (1) (2) (a); Sections 5 and 6 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap RII Vol.14, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004. Governor of Ekiti state, Mr Ayo Fayose has said he was stopped from attending the national convention of his Peoples Democratic Party, PD... Governor of Ekiti state, Mr Ayo Fayose has said he was stopped from attending the national convention of his Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Port Harcourt, Rivers state Wednesday by security operatives that blocked the gate to the old old Presidential lodge in Rivers state Government House, Port Harcourt where he lodged with an armoured personnel career, APC.A statement by his media aide, Mr Leye Olayinka described the alleged action of the security aides as a clear case of house of arrest. The media aide said all appeals to the security personnel at the gate to allow the governor go out to attend the convention were ignored. The governor decried the ugly development. The statement , I was under house arrest in PH-Fayose Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State has lamented that he was not at the national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because he was placed under house arrest at the Old Presidential Lodge, Rivers State Government House where he lodged.The governor, who was conspicuously absent at the convention which was eventually held at the state secretariat of the party after security agencies had sealed off the initial venue, was prevented from moving out as the gate to the Old Presidential Lodge was blocked by an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).Special Adviser to the governor on Social Media, Lere Olayinka, disclosed that all entreaties to allow Fayose to step out to attend the convention were rebuffed by the security personnel on ground., When contacted for comment the state Police Commissioner, Mr Francis Odesanya said it was not true. that cant be true . It is not to my knowledge. How did the other Excellencies( governors) go out of their lodge , he said. The Ijaw Youth Council has lauded the accelerated search for oil in Northern Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari and northern governors... After a sustained bombing of oil facilities reducing Nigerias oil output and revenue, the Niger Delta Avengers has said that it is now ... After a sustained bombing of oil facilities reducing Nigerias oil output and revenue, the Niger Delta Avengers has said that it is now willing to dialogue with the Federal Government. As a prelude to the talks and an expression of readiness to lay down arms and embrace peace, the NDA, Wednesday, raised what it calls Contact and Dialogue Team headed by a former Director of Youth Development in the Niger Delta Commission, Mr. Ballantyne Agiri, to act as its spokesman. Agiri in a statement he personally signed and sent to reporters in Abuja on Wednesday, said that the militant group was serious about engaging the Federal Government and end the cycle of violence and oil disruption in the Niger Delta.The former director disclosed that NDA would now be asking the Federal Government to take up the development of the Niger Delta with more seriousness, adding that it was determined to achieve results that would yield lasting peace, equity, justice and harmony among all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. Agiri said: The body has collectively and willingly agreed to heed the clarion call of eminent Nigerians and international community to dialogue with the Federal Government.The federal government should from the inception of the dialogue rule out from the agenda any monthly monetary inducement or stipend for the NDA. The federal government should be ready for structural changes that should be human and development oriented.Members of the avengers group (who will participate in the dialogue) have already been selected, each based on his integrity, forthrightness, honesty and life track records. The names of members of the group for now shall not be made public for personal reasons until they begin functioning in few days ahead. He urged Nigerians and the international community to follow the event and watch out which side would default in terms of abiding by the rules and spirit of the dialogue.NDA has however been split into factions, thereby weakening its agenda to dry up Niger Delta oil and cause hardship for the Buhari administration. Miffed by the challenge, the Nigerian Army has however moved its troops into the region to keep the peace and protect critical oil assets, which fetch the nation its major revenue. The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a medical doctor, Hassan Yakubu, for his alleged role in the removal of the kidney of a 24... The Adamawa State Police Command has arrested a medical doctor, Hassan Yakubu, for his alleged role in the removal of the kidney of a 24-year-old male patient in his clinic.The arrest of the medical doctor, the police said, was to help with their investigations into the alleged theft of the kidney of the 24-year-old male patient levelled against the doctor.The commands Public Relations Officer, Othman Abubakar, confirmed the arrest of the doctor on Tuesday in Yola.Othman said the doctor was interrogated by officers of the criminal investigations department of the command.The incident, had now left the 24-year-old victim, Isa Hamma, in a life threatening condition, followed alleged medical lapses on the part of the medical doctor who treated him for stomach complications.Isa, whose kidney, according to his relative, Umaru Hammanseyo, was allegedly removed, owing to medical errors on the part of the doctor, had been placed on a weekly dialysis at the Federal Medical Centre, Gombe.According to Hammanseyo, the victims uncle, Yakubu, who treated Isa, at his Jimeta Clinic, for stomach complications, ended up operating the victim on July 8 but allegedly removed his kidney in the process.Three days after the operation, Umaru said Isa could not urinate.The complications further degenerated with the face and legs of the victim becoming swollen which prompted the family to return to the accused doctor who later referred them to the Federal Medical Centre in Gombe.Hammanseyo said it was at the Gombe hospital that medical officials working with the Federal Medical Centre told them that Isas kidney had been removed. A Nigerian man has been arrested by the police in Ogun state for naming his pet dog Buhari. The trader, Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, o... The trader, Joe Fortemose Chinakwe, of No 10, Omikunle Street, Sango-Ota, Ogun State, was reportedly arrested last weekend, after one of his neighbours of Northern extraction complained bitterly that he named his dog after his father, Alhaji Buhari.It was gathered that the complainant reported the case at Sango Police Station, last Saturday, after which the trader was arrested and detained. However, it was gathered that efforts by the police to recover the dog, which they intended using as evidence failed following a clever move by the suspect.The trader, said to be trading in female wears at a popular market in Sango, allegedly directed his friends secretly to kill the dog and possibly eat the meat in order to avoid being implicated.It was gathered that consistent appeals by his friends and relations for the police to grant him bail failed as the complainant and his kinsmen reportedly threatened to kill the trader if he was released on bail.The case, however, took a different dimension two days later when Chinakwes relatives went to Sango police station to further plead for his bail only to be informed that the case file and the suspect have been transferred to Ogun State Police Command headquarters at Eleweran.A relation to the suspect, who simply identified himself as Chiedozie, told newsmen that his brother was being persecuted for no just cause and expressed fears that he may either be poisoned inside police cell or thrown into jail.Chiedozie said: Chinakwe is a lover of dogs and he names them after things that tickle him. He bought this dog a year ago and named it Buhari.Unfortunately, some Northerners, who dominate the vicinity where he resides misconstrued his intention and connived to take him up. The complainant then claimed it was derogatory because his father answers Buhari. Police sources, however, revealed that the actions of the suspect were very provocative.The source said: he not only named the dog Buhari but boldly wrote it on the body of both sides of the dog and was seen parading the neighbourhood dominated by Northerners with it.As at press time, relations to the suspect were still making frantic efforts to effect his bail while his accusers are insisting that he must be prosecuted. Police confirms arrest When contacted around 8pm yesterday, the acting Police spokesman in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, ASP, said he was still trying to get the Divisional Police Officer in-charge of Sango for details.Oyeyemi later called, stating that: I have made enquiries. The man bought a dog and inscribed Buhari on both sides of its body. One Mallam lodged a complaint and when our men got there, we found out that it was true. You know such thing can cause serious breach of the peace and ethnic or religious unrest. We are charging him to court for conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. Continuing, he said: He was arrested last Saturday and we are taking him to court later today (Tuesday) or tomorrow morning (today). You know an average Northerner will feel bad over such a thing. It can cause serious ethnic crisis or religious confrontation because when you are relegating such a name to a certain person, you are indirectly insulting him. When asked about the whereabouts of the dog that will be used as evidence against the suspect, the police spokesman said: The dog cannot follow anybody except the owner. We will use him as our evidence because he did not deny it. A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Olisaemeka Akamukale, has urged President Muhammadu Buhar... A member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Olisaemeka Akamukale, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to intensify efforts to reduce the economic hardship in the country, lamenting that Nigerians are fast losing patience with the administration.This was even as he alleged that about three serving ministers in President Buharis cabinet were saboteurs who had opposed his presidential bid even before the last general elections. Speaking with journalists Wednesday at the national secretariat of APC in Abuja, Akamukale, who is the only APC caucus member from Delta state said, if by 2019 the (APC) dream is cut short by Nigerians many people you see today, some who are ministers and others will go back but some of us will still remain, many people will go back and look for a new government to take position. They will tell you that they are technocrats because they have nothing to lose.He said, If you really ask me, I think Nigerians are becoming impatient with us because it is now about two years into this government, so it is for Nigerians and not about me or about APC members but for Nigerians to know what this government will do to benefit them. I think beyond what Buhari should do to APC members; this is not about APC members, it is about Nigerians; what is the percentage of APC members? How many of us voted? The percentage of real APC members could not have made Buhari a president. So, it is actually Nigerians.So, I think the president should bring on board those who believe in the change mantra, those who yearned for change, that could assist Mr. President in delivering the dividends of democracy to the masses of this country because in the end, the people that lose or gain are Nigerians. Nigerians voted for us and there are things they are expecting from us. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria, on Tuesday said the unity of Nigeria is more threatened now than the Civil war era. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former president of Nigeria, on Tuesday said the unity of Nigeria is more threatened now than the Civil war era.Speaking during the maiden edition of the Nigerian Union of Journalists National Summit in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the former President said the activities of various armed groups across the country have continued to threaten the disintegration of Nigeria.Represented by Professor Peter Okebukola, Obasanjo also charged the media to take the lead in the march towards greater national integration and development.He criticised those calling for the breakup of Nigeria, saying the call for the countrys disintegration has been on the increase in the last four months.According to Obasanjo, At no time in our history, except probably during the civil war, has Nigeria been so fractured in the feeling of oneness and belongingness by the citizenry.In the last four months, we have an average of twenty hotspots across the country with huge potential for national disintegration.Our strength as a nation lies in our unity and national cohesion and I want to entreat you (the media) to begin to preach the gospel of unity in diversity and unity of purpose and cohesion.The press should mobilise the masses to strengthen the democratic process and play a crucial role in promoting a culture of tolerance, non-violence and mutual co-existence.For me, this Summit will only be successful if we find a niche for the press in our march to ensuring greater national cohesion, especially at this time in our history. PDP Convention venue, Port Harcourt, Photo; Nairaland Following the heavy security presence at the venue of the proposed PDP convention... PDP Convention venue, Port Harcourt, Photo; Nairaland Following the heavy security presence at the venue of the proposed PDP convention, the police has explained the reason for their action.The state Police Commissioner, Mr Francis Odesanya told newsmen that he merely complied with a court order to provide security around the venue, stressing that his men did not seal up the place.We did not seal up the place, we are only providing security, he ended. The Commissioner when asked to say the court order he complied with he said he was not in a position to interprete court order.It is not my duty to interpret court order , he added. He said further enquiries on development around the venue of the place should be made to the Force spokesman in Abuja or the spokesman of the Rivers State Police command Police patrol vehicles were used to block all roads leading to the stadium.Vehicles were politely told to make u turns away from all roads leading to the stadium.Workers forced to trek distance Workers around Moscow, Hospital and adjourning roads leading to the stadium were forced to trek long distance to their offices.A lady who works on Moscow road said it was unfortunate that she could be subjected to the stress she went through to get to her office , Food vendors lament impact of abortion of the convention Some of the food vendors who bought spaces around the Sharks stadium lamented their lose. They told the Vanguard that they acquired spaces for seven thousand naira each for their business.I sell food. I came out to sell food in this rented space I paid seven thousand. Now I can I cant get the patronage I wanted., a lady food vendor said.Convention may holdThere were speculations that the convention may still hold. At press time governors and other leaders of the party were in Government House, Port Harcourt. The leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday was confused on whether to monitor or stay away from Wednesda... The leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday was confused on whether to monitor or stay away from Wednesdays (today) national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday had insisted that the PDP must stop its planned national convention.The judge gave a stern warning to the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahood Yakubu, not to monitor the convention. The judge also ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to enforce the courts order.Justice Abangs order is contrary to another order by Justice Ibrahim Watila of the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court, directing the IGP to monitor the convention.Warning that the disobedience of court orders could cause anarchy, Justice Watila pointed out that the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP remained the executive authority in all matters concerning the party.Our correspondent, who visited the headquarters of the commission in Abuja on Tuesday, was told by some national commissioners that INEC was in a dilemma over which order of the different courts it should obey concerning the convention.It was learnt that the commission had sent a delegation to Port Harcourt, based on the Rivers State court ruling, mandating it to monitor the convention.The ruling of Justice Okon Abang on Tuesday, insisting that INEC must stay away from the convention, was said to have put the commission in a dilemma over what to do.One of the national commissioners, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said while the commission was willing to obey court orders, the two judgments had put it in a state of confusion.He said, We have just been told that we should not be at the convention on the order of Justice Abang. Yet, another court in Port Harcourt said we must be there. These are same courts with same powers under the same President, because the Federal High Court in the country is headed by a President.Are these judges reading different laws or constitution? Cant the President of the Federal High Court call his men to order?If we go to Port Harcourt for the convention, a judge will say we flouted his order and if we dont go, another one will frown at our action.The Director, Publicity and Voters Education, INEC, Mr. Oluwole Osaze, told our correspondent that the commission was waiting to be served with the order of Justice Abang before deciding on the next step to take.He said, We are in dilemma over which order to obey for now. One order asks us to go, another says we should not. We are waiting to be served with the order of Justice Abang before knowing what to do.A deputy director in the same department, Mr. Nick Danzang, said the officials of the commission were on standby in Port Harcourt.He said, Although the commission has been served the Port Harcourt court judgment, it has yet to be served the Abuja court judgment by Justice Abang.In the meantime, our monitoring workers are on standby.Dont monitor PDP convention, judge warns INECJustice Abang had on Tuesday turned the interim order, stopping the PDP national convention, into an interlocutory injunction that would subsist till when the substantive suit was determinedHe adjourned the hearing of the case till September 7, 2016, but gave a stern warning to INEC chairman not to monitor the convention.The judge also ordered the Inspector-General of Police to enforce his order.Justice Abang, who faulted the decision of the Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court to assume jurisdiction on the case relating to the PDP convention, also directed that his order be endorsed with Form 48 (notice of disobedience of court order) and served on INEC chairman.Justice Abang said failure by INEC or any of the defendants to comply with his order would attract disciplinary action provided the plaintiffs know what to do.He said the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee members, who were on Tuesday joined as the third to the ninth respondents, adopted a strategy of not filing a counter-affidavit, adding that other processes were not found in the court file.They must sink and float with their legal strategy, the judge said.Justice Abang said the request for an adjournment by their counsel, Mr. Yunus Ustaz (SAN) and Chief Ferdinand Orbih (SAN), after the plaintiffs counsel, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN), had moved a motion for an interlocutory injunction, was an afterthought.Justice Abang ruled, The facts deposed to by the plaintiffs are credible and deserving to be granted the application in the overall interest of justice. I so holdI make the following orders:An order of interlocutory injunction is hereby made restraining the defendants (the nine of them), their servants, agents, howsoever named from conducting the national convention of the PDP and from supervising or monitoring same under any guise and for electing any national officer of the (second) defendant (PDP), and for recognising same in any manner whatsoever, pending the determination of the substantive suit.An order of interlocutory injunction is, hereby, made restraining the PDP from presenting anybody and from sponsoring anybody for election into its offices and holding national convention, conference, whatever name for the purpose of electing national officers of the second defendant, pending the determination of this suitAn order of interlocutory injunction is, hereby, made restraining INEC from monitoring the national convention of the PDP scheduled for Port Harcourt on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, or any other day and from accepting, publishing or recognising, conference or convention howsoever named being planned by the second defendant.The Inspector-General of Police shall enforce the order until all applications are disposed of.The plaintiffs shall endorse Form 48 and serve all the defendants, especially INEC, to accompany the order.Learned counsel for INEC shall inform the chairman of INEC of the courts decision and failure to comply with the order of the court will attract disciplinary action against any party in disobedience, provided the plaintiffs know what to do.Any party that fails to comply with the subsisting order of this court shall have himself to blame. Nobody should bring himself into direct confrontation with this court.The judge blamed the Port Harcourt division of the Federal High Court for the conflicting orders.He said the attitude of his colleague had been condemned by the Supreme Court in 2004.This unenviable situation would have been avoided if the judge in the Port Harcourt division of the court had refused to assume jurisdiction over a case filed on August 9 after the Abuja division was already handling a similar case filed in July.He said, Therefore, the Port Harcourt division of the Federal High Court cannot make an order neutralising the order made by this court.Our decision valid PHarcourt courtBut the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Tuesday insisted that the July 4, 2016 ruling of Justice M. Liman that removed the former acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic People, Ali Modu Sheriff, remained valid.Justice Watila said, This court will not shy away from protecting the sanctity of its judgment. The court has held that the appointment of the PDP National Caretaker Committee is valid.Justice Watila stated that court records showed that the proceedings and order of August 10, 2016, and the interlocutory injunction of August 15, 2016, were served on the defendants with proof of service.Warning that disobedience to court orders could cause anarchy, Justice Watila stated that the National Caretaker Committee of the PDP remained the executive authority in all matters concerning the party.PDP conventionll hold, Wike insisitsTHE Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party and the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, said despite the ruling of a Federal High Court in Abuja, the partys convention would hold.Wike described the verdict of the court in Abuja on Tuesday as an interlocutory injunction, adding that a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had earlier on the same day delivered a judgment that the PDP convention should hold.The governor explained that the leadership of the PDP was in Port Harcourt, maintaining that nobody could scuttle the democratic process in the party.The PDP is ready for its national convention. Based on the court judgment of July 4, 2016, we are going ahead with the convention.The judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt today says the national convention should go ahead. We are also aware that the judgment of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt also validates the judgment of July 4, 2016.Again, what the Abuja court only gave was an injunction and the court in Port Harcourt gave a judgment that the PDP convention should hold on August 17, 2016, he said. Two men dressed in military uniform have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, for offences of robbery and rape, i... Two men dressed in military uniform have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday, for offences of robbery and rape, in the Oworonshoki and Bariga areas of the state.The commands Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, who confirmed this while briefing newsmen in Lagos, said that the police, acting on complaints by some of the victims, cordoned the area which led to the arrest of the suspects.According to Badmos, a 15-year-old girl (name withheld) residing in the area reported to the police that she was a victim.On Aug. 12, at about 8.00 a.m. the police at Oworonshoki Division received complaints from one 15-year-old girl who lives at Oworonshoki Area that she has been raped.She reported that on Thursday at about 10.30 p.m., she was running an errand along Akerele Street, Oworonshoki, when suddenly the suspects, riding on a motorcycle, accosted her.She said the suspects forcefully whisked her away on their motorcycle to Bariga by Murtala Bus Stop and raped her till the early hours of Friday, threatening to kill her if she shouted.Following the victims report, the Anti-Crime Patrol Policemen from Oworonshoki Division quickly mobilised to the address and in a raid arrested two men, 26-year-old Joseph Agbo, and 20-year-old Balogun Damilola.She said that the police recovered a pair of army camouflage uniforms, two berets, two mobile phones and four ATM cards from different banks from the suspects.Other items recovered from them are army accoutrements and 17 ID cards bearing different names, he said.Badmos said the suspects confessed to impersonation and other crimes in Oworonshoki and Bariga areas.He said the suspects had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the command for discreet investigation and subsequent prosecution. Until he had the misfortune of elevation to the corridors of power as a Senator, most Nigerians mistook Senator Shehu Sani for a populi... Until he had the misfortune of elevation to the corridors of power as a Senator, most Nigerians mistook Senator Shehu Sani for a populist and human rights activist. Operating from his Kaduna base, the perceived home of the once powerful Northern mafia, Sani easily courted undeserved attention as a critic, polemicist and populist.This has benefited him immensely, as it would later serve as his springboard to plucking the senate seeds of APC for Kaduna Central Senatorial District. But the harm, this exposure has caused Sani is equally unfathomable. While in the senate, Sani has regrettably exposed himself more as an irritant and a mere loquacious freak.Its doubtful whether Senator Sani has inspired anybody or is prepared to accomplish anything in Red chamber for Nigeria and his state. He is rather, demonstrating the new belief that he lived in borrowed robes and the virtues hitherto associated with his personality were indeed erroneous.His critics vouch assuredly that trailing Sanis public comments for a month on same issues, leaves one with the impression of his deep contradictory personality. Yet, he shamefully thinks the panacea to this self-inflicted wound is embalming himself with a pseudo pro-masses posture, through baseless attacks on top government personalities.Those on his favorite menu of despicable and baseless criticisms are President Muhammadu Buhari and the Kaduna state governor, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai. To really appreciate the depth of his dilemma, Sani passes as someone not gifted with inward assessment of himself. The glaring public contention that he has lost steam is not known to the Senator yet. So, he insists on speaking, even when the countenance of his audience indicate disinterest.For instance, Sanis singsong is the expression angst at the poverty and sufferings of Nigerians under the administration of President Buhari. But he was one of the Senators who reclined into their shells, when parliamentarians kicked against Buharis inclusion of N500 billion poverty alleviation package for the poor. His voice was suddenly muffled, when it mattered most, in the defence of the poor Nigerians he poignantly invokes the conscience of leaders he has dubbed as failing the people.To further expose his hypocrisy, Senator Sani and his soulmates have consigned the executive bill on the establishment of the National Commission on Poverty Eradication to their customary antics of procrastination. This is in spite of the urgency of the matter.Now he has sharpened his arsenals against Governor El Rufai. He savours deflating all the actions or policies of the governor. What remains baffling is that while he condemns, he provides no alternatives. Thus, one perceives his recent claims that El Rufai was part of the PDPs 16 years of ruination of the country and cannot absolve himself of blame is most laughable.Unknowingly as expected, Senator Sani has bruised a festering sore. Perhaps, the Senator needs fresh briefs on the person and character of governor El Rufai. But even if he is unprepared to listen, it should not escape his mind that El Rufai is a seasoned administrator, famed internationally for his uncompromising posture for public good. If the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo can boast of any achievement in its eight years on the saddle, the mastery of El Rufai as FCT minister spiced it.The FCT job caused him sleepless nights, much as it courted for him deadly enemies, yet he remained committed, even at the detriment of his life. Today, Senator Sani and his cohorts in Abuja are prime beneficiaries of the environmental sanity El Rufai imposed on the nations capital city.It is this unbeatable record of service that railroaded his ascension to power in Kaduna state as governor in 2015. He mercilessly crushed his rival and the then incumbent governor with millions of votes. His administrative acumen has now berthed in Kaduna state and despite its delicate and volatile nature, the state has been calm.This has become possible because El Rufai has applied uncommon wisdom in his leadership of the state. He is widely admired by his subjects for his bluntness and the inclusivity of all segments of the state in its governance. They are harnessing the benefits of change on all fronts.Therefore, when Senator Sani accuses the governor of imposing hardship on the people, he is scorned in open places. Others even restrain themselves from mistaking him for a demented person.Sani has exposed his innermost thoughts of perfidy. It is difficult to understand why a man who claims to be cloned in progressive virtues and garments is inclined to see party politics as investments, which should possibly yield profits.He says, There are people who have invested heavily in the party. They are marginalized, not carried along.Unmistakably therefore, the statement makes a claim that Governor El Rufai openness in the governance of the state offends Senator Sani, who probably prefers backdoor patronage for his party investment.Miffed by this development, the Senator applies desperate antics to discredit El Rufai. If he is not casting aspersions on the policies of the government like the Bill to regulate religious preachments in the state, he is making inflammatory comments that would fan the embers of discord. You dont have the right to regulate, issue licence to preachers, Senator Sani thundered. But he failed expectedly to name who has such rights. This is one of his many advertisements of emptiness.At another instance, Senator Sani craftily attempts to destroy the harmony between El Rufai and President Buhari, by insinuating that the former is interested in ousting the President in 2019.He says, It would be counter-productive for the Governor to start thinking of evicting Buhari in 2019 to be the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. El-Rufai should do his job and stop putting his eyes on the Presidency.Senator Sani pleasures in speculating, but cannot display any modicum of evidence to substantiate such spurious claims.Therefore, when the Kaduna state chapter of the APC suspended Senator Shehu Sani, part of the anger against him was his misuse of valuable time, which ought to be devoted to the legislation of the country to vile criticisms of real or imagined enemies. Others say, assuming the Senator had a flair for initiating Bills in National Assembly, like the penchant he has developed for mouthing meaningless things, Nigeria would have been better.Aliyu is a community leader and contributed this piece from Zaria. President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said although Nigeria recognised her problems early enough, the country remained a potential fo... President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said although Nigeria recognised her problems early enough, the country remained a potential for too long.This, he said, made the country not to achieve much results.A statement by President Buharis Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, quoted him (the President) as speaking while receiving the executive members of the Association of Africa Automotive Manufacturers led by the chairman, Mr. Jeff Nemeth, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.Buhari said in order to reverse the trend, the Federal Government must avoid the mistakes of the past.We must avoid the mistakes made in the past by both government and manufacturers, and we are ready to get investment from all quarters, so that we can improve the lives of our people, he said.The President lamented that Nigeria failed to develop on automobile initiatives started in Bauchi, Kaduna and Ibadan, and depended too much on oil as the mainstay of her economy.He said, We are making efforts to start our steel industry all over again. I see vast opportunities for both the country and those who invest here.Nemeth said the association comprised of potential investors who were ready to unlock investment potentials on the African continent.He said, We are ready to offer strategic partnership with Nigeria. We want to promote investor-friendly regulatory frameworks and sustainable manufacturing.We will equally promote infrastructure development, job creation, and skills transfer.The AAAM chairman sought the support of the Presidency in the realization of the vision and mission of the association. MAHWAH -- The mayor of a North Jersey town that has become the home of a makeshift truck stop on the shoulder of a major interstate is urging the state to find a solution to what he calls a dangerous problem. Mahwah Mayor William Laforet said the town is going to begin pressuring the state Department of Transportation to come up with a solution beyond "signs that disappear" to the problem of trucks lining up nightly on the shoulder of Route 287. "We are sending letters to the DOT to find a solution, it's a matter of life and death and there have been fatalities," Laforet said. In February 2015, a New York man died after his car crashed into a tractor-trailer pulled over on the shoulder. Officials say the area is particularly dangerous because of steep inclines and the merging of the highway from three lanes into two. Mahwah Police Chief James Batelli said despite signs, tickets and patrols in the area, trucks still continue to congregate night after night. Batelli urged the DOT to conduct an engineering study to see what fixes could be made to the highway. Steve Schapiro, communications director at the DOT said the department had nothing to add to their original statement that it is unlawful to stop on a highway unless for an emergency. A spokesman for the the state police said Tuesday that anyone caught in the area will be issued a summons. "Our troopers regularly patrol the area and when violations are observed, troopers take action immediately," Sgt Gregory Williams said. "We will continue to monitor the area and remain vigilant with our patrols and enforcement." Truckers said they often have no choice but to pull over on the highway because they have exceeded the amount of miles they can legally drive in the day, Batelli said. "If you don't arrive at a truck stop by 1 to 2 p.m. in New York or New Jersey you won't get a spot," Rick Toutges, a truck driver from South Dakota, said last week at the small Pilot truck stop on Route 17 in Mahwah. "We can only drive 11 hours a day, and when that's up we can't go anymore because we'll get fined." A couple of NJ.com users pointed out an abundance of empty land only a stone's throw from where the tractor-trailers currently line up, at the former Ford plant that stood from 1955 to 1980. "The rest of the old Ford plant site would be a perfect spot for a truck stop!!!!" user Mikedc wrote. Mayor Laforet said that the township planning board has already approved a developer's proposal to turn the site into a mall, but the project is stalled. "If we just move from the truckers from Mahwah they won't go to Colorado, they'll go down the road because their logs are expired," Laforet said. "There needs to be larger discussion on interstate commerce and interstate trucking." Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook. north hanover police dept.jpg The North Hanover Police Department at the North Hanover Municipal Building on Schoolhouse Road. (Rebecca Everett) NORTH HANOVER TWP. -- The township's new police chief was accused of sexual harassment and fired from his last job over a decade ago -- and the mayor said he didn't know about it when he voted to promote him. Mayor Jim Durr said he was in the dark, but he has a feeling one or more members of the township committee knew about the allegations against police Chief Theodore Budd Wells -- and couldn't reveal them because the two lawsuits Wells was involved in during his time as a corporal in Medford Township from 2000 to 2004 ended in confidential settlements. The long-settled lawsuits were revealed Friday by John Paff, a transparency advocate who obtained the documents and published them on his blog, NJ Civil Settlements. One lawsuit was filed in 2003 in Superior Court against Wells, of Shamong Township, by a then-dispatcher in Medford claiming sexual harassment and resulted in a $300,000 settlement in 2006. The other was filed by Wells against the township in 2004 shortly after he was fired by the Medford police department for an unspecified disciplinary reason. The following year it was settled for $20,000 and an agreement that Medford would remove any trace of the disciplinary issue or firing from his personnel record, according to documents. "We didn't know this information," Durr said Monday. He said he's read Paff's blog and the documents, but had not spoken to Wells about them. Wells was hired by North Hanover in 2006 and was promoted from detective sergeant to chief in June after a nearly year-long search process, Durr said. Emails and phone messages seeking comment from Wells were not returned Tuesday. Durr said that at some points during the search process for a new chief, Committeeman Brendan O'Donnell had "alluded to" issues in Wells' past service. "But he was unable to talk about it," Durr said. "The attorney told him to be careful." O'Donnell and Committeeman John Kocubinski voted against appointing Wells police chief, while the other three members, including the mayor, voted in favor, according to documents North Hanover provided to Paff. From fired to 'good standing' Durr said that when Wells was first hired as an officer in 2006, his records from Medford said that he resigned from that department "in good standing." But the settlement document released Friday shows that he was actually terminated in August 2004 due to a "local conviction on disciplinary charges," 11 months after a dispatcher sued him for sexual harassment. Wells had appealed his firing but agreed in April 2005 to drop his lawsuit when Medford promised to pay him $20,000 and change his record to state that he resigned in good standing. The township would provide a neutral recommendation for future jobs, the settlement states. Harassment and retaliation suit The sexual harassment lawsuit was filed in 2003 by Nicole Hoffman, then a police dispatcher in Medford. She alleged that Wells repeatedly made unwelcome sexual advances toward her, called her "sexy" instead of her name, and tried to unbutton her pants while she was working. Her lawsuit also names several ranking officers and staff at the Burlington County prosecutor's office at the time, claiming they all conspired to intimidate her with a threat of criminal charges to get her to drop her complaint. Hoffman said in court documents that she was interrogated repeatedly, suspended, and eventually asked to sign an agreement stating that the prosecutor would not indict her for an unspecified charge if she gave up her right to a sexual harassment claim. The lawsuit was settled in January 2006 for $300,000, though it expressly says the defendants deny any wrongdoing. It also states that Hoffman cannot speak about or allude to the settlement or the complaint that gave rise to it. The settlement agreement says that the defendants shall "collectively" pay that amount, but Joel Bewley, a spokesman for the Burlington County Prosecutor's Office, said neither that office nor any of its employees paid any of the settlement. Of the allegations that the prosecutor's office's was involved in sweeping Hoffman's initial complaint under the rug, Bewley said the office "became involved as part of an internal investigation after the allegations were made and determined there was no basis to move forward with criminal charges against the officer." No issues in North Hanover Durr said that he is planning to speak with the township's attorney "to see where we stand" after the allegations in the suits were made public, but he's not sure it would change anything in North Hanover. A message seeking comment from the township's solicitor, Mark Roselli, was not returned. Proper procedures were followed both when Wells was hired in April 2006 -- including a full background check and an investigation by two officers -- as well as when he promoted to chief, Durr said. He said that among the things committeemen reviewed when deciding whether to promote Wells or another sergeant to chief were his performance as an officer-in-charge, his testing by the New Jersey Association of Chiefs of Police and his file -- including his resume, personnel record and any positive or negative reviews or citations. While the file did not include anything questionable, Durr said, both committeemen O'Donnell and Kocubinski gave it a score of zero when ranking the two candidates. "I find that rather odd, that they gave him a score of zero," he said. Requests for comment from O'Donnell and Kocubinski were not answered. Durr said that Wells appears to be doing a fine job as police chief now and none of the female employees at the department have reported any problems with his behavior. "He's worked here a long time, and there have been no allegations about anything surrounding sexual harassment," Durr said. "Things have been going OK -- better than OK," he said. "And I'm pleased to hear that." Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook. BORDENTOWN TOWNSHIP -- Police have arrested a Trenton man they say has been involved in a spree of car burglaries in Bordentown Township. Randy D. Cooper, 41, was arrested Tuesday on Liberty Street in Trenton. Randy D. Cooper, 41, was arrested in connection with car burglaries (Courtesy of Bordentown Police) Three cars parked on Spruce Avenue were burglarized on July 22, Aug. 9 and Aug. 10, Bordentown police said. A bank debit card, Apple iPad, Dell laptop and a set of checkbooks were reported stolen. An investigation determined that the debit card was used to make $200 in fraudulent purchases at merchants in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Video provided by the merchants showed a man driving a black Volvo SUV who was later identified as Cooper. Bordentown detectives arrested him Tuesday, with the help of Trenton police, and charged him with the Spruce Avenue burglaries. Cooper has since been linked to two more on Hilltop Drive on Aug. 6. Cooper had two bank cards on him at the time of his arrest that police say were stolen from a burglary on Lillian Avenue in Hamilton on Aug. 14. More charges are expected to be filed against him. Police are asking residents whose unlocked car was burglarized in July and August, but who did not file a police report, to contact Detective Joshua Pavlov at 609-298-4300, ext. 2128 or jpavlov@bordentowntownshippd.com. Police are also reminding residents to lock their car doors and either remove all valuables or store them in the trunk. Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Jimmy Vesey is into his second day of free agency Wednesday after meeting with four teams on Tuesday, including the Devils. Reports say that the Harvard product will meet with the final three contenders on Wednesday in Boston, with the hometown Bruins getting the final shot. The New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks will also get the chance to make their pitch on Wednesday. Per sources, the Bruins will be the last team to speak w/Jimmy Vesey and his camp tomorrow. So they'll get the last word, at the very least Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) August 16, 2016 Seven teams -- the Devils, New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, Rangers and Bruins -- got the chance to meet with Vesey in Boston. The Sabres also made their case when they owned the rights to Vesey before he became a free agent. Several other teams expressed interest in meeting with Vesey, according to reports, but did not make the final cut to meet with the 2016 Hobey Baker winner. The Philadelphia Flyers, along with the Columbus Blue Jackets, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal Canadiens and Detroit Red Wings, requested meetings with the highly coveted free agent, but they were all denied the chance on Vesey's final list. While Vesey will finish meeting with teams on Wednesday and he wants to make a quick decision, Vesey's agents said that the final call would most likely come on Friday or Saturday. Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. ASBURY PARK -- Long before he'd strum on the legendary Stone Pony stage, opening for lauded punk acts Social Distortion and The Bouncing Souls, Doug Zambon was a kid at an Arlo Guthrie concert -- a lot of Arlo Guthrie concerts. He and his father would attend Guthrie's annual Thanksgiving shows in New York, and absorb the folk icon's heap of wistful, subversive jams. "Those shows really left an impact on me," Zambon says. "I've always had a soft spot for acoustic folk and country guitars." A bit of that twang assimilates into Zambon's rollicking Asbury Park act The Vansaders, though the band's hardy new EP "This Time Around" surely suggests a more engrained punk influence. "But I didn't grow up a punk-rocker at all," Zambon, 27, admits. "Growing up, I listened to a lot of Bob Dylan, a lot of old school Delta Blues, finger-picking stuff." So what happened? "I don't know, man ... I got angry," he laughs. The Vansaders, a country and punk-influenced rock band from Asbury Park, performing at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park. (Courtesy of The Vansaders) The disheartening content on "Around" could have something to do with it -- much of the five-track deals with tough breakups, and even the uniquely millennial frustration of moving back home. More telling could be the instincts of Pete Steinkopf, longtime guitarist for the raging Souls and owner of Little Eden Studios in Asbury Park, where the album was laid down. "He's such a nice guy," Zambon says. "He's added a lot to our sound, he's got a lot of great ideas." With Steinkopf's touch and in the band's third iteration in the last five years -- Zambon is the sole founding member -- The Vansaders seem poised to launch closer to the top of Asbury Park's saturated rock scene, touting a banner mix of punk, rock and folk that reflects well upon what's going on down by the Shore. In its five years out and about, the group has improved significantly, and its unassuming brand of drive is refreshing in a music mecca that can sometimes take itself too seriously. "This Time Around" drops Saturday, after the band plays its album release show at The Stone Pony, opening for more raucous favorites -- Flogging Molly and Frank Turner. THE LINEUP Vocals/guitar -- Doug Zambon, 27, Ocean Township Guitar -- Deaglan Howlett, 20, Red Bank Bass guitar -- Kyle Zupe, 30, Middletown Drums -- Jay Maranzino, 27, Middletown WHAT THEY SOUND LIKE In the Asbury Park scene, there's the old crowd -- those who actually remember Springsteen or Southside Johnny playing the Upstage Club -- and the new crowd, whose tastes often skew toward indie folk-rock or gritty punk. By calculation or coincidence, The Vansaders manage to encapsulate all of these influences, as the tracks off "Around" pump at a punk pace, but the twanging guitar lead-in on "Don't Care, She Don't Mind" is certainly more Guthrie's turf. But then the single "Long Lost" kicks with a sweeping rock riff, something The Gaslight Anthem fans would go for, and the EP includes a quick-fingered, bruising cover of "Dancing In The Dark." Zambon's sharp tone and delivery meld a combo of British folk-punker Frank Turner, with whom the band will play Saturday, and the Souls' Greg Attonito -- Steinkopf's touches seem to have stuck. WHO THEY SOUND LIKE Frank Turner, Against Me!, The Gaslight Anthem WHY THEY MATTER Two notes here: 1. If Asbury Park's chamber of commerce were to shoot a tourism video for the oceanfront and downtown Cookman Avenue, a Vansaders song would be an ideal soundtrack. Everything about this group represents the city's rekindled flame, and their sound feels like a more accessible bridge to some more esoteric genres around town. If you need an entrance point to what's going on in New Jersey's hottest music scene, The Vansaders are a worthy place to start. 2. Despite the quality of the tunes, there seems to be no premeditation in the writing. Zambon just likes to play music between a few part-time jobs, he got a few guys around him to learn the songs and this is what they came up with. That's about it. Frankly, it's a bit baffling, how organically these sounds came together, but hey, sometimes the simplest organism is the strongest. WHERE YOU CAN SEE THEM Saturday -- The Stone Pony, Asbury Park; opening for Flogging Molly and Frank Turner. Tickets available here. Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. IRVINGTON -- The township plans to pay a $10,000 settlement to a resident who says he was falsely arrested and held on murder and other charges. According to a settlement agreement that records indicate was reached on June 28, but has yet to be signed, Irvington has agreed to pay Richard Etienne $10,000. The lawsuit, which seeks an unspecified amount in damages, stems from his 2013 arrest. According to the suit, Etienne was arrested on murder, assault, and weapons charges on Aug. 9, 2013, and was held in jail on $2 million bail. Court records show that the charges against Etienne were dropped in October of that year. It is unclear how long he spent in jail. Etienne "was greatly humiliated and disgraced, suffered great mental and physical anguish, suffered severe damage to his reputation and standing in the community, (and) was forced to undergo the rigors and strain of a false arrest, detention, and imprisonment," the suit reads. The settlement agreement frees the township, its police department, and its employees from any claims, liability, or future action. The news was first reported by NJ Civil Settlements, which provides a partial list of settlements paid by New Jersey government agencies and their insurers to those who have sued them. An attorney for the plaintiff did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday. An Irvington spokeswoman declined to comment on the settlement. Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook. ORANGE -- The dozens of documents, computers, hard drives, and other materials FBI investigators seized from the Orange Public Library last month were tied to an investigation into theft, fraud, extortion, and the misuse of government funds, according to a search and seizure warrant obtained by NJ Advance Media. The warrant, which was executed by federal agents on July 21, requested evidence related to an investigation into a litany of potential violations, including theft of federal government funds, accepting corrupt payments from an agency that receives federal funds, wire fraud, extortion, and money laundering. The FBI's warrant included demands for documents related to the library's HVAC system, its Saturday literacy program, janitorial and maintenance services, and all of its financial dealings, including bank statements, cancelled checks, and receipts. The seizure also included a long list of records and documents related to five area corporations, seven individuals, and three programs and systems connected to the library. The financial records requested date back to Dec. 1, 2013. Those mentioned in the subpoena include Willis Edwards III, a former Assemblyman who served in a few positions in the city for several years until stepping down in 2015. Willis's company, Strategic Ace Solutions, LLC, was also pinpointed in the document. When reached by phone Tuesday, Edwards said he was only named in the document because he served as business administrator of the city at the time in question. "This is not the first time that a city has received a subpoena to turn over documents," he said. Edwards said in his capacity as business administrator -- a role he left in 2015 after a court order ruled on his controversial appointment -- he did not oversee the library, but that the administrator is "named automatically" when cities are subpoenaed. Edwards, who represented the state's 34th Assembly District from 2001 through 2003, said that after leaving his post in Orange, he did receive about $25,000 from the library, which hired his firm to do some consulting work. But, he insisted that the work he did consisted of "nothing improper on my part." Others mentioned in the search warrant could not be reached for comment. They include Tyshammie Cooper, who has served as Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren's chief of staff, and is a councilwoman in neighboring East Orange. A spokeswoman for the city of East Orange declined to comment on Cooper's mention in the warrant. Though Orange officials said earlier this month that an FBI raid was not conducted at city hall, additional documents suggest the probe is not limited to the library. An August 9 subpoena from the U.S. Attorney's Office obtained by NJ Advance Media shows that office requested documents related to the city's recent purchase of the YWCA at 395 Main St., and to the maintenance of the building, and its conversion to a recreation center. It also requests documents related to the city's water utility and water services, its senior health and wellness programs, and correspondences with a handful of individuals and businesses, including several mentioned in the library subpoena. A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to confirm the investigation or comment on the subpoenas. Aside from confirming that they were cooperating with the federal investigation, Orange officials have been mum on the subpoenas, and what may have led the FBI to question library spending or the attorney's office to look into other city entities. "We have to wait and see what further action (the FBI) will be taking," said Councilman Kerry Coley, noting that the city council is not involved in the investigation. When asked whether or not the council, which appropriates the library's annual budget, suspected a misuse of funds or is planning its own investigation of library spending, Kerry said, "we really haven't had that conversation yet." Since 2013, the city and library have been the recipients of several high-profile government grants, including a $1.5 million federal Hurricane Sandy recovery grant. In 2013, the library was shuttered after OSHA discovered "extensive" structural issues and safety hazards in the building - the second time it was closed for repairs since 2010. When it reopened in 2014, Warren credited a matching $750,000 state grant with helping renovate it. In a debate earlier this year, Warren confirmed a $2.5 million state grant allowed for the purchase and renovation of the Y. A spokesman for Gov. Chris Christie's office declined to comment on past grants and the present investigation. According to city budget documents, the library's overall annual budget is slightly over $461,000. City officials have declined to comment on whether or not the grants are connected to the corruption investigation. "The City of Orange township is cooperating with authorities regarding the matter concerning the Orange Public Library.The matter has been referred to legal counsel for full cooperation," city spokesman Keith Royster said in a statement to NJ Advance Media Tuesday. "The Orange Public Library is open and city government will continue to operate and serve the residents of the City of Orange township." NJ Advance Media reporters Tom Haydon and Noah Cohen contributed to this report. Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Photo: laodong.com.vn Speaking at the event, Vietnamese Ambassador to Ukraine Nguyen Minh Tri said that although people in Ukraine face many uncertainties, with their hearts toward the homeland and making their tribute to martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect the sovereignty over the sea and islands of the nation, the Vietnamese community in Ukraine has actively responded to the call of the Embassy to donate to build the monument in honor of Gac Ma soldiers in Cam Ranh city, Khanh Hoa province. The amount of money is not much, but it represents the emotion of overseas Vietnamese. Mr. Tran Thanh Hai, Standing Vice Chairman of VGCL, appreciated the support of the overseas Vietnamese in Ukraine. He said that in order to make tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect Truong Sa archipelago in 1988 and Hoang Sa archipelago in 1974, and share difficulties with their families, the VGCL launched Emotion for Truong Sa and Hoang Sa campaign on March 13th, 2014 and assigned the Golden Heart Foundation to implement it. Over the past two years, the program has received both domestic and international support amounting to VND210 billion. The VGCL has decided to build a monument for Gac Ma soldiers in Cam Ranh city, Khanh Hoa province and a monument for Hoang Sa soldiers in Ly Son island, Quang Ngai province. These are national works, where domestic and overseas Vietnamese people commemorate the martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect Vietnams Hoang Sa and Truong Sa territorial waters. The first stage of the monument to Gac Ma soldiers is expected to be complete in December 2016. Mr. Hai hoped that the Golden Heart Foundation will continue to receive the support of domestic and overseas individuals and units to continue to complete the monument to Gac Ma soldiers, start to build the monument to Hoang Sa soldiers and continue to take care of relatives of the martyrs./. THE CENTRAL ORGAN OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF VIETNAM The Voice of the party, State and Vietnamese people on the internet Notify: The requested content was not found or the content is invalid! Chat with Larry Holder at 11 a.m. with Saints on the eve of Texans practice Today Cloudy with rain this evening...then scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 67F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tonight Cloudy with rain this evening...then scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 67F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tomorrow Thunderstorms likely. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 76F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall possibly over one inch. Today Mostly clear skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tonight Mostly clear skies this evening will give way to occasional showers overnight. Low 69F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Tomorrow Thunderstorms. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 76F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. The extent to which Donald Trump is loose with the facts has been well documented throughout his whirlwind presidential campaign. But the tycoon has once again as hes been prone to doing in 2016 reached a new level in going off the rails in mind-boggling fashion. In this latest episode, at a Tuesday night rally in North Carolina, Trump publicly stated that Saddam Hussein had the right approach on terrorists killing them. You know what he did well? He killed terrorists, Trump said. He did that so good. They didnt read em the rights. They didnt talk. They were a terrorist. It was over. Words struggle to grasp how completely out of tune his comments were. Well try anyway. One of the two major-party candidates to become president of the United States managed in six short, terse sentences to flout the facts of Husseins reign of terror while simultaneously disregarding the tenets of the American justice system and minimizing the sacrifice of thousands of American soldiers who died fighting to liberate Iraq from his grasp. The presumptive Republican nominee pivoted a slam against Hillary Clinton into this bizarre segment of praise for the former Iraqi dictator. Trump has long expressed his misplaced love of the brutal version of order meted out by such leaders, but this one has taken the cake for now. For those who remember correctly, Iraq was designated a state sponsor of terror by the U.S. In a reality not occupied by Trump, Hussein bankrolled terrorists rather than killing him. The dictator was a major player in terrorism in the Middle East whether it was by paying the families of suicide bombers or gassing the Kurds until his capture, trial and execution. Despite the atrocities Hussein was widely known to have committed, he was still afforded a trial. That fundamental belief is at the core of not only the American justice system but international humanitarian law during all wars and armed conflicts. Yet Trump feels a doctrine of shoot first, ask questions never is an appropriate way to try suspected terrorists and enemy combatants. He wants to inherit the mantel of judge, jury and executioner from Hussein, apparently. Regardless of ones opinions on the Iraq War, there can be no doubt that his ouster removed a totalitarian dictator from power. To accomplish that, thousands of American troops lost their lives trying to wrest a nation away from a dictator who used his position to terrorize and murder his own people. Sympathy for Hussein that approaches admiration is a slap in the face of those who lost limbs or loved ones in Fallujah, Baghdad and elsewhere trying to stop him. But such insults should come as no surprise: Trump has gleefully used his pulpit to bash anyone who disagrees with him, hiding behind the veil of ending political correctness. Instead, hes now announced a murderous dictator had it right. Meanwhile, things such as facts, laws and the lives of American soldiers arent as important as projecting his tough guy image. 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. Ukraine's higher business court on August 16 voided a decision of Kyiv's business court of appeals dated June 29, 2016 ordered to collect UAH 144.06 million from state-run Ukrgasbank (Kyiv) in favor of Ukrconcept, the bank has said in a press release. "Ukraine's higher business court voided the ruling of Kyiv's business court of appeals in case No. 910/16631/14 on collection of UAH 144.06 million from Ukrgasbank in favor of Ukrconcept LLC. The enforcement proceeding is to be closed. The ruling to arrest funds is to be voided, and payment demand orders on the forced writing off of amounts from Ukrgasbank's account are retracted," the bank said. The bank recalled that on July 29, 2016, an attempt to seize state-owned funds of almost UAH 159 million was made via arresting Ukrgasbank's accounts. Representatives of Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office and Finance Ministry supported the bank's position at a meeting of the higher business court. On August 3, 2016, Ukraine's higher business court suspended a decision to execute the verdict of Kyiv's economic court of appeals dated June 29 arresting accounts of Ukrgasbank. Ukrgasbank was created in 1993. By January 2016 the state owned 94.9409% of its shares. Ukrgasbank ranked seventh among 109 operating banks in the country on April 1, 2016 in terms of assets (UAH 48.903 billion), according to the National Bank of Ukraine. Myronivsky Hliboproduct (MHP) saw a 29% fall in net profit in April-June 2016 year-over-year, to $165 million. According to a report of the holding posted on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) on Wednesday, revenue in Q2 2016 fell by 7%, to $286 million, gross profit grew by 4%, to $142 million, operating profit decreased by 3%, to $123 million and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) by 1%, to $146 million. Over the period the holding increased the share of exports revenue from 45% to 49%. In January-June 2016, net profit totaled $94 million compared to net loss of $61 million a year ago. Revenue decreased by 4%, to $530 million due to a decline in grain sales year-over-year. The share of exports revenue grew from 44% to 48%. Operating profit in H1 2016 decreased by 19%, to $191 million, gross profit by 9%, to $223 million and EBITDA by 13%, to $235 million. "Despite the ongoing challenging situation in Ukraine, the Company gradually continues to develop as planned. Our poultry division expanded as forecast totally in line with plans, and is expected to grow in volume further in the second half of the year," MHP Board Chairman Yuriy Kosiuk said. "MHP once again became self-sufficient in hatching eggs replacing imports with internal production at our expanded and reconstructed breeding farms," he said. MHP CFO Viktoria Kapeliushna told Interfax-Ukraine that if the hryvnia exchange rate does not change, MHP could see $170 million of net profit in 2016. Revenue could be $1.2 billion, and the share of exports revenue would be around 50%. MHP is the largest poultry producer in Ukraine. It also deals with production of grain, sunflower oil, meat goods. The enforcement department of the State Enforcement Service of the Justice Ministry of Ukraine on August 16 suspended the execution of a decision to collect UAH 400.98 million of debt from public joint-stock company Kharkiv Tractor Plant in favor of the Specialized Tax Inspectorate for servicing large taxpayers in Kharkiv. "The execution of the decision was suspended under a ruling of the business court of Kharkiv region dated July 14, 2016 on the approval of the pretrial readjustment plan by the plant that introduces a moratorium on satisfying claims of creditors (including the Specialized Tax Inspectorate) appeared before the approval of the plan," lawyer of the plant Andriy Khoryzhko told Interfax-Ukraine. He said that the debt appeared as the plant did not fulfill its liabilities under a government-secured credit issued in1998. "However, the Kharkiv Tractor Plant opposes groundless collection of expenses that the state did not face in fact in favor of the state and their double collection," Khoryzhko said. He said that the debt was twice collected from the plant. First, it was collected via admitting claims of the Specialized Tax Inspectorate in a ruling of the higher business court of Ukraine dated August 10, 2010 as part of the bankruptcy case in the amount of UAH 158.41 million or EUR 16.05 million. Repeatedly it was collected under a ruling of Kharkiv administrative court of appeals on December 8, 2015. At the moment when the ruling was issued in the hryvnia equivalent the sum of EUR 16.05 was UAH 400.98 million. Ukraine cannot give up conscription amid Russian aggression, and in case of "serious escalation on the front, new mobilization will be announced immediately," Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Oleksandr Turchynov has said. "The need for trained reserves is too big and critical for the survival of the state," Turchynov said in an article titled "The National Security of Ukraine: Challenges and Priorities," published in the Holos Ukrainy parliamentary newspaper on Wednesday. The NSDC Secretary also mentioned achievements in the past two years. "In fact, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been restored from the ruins. Gradual professionalization of our army is under way. In the seven months of 2016 alone, the number of troops who serve in the army under contract increased by almost 40%. As early as in the second half of 2016, all the mobilized soldiers should return home. But in case of serious escalation on the front, new mobilization will be announced immediately," he said. Donbas militants shelled Ukrainian army positions 52 times in the last day, the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) headquarters' press center has said in an update. The enemy lobbed 60 missiles from 122mm artillery systems into the village of Chermalyk, and weapons of the same caliber were used to shell the village of Novoselivka and the town of Maryinka in the Mariupol sector in Donetsk region, the ATO HQ wrote on Facebook. Artillery weapons of the 152mm caliber were fired in Rybynske. The town of Krasnohorivka, and the villages of Slavne, Lebedynske, and Shyrokyne came under mortar fire. Infantry combat vehicles were used in the village of Novohryhorivka and Maryinka, and sniper activity was observed there. In the Donetsk sector, the enemy fired 82mm and 120mm mortars, grenade launchers of various types and large-caliber machine guns in the town of Avdiyivka, and the villages of Zaitseve, Mayorsk and Luhanske. It was not quiet in the villages of Verkhniotoretske, Kamyanka, Novoselivka Druha and Novhorodske either. In the Luhansk sector, the militants fired 122mm artillery systems on positions in Vrubivka. Various types of grenade launchers were used to shell fortifications in the villages of Stanytsia Luhanska and Novo-Oleksandrivka, and the town of Popasna. Infantry combat vehicles were also engaged in Popasna. A sniper duo was active in Novo-Oleksandrivka and Stanytsia Luhanska. Off Square Brewing breaks ground this week on a new 10,000-square-foot craft brewery, the second in Crown Point. Owners Phil Logan and Dave Hellwege are home brewers who decided to go pro together after meeting and being impressed with each others beers three years ago. Together, they have 38 years of home brewing experience. They named their new craft brewery Off Square Brewing to reflect that its in an industrial park and not the popular square in downtown Crown Point, and to also acknowledge their askew sensibilities. It describes our attitude toward beer, having no set styles, Logan said. We come from different backgrounds but are both a little bit off-square. Wed say were not normal if that wasnt already Three Floyds tag line. Off Square Brewing is Northwest Indianas 22nd craft brewery, most of which have opened in recent years as younger beer drinkers have gravitated toward locally made brews. The number of U.S. breweries nationally grew 17.9 percent to 4,269 last year, according to the Brewers Association. Crown Point, already home to the popular Crown Brewing, joins Valparaiso, Hammond, Griffith, Michigan City and LaPorte as the latest Region community with more than one craft brewery in operation. Lake Countys newest brewery has a 15-barrel system, but Logan and Hellwege will test new recipes on a one-barrel system and then sell it as a one-off. Off Square Brewing will have 12 to 15 different beers on tap at any given time, including guest beers that will often be collaborations or harder-to-find beers. We want it to be constantly rotating, to be constantly trying new things, Logan said. The publics taste is changing constantly. We went from a hoppy IPA phase to a fruit phase, and quite honestly, I think thats going to change soon to a Belgian phase. We want to keep different beers in front of the public as tastes change. The craft brewery will offer its nice hoppy mellow Long Day IPA year-round. Another five or six core beers will be seasonal, like a German Hefeweizen that will be available in the summer and an oatmeal coffee stout that will come out in the fall. Well brew just about anything, Logan said. Were eclectic. We brew what we like. Eventually, they plan to distribute bottles and cans throughout Northwest Indiana and, later, the rest of the state. Off Square Brewing also will have a restaurant with 120 seats. Logan and Hellwege are in the process of hiring an executive chef, and theyll then develop a menu that will include wood-fired pizza and smoked meats. Itll be farm-to-table though thats starting to get overused, Logan said. Were looking for gastropub food on the cutting edge, not your run-of-the-mill burgers. The brewery at 1100 Delaware Parkway is expected to open in February. School started for students in the School Town of Munster on Monday as it did for others in the Region. Students throughout Northwest Indiana will be heading back to school this week. SPRINGFIELD Frustrated with a lack of legislative progress, a group of agriculture leaders is bypassing the General Assembly to form a private foundation to support the state fairgrounds in Springfield and Du Quoin. Characterizing it as a completely private initiative, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner applauded the effort, which was announced Tuesday morning during Agriculture Day at the state fair. The governor has been a proponent of legislation to create a fairgrounds foundation since taking office, but the idea hasnt won support in the General Assembly. The wonderful thing for the people of Illinois is now private citizens farm families, community leaders, agriculture executives are stepping forward to take the leadership on this initiative, Rauner said. Were not going to wait. The General Assembly wont do it, private citizens are going to do it. The foundation hasnt raised any money yet, but Rauner said he and his wife look forward to donating. State officials estimate that there is a backlog of repair projects at the two fairgrounds totaling roughly $180 million. The bulk of the work is in Springfield, but there are at least $12 million worth of repairs needed in Du Quoin. Were not going to kick the can down the road anymore, said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Raymond Poe, who as a state representative sponsored legislation that wouldve created a similar foundation. As Poe spoke to a large crowd at an Agriculture Day breakfast at the fairgrounds, a slide show displayed pictures of crumbling mortar, peeling paint and other deterioration. Poe will serve on the foundations board, but his will be an honorary role without voting privileges. Heidi Brown-McCreery, director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, will serve on the board in the same capacity. John Slayton, a vice president at U.S. Bank whos been involved with the fair for decades, will serve on the board as a full member. There are many individuals and corporations that are eager to give money to support the fairgrounds, Slayton said, and hes been involved in discussions about creating a foundation for about a decade. Gov. Rauner really took the lead, Slayton said, and hes the one that gets credit for the formation of this foundation. The foundation is likely to face scrutiny from Democrats in the Legislature, whove been skeptical of the Rauner administrations proposed collaborations with private nonprofits. House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, created a task force to look into a similar relationship between the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and a newly formed economic development corporation headed by the departments former director. Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said that while theres no dispute that the fairgrounds facilities need support, the bills to create a foundation contained big loopholes that wouldve circumvented the competitive bidding process used for state projects. State Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington, and Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, who represent the Springfield fairgrounds, both praised the new foundation in a statement issued by the governors office. Brady sponsored the most recent foundation bill, which stalled in the Senate this spring. GRIFFITH The Town Council on Tuesday said it has reached the 1,000 residential signatures needed to request a referendum to leave Calumet Township. Right now we have 1,190 signatures certified, said Clerk-Treasurer George Jerome. About 50 other signatures were disqualified because they were not legible or not valid, said Council President Rick Ryfa, R-3rd. We will keep collecting signatures through Friday, Aug. 26, Ryfa said, adding that residents can still sign at the Central Market over the next two Fridays. The Central Market is from 3 to 10 p.m. each Friday in Central Park. to comply with a state law, passed last year, requiring the township to reduce the property tax rate for its township assistance spending to less than 12 times the average of the state's 1,008 townships. Calumet has been at more than double that threshold in past years. The Indiana Gateway database indicates Calumet Township spent more than $2.5 million providing shelter, food and medical care for 12,309 recipients in 2013, the latest year on record. Elgin filed the suit in January claiming the law, known as House Bill 1585, was improper special legislation to provide tax relief to the predominantly white town of Griffith at the expense of black Gary residents, which has a high concentration of poverty. She dismissed the suit after her primary loss. Griffith officials, who say the township's social service spending is too costly, lobbied for the passage of House Bill 1585, which permits Griffith to petition for a referendum to secede from Calumet Township if spending isn't cut below the level of 12 times the state average. After the Aug. 26 deadline, the town will submit the signatures to the Lake County Elections Board to request a referendum in December, Ryfa said. The referendum will be solely for Griffith residents and require two-thirds of the vote total to leave the township. Ryfa has said the council will hold public meetings, if the referendum is successful, to gather public input on which township to join. In conjunction, the board will present the pros and cons of joining each available township, including North, St. John and Ross. In other business, Jerome noted that Aug. 30 will be his final meeting as clerk-treasurer as he leaves to assume a similar position with the Griffith public school system. CROWN POINT Local officials want to stem polluted water seeping from failed residential septic systems outside city limits. Lake County Surveyor Bill Emerson Jr. told the Lake County Board of Commissioners, which meets on county drainage matters, his office is applying to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for as much as $150,000 to fund a study of as many as 10 subdivisions that rely on rural soils to filter sewage from residential bathrooms. He said many of these older septic systems no longer function and generate significant raw sewage runoff into local ditches. The county would contribute research, known as in-kind services, worth another $150,000 with the aim to clean up subdivisions around Crown Point and Gary that are outside those cities sanitary sewer systems. Lawndale subdivision (about 45 homes on Cedar Lake-Crown Point Road) would be a good one to do, Emerson said. The goal is to run a sanitary sewer line from there to the Crown Point sewer plant. I hope this study would be done in the next couple of months and begin next year doing designs. Last year, commissioners, the surveyors office, the city of Crown Point and U.S. Rep. Pete Viscloskys office funded a new sewer line to serve 206 homes around the Hermits Lake area southwest of Crown Point. The rural subdivision had been polluting south county waterways since the late 1950s. The county also is applying for another federal grant to build a stormwater sewer in unincorporated Calumet near 41st Avenue and Chase Street to relieve flooding in residential areas near Cady Marsh Ditch. Jody Melton, director of the Kankakee River Basin Commission, offered to contribute up to $25,000 to the county to relieve chronic flooding in the Shady Shores subdivision on the banks of the Kankakee River, south of Lowell. Emerson said the county must regularly fill sandbags to keep high water at bay. He said the money could help install a pipe to move water from a Kankakee bayou that threatens the residential area near the Ernie Niemeyer Creek, which drains west into Illinois. EAST CHICAGO In a letter to the head of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, a Chicago-based nonprofit representing a group of West Calumet residents in the ongoing lead contamination crisis alleges the federal agency and local housing authoritys relocation efforts are dysfunctional and a recipe for disaster. The letter dated Wednesday and signed by Katherine Walz, housing justice director for the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law is addressed to HUD Secretary Julian Castro and East Chicago Housing Authoritys Executive Director Tia Cauley. Walz is a member of a legal team representing some West Calumet residents. While it appears to have taken years to properly inform residents of the toxic contamination of their community, residents now report a rushed and confusing process for receiving Housing Choice Section 8 vouchers and relocating, Walz states in the letter. The city is working with HUD to provide housing vouchers to relocate more than 1,000 residents and possibly demolish the decades-old public housing complex. Briefing meetings between residents, HUD and ECHA are underway. Some ECHA staff instructs residents that they must tell them immediately if they are moving out of East Chicago. Other ECHA staff cannot articulate any description of relocation services, including if moving vans or boxes will be provided, and if security deposits will be returned or new deposits (will be) provided for the upcoming move, the letter states. ECHAs attorney, Jewel Harris Jr., said Wednesday night he has read the letter, but wants to review the content with his client before commenting on specific allegations. To give a flat-out denial wouldnt be fair. There obviously was a lot of time and effort put in that letter, and I want to give it the attention it deserves, Harris Jr. said. We owe it to the residents to take allegations like that seriously. Allegations include a lack of information regarding relocation services, verbal threats issued by ECHA staff and continued leasing of vacant housing units to new tenants despite knowledge of dangerous lead and arsenic levels in the soil, the letter states. Harris said the allegations will be investigated. However, the Shriver Center appears to be repeating what is being told by tenants in the letter, he said. They need to look into that, and whether they can be substantiated, he said. The letter urges HUDs Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity to review the ECHAs relocation plan, identify deficiencies and monitor the relocation of families. This type of dysfunctional relocation is a recipe for disaster and will likely result in poor outcomes for the households, the letter states. Relocation must be handled consistent with HUD and ECHAs duty to affirmatively further fair housing and duty not to discriminate. There can be no doubt that what is in place here falls far, far short of that obligation. As part of ECHAs application to HUD to demolish the units, the agency is required to include elements of its relocation plan under Section 6 of the application, according to the letter. That would include listing the number of displaced residents, the type of counseling and advisory services provided, a cost estimate for such services and moving expenses and the expected source of payment for such costs, according to Walzs letter. Harris Jr. said there is a detailed, written relocation plan. However, he added he needed to confirm with the housing authority whether the plan was attached when the ECHA submitted the application to HUD. The letter to HUD comes on the heels of a series of public meetings between residents and local, state and federal agency representatives. At a panel discussion Tuesday in East Chicago, the head of the citys health department urged more West Calumet parents to get their children tested for lead levels, noting just 380 of the 670 age 18 or younger have been screened since July 1. Everyone is up in arms about the situation, but we should have had all 670 screened, Gerri Browning, the citys health commissioner, said Tuesday. Of the 380 screened, 27 have tested above the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions threshold of 5 micrograms per deciliter, he said. Anything above that warrants action and further monitoring. LAKE STATION A tanker driver involved in a five-vehicle crash Wednesday morning on Interstate 80/94 has been flown to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, Illinois, for his injuries, according to Indiana State Police. The accident occurred about 7:47 a.m. just east of the Ripley Street exit/entrance ramps. It was a secondary crash, police said. As traffic slowed for the initial crash, Robert D. Herley, 58, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, crested the hill in his tanker at a high rate of speed and rear-ended a semitrailer driven by Deibis R. Hernandez, 45, of Lansing, Michigan. That caused a chain reaction of events in which Herleys tanker struck two other cars and Hernandezs semitrailer struck a passenger car. Herley, who was ejected from his semi, was initially transported to Northlake Hospital in Gary with injuries but was later flown to Advocate Christ Medical Center. State police did not know the extent of Herleys injuries or his condition as of 3 p.m. Wednesday. Nicholas Hashu, 27, of Chesterton; Richard Ewing, 56, of Toledo; and Leroy Collins, 25, of Pekin, Illinois, were the other drivers involved in the crash. No other injuries were sustained by the other drivers, according to police. Earlier Wednesday, one of the drivers involved, Collins, described the scene of the accident. He said he freaked out after looking in his rear-view mirror and watching the tanker truck come over the hill behind him, slam into another truck, clip a second vehicle and then head directly toward his 2012 Nissan Versa sedan that was crawling in traffic. My biggest fear was not being able to see my daughter again, he said. Collins said he was driving in the center of the three westbound lanes on his way to an appointment in Peoria, Illinios, when he came over a hill and saw the flashing lights of emergency vehicles ahead attending to a crash on the right shoulder of the highway. Collins said he slowed and moved to the left lane to avoid the emergency vehicles when he saw the tanker truck come over the hill behind him and crash hard into another truck. Literally, when he first hit, it was a white cloud, he said. Collins said he attempted to move out of the way as the truck bore down on him, but there was nowhere to go on the congested highway. WINFIELD The town now has a plan for what it wants the downtown to look like. All it needs is the engineering and the money to carry it out. The towns Redevelopment Commission adopted the master plan, Enhancing a Livable Center, created by DLZ at a cost of $50,000, 80 percent of which was funded by a grant through the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission. The Redevelopment Commission reviewed the final draft of the plan with Michael Jabo, of DLZ, on Monday before adopting it. It now will be presented to the towns Plan Commission and the council for final approval and inclusion in the comprehensive plan. Winfield has applied for a state grant to begin implementing the concepts of the plan. You want people to recognize they have arrived in town, and it is a place with character that goes along with the modern rural theme chosen by residents, Jabo said. The master plan lays down the guidelines future developments will have to follow for things like sidewalks, landscaping, fencing and decorative lighting. The plan also calls for pathways connecting the downtown to surrounding subdivisions, developing parks and gathering places, and a roundabout at 117th Avenue and Randolph to mark the southern entry into the town. Jabo said the town can use low fences and landscaping to give passing traffic the sense of being closer to the businesses while still making sure the architecture is visible from the street. Burying the overhead utilities would be too costly, so the landscaping should draw the eye down. He said the town needs to work with a landscape architect to design concepts that can be used along the 109th Avenue and Randolph corridors. Im eager to get to the next phase to put this plan into action, Commission Chairman Dave Anderson said. We need to decide what to do first. That will require detailed plans for what can be placed along the right of way, and it will require money. The state grant will provide funds for things like sidewalks, electrical conduits and lighting in 2017, but the town will need to seek other grants that might be available as well as work with the businesses to contribute. Jabo said the state lieutenant governors office recently announced the Place Based Investment grant program that could provide between $20,000 and $50,000. The state is calling for applications for that program, and NIRPC is asking about projects that could be included in the overall transportation plans for 2020 and beyond. The commission approved changes in its tax increment financing district to include properties that were inadvertently left out the first time or have changed since then. Those changes also must go through the plan commission and the council before they can be finally adopted so the town can begin collecting revenue from commercial development to help pay for the improvements. A Dunkin Donuts and a Taco Bell are planning to build in the town soon and will boost the TIF funds. The town just received its first TIF revenue of $70.11, but it is hoping for much more in the future. Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff Chief Viktor Muzhenko and Principal Deputy Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) Alexander Hug have met in Kyiv to discuss the Donbas situation and results of the OSCE SMM's work. Muzhenko said at the meeting that the international observers had been contributing a lot to the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, the public relations department of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on Wednesday. He assured Hug that the Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff was always open to cooperation and ready to resolve any problem related to arms withdrawal verification. "We are interested in de-escalation of the conflict and are ready to provide information about every weapon or piece of military hardware the media is interested in: where they have been withdrawn, at what range they are being used, and how many dozen kilometers they have been moved from the contact line," Muzhenko said. Hug supported the Ukrainian wish to avoid escalation of tensions and casualties. He said that the OSCE mission had lately enlarged the number of patrols and the intensity of their activity as a way to contribute to the de-escalation efforts. A controversy has erupted over the arrest of an activist Jose LaSalle, the leader of the group Cop Watch Patrol, which videotapes police actions. This after Police Commissioner Bill Bratton lashed out LaSalle, saying he has no legitimate followers. NY1 Criminal Justice Reporter Dean Meminger has the story. Jose LaSalle says officers unfairly arrested him twice in 24 hours earlier this month in the South Bronx. He says they are trying to hit him with trumped up charges. LaSalle says it is all because he and his group Cop Watch Patrol Unit are constantly videotaping police actions. And he says officers haven't returned two of his phones. "I want to know what they are investigating that they need to keep my phones," LaSalle said. LaSalle says he believes officers from PSA 7 in the Housing Bureau are trying to destroy recordings of cops cheering his arrest for what the cops called a felony. "They all started clapping and saying 'Yes! We got him!' and they were congratulating officers saying 'We got LaSalle. You know who you have? We got you now LaSalle, for a felony.'" He says he was initially documenting what he called cops stopping and frisking people in a public housing development. He says cops then arrested him and hours later let him go. The NYPD says it charged the Cop Watch member with illegally possessing a radio that could transmit over police frequencies. LaSalle says it was only a two-way radio. "When the desk sergeant grabbed the two way receiver radio, he was like 'Oh is this a scanner,' I said no this is a two way receiver radio where I communicate with my other Cop Watch. He said 'Oh, no this is a scanner and he said it transmits.'" The Bronx DA declined to prosecute, but a short time later cops showed up at a diner on 161st Street and re-arrested LaSalle talking about his cell phone. The NYPD says after discussing the case further with the District Attorney, the DA agreed to prosecute and LaSalle had to be arrested again. Outside of Police Headquarters Tuesday, members of Cop Watch say people are often targeted for videotaping police. "We are the ones who need to have the power and access to footage more and more," said one. And they say they will continue to document police actions and fight the NYPD in court. The man charged with gunning down a revered Queens imam and a second man execution-style is being held without bail after his arraignment. Meanwhile, children of the murdered religious leader are speaking out. NY1's Ruschell Boone has that story. The packed courtroom was silent as Oscar Morel appeared before a judge on first-degree murder and weapons charges. The only sound was the jangling of the chains around his feet as he walked in and the quiet sobbing of his family members as prosecutors outlined their case against him. "They are upset," said defense attorney Leonard Resslar. "And they don't believe, they can't understand how, how he could be involved in this." But prosecutors called it a case of cold-blooded, premeditated murder. They say there is a stack of evidence against Morel including surveillance video showing him running up behind Imam Maulama Akonjee and his associate Thara Uddin, and shooting them. Prosecutors said Morel also identified himself in a video image taken near the crime scene, and they said a ballistics test matched a gun found in Morel's home to the killings. His attorney described Morel's mood before the arraignment. "He was calm," Resslar said. "Upset that he is here. He said 'I didn't do anything.'" Members of Imam Akonjee's family are glad Morel was caught, but they didn't get the answers they were seeking. "Why?" asked one of the victim's sons, Naim Akonjee. "What's the reason why he killed my father. My Father was a wonderful man he was a very pious person. He was a religious teacher." 18-year-old Taz Akonjee is one of 7 children. His says his father's teachings of the Koran were popular in his homeland of Bangladesh. After our interview the teen, his mother and two siblings flew with his father's his body to Bangladesh for burial. With the Imam gone, his family says there is no one to pay the bills. His wife was too distraught to talk. "Now She is feeling kinda like me," Taz said of his mother. Police say they are puzzled by the shooting. They have not ruled out the possibility of a hate crime, but they haven't determined a motive. As for Morel, he was held without bail Tuesday after a not guilty plea. He's due back in court Thursday. Twenty-five years ago this Friday, the death of a seven-year-old boy set in motion one of the ugliest episodes in the citys recent history - three days of violence that featured clashes between Brooklyns Jewish and black communities. NY1 is revisiting the Crown Heights riots this week, beginning with Bobby Cuzas look back at how events on the ground unfolded. It started with a car crash. A Mercury Grand Marquis station wagon, part of a motorcade carrying the grand rebbe of the Lubavitch Hasidic Jewish group, veered onto the sidewalk, striking two black children playing with their bicycles. Seven-year-old Gavin Cato was killed; his cousin, Angela Cato, was severely injured. An angry crowd formed; rumors spread that a volunteer Jewish ambulance had attended to the cars driver, ignoring the black children. Chaos ensued; a few hours later, a violent mob beat and stabbed Hasidic scholar Yankel Rosenbaum. We had the loss of one life, injury to at least two other people, there should be no more hurt. Thats what Im concerned about, Mayor Dinkins said. Rosenbaum died a short while later, and the unrest had only begun. By the time the riots ended three days later, thered been nearly 200 injuriesmany of them police--plus extensive property damage. Even the mayor himself was not immune. I went to see the Cato family. And there were those in the crowd who were throwing bottles. Two bottles landed very close to me. And I mean very close. And in whose interest is that? Dinkins said on August 21, 1991. Repercussions of the riots were long lasting. When Lemrick Nelson Jr. was acquitted of criminal charges in Rosenbaums death, there was strong backlash from the Jewish community, led by the victims brother Norman Rosenbaum. His blood is on their hands. And I hope they never, ever, ever forget the name Yankel Rosenbaum, he said. My feelings today are probably as strong as they ever were. Twenty-five years later, he still blames the inaction of Dinkins and city officials for his brothers death. The Crown Heights riots, the murder of Yankel Rosenbaum, were completely avoidable, Norman Rosenbaum said. The political fallout largely doomed Dinkins career; a damaging 1993 state report helped sink his re-election bid that fall. The family of a man shot dead with a police officer's gun met with the Bronx District Attorney, demanding justice as a grand jury heard evidence to indict the man responsible. NY1s Michael Herzenberg filed the following report. "It's been very, very hard, said Mody Doucoure, the brother-in-law of Wali Camara. Very hard because the way he lost his life" Doucoure says the family will miss his kindness. Every week for more than two decades, Camara sent money home to the wife and child he left in France. He could do that, his loved ones say, because he worked tirelessly at the bodega across the street from where he was killed. "When this thing happened, I called his son to tell him," Doucoure said. "He was just crying, screaming on the phone. He just couldn't believe it." Police say Camara kicked out an unruly customer on the morning of August 9th, and when that man went across Valentine Avenue at 198th street to another store, Camara followed to warn them about him. Detectives say the workers there got in a fight with that man, Efrain Guzman. Two cops on patrol were waved down, and as they escorted Guzman out, he grabbed one of the cops' guns and squeezed off 15 rounds, fatally wounding Camara before the other officer shot Guzman. The Bronx DA assured Camara's family that she is investigating all aspects of the incident. That includes, of course, the killing of Wali Camara with a gun taken from a police holster and also the issue of how the gun was taken from that holster, attorney Sanford Rubenstein said. The attorney says he hasn't drawn any conclusions about the officers' possible negligence. However, the victim's family wants Efrain Guzman locked up for the rest of his life. To grab somebody's gun and shoot 15 rounds, what's the mission? Doucoure said. To finish everyone. All the people are lucky unfortunately. Not the case for Wali. Why should this guy have a reason to be in the community? He shouldn't be never ever be around people no more. Guzman will have his first appearance in court Thursday to face more than a half dozen charges, including murder. Lawmakers are trying to get visas for Camara's wife and child to attend the funeral in the United States. A vigil is planned for Friday. Family and friends of the Queens jogger found dead earlier this month held a memorial walk in Howard Beach in her honor Tuesday night. Our Lori Chung was there and filed this report. Carrying white balloons in her honor, hundreds of supporters walk near the stretch of marsh in Howard Beach where Karina Vetrano was murdered. "It's evidence to everyone the power my daughter had," said the victim's mother Cathy. "We all decided tonight we would represent with white balloons, white bows, white hearts and butterflies were her favorite thing they were all over her room," said one walk organizer. This memorial march on the edge of Spring Creek Park also a call for justice as Vetrano's parents urge their daughter's killer to come forward. "He's a weak, evil piece of (expletive) and that's too good to even call him," the victim's mother said. "Turn yourself in, turn yourself in," her father Phil echoed. Relatives simmering with anger and grief two weeks after the 30-year-old was found beaten, strangled and sexually assaulted near her favorite running path in the weeds. In an attack that has shaken the entire neighborhood. "We just all want answers so that we're not scared to walk," said one neighbor. "They need to find whoever did this, this is terrible," said another. "We, like all other communities, are affected by violence and this could be anyone's daughter, child," said a third. The outpouring of support for the family includes the more than $245,000 raised on a Go Fund Me page. A portion of that contributes to the $100,000 reward now offered to help catch the killer. Cathy and Phil Vetrano hoping it's enough incentive to discourage anyone from helping or harboring their daughter's killer. "Just know we have support, the resources of very high people, and we will get you it's just a matter of time so if he's someone you might know, get the money," said Cathy Vetrano. The Vetranos say the rest of the money raised by that Go Fund Me page will be put in a memorial foundation set up in Karina's name. In the meantime they're asking anyone with any information to call the NYPD crime stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS. But the womans sister, Sharon Loeffler, said that statement did not represent the sentiments of other family members or the woman herself. I know what she wouldve said, Ms. Loeffler said, and that would be, I fought long and hard, it overcame me. All I can ask is any other victims to come forward, and not let this kind of tolerance to go on anymore. Ms. Loeffler said her sister had believed there were other victims and had been broken by the 1999 case and its aftermath. These guys sucked the soul and life out of her. Mr. Parker took to Facebook on Tuesday evening to say he had just learned of the death and was filled with sorrow. I cant help but think of all the implications this has for her family. I cannot nor do I want to ignore the pain she endured during and following our trial. He maintained his innocence, but added that he wished he had been more empathetic at the time, writing: There are things more important than the law. There is morality, and adding, I look back on that time as a teenager and can say without hesitation that I should have used more wisdom. Heres a look at the case. WHAT WE KNOW Mr. Parker was accused in 1999 of raping a fellow student at Penn State. The victim, whose name is not public, said that Mr. Parker and his roommate, Mr. Celestin, raped her while she was intoxicated and unconscious, according to court documents, and that they later harassed, intimidated and stalked her after she pressed charges. Both men said that the sex was consensual. Mr. Parker, who, according to court transcripts, had had consensual oral sex with the woman previously, was acquitted of the charges. Mr. Celestin, who received a story by credit on The Birth of a Nation, was convicted of sexual assault, but his case was appealed. There are conflicting accounts about the outcome. The woman, under the name Jane Doe, then sued Penn State for failing to protect her from harassment; the case was settled for $17,500. According to court records, the victim had twice attempted suicide after the alleged rape. According to a court document, as a result of the harassment, the accuser suffered severe depression, sleeplessness, and anxiety attacks. She also said that her apartment had been broken into and that her files on the case had been disturbed. Emilia Clarke moves beyond Game of Thrones as a quirky caregiver who chooses life in the romantic weepie Me Before You. Jon Hamm and Daniel Radcliffe play the same morphine-addicted Russian in A Young Doctors Notebook. And Vice Does America visits a village in South Carolina that celebrates African culture. Whats Streaming ME BEFORE YOU (2016) on iTunes. Emilia Clarke sheds her Game of Thrones tresses and dragons to play Louisa Clark, a mere mortal caring for a demonically angry aristocratic Englishman (Sam Claflin) determined to end his life after being hit by a motorcycle and paralyzed. Theyre an odd couple indeed: she wears leggings striped like bumblebees, he resides in a castle. And yet at some point she resolves to help him live again. I was utterly convinced that someone had found me and written me, Emilia, down, Ms. Clarke said in an interview with The New York Times about the Jojo Moyes best seller from which the movie was adapted. It wasnt even a question that I would do whatever it took to be able to play Lou. Thea Sharrocks adaptation, A. O. Scott wrote, makes a virtue of its absolute obviousness. The arrest of a Gabonese man on charges of bribing African officials may help pull back the curtain on a long-running foreign corruption scandal that has ensnared the giant hedge fund founded by Daniel Och. United States authorities on Tuesday arrested Samuel Mebiame, a consultant who worked for a joint venture involving Och-Ziff Capital Management Group, on charges that he paid bribes to foreign officials to secure mineral concessions in at least three African countries. Prosecutors described Mr. Mebiame, the son of a former prime minister of Gabon, as a fixer who routinely paid bribes to officials in Niger, Guinea and Chad, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Federal District Court in Brooklyn. Mr. Mebiame, 43, was arrested by F.B.I. agents in Brooklyn. Och-Ziff, which manages more than $39 billion in assets, was not identified by name in the complaint, which instead refers to a U.S.-based hedge fund. Arrest of Fixer May Expose Scandal Tied to Och-Ziff Samuel Mebiame was brazen and always made sure he got his cut of a deal. But his days as a one-man show securing mining concessions thanks to bribes to African officials are likely to be at an end after the F.B.I. arrested him in Brooklyn on Tuesday. Mr. Mebiame, the son of a former prime minister of Gabon who worked as a consultant for a joint venture involving Och-Ziff Capital Management Group, is charged with bribing officials in at least three African countries. Och-Ziff had already disclosed that it was under investigation over whether it paid bribes in several countries, and told investors that it had set aside more than $400 million toward a potential settlement. Any enforcement action taken against it would be the most prominent in the hedge fund industry. But that might not even be the last youll hear of the scandal. The Justice Department has promised a crackdown on foreign bribery cases and the criminal complaint against Mr. Mebiame referred to co-conspirators. There may well be more charges to come. On the agenda The Federal Reserve will publish minutes from the Federal Open Market Committees July meeting at 2 p.m. Target and Cisco announce their quarterly results. Calls for Independence Ring Louder in Puerto Rico We never controlled our own country, says Rafael Cancel Miranda, a nationalist who opened fire on Congress in 1954 and is now a legend among young people at independence events. Puerto Ricos financial woes and the mainlands appointment of a board to oversee the islands spending have done nothing to sway his belief. Ronald D. Boire, the chief executive of Barnes & Noble, is leaving the company after a tumultuous tenure that lasted a little less than a year, the bookstore chain announced on Tuesday. Mr. Boire is the third chief executive to leave the troubled company in just three years, after Michael P. Huseby, who resigned in July 2015 and became executive chairman of Barnes & Noble Education and received $10.5 million severance payment, and William Lynch, who stepped down in July 2013. In a terse statement that lacked any attempt at corporate spin, the company said that the board of directors determined that Mr. Boire is not a good fit for the organization and that it was in the best interest of all parties for him to leave the company. A spokeswoman declined to provide additional comment. Leonard Riggio, the companys founder and executive chairman, who had planned to retire next month, is postponing that, and will lead the company along with other members of the executive management team until a successor to Mr. Boire is appointed. Prosecutor of Donetsk region Yevhen Bondarenko has officially informed Volodymyr Sliptsov, the mayor of the town of Toretsk (formerly Dzerzhynsk) in Donbas, that he is suspected of participating in a terrorist organization and charged with encroachment on Ukraine's territorial integrity. Investigators have established that the Toretsk mayor was involved in the preparation and holding of an unlawful referendum in the town to declare state independence of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) terrorist organization. In particular, Sliptsov is charged with committing criminal offenses under Part 1 Article 258-3 (participation in a terrorist group or terrorist organization) and Part 2 Article 110 (encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The suspected official presided over a town council meeting on April 15, 2014, and put forth the proposal of arranging the unlawful referendum in Toretsk. Along with the mayor and town council members, representatives of the DPR terrorist organization participated in the session, called for the recognition of the self-proclaimed republic and illegally removed the flag of Ukraine from the session hall. The prosecutor's office is now preparing a motion for a court to decide on a preventive measure against the mayor in the form of detention. At 2:06 p.m., the public advocate, Letitia James, who presides over the Councils sessions, banged a gavel and directed the chamber to rise and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Roll call was taken: 45 of the Councils 51 members were present. The Rev. James Lee of the Korean Church of Queens read the invocation. As they continue to labor diligently, Mr. Lee said of the men and women of the Council, he asked God to bless the work of their hands so that the City of New York will continue to flourish and prosper. The Council speaker, Melissa Mark-Viverito, set a summery tone in a sleeveless blue dress with a pink and red floral pattern and cherry red patent leather open-toe sandals with heels. Assorted council members were invited to speak about bills they had sponsored that were coming up for passage: They included legislation aimed at improving conditions for home health care workers and for people recently released from jail, and to better provide consumer protection services to women and seniors. At around 2:45 p.m., the Council began to vote. With typical efficiency, members approved all the bills under consideration in one swoop, most of them saying simply, Aye on all. One note of discord, however, did infringe upon the Councils August idyll. The Council voted to reject the application of a private developer to build an apartment tower in Inwood, which, in exchange for increasing the height of the tower, would have included dozens of units to be rented at below market rates. The rejection was made at the behest of Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, a Democrat for the area, who felt pressure from local opponents of the project. It was among the first applications by a private developer to come before the Council under newly passed zoning rules meant to spur the construction of affordable housing, and its failure suggested that local resistance could spell trouble for Mayor Bill de Blasios push to build thousands of new below-market rate rental units. The Queens district attorneys office on Tuesday upgraded the charges against a man accused of gunning down an imam and his assistant on a sidewalk, adding a single count of first-degree murder for an attack that a prosecutor described in court as a coldblooded and premeditated assassination. On Tuesday, the man, Oscar Morel, 35, made his first appearance in Queens Criminal Court since his arrest in the Saturday afternoon attack. He is accused of approaching the imam, Alauddin Akonjee, 55, and his assistant, Thara Miah, 64, from behind in the Ozone Park neighborhood and shooting them execution-style. Although investigators said they had not determined the motive for the attack, Peter McCormack, an assistant district attorney, described it as a most horrendous and despicable act. The defendant ran up behind both of them and pumped numerous bullets into them, he said, striking them both in the head, leaving them lying on the street mortally wounded. Ecuador and Sweden finally agreed last week that Swedish prosecutors could question Julian Assange at the Ecuadorean Embassy in London, where he has been holed up since 2012. The sooner the better. Mr. Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is central to a critical debate about secrecy, privacy and the public interest in the digital age. And if the United States or any other government has a legal case against him whether over allegations of rape, which is why the Swedes want to question him, or the publishing of confidential documents, which is what WikiLeaks does it should no longer be held up by a procedural dispute. Mr. Assanges long years in the Ecuadorean Embassy have not silenced WikiLeaks, as the recent distribution of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee demonstrated. Nor have his years in the embassy resolved questions about the legality or morality of Mr. Assanges self-appointed mission. Unlike Pvt. Chelsea Manning and the other celebrated leaker of United States government documents, Edward Snowden both of whom worked directly or indirectly for the government and released documents they knew they were not allowed to release Mr. Assange and his organization publish materials others have purloined. The legal issues are therefore different, and it is far from certain that the United States could build a successful case against Mr. Assange, an Australian national. Aug. 22 is a holiday in Russia: Its Flag Day. But it ranks low in the hierarchy of holidays. There will be no parade, like there is on Victory Day. Russians will not get a day off, like they do on May Day, Russia Day, International Womens Day, Defenders of the Fatherland Day and a half-dozen other holidays. A visitor to the country would be unlikely to notice that this month Russia is marking the 25th anniversary of a historical milestone. What happened a quarter-century ago? On Aug. 18, 1991, four top Soviet officials flew to Crimea, where President Mikhail S. Gorbachev of the Soviet Union was on vacation, and placed him under house arrest. The following day Soviet citizens awakened to the news that a committee of K.G.B., military and Soviet Communist Party leaders had declared a state of emergency. Then, over the course of three days, the coup crumbled. On Aug. 21, its failure became evident, and Moscow authorities soon removed a giant statue of the founder of the secret police, Felix Dzerzhinsky, from its pedestal in the center of the city. A Russian flag white, blue and red stripes went up over the building of the Russian Supreme Soviet, the nominal legislative body, in Moscow. Only three people died in Moscow streets before the attempted coup was over. Two years earlier, a series of popular protests led by young pro-democracy activists had brought down the Communist governments of several Eastern European countries. These became known as the Revolutions of 1989. Most had been peaceful; the Czechs called theirs velvet. The ruling parties had simply capitulated. In many books published in the West, and in the minds of some Russian intellectuals, the three days of August 1991 were the Russian version of a velvet revolution, and they have been memorialized as the end of the Soviet Union. Tucked into the fiscal relief package for Puerto Rico this spring was a provision to give away a national treasure that belongs to all Americans 3,100 acres of the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. The proposal had nothing to do with the economic recovery of Puerto Rico. But it would have handed an important victory to extremists in Congress and state legislatures who want to grab national lands and turn them over to the states to be sold or leased. The measure to give Puerto Rico nearly one-sixth of the island of federally protected coves, beaches and subtropical forests had the support of the chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, Representative Rob Bishop, Republican of Utah, who is a leading proponent of an agenda to dispose of Americas public lands. Fortunately, Hispanic and conservation groups helped rouse opposition to the effort, and the provision was taken out of the bill. But that was only one of several efforts in Congress and elsewhere to dismantle the nations system of more than 560 wildlife refuges and 38 wetlands totaling about 150 million acres of land and water. Opponents of federal land ownership also want to dispose of hundreds of millions of acres of forests and rangelands owned by the American people. If they succeed, not even the national parks will be safe. In Adams County, a rural area in eastern Washington with a high rate of youth violence, Barbara Anderson, the director of the community network, galvanized the community to take action. I started seeing improvements in their youth violence rates, Porter recalled, so I went out there and shadowed Barbara for two days to see what she was doing. Anderson took her along to an onion packing plant, where she talked with workers on the production line. Porter remembers how Anderson interacted with workers. For example: Dont you have a third grader? Im really worried about violence and how we can keep our kids safe. What can we do? Later, they traveled around the county, and Anderson asked people like bank tellers, waitresses and cooks what should be done to stop the violence, Porter said. She categorized all the ideas. Then she went online and looked for programs and started writing grants. When she got them, she would go back to the onion plant: Mary, we got the money for the Boys and Girls Club, this was your idea, so now you have to help. And thats how they brought in all these programs for youth and the leadership expanded. Anderson is now retired. When I shared Porters recollections with her, she commented: Its all true, but it sounds so much more glamorous than it was. It really was just part of a community effort. We had a great team of people who didnt like the high rates of juvenile violence, delinquency and recidivism, and we wanted something done about it. Everywhere she looked, Porter saw that people at the county or neighborhood level had the capacity to lead changes. But what increased everyones power was the data and understanding that were emerging about the underlying causes of the social problems they were confronting. In the late 1990s, two researchers, Vincent Felitti and Robert Anda, sought to examine the effects of trauma among the young, or so-called adverse childhood experiences. In what is now known widely as the ACE Study, they surveyed 17,000 mostly white, middle-class residents of San Diego who were enrolled in Kaiser Permanente, an H.M.O., inquiring about 10 categories of adversity, including physical, sexual or emotional abuse or neglect. They asked participants if they had witnessed violence against their mother, or if a parent had been an alcoholic, or had a mental illness or been incarcerated, then assigned each an ACE score of zero to 10. Las Vegas THIS summer I worked as a seasonal cocktail server, a job that came with a membership in the largest union local in Nevada, Culinary 226. In my first week on the job, I chatted with a co-worker in the elevator. I asked how long she had been working there. Twenty-eight years, she said. And I just got my dream shift last week! Theres significance to that conversation beyond making a friendly acquaintance. Unions are strong in Las Vegas, and they bring benefits that cocktail servers and hotel workers in other states can only dream of: Beyond better wages and health care packages, union members are ensured set schedules and their first choice of coveted shifts, based on seniority. Its why there are so many lifers in my industry: At the top of our cocktailing matriarchy was a woman who had joined the union in 1973. So although the stereotype of a cocktail server is a young, provocatively dressed woman, if you visit a unionized casino on a Friday night, you will find that most women working the pit have fine lines and wrinkles, maybe even gray hair around their temples. Or, come on a weekday to witness the 9 a.m. arrival of unionized housekeepers, predominantly older Hispanic women, the earliest pioneers of the union and a matriarchy in their own right. And matriarchy is the right word: While there are a good number of men in Vegass union jobs, women and in particular older, immigrant women make up a vast majority of Culinary 226s members, and are often its leading voices. N.L.: The cultural theorist Dominic Pettman has written: It is worth speculating whether love is the only discourse still available to us that is capable of salvaging singularity in a late capitalist epoch, or whether it is rather a case that love has become (or perhaps always was) a decoy that lures us into a libidinal economy no less indifferent to individual suffering than the macroeconomy overseen by the I.M.F. and the World Bank. How would you respond to this? M.W.: Salvaging singularity! I like that. Love is an emotion you feel for someone you wouldnt trade up if you could. It seems worth stressing that the singularity of love also involves a form of collectivity even if its just a primitive communism of two. We owe it to ourselves, and one another, to honor that love and not let it be entirely enclosed or co-opted. So I like what Pettman says here. We should be wary of how the language of love can discipline us to consume and work. And yet, I do have reservations about the ways that some anticapitalist thinkers like Alain Badiou, Jean Baudrillard and Slavoj Zizek, have tried to treat love and erotic experience as the other of capitalism or its outside a last refuge of authenticity in a corrupt world. I think theres often a kind of crypto-misogyny at work in that kind of romanticism. There is such a long tradition in European philosophy that idealizes women or, more precisely, the concept of woman by defining us in opposition to the male world. This kind of rhetoric purports to elevate us. Yet it dehumanizes us in the process. We become the shadow of what exists. I am thinking, for instance, of how Nietzsche uses the concept of eternal feminine, inherited from earlier German Romantics, and how Jacques Derrida and other post-structuralists pick up on his famous proposition, What if truth is a woman what then? And Sigmund Freud, and the psychoanalytic tradition that defines women in terms of lack. Lack, that is, of a phallus. The great irony is that, by romanticizing the feminine and the erotic, avowed anticapitalists like Baudrillard, Bourdieu and Zizek end up perpetuating one of the founding lies of modern capitalism. This may be its most important myth: that the work that women do in bearing and raising children is not work. It is simply part of nature. And nature is what you can take for free, without having to feel bad about it. Left thinkers who view the existing world order as corrupt, and fail to see that pregnancy, labor and child rearing are labor, miss the key fact that social reproduction can be creative. They see the work of care and mothering as simply passive part of biology, or a self-renewing standing reserve that the natural world is. As a result, they fail to see that care can transform social conditions. This is why they remain stuck in the negative modality of critique: Because they have no account of how we come into the world and grow, they can only imagine change coming from the outside, as an apocalypse. Its also why, however petulantly they insist otherwise, they hate women. N.L.: Disconnecting the idea of romantic love from capitalism and patriarchy is particularly challenging in a culture that eroticizes and romanticizes labor. We are supposed to love what we do, and find our passions in work. This is the message upheld by female power players like Sheryl Sandberg, and certainly seems central to the sort of feminism attributed to Hillary Clinton whose marriage and love life have also been a site of intense focus. The language of love being applied to work is not an age-old phenomenon, of course, but it certainly seems to further entangle, rather than disentangle, love with oppressive systems. What are your thoughts on this, and the relevance of this love-your-work phenomenon and the figures embodying it? Die-hard opponents of the 2010 health reform law, the Affordable Care Act, have often used its real and imagined problems to argue that it is fatally flawed. Now they are seizing on an announcement by Aetna that it will reduce its participation in the health insurance marketplaces set up by the law. Donald Trumps campaign called Aetnas move the latest blow to this broken law that is slowly imploding under its regulatory red tape. This is hyperbole. The law has survived many setbacks, and it will overcome Aetnas decision, too. The law set up federal and state-run marketplaces where people who dont have health insurance through their employers or government programs like Medicare can buy coverage. Despite initial problems with HealthCare.gov, the federal programs website, and some state sites, the marketplaces have helped many Americans become insured. About 11 million people have bought policies, and the government provides tax credits to 85 percent of them to make the coverage affordable. But some big national insurers like UnitedHealth, Humana and now Aetna say they are losing too much money on marketplace policies. The reason is that the customers they signed up used more medical services than the insurers had anticipated. On Monday, Aetna said it would reduce the number of counties where it sells such policies to 242, from 778, citing a $200 million pretax loss on those policies in the second quarter. The company had sold marketplace policies to about 911,000 customers as of April. Aetnas decision will cause problems in some places. For example, Pinal County in Arizona might have no insurer selling marketplace policies for 2017 unless another company steps in to replace Aetna. But competition is more robust elsewhere. A Kaiser Family Foundation report published in July said that in 16 states and the District of Columbia, there would be an average of 5.8 insurers selling policies for 2017. That number was down from 6.5 in 2016 but about the same as in 2014. A hospital associated with Doctors Without Borders. A school. A potato chip factory. Under international law, those facilities in Yemen are not legitimate military targets. Yet all were bombed in recent days by warplanes belonging to a coalition led by Saudi Arabia, killing more than 40 civilians. The United States is complicit in this carnage. It has enabled the coalition in many ways, including selling arms to the Saudis to mollify them after the nuclear deal with Iran. Congress should put the arms sales on hold and President Obama should quietly inform Riyadh that the United States will withdraw crucial assistance if the Saudis do not stop targeting civilians and agree to negotiate peace. The airstrikes are further evidence that the Saudis have escalated their bombing campaign against Houthi militias, which control the capital, Sana, since peace talks were suspended on Aug. 6, ending a cease-fire that was declared more than four months ago. They also suggest one of two unpleasant possibilities. One is that the Saudis and their coalition of mostly Sunni Arab partners have yet to learn how to identify permissible military targets. The other is that they simply do not care about killing innocent civilians. The bombing of the hospital, which alone killed 15 people, was the fourth attack on a facility supported by Doctors Without Borders in the past year even though all parties to the conflict were told exactly where the hospitals were located. In all, the war has killed more than 6,500 people, displaced more than 2.5 million others and pushed one of the worlds poorest countries from deprivation to devastation. A recent United Nations report blamed the coalition for 60 percent of the deaths and injuries to children last year. Human rights groups and the United Nations have suggested that war crimes may have been committed. Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine Oleksandr Turchynov stresses the need for the development of military-technical cooperation between Ukraine and NATO, and sees the restoration of Ukraine's missile defense system as a priority. "In general, Ukraine hammered out its strategic vision of the development of the national security system and the security and defense sector in 2015 and the first half of 2016. Most of its legislative and regulatory framework has been formed. Certain strategic objectives of the reform are actively being implemented. Therefore, the first phase of the reform of the national security and defense system is over," Turchynov wrote in an article titled "The National Security of Ukraine: Challenges and Priorities," published in the Holos Ukrainy parliamentary newspaper on Wednesday. He stresses that the national security and defense reform was supported by a majority of Ukrainian citizens and foreign partners, first of all by NATO member states. "Cooperation with NATO becomes deeper, the Alliance's standards are consistently implemented in Ukraine's security and defense sector. Six new trust funds have been created together with the partners; experts from NATO member states have been involved in the processes of the development of the security and defense sector, military and technical cooperation with these countries follows its course. The NATO Summit in Warsaw endorsed a Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine," Turchynov wrote. He also added that strong impetus had been given to the development of the domestic military-industrial complex, which has become one of the priority sectors of the economy, and the National Security and Defense Council outlined major directions for the development of the defense industry and set tasks to provide the Armed Forces of Ukraine and other military formations with modern weapons and military equipment. "The restoration of Ukraine's missile defense system should become an absolute priority along with an increase in the combat capabilities of artillery systems, the restoration of a reliable air defense system, ammunition production, the development of telecoms equipment, automated troop command and intelligence systems," Turchynov wrote. They have never seen anything like this, he said. Mr. McColly, like many other evacuees from Wrightwood, found safety by heading west toward Pasadena. At midday Wednesday, the resort was still not threatened by the fire. Fire officials warned on Wednesday that explosive fires like this one were becoming more common. Its to the point where explosive fire growth is the new normal this year, and thats a challenge for all of us to take on, said Glenn Barley, the San Bernardino unit chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as CalFire. The fire has been a jolt during a fire season that has been quieter than usual nationwide. Experts said this season has had about a quarter fewer fires start and acres burn for this point in the year. Nevertheless, several recently ignited wildfires are burning in California, although they have not moved as quickly as Blue Cut. The Chimney Fire, which began on Saturday, has burned 7,300 acres in San Luis Obispo and was 25 percent contained. The Clayton Fire, near Lower Lake in Northern California, started the same day, and has burned nearly 4,000 acres. It was 40 percent contained. And the Soberanes Fire, in Monterey County, has burned almost 80,000 acres over nearly two months. The enduring drought may have played a role here, even as relief comes elsewhere. Youve had three, four years of drought thats been going on, so the conditions in the mountains are just prime for a large fire, said David Simeral, a climatologist and an author for the United States Drought Monitor. Youve got all the dry fuels, low humidity and winds, its a formula for fires spreading quickly. Richard Minnich, a professor in the department of earth sciences at the University of California, Riverside, said it was not so much the long-term drought, but the weather of the day coupled with a prevailing fire management strategy in which, he said, small fires are knocked down quickly but larger ones can grow more out of control that had driven the fire. DENVER The Navajo Nation filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the Environmental Protection Agency and several corporations, saying that poisoned water that flowed from a punctured Colorado mine last year disrupted hundreds of lives near a critical watershed. The disaster, the federal suit says, has heightened economic and spiritual pain in a region hamstrung by poverty and drought. The tribe is seeking to hold the agency and corporations accountable, be made whole for at least $2 million spent on testing and alternative water sources and be compensated for lost revenue and psychological damages. We cannot just sit back and let the E.P.A. do what theyve been doing, just doling us pennies, said the president of the Navajo Nation, Russell Begaye, in a telephone interview. This river is the main river that gives life to the whole region, not just those who live around the river, but the entire nation. This is our lifeblood. It is sacred to us. A spokeswoman for the E.P.A., Nancy Grantham, said the agency could not comment on active legal issues. Representatives from the mining companies and the E.P.A. contractors declined to comment or did not return messages. The chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, announced his resignation on Tuesday amid criticism over how he had handled sexual harassment cases involving high-profile faculty members and the universitys budget. The chancellor, Nicholas B. Dirks, said in a statement on the schools website, I have come to the personal decision that the time is right for me to step aside and allow someone else to take up the financial and institutional challenges ahead of us. Janet Napolitano, the president of the University of California, said in a statement that Mr. Dirks, who had been in the position since June 2013, planned to remain in the post until a successor was in place. A committee will begin a global search for a new chancellor, she said. In his statement, Mr. Dirks, who is paid about $532,000 a year, outlined a series of achievements, including initiatives in data science, alliances for research and record-setting fund-raising for the last two years of $462 million and $479 million. PHILADELPHIA Hillary Clinton does not dispute that the presidential campaign is going well for her at the moment. But she would rather not dwell on it. Dont be complacent, my friends! she told supporters on Tuesday inside a high school gym in West Philadelphia. Even though were doing fine right now, Im not taking anyone, anywhere, for granted. As Mrs. Clinton seizes polling advantages over Donald J. Trump in essentially every traditional swing state, her team is working to keep supporters energized and engaged, reminding them that winning public surveys in August is worth exactly zero electoral votes in November. Mrs. Clintons visit here on Tuesday in the heart of a Democratic neighborhood, in a Democratic city, in what has been a Democratic state in six consecutive presidential races was aimed squarely at this decidedly first-world problem. The release on websites this week of what appears to be top-secret computer code that the National Security Agency has used to break into the networks of foreign governments and other espionage targets has caused deep concern inside American intelligence agencies, raising the question of whether Americas own elite operatives have been hacked and their methods revealed. Most outside experts who examined the posts, by a group calling itself the Shadow Brokers, said they contained what appeared to be genuine samples of the code though somewhat outdated used in the production of the N.S.A.s custom-built malware. Most of the code was designed to break through network firewalls and get inside the computer systems of competitors like Russia, China and Iran. That, in turn, allows the N.S.A. to place implants in the system, which can lurk unseen for years and be used to monitor network traffic or enable a debilitating computer attack. According to these experts, the coding resembled a series of products developed inside the N.S.A.s highly classified Tailored Access Operations unit, some of which were described in general terms in documents stolen three years ago by Edward J. Snowden, the former N.S.A. contractor now living in Russia. RIO DE JANEIRO Brazils suspended president, Dilma Rousseff, made a last-ditch appeal to lawmakers and voters on Tuesday, promising to hold new elections should she survive an impeachment trial that is scheduled to begin next week. In a letter she read live on Facebook, Ms. Rousseff repeated her assertions that the effort to remove her from office amounted to a coup detat, and she appealed to the Senate, which will try her on charges that she manipulated the federal budget to improve her 2014 re-election prospects. Im asking the senators not to carry out an injustice and condemn me for a crime I did not commit, she said, speaking from the presidential palace in Brasilia, the capital. Ms. Rousseffs speech is unlikely to move her opponents in the Senate, which last week voted 59 to 21 to move forward with a trial, the final stage in a monthslong process that has divided the nation and paralyzed its politics. A vote for her permanent removal, at the end of her trial, requires a two-thirds majority, or 54 votes. MEXICO CITY The abduction was notable for how and where it took place during a birthday party at a restaurant in the Mexican Pacific Coast resort of Puerto Vallarta and because the kidnappers and the victims are criminals. Now, it turns out that a son of the drug cartel leader Joaquin Guzman Loera was one of the six men abducted at gunpoint early Monday morning. Not a shot was fired as the gunmen hustled Jesus Alfredo Guzman Salazar, 30 an operative in the Sinaloa Cartel, Mexicos most powerful criminal enterprise and the others into sport utility vehicles, according to the attorney general for Jalisco State, Eduardo Almaguer. Mr. Almaguer confirmed Tuesday that the younger Mr. Guzman was one of the missing men, who had not been heard from as of Tuesday night. His fathers escape last year from a maximum-security prison through a mile-long tunnel dug under his cell embarrassed the government of President Enrique Pena Nieto and underscored Mexicos reputation for pervasive corruption and impunity for well-connected criminals. Mr. Pena Nieto had hailed his arrest in February 2014 as a major victory in a long campaign against the powerful narcotics rackets. Ballet tends to be the most orthodox of the art forms, and often the most reactionary. How heartening to renew acquaintance with the uninhibited and adult eccentricity that BalletX, a company devoted to new choreography, seems to encourage. This Philadelphia company, appearing this week in a program of three works at the Joyce Theater, also has vividly appealing, highly individual dancers. Its easy to miss how meticulous they are in style but impossible not to recognize their richness and immediacy. The first work on the program, Show Me (2015), is by Matthew Neenan; the third, Big Ones (2016), by Trey McIntyre. Much of the freshest choreography in American ballet is made by these two men. They certainly cover the country. In recent years, New York has offered lively, fresh, odd, engaging work by these two, brought by companies based in California, Idaho and Tennessee. And both have made important dances for BalletX, the smaller, younger and far more experimental of Philadelphias two chief ballet troupes. They also choreograph for the other one, Pennsylvania Ballet, where Mr. Neenan is resident choreographer. Perhaps the most offbeat choreographer in American ballet, Mr. McIntyre, who often employs pop or rock music, is now in top form. When Pennsylvania Ballet visited the Joyce for a week this spring, his The Accidental (2014) set to taped songs by Patrick Watson was the programs highlight. Now his Big Ones (whose premiere I reviewed in Philadelphia this February), accompanied by Amy Winehouse recordings, proves marvelous. This year has already brought some excellent fresh choreography; Big Ones, as well as Alexei Ratmanskys very dissimilar Serenade After Platos Symposium, new with American Ballet Theater this May, are two of the best examples. Put your feet up on the coffee table, and you might knock over those pieces by Kakurezaki Ryuichi and Mori Togaku, or that vase by Matsui Kosei. Splash around in the upstairs bathtub, and youre likely to spray water on the sculptures to your left or your right by some of Japans most influential 20th-century ceramic artists. This simple house in Flatbush, Brooklyn, is not only where Steven Korff and Marcia Van Wagner, a married couple, raised their two boys now 18 and 21 but where Mr. Korff keeps the more than 400 sculptural vases, bowls, sake cups and flasks that have quietly made him one of the leading collectors in contemporary Japanese ceramics. Even Qatari royalty Sheikha al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, chairwoman of the Qatar Museums Authority, and her husband, Sheikh Jassim bin Abdulaziz al-Thani, two of the most important buyers in the art market have made their way to Brooklyn to buy from him. MONTE CARLO, Monaco The glamorous Mediterranean principality of Monaco is not usually viewed as a cradle of pioneering modern art. Yet in the 1940s, the painter Francis Bacon spent three productive years here, developing his best-known pictorial theme: the screaming popes, inspired by a Velazquez portrait. Those years are the focus of Francis Bacon: Monaco and French Culture, which runs through Sept. 4 at the Grimaldi Forum here and then opens on Sept. 30 (in an expanded version that also highlights Bacons Spanish influences) at the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in Spain, illustrating the influence of Monaco on Bacons career and his lifelong relationship with France. There are 66 Bacon oil paintings on view, along with a dozen works by Picasso, Soutine and other artists who worked in France and inspired him. Bacon was born in Dublin but spent most of his life in Britain, traveling frequently to Paris, where he kept a studio apartment. The exhibitions curator is Martin Harrison, a Briton who edited the first catalogue raisonne of Bacons work, published in June. Bacon, who visited Monaco as early as 1940, moved here in July 1946 with the proceeds of a painting sale. Eight Ukrainian soldiers were wounded in the Anti-Terrorist Operation (ATO) zone in Donbas in the past day, no deaths were reported, presidential administration spokesman for ATO issues Oleksandr Motuzianyk said. "No Ukrainian soldiers have been killed, but eight have been wounded in action," he said at a briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday. The press center of the ATO headquarters reported on Wednesday morning that the enemy had attacked the Armed Forces of Ukraine in Donbas 52 times on Tuesday. They pushed for women to get the vote in Australias national elections. They brought down a central bank board member. And they helped convict a state official. The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and their sister publications at Fairfax Media have been among the most powerful voices in Australia for more than 150 years, shaping public opinion on politics, exposing shady business practices and targeting vast criminal operations. Once mocked as a Granny for its cautious, worldly perspective, The Herald long ago embraced the reputation and the nickname. But Fairfaxs newspapers now face a diminished future, with company executives even discussing whether to stop printing The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age on weekdays. If they do, it would signal a new low in the decline of the global newspaper business, the radical retreat of centuries-old, mainstream metropolitan newspapers with national influence. The prospect has dismayed many Australians who wonder what it means for civic life and what it says about the countrys place in the world. Australians consider themselves a highly informed and highly educated society, despite their geographic isolation. And The Herald and Age, with a history of sending correspondents to far-flung locales like the battlefields of Europe and Southeast Asia, have been central to the discourse. The Republican presidential nominee, Donald J. Trump, has hired a top executive from Breitbart News, Stephen Bannon, as his campaigns chief executive, raising expectations that Mr. Trump will adopt the more aggressive style that the site has championed. So, What Is Breitbart? The Breitbart News Network, usually just called Breitbart, is a conservative-leaning news website. It was founded in 2007 by Andrew Breitbart, a former liberal from Los Angeles who became a conservative standard-bearer until his death from heart failure at 43 in 2012. The site that bears his name comprises about a dozen different verticals that feature original reporting and commentary, including three of its most prominent sites: Big Government, Big Journalism and Big Hollywood. A fourth Big site, BigPeace.com, now redirects to Breitbarts National Security section. According to SimilarWeb, a web analytics platform, Breitbarts traffic is comparable to that of Slate and Gawker, and it has received more visitors than either of those two sites over the past several months. These support systems need to be diverse to be effective, though. According to the World Economic Forum, which surveyed more than a thousand entrepreneurs around the world, what start-ups value most are accessible markets, funding, regulatory framework, an educated work force and major universities. That doesnt mean, however, that the network always provides robust financial backing from big-money players like large venture capital firms. An ecosystem also offers social and psychological support. What fuels entrepreneurial success, Ms. Agarwal noted, are passion and purpose. When she started her company, she wanted an enterprise that would have a positive social and personal impact. She started with diabetes education, a disease that affected both her and Mr. Shahs relatives in India. When Ms. Agarwal interviews candidates for the Jumpstart Ventures portfolio, she wants to find like-minded people who are passionate about their mission. Mert Iseri, co-founder and chief executive of SwipeSense, a company focused on reducing hospital infections, was someone who fit the bill. Also a former Northwestern student, he met Ms. Agarwal in 2012. Mr. Iseri, 28, was focused on providing a digital hand hygiene solution to combat the 100,000 annual deaths in the United States from hospital-acquired infections. Such infections cost $28 billion a year in related health care expenses. Shradha became our first investor and gave us our first check for $25,000 and employed radical candor, in her mentoring, Mr. Iseri said. That included discussions about tough decisions that had to be made when building a business, such as hiring, firing and determining long-term goals. It is always difficult to fire someone, Mr. Iseri said. He described one situation where a sales representative was a high performer but didnt fit the culture at SwipeSense. Shradha was very clear; her direct feedback was to part ways right then and there, and she highlighted that no amount of short-term results can justify holding on to folks who wont be long-term members of the team. AIKEN, S.C. Two years ago last April, Gregory White Smith turned to Steven Naifeh, his partner in business and life, and asked, Whats next? It was a good question, though those were Mr. Smiths last words. Over a 40-year career, Mr. Smith and Mr. Naifeh, then 62 and 61, had written more than a dozen books together, five of which were best sellers and one of which, a controversial 1989 biography of Jackson Pollock that enraged some critics with its examination of the artists sexual orientation, won the Pulitzer Prize. (Another of their most successful books was How to Make Love to a Woman, written in three weeks for about $250,000 while they were attending Harvard Law School, and for which they hired a straight man, Michael Morgenstern, to be their authorial beard.) They had spent the last 25 years restoring a profoundly decrepit 60-room former Whitney estate in this tiny Southern town, a sometimes hapless and quixotic endeavor they chronicled when they were seven years into the project, in a 1996 memoir that has been republished this year as A Restoration Comedy: On a Street Called Easy, in a Cottage Called Joye. And they had done all these things while Mr. Smith battled the brain tumor that he was told he had in 1974, the year the two men met at law school, through 13 brain surgeries, kidney and facial surgeries, radiation, chemotherapy, nuclear treatments and constant pain. Openings and Events Headed out East this weekend to escape the heat like everybody and their mother? The pro surfer Quincy Davis and her mom, Paulette, will be at the Carbon38 Beach House in Bridgehampton on Thursday from noon to 3 p.m. Stop by the luxury activewear e-tailers pop-up to shop pieces perfect for catching waves, like a Vitamin A cropped rashguard ($140), and get free beach waves from Warren Tricomi stylists. At 2393 Main Street, Bridgehampton, N.Y. The emerging designer Nina Sarin will host a pop-up with the jewelry line AUrate New York on Friday and Saturday. It will include minimalist designs from her Arias New York collection, like a cotton silk crepe top ($595) and double-face tapered satin pants ($895), gold bijoux and a little bubbly. At 46 Jobs Lane, Southampton, N.Y. Buick hopes to make the whole L.I.E. experience a bit more pleasant by collaborating with the model Carolyn Murphy and the Brooklyn-based sound bath practitioners Jarrod Mayer and Melody Balczon on an audio experience inspired by the new Buick Envision. The S.U.V., which features soft-touch materials, ambient lighting and extra legroom good for long car rides, starts at $34,990, but the relaxing track titled Quiet Tuning, recorded using a range of percussive equipment including shruti box, rainstick, gong, hand pan and tuning forks, is available for free download. If you choose to sweat it out in the city, KOIO Collective, a New York-based, Italian-produced direct-to-consumer sneaker line founded by two Wharton grads will open a pop-up on Friday. It will be handing out strawberry, pistachio and lime/basil flavored gelato to match the pastel tones of its new unisex low-top style ($248). At 312 Bowery. At the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, a glossy ode to spending was in full display on Tuesday, as shoppers spent the day celebrating the grand opening of Westfield World Trade Center, and V.I.P. guests ended the night with a dinner of caprese salads and pan-seared halibut at Eatalys downtown outpost. Inside the malls main hall, the Santiago Calatrava-designed Oculus, which looks a bit like the rib cage of a very large, very glamorous dinosaur, the scene nearly felt like a throwback to a time when malls ruled America, except with smartphones and increased security. After earlier performances, including one by Leslie Odom Jr. of Hamilton fame, the mood was lighthearted by the time John Legend ascended a stage wearing a crisp tuxedo by John Varvatos, one of the 40-plus boutiques in the luxury mall. A barricaded V.I.P. circle included the CBS This Morning co-host Gayle King and Representative Charles B. Rangel, Democrat of New York. Arthur Hiller, an Academy Award-nominated director whose long career began in live television and flourished in the movies in the 1970s with crowd-pleasers like the phenomenally successful Love Story, died on Wednesday in Los Angeles. He was 92. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced his death. Mr. Hiller, who for a time was one of Hollywoods most commercially potent directors, piloted nearly 70 feature films, television movies and series episodes in a wide range of genres, from the Holocaust drama The Man in the Glass Booth (1975) to the screwball comedy The In-Laws (1979). He made two hit films from Neil Simon scripts The-Out-of-Towners (1970) and Plaza Suite (1971) and two with the popular comic team of Richard Pryor and Gene Wilder: Silver Streak (1976) and See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989). But Mr. Hillers greatest commercial success was Love Story (1970), which grossed an imposing $106 million when it was released in 1970, the equivalent of about $665 million today. Based on a screenplay by Erich Segal, a Yale classics scholar (who turned it into a best-selling novel that sold more than five million copies), the film portrayed the tragic romance of a wealthy Harvard law student (Ryan ONeal) and a Radcliffe music major (Ali MacGraw), the product of a working-class Italian-American family. At the same time, cellphones and social media bring up-to-the-minute relationship issues to the fore, possibly laying bare continuing arguments and fights. The relatively rare occurrence of stranger homicides can be seen in The New York Timess series of articles chronicling each murder recorded this year in the Police Departments 40th Precinct in the Bronx. In the six stories published so far, only one, a fatal stabbing at a crowded house party, might be considered a stranger homicide; the victim was unknown to the invited guests, irritating one who was drunk. Most of the stranger homicides reviewed for this article appeared to be connected to robberies. On Jan. 22, a 61-year-old cook, Romulo Heras, was at home in the East New York section of Brooklyn when a teenager named Jahkeem Scott climbed through a window, the police said. Mr. Scott later told the police he had stabbed Mr. Heras to death and then prepared to start a fire to destroy the evidence. When he noticed people outside, according to court documents, he took a shot of whatever liquor he had. In another case, on June 17 in the Bronx, Carl Ducasse, 17, was stabbed to death in the street. In the days preceding his funeral, which drew hundreds of mourners, details surrounding the killing surfaced. A man had asked Mr. Ducasse for money, and when he said he had none, the man assaulted him, the police said. When Mr. Ducasse got the upper hand in the fight, a third man approached and stabbed him. Image Terrell V. Henry, who was fatally shot outside a bodega in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn last week. The police had not made an arrest in the case as of Tuesday. And on May 26 in Queens, in a case that District Attorney Richard A. Brown called truly troubling, a man waiting for a bus before dawn was attacked by a homeless man who kicked and beat him to death before rifling through his pockets, according to a criminal complaint. In all three cases, it appeared there was no relationship between victim and killer. Whether that was true in the Howard Beach murder remains to be seen. There were no witnesses. Ms. Vetrano normally ran with her father, but she was alone that evening. Judge Kevin McGrath set bail at $10,000 cash or $5,000 bond. Prosecutors said Mr. Rogata, who lives in Virginia, walked into the Midtown towers atrium, sneaked into a fenced-off area and began his climb of the buildings exterior on the fifth floor. Mr. Rogata had been scaling the building for nearly three hours when he was grabbed by officers who had removed a window on the 21st floor. The climb, which was watched by millions of viewers on television and online, as well as hundreds of people from the streets below, was the latest headline-grabbing chapter for Trump Tower, since Mr. Trump began his presidential campaign there last summer. On Wednesday, Pierre Griffith, an assistant district attorney, said that Mr. Rogata told investigators he had wanted to give Mr. Trump, the Republican nominee, secret information that has to do with when hes president, how hes going to govern. Prosecutors said Mr. Rogata told investigators that he had hoped to make it to the top of the 68-story building but also knew he would quite likely be arrested. Mr. Rogata, prosecutors said, waited for his parents to leave home before driving to New York City, where he arrived on Aug. 9. He bought climbing equipment online in the weeks before the stunt and practiced on a three-story building in Virginia, Mr. Griffith said. The state already bans texting or other cellphone use while driving, a prohibition that Mr. Wisniewski acknowledges has not appeared to dissuade many from doing so. Still, for some, his bill poses an existential threat. Now theyre reaching into the car and taking the Dunkin Donuts out of your hand and taking the lipstick out of your hand, Jim Sillence, 44, of Morris Plains, said in the parking lot of a Morristown CVS one recent afternoon. What are they going to do, outlaw drive-throughs? (Mr. Sillence had chosen not to take advantage of the CVSs drive-through pharmacy.) Mr. Sillence, who acknowledged that neither grooming nor eating while driving was the best idea, was once rear-ended by someone who claimed to be looking at a GPS app at the time. Another time, he tried to change lanes after realizing that the driver ahead was texting, but all of the drivers around him appeared to be using their cellphones, too. Still, to him, the ban stank of government overreaching. Im not smart enough to come up with the right answer, he said, shrugging. Mr. Wisniewski said he had received more feedback on the distracted-driving bill than he had over several years of proposing to raise the states gas tax, which by remaining low has become another New Jersey peculiarity. Maine, he noted, had not experienced a similar level of outrage. He could also draw inspiration from Britain, where driving without due care and attention can result in large fines and penalty points. The laws most notorious recent target: a woman who was fined 145 pounds and three penalty points on her license for eating a banana in a traffic jam. (This is the most expensive banana Ive ever had in my life, she told her local newspaper.) "The sixth Ukrainian World Forum - the highest assembly of Ukrainians from abroad" will be held in Kyiv on August 20 and August 21, followed by a solemn meeting at the National Opera House with the participation of President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko on August 22, Chairman of the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council (UVKR) Michael Ratushnyy has said. "The Forum will virtually last three days: two days in the Ukrainian House, and the third day at the National Opera of Ukraine with the participation of the president. I hope that we [representatives of the Diaspora] and the authorities will hear each other and develop a plan of further actions," Ratushnyy said at a press conference in Kyiv on Wednesday. The Forum includes a plenary session, as well as the activities of ten panels and committees on the issues Ukrainians and the Ukrainian Diaspora consider to be topical. A gala concert entitled "We are All Your Children, Ukraine" is also scheduled as part of the Forum. The concert will present the best performers of the Ukrainian Diaspora and bands from Ukraine, which perform for soldiers in the Anti-Terrorist Operation zone in the east of Ukraine. The organizers expect more than 300 delegates from 35 countries. The key agenda of the Forum will feature such issues as the preservation of Ukrainian identity amid Russian aggression, the work of the Ukrainian community in Russia, as well as education. "The Ukrainian Diaspora is a huge resource, and amid the war, they should be used and they want to be used. If we change the national legislation, if these Ukrainian people, living abroad, want to come here, and they do not require large salaries, but they have experience and the immunity to corruptionWe believe that Ukraine should create the so-called "Peace Corps" so that Ukrainians could come and join the transformations," Ratushnyy said. President Poroshenko, Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Andriy Parubiy and representatives of the clergy and the public have been invited to the Forum. The Ukrainian World Forum is held every five years. The first one took place on August 21-24, 1992. Investigators said on Wednesday that they were certain the man charged with first-degree murder in the sidewalk killing of an imam and his assistant in Queens was the assailant, though they concede the motive for the attack remains a mystery. We have the gun; we have video, Robert K. Boyce, the New York Police Departments chief of detectives, said during a news conference. Clearly, it is him. Right now, Chief Boyce added, were trying to find the motivation of this individual. The suspect, Oscar Morel, who has been in police custody since Sunday night, was charged on Monday with two counts of second-degree murder in the killings of the imam, Alauddin Akonjee, 55, and his assistant, Thara Miah, 64. On Tuesday, prosecutors in Queens added a first-degree murder count a charge that carries a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole. Mr. Morel, 35, was ordered to be held without bail during an initial court appearance on Tuesday. Another hearing is set for Thursday. If, in effect, Al Qaeda in Syria is moving from strength to strength, this is a profound challenge for American policy in Syria. Some observers fear that, unchecked, the rebranded group could use the Syrian conflict to construct the most powerful terrorist base since Al Qaeda lost its Afghan strongholds following the post-Sept. 11 downfall of the Taliban in Afghanistan. The conundrum for American policy makers is how to block the creeping ascendancy of Qaeda-linked rebels in the armed coalition fighting the dictatorship of President Bashar al-Assad. The considerations behind American military action against Fatah al-Sham are complex and delicate. If the United States coordinates airstrikes with Russia, as Secretary of State John Kerry proposes, Charles Lister of the Middle East Institute warns that such action will only serve to drive more young Syrians into the arms of Fatah al-Sham and undermine moderate forces. The key for the United States is to find a way to halt and ultimately reverse the influence of Al Qaeda, under whatever name, in the Syrian opposition. The first course of action should be to put the new groups professed separation from Al Qaeda to the test. The United States should lay out a series of benchmarks building on the position shared by both Washington and the other Syrian rebel groups that Fatah al-Sham will be judged by deeds, not words that would indicate a real break with Al Qaeda, rather than a rhetorical and tactical contrivance. These could include the renunciation of takfiri ideology (which brands other, non-jihadist Muslims as death-deserving apostates), the repudiation of Al Qaedas goals and methods, the abandonment of terrorism and a commitment to a nonsectarian future for Syria. A precedent for this policy exists in the uneasy but apparently sustainable modus vivendi the United States has developed toward Hezbollah in Lebanon. The radical Shiite group is on the State Department-designated list of foreign terrorist groups, and it is illegal for Americans to provide it with any support. But the United States is not in an open conflict with Hezbollah, despite the groups sending thousands of fighters to support the Assad government in Syria. The benchmarks would operate in the full understanding that the former Nusra leaders are unlikely, and probably unable, to move toward such a moderate stance. The indications are that Mr. Jolani and his followers will remain committed followers of Al Qaeda and its broader agenda. But it would be essential to demonstrate their noncompliance to the other Syrian opposition groups in order to counter the extremists maneuver. Al Qaeda in Syria emerged as a leading player in the Syrian opposition because it proved itself one of the strongest military forces in the resistance against the brutal offensives of the Assad government. But Nusras rise also owed something to the absence of effective international and American engagement with the moderate rebel groups. If the United States wants to ensure that terrorists are not the primary beneficiaries of Syrias collapse, it should begin by calling their bluff and exposing them as unreconstructed fanatics. LONDON In barely a generation, air power has shifted from indiscriminate to discriminating. Thanks to advances in precision guidance, American bombs and missiles now generally get to where theyre intended. But human or machine error, bad luck or faulty military math still lead to unforeseen civilian deaths. And as the United States and its allies continue their bombing campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, many more noncombatants are perishing than they seem prepared to admit. During July, the number of reported civilian casualties from coalition airstrikes reached the highest level since the air war began in August 2014. On July 19, 78 or more civilians were reported killed near the Islamic State-occupied city of Manbij, Syria, many of them women and children. In the successful battle for Manbij alone, at least 200 civilians were reportedly killed. The United States and its allies have taken care to mitigate harm to civilians, and the United States Central Command is investigating the July 19 incident. But with the fight moving deeper into the towns and cities of Iraq and Syria where millions remain under the Islamic States thumb the risk is rising. Denmark, a member of the coalition, recently warned that civilian deaths might be unavoidable in this new phase of the war. Yet the allies appear poorly equipped to properly assess the numbers already being killed. Airwars, the organization I lead, at present estimates that at least 1,500 civilians have been killed by the United States-led coalition around one death for every nine strikes. Similar or higher tallies are reported by other monitoring groups, like Iraq Body Count and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. But coalition officials have publicly admitted just 55 deaths. At a Pentagon briefing in April, Maj. Gen. Peter Gersten dismissed as propaganda significant assertions to the contrary, telling reporters he had a high level of confidence in official casualty investigations. Can the coalitions assessments really miss 95 percent of fatalities in Iraq and Syria? So now Donald Trump is campaigning for the black vote. (Long, awkward pause.) Like so much of what Trump has said and done, this new outreach forces writers like me to conduct scatological studies, framing Trumps actions in their historical and intellectual absurdity. But, here we go. Trump, who got a shocking 1 percent of support among black voters in a recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, has been urged to reach out to black voters. A day after The New York Times published an article pointing out that the Republican nominee has not held a single event aimed at black voters in their communities, shunning the traditional stops at African-American churches, historically black colleges and barber shops and salons that have long been staples of the presidential campaign trail, Trump ventured to a suburban town outside Milwaukee that is 95 percent white and 1 percent black to tell the black population of America a population that has been consumed in recent years by a discussion of police misconduct and extrajudicial killings that the problem in our poorest communities is not that there are too many police, the problem is that there are not enough police. The speech was tone deaf, facile and nonsensical, much like the man who delivered it. Then within hours of making that speech, Trump shook up his campaign in part by naming Stephen Bannon, the executive chairman of Breitbart News LLC, the campaigns chief executive. Hiring Mr. Asiatico, who also designs costumes, isnt cheap. The cost can range from $3,000 to $140,000 per production. Perfectly ragged clothing doesnt just come off the rack. Producers say, Theres no fabric out there that can do the part? said Mr. Asiatico, who has been in the business for some 22 years. But costume designers know that what Im going to give adds finesse to the show. Distressing for the stage requires exaggerated painting and destruction techniques, such that color, shadows and damage can be read under the lights and from a distance. Recently, Mr. Asiatico added subtle variations of blood and sweat to costumes in the revival of The Crucible, and made uniforms in the musical Doctor Zhivago look as if they had gotten wet from fresh snow. The New York Times recently asked Mr. Asiatico to modify some of his techniques to turn a jean jacket into a wearable, distressed, chic-looking garment that anyone can make. Here, in four relatively easy steps, is Mr. Asiaticos guide to D.I.Y. distressing. Groundhog Day is coming to Broadway. For the first time. Again. In a development fitting for a show about a man forced to relive the same day over and over, backers of the new musical on Wednesday re-announced their plan to transfer the production from London, where it opened on Tuesday. The musicals Broadway prospects had become uncertain after its primary American backer, Scott Rudin, withdrew from the project in June. But this weeks opening, at the Old Vic Theater in London, was greeted with enthusiastic reviews and, in response to questions from reporters, the producers Andre Ptaszynski and Lia Vollack said they would bring the show to Broadway. But they did not say when, and a spokesman declined to say whether it would be this season. Mr. Ptaszynski, who is an executive with Andrew Lloyd Webbers Really Useful Group, is the executive producer of Matilda the Musical. Ms. Vollack is an executive with Sony Pictures, which owns the rights to the Groundhog Day film from which the musical is adapted. BATON ROUGE, La. Few can appreciate the scale of devastation and loss here quite like the tow truck driver. Since before dawn, Terrance Carter was up, first getting a flooded Cadillac out of Zachary, a town where more than two feet of rain had fallen in 72 hours. Soon after, he was hooking up a pickup truck abandoned by its driver during the floods in a neighborhood of North Baton Rouge, where nearly every house had the telltale brown stain up past the windowsills. Two hours later, he was taking a minivan through the charmingly named and thoroughly devastated middle-class subdivisions in the eastern part of the city. On this tour of destruction, he pointed to familiar neighborhoods that looked utterly wrecked and nearly deserted, and to ruined houses of friends he was just now seeing. But he was quiet passing the Triple S convenience store. It was there, on July 5, that his uncle Alton B. Sterling was killed. Its very hard to pass by that store, said Mr. Carter, a 28-year-old father of four who like thousands here is now homeless. He drove on in silence for some blocks. Then he pointed: All this flooded. The study found that the number of women held in the nations 3,200 municipal and county jails for misdemeanor crimes or who are awaiting trial or sentencing had increased significantly to about 110,000 in 2014 from fewer than 8,000 in 1970. (Over all, the nations jail population increased to 745,000 in 2014 from 157,000 in 1970.) Much of the increase in the number of jailed women occurred in counties with fewer than 250,000 people, according to the study, places where just 1,700 women had been incarcerated in 1970. By 2014, however, that number had surged to 51,600, the report said. And even as crime rates declined nationally, the trend toward jailing women in rural counties continued: Incarceration rates for women in sparsely populated counties rose to 140 per 100,000 in 2014 from 79 per 100,000 in 2000, the study found. During the same period, incarceration rates for women in the nations largest counties decreased to 71 per 100,000 from 76 per 100,000. Once a rarity, women are now held in jails in nearly every county a stark contrast to 1970, when almost three-quarters of counties held not a single woman in jail, the report said. The counties with the highest rates of jailed women are nearly all rural and include Nevada County, Calif.; Floyd County, Ga.; and St. Charles Parish, La. Each has a population of fewer than 100,000 people but a rate of incarceration for women of more than 280 per 100,000, according to the Vera Institute. Donald J. Trump, who has again reorganized his staff in an effort to right his faltering campaign, will receive his first classified briefing on Wednesday since becoming the Republican presidential nominee, according to a person briefed on the meeting. The meeting comes as Mr. Trumps campaign appears to be going through another upheaval, as some of his top advisers have urged the candidate to dig in and prepare for a prolonged and aggressive fight for the presidency and amid questions over his campaign chairmans ties to a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine. Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, who leads Mr. Trumps transition team, and retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, who formerly led the Defense Intelligence Agency, will also attend the briefing. According to ABC News, which first reported on the timing of the briefing, it will take place at the F.B.I. field office in Manhattan, which can accommodate the appropriate security needs. Hillary Clinton leaned into her plans to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans on Wednesday, denouncing Donald J. Trumps tax proposals as a boondoggle for billionaires. Were going to tax the wealthy who have made all of the income gains in the last 15 years, Mrs. Clinton told a crowd in Cleveland. The superwealthy, corporations, Wall Street, she declared emphatically, theyre going to have to invest in education, in skills training, in infrastructure. For months, Mrs. Clinton has attacked Mr. Trumps economic agenda in broad terms, portraying him as a follower of the trickle down orthodoxy of previous Republican administrations. But Mr. Trumps release of his tax plans last week in Detroit allowed her to begin to criticize them more specifically. Just as President Obama attacked his 2012 rival, Mitt Romney, for paying a lower effective tax rate than the vast majority of Americans, Mrs. Clinton said that Mr. Trumps plan would benefit people in his own income bracket, declaring that he would pay a lower rate than middle-class families if it were put into effect. Mr. Trump has recommended cutting the top marginal income tax rate to 33 percent from the current 39.6 percent, and broadening deductions for things like child care. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has held a phone conversation with President of the European Council Donald Tusk to discuss escalation in eastern Ukraine and at the administrative border between mainland Ukraine and Russia-occupied Crimea, as well as steps that need to be taken to address the situation. "The head of state informed the other side about cynical acts of provocation by the Russian Federation in the occupied Crimea, and the escalation of its aggressive actions in Donbas. Further, the sides touched on the implementation of the Minsk agreements. Poroshenko stressed the need to enhance the international presence in Donbas, in particular through the expansion of the OSCE [Special Monitoring] Mission's mandate, and farther to Crimea, and the deployment of an OSCE armed police mission in Donbas," the Ukrainian presidential press service said in a statement posted on the president's official website on Wednesday. It is important for the EU to resolutely react to Russian provocations and actions to artificially foment tensions, he said. "After the latest events in Crimea, there should be no illusions regarding the Russian Federation's intentions. Sanctions and their reinforcement are an efficient influence mechanism," he said. Poroshenko and Tusk also discussed prospects for the soonest liberalization of EU visa procedures for Ukrainian citizens and coordinated further steps in this direction. "The head of state reaffirmed an invitation to the European Council president to visit Ukraine to take part in events commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Babyn Yar tragedy," it said. The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers issued a directive on holding mourning ceremonies at the Babyn Yar national historical and memorial complex in Kyiv on September 29, 2016, in which the country's top leadership will take part. JOHANNESBURG In a continuing shake-up of South Africas political order, the long-governing African National Congress on Wednesday appeared at risk of losing power in Johannesburg, the nations commercial capital, after failing to form a coalition government. The party, which received the most votes in the city in the Aug. 3 local elections but not enough to govern outright, was rebuffed in its efforts to build a coalition with the second-biggest opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters. Calling the A.N.C. corrupt to the core, the opposition partys leader, Julius Malema, said in a news conference that the idea of a partnership had become untenable after the A.N.C. rejected certain conditions, including the resignation of President Jacob Zuma. Mr. Malema said the A.N.C. would not get a single vote from his party. Instead, Mr. Malema said his party would support the main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, though it would stop short of entering into a formal coalition with it. The Democratic Alliances leader, Mmusi Maimane, said in a separate news conference on Wednesday that discussions were proceeding with Mr. Malema to form a minority government in Johannesburg. KABUL, Afghanistan Around 20 guests gathered in a dusty corner of northern Afghanistan on Sunday night to break bread in celebration of a miraculous truce: the coming together of two bitter enemies who had been on opposite sides of the war. The centerpiece of the meal was roasted goat, a sacrifice by a father offered upon the return of his son, for that was what was happening. Just three months before, the host, Abdul Basir, a government militia commander, had fired his rifle in the dark of the night at his son Said Muhammad, a hardened Taliban fighter, and was sad not to have killed him. Now, after trying several times to fulfill their vows to kill each other, the father and son were embracing and exchanging garlands of plastic flowers in the northern province of Faryab, where their battle had played out. He was my son but he had been a coward out there fighting me, said Mr. Basir, a lanky, cleanshaven commander in his 40s who has known little but combat since he was 15. Several of his children and five of his brothers serve in his militia. Now I am very happy that he has returned to us. I hugged him and I said, No matter what you did, you are my son. BEIJING For most of its 25 years, the Chinese history magazine Yanhuang Chunqiu has been loved by moderate liberals and detested with equal passion by devotees of Mao Zedong, who reviled it as a refuge for heretical criticisms of the Chinese leader and the Communist Party. But in a sign of how sharply ideological winds have turned under President Xi Jinping, officials who recently took control of the magazine have wooed Maoist and nationalist writers who long scorned the magazine. Several well-known hard-line polemicists attended a meeting with the new managers on Monday. The new masters of Yanhuang Chunqiu, which had been one of the few remaining outlets for liberal political opinion in China, appear likely to remake it into an avidly loyal defender of party orthodoxy, said Wu Wei, who has remained in place as executive editor of the magazine but is among those fighting to save its independence. The meeting showed that they want to bring in contributors who have been completely opposed to what Yanhuang Chunqiu stood for, Mr. Wu said in an interview. They want Yanhuang Chunqiu to turn into a publication that only sings praise, discusses the positive and doesnt touch the negative. HONG KONG An acrimonious debate over Chinas use of prisoners organs for transplant a practice Chinese officials say has ended has flared anew as an international transplant conference gets underway in Hong Kong, with some doctors and ethicists saying the meeting should not be held in China given the controversy. Chinese health officials say China stopped using organs from executed prisoners on Jan. 1, 2015, after decades of obtaining most of its organs from convicts. Officials say they are building a voluntary national donation system that does not include prisoners. Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has an organ donation system separate from the mainlands. But in an article published on Wednesday in the American Journal of Transplantation, a day before the 26th International Congress of the Transplantation Society was to open in Hong Kong, doctors and members of a nongovernmental medical organization criticized the decision to hold the meeting in China as premature. SEOUL, South Korea He enjoyed a bit of tennis at the local club. He indulged in curry at an Indian restaurant in the west London neighborhood where he lived. As the No. 2 North Korean diplomat in Britain, he chaperoned a brother of his countrys reclusive leader to an Eric Clapton concert last year. The diplomat, Thae Yong-ho, 55, seemed to embrace the trappings of a comfortable life in a capitalist capital thousands of miles from dreary North Korea, never hinting at disloyalty. He had lived in London for a decade, trusted because of his familys impeccable legacy in North Korean history. So it was a shock on Wednesday when South Korea announced that Mr. Thae had betrayed his hermetic homeland by becoming the most senior North Korean official to defect in nearly two decades. How and when the diplomat had eluded his colleagues at the North Korean Embassy, who are required to monitor one another to thwart treason, was not clear. But a South Korean government spokesman, Jeong Joon-hee, said at a news conference that the diplomat had arrived recently in South Korea with his wife and family, proclaiming disillusionment with the increasingly isolated government of the North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un. Even though China recently built oil and gas pipelines from Myanmars coast into southern China and has access to the Kyaukpyu port on the Bay of Bengal, trade between the two nations dropped in 2015, and relations cooled during the five-year transition from a military junta, which China backed, to elections last year. The two sides are seeking to repair the friendship, though Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, who has praised the old tradition of a neutral foreign policy, is likely to be vigilant that China is not too overbearing. In the days before her visit, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi sought to ease tensions over the suspension of the Chinese-financed Myitsone Dam. After appointing a 20-member commission to review the suspension decision and look at other hydro projects, she can tell China that Myanmar no longer has a closed mind on the project, analysts said. She needs good relations with China, but were she to approve the dam, she would lose massive internal support among many groups, said David I. Steinberg, distinguished professor emeritus at Georgetown University. The new panel was a smart way to deflect pressure on her from China as well as her domestic constituency, he said. The commission could decide that the dam which Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi resisted as opposition leader because of the environmental impact it would have on the nations main artery, the Irrawaddy River should not be built. But it would most likely consider other projects that would be to Chinas liking, Mr. Steinberg said. For its part, Beijing has become more flexible on the dam, opening the way for the easing of tensions, analysts said. SYDNEY, Australia A detention center in Papua New Guinea where Australia has sent hundreds of asylum seekers will be closed, the governments of both countries said Wednesday. But neither side said when it would be shut down or what would be done with the people held there. The center, on Manus Island, a rugged, volcanic outcrop, is one of two such detention centers that Australia maintains in the Pacific to house migrants it has intercepted on the way to its shores, a policy that rights groups and the United Nations have criticized. In April, Papua New Guineas Supreme Court declared the center illegal, and the governments have held discussions since then about how to proceed. But few details about the future of the 960 asylum seekers being held there were disclosed Wednesday. A series of options are being advanced, Papua New Guineas prime minister, Peter ONeill, said in a statement announcing that both governments had agreed to close the center. SYDNEY, Australia After an appeal by Australias prime minister, Vietnam reversed an earlier decision and will allow war veterans from Australia and New Zealand to hold a commemoration at the site of the Battle of Long Tan, one of the bloodiest battles fought by troops from the three countries, the Australian government said on Thursday. Following high-level consultations between the Australian and Vietnamese governments, the Vietnamese authorities have agreed to allow access to the Long Tan site on 18 August with strict conditions, the Australian government said in a statement. On Wednesday, the Australian government had said Vietnam would not allow about 1,000 veterans from Australia and New Zealand to visit Long Tan, which is about 70 miles east of Ho Chi Minh City. BERLIN Nonagenarian survivors of Auschwitz, including two who recently met Pope Francis when he visited the former Nazi death camp, have asked Germanys highest court to swiftly resolve the case of a former SS soldier who was convicted of complicity in the murder of 300,000 prisoners. The German authorities have adopted a more aggressive approach to prosecuting those suspected of being Nazis, but Auschwitz survivors do not have as much time as German justice, said Roman Kent, 90, the New York-based president of the International Auschwitz Committee, a nongovernmental group that unites Holocaust survivors. The former SS soldier, Oskar Groning, now 95, was sentenced in July 2015 by a court in Luneburg to four years in prison for accessory to murder while serving at Auschwitz, where he also confiscated money and jewels from arriving prisoners. His lawyers and those representing some of the dozens of co-plaintiffs in the case appealed the decision, but the time needed to address legal technicalities delayed the arrival of the case at Germanys Federal Court of Justice, the highest court for civil and criminal cases. PARIS The debate is now so heated in France that one could be forgiven for assuming that the burkini the full-body bathing suit worn by some Muslim women had invaded French beaches. Five towns have banned them. Three more are in the process of doing so. Prime Minister Manuel Valls supported the prohibitions on Wednesday, calling the garment part of the enslavement of women. In fact it would be challenging to spot a burkini on most French beaches, and even some of the mayors considering the bans admit to never having seen one. But with a presidential election approaching next year, and the nation palpably on edge after a series of terrorist attacks including 85 people killed this summer along the French Riviera the burkini has become a new dividing line in Frances increasingly fraught relationship with its Muslim population, Europes largest. That there is no clear definition of what qualifies as a burkini, and that Muslim women have complained of being singled out on beaches even when covered by other kinds of garments, has raised the question of whether the increasing number of bans are meant to signal Frances demand for conformity with its non-Muslim majority or are genuinely part of Frances culture of laicite, or secularism in public life. Tusk tells Poroshenko he will raise Ukraine crisis issue at EU informal meetings in Bratislava in September President of the European Council Donald Tusk has assured Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko that his country remains among the European Union's priorities and solidarity with Ukraine amid external aggression will be discussed, including in the framework of informal meetings of EU member states in Bratislava in September. "We remain firm as for support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," the Ukrainian presidential press service quoted Tusk as saying over the phone during a recent conversation with Poroshenko. He also confirmed his position as for maintaining anti-Russian sanctions over Ukraine. Further, Tusk praised the actions of Poroshenko and the balanced position of the Ukrainian side, which does not react to Russian provocations in Crimea. The two sides also discussed prospects for a decision on EU visa liberalization for Ukraine in the near future and agreed on further coordinated steps in this direction. A German man who trained in Pakistan with an offshoot of Al Qaeda and confessed in 2009 to plotting to bomb American targets in Germany was released from prison this week. The decision to grant early release to the leader of the plot, Fritz Gelowicz, comes as the country grapples with the aftershocks of two recent attacks in Bavaria by people claiming loyalty to the Islamic State. Mr. Gelowicz, 36, was sentenced in 2010 to 12 years in prison. Counting time served before his sentencing, he had been in prison for nearly nine years and was eligible for early release based on good behavior and because he was no longer deemed to be a danger, according to Andreas Vitek, a spokesman for the Dusseldorf Higher Regional Court. Mr. Gelowicz will have to report regularly to a probation officer. The court in Dusseldorf released Mr. Gelowicz on Monday, but the decision did not receive widespread attention until Wednesday, after his defense lawyer, Dirk Uden, wrote about it on his website. After Chancellor Angela Merkel said last year that Germany would welcome refugees, boats started swarming in by the thousands. The Greek government, in the midst of an economic and political crisis, was woefully unprepared. So the village fishermen sprang into action, racing toward waterlogged dinghies as screams echoed over the water. Our people were in shock there were so many babies, Mr. Valamios recalled. We took the babies first, then returned for the adults. Often you didnt know if the children would wind up orphans. He paused, then clenched his jaw. We saw many people die. The village soon set up a rescue system. If someone saw a migrant boat in trouble, he or she would alert the fishermen to head out. Residents gathered on shore to meet incoming boats and help survivors, who at one point numbered around 5,000 a day. Women, led by village grandmothers, took the newcomers to a small house, where they dressed them in donated clothes and administered milk to babies. CAIRO Seven people were killed in Saudi Arabia when a missile fired from Yemen struck a commercial district in the city of Najran, the kingdoms official news media confirmed on Wednesday. The attack, on Tuesday evening, appeared to have been carried out by Houthi militias in northern Yemen in retaliation for a series of deadly airstrikes by the Saudi-led military coalition on Monday and Tuesday. Those strikes killed 35 people, 17 of them in a hospital run by Doctors Without Borders in northern Yemen. A spokesman for the Houthi-backed army in Yemen, Brig. Gen. Sharaf Luqman, said Yemeni forces had escalated their missile strikes against Saudi Arabia in retaliation. They are destroying our nation day and night, he said. When they strike us, we are forced to launch missiles. So its missiles versus warplanes. Dividing his work into three parts, Hertmans floats through the first and third sections as an essayist and imagist, interpreting the notebooks and visiting the sites that shaped his grandfathers development as a man and an artist. He grapples, conjectures, chronicles and evokes. But in the middle section, he sets this machinery aside and writes in an immersive, first-person voice, channeling his grandfather from the trenches of World War I. Where Hertmanss narrative style is precise, speculative and philosophical, the manner he adopts for his grandfathers voice is immediate, earnest and colloquial. To his credit, Hertmans never makes Urbain sound like a writer pretending to be a soldier. Seeing a mans life unfold and hover from these different vantage points across time, from within and from without yields a tender, many-sided portrait. We encounter Urbain as the son of a church muralist, observing his father as he plies his painterly trade, working from his pearwood box of pigments, knives and brushes, and we feel the boys slow-kindling desire to make art for himself. We watch Urbain go to work in a foundry in Ghent, then head off to military school before being conscripted in the early days of the German invasion of Belgium in the summer of 1914. Hertmans is particularly adept at rendering the olfactory world of Urbains boyhood, of Flanders at the cusp of the 20th century, giving us a tannery with its tenacious stench, the penetrating odor of old wood and damp sackcloth in the shops, a closed courtyard that smelled of brussels sprout trimmings, horse manure scraped off the streets and drying tobacco leaves. Urbains sensibility, beautifully captured and imagined, is never far from these evocations: Describing his own grandmother, born in the first quarter of the 19th century, he said that her black apron he called it a pinafore smelled like the offal of young rabbits. Hertmanss own interpretive and descriptive powers are also never far away. He stands in front of a building where his grandfather might have worked as a tailors delivery boy, coaxing the past to life. Elsewhere, he absorbs a painting in a London gallery, retracing the passages in one of Urbains copies of a masterwork. Hertmans also knows when to pull back and enlarge the frame, when to provide an astute portrait of the aging painter as the survivor of wartime horrors: His grand passions were treetops, clouds and folds in fabric. In these formless forms he could let go, lose himself in a dream world of light and dark, in clouds congealed in oil paint, chiaroscuro, a world where nobody else could intrude, because something it was hard to say what had broken inside him. Is it really Wednesday? asked Candy Yasser on a recent evening as she brushed past Eric Lemonides, the tall and gregarious co-owner of Almond, in Bridgehampton. With a phone in each hand, his eyes darting from the dining room to the computer, Mr. Lemonides juggled reservations while welcoming walk-ins with his operatic laughter. A warm summer breeze drifted through the bistros open windows, hinting at a peaceful energy, but even for a regular like Ms. Yasser, 66, Almond, at the corner of Montauk Highway and Ocean Road, was hopping for the middle of the week. Seated at the bar, young women in minidresses tapped their platform sandals to the beat of Bunny Berigans trumpet and flirted with fashionably bearded lads. On the other side, round wooden tables cradled families with children, their attention fixed on their tablets or on the martini shakers that hold bouquets of fries. Along the back wall covered with red jumping-zebra wallpaper, two silver-haired men seemed engrossed in deal-making chatter, the collars on their polo shirts emerging straight-up above their navy blazers. Some of them surely remember the wallpaper from Gino of Capri, a lamented Italian restaurant on Manhattans Upper East Side. Malaga has long been a vacation spot for sun lovers in search of an affordable beach getaway. The metropolis of about 600,000 in southern Spain and the capital of the eponymous Andalusian province is part of the countrys tourist-heavy Costa del Sol and full of beachside resorts offering all-inclusive packages at wallet-friendly prices. Today, the growing number of cultural attractions here may be more of a reason to come than the soft golden- sand beaches and sparkling Mediterranean. In the last decade, more than 20 museums have opened in the port city showcasing everything from paintings by art world heavy-hitters to rare automobiles. Many are concentrated in the historical center, much of it entirely pedestrian and dating back to Phoenician times. Two of the most prominent institutions arrived in March 2015: the Centre Pompidou Malaga, the first branch of the Paris museum outside of France, and the Collection of the Russian Museum St. Petersburg/Malaga, also a first venture outside of Russia for the State Russian Museum. Part of an ambitious plan driven by the local government to transform Malaga into a global center for the arts, the City Council spent about seven million euros (about $7,760,000) to finance the Pompidou, and another two million euros for the Russian Museum. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has vetoed a bill on amnesty in 2016, which would apply, among others, to people involved in combat actions to defend Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Verkhovna Rada's official website said it received the bill back along with the president's amendments on August 17, 2016. It was reported earlier that the Verkhovna Rada had passed the bill on the whole on July 7, 2016 by 247 votes. The legislation stipulates that amnesty could be applied to the most vulnerable categories of convicts, including minors, women, men having children aged up to 16 or disabled children; individuals having disabilities of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree, individuals having tuberculosis or cancer, individuals of retirement age, and those who defended Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and were directly involved in the Anti-Terrorist Operation in Donbas. The principal criteria for applying amnesty, in line with the document, are insignificant public danger of a crime committed by an individual serving their time and objective factors such as a serious illness or an advanced age. The bill lists categories of convicts to whom amnesty cannot be applied; namely, this includes individuals "who committed grave and especially grave crimes and individuals who committed a crime in abusing their office (corruption-related crimes)." The Rada deputies are currently on vacation until September 6. Chief of the State Fiscal Service of Ukraine (SFS) Roman Nasirov will submit his e-declaration in September after the security of the electronic declaration (e-declaration) system is improved. "I will submit my declaration ... There are two months before the deadline for filing income declarations. I think many people will anyway fill in these declarations in September or early in October," Nasirov said at a briefing on Wednesday. "I planned to do this in September," Nasirov added. According to Nasirov, in two weeks, the relevant services will be able to do everything necessary to protect the information so that "people do not worry." As was earlier reported, head of the National Agency for Prevention of Corruption Natalia Korchak announced the launch of the e-declaration system at midnight on August 15 despite the fact that its data protection system had not been certified by the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine. Under the law on combating corruption, high-ranking officials are to fill in new detailed income declarations in 2016 within 60 days after the launch of the e-declaration system. In particular, electronic statements of assets and income should be submitted by the Ukrainian president and the prime minister along with their advisors and assistants, government members, deputy ministers, members of the national commissions and the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine, the head of the State Property Fund and the Central Bank governor along with their deputies. Ukrainian parliamentarians and civil servants belonging to the "A" or "B" categories, as well as judges, prosecutors, investigators, heads, deputy heads of state agencies whose jurisdiction covers the entire territory of Ukraine are also subject to e-declaration. High-ranking military officers are also to declare their incomes with the use of the new system. President of the European Council Donald Tusk says that the Russian version of events in Crimea and Donbas is "unreliable." "[I] spoke to President Poroshenko. We have a similar assessment of the situation in Crimea and Donbas. Russian version of events [is] unreliable," Tusk tweeted on Wednesday. On August 10, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) said terrorist acts allegedly plotted by the Ukrainian intelligence had been averted in Crimea. It was reported that the Russian special services, with support from other defense and security units, had prevented groups of saboteurs and terrorists from breaking into Crimea from the territory of Ukraine. The Russian side claimed that one Russian serviceman and one FSB officer were killed and reported that nine people involved in the events had been detained. Two of them were arrested. The Ukrainian Defense Ministry, the Main Intelligence Department and the National Security and Defense Council denied the reports on Ukrainian saboteurs. The Defense Ministry also said the accusations made by Russia of attacks on the peninsula from mainland Ukraine were similarly groundless. CAMP PENDLETON Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus on Tuesday announced that a new U.S. Navy destroyer will be named after World War II hero Gunnery Sgt. John Basilone. John Basilone was one of those Marines who Admiral Nimitz referred to as uncommon valor was a common virtue, said Mabus during the ship-naming ceremony on the seaside base. These Arleigh Burke class destroyers are amazing ships that can simultaneously execute undersea warfare and surface warfare, anti-air warfare and missile defense. In other words, like Marines, they are capable of fighting our nations battles on air, land and sea. The U.S. Navy ship, the USS John Basilone, is the second to be named after Basilone, who was based at Camp Pendleton. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism during the Battle of Guadalcanal, and was the only enlisted Marine to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross in World War II. After receiving the Medal of Honor, Basilone returned to the Pacific to fight and was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for destroying an enemy blockhouse and helping to save a U.S. tank at Iwo Jima. He was killed Feb. 19, 1945. A previous ship, the USS Basilone, also a destroyer, was decommissioned in 1977. Basilone also has a road named after him at the bases north end, a mile south of San Clemente. On Camp Pendleton, a section of the 5 freeway that runs through the base is called Gunnery Sergeant John Basilone Memorial Highway and a parachute landing site is called Basilone Drop Zone. The new destroyer, being built in Maine, is expected to join the U.S. Navy fleet in 2022. Destroyers conduct a variety of operations, from peacetime presence and crisis response to sea control and establishing a show of strength. It will be built at Bath Iron Works, a division of General Dynamics. The ship will be 509 feet long, have a beam length (the widest point on the ship) of 59 feet and be capable of operating at speeds in excess of 30 knots, according to a Navy statement. Today is an opportunity to pause for a minute if youre a Marine and reflect on Gunnery Sgt. Basilone and all he meant to the Marine Corps, said Lt. Gen. Lewis A. Craparotta, commanding general of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, who recently took command of the fighting force. The type of Marine he was. The type of man he was. The type of leader he was. Finally, his fortitude in battle and what he meant to his men. Contact the writer: 714-796-2254 or eritchie@ocregister.com or on Twitter:@lagunaini On a cloudy Sacramento day in 2001, a low-level aide to then-Gov. Gray Davis secretly met a representative of the Oracle Corp. software company, accepting a $25,000 check for Daviss re-election fund. Just a few days earlier, Oracle had received a $95 million software contract to update state computers. The sequence later became emblematic of the pay-to-play phenomenon allegedly common under Davis, a pattern used against him by Arnold Schwarzenegger when Davis was recalled and thrown from office in 2003, less than one year after his election to a second term. Anyone who thinks such behavior then disappeared from Sacramento can now see the interesting timing of a long list of corporate donations to the state Democratic Party and Gov. Jerry Browns 2014 re-election fund released the other day by the Consumer Watchdog advocacy group. The report is called Browns Dirty Hands. One example: The report says that in November 2011, Davis by then a lawyer for Los Angeles-based Occidental Petroleum Corp. pressured Brown to fire two oil and gas regulators the company felt were slow to grant injection well permits for hydraulic fracturing (fracking). Two months later, Oxy contributed $250,000 to Browns Proposition 30 tax increase initiative, and shortly after that gave $100,000 to one of Browns pet charities, the Oakland Military Institute. This surely looks like old-fashioned pay-to-play. (Just a few years earlier, former Republican Insurance Commission Chuck Quackenbush was hounded from office for getting insurance companies he regulated to contribute to his own pet charities.) Another example: In June 2013, tough regulations were dropped from Senate Bill 4, a bill intended to restrict fracking. The same day, Chevron Corp. gave $135,000 to the Democratic Party. Several months later, Chevron wrote the party a $350,000 check and a week later, the party put $300,000 into Browns re-election campaign fund. On the same day, Chevron plunked $54,400 (the legal maximum) into Browns coffer. The reports list goes on. It makes corporate campaign donations under Brown look at least as dicey as those that helped oust Davis. Brown and his aides dont deny any of these facts, but dismiss it all as insignificant claptrap. The governors leadership on climate is unmatched; these claims are downright cuckoo, said press secretary Evan Westrup, who furnished that remark via emails to this and other news outlets. Brown refused to comment personally. At least Davis had the good taste to fire a few aides after his pay-to-play pattern was exposed. There have been no such consequences under Brown. For example, former Pacific Gas & Electric Co. vice president and lobbyist Nancy McFadden remains the governors executive secretary, his top aide, years after it became widely known that she accepted a departure gift of more than $1 million from PG&E, signing a non-disparagement agreement to get the money. McFadden, part of whose job is to help vet all Browns top appointees, cannot do anything that might harm PG&E. So it was no surprise that emails between PG&E executives and the disgraced Michael Peevey, former president of the state Public Utilities Commission, identify McFadden as the go-to person in the governors office when it comes to naming new utilities commissioners. It is also no surprise that Brown continues refusing to disclose more than 60 emails between him, his office and the PUC from the time the commission saddled consumers with 70 percent of the $4.7 billion cost of closing the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. And its no surprise that state Attorney General Kamala Harris, enthusiastically backed by Brown for the U.S. Senate, has taken more than four months to rule on the simple question of whether those emails must be disclosed. Its all an extension of the kind of thing that went on under Davis, said Consumer Watchdog president Jamie Court. But Brown operates more under the radar and with more stealth. Then theres the pattern of multiple, well-documented government agency lies under Brown. It forms a pattern of ethical lapses more pervasive than anything perpetrated under Davis. But an attempt to recall Brown when he has barely two years left in his final term would likely prove futile, besides being a waste of time, money and energy. The important thing is for Californians to understand how unclean their state government now looks and to bear that in mind constantly while considering candidates to become Browns successor. SAN FRANCISCO Police say they identified a serial bank robber called the Dreaded Bandit because of the wig he used to disguise himself. Officers said Tuesday the man arrested last week in San Francisco was Mitchell Brown, who had recently been released from prison after serving a 27-year-sentence for bank robbery. The San Francisco Chronicle reports Brown, of San Francisco, was arrested Friday outside a in the citys Richmond District. At the time of his arrest, he was wearing a wig, a fake beard, sunglasses and gloves. Another man, 44-year-old Javier Jenkins, who was described by police as Browns getaway driver, was also arrested. Police say the 57-year-old Brown is believed to have robbed four banks in the Bay Area since April. LONDON Britains most infamous defender of Islamist extremism was found guilty of eliciting support for Islamic State, officials said Tuesday, marking what authorities described as a milestone in the British campaign to combat homegrown terrorism. The verdict against Anjem Choudary, 49, is the first major conviction against a man seen across Europe as a Pied Piper for young radicals and a cheerleader for Islamic State. His conviction immediately became the most significant example of how Britain and other European nations are moving to expand their counterterrorism operations, targeting not just active cells but also the voices of incitement. A top associate of Choudary Mohammed Rahman, 33 was also convicted, and both now face up to 10 years of jail time. The verdict came after years in which both men had mostly dodged British justice, doing so by successfully playing the same democratic system they often railed against. Choudary, for instance, is a trained lawyer, and he often maintained that his polemic statements such as calling for strict Islamic law in Britain and turning Buckingham Palace into a mosque were expressions of free speech designed to bait the British press. His conviction, however, came after he appeared to cross a line by openly supporting Islamic State. In lectures and statements posted on social media and YouTube, he encouraged youths to embrace Islamic State and denied its documented war atrocities, prosecutors said. In one piece of vital evidence, officials said, he pledged allegiance to the Islamic States leader in a conversation with a terrorism suspect. These two men knowingly sought to legitimize a terrorist organization and encouraged others to support it, Sue Hemming, head of counterterrorism for the Crown Prosecution Service, said in a statement. They used the power of social media to attempt to influence those who are susceptible to these types of messages, which might include the young or vulnerable. The men were convicted on June 28, but the verdict was announced Tuesday, after the conclusion of a related trial. They are set for sentencing on Sept. 6. Counterterrorism officials and experts have long described Choudary a soft-spoken lawyer with a salt-and-pepper beard known for wearing traditional Muslim robes as a leading figure in the dark networks across Europe that have fostered homegrown extremism and encouraged young Muslims to fight in the Middle East. These men have stayed just within the law for many years, but there is no one within the counterterrorism world that has any doubts of the influence that they have had, the hate they have spread and the people that they have encouraged to join terrorist organizations, Dean Haydon, head of the Metropolitan Polices Counter Terrorism Command. During the investigation, Haydon said, 20 years worth of material was considered. They included information recovered from 333 electronic devices containing 12.1 terabytes of storage data. In a meeting in a restaurant in July 2014. Choudary and Rahman, officials said, had contacted Mohammed Fachry, a convicted terrorist in Indonesia, and pledged their allegiance to the Islamic States leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Via social and traditional media, Choudary has openly defended known terrorists and called for the spread of Islamic law. His comments often harbored an air of the grandiose, leaving some wondering whether he was a publicity hound more than anything else. We believe there will be complete domination of the world by Islam, he told The Washington Post in 2014. That may sound like some kind of James Bond movie you know, Dr. No and world domination and all that. But we believe it. But over the past 15 years, counterterrorism experts say, the majority of Britons convicted of offenses related to Islamic extremism have been members or supporters of his shadowy organizations. They included the two men charged with slaughtering Lee Rigby, a British army soldier killed on the streets of London in May 2013. Yet other than a minor charge for holding an illegal demonstration, a series of allegations against Choudary never really stuck. In September, 2014, however, exasperated British authorities arrested Choudary and Rahman after mounting their most rigorous case against him. A detailed report compiled on Choudary by Hate Not Hope, a British anti-extremist organization, portrays Choudary as a sinister but savvy figure with deep connections to extremism. Well over 100 Britons with some connection to Choudary and his al-Muhajiroun network have gone to Syria to fight, the group said. Choudary has disputed that he ever coaxed jihadists to go and fight. But he routinely painted Islamic State as a religious utopia. If you look now in the area controlled by the Islamic State, the Jews, the Muslims and the Christians are living side by side in security, he once told the Guardian. Its not true that people are being slaughtered. Those people who are allied with the previous regime or those who are fighting against the Muslims, certainly they will be fought against. Choudary also maintained early and long ties with a host of other radical groups across Europe, including Sharia4Belgium. That group is now labeled a terrorist organization in Belgium, and authorities see it as an incubator of homegrown terror and young jihadists who have joined Islamic State. It seems incredulous that he was allowed to continue all these years, said Nick Lowles, executive director of Hope Not Hate. This really does put an end to his organization. Others will try to step into his place. But the people who come after him wont have the same credibility or media profile. NEWPORT BEACH Several City Council candidates stated their positions, sometimes with a thumbs up or down, on critical issues ranging from developments and short term rentals to the citys pension debt before a large crowd Tuesday at the Newport Beach Public Library. The more than 100 people who attended Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event got a glimpse of District 2 candidate Brad Avery, candidates for District 5, Jeff Herdman, Mike Glenn and Lee Lowrey, and District 7 candidates Phil Greer, Will ONeill and Fred Ameri. Two other District 2 candidates, Shelly Henderson and Max Johnson, declined to participate and withdrew from the election, respectively. After a period of short introductions, the dais was asked to use signs with a thumbs up and down symbol to answer a series of yes or no questions. All seven indicated they support an upcoming ballot measure that would require a city council super majority in favor of a tax increase prior to placing it on a ballot. Glenn was alone in his support for allowing motorized vehicles on the ocean front boardwalk. The majority of the panel was supportive of a development plan to convert 20 percent of the Banning Ranch property into an 895-unit apartment complex with a small hotel, hostel and commercial center, and clean up the rest of the aging oil field to make way for hiking and biking trails. Ameri and Greer rejected the plan as it presently stands. Ameri, a property rights advocate, said the number of apartments needed to be scaled back before he could lend his support for the project. If they bring it down to a logical acceptable level, I wouldnt mind getting it approved, he said. Greer said the project needed more work, but did not cite specifics. I would much rather see 300 acres of open space versus a bunch of oil derricks and old oil equipment, Lowrey countered. Herdman said he would support the project if it adheres to the citys general plan. A final vote by the California Coastal Commission is scheduled next month. All seven candidates said they support the city making accelerated payments to pay down its $276 million debt in unfunded pension liabilities. To save more money, Glenn suggested a ten-year hiring freeze, repositioning employees and money saving initiatives such as switching water providers. Trimming the staff and trimming the bloat through attrition not through firing we can lose 20 percent of the staff in ten years, he said. Ameri said staff should be required to pay more into their pensions. ONeill, a finance commissioner, said the city should stay the course and continue making the accelerated payments. Lowrey said city leaders should find an exit out of CalPERS and find funds that yield greater returns to the city and employees. All agreed that a byproduct of the citys proximity to the coast are the tourists who sometimes purchase two or three-day stays in homes advertised online. Avery and Ameri both oppose short-term rentals in their neighborhoods and similar areas, citing noise, littering and tenants not respecting their neighbors. Avery wants more resident input on STR ordinances and Ameri does not wants rentals in neighborhoods with single-family homes. Everyone agreed more enforcement is needed to curb the proliferation of illegal STR listings, but differed on their approaches. Lowrey proposed expanding the minimum number of days homes can be rented out. Herdman, ONeill and Greer said renters need to pay the citys transient occupancy tax. You have to take into consideration that their taking away income from the city because theyre not staying in a hotel, Herdman said. When asked if they support the Museum House and 150 Newport Center residential projects on Fashion Island, Greer and Ameri said they do not support either because none conform to the citys general plan and the increased traffic both would create. I have from day 1 been opposed to those two projects, Greer said. They are not compatible with the community. ONeill declined to comment specifically on the issue, but said he supports additional development. Glenn said voters should decide the outcome. Herdman does not support the Museum House, while Lowrey and Avery said they would seek advise on the issue and review the environmental impact report on the project. If Im elected, I would really seek the advise and listen to the Planning Commission on something like this, Avery said. The commission is expected to vote on the 150 Newport Center project Thursday. Other issues included ways to mitigate traffic and eliminating business license fees. A second forum will be held Wednesday at Orange Coast College. Lowrey, ONeill and Avery will not be present. Contact the writer: 714-796-2478 or lcasiano@ocregister.com A large clinical trial of a new osteoporosis drug found that it stimulates bone growth and prevents fractures at least as well as the only other such drug on the market. The new drug, expected to win approval from federal regulators, would offer another much-needed treatment for some of the 10 million Americans, 80 percent of them women, who have a disease that weakens bones and often leads to years of pain, disability and early death. Doctors who care for people with osteoporosis said they hoped the new drug would also spur price competition in an arena that has had none. The new drug would compete with a medicine made by Eli Lilly, called Forteo, that costs $2,550 for a four-week supply. A spokeswoman for Radius, the maker of the new drug, said it was the companys policy not to discuss price. Experts agree that new drugs are urgently needed for this debilitating disease. People with osteoporosis have bones that are fragile and break easily. Bone is naturally lost with age. But osteoporosis is an extreme, abnormal bone loss that can cause devastating fractures, particularly of the spine and hip. Yet most patients, even those at highest risk, are not getting any treatment, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. The first treatment option, a class of drugs called bisphosphonates, which includes Fosamax, slows the loss of existing bone but does not build bone. Those drugs can cost just pennies a day but can have very rare side effects a sudden shattering of the thighbone or an erosion of the jawbone which have discouraged people from using them. The only other option is Forteo. But its price is so high that insurers have required, for example, that patients try a bisphosphonate first. The clinical trial of the new drug was conducted by Radius, and the results were published Tuesday in The Journal of the American Medical Association. The trial compared the new drug, abaloparatide, with a placebo and with Lillys drug, Forteo. Like Forteo, the new drug must be injected daily, but it is a derivative of a different hormone one that stimulates only bone growth. Lillys drug stimulates both bone growth and bone loss, though the net effect is a gain in bone. With the Radius drug, holes in osteoporotic bone appeared to fill faster than with the Lilly drug. But the study was not large enough to determine whether that translated to fewer fractures. Both drugs were far better than a placebo. After 18 months, four women of the 824 taking the Radius drug had a new spine fracture, compared with six of the 818 taking Lillys drug and 30 of the 821 taking a placebo. Radius has filed an application with the Food and Drug Administration to market the drug. Osteoporosis is not one disease, and no one treatment will work for everyone, said Dr. Steven L. Teitelbaum, an osteoporosis expert at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. At Washington University and other leading medical centers with a major focus on osteoporosis, doctors perform bone biopsies to decide which drug is best for a high-risk patient. Some patients have osteoporosis because they lose bone too quickly. For them, a bisphosphonate or a similar injected drug, Prolia, made by Amgen, is preferred. Those who make new bone too slowly need a drug that builds it. Until now the only such drug has been Forteo. The 2009 revival of Farrells Ice Cream Parlour gave Southern California fans a sugary jolt of nostalgia with its 30-scoop party sundaes served by drum-banging workers dressed in vintage vests and straw hats. Ice cream shops in Mission Viejo, Brea and Riverside soon became destination spots for Generation X and baby boomers reliving their past while introducing new memories to their kids and grandchildren. But in the last year, the Farrells sugar rush appears to be crashing. Lake Forest-based Parlour Enterprises has closed three of its seven locations this year, including the original comeback store in Mission Viejo. On Aug. 1, scoop shops in Rancho Cucamonga and Sacramento abruptly closed. Company officials say the old-fashioned brand is halting expansion to focus on a major makeover that includes changing its ice cream recipe, enhancing the food and revamping the in-store candy shops. Those changes and more will be revealed Tuesday when Farrells will be featured on CNBCs reality business show The Profit hosted by Marcus Lemonis. In most shows, the self-made millionaire and CEO of Camping World offers his expertise and wallet to struggling small businesses. Farrells is the focus of the shows season four premiere. Due to confidentiality agreements, Farrells Marketing Director Shauna Parisi could not reveal certain details about the show, including any possible investment Lemonis made in the brand. She did say a key change will be in the menu, which will be revamped to focus on higher quality, scratch-made ingredients. Parisi said Lemonis spent seven months shooting at the 2-year-old Buena Park location. With all the competition, its important to elevate the food, Parisi said. Instead of using Thrifty Ice Cream, the restaurants are going back to the original creamier recipe used by Farrells founder Bob Farrell. Thrifty Ice Cream, based in El Monte, will continue to manufacture the new proprietary ice cream. The half-pound, flame-broiled burgers eventually will be hand formed and made with a three-beef blend to add more flavor. Fresh-cut fries will replace frozen fries. Were really looking to up our game in terms of fresh food, she said. Anyone familiar with Farrells knows that a bulk of the serving staff dressed in cane hats and pin-striped vests deliver monstrous ice cream concoctions as the sound of sirens and player-piano music blare in the background. The lively kid-friendly party atmosphere is what makes the concept legendary. During a visit to the Buena Park restaurant Tuesday night, vintage-dressed servers belted out in songs to guests celebrating birthdays. Noticeable decor changes included a new red and white marquee sign out front, a new color scheme inside and a revamped candy shop. The treat shop is stocked with offerings such as Harry Potter jelly beans and retro soda bottles. Most of the candy now is being sold by the pound with several varieties of jelly beans, gummy bears and licorice. The change is pure economics the self-serve method offers a much better profit margin, Parisi said. The menu changes in Buena Park wont roll out until after next weeks show. Diners can expect similar changes made to the companys other locations in Riverside, Brea and Santa Clarita. As for growth plans, Parisi said Farrells does not plan to expand anytime soon. Were looking to scale back to make sure every aspect of Farrells is executed in the right way. We have to be spot on. Contact the writer: SANTA ANA A bullet lodged in a toddlers car seat after men opened fire at a vehicle with a 2-year-old girl inside and her father driving Tuesday night. The dad was stopped on Evergreen Street in the 1800 block before 7 p.m. when approached by five to seven men who were shouting gang messages, he told Santa Ana police. The father sped away and said he heard a single gunshot. The driver was not known to be a gang member, police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna said. Investigators found nine shell casings. Anybody with information about this incident can call Orange County Crime Stoppers at 855-TIP-OCCS 855-847-6227. Contact the writer: 714-796-7802 or jsudock@ocregister.com The General Court of Justice of the European Union (Luxembourg) will announce verdict on the claims of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, his son Oleksandr and ex-secretary of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) Andriy Kliuyev on the abolition of sanctions imposed against them in 2014 in September 2016, according to the Yevropeiska Pravda (European Truth) online edition, with reference to court representative Balazs Lehoczki. "I can tell you that the General Court at 15:00 on September 15 will announce a ruling on the cases of former President Yanukovych, his son Oleksandr and Andriy Kliuyev," he said. The court representative added the former Ukrainian high-ranking officials would not take part in the hearing, since, as a rule, the parties do not come to Luxembourg for the announcement of the ruling. As reported, on March 5, 2014 the EU froze the assets of 18 Ukrainian citizens suspected of misappropriation of public funds and involvement in violations of human rights in Ukraine. The decision "provides for the freezing of funds and economic resources of certain individuals, defined responsible for misappropriation of Ukrainian state funds, and those responsible for violations of human rights in Ukraine, individuals and legal entities, affiliated organizations in order to consolidate and support the rule of law and respect for human rights in Ukraine." As the Blue Cut fire burned Tuesday, flames raced along both sides of Highway 138 in West Cajon Valley, closing the local landmark Mountain Top Cafe at the turnoff to Wrightwood. The cafes parking lot soon became a gathering spot for evacuees. Some cried. Some watched the approaching smoke clouds. Some were stoic. Im just waiting to see what happens by sundown, said 73-year-old John Gress. His plan: Hope the flames moved through quickly so he and his wife, Mary, could spend the night in their own bed. Once the fire burns past you, you aint got nothing to worry about. You aint got nothing (left) to burn, Gress reasoned. In the meantime, he sat in his immaculate Ford Mustang, which showed no trace of the ashes, and considered his close escape. He and his wife had saved their horse, horse trailer and two German shepherds. Ill be OK. Weve got our dogs, Mary Gress said. And if we lose everything, her husband chimed in, Well get the insurance money and move to Arizona where there are no Democrats. A few feet away in the parking lot, Jennifer Charoensawadsiri was drying her tears. Beside her was a single piece of luggage. But it was enough. All I wanted was my sons baby pictures, my family pictures, a couple of shirts and pants, she said. Thats it. Thats all Ive got. I have what I need. She and Carlos Gonzalez were away at work when they learned of the fire. They drove along a back road to avoid a roadblock, but got the car stuck. So they hitchhiked home and called an animal shelter to pick up their three German shepherds. And deputies gave the couple a ride to the cafe parking lot a few miles away. Now were trying to get our car out of the ditch so we can go somewhere, she said. Ive made my peace with whats going on. Ive already cried. Im fine. In Fontana, at an evacuation shelter set up by the Red Cross at Jessie Turner Community Center, about 30 people had gathered by afternoon, including Doris Jimenez, 71. I was right in the middle of it, said Jimenez, who lives on Club View Drive in the Lytle Creek area. This morning I opened up my drapes and it was pure black. Im very worried. I have no insurance. Ivan Clevenger, 72, was concerned about the fire reaching his home in Lytle Creek. Hes a historical re-enactor and has antiques that have been collected over the years. This is the second one I had to get out, said Clevenger, who lives in the Happy Jack area of Lytle Creek. The first time was in 2003 during the Rancho fire. He says theres about 500 houses in the canyon. Im hoping theyll get it stopped, Clevenger said. Weve been very fortunate in the past. Theyve managed to keep lost fires out of the canyon. Were hoping they can do it again. ANKARA, Turkey Prosecutors in western Turkey have demanded a life sentence for U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom Turkey accuses of masterminding the failed coup in the country, the state-run news agency reported Tuesday. Concluding a yearlong investigation into his movements financial dealings, prosecutors in the city of Usak demanded that Gulen be punished with two life sentences plus 1,900 years in prison, the Anadolu Agency reported. In the more than 2,500-page indictment accepted by the court in Usak on Tuesday, Gulen and 111 other suspects are accused of transferring funds obtained through charities or donations to the United States via front companies, Anadolu said. It said the indictment also makes reference to Gulens alleged role in the July 15 coup. Gulen, a former Erdogan ally who lives in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania, is already on trial in absentia in Turkish courts, facing life terms over accusations of plotting to overthrow the government and leading an armed group. He has also been indicted on a charge of leading a terror organization and faces another trial in absentia in November. On Tuesday, police in Istanbul launched simultaneous raids on 44 companies suspected of providing financial support to Gulens movement while authorities issued warrants to detain 120 company executives, Anadolu reported. The private Dogan news agency said the companies searched included a supermarket chain. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has refused to rule out bringing back the death penalty in order to punish the coup plotters a move that would further jeopardize Turkeys faltering European Union membership bid. But on Tuesday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim appeared to move away from reinstating capital punishment. Anyone who spilled the blood of our martyrs will be held to account. But, my valuable citizens, we wont act in the spirit of vengeance, Yildirim said during his weekly address to his ruling partys legislators. Death penalty is death for one time. But there are worse ways of dying. This is through an objective and fair trial. On Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held a telephone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to discuss an upcoming visit by Vice President Joe Biden, as well as Turkeys demand that Gulen be extradited, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said. The two also discussed recent developments in Syria. Meanwhile, Turkey made a formal request to Greece for the extradition of eight Turkish officers who fled to the neighboring country after last months attempted coup, the state-run news agency reported. A Justice Ministry file had been delivered to Greece requesting the officers return over charges that include breaching the Constitution through the use of force, plotting to kill the president and crimes against the parliament and government, Anadolu reported. The six pilots and two engineers fled to Greece aboard a military helicopter after the July 15 attempt. Turkey wants them returned to stand trial on charges of participating in the violent attempt by renegade officers within the Turkish military that resulted in at least 270 deaths. Parliament was bombed, while Erdogan escaped an attack on his hotel at a seaside resort. The eight deny involvement in the coup and have applied for asylum, saying they fear for their safety amid widespread purges in the aftermath of the attempted overthrow of the government. The government says the coup was the work of followers of Gulens religious movement, who allegedly have infiltrated the military over the years. The government declared a state of emergency and launched a massive crackdown on Gulens supporters in the aftermath of the coup, raising concerns among European nations and human rights organizations who have urged restraint. Some 35,000 people have been detained for questioning and more than 17,000 of them have been formally arrested to face trial, including soldiers, police, judges and journalists. Tens of thousands more people with suspected links to Gulen have been suspended or dismissed from their jobs in the judiciary, media, education, health care, military and local government. Gulen has denied any prior knowledge or involvement in the coup. NATUNA ISLANDS, INDONESIA (AP) Indonesia marked its Independence Day on Wednesday by sinking 60 foreign ships seized for fishing illegally in the countrys waters. Maritime and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said the ships were sunk at eight locations across the Indonesian archipelago. Pudjiastuti has organized the destruction of more than 200 illegal fishing boats since 2014. The government of President Joko Jokowi Widodo has taken a hardline stance against illegal fishing, partly driven by the need for Indonesia to show its neighbors, including China, that it is in control of its vast territory of 17,000 islands. Many of the boats were captured off Indonesias Natuna Islands, a point from which Indonesias exclusive economic zone thrusts into the South China Sea. Beijing has described the area as a traditional Chinese fishing ground even though it is nearly 1,250 miles from the Chinese mainland. The government sunk the ships in a low-key fashion compared with previous occasions, when boats were blown to smithereens and their destruction broadcast live. Pudjiastuti told a news conference in Ranai, a Natuna Islands port, that the ships were sunk off Ranai, Batam, Tarempa, Kalimantan, Maluku, and Sorong in West Papua to create artificial reefs. We do see at the moment the deterrent effect, she said. I think it is already quite a strong message to foreign countries and their fishing fleets. Pudjiastuti said future ship sinkings would be done in a less sensational way but that would not mean Indonesia is relenting on its stance against illegal fishing. The government originally planned to sink exactly 71 boats from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and China on Wednesday, which was the 71st anniversary of national independence. Pudjiastuti said six other vessels would be sunk in Pangandaran on the southern coast of West Java, where the government plans to build a museum of illegal fishing with U.S. and Norwegian help. Local media reports said eight vessels were scuttled on Monday in the eastern Indonesian ports of Bitung and Ternate. In March, Indonesia destroyed the Nigeria-flagged Viking with explosives. The ship was wanted around the world for illegally taking toothfish from southern waters. Kotarumalos reported from Jakarta, Indonesia BEIRUT In a move that could reverberate across the Middle East, Iran confirmed Wednesday that Russia is using its territory to launch airstrikes against Syria even as a second wave of Moscows bombers flew out of the Islamic Republic to hit targets in the war-ravaged country. The development represents a historical rapprochement with Russia that could rile U.S.-allied Gulf neighbors, strengthen Syrian President Bashar Assad and affect the war against the Islamic State. Russia announced the strikes Tuesday from near the Iranian city of Hamedan, 175 miles southwest of the capital, Tehran. On Wednesday, Russias Defense Ministry said another wave of warplanes had left from Iran, striking targets in eastern Syria. Alaeddin Boroujerdi, the head of the Iranian parliaments national security and foreign policy committee, then gave the first government acknowledgment of the Russian operation. He said the Russians were using Irans Shahid Nojeh air base about 30 miles north of Hamedan, a secluded base where Russian warplanes were detected landing late last year. Boroujerdi said the Russian Tu-22M3 bombers landed inside Iran only to refuel under the permission of the countrys Supreme National Security Council, a move that allowed them to carry a larger bomb load of more than 20 metric tons. There is no stationing of Russian forces in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran, he added. In Moscow, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov defended the use of Iranian military bases for airstrikes in Syria, rejecting allegations that it could be a violation of U.N. resolutions prohibiting the supply, sale and transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. In the case were discussing, there has been no supply, sale or transfer of warplanes to Iran, Lavrov told a news conference. The Russian air force uses these warplanes with Irans approval in order to take part in the counter-terrorism operation. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia was exacerbating what is already a very dangerous situation by using Iranian air bases as a way to carry out more intensive bombing runs that continue to hit civilian populations. On Wednesday, presumed Russian or Syrian government airstrikes on the rebel-held city of Idlib in the northwest killed 17 people and wounded at least 30 others, the Civil Defense branch for the province reported. For Iran, allowing Russia to launch strikes from inside the country is likely to prove unpopular. Many still remember how Russia, alongside Britain, invaded and occupied Iran during World War II to secure oil fields and Allied supply lines. But while Britain withdrew, Russia refused to leave, sparking the first international rebuke by the nascent U.N. Security Council in 1946. Irans constitution bars foreign militaries from having bases in the country, and Ali Larijani, the speaker of Irans parliament, was quick Wednesday to say Russia does not have a permanent presence in the country, likely to try to assuage such domestic concerns. The move also will not go unnoticed by Irans Sunni-ruled neighbors, which fall in the U.S. sphere of influence in the Middle East and host American military personnel. Russias decision to launch raids from Iran puts it firmly in the camp of Shiite forces in the Mideast, something Moscow may not realize carries long-term consequences, said Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official who is now a scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. SANTA ANA A man suspected of driving under the influence in a freeway crash that killed a 10-year-old girl on I-405 in Seal Beach on Monday was on probation for a prior DUI conviction, authorities said Wednesday. Adam Kanas, 36, of San Clemente was charged on Wednesday with one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated with a prior conviction and three felony counts of driving under the influence of drugs and causing bodily injury. Prosecutors said Kanas was driving under the influence of cocaine and opiates at 9:20 a.m. Monday when his 2013 Chevy Tahoe swerved left over the double yellow line into the carpool lane and struck the rear of a 2015 Tesla near the Seal Beach Boulevard exit on northbound I-405. The impact sent the Tesla carrying 10-year-old Kendra Geddis; her sister Kayla Geddis, 13; and their father, Don Geddis, 49, all of Hillsborough into the rear of a Honda Civic. Kendra Geddis, who was asleep in the back seat with her sister, was killed. Her father and sister were seriously injured. He was discharged from the hospital, a hospital official said Wednesday evening. Kayla was still in critical condition. Prosecutors accused Kanas of speeding at up to 80 mph and making unsafe lane changes at the time of the crash. At the time of his arrest, he displayed signs of intoxication, prosecutors said. Kanas and the driver of the Honda Civic were not hurt. On Wednesday, Kanas appeared briefly in Orange County Superior Court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. If convicted, he faces a sentence of 41 years to life in prison, said Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Walker. Court records show that Kanas has a prior conviction for driving under the influence in March 2015 in Los Angeles County. In 2014, he had a prior strike conviction for first-degree burglary in Los Angeles County. He was sentenced to three years of probation and ordered to complete a three-month, first-time-offender alcohol and drug education program. He was being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of $1 million bail and was scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing Aug. 25. Kendra Geddis was set to start the sixth grade, and her sister is an eighth-grader in the Hillsborough City School District on the San Francisco Peninsula. Their father is president of the school board. Staff Writer Alma Fausto contributed to this report. Contact the writer: 714-796-7767 or sschwebke@scng.com On Monday, the state Assembly approved a bill aimed at curbing abuses of civil asset forfeiture, a practice by which law enforcement may seize a persons property, cash and other assets without first achieving a criminal conviction. If approved by the Senate and signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, Senate Bill 443, proposed last year by Sen. Holly Mitchell, D-Los Angeles, and Assemblyman David Hadley, R-Torrance, will require a criminal conviction before assets worth less than $40,000 can be seized. Under current California law, state and local law enforcement agencies must secure a criminal conviction before seizing assets worth less than $25,000. Following this standard, California law enforcement agencies have seized roughly $20 million in assets in recent years. However, law enforcement agencies have long circumvented state law by participating in joint law enforcement activities with federal law enforcement agencies. At the federal level, a criminal conviction isnt required for asset seizure, and local law enforcement agencies that partner with federal agencies have been eligible to keep up to 80 percent of all seized assets through a program known as equitable sharing. Over the past decade, law enforcement agencies in California have dramatically escalated their participation in equitable sharing. According to the Drug Policy Alliance, between 2006 and 2013, California law enforcement agencies received $600 million in revenues from partnering with the federal government. In contrast, seizures under state law yielded $140 million in revenues over the same period. Notably, SB443 will apply to both state and federal cases, thereby strengthening existing state laws and finally cutting off the ability of California law enforcement agencies to circumvent state law in most cases. The idea that someones property and assets can be seized without being proven guilty of a crime is directly in conflict with the fundamental notion of the right to due process. And yet, getting this idea to pass in California hasnt been easy. Last year, the state Senate quickly approved SB443, with only Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, casting a dissenting vote. What followed was an aggressive campaign by the states law enforcement lobby to stop the bill. In September 2015, the Assembly rejected the bill, 44-24, with 12 abstentions. Fortunately, the bill was amended earlier this month in a manner that protects Californians while also satisfying law enforcement groups enough that the major organizations dropped their opposition to the bill. That was enough to dramatically shift the vote, and the bill was approved 69-7. In the interest of protecting the due process and property rights of Californians, we urge final approval of SB443. SAN FRANCISCO A federal appeals court on Tuesday banned the Justice Department from prosecuting medical marijuana cases if no state laws were broken. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco ordered the federal agency to show that 10 pending cases in California and Washington state violated medical marijuana laws in those states before continuing with prosecutions. Marijuana remains illegal under federal law, but Congress barred the Justice Department from spending money to prevent states from regulating the use or sale of medical pot under a bipartisan measure coauthored by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Costa Mesa. Federal prosecutors argued unsuccessfully that Congress meant only to bar the department from taking legal action against states and that it could still prosecute individuals who violate federal marijuana laws. The court rejected that, saying that medical marijuana-based prosecutions prevent the states from giving full effect to their own measures. If DOJ wishes to continue these prosecutions, Appellants are entitled to evidentiary hearings to determine whether their conduct was completely authorized by state law, by which we mean that they strictly complied with all relevant conditions imposed by state law on the use, distribution, possession, and cultivation of medical marijuana, Judge Diarmuid F. OScannlain wrote for the panel. Federal prosecutors could ask the 9th Circuit to reconsider the case or petition the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the issue. Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said officials are still reviewing the decision. Rohrabacher praised the ruling, calling it a victory over nanny-state control and saying it stays true to the intent of the so-called Rohrabacher-Farr amendment passed by Congress in 2014. The court decision today is a victory for states rights, the constitutional process of establishing law and a great victory for men and women across America who are utilizing medical marijuana to deal with a health problem in those states that have legalized the medical use of marijuana, he said. The Justice Department needs to go on notice that there should be no more prosecutions and raiding of dispensaries in those states where the state government has legalized medical marijuana. Marijuana activists and lawyers representing medical pot suppliers say the ruling is a significant addition to the growing support for broad legalization of the drug. Marijuana is legal for medicinal or recreational use in 25 states and the District of Columbia. In addition, 10 states have marijuana legalizations measures on the November ballot. This is the beginning of the end of federal prosecutions of state medical marijuana dispensary operators, growers and patients, said Marc Zilversmit, an attorney representing five people who operate four marijuana stores in Los Angeles and nine indoor growing sites in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Still, Zilversmit and other medical marijuana supporters said the Obama administration and federal authorities are still fighting the drugs legalization. On Thursday, the Obama administration announced that marijuana will remain on the list of most dangerous drugs, but said it will allow more research into its medical uses. The Drug Enforcement Administration said the agencys decision came after a lengthy review and consultation with the Health and Human Services Department, which said marijuana has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. The decision means that pot will remain illegal for any purpose under federal law. Rep. Earl Blumenauer, an Oregon Democrat who helped draft the language barring the Justice Department and its 93 U.S attorneys across the country from spending money on medical marijuana prosecutions, said the DOJ has been a little slow to pick up on lawmakers desire that prosecutors go after organized drug rings and leave alone medicinal pot sellers and users. Congress is increasingly united in the recognition that we should not interfere with what states are doing with medical marijuana, Blumenauer said. Unfortunately weve got the DEA and 93 U.S. attorneys who have people that are still frying little fish. Staff writer Brooke Edwards Staggs contributed to this report. SANTA ANA An Orange man was sentenced to 10 years in prison this week for embezzling $1.4 million from his employer while awaiting sentencing in a $2.7 million embezzlement case. Peter Suk Lee, 49, pleaded guilty this year to a bank fraud charge for embezzling company funds while working as a controller for Contempo Inc. USA, a Los Angeles business that imports and distributes fashion accessories. From August 2014 through September of last year, Lee forged signatures of company officials on 92 unauthorized checks made to him for $1.38 million, prosecutors said. At the same time, Lee was free on bond after pleading guilty to embezzling $2.65 million from Glovis America, an Irvine-based logistics company where he had worked as an accounting manager. Prosecutors said Lee used the stolen Glovis money for gambling and to pay personal bills for car insurance, credit cards and his mortgage. Prosecutors said he used part of the embezzled money from Contempo for gambling. He also gave large amounts to a female associate who used the money to buy jewelery and pay her rent. In court, Lee also admitted to embezzling $70,000 from Orion Technology in Placentia, where he worked in 2014, prosecutors said. As part of Lees sentence, which covers both cases, the judge ordered him to pay $2.9 million in restitution. Also sentenced in connection with the Glovis fraud on Monday was John Wootae Kim, 46, of Irvine, who prosecutors said opened a fraudulent bank account as part of the embezzlement scheme. Kim was sentenced to two years in prison. Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com An investigation by the Orange County District Attorneys office found that the fatal shooting of a 22-year-old man by Anaheim police in February was justified. The death of Gustavo Adolfo Najera prompted a wrongful-death lawsuit by his family. But on Tuesday, the District Attorneys office said Anaheim Officer German Alvarez acted reasonably when he shot Najera early February 9 at Sage Park. Officers were called to the 1300 block of West Lido Place near the park shortly after midnight for a report of a man walking around knocking on doors, the Register reported after the shooting. Police searched and found a man later identified as Najera and a shooting occurred. He died shortly afterward. Najeras parents filed suit after no details about what led to the shooting were released. Tuesdays investigation report revealed more information about what happened that night. Officer Alvarez was wearing a body camera during the incident, according to the report. Footage showed Najera approaching Alvarez sitting in the patrol car at Sage Park, shining a flashlight at the officer and yelled I hate cops! according to the report. At one point, Najera brought his right arm forward from behind his back and Officer Alvarez could see (that) Najeras right hand was clenched. The officer was unsure if Najera had a weapon, but was soon struck in the face with sand that rattled and covered the inside of the patrol car. Alvarez, blinded by the sand and fearing for his life, fired a shot. He found Najera on the ground bleeding with a gunshot wound to his face and started administering first aid. When backup and paramedics arrived, they took over but Najera was pronounced dead a few minutes later. Family members described Najera as having a drinking problem and possibly using illegal drugs. He was often a transient who lived at Sage and Pearson parks. A medical examiner concluded that Najera died as a result of the gunshot wound. At the time, he had drugs in his system, including methamphetamine. Contact the writer: 714-796-7865 or afausto@ocregister.com WASHINGTON A mysterious group that calls itself the Shadow Brokers claims to have hacked into the National Security Agency, stolen powerful cyberweapons and surveillance tools, and put them up for auction. If true, the claim would indicate that one of the U.S. governments key agencies for cyberwarfare is itself vulnerable and has fallen into a pitched and escalating battle with a powerful unknown cyber foe, perhaps Russia. News of the apparent breach came over the weekend when the Shadow Brokers released a limited number of files, claiming they were part of an arsenal made by creators of stuxnet, and other notorious NSA malware that helped cripple Irans nuclear program in 2009 and 2010 by shattering many of its centrifuges. Neither the NSA nor the Office of the Director of National Intelligence responded to queries about whether the NSA had been penetrated. But several cybersecurity experts took the claims seriously and suggested that the penetration of the NSA marks a watershed moment and is part of rising tensions between the United States and Russia. Among those backing that view was Edward Snowden, the former CIA employee and NSA subcontractor who in 2013 leaked a trove of secret NSA documents before seeking refuge in Russia. Snowden tweeted Tuesday that circumstantial evidence and conventional wisdom indicates Russian responsibility for the apparent NSA hack, and that the public revelation of the theft is a message that a series of tit-for-tats between Washington and Moscow could get messy fast. Snowden said he believed news of the apparent breach is more diplomacy than intelligence, related to the escalation around the DNC hack. Last month, WikiLeaks published tens of thousands of hacked emails from the Democratic National Committee, days before the Democratic convention in Philadelphia. U.S. intelligence officials later told top members of Congress that two Russian intelligence agencies or their proxies were behind the hack, according to Reuters and other media outlets, though there has been no official determination. The attempt at public shaming of Russia over election interference preceded this weeks developments, in which both nations appear to be outing the other side. The stolen cybersurveillance tools might help foreign governments do forensics on their own computer systems to determine whether they have been targets of U.S. surveillance efforts, a potentially embarrassing development for Washington. The files made public revealed tools to get past firewalls and embed in network equipment or software made by Fortinet, Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks in the United States, as well as TopSec, Chinas largest information security vendor. Its definitely significant to hack the NSA but if you look at the metadata, you would know that those files that have been provided date back to 2013. Some of the directories are very old, said Vitali Kremez, a cybercrime intelligence analyst at Flashpoint, a New York security firm. One of the exploits was targeting a specific Cisco device, and it was only targeting versions that have actually been outdated and replaced with new ones, Kremez said. One high-profile cyber entrepreneur, Matt Suiche, a French hacker who was co-founder of CloudVolumes, a high-tech California company, suggested a political motive for the attack. This could possibly be orchestrated by the Russian government so America will be stuck with Donald Trump as a president, Suiche wrote on medium.com, a publishing platform. But Kremez cautioned that it is too early to attribute the hack to Russia. It could look like Russia . but it could also not be Russia, he said. Somebody is trying to mess with all of that, to create false flags and to make the NSA and the U.S. look bad. EU Delegation to Ukraine: e-declaration system to be certified due to no technical deficiencies as clearly stated by UNDP The reasons why the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine refused the issue of certificates for the system of e-declaration of officials' assets contradict the statements of reliable experts about its compliance with international standards and the possibility of launching it in accordance with the law, the EU mission in Kyiv has stated. In connection with this Ukrainian authorities should as soon as possible to solve this problem, it said. "The assertion that the failed timely issuance of technical certificates is due to technical shortcomings is opposite to public statements made by the UNDP and other credible experts. They clearly emphasized the system fully complies with the international standards and now can be used for collection and publication of declarations absolutely legally. This is the task the NAPC [Ukraine's National Agency for Prevention of Corruption] must now fulfil," according to the statement by the EU Delegation and the embassies of EU member states in Kyiv. The statement says because of no proper certification the e-declaration system, the NAPC launched on August 15, "does not correspond to the objectives of securing the key legal consequences that should be the result of submission of false declarations." "Therefore the launch of the electronic declaration system in a test mode makes little sense and could become counterproductive," the European diplomats said. LOS ANGELES Two men who were watched by police as they marched through Inglewood carrying assault rifles and wearing military-style gear were later detained after a standoff that occurred when their car was stopped in nearby Los Angeles, authorities said Tuesday. Residents began calling 911 shortly after midnight to report the two men, Inglewood police Lt. Greg Held said. Though the two carried weapons, they didnt threaten anyone, and officers decided to avoid a confrontation and just monitor them, Held told City News Service. At one point, the men showed off their guns to a television news cameraman. They said the weapons, which appeared to be AR-15 assault rifles, were not loaded. In California, openly carrying an unloaded firearm is a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail. Broadcast footage showed the men pacing through dark, empty streets, the guns slung over their shoulders, occasionally decrying racism and white supremacy. Let it be known that this is a peaceful protest and Im within my constitutional rights, one of the men shouted at TV cameras. So if they violate that, that just goes to show how phony they are. Los Angeles police began monitoring the men when they crossed into that city around 3 a.m. After seeing the video of the men with what appeared to be assault rifles, body armor and Kevlar helmets, officials decided to detain and question them, Los Angeles police Deputy Chief Bob Green told reporters. Police in a half-dozen patrol cars tracked the men and pulled over their black sedan around 7 a.m. The men got out of the car but initially failed to comply with the officers commands. Police used a nonlethal device apparently firing rubber bullets in taking the driver into custody, according to City News Service. The passenger sat down on a curb and was also taken into custody. The men, who were not identified, were not charged, and the incident was under investigation, officials said. Detectives will try to determine what the mens intentions were and whether their guns were legal, Green said. RIO DE JANEIRO Suspended President Dilma Rousseff made a last-ditch effort Tuesday to avoid impeachment, telling Brazilian lawmakers she would let voters decide if they want to hold an early presidential election if she is restored to power. Rousseff had been publicly mulling the idea of a plebiscite for weeks as the Senate moves closer to an impeachment vote on charges her administration violated fiscal rules to hide budget problems. The vote is scheduled for Aug. 25, four days after the end of the Olympics being held in Rio de Janeiro. She made the proposal official in a long letter to the federal senate and Brazilian people in which she mixed expressions of regret for failing to listen to her compatriots with stern admonishments for critics she accused of plotting to carry out a coup. The full restoration of democracy requires that the population be the one to decide what is the best way to expand governability and perfect the Brazilian political and electoral system, she wrote. Its the only way out of the crisis. Rousseffs current term ends in 2018. If she is permanently removed by the Senate, interim President Michel Temer would serve out the term. Under her proposal, Rousseff once back in power would call a nationwide plebiscite asking Brazilians whether they supported an early election and a sweeping political and economic reform. The idea has some popular appeal. A poll done last month by Datafolha said 62 percent of Brazilians favored a new election as a way out of the countrys political crisis. But the same poll found just as many Brazilians did not want Rousseff back in power. Holding an early election would require a constitutional amendment that would not likely be supported by Rousseffs opponents in congress, who voted overwhelmingly to suspend her pending the Senate trial. This is nothing more than a desperate, last-minute political maneuver, said Elival da Silva Ramos, a law professor at the University of Sao Paulo. Nobody is taking it seriously. Rousseff was suspended in May on charges of fiddling with the federal budget to hide a gaping deficit. Although lawmakers have rolled back some of their accusations, she remains widely despised for rampant corruption inside her Workers Party and for Latin Americas largest economy falling into its deepest recession since the 1930s. However, Temer is just as unpopular and implicated himself in the sprawling investigation into huge bribes paid by companies to win contracts from state-run oil giant Petrobras. The Petrobras case has ensnared some of Brazils richest businessmen and powerful politicians from across the political spectrum. The local housing market cooled a bit in July, with prices and sales both dropping from previous months. But low mortgage rates, a limited number of homes for sale, and strong demand are keeping the market humming through the slower summer months, market watchers say. The median price of an Orange County home or price at the midpoint of all sales was $640,000 in July, down $15,000 from Junes revised median but up 4.1 percent from the July 2015 median, housing data firm CoreLogic reported Wednesday. July marked the 51st straight month of year-over-year price gains, a streak that saw the median climb $220,000, or 52 percent. Still, last months price fell from May and Junes record-high prices, dropping $5,000 below the pre-recession high of $645,000 set in June 2007. Sales also fell last month to 3,301 transactions, a 10.4 percent year-over-year drop. However, the bulk of that decline was due to a quirk of the calendar, said CoreLogic analyst Andrew LePage. July had five weekends and two fewer business days than July 2015. Had there been just two more days of business last month, the year-over-year sales decline would have been just 1.5 percent. LePage attributed last months market cooling to buyers resistance to prices hitting four-year highs, a lack of homes for sale, and tight credit. Summer slowdown Sales and price drops are the norm for this time of year, when home shopping typically takes a back seat to vacations, beach trips and getting the kids ready for school. Orange County home prices have dropped from June to July in 17 of the past 29 years and risen in just nine of those years, CoreLogic figures show. Sales fell in 23 of the past 29 years. Kids are going back to school a week or two weeks ago. Thats crazy, said agent William Soto of Harcourts Prime Properties in Aliso Viejo. Im starting to see a slowdown right now. Not surprising. July closings amounted to a pause that appears to be turning around in recent weeks, observed market watcher Steve Thomas, author of the bi-monthly Reports On Housing market inventory report. It was strange. It was transitioning into a summer market and now it bounced back, Thomas said. Thomas latest report shows sales of existing homes last month ranged from a $46,000 unit to a high of $13.8 million. CoreLogic reported the median price per square foot for a resale house was $379.51, the second-highest price per foot in nine years. Below the peak The Orange County median beat the pre-recession high in May and June, mainly because of high new home prices. Resale houses and condos still lag their pre-recession records. For example, Julys median price of an existing house was $695,000, 5 percent below the June 2007 record of $734,000. The median condo price was $458,000 last month, or 3 percent below the $470,000 record set in March 2006. The new-home median last month was $756,250. On a neighborhood level, median home prices were up in 54 out of 82 Orange County ZIP codes and down in 26. (Numbers were unavailable for one ZIP code in July.) Among ZIP codes with at least 25 transactions, Corona del Mar had the biggest price jump. The median in the 92625 ZIP jumped $1.9 million, or 99 percent, to $3.88 million last month. Sales, meanwhile, were down in 53 ZIP codes and up in 25. The biggest drop among ZIP codes with 25 deals or more occurred in Yorba Lindas 92887. Sales there fell 44 percent. Orange Countys 4.1 percent price gain was the second-smallest in the region. The median price for Southern California as a whole was $465,000, up 6.2 percent from the July before. Los Angeles Countys median of $531,500 was up 8.5 percent, the biggest gain in the region. In the six-county region, only Ventura County had a smaller appreciation rate than Orange County: Prices there increased 2.5 percent to $523,00. Sales regionwide stood at 21,705, down 10.7 percent again, primarily due to the shortness of the month. The average number of sales per day in July was down only about 2 percent. Contact the writer: 714-796-7734 or jcollins@ocregister.com Evan Morgan, who graduated from San Juan Hills High and will be a sophomore at Dartmouth College in the fall, has spent his summer as an intern for a sustainable-development organization in Bolivia, helping introduce poor rural families to a better way of cooking. Open-fire cooking is actually a pernicious, little-known killer, he said via email from Cochabamba, a Bolivian city four hours from the mountainous region of Toro Toro that is the focus of Stoves for Students. Morgan has helped provide environmentally friendly industrial-size stoves to 18 schools. The 19-year-old San Clemente resident was on a special scholarship to Bolivia from Dartmouth College and returned to the United States on Tuesday. What was your goal in Bolivia? To help people, help the planet and improve my Spanish. What is wrong with open-fire cooking? Gathering large amounts of wood is hard, inefficient work. It damages the environment by contributing to erosion and deforestation. Beyond that, open fires emit tremendous amounts of smoke and soot, leading to high risk of deadly respiratory diseases like pneumonia and lung cancer. What is special about these cookstoves? We primarily distribute two types of cookstoves: solar cookers and rocket stoves. Solar cookers are pretty self-explanatory you put them in the sun, and food slow-cooks without using any fuel or producing any emissions. Rocket stoves are wood-burning stoves which rely on an insulated combustion chamber that burns faster and hotter than an open fire while using smaller pieces of wood. The stoves cut down wood usage up to 75 percent and use a chimney to pipe noxious fumes out of the living area. We make both types here in Cochabamba. A solar cooker is about $100 and a large rocket stove costs roughly $285. How many do you distribute? Since 2003, we have distributed more than 11,000 cookstoves to rural communities across the country. We have seen remarkable retention rates and had testimonials from people who tell us how their throats hurt less, their houses are cleaner and they spend less time gathering wood. In our current project, we plan to distribute large rocket stoves to 18 schools in the Toro Toro municipality. Reactions of the rural people? We subsidize the stoves we distribute, but most people still have to pay for part of the stove. Its difficult to get people to lay down money for a stove when they can cook on an open fire for free. And some people resist the new technology, especially the solar cookers. But when people use the cookers, and they see the benefits to their friends or neighbors who begin using them, that really makes brings them on board with ecological cooking. Describe a typical household. A typical household that we help lives in a simple house in the countryside, making a small income by farming and raising animals like cows or sheep. Neither parent is formally educated. The mother works around the house, tending to the animals and doing the cooking, and her two or three children help her when they are not at school. Her husband works as a laborer when he is not out in the fields. What do you study at Dartmouth? I plan to study quantitative social science, a program which approaches the social sciences with a statistical, data-oriented bent. Last winter, on a whim, I took a seminar on climate change which really got me thinking about robust solutions to environmental and social issues. How has this changed you? Living with a host family here in Cochabamba and being immersed in the culture of Bolivia has definitely improved my cultural awareness. After working with Centro de Desarrollo en Energia Solar, I better understand the power of small changes to radically improve peoples lives. Any prior experiences? I have never really ventured outside the United States before, except on short trips. Doing sustainable development work, on a different continent, speaking a different language, its all new to me. Contact the writer: fswegles@ocregister.com or 949-492-5127 RIO DE JANEIRO Two American swimmers who along with Olympic champion Ryan Lochte were allegedly robbed at gunpoint Sunday were removed from a U.S. bound plane by Brazilian authorities Wednesday night as the story surrounding the incident took a series of unexpected turns. U.S. swimmers Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were taken off an American Airlines flight for Houston, a U.S. Olympic Committee official said. Jimmy Feigen, another U.S. gold medalist, was detained by police at the Rio airport before boarding the flight. Lochte returned to the U.S. on Monday. The moves at the airport came just hours after a Brazilian judge, citing contradictory statements by Lochte and Feigen to authorities, ordered police to confiscate the passports of Lochte and Feigen and questioned the pair about the alleged armed robbery. Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were detained Wednesday night shortly before their flight was scheduled to depart from Rio, USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said. They were released by local authorities with the understanding that they would continue their discussions about the incident on Thursday. James Feigen is also communicating with local authorities and intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well. We will continue to provide updated information as it is appropriate. An attorney for Conger and Bentz told the Associated Press the two American swimmers will not be allowed to leave Brazil until they provide testimony about the robbery. The incident involving Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medalist, has been a source of major embarrassment for Rio 2016, Brazilian and International Olympic Committee officials at Games already hounded by almost daily reports of violence in and around Olympic venues. Police are particularly interested in examining the four swimmers cell phones in an attempt to track there whereabouts Saturday night and Sunday morning. In issuing her ruling Wednesday, Judge Keyla Blank cited a surveillance video from when the four Americans returned to the Olympic Village shortly before 7 a.m. Rio time. At one point Lochte appears to laugh and hit a teammate in the head with his Olympic credential. They arrived with their psychological and physical integrity unshaken, Blank wrote in the ruling. Lochte and his three teammates told USOC officials they were robbed while riding in a taxi headed to the Olympic Village after attending a party at a hospitality center. After leaving the party, the swimmers cab was stopped by gunmen, according to the swimmers comments to the USOC. According to four members of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team, they left France House early Sunday morning in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village. Their taxi was stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes money and other personal belongings, Sandusky said. On Sunday Sandusky said all four were cooperating with authorities. Lochte has changed his story three times. He told NBC before leaving Rio that he had a gun put to his forehead by one of the robbers. We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over, Lochte told the network. But in an interview with NBC Wednesday night, Lochte said the group tried to get into a taxi and the driver initially refused to let them into the vehicle. Eventually they got in but when they asked the driver to leave he again refuse. At that point, Lochte said two men approached the car and told the four to lie on the ground. Advisers to Donald Trump keep reassuring Republicans that there is still plenty of time to rescue his candidacy nearly three months to counter Hillary Clintons vast operation in swing states and get Trump on message. The Trump team had better check the calendar. Voting actually starts in less than six weeks, on Sept. 23 in Minnesota and South Dakota, the first of some 35 states and the District of Columbia that allow people to cast ballots at polling sites or by mail before Nov. 8. Iowa is expected to have ballots ready by the end of September, as are Illinois and two other states. The electoral battlegrounds of Arizona and Ohio are to begin voting on Oct. 12, nearly four weeks before Election Day. And North Carolina and Florida will be underway before Halloween. Early voting has become a critical, even decisive factor in presidential elections: President Barack Obama was sufficiently ahead in the early vote in Iowa and Nevada in 2012 that his campaign shifted resources from those states to others, according to former advisers, who also credited enthusiastic early voting in 2008 for his victory in North Carolina and elsewhere. Nearly 32 percent of voters cast their ballots before Election Day in 2012, according to census data, compared with 29.7 percent in 2008 and 20 percent in 2004. With Clinton spending aggressively to try to dominate the early vote, Trump, who has repeatedly created distractions for himself in the past two weeks, is in jeopardy not just of being outmaneuvered but also of running out of chances to improve perceptions of him enough to win over undecided voters. Arent enough weeks left When you have something as catastrophic as the Trump campaign is becoming, there arent enough weeks left to turn things around, and little ability to organize effectively and capture a strong share of the early vote, said Mike Murphy, a veteran Republican strategist who worked on behalf of Jeb Bush during the primaries. If Clinton swamps Trump in the early vote in some swing states, she can move staff and money to the most competitive places like Florida, North Carolina and Ohio, judging from recent polls while he scrambles to battle on multiple fronts. As many as 40 percent of voters cast ballots in the early states, and you cant organize overnight, or even in just a few weeks, and win them, said Neil Newhouse, who was Mitt Romneys pollster in 2012. Truthfully, if the Clinton campaign inherited what the Obama campaign put together, theyve got to have a head start in this over the Trump campaign. Indeed, Clintons team, which includes a number of former top Obama campaign lieutenants, has been working with county officials to ensure that voters in swing states have places to cast their ballots early, organizing voters at the neighborhood level, and contacting those who may not know that they must request absentee ballots in jurisdictions that do not automatically send them. Some Clinton allies are also organizing souls to the polls buses that take church members to vote immediately after Sunday church services in Democratic strongholds like Cleveland. No Trump TV ads Trump is lagging far behind. Unlike Clinton, he has not been running television ads, which are crucial for engaging early voters, and he has state organizers of varying experience levels and scattershot ground troops in most places. His campaign is leaning on the Republican National Committee to open state offices to help with early voting. Both Romney and the 2008 Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, had more aggressive operations at this point. Paul Manafort, Trumps campaign chairman, said he did not think early voting would put Trump at a disadvantage, expressing confidence that the campaigns ground operation would be well organized and executed and that Trump would ultimately attract enough undecided voters to win. Manafort said the presidential debates would be critical for Trump; in the past, strong debate performances have led to a surge in early voting for the perceived winner, a boost that Romney enjoyed after he was widely seen as beating Obama in their first debate. We are organizing for this, Manafort said about early voting. We have very experienced people involved. He declined to provide details. Trump has pointed to the usually large numbers of people at his rallies, and their evident enthusiasm, as signs of strong support that will translate into energetic early voters. But during the Republican primaries, some Trump admirers at his rallies admitted they were not registered and had no plans to vote, and Trump advisers say that their voter registration efforts have been relatively modest. Clinton, by contrast, urges people at her rallies to register to vote, pointing them to clipboard-carrying volunteers who have forms to dispense and details about when, where and how to cast ballots. Hillarys getting into early voting details while Trump cant get past making awful sound bites, said Bill Carrick, a Democratic strategist and media consultant. The idea that he can fix things and win over swing voters in the final week or two thats not how elections are won anymore. Its wishful thinking. In a shocking incident that occurred recently in Indias Madhya Pradesh state, a 19-year-old college student sliced off her own tongue as an offering to the Goddess Kali, in exchange for the fulfillment of her wishes. Aarti Dubey, an undergraduate student at TRS College in Madhya Pradesh, apparently dreamed about Kali asking her to cut off her tongue in exchange for her hearts desire, and the next day she went to the goddess temple in the town of Reeva, to do just that. While its not unheard of for devotees to offer their body part to the goddess Kali, Aartis sacrifice is considered highly unusual because she is an educated young woman. There have been incidents of people offering their organs to the gods, expecting to get their wishes granted by the supreme power. What is startling in this case is the girl in question is educated. Illiterate people are bound to be superstitious, but when educated people become superstitious it does not bode well for the society as a whole, local journalist Shyam Mishra told The Daily Mail. Photo: The Daily Mail According to eyewitness reports, the young woman arrived at Kalis temple, and after performing some rituals, proceeded to slicing off her tongue with a sharp blade. She fell unconscious almost immediately after performing the bizarre sacrifice most likely from the pain but instead of calling an ambulance or giving her first aid, the temple priest and fellow devotees simply covered her with a scarf and started praying for her recovery. Five hours past until Aarti Dubey finally regained consciousness, during which time no one attempted to help her. To everyones surprise, she simply got up and started performing her rituals for Kali, including doing the rounds of the temple premises, all with a faint smile on her face. As news of Aartis shocking sacrifice began to spread around the town of Reeva, an ambulance and a team of policemen finally arrive at the temple to investigate. After confirming she was in a stable condition and offering first aid, they just sent the college student home. Aartis brother Sachin told The Daily Mail that the girl had told him about her dream and her intentions, but he never imagined she would actually go through with it. 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, the man said. When 18-year-old Liu Dawei ordered 24 toy gun replicas from a Taiwanese website, in July 2014, he never imagined the purchase would soon land him in prison for the rest of his life. Liu never even got the fake firearms he paid 30,540 RMB ($4,600) for, as his mail order was held at customs. Instead, police soon arrived at the front door of his home in Quanzhou city and arrested him for arms trafficking. According to the official police statement, they had intercepted his package and found that 20 of the 24 gun replicas were actually real guns. That sounds like a perfectly good explanation for the boys arrest, but only until you learn about what qualifies as a real gun in China. Chinese law classifies any weapon with a barrel that can fire an object at 1.8 j/cm2 as a real gun. During Liu Daweis trial, his lawyer argued that that is roughly the speed at which he could throw a handful of beans at someones face, and that the countrys current definition of an actual firearm simply makes no sense. Liu himself claimed that he had no idea that he would be breaking the law when he ordered the replicas, and that he thought he was merely buying a bunch of toys. Lius real guns/Photo: Chinanews Unfortunately for Liu Dawei, a judge sentenced him to life in prison, on April 30th, 2015. The minimum punishment for gun trafficking in China is 7 years in prison, but because the young man had technically been caught acquiring 20 real guns, the judge in the case believed that the death penalty was the most appropriate. However, after taking into consideration that Liu was only 18 when he placed the order for the guns, he decided to be lenient and reduced his sentence to life in prison. That obviously didnt make Liu Dawei much happier, and he reportedly shouted Please shoot me dead with the guns I bought! If I die, Ill admit Im guilty, after hearing the verdict. He has since then appealed the courts decision up to the Fujian Higher Peoples Court, which accepted the appeal in April. Liu Dawei Liu Daweis tragic story sparked a debate in China, with experts claiming that authorities need to reevaluate the standard for judging what qualifies as a real gun. In Hong Kong, for example, that standard is 7.077 j/cm2, while in Taiwan its 20k/cm2. Even in mainland China, the standard was 16 j/cm2, until it was brought down to 1.8 j/cm2, in 2008. via Shanghaiist Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... On Thursday, August 18, at 10.00, the Interfax-Ukraine News Agency's press center will host a press conference on SOCIS poll results entitled "The Social and Political Situation in Odesa." The poll was held July 31 through August 9, 2016. The participants will include head of SOCIS' analytical department Oleksandr Chashkovsky and SOCIS project manager Dmytro Sych (8/5a Reitarska Street). Admission requires press accreditation. More details by phone: +38 044 536 9138. Following his arrest and extradition to Austria in a case that alleges sexual assault, Freddie Gibbs has been formally charged in Austrian court. Gibbs was initially arrested in France this past June after allegations were raised against the Gary, Indiana rapper stemming from a 2015 incident. In response to the charges Gibbs attorney, Theodore Simon, has issued a statement vehemently denying any and all wrongdoing, noting that Gibbs has complied with all requests and is not fleeing the judicial process. You can read that below. While Freddie Gibbs was charged with an offense today, it remains only an allegation, and it does not in any way change the actual facts that Freddie Gibbs is 100% innocent. He continues to pursue every available means to demonstrate that he is absolutely innocent and that he has been both belatedly and wrongly accused. As the investigation and process continues, Mr. Gibbs remains hopeful that a thorough, searching and complete investigation will reveal the actual facts, including the absence of any scientific, physical, or credible evidence implicating him, thereby paving the way for his exoneration and return to his family and one-year old child. In accordance with Austrian procedure Mr. Gibbs has not as yet had the opportunity to provide the authorities and the Court with the substantial and compelling exonerating evidence that he has compiled. Consistent with the available legal practices and procedures in Austria, Mr. Gibbs will ask the Court to release him on bail, under reasonable terms and conditions, as was done in France. Through counsel Mr. Freddie Gibbs has consistently remained fully cooperative with law enforcement offices and judicial systems in both France and Austria and will continue to do so. The hip-hop figure had first claimed innocence when the case was made public in June, with another lawyer named Michael Malka saying at the time that Gibbs categorically denies the allegations made against him by Austria and is even very surprised that Austria is taking this on a year later, just as he is on tour in Europe. Agricultural News Governor Mary Fallin a Part of the Trump for President Ag Advisory Committee Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin and her Secretary of Agriculture, Jim Reese, are among a group of Republicans that have been selected to be a part of the Donald Trump for President Ag Advisory Committee. According to the News Release on the group, "the men and women on the committee will provide pioneering new ideas to strengthen our nation's agricultural industry as well as provide support to our rural communities. Mr. Trump understands the critical role our nation's agricultural community plays in feeding not only our country, but the world, and how important these Americans are to powering our nation's economy." The formation of the board represents Donald J. Trump's endorsement of these individuals' diverse skill sets and ideas that can improve the lives of those in agricultural communities. Mr. Trump has received widespread support from voters who understand he is the only candidate with the best interests of the agricultural community at the heart of his policies. Besides Fallin and Reese, two Oklahoma State Lawmakers, Senator Eddie Fields and State Representative Casey Murdock are also on the Board. The board also boasts of including the current Chairs of the House and Senate Ag Committees- Mike Conaway of Texas and Pat Roberts of Kansas. Former Secretary of Ag John Block also is a member. Mr. Trump said, "The members of my agricultural advisory committee represent the best that America can offer to help serve agricultural communities. Many of these officials have been elected by their communities to solve the issues that impact our rural areas every day. I'm very proud to stand with these men and women, and look forward to serving those who serve all Americans from the White House." The executive board members will convene on a regular basis. Advisory board members include: Charles Herbster National Chairman of the Agricultural and Rural Advisory Committee for the Donald J. Trump Campaign for President Sam Clovis - National Chief Policy Advisor for the Donald J. Trump Campaign for President Rebeckah Adcock -CropLife, Senior Director, Government Affairs Robert Aderholt - Congressman from Alabama; Chairman, Subcommittee on Agriculture Jay Armstrong - Kansas Wheat Commission; Chairman, Farm Foundation Gary Black - Commissioner Agriculture, Georgia John Block - Former Sec. of USDA Mike Brandenburg - State Legislator, North Dakota Terry Branstad Governor of Iowa Sam Brownback Governor of Kansas Chuck Conner CEO, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Mike Conaway House Agriculture Chairman Jack Dalrymple Governor of North Dakota Dennis Daugaard Governor of South Dakota Rodney Davis Congressman from Illinois; House Agriculture committee and Subcommittee Chair of Bio Tech Mary Fallin Governor of Oklahoma Eddie Fields Senator, Oklahoma; Chair Senate Ag and Rural Development Steve Foglesong - Former President National Cattlemen's Beef Association Jim Gilmore - Former Governor Virginia; Chairman of Report on Terrorism and Agro-Terrorism Bob Goodale - Former CEO of Harris Teeter Bob Goodlatte - Congressman, Virginia; Former Chairman House Agriculture Committee Mike Green State Senator, Michigan; Appropriations Agriculture Chair; Senate Agriculture Committee Vice Chair Helen Groves Rancher; daughter of Robert Kleberg (King Ranch); Well known in TX/ranching world Ron Heck Iowa farmer and Past President of the American Soybean Assoc. Dave Heineman Former Gov. Nebraska Hans Hunts State Legislator, Wyoming; Wyoming House Ag Committee; Rancher Cindy Hyde Smith Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, Mississippi Brent Jackson State Senator, North Carolina A.G. Kawamura Former Sec. Food & Agriculture, California John Kautz California wine producer; CEO Ironstone Vineyards Charlotte Kelly Tennessee cotton grower along with her husband (14,000 acres) plus operating a cotton gin processing 30,000 plus bales and a leader in the cotton industry Mark Killian Commissioner of Agriculture, Arizona; Farmer and rancher AZ Brian Klippenstein Protect the Harvest Tsosie Lewis Former CEO of Navaho Nation's Agricultural Products Industries Forrest Lucas CEO Lucas Oil; Protect the Harvest Mike McCloskey CEO Fair Oaks Farms- one of largest dairies in U.S. Beau McCoy State Senator; Nebraska Nat. Chr. Council State Govts Ted McKinney Former Director of Global Corp. Affairs for Elanco Animal Health Sid Miller Commissioner of Agriculture, Texas Jim Moseley Former consultant on agriculture at EPA; Former Deputy Secretary of USDA Brian Munzlinger - Chairman Missouri Senate Ag Committee Casey Murdock State Senator, Oklahoma Tom Nassif President Western Growers; Former Ambassador Garry Niemeyer Former President National Corn Growers Bill Northy Secretary of Ag, Iowa Sonny Perdue Former Gov. Georgia Rick Perry Former Gov. Texas Ryan Quarles Commissioner of Agriculture, Kentucky Bruce Rastetter Summit Ag Group of Alden, Iowa; Hosted first Republican Presidential debate Jim Reese Secretary of Agriculture for Gov. Mary Fallin of OK Larry Rhoden Senator South Dakota; House Majority Leader and Sen Majority Whip; Chair Senate Ag Committee Pete Ricketts Governor of Nebraska Pat Roberts U.S. Senator Kansas Marcus Rust CEO Rose Acre Farms- second largest egg producer in U.S. Leslie Rutledge Attorney General, Arkansas; Co-Chair of the National Association of Attorney General Agriculture Committee and is married to a soybean producer David Spears Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Dole Ag Advisor; Senior Vice President, Mid-Kansas Cooperative, Inc. Dr. Mike Strain Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana Red Steagall Official Cowboy Poet of Texas Annette Sweeney Former Iowa House Agriculture, Chair; Farmer; Agriculture Advocate Kip Tom CEO, Tom Farms LLC-Largest Agri-Business farm operator in Indiana; Operates farms in South America Johnny Trotter CEO of BarG- 125,000 feedlot operation and farms 10,0000 acres in TX Steve Wellman Former President of the American Soybean Association Walt Whitcomb Ag Commissioner, Maine John Wilkinson - Chairman, Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee Georgia State Senate WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady NSI Top Agricultural News South Korea Lends Help to Cambodia in Developing Smart Cities South Korea is lending a helping hand to Cambodia with its urban development initiatives to help in developing a series of "smart cities". The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport proposed a memorandum of understanding with the Cambodian Ministry of Land Management, Urban Planning and Construction on August 16. Because it is the first project between the two countries, they will join forces to turn Sihanoukville into a "smart city" together with state-of-the-art infrastructure including transportation, water management, and energy. The infrastructure will run based on advanced information technology from South Korea. The country's one and only port city, Sihanoukville, has a population of about 200,000 and it is about 230 km from the capital city of Cambodia which is Phnom Penh. The current infrastructure in the coastal city is still undeveloped even the government puts effort to make the coastal city modernize. Advertisement "South Korea's experiences in dealing with urban issues, such as water management, with the help of 'smart' IT, will surely provide a solution to Cambodia as it has to cope with unsustainable urban development at the port city," an official from the Korean ministry said. The MOU also focuses on joint efforts between South Korea and Cambodia government in the establishment of public housing across Cambodia through modeling Korea's similar housing institutions. Furthermore, the "Research Into the Implementation of Models for Public Housing Construction in Phnom Penh" joint project agreed upon in the MOU. It allows the two nations to investigate the recent status of housing across the capital, as well as to put in place a system to supply, secure and develop land for construction and to determine land supply standards. In August next year, a pilot construction project will begin in the capital of Cambodia following the project agreement between the two countries. Advertisement Advertisement Like us and Follow us Follow @Koreaportal and 2022 Korea Portal, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Two more cases of travel-related Zika virus recently were reported to Nebraska officials, bringing the statewide total to six. Both cases involved men, 40 to 55 years old, from northeast Nebraska. The men, who recently had traveled to a Zika-affected country, were not hospitalized, the Department of Health and Human Services said. The Zika virus is spread to people primarily through mosquito bites. Although the virus usually causes mild illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been reports of birth defects and other severe health consequences. Officials said they expect to see more travel-related cases of Zika virus in Nebraska. HHS officials said they would be updating state-specific case information at www.dhhs.ne.gov/zika. If Nebraskans travel to a Zika area, officials said, its important to prevent mosquito bites. Preventive tips include: Using an EPA-registered insect repellent properly. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants. Staying in places with air conditioning or that have screens on doors and windows. Health officials recommend that pregnant women in any trimester avoid travel to any area where the Zika virus is spreading. A file photo shows people enjoy food at a restaurant. [Photo: Xinua] During the first seven months of the year, China's non-financial outbound direct investment (ODI) rapidly increased, as did services trade in H1, according to official data released Wednesday. China's ODI soared to 673.24 billion yuan (about 102.75 billion U.S. dollars) from January to July, a 61.8 percent year-on-year increase, Ministry of Commerce (MOC) spokesperson Shen Danyang told a press conference. The ODI in July alone reached 91.01 billion yuan (13.89 billion U.S. dollars), down 9.5 percent month on month, according to the MOC. During the first seven months of the year, China's ODI surpassed its foreign direct investment (FDI), meaning China was a net capital exporter, Shen said. In the first seven months of the year, China's FDI rose 4.3 percent year on year to 491.51 billion yuan (77.13 billion U.S. dollars), according to MOC data. The United States and Germany were among the most popular investment destinations for Chinese companies. In the first seven months of the year, ODI in both countries more than doubled from a year earlier. Large overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A) contributed to the ODI growth boost. During the first seven months of the year, China's overseas M&A value stood at 54.3 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for more than half the total ODI. The M&A value in the first seven months of 2016 surpassed the volume registered for the whole of 2015. From January to July, there were M&As in 63 countries and regions, covering 15 sectors, including information transmission, services, software and manufacturing. By the end of July, China's accumulated investment under the Belt and Road Initiative hit 51.1 billion U.S. dollars, accounting for 12 percent of the country's total ODI. Launched in late 2013, the Belt and Road Initiative is an umbrella term for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It will be a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa, along ancient trade routes. The MOC also released China's services trade data at the press conference. China's services imports and exports amounted to 2.53 trillion yuan during the first six months of 2016, up 21.5 percent year on year. Exports in maintenance and repairs, advertising, finance, technology, telecommunications, and computer and information services grew rapidly. Services trade accounted for 18.6 percent of the country's total imports and exports during in H1, 4.1 percentage points higher than the same period in 2015. Firefighters are more at risk for cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder than the general population, according to a report released Tuesday by the International Association of Fire Fighters. The IAFF report says researchers at the Warrior Research Institute in Austin, Texas, have identified a clear link between traumatic situations experienced by firefighters and paramedics from car accidents to mass-casualty incidents and PTSD. PTSD can be 100 percent disabling, according to Suzi Byrd Gulliver, a psychologist with the Warrior Research Institute, who has been studying PTSD for many years. The IAFF notes that the Journal of Occupational Health found that 20 percent of firefighters and paramedics suffer from PTSD, compared to 3.5 percent of the general population. The IAFF report also says the risk of cancer is significantly higher for firefighters than the general population because when fighting fires they are apt to come into contact with synthetic materials such as plastics, foam and coatings that contain carcinogens. The report cites a 2013 study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health that found firefighters have a 14 percent increased risk of dying from cancer when compared with the general population. Our communities and their legislators need to understand how PTSD and cancer are impacting their firefighters over the course of a long and dedicated career protecting the public, IAFF president Harold Schaitberger said in a prepared statement. New advanced protocols are needed to help prevent PTSD and cancer from taking hold, and more elected officials need to step up and support laws that help firefighters afflicted with these hidden hazards. Contact the writer: 402-444-1272, kevin.cole@owh.com SAN DIEGO Mail-order prescription services often take days or weeks to deliver meds, but Phox, a nascent San Diego startup, has found a way to speed up the process. The company, co-founded by a hospital physician, has created an iPhone and Android app for same-day prescription delivery. Users need only download the app, sign up and snap a photo of their pill bottle and insurance card to transfer refills to Phoxs system. Phox then matches the person with a local, independent pharmacy that will bring prescriptions to the customers doorstep, with same-day delivery for meds that require immediate refills and no extra fees. Retail pharmacies define convenience by being in your neighborhood, but they want you in your store. The pharmacies are all the way at the back (of stores), which is designed on purpose for you to walk those aisles, said Amit Gir, Phoxs co-founder and chief medical officer. When we built this platform, we didnt just want to solve first-world problems, we wanted to solve real-world problems, meaning anyone from a millennial that just doesnt want to pick up his or her medications to the elderly who cant get to those medications. Phox is a primarily app-based system, but eventually it plans to contract with caretaker services to better serve seniors without smartphones. Launched in San Diego in May, Phox now delivers to people across most of Southern California. Unlike Bay Area startups such as NimbleRx and ScriptDash, which attempt to be both on-demand app and licensed pharmacy, Phox instead partners with independent area pharmacies. That means the local outlets do most of the work. They get the orders from Phox, dispense the medication, accept all major insurance plans, manage deliveries with their own fleet of background-checked drivers and even handle billing. These independent pharmacies, theyre not that big, but theyre efficient. They want new business, but they cant afford to market across the city or other ZIP codes, and they dont have the ability to design their own mobile app or market that app, Gir said. Us, being pure software, pure technology, our focus is on that experience of using an app to get your medications. Plus, as primarily a go-between, the company is never privy to customers sensitive health information, nor does it need to worry about most of the regulatory complexities associated with being a pharmacy. There are, of course, some drawbacks to Phoxs middleman approach. Partner pharmacies must call patients to verify customer identity and handle payments, for instance. Then, there is matter of getting a new prescription added to Phox, which requires that the user to instruct his or her doctor where to send the prescription. But Gir and his co-founder, Puneet Jain, believe that by taking a low-tech, app-only approach they can bypass the time and costs associated with building their own pharmacy. Plus, they plan to automate more of the system with time. DES MOINES A woman stopped next to the red outhouse at the Iowa State Fair and read the words written on the side. The Real Deal. Whats the real deal? Jan Boudewyns asked a man standing near the small wooden structure. The man, who is in fact named Les Outhouse, then explained to Boudewyns what makes his family of outhouse racers the real deal. On Tuesday, the Iowa Outhouse family yes, thats their real last name competed for the third time in the annual outhouse races at the Iowa State Fair. The races have become a tradition for the family an excuse to drop everything, come together and embrace their unique surname by earning it prestige on the racetrack. And, of course, making a few poop jokes along the way. This race means a lot to me because of all the people who are here with us, said Amanda Outhouse, 22, captain of the team. Its a big deal for us. Its a lot of fun. The Real Deal consists of sisters Amanda and Abbi, 19, and their cousins, sisters Brittnie True, 26, and Hanna Outhouse, 17. They entered Tuesdays competition as the defending champions, having captured first place in 2015. The races have been a feature of the fair since 2004, said Darlene Kretzschmar, self-titled outhouse coordinator for the fair. And the rules are as follows: The vehicle must resemble an outhouse and must weigh at least 200 pounds. Outhouses are weighed prior to the competition, and those that fall short are weighted down with what else? 50-pound bags of steer manure. Three team members push the outhouse, while a fourth rides inside. After completing a length of the course, the rider exits the outhouse and gets to work completing a set of challenges before the team can finish the second leg of the race. The riders must clean a chocolate-smeared toilet seat using only their posterior or their chest, fish a single corn cob out of a tank of sludge (its animal feed, water and vegetables) and change a roll of toilet paper. Then, the riders jump back in the outhouse and the team races to the finish line. Teams run in heats and are competing for the fastest time. For years after first learning of the races, the Outhouses waited for their chance to compete. All team members must be at least 15, and Hanna, already scouted as a member of the team, still had a couple of years to go. The family first competed in 2014. Les, Amanda and Abbis father, built the outhouse, which has, as its theme, authenticity. They are the real deal, after all, so the outhouse is decorated with things for, uh, doing your business: a roll of toilet paper, an old J.C. Penney catalog and shudder a coffee can full of corn cobs. That first year, the family also decorated their outhouse with a banner that read, We can take a lot of crap. Theyve since removed it. Youre just asking for it then, Les said. But few in the family say theyve encountered much ribbing over their last name. Dave Outhouse, Les father and the family patriarch, has a few stories when he was a young Army recruit, an officer calling roll once stared in disbelief when Outhouse was actually present. But for the most part, he said, friends and neighbors have gotten used to the name and probably dont think much of it. Maybe they talk behind my back, Dave said jokingly. After all, according to one theory, the names origins are pretty innocuous. The family traces its roots back to a man named Simon, who came to the colonies in about 1660 from a town in northern Holland called Heythuysen, pronounced Outhousen. Over time, Simons birthplace was adopted as the familys surname. Theres also the fact that, for many younger folk who have spent their lives with indoor plumbing, the outhouse is a foreign concept. Though Dave does remember those days I grew up using an outhouse. In the winter, it was a short trip his grandchildren havent been so lucky. Half my class didnt even know what an outhouse was, Abbi said. And on Tuesday, as the racers and their outhouses lined up at one end of the fairs Grand Concourse, a spectator explained the funny wooden structures to her young son. Its kind of like a porta-potty, she whispered. Tuesdays event saw seven outhouses fighting for the golden toilet seat (The seat reads: Youre #1 in the #2 business). Some were more ostentatious than others; the Iowa Endoscopy Center piloted a gold-painted outhouse, adopting the team name Game of Thrones. In the end, the corn cob proved to be the great equalizer. You can run as fast as you can, the Outhouses warned before the race, but if you cant dig the corn cob out of the slop fast enough, youre up some kind of creek. The Outhouses made a strong show of it. But a couple of quicker cob finds from the other teams landed the Outhouses in third place overall. Not bad, they said, though theyre always gunning for that first-place trophy. The Outhouses gathered near the outhouse after the race. Brittnie held the golden consolation plunger (What are we going to do with, like, 18 toilet plungers if we keep doing this? someone asked). Amanda, her arms covered in slop, held the third-place ribbon. Many in the family live far from one other. Brittnie lives in Omaha. Amanda goes to college in Ames. Hanna is finishing high school in Denison. So in the end, the race didnt matter. It was worth it to have the family together for the day. And theyll be back next year. Count on it. Its an event we were born to do, Abbi said. The end of summer vacation usually brings groans from children and parents alike, though for different reasons. For kids, the end of summer means getting back into the swing of learning and sitting in the classroom. For parents, its getting kids back on a morning, bedtime and school routine, and juggling hectic schedules. The Boys Town Learning Academy is here to help get learning on track for families: Grandmas rule. Grandmas rule refers to the general stance of eating your peas before receiving dessert. The rule doesnt just apply to food; it can be widely applied to desired objects or activities. For example, access to any electronics should be withheld until the morning routine is complete. Wake-times and bedtimes. Keep a consistent wake-time, even on weekends, and refrain from naps for school-age children. If your child is having a hard time falling asleep at the target bedtime, push back the time to within 30 minutes of when theyre likely to fall asleep and then gradually adjust it to be closer to the expected time. Morning routine expectations. If your child struggles with organization or attention difficulties, mornings can be especially difficult. First go through a few dry runs and identify where struggles occur. Then put a system in place to help motivate your child during the morning routine, using techniques such as grandmas rule, visual schedules and rewards. Always try to avoid rationales, such as an important meeting that you cant miss, because this will often increase frustration or grumpiness. Give yourself enough time to get ready, bring out your positive vibes and keep your cool! Homework routine. Your child may not have much homework at the beginning of the school year, but it is still important to establish a homework routine that fits with your familys schedule. Generally, kids are more successful with homework completion shortly after school. The later homework is started, the more likelihood your child will demonstrate frustration, lack of motivation or behavior problems. Determine what time homework will be started, remove distractions and ensure a quiet work area with access to necessary study materials. Treat homework similar to a sporting event by cheering for accomplishments and offering support and encouragement when difficulties arise. School participation. Researchers have consistently found that when parents are active participants in their childs school activities, academic performance improves. The most effective approach to partnering with your childs school and teacher(s) is to be involved from the beginning. If your work schedule does not allow for participation during school hours, there are other ways to be involved, such as e-mails to the teacher and a notebook for back-and-forth communication to ensure that schoolwork is completed and returned. Try to meet with the teacher at the beginning of the year so that the teacher knows who you are. Also try to have as many positive interactions as possible, as communicating only about concerns can hamper the parent-teacher relationship. Learning concerns. If your child is struggling at school, dont wait for the teacher to contact you. Taking the initiative to address concerns is another way to be actively involved in your childs schooling. Notice what they are doing well and any areas where they seem to struggle. Learning difficulties are often embarrassing for kids, and they may act out to avoid tasks that are difficult. Whenever there is an increase in behavior surrounding schoolwork, be sure not to overlook learning problems. At the first sign of concerns, check in with your childs teacher(s) and inquire about additional support or services available at school. *** The Boys Town Learning Academy offers numerous ways to help with your childs learning needs. Call 402-498-3358 for more information, or attend the upcoming free Parent Talk: Helping Children Meet their Academic Potential on Sept. 3 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Boys Town Center for Behavioral Health for parents wanting to discuss specific questions on this topic. *** Dr. Amanda Setlak of Boys Town Pediatrics wrote this guest blog for momaha.com. Learn more about Dr. Setlak by clicking here. WASHINGTON A week after a computer failure caused a worldwide service meltdown at Delta Air Lines, two senators have asked all domestic carriers to explain how resilient their information technology systems are. Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Democrats on the Senate Committee on Science, Commerce and Transportation, wrote to 13 airlines to express concern that there arent enough backups in place to prevent service disruptions like the ones that paralyzed Delta last week and Southwest Airlines last month. The senators also questioned the airlines on their vulnerability to cyberattacks. Delta canceled more than 2,100 flights last week, more than it had in the first seven months of the year. Experts questioned last week why the airlines failed to put adequate backup systems in place. Industry consolidation has turned airline computer systems into a complex jumble. While the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Department of Homeland Security regulate aviation safety and security, they have very little oversight of airline service. The senators noted that just four carriers Delta, American, United and Southwest control 85 percent of domestic air travel, and a disruption experienced by just one can wreak havoc across the entire aviation network. In light of these recent technology issues, they wrote, we encourage you to ensure that your IT systems have the appropriate safeguards and backups in place to withstand power outages, technological glitches, cyberattacks and other hazards that can adversely affect IT systems. Blumenthal and Markey also demanded that the airlines offer better rebooking options or compensation to inconvenienced travelers. Air carriers should rebook interested passengers on another airline or on a different mode of transportation without charging customers additional costs or fees and should provide passengers with full reimbursement and compensation, including for any needed meals and lodging, they wrote. Delta did offer passengers delayed more than three hours last week a $200 travel voucher and the ability to rebook flights without the customary change fees. The airline also provided hotel vouchers to passengers who were delayed overnight. The biggest change in job-related bathroom policy since indoor plumbing and the mandatory rest break appears to be coming soon to a workplace near you. It centers on restroom policy for transgender people, or those who do not identify or exclusively identify with their sex assigned at birth, a definition promulgated by the U.S. Department of Education. The department this year issued what it calls significant guidance to public schools instructing them to allow students to use restrooms and locker rooms consistent with their gender identity. That is a persons internal sense of being male, female, neither, both, or other, a definition from Trans Student Educational Resources, a youth-led organization advocating for transgender students. It wont be limited to schools, experts in workplace law say. Omaha labor and employment attorneys say they expect employers en masse to decree their restrooms gender neutral in the next three to five years either voluntarily, in response to government directives similar to the one affecting public schools, or in compliance with a federal law or a U.S. Supreme Court decision clarifying the matter. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is taking case after case on this subject, said Ken Wentz, a labor and employment lawyer with the Omaha office of the Jackson Lewis law firm. And the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in June issued guidance saying employers need to provide restroom access consistent with gender identity. If employers arent yet thinking about the subject, Wentz said, they need to be right away. Practically speaking, gender-neutral bathroom policies might take one or more of several different forms, said Omaha attorney Anne Marie OBrien, whose practice at Lamson Dugan & Murray encompasses labor and employment law. Equitable accommodation is how OBrien says she is advising her clients, including these options: Restrooms can be stripped of all gender labels. People can be allowed to use the restroom of their choice. Designated times can be set aside for various people or groups. While probably unwieldy, it probably satisfies the law and policy directives if enacted equitably. Bathrooms can be reconstructed or subdivided so that the sanitary facilities are completely enclosed, as is common in some European countries, and simply labeled restroom, minus any gender identification. The important thing to remember is that the rights of transgender people are already protected by law, OBrien said. They are protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and by the Constitution. Although the law is the law, it is a bit complicated in this area, said Nicholas Lesiak, a labor and employment attorney with Omahas Koley Jessen firm. Lesiak said Title VII does not specifically include gender identity as a protected category. However, the EEOC, the agency charged with enforcing Title VII, interprets the law as including protections for gender identity. The EEOCs position is that denying an employee equal access to a common restroom corresponding to the employees gender identity is sex discrimination, Lesiak said. The EEOCs interpretation does not carry the force of law but it does form the basis for the EEOCs investigations and prosecutions. The ultimate authorities Congress and the United States Supreme Court have not spoken definitively on the matter. Lesiak also said the bathroom issue is but one aspect of workplace policy related to transgender employees. He said Koley Jessen has for several years been advising employers on issues such as harassment policies, dress codes and health insurance as they apply to transgender workers. If not already aware, employers should absolutely be aware of this topic, Lesiak said. There are also local and state laws to take into account, Omaha labor and employment attorneys said. While the federal Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more workers, Omaha city law prohibits discrimination based on gender, including transgender people, for companies with five or more workers. In addition, Iowa state law prohibits gender identity discrimination in employment, so Iowa employers not covered by Title VII and subject to state law should also take note, Lesiak said. Wentz, the Jackson Lewis attorney, said he thinks it will all be clarified very soon. I would expect a Supreme Court case in the next two or three years on gender identification and sexual orientation, Wentz said. Then we will know for sure. The prospect of a constitutional law debate in the nations highest court appears likely. Nebraska is one of about two dozen states whose attorneys general have sued the Department of Education and others to stop the directive that requires schools to allow transgender students to use the bathroom of their choice or risk losing federal education money. Some large Omaha employers say they are already accommodating employees based on restroom preference, while others are closely following the issue and preparing to act. New York-based First Data Corp., the credit card payment-processing company founded in Omaha in the 1970s, realized that it needed to address transgender issues when the topic emerged during employee engagement sessions under new Chief Executive Frank Bisignano, who arrived about three years ago. Our overarching philosophy is that we want our employees to bring their whole selves to work, said Karen Whalen, First Datas senior vice president of human resources for First Data's Global Business Solutions segment. Whalen said the company has a formal plan for accommodating transgender employees, including some locations with gender-neutral bathrooms, and some allowing people to use the restroom of their choice. Managers are trained to work with and support people newly making their transgender status public, Whalen said. First Data has also structured benefits and health care coverage to apply to transgender people as they apply to everyone else. We went all in, Whalen said. We cover health insurance, hormone therapy, even surgery. Omaha-based Union Pacific has a strong record supporting its LGBT employees and the broader LGBT community, said Aaron Hunt, spokesman for the railroad, which employs about 8,000 Nebraskans and about 44,000 people overall. We currently work directly with transgender employees at their job location to make restroom accommodations. At First National of Nebraska, parent company of First National Bank of Omaha, an employer of about 5,000, We are certainly aware of this issue and are discussing it, said Kevin Langin, a spokesman. OBrien, the Lamson Dugan attorney, said employers will undoubtedly require some training for managers and some education for everyone if such bathroom policies become widespread. She said some griping is also probable and so are some more extreme reactions. These things evolve slowly, OBrien said. Young people, for example, they dont even care, they wonder what all the fuss is over. In the end it will be like handicapped accommodations for restrooms and stairways; no one even pays attention anymore. Contact the writer: 402-444-3133, russell.hubbard@owh.com An Omaha science teacher received the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators for 2015-16. Shawn Graham was one of 18 teachers from across the country to be formally recognized this morning in ceremonies at the White House in Washington, D.C. Graham teaches science for the OPS Accelere Program, which provides access to an accelerated degree format for students aged 17 to 20 who are working toward a high school diploma. The PIAEE program recognizes outstanding kindergarten through grade 12 teachers who employ innovative approaches to environmental education and use the environment as a context for learning for their students. Each year, up to two teachers from each of EPA's 10 regions are selected to receive the award. This year, Graham is the sole recipient in EPA Region 7, which includes Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and nine tribal nations. As a PIAEE award winner, Graham receives a Presidential award plaque and an award of up to $2,500 to be used to further his professional development in environmental education. Omaha Public Schools will also receive an award of up to $2,500 to fund environmental educational activities and programs. The White House Council on Environmental Quality, in partnership with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, administers this award to honor, support and encourage educators who incorporate environmental education in their classrooms and teaching methods. Graham was recognized for his efforts in pulling together a group of partners from various professions and backgrounds in support of a tailor-made, real-world science program to engage his students. Three years ago, Graham created the Accelere Job Shadowing/Internship program, which identifies students interests and matches students with community partners in relevant fields, according to the PIAEE website. Since the creation of Accelere, Graham has taken advantage of these partnerships in a number of classroom projects. For example, with the Nebraska Games and Parks Hatchery, students utilized the schools new hydroponic laboratory to assess ways to increase food production while maintaining a healthy ecosystem for White Nile Tilapia. Graham also coordinated with city staff, students, and Omaha Permaculture personnel to green vacant and unused properties. In one year, his students grew an estimated $2,000 of plants from these properties for use by the city. In conjunction with the Scott Aquarium at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo, his students assessed water quality, analyzed data, and made recommendations to improve water quality. In addition to offering an after-school explorations option, where students can work on their own projects, Graham engages his student in extra- curricular activities that benefit the community. At the Spring Festival, he and his students distributed free pollinator and vegetable plants to the public. In nominating Graham for the award, one OPS administrator wrote: Mr. Graham is innovative in his approaches to helping students learn about the environment and the importance of preserving and enhancing it. He uniquely brings in many community partners to be a part of the effort, building student skills in grant writing and reporting as well as the science learning. His efforts are laudable, and certainly above and beyond. China's military has sent a delegation of high-ranking officials to Syria a sign underscoring Beijing's active engagement in the five-year-old conflict. Headed by Guan Youfei, Rear Admiral of People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Chinese delegation visited the capital Damascus, and met with government representatives to enhance the cooperation between the two countries' militaries. Guan, who is the director of the Office for International Military Cooperation of the Chinese Central Military Commission, held talks with Fahd Jassem al-Freij, Syrian Defense Minister on Tuesday. "They reached consensus on enhancing personnel training, and Chinese military offering humanitarian aid to Syria," China's Xinhua News Agency reported. Al-Freij thanked the government and military of China for their help and said he was willing to push forward cooperation between the two countries' militaries. He added that Syria supports China's sovereignty over its territory and maritime interests in the South China Sea. China has long called for a political settlement to the ongoing conflict in Syria, and upheld UN's role in the crisis, while denouncing military solutions. China has previously invited delegates from the Syrian government as well as opposition figures to Beijing in an attempt to push a peaceful resolution forward. In March, China appointed a special envoy for Syria to better promote dialogue, contribute Chinese wisdom and communicate with parties to facilitate a proper solution. Police say in a news release that Cade Hartwig of Clear Lake suffered a head wound from a pellet gun at the Garner shooting range Sunday afternoon. Garner City Administrator Randy Lansing said Wednesday that the boy and a younger brother went to the range with their grandfather Tom Hartwig Sr., who also lives in Garner. Lansing said exactly what occurred at the range Sunday remains unclear, but no charges are expected to be filed. LINCOLN Gov. Pete Ricketts and Speaker of the Legislature Galen Hadley on Wednesday renewed their calls for State Sen. Bill Kintner to resign, saying he should consider petitioning his name onto the November ballot for re-election to let his constituents decide his fate. In a letter to Kintner, the governor and Hadley wrote that Kintners misconduct has violated the trust that voters placed in him, and that his cybersex scandal continues to be a distraction for those who serve Nebraska taxpayers and residents. Americans have an increasingly poor view of government and those who represent them, and situations like this only serve to further undermine our republic by deepening that distrust, they wrote. We encourage you to show your commitment to your constituents and the voters of Cass, Otoe and Sarpy Counties by tendering your resignation immediately. Kintner declined to comment on the letter. He has previously said that he will not resign, saying he is being obedient to Gods decision. The senator from Papillion has admitted to engaging in cybersex on his state-issued computer a year ago with a woman he met online. Kintner and the woman exchanged sexually explicit messages that resulted in the two masturbating over Skype. The woman then attempted to extort money from him. The Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission this month approved a settlement with Kintner under which he agreed to pay a $1,000 fine for misuse of public resources. Some lawmakers have been exploring ways to remove him from office. Sanctions, such as stripping Kintner of an office and parking space at the State Capitol, as well as expulsion and impeachment, are among the options to be discussed Friday when the Legislatures Executive Board meets to discuss the matter. In their letter, Ricketts and Hadley said Kintners refusal to resign before Friday continues to consume additional time and resources as the Executive Board plans to meet. Their letter comes a day after Omaha Sen. Bob Krist, who chairs the Executive Board, called on Kintner to resign and consider petitioning his name onto the Nov. 8 election ballot. Kintner is not up for re-election until 2018. But if he were to resign this month, his seat would be subject to election in November. Anyone interested in running for his seat would then have until Sept. 1 to file petitions to get on the ballot. He would need about 1,300 petition signatures to get on the ballot, according to the letter from Ricketts and Hadley. If Kintner were to resign before Sept. 8, the governor would be required to appoint a temporary replacement, and voters would choose a permanent replacement in the November election. The temporary replacement would serve until the permanent replacement took office in January. If Kintner were to resign after the deadline for petitions, but before Sept. 8, candidates could get on the ballot as write-in candidates. If Kintner were to resign after Sept. 8, the governor would be required to appoint a replacement, and that person would serve the remainder of Kintners term. But Ricketts and Hadley said they want Kintner to resign earlier, so his constituents have a voice in selecting their next representative. They said that Kintners effectiveness to represent his constituents has been compromised and that if he would be re-elected in November, he would know voters trusted him. We believe everything possible should be done to restore the faith of voters in the system, and encourage you to let your voters be heard by giving them the chance to vote, they wrote. Contact the writer: 402-473-9581, emily.nohr@owh.com Several key players in the crime lab debate between the City of Omaha and Douglas County met for an hour behind closed doors during a Douglas County Board meeting Tuesday. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer, Douglas County Sheriff Tim Dunning, Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine and the Douglas County Board gathered for the extended executive session. The board followed the Nebraska Open Meetings Act by voting to go into executive session to discuss personnel and litigation issues. Dunning, Schmaderer and board members interviewed afterward declined to comment on what topics they discussed, including whether the crime lab was among the topics. But Douglas County Board member Mike Boyle had reservations about the closed-door executive session, so much so that he threatened ahead of time to walk out of it. Why are we doing this in executive session? Boyle asked as the board prepared to vote on whether to go behind closed doors with Schmaderer, Kleine and Dunning. Is the city suing us? ... Whats going on? Board Chair Mary Ann Borgeson replied, We do have a matter that involves personnel and potential litigation. Boyle voted against the motion to go into executive session. It passed 5-1. Board member Jim Cavanaugh was out of his seat at the time and didnt vote. Such a motion is routine, occurring at many meetings of many public bodies. A vote against such a motion is a rarity, at least on the County Board. Boyle stayed in the meeting, choosing not to walk out in protest. They mentioned an item that was covered by the open meetings law, so I felt it was covered, Boyle said. He declined to comment further on what was covered in the meeting. Borgeson said that she could not comment on what was discussed in executive session. Schmaderer said: There was definitely a personnel matter discussed in there. Asked whether the conversation included other topics, such as the crime lab controversy, Schmaderer said that he couldnt comment. Kleine could not be reached for comment after the meeting. The Nebraska Open Meetings Act allows a public body to hold a closed session if it is necessary for the protection of the public interest or for the prevention of needless injury to an individual, if the individual has not requested a public meeting. Some examples of valid reasons include investigative proceedings regarding allegations of criminal misconduct, and strategy sessions on collective bargaining, real estate purchases or litigation that is pending or imminent, according to the Nebraska Attorney Generals Office. Douglas County and City of Omaha officials are embroiled in a debate over the future of crime labs in metropolitan Omaha. City officials, including Mayor Jean Stothert and Schmaderer, are pushing for a new, independent crime lab at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Kleine has endorsed the concept. That would put the future of the Douglas County Crime Lab in limbo. Dunning and some County Board members, including Borgeson, have pressed to keep the county lab, saying it could provide the sought-after regional crime lab services at less cost to taxpayers. The county has spent $4.5 million in drug forfeiture money to renovate the former Thomas Fitzgerald Veterans Home near 156th Street and West Maple Road for the country crime lab. Dunning has said that the county might have to pay back the money if the crime lab moves. Two Omaha police officers embroiled in controversy in recent months violated policies and procedures, the Omaha Police Department announced Wednesday afternoon. Internal police investigators looked into the actions of Officers Bryan Kulhanek and Thomas Deignan after complaints arose about the officers behavior in separate instances. The investigations have been completed, police said, and the officers remain on paid administrative leave. The Police Department said that because of legal constraints and privacy laws, the nature of any discipline ... cannot be disclosed. Potential punishments can vary greatly, from nothing to a reprimand, suspension of up to 20 days, demotion or termination, according to the departments internal affairs unit. An officer can receive written counseling, which is not considered discipline. Within contractual limitations, the police chief can change the officers assignment or shift at any time, but thats not considered discipline. Officers can accept the discipline or appeal it to the City Personnel Board or to arbitration. Last month, Kulhanek posted what the department said was potentially inappropriate content on his Facebook page. The posts criticized Black Lives Matter, a movement that arose in response to shootings of black people by police officers. BLM is NOT a pro black group, Kulhanek wrote in what he called the Cliff Notes version of an earlier, longer post. They are a anti white police group. They are racist plain and simple. Thousands of blacks are killed by other blacks. Innocent black children are killed in the crossfire. Black police officers murdered. And they are completely silent. Hundreds of people chided the post and shared screenshots of it on Facebook. A small protest was held outside Omaha Police Headquarters. Kulhanek could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Deignan threw a Lincoln teenager to the ground as he attempted to book her into the Douglas County Youth Center on May 15. The 16-year-old suffered a fractured eye socket. A video of the incident raised concerns among elected Douglas County officials. The matter was investigated by the Nebraska State Patrol at Police Chief Todd Schmaderers request. The State Patrol found no evidence to support criminal charges against Deignan. The Nebraska Attorney Generals Office and Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine agreed. Deignan, who was reached by phone Wednesday afternoon, declined to comment. John Wells, the president of the Omaha police union, said it wasnt his place to comment on the investigations or even say whether Kulhanek or Deignan are union members. I havent reviewed any case file myself, he said. I cant and wont comment on that. Contact the writer: 402-444-1068, alia.conley@owh.com Paul Ryan, the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, helped raise money for Republican congressional candidate Don Bacon in Omaha on Wednesday. Ryan endorsed Bacon and attended a lunchtime fundraiser that hauled in about $150,000, according to a Bacon campaign official. The event was held at Midtown Crossing and hosted by Ken Stinson, chairman emeritus of Peter Kiewit Sons Inc. About 100 people attended, paying $1,000 for lunch or $2,700 for lunch and a photo opportunity with Ryan. Ryan left Midtown Crossing at 1:45 p.m. For security reasons, the fundraiser was not made public until after Ryan had left. It was the first of three fundraisers that Ryan was set to attend Wednesday. The others were in Iowa and Minnesota. Ryan praised Bacon, a retired brigadier general who is seeking the 2nd District seat now held by U.S. Rep. Brad Ashford, D-Neb. With America at a critical crossroads, we need tested and proven leaders like Don Bacon in Congress, Ryan said in a statement. I know he will help protect our nation and take care of our veterans, because he has his entire career. After the event, Bacon talked with reporters and said that Ryan spoke for 30 to 40 minutes about national security issues and the economy. Fresh off his primary win in Wisconsin last week, Ryan is visiting eight states in two weeks to campaign for House Republicans in order to preserve the GOP majority, according to Roll Call, a Washington-based publication. Ryan had volunteered to come to Omaha, Bacon said, after identifying the 2nd District race as one that Republicans think they can win in November. Stinson said that hes glad Ryan came and shared his vision for the country. On the national scene, hes one of the more sane leaders with a plan, Stinson said. Meanwhile, in a letter to Ryan on Wednesday, Ashford welcomed the House speaker to Omaha and invited him to meet and discuss issues important to the 2nd District. Ashford happened to be in the neighborhood when the event concluded, and he also spoke to reporters at Midtown Crossing. Ashford said he learned Wednesday morning that Ryan was coming to Omaha but didnt know where and when the event would be held. He had just finished running at Prairie Life Fitness when he saw Hal Daub, a veteran Republican politician who is a University of Nebraska regent, walking out of a restaurant with reporters gathered outside. He said thats when he came to the realization that Ryan was probably speaking nearby. I wasnt born yesterday, Ashford said. Ashford said that he was hoping to talk to Ryan about the Nebraska Medical Centers role in combating health crises such as the Zika virus, as well as national security issues. A representative for Ryan told Ashford that the speaker didnt have time to meet Wednesday. I dont care about him supporting Bacon, Ashford said of Ryan. Thats his right. He can do what he wants to do. LINCOLN Gage County officials have hired a Lincoln law firm to investigate whether the county may have insurance coverage to help cover a $28 million jury verdict for a reckless investigation that wrongly sent six people to prison. The countys elected officials have been told that no insurance policy exists to help pay damages to members of the Beatrice Six. But they have been unable to officially confirm a lack of coverage, said Myron Dorn, chairman of the Gage County Board. The board voted Wednesday to pay about $7,600 to the Keating OGara law firm in Lincoln, Dorn said. The firm will provide an opinion on whether the county has liability coverage for the 1989 investigation that sent six people to prison for more than 70 years combined for the homicide of Helen Wilson of Beatrice. We dont know the answer to that question, Dorn said Wednesday. I dont have a good answer when people ask me why we dont have insurance. Wilson, a 68-year-old grandmother, was found beaten, raped and suffocated in her apartment on Feb. 6, 1985. A cold case investigation by the Sheriffs Office four years later was thought to have solved the slaying until 2008, when court-ordered DNA testing failed to match any of the six people who had been convicted. A subsequent investigation determined the killer was Bruce Allen Smith, a former Beatrice resident who died in Oklahoma City in 1992. Joseph E. White, Kathy Gonzalez, Thomas Winslow, Ada JoAnn Taylor, James Dean and Debra Shelden sued the county and its investigators, alleging that the investigation violated their constitutional rights. After a monthlong trial in federal court in Lincoln, a jury awarded them a combined $28 million in damages. Outside lawyers representing the county recently filed a motion asking the trial judge to reverse the verdict or order a new trial. Contact the writer: 402-473-9587, joe.duggan@owh.com LINCOLN Nebraska could gain a competitive edge among the states by cutting its top income tax rates and expanding the sales tax. Thats the conclusion of a new report to be released today at a conference sponsored by the Omaha-based Platte Institute for Economic Research, which seeks to bring tax relief to Nebraskans. Adam Weinberg, a spokesman for the Platte Institute, said the report offers recommendations for modernizing Nebraskas tax system, nearly 50 years after the state first instituted income and sales taxes. Tax reform is needed and is possible in Nebraska, he said. The current system is no longer serving the needs of our economy and is well overdue for an upgrade. The Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based research group, produced the report, A Twenty-First Century Tax Code for Nebraska. In it, the foundation recommended four changes that it said would allow Nebraska to boost economic growth while ensuring stability in state tax revenues. The changes are: Lowering the top rates for individual and corporate income taxes and consolidating brackets for both. Expanding sales taxes to cover more services and offset some of the loss of individual income tax revenue. Rolling back business tax incentives to offset the loss of corporate income tax revenue. Reducing taxes on business equipment and other personal property. According to the report, Nebraskas income taxes are above average. The foundation ranks Nebraska 24th best nationally for its individual income tax and 31st for its corporate income tax. The report maintains that excessive income taxes discourage wealth creation, and that systems that are the most progressive are particularly unfavorable. Progressive systems impose the steepest taxes on people with the highest incomes. Nebraskas system is highly progressive because of its rates and brackets, the report said. To replace revenue lost through income tax changes, the report called for applying the sales tax to a broader variety of services. It said Nebraskas sales tax has not kept up with changes in the economy, which has become more service-oriented. The recommendation to roll back business tax incentives also would help replace lost revenue, while sharing the tax load more fairly, according to the report. The report said the changes could be done responsibly, without creating the kind of fiscal crises that have followed Kansas attempt to dramatically lower income taxes. That state did so without offsetting spending cuts or revenue increases and without the use of triggers, which allow tax cuts to kick in only when overall tax revenues reach certain levels. Jared Walczak, the foundation policy analyst who wrote the report, and Scott Drenkard, the foundations director of state projects, are scheduled to speak at the Platte Institute conference in Lincoln. Also speaking at the convention will be Travis H. Brown, author of How Money Walks, who will talk about how Nebraskas tax structure contributes to an out-migration of population and income from the state. Contact the writer: 402-473-9583, martha.stoddard@owh.com Police officers protect the public, enforcing laws at great risk to themselves. They need to protect themselves, as well. Thats why Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer is requiring every officer to train again in how to respond to the types of tragedies that occurred in Dallas and Baton Rouge. Officers are rethinking how to communicate and approach potential ambushes. This $23,000, military-style training on how to avoid or evade people trying to harm officers is expected to limit the likelihood of officers being shot or shooting someone else. Were not waiting for it to happen here, said Lt. Laurie Scott, a training commander at the Omaha Public Safety Training Center. Officer Angela Richards called the active-shooter training the best new training shed had in 15 years. She said it made her more confident she could react tactically to threatening situations. Thats how police departments should respond to the acts of those with no regard for human life: with greater resolve to protect it. The Commission on Presidential Debates has scheduled three nationally televised events between now and the November election that seem likely, under current rules, to be limited to the two major-party candidates, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. That would be a disservice to voters, who would not get to hear from several candidates who, although they are long shots, could conceivably win the presidential race in November. The commission should ease its rules by dropping, for at least one debate, the requirement that participants achieve 15 percent voter support or more in five national public opinion polls. The commission currently limits the stage to candidates who meet the 15 percent threshold and are on the ballot in enough states to be able to collect the 270 electoral votes it takes to win the presidency. But the requirement of mathematical viability strikes us as a sufficient filter to keep the stage from being clogged with distracting fringe candidates. Why should candidates who could potentially be elected be barred from participating? Furthermore, dropping the 15 percent hurdle would give voters a chance to engage with some alternative ideas they might otherwise miss. As of now, that would mean adding two lecterns to the stage, giving space to Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein. Neither is expected to garner sufficient support to win any states in November. But debates shouldnt be about anointing winners by omitting competitors; they should be frank exchanges of views on a range of subjects exposing the candidates poise under pressure. Additionally, expanding the debate lineup could help counter the perception in some quarters that the debate system is rigged (to use a term that has been brought up often in this race) in favor of the two major parties. After all, it was those very two parties which just happened to have been instrumental in creating the debate commission in the first place. Rules that limit participation to Democrats and Republicans, while excluding other viable candidates might understandably be construed as self-dealing. There is an argument to be made that putting too many candidates on the stage could limit the give-and-take between the two who have the best chances of winning. But remember that Trump and Clinton have high negatives. Expanding the stage for one night serves the better interests of democracy, while still leaving two more debates for the kind of exchanges that can help sharpen voters views and perceptions. China and ASEAN made several breakthroughs on the South China Sea issue on Tuesday, including vowing to finish a framework by the middle of next year for a code of conduct for the sea. Senior diplomats also approved a guideline for a China and ASEAN hotline for use during maritime emergencies and a joint declaration that the Conduct for Unplanned Encounters at Sea, which was signed by more than 20 Pacific nations in 2014, applies to the South China Sea. Vice-Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin co-chaired the 13th senior officials' meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. He told a joint news conference that documents about the hotline and the conduct for unplanned encounters will be presented to the meeting of leaders from China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, scheduled for early September, for final approval. "There is another achievement we reached broad consensus on pushing forward the negotiations on a code of conduct for the South China Sea," Liu said. "All sides agreed to raise the frequency of the negotiations in a situation without interference, and seek to finish a draft framework of the COC by the middle of next year." The senior officials' meeting has been held twice a year since 2011, but this is the third meeting held this year. "We held the conference more frequently than in previous years," Liu told reporters after the meeting. "It shows that as the situation in the South China Sea is getting more and more complicated, especially with the interference of external forces, ASEAN countries and China have realized that we have to grasp the key to the South China Sea issue in our own hand." He said the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, signed in 2002, provides an effective platform for properly handling disputes through negotiation and cooperation. Jia Duqiang, a senior researcher in Southeast Asian studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said Tuesday's achievements are "an important step" in China's relations with ASEAN. "The frequent meetings between China and the ASEAN countries this year is a good thing it shows that we both have the willingness to keep the key in our hand," Jia said. Wang Xiaopeng, a researcher with CASS, said the ASEAN countries are willing to work with China, which has interests intertwined with those of its regional neighbors. [email protected] Zhang Yaozhong contributed to this story. LINCOLN Learn about the birds that may be found at Fremont State Recreation Area during a guided birding walk Aug. 20. The walk will begin at 8 a.m. at Bricks Bay Beach on Lake 10. The trip will take birders to the Lake 11 boat ramp and back, a distance of about 1 mile. Birders can bring binoculars and a field guide or use a smartphone birding app. For more information, call the park at 402-727-2922, and visit Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov to view the Nebraska Game and Parks Commissions calendar of events. Fremont SRA is located just west of Fremont in Dodge County. A park entry permit is required. Ponca SP to host day full of family activities Aug. 20 Bring the family to Ponca State Park on Aug. 20 for a day full of fun and educational activities. Kids can participate in introductory courses on archery, shotguns and fly fishing, learn about wildlife found along the Missouri River, and discover interesting things about insects while they decorate their own bug visors. The entire family can learn everything there is to know about the Ponca State Park with a hayrack tour of the park. A park permit is required of each vehicle entering the park. Fees apply to some activities. For more information, call the park at 402-755-2284, and visit Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov to view the Nebraska Game and Parks Commissions calendar of events. In a first, two inmates of Institute of Mental Health tie the knot We filed 213 defamation cases in 5 years TN govt tells SC Chennai oi-Vicky Chennai, Aug 17: The Tamil Nadu government on Wednesday submitted a list of defamation cases it has filed following a directive by the Supreme Court. The list contains the number of defamation cases that the Tamil Nadu government had filed between 2011 and 2016. The government of TN submitted in the Supreme Court that between 2011 and 2016 it has filed a total of 213 defamation cases. The list also states that out of this 55 defamation cases have been filed against the media. Further it is also stated that 85 cases were filed against the DMK, 9 against the PMK and 7 against the Congress. In addition to this the government also stated that out of this 28 are against DMDK leader, Vijaykanth alone. Further the government also states that 3 cases have been filed against Subramanian Swamy for his tweets against the government. The list was filed following a Supreme Court directive to the Tamil Nadu to submit a list of defamation cases it has filed in the past five years. The court issued the directive while staying a non-bailable warrant issued against DMDK leader, Vijaykanth and his wife in connection with a defamation case. The supreme court had also sought to know from the Tamil Nadu government as to how many defamation cases it has filed in the state. The Court observed that criticism of a government does not mandate that a defamation case be filed. It also said that if someone terms the government unfit or corrupt, it does not automatically make out a case for defamation. A defamation case had been filed by the Tamil Nadu government against Vijaykanth following remarks he had made against the government. The Supreme Court had some harsh words for the Tamil Nadu government on the number of defamation cases it had been filing. The court had observed taken note of the large number of defamation cases filed by Tamil Nadu and said that the public prosecutor must apply his mind. The PP is not a post office, the court also observed. The counsel for Vijaykanth had argued in court and submitted that aspirations and sometimes desperation of the people are expressed through such criticism. The citizen's right to criticise cannot be atrophied by constant launching of criminal prosecution for defamation on each and every issue to silence the critics, he had also stated. OneIndia News Explained: 8 things you should know about Lt. Gen. Pande, Indias next Army Chief All about the nation: Next Army Chiefs son serves in the Air Force Next Army Chief Lt. Gen. Pande is first engineer to hold the post Gen Manoj Pande takes charge as new Chief of Army Staff, succeeding MM Naravane Agnipath scheme: Schedule of recruitment process in Army shortly, says Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande Pakistan govt likely to take decision on next Army chief's appointment by mid-September Army Chief to visit Jammu today to review security India oi-PTI Jammu, Aug 17: Army Chief Gen Dalbir Singh is set to visit Jammu and Kashmir 16 Corps Headquarters on Wednesday to review security situation in the state. The visit comes against the backdrop of ongoing unrest in the Kashmir Valley. "Army Chief is visiting 16 Corps HQS at Nagrota in Jammu and will hold an internal review on security," a senior officer said. After the meeting with commanders in the region, he will fly back in the evening, the officer said. Curfew and separatist called shut down continue to paralyse the lives of people in Kashmir Valley on the 40th consecutive day on Wednesday. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 12:22 [IST] British-era bunker unearthed in Maharashtra Raj Bhavan India oi-IANS By Ians English Mumbai, Aug 17: A forgotten 150-metre long, underground British-era bunker has been unearthed inside the sprawling Raj Bhavan complex at Malabar Hill in south Mumbai, an official said on Tuesday. Governor C.V. Rao and his wife Vinodha and senior officials went around the bunker on Tuesday. Around three months ago, some old-timers informed the Governor of the existence of a tunnel inside the Raj Bhavan on the shores of the Arabian Sea. He asked to get it opened. Accordingly, on August 12, the PWD staff broke open a temporary wall that had been erected at the tunnel's entrance on the eastern side. The revelation was suprising. Instead of what was believed to be an underground tunnel, it turned out to be a huge barack with 13 rooms of varying sizes spread over an area of more than 5,000 square feet. The bunker opens with a 20-feet tall gate and a ramp on the western side. There are long passages connecting small to medium room on both sides. The bunker's rooms are named Shell Store, Gun Shell, Cartridge Store, Shell Lift, Pump and Workshop and there are scores of Lamp Recesses in the gangway. Though the underground bunker had apparently been closed after India's independence in 1947, it has remained surprisingly intact and has a drainage system with inlets for fresh air and light. An aide to the Governor said that according to the book, "History of Raj Bhavans in Maharashtra", it was formerly known as Government House and served as the residence of the British Governors since 1885 when Lord Reay converted it into a permanent residence. Before that, while the Malabar Hill residence served as the Summer Residence of British Governors, the Government House at Parel was the Governor's official residence. After the discovery of the Bunker, Rao has said he would consult experts to preserve it. Maharashtra Raj Bhavan is built on lush green 50 acres of land at Malabar Hill, lashed by Arabian Sea on three sides. It has its own private beach and a mile long forest. In October 2010, a huge and well-maintained tunnel believed to be over two centuries old was discovered in the premises of Mumbai GPO. IANS For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 12:45 [IST] Dengue death toll at SCB Medical College mounts to 8 India oi-PTI Cuttack (Odisha), Aug 17: With one more dengue patient dead at SCB Medical College and Hospital here on Aug 16, the number of deaths caused by the vector-borne disease in the referral hospital rose to eight this monsoon season. "A 48-year-old patient from nearby Khuntuni was admitted here on August 11 in a critical condition. While undergoing treatment in the ICU, the patient died today," Hospital emergency officer Dr B N Moharana said. Moharana said the hospital in the ongoing monsoon season recorded eight dengue deaths so far. He said the hospital this year has already tested 11,366 blood samples, out of which 2,726 samples have tested positive and a record number of 1,883 of them are from Cuttack district. While 182 blood samples were collected and tested during the last 24 hours, 58 of them were found positive to dengue and 38 of them are from Cuttack. Moharana said that at least 1,952 dengue patients have been admitted in the Cuttack hospital for treatment since January this year and 1,758 of them have already been discharged after successful treatment. PTI 5-year-old dies after being attacked by pack of dogs in MP Madhya Pradesh: Father-daughter killed as house caves in India oi-PTI Umaria (MP), Aug 17: A man and his minor daughter were killed when their house caved in early today due to excessive rainfall at Karkati village under Pali police station area in the district, police said. The incident took place around 3 AM when the duo was asleep in their house and it suddenly caved in trapping them under the debris, Pali Police Station in-charge, Rakesh Vaish said today. The deceased were identified as Gandhu Singh (45) and his daughter Poonam (15), he said. Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Pali, Milindra Nagdeve has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 50,000 each to the kin of the deceased and Rs 10,000 for the house repairs. Rain continues to wreak havoc in Madhya Pradesh After autopsy, their bodies were handed over to relatives for performing last rites, Vaish added. PTI Goa power minister has paralysed industrial sector: Congress India oi-PTI Panaji, Aug 17: Congress in Goa today warned of filing a case against state Power Minister Milind Naik before Lokayukta for "inordinate delays" in granting load approvals for the industrial sector and crucial government-run projects. "The act of (state) Power Minister Milind Naik to delay load approval for the industrial sector and some government projects for more than a year amounts to violation of Joint Electricity Regulation Commission guidelines," Goa Congress spokesman Sunil Kawathankar told reporters today. Naik, in the recently-concluded session of the State Legislative Assembly, had admitted that nod to electricity load approval for crucial projects, like multi-level car parking in Panaji and Opa Water Treatment plant, were still pending before the electricity department since 2014. Kawathankar today said that the party will file petition before Lokayukta against the minister. "The entire industrial sector is paralysed by Power Minister, who is not approving projects cleared by the Investment Promotion Board chaired by Chief Minister," he alleged. The spokesman warned that Chief Electricity Engineer and other officials of electricity department will also be charged for corruption. He pointed out that as per JERC norms, an application for load approval has to be either approved or rejected within three days. "However, here, the applications have been pending for years," he alleged. PTI For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 12:00 [IST] PM Modi to visit Himachal Pradesh on Oct 5; to launch various projects and inaugurate AIIMS Bilaspur Weather update: IMD issues yellow alert for U'khand, Himachal, UP for next 2-3 days 4th Vande Bharat train to be unveiled by PM Modi in Himachal Himachal was valued less on strength, more on Parliament seats before: PM Modi Himachal BJP appoints heads of seven party wings India oi-PTI Shimla, Aug 17: Gearing up for Assembly elections due in November 2017, Himachal BJP president Satpal Singh Satti on Tuesday (Aug 16) appointed the heads of seven morchas (wings) of the party. Satti, who became president for the third time on January 6 this year and announced the state office bearers in March 2016, had not appointed the new presidents of different wings till date. Former chairperson of State Women Commission Indu Goswami has been appointed president of State Mahila Morcha in place of Ritu Sethi while Vishal Chauhan has replaced Sunil Thakur as state BJYM chief. Sikender Kumar has been appointed president of Schedule Caste Morcha, Baldev Bhandari President of Kisan Morcha while Surat Negi would be the head the Scheduled Tribe Morcha. Mohammad Rajbali has been appointed president of Minority Morcha while Uttam Chowdhary would head the OBC Morcha, a party release here said. PTI Indian Navy's first international educational program starts News oi-Oneindia By Oneindia In continuation of Indian Navy's foreign cooperation initiatives, a Regional Maritime Security Course (RMSC) for officers of the rank of Colonel or equivalent of Maritime Security Agencies from Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs) at Naval War College, Goa commenced on the 16th of August for a duration of eight weeks. #BridgesofFriendship @SpokespersonMoD group photograph & glimpse of the inaugural session at Naval War College Goa pic.twitter.com/EgFAWHYA25 SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2016 To start with invitations were extended to participants from six FFCs, giving due importance and priority to immediate maritime neighbours and Indian Navy's engagement with these FFCs. Accordingly, officers from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Maldives, Oman and Sri Lanka have arrived to attend the inaugural Regional Maritime Security Course at Naval War College, Goa. The participant from Indonesia is also likely to join by end of this week. The module: The module includes International Relations Theory, International Maritime Law, UNCLOS, Energy and Natural Resources Security, Maritime Domain Awareness, Indian Ocean Studies as well as a table top Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief & Out of Area Contingency exercise. Benefits from the course: The course would provide a concrete forum for developing common understanding of regional maritime security issues, disseminate the IN perspective on the subject, as well as provide an opportunity for IN officers undergoing the Naval Higher Command Course to interact with the foreign participants, and understand the perspectives of regional navies, on issues of common concern. The conduct of the maiden RMSC is considered to be a 'shot in the arm' for naval cooperation initiatives, and would enable better understanding between regional navies at the operational level. Indian Navy's Bridges of Friendship: The Indian Navy (IN), in consonance with the government's policy of engaging friendly nations, has been at the forefront of building 'Bridges of Friendship' with navies from Friendly Foreign Countries (FFCs). Training is one of the most important facets of this engagement. #BridgesofFriendship IN takes forward it's foreign Coop initiatives by starting a Regional Maritime Security Course at Naval War College 1/n SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2016 #BridgesofFriendship @SpokespersonMoD 8 week course, includes Int Relations Theory, Int Maritime Law, UNCLOS, MDA, Indian Ocean Studies 2/n SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2016 #BridgesofFriendship @SpokespersonMoD includes tabletop ex on HADR/Out of Area Contingencies. Offrs fm Bangladesh,Myanmar, Maldives,Oman3/n SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2016 #BridgesofFriendship @SpokespersonMoD and Sri Lanka. Training is one of the most important facets of this engagement. 4/4 SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 16, 2016 Training provided by IN: The Indian Navy has been providing training to naval personnel from FFCs over the last five decades, during which the IN has trained more than 13,000 foreign personnel from 42 countries. The training interactions would complement in fulfilling our national objectives of 'strengthening cooperation and friendship with other countries to promote regional and global stability'. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 11:18 [IST] A constructor works at the main conference hall in the Silk Road International Convention Center in Dunhuang, northwest China's Gansu Province, Aug. 3, 2016. Two main venues of the Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Cultural Expo, Dunhuang Silk Road International Convention Center and Dunhuang Grand Theater, have been almost completed. The expo will be held in Dunhuang on Sept. 20. (Xinhua/Chen Bin) BEIJING, Aug. 16 -- Progresses in the Belt and Road Initiative and China's urbanization drive are among the bright spots in the country's efforts to fulfill targets in its development plan. Capacity, infrastructure and education cooperation with countries under the Belt and Road Initiative have made substantial progress, said Zhao Chenxin, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) at a news briefing. ADVANCES IN BELT AND ROAD The total value of bilateral industrial cooperation has exceeded 100 billion U.S. dollars under the framework. So far, Chinese companies have built 46 cooperation zones in countries along the routes, while China's Ministry of Education has inked over 60 deals with those countries. In 2015, nearly half of the international students in China came from countries along the routes, Zhao said. Nearly 400,000 foreign students from 202 countries and regions came to study in China in 2015, data showed. Meanwhile, China has built railways, highways and ports along the routes while signing MOUs with its neighbors and partners. Launched in late 2013, the initiative is an umbrella term for the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. It will be a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along ancient trade routes. PROGRESS ON URBANIZATION GOALS China has also made significant progress in shanty-town renovation and building affordable housing and public transportation, the spokesperson said at the same briefing. As of the end of June, the country had met 66.9 percent of its annual shanty-town renovation target, 8.2 percentage points higher than the same period last year. As for urban affordable housing projects, 97.9 percent of the annual target had been reached as of the end of June, Zhao said. In the first half of 2016, city and inter-city railway networks grew rapidly. Rail transit in 25 cities reached a length of more than 3,300 kilometers, and another 3,800 km was under construction in 37 cities. The intercity traffic network hit 1,250 km. Governments of all provincial regions have released their reform plans on the household registration system. The central government is supporting 37 towns to innovate infrastructure investment financing and help medium and small cities and towns to improve infrastructure weak points in water, heat and gas supply as well as sewage and garbage treatment. Zhao also said that China will strive to foster new pillars of economic growth and deepen international cooperation in its urbanization drive. CHALLENGING CAPACITY CUTS AHEAD However, overcapacity reduction casts a shadow over the Chinese economy. China still faces daunting challenges in reducing capacity for the rest of 2016, despite an acceleration in July, according to Zhao. By the end of July, capacity reduction in China's steel sector totaled just 21 million tonnes, or 47 percent of the annual target, Zhao said. This marked substantial progress, as China had only completed about 30 percent of planned cuts for the year by the end of June, but it is still far from the target. To fulfil the annual target, local governments were urged to be more resolute in cutting capacity and introducing measures such as accountability systems, public exposure and blacklisting, according to Zhao. China had reached 38 percent of annual coal capacity reduction targets as of the end of July, Zhao added. Zhao attributed the default largely to a spike in steel and coal prices this year and local governments' reluctance to cut capacity in order to protect jobs and local economies. Despite the default, Zhao said China's overcapacity cutting efforts will not drag on the country's growth or harm the world economy. Overcapacity is a global problem resulting from the 2008 financial crisis and occurs in many industries such as crude oil, iron ore and auto making, causing shale oil and gas stockpiles in the United States and iron ore overproduction in Australia, Zhao said when responding to concerns raised by a Reuters correspondent. Even in the steel sector, overcapacity is not just a "China problem." "Many countries are confronting the problem. It is a global issue," he said. In 2014, China's rate of capacity utilization of crude steel was about the same as the world's average of 73.4 percent. Moreover, China's iron and steel products are mainly for the domestic market to support the country's urbanization, manufacturing and infrastructure development. Encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla underway Infantry Day: When Indian Army chased Pak out and saved Jammu & Kashmir 'Shaurya Diwas': Rajnath Singh says J&K entered new era of peace & prosperity after Article 370 abrogation J&K: Army Jawans celebrate Bhai Dooj at Line of Control In India terror down by 34%, civilian deaths by 90% since Art 370 scrapped: Shah Lack of development in J&K for decades was one of the reasons behind rise of terrorism: Rajnath Singh News flash: No new liquor shop in Delhi this year: Arvind Kejriwal India oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Aug 17: 3 security personnel including 2 Army men were killed in a terrorist attack in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir. Get all the latest news updates of the day: 8.26 pm: Rio2016: Wrestling Women's Freestyle 58kg - India's Sakshi Malik wins against Moldova's Mariana Cherdivara-Esanu, enters quarter final. 8.18 pm: BJP leader Ashok Jaiswal shot dead in Danapur (Bihar). BJP calls for a shutdown in Danapur tomorrow. 8.19 pm: Train crashes in southern France, around 10 'severely injured'. 8.16 pm: From our perspective whether a well known terrorist is sanctioned by a UN committee or not is not a small issue, says Foreign Secy SJaishankar. 8.04 pm: Will submit findings to MHA in due course, says NIA IG Sanjeev Kumar. 8.03 pm: These accounts are in names of persons whose income doesn't warrant such banking transactions, says. NIA IG Sanjeev Kumar. 8.02 pm: Based on tech inputs,info collected that certain bank accounts in J&K have seen huge inflow & outflow of funds during last few months, says NIA IG. 8.01 pm: In Athletics women's 800m: India's Tintu Lukka finishes sixth in her heat with total time of 2:00.58. 8.00 pm: I accept that we have faced challenges with China recently, says Foreign Secretary SJaishankar. 7.59 pm: Looking at the neighbourhood, we clearly face a unique challenge in respect to one country which is Pakistan, says Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar. 7.56 pm: We have one standout country in the region which has a diff view of terrorism which makes it a difficult partner for all of us, says Foreign Secy. 7.53 pm: At times, domestic politics of our neighbours pose challenges. We've learnt to be patient, says Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar. 7.15 pm: Punjab polls: Talks fail on CM cnadidate issue between AAP and Sidhu: Reports 7.00 pm: 5 lakh trees To be planted alongside track in Indian Railways in this season. 6.30 pm: Juvenile Justice Board orders 17-year-old to be tried as adult in rape case. 6.20 pm: In Badminton Men's Singles Quarterfinal India's Kidambi Srikanth loses first game by 21- 6 against China's Lin Dan. 6.00 pm: We want Centre to take emergent steps to check excessive use of force: Omar Abdullah 5:50 pm: Simply raising slogans is not a fit case to be charged with Sedition: Digvijaya Singh on Amnesty Controversy. 5:38 pm: Mehbooba Mufti has played worst form of politics, has held everybody responsible from Nehru to Modi: Omar Abdullah. 5:23 pm: AmnestyControversy: MHA seeks details of event, slogans: Report. 5:20 pm: If PM wishes to talk about Balochistan he can, but he should also discuss about part of J&K which is burning: Ex-J&K CM Omar Abdullah. Omar Abdullah: When you say Kashmir is integral part of India, you are talking of land not ppl. Make ppl yours too pic.twitter.com/KGtP9eYBtQ ANI (@ANI_news) August 17, 2016 5:00 pm: Police issue warrant for International Olympic Committee executive suspected of ticket scalping at Rio2016 Games: AP. 4:29 pm: Delhi cabinet has approved revision of minimum wages by about 50%: Delhi CM. 4:20 pm: No new liquor shops will be opened in Delhi this year: Arvind Kejriwal. 4:08 pm: Pak is promoting terror groups and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is right in extending support to Balochistan: Hasanul Haq Inu, Min of Information, Bangladesh. 3:46 pm: Shimla: Five storey building collapses in Hatkoti, 1 dead & two injured. 3:35 pm: Foreign secretary Jaishankar conveys willingness to visit Islamabad after Pakistan foreign secy's invite for talks, say sources. 3:30 pm: Opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir to approach President Pranab Mukherjee over Kashmir unrest. 3:21 pm: Special NIA court sends LeT terrorist Bahadur Ali to judicial custody till September 15th. 3:19 pm: India turns down Pak's proposal for foreign secretary-level talks on Kashmir, asserts terror remains the core concern. 3.00 pm: Pakistan has been harboring terrorists and there are evidences to prove that, says Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu. 2.55 pm: BSF Jawans celebrate Raksha Bandhan at Indo-Bangladesh border near Siliguri in West Bengal. 2.50 pm: Attack on BJP leader Brijpal Tevatia: Four people arrested, says IG Meerut Sujeet Pandey 2.45 pm: ABVP protest against Amnesty International in Delhi. 2.40 pm: Uttarakhand landslide:Rampur-Nainital National Highway 87 blocked. Restoration work underway. 2.35 pm: DMK MLAs marshalled out of assembly after speaker suspended them for a week. 2.25 pm: Bihar hooch tragedy: Four persons detained, huge quantity of country made liquor seized. 2.15 pm: Jagdish Mukhi appointed as Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands 1.57 pm: Banwarilal Purohit appointed as the Governor of Assam. V.P. Singh Badnore has been appointed as the Governor of Punjab 1.56 pm: Najma A. Heptulla appointed as the Governor of Manipur 1.50 pm: Jharkhand assembly passes GST Constitution amendment Bill 1.42 pm: Khan of Kalat Amir Ahmed Suleman Daud (Baloch leader in exile) welcomes PM Narendra Modi's "courageous stance on the Balochistan issue." 1.41 pm: Indian Envoy to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale hands over Indian response to Pakistan Foreign Office on Pak invitation for talks on J&K 1.24 pm: Tamil Nadu speaker expels all DMK MLAs for a week from the assembly for continuous disruption of proceedings 1.17 pm: SC issues notice to Gujarat Govt on petition of Teesta Setalvad against freezing of bank accounts of her NGOs Sabrang & CJP. 1.03 pm: Want Govt to introduce a bill announcing Lok Sabha seats from PoK and Gilgit Baltistan-Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP 12.58 pm: Dahi-Handi matter: SC observes children below 18 years should not be allowed to participate 12.57 pm: Ye ek anari ki foreign policy hai: Salman Khurshid,Congress on PM's statement on Balochistan and PoK 12.55 pm: We know the stories of Lord Krishna stealing butter, not about the acrobatics, Supreme Court observed while upholding decision not to permit human pyramids above 20 feet in the Dahi Handi festival. 12.45 pm: UP: Salaries of CM and cabinet ministers hiked from Rs. 12,000 to 40,000. Salary of Ministers of state to now be Rs.35,000 12.40 pm: SC directs Unitech to refund Rs 15 crore to investors in a Gurugram project,asked to pay Rs 5 crore in 2 weeks & balance by end September 12.39 pm: 13 dead in Bihar's Gopalganj under mysterious circumstances, families say its due to illicit liquor consumption 12.27 pm: Miracle healer and Christian pastor Dr.Sebastian Martin passes away in Vasai,near Mumbai 12.20 pm: Chhattisgarh: More than 12 Naxal camps destroyed by Police in an encounter in Kanker, large cache of arms and ammunition recovered 11.59 am: Odisha: A car-truck collision on Phulnakhara-Niali road leaves 3 dead in Anantapur village of Balianta Tehsil. 11.55 am: Turkey issues decree to release 38,000 prisoners in apparent move to make space for coup plotters in jails: AP 11.50 am: Left parties to contest 2017 Punjab assembly elections 11.40 am: Wreath laying ceremony of J&K Policeman Prithipal Singh who lost his life in Baramulla attack Srinagar: Wreath laying ceremony of J&K Policeman Prithipal Singh who lost his life in Baramulla attack pic.twitter.com/rDNHRlchxa ANI (@ANI_news) August 17, 2016 11.12 am: The petition filed by NGO, Common Cause seeks a review to the sedition law. It states that the law is being misused and there is misapplication of the same. Delhi High Court tells JNUSU president, Kanaiyha Kumar to move the trial court seeking regular bail. 11.10 am: A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking a review of the sedition law. 10.50 am: Tamil Nadu farmers urge government to declare state drought affected. 10.30 am: Bihar: Seven people found dead under mysterious circumstances in Gopalganj. Police rule out illicit liquor angle, probe underway. 9.55 am: Four Naxals killed in encounter with police in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district. 9.45 am: Delhi govt issues draft notification to ban Chinese 'manjha' & other sharp kite-flying threads. 9.20 am: Bangladesh I&B Minister Hasanul Haq Inu meets Venkaiah Naidu. Delhi: Bangladesh I&B Minister Hasanul Haq Inu meets Venkaiah Naidu pic.twitter.com/LYlO9RfVdt ANI (@ANI_news) August 17, 2016 8.40 am: Donald Trump has said that he will reject bigotry, hatred and oppression in all its forms if elected president. 8.10 am: Police to question 4 people over shooting of Ghaziabad BJP leader Brijpal Teotia. 8.00 am: 3 security personnel including 2 Army men killed in a terrorist attack in Baramulla district of J&K. OneIndia News Should Kashmir be given to Pakistan: Row erupts after this question appears in MP civil service exam Opp parties from J-K to apprise President of Kashmir situation India oi-PTI Srinagar, Aug 17: Opposition parties in Kashmir which met here today decided to approach President Pranab Mukherjee to apprise him of the situation in the Valley and demanded a probe by a retired Supreme Court judge into allegations of excessive use of force by security personnel. "We have decided to seek time from the President to apprise him about the real ground situation in Kashmir. "We will try to persuade the (Union) government to take steps that will at least help in improving the situation in the Valley," National Conference working president Omar Abdullah told reporters here after the meeting at his residence. He said the delegation of opposition parties will go to Delhi to press for a dialogue with all stakeholders and added that blaming Pakistan for everything that goes wrong in Kashmir was not the right approach. The meeting was attended by several Congress leaders including JKPCC chief G A Mir, CPI(M) MLA from Kulgam Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, Independent MLAs Hakim Mohammad Yasin and Sheikh Abdul Rashid and former minister Ghulam Hassan Mir. Omar said the opposition parties have demanded an inquiry by a retired Supreme Court judge into the allegations of excessive force by security forces while dealing with protestors. They will also seek a special session of the Assembly to discuss the situation. "Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in her speech on August 15 has herself said that some elements in security forces did not follow her instructions (of exercising maximum restraint). "So this is an opportune time for a judicial inquiry headed by a retired Supreme Court judge," he said. Curfew, shutdown continue to hit life in Jammu and Kashmir The former chief minister said all the opposition parties were worried about youths getting killed and injured in security forces' firing, while the state and the central governments "mishandled" the situation. "We are also worried that the political nature of Jammu and Kashmir has neither been accepted nor understood. "When it has not been accepted, it is implied that no efforts have been made to find a solution to it," he said. Omar said Kashmir is a political issue which needs to be addressed politically. "The first step is to admit and recognise the anger and then take steps to address it. "So far that has not happened. The All-Party Meeting chaired by the Prime Minister (on August 12) happened because Parliament was in session and it was the opposition's initiative that brought the issue twice for discussion. "Otherwise, we would not have heard anything from the government," he said. Asked about the Centre raising the Balochistan issue, Omar said his personal view was that efforts should be focused on setting "our own house in order". "You (Centre) want to rake up Balochistan, by all means do it but there is a fire burning in Kashmir. It also should be addressed," he said. On Pakistan's role, Omar said, "While Pakistan has a habit of fishing in troubled waters, I do not think the present situation is because of it. "If we believe that Pakistan is behind all this, it means that we do not have to do anything to set things right," he added. "As far as dialogue (with Pakistan) is concerned, we have been votaries of dialogue for resolution. Jammu and Kashmir was made an issue between India and Pakistan way back in 1970s with the Simla Agreement. "We believe Pakistan as our neighbour is a country that needs to be talked to... and it is something Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done in the past," Omar said. PTI No comment on Pranab Mukherjee book before reading it: Former Union Minister Pranab memoirs: PM Modi must speak more often in Parliament Pranab Mukherjee, Hamid Ansari greet Parsi community News oi-Lisa By Lisa President Pranab Mukherjee and Vice President Hamid Ansari today led the nation in wishing the Parsi community on their new year by recalling their contribution in the nation's presence. "The Parsi community of India has played a major role in the building of our nation and contributed immensely to development of our country in various spheres, including industry, commerce, trade and education." Greetings & good wishes to all my fellow citizens, particularly my Parsi brothers &sisters on 'Navroz' or Parsi New Year #PresidentMukherjee President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) August 17, 2016 The Vice President of India, M. Hamid Ansari greeted the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of 'Navroj', the Parsi New Year's day. In a message, he said that Navroj is celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety, and reflects the spirit of fraternity and compassion. The text of Vice President's message is: "I greet the people of our country on the auspicious occasion of 'Navroj', which marks the beginning of Parsi New Year. Celebrated with traditional fervour and gaiety, Navroj reflects the spirit of fraternity and compassion. May this auspicious occasion bring amity, prosperity and happiness in our lives." For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 9:46 [IST] Punjab farmers opt for paddy over cotton this kharif season India oi-PTI Chandigarh, Aug 17: Farmers of Punjab, where a massive whitefly attack occurred last year, have opted for paddy this year and about 30.10-lakh hectare land has been sown during the ongoing kharif season. Decline in cotton acreage because of fear of whitefly pest and lesser area under other crops against targeted area are being attributed to increase in acreage in paddy. With completion of the crop sowing, area under paddy has grown to 30.10 lakh hectares in current kharif season as against 29.75 lakh hectares last season. The target for current kharif season for paddy was set at 27.10 lakh hectares, an official of Punjab Agriculture department said. "...this time is an all-time high acreage in the state. The major reason...has been the reduction in cotton acreage during current kharif season," he said. Besides, the area under basmati crop has also dipped by 35 per cent because of low prices fetched by growers, thus forcing growers to sow traditional varieties of paddy. Area under basmati was 4.90 lakh hectares as against 7.63 lakh hectares of acreage. "After facing damage in cotton crop last year because of whitefly pest, growers this year brought down acreage under cotton and preferred to sow ordinary and common varieties of paddy which is a risk free crop because of assured marketing," Punjab State Farmers Commission, economist, P S Rangi said today. Agriculture Ministry demands Rs 11,000 cr more to implement PMFBY "Growers even shifted area under basmati to common varieties after they failed to fetch remunerative returns from aromatic varieties. These factors primarily led to increase in area under paddy," he said. State government had launched crop diversification programme which has been pushing growers to shift area under paddy to other crops like cotton, maize, basmati, sugarcane, pulses. As far as other crops are concerned, area under maize stood at 1.45 lakh hectares as against the target of 2 lakh hectares. Similarly, sugarcane area was recorded at 96,000 hectares. In neighbouring state Haryana, area under paddy was 12.46 lakh hectares in current kharif season as against 12.24 lakh hectares of area last year. In 2014-15, area under paddy was 12.87 lakh hectares. Like in Punjab, area under cotton also went down in Haryana to 5.23 lakh hectares as against acreage of 5.83 lakh hectares last year. The state has set a target of 6.20 lakh hectares of area under fiber. However, Bajra crop has seen upswing in acreage to 4.85 lakh hectares as against 3.80 lakh hectares last year. But area under guar crop dipped to 2.61 lakh hectares in comparison to 3.67 lakh hectares last season in Haryana. PTI UP polls: Akhilesh Yadav parries question on merger of QED, SP India oi-PTI Lucknow, Aug 17: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today parried questions on the merger of mafia- turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's party Quami Ekta Dal with Samajwadi Party, merely saying that SP would again form government in the state. "Samajwadi Party will form government in the state again (in 2017). What I can say is that SP will government again in the state due to the development works initiated by it," Akhilesh told reporters, avoiding a direct reply when asked about QED's merger with SP again. Akhilesh was briefing media after a Cabinet meeting in which a Metro Rail project was approved for Allahabad. "The work of construction of Metro is going on in Lucknow and the DPRs (Detailed Project Report) for Varanasi and Kanpur have already been approved. We have decided to start metro in Allahabad and report for the same will be prepared," he said. He claimed that UP was the only state in the country in which such a large number of Metro Rail projects were underway. Akhilesh said the Cabinet has also approved scheme of providing free school bags and books to students till class VIII in government schools. A decision to increase the salaries of Cabinet and state ministers was also approved. On minister Ziauddin Rizvi, who could not take oath last month as he had gone for 'Umrah', Akhilesh said, "Oath will take place soon". Akhilesh's uncle and senior cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav was not present in the Cabinet meeting. Party sources said he had gone to Moradabad to attend a programme. PTI Why the arrest, capture or killing of Madvi Hidma would weaken the naxal movement further Jamshedpur: Villager shot dead, security forces-Naxals exchange bullets India oi-PTI Giridih/Jamshedpur (Jharkhand), Aug 17: A villager was shot dead, allegedly by Maoists, in Giridih distict while security personnel exchanged fire with Naxals for the second day within Gurabandha police station limits in East Singhbhum district, police said on Aug 16. A group of four Naxals last night slit the throat of one villager, identified as Dinesh Manjhi, after they shot him dead in Markando village under Sasarkho Panchayat of Dumri police station in Naxal-affected Giridih district, a police officer said. Officer-in-charge of the police station, Shyam Chandra Singh said the victim was linked to the Naxal group in the past. Police recovered leaflets from the spot accusing the victim of raising levy in the name of CPI (Maoists). Meanwhile, security personnel, comprising CRPF, Cobra Battalion and District Armed Police force, exchanged fire for the second consecutive day with the Naxals at Teensomani village on Pouda Pahar under Gorabandha police station of Ghatsila sub-division of East Singhbhum district, Superintendent of Police (Rural), Md Arshi said. Arshi said around 50/60 rounds of fire were exchanged between them before the Naxals, headed by Kanhu Munda, made a hasty retreat. No casuality was reported in the encounter incident. Today's encounter succeeded a similar battle of bullets between security forces and Naxals on Monday at Barakocha under the same Gurabandha police station when a Naxal camp was razed to the ground. Among other things, security personnel had recovered 50 detonators on Monday. PTI With nomad visa and $130K in account, you can 'work from Indonesia' for 10 years Indonesia sinks dozens of foreign vessels to mark independence International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Jakarta, Aug 17: Indonesian authorities decided to sink dozens of impounded foreign boats to mark the country's 72nd independence day on Wednesday (Aug 17) as President Joko Widodo stepped up a campaign to prevent foreign fishrmen for "stealing" in its waters, AFP reported. Widodo, who took over in 2014, has strongly taken up the campaign to assert Indonesia's maritime sovereignty and the country has blown up several foreign vessels. Since elected, President Joko Widodo has intensified a campaign to exercise Indonesias maritime sovereignty and has sunk and blown up scores of foreign vessels. Widodo has taken the tough stance for Indonesia reportedly suffers a massive revenue annually because of illegal fishing in its waters. Foreign ministry official Mas Achmad Santosa said they offered 60 boats to be scuttled in eight locations, AFP added. "This is a gift (for Indonesia) and goes to show our consistency in enforcing the law," the report added him as saying. However, as a difference from the past, the boat-sinking ceremony of Wednesday was not given a media coverage. The officials also did not say to which countries did the boats belong to. Indonesia has in the past sunk boats from countries like China, Vietnam and the Philippines with Beijing particularly getting upset with the act. Relations between China and Indonesia have taken a beating in the recent times over the clash between Chinese fishing boats and Indonesia's government vessels. Oneindia News In his maiden visit to Russia since Ukraine war, Jaishankar to hold talks with Lavrov Russia uses Iran base for first time to bomb Syria jihadist groups International oi-PTI Moscow, Aug 17: Russia has said its warplanes flew out of an Iranian airbase for the first time to bomb jihadist groups in Syria, as fighting raged for control of the ravaged city of Aleppo. The United States said the Russian move made the Syrian crisis even more difficult, but it credited Moscow with having given it a brief advance warning. The defence ministry in Moscow said long-range warplanes took off from Hamedan base in western Iran and "conducted a group air strike against targets of the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups in the provinces of Aleppo, Deir Ezzor and Idlib". The strikes destroyed jihadist targets including weapons depots and command centres, "killing a large number of fighters," Moscow said. Separately, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 23 civilians were killed in Russian and Syrian strikes on rebel-held areas in Aleppo, Syria's second city. Nine civilians were also killed in government-held areas by rebel shelling, it said. The deployment from Iran marks a major switch in the bombing campaign the Kremlin launched in September to support Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, as until now Moscow had only flown raids out of its bases in Syria and Russia. Iran and Russia are the two firmest backers of the Assad regime, with Tehran commanding thousands of troops fighting for him on the ground while Russia provides airpower. Both oppose calls for Assad to step down as a way of resolving the conflict that has killed more than 290,000 people since it erupted in March 2011. Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state news agency IRNA that Moscow and Tehran "exchange capacities and facilities" in the fight against terrorism in Syria. An unnamed military source told Interfax news agency on Monday that Russia had also sent requests to Iran and Iraq to fire cruise missiles across their airspace. In Washington, State Department spokesman Mark Toner described Russian warplane deployment from Iran as "unfortunate, but not surprising or unexpected." Earlier, Baghdad-based US military spokesman Colonel Chris Garver said Russian authorities had notified the US-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria shortly before launching the bombing mission from Iran. The coalition since last year has operated a "memorandum of understanding" with Russia, whereby the two military forces notify each other of flights during their separate bombing campaigns to avoid accidents in the skies over Syria. On Tuesday (Aug 16), US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Aleppo with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign ministry said. Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in comments aired Monday that Russia and the United States were close to joining forces in some form around Aleppo and "begin battling together so that there is peace on this territory." But US State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau refused to confirm any collaboration. AFP Fact Check: Did Trump thank Musk for welcoming him back to Twitter Serbian radicals chant "Vote for Trump" during US vice-president's visit International oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Belgrade, Aug 17: Even as polls in the US showed Republican candidate Donald Trump gradually falling behind his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton ahead of the November 8 general election, the mood is quite the contrary in Serbia where ultranationalists have strongly backed the New York real-estate tycoon. The protesters were led by Vojislav Seselj, the chief of Serbian Radical Party. Current Vice-President Joe Biden got an uncomfortable taste of Trump's support when several ultranationalists marched throughout Belgrade, Serbia's capital, chaning "Vote for Trump!" during his visit there on Tuesday (Aug 16). Biden, who has been one among the many in the US to vocally oppose Trump, was perhaps given a cold welcome by the radicals because of his support for the bombing of Serbia by the Nato in the 1990s. During his stay in Belgrade, Biden, however, apologised for the deaths caused by the Nato bombings. The American vice-president was in Serbia to encourage it normalise relations with Kosovo, which split from Serbia in 1999 and became independent in 2008. The protesters were weraing T-shirts with Trump's face imprinted on them and chanting his name. Seselj told Reuters that Trump, as an alternative to globalisation, would destroy old power centres in the US and is a supporter of Russia. The Serbian Radical Party won about eight per cent of votes in the country's latest parliamentary election and in the past, it even had aligned with late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, said a Washington Post article. Oneindia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 11:43 [IST] Airports to undergo security audit following threats of terror attack New Delhi oi-Vicky New Delhi, Aug 17: A team of the Intelligence Bureau, Bureau of Civil Aviation and Home Ministry officials have begun conducting a security audit of airports across the country. The move comes following various intelligence bureau reports suggesting that airports in the country are extremely vulnerable to terrorist attacks. The recent attack at the Ataturk Airport in Istanbul had given rise to concerns about security at airports. Intelligence Bureau reports regarding the vulnerability of the airports were also given following the attack at the Brussels Zaventem airport which claimed dozens of lives. During a review meeting of the Home Ministry it was said that airport security should not be left to the airport operator. During the meeting a proposal was also made stating that the government should be funding airport security. The audit that is being conducted would focus on several issues including high rise buildings around the airport posing a major security risk. Further the audit would also look into the frequent entry of traffic into the airport area. The issue relating to drones too was discussed. In the past drones flying over airports had been reported and investigations found that the same were being used by advertisers and photographers. The audit would also look into the feasibility of deploying armoured vehicles to counter bold attacks. This was a suggestion made by the CISF. The audit team would also speak with the local police about the security. The local police will be told to keep a check on the drones. An advisory to this effect would be formally issued by the Home Ministry. The meeting also discussed the Parliamentary Committee report on this issue. The report had pointed out flaws in the airport security in India. It had said that the CCTVs were inadequate apart from the presence of slums near the airports. The deployment of more Central Industrial Security Force personnel had also been suggested. It was observed that India's 8 hyper sensitive and 19 sensitive airports were yet to get CISF cover. All airports with commercial flights must have CISF cover, the committee had recommended. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 10:08 [IST] Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's state counselor, will pay a five day visit to China from Wednesday, during which she will travel to Beijing and other Chinese cities, and exchange views on bilateral relations with Chinese leaders. This is her second trip to China, the first being in June 2015, when she met with Chinese President Xi Jinping as chairwoman of Myanmar's National League for Democracy, then the main opposition party. The NLD won absolute majority in both houses of parliament in Myanmar's general election in November. Suu Kyi's visit to China, the first by a Myanmar leader since the new government took office in late March, is expected to inject fresh momentum into China-Myanmar ties. China is the most important source of foreign investment for Myanmar. By the end of July, the agreed investment in Myanmar by China had reached $25.4 billion, accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total foreign investment in that country. China is the largest trading partner of Myanmar and its investment there is more than in any other Southeast Asian country. Of course, Beijing has benefited a lot from its comprehensive strategic partnership with Naypyidaw and needs it to facilitate its regional cooperative proposals, such as the Bangladesh-China-Myanmar-India economic corridor and the Belt and Road Initiative. For that to happen and also to deepen China-Myanmar cooperation, however, official endorsement and extra caution are needed. And there is enough room for cooperation in areas such as Myanmar's infrastructure. As a global leader in building transport networks, China is willing to help improve Myanmar's infrastructure, which that country needs for its economic development, through bilateral as well as multilateral investments. By building more roads, bridges and ports, Myanmar will not only improve regional connectivity but also make the most of its geographical location as a country that connects the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean as well as Southeast Asia and South Asia. According to an Asian Development Bank report in March, Myanmar, a perpetually deficit state, will need about $60 billion to improve its transportation system by 2030. Because of the "primitive" transportation network in some of Myanmar's regions, the cost of delivering local agricultural products remain high. Better transportation infrastructure will improve the livelihoods of Myanmar's farmers and boost the trade with China's southwest provinces like Yunnan. Moreover, China and Myanmar should tap into the potential in hydro-power cooperation without creating unnecessary misunderstandings. Myanmar's officials have decided to deal with the severe electricity shortage in the country, where half of the population still faces constant power failures. Developing hydro-power is apparently the most viable and economic option, because it causes the least harm to the environment. As one of prospective investors, China has no intention of importing electricity from Myanmar, because it already has power oversupply, meaning its focus is to help Myanmar produce more hydro-power. But China should make sure local residents approve of the location and size of the hydroelectric stations, and the environmental assessments pass public scrutiny. To let more Myanmar people enjoy the dividends of the bilateral partnership, China also needs to make more investments in sectors welcomed by local governments. Agriculture, textile, and tourism industries, for example, are better alternatives, because investing in them could create jobs for the local people and shift China's excessive capacity to a market that needs it. Moreover, both countries should encourage people-to-people exchanges, from the grassroots to the academic level. To begin with, Chinese universities could take in more students and offer professional training to workers from Myanmar. The author is an associate researcher in South Asia and Southeast Asia studies at China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. Appointment of judges have not been stalled, say Law Ministry officials New Delhi oi-Vicky New Delhi, Aug 17: Following the displeasure expressed by the Chief Justice of India, T S Thakur over the appointment of judges, the law ministry points out that it is alive to the issue and allegations of confrontation with the judiciary is baseless. The government is committed to clearing the appointments, but will also ensure that there is transparency and accountability while doing so. The Supreme Court while striking down the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act had also directed the government to formulate the Memorandum of Procedure for the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary in a bid to ensure transparency and accountability. These things take time A law ministry official rejected the allegation that the process of appointments were put on hold. Following the striking down of the NJAC act, 110 additional judges have been confirmed in the high courts while 52 new judges have been appointed. In addition to there have been nine high court chief justices and 3 Supreme Court judges who have been appointed. On the issue relating to the pending 73 appointments, the official said that it would be done in due course of time. Such things do take time and these names came to us only on July 30. Normally the vetting takes time. The process is on at the moment, the official also added. With regard to the Memorandum of Procedure, law ministry sources say that there are a couple of issues and these will be sorted out. The Chief Justice of India who was provided with a draft will discuss the issue with four senior most judges in the Supreme Court. Last week the Supreme Court had taken the government to task for delaying the appointment of 73 judges. It sought a reply from the centre in four weeks time on the issue. Justice Thakur had also stated in his Independence Day speech that he was upset no mention about this was made during the Red Fort address by the Prime Minister. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 13:34 [IST] Had heard about Lord Krishna stealing butter but not performing acrobatics: SC New Delhi oi-Vicky New Delhi, Aug 17: The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the Bombay High Court verdict which had stated that the human pyramids during the Dahi Handi festival should not exceed 20 feet. The court also stated that none below the age of 18 should be allowed to participate in the formation of the human pyramid. While upholding the verdict of the Bombay High Court, the Supreme Court observed that it has heard the story of Lord Krishna stealing butter but not about the acrobatics. The Bombay High Court had in August 2014 laid down restrictions during the festival. It had also ordered the Maharashtra Government to issue a circular providing details about the restrictions that it had imposed. Following the order of the High Court, the Maharashtra government had on August 3 moved the Supreme Court seeking clarification. In the clarification the government sought to know about the height of the human pyramids. The Supreme Court had stayed the verdict of the High Court. In the meantime, a social worker Swati Patil had filed a contempt petition alleging that the Maharashtra government was not following the High Court verdict. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 14:29 [IST] Central team roped in as dengue cases in Bihar rise to over 5000 13 people die in hooch tragedy in Bihar Patna oi-Oneindia By Oneindia Staff Writer Patna, Aug 17: 13 people have died in Bihar's Gopalganj in a hoonch tragedy. According to preliminary reports, the deaths have been caused after consumption of illicit liquor. A probe is underway to find pot the real reason behind the deaths. Officials believe that if things are confirmed, this would be the first such incident after the Nitih Government banned the sale and consumption of liquor. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, August 17, 2016, 11:34 [IST] After the heated controversy over anit-India slogans that were raised in Bengaluru in an event organsied by NGO amnesty international, now here is another shocking claim by its ex top officials. The former head of Amnesty International's gender unit Gita Sahgal claims that it lends its support to Kashmiri terror groups. Accession Day: Valley lights up on this day when J&K became part of India J&K: 3 security personnel killed in terror attack Srinagar oi-Vicky Srinagar, Aug 17: Three security personnel have been killed in a terrorist attack at Baramulla, Jammu and Kashmir. The personnel included 2 soldiers and a police man. The incident occurred at the Baramulla district in J&K. Police officials say that terrorists had ambushed an army convoy at Khwajabagh in Baramulla at 2.30 AM on Wednesday. In the attack two soldiers were killed. A police vehicle which was also present came under fire by the terrorists. One police personnel died in the attack. Following the attack a major operation has been launched to nab the terrorists. Immediately after the attack the terrorists fled the scene. Several security personnel have been pressed into service an a major combing operation is on. Intelligence Bureau officials had stated that the presence of terrorists in Baramulla is on the rise. Many of them had taken advantage of the ongoing unrest in the Valley and infiltrated into the state. The central and military intelligence is working closely on monitoring the movement of terrorists in J&K. OneIndia News 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Several weeks after China-UK relations suffered a setback due to the delay in the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant project, UK Prime Minister Theresa May has written to Chinese President Xi Jinping expressing a desire to strengthen trade and strategic ties. Perhaps May does not have many options at a time when other major economies are embracing trade protectionism. On Monday Maersk Line, the world's largest container shipping company, voiced concerns about growing US protectionism, Bloomberg reported. The message comes after US presidential candidate Donald Trump threatened in July to pull out of the WTO (if elected) if his proposal over imposing penalties on companies that moves American production offshore is blocked. In contrast, China does not mind advancing other countries' export opportunities and supporting job creation. China's Ministry of Commerce said earlier this month that the country would adopt an open attitude toward reaching a free trade agreement with the UK, which would remove tariffs on a long list of products made in the UK. It's possible these differing attitudes toward protectionism have played a factor in forcing May to rethink her China strategy and to consider the risks in ending the golden era of China-UK relations. In this regard, it is precisely because of the populist attitude toward protectionism that Trump encourages that has led to the UK strengthening trade ties with China. The Guardian reported last week that the UK saw a widened trade deficit in June and that the country might face a possible economic recession. Unfortunately, matters in the UK may get worse if other nations can not restrain the rise of trade protectionism within their borders. However, we believe future cooperative efforts between China and the UK regarding bilateral trade will not target any third party, the US included. In fairness, no one in the world is able to ignore the consumption capacity of the American people. As a major importer of consumer goods, the US is an important trade partner with both China and the UK. However, this would not necessarily be a bad thing if cooperation between China and the UK aroused vigilance in the US, and knocked them off their current course. As the US-dominated World Bank faces bureaucracy issues, the UK announced last year its intention to join the China-proposed Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as a founding member. The upcoming 2016 G20 Summit in Hangzhou can serve as a prime opportunity for the US to make a change. Hopefully the US can wake up and restrain the rise of trade protectionism that has been running wild in the country. The author is a reporter with the Global Times. [email protected] by Graham Pierrepoint Its not an entirely new phenomenon that a songwriter should take inspiration from their daily life and dramas to find material for their output after all, the true identity of the suggested subject of Carly Simons Youre So Vain has been hidden under wraps for decades, with the true inspiration for the song only being revealed as part of a private auction. Still, decades on, we are still mesmerized by celebrities and the fact that they too have life and relationship struggles and, as it goes, many choose to get matters off their chests in the form of a song or two. You only have to look at the mania behind Beyonces Becky with the good hair lyric to understand that there still seems to be a fascination for fans as to what truly goes on behind the rich and famous doors. Taylor Swift is no stranger to media speculation, having seen her recent relationship with Marvel actor Tom Hiddleston take over much of the showbiz headlines of late, and having had the nitty-gritty of her time with Calvin Harris also put through the public wringer. This week, having spoken via Facebook livestream as a result of his casting in Ryan Murphys comic horror series Scream Queens, actor Taylor Lautner revealed that Swifts song Back to December was likely to have been written about their own relationship back in 2009. Its stated that fan speculation was rife over whether or not Swifts 2010 collection Speak Now was largely inspired by a relationship she had with Lautner shortly before at least now, according to one half of the partnership, it seems that there may be truth to this. Lautner appeared on the livestream as part of promotion for the second season of Scream Queens along with co-stars John Stamos and ex-Glee star Lea Michele. Lautner has retained a profile on both the big screen and on TV since his initial rise to prominence as part of the Twilight movie franchise, in which he famously portrayed Jacob, a werewolf involved in a love triangle with a vampire and a human girl. Lautner has also been recently seen in BBC production Cuckoo, taking over from Lonely Island and Brooklyn Nine-Nine star Andy Samberg. Regardless of who the song is about its fair to say that real life is often the best inspiration for many creative projects but sometimes, a little mystery is all for the better! A police officer checks bank cards and plastic stamps confiscated during a crackdown on underground banks in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, in November. She You / For China Daily The nation's financial authorities are tackling money laundering by improving the mechanisms used to track suspect flows of funds. Wang Yanfei reports. Yan Feng (not his real name) used to operate a small store that sold liquor and snacks on a street near the ferry port in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. Although the store appeared no different to any other outlet in the business-dominated city, which stands adjacent to Hong Kong and was the site of China's first Special Economic Zone, close acquaintances knew the family used the premises as a front for a well-developed underground bank. For a year, Yan and his family helped clients to move amounts far in excess of the annual $50,000 foreign currency limit to regions outside the mainland, including Hong Kong and Macao, which have no currency restrictions. Acting on Yan's instructions, clients transferred money to bank accounts under his control. Once the deposit had been made, Yan's accomplices in Hong Kong placed an equivalent amount in a local bank using Hong Kong dollars. The client was then able to transfer the money to an account of their choice anywhere in the world, but to all intents and purposes no irregular transaction had taken place. Yan was just one of many "black bankers" in China's coastal regions who offer quick fund-transfer services and move hundreds of millions of dollars out of the country every day. Although no official figures are available, unconfirmed estimates claim about $10 billion is laundered through China every year, mostly via outbound transactions. Growing concerns As key components in the money laundering sphere, the activities of underground banks have become a growing concern for China's financial institutions in recent years, and their success has raised questions about the lack of regulations to combat the practice. "Foreign complaints about Chinese money laundering are not new, but some complainants have exaggerated the situation," said Jin Luo, director-general of the anti-money laundering bureau at the People's Bank of China, the nation's central bank. More than 2 million yuan earned via money laundering was handed over to police by a suspect at an underground bank in Guangzhou, Guangdong, in April last year. Xinhua Rather than being a haven for money laundering as some people believe, China does not have the fundamentals to become a hub for illegal activities, according to Jin. China joined the Financial Action Task Force - an intergovernmental agency founded in 1989 to fight money laundering and other illegal financial activities - in 2007. "Since then, China has been striving to meet the rising expectations of the international community," she said, adding that one significant move was the improvement of systems to track suspect capital flows through financial institutions. Although Yan Feng and his partners dispersed their transactions across a number of banks to avoid suspicion, the Shenzhen branch of Bank of China, a commercial lender, used a new system designed to tackle money laundering and traced 183 accounts opened by the family for use in illegal foreign-exchange transactions. Yan and his partners are now awaiting trial on money laundering charges. "The improved systems allow local branches at the municipal level to better play their roles in the fight against money laundering," Jin, of the PBOC, said. Last year, China launched a nationwide probe to tackle the problem, and the PBOC and other financial institutions have made combined efforts to close loopholes within the financial system to help investigators crack down on illegal activities. Regional differences Although banks nationwide have adopted the basic tracking systems, they have been revised by local anti-money laundering bureaus in accordance with regional differences - unlike the coastal regions, which face a greater threat of illegal cross-border transactions, the challenges facing China's underdeveloped inland regions revolve around terrorism and illegal drugs. "Financial institutions adopt different models to detect money laundering. That's because the inland regions have seen an increased risk of money laundering related to the financing of terrorism and drug production in recent years," said Zhao Ying, deputy head of the anti-money laundering bureau at the PBOC's branch in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. For example, banks in Panzhihua, one of Sichuan's major drug trafficking routes with neighboring Yunnan province, adopt different mathematical models to identify suspected clients and transactional behavior to those used by their counterparts in the coastal regions. "Without financial clues, it would take a long time to identify the major suspects in drug trafficking rings, but following the trail of money transfers helps us trace the paths along which drugs are carried," said Li Guohong, deputy head of the police station in Panzhihua. Using the anti-money laundering system to track flows of funds, financial institutions tipped off investigators about 866 cases of suspected illegal activity in 2014, a year-on-year rise of more than 82 percent. They also provided assistance that led to 925 cases being cracked, nearly 50 percent higher than the previous year, according to the PBOC's annual anti-money laundering report, published in December. Despite the improvements in hardware systems, experts say China desperately needs to further improve supervision of commercial banks, some of which fail to report potentially illegal activity, even after suspicions are raised. Yan Lixin, a professor at the China Center for Anti-Money Laundering Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, said the supervisors need to help banks strike a better balance between making profits and helping to crack down on financial criminals. In May, the China Banking Regulatory Commission issued a guideline that requires banks to forcefully adopt the Know Your Customer Norm directive, under which banks must conduct rigorous checks into clients' backgrounds and financial status when they open accounts, and report suspect transactions to the authorities without delay. Yan Lixin said China should improve communications with other countries because the rules that regulate money laundering vary from country to country. Rick McDonell, former executive secretary at the Financial Action Task Force, said China's involvement in international anti-money laundering efforts has been crucial, and he called on the country to play a leading role in the fight. "FAFT and other anti-money laundering standards really wouldn't have been implemented without China's participation," he said. Contact the writer at [email protected] (Photo/IC) A leading Chinese military figure is calling for stronger military-to-military cooperation with the US to manage potential risks. General Li Zuocheng, head of the Chinese Army, has made the suggestion while meeting with US Army chief General Mark Milley in Beijing. Li Zuocheng says strong military ties between the two sides are a sign of mutual respect, and can help avoid confrontation. But at the same time, he also says the US side is threatening the relationship through the deployment of the THAAD Missile System in South Korea, as well as US actions in the South China Sea. For his part, Milley is also suggesting more military exchanges might help soften tensions. Rumble 27 Oct 2022 DEPUTIZE US ALL!!!!! Sign me up!!!!!! Gotta love this guy's way of thinking! Should the second largest economy in the world makes full use of its ability to stablize growth, expand aggregate demand and implement supply side structural reforms, then China will be able to keep its economic growth above 6.5 percent for the remainder of this year as well as throughout the country's 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020). This is according to renowned Chinese economist Justin Yifu Lin at an economic forum held on Aug. 16. Lin also stated his belief that China will contribute over 30 percent of the world's economic growth in the same period. Since 2012, China's economic growth has slowed down. Lin, former chief economist of the World Bank, said that internal factors like the system, mechanism, growth pattern and structure of the supply side can be named as factors in the downturn. In addition, external and periodic factors have also contributed, Lin said, adding that other BRICS countries have gone through similar challenges during the same period. Meanwhile, the vice president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Cai Fang, holds that the economic slowdown is a reflection of China's entrance into a new phase of economic life, characterized by the disappearance of demographic dividends. "After six years of adjustment, China's economy is very close to its bottom," said Liu Shijin, former minister of the Development Research Center of the State Council. China's economy is not expected to slide any further, which means that it will soon enter a medium-growth-rate period, Liu noted. However, Liu explained that being close to the bottom is not the same thing as actually being at the bottom. He pointed out that reaching the true bottom will also cause instability and economic uncertainty. Yuan Zhigang, former dean of the School of Economics of Fudan University, suggested promoting supply-side structural reform to cope with the economic downturn. Upworthy 27 Oct 2022 Liz Cheney is expected to endorse and campaign for Rep. Elissa Slotkin, the first time she has crossed party lines to formally.. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. Learn more Anne Patin Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque Geneva: Asset management companies have been implementing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, as not all employees necessarily want to carry around a company smartphone or tablet. But employees need to know of the risks of using their own devices for work purposes. Lower costs and employee satisfaction are obvious advantages of BYOD. But by embracing BYOD, organisations lose much of the control over the IT hardware and how it is used. So they need to lay out minimum security requirements, and make sure the issues of compliance and ownership of data are followed. The first generation of BYOD policies were not very satisfactory. Technology had not yet been developed to allow companies to access just one portion of a device. As a result, companies implemented policies that were stringent. To ensure a companys security, employees were required to provide full access to their devices, including personal information. Employees were consequently wary of adopting BYOD, or had complaints after doing so. According a recent report on BYOD and mobile security produced by Crowd Research Partners, increased employee mobility, satisfaction and productivitydominate as the top drivers of BYOD, and are considered more important than reduced costs. On the other hand, security and employee privacy are the biggest inhibitors of BYOD adoption. And for organisations, there is ...................... To view our full article Click here One March night I'll never forget, my wife grasped my hand, and looking up from her hospital bed, her eyes locked on mine, she begged me to sneak her pain meds from home. Tired of living with bone-numbing pain, she wanted to overdose on pain medication, so she could finally die in peace. It was heart wrenching, her sad eyes looking up at me, pleading. But I told her no. Then explained, as calmly as I could, that it wouldn't be good for our daughter to have one parent dead and the other in prison. Before she died last July, my wife and I were blessed to live for 30 years our own goofy, old-movies, cheap-date life. She was one of the sweetest, most loving and giving people I've ever known. She certainly didn't deserve to suffer as she did her last six months -- to endure eight ER visits, to be passed around like a hot potato by three different hospitals, two skilled nursing facilities, two long-term acute care hospitals, one rehab hospital -- then to finally, end up in hospice. Take it from me, there's nothing at all edifying about suffering and certainly nothing edifying about watching the person you love most in the world suffer day in and day out for months on end. I refuse to put a cherry on top of it. My wife's last six months were a living hell. She bore the full brunt of a confluence of medical issues -- chronic pain, a neurological disorder, an auto-immune disease, and inflammatory arthritis. In April her pain specialist straight-up admitted the strong narcotics he'd prescribed hadn't even come close to controlling her pain. The truth is, if my wife had had access to physician-assisted suicide, she'd have used it without hesitation. As early as February, she told me that she believed that death was now a better option than the agony she lived with every day. My wife was clearly at peace with ending her life, but in our home state of Texas, physician-assisted suicide was never an option. Partly, I blame the religious right's perverse and unscriptural indifference to the suffering of others, but I also blame the tyranny of the able-bodied, living forever in denial about death. When most people imagine death at all, they envision it will occur some time in the far, far future when they'll be surrounded, like some Norman Rockwell painting, by all their loved ones at home. But the truth is none of us knows when we will die or under what circumstances. Many, if not most of us, will die in some kind of hospital setting with tubes and electrodes stuck all over us. Yet I want someone to explain to me how is it right that if we have a pet that was as racked by pain as my wife was for months on end, I'd be considered cruel if I didn't bring it to the vet to be put down, but humans, no? They must suffer and suffer like my wife, who writhed in gut-wrenching pain nearly every one of her last 175 days. Belgium and Holland have physician-assisted suicide, as does Oregon, Montana, Vermont, Washington, and now, California. In fact, across the country, public opinion is swinging in the direction of physician-assisted suicide. According to Gallup, almost 70% of Americans now support it. But sadly, it is too late for my wife. I can never change the horror, the almost-constant terror of her last six months; though, believe me, every day I wish I could. But just maybe if more states opt for physician-assisted suicide some body else's loved one won't have to suffer in the future, as my wife did. NATO, Poland, Russia and Missile Defense Threats by Arn H. Specter, August 17, 2016 As the U.S. and other NATO countries arm up with four battalions of 4000 plus troops, equipment and weapons, including missiles in Poland and a radar system in Rumania, the Russian response, with nuclear missiles (possibly) in Kaliningrad (just north of Poland) has been strongly against such a build up - to say the least. Missiles (Image by quinet) Details DMCA This build-up has been off and on for over 15 years and is now possibly more dangerous than ever with thousands of troops moving east towards Russia as Putin has directed his military to arm it's missiles in Kaliningrad, instructing them to blow up NATO's missile sites in retaliation, if needed! This is no joke people. Things are very hot in Eastern Europe now. NATO, directed primarily by the U.S. military, has been pushing hard to support its allies, depending on troops and the U.S. missile defense system in Poland. Unfortunately this system has been described as "not reliable" and not adequately tested" by our GAO, the investigative agency for the U.S. government...see below and https://shar.es/1l6amE . (hold blank page a few seconds) In other words we are installing very powerful missiles, unproven in their ability to deter an attack by Russian missiles. Folly for sure by our stubborn military minds. These efforts bring into the military-industrial-nuclear complex billions of dollars yearly, making small fortunes for many people who seem to lack the skills for successful diplomacy and negotiations with Russia and the Eastern European nations. The GAO report spells out, in great detail, just how inadequate the U.S. Missile Defense System is, despite years of effort and of U.S. taxpayer dollars in the making. These efforts by the U.S. were stopped in 2009 and need to be stopped again-as soon as possible in order to avoid a military-nuclear confrontation of extraordinary proportions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reprinted from WSWS Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, in a fascistic speech in Ohio, called for "vicious" and "extreme" methods to combat the threat of terrorism, including a crackdown on immigrants from the Middle East, expansion of the Guantanamo Bay prison camp and a war of extermination against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The speech was delivered to a hand-picked, friendly audience at Youngstown State University in eastern Ohio, one of the few "battleground" states where the floundering Trump campaign is still competitive against Democrat Hillary Clinton, according to recent polls. Trump read his speech from a teleprompter, using a text prepared by Republican Party advisers, although he ad-libbed several of the threats of brutal treatment for "terror" prisoners and refugees. One of these was his suggestion that immigrants should be subjected to "extreme vetting" over their religious and political viewpoints to detect potential sympathizers of "radical Islam." The candidate did not spell out the details, but campaign aides told the Associated Press after the speech that this would involve a test of immigrants' views on social issues such as religious freedom, gay rights and gender equality. Anyone strictly adhering to the Republican Party platform adopted last month in Cleveland would likely fail such a test, an irony that appears to have escaped the Trump campaign. The bulk of Trump's speech was the mixture of militaristic threats, chest-thumping self-praise, brazen lies and non sequiturs that have become familiar in the course of his campaign. Among the lies were Trump's claim to have "always" opposed the war in Iraq (he supported the Bush administration's decision to go to war in 2002-2003) and to have opposed the US-NATO bombing of Libya (he supported it publicly). These lies are aimed at giving his campaign credibility with the overwhelming majority of Americans who oppose the wars in the Middle East carried out by the Bush and Obama administrations. Trump seeks to combine this bogus antiwar stance with ferocious militarism in relation to ISIS, which was the sole focus of his Youngstown speech. He called for the immediate and outright destruction of the group, without indicating anything he would actually do differently than the Obama administration. His one clear difference with Obama was to employ the term "radical Islamic terrorism," which he presented as a sort of magical talisman that would cause ISIS to disintegrate. "We have a president that doesn't want to say the words," Trump complained. "Anyone who cannot name our enemy is not fit to lead this country." There is a real content to this seemingly bizarre conflict over naming the opponent in the Middle East. The US military-intelligence apparatus avoids the term "radical Islam" because it has long made use of such elements as part of its covert operations in the region. While Obama is not the "founder" of ISIS, as Trump claimed last week, the CIA is certainly the "founder" of Al Qaeda, recruiting Islamic fundamentalists in the 1980s for the guerrilla war in Afghanistan against the Soviet army, who included Osama bin Laden and his associates. More recently, under the Obama administration, similar Islamists recruited by the CIA were the spearhead for the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in Libya, then shipped into Syria where they were unleashed against the government of Bashar al-Assad, allied with Russia. The CIA has also backed radical Islamists fighting Russian forces in Chechnya and elsewhere in the Caucasus, as well as fighting Chinese forces in Xinjiang. ISIS emerged out of the radical Islamist milieu in Syria, armed and financed under the auspices of the CIA, the Pentagon and US allies like Qatar and Saudi Arabia. The group only came into conflict with the US when ISIS fighters crossed the Syria-Iraq border in 2014 and began to wage war against the Shiite-dominated regime in Iraq. The fascistic character of the Trump campaign was displayed in the candidate's frequent references to the need for "vicious" and "extreme" methods, not only against ISIS itself, but against immigrants from countries where ISIS is active (many of them actually refugees fleeing ISIS). At one point he said that the mistake made by previous US administrations in Iraq was failure to seize the country's oil. "In the old days when we won a war, to the victor go the spoils," he said, embracing a law of war that would be enthusiastically embraced by any fascist dictator. American imperialism has generally sought to conceal such crude appetites, presenting itself as the protagonist of the "free world" even when doing battle for the interests of Exxon Mobil or Goldman Sachs. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). I realize that, living here in the United States, the nation doing the most in the world to create wars, proliferate nukes, and destroy the habitability of the earth's climate, I really have a duty to pick someone in the United States as the worst individual human being alive. But the United States operates by incestuous swarm. We have another Cheney running for Congress and another Clinton running for president. We have Trump's campaign manager in trouble for taking money from Russians, much of which he funneled to Hillary Clinton's campaign chair's brother. Meanwhile, Trump's daughter has been hauled before a virtual Un-American Activities Committee for vacationing with the supposed girlfriend of Vladimir Putin who may or may not have cheated on Rupert Murdoch with Tony Blair -- Yes, the same Rupert Murdoch who raises funds for Hillary Clinton, and yes, that Tony Blair -- the one whose corrupt deal with Murdoch put him in power in the first place. These characters, including Blair, are at least honorary Americans. But Blair is something even worse than the worst of the worst of them. Blair did to the Labour Party what Bill Clinton did to the Democratic Party -- what Jeremy Corbin is trying to undo and Hillary Clinton trying to permanently entomb. Blair did to Kosovo and Afghanistan and Iraq what Clinton, Bush, and Obama did to those places. But while Bush went home to paint pictures of himself in the bathtub, Blair went on a Clintonite mission to get rich and evangelize for war and corruption. I don't know if it's fair to hold this against him, but Blair took into wars on Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, a nation with far greater resistance to such lawless mass killing than the United States had. That is, he had people telling him openly that his actions would be criminal and reprehensible. He may now be the least popular person in Britain. He can't go outside without being protested. George W. Bush, like his daddy, in contrast, is just another respectable old retired emperor. I do think, however, that it is perfectly fair to hold against Blair the fact that he shifted from mass killing straight into mass money making while promoting more death and destruction. Money grubbing British prime ministers from now on will know that they can become stinking rich upon retirement if they do the bidding of their corporate and foreign overlords while in office. If you think I'm exaggerating, go watch George Galloway's new film, The Killing$ Of Tony Blair. This film tells the story of Blair's whole career, and it's ugly. He cuts a deal with Murdoch to allow media monopolies in exchange for press support. He takes money from a car racing plutocrat in exchange for allowing tobacco ads at car races. He sells out to corporations left and right. He peddles BAE jets to Indonesia for killing people in East Timor. He sells BAE air traffic control systems to Tanzania which has no air force. He simply shuts down a prosecutorial investigation of BAE's Saudi corruption in the deal that saw Bandar Bush pocket $2 billion. He privatizes schools and hospitals, anything that can make a buck for anybody who knows how to kick some back. Blair joins with Clinton the First and then Obama in the killing in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq, and then shifts into former-prime-minister-now-"consultant" mode, taking millions from JP Morgan Chase, Petro Saudi, and other companies for providing his connections to other corrupt people around the world. He takes obscene speaking fees. He hires himself out to dictators in Kazakhstan, Egypt, Kuwait, and Libya. The film juxtaposes their atrocities with Blair's purchased praise of their many merits. Blair persuaded Bush to protect Gadaffi from lawsuits by alleged victims, but apparently forgot to tell Hillary not to bomb Gadaffi or get him killed. What really wins Blair the prize of worst person on earth, though, is his acceptance of an appointment as Middle East Peace Envoy to Israel and Palestine, a job he apparently held right up until enough people realized it wasn't a fake report meant to be funny but an actual no-kidding job that he was actually engaged in. With transnational cyberspace crimes on the rise, cyber security experts at home and abroad have once again called to reinforce global cooperation in an effort to crack down on such crimes. Cyber crimes have become more transnational in recent years. Global cooperation is now urgent and necessary due to the complexity and urgency of the crimes, noted Zhong Zhong, deputy head of the Cyber Security Protection Bureau under Chinas Ministry of Public Security. Zhong said that China has built an effective cooperation framework with multiple countries, including the U.S. and Russia, to tackle cyber crimes across all fields. Chinas ongoing anti-cyber crime campaign was launched in April. Targeting personal information leaks, the campaign has so far bagged over 1,900 suspects and discovered more than 23 billion instances of leaked personal information, according to Zhong. Zhong made his remarks at the 2016 China Internet Security Conference, which was jointly held on Aug. 16 in Beijing by IT company Qihoo 360, the Internet Society of China (ISC) and the Cyber Security Association of China. Open cooperation is one of the key development directions of the global cyber security industry Cyberspace, similar to a virtual society, is prone to espionage, attack and other crimes. This is a global issue, and no country can exclude itself from the problem, said Wu Hequan, director-general of the ISC and also an academician with the Chinese Academy of Engineering, at the opening ceremony of the conference. Retired U.S. Army Major General John Davis, who now works as vice president and federal chief of security at Palo Alto Networks, also called for global cooperation in an era of growing interdependency and connectivity. Davis said at the conference that global cooperation can be built step by step through increased transparency, trust and teamwork, and that cyber threats in the modern age should be defended in a more proactive, automated way. Davis expressed his belief that it is time for the construction of a formal platform to prevent cyber crimes, which will be an improvement over previous techniques for detection and response. Davis also noted that such an undertaking should not only be carried out by governments, but should also involve private companies. Echoing Davis, Qi Xiangdong, president of Qihoo 360, noted that a sound basis for cooperation has been set after years of developing big data and threat intelligence. Many industry practitioners have called for detection to be more integrated, Qi said. China: 4G Network Expansion And Fiber Deployment Are High On Operators Agenda While Facing Greater Competition http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/784614 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ The telecommunications market in China generated $199.0bn in service revenue in 2015. Telecom service revenue is expected to grow at a CAGR of 3.7% during 2016-2021, primarily driven by the growth in data revenue. Mobile data and broadband will be the fastest-growing segments over the 2016-2021 period. Operators are focusing on expansion of LTE networks, 5G technology trials and fiber network deployments. In addition, ongoing investments in network expansion and modernization will enable operators to monetize the growing demand of data services.Key FindingsThe overall telecom service revenue in China is estimated to generate $212.2bn in 2016 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 3.7% during 2016-2021, mainly driven by data segments (mobile and fixed).The China telecom market will be dominated by China Mobile as the leading operator, followed by China Telecom and China Unicom. Operators will continue to invest in fixed and mobile networks expansion and deployment of 5G technology to have a competitive edge in the market.SynopsisChina: 4G Network Expansion and Fiber Deployment Are High on Operators Agenda While Facing Greater Competition provides an executive-level overview of the telecommunications market in China today, with detailed forecasts of key indicators up to 2021. It delivers deep quantitative and qualitative insight into Chinas telecom market, analyzing key trends, evaluating near-term opportunities and assessing risk factors, based on proprietary data from Pyramid Researchs databases.The Country Intelligence Report provides in-depth analysis of the following:Regional context: Telecom market size and trends in China compared with other countries in Africa and Middle East region.Economic, demographic and political context in China.The regulatory environment and trends: a review of the regulatory setting and agenda for the next 18-24 months as well as relevant developments pertaining to spectrum licensing, national broadband plans, number portability and more.A demand profile: analysis as well as historical figures and forecasts of service revenue from the fixed telephony, fixed Internet, mobile voice and mobile data and pay-TV.Service evolution: a look at changes in the breakdown of overall revenue between the fixed and mobile sectors and between voice, data and video from 2014 to 2021.The competitive landscape: an examination of key trends in competition and in the performance, revenue market shares and expected moves of service providers over the next 18-24 months.In-depth sector analysis of fixed telephony, broadband, mobile voice and mobile data services: a quantitative analysis of service adoption trends by network technology and by operator, as well as of average revenue per line/subscription and service revenue through the end of the forecast period.Main opportunities: this section details the near-term opportunities for operators, vendors and investors in Chinas telecommunications market.Download Sample Copy of this Report atReasons To BuyGain in-depth analysis of current strategies and future trends of the telecommunications market in China, service providers and key opportunities in a concise format, to build proactive and profitable growth strategies.Understand the factors behind ongoing and upcoming trends in China mobile communications, fixed telephony, broadband markets and pay-TV markets, including the evolution of service provider market shares, to align product offerings and strategies to meet customers demand.Leverage the graphical information (more than 20 charts and tables in the report based on the Pyramid Research forecast products), to gain an overview of the telecom market in China.Analysis of key telecom players in the markets and major business strategies being adopted by them, to identify the opportunities to improve the market share.Explore novel opportunities to align your product strategies and offerings to meet the requirements and succeed in the challenging telecommunications market in China.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 Reports on Russian trade with South American countries in Q1 2016 http://en.russian-trade.com/reports-and-reviews/2016-07/russian-trade-with-south-american-countries-in-the-1st-quarter-of-2016/ The share of South American countries in Russia's total exports has rose in the 1st quarter of 2016 as a result of the replacement of European food products.Russian Foreign Trade has released the reports on Russia's foreign trade in goods with the countries of South America in the first quarter of 2016.The reports have been prepared by Russian Foreign Trade stuff based on the data from the Federal Customs Service of Russia.In particular, the reports have been issued on Russia's trade with the following countries: Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Paraguay,Peru, and Uruguay (9 reports in total).The reports are publicly available here:A brief review of Russia's trade with South American countries in the 1st quarter of 2016:The share of South American countries in Russia's total trade (exports and imports) rose from 1.63% in the 1st quarter of 2015 to 1.84% in the 1st quarter of 2016.The share of South American countries in Russia's total exports declined from 0.93% in the 1st quarter of 2015 to 0.88% in the 1st quarter of 2016.The share of South American countries in Russia's total imports rose from 3.12% in the 1st quarter of 2015 to 3.47% in the 1st quarter of 2016.The major trading partners of Russia in South America in the 1st quarter of 2016:- The top five Russias trade partners in South America in the 1st quarter of 2016 were Brazil (0.8144% of Russias total foreign trade), Ecuador (0.3847%), Argentina (0.1603%), Chile (0.1422%), and Venezuela (0.1010%);- The top five Russias export markets in South America in the 1st quarter of 2016 were Brazil (0.4623% of Russias total exports), Venezuela (0.1598%), Colombia (0.0660%), Peru (0.0638%), and Ecuador (0.0563%);- The top five Russias import suppliers from South America in the 1st quarter of 2016 were Brazil (1.4157% of Russias total imports), Ecuador (0.9456%), Argentina (0.3747%), Chile (0.3545%), and Paraguay (0.1824%).The most notable changes in Russia's trade with the countries of South America in the 1st quarter of 2016 over the 1st quarter of 2015:- The share of Brazil in Russias total exports declined from 0.5291% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.4623% in the 1st quarter of the 2016;- The share of Argentina in Russias total exports rose 2.5-fold from 0.0140% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.0348% in the 1st quarter of the 2016;- The share of Uruguay in Russias total exports rose 5.3-fold from 0.0037% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.0195% in the 1st quarter of the 2016;- The share of Ecuador in Russias total imports rose from 0.6830% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.9456% in the 1st quarter of the 2016;- The share of Paraguay in Russias total imports declined from 0.2912% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.1824% in the 1st quarter of the 2016.Russian Foreign Trade is a research and analytics group based in Moscow, Russia. The main object of the group is to promote mutually beneficial trade between Russia and other countries. The group provides Russias foreign trade reports, reviews, analytics, statistics and news.Russian Foreign Trade54A, Nagatinskaya emb., Moscow, 115407, RussiaTel: +79250206291Email: admin@russian-trade.comWebsite: en.russian-trade.com/ Reports on Russian trade with African countries in Q1 2016 http://en.russian-trade.com/reports-and-reviews/2016-07/russian-trade-with-african-countries-in-the-1st-quarter-of-2016/ Russian trade with African countries is growing in absolute and relative terms, despite the overall decline in Russia's trade with foreign countries.Russian Foreign Trade has released the reports on Russia's foreign trade in goods with the countries of Africa in the first quarter of 2016.The reports have been prepared by Russian Foreign Trade stuff based on the data from the Federal Customs Service of Russia.In particular, the reports have been issued on Russia's trade with the following countries: Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Angola, South Africa, Tunisia, Kenya, Cote dIvoire, Sudan, Ghana, Djibouti, Nigeria, Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Libya, Togo, and Ethiopia.The reports are publicly available here:A brief review of Russia's trade with African countries in the 1st quarter of 2016:The share of African countries in Russia's total trade (exports and imports) rose from 1.66% in the 1st quarter of 2015 to 3.14% in the 1st quarter of 2016.The share of African countries in Russia's total exports rose from 1.73% in the 1st quarter of 2015 to 3.95% in the 1st quarter of 2016.The share of African countries in Russia's total imports rose from 1.50% in the 1st quarter of 2015 to 1.76% in the 1st quarter of 2016.The major trading partners of Russia in Africa in the 1st quarter of 2016:- The top five Russias trade partners in Africa in the 1st quarter of 2016 were Egypt (1.2119% of Russias total foreign trade), Algeria (0.4583%), Morocco (0.3538%), Angola (0.2968%), and South Africa (0.1159%);- The top five Russias export markets in Africa in the 1st quarter of 2016 were Egypt (1.8331% of Russias total exports), Algeria (0.7229%), Angola (0.4706%), Morocco (0.2077%), and Tunisia (0.1292%);- The top five Russias import suppliers from Africa in the 1st quarter of 2016 were Morocco (0.6031% of Russias total imports), Egypt (0.3655%), South Africa (0.2250%), Cote dIvoire (0.1172%), and Kenya (0.1153%).The most notable changes in Russia's trade with the countries of Africa in the 1st quarter of 2016 over the 1st quarter of 2015:- The share of Egypt in Russias total exports rose 2-fold from 0.9046% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 1.8331% in the 1st quarter of the 2016;- The share of Algeria in Russias total exports rose 4.5-fold from 0.1602% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.7229% in the 1st quarter of the 2016;- The share of Togo in Russias total exports declined 2.7-fold from 0.0455% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.0167% in the 1st quarter of the 2016;- The share of Algeria in Russias total exports rose 32.2-fold from 0.0146% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.4706% in the 1st quarter of the 2016;- The share of Morocco in Russias total imports rose from 0.3903% in the 1st quarter of the 2015 to 0.6031% in the 1st quarter of the 2016.Russian Foreign Trade is a research and analytics group based in Moscow, Russia. The main object of the group is to promote mutually beneficial trade between Russia and other countries. The group provides Russias foreign trade reports, reviews, analytics, statistics and news.Russian Foreign Trade54A, Nagatinskaya emb., Moscow, 115407, RussiaTel: +79250206291Email: admin@russian-trade.comWebsite: en.russian-trade.com/ Global Beverage Packaging Market grow at a CAGR of 4.2% between 2016 and 2021 : ZMR http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/beverage-packaging-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/beverage-packaging-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/beverage-packaging-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/toc/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.Request Sample Report: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.Beverage 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 the 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.Do Inquiry before buying: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 a large number of key players in the region.Browse detail report at: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.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 AnalysisRead Report TOC:North AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East and AfricaAbout Us:Zion Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact Us: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: Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Market - Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2015 2021 http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/advanced-metering-infrastructure-ami-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/toc/advanced-metering-infrastructure-ami-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/advanced-metering-infrastructure-ami-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/advanced-metering-infrastructure-ami-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is an architectured system which allows two way communications between customer & utilities through communication networks, smart meters, and data management systems. The primary function of AMI is to provide utility companies real time data related to power consumption and allow customer to make energy usage based on the price at the time of use. AMI helps utility companies to manage energy demand by identifying peak time of load.Request Sample Report:The growth of global advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) market has been accelerated by increasing need for improved customer service level and utility efficiency. Furthermore, AMI improves customer engagement activities through two-way communication with improved non-technical loss identification and reduced operational costs, carbon savings, government regulations and legislative mandates are the major factors expected to fuel the growth of market significantly. However, inadequate financial incentives for utilities curb the growth of the market. Nonetheless, integration of AMI with smart devices is expected to provide growth opportunities for market in coming years.The report covers forecast and analysis for the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2015 along with a forecast from 2016 to 2021 based on revenue (USD million). Study also covers Porters Five Forces model, which offers an insights view and intensity of competition within the market. The report also analyzes several driving and restraining factors and their impact on the market during the forecast period. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein application segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness.Request TOC (Table of Contents) of this report:The study provides a decisive view of the advanced metering infrastructure market on the basis of device and regional segment. In terms of device, the market segmented into smart meter, communication modules, home area network and others. Smart meter further classified under smart electric meters, smart gas meters, and smart water meter.Major regional segments analyzed in this study include North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East and Africa. North America and Europe dominated the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) market. Asia Pacific is expected to drive the growth of AMI market in coming year due to the growing population & acceptance by people and government.Do Inquiry before buying:Key players profiled in the report includes Cisco Systems, Inc., General Electric Corporation, IBM Corporation, Itron Inc., Schneider Electric SE, Aclara Technologies Llc. , Elster Group Gmbh , Sensus , Tieto Corporation , Trilliant Inc. and others.This report segments of the global advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) market as follows:Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Market: Device Segment AnalysisSmart MeterSmart Electric MarketSmart Gas MarketSmart Water MarketCommunication modulesHome area networkOthers.Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Market: Device Segment AnalysisBrowse report at:North America.EuropeAsia PacificLatin AmericaMiddle East & AfricaAbout Us:Zion Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact Us: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: Cancer Stem Cells Market Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends And Forecast 2014 - 2020 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/213267 Cancer stem cells (CSCs) refer to the cells obtained from tumor that posses potential to reproduce all types of cancer cells found in a cancer sample. Cancer stem cells are planned to grow in tumors as a separate population and thereby cause deterioration and metastasis of existing tumor through generation of new tumor. Thus, with advancement in technology especially in cancer stem cells research area, therapies specific to targeting cancer stem cells are expected to improve quality of life and survival cases of cancer patients with metastatic diseases.Morbidity and mortality rate of cancer is rising at a faster speed worldwide and thus prevention of cancer and cancer treatment is grabbing attention of cancer researchers globally. Stem cells and cell therapy have shown significant potential to treat cancer effectively. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have been tested on animal models and have also shown satisfactory results. However, human testing of cancer stem cells is still in its developing stage owing to stringent regulations and ethical issues associated with the same.Worldwide cancer research activities are increasing rapidly owing to rising burden of mortality rate of cancer. Cancer stem cells are under research for various types of cancers such as lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, skin cancer, brain cancer and bone cancer. Government initiative to boost the cancer research activities and availability of funds are some of the factors that are driving the global cancer stem cells (CSCs) market towards growth. While on the other hand, ethical issues involved in the stem cells research and stringent regulations to perform human trials are some of the factors that are restraining the growth of the global cancer stem cells (CSCs) market.Report Analysis And Free Sample Copy:Geographically, global cancer stem cells market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the world (RoW) regions. Currently, North America is leading the global cancer stem cells (CSCs) market and is followed by Europe. Factors such as highly developed research infrastructure, well defined regulatory norms, availability of research funds, availability of skilled research and healthcare professionals and supportive economy are driving the North American cancer stem cells market towards growth. Asia Pacific is lucrative market for cancer stem cells. Governments in the Asia Pacific countries mainly, India and China are taking initiative to boost the healthcare and biotechnology industry in the respective countries and thus, research and development activities in these countries are swiftly increasing.Apart from India and China, Japan will play a significant role in the cancer stem cells market. Japanese government is heavily investing in healthcare industry in order to improve the healthcare facilities in the country and thus rising cancer treatment are expected to escalate the cancer stem cells treatment market in Japan. Latin American countries namely, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina are expected to contribute more to cancer stem cells market than other countries in the rest of the world region. While on the other hand, African countries and Middle Eastern countries are expected to show slow or no growth rate in the global cancer stem cells (CSCs) market.Some of the major players in the global cancer stem cells market are AdnaGen GmbH, Advanced Cell Diagnostics, Inc., AVIVA Biosciences Corporation, Celula, Inc., Epic Sciences, Inc., Fluxion Biosciences, Inc., Rarecells USA, Inc. and Silicon Biosystems, S.p.A.This research report analyzes this market on the basis of its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report includeNorth AmericaAsia PacificEuropeRest of the WorldThis report provides comprehensive analysis ofMarket growth driversFactors limiting market growthCurrent market trendsMarket structureMarket projections for upcoming yearsThis report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.Reasons for Buying this ReportThis report provides pin-point analysis for changing competitive dynamicsIt provides a forward looking perspective on different factors driving or restraining market growthIt provides a six-year forecast assessed on the basis of how the market is predicted to growIt helps in understanding the key product segments and their futureIt provides pin point analysis of changing competition dynamics and keeps you ahead of competitorsIt helps in making informed business decisions by having complete insights of market and by making in-depth analysis of market segmentsIt provides distinctive graphics and exemplified SWOT analysis of major market segmentsMarketresearchreports.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 Environmental and Government Regulations Drive Demand for Geosynthetics http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=7934 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://globalresearchanalysis.blogspot.in/ Growing environmental concerns regarding soil erosion are leading to an increased deployment of geosynthetics for road projects and stabilizing the terrain. Since geosynthetics provide separation, drainage and containment, filtration, and reinforcement, they are extensively used in construction industries and also for sediment control.Companies are aligning their product range to meet the changing requirements of consumers. A case in point would be TenCate. The company has patented their GEOPORT filling system for TenCate Geotube containers. This technology, which makes use of geotextiles engineered for containment and dewatering moisture content in sludge and sediments, has become the preferred dewatering method for organizations across the globe. As such, the demand for geosynthetics is expected to rise significantly owing to their benefits.According to a report published by Transparency Market Research (TMR), the global geosynthetics market was valued at US$9.57 bn in 2014 and is expected to reach US$20.8 bn by 2023 expanding at a CAGR of 9.1% from 2015 to 2023.Download And Get FREE Sample PDF File Of Geosynthetics :TMR analysts answer the key questions that companies operating in the geosynthetics market need to ask:Q. Which region is expected to witness the fastest growth in the geosynthetics market?The geosynthetics market in the Middle East and Africa is expected to expand at the fastest rate owing to the rise in the use of geosynthetics for construction activities. The demand for geosynthetics in Asia Pacific is also high and is driven by an upsurge in the infrastructural activities in China and India. The market in North America is expected to witness a moderate growth.Q. What are the factors restraining the growth of the geosynthetics market?The fluctuation in the prices of different raw materials required for the manufacturing of geosynthetics is one of the biggest challenges faced by the manufacturers in the market. Another factor threatening the demand for geosynthetics is the availability of low-cost substitutes. Jute fiber and rocks are the substitutes that are gaining popularity and most likely to challenge the demand for geosynthetics.Q. How are government and environmental regulations aiding the growth of the geosynthetics market?The new federal regulations on the disposal of coal combustion residuals require surface impoundment operators to come up with dust control measures for each site. The leaking of potential contaminants from surface impoundments into groundwater is creating a new demand for geosynthetic membrane. Geosynthetic membrane covers help protect groundwater and also bring about a reduction in dust.The U.S Environmental Protection Agencys (EPA) thrust on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions will cause solid waste landfills to install systems that collect and control landfill gas. While traditional systems make use of vertical gas wells to contain landfill gas, a new product by Agru America, Inc., employs a surficial gas collection system to capture the emissions. The product known as ClosureTurf is EPA compliant, comprising a structured geomembrane to form a cost-effective landfill closure solution.Thus, environmental regulations are expected to create new growth opportunities in the global geosynthetics market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Global Diesel Engine Market 2016-2020 http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/775699 About Diesel EnginesThe diesel engine is an internal combustion engine in which air is compressed inside the cylinder to ignite the fuel. Two main types of diesel engines are available in the market. They are two-stroke and four-stroke engines. Diesel engines are capable of offering better operational performance, which makes them a preferred choice over petrol engines. The market is expected to witness high growth due to the rising demand for diesel engines from the automotive industries in APAC. The latest development observed in the market is the incorporation of exhaust after-treatment technologies. This technology aims to reduce emissions, and aid compliance with set standards and regulations.Technavios analysts forecast the global diesel engine market to grow at a CAGR of 8.65% during the period 2016-2020.Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the global diesel engine market for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, Technavio considers the market demand from the on-road and off-road end-user segments. The on-road segment comprises of light vehicles, medium/heavy trucks, and light trucks. The off-road segment comprises the equipment run by diesel engines in industrial/construction, agriculture, and marine sectors.The market is divided into the following segments based on geography:AmericasAPACEMEATechnavio's report, Global Diesel Engine Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Get Sample Report Copy:Key vendorsCaterpillarCumminsMANMitsubishiOther prominent vendorsDetroit DieselDeutzFairbanks MorseGE TransportationHATZ DieselHenan Diesel Engine IndustryIsuzuJ C BamfordRolls-RoyceVolvoWartsilaMarket driverRising demand for diesel vehiclesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeStringent regulationsFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendGrowing popularity of exhaust after-treatment technologiesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?You can request one free hour of our analysts time when you purchase this market report. Details are provided within the report.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) Bi-axially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) Market will be worth of US$20.9 billion in 2024, expanding at a CAGR of 6.3% by 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3525 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://globalresearchanalysis.blogspot.in/ This review is based on the findings of a TMR report titled Bi-axially Oriented Polypropylene (BOPP) Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2013 2024. TMR predicts that the BOPP market will expand at a 5.8% CAGR from 2016 to 2024 in terms of revenue. The value of the market was pegged at US$12.7 bn in 2015 and this is projected to increase to US$20.9 bn by 2024. By volume, the market is likely to register a 6.3% CAGR during the forecast period.The food segment holds the lead position in the overall BOPP market by application in terms of volume as well as value. The segment is projected to touch US$14.4 bn in revenue the end of the forecast period. Geographically, Asia Pacific will continue leading the global BOPP market, accounting for a volume share of 63% by 2024.Get Free PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights :Demand for Flexible Packaging Directly Impacting Demand for BOPPBOPP is increasingly employed in flexible packaging owing to its inherent advantages such as ease of printing, low cost, inertness to food packaging, and low moisture transmission.The demand for BOPP will be in line with that for flexible packaging in the near future, the author of the study predicts. The demand for flexible packaging has been on the rise thanks to the rapid growth in the pharmaceutical, food and beverages, electronics, and personal care industries and this growth is sure to impact the demand for BOPP in the coming years. The BOPP market is also fueled by the low cost and recyclability of BOPP films.BOPP Market to be Deterred by Fluctuating Prices of Raw MaterialsThe prices of BOPP are primarily dependent on the prices of polypropylene, which have a strong correlation with crude oil. As a result, any fluctuations in the prices of crude oil impact those of BOPP. This acts as a major impediment to the global BOPP market.On the other hand, a key opportunity for players in the BOPP market, as identified by TMRs team of analysts, is the growing need for unique packaging and specialty BOPP films. Manufacturers can focus on the development of new and innovative BOPP films that cater to specific requirements such as flavor and color retention, transparent, colored, or opaque films, and heat sealable films, an analyst states.Food Leading Application Segment by Demand and RevenueThe global bi-axially oriented polypropylene market is undeniably fragmented; so much so, that the top seven players accounted for less than 20% of the overall market in 2015. The low shares of these manufacturers, namely, Jindal Poly Films, Taghleef Indsutries, Oben Group, Vibac Group, Cosmos Films, and Vitopel, have resulted in intense competition. Transparency Market Research predicts that the rivalry among the players is likely to be intensified by the entry of several local players.The degree of competition will rise from medium to high during the forecast period as an increasing number of local manufacturers lower the cost of the final product by raising the production, the author of the study states. The offerings of economical BOPP films by local or new players will enable them to compete with existing companies.The expansion of production capacities and geographical expansions form a key part of the growth strategy of several companies. A case in point would be Jindal Poly Films Ltd. In November 2015, the company announced its global expansion plan, which includes an investment of over US$15 mn and the addition of three new BOPP production lines in various facilities across India, the U.S., and Europe.BOPP Market, by ApplicationFoodTapesTobaccoOthers (medical, consumer goods, etc.)About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : Demand for Alkyd Paints will help Global Pentaerythritol Market to Grow at a CAGR of 6.8% from 2012 to 2018 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1480 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://globalresearchanalysis.blogspot.in/ Pentaerythritol is an organic compound extensively used in the production of alkyd-based products, plasticizers, radiation cure coatings, lubricants, and others. Due to its wide usage across various industries, the global pentaerythritol market is forecast to grow at a positive CAGR of 6.8% between 2012 and 2018, and reach a valuation of US$1.59 billion by 2018. In 2011, the global consumption of pentaerythritol was 485.9 kilo tons. The rise in the demand for pentaerythritol during the forecast period will increase the global consumption to 692.9 kilo tons in 2018.Growth in Infrastructure and Automobile Market will drive Demand from Global Pentaerythritol MarketPentaerythritol is the key ingredient in the manufacture of alkyd paints. Development in infrastructure, especially in the Asia Pacific region, has led to a rise in the demand for alkyd paints. The demand for alkyd paints is, in turn, a major contributor to the growth of the global pentaerythritol market. Pentaerythritol is eco-friendly in nature, which has helped it gain acceptance from the regulatory bodies. Usage of pentaerythritol in marine coatings and therapeutics will boost the global pentaerythritol market in the coming years.Get FREE PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical Insights :In the automotive industry, pentaerythritol is used in coatings, interiors, and high-end lubricants. Synthesis of polyurethane foams used in automobile interiors requires pentaerythritol as the primary ingredient. The rising automotive sector in Asia Pacific, especially in China and India, has contributed to the growth of the pentaerythritol market in the region.Acetaldehyde and formaldehyde are the key components in the manufacture of pentaerythritol. Usage of acetaldehyde and formaldehyde in other commercial applications might limit their availability for manufacturing pentaerythritol, which might inhibit the growth of the global pentaerythritol market.Alkyd Paints to Retain Dominance over Global Pentaerythritol MarketPentaerythritol is used to manufacture alkyd-based products such as alkyd paints, alkyd inks, alkyd adhesives, and alkyd varnishes. On the basis of application, alkyd paints took up more than 37% of the global pentaerythritol market. Since pentaerythritol is the key constituent of alkyd paints, the growth of this segment of the global pentaerythritol market is expected to be positive, at a CAGR of 5.5% during the forecast period.The use of pentaerythritol in plasticizers is also expected to increase in the period between 2012 and 2018. The segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period, thereby contributing to the growth of the global pentaerythritol market.Asia Pacific was Major Consumer for the Global Pentaerythritol Market in 2011Geographically, the global pentaerythritol market has been segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. In 2011, consumption of pentaerythritol was the highest in the Asia Pacific region; more than 40% of the demand from the global pentaerythritol market came from this region.Due to the rise in infrastructure projects as well as the booming automobile industry, Asia Pacific will continue to generate voluminous demand for pentaerythritol and will grow at a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period. In terms of revenue, the Europe pentaerythritol market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.4% in the period between 2012 and 2018. North America will follow at a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period and reach a valuation of US$88.7 million by 2018.Key Market Participants of the Global Pentaerythritol MarketCelanese Corporation, Hubei Yichang Chemical, Ercros SA, Perstorp Holding AB, and Mitsui Chemicals are some of the big players in the global pentaerythritol market. However, several smaller companies such as Copenor, Lee Chang Kung, and Hunan Hengyang Sanhua have entered the market recently and could have a say in the development of the markets competitive landscape in the coming years.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The companys exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMRs experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.TMRs data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite:Visit Blog : China has so far demonstrated poor awareness of its Internet vulnerabilities, a cyber security expert said on Aug. 16. The warning came from Yan Hanbing, a senior engineer and deputy director of the National Computer Network Emergency Response Coordination Center, at a Tuesday forum on the sidelines of the 2016 China Internet Security Conference in Beijing. The conference was organized by IT company Qihoo 360, the Internet Society of China and the Cyber Security Association of China. Citing data from China's National Vulnerability Database (CNVD), a government-backed Internet security monitoring platform, Yan said that over 200,000 vulnerabilities in general software or individual cases were found between 2009 and 2016. That number saw an especially steep rise between 2009 and 2014. Yan added that non-governmental security monitoring platforms have been especially active in recent years, as the top three monitoring platforms were not associated with the government. In April 2015, Qihoo 360s monitoring platform, butian.360.cn, discovered that tens of millions of Chinese residents registered in the national social security system were at risk of personal information leaks due to system vulnerability, Global Times reported. Meanwhile, a report published by a security center affiliated with Qihoo 360 showed that 43.9 percent of 2.3 million monitored websites were found to have vulnerabilities, and 12.3 percent had high-risk vulnerabilities as of November 2015, according to Global Times. It should be noted that the rising numbers do not indicate a less safe cyberspace, but rather demonstrate that China is now paying more attention to cyber security, dedicating more effort and investment to detecting vulnerabilities, Yan noted. However, many experts believe that the response to this large-scale detection of vulnerabilities has been inadequate. According to Yan, many Chinese Internet users and operators are slow to take action to fix the detected problems. Specifically, some 40 percent of government websites high-risk vulnerabilities were left unprotected even one month after their detection. Global Organic Oilseeds Market Drivers and Restraints 2016 - 2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11257 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/11257 Organic oilseeds are grown by following the standards of organic farming and ensures that its natural quality remains same. These oilseeds are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, fiber, iron, magnesium and folate and in many other nutrients. Sunflower seeds, soybeans, palm kernel, sesame, rapeseeds etc. are some organic oilseeds which are used to extract edible oil which is used for cooking and for industrial usage. In last few decades, it was observed that food market has become highly dynamic as it has influenced from many factors such as continuous development in food products, ethnic food, taste, content of oil etc. Increasing awareness among the consumers towards health and wellness has leads to increase in demand of organic edible oil. These factors have made positive impact on demand of organic food in market.Market Dynamics of Organic Oilseeds Market:The key drivers of organic oilseed market are the demand of organic food products in food industry where consumers are preferring healthy snacks, food and healthy lifestyle due to increase in health problems. This driver has thrust the companies to offer organic product which satisfies the needs and preferences of consumers in best possible manner. On the other side the key trend which is influencing the demand of organic oilseeds in market is increase in consumption of ethnic cuisines as consumers always seeks for cuisines which have new flavor, natural quality or have some different taste. Another trend which is stimulating the growth of organic oil seed market is technology and innovation which are used by the manufacturers to extract oil from seeds. Companies implementing advanced technological equipment and methods to extract the large quantity of oil in quicker manner. There is also one of the factor which may restraint the organic oilseed market in future and it is due to uncertain changes in global climatic conditions which make direct impact on agriculture business.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:On the other side in terms of market share in perspective to market segment as organic oilseeds has primary demand in terms of food consumption where extracted oil is used for cooking in household and in preparing dishes by restaurants and hotels. Organic oil is used for cooking varieties of dishes, food recipes and also helps to enhance the taste, color, flavor and natural quality of food. In addition to this the demand of organic oilseeds will also be from the side of health care sector followed by food consumption. Organic oilseeds such as sunflower, sesame, soybean etc. helps in healthy digestion, control of blood level, cholesterol and for many other problems related to health.Market Segmentation of Organic Oilseeds Market:Market of organic oilseeds is segmented on three different aspects, first is on the basis of types ,second segment is in context to application of organic oilseeds and thirdly on the basis of product type. As per the market segment of organic oilseeds it is categorized into different types such as sunflower seeds, rapeseeds, soybean, copra, sesame, cottonseed and palm kernel are among the different types of oilseeds available in market. Similarly in context to market segment of organic oilseeds by application, it is divided into two parts as a food products and biofuel products. Further the market segment of food products in context to application insight, it is sub-segmented into further part. It is segmented as per the use of organic oilseeds in food consumption, animal feed and health care. From the above segment, majority of the market share in terms of market segment will be occupied in terms of application insight as mainly these seeds are used for consumption purpose only. On the basis of product type, the organic oilseeds market is segmented as oil, meal, hulls and other products. Out of these segments oil sub-segment I accounted for a major revenue contributor over the other segments. The meal sub-segment includes protein rich meal, defatted meal/oil pressed meal. Meal is majorly used as animal feed and other industrial applications.In most of the developing regions, it is observed that there is increase in disposal income of consumers and which has ultimately leads to increase in spending power of customers. Owing to this the results of forecasted period has estimated higher growth in demand of organic oilseeds market. Moreover, it will also develop its market from the side of health care sector as organic oilseeds are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals which mainly attract the consumers suffering health problems related to digestion, cholesterol and blood pressure.Regional Outlook of Organic Oilseeds Market:In terms of regional market segment, it will be divided into seven different regions of the world. These are North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia-Pacific region, Japan, Middle East and Africa. In terms of production of organic oilseeds, United States and Brazil acquires majority of proportion in terms of production. On the other side countries such as Japan, China, Russia and countries of European Union are some of the major importers of organic oilseeds.Buy Full Report@Key Market Players in Organic Oilseeds Market:There are some of the key market players which are offering organic oilseeds in market. These are Oilseeds International Ltd., Cargill Incorporated, Bungee, Hattifood, Cootamundra Oilseeds, Burrus Seed, JDG Seed Company, Fediol, Archer Daniels Midland and Louis Dreyfus is some of the key market players which operate in the business of organic oilseeds.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Global Additive Manufacturing Market Competitive landscape By 2016 - 2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11254 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/11254 Additive manufacturing is also known as 3D (three dimensional) printing, and it is used to create 3D objects. Computer control is used to create a 3D object, to create the object, additive processes are used. The 3D objects can be customized as per the industry requirement.Additive manufacturing is used for taking the 3D print of objects in various industries such as automotive, healthcare, education, research, government, aerospace, defence, consumer products and industrial. Products with the complex design can be easily conceptualize and manufactured with the help of additive manufacturing. The usage of 3D printing or additive manufacturing is extensively used for customization of the products. The industries are able to manufacture the products with complex designs with the higher accuracy with the help of additive manufacturing. There are different technologies that are used in the additive manufacturing or 3D printing such as robocasting, fused deposition modeling, stereo lithography, electron beam melting, selective heat sintering, selective laser sintering, direct metal laser sintering, laminated object manufacturing and powder bed. To create a 3D object various materials are used such as plastic, rubber and metal alloys. In the global additive manufacturing market, the most used material type is plastic. The type of plastics that are used as materials for 3D printing are nylon, polylactic acid, and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:The growth in the industrialization and demand for products with complex design is propelling the growth of global additive manufacturing market.Additive Manufacturing Market: Drivers and ChallengesGrowth in industries such as automotive, manufacturing, aerospace, food & beverages and healthcare is fueling the growth of global additive manufacturing market. Demand for additive manufacturing is expected to be significant from dental and medical industries during the forecast period (2015?2025). As the global economy is expected to grow in the near future, the per capita income & consumption in expected to grow as well. Growing population with the high per capita income is propelling the growth for the global additive manufacturing market. In future, the usage of 3D printing or additive manufacturing is expected to grow for designing parts and finished goods. The global additive manufacturing market is also expected to propel during the forecast period, due to the expected price drop in the 3D printers.Currently, the usage of additive manufacturing or 3D printing is on the rise in developed economies, but the usage is limited in the developing economies. The limited penetration of additive manufacturing in the underdeveloped and developing economies is expected to inhibit the growth of the global additive manufacturing market over the forecast period.Additive Manufacturing Market: OverviewThe global additive manufacturing market by value is expected to expand at a CAGR of around 1822% during the forecast period (2015-2025), due to increasing demand for 3D printing from industries such as automotive, dental, manufacturing and healthcare.Additive Manufacturing Market: SegmentationThe global additive manufacturing market can be segmented by end-use industry, by material type, and by regions.Based on end-use industry type, the global Additive Manufacturing market is segmented as:AutomotiveManufacturingHealthcareDentalOthersBased on material type, the global additive manufacturing market is segmented as:PlasticMetal alloyRubberOthersAdditive Manufacturing Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global additive manufacturing market is expected to register a double-digit CAGR for the forecast period. Depending on geographic regions, global Additive Manufacturing market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. In terms of market revenue, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan additive manufacturing market is projected to register a significant CAGR during the forecast period. Growth in the industries such as automotive, healthcare & manufacturing is fueling the growth of additive manufacturing market in Asia Pacific Excluding Japan. Western Europe and North America are also forecast to register a significant growth in the global additive manufacturing market.Additive Manufacturing Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market participants in global Additive Manufacturing market are MCor Technologies Ltd., Materialise NV, 3D Systems, Inc., ExOne, EOS and Stratasys Ltd.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments by geographies, by end-use industries, and by material type.Buy Full Report@The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeSupply & DemandCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedValue ChainRegional analysis includesNorth America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)JapanMiddle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Global Mobile Concrete Pump Market Segments By 2016-2026 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/11245 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/11245 Introduction:In the recent years, construction practices across the globe have gone through major developmental changes. With high urbanization and development of corporate sector, skyscrapers and high rise buildings are increasingly being developed across major cities of the world. Previously, cranes, which could lift only one large bucket of concrete at a time, had been employed to lift and place the concrete up to the point of application. This process of transferring concrete was more energy as well as time consuming.Mobile concrete pumps, which are used to transfer liquid concrete in high volumes during construction, have significantly transformed the development of high rise and large buildings by decreasing the execution time, energy and labor cost of the overall project.Request TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:Mobile concrete pump is highly useful in larger construction project to discharge concrete quickly and more efficiently in high volumes. It is mostly used for cost effective operations in various specific area in buildings, tunnels, bridges etc., for pumping bulk concrete. Apart from supplying large volume of concrete accurately at the job site, mobile concrete pumps also have various operational advantages. They require quicker setup time, provide constant flow along with low labor costs.Mobile concrete pumps, since their introduction in the market, have made great contribution to the global construction industry. Due to their high working efficiency and long distance discharge both vertically & horizontally, these are increasingly being utilized for various construction projects globally. Due to its increasing uses, global mobile concrete pump market is expected to register high CAGR over the forecast of 2016-2026.Global Mobile Concrete Pump Market DynamicsThe global construction industry growth, which relatively slowed during 2014-2015, is expected to return to its growing phase post 2016. With growing construction and urbanization, the demand for mobile concrete pumps is also expected to expand at high growth rates over the forecast period. Since, mobile concrete pumps are easy to use and quicker in delivery, it has become a necessity to use them in large scale projects for their timely execution.Concrete is very heavy, viscous and abrasive in nature which pose several difficulties during effective pumping. To increase the cost-energy efficiency of mobile concrete pump is one of the major challenges for concrete pump manufacturers.Global Mobile Concrete Pump Market SegmentationGlobal mobile concrete pump market is segmented on the basis of mounting, pump driving system, discharge capacity and region.On the basis of mounting, global mobile concrete pump market is segmented as the following:Truck mountedTruck MixerOn the basis of pump driving system, global mobile concrete pump market is segmented as the following:Diesel engineElectricalOn the basis of discharge capacity, global mobile concrete pump market is segmented as the following:Up to 50 m3/hr50 m3/hr-100 m3/hrAbove 100 m3/hrGlobal Mobile Concrete Pump Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global mobile concrete pump market is segmented into seven key regions, namely, North America, Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan(APEJ), Japan, and Middle East and Africa. Due to high growth in the regional construction industry, the demand for mobile concrete pumps is expected to expand at a high CAGR in the Middle East and Africa and APEJ region.Buy Full Report@Global Mobile Concrete Pump Market PlayersSome of the key players existing in the global mobile concrete pump market are Alliance Concrete Pumps Inc., Schwing Stetter, Qingdao CO-NELE Machinery Co. Ltd., CESCO Australia Limited, Concord Concrete Pumps, Fangyuan Group Co. Ltd., Camfaud Concrete Pumps Ltd., and others.About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a U.S.-based full-service market intelligence firm specializing in syndicated research, custom research, and consulting services. PMR boasts market research expertise across the Healthcare, Chemicals and Materials, Technology and Media, Energy and Mining, Food and Beverages, Semiconductor and Electronics, Consumer Goods, and Shipping and Transportation industries. The company draws from its multi-disciplinary capabilities and high-pedigree team of analysts to share data that precisely corresponds to clients business needs.PMR stands committed to bringing more accuracy and speed to clients business decisions. From ready-to-purchase market research reports to customized research solutions, PMRs engagement models are highly flexible without compromising on its deep-seated research values.ContactPersistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com CueBlocks Presents Share on WhatsApp Extension for Magento 2 Stores www.cueblocks.com http://www.CueBlocks.com/blog http://twitter.com/cueblocks August 10th 2015, IndiaCueBlocks (CueBlocks.com), a Magento 2 Trained Solution Partner, presents Share on WhatsApp extension for Magento stores. This extension makes sharing URLs of eCommerce stores based on Magento 1 and 2 on WhatsApp easy & convenient. Share on WhatsApp Magento 2 Extension lets online shoppers easily share URLs of product pages, product listings and CMS pages via the popular WhatsApp mobile app. There is also a variant of the extension available for online stores based on Magento 1.The extension offers a convenient way of using the popular chatting app to share your Magento store's URLs. By installing the extension, online retailers can enjoy the benefits of word of mouth marketing without incurring exorbitant advertising costs.While launching this useful extension by CueBlocks, Ms. Riti Gulati, Division Head Magento at CueBlocks Technologies Pvt Ltd, said, As a digital agency specializing in eCommerce design, development and marketing services, we understand how important it is for online stores to gain traction and reach more and more people every day. The Share on WhatsApp extension enables an online store to seamlessly enter the mobile marketing network. Also, with WhatsApp being a widely used app and the percentage of online shoppers also increasing by the day, the extension is an ideal way to give eCommerce stores a marketing channel and empowering them with social sharing potential.Riti further added, Once the extension is installed, the WhatsApp sharing button appears on all the product pages, product listing pages, and CMS pages, making them readily shareable via handheld devices with WhatsApp installed on them. Users can choose to share either default, customized or shortened version of the URL. All in all the extension is a great way to direct multiple users to product pages and make your product or venture story go viral instantly.For more information on CueBlocks and the services they offer, visit:. The extension is available at CueStore and the Magento Marketplace for just $75. The extension variant for Magento 1 stores is priced at $25.00 and is available here.About CueBlocks Technologies:CueBlocks Technologies is a Magento focused eCommerce Design, Build, and Marketing agency specializing in eCommerce design & development, comprehensive online marketing, mobile development, PHP Development, WordPress and Consulting. Founded in 2005, the company offers its services to a global audience and has a team of 49 design, programming, digital marketing and eCommerce specialists. CueBlocks primarily focuses on solutions for medium and small-sized businesses across the globe.Contact Information:Pancham PrasharCue Blocks Technologies Pvt. Ltd.SCO 822, 2nd Floor,NAC Mani MajraChandigarh 160101IndiaPhone:India:+91-172-2739754Brno: +420 774-233-112EE: +1-3237860190Email: sales@cueblocks.comwebsite: CueBlocks.comBlog:facebook.com/cueblocks.technologies###CueBlocks Technologies is a Magento focused eCommerce Design, Build, and Marketing agency specializing in eCommerce design & development, comprehensive online marketing, mobile development, PHP Development, WordPress and Consulting. Founded in 2005, the company offers its services to a global audience and has a team of 49 design, programming, digital marketing and eCommerce specialists. CueBlocks primarily focuses on solutions for medium and small-sized businesses across the globe.Pancham PrasharCue Blocks Technologies Pvt. Ltd.SCO 822, 2nd Floor,NAC Mani MajraChandigarh 160101India More Time for More Worth: Why Do You Really Need The Time Tracker http://crocotime.com/en/ It might not be the most interesting part of doing business, but time tracking and attendance is a decisive case of good HR-management.Nevertheless, many companies still track time manually or using a spreadsheet, which is prone to human error and can account for essential doubling and manual effort. For a number of small companies, sub-optimal time tracking can be an unfortunate time sink. Without real-time information, these businesses lack visibility into which employees are on time, late, or absent at every single moment. This makes it hard to react fast when necessary and to provide additional coverage where its needed.By good fortune, an automatic time tracker solves many of these problems. There are at least 3 advantages of using that software to manage your work time and attendance in your office.Streamlined time trackingThe automatic time tracker in the cloud allows you to easily track when and where your employees work, and gives you real-time access to the data, any time, any place. The time tracker collects attendance data which you can analyze to gain understanding into better ways to increase efficiency.Also, the automatic time tracker is beneficial for both an employer and employees. It removes the need to fill out paper timesheets, which is time-consuming and burdensome. An accurate tracking of billable time will also improve the accuracy of invoices and make it totally transparent. Your staff can see what theyve earned and when theyve earned it.Its the same with on-leave requests. Instead of having to hand in a form and negotiate times and dates with their manager or CEO, employees can use an automatic systems and book their annual leave without having to take up their managers time.For project managers, dealing with unforeseen absences and finding cover is much easier when you can see at a glance who can take on an extra shift.Fast trackingAlso, reports of a fully-automated time tracker are far superior than anything you can conjure up with bulky spreadsheets. Having a realtime information, you can track your scheduling budgets, actual timesheet costs, other transactions and other staff variables to keep your company on a fast track.Managing your work time and attendance is an efficient, fast and smart method which can significantly improve your company in terms of your efficiency, reduced administration costs and your employees productivity.ComplianceKeeping an accurate record of people on-site or in your office building at any given time not only increases the safety of your staff and your ability to act should an incident occur, but it helps you to comply with your Work Health and Safety obligations. Don't forget, that as a CEO or a project manager, it is your duty to guarantee a safe workplace to all of your employees.As an official employer in the USA, you are required to keep records on your employees for 3 years. Also, timecard records used for wage computation must be kept for 2 years. Furthermore, this data must be available for inspection by the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Divisions representatives, who can request your HR-department to make extensions, computations, or transcriptions. Having an automatic time tracker to take care of such compliance-related issues frees you up to focus on running your business.Today CrocoTime is approved by more than 500 of customers ranging from small companies to enterprises of different spheres of business: production companies, project companies, trading, and service companies have been using CrocoTime to become more productive and efficient.3, Severo-Vostochnoy Ave., Saransk, Mordovia, Russia, 430000 Epom Ltd Launches a New Website for its Own App Monetization Platform, Epom Apps Meet Epom Apps Website! www.apps.epom.com Epom Ltd is proud to announce the launch of a new website for its own app monetization platform Epom Apps. The new website is available atThe goal of the website is to give its visitors a clear and accurate information about the services and solutions offered by Epom Apps, as well as to demonstrate how Epom can facilitate the task of app monetization for developers. Besides, the website provides insights into how the company operates and helps its clients start working with the platform.We are so excited about the launch of our new website and the information it provides to our customers and partners, says Anton Ruin, the CEO of Epom. Our team has been working hard to make the site useful for people willing to grow their inapp advertising revenue.The clients of Epom Apps can use the new site to get the latest versions of SDKs for Android and iOS, as well as integration manuals that will make the setup process easier. Aside from that, they can register an account and get in touch with experts specializing in the monetization of mobile applications.Epom Apps is an app monetization platform that helps developers monetize their iOS and Android applications efficiently. With a smart optimization algorithm and cutting-edge ad formats, the inventory of Epom Apps clients demonstrates up to 50% higher eCPM rates.Epom Apps works with an extensive range of demandside partners including thirdparty ad networks, DSPs, and direct advertisers.By combining direct and programmatic offers, the company ensures a steady supply of creatives that are relevant for the users. Besides, Epom Apps guarantees convenient and timely payouts on a weekly basis and 24-hour customer support carried out by dedicated managers all these will help app developers maximize the revenue from their apps in an effortless manner.About Epom LtdEpom Ltd. has been operating in the markets of online advertising and digital marketing since 2011. Over the course of five years, the company has created a number of ad management and ad serving solutions for publishers and advertisers, as well as advertising and affiliate networks. Epom Ltd. has created Epom Ad Server, Epom Market, and two mobile-focused advertising products: Epom Apps and Epom Affiliate Network.Epom Ltd. is headquartered in Kiev, Ukraine and has a branch office in San Francisco, USA. Visit epom.com to find out more about the company and the solutions it offers.Epom LtdPostal address - Irininskaya St. 5/24 Kiev, Ukraine 01001Contact information - a.pozniak@epom.com, tel. +380935234559 Bristol inks two combo deals after Opdivo miss - news addition by iData Insights http://www.omensol.wordpress.com/hcp-updates/bristol/ Bristol inks two combo deals after Opdivo miss - news addition by iData InsightsBrief:Bristol-Myers Squibb is testing its blockbuster immunotherapy Opdivo in two combinations with other oncology developers in an effort to further its combination strategy.The big pharma has inked an early-stage collaboration with Aveo Oncology to test the biotech's once-daily, vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor tivozanib with Opdivo, a PD-1 inhibitor.Bristol-Myers will also supply Bavarian Nordic with a supply of Opdivo to test the drug in combination with the experimental CV301 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Insight:Despite a clinical setback last week for Opdivo (nivolumab) in the first-line setting of NSCLC, Bristol-Myers is undeterred in its pursuit of a strong clinical profile for the checkpoint inhibitor.The big pharma has previously said it will focus on combination therapies including Opdivo to further differentiate the drug. Since its FDA approval last summer, Opdivo has quickly outpaced Merck's rival PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab), racking up sales and new indications. The failure in first-line NSCLC opens...Read More:For more info Contact:Susana SimonPA to MDmark@idatainsights.com1866-237-2965+91 875 003 0003Portland, ORUnited StatesiData Insights which operates under Precision Research and Consulting Pvt. Ltd. is a marketing research consulting firm. Its efforts help companies to create and improve products and services based on what the market desires. We conduct both primary and secondary research. Our work does not end with research. We provide actionable recommendations and provide our expertise for business success today and tomorrow. It is our goal to be a partner to our clients in the exploration and discovery, and then be their guide in the implementation of changes that will make a difference to their bottom line.iData InsightsNE Airport Way, 355991,Portland, Oregon, 97230United StatesSusana SimonPA to MDmark@idatainsights.com1866-237-2965+91 875 003 0003 Health Insurance Market - Latest Trends in Healthcare and Medical Industry: Future trends and Market Forecasts by 2023 http://tinyurl.com/j9qeek5 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Transparency Market Research's report, titled 'Health Insurance Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023?, examines the market through a microscopic lens to get a detailed understanding of various facets of the global health insurance market. It also presents historical data pertaining to the healthcare insurance industry and correlates it with the forecast to help readers in building a framework of the market's trajectory.Request free Sample pages of premium Research Report: http://tinyurl.com/jlbt6chThe global health insurance market is growing by leaps and bounds, contributing significantly to the global economy. Health insurance can be purchased individually or by companies for their employees to offer heath care coverage. In an individually purchased health insurance, the out-of-pocket spending is far more than group insurance purchases. The premium is higher in the individual market, as the buyer pays the full premium without any contribution from the employer.The most obvious benefit of health insurance is the financial security it provides to the patient in the event a health-related expense arises. The remarkable growth of the health insurance market in the past few decades has made it the spinal cord of the global economy, as it collects mammoth amounts of revenue. The healthcare industry also plays a vital role in determining the global investments and securing lives of many, thereby keeping the socio-economic structure balanced.In 2014, as the global economies stabilized, limping back to normalcy after an economic downturn, the disposable incomes and GDPs showed notable improvements. As the high income groups and middle class were equipped with more financial resources, both the groups were seen investing in healthcare insurance for safeguarding themselves against unforeseen problems. This trend is expected to augment the global health insurance market in the coming years as well.In the coming years, insurance companies and investment firms will adopt digitalization of business process to reach out to a wider audience across all boundaries. Furthermore, the impactful business and marketing strategies, transparency in operations, and simplification of products by insurance companies is also expected to win them new clientele.Download Complete Healthcare Analytical Brochure:Some of the important players profiled in the global health insurance market are UnitedHealth Group Inc., Allianz SE, Cigna Corporation, Express Scripts Holding Company, AIA Insurance Group, Zurich Insurance Group Ltd., AXA, Aetna, Inc., International Medical Group, Aviva plc, and Apollo Munich Health Insurance. The research report offers an insight into the competitive landscape of the global health insurance market along with presenting details regarding companies' financial overview, research and development activities, investment outlook, and business and marketing strategies. The report also assesses the companies using a SWOT analysis and a Porter's five forces analysis to highlight the key elements impacting them.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.US Office Contact90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Air Cushion Packaging Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2016 - 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=13556 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/air-cushion-packaging-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Air cushion is a packaging material made up of polyethylene and widely used for packaging of variety of products such as electronics, pharmaceuticals, automobile components and consumer products among others. It is a dual material tailor made solution for corrugated box and plastic film bag which filled with an air. It offers quick packaging and ensure high degree of protection of good from all surfaces. It is a light weight material and offers high flexibility to pack different products in the same format, and reduce the requirement of additional fitments and loose fit.It is economical and eliminates conventional bubble transportation, handling and storage cost. Air cushion does not lose its cushioning properties, this is mainly because the film allow air to transfer within cell providing excellent cushioning and protection. It is an ideal replacement for traditional bubble wrap, foam-in-place and paper packaging. It is referred as sustainable packaging solution, as it contain an additives accelerating biodegradation in environment.Get Free Sample Report Copy :Air Cushion Packaging Market: Market DynamicsEvolving consumer lifestyle and increasing per capita income is driving the demand for consumer products in developed as well as developing economies. Owing to value added applications of air cushion packaging from protection of goods to its safe distribution and transportation, it is expected to see new investments in its market, especially in developing countries. Global air cushion packaging market is estimated to witness robust growth due rapid growth of the e-commerce industry. Established e-commerce companies use automated packaging machines to deploy air cushions as a void fill material, while small companies use air cushions as protective mailers as they are cheaper and light weight than rigid boxes.Environmental concerns in packaging is a key factor driving the growth of the air cushions market especially when goods are to be delivered directly to consumers. For example, foam filled packaging is replaced by air cushions since foam is harmful to the environment. Moreover, the cost effectiveness of air cushions due to less packaging weight is another major factor augment the growth of the global air cushion packaging market. However, use of alternate packaging material such as paper packaging products, textile packaging products and traditional foam packaging products are still used which is still a restrain for the global air cushion market. Additionally, the sustainability of air cushion packaging market is highly dependent on raw material supply and role of local players.Air Cushion Packaging Market: Market SegmentationBased on application, the global air cushion packaging market can be segmented as follow as;Void FillingCushioningBlock & BracingWrappingBased on end-use industries, the global air cushion packaging market can be segmented as follow as;E-commercePersonal CareElectronicsPharmaceuticalsFMCGOthersBased on geographies, the global air cushion packaging can be segmented as follow as;North AmericaLatin AmericaAsia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ)Western EuropeEastern EuropeJapanMiddle East and Africa (MEA)Air Cushion Packaging Market: Regional OutlookBrowse the Full Report at :The market is well established in North America and western countries, and it is expected to grow linearly over the forecast period. Growing economies such as China, India and Brazil are expected to emerge as most attractive geographical segment in global air cushion packaging market. This is primarily because of rapidly expanding end-use industries such as e-commerce, FMGC and personal care. Similarly, Latin America and MEA are expected to create opportunities for the air cushion manufacturer, because of increasing demand for fast-moving consumer goods in these regions.Air Cushion Packaging Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in global non-woven fabrics market are as follow as;Atlantic Packaging3G Packaging Corp.Airfil Protective Packaging Ltd.Automated Packaging Systems, Inc.FP InternationalGuangzhou PackBest Air Packaging Co. Ltd.Storopack Hans Reichenecker GmbHShandong Xinniu Packing Co. Ltd.About TMRTransparency 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.Contact TMRTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Increasing Awareness for Safety of Workers Drives Safety Sensors Industry http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/safety-sensors-market.html http://goo.gl/Hp2GRm http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Safety sensors are used to monitor the work place environment and provide timely indications in order to prevent accidents. These sensors are widely applicable in construction, manufacturing, healthcare and defense industry among others.Description of Safety Sensors Market at:The global safety sensors market is driven by the increasing awareness for the safety of workers in the manufacturing industry. Moreover, the stringent government regulations for safety at the workplace are also aiding the growth of this market. In addition, the technological advancements across all the sectors are creating a demand for automation. Sensors play an important role in the automation process. Hence, the demand for automation is in return fueling the growth for global safety sensors market. Furthermore, safety in manufacturing and industrial applications is not required for the workers but also to prevent the wear and tear or damage to the good being manufactured. This factor is also acting as a driver for the market.Safety sensors are increasingly being applied across several sectors such as manufacturing, construction, defense and automobiles. In the future, these sensors are expected to be applied in the cars in the form of radar sensors, nigh vision, adaptive cruise control systems and driver assistances such as driver monitoring. The application of these will ensure enhanced safety for vehicle drivers.Technical Aspects of Safety Sensors:North America and Europe are known to be adapters of new technology. However, Asia Pacific is the largest market for safety sensors. The reason for their dominance is due to the large presence of manufacturing industries in countries, like Philippines, China and India. With factory workers putting in long hours and lacking adequate safety knowledge, the Asia Pacific region has now begun to see a growing demand for safety systems. This has also been the result of stringent safety regulations applied by governments in various countries. This factor has fuelled the growth by extensive application of safety sensors in this region. Moreover, the region has a wide numbers of sensor manufacturers which is also aiding to the regions dominance.The key players in this market include Allen Bradley, Keyence Corporation, Omron Corporation, IFM Efector GmbH, Siemens, ABB ltd, Baumer Limited, Panasonic Corporation, AMETEK Factory Automation, Asteel Sensor and Delphi among others.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: According to a report in USA Today, Baidu and the Ford Motor Company have invested $150 million in Velodyne laser radars. A Baidu insider confirmed the news to the thepaper.cn. The investment will allow the company to double its work force over the next 12-18 months, which will in turn help to foster innovations in semiconductor technology and other advanced research and development. At present, Velodyne has more than 200 employees. The investment will also help Velodyne to accelerate the push for low-cost, mass produced laser radars, eventually paving the way for Baidu to reduce the cost of its self-driving cars. Early in July, Wang Jin, senior vice president of Baidu and general manager of the self-driving car division, told the thepaper.cn that the laser radars on Baidus self-driving car currently cost half a million yuan, while each car's server costs an additional 200,000 yuan. Wang added, Baidu hopes to guarantee the security of self-driving cars by using superior equipment. After that, we will consider ways to reduce the cost. Baidu produced its first-generation self-driving car in December 2015, which has since been updated to the third generation. Baidu has also set a development goal: self-driving cars to be used by companies within three years, and mass production of self-driving cars within five. Velodyne, which was founded in 1983, is a Silicon Valley company whose laser radars are employed in the self-driving cars of both Baidu and Google. According to the thepaper.cn, Velodyne is planning to establish a China office in Beijing. Medication Management Market worth $1,624.9 Million by 2019 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/medication-management-market-107137346.html http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownload.asp?id=107137346 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsample.asp?id=107137346 The report Medication Management Market by Systems (CPOE, CDSS, Automated Dispensing, Assurance Systems), Services (Medication Analytics, POC Verification, ADE Surveillance), Mode of Delivery (On-Premises, Web-Based, Cloud-Based) - Global Forecast to 2019 analyzes and studies major market drivers, restraints, and opportunities in North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Rest of the World (RoW).Browse 109 market tables and 40 figures spread through 300 pages and in-depth TOC on "Medication Management Market"Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.The global medication management market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 14% from an estimated $845.1 million in 2014 during the forecast period of 20142019. This report studies the global medication management market, with forecast to 2019.Medication management systems ensure tracking and validation of the medication administered to patients at all points of care. These systems help healthcare organizations to minimize medical errors occurring in the healthcare environment. Owing to these benefits, the global medication management market has received a major boost over the past few years.Download The PDF Brochure:With a significant increase in the elderly population and growth in treatment of long-term care diseases, an increasing number of patients across the world are using daily medication prescriptions. This has increased the risks of medication errors in the healthcare environment. Medication errors are responsible for a large number of hospital readmissions which adds to overall cost of healthcare services, which increases the burden on healthcare systems. Currently, an increasing number of healthcare organizations and governments across the globe are considering medication management solutions as tools for minimizing their overall healthcare costs. This can be achieved by minimizing the hospital stay for patients, while delivering better quality of care at the same time.The global medication management market is estimated to grow at a healthy double-digit growth rate in the coming years. This growth is largely driven by the growing adoption of medication management solutions by healthcare organizations in both developed and developing countries across the world. In addition, investments by emerging countries such as China and South Korea in the medication management sector, the rising need for better healthcare, and an increase in government initiatives globally will help propel the growth of this market.Download The Sample Pages:However, medication management systems are perceived to be capital intensive solutions, which demand significant investments from a healthcare organization for their successful implementation and utilization. Thus, high cost of software implementation and the expenses associated with its timely up gradation and maintenance may hinder the growth of the medication management market to a certain extent.In this report, the global medication management market is segmented by systems/software, services, modes of delivery, end users, and geography. This report also covers main market drivers, restraints, opportunities, and threats in the medication management market. The global medication management systems market, estimated to be valued at $845.1 million in 2014, is poised to grow at a CAGR between 13% and 15% during the forecast period of 2014 to 2019.North America is estimated to be the largest market, accounting for a share of more than 60% of the global medication management market in 2014, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and the Rest of the World (RoW), respectively. Growth in the ageing population, increasing government funding, and healthcare reforms are the factors that have supported the growth of the North American medication management market.The medication management market is a fragmented market with companies like CareFusion Corporation (U.S.), McKesson Corporation (U.S.), Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (U.S.), Cerner Corporation (U.S.), and Siemens Healthcare (Germany) commanding a majority share of the market in 2013.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&Ms flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical infographics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers.We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository.Contact:Mr. RohanUnit No. 802, 8th Floor,Tower - 7, Magarpatta City SEZ,Hadapsar, Pune 411013,Maharashtra, India.Tel: +1-888-6006-441. TVS Infotech Pvt Ltd appraised at Level 3 CMMI Appraisal based on process maturity displayed in 18 key areas with 338 sub-areasChennai, India, August 17, 2016: TVS Infotech Pvt Ltd is pleased to announce that it has been appraised and rated at Level 3 of CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) by CUNIX, a leading audit agency with specializations in CMMI audit projects, world over.CMMI is a software development process improvement approach which has become the industry standard for measuring an organization's capability to apply a process-based methodology to software development.An appraisal at maturity Level 3 indicates the organization is performing at a defined level. At this level, processes are well characterized and understood and are described in terms of standards, procedures, methods and tools. The organizations set of standard processes, which is the basis for maturity Level 3, is established and improved over time.Meeting appraisal criteria:The Level 3 CMMI rating appraisal was based on TVS Infotech's performance in 18 significant process areas with 338 sub-areas in which a technology services provider must demonstrate an advanced level of maturity. These areas include establishing scope, staffing, training, defining design, coding, testing, delivering, risk tracking, costing, communicating with clients, creating and leveraging a process asset library and more. Importantly, the appraisal mandates that all processes are defined by the organization's pre-set standards and protocol.Achieving a CMMI Level 3 rating will benefit TVS Infotech and its customers by way of a reduction in costs due to process optimization and the resultant enhancement in production efficiency. This will positively impact the company's relationship with existing customers and help extend its reach in courting prospective customers.Speaking on TVS Infotech achieving this rating, Mr. Vinod Krishnan, MD and CEO, said, "With this rating, our commitment to quality has received true recognition. TVS Infotech has arrived as a global organization with the ability to provide complex technology solutions to our clients spread across U.S., Canada, Europe, India, Middle-East and Asia Pacific. This, is our time, to lead from the front as an established name in technology services."TVS Infotech, which is part of US$ 7 billion TVS Group, is an enterprise solutions provider for several key industries such as manufacturing, automotive, distribution and more. The company's services range from program management, enterprise solutions, infrastructure management, IT applications to website and portal management. With customers spread across U.S., Canada, Europe, India, Middle-East and Asia Pacific, TVS Infotech has fast emerged to be a globally recognized name in the IT services industry.Vineeth ValasalanTVS InfotechASV Chandilya Towers", 7th Floor, #5/397,Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR), Okkiyam Thoraipakkam,Chennai-600 096. Water and Wastewater Pipe Market: Value Chain, Dynamics and Key Players 2015 to 2021 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3542 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/3542 Water pipe is a water supply pipe, while wastewater pipe flushes all the wastewater into sewers. Pipes are generally made of polyvinyl chloride, steel, cast iron, polypropylene and copper. Water and wastewater pipe can be segmented on the basis of product into plastic pipe, concrete pipe, steel pipe, ductile iron pipe and others. On the basis of application, water and wastewater pipe market is divided in five categories: sewer & drain pipe, sanitary sewer, potable water, transmission pipe and others. Plastic pipe segment is expected to show a strong growth in the forecasted period. Despite increased competition from plastics, concrete and ductile, iron pipe is expected to retain largest share of the sewer, drainage, and water transmission markets during the forecasted period.Use For to: Download TOC (desk of content material), Figures and Tables of the report:North America is the largest market for water and wastewater pipe, followed by Europe and Asia Pacific. Asia Pacific region is expected to be the fastest growing market. China and India hold the key for future market trends in water and wastewater market owing to increasing urban population, increase in living standards due to higher disposable income and high growth in the building and construction sector. Rising disposable income increase the living standard of customer and leads to more spending on houses, which indirectly drives the demand for water and wastewater pipe.According to the National Bureau of Statistics China, annual per capita disposable income of urban households in China increased from USD 2,271.0 in 2008 to USD 3408.5 in 2012. The overall annual disposable income in India medium household income increased from USD 1,366.2 billion in 2010 to USD 1,587.6 billion in 2013. Currently more than half of the population dwells in cities. The number is expected to increase to more than 60.0% by 2030. According to United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) in 2013, largest urban population growth took place in Asian countries such as India and China. By 2050, India is expected to add 404 million urban dwellers while China 292 million. Urban population is more concerned about their water and wastewater system, this leads to increase in the demand for water and wastewater pipe.The market of water and wastewater pipe is expected to witness a double digit growth rate in the coming years. Some of the major drivers contributing the overall market growth of water and wastewater pipe include increased demand for housing in urban areas, increasing non-residential building construction and increasing municipal market. Governments and private sectors across the globe are investing in better infrastructure facilities. Construction of residential and non-residential buildings leads to the demand for water and wastewater pipe market. For infrastructure development, the U.K governments public sector investment is expected to rise by USD 4.9 billion to about USD 77.7 billion in 2013-14 over 2012-13. It is further expected to increase to about USD 83.0 billion in 2014-15. With the increase in infrastructure investment, demand for water and wastewater pipe will increase.Buy Full Report@The major companies operating in the water and wastewater pipe market include CEMEX, Hanson Pipe, JM Eagle, Synalloy Corporation, Saint-Gobain, Tyco International Limited, Vianini Pipe Incorporated, Viega GmbH & Company KG, Westlake Chemical Corporation, Roscoe Incorporated and Pacific Corrugated Pipe Company.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 Experience Royal Tours Through Indian Luxury Trains Offered by Travelogy India Pvt. Ltd. Luxury Train India http://www.luxurytrainindia.org/ http://www.themaharajaexpress.org/ http://www.luxurytrainindia.org/ Travelogy India Pvt. Ltd. offers a range of luxury train tours which include journeys through Maharajas' Express, Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, The Golden Chariot and The Deccan Odyssey that passes across the glorious Indian destinations. These luxury trains of India offer royal journeys through which one can enjoy the ultimate lavishness on-board and will step back to the bygone era. Avail these journeys with the best possible discounted price offered by the company. The company is offering discounts on booking in order to make the royal journey affordable.The company has been affiliated by Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). So, it majorly offers the 5 majestic journeys of Maharajas Express, besides managing the booking for Palace on Wheels, Royal Rajasthan on Wheels, The Golden Chariot and The Deccan Odyssey. It has a separate divisionthat provides best luxury train tours in India along with detailed information. Complete information about Maharajas Express, such as departure dates, details of the destinations, detailed itineraries and the cost of journeys can be known from its exclusive site. These reliable portals of luxury trains have emerged as sources providing memorable holidays in the majestic Indian destinations.It not only takes the travelers to the royal tours but also offers the best India tours and for arranging tours in some parts of Asia. Being a Delhi NCR based Tour Company and holding years of experience, Travelogy India understands the needs and requirements of the travelers and thus provides seamless services and impeccable hospitality, helping them to discover the glorious land of India in the best possible way. So, it has been accredited by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and important travel bodies like IATO and ASTA.One can hire this trust worthy travel professional to plan luxurious tours through the heritage trains or tours anywhere in incredible India. Be safe and secured during your tour with Travelogy India and all its sub-domains, while having a pleasant vacation at special discounted price.Luxury Train India, a wing of Travelogy India is all set to provide convenient booking of Luxury Trains in India. It helps you get the lavish experience onboard with luxurious ambiance and impeccable services. The representative from the company meets you and assists you at the time of boarding and de-boarding the luxury trains for your convenience.322, 3rd Floor, Angel Mega Mall CK-1,Kaushambi, Ghaziabad Delhi NCR - 201010Tel : +91 120 411 3120Mobile : +91 9810071704Email : info@luxurytrainindia.orgWebsite : Structural Adhesives Market to grow at a CAGR of 7.00% over 2015 to 2021 www.knowledge-sourcing.com/products/structural-adhesives-market-forecasts-from-2016-to-2021 Knowledge Sourcing Intelligence announces the publication of a new report on Structural Adhesives Market - Forecasts from 2016 to 2021" to their offering.Structural adhesives refer to relatively strong adhesives that are normally used well below their glass transition temperature, an important property for polymeric materials, above which polymers are rubbery and below which they are glassy.This report provides forecast and analysis of Structural Adhesives Market which is estimated to grow from US$10.346 billion in 2015 to US$14.682 billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 7.00% over the forecast period. The demand for structural adhesives is majorly driven by growth in infrastructure and construction activities across different geographies. Evolving trends in furniture design, especially in the U.S. and Europe is escalating the demand for structural adhesives across various applications. Asia Pacific will witness the highest growth over forecast period on account of high economic growth across some of the major economies, increasing investment in infrastructure, governments focus on the manufacturing sector and burgeoning demand for automobiles. However, factors such as volatility in raw material prices and stringent environmental regulation will restrain the market growth during the forecast period.Some of the major players of covered as part of the report are 3M, Dow Chemical Company, SIKA AG, Scott Bader and ITW among others.This report segmented the Structural Adhesives Market on the basis following terms: By Typeo Epoxyo Urethaneso Acrylico Methyl Methacrylateo Others By Industry Verticalso Automotiveo Constructiono Energy and Powero Aerospace and Defenseo Consumer Electronicso Others By Geographyo Americas North America South Americao Europe Middle East and Africa Europe The Middle East and Africao Asia PacificPurchase 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 Milestones of a special company DENSO celebrates its 30 year anniversary in Europe https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHp4Yboj7IccPlSeRxQ6yBQ DENSOs history is characterised by pioneering achievements such as the invention of the QR Code and Frame QR Code.Dusseldorf. DENSO is one of the many companies that belong to the Toyota Group. It was founded in the late 1940s, and has been successfully developing and manufacturing automatic data capture equipment to this day. The name DENSO consists of two parts DEN and SO. These stand for the abbreviations of the words Den-Ki (electric) and So-Chi (equipment). DENSO WAVE is a subsidiary and is mainly a manufacturer for scanners and hand held terminals used for automatic data capture. One of DENSOs latest innovative scanners is the AT30Q. It was just launched onto the market and offers three major benefits it helps increase sales in a store-front use, supports an easy touch scan mode and also provides more stable and fast scanning. The successful launch is based on the scanners outstanding operability, excellent scanning performance coupled with several scanning functions, its robustness and its durability. In addition to the AT30Q, the company is planning on launching two more innovative products in DENSO Auto-ID Business Units Jubilee Year: the BHT-1200-RFID and the QK30-IC. These scanners employ RFID and NFC technologies. Further information on DENSO, the QR Code, scanners and handheld terminals, and DENSO Auto-ID can be found at http://www.denso-autoid-eu.com/en.html.The DENSO Auto-ID Business Unit has had its headquarters in Dusseldorf, Germany, since 1989 and owns the exclusive sales and marketing rights for DENSO WAVE products in Europe. Back in 1986, the first CCD barcode scanner was sold in Europe, which can be considered the official start of the companys barcode business in Europe 30 years ago. But how have the experts for mobile data capture become so successful? Lets take a look back into the late 1930s. In 1937, the Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. was founded in Toyota City, Japan. Twelve years later, in 1949, NIPPONDENSO Co., Ltd. was separated from the Toyota Motor Co., Ltd. and became its own company. NIPPONDENSO was the forerunner of todays DENSO Corporation. Its initial production sectors were car air conditioning, heaters, automotive electrical, radiators, and filters. In 1982, the companys first huge milestone was achieved: The CCD barcode scanner was originally invented. And four years later, the first CCD barcode scanner was sold in Europe. History was made. Further information about all the DENSO products can be found on the company's website.A lot has happened since the NIPPONDENSO ID SYSTEMS DIVISION of Toyota Tsusho Europe S.A. established the European headquarters in Dusseldorf, Germany, in 1989. From 1990 to 1993, several products have been produced and launched, starting with the BHT-2000 and the BHT-4000. The biggest milestone followed in 1994, when not only the one millionth CCD scanner was produced but also the QR Code was invented. The latter resulted in an overwhelming worldwide adoption and the production of a suitable scanner, the QS-10 series in 1996. One year after the invention of the QR Code, in 1995, the 150,000th handheld terminal was produced and the BHT-5000 was introduced. Yet another year later, the company name was changed from NIPPONDENSO CO, LTD to DENSO Corporation. In 2001, DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED became a subsidiary of DENSO Corporation and henceforth a separate company, specializing in automatic data capture, industrial robots, and controllers. In 2006, the NIPPONDENSO ID SYSTEMS DIVISION of Toyota Tsusho Europe S.A. was renamed TTID Systems, which has recently changed to TT Network Integration Europe GmbH in 2015. Numerous products have continuously been launched and the new BHT-1200-RFID as well as the innovative QK-30-IC will be yet two more important milestone products developed by DENSOs mobile data capture experts. The BHT-1200-RFID and QK-30-IC are going to be introduced to the market in fall 2016.For the European market, the DENSO Auto-ID Business Unit is the contact window for all enquiries on QR Codes, mobile data capture, handheld terminals and scanners. The durable and robust terminals and scanners manufactured by DENSO are to be found in storage, logistics, POS, production and field & sales automation applications. Short and informative video clips about the terminals, scanners and solutions from the DENSO Auto-ID Business Unit can now be viewed on YouTube. The clips include the 20th anniversary of the QR Code, a company presentation, and introductions to the various devices for mobile data capture such as the BHT-1500, BHT-1400 and the GT20 scanner. For more information, click on the link below:QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.DENSO is one of the worlds leading manufacturers of mobile data capture devices. We follow one mission: Driven by Quality maximum quality in mobile data capture. Decision-makers in the fields of retail, logistics and production rely on DENSO for their business requirements and in implementing the Internet of Things. DENSO is a member of the Toyota Group and is exclusively represented in Europe by the DENSO Auto-ID Business Unit of TT Network Integration Europe: http://www.denso-autoid-eu.com/en.html.DENSO Auto-ID Business UnitImmermannstr. 65 BD-40210 DusseldorfPhone +49 (0)211 88 252 450Fax +49 (0)211 88 252 502Managing Director:Takashi HaraMarketing Assistant:Sina HauptPhone +49 211 88252 403E-Mail:Sina.Haupt(at)denso-autoid-eu.comWebsite:http://www.denso-autoid-eu.com/en.htmlPress Contact:PPR HamburgRafael R. Pilsczek, M. A.Sinstorfer Kirchweg 18D-21077 HamburgPhone +49 (0)40 32 80 89 80Fax +49 (0)40 32 80 89 81Mobil: +49 (0)170 310 79 72 Lithotripsy Devices Market size and forecast, 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-648 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-648 www.futuremarketinsights.com Lithotripsy is a procedure that helps to break the process of urolithiasis. Urolithiasis is the process of forming stones in the kidney, bladder, and/or urethra. Kidney stones are a common cause of blood in the urine and pain in the abdomen, flank, or groin. Kidney stones occur in 1 in 20 people at some time in their life.Lithotripsy is a procedure that uses shock wave to break up stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureter. After the procedure, the tiny pieces of stones pass out of rom the body by the help of urine.Many parts of the world are now suffering from the stones disease which poses a major health hazard affecting 20% of the general population worldwide. In the U.S alone, up to 12% of men and 6% of women will develop urolithiasis at some point of life. In Thailand, the highest prevalence rate of 16.9% was reported in the Northeast provinces, while in Middle Eastern countries, the lifetime prevalence of kidney stone is even high.Lithotripsy Devices Market: Drivers and RestraintsPresently, lithotripsy devices global market is driven by the aging population, technological advancement, increasing incidence of urolithiasis.Lithotripsy devices market is driven by geriatric population, technological advancement, increasing incidence of urolithiasis, and growing number of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy procedures being performed. However, adverse effect of lithotripsy shock waves which can often result in hypertension, diabetes, and in some cases permanent loss of functional renal volume act as major barrier for this market.Request Free Report Sample@Lithotripsy Devices Market: SegmentationLithotripsy devices global market is segmented into following types:Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy SystemIntracorporeal Lithotripsy SystemLaser LithotripsyElectrohydraulic LithotripsyMechanical LithotripsyUltrasonic LithotripsyLithotripsy Devices Market: OverviewWith the rapid technological advancement and increasing incidence of urolithiasis, the lithotripsy devices global market is expected to have healthy growth rate in the forecast period (2012-2025).Lithotripsy Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic region, global orthopedic power tools market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.The European region is estimated as the largest regional market in the world, whereas, Asia-Pacific market is estimated to be the fastest growing market during the forecast period. The growth of Asia-Pacific is likely to be supported by strong adoption potential for advanced technologies, due to rapidly growing awareness about technology and medical infrastructure, in this region.Visit For TOC@Lithotripsy Devices Market: Key playersSome of the key participating global players in this market are as Siemens AG, Medispec Inc., Olympus corp., Boston Scientific Corp., Direx Group and others.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: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: Forecast On Thrombectomy System Market Global Industry Analysis and Trends till 2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-673 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-673 www.futuremarketinsights.com Thrombectomy is the surgical procedure where removal of thrombus (blood clot) from a blood vessel is performed. Blood contain cells called platelets and a substance called fibrinogen that allow the blood to clot. In normal circumstances, clotting is a good thing as it prevents blood loss from injury such as cut or gaze. However, when a blood clot forms inside a blood vessel, it can cause serious problem like part of the body supplied by that vein becomes swollen as the blood is unable to flow back towards the heart. If one forms in an artery, the blood cannot reach the area supplied by the artery.Thrombectomy system are used in several procedures which require clot removal to achieve efficacious treatment and to save patients lives. Due to its versatility, the thrombectomy system can be utilized in several different applications like acute myocardial infraction (AMI), peripheral arterial disease (PAD), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and neurovascular procedures.Thrombectomy System Market: Drivers and RestraintsPresently, thrombectomy system global market is driven by the technological advancement, aging population, and increasing demand for minimally invasive surgery.Thrombectomy system global market is drives by the aging population, technological advancement in healthcare industry, increasing demand for minimally invasive surgery, increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease such as AAAs and PADs, patient lifestyle changes and unhealthy habits. However, lack of skilled professionals and the lack of awareness about peripheral vascular disease among patients are major barriers for this market.Request Free Report Sample@Thrombectomy System Market: SegmentationThrombectomy system global market is segmented into following types:Percutaneous Thrombectomy DevicesAspiration ThrombectomyMechanical Thrombectomy DevicesBalloon EmbolectomyCatheter Directed Thrombolysis (CDT)Thrombectomy System Market: OverviewWith rapid technological advancement, increase in the number of aging population and increase in demand for minimally invasive surgery, the thrombectomy system global market is expected to have healthy growth rate in the forecast period (2012-2025).Thrombectomy System Market: Region-wise OutlookDepending on geographic region, global thrombectomy system market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, Japan, and Middle East & Africa.North America holds the largest share of the global thrombectomy system market, due to high aging population and wide technological advancement.Visit For TOC@Thrombectomy System Market: Key PlayersSome of the key participating players in thrombectomy system global market are Bayer HealthCare LLC, Boston Scientific Corp., Covidien Plc., Minnetronix Inc., Argon Medical Devices Inc., NexGen Medical Systems Inc., and others.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: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: Trends in the Music Market and Streaming Services Market 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-699 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-699 www.futuremarketinsights.com Global Music market and streaming services are becoming more dynamic owing to increased inclination of consumers towards such services. The increasing up-gradation in the technology is anticipated to increase the demand of music streaming among the smartphone users over the forecasted period. Music market and streaming services market is expected to show significant growth due to the streaming of songs through audio and video platforms. However, market of physical album is expected to decline relatively. Global music market is consolidated market with various companies undergoing mergers and acquisitions, partnerships and strategic alliances in order to increase their market share.Music Market and Streaming Services SegmentationGlobal music market is segmented into digital downloads, physical, streaming, synchronization and ringtones. Digital download is the largest market segment in terms of revenue, followed by the streaming. Furthermore, streaming services are segmented into sound exchange distributions, on demand ad-supporting services and subscription services. Music market and streaming services are further segmented on the basis of region as North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East and Africa. In North America, U.S contributes the maximum revenue in terms of revenue contribution, Also, European region is expected to reflect a significant growth during the forecast period. However the global music market is expected to lose significant portion of its revenue due to the piracy in the near future. Accordingly government across various countries have taken several initiatives to curb piracy. For instance, U.S. possess copyright alert systems that keep check on piracy. In Europe service providers have blocked the access to the pirate bay.Request Free Report Sample@Music Market and Streaming Services: Region-wise OutlookMusic market and streaming services market is expected to show tremendous growth in the coming years due to the rising number of high net worth individuals coupled with increasing number of consumers upgrading to smartphones. . Globally among all the regions, North America is expected to contribute the largest market share followed by European region in the forecast period. US is expected to be the dominant market for the music market and streaming services in the North American region. However, European region is expected to be the fastest growing market followed by Asia Pacific.Music market and streaming services: DriversIncreasing number of internet enabled mobile devices such as iPhone drives the growth of music market and streaming services. Rising disposable income leading to increasing purchase of smart phones and other devices, which offer specification support to music and streaming services are expected to fuel the music market and streaming services market growth. Other factors that fuel the growth of music market specifically includes increasing usage of subscription and streaming services by the consumers. Subscription streaming is the key driver for the streaming services market. In music streaming market there is increasing adoption of cloud services as it provides consumers to access music online and presently it is also being increasingly adopted by the various companies to increase the subscribed users to access the digital content stored in remote serversVisit For TOC@Music Market and Streaming Services: Key PlayersThe key international players operating in Music market and streaming services includes Google Inc., Rhapsody International Inc. Apple Inc., Pandora Media Inc. Various companies operating in streaming services market are continuously launching various music streaming servicesABOUT 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: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: Photo Sharing Market Analysis and Value Forecast Snapshot by End-use Industry 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-701 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-701 www.futuremarketinsights.com Social media is a networking tool which helps any individual to exchange, create, and share information photos, videos and others. In the current scenario social media tool has become the best mode for marketing, promotion and building social relationship across the globe. Photo sharing tool helps in storing, organising and sharing ones photo collections. Increasing internet penetration coupled with adoption of photo sharing tool as a marketing strategy among the social media platforms is fuelling the growth of photo sharing market across the globe.Photo Sharing Market SegmentationPhoto sharing market is segmented on the basis of platform which includes paid services membership and free services membership. Among both these segments free services membership segment is expected to account for the major market share as compared to paid services membership. However, services provider are offering increased features and add on services in paid services membership which is expected to support the demand of paid services membership during the forecast period.Photo sharing market is also segmented on the basis of application, which includes personal computers and mobile devices. Personal computers can be further sub segmented as desktop and laptop. Among both of these sub segments laptop is expected to be the major contributor on the pie for photo sharing market as compared to desktop. Increased in number of usage of laptop across the globe is expected to support its growth in photo sharing market during the forecast period. Mobile devices sub-segments include smart phone, tablets and notebook. Among all of these sub-segments smart phones is expected to account for the major share in photo sharing market as compared to other sub-segments. This growth has been supported by the increased usage of smart phone across the developing countries. Moreover, contribution of tablets in terms of share in photo sharing market is also expected show a substantial increase during the forecast period.Request Free Report Sample@On the basis of end user, the photo sharing market segmentation includes enterprises and individual. Enterprises can further be sub segmented as large scale enterprise, medium scale enterprise and small scale enterprise. Among all these sub segment large scale enterprise is expected to account for the major share in photo sharing market. Increased adoption of online marketing among the product manufacturers and service providers is expected to support the growth of enterprises in photo sharing market during the forecast period.Globally, photo sharing market is expected to reflect a double digit growth during the forecast period. North America is expected to account for major share followed by Europe in the near future. Moreover developing regions such as Asia Pacific and Latin America are expected to show a substantial growth in photo sharing market during the forecast period. Countries such as Singapore and Japan are expected to be the major contributor in terms of revenue in photo sharing market. Increased penetration of internet in developing regions is expected to support the growth of photo sharing market.Photo Sharing MarketDriversAvailability of wide features for creating and sharing or collections of photos with one and another coupled with increasing connectivity medium is expected to drive the growth of photo sharing market in the near future. Moreover, increased adoption of social media for generating awareness and promotion of the product and services is predicted to fuel the growth of photo sharing market during the forecast period.Visit For TOC@Photo Sharing Market Key PlayersKey players operating in photo sharing market includes Yahoo Inc., Cooliris Path Inc., Photobucket Corporation, Phonezoo Communications Inc., Trover, Facebook Inc., Bump Technologies LLC., and Hewlett Packard among others.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: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: Yang Yongxin.(file photo) A Chinese psychiatric clinic is facing backlash after the revelation that it regularly administers electric shock treatment to its teenaged patients, claiming that this cures their Internet addiction. Electric shock therapy was banned from use by Chinese health officials seven years ago. In July 2008, an influential expose by CCTV revealed that the Internet Addiction Treatment Center, a bootcamp at Linyi Mental Hospital in Shandong province, had been using electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) to treat teenage Internet addiction since its founding in 2006. The report caused an immediate uproar. Ultimately, the report led to the Chinese Ministry of Health prohibiting the center from administering ECT in 2009, on the grounds that existing medical research failed to demonstrate its safety and efficiency. The hospital recently re-entered the spotlight after Beijing News reported on Aug. 15 that the center is using a therapeutic method invented by the head of the center, Yang Yongxin, known as "low-frequency pulse therapy." The new therapy is similar to ECT, though some former patients claimed that it is even more painful. The report cites stories of teenagers who were abducted or coaxed by their parents to receive treatment at the center. The center claims that patients with Internet addiction suffer from cognitive and personality disorders, and that electric shocks are a remedy for such disorders. A 16-year-old former patient, under the alias of Fu Nan, said he was sent to the center in 2014 when he was 14 years old. One day in July, while he was walking on the street, two men snatched him and forced him into a car. Fus parents were also in the car, and they accompanied him to the center against his will. According to Fus account, as well as those of other former patients, the center has more than 80 strict prohibitions. Among them, patients are prohibited from telling their parents that they want to go home, from eating chocolate and from challenging Yang Yongxins authority. After disobeying a certain number of rules, patients are forced to receive electric shocks. Yang allegedly uses this so-called treatment to force compliance in his teenaged patients. Fu said he received his first electric shock just half an hour after he arrived at the center. It was like multitudes of needles were pinching my body. Every cell hurt, Fu recalled. Qi Qing, another former patient, described the pain as so intense that it impacted his eyesight. On-Shelf Availability Solution Market Volume Analysis, size, share and Key Trends 2015-2025 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-759 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-759 www.futuremarketinsights.com The On-Shelf availability solution eliminates problem of out of stock (OOS) satiation using advanced analytics and alerting to monitor demand from all level of user. On-shelf availability solutions integrates with internal and external sources and provides users with ability to solve basic problems in the system that results in OOS situations. On-Shelf Availability solution ensures availability of products on shelf ready for customer purchase. These solutions enable store staff to get real time access to on-shelf availability information, which ultimately increase customer satisfaction and store sales. On-shelf availability solutions provides reliable identification of out-of-shelf (OOS) situations, instant alerts, scalability for thousands of stores and cost efficiency. On-shelf availability solutions determines probability of a product being out-of-shelf by forecasting historic data and analysing actual sales from POS and product inflows from replenishment data.Global On-shelf availability solution Market SegmentationGlobal on-shelf availability solution market is segmented on the basis of service type, deployment model and end-user. On the basis of service type the global on-shelf availability solution market is segmented into system integration service, consulting services, support & maintenance service. On-shelf availability solution are segmented into two ways by which it can be deployed on-premise deployment and cloud based deployment. On-shelf availability solution provide assistance to complete value chain of the product. On the basis of end-use, on-shelf availability solution market can be segmented into retailers, online retailers, warehouses, stores and complete value chain.Request Free Report Sample@Global On-shelf availability solution Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global On-shelf availability solution market is divided into seven geographical regions North America, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Eastern Europe, Western Europe and Middle East & Africa. The global On-shelf availability solution market is expected to reflect a double-digit CAGR over the forecast period. At present, North America is dominating the market followed by Western Europe. Among all the regions, APEJ is expected to create huge market opportunity for major players operating in the on-shelf availability solution market during the forecast period. Latin America and Middle East & Africa regions are reflecting comparatively slow growth during forecast period.Global On-shelf availability solution Market: DriversThe most important factor which is projected to drive on-shelf availability solution market is increasing need for ensuring on shelf availability of product before customer demands for it with advanced data analytics. On-shelf availability solutions have gain significant popularity because it reduces OOS situation, thus reduces loss of customer and sales. On-shelf availability solutions indirectly enable the user to deal with challenging economy, demanding customers through its multidimensional reporting analytics. Increasing number of collaborations between retails and suppliers will further help to boost on-shelf availability solution Market growth.Visit For TOC@On other hand, data handling by third parties can create issues related to privacy of data.Tremendous opportunities lies in developing inexpensive customized solutions using automated cloud based deployment.Global On-shelf availability solution Market: Key PlayersOn-shelf availability solution market is very niche market and characterised by active presence of few big players and several small players. IBM Corporation (US), Checkpoint Systems, Inc., Lokad, Retail Solutions Inc., IRI, Mindtree and GATE among others are some of major players in On-shelf availability solution market. These players are continuously focusing on innovative product development and merger & acquisition activity.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: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: Malt Ingredients Market 2015-2025 Shares, Trend and Growth Report http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-835 http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-835 www.futuremarketinsights.com Malting is the process of converting cereal grains like barley, wheat and others into malt which can be used in brewing, distilling and in food manufacturing. The cereal grains are germinated by soaking in water then allow to sprout and dried with hot air. During malting process grain starches are converted in simple sugars such as glucose and fructose. Malt ingredients are used in food industry as a food additives which imparts desirable flavor and color to finished product and it helps to modify or stabilize texture of food & beverages. Increasing new food product development to incorporate natural ingredients, and increasing demand for all natural food products is creating opportunities for malt ingredient market.Malt Ingredients Market: SegmentationMalt ingredients market is segmented on the basis of sources as barley, wheat and others (rye). Barley is commonly used raw material in malting process. Wheat grains are used for malting as it contains higher amount of proteins Malt ingredients markets is segmented on the basis of grade as special grade and standard grade malts (are also known as base malts). Out of these two types base malts have diastatic power to convert their starches while specialty malts have little diastatic power, and it contributes flavor, color to the final product. On the basis of types malt ingredients market is further segmented as dry malt, liquid malt, flour and others (flakes). Dry malt powder is used in bakery and powder premixes manufacturing. Liquid malts are used in syrup and ice cream toppings. Flakes are used as bakery toppings. The malt ingredients market is also segmented on the basis of end use applications as food products, bakery and confectionary products, dairy and frozen products, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and others (pharmaceutical and animal feed).Request Free Report Sample@Malt Ingredients Market: Region-wise OutlookMalt ingredients market can be segmented on the basis of region includes North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia Pacific except Japan, Japan and Middle East and Africa. The Malt ingredients market is expected to witness vigorous growth through 2025 due to the rising demand for ready-to-eat and packaged food preferences of consumer. With increasing packaged food consumption and non-alcoholic beer consumption, malt ingredient market is expected to grow at healthy rate. Europe is expected to dominate the market in forecast period. Asia-Pacific and Middle East and Africa will show the robust growth due to growing demand for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. New product development in dairy premixes and malt based drinks for kids is motivational factor for malt ingredient market growth.Malt Ingredients Market: DriversThe increasing population globally has a strong impact on the food supply. Health conscious consumers are looking for clean label, food quality and safety. Increase in consumption of malt beer and malt based nutritional dairy products is key driver for malt ingredients market. Malt ingredients are used in bakery and confectionery products for dwell purpose as it imparts colour and flavor to finished products.Visit For TOC@Malt Ingredients Market: Key PlayersThe key international players operating in malt ingredients market includes Axereal, Cargill Incorporated, Crisp Malting Group, Global Malt GmbH & Co. Kg, Graincrop Limited, Ireks GmbH, Malteurop Group, Muntons PLC. Simpsons Malt Ltd, Soufflet GroupABOUT 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: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: Global Biopesticides Market Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2015 2021: ZMR http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/sample/biopesticides-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/toc/biopesticides-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/inquiry/biopesticides-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/biopesticides-market http://www.zionmarketresearch.com Pesticides are ubiquitous, toxic and synthetic agents. It mainly kills or prevents pests present on plants and animals. The other functions of pesticides are crop protection, prevention of vector-borne diseases and preservation of food and materials. As of April 2016, there are around 299 registered biopesticides active ingredients and 1401 active biopesticides product registrations. Biopesticides target the organisms affecting the growth as compared to the conventional pesticides which are harmful for birds and other animals.Request Sample Report:Biopesticides can be applied using different formulations. They are mainly used as liquid solution or in dry form. The liquid solution can be directly sprayed on plants or in the soil whereas dry form can be thrown over the field. However, this formulation type solely depends on the crop type. Biopesticides are derived from the natural resources and can be mainly classified into three major groups such as biochemical pesticides, microbial pesticides and Plant-Incorporated-Protectants (PIPs) pesticides. Microbial pesticides are extensively used pesticides owing to their high effectiveness.The report provides a comprehensive view on the biopesticides market. To understand the competitive landscape in the market, an analysis of Porters Five Forces model for the biopesticides market has also been included. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein product segments are benchmarked based on their market size, growth rate and general attractiveness. The report also analyzes several driving and restraining factors and their impact on the market during the forecast period.Request TOC (Table of Contents) of this report:Biopesticides are considered to be eco friendly and hence rising awareness for use of eco friendly products drives biopesticides market. Ample support and funding from the government for the use of eco friendly biopesticides further stimulates the growth of this market. Furthermore, increasing incidence of crop diseases coupled with growing demand for organic food fuels supports the demand for biopesticides. However, lack of awareness from the developing and underdeveloped regions may hinder the growth of the biopesticides market. Research and development expenditure for biopesticides is low as compared to the conventional pesticides. This factor may persuade the inventors to focus on the development of innovative products.The biopesticides market can be segmented on the basis of type, which includes biofungicides, bioinsecticides, bionematicides and bioherbicides. On basis of end user the biopesticides market can be segmented as fruits & vegetables, grains & oilseeds and others. Fruits, vegetables, grains and oilseeds are the most prominent segments due to high consumption of biopesticides. The biopesticides can be applied by means of soil treatment, post harvest, seed treatment, and foliar spray among others.Do Inquiry before buying:North America dominated the biopesticides market in 2015 followed by Europe owing to high use of organic products. Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest pace and is likely to continue the traction in the forecast period. This growth is mainly attributed to rapidly developing agricultural sector and growing demand for eco friendly, organic products. Also, continuous demand for high productivity due huge population base and cost effective techniques in production of food further contribute to the market growth. Latin America is anticipated to experience decent growth over the coming years due to high growth in agricultural sector in Brazil. Middle East and Africa may show sustainable growth in the estimated period owing to rising living standards and abundant arable land for agriculture.Bayers CropScience Ag, Parry America, Inc, BASF SE, Monsanto Company, Certis USA L.L.C, Isagro S.p.A, Marrone Bio Innovations Inc. and The Dow Chemical Company are some of the major key players in the biopesticides market. Companies primarily focus on the extensive R&D for the development of innovative products in order to maintain their shares in the market.Browse report at:The report segments of the underfloor heating market into:Biopesticides Market: Type Segment AnalysisBiofungicidesBioinsecticidesBionematicidesBioherbicidesBiopesticides Market: End User Segment AnalysisFruits & vegetablesGrains & oilseedsOthersBiopesticides Market: Type of Usage Segment AnalysisSoil treatmentPost harvestSeed treatmentFoliar sprayOthersBiopesticides Market: Regional Segment AnalysisNorth AmericaU.S.EuropeUKFranceGermanyAsia PacificChinaJapanIndiaLatin AmericaBrazilMiddle East & AfricaAbout Us:Zion Market Research is a single destination for all the industry, company and country reports. We feature large repository of latest industry reports, leading and niche company profiles, and market statistics released by reputed private publishers and public organizations. Zion Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air. We have market research reports from number of leading industry and update our collection daily to provide our clients with the instant online access to our database. With access to this database, our clients will be able to benefit from expert insights on global industries, products, and market trends.Contact Us: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: NAADAC Approves Addiction Professional CE Hours Nationwide for TeleMental Health Online Courses www.naadac.org http://www.telehealth.org http://telehealth.org/ces-cmes/ 17 August 2016, San Diego, CA The Telemental Health Institute (TMHI) is pleased to announce it has met all requirements set forth by the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) for Continuing Education (CE) hours. This approval offers professional training that meets licensure requirements for the profession. Addiction professionals will now be able to submit TMHIs courses and webinars to their licensing board as proof of CEs required for licensure renewal. This approval from NAADAC distinguishes TMHI as fully credentialed to offer courses that have met the high standards set by NAADAC.This large group of professionals can enjoy the many benefits of learning and networking through TMHI, an online learning institute devoted to the education and training of professionals wishing to develop the legal, ethical and clinical skills related to working with technology in telemental health. NAADACs national approval will be added to approvals from American Medical Association (AMA), American Psychological Association (APA), National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC), and Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) earned since TMHIs launch in 2009.The NAADAC approval reads:TeleMental Health Institute, Inc., Provider #159459, is officially an Approved Education Provider for substance use providers by National Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. NAADAC Approval Period: August 5, 2016 August 5, 2017. Substance use professionals should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval for continuing education credits. TeleMental Health Institute, Inc. maintains responsibility for the program.Marlene M. Maheu PhD, the founder of TMHI and a pioneer in the field of telemental health, said, "Now addiction professionals can enjoy the TMHI training experiences, knowing that each of the courses will count toward their licensure renewal." Dr. Maheu added, "It was an absolute pleasure to work with the NAADAC staff to obtain the approval as an ACE provider. We look forward to spreading the good news about risk management when engaged in telemental health or using other technologies.The TeleMental Health Institute, Inc. is specialized in behavioral telehealth consultation, training and staffing. It is dedicated to providing support for planning, launching and thriving with telepsychiatry, telepsychology, distance counseling, online therapy, and behavioral telehealth and mhealth. TMHIs team of experienced consultants is available to assist with planning, reimbursement, technology choices, legal and ethical risk management and staff development/placement. TMHI also consults with start-up technology companies seeking to develop new verticals in the behavioral health space. For more information visit:NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, represents the professional interests of more than 85,000 addiction counselors, educators and other addiction-focused health care professionals in the United States, Canada, and abroad. NAADACs members are addiction counselors, educators and other addiction-focused health care professionals, who specialize in addiction prevention, treatment, recovery support and education. An important part of the healthcare continuum, NAADAC members and its 47 state affiliates work to create healthier individuals, families, and communities through prevention, intervention, quality treatment and recovery support. NAADACs address is 44 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 301 Alexandria, VA 22314 to contact: email naadac@naadac.org or call 703-741-7686 or 800-548-0497For TMHIs full CE statements please visit:or send inquires to contact@telehealth.orgThe TeleMental Health Institute, Inc. is specialized in behavioral telehealth consultation, training and staffing. It is dedicated to providing support for planning, launching and thriving with telepsychiatry, telepsychology, distance counseling, online therapy, and behavioral telehealth and mhealth.1876 Horse Creek RoadCheyenne Wyoming 82009 Radiation Detection, Monitoring and Safety Equipment Market : Value Chain, Dynamics and Key Players (2015 - 2021) Radiation Detection, Monitoring and Safety Equipment Market http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/3890 http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/checkout/3890 Increasing levels of radiationarecausing harm to human health globally. According to the United States Environment Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), radioactive materials produce ionizing radiation on decaying, which can damage the living tissues in human body. The human body tries to repair the damage but sometimes in cases of high severity it fails to repair them which lead to disease such as cancer .The most common forms of ionizing radiation are alpha, beta, and gamma.Request TOC :Threat of nuclear disasters drives governments and companies prone to the threat of radiation to upgrade their radiation detection and monitoring devices. The nuclear disaster in the Fukushima plant in Japan in 2011 resulted in meltdown of three nuclear reactors, leading to the release of a substantial amount of radioactive materials.The use of radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment minimize the effects of harmful radiations. Radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment includes radiation protection equipment and instruments. Based on application, the radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market can be segmented into six major categories including nuclear power plants, defense and homeland security, occupational safety, oil and resource exploration,and manufacturing . Nuclear power plants also use radiation safety accessories including full body radiation protection andhand safety accessories.Based on composition, the radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market can be segmented into gas filled detectors, scintillators,and semiconductor-based detectors. There are three types of gas-filled detectors, namely Geiger Mueller counters, proportional counters, and ionization counters. Scintillators can be segmented into two categories, namely inorganic scintillators and organic scintillators. Based on product, the radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market can be segmented into five categories:personal dosimeters, area process monitors, environment radiation monitors, surface contamination monitors, and radioactive material monitors. Gas-filleddetectors and personal dosimeters dominate the global sales. Scintillators dominate the gas filled detectors market for defense and homeland security due to their ability to detect radiation at micro levels. Personal dosimeters include passive dosimeters and active dosimeters.Increase in the number of nuclear energy industries has been propelling growth of nuclear power plants globally. The use of radioactive compounds in several consumer productsis another source of radiation.Increasing nuclear threats in developed countries and growing concern of governments regarding internal security are propellinggrowth of the radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market fordefenseand homeland security.Increasing use of radiation therapy and nuclear medicine in the treatment and diagnosis of diseases is one of the major market drivers. Medical detectors include CT X-ray detectors, PET, and SPECT detectors.North America dominated the radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market in 2013 in terms of global sales, followed by Europe. North America is expected to continue with its dominance during the forecast period due to technological advancements andgovernment support to the radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market .Buy Full Report @Major players in the radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market include Canberra Industries, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Landauer, Inc., Mirion Technologies, Inc., Bar-Ray Products, Inc., Biodex Medical Systems, Inc., Protech Radiation Safety, ProtecX and Amtek, Inc. Most of the major players in the global radiation detection, monitoring, and safety equipment market are U.S. based.Key geographies evaluated in this report are:North AmericaU.SCanadaEuropeFrance, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UKEastern EuropeCISAPACChinaIndiaJapanAustraliaOthersLatin AmericaArgentinaBrazilOthersKey features of this reportDrivers, restraints, and challenges shaping the Radiation Detection, Monitoring and Safety Equipment market dynamicsLatest innovations and key events in the industryAnalysis of business strategies of the top playersRadiation Detection, Monitoring and Safety Equipment market estimates and forecasts(2015 -2021)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 ORRA wins big at Retail Jeweller Awards 2016 ORRA wins big at Retail Jeweller Awards 2016 www.orra.co.in www.orra.co.in The spirit of excitement at ORRA has tasted renewed vigor, this time having won at the Retail Jeweller Awards 2016. The awards add to the legacy of the brand winning multiple awards time and again such as The Most Innovative Jewellery of the year (2008), Retail Transformation Award (2009), Best Platinum Jewellery of the year (2010, 2012, 2013, 2015) amongst others at this annual event, which is touted to be one of the most prestigious awards for the Gems & Jewellery industry, as it recognizes and honors the talent that sets benchmarks and new trends in the Indian jewellery industry.ORRA won the award in two categories i.e. Bloggers Choice Award (Non- Vivah) and Best Platinum Sales Manager National. In the Bloggers Choice (Non- Vivah) category the astounding and finely crafted diamond earrings inspired from the royal Jharokhas, a true testimony to the a full testimony Pink City of Jaipur won the hearts of the wonderful panel of blogger judges which included Zubi Ansari, Prerna Sinha, Parinita Agarwal and Anusha Iyengar.Commenting on the win, Mr. Vijay Jain (CEO and Director ORRA) said, We are elated at having won in multiple categories of the Retail Jeweller Awards this year. At ORRA, we strive for constant innovation in the designs that we explore. With each piece made distinct from the other, our aim is to ensure that we create designs that are able to work in perfect sync both with traditional and modern sensibilities as well as give a sense of uniqueness to the consumer.Just a week ago I had photographed this beautiful Jharokha piece with Archana; but little did I know it would win such a prestigious award! What is particularly gratifying is that we won the Bloggers Choice Award (Non- Vivah) as this new category has opened up to those with an expertise beyond the jewellery industry per se and allowed for new perspectives.Going forward ORRA aims to continually work in the path of contemporary designs that appeal to the aesthetics of the modern woman of India. Customers can visit any of the 32 stores across 24 cities to experience these along with a variety of designs that suit their tastes and preferences. Inquiries can also be made atAbout ORRA Jewellery:ORRA is one of India's finest jewellery retail chains, having spread its glow with 33 stores across 24 cities. It has been at the forefront of design leadership and product innovation with 5 global design Centres in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Antwerp, Mumbai and New York.ORRAs designs are handcrafted to perfection by master craftsmen who have inherited the centuries-old legacy of jewellery making. ORRA has a host of collections set with brilliantly cut diamonds. While Belgian diamonds have been ORRAs specialty, the addition of 22kt gold jewellery in 17 of its stores makes ORRA a full service jeweller, offering its customers a choice of the best designs and a total shopping experience.Solitaires are available in varied cuts and sizes. Innovation is the key to its success and is proven right with the introduction of the ORRA Crown Star, a 73 facet solitaire v/s the regular 57 facets. These facets are aligned in perfect proportion to provide maximum brilliance. The accuracy with which the diamond is cut gives it an unmatched brilliance. Inquiries can also be made at11, Atmaram Sawant Rd, Ashok Nagar, Kandivali west,Mumbai - 400101. India Berlin Foto Biennale 2016 | Emotions & Commotions Across Cultures | Steve McCurry (Magnum) Logo Berlin Foto Biennale 2016 www.BerlinFotoBiennale.com www.twitter.com/artPRberlin www.artisanpr.de 6. - 30. October 2016 | 446 contemporary artists from 43 countries are participating alongside Magnum photographer Steve McCurry and emerging young talent Yusuke Suzuki*****Berlin, August 2016.Throughout October 2016 Berlin welcomes once again the largest German festival for photography, the 7th European Month of Photography Berlin. As Associated Partner of EMOP Berlin the first edition of the Berlin Foto Biennale - which is also the 4th edition of the Biennial for Fine Art and Documentary Photography - will take place at elegant Palazzo Italia, situated in the historic heart of Berlin.The Biennial, titled "Emotions and Commotions Across Cultures" will present 1230 photos by 446 contemporary artists from 43 countries of 5 continents among them 65% women, who have received the Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers. The winners of this years' award, juried by Andrea Holzherr (Director of Global Exhibitions at Magnum Photos), are also included in this comprehensive photographic display.The works represent a wide spectrum of styles ranging from documentary and wild life, to portrait and experimental photography. Recognizing a wide array of artistic expression across diverse cultures, the Biennial presents a contemporary overview of the different schools of thought emerging from the United States to China, from Australia to Turkey and from Senegal to Mexico.The Biennial also contains an essay by emerging young talent Yusuke Suzuki about the refugee crisis on Lesbos and the chaos in Syria's Aleppo. As special invitee Magnum photographer Steve McCurry will present 130 of his most remarkable works in his solo exhibition Retrospective.The Berlin Foto Biennale 2016 captures international trends in photography and presents us a kaleidoscope of sentiments and perceptions. In this way a photographic chronicle of our time emerges with all its emotions and commotions.Part of the revenue from the artwork sales will be donated to Save the Children. A catalogue published by Kehrer Verlag accompanies the Biennial.Artistic Director: Julio Hirsch-HardyCurators: Analy Werbin, Julio Hirsch-Hardy and Victoria WerbinBiennial: 7. - 30. October 2016Opening reception: 6. October 2016, 6.30 pmPalazzo ItaliaUnter den Linden 10 (Entrance on Charlottenstrae)10117 Berlin (Mitte)Opening hours:Mo - Wed 12am - 7pmThu 12am - 9pmFri - Sun 12am - 7pmThe Berlin Foto Biennale 2016 is also the 4th edition of the Biennial of Fine Art and Documentary Photography. After Madrid, Buenos Aires and Malaga the curated photo festival comes to Berlin to offer emerging and established artists from all over the world a platform, and to showcase international trends in fine art as well as documentary photography.Chief Curator of the Berlin Foto Biennale, Julio Hirsch-Hardy, is also Managing Director of The Gala Awards, a dedicated to organize juried photography awards, such as the Julia Margaret Cameron Award for women photographers, currently in its 9th edition. The winners of this year's award will be announced on September 5th, 2016. Their work will be shown at the Berlin Foto Biennale 2016.Past jurors of The Gala Awards includes several Magnum members such as Chris Steel-Perkins, Steve McCurry, Olivia Arthur, Alessandra Sanguinetti; photographers like Mary Ellen Mark and Kim Weston; publishers Susan Zadeh, Brooks Jensen, Steven Perloff, and curators like Peter Brokkman; among many others.Press contact:Kristina ThomasARTISAN pr & communicationsKollwitzstr. 4710405 BerlinM: +49 (0)176 8198 3594P: +49 (0)30 4403 8169E: kristina@artisanpr.deT: Glioblastoma Multiforme Treatment Market is Predicted to Reach US$0.91 bn in 2022 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4807 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pipeline-review-of-glioblastoma-treatment-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A new Transparency Market Research report states that the global glioblastoma treatment market stood at US$0.34 bn in 2013 and is predicted to reach US$0.91 bn in 2022. It is predicted to expand at a CAGR of 11.40% from 2014 to 2022. The title of the report is Glioblastoma Multiforme Treatment (GBM) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2022.Get Free Sample Research Report:According to the report, the increasing aging population globally is fuelling the market for glioblastoma multiforme treatment. In addition, a number of non-government and government organizations are taking several steps to increase awareness on GBM, hence boosting the market. Furthermore, it has been predicted that the introduction of a number of novel therapies in the coming years will also augment the growth of the market for glioblastoma multiforme treatment in forthcoming years. On the other hand, the present survival period of drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme is less and this is a key factor restraining the growth of the market. In addition, currently available therapies have limitations owing to GBM being immensely resistant to DNA modifying agents. This may also pose a negative impact on the growth of the market.On the basis of drug, the market for glioblastoma multiforme treatment is segmented into bevacizumab (avastin), carmustine (bicnu), and temozolomide (temodar, temodal, and temcad). Amongst these, in 2013, temozolomide took the largest share in the market owing to its great effectiveness. On the other hand, bevacizumab (avastin) is the latest addition to the string of drugs and is the first monoclonal antibody drug passed for the treatment of GBM. This drug is relatively more effective as compared to temozolomide and is predicted to hold the largest share in the market on the basis of revenue by the end of 2016.The pipeline review of glioblastoma multiforme treatment includes a number of drugs in preclinical phase, phase I, phase II, and phase III. Drugs under preclinical, stage I and stage II include ABT-414, MM-398, ARC-100, AV0113, Cotara, Crenolanib, SGT-53, Endostatin, and ANG1005. Drugs under phase II include rindopepimut (CDX-110), DCVax, and others.Research Report:In terms of geography, the report segments the market into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World (RoW). Amongst these, North America led the market for glioblastoma multiforme treatment in 2013 owing to the increasing public awareness because of support from non-government and government organizations. In addition, the developed healthcare infrastructure in this region has also augmented the growth of the market. On the other hand, the region of Asia Pacific is the most rapidly growing glioblastoma multiforme treatment market owing to the advanced healthcare infrastructure and the increasing awareness about GBM within this region.As per the report, the chief players operating in the market are Abbvie, Inc., Celldex Therapeutics, Inc., Exellixis, Inc., Brostol-Myers Squibb Co. and F. Hoffman-La Roche.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Antibacterial Drugs Market Value to touch US$38.9 bn by the end of 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1567 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/antibacterial-drugs-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A new market research study, titled Antibacterial Drugs Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023, has been published by Transparency Market Research. As per the study, in 2014, the global antibacterial drugs market was worth US$43.9 bn. The market is projected to exhibit a 1.30% CAGR between 2015 and 2023, declining in value to touch US$38.9 bn by the end of 2023.Request a Free Research Brochure:An antibacterial drug is an antimicrobial agent that interferes with the reproduction and growth of bacteria. The growth of this bacteria can cause severe infections in animals and humans. The administration of antibacterial drugs helps in inhibiting the growth of the bacteria or completely killing it. At present, several antibacterial drugs in different formulations are available and are widely used for treating tuberculosis, legionellosis, like pneumonia, diarrhea, diphtheria, tetanus, and other diseases. Some of the prominent consumers of the global antibacterial drugs market are private clinics, hospitals, patients, and physicians.The growing prevalence of infections and other diseases across the globe and increasing government support for research and development activities are some of the key drivers of the global antibacterial drugs market. However, the upcoming patent expirations and growth in drug-resistant species are projected to curtail the growth of the market in the coming years. The decline in the markets valuations will primarily be attributable to this negative factor.In 2014, the -lactams segment accounted for a 58% share in the global antibacterial drugs market and is estimated to be in the topmost position in the next few years. In the same year, the quinolones segment accounted for a 17% share in the global market and is expected to exhibit negative growth rate in the forecast period. Furthermore, the miscellaneous antibacterial segment is projected to witness significant growth owing to the growing demand for therapies against bacterial infections and rising geriatric population.The strong pipeline in the global antibacterial drugs market includes RHB-105, Eravacycline, Ozenoxacin, Arikace, Carbavance (meropenem/RPX7009), Surotomycin (MK-4261), SYM-1219, Solithromycin (CEM-101), Plazomycin, Ciprofloxacin/Fluocinolone Acetonide, SPL7013, Actoxumab/Aezlotoxumab, (MK-3415A), Omadacycline (PTK-0796), Zempia (E-101), Cadazolid, Delafloxacin, and Delamanid. The major players are making constant efforts to commercialize these drugs, which is estimated to propel the global antibacterial drugs market in the near future.At present, Asia Pacific accounts for the largest share in the global antibacterial drugs market and is projected to grow at a fast pace throughout the forecast period. The rapid growth of this region can be attributed to the strong presence of generic pharmaceutical ingredients and generic manufacturers, a growing geriatric population, and expanding population. In addition, the growing incidence of several bacterial infections including MRSA and TB, developing healthcare infrastructure, and rising purchasing power of consumers are some of the other factors anticipated to drive global antibacterial drugs market in the coming years.Asia Pacific is followed by North America and Europe. These regions are expected to witness sluggish growth throughout the forecast period. The slow-paced growth of the North America and Europe antibacterial drugs markets can be attributed to the strict regulatory requirements, market maturity, and shortened product lifecycle.Research Report:The prominent players engaged in the global antibacterial drugs market include Bayer AG, Forest Laboratories, Inc., Allergan plc, Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca plc, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Eli Lilly & Co., Novartis AG, Merck & Co., Inc., and Pfizer, Inc. These players are leading the overall market and witnessing intense competition amongst each other. Among these players, Pfizer, Inc. is considered as a dominant player owing to its significant contribution towards the global antibacterial drugs market.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: E.coli Testing Market to expand at a CAGR of 6.58% from 2022 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=4822 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/e-coli-testing-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A new Transparency Market Research report states that the global E. coli testing market stood at US$1.2 bn in 2013 .and is predicted to reach US$2.1 bn by 2022. It is expected to expand at a CAGR of 6.58% from 2014 to 2022. The title of the report is, E.coli Testing (Environmental Testing and Clinical Testing) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2014 - 2022.View exclusive Global strategic Business report :Escherichia coli (E. coli) are a diverse and large group of bacteria found in the environment, several foods, and intestines of animals and peoplehumans. Although the majority of strains of E. coli arent harmful, others can cause intestinal infections. The key symptoms of an E. coli infection include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and kidney failure. People having weakened immune systems, older adults, young children, and pregnant women are at a high risk of developing such complications. The kinds of E. coli that cause diarrhea are transmitted via contaminated food or water or via contact with affected persons or animals.As per the report, the increasing initiatives taken by governments in favor of E. coli tests and the rising spread and high morbidity of E. coli are amongst the prime factors driving the growth of the market for E. coli testing. In addition, the development of drug-resistant species is also having a positive impact on the growth of the market. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests being used for environment water testing has emerged as a key growth opportunity in the market. On the other hand, the soaring prices of enzyme-substrate tests in comparison with separate apparatus tests are inhibiting the growth of the market.In terms of testing method, the report segments the market into clinical testing and environmental testing. The segment of environmental testing is further segmented into membrane filtration (MF), enzyme-substrate methods, and multiple tube fermentation (MTF). On the other hand, the segment of clinical testing is further segmented into enzyme immunoassays (EIA), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, and others. Amongst these, on the basis of revenue, the segment of enzyme substrate tests hold the largest share of 80% in the market. On the basis of volume, this segment constitutes a share of 40% in the market. In terms of revenue, the segment of membrane filtration holds the largest share in the market.On the basis of end use, the report segments the market into clinical and environmental. The segment of clinical E. coli testing is further segmented into diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, and physician offices. The segment of environmental E-coli testing is further segmented into bottle water suppliers, home and drinking water suppliers, waste water treatment organizations, and others including private well owners, government agencies, farm water testing, and groundwater testing, among others. Amongst these, E. coli testing has been highly demanded by bottle water suppliers and home and drinking water suppliers.Geographically, the market is segmented into Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa, Rest of Africa, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World (RoW). Amongst these, Europe led the market in 2013 due to the outbreak of foodborne infections within Germany in 2011 due to the E. coli O104:H4 strain. On the other hand, Asia Pacific is anticipated to be the most lucrative region in the market and is predicted to rise at a 6.92% CAGR from 2014 to 2022. This is owing to the increasing water pollution in rising economies such as India, Japan, and China.Browse Research Report:According to the report, the key players dominant in the market are Danaher Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, Enzo Life Sciences, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories, and Hologic, among others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: In the wake of controversy over his late father's donations, Ji Xianlin's son, Ji Cheng, filed a lawsuit against Peking University. On Aug. 16, Beijing First Intermediate People's Court announced its judgment, rejecting Ji Cheng's claim. Dubbed a "master of Chinese culture" and a "national treasure," former professor Ji Xianlin signed a convention on July 6, 2001, authorizing the donation of a selection of antiques, calligraphy and paintings to Peking University. In December 2008, Ji Xianlin wrote a will indicating that the books and antiques were being maintained by the Peking University library, but that they were not donations. He deputized his son to deal with the execution of the will. After Ji passed away at the age of 98, his son argued that the donation was illegal. Ji Cheng explained that he was unable to reach an agreement with Peking University. Therefore, after three years, he turned to legal proceedings to resolve the disagreement. However, the court has determined that, on the legal basis of the convention that Ji Xianlin willingly signed, even Ji Xianlin himself cannot cancel the convention. This means that Ji Cheng does not have the right to demand the return of the donated items. The court not only rejected Ji Cheng's appeal, it also determined that he should pay 540,000 yuan for the litigation fee. Ji Cheng nevertheless maintains that the convention was illegal. "Firstly, the donation included my mother's belongings. Besides, there were no signatures on the convention. Moreover, Peking University once said that the donations belonged to my father and that he could deal with them on his own. However, the university doesn't dare to make that record public," Ji Cheng said. Peking University shared a post on its official Weibo, emphasizing that Ji XIanlin did not express a wish to invalidate the convention before passing away. Peking University's post on its official Weibo Heparin Market in North America to expand at 6.3% CAGR from 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=803 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/heparin-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A moderate degree of rivalry exists among the key players in the global heparin market. However, these companies exhibit a clear dominance in individual segments, finds Transparency Market Research (TMR). In a highly fragmented global heparin market, the top three vendors, Sanofi S.A., Leo Pharma A/S, and Pfizer, Inc. held a share of over 39.6% in 2014. Due to its long-standing market presence, Sanofi emerged as the market leader in the same year.Get Free Sample Research Report:However, the market has been growing at a slower pace in developed regions. Hence, the leading enterprises are currently looking to capitalize on untapped opportunities in Asia Pacific and Rest of the World to strengthen their market position. Companies operating in the global heparin market are strategically diverse, which compromises with the brand loyalty of end users.Manufacturers See Opportunities in Regulatory Approval of Synthetic HeparinGlobally. the demand for heparin is rising in response to the increasing incidence of coagulation disorders. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year over 900,000 people in the U.S. are affected by deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Furthermore, over one-third of these patients witness recurrence of the disease within a decade. Such rising DVT prevalence will in turn fuel demand for heparin. It also encourages generic manufacturers to develop generic versions of heparin.Nearly half a million deaths are reported in Europe each year due to the rising prevalence of coagulation disorders such as venous thromboembolism (VTE). This bolsters demand for heparin from the region, said a lead TMR analyst. Besides this, the commercialization of effective heparin products will also bolster their sales in the forthcoming years. Low molecular weight heparin derived naturally could have adverse effect on a patients health in case of overdose. Scientists have therefore developed synthetic heparin, which is both cheaper and safer than heparin obtained from animals. Regulatory approvals for synthetic versions of heparin will give the market an impetus the coming years.Declining Imports from China to Create Bottleneck for Heparin ManufacturersThe availability of alternative anticoagulants such as coumarins, warfarin, and oral coagulants could pose a threat to the global heparin market, said the TMR analyst. The presence of these alternative anticoagulants will limit the sales of biological heparin products. Furthermore, enhanced quality control measures have decreased heparin imports from China, thereby elevating the cost incurred on heparin production. This is a key factor threatening the markets growth to an extent. The rising cost of active pharmaceutical ingredients is also anticipated to increase heparin prices, thus negatively impacting their demand.Nevertheless, the advent of biosimilars is expected to boost opportunities for heparin manufacturers. Leading manufacturers are currently investing in research into marine-based heparin products. This could lead to the introduction of novel products, thus fuelling opportunities for heparin manufacturers.Browse Research Report:According to TMR, The global heparin market stood at US$8.2 bn in 2014. Rising at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2015 to 2023, the market is expected to reach US$14.3 bn by the end of 2023. The demand for low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) was the highest in the market in 2014. By 2023, the LMWH segment is expected to reach US$12.3 bn. Regionally, North America emerged as the dominant segment in 2014. The rising incidence of DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE) will enable the North America market to exhibit a CAGR of 5.9% between 2014 and 2023.This review is based on information published by TMR, in a report, titled Heparin Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2015 - 2023.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Nanotechnology Drug Delivery Market expand at CAGR of 12.5% from 2015 to 2023 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=1822 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/nanotechnology-drug-delivery.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Nano-technology field has a potential to make significant impact on healthcare by delivering disease diagnosis, monitoring, implants, regenerative medicines and drug delivery, drug discovery for biomedicine. Since last few years, significant progress has been made in the field of nano-medicine (i.e. nano-technology), resulting in a number of products, including therapeutics and imaging agents, enabling more effective and less toxic therapeutic and diagnostic interventions.View exclusive Global strategic Business report :This progress have resulted in development of innovative diagnostic and therapeutic personalized nano-medicine treatment. Rapidly expanding areas of research and development to develop novel nano-medicine is expected to drive the market growth in future. Moreover, one of the major factor assisting market growth is the rising prevalence of infectious diseases and cancer, developing nanotechnology research, and rising demand for novel drug delivery systems. However, high cost coupled with stringent regulatory scenario hampers the market growth to some extent.A detailed qualitative analysis of the factors responsible for driving and restraining the growth of the global nanotechnology drug delivery market and future opportunities has been provided in the market overview section. This section of the report also provides market attractiveness analysis, technology trend, industry challenges, sale data for some non-marketed nano-pharmaceuticals, patent landscape, and market share analysis by key players (%) operating in the nanotechnology drug delivery market.Based on technology, the global nanotechnology drug delivery market has been segmented into nanocrystals, nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, nanotubes and others. The market for these technology types has been extensively analyzed based on sales revenue of the various leading marketed products developed by the manufacturers. The market size and forecast in terms of USD million for each technology has been provided for the period from 2013 to 2023. The report on the nanotechnology drug delivery market also provides compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each of the market segments mentioned above for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023, considering 2014 as the base year.Additionally, the report also categorized based on different application area of nanotechnology such as neurology, oncology, cardiovascular/physiology, anti-inflammatory/immunology, anti-infective and other applications. The market size and forecast in terms of USD million for each application has been provided for the period from 2013 to 2023. The report also provides compound annual growth rate (CAGR %) for each application segments mentioned above for the forecast period from 2015 to 2023, considering 2014 as the base year.Geographically, the global nanotechnology drug delivery market has been categorized into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of the World (RoW). The market size and forecast for each of these regions have been provided for the period from 2013 to 2023 along with CAGR (%) for the forecast period from 2013 to 2023. The research study also incorporates the competitive scenario of major players in these regions.Browse Research Report:The report concludes with the profiles of major players in the global nanotechnology drug delivery market based on various attributes such as company overview, financial overview, business strategies, product portfolio, and recent developments. Major players profiled in this report include AbbVie, Inc., Amgen Inc., Celgene Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis International AG, Perrigo Company plc and others.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. We have an experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, who us e 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.ContactTransparency Market Research90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Clackamas County off-duty deputy crash An off-duty Clackamas County sheriff's deputy was injured Aug. 16, 2016, when he collided with a TriMet bus while driving his motorcycle in unincorporated Happy Valley, deputies said. (Clackamas County Sheriff's Office) An off-duty Clackamas County sheriff's deputy was injured Tuesday evening when he collided with a TriMet bus while driving his motorcycle, deputies said. 911 callers reported the deputy appeared to be critically injured, the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. The deputy, who wasn't publicly identified, was flown to a hospital for treatment. The collision happened at the intersection of Southeast 82nd Avenue and Monterey Avenue near Clackamas Town Center, deputies said. The bus driver is cooperating with investigators. Good Samaritans helped render medical aid to the deputy after the crash, which happened shortly after 5:15 p.m., deputies said. The injured deputy was driving his personal motorcycle. The cause of the crash is under investigation, and the Oregon State Police is the lead investigating agency. -- Jim Ryan jryan@oregonian.com 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015 Michelle Jones quit her job as a full-time associate professor at Northeast Portland's Concordia University in 2015 on a leap of faith. For years, Jones had discussed with friends and colleagues her dream of starting a college from scratch. Instead of following an age-old blueprint for higher education - big lecture classes with students forced to pick a major or career path at an early age - Jones envisioned an alternative school that she believed would put students, and their interests, first. "What if we start with, 'Who are you? What do you want to be?'" Jones said recently in an interview. "What do you want to do with your life and what's the best way to get there?" Enter the Wayfinding Academy, Oregon's newest college. Jones' creation welcomes its first class Aug. 29. At least a dozen students will enroll in the program this year, and another cohort will arrive in a year. Jones said most students already had some experience with the traditional higher-ed model and know first-hand "it doesn't work for them." Some already have bachelor's degrees, others already have associate's, Jones said. Most, like 29-year-old Justin Borge, felt something was lacking in their previous college or university experiences. Fact Box: - Employees: Three full-time and two part-time staffers. Founder Michelle Jones is taking no salary during the 2016-17 school year and isn't included in that total - Faculty: Seven faculty members will teach the core curriculum in year one, with professors receiving stipends. Jones plans to transition professors to full-time in coming years - Open House and Ribbon Cutting: Aug. 21, 5 p.m. - 9 p.m., "I want to feel accepted," Borge said, "I want to feel understood." The new school opens hands-on support and an "advocate" who will work with students throughout the program. The nonprofit two-year school is an outlier in the state's education system. Oregon has seven four-year public universities, 17 state community colleges and 49 private nonprofit institutions approved to award degrees, now including Wayfinding. Another 195 private, for-profit career and trade colleges in the state issue diplomas or certificates. The state has seven private nonprofit colleges that award associate's degrees, but none of them has a curriculum quite like the Wayfinding Academy's. Students will take courses with titles like Making Good Choices, The Good Life, Futures and Citizenship and Understanding the World. There are few, if any, national examples of schools like Wayfinding. Jones cited Rhode Island-based Big Picture Learning, which focuses primarily on alternative high schools but also offers higher-education options. National groups, like The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and Council of Independent Colleges, didn't know what to make of Wayfinding Academy. The American Council of Education cited two potential comparisons -- but one was a one-year program with no degree and the other partners with four-year schools where their students can take courses. Wayfinding Academy is approved to issue Associate's Degrees in Self and Society. Jones said the students who enrolled aren't pursuing degrees to pad resumes or to transfer to a four-year college, though they could. "Their goal really is figuring out how to live life on purpose and what they want to do with their lives." In Oregon, all higher education institutions must be approved by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission before issuing degrees or certificates. The agency examines the curriculum, instructor qualifications, faculty and advising ratio and other essentials to ensure the school passes "basic academic and fiduciary standards," according to HECC executive director Ben Cannon said. The state approved Wayfinding Academy after a lengthy vetting process. "It seems likely to serve some students very well," Cannon said. "Perhaps better than traditional models of higher education have." The Wayfinding Academy in St. Johns in North Portland is the newest college in Oregon. The private nonprofit school can award associate's degrees to students and is starting its first class in August, 2016. The library and gathering room is pictured here About the School Jones moved to Portland for a job at Concordia in 2010, where she taught organizational behavior and leadership courses. She quickly made connections outside the academy. She became an active member of TEDxMtHood, a local offshoot of the popular speech series. She was also plugged into the World Domination Summit, an annual gathering in Portland of self-described curious thinkers who ask, "How do we live a remarkable life in a conventional world." When she quit Concordia, Jones spread the word to that network that she was starting something new. She created a crowd-funding campaign and pulled in $206,000 from 800 people. "That told us this was an idea worth doing," Jones said. The community support has continued. The college is housed in a former Young Women's Christian Association tucked along a residential street in Portland's St. Johns neighborhood, purchased for $799,000 by a group of Wayfinding board members this summer. Jones said the board members are giving the school a rent discount for a few years. She has a cast of donors who support the school on a monthly basis, similar to a public-radio giving model. Some donors chip in $1,500 or more. That's allowed the school to offer scholarships to students this fall, lessening the load of the $11,000 annual tuition. The school is a partner charity at the Oregon Public House, a Northeast Portland nonprofit brew pub that allows customers to donate to specific charities. It all adds up, Jones said. "There's no way we could be doing what we're doing without the community." About the Students The first Wayfinding cohort ranges in age from 19 to 38. Clara Burros is one of the younger students. The 20-year-old was homeschooled in Santa Cruz, California, and was accustomed to "a small independent style of learning." She briefly tried community college, but it didn't work for her. She has anxiety issues, and never felt connected or excited. She first heard about Wayfinding Academy on a podcast. Nonprofits in Oregon Here's a list of the nonprofit schools approved to issue two-year degrees in Oregon: - Wayfinding Academy - Birthingway College - Kilns College (also offers 4-yr and Masters) - NCTI (aka College of Emergency Services) - New Hope Christian (also offers 4-yr and Masters) - North Portland Bible - Pacific Bible (Source: Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission) She leapt at the opportunity, and is hoping the school can help her find a way to make a career in knitting and "fiber arts." Burros said she knows what she loves to do, but hasn't discovered how to do it while helping "to better the world." Borge has dropped out of several universities, most recently the University of Pennsylvania. He said he's been battling the concept of higher education since he was 18. "I didn't care," he said of the past stops, "and the people around me didn't seem to care." He's hopeful the tailored approach at Wayfinding Academy will help him pursue his "lofty, perhaps unattainable dreams and goals." Michelle Jones, Wayfinding Academy's founder, has helped secure scholarships for some of the inaugural cohort who begin classes this fall. The program costs $21,000 in tuition for the two-years What's Next Passing the state's regulatory bar is not as stringent a task as winning accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the accrediting body that approves schools like approves Reed College and the University of Oregon. Schools can't accept federal financial aid, a key revenue stream, until being accredited. Private, for-profit online colleges and trade schools have separate accrediting bodies. The U.S. Department of Education recommended terminating one such accrediting body this summer, which would threaten federal financial aid access for more than 243 institutions. Wayfinding Academy must first be operating for one year with students to be considered for its accreditation. Jones said the school will apply for accreditation in 2017. She understands why few launch new non-profit colleges, saying the process is difficult, expensive and goes against mainstream orthodoxy that governs education. "You're questioning a lot of the status quo," she said of more traditional colleges and universities, "and a lot of the engrained beliefs that we all grew up with." "Portland," she said, "is a good place to start this." -- Andrew Theen atheen@oregonian.com 503-294-4026 @andrewtheen -2.jpg Bob McKean, the Portland Public School Board's choice for interim superintendent, addresses the public. (Bethany Barnes/The Oregonian) Portland Public School Board members spent weeks wringing their hands over whether a "caretaker" or "change agent" should run the embattled district for a year while they hunt for a long-term leader. In the end, the board unanimously chose someone else: a smokejumper -- literally. The board on Tuesday announced, then approved, its lone finalist for interim superintendent: Bob McKean, former superintendent of the Centennial School District -- and an occasional wildland firefighter. McKean, 70, still serves as treasurer for the National Smokejumper Association. Comparisons of the troubled district to a raging wildfire didn't go unsaid. David Crandall, who has a grandchild in the district and runs an education nonprofit, referenced McKean's background as a smokejumper during a meet and greet with McKean on Tuesday. The public event came before the board officially voted at its regular meeting. Crandall asked how McKean would ensure the "dysfunction baked in the culture" at Portland Public Schools wouldn't spread. "I do think he's jumping into a fire -- or he'd bloody well better ignite a fire to stop the ones that are out of control," Crandall said. The district has been buffeted by controversy over its handling of lead in drinking water and other management troubles, losing longtime Superintendent Carole Smith in the aftermath. The controversy has added to a list of vacant high-level positions that will demand McKean's attention. Additionally, McKean will be expected to court the public to help the district pass a $750 million construction bond in May. McKean (pronounced Mc-cain) said he wouldn't go so far as to make the comparison. That said, he called the job a challenge unlike other interim superintendent gigs. He's prepared to make "difficult decisions," which is "part of the allure." McKean also didn't acknowledge Crandall's assertions of dysfunction and was quick to say the district has "good people in central office." But he quickly said he'd look at restructuring and wouldn't maintain the status quo. Crandall called the answer "promising." McKean's start date remains uncertain. And salary numbers have yet to be released. But he's expected to parachute in for an estimated 10 months, with orders to put the district back on track. McKean worked for decades as a teacher and school administrator in Montana and served as superintendent of the Centennial district, just east of Portland, for seven years until he retired in 2010. Reading and math scores rose significantly on his watch. McKean is currently a board member of All Hands Raised. Portland, with 48,500 students, will be the largest district McKean has led. He served as an assistant superintendent for Missoula County Public Schools, which had about 10,000 during his time there. Centennial had 6,700. "Superintendent work is superintendent work at the end of the day," McKean said. President Suzanne Cohen, president of the Portland Association of Teachers, said she was glad to see McKean has classroom experience, but the search process left her frustrated. Cohen said her union should have played a larger role and that the district should have sought more feedback from the public before selecting a finalist. A total of 11 people applied for the interim position. The board then narrowed the field to five, with the remaining candidates enduring an unusual interview process. Board members interviewed candidates in two days of executive sessions, which are closed to the public but can be observed by reporters, because of conflicting schedules. This meant candidates had to answer questions twice. Holding the meetings in executive session -- instead of creating smaller panels of board members that wouldn't be subject to the open meeting law -- meant The Oregonian/OregonLive could reveal four of the five candidates by observing who came in and out of interviews. Board member Paul Anthony, who attended both sets of interviews, said the process was cumbersome but worth the effort -- even after acknowledging some potential candidates declined to apply out of fear their interest might become public. Anthony said it was important to be as transparent as possible. Amy Kohnstamm, the board's vice chair, said the board did initially pick two finalists to present to the public, but said the other finalist withdrew because of a personal matter. They didn't replace that applicant with another candidate. Kohnstamm said she was happy with the process, given the pileup of problems and a calendar that has classes resuming Aug. 29. She said the search for a long-term superintendent will seek more voices from a greater variety people. "Time was really of the essence," she said. -- Bethany Barnes AX150_34EC_9.JPG (Beth Nakamura/The Oregonian) Oregon lawmakers should back a certification process that encourages the marijuana industry to pay closer attention to how it uses natural resources and to examine potential water-regulation changes to encourage small cannabis growers. Those are among the recommendations in a draft report prepared by the Task Force on Cannabis Environmental Best Practices, a panel comprising growers, state agency representatives and lawmakers. The group studied the use of electricity and water along with agricultural practices in the marijuana industry. The task force recommended the Legislature support education and technical assistance to help marijuana growers use best environmental practices, support the development of a voluntary certification program that encourages energy and water conservation, and back research related to environmental and agricultural practices. Jesce Horton, a medical marijuana grower and a task force member, said a certification process for cannabis producers using sustainable environmental practices could prove key for businesses trying to distinguish themselves in a competitive market. "We have to find voluntary ways to get people to move in the right direction," Horton said. "We knew overregulation wasn't the way to go, so we really thought about how can we incentivize companies to move in that direction?" The group also recommended that lawmakers consider using marijuana tax revenue or a fee levied through a commodity commission to help pay for cannabis research. The panel said "it could be useful" for the Legislature to reconsider water rules by allowing small commercial marijuana farms -- those on a half-acre or less -- to irrigate without water rights. Under current rules, those operations are required to have water rights. But the committee stopped short of recommending the requirements be changed, acknowledging that water law and "issues of water scarcity are complex and significant." Marijuana production requires a lot of water. The draft report from the task force noted that at least one scientific review found that a mature marijuana plant can consume up to 22.7 liters of water each day during the course of a 150-day growing season. Meanwhile, grape plants for wine use about 12.64 liters of water a day, though wine operations tend to be larger than cannabis ones. Indoor marijuana producers also are notorious energy hogs that energy experts say could impose a big load on the regional power grid. Growers say they're interested in energy efficiency and sustainability, but information on best practices hasn't been widely shared or even established as the industry still emerges from decades of operating in a legal gray area. The task force took up the recommendations at a meeting Tuesday in Salem. The group unanimously approved the report, which will be finalized and submitted to the Legislature next month. -- Noelle Crombie 503-276-7184; @noellecrombie By Megan McArdle There are a lot of people in the U.S. who dream of single-payer health care. And what a dream it is! Government as the only entity paying for care, able to drive down costs while ensuring universal coverage. There are not a lot such dreamers who think that the transition to such a system is imminent here. Republicans don't even like Obamacare, a comparatively moderate program. There seems little hope that they will vote for single payer anytime soon . . . and even if Democrats somehow manage to get control of White House, the House of Representatives and 60 votes in the Senate, swing-state senators with a nervous eye on their next election are unlikely to support such an ambitious shift to the left. What to do, then, if you're an advocate for single payer? Well, take your campaign to the state level. Our national politics seems deadlocked. But at the state and local levels, the partisan divide is much sharper: we have red states like Kansas, that can attempt a massive rollback of the size of government, and presumably, blue states that can do something like single payer. And since states are supposed to be the laboratories of democracy, a successful demonstration at the state level may make a convincing case for bringing your model to a wider audience. Except. That small-government experiment in Kansas doesn't seem to be going all that well, politically. And single payer at the state level has so far also crashed and burned. Vermont's program attracted a lot of excitement right up to the point where people saw what it would cost, which is to say, substantially more than the entire annual tax haul in the state of Vermont. Farewell, Vermont single payer, farewell. However, the death of Vermont's single-payer proposal does not mean that the dream of a state-level system also died. Colorado now has a proposed plan, Amendment 69, which would create a similar system, funded both by taxes and by transferring money out of various federal programs and into the coffers of ColoradoCare. Supporters of the new plan are pretty excited about some polls that have seemed to show support. I'm pretty skeptical, for the same reason I was pretty skeptical about the Vermont program: the cost. Building this new entitlement would cost more than 140 percent of the total current state budget. Since there are no plans that I'm aware of for the Colorado state government to stop doing all its other functions, that means that everyone in Colorado would have to take whatever check they are currently sending to their state government, tear it up, multiply the total by 2.4, and write a new check. It's a bold political project. I'm not sure, however, that it is a winning one. And that's just the initial check; a nonpartisan analysis suggests a high risk that the system would quickly run into the red, even with a massive boost in taxes. At which point the government of Colorado could raise taxes even further, cut benefits, slash payments to providers, or experiment with some mix of two or three of the above. Raising taxes, on top of the whacking great increase you just passed, is apt to be difficult. So is cutting benefits, since everyone in the state is now dependent on them. And while cutting payments to providers always sounds easy when some earnest young policy wonk is standing in front of a PowerPoint slide, when you get into the state capitol and try to actually make those cuts, it turns out to be extraordinarily difficult. There are basically two groups of providers whose incomes you can cut. You can attack local provider groups -- hospitals, doctors, health-care unions -- who are politically very well connected, and make sympathetic victims for outraged ads running nonstop during election time. Or you can attack out-of-state vendors, like the people who sell you medical equipment and pharmaceuticals. You will easily divine that state legislators would much rather cut payments to nasty, heartless out-of-state corporations than to the swell health-care workers who live, work and vote in their state. The problem is that those heartless corporations have the option of refusing to sell you the stuff they make. Colorado cannot fix national prices; it cannot break patents. All it can do is use the negotiating leverage of its sizeable patient base, forcing companies to decide whether they'd rather sell to those patients at a lower cost, or give up the Colorado market entirely. Colorado has a population of around 5 million people, tiny compared to a major pharmaceutical benefit manager like Express Scripts or a health insurer like Aetna. If Aetna and Express Scripts haven't been able to negotiate lower prices, Colorado can't either. Even bigger problems will occur when Colorado tries to negotiate with local providers in other states (which it will have to, unless it plans to build a wall and prevent its citizens from ever traveling beyond its borders). Pfizer might be moved, somewhat, by the prospect of losing access to the Colorado patient base. A random hospital in New York City probably doesn't care at all. State-level policy innovation is real, and valuable. Successful activist groups more than occasionally manage to export their policies even beyond the borders of the state: Trial lawyers successfully created plaintiff-friendly jurisdictions that effectively set class-action policy for the whole country, and California managed to become a sort of secondary automobile regulator for the entire country. But some policies just don't work very well at the state level. Single-payer health care is one of them. Not that I'm saying single payer would work well at the federal level, because I don't think it would. But it would probably work better at the federal level than it ever could locally. State governments are more hostage to special interest groups like health-care unions and doctors (who are prominent among the affluent citizens that state legislators must regularly tap for campaign donations). States do not have the regulatory muscle or population to credibly threaten large corporations at the bargaining table. State budgets generally have to balance every year, meaning that during recessions, a single-payer system will put massive, painful pressure on other programs. And states cannot keep either their citizens, or their health-care workers, from going out of state to places where reimbursements are a lot higher -- or their taxpayers from fleeing to some place with lower income taxes. Politically, it may be easier to get a single-payer system on the ballot in a blue state than it is to get it onto the floor of the U.S. Congress. But practically, it's even harder to implement one that doesn't bankrupt the government and enrage the citizenry. Such an experiment would certainly have effects on health-care policy for the rest of the nation -- presumably a swing away from single payer. Bloomberg View columnist Megan McArdle writes on economics, business and public policy. For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/view. (c) 2016, Bloomberg View Corey Lequieu became the first defendant Tuesday to be sentenced in the federal conspiracy case stemming from the armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in January. U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown sent Lequieu to prison for 2 1/2 years followed by three years of supervised release. Lequieu, in custody in the Multnomah County Jail, also must pay restitution in an amount to be determined later. In May, Lequieu, 46, became the first of 26 standoff defendants charged with conspiracy to plead guilty. He admitted to impeding federal employees through threats, intimidation or force from working at the refuge outside Burns. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum sentence of six years in prison, but federal prosecutors recommended that Lequieu serve less time as part of a plea agreement and under sentencing guidelines. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel said the government considered that Lequieu was the first in the case to take responsibility when making the offer. Brown agreed that the government's recommendation was fair. Gabriel dismissed Lequieu's remaining count of possessing a firearm in a federal facility. The government, both in Oregon and Nevada, also agreed not to file felon in possession of a firearm charges against Lequieu, Gabriel said. Lequieu, of Fallon, Nevada, had ties to the 2014 Cliven Bundy standoff near Bunkerville. Lequieu's defense attorney, Ramon Pagan, told the court that he and his client were grateful that they reached an agreement with the government without Lequieu agreeing to testify against other defendants in the case. On Monday, the government had asked that Lequieu's sentencing be pushed back until December, when other defendants in the case will be scheduled for sentencing. That would allow the victims, employees of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management, to make one trip to Portland to speak about the fear they felt and continue to feel because of the occupation, Gabriel said. The workers couldn't make Tuesday's hearing, he said. But Brown decided to move ahead because Lequieu wished to do so. The judge noted that Pagan will no longer be able to represent Lequieu because he recently was appointed as a Circuit Court judge in Washington County. The victims, Brown said, will also have the opportunity to attend other sentencing hearings in the case. "There will be a time and a place for them to be heard," Brown said. Ten other defendants charged in the conspiracy case have pleaded guilty. Gabriel told the court that Lequieu traveled to Harney County from Nevada last December before the occupation took place. He was among a group of protesters, including Jon Ritzheimer and Ryan Bundy, who were first to arrive at the refuge and enter the buildings with weapons on Jan. 2. Lequieu was seen holding an assault rifle in a video calling for militia members to support the occupation, Gabriel said. He also worked as security at the refuge and was armed with an assault rifle in that capacity, the government has said. Earlier this year, prosecutors said Lequieu made violent threats against the Bureau of Land Management and the FBI and claimed ties to the Nevada and 3 percent militias. Pagan has said his client didn't play a leading role in the takeover, while the government has characterized Lequieu as one of its planners. Lequieu left the refuge after the FBI and state police arrested Ammon Bundy and other leaders during a stop outside the refuge on Jan. 26. He was arrested Feb. 11 in Nevada and returned to Oregon. In April, a judge declined to release him from custody, pending trial. Pagan told the court that before the takeover, Lequieu hadn't recently engaged in criminal behavior and his life was moving in a better direction. Brown addressed Lequieu and asked if he had anything he wanted to say. She told him she was required to listen. "I've heard some horror stories about inmates not getting credit for time served," he told her. The judge told Lequieu that his days in jail count toward his prison sentence. He also could receive a reduction on his sentence for good behavior, she said. Lequieu then asked if the judge could recommend that he serve his time at the federal prison in Sheridan. He looked at a map, he told her, and believes the prison is closest to his Nevada home. The trip to the Oregon prison, he said, would be easiest on his family and supporters. Brown agreed to make the recommendation. But ultimately, she said, the Federal Bureau of Prisons will decide where he goes. Maxine Bernstein of The Oregonian/OregonLive contributed to this report. -- Rebecca Woolington 503-294-4049; @rwoolington COOS BAY -- Authorities say a person of interest in a homicide investigation in Oregon has been spotted in North Seattle. KCPQ-TV reports police are looking for 36-year-old Lucas Perkins after his uncle was found dead Sunday in the home they shared. Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier declined to specify how 64-year-old Richard Perkins died, other than to say it was clearly a homicide. Autopsy results are pending, he said. Police say the victim's credit card was used at 10 p.m. Monday near the Northgate Mall in Seattle. Police believe Perkins is driving a gray Mazda with Oregon license plates. Police say Perkins has ties to Salem and Bonney Lake, Washington. -- The Associated Press I Am My Own Wife Mark Johnson, left, stars in and George Dzundza directs Rising Tide Production's "I Am My Own Wife." (Samantha Swindler/Staff) In an Oregon coast town of 300 people, a new theater company is producing a one-man show about a German transgender woman. And it's really good. Last weekend, I saw Mark Johnson perform as Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, Doug Wright and 40 other people in a performance of "I Am My Own Wife," a play that won the 2004 Pulitzer prize for drama. It's the first show put on by the new theater troupe, Rising Tide Productions. The director is George Dzundza, and if the name doesn't sound familiar, the face might. Dzundza, 71, played Sergeant Max Greevey in the premier season of "Law & Order," and had memorable roles in "Crimson Tide," "Dangerous Minds" and "Basic Instinct." About 10 years ago, Dzundza retired to Tillamook County, close to his wife's family, and got involved in the local theater scene. Johnson, 58, is a veteran of community theater. In fact, we performed years ago in a Christmas show together in Tillamook where he played a magical Kris Kringle-like figure and I played (wait for it) a nosy newspaper reporter. But I'd never seen Johnson in a role like this. He spent the last year working on this performance, learning his lines and growing out his white hair to portray Charlotte. Charlotte von Mahlsdorf was born Lothar Berfelde in 1928. Her strange and extraordinary true story is the basis of the play, and the playwright himself is inserted into the narrative. Charlotte survived Nazi Germany and then the oppressive communist regime in East Berlin, never hiding who she was. But she was not without controversy: There were questions about how closely she worked with Stasi security forces, and how many of the items in her museum of household things had been taken from Jewish families. This is not the kind of play you expect to find in a small, rural town. And maybe Johnson isn't who you'd expect to take on the role. He's a route sales representative for Frito-Lay, and he developed a love for theater late in life. This has been the hardest performance he's tackled, and not just because of the on-stage difficulties. "You can't imagine the amount of stink I've gotten from people just over the hair," he said. "The looks, almost to the point of disdain, when people found out what I was doing and who I was playing, the question of 'why would you want to?' ... Literally you can see people judging you. Their eyes say it all." You do theater so others can experience it. But on some level, you do it just for yourself. When his son said he wasn't comfortable seeing this play, Johnson told him not to come. "If my playing this role is tough on you because of all your buddies," Johnson recalled telling him, "I'm sorry, but I don't really give..." and he finished with an expletive. I asked Dzundza if he had any worries about how the themes of the show would be received in town. "I didn't care," he said. "I feel that the community needs to decide what they like or don't like. How are they going to know if they don't have it to look at?" That is, frankly, a luxury most community theaters cannot afford. If you've got a stage, chances are you've got a mortgage, and a show like this is almost guaranteed to lose money. There's also the concern of giving a single actor all the stage time. Every small theatre knows the difficulty of keeping both actors and audiences happy, while managing to stay financially afloat. Rising Tide has been able to produce "I Am My Own Wife" without these considerations. The set is a simple black stage: No props. Nothing fancy for Johnson's wardrobe. The performance takes place at a rec center auditorium. And the size of the audience doesn't really matter. It's the quality of the show that's important. Dzundza chose this piece because it moved him. He felt the themes of authoritarian regimes and LGBT rights are as relevant today as they were during Charlotte's life. And parts of this story hit close to home. Dzundza was born in Germany in 1945, to a Polish mother and Ukrainian father who had been sent to a work camp by the Nazis. He spent the first four years of his life in a displaced persons camp before his family were accepted as refugees and allowed to move to New York. He became a U.S. citizen at age 16. Dzundza said he has no memory of his time in the camp, and it's not something he dwells on. "I'm 100 percent American," Dzundza said. "That's it." Everything about this production of "I Am My Own Wife" is unexpected, and discovering it last weekend was a delight. City folks might not expect to find this kind of provocative, dramatic art in rural Oregon, but it's there. Rare, perhaps, but it still flourishes in small spaces. A rising tide lifts all boats, and maybe it's the same for high art. If this theater can do it, why not others? I was told opening night had only a handful of attendees, and when I was there at Sunday's performance, many of the 193 seats in the auditorium were empty. But those of us who were there gave Johnson a well-earned standing ovation. IF YOU GO: Performances of "I Am My Own Wife" continue Friday and Saturday, Aug. 19-20 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 21, at 2 p.m. at the North County Recreation District theater, 36155 9th St., Nehalem, Oregon. Tickets are $15. For more info, call 503-842-5566. -- Samantha Swindler @editorswindler / 503-294-4031 sswindler@oregonian.com A woman from Chinas central Hunan province recently set a Guinness World Record with her 17-month-long--and counting--pregnancy, local media reported on Aug. 16. The woman, named Wang Shi, became pregnant last February. Her due date was Nov. 15, but the date came and went with Wang's baby showing no intention of entering the world. Worried, Wang went to the hospital every seven to 10 days after her due date passed for check-ups. Doctors ruled out a Cesarean in the 14th month of pregnancy because the fetus was still in stage two--not mature enough for the operation. Experts say there are women who gave birth after 13 months of pregnancy, but never 17 months. They cant explain the reason, said Wangs husband. Nevertheless, Wang is now in good physical condition. The baby weighs 3.8 kilograms. She says she will have the C-section by the 18th month. A City Club of Portland research committee recommended the group support a $3 billion corporate tax measure headed to the ballot in November, in a draft report released early Wednesday. "Oregon has faced a consistent revenue shortage for the past 25 years," a majority of the 11-member committee wrote. "While Oregon's economy has grown, voters have placed limits on the state's ability to impose new taxes, which has caused inadequate funding of schools and public services. Measure 97 presents a long-awaited opportunity to assure adequate investment in the health, education and the well-being of Oregonians." Four of the committee's members disagreed, writing that although those members shared the goal of improving the state's finances, "a more carefully tailored tax could meet the goals of increased revenue and stability without the fundamental flaws and uncertainty of Measure 97." The dissenters also wrote that Measure 97 would provide a temporary revenue solution, without reining in long-term costs tied to pay and pensions for teachers and other public employees. "Even with the dramatic tax increases of Measure 97," they wrote, "Oregon's spending will overtake revenue again within 10 years. Additional revenue will decrease lawmakers' incentives to pass the difficult reforms necessary." Measure 97 would charge certain C corporations a 2.5 percent tax on their gross annual sales in Oregon above $25 million. This type of tax is known as a gross receipts tax, and state economists estimated it would raise at least $3 billion annually. Our Oregon, a political nonprofit affiliated with public employee unions, organized the ballot measure effort. The City Club of Portland will not take an official position on Measure 97 or any of the four other measures on the November ballot until after the group's members debate and vote on the recommendations later this month. The debate, called "Ballot-Palooza," is scheduled for 6 p.m. Aug. 24. To register online, visit bit.ly/Ballot-Palooza2016. Members will vote either at "Ballot-Palooza" or online from Aug. 25-29, according to a press release. The club will announce the results Aug. 30. The club's Measure 97 committee interviewed a variety of people including former Gov. John Kitzhaber, current and former lawmakers, Our Oregon's executive director, and representatives of business groups and individual companies. "The [sic] bill's petitioners opted to tax high-revenue corporations in part because such a policy polled well with voters who oppose sales taxes and in part because Oregon has relatively low corporate tax rates," the committee wrote in the draft report. "Proponents of the measure argued that any new source of revenue in Oregon should target corporations." Although the committee found that high-volume, low-margin businesses such as Powell's Books "would likely struggle to pay the tax," the group argued that "increasing corporate taxes in some capacity is likely the most equitable source of new revenue in Oregon." The report hinted at the potentially toxic political effects that passage of Measure 97 could create in the 2017 legislative session. "Former and current legislators warned that Measure 97 would likely produce heated partisanship within the Legislature, as representatives broker both expenditures and exemptions for the tax," the committee wrote. Democratic lawmakers, who hold majorities in both chambers, told the committee it was still difficult for them to raise taxes through legislation. In the House, Democrats in 2015 and 2016 were one vote short of the three-fifths majority they need in to pass new taxes. -- Hillary Borrud 503-294-4034; @hborrud File Photo A total of 180 officers from frontier forces across China are currently undergoing training for Chinas first standing peacekeeping force in UN history. After passing a UN assessment, the squad is expected to be activated in October, ready to be charged with dangerous, challenging peacekeeping missions. As one of the major initiatives announced by President Xi Jinping at the summits marking the 70th anniversary of the UN last September, the squad is a demonstration of the Chinese governments commitment to world peace, according to Vice Public Security Minister Meng Hongwei. Meng emphasized this point on Monday, Aug. 17 when he visited squad at the site of their training, as well as at the first seminar focusing on the peacekeeping ability of senior foreign officers. Meng said that rapid deployment and excellent coping mechanisms are crucial to the success of the force. High standards and unconventional training will employed to prepare the force for a wide variety of situations. While interacting with seminar guests, the vice minister encouraged all the participants to exchange peacekeeping experiences, especially between Chinese and African police departments. Seventeen senior police officers from Angola, Djibouti, Kenya and six other African countries joined the seminar. The visit to China of Myanmar's first State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi has drawn much attention in recent days. Analysts have even hailed Suu Kyis visit as an important milestone, saying that it will contribute to future economic development, national security and regional cooperation. The Myanmar government needs to balance its relations with major countries and adopt a more multifaceted method of diplomacy so that it can maintain sustainable security and development, said He Maochun, director of the Center for Economic Diplomacy at Tsinghua University. He also explained that, as the country needs to revive its economy and increase employment, it can benefit from economic cooperation with China as well as ASEAN countries through the Belt and Road Initiative and other sectors. He hailed Suu Kyi's visit to China as being of great importance, saying that it can cement economic cooperation, friendship and mutual trust between the two countries. Myanmar has long suffered from issues related to independence, separatism and regional autonomy. As a country that understands the importance of national stability, China hopes to one day see a peaceful and unified Myanmar, the analyst said. Fortunately, sound ties between Myanmar and China will contribute to unification and harmony in Myanmar. China hopes to establish various cooperative policies with Myanmar in order to promote border stability and connectivity, according to He. He also said that Chinas success at diplomacy has been proven through its relations with both Myanmar and the Philippines. The new Philippines president, Rodrigo Duterte, also adopted an independent diplomatic policy, as the country does not want to be the victim of games between major powers. The expert also provided an analysis from the angle of regional cooperation. According to He, China-ASEAN cooperation has brought tangible benefits to ASEAN countries, which is an important reason for ASEAN's rapid recovery after the financial crisis. With cooperation in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region, the Belt and Road Initiative, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and other fields, China is now an essential partner for developing ASEAN countries. The scholar nevertheless called on China and ASEAN to continue enhancing their mutual trust and communications, strengthen their cooperation and safeguard regional stability. He suggested that China increase its aid to less developed ASEAN countries. Commenting on Suu Kyis China visit, Japanese newspaper Asahi Shinbun said that China, as a major trade partner of Myanmar, offers cooperation that is indispensable to the smaller nation. U.S.-based Jamestown Foundation hailed Suu Kyi's practical diplomacy, saying that the Suu Kyi administration will welcome China's mutually beneficial investment. Myanmar Times, one of Myanmars most important media outlets, also noted that the recent visit reveals the importance Myanmar attaches to its relationship with China, one of its largest trading partner. PHNOM PENH, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese man has been arrested when arriving at Cambodian capital airport with more than 4 kg of rhinoceros horns in his luggage, the Cambodia Daily reported Wednesday, citing an official. The man was traveling from Namibia but arrived at Phnom Penh International Airport on Sunday afternoon on a Qatar Airlines flight that originated in Doha, said Leang Hay, chief of customs at the airport. "We decided to check the target after we learned what country he'd been traveling from," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper. The seizure--eight pieces of horn weighing 4.38 kg--was the fifth major seizure of rhino horn at a Cambodian airport since2012, he said. (Ted and Helen Mudd live on a Centennial Farm on East Stewart Road where they raised their three children, Tricia, Kevin and David. Charles Mudd, Teds great-grandfather, born in Lockport, New York, moved to Midland and purchased 600. The property has been passed down from generation to generation and today Ted and Helen proudly have a display marker in their front yard signifying that their farm is a Centennial Farm. In 1966 Ted became an employee of The Dow Chemical Co. and he and Helen became members of Studley Grange No. 1174. Ted volunteered to work at the Studley Grange food concession stand at the Midland County Fair that same year. This year marks his 50 year of serving fairgoers and he has no plans on retiring. Ted and Helens story continues.) A man named Oliver Hudson Kelley recognized that farmers needed an organization enabling them to better sell their products and in turn, buy what they needed, bypassing the middleman. Dec. 4, 1867 was the official date for the beginning of the National Grange in the United States. The granges have played an important role establishing farmer co-ops, working for womens suffrage and getting rural free delivery for farms throughout rural areas. James Studley helped organize Studley Grange No. 1174 in Midland County on Dec. 4, 1903 with 24 charter members. The Studley Grange was one of 14 granges prominent in Midland County for a number of years, names such as Homer, Boise and Larkin. Today, Studley Grange is the only one still active. As Midland County has become less farm-oriented, community service is their focal point now. The first meetings were held in the Gleaners Hall near the Crane School. In 1917 the Gleaners Hall was sold. Meetings were then held in members homes. By 1920 Studley Grange had 140 members. In 1927 Studley Grange bought the old Gleaner Hall from the Mennonite Church and moved it with teams of horses to Stewart Road. In 1952 the grange sold it to Consumers Power and a new hall was built on Gordonville Road on property donated by Claud and Pearl Mudd. Studley Grange celebrated its one hundredth anniversary in 2003. Teds family has a long history with the Studley Grange No. 1174. His great-grandfather Charles Mudd was a charter member along with his wife Martha. Teds grandparents Clarence and Verna Mudd were the next generation followed by Melvin and Ann Mudd (Teds parents). Next in line are Ted and Helen with their three children Tricia, David and Kevin being the fifth generation to belong. The Studley Grange food concession stand at the Midland County Fair is the sole support for the numerous community services carried out by its members. Ted, as manager, is responsible for ordering all the supplies, the food and operates the grill. Ted said, Im a jack of all trades and master of none. For three years breakfast was served by the grange. Ted said, We made good money with that but it was hard on the people who worked that shift. We served breakfast 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Then the volunteers went home, came back to work 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Ted remembers one couple came every single day to eat breakfast at their food concession stand. Things happen when serving the public. Ted remembers the day a man came in wearing a yellow shirt and ordered a bowl of chili. As Ted went to put the bowl down on the counter, the customer raised his hand spilling the bowl of chili down the front of his yellow shirt. Ted said, He was a good sport about it. He knew it was an accident. Several years later the man returned to their booth to say hello and asked Ted if he remembered the bowl of spilled chili. Then there was the day a woman ordered a hamburger. Ted said, The hamburgers have to be well-done according to state health law. This woman got her hamburger and after taking a bite she came back and said it wasnt well done. A fresh hamburger went on the grill to cook and served to the customer. Ted said, You could see her sitting there chewing and chewing before she would swallow but she finished it. Ted and Helens 53 years of marriage have seen them filled to the brim raising a family, traveling and volunteering in various community projects. One of the countries they enjoyed visiting was Ireland. Ted said, Everything there is so green you cant believe it. They also traveled to Italy and were part of a hundred thousand throng in an audience with Pope Francis. Traveling to the Holy Land they visited the walled city of Jerusalem, went swimming in the Dead Sea, and saw the tomb where Jesus was buried. Ted said, Weve always taken tours. That way everything is taken care of. You dont have to worry about hotels, restaurants, getting there and getting back. You can just relax and enjoy the trip. Ted has served in various capacities since becoming a grange member in 1966 including Master (president), Overseer, and Steward. Currently he is the Steward at the state level. Helen and their daughter Tricia are community service directors at the state level. A convention takes place each year with members of all the granges in the state of Michigan meeting together. Retired from Dow Chemical, Ted helps on the election board at Homer Township, volunteered at the Midland Blood Bank for 20 years and is Popcorn Committee Chairman at the MidMichigan Medical Center. Helen retired from the Bullock Creek School District in 2003 after 19 years in food service as a baker. The high school staff and students loved her cinnamon rolls and cookies. She was called the cookie lady or the ice cream lady. Soft serve ice cream was a big treat at lunchtime. She has volunteered at the MidMichigan Health Center Gift Shop for 24 years, served on the Hospital Volunteer Operating Board, was a trustee on the Homer Township Board for 28 years and was involved with the Homer Township Planning Commission for many years. They are lifelong members of St. Brigids Catholic Church. Both are Eucharistic ministers and help at funeral luncheons. Helen is active in the Prayer Shawl Ministry, making afghans and prayer shawls for anyone needing them when they are ill. They have helped at the Loons games for ten years supporting the St. Brigids youth group fundraiser. As the interview ended, Helen said, Fair week is a very special time for us. We work hard and put in long hours but we have fun meeting new and old customers that have been eating at our food stand for many years. We really enjoy the fellowship and are grateful that a lot of our friends and family help us at our stand. We could not operate with only the 20 grange members we have. All it takes is working at the fair stand one time and you are part of our extended family. We are happy that the young people enjoy helping out and we appreciate all of you. To the editor: The Associated Press put an outrageous claim in the paper when they accused Donald Trump of eliminating healthcare for so many. Obamacare is a disaster no matter how you look at it and cannot ever be fixed, no matter how Hillary plans to tweek it. Most of the GOP now embraces the popularity of the phrase Healthcare is a right, departing from the thought that healthcare is a service just like everything else which must be paid for. In steps the businessman/employer Donald Trump points out all the problems Obamacare causes to the employment cycle. It must be repealed and replaced. Instead of the shifting the wealth tactics of the law, Donalds plan will not be tied down to the ridiculous deductibles, ever-rising subsidies requiring premiums so that real-people are scared to use their plan. Who are we to question this? The most catastrophic consequences of this law have been put off until later this year so how can it ever be evaluated properly? Donald is looking at all options (including health care savings accounts, crossing state lines to obtain insurance, etc.) to meet the needs, not forcing society into a government-mandated failure. Gov. Rick Scott of Florida reflects the intelligence of electing businessmen into key political positions. Florida benefits from his wisdom. The same can be said of Michigans governor. Its time for the U.S. to be smart and not overreact to the inaccurate information set forth by the AP. MARY LAFORET Midland Fighter squadrons across the Korean Peninsula routinely participate in Buddy Wings to enhance the interoperability of U.S. and Republic of Korea Air Forces. For Buddy Wing 16-7, F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots with the 36th Fighter Squadron traveled to Daegu Air Base to train with F-15K Slam Eagle pilots from the ROKAFs 11th Fighter Wing from Aug. 8 through 12. It was a great opportunity to practice combined training with the 36th Fighter Squadron, said ROKAF Capt. Chon, Hun Min, 11th FW F-15K pilot. It was also a great experience to be able to train between the F-15K and F-16 heterogeneously. This Buddy Wing provided an opportunity to bring different cultures together to practice the planning and execution of flying training missions. There were some differences in the capabilities of the F-15s and F-16s that we had to work through, because we tactically employ our weapon systems differently, said Capt. Ryan Pebler, 36th FS pilot. Figuring out the differences there and how we can operate together is one thing we really honed in on. Now that the pilots of Buddy Wing 16-7 have integrated, formed bonds and evolved through Buddy Wing, they look to the future for RED FLAG-Alaska. RED FLAG is a Pacific Air Forces-led exercise that provides joint offensive counter-air, interdiction, close air support and large force employment training in a simulated combat environment. Flying with them and getting to know them on a personal level and a tactical level will definitely help us integrate more as we get down there, said Pebler. We know them by name now, and we can work together without the bubble we mightve had before. I definitely think that will help us be successful at RED FLAG. Pebler discussed some strategies to showcase the U.S.-ROK alliance at RED FLAG with the integration of suppression of enemy air defenses and air interdiction. With the 36th FS and 11th FW holding a strong presence in the Pacific region through their teamwork, theyre ready to showcase that in a wider-known exercise like RED FLAG, further solidifying 67 years of partnership between the U.S. and the ROK. Thanks to Buddy Wing 16-7, the 36th FS and 11th FW are ready to demonstrate their teamwork and capabilities at RED FLAG, further enhancing over 60 years of partnership. Two men were drinking urine as a therapy. [Photo: ql1d.com] Anyone for a refreshing glass of urine? Maybe not. Some people in China are kocking back urine as a way to cure diseases and to keep healthy. They say it works like magic. According to the People's Daily, this urine therapy is advocated by an association called the "China Urine Therapy Association (CUTA)" which encourages its members to drink their own urine, suggesting it can cure everything from colds to cancer. The Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCA) on Tuesday released an updated list of unlicensed social organizations on its official website, urging caution against their attempts to fraudulently collect funds. CUTA has been placed on that list. Active on social networks, the association has about 4,000 members who have been exchanging their urine therapy experience online daily since the organization was listed by the MCA. Members of the association can be found across the country, most of them are senior citizens. They pay a membership fee of 20 yuan (around 3 US dollars). CUTA claims that it is a non-profit organization, which happens to sell a kind of fruit-flavored product which can be mixed with the urine to make it less pungent and easier to consume. But does it work? Experts in both Chinese medicine and Western medicine think not. Chinese medicine experts say that there is a lack of evidence proving the efficacy of urine. From the perspective of Western medicine, according to experts, urine is a kind of metabolic waste and they say consuming it will add a greater burden to liver and blood circulation. Journalists from People's Daily have discovered that CUTA is registered in Hong Kong only as an unlimited company and has neither corporate capacity nor governmental accreditation. The MCA added 51 names in all to the list of "offshore and copycat civil organizations" on its official website on Tuesday, urging caution against their attempts to fraudulently collect funds. Most of the organizations are registered overseas or outside the Chinese mainland but were founded by Chinese mainland residents, according to a statement by the Ministry. The groups' names on the list usually include words like "China", "Chinese" and "national", and some of the organizations even use the same name as a legally registered group. The MCA statements said many of the groups make money by collecting membership fees, organizing training programs or proffering awards, the statement said. Some copycat organizations also attempt to extort and blackmail businesses. According to Chinese laws relating to the management of foreign non-governmental organizations in China, NGOs must set up legal representative groups in China or cooperate with Chinese groups if they carry out activities in the country. It is also illegal for NGOs to recruit members in the mainland or to conduct or sponsor profit-making activities. SPRINGFIELD Frustrated by a lack of legislative progress, a group of agriculture leaders is bypassing the General Assembly to form a private foundation to support the state fairgrounds in Springfield and Du Quoin. Characterizing it as a completely private initiative, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner applauded the effort, which was announced Tuesday morning during Agriculture Day at the state fair. The governor has been a proponent of legislation to create a fairgrounds foundation since taking office, but the idea hasnt won support in the General Assembly. The wonderful thing for the people of Illinois is now private citizens farm families, community leaders, agriculture executives are stepping forward to take the leadership on this initiative, Rauner said. Were not going to wait. The General Assembly wont do it; private citizens are going to do it. The foundation hasnt raised any money yet, but Rauner said he and his wife look forward to donating. State officials estimate that there is a backlog of repair projects at the two fairgrounds totaling roughly $180 million. The bulk of the work is in Springfield, but repairs totaling at least $12 million are needed in Du Quoin. Were not going to kick the can down the road anymore, said Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Raymond Poe, who as a state representative sponsored legislation that wouldve created a similar foundation. As Poe spoke to a large crowd at an Agriculture Day breakfast at the Springfield fairgrounds, a slide show displayed pictures of crumbling mortar, peeling paint and other deterioration. Poe will serve on the foundations board in an honorary role without voting privileges. Heidi Brown-McCreery, director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, will serve on the board in the same capacity. John Slayton, a vice president at U.S. Bank whos been involved with the fair for decades, will serve on the board as a full member. There are many individuals and corporations who are eager to give money to support the fairgrounds, Slayton said, and hes been involved in discussions about creating a foundation for about a decade. Gov. Rauner really took the lead, Slayton said, and hes the one that gets credit for the formation of this foundation. The foundation likely will face scrutiny from Democrats in the Legislature, who've been skeptical of the Rauner administration's proposed collaborations with private nonprofits. House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, created a task force to look into a similar relationship between the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and a newly formed economic development corporation headed by the departments former director. I assume that the group thats looking at public-private partnerships will look at this as well and be monitoring their activities, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said. Brown said that while theres no dispute that the fairgrounds facilities need support, the bills to create a foundation contained big loopholes that wouldve circumvented the competitive bidding process used for state projects. NORMAL Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign has drawn attention to women in politics, but a relatively new national monument in which an Illinois State University faculty member has been involved shows that women's political activism started long before today or even the raucous 1960s. Women's activism has been going on since certainly the colonial era, said Kyle Ciani, an associate professor of history. It's a history of ordinary people. All the women involved were our grandmas and great-grandmas. Ciani was part of a team involved in getting national monument status for the Sewall-Belmont House in Washington, D.C. now known as the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument. At one time, the Sewall-Belmont House was the headquarters of the National Woman's Party, founded in 1916 by Alice Paul, the author of the original Equal Rights Amendment proposal, in 1923. The building houses an extensive collection of books and artifacts related to women's suffrage and equality. It became a gathering place of feminism, Ciani said. It's important for people to step into these spaces and see where people actually were doing the work and to see it in proximity to the Capitol. The building, which dates back to the early 1800s, is on Capitol Hill, literally in the shadow of the Hart Senate Office Building. One of the unique collections that it holds contains calling cards and extensive notes from the women who met with senators to lobby them for passage of an Equal Rights Amendment, said Ciani. They would come back and document their meetings, Ciani noted. You could see over the years how these women were relentless. Some of their activities, such as protesting in front of the White House, were considered radical in their day and resulted in jail time, she said. A photograph in Ciani's office in Schroeder Hall shows one of those protests. They, as the photograph shows, were in the president's face and that was a radical move, she said. It took another president, Barack Obama, to designate the house as a national monument. I want young girls and boys to come here 10, 20, 100 years from now to know that women fought for equality, it was not just given to them, Obama said at a dedication ceremony in April as reported by The Associated Press. In addition to Paul, the monument also honors Alva Belmont, a primary benefactor of the National Woman's Party and its president from 1920-1933. Ciani's involvement goes back to 2010, when Page Harrington, executive director of the house and museum, asked her to join a team of historians evaluating materials in the archives. Harrington was one of her students when Ciani taught women's history at the University of San Diego, before she joined the ISU faculty. Being part of the National Park Service system will provide more resources for cataloging the collection, making it more accessible for academic research, Ciani said. The higher profile also is likely to draw more visitors. More children and other people are going to be exposed to this story and that's important, said Ciani. Most textbooks focus on the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote and not much beyond that, she said. The monument will broaden the experience, Ciani said, and show them some ordinary folks were involved in this. CLINTON One person still is being sought following an investigation of methamphetamine trafficking in DeWitt County. Police say they continue to look for Rebecca L. Justice, 35, of Decatur. She is one of four people facing charges of felony methamphetamine trafficking following an investigation by Task Force 6, a Central Illinois-based multiagency drug enforcement unit. William Mazander, 35, of Maroa, and Lori Agee, 37, of Clinton, each was charged Aug. 2 with methamphetamine conspiracy, a Class X felony. Mazander posted $5,000 and was released. Agee remains in DeWitt County jail in lieu of posting $3,000. Agee also was charged with possession of less than 15 grams of methamphetamine. Mazander also was charged with possession of less than 500 grams. Amanda Mazander, 35, of Maroa, who turned herself in on Aug. 4, remains in DeWitt County jail on the same methamphetamine conspiracy charge in lieu of posting $3,000. She also was charged with possession of less than 150 grams of methamphetamine. Police say they continue to look for Justice and anyone with information about her location or this case is asked to contact their local police department. Assisting Task Force 6 in the investigation and arrests were the Maroa, Clinton and Decatur city police departments, the DeWitt and Macon county sheriffs and states attorneys offices and Illinois State Police. NORMAL Heartland Community College students who transfer to Millikin University in Decatur before completing their associate's degrees will be able to obtain those degrees later under an agreement signed Tuesday between the two schools. Under the reverse transfer agreement, Millikin will send transcripts to Heartland indicating what courses the student has completed at Millikin. Once those courses fulfill the requirements for an associate's degree, Heartland will award the degree the student has earned at no charge to the student. To be eligible, students must have completed at least 30 credit hours at Heartland. Heartland already has a similar agreement with Eastern Illinois University and is working on others. Heartland President Rob Widmer described such agreements as perhaps a continuing trend as we look at what's best for our students long term. Widmer said, This is really a service for our students to have this opportunity. Justin Tierney, Millikin's director of transfer admission, called it a win, win, win for students and both schools. There are no losers, he said. Getting credit for an associate's degree can be particularly important when unforeseen events such as an illness, accident or birth of a child interrupt a student's path to a bachelor's degree, Tierney explained. Rick Pearce, Heartland's vice president for learning and student success, said, This agreement provides security so students know they have something to show when they go out into the workforce. Millikin Provost Jeff Aper said, By collaborating, we make it much easier for students to make the most of the resources that are available to them. Millikin has similar agreements with about eight schools, according to Tierney. Widmer and Aper signed the agreement on the Heartland campus before the monthly meeting of the Heartland board of trustees. During the meeting, the board learned from Kelli Hill, vice president of continuing education and advancement, that the college's continuing education program experienced a 12.3 percent increase in total number of seats filled from fiscal year 2015 to FY 2016. The total enrollment of 19,357 in FY 2016, compared to 17,244 in FY 2015 includes people who took more than one class. Continuing education includes community education, the Challenger Learning Center, customized training, and traffic safety school. A farmer points at the empty pen, which now serves as the chicken house. (Photo/cyol.com) At the end of June, all the goat farmers in Puxian Couty, Shanxi province received a notification from the local government. The notice informed them that hillsides would be closed to livestock grazing, and that all goats would have to be reared in captivity. Unlike other years grazing prohibitions, this notification required farmers to comply within ten days. Under such pressure, the farmers faced a dilemma: they would be fined if they continued to graze their goats on nearby hillsides; on the other hand, their goats would starve to death if they didn't. As a result, many sold their goats at very low prices, while others drove their herds to other counties. Beijing News reported that, by Aug. 10, over 24,000 goats of the 27,000 previously in the county had been sold or migrated. Only 3,000 goats were being kept in captivity, in accordance with the new regulation. One villager told the reporter from Beijing News that he sold his goats for 300 yuan each. If he had been able to wait until spring, the price would have been at least 600 yuan. Since 2000, Puxian County has begun closing hillsides to livestock grazing due to the area's fragile ecosystem. In recent years, the goat population has seen a rapid increase, and many goats were grazed in prohibited area. Xue Fengkui, the Party secretary of Puxian County, said that some officials didnt fully consider the interests of farmers during the implementation of the grazing policies. Their method was overly simple and crude, which has brought some negative effects. The county's Party Committee and local government have set up an investigation to look more closely into the incident. Relevant staff will be held accountable and the losses of the goat farmers will be compensated. On Aug. 13 and 15, the Party Committee and county government held two meetings to analyze the issues with implementation. The main leaders and responsible officials were given appropriate punishments. (Photo/cnwest.cn) Chicago is a state known for its violence. Gun shooting happens so often that it has become almost normal. In most cases, even the innocent die such as in the case of a recent tragic death of a college student visiting his home. The Washington Post reports that Arshell "Trey" Dennis, 19, was in town to visit his sick mom. He was planning to surprise her but never had the chance to do so. While he was sitting at the porch of a residence on Saturday night, Dennis, along with his friend, were shot by an unknown assailant. According to Chicago Tribune, Dennis was shot in the chest while another bullet struck his friend in the arm and side. Neighbors found them wounded after hearing gunshots in the 2900 block of West 82nd Street. Dennis' friend was then taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in serious condition while Dennis was pronounced dead an hour later after he was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park. As per The Washington Post, the police couldn't point any ulterior motive the gunman of Dennis might have had. He was a diligent son of a cop who was never involved with any gang and had a promising future ahead after getting into college at St. John's University in New York. Authorities affirmed this on Monday when Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson announced that the death was caused by a "mistaken identity." The superintendent also dismissed some speculations that Dennis might have been killed because of his father's job as a Drug Enforcement Administration task officer for the Chicago Police Department (via The Washington Post). The family was deeply saddened by the news of Dennis death. He was supposed to start his junior year as a Journalism student and would have left Chicago for New York on Sunday if not for the bullet that took his life (via Chicago Tribune). In another Chicago Tribune article, more than fifty people were shot in the state on the weekend Dennis died. The total number of people shot in Chicago has already reached 2,600 this year. What do you think is the root cause of gun violence in Chicago? How can the government address this persisting problem? Sound off your thoughts in the Comments section and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates. Emmy-winning series "Homeland" is set to air its sixth season on Jan. 15, 2017 on Showtime. Producers of the show have expressed early on that there will be some significant changes, particular in the lead character, Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes). What can fans expect when the show returns in the upcoming season? Below is a roundup of what has been announced so far. "Homeland" Season 6 will follow a few months after the end of last season. It will specifically take place at the height of the U.S. presidential elections and the inauguration of America's new president. Producers said that president-elect Elizabeth Keane (Elizabeth Marvel) is described as a cross between real-life presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, and former contender Bernie Sanders, per Variety. CALLING ALL AGENTS: Your next mission begins January 15th in New York. #Homeland #TCA16 pic.twitter.com/xvJ7CLWTxB Homeland (@SHO_Homeland) August 11, 2016 Pres. Keane will be in constant communication with Saul (Mandy Pantinkin) and Dar Adal (F. Murray Abraham) from the CIA, per Access Hollywood, as counter-terrorism continue to be the theme of "Homeland." Saul remains committed to the agency, while Carrie Mathison has stopped working for the CIA in Season 6. Carrie is back in New York and she will not give in to Saul's request to return to the CIA, per Yahoo. Instead, Carrie will be working as an advocate for Muslims in the beginnings of "Homeland" Season 6. These two characters have been part of "Homeland" from the beginning and their ties go deep. However, with recent conflicts and tension at work, Carrie and Saul will have to continue settling their differences and it won't be easy. Peter Quinn (Rupert Friend) lives, but the producers hint that his character will be "altered" in "Homeland" Season 6. Viewers may recall that Quinn suffered a stroke and nearly died last season. "Homeland" Season 6 will begin production in the final week of August. Consequently, Showtime has renewed the series for a Season 7 and 8, and producers believe the eighth will be its final season. Stay tuned for more updates. While "Marco Polo" debuted on Netflix to less than stellar reviews in 2014, it is slowly gaining a following among the streaming site's international subscribers. An executive from Netflix has confirmed this fact in a round table discussion. The show's star, Lorenxo Richelmy, also reflects on the show's diversity. Participating in a round table talk via The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix executive Ted Sarandos said that "Marco Polo" has done "exactly what it is supposed to do." Sarandos was in a discussion with other TV executives from HBO, AMC, NBC Universal and A+E and he was expounding on how subscription viewing, which is Netflix's business model, is transforming the company's brand. Per a previous Parent Herald report, "Marco Polo" creator John Fusco noted that earning a global following is what the show has always intended to achieve. With two seasons down the line, "Marco Polo" is slowly penetrating international Netflix subscribers, as the company expands its reach worldwide. Sarandos statement seems to indicate "Marco Polo" is in a good position to move ahead with Season 3. How Marco Polo's Lorenzo Richelmy went from 'chilling' on his couch to landing dream role https://t.co/qEuFTw9aly pic.twitter.com/QvuPXE0Dsb People Magazine (@people) August 12, 2016 Meanwhile, the show's title character is played by Italian star Lorenzo Richelmy. He talks with Hollywood and acknowledged how Netflix has opened doors for ethnic minority in the business, with "Marco Polo" being made up of 97 percent Asian actors. "Netflix is changing the rules with Marco Polo in general," Lorenzo Richelmy said. "When Netflix does things like this, it affects everything," he added. The actor didn't know English all that much before snagging the part of Marco Polo, but he was infused in the language to be able to play the role well. Along with English lessons and a lot of book reading, he also trained martial arts for "Marco Polo." It's been a challenging job for him so far, but Lorenzo Richelmy said that it's a dream for many actors like him who are trying to be part of a huge production. "I never expected to be part of something in this way," he said per People. Meanwhile, as fans await Netflix's confirmation of "Marco Polo" Season 3, the first two seasons are still being streamed on the site for its subscribers. According to Netflix Life, should the show receive a renewal, the third season might not come until late 2017. It noted that production for "Marco Polo" took at least a year and half to finish in between Season 1 and Season 2. Life-saving equipment are now possible to be acquired by Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary. Thanks to the "Teddy for a Toonie" campaign, which has raised an approximate $8.4 Million over the years with the thrust to help save lives. Some of the equipment planned to be purchased from the fund raising are the Extracorpeal Life Support, Cardio-respiratory monitors, and the Kid SIM simulation program. Other Medication administration equipment eyed to be bought include Syringe pumps, Syringe module units, and Automated medication dispensers. Saifa Koonar, President and CEO, Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation, expressed her gratefulness for the generosity of Albertans in making hospitals go from great to outstanding. The ATB Financial's "Teddy for a Toonie" campaign in southern Alberta alone has raised more than $300,000 for the ECLS program along with the cardio-respiratory monitors and a patient simulation program. One powerful testimony that has inspired many donors is from Betina Fillion, who is celebrating her daughter's second life. Daughter Payton Langenau was placed on an Extracorporeal Life Support (ECLS) machine when she was two years old. The said machine helped her live by supporting her lung and heart to function for six days. She had to need the support of the machine because of an organ failure from a dangerous bacterial infection. The machine was soon removed from Payton and the doctors saved her through surgery. The machine that saved her life is just one of many medical equipment sponsored by the "Teddy for a Toonie" campaign. The campaign is run by ATB Financial banks across the province. Generous hearts are a bounty all over and surely there are those more than willing to be part of campaings such as "Teddy for a Toonie". Just imagine how many lives will be saved if this campaign continues its objective. How many more of the likes of Payton will have a second chance to live and how many more mothers like Betina will see miracles happening. "Teddy for a Toonie" Campaign should be an example to other organizations in order to continuously establish a connection between those in need of help and those with benevolent hearts. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions After writing yesterdays post, I came upon something very interesting. A study by Australian researchers published last year evaluated judges sentencing remarks in 72 cases of domestic murder67 involving male perpetrators and 5 involving female perpetratorsand found stark differences between the way the judges talked about men who murdered their domestic partners and women who murdered their domestic partners. While the study looked at cases in two provinces in Australia, many of the same themes transcend borders throughout the West. As one Australian news site summarized the study: The researchers found that when it came to sentencing male offenders, the judges went out of their way to present the murderers as essentially good blokes who had gone off the rails. For example, in sentencing remarks evaluating the offenders characters, the judges made frequent mention of the mens involvement in the community and their work ethic. Your employer regards you as an outstanding employee and you were popular in the workplace. Your employer speaks highly of your work ethic, said one judge. Another offender was praised for his work with the Country Fire Authority and being a good worker, a good provider and a contributor to community affairs. The judges in the sample set of cases also thought it important to note the mitigating circumstances for these men murdering their female partners. . . . And yes, there was victim blaming: Whats worse is that even after the men had been convicted of murdering their female partners, judges sought to blame the victim. As one judge put it, Your wife was the source of the conflict. In another example, the judge ruled that the offenders culpability was lesser because of depression and anxiety caused by his wifes separation from him. But what about women who murdered their domestic partners? Did judges make similarly positive comments about their character, or reference to mitigating factors? It seems not: In contrast, the judges were not nearly as understanding and sympathetic to women who had murdered their male domestic partners. The researchers analysis of the five cases where women were the offenders is succinct: There were no positive evaluations of female offenders characters. The judges also opted against such nuance when it came to trying to put womens killings into some kind of context. Unlike the male perpetrators, the judges didnt bother delving into the womens social disadvantage or relationships with their fathers. With women, judges preferred to be less social worker, more religious preacher, declaring the wickedness of women: It is hard to think of a more callous, heartless, wicked person. Your wickedness knew no bounds. You chose an horrendous method indeed to carry out this wicked crime. You had no compassion, you were heartless. There were also sentencing differences: Given the differences in the portrayal of male and female offenders, its perhaps unsurprising that female offenders fared worse when it came to sentencing. The researchers note that all five cases involving women were in the top ten highest sentences of the sample, and that female offenders received two of the highest sentences 36 years and 23 years. I am gobsmacked. This is quite literally worse than Id thought. Could it be that this is partly because the judiciary is (likely) still so highly male? Perhaps men are better able to sympathize with and be understanding of male perpetrators, and in cases where women are the perpetrators, it is the male victims they sympathize with? I know I personally have begun to gravitate very deeply toward reading fiction by woman authors, because men cant write female characters with the amount of depth and nuance that women canand somehow women can still write meaningful male characters. As women, were forced to put ourselves in others shoes all the time, encouraged to empathize and consider others feelings and needs. Men arent socialized the same way. The study also notes that in four out of the five cases where the woman was the perpetrator, the judge made positive comments about the male victim, but that there were positive remarks about the female victim in only two of the dozens of cases where a man was the perpetratorand these comments were more limited than the others. Remember that this is complemented by negative remarks made about female victims in many of the cases. You really should read through the study for yourself-its available online and is shocking in the straightforward nature in which it presents this rather terrifying data. As the study concludes: Through a qualitative analysis of these remarks, it was found that females received substantially longer sentences in these cases than their male counterparts. This study also demonstrated that judges expressed more exculpatory remarks for the male offenders while making damning, indeed vilifying statements about the female offenders. Ive sometimes seen Mens Rights Activists claim that the judicial system is biased toward womenthat women are let off by judges all the time for things that would put men in the slammer, that women get shorter sentences for the same crimes, etc. I knew this didnt capture the full story when it comes to rapethat women who take their rape allegations to court are put through the ringer, and that convicting a male perp is rarebut Ive never challenged this claim outright, preferring instead to point out that to the extent that such gender-bias exists in the judicial system, it is the result of the same patriarchal norms we feminists are working to deconstruct. This 2012 study suggests that women in the U.S. receive lower sentences and are more likely to avoid jail altogether compared to their male counterparts. This analysis from Australia suggests that this is true there, too, when looking at crime overall. The same analysis (see pages 20-21) finds that men and women who do jail time for murder serve the same average length of time. However, this analysis does not break things down by type of murder to look at murder of a domestic partner specifically. There is one remaining mitigating factor I can see here. It is possible that men were more likely to be charged with murder for killing a domestic partner across the board while women were more likely to be charged with manslaughter for this offense, reserving murder charges for only the most hardened, brutal female-orchestrated domestic partner killings. As the authors note: The reader should be aware that this is not a study on domestic homicide, since this category would include people guilty of manslaughter. It is a study of people found guilty of domestic murder. But even this factor does not fully explain the differences in sentencing remarks. That the judges involved made positive comments about four out of the five male victims and only two out of literally dozens of female victims makes it clear that there is something more than this going on here. Remember that the study noted that there was no occurrence of adverse evaluation of male offenders within the sample sentencing remarks even as judges called the female perpetrators heartless, callous, and wicked. Perhaps women are so expected not to commit brutal murders that when they do, judges are completely shocked and left out of their element. And when men do the samewell, we all know that men sometimes commit brutal murders, right? Its just that when women do it, its that much more shocking. Patna: The state House in Bihar on Tuesday approved the Goods and Service Tax (GST) through a voice vote thus becoming the first non-NDA state in the nation to ratify the Constitutional Amendment on GST. The bill was approved in a rare case of unanimity among all major political parties in Bihar including the Janata Dal U, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), and Congress. The move, however, was opposed by the Communist Party of India (ML) whose lone legislator walked out from the House in protest against the bill. Earlier, Assam, a BJP-ruled state, had passed the GST Bill thus making Bihar the second state in the country to ratify the amendment. The bill that purports to introduce major reform in the tax law, needs to be approved by a minimum of 15 state legislatures before it goes to the President who will then pass it on to the GST Council that will then determine the new tax rates to be finalized before April 2017. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, jubilant over the passing of the bill in the state Assembly, said that he was in favor of the bill since the idea was first floated by former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee saying it would usher great transparency in the tax collection process and subsequent distribution among the states. For a cash-strapped state like Bihar particularly in the wake of the massive loss of revenue due to the recent implementation of prohibition in the state, the proposed tax reforms would also mean financial bonanza for the states that would now be able to share the service tax on a number of sectors like banks, railways, telecommunication etc. that were earlier kept by the Center. Russian Planes Conduct More Syria Airstrikes From Iran 08/17/16 Source: VOA Russian warplanes flew from Iran to carry out airstrikes in Syria for a second day Wednesday. The Russian Defense Ministry said the strikes originating from Hamedan airbase targeted Islamic State militants. The first round of airstrikes Tuesday were aimed at Islamic State as well as the jihadist group Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly known as al-Nusra Front. Russian fighter jets in Hamedan air base, Iran (source: Iranian daily Arman) Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov rejected a U.S. State Department spokesman's assertion that the flights could amount to a violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution banning the sale or transfer of combat aircraft to Iran. The speaker of Iran's parliament Ali Larijani also stressed Wednesday that Iran has not given Russia a permanent base in its territory. Russian planes will fly out of Hamedan air base, in Iran Important new development Russia has been conducting airstrikes in support of President Bashar al-Assad's government since September of last year, but until this week the flights have originated from either Syria or Russia itself. Alex Vatanka, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute and the Jamestown Foundation, said the new flights mark an important development. I cannot remember any other state since 1979 having been given basing permission by Iran. It brings Russia into Iran like we have not seen before," Vatanka said. "The official line is that it provides Russia with a backup option and less anxiety about potential anti-air missiles in the hands of the Syrian rebels that can target Russian assets based inside Syria. But as I said, it is a bigger story than just that. Russia is moving closer to the warm waters of the Persian Gulf. Flying from Hamedan airbase instead of Russia's base at Mozdoko in the north Caucasus cuts the distance from nearly 2,000 kilometers to less than 700 kilometers. The chief of the Russian Federation Council's defense committee, Viktor Ozerov, said the shorter flying distance would increase the accuracy of Russia's airstrikes and allow pilots to avoid advanced ground-to-air missiles in the Syrian rebels' arsenals. A Russian Tu-22M3 stands on the tarmac at an air base near Hamedan, Iran, Aug. 15, 2016. Some see other motives in Russia's move. Placing Tupolev Tu-22M3 bombers in Hamedan certainly shortens the distance, said Blake Fleisher, a policy analyst with the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs. But its hard to believe that shortening the distance is the only reason. Increased influence Analyst Martin Reardon of The Soufan Group said Russia is accomplishing two things by boosting its influence and role in the Middle East. "It shows the world that they are in fact a re-emerging global power," the former senior FBI official said. "It also offsets U.S. efforts moving back toward the Cold War era when the U.S. and Russia were playing against each other for influence." In January, Russia and Iran signed a military cooperation deal for wider collaboration in training and counterterrorism activities. Russians proposed this idea [a] few months ago and it was discussed with the Iranian authorities back in December 2015, said Babak Taghvai, a Russian military expert based in Malta. But due to unknown reasons, it was rejected until this July. Kapil Komireddi, an international affairs analyst based in Britain, said the latest developments are "a clear message to Washington that all decisions are not necessarily made in [the] White House. ... An alliance with Moscow, and letting the Russians use its bases, is a clear message from Tehran that it will do whatever it takes to serve its interests in the region. Prominent Iranian Human Rights Activist Mehrangiz Kar to Teach at California State University, Northridge in the Fall 08/17/16 Press Release by California State University, Northridge The Iranian government has made it clear that it doesnt like what Mehrangiz Kar has to say about what is happening in Iran or how Islamic law impacts women. The prominent Iranian lawyer, writer and activist doesnt care. Mehrangiz Kar Kar - who has been harassed, imprisoned, exiled and suffered personal tragedy as the result of her and her familys efforts to advocate for those without a voice in Iran - will teach a seminar this fall at California State University, Northridge that will explore how Islamic law, known as Sharia, adversely shapes the lives of women in Muslim-majority countries, as well as in Muslim communities in the West. I look forward to giving the students an understanding of Islamic law and an appreciation for how Islam can be used or misused to justify any political system, even one that abuses its citizens, said Kar, who has fought for human rights and democracy in Iran for more than four decades. Some political leaders say that they are doing something under the name of Islam in order to give legitimacy to the system. Under the name of Islam, then, people are discriminated against - not just women, but all minorities. Kar, a visiting scholar in CSUNs Department of Gender and Womens Studies, will share her knowledge of Sharia and how it impacts all aspects of a womans life - from marriage, divorce and polygamy to child custody, inheritance, sexuality and reproductive rights - during the course the seminar, Gender and Womens Studies 495: Gender and Islamic Law. She said the class also allows her to spend time with her friend and fellow activist Nayereh Tohidi, a CSUN gender and womens studies professor and director of the universitys Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies Program. Tohidi, also a respected scholar and activist for human and womens rights in Iran, said Kars experiences as a lawyer and activist in Iran will provide valuable lessons to her students. Just by listening to what she has gone through, what her whole family has gone through, can provide a glimpse of what life is like for those people who are advocating on behalf of women and other minorities in Iran, Tohidi said. Her students also will get a better understanding of how Sharia has been historically constructed by the male jurists and how it influences Islamic judicial systems. Born in 1944, Kar was a well-established writer and analyst before the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Kars articles about Iranian society and foreign affairs were often accompanied by photographs of her with short, uncovered hair. Following the revolution, these images were used against her as evidence of her moral corruption. Kar received her law license just months before the revolution. Keeping a low profile, she defended clients in the new Islamic court system. Her cases included adultery, divorce and human rights violations. She worked within the codes of the new system - in her manner of dress and her arguments - to protect herself and her clients. Hoping she could influence the regime to be more humane, she continued to write about legal issues. Kar championed human rights cases in the Islamic courts until 2000, when an election led to reformists gaining a majority in the Iranian parliament. That year, Kar and 16 other journalists, activists and intellectuals attended a conference in Berlin on Iran After the Elections. At the conference, Kar talked about the need for constitutional reform in Iran. Her remarks earned her censure back in Iran and, along with other intellectuals who attended the conference in Berlin, she was arrested upon return to her homeland and taken to Irans notorious Evin Prison. She was charged with, among other things, acting against national security, spreading propaganda against the regime of the Islamic Republic, as well as violating the Islamic dress code at the Berlin conference, denying the commands of Sharia and abusing sacred principles. In January 2001, she was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison. Two months after her conviction, doctors discovered Kar had cancer. Under pressure from human rights organizations and the European Union, in particular the government of Holland, she was released for temporary treatment in the United States. Two months later, her husband, respected journalist and activist Siamak Pourzand, was arrested and held incommunicado. Kar and their two daughters did not learn his whereabouts until he appeared on Iranian TV, clearly bearing the signs of torture, and confessed to espionage and having connections to the Shahs son, who was living in exile. Pourzand, who suffered from diabetes and a heart ailment, was sentenced to 11 years in prison and 74 lashes. Given the situation, Kars friends advised her not to return to Iran. Giving in to pressure from the European Union, the Iranian government released Pourzand in 2011 for much-needed medical treatment. However, he was under house arrest and banned from traveling abroad. Later, his family learned he had committed suicide. [Kar] has paid a very dear price for standing up for whats right, Tohidi said. Shes a very brave woman, and the students can really learn a lot from her professional life as well as her own personal life experiences. Over the years, Kar has been honored for her work on behalf of human rights and the promotion of democracy. In 2002, she received the National Endowment for Democracys Democracy Award from former First Lady Laura Bush. She also received the 2002 Ludovic-Trarieux International Human Rights Prize from France, the 2002 Hellman-Hammett Grant from Human Rights Watch, the 2001 Vasyl Stus Freedom to Write Award from PEN New England, and the 2000 Oxfam/Novib PEN Award of PEN Award for Freedom of Expression from Clube in the Netherlands. Among many other books, she has written a memoir, Crossing the Red Line: The Struggle for Human Rights in Iran, available in English, as well as Persian. Threats against her life for her advocacy for human rights and democracy in Iran have continued since Kar, now a grandmother, and her daughters relocated to the U.S. They dont bother me, she said. In Iran, I had to be very careful. Im not in Iran anymore. I can say what needs to be said, and I can share what I know with others. Olive: The World's First Intelligent Suitcase 08/17/16 Source: Pardis Technology Park, Tehran A team of Iranian researchers at Tehran's Pardis Technology Park (PTP), using tracking algorithms, have recently presented a robotic intelligent suitcase. According to the public relations department of PTP, Olive Intelligent Robotic Suitcase is the outcome of efforts by the engineers at Idea Kavan Sanat Pardis Company (IKAP) . The suitcase is able to follow its owner and give him/her a ride in a time of need. Eng. Hamid Anbari stated about this robot: "Olive suitcase is an intelligent technology which has special capabilities in both physical and digital parts. The physical capability provides a balanced motion for the suitcase to ride on two wheels like Segways technology (self-balanced electric bicycle), and be a locomotion system for its owner. The digital capability of the suitcase also is based on 3D Vision which causes the suitcase to see its owner and recognize him/her in the crowd, based on the owners skeleton and mood. According to him, recognition of user by suitcase is done by a combination of these two methods: the 3D Vision and a cellphone application which lets the suitcase follow its owner on its own. He also noted about digital features of the smart suitcase: "These features include a specific software in the format of cellphone application through which the suitcase could be digitally locked. Olive suitcase is equipped with NFC technology which eliminates the need for the key to unlocking it. On the other side, this application can also identify the location of the suitcase in the cargo area or the other parts of airport and street. Having pointed to the loss of nearly 20 million suitcases in the world annually, he added: "The capability of the robot causes the owner of the suitcase to be aware of its location. He considered resolving the overload problem at airports as the other feature of the intelligent suitcase and continued: "The overload problem has been solved by the application of this robot as follows; the allowed load for each luggage is 24 Kg, as the application shows the luggage weight details on the cellphones screen, user would be able to take out the additional objects. He expressed about the former technologies in the world similar to this suitcase: "Moreover, some other smart suitcases have been presented before most of which were automotive. But, Olive is the only fully intelligent suitcase all over the world that contains the combination of these capabilities. Anbari stated about this companys former activities: "We were working on industrial robots and have designed robots for oil, gas, water and wastewater industries which are being used by now. Having presented Olive, we have entered the realm of service robots. We have started working on robots serving since autumn 2015, which are utilizable in daily life. We are to add a new robot to the robots world that facilitates life for human being. He stated about the STARTUP WORLD, which is part of the AUTOMATICA 2016 trade fair in Munich: "This contest is held under the supervision of the space agencies of the world and those of Europe Union. 50 referees including the CEOs of the world's large technology companies attended this competition. Startup contests look for transformational products. We were to add a new option to the service robots world that travel robots enter the life of human beings, as a new gadget. Anbari considered the creation of Olive Robotic Intelligent Suitcase as a prototype and for international patent registration and expressed his hope that this technology will be presented at China International Technology Fair. The research team is making the final sample for attracting investors by now whereas there is no substrate required for the development of this technology in the country. However, the researchers hope to attend international markets by the development of this technology. The research team offered inspection robots in the fields of oil, gas, water, and wastewater, which have had a limited market in the country. The researchers are trying to localize the Olive robot to become usable for public. Anbari also announced that foreign universities offered to continue working in Europe and stated: "Despite these offers, we prefer to produce the robot in Iran, then export to the European countries. It is worth to be mentioned that the world's first smart suitcase which has been designed by Hamid Anbari, Mohsen Bani Jamali, Mojtaba Karimi and Edwin Babayans won the first prize of the Service Robotics category of STARTUP WORLD Award, part of the AUTOMATICA 2016 trade fair in Munich. Iran Arrests Dual National on Security-related Charges 08/17/16 Source: VOA TEHRAN - Iran has detained an Iranian with citizenship in another country over allegations the person had links to British intelligence services, a prosecutor said Tuesday, the latest dual national arrested in the country. This photo shows the view of Evin prison in Tehran The circumstances surrounding this most-recent detention were unclear, but they come as hard-liners in Iran's security forces increasingly target those with foreign ties in the wake of the country's nuclear deal with world powers. Speaking to journalists, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi described the individual arrested as being "active in the economic field, related to Iran," the official IRNA news agency reported. Dolatabadi didn't elaborate, saying only that the arrest took place last week. He also did not identify the individual's second nationality. Iranian hardliners have criticized a planned meeting in September called "Iran Connect 2016," sponsored in part by Iran's Ministry of Information and Communications Technology and the British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce. A flier for the event notes it is "strictly prohibited to Iranian individuals and entities that are sanctioned by the U.K. government and/or the EU." The hardline daily newspaper Javan, which has links to Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard, criticized the restrictions on Tuesday. "The administration, indeed, has allowed the British Embassy to implement European sanctions in Tehran," the newspaper said. The British-Iranian Chamber of Commerce and those organizing the event did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The British Foreign Office, Iranian officials in Tehran and Iran's mission to the United Nations also did not immediately comment. Iran does not recognize dual nationalities, meaning those detained cannot receive consular assistance. In previous cases involving dual nationals, like the detention of Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian, officials initially announced indictments had been handed down without providing specifics. Later, news organizations with close ties to security services offered details of the charges. Those detained typically face trial in Iran's Revolutionary Court, a closed-door tribunal which handles cases involving alleged attempts to overthrow the government. Rezaian was convicted but later released in January as part of a prisoner swap between Iran and the U.S. It's unclear why Iran is increasingly detaining dual nationals, but analysts and others have suggested hardliners want concessions from the West in exchange for releasing them. Those recently detained in Iran include: - Homa Hoodfar, an Iranian-Canadian woman who is a retired professor at Montreal's Concordia University; - Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American businessman who has advocated for closer ties between the two countries and whose father is also held in Tehran; - Baquer Namazi, a former Iranian and U.N. official in his 80s who is the father of Siamak; - Robin Shahini, an Iranian-American detained while visiting family who previously had made online comments criticizing Iran's human rights record; - Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman held in Iran for months over accusations she planned the "soft toppling" of the government while visiting relatives with her young daughter; and - Nizar Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon who has done work for the American government. Still missing is former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission. (Program not available for streaming.) Fifty years later, what can science tell us about the Kennedy assassinationand the investigations that followed? The 1963 murder, in broad daylight in front of hundreds of witnesses, might seem to be a homicide investigator's best-case scenario. Yet somehow the JFK assassination became a forensic nightmare, plagued by a controversial autopsy and, incredibly, a prime suspect murdered on live television while in police custody, before he could be tried. As a result, today millions of Americans suspect a conspiracy. Now, NOVA launches a fresh investigation into the physical evidence, using state-of-the-art forensics, including laser scanning, new ballistics tests, and a 3D digital reconstruction of the president's skull, all to try to solve the murder of the century. Your PC is bored. Your smartphone is, too. While youre reading this story, your digital device is twiddling its thumbs, waiting for you to do something. When a smartphone can offer enough computing power for most tasks without breaking a sweat, you can understand why PC sales are tankingand why Intels so enamored with virtual reality. Intel announced the Project Alloy virtual-reality headset on Tuesday at its Intel Developer Forum, as well as the next-generation Kaby Lake microprocessor. Kaby Lake PCs are scheduled to ship in the fall. Intel executives positioned both announcements in the context of VR: Alloy for consuming VR content, and Kaby Lake for producing it. Intel/IDGNS The Windows 10 Holographic and Intel Project Alloy roadmap. Pinning the PCs hopes upon VR A few months ago, Intel executives began promoting virtual reality as the leading edge of the PC, especially VR headsets like the Oculus Rift that depend on the PC for their processing power. Virtual reality is very computationally intensive, and if Intel can create a requirement for more computationally intensive applications, then guess what? That works for them, said Nathan Brookwood, principal at Insight64, an microprocessor analyst firm. Microsoft/IDGNS Microsofts Hololens is demonstrated at the companys Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto in July 2016. An update to Windows 10 in mid-2017 will bring Holographic and Windows 10 closer together. Intel expects the worlds of virtual realitythe Oculus Riftand augmented realitythe HoloLenswill eventually merge. Thats what Intels latest project, Project Alloy embodies: a device that primarily projects a virtual reality environment around the user, but incorporates aspects of augmented reality, too. Alloy uses a pair of RealSense cameras to see physical objects like a users hand, and project them into the virtual space. We think this is going to be big, Krzanich said during his IDF keynote Tuesday. Its so different than anything else thats out there right now. Beginning in the middle of 2017, Intel plans to open-source the Alloy hardware, so any of its traditional hardware partners can jump on the Alloy bandwagon. Alloy runs on Windows Holographic, the Microsoft operating system that powers its HoloLens. Also midway through 2017, Microsoft plans a free upgrade to Windows 10 that will allow Windows Holographic devices to interact with the millions of Windows 10 PCs already in the market. Its easy to imagine what both Intel and Microsoft hope will happen next: Devices like Project Alloy become the next big thing, selling millions of PCs with Intel microprocessors and Windows 10 licenses. Alloy and its cousins will become PCs you can strap to your face. It almost sounds like Project Alloy could be Intels version of the Microsoft Surfacea game-changing product that could lead the way into an entirely new category of products. But its still not clear whether Alloy represents a product unto itself, or just a reference design that the company will provide to its partners. Jon Peddie Research For now, Intel is in the other category until we better know what Intels plans are, Jon Peddie of JPR said in an email. An uncertain future If this all sounds like a desperate attempt to latch on to the latest trendwell, youre not alone. Unit sales of VR devices arent expected to take off until 2018 or so, if that, according to Jon Peddie Research. And its not clear what will drive the technology industry until then. In fact, we actually have a better idea of what will drive the technology industry after VR devices: self-driving cars. BMW executives appeared onstage to reveal their plans to ship cars that allow a driver to take his or her eyes of the road by 2020 or 2021. Also on Tuesday (but separate from IDF), Ford announced plans to build fully self-driving cars in the same timeframe. Melissa Riofrio Ford plans to triple its fleet of autonomous research vehicles in 2016, and triple it again in 2017, on its way to mass production of self-driving cars by 2021. As Insight 64s Brookwood noted, the amount of silicon and intelligence a self-driving car requires vastly outweighs what todays automobiles require. Products that require sophisticated processors to crunch massive amounts of data provide opportunity to raise Intels profile once again. The bottom line, though, is that a self-driving car sells itself. Virtual reality? Merged reality? The jurys still out. There is hope, though. Kathleen Maher, an analyst with JPR, said the ramifications of virtual reality in the workplace and the home arent yet fully understood. Its been a big wake-up call for me, that virtual reality replaces the abstractions weve been using, like pages and text, she said. Thats a really long-term view, but Intel has to be thinking of the long term. Heres a look at Project Alloy on stage at IDF: You may like your earbuds and its 3.5mm jack, but youll downright love USB-C headphones, Intel says. At the companys IDF developer conference in San Francisco, Intels once again pushing hard for mobile devices to ditch analog audio and embrace feature-filled digital headsets. Replacing the vaunted 3.5mm jack has evolved into a contentious issue ever since rumors surfaced that Apple would use a lightning connector for audio in the next iPhone. Similarly to the passion that surrounds Windows XP and Windows 7, people are so used to the longstanding headphone jack they just cant let it goeven for the promise of something potentially better. And something better is exactly what Intel is promising, though the pitch may not sway audiophiles who swear that analog signals offer richer sound. During IDF on Tuesday, company architects Rahman Ismail and Brad Saunders talked up the coming USB Type C audio standard, which is due out in the coming months, as first reported by CNET. USB Type-C-powered headphones can employ smart power management to, say, turn off the microphone when only the actual headphones are needed. That should help keep the effect on battery life to a minimum. Features like noise canceling and special sound effectssuch as making it sound like the recording is playing in a concert hallare all possible over USB-C. Presumably, those features would be much cheaper to implement than they are now. Finally, ditching analog connections for USB-C may also result in even thinner phones since handsets will lose not only the 3.5mm jack, but also the digital-to-analog circuitry required to support them. If phones do get thinner thanks to the end of the headphone jack, be sure to wear looser pants. These features will really make USB Type-C the right connector for audio, CNET reports Saunders saying. The impact on you at home: If USB Type-C really is the future of headphonesand it appears that it isit will take some time before that future arrives. First, the audio standard still has to be approved, and then device makers will have to roll out new phones that lack a traditional headphone jack. Even then, Intel says there will be dongles that make it possible to plug legacy headphones into Type-C only devices. Hopefully, this wonderful, rosy feature that Intel is painting will still allow Type-C headphones to be as universal as their 3.5mm counterparts. The maker of so-called spyware program WebWatcher can be sued for violating state and federal wiretap laws, a U.S. appeals court has ruled, in a case that may have broader implications for online monitoring software and software as a service. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit rejected WebWatcher vendor Awareness Technologies motion to dismiss a lawsuit against the company. The appeals court overturned a lower court ruling granting the motion to dismiss. The appeals court, in a 2-1 decision Tuesday, rejected Awareness claims that WebWatcher does not intercept communications in real time, in violation of the U.S. wiretap act, but instead allows users to review targets communications. While plaintiff Javier Luis lawsuit doesnt address real-time interception of communications, his allegations give rise to a reasonable inference of that happening, Judge Ronald Lee Gilman wrote. Awareness pitches WebWatcher as monitoring software for parents and employers. All WebWatcher products install easily in 5 minutes or less, are undetectable (thus tamper proof) and all recorded data is sent to a secure web-based account which allows you to monitor kids and employees at your convenience from any computer, the company says. The original lawsuit against Awareness and other defendants was filed in 2012 by Luis, a Florida man who developed an online friendship with Ohio resident Catherine Zang in early 2009, according to court records. The two met in a metaphysics chatroom hosted by America Online. Zangs husband, Joseph, suspicious of his wifes online activities, installed WebWatcher on her computer in 2009 and used the program to intercept her chat records and email. Luis complained that Awareness markets WebWatcher as a means for suspicious spouses to illegally monitor their partners communications without their partners knowledge or consent, Gilman wrote in the courts decision. Luis specifically alleges that Awareness intentionally targets their product at spouses in their marketing campaigns enticing them with the lure of finding out everything that goes on in the targeted computers private accounts.' The ruling could have an impact on company monitoring of employees, some lawyers said. While employers generally have legal authority to monitor their employees work communications, private communications exist in more of a gray area. Usually, if an employee does not expect privacy when using a corporate device, a company would not be found in violation for searching the device, said Alena Shautsova, a New York City lawyer focused on employment discrimination and other issues. If, however the corporation monitors intentionally his private email or other private accounts, then I believe violations will be found. The case also may have implications for corporate monitoring of employees when those employees correspond with people outside the company, added Braden Perry, a regulatory and government investigations attorney with Kansas City-based Kennyhertz Perry. If services monitor in real-time even with the employees consent, those that the employee corresponds with may have a cause of action, he said by email. This decision not only places potential liability on the individual using the service but the service itself. The case could also raise alarm bells for vendors of software as a service, said Dimitri Sirota, CEO and founder of BigID, an enterprise privacy management vendor. The ruling raises serious questions about the liability of software-as-service companies in suits where software is used to violate privacy, he said by email. With many software packages now delivered as SaaS, the case raises the specter that a vendor could end up as a co-defendant if a user (company or individual) makes use of the software-as-service in an illegal way. Awareness Technologies didnt immediately respond to a request for comments on the court ruling. Years back, Microsoft began paying people to use its Bing search service via a program called Bing Rewards. Now, Microsoft will do the same with its Edge browser and other products. Microsoft announced Wednesday that over the next few weeks, Bing Rewards will become Microsoft Rewards. The concept remains the same: The more you use or buy Microsoft products, the more freebies youll receive in return. With the debut of Microsoft Rewards, youll also be able to accrue points by browsing with Edge or purchasing items at brick-and-mortar Microsoft Stores. Why this matters: At the end of July, Google Chrome held over 50 percent of the worlds browser market share; Edge is at 5.09 percent, according to NetApplications. Microsoft clearly wants to lift that number. Locking down Cortana to use only Bing might be seen as the stick, but a rewards program like Microsoft Rewards is the carrot. Mark Hachman Some of the existing Bing Rewards discounts. What will change with Microsoft Rewards With Bing Rewards, youd receive a Bing Rewards credit for every two Bing searches you performed per day (up to roughly 30 or so on your PC, and an additional 20 on a mobile phone). Those can add up fast: 475 credits earns you a $5 discount at Amazon.com, for example, or a Starbucks gift card. Under the new Microsoft Rewards program, the number of times you can search Bing for credit will remain the same, for now. Under the new system, Bing Rewards credits will be replaced by Microsoft Points. Each Bing Rewards credit will automatically be swapped for 10 Microsoft Points, Microsoft said. (Unfortunately, this is an entirely separate program from Microsofts Xbox Rewards program, which also offers credits and its own discounts.) Now, however, Microsoft says youll also earn points for shopping at the physical Microsoft stores; buying movies, music and more via the Windows 10 Store app; as well as browsing with Edge. Microsoft is also maintaining its tier system, so youll earn additional discounts once you reach a certain number of points. The only difference is that those discounts will now apply exclusively to Microsoft products. How Microsoft Rewards with Edge will work Remember how Edge has evolved: when Windows 10 shipped, it was the weakest link. A year later, Edge has substantially improved, especially with its new extensions. But the only way to spur some users to try it is to pay them to use it. Microsoft To take advantage of the new Microsoft Rewards points for browsing with Microsoft Edge, you have the browser open, like this. And use it you must. Microsofts browse and earn portion of Bing Rewards credits you only you if youre actively using Edge: The browsers icon must be highlighted on your taskbar (showing youre actively using it), and Microsoft wants you to be actively engaging with the browserin other words, performing mouse movements, clicks, touch gestures, [and] keyboard presses or watching a full-screen movie. Youll earn points for every hour (yes, hour) you use Edge, up to 30 hours per month, Microsoft said. The company did not reveal how many points an hour of browsing with Edge would earn, however. Youll also earn points by buying, say, a new Surface at the Microsoft Store, at one point per dollar spent up to $20,000 total. Just be sure to provide your email address when the cashier asks; its the only way youll be able to apply the new Microsoft Points to your account. Riverside Community College District Trustee Nathan Miller has apologized to the districts students and staff for sending out two tweets featuring a picture of a noose-holding hangman with the words Im Ready for Hillary. In an emailed statement to the RCCD Community, Miller, a Riverside County Republican Party official, wrote: I write today so proud of the accomplishments of the students, faculty, staff and administrators of our district and I am sorry that my recent actions have taken away from telling that important story. The social media posts I made were wrong. I apologize to all of you for my actions and I regret if they have in any way impacted your role at RCCD. I ask for your forgiveness and hope we can move forward together continuing to make RCCD the beacon of opportunity for all in our region. Miller sent the tweets Aug. 3 from the county GOPs official Twitter account. Critics denounced the tweets as a threat against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. A day after sending the tweets, Miller resigned from his job at the state Board of Equalization. Groups representing district students and faculty have called on Miller to resign from the district Board of Trustees and not run for re-election in November. Board President Virginia Blumenthal has condemned the tweets and rebuked Miller. But the board cant oust Miller from the post he was elected to in 2012. The board meets at 6 p.m. tonight at 3801 Market St. in Riverside. The tweets are not part of the boards official agenda. The newest member of the Riverside Police Department has a nose for explosives. Shadow, a yellow Labrador, has joined the bomb squad. With the concern for explosives and issues confronting police departments today, the public expects and the police department is happy to provide this resource to our city, Riverside police Lt. Christian Dinco, the K-9 unit commander, said Tuesday, Aug. 16. Shadow gives officers a tool they previously lacked: a way to screen the public and venues fast and effectively before and during large events, as well as visits by dignitaries, Dinco said. Shadow can detect 16 odors that in combination can be used to manufacture thousands of types of explosives, Dinco said. The department will continue to use its robot to inspect suspicious packages, Dinco said. Riverside paid about $15,000 for Shadow and his training to Jurupa Valley-based Adlerhorst International, he said. The money came from donations. The department now has eight K-9s, including six patrol dogs and a drug-sniffing dog. Corey Perkins, a trainer at World Canine Inc. in Spring Branch, Texas, said retriever breeds such as Labradors make good explosives-sniffing dogs. We want those sporting breed-style dogs that retrieve, that have a lot of hunt drive, Perkins said. Springer spaniels and German shorthaired pointers also make good bomb dogs, Perkins said. But instead of training dogs to hunt for a bird, Perkins trains dogs to search for explosives. When a dog finds a bomb, it will sit up to alert its handler. A dogs will show its handler that a suspicious package or device is safe if it does not sit up, Perkins said. Perkins said it takes about 10 minutes to determine whether a dog has what it takes. A trainer will take a dog into an enclosed area and throw a ball where a dog cant see it. The trainer will judge the dog on how long it takes to find the ball and how long the dog continues to search if it cant initially locate the ball. The dog with the killer drive would literally be out there all day searching for the ball. Thats the ones we want, Perkins said. Contact the writer: brokos@scng.com or 951-368-9569 Flames raced along both sides of Highway 138 in West Cajon Valley on Tuesday, closing the local landmark Mountain Top Cafe astride the turnoff to Wrightwood. The cafes parking lot soon became a gathering spot for evacuees. Some cried. Some watched the approaching smoke clouds. Some were stoic. Im just waiting to see what happens by sundown, said 73-year-old John Gress. His plan: Hope the flames moved through quickly so he and his wife, Mary, could spend the night in their own bed. Once the fire burns past you, you aint got nothing to worry about. You aint got nothing (left) to burn, Gress reasoned. In the meantime, he sat in his immaculate Ford Mustang, which showed no trace of the ashes, and considered his close escape. He and his wife had saved their horse, horse trailer and two German shepherds. Ill be OK. Weve got our dogs, Mary Gress said. And if we lose everything, her husband chimed in, Well get the insurance money and move to Arizona where there are no Democrats. RELATED Live blog: Heres the latest on what we know about the fire 18,000-acre fire puts 82,600 under evacuation orders Photo gallery from the Blue Cut fire What you need to know about evacuations, road closures, school closures A few feet away in the parking lot, Jennifer Charoensawadsiri was drying her tears. Beside her was a single piece of luggage. But it was enough. All I wanted was my sons baby pictures, my family pictures, a couple of shirts and pants, she said. Thats it. Thats all Ive got. I have what I need. She and Carlos Gonzalez were away at work when they learned of the fire. They drove along a back road to avoid a roadblock, but got the car stuck. So they hitchhiked home and called an animal shelter to pick up their three German shepherds. And deputies gave the couple a ride to the cafe parking lot a few miles away. Now were trying to get our car out of the ditch so we can go somewhere, she said. Ive made my peace with whats going on. Ive already cried. Im fine. In Fontana, at an evacuation shelter set up by the Red Cross at Jessie Turner Community Center, about 30 people had gathered by afternoon, including Doris Jimenez, 71. I was right in the middle of it, said Jimenez, who lives on Club View Drive in the Lytle Creek area. This morning I opened up my drapes and it was pure black. Im very worried. I have no insurance. Ivan Clevenger, 72, was concerned about the fire reaching his home in Lytle Creek. Hes a historical re-enactor and has antiques that have been collected over the years. This is the second one I had to get out, said Clevenger, who lives in the Happy Jack area of Lytle Creek. The first time was in 2003 during the Rancho fire. He says theres about 500 houses in the canyon. Im hoping theyll get it stopped, Clevenger said. Weve been very fortunate in the past. Theyve managed to keep lost fires out of the canyon. Were hoping they can do it again. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 Trend: Will Leonard - Oil, Gas Chemicals UK Hub BU Marketing Manager, ABB Ltd UK and representatives of ABB Azerbaijan company visited Baku Higher Oil School (BHOS) and met with BHOS Rector Elmar Gasimov. During the meeting Elmar Gasimov informed the guests about BHOS activities, international relations, achievements the higher school made within the short period of time and BHOS new campus. Underlining that the highly scoring students are studying at BHOS, BHOS Rector said that the students who scored 700 points during the entrance examination held for the first specialization group for academic year 2016/17 selected BHOS. Elmar Gasimov also briefed on completion works going on at BHOS new campus. BHOS rector discussed completion works at the Training Center of BHOS new campus totally equipped by the facilities and simulation installations of ABB company. He emphasized that the Training Center would be put into exploitation close to the opening ceremony of the new campus. Will Leonard expressed contentment connected with the cooperation between BHOS and ABB on behalf of ABB and confidence that the said cooperation would be continued on the highest level. He said that in future BHOS lecturers and students would be able to be involved in trainings and research at the Training Center of BHOS new campus assisted by ABB technologies. Various directions of cooperation and perspectives in this connection were also touched upon in the course of the said meeting. An apology from embattled community college Trustee Nathan Miller for tweets featuring a hangman and the words Im Ready for Hillary did not quell demands for his resignation at a board meeting Tuesday, Aug. 16. The meeting of the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees was the first since Miller sent the two tweets on Aug. 3 from the Riverside County Republican Partys official Twitter account. Miller sits on the partys central committee. About a dozen speakers addressed the tweets during the public comments portion of the regularly scheduled meeting. Associate Professor Shari Yates, among others, called on Miller to resign. I feel like throwing up, she said. I hate being mean but I vowed a long time ago to stand up to bullies. Im asking you to resign. Please resign. Before the meeting, Miller issued a statement addressed to the RCCD Community apologizing for his actions. I write today so proud of the accomplishments of the students, faculty, staff and administrators of our district and I am sorry that my recent actions have taken away from telling that important story, he wrote. The social media posts I made were wrong. I apologize to all of you for my actions and I regret if they have in any way impacted your role at RCCD. I ask for your forgiveness and hope we can move forward together continuing to make RCCD the beacon of opportunity for all in our region. At the meeting, former student body president Italia Garcia of Riverside said that, as an elected official, (Miller is) always on the clock. Whatever you do on social media is going to come back and haunt you, she said. Two speakers defended Miller, who has said he will not resign. Riverside resident Gaurav Taneja said the tweets do not reflect the Miller he knows and that Miller should stay on the board. Later in the meeting, Miller, who lives in Corona, said hes made a lot of mistakes in my life and is fortunate there are people in the world who have shown patience with him. To the speakers, he said: Thank you all very much for what you had to say. I take it all to heart. Democrats and other critics reacted angrily to the tweets, saying they were a threat to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. After admitting authorship of the tweets, Miller resigned from his job at the state Board of Equalization. Student and faculty groups have called on Miller to step down from the trustee board and not run for re-election. A representative of the RCCD Faculty Association, a union representing faculty, repeated its call for Miller to resign and not seek re-election. Board President Virginia Blumenthal has also condemned the tweets, but said during the meeting she appreciates Millers apology. Miller was elected by voters in 2012 to represent a district that encompasses Eastvale, Norco and part of Corona. Miller is opposed by former Corona-Norco Unified School District board member Bill Hedrick in the November election. Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@scng.com Native American teens who have to go to other states for substance abuse treatment will soon have a home near Sage east of Lake Skinner and southeast of Hemet. Construction has been completed on what will be the first federally operated residential facility in California to treat Native American youth with drug and alcohol problems. It is set to open in December. For us in Southern California, its a great benefit, said Jess Montoya, chief executive officer of Riverside-San Bernardino County Indian Health, a nonprofit organization that offers medical and other services to Native Americans. The group has representatives from nine tribes: Agua Caliente, Cahuilla, Morongo, Pechanga, Ramona, San Manuel, Santa Rosa, Soboba and Torres-Martinez. Were all going to be able to take advantage of having a treatment facility thats close to our area, he said. The 35,500-square-foot Desert Sage Youth Wellness Center will have 32 beds for Native American boys and girls who will receive mental health, medical care, counseling, education and other services. Five family suites will allow relatives to stay at the center during the 4 to 6 months teens live there before being released. Currently, Native American kids needing drug and alcohol treatment must travel to facilities in Nevada, Utah, Oregon and other states, where it costs between $5,500 and $6,500 per month, Montoya said. The funds come out of the California Area Indian Health Service budget and cost the families nothing. When you send kids away from their homes and the community and their support system, its pretty traumatic, Montoya said. Not only are they dealing with their own individual issues, they dont have family in close proximity. Studies have found Native American youth struggle with drugs and alcohol more than other groups. A team of National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded researchers at Colorado State University analyzed data from a survey given to Native American students at 33 schools on or near reservations in 11 states between 2009 and 2012. The analysis found a much higher prevalence of drug and alcohol use in eighth- and 10th-graders compared with national averages. Drug use begins much earlier for Native Americans than is typical for other Americans, the study concluded. Indian Health Service, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, bought the 20 acres a half-mile east of Sage Road at Best Road where the center is located. The federal agency spent $17 million on the property and construction of the 35,500-square-foot facility. It will employ 70 people, including teachers, a psychologist, a psychiatrist, nurses, kitchen staff and therapists. The annual budget will be about $7 million, Montoya said. Mark Espinosa, who is in charge of the project for Indian Health Service, was unavailable for comment Tuesday, Aug, 16. The center will not only help Native American youth address substance problems but also offer a program that will provide culturally appropriate rehabilitation and education, Mary Smith, the agencys principal deputy director, said in a news release. Congress approved money in 2015 to build two Native American youth treatment centers in California: the one near Sage and another in Northern California in Davis, which is expected to open in late 2018. There are now 10 facilities across the country. This is going to be their home away from home, Montoya said. Its beneficial for the child and beneficial for the family. Contact the writer: 951-368-9292 or stwall@scng.com A ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, at a Moreno Valley park to honor a former Riverside County sheriffs dispatcher. The trailhead at the south section of Hidden Springs Park will be named Dominic Durden Trailhead. The City Council was expected to approve the honor Tuesday. The park is at the intersection of Hidden Springs and Greenridge drives. Pizza and refreshments will be served. Durden, 30, died in July 2012 in a traffic collision while en route to work. He was riding his motorcycle on Pigeon Pass Road when a pickup driven by an undocumented immigrant made a left turn in front of him. Juan Zacarias Tzun pleaded guilty to misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and was deported to his native Guatemala. Durdens mother, Sabine, became an advocate for immigration reform and spoke on the subject at the Republican National Convention in July. The city of Murrieta approved a settlement with the woman who accused Councilman Harry Ramos of sexual misconduct at a Chamber of Commerce function early last year, according to a copy of the settlement obtained by The Press-Enterprise. The settlement calls for the accuser, Kathleen Smith, to receive $99,000 and agree not to pursue any further claims against either Ramos who attended the function while serving as mayor and the city, confirmed Dan Gilleon, Smiths San Diego-based attorney on Tuesday. The deal was approved despite Ramos protests. They made a side deal without my signature, Ramos said Tuesday, Aug. 16. The Press-Enterprise does not typically identify victims of sexual assault but Smith authorized the release of her name and image, saying she wanted to be a role model to her teenage daughter. The Murrieta council which stripped Ramos of the mayoral title in October 2015 was scheduled to discuss the lawsuit filed by Smith, a former employee of a Temecula radio station, in closed session ahead of the citys regular meeting Tuesday. There are a few loose ends, but thats really it, said acting city attorney Jeff Morris earlier in the day. He declined to offer specifics on the loose ends, citing the privacy afforded public agencies when discussing legal matters. The settlement was brokered after the citys deductible with its insurer, the Public Entity Risk Management Authority of Palm Desert, was almost exhausted, Morris said. The council did not announce the settlement earlier this year, Morris said, because there was no reportable action by the council. Its their (PERMAs) decision, he said. Ramos said the city could have challenged the authoritys decision but chose not to for political reasons. In response to what he called political games, Ramos said he has filed a lawsuit against the city that aims to overturn his removal as mayor and throw out the city-financed investigation into his actions while serving as mayor. The investigation produced a long report that alleged multiple instances of abuse of power and other alleged misdeeds. Ramos said he was not seeking monetary compensation in the suit. All these political games that have been played have cost the taxpayers tons of money and I think my colleagues should be held accountable for their actions, he said, noting that the Riverside County District Attorneys office declined to move forward with any sort of criminal prosecution of the alleged misdeeds in the report. Ramos said he also intends to sue Smith for character assassination. Im getting all my ducks in a row for that, he said. Gilleon said Ramos may have a hard time finding an attorney willing to take that case. Were hoping he does, Gilleon added. Bring it on. Smith appeared at a press conference at Murrieta City Hall last year to discuss the case but she has not spoken about the alleged incident since. Per the terms of the settlement, she agreed to only say the matter was resolved if asked about the case. Gilleon, however, said the settlement shows that she was telling the truth. Its vindication for her, he said. A city doesnt pay out $100,000 to someone who made something up. Contact the writer: 951-368-9698 or aclaverie@pressenterprise.com This story was modified to correct spelling of Jeff Morris name. Smith v. Ramos Agreement by The Press-Enterprise / pressenterprise.com on Scribd Stater Bros.s 80th anniversary is a celebration of the American dream, according to Executive Chairman Jack H. Brown. People see our company today, but they forget we started with one little store in Yucaipa thats just about as big as two of our trailers today, Brown said in a phone interview. That store was opened on Aug. 17, 1936, by Missouri-born twins Cleo and Leo Stater with the help of their siblings Lavoy and Virgil. Their parents, Clarence and Mary, had a ranch in Yucaipa. Today, the company occupies a 2.3 million-square-foot headquarters on the former Norton Air Force Base. It will open its 169th store next week in Simi Valley. Last year, the companys gross sales were $4.5 billion. The first Yucaipa employee, Evelyn Stater, will turn 100 next month. She worked for Cleo and Leo before she met and married Lavoy. Were going to be celebrating her birthday, Brown said. She still looks great. Her nickname is Sunny, and were just so excited to have one of the founders wives and our first employee still with us. Women have played a very important part in our company because during the war, Mom Stater and the wives ran the company. From their start in the Great Depression, the brothers went into military service during World War II. Cleo and Leo were fighter pilots. Lavoy was a master sergeant in the Army, according to Brown. The Redlands Daily Facts reported that Lavoy and Cleo unexpectedly met on Okinawa in July 1945. The tradition continues, Brown said. Im a Navy vet. Brown, who was chief executive officer for most of the past 36 years, is a native of San Bernardino and was in the grocery business for decades before joining Stater Bros. in 1981. He said Stater Bros. owes its longevity to its family, meaning its staff of 18,000. It takes dedicated people who are willing to put their shoulders to your wheel. And no one has as dedicated members of the family than Stater has. Were the last of the buffalo, he added. There are no companies like us left. Companies arent around for 80 years. Theyre not even around for 40 years. Call it whatever you want: downsizing, consolidation, whatever. We have never had a year in my 36 years when there have been less people working here than in the prior year. Dr. Ekow Spio-Garbrah, the Trade and Industry Minister, has asked the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to take steps to subject its curricula development to industrial peer review. He said it was critical to involve experts and other experienced people to come out with practical-based and demand-driven courses. Addressing senior members of the university at a summer school in Kumasi, he noted that university education generally should be more of problem-solving. The Minister underlined that the universities needed to deepen their collaboration with the private sector to produce well-resourced graduates, who would be readily absorbed by industry. That was the path to travel to substantially reduce the graduate unemployment and aid the nation to catch up with the rest of the world, he added. Strengthening the linkage amongst academia, industry and government was the theme for the programme, held under the auspices of the KNUST Quality Assurance and Planning Unit was the theme for the three-day programme. The wide range of topics discussed included The role of industry in curriculum development, Perception of industry about academia, Improving quality and relevance of tertiary education in Ghana, Competency-based learning and Building stronger universities: the post-graduate education and training pathway. The summer school had been planned to provide the platform for the staff and key stakeholders in education and industry to brainstorm - identify and define the way forward to address the countrys development challenges. It brought together in excess of 2, 000 participants drawn from state-owned and private universities and the polytechnics, civil society organizations (CSOs) and industry. Dr. Spio-Gabrah gave the assurance that the government would continue to support the university by way of the provision of vital logistics and funding. Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, the Vice-Chancellor, said they were determined to sustain the conversation with industry to exchange ideas to bring efficiency into their operations. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video 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. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 Trend: Azerbaijans President Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory letter to President of the Republic of Gabon Ali Bongo Ondimba on the occasion of the national holiday of Gabon. On behalf of the people of Azerbaijan and on my own behalf, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you and your people on the national holiday of the Republic of Gabon Independence Day, said President Aliyev in his letter. I hope that the relations between Azerbaijan and Gabon will further develop in the spirit of friendship and cooperation, noted the president. On this joyful day, I wish you good health, every success in your activities, and the friendly people of Gabon peace and prosperity, he added. A leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Ibrahim Mobilla, and a pro-NDC youth group, Wani yaafi wani, all in the Northern Region, have predicted doom for the party in the December polls if the national executives fail to act swiftly to whip the regional executives to work. According to them, the regional executives are only engaged in the rhetoric of winning back seats lost to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2012 elections. Some youth groups in the Northern Region have even travelled to Accra to confront their Members of Parliament (MPs) and national executives of the party on the looming danger. Now, Majority Leader in Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, on Sunday confirmed the concerns of the youth when he said at the NDCs campaign launch in Cape Coast that winning enough seats for the NDC in the upcoming parliamentary election will be an uphill task for the party. Mr Bagbin explained that considering the spate at which some members who lost their bid to become parliamentary candidates of the party are contesting as independent candidates, it would be difficult for the NDC to win more seats. The area of uncertainty is the number of parliamentary seat the party is going to win, and the campaign team must adopt a multi-purpose campaign strategy tailored to solving the interpersonal issue, he said. Speaking to The Finder, Yussif Abdul Rahman, leader of Wani yaafi wani, a youth group based in Tamale, said the group is at loggerheads with regional executives over the partys lack of control for effective campaigning. The youth group, which is known for its active grassroots campaign for the party, threatens the partys top hierarchy not to hand over campaign funds to the regional executives, noting that such a step would be a recipe for defeat, he said. He explained that the actions and inactions of the Northern Regional executives of the NDC have eroded the enthusiasm of most of the youth groups in the region and are rather bent on quarrelling over contracts. The executives are not concerned about the party; all they want is contracts. We have heard and seen them quarrel over contracts several times. Even Hajj tickets are given to either their girlfriends or their family members when we have elder people within the party who deserve those tickets, Abdul Rahman alleged. According to him, many youth groups are tired of the abuse and neglect meted out to them by the regional executives, adding that they were compelled to use their own resources, such as motorbikes and cars, in running the partys campaigns. On his part, an elder of the party, Alhaji Ibrahim Mobilla told this paper that the party in the region needs to sit up because the executives are not working and it appears they came to enrich themselves rather than work for the party. The leadership of the party is weak and the youth seem to have no hope in them; the enthusiasm for the party has gone down. The executives do not go round to visit youth groups and party faithful to inform them of the happenings in the party as well as the government. Alhaji Mobilla appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to meet with the leadership of the youth groups in the region to plead with them to vote for him based on his achievements so far. The only solution to the problem is for President Mahama to hold a meeting with the leadership of the youth groups to let them know that the executives dont own the party but everybody and that they should not refuse to vote because of the executives. The dominance of the NDC in the region, especially Dagbon, is usually linked to the unfortunate incident in Yendi under the NPP administration. In the 2012 elections, the NPP won 10 seats in the region, which came as a shock to many, but 70% of the seats were won in non-Dagomba-speaking areas where the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict do not place in their politics. When contacted, the regional secretary declined to comment on the issue. Source: The Finder Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Electoral Commission (EC) has adopted 27 electoral reforms to make the Elections 2016, more transparent and credible Mrs Charlotte Osei, the EC Chairperson has stated. "For this year, after announcing the result, there would be big screens where results would be projected for everybody in the community to see the results," Mrs Osei said at the 2016 Forum on Election at the Faith Congregation Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Madina Estate. Mrs Osei said the Commission is resolute in its conviction to ensure a peaceful election, stressing: We are committed to ensuring an electoral process that guarantees people the right to cast their ballots without intimidation or violence." The forum, which was organised by the Ecumenical and Social Relations Committee of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, aimed at empowering citizens to fulfill a crucial national responsibility of meeting a spiritual election; and brought together the clergy, political parties, security agencies, the media and public to discuss election, religion, environment, policies and education. Speaking on the topic: "Elections 2016, How Credible, Free and Fair would it be," Mrs Osei, commended the Presbyterian Church Madina District for a proactive initiative aimed at building bridges towards ensuring a peaceful electoral process and outcome in 2016. Sheikh Awal Larry, a Muslim Cleric, expressed worry about the negative comments about the elections and noted that it undermines the integrity, peace, respect and rule of law of the country. He has therefore charged Ghanaians to make leaders who fall victim of such acts accountable for their derogatory remarks. "Everybody should come out and condemn leaders who use unwarranted words in the country," he said. Sheikh Larry expressed worry at how Muslims are being used to cause problems in the country saying: "Majority of the people who have allowed themselves to be used to cause mayhem by politicians are Muslims. "Take the Invisible Forces and Azorka Boys for instance, most of them are Muslims and Muslim belief doesn't promote violence, instead we stand for peace". He therefore called on all especially Muslims and the youth not to allow themselves to be used by any political party to cause violence as no political party could change them. Speaking on the theme: "Be of one mind, Live in Peace," Professor Kwame Karikari, the Dean of Communication Studies of the Wisconsin International University College, Accra; noted that it is very important for citizens to condemn the culture of political communication in the media and on public platforms. "In democracy, one very important ingredient is tolerance and accommodation of differing, contrasting and opposing viewpoints. "The way in which political parties are using radio in promoting a culture of intolerance, they are using thuggery to silence opponents and legitimate critics of their words and deeds, this is why so many people sometimes say that the violent language on radio threatens peace," he said. The Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey, the Moderator of General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, urged the media to be professional nation builders through their works. He also urged civil society, being principal actors who have crucial role in free, fair and credible elections not to be passive as that is Ghana's major democratic challenge. Dr Alexander Kaakyire Duku-Frimpong, a Senior Lecturer, Political Science Department, University of Ghana also expressed concern about irrelevant arguments, not abiding by election rules and regulations, influenced by gifts before voting among others as some of the negative vices that hinder peaceful elections. He advised citizens to refrain from such behaviours for credible, free, fair and transparent elections to be achieved. A bible was presented to Mrs Osei to signify peace and harmony. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Pollster Ben Ephson is allowing the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to manipulate him and use his newspaper, the Daily Dispatch, to propagate "cheap, unintelligent trash, the main opposition New Patriotic Party has said, in reference to a publication by the paper which claimed the party had a committee advising the party to lie to Ghanaians ahead of the December polls. At a press conference addressed by acting General Secretary John Boadu, the NPP asked Mr Ephson to apologise and retract the publication which the party described as fabricated and fake. Mr Boadu said the NPP had no committee engaged in crafting lies to hoodwink Ghanaians into voting for the NPP in the December polls, contrary to the publication in Mr Ephsons Daily Dispatch. Meanwhile, the party has accused President John Dramani Mahama of insulting the chiefs and people of the Western Region with his comment that Nana Akufo-Addo, flag bearer of the NPP, might have been sleeping during his campaign tour of the region recently, thus, his inability to have seen so many good roads constructed in that part of the country. The party said the presidents comment was un-presidential and insulting to the people of the Western Region, who endure deplorable roads on daily basis. To him, all the people complaining about bad roads in the Western Region are sleeping. He should tell that to the commercial drivers who spend 10 hours just to travel from Sefwi-Wiaso in the northern part of the Western Region to Takoradi, Mr Boadu said at the press conference on Wednesday, 17 August. Mr Akufo-Addo, who is Mr Mahamas main contender in the upcoming December polls, just completed his tour of the Western Region. During the tour, Nana Akufo-Addo questioned claims by the government that massive road infrastructure had been undertaken in the region. But Mr Mahama, who is currently touring the Western Region, told party supporters on Tuesday, 16 August, that: Perhaps he [Nana Akufo-Addo] was sleeping so he couldnt see the roads. The NPP, however, said the president had a false start to his campaign by hurling insults at his opponents. We all know that John Mahama is sensitive to criticism, but it gives him no excuse to use un-presidential language against his opponents, chiefs and the people of the Western Region, Mr Boadu said. Source: classfmonline.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 Sydney teen Zac Bissell was only six days away from his 19th birthday on August 6, 2011, when he was struck and killed by a train while saving his mates life. The Illawong-based apprentice carpenter never got to celebrate the occasion but, today, his parents honoured their sons selfless act by accepting a posthumous Bravery Medal from Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove on his behalf. Craig and Sharon said the recognition of Zacs brave act he followed a friend who jumped onto train tracks at Como railway station and threw him out of harms way, only to be killed by a train approaching in the opposite direction helped take some of the sting out of their tragic loss. We miss him more than words can express but we take comfort in this honour. You can watch a short interview with his parents on tonights The Project: We share some of the stories of Australias bravest citizens who have been awarded for heroic acts #TheProjectTV https://t.co/wKxm5XqWmJ #TheProjectTV (@theprojecttv) August 17, 2016 Not only did Zac save the life of his friend, who escaped with only minor injuries, but the donation of his organs (as per his wishes) helped save the lives of six others. Hes among 79 heroic Aussies who were honoured for everything from stepping in to stop domestic violence altercations to rescuing the elderly from burning buildings. All legends Photo: Supplied. Despite hopping from one kind of racism to the next as each stopped being fashionable over the last 20 years, Pauline Hanson has always found some terrible excuse to justify whatever brand of racism it is shes currently touting. Now that her whole thing is Muslims, shes using attacks by extremists say that most Australians are scared and want our borders closed to them. Unfortunately, as the election showed, she speaks for some people, but she sure as fuck doesnt speak for everyone. Alpha Cheng knows the effects of extremism all too personally his father, Curtis, was killed in 2015 by 15-year-old Farhad Jabar, who attacked the NSW Police headquarters with a gun. His motivations remain unclear, but it is suspected they were tied to Islamic extremism. Despite this, Cheng objects to people like Pauline Hanson using his fathers death as an excuse to whip up anti-Islamic sentiment, especially when he himself was subjected to similar rhetoric as a child, also by Pauline Hanson. Cheng had a chat to The Projects Waleed Aly about facing discrimination, and trying to make sure other people dont experience it: As someone who, at 8 or 9, had recently come to the country, it really adds an air that you dont feel very welcome. I remember very clearly people asking me at school Do you know you may be kicked out of the country soon? I dont want people in the Muslim community, especially young people, to feel like they are not welcome here. That they are less Australian just because of their faith, their birth. He says he owes it to his dad to make sure everyone is welcome in Australia: He came to Australia, he brought our family over in the hopes of building a better life, of being included in society and contributing to society. So I feel like my message is to continue that belief that we can all contribute and build Australia as a positive, inclusive, diverse society. What a bloody legend. You can watch the whole interview right here. Source and photo: Ten. Photo: Getty Images. PEDESTRIAN.TV has partnered with Bankwest to help you, o beautiful reader, manage your day-to-day banking. The Bankwest App provides mobile push notification functionality for applicable Bankwest transaction / savings accounts like the scheduled payment, low balance and account deposit alerts which will help you be across your moneys comings and goings like a pro. For more information on how Bankwest can help, head to their website HERE. Were all in the same boat. Handling money can be, well, a struggle especially when theres so many things out there to blow it on. *feels towards buying goods n services in 2016* It doesnt matter if youre saving for a holiday, want more to spend on date-night with bae, have your eyes on a new car, or just want to make it rain in the club theres tips and tricks that you can utilise to make your money work for you. Why? Hmmm, to, yknow, avoid that accumulative and crippling feeling of having zero dollars and zero cents. So go forth and save yourself from having to ask your rents for a bail out by applying these hints to your existence. GET AMONGST THE TOURIST REFUND SCHEME If youre one whos often bitten by the travel bug, or know shes going to be biting sometime soon, then this is going to make your day. The Tourist Refund Scheme (TRS) lets you claim a refund of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) that you pay on certain goods you buy in Australia and then take out of Australia with you or in your checked luggage or carry-on bags, says the Department of Immigration and Border Protections website. In English: If you buy something before you travel, and you travel with it, then youre entitled to claim back the GST that you paid on it whilst in Australia. So, for instance, if you dropped $600 on three outfits and wore them on holiday, youd be able to claim the GST on them (around the $66 mark) when you got back. AMAZING, RIGHT?! Heres the low-down on whats eligible: Purchases are eligible for refunds if: they are purchased in the 60 days before you leave Australia your purchases from any single business total $300 (GST inclusive) or more. For example, if you bought items from one business even on separate invoices that together total $300, these items may be eligible for a tax refund under TRS you, the passenger, paid for the goods you have an original tax invoice for the goods you wear or carry the goods (unless they are liquids, gels or aerosols or oversized or bulky goods which the airline require to be checked in) as hand luggage aboard the aircraft or ship as you leave Australia, or check the goods in with your luggage after they have been verified by an officer at a Client Services counter. If the above isnt enough to make you appreciate our land thats girt by sea, then nothing will. Head to the Australian Governments Department of Immigration and Border Protection website HERE for more information. HIT UP BYO RESTAURANTS Our twenties are a time of ~exploration~ and that includes the food we consume. The bill from dinner, however, can often be a kick in the stomach. A great way to reduce this oh dear, what have I done, sensation is by hitting up BYO joints. Booze is often the culprit for a bigger-than-big bill, so by bringing your own whilst dining (and lets face it your palette isnt developed enough to discern a cleanskin from a $60 pinot the waiters going to suggest), youll bring the total down substantially. Also, BYO venues are often more affordable in general. GET THE MOST OUTTA YOUR TAX REFUND Come tax time, most of us are too quick to fang our group certificates over to some random accountant and be satisfied with what we get back. Firstly, those who get the most back at tax time are superhuman when it comes to organisation. If youre not, then make yourself be, because itll literally pay-off down the line. Easiest solution: Spend five minutes a week collating your receipts, records and log-books. Keep receipts and records of everything thatll be deductible (i.e. stuff that youve forked out for that relates to your work) so you can claim it like a boss even if youre unsure youre entitled to it. Be mindful of things like uniforms, transportation and affiliated costs to claim back. Once youve seen an accountant, go through their results with a fine-tooth comb. Asking someone whos fluent in the language of economics to review your return will also help in catching any errors. Even if the amount doesnt differ much from your regular return, youre at least setting up good practices for the future (when youre a baller, etc). SPLIT YOUR ACCOUNTS WITH MATES Netflix, Spotify and their affiliates serve to entertain us with absolute ease, and even the most frugal among you can agree that they dont set us back that much month-to-month. But, if youre a TV addict and love your music, odds are youve signed up for several of them. Having multiple accounts on these platforms can make a dent by the end of the month, and its likely youre not the only one feeling that pinch. Gather your roommates and divvy up these services so each of you is in charge of one account, just as you would with your normal bills. Rather than paying for upwards of three services, youll only be copping one. BE CONSCIOUS OF YOUR SPENDING Being unaware of how much (or how little) you have in your bank account is a well-known catalyst for poor financial decisions. Its like being at work without a diary mapping out what youve got on that day. Youll be all over the shop, make impulse decisions and forget whats a priority. Its easy to dismiss what bills youve got due (chiefly because wed rather believe they didnt exist), what extra cash weve got coming in, and whats leftover from last weeks pay if you havent got your finger on the pulse 24/7. Bankwests Easy Alerts are an easy way of being conscious of your spending. Through the Bankwest App, you can set up the alerts to shoot you a push notification that updates you on the comings and goings taking place in your applicable transaction and savings accounts. The account deposit alert gives you the heads up when a deposits been made in your account, the payment reminder alert hollas at you when a scheduled payments due, and the payment alert tells you what your account balance is when a scheduled payments coming up. Its all done automatically, taking the pressure of you to remember. Oh, theres several more alerts available too, whichll help whip you into a savvy saver in no time. For more information on Bankwest Easy Alerts, head to Bankwests website HERE. Photo: 50cent / Instagram. A Newtown filmmaker is boycotting the Tropfest short film festival because there is just no way hes going to travel out to Parramatta for it. Adam St John, who runs the Newtown Saint Media Group, told the Daily Telegraph that its new Parramatta home, announced on Monday, was simply too far away and a betrayal of Tropfests inner city roots. There is no way Im going to hop on the train and go to the middle of nowhere for it, he said. I wont go to Parramatta, no way. Why would you put something that was so famous into an area where no filmmakers are based? St John says this is another instance of Tropfest being all about money and reckons he is not alone in his decision to boycott, warning that countless other inner city artists likely to follow suit. Everyone is based in the inner city and thats the place they should be looking to support the emerging artists, he said. Everyone from Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore to Tropfests founder John Polson have supported the move, but not this guy. Nevermind that Parramatta has a population of 20,000, an emerging arts scene, and is basically the second CBD of Sydney. Sorry guys. Its not enough. When you get a few more artists and one trillion more cockroaches, then we can talk film festivals. Source: Daily Telegraph. Photo: Facebook / Adam St John. A plucky protester has managed to crash the stage at a speech Malcolm Turnbull was giving and give him a few short, sharp words about Australias refugee policy. Protesters from Whistleblowers Activists Citizens Alliance interrupted an economic address Turnbull was giving in Melbourne, with one particularly determined woman managing to make her way onto the stage. The protestor held up a sign reading FFS close the bloody camps and, appropriately, shouted For fucks sake Malcom, close the fucking camps! at a Turnbull that somehow managed to look smug and uncomfortable at the same time. A spokesperson for the WACA says the aim was to shame Malcolm for Australias bullshit treatment of refugees: We have known for years that we are torturing, abusing and indefinitely detaining people on Manus Island and Nauru. Its time for the Government to acknowledge that their policy and successive government policy, including the Labor Partys policy, has failed. It has resulted in us torturing more than 1,000 people who have been left to rot on Manus and Nauru. I think Malcolm Turnbull heard us loud and clear. You can watch a clip of the stagecrasher right here, but, in the meantime, heres a video of one of the protesters at the back of the room being promptly escorted out by the AFP: The protest turned out to be shockingly prescient, taking place just hours before the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea announced that the Australian and PNG governments have agreed to close Manus Island, following on from a PNG Supreme Court ruling earlier in the year that the centre was unconstitutional. Source and photo: ABC. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 Trend: The OSCE monitoring held on the line of contact between the Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has passed without incidents, Azerbaijans Defense Ministry said Aug. 17. The monitoring was held Aug. 17 under the mandate of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative on the line of contact near the Tatli village of Azerbaijans Aghstafa district. On the Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by field assistants of the OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative, Hristo Hristov and Simon Tiller. On the opposite side the monitoring was carried out by the personal representative of the OSCE chairperson-in-office Andrzej Kasprzyk and his field assistants Jiri Aberle and Peter Svedberg. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. A boy shopping with his dad at a Virginia Sam's Club Sunday afternoon was hurt when merchandise toppled from a shelf on top of him. According to WTVR, a pallet of water fell from a top shelf in the Colonial Heights store, landing on the boy: [Customer LaKeisha] Villegas, a registered school nurse, immediately started treating the injured young boy until help arrived. "It kind of hit him on the whole left side; he had two places where his arm was broken, from what I can tell, and a big contusion on the top his head," said Villegas. "You could see the bone coming out the top bottom and bruising all around," added Villegas. "I was just telling him it was going to be okay, he was doing good, they were taking care of him and calm down." Witnesses said the boy's father pulled him from the debris and EMS crews transported the boy to Southside Regional Medical Center. The Richmond Times-Dispatch, quoting local Battalion Chief John Anderson, reported: The water was bottled in what appear to be gallon jugs, according to photos from the scene shared on social media. Fire officials do not know what caused the jugs to fall, Anderson said. ... The boy was taken to Southside Regional Medical Center in Petersburg. His injuries were not life-threatening, Anderson said. Reports listed the child as either 3 or 4 years old. Young boy had 'exposed bone' after groceries fell on him at Sam's Club https://t.co/zgXFv86C5N pic.twitter.com/KJVIoaRKsg WTVR CBS 6 Richmond (@CBS6) August 16, 2016 The TV station said Sam's Club issued this statement about the incident: "We're incredibly saddened a young child was recently injured in one of our clubs. Our team in the club responded quickly and we're staying in touch with the family. We are doing all we can to help as he recovers. We immediately started looking into what caused the incident. Once we fully understand what happened, if we find we need to do something differently, we'll do it." John Wayne Strawser, Jr. John Wayne Strawser Jr. is facing charges in connection with the death of his ex-girlfriend in West Virginia and in a fatal I-81 shooting in Franklin County. (File photo.) KINGWOOD, WEST VIRINIA - One of Amy Lou Buckingham's family members had to dash out of the courtroom. She couldn't quite get out of the double oak doors of the Preston County Courthouse, though, before several loud sobs escaped. What brought her to tears was the 911 call from the night that Buckingham was killed. That call was played for the jury Wednesday in the trial of the man accused of shooting Buckingham - John Wayne Strawser Jr. Strawser is on trial in Buckingham's death, and after this trial concludes, he will be brought to Pennsylvania to face charges in connection with the January 2014 shooting death of Timothy "Asti" Davison on Interstate 81 in Franklin County. The 911 call was entered into evidence Wednesday, and in that recording, Buckingham's sister, Elsie, could be heard crying and panicking, telling the operator her sister had just been shot by John Strawser. It was saying she was shot by Strawser, though, that sent the investigation in only one direction, defense attorney Belinda Haynie argued Wednesday. Investigators looked for no other potential suspects that night after that call, she said. As the family cried, a neighbor performed CPR, trying to keep Buckingham alive. "C'mon Amy," the neighbor could be heard saying. "Help is on the way." Buckingham died of one gunshot wound to the chest, prosecutors are arguing. FBI-investigating-PA-mom-who-says-she-sold-twins-for-2000-dollars-each-Patricia-Fowler.jpg The FBI has been brought in on a bizarre and baffling case in which an Allegheny County mother, Patricia Fowler, allegedly admitted to police that she sold her fraternal twins for $2,000 each some 10 years ago. (screen shot/KDKA) The FBI has been brought in on a bizarre and baffling case in western Pa. in which a mother allegedly admitted to police that she sold her fraternal twins for $2,000 each some 10 years ago. The children turned up missing only recently when Allegheny County Children, Youth and Families' officials removed four other children from the Penn Hills, Pa. home in June. However, when someone checked the records, they found that six kids - not four - should have been living at the address. As TribLive.com recounts in a detailed report, the discrepancy prompted a police investigation into the missing male and female twins, who would be about 17 now. After their mother, Patricia Fowler, 47, allegedly fed officers a string of lies regarding the children's whereabouts, she eventually confessed that she had sold the children a decade ago: Fowler allegedly said she met a man named Mike "several years ago" at a Homestead bar, and Mike introduced her to Barbara, police wrote. She said she sold the twins to Barbara for $2,000 apiece. But Fowler later recanted that story, as well. In all, Fowler provided numerous variations of names and phone numbers when pressed about who was caring for the children, police wrote in the complaint. None could be verified. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children could not locate the twins, according to the complaint. Neither Penn Hills nor county CYF could verify the kids had ever enrolled in school, either in Pennsylvania or elsewhere. Meanwhile, officers from Penn Hills, Allegheny County and the FBI have attempted and thus-far failed to locate the twins, named in the complaint only as John and Jane Doe. Currently, investigators are chasing leads in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, TribLive reports. "No one seems to know where they are," Penn Hills Police Chief Howard Burton told TribLive, adding that he's never seen anything like this case in nearly five decades of policing. "No one seemed to care. They just moved on." Fowler currently faces charges of endangering the welfare of children and hindering a child welfare investigation. John Wayne Strawser, Jr. John Wayne Strawser Jr. is facing charges of first-degree murder in the shooting death of his ex-girlfriend in West Virginia. He's also facing Pennsylvania charges in a fatal shooting on I-81. (File photo.) KINGWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA - "He seemed like he didn't care." That's the impression West Virginia State Police Sgt. Craig DeBerry walked away with after he interviewed John Wayne Strawser Jr. at the police station. Often during that 45-minute recorded interviewed, played Wednesday for a Preston County jury, DeBerry and Trooper Jason Gallagher would stop Strawser and tell him, "I don't buy any of your story." They didn't believe Strawser when he told them Amy Lou Buckingham was only a casual sexual partner of his - just one of five. And they didn't believe Strawser when he told them he did not shoot and kill her. Amy Lou Buckingham Strawser is on trial in Kingwood, West Virginia, facing charges of first-degree murder and fleeing with recklessness. Trial started Tuesday and prosecutors have been arguing that Strawser, who had been in a relationship with Buckingham that recently ended, went to her home in Tunnelton, West Virginia, on April 16, 2015. She went outside to talk to him and investigators say he shot her once in the chest, ending her life. While in prison and awaiting trial in Buckingham's case, Strawser was charged with a shooting more than a year prior on Interstate 81 in Franklin County that killed Timothy "Asti" Davison. Strawser will face charges in that case once his trial in West Virginia has been concluded. One important piece of testimony so far in the West Virginia case has been his statement, which he gave police after his arrest the day after Buckingham's death. Through Strawser never admitted to shooting Buckingham, Prosecuting Attorney Mel Snyder said the statement shows Strawser's frame of mind. Buckingham had just been killed, and it seemed like a shock to even the state troopers when Strawser casually said she was just one of five women he would regularly have sex with, then added, "Well, four now" and "Four of them is fine." He told police that he was at her home at one point, but when she said she was seeing someone else, he left. Strawser added it's not unusual to hear gunshots in the area of Buckingham's home, usually coming from neighbors shooting cats and coyotes. But toward the end of his statement, as police continued to grill him, he said that he may have seen her fall as she walked away, but thought it was because of the steep incline. "What are you getting at? I shot an innocent person?" he asked toward the end of the statement, and then revealed to them, "I cared for Amy." Check with PennLive for continuing coverage of this trial. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 Trend: The Baku Office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has met with the Armenian citizen Henrik Agetsyan, who was detained while crossing into Azerbaijan. An opportunity was created to transfer information about the detained to his family, in addition, information from Henriks family was transferred to him, ICRC Baku Office's Public Relations Department head Ilaha Huseynova told Trend Aug. 17. Azerbaijani servicemen detained Armenian citizen Henrik Agetsyan Aug. 7 when he tried to cross into Azerbaijans Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons of Azerbaijan notified the ICRC about the incident. 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. Libre the dog Libre the puppy is held by a staff member at Dillsburg Veterinary Center on July 13, 2016. (Dillsburg Veterinary Center/Facebook) A Lancaster County judge has signed an order vacating an embattled SPCA official's powers of arrest after a controversial case of suspected animal abuse that drew attention worldwide as much for its graphic details as its initial failure to prompt an arrest. Last week, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office announced it would seek the removal of embattled Lancaster SPCA Director Susan Martin's appointment as a humane officer with the organization, citing concerns with her handling of the widely publicized case of Libre the puppy, and a belief she had "conducted her authority to enforce cruelty laws in a substandard fashion" in other cases as well. The announcement came as the DA's office revealed it would be filing an animal cruelty charge against the puppy's owner, a charge it said Martin failed to file despite copious and obvious supporting evidence. The puppy was found on a Lancaster County farm in early July, reportedly infested with maggots and "hours from death." Photos of the Boston Terrier's condition were widely circulated, and prompted outrage from across the nation and world, as well as a torrent of angry letters over the initial lack of criminal charges. The DA said the public outcry played no role in his decision to file a summary animal cruelty count against the animal's owner, 33-year-old Benjamin Stoltzfus of Quarryville, or to seek Martin's suspension as humane officer. Martin had initially claimed she lacked legal grounds to charge anyone in the puppy's case, but the DA's office said a follow-up investigation by state police found Stoltzfus openly admitted he failed to obtain veterinary care for the animal as required by law. Martin shot back days later, saying her decision not to file charges against the owner came only after conferring with the DA's office. They, in turn, disputed the claim. But despite initial resistance to calls for her to step down, Martin has reportedly agreed to a revocation of her powers as humane officer, the DA's office reported Wednesday. The decision avoids a hearing on the matter that was slated for Aug. 22. According to the DA's office, an order stating that Martin "knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily agreed to the revocation of her powers and authority," was signed by president county judge Dennis Reinaker early Wednesday. Martin's signature is affixed to the order, the DA says. "We look forward to the future which will involve a more professionalized and collaborative approach to animal cruelty law enforcement in Lancaster County," DA Craig Stedman said later in the day. "I am also making efforts to facilitate legislative action regarding animal cruelty laws in Pennsylvania and am eager to continue those discussions with lawmakers." In calling for Martin's ouster last week, Stedman was critical of a lack of training required of humane officers, like her, in Pennsylvania. He also criticized state animal cruelty laws which he said fail to provide adequate punishments for abusers. Absent Martin, Stedman explained, local and state police in Lancaster County will be the first line of defense or point of contact for cruelty cases. "We are in the process of developing a countywide training regimen for all officers whom will be involved in these investigations," Stedman added of the new approach. "I will be meeting with representatives from Humane Society of United States to begin this process in Lancaster County." Martin's suspension as humane officer comes amid lean times for the local SPCA branch which as of last year had only a handful of humane officials covering a fairly vast area, one often extending beyond the borders of Lancaster County, home to half-a-million people and an untold number of animals on its own. In announcing a shift in protocol, Stedman said he was confident that "animals all over the county will be safer and more protected than ever before" as a result. Martin was not immediately available for comment. KINGWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA - He was charged in connection with a fatal shooting on Interstate 81, but before John Wayne Strawser Jr. is brought to Franklin County to face those charges, he will go to trial in another case in West Virginia. John Wayne Strawser, Jr. A jury was selected in that case in Preston County Court on Tuesday, and opening statements are set to begin Wednesday morning. Strawser is facing charges of first-degree murder in the shooting death of ex-girlfriend Amy Lou Buckingham in Tunnelton, West Virginia, on April 16, 2015. He is also facing a charge of fleeing after police say he led them on a high-speed chase through the county before he was arrested. Strawser has also been charged in the death of Timothy "Asti" Davison, 28, of Poland, Maine, who was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Jan. 4, 2014. Davison had been driving north after visiting friends and family in Florida when a pickup truck forced his vehicle into the median of I-81 in Franklin County and the driver shot him to death, state police said. Police believe Strawer mistook Davison's vehicle for that of friends with whom he'd been feuding. Kathleen Kane trial: Day 6 Kathleen Kane's departure from the Attorney General's office doesn't necessarily mean she won't be a part of the race to succeed her. Campaigns are assessing the battlefield for the home stretch. ED HILLE / Inquirer Staff Photographer This post was updated at 10:36 p.m. with an additional response from the Shapiro campaign. So, Kathleen Kane has left the building. What's that mean for the race to succeed her as Pennsylvania Attorney General? Time will tell. But it became clear on Kane's last official day in office Wednesday that her resignation is being viewed quite differently by supporters of Republican John Rafferty and Democrat Josh Shapiro. For Democrats, it's a chance to turn the page, and let their new nominee shine. Republicans, meanwhile, hinted Kane - in office or out - will continue to be a part of the Rafferty campaign. Maybe one of its biggest parts. Shapiro supporters argued their candidate benefits from Kane's quick resignation after her Monday night conviction on perjury, obstruction of justice and other charges. Marcel Groen, state chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, said Wednesday he has always felt Shapiro was going to be able to separate himself from Kane just fine. But with the embattled incumbent off center stage? Even better. "It now becomes something that's an old story that's played out... and that will allow people to direct their focus to the quality of the candidates," Groen said, adding he believes that's a battle that Shapiro wins. One independent analyst cautioned Wednesday that it may be easy to over-estimate the Kane factor in a presidential election cycle. "I think Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have a much bigger impact on the Attorney General's race than Kathleen Kane," said Chris Borick, political science professor and pollster at Muhlenberg College. "Who's turning out for that presidential race can be the deciding factor as much as their individual campaigns." That said, he agreed that Shapiro probably benefits from Kane's resignation. "If I'm Josh Shapiro, I'm thrilled that she's out, because it's one less thing that I have to deal with throughout the fall," Borick said. "Her personal story goes on... but that's now background noise. The resignation helps put even more distance between him and Kathleen Kane, and I think that's the place his campaign wants to be." But Rafferty partisans said Wednesday they still believe there's a strong Kane connection to be made, and as things stand now it may be their best chance to separate the Attorney General's race in voters' minds. Shapiro, Rafferty campaign consultant Mike Barley noted Wednesday, was a Kane supporter in 2012, is of the same party, and ostensibly has even less experience than Kane either directly as a prosecutor or running a law enforcement office. (Shapiro has argued his executive experience as a Montgomery County Commissioner puts him in good stead to run the statewide row office: "We need a competent executive who knows how to make government work again," he told PennLive before the April primary. Rafferty has touted his stint as a deputy attorney general from 1988 through 1991.) Barley said those attempts to portray Shapiro as a Kane redux may be Rafferty's best chance to separate the AG's race from the top of the ticket - especially if Trump continues to lag here. Republicans will look to remind voters what's happened in that office over the last four years, and get them to focus on who's best positioned "to put it back to what it's focus is supposed to be," Barley said. "We're certainly going to point out that the last time we elected the less experienced candidate we had some issues." As if to prove the point, here's an excerpt from the statement Rafferty's campaign put out Monday night, after the jury verdict came down. "I do believe this sad chapter can serve as a turning point and an opportunity for Pennsylvania to reform this important office with new leadership that will place the protection of people from crimes and fraud over politics.... "Sadly, my opponent will be nothing more than a continuation of the failed Kane Administration. Commissioner Shapiro views this office as a political stepping stone to the Governor's Mansion, and with zero relevant experience I fear he would commit the same transgressions we have seen over the last four years." Groen and Shapiro campaign manager Joe Radosevich said Democrats will happily match Shapiro's experience with Rafferty's. "Voters are looking for someone who has the experience to clean up a mess and protect their safety," Radosevich said in an email to PennLive Wednesday night. "For more than a decade Senator Rafferty has been part of the failure in Harrisburg that has let Pennsylvanians down, while Josh turned around Montgomery County and delivered the largest drop in opioid overdose deaths in the Commonwealth. Josh's pragmatic leadership is what Pennsylvanians want." It's not clear exactly how Kane came to her decision to resign, though some legal experts said earlier this week that a strategy of contrition could be the smart way to approach this period before her sentencing. Leading Democrats including Groen and former Gov. Ed Rendell said this week they had not weighed in with her. John Wayne Strawser, Jr. John Wayne Strawser, Jr. is on trial in West Virginia, where he is accused of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend, Amy Lou Buckingham. He has also been charged in connection with the I-81 shooting death of Timothy Davison in Franklin County. (File photo.) KINGWOOD, WEST VIRGINIA - When Amy Lou Buckingham was shot and killed outside of her home in Tunnelton, West Virginia, the police were after one person. John Wayne Strawser Jr. And in their search for Strawser, they focused their attention on him to the exclusion of everyone else, Strawser's attorney, Belinda Haynie, told a Preston County jury on Wednesday. "'It is a capital mistake to theorize before you have all the evidence,'" Haynie said, quoting Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And that, she said, is where the police went wrong when they chased Strawser through the county and arrested him in connection with Buckingham's death. And going into trial, she pointed out that the prosecution has no direct evidence that it was Strawser who pulled the trigger, ending Buckingham's life. Did obsession turn John Wayne Strawswer Jr. into a killer? A jury was selected Tuesday, and trial started Wednesday morning in Preston County Court for Strawser, who is facing one count of first-degree murder after police say he shot Buckingham outside of her home in Tunnelton, West Virginia. He is also facing a charge of fleeing with reckless indifference after investigators say he led police on a high-speed chase after the shooting. Strawser was also connected with the January 2014 shooting death of Timothy "Asti" Davison on Interstate 81 in Franklin County. But before he can face his charges in Pennsylvania, he is first going to trial in West Virginia. And in the West Virginia case, Prosecuting Attorney Mel Snyder told the jury that they are about to hear an incredibly sad case over the next couple of days. "Amy Lou Buckingham was shot in the chest with a large-caliber firearm," Snyder said. "And it can't be disputed that the defendant is the one who shot her." Though Buckingham's family members did not see the actual shooting that occurred outside of their home, they were inside when it happened. Snyder said her father and son ran out and saw Buckingham collapsed in the driveway and saw Strawser, whom she had been talking to, driving away. A 911 call put the authorities on high alert as they pursued Strawser, who was arrested the next day. More than the family members who heard the shot, Snyder said Strawser sent Buckingham a series of angry text messages that night, showing his state of mind over the end of their relationship and the fact that she was seeing someone new. And when Strawser spoke to the police, Snyder pointed out that he gave callous, cold responses in addressing Buckingham's death. He told the police Buckingham was one of five sexual partners, then Snyder pointed out Strawser added, "Well, four now." But the prosecution is building its case on assumptions, Strawser's attorney told jurors. "Assumptions were made," Haynie argued. "Erroneous assumptions that set off a chain of events that sent the investigation only in one direction to the exclusion of others." All of the evidence is circumstantial with no direct evidence showing Strawser shot Buckingham, Haynie said, adding the prosecution does not have: An eye witness, Forensic evidence, DNA, Direct evidence linking Strawser to the gun. Investigators did not talk to neighbors, either, who could attest that it's not uncommon for gunshots to be heard at night in that neighborhood, mainly from residents keeping coyotes at bay. "What happened to Ms. Buckingham is a tragedy, but it's a tragedy that remains unproven," Haynie said. Trial will resume Wednesday afternoon. Ottawa-Vanier MP Mauril Belanger gives the thumbs up as he receives applause after using a tablet with text-to-speech program to defend his proposed changes to neutralize gender in the lyrics to "O Canada" in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, May 6, 2016. Mauril Belanger, a Liberal member of Parliament for more than two decades and a lifelong advocate for francophone rights in English Canada, has died. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld FILE - In this July 21, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, center, accompanied by Trump campaign aide Rick Gates, left, prepares for his speech at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. TrumpAos campaign chairman Paul Manafort helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political partyAos efforts to influence U.S. policy. Manafort and business associate Gates, were working in 2012 on behalf of the political party of UkraineAos then-president, Viktor Yanukovych. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) Details added (first version posted on 14:50) Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Two Azerbaijani banks, the Caucasus Development Bank and AtraBank, licenses of which were revoked by the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) in January 2016, have been declared bankrupt, said Azerbaijan Deposit Insurance Fund (ADIF) in a message Aug. 17. The message said the decision on the banks bankruptcy has been made recently by the Baku Administrative-Economical Court No. 1. ADIF has been appointed the liquidator of the two banks. The CBA revoked the two banks' licenses on Jan. 27, 2016. The CBA had said the two banks' licenses were revoked because their total capitals didn't correspond to the minimum requirement of 50 million manats. The banks also couldn't fulfill obligations to creditors, CBA explained. AtraBank began to operate in Azerbaijan in 1992 and the Caucasus Development Bank started operations in 1997. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: As much as 292 state-owned objects and facilities have been privatized in Kazakhstan as of Aug. 16, Kazakh Finance Ministry reported on Aug. 17. Kazakh state budget got 6.99 billion tenges (343.73 tenges = $1) from privatization deals reached in this period, while the regional budgets received 4.69 billion tenges, national holdings got 67.42 billion tenges, and the socio-entrepreneurial corporations received 6.2 billion tenges. Kazakhstan plans to sell 1,008 state-owned objects and facilities to private owners within the privatization plan for 2014-2020, Kazakh finance ministry said. The privatization program was initiated by Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev. Within the privatization plan, Kazakhstan will transfer such large state-owned companies as Kazakhstan Railways, KazMunaiGas, Kazatomprom, Samruk-Energy, Tau-Ken Samruk, Kazpost, Air Astana, Kazgeology, Kazmortransflot National Maritime Shipping Company, Atyrau Refinery, Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant, and PetroKazakhstan Oil Products to a competitive environment. East Jordan wins first playoff game since 1999, beat Frankfort in OT FRANKFORT If you were looking for the last time the East Jordan football team earned a playoff victory before Friday, you had to do a bit of scrolling in the record books. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Iran is preparing to soon resume crude oil swap with Caspian states, director of Iran's North Oil Terminal, Hamid Reza Shahdoust, said. Preparations began at Neka oil terminal for oil swap based on order of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), Shahdoust said, IRNA news agency reported Aug. 17. Talks were held with Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Russia and Kazakhstan on the issue, he said, adding more serious talks are underway with Kazakh side. Shahdoust further said the country plans to increase the swap capacity with Caspian states from the current level of 120,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.5 million bpd. Earlier, Pirouz Mousavi, the managing director of the Iranian Oil Terminals Company (IOTC), said Russia and Kazakhstan have expressed readiness to resume crude oil swap with Iran. The IOTC has the capacity to swap 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day, Mousavi said. Meanwhile, the head of the NIOC Department of International Affairs, Mohsen Ghamsari said previously that the former counterparts so far do not trust Tehran on oil swap. In 2010, Iran stopped oil swaps with Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The Hague International Court of Justice fined NICO of Iran $5.5 million due to stopping the swap of oil with its international partners. Under oil swap agreements, which started in 1997 and were in place for over 12 years, Iran received crude oil of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan in the Neka port and delivered an equal volume to the clients of the same countries in Persian Gulf. The total income received by Iran from these swap transactions from 1997 to 2009 amounted to about $880 million. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Irans oil export reached 2.74 million barrels per day (mbpd) in July, Mohsen Ghamsari, director of the International Affairs Department at National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), said. The Islamic Republic exported 2.1 million barrels of crude oil, as well as 600,000 barrels of gas condensate per day in July, Ghamsari said, SHANA news agency reported Aug. 17. He further said Irans crude oil export enjoys a good level currently, but it is still below the pre-sanctions level, which was 2.35 mbpd. Ghamsari said that about 25 percent of Irans crude oil export goes to Europe, while Asian markets share 75 percent of Irans crude oil exports. He also said Iran exports gas condensate to Asian customers only. Tehran eyes to export 63 percent of its crude oil to Asian markets and the remaining to European and other consumers, Ghamsari added. He also said talks are underway with certain Asian and European countries for the sale of oil, adding the details will be shared with public once the talks are concluded. Under international sanctions, which extended into early 2016, Irans oil export dropped from 2.3 to 1 million barrels a day. Tehran, Iran, Aug. 17 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: Volkswagen and an Iranian car maker are going to sign a contract in the few days to come, according to which the German and Iranian companies will produce cars in Iran, Irans Deputy Minister of Industry Mansour Moazami said. By the end of the current Iranian fiscal year (March 20), Iran is expected to sign four or five deals with foreign companies in car making, the official said, ILNA news agency reported Aug. 17. Two major Iranian car makers have recently signed contracts with foreign counterparts for joint car production. Iran-Khodro signed a deal with Peugeot and Saipa signed one with Citroen. Irans car production stood at 900,000 the last Iranian year. Moazami said the number is expected to rise to 1.3 million this year. Tehran, Iran, Aug. 16 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is tapping the current events of the region to boost the countrys power, said Mehdi Motaharnia, a political science professor at Tehran Islamic Azad University, in reference to recent boost of intimacy between Iran and Turkey. As a regional and international actor, Turkey faces a kind of paradox of identity in its internal and foreign policies, which are being tapped to meet the requirements of reviving the Ottoman magnificence, Motaharnia told Trend. The traditional identity of politics in Turkey is national-realistic. In other words, nationalistic orientations are based on the revival of Ottomanism within the framework of the Justice and Development Partys neo-Ottomanist approach, which is now followed in Erdogans discourse, he added. As for the realistic side, this Erdoganist orientation well realizes that to take the initial steps aimed at establishing its power in the region, and then on international level, it needs to play with big powers and thereby gain advantages, the political analyst underlined. Therefore, in Erdogans recent moves in foreign policy, we see a kind of wavelike move, which, tapping various internal and international events, has started this sinuous game to receive more advantages from other regional and international powers. That is why he once lashes out at the performance of the Israeli president in his country, and once tries to resolve issues between Israel and Turkey. Regarding a change in Turkeys foreign policy in the days following the recent failed coup, Motaharnia said, Using the recent coup in Turkey, he is approaching the Eastern side, also known as the resistance front in the Syrian crisis, to create grounds for acquiring more advantages from the opposite side, and at the same time to receive its special advantages from the actors on this side of the crisis. So, I believe that Erdogan very sagaciously tries through his wavelike policy to use the current issues of the region and act as a kind of counterweight among all these actors to gain more advantages in order to revive the Turkish power as led by Erdogan himself, said Motaharnia. Formerly at odds with Tehran and Moscow over regional issues, including the Syrian crisis, Ankara has recently shown willingness to grow more intimate to the two regional players. Relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated when Turkey shot down a Russian Su-24 bomber with two pilots on board. On June 27, Erdogan sent a letter of condolences to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the death of a Su-24 pilot and expressed regret over the incident. After the letter, the two countries relations began to improve. Ankara also spoke appealingly to Tehran in the wake of the failed mid-July coup, with the result that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif traveled to Turkey on Aug. 12 where the sides exchanged friendly remarks. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Iranian parliaments speaker Ali Larijani has said no military base was given to Russia, Tasnim news agency reports. No base in Iran has been given to Russian military, Larijani said. Tehran cooperates with Moscow on regional issues, including Syria, but no base has been given to them. Larijani also dismissed the media reports on the issue. He made the remarks during a parliament session held Aug 17 after MP Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said the deployment of Russian military forces in Nojeh airbase in Irans western Hamadan city is against the Article 146 of the Islamic Republics Constitution. Falahatpisheh, who is a member of the parliaments Foreign Policy and National Security Commission, said Russia has shown in recent years that it has a different and volatile foreign policy. The Iranian MP further said, The world powers follow their own interests in their foreign policy. They have indicated that whenever the Islamic Republic is faced with a crisis, they stand against our country, Falahatpisheh added. Reacting to the reports about deployment of Russian bombers in Iran, Ali Shamkhani, head of Irans National Security Council, said earlier that Tehran and Moscow are sharing facilities and capacities in the fight against terrorism. The Tehran-Moscow cooperation in fighting terrorism in Syria is strategic and we exchange capacities and facilities in this regard, added Shamkhani. On Aug. 16, Russia said its Tu-22M3 and Su-34 bombers are deployed in Iran and from there the aircraft are hitting the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Syria. The Tu-22M3 long-range strategic bombers and Sukhoi Su-34 strike fighters, taking off from Irans Hamadan Airbase, have hit the positions of the IS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups in Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib, RIA Novosti reported citing a Russian Defense Ministry message Aug. 16. After the sorties, the bombers returned to the base in Iran. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Irans Foreign Ministry has dismissed the reports about the arrest of two European diplomats. No foreign diplomat was arrested in the countrys west, an informed source in Irans Foreign Ministry said, ISNA news agency reported Aug. 17. The two diplomats visit to one of the countrys western provinces was already coordinated, the source said. The travel and meetings were made with a prior notice, the source added. The diplomats vehicle was stopped by police only for checking the documents and they continued to their trip after being identified, according to the Iranian Foreign Ministry source. Meanwhile, Mehr news agency quoted an IRGC intelligence official in Kurdistan Province as saying the diplomats were suspiciously filming military sites and when ordered to stop, they fled. A Toyota Pajero with a diplomatic license plate was finally forced to stop near Irankhah village, close to Saqqez city, said the official. The incident occurred on Aug 13, the IRGC official said, adding the vehicles passengers were Sebastien Surun, French political attache, and Charlotte Lopez, second secretary of the British Embassy in Tehran. The security official further said the two diplomats were driving illegally through some regions of Kurdistan Province without having any permission or prior coordination. He also said the IRGC intelligence forces sized the diplomats camera. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print At a Philadelphia rally on Tuesday, Hillary Clinton acknowledged that her campaign is doing fine right now, likely referencing a growing amount of polling data that shows the race leaning heavily in her favor. As FiveThirtyEights Nate Silver said today on Twitter, Still no sign of Clintons convention bounce if we can call it that abating. This all good news for the Democratic nominee and those who dont want a man-sized child to have his hands on the nuclear codes. Still, Clinton went to the highest populated city in Pennsylvania and a heavy Democratic stronghold and told voters not to rest on their laurels or be complacent. Video: Clinton said: So dont be complacent, my friends, because even though were doing fine right now, Im not taking anybody anywhere for granted. Were going to work hard these next 85 days, and I cant do it without your help. This is the most consequential election the stakes could not be higher and we want everybody in Philadelphia, everybody across Pennsylvania, to be part of a great victory in November and then the future that were going to build together. Right now, Hillary Clinton is probably about as satisfied with her prospects as she ever has been and rightly so. With just 85 days to go, her lead over Trump is strong just about everywhere and Trump just so happens to be imploding. But nothing is guaranteed in politics, as she knows. Voters still need to turn out. Unforeseen events that could benefit Trump are still possible. Democrats should be excited about the decreasing probability of a Trump presidency but they shouldnt be complacent. Instead, they should carry their excitement all the way to their polling place on Nov. 8 and slam the door on Trump once and for all. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump touts the size of the crowds at his rallies as proof of his campaigns success, but some of the people attending Trumps rallies arent registered and dont intend to vote in November. A common talking point of the Trump campaign is that the size of their rally crowds will translate into votes. On Sunday, Donald Trump tweeted: My rallies are not covered properly by the media. They never discuss the real message and never show crowd size or enthusiasm. Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 14, 2016 However, The New York Times reported that some Trump supporters arent planning on voting: Mr. Trump has pointed to the usually large numbers of people at his rallies, and their evident enthusiasm, as signs of strong support that will translate into energetic early voters. But during the Republican primaries, some Trump admirers at his rallies admitted they were not registered and had no plans to vote, and Trump advisers say that their voter registration efforts have been relatively modest. Mrs. Clinton, by contrast, urges people at her rallies to register to vote, pointing them to clipboard-carrying volunteers who have forms to dispense and details about when, where and how to cast ballots. It is a matter of organization. Hillary Clintons events always include voter registration efforts. Clinton events have been known to have booths outside and inside the venue to register voters. As The Times pointed out, the Democratic nominee has a team of volunteers at her rallies ready to register voters. Donald Trump has nothing. Trumps campaign doesnt have a get out the vote effort. It is like Trump just assumes that the voters will watch him on television then magically show up at the polls on Election Day. It doesnt work that way. The celebrity factor plays a big part in Trumps crowd size, but some of the people who show up for the Trump spectacle have no intention of voting for the Republican nominee in November. Whats even worse is that Trump has no mechanism in place to convert those attendees into voters. Donald Trump got the Republican nomination with a smoke and mirrors campaign, but it turns out that some in his crowds have no intention of voting for president in the fall. With each passing day, it is becoming clear that the Trump campaign is sham whose sole purpose is to nourish the ego of Donald J. Trump. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump traveled to Wisconsin on Tuesday to read another teleprompter speech likely written by his handlers on the topic of law and order. The event was originally scheduled to be a rally, but a last-minute change by the Trump campaign turned it into a major policy speech. Live video: As a result of the recent turmoil in Milwaukee, it would be political suicide to send Trump into such unrest without a script to stick to. After all, he does have a habit of inciting violence and throwing gasoline on already raging wildfires. But Trump isnt alone in his travels. According to reporting from Ali Vitali, Trump isnt traveling alone in his pointless trip to the Badger State: Trump en route from MKE > West Bend to end the day w/ remarks on law and order. Priebus, Walker, Giuliani riding in motorcade as well. Ali Vitali (@alivitali) August 17, 2016 Another question comes to mind when thinking about Trumps trip to Wisconsin: Why? The latest polling shows Trump losing to Clinton in the state by an average of 10 points. Trump lost soundly in Wisconsin to Ted Cruz during the primary season. Like his recent trip to Connecticut, Donald Trumps event in Wisconsin is a fools errand. And it comes as more important swing states Florida, Virginia, New Hampshire, etc. are slipping away. In Wisconsin, Trump may promise to be the law and order candidate, but he cant even restore order in his own presidential campaign. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Fatih Karimov Trend: Russian bombers only refuel at the Nojeh airbase in Irans western Hamadan city, Alaeddin Boroujerdi, head of parliaments Foreign Policy and National Security Commission, has said. He further said Irans Supreme National Security Council has issued permission for the Russian aircraft conducting sorties against terrorists in Syria to refuel in the base, Tasnim news agency reported Aug. 17. Boroujerdi added that the refueling of Russian planes is done within the quadripartite cooperation between Iran, Russia, Syria and Iraq. Neither Hamadan airbase has become a Russian base, nor any Russian fighter has been deployed there, so this isnt against the Islamic Republics constitution, the senior MP said. This cooperation is carried out in line with Irans goals in fighting terrorism, he added. On Aug. 16, Russia said its Tu-22M3 and Su-34 bombers are deployed in Iran and from there the aircraft are hitting the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group in Syria. Some Iranian politicians raised concerns on the issue, saying the move is against the Islamic Republics constitution. During a parliament session held Aug 17, Iranian MP Heshmatollah Falahatpisheh said the deployment of Russian military forces in the Nojeh airbase is against the Article 146 of the Islamic Republics constitution. In response to him, Iranian parliaments speaker Ali Larijani said no military base was given to Russia. No base in Iran has been given to Russian military, Larijani said. Tehran cooperates with Moscow on regional issues, including Syria, but no base has been given to them. Elsewhere in his remarks, Boroujerdi rejected some Israeli media reports about deployment of Russias S-400 air defense system in the Nojeh airbase. Nothing by Russia has been deployed on the Islamic Republics soil, he underlined. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Republicans got even more bad news as a new poll of Indiana revealed that Democrat Evan Bayh is leading in the race for a Senate seat that Republicans thought would stay in their column. According to Monmouth University: Turning to the race to succeed retiring Republican U.S. Senator Dan Coats, former senator Bayh holds a 48% to 41% lead over Congressman Todd Young. Libertarian Lucy Brenton garners 4% of the vote and 7% are undecided. While 76% of Trump supporters are backing Young, 16% say they will split their ticket and vote for Bayh. Among Clinton supporters, 89% will vote for Bayh and just 3% will split their ticket for Young. . Nearly half of Indiana voters (46%) have a favorable view of Bayh, and just 19% have an unfavorable view, with 35% expressing no opinion. Young is not as well-known, with a rating of 29% favorable and 15% unfavorable while 55% register no opinion of him. There have been some questions about Bayhs last-minute decision to run for his old Senate seat. Indiana voters are more likely to see this move as Bayh just wanting to get back into politics (42%) rather than a desire to serve the public (31%). Another 4% see it as both motivations equally, and 23% have no opinion. If Bayh secures a return to the Senate, Democrats would be only seat short of a return to the majority if they get expected wins in Illinois and Wisconsin along with Indiana. A Bayh victory and a Clinton White House win would mean that Democrats would have a wide variety of options for taking back the Senate. A win in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Arizona, or Florida would be enough combined with holding to the Senate seat in Nevada to end Mitch McConnells time as Senate Majority Leader. The Democratic position to retake the Senate is getting even stronger with Evan Bayh leading in the Indiana Senate race. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print *The following is an opinion column by R Muse* Over the past few years there has been such an abundance of news stories about unarmed African Americans being gunned down by police officers with veritable impunity that it is stunning when the criminal justice system actually appears to work for the victim. Last week there was another unarmed African American shot dead in Raleigh North Carolina by an alleged neighborhood watch member that is as close to the circumstances surrounding the senseless murder of Trayvon Martin at the hands of George Zimmerman as could be imagined. Where the similarities stop are in the case of a white guy with a gun, Chad Copley, killing an unarmed African American man, Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, and the shooter being charged with 1st degree murder. Mr. Thomas and a friend were in the process of leaving a party in Raleigh because there were no ladies in attendance. The pair didnt get off the premises before a 39-year-old white man, Chad Copley, shot Mr. Thomas from his garage and through a window in the door. Copley claimed, like George Zimmerman that he was simply performing his neighborhood watch duty and securing his neighborhood from the hoodlums attending his neighbors party. In the 911 call recording, Copley tells the dispatcher to send a police car because he was locked and loaded and was going outside to confront a group of hoodlums (African American males) attending the neighbors party. Copley told the dispatcher We got a bunch of hoodlums out here racing. Im going outside to secure my neighborhood. Likely astonished at what she had just heard, the dispatcher responded by asking, Youre going to do what? Copley attempted to set up his legal defense prior to committing murder by saying: Im going to secure my neighborhood. Im on neighborhood watch. I am going to have the neighborhood meet these hoodlums out here racing up and down the street. Its 1 in the morning. Theres some devil in them. They have firearms and were going to secure our neighborhood. If I was you, I would send PD out here as quickly as possible. Within a couple of minutes, the racist was back on the phone telling the 911 dispatcher: 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. I fired my warning shot like Im supposed to by law. They do have firearms, and Im trying to protect myself and my family. When the dispatcher attempted to glean more information like asking, Whos been shot, how badly are they injured and where, exactly, is the victim, Copley responded, Please just send a car. Theres friggin black males outside my friggin house with firearms. Please, send PD. Thank you. When officers arrived, they found 20-year-old African American Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas dying of a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later. Although some details of the fatal confrontation were unclear, the responding Raleigh police say Copley, who is white, fired at Mr. Thomas from inside his garage. After questioning, Copley was transported to Wake County jail where he was rightly arrested and charged with first-degree murder. Copley could face the death penalty if convicted unless his legal defense team invokes the em>white privilege defense at which time he will be declared innocent and hailed by conservatives as a great American hero. That is, after all, how it typically works when a white guy with a gun shoots and kills an unarmed African American. Police reported that no-one was armed. And common sense informs that with a friend laying near the street dying and no indication the shooter was finished securing his neighborhood, it is extremely unlikely there was even one friggin black male outside Mr. Copleys house intending harm to him or his family with firearms. Thankfully the police were privy to Copleys 911 call and discovered Copley had actually secured his neighborhood from the friendly confines of his garage. In fact, according to a report by the News and Observer, at the scene where Mr. Thomas was killed glass lay in the driveway and front lawn where the blast came through the window. Blood stains and bloody gauze were left in the yard a few feet from the street. Obviously, Copley did not go out to confront the hoodlums with his neighborhood watch team to secure his neighborhood; he hid in his garage and gunned down Mr. Thomas as he had planned from the minute he called 911. Dont believe it? In the recording of the first 911 call, at the 22 second mark Copley can be heard clearly saying Im a kill em in referring to what he claimed were hoodlums. Hoodlum, like thug is white racist code for African American males. Despite the clarity of Copleys purpose in being locked and loaded to secure his neighborhood his attorney Raymond C. Tarlton released a statement urging the community to be fair to his poor client, and not jump to conclusions: We have seen too many wrongful convictions for anyone or any organization to jump to conclusions on the basis of someone being charged. We have just gotten involved and are at the beginning stages of our investigation. We urge restraint and that folks not rush to judgment. At this point we cannot say anything more. Frankly, Mr. Tarlton cannot possibly have much to say in his clients defense at any point in their investigation that will change the premeditation of murder. At no stage of the defenses involvement will he be able to alter that 911 police recording of Copley saying Ima kill em or that he was locked and loaded to go secure his neighborhood with a firearm from inside his garage and through a doors window. Law enforcement officials say there was no neighborhood watch group in the neighborhood and if there was, police counsel residents strongly to call the police if they see suspicious activity and under no circumstances attempt to take matters into their own hands. Although it appears the early stages in the criminal justice system process may provide justice for Mr. Thomas and signal a possible turning point in holding armed citizens to account for killing unarmed and innocent African Americans, one is reticent to hold out much hope. However, at least the shooter is being held in jail and faces the death penalty if convicted. It is not that the death penalty solves anything, it doesnt solve anything. But at least in this case the shooter has to face the prospects of losing his freedom forever because he wantonly killed an innocent and unarmed African American man confident that he would walk away a free man like George Zimmerman. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Republicans shook up Trumps failing campaign today by promoting his pollster to campaign manager because she has a reputation for treating the Republican nominee like a child and keeping him calm. Trump stated in the press release that his former pollster/new campaign manager will be traveling with him often, Ms. Conway, a highly sought-after pollster, will work on messaging and travel frequently with Mr. Trump, while working closely with Mr. Bannon and Mr. Manafort on all aspects of the campaign moving forward. The reason why Kellyanne Conway will often be traveling with Trump tells voters everything they need to know about his temperament problem. According to a July 2016 Washington Post story, Trumps new campaign manager treats Trump like she does her 11-year-old daughter: Conway, 49, hints how shell tackle this challenge. You cant just tell Trump what to do, she said. You have to give him options. She illustrates the point with a story about her 11-year-old daughter. When Claudia emerged from her room on Memorial Day sporting turquoise, Conway asked her to change into blue. She goes, Turquoise is blue. And it is. But it wasnt a shade available to Betsy Ross when she stayed up through the night sewing the damn flag. She chose not to argue with the preteen, which would have delayed their morning. Instead, she laid out four Betsy Ross blue choices on her bed. Minutes later, she says, she came out in one of those shades. Conway follows the same approach with the Republican presidential nominee. Never command. That could insult him. Always make suggestions, backed with information in 10-second sound bites: Betsy Ross lacked turquoise. Female voters want compassion. Conway got promoted to campaign manager because Donald Trump needs a babysitter who will treat him like a child. This is the man that the Republican Party is trying to tell voters is ready to occupy the White House, and make life or death decisions. People who are qualified and ready to be president dont need babysitters to travel with them and keep them calm. With these moves, the Trump campaign and Republican Party are admitting that the nominee doesnt have advisers. Trump needs handlers to keep him under control. Donald Trump is a 70-year-old adult, who should not need a babysitter nearby to treat him like a child and keep him calm. The Trump campaign can call Conways position a promotion, but it is really a glorified day care job whose sole purpose is to keep the man who Republicans nominated to be the next President Of The United States from throwing tantrums all day. Trump is so out of control that he has been assigned a babysitter in a last-ditch attempt to keep the unhinged senior citizen from destroying the Republican Party. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print In a move that will doom the Republican Party, Trump fired his campaign manager to run as full blown racist who will relentlessly push conspiracy theories just like he did in the GOP primary. Robert Costa of The Washington Post provided some insight into why Trump turned his campaign over to the boss of Breitbart News: Trumps stunning decision effectively ended the months-long push by campaign chairman Paul Manafort to moderate Trumps presentation and pitch for the general election. And it sent a signal, perhaps more clearly than ever, that the real-estate magnate intends to finish this race on his own terms, with friends who share his instincts at his side. . Bannon, in phone calls and meetings, has been urging Trump for months to not mount a fall campaign that makes Republican donors and officials comfortable, the aides said. Instead, Bannon has been telling Trump to run more fully as an outsider and an unabashed nationalist. Trump has listened intently to Bannon and agreed with him, believing that voters will ultimately want a presidential candidate who represents disruption more than a candidate with polished appeal, the aides said. The demotion of Paul Manafort happened because Trump wants to be the winging it racist who calls Mexicans rapists and threatens to ban all Muslims. Manafort had been trying to get Trump to be more professional and change his tone. The removal of his campaign manager suggests that we have seen the end of TelePromTer Trump and the consistent return of the raving lunatic who says whatever pops into his head. Todays moves are the second major shakeup of the Trump campaign in a matter of months. The Trump campaign will be floating conspiracy theories and racism for the remainder of the presidential election. Any hopes that Republicans had of Trump trying to behave as a semi-human being to help them keep the House and Senate are gone. Donald Trump wants to run with what got him the Republican nomination, which is full blown racism and white nationalism. Trump doesnt understand that what worked in the primary wont work in the general election. The Republican nominees doubling down on his refusal to change just doomed the Republican Party to defeat on Election Day. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Hours before he got his first classified intelligence briefing, Donald Trump announced he wouldnt rely on the information gleaned from U.S. intelligence agencies because theyve made such bad decisions. Asked during an interview on Fox and Friends Wednesday morning if he trusts intelligence, the Republican nominee said he doesnt and he would stop relying on the work done by the people that have been doing it for our country because its been catastrophic. Not so much from the people that have been doing it for our country. I mean, look whats happened over the last 10 years, look whats happened over the years, Trump said. Its been catastrophic, the Republican said of U.S. intelligence work. Watch the interview here: https://youtu.be/cbBg_yjXeYI In fact, I wont use them some of the people that are your standards. Very easy to use them, but I wont use them, because theyve made such bad decisions, Trump said, suggesting that he doesnt understand the role of intelligence gathering or the office which he seeks. The Republican went on to blast the alleged intelligence that led to former President George W. Bushs invasion of Iraq. Trump said, If we would have never touched it, it would have been a lot better and I mean we would have been better off. Donald Trump also said he would be bringing conspiracy artist Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn with him to the briefing because he doesnt trust the intelligence. So there you have it. Donald Trump wont rely on intelligence, hell ask General Flynn who seems to ask Breitbart who asks Alex Jones. Donald Trump, Republican presidential nominee who doesnt trust U.S. intelligence because of how the Bush administration manipulated intelligence reports to justify the invasion of Iraq. Trump will just go on internet reports cited on Breitbart/Alex Jones, aka the tin foil corner of the internet. Much relief. No news on how fast Trump relays the info he gets today to his buddy Putin, whom he trusts apparently much more than U.S. intelligence agencies. Portfolio English Edition's premium content is available only for subscribers Learn about the hottest news of the day, along with immediate follow-up analyses and 1000's of exclusive articles with full access to the premium content. Register and apply for a 14 days free trial period. In this single year with the Post-Bulletin, I have watched numerous barriers become apparent dividing Americans, with violence at the barricades separating black and white, rich and poor. Disaffected citizens are losing faith in the very democratic process that has united America through two and a half turbulent centuries. As Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson says of our continued racial struggles, "I think we've all had our heads in the sand. Let's wake up." Let's wake up to the fact that we are the house divided against itself that Abraham Lincoln was murdered trying to mend. Let's wake up and bind the wounds of community caught in the crossfire of opposing interests. But above all, let's not drop farther into our present nightmare of conflicts rending the world between uncompromising pairs of enemies. Pairs have always been the American way of seeing issues, from the earliest party squabble of federalists and anti-federalists, to the civil war of unionists and confederates. But racially biased laws and failed economic reconstruction in the old slave states, as well as mass subjugation to post-war industrial monopolies continued the discord of minorities against whites and poor against wealthy. The Democratic and Republican parties started manipulating the grievances of these groups, winning elections by mastering the largest waves of resentment, unincentivized to provide the healing the country needed. Even now, the interests of the parties lie distant from the interest of the country as one united whole. Unity demands the sewing of gashed flesh back together into a functioning body, not the widening of old tears. ADVERTISEMENT So let's ignore these sectarian interests momentarily and start stitching sutures right here in Rochester, world renowned City of Healing. For all the patients we intend to introduce to the streets of our Destination Medical Center, we must export with them the key to national unity, revitalized citizen involvement in democracy. Sinking election turnouts have long driven analysts to condemn the American people as apathetic. But the coinciding rise of public protests places the blame not on disinterest, but on what Richard Harwood calls a "pervasive sense of political impotence." Man is still by nature political, but his expression of opinion is changing as he loses faith in the power of his vote. The growth of federal government has begun to marginalize the ownership of communities by their residents, the responsibility that allows communities to help themselves without irrelevant regulations being created by a larger governmental body. When the votes that determine the treatment of our community's hardships must be cast against thousands or millions of others trying to catch big government's ear for their communities, a senseless battle of us against them is fomented to receive aid. The sheer number of aggrieved cries fuels the need to lash out violently in order for our community's pain to be heard so someone will care. Large establishments cannot hear all and cannot heal all, which is the reason for the principle of subsidiarity: The most local level of government that can practically handle a problem must do so unhindered by higher levels. In a city, fewer people and fewer conflicts of interest provide the quiet for all voices to deliberate, to share their pain, to hear the pains of others, and to pursue goals of healing. Destination Medical Center developments are certainly working toward Mayo Clinic's goals, but in the city attracting the wounded of a deeply scarred country, are we going to be a community of responsible owners stewarding our united city, or are we going to be another big city, controlled by big interests squashing the little guy? WorshipFest, featuring music by local artists, will be held Sunday in Bandshell Community Park in Austin. The day starts with a worship service by Bethlehem Church at 10 a.m. Music starts at 1 p.m. and runs until sundown, with Light45, Breakthrough, Heather Deters, Faith Music, Bentley & Company, Even Koehler & Chloe Hope, Angie Kelly and others performing. There will also be games and food concessions. The park is located at Fourth Street and Ninth Place Southwest in Austin. Kids help kids at Healing Adventures Camp. Hosted by Mayo Clinic Hospice and held at Ironwood Springs Christian Ranch , the free, one-day camp brings together kids who have experienced the death of a loved one. "The goal of camp is to connect kids who have experienced the death of a loved one to other kids who have experienced the death of a loved one," said Amy Stelpflug, volunteer coordinator, Mayo Clinic Hospice. "Kids often think they are the only person who has had a loved one die. They don't understand that there are other kids experiencing similar feelings and life changes until they are able to meet those other kids and share their stories." Relatively small in size, camp is capped at about 30 campers ages 5 to 18 and offers kids the opportunity to share their stories while participating in a variety of games, crafts and indoor and outdoor activities, including a petting zoo, climbing wall and nature walks. "The volunteers facilitate various games, physical activities, music, crafts, sharing circles, and nature walks throughout the day, which gives the kids a way to articulate their stories and feelings with each other," Stelpflug said. "Many times kids have a difficult time talking about the loved one that died with family and/or friends. This is because they don't want to make others sad or others don't understand what they are experiencing. At Healing Adventures Camp, volunteers and fellow campers are respectful of stories and feelings and everyone understands what it feels like to have someone close to you die. It is a safe place to share stories and feelings." Helping make it all possible are two dozen-plus volunteers who do everything from registering campers to organizing group games and running small groups, to serving as camp counselors. ADVERTISEMENT "You need many hands to make camp happen," Stelpflug said. "We have Mayo Clinic Hospice volunteers and Mayo Clinic employees who are very vested in camp. They consistently volunteer their time at camp each year. The volunteers do a great job making camp fun while allowing campers to share memories and feelings, as well as teaching campers healthy coping skills to use now and in the future." Space is limited at camp and registration is due by Sept. 9. To register, a parent or guardian must call for a camp application. "Kids do not have to be affiliated with Mayo Clinic and they don't have to be from this area," Stelpflug said, noting that camp regularly pulls kids from across Minnesota and out of state. "As kids age, they grieve the loss in different ways. So, yes, kids can attend camp more than once as long as they have an appropriate goal for attending additional camps." The man behind the wheel in a crash that killed a 5-year-old Byron boy will not be charged with criminal vehicular homicide. Instead, Myles Keller, 69, of rural Mantorville, was charged with reckless driving-causing death, a gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor DWI. His first court date has not been scheduled. Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem announced the charges this morning. Lukas Wharton was playing outside with his siblings May 24, riding down an embankment in a child's wagon, when a car driven by Keller came down 19th Avenue Northwest. The vehicle struck Lukas and the wagon, pushing them for several yards, the report says. ADVERTISEMENT A family member carried Lukas to the Wharton residence; Keller followed them up the driveway to the residence and called 911. Lukas died June 1 at a Rochester hospital from his injuries. A sample of Keller's blood analyzed by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension placed his blood alcohol content between .081 and .101 an hour after the crash. The calculation included consideration of unabsorbed alcohol, the complaint says, "accurately showing Mr. Keller was operating his vehicle above the legal limit." There would be "no way to prove" the more serious charge of criminal vehicular homicide, a felony, Ostrem said. The legal statute requires proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Keller's driving conduct was a substantial factor in Lucas's death, or that Keller's acts had a substantial role in the crash leading to the death. Based on multiple reports, Keller's "driving conduct was very purposeful and deliberate in sneaking his way home," Ostrem said. "We believe he did that because he knew he was over the (alcohol) limit and was trying to avoid detection." Keller "made some very poor decisions that night," Ostrem continued, among them, drinking three beers at a Byron bar in less than an hour on an empty stomach. He then drove on unpaved roads with a number of turns, hills and crests, and driveways and field entrances with limited visibility, the complaint says. The route nearly doubled the time it normally took Keller to drive home, Ostrem said. Keller's "choices were conscious decisions creating an environment with abundant risk," the county attorney said. ADVERTISEMENT "It's nearly impossible to take the emotion out of the case," Ostrem said, "but you have to. "The crash on May 24 that took the life of Lukas Wharton was a nightmare of epic proportions," he said. "A son, brother, cousin, grandchild and friend died that afternoon. Innocent fun in the relative quiet of a rural neighborhood became an environment of heartbreak It need not have happened." Officials have made a point to discuss the case often with the Wharton family, Ostrem said, including the possible charges. "They're obviously very, very sad," he said. "This is a tough time." Tehran, Iran, Aug. 17 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: Less than one year remains to presidential elections in Iran and the issue of the house arrest of two opposition leaders of the 2009 post-election riots has surfaced once more. The case of Mirhossein Mousavi and Mehdi Karroubi was hotly debated in the incumbent President Hassan Rouhanis campaign in 2013, when he promised to bring the case to some tangible result. The two were put under house arrest by the Iranian state in 2011 after refusing to comply with the election results and stop their pleas to the public for protest. There have been no charges officially posed against them, nor any trials. Reformers who backed Rouhani to presidency have preserved the release of the two as one of their major demands. More moderate ones, however, believe the arrestees should be given a trial. Rouhani has fulfilled his other major electoral vow, that of bringing the nuclear debate between Iran and the West to a conclusion, which he did last year by striking an accord with six world powers. However, he is going to need the full support of reformists if he wants to be elected for a second term in 2017, where he might be cogitating about gratifying his second-biggest promise. The house arrest was this week put in the spotlight once more, when Mohammad Reza Bahonar, senior right-wing politician who has served 28 years in the Parliament, said Mousavi had turned down a proposal by him to stay politically inactive if released from house arrest. Bahonar then concluded, The best situation to be continued now is the house arrest. If a court wants to try these men officially and according to the countrys law, their verdicts will be heavy maybe harmful to reformists and these men themselves. However, on August 17 another major politician and senior MP, Ali Motahari, refuted the prospect that once freed, the two opposition leaders would reignite a campaign such as they had in 2009. The 2009 post-election events were indebted to the emotional vibe of that time and even in rare case that the two would have such intentions, [starting a campaign] will not be possible. Adding to that the fact that they do not have such intentions at all and have said they would support the government and help national unity and public reconciliation once freed, Motahari said. He went on to say he had corresponded with the arrestees two years ago with the result that they answered in a very good manner to the effect that they love the revolution and there was no sign of protest or division. As the head of the Supreme National Security Council, Rouhani has great influence over the case of the house arrest, which Judiciary spokesman Qolamhossein Mohseni Ejei on July 1 said is in the hands of the Council. There is, however, Judiciary chief Sadeq Amoli Larijanis statement of December 31, 2014 that the Judiciary would put the two arrestees to trial once the Security Councils legislation on them changes. As of yet, it seems possible that Rouhani takes the chance to change the legislation and free the two. This should of course be done at the right time when the action brings the reformist admiration for Rouhani to its highest by Election Day, because afterwards the ex-arrestees should most probably face some harsh reckoning. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @mehdisepahvand A Rochester man convicted of sexually assaulting two girls has been sentenced to two concurrent prison terms of 15 years and 12 years in prison. In May, a jury in Olmsted County District Court found Karyl Antone Ingalls, 65, guilty of three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, all felonies. According to the criminal complaint, Ingalls touched two girls, both under the age of 13, multiple times when they visited his home. Judge Debra Jacobson on Tuesday sentenced Ingalls to terms of 180 months and 144 months in prison. He was given credit for 94 days already served and must register as a predatory offender. Rochester Public Schools is scaling down the number of police liaison officers in school buildings. The district's five officers will become four this fall, a change proposed by the Rochester Police Department, and approved by the school board at Tuesday's meeting . The changes are in line with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights agreement the district entered into a year ago because of a finding that students of color are disproportionately disciplined in the district. The liaison program, a partnership between the district and police department for more than two decades, has changed over the last year because of the OCR agreement, which prompted the district to immediately "limit the role of police liaison officers" last year. This year's contract is a renewal of that, with "slight changes," said Superintendent Michael Munoz. Adjustments this year, like the reduction in staff, he said, were were driven by the Rochester Police Department after dealing with the changes of the OCR agreement the last year. ADVERTISEMENT "We think the program is a good thing for the community, students and everybody involved, but we have to look at our investigative needs and what works for us," said Capt. John Sherwin said. "Officers will still do everything they did last year, but won't be assigned investigations." Wider focus The other major change: an organizational switch that will move the police liaison officers from under the umbrella of the investigations unit, to the patrol unit at the police department. This means a slight change in role for officers they'll start driving marked cars while on the high school campuses, which means they can respond to incidents close the schools, and in nearby neighborhoods. Their focus will be on the overall safety of that school or neighborhood, versus just the school, Sherwin said. "They'll respond to calls that may be near the school that could impact the schools," Sherwin said. "In the past that wouldn't have been their concern, but we want them to deal with things in the community that could impact the schools or that are in proximity." It will also allow officers to enforce the speed limits at and near schools, he added. Previously the school liaison unit consisted of four officers and a sergeant the staffing reduction will effectively remove the unit's sergeant from John Adams Middle School, and the four officers will be located at the district's three high schools and the fourth will split time between Rochester Alternative Learning Center and Phoenix Academy. They will report to an existing patrol sergeant. A changing role ADVERTISEMENT After the two parties entered into a new contract in July 2015, with updates that focused on ensuring the liaisons didn't play a role in school discipline, police liaison officers told the Post-Bulletin their role was changing and expressed frustration with limitations. The updated district regulations effectively blocked the police liaison officers from getting involved with incidents unless they were present at the outset, and are now required to complete an investigation separate from the district's. Sherwin said traditionally the department operated with the liaisons being the investigators, but changes per the OCR agreement prohibited officers in the schools from interviewing students during school hours, which "really changed things for us," Sherwin said. The other major change: Liaison officers were no longer allowed to access district video footage at the schools that they had previously utilized for proactively monitoring school grounds. They're now required to obtain a search warrant for any video they want. The push to clarify the role of liaison officers has been a topic of discussion statewide, with concerns coming out of the school discipline discussions about links to the "school-to-prison" pipeline, or the idea that discipline policies push children out of classrooms, often those most at risk, and into the juvenile and criminal justice system, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. But many in the community feel that the liaisons play a strong, positive role in the schools and should be more involved. School Board member Jean Marvin said the relationships the officers are able to build in the schools are "one of the most positive things," and said in her opinion, "more, rather than fewer" officers would be a positive thing. "For kids that have never had any kind of run-in with a police officer, or if they have, it's been negative having good, decent, positive police officers in our buildings who they are seeing and getting to know and build trusting relationships on a daily basis is one of the best things we can do for our community," she said. ADVERTISEMENT But both Munoz and Sherwin said the changes won't have a major impact on the schools. The one-year agreement will be effective July 1, 2016, and will end on June 30, 2017. "It'll be a win for our internal needs and we think it will be better for the community," Sherwin said. LE CENTER, Minn. A woman accused of texting while driving and fatally striking an elderly man along a road in Le Sueur County has pleaded guilty to charges. Forty-eight-year-old Susan Ann Russo reached an agreement with prosecutors who will recommend four days in jail and two years of probation. Russo pleaded guilty Tuesday to reckless driving and misusing a wireless device. Seventy-nine-year-old Joseph Tikalsky was struck and killed last October as he retrieved his newspaper from the side of the road. Tikalsky was wearing a reflective vest and was on break from his school bus route. Sentencing for the New Prague woman is scheduled Oct. 17. Facing new rules from state legislation, the city of Rochester has chosen to opt out of requirements for temporary family health care dwelling units, also called "drop homes," or "granny pods." Olmsted County could also face changes and its Board of Commissioners is leaning toward opting out of the legislation, commission members said at a meeting last week. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton on May 12 signed into a law a bill that would create a new process for property owners to place temporary homes on their property for a family member who is mentally or physically impaired and requires care. The homes would be pre-assembled, temporary and in place for no more than one-year, the legislation said. The legislation would also require cities and counties to allow the temporary units on any property type, so long as applicants met the standards described in the bill. Rochester took action Monday to opt out of the legislation due to several staff concerns. The Rochester-Olmsted Planning Department called the legislation a "one-size fits all mandated approach to addressing an issue, which may or may not be significant locally." ADVERTISEMENT The Rochester Building Safety Department also cited "significant building code concerns," with the temporary nature of the units described and requirement for utility hookups, which could potentially violate Rochester Public Utilities rules. The Olmsted County board discussed the issue at a committee meeting last week and agreed to prepare materials for an opt out decision at its Aug. 23 meeting. While local governments chose to avoid this piece of state lawmaking, both city and county officials noted the need for new consideration of senior housing and temporary housing for medical reasons. Assistant Planning Director Dave Dunn said he hasn't heard of interest in "drop homes," or "granny pods" in Rochester or Olmsted County yet, but if the public and elected officials are interested in the approach, local planning could find a solution. "We think this is something that if it's a local concern and a local issue we could find a solution. We haven't heard a whole bunch of people clamoring for this locally. Certainly if there were, whether if it be a conditional use or a temporary use, we could look at an alternative," Dunn said. I never did a penny flip without help. Penny flips, for the uninitiated (i.e. those of you who didn't go to my elementary school in the late '70s or early '80s) are simple: You just hang upside down from the monkey bars by your knees, then swing back and forth until you have enough momentum to flip off and land on your feet. Over a bed of concrete. With your recess aide cheering you on. Or at least that's how it went down at Washington Elementary School in good old ISD 564. ADVERTISEMENT Now, plenty of girls could perform this acrobatic feat solo. I wasn't one of them. I was too chicken to attempt the flip without a little insurance. Which meant that someone had to stand behind me and let me place my fingers on their palms while I flipped, increasing the odds I'd land upright. Most of the time, that someone was Mrs. Stenseth. Mrs. Stenseth was our playground aide. And we couldn't have asked for a better spotter. She knew exactly when to count us in for jump rope. "Andgo!" she'd say, as we stood timing the tick-tick-tick of the plastic-bead covered ropes while our friends sang, "Texaco, Texaco, over the hill to Mexico " If it was our first time, she'd cheer and praise us for getting in. If we were fourth-grade pros, she'd marvel at our skill. She taught us to play hopscotch, outlining technique for our benefit. She sent us back up the snow mountain with words of encouragement if we'd been knocked down in games of King of the Hill. She tossed wayward playground balls back to us for dodgeball. And not the kind they play now, with soft, foamy dodgeballs, but the kind where you stand against the brick school building and the biggest kid in fifth grade aims for your head. Mrs. Stenseth watched us spin on one knee around the monkey bars, play chicken on the jungle gym, and race each other on the outfield. She quizzed our spelling, laughed at our jokes, and told us we were smart and funny and talented. She was warmth and humor and common sense, and I adored her. I liked her so much that I bought her a Christmas present at the holiday craft fair at the auditorium when I was in 4th grade. It was three pom-pom balls and a pair of googly eyes glued to a clothespin to look like a caterpillar. I gave it to her before Christmas break. She gave me a big hug and told me she'd put it on her fridge. I remember that moment, in the older-grades' hallway, as if it happened yesterday. Just as I remember how impressed she acted when she found out that I could spell "beautiful." Or how she oohed and ahhed at a dance I made up where I kicked my legs out, low, like a Russian dancer. "Oh, do it again!" she said. "Do it while you still can!" They're not turning penny flips on playgrounds anymore. Heck, at my boys' grade school, they weren't even allowed to jump upright and flat footedoff any surface taller than their knees, even though their equipment stands in a sea of rubber-tire confetti. ADVERTISEMENT And King of the Hill? No way. These kids can't even ride down the hill on a sled properly. Just a few of the rules for the sledding hill at my kids' grade school included: 1. No legs outside the sled. 2. No arms outside the sled. 3. No going down the hill backwards. And God help you if you veer sideways and an adult sees you. The first time I volunteered for sledding duty, I felt like apologizing to each kid we sent slogging down that shallow slope: "Sorry your recess is so lame." As I see it, there are plenty of recess experiences to mourn the loss of. And maybe a few to celebrate. (That old-school dodgeball game was scary, people.) But what I think today's kids miss out on most of all is Mrs. Stenseth. And maybe some schools do still have warm, encouraging, hugging playground aides that will remain close to their students' hearts for decades to come. I hope so. But they're probably not helping their charges flip backwards off the monkey bars. Writer's note: Helen Stenseth passed away on July 29 at the age of 91. She was a teacher's aide for 20 years for thousands of exceptionally lucky (and adventurous) children. A group of public and private organizations including the Rochester Public Library and University of Minnesota-Rochester could be set to explore shared space in downtown. The Rochester Public Library Board of Directors on Wednesday will hear a report on the discussions of an ad hoc committee formed after the library's $55 million expansion request had appeared to stall. The library board will also have for its consideration a draft memorandum of understanding . The MOU would commit several agencies to explore the "co-location of a mix of services and products," including retail, restaurant, education, community space, green space and housing. Olmsted County Board of Commissioners member Sheila Kiscaden formed the ad hoc committee, which includes four elected officials and leaders from several community organizations. The committee had encouraged the library, university, Minnesota Children's Museum Rochester and Rochester Family YMCA to explore a collaborative approach to future space needs. Three library representatives attended a meeting of the ad hoc committee: Audrey Betcher, library executive director, Lou Ohly, library board president and Olmsted County board member, and Janice Engberg, library board member. ADVERTISEMENT This is the first meeting of the library board since library representatives attended the ad hoc committee meeting, Betcher said. There is no action requested from the board on the MOU, Betcher said. It was prepared in a "joint effort," she said. Betcher also thought the library board would be the first of the organizations to review the MOU. The MOU, if signed, would not legally bind the participating organizations to any formal agreements but commits the groups to "substantially advance the vision of a community asset by the end of 2016." The library board meets Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the library's Meeting Room C. SPRING VALLEY The Spring Valley Area Community Foundation will be hosting its fourth annual Little Huskers 1K Run on Saturday as part of Spring Valley's Ag Days. The run was created by the Spring Valley Area Community Foundation as a way to spread awareness about the foundation. Hoping for 40 runners the first year, 170 youngsters showed up to run and win their medals. Since then, said Sue Kolling, foundation board member, the run has grown every year, with about 280 children participating in last year's run. "It's a run, but it's about families and communities and healthy lifestyles," Kolling said. The run is free to the public and is for children ages two to 12. At the run, all children participating will receive a bib number as well as a medal for finishing. Children registered before Aug. 1 will receive a T-shirt. Kolling said that the details that make the it feel like a professional run is one of the main reasons that families come back to participate year after year. "When they come across the finish line, you'd think that they won the Olympics," Kolling said. "You hear from moms about how their kids won't take off their medals or their shirts because they're so proud." ADVERTISEMENT The Little Huskers 1K Run will be on 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Willow Park in Spring Valley. For more information on the run and how to register online, visit http://www.svareafoundation.org/little-husker.html. MINNEAPOLIS A 21-year-old Minneapolis man was charged Tuesday with beating his 4-month-old daughter to death after admitting to police he punched her more than 20 times and squeezed her chest because the infant was making noises while he watched television. Cory Morris was charged with second-degree murder in Hennepin County District Court in the death of his daughter, Emersyn. Morris was arrested Saturday afternoon when police found the girl dead inside their duplex. Morris remains in custody on $2 million bail and is scheduled to have his first hearing Wednesday, the Star Tribune reported. According to the criminal complaint, Morris told officers in a statement that he moved his daughter from her baby swing to a changing station because she was making baby noises as he watched TV. When she continued making noises, he hit her to quiet her: 15 times in the face and several times in the chest, later squeezing the baby's chest, he admitted. The baby was found dead at the scene. Morris was arrested at the duplex, his hands filled with blood and shirt covered in bloodstains. According to a search warrant filed in the case, he called the girl's mother to tell her that he had hit the baby while she was at work. ADVERTISEMENT The woman told police that Morris would watch the girl several times a week. She said he "can go from happy to mad easily," according to the complaint, adding he often directed his anger at her by grabbing her or throwing items. Morris' mother, Ginny Morris, said her son struggled with depression, but his family didn't believe he was violent. She said they had tried to find him treatment but had no luck, either due to lack of available beds or because Morris pushed them away. "We never thought he would hurt the baby. We would never allow him to be with the baby if that was the case," Ginny said. "We were worried he was going to hurt himself, not the baby." Associated Press A former Rochester Public Schools information technology employee reached a $72,000 settlement with the district at the end of July after filing a lawsuit alleging age discrimination, freedom of speech violations and violation of due process following the elimination of his job in 2014. Douglas Broeren, 55, at the time of the complaint's filing, was a 16-year district employee who alleges he was laid off in order to "avoid layoffs in school buildings," according to a complaint filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota in November 2015. The two parties reached a settlement on July 25. Specific details of the settlement were not previously available, but were obtained through a request with the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota. The decision to settle with Broeren was controlled by the district's insurance company, said Heather Nessler, director of communications, marketing and technology for the district. "The district's insurance company made the decision to settle based on the continued cost of the defense," Nessler said in an email at the end of July. In addition to the $72,000 settlement, according to the transcript of the agreement, it stipulates "in return for a full and final release of all claims that are releasable by Mr. Broeren." ADVERTISEMENT Broeren alleged the school district cut his job as a part of broader district "restructuring" in October 2014, according to a complaint and jury demand filed in November 2015, and he was placed on "layoff." The district's former director of human resources encouraged him to apply for the new positions created in place of his job. When she called a meeting with him a month later, which he assumed was a job interview, he was "shocked and humiliated" to find was actually to place him on "non-disciplinary paid administrative leave." In place of Broeren's position with RPS, the school district created four new ones, which were filled by four younger employees all in their 20s and 30s, according to his complaint. RPS asserts that Broeren submitted a form requesting retirement from his position on Jan. 5, 2015, and that his last day of employment was January 23, 2015. But Broeren alleged his termination resulted in a "significant income loss, benefit loss and emotional distress." The district also claims Broeren "voluntarily resigned" from his employment and collected retirement benefits. He also received full pay and benefits while on administrative leave. RPS was represented by Rupp, Anderson, Squires & Waldspurger, P.A. Broeren's attorney, Cassie Navarro, with Baillon, Thome, Jozwiak & Wanta LLP said in July she could not comment beyond what was already "in the public record." "There was a settlement reached, and we're happy to have resolved this matter," she said. A fire at a limestone mine in northwest China on Tuesday afternoon has killed 12 people, including three rescuers, Xinhua agency reported. The fire occurred at the limestone mine in Zhangye City in northwest China's Gansu Province at 4:15 p.m., trapping nine miners. Firefighters and a rescue team rushed to the scene after the fire occurred. The trapped were pulled out as of 4:06 a.m. Wednesday, and confirmed dead. Another three rescuers fainted during the operation and died despite treatment. The mine is operated by the Jiuquan Iron and Steel Group (JISCO). As a budding computer geek in Rochester Mayo High School in the mid '90s, I remember the early days of the public Internet. I was among the first to use it to research school papers and, more importantly to me then, spent hours upon hours figuring out how to play multiplayer games across it. Ever since, the Internet has played a big part of my life and for nearly 10 years, I have worked with communities throughout the country to expand the highest quality Internet access possible to their businesses and residents. Last year, I got to shake President Obama's hand after working with the White House on policies to improve access throughout the country. He flew to Cedar Falls, Iowa, to congratulate them on building their own network, the first citywide gigabit network in Iowa. The network has been a wild success, spurring private sector job growth, improving services while lowering prices for subscribers, and was financed by private investors who were repaid by those who subscribed to the network. Cedar Falls was attacked by critics, who were usually funded by the phone and cable companies that feared other communities encroaching on their monopolies. But with 20 years of impressive results, it is hard to imagine how they could be more successful. Despite competing against CenturyLink and Mediacom, the overwhelmingly majority of businesses and residents choose to take service from the local option Cedar Falls Utilities. Going back 20 years in Rochester, anyone could become an Internet service provider. You had buy some modems, lease a few telephone lines and set up a billing system. But today, after a series of deregulatory decisions, a few big cable and telephone companies basically control all high-speed Internet access in the U.S. ADVERTISEMENT Building a network now requires a major investment, which is why there is so little private-sector competition. According to the Federal Communications Commission, 3 out of 4 Americans only have one choice of high-speed Internet provider. If you hear claims that Rochester has many providers, dig deeper. Those statistics are aggregated, which means that while you could have four different providers in a single neighborhood, most homes probably only have access to one or two of them. Another challenge that Rochester faces is that some nearby communities like St Charles have HBC, a private provider from Winona with an excellent reputation, that is expanding a gigabit fiber-optic network throughout smaller towns in the region. Those communities will increasingly draw high-tech people out of Rochester, trading a commute for far better Internet access. At the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, we are tracking more than 450 local governments that have made some kind of investment in better access. Some, like Cedar Falls, took on greater risk and debt to rapidly build a citywide network. Others, like Auburn in Indiana, adopted an incremental, multi-year approach. The vast majority of those communities have a municipal utility like Rochester Public Utilities. The expertise and trust built up by those utilities over 100 years of dedicated service are hard to replicate overnight. However, some utilities and many cities without municipal electricity have looked to partner with independent firms to expand access. In Huntsville, Ala., they teamed up with Google. The city utility builds the fiber, and Google will offer services across it, on a non-exclusive basis. Rochester may find a local partner excited about a similar arrangement. And the beauty of owning the fiber publicly is that if a provider fails to perform, the community can seek a new one. None of these approaches comes without risk but then, many communities have found that doing nothing is an even greater risk. Just don't let anyone fool you into thinking the choice is between borrowing $67 million and doing nothing. Rochester should continue examining its options and decide on the best step forward for it as a whole for the long term. We all want a solution to meet our needs in the near term, but as RPU demonstrates, smart investments can continue benefiting the community decades upon decades later. ADVERTISEMENT Christopher Mitchell is the director of the Community Broadband Networks Initiative at the Institute for Local Self-Reliance in Minneapolis. He is on Twitter @communitynets. With a nearly $1 billion borrowing bill and at least $300 million in tax cuts for Minnesotans in the balance, the search for compromise is hitting its peak this week. Gov. Mark Dayton and legislative leaders are slated to discuss a possible special session for what could be the last time this year. The governor has said he may stop pushing for a deal if this week ends without one. "If there's a chance we can resolve this next Thursday, we should do so," Dayton said Friday during a press conference with House Speaker Kurt Daudt and Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk. "If not, I think we should face up to the reality that we're not going to pull this together." Daudt says wants to keep on trying to find an agreement. Wanting to find an agreement and actively seeking middle ground are two different things. Both sides seem to have drawn lines in the sand that can never meet. Focused on an unresolved a dispute over funding a new light rail-train to Minneapolis suburbs, little middle ground appears to be seen. Dayton says he'll refuse a deal that leaves out metro-transit funding, while Daudt says he can't get support for a deal that includes it. ADVERTISEMENT At this point, it seems like the two leaders are unable to work together for the good of the state. While they stated they had constructive and cordial talks Friday, their demeanor moments later revealed a large divide remains. As summer starts to wane, other priorities take hold. The start of school, the state fair and fall harvest can easily draw focus for many. Unfortunately for those involved in the ongoing negotiations it appears the November elections may be doing the same. We've been teased with promises of a special session for months, but at this point it appears as if our state's leaders are looking for wins in November, rather than compromise today. Without a compromise, both sides will be able to say the other side is responsible blocking transportation spending and tax cuts.They'll seek to lay the blame for the lack of improvement projects at their opponents' feet. It's likely many campaigns in the state are already forging such messages. Both sides will continue to claim they are pushing for the state's best interests, whether it's reduced spending or improved services. Unfortunately, it too often appears that neither side will ever agree that marginal spending reductions and moderate service improvements might actually be in the state's best interests. In what has seemingly become a political game of all-or-nothing, it appears winners will be scarce and we all could end up with our own piece of nothing. We have reached many milestones and witnessed plenty of success stories at the Guam Department of Labor during my current tenure, but I will b Read moreGDOL wants to be a part of your employment solutions Conservatives and some liberals have reached a common way to express sympathy (maybe genuine, maybe not) with the police. They like to say that when officers kiss family members goodbye in the morning, they dont know whether they will return home to them that evening. This is true. But heres a concern I have not heard mentioned: When officers kiss their families goodbye in the morning, they dont know in what spirit they will return home to them that evening. Officers who police crime infested neighborhoods may well return home dispirited. Take the neighborhood in Milwaukee where a black officer killed Sylville Smith. As Rich Lowry points out, three people were murdered last weekend within blocks of where the officer shot Smith on Saturday afternoon, and five people were killed in total over a nine-hour period Friday night and Saturday morning. Lowry notes that Smith had a long arrest record. It included arrests for a shooting, a robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, theft, and possession of heroin and cocaine. He beat a shooting rap at a jury trial in 2015 when a witness recanted, allegedly after Smith intimidated him. Yet Smith was also the victim of crime, at least according to his mother. She says her son got his gun because he had been shot twice and robbed four times. From all accounts, things arent much different in Baltimore and Chicago these days. I suspect there are plenty of other cities one could add to the list How dispiriting it must be for police officers to patrol these mean streets day after day, especially now amidst all the criticism and accusations of racism. No wonder Baltimores police force is failing to retain so many officers. But never fear. The U.S. Department of Justice has an answer. It has been pushing localities to provide implicit bias training for police officers and will require federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors to undergo it. Loretta Lynch is a big fan. Joe Davidson discusses this development in a column for the Washington Post. Davidsons report is deficient, though. He never tells his readers what implicit bias training, or for that mater implicit bias, is. We are told what implicit bias it is not. Its distinct from explicit bias. We are also told that it is something we all carry around unconsciously in one form or another. But what is it that we all carry around unconsciously and how does it manifest itself? Maybe it manifests itself in walking down the street, hearing footsteps, turning around and seeing somebody white, and feeling relieved. This is what Jesse Jackson said happens to him. He described the experience as painful. It must also have been dispiriting. For police officers, maybe implicit bias manifests itself in suspecting that serious criminal activity is common in African-American neighborhoods where five people were killed in a nine-hour period. This, at any rate, appears to be what the DOJ wants them to stop doing. Maybe the distinction between explicit and implicit bias is that the latter form stems from experience, while the former stems from prejudice i.e., prejudgment not informed by experience. In the case of police officers, what the left and the Justice Department apparently deems implicit bias may just be common sense. How can an officer, black or white, patrol the mean streets in neighborhoods like the one where Sylville Smith was shot and not be on high alert for crime? How, in view of the rising anti-police sentiment can an officer, black or white, patrolling these neighborhoods not be concerned about his or her physical safety? In view of the overt anti-white racism (extreme explicit bias, if you will) some residents manifest, how can a white police officer not be especially concerned? Justice Department employees may take to implicit bias training. They rarely, if ever, have to police bad neighborhoods. As for big city police officers, I imagine they will laugh the training off. I hope they do. Their implicit biases are hard earned and, I submit, increasingly important to their self-preservation. A friend recently returned from Tehran where she visited her family. She hadnt been back in 38 years. Readers may be interested in her observations. I was, though presumably they are influenced by the views and circumstances of her family, which I take to be middle class or upper middle class. Anyway, here they are: Its a party city. Persians love to party. Some partied, albeit in a subdued fashion, even during the revolution, according to my wife who was there. Thirty-seven years on, they are partying often and enthusiastically, according to my friend. Its a modern city. My friend, who has seen much of the world, was surprised by how modern Tehran is. Not just modern compared to when she left it, but modern by contemporary standards. Its a poor city. The modernity and the partying notwithstanding, the economy isnt good and the people are suffering as a result. They blame the government. Maybe with all the money that will flow to Iran thanks to President Obamas nuclear deal, the economy will improve significantly. Maybe not. Women are at the forefront. So says my friend. In Tehran, women are well educated, making up a majority of college students. They are very opinionated and dont take a back seat to men, a change from 38 years ago. They wear head scarfs but loosely, except in a few religious parts of the city. Typically, one can see their full face and some of their hair. Folks expect the regime to fall, but not for at least 10 years. The Pavlavi regime, which preceded the mullahs, lasted 54 years. According to my friend, people are saying that the current regime wont last longer than the Pavlavis. They expect it to begin to fall at about the 50 year mark. The current regime has been in power for almost 40 years. This seems like superstition-based thinking and perhaps an excuse not to act. My wifes uncle, who served as a French diplomat in Iran and then as the head of a Franco-Iranian friendship association, told me in the 1980s that the Persians are non-rebellious by nature. So its convenient for them to see the question of revolution as determined by fate, and conclude that fate has deferred the revolution. My takeaway is that Iran, or at least Tehran, is a paradox, and one that will be difficult to sustain. Maybe the revolution at the 50 year mark scenario isnt that far-fetched. Unfortunately, the mullahs are capable of inflicting incalculable damage on the world between now and then. PR-Inside.com: 2016-08-17 16:04:02 Billion Electric and Gruming Co-Exhibit IoT Technology Solutions at EXPOTIC Peru 2016 Billion Jesse Chen Marketing Strategist marketing@billion.com Billion Electric, the leading provider of Smart City and IoT solutions, collaborates with Gruming Peru SAC, a Peru-based system integrator, to participate in EXPOTIC 2016, the most important international tech event in Peru. Two companies will showcase a diverse range of IoT solutions including 4G/LTE, M2M, Smart Energy and Lighting Control Systems. EXPOTIC provides businesses worldwide a platform to meet new contacts, source products & solutions, and gain in-depth insights into industry outlooks in Peru. Gruming is invited for two conference speeches (8/18 12:00~12:50, 8/19 14:00~14:50) to introduce Billions M2M/4G LTE & Energy Management technology innovations. August 18th~20th 2016, Booth#:25-27 Jockey Plaza, Lima Peru 4G/LTE VPN outdoor industrial routers Billion outdoor routers support dual-band 4x4 802.11ac/n/a (5GHz) and 2x2 802.11n/g/b (2.4GHz) and VPN protocols. With IP67 enclosure, Billion BiPAC 4700 series can endure extreme environments and optimize service coverage by integrating with the latest 4G/LTE and MIMO antenna technology. M2M IOT routers for industrial applications Billion M500, an industrial-grade in-vehicle router, assists system integrators in designing an always-on wireless architecture with the advancement of on-board mobile service, WiFi HotSpot captive portal, GPS/GLONASS, and OBD for location and vehicle status tracking to enable Intelligent High Speed Rail Trains, Fleet Management, and Smart Bus applications. Billion M100 enhances the Internet stability by integrating with Ethernet, RS-232 serial interface, Auto Failover, 4G/LTE broadband, multi-WAN and EWAN interfaces which can operate in different industrial ATM, vending machine, POS, and Oil & Energy SCADA settings. Smart Energy & Lighting Control solutions Incorporate with Billion smart meters and smart gateway, Billion SEMS allows users to monitor and analyze real-time energy efficiency and consumption data. Billion LCMS reveals streetlight status, environmental sensory data and traffic information on the web-based interface, serving as a reliable lighting asset management system to enable various Smart City applications. With Billions superior solutions and our business development capability, we are thrilled about the cooperation and the business opportunities that two companies can explore jointly in the Latin America market, said Business Development Head of Gruming SAC. About Billion Billion Electric Co. (TAIEX:3027) is a leading provider of ICT solutions and committed to acting as responsible corporate citizens, innovative enablers for the information society, and collaborative contributors to the industry through creating maximum value for worldwide clients. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/201608170053 Billion brings innovative M2M & 4G/LTE networking solutions and Smart Energy & Lighting Control technology to Peru! Does time really fly? In major cities around the world, like Lagos and New York, that is a common excuse or defence mechanism for impatience, haste, and even risky life. Why use the footbridge across lanes of roads when you can dash across them or manoeuvre through fast-moving vehicles? Time flies you know? Time does not fly. We do! The racing trees we see from the window of a fast car do not move an inch. We do! We seem to be racing through time causing ourselves time-pressure with serious consequences. High time-pressure has, for example, been found to cause distress and high blood pressure among both men and women, and related to increased levels of depression. With the preponderance of evidence that the earth was created by a supreme being, God, which is causing many prominent evolutionists to soften their hardline, it is becoming more reasonable to expect that the Creator will not vary time the way we see it fly or drag. God is a stable and unchangeable God! Indeed, many scientists now believe the Biblical passage that I (God)made the earth and created mankind upon it. The great scientific book, Cosmos, Bios, Theos, which means Universe, Life, and God was written by about 60 notable scientists, including twenty-four Nobel Prize winners. And one of the contributing authors, Yale physicist Professor Henry Margenau, says of the only one convincing answer for the intricate laws that exist in nature. Creation is by an omnipotent, omniscient God. Bob Gass uses scientific findings to explain this: Did you know that if the earth was 10 percent larger or 10 percent smaller, life as we know it wouldnt be possible? Or that were just the right distance from the sun so we receive the right amount of heat and light? If we were any farther away wed freeze, and if we were closer we wouldnt be able to survive. Consider for a moment the amazing tilt of the axis of the earth. None of the other planets are tilted like ours at 23 degrees. This angle allows the suns rays to touch every part of the earths surface over the course of a year, as the earth circles the sun. If there was no tilt to the axis, the poles would accumulate enormous masses of ice, and the center of the earth would become so hot we couldnt stand it. Like an excited parent designing a room for the arrival of their newborn child, God made this earth specifically for us. This is the basis of the belief that there may be no humans on any other planet at this time. Scientists and astronomers are yet to find one. What is time? Wikipedia defines time as the indefinite continued progress of existence and events that occur in apparently irreversible succession from the past through the present to the future. Time is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to compare the duration of events or the intervals between them, and to quantify rates of change of quantities in material reality or in the conscious experience. Time in physics is unambiguously operationally defined as what a clock reads Experts Muireann Irish and Cliere OCallagan have broken all that down beautifully: Humans have created reliable instruments to measure time by using predictable repeating events that occur naturally, such as day turning to night or winter becoming spring. We think of these events in terms of days, weeks and years, and we use clocks and calendars to mark their passage. But we also appear to possess an internal timepiece, which regulates our day/night rhythms and allows us to register the duration of particular events. We use this pacemaker to compare the length of each new event with representations stored in memory. Effectively, we build up a knowledge bank of what a minute, an hour or a day feels like. What typically begins as our brains ability to register short durations from minutes to seconds is transformed into an understanding of the flow of time across the lifespan. We therefore live in self-delusion if we think that in reality time is flying like it appears to do in Lagos or drags when we go visiting the village during vacation or holidays. The truth is that (the pace of) timer only varies from location to location, from person to person and from one situation to the next. Sometimes it even feels as if time is standing still. Only in the Bible did that ever happen. Why time flies or drags Psychologist, Dr Aoife McLoughlin, has been studying how our technological lifestyles may be affecting our perception of time. She said: Ive found some indication that interacting with technology and technocentric societies has increased some type of pacemaker within us. While it might help us to work faster, it also makes us feel more pressured by time. As the speed of pace of life increases, the subjective feeling of available time decreases, causing a sense of time pressure within the individual. Her conclusions are based on studies which compared people who are always using technology to those who rarely use it. She found that people who were always online tended to think an hour had passed when in fact it was only 50 minutes. And this tended to make people feel stressed as they thought they had lost more time than their disconnected peers. Lagos time vs village time It has been discovered that individual perceptions of time are strongly influenced by our level of focus, physical state and mood. Time can appear to speed up and leave us drained with enormous time-pressure and stress in places like Lagos when our attention is divided and we are busy with several things at once. Because we pay less attention to the flow of time it seems to pass by much more swiftly. Back in the village on vacation or on a visit, there are fewer things to focus on and perhaps far fewer attractive events to engage our attention. Life becomes watching a pot boil. It never does! This is also the case when were bored; time can seem to drag endlessly. Interestingly the people we visit in the village dont see time drag; nothing wrong with the pace of time. Scientists have also found that the emotional quality of an event also influences our perception of time. Negative emotional states, such as feeling sad or depressed, have the effect of making time feel as if its passing more slowly. Fear, they say, has a particularly powerful effect on time, slowing down our internal clock so that the fearful event is perceived as lasting longer. In contrast, fun and happy times seem to be over in the blink of an eye. And just as time may slow or quicken depending on our current emotional state, our perception of time may also become distorted as we age. People over the age of 60 often report time becoming more variable. TO BE CONTINUED Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 Trend: Russias use of the Hamadan airfield in western Iran for launching strikes against terrorist targets in Syria is obviously not violating the UN Security Councils resolutions concerning Iran, Chairman of the Russian Federation Councils Committee on Foreign Affairs Konstantin Kosachev said Aug. 17, Sputnik reported. The US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner said in a press briefing on Aug. 16 that Russias use of the Hamadan airbase was unfortunate, adding that it could be in violation of the UNSC Resolution 22311, which outlaws supplies of military equipment to Iran without UN approval. Russian Defense Ministry said Aug. 16 that Russian bombers, taking off from Irans Hamadan Airbase, hit the positions of the IS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist groups in Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Deir ez-Zor and Idlib. Reportedly, the Russian war planes struck five large weapons, ammunition, fuel and lubricants depots and training camps of the militants near Syrias Serakab, Al-Bab, Aleppo and Deir ez-Zor. After this statement, Head of Irans National Security Council Ali Shamkhani said that Tehran and Moscow are sharing facilities and capacities in the fight against terrorism. The Tehran-Moscow cooperation in fighting terrorism in Syria is strategic and we exchange capacities and facilities in this regard, added Shamkhani. Operators in the real estate industry on Wednesday advised the Federal Government to overhaul and decentralize the land registration system if the housing deficit in the country is to be reduced. The experts said approval of land title deeds should not be the sole preserve of state governors, as this constituted a breach of human rights. The experts are Dean, Faculty of Environmental Science, University of Lagos, Timothy Nubi; Executive Secretary, Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), Ayo Adejumo, and Chairman, Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), Kunle Awobodu. The trio who spoke in Lagos advised government to liberalise the process of getting approvals to land documents. The existing Land Use Act of 1978 empowers only governors of a state to assent to land titles. For Mr. Nubi, government should overhaul the Act to ensure titles to land were approved at lower levels of government. Efficient land registration system would enhance wealth generation, facilitate more housing developments and create investment opportunities, Mr. Nubi said. Many operators and companies have left the property industry due to difficulties encountered in the countys land registration system. Immediate overall will speed up processing of applications for land titles by cutting-off unnecessary bureaucracies, financial demands, delays and other challenges encountered in the process. The Executive Secretary of ATOPCON, Mr Adejumo, said government should educate the general public about land policies, individuals responsibilities and right of ownership. He said amendments to the land registration system were not in the domain of the general public. He added that government should stimulate peoples interest on land title registration and conversion of customary titles to statutory right of occupancy by reducing cost. Duplication of work, lack of consensus in decision making process with professionals, lack of public awareness and transparency have weakened rule of law and created a basis for corruption in the system, he said. The Chairman of BCPG, Mr. Awobodu, said the mortgage sector should be restructured to make it effective, while there should not be secondary mortgage market without a vibrant primary mortgage market. Sustainability of housing development, he said, depended on effective mortgage system, pointing out that subsidising building materials, creation of credit facilities and enabling environment for the private sector to operate should be done. (NAN) The Federal Government of Nigeria has set up a committee aimed at disbursing 13 per cent Derivation Fund to Lagos State, following the commencement of crude oil and gas exploration in the state. Aliyu Mohammed, Chairman of the Indices and Disbursement Committee of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) stated this Wednesday during a courtesy visit to the state to verify crude oil and gas production from Aje Oil Wells. Mr. Mohammed said the purpose of the visit was to begin disbursement of the Derivation Fund to the State in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is also important to state that the commencement of oil production from Aje oil field by Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Company Limited is the first time oil is being produced outside the Niger Delta basin and therefore of a significance in diversifying the source of crude and gas production in the country, Mr. Mohammed said. The 13 per cent Derivation Fund is money paid to crude oil producing states by the federal government. Since 1999, the nine oil producing states Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Cross River, Edo, Ondo, Imo, and Abia States have shared about N4 trillion among them. The committee to determine the location of the Aje Oil Wells comprised of the RMAFC, Department of Petroleum Resources, Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation, and the National Boundary Commission. Mr. Mohammed said the Technical Committee recommended that for the purpose of the Derivation Fund as spelt out under Section 162 (2) of the 1999 constitution as well as the provision of the Allocation of Revenue Act 2004, numbers 1, 2, 4 and 5 of the Aje Oil Wells fall within 200 metres isobaths and therefore should be attributed to Lagos State. He said as a result, the Commission and members of the Inter-Agency Committee had to embark on the working visit to the Oil Wells to conclude the process. Akinwunmi Ambode, the Lagos State Governor, described the visit by the committee as remarkable in the annals of the history of Lagos, adding that it signals the official step that takes the state to the final destination that makes us to become an oil producing state. We are very glad to receive this delegation, Mr. Ambode said. We also want to thank the Federal Government, most especially President Muhammadu Buhari for making this to happen very promptly. I want to say that this has been the quickest action that has been taken by RMAFC since I have known the Commission. I used to be a former Account General so I had a lot of transactions and relationship with the institution called RMAFC. Within a span of about 60 days of when we wrote our letter, and even before we wrote the letter, this technical committee was set up. It gladdens me to say that the institution works and is working for the good of Nigeria. Mr. Ambode also commended the members of the Department of the DPR and the Boundary Commission, saying that both have contributed immensely to the process of the discovery and production of crude oil in Lagos. The governor urged other states in the federation to begin to activate the mineral deposits in their domain as a means to boost their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). It would also give us revenue independence in a manner that there would be equal growth from all the nooks and corners of Nigeria, he said. I am happy that RMAFC has taken this step and also to say that they should also encourage other states to engage in such activities that would allow them to be able to activate whatever mineral deposit that we have in the various states in conjunction with the Federal Government, so that we can start to diversify revenue and growth and then create a balanced growth and development for the whole country. Six men, comprising three Afghan soldiers, two policemen and one civilian, were reportedly hanged by the Taliban in Afghanistans remote south-western Farah province. Mohammad QolAlamyar, Head of Operations for Farah Police, said on Wednesday in Kabul that the deceased were abducted a couple of weeks ago while on their way to work. He said that the men were sentenced to death for allegedly collaborating with the government in a Taliban desert court session. QolAlamyar noted that the Taliban had recently stepped up abductions and killings of Afghan security forces in order to undermine the morale of the government and its forces. (dpa/NAN) The police have sealed off the Sharks Stadium, venue of the Peoples Democratic Party convention, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES, Wednesday morning. Yes, we have (sealed off) the place, Mr. Omoni said. We are just obeying the court instruction. When reminded that there were two conflicting court judgments on the party convention, Mr. Omoni responded, I dont know what you are talking about. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that security operatives have denied delegates, journalists entry into the stadium. A Court in Abuja had ordered the suspension of the convention, barring police and electoral officials from the event. Another Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had earlier ordered the PDP to go ahead with the convention. Details later. Some of the 38 officers compulsorily retired by the Nigerian Army have sought redress, after they complained authorities breached Nigerian laws in laying them off. Apart from relying on the Paragraph 09.02(e) of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers to petition President Muhammadu Buhari, affected officers, who feel arbitrarily forced out of service, have also approached the National Industrial Court to seek reinstatement. Multiple sources including the affected officers, spokespersons of the Army and the Defence Minister confirmed this to PREMIUM TIMES. According to documents seen by this newspaper, one of the affected officers, Abdulfatai Mohammed, petitioned the President on June 20, within the 30 days prescribed by the law. I want to respectfully state that I was not in any way involved in any of the 2 issues stated as reasons for compulsory retirement of 38 officers of which I was among, Mr. Mohammed, a retired Lieutenant Colonel, wrote in his petition. I was never investigated at any time and have not committed any serious offence. He asked Mr. Buhari to accept my appeal and set aside the letter of compulsory retirement with File Reference AHQ MS/GI/300/226 dated June 9 2016 that was issued to me and reinstate me into the Army to ensure course of justice, good conscience and equity is served. A thorough investigation of the surreptitious inclusion of my name in the list of officers that have enquiries and indicted would expose possible manipulation of processes and victimisation in my case, he added. But close to two months after the petition was submitted, Mr. Mohammed, like others, said his petition had not been transferred to the president for consideration. The affected officers accused the Defence Minister, Mansur Ali, of blocking their appeal from being transferred to the President. The Minister, Mr. Mohammed said in his Statement of Facts filed before the industrial court on August 12, has wilfully inserted himself into the process by having the appeal sent to him and upon receipt of this appeal on July 13, 2016, he has ensured the appeal did not get to the President. The allegation was directly conveyed to the minister through a July 25 letter by Mr. Mohammeds counsel. According to one of the affected officers who spoke to this newspaper, Mr. Ali is allegedly frustrating the appeal of the officers because he was part of the decision (to retire the officers) and does not want the President to know he took part in illegality. However, the minister denied the allegation of frustrating the officers appeal. His spokesperson, Colonel Gusau, said the minister was not involved in the process of transferring the appeal to the President. The minister is just information addressee, Mr. Gusau said. He was only copied for the purpose of information or his knowledge. The is through the Chief of Defense Staff who is the action addressee to the President, C-in-C. The minister is not sitting on anybodys appeal. The Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, also denied the minister was stalling the appeals. Its not possible, Mr. Usman, a Colonel, said; adding that all appeals are being treated. The Director of Information, Defence Headquarters, Rabe Abubakar, a Brigadier General, could not be immediately reached for comment on whether the Chief of Defense Staff transferred the appeal letter to the President directly or forwarded them to the Minister for onward transfer PREMIUM TIMES had reported how the Army breached its own rule by retiring most of the 38 compulsorily retired officers without query or indictment by any panel, thereby raising question of arbitrariness. In the June 9 letters, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, to the affected officers, their compulsory retirement was hinged on provisions of Paragraph 09.02c (4) of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers (HTACOS) 2012 (Revised). The referenced section 09.02c (4) of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for Officers 2012 (Revised), shows the officers were laid off on disciplinary grounds i.e. serious offence(s). Emphasizing service exigencies and that the military must remain apolitical and professional at all times, the Army spokesperson on June 10 released a statement disclosing what could have constituted the serious offences which warranted the 38 officers to be compulsorily retired. It should be recalled that not too long ago some officers were investigated for being partisan during the 2015 general elections, the statement said. Similarly, the investigation by the Presidential Committee investigating Defence Contracts revealed a lot. Some officers have already been arraigned in court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Usman said. However, contrary to the claim by the Army, our investigations showed that only a few of the affected officers were queried, tried and indicted. Others had their careers cut short for reasons that smacks of arbitrariness by authorities of the Army. While officers cleared by either arms procurement panel or election panel were retired, others who were not questioned at all were also sent away. The Nigerian Navy on Wednesday in Lagos inaugurated 39 gun boats and 45 operational vehicles to assist the fight against criminalities in parts of the country. Thirty of the boats were built in Nigeria. At the inauguration, Minister of State for Defence, Mohammad Dan-Ali, said the gun boats were fitted with appropriate weapons and anti-ballistic protection to enhance optimal efficiency. The minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Danjuma Sheni. The countrys security challenges have continued to demand a great deal of human and material resources to surmount, which in the light of dwindling revenue would be sustainable only with generous innovations and incorporation of home grown solutions, Mr. Dan-Ali said. He said the 30 8.2 metre boats, which were constructed for the navy by Epenal Boat Yard in Port Harcourt, would be deployed for rigorous patrols in the Niger Delta while additional 20 would be delivered subsequently. I am hopeful that the boats being launched today would further boost the ongoing patrol efforts in the various rivers and creeks of the country to the immense benefit of the nations maritime security, the minister said. He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his continual support and commitment to the Armed Forces. The Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok Ete-Ibas, a vice admiral, in his welcome address, said the Epenal boats were an improvement on 30 others unveiled in Port Harcourt in February. These boats, no doubt, have boosted navy maritime operations. However, as part of the efforts to continue to achieve unchallenged dominance of our maritime environment, the navy within a space of six months has launched another 39 specially built patrol boats into her fleet. These efforts, both then and now, represent navys modest contribution to enhance national security and prosperity. Of the 39 boats launched, nine were acquired from Sri Lanka and would be greatly helpful for patrol of territorial waters and the contiguous zone, said the naval chief. Mr. Ete-Ibas said the decision of the navy to build 60 boats locally was part of its resolve to look inwards in the production of the nations naval hardware. The mounting operational challenges in the face of progressively dwindling economy necessitated the navy to explore more cost saving options through local construction of these patrol boats. The cost of production of a unit of the boat is less than half the cost of producing similar boats from overseas. These boats retained all positive features of the previous set including being fitted with appropriate weapons for credible firepower, Mr. Ete-Ibas said. According to the naval chief, the gun boats also benefitted from the incorporation of anti-ballistic protection, giving it an edge for more audacious and aggressive employment. They are also expected to present a better sea-keeping ability with a wide margin for the many corrections applied to the design concept of Lot 1, through series of stage trials in the production cycle. I can say we are gradually but steadily moving towards the saturation of the nations backwaters with patrol boats for improved security of our maritime domain, Ete-Ibas said, adding that the boats would be deployed optimally by relevant navy units. The Chairman, Senate Committee on the Navy, Isa Aman-Isa, said the committee was doing everything possible to support the navy in tackling maritime insecurity to the fullest. Present at the inauguration were the Chief of Defence Staff, Gabriel Olonisakin, a General, and other top brass in the military. Two University of Lagos students, Kunle Shakiru (26) and Moses Olowe (23), were on Wednesday brought before an Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates Court for alleged robbery and belonging to an unlawful society. The duo faced a two-count charge of belonging to an unlawful group and stealing, while armed with dangerous weapons. The Prosecutor, Gbemileke Agoi, explained that the offences were committed on August 5, at the University of Lagos. He said the accused, armed with a short gun, robbed some people of their various valuables valued at N35,700. The offences, Mr. Agoi noted, contravened Section 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011. It also contravenes Section (2) (a) (b) of the Robbery and Fire arms (Special Provisions Act), Cap 398, Vol. XXII, Laws of the Federation, 2003 as amended. The accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against them. The Magistrate, A.O. Ajibade, granted them bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till September 20, for advice and mention. (NAN) A former Minister of Aviation and a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Femi Fani-Kayode on Wednesday attacked the factional chairman of the PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff. Mr. Fani-Kayodes attack, which he published on Facebook and Twitter, came few hours after the PDP suspended its national convention for a second time within four months, after police sealed the venue following a court order secured by Mr. Sheriff. The party, during the suspended convention, extended the tenure of the Ahmed Makarfi caretaker committee by one year, to give it time to settle all the legal disputes before a fresh convention. The attack from Mr. Fani-Kayode mirrors a growing frustration and anger among PDP members against Mr. Sheriff, whom they accuse of being used by the ruling All Progressives Congress to destabilize the opposition party. The PDP Ministers Forum rejected him as did the PDP Board of Trustees but the governors would not listen. Now we have been vindicated because everything that we said would happen has come to pass, Mr. Fani-Kayode said. Mr. Fani-Kayode kicked against the suggestion from a fellow PDP member and a former presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe, that the faction of the party led by the former governor of Kaduna State, Mr. Makarfi, should negotiate with Mr. Sheriff. There can be no fellowship between light and darkness even in politics, the former minister said. You cannot negotiate with a narcissistic megalomaniac who wants your head to be cut off and served to him on a silver platter. Sheriff is working for Buhari to destroy the PDP and he has almost succeeded in his mission. The former minister, who described Mr. Sheriff as PDPs biggest mistake after the party conceded power to the APC, said the best approach to the crisis was for PDP to continue to fight Sheriff in court and, if necessary, form a new party, and then leave the the carcass of the old PDP for him (Sheriff). Very few people will stay with him because carcasses tend to stink and because he is the quintessential plague. After some time, even his most diehard supporters will get sick of him and abandon him. Finally let us remember the following. We must never attempt to appease a tyrant: it encourages him in his tyranny and it gives him pleasure. To the bully, compromise is seen as nothing more than weakness. The All Progressives Congress in Ondo State on Tuesday erupted in a crisis with some members claiming they have impeached the chairman, Isaacs Kekemeke, for his involvement in the endorsement of an aspirant ahead of the governorship primaries slated for August 27. The group forcefully took over the state secretariat along Oyemekun Road, shutting the gates against Mr. Kekemeke and his allies. They also announced the appointment of Saka Ogunleye as their new chairman. At the time journalists visited the secretariat, the members were waiving placards, protesting the rumoured endorsement of one of the aspirants, Olusegun Abraham, by the national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu. They alleged that Mr. Kekemeke had compromised his position by allowing the imposition of a candidate in spite of the agreement that all aspirants should prove their popularity at the primary election. The rumoured endorsement by Mr. Tinubu was disclosed by a governorship aspirant, Tunji Abayomi, in a letter he wrote to Mr. Tinubu, challenging the latters interference in the democratic process in the state. Mr. Abayomi had warned the former Lagos governor to steer clear of the process of selecting a candidate for the party and allow the people of the Stste to choose their leaders. But Mr. Tibunu had since replied Mr. Abayomis letter, saying that he had the right to support any aspirant for the ticket of Ondo APC governorship candidate. The protest on Tuesday was a reaction to the development, as the protesters vowed to resist any imposition of a candidate on the party. A group known as the Owo/Ose Egalitarian Group, had earlier rejected the imposition, saying the action negated the principle of fairness and denied the people of Owo/Ese federal constituency the right to produce a governor for the state. Its coordinator, Akin Famadenuyi, who protested the imposition in s statement, said the leaders of the party should not take away the rights of the people of his constituency the right to reduce the next governor by zoning it to another. But Mr. Kekemeke who appeared unruffled by the uproar said the development was an expression of democracy in action. You know our party is a progressive party and what happened today is part of the vibrancy in the party, he said. I am not angry because people are free to express how they feel especially given the fact that APC has a high propensity to win the coming election. People have invested their time and energy in the pursuit of their ambitions, and they are bound to vent their frustrations if they think that those ambitions are dimming. Mr. Kekemeke however wondered why some aspirants were trying to deny others the same endorsements they sought as they campaigned for support ahead of the primaries. He said most of the aspirants had gone to Mr. Tinubu to seek his endorsement for the election, but while some failed to secure his support, some others might have succeeded. To seek endorsement from anyone is normal in a democratic process, it is political illiteracy to be angry because someone got endorsed and you did not get the endorsement, which you also sought, he said. The aspirants have been going around trying to get endorsements even from me and I dont think there is anything wrong if anyone got endorsed. Whatever the case, I can assure you that everyone will still have to submit himself to the primaries and a candidate will emerge through a free and fair election. He said he was willing to be the scape goat, as the chairman of the party, saying he would be strong to receive whatever attack that would come to him in the process. He promised that the issues would be resolved and the present state of things would not affect the process of the coming primaries. President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday said he has not been receiving military pensions and salaries as former head of state since he assumed office in May 2015. Mr. Buhari said, in fact, he did not receive pensions due to him as a retired military officers, unlike many of his contemporaries. Mr. Buhari was reacting to a narrative circulating on social media which said he has been receiving double payments from the federal coffers. In a statement released by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, on Twitter, Mr. Buhari said all financial gratuities, vehicles and even souvenirs due him were not paid to him by the Army. The President has never received pension from the army or car as had gone to former Commanders-in-Chief, Mr. Shehu said. After his overthrow, they didnt remember him even in the annual distribution of diaries or calendars. Buhari stopped collecting allowances paid to former Heads of State the moment he took office as elected President last year. Since his overthrow as military ruler, the army never instituted a pension for him. The army is known to supply cars to former heads of the army. President Buhari never got any of that, Mr. Shehu said. Mr. Shehu said before Mr. Buhari was elected president, he did not benefit from vehicle supplies to former Nigerian leaders, a claim he said could be verified at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Before this time, the presidency did not supply cars to him as they did the former Heads of State, Mr. Shehu said. This is verifiable from the SGFs office. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Some 38,000 prisoners will be released during the next two years in Turkey, the countrys Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said, TRT Haber news channel reported Aug. 17. Bozdag added that this is not an act of pardon, and the prisoners will be released under supervision. Reportedly, more than 2,690 people were dismissed from Turkeys state departments as part of the fight against the movement of Fethullah Gulen, who is involved in the organization of the July 15 military coup attempt in the country. An Istanbul court ordered 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 had 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. Erdogan declared a three-month state of emergency in Turkey on July 20. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu The Nasarawa State Pilgrims Welfare Board said it stopped nine pregnant women from performing this years hajj to Saudi Arabia. The leader of the boards medical team, Usman Saleh, made the disclosure while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lafia. After thorough medical examination, we discovered that nine women, who, though, have fully paid their hajj fare, are pregnant. We had to drop them from the list since they cannot perform this years pilgrimage as it is against Saudi Arabias law. He said screening of the pregnant women was also in consonance with the National Hajj Commission of Nigerias directives. Mr. Saleh said the board would conduct final screening before the transportation of the intending pilgrims to ensure compliance with prescribed medical requirement by the Saudi authority. He assured the state intending pilgrims of full medical coverage while in Holy land and commended the state government for consenting to their needs. Meanwhile, the boards Public Relations Officer, Abdulrrazak Muahmmad, said it was already conducting investigation over allegation of fraud against some staff over this years hajj. Mr. Muhammad said about 20 intending pilgrims from different local government areas of the state had accused some staff of the board of corruption. They alleged that they paid the prescribed hajj fares to some staff of the board but wondered why they could not find their names on the list released by the board. Mr. Muhammad said any one found culpable would be sanctioned. (NAN) An Abuja High Court on Tuesday joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a defendant in a suit filed by Osagie Ize-Iyamu, an Edo State PDP governorship aspirant. Mr. Ize-Iyamu is the candidate chosen by a faction of the PDP led by Ahmed Makarfi to contest in the Sept 10 governorship election. He had earlier filed a suit challenging the Independent National Electoral Commissions (INEC) alleged attempt to substitute him with another candidate. Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, the presiding judge granted Mr. Ize-Iyamus application by joining PDP as the defendant in the suit. Mr. Adeniyi said that there was merit in the application that requested that PDP be joined in the suit. He ordered Mr. Ize-Iyamus Counsel, Chidi Aninwoya, to include the PDP in his briefs as the 2nd defendant in the suit. Mr. Adeniyi adjourned till Aug. 17 to rule on the application by Matthew Iduoriyekemwens, who was chosen by the Ali Sherifs faction of the party, seeking to be joined in the suit. Mr. Aninwoya, earlier urged the court to refuse Mr. Iduoriyekemwems application seeking to be joined in the suit. He said Mr. Iduoriyekemwem was not a necessary applicant in the suit as presently constituted. Ajibola Oluyede, Counsel to Mr. Iduoriyekemwem, told the court that it was important that his client be brought into the matter because they could be affected later on. Mr. Oluyede told the court that Mr. Ize-Iyamu had conceded that there are disputes in the reliefs sought in his originating summons. They conceded that there is something to fight over, Mr. Oluyede said. The INECs Counsel Ibrahim Mohammed, did not oppose the application that joined PDP in the suit. (NAN) Three police officers in Ebonyi State were on Wednesday arraigned on a ten- count charge for their role in the torture of Uzoamaka Chukwu. The officers, all corporals, arraigned are Paulinus Nwadonwe, Monday Nweke, and Irondi Obinna. Others arraigned are the Coordinator of Ohaozara West Development Centre, Ene Ogbonnaya, and his two brothers Ene Enekwachi and Ene Martin. The accused persons had last month stripped the 15-year-old girl and flogged her. Mr. Ene and the other five were accused of unlawfully causing injuries to Uzoamaka Chukwu by forcing her to lie on broken bottles and hitting her with cables and electric wires. The incident reportedly took place at the home of the coordinator. They were also accused of indecent assault, abduction of a minor, deprivation of liberty and publication of defamatory matters. The accused also reportedly videoed the incident and distributed same on social media, with the false claim that she was caught making love in her fathers house with a man, which exposed her to hatred, contempt and ridicule knowing same to be false. The officers, according to the court documents, were also accused of demanding N30,000 and N25,000 bribe from Churchman Akpachukwu and Akpa Okorie respectively. After the charges were read to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty. Thereafter, the lead counsel to the accused persons, Friday Akpor, made an oral application for bail. He argued that the charges were bailable offences. But the prosecutor, Adeola Elumaro, opposed the application arguing that the accused if granted bail could tamper with prosecution witness. In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, Ojemba Isu-Oko, granted the accused bail to the tune of N50,000 each. The judge also granted the prosecutions application for accelerated hearing and adjourned the matter to September 18. Mr. Elumaro, a Superintendent of Police, said the prosecution asked for accelerated hearing so as to enable Uzoamaka, who was in court, move on and concentrate with her studies. You know she will be starting school soon and we want to get done with the part of the case that concerns her so that she can concentrate with her studies, he said. Security operatives were on Wednesday deployed at the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State. This follows protests by aggrieved members over the alleged imposition of a governorship candidate by a national leader of the party, Bola Tinubu. The aggrieved members had locked the gates early on Tuesday, after they drove out party officials from the secretariat and announced the sack of the chairman, Isaacs Kekemeke. But some of the party supporters loyal to the chairman and led by one Amoda Bello, stormed the secretariat on Wednesday, to break open the gates. They then moved away to take strategic positions along the streets and in front of the secretariat as the policemen effectively took charge. The armed police officers arrived the secretariat on Wednesday morning along with a detachment of operatives of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. Mr. Bello decried the action of the aggrieved group as illegal, saying no group has the right to lock up the secretariat of the party. He said if any group of people feel aggrieved, they should channel their grievances through the appropriate quarters. In a reaction, the APC State Secretary, Rahman Rotimi, condemned the action of members who locked the party state secretariat on Tuesday. Mr. Rotimi said the party secretariat is the symbol of the party and could not be locked by anybody. He said there was bound to be differences among members of a political party like APC, but the differences could be resolved. The Lagos State Government said on Wednesday that it would deploy 13,000 closed circuit television, CCTV cameras across the state. Officials also said the state will construct a flyover at Pen Cinema located at the Agege axis of the state. Ganiyu Johnson, the states Commissioner for Works, said this at a news conference addressed jointly by Steve Ayorinde, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, and other commissioners in Ikeja. Mr. Johnson said that the construction of the bridge would last for between 18 and 24 months. The Pen-Cinema flyover has been a recurring decimal in this state to solve the gridlock there. This flyover will bring to three the number of flyover undertaken by this government after the Abule-Egba and Ajah flyovers which are on course. The commissioner said that the flyover would be constructed from Oba Ogunji via Ijaiye Road into Agunbiade. He said that the bridge would be 700 metres long with some junction improvement at Pen Cinema. The project will also accommodate a generous walkway, similar to the Ikorodu Expressway and the bridge will have a free flow all the way to Agunbiade, Mr. Johnson said. Also speaking, Mr. Ayorinde said that the state government had decided to deploy 13,000 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, and security sensors for surveillance and crime prevention. He said that with this, the government had declared its readiness to activate a multi-faceted project designed to improve living standards and revenue generation in the state. Similarly, Olufemi Odubiyi, the Commissioner for Science and Technology, said that the deployment of the cameras would start in September. Odubiyi said that it would take between 16 to 18 months before the cameras could be evenly deployed across the state. There will be equitable distribution across the state and it will have a multiplier effect on business opportunities in the state as it continues to move toward a 24-hour economy. The commissioner said additional 6,000 streetlights would also be provided to support the states Light Up initiative. What the state is trying to achieve at the end of the day is ensuring that e-government services are fully implemented so that citizens could enjoy the delivery of the objectives of the government, he said. In a remark, Anofiu Elegushi, the Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Transportation, said that the traffic on the Lekki-Epe Expressway would be decongested through the removal of the three roundabouts. Mr. Elegushi, however, said that the roundabouts would be replaced by traffic lights. (NAN) ATLANTIC CITY Bader Field, the now-closed municipal airport that was the site of many aviation firsts, got its start during an airshow in 1910. Aviation historian and author Richard Porcelli said the site was used as an overnight parking area for planes in the Above-the-Ocean Aero Meet in July 106 years ago. They took off and landed on the beach between Ocean Pier at Tennessee Avenue and Million Dollar Pier at Arkansas Avenue, and a crowd of 100,000 showed up to watch. Many people had never seen airplanes up close before, Porcelli said. It was only the fourth such show in the world, according to Porcellis book Naval Air Station Atlantic City. Atlantic City and South Jersey have a rich aviation history that spans more than a century and includes airshows, military training and the evolution of flight and research. It began with Bader Field, which was used for aviation intermittently and then continuously from 1917 to its closing in 2006, making it the longest-operating civilian air field in the U.S., Porcelli said. It continues today with the Federal Aviation Administrations William J. Hughes Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township, which is involved in the research and development of the next generation of air traffic technology. The term airport was coined in reference to Bader Field, Porcelli said. But the land is now for sale by the cash-strapped city, which is hoping to get at least $100 million for the 143-acre property. Bader Field was doomed by its inability to expand, penned in by water on three sides and its proximity to major roads and neighborhoods. A plane crash in 1986 was particularly traumatizing and resulted in a movement to close the field. A small plane crashed into Albany Boulevard in the Chelsea section on takeoff, killing one passenger and rookie Atlantic City police Officer Thomas Tim Burns, 25, who was off duty and sitting in his car at a red light. It also sent debris into the property of then-Councilman Jim Whelan. Whelan, later mayor, an assemblyman and now a state senator, worked to close the airport after that. But the city had to wait 20 years to close Bader Field, because it had recently accepted federal funds for the airport. Pilots accused the city of neglecting maintenance for two decades to discourage its use and argued it could have been a major attraction to bring in wealthier visitors who are private pilots. It was long an attraction for the rich. Around 1917, Glen Curtiss established a facility for his flying limousines seaplanes that brought wealthy visitors to Atlantic City hotels from Manhattan, New York. At the time, the facility had grass strips and a seaplane ramp. The city bought Bader Field and gave it its name to honor its Mayor Edward Bader in 1922. But in the 1930s as airplanes got bigger, planes outgrew the airfield, Porcelli said. In 1941, the city bought about 4,000 acres in the Pomona section of Galloway and Egg Harbor townships and got a $1.5 million federal grant to build a modern airport. A week later, Pearl Harbor happened, and the federal government took over the property, Porcelli said. That was the start of Naval Air Station Atlantic City, where fighter pilots were trained mainly for the Pacific Theater, he said. Just down the coast in Cape May County was Naval Air Station Wildwood at Cape May Airport in Lower Township, where dive bombers trained. They were training here for the Pacific Theater. They needed to be around water, said Bruce Fournier, executive director of the Naval Air Station Wildwood Museum. Atlantic County and the Cape May County peninsula replicated what they were going to see over there. After the war, the Navy turned the Pomona site into a research and development center. It flew drones there in 1946 and trained pilots for specialty night flying and for flying nuclear bombers, Porcelli said. All of the Navys new aircraft were tested there, too, he said. A sad event would soon change its use. In 1956, there was a mid-air collision of airliners over the Grand Canyon, said Porcelli. It was the worst in history at that time, and everyone was killed on both planes. The pilots had both decided to give their passengers a view of the canyon and tried to get around a large cloud obstructing their view. They both chose the same side of the cloud, he said. There were 128 lives lost, according to the FAA, and it was the first time more than 100 people were killed in an air accident. The American people were shocked that there was no radar system outside of airports. Pilots talked on radios and relied on visual information, Porcelli said. In response to the accident, the Eisenhower administration formed the Airways Modernization Board, which replaced the Navy at the Egg Harbor Township facility. The AMB soon became the Federal Aviation Administration and began developing an air traffic control system and other safety measures. The Navy left in May 1958, the Airways Modernization Board moved in in June and in September its name was changed to the Federal Aviation Administration, Porcelli said. Contact: 609-272-7219 Twitter @MichelleBPost ATLANTIC CITY When Shavonne McKee was gunned down in Back Maryland last month she was killed in front of her 10 and 15-year-old daughters. Maniyah and Kareemah were outside when my sister was shot and they saw their mother lying on the ground, said Shamia McKee who is Shavonne McKees sister. On July 3, Shavonne McKee was shot multiple times at about 11:20 p.m., in the area of the 400 block of North Virginia Avenue. She was taken to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, where she was pronounced dead. No arrests have been made in connection to Shavonne McKees killing. My sister would say she would have it no other way than for me to take care of and protect her girls like I have my own, Shamia McKee said. As violence spikes, Back Maryland looks for answers ATLANTIC CITY Taquanda Roberts was new to the Back Maryland neighborhood and scared to liv Shavonne McKee, 37, a single mother, left behind three daughters and two grandchildren. McKees sister, Shamia McKee also a single mother of four is now caring for her slain sisters children who are 10 and 15-years-old. She has also taken in her sisters 21-year-old daughter Saniya and her two children. But Shamia McKee needs help as she cares for all the children in her Mays Landing home. Shamia McKee and childhood friend Marlo Welch organized a fundraiser for Friday evening to raise money for the children. Friends and family remember Atlantic City woman killed Sunday ATLANTIC CITY Nearly every seat inside the All Wars Memorial Building was filled and mourn She said she is in nursing school and wasnt financially equipped when her sister was killed because she had resigned from her job to focus on school. Welch, a childhood friend stepped in to help after Shavonnes killing. Welch and the McKee sisters grew up together in Back Marylandthe very neighborhood where Shavonne was killed. I just woke up with it on my heart. With Shamia taking care of the children in addition to her own and after Shavonnes funeral I saw what had to be done. It really touched me. I knew I had to do something, said Welch of Egg Harbor Township. Atlantic City shooting victim was mother of three ATLANTIC CITY A woman shot to death during the weekend was identified Tuesday as the mothe I called on Marty Small to help and he came through, Shamia McKee said. Council President Marty Small said he grew up with the McKee sisters and graduated from Atlantic City High School with Shamia. Small said any time a life is lost in Atlantic City its a tragedy no matter what the circumstances, but clearly Shavonnes killing had a close connection to Small. AC church holds prayer service for slain grandmother ATLANTIC CITY Dozens of parishioners at Resurrection New Covenant Church led a prayer vigi Marlo said the Lord put something on her heart and I received a call very early in the morning and she said she needed my help with this fundraiser. Thats what I am here for, Small said. Contact: 609-513-6686 Twitter @ACPressWeaver If you go: In Loving Memory of Shavonne "VON G" McKee Friday, Aug. 19, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets $25 Kelsey and Kims 1545 Pacific Avenue Atlantic City To purchase tickets call (917) 714-9427 Every two years artist Julie Goldstein creates a new body of work work that always involves women. For her most recent collection, Goldstein researched female swimmers and divers, delving further and further into the history of the Ama, female Japanese pearl divers from the early 20th century. The Ama, which translates into sea women, would dive for abalone, oysters, lobsters and, of course, pearls, while their husbands would stay home with the children, Goldstein explains. Theyd make more money in one dive than the men would in a year of fishing, says Goldstein of this remarkable group of women who would train themselves to hold their breath for three minutes at a time, even diving into freezing water with minimal apparel, often developing hypothermia. Theyd dive until they were 90. The reason I am doing this now is that this is the last generation of Ama. Their granddaughters prefer to work in cities. Goldstein focused specifically on the earlier time period of the Ama, prior to the 1950s when they were required to start wearing wetsuits. They were forced to cover their bodies, Goldstein says. It was freeing before, more comfortable. Goldsteins Ama art woodcuts and fabric work can be seen in The Fisherwomen: A Village of Sisters, at Ann Coen Gallery in Surf City through Sept. 30. Repurposing aged woods gives Scott Troxels work new direction Buying something anything from a hairy Jerry Garcia lookalike in some incredibly remote Goldstein, who grew up summering in Long Beach Island, received her masters degree in fine art and art education from Columbia University. She has participated in international group art shows in France, Brazil and Japan, a country for which she has a particular affinity for, having had her worked displayed there since 2004. Goldstein currently lives in California with her husband, but has returned annually since 2014 for an exhibition at Ann Coen Gallery. During the final stages of creating her work on the Ama, Goldstein started to feel a strong connection to these female divers. Im relating the Ama back to my friends in L.B.I. and my sister and mother in my imagination Im creating my own little tribe of Ama divers, she says. Each piece is dedicated to one of them including a quilt that Ive dedicated to my mom who taught me to quilt and sew. This piece is the matriarch of the show. I always try to tie in my personal identity. She also likes to include a unique story based on historical fact with each work. The facts I found were astounding the Ama would dive up to nine months pregnant, she states. I talk a lot in my work of body image in my work. I use the womans body as a metaphor for strength. And theyd dive because they had more body fat (than men) so they were praised back then for their body fat. Not like in our culture today. Stone Harbor galleries focus on female artists Perhaps inspired by the first-ever female presidential candidate for a major party, Stone Ha The Fisherwomen: A Village of Sisters Where: Ann Coen Gallery, 1418 Long Beach Blvd., Surf City When: Now through Sept. 30 How much: Entrance is free. Artwork varies in price. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: If the July 15 military coup had been successful, the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars (BTK) railway in Turkey would have stopped, Turkish Minister of Transport, Shipping and Communications Ahmet Arslan said in an interview with Anadolu Agency. He said in such a case, other important projects in Turkey would also have been under a great threat. As it has turned out, one of the objectives of the coup plotters was to paralyze the transport projects in Turkey, Arslan added. 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. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway is being constructed on the basis of a Georgian-Azerbaijani-Turkish intergovernmental agreement. It will be commissioned in the second half of this year. The peak capacity of the BTK will be 17 million tons of cargo per year. At the initial stage, the capacity will be one million passengers and 6.5 million tons of cargo. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Its hard for a restaurant to make a name for itself, especially in Cape May, where renowned restaurants reside on every corner. Yet, La Dona Restaurante Mexicana is managing to make quite a splash by filling a culinary void in the beach town and filling it well. Owner Lucy Covino had ambitions to bring a bit of her culture to the Jersey Shore for years. Inspired by her mothers passion for cooking and familiar with the restaurant business her husband is the owner of Andrea Trattoria Italiana with two locations in Millville and Sea Isle City the Oaxaca native opened up La Dona, named after the polite Mexican word for a lady, about three months ago. There werent a lot of Mexican restaurants (in Cape May). We have an Italian restaurant, so I said I wanted people to know what Mexican cuisine was, Covino says. People have a picture of Mexican food they think its a taco or a burrito, but we have so much more than that. I want to get people to know more about my culture. Popular dishes at La Dona include their enchiladas, a corn tortilla filled with shredded chicken in mole sauce or salsa verde, topped with Mexican cheese crumbles, sour cream and onions ($20); and huachinango al mojo de ajo, a whole red snapper in a garlic marinade served with rice and salad (market price). Have four courses on the cheap at Wildwoods Restaurant Week The seafood is fresh from the docks, the fruits and vegetables are in season and the time is While the snapper and enchiladas are stand-outs, Covino points out that everyones different, and the popularity of the dishes ebbs and flows. Her main goal is to encourage people to try something new. You can begin trying something new with La Donas appetizers. Specialty starters include elote, grilled corn on the cob with mayo, Mexican cheese and chili powder ($4); ceviche de camarones, Mexican-style shrimp cocktail ($14); and guacamole de la casa, made fresh at your table with avocados, onions, cilantro, jalapeno and lime juice ($10). Covino and her team of chefs have managed to seamlessly blend Mexican cuisine with shore-town culture, which is to say, theyve got seafood. The aforementioned red snapper and shrimp cocktail grace the menu, along seafood options like fish tacos ($20) and camarones del Diablo, which is shrimp sauteed in a spicy sauce over rice ($21). When you go to the beach in Mexico you look forward to these dishes like a shrimp cocktail, Covino says. I offer that because were so close to the beach. Everything is really refreshing. At La Dona, the magic is in the details. The guac whipped up fresh at each table; the savory chocolate mole sauce made from a family recipe; the homemade salsa and chips; the signature flan; the Mexican soda; the array of margarita mixes with fresh squeezes of lime, lemon and orange did we mention that it was BYOB (or BYO tequila, as Covino points out). These little touches come together to pull La Dona above the culinary din in Cape May. Little things make a difference, says Covino. Cape May has a lot of good restaurants, but when you know how to make things, and you have a strong belief in yourself and you put a lot of effort in, it matters. LA DONA RESTAURANTE MEXICANA Where: Carpenter's Square Mall, 31 Perry St., Cape May When: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily How much: Appetizers: $4 to $16; salads: $9; soup, $7; seafood, $20 to $21; tacos $9 to $12; lunch entrees, $8 to $14; sandwiches, $10 to $11; Oaxacan dinners, $20 to $22; fajitas, $16 to $21 Services: disabled access, all major credit cards accepted, kid-friendly options, gluten free options, vegetarian options, non-smoking More info: Call 609-884-5503 or go to LaDonaMex.com Were all told that exercise is good for you. But, cmon. It can also be a drag. Treadmills and stationary bikes can be mind-numbingly dull. Even weights are just the same thing over and over again up, down, up, down, up, down. Yet even though they may not be terribly exciting, these modes of exercise have been proven to be quite effective for helping one lose weight and/or tone up. Surely, though, there has to be some way to combine fitness with fun, right? Fortunately, there are a few new fitness trends that are not only downright exhilarating, but also stimulating on top of being helpful for getting folks in shape. One of the most important choices we can make toward our best health is remaining physically active, (so) whatever motivates you to enjoy moving is what you need to be doing, says Dr. Nina Radcliff, a Galloway Township physician anesthesiologist, television medical contributor and textbook author. Many fitness trends can be great because they are done in a group setting and provide fun while getting your heart pumping and moving your muscles. And they can provide structure, especially when you plan on meeting up with workout buddies. So we two At The Shore reporters buddied up and tried three of the hottest workout trends for women and men Super Cycle, aerial yoga and stand-up paddleboard yoga/pilates in order to see if they met our standards for fitness and fun. First, though, a little on us: Pamela Dollak, editor of At The Shore I used to run only if I was being chased. For the past few years, though, running has become part of my life. Im not saying that I particularly enjoy it or that Im a natural at it, but its my go-to for getting in a good workout. That said, I have to admit that Im now quite the cardio junkie, and feel that if I dont get in any cardio, I havent worked out. Rebecca King, graphic artist, associate editor Im not a big gym rat, favoring to hide in the small, secluded womens only section of my gym, rather than face the judgmental stares of people who actually know what theyre doing. And while Ill take any excuse for a cheat day, I try to make it to the gym a few times a week. Zumba enthusiast. Poor-mans yogi. Cardio-hater. Now for background and our thoughts on three of the coolest and most fun fitness trends available in South Jersey today. Going for a spin: Super Cycle You read correctly. Super Cycle. Not Soul Cycle, the uber popular, even cultish, new twist on an indoor spinning class. Essentially, theyre the same thing. Soul Cycle, however, is a trademarked name. By calling it Super Cycle, Greate Bay Racquet and Fitness Club in Somers Point can use a similar workout routine, and put their own ya know, spin on it. Super Cycle is more than just riding the bike at varying levels of resistance. You also do pushups right on the handlebars and utilize light hand weights, all in a pitch dark room lighted only with neon fluorescent accents. Blaring, upbeat music and Instructor Donna OShay keep you moving and motivated especially the latter by yelling phrases throughout the class such as, you are stronger than your excuses, while all but promising tighter abs, toner arms and legs and improved cardio health. Mother and daughter Monica and Mary Kate Flynn were there together, agreeing that its a great cardio class. Daughter Mary Kate Flynn went a bit further saying that its essentially a time saver, too. Its a full-body workout in 45 minutes time. Brian Cahill, director of marketing and public relations at Shore Medical Center, was actually on vacation in Avalon when he took this class, which he takes for the variety of movements, as well as for the low risk of injury. I drove a half hour to get here today because theres so much value in this class. Pamela: This class is spinning on steroids. No visualizing rolling hills or scenic trails. You go from zero to 60 as soon as you get on the bike which is no easy task as you have to cram your sneaker into special pedals. The music, by everyone from Janis Joplin up to Ariana Grande, is loud, fun and fast and theres really no time to think about what comes next. I wound up getting a killer cardio workout while also working my legs and abs. Plus, with those light hand weights which, after about a bazillion reps of curls and presses, dont feel so light any more I was able to hit my arms, shoulders and back, too. I thoroughly enjoyed this class. Im all about maximizing as much of a workout as you can in a short amount of time. Super cycle did all that and more. 5 Dumbbells (out of 5) Rebecca: Super Cycle was admittedly intimidating to me. I mean, when we first got there we were given a towel to soak up the sweat that would inevitably pour from our bodies and shown how to strap our feet into the bikes so that we didnt fall off. That said, I was able to keep up. Whats great about Super Cycle is that its dark, so if you mess up or fall out of the bike (as I did once), no one will really notice. Plus, you can work at your own level. If you need to lower the intensity of your bike, you can. If you need to take a break, you can. If you dont want to use the weights during the arm workouts, you dont have to. The environment encourages you to work your hardest, but gives you the freedom to go at your own pace. Even fellow cardio-haters shouldnt be intimidated by this workout. Other than that, the music pumped me up, the motivational yelling, as I affectionately call it, was a welcome encouragement and I really felt like I got a complete workout in only 45 minutes, which was the biggest plus for me. If you want results without spending hours at the gym, Super Cycles your class. 3 Dumbbells Flying high: Aerial yoga Forza Fitness in Sea Isle is the only place at the Jersey shore offering this unique yoga class. Taught by Owner Lorelle Cicitta, a bodybuilder and a self-described jock growing up, she never thought shed teach yoga because she had tried it and hated it. But in Florida, she experienced yoga done on hammocks. She was hooked and had to bring it back to New Jersey. With aerial yoga, theres less risk of injury to your wrists, and less compression on your body. According to Cicitta, Aerial yoga goes 50 percent deeper than regular yoga, and that you get a huge cardio workout, too. Its also supposed to be amazing not merely for strengthening, but for lengthening. Donna Black of Sea Isle has been doing aerial yoga here for three months and claims to have grown of an inch since she started. Pamela: Whats cool about this form of yoga is that you really can go much further with your poses than in regular yoga, as long as you trust the swing Cicittas mantra throughout the class. This means that you dont have to rely only on yourself to defy gravity, you have the swing to hold you up, which allows you to expand your reach and your pose. I was also intrigued by the inverted poses that are supposedly great for your digestive system. Did this class give me the cardio workout that I was hoping it would? No. But its still a very cool class and a unique take on yoga. And as for the lengthening aspect of it, I really did feel taller afterwards. And who doesnt want to feel taller? 3.5 Dumbbells Rebecca: Aerial yoga definitely gave me the deepest stretch Ive ever had, and there were moments where my muscles were working very hard my weak arms had to kick it into gear in the poses where our arms were supporting us. What I enjoyed most were the inversions. According to Cicitta, when we flip upside down, were decompressing letting the blood flow in the opposite direction and letting gravity work to lengthen us. Cicitta told us that by flipping upside-down, we restart our digestive systems and give our internal organs a chance to rest. Aerial yoga lets you show your insides some love in a way thats practically impossible without a yoga swing. I would recommend aerial yoga for people looking to lengthen and tone in a pretty Zen environment. It may not be right for those who like the loud music and high intensity bursts in their workout, but I think its a great way to get healthier, inside and out. 4 Dumbbells A delicate balance: SUP yoga/pilates Stand-up paddleboard yoga/pilates is just what is sounds like it would be, a part yoga/part pilates class performed on a SUP in the water and everything. Just a few years ago, individuals would take this class on a singular, typical SUP, anchored by a bucket tied to a rope. Now, however, Harbor Outfitters on Fish Alley in Sea Isle City offers this workout on wide inflatable SUPs that you paddle out to an inflatable cog, anchored by a sturdy mushroomed-shaped weight. After shimmying the SUP up to the cog, its time for a traditional albeit floating yoga/pilates class. Harbor Outfitters Owner and Instructor Tricia Piola began as a traditional yoga teacher. But after purchasing some standup paddleboards and getting comfortable on them, she says, the first thing I wanted to do (on one) was a Downward Dog. She then became certified in SUP yoga and started her own classes, adjusting her practice to what shes found to work best. Pamela: Ive taken traditional yoga and pilates classes on solid ground and Ive taken beach yoga in, of course, the sand. The latter of which Ive heard is similar to doing it on a SUP, with respect to the uneven surface adding more difficulty when balancing in your poses. However, I found the SUP class to be much harder and more challenging in a good way. To begin with, I was glad to know that with this wide inflatable SUP, there was very minimal chance of falling into the water. I had had visions that the next days headline would state, Reporter drowns doing pilates! Since my fears of that happening were now assuaged, I was able to better focus strictly on doing the poses. Now even though you know youre not going to fall into the water (which really wouldnt have been that big of a deal anyway) the SUP moves a lot. I mean, its practically a raft, so it sways up and down with the movement of the water. Staying balanced while doing a Downward Dog or a Warrior I requires a heck of a lot more core strength than even regular yoga or pilates. And somehow, even though Im only gently flowing from one pose to another (in a somewhat clumsy way, mind you), I found my heart racing and beads of sweat dripping down my face, back and belly, making this class a great mix of cardio, strength and toning. And being on the water while working out made it that much more fun. 5 Dumbbells Rebecca: I had a lot of trepidation going into this class. Im a word-class klutz, and while I enjoy yoga a lot, Im the girl in who falls out of her lunges in a class on solid land. The fact that I can barely stand up on a paddleboard also had something to do with my nerves. With that in mind, Im shocked to say I loved this workout. When I saw the cog I breathed a huge sigh of relief. While the boards still shuddered and swayed in the cog, they were much more grounded. What I thought would be a series of me falling into the water then getting back on the board to fall back in again, resulting in its own workout of sorts, turned out to be a challenging, rewarding yoga class. And with the sun beating down on us, I almost wished to cool off with a quick fall into the water which Piola encouraged us to do after class. I definitely didnt sink into my poses as deeply as I would have on land or certainly on a swing in an effort not to fall. But I did get an incredible, full-body workout, with plenty of cardio to boot. Youre most in danger of falling in when youre up high in a lunge or standing pose, so I found myself looking forward to plank pose something I never thought Id say. In the end, it was a killer strength-builder in a beautiful strip of the bay. 5 Dumbbells FORZA FITNESS Where: 3514 Landis Ave., Sea Isle City When: Summer schedule for aerial yoga classes: 9:30 a.m. Mondays, 8 a.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Fridays, 9:30 a.m. Sundays How much: $20 for single class; membership prices vary More info: 10-person limit for aerial yoga classes; reservations for classes are first come, first serve; 609-432-2822, Forza.Fit HARBOR OUTFITTERS Where: 329 43rd Place, Sea Isle City; other locations in Ocean City, Avalon and Stone Harbor When: SUP yoga classes 9 a.m. daily; call in advance to schedule How much: $35 for one-hour paddleboard yoga class More info: Call 609-263-1404 or go to HarborOutfitters.com GREATE BAY RACQUET & FITNESS Where: 90 Mays Landing Road, Somers Point When: Super Cycle classes at 5:15 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m. Wednesdays, 7:45 a.m. Saturdays How much: $15 for a daily pass; membership prices vary More info: Call 609-926-9550 or go to GreateBayRacquetandFitness.com AC Weekly Health, Wellness and Fitness Expo Where: Ocean City Music Pier, Moorlyn Terrace and the Boardwalk, Ocean City When: Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17 How much: Free to attend Hop Aboard a Back-Bay Boat Cruise Experience the beauty and serenity of South Jerseys back bays with the Nature Center of Cape May. Learn about wildlife in the area while aboard the M.V. Osprey from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20. Meet at the Lower Township Library at 2600 Bayshore Ave., Villas. Naturalist Sam Wilson will give a short presentation, then the group will travel to Miss Chris Marina in Cape May for a two-hour tour. Bring binoculars. Tickets are $15 and pre-registration is required. Call 609-463-6386. Take a Wilderness Tour Learn about plant life on Long Beach Island during a Wilderness Walk, offered from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursdays in August by the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Walks take place in the refuges Holgate Wilderness Area, located on South Long Beach Boulevard in Holgate (Long Beach Island). Walks are free. Bring a hat, sunscreen, bug spray and water. Meet at the Holgate Bulkhead, located at the southernmost end of LBI. Call 609-652-1665. Go Beachcombing Search for treasures from the sea during a beachcombing walk with the Cape May County Library in Wildwood Crest. The walk is led by naturalist Sue Slotterback from 6 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Aug. 29. Meet at the library at 6300 Atlantic Ave., then walk to the beach. Participants will learn to pull a net, sieve the sand and search for treasures. Bring a bucket. Admission is free. Call 609-463-6386 or go to CMCLibrary.org. Attend a Nature Show During the Nature and Wildlife Show at Cape May Convention Center, families will be introduced to all different types of wildlife from New Jersey. The show takes place at 7:30 p.m. Sundays through Aug. 28 and is presented by Steve Serwatka of New Jersey Nature. Serwatka will introduce kids to local rescued animals and share about his work to save and rehabilitate wildlife. The Convention Center is located at 714 Beach Ave., Cape May. Admission is free. Call 609-844-9565 or go to DiscoverCapeMayNJ.com. Take a Bird Walk Travel the Red Trail at Cape May Point State Park during the Bird and Nature Walk. A park naturalist will introduce participants to various bird species during the walk, 9 to 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 18. Look forvarious types of fowl, such as wading birds, ducks and swans. Bring binoculars or borrow a pair from your guide. Meet at the Visitor Center, located at 305 Lighthouse Ave., Cape May Point. Admission is free. Call 609-884-2159. ATLANTIC CITY The heat was intense, but so was the interest of spectators in the parachutists, acrobatic fliers and military airplanes that sped by low over the ocean Wednesday. It was the 14th annual Thunder Over the Boardwalk Atlantic City Airshow, with airboss David Schultz estimating 450,000 people lined the Boardwalk, beaches and oceanfront buildings from Brigantine to Ocean City. It gives you goosebumps, said Meet Atlantic City volunteer Liv Dietrich, of Ventnor, after watching a U.S. Army Golden Knights Flag Jumper parachute to Earth to the tune of the National Anthem. The jumper opened the show, parachuting holding an American flag with golden smoke coming from his feet. He landed in a roped off area about fifty yards square on the beach near Florida Avenue, in the midst of crowds of onlookers. There were a couple of challenging moments. Schultz, who as airboss is the air traffic controller for the show, said an emergency landing of an aircraft unrelated to the show caused some logistical problems early in the day. Then a mechanical issue with one of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds planes caused about an hour delay at the end of the show, and they flew with five planes instead of six, Schultz said. We had a good crowd and lineup. Everything else worked like clockwork, said Schultz, who gets reports from his staff and the show pilots. The crowds were bigger than last year and for certain there were more boats. The beaches were packed. The Playground pier near Caesars Atlantic City Hotel & Casino was busy with people trying to find air conditioning relief from temperatures in the 90s. That meant a lot more business for many of the stores and food shops there. John Watts, of Brigantine, is assistant manager of the Aunt Annes and Cinnabon shop just inside the front door of the pier. He said business was at least ten times what it would be on a typical Wednesday. We did $2,000 in our first two hours. Its been very good so far, he said at about noon, with long lines still in front of his counter. We have high hopes for today. And just above the T-Street deck, on a private deck party on the third floor of the pier, sat Playground owner Bart Blatstein. He had sectioned off the deck for him and his friends to eat and relax for the airshow. Blatstein said he planned his whole summer around Wednesday, making sure his schedule was open. I make sure that no one is bothering me this week, he said. Emergency Medical Technician Jeff Magill, of Keyport First Aid in Monmouth County, said he hadnt seen any heat-related health issues by about noon. His unit had gone on one job to pick up someone with a knee injury, he said. But as the day wore on more people came to cooling tents to sit by fans and have an EMT keep an eye on them. Police had the usual number of lost children to reunite with parents, an unavoidable issue any time crowds are this big. We have had five altogether, said Lt. Rudy Lushina of the Atlantic City Police Department, at about 2:15 p.m. Four have been reunited, and one is active now. That number was about 15 by the end of the day, according to police. Everyone was reunited. We actually brought in juvenile detectives to take over that, looking for the parents, said Atlantic City Police spokesman, Sgt. Kevin Fair. The citys large electric advertising screens lined up along the Boardwalk carried a message that repeated every few minutes, reminding people to drink water, put on sun block and keep an eye on their kids. But spectators eyes were riveted to the skies, especially for dramatic vehicles like the U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey, a super loud tiltrotor aircraft with the speed and range of a turboprop plane, the maneuverability of a helicopter and the ability to carry 24 Marine combat troops twice as fast and five times farther than previous helicopters. Other favorites were the Geico Skytypers, a squadron that flies vintage World War II airplanes in precision flight maneuvers, and the shows final act by the Thunderbirds. Liz Beasley sat under a tent sponsored by her husband, Jim Beasley Jr., who would be flying later in the day in a P-51 Mustang WW2 fighter plane demonstration. Beasleys firm has sponsored the event every year since the shows birth. As a fan, Liz Beasley is proud of her husband every time he is up in the air. But as a wife, shes worried. Watching him always creates a hold my breath feeling and me hoping he flies through it safe and lands safe, she said. As soon as he lands then I can have a sigh of relief afterwards and congratulate him. Down by the water, as locals and visitors swam, George Schieder was all business sitting atop his lifeguard stand. The tension is up definitely. We just have to be extra careful watching people today and with a higher volume theres a bigger chance something can go wrong and people will need our help, said Schieder, 21, of Mays Landing. Ive just been watching the water, he said. Quite the opposite was happening for Anthony Totah, 56, of Wildwood. He brought his wide-lens camera to the beach to shoot the planes. My father was on the design team for the F-16s and I always like going to the airshow, Totah said. Ive been around planes forever so I love this. Back at the Playground, fans of the airshow hovered over the rails of the T-Street deck, waiting for the next plane to arrive. With each passing plane, a row of men and women with iPhones and thousand dollar cameras followed every move. Blatstein looked out onto the beach and boardwalk crowd, saying how important an event like Wednesdays airshow is for the city. It just goes to show that the power this city has with the beach concerts and the airshow and everything else. Its still Americas playground, he said. Contact: 609-272-7258 Contact: 609-272-7219 Twitter @MichelleBPost Representatives of Atlantic City are standing by their plea to receive $107,000 from Atlantic County to revitalize Browns Park. Citizens, veterans, members of the local NAACP and Atlantic City Councilman Kaleem Shabazz attended Tuesdays Board of Chosen Freeholders meeting to encourage the county to give the city the money for the park, which they say is in dire need of renovations. But despite a lively conversation that lasted about 40 minutes during the meeting, county executive Dennis Levinson said that he is standing by his decision to not give any municipalities any open space money this year. Atlantic City asking for $107,000 to fix Brown's Park Atlantic City officials are asking Atlantic County for $107,000 to help fund a restoration p Every town has been treated equally, Levinson said. We made a conscious decision that no one is going to get this money. Atlantic City officials are asking that the money come out of the open space fund because it is an open space project. The county, however, has decided that no municipality is going to get extra open space money because the future of North Jersey casinos, along with other economic factors, is uncertain right now. Levinson also mentioned that Browns Park is a municipal park, not a county park, and therefore should have been renovated when the city still had money. When Atlantic City was making money hand over fist, nobody fixed up Browns Park, Levinson said. Its extremely unfair to blame the county. City representatives argued during the meeting that the park had to be cleaned up now because of drug deals and violence that occurs there. They say that the shape that Browns Park is currently in disrespects the memory of Harold Brown, who was the first African-American from Atlantic County to be killed in World War II. Freeholder Ernest Coursey, who represents Atlantic City, Pleasantville and part of Egg Harbor Township on the board, reiterated his stance that the county always fights him when he asks for money for his constituents. [Levinson] is kicking Atlantic City while its already down, he said. Freeholder Chairman Frank Formica said during the meeting that he wants to work with the city to help mitigate the $107,000 needed. He mentioned, however, that he supports Levinson's decision to withhold all open space money this year. Levinson, while saying that he respects the memory of Brown, said that there is no reason the park cant be more secure with police presence without the final $107,000. He also reiterated that the parks deterioration has been going on for decades. That park is the way it is because they let it be that way, he said. Nobody is stopping them from cleaning it up right now. STAFFORD TOWNSHIP Stafford Township paid out $34,000 in a confidential settlement to a township resident who claimed Mayor John Spodofora retaliated against him over criticism. According to court records, Earl Galloway claimed Mayor John Spodofora used the township police department to retaliate against him. Galloway has been a vocal critic of Spodofora exaggerating his military service. The payment was made June 13, according to court records. Stafford man sues after criminal probe of fake Facebook page A Stafford Township man targeted in a criminal probe for making a parody Facebook page of Ma In 2012, Spodofora acknowledged that while he was a Vietnam War-era veteran, he never served in the country of Vietnam during the war, and had said things he shouldnt have. He apologized to Martha Kremer, whose husband served and who had raised the issue. Galloway created a Facebook page that poked fun at Spodofora for his exaggerations, according to court records. Spodofora requested a criminal investigation over the page in June 2014, which led to a grand jury subpoena, U.S. Navy investigation, and police seizing copies of critical emails and documents, according to court records. Is enough being done to save Barnegat Bay? Stafford Township Mayor John Spodofora has seen the changes in Barnegat Bay over the past 50 years. Galloway was never charged with any crime, but all of Galloways seized emails and files were turned over to the mayor by Stafford police. The settlement agreement contains a confidentiality clause, which prevents the parties to the suit from publicly disclosing the settlement terms. Contact: 609-272-7046 Twitter @ACPressHuba Eight is enough, dont you agree? Today should be the eighth and final day of this relentless heat wave, with some modest relief arriving as soon as tomorrow, but the real relief is still about six days away. For the first time since the first few days of August, I am able to forecast the arrival of a shot of genuinely comfortable summer weather, if you dont mind waiting until next Tuesday. Thunderbirds ready to roll at Atlantic City Airshow The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds landed in South Jersey early Monday afternoon, but they were If the forecast works out as planned which of course isnt always a guarantee then today should be our last 90-degree day for the foreseeable future. It will be an equal opportunity 90 for all, shore and mainland alike, as the winds will blow from the west, or off the land. If youre heading down to the shore to watch the annual Atlantic City Air Show, we should be rain-free, but remember the water, the sunscreen and the bug spray to combat the heat, the strong August sunshine, and the flies that will ride that westerly wind right down to the beaches. Why you're seeing more dolphins swimming off the Jersey shore Warm waters are drawing more bottlenose dolphins to South Jersey, with beachgoers and sights While the only thunder over the boardwalk today will be airplane-generated, Mother Nature may generate some thunderstorms overnight, the first of only two opportunities for some welcome rain in our forecast. Thunderstorms serve two purposes. First, they create brief cooling relief from the oppressive and obstinate heat. Second and more importantly, they provide some needed rain for the increasingly parched South Jersey landscape. The second chance for storms doesnt arrive until next Monday. Between those two windows for some rain, Ill opt for the adjectives warm and humid to describe our weather from Thursday through Sunday. While temperatures will remain warmer than average and the humidity will remain in the uncomfortable range, its an improvement from the stifling heat and humidity we endured over the last week. I expect a cold front around next Monday to do something that its many predecessors could not do: beat back the big Bermuda high that has firmly flexed its muscle for about a fortnight. If that front succeeds, then I can finally use the word comfortable in a forecast. Heres hoping. Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 17 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: Israel will pay Turkey a compensation of $20 million for the Freedom Flotilla incident, Turkish Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said, Yenisafak newspaper reported Aug. 17. Bozdag said the amount will be paid in the next 25 days. Earlier, Turkeys Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Israel accepted all the conditions of Turkey for repairing relations. He said Israel also agreed to end the blockade of the Gaza Strip with Turkeys mediation. Turkey signed an agreement with Israel on repairing the relations June 28. Relations between Israel and Turkey deteriorated after the Freedom Flotilla incident in 2010, when a convoy of six ships, including one flying Turkey's flag, tried to approach the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid and activists on board. The flotilla was blocked and stormed by Israeli forces, with eight Turkish citizens being killed as a result. Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Israel should apologize for the Freedom Flotilla incident, pay compensation to the families of those killed, and end the blockade of the Gaza Strip. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account. ATLANTIC CITYWhen experts find an answer to one question about the Zika virus, two more questions appear. That seems to be the pattern concerning research and prevention efforts on the impact of Zika virus on U.S. residents and visitors this year. The ever-changing information is just one of several reasons why state Department of Health officials have made if their goal to continue educating New Jersey residents on the most up-to-date travel advisories, prevention actions and health care information related to Zika. There is constant research being done on these aspects, said Dr. Arturo Brito, pediatrician and state health department deputy commissioner. A week ago, there were less than 50 countries (with local transmission). This week, theres more and next week could be even more. Its always changing. Brito spoke to clients, women and staff about Zika at the Atlantic City Women Infants and Children (WIC) Program office Wednesday. Zika virus is a disease passed from mosquitoes to humans and causes flu-like symptoms in some people. It is linked to serious birth defects in babies born to mothers infected with Zika. The spread of the disease reached epidemic proportions in Central and South America this past year. The majority of Zika cases in the United States have been travel related. The first cases with local transmission of the disease occurred last month in Miami. The good thing is, right now in New Jersey, we dont have local transmission of the virus, Brito said. But there are people who live in New Jersey who travel to other countries and impacted areas who then may come back with the virus. There are 94 travel-related cases in the state, according to the health department. Bergen and Passaic Counties have the largest number of cases at 18 each. As of August 10, there are in total 1,962 Zika cases in the country that have come from travel, sexual transmission and local transmission, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Brito and state health officials have amended the health departments educational #ZapZika campaign to include the latest precautions for Zika virus based off CDC information. How long are you contagious with the virus? asked a nurse at the WIC office event. Brito said the virus could stay in a persons system from two and seven days, and that the CDC recommends people wait up to eight weeks after visiting an affected country before trying for a pregnancy. Other updated information included CDC recommendations that people use mosquito repellant for three weeks after returning from an affected region to limit local spread of the disease, Brito said. For pregnant women, or people trying to start families, its best to postpone trips until they absolutely have to, Brito said. In sexual transmission, experts have found that the virus could stay in a mans semen for up to 62 days, and there are more studies being done on that. There are no current medications or vaccines to treat or prevent Zika, according to the CDC. Other communities are taking it upon themselves to hold informational Zika events. Dr. Paul Offit, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases and director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, will speak about the virus at the Avalon Free Public Library Thursday. Manjula Malladi, Gateway WIC program chief nutritionist and assistant coordinator, said she was surprised at how long the virus could stay with men and some of the other information Brito presented. The state health department will provide the Atlantic City WIC office and other health centers in New Jersey with toolkits containing repellant and additional information for people travelling to affected areas in the future. It will be something visual, something that we can give people to take with them, Malladi said. Right now, people are not very concerned because the virus is not up here, but hopefully the toolkits will make them realize that this is something serious. Contact: 609-272-7022 Twitter @ACPressNLeonard OCEAN CITY -- More than 4,000 customers had power restored Wednesday afternoon after being without power for a couple of hours in Ocean City, according to Atlantic City Electric. Local businesses near 9th Street suffered from the outage, and even City Hall lost electricity. At 1:00 p.m., 4,427 Atlantic City Electric customers in the city did not have access to electricity. The companys website said the outage was caused by a substation failure. The company said the earliest reports of the outage came at 12:11 p.m., and power was restored to all customers by 3:00 p.m.. Michele Gillian, executive director of the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, said that the power was out in the citys downtown business areas along Ninth Street and Asbury Avenue. 107th annual Ocean City Baby Parade winners OCEAN CITY More than 150 children dressed up to participate in the 107th annual Ocean City Its very difficult on businesses because most transactions are done through credit cards and things like that, she said. I think the extreme heat has contributed with air conditioners and so many things going on at one time. Ocean City Police were directing traffic at Ninth Street and West Avenue, and the surrounding businesses were without power Wednesday afternoon. Yianni's owner Yianni Siganos said the outage started at noon. He sent all his employees home and closed the restuarant next door to City Hall. "It's bad. Usually at noon we're packed," Siganos said. At Making Waves across the street, assistant manager Kassandra Bradshaw said they would stay open and do an all cash business until the power comes back on. Some customers were using flashlights to look through the racks. "We've been staying busy but I think it's because of the fact that no one else is open," Bradshaw said. The power outage had stores from Ninth Street south closed or operating in the dark. However, the lights were on at Staintons and many of the businesses North of Eighth Street. Nicole and Peter Dahowski of Hyde Park, New York took their young children out for a downtown stroll and were having a hard time finding a cool place to retreat from the 90-degree weather. "We wanted to get a smoothie and now we're looking for lunch," Peter Dahowski said. Between monthly meetings at an old church, they stay in touch on Facebook, bonded together by common struggles. At work, they keep their heads down, grappling with retaliatory managers who cut their hours for slight infractions like needing to pick up a sick child from school. They deal with customers who proposition them sexually, with coworkers who demean and belittle them. They call themselves the Fannie Lou Hamer Women's Committee, after the civil rights leader. They number about 100. They are low-wage workers in Kansas City, employed by America's favorite fast food franchises and sit-down restaurants, as well as by daycare centers and home health-care providers. If you think the fight for raising the minimum wage is simply about paychecks, let these women educate you. They're vulnerable and they know it. Beyond higher pay, they seek dignity. The career gripes of the average middle-class woman don't hold a candle to what these ladies face daily. One mother got hassled about wanting to leave work when her child had to go to the hospital. The committee's meetings are a bit covert. The members, after all, need to keep their jobs and are highly vulnerable to the whims of the managers they are organizing to resist. They're working to build support among employees at stores so that if any employee presses a grievance she will have allies. The women envision eventually having a union. They all aspire to "really good jobs" - such as work in warehouses, where full-time slots and benefits like paid time off, maternity leave and even a regular schedule can be found. But they say they don't usually qualify for those positions. Why not? Because mostly they have high school educations and no trade training. Many are from families of multi-generational poverty and unstable family networks. They were born into these situations, and it's very hard to escape. Desire to work hard does not do the trick. They say they are routinely hired at lower wages than men with similar experience and education levels. And the men tend to be the ones given the chances to advance. Data bears out the frustration these women feel. Women make up two-thirds of the nearly 20 million low-wage workers in America, according to the National Women's Law Center, which defines low-wage work as that earning $10.10 an hour or less. A 2014 study of the center found that women in such positions, working full time, have a 13 percent wage gap with men - higher for minority women. Sexual harassment is pervasive and well-documented. A study by Restaurant Opportunities Center United found that significant numbers of women feared "financial loss, public humiliation or job termination if they tried to report sexual harassment from management and customers." One recent meeting of the Fannie Lou Hamer Women's Committee focused on that reality. Groping of their bodies and outright solicitations for sex acts, things that would send white-collar women running to human resources, are brushed aside by low-wage employers. "They definitely take advantage," one woman said of supervisors. They hold incredible power over the women simply by controlling when they are scheduled to work and how many hours they can get. A handful of the committee's members recently returned from a five-day training session in Chicago, the Midwest School for Women Workers. There they learned about historic labor movements, employment law and labor standards. But what impressed them the most was learning from female labor rights leaders from Mexico and Turkey. The women of the Fannie Lou Hamer Women's Committee take solace in the fact that they are not being targeted by government officials or being beaten or disappeared, threats the foreign organizers faced. But their lives are grim enough, and middle-class America, stressed as it is, owes it to them to guarantee conditions where all can work with dignity and financial security. Email Mary Sanchez at msanchez@kcstar.com. Many more New Jersey students took the PARCC tests in the program's second year, and they scored significantly higher across the board. That inspires confidence that students, educators and administrators are developing and implementing the measurements needed to help improve scholastic outcomes. The computerized Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers tests are designed to align with the Common Core educational standards promulgated by the Obama administration. Even though standardized testing has been commonplace since the 1970s, this improved version has been opposed by some parents and by the teachers union, which objects to giving the test a modest role in evaluating its members. These led to a significant boycott of the testing in its debut last year. But then in the fall, that first test started delivering something very valuable - details on each student's strengths and weaknesses in math and language arts. That enables parents and teachers to give students instruction and help precisely where it's most effective. This year, 65,500 more students took the math test, and another 56,500 took the language arts test. And when the results were released at the start of this month, they showed student scores improved significantly in all grades. The next day, the N.J. Board of Education voted to make passing PARCC - scoring in the top two of five levels - a requirement for graduation starting in 2021. The president of the board called it a "great measure of college and career readiness" and the "best test out there." This year, fewer than 60 percent of students were already in the fourth or fifth level, but another 20 percent were not far behind in the third level. State Education Commissioner David Hespe is pretty confident that the effectiveness of the tests and the performance of students will continue to improve steadily in the next five years before the graduation requirement kicks in. Stockton University President Harvey Kesselman said PARCC provides better information on student readiness for college. He hopes it eventually eliminates the need for the SAT. Many consider the SAT outdated, misleading and even biased. The N.J. Council of Community Colleges already is using PARCC as a placement tool, automatically putting those scoring 4 or 5 into college-level courses. Around the time school starts next month, parents will get personal reports on their children generated by the tests. Here's a tip: Instead of worrying about how close a student is to the fourth or fifth level eventually desired, think of the report as a tool to tailor education to the child's needs in cooperation with his or her teachers. We don't see the PARCC program as something limiting or punitive. We think it has great potential to help students and teachers get better at what they need to do to succeed in the modern world. Its first two years have been a good start in that direction. Our view Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 18 Trend: 07:09 (GMT+4) Three victims were killed Tuesday in a terror attack in the eastern city of Van, authorities told Anadolu Agency. Deputy Gov. Mehmet Parlak said the casualties occurred when terrorists detonated a bomb-wired vehicle near a police station in the Ipekyolu district. Speaking also to Anadolu Agency, ruling AK Party's provincial head Zahir Soganda said a more than 70 people were injured. "Among the 71 injured, three of them are in a serious condition and 17 are police officers," according to Soganda, who added that a child was among the dead. 02:15 (GMT+4) A car bomb exploded near a police station in Turkey's eastern province of Van on Wednesday, killing three and injuring at least 40 people, Milliyet newspaper reported. Two of the 40 injured were police officers, the governorate said. 01:18 (GMT+4) Suspected PKK terrorists have launched a car bomb attack on a police station in the eastern Turkish province of Van, Anadolu agency reported. As a result of the bomb attack 20 people have been injured. The terrorists targeted the Iki Nisan police station in the central Ipekyolu district, the sources said on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media. Ambulances have been dispatched to the scene following the explosion. 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. China is facing a real estate crisis because of slow urbanization. (Photo : Getty Images) The decline of sales of a once very robust market is worrying analysts like Chi Lo, greater China senior economist at BNP Paribas Investment Partners in Hong Kong. "In the past, the economic players expanded supply first and created jobs so as to create demand, but that is gone now," Lo said, "It has to clean out the excess capacity, which means the supply expansion model has to change." Advertisement According to data of BNP Paribas, the real estate completed investment is now at 5 percent. This is from above 35 percent in Aug. 2010. Lo explained that many capital intensive companies focused on real estate investments without considering the strength of demand and the possible decline in trends. The expert said that the real estate market will not be growing soon which is also due to slow urbanization. "China's housing demand has likely passed its high-growth phase, with housing construction growth expected to go into a secular decline soon," he said. According to Lo, "This means that the capital-intensive sector, which has focused on producing all these housing units through the decades, is facing a structural decline in demand for its output." There are over 739 million square meters that are up for sale in February, which is 15.7 percent higher than the previous year, according to the housing ministry. Real estate developers estimate that this stock will only get sold out after seven or eight years. Housing Minister Chen Zhenggao also voiced out concern about the declining housing sector at the National People's Congress. He said, "The differences are severe, and it is worsening." Many real estate investors have made an adjustment in prices and packages to entice purchasing from migrant workers. The Chinese housing ministry is planning to offer subsidies and amortization payment assistance. Study: Chinese with Heart Disease on the Rise Due to Obesity and Smoking More than half of Chinese men are smokers. (Photo : Getty Images) A recently published study by Harvard University revealed that more Chinese are found with the cardiovascular disease this year. This phenomenon is seen to worsen in the next two decades. The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology with data that was gathered from 26,000 respondents across nine provinces in China. Advertisement Rapid urbanization and change to fast-paced lifestyles are the major contributors in the shift in health behaviors, according to the study. When China began to open up its economy, heart disease was only 8 percent. By 2010, the rate rose to 34 percent. According to Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, "China is facing a rising epidemic of cardiovascular disease, and it shows no sign of abating." Lifestyles of people are changing as many rural areas are beginning to modernize. People are now eating more red meat and fast-food. The changes in behavior are causing citizens to be obese. Urbanization is also blamed for the lack of physical activity and is making people overweight. The Harvard study revealed that 44 percent of deaths in 2014 are due to cardiovascular disease. Similar results on child obesity were also revealed in a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology last April. The study showed that one in six boys and one in eleven girls in China were obese. According to Professor Joep Perk, a spokesperson for the European Society of Cardiology, the data on child obesity in China is reaching critical levels. "It is the worst explosion of childhood and adolescent obesity that I have ever seen," he said. "The study is large and well run, and cannot be ignored. China is set for an escalation of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and the popularity of the Western lifestyle will cost lives." ABO Capital Will Continue To Contribute To The African Economy NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Angola Capital Investments (ACI), a leading international investment firm headquartered in Angola, announced today that it is changing the company title to ABO Capital. The organization has grown tremendously over the past four years, and the advancement will continue as ABO Capital. The new name, ABO Capital, represents the development and evolution of the company. The firm's reach has expanded beyond Angola to the entire African continent, and now it is expanding further to the rest of the world. ABO Capital's mission remains the same - to create global value for developing countries in Africa while contributing to international countries' economic development. The founding idea of ACI was to bring excellence to Africa, ABO Capital will build upon that foundation. "ABO Capital is about seizing the many opportunities present throughout Africa," said CEO Zandre Campos. "We will continue to improve the economies and bring business to these countries. We also look forward to working in more emerging markets throughout the globe." ABO Capital is looking to open offices in both the US and the UK in the very near future. The firm invests in companies in the energy, transportation, hospitality, healthcare, technology and real estate sectors. To learn more about ABO Capital please visit http://abocapital.net/. About ABO Capital ABO Capital, formerly Angola Capital Investments, is an international investment firm that invests in companies in the healthcare, technology, energy, transportation, hospitality and real estate sectors throughout Africa. The mission of ABO Capital is to create global value for developing countries in Africa, while contributing to their economic development. About Zandre Campos Zandre de Campos Finda is one of the great, innovative business leaders and global entrepreneurs emerging out of Africa. Currently, he is chairman and CEO of ABO Capital, an international investment firm headquartered in Angola with holdings throughout Africa and Europe. Prior to founding ABO Capital, Mr. Campos was CEO of Nazaki Oil & Gaz S.A. He has held the positions of CEO of the mobile phone company Movicel Telecommunications and an executive in the office of the president of SONAIR, S.A., a subsidiary of Sonangol, Angola's state-owned oil company that oversees oil and gas production. He began his career as a legal advisor with Sonangol Holdings. Mr. Campos also sits on the board of Sphera Bluoshen S.A., a subsidiary of Oshen Group and part of Sphera Global Healthcare. Sphera is committed to bringing high-quality healthcare services to nations around the globe with current activities in Angola, Morocco, and Rwanda. Sphera is dedicated to healthcare equality and accessibility. He is also a board member in Bluoshen S.A. and Boost - Communication & Strategy, S.A. and other organizations across the globe. Mr. Campos graduated from Lusiada University, Lisbon, with a degree in Law. Mr. Campos has dedicated his career to helping advance Angola and other developing nations. His work makes him one of the most socially forward and conscientious business leaders of our time. Through his entrepreneurial spirit and diverse business portfolio that is ever-expanding, Mr. Campos is creating thousands of new job opportunities and building stronger communities. Related Links http://abocapital.net SOURCE Angola Capital Investments VALLEY COTTAGE, New York, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The need for protecting industrial surfaces exposed to corrosive chemicals will continue to influence the demand for acid proof lining in Germany. In 2016, the acid proof lining market in Germany is expected to reach market value of US$ 4,296.2 Mn, at a y-o-y growth of 5.1% over 2015. The rising incidences of industrial equipment damages owing to the mechanical abrasion is also anticipated to drive the demand for acid proof linings in Germany. The industrial use of acid proof lining in coating the floor tiles of various manufacturing units is expected to fuel the growth of Germany's acid proof lining market. The rising necessity of providing durable solutions to industrial infrastructure is observed as a key driver for the growth of the Germany acid proof lining market. Furthermore, the mounting private equity investments will continue to boost the growth of the Germany acid proof lining market. However, the high costs of veneering industrial surfaces will be a major challenge hampering the demand for expensive yet highly-durable acid proof lining types such as carbon brick coating. Request a Sample Report: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-de-1751 On the basis of material-type, the acid proof lining market in Germany will witness the fastest growth in the thermoplastics lining segment. In 2015, the thermoplastics lining segment is estimated to have accounted for over 25% of total market share in Germany's acid proof lining market. By the end of 2016, the share of thermoplastics lining segment is expected to grow at a substantial rate, closing in on the ceramic brick lining market share, which accounted for 34.8% in 2015. The acid proof lining market in Germany is further segmented on the basis of end-use industries. Owing to the pervasive need of acid proof lining for protection against chemical abrasion, the chemical industries in Germany are expected to dominate the end-user segment with 29.3% market share in 2016. The water treatment facilities and power generation plants in Germany are also anticipated to fuel the demand for durable acid proof lining. Preview Analysis on Germany Acid Proof Lining Market Revenue Share By Material Type: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/germany-acid-proof-lining-market In order to expand the scope of application, the market for acid proof lining in Germany is undergoing reforms that favour manufacturers. Small acid proof lining manufacturers will continue to emerge, owing to the low entry barriers. The leading companies in Germany's acid proof lining market will expand their business operations to meet the surging adoption levels of acid proof linings from end-use industrial verticals such as metallurgy, pharmaceuticals, and automotive manufacturing. The key players of the Germany acid proof lining market include AGRU Kunststofftechnik GmbH, Steuler-Kch GmbH, SKO Saureschutz und Kunststoffbau GmbH, GBT-BUCOLIT GmbH, Christen & Laudon GmbH Kunststoff - Apparatebau, A-SPT Protective Solutions GmbH & Co. KG, Knapper Oberflachentechnik GmbH, Nittel GmbH & Co. KG, , Hurner-Funken GmbH and Simona AG, among others. Request for Table of Contents with Figures: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-de-1751 Long-term Outlook: The Germany acid proof lining market is projected to register a CAGR of 5.9% during the forecast period 2016-2026. In terms of value, the acid proof lining market in Germany will reach US$ 7.605.3 Mn by end of the forecast period. More From FMI's Cutting-edge Intelligence: Electronics Adhesives Market: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/electronics-adhesives-market Technical Textile Market: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/technical-textiles-market North America Fresh Meat Packaging Market: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/north-america-fresh-meat-packaging-films-market About Us Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights and an aerial view of the competitive framework and future market trends. Contact Us 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018, Valley Cottage, NY 10989, United States T: +1-347-918-3531 F: +1-845-579-5705 T (UK): +44-(0)-20-7692-8790 Sales: sales@futuremarketinsights.com Website: www.futuremarketinsights.com Press Release: http://www.futuremarketinsights.com/press-release SOURCE Future Market Insights DUBLIN, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Acute Coronary Syndrome: Epidemiology and Patient-Based Market Forecasts, Treatment Algorithm, and Marketed and Pipeline Drug Analysis" report to their offering. The $1.9bn acute coronary syndrome (ACS) market will experience moderate growth over the forecast period, driven by uptake of Brilinta and Xarelto in the secondary-prevention setting. This report addresses the following questions: - How will the updated 2016 treatment guidelines impact the use of new antiplatelet agents Effient and Brilinta? - How will Brilinta's label expansion impact its sales within ACS? - How will Xarelto's expected US approval in ACS affect its patient share in comparison to generic warfarin? - What are the most commonly prescribed therapies for ACS in the acute and secondary-prevention treatment settings? - What are the most important factors influencing prescribing trends in ACS? Key Topics Covered: FORECAST: ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME - Executive Summary - Market Overview and Trends - Market Definition and Methodology - Angiomax (bivalirudin) - Brilinta (ticagrelor) - Effient (prasugrel) - Kengreal (cangrelor) - Plavix (clopidogrel) - Xarelto (rivaroxaban) - Zontivity (vorapaxar) - Primary Research Methodology TREATMENT: ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME - Executive Summary - Primary Research Methodology - Disease Definition and Diagnosis - Patient Segmentation - Country Treatment Trees - Prescribing Trends EPIDEMIOLOGY: ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME IN THE US, JAPAN, AND 5EU - Executive Summary - Disease Definition - Global Variation - Risk Factors - Co-Morbidities - Sources and Methodology - Forecast - Epidemiologist Insight - Strengths and Limitations - Bibliography MARKETED DRUGS: ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME - Executive Summary - Product Overview - Product profile: Angiomax - Product profile: Brilinta - Product profile: Effient - Product profile: Kengreal - Product profile: Plavix - Product profile: Xarelto - Product profile: Zontivity For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/tqdmkb/acute_coronary Related Topics: Cardiovascular Drugs 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 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, August 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Hyaluronic Acid (Single Injection, Three Injection, Five Injection) Market 2014 - 2020" report to their offering. The study includes drivers and restraints for the hyaluronic acid market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the hyaluronic acid market on a global level. The study provides a decisive view on the hyaluronic acid market by segmenting the market based on products, applications and regions. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2014 to 2020. Based on products the market is segmented into single injection, three injections, and five injections. The report also includes detailed profiles of end players such Alcon, Inc. Allergan, Inc. Anika Therapeutics, Inc. F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Ferring Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Fidia Farmaceutici SpA GALDERMA S.A. Hyaltech Ltd. LifeCore Biomedical LLC Meiji Seika Pharma Co. Ltd., Merz Aesthetics, Inc. Sanofi Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Seikagaku Corporation Shanghai Jingfeng Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. Smith & Nephew plc TRB CHEMEDICA INTERNATIONAL SA Zimmer Holdings, Inc. This report segments the global hyaluronic acid market as follows: Global Hyaluronic Acid Market: Product Segment Analysis Single-injection Three-injection Five-injection Global Hyaluronic Acid Market: Application Segment Analysis Osteoarthritis Adhesive Prevention Drug Delivery Dermal Fillers Key Topics Covered: 1. Introduction 2. Executive Summary 3. Hyaluronic acid - Market Dynamics 4. Global Hyaluronic acid Market - Competitive Landscape 5. Global Hyaluronic acid Market - Product Segment Analysis 7. Global Hyaluronic acid Market - Regional Segment Analysis 8. Company Profiles For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/btbv2l/hyaluronic_acid Media Contact: Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets NEW YORK, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Persistence Market Research report: Sleeve Labels Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast 2016-2024", Global Demand for Sleeve Labels to Reach US$ 16.5 Bn by 2024 and is representing annual gains of 5.2% from 10.6 Bn US$ in 2016. The growing demand for beverage and packaged food will drive advances in the industry. Sleeve labels are one of the emerging packaging solutions, widely used for labeling purpose. Sleeve labels are broadly categorized into two types: Stretch sleeves and Shrink sleeves. Stretch sleeves are those which adheres to a surface by stretching over it due to its high elasticity whereas shrink sleeves shrinks on a surface tightly on the application of heat. The sleeve labels are estimated to be the fastest growing labeling segment throughout the forecast period, driven by factors such as brand identity, visual on-shelf appeal and cost efficiency. To view full report overview: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/sleeve-labels-market.asp The sleeve label market report is categorically split into six sections, based on the product type, end-users, material type, printing technology, printing ink type and regions. Among product type shrink labels are prominent than stretch labels due to its wide applications in consumer goods. Based on end-use, food & beverage segment stand out among all segments owing to the rising demand for packaged foods. PET-G is expected to be the most preferred material for sleeve labeling over the forecast period. Flexography technology is expected to be the most preferred printing technology among sleeve label manufacturers. Among all the variants of printing ink, solvent based ink is widely used for labeling as it is compatible with most of the printing technology such as flexography, gravure and digital printing. Asia-Pacific is expected to dominate the sleeve labels market gaining 553 BPS by the end of the forecast period, and is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 6.2%. This trend is attributed to the mounting demand for beverage and packaged food China, India and ASEAN countries. Furthermore, growth in manufacturing sector and increased consumer spending power are the key drivers of sleeve labels in this region. North America though a developed market with multiple market players, is expected to gain momentum in the later phase of the forecast period with future investments in the manufacturing sectors. Mature market of Europe is anticipated to witness uneven growth throughout the forecast period. Moreover, Latin America and MEA sleeve labels markets are expected to register sluggish growth, all over the forecast period. Request Sample Report: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/9854 Globally the major players in Sleeve Labels are CCL Industries, Fuji Seal International, Inc., DOW Chemicals, Berry Plastics Group, Inc., Macfarlane Group PLC, Huhtamaki Oyj and Klockner Pentaplast. Download Report Table of Content, Figures, and Tables: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/market-research/sleeve-labels-market/toc About Us: Persistence 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. Contact Persistence Market Research U.S. Sales Office: 305 Broadway, 7th Floor New York City, NY 10007 United States USA - Canada Toll-Free: 800-961-0353 Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com Blog:https://pmrblog.com SOURCE Persistence Market Research Pvt. Ltd. Taiwan's premier whiskymaker, Kavalan Distillery, has joined the thousands of iconic American and global brands that over the past century have advertised at "The Crossroads of the World," one of the most popular commercial intersections in the world. As part of its push into the US market, Kavalan's award-winning whiskies are currently being projected onto the Thomson Reuters Building at No. 3 Times Square, central Manhattan. Kavalan Founder Mr YT Lee says he hopes the US market will become a leading market for the brand. "This is about telling people Kavalan Whisky is available in the US. We're here and we're in business," said Mr Lee. "Why not try an unusual whisky from Taiwan that has earned top awards, including the 'World's Best Single Malt' and the 'World's Best Single Cask Single Malt' last year and this year?" The prestigious World Whiskies Awards (WWA) named the Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique its 2015 "World's Best Single Malt Whisky" and the Solist Amontillado Sherry Single Cask Strength the 2016 "World's Best Single Cask Single Malt Whisky." So that New Yorkers get a chance to try Kavalan for themselves, Kavalan retailers will be offering special tastings and promotions over the next five months. For more information, contact Kavalan's US importer, Anchor Distilling www.anchordistilling.com. About Kavalan The Kavalan Distillery in Taiwan has been dedicated to the art of single malt whisky since 2006 and the recipient of more than 190 gold awards. At its distillery, a world-class R&D team, UK-trained master blender, and an international whisky consultant, oversee the production of an annual 5 million bottles of the world's finest-tasting whiskies. Aged in American oak bottles in intense humidity and heat, Kavalan also benefits from sea and mountain breezes and the Snow Mountain's spring water, which combine to create Kavalan Whisky's signature creaminess. Kavalan takes its name from the old name for Yilan County and is backed by 30 years of beverage-making thanks to parent company, King Car Group. It is available in 40 countries. Visit www.kavalanwhisky.com/en/ Media Contact: Yvonne Chou +886-3922-9000#7162 yvonne@kavalandistillery.com Related Links http://www.kavalanwhisky.com/en/ SOURCE Kavalan Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/399080LOGO Preview the affordable collection at www.rebeccaingram.com. "For nearly 20 years, Maggie Sottero Designs has delivered innovative designs and incomparable fit to brides," said Bob Cahoon, President of Maggie Sottero Designs. "As wedding trends shift, some brides place higher value on goals like a down payment for a home or a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon. Demand for high-quality, affordable fashion is increasing globally, and Rebecca Ingram serves a growing segment of the market while living up to the company's reputation for excellence." Rebecca Ingram is designed for brides desiring a timeless wedding look. Simple, elegant styles include the renowned quality and fit brides have come to expect from Maggie Sottero Designs. The inaugural collection includes subtle illusion necklines and backs, and silhouettes that flatter every figure. With the line's affordable pricing, dreams of a high-quality, designer wedding dress are attainable for the bride on a budget. The hallmark features of Maggie Sottero Designs products include: Maggie's signature corset closure and boning structure and Internationally sourced fabrics Handcrafted elements Brides interested in the collection can find a store on the company website. The collection is anticipated to hit retailers this fall. Maggie Sottero Resources: About Maggie Sottero Designs: For nearly twenty years, Maggie Sottero Designs has been one of the most recognized and sought after bridal gown manufacturers in the world, with design studios in Sydney, Australia, and Salt Lake City, Utah. Brides know Maggie Sottero Designs for its inspiring collections and meticulous attention to detail. The couture designer's mission is to make dreams a reality for brides by delivering innovative styles, superior quality, and best-in-class service through win-win relationships with its retailers, supply chain partners, and service providers. SOURCE Maggie Sottero Designs Unveils international initiative to bridge the beauty and fashion gap between east and west PALO ALTO, California, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Meitu, one of the world's leading beauty app developers with its apps installed on over one billion unique mobile devices worldwide, has unveiled #FacesOfFashion, an international campaign that promotes global talent, beauty and fashion brands through China's top social video-sharing platform, Meipai. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398573LOGO The campaign kicked off by streaming London Collections Men to more than 100 million Meipai users in China. Leading fashion influencers including Eva Herzigova, Stephen James and Oliver Proudlock, partnered with Meitu's #FacesOfFashion to shoot exclusive footage for Meipai, which included backstage access and interviews with well-known faces like One Direction's Niall Horan, Stanley Tucci, Hu Bing and David Gandy. "FacesOfFashion is an exclusive, cross-cultural campaign designed to bring content from global talent, beauty and fashion brands in other parts of the world to hundreds of millions of mobile consumers in China," says Frank Fu, Managing Director of Meitu's Global Operations. "FacesOfFashion will also help drive global awareness for Meitu's selfie and virtual makeup apps, including BeautyPlus, MakeupPlus and SelfieCity, to consumers and brand partners." #FacesOfFashion comes off the heels of Meitu's campaign with South Korea's #1 beauty influencer and makeup artist, PONY. Meitu's fully integrated program included in-app promotion of PONY on MakeupPlus, and branded makeup looks, tutorials and exposure on Meipai. More than 730 million selfies have been created using PONY's MakeupPlus looks, and PONY's debut Meipai livestream received 2.6 million likes. The success of PONY's campaign inspired Meitu to leverage its user base on Meipai to help bridge the gap between east and west and provide exposure for brands, influencers and events outside of China to a Chinese audience hungry for content from other markets. Meitu plans to bring #FacesOfFashion to multiple fashion and beauty events throughout the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific as an ongoing initiative. About Meitu Meitu is a leading mobile internet company that aims at building an ecosystem for users to discover, create and share beauty. Meitu's apps, including MeituPic, Meipai, SelfieCity, BeautyCam, BeautyPlus, BeautyPlusMe, Airbrush and MakeupPlus, are installed on over one billion unique devices worldwide. The company is a top ten global app developer on the Apple AppStore. More information about Meitu can be found at meitu.com. Related Links http://en.meitu.com SOURCE Meitu Chinas Bullet Trains Now Running in Liaoning Province, Gearing Up for Global Sales China is gearing up bullet train sales in other countries. (Photo : Getty Images) The "standard units" or electric multiple units (EMU) departed from Dalian for the Liaoning capital of Shenyang. Train number G8041 is the first passenger unit using an EMU, according to Zhou Li, head of technological management at the China Railway Corporation. These trains run at 350 kilometers per hour and has a modern exterior. They also have additional safety features. Advertisement There are 2,470 EMUs in China which are running at high-speed tracks as long as 19,000 kilometers. China's railway is the largest in the world. "China independently owns the design of the EMU, and it will be a leading model for China to export to the world," Zhou said. The country built the high-speed railway in Indonesia that connects Bandung to Jakarta. The train started running in Jan. 2016 and cut travel time by two-thirds. Meanwhile, the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) opened its Tangshan factory to fulfill light rail orders from overseas. The company already sold units to Germany, Turkey, and several African countries. Biru Paksha Paul, chief economist with the Central Bank of Bangladesh, said, "It shows how a state-owned company can produce world-class products like bullet trains. It will feed the [One Belt, One Road] initiative." China is competing with Japan to sell more high-speed trains. Analysts believe that Japan has an advantage as the manufacturers are from the private sector. Li Yanfei, an economist in Jakarta with the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia, said, "China needs more bottom-up research and communication with host countries." Li urges the government to do "long-term and careful planning for overseas investment." According to the economist, the country must form diplomatic policies that are for the long haul, and focus on developing the global transport sector. DUBLIN, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Mobile Learning - Global Strategic Analysis" report to their offering. This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Mobile Learning in US$ Million. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. Annual estimates and forecasts are provided for the period 2014 through 2020. Also, a five-year historic analysis is provided for these markets. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are primarily based on public domain information including company URLs. The report profiles 76 companies including many key and niche players such as: Adobe Systems Incorporated (US) Adrenna, Inc. (US) Apple, Inc. (US) AT&T, Inc. (US) Blackboard, Inc. (US) Cisco Systems, Inc. (US) Citrix Systems, Inc. (US) City & Guilds Kineo (UK) Desire2Learn Corporation ( Canada ) ) DominKnow, Inc. ( Canada ) ) IBM Corporation (US) NetDimensions Ltd. ( Hong Kong ) ) Promethean Ltd. (UK) Saba Software, Inc. (US) SAP SE ( Germany ) ) Skillsoft Corporation (US) SumTotal Systems, LLC (US) Upside Learning Solutions Pvt. Ltd. ( India ) Key Topics Covered: 1. INDUSTRY OVERVIEW Mobile Learning Digital Learning on the Move M-Learning Emerges as the Ultimate Learning Platform Developed Markets Dominate Mobile Learning Developing Regions to Fuel Market Growth Promising Opportunities for M-Learning from Academic & Enterprise Sectors Increasing Penetration of Mobile Devices & Expanding Mobile Subscriptions Underpin Growth in the Mobile Learning Market Fast Facts on Mobile Usage Opportunity Indicators Smarter Devices, Faster Networks Favor Market Growth Booming Smartphone Sales: Opportunity for Mobile Learning Market Media Tablets: A Convenient Device for Learning in Consumer & Enterprise Sectors Mobile Learning Market Benefits from Increased Focus on Digital Education M-Learning VAS A Lucrative Market Competitive Landscape 2. MARKET TRENDS & ISSUES Rising Consumer Demand for Mobile Learning Solutions Stimulates Market Growth Select Educational Apps for Teachers and Students Mobile Technology Transforms Academic Learning Rising Demands of Tech-Savvy Generation Z Population Augurs Well for M-Learning Increased Use of Technology in Classrooms Benefits Demand Interesting Ways of Using Mobile Devices in Classroom Settings Governments Foster eLearning Adoption across Schools via Tablet Devices Growing Relevance of Mobile Learning in Formal Education Systems Shift towards Digital Textbooks & E-Books Enables Mobile- based Collaborative Learning Active Adoption of Digital & Mobile Learning Content in Preschools M-Learning in Higher Education: Potential for Growth Mobile Learning Gains Acceptance in K-12 Sector Rising Prominence of E-Books: A Boon for Mobile Learning Market Education Apps Grow in Prominence Smart Classrooms The Future of Academic Learning Mobile Learning Offers Benefits of Teacher- Generated Content Mobile Learning Emerges as a Technology to Provide Education to the Needy BYOD Trend Enhances Significance of Mobile Notetaking Platforms Social Learning Favorable Opportunities for M-Learning Mobile Learning and MOOCs M-Learning in Business Settings Corporate M-Learning: Training Initiatives Focus on Mobile Technology Learning & Training through Mobile Devices Major Factors Driving Shift towards Technology- Based Learning Ranked by Importance M-Learning Gains Precedence over Traditional Learning Approaches Rising Importance of Mobile Devices for Corporate Training Choice of Smart Mobile Devices Gains Prominence in Corporate Training Demographic Shift of Workforce to Drive Adoption of M- Learning in Corporate Sector M-Learning Finds Appeal amongst Millennial Generation Workers Growing Use of M-Learning in Corporate Stirs Development of Mobile Apps BYOD Trend in Corporate Sector Positive Implications for Mobile Learning Innovations & their Implications for the M-Learning Market Mobile Content Delivery in Enterprises Shifts from Flash to HTML5 Gamified Mobile Learning: A Fun-filled Approach to Employee Training Adoption of Location-based Learning Products Potential for M-Learning Market Providers Offer Bite-Sized Learning for Improved Effectiveness of Mobile Learning Competency-based Learning through Mobile Devices Rising Adoption of Augmented Learning Products in Enterprises Mobile-based VR Learning Products Promise Immersive Learning Experience Interactive E-Books Potential Application in Mobile Learning Greater Insights into Learner Behavior with Mobile App Analytics Responsive Web Design Vital for Consistent Delivery for Multi-Screen Learners Social Mobile Learning: Learning through Social Media Wearable Technology Finds Use in Context- Sensitive Content Rendering Offline Learning Providing Access to Learning Materials without Network Connectivity Tin Can API The Latest Standard for Learning Technology Challenges Facing Mobile Learning Adoption in Corporate Sector Dealing with the Challenges of Migrating towards Mobile Learning Development of New Mobile Learning Tools and Platforms Advantages of Cloud-based M-Learning to Stimulate Adoption Levels Challenges Confronting the Mobile Learning Market 3. MOBILE LEARNING - A CONCEPTUAL OVERVIEW Mobile Learning: An Introduction Objectives of Mobile Learning Initiatives How is M-Learning Different from E-Learning? Types of Mobile Learning Products & Services Authoring Tools & Platforms Custom Content Development Services Mobile Learning Value Added Services (VAS) Packaged Education Apps & Edugames 4. PRODUCT INNOVATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS WizIQ Rolls Out WizIQ Live Mobile Learning Platform Leap Learning Introduces EnglishLeap App Covenant University Introduces Edusocial Skillsoft Introduces Skillsoft Learning App EdX Collaborates With Qualcomm Strathmore University Joins Hands with Castalia Oi Introduces Oi Languages Application Millicom Rolls Out EduMe Docebo Introduces Docebo Mobile App Ooredoo to Launch Subscription-based Mobile Learning Service eLearning Solutions to Launch mLearning Mobile Platform Training JumpStart Introduces Version 14.1 of Training JumpStart Portal Docebo Rolls Out iOS Version of Docebo Mobile App CommLab India Releases MobileLearning 101 Free eBook Callidus Launches Genius.com Promethean Rolls Out ClassFlow Student App DSC Rolls Out Mobile Learning Initiative Lightspeed Systems Launches Lightspeed Systems Mobile Learning Essentials Applied Mobile Labs Introduces English on Mobile (EOM) Service Oliver's Learning Introduces CSC App WSA Introduces Warsash App CM Group Introduces Android Apps for Tablets and Smartphones EmpoweredU and Berkeley-Haas to Introduce Mobile Learning Platform Blackboard Rolls Out Redesigned Mobilelearning App LeapFrog Rolls Out Innovative Mobile Based Learning Solutions 5. RECENT INDUSTRY ACTIVITY HMH Takes Over Technology Assets of MeeGenius Rockstand Joins Hands with Read India NetDragon Takes Over Promethean McGraw-Hill Gains Equity Stake in busuu Rockstand Enters into Partnership with Kalinga Institute Skillsoft Acquires SumTotal Systems Jones/NCTI Signs Agreement With enTouch 6. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS 7. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE Total Companies Profiled: 76 (including Divisions/Subsidiaries 78) The United States (43) (43) Canada (5) (5) Japan (1) (1) Europe (12) (12) - Germany (1) (1) - The United Kingdom (8) (8) - Italy (1) (1) - Rest of Europe (2) (2) Asia-Pacific (Excluding Japan) (12) (Excluding Japan) (12) Latin America (2) (2) Middle East (3) For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/h6n9gt/mobile_learning Related Topics: Mobile Content 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 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. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Navig8 Product Tankers Inc. (the "Company") (N-OTC: EIGHT), an international shipping company focused on the transportation of petroleum products, today announced that it has taken delivery of the Navig8 Providence, a 74,000 DWT LR1 tanker from SPP Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. ("SPP"). The Navig8 Providence is the second of four vessels contracted at SPP to be delivered to the Company and is the second vessel to be delivered under the sale and leaseback agreements entered into with CMB Financial Leasing Co., Ltd ("CMBFL") announced on March 17, 2016. Following delivery of the Navig8 Providence by SPP to CMBFL under the terms of the assigned shipbuilding contract, the Navig8 Providence was then delivered back to the Company under bareboat charter. The Navig8 Providence will be entered into and operated in Navig8 Group's LR8 commercial pool. Thus far the Company has taken delivery of ten LR1 and ten LR2 product tanker newbuildings and anticipates that its entire newbuilding fleet will be delivered by the end of 2016. About Navig8 Product Tankers Inc. Navig8 Product Tankers was established in 2013 as a joint venture between the Navig8 Group and DVB Bank to capitalize on anticipated strong supply/demand fundamentals and the accelerating growth of long-haul clean and dirty oil product cargo movements, driven by increasing geographic dislocations between producers and consumers. Navig8 Product Tankers maintains an orderbook of long-range (LR), eco-design product tankers, comprising 15 LR2 and 12 LR1 vessels. The company's fleet is contracted to operate in various product tanker pools managed by the Navig8 Group, the world's largest independent pool and commercial management company. Navig8 Product Tankers is listed on the Norwegian OTC market under the symbol EIGHT. Visit our website at www.navig8producttankers.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 Navig8 Product Tankers Inc (the "Company") 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 tanker 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.navig8producttankers.com SOURCE Navig8 Product Tankers Inc. PUNE, India, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "OEM Insulation Market by Material Type (Foamed Plastics and Mineral Wool), End-use Industry (Industrial, Consumer, and Transportation), and Region - Global Forecasts to 2021", Published by MarketsandMarkets, The global market size is projected to reach USD 14.62 Billion by 2021, registering a CAGR of 5.83% from 2016 to 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 110 market data Tables and 59 Figures spread through 186 Pages and in-depth TOC on "OEM Insulation Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/oem-insulation-market-161776724.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Increasing stringent regulations on energy efficiency are leading to the development of newer insulation materials for OEM applications. Foamed plastics are the major insulation materials in the OEM insulation market Foamed plastics insulation is projected to continue to account for the major portion of the total OEM market, in terms of volume. Economic expansion in the developing countries of Asia-Pacific will increase the demand for foamed plastic insulation in both building & construction and the production of household appliances. Foamed plastic insulation can be applied on various types of structural materials, including stone, brick, and masonry. Majority demand of OEM insulation observed in the industrial sector The offshore oil & gas, energy & utilities, manufacturing, semiconductor, telecom, and other equipment industries (electronic, analytical, and medical) use a significant amount of insulation materials for acoustic-, thermal-, and fire-related purposes. Out of all the industries mentioned above, oil & gas is the biggest consumer of OEM insulation materials, followed by energy & utilities and other equipment industries. OEM insulation materials such as glass wool and foams are mainly used in pipelines, pumps, compressors, power generators, and turbine rooms in the industrial sector. Make an Inquiry @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=161776724 Asia-Pacific is estimated to account for the highest CAGR during the forecast period Asia-Pacific is the largest market for OEM insulation, both in terms of volume and value, followed by North America and Western Europe. China, the U.S., Germany, and Japan are the largest consumers of OEM insulation materials. Commercial and domestic buildings demand bulk amounts of OEM insulation market materials in Asia-Pacific. In China, South Korea, and to a lesser extent, Japan, where the use of OEM insulation materials is more widespread, the rising awareness with regard to the benefits of insulation to achieve energy-efficient buildings, together with rising energy prices, are increasing the Importance of OEM insulation materials in the construction industry. In the other countries, there is a lack of legislation for OEM insulation and building standards, further explaining the low levels of consumption. Key players in the OEM insulation market The key players in the global market include Saint-Gobain S.A. (France), Rockwool International A/S (Denmark), Knauf Insulation (U.S.), Johns Manville Corporation (U.S.), Owens Corning Corp. (U.S.), Paroc (Finland), The 3M Company (U.S.), Aspen Aerogels Inc. (U.S.), E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.), Armacell International S.A. (Germany), Autex Industries Ltd. (New Zealand), Anco Products Inc. (U.S.), Big Sky Insulations (U.S.), Triumph Group Inc. (U.S.), Morgan Advanced Materials (U.K.), Superglass Insulation Ltd., (U.K.), ACH Foam Technologies LLC (U.S.), Demilec Inc. (Canada) and Scott Industries LLC (U.S.). Browse Related Reports: Acoustic Insulation Market by Type (Stone Wool, Glass Wool, and Foamed Plastics), End-Use Industry (Building & Construction, Transportation, and Industrial), and by Region - Global Forecast to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/acoustic-insulation-market-41399747.html HVAC Insulation Market by Type (Glass Wool, Stone Wool, Phenolic Foam, Elastomeric Foam and Others), Application (Residential, Commercial, Industrial) & by Region - Global Trends and Forecast to 2021 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/hvac-insulation-market-75521260.html Know More About our Knowledge Store @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Knowledgestore.asp 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 Tel: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/chemical Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets Lithium-ion batteries' high energy density and efficiency reduce the size and weight of the battery packs in the Solar Impulse 2, helping it store more solar power during the day for use at night SEOUL, South Korea, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kokam Co., Ltd, the world's premier provider of innovative battery solutions, today announced that the Solar Impulse 2 used batteries based on its advanced Ultra High Energy Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) Oxide (Ultra High Energy NMC) battery technology to power the zero-fuel solar airplane's record-breaking flight around the world. On July 26 the Solar Impulse completed the final leg of this trip, taking off from Cairo, Egypt and landing 48 hours later in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Solar Impulse uses four 38.5 kilowatt hour (kWh) Kokam Ultra High Energy NMC battery packs with 150 Ah cells, totaling 154 kWh of energy storage. Over the course of 17 flights totaling 26,744 miles (43,041 kilometers), the Solar Impulse 2's 17,248 solar cells produced 11,000 kWh of electricity, much of which was stored in its Kokam Ultra High Energy NMC batteries and then discharged to power the plane at night. Advanced Battery Technology for an Aviation Pioneer Kokam's Ultra High Energy NMC batteries feature an energy density of approximately 260 watts hours per kilogram (Wh/kg). This high energy density enables the Solar Impulse 2 to store more energy without increasing the plane's weight or size. In addition, Kokam's Ultra High Energy NMC batteries have a 96 percent efficiency, meaning less energy is wasted when the batteries charge or discharge. Kokam's NMC battery technology's high energy density and efficiency, along with its ability to operate over a wide range of temperature, humidity and pressure conditions, led the Solar Impulse team to select Kokam's NMC battery technology for both the first prototype, the Solar Impulse 1, which was the first zero-fuel solar airplane to fly between continents and across the continental United States, and the current and second prototype, the Solar Impulse 2, which is the first zero-fuel solar airplane to circumnavigate the globe. "We had to find and use the most advanced solar, material and battery technologies available on the market at the time of the design to build a plane capable of flying around the world using only the power of the sun," said Andre Borschberg, co-founder, CEO and pilot of Solar Impulse. "What was critical was to get the lightest and most energy efficient solution, and we consequently selected Kokam's Ultra High Energy NMC batteries, which has been our battery solution since the first flight of Solar Impulse 1 in December 2009 until the final leg landing of Solar Impulse 2 in Abu Dhabi in July 2016." "The Solar Impulse team and Kokam share a common vision -- to create a world powered by non-polluting renewable energy," said Ike Hong, vice president of Kokam's Power Solutions Division. "By choosing to use our advanced Ultra High Energy NMC battery technology, the Solar Impulse validates Kokam's belief that, by continually working to develop more powerful, efficient and cost-effective battery technologies, Kokam can play an important role in accelerating the transition to a clean, electrified global economy." Kokam's Aviation Experience In April, Kokam introduced a variety of new high energy battery solutions based on its advanced Ultra High Energy NMC battery technology for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and other unmanned systems. In addition, dozens of customers around the world currently use Kokam's advanced battery solutions for UAV, electric plane and other aviation applications, including industry leaders Airbus, Trimble, ECA Group and FT Sistemas. An Upgraded Solar Impulse Energy Storage System During the most challenging leg of the Solar Impulse 2's flight around the world the 5-day and night record breaking flight from Nagoya, Japan to Hawaii the Solar Impulse 2's battery temperature increased due to a different flight profile than the one planned and the over-insulation of the gondolas (engine housings) in relation to the outside temperature. As a result, the Solar Impulse 2's Ultra High Energy NMC batteries were heated to a temperature close to 50 degrees Celsius for an extended period of time -- a temperature higher than the design specifications. Because it was impossible to rule out capacity loss or other damage to the batteries with the facilities available in Hawaii, for safety reasons the Solar Impulse team decided to replace the batteries with new ones. Later, post flight tests of the original batteries at a facility in Germany determined that the batteries were undamaged, with only a small decrease in the capacity of the batteries compared to their original capacity in November 2013. Given the use of the batteries for two years, this level of capacity loss is normal. However, to avoid potential overheating of its batteries in the future the Solar Impulse team installed a new cooling system designed to prevent any temperature-related problems if the flight mission profile changes. In addition, in case the cooling system breaks down, a new backup system allows the pilot to manually open the container's vent, allowing him to use outside air to cool the batteries without letting them get too cold and freeze. In addition, a few adjustments have been made to the engine housing (or gondola), which shelters both the battery and engine: an air vent was added to let air flow into the battery's cooling system. The Solar Impulse team also ensured that future flight plans provided the batteries with sufficient time to cool between flights, and adjusted its flight planning to avoid overheating batteries in tropical climates. "When you are designing an experimental aircraft every additional system is a potential source of failure, and that is why we had not initially integrated a cooling system. As we had the time in Hawaii to replace the batteries, we decided to integrate the cooling system to give the airplane more flexibility, especially in very high temperature environments," said Borschberg. "The overheating problem was in no way related to any issue with Kokam's batteries, which have delivered excellent performance for Solar Impulse 1 and on every leg of the flight with Solar Impulse 2, supporting our record-breaking circumnavigation of the globe." About Kokam Co., Ltd. With a globally acknowledged and proprietary manufacturing technology, Kokam Co., Ltd has provided a wide range of lithium ion/polymer battery solutions to customers in over 50 countries and many different industries, including the military, aerospace, marine, Electric Vehicle (EV), Energy Storage System (ESS) and industrial markets. With over 150 battery-related patents and a total of 650-megawatt hours of field performance, Kokam is a proven leader in providing innovative, high-tech battery solutions. For more information, please visit www.kokam.com Press Contacts Kokam Ike Hong Business Development / Marketing Vice President of Kokam Co., Ltd Tel: +82 (0)31 3620 137 battery@kokam.com Cecilia Park Strategic Marketing Manager Tel: +82 (0) 31 3620 192 cecilia@kokam.com SOURCE Kokam EDINBURGH, Scotland and RIDDERKERK, The Netherlands, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Distribution Deal to Bring Mobile Ordering and Payment Technology to the Netherlands QikServe, the mobile order and payment specialist, today announced it has signed a distribution agreement with Van Hessen, the leading provider of automation systems for the hospitality sector in the Netherlands. The distribution agreement will see Van Hessen provide QikServe's patented 'Waiter in Your Pocket' technology to its customers across both countries. QikServe lets guests order and pay for hospitality services direct from their smartphones. A major feature of the app is that it automatically captures customer data which can then be used by the operator to power highly targeted marketing campaigns. Founded in 1919, Van Hessen is widely respected in the hospitality sector as a leader in automation systems with deep industry knowledge. Van Hessen is highly selective about the partnerships it forms with software and hardware innovators. "The mobile ordering solutions, developed by QikServe, are a great addition to our scala of products. QikServe anticipated on the Dutch market by offering the integration with iDeal which is a must for online ordering products in the Netherlands. The QikServe solutions are available for RES3700 and Simphony.." said Henk ter Haar, General Manager, Van Hessen B.V. " We are looking forward to work together with QikServe." Using QikServe, hospitality customers can use their mobile device to order exactly what they want, when they want it. QikServe is available as a standalone, customer-branded app or can be fully integrated into hospitality operators' existing mobile apps and POS platforms. It makes use of technologies such as in-store beacons or QR codes to alert customers to download and use the app. Once logged into the application, guests can open their check, add to their order, customize meals or room-service orders and pay for them from within the app. "Industry specialists like Van Hessen are incredibly powerful partners to have, so we are delighted to have formed this partnership with them," said Daniel Rodgers, Chief Operating Officer, QikServe. "We are excited to work with Van Hessen and its customers to bring mobile ordering and payment solutions to the Dutch hospitality sector." With Gold Partner status in Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN), QikServe is fully integrated into Oracle Hospitality's point of sale (POS) platform, meaning customers who use Oracle's POS solution can quickly deploy a fully-branded mobile order and payment service for their diners. About QikServe QikServe's 'The Waiter in your Pocket' app allows customers to order and pay straight from their mobile phone. Founded by Daniel Rogers and Ronnie Forbes in 2011, QikServe has forged commercial relationships with Oracle Hospitality (formally MICROS) and PayPal and its proven technology has been adopted by leading hospitality operators across UK, Europe and the US. http://www.qikserve.com Images and video available at: http://www.qikserve.com/index.php/press/ SOURCE QikServe DUBLIN, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Belgium Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2021" report to their offering. Though there are no tyre manufacturing plants in Belgium, major tyre companies such as Continental, Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Yokohama, etc., are engaged in selling tyres through tyre distributors and dealers operating in the country. According to "Belgium Tyre Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021", the tyre market in Belgium is projected to cross US$ 875 million by 2021. The country's vehicle fleet is dominated by passenger cars, followed by the commercial vehicles and two-wheelers. As a result, the passenger car tyre segment accounted for the largest share in the country's tyre market, and the same trend is expected to continue through 2021. Key Topics Covered: 1. Research Methodology 2. Product Overview 3. Analyst View 4. Belgium Tyre Market Outlook 4.1. Market Size & Forecast 4.1.1. By Value & Volume 4.2. Market Share & Forecast 4.2.1. By Vehicle Type (Passenger Car (PC), M&HCV, LCV, Two-Wheeler and OTR) 4.2.2. By Company 4.2.3. By Region 4.2.4. By Demand Category (OEM vs Replacement) 5. Belgium Passenger Car Tyre Market Outlook 5.1. Market Size & Forecast 5.1.1. By Value & Volume 5.2. Market Share & Forecast 5.2.1. By Vehicle Type (Cross Overs, Hatchbacks, SUVs and Sedans) 5.2.2. By Demand Category (OEM vs Replacement) 6. Belgium Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV) Tyre Market Outlook 6.1. Market Size & Forecast 6.1.1. By Value & Volume 6.2. Market Share & Forecast 6.2.1. By Vehicle Type (HCV and MCV) 6.2.2. By Demand Category 7. Belgium Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Market Outlook 7.1. Market Size & Forecast 7.1.1. By Value & Volume 8. Belgium Two-Wheeler (2W) Tyre Market Outlook 8.1. Market Size & Forecast 8.1.1. By Value & Volume 9. Belgium Off-The Road (OTR) Tyre Market Outlook 9.1. Market Size & Forecast 9.1.1. By Value & Volume 10. Import-Export Analysis 11. Market Dynamics 11.1. Drivers 11.2. Challenges 12. Market Trends & Developments 12.1. Increasing Online Tyre Sales 12.2. Growing Penetration of Winter Tyres 12.3. Rising Demand for OTR Tyres 12.4. Growing Demand for Electric Vehicles 12.5. Added Safety with TPMS 13. Policy & Regulatory Landscape 14. Belgium Economic Profile 15. Competitive Landscape 15.1. Michelin Belux SA 15.2. Bridgestone Europe S.A 15.3. Pirelli Tyres Belux NV / SA 15.4. N.V. Apollo Vredestein BeLux S.A. 15.5. Hankook Tire 15.6. Nokian Tyres PLC 15.7. N.V. Yokohama Belgium S.A. 15.8. Goodyear Dunlop Tires Belgium N.V. 15.9. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company 15.10. Kumho Tire Co. 16. Strategic Recommendations For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7mpfxw/belgium_tyre Related Topics: Automotive Tires 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 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets DUBLIN, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Estonia Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021" report to their offering. The tire market in Estonia is projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 6% during 2016-2021. As of 2015, Estonia's tire market was entirely import driven as no tire manufacturing facility was located in the country. In Estonia, automobile sales grew at a CAGR of over 6% during 2011-2015, and are poised to demonstrate a similar trend during the forecast period as well on account of rising disposable income, increasing urbanization and growing infrastructure sector in the country. Moreover, expansion in the vehicle fleet size coupled with increasing FDI inflows in the infrastructure sector are expected to positively influence the country's tire market over the next five years.The vehicle fleet of the country is dominated by the passenger car segment, followed by the commercial vehicle segment. As a result, the passenger car tire segment held the largest volume share in the country's tire market in 2015 and its dominance is anticipated to continue during the forecast period as well. Leading global tire companies operating in Latvia include Continental, Michelin, Goodyear and Bridgestone, among others. Market Trends & Developments Growth in Domestic Retread Tire Market Increasing Penetration of Winter Tires Rising Automotive Sales Rising Internet Penetration Leading to Increased Online Tire Sales Increasing Penetration of Chinese Tires Key Topics Covered: 1. Product Overview 2. Research Methodology 3. Analyst View 4. Estonia Tire Market Outlook 5. Estonia Passenger Car (PC) Tire Market Outlook 6. Estonia Off-the-Road (OTR) Tire Market Outlook 7. Estonia Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV) Tire Market Outlook 8. Estonia Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Tire Market Outlook 9. Estonia Two-Wheeler Tire Market Outlook 10. Import-Export Analysis 11. Market Dynamics 12. Market Trends & Developments 13. Policy & Regulatory Landscape 14. Estonia Economic Profile 15. Competitive Landscape 16. Strategic Recommendations Companies Mentioned - Bridgestone Baltic SIA - Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Michelin - Continental Aktiengesellschaft (AG) - Goodyear Dunlop Tires Baltic OU - Hankook Tire Company Ltd. - Nokian Tyres PLC - Pirelli & C. S.p.A. - Toyo Tire & Rubber Co., Ltd - Yokohama Scandinavia AB For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/34vxkj/estonia_tire Related Topics: Automotive Tires 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 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets - ResMed files patent infringement actions against Fisher & Paykel Healthcare in U.S., German and New Zealand courts and in the U.S. International Trade Commission - German court stops the sale of F&P Simplus, Eson and Eson 2 masks - ResMed asks court to declare F&P patents invalid or not infringed SAN DIEGO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ResMed (NYSE: RMD), the world's leading tech-driven medical device company and innovator in sleep-disordered breathing and respiratory care, announced today it has filed legal actions with the United States International Trade Commission, the United States District Court for the Southern District of California in San Diego (3:16-cv-02072-JAH-MDD), as well as courts in New Zealand and Germany, to stop the infringement of its patented technology by New Zealand-based medical device manufacturer Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. "ResMed is known for its commitment to providing patients with high-quality products that result from sustained, substantial investment in research and development and a focus on each user's needs," said ResMed global general counsel and chief administrative officer David Pendarvis. "ResMed's proprietary designs and superior innovative technologies reflect these priorities." "We remain steadfast in our commitment to defend our intellectual property wherever necessary to ensure patients receive the high-quality care they deserve. We are confident that when the courts hear all the evidence, ResMed will prevail on its case and defeat any claims asserted by Fisher & Paykel." In the U.S. International Trade Commission, ResMed seeks an injunction banning importation of Fisher & Paykel Simplus full face mask, Eson nasal mask and Eson 2 nasal mask. In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, ResMed asserts that Fisher & Paykel Healthcare's Simplus full face mask, Eson nasal mask and Eson 2 nasal mask infringe ResMed's patents relating to modular mask systems, headgear design, and cushion design. ResMed also asked the San Diego court to invalidate patents that Fisher & Paykel recently asserted against ResMed, to declare that ResMed does not infringe those patents, or both. ResMed has also initiated preliminary injunction proceedings in Germany, and a suit in New Zealand, to stop infringement in those countries. In the German proceedings, the District Court in Munich has already entered two preliminary injunctions to stop the sale of Simplus, Eson and Eson 2 masks in Germany based on infringement of German parts of two of ResMeds European patents. In New Zealand, ResMed is asking an Auckland court to stop Fisher & Paykel from manufacturing and exporting infringing masks from that country. About ResMed ResMed (NYSE:RMD) changes lives with award-winning medical devices and cutting-edge cloud-based software applications that better diagnose, treat and manage sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other chronic diseases. ResMed is a global leader in connected care, with more than 2 million patients remotely monitored every day. Our 5,000-strong team is committed to creating the world's best tech-driven medical device company improving quality of life, reducing the impact of chronic disease, and saving healthcare costs in more than 100 countries. ResMed.com | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Contacts: For News Media: For Investors: Alison Graves Agnes Lee Global Corporate Communications Senior Director, Investor Relations O: +1-858-836-6789 O: +1-858-836-5971 news@resmed.com investorrelations@resmed.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140310/LA79234LOGO-a Related Links http://www.resmed.com SOURCE ResMed Inc. SAN FRANCISCO, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The global soda ash market is expected to reach USD 25.37 billion by 2024, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. The global soda ash market is marked by the presence of a few countries such as the U.S. and Turkey which mine soda using natural resources, while a majority of other regions such as China; manufacture synthetic soda ash using Solvay process. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757) The growth of glass industry, particularly in Asia Pacific and the Middle East on account of increasing construction spending, is also expected to play a crucial role in the developing the global soda ash market, over the forecast period. Soda ash is an energy intensive industry, and fluctuating energy prices are expected to affect the market growth. Strict environmental regulations in the context of synthetic process for manufacturing soda ash are expected to hamper the market growth. Glass emerged as the leading application segment and accounted for 48.2% of total market volume in 2015. It is also expected to witness the highest growth of 3.2% over the forecast period. Soaps & detergents are also expected to witness brisk growth in soda ash demand over the forecast period. Increasing personal care industry in China, India, and Indonesia on account of growing disposable income level is expected to drive this segment. Browse full research report with TOC on "Soda Ash Market Analysis by Application (Glass, Chemicals, Soaps & Detergents, Metallurgy, Water Treatment, Pulp & Paper) And Segment Forecast To 2024" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/soda-ash-market Further key findings from the report suggest: The global soda ash market demand was 55.45 million tons in 2015 and is expected to reach 71.93 million tons by 2024, growing at a CAGR of 2.9% from 2016 to 2024 Asia Pacific was the leading regional market and accounted for 54.2% of global demand in 2015. Increasing industrialization in emerging economies of China , India , Thailand , and Indonesia is expected to drive the regional market. was the leading regional market and accounted for 54.2% of global demand in 2015. Increasing industrialization in emerging economies of , , , and is expected to drive the regional market. China , due to established as well as upcoming manufacturing facilities is likely to head towards overproduction. However, in terms of exports, Asia Pacific is anticipated to face tough competition from North America due to cost advantage of the U.S natural soda ash manufacturers. Europe is expected to witness sluggish growth rate and is expected to reach over 5,500 kilo tons by 2024. , due to established as well as upcoming manufacturing facilities is likely to head towards overproduction. However, in terms of exports, is anticipated to face tough competition from due to cost advantage of the U.S natural soda ash manufacturers. is expected to witness sluggish growth rate and is expected to reach over 5,500 kilo tons by 2024. The market is expected to witness rise in new players coupled with increasing demand from Asia Pacific . The soda ash market is likely to experience production as well as economic shifts, especially in European countries due to closure of synthetic soda ash manufacturing facilities in the recent past. Key market players include Tata Chemicals Limited, DCW Limited, FMC Corporation, Oriental Chemical Industries, Solvay SA, etc. Grand View Research has segmented the global soda ash market on the basis of application and region: Global Soda Ash Application Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014-2024) Glass Chemicals Soaps & detergents Metallurgy Water treatment Pulp & paper Other Global Soda Ash Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilo Tons; Revenue, USD Million, 2014-2024) North America U.S. Europe Germany France UK Asia Pacific China India Japan South Korea Middle East & Africa Central & South America Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Ammonium Nitrate Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/ammonium-nitrate-market Amaranth Seed Oil Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/amaranth-seed-oil-market Locust Bean Gum Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/locust-bean-gum-market Beeswax Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/beeswax-market About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Read Our Blogs - ni2014.org, grandviewresearch.com/blogs/bulk-chemicals Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. PUNE, India, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The global software defined storage market 2016-2020 report says rise of OpenStack will be a key trend for market growth as OpenStack open source cloud computing platforms, deployed in the form of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), help organizations manage their data storage workloads in data centers. These are designed to control a large pool of storage, compute, and networking resources in data centers through OpenStack APIs. Networking resources are managed through a dashboard that gives administrators control while empowering their users to provision resources through a web interface. Complete report on software defined storage market spread across 74 pages, analyzing 4 major companies and providing 25 data exhibits is now available at http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/650398-global-software-defined-storage-market-2016-2020.html. Global software defined storage market to surpass $7 billion by 2020. The growth of this market is spurred by the effective management of unstructured data. Analytics solutions, when integrated with SDS solution for big data management, reduce costs and boost business agility. The integration of big data with network file systems and rapid provisioning of analytics applications streamlines the management of unstructured data for business intelligence. During 2015, the Americas accounted for around 55% of the overall market share to dominate the global software defined storage market. The rising demand for innovative IT architecture, fluctuating traffic patterns in networking infrastructure, and the rise of mobility technologies will fuel the growth of the software defined storage market in the Americas during the forecast period. The analyst forecast global software defined storage (SDS) market to grow at a CAGR of 31.62% during the period 2016-2020. According to the2016 software defined storage market report, one of the key drivers for market growth will be cost reduction and efficiency. Software-defined technology is poised to disrupt the traditional enterprise IT infrastructure model. Companies are under immense pressure to replace legacy IT infrastructure with innovative models that can cut costs significantly. Software-defined storage provides a lean business model and minimizes costs by automating process controls and replacing traditional hardware with software. BFSI segment accounted for around 18% of the overall market revenue to become the key revenue generating vertical in the software defined storage market globally. The use of SDS in a BFSI environment gives analysts sufficient time to plan and manage their data to comply with evolving government regulations. SDS also provides storage enhancement through new application offerings. SDS enables efficient storage allocation through well-defined governing policies and eases the process of access provision through well-defined security policies. The following companies are the key players in the global software defined storage (SDS) market: EMC, HP, IBM, and VMware. Other prominent vendors in the market are: 6Wind, Arista Networks, Avaya, Big Switch Networks, Brocade, Cisco, Citrix, DataCore, Dell, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Hitachi Data Systems, Juniper Networks, NEC, NetApp, Nexenta, Nutanix, Pertino, Pivot3, Plexxi, PLUMgrid, and SwiftStack. Order a copy of Global Software Defined Storage Market 2016-2020 report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/Purchase.aspx?name=650398. Global Software Defined Storage (SDS) Market 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated from the implementation of software-defined storage solutions among enterprises worldwide. Another related report is Global Software-defined Anything (SDx) Market 2016-2020, according to the report, network management in organizations is a complex system. Many firms are adopting SDN solutions to instill agility, simplicity, and reduce the total cost of ownership. With the help of SDN solutions, companies can reap the benefits of reduced network provisioning time, a simplified network environment, reduced service costs, and enhanced network management efficiency. Browse complete report @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/reports/451985-global-software-defined-anything-sdx-market-2016-2020.html. Explore other new reports on IT & Telecommunication Market @ http://www.reportsnreports.com/market-research/information-technology/. About Us: ReportsnReports.com is an online market research reports library of 500,000+ in-depth studies of over 5000 micro markets. Not limited to any one industry, ReportsnReports.com offers research studies on agriculture, energy and power, chemicals, environment, medical devices, healthcare, food and beverages, water, advanced materials and much more. Contact: Ritesh Tiwari UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta city, Hadapsar Pune - 411013 Maharashtra, India. + 1 888 391 5441 sales@reportsandreports.com Connect With Us on: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReportsnReports/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/reportsnreports Twitter: https: //twitter.com/marketsreports G+ / Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/111656568937629536321/posts RSS/Feeds: http: //http://www.reportsnreports.com/feed/l-latestreports.xml SOURCE ReportsnReports Chinese youth are making their own effort to earn a living and alleviate their own poverty. (Photo : Getty Images) The youth population in China is not giving a headache to the government. Rather, they themselves are making an effort to make a living, beat poverty, and even help out others, a Global Times article noted. Advertisement One testament to this is 26-year-old Chen Ze'en, a resident of one of the poorest areas in China, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. For almost a year now, Chen has been keeping bees as a means of living. This season, he expects to sell his harvest for 300, 000 yuan ($45, 000) as the size of his swarm increased to about 200 hives. He has not only helped himself and his family but also his fellowmen in his small village. Their small village serves as habitat for a local species of bee that produces excellent honey. Chen introduced innovative and proper beekeeping techniques to the village and through this, the beekeeping business boomed and prospered. About 100 villagers are now also making profits from beekeeping. Chen is now registering a company and a brand name for the honey enterprise. To further increase their sales, he aims to highlight the village's good natural environment and its absence of any industrial pollution, thus providing a clean and organic nature to their product. Another inspiring story of the striving Chinese youth is that of Li Xingjian. In 2014 when he was a graduate student at Renmin University in Beijing, he volunteered to teach at a rural middle school in Sichuan. Renmin University has a program which aims to help the needy in rural areas. Since 2012, the university has sent about 1,000 students to villages for a short program every summer. Many of Li's student were children living with relatives, left behind by their parents who work in urban cities. "Compared with what I taught them, simply my being there was more helpful. I felt like a window through which they got a glimpse of an unknown outside world," he shared. The Chinese government values bright, young people like Chen and Li, especially for the country's battle against poverty. By 2020, China has set the goal to raise the annual incomes of about 55 million of the country's poorest people to over 2,800 yuan ($422). NEW YORK, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Jcomm, Information System Integration and Applications Development Company in Taiwan, Will Expand Their Offerings with Time To Know Next Generation Platform Solutions Time To Know, a leader in the Ed-Tech industry, is partnering with Jcomm, a highly experienced company in Information system cintegration, high-end Surveillance System Integration and applications development. Jcomm specializes in private cloud systems for enterprise integration. The two companies signed a three-year partnership to join forces in order to deliver Next Generation corporate training platforms. Jcomm, who specialize in private cloud systems for enterprise integration, is highly experienced in large scale national tenders with high profile customers such as the Center of Research on Earthquake Engineering and the Center of High-Performance Computing. The company will introduce the Time To Know (TTK) comprehensive array of products, which provides organizations with the tools for more effective and efficient training programs. The Time To Know solutions provide an intuitive interface, powerful data analytics and knowledge management capabilities. The combination of TTK's vast experience in the pedagogical aspects of training - integrated in advanced next generation platforms, and the infrastructure expertise of Jcomm offers a complete solution for enterprises looking to advance their training programs to more engaging and effective programs. TTK tools provide personalized learning, reduce costs and enable companies to evaluate their employees' progress and compliance with regulations and required international standards. "We see great potential in the Taiwan market which is rapidly developing and technology oriented. Taiwan corporates are by nature, early adaptors looking to integrate advanced tools to support their business processes. Jcomm is a natural and powerful partner for Time To Know. Through this joint partnership we are able to offer corporates a complete solution to support their entire training processes," said Yair Brosh, CEO - Time To Know. According to JY Tang, Jcomm Managing Director, "We view rapid change in the corporate training settings in Taiwan moving from traditional in-class training to digital-based eLearning platforms. This enables training in different settings and on any device. Joining forces with Time To Know, we can provide corporates with a powerful solution combining our infrastructure implementation, experience, and leading and advanced digital Ed-Tech platforms." Since 2005, Time To Know, has been providing state-of-the-art solutions for authoring tools, learning management systems, classroom management, and more. With worldwide presence, the company has successfully implemented their solutions in Europe, the Middle East, North America, Latin America, and Asia. Jcomm, founded in 2010, provides comprehensive project planning and combines the highest & latest technology for integrating suitable solutions for their customer base. Jcomm also specializes in High-end Surveillance System Integration for enterprise, residences, shops, malls, and surveillance management. Contact: Shira Doron +1-917-979-6632 Shira.Doron@TimeToKnow.com SOURCE Time To Know DUBLIN, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "8th Annual Personalized & Precision Medicine Conference " conference to their offering. One of the longest running conferences in the personalized/precision medicine space, this 8th Annual Personalized & Precision Medicine Conference is once again returning to the San Francisco Bay Area, on October 12th-13th. With the renewed focus on precision medicine stemming from President Obama's 2015 initiative and multiple advances in the field on a variety of fronts, this year's conference promises to expand your thinking and put you front and center to hear from key players and stakeholders in the field. Eight years ago the Personalized & Precision Medicine Conference focused almost exclusively on the one-on-one relationship between the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. Since then the field has evolved to encompass not just these bilateral relationships, but multi-stakeholder, precompetitive consortia between the industries that demonstrate their continued commitment to precision medicine and the novel ways in which they are approaching the space. This year's conference will continue to examine the components that are integral to driving precision medicine into the future, including: - Optimizing Coding and Reimbursement - Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) Regulation - Data Privacy - Innovative Partnerships Furthering Precision Medicine - Crowd Sourcing Therapies - Truly Individualizing Therapy - Ethical/social/legal issues - Transforming data into actionable guidance in the clinic - Weighing clinical utility - Personalized medicine at the bedside - Payor evaluation of next gen sequencing - Aligning labs, clinicians and payers - Development of genomic medicine programs Why Attend? - PRESENTATIONS from Physicians, Researchers, Reimbursement Experts, Payers and Leaders from the Molecular Diagnostics, Biopharmaceutical and Genome Interpretation Industries - PANEL DISCUSSIONS covering a variety of topics of interest to stakeholders in personalized medicine - Numerous NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES aided by a pre-conference online networking suite Networking Opportunities Attendees will have the opportunity to meet other attendees through the following networking services: - The CONFERENCE NETWORKING SITE is online weeks prior to the event. Attendees can schedule one-on-one meetings prior to the conference and print out a schedule of meeting times during the conference. - EXTENDED NETWORKING BREAKS. These will give attendees the chance to meet those with whom they many not have set up meetings. - EVENING RECEPTION. This will give attendees the chance to mingle with other professionals after a day full of speakers, meetings, and thought-provoking topics. - SPEAKER Q&A SESSIONS. This will afford attendees the opportunity to ask additional questions of our speakers. Key Themes Practicing Precision Medicine. Speakers and panelists will illustrate how physicians are incorporating genetic data into the treatment of various diseases and will discuss what the challenges are in bringing more genetically-guided therapy into the clinic. Companion Diagnostics. Speakers and panelists will provide case studies exploring how diagnostics companies/developers of biomarkers and labs are working with drug developers to bring to market new companion diagnostics and targeted therapies to ensure greater efficacy and thus better patient outcomes. Genomic Data: Infrastructure, Interpretation & Outcomes. Next generation, exome, and whole genome sequencing are accelerating the creation of even more data whose use is critical to the growth of personalized medicine. Speakers and panelists will explore clinical, ethical, technological and business strategy issues related to data collection, sharing and use in the context of the growth needs for personalized medicine. Emerging Reimbursement Policies. Speakers and panelists will discuss the challenges that still exist in terms of reimbursement of molecular diagnostics and lab-developed tests which help guide personalized healthcare. Insurers and reimbursement experts will present their viewpoints and analysis of emerging policies regarding personalized medicine. For more information about this conference visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/r7q6v4/8th_annual Related Topics: Genomics Other Packages Available 8th Annual Personalized & Precision Medicine Conference - Student Edition 8th Annual Personalized & Precision Medicine Conference - Academic/Government/Non-Profit 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 Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com SOURCE Research and Markets Renowned soloist CarolAnn Barrows will sing beloved 500-year-old Turkish poem in Seattle SEATTLE, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CarolAnn Barrows has been invited by a sacred music scholar who works for the Turkish Ministry of Culture to be the first person ever to sing their most beloved, 500-year-old epic poem the Mevlidi Sherif in English. Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7901251-carolann-barrows-mevlidi-sherif-english/ This is the most frequently recited poem in the world and is cherished by Turkish Muslims, much as Christmas carols are by Christians. Unlike Christmas carols, this poem is sung and recited throughout the year. You can be part of this historic, cross-cultural, musical peacemaking project by joining the Kickstarter campaign today. It is only when we understand the stories of another culture that we can truly embrace their deeply held values. Then we naturally discover the common threads of peace, harmony and goodwill that weave their way through all of our stories. In order to make this epic tale accessible and aesthetically pleasing to Western sensibilities, classical composer, Taylor Kroff has composed a symphony that will be remembered as lovingly as Handel's Messiah. Funds are being sought for the orchestral recording and documentary filming. The composition and transcription of the musical score, video production, studio and engineering time for preliminary samples of the music, as well as web design and international promotion, has already been done. In addition, countless hours have been devoted to research, rehearsal and collaboration. Truly, this is a labor of great love. Rewards for support include: recordings of the English Mevlidi Sherif, voice lessons with the soloist, a catered Turkish meal, copies of the documentary, priority seating and a reception following the World Premiere. This September two Grammy Award winning producers will be recording the Mevlidi Sherif in English, with an orchestra and soloist CarolAnn Barrows, in the acoustically perfect Saint Edward's Chapel in Seattle, Washington. Every aspect of the creation of the English Mevlidi Sherif is being filmed in order to create a documentary, to introduce international audiences to this cultural marvel. The World Premiere performance will be held on December 12, 2016 in Seattle Symphony's 2,500 seat Benaroya Hall. Related Links http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7901251-carolann-barrows-mevlidi-sherif-english/ SOURCE Listening Heart, LLC ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- XCMG officially began the 2016 water cellar project in Ethiopia on August 4, building the first water cellar in Oda Nebe primary school in the capital city Addis Ababa. As part the company's "For Better Life" global public welfare campaign featuring 14 precisely positioned projects, XCMG is partnering with China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) and the Ethiopian first lady's office to bring much needed help to a country that's currently experiencing its most severe drought in 30 years. Wang Min, chairman and president of XCMG, decided that the company would provide immediate assistance when he learned of the severe drought affecting the Ethiopian people, donating RMB1.85 million (approx. USD280,000) to CFPA to establish the BlueDream foundation, which is investing RMB750,000 to build 50 water cellar cellars to help more than 4,000 villagers and students in Ethiopia. "We chose this school near Akaki in Oromia state to build the first water cellar because more than 300 students are squashed into three poorly maintained classrooms every day without any drinking water facilities," said Abiy, XCMG's dealer in Ethiopia. "The new water cellar will solve this problem for the students and teachers." As a solution to the drought problems, the economical and practical water cellars take advantage of the abundant rainfall in Africa's wet season and preserve the water for the dry season. Ethiopian hydraulic engineer Hune Nega said that upon learning the water cellar project was the first one donated by leading Chinese construction machinery company XCMG, he was very honored to be part of the project and share his experience in hydraulic engineering to help the children. The first water cellar increased the water storage capacity and one small cement pit or three buffer pools will be added to keep the water clean and facilitate routine inspections. "XCMG is using its 30 years of history in China to bring mature water cellar technologies to Ethiopia for the first time," said Ding Yadong, deputy secretary general of CFPA. "We are fully committed to the global public welfare programs with the goal of making the world a better place." About XCMG: XCMG is a multinational heavy machinery manufacturing company with a history of 73 years. It currently ranks ninth in the world's construction machinery industry. The company exports to more than 176 countries and regions around the world. Now the company has launched "XCMG Cup" Green Creative Design Contest to welcome environmental cleaning equipment design work worldwide at www.en.xcmg-cloud.com until September 7, 2016. For more information, please visit: www.xcmg.com, or follow XCMG Group on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Instagram. SOURCE XCMG 7-Eleven expanded into Canada in 1969 and Mexico in 1971 as part of joint ventures. In 1974, 7-Eleven expanded to Japan with Seven-Eleven Japan, which became the parent company in November 2005. Since then, 7-Eleven has opened stores in Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia and UAE through Area License and Master Franchise Agreements. The first 7-Eleven store in Vietnam is expected to open in Spring 2017, expanding the company's operations to 18 countries. "The 7-Eleven story is amazing and inspiring; we started as a small local ice house and have grown over the years store-by-store, community-by-community, and country-by-country into an iconic global brand," said Joe DePinto, 7Eleven president and chief executive officer. "We will continue to grow by staying focused on the constantly changing convenience needs of our customers and by staying committed to the communities we serve." Last year, 7-Eleven opened one store every 2.5 hours, approximately 4,000 stores. 7-Eleven will continue growing worldwide by opening stores that are close and convenient for every customereverywhere. Milestones 1927 1952 1963 1984 2003 2010 2016 1st store 100th 1,000th 10,000th 25,000th 40,000th 60,000th Store count by country as of July 2016 Store Count Store Count Store Count Japan 18,860 Malaysia 2,016 Sweden 185 United States 8,378 Mexico 1,874 Norway 156 Taiwan 5,057 Canada 504 Indonesia 179 Thailand 9,278 Philippines 1,760 Denmark 186 South Korea 8,238 Singapore 455 UAE 2 China (including Hong Kong and Macau) 2,244 Australia 628 Total 60,000 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398852 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101208/DA14293LOGO SOURCE 7-Eleven, Inc. Related Links http://www.7-eleven.com Aidant Brands, as A-76 Technologies, launched in 2014 after winning second place at the Rice Business Plan Competition with their eponymous technology, developed by Dr. James Tour, a professor at Rice University. Since 2014, the company and its team have received numerous accolades, including Bloomberg 's list of "9 Hot B-School Start-Ups from Competition Season," Forbes' "30 Under 30" list, and the Houston Chronicle 's "Start-Ups to Watch." Aidant Brands has undertaken an extensive rebranding to speak better to its customers, both in the industrial and household space, as well as to plan for future expansion. Additionally, a new product was launched in the Rust Patrol line. The current line now includes Rust Patrol (formerly A-76 Super), Rust Patrol: No VOCs (formerly A-76 Green), and Rust Patrol: Incorrustible. Incorrustible is a newly launched variation of Rust Patrol with longer lasting rust prevention capabilities, protecting equipment in storage for up to two years. "This name change better reflects the current and future direction of the company," said Lauren Thompson Miller, CEO and Co-Founder, "We're excited about the 'Rust Patrol' name and being more directly associated with rust prevention. "We are also excited about the transition to 'Aidant Brands,'" continued Miller, "'Aidant' is an old word meaning 'helpful' and that is our goal. We strive to be a solution provider to our customers." As part of Aidant Brands' efforts to help customers, the company is launching a blog with DIY tips, corrosion prevention information, and corrosion calamities to illustrate the multi-billion dollar problem of corrosion. Rust Patrol is available through industrial distributors, hardware stores, and online retailers, including Amazon. Visit RustPatrol.com to learn more. About Aidant Brands and Rust Patrol Aidant Brands is a specialty chemicals company, serving a wide range of industries, including energy, maritime, transportation and households. All Aidant Brands' Rust Patrol products work in high-humidity, high salinity environments and are compatible with electronics. Additionally, all products are compliant with the Montreal Protocol, are non-toxic, and are not known to the State of California to cause cancer or reproductive harm (California Proposition 65). More information on Aidant Brands and its Rust Patrol line can be found online at www.rustpatrol.com. CONTACT: [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398660 SOURCE Aidant Brands Related Links http://rustpatrol.com In 1945, a "Duck Action Team" composed of seven members, including Wang Chenghan, rescued Mary and other 1,500 prisoners from the Weihsien Internment Camp set up by Japanese troops in Shandong province in north east China. Since the 1990s, Mary she has always been looking for the members of that rescue team to convey her thanks to them one by one in person. Wang Chenghan is the last team member she's found and so she has finally to express her gratitude after several decades. The accredited journalists from Dazhong Website recorded the whole scene of this moving occasion. Reminiscing about the rescue: Seven heroes dropping out of the clouds and into the internment camp "Oh my goodness! That is my hero!" At 3:30 p.m. on July 27, Mary, who just got off the plane and was accompanied by her family, came to Wang Chenghan's home in Guiyang, the capital of southwestern China's Guizhou province. She quickly saw Wang Chenghan, who was coming downstairs to welcome her. The two rushed to each other and held each other's hands, screaming and laughing, just like children, and gave each other a huge hug. "I never thought I could wait until this day finally comes, never " Mary repeated this sentence over and over again. Then, she turned around and announced: "This is Mr. Wang! He is my hero!" During World War II in the early 1940s, the Japanese troops reconstructed a monastery in Weihsien (i.e. Weifang City in Shandong Province today) into an internment camp to hold prisoners. Over 2,000 from Europe and the United States (500 of whom were released for an exchange of prisoners later), including 327 children, were collected from all parts of China and imprisoned there. At that time, Chefoo School, where Mary, who was less than 9 years old, studied, was occupied by the Japanese troops. Over 200 teachers and students were imprisoned in Yantai for nine months at first, and then they were brought to Weihsien. Thus, Mary, along with her brothers, sisters and her grandfather, started their life imprisoned in Weihsien Internment Camp. It lasted for three years. During this time, they not only went short of food and clothing and had to endure the extremely severe hygiene conditions for a long period of time, but were deprived of personal freedom as well. Mary couldn't see her parents for around five years. The tough time ended in the summer of 1945. "August 17, 1945 is the day I will never forget," Mary said to the journalists of Dazhong Website. She had a stomachache that day so she lay in a ward in the internment camp. All of a sudden, she heard sounds like the roar of an aircraft from outside the window. When she rushed to the window, she saw an aircraft flying lower and lower. There was an American flag on the plane. Immediately, the whole internment camp went crazy with excitement. People took off their shirts, waved them and rushed outside the doors. Mary also hurried downstairs. "Can you imagine it? My stomachache cured itself automatically!" She said smiling. Later, people saw parachutes falling from the aircraft down to the fields outside the camp. They were the 7-member action team sent by the United States to come to their rescue. And Wang Chenghan was the only Chinese among them. Joyful crowds broke through the defending lines guarded by the Japanese troops and rushed to the seven people, crying, hugging, and dancing. And together they walked to the gate of the internment camp. To express the full extent of her gratitude at for her rescuers' bravery, Mary brought special letters of thanks from the United States. "You know what, Mr. Wang had never tried parachuting before. However he did it when rescuing us. He is our hero," Mary said in admiration, holding Wang Chenghan's hand tightly in his home. When leaving the internment camp, the girl, who was less than 13 years old, did not know this detail. When she got to know this many years later, her admiration for this 'Eddie' Wang (they all called Wang Chenghan 'Eddie' at that time for his English name was Eddie Wang) was enhanced further. "It was under the guard of so many Japanese soldiers in the internment camp that he risked his life to rescue us, whom he hadn't known before," said Mary in excitement. "I wonder how you took part in that rescuing action team dispatched by the United States. What was your first impression of us, the imprisoned people in the internment camp? What was the mission you received before getting on the aircraft that day? When did you go back home after we left the internment camp...?" After the exciting moment of the reunion, Mary, just like the then lovely girl, had a whole host of questions. She was curious about everything Wang Chenghan experienced in that rescue. "I was a soldier back then. In 1943, I was enrolled into the Department of Physics in Sichuan University. I decided to join the army to serve my country the next year" In Mary's expectation, Wang Chenghan, a 91-year-old man, introduced how he gave up his academic studies and joined the student volunteer units in the National Revolutionary Army, how he learned to send a telegraph in the army, how he got into the interpreter training class set up by the Bureau of Foreign Affairs of the Kuomintang, and how he was recruited by the United States Office of Strategic Services and worked as interpreter in the special action team. Mary was all ears when listening, expressing her surprise and admiration every now and then. When hearing the thrilling parts of Wang Chenghan's introduction, she couldn't help hugging Wang Chenghan again, saying, "You are a hero." Mary brought a special gift for the meeting with Wang Chenghan thanks from Stephen M. Sweeney (Chairman of New Jersey Senate) and Max Sieben Baucus (ambassador of the United States Embassy in China). In his letter of thanks, Stephen said, "as the interpreter and the youngest member of the then seven-member action team, your heroic and brave behavior deserve our highest praise and admiration. Your contribution, commitment and endeavor were not only the example of human beings' strong will, but also the lighthouse of freedom and hope of those in Weihsien Internment Camp." Max said in his letter of thanks that, during the period of World War II, both the Chinese and American people suffered great sacrifice, that they rendered assistance to each other during those tough years, and that Wang Chenghan's heroic and brave behavior and other Chinese people's efforts have inspired them greatly. He also expressed his wish that he would introduce Wang Chenghan to his colleagues in the United States Embassy in China, those who have made unremitting efforts, just like Wang Chenghan, in establishing the friendship bonds between China and the United States. Moreover, learning that Mary was visiting "the last hero" in China, a dozen survivors rescued from Weihsien Internment Camp wrote letters to Wang Chenghan. U.S. Rep Donald Norcross put Wang Chenghan's name into the Congressional Record for his "selfless behaviors and contributions". Mary handed these letters to Wang Chenghan. With their glasses on, the two old people browsed the letters conscientiously. Wang Chenghan gently touched these letters with his trembling hands and couldn't help reading them softly. Reminiscing about life in Weihsien Internment Camp: The children ate egg shells for nutrition; the teachers protected the children from knowing the "bad things". "When in Weihsien Internment Camp, what frightened and scared me most was the Japanese people's dogs' killing our cat." Mary still felt very sad when talking about that even after a gap of over seventy years. The Japanese guards raised some big wolfhounds in Weihsien Internment Camp. The wolfhounds often followed the Japanese soldiers to go on patrol in the camp, which made the teenage girl Mary very frightened. Back then, the principal in Mary's school raised a kitten called Victoria. Mary described it as a "very soft, very docile and lovely" cat. The kitten often kept her company to go to sleep. One night, not having fallen asleep, Mary heard the footsteps of the Japanese soldiers on patrol and the sounds of the wolfhounds outside the window. All of a sudden, the kitten's shrill screams were heard just from outside the house. 'That is Victoria! The wolfhounds assaulted and killed it!' Mary was too scared to make any single sound. She cuddled up in a heap on her bed. "I think they cleared up the bloodstains before the morning came for fear that we children should see it," Mary said in sadness that the incident kept everybody sad for quite a long time. Compared with such bloody incidents which were not frequent, the severe living conditions worried Mary and her fellow sufferers more. As Mary said, the food in Weihsien Internment Camp was awful. More undesirably, the supply of food later was shrinking constantly. What they got every day were merely several slices of dry bread. The meats were mostly rotten, and infested with mice and flies. Since the children did not get adequate food, the teachers turned blankets into trousers for children to live through the chilly winters. Wang Chenghan still remembered clearly what he saw when he parachuted to the ground and a large number of prisoners rushed out: "Everybody was only skin and bone. Many of them had no shoes to wear." Mary told the journalists of Dazhong Website that the doctors (also fellow inmates) were worried so much that malnutrition might influence the kids' physical development. To supplement calcium for children, adults even conserved the egg shells (other prisoners risked their lives to get these eggs from the farmers outside the camp wall and then bring them in), dried them, ground them into powder, and then fed them to the children bit by bit. Even in such severe conditions, the teachers still kept teaching the children including Mary. In addition, they demanded that the children should set high standards for themselves and never give up. In Mary's impression, Weihsien Internment Camp was not a violent, bloody or other scary place. "Maybe some awful things happened. But the teachers were always protecting us. They never told us children about the bad things." Mary said that she once went to find, many years later after being rescued, the teachers who had been in the internment camp, and got to know that they had been praying every night, fearing that the Japanese soldiers would round everyone up and shoot them. However, the children were nicely protected because the teachers never said a single word to scare them. Giving an account of "the pilgrimage to her hero" for over ten years: It's a miracle to meet him alive; China is my mother. "It's a miracle," remarked Mary to the journalists of Dazhong Website upon her finding the last hero of the rescuing team and meeting him. In the 1990s, Mary started to look for the seven members of the action team. With the help of her friends, she found the widows of two members and then succeeded in meeting another four members. However, after consuming so much time and energy, she still could not get a line on the Chinese member. "I have no idea where he went after the war, whether he was in China or even whether he is alive or not now. As you know, it is really very hard to find a Mr. Wang among billions of Chinese people." And then one day in March 2015, Wang Qian, Wang Chenghan's grandson, coincidently read an article written by Mary on a website in the United States, saying that Mary was still looking for a Chinese man called Eddie Wang. Wang Qian read the story over and over again and became more and more convinced that the person Mary had been looking for was his grandfather. As a result, he wrote a letter to Mary. "I remember that after asking about sixteen questions, she was finally sure that I was the one she had been looking for. Later on we made a phone call. We got extremely excited." With a smile on his face, Wang Chenghan reminisced about his getting in touch with Mary in April and May of 2015. Those questions were about the rescue in Weihsien Internment Camp. Only those who lived through the entire event could be familiar with the rescue mission. "I know all the correct answers and Mr. Wang answered the questions quickly and all were correct. He is the hero I am looking for," Mary added happily. "I've realized a dream that I thought would never come true. There is nothing better than that." Mary describes her entire process of finding the seven rescuing team members as "the pilgrimage to her hero". Right now she's completed the pilgrimage successfully. "God bless me for finding you. I am alive and so are you. We've finally met!" In excitement, Mary's eyes were moist with tears. "Fate does all the things!" said Wang Chenghan with emotion. "Mr. Wang should have received the honor of a hero earlier," Mary said. "I hope that more people will know about his stories. If there are more nice stories like his, the whole world will be better. That is because we all work hard together and we are with each other together." Never give up hope. Mary still remembers that even during the hardest times, the fellow sufferers in Weihsien Internment Camp firmly held the belief that the final victory belonged to them. They even made preparations for celebrating the victory in advance. There was an orchestra composed of dozens of fellow sufferers in the internment camp. Mary recalled that the band would secretly rehearse new songs every Tuesday evening, the one made up of some paragraphs from the national songs of the the main allies, the United States, Britain and the Soviet Union, as well as representative songs of China. To avoid the close supervision of the Japanese troops, the band even mixed some rhythms of extolling the Kingdom of Heaven. On August 17, 1945, when the seven paratroopers dropped from the clouds, the people in Weihsien Internment Camp, wild with joy, all played this song, which they had rehearsed so long. It was not only a song celebrating the over 1,500 fellow sufferers' regaining freedom again, but also a song celebrating the victory of the allied countries. "Mr. Wang is my hero and my friend, forever and ever!" Mary said emotionally that we won that war together then, and that a profound friendship is still kept between our nations and between our peoples. May this friendship last forever! When someone said "Welcome to China" to Mary in the interview, Mary corrected it immediately by saying: "No, we should say I've come back to China. I was born in Kaifeng, Henan Province, China. I remember kissing the land when I first came back to China because China is my mother and I was kissing my mother." "You are my sunshine my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. "Time was fleeting that afternoon. The two old people held each other's hands and sang the song You Are My Sunshine, which they once sang in Weihsien Internment Camp. The sky outside was bright and blue. The sunshine poured into the tiny sitting room. The song echoed in the air, calm and peaceful. About Dazhong Website Approved by the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China, hosted by Shandong Internet Media Group, Dazhong Website is the number one news portal and overseas-targeted publicity website in Shandong province. By winning China Journalism Awards five times in seven years, including three first prizes in three consecutive years, Dazhong Website's comprehensive strength ranks the forefront among provincial news websites. Dazhong Website ranks sixth in China news websites comprehensive dissemination capacity ranking list, ranks first in provincial news websites comprehensive dissemination capacity ranking list in June and July 2016. Dazhong Website actively explores new media development mode, grasps the law of internet communication, and builds internet matrix with main website as basis, Shandong Mobile Newspaper and Shandong 24 Hours News App as extension, local channels in 17 cities in Shandong province as guarantee, forming the mainstream public opinion field covering Shandong and adiating across the country. Through making all-out efforts to promote media convergence and to integrate media resources within and outside the group, Shandong Internet Media Group has been established to construct self-independent communication channels and industry chain, strengthening and expanding industry scale, forming professional internet group with comprehensive function by integrating news and information, leisure shopping and social mobility in a body. Dazhong Website is accelerating the pace of listing and financing, continuously improving industrial capacity, enlarging industrial value, expanding profit margins, advancing the cause of the website with a sustained, rapid and healthy development. Currently, Dazhong Website has established the development pattern of two websites (Dazhong Website and Palm-top Dazhong Website), one mobile newspaper (Shandong Mobile Newspaper), two mobile clients (Shandong 24 Hours News App and Shandong Mobile Newspaper App), two magazines (Dazhong Public Opinion Reference and Qilu Mobile Magazine), one publishing house (Dazhong Audio & Video Publishing House), one big screen (City Big Screen Broadcast Network), and two platforms (Dazhong Hailan E-commerce Platform and Touring Qilu Online Tourism Platform), forming multilevel, all-around and three-dimensional communication system with unified action from top to bottom, combination of fixed and mobile, complementarity between paper and network, co-existance of indoor and outdoor. Dazhong Website is continuously and deeply promoting "four breakthroughs in transition", stimulating enterprise vitality by institutional innovation, expanding brand influence by content innovation, maintaining revenue growth by operation innovation, supporting construction of projects by technological innovation, thereby fostering enterprise's core competitiveness. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160815/397943 SOURCE Dazhong Website SAN RAMON, Calif., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. Magazine today announced that Accela, the leading provider of cloud-based productivity and civic engagement solutions for government, ranked at 2948 on its 35th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment its independent small businesses. "It is an incredible honor for Accela to be ranked among this year's Inc. 5000 list of America's Fastest Growing Private Companies," said Maury Blackman, President and CEO of Accela. "This recognition reflects the huge strides in growth that we've achieved over the last three years and validates the impact that our solutions are having in helping better connect citizens and their government. This is a big win for our whole team at Accela and a testament of the value we continue to provide our customers." The 2016 Inc. 5000, unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc., is the most competitive crop in the list's history. The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year growth of 433%. The Inc. 5000's aggregate revenue is $200 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 640,000 jobs over the past three years, or about 8% of all jobs created in the entire economy during that period. Complete results of the Inc. 5000 can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. "The Inc. 5000 list stands out where it really counts," says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. "It honors real achievement by a founder or a team of them. No one makes the Inc. 5000 without building something great usually from scratch. That's one of the hardest things to do in business, as every company founder knows. But without it, free enterprise fails." About Accela Accela provides a platform of cloud-based productivity and civic engagement solutions to governments of all sizes worldwide. The Accela Civic Platform includes solutions to cost-effectively manage critical enterprise functions and mobile apps to foster greater citizen engagement. From asset, land and legislative management to licensing, finance, environmental health and more, Accela's software drives efficiency for more than 2,200 governments, including more than 60 percent of America's 50 largest cities. The Company was named to Government Technology's GovTech100 in 2016 and certified as a Great Place to Work for 2016-2017. Accela is headquartered in San Ramon, California, with offices in San Francisco, New York, Boston, Portland, Melbourne and Dubai. For more information, visit www.accela.com. About Inc. Media: Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 15,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions. For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/. Media Contact: Rachel Fukaya Barokas PR for Accela (831) 229-5761 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151007/275174LOGO SOURCE Accela Related Links http://www.accela.com Guangzhou Province is home to a large population of elderly Chinese, making the demand for senior care services high. (Photo : Getty Images) A growing number of senior citizens from foreign countries are going to nursing homes in China to look for long-term healthcare, making the country an ideal destination for elderly to spend their twilight years, the Global Times reported. Advertisement Sergei Shcherbinin, an 80-year old Russian, who has been spending three months in the summer every year to do qigong training at Hebei Medical Qigong Hospital. The institution, based in Beidaihe, combines caring for the elderly with traditional Chinese medical treatment and qigong (Chinese breathing exercise). Shcherbinin has been doing it annually for 15 years. Instead of spending his recent 80th birthday, Shcherbinin chose to spend it with the hospital staff. "I am deeply attracted to this place where I can be healthier and happier through exercises," Shcherbinin said. "My kids had called to ask me to come home for my 80th birthday, but I insisted on celebrating it here with the staff members, most of whom have become my good friends." Shcherbinin used to suffer from arthritis, relying only on wheelchairs and crutches to move around. But now he no longer needs any of them. Many foreign senior citizens, like Shcherbinin, benefit from the nursing homes' holistic approach in caring for the elderly. Sylvie Faity, a Frenchwoman in her 50s, recently underwent breast cancer treatment and is also suffering from scoliosis. She went to China for treatment. Through daily exercises, Faity started to show signs of recovery. "My arthritis has been relieved; my body has become softer, and my spine has become more agile," she said. Xiao Yuande, the director of the qigong department at the nursing home, said that hundreds of foreign senior citizens have visited the nursing home over the years. Xiao cited a group of Japanese seniors who have been regularly visiting the facility for 26 years now. Zhang Ping (not her real name), the operations manager at a nursing home in Beijing, said that the increased acceptance of Chinese culture, healthcare, and medical practices abroad are the main reasons for the growing interest in China's nursing homes. But for Emily Wang, a 65-year-old Chinese-American graphic designer from New York, it was for good service at less the cost that she chose a nursing home in Beijing. Wang said that public nursing homes in New York are not affordable and it takes long to get a room, even in a private care, which is also expensive. She returned to Beijing and stayed in a state-owned nursing homes closed to their home. "Although the nursing homes are relatively high-end, with monthly expense ranging from 5,000 yuan ($754) to 10,000 yuan, they are still more affordable than their Western counterparts," Zhang said. "In the U.S., senior citizens ordinarily need to pay $4,000 per month for their nursing care. In the U.K., they usually have to pay around $2,600 a month," Zhang added. "Therefore, many foreign seniors who are in a lower income bracket and are interested in Chinese culture tend to choose nursing homes in China." SANTA CLARA, Calif., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Agora.io, a leader in internet-based global real-time communications, today announced that Agora Voice, the company's real-time audio solution, is powering Lingoland, an immersion program for language learning. In the Lingoland mobile app, students can roleplay with live English tutors in realistic 3D scenes like San Francisco, New York City, and many more soon. "Agora.io provides excellent connectivity across the Pacific Ocean. We will not succeed if the connections between our students and tutors drop. Getting WebRTC to work across the globe with low latency is very challenging, and given that our students are in China, Taiwan, Korea, and Japan, Agora was the clear choice," said Tony Diepenbrock, CEO of Lingoland. "Our students frequently comment on the quality of our tutors' voices in Lingoland, and they are surprised when they realize their tutor is more than 11,000 kilometers away." "Lingoland is an excellent example of how embedding real-time communications into an application dramatically changes the user experience. Previously, language learning was more of a one-way flow," said Tony Zhao, founder and CEO of Agora.io. "By leveraging real-time communications, Lingoland's 3D learning environments are fun, contextual, and deliver immediate feedback - all key elements when an individual learns to master a foreign language." Lingoland chose to work with Agora.io for its real-time communications capabilities across the globe, mobile last mile optimization, and easy-to-integrate SDKs. The implement greatly helped the startup to boost development speed, which only took two weeks with no upfront cost. Digital English language learning reached revenues of $2.8 billion in 2015 and is projected to grow to $3.8 billion by 2020. In 2015, China was the top buying country in the Asia Pacific region, followed by South Korea and Japan1- countries where Lingoland has already established a user base. About Lingoland Lingoland is a foreign language immersion program that students can experience from home. In the Lingoland app, students are matched with live English tutors in realistic 3D scenes like San Francisco, New York and London. In these scenes, the Lingoland tutor roleplays with the student offering them real-world practice in common scenarios like ordering food in a restaurant, shopping, and talking about travel destinations. Lingoland is available on iOS and Android. For more information, visit: http://playlingoland.com About Agora.io Agora.io is a real-time communications provider delivering video and voice communications across devices and global networks with a guaranteed quality-of-experience. The company's easy-to-inteagrate SDKs and global network, spanning 100 data centers worldwide, make it easy to embed premium quality video & voice into mobile and web applications. For more information visit: www.agora.io PR Contacts Jenkin Xia - Agora.io Tel: +1 614 401 7323 Email: [email protected] Diane Vanasse Tel: +1 408 242 0027 Email: [email protected] 1 According to Ambient Research's report, The 2015-2020 Worldwide Digital English Language Learning Market (http://www.ambientinsight.com/Reports/DigitalEnglish.aspx) Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150722/240347LOGO SOURCE Agora.io Related Links http://www.agora.io Dr. Simhambhatla joins ALPHAEON from Strathspey Crown where he has served as Senior Partner. Prior to joining Strathspey Crown, he was most recently Senior Vice President at Abbott Laboratories and President of Abbott Medical Optics (AMO). Prior to AMO, he led Abbott's Ibis Biosciences business focused on infectious disease diagnostics. He joined Abbott through the acquisition of Guidant's vascular business in 2006, where he was Vice President and General Manager for Drug Eluting Stents. Dr. Simhambhatla holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Anna University in India and master's and doctorate degrees in polymer engineering from the University of Akron. Dr. Simhambhatla said, "I am honored to join ALPHAEON at this exciting time. I believe that the Company is uniquely positioned to disrupt lifestyle healthcare through innovative products and its social commerce engine, ShoutMD. I look forward to joining the ALPHAEON employees and physician partners around the world as we work together to advance the Company to new heights." ALPHAEON Founder and Vice Chairman of the Board, Robert E. Grant said, "I am very pleased to turn over the executive leadership of the Company to such an exceptional and seasoned business leader. Murthy has played an integral role at Strathspey Crown and we wish him great success in this new endeavor at ALPHAEON. As announced in late May, my transition had been planned for some time and I look forward to enjoying my new role as Vice Chairman of the ALPHAEON Board of Directors in addition to my ongoing responsibilities as Chairman of Strathspey Crown." About ALPHAEON Corporation ALPHAEON Corporation is a social commerce company with the goal of transforming lifestyle healthcare by bringing to market highly innovative products and services to promote consumer wellness, beauty and performance. The company works in partnership with board certified physicians ensuring access to leading advancements in lifestyle healthcare. For more information, please visit www.alphaeon.com. ALPHAEON PRESS CONTACT: Scott Jorgensen Tel: +1-949-284-4555 Email: [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140728/130500 SOURCE ALPHAEON Corporation Related Links http://www.alphaeon.com NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Angola Capital Investments (ACI), a leading international investment firm headquartered in Angola, announced today that it is changing the company title to ABO Capital. The organization has grown tremendously over the past four years, and the advancement will continue as ABO Capital. The new name, ABO Capital, represents the development and evolution of the company. The firm's reach has expanded beyond Angola to the entire African continent, and now it is expanding further to the rest of the world. ABO Capital's mission remains the same - to create global value for developing countries in Africa while contributing to international countries' economic development. The founding idea of ACI was to bring excellence to Africa, ABO Capital will build upon that foundation. "ABO Capital is about seizing the many opportunities present throughout Africa," said CEO Zandre Campos. "We will continue to improve the economies and bring business to these countries. We also look forward to working in more emerging markets throughout the globe." ABO Capital is looking to open offices in both the US and the UK in the very near future. The firm invests in companies in the energy, transportation, hospitality, healthcare, technology and real estate sectors. To learn more about ABO Capital please visit http://abocapital.net/. About ABO Capital ABO Capital, formerly Angola Capital Investments, is an international investment firm that invests in companies in the healthcare, technology, energy, transportation, hospitality and real estate sectors throughout Africa. The mission of ABO Capital is to create global value for developing countries in Africa, while contributing to their economic development. About Zandre Campos Zandre de Campos Finda is one of the great, innovative business leaders and global entrepreneurs emerging out of Africa. Currently, he is chairman and CEO of ABO Capital, an international investment firm headquartered in Angola with holdings throughout Africa and Europe. Prior to founding ABO Capital, Mr. Campos was CEO of Nazaki Oil & Gaz S.A. He has held the positions of CEO of the mobile phone company Movicel Telecommunications and an executive in the office of the president of SONAIR, S.A., a subsidiary of Sonangol, Angola's state-owned oil company that oversees oil and gas production. He began his career as a legal advisor with Sonangol Holdings. Mr. Campos also sits on the board of Sphera Bluoshen S.A., a subsidiary of Oshen Group and part of Sphera Global Healthcare. Sphera is committed to bringing high-quality healthcare services to nations around the globe with current activities in Angola, Morocco, and Rwanda. Sphera is dedicated to healthcare equality and accessibility. He is also a board member in Bluoshen S.A. and Boost - Communication & Strategy, S.A. and other organizations across the globe. Mr. Campos graduated from Lusiada University, Lisbon, with a degree in Law. Mr. Campos has dedicated his career to helping advance Angola and other developing nations. His work makes him one of the most socially forward and conscientious business leaders of our time. Through his entrepreneurial spirit and diverse business portfolio that is ever-expanding, Mr. Campos is creating thousands of new job opportunities and building stronger communities. SOURCE Angola Capital Investments Related Links http://abocapital.net LOS ANGELES and DALLAS, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- OriginClear Inc. (OTC/QB: OCLN), a leading provider of water treatment solutions, today announced that its 2nd Quarter 10-Q filing revealed that, for the six months ended June 30, 2016, revenues increased 2,323 percent, and gross profit by 1,853 percent, over the six months ended 2015. Revenues were $3,165,180, compared with $136,280 for the six months ended June 30, 2015, and gross profit was $967,057 for the six months ended June 30, 2016 compared with $49,986 for the six months ended June 30, 2015. The growth of OriginClear's wholly-owned subsidiary, Dallas-based Progressive Water Treatment (PWT), fueled this increase in revenue. For the six months ended June 30, 2016, PWT revenue increased by 19 percent over the six months ended June 30, 2015, prior to OriginClear's acquisition of the firm on October 1, 2015. During the same period, the Company continued to aggressively reduce corporate overhead and operating costs. Loss from operations decreased by 36 percent to $1,734,142, from $2,716,466 in the same period last year. "The performance of PWT validates our acquisition strategy," said Riggs Eckelberry, Chairman and CEO of OriginClear. "President Marc Stevens, and the entire PWT team, are to be congratulated for the quality of their projects both large and small, resulting in very happy customers." Percentile increases for the second quarter of 2016 were similar. For the three months ended June 30, 2016, company-wide revenue increased by 1,967 percent over the three months ended June 30, 2015. Over the same period, gross profit increased by 1,786 percent. The company continues to pursue its acquisition strategy, responsible for these increases. "We are being very selective," said Bill Charneski, President of the OriginClear Group. "We have declined more than a dozen opportunities presented to us in order to focus on the right ones. We are confident that the current set of prospective acquisitions, if consummated, will help position us for growth in the new era of decentralized water treatment." 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. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, there cannot be any assurance that the Company will consummate any acquisitions. The Company undertakes no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason. Press Contact: Antenna Group Carlie Guilfoile 415-977-1953 [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 SKOKIE, Ill., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AZEK, the building industry's leading brand of technologically advanced and high performance building materials, is featured in Sunset's 2016 Bay Area Idea House, a house built for visitors interested in the latest trends in home construction. Nestled in Oakland, California's Claremont Hills, this innovative home boasts expansive views of the San Francisco Bay and an ultra-modern design. The Bay Area Idea House will be open to the public from August 19 through September 25. The expansive home, featuring AZEK Deck in Dark Hickory, will also be showcased in the November issue of Sunset magazine. AZEK Deck's Dark Hickory from the Vintage Collection is made with the latest in materials science innovation. It resists scratches, stains, insects, moisture, mold and mildew, and has a Class "A" flame spread rating. All AZEK Deck products carry industry-best 30-year fade and stain and limited lifetime warranties. "We are committed to developing AZEK products that uphold the highest standards for quality and versatility, and these products are engineered to last beautifully," said Julia Fitzgerald, chief marketing officer of AZEK. "Since AZEK products truly represent the intersection of beauty and science, and the Bay Area is known for its breathtaking, sweeping views and love for open spaces and light, AZEK Deck is a natural fit for Sunset's Bay Area Idea House. And, with the increasing importance for fire safety in California, the Class "A" flame spread rating offers additional peace of mind to the homeowners." Every year, Sunset partners with a builder, interior designer, architect and landscape architect to create a show home that displays the industry's best state-of-the-art designs and decorating ideas. This year, the art-filled Bay Area Idea House is brimming with texture and one-of-a-kind pieces, pushing the envelope in an unprecedented way. Design enthusiasts can visit Sunset's Bay Area Idea House at 540 Gravatt Road in Berkeley, California. "California lifestyle highly encourages interaction between the indoor and outdoor spaces. The durability and quality of AZEK decking allows for the numerous decks facing the San Francisco Bay to be enjoyed for years to come," said Lauren Geremia, the founder of Geremia Designs, the creative minds behind this year's house. Tour tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite. About the AZEK Brand: Part of CPG Building Products, the AZEK brand capitalizes on more than 30 years of manufacturing and R&D experience to manufacture premium, low maintenance exterior building products such as AZEK Deck, the leading brand of capped polymer decking, and AZEK Trim, the leading brand of low-maintenance trim along with AZEK Mouldings, AZEK Porch, AZEK Rail, AZEK Pavers, and AZEK Siding. For more information, visit www.azek.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160614/379247LOGO SOURCE AZEK Related Links http://www.azek.com LOS ALTOS, Calif., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the startup economy exploding and giving way to fierce competition, Evil Headquarters (http://evilheadquarters.com/) emerges with a new kind of branding agency that helps entrepreneurs to quickly launch "the next big thing" and achieve global domination. The company seeks to disrupt the slow traditional branding process with an unorthodox new business model, offering ready-made, industry-specific, fully-branded startup companies, complete with pre-registered trademarks and copyrights. It's aimed at savvy entrepreneurs who want to launch bigger and faster, with a competitive brand story and premium internet address. Evil Headquarters has four primary service offerings, which include: Evil Brands, Evil Startups, Evil Designs and Brandable Domains. The services offer high-end "brands-in-a-box", just sitting on a digital shelf, waiting to be launched and pre-designed for various business categories, such as mobile gaming, celebrity app development, beauty, fashion, consulting and more. Entrepreneurs can simply select their business category, choose a brand pre-designed for that specific industry, insert their product or service and then launch the brand. Evil Headquarters Evil Brands For entrepreneurs inspired to launch a new product or service and want speed to market, Evil Brands can provide a ready-made, industry-specific startup brand, just waiting to be launched and includes a competitive business name, matching domain name, custom logo, and pre-registered copyrights. Evil Brands provide a high-end business image with prime digital real estate, for savvy entrepreneurs to insert their product or service and quickly enter the marketplace. Evil Startups For evil geniuses wanting to launch a serious game-changer that disrupts and dominates a competitive business category - the Evil Startups division of Evil Headquarters lets determined entrepreneurs focus on what they do best, while leaving the entirety of brand development to the experts. Every Evil Startups is a legally formed Delaware LLC, fully-branded and ready-made for a specific industry, just waiting for the right individual or team to take the helm. Evil Startups come with a business brand name, matching domain name, slogan, custom logo, brand identity guidelines book; pre-registered trademarks and copyrights, custom letterhead, envelopes, business cards and folders; custom responsive website, pre-branded social media pages; a toll-free vanity number and a custom LLC startup kit, containing an elegant company records binder, certified copy of formation certificate, LLC operating agreement, LLC membership certificates, membership ledger and company seal. Evil Designs Evil Designs is the custom division of Evil Headquarters, servicing clients looking to rebrand an existing company or launch a new one, but have branding needs that are very specific and require meticulous detail. Evil Designs will start from scratch and build a fully-branded startup company that meets all the custom specs of the client, including all the services offered through Evil Startups. Brandable Domains A domain name is prime digital real estate that's regarded as a powerful weapon among savvy tech entrepreneurs, seeking the lion's share of online traffic to dominate their category. Highly brandable, keyword-loaded and memorable domains are one of Evil Headquarters many specialties. The company has an arsenal of domain names at the ready, from acronyms and single words, to complete phrases. Entrepreneurs who already have an evil plan in place, but just need the perfect domain - they can make an offer to acquire one of these domains for launch of their product or service. "The true worth of a domain name is determined by either the magnitude or scale potential of the idea and plans intended for it's use." adds Chief Evil Officer Dr. Brandaplenty. "We prefer to work with villains who have really big ideas that can take over the world!" Working with the expert team at Evil Headquarters begins with choosing a ready-made brand or domain, then contacting the company to discuss terms. Once acquired, you can launch your new brand and start down the path to global domination. About Evil Headquarters Evil Headquarters LLC is a diabolical branding syndicate, dedicated to helping power-hungry entrepreneurs who are looking to dominate their business category and take over the world! Led by our founder, evil genius and super-villain extraordinaire, Dr. Brandon Brandaplenty, Evil Headquarters is leading the way in worldwide chaos, dominating the areas of brand development, marketing and design. The company's evil expertise is in building ready-made "WDBs" (World Domination Brands) that can jumpstart a savvy entrepreneur's evil empire and vanquish all who stand in the way. Contact: Dr. Brandaplenty Evil Headquarters LLC 800-600-EVIL http://EvilHQ.com Email Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398543 SOURCE Evil Headquarters Related Links http://EvilHQ.com GULF BREEZE, Fla., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Doug Broxson Campaign announced the endorsement of Senator Travis Hutson, who represents District 6 in the Florida Senate. Broxson is seeking the District 1 seat in the Florida Senate, which is currently held by Greg Evers. Broxson has served in the Florida House of Representatives since 2010. He faces Mike Hill in the August 30 Republican primary. "As a conservative senator from north Florida, I have had the privilege to serve with both Representative Broxson and Representative Hill," said Hutson. "I am pleased to say that there is only one person who has the character and temperament to be a great senator for his district and that person is Representative Broxson. I hope all voters of Senate District 1 vote for Representative Broxson, and I know he can help push to make North Florida Better" Hutson was elected to the Florida Senate in April of last year. Prior to that, he served in the Florida House of Representatives from 2012 to 2015. He serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice and the Committee on Commerce and Tourism. His district includes Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and part of Volusia Counties. "I am honored to have Senator Hutson's support," said Broxson. "I appreciate his vote of confidence in me, and I look forward to working with conservative leaders like him in the Florida Senate to strengthen Northwest Florida and our entire state." ON THE WEB: www.DougBroxson.com Paid by Doug Broxson, Republican, for State Senator Contact: Lori Hutto Phone: (850) 222-8156 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Doug Broxson Related Links http://www.DougBroxson.com Sponsorship renewed for the 2017 and 2018 seasons ORLANDO, FL, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - BRP's (TSX: DOO) Can-Am brand will be present on the NASCAR circuit for the next two years through its collaboration with the GoFAS No.32 NASCAR Sprint Cup series racing team, in association with the Kappa and Cyclops Gear brands. The agreement provides BRP's Can-Am brand with the opportunity to sponsor 36 races, 13 as primary sponsor. "BRP's successful experience to date on the NASCAR circuit in 2016 has been an important asset in our North American growth plan for the Can-Am brand," said Anne Belec, SVP Global Brand, Communications and PAC at BRP. "It has helped the brand gain greater visibility through NASCAR's millions of North American spectators annually, and get closer to our consumers and their riding communities." The sponsorship includes four title races the Can-Am Duel at Daytona and the Can-Am 500 in Phoenix for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series in the U.S., and the Can-Am 200 in Toronto and Les 50 tours Can-Am in Trois-Rivieres on the NASCAR Pinty's circuit in Canada. About BRP BRP (TSX:DOO) is a global leader in the design, development, manufacturing, distribution and marketing of powersports vehicles and propulsion systems. Its portfolio includes Ski-Doo and Lynx snowmobiles, Sea-Doo watercraft, Can-Am all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles, Can-Am Spyder roadsters, Evinrude and Rotax marine propulsion systems as well as Rotax engines for karts, motorcycles and recreational aircraft. BRP supports its line of products with a dedicated parts, accessories and clothing business. With annual sales of over CA$3.8 billion from over 100 countries, the Company employs approximately 7,900 people worldwide. www.brp.com @BRPnews Ski-Doo, Lynx, Sea-Doo, Evinrude, Rotax, Can-Am, Spyder and the BRP logo are trademarks of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. or its affiliates. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For a high-resolution image, please access the BRP Media Centre and sign in with the following credentials: Username: media.brp Password: brpimages SOURCE BRP Inc. "We are honoured to have been selected to participate in these large scale military events and to showcase the value of SNOW and its unique offerings," says Pierre Roberge, CEO of ARC4DIA Cyber Defense. "SNOW was well received at both events and delivered on all fronts. We are thrilled with the positive results, which we believe is a testament to the product, and its unparalleled ability to outperform the rest." Operating as a hunt platform at Red Flag and as a ground truth agent at Cyber Flag, SNOW's covert and enhanced detection mechanics as well as real-time forensic analysis, provided users with a complete view into adversary activity and behaviour - breaking down their movements with exacting detail. This level of information provided the teams at both events with valuable intel to effectively direct and optimize their defense as needed keeping them one step ahead at all times. The success of ARC4DIA's platform at both the Red Flag and Cyber Guard events has resulted in SNOW being obtained and used within a range of U.S. military agencies. About ARC4DIA Cyber Defense A privately held company with international offices in Vilnius, London, and Montreal, ARC4DIA Cyber Defense has been an industry leader in the cyber security industry since its inception in 2010. Creators of SNOW, the world's most comprehensive cyber defence platform, the company protects more than $40 billion dollars in assets globally for government agencies along with mid to large scale enterprises across a variety of sectors. With more than 60 years of combined counter-APT operations experience, the ARC4DIA team is a group of highly-skilled cyber experts hand-picked from the military, national security agencies, government, and academic institutions around the world. For more information about ARC4DIA Cyber Defense and its offerings, please visit arc4dia.com, or contact [email protected]. You can also join us on our social media channels, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. To learn more about SNOW and its capabilities, watch our newest video. For further information: Media Contacts: Nancy Dery Sloane Street Communications [email protected] 604.202.1453 Richelle Swinburne Sloane Street Communications [email protected] 604.910.7441 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398782 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398781LOGO SOURCE ARC4DIA Cyber Defense Related Links http://www.arc4dia.com NORTHFIELD, Ill., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The College of American Pathologists (CAP) released on August 17, 2016, enhanced Laboratory Accreditation Program checklists, used in the accreditation inspection process to help laboratories meet the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requirements. The CAP's program is based on rigorous accreditation standards that are translated into detailed checklist requirements. CAP inspection teams use the checklists as a guide to assess the laboratory's overall management and operation. The program is internationally recognized and the only one of its kind that utilizes teams of practicing laboratory professionals as inspectors. Designed to go well beyond regulatory compliance, the program helps laboratories achieve the highest standards of excellence to positively impact patient care. In the 2016 accreditation checklist edition, the CAP added or revised requirements for laboratory general management, transfusion medicine, anatomic pathology, molecular pathology, and cytogenetics. Some of the most significant changes will assist laboratories in maintaining personnel information that is essential to optimal laboratory management and CMS compliance. The CAP Checklists Committee is made up of practicing pathologist members and they are responsible for the continual evaluation of checklists to maintain program stringency and the highest standards of patient care in a changing medical landscape. "The checklists reflect the CAP's commitment to patients in that we revise them regularly to include advancements in medicine, technology, and laboratory management," said Bharati Jhaveri, MD, FCAP, chair, CAP Council on Accreditation which oversees the accreditation program and Checklists Committee. "The program is built upon our desire to provide patients with the highest quality pathology and laboratory medicine services." A webinar detailing the specifics of checklist updates is scheduled for September 21, 2016. William West, MD, FCAP, chair, CAP Checklists Committee, will lead the session. Visit cap.org to register. About the College of American Pathologists As the leading organization for board-certified pathologists, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. With more than 18,000 physician members, the CAP has led laboratory accreditation for more than 50 years with more than 7,800 CAP-accredited laboratories in 50 countries. Find more information about the CAP at cap.org. Follow CAP on Twitter at @PATHOLOGISTS. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120314/DC69899LOGO-a SOURCE College of American Pathologists Related Links http://www.cap.org Chinese Foodies Flock to New Japanese Noodle Restaurant in Shanghai; Store Runs Out of Ramen Foodies are crazy over Japanese noodle soup. (Photo : Getty Images) The Japanese noodle house, in its two weeks of operations, sold 400 bowls of noodle soup in less than 4 hours. The owner of the establishment couldn't believe that many from Shanghai liked thick beef broth. Sonoda Nobuhiro, co-owner and chef of Nagi, said, "We've learned that Shanghainese love noodles, but we didn't know the love could be as thick as our noodle soup." Advertisement The restaurant has the capacity of serving 400 bowls of ramen in a day. The restaurant opens at 10 a.m. and customers had already started ordering. By 2:40 p.m., they had to put a sign at the door saying, "Sorry, noodles sold out." Their tonkatsu broth, or pork bone broth, simmers for 20 hours to achieve the rich flavor of their broth. This is the base for all of their soups. "We sell a similar amount of noodles at our Shinjuku store. It took us around 10 years to achieve that," said Nobuhiro. Nobuhiro and Ikuta Satoshi, the restaurant's founders, had to battle stiff competition in Japan, where 80,000 ramen stores try to get a share of the market. In 2013, Satoshi was voted as best ramen and champion for Tokyo Ramen of the Year Award. He competed against 30,000 ramen chefs. This was seven years after they founded their small ramen shop. "When Ikuta first started the business, the noodles weren't really good. But Ikuta listens and improves every day," says Nobuhiro. The two started in humble kitchens that, according to them, was "so small that you either befriend your colleagues or go mad." The secret to their soup base is using three times the number of pork in water a third less than what is normally used. "The rich, pork flavor explodes in the mouth like a bomb," says Nobuhiro. Specialties of the restaurant are classic white pork or "Original King", red "Spicy King", squid ink or "Dark King" and basil and Parmesan cheese also known as "Green King." They also offer a "special king" that will change on a regular basis. LONDON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Europe has a special & deep relationship with Armor with the continent being its traditional birthplace & hotbed of technologies which spearheaded the development, fielding & first utilization of armor for combat in World War I which followed rapid further developments & subsequent extensive utilization in the World War II. Armor's role in providing mobility, troop protection and lethal firepower was further underscored & demonstrated effectively across the Iraq & Afghanistan war theatres during the allied war operations, which were the first major military operations of the 21st century and witnessed a generational change in threat landscape underscored by the extensive utilization of IEDs, RPGs & ATGMs while combating asymmetric warfare tactics with battlefield boundaries being nebulous at best and non-existent at the worst. This evolution of threat landscape with growing & serious threat to armor survivability from a range of threats has questioned the very raison d'etre of previous generation light & medium armor in the current, completely altered threat landscape, thus, rendering many of the existing platforms incapable of operating effectively and obsolete, thus, spurring replacement demand ageing vehicle platforms across most key markets globally. Additionally, strategic changes in, as well as, evolution of the traditional world order & geo-political dynamics marked by the resurgence of Russia with the impressive build-up & showcasing of military capabilities across Ukraine & Syria, continued political instability & regional conflict in the Middle East and the emergence of China as a key regional economic and military power in the Asia-Pacific region have already become key drivers of defense spending across most parts of the world. The European scenario is no different with the traditional armor stronghold facing a hectic pace of activities with the looming, credulous Russian threat backed by third generation armor as well as related technological advances and increasing Russian activities in Eastern Europe & the Baltics having already driven a significant increase in defense spending across a number of states based in Northern as well as Central Europe, in addition, to the Baltics with a significant focus & emphasis being placed on land forces and armor given the geographic location and proximity of these states to Russia. A number of large, big ticket defense modernization & replacement programs have already been initiated, announced or are in the pipeline stage across a number of European states aimed at replacement of ageing, cold war legacy armor, led by the U.K., France, Poland & a number of other European states. Impending upgrades to traditional heavyweight armor centerpieces, including the Challenger 2 & Leclerc MBTs, too, which had been impending for a long time, are also on the anvil and about to be rolled out now along with a number of new IFV & APC procurement programs being initiated. The numbers are likely to go up further over near to medium term with the NATO's defense spending mandate compliance likely to become a key point of contention. The European & Global outlook for armored vehicles over medium term, thus, is bright & promising with the presence of a number of long term demand & growth drivers in the form of ageing existing hardware, strong external threat perception amid evolving geo-political dynamics and availability of next generation technologies, most notably the introduction of third generation MBTs, driving manifold increase in capabilities, mobility, protection and firepower. These strategic factors have collectively driven & are likely to continue to drive significant investments towards land systems with the initiation of a number of new, active as well as planned procurement programs for armored vehicle across most traditional & emerging markets. All key European industry OEMs are pursuing upcoming defense programs across most key traditional & growth markets aggressively looking to drive business growth over near to medium term while leveraging existing product platforms & technologies intelligently besides continuing to pursue R&D activity for the development of next generation technologies. Against this backdrop, the report maps out as to how the key industry OEMs are currently positioned and are likely to fit into as well as emerge over near to medium term amid a rapidly evolving market scenario as the industry gears up for demand resurgence after a long hiatus marked by the initiation of a number of new asset recapitalization & modernization programs across a number of European nations. The scope of analysis includes a Comprehensive & Insightful Comparative SWOT framework Analysis and analysis of the Near to Medium Term Strategy Focus for the Europe's 5 Leading Armored Vehicle manufacturers. The framework analyzes the Strengths & Weaknesses of the OEMs from a standalone as well as relative perspective based on a comprehensive analysis of their Key, Strategic Aspects, which include: -- Product Portfolio Analysis & its Strategic Positioning across Key Markets & Segments -- Breadth & Depth of Presence across Key Geographic Markets & Regions -- Analysis of overall Cost Base, Structure & its Management --Analysis of Revenue streams, Resource Base & Key Competencies --Profitability, Key Profit Sources, Growth & Trend Analysis --Capital & Ownership Structure, Financial Strength --Key Competitor Analysis across Market Segments & Degree of Competitive Intensity --Competitive Market Positioning across Key Global Markets & Market Share --Overall Strategy Orientation & Focus, R&D Strategy, Technological Strength & Capabilities The framework subsequently analyzes & identifies potentially significant, niche growth opportunities & avenues and imminent as well as emerging threats for each key industry OEM based on their strategic product portfolio & market positioning, core strengths & weaknesses and overall strategy focus & orientation against the backdrop of emerging market dynamics & trends. The report analyzes the overall degree of strategic responsiveness of OEMs to external environmental factors, which include, prevailing industry dynamics & emerging industry trends, issues, challenges & potential risk factors to assess their ability to be able to derive further business growth by capitalizing on potential growth opportunities effectively while negating threats simultaneously over near to medium term. Relevance & Usefulness: The report will be useful for -- Inputs for Strategic Planning, Competitive Assessment & Decision-Making Processes -- Analysis of Core Strengths & Weaknesses for each of the 5 Key European Industry Players -- Analysis of Near-term Strategy Focus and Insights into Key Strategies & Plans for the industry OEMs -- Identification of & Insights into Potential Growth Opportunities & Avenues -- Analysis of Key & Emerging Market & Technology Trends -- Analysis of Key Issues, Challenges & Potential Risk Factors -- Identifying & highlighting areas for making potential Strategic Changes, Adjustments & Realignment -- Contingency planning for current Strategies & Programs -- Analysis of Forces Driving as well as restraining the Industry & their Overall Dynamics -- Strategic Perspective on the likely Evolution of the European and Global Armored Vehicle Market over Medium Term -- Near to Medium Term Market Outlook, Inputs on Market Evolution & Demand Growth Projections For Whom: The report is essential & a must have for Government, Military & Senior Industry Personnel and all those with strategic interest & stakes in the European/Global Armored Vehicles Market. The report will be extremely useful for Key Decision-Makers, Program Managers, Global Procurement Managers, Defense Contracting Executives & Departments, Top Management of Industry Players & Other Companies, Industry OEMs, Suppliers, Vendors, MRO Services Providers, Associated Equipment Manufacturers and other Key Players in the Industry Value Chain. The report will also be useful for existing & potential Investors, Industry & Company Analysts, M&A Advisory Firms, Strategy & Management Consulting Firms, PE Firms, Venture Capitalists, Financing & Leasing Companies, Researchers and all those associated with the industry/sector. Features, Benefits & Reasons to Procure:- --Provides Macro View and Big Picture Quickly --Blend of Quantitative & Qualitative Analysis --Significant Time Savings --Visual Representation --Meetings & Presentation Ready Format --Superior & Enriched User Experience with Incorporation of Relevant Images Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4061485/ About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com DALLAS, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- COMPAREX North America, a global Microsoft partner, is joining forces with Stop Hunger Now to package more than 10,000 meals during their 2016 North American Annual Summit. Over 100 volunteers will participate in this effort on August 17 to support the Stop Hunger Now mission of ending global hunger. As one of COMPAREX North America's corporate priorities, community involvement is paramount to the company. During the company-wide summit in Dallas/Fort Worth, employees from all over North America will come together to learn from each other and participate in the meal packaging efforts that support Stop Hunger Now. "We're honored to team with Stop Hunger Now in the fight against global hunger," says Elliott Baretz, General Manager of COMPAREX USA. "Today, COMPAREX has locations in over 35 countries and we view ourselves as part of a world-wide community. Having the chance to give back to those around us is a special moment for all of us." In addition to partnering with Stop Hunger Now, COMPAREX North America has participated in events and fundraising with the North Texas Food Bank and The Big D Climb in Dallas in support of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. About COMPAREX COMPAREX is a global IT provider specializing in license management, sourcing, technical product consulting and cloud-based professional services. With a track record spanning thirty years, COMPAREX serves the public-sector, SMB and large international corporations. Its portfolio includes software licenses from more than 3,000 vendors as well as consultancy and professional services. The COMPAREX Group employs more than 2,450 people at over 80 locations in 35 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. In fiscal year 2015/16 the COMPAREX Group generated (preliminary) revenue of 1.909 billion / $ 2.109 billion. Visit www.comparexusa.com to find out more. SOURCE COMPAREX USA Related Links http://www.comparexusa.com WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- FlyersRights.org, the largest US based airline passenger group, has released a comprehensive Airline Passenger Report Card for all 535 members of Congress. Paul Hudson President of FlyersRights.org and a member of the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee, noted, "The very low scores and grades will come as no surprise to millions of American air travelers. Many members on both sides of the aisle received failing grades." FlyersRights.org measured Congressional efforts in protecting airline passenger rights over the past eight years. It used 10 criteria including voting records, bills sponsored, and money accepted from the airline industry. Out of over 100 possible points, the average letter grade was a "D" for poor. New York Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and California Representative Mike Thompson achieved the highest scores with 17 and 25 respectively, while Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR) had the lowest scores of 0 and -6 respectively. Five Members received failing grades of F: Peter DeFazio (D-OR 4th), Bill Schuster (R-PA 9th), Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and John Thune (R-SD). Mr. Hudson further stated, "It is important for the public and voters to be aware of and hold members of congress accountable for their slow responses and downright refusal to address the frustrations of airline passengers. This includes deteriorating service, ever shrinking airline seats, mounting ancillary fees, refusal to provide information and rights needed to hold airlines and TSA accountable for long delays, lost baggage and other consumer abuses." Passengers can search the Report Card www.flyersrights.org/reportcard to see how their members of Congress are performing. The Report Card will help airline passengers become better informed as they vote in upcoming elections and also should help members of Congress enact needed airline passenger reforms in 2017. SOURCE FlyersRights.org Related Links http://www.flyersrights.org LONDON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Synopsis The construction industry in Iraq has suffered greatly from the country's dire security situation and weak investor confidence, as well as a decline in government spending owing to the sharp drop in oil prices since late 2014. The country's construction industry contracted in real terms, by 19.0% in 2014 and 7.3% in 2015. However, with the liberation of many provinces from the grasp of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the industry is recovering, and is expected to register a positive growth rate of 3.3% in 2016 in real terms. Over the forecast period (20162020), assuming oil prices recover, the industry is expected to be supported by the government's investment in war-damaged property, transport infrastructure, healthcare, educational facilities and housing projects. Growth will also be driven by the country's tourism development program for 20162026 and Transport Corridors Project (TCP), under which the government aims to develop road, rail, and airport infrastructure. There are risks associated with the industry's outlook. If oil prices do not recover, the government's fiscal position will challenging, and as such it will struggle to drive investment in infrastructure, and if the war with ISIS is prolonged, it will continue to damage investor confidence, and thus undermine growth prospects over the forecast period. Summary Timetric's Construction in Iraq Key Trends and Opportunities to 2020 report provides detailed market analysis, information and insights into the Iraqi construction industry including: - Iraqi construction industry's growth prospects by market, project type and construction activity - Analysis of equipment, material and service costs for each project type in Iraq - Critical insight into the impact of industry trends and issues, and the risks and opportunities they present to participants in the Iraqi construction industry - Profiles of the leading operators in the Iraqi construction industry - Data highlights of the largest construction projects in Iraq Scope This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the construction industry in Iraq It provides: - Historical (2011-2015) and forecast (2016-2020) valuations of the construction industry in Iraq using construction output and value-add methods - Segmentation by sector (commercial, industrial, infrastructure, energy and utilities, institutional and residential) and by project type - Breakdown of values within each project type, by type of activity (new construction, repair and maintenance, refurbishment and demolition) and by type of cost (materials, equipment and services) - Analysis of key construction industry issues, including regulation, cost management, funding and pricing - Detailed profiles of the leading construction companies in Iraq Reasons To Buy - Identify and evaluate market opportunities using Timetric's standardized valuation and forecasting methodologies. - Assess market growth potential at a micro-level with over 600 time-series data forecasts. - Understand the latest industry and market trends. - Formulate and validate strategy using Timetric's critical and actionable insight. - Assess business risks, including cost, regulatory and competitive pressures. - Evaluate competitive risk and success factors. Key Highlights - To maintain the balance between the demand and supply for housing units, the government plans to invest IQD5.8 trillion (US$5.0 billion) to build 2.5 million new housing units by 2018. In addition, the government plans to increase the number of residential units with financial support from private partners. In 2014, the government announced a plan to build the Bismayah New City Project (BNCP) near Baghdad. In cooperation with Hanwha Engineering and Construction, a South Korean construction company, the government announced a plan in 2014 to build 100,000 residential units. - The government plans to increase the country's renewable energy generation capacity with private sector investment. Accordingly, under a Build Own Operate (BOO) model, in June 2016 a tender was issued for the construction of a 50MW solar power plant for private companies. The government plans to build three solar power plants with a capacity of between five and 10MW in the provinces of Najaf and Diwaniya, and a wind power plant with same capacity in the province of Misan. - The industry is expected to benefit from government efforts to reconstruct Iraq's damaged infrastructure. States that were previously in the control of ISIS suffered extensive damage. States that were previously in the control of ISIS suffered extensive damage. In 2015, Salahuddin (Tikrit), Sinjar and Anbar (Ramadi), were liberated and are being reconstructed. - ISIS terrorist activities in Iraq increased during 20132014, due to which the government postponed many tourism development investment plans. However, with the liberation of many provinces in 2015, the government resumed its focus on developing the tourism sector. Accordingly, in the 2016 budget, the government prioritized its investment in religious tourism and other tourism to diversify its economy from oil and gas. Download the full report: https://www.reportbuyer.com/product/4049470/ About Reportbuyer Reportbuyer is a leading industry intelligence solution that provides all market research reports from top publishers http://www.reportbuyer.com For more information: Sarah Smith Research Advisor at Reportbuyer.com Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 208 816 85 48 Website: www.reportbuyer.com SOURCE ReportBuyer Related Links http://www.reportbuyer.com ALBANY, New York, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MarketReseachReports.biz has featured a report, titled "Contract Research Organization Market - Global Deals And Operational Strategies," to its expanding repository of research reports. The report provides an in-depth analysis of reasons for the proliferation of contract research organizations as third-party service providers for biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device companies. It finds out the deal-making behavior and operational strategies of companies in the contract research organization (CRO) market in the past and trends that will shape the progression of this industry in the future. In this context, historically, deals that involved 40+ public and privately held CROs are evaluated for attributes of operational excellence. This report presents a 360-degree overview of vital parameters that govern deals and operational moves in the CRO industry with the most remarkable business models employed for the same. In this report, each and every aspect pertaining to CRO deals and operational analysis is presented with real examples from the industry. This includes type of deals and deal value, acquisitions and partnerships, and other ventures for CROs in the regions of North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. View Press Release at http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/pressrelease/1192 A CRO is an independent agency that steps in during the development process of new molecules. Typically, in the instance of a new molecule being identified by a pharma company, it is the CRO that performs clinical trials to examine the efficacy of the new molecule on humans. As independent agencies, CROs provide an objective assessment of the efficacy of a new drug. Moreover, because CROs partner with many companies, they evaluate new molecules with a broader perspective than if the clinical trials were carried out by the pharma companies themselves. The analysis of the report is vitally important for a competitive understanding of the CRO industry. In this section of the report, both privately and publicly held CROs that top the list are mentioned and are profiled for competitive attributes. The companies thus profiled are EPS Corporation, Eurofins Scientific, Catalent, Charles River, PRA Health, Sanofi, Jubilant Biosys, Avillion, Celonic and PharmaLex, Noble Life Sciences, Cromos Pharma, Sun Pharma, ICON, Meiji Seika, Almac Group, INC Research, Hangzhou Tigermed, CMIC Holdings, Simbec Research, Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Consort Medical, Harlan Labs, Protagen, Recipharm, MPI Research, Pfizer, Quintiles, Parexel, Chiltern International, BioPharma, Carlina, Euprotech, Covance, WuXi PharmaTech, Novotech, Aurigon, and Assign. For Sample Copy, click here: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/286562 This section also includes opportunities in the CRO industry that are expected to convert into acquisitions, licensing deals, and investment opportunities between top companies in this industry. A distinguishing feature of the report is insights from industry opinion leaders such as the founder of WuXi Pharma Tech, the world's largest CRO. Collating views of industry leaders, the report presents a factual understanding of how CROs are expected to display growth in the future years. Trends and market size analytics of the development of CROs in the regional segments are presented by means of graphs and others statistical representations. Browse Other Research Reports: Medical Devices Contract Research Organizations - Global Opportunity Assessment, Competitive Landscape And Market Forecasts To 2018: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/113700 The report Medical Devices Contract Research Organizations - Global Opportunity Assessment, Competitive Landscape and Market Forecasts to 2018 provides key data, information and analysis on the global medical devices Contract Research Organizations (CRO) market. It gives the market landscape, competitive landscape and market trends information for the medical devices CRO market, and provides comprehensive information on the key trends affecting the market, as well as key analytical content. The report also reviews the competitive landscape and technology offerings. Top 20 Contract Research Organizations (CRO) - Asia-Pacific, Especially India And China, Positioned To Benefit From Rising Financial And Regulatory Pressures In Western Pharmaceutical Markets: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/analysis/3292 GBI Research has released its latest research Top 20 Contract Research Organizations (CRO) - Asia-Pacific, Especially India and China, Positioned to Benefit from Rising Financial and Regulatory Pressures in Western Pharmaceutical Markets, which provides insights into drivers, barriers and trends in the outsourcing of drug development tin the global pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. About MarketResearchReports.biz A part of Research Moz Global, MarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports, supporting clients' market intelligence needs with over 100,000 market research reports, company profiles, data books, and regional market profits in its repository. We also offer consulting support for custom market research needs. Contact Us MarketResearchReports.biz State Tower 90 State Street, Suite 700 Albany, NY 12207 United States Tel: +1-518-621-2074 USA-Canada Toll Free: 866-997-4948 Website: http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/ Email: [email protected] SOURCE Research Moz Global SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Edmunds.com, the leading car information and shopping network, today announced that it has appointed Laura Perlman to serve as the company's Vice President of Corporate Strategy. In this new role, Perlman will be responsible for guiding the longterm strategic vision and identifying growth opportunities for Edmunds as the company continues to innovate ways to make the car shopping process easier and more seamless for consumers and dealers. Before taking the position at Edmunds, Perlman served as the Head of Corporate Strategy at Hulu, where she led development of the company's long- and short-term business strategy. Her work advanced Hulu's mission and product roadmap along a path toward billion-dollar growth opportunities. Perlman's resume also includes several years at McKinsey & Company, where she led initiatives for multiple Fortune 500 companies to drive better performance through customer experience, go-to-market redesign and strategy development. Perlman holds a B.A in Psychology from Princeton University and a M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. "Laura joins us at not only an exciting time for Edmunds, but also for the tech and automotive industries overall," said Edmunds.com President Seth Berkowitz. "Her skills, savvy and experience will go a long way toward helping Edmunds thrive in a crowded and competitive landscape." Regarded as one of the best places to work in Southern California, and with a brand new state-of-the-art corporate "EdQuarters" in Santa Monica, Edmunds continues to attract some of the best talent in the tech and automotive industries. The company currently has 27 open positions on its career page, which can be found at http://www.edmunds.com/careers/. 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 SOURCE Edmunds.com Related Links http://www.edmunds.com SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Los Angeles Business Journal last night honored Edmunds.com, the leading car information and shopping network, as one of the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles. The Santa Monica-based company officially placed 15th out of 31 award-winning organizations in the large company category (250+ employees), and the honor marks the seventh year in a row that Edmunds has been recognized by LABJ as a top workplace in Southern California. "This award speaks to the commitment we've made to give our employees the best possible environment to create, think, play and innovate," said Edmunds.com CEO Avi Steinlauf. "We're proud of all the work we've done and will continue to do to develop a truly iconic work culture at Edmunds, especially as Los Angeles evolves into a thriving market for start-ups and tech companies." Edmunds operates a Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE), which gives employees significant freedom to set their own hours and take the time off they need, as long as they deliver results for the company. Other unique benefits at Edmunds include TripCa$h, which reimburses each employee up to $500 in vacation expenses; and Bonusly, a program that empowers employees to recognize each other's work and accomplishments with small spot bonuses. This award comes just weeks after Edmunds opened its brand new state-of-the-art "EdQuarters" at the Colorado Center in Santa Monica. The 143,000-square-foot facility sets a new bar for workplace culture and amenities in Los Angeles' emerging "Silicon Beach" tech scene. Highlights of the office space include: a 6,000-lb. installation of 1966 and 2016 Corvettes (to commemorate the company's 50th anniversary), set wheel-to-wheel and rotating above the reception area a 32-foot custom stainless steel slide that connects the facility's two floors a 1948 Cadillac Fleetwood re-purposed as a beer and coffee bar 130 feet of sliding glass panels that transform the offices into an indoor/outdoor workspace 19,000 sq. ft. of custom whiteboard walls to sketch, design and innovate frozen yogurt machine with toppings bar, in addition to other complimentary food and beverage options game room featuring classic video games, Foosball, and air hockey Edmunds currently has more than 20 job openings in its Santa Monica office. Interested candidates can see available positions and submit applications at http://www.edmunds.com/careers/. To be considered for LABJ's Best Places to Work in Los Angeles, companies had to fulfill the following eligibility requirements: Be a for-profit, not-for-profit business or government entity; Be a publicly or privately held business; Have a facility in Los Angeles ; ; Have at least 15 employees in Los Angeles ; ; Be in business a minimum of one year. Companies from across the Los Angeles area entered the two-part survey process to determine the Best Places to Work in Los Angeles. The first part consisted of evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics. This part of the process was worth approximately 25% of the total evaluation. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. This part of the process was worth approximately 75% of the total evaluation. The combined scores determined the top companies and the final rankings. Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process in Los Angeles, analyzed the data and determined the final rankings. The full rankings will be published in the August 22, 2016, issue of the Los Angeles Business Journal. 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 SOURCE Edmunds.com Related Links http://www.edmunds.com COLUMBIA, S.C., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Electric Guard Dog, the #1 Theft Deterrent Service, announced today they have made a 5th appearance on the Inc. List 500/5000, an achievement that has advanced them to Inc.'s elite Honor Roll for 2016. The accomplishment is a significant one for the largest provider of monitored electric security fence systems in the United States: Only companies with 5 or more appearances on the List qualify for the Honor Roll The security industry has a relatively small presence on the Inc. List overall (only 70 information and physical security companies appeared on the List in 2015) Of those 70, only 14 appeared on the 2015 Honor Roll And of those 14, only 6 were physical security companies. All of which renders Electric Guard Dog one of the most exciting and rapidly expanding companies in the physical security market today. CEO Jack DeMao stated, "We are humbled and thrilled to be named to the Inc. List Honor Roll, and we share that achievement with our customers. With property crimes at industrial and commercial facilities on the rise, they have sought us out, telling us we have the only security solution that can reliably protect their property without assistance from law enforcement. Their referrals, based on their faith in our service, continue to be our greatest resource for new customers." "We look forward to providing a safe and effective perimeter security solution to many more companies. Recognition on the Inc. List really helps to expand awareness of our multi-layered solar-powered security solution." About Electric Guard Dog Headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, Electric Guard Dog, the #1 Theft Deterrent Service in the U.S., is the market leader in electric security fences and perimeter security in the country. As a security partner for over 3,300 commercial and industrial locations across the U.S., the Company protects businesses from theft and provides a safer work environment for employees while reducing total security costs. For additional information, please visit www.electricguarddog.com or contact [email protected]. About the Inc. 5000 List In 1982, Inc. introduced the Inc. 500 list of the fastest-growing privately held companies in the United States. Since then, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. In 2007, the Inc. 500 list expanded to the Inc. 5000, and today, the list is a distinguished editorial award, a celebration of innovation, a network of entrepreneurial leaders, and an effective public relations showcase. The Inc. 5000 ranks companies by overall revenue growth over a three-year period. Contact: Electric Guard Dog, [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150512/215647LOGO SOURCE Electric Guard Dog Related Links http://www.electricguarddog.com GOLDEN, Colo., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Electronic Cigarettes International Group, Ltd. (the "Company" or "ECIG"), a leading global marketer and distributor of electronic cigarettes and vapor products, today announced it has launched a new kiosk for its premium global brand VIP located at the Mall @ Reds in Centurion, South Africa, just south of Pretoria. ECIG has partnered with Pure Retail, a retail solutions provider, and A-Tek, a retail distribution company, for its South Africa operations. Nexus Engage, ECIG's UK partner, will act as distributor for the new kiosk in South Africa. ECIG's New South Africa VIP Kiosk "VIP Premium Vaping & E-Liquids has opened its first dedicated 'Blending Kiosk' located in the Mall @ Reds shopping center," stated Robert Horn, ECIG's Business Development Manager for VIP South Africa. "We are excited to be bringing a whole new vaping experience to the Mall @ Reds. 'Vaping' has become increasingly popular, and we are keen to make sure that those users are getting the best experience from their e-cigarettes and that they are using a trusted company that adheres to UK safety standards. The blending kiosk experience is the first of its kind in South Africa and one that we hope to take around the country." The VIP brand is one of the most established names in the UK electronic cigarette market. Launched in 2009 and now part of the Electronic Cigarettes International Group, the company has been at the forefront of the e-cigarette market helping replace over 300 million tobacco cigarettes with the VIP E-Cig. VIP's ingredients and flavorings are exclusively blended in the UK for the VIP brand and will be available to buy from the 'Blending Kiosk' to guarantee quality. The opening comes following the announcement from the Public Health England Report which estimates e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful to health than a normal cigarette and the recently introduced regulation for the EC, TPD (Tobacco Product Directive) whereby products have to be compliant with the regulation by May 2017. "This expansion is part of our overall strategy to establish VIP as the leading global brand for premium electronic cigarette products," stated Dan O'Neill, ECIG's CEO. "This kiosk is our first launch in South Africa and we are very excited to enter this new international market." Electronic Cigarettes International Group (OTCBB: ECIG), a leading global marketer and distributor of electronic cigarettes and vapor products, is dedicated to providing a compelling alternative to traditional cigarettes for more than 1 billion current smokers around the world. The Company offers consumers a full product portfolio whose brands include VIP, FIN, Vapestick, and others, incorporating superior product quality and the latest technology. The Company owns multiple subsidiary companies and has operations in North America and Western Europe. ECIG offers consumers a full product portfolio that incorporates product quality and the latest technology. To learn more, visit www.ecig.co. Safe Harbor Disclosure This press release contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are any statement reflecting management's current expectations regarding future results of operations, economic performance, financial condition and achievements of ECIG, including statements regarding ECIG's expectation to see continued growth. Forward-looking statements, specifically those concerning future performance are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and other factors are disclosed in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless required by applicable law, ECIG undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements. Follow us on social media: Facebook: @Electronic Cigarettes International Group, Ltd. Twitter: @ECIGCorporate CONTACTS: Dennard Lascar Associates Ken Dennard / Rick Black 713-529-6600 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398958 SOURCE Electronic Cigarettes International Group, Ltd. Related Links http://www.ecig.co "Rachael was unanimously voted as our top choice among many strong candidates in a global search led by Korn Ferry," said Kees Kruythoff, president of Unilever North America and Enactus worldwide board chair. "As we seek to position Enactus for future success, the Board focused on identifying an extraordinary leader who brings vision, focus and a breadth of experience. The Board is confident that Rachael's experience and passion for leading high-performing teams will invigorate the global Enactus community of leaders and entrepreneurs." Jarosh joins Enactus with 22 years of experience in branding, communications and philanthropy after beginning her career as an attorney. Previously, Jarosh served as president of the Pentair Foundation, led global corporate communications for Pentair plc and worked at the intersection of private and non-profit partnerships. As the new CEO of Enactus, Jarosh's top priorities will be accelerating the organization's impact and advancing the Enactus mission to inspire students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action. "I am honored and excited to join Enactus. I am passionate about the entrepreneurial spirit that is at the heart of the Enactus mission and am committed to empowering the talented team to realize its full potential," Jarosh said. "As we look to the future, I will focus on our current performance, on strengthening our global community of current and former students, academic and business leaders and on realizing the impact of the Enactus student leaders as together, we create a better, more sustainable world." "Enactus and Walmart have enjoyed a long, strong partnership, and I am excited about the new direction and leadership Rachael will inspire for the entire Enactus community," said Mike Moore, executive vice president of U.S. Supercenters, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and Enactus worldwide board vice chair. "As chairman of the Council of Country Board Chairs and a member of the Worldwide Board of Directors, I was pleased to represent the global Enactus community in the final selection process. Rachael's international experience and work with global teams toward a shared vision inspire my confidence in her abilities, and I am confident the country board chairs will enjoy working with Rachael," said Joerg Krell, equity partner of execon partners management consultants. Jarosh succeeds Alvin Rohrs, who announced his intent to retire in April 2016. Enactus is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring students to improve the world through entrepreneurial action. The organization creates a platform for teams of outstanding university students to create community development projects that put people's own ingenuity and talents at the center of improving their livelihoods. Guided by educators and supported by business leaders, Enactus students take the kind of entrepreneurial approach that empowers people to be part of their own success. The work transforms both the lives of the people they serve, and in turn the lives of the students themselves as they develop into more effective, values-driven leaders. To learn more about Enactus, please visit enactus.org. For more information, please contact: Rob Bailey KCSA [email protected] 212-896-1289 Cell: 201-819-1134 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398967 SOURCE Enactus A member of a Beijing family leaves their apartment which will be demolished to give way to an expansion plan. (Photo : Getty Images) A new points system for migrants seeking permanent residency was introduced by Beijing's municipal government, in an effort to manage the population as well as attract skilled workers to the capital, the Global Times reported. Advertisement Experts, however, expect that only less than 10,000 people will be able to re-register based on the policy, warning that the system may also be discriminatory. Under the points-based permit system, migrants who want to obtain household registration, or hukou, in Beijing can apply if they meet the four basic requirements. One, they must have residence permits in the city; second, they must be paying their social insurance in Beijing for seven consecutive years; third, they must have no criminal record, and lastly, they must be younger than the retirement age of 50 (for men) and 60 (for women). Applicants who are younger than 45 years old will receive an additional 20 points in their applications while those will master's degrees will get 26 points and doctorate degrees or PhDs, 37 points. The existing annual quota system will be canceled by the new system, which will take effect on Jan. 1, 2017. Under the existing quota system, employees of government agencies or state-owned enterprises are mainly allowed to apply for hukou in Beijing. Many challenges are faced by people who live in the capital but have no permanent residency. Children of hukou holders in Beijing get priority in schools while migrants' children have to pay higher school fees. High school students whose hukou are registered in other cities may only take the national college entrance exams in their hometowns. They must also obtain higher scores to be able to enter the best universities in the capital. As the final quota for the new hukou has not yet been decided, the annual population target and the total number of applicants will determine the final quota, according to an official of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Development and Reform. Li Xiaozhuang, a researcher at the market survey center of Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Beijing Times that no more than 10,000 migrants will be allowed to obtain Beijing hukou every year, according to the policy. The policy may also discriminate against people who are not young and highly educated, Zhou Xiaozheng, a professor of sociology at Renmin University of China, noted. Du Peng, director of the Center for Aging Studies at Renmin University of China, added that the policy may result in social welfare disparity if non-residents are given a chance to get Beijing hukou. OTTAWA, Ontario, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- A new venture called EVEN Electric was announced today in Ottawa, ON, Canada. EVEN will create the first global sales and distribution network for electric vehicle transportation offering multi-brand new and pre-owned vehicles through an innovative retail and online customer experience. "The traditional dealership model has proven unable to deliver the sales and service experience that EV owners want and need," said Mike Elwood, CEO of the new Canada-based venture. "Our EVEN model was developed to combine the best aspects of both an on-line and in-store retail experience to make it easy for EV customers to find and acquire exactly what they want, when and where they want it." "Moving from dealership to dealership to shop one car at a time is simply an outdated process. EVEN has created an entirely new distribution model one that is enabled by technology to offer customers an unprecedented level of choice and convenience," said John Gordon, EVEN's COO. "At the same time, EVEN will significantly lower costs across the entire supply chain by optimizing the flow of EVs directly to the global markets when and where they're needed." EVEN will maintain electric vehicle inventories at efficient and cost-effective centralized processing centers in key countries. Once selected, a vehicle will be shipped to the nearest 'Customer Centre,' a streamlined and less capital intensive version of a dealership. Vehicle deliveries as well as service can occur at either the Customer Centre, or directly in an owner's driveway. Simultaneously, EVEN is engaging and consulting with governments, fleets and NGOs to more fully participate in development of EV infrastructure and deployment. Elwood said that in addition to recent successes in Iceland, EVEN is in advanced discussions with locations in Canada, Norway, Panama, Ireland, Belgium and the U.K. with others coming on line. A recent pilot project in Iceland proved that consumer demand for EVs is high, provided the proper distribution and infrastructure services are in place. The EVEN model quickly sold 100 cars and left an additional 200 orders unmet simply due to supply constraints. A number of partners are coming forward to support the new venture including Microsoft which has provided software to enable the backend of the business where customers can get information, compare vehicles, scan inventories and even place their vehicle order. The driving force behind EVEN Electric are the three partners; Mike Elwood , CEO and co- founder who also co-founded Electric Mobility Canada which has become a national, membership-based organization dedicated exclusively to the promotion of electric mobility in Canada . , CEO and co- founder who also co-founded Electric Mobility Canada which has become a national, membership-based organization dedicated exclusively to the promotion of electric mobility in . Gisli Gislason , Chairman and founder, is also the founder of Northern Lights Energy Holding and Icelandic Holding Company. Gislason has led a variety of EV activities and research projects from Iceland to China , Japan , Europe and North America and has piloted new ways of selling EVs including concept stores, online sales and test drive road shows. , Chairman and founder, is also the founder of Northern Lights Energy Holding and Icelandic Holding Company. Gislason has led a variety of EV activities and research projects from to , , and and has piloted new ways of selling EVs including concept stores, online sales and test drive road shows. John Gordon , COO and co-founder , has been operating Canada's first 100% Multi Brand Electric Vehicle Dealership and Service Centre, Green Rock E.V.S., since 2013. Gordon also focuses on re-distribution of off-lease and used EVs and infrastructure charging products throughout the Atlantic Canadian market. In addition to the three top officers in EVEN Electric, the group has formed an added strategic partnership with EVoCharge, a Los Angeles-based leader in the development and supply of innovative EV charging infrastructure products including its EVoReel cable management solutions. "You can't find a more dedicated or experienced team anywhere," says Gislason, "because there's nobody who's been more directly involved with and committed to EV commercialization than the team we've assembled. That includes our Advisory Board which is second to none in the EV industry." "EV infrastructure is improving, political will is changing, incentives continue and lifecycle ownership costs of an EV are one tenth of an ICE," said Gislason. "That makes the whole EV ownership process more accessible, more desirable and more fun." SOURCE EVEN Electric DALLAS, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Knowing that data unlocks consumer behavior and can drive business impact, Dallas-based eyewear retailer, Eyemart Express, teams up with Tasseologic a CRM, data strategy firm that works with clients across the globe. Together, Eyemart Express and Tasseologic will sharpen investment strategies, strengthen 1:1 consumer efforts and accelerate the purchase lifecycle among new and loyal shoppers. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398937 Eyemart Express Taps Data Strategy Firm, Tasseologic "We are thrilled to partner up with Tasseologic," shares Paula Puleo Blomquist, Chief Marketing Officer of Eyemart Express, "who has a deep track record in measuring what works for retail brands as well as how channels impact consumer choice. This is a partnership that we believe brings continued success to our brand, as well as a long term advantage to our team's goals." "We love working with clients who believe that data can change the way they do business," adds Dr. Urvashi Pitre, founding President of Tasseologic, "and with the competitive noise across all retail categories, this is the type of work that is right in our strike zone that drives client results." Tasseologic, a global CRM and data strategy company, is known for smart, quick-hit CRM strategies grounded in predictive analytics to drive positive ROI. Cutting across all consumer touch points, and activating all the levers available to global brands such as retail, promotions, product and local market activation, Tasseologic focuses on helping clients use consumer insight and accelerate in-market tactics. Their work has received international recognition in the past 12 months with a Silver Cannes and Silver Effie for their CRM strategy with McDonald's in Germany, and most recently, two Golds and a Silver with McDonald's Singapore (http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3007913). About Tasseologic August 16, 2016 (Dallas, Texas) Tasseologic is a data-driven marketing strategy company. Based out of Dallas but with team members across the globe, Tasseologic transforms client data into actionable marketing strategies with proven analytics and ROI informed ideas. Tasseologic partners with brands and creative agencies across all categories to build CRM programs that drive profit and influence consumer actions. For more information about Tasseologic, visit www.tasseologic.com. About EyemartExpress August 16, 2016 (Farmers Branch, Texas) Eyemart Express, is a value leader in optical retail. Today Eyemart Express operates 166 locations, in 34 states and is a major competitor in the optical industry. In addition to the Eyemart Express name, the company operates stores under the Eyewear Express, Vision4Less and VisionMart Express brands. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Tasseologic / Eyemart Express Related Links https://tasseologic.com "We're looking for farmers and ranchers who have figured out how to keep their centuries-old, family run farms alive and thriving, as well as newcomers who may have just started out in farming or ranching," said Farmers' Almanac Managing Editor Sandi Duncan, Philom. "The people who work in agriculture are vital to our everyday life and we'd like to honor them in the pages of the Farmers' Almanac." AFBF President Zippy Duvall added, "Farmers and ranchers have long used their ingenuity and tireless work ethic to preserve natural resources and build up local communities while producing food, fiber and fuel for consumers here at home and around the world. We're pleased to join the Farmers' Almanac in launching the Farmer of the Year program." Nominations must highlight, in 300 words or less, the following criteria: Supporting the Tradition: How long has the nominee been in their field? How did he or she get involved in agriculture and why? Innovation in Agriculture: How the nominee has embraced technology or new ways of farming and ranching; Community Involvement: How has the nominee engaged his/her community to support agriculture and/or teach us more about farming overall; and Inspiration: How the nominee is a true leader in agriculture and deserves to be recognized. All nominations must be received by Jan. 31, 2017, and must be submitted online at FarmersAlmanac.com/FarmeroftheYear. Three winners will be announced in the 2018 Farmers' Almanac and will be offered reimbursement for a one-year membership to the Farm Bureau in their county of residence and a lifetime subscription to the Farmers' Almanac. Each of their stories will also be featured in the pages of the 2018 Farmers' Almanac and on the FarmersAlmanac.com web site. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/399065 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141119/159770LOGO SOURCE American Farm Bureau Federation Related Links http://www.fb.org The opening ceremony of the exhibit will take place at 11:00 am on Wednesday with an official "Lighting Ceremony" to follow at 8:30 pm. The Lighting Ceremony celebration is free and open to the public. The exhibit will be illuminated until midnight each night through Saturday. "This first Chevrolet Camaro launched one of the greatest rivalries in automotive history with the Ford Mustang," said Mark Gessler, President of the HVA. "That rivalry is still alive and well fifty years later and we are here at the Woodward Dream Cruise with a public exhibition to celebrate where it all began." The first Camaro built is owned by 18 year-old Logan Lawson of Hutchinson, Kansas. Logan found the car online in Oklahoma when he was in the seventh grade. Logan's father inspected the car and completed the purchase. Over the next five years Logan and his father completed extensive research on this and the 52 other pilot prototypes and returned the Camaro to its launch day debut specifications. From 1966 to 2011, the car passed through several owners and dealerships with the distinction of being a very early Camaro, possibly even the first. It was built up as a drag racer before Logan Lawson purchased the car. Author Phillip Borris helped confirm the Norwood, Ohio pilot production build records and researcher Jamie Schwartz contacted the families of the prior owners to fill in the history. About VIN 123377N100001 The first Camaro built was completed at the GM Assembly Plant in Norwood, Ohio on May 21, 1966. It was the first of 52 pilot prototypes produced, 49 at Norwood and three more produced in Los Angeles. The car is a base model with the 140 hp 230 ci. inline 6-cylinder engine. The seat belts, wheel covers and whitewall tires were the options present on the first Camaro built. Base price for the new Camaro: $2,466. Three Flavors Here is a flashback from a period advertisement of how Chevrolet marketed the three versions of the Camaro. "Camaro-about-town. The sport coupe. Buckets. Carpeting. Fully-synchronized 3-speed. Very civilized Six. Safety features like dual master cylinder brake system with warning light. Especially nice for wife-types. Country-club-Camaro. Rally Sport with hideaway headlights and standard V8, 210 hp. Add custom interior, Powerglide, console, wheel covers, vinyl roof cover, stereo tape system. Decorate right front seat suitably. Camaro the Magnificent. SS Convertible, now available with 396 cu. in. 325 hp! Bulging hood, striped nose, red stripe tires all come. You order the 4-speed, front disc brakes. Positraction and such. At your Chevrolet dealers." Super-secret Ford spent years teasing the public with show cars and concepts that hinted at the anticipated Mustang. GM, by contrast, revealed nothing about the Camaro until the car's name announcement on June 9, 1966 which meant "comrade or pal" according to GM. The formal Detroit launch took place in August 1966. Dealers had cars within a month. Boom. Gold Luck During the 1960s General Motors would often launch a production line with the first car painted gold. This was probably the case for the first Camaro built with the order for special "show paint" in Granada Gold with gold vinyl seats and gold carpeting. Six generations of Camaros are proof it was lucky. In 2016 the color looks appropriate as we celebrate Camaro's golden anniversary. Camaro Makes Podium We know the Camaro is popular but just how popular? With over one million collector car vehicles insured in the United States, Hagerty ranks the Camaro third in overall popularity. The most popular collector car is the Chevrolet Corvette followed by the Ford Mustang. Why Woodward According to Mark Gessler, "The Woodward Dream Cruise is one of the greatest automotive heritage events in the world. It's a great place to tell the story of the first Camaro, a model deeply imbedded in American automotive culture. With this exhibition we are hoping to build a strong public memory of how the iconic Camaro model launched 50 years ago." From 50 Years to 500 The first Camaro built spent much of the summer at the HVA National Laboratory in Allentown, Pennsylvania. While there the vehicle was extensively photographed in the HVA state-of-the-art studio and a documentary was created. In addition, with staff from HAER, the Camaro was 3D scanned to for precise line drawings of the exterior to be produced. When complete the documentation such as film negatives, drawings and historic narrative will be provided to the HAER program and archived by the Library of Congress in a manner meant to last 500 years. Local Heritage and Global Reach The HVA showcase exhibit of the first Camaro is presented in cooperation with the City of Birmingham, Michigan, GM Heritage Center and is part of the MotorCities National Heritage Area partnership which inspires residents and visitors with an appreciation of how the automobile changed culture. The exhibition is further recognized by FIVA (Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens) as part of World Motoring Heritage Year under the patronage of UNESCO. Organization and Funding: The documentation of the first Chevrolet Camaro built as No. 15 on the National Historic Vehicle Register is organized by the HVA and underwritten through the generous support of Hagerty, Shell (including their Pennzoil and Quaker State brands), The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage, and Chevrolet. Click here for Camaro video Click here for Camaro b-roll Click here for Camaro photos About the Historic Vehicle Association The HVA is dedicated to preserving and sharing America's automotive heritage. In 2014, the HVA established the National Historic Vehicle Register. Working with the U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Heritage Documentation Programs and Library of Congress, their aim is to document historically significant automobiles in America's past. The HVA is supported by over 400,000 individual historic vehicle owners, key stakeholders and corporations such as Shell (including their Pennzoil and Quaker State brands), Hagerty, American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, as well as individual benefactors. Please visit: historicvehicle.org. About Shell Lubricants The term 'Shell Lubricants' collectively refers to the companies of Royal Dutch Shell plc that are engaged in the lubricants business. Shell Lubricants companies lead the lubricants industry, supplying more than 12 percent of global lubricants volume.* The companies manufacture and blend products for use in consumer, heavy industrial and commercial transport applications. The Shell Lubricants portfolio of top-quality brands includes Pennzoil, Quaker State, FormulaShell, Shell TELLUS, Shell RIMULA, Shell ROTELLA T, Shell SPIRAX and Jiffy Lube. *Kline & Company, "Global Lubricants Industry July 2015: Market Analysis and Assessment." Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398950 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398951 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398952 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398949 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369280LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369297LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160518/369303LOGO SOURCE Historic Vehicle Association (HVA) Related Links https://www.historicvehicle.org SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- First Republic Bank and Rosana Han, head of the bank's Community Reinvestment programs, have both been recognized by the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) for their work in addressing income and wealth inequality. Founded in 2004, NAAC's mission is to support sustainable and responsible homeownership for low- to moderate-income families and provide technical assistance, marketing and outreach to small businesses, minorities and veterans across the United States. The NAAC works closely with prominent African-American, Latino and Asian-American organizations and helps corporate and governmental leaders ensure diversity in their operations and workforce. "NAAC is pleased to honor First Republic and Rosana Han for thinking outside the box in addressing income and wealth inequality," said NAAC Executive Director Faith Bautista. "First Republic cares for the underserved community. Working in partnership with the NAAC and National Diversity Coalition, First Republic has helped expand home ownership in areas where no bank will make loans. First Republic has also been instrumental in supporting micro businesses and nonprofits, such as NAAC." Han, who has more than 20 years of experience working to support underserved communities, oversees the First Republic's lending, investment and community engagement with minority borrowers and low- to moderate-income communities in its urban, coastal markets. "First Republic fully supports the NAAC's efforts to create opportunity for individuals, families and businesses," said Jim Herbert, CEO of First Republic Bank. "We remain committed to supporting underserved communities through partnerships with organizations like the NAAC and through numerous innovative lending and community investment programs." The NAAC award is the third First Republic has received this year for its work in low- to moderate-income communities. In May, Han was honored by San Francisco Housing Development Corporation (SFHDC) and received the 2016 SFHDC Corporate Social Responsibility Award for promoting affordable housing and economic development. In March, Community Youth Center named First Republic its 2015 Corporate Partner of the Year for its work in providing financial education to at-risk youth in underserved neighborhoods in San Francisco's distressed neighborhoods, including the Tenderloin, Bayview-Hunters Point and Chinatown. About First Republic Bank Founded in 1985, First Republic and its subsidiaries offer private banking, private business banking and private wealth management, including investment, trust and brokerage services. First Republic specializes in delivering exceptional, relationship-based service, with a solid commitment to responsiveness and action. Services are offered through preferred banking or wealth management offices primarily in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach and San Diego, California; Portland, Oregon; Boston, Massachusetts; Palm Beach, Florida; and Greenwich and New York, New York. First Republic offers a complete line of banking products for individuals and businesses, including deposit services, as well as residential, commercial and personal loans. For more information, visit www.firstrepublic.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130906/MM75721LOGO SOURCE First Republic Bank Related Links http://www.firstrepublic.com WHEELING, W.Va., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of First West Virginia Bancorp, Inc. (OTCQX: FWVB) (the "Company") announced today that William G. Petroplus was appointed to serve as the Chairman of the Board of the Company following the resignation of R. Clark Morton. Mr. Morton resigned as Chairman of the Board of the Company and as Chairman of Progressive Bank, N.A. effective August 15, 2016. Mr. Morton will continue to serve as a director of the Company and as a director of Progressive Bank, N.A. Mr. Morton is currently serving as a member of the Audit Committee, Nominating Committee and the Corporate Governance/Human Resource Compensation Committee of the Company. Mr. Morton has served as Chairman of the Company since December 2013. Mr. Morton has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since 1965. Mr. Petroplus presently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of First West Virginia Bancorp, Inc. Mr. Petroplus also serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Progressive Bank, N.A., the Company's wholly-owned banking subsidiary. Mr. Petroplus has served on the Company's Board of Directors since 1998. Mr. Petroplus also serves as a director of Progressive Bank, N.A. Mr. Petroplus has over 41 years of experience as an attorney. He has been with the law firm, Petroplus & Gaudino, PLLC since 1999. He also is the sole member of GWP Realty, LLC, a real estate investment and rental limited liability company. Mr. Petroplus is a graduate of West Virginia University and the West Virginia University College of Law. The Board of Directors also appointed Thomas L. Sable to succeed Mr. Morton as Chairman of the Board of Progressive Bank, N.A. Mr. Sable has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company since 2005 and serves as the Chairman of the Nominating Committee and as a member of the Audit Committee and Corporate Governance/Human Resource Compensation Committee. Mr. Sable also serves as a director of Progressive Bank, N.A. and has served on the subsidiary bank board since 1987. Mr. Sable also serves as Chairman of the Investment/ALCO Committee of Progressive Bank, N.A. Mr. Sable is the owner and managing partner of Summit Atlantic Group, LLC. He has held the position of the Auditor/Clerk-Treasurer for the Village of Bellaire, Ohio since 1995 and also currently serves on their Public Records Commission. About First West Virginia Bancorp, Inc. First West Virginia Bancorp, Inc., headquartered in Wheeling, West Virginia, is a $337 million holding company and the parent company of Progressive Bank, N.A. Progressive Bank, N.A. is a community bank and operates nine full service branches located in Wheeling (3), Wellsburg, Moundsville, New Martinsville, Buckhannon, and Weston, West Virginia and Bellaire, Ohio. The Company's common stock is traded on the OTCQX marketplace under the symbol, "FWVB." Additional investor information can be found on the Company's website at www.progbank.com. SOURCE First West Virginia Bancorp, Inc. DULLES, VA., and WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- FourthWall Media and Data Trust today announced a partnership that will create a unique feed utilizing Data Trust's comprehensive data warehouse. Data Trust will connect FourthWall's census-level television viewership data to its GOP dataset of over 190 million American voters from all 50 states. The integrated solution will help allied analytics companies build media and television-centric targeting solutions for their customers. "Data Trust is committed to compiling and providing access to the foundational data right-of-center political and advocacy organizations need to persuade voters and win this November," said John DeStefano, president of Data Trust. "Combining FourthWall's television viewership data with the historical data only Data Trust offers will help our customers access more complete datasets than anyone else." Data Trust will use FourthWall's anonymous household matching tool to sync with Data Trust's voter file and create a unique feed of viewership information updated daily. Data Trust's depth allows clients to append other information to those matched households, such as demographics, voting history and the like. As analytics firms and media buyers become more sophisticated, the ability to look at the TV viewing behavior of certain groups, such as first time Hispanic voters, becomes more and more valuable in the battle for votes and persuasion. "Working with Data Trust is an opportunity to leverage our TV viewership data at a scale that we haven't yet seen in the political space," said Patrick Peters, GM of Politics and Advocacy for FourthWall Media. "This partnership will enable Data Trust to create a unique feed by matching their voter segments with second-by-second viewership data, yielding large samples of almost any segment their customers can imagine." About FourthWall Media, Inc. FourthWall Media delivers census-level viewing data, reports, analytics, and advanced advertising to television stakeholders who need to target the right audience with the right message. FourthWall's TVPanel is the largest independent source of second-by-second cable viewing and diagnostics data that enables actionable messaging, measurement, and analytics for operators, programmers, agencies, advertisers, researchers, and analytics firms. Unlike traditional measurement companies, FourthWall Media works closely with cable operators by providing embedded device-level expertise and technology that allows the collection and processing of ultra-precise TV viewing data. FourthWall Media is headquartered in Dulles, VA and can be found online at www.fourthwallmedia.tv. About Data Trust Data Trust is a premier right-of-center voter file and data management company with a mission to provide the lowest cost, highest quality, and most efficient political data to right-of-center organizations. Its warehouse includes thousands of data points for over 190 million voters, updated daily and easily accessible. Data Trust has an exclusive list exchange agreement with the Republican National Committee. For more information, please visit www.thedatatrust.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110228/PH55362LOGO SOURCE FourthWall Media Related Links http://www.fourthwallmedia.tv WESTPORT, Conn., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WebWatcher today announced the launch of Screen Time Manager, a new mobile app that allows parents to remotely manage their children's time spent on smartphones and tablets. This free app, which can be found in the iTunes App store and Google Play stores, allows parents to remotely block access to apps and the Internet on both iOS and Android devices. With the swipe of a finger, parents can now manage their kids' smartphone usage both on demand and on a pre-set schedule. Kids are engaging with mobile devices more than ever. Recent research by Influence Central shows that on average, kids get their first cellphone at age 10. Common Sense Media reports the average "tween" (age 8-12 years) spends six hours online, while teens spend an even more alarming nine hours online each day. All this excessive screen time can lead to problems in school, attention and anxiety issues, as well as sleep and eating disorders. The American Association of Pediatrics recommends children and teens spend no more than one to two hours per day using media devices. "In today's digital age, parents are challenged with helping their kids find a healthy balance between 'real' and 'digital' life," remarked Erika Miller, Director of Online Safety for WebWatcher. "Parents are frustrated with the daily battle of telling kids to put the phone away. Our goal with Screen Time Manager is to help empower parents by giving them a 'remote control' to help manage their kids' digital lives without the battle." With Screen Time Manager, parents can choose to schedule specific times to block usage or can also block and grant access on demand as needed. "The majority of kids don't have the maturity or self-discipline to know when they've had too much screen time. Our app allows parents to proactively help their children put the phone down and engage in real life activities," added Ms. Miller. WebWatcher's Screen Time Manager allows parents to manage up to 5 devices from one centralized account either through a secure online account or from their own parental control app on their iPhone. Screen Time Manager allows parents to remotely control the following features: All third-party apps (Facebook, Instagram Snapchat, WhatsApp, Kik, games etc.) Internet Browsers (Safari, Chrome, etc.) Camera usage (including FaceTime and iCloud Photo Stream) App Store , In-App Purchases WebWatcher Screen Time Manager does not block access to iMessage, Phone and other default apps like Calendar, Calculator, Notes, News, Compass, and Contacts. "Safety concerns are at the heart of our app and we designed every feature with that in mind. We want children to always have the ability to communicate via phone or text, in case of an emergency," added Ms. Miller. For years, WebWatcher has enabled parents to stay aware of their children's computer and mobile activity with its comprehensive, best of breed parental monitoring solution. Compatible with iOS (iPhone/iPad), Android, PC and Mac, WebWatcher allows parents to remotely supervise their kids' online activities. With the addition of Screen Time Manager, parents can now also control app usage and screen time. "We understand parents have several concerns with their kids' online activities," said Ms. Miller. "Our main goal is to offer options to help parents keep kids safe online while also creating a healthy balance between real life and screen time." About WebWatcher WebWatcher, the #1 rated Parental Monitoring Software by PC Magazine, offers a full family of computer and mobile monitoring software compatible with PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, Android & BlackBerry All WebWatcher products install easily in 5 minutes or less and are 100% tamper proof. All recorded data is sent to a secure web-based interface which allows parents to monitor kids at their convenience from any Internet connected computer. WebWatcher also allows parents to monitor multiple devices (such as a PC and an iPhone) from the same user interface in order to get one unified view. SOURCE WebWatcher Related Links http://www.webwatcher.com/ RICHMOND, Va., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Genworth Mortgage Insurance1, an operating segment of Genworth Financial, Inc. (NYSE: GNW), today announced an expansion of its Homebuyer Privileges program to include discounts for nearly 300,000 retailers nationwide, including Target, Costco, Sears Commercial and ADT, among others. The enhanced program, unique to the industry, allows homebuyers to save up to $7,500 through a variety of retailer coupons. Loan Officers can extend these savings to homebuyers regardless of whether or not their loan includes private mortgage insurance from Genworth Mortgage Insurance. Homebuyers have up to 12 months to enroll in the program, and up to 12 months after enrolling to utilize the discounts. "Our research shows that down payments are still the biggest obstacle to homeownership for many consumers," said Rohit Gupta, President and Chief Executive Officer, Genworth Mortgage Insurance. "By expanding our Homebuyer Privileges program, our customers can offer even more savings that might allow prospective homebuyers to better control their costs and achieve their homeownership dreams sooner." With a mobile app expected to follow by early next month, this Genworth Mortgage Insurance service has no limits on how many discounts a homebuyer can use during their 12-month eligibility period. This new offering illustrates Genworth Mortgage Insurance's continued focus on delivering high-quality service to its customers while improving homeownership affordability for homebuyers nationwide For more information, visit Genworth Mortgage Insurance's website, www.homebuyerprivileges.com. About Genworth Financial, Inc. Genworth Financial, Inc. is a Fortune 500 insurance holding company committed to helping families achieve the dream of homeownership and address the financial challenges of aging through its leadership positions in mortgage insurance and long term care insurance. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Genworth traces its roots back to 1871 and became a public company in 2004. For more information, visit genworth.com. From time to time, Genworth Financial, Inc. releases important information via postings on its corporate website. Accordingly, investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment information is found under the "Investors" section of genworth.com. From time to time, Genworth's publicly traded subsidiaries, Genworth MI Canada Inc. and Genworth Mortgage Insurance Australia Limited, separately release financial and other information about their operations. This information can be found at http://genworth.ca and http://www.genworth.com.au. 1 All mortgage guaranty insurance is underwritten by Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation. SOURCE Genworth Financial, Inc. Related Links http://www.genworth.com DUBLIN, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of Wintergreen Research, Inc's new report "Military Drones: Market Shares, Strategies, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2016 to 2022" to their offering. Worldwide military drone markets are poised to achieve significant growth with the use of cameras on stable flying armament platforms positioned as the best technology for knocking out terrorist enclaves. No one thinks this is the best way to fight the terrorists, but it is what is being used in the current environment. Military drones are flying cameras and flying weapons that can be remotely controlled. Military drones are being used for lifting cameras above the ground so every person who wants it can use a camera to rise above the earth to look down from above can do military surveillance. Each drone can choose thousands of vantage points, extending military strategic visualization beyond what has previously been possible. The military drones are able to achieve terrorist control tasks. They have been evolving air camera integration for surveillance systems capability. They are used for surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence missions. They do 3D mapping and support ground troops. These are more energy efficient, last longer and have a significantly lower cost of operation than manned aircraft. Drone aircraft are sophisticated and flexible. They take off, fly and land autonomously. They enable engineers to push the envelope of normal flight. Reconnaissance drones can fly for days continuously. Remote, ground-based pilots can work in shifts. Drones are set to make every industry more productive with better, more flexible visualization. Drone uses provide the prospect of trillions of dollars in economic growth. Drones connect seamlessly and securely to the Internet and to each other. According to the lead author of the study, Use of military drones represents a key milestone in provision of value to every military in every country. Customized camera configurations are used to take photos and videos with stunning accuracy and ideal representations of activity by an enemy. Digital controls further automate flying, making ease of use and flight stability a reality. New materials and new designs are bringing a transformation of military drones forward. With further innovation, continued growth of military drone markets is assured. Key Topics Covered: 1. Military Drones: Market Description and Market Dynamics 1.1. Military Drones Definition 1.2. Georeferenced Imagery 1.3. Globalization and Technology 1.4. Development Of Lighter Yet More Powerful Power Sources For Drone UASs 1.5. Military Drones Sensors And Software, 1.6. Drone Enhanced Capability and Payloads 1.7. Georeferenced Imagery 1.8. Globalization and Technology 1.9. Border Patrol 1.10. Development of Lighter Yet More Powerful Drone Power Sources 2. Military Drone Market Shares and Forecasts 2.1. Military Drone Market Driving Forces 2.2. Military Drone Market Shares 2.3. Military Drone Market Forecasts 2.4. Military Drone Market Segment Analysis 2.5. Drone Shipments 2.6. Nano Drones Applications 2.7. Follow Me Drones 2.8. Unmanned Aerial Systems Payloads 2.9. Military Drone Prices 2.10. Military Drone Regional Market Analysis 3. Drones: Highways in the Sky Product Description 3.1. General Atomics 3.2. Honeywell 3.3. Boeing 3.4. AeroVironment 3.5. Elbit Systems Ltd 3.6. Textron 3.7. BAE Systems 3.8. Aurora Flight Sciences 3.9. L-3 Communications Next Generation Precision Unmanned Aircraft Systems 3.10. Draganfly Innovations Inc 3.11. DRS Unmanned Technologies Ground Control Stations 3.12. Integrated Dynamics 3.13. MMIST Mist Mobility 3.14. Marcus Systems 3.15. Proxy Aviation Systems 3.16. LaserMotive 3.17. China Aerospace Science & Industry Corp Jet-Powered WJ600 3.18. ASN Technology Group 3.19. Northrup Grumman 3.20. Lockheed Martin Raven 3.21. TRNDlabs SKEYE Nano Drone 3.22. Prox Dynamics PD-100 Black Hornet PRS 3.23. Denel Dynamics Seeker 400 UAS 3.24. IAI/Malat Israel Aerospace Industries Heron 3.25. Safran 3.26. Ascending Technologies 3.27. Danish Aviation Systems 3.28. FT Sistemas 3.29. Roketsan Turkish Defense 3.30. Wingsland 3.31. Ehang GhostDrone 2.0 3.32. Prox Dynamics Black Hornet Nano: 3.33. senseFly eBee: 3.34. Ballistic UAV Game of Drones 3.35. Bluefin Robotics Bluefin 21: 3.36. Yuneec 4. Drone Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Technology 4.1. Sense and Avoid Technology 4.2. UAS Sense and Avoid Evolution Avionics Approach 4.3. Drone Regulation 4.4. Military Drone Technology 4.5. Northrop Grumman.BAT Open Architecture 4.6. Integrated Dynamics Flight Tele Command & Control Systems 4.7. Improved GPS Operations 4.8. Integrated Radio Guidance Transmitter (IRGX) 4.9. IRGX (Integrated Radio Guidance Transmitter) 4.10. Antenna Tracking Systems 4.11. transATPS 1200 4.12. IMSAR LLC Collision-Avoidance Radar Systems 4.13. CPI-406 Deployable Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) 4.14. Cloud Computing and Multilayer Security 4.15. Aurora Very High-Altitude Propulsion System (VHAPS) 4.16. Military Drone Hypersonic Aircraft Trends 4.17. Space Technologies: Autonomous Control of Space Nuclear Reactors (ACSNR) 4.18. Positive Pressure Relief Valve (PPRV) 4.19. Persistent, Long-Range Reconnaissance Capabilities 4.20. Search and Rescue (SAR) 4.21. L-3 Communications LinkTEK IDS 4.22. L-3 Communications FlightTEK SMC 4.23. Danish Aviation Systems' 4.24. Drones Protect US Commerce and US Civilian Safety 5. Drone and Remote Control Company Description 5.1. AeroVironment 5.2. Aeryon Labs 5.3. ASN Technologies 5.4. Aurora Flight 5.5. Aviation Industry Corp (AVIC) 5.6. BAE Systems 5.7. Boeing 5.8. Challis Inc 5.9. China Aerospace 5.10. Cybaero 5.11. Intel / Cyberhawk Innovations 5.12. Denel Dynamics 5.13. Drone Innovation Holding Company 5.14. EHang 5.15. Elbit Systems Ltd 5.16. Enertis 5.17. Finmeccanica 5.18. Flirtey 5.19. FT Sistemas 5.20. General Atomics 5.21. General Dynamics 5.22. Google 5.23. GoPro 5.24. Gryphon 5.25. Honeywell 5.26. Hubsan 5.27. Integrated Dynamics 5.28. Intel 5.29. Israel Aerospace Industries 5.30. Japan Drones 5.31. Kratos 5.32. L-3 Communications 5.33. Laird / Cattron Group International 5.34. Laser Motive 5.35. Lockheed Martin 5.36. Marcus UAV 5.37. MMist 5.38. Northrop Grumman 5.39. Prox Dynamics 5.40. Proxy Technologies 5.41. Roketsan 5.42. RUAG Aerospace 5.43. Safran Morpho 5.44. SAIC 5.45. Scaled Composites 5.46. Schiebel 5.47. Secom 5.48. Textron 5.49. TRNDlabs 5.50. XAircraft 5.51. Yuneec 5.52. Wing Loong 5.53. ZMP 5.54. Drone Market Participants WorldWide For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/tqc22t/military_drones Related Topics: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) - Drones, Military Unmanned Systems Source: Wintergreen Research, Inc Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] 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 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com Chinese Immigrant on Auckland-China Similarity: 'It's Time for Us New Zealanders to Rethink' New Zealand First leader Winston Peters gets an ally in a Chinese immigrant regarding the issue that Auckland is increasingly becoming more like China. (Photo : Getty Images) In a letter emailed to New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, a Chinese immigrant and real estate agent working in Auckland expressed concerns about the town becoming more like China, NZ Herald reported. Advertisement The letter particularly discussed his views about Auckland's immigration policy and housing crisis. "Instead of seeing a balanced ethnic mix, Auckland started to acquire an unwholesomely Chinese flavour," the immigrant wrote after recounting that when his family first moved to the town's central region in 2001, he hoped to "embrace a new lifestyle." "We remember Auckland as being a city with a unique blend of European and native cultures that is termed 'Kiwi,' while the influx of migrants from different ethnicities steadily added vibrancy, colour and prosperity to the city," the letter said. The property agent pointed out that in the New Zealand town, there is a plethora of "poorly designed, cheap signs written only in Chinese or with minimal English" and "the supplement shops, internet cafes, restaurants plus a few seemingly dodgy places that are catering exclusively to Chinese customers." The letter sender also noted that when he encountered two young Japanese professionals, they said that "going to Auckland is like going to China. You don't hear English, you don't see Kiwis, there is just Chinese, Chinese and Chinese." As an agent in the real estate sector, the Chinese native also shared instances when fellow immigrants have dominated his industry. "I remember seeing young couples with their hands clenched and eyes glued to the auction screen, only to find their first dream house outbid by someone screaming in Mandarin." Nonetheless, in an interview with Newshub, the immigrant clarified that he was not worried about Chinese domination, it was about "how do you want your Auckland and your New Zealand to be?" "Do we want trained, skilled professionals to bring our economy to the next level or all we want to see is another Chinese restaurant around the corner, or foreign visitors mistaking Auckland for China?" the Chinese asked rhetorically. As a conclusion to his letter, the immigrant wrote: "It is time for us New Zealanders to rethink." WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With holiday shopping less than three months away, Green America is calling on consumers nationwide to send a message to Disney CEO Robert Iger asking him to address significant labor abuses in Disney factories that make Disney toys, including popular Frozen dolls. The campaign is calling on Disney to ensure living wages for workers and improved working and living conditions overall. The campaign petition can be found at http://action.greenamerica.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=19291. Consumers looking for toys made by workers who were treated well, and made without deadly toxins, can go to Green America's www.SafeGreenToys.org to find options. "Americans purchasing Frozen toys for their kids this Holiday season need to know the truth behind the toys: Disney is using factories in China that engage in exploitative practices," said Todd Larsen, executive co-director of consumer and corporate engagement at Green America. "We're asking all consumers to put pressure on Disney to address labor abuses in its factories, and we encourage consumers to purchase sustainable green toys this Holiday season." "The beautiful world of Disney is merely a fairytale," said Li Qiang, founder and executive director of China Labor Watch. "The real world is one where evil has triumphed over good, and where profits triumph over conscience. We need those who seek justice to come together and fight the villains in the world of Disney, to create a world where Disney is wholeheartedly kind and just." "Disney has a lot of suppliers in China. It claims to regulate these suppliers with a Manufacturer Code of Conduct, which we doubt is effective," said Au Lap Hang, China officer at Worker Empowerment. "We observed serious violations of local labor law in Disney supplier factories, which include long working hours without proper overtime salary and not providing the mandatory state pension for workers. In recent years, the Disney Company even required suppliers to relocate their factories to Southeast Asia in order to reduce production cost. As a result, the Mizutani Factory in Shenzhen was shut down and 196 workers lost their job, without getting the compensation required by law." The campaign asks Disney to take the following actions to address labor abuses: Living wages for workers, so that workers need not rely on excessive overtime just to make ends meet. Strictly voluntary overtime work and payment for all overtime hours worked. Payment for all mandatory job-related activities including group meetings, training and on-boarding, including back pay for workers who were denied payments in the past. Hygienic and safe housing for workers. Pre-job safety training that adequately prepares workers and informs them of risks to their short-term and long-term health, and how to reduce these risks. A safe work environment, including free and easy access to safety equipment, and health screenings/exams, and clear and unlocked fire escapes. Allow workers to elect enterprise level union representatives and allow workers to elect their occupational health and safety representatives. Pay workers the full amount of social insurance they are owed and ensure severance payments for workers who lose their jobs when Disney supplier factories close. A recent report from China Labor Watch entitled "The Dark World of Disney" (http://www.chinalaborwatch.org/report/117) found significant labor violations at two Disney supplier factories in China (Lam Sun Plastic Products Co. Ltd and Dongguan Zhenyang Toy Limited Company, both in Dongguan, Guangdong province), including workers laboring 12 hours per day with brief rest breaks, cramped dormitories with unhygienic facilities, low pay ($1.32 per hour), and forced overtime. The report is just the latest investigation by China Labor Watch which has documented similar labor abuses in dozens of Disney factories. In addition, Worker Empowerment, a non-profit labor rights group based in Hong Kong has documented similar abuses at Disney factories and the failure to provide severance pay for workers at a closed Disney supplier factory (Mizutani Toy Factory Co. Ltd in Shenzhen), and is helping workers to obtain the severance owed to them. ABOUT GREEN AMERICA Green America is the nation's leading green economy organization. Founded in 1982, Green America (formerly Co-op America) provides the economic strategies and practical tools for businesses and individuals to solve today's social and environmental problems. http://www.GreenAmerica.org. SOURCE Green America Related Links http://www.GreenAmerica.org FREDONIA, Wis., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Guy & O'Neill Inc., a private label and contract manufacturer, held a company-wide celebration to recognize and reward its employees for successfully doubling production between April and August, 2016 to meet growing demand from one of its largest customers. Guy & O'Neill was called upon by a major Fortune 500 company to double production of one of its major product lines starting in April, 2016. Production lines have been going 24 hours a day, seven days a week since the increase in orders were placed. Guy & O'Neill's workforce stepped up in a big way! Dozens of employees voluntarily worked hundreds of hours of overtime including weekends to make it happen, with some employees working up to 31 weekend days during the four-month period. Tom Misgen, COO and Vice President of Operations commented, "Once again in typical Guy & O'Neill fashion, our team stepped up. Our employees gave up their time with loved ones so they could meet our customer's needs. I'm so proud of their drive and determination." To recognize and reward its employees for the accomplishment, Guy & O'Neill held a company-wide celebration on August 4. The event included a catered lunch for all three shifts and bonuses and raffle prizes for those who voluntarily worked overtime and on the weekends. Employees that worked overtime earned time and half and those that worked weekends earned additional bonuses and prizes that amounted to more than $20,000. Some of the prizes included big screen TV's and new grills. Guy & O'Neill expects the increase in demand to continue through September and will continue to hire new production employees through the end of the year. Guy & O'Neill provides outstanding pay & benefits and was recognized by The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel as one of the Top Workplaces in southeastern Wisconsin. Visit www.guyandoneill.com if interested in employment opportunities. About Guy and O'Neill Guy & O'Neill Inc. was founded in 1975 with headquarters in Fredonia, Wisconsin. It is focused on contract, private label and consumer goods manufacturing for wet wipes, personal care, beauty care, household care, adult care and automotive care. Guy & O' Neill has created and delivered innovation for Fortune 500 retailers and consumer product companies with an emphasis on the highest standards for business ethics, quality and customer service. For more information visit www.guyandoneill.com. SOURCE Guy and ONeill Inc. Related Links http://www.guyandoneill.com SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Thoma Bravo, LLC, a leading private equity investment firm, today announced Hudson Smith has joined the firm as a partner. Thoma Bravo is an investment specialist in the software and technology industries, and has completed approximately 140 software and technology-enabled services acquisitions since 2003, representing about $30 billion in enterprise value. Thoma Bravo is currently completing the investment of its flagship vehicle, Thoma Bravo Fund XI, which focuses on middle market and large software opportunities. Recent transactions include the acquisitions of innovative technology companies such as SailPoint, Riverbed and SolarWinds. Smith joins Thoma Bravo during a time of rapid growth for the firm: since the beginning of last year, Thoma Bravo has added nearly two dozen employees and has now expanded its partnership with the addition of Smith. Smith will initially work on the Thoma Bravo Discover Fund, where he will focus on sourcing and managing lower middle market software investments. Established in 2015, the Discover Fund enables Thoma Bravo to partner with management teams at smaller, growing companies that benefit from the firm's experience and expertise in software. "Hudson's proven track record of investment success is a testament to his deep knowledge of the software and technology industries," said Orlando Bravo, a managing partner at Thoma Bravo. "We are looking forward to having Hudson on our team to help build and grow the Discover portfolio beyond the success that it has already seen." Smith joins Thoma Bravo from HGGC, where he directed the firm's investment efforts in technology. His successful technology investment track record includes Serena, Hybris, Sunquest, FPX, Selligent, SSI and MyWebGrocer. Smith has also held positions at Bain & Co and Lincoln International LLC, as a consultant and investment banker, respectively. Smith earned his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University after obtaining his BS in Business Administration from Washington & Lee University. "I'm very excited to be a part of Thoma Bravo's growing team, which leads the private equity industry in software and technology investments," said Hudson Smith, partner at Thoma Bravo. "This is an incredibly strong market with tremendous opportunity for continued growth, and I'm eager to contribute to Thoma Bravo's excellent performance in the software sector." The firm has also welcomed two new vice presidents, Matt Gilbert and AJ Jangalapalli. Gilbert joins from Summit Partners and will work in Thoma Bravo's Capital Market Group, and Jangalapalli comes as a recent MBA graduate from the Wharton School and will be a part of the firm's investment staff. About Thoma Bravo, LLC Thoma Bravo is a leading private equity firm focused exclusively on the business-to-business software and technology-enabled services sectors. With more than $17 billion in cumulative committed capital, Thoma Bravo partners with a company's management team to implement operating best practices, invest in growth initiatives and make accretive acquisitions to rapidly improve revenue and earnings and accelerate equity value. Representative past and present portfolio companies include industry leaders such as Datatel, Digital Insight, Entrust, SonicWall, Network Instruments, Hyland Software, Deltek, Blue Coat Systems, Elemica, Riverbed, Compuware and SolarWinds. The firm has offices in San Francisco and Chicago. For more information, visit www.thomabravo.com . MEDIA CONTACT Hiltzik Strategies: Matthew Gorton 212-776-1161 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160706/386960LOGO SOURCE Thoma Bravo, LLC Related Links https://thomabravo.com WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jeff Flocken, North American Regional Director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), issued the following statement in response to the killing of a giraffe and zebra in South Africa by a 12-year old American trophy hunter: "It's sad any time that an imperiled animal like a giraffe is killed for fun, regardless of who does it. Giraffes are in serious decline across Africait is estimated that their populations have dropped by 40 percent in the last 15 years. The last thing they need is to be killed for anyone's enjoyment. All the negative on-line energy focused on this should not be directed at any individual, particularly a minor. We know that the problem is so much larger than any one of these isolated incidents. These kills were just two of thousands and thousands of animals legally killed for sport annually. This includes an approximate 200,000 animals from threatened species killed for trophies over the last decade. Trophy hunters need to stop taking the lives of wildlife simply for fun. We are in 2016 and wild animals are facing a multitude of threats to their existence. Killing them for sport just isn't right." Note: Jeff is available for interviews on this topic. He has studied giraffe population management in Africa and recently co-authored Killing for Trophies: An Analysis of Global Trophy Hunting Trade, an in-depth look at the scope and scale of the trophy hunting industry. About IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare) Founded in 1969, IFAW saves animals in crisis around the world. With projects in more than 40 countries, IFAW rescues individual animals, works to prevent cruelty to animals, and advocates for the protection of wildlife and habitats. For more information, visit www.ifaw.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter. SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare Related Links http://www.ifaw.org "Appearing on the Inc. 500 list for the second year is very meaningful to WePay," said WePay CEO Bill Clerico. "Our continued growth is due to our focus on a great partner experience. This honor validates all the hard work our team puts in every day to make WePay the best partner in payments that we can be." The 2016 Inc. 5000 is online at Inc.com and the top 500 companies are featured in the September issue of Inc. (available on newsstands August 23). The companies included this year comprise the most competitive crop in the list's history. The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year growth of 433%. WePay grew by 1,795% for the same period. "The Inc. 5000 list stands out where it really counts," says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. "It honors real achievement by a founder or a team of them. No one makes the Inc. 5000 without building something great usually from scratch. That's one of the hardest things to do in business, as every company founder knows. But without it, free enterprise fails." WePay continues to expand its capabilities and services and grow at rapid pace. Earlier this year, WePay announced the first-ever fully white label mobile POS system, which provides platforms the ability to offer their own branded credit card reader without needing to take on any of the overhead of building, maintaining and fulfilling hardware. In addition, WePay recently expanded its international operations into the UK. The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 18 through 20, in San Antonio, TX. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. About WePay WePay is the payments partner to the platform economy. It processes billions annually for platforms including GoFundMe, Meetup, FreshBooks, and Constant Contact. WePay protects partners from risk and regulatory exposure while supporting seamless payments experiences for their end users. The company was named to the Inc. 500 list in 2016 as 221st fastest-growing private company in the U.S. For more information, visit www.wepay.com. Follow WePay on Twitter @WePay #DoYouPlatform About Inc. and the Inc. 500|5000 Methodology The 2016 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2012 to 2015. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2012. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2015. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2012 is $100,000; the minimum for 2015 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Inc. Media: Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 15,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions. For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160307/341483LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398755LOGO SOURCE WePay Related Links http://www.wepay.com NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. magazine today ranked Thycotic NO. 2,260 on its 35th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy's most dynamic segment its independent small businesses. Companies such as Microsoft, Dell, Domino's Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees of the Inc. 5000. "This ranking and honor is a testament to the team's vision and persistence in 2016," said James Legg, President and Chief Executive Officer at Thycotic. "We've recognized a deep need for organizations to protect their privileged accounts from cyberattacks. The growth of our company and the market acceptance of our privileged account management solutions has been tremendous and we're looking forward to breaking new ground for the remaining of the year and in 2017." The 2016 Inc. 5000, unveiled online at Inc.com and with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. (available on newsstands August 23) is the most competitive crop in the list's history. The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year growth of 433%. The Inc. 5000's aggregate revenue is $200 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 640,000 jobs over the past three years, or about 8% of all jobs created in the entire economy during that period. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. "The Inc. 5000 list stands out where it really counts," says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. "It honors real achievement by a founder or a team of them. No one makes the Inc. 5000 without building something great usually from scratch. That's one of the hardest things to do in business, as every company founder knows. But without it, free enterprise fails." The annual Inc. 5000 event honoring all the companies on the list will be held from October 18 through 20, in San Antonio, TX. Speakers include some of the greatest entrepreneurs of this and past generations, such as best-selling author and strategist Tony Robbins, SoulCycle co-founders Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice, Cornerstone OnDemand founder, president and CEO Adam Miller, Marvell Technology Group director and co-founder Weili Dai, and New Belgium Brewing co-founder and executive chair Kim Jordan. About Thycotic Thycotic, a global leader in IT security, is the fastest growing provider of Privilege Management solutions that protect an organization's most valuable assets from cyber-attacks and insider threats. Thycotic secures privileged account access for more than 7,500 organizations worldwide, including Fortune 500 enterprises. Thycotic's award winning Privilege Management Security solutions minimize privileged credential risk, limits user privileges and controls applications on endpoints and servers. Thycotic was founded in 1996 with corporate headquarters in Washington, D.C. and global offices in the U.K. and Australia. For more information, please visit www.thycotic.com. CONTACT: Steve Kahan Thycotic T: 202-802-9389 E: [email protected] Jacqueline Velasco Gutenberg Communications T: 408-680-0564 E: [email protected] More about Inc. and the Inc. 500|5000 Methodology The 2016 Inc. 5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth when comparing 2012 to 2015. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2012. They had to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independentnot subsidiaries or divisions of other companiesas of December 31, 2015. (Since then, a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired.) The minimum revenue required for 2012 is $100,000; the minimum for 2015 is $2 million. As always, Inc. reserves the right to decline applicants for subjective reasons. Companies on the Inc. 500 are featured in Inc.'s September issue. They represent the top tier of the Inc. 5000, which can be found at http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About Inc. Media: Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 15,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions. For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/. For more information contact: Inc. Media Drew Kerr 212-849-8250 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160211/332560LOGO SOURCE Thycotic Related Links http://www.thycotic.com "Colorado College is pleased to host this conference," says Colorado College President Jill Tiefenthaler. "In keeping with the interdisciplinary goals of a liberal arts college, the conference brings together scholars from a range of fields to explore the music and talents of a well-known musician. The program is aimed at connecting music scholars with non-academic audiences." "Billy Joel's career has spanned more than five decades, yet by comparison to musicians such as Bruce Springsteen, virtually no scholarly attention has been given to Joel's music," says CC Assistant Professor of Music Ryan Banagale, who is organizing the conference with Joshua S. Duchan at Wayne State University, author of the forthcoming book, "Billy Joel: America's Piano Man." "In the spirit of Joel's music, this conference seeks to provide academically oriented insights in an accessible and approachable manner," says Banagale. The conference fee for the two-day event is $20, making the program accessible to many. "Billy Joel's catalog encompasses a diverse range of musical styles, coupled with compelling stories in the lyrics, that make it a rich trove for musical study," says Duchan. The keynote event is "Take the Phone off the Hook," a live phone interview with Joel, conducted by Banagale and Duchan. The conference includes approximately 30 presentations from scholars in musicology, ethnomusicology, music theory, history, comparative literature and related fields. Sessions include a panel of two or three presentations, followed by time for questions. "Ultimately this is about more than just Billy Joel. It's about the ways that we view the past and the present, as well as ourselves, through the music we love," says Banagale. Conference attendance is limited to 450 attendees and registration opens to the general public on Sept. 1. The event is co-sponsored by the American Musicological Society, CC's Cultural Attractions Fund, NEH Professorship, Music Department and Film and Media Studies. Note: For more information, contact Banagale at (719) 389-6558 or [email protected] Contact: Leslie Weddell (719) 389-6038 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/399106 SOURCE Colorado College Related Links www.coloradocollege.edu DALLAS, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- JM Bullion, a leading online retailer of precious metals, has been recognized as the 40th most quickly expanding privately held company in the United States in 2016 by Inc. magazine. An annual list ranking companies based on their total increase in revenue over the last three years, the prestigious Inc. 500 has become a symbol of entrepreneurial achievement. Since its 1979 founding, Inc. magazine has been considered the premier publication for business owners. In 1982, Inc. magazine introduced the Inc. 500, which highlights privately owned companies in America experiencing accelerated growth. Pandora, Toys 'R' Us, and 7 Eleven are among many household names previously listed in the Inc. 500. "The Inc. 500 has included such greats as Zappos, Microsoft, and Oracle in the past, and we're honored to be counted among them today," attests JM Bullion's Vice President of Operations, Thomas Fougerousse. He continues, "It's an elite group, and we hope to stay on this list for years to come." This marked JM Bullion's first year of eligibility for the Inc. 500. During the three-year time span considered for 2016's list, the online bullion dealer had an impressive 5,907.1% growth percentage. This explains the dramatic entrance JM Bullion made to the esteemed list, ranking in the top 8% their inaugural year. In the face of explosive growth, the self-named "Bullionaires" have remained united in their resolve to uphold a superior standard of excellence. And people are noticing. In May, the Bullionaires were nationally acknowledged when they earned the Bronze Stevie Award for Customer Service Department of the Year. In June, the Dallas Business Journal named JM Bullion the fastest-growing middle-market company in North Texas. CEO Mike Wittmeyer founded JM Bullion in October 2011. The company has more than doubled in revenue every year since, quickly becoming one of the most trusted names in the industry. A foremost online retailer of precious metals, JM Bullion ensures everyone, regardless of budget or prior industry knowledge, has the opportunity to physically own investments proven to retain value throughout generations. JM Bullion's site includes historical silver and gold spot price charts going back ten years, and they provide customers with a comprehensive Investing Guide, especially helpful to those just venturing into the world of precious metals. JM Bullion's robust catalogue of competitively priced gold, silver, copper, platinum, and palladium products includes IRA-approved metals, international and domestic gold bars and coins; pre-1933 gold; domestic and international silver coins, bars, and rounds; 90% silver; and numismatic coins. Investing in one's future is vital. Start safeguarding tomorrow today. Visit www.jmbullion.com. Thomas Fougerousse Vice President of Operations 469-729-8917 [email protected] www.jmbullion.com Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160606/375752LOGO SOURCE JM Bullion Related Links http://www.jmbullion.com QUESS Spacecraft (Photo : Twitter ) China launched the first-ever quantum satellite on August 15, Monday in an attempt to develop a hack-proof communications system. The Quantum Experiments at Space Scale (QUESS) spacecraft on a Long March-2D rocket lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert of north-west China. During its two-year mission the space object will transmit un-hackable encryption keys from outer space to the Earth's surface. Advertisement Xinhua is China's state-run news agency. It stated that the 1,320-pound (600-kg) QUESS satellite is built to circle Earth at an altitude of around 310 miles (500 km) and complete one lap every 90 minutes, according to Space. The news agency reported that QUESS will provide new knowledge about quantum entanglement. That happens when pairs or groups of very tiny particles are made or work together so the quantum state of each particle is part of a whole system. Entangled particles stay closely linked to each other even when they are separated by billions of miles of space. A change in one particle enigmatically affects the others. Xinhua reported that QUESS will use entangled photons via a special laser to transmit messages to ground stations in China and Austria. In theory such systems are safe from hack attacks. An attempt to intercept an encryption key would cause a change in the photons' state that could be picked up, according to BBC If the experiment works it could solve the main problem of distributing encryption keys that cannot be stolen. That would result in hack-proof communications. Many countries are working on quantum communications, including fiber-optic quantum key distribution networks in the United States, Europe, and China. However, China is the first one to launch a satellite to develop the complex technology. Xinhua stated QUESS will also test "quantum teleportation" by beaming data about particles from the satellite to a Tibet ground station. Austrian physicist Anton Zeilinger first proposed the quantum physics project to the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2001 but was turned town. He is now part of QUESS. The satellite is named "Micius". He was a Chinese scientist and philosopher who did ground-breaking optical experiments during the 5th century B.C. Micius writings also include the sentence that motion stops because of an opposing force, which was penned before Isaac Newton's first law of motion. The news agency reported that the world's first quantum satellite was named after a famous scholar. It is like NASA's Galileo (Galilei) Jupiter probe and (Johannes) Kepler space telescope. This video explains quantum entanglement: BOSTON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- John Hancock Retirement Plan Services (JHRPS) has named Bridgette Rutter Regional Vice President, responsible for sales and relationship development with financial representatives and plan consultants in the Chicago region, focusing on the under-$20 million market segment. "We are very pleased to have Bridgette taking on this important role on our core sales team," said Kent Lepard, Divisional Vice President, JHRPS. "She has consistently been a top performer for us in Orange County, California, and now she is bringing her talents back to her hometown of Chicago." Rutter, who will report to Lepard, has more than 12 years of experience with JHRPS. She replaces Jeffrey Kettwig, who has been appointed a National Vice President of Sales, focused on small- to mid-sized NAV, open-architecture plans. Kettwig will remain in Chicago, and will report to Bob Carroll, National Sales Manager, JHRPS. "We're excited to have Jeff focusing on the promotion of our newest open-architecture NAV product," said Carroll. Open architecture, which had already been available on the company's mid- and large-market platforms, is now being made available on small-market plans, as well. "Jeff's dedication, experience and understanding of the market will be crucial to this effort going forward." Kettwig joined John Hancock in 2004, and has served as Chicago RVP for the past 12 years. About John Hancock Financial and Manulife John Hancock Financial is a division of Manulife, a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. Operating as Manulife in Canada and Asia, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States, our group of companies offers clients a diverse range of financial protection products and wealth management services through its extensive network of employees, agents and distribution partners. Assets under management and administration by Manulife and its subsidiaries were $934 billion (US $718 billion) as at June 30, 2016. Manulife Financial Corporation trades as 'MFC' on the TSX, NYSE and PSE, and under '945' on the SEHK. Manulife can be found on the Internet at manulife.com. The John Hancock unit, through its insurance companies, comprises one of the largest life insurers in the United States. John Hancock offers and administers a broad range of financial products, including life insurance, annuities, investments, 401(k) plans, long-term care insurance, college savings, and other forms of business insurance. Additional information about John Hancock may be found at johnhancock.com. John Hancock Retirement Plan Services As of June 30, 2016, John Hancock Life Insurance Company (USA) supported 43,787 plans, 1,619,408 participants, and $77,118,688,000 in FUM Assets. John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York supported 2,410 plans, 72,453 participants, and $4,208,061,000 in FUM Assets. John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, LLC supported 10,808 plans, 1,050,014 participants, and $56,540,684,000 in FUM Assets. Approximate unaudited figures for John Hancock Retirement Plan Services division, provided on a U.S. statutory basis. John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York and John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, LLC are collectively referred to as "John Hancock." John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, LLC offers plan administrative services and service programs through which a sponsor or administrator of a plan may invest in various investment options on behalf of plan participants. These investment options have not been individually selected by John Hancock Retirement Plan Services, LLC. John Hancock Trust Company, LLC provides trust and custodial services to such plans. Group annuity contracts and recordkeeping agreements are issued by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), (not licensed in New York) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York. Product features and availability may differ by state. Both John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) and John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York do business under certain instances using the John Hancock Retirement Plan Services name. NOT FDIC INSURED | MAY LOSE VALUE | NOT BANK GUARANTEED | NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY 2016 All rights reserved. MGR080816310573 SOURCE John Hancock Retirement Plan Services Related Links http://manulife.com FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Providing an additional answer to the question "What have you been missing?" Mountain RF Sensors is pleased to announce that Jordan O'Hearn has joined the MtRF team as the Director of Marketing. A retired combat veteran with a distinguished career in the United States Navy as an Information Systems Chief Petty Officer, Jordan attends the University of Southern Maine (USM) in Lewiston, Maine where he is completing his Bachelor of Science degree in Leadership and Organizational Studies with a Cyber Security Minor. Jordan's diverse background includes experience in Information Assurance, Electronic Warfare, C-IED, Frequency Management, and Emergency Medical Services. Originally hired as a summer intern, within days he effortlessly assumed the Director of Business Development position. Jordan's diverse background, can-do attitude, and team-oriented leadership quickly proved to be an invaluable asset. While Jordan completes his final year at USM, he will be telecommuting as the Director of Marketing during a pivotal year for MtRF as we introduce our updated line of products and specialty applications. For additional information on our line of products or to answer any questions you may have, please call 954-968-6566 or visit our website at: www.MountainRF.com Mountain RF Sensors, Inc. designs and manufactures radio frequency products for government, military, communications, signals intelligence, search and rescue, vessel traffic systems, air traffic control, spectrum management and UAV applications. Products include radio direction finders, receivers, transceivers, antennas, amplified splitters, SIGINT systems, and classification and decoding products by COMINT Consulting. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160713/389191LOGO SOURCE Mountain RF Sensors, Inc. Related Links http://www.mountainrf.com NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/-- Juice Press, New York's fastest growing organic food retailer, and Seattle Seahawk Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson announced a co-venture to open the first flagship Juice Press store on the West Coast in Seattle, Washington, scheduled to open in first quarter 2017. Russell Wilson said, "I love how Juice Press has taken over New York City and the East Coast and now I'm bringing it out West. I've admired, and have been a small part of the growth on the East Coast, but now it's time to go change the West Coast with fresh and healthy non-processed juices and foods. The Emerald City deserves the best organic products. And no better place than the city I love... Seattle." Michael Karsch, Chairman of the Board of Juice Press, added, "This is a significant West Coast launch for the brand where we will redefine the grab-and-go business in Seattle, with locally sourced products. We are excited to work with Russell and fuel his hometown, as he knows so well the city and the benefits of our plant based product lineup. Juice Press will bring a new green standard to the marketplace." Marcus Antebi, Juice Press CEO and Founder, stated, "Juice Press' unique business model and 140+ products will bring a whole new vibe to Seattle. We are a customer-focused brand devoted to changing lives through education, product development and the highest standards in the industry. Our unparalleled selection and our short shelf-life allow us to provide premium organic beverages, foods, and supplements and has made us a leader, with an incredibly devoted fan base, in New York in a short time." Kenny Dichter, Juice Press' first investor and Founder\CEO of Wheels Up, said, "I introduced Russell to Juice Press and its products and he became a big fan right away and had the idea to bring Juice Press to Seattle. Russell is an ideal partner as he brings as much knowledge off the field as he does on the field." About Juice Press: Juice Press is on a mission to create the most trusted nutrition and wellness brand on the planet. Founded in 2010 with the vision of bringing a healthier, more transparent lifestyle platform to the market, Juice Press offers an expansive organic product line as well as a variety of lifestyle resources. In six short years, Juice Press has opened more than 50 + retail stores and is now recognized as the premiere organic "grab and go" health food provider. Juice Press produces an epic selection of products and combines them with a short shelf-life to deliver customers a variety of fresh, nutrient dense products. This unparalleled selection of premium beverages, foods, and supplements help Juice Press consumers "Be Their Best!" Transparency, integrity, and community define Juice Press, and as they expand, the company will ensure that these ideals remain at the heart of the Juice Press brand. For more information about Juice Press, please visit www.juicepress.com and Instagram (@juicepress), Twitter (@juicepresstweet), and Facebook (@juicepressny). Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398753LOGO PR Contacts: Emily Gambir: [email protected] Mark Young: [email protected] SOURCE Juice Press LAS VEGAS, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- John Kerr has been named Editorial Page Editor of the Sunday Viewpoints in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The announcement was made by publisher, Craig A. Moon. From 1991 to 2012, Kerr served as Editorial Writer for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He rejoined the paper in the spring of 2016. During his previous tenure, he covered pressing local issues such as education reform, policing and Uber's move to Clark County. "John has done an outstanding job since returning to the Las Vegas Review-Journal in April. Due to John's hard work we have expanded our Sunday Viewpoints editorial section by two pages. His conservative opinions are timely, insightful and relevant," said Moon. "I look forward to providing our readers with a lively forum for debate on important issues of the day," said Kerr. The Nevada Press Association awarded him Best Editorial Writing in 2005, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Judges of the NPA remarked that Kerr's "lively writing makes strong opinion even stronger." Kerr graduated from the University of Michigan with a Masters in Journalism. About the Las Vegas Review-Journal The Las Vegas Review-Journal, Nevada's largest daily newspaper in print and online, has been providing news and information for Southern Nevadans for more than 100 years. The award-winning Las Vegas Review-Journal serves the Las Vegas Valley as the preeminent news source while also circulating in the cities of Boulder City, Mount Charleston, Mesquite and Pahrump, as well as throughout Nye County, Lincoln County, northern Arizona and southern Utah. The Las Vegas Review-Journal's strong portfolio of brands includes El Tiempo, a weekly Spanish publication; the weekly Las Vegas Business Press; the monthly Luxury magazine; and weekly community newspapers such as Boulder City News, Pahrump Valley Times and the Pahrump Mirror, among others. Contact: Ed Cassidy 702-383-4664 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398665LOGO SOURCE Las Vegas Review-Journal GREENWICH, Conn., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Littlejohn & Co., LLC, a private investment firm, today announced that the Goldman Sachs Alternative Investments & Manager Selection (AIMS) Group has made a minority investment in Littlejohn. The investment was made through Goldman's AIMS Petershill program. AIMS Petershill is purchasing a passive, non-voting, primary stake in Littlejohn representing less than 10%. The investment follows a 17-year relationship between AIMS and Littlejohn in which AIMS has been an investor in all of Littlejohn's committed capital private equity funds. Specific terms of the transaction are not being disclosed. None of the AIMS Petershill capital is being distributed, and all proceeds from the investment will be retained by Littlejohn and used for the continued growth of its core private equity, special situations, and performing credit strategies. Barclays provided financial advice and Debevoise & Plimpton provided legal advice to Littlejohn in connection with the transaction. About the Goldman Sachs AIMS Petershill Program The AIMS Petershill program launched nearly a decade ago to partner with leading alternative asset managers and help to accelerate their strategic development. AIMS Petershill's minority investments seek to support the creation of long-term value by providing strategic capital to enhance employee retention, facilitate business development, buy out legacy equity holders and generate strategic options while preserving the autonomy and entrepreneurial spirit of these organizations. AIMS Petershill is part of Goldman Sachs Asset Management's Alternative Investments & Manager Selection Group, which manages over $150 billion in assets across leading hedge-fund, private-equity, real-estate, and traditional long-only managers through new fund commitments, secondary investments, fund-of-fund investments, co-investments and seed capital investments. About Littlejohn & Co., LLC Formed in 1996, Littlejohn & Co. this year is celebrating 20 years of serving its investors. Based in Greenwich, Connecticut, Littlejohn is a private equity firm investing in middle-market companies that are undergoing a fundamental change in capital structure, strategy, operations or growth that can benefit from its operational and strategic approach. The firm has over $4 billion under management. For more information, visit www.littlejohnllc.com. Media Contacts: Littlejohn: Chris Tofalli Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC 914-834-4334 Goldman Sachs: Andrew Williams 212-357-0005 SOURCE Littlejohn & Co., LLC Related Links http://www.littlejohnllc.com NORTHBROOK, Ill., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- M. Holland Company, a leading distributor of thermoplastic resin, today announced a realignment of senior management responsibilities in the wake of the recent retirement announcement by Vice President of Sourcing Mike Ojile. With the retirement, Sourcing responsibilities will be consolidated under the newly created position of Commercial Vice President to be filled by Marc Fern. Fern previously served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "Mike is a unique talent and there's no way to fully replace his leadership. We're using his well-earned retirement to realign the senior management structure to support the organization's long-term strategic plan," explained President and CEO Ed Holland in making the announcement. Ojile joined M. Holland in 2012 and has 43 years of experience in the plastics industry. Prior to joining M. Holland, he held senior management positions in the United States and abroad with resin producer Styrolution, as well as Ashland Inc.'s distribution business. "This is a bittersweet moment for me," said Ojile. "M. Holland is a remarkable company with an incredibly bright future. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with some of the best and brightest in our industry. I am a little bit sad because I won't be here to witness some of the great things that are in store for M. Holland. But I do look forward to spending more time with my family." Ojile will remain with M. Holland through the end of December to assist with the transition. Holland explained that the consolidation of Sales and Sourcing under Marc Fern will drive complete alignment of strategy, communication and messaging within the entire commercial organization. Fern commented, "Mike leaves some big shoes to fill, but he's left us with an incredibly talented Sourcing team. I'll miss him as a colleague, but he'll always be a friend, and I know I'll be calling him often for counsel and advice." Fern joined M. Holland in 1997 as an Account Manager and has held a succession of sales management roles, including Sales Manager and Sales Director. About M. Holland: For more than 65 years, M. Holland has been the leading family-owned distributor of the highest quality application-specific plastic resins, with commercial and logistics reach throughout the Americas and beyond. The company serves about 4,000 customers supplying nearly 1.5 billion pounds of resin annually sourced from the premier resin producers in the world. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Alicia Webb Marketing & Communications Manager, M. Holland Company 847.254.4275 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160128/327072LOGO SOURCE M. Holland Related Links http://www.mholland.com This is the second year in a row Beveridge has been named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers; he was selected for the award in 2016 for Medical Malpractice Law Plaintiffs in Nashville, TN. Along with his success fighting for clients, Beveridge was appointed Judge of the Belle Meade City Court in December of 2015 where he serves two mornings per month. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Nashville Bar Association and is on the Board of Governors in the Circle of Advocates for the Tennessee Trial Lawyers Association. COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Navigator Management Partners ('Navigator', navmp.com) a leading management and technology consulting firmis one of only 20 vendors awarded a master services contract for IT Professional Consulting Services Agreements by Maryland Education Enterprise Consortium ('MEEC', meec-edu.org). This agreement, a nine (9) year, $90 million master contract, allows more than 200 MEEC members (K-12 schools, universities and colleges and museums and libraries) to contract with those vendors such as Navigator for services in six (6) categories related to enterprise technology, cloud adoption, training and analytics. Navigator was awarded as a MEEC vendor in all six of the categories. "We are pleased to be selected and included in this master services agreement," said Richard Walega, Senior Vice President and Executive overseeing Navigator services delivery for the Baltimore-Washington and Mid-Atlantic region. "Already we are supporting a number of educational institutions in Maryland and this allows others to easily access our services." Walega noted a number of key strategic partnerships the firm has with leading cloud technology providers (such as Workday, Oracle and SAP), allowing Navigator consultants to provide expertise in vendor offerings, providing visibility into product capabilities, product gaps, and roadmaps. "We draw on this collective experience to deliver unbiased and objective consulting advice." Navigator maintains formal strategic partnerships with several solution providers and our consultants also have experience with a wide range of industry solutions, including PeopleSoft, Oracle, SAP, Workday, Kuali, Lawson, Microsoft Dynamics, SuccessFactors, Cornerstone and Salesforce. Utilizing these relationships and collective experience allows us to assess and recommend the most appropriate solution to MEEC for a sustainable future. Maryland-based small business firms, Bithgroup Technologies, Inc. and FosterKnowledge, LLC. were part of Navigator's proposal and provide additional value in providing IT Consulting Services to MEEC member organizations. About Navigator Management Partners, LLC: Navigator Management Partners was founded in 2001 to offer organizations a different kind of management and technology consulting partner. Our team is comprised of top-performing consultants with years of experience in solving business challenges by implementing information technology and management solutions, including Strategy, Program / Project Management, Organizational Change Management, Business Intelligence, Business Analysis and Process Design, Testing and Deployment, Technical Architecture, and Software Solution Selection, including cutting-edge, cloud-based solutions. Through collaborative partnership, we advise clients on solving tough business challenges in ways that improve operational performance and drive sustainable results. Navigator has been recognized for multiple years by Inc. 5000 and Business First as a fast-growing private company. They have been similarly recognized as a Best Place to Work and for their contributions to the community through Corporate Caring. For more information visit navmp.com.. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. Contact: Casey Cramer [email protected] (614) 917-2806 SOURCE Navigator Management Partners Related Links http://www.navmp.com PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Meitu, one of the world's leading beauty app developers with its apps installed on over one billion unique mobile devices worldwide, has unveiled #FacesOfFashion, an international campaign that promotes global talent, beauty and fashion brands through China's top social video-sharing platform, Meipai. The campaign kicked off by streaming London Collections Men to more than 100 million Meipai users in China. Leading fashion influencers including Eva Herzigova, Stephen James and Oliver Proudlock, partnered with Meitu's #FacesOfFashion to shoot exclusive footage for Meipai, which included backstage access and interviews with well-known faces like One Direction's Niall Horan, Stanley Tucci, Hu Bing and David Gandy. "FacesOfFashion is an exclusive, cross-cultural campaign designed to bring content from global talent, beauty and fashion brands in other parts of the world to hundreds of millions of mobile consumers in China," says Frank Fu, Managing Director of Meitu's Global Operations. "FacesOfFashion will also help drive global awareness for Meitu's selfie and virtual makeup apps, including BeautyPlus, MakeupPlus and SelfieCity, to consumers and brand partners." #FacesOfFashion comes off the heels of Meitu's campaign with South Korea's #1 beauty influencer and makeup artist, PONY. Meitu's fully integrated program included in-app promotion of PONY on MakeupPlus, and branded makeup looks, tutorials and exposure on Meipai. More than 730 million selfies have been created using PONY's MakeupPlus looks, and PONY's debut Meipai livestream received 2.6 million likes. The success of PONY's campaign inspired Meitu to leverage its user base on Meipai to help bridge the gap between east and west and provide exposure for brands, influencers and events outside of China to a Chinese audience hungry for content from other markets. Meitu plans to bring #FacesOfFashion to multiple fashion and beauty events throughout the U.S., Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific as an ongoing initiative. About Meitu Meitu is a leading mobile internet company that aims at building an ecosystem for users to discover, create and share beauty. Meitu's apps, including MeituPic, Meipai, SelfieCity, BeautyCam, BeautyPlus, BeautyPlusMe, Airbrush and MakeupPlus, are installed on over one billion unique devices worldwide. The company is a top ten global app developer on the Apple AppStore. More information about Meitu can be found at meitu.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398573LOGO SOURCE Meitu Related Links http://en.meitu.com WASHINGTON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Mesothelioma Compensation Center has a top priority focused on guiding a current or former power plant or public utility worker with mesothelioma to the nation's most skilled mesothelioma attorneys. As the Center would like to explain there is a direct relationship between obtaining the best possible mesothelioma compensation and having the top mesothelioma attorneys in the United States assisting with the compensation claim - from start to finish. Power House Asbestos Warning Sign Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398494 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398495 The compensation for a power plant or public utility worker with mesothelioma can frequently exceed one million dollars or much more, provided the person with this rare cancer has one of the nation's most experienced mesothelioma attorneys helping with their mesothelioma financial claim. For additional information a diagnosed power plant, a public utility worker with mesothelioma or their family are urged to call the Mesothelioma Compensation Center anytime at 866-714-6466. http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com According to The Mesothelioma Compensation Center, "We are literally offering to put a power plant/power house worker and or public utility worker on the right path to make certain they receive the very best mesothelioma financial compensation outcome if they have a confirmed diagnosis. As part of this service we make certain they have the very best mesothelioma attorneys in the United States to assist them with the compensation process. The mesothelioma compensation world is complex and can seem overwhelming, which is why the nation's most talented and skilled mesothelioma attorneys are required to achieve the best financial settlement outcomes. "If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma and your exposure to asbestos took place at a power plant or a public utility, please call us anytime at 866-714-6466, so we can carefully explain how incredibly vital it is to have the very best mesothelioma attorneys in the nation working for you. Why settle for less than the best possible mesothelioma compensation?" http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com US Navy Veterans account for about one third of a people who will be diagnosed with mesothelioma each year. According to the US Centers for Disease Control the average age for a diagnosed victim of mesothelioma is 72 years old. Between 2500, and 3000 US citizens will be diagnosed with mesothelioma this year. Mesothelioma is attributable to exposure to asbestos. According to the CDC the states indicated with the highest incidence of mesothelioma include Maine, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, Washington, and Oregon. However, a diagnosed power plant or public utility worker with mesothelioma could live in any state including California, New York, Florida, Texas, Illinois, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Idaho, or Alaska. http://MesotheliomaCompensationCenter.Com The Mesothelioma Compensation Center specializes in assisting high risk workers who have been diagnosed with mesothelioma. High risk groups for exposure to asbestos include the US Navy Veterans, power plant workers, shipyard workers, oil refinery workers, public utility workers, chemical plant workers, nuclear power plant workers, hydro-electric workers, plumbers, electricians, welders, or machinists. In most instances people with mesothelioma were exposed to asbestos in the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, or 1980's. For more information about mesothelioma please refer to the National Institutes of Health's web site related to this rare form of cancer: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/mesothelioma.html Media contact: Thomas Martin Email 866-714-6466 SOURCE Mesothelioma Compensation Center Related Links http://mesotheliomacompensationcenter.com The USS Detroit at speed. (Photo : US Navy) The U.S. Navy has taken delivery of its seventh Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), a new warship class optimized for combat in shallow waters such as those in many areas of the South China Sea. Most of these ships will be deployed to the Asia-Pacific, currently the scene of escalating tensions with China. Advertisement The USS Detroit (LCS-7), a monohull Freedom-class LCS, will be commissioned into Navy service in late October. It's the fourth Freedom-class LCS built by Lockheed Martin. Six Freedom-class ships are currently under construction by the Lockheed Martin-led industry team at Fincantieri Marinette Marine. Three more ships are to be built. When it is commissioned, the USS Detroit is expected to head for Asia to become part of the United States Seventh Fleet based in Hawaii. Fully armed, the ship will carry weapons modules suitable for the missions it is given. The LCS concept emphasizes speed, flexible mission modules and a shallow draft. It can operate in waters as shallow as four meters. The last LCS ship commissioned, the USS Coronado (LCS-4), has been assigned to the Seventh Fleet. The ship, which joined the fleet last April, is trimaran hulled warship of the Independence-class. The four Freedom-class LCS' in active service -- the USS Freedom (LCS-1), USS Fort Worth (LCS-3), USS Milwaukee (LCS-5) and USS Detroit (LCS-7) -- are all homeported to Naval Base San Diego. All are assigned to patrol the Asia-Pacific. These patrols first began in 2013 with the USS Freedom, the lead ship in the Freedom-class. The USS Freedom conducted standard patrols in the South China Sea and in November 2013, delivered relief supplies to the Philippines in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan. Organic weapons systems for the Freedom-class include one Mk 110 57 mm gun; one Mk 49 launcher with 21 RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile Surface-to-Air Missiles; two 30 mm Mk44 Bushmaster II autocannon and four .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. The ship can also carry either two SH-60 or MH-60 Seahawk helicopters. The ship has a stern ramp for operating small boats, and the cargo volume and payload to deliver a small assault force with fighting vehicles to a roll-on/roll-off port facility. The ship's modular design and plug-and-play architecture provide the Navy with increased operational capacity and capability. It has 40 percent reconfigurable shipboard space for weapon modules and various upgrades. ATLANTA, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading international trade show organizer Messe Frankfurt has joined forces with fashion industry veterans Arnold and Bruce Zimberg to launch boulevard pret-a-sale, a first-of-its-kind trade show, which will offer global retailers the opportunity to meet with brand-name apparel, accessory, and footwear companies all at once. Dedicated to showcasing value and off-price merchandise for the better market, boulevard pret-a-sale will be held twice a year in New York City in March and October. The first show, scheduled for March 2017, will focus solely on menswear merchandise. In October the show will feature both menswear and womenswear together, an industry first. Boulevard pret-a-sale was created with an eye on the present and future state of retail sales. The current flux of the retail industry, along with dramatic changes in consumer buying habits, have created what industry-insiders are deeming a "full price recession" and a total transformation in the apparel retail and wholesale markets. While two-thirds of all Americans now shop for value priced merchandise, no traditional trade show properly serves these retailers or the manufacturers looking to sell to them. "The retail industry is in a state of tremendous change, with shoppers looking for value more than ever before, and retailers looking to provide them with the best products available," said Arnold Zimberg, co-founder, boulevard pret-a-sale. "Value retailers are the most important retailers of today, and of tomorrow, and they are not given the same exposure to fashion brands, or the opportunity to develop the same relationships with manufacturers and designers. Boulevard pret-a-sale will offer networking opportunities to those retailers and allow them to better cultivate their offerings for customers. Most importantly, this show is about helping both brands and retailers reestablish a return on investment." "Messe Frankfurt has also sought solutions to address the shifting North American retail market. Along with Arnold and Bruce, we recognized the extraordinary value this concept would offer the retail industry. It is critical to stay ahead of the ever-changing retail environment, and to offer value to current and future buyers and manufacturers. This entirely new concept addresses their needs as no other show can," said Dennis Smith, President, Messe Frankfurt North America. "Boulevard Pret-a-sale is a unique new addition to the current fashion trade shows in the US." Boulevard Pret-a-sale will redefine the wholesale and retail experience and value sales for both brands and retailers. The show will serve as an international business platform, where the largest US and international better value price buyers can meet and network with prominent apparel companies in a welcoming and stylish environment. The debut edition will take place at the Jacob Javits Convention Center's River Pavilion, the 4th level exhibition hall boasting over 45,000 square feet, abundant natural light and sweeping views of the Hudson River. Boulevard Pret-a-sale's event layout and ambience will capture the energy of downtown New York City, with impactful visuals and a modern booth design in which merchandise will be the focus. The event is invitation-only for qualified buyers and will serve to complement the current offering of traditional retail events in the US Market. "The United States is the largest retail market in the world, and every major department store in North America has successfully opened outlet extensions with a dedicated buying team responsible specifically for outlet merchandise. Off-price is the true retail today." said Bruce Zimberg, co-founder, boulevard Pret-a-sale. "This trade show will be the platform to showcase new and fresh high quality merchandise that will appeal to the savvy US and international shopper that demands fast-to-market and a value price. We are excited to build an energized, creative partnership with Messe Frankfurt, an organization with a legacy for developing the best in textile and apparel trade shows." Boulevard Pret-a-sale will be the newest addition to Messe Frankfurt's global portfolio of textile trade shows under the established Texpertise network, which currently includes 50 trade shows around the world, over 19,000 exhibitors and half of a million international visitors annually. Boulevard Pret-a-sale will also expand Messe Frankfurt's New York City show offering, which currently includes Texworld USA, Apparel Sourcing USA and Home Textiles Sourcing Expo, to 4 unique concepts and 7 total shows each year. For more information about Boulevard Pret-a-sale, please visit www.usa.messefrankfurt.com. For more information about Messe Frankfurt's Texpertise Network, please visit www.texpertise-network.messefrankfurt.com. About Messe Frankfurt Messe Frankfurt is one of the world's leading trade fair organizers, generating around 648 million in sales and employing 2,244 people. The Messe Frankfurt Group has a global network of 30 subsidiaries and 55 international Sales Partners, allowing it to serve its customers on location in 175 countries. Messe Frankfurt events take place at approx. 50 locations around the globe. In 2015, Messe Frankfurt organised a total of 133 trade fairs, of which more than half took place outside Germany. Comprising an area of 592,127 square meters, Messe Frankfurt's exhibition grounds are home to ten exhibition halls. The company also operates two congress centers. The historic Festhalle, one of the most popular venues in Germany, plays host to events of all kinds. Messe Frankfurt is publicly owned, with the City of Frankfurt holding 60 percent and the State of Hesse 40 percent. SOURCE Messe Frankfurt Related Links http://www.usa.messefrankfurt.com NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP advised the Ad Hoc Committee of Noteholders of independent energy producer Penn Virginia Corp. ("Penn Virginia" or the "Company"), whose Chapter 11 reorganization plan was approved by a U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge on August 11, 2016. As a result of the reorganization, Penn Virginia, one of the largest oil and natural gas drillers in Texas' Eagle Ford Shale, will be owned by the Company's noteholders and unsecured creditors. Penn Virginia entered Chapter 11 this past May with a pre-negotiated plan of reorganization supported by revolving credit lenders and almost all of its noteholders. The Company subsequently reached agreements with equity security holders and pipeline contractor Republic Midstream. The chapter 11 cases were some of the fastest in the oil and gas sector to date, reaching confirmation of the plan of reorganization in 3 months from the petition date. The entirely consensual plan avoided potential litigation with various contract parties and an ad hoc equity committee and involved approval of a hedging program on day one that was a key piece to Noteholder Committee financing. The plan eliminates more than $1 billion of debt, and includes a $50 million rights offering of new equity. Upon the effective date of the plan of reorganization, the noteholders will hold approximately 96% of the equity in reorganized Penn Virginia. The Milbank team was led by Financial Restructuring partners Dennis Dunne and Samuel Khalil. Also advising the Committee were special counsel Brian Kinney and associate Bradley Scott Friedman of the Financial Restructuring Group; Corporate partner Scott Golenbock; Capital Markets partner Paul Denaro and associate Elizabeth McNichol; and Litigation & Arbitration partner Aaron Renenger. ABOUT MILBANK Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP is a leading international law firm that provides innovative legal services to clients around the world. Founded in New York 150 years ago, Milbank has offices in Beijing, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, DC. Milbank's lawyers collaborate across practices and offices to help the world's leading commercial, financial and industrial enterprises, as well as institutions, individuals and governments, achieve their strategic objectives. Media Contact: Jocelyn De Carvalho, Public Relations Manager, +1.212.530.5509 [email protected] SOURCE Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP Related Links https://www.milbank.com TAMPA, Fla., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Executives at National Asset Services (NAS), one of the Country's leading commercial real estate companies, recently assisted Florida office property Investors avoid foreclosure while realizing a financial gain that was once considered by property investors to be improbable. The NAS management team, known for their ability to turn around financially distressed properties, acted in a key advisory role to create greater marketability for the recent sale of the Gibraltar Office Building, Palm Harbor, Florida. The recent sale of the property closed ahead of a maturing loan date. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398849LOGO Company executives advised a swift and aggressive plan of action to increase revenue while reducing operating expenses with cost effective maintenance and prudent capital expenditures. At the time of sale, the property's occupancy was 100%, due in large part to a tenant renewal accounting for 36% of the total tenant space. NAS was able to add value for the Co-Owners with the renewal, contributing to an environment of competitive bidding among several potential buyers. In addition to a higher market value, NAS executives directed negotiations resulting in below market broker commissions, contributing to a positive return on investment for the property owners. "We were successful in creating greater market value for an office property in financial distress and facing possible foreclosure," commented Karen E. Kennedy, President and Founder of National Asset Services. "The resulting investment gain from the property's sale in a competitive market created by our efforts produced the best possible outcome for our clients invested in Gibraltar. It is one more example of our proven ability to offer solutions to clients facing loan maturity." The Palm Harbor, Florida property investors, assisted by NAS, are part of the commercial real estate industry's giant wave of 10-year Commercial Mortgage Backed Security (CMBS) loans that have been maturing since 2014. Industry sources expect the total loan volume to peak during the remainder of 2016 and 2017. Many tenant-in-common properties purchased by investors in the early-to-mid 2000's, were done so with highly leveraged, interest-only, 10-year loans. Many commercial properties, across the country, offered as tenants-in-common real estate investments, before the recession started in 2008, resulted in a financially challenged situation. These challenges were due primarily to mismanagement or underperformance by the property's original investment sponsor. The challenging economic conditions have left many TIC investors at risk of losing their investment with very few options and few resources to help them work towards a positive outcome. For more information, visit nasassets.com/loan-maturity-solutions. A group of 20 TIC investors acquired the Gibraltar Office Building property in 2006. The NAS team was retained as an asset and property management consultant by the investors in Spring 2013 for the 23,684 square foot office property. Constructed in 2001, the Gibraltar Office Building features a beautiful, 2-story blue-colored glass entrance and an 11,000 square foot covered parking garage. Situated on approximately 2.6 acres, the office property is located along Highway 19, the major north-south thoroughfare paralleling the Gulf Coast in Gulf Harbor, Florida, a part of the Tampa St. Petersburg Metro Area. About National Asset Services (NAS): NAS is a commercial real estate asset and property management company that has worked with over 90 investment groups in properties of a nationwide portfolio valued at over $2 billion. The company manages a wide range of diverse commercial real estate: Office, medical office, multifamily, retail, student housing, assisted living and industrial flex properties. The company manages solely owned and multi-owner properties. NAS offers a wide-range of management capabilities. They include: Real estate strategy analysis; long-range business objectives; monitoring changing market conditions; investor relations; real estate and investor accounting; loan modification and workout solutions; exit and hold strategies; leasing and marketing; tenant retention plans; research studies; site selections; feasibility studies; insurance risk management; capital improvement planning and tracking; property tax appeal services and cost segregation services. For more information about NAS property management and asset management services visit nasassets.com. JW Robison 310-364-5213 Email SOURCE National Asset Services The Red Cross and its partners have served almost 100,000 meals and snacks since the onset of the flooding. The Red Cross has also mobilized over 60 disaster response vehicles, nearly 40,000 ready-to-eat meals, and dozens of trailers filled with shelter and kitchen supplies to bolster relief efforts. "Thousands of people in Louisiana have lost everything they own and need our help now," said Brad Kieserman, vice president, Disaster Services Operations and Logistics for the Red Cross. "This disaster is the worst to hit the United States since Superstorm Sandy and we anticipate it will cost at least $30 million, a number which may grow as we learn more about the scope and magnitude of the devastation. Please consider making a financial donation to the Red Cross today to support the people of Louisiana." HOW TO HELP People can donate by visiting redcross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word LAFLOODS to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recovery from these disasters. One resident escaping the floodwaters in a Red Cross shelter in Gonzalez, LA, is 81-year-old Doreen Ulm, who survived air raids in London during World War II and because of the floodwaters is at a shelter for the first time since the war. Courtney Robinson, her husband and five children are almost sure their home is destroyed and are also taking refuge from the flooding in a Red Cross shelter. They fled their home with only some food and water and a change of clothes for the family. These are just two of the thousands of people impacted by this devastating flooding. RELIEF EFFORT Several hundred Red Crossers are on the ground in Louisiana now, and by Friday there will be more than 1,000 workers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. In addition, hundreds more local volunteers are continuing to support relief efforts. These Red Cross workers and disaster partners such as Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the NAACP, Islamic Relief USA, Church of the Brethren Children's Disaster Services, Save the Children, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, AFL-CIO, Verizon, Duracell, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Baton Route YMCA and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are working together to help people impacted by the flooding. FINDING LOVED ONES Residents of the affected areas can connect with their loved ones by using the "I'm Safe" button on the Red Cross Emergency App which is free and can be found in the app store for someone's mobile device by searching for "American Red Cross" or by going to redcross.org/apps. People can also visit www.redcross.org/safeandwell to register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website, a secure and private way that friends and family connect. The site also allows people to update their status on Facebook and Twitter. BECOME A VOLUNTEER To become a Red Cross volunteer, visit redcross.org today to learn more about volunteer opportunities and how to submit a volunteer application. About the American Red Cross: The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/399046 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/399047 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090108/RedCrossLOGO SOURCE American Red Cross Related Links http://www.redcross.org The campaign was first held in England and North Wales by NHS Blood and Transplant in 2015, and this year brings together 25 blood services from 21 countries, representing more than one billion people. This year, Missing Type letters will also be disappearing from famous locations in Australia, Japan, Ireland, England, and many more countries. Celebrities supporting the campaign include actress Jamie Lee Curtis and rapper LL Cool J. NYBC and Lauren Shields, a sixteen-year-old blood recipient who needed life-saving blood transfusions during her heart transplant in 2009, rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange to launch and support the Missing Type campaign on Tuesday, August 9 th . Each second, three people across the world receive a life-saving blood transfusion, thanks to selfless donors who answer the call to donate. Yet participating blood services reported the number of people becoming donors and giving blood for the first time has decreased by 27.6% since 2005. In the United States, there is a particular need for new donors with O negative blood, the universal blood type, and donors of minority backgrounds such as Latino/Hispanic and African American community. The organizations are calling for new donors to ensure blood donations and a steady supply for future generations. Robert Purvis, Vice President of NYBC said, "New York Blood Center is very proud to be part of the international Missing Type campaign which has the power to raise awareness globally on the every day need for blood especially O- which is the universal blood type and is always in short supply. The campaign couldn't happen at a better time, as August is such a high vacation month!" You can start donating blood across the U.S. from age sixteen, with a parent's written consent. The Latino/Hispanic and African American populations are underrepresented in the donor pool, and with the increasing population rate, their communities are in need. "We need people to come out and support one another," Ms. Shields said. "By donating your blood and your time, you are saving a life just like mine. Blood is needed for transfusions during organ transplants, or when someone is undergoing chemotherapy. Without blood, and people who donated, I would not be here today." To sign up to donate, visit: www.nybloodcenter.org/blood or call Toll Free: 1-800-933-2566 About the New York Blood Center Now more than 50 years old, New York Blood Center (NYBC) is a nonprofit organization that is one of the largest independent, community-based blood centers in the country. NYBC, along with its partner organizations Community Blood Center of Kansas City, Missouri (CBC), and Innovative Blood Resources (IBR), based St. Paul, Minnesota, collect approximately 2,000 units of blood products each day, serving local communities of more than 25 million people in New York, New Jersey, parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, the Kansas City metropolitan area, Minnesota, and Nebraska. NYBC and its partners also provide a wide array of transfusion-related medical services, while NYBC's National Cord Blood Program (NCBP) at the Howard P. Milstein Cord Blood Center is home to the world's largest public cord blood bank. NYBC is also home to a renowned research institute, which among other milestones developed the Hepatitis B vaccine and innovative blood-purification technology. Website: www.nybloodcenter.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/newyorkbloodcenter Twitter: @NYBloodCenter Instagram: @newyorkbloodcenter Media Contact: Andrea M. Garcia (212) 683-8100 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398925 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398924 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398923 SOURCE New York Blood Center Related Links http://www.nybloodcenter.org AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ohio has been selected by CMS, the Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services, as one of only 14 regions nationwide eligible to participate in Comprehensive Primary Care Plus (CPC+), an innovative new federally-funded payment model that rewards value and quality in health care by offering incentives to support comprehensive primary care. Caravan Health makes qualification and participation in CPC+ simple with the same easy-to-implement programs used today by 23 of the nation's most successful Medicare Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs). Lynn Barr is the CEO of Caravan Health. "Overall population health in Ohio is ranked below the national average due in large part to higher rates of diabetes, obesity and smoking," stated Ms. Barr. "The measurable improvements we have seen in improving patient outcomes in Ohio have been in large part due to the primary care practices already making the transition to a more comprehensive model of care delivery. These are the practices CPC+ will help the most." Under CPC+, Track 1 and Track 2 participants are paid an average of $180,000 to $336,000 per 1,000 patients per year, respectively, for care management fees, in addition to fee-for-service payments, and are also eligible for $30,000 to $48,000 per year in incentive bonuses. In addition, Track 2 primary care providers can also get as much as 71.5% of the reimbursement previously confined to face-to-face visits, using patient-pleasing methods such as phone, email, or text. All procedures and routine office visits are still fully billable under the physician fee schedule, sometimes at higher rates. The CPC+ application period runs from August 1st through September 15th. There will be 5,000 eligible practices notified in October 2016 and the program begins January 1st, 2017. For practices in Ohio missing any of the eligibility requirements, Caravan Health can qualify your practice for either track of CPC+ in a few short weeks. Using support from a Practice Transformation Network, Caravan Health can help practices apply and set up all of the qualifying programs at no cost. For more information about CPC+ contact CMS directly by email [email protected] or call the CPC+ Help Line: 1-844-442-2672. Caravan Health holds a live weekly webinar on how to qualify your practice for (CPC+) every Wednesday at 9am PT/11am CT. Log in to www.readytalk.com and enter participant code 5004771. An audio-only option is available by dialing (303) 248-0285 and entering 5004771. For more information, go to www.caravanhealth.com . CONTACT: Bryan Hagar Communications Director Caravan Health 916 542 4583 Email SOURCE Caravan Health Related Links http://www.caravanhealth.com CHICAGO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. Magazine has welcomed OppLoans, the leader in socially responsible online lending, onto its highly respected 2016 list of America's 500 fastest-growing companies. The organizations featured have grown almost nine-fold over the past three years. "We're proud to be on this prestigious list of high-growth companies," said Jared Kaplan, CEO of OppLoans. "As one of only 15 Illinois companies represented, the honor is particularly meaningful. Our incredible growth is reflective of our better product, transparent processes, and commitment to delivering 5-star service to our customers. We're thrilled to be in the Inc. 500 and we look forward to delivering our brand of service and financial opportunity to the non-prime consumer for many years to come." Currently rated 5/5 stars on Google and LendingTree, OppLoans is renowned for exceptional customer experiences and safe, affordable, online lending. This recognition from Inc. Magazine reasserts OppLoans as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country and the leader in socially responsible lending to non-prime customers. Opportunity Financial, LLC, doing business as OppLoans, is one of the highest-rated online lenders in the industry. With faster funding, significantly lower rates, total transparency, and unmatched customer service, OppLoans provides non-prime borrowers a safe and reliable alternative to payday lending. OppLoans is licensed and able to lend or arrange loans in the following states: Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. For more information regarding OppLoans, please visit the OppLoans website at OppLoans.com, email John O'Reilly or call (312) 445-0340. This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE OppLoans Related Links http://OppLoans.com PHOENIX, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- If a pipe under the sink bursts and the kitchen starts flooding, waiting for help isn't an option. What if this disaster strikes on a holiday? What if a loving husband is preparing a beautiful Valentine's Day Dinner when he finds himself wading in water up to his ankles? He can't put dinner on hold! Love doesn't wait on plumbing disasters. Parker & Sons offers 24/7 emergency plumbing services for just such an occasion. They know that emergencies don't take holidays off, which is why Parker & Sons doesn't either. Individuals most need help when disasters strike unexpectedly and Parker& Sons is here to deliver. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160809/396860LOGO Parker & Sons was founded in 1974 as a family company. In those days, the staff was small. It was just Grandpa Jack and Faye Parker, delivering quality home services to every corner of the Greater Phoenix Area by driving around in their family station wagon. They too believed that emergency plumbing services should be available 24 hours a day 7 days a week, but it was hard to take care of everyone when you are just a two person company! Today, Parker & Sons has grown into Phoenix's premier home services company. They have the infrastructure, enthusiasm, and desire to deliver assistance to Phoenix residents anytime, day or night. The plumbing professionals at Parker & Sons are each individual licensed, bonded and insured. In addition, they have met the rigorous standards of the Parker & Sons Trust Certification. Each Trust Certified team member has passed drug and background checks and has undergone motor vehicle and technical training exams. For Parker & Sons, for experience and real world knowledge. "The ability to deliver 24/7 emergency is a big part of who we are here at Parker & Sons. I'd like to think is just shows how much we care. We couldn't bear the idea of someone suffering through a major plumbing problem just because it was 6 O'clock at night on a Saturday. We don't let that kind of stuff get in our way. If you call us up any time, day or night, a Parker & Sons plumbing profession will be available to assist you," said Josh Kelly of Parker & Sons. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Parker & Sons This historic contract encompasses McCartney's entire body of post-Beatles work, from his 1970 McCartney album, through his decade with Wings, to the dozens of solo and collaborative works that have continually reaffirmed his standing as the most popular, influential and acclaimed artist in the history of recorded music. In a career that spans six decades, McCartney has sold more than 500 million records worldwide. He was recently named the United Kingdom's most successful albums artist of all time by the Official Albums Chart Company and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 for his services to music. Paul McCartney is the recipient of countless accolades and awards. He is a 21-time Grammy winner, two-time inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, an Academy Award winner and honoree of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors, the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song and France's Legion d'Honneur. McCartney is currently working on a new studio album, while a comprehensive plan for the artist's catalogue is being conceived by Capitol and Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) in conjunction with the artist and his management team and will be implemented beginning July 2017. The catalogue moves to Capitol/UMe from Concord, Paul's previous label partner on such Grammy-winning albums as Band On The Run (Best Historical Album, 2012), Kisses On The Bottom (Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, 2013) and Wings Over America (Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package, 2014). According to Barnett, "Paul McCartney's association with Capitol has long defined so much of our historic legacy, and all of us here are extremely proud and honored that he has chosen to come back home. Paul's indelible contributions to our culture are second to none, and his constant evolution as an artist and performer continues to inspire and enrich the lives of countless millions of people. We are overjoyed that Paul will be creating new music for years to come, and that Capitol will be helping to present it to the world." Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group, said: "It would be simply impossible to overstate what an honor it is to welcome Paul back to Capitol. It's a homecoming of one of the greatest musical artists of all time to the label that first helped bring his incredible music to the world. Paul's astonishing career has shown no limits -- in creativity, in commercial longevity, and in its impact on people and cultures in every corner of the globe. We are thrilled at both Capitol and UMG to be able to contribute to the next chapter in Paul's extraordinary career." Michele Anthony, UMG's Executive Vice President added, "Paul's vital and legendary body of work as a solo artist remains essential, relevant and so highly in demand. We're beyond thrilled at the opportunity to put the global resources of Universal Music behind Paul's forthcoming work, as well as introducing his previous iconic albums to new generations of fans around the world." Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398992 SOURCE Capitol Music Group PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PCS, LLC today announced that Karen Benewith has joined the team as Vice President of Sales for the Western Region. Benewith replaces Jordan Migneault, who will return to the company's Philadelphia headquarters and serve as Executive Vice President of Client Experience. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398724 PCS Names Karen Benewith to Sales Team Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398725LOGO "We are thrilled to have Karen Benewith join our sales team," said PCS CEO Mark Klein. "She knows the retirement plan business and she understands the needs of our advisor and plan sponsor clients. Our business approach demands the highest level of service and expertise, and Karen is a great fit." Benewith has more than 20 years' experience in management, operations, client service, business development and consulting in a number of industries, and has worked in the financial services and retirement plan industries for the last six years as a retirement consultant for Schwab. A native of Boston, she currently resides in Arizona and holds FINRA Series 7, 66 and 9/10 securities licenses. She has also earned the Qualified 401k Administrator (QKA) and Qualified Plan Financial Consultant (QPFC) designations from the American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) as well as the Accredited Investment Fiduciary (AIF) designation from fi360. "I am excited for the opportunity to work for a quality plan provider that prides itself on offering a complete and sophisticated retirement solution. PCS has a great story to share and offers plan sponsors and advisors state-of-the-art tools and top-notch fiduciary support. Reputation and outstanding product offering were a huge factor in my decision to join PCS," said Benewith. About PCS PCS was founded in 2001 by tax and ERISA attorneys who saw the need for a conflict-free, full fee disclosure, no hidden agenda retirement solution. From Day One PCS had a vision of complete transparency, which has enabled the company to become an industry leader in the retirement plan industry. PCS owns The Advisor Lab, a technology and marketing firm offering solutions for financial professionals to operate more efficiently and effectively in the 21st century. Its 401(k) tools, including the Plan Finder, Retirement Plan Diagnostic benchmarking report, Retirement Plan Efficiency Analysis and Annual Review and Benchmarking Report, are designed to help advisors identify prospective clients, generate insightful reports and prepare effective sales presentations quickly and affordably. For more information: (267) 675-6727 or [email protected] Contact: Leslie Swid Email (913) 649-5009 SOURCE PCS Related Links https://www.pcs401k.com Obama and Abe. (Photo : Getty Images) Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will have none of U.S. President Barack Obama's proposed "No First Use" nuclear weapons policy in which the United States will use nuclear weapons only if nuclear weapons are used against it first. Advertisement Obama's controversial policy, which he apparently wants instituted before he steps down as president in January 2017, has drawn widespread criticism from members of his own Cabinet, from the U.S. military and from many members of the U.S. Congress. Major U.S. allies worldwide have also expressed misgiving about this pacifist policy in light of today's more volatile international situation marked by wars and rising conflicts. U.S. allies such as Japan, South Korea, France and Britain contend that if the United States pledges not to strike first with nuclear weapons, the risk of a conventional war against China, Russia, Iran and North Korea might increase. Obama is said to be considering taking steps to reduce the role of nuclear weapons with the goal of their eventual abolition. He made this promise at a landmark speech in Prague in 2009 where he declared nuclear disarmament as a priority for his administration. Abe, however, argues Obama No First Use policy will degrade deterrence against countries such as North Korea and the risks of conflict will rise. He conveyed his concern to Adm. Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Pacific Command, who was in Japan for an official visit last July. Obama's No First Use proposal under consideration at the White House will reverse decades of U.S. nuclear policy, if and when it's implemented. The opposition from within Obama's Cabinet is led by Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz. The possibility of a "No First Use" declaration was also roundly opposed at the National Security Council meeting in July where the Obama administration reviewed nuclear disarmament initiatives it might implement before the end of the president's term. Carter raised objections to the No First Use policy on the grounds it risked provoking insecurity about the U.S. deterrent among allies. In addition, North Korea's nuclear tests and Russian aggression in Europe and Syria makes any change to the U.S. nuclear posture unwarranted at this time. While Obama didn't issue a decision on the "No First Use" proposal, there is reason to believe he'll stop pushing this agenda on account of the tremendous opposition it's generated. DETROIT, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo and Feed the Children are uniting today to provide 1,200 families in need with a week's supply of food and essentials, allowing recipients to focus on back-to-school preparations rather than worrying about where they'll get their next meal. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. at Second Ebenezer Church, 14601 Dequindre Road, Detroit. Each qualifying recipient, identified and preselected by Second Ebenezer Church, will be given: one 25-pound box of nonperishable food items one 10-pound box of personal-care items one box of AVON products An assortment of Frito-Lay snacks Aquafina Life Original Cereal Quaker Standard Oatmeal Quaker Breakfast Flats Fresh produce provided by Walmart, Sam's Club and Associated Food and Petroleum Dealers "We're proud to be a part of the Detroit community and are always eager to give back to our neighbors," said Rachel Hibbs, senior sales director, Detroit metro market, PepsiCo's Frito Lay division. "This is a small way we can lighten families' loads and help give students a successful start to the school year." This is the seventh annual event PepsiCo and Feed the Children have hosted in the Detroit community, where nearly 40 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. "Because of the generosity of PepsiCo and Second Ebenezer Church, Feed the Children is able to aid families who need us most," said J.C. Watts, Jr., Feed the Children President and CEO. "Together we can provide assistance to the resilient residents of Detroit." 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 DUBLIN, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Perrigo Company plc (NYSE: PRGO; TASE) announced today that it has agreed to acquire Peachtree City, Georgia-based, Geiss, Destin & Dunn, Inc. ("GDD"), a small national distributor of over-the-counter healthcare and consumer goods products to the non-chain retail and institutional markets. The transaction is expected to close by the end of August. Perrigo CEO John T. Hendrickson commented, "Today's acquisition of GDD, while relatively small in transaction value compared to other acquisitions we've made, further strengthens and diversifies our U.S. distribution and retail network, providing us direct access to the non-mass retail market. While we currently distribute product to this channel through GDD, I am pleased we will now bring the management of this business completely in-house. We look forward to welcoming the GDD team to Perrigo and are committed to serving our customers and consumers across the globe with quality affordable healthcare products." About Perrigo Perrigo Company plc, a top five global over-the-counter ("OTC") consumer goods and pharmaceutical company, offers patients and customers high quality products at affordable prices. From its beginnings in 1887 as a packager of generic home remedies, Perrigo, headquartered in Ireland, has grown to become the world's largest manufacturer of OTC products and supplier of infant formulas for the store brand market. The Company is also a leading provider of generic extended topical prescription products and receives royalties from Multiple Sclerosis drug Tysabri. Perrigo provides Quality Affordable Healthcare Products across a wide variety of product categories and geographies primarily in North America, Europe, and Australia, as well as other markets, including Israel, China and Latin America. Visit Perrigo online at (http://www.perrigo.com). Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release are "forward-looking statements." These statements relate to future events or the Company's future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements of the Company or its industry to be materially different from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "intend," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential" or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. The Company has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the Company believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company's control, including the timing, amount and cost of share repurchases, future impairment charges, the ability to achieve its guidance and the ability to execute and achieve the desired benefits of announced initiatives. These and other important factors, including those discussed under "Risk Factors" in the Company's Form 10-KT for the six-month period ended December 31, 2015, as well as the Company's subsequent filings with the SEC, may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made only as of the date hereof, and unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120301/DE62255LOGO SOURCE Perrigo Company plc Related Links http://www.perrigo.com CHICAGO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 9,000 women engineers from all over the world will gather at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on Oct. 27-29 to learn, inspire and empower the annual WE16 conference. Hosted by The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), WE16 is the world's largest conference and career fair for women in engineering. The gender gap in STEM fields remains wide across all specialties, and more females than males leave the engineering profession as their career grows. In fact, 30 percent of women leaving STEM fields cite workplace climate as the reason.i Corporate culture, perception and other conscious and unconscious biases are preventing the gender gap from closing and discouraging women from pursuing a future in STEM. SWE and WE16 are symbols of constant support to women engineers when everything else in life is a variable. "SWE serves as a necessary outlet, resource and network for women engineers. For over 65 years, SWE has provided its members with opportunities and experiences for professional and personal development," said Jessica Rannow, president of SWE. "WE16 is a one-of-a-kind experience for our members and women in all stages of their careers to come together and inspire one another along their professional journey as a woman engineer." WE16 will feature more than 300 educational sessions and 300 career fair exhibitors. At the conference, collegiates and professionals will have the chance to make connections and interview at the career fair with organizations seeking qualified and motivated engineers. In addition, collegiate attendees will have the opportunity to explore graduate school opportunities with leading universities. Young girls, parents and educators are also invited to attend WE16 on Saturday, Oct. 29, for the event's annual program, Invent it. Build it. The program is aimed to encourage girls in grades 6-12 to pursue a career in engineering and technology by providing them with a unique, hands-on engineering experience. For more information about WE16 and to register, visit we16.swe.org. For media inquiries and to request a complimentary media registration, contact Jennifer Jaacks at (630) 305-0003 x303, or [email protected]. For more information about the Society of Women Engineers, visit swe.org. About SWE The Society of Women Engineers (SWE), founded in 1950, is the world's largest advocate and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology. The not-for-profit educational and service organization is the driving force that establishes engineering as a highly desirable career aspiration for women. To ensure SWE members reach their full potential as engineers and leaders, the Society offers unique opportunities to network, provides professional development, shapes public policy and provides recognition for the life-changing contributions and achievements of women engineers. As a champion of diversity, SWE empowers women to succeed and advance in their personal and professional lives. For more information about the Society, please visit www.swe.org or call 312.596.5223. i 2015 SWE National Gender Culture Study Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160808/396394LOGO SOURCE The Society of Women Engineers Related Links http://www.swe.org MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Alliance of Law Firms, a global legal network, is proud to announce Ally Law, a new platform to support corporate clients seeking sophisticated legal services delivered with a sharp focus on value and service. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398717LOGO The Ally Law platform includes global client service standards, processes to evaluate satisfaction with referred matters, and a variety of substantive tools and resource materials to promote global business. This new initiative grew from The International Alliance of Law Firms' deep relationships over 25+ years and the organization's breadth of coverage, encompassing 2400 lawyers in more than 100 business centers around the world. Ally Law President Michael Herbst, a partner in the Seattle, WA, office of Schwabe, Williamson and Wyatt comments, "Ally Law firms have been working together servicing global clients for almost a quarter century. Our new platform takes these relationships to the next level. Together, our independent firms have a value proposition commensurate with the largest integrated global law firms." Each Ally Law firm independently sets rates appropriate to their location, which offers clients a better value for their legal services budget. Member firms also use alternative fee arrangements to provide greater predictability and savings. "Ally Law firms offer clients broad and deep business advice and legal counsel in a variety of industries," comments Paul Franke, a partner in the Denver, CO-based firm Moye White, and chair of the team that developed Ally Law. "This local knowledge across practice and industry lines helps inform our clients when they are active outside of their home jurisdiction." Ally Law members offer the full complement of services requisite to global law firms, including corporate and securities, environmental, intellectual property, labor, employment and employee benefits, government and regulatory, litigation and tax. Ally Law also has exceptional depth in key industry sectors, for example, healthcare, leisure and hospitality, real property and construction, retail, and technology. "We are serious about client service," says Ally Law First Vice President Alfonso Gonzalez Uribe, a partner in the Cornejo, Mendez, Gonzalez & Duarte law firm, based in Mexico City. "We developed uniform service standards for all network members and a process to evaluate satisfaction with work handled through the organization. Then we vetted the standards and our evaluation process with in-house counsel from global corporations, to make sure we were on point to exceed client expectations." Ally law firms are subject to a vetting and review process and must commit to the organization's service standards, which include written service assessments. About Ally Law Ally Law's 60+ independent law firms and 2400+ professionals provide comprehensive legal services to corporations and entrepreneurs worldwide. Our firms are subject to rigorous vetting and an ongoing service satisfaction monitoring process. Many are market leaders, highly ranked by Chambers, Legal 500 and other important reference sources. Ally Law has its origins in the International Alliance of Law Firms, a prestigious global network founded 26 years ago. Many member firms have worked together for decades, building relationships with each other that are as deep and rewarding as those we enjoy with our clients. For a list of Ally Law firms, visit: http://ally-law.com/member-list/ Visit us at ally-law.com Ally Law is not a law firm and does not provide legal representation or advice. The independent law firms participating in the Ally Law network are not affiliated and are not engaged in the joint practice of law. Ally Law is not an association, partnership or joint venture. Each member firm is an independent autonomous law firm and renders professional services independently and separately. Clients must retain each firm directly using separate engagement letters for each firm. Each law firm is responsible only for its work and is not responsible for and does not review or supervise the work of any other firm. For more information, contact: Wendy Horn, Executive Director International Alliance of Law Firms +1 612 770 6046 Email SOURCE Ally Law Related Links http://ally-law.com FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rand Internet Marketing, a local award-winning digital marketing firm, announced today it has been named to the 2016 Inc. 5000 list of the nation's fastest-growing privately held companies. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160815/398229LOGO Designated a Premier Google Partner earlier this year, the company was also named as a Top 25 Advertising Agency and a Top 10 Web Design and Development Firm by the South Florida Business Journal, which also honored Rand Marketing's Founder and CEO, Seth Rand as a "40 Under 40" award recipient this month. Introduced in 1982, the annual Inc. Magazine list highlights the fastest-growing private companies in the United States, which has in the past included household names such as Pandora, 7 Eleven, Toys 'R' Us, Zappos.com, and more. The ranking measures overall revenue growth over a three-year period and is widely considered a celebration of a company's innovation, and a mark of true entrepreneurial leadership. "We are absolutely ecstatic about being named to the 2016 Inc. 5000 list," said Seth Rand, Founder & CEO of Rand Internet Marketing. "I'm proud and appreciative of all the hard work my staff and management team has put in to get us to this point as a company, and look forward to continued success. Congratulations to all the other companies who made the list on this wonderful achievement." Rand Marketing was founded in 2010, initial specializing in search engine optimization, Google Adwords pay-per-click advertising campaigns, graphic design and professional website design. The company has now expanded to offer responsive website design, e-commerce web solutions, social media marketing, public relations, online reputation management, and other business services. Rand is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and employs an in-house staff of approximately 25 graphic designers, website designers, web developers and programmers, digital marketers, and content writers, along with a support staff. Learn more at www.RandMarketing.com. About Rand Internet Marketing Rand Internet Marketing, named to the 2016 Inc. 5000 list, provides professional website design, web development, and website programming in addition to online marketing services to hundreds of national and South Florida-based businesses. Led by founder and CEO, Seth Rand who was a 2016 South Florida Business Journal 40 Under 40 Honoree, and on the Board of Directors for the Better Business Bureau of Southeast Florida and the Caribbean, the Fort Lauderdale-based firm has grown since its inception. The Rand team specializes in responsive website design and programming, including WordPress, Magento, WooCommerce, Shopify, Zoey, 3dcart and other e-commerce platforms; SEO (search engine optimization) and Google AdWords PPC (pay-per-click) campaigns; social media marketing; and online content marketing. Rand Internet Marketing was named a Premier Google Partner in 2016, a Google Partner AllStar in 2015 and also holds an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau. The Rand team also supports the community through its support of local non-profit organizations such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Autism Speaks, Abi's Place, The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation and more. For more information, call 888-707-7263 or request a free initial consultation online at http://randmarketing.com/request-consultation/. This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE Rand Internet Marketing CHICAGO and BRILLION, Wis., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Last May, Ariens Company, a Wisconsin-based equipment manufacturer best known for its lawn tractors and snow throwers, selected Redwood Logistics, a strategically integrated logistics provider, as its third-party logistics (3PL) partner. Roughly one year later, the partnership has yielded significant efficiency gains, delivered improvements to material visibility and achieved critical transportation cost reduction for Ariens. Ariens credits many of these outcomes to Redwood's attentive, customized mix of managed services and technology. Within the engagement, Redwood provides Ariens with operational and knowledge-based services that include network design, multimodal transportation operations management and technology services. Redwood has also helped Ariens expand its companywide commitment to continuous improvement by shipping efficiently and focusing on optimizing transportation. Redwood consistently evaluates the results of these efforts on a quarterly and monthly basis with the Ariens team. "Since Day One, we've felt that our business and its success mattered to the team at Redwood," said James Merwin, vice president of supply chain, Ariens Company. "They tailored a TMS program that fit our mid-market size and needs, and the technology solutions they've brought to the table have been key in increasing visibility and controlling costs. They are an extension of the Ariens team, and we look forward to continued success as the partnership grows." Seamless teamwork has been a hallmark of the Redwood strategy from the start, and nowhere is it more evident than in the proprietary integration platform that the company has deployed for Ariens. The multifaceted software-as-a-service (SaaS) transportation management system checks and re-optimizes the company's entire freight plan (and spend) multiple times per day. Most notably, Redwood has connected Ariens with all of its suppliers, using Redwood's proprietary B2B communication hub. This means distribution and warehousing partners, material suppliers and customers can all interact easily with one another and their points of contact at Ariens. Suppliers can now use different public-facing integration points within the portal to fulfill purchase orders. The system, which provides visibility into all key operations, has become a single and reliable source of truth for the company one that arms decision-makers with real-time data and reliable intelligence. "A key business priority for Ariens is to leverage technology to track and manage its product distribution and inventory," said Todd Berger, CEO, Redwood Logistics. "Our depth of knowledge and experience with deploying a range of complementary applications on a SaaS basis has proven enormously successful. Ultimately, that's our goal: to help our customers improve their business performance with reliable, smart solutions." About Redwood Logistics Chicago-based Redwood Logistics is a strategically integrated logistics provider that believes every company's needs are unique. For more than 15 years, the company has been providing solutions for moving and managing freight, and sharing its knowledge across North America. Redwood Logistics is focused on making its customers more successful in their end markets by applying talented and motivated people, proven processes and cutting-edge technologies to optimize their supply chain management efforts. For more information, please visit us on the Web at www.redwoodlogistics.com. About Ariens Company Based in Brillion, Wisconsin, Ariens Company is a privately owned and operated corporation focused on outdoor products that serve the needs of both consumers and professional customers. Established in 1933, the company manufactures original outdoor power equipment under the Ariens, Gravely, Sno-Tek, Countax and Westwood brands. As a distributor of specialty equipment, supplies and gear, Ariens Company serves niche outdoor segments through direct marketing brands Gempler's, Ben Meadows and AW Direct, as well as aftermarket parts brands Stens and J Thomas. Visit www.ariensco.com for more information. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398896LOGO SOURCE Redwood Logistics Related Links http://www.redwoodlogistics.com DUBLIN, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Belgium Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2021" report to their offering. Though there are no tyre manufacturing plants in Belgium, major tyre companies such as Continental, Michelin, Pirelli, Goodyear, Bridgestone, Yokohama, etc., are engaged in selling tyres through tyre distributors and dealers operating in the country. According to "Belgium Tyre Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021", the tyre market in Belgium is projected to cross US$ 875 million by 2021. The country's vehicle fleet is dominated by passenger cars, followed by the commercial vehicles and two-wheelers. As a result, the passenger car tyre segment accounted for the largest share in the country's tyre market, and the same trend is expected to continue through 2021. Key Topics Covered: 1. Research Methodology 2. Product Overview 3. Analyst View 4. Belgium Tyre Market Outlook 4.1. Market Size & Forecast 4.1.1. By Value & Volume 4.2. Market Share & Forecast 4.2.1. By Vehicle Type (Passenger Car (PC), M&HCV, LCV, Two-Wheeler and OTR) 4.2.2. By Company 4.2.3. By Region 4.2.4. By Demand Category (OEM vs Replacement) 5. Belgium Passenger Car Tyre Market Outlook 5.1. Market Size & Forecast 5.1.1. By Value & Volume 5.2. Market Share & Forecast 5.2.1. By Vehicle Type (Cross Overs, Hatchbacks, SUVs and Sedans) 5.2.2. By Demand Category (OEM vs Replacement) 6. Belgium Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicle (M&HCV) Tyre Market Outlook 6.1. Market Size & Forecast 6.1.1. By Value & Volume 6.2. Market Share & Forecast 6.2.1. By Vehicle Type (HCV and MCV) 6.2.2. By Demand Category 7. Belgium Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) Market Outlook 7.1. Market Size & Forecast 7.1.1. By Value & Volume 8. Belgium Two-Wheeler (2W) Tyre Market Outlook 8.1. Market Size & Forecast 8.1.1. By Value & Volume 9. Belgium Off-The Road (OTR) Tyre Market Outlook 9.1. Market Size & Forecast 9.1.1. By Value & Volume 10. Import-Export Analysis 11. Market Dynamics 11.1. Drivers 11.2. Challenges 12. Market Trends & Developments 12.1. Increasing Online Tyre Sales 12.2. Growing Penetration of Winter Tyres 12.3. Rising Demand for OTR Tyres 12.4. Growing Demand for Electric Vehicles 12.5. Added Safety with TPMS 13. Policy & Regulatory Landscape 14. Belgium Economic Profile 15. Competitive Landscape 15.1. Michelin Belux SA 15.2. Bridgestone Europe S.A 15.3. Pirelli Tyres Belux NV / SA 15.4. N.V. Apollo Vredestein BeLux S.A. 15.5. Hankook Tire 15.6. Nokian Tyres PLC 15.7. N.V. Yokohama Belgium S.A. 15.8. Goodyear Dunlop Tires Belgium N.V. 15.9. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company 15.10. Kumho Tire Co. 16. Strategic Recommendations For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/7mpfxw/belgium_tyre Related Topics: Automotive Tires Media Contact: Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] 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 SOURCE Research and Markets Related Links http://www.researchandmarkets.com - ResMed files patent infringement actions against Fisher & Paykel Healthcare in U.S., German and New Zealand courts and in the U.S. International Trade Commission - German court stops the sale of F&P Simplus, Eson and Eson 2 masks - ResMed asks court to declare F&P patents invalid or not infringed SAN DIEGO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ResMed (NYSE: RMD), the world's leading tech-driven medical device company and innovator in sleep-disordered breathing and respiratory care, announced today it has filed legal actions with the United States International Trade Commission, the United States District Court for the Southern District of California in San Diego (3:16-cv-02072-JAH-MDD), as well as courts in New Zealand and Germany, to stop the infringement of its patented technology by New Zealand-based medical device manufacturer Fisher & Paykel Healthcare. "ResMed is known for its commitment to providing patients with high-quality products that result from sustained, substantial investment in research and development and a focus on each user's needs," said ResMed global general counsel and chief administrative officer David Pendarvis. "ResMed's proprietary designs and superior innovative technologies reflect these priorities." "We remain steadfast in our commitment to defend our intellectual property wherever necessary to ensure patients receive the high-quality care they deserve. We are confident that when the courts hear all the evidence, ResMed will prevail on its case and defeat any claims asserted by Fisher & Paykel." In the U.S. International Trade Commission, ResMed seeks an injunction banning importation of Fisher & Paykel Simplus full face mask, Eson nasal mask and Eson 2 nasal mask. In the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, ResMed asserts that Fisher & Paykel Healthcare's Simplus full face mask, Eson nasal mask and Eson 2 nasal mask infringe ResMed's patents relating to modular mask systems, headgear design, and cushion design. ResMed also asked the San Diego court to invalidate patents that Fisher & Paykel recently asserted against ResMed, to declare that ResMed does not infringe those patents, or both. ResMed has also initiated preliminary injunction proceedings in Germany, and a suit in New Zealand, to stop infringement in those countries. In the German proceedings, the District Court in Munich has already entered two preliminary injunctions to stop the sale of Simplus, Eson and Eson 2 masks in Germany based on infringement of German parts of two of ResMeds European patents. In New Zealand, ResMed is asking an Auckland court to stop Fisher & Paykel from manufacturing and exporting infringing masks from that country. About ResMed ResMed (NYSE:RMD) changes lives with award-winning medical devices and cutting-edge cloud-based software applications that better diagnose, treat and manage sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other chronic diseases. ResMed is a global leader in connected care, with more than 2 million patients remotely monitored every day. Our 5,000-strong team is committed to creating the world's best tech-driven medical device company improving quality of life, reducing the impact of chronic disease, and saving healthcare costs in more than 100 countries. ResMed.com | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn Contacts: For News Media: For Investors: Alison Graves Agnes Lee Global Corporate Communications Senior Director, Investor Relations O: 858-836-6789 O: 858-836-5971 [email protected] [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140310/LA79234LOGO-a SOURCE ResMed Inc. Related Links http://www.resmed.com With the launch of Romeo Power , Patterson and Harris apply their expertise to establish the global company as an alternative energy powerhouse. Romeo Power designs and manufactures electric vehicle, consumer and industrial battery systems that are optimized to store more energy and deliver more robust, reliable power and solar charging capabilities. Its EV and consumer lines will launch in early 2017. Romeo Power is currently working with local governments in Nevada and California to select a manufacturing facility for its electric vehicle battery packs. Using their extensive expertise in all facets of battery design and production, Romeo Power engineers crafted a system that is highly optimized to store more energy and deliver more power, more efficiently and safely. In addition to its EV line, Romeo Power designs and manufactures consumer and industrial battery inverters that empower developing communities without reliable grid access to transform solar or kinetic energy to electricity. These systems feature a longer battery life, more energy and power, and a faster recharge than other batteries on the market today. Romeo Power's founders have a track record for success. Founder and CEO Michael Patterson is a seasoned tech entrepreneur who has founded, grown and scaled numerous successful tech ventures. Before launching Romeo Power, he founded InAuth, now the default mobile security solution for the major financials in the U.S. He was also the visionary Founder of Smobile Systems, a mobile anti-virus product acquired by Juniper; and FedCel, the leading mobile telecom expense management system acquired by Profitline. Co-Founder and CTO Porter Harris is a renowned battery engineer. Before co-founding Romeo Power, Harris was Chief Battery Architect for Faraday Future, where he designed battery strings for the company's variable platform architecture. At SpaceX, the technology expert spearheaded the development of batteries for the F9 rocket. He also contributed to the development of the Crew Dragon Spacecraft life support systems. With more than 50 employees and unparalleled expertise in battery design and engineering, Romeo Power is an undeniable energy powerhouse. The startup is headquartered in Santa Monica with an international team based in New Delhi. For more on Romeo Power and its visionary founders, visit http://romeopower.com. Twitter: @RomeoPowered For more information, please contact: Jennifer Gross Evolutionary Media Group 323-658-8700 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398769 SOURCE Romeo Power Related Links http://www.romeopower.com Apple CEO Tim Cook reveals plan to build a research and development center in China. (Photo : Getty Images) Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook revealed plans of increasing investment in China as the demand for smartphones and products from the Cupertino-based firm slows in the country. China is Apple's second biggest iPhone market in the world but it is also becoming one of the toughest places to business both in the tech industry and in any trade in general. Advertisement Because of this, Apple decided to boost sales in China by establishing a research and development facility in the country by the end of the year, Reuters reported. Apple's Research and Development Facility Reuters said that Cook made the announcement of bringing in more investments to China while speaking to the country's Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli on Tuesday which was aired by state TV network CCTV. According to the Wall Street Journal, the bigger investment entails the erection of an independent research and development (R&D) center in the Middle Kingdom that serve as a home to the growing collection of Apple talents in the country. "We look forward to expanding our operations in China with a new Research and Development center as we continue to grow our talented team here," Cook said. Citing an Apple spokesperson, the WSJ said that the R&D facility would provide an avenue for the development of innovative products as well as "strengthening relationships with local partners and universities." However, Cook refused to relay any more details on the project though many are speculating that it is a bid to increase profit from the nation where iPhones sales started to drop. Apple Sales in China Apple is gradually making its presence known to the Chinese via several impressive investments to Chinese businesses including the cab-hailing firm Didi Chuxing. As previously reported, Didi Chuxing received a hefty $1 billion investment from the iPhone-maker which was announced during Cook's visit in Beijing in May. After that, Didi successfully conquered the entire cab-hailing market in the country after forcing Uber to sell out its China branch to its biggest competitor. In a report from The Verge, Cook was quoted saying that such investment was made "for a number of strategic reasons, including a chance to learn more about certain segments of the China market." This reveals that the end goal for all of this was to improve sales in the country which recently took a turn for the worse as iPhone shipments to China dropped 38.4 percent year-over-year during the second quarter, per a report from Engadget. No stranger to the community, Mike is a native of Halifax County and currently resides in Clarksville with his wife Nancy and daughter Victoria. Rowe is a 1985 graduate of Longwood University where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration before going on to complete the Virginia Bankers Association School of Bank Management Program in 1997. "A home is one of the single largest investments a person will make in their lifetime. It's the dream of homeownership that I have been blessed with the opportunity in helping many accomplish," says Mike. "Helping achieve the dream of homeownership is more than providing a mortgage, it's about building that strong, trusted relationship with a person or family that lasts for years to come." "Mike's energy and aspiration to deliver superior customer service makes him a natural fit with the CCB team," commented President and CEO James R. Black. "I am thrilled to welcome Rowe onboard, as his professionalism and enthusiasm for community involvement plays a vital role in our culture and strategy. Mike is actively involved with realtors and contractors in Southern Virginia and Northern North Carolina, where customer service is at its best." In addition to his professional accomplishments, Rowe is the treasurer for Clarkesville Community Players, a member of the Clarksville Chamber of Commerce, of which he was former past President, and along with his family, a member of Mecklenburg Baptist Church. CCB Bankshares, Inc. is a Virginia state chartered bank holding company headquartered in South Hill, Virginia and parent company to Citizens Community Bank. It operates six branches, three in south central Virginia and three in northern North Carolina, as well as a loan production office in North Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information and additional financial data, please visit www.ccbsite.com. This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that concern future events which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Any such statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses by the Bank and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances and at the time at which such statements are made. The Bank's actual results, events and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by any forward-looking statement. The Bank has no responsibility to update such forward-looking statements. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398906 SOURCE CCB Bankshares, Inc. Related Links http://www.ccbsite.com CHICAGO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Sasmar Pharmaceuticals today announced that is has acquired Aquatrove Biosciences, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on discovery, research and development in human reproductive health and fertility. Under the terms of the agreement, Sasmar, through its Australian based holding, acquired all stock in privately held Aquatrove in exchange for an upfront payment of an undisclosed sum in cash. The deal formally closed this week included Aquatrove's global portfolio of intellectual property, patents, and ownership of a rich pool of research data built up over the last 14 years. Like many pharmaceutical companies Sasmar is seeking biotechnology acquisitions to bolster product pipelines. Sasmar 's investment strengthens its position as an innovator in the global pharmaceutical market in over-the-counter products supporting health, fertility and reproduction. SASMAR 's President and CEO, John-Michael Mancini said "the acquisition captures the capability and knowhow built up over many years by the specialized team at Aquatrove and facilitates the realization of our plans for growth moving forward." In 2008 Sasmar first commercialized an Aquatrove patented formulation developed to help increase the chances of pregnancy that trying to conceive couples could use replacing regular personal lubricant with sexual intercourse during ovulation. Data on the novel formulation containing essential ions Calcium and Magnesium was presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the ASRM (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) and has since become the market leading fertility lubricant recommended by doctors. The product is marketed internationally in pharmacy and drug stores under the brand Conceive Plus. Exposure to over-the-counter personal lubricants results in rapid loss of sperm viability and motility. The combination of suboptimal pH, osmolality, and various additives in these lubricants results in sperm damage and an inability of the sperm to penetrate into the cervix, thereby negatively impacting conception. The formulation of the Conceive Plus product contains essential Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions and optimal pH and osmolality to better mimic the natural fertile cervical fluids to alleviate the problem of vaginal dryness and to assist couples trying-to-conceive. Sasmar received FDA 510(k) clearance for the product in late 2013 and plans to launch nationally in major U.S drug stores from September. About Sasmar Sasmar Pharmaceuticals is an Australian multinational pharmaceutical manufacturer focused on delivering products that benefit the lives of consumers. Its products are available in more than 70 countries from pharmacies, supermarkets, drug stores, clinics, and hospitals. Brands include SASMAR, Conceive Plus, and EREXIA. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium the company is also a major supplier of personal lubricants to the United Nations and other international NGOs helping in the efforts to reduce unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease including HIV/AIDS. Website: www.sasmar.com/co About Aquatrove Aquatrove Biosciences, Inc. was co-founded in Boston in 2005 by Dr. Boris Nikolic and Dr. Vineet Gupta faculty members from the Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts General Hospital to address the shortcomings in the market for simple, over-the-counter products to address issues relating to human fertility and conception. Website: www.aquatrove.com This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE Sasmar Pharmaceuticals Related Links http://www.sasmar.com NEW YORK, August 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Expanding population base, rising health concerns, growing consumer spending on lifestyle products and deteriorating air quality to drive Saudi Arabia air purifiers market New Age TechSci Research Logo (PRNewsFoto/New Age TechSci Research) According to TechSci Research report, "Saudi Arabia Air Purifiers Market By Filter Type, By End User, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021', Saudi Arabia air purifiers market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of over 17% during 2016 - 2021, owing to deteriorating air quality, rising awareness about the impact of indoor and outdoor pollution on human health and growing consumer awareness about benefits of using air purifiers. Increasing air pollution across the country can be attributed to rising vehicle fleet, which is leading to increasing emissions of harmful particulate matter that cause various respiratory diseases. According to OICA, passenger vehicle sales in Saudi Arabia grew from 460 thousand passenger cars in 2011 to 672 thousand passenger cars in 2015, thereby exhibiting a CAGR of around 10% during 2011 - 2015. In 2015, PM10 levels in the country were around 143 g/m. This coupled with expanding urban population base is anticipated to augur well for Saudi Arabia air purifiers market during the forecast period. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 ) Browse 19 market data Tables and 30 Figures spread through 123 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "Saudi Arabia Air Purifiers Market" https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/saudi-arabia-air-purifiers-market-by-filter-type-hepa-and-activated-carbon-hepa-activated-carbon-and-ion-ozone-generator-etc-by-end-user-residential-commercial-industrial-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/759.html Air quality in cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and Khobar is deteriorating due to high levels of particulate matter. This is driving penetration of air purifiers in the residential sector on account of increasing indoor air pollution and growing health consciousness among people. HEPA & activated carbon air purifiers dominated Saudi Arabia air purifiers market in 2015 and the segment is anticipated to continue its market dominance through 2021, on account of high efficiency of these air purifiers, rising applicability of these air purifiers in commercial and residential sectors and increasing awareness among end users about the benefits of these air purifiers. Download Sample Report @ https://www.techsciresearch.com/sample-report.aspx?cid=759 Customers can also request for 10% free customization on this report. "Rising vehicular pollution and increasing construction of new houses, apartments and shopping malls are the primary causes of deteriorating air quality in Saudi Arabia. In order to overcome health problems caused due to poor air quality, increasing number of people in the country are buying air purifiers to safeguard themselves from adverse health effects of air pollution. Air purifier companies operating in Saudi Arabia are also increasing their focus on rolling out latest technology products to attract customers and increase their penetration in the country's air purifiers market." said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "Saudi Arabia Air Purifiers Market By Filter Type, By End User, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021" has evaluated the future growth potential of Saudi Arabia air purifiers market and provides statistics and information on market size, consumer behavior and trends. The report is intended to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyses emerging trends along with essential drivers, challenges and opportunities in Saudi Arabia air purifiers market. Browse Related Reports US Air Purifier Market By Filter Type (HEPA and Activated Carbon; HEPA, Activated Carbon and Ion Ozone Generator; etc.), By End User (Commercial, Residential and Industrial), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021 https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/us-air-purifier-market-by-filter-type-hepa-and-activated-carbon-hepa-activated-carbon-and-ion-ozone-generator-etc-by-end-user-commercial-residential-and-industrial-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/722.html India Air Purifiers Market By Filter Type (HEPA and Activated Carbon; HEPA, Activated Carbon and Ion Ozone Generator; etc.), By End User Sector (Residential, Commercial & Industrial), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011-2021 https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/india-air-purifiers-market-by-filter-type-hepa-and-activated-carbon-hepa-activated-carbon-and-ion-ozone-generator-etc-by-end-user-sector-residential-commercial-industrial-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/689.html Saudi Arabia Air Conditioners Market By Product Type (Split, Window, VRF, Chillers and Others), Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021 https://www.techsciresearch.com/report/saudi-arabia-air-conditioners-market-by-product-type-split-window-vrf-chillers-and-others-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/629.html About TechSci Research TechSci Research is a leading global market research firm publishing premium market research reports. Serving 700 global clients with more than 600 premium market research studies, TechSci Research is serving clients across 11 different industrial verticals. TechSci Research specializes in research based consulting assignments in high growth and emerging markets, leading technologies and niche applications. Our workforce of more than 100 fulltime Analysts and Consultants employing innovative research solutions and tracking global and country specific high growth markets helps TechSci clients to lead rather than follow market trends. Contact Mr. Ken Mathews 708 Third Avenue, Manhattan, NY, New York - 10017 Tel: +1-646-360-1656 Email: [email protected] Connect with us on Twitter - https://twitter.com/TechSciResearch Connect with us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/techsci-research SOURCE TechSci Research NEW YORK, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Pomerantz LLP is investigating claims on behalf of investors of Power Solutions International, Inc. ("Power Solutions" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: PSIX). 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 Power Solutions 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 15, 2016, after the market closed, Power Solutions disclosed that the Company needed additional time to file its quarterly report for the quarter ended June 30, 2016 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Specifically, Power Solutions stated that the Company has not completed its financial statements "in light of an ongoing review of allegations made by a former employee" concerning "certain transactions involving revenue recognition." On this news, Power Solutions stock fell $1.52 per share, or 9.85%, to close at $13.91 on August 16, 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 CLEVELAND and HOUSTON, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Building homes on Mars and interplanetary travel are no longer the stuff of science fiction; the latest achievements in robotics are putting these dreams within our reach. Today, the science and space learning center Space Center Houston, innovation firm NineSigma and NASA's Centennial Challenges Program announced the launch of the Space Robotics Challenge. The $1 million challenge will help further space exploration while inspiring the next generation of scientists. The Space Robotics Challenge is part of the NASA Centennial Challenges Program, which was created to further NASA's journey to Mars while helping America maintain its technology leadership. It focuses on developing software to increase the autonomy of dexterous mobile robots, including NASA's humanoid Robonaut 5 (also known as Valkyrie), either in transit or on other planets. Competitors will be challenged to program R5 to perform "representative tasks" such as exiting a habitat airlock hatch, using a ladder to reach the surface, repairing a tire on a planetary rover and removing a power cable from storage and attaching it to a far-away connector, all while crossing irregular terrain. "The Space Robotics Challenge will engage all generations through innovative robotic design," said Space Center Houston's President and CEO William T. Harris. "As the need for advanced technology continues to grow, this challenge will expand the global effort to accelerate our robotic capabilities for space exploration." Registration for the Space Robotics Challenge begins today, with a qualifying round running from mid-September to mid-November. Finalists of that round will be announced in December and will engage in open practice from January to early June 2017. The final virtual competition will be held in June 2017, and winners will be announced at the end of June at Space Center Houston. "Citizen scientists," independent teams, research organizations and private companies are invited to submit proposals through NineSigma's Open Innovation community at www.NineSights.com. Challenge participants will vie for a prize pool of up to $900,000 and winners will receive funding to continue research and discovery. Space Center Houston also will manage a complementary challenge program for kindergarten through 12th grades and undergraduate students with a prize pool of up to $100,000. "Expanding the abilities of humanoid robots is critical for advancing human colonization of Mars, and for making life easier and better on our own planet," said NineSigma CEO Dr. Andy Zynga. "We are thrilled to help NASA reach out to experts with software development capabilities to move us closer to these goals." NineSigma, which has worked with NASA on other prize-based challenges, specializes in open innovation and helps organizations tap into a community of scientific and technical experts who have developed technologies that are ready to be incorporated into groundbreaking solutions. For more information, please go to www.spaceroboticschallenge.com and www.spacecenter.org. About NineSigma NineSigma connects organizations with external innovation resources to accelerate innovation in private, public and social sectors. NineSigma has the largest open global network of solution providers and an extensive database of existing solutions spanning numerous industries and technical disciplines. In 2015, the company was again named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America. Learn more at www.ninesigma.com or www.ninesights.com. About Space Center Houston The Manned Space Flight Education Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit science and space learning center with extensive educational programs. Space Center Houston is the cornerstone of its mission to inspire all generations through the wonders of space exploration. The center draws 1 million visitors annually, was called "The Big Draw" by USA Today and generates a $73 million annual economic impact in the greater Houston area. Space Center Houston is Houston's first and only Smithsonian Affiliate and the Official Visitor Center of NASA Johnson Space Center. More than 100,000 teachers and students from around the world visit the center annually to take part in extraordinary learning opportunities. For more information, go to www.spacecenter.org. About NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent government agency responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA's goal is to extend our senses to see the farthest reaches of the universe, while pushing the boundaries of human spaceflight farther from Earth than ever before. The Centennial Challenges program is part of the agency's Space Technology Mission Directorate. Through public challenges, STMD gathers the best and brightest minds in academia, industry and government to drive innovation and enable solutions in important technology focus areas. Learn more at www.nasa.winit. Press Contacts Dawn Ringel, Warner Communications, [email protected], 781-449-8456 Meridyth Moore, Space Center Houston, [email protected], 281-244-2139 Molly Porter, NASA Centennial Challenges, [email protected], 256-544-0034 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150827/261581LOGO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160816/398647LOGO SOURCE NineSigma Related Links http://spacecenter.org SAN DIEGO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Inc. Magazine announced today that Suja Juice Co., category leader in organic, non-GMO and cold-pressured beverages, was named number 13 on its 35th annual Inc. 5000, an exclusive ranking of the nation's fastest-growing private companies. Suja Juice's ranking on the list places them in the prestigious Inc. 500, reserved for the top 10% of brands on the Inc. 5000 list. Suja Juice was also given the distinct honor of being awarded the top company in the highly competitive 'Food & Beverage' category. To qualify for the Inc. 5000, companies must demonstrate a strong percentage revenue growth when comparing data from 2012 to 2015. Suja Juice has earned the title of 13th fastest-growing brand in the Inc. 5000 with an astounding growth rate of 10,511 percent. Since its inception in 2012, San Diego-based Suja Juice has produced nearly 100 million bottles of juice and was the first to offer organic, cold-pressed juice at a $3.99 price point as part of their core 'Suja' line. In late 2015, Suja Juice received a minority investment from the Coca-Cola Company, a deal that has allowed the brand to further their mission of democratizing organic juice through increased distribution. "We at Suja are truly humbled to receive this ranking by Inc. Magazine," says Jeff Church, CEO and co-founder at Suja Juice. "We have worked continuously over the past four years to make organic accessible to as many consumers as possible, while continuing to push the envelope with new innovations in the health & wellness space. It is truly an honor to be ranked as the fastest-growing in our category and as we gratefully accept this distinction, it only drives us to work that much harder." The 2016 Inc. 5000 will be unveiled online at Inc.com, with the top 500 companies featured in the September issue of Inc. Magazine. This year's list is among the most competitive crop in the history of the Inc. 5000. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and an interactive database that can be sorted by industry, region, and other criteria, can be found at www.inc.com/inc5000. Suja Juice has previously been awarded accolades such as the Forbes Most Promising Companies in America, ranking number #2 in 2015, up from #3 in 2014. About Suja Juice Suja JuiceTM is the leading organic, cold-pressured beverage company in the U.S., and is one of the only companies to be named to the Forbes Most Promising Companies list two years in a row, taking the No. 2 spot in 2015. Suja began from a shared dream to help people transform their lives through conscious nutrition. Today, Suja upholds its mission to democratize organics and put the highest quality juice in the hands of as many people as possible. Each of Suja's handcrafted lines are Certified Organic and verified Non-GMO by the Non-GMO Project. All juices, smoothies, waters and vinegars are cold-pressured using High Pressure Processing (HPP) to kill any harmful bacteria and preserve maximum nutrition and taste. With a wide range of cold-pressed organic offerings, Suja has a beverage for every lifestyle, and is notably the first juice company to offer organic, cold-pressured juice for under $4. Suja is available for purchase at most major grocery and natural foods stores nationwide, and can be purchased online at SujaJuice.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398792LOGO SOURCE Suja Juice Co. SEATTLE, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- For the third consecutive year, Talking Rain Beverage Company, the maker of Sparkling Ice flavored sparkling waters, has been named one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, ranking no. 2711 on this year's Inc. 5000 list. Winners will be honored in San Antonio on October 18-20 at The 35th Annual Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala. The Inc. 5000 list is a celebration of innovation within a network of entrepreneurial leaders, ranking companies by overall revenue growth over a three-year period. The average company on the list achieved a mind-boggling three-year growth of 433%. The Inc. 5000's aggregate revenue is $200 billion, and the companies on the list collectively generated 640,000 jobs over the past three years, or about 8% of all jobs created in the entire economy during that period. "The Inc. 5000 list stands out where it really counts," says Inc. President and Editor-In-Chief Eric Schurenberg. "It honors real achievement by a founder or a team of them. No one makes the Inc. 5000 without building something great usually from scratch. That's one of the hardest things to do in business, as every company founder knows. But without it, free enterprise fails." Talking Rain has experienced exponential growth over the past few years as Sparkling Ice has disrupted the beverage industry by slowing down consumer demand for sodas with an extensive offering of bold-flavored, better-for-you, sparkling beverage choices. Sales surpassed $650 million in 2015, resulting in 5900% sales growth since 2010; and with recent international expansions to the United Kingdom and Ireland, strong development in foodservice and a new product line of unsweetened sparkling waters with the latest launch of Sparkling Ice Essence of water, the brand's growth shows no signs of slowing. "We are incredibly honored to be recognized once again as one of the fastest-growing private companies on the Inc. 5000 list," noted Kevin Klock, president and CEO. "Achieving this accomplishment for the third year in a row is a testament to our talented and dedicated team, and we look forward to steady growth ahead as we continue our efforts toward building a global beverage brand." For more information about Talking Rain, please visit www.TalkingRain.com and www.facebook.com/SparklingICE. About Talking Rain Beverage Company The Talking Rain family of beverages includes thirst-quenching product lines: Sparkling Ice, Talking Rain Fusions, Talking Rain Mountain Spring Water and Talking Rain Sparkling Mountain Spring Water, all of which are created to refresh the body and renew the mind. For 28 years, Talking Rain has stayed true to its vision and its commitment to community by continually creating great tasting, refreshing beverages. For more information, visit www.talkingrain.com About Sparkling Ice Beverages Sparkling Ice beverages combine sparkling water, natural flavors, fruit juice and vitamins to offer great tasting, lightly carbonated beverages. Sparkling Ice is the Bold Side of Water, offering a bold-flavored, lightly-carbonated beverage that appeals to all age groups. Available in eleven refreshing flavors: Black Raspberry, Orange Mango, Pink Grapefruit, Kiwi Strawberry, Coconut Pineapple, Pomegranate Blueberry, Peach Nectarine, Lemon Lime, Crisp Apple, Cherry Limeade, Strawberry Watermelon and new in 2016 Black Cherry. Sparkling Ice Lemonades, launched in 2013, are available in three refreshing flavors: Classic Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade and Peach Lemonade. Sparkling Ice Teas launched nationally in 2015 and include Peach Tea, Raspberry Tea, Lemon Tea and Half & Half flavors. In 2016, the brand introduced the Sparkling Ice essence of sparkling water collection, which features four natural varieties free of sweeteners, artificial colors or preservatives. The essence of sparkling water collection includes Lemon Lime, Peach, Tangerine and a non-flavored variety. Sparkling Ice is part of the Talking Rain family of beverages, and retails for $1.19-$1.29. To locate Sparkling Ice, visit www.sparklingice.com/locate/. About Inc. Media Founded in 1979 and acquired in 2005 by Mansueto Ventures, Inc. is the only major brand dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies, with the aim to deliver real solutions for today's innovative company builders. Winner of the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in both 2014 and 2012. Total monthly audience reach for the brand has grown significantly from 2,000,000 in 2010 to over 15,000,000 today. For more information, visit www.inc.com. The Inc. 5000 is a list of the fastest-growing private companies in the nation. Started in 1982, this prestigious list of the nation's most successful private companies has become the hallmark of entrepreneurial success. The Inc. 5000 Conference & Awards Ceremony is an annual event that celebrates their remarkable achievements. The event also offers informative workshops, celebrated keynote speakers, and evening functions. For more information on Inc. and the Inc. 5000 Conference, visit http://conference.inc.com/. SOURCE Talking Rain Beverage Company Related Links http://www.talkingrain.com Mr . Nopparat Maythaveekulchai , president of TCEB revealed that, "The Business Meetings & Incentives or MI segment of the MICE industry has achieved its target last year in terms of visitor numbers and revenues. Last year the MICE industry as a whole attracted 1,095,995 visitors, contributing THB 95.9 billion baht (US$2.7 billion) to total MICE industry revenues. MICE customers from mainland China were ranked first, followed by the India, Singapore, Malaysia, USA, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia. Of this total, MI accounted for 516,663 group travelers generating revenues of 44.5 billion baht (US$1.25 billion). In the first three quarters of the 2016 fiscal year, Thailand welcomed 750,742 MICE travelers, generating revenues of 60.593 billion baht (US$1.7 billion). China dominates the market, followed by India and Singapore. Of this total, MI accounted for 393,859 visitors, generating 29.7 billion baht (US$ 837 million) in revenues" "Building on the continuing healthy growth of MI, TCEB recognises the importance of supporting the development and capability of the private sector in order to meet an expanding demand in the region and globally. This is the basis for establishing the Thailand Incentive & Meeting Exchange 2016 or TIME 2016 for the first time in Thailand. In a broad collaboration with private sector partners and industry bodies, the TIME 2016 initiative offers a new platform for knowledge sharing among MICE operators to support the MI business, for example in providing strategic marketing guidance and exchange of perspectives. It also aims to expand the MICE industry by targeting quality MICE travelers with high potential spending power. This will help to stimulate Thailand's broader economy. This first event is focused on the Chinese MICE market, which is highly diversified, with its own unique market structure and needs. Last year's strong growth in this market has continued into the third quarter of this fiscal year, highlighting the exciting potential of the Chinese market. TCEB aims to attract Chinese MICE events to Thailand through a series of marketing campaigns and promotions to present a wide range of innovative MICE products and services tailored to the Chinese market. We are confident that the TIME 2016 event can play a major role in helping Thai MICE operators boost both numbers and quality of Chinese MICE events held in Thailand." TIME 2016 will comprise the following three activities: Knowledge Exchange: a platform to exchange MI industry knowledge, in the form of a Forum with invited MI experts as keynote speakers, presenting key issues including analyses of China's MICE industry, selection of MICE destinations for Chinese organizations, etc. Approximately 150 Thai MICE industry operators will participate in the event. Business Exchange: A Table-top Session for direct business negotiations will create new sales and marketing opportunities for Thai MICE operators and more than 40 MICE Agents from China. Experience Exchange: A 'Mega Familiarisation Trip' to Phuket will be organised for 40-45 Chinese MICE agents, media and corporate customers, in order to create awareness of the potential and world-class quality of venues and amenities available, and promote the market among Chinese operators. Phuket is already gaining strong and increasing interest from Chinese MICE operators as a result of the success of Phuket as a MICE City. "In terms of TCEB's target for MI this year, we anticipate a total of 518,000 visitors in the MI segment, with total revenues around 44 billion baht (US$1.24 billion). We have set a target for the overall MICE industry of 1.06 million visitors, generating revenues of 92 billion baht (US$2.59 billion). Key MI events this year include Infinitus China Overseas Training 2016, with over 14,000 participants, and Pro-Health, with 5,500 visitors," Mr Nopparat said, in conclusion. For further information, please contact: Corporate Communications Division, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (Public Organization) Ms Arisara Thanuplang Tel: + 662 694 6095 Email: [email protected] Ms Kanokwan Kadeedang Tel: + 662 694 6006 Email: [email protected] Ms Titiwanlaya Thaimongkolrat Tel: + 662 694 6103 Email: [email protected] Ms Kwanchanok Otton Tel: + 662 694 6096 Email: [email protected] Ms Paniyada Mulalin Tel: + 662 694 6091 Email: [email protected] a publicist Tel: +662101 6860 Ms Thittaya (Jang) +6683 668 1112, Mr Kosin (Ton) +6681 566 2053, Mr Sorasak (Earth) +6689 406 5544 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/398814 SOURCE Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau Related Links http://www.tceb.or.th AVENTURA, Fla., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Benihana Inc. ("Benihana"), operator of Benihana, RA Sushi and Haru Sushi restaurants, today announced that it named Thomas J. Baldwin Chief Executive Officer and President, effective immediately. Baldwin currently serves on the Board of Directors of Benihana and is an advisor to Angelo, Gordon & Co., Benihana's principal investor. He will be based in Aventura, FL and responsible for Benihana's 100 Benihana, RA Sushi and Haru Sushi restaurants as well as the 10 Benihana franchised restaurants. Baldwin brings more than three decades of restaurant industry expertise to lead Benihana, having served in senior executive roles at both publicly-listed and privately-held companies. He was Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of Morton's Restaurant Group. During his twenty year tenure at Morton's, he led the company through two IPOs and is recognized throughout the restaurant industry for his role in building Morton's The Steakhouse into a global iconic brand and category leader. Throughout his career, he has also been active in multiple private equity-backed restaurant brands. Richard Leonard, Managing Director in Angelo, Gordon & Co.'s Private Equity Group, said, "We are very excited to have an executive of Tom's caliber lead Benihana, RA Sushi and Haru. Having worked directly with Tom for years, we have seen first-hand his commitment to fostering superior people-focused cultures and brands and creating unparalleled guest experiences, while delivering uncompromising quality standards, consistent execution and creative marketing. He brings extensive domestic and international experience in growth-oriented branded restaurants, and expertise in strategy, people resources, operations, marketing and real estate development that we are confident will further strengthen Benihana, RA Sushi and Haru for many years to come." Commenting on his appointment, Baldwin said, "I'm enthusiastic to lead the very talented Benihana team and these world-class brands into an important phase of development and growth. Benihana, RA Sushi and Haru are well-known for their creative and innovative menus and memorable dining experiences. As we build our business with great guest experiences, open new restaurants and enhance our brand value with our guests, I know we will be able to capitalize on the powerful growth opportunity in front of us." Leonard added, "On behalf of the Board I would like to thank Steve Shlemon for his many contributions and wish him continued success in his future endeavors." About Benihana Headquartered in Aventura, Florida, Benihana Inc. is the nation's leading operator of Japanese Teppanyaki and Sushi restaurants with 100 restaurants nationwide, including 66 Benihana restaurants, seven Haru Sushi restaurants and 27 RA Sushi restaurants. In addition, 10 franchised Benihana restaurants are operating in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. To learn more about Benihana Inc. and its three restaurant brands, please view the corporate video at www.benihana.com/about/company-video. About Angelo, Gordon & Co. Angelo, Gordon & Co., L.P. is a privately held limited partnership founded in November 1988, and currently manages approximately $26 billion. The Firm's investment focus centers around three core competencies - credit, real estate, and private equity. Angelo, Gordon has approximately 380 employees, approximately 150 of whom are investment professionals, and is headquartered in New York, with associated offices elsewhere in the US, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.angelogordon.com. SOURCE Benihana Inc. Related Links http://www.benihana.com "Snap-on Tools annual SFC is our most extensive opportunity to demonstrate the depth of support for our franchisees and their success," says Tom Kassouf, president of the Snap-on Tools Group. "More than 1,000 associates and suppliers were on hand, meeting with franchisees face-to-face to demonstrate new products, teach new methods and expose franchisees to the latest in technology to run their businesses. Our SFC goal is for every franchisee to refresh their knowledge of the many initiatives in support of the profitable growth of their franchise business; to experience the exceptional range of products available to their customers; and to share experiences with thousands of their fellow franchisees." The conference centered around a 144,000 square foot Product Expo displaying thousands of different products, including the latest innovations in hand tools, tool storage, power tools, diagnostics and shop and tech. In addition to a booth focusing on productivity and profitability, franchisees could learn from five different business seminars, ranging from hands-on diagnostics to a panel of fellow franchisees sharing best practices. A scale-version LEGO Snap-on mobile store and a custom tool storage aquarium by the creators of Animal Planet's "Tanked," were on display after being finished on site. As a part of the weekend events, Snap-on reserved the Universal Studios Florida theme park exclusively for franchisees and their guests during a special Snap-on Saturday Night. The festivities included drawings and giveaways, including a 1969 custom Camaro pool table in Snap-on red with working lights, real chrome, stainless steel bumpers, steel rims and a professional slate playing surface. Snap-on Saturday Night concluded with an exclusive concert by international country music stars Thompson Square. About Snap-on Tools Snap-on Tools is a subsidiary of Snap-on Incorporated, a leading global innovator, manufacturer and marketer of tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information and systems solutions for professional users performing critical tasks. Products and services include hand and power tools, tool storage, diagnostics software, information and management systems, shop equipment and other solutions for vehicle dealerships and repair centers, as well as for customers in industries, including aviation and aerospace, agriculture, construction, government and military, mining, natural resources, power generation and technical education. Snap-on Tools is one of the largest non-food franchise companies in the world, selling its products and services through franchisee, company-direct, distributor and Internet channels. Snap-on Incorporated, which was founded in 1920, is a $3.4 billion, S&P 500 company located in Kenosha, Wisconsin, with operations throughout the world. For additional information, visit www.snapon.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/399021 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160817/399028 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110210/DA46526LOGO-b SOURCE Snap-on Tools Related Links http://www.snapon.com 'W' is a 2016 South Korean television series, starring Lee Jong-Suk and Han Hyo-Joo. (Photo : Twitter/AuroraRain) South Korean actor Lee Jong-Suk revealed that he has his own strategy when it comes to choosing his next project. The 26-year-old Hallyu star currently stars in MBC's "W - Two Worlds" alongside actress Han Hyo-Joo. In a recent episode of tvN's "The List," which aired on Aug. 15, Monday, the "Pinocchio" actor shared how he chooses which projects to take a shot at. Lee is best known for his leading roles in 2012's "School 2013", 2013's "I Can Hear Your Voice" and 2014's "Doctor Stranger." Advertisement "I like sleeping or watching television at home," Soompi quoted Lee as saying. "I can indirectly experience things by watching dramas. By watching them, I learn and study what the general public prefers." Whether it is a Korean drama or a movie, Lee's biggest concert is that it is well written and it is something that the public can relate to. Hence, he became the youngest actor in history to be named the Best Actor at the Grimae Awards. Due to his rising popularity, Lee won the Most Popular Actor award at the 51st Baeksang Arts Awards. A wax figure of him also went on display in Hong Kong's Madame Tussauds, following actors Bae Yong-Joon, Lee Min-Ho, and Kim Soo-Hyun. Currently, Lee plays Kang Cheol, a protagonist in a comic series world, in MBC's fantasy drama "W - Two Worlds." On Aug. 17, Wednesday, MBC just released a program schedule to several local news outlets, revealing plans to resume broadcast for the drama's eighth episode. "W - Two Worlds" episode 8 was originally scheduled to air on Aug. 11. Along with the good news are four new images from the eagerly anticipated episode. In the released photos obtained by Naver TV, Kang Chul (Lee) and Oh Yeon Joo (Han) were standing atop the building where they first met. With the former's undaunted expression and the latter's entirely looking bothered, viewers are anxious as to what is ahead for the on-screen couple. Meanwhile, a source from the drama's production staff revealed that the entire cast and crew members are working with extra passion and fervor because of all the love they received from the viewers. The source added, "Please continue to send your support for everyone's hard work." Check out the trailer of "W - Two Worlds" episode 8 below: SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Trellis Energy, the leading provider of natural gas transaction management solutions, today announced that the latest version of the platform (Trellis 6.0) is the first to become 100 percent compliant with the North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) Wholesale Gas Quadrant Standards version 3.0. NAESB is an industry forum that develops standards that lead to a seamless, secure and accountable marketplace for wholesale and retail natural gas and electricity. While all interstate pipelines were to comply with the revised standards beginning on April 1, 2016, until the release of Trellis 6.0, there was no commercially available gas transaction management solution fully compliant with the latest NAESB standards. Over the course of the last year, Trellis worked with a number of multinational pipeline operators to develop a compliant platform. Initially implemented for a FERC regulated pipeline in the first quarter of 2016, Trellis is now offering the industry-proven solution as part of the commercially available Trellis platform. Among other changes, updates to the NAESB standard include a requirement that natural gas pipelines add an intraday nomination cycle to help synchronize all interstate gas pipelines. This means that pipelines will now have to confirm and schedule five times a day instead of four times previously. "This is not a trivial change, by any means," said Rakesh Agarwal, CEO and President, Trellis. "Natural gas pipelines run like a web across the entire country and are governed by complex regulations that differ between states. Adding in an additional nomination cycle has a direct impact and consequence on interconnecting pipeline processes for operators. With the successful implementation of this solution at some of the largest pipelines in the US, we are now able to offer this technology to all of our current and future customers. Trellis customers can simply deploy the latest version of our platform to immediately become compliant." Currently, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) can assess significant fines, which can run into millions of dollars each day if an audit fails. Trellis 6.0 helps pipeline companies easily become compliant with the newest standards and avoid these fines by simply updating the rules governing the web-based platform. In addition to compliance with NAESB 3.0 standards, Trellis' 6.0 platform offers: An integrated Information Posting Website: Trellis 6.0 introduces an Informational Posting website unified within the single platform management console. All transactions flow from the platform directly to the NAESB compliant informational posting website. Companies will no longer need to build separate non-secure EBB websites, craft complex integrations, upload files or commit extra budget to ensure that the data on the required informational posting site correctly reflects the data from their internal systems; this is done automatically and seamlessly in the Trellis platform. A built-in Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Platform: Integration with third-party systems and trading partners is made even easier with an EDI platform built right into the Trellis software. Transactions within the system are automatically converted into X12 EDI format for seamless workflow. Various data sets, including nominations, confirmations, notices, and capacity release fully support NAESB 3.0 compliance requirements. After deployment or update to Trellis 6.0, it is a simple configuration change for customers to add in new EDI partners. Additional improvements across various modules such as contracts, nominations, scheduling, and allocations. The single platform command center look and feel and usability are greatly improved in this latest version and updated events based email notifications and reporting enhancements make it much easier for internal and external users to complete their tasks efficiently. The solution has been proven at one of the largest pipelines in North America, striving to adhere to the highest standards of safety and compliance. With thousands of miles of pipelines running through North America, the minutest changes in rules and regulations can mean millions of dollars and several months spent updating systems to become compliant. With the streamlined and cost-efficient Trellis platform, the company didn't have to worry about any of this. In just a few days the company was able to migrate to the latest version of the Trellis platform, roll over operations, become compliant with the latest standards and report that status to auditors and assessors. Headquartered in San Francisco, Trellis Energy has already been selected by several leading energy companies including BP Pipeline, Chevron Pipeline, DTE Energy, Gaz Metro, NextEra Energy, ONE Gas, Pacific Gas & Electric and Tokyo Gas, among others. For more information on Trellis Energy, visit http://www.trellisenergy.com About Trellis Energy Trellis Energy helps Gas, Oil and Electric energy companies move to the digital world by providing software and services to better manage and operate energy assets. Trellis Energy's flagship software solution integrates and optimizes enterprise-wide transactions under a single, easy-to-use business management software platform that provides the business, economic and technical benefits of a SaaS, private cloud and on-premise solution. SOURCE Trellis Energy Related Links http://www.trellisenergy.com ATLANTA, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Triad Advisors, Inc. today announced that Pinkerton Retirement Specialists, LLC ("Pinkerton") has transitioned to the Triad Advisors broker-dealer and hybrid RIA multi-custodial platform. Pinkerton has a total of $627 million in client assets, as of July 25, 2016, in fee-based advisory and brokerage accounts. Triad Advisors is a leading independent broker-dealer supporting independent hybrid financial advisory practices and registered investment advisory (RIA) firms, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE MKT: LTS). Based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Pinkerton provides financial planning, wealth management and financial education services to a clientele of high-net-worth individuals and families, and to pensions, 401(k) plans, and foundations. Approximately half its clients are located in the Northwest and the rest are located nationwide. With a total staff of 27 professionals, including seven certified financial planners, Pinkerton provides a comprehensive, proactive approach to asset management and retirement planning, utilizing a broad range of investing tactics and philosophies, with the objective of enabling clients to grow their assets and exceed their retirement goals. Since its start over 29 years ago, the Pinkerton team has provided retirement education to over 10,000 retirees through its copyrighted Retirement Strategies and Asset Protection Workshop. Dan Pinkerton, Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pinkerton Retirement Specialists, said, "We're very pleased to join Triad Advisors' broker-dealer and their hybrid RIA platform. Previously, we used a "Swiss army knife" approach to our service providers which included having all our tools in one package, but after significant research we discovered we could improve our client experience through an unbundled approach that would allow us to offer the best tools and services available from multiple sources. That includes having our own RIA, working with the leading broker-dealer for servicing RIA firms, having access to a variety of top custodians, as well as offering the most advanced technology on the market. Triad understands our comprehensive way of doing business it's a perfect cultural match." "We were also attracted to Triad's relationship with Ladenburg Thalmann," he continued, "which gives us access to investment banking, initial public offerings, private placements and other sophisticated investment products that are only available to accredited investors." Nathan Stibbs, Executive Vice President, Chief Strategy Officer at Triad Advisors, said, "We are delighted to welcome Dan Pinkerton and his firm to Triad's community of independent financial advisors. Pinkerton Retirement Specialists has consistently been recognized as one of the very top financial advisory firms in the Northwest, and among the leading independent firms in the nation. We look forward to helping Pinkerton fulfill its vision for high-level client service and continuing on its steady growth trajectory." In late 2015, Pinkerton moved into a new 24,000-square-foot headquarters which provides significant capacity for adding new employees. The new building also houses the Idaho Wildlife Museum, which has one of the world's largest collections of bronze wildlife sculptures. The museum is open to Pinkerton clients and their guests, and on occasion for general public viewing. About Pinkerton Retirement Specialists Based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, Pinkerton Retirement Specialists is an independent financial advisory firm providing comprehensive financial planning and wealth management services to high-net- worth individuals and families, and to pensions, 401(k) plans, and foundations. With a total staff of 27 professionals, including seven certified financial planners, Pinkerton provides a comprehensive, proactive approach to asset management and retirement planning, utilizing a broad range of investing tactics and philosophies, with the objective of enabling clients to grow their assets and exceed their retirement goals. Pinkerton has regularly ranked among the top independent advisory firms in the Northwest and in the nation. For more information, please visit www.pinkertonretirement.com. About Triad Advisors Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Triad Advisors, Inc. is a national, independent broker-dealer and multi-custodial SEC-Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that is an early pioneer and continued leader in the Hybrid RIA marketplace. The company provides a comprehensive platform of products, trading and technology systems, as well as customized wealth management solutions. Recognized as one of the most successful and fastest-growing independent broker-dealers in the industry (including being named the leading broker-dealer for Hybrid RIAs seven years in a row by Investment Advisor magazine), Triad Advisors is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. (NYSE MKT: LTS). For more information, please visit www.triad-advisors.com. Media Contact: Matthew Griffes / Joseph Kuo Haven Tower Group LLC 424 652 6520, ext. 103 / 424 652 6520, ext 101 [email protected] or [email protected] SOURCE Triad Advisors, Inc. Related Links http://www.triad-advisors.com CHANGZHOU, China, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Trina Solar Limited (NYSE: TSL) ("Trina Solar" or the "Company"), a global leader in photovoltaic ("PV") modules, solutions, and services, today announced that it will hold its 2016 annual general meeting of shareholders on September 19, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. (Beijing Time). The meeting will be held at the board room, Changzhou Trina Solar Energy Co., Ltd., No. 2 Tian He Road, Electronics Park, New District, Changzhou, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China. All shareholders of record as of August 17, 2016 will be eligible to vote and are invited to attend. The following resolutions are to be considered and passed, if thought fit, at the meeting: Re-election of Mr. YEUNG Kwok On as a director of the Company; Re-election of Mr. ZHAO Qian as a director of the Company; and Appointment of KPMG as an auditor of the Company to audit the accounts of the Company for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2016 and that the board of directors or the audit committee of the board of directors of the Company shall fix the fee for KPMG. About Trina Solar Limited Trina Solar Limited (NYSE:TSL) is a global leader in photovoltaic modules, solutions and services. Founded in 1997 as a PV system integrator, Trina Solar today drives smart energy together with installers, distributors, utilities and developers worldwide. The company's industry-leading position is based on innovation excellence, superior product quality, vertically integrated capabilities and environmental stewardship. For more information, please visit www.trinasolar.com. Trina Solar Limited Christensen IR Merry Xu, Interim CFO Linda Bergkamp Email: [email protected] Phone: +1 480 614 3014 (US) Email: [email protected] Yvonne Young Investor Relations Director Email: [email protected] SOURCE Trina Solar Limited Related Links http://www.trinasolar.com HOLMDEL, N.J., Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vonage, a leading provider of Cloud Communications for business, has announced two key management appointments to enhance the leadership, support and growth of its Channel Partner program. Kyle Johnson has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Sales, reporting to Gregg Fiddes, Chief Sales Officer. With this promotion, Mr. Johnson becomes head of Vonage's Channel Sales, which provides more than 20 Master Agents and 350 Sub Agents with a one-stop shop for solutions and support to help them meet the full range of cloud communications needs for their business customers, whether they are serving large enterprises, mid-market companies or small businesses. "Kyle has demonstrated extraordinary success in sales leadership throughout his career, and we are thrilled to be able to tap into his experience with the indirect channel to lead Vonage's Channel Sales organization," said Mr. Fiddes. "Under his direction, we will continue to provide channel partners with deep sales, marketing, training and engineering support to help them leverage Vonage's robust offering of cloud communications solutions for businesses of any size." Vonage has also hired Gregg Rowe as Regional Vice President, Channel Sales, West, reporting to Mr. Johnson. Rowe is responsible for supporting Vonage's Channel Partners in the West Region of the United States as Vonage continues to expand its Channel Partner program through dedicated sales leadership and support for Master Agents, Sub Agents and other channel partners throughout the U.S. "We are thrilled to have Gregg join our team," Mr. Johnson said. "His deep experience in cloud communications and commitment to providing an exceptional partner experience will further strengthen the relationship between Vonage and our partners in the Western part of the country." Mr. Rowe joins Skyler Stewart, Regional Vice President, Channel Sales Mountain and Jim Regan, Regional Vice President, Channel Sales East, to lead one of the largest channel partner programs in the industry with more than 30 Vonage channel managers nationwide. This team, with nearly 200 years of combined industry experience, is also actively recruiting new Master Agents and other channel partners to further expand the company's reach. Mr. Johnson has two decades of sales and channel management experience, where he developed and executed proven sales initiatives to drive customer acquisition, business development, partner retention and achievement of revenue goals for teams throughout the U.S. In addition to his responsibilities as head of Channel Sales, he also leads Telesales for the entire Vonage organization. He joined Vonage in 2013 as Vice President of Sales upon the Company's acquisition of Vocalocity. At Vocalocity, Kyle directed and managed national and regional sales teams, promoting hosted voice, cloud and security solutions to enterprises. Mr. Rowe comes to Vonage from Lightstream, where he was the managing cloud co-director for solutions integration responsible for developing new lines of business for Lightstream's cloud computing service. Prior to Lightstream, he held a number of sales management roles at CenturyLink (Qwest), last serving as area vice president. Vonage continues to invest in sales, marketing and technology infrastructure to support the success of its channel partners. Vonage provides channel partners with a single destination with multiple options for each customer, providing them with access to flexible product solutions and services that meet the needs of businesses. Mr. Johnson's promotion and the hiring of Mr. Rowe further reinforce Vonage's commitment to channel partners and the significance of the channel to Vonage's overall goal of becoming the leader in cloud communications for business. About Vonage Vonage (NYSE: VG) is a leading provider of cloud communications services for businesses. Vonage transforms the way people work and businesses operate through a portfolio of communications solutions that enable internal collaboration among employees, while also keeping companies closely connected with their customers, across any mode of communication, on any device. The Company also provides a robust suite of feature-rich residential communication solutions. In 2015, the Company was named a Visionary in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Unified Communications as-a-Service, Worldwide and also earned the Frost & Sullivan Growth Excellence Leadership Award for Hosted IP and Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) Services. For more information, visit www.vonage.com. Vonage Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Holmdel, New Jersey. Vonage is a registered trademark of Vonage Marketing LLC, owned by Vonage America Inc. Vonage Business Solutions and Telesphere, a Vonage Company, are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Vonage Holdings Corp. To follow Vonage on Twitter, please visit www.twitter.com/vonage. To become a fan on Facebook, go to www.facebook.com/vonage. To subscribe on YouTube, visit www.youtube.com/vonage. SOURCE Vonage Related Links http://www.vonage.com HIGH RIVER, AB, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Western Financial Group (Western) and its Board of Directors announce the appointment of Patrick Bieleny as the organization's President and Chief Executive Officer. Patrick succeeds Paul Taylor, who retired on July 4. Mr. Bieleny will oversee Western's Network of insurance brokerages and all of Western's business units including Western Financial Group Insurance Solutions and Western Life Assurance Company. Mr. Bieleny will also act as CEO of Western Financial Insurance Company (Petsecure) until ownership passes over to Economical. His diverse background and experience includes most recently serving as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of XALTA Capital Partners Ltd., an Alberta based private equity and investment firm. He has served in senior executive positions in the agricultural, food and oil industries throughout Alberta. Patrick is a director of the Chartered Professional Accountants of Alberta and a past Director of Agriculture Financial Services Corporation, an Alberta Crown Corporation. "My board colleagues and I are delighted that Patrick Bieleny has agreed to join Western and we're confident he can lead the team to build on our strong foundation," said Jim Dinning, chair of the board of Western. "Patrick has a strong track record of operational excellence. We're excited to work with him as he and the team delivers quality service for our customers across western Canada." "I'm honoured to have the opportunity to lead Western. It is a terrific organization with dedicated employees and I look forward to all that we can accomplish together," said Mr. Bieleny. Mr. Bieleny will assume the President and CEO role effective August 22nd, 2016. About Western Financial Group Western Financial Group is a diversified insurance company that serves more than 800,000 customers across Western Canada. Founded in 1996 and headquartered in High River, Alberta, Western Provides personal and business insurance services through more than 160 office locations and affiliates. With a skilled team of more than 1,800 employees, Western is committed to building the strongest insurance organization in Western Canada. Western Financial Group is a subsidiary of Desjardins Group, the leading cooperative financial group in Canada. SOURCE Western Financial Group Related Links http://www.westernfinancialgroup.ca SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthline Media, which provides health and wellness information and support to consumers through its website, Healthline.com, today announced it has grown its health site, Healthline.com, 39% in the United States (June 2016) and has become one of the fastest growing health brands. Healthline Media also is the second largest digital health media network** with nearly 63 million unique visitors a month (June 2016). Healthline Media includes Healthline.com, recently acquired MedicalNewsToday.com, and exclusive types of media distribution across the Top 5 health information web domains, including Livestrong and Drugs.com. Reaching consumers at today's critical points of search and social engagement, Healthline produces timely original content for 132 therapy areas, 24 Facebook health communities and 23 topic newsletters to help health seekers better understand and live with medical conditions and balance wellness issues. "Becoming an ally for consumers does not happen overnight. Healthline has been on a long, deliberate, mission-driven journey, employing a 'user research first' strategy for its content," says David Kopp, CEO of Healthline Media. "We are proud to announce today that it is working. Outpacing competitive sites in growth and achieving Top 3 leadership positioning for the market means we are uniquely effective at answering the questions and concerns of health seekers. We meet users in their most critical information channels: search and social." "Differentiated, empathy-minded content is our approach to earning and retaining consumer trust," says Healthline Editor-in-Chief, Tracy Stickler. "We create content on demand, and, in response to the specific questions and conversations happening each and every day about health. We analyze both the spoken and unspoken needs that our data reveals and focus on producing a better, more engaging and 'human' content experience," says Stickler. The result: "A particular Healthline URL in Google's index can average about 25 times the visits of other top health websites' indexed URLs," says Healthline SVP of Marketing and Product, Tracy Rosecrans. "We use both a high-tech and high-touch approach to content and product design and it's powering our growth in such a rewarding way." As consumer engagement and loyalty to Healthline has increased, so has the success of its digital media products, with healthcare marketers regularly experiencing #1 and #2 campaign performance results with Healthline Media. "Healthline is focused on delivering on the promise of the Return on Relationship (ROR) for our audience and for our customers. That is why our near real-time data plays as much of a role as our handshakes and hugs," says Dante Gaudio, SVP of Healthline Media Sales. "Using data distilled from our Facebook communities and ratings as well as content on the dot com site, along with additional first-party data from our owned and exclusively-represented media properties, Healthline's team leverages quantitative and qualitative insights to fine-tune content marketing and media targeting. Our distinctive 'demand content' campaigns are rooted in data from our Healthline Planning Insights Lab. Furthermore, we make this data available to our agency partners to enable them to refine and improve their overall marketing ROI," says Gaudio. Today's news is the culmination of several strategic growth and branding moves for the company since the start of the year. In January, Healthline raised $95 million in growth equity financing from Summit Partners, establishing itself as a standalone entity. In March 2016, Healthline acquired MedicalNewsToday.com, currently the number one ranked (Google and Yahoo) website in the medical news category, as well as sister site MediLexicon.com, a comprehensive online database of medical abbreviations with over 200,000 definitions that are constantly updated. In June 2016, Healthline released its first consumer app focused on a chronic condition, MS Buddy, an app which allows individuals with multiple sclerosis to connect with and support one another. "One of the greatest challenges we all feel when dealing with a chronic and, at times, debilitating disease, is isolation, loneliness, and fear. Our MS Buddy app provides a daily match with someone of a similar profile to enable instant highly-personalized community and support," says Rosecrans. The native MS Buddy app is available for free in the App Store and Google Play. For more information or to speak with Healthline Media for additional details about today's announcement, please contact Nan-Kirsten Forte, SVP Brand Marketing at [email protected]. About Healthline Media Healthline Media is a San Francisco, CA-based company that provides health and wellness information to consumers through its website, Healthline.com. The company's mission is to be its users' most trusted ally in their pursuit of health and well-being. Healthline.com, which is the third largest and fastest-growing consumer health information site, offers medically reviewed clinical content that is authoritative, approachable and actionable. The privately held company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in New York, NY. For more information please call (415) 281-3100 or visit Healthline.com. *According to Healthline's custom ranking of competitor health information web domains based on comScore data. **According to Healthline's custom ranking of health-related media networks based on comScore data. Entities in ranking include AOL Networks Health, eHealthcare Solutions Full Network, Everyday Health, Healthline HealthWeb (Healthline's Health Media Network), Remedy Health Media Network, Sparkpeople.com, WebMD Health Network, and Your Total Health Network iVillage NBC. SOURCE Healthline Media Related Links http://www.healthline.com AMES, Iowa, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Workiva Inc. (NYSE: WK), creator of the Wdesk cloud-based productivity platform for enterprises, today announced that it will host a Financial Analyst Day on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California. The event will be held in conjunction with The Exchange Community, the company's annual user conference. The Workiva Financial Analyst Day will feature presentations by members of the Workiva executive team on Wdesk technology, products, sales and marketing. The event will also include Wdesk demonstrations and sessions with industry analysts. Financial Analyst Day presentations will be available in a live webcast from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. and from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. (Pacific Time). The webcasts will be available in the "Investor Relations" section of the company's website at www.workiva.com. A replay will be available until October 7, 2016. Registration is required to attend the Workiva Financial Analyst Day and the Wdesk user conference. To register, please contact Workiva investor relations at [email protected]. About The Exchange Community The Exchange Community is the annual Wdesk user conference that brings together Wdesk customers and industry leaders for three days of networking, learning and sharing best practices. The 2016 conference will be September 79, 2016 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California. To register and see the full conference agenda, click here or visit tec.workiva.com. About Workiva Workiva (NYSE:WK) created Wdesk, a cloud-based productivity platform for enterprises to collect, link, report and analyze business data with control and accountability. Thousands of organizations, including over 65 percent of the Fortune 500, use Wdesk. The platform's proprietary word processing, spreadsheet and presentation applications are integrated and built upon a data management engine, offering synchronized data, controlled collaboration, granular permissions and a full audit trail. Wdesk helps mitigate enterprise risk, improve productivity and give users confidence to make decisions with real-time data. Workiva employs more than 1,200 people with offices in 16 cities. The company is headquartered in Ames, Iowa. For more information, visit workiva.com. Claim not confirmed by FORTUNE or Time Inc. FORTUNE 500 is a registered trademark of Time Inc. and is used under license. FORTUNE and Time Inc. are not affiliated with, and do not endorse products or services of, Workiva Inc. Investor Relations Contact: Media Contact: Adam Rogers Kevin McCarthy Workiva Inc. Workiva Inc. (515) 663-4493 (515) 663-4471 [email protected] [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150213/175372LOGO SOURCE Workiva Inc. Related Links http://www.workiva.com SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Looklive announces an investment from Y Combinator and launches the Looklive app. On the Looklive app, men browse images of their favorite celebrities and the clothing they are wearing, then buy those items directly from the app. You can see what Kanye wore to lunch today or what Frank Underwood wore on last night's episode of House Of Cards. The men's fashion market is over $400 billion in annual sales and surprisingly is growing at a faster rate than the women's fashion market. "After 15 years of building fashion e-commerce companies, I saw it was time for a new approach," said Greg Selkoe, Co-founder, Looklive. "Looklive makes it easy to look great without being a fashion expert. It's like having the same fashion stylist that celebrities have." How it works: You open the Looklive app and choose what celebrities & influencers you consider stylish. Looklive will follow them for you. Our image analysis engine and editorial team crawl the Internet to show you different looks those celebrities wore, and then you have the option to buy exactly what they are wearing or a bargain version of it. Looklive already has over 60,000 products and 10,000 images of celebrity fashion looks visited by over 1 million users monthly. Looklive also has exclusive products and behind-the-scenes content from influencers like A$AP Ferg, designer Jeff Staple, and Grammy Award winner Ryan Leslie. "I'm excited to introduce a new shopping experience for men," said Cedric Rogers, CEO, Looklive. "Our technology uses data mining and image analysis to put all the latest styles and trends in your hand taking the hassle out of knowing what to wear." The Looklive platform also allows content providers to make their content shoppable. Today Looklive announces a partnership with Complex Media Group, the global youth media brand recently acquired by Verizon and Hearst. The Complex channel within the Looklive app will feature compelling images from the Complex image library made shoppable by Looklive. The founders of Looklive have had success in both fashion and technology. Greg Selkoe was founder of KarmaLoop, a leading men's e-commerce company that grew to $100 million in annual sales. Allen and Kyle Onyia are founders of UpscaleHype, a high-end lifestyle online magazine that focuses on what celebrities wear. Cedric J. Rogers is a 10-year Apple veteran working with the world's largest App Store on bringing amazing apps to market. Dr. Paul Judge has been co-founder and executive at several successful technology companies including CipherTrust, Pindrop and Luma. Looklive combined the teams, technology, and content of Looklive, Curateurs and UpscaleHype into one place to become the number one app for celebrity men's fashion. Looklive app is available here for iOS and on the web at Looklive.com. For more information on Looklive, visit Looklive.com. This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE Looklive Related Links http://www.looklive.com A J-15 takes-off from the Liaoning (Photo : PLAN) Chinese media is hyping the "growing combat capabilities" of China's only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning (CV-16), but has omitted mentioning the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) classifies this outdated carrier as a training ship that likely won't go to war given its many deficits. Advertisement State-run Chinese television last week lavished praise on the Liaoning, which war bought from the Soviet Union as the Riga, an Admiral Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier. The propaganda hype surrounding the Liaoning is seen as part of Beijing's campaign to reassure the public China has the naval strength to defend its interests in the South China Sea against the United States, Japan, Australia and their Asian allies. TV broadcasts showed the Liaoning with a complement of eight Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark carrier-based multi-role fighters on deck. Accompanying the J-15s were a Z-18J airborne early warning (AEW) and Z-18F anti-submarine (ASW) helicopter. Liaoning's J-15s use a ski jump to take-off from the carrier, a mode that greatly limits the number of weapons they can carry. The J-15 is also plagued by unreliable engines. Commentators noted the collection of aircraft on the Liaoning was the largest number of aircraft yet seen on the carrier and signifies China's plans to organize carrier battle fleets to patrol the Pacific. China plans to build three more carriers and has begun the construction of the first, the Type 001A, at the Dalian shipyards. "Once all eight aircraft fly out in formation, they have a strong combat capability," said Rear Admiral Yin Zhuo on a TV program earlier this month. He said the Liaoning can carry up to 20 aircraft (jets and helicopters), prompting Chinese media to note the carrier exhibits "growing combat capability." The presence of Z-18J and Z-18F helicopters never before seen together the J-15 on the Liaoning likely constitutes a full carrier air-wing. Cuties (Photo : Getty Images) Using brain-imaging data and behavioral experiments, scientists have found that dogs might prefer praise from their owners over food. This choice was uncovered by a new study that explored canine reward preferences published in the journal Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. Advertisement "We are trying to understand the basis of the dog-human bond and whether it's mainly about food, or about the relationship itself," said Gregory Berns, a neuroscientist at Emory University in the U.S. state of Georgia and lead author of the research. "Out of the 13 dogs that completed the study, we found that most of them either preferred praise from their owners over food, or they appeared to like both equally. Only two of the dogs were real chowhounds, showing a strong preference for the food." In this experiment, researchers began by training the dogs to associate three different objects with different outcomes. A pink toy truck signaled a food reward. A blue toy knight signaled verbal praise from the owner while a hairbrush signaled no reward and served as a control. The dogs were tested on the three objects while in an fMRI machine. Each dog underwent 32 trials for each of the three objects as their neural activity was recorded. All of the dogs showed a stronger neural activation for the reward stimuli compared to the stimulus that signaled no reward, and their responses covered a broad range. Four of the dogs showed a particularly strong activation for the stimulus that signaled praise from their owners. Nine of the dogs showed similar neural activation for both the praise stimulus and the food stimulus. And two of the dogs consistently showed more activation when shown the stimulus for food. The dogs then underwent a behavioral experiment. Each dog was familiarized with a room that contained a simple Y-shaped maze constructed from baby gates. One path of the maze led to a bowl of food and the other path to the dog's owner. The owners sat with their backs toward their dogs. The dog was then repeatedly released into the room and allowed to choose one of the paths. If they came to the owner, the owner praised them. "We found that the caudate response of each dog in the first experiment correlated with their choices in the second experiment," said Berns. "Dogs are individuals and their neurological profiles fit the behavioral choices they make. Most of the dogs alternated between food and owner, but the dogs with the strongest neural response to praise chose to go to their owners 80 to 90 percent of the time. It shows the importance of social reward and praise to dogs. It may be analogous to how we humans feel when someone praises us." The experiments lay the groundwork for asking more complicated questions about the canine experience of the world. The Berns' lab is currently exploring the ability of dogs to process and understand human language. "Dogs are hypersocial with humans and their integration into human ecology makes dogs a unique model for studying cross-species social bonding." If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Islamabad, Aug 11 : Baloch publisher and activist Abdul Wahid Baloch, who was seized on July 26 by Pakistani intelligence, remains missing, his family said in comments published on Thursday. Letters sent to higher authorities by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) inquiring about his disappearance have returned to its Karachi office. This was stated by Asad Iqbal Butt, vice chairperson of the HRCP's Sindh chapter, to the media at a press conference held by Wahid Baloch's family on Wednesday, the Dawn reported. "After forming a fact-finding mission, we sent several letters to the law enforcement authorities," he said. "Strangely, all the letters came back to us. And we found out that the letters had reached the authorities but were not received by them." Hani, one of Wahid Baloch's two daughters, explained how her father went missing. On July 26, Wahid Baloch, a telephone operator at the Civil Hospital in Karachi, was returning to Karachi from Digri in Mirpurkhas district after meeting friends and attending an event. A poet friend, Sabir Ali Sabir, was travelling with him along with his two children. Hani said their van was stopped at a toll plaza by two men in plain clothes who asked Wahid Baloch to step out and drove away with him in a blue vehicle. The local police refused to register a complaint, Hani said. "We were told that the intelligence agencies had picked up my father and police can't do much about it," she said. "A police officer asked us to wait for 90 days for my father to return." The family has filed a petition in the Sindh High Court demanding that if Wahid Baloch has done any wrong, he should be brought before a court. Balochistan, Pakistan's largest province by area, has been hit by unending violence including a low level Baloch insurgency. London, Aug 11 : Wikileaks founder Julian Assange will be questioned by Swedish prosecutors inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London, a media report said on Thursday. The Ecuadorian attorney general delivered a document agreeing to a request by the Swedish prosecutor to question Assange over a rape allegation, which he denies, the Guardian reported. "In the coming weeks, a date will be established for the proceedings to be held at the embassy of Ecuador in the UK," a statement issued in Ecuador said. Assange has been living inside the embassy for more than four years and has been granted political asylum by Ecuador. "Ecuador's foreign ministry reiterates its commitment to the asylum granted to Julian Assange in August 2012, and reaffirms that the protection afforded by the Ecuadorian state shall continue while the circumstances persist that led to the granting of asylum, namely fears of political persecution," the Guardian quoted the statement as saying. Assange had earlier offered to be questioned inside the embassy but Swedish prosecutors have only recently agreed. The whistleblower sought asylum to avoid extradition to Sweden because he feared he would then be sent to the US and put on trial for releasing secret American documents. Singapore, Aug 15 : The recently opened 298-keys hotel Ibis Styles Singapore on MacPherson is targeting Indian leisure travellers by working with leading travel operators. "A majority of our guests are from China, Vietnam, India, Australia... India is one of the top three nations. The other two are China and Vietnam," Ken Leow, Director of Sales and Marketing, told IANS. He said the hotel - a part of the French hospitality chain Accor Group - had tied up with tour operator Thomas Cook in India. Further, it was the first Ibis Styles branded hotel in Singapore. According to Leow, the hotel is located at the crossroads of MacPherson and Aljunied road, around 15 km from the Changi Airport, and sits atop Macpherson Mall, which is expected to open later this year. Earlier the plot housed the Windsor Hotel. The present owners carried out extensive remodelling, nearly doubling the number of rooms and opened the property for guests in April 2016. The Ibis Styles also has a swimming pool, restaurant, bar and a gym overlooking the pool. Leow agreed that the Chat & Chow restaurant gets bit crowded during the breakfast time - the hotel's room occupancy ratio is around 85 per cent with around 400 guests. "There will be restaurants once the mall is opened. Arrangements will be made for our guests to have breakfast (complimentary) in one of the restaurants," Leow said. The room tariff starts at Singapore $138 that includes complimentary breakfast and Internet access. The hotel has five different kinds of rooms including triple rooms as well as family rooms. "We will start offering free international calls to 10 countries," Leow added. According to Leow, the hotel is expecting more business from the small and medium business enterprises. (Venkatachari Jagannathan was recently in Singapore at the invitation from Accor Hotels. He can be contacted at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Los Angeles, Aug 17 : Actor Billy Bob Thornton has rejected claims that he had an affair with actor Johnny Depp's estranged wife Amber Heard. The 61-year-old, who stars alongside Heard in new film "London Fields", says allegations made by Depp are false, reports tmz.com. Thornton says that he never socialised with "The Danish Girl" actress off set, apart from a cast dinner, and rarely spent time with the 30-year-old on set. Their relationship was strictly professional, he said and added that he barely spoke to Depp either. Thornton has also assured his sixth wife and Puppeteer Connie Angland, whom he married in 2014, that he has not been unfaithful. New York, Aug 17 : Oscar-winning music maestro A.R. Rahman has been honoured by the America Tamil Sangam with its Tamil Ratna Award. Presenting the award after Rahman's concert at the United Nations General Assembly chamber on Monday, Sangam president Prakash Swamy said the double Oscar and double Grammy winner is "an embodiment of peace, humility and charity". Swamy said that having Rahman's concert to honour M.S. Subbulakshi, the doyen of Carnatic music, at the General Assembly - "the venue of peace" - was an historic occasion for global Tamils. The concert was sponsored by India's UN Mission and Sankara Nethralaya, a Chennai-based charity devoted restoring vision through treatment and medical education and research. Rahman thanked the Sangam for the honour. According to the Sangam, previous recipients of its Ratna award include Tamil movie director Bharathi Raja; Bharatha Natyam exponent Kamala Lakshman; Srinivasa Varadhan, the winner of the Abel Prize for mathematics; Connecticut Assemblyman Prasad Srinivasan, and Valavanur Subramaniam, a pioneer in minimally invasive cardiac surgery. Mumbai, Aug 17 : Reliance Brands, a part of the Mukesh Ambani-led industrial group, has entered into a master franchise pact with the premium Dutch youth fashion company, Scotch and Soda, to set up its stores in all major Indian cities by next year. "Reliance will also grow the brand through other channels of sale in India, such as ecommerce, travel commerce, and leading multi-brand department stores," the company said, adding the range will cover menswear, womenswear and childrenswear categories through all channels of sale. Scotch and Soda has over 160 stores of their own globally, and can be found in over 8,000 oher outlets, including the best global department stores, as also on their Web store. The merchandise is designed at their church-turned-studio in the heart of Amsterdam. "On the archipelago of fashion you have many islands. One island is for American sportswear another might be French luxury. Each island has several brands that share the same aspirations and dreams," said Scotch and Soda Chief Executive Dirk Jan Stoppelenburg. "Reliance recognizes our breakthrough brand of style and creativity. We are looking forward to growing our unique brand in collaboration with Reliance's expertise in this fashion market and in this very important region," he added. Darshan Mehta, President and Chief Executive of Reliance Brands said it was an irony that in an increasingly crowded premium fashion space, getting a good tee or a well washed and well-fitting denim is rare! "Scotch and Soda is one of the few companies dedicated to crafting quality garments rather than emphasising on the brand logo," he said, adding: "The brand's stores echo the theatre of their craft. Refreshingly differentiated. We now have the privilege and joy of partnering with them." Moscow, Aug 17 : Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the situation in Syria over the phone, authorities said. The two top most diplomats on Tuesday discussed the situation in Aleppo, where the Syrian government forces are carrying out a large-scale humanitarian operation with Russian support, Xinhua news agency quoted the Russian Foreign Ministry as saying. They discussed in detail preparations for implementing the agreement reached during Kerry's visit to Moscow on July 15 that called for coordinating efforts to combat terrorist groups in Syria and ensuring the cessation of hostilities, the ministry said. Flying with a full bomb load from the Hamedan air base in Iran, the warplanes on Tuesday conducted a group air strike against targets of the Islamic State and Jabhat Fath al-Sham terrorists in Aleppo, Dayr al-Zawr and Idlib province, it said. Beijing, Aug 17 : The South China Sea issue may have figured in the recent foreign ministers' meet of India and China, but the conjecture that Beijing tried to win New Delhi's support on the subject was wrong, state-run media said on Wednesday. An article in Global Times blamed Indian media for raking up the issue, whereas it said, New Delhi had kept a neutral stance on the South China Sea dispute despite pressure from the US and Japan. "The two nations may have discussed the issue during Wang's visit, and it is possible for both sides to clarify their own ideas, stances and policies over the matter. But the conjecture that Wang was trying to win India's support over the South China Sea by helping New Delhi with the NSG membership doesn't make sense at all," the article said. "When it comes to security, after the final award of the South China Sea arbitration was announced, the Indian government has kept a neutral stance despite the pressure from Washington and Tokyo. However, Indian media has spared no effort in linking Wang's visit to the South China Sea issue and the country's failure in joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)." India media had recently reported that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to New Delhi was aimed at courting India's support over the South China Sea dispute in lieu of Beijing supporting New Delhi's bid for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. "It was the US, not China, who made the relevant rules for NSG membership, and India failed to meet the criteria of entering the club. A dozen NSG members are now opposing India's bid, thus, it does not make sense for Indian media to point an accusing finger at China," said the daily. A subsidiary of People's Daily, Global Times has of late been acerbic towards Indian media, accusing it of spoiling the ties between two nations. The write-up clarified that Wang's visit to India was mainly focused on the upcoming G20 summit in China and the BRICS summit in India. The article said "there are some contradictions and frictions between China and India, but the overall bilateral relations have been developing smoothly." It also cautioned that turning into enemies was not in the interest of either of them. "We should not focus on the obstacles, but attach more importance to collaboration with mutual benefits. Due to some long-standing problems, such as territorial disputes, it might be hard for China and India to become true friends, but turning into enemies will not serve anyone's interests," it said. "For the moment, when we talk about Sino-Indian ties, we tend to use the phrase 'relations are generally stable without major conflicts'. Yet this should not be the highest expectation we hold for the relationship. Beijing and New Delhi have raised hopes for economic and trade cooperation, but turning them into reality requires wider consensus and more consultations." "Sino-Indian collaboration on economic and trade issues used to be one of the most positive parts of the bilateral relations. Yet joint works in this regard have not been going smoothly in recent years," it added. "Apart from the sluggish global economy, a major problem remains hard to resolve - India's growing trade deficit with China. Indian products are not competitive and New Delhi complains that Chinese markets are not open enough. Due to the remaining divergences, no good solution has yet been found." "Meanwhile, there is also no real progress on the Beijing-raised Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Economic Corridor, which is a vital part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Numerous reasons can be listed, including political changes and social turmoil in Myanmar." "More significantly, New Delhi has kept a negative attitude toward the initiative. It does not mean that India is not welcoming China's investment. Yet, given the nation's strategic interests, it does not fully trust China because part of the project goes through sensitive regions in India. China will hence listen to New Delhi's concerns and keep promoting the plan," it said. New York, Aug 17 : As polarisation among members of the two main political parties gets sharper in the run-up to the November 8 elections, a new research has found that the US presidential candidates generally take more "extreme" positions than those of their core supporters. "If extremism is a problem in presidential politics, it seems to be at least as much of a problem for Democrats as for Republicans," said study author Larry Bartels of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. The findings, published in the journal The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, suggest that neither party's candidates are more than minimally responsive to the preferences of the swing voters whose views define the center of the political spectrum. "My findings provide ample grounds for alarm for anyone who believes that presidential candidates should be responsive to the views of swing voters," Bartels said. Bartels compared the positions of presidential candidates from 1980 to 2012 on a variety of political issues to the preferences of swing voters and of their own core supporters. He used data from American National Election Studies surveys, utilising a "liberal-to-conservative" 100-point scale and adding viewpoints on government spending, government jobs, aid to African Americans, and defense spending. Bartels concluded that the candidates' unresponsiveness to swing voters is not merely a reflection of the influence of core party members. The parties' respective bases have indeed become more polarised in recent years, with the Republican base making the more substantial shift. However, candidates' positions are frequently even more "extreme" than those of their core supporters. "The idea that candidates' positions reflect strategic compromises between the preferences of core partisans and swing voters fares poorly here," Bartels wrote. "Perhaps they reflect the influence of much smaller, more extreme subsets of 'intense policy demanders' or big donors, activist groups, and grassroots conservative or liberal organisations distinct from the larger cadres of core partisans," he noted. Agartala, Aug 17 : Around 7.5 lakh Chakma tribals observed a 'black day' on Wednesday to protest the occupation of their original homeland in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in Bangladesh. Over 2.50 lakh Chakma tribals reside in Tripura, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. A section of the tribals also live in Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. Over five lakh Chakma tribals have been living in mountainous CHT in southeast Bangladesh. "The Chakma tribals in India and Bangladesh are observing the black day to protest the forced occupation of their original homeland in CHT in erstwhile East Pakistan by the Pakistani army," Chakma National Council of India (CNCI) secretary Santi Vikash Chakma told reporters. He said on August 17, 1947 when the rest of India had been celebrating independence from the British, darkness had descended on the Chakma homeland in CHT as the Baloch regiment of the Pakistani Army had invaded the area and pulled down the Indian national flag raised atop the Chakma king's royal palace in Rangamati, one of the 11 districts in Chittagong division. "According to the the Partition formula, the CHT comprising 97.5 per cent tribal population should have been included in India and this is what the Buddhist tribals had been keen about," Chakma said. He said the scattering of Chakma tribal people to various parts of northeast India was a direct result of the forcible occupation. "The Chakma tribals and other tribals of CHT have been orphaned by Partition. First the Pakistani government and then the military dictators of Bangladesh reduced us to minority by sponsoring demographic invasion". "The tribals in CHT are now second class citizens. The commission led by British barrister Cyril Radcliffe had not taken into account the demographic realities of CHT and had not even recommended a plebiscite before forcing the tribal people under Pakistan," he said. London, Aug 17 : A North Korean diplomat in London has defected and was seeking asylum in a third country with his family, authorities said. Thae Yong Ho, who served as deputy to the ambassador, was responsible for promoting the image of his country to British audiences, BBC news reported on Wednesday. He lived in Britain with his family for 10 years and disappeared from his home in west London several weeks ago. "A North Korean diplomat in London is going through procedures to seek asylum in a third country," South Korean media reported. "The North Korean embassy made belated attempts to figure out the diplomat's whereabouts, but failed," it said. "A high-level defection, if confirmed, will be deeply embarrassing for the regime," the report said. "London has always been an important diplomatic priority for North Korea given the amount of personnel stationed there and the considerable resources devoted by the regime to maintaining its presence there," it said. Neither the Foreign Office nor the embassy has commented yet on the development. New Delhi, Aug 17 : A simple reference towards the end of his Independence Day speech by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has thrown open Pakistan's festering Balochistan wound, rattling a neighbour India has for decades blamed for stoking trouble in Jammu and Kashmir. Modi, in tit-for-tat tactics, has thrown open a Pandora's Box that has geopolitical implications and holds the potential of changing the direction of India's foreign policy. Balochistan has been as troubling for Pakistan as Kashmir has been for India. But Pakistan's largest province has not received as much international attention as Kashmir -- mostly because the region, often described as a "black hole", is "no-go area" for journalists -- unlike Kashmir. On the other hand, Pakistan has always raked up the Kashmir issue globally and spoken about the alleged rights violations in India's only Muslim-majority state. The Pakistani province -- almost the size of France -- is rich in gas, gold, copper, oil and uranium, but it has been plagued by an unending cycle of violence and underdevelopment since the 1947 division of the sub-continent and the formation of India and Pakistan as separate nations. The restive province, spread over 40 per cent of Pakistan's total land mass but consisting of less than four per cent of its population, has never made global headlines despite activists alleging that security forces have been committing alleged genocide of Balochis to kill their aspirations for a free, sovereign nation. The history of the region is that of broken promises, rights abuses, induced poverty and repressive rule of elite Punjabis. Pakistan has been alleging that India's spy agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), has been stoking trouble in the region by sponsoring the separatist campaign there. India has always denied such allegations. Historically, Balochistan has never been part of the sub-continent and consisted of four princely states -- Kalat, Lasbela, Kharan and Makran -- under the British Raj. The region finds more similarities with Afghanistan and Iran than India or Pakistan. It is generally believed that Pakistan's first governor-general Mohammad Ali Jinnah coerced the last independent Baloch ruler Mir Ahmad Yar Khan to sign an instrument of accession. Some historical accounts, disputed by critics, says that three months before Pakistan was formed Jinnah had negotiated the freedom of Balochistan from the British. In fact, a communiquA dated August 11, 1947, stated that a standstill agreement had been made between Pakistan and the region, and discussions would take place between Pakistan and Khan with a view to reaching agreements on Defence, External Affairs and Communications. Despite the standstill agreement, the Pakistan Army, on March 26, 1948, moved into Baloch coastal regions. Days later, it was announced in Karachi that Khan has agreed to merge his state with Pakistan. What followed is a chronicle of bloodshed, denial of basic rights and acute deprivation amid military operations to crush any voice raised for freedom of the region. "The human rights situation in Balochistan is drastically deteriorating, with the region's respective governments failing at their most basic duty -- to protect the safety of their citizens and enforce the rule of law," says a report compiled after a last year Geneva conference titled "Balochistan in the Shadows". Angry over Pakistan's exploitation of the resources and its repressive rule, Balochis have so far launched five low-intensity armed insurgencies since 1948. A prominent Baloch activist, Naela Quadri, in an interview to IANS in April, accused Pakistan of resorting to "genocide" in response to the "political, democratic and secular" freedom struggle. "They have killed some 200,000 Balochis in the last decade. The Pakistan Army has participated in enforced disappearance of 25,000 people, including men and women," Quadri said. "They are using all the eight UN indicators of genocide, including dehumanisation, polarisation, extermination and denial." Mumbai, Aug 17 : Traffic police personnel across the city were pleasently surprised on Wednesday when groups of children tied rakhs on their wrists on the eve of Raksha Bandhan "to express their thanks for proteccting society". The rakhis were personally made by the children at the Arts and Crafts studio at KidZania, which is built like a city across 75,000 sq ft where children can independently explore and choose to role-play from 90-plus exciting careers. "KidZania believes that children can make a difference and influence change, so it's important to build an environment where they learn about social responsibility and community awareness. Taking this forward on the occasion of Raksha Nandhan we want to inspire children to thank the Mumbai traffic police for their tireless efforts in managing the city's traffic," a statement said. "We at KidZania Mumbai, wish to take a leaf out of the everyday lives of the Mumbai Police force spread some positivity? ?as we come together to say, Thank you Traffic police'," the statement said. The initiative was launched last year with then Police Commissioner Rakesh Maria and rakhis were tied on 500-plus policemen & women across Mumbai. New Delhi, Aug 17 : Former Union Minister Najma Heptulla, who resigned last month after crossing 75 years of age, has been appointed Governor of Manipur. Heptulla was among four Governors named by the Centre along with those for Assam, Punjab and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Former Member of Parliament V.P. Singh Badnore has been appointed Governor of Punjab, which is scheduled to have assembly polls next year, said an official communique from the Rashtrapati Bhawan. In other appointments, senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi has been appointed Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Banwarilal Purohit the Governor of Assam. Heptulla, 76, had resigned from the union cabinet on July 12, almost a week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expanded his Council of Ministers. She had to resign on age grounds as the BJP in an unwritten code had fixed the maximum age for ministers at 75. She will replace V. Shanmuganathan, who as Meghalaya Governor was holding additional charge of Manipur. Manipur, like Punjab, is headed for assembly elections next year. Badnore, a senior BJP leader from Rajasthan, has replaced Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, who was holding additional charge of Punjab after Shivraj Patil's term ended last year. Badnore, a four-time MLA from Rajasthan, was first elected to Lok Sabha from Bhilwara Parliamentary constituency and retained the seat in 2004. In 2010, Badnore was elected to the Rajya Sabha and served as member of various parliamentary committees. The 73-year-old Jagdish Mukhi has been appointed Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in place of Lt. General A.K. Singh (Retd). Mukhi, a BJP veteran from Delhi, represented Janakpuri assembly constituency for six terms. He also served as Leader of Opposition in the Delhi assembly. He was also Finance Minister of Delhi during the BJP regime from 1993-1998. Purohit, a former Congressmen from Maharashtra who later joined the BJP, has been three-time Member of Parliament from Nagpur. He also served as MLA in Maharashtra. In the 1980s, Purohit gained ownership of the Nagpur daily newspaper The Hitavada from the Servants of India Society. Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was so far holding additional charge of Assam. Hyderabad, Aug 17 : Mumbai-based Lupin Pharmaceuticals is India's most reputed pharmaceutical brand, said a report by Bluebytes, a leading media-analytics company on Wednesday. Sun Pharma is the second most reputed brand while Cipla is at third position. Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy's Laboratories stands at fourth, according to a statemet from Bluebytes. Eight Hyderabad-based brands have made it to the list. Aurobindo Pharma occupies 11th position while Natco Pharma stood at 21st place in the list. Suven Life Sciences ranked at 40, Divis Laboratories at 44th, Zenotech Laboratotries at 48th, Indian Immunologicals at 49th and Biological E. ranked 52nd. Among global brands GSK leads the way followed by Pfizer. Abbott's ranked India's third most reputed among International brands. There were 41 domestic and 17 international pharmaceutical brands listed in the study by BlueBytes conducted in association with TRA Research (both part of the Comniscient Group) which released 'India's Most Reputed Pharmaceutical Brands 2016'. This report is the second in the India's most reputed brands series, and the company is set to launch a report each month covering different sectors. The study evaluates brand's brand reputation by analysing media and consumer perceptions. "India's reputation as the largest producer of generic drugs in the world has become vulnerable in light of the changing patent regime in the country. Reports say that by 2020, India is likely to be among the top three pharmaceutical markets by incremental growth and sixth largest market globally in absolute size," said Pooja Kaura, Chief Spokesperson for India's Most Reputed Brands. Anand (Gujarat), Aug 17 : India's oldest dairy co-operative, the Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers Union also known as Amul Dairy, announced on Wednesday that it will set up a state-of-the-art ice cream manufacturing facility at Khed City in Pune. "Managing Director Amul Dairy K. Rathnam signed an MoU with Khed Economic Infrastructure Pvt Ltd on July 30, 2016," the company said in a statement here. "Khed City is one of India's smart emerging industrial townships in Pune district, being developed over 4,200 acres by Khed Economic Infrastructure Pvt Ltd (KEIPL), a joint venture company between Kalyani Group and Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC)," it added. "Pune is our largest market for Amul ice cream and currently there is a supply shortage. We wanted a quick set up in and around Pune, and obviously, Khed City qualifies as our preferred destination," Rathnam said in the statement. "We have got around 11 acres land in Khed City for our new dairy plant. The facility is planned to commence its operation in twelve to eighteen months with an estimated investment of over Rs 120 crore," he added. Amul will manufacture ice cream and other milk products in Khed City, where the plant will have 6 lakh litres per day capacity, the company said. "The direct beneficiaries will be farmers associated with animal husbandry for producing milk. The local milk producing farmers will now have access to nationwide established market," the statement said. Amul already has 13 plants at Anand, Mogar, Khatraj, Kanjari, Kapdivav in Gujarat apart from those at Virar, Pune, Kolkata, Punjab, Siliguri and one in the US. Chandigarh, Aug 17 : The Punjab government has given its nod for the export of 20,000 metric tonnes of Kinnow, a citrus variety, from the state. "The move follows the successful venture to export around 5,000 MT of Kinnow to Russia, Ukraine and Middle East last year," a spokesman from the chief minister's office said here on Wednesday. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal gave the go ahead to a proposal of Punjab Agro Corporation to export Kinnows to other countries in the coming season. The Chief Minister has directed Punjab Agro Managing Director K.S. Pannu to take measures to set up a sufficient cold chain infrastructure in Punjab in the next four months for ensuring long distance marketing of Kinnow in the domestic and international markets. "This is likely to immensely benefit the Kinnow growers of the state," the spokesman said. To improve farm practices of Kinnow harvesting in line with international standards, the Chief Minister has also approved the proposal to import citrus fruit clippers and harvesting bags, besides providing specialised training to labour engaged in fruit picking in orchards. Badal also sanctioned a financial grant of Rs 10 crore to Punjab Agro for immediate improvement of the cold chain infrastructure for Kinnow marketing. "International standard post harvest fungicide laden wax would also be imported in the state to ensure long storage life of Kinnow," the spokesman said. "In order to take Kinnow to distant marketing centres, the railways ministry has been requested to provide refrigerated wagons from Abohar, Bathinda and Hoshiarpur railway stations, thereby covering the Kinnow hubs of the state," the spokesman said. It has also been decided to ensure participation of progressive Kinnow growers in international fruit trade fairs, especially one of the biggest trade fairs in Russia, he added. New Delhi, Aug 17 : The Cellular Operators' Association of India (COAI) has rejected Reliance Jio's request for additional point of interconnect from its member companies, saying the optimal link has already been provided. "The members of COAI would like to clarify that they have already provided Reliance Jio with enough interconnect capacity to meet the usual demand of 15 to 20 million customers," said COAI Director General Rajan S. Mathews. "We understand Reliance Jio presently has approximately 2 to 3 million customers using their network. Hence, we are unable to substantiate Reliance Jio's claim for additional capacity," he added. This was also conveyed to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) following a letter from Reliance Jio. Earlier, in a letter to the watchdog, Reliance Jio requested for directives to the existing service providers (telcos) to immediately provide interconnection to its Jio 4G network with their own, in the spirit of the licensing agreements. It also asked the TRAI to take appropriate action against those companies that delay such a provisioning of points of interconnect to Jio in gross violation of the licensing agreements and applicable regulations. Quoting from licensing accords, Reliance Jio said in its letter to TRAI Chairman R.S. Sharma that operators must extend requisite points of interconnect, of sufficient capacity and in sufficient numbers to ensure that calls are completed to all destinations. The company said the current number of interconnect points being provided to Reliance Jio are far from adequate as the failure rate is in excess of 65 per cent, resulting in more than 1.6 crore call failures per day between Reliance Jio and the networks of Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea. On August 12, chief executives of top mobile companies, under the umbrella of the COAI, called on Communications Minister Manoj Sinha to express concerns over alleged favouritism towards new players in the sector. The meeting came a day after a rather unprecedented move, wherein the association even wrote to the Prime Minister's Office complaining about the industry watchdog and contending that some of its moves discriminated against existing players. A similar missive was also flagged to the Department of Telecom (DoT), which also specifically alleged that Reliance Jio has launched a full commercial service in the garb of test runs, while expressing concern over some consultation papers floated by the watchdog recently. Reliance Jio had countered the claim, saying its tests are bona fide and were aimed at delivering high-quality service. Beijing, Aug 17 : China and ten member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) agreed to finalise the framework for a maritime code of conduct to ease tensions in the South China Sea by mid-2017. The agreement was reached during a meeting at Inner Mongolia in northern China on August 15 and 16, media reports cited a Chinese official as saying. China and the 10 members of Asean since 2010 have been discussing a set of rules aimed at avoiding conflict among rival claimants in the busy waterway, Efe news agency reported. In order to meet the maritime crisis situations, creation of a hotline was decided, reported China Daily. This agreement comes as a significant rapprochement between China and the bloc, especially after the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague in July ruled that China has no historical title over the disputed South China Sea and thus it had breached the Philippines sovereign rights. China dismissed the ruling and urged bilateral talks to resolve the issue. Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Liu Zhenmin said the agreements will be presented to the leaders of all involved nations for their approval at the upcoming Laos summit of Asean in September. Mumbai, Aug 17 : Bankers, particularly from public sector banks (PSBs), on Wednesday voiced concern on the formidable challenges in raising the amount of capital required under Basel III norms, given the timeline of its implementation by March 31, 2019. "The formidable challenges in raising the amount of capital required under Basel III norms stares the Indian banking sector in the face, given the timeline of implementation of Basel III norms by March 31, 2019," the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said in a statement here. According to the industry chamber, this issue was discussed by senior bank professionals and credit analysts at a session on "Capitalisation challenges and new Basel norms for the new frontiers in risk" on the second day of the annual FICCI-IBA Conference here. According to estimates earlier, PSBs would need additional capital of up to Rs 240,000 crore by 2018 to meet the Basel III capital adequacy norms, put in place to guard against a repeat of the situation following the 2008 US financial crisis. "The panellists agreed that the net worth of many public sector banks stands eroded because of non-performing assets (NPAs)," or bad loans, the statement said. "The Asset Quality Review (of banks) by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has led to increase in provisioning to as high as 15 per cent compared with 0.4 per cent provisioning for standard assets. "Provisioning for NPAs has taken a toll of profits and internal accruals and investors have shied away from investing in shares of public sector banks," it said. "In such a scenario, the last two years has hardly seen any programme for raising of capital. The situation could worsen as the requirement for capitalisation will grow as demand for credit increases to fuel growth," the statement added. According to Ficci, the panellists were of the view that banks would have to address the shortage of risk management staff, hone risk management skills, strengthen the relationship manager operating model and create a common information sharing model, especially for recovery of large credits. Presenting in parliament the union budget proposals in February, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had allocated Rs 25,000 crore towards their recapitalisation in the current fiscal. Jaitley plans to provide Rs 25,000 crore capital each in the previous and current fiscal years, while Rs 20,000 crore would be provided during 2017-18 and 2018-19. In July last, the government had presented to Parliament a supplementary demand for grants to provide for Rs 12,000 crore towards recapitalisation of PSBs. The quantum of exposure of Indian scheduled banks in terms of gross non-productive assets, re-cast loans and write-offs was Rs 9.5 lakh crore as of September last year. Satara, Aug 17 : Maharashtra Police teams on Wednesday started a search in the Krishna river for the body of Vanita Narhari Gaikwad - one of the six victims of self-confessed killer medico Santosh Gulabrao Pol, now famous as "Dr. Death," a top official said here. "The search is being carried out in the river waters in Umbrej and Karad areas," said Satara Superintendent of Police Sandip Patil. Additionally, at least three more families have come forward with cases of their missing relatives registered with the police and have expressed apprehensions over their fate. Police are now probing afresh the missing complaints of Vilas Vishnu Dhage, 45, untraced since 2001; Dipali Krishna Sanas, 21, disappeared since 2002; Mahadeo Sonu Chikane, 47, off-radar since 2012. All these missing persons were residents of different villages in Wai sub-district and their relatives are now worried about the fate that has befallen them in the wake of the latest stunning revelations. Patil said in view of the fresh developments, the investigating team will probe these missing persons cases accordingly. Meanwhile, during his ongoing custodial interrogation, Pol has revealed how he had eliminated two of his victims - Vanita Gaikwad and Salma Shaikh - in his ambulance by administering them lethal injections. While he threw Gaikwad's body in the Krishna river reservoir, he buried Shaikh in the complex near his poultry farm. Till date, Pol has confessed to the cold-blooded killings of Surekha Kisan Chikane on May 20, 2003, Vanita Narhari Gaikwad on August 12, 2006, Jagabai Laxman Pol on August 13, 2010, Nathmal Dhanaji Bhandari on December 7, 2015 and an orphan Salma Shaikh on January 17, 2016. A majority of the victims either worked with him or came in contact as patients, and their remains have been sent for forensic and DNA tests to match them with the victims, Ghanvat added. On Wednesday, Pol told investigators that he had amassed nearly half a kilo of gold from his victims under the lure of doubling it in a ponzi scheme, and operated seven bank accounts. The police are now in the process of writing to all the banks to provide details of all his accounts which could throw up more leads. On Monday, August 15, Pol made the sensational disclosure that he had killed a total of six persons, including one man and five women since 2003, earning him the sobriquet "Dr. Death". The police have already dug up five bodies from Pol's farmhouse around 13 km from Wai town and teams are now trying to locate the body of Vanita Gaikwad in the Krishna river. The investigations are headed by Senior Police Inspector of Wai Crime Branch Padmakar Ghanvat under the direct supervision of SP Patil and Konkan Range IGP Vishwas Nangre-Patil. Pol, 41 and his associate, a nurse Jyoti Pandurang Mandre, 25 have been arrested and charged with the kidnapping and murder of an "anganwadi worker" Mangal Jedhe, 49 on June 16, which blew the lid off the shocking crimes. On Tuesday, he had told the police that he had conspired to kill Jedhe nearly three months ago and even kept a dug-up grave ready for her, plus his plans to eliminate his associate Jyoti Mandre. Pol, described as an "Electro-Homoeopath", practiced in some local hospitals and at his farmhouse, 13 km on the outskirts of the quaint Wai town, at the base of the twin hill stations of Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani, around 175 km south of Mumbai. As the horrifying details of the case tumbled out since August 15, hundreds of curious onlookers from Wai and surrounding areas came to view Pol's home and farmhouse, and a group of "anganwadi" women workers staged a protest demanding justice for their former president Jedhe. Since Tuesday, the town folk are full of praise for the local police who solved the case and have put up congratulatory banners and posters in and around Wai. Ahmedabad, Aug 17 : The mortal remains of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, head of the Bochasanvasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), were consigned to the flames at the Sarangpur Mandir campus around 3 p.m. on Wednesday in the presence of a galaxy of political leaders and thousands of followers. BJP President Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu, Kathakar Morari Bapu, senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh, businessman Anil Ambani, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, state BJP President Jitubhai Vaghani, and state Congress chief Bharatsinh Solanki, among others, were to the first to reach the Sarangpur Mandir in the morning. They were followed by Bharatiya Janata Party patriarch L.K. Advani, who reached Ahmedabad around the same time and left for Sarangpur. Meanwhile, 'palkhi yatra' (palanquin procession)' of Pramukh Swami's body had to be cancelled due to the alterations in his body which was kept under minus 10 degree temperature in a glass container since August 13 evening after he passed away. The 'darshan' for general public had been closed. Amit Shah, who attended the godman's cremation, told reporters that the Swami had been a divine help in his life whenever he felt 'broken'. "Bhagwan Badhu Saru Karshe (God will set right everything) is what he would say and I would feel great solace and my hope would be restored," he said. "The great saint dedicated his entire life for his cause, but I want to reveal something personal today. In one's life, there are moments when one feels broken. When I went through such times in my life, he would be the first person to call me," Shah said. He said the Pramukh Swami had done a lot to institutionalise the saint tradition, getting crores of people to give up addictions and inculcating 'samskara' in children through his organisation. Jaitley said the deeds of Pramukh Swami would set an example in the history of this time. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Theresa May had on Tuesday expressed her condolences to the British Hindu community over the death of Swaminarayan sect's spiritual head Pramukh Swami Maharaj. "I would like to pay my condolences to the British Hindus, especially the BAPS, on the passing away of Pramukh Swami Maharaja," May said. "Pramukh Swami Maharaj inspired millions with his powerful motto: In the good of others lies our own. This legacy of selfless service will continue to benefit humanity for a long time to come," she said. New Delhi, Aug 17 : Senior BJP leader Jagdish Mukhi, who has been appointed Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, says Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has "self created problems" as he wants to "attain more power" than constitutionally granted. Mukhi, 73, also said that though he is "out of active politics" he would continue guiding the BJP and "no one can stop" him from doing so. In a jibe at Kejriwal over his tussle with the central government on constitutional boundaries, the BJP veteran from Delhi told IANS in an interview: "Kejriwal has self created problems in Delhi as he wants to attain more power than constitutionally granted to him. "Since there is no elected government in Andaman and Nicobar Islands like Delhi, I would not face any problem to discharge my duties and responsibilities," he said. On his new appointment, he said: "Although, I would not be in active politics, but I will keep on guiding my party leaders here. No one can stop me." Mukhi also said he had had indications of being appointed Lt. Governor. "I came to know about it today only. However, there was an indication from the party as I was asked by the leadership about my future plan, and I had clearly told them as a sepoy of the party I am ready to accept any challenge assigned to me," he said. He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was looking for an able administrator who could look after the administration of Andaman and Nicobar Islands as it is an union territory. "In Andaman and Nicobar Islands there is a secretariat under the Chief Secretary who works directly under the Lt. Governor," he added. Asked about his priority for Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mukhi said it would be very early to comment on the same. "It is very early to comment on it but I am aware of the conditions of Andaman and familiar with the issues as I have been there a number of times. I can only comment a few months after taking charge," he added. Asked about Kiran Bedi being given priority over him and veteran party leader V.K. Malhotra in terms of appointment of Governors, Mukhi said, "It's upto the party leadership to decide." Bedi, who was BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate in the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections, was appointed Governor of Puducherry while Malhotra has still not been given any such post. "It's not that Malhotra has been left out," Mukhi said. Mukhi, a BJP veteran from Delhi, represented Janakpuri assembly constituency for six terms. He also served as Leader of Opposition in the Delhi assembly. He was also Finance Minister of Delhi during the BJP regime from 1993-1998. (Anand Singh can be contacted at anand.s@ians.in) New Delhi, Aug 17 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to the Maharashtra government on a petition that challenged a Bombay High Court order permitting consumption and possession of beef brought from states that allow slaughter of cattle. A bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and D.Y. Chandrachud issued notice on the plea by Akhil Bharat Krishi Go Sewa Sangh after its counsel Manish Singhvi contested the High Court order's portion that allowed bringing into Maharashtra bovine meat from the states where their slaughtering is legal. Holding that the High Court had erred on this count, Singhvi said: "It is difficult to distinguish between what is imported and what is not." The petitioner organisation has sought declaration that the possession and consumption of beef in Maharashtra is a criminal offence. Questioning the High Court judgment that held that the right to eat was a fundamental right forming a part of the right to privacy, the petitioner contended that the right to privacy, like any other right, was subject to reasonable restrictions and same has to be read with the Directive Principles that provide for cow protection. The petition said that "a person has a right to eat, but it cannot be stated that a person has a fundamental right to eat a particular food, which is otherwise prohibited in law". The petitioner also contended that there was no prohibition on eating non-vegetarian food. There was a ban on possession of the meat of cow and its progeny and the same could not be termed unreasonable. However, another group of 30 individuals also moved the top court challenging that part of the High Court verdict which upheld the Maharashtra Animals Preservation (Amendment) Act, 2015. The group has challenged the ban, asserting its right to choose its food. The high court verdict had come on May 6. New Delhi, Aug 17 : The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave the Gujarat government two weeks to respond to rights activist Teesta Setalvad's plea challenging the freezing of her and her husband's bank accounts and those of their organisations -- Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace. A bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Uday Umesh Lalit allowed the two-week time after Setalvad's counsel Kapil Sibal contested the government decision to freeze her personal account and that of her husband Javed Anand. The Gujarat Police is investigating the alleged misuse of funds collected by Sabrang Trust for setting up a museum at the Gulbarga Society, which witnessed one of the worst carnage during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The bench of Justice Anil R. Dave, Justice Fakkir Mohammed Ibrahim Kalifulla (since retired) and Justice V. Gopala Gowda are hearing Setalvad and her husband's plea challenging the Gujarat Police move for their custodial interrogation. The couple was granted interim bail by the apex court on February 19 as it restrained the Gujarat Police from arresting them. "As an interim measure, it is directed that the appellants (Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand) shall not be arrested in connection with the FIR CR No. 1 of 2014, registered with the DCP Crime Branch, Ahmedabad, Gujarat," the apex court said in its February 19 order. The couple moved the apex court challenging the February 12 Gujarat High Court verdict declining them anticipatory bail in the alleged misuse of funds case. New Delhi, Aug 17 : As the Congress prepares to launch its second phase of campaigning for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections from August 21, the party is clear about not engaging in a pre-poll alliance with any party. The party on Wednesday also blamed the Samajwadi Party, BSP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for divisive politics in the state. The Congress will launch the second phase from August 21 to October 9, during which two convoys of party activists and leaders will conduct the campaign. Speaking to the media, Congress General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is in charge of the party's affairs in Uttar Pradesh, said: "Looking at the area and population of the state, we will cover 64-65 districts during the campaign. Rest of the districts were covered in the first phase. This is how we'll cover all 75 districts in Uttar Pradesh." He said: "I am confident after the kind of response we received in our first phase of campaign full of love and support, in the next phase when we visit these 65 districts we hope we'll receive similar support." Congress' chief ministerial candidate Sheila Dikshit hit out at the state's ruling Samajwadi Party, and the BSP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She said: "We have always been an inclusive party. We take everybody together and give everybody the opportunity according to their needs and requirements. The division in the society in the state has taken place because of these three parties." Asked if the party will ally with Bahujan Samaj Party after the elections, Dikshit said: "There is no question of allying just now. How can I talk of something what will happen later on? This is our stand that we'll not ally with any of these three parties." Dikshit also said that ticket distribution could take place in October-November. "The applicants for the poll tickets are being collected. By October-November the names will be decided. We have the magic of development, good governance, and make Uttar Pradesh one of the best states in the country," she said. Asked if she has bought a house in Lucknow, Diskshit said: "I have taken a house on rent. We cannot afford hotels. So, I have taken a small flat on rent." Slamming the three parties that ruled the state in the past 27 years, Azad said: "In the last 27 years, the three parties which have formed government be it Samajwadi Party, BSP and Bharatiya Janata Party, have formed government by dividing the society. We'll form the government by uniting the society." "That's why we used the slogan "27 saal, UP Behaal". Behaal (in bad shape) not just in terms of development but also law and order and corruption. All three parties for their own interest and for power have divided the society in the name of religion and caste," Azad added. Azad hit out at the Samajwadi party by saying that it is not known who is the actual Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. "There are five in the cabinet from the family and 18 others are in the council of ministers. So, at least 23 are from the family. They keep blaming each other. That's why the state is in such a condition." To a question that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be launching a nationalism campaign in the state, Azad said: "When it was time to participate in the freedom struggle, there was no RSS or BJP. Since they had no role in the freedom struggle, that's why they are talking about nationalism now." Besides Azad and Dikshit, the others participating in the second phase will include state party chief Raj Babbar, Congress leaders Salman Khurshid, Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Pramod Tiwari and others. Campaign convoy No. 1 will cover the districts of Lucknow, Barabanki, Bahraich, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar (Padrauna), Maharajganj, Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Varanasi, Azamgarh, Ambedkar Nagar (Akbarpur), Jaunpur, Sant Ravidas Nagar (Bhadoi), Mirzapur, Sonbhadra, Sitapur, Lakhimpur, Baghpat, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Saharanpur, Aligarh, Kasganj, Sambhal, Badaun, Agra, Firozabad, Mainpuri, Auraiya, Etawah and Pilibhit. Campaign convoy No. 2 will cover Lucknow, Faizabad, Sultanpur, Amethi, Sant Kabir Nagar (Khalilabad), Basti, Siddharth Nagar (Domariyaganj), Deoria, Ballia, Mau, Gazipur, Chandauli, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Fatehpur, Banda, Unnao, Kanpur Dehat (Akbarpur), GB Nagar, Bulandshahr, Meerut, Bijnor, Mathura, Hathras, Etah, Farrukhabad, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Jalaun (Orai), Hamirpur, Mahoba and Chitrakoot. Mumbai, Aug 17 : Megastar Amitabh Bachchan who will be seen playing a lawyer in Shoojit Sarkar's upcoming film 'Pink' said the film is not about rape but the situations that exist today. "I think that the film talks about the current situation especially, for the younger generation. The story is based in Delhi and I just want to make it clear that Pink isn't about rape but it is about circumstances that exist in the city of Delhi and most part of the country." He said at the 'Jeeney De Mujhe' song launch of the film. "There are very strong statements you must have seen in that trial we had in the trailer. It's just a glimpse, that what kind of language and thoughts that have been expressed. I want you to know that for me personally it is a film that I've great belief... "I hope after watching the film somewhere you will sit back and think... I always believe women in our country are half of the strength and they must have their dignity in their walks of life," he said. About the first song of the film, the 'Piku' actor said, "Jeeney De Mujhe is a song of liberation particularly for the young girls". Pink revolves around three girls who were trapped in a criminal case. They are tried in the court for an attempt to murder case and defaming some men. Piku, Madras Cafe and Vicky Donor famed director Shoojit Sarkar produced the film and it is helmed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury. The crime thriller stars Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari and Andrea Taring in lead roles and is scheduled to release on September 16. Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), Aug 17 : Four Maoist guerrillas were killed in a gunfight with police in Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, police said. Two of the deceased Maoists were identified as platoon commander Markam Deva and Katekalyan area commander Masa. One police personnel was injured in the gun battle, which occurred at the forest near Ubbakunna village in Gadiras police station jurisdiction. After the gunfight, police seized four 303 rifles, two .12 bore pistols two 315 bore rifles wire detonators apart from Maoist literature, Bastar Inspector General of Police S.R.P. Kalluri and Dantewada Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap said. As many as 150 police personnel were sent after a tip-off about the presence of 50-60 Maoists in the area. The ensuing encounter lasted for nearly two hours. Srinagar, Aug 17 : For the first time since the current unrest started in the Kashmir Valley on July 9, authorities on Wednesday imposed night curfew in Srinagar district. A senior police officer told IANS here that "night curfew has been imposed in entire Srinagar district. People are advised to remain indoors and not venture out. Also shopkeepers are advised not to open shops during the night". Shops in many areas of the town and other districts of the Valley had been functional in the evening. Top government sources said keeping in view the fact that militants had stepped up attacks on security forces, it has been decided to enforce round-the-clock curfew at many places in the Valley. "Relaxation in curfew would be decided after reviewing the law and order situation", the police officer said. The Kashmir Valley has been extremely tense since government troops killed rebel leader Burhan Wani on July 8. The death toll in the largest protests in years has now touched at least 65, including two police officers. Thousands more people have been injured. Kolkata, Aug 17 : Three pedestrians were killed and five others injured after trees fell on them as a fresh gale pounded a rain-drenched Kolkata on Wednesday evening, throwing normal life out of gear. Two persons, including a woman, died and five others sustained injuries close to the Jadavpur University on the S.C. Mullick Road in south Kolkata when the gale uprooted a tree which fell on them, police said. The injured, one of them serious, are admitted in a private medical college. An uprooted tree took another life in the Beliaghata area. The victim sustained multiple injuries and was rushed to NRS Medical College and Hospital where he was declared brought dead, the police said. The nagging rain caused waterlogging in several parts of the city. The downpour increased in intensity in the evening as the gale with speeds of 70 km per hour lashed the eastern metropolis, felling trees and branches which blocked important thoroughfares. "The city recorded 24.2 mm rainfall in the last 24 hours and witnessed winds with a speed of 70 km an hour at 7.05 p.m.," the Met office said. "With the well marked low pressure concentrating into a depression over the Bay of Bengal, heavy rains are likely to continue," it said. Commuters, including people returning from offices, faced the brunt of the rain and gale as many of the areas were choked. Trains services were also disrupted in the Sealdah South division with uprooted trees falling on overhead wires. "Train service was disrupted due to fall of trees on the overhead cable at Sonarpur area in the Sealdah South division. The rescue work is in progress and the service will resume soon," said an Eastern Railway spokesperson. City Mayor Sovan Chatterjee said 22 teams have been pressed into service to remove the uprooted trees and clear the roads. "We are working on a war footing. We have started cutting down trees. The fire brigade, Kolkata Municipal Corporation men and the police are working in tandem," he said. Los Angeles, Aug 18 : Actress Ariel Winter has praised her actress Sofia Vergara for being a "curvy beautiful woman" and a "wonderful role model". "I really had the greatest opportunity to have some wonderful role models, especially Sofia Vergara. Working with a curvy beautiful woman that everybody looked up to and loved the way she looked... That was my inspiration to move forward and accept myself because that's what matters," Winter told etonline.com. The 18-year-old actress has been criticised in the past for posting racy Instagram images but she doesn't see what the big deal is. She added: "I don't really think I'm telling myself, 'You should post this, you shouldn't post that'. I feel like I'm just having fun. I like my fans to see what I'm doing. Everybody is so hyped up on the fact that I post photos where my butt's out. It's a butt. Everyone has a butt. I don't think it's crazy. "It's like, 'Let me live! I'm enjoying my life, you're enjoying your life, you should be posting your butt if you like it, too!' I'm not going to fight with someone on my Instagram that tells me they don't like my outfit or I should put my butt away. I'm sorry you think I should put my butt away, but just unfollow me." Meanwhile, Winter also clarified that she is not in a relationship with fellow actor Sterling Beaumon and has been "single for a little while now". "We've been best friends for 10 years. We're not dating. We see each other every day but no, we're like literally best friends... I've just kinda like been single for a little while now. I've enjoyed it, and if something happens, it happens," she said. Most landlords in the UK still consider renting out a property to be a part time activity and the majority own just one property and manage their portfolio as private individuals, new research show. However, there is an apparent trend towards larger portfolios even although rents make up less than half of a landlords total income, according to the report from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). But the research, carried out with BDRC and the London School of Economics, does show there is evidence that rent is increasingly becoming a significant income stream for part time landlords. In 2016 some 87% of landlords sampled manage their portfolio as an individual or as a couple, roughly unchanged from the 89% reported in 2010. The proportion operating as a company or other group comprises 14%, roughly on par with the 11% reported in 2010. Likewise, the vast majority of respondents in 2010 and 2016, 92% and 95% respectively, do not consider letting to be their main business or occupation. While most landlords still own just one property, there is an apparent trend towards larger portfolios. Between 2010 and 2016, the proportion of respondents who manage only one property fell from 78% to 63%. At the same time, the share managing two to four properties rose from 17% to 30%. The report suggests that this could be due to the difference in the samples of the two surveys. However, the sharp contrast between the 2010 and 2016 data is likely to reflect to some degree an underlying increase in average portfolio size. Such a finding would be consistent with CML data on the number of loans for buy to let house purchases, which has increased by about 19% a year since 2010. Generally, rental receipts make up less than half of a landlords total income. However, evidence suggests that rent is increasingly becoming a significant income stream. For about 90% of landlords, rental income is less than half of their total income, virtually unchanged since the 2010 survey. However, the share receiving no rent, typically due to a property being unoccupied, has dropped substantially from 21% to 5% over the past six years. At the same time, the share receiving up to one quarter of their income from rent has risen by about seven percentage points, and the share claiming between one quarter to one half of the income from rent has grown by 10 percentage points. The report suggests that this apparent shift may be attributable to differences in sample sizes. However, if it reflects an underlying trend, this would be consistent with the apparent increase in portfolio sizes, as it is easy to see how owning a larger portfolio would allow a landlord to draw a bigger chunk of their income from rent. Overall the report says that while it looks like the typical landlord is still an individual running a rental business on the side, there appears to have been a gradual expansion of these side business, which, given the rise in demand for rented accommodation, should come as no surprise. The survey also asked landlords how the changing tax environment would impact their lettings over the next decade. Although it is hard to summarise the wide range of responses we received, nearly 16% cited government policy or tax changes as relevant factors motivating future plans for their portfolio, it adds. National home sales fell 1.3% from June to July in Canada, the third month in a row that transactions have fallen, and fell by 2.9% year on year, the largest since 2013. The data from the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) also shows that the national average sale price was up 9.9% in July year on year but when Greater Toronto and Greater Vancouver are excluded from the figure this dropped to 7%. Sales activity was down from the previous month in slightly more than half of all markets in July, led by Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Transactions in these two markets peaked in February of this year, and have since then dropped by 21.5% and 28.8% respectively. According to CREA president Cliff Iverson much of the national sales decline in recent months reflects slowing activity in B.C.s Lower Mainland area. National sales and price trends continue to be heavily influenced by a handful of places in Ontario and British Columbia and mask significant variations in local housing market trends and conditions across Canada, he explained. Gregory Klump, CREAs chief economist, said that the figures suggest that sales are being reined in by a lack of inventory and a further deterioration in affordability. He pointed out that the new 15% property transfer tax on Metro Vancouver home purchases by foreign buyers took effect on 02 August so it will take some time before the effect of the new tax on sales and prices can be observed. A breakdown of the figures shows that actual, not seasonally adjusted, sales activity was down 2.9% year on year July 2016, the first annual decline since January 2015 and the largest since April 2013. In line with softening activity in the Lower Mainland, year on year increases have been losing momentum since February 2016. Sales were down from levels one year earlier in about 60% of all Canadian markets, led by Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Calgary and Edmonton. The number of newly listed homes rose by 1.2 percent in July 2016 compared to June. While new supply climbed in fewer than half of all local markets, increases in Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, Greater Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton outweighed declines in smaller markets. With sales down and new listings up, the national sales to new listings ratio eased to 61.6% in July 2016, its second monthly decline following its peak of 65.3% in May. A sales to new listings ratio between 40% and 60% is generally consistent with balanced housing market conditions, with readings below and above this range indicating buyers and sellers markets respectively. The ratio was above 60% in about half of all local housing markets in July, virtually all of which continue to be located in British Columbia, in and around the Greater Toronto Area and across Southwestern Ontario. The CREA report points out that the number of months of inventory is another important measure of the balance between housing supply and demand. It represents the number of months it would take to completely liquidate current inventories at the current rate of sales activity. There were 4.6 months of inventory on a national basis at the end of July 2016. This is unchanged from readings in each of the previous two months and continues to indicate a tight balance between supply and demand for homes. The number of months of inventory has trended lower since early 2015, reflecting increasingly tighter housing markets in B.C. and Ontario. It currently sits near or below two months in a number of local markets in British Columbia and in and around the GTA. Indeed, some regions in the GTA are down to just a couple of weeks of inventory. The Aggregate Composite MLS HPI rose by 14.3% year on year in July 2016, the biggest gain since November 2006 and for the sixth consecutive month, year on year price growth accelerated for all property types tracked by the index. Two storey single family home prices continued to post the biggest annual gain at 15.9%, followed by town house/row units at 15.3%, one storey single family homes at 14.3% and apartment units at 11.1%. While prices in nine of the 11 markets tracked by the MLS HPI posted year on year gains in July, increases continue to vary widely among housing markets. Greater Vancouver with growth of 32.6% and the Fraser Valley up 37.6% recorded the largest year on year gains by a wide margin, followed by Greater Toronto at 16.7%, Victoria 17.5% and Vancouver Island 11.6%. By contrast, prices were down 4.2% in Calgary and by 1.5% in Calgary. Home prices rose modestly in Regina by 2.7% year on year, in Greater Montreal by 1.8%, and in Ottawa by 1.1%. Greater Moncton recorded its largest year on year home price increase of 8.4% among an unbroken string of gains posted every month over the past year. The national average price continues to be pulled upward by sales activity in Greater Vancouver and Greater Toronto, which remain two of Canadas tightest, most active and expensive housing markets. The actual, not seasonally adjusted, national average price for homes sold in July 2016 was $480,743, up 9.9% year on year. If these two housing markets are excluded from calculations, the average price is a more modest $365,033 and the gain is trimmed to 7% year on year. Mango SX4 Our marketing research has revealed a big gap for users looking for a laser scanning mobile handheld device. The SX4 is a powerful, economical tool that meets that need. Advantage Route Systems has just released the Mango SX4 - a new model in its family of durable handhelds. The Mango SX4 is an affordable, ruggedized handheld with an integrated laser scanner. It is used in route applications; warehousing/inventorycontrol and other demanding environments. It is based on either a dual-core or quad-core processor running the Android Lollipop operating system. Various memory configurations are available up to 16GB. Communication methods include GPS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPRS. The base, dual-core unit has built in 3G capability and the quad-core Mango SX4x4 has 3G and 4G radios. With either a 1D or 2D scanner, you can scan dozens of different barcode symbologies. The unit also comes with an optional RFID reader. This will do both low and high frequency RFID. The Mango SX4 comes with an IP65 rating and will take a full 1.2 meter drop to concrete. It comes with both AC and DC charging for "charge and go" capability. To obtain this new handheld, contact Inside Sales toll free at 888.294.7688 ext. 247 (international 1.209.632.1122). Also, for more information about this handheld, go to the company web site at: https://www.pda4usa.com/shop/mango-sx4/ Company Background Advantage Route Systems, of Turlock, California, is a global supplier of route accounting systems to customers in over 40 countries around the world in over a dozen industries. Its scalable products feature a strong core of handheld and desktop technology. In business since 1994, ARS is a premier supplier of route accounting hardware and software. Two leaders in the K-12 publishing industry are joining forces. Dubuque, Iowa-based Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, publisher of science, math and gifted materials acquired Cincinnati-based RCL Benziger, publisher of Catholic educational materials, on Monday, Aug. 15. RCL will continue to operate under the RCL Benziger name and maintain its corporate office in Cincinnati. This acquisition will allow Kendall Hunt to more effectively and efficiently serve the needs of educators in both the private and public arenas. Family owned and operated, Kendall Hunt was previously part of William C. Brown that published religious education materials for the Catholic faith, starting with The Archdiocese of Chicago in the early 1970s before expanding throughout the United States in the 1980s under the name Brown ROA. RCL Benziger, founded in 1792, is one of the oldest publishers of Catholic educational materials and faith formation resources in the United States, and is a leading provider of religious education programs for Catholic Schools and parishes. Passion is key in K-12 education. At Kendall Hunt, our customers are passionate about their curriculum and looking for new, innovative ways to teach todays youth, said Kendall Hunt Publishing President and Chief Operating Officer Chad Chandlee. This acquisition will allow both Kendall Hunt and RCL Benziger to explore intelligent ways to integrate new products and services into our curricula. Both companies have a rich, long-standing, positive reputation in the marketplace and the two coming together will better serve todays customers. There are many similarities between our two businesses, said Peter M. Esposito, President of RCL Benziger. Our legacy brands deliver highly engaging customer-centric content to their respected markets. With Kendall Hunt as our parent company, I see on the horizon our ability to create and offer more integrated digital learning tools and solutions, in addition to customizing content for Catholic Schools and parishes throughout North America. About Kendall Hunt Publishing Kendall Hunt Publishing is the premiere publisher of innovative, hands-on, inquiry-based science, mathematics and gifted curricula for grades PreK-12. Our award-winning research and standards-based programs are available in both print and digital components that fully engage students, teachers and parents. Visit k12.kendallhunt.com to learn more. About RCL Benziger Publishing RCL Benziger is one of the oldest publishers of Catholic educational materials and faith formation resources in the United States. Known for its digital product offerings and bilingual resources, RCL Benziger is a major provider of religious education programs for Catholic schools and parishes. The RCL Benziger family of products supports catechists, educators, students, families, and individuals. Visit http://www.RCLBenziger.com to learn more. East Wind acted as exclusive financial advisor to RCL Benziger in this transaction. -30- Ace Corner Guards (Ace) is joining rebuilding efforts in the aftermath of the Fort McMurray wildfires by supplying schools in the region with their innovative metal and steel corner covers. These revolutionary corner covers will benefit the rebuilding and restoration of Fort McMurray schools by providing safe and reinforced edges in all applications, and are low maintenance, with a longer lifespan than the previous corner guards. Ace Corner Guards, with their proprietary SafetyEdge design, utilize a brand new installation method that drastically reduces labor time. Instead of the old installation method of screw-on application, Ace Corner Guards are installed using only construction adhesive. This installation process takes much less time, less labor effort, and is more reliable than the previous method. Because of this, Ace Corner Guards stands by the reliable quality and innovative design of their products, and are proud to do their part in assisting with rebuilding in Fort McMurray. Ace Corner Guards with SafetyEdge are the best corner cover and damage-repairing option for schools in Fort McMurray because of their reputable durability, and low maintenance design. These metal and stainless steel corner covers are high quality and can stand up to high levels of wear and tear -- meaning they provide a more permanent option. Schools and hospitals affected the Fort McMurray wildfires will benefit from this long-lasting restoration solution. ABOUT ACE CORNER GUARDS Ace Corner Guards is a leading corner guard manufacturer and distributor located in Ontario, Canada. Their team of steel professionals has over 20 years of experience in the steel industry. As a metal and steel corner guard distributor, they have seen a demand from our clients over the years for good quality stainless steel corner protectors at a competitive price. All of their corner guards are fabricated with North American steel. They will provide you with years of superior protection against wear and tear while still keeping the brilliant finish look you have come to expect, thus eliminating the need for replacement over many years to come. They service and deliver excellent quality products across United States, Canada and worldwide. Their manufacturing plant in Ontario, Canada takes pride in providing the best product at the most economical price in the industry. For more information please contact: Laura or Gary 416-879-9565 1-800-638-0126 Ace Corner Guards Americas Preferred Home Warranty receives TrustDALE Certification This distinction will help savvy consumers around the country make a wise decision based on facts. Americas Preferred Home Warranty, Inc. (APHW) is pleased to announce the completion of a successful business certification process with nationally recognized consumer investigator Dale Cardwell of TrustDALE.com. Were excited to receive this important certification, which is an endorsement of our unique home warranty process, said Rodney Martin, CEO of Americas Preferred Home Warranty. This distinction will help savvy consumers around the country make a wise decision based on facts from an impartial and unbiased source. At TrustDALE, we empower consumers with researched solutions for their toughest buying decisions, said Dale Cardwell, CEO and President of TrustDALE.com. Im very pleased to welcome Americas Preferred Home Warranty to our elite group of certified and recommended businesses. Consumers can place their confidence in them as being an excellent company that has met and exceeded the conditions of our robust certification process. A long-time CBS-TV news reporter turned consumer advocate, Dale Cardwell began TrustDALE to help consumers cut through the clutter to find companies with integrity. The TrustDALE certification process requires interviews with company leadership, and a seven-point investigative review of the following business components: 1. Price: Company must price competitively, unless there is a significant difference in product quality, and must honor price it advertises. 2. Verified Reputation & Customer Service: Company is continually and systematically reviewed for delivery of excellent customer service. This is achieved by follow up surveys of customers. 3. What Would Cardwell Do: A proven standard of fairness developed through thousands of real-world problem-solving consumer experiences, creating the basis for whether Dale would choose to personally do business with a company. 4. Governors Office of Consumer Affairs, Consumer Publications, FTC: Company is reviewed through the pertinent agencies and publications. 5. Licensing, Professional Certification, Insurance and Bonding: Company is reviewed for proper professional credentialing. 6. Lawsuit Search and Review: Companys litigation history is completed to assure no history of unprofessional or illegal business practices. 7. Make It Right Guarantee: Company agrees to accept and abide by TrustDALEs guarantee, including: extraordinary customer service and support. Americas Preferred Home Warranty is highlighted on TrustDALE.com at http://www.trustdale.com/business/americas-preferred-home-warranty. About Americas Preferred Home Warranty Americas Preferred Home Warranty (APHW) is a Christian-based company founded in 1999 and headquartered in Jackson, Michigan. They offer home warranty services in 29 states across the country. Their warranty is a service agreement between a homeowner and APHW that pays toward repair or replacement of covered appliances and home systems that malfunction under normal conditions of use. Their key differential is that they allow the homeowner to choose their own contractor for covered repairs. Their vision is: To maximize customer value through innovation and the use of technology. For further information please call 1-800-648-5006 or visit http://www.APHW.com. About TrustDALE TrustDALE is a consumer advocacy, business review, and referral company. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, TrustDALE is led by six-time, Emmy Award-winning, Consumer Investigator, Dale Cardwell. The companys mission is empowering consumers with researched solutions and the recommendation of top-performing companies. TrustDALEs multi-media platform includes TrustDALE.com, TrustDALE TV, and TrustDALE Radio. More information about the company can be found at http://www.TrustDALE.com. The ATOM Project As the world and Kazakhstan mark the 25th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site on August 29, The ATOM Project is calling for a moment of silence on that day to honor all victims of nuclear weapons testing. Kazakhstan suffered more than 450 Soviet nuclear weapons tests at the Semipalatinsk site beginning August 29, 1949 and ending on that date in 1991 when Kazakhstans first and current President Nursultan Nazarbayev, responding to the voices of the Kazakh public, shut down the site. Those 42 years of testing, however, inflicted great suffering on the Kazakh people and environment. Tests negatively affected the health of more than 1.5 million Kazakh citizens including many who, to this day, in the first and the second generations, suffer early death, lifelong debilitating illness and horrific birth defects. Vast areas of the region surrounding Semipalatinsk, roughly the land size of Germany, were contaminated in one degree or another and are now just beginning to come back to life. Following the closure of the Semipalatinsk site, Kazakhstan soon also renounced what was then the worlds fourth largest nuclear arsenal and has since become a world leader in the fight to permanently end nuclear weapons testing and, ultimately, to build a nuclear weapons free world and. In 2012, the country launched The ATOM Project, a global initiative to help bring into force the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and show world leaders that the public worldwide is united in its desire to eliminate the nuclear weapons threat. And on December 2, 2009, at Kazakhstans initiative, the United Nations unanimously declared August 29 the International Day against Nuclear Tests. The resolution calls for increasing awareness and education about the effects of nuclear weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and the need for their cessation as one of the means of achieving the goal of a nuclear-weapon-free world. The resolution was initiated by the Republic of Kazakhstan, together with a large number of sponsors and cosponsors with a view to commemorate the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test site on 29 August 1991. The Day is meant to galvanize the United Nations, Member States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, youth networks and the media to inform, educate and advocate the necessity of banning nuclear weapon tests as a valuable step towards achieving a safer world, according to a statement by the UN. This August 29, marking the 25th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk site, Kazakhstan is calling for a moment of silence to honor nuclear weapons testing victims and will be hosting, along with Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) in its capital city Astana, a major conference focusing on further steps towards a world free from the threat of nuclear annihilation. The conference will be addressed by President Nazarbayev and will gather leading parliamentarians, prominent political leaders, diplomats and disarmament experts, as well as religious leaders and civil society representatives from around the world to discuss further steps towards global nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament. We are calling for people around the world to observe 11:05 a.m. their local time as a moment of silence, ATOM Project Honorary Ambassador Karipbek Kuyukov said. That time was chosen because the clock hands show a V, which stands for victory. This moment is meant to signify a victory of common sense over fear and a victory for global efforts towards a nuclear-weapons-free world. On August 29 four years ago, Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev addressed a major international parliamentary conference in Astana and launched The ATOM Project as a way to generate global popular support for a permanent end to nuclear weapons testing and, ultimately, the abolition of nuclear weapons. More than 260,000 people from over 100 countries have signed the petition. And The ATOM Projects hopes to reach 300,000 signatures by this years August 29 remembrance. To sign, please go to http://www.TheAtomProject.org. Ridding the world of nuclear weapons is an effort supported by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who noted that the world has witnessed a substantial growth of interest in better understanding the catastrophic humanitarian effects of nuclear weapons. In a special statement devoted to the 2014 International Day Against Nuclear Tests commemoration, UN Secretary General said: Together, let us demand an end to all nuclear tests and get on with the unfinished business of achieving a world free of nuclear weapons. Kazakhstan knows well those catastrophic human consequences. From 1949 to 1991, the USSR conducted more than 450 nuclear weapons The ATOM Project Honorary Ambassador, armless artist and anti-nuclear weapons activist Karipbek Kuyukov tests at the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site in eastern Kazakhstan, causing the illness and premature death of more than 1.5 million people and contaminating a huge area. In the second part of the 20th century, nuclear tests were conducted by the Soviet Union, the United States, China, France and Britain as they developed their nuclear arsenals, as well as India and Pakistan. And as recently as last January, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, defying United Nations Security Council resolutions, drew international condemnation when it conducted another nuclear weapons test. In a statement dedicated to the fifth annual observance of the International Day Against Nuclear Tests in 2014, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon noted the importance of focusing the worlds attention on ending nuclear testing. On this International Day Against Nuclear Tests, the international community reaffirms its commitment to secure the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), which would prohibit all nuclear explosions. This would mark a welcome step toward a world without nuclear weapons, Ban said in a statement. Ban also called on countries themselves to act unilaterally to end nuclear weapons testing. I also call on all countries to refrain from nuclear tests, the use of new nuclear weapons technologies or any action that would defeat the object and purpose of the CTBT, Ban added. The ATOM Project is an international petition campaign designed to unify support for an end to nuclear weapons testing and world free from nuclear weapons. The Project puts a human face on this global issue by telling the stories of the survivors of nuclear testing. To this day, children are born with severe deformities, illnesses and a lifetime of health challenges as a result of exposure generations ago to nuclear weapons tests. We have an opportunity to once more remind the world about the tragic consequences of nuclear testing and to push the global community towards more decisive actions to achieve a final and definitive ban of such testing, President Nazarbayev told the conference in Astana in August 2012. Under the [ATOM] Project any human being on Earth who stands against nuclear weapons can sign an online petition urging governments of the world to abandon nuclear tests forever and ensure early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. I urge the participants of the conference and all people of goodwill to support The ATOM Project and make the creation of a non-nuclear weapons world our main goal. We hope the August 29 Global Moment of Silence will bring the world one step closer to that goal, Kuyukov, himself a second generation survivor of nuclear weapons tests and a famous armless artist, said. Andrews Federal JBMDL staff pose with backpacks they provided Veterans Memorial Family School. Andrews Federal Credit Union recently teamed up with Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) to provide backpacks with school supplies for the children that attend the Veterans Memorial Family School located in Camden, NJ. Additionally, the Joint Base hosted an entire week of for all of the youth in attendance. With the new school year approaching, we are glad to be able to contribute to the success of the students at this amazing school, said Maree Duncker, New Jersey Regional Manager. These are our future leaders. Were proud to play a part in helping them achieve their future success. About Veterans Memorial Family School The Veterans Memorial Family School exists to serve the unique academic, physical, social, and emotional needs of students who are in a special and critical period of their lives as they change from childhood to adolescence. The staff of Veterans Memorial Family School is committed to creating and maintaining an orderly, trusting, and caring environment where teaching and learning are exciting and students are assisted as they develop responsibility. About Andrews Federal Credit Union Andrews Federal Credit Union was founded in 1948 to serve the needs of military and civilian personnel by providing a vast array of financial products and services. With over $1 billion in assets, Andrews Federal has grown to serve more than 116,000 members in the District of Columbia, Springfield (VA), Joint Base Andrews (MD), Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (NJ), and military installations in central Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In addition, the Credit Union serves as a financial partner with many select employee groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and New Jersey. To learn more about Andrews Federal Credit Union and its community involvement, or to become a member, call 800.487.5500 or visit http://www.andrewsfcu.org. FusionHR, along with several Phoenix-based businesses is proud to host a fundraiser for Sammy, a five-year-old Chandler resident with stage IV neuroblastoma cancer. Cowboys and Crowns Crushin Cancer is taking place August 26, 2016, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Buffalo Chip Saloon & Steakhouse. The Buffalo Chip is currently open for business as they continue to rebuild the main building after devastating fire in December of 2015. Sammy (https://www.gofundme.com/vf9s5h9), the fundraiser beneficiary, is a vibrant five-year-old diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma in April of 2015. Since that time, Sammy has received countless chemotherapy and radiation treatments as well as a bone marrow transplant. As the family began to see the light at the end of the tunnel, hoping to move to a disease maintenance status, they received devastating news. It was discovered, after a series of seizures, that the cancer has spread to his brain. Treatment options are limited and require a specialized chemotherapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York. This means additional extended time away from work for Sammys parents as well as travel expenses, and new medical expenses. Banding together, FusionHR hopes to lessen the burden on this family by hosting a fundraiser in Sammys honor. The Buffalo Chip Saloon & Steakhouse (http://buffalochipsaloon.com/) is donating all proceeds from a special BBQ buffet to the family. In addition, Phoenix-based business, FusionHR, Clements Insurance Agency, Marken Corporation and Infinity Software Solutions have pledged to match donations. The evening will include live, professional bull riding, and appearances from Miss Arizona 2016, Katelyn Niemiec, Miss Arizonas Outstanding Teen 2016, Elan Morris. The public is welcome, please RSVP here - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cowboys-and-crowns-crushin-cancer-tickets-27099936640 Contact: Katie Jackson katherine.jackson(at)fusion-hr(dot)com 602-396-4860 ### We see both parents of high school students and their children working together to tackle the high cost of college. -- College Foundation Chair Mary Morris Morris As high school students get ready for back to school, their parents are gearing up for the formidable task of paying for college. In releasing its 10th Annual State of College Savings survey of parents across the country, in which the majority of respondents have at least one child aged 14-18, the College Savings Foundation (CSF) offers a window into the realistic choices that families are grappling with in the years prior to starting to pay for higher education. For charts and graphs see http://bit.ly/2byvTxQ The vast majority of parents (88%) are planning to help fund their childrens college education. Among those who are planning to help, 32% said that savings is the number one way that they plan to pay for college costs. 32% of all respondents own a 529 college savings plan. The survey found that 67% of parents were already saving; and among them, three-quarters had already saved more than $5,000 per child. We are encouraged to see that parents are prioritizing savings in the years immediately prior to college, said CSF Chair Mary Morris. At the same time, we know that most need to employ a variety of strategies to access funds and reduce college costs. As examples of other sources of funding: 44% of parents plan to borrow to finance their childrens college, with education loans as the dominant source (74%). 65% expect their children to get financial aid, with 74% in the form of grants and scholarships. Strategies to Pay for College A large majority, 80% of parents, expects their children to help pay for college. Of those, 57% expects them to contribute up to one-third; 27% between one-third and two-thirds, and 16% over two thirds of the cost of college. How do parents expect their children to contribute? Among a selection of options, most parents chose getting a job (43%) or getting Scholarships/Grants/Fellowships (29%). CSFs 2016 Youth Survey of high school students across the country showed that high school students are on the same page. They are planning to help fund their higher education with 60% of them saving for college, 56% expecting to get financial aid; 71% of them planning on taking loans, and 85% anticipating receiving a scholarship. 63% intend to work in college. When asked about plans to reduce the cost of college, the most important way that parents plan to reduce college costs is for their child to attend community college for two years and then transfer to a four-year school (25%), followed closely by attending a state school rather than a private school (23%). We see both parents of high school students and their children working together to tackle the high cost of college, Morris said. College Debt Hovers Over Parents and Their Children At the same time, parents are concerned about the prospect of college debt for their children. One-quarter of them are still paying off their own debt, making most of them consider other funding approaches for their children. The concern about debt affects their childrens decision-making process. 28% of parents said their children had considered not going to college at all; and the leading reason (31%) was that their child did not want student debt. This underscores the findings of CSFs Youth Survey, showing that 37% of high school students had already changed their higher education choices because of costs. Further, 33% of them were changing their higher education choices for other reasons such as joining the family business, joining the military, because their career choice doesnt require college or because they believe college doesnt provide the critical skills they need for employment. Savings Knowledge and 529s Equal Power over College Costs As children get older and near college age, parents are more likely to know how much they need to save for college. 47% said they know how much they will need to save to fund their childrens college education. They appeared to be proactive in determining that amount, with the top two most popular ways to do so being contacting the specific colleges they have in mind (29%), and using a college savings calculator (26%). With college right around the corner, 63% of parents were somewhat confident (31%), very confident (19%) or completely confident (13%), that they could reach their college savings goals. One key strategy that helps is the use of 529 college savings plans. Among the parents who own a 529 college savings plan, 96% are saving already, and 89% had saved more than $5,000 per child. What Parents Want from the Government Finally, when asked what parents would like to see the new President and Congress do regarding 529 college savings plans, they answered the following, ranked in order of preference: All people are able to save in 529 plans regardless of income (40% ranked as number one) Provide incentives for employers to help employees save in 529s (29%) Unused funds saved in 529s should be eligible for rollover into IRAs (20%) Allow 529 contributions to be eligible for the current Savers Credit (13%) The CSF State of College Savings survey of parents was conducted through survey monkey with an audience from ResearchNow of 800 parents across the country. The College Savings Foundation (CSF) is a Washington, D.C.-based not-for-profit organization helping American families save for higher education. http://www.collegesavingsfoundation.org Controlled Contamination Services, LLC (CCS), an industry leader in Integrated Facility Services, has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Mark Cornish as Chief Operating Officer. In this executive position, Mr. Cornish will oversee all US operations and be responsible for all CCS customers to ensure operational efficiency and deliverability of services. Mark has a distinctive record of leadership in effectively managing operational teams that result in high quality services for his clients, stated Chris Zines, CEO of Controlled Contamination Services. As CCS continues our growth path, Marks expertise will help ensure our customers continue to receive the level of expertise, dedication, and commitment they expect. Mr. Cornish has 28 years of industry experience. Before joining CCS, Mr. Cornish served as VP of Operations for Flagship Facility Services for 16 years. Mr. Cornish holds a BA in Business Administration from Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY and is a long time active member of APPA, BOMA, IFMA and BSCAI. About CCS CCS is a leading provider of Integrated Facility Services for the Life Sciences, High Tech, IT, and Aerospace and Defense industries. The firm offers comprehensive cleaning, decontamination, and technical service solutions for controlled environments and corporate facilities. CCS handles rigorous and specialized cleaning for environments that require unique adherence and compliance to environmental standards, procedures, processes and regulations. CCS provides significant value to clients by allowing them to outsource cleaning and related services where specialized knowledge, experience and equipment is required. Since 1993, CCS has cleaned and provided facility solutions, technical services and decontamination service to millions of square feet throughout the US. As an ISO 9001:2008 certified company, CCS tailors its solutions with proven best practices in facility services and cleaning controlled environments. To find out more, please visit http://www.cleanroomcleaning.com. The addition of embroideries to the luxury items we offer is a great opportunity for those clients looking for a bespoke design element. J. Robert Scott, Inc. the internationally known luxury furniture and textile manufacturer announces representation of artisanal British manufacturer Victoria Bain Embroidered Textiles in their company owned showrooms in the United States and United Kingdom. J. Robert Scott is proud to introduce Victoria Bain Embroidered Textiles in their showrooms in the US and UK. This partnership will provide a totally customizable option to clients wishing to embellish or personalize the textiles in their interior environments. Since 1994, under the direction of owner, founder Victoria Bain, the company has mastered the use of innovative embroidery in patterns that are both formal, and classical. The patterns all originate in a hand drawing and then with a mix of either hand or machine embroidery they are brought to life. I have always been drawn to the capability of stitch, be that hand or machine work, and the rich variety of texture and pattern that it can create. says Bain A stitch for me is a means of expressing an original idea in a very personal way. The addition of embroideries to the luxury items we offer is a great opportunity for those clients looking for a bespoke design element. explains Richard Chilcott, CEO of J. Robert Scott. Ms. Bains work can be requested on many of the textile qualities offered through J. Robert Scott showrooms including selections of JRS Superkidskin and cow hide. Victoria Bain Embroidered Textiles have been incorporated into residential, yacht, and hospitality settings. ABOUT VICTORIA BAIN EMBROIDERED TEXTILES Victoria Bain Embroidered Textiles is a luxury design studio producing exquisitely embroidered fabrics for the home. With a Couture Parisian background, and inspired by the Atelier of Lesage, one of the greatest embroiderers of our time, Victoria established her Company in 1994. The Studio is based in Highgate in North London. Victorias unparalleled knowledge of embroidery stitch and her attention to detail has brought her high acclaim and her work features in high end residential projects to luxury property developments around the world. Her work also covers luxury and boutique hotels, working with hotel groups such as the Four Seasons, The Sandy Lane, Barbados, Rocco Forte Hotels, and The Dorchester, amongst others. The Inspiration behind Victorias designs stem from her passion for art history. British archives, and stately homes, so rich in design inspiration, often shape her starting point. Each design is meticulously researched and techniqued. All designs are initially hand drawn as Victoria is a great believer in the hand-touch over mechanical CAD touch, it allows for an organic rhythm that at times she feels is unattainable through computer software. That saying for the machine worked embroidery the artwork is then scanned in and worked over stitch wise with computer software but only in order to make sure that every stitch is considered and blended correctly, she is keen that the finished product will almost pass for hand-work. Hand work is created by highly skilled Sari workers in Southern India. Each of her Collections are produced by teams that are able to technically achieve the standards and to push the boundaries dictated by Victoria. The off the peg designs are created by a team in Europe, with the made to measure offer, produced in the UK for fast turnaround and outstanding quality control. Superyacht designers are attracted to the couture arm of the Company and Victoria regularly creates custom items for both upholstery and curtaining. Beauty and a beautiful home are central to the Companys philosophy. The Company believes that beauty is found in the detail. ABOUT SALLY SIRKIN LEWIS AND J. ROBERT SCOTT, INC. J. Robert Scott, Inc. the luxury home furnishings manufacturer was founded in 1972 in Los Angeles by Hall of Fame designer Sally Sirkin Lewis. The company was born out of Ms. Lewis desire to provide her clients with contemporary, well made furnishings that met her uncompromising standards of quality and beauty. Her understated, signature style has become known as California Design. To this day, she serves as the President of the company, which has established itself as an influential design force around the world, with company owned showrooms in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and London, and representation in 16 cities in 11 countries. Throughout her career, Ms. Lewis has been awarded more than 150 U.S. Design patents, including a U.S. Utility Patent for her furnishings which are manufactured by hand in the 70,000 square foot factory in Inglewood, California. Through her guidance and direction, J. Robert Scott has gained recognition as an exceptional resource for custom design furniture. It is rare to find a company that can modify any of their existing items, or create an entirely new piece, tailored to the specific needs of their clientele. It is not unusual to see skilled craftsmen, many of whom have been with Ms. Lewis for more than 20 years, hand sewing the edges of a sofa or patiently applying gold leafing to a console. The techniques used are the traditional construction methods that date back to the Renaissance, these talented craftsmen are truly modern day artisans. J. Robert Scott is well known in the interior design industry for utilizing rare and exotic veneers, as well as Shagreen, snake and goatskin parchment in the manufacturing of its products. The textile division offers a distinctive range of hand-woven silks, silk mohair, wools, velvets and JRS Superkidskin among nearly 700 couture-quality luxury fabrics, in the most appealing and contemporary colorways. Furniture and textiles designed by Sally Sirkin Lewis for J. Robert Scott are instantly recognized for their beauty and valued for their quality, the essence of the companys commitment to producing Furniture as an Art Form. For additional company and product information, please visit http://www.jrobertscott.com # # # Digital Images Available upon Request Leading edge section demonstrator, three parts, two welds both 40 mm wide. The ability to weld thermoformed thermoplastic composite components to form structurally efficient light weight assemblies allows us to continue to provide our global customer base with innovative, high quality, cost-effective products. Wayne Exton, CEO AGC AeroComposites, a global supplier of composite aerostructures, assemblies and components to the aerospace and defense industry, has successfully completed their CoFusion project with funding from the National Aerospace Technology Exploitation Programme (NATEP), in partnership with the UK National Composites Centre, TenCate Advanced Composites and Rolls Royce. The project involved work to optimise the efficiency and applicability of an innovative, low cost thermoplastic composite welding process. The CoFusion project demonstrated that carbon/polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) composite thermoformed components can be reliably welded to form complex assemblies utilising resistive composite welding elements that contain no metal meshes or inserts. The resulting welded components feature consistent high strength and fatigue properties that have been demonstrated at both coupon and component levels. Low cost equipment and materials can be used and the heating to welding temperature takes only three minutes. The process is not limited to flat components; panels with significant curvature can be welded reliably. All resulting welds are high quality with no voids passing standard ultrasonic Non-destructive Testing (NDT) specifications. Welded top-hat sandwich panels were produced and structurally compared by torsional strength and fatigue testing to identical riveted parts. The welded component had higher stiffness and greater strength reaching five times that of the riveted component. The fatigue performance of the welded component was also significantly superior with no damage at 350,000 cycles in comparison to the riveted parts that only survived 50,000 cycles. The CoFusion project was a tremendous opportunity for our company to pursue advances in composite technology, said Wayne Exton, CEO of AGC AeroComposites. The ability to weld thermoformed thermoplastic composite components to form structurally efficient light weight assemblies allows us to continue to provide our global customer base with innovative, high quality, cost-effective products. The NATEP funding ran for 18 months and had a total budget of 275,000; half of which was funded through NATEP. NATEP is a 40 million technology development program derived from a bid by the Aerospace Growth Partnership to the Governments Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain Initiative. The goal of the program is to mature undeveloped aerospace technologies and increase manufacturing jobs in the UK. About AGC AeroComposites AGC AeroComposites supplies the aerospace & defense industry with composite and metallic aerostructures and components. The companys global footprint is comprised of strategically located sites providing local and immediate support to customers. Integrated solutions range from early stage design, rate production, to full-term sustainment making AGC AeroComposites the industrys trusted lifecycle partner. Brands expect the same level of talent and expertise from their freelancers as they do from a full-time hire. nDash.co today announced the beta launch of its content community platform; a web-based app that crowdsources content ideation and gives brands all the tools they need to recruit, onboard, manage and pay a team of freelance writers. The announcement coincides with the companys rebrand from nDash Marketing LLC to nDash, Inc., as well as its sponsorship of Inbound 2016. Our mission has always been to help brands publish great content, and with the launch of our platform, well now be able to do this at scale for thousands of companies around the world, said nDash CEO Michael Brown. Ultimately, however, the platform is more than just a tool to connect brands with expert writers. Its about a fundamental shift in the way companies now approach content creation. A recent Aberdeen study that found that 85% of organizations are now outsourcing tasks to freelance workers, including content creation. The problem with this approach, as Brown explained, is one of talent; brands have had a difficult time finding and retaining top-flight freelancers within existing platforms. The kneejerk response to what weve built will be to call it just another content mill, but nothing could be further from the truth, he said. We understand that brands expect the same level of talent and expertise from their freelancers as they do from a full-time hire. Likewise, we also understand why great freelance writers are reluctant to join such platforms. nDash was specifically designed to eliminate these barriers, because at the end of the day, this isnt about outsourcing trivial tasksits about generating insightful content via an engaged community of writers. nDash gives companies the ability to search through transparent writer profiles that are integrated with LinkedIn; post jobs for free and collaborate with writers directly. On the writer side, freelancers are able to set their own rates from day one, and to view detailed brand profile pages in order to find the best fit. Perhaps the most unique aspect of the nDash platform is the ability for brands to crowdsource their content ideation. Once a company has a profile on the platform, writers are able to pitch them ideas specific to their brand as a way to establish credibility and to earn new business. To learn more and sign-up (as a company or writer) go to http://www.ndash.co. BlueShift Travel Technologies and FamilyShare, a Deseret Digital Inc. platform, announced today a partnership that will launch a travel booking platform for the millions of FamilyShares social followers. FamilyShare is excited to partner with BlueShift to provide such an innovative travel solution to help further enhance the value that we provide for the millions of loyal families that interact with our social content network on a daily basis, said Saul Leal, General Manager of FamilyShare. FamilyShare will launch a new brand, FamilyShare Travel, to their organization and add a travel section to their website. The travel section will include the booking platform as a widget within every article. Users then can plan and book their whole vacation on FamilyShares travel section. We believe this partnership will create the perfect opportunity to engage and inspire the millions of FamilyShares followers to dream, plan, and book family vacations like never before, said Zachary Paul, President and CEO of BlueShift. For more information about BlueShift Travel Technologies please contact us at 801-689-2763 or visit our website at http://www.blueshifttravel.com. About BlueShift Travel Technology BlueShift is a Utah-based company focusing on the international travel markets. The company offers a one-stop booking platform that is white-labeled to clients brands, allowing their customers to book lodging flights and travel insurance. The company also offers clients an analytic platform to assist them in their marketing decisions. We truly value the importance of culture and the arts, and take pride in offering such events to our clientele and community. -- Sandra Miller With a commitment to community and appreciation for the arts, lifestyle real estate brand, Engel & Volkers Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica are set to host a special summer evening at L.A. Louver Gallery. Located in the heart of Venice Beach, L.A. Louver represents and exhibits distinguished American and international contemporary artists. The event will celebrate two unique California icons David Hockney and Yosemite National Park with a presentation of new iPad drawings by Hockney, who is considered to be one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. For this exhibition, titled The Yosemite Suite, Hockney produced over over two-dozen works that depict the landscape and the vistas of one of Americas most renowned national parks. We are thrilled to be working with L.A. Louver to host this incredible evening, says Sandra Miller, License Partner of Engel & Volkers Santa Monica. We truly value the importance of culture and the arts, and take pride in offering such events to our clientele and community. The private event will be held on Tuesday, August 23rd with catering and refreshments. About Engel & Volkers Since its beginning in 1977 as a specialty boutique providing exclusive, high-end real estate services in Hamburg, Germany, Engel & Volkers has become one of the worlds leading companies specializing in the sale and lease of premium residential and commercial property, yachts and private aviation. Engel & Volkers currently operates a global network of over 7,000 real estate advisors in more than 700 brokerages spanning 37 countries across five continents, offering both private and institutional clients a professionally tailored range of luxury services. It established its North America corporate headquarters in 2007 and opened its first brokerage in the same year. Committed to exceptional service, Engel & Volkers supports its advisors with an array of premium quality business services; marketing programs and tools; multiple platforms for mobile, social and web; as well as access to its global network of real estate professionals, property listings and market data. Engel & Volkers is an active supporter of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each brokerage is independently owned and operated. # # # For more information please contact: Sheela Shouhed Director of Communications Sheela.Shouhed(at)evusa(dot)com Oso, Hamilton Heights newest restaurant with an authentic taste of Mexico city street food is pleased to announce its new fall extended kitchen hours from 5pm to 12am, seven days a week and closing at 2am. Accompanying the highly anticipated launch of Oso back in June 2016 is a brand new brunch menu and their participation in the Harlem-Havana Festival from August 15 to August 21. Oso is owned and operated by Nodar Mosiashvili, Matthew Trebek who along with executive chef Cassandra Rhoades reside in Hamilton Heights. The Mexico City inspired restaurant has quickly gained momentum since its soft opening with rustic decoration details such as exposed bricks, concrete floors and a graffiti mural. A carefully curated selection of hip-hop/jazz/soul music illuminates the space with an intimate and relaxed vibe. Nestled on the top of the hill near the Hamilton Grange Memorial, Oso draws inspiration from the community's landmark architecture, bold street style, and rich cultural history. Oso is located in close proximity to major thoroughfares at 1618 Amsterdam Avenue in New York, New York. Located just across the street from the City College of New York, Oso attracts Hamilton Heights locals and student patriots with its south-of-the-border staples such as tamales, mole, chilaquiles, and traditional tacos, all served up in an open kitchen with a chef's table for four. The bar holds over 20 small estates of tequilas and mezcals, and incorporates native Mexican ingredients to coincide with the eclectic cocktail program that Matthew and Nodar created themselves. The full bar remains open with after-hour tacos and churros with its extended kitchen hours. The newly launched brunch menu includes signature dishes such as Huevos Con Chorizo, Watermelon Salad, and Torta Al Pastor, alongside brunch "cocteles" including choices of Rose Sangria, Guava Bellini, Bloody Maria, Mimosa and many more. Along with Oso's recent launch, is their participation in the Harlem-Havana Music & Cultural Festival, a culture-packed exchange initiative of music, visual arts, dance, film, food and more, starting in Manhattan during Harlem Week. Oso will play Cuban-infused music, and will offer a special dish, Pollo a la Criola (braised chicken wings, pineapple criola and fried onion), and a special drink, Hibiscus Mojito (Brugal white rum, hibiscus, lime and mint), in the spirit of the culturally-diverse fiesta. About Oso Drawing culinary inspiration from Mexico City, Oso serves up authentic street food with a contemporary flare. The calles de District Federal are reflected in the raw concrete, reclaimed wood finishes, and a floor to ceiling graffiti mural in the dining room. Hand crafted cocktails and flights of Mezcal or Tequila are served to round out the dining experience while a curated selection of hip-hop/ jazz/ soul music illuminate the room. http://www.OsoHarlem.com Authentic Recombinant Human Proteins Expressed From Human Cells Our new HumanKine LIF protein is an important addition to our growing product line of authentic recombinant human cytokines and growth factors for stem cell research." HumanZyme Inc., a leading supplier of novel human proteins and growth factors expressed in human cells enabling stem cell research and regenerative therapy applications, today announced the launch of a new HumanKine authentic recombinant human protein, LIF (Leukemia Inhibitory Factor). Human-cell expressed LIF has native human glycosylation, important since LIF is a highly glycosylated protein, also ensuring the best possible stability and activity in cell culture. The new LIF introduction expands the HumanKine product line of high-quality, native human proteins expressed in human cells available from HumanZyme. This new LIF HumanKine protein is an important addition to our product line of authentic recombinant human cytokines and growth factors for stem cell research. We are working hard to expand our offerings to include a complete set of native human recombinant proteins used for stem cell expansion, differentiation and maintenance. LIF is priced competitively, is animal-derived product free and available in bulk, said Scott Coleridge, CEO at HumanZyme. LIF is used to promote long-term maintenance of embryonic stem cells by suppressing spontaneous differentiation when added to culture medium, and is an important tool for stem cell researchers. Recombinant HumanKine LIF expressed in HEK293 cells provides native human post-translational processing including glycosylation, disulfide links, subunit assembly and folding for native activity and stability. For more information, see our LIF product page. About HumanZyme, Inc. HumanZyme, Inc. is the global leader in providing highly authentic recombinant human proteins from human cells. Our process is cost-effective and scalable making our proteins suitable for the research, diagnostic, drug discovery and biopharmaceutical markets. HumanZyme leverages its proprietary engineered human cells, expression vector, and cell culture media to ensure high-yield production of recombinant proteins with native human post-translational modifications. We are a leading provider of cytokines and growth factors and a preferred outsourcing supplier of human protein production. Our products and services support a broad range of customers worldwidefrom academic and government research institutions to biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Libyan pro-government forces went back on the offensive Tuesday against last pockets of resistance by fighters of the Islamic State militant group in the coastal city of Sirte. Backed by tanks and mortar fire, pro-government forces advanced inside "District Two" of central Sirte, an AFP photographer reported, after a day of clearing and demining areas of the city captured in earlier clashes. The assault against IS group has been mounted in a west-to-east direction and led by tanks opening the way for infantry. A commander of the forces of the Government of National Accord (GNA) said loyalists had also taken up positions south of District Two to cut off escape routes. Loyalist forces launched operations in May to retake the Mediterranean city and home town of slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi, which IS group seized in June last year. On June 9, pro-government forces entered Sirte and have since pushed the militants from key positions including their headquarters at the Ouagadougou conference centre, a sprawling compound near the city centre. AFP correspondents who toured the city on Saturday said loyalist forces were pressing their advance, buoyed by US air strikes earlier this month that targeted IS group holdouts in the city. More than 300 pro-government fighters have been killed and 1,800 wounded in the three-month-old battle for Sirte, according to an official casualty toll. The militants have not revealed their losses. Search Keywords: Short link: empower by Allsup provides an easy, helpful way, before you start the SSDI process, to learn of your likelihood of qualifying for benefits prior to filing a disability insurance application. Mike Stein, Allsup Nearly 1.4 million people applied for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits from January to July 2016, representing a slight decrease compared to 1.42 million applicants for the same time period last year, according to Allsup, the nations premier provider of SSDI representation services. The decline in applications continues a trend reported by the Social Security Administration (SSA) in recent years. Over three years, applications have dropped nearly 7 percent, from 1,490,981 in 2014 to 1,387,288 in 2016 for this seven-month time period. This trend is due in part to the aging U.S. workforce, in particular as more baby boomers reach retirement age and are no longer eligible for SSDI, explained Mike Stein, Allsup assistant vice president of Claims. More than 151 million U.S. workers are insured for SSDI benefits, which provides monthly income to them in the event of a serious injury or illness that prevents them from working for 12 months or longer, or is terminal. SSDI has many benefits, including access to healthcare coverage through Medicare, and return-to-work incentives for those people who medically recover and can go back to work, Stein said. Allsup now exclusively offers a new level of online assistance for those first applying for benefits with empower by Allsup, a dual purpose online tool for both SSDI benefits and return-to-work assistance. First-time applicants who choose Allsup have a 50 percent higher success rate with their SSDI application compared to the national rate at Social Security. Three Tips Before Filing A Social Security Disability Application Allsup offers the following tips before filing an SSDI application. 1. Understand eligibility. The SSA administers the SSDI program, which has stringent rules to receive benefits. To qualify for SSDI benefits, individuals must have paid FICA payroll taxes, usually worked five of the last 10 years, and have a severe work-disrupting injury or illness that is expected to last at least a year, or is terminal. Applicants also must be under full retirement age (65-67). To assist people with the disability application process, empower by Allsup provides a no-cost, online assessment. Internet users can learn within a few minutes their likelihood of being eligible for SSDI. empower by Allsup provides an easy, helpful way, before you start the SSDI process, to learn of your likelihood of qualifying for benefits prior to filing a disability insurance application, Stein explained. Applying directly to Social Security without first understanding what the agency is looking for, and if you meet their criteria, is a waste of time and resourcesyours and theirs. Most people can complete the empower by Allsup SSDI assessment in about 15 minutes and avoid the long lines at Social Security field offices or on the telephone. Find more information on Allsup.com. 2. Understand the importance of representation at the application level. Many first-time SSDI applicants do not have a representative to advocate for them until they appeal and request a hearing. By then, they may have to wait two more years for a decision on their claim. Its important to know that only a few disability specialists such as Allsup provide representation at the initial application, which might save you more than 500 days of waiting for benefits if youre able to receive approval when you first apply, Stein explained. The SSA reports that only 33 percent of Social Security disability applicants were approved with their application in fiscal year 2015, in comparison to 50 percent of Allsup claimants who receive their benefits at the initial application. 3. Be prepared for Social Securitys stringent, lengthy determination process. SSDI is a complex, medical evidence-based program that requires a high level of detail and information, including work history, medical evidence and a thorough assessment of the impact on someones activities of daily living. The complexity of the information required by Social Security can be overwhelming, especially in the fact that you can make simple mistakes that lead to benefits denial, Stein explained. After the empower by Allsup assessment is successfully completed, applicants can move right into providing more detailed information required for their SSDI application. One important benefit of empower by Allsup is that it gathers information in an easy-to-understand, plain-language manner, with audio and video help, that doesnt confuse like government forms can. Allsup wants to make gathering information about your disability claim and completing your SSDI application as easy as possible, despite the complexity and requirements of this program, so that you can be successful with your claim, Stein added. The current hearing backlog now exceeds 1.1 million claims with an average wait of 530 days. Prepare yourself and dont get discouraged, but most of all, consider Allsup as your representative when first applying for SSDI, Stein said. You get the advantage of our 32 years of experience, empower by Allsup and our traditionally higher rate of success the first time. Learn about filing an SSDI application with empower by Allsup at Allsup.com. ABOUT ALLSUP Allsup and its subsidiaries provide nationwide Social Security disability, veterans disability appeal, re-employment, exchange plan and Medicare services for individuals, their employers and insurance carriers. Allsup professionals deliver specialized services supporting people with disabilities and seniors so they may lead lives that are as financially secure and as healthy as possible. Founded in 1984, the company is based in Belleville, Illinois, near St. Louis. Visit http://www.Allsup.com. # # # Cleveland Brown, CEO of Payscout, comments on the global opportunity for entrepreneurs due to the increase in digital payments in India. The Indian economy is opening up and presenting an enormous entrepreneurial opportunity. A recently released study from Google (Alphabet Inc.) and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) projects an increase in digital payments in India from its current level of $50 billion annually to $500 billion by the year 2020. Spurred by smartphone penetration, and supported by regulatory policy, the digital payments industry is set to grow 10X by 2020, said Rajan Anandan, Googles Vice President for Southeast Asia and India. As further indication of the growing importance of the Indian digital consumer, Anandan noted that by 2020, half of the countrys internet users will use digital payments, and that the top 100 million users will drive 70% of gross merchandise value.(1) India is the third-largest economy in Asia and the seventh largest in the world.(2) The Google/BCG study predicts that with the rise in digital payments, the GDP of India will rise by 15%which is great news for India and also great news for digital entrepreneurs all over the world. The Indian economy is opening up and presenting an enormous entrepreneurial opportunity, said Cleveland Brown, CEO of Payscout, Inc., a leading global payment processing provider. Were working closely with client companies of all sizes in all risk verticals to implement our turnkey model for managing global payments internationally, including the Indian market. The new report noted that the move to non-cash transactions is taking place across the entire spectrum of the Indian consumer economy. Online shopping, utility bill payments and movie ticket purchases were identified as the top three services for which Indian users make digital payments. Online payments through digital wallets and debit/credit cards have been emerging as a preferred transaction mode, mainly due to ease of transaction, availability of smartphones and internet access, and enhanced security and encryption methods. The Indian market is a large and growing global economy that is still very much untapped, said Manpreet Singh, President and Co-Founder of Payscout. The conversion from a cash to digital currency economy will only continue to grow at an increasingly rapid rate. In terms of total transactions, the Indian digital payments storywhich includes in-person as well as ecommerce paymentswill be dominated by very small purchases and payments. Over 50% of person-to-merchant transactions are expected to be less than 100 rupees ($1.49).(3) However, Brown said, as is the case in China, there is a large segment of the Indian population with significant amounts of disposable income and a strong desire for shopping opportunities. Indeed, a recent study by ASSOCHAM, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, suggested that online luxury stores aimed at Indian consumers will see an increase in sales of $35 billion in 2016, and that the premium side of online sales will double by 2020. According to ASSOCHAM, the primary drivers of this growth are: The influence of western culture on the Indian retail market. Increased internet access: India is the third-largest country in the world in terms of internet access, with 140 million internet users. Increased awareness: Partly, as a result of increased internet access, people in India are more aware of global fashion and luxury trends, and are more inclined to accept these trends in their daily lives. Higher disposable income: Increasing income has brought a drastic change in the spending patterns of Indian consumers, particularly the young. A growing middle class: Aspirational purchases on the part of the rising middle class in India offer the opportunity to online luxury retailers to reach a larger (and growing) market.(4) It is encouraging to see an emerging economy like Indias benefitting from smart regulatory policy that is designed to support entrepreneurs, said Brown. We hope other foreign markets will take notice and adopt similar infrastructures, not unlike what we have here in the U.S., that will protect companies doing business across borders. Per Brown, making the most of this developing growth opportunity requires a robust, secure, and flexible payment infrastructure, as well as a relationship with a processor that is well versed in guiding companies through every countrys cross-border policies and requirements. Furthermore, with digital purchasing on the rise, especially in India, entrepreneurs should be looking to enter the global market to capitalize on industries showing a high rate of ecommerce activity. About Payscout, Inc.: Payscout Supports the Entrepreneurial Dream One Transaction at a Time. Payscout is a global payment processing provider covering six continents by connecting merchants and consumers via credit, debit, ATM and alternative payment networks. What differentiates Payscout is its mission to support the entrepreneurial dream one transaction at a time. Payscout achieves this by being a thought leader in the payments industry. Its Go Global Now technology platform gives merchants instant access to 100+ countries, billions of consumers and trillions of dollars. Payscout offers payment processing solutions for brick-and-mortar and ecommerce transactions, and has earned acclaim as a new-generation provider of merchant banking services, specializing in online/ecommerce retailers with a predominant proportion of card-not-present (CNP) transactions; it is one of the few providers to deliver a true global payment solution that encompasses all merchant risk verticals. Customers can access Payscouts credit card processing services via a state-of-the-art, web-based user portal and through direct interactions with highly-trained experts. In addition to supporting thousands of clients across a multitude of industries and all 50 American states, Payscout maintains global partnerships with VISA USA, Bank of America Merchant Services, VISA Europe, VISA Latin America, VISA Asia Pacific, MasterCard Worldwide, China Union Pay, Deutsche Bank, First Data and Payscout Brazil. Payscout was recognized as one of Americas fastest-growing privately-held companies in 2014 and 2015, ranking #2,416 in 2014 and #434 in 2015, on Inc. Magazines Inc. 500/5000 list. Within the financial services industry, Payscout placed #140 in 2014 and #24 in 2015. For more information, visit http://www.payscout.com. 1. Kalavalapalli, Yogendra, and Nair, Vishwanath, Digital Payments in India seen touching $500 billion by 2020, livemint, July 28, 2016. http://www.livemint.com/Industry/M6SPyd4vUcC7QIQRnjBqaO/Digital-payments-in-India-seen-touching-500-billion-by-2020.html. 2. Nominal GDP Ranking 2016, International Monetary Fund World Economic Outlook, April 14, 2016. http://statisticstimes.com/economy/countries-by-projected-gdp.php. 3. India Digital Payments Market to hit $500 Billion in 2020, pymnts.com, July 27, 2016. http://www.pymnts.com/news/international/2016/india-digital-payment-market-growth. 4. The Rise of Online Shopping for Luxury Brands in India, Indian Express, May 13, 2016. http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/sponsored/the-rise-of-online-shopping-for-luxury-brands-in-india. Bernard A. Krooks, Littman Krooks LLP Bernard A. Krooks, JD, CPA, LLM, CELA, AEP (Distinguished) has once again been honored for excellence in Elder Law and Trusts & Estates. Best Lawyers in America has included him in its definitive guide to legal excellence in the U.S. in the field of Elder Law and Trusts and Estates every year since 2008. A listing in Best Lawyers is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers. In addition, he was recently named to the New York-Presbyterian Hospital Planning Giving Advisory Council and the Wolters Kluwer Financial and Estate Planning Advisory Board. Krooks is a founding partner of the law firm Littman Krooks LLP and Chair of its Elder Law and Special Needs Department. He is the immediate past president of the Board of Directors of the Arc of Westchester, the largest agency in Westchester County serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. In April, Krooks was named Advocate of the Year by Arc of Westchester's Children's School for Early Development. He was elected to the Estate Planning Hall of Fame by the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC). Krooks serves as Chair of the Elder Law Committee of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC). He is Group Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Planning Group, Real Property, Trust & Estate Law (RPTE) Section of the American Bar Association (ABA). He has also served as a board member of the Hudson Valley Chapter of the Alzheimers Association and is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Caregiver Insights Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to assisting individuals and their families with end-of-life issues. To read more about Mr. Krooks, click here. About Littman Krooks Littman Krooks LLP provides sophisticated legal advice and the high level of expertise ordinarily associated with large law firms along with the personal attention and responsiveness of smaller firms. These ingredients, which are the cornerstone of effective representation and are necessary to a successful lawyer/client relationship, have become the foundation of the firms success. Littman Krooks LLP offers legal services in several areas of law, including elder law, estate planning, special needs planning, special education advocacy, and corporate and securities. Their offices are located at 399 Knollwood Road, White Plains, New York and 655 Third Avenue, New York, New York. Visit the firms website at http://www.littmankrooks.com Absolute Travel Travel + Leisure reveals today luxury travel advisors Brooke Garnett and Holly Monahan of Absolute Travel named to their Travel + Leisure A-List of the Worlds Top Travel Agents for 2016. This definitive list showcases the finest talent in the travel industry. Garnett makes the list for the fourth consecutive year for her expertise in planning adventure travel and luxury trips in Australia. Monahan makes the list for the second consecutive year for her luxury travel advising for Thailand and Southeast Asia. Nominees are assessed on their cutting-edge and of-the-moment destination knowledge, their ability to arrange travel experiences not accessible to the general public, and savviness in handling complex itineraries and challenging requests. Garnett has been setting trends in experiential travel for over ten years. Her travel experiences include walking through British Columbias Great Bear Rainforest in search of grizzlies as well as climbing Rwandas mountains spotting gorillas as a way to protect their territories. My clients look to me year after year to raise the bar for their leisure-adventure travel to all seven continents, and insider experiences in Australia, says Garnett. I am honored to be recognized by Travel + Leisure and thankful to my clients whose requests drive me to continually seek out the best new travel experiences for them. Monahans credentials as the top luxury travel advisor for travel in Thailand and Southeast Asia come from a year living in Bangkoks trendiest neighborhood and months traveling across Southeast Asia, from Myanmar to Sri Lanka. She makes it a priority to return to Southeast Asia yearly so she is ahead of the trends, scoping out the finest hotels and off-the-radar experiences for travelers. My clients have unique tastes and interests. When designing their tours, I draw on my research trips throughout Southeast Asia and the time I spent living in Thailand to create personalized experiences for them, says Monahan of her expertise. Being named to the Travel + Leisure A-List is a highlight of my career. It is genuinely an honor to be recognized among the industrys top specialists. Garnett and Monahan plan trips for curious, discerning travelers seeking a highly personalized luxury travel experience. Their loyal repeat and referral clients is attributed to their service, firsthand-destination knowledge, insider experiences and ability to create itineraries many travelers havent seen elsewhere. The Travel + Leisure A-List award was officially announced on August 10th, and will be featured in the September issue of Travel + Leisure. Absolute Travels team of trusted, passionate travel specialists create private journeys to Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, Antarctica, North America, the Middle East and the South Pacific. Their firsthand knowledge, creativity and personal connections allow them to design trips filled with insider experiences, unsurpassed service, and on-the-ground spontaneity travelers cant find elsewhere. In addition to creating life-changing trips, Absolute Travel is committed to protecting the worlds wild places and the creatures and traditions that make it worth exploring through their philanthropic arm, Absolute Awareness. Pacifica, as the global touchstone in the field of depth psychology, must contribute her voice to the national dialogue. Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Relations, in partnership with other community organizations, will host "Pondering Peace in a World of Turmoil", one of the largest community peace forums to be held in Santa Barbara County. Beginning Friday, September 9th through Sunday, September 11, 2016, local families, community members, city officials, artists, spiritual leaders, renowned theorists, and PGIAA alumni will gather to encourage, inspire, and plan steps toward peace during these turbulent times. The free event is open to the public, and will take place at Pacific Graduate Institute Ladera Lane Campus, 801 Ladera Lane, Santa Barbara, California 93108. Dr. Stephen Aizenstat, Founding President and Chancellor, stated, Pacifica, as the global touchstone in the field of depth psychology, must contribute her voice to the national dialogue. I believe that what we offer will benefit from our first looking inside our own personal experience, community engagement, and institutional practices. I know that this is the more challenging way to proceed, yet, this process lives at the heart of our tradition. We are part of a lineage where mindful self-inquiry companions personal and social action. Developed and organized by Pacific Graduate Institutes Office of Alumni Relations, Pondering Peace in a World of Turmoil is a three-day family friendly community forum designed to promote peace through intercultural dialogue, reflection, celebration, and artistic expression. This unique event features panel discussions, presentations, movie screenings, poetry readings, art exhibits, musical performances, refreshments and more! This year marks the 15th anniversary of 9/11. In remembrance of the many lives lost through that one grievous act of terrorism, as well as the recent acts of violence rocking so many communities throughout the U.S., it is my hope that our event will inspire other individuals and institutions to step up and create ways to begin dialogue within their own communities, noted Dianne Travis-Teague, Director of Alumni Relations. Keynote speakers include David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and Katrina S. Rogers, Ph.D., President of Fielding Graduate University. Mr. Krieger has served as president of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation since 1982 and has been a leader in the global movement to eliminate nuclear weapons. He has lectured throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia on issues of peace, security, international law, and the abolition of nuclear weapons, and has received many awards for his work toward a nuclear weapons-free world. He has been interviewed on CNN, MSNBC, BBC, and many other national and international television and radio shows. Dr. Rogers is President of Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California, a distinguished graduate school known for advanced education in the fields of clinical psychology, human talent & development, organizational leadership, and education. She has served the international non-governmental and educational sectors in many roles, including executive, board member, and teacher. She has also led the European campus for Thunderbird School of Global Management in Geneva, Switzerland for a decade, working with international organizations such as the Red Cross, World Trade Organization, United Nations Development Program, and the European Union. Sponsors to date include: Fielding Graduate University, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Voices Magazine, Martin Luther King Committee, and Best Western Hotel-Carpinteria. Schedule of Events Friday, September 9th 4:00 - 9:00 p.m. Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Event Kickoff & Reception A Gathering of Peacekeepers Keynote Speaker: Katrina S. Rogers, PhD, President, Fielding Graduate University Panel Discussion (Pacifica Graduate Student Panel) Elementary School Children Speak on Peace Poetry with Santa Barbara Poet Laureate, Sojourner Kinkaid Rolle Saturday, September 10th 9:00 a.m. -9:00 p.m. If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. ~ Mother Teresa Keynote Speaker David Krieger, President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Information Stations (Pauses for Peace): -- Victim Advocates, Conflict Resolution, Sponsor Information, Referral/Resources Musical Performances Food, Face Painting Art & Crafts Faculty Presentations Peace Awards Sunday, September 11th 10:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Commemorating the 15th Anniversary of 9/11 We Will Never Forget I do not at all understand the mystery of grace only that it meets us where we are but does not leave us where it found us. ~ Anne Lamott Mama Pats Gospel Choir Meditations Remembrance Stations (attendees are encouraged to create and leave a tribute) Peace Panel Nondenominational Remembrance (includes reading of the names of 911 Victims and recent victims of violence) Closing Words by local Spiritual Leaders: Closing Ritual Pacifica Graduate Institute has graduated over 4500 alumni. Dianne Travis-Teague facilitates the ongoing collaboration between Pacifica's Office of the Chancellor and the Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association to extend and nurture the Pacifica experience in and through the world. In partnership with Alumni Relations, the Alumni Association provides programs and services that strengthen the connections between the community, graduates, and the institute. For additional information and media inquiries: Call (805) 879-7303 or visit http://www.ponderingpeace.com To RSVP call: (805) 679-6163. *************************************** Pacifica Graduate Institute, with two campuses in Santa Barbara, California, is a WASC-accredited graduate school offering masters and doctoral degree programs in depth psychology, mythological studies, and the humanities. The Institute has established an educational environment that nourishes respect for cultural diversity and individual differences, and a rigorous academic community with a spirit of free and open inquiry. Students have access to an impressive array of resources including the OPUS Archives and Research Center The mission of Pacifica Graduate Institute is to foster creative learning and research in the fields of psychology, the humanities, and mythological studies, framed in the traditions of depth psychology. Consistent with and supporting this vision, Pacifica Graduate Institute is employee-owned, and practices shared stewardship. Pacifica Graduate Institute Pacifica Graduate Institute Alumni Association Opus Archives and Research Center Pacifica Bookstore Luxury shared office and co-working space, Co-Optim, is opening its first location in Chicago suburb Deer Park this November. Co-Optim is opening its first location in the Offices at Deer Park located at 21660 W. Field Parkway. Co-Optim is a luxurious shared office and coworking space that is revolutionizing how people view office space by providing ultra-luxe offices coupled with high-end amenities and exciting networking events. Co-Optim Deer Park will open this November. Coworking is a style of working in a shared office environment, often involving a variety of employees from different organizations. The atmosphere encourages social gathering and is sought out for the synergy it provides people who share like-minded values. It is formed around the idea of a working community and is a solution for freelancers and entrepreneurs who work from home but desire the collaboration an office space provides. Founder and President Joseph Elias recognized there was a need for a professional coworking office that caters to all categories of business, not just the tech and start-up companies like a majority of the collaborative work spaces that exist today. We found theres something missing in the shared office and coworking spaces that are available in todays market, Elias said. Co-Optim provides an atmosphere where you can feel comfortable having a coffee in the cafe and lounge while also meeting your lawyer regarding private legal matters. Theres no place that offers both types of these settings in a large scale. Co-Optim changes that. The company chose the Offices at Deer Park as the location for its first office due to its abundance of nearby amenities and close proximity to several major roadways. Co-Optims unique amenities like a kids zone, on-site gym and yoga studio, complimentary coffee bar, and outdoor patio space set the property apart from traditional offices. Co-Optim Deer Park will open in November 2016. For more information regarding available office leasing and membership options, contact Alicia Hutzler at (847) 957-1447 or via email at AliciaHutzler(at)Co-Optim(dot)com. Additional information regarding the company and how to become a member can be found at Co-Optim.com. Inc 5000 Fastest growing Companies list 2016 We are thrilled that the investments in our human resources and infrastructure continue to help the company grow ATLANTA, GANational Glazing Solutions (NGS), a national leader in commercial security film, solar window film & graphics solutions, has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Fellow honorees have included Microsoft, Oracle, Vizio, Intuit, Timberland, Zappos and Chobani. As an Inc. 5000 honoree, NGS will attend the thirty-fifth annual Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala. The event will be held at the JW Marriott Hill Country in San Antonio, October 1820, 2016. Beyond the black tie, the conference will offer opportunities to learn from the masters in the art of entrepreneurship. Keynote speakers will include Tony Robbins; Weili Dai, co-founder of Marvell Technology Group; Kim Jordan, co-founder of New Belgium Brewing; and Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice, co-founders of SoulCycle. The conference brings top entrepreneurs together to meet, exchange ideas and get inspired. Educational and workshop sessions will cover topics including better customer service and brand awareness. According to James Beale, managing partner and vice president of sales for NGS, As an entrepreneur, you never want to stop learning. Being included in the Inc. 5000 list and attending the conference and gala will open a lot of doors for us. The experience will help us continue to deliver the latest window film solutions and outstanding service to our customers. About Inc. 5000 The Inc. 5000 list is created by Inc. magazine, the only major business magazine dedicated exclusively to owners and managers of growing private companies. It provides companies with hands-on resources and market-tested strategies for managing people, finances, sales, marketing and technology. About National Glazing Solutions National Glazing Solutions LLC is the nationwide leader in solar, security, specialty and printed window film solutions and installation services. Industry-leading offerings include energy modeling, custom printing and proprietary security applications such as TRI-SHIELD. Projects include corporate headquarters, major retail chains, hospitals, hotels and airports. NGS was recognized as the No. 1 commercial window film company in the U.S. by Window Film Magazine in 2013. Media Contact James Beale Managing Partner and Vice President of Sales National Glazing Solutions Tel: 404-993-2704 james(at)nationalglazingsolutions(dot)com Dennis Cassell, Of Counsel, Corporate, Scheef & Stone Dallas Dennis laid the foundation for much of what is Scheef & Stone today, for which we are forever grateful. Dennis is an excellent attorney and has remained a good friend ... . Im excited to announce that Dennis is joining Scheef & Stone as Of Counsel. Scheef & Stone, LLP is pleased to announce Dennis Cassell has joined the firm as Of Counsel in its Dallas Office. He practices corporate law in the areas of mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, general transactional law, U.S inbound and outbound investments and corporate governance. Cassell and Bill Stone, one of the founding partners of Scheef & Stone, laid the groundwork for the existing Scheef & Stone law firm when Stone joined Cassell in 1992 and opened the firm then known as Cassell & Stone. The firm was renamed Scheef & Stone when Cassell left to join Haynes and Boone in 1998. For six years, Dennis was my mentor, Stone said. Dennis laid the foundation for much of what is Scheef & Stone today, for which we are forever grateful. Dennis is an excellent attorney and has remained a good friend while spending the past 18 years at Haynes and Boone. Im excited to announce that Dennis is joining Scheef & Stone as Of Counsel. Its great to be here, Cassell said. Im extremely pleased to see how the firm continues to grow organically and provide excellent service to its clients. Cassell is an AV Peer Review Rated Preeminent Attorney, as designated by Martindale-Hubbell. He received his J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and his B.S. from Colorado State University. Scheef & Stone, LLP provides solid counsel to its valued clients by forging innovative legal solutions to build lasting relationships. From its offices in Dallas and Frisco, members of the law firm hold themselves to the highest standards, and dedicate themselves to going beyond the extra mile for their clients. These standards have led to strategic growth, bringing our attorney count to approximately 60 lawyers practicing in a full-service commercial firm with services including immigration, corporate, cybersecurity, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, tax, construction law, banking, bankruptcy, intellectual property, healthcare, litigation and employment law. Power Rogers & Smith, P.C. is proud to announce that each of our partners, Joseph A. Power, Jr., Larry R. Rogers, Sr. and Todd A. Smith have been selected by their peers to the 2017 list of The Best Lawyers in America. Founding partner Joseph Power, Jr. became the youngest lawyer in the United States to secure a jury verdict of more than $1 million at only 28 years old, and has continued his record-breaking success throughout his career. He has obtained over 200 jury verdicts and settlements of more than $1 million, including the largest jury verdict in Illinois history for a medical malpractice case of $55.4 million. He is the current Vice President/President-Elect of the Inner Circle of Advocates, a legal organization consisting of the best 100 plaintiff trial lawyers in the United States. Power, Jr. has been listed as one of The Best Lawyers in America since 1987. Founding partner Larry Roger, Sr. has spent more than 25 years representing personal injury and wrongful death cases, securing numerous multimillion dollar personal injury settlements and verdicts for his clients. His record of success began early in his career when in 1985, during his first trial in Cook County, he won $27 million in a product liability case for his client, the largest personal injury verdict in Illinois at the time. Roger, Sr. has been listed as one of The Best Lawyers in America since 2001. Founding partner Todd Smith has secured some of the largest multimillion dollar jury awards and settlements in serious personal injury, aviation, product liability, wrongful death, and medical malpractice cases in Illinois. He settled a United States record $10.6 million in a psychiatric malpractice case involving a Chicago area woman and her family, and is a member of the Inner Circle of Advocates. Smith has been listed as one of The Best Lawyers in America since 1997. All three partners were selected to 2017 list of The Best Lawyers in America for Personal Injury Litigation Plaintiffs, and Smith was also selected for Aviation Law, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions Plaintiffs, Medical Malpractice Law Plaintiffs, and Product Liability Litigation Plaintiffs. Power Rogers & Smith, P.C. is a personal injury law firm based out of Chicago, IL, and has earned the title of "No. 1 Plaintiff's Law Firm" in most dollars earned for our clients by Chicago Lawyer magazine's Annual Settlement Survey for six straight years. To contact Power Rogers & Smith, P.C., call us at (312) 313-0202, or visit our website at http://www.prslaw.com/. This first-of-its-kind book, by security pros Christian West and Brian Jantzen, shares lessons learned from decades of protecting some of corporate Americas most prominent people. AS Solution, a premiere global executive protection firm, will unveil "Corporate Executive Protection: An Introduction for Corporations and Security Professionals" at the 2016 ASIS International Seminar & Exhibits in Orlando on September 12-15. In this first-of-its-kind book seasoned security pros Christian West and Brian Jantzen share lessons learned from decades of protecting some of corporate Americas most prominent people. Full of practical, hands-on information, the book provides a comprehensive overview of how to conceive, build and run successful executive protection programs in corporate settings. With insights that only experience in all phases of program execution can provide, the authors dig into the key questions that corporations need to ask and answer. Corporate executive protection is growing strongly, and more and more organizations are starting or expanding programs, explains Christian West, CEO at AS Solution. We hope our new book will help corporations and the men and women who want to work in the field to better understand some of its best practices. AS Solutions senior management team will be on hand at Booth #1473, not only to discuss the book, but also to demonstrate the companys newest versions of their dedicated apps for executive protection: ADVANCE for EP advance planning and project management ODIN for GPS tracking linked to emergency response AS Solution is growing globally as our clients needs expand, says West. We are looking forward to the ASIS conference to meet old contacts and make new connections from around the world. AS Solutions experienced management team and 600+ employees worldwide deliver customized, global executive protection, secure travel, residential security, intelligence analysis, event security and more for the Fortune 500, private clients and philanthropic organizations. Related FM Shoukry to head to Lebanon for discussions on ending political vacuum Egypts foreign minister Sameh Shoukry met with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri in Beirut on Tuesday, where both officials discussed ongoing efforts to reach aconsensus between Lebanons various political factions and put an end to a three-year power vacuum. In an official statement by Egypts foreign ministry on Facebook, spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said that Shoukry assured that Egypt was closely following the efforts made in Lebanon to overcome the political crisis. Shoukry expressed Egypts concern over a presidential void, adding that its interest in domestic Lebanese affairs comes in a context of Egypts support for promoting Arab national security and diffusing crises in the region. According to Abu Zeid, the Lebanese parliamentary speaker stressed that he had suggestions he would present in the coming period to deal with the presidential vacuum, including pushing for a new elections bill and the formation of a Lebanese government as well as choosing a new head of state through a comprehensive deal. He added that the political scene in Lebanon was witnessing major challenges due to the vacuum, though Berri said that the security situation has been stable in the last period. Lebanon has been suffering a presidential vacuum since May 2014 following the end of president Michel Suleimans term. According to Egypts envoy to Lebanon, Egypt is making available all of its diplomatic and political expertise to the Lebanese, adding that Cairo supports any initiatives that aim to build consensus among rival parties. Shoukry met earlier with Lebanons Prime Minister Tammam Salam, where he expressed Egypts worry of an extended Lebanese crisis, which could present a threat to the security of the country and the states ability to function. Search Keywords: Short link: Through an inclusive culture that promotes differences in thinking, we at CIBC develop innovative business approaches and create new solutions to deepen client relationships Lime Connect (Lime) is pleased to announce that CIBC has joined the not for profit organization as a corporate partner in Canada to connect with high potential candidates who happen to have disabilities. CIBC will leverage Limes Career Connect portal and recruitment receptions to identify university students and experienced professionals interested in exploring career opportunities with CIBC. In addition, CIBC will support and contribute to the professional development of members of The Lime Network. Diversity and inclusion is core to CIBCs success and in continuing to build the bank of the future, says Richard Jardim, CIBC Senior Vice-President and Executive Sponsor of CIBCs WorkAbility Affinity Network. Through an inclusive culture that promotes differences in thinking, we develop innovative business approaches and create new solutions to deepen client relationships. Joe Sehl, president of Lime Connect Canadas board of directors, says Lime Connect is excited to welcome CIBC to our corporate partner group. The partnership is a natural extension of CIBCs Career Access Program for candidates with disabilities, and they are an inclusive company that complements our existing list of partners. We know that the professional career opportunities they offer will be extremely attractive to our candidate base, and look forward to realizing much success through our collaboration. CIBC encourages all experienced professionals, including those with disabilities, to apply for current openings such as Capital Markets Risk Management Analysts, Project Control Coordinators and Tech Data Analysts. As well, all Lime Connect Network members should look for additional roles posted for Limes recruitment receptions in Toronto (applications are currently open in The Lime Network - apply by August 28th) and Vancouver in early fall. University students and experienced professionals who happen to have disabilities can learn more, and apply to CIBC, by joining The Lime Network. Lime Connect is a not for profit organization that is rebranding disability through achievement. The organizations focus is to attract, prepare and connect high potential university students and alumni for scholarships, internships and full time careers with their corporate partners showcasing the vast strengths and benefits that are found in disabilities and providing candidates who happen to have disabilities the confidence to realize their dreams. For more information on Lime Connect, visit http://www.limeconnect.com. For more information on career opportunities at CIBC visit Linkedin or CIBC Careers. Im thrilled that students will soon have access to these innovative programs, developed in partnership with colleges and new providers, with the help of federal financial aid, said Under Secretary of Education Ted Mitchell. Study.com, in partnership with Thomas Edison State University and Quality Matters, has been selected to participate in the Department of Educations Educational Quality through Innovative Partnerships (EQUIP). The program will allow low-income students access to financial aid for nontraditional education and training programs through partnerships with select colleges and universities. The partnership between Thomas Edison State University and Study.com offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies. At least half of the coursework in these programs will be completed by taking Study.com video courses. I am honored Study.com has been selected for the EQUIP pilot. Equal access to a bachelor's degree is the key to upward mobility for low-income students, and the foundation for success in today's knowledge economy, said Adrian Ridner, CEO and Co-founder of Study.com. The Thomas Edison State University and Study.com program will provide an accelerated and flexible path to a bachelors degree at a fraction of the cost. The self-paced Study.com courses are broken down into 5-8 minute lessons which can easily be taken anytime, anywhereeven on a mobile device. The flexibility of program makes it ideally-suited for the increasing number of non-traditional students that are juggling school, work, and other responsibilities. Quality Matters will be the programs quality assurance entity to measure student outcomes such as earned credits, degree completion, cost compared to national benchmarks, and student satisfaction. EQUIP falls under the Experimental Sites Initiatives, which allows the DOE flexibility of regulations regarding financial aid for postsecondary institutions. Through the EQUIP program, the Department seeks to learn about these new models and their costs and educational and employment outcomes for students, as well as explore new methods to measure quality. Im thrilled that students will soon have access to these innovative programs, developed in partnership with colleges and new providers, with the help of federal financial aid, said Under Secretary of Education Ted Mitchell. As these innovative programs continue to develop, it will be increasingly important to understand what an outcomes-based quality assurance system looks like for such programs. I am encouraged to see that these colleges, providers, and quality assurance entities have stepped forward to provide models for doing so. ### About Study.com Study.com is the simplest, most efficient way to earn college credit online. Over 25 million students a month use our online courses and study tools to master any subject. The website helps students in kindergarten through college excel academically and professionals can gain the skills they need in the workplace. Study.coms animated videos bring concepts to life and provide an easy, low-cost way to improve grades, earn college credit, and close skill gaps. Study.com was founded in 2002 and is a privately-held company located in Mountain View, California. AlphaSense Enhancing our core search technology with rich new functionality and a broader database of content are our top focus areas in expanding the AlphaSense information edge to an even broader audience, AlphaSense, provider of the revolutionary AlphaSense search engine for knowledge professionals, today announced the addition of two new executives who will be responsible for advancing the companys technology, functionality and content library. Kevin Broom has been appointed EVP of Product Development, and Robert Magri has taken the position of Chief Content Officer. The two roles are newly-created, and both Mr. Broom and Mr. Magri will report directly to AlphaSense CEO Jack Kokko. Enhancing our core search technology with rich new functionality and a broader database of content are our top focus areas in expanding the AlphaSense information edge to an even broader audience, said Jack Kokko, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AlphaSense. Both Kevin and Bob bring incredible knowledge in their domains that, in tandem with an impressive existing team, will further accelerate the development of AlphaSense as the preeminent search engine for knowledge professionals. Mr. Broom joins AlphaSense from Yahoo! EMEA, where he held numerous product and business leadership positions, most recently as EMEA Search General Manager where he was responsible for business operations, product management and analytics. Prior to Yahoo! Europe, he served as Program Director for Search and Directional Media at AOL, based in the U.S. Mr. Broom holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Millsaps College. Mr. Magri most recently served as Managing Director and Global Head of Content Acquisition and Strategic Alliances at S&P Global. Previously, he served as Vice President and Director of Content and Strategic Partnerships at FactSet Research Systems and was Global Business Head of Market Data at State Street Global Advisors. Early in his career, Mr. Magri was a Senior Market Data analyst at Fidelity Investments and a Product Manager at OneSource, and he has also run his own consulting business. He holds a Bachelor of Business Finance & Management from Northeastern University. For more information, visit http://www.alpha-sense.com or call 1.212.203.2799 or +44 (0)20 7 0388438. About AlphaSense, Inc. AlphaSense provides a revolutionary search engine for knowledge professionals. Our mission is to curate and semantically index the worlds investment and market research content, including the vast high-value content sets that traditional web search engines cannot reach. Our users can rapidly search and discover key data points, and track impactful new information with intelligent alerts. Our clients include many of the worlds largest investment and advisory firms, global banks, law firms and corporations. The AlphaSense subscription service helps our clients become dramatically more productive, and gain an information edge by discovering critical data points and trends that others miss. HelloSign, the easiest way to electronically sign legally binding documents, has been ranked the top eSignature software for small businesses by G2 Crowd, a popular business software review platform, in their annual list released yesterday. In addition to taking the top slot among eSignature solutions, HelloSign also garnered a 9.76 customer satisfaction rating among small businesses, placing it as the third most recommended software product across the board for small businesses. G2 Crowds Top 50 Small Business Software Products list showcases the software that small business users have rated highly, based on customer satisfaction score. This ranking represents HelloSigns commitment to creating a product that provides tremendous value to users. To learn more about HelloSign in the latest G2 Crowd report, click here: http://goo.gl/CrQBTG Over the last year, HelloSign's small business users expressed extremely high levels of satisfaction with the software, making it a notable product in the eSignature category and the number three ranked product in our Best Software for Small Businesses list, said Marty Duffy, Director of Research at G2 Crowd. This top rating comes on the heels of G2 Crowds 2016 Winter announcement which ranked HelloSign as a high performer in the eSignature category. According to G2 Crowd, customer satisfaction scores are determined based on reviewers likeliness to recommend the product to a friend or colleague. User reviews for HelloSign on G2 Crowd praise the ease of use, increased speed to ROI, powerful functionality and the massive amount of time saved by never needing to use a printer, scanner, or fax machine in order to collect legally binding signatures. Because this top eSignature ranking is based on the satisfaction scores from real, verified HelloSign users, our entire team is particularly proud, says Joseph Walla, CEO and Co-founder of HelloSign. We measure our success by the success of our users the more capable our users are in streamlining their agreement and signature processes, and the faster our users can get to ROI, the better. Our top ranking in the G2 Crowd list shows us that were absolutely making our users more successful. G2 Crowd is the worlds leading business software review platform, leveraging its 92,000+ user reviews read by nearly 600,000 software buyers each month to help them make better purchasing decisions. By bringing the collective power of trusted peers to the forefront, business buyers now have transparency when evaluating B2B software technologies. In addition, G2 Crowd packages insights from expert peers, everyday users, and aggregated data to score competitive products on The Grid. About HelloSign HelloSign, the product leader in the eSignature space, makes it simple for businesses to offer fast, secure, and legally binding eSignatures to their customers through both a user-friendly web application and a developer-focused API. Trusted by millions of users, HelloSign is bringing the tradition and security of pen and paper signatures to the digital world for uninterrupted workflow. For more information see http://www.hellosign.com and follow HelloSign on Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Facebook. Team France win Olympic Jumping gold: Roger Yves Bost, Penelope Leprevost, Kevin Staut and Philippe Rozier Maybe the problems helped to make us fight more and more France claimed Team Jumping gold for only the second time in the history of the Olympic Games with a brilliant performance at Deodoro Olympic Park in Rio de Janeiro (BRA) today. Lying only a single penalty point behind the joint-leaders from Brazil, Germany, Netherlands and USA after yesterdays first round of competition, they added just two time faults to clinch it this afternoon. Silver went to Team USA who completed with five faults while Germany won out in a thrilling two-way jump-off against Canada for the bronze. This is only the second French team gold in the history of Olympic Jumping, the first won at Montreal (CAN) in 1976 where the side included Jean-Marcel Rozier whose son, Philippe, was French pathfinder today. My father was here in Rio, and we are all feeling very proud to have another gold medal in our family! Philippe said this afternoon. It hasnt all been plain sailing for the French who have endured a series of setbacks. We had bad luck at the beginning of the week with Simons horse and then Penelope, said Kevin Staut, referring to the withdrawal of Simon Delestres horse, Ryan, who was injured and then a night in the veterinary clinic for Penelope Leprevosts mare Flora de Mariposa before the pair took a fall in Sundays first qualifier. Flora jumped brilliantly in yesterdays first round of the team event but such was the strength of the French effort that she didnt have to compete at all today as Roger-Yves Bost (Sydney Une Prince) joined Staut (Reveur de Hurtebise) and Rozier (Rahotep de Toscane) to seal it with three great rounds. Sharing There were four teams sharing a zero score as the day began, but only Germany fielded a full four-rider side, as the elimination of Jur Vrieling (Zirocco Blue) hit the Dutch hard yesterday and the disqualification of Stephen de Freitas Barcha (Landpeter do Feroleto) left the Brazilians looking vulnerable. Then this morning it was announced that Beezie Maddens Cortes C was withdrawn from the US team after picking up an injury. On a day filled with time faults, Rozier collected just one in an otherwise copybook pathfinding run for France but it was Stauts clear when next to go that suddenly placed his country in real contention. And when Bost followed that with one of his edge-of-the-seat rides to come home with just one time fault on the board the destination of team gold was already being celebrated by the French fans. Bost insisted he had no idea the pressure he was under when going into the ring as last French rider. I wasnt sure what the score was, I just went in to do my job and the medal just came to me! he said afterwards, and Staut joked in reply, when Bosty is warming up, nobody is speaking to him! The Americans also kicked off with just a time fault from Kent Farrington and Voyeur but Lucy Davis and Barron left the middle of the influential triple combination, three from home, on the floor so although McLain Ward followed through with a spectacular clear from Azur their fate was sealed on a five-fault total which was plenty good enough for silver spot. The Dutch kicked off with a mistake from Jeroen Dubbeldam at the second fence along with a time fault and although Maikel van der Vleuten and Verdi only fell foul of the clock, three fences down for Harrie Smolders and Emerald saw them disappear from the reckoning. Brazilian dreams dissipated when Eduardo Menezes (Quintol), Doda de Miranda (Cornetto K) and Pedro Veniss (Quabri de LIsle) all faulted just once, but in the meantime there was another drama beginning to unfold. Pressure Germany wrapped up their score on eight, thanks to a classic bit of riding from anchorman Ludger Beerbaum who came home inside the time with Casello under the most intense pressure. That meant the five faults collected by Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Fibonacci) could be dropped leaving just the single errors from Christian Ahlmann (Taloubet Z) and Daniel Deusser (First Class) to be added together. And that eight-fault total left them on level pegging with the Canadians who added just four to their first-day result thanks to brilliant clears from Tiffany Foster (Tripple X) and Eric Lamaze (Fine Lady). Canadian opener, Yann Candele (First Choice), hit only the last and they could discount the 12 picked up by Amy Millar (Heros). The Canadians were first to go in the two-way showdown for bronze, but it was three German clears, from Ahlmann, Michaels-Beerbaum and Deusser, that clinched it. We always knew there was a high possibility of a jump-off, said Michaels-Beerbaum. We all fought very hard for this medal today and we are very grateful to have it. Back in the winners enclosure, Kevin Staut reflected on how his team managed to turn it around in a week when nothing seemed to be going their way. Maybe the problems helped to make us fight more and more, he said. And how it feels to be crowned Olympic team champion? Really proud - to be French, to be a rider and to be a gold medallist! Result here https://www.rio2016.com/en/equestrian-schedule-and-results In my career, I have seldom seen the absolute and pure joy, excitement, commitment, and passion for education that I've seen in Stratford School Stratford School is pleased to announce the appointment of Paul Mastin as Head of School for its Los Angeles Melrose campus in the heart of Hollywood, California. Mr. Mastin brings more than 40 years of experience as a teacher and administrator in the field of education. Stratford School, an award-winning independent preschool through eighth grade private school founded in Silicon Valley, is now expanding to Southern California and will debut its Melrose campus this month. "I am truly excited about joining the Stratford family, said Mastin. In my career, I have seldom seen the absolute and pure joy, excitement, commitment, and passion for education that I've seen in Stratford School, from the students to the faculty, parents and support staff. The positivity and camaraderie is infectious and refreshing. I look forward to being an integral part of this team." Mastins expertise includes school administration and academic enrichment with a focus on nurturing the unique skills, passions, and dreams in each child. We are so pleased to welcome Paul Mastin to the Stratford School family. We share a commitment to connecting students to their unique futures. As our new Head of School, Paul shares our vision, and will be instrumental in creating and supporting our growing community, said Sherry Adams, Stratford School Founder. Before Stratford, Mastin held leadership positions at a number of prestigious private schools in the Los Angeles area. Most recently, he served as Principal of the Laurence School. Mastin also served as Assistant Head of Middle School/Middle School Dean at Harvard-Westlake, as well as serving as a faculty member of the English department and teaching in the Mathematics, Journalism, and Communications departments over the years. Prior to his Harvard-Westlake experience, he was a master elementary teacher for Kindergarten through 8th grade at The Mirman School for Gifted Students. As a parent of a student in Los Angeles, I believe that Pauls vast educational background in and outside the classroom, makes him a perfect fit for Stratford School. Im confident that Pauls experience as an educator and administrator at some of LAs most exemplary schools will be a tremendous benefit for students and staff as we provide an exceptional, affordable, and dynamic educational experience to families in Southern California. said Shawn Weidmann, Chief Executive Officer, Stratford School. Mastin writes short stories and screenplays in his spare time, in addition to being a skilled wood craftsman. His appreciation for education and the arts extends to his family, with his daughter recently completing medical school and his wife serving as Choral Director at Harvard-Westlake. Mastins favorite quote is: Life is either a great adventure or nothing. - Helen Keller. About Stratford School Established in 1999, Stratford School is a leading independent private school founded on the belief that education is a significant influence in the life of a child. Stratford offers an accelerated curriculum from preschool through eighth grade with an emphasis in the areas of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) that incorporates music, physical education, foreign language, and social skills development. Stratfords goal is to prepare and mentor students for admission to competitive high schools and colleges. All students are provided the necessary tools to excel, and are encouraged to participate actively in leadership, community service, and extracurricular activities. Visit http://www.stratfordschools.com for more information. 2015 Sage Partner of the Year Award Presented to BAASS [...] We appreciate these teams that make our partnerships strong and look forward to building upon this success in 2016 BAASS Business Solutions (BAASS), a leading technology consulting firm, is honoured to announce being named recipient of the 2015 Sage Partner of the Year Award. Altecs Sage Partner of the Year awards are granted to Altec resellers who provide customers with DocLink document management and to recognize the reseller for their outstanding relationship with Altec. Joseph Arnone, President of BAASS stated, BAASS and Altec have been working together for 10 years and believe both our teams strong partnerships and ability to work together allow us to implement projects seamlessly and to the customers satisfaction. We look forward to working with Altec in the years to come. Altec Chief Revenue Officer, Don Howren, thanks Altecs partners, Congratulations to our valued partners. We appreciate these teams that make our partnerships strong and look forward to building upon this success in 2016. DocLink by Altec is a BAASS third-party application with a focus on creating a paperless work environment. DocLinks functions include document management, workflow and document processing, document capture, automated delivery, mobile access and smart forms. To view the official Altec press release, please click here. About Altec Altec is a leading provider of integrated document management and workflow solutions. Its flagship product, doc-link, enables companies to capture, archive, workflow and route any document for any process, anywhere, anytime. Connecting data for thousands of customers globally, Altec also enjoys strong, collaborative partnerships with ERP solution providers such as Epicor, Microsoft, Sage and SAP B1 to provide the most comprehensive enterprise document management solution. Learn more at http://www.altec-inc.com. About BAASS Business Solutions BAASS is a full service technology firm with over twenty-five years of experience. With a broad client portfolio, BAASS serves over 4,500 clients across North America and the Caribbean. BAASS has been recognized within the industry on numerous occasions. These include being ranked in Accounting Worlds Top 100 VARs, Accounting Technology Magazines Pacesetters Award, two consecutive Business Partner of the Year awards from Sage Software Inc., and thirteen consecutive Sage Presidents Circle awards for being a top performing Business Partner. Through an experienced team of IT and business application and design consultants, BAASS offers a comprehensive range of services including needs assessment, management consulting, system design and configuration, software training and technical support in accounting, ERP, CRM, e-business, custom solutions, and specializes in Sage 300 ERP, Sage CRM, Sage ERP X3, Sage HRMS, Deltek, Intacct, and NetSuite products. BAASS is headquartered in Thornhill, Ontario. For more information, please visit http://www.baass.com or call 866-260-5302. Connect with BAASS on LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. Justin Burgess (GCI), Darlene Fanus (Swedish), Greg Chapados (GCI), Karen McInerney (Swedish) and Martin Cary (GCI) at GCI's open house in Seattle GCI Business, a unit of GCI, announced today that it has launched an initiative to expand the services it offers to business customers in the Pacific Northwest and Texas. As part of this initiative, GCI Business, earlier this month, opened a new Pacific Northwest headquarters office at 901 Fifth Avenue in Seattle that doubles its footprint in the region and provides room for growth. GCI Business has served business customers in the Pacific Northwest and Texas for many years. Our customers there and in Alaska are facing new challenges and opportunities as communications and IT technology and service delivery models evolve, said Martin Cary, senior vice president and general manager of GCI Business. This evolution opens the door to efficiency and effectiveness gains, but the transition to the new can be difficult and complex. GCI Business has a proven record of guiding its customers through this kind of transition, providing practical solutions to communications, technology, and managed service needs, Cary continued. We provide a broad portfolio of services, including professional services, managed services such as managed Wi-Fi, managed video conferencing, and managed firewall, 24/7 monitoring, and much more, all delivered with high-touch customer service. We look forward to providing our solutions to customers throughout rapidly growing markets of the Pacific Northwest and Texas. About GCI Business GCI Business provides communications, technology and managed services solutions to commercial, healthcare, education, energy, government, and carrier customers throughout Alaska, the Pacific Northwest, and Texas. GCI Business operates offices throughout Alaska and the Pacific Northwest as well as Houston and Denver. About GCI Headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, GCI (General Communication Inc.) is a publicly traded provider of integrated communications services to consumer and business customers. With 2015 revenues of $979 million and EBITDA of $330 million, GCI delivers innovative solutions under challenging conditions to some of the most remote communities in the world. Learn more about GCI at http://www.gci.com We are all proud of the long-standing tradition and success of Berry Moorman in representing stalwart Detroit businesses and families. Like many of its clients, Berry Moorman is an iconic Detroit brand. During its 90-year history, the law firm has served the automotive industry, diverse businesses, charitable and philanthropic organizations, and notable citizens and families that together comprise our citys rich tapestry of commerce and culture. As Detroit rose to prominence during the first half of the Twentieth Century, the firms founders contributed to that growth: 1926: As streetcars carried Detroiters up and down busy streets, Raymond Berry and other enterprising attorneys formed a new law firm in the citys Penobscot Building. The Detroit Red Wings, then known as the Detroit Cougars, are officially added to the NHL. Harry Houdini gives his final performance at the Garrick Theatre in Detroit. Babe Ruth launched his longest career home run at Detroits Navin Field. 1928: When the Bureau of Internal Revenue, later renamed the Internal Revenue Service, suspected Ford Motor Co. withheld profits from shareholders, Raymond Berry formed an association with former U.S. Tax Court Justice James S. Y. Ivins and past Yale President Kingman Brewster to argue on behalf of minority shareholders, including the John F. Dodge Estate Trust, before the U.S. Supreme Court. Ultimately, the young tax attorney from Detroit scored a significant victory for his clients, returning home triumphant and built his law office into a Detroit institution. At various times, Mr. Berry represented Henry Ford, Edsel Ford, and the Ford Motor Company, and served as Director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and President of the Detroit Board of Commerce. 1949: Business litigation and tax attorney A. H. Moorman joined the practice, which later became Berry Moorman. The firm recruited additional attorneys to expand its services to include employment and labor law, estate and trust work, and civil and commercial litigation. When the future of Detroit Institute of Arts world-class collection was called into question during the citys recent bankruptcy, some prized art objects were protected. Robert Hudson Tannahill (1893-1969) was a renowned art collector and Detroit patron of the arts. In his will, he donated over 400 works of art to the DIA with the stipulation that the works not be sold. A predecessor firm that became a part of Berry Moorman prepared a no-sale agreement confirming the will provision and obtained Detroit City Council approval. The firm represents the Robert Hudson Tannahill Foundation, a charitable foundation now affiliated with the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, which benefits eight named area charities. Berry Moormans current and former clients include some of our regions most recognized and important names: Vernors maker of Detroits signature ginger ale, created in 1866 and now the oldest ginger ale sold in the United States. The Detroit Athletic Club a Detroit institution and landmark housed in a building designed by the renowned architect Albert Kahn, now in its 129th year. Kelsey-Hayes established in 1927, a major supplier of wheels, brakes, and other components to the worldwide automobile industry. Pewabic Pottery nationally acclaimed ceramic studio founded in 1903 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1991. Cadillac Coffee Co. purveyor of premium coffee, tea, and related merchandise to cultured Michigan clientele since 1888. A. Raymond 150-year old international expert in fastening and assembly solutions, clipping systems, fluid connection and bonding applications. Belle Tire this tire retailer, established in 1922, now provides a variety of automotive repair services at more than 90 locations throughout the Midwest. R. Hirt Jr., Co. a distributor of cheese and specialty foods throughout Michigan, this fourth-generation family business dates back to 1887. Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. a financial and professional services firm founded in London in 1783 that specializes in commercial real estate services and investment management with more than 62,000 employees around the globe. NSK 100-year old global manufacturer of ball bearings and linear motion and control products. Reflecting on the firms milestone anniversary, President Randy Wright noted, We are all proud of the long-standing tradition and success of Berry Moorman in representing stalwart Detroit businesses and families. In addition to its Detroit presence, the firms reach extends across Michigan and around the world; since 1990, Berry Moorman has been supporting diplomatic relationships with Russia and, in 1994, it became the first Russian-American joint venture law firm in St. Petersburg. The firm also represents ZYNP International Corp. and Incodel Michigan LLC - key partners in a China-based supply line to the global automotive and truck industry. ____________________________ Since 1926, Berry Moorman, P.C. has proudly served as trusted advisors to businesses, business owners, individuals, and families who rely on the firm for sage advice and practical solutions. One of Michigans oldest law firms, with offices in Detroit, Birmingham, and Ann Arbor, its practice includes estate and succession planning, litigation, family law, labor and employment, tax, business and corporate law, non-profit law, real estate, and international law. For more information visit berrymoorman.com. Aeroflow Healthcare ranks 3100 in Inc. 5000's List of Fastest Growing Companies. The hard work of every one of our employees has contributed to an incredible season of growth and accomplishment. We are very honored to receive this distinguishing award again Inc. magazine today ranked Aeroflow Healthcare no. 3100 on its 35th annual Inc. 5000 list, the most prestigious ranking of the nations fastest-growing private companies. The list represents the most comprehensive study of American entrepreneurial enterprises based on a percentage of growth in revenue over a three-year period. Aeroflow Healthcare is once again on track to have a record year in sales following their 2015 revenue of $51 million, and has continually added more jobs to support the growing number of patients the company is honored to serve. Aeroflow Healthcare added 35 jobs in 2015 and has added 40 jobs in 2016 thus far. The hard work of every one of our employees has contributed to an incredible season of growth and accomplishment. We are very honored to receive this distinguishing award again, said Casey Hite, CEO of Aeroflow Healthcare. This is the second consecutive year that Aeroflow has ranked on the Inc. 5000 list, coming in at #3089 in 2015 and #3100 in 2016. Brothers Casey and Don Hite founded Aeroflow Healthcare in 2001 as an oxygen supply company headquartered in South Asheville. In the years since, the company expanded their product selection, workforce, and sales territory to become one of the top providers of medical equipment in the Southeast, reaching patients across the country to provide affordable medical equipment and unbeatable customer care. The Inc. 5000 list has recognized the nations most successful private companies since 1982 and is the hallmark of success for private businesses. Many well-known brands have been honored by the list, including Microsoft, Oracle and LinkedIn. The 2016 Inc. 5000 list is the most competitive crop in the lists history. Collectively, the companies on the list generated 640,000 jobs over the past three years, or 8% of the jobs created in the economy during the period. Aeroflow Healthcare is recognized as the premier provider of durable medical equipment (DME) and service in the Southeast, and continues to grow nationwide. Aeroflow is an accredited Medicare and Medicaid provider and accepts most commercial insurances. Their staff prides itself on having years of valuable experience in healthcare. For more information, visit http://www.aeroflowinc.com, or call (888)-345-1780. The businessmen are also likely to look at investment opportunities in other parts of the country A total of 500 Chinese businessmen are to visit Egypt by the end of August to discuss potential investment opportunities in the Suez Canal region, Ahram Arabic website reported. The businessmen will also look into investment opportunities elsewhere inside Egypt, according to Mohamed Helmi Helal, a board member of the Egyptian Association of Investors Chambers . Egypt and China have taken recent steps to increase cooperation and investments in a number of fields. In January, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Egypt, signing a number of cooperation deals -- in the transportation, power generation, and civil aviation sectors -- worth $15 billion. China recently named Egypt as a guest of honour at the upcoming G20 summit, which will be held in early September in China's Hangzhou. Overall, Chinese investments in Egypt are worth an estimated $546 million. Search Keywords: Short link: BIA/Kelsey NEXT: The Future of Local Digital Advertising & Marketing, Dec. 5-7, Boston We have confirmed an incredible ensemble of keynote speakers for BIA/Kelsey NEXT who will help us recognize and understand the larger forces that are creating new possibilities in local advertising and marketing. BIA/Kelsey today announced keynote speakers for its flagship annual conference, BIA/Kelsey NEXT: The Future of Local Digital Advertising & Marketing (#BIAKNEXT), Dec. 5-7, in Boston, Massachusetts. The conference will present authoritative insights and provocative predictions about the next five years in local digital advertising and marketing, with a focus on how media, agencies and tech innovators are helping marketers take their organizations into the future. The events keynote speakers include best-selling authors and local digital leaders from tech and media: Catharine Hays, the executive director of the Future of Advertising Program at The Wharton School/University of Pennsylvania, will open the event with an immediate focus on the future of advertising. She is the co-author of the new book, Beyond Advertising: Creating Value Through All Customer Touchpoints. Scott Brinker, author of Hacking Marketing and editor of the chiefmartec.com blog, will share his insights on the martech landscape of the future. Jodie Sasse, director, IBM Watson Ecosystem, will speak about the use of data, artificial intelligence and machine learning in advertising. Bruce Rogers, chief insights officer and head of Forbes CMO Practice, will discuss the future role of the CMO in local advertising and marketing. We have been witnessing enormous disruptionsin industry generally, and specifically in advertising and marketingthat leave many companies reeling and trying to figure out whats going on and what to do about it, said BIA/Kelsey NEXT Conference Chair Rick Ducey, managing director, BIA/Kelsey. We have confirmed an incredible ensemble of keynote speakers for BIA/Kelsey NEXT who will help us recognize and understand the larger forces that are creating new possibilities in local advertising and marketing. BIA/Kelsey NEXT will feature nearly 40 industry thought leaders who will weigh in on the fundamental propositions posed by BIA/Kelseys analysts and the programs chief visionaries. The program will examine big picture trends through 2020, near-term implications and priorities, and recommendations for driving growth. Topics on the agenda include: BIA/Kelsey 2020 Analyst Predictions: What Will the Future Look Like in Local? The Evolving Platform Economy and Implications for Digital Marketing Big Data, AI, Machine Learning and Consumer Touchpoints Online to Offline, Mobile Payment, Omni-Channel Retail Programmatic Advertising and Data-Driven Audience Targeting Future Tech Shoot-Out, What Will Matter and When Will It Matter: AR/VR, IoT, Smart Car, Smart Home, Chatbots, Home Agents NAI, Privacy, Security, Transparency, Ad Blocking, Ad Fraud Connected Cars as a New Marketing Zone More information about BIA/Kelsey NEXT, including the agenda, speakers, sponsors and online registration, is available at http://www.biakelsey.com/NEXT2016. About BIA/Kelsey BIA/Kelsey (@BIAKelsey) defines, organizes and analyzes the multibillion-dollar Local Commerce Universe (LCU) for media, technology companies, brands and agencies competing in todays multiplatform, interactive local media and marketing arena. LCU, the firms proprietary vision for tracking the evolving local marketplace, provides an effective framework for delivering meaningful data-driven analysis, consulting and valuation services, competitive intelligence and state-of-the-industry conferences. Learn more about BIA/Kelsey at http://www.biakelsey.com. Ron Schlecht, Jr., co-founder and managing partner of BTB Security No one makes the Inc. 5000 without building something great usually from scratch. BTB Security, a Philadelphia cybersecurity firm that provides managed security, consulting and digital forensic services to clients nationally, has been named to Inc.s list of 5,000 fastest growing companies in America. The Inc. 5000 list was released today. BTB Security ranked 1,403rd on the annual list, which highlights companies that have exhibited significant growth over the prior three years. BTB saw 272 percent growth from 2012-2015. The selected companies will be feted during the 35th Annual Inc. 5000 Conference and Gala October 18-20, 2016, at the JW Marriott Hill Country in San Antonio, Texas. BTB, which recently marked its 10-year anniversary, protects clients in the financial services, health care, hospitality, education, retail, government and utilities sectors, among others. I cant think of a better way to celebrate 10 years than being included on this list, said Ron Schlecht, Jr., BTB Securitys co-founder and a managing partner. This is a great achievement, hard-earned by our team of security professionals, who vigilantly safeguard our clients networks 24-7. And we share the recognition with our great clients. BTB Security now shares a pedigree with Intuit, Zappos, Under Armour, Microsoft, GoPro, Timberland, ClifBar, Patagoina, Oracle, and other notable alumni, said Eric Schurenberg, president and editor in chief of Inc. Publishing. "The Inc. 5000 list honors real achievement by a founder or a team of them. No one makes the Inc. 5000 without building something great usually from scratch. Thats one of the hardest things to do in business, as every company founder knows. But without it, free enterprise fails. To celebrate 10 years in business, BTB Security recently issued an infographic, Cyber Crime: Then and Now, which illustrates the evolution of cyber crime over the past decade. To view or download the infographic, go to http://www.btbsecurity.com/images/PDFs/BTBAnniversaryInfographic.pdf. For the complete Inc. 5000 list, go to http://www.inc.com/inc5000. About BTB Security BTB Security is an industry-leading information security consulting, digital forensics and managed security services company. It has extensive experience in helping many types of organizations achieve the next level of security. By working to understand clients business goals, develop a trusted advisor relationship, and innovate their techniques, BTB has helped clients secure their enterprises with highly qualified and credentialed security professionals. Founded in 2006, BTB Security is a privately owned company with headquarters in Philadelphia and offices in Chicago and Austin, Texas. For more information, visit http://www.btbsecurity.com. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced a final rule expanding the existing provisional waiver process to allow certain individuals who are family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and those who are statutorily eligible for immigrant visas to more easily navigate the immigration process. The new law promotes family unity by reducing the time that eligible individuals are separated from their family members while they complete immigration processing abroad. Until now, only the immediate relatives of American citizens were eligible to seek provisional waivers before departing the U.S. for the processing of their immigrant visas, said attorney Carlos E. Sandoval, founder of Carlos E. Sandoval, P.A., a fully bilingual law firm that focuses on immigration. The law now expands eligibility to all individuals who are statutorily eligible for the waiver of the unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility. What this means in practical terms is that if an applicant can demonstrate extreme hardship to a United States citizen or legal permanent resident spouse or parent, that applicant may apply for and receive a provisional waiver, whether the basis for the immigrant visa is a family-based petition or an employment-based petition, or even to diversity lottery or special immigrant classifications. The final rule goes into effect on August 29, 2016, and builds on a process established in 2013. Under that process, certain immediate relatives of U.S. citizens could apply for provisional waivers of the unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility, based on the extreme hardship their U.S. citizen spouses or parents would suffer if the waiver was not granted. USCIS will update its Policy Manual to provide guidance on how it makes extreme hardship determinations. The updated form will be posted on the the USCIS website at http://www.uscis.gov/i-601a on August 29, 2016. Applicants should not submit a request for a provisional waiver under the expanded guidelines until the final rule takes effect. If you do so before that date, USCIS may deny the application, said Sandoval. About Carlos E. Sandoval, Attorney at Law Carlos E. Sandoval is a member of the Florida Bar, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the Broward County Hispanic Bar Association and the Broward County Bar Association. Carlos, who speaks fluent English and Spanish, is licensed to practice law by the Florida Supreme Court and the Federal Court for the Southern District of Florida. He focuses his practice in all areas of immigration, naturalization and removal. For more information or a consultation, call (954) 306-6921, or visit http://www.carlosesandoval.com. The law office is located at 450 N. Park Road, Suite 803, Hollywood, FL 33021. 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. CJ Buck, CEO and Chairman of Buck Knives, Inc., Post Falls, Idaho, was recently honored for his extraordinary service and contribution to the knife community. He was inducted at the 2016 BLADE Show into the Cutlery Hall of Fame. Living members of the Cutlery Hall-of Fame elect the yearly inductee by a vote prior to the show. Jointly Hall of Fame member Goldie Russell, President of A.G. Russell Knives, and Jan Billeb, Executive Director of the American Knife & Tool Institute, shared how CJ Buck's foresight and commitment in the formation and work of the American Knife & Tool Institute insured that a forum for the industry was in place to develop solutions to problems when needed. "As an ambassador of the knife community and AKTI, CJ Buck has elevated the knife industry's image to the greater world at large and fostered partnerships with labor unions, congressional caucuses and conservation and outdoor groups," noted Jan Billeb. CJ Buck encouraged the organization to be multi-faceted and proactive to protect our American heritage of knives in daily lives, promote growth in the industry and encourage the next generation of knife users. "CJ's grandfather Al and father Chuck, also Hall of Fame members, would be proud of him - the man he is, heritage he successfully continues and his accomplishments to ensure that everyone in the knife community can continue doing what they love - making knives and sharing them with others," said Goldie Russell. "The Cutlery Hall of Fame includes individuals who have had such a strong and passionate impact on the industry I love," said CJ Buck, "and the fact that those same individuals have accorded this recognition to me is almost overwhelming." He added, "I continue to enjoy my involvement with the American Knife & Tool Institute and am so pleased with how much progress we have made by working together. From the closed and short-sighted 1958 Federal Switchblade Act to the visionary Knife Owners Protection Act, we have brought outdoorsmen and women together with the building trades in a frank dialogue based on logic and reason and not fear. We have partnered with legislators and law enforcement rather than just be adversarial and have brought about change in how knives are regarded. That momentum continues." More about AKTI: The American Knife & Tool Institute (AKTI) is a non-profit organization (501(c)6) representing the entire knife community. Formed in true grassroots fashion by concerned industry leaders after considerable discussion with individual knifemakers, knife magazine publishers, and a broad section of the knife community, AKTI has been the reasonable and responsible voice of the knife community since 1998. AKTIs mission is to ensure that Americans will always be able to make, buy, sell, own, carry and use knives and edged tools. To learn more, please visit http://www.akti.org and https://www.facebook.com/saveourknives. We invest a lot into every single person who comes through our doors At Florida Business Consulting they have adopted a recognition and reward culture. The firm argues that by offering incentives and rewards their employees are encouraged to maintain a high standard of performance because they feel appreciated for their efforts. At Florida Business Consulting they believe it is crucial to reward people for doing a good job. The big advantage we have over our competitors is the way we value everyone we work with. In many large corporations, the people are just a number. At Florida Business Consulting, our people are our business and we invest a lot into every single person who comes through our doors, said CEO at Florida Business Consulting, Eric Martin. About Florida Business Consulting: http://www.floridabusinessconsulting.net/ The lucky winner will travel to New York with CEO Eric Martin to attend a networking weekend. The event will be held in September (date to be confirmed). The agenda for the trip will include a boat tour aboard a luxury yacht, along with fellow sales and marketing professionals from around the country. It will be an opportunity for the winner to establish networking connections to a backdrop of some of New Yorks most famous tourist attractions. The competition commenced on August 1st and will run till the end of the month, with the winner being announced early in September after all sales have been calculated and confirmed. We are first and foremost a sales company and therefore I made the decision that this competition would be judged on sales statistics. Two things will be taken into consideration: quality and quantity. Sales is the driving force of our business success and is what allows us to continue to expand, said CEO at Florida Business Consulting, Eric Martin. Based in Miami, Florida Business Consulting specializes in bringing brands and consumers closer together through face-to-face marketing. As experts in marketing, sales and fundraising, the firm conducts thorough market research to pinpoint the most promising markets for their clients' brands before launching a tailor-made campaign. At Florida Business Consulting they deliver their clients' campaigns direct to consumers, opening up the opportunity for one-on-one communication. This personalized customer experience helps drive brand loyalty, increases sales and helps consumers to make more confident and informed purchase decisions. The firm has gone from strength to strength in 2016 and they believe their recognition and reward culture will continue to play a big role in their success. Rosemary Van Vranken, Ph.D invites readers to experience the world in their own pace, time, style and comfort in her new book, Can You Backpack Internationally in Your 60's? Of Course You Can!! (published by AuthorHouse). This travelogue displays the many wonderful sights and sounds the author has witnessed throughout her years and miles in backpacking. This book contains 171 pictures mostly taken by the author. Among this collection is the photo of the piano on which Mozart played and wrote his music and a night picture in Africa of a male lion that had killed a zebra. Backpacking later in life is an adventure that takes you to many non-touristy places. However, you should do a little research on your own before going by obtaining a book or two in a travel section of a store, says Van Vranken. I believe that today, many individuals 60 or more are in good shape and would like to be more adventurous. Can You Backpack Internationally in Your 60's? Of Course You Can!! aims to ignite a readers desire to backpack internationally regardless of any age, and with an appreciation for what life offers now, when travelers see how other cultures do not have those things. Can You Backpack Internationally in Your 60's? Of Course You Can!! By Rosemary Van Vranken, Ph.D Hardcover | 8.5 x 11in | 106 pages | ISBN 9781524614416 Softcover | 8.5 x 11in | 106 pages | ISBN 9781524614393 E-Book | 106 pages | ISBN 9781524614409 Available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble About the Author Rosemary Van Vranken, Ph.D worked as a professor in higher education and travelled all over the world later in life. She began her backpacking with her daughter, then with family members, then with friends, and sometimes alone. Her many pictures are accompanied by her many experiences sometimes funny, sometimes sad. She points out her different experiences with the various cultures and how rewarding backpacking can be. AuthorHouse, an Author Solutions, Inc. self-publishing imprint, is a leading provider of book publishing, marketing, and bookselling services for authors around the globe and offers the industrys only suite of Hollywood book-to-film services. Committed to providing the highest level of customer service, AuthorHouse assigns each author personal publishing and marketing consultants who provide guidance throughout the process. Headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, AuthorHouse celebrated 15 years of service to authors in Sept. 2011.For more information or to publish a book visit authorhouse.com or call 1-888-519-5121. For the latest, follow @authorhouse on Twitter. Emerald Life Travel Insurance incorporates ConsularAssist Our partnership with Consularcare is an example of the specialist resources we have brought together to make this product fit for purpose, providing real protection to LGBT travellers as they enjoy their global adventures Emerald Life, the UKs first dedicated LGBT insurance company, has launched its own travel insurance which includes a unique consular assistance service provided by Consularcare. Emerald Life is the only full-service insurance provider in the UK to offer products designed specifically for the LGBT community. The Emerald Life travel policy is the fifth product in the companys portfolio and covers extensive risks including cancellation, loss of personal baggage (technology and gadgets automatically included), medical expenses, loss of documents, no automatic loading of premiums for HIV+, and 24/7 helpline from Consularcare. Mike Jones, Consularcares co-founder and partner, says: ConsularAssist is a unique solution and an insurance market first. We recognise that travellers may only need consular assistance for something as simple as a lost passport however more complex and serious scenarios do occur. These may include instances such as immigration arrests and being victim of an array of premeditated and random criminal acts. Unfortunately the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is not always able to help. It is a sad reality that some people are targeted for arrest, detention and assault on the basis of their sexuality. In conjunction with Emerald Life, we are able to provide support and assistance in permitting countries if this were to happen to an Emerald Life policyholder. Emerald Life is unique in its field. By training its call-centre staff, claims handlers are better equipped to respond to the queries that are specific to the LGBT community. The company recognises the diverse family structures that make up todays society. Its also become one of the first companies to offer the gender-neutral title Mx. Mike explains: We are particularly proud to be partnered with such a prestigious insurance provider. Emerald Life acknowledges the difficulties many LGBT people face when applying for insurance. Embarrassing health questions, partner gender or assumptions of marital status can all cause unnecessary discomfort. According to Emerald Lifes own research, only one in three LGBT regular overseas travellers take out travel insurance. Its unacceptable that talking to call centre staff about LGBT-related matters is cited as one of the reasons for this reluctance to be adequately covered when travelling abroad. Heidi McCormack, Emerald Lifes CEO said: When we launched in March, we deliberately held off offering a travel Insurance product as part of our portfolio to focus on creating something that was truly unique and completely appropriate to the needs and wants of the LGBT community. Our partnership with Consularcare is an example of the specialist resources we have brought together to make this product fit for purpose, providing real protection to LGBT travellers as they enjoy their global adventures. For more details of Consularcare and its consular assistance solution visit the website, and click here for an Emerald Life travel insurance quote Its hard to imagine a more fitting Southern cuisine than slow-smoked barbecue. In homage to their Georgian roots, this beloved Southern staple is also the inspiration behind Your Pies latest creation in the brands seasonal Craft Pie Series. This fall, the down-the-line brick oven pizza franchise is bringing the family BBQ experience to their stores with the new Pitmaster Pie. The series will be offered for a limited time at all Your Pie locations from August 17th through October 25th. Your Pie is all about craft, and for this launch, were excited to continue on with our tradition of innovation, both in the flavors of specialty pizza and gelato and having the opportunity to partner with another incredible brewery, said Drew French, founder of Your Pie. The Southern influences of true American barbecue are a favorite taste among many Americans. We were inspired to incorporate that irresistible smoky flavor into a specialty pizza. Paired with all of the flavors that make barbecue great, it really creates the bold tastes only found in a backyard barbecuebut on a pizza. The new Pitmaster Pizza features smoky pulled pork and fire-roasted balsamic onions topped off with house-made coleslaw, tangy BBQ sauce and a zesty ranch drizzle. Your Pie is pairing this new menu item with featured brews from Terrapin Beer Co. Founded in 2002 in Athens, Georgia, Terrapin features year-round beers like the Rye Pale Ale and Hopsecutioner IPA. Other seasonal additions to the Craft Pie Series menu include the Banana Pudding Gelatoa sweet compliment to the kick of the Pitmaster Pie. Made with ripened bananas and laced with a delicate cinnamon rum ripple, the Banana Pudding Gelato is the perfect mashup of Southern classic and Italian tradition. The Craft Pie Series has been a seasonal feature of the Your Pie menu since French opened the first fast-casual pizza concept in 2008. Since then, theyve whipped up popular creations like the Slider Pie, a pizza spin on the classic American cheeseburger; the Peach Prosciutto Pizza, which featured fresh peaches, prosciutto and a honey balsamic glaze; and the Fresh Fiesta Piea deconstructed take on guacamole. With the launch of the new Pitmaster Pie, Your Pie will continue to encourage every store to partner up with a local charity of their choice as part of the Inspieering communities efforts. To make a positive impact on local communities, a portion of craft series profits will be donated back to a local charity. Were excited to continue our InsPIEring Communities concept as a compliment to not only this event, but to many of the values central to Your Pie as a whole, said French. Franchisees in individual markets will each be partnering with an organization of their choice to donate pizzas and proceeds raised through any Pitmaster Pie sales. Visit http://www.yourpie.com to find the nearest Your Pie location or for franchising information. ABOUT YOUR PIE Your Pie is the worlds originator of the quick-serve, brick-oven, customized personal pizza category. A culinary entrepreneur since his teenage years, Your Pie founder Drew French combined his passion for innovative restaurant concepts with brick oven technology to create the highest quality pizza available at incredible speed. Drawing from family recipes from the island of Ischia, Your Pie uses hand-tossed dough, only fresh ingredients, homemade pizza sauces and salad dressings, and offers vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free pizzas, as well as traditional pizzas. Customers who dine at Your Pie have come to expect the best tasting pizza served with speed without sacrificing flavor. Your Pie is a state of mind and the brand stands by its motto to express your inner pizza, investing in local communities and encouraging diners to let their culinary creativity run wild. For more information about Your Pie or franchising opportunities, please visit http://www.yourpie.com. On Sunday, approximately 400 Israeli settlers stormed Al-Azhar mosque in the Jerusalem in what Al-Azhar described as a barbaric attack The worlds highest seat of Sunni Islam, Egypts Al-Azhar, strongly condemned on Wednesday the recurrent storming by Israeli settlers of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem this week, state news agency MENA reported. Al-Azhar also reportedly warned that storming the mosque could impede efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and anger Muslims worldwide. In an official statement, the top Islamic body called on regional organisations such as the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation in addition to international bodies -- to take serious measures to stop such " barbaric attacks and flagrant violations" at the site, Islam's third holiest. On Sunday, about 400 Israelis stormed the compound to commemorate the destruction of two ancient temples. Jews are allowed to visit but not to pray on the esplanade. Al-Azhar also rejected any plans that aim to "Judai ise Jerusalem and erase its Islamic identity, and any attempts to divide the holy site." Israelis refer to the area that encompasses Al-Aqsa Mosque as the "Temple Mount," saying it was the site of two prominent Jewish temples in ancient times. On Monday, Jordan, which is the custodian of the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, denounced Israel for allowing "Zionist extremists" to enter and pray there. The anger of Palestinian residents in Jerusalem has increased over the last 10 months, as Israeli authorities allowed increasing numbers of Jewish settlers to storm the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Israel occupied East Jerusalem during the 1967 war. It later annexed the holy city in 1980, claiming it as the capital of the self-proclaimed Jewish state a move never recognised by the international community. Search Keywords: Short link: The head of the Egyptian parliament's Human Rights Committee Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat and other nine MPs are likely to be investigated for attending a conference in Geneva on human rights without getting prior parliamentary approval, parliament's deputy speaker Soliman Wahdan disclosed in a statement to reporters on Wednesday. Wahdan said that parliament's internal bureau has received two complaints from a number of parliamentarians accusing El-Sadat and the MPs who accompanied him of violating parliament's internal bylaws, asking that they be investigated by the ethics committee. "The bureau's rules in this respect state that if an MP receives an invitation that requires him or her to travel abroad to participate in an event, he or she should inform the bureau of this invitation in advance," he said, adding that the trip should be approved by parliament's speaker. Wahdan, a leading member of the liberal Wafd Party, said parliament's internal bylaws (Article 9) entail that written correspondence between any of parliament's committees and foreign institutions should be conducted via the speaker and in accordance with the rules adopted by parliament's internal bureau. "What is certain is that El-Sadat and the other MPs who travelled to Geneva last week had not informed parliament's bureau of the trip." He revealed that "the two complaints will be discussed by parliament's internal bureau including the speaker and his two deputies in its meeting Thursday." "The bureau will see whether El-Sadat and the other MPs should be referred to the ethics committee," said Wahdan. Informed sources say the complaints against El-Sadat were filed by a number of his colleagues in the Human Rights Committee, most notably the committee's deputy chairman Atef Makhaleef. On Tuesday, Makhaleef, an independent MP representing the east Cairo district of Matariya, launched a scathing attack against El-Sadat, accusing him of "treason" for attending the conference, which was organised by the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Advancement and Global Dialogue. Makhaleef insisted that the Geneva Centre receives much of its funding from the Gulf state of Qatar to support the outlawed group of Muslim Brotherhood. He also accused El-Sadat of exploiting his position as head of parliament's Human Rights Committee to serve the agenda of the US embassy in Cairo and other international human rights forums that are hostile to the regime of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and that aim to spread chaos in the Arab world. The MP claimed that the US embassy contacted him over a month ago in a bid to encourage him to support El-Sadat's "radical pro-US agenda" on human rights. Makhaleef argued that what he described as "this agenda" exploits false slogans like Arab dictatorships to spread chaos and disrupt the national security of Arab countries. His remarks about the US embassy in Cairo stirred major controversy inside the Human Rights Committee, with some members, including deputy chairwoman Margaret Azer, dismissing claims that the US embassy is meddling in the internal affairs of the committee. However, committee member MP Ilhami Agina agreed with Makhaleef that the US has an agenda aimed at disrupting Egypt's unity under the guise of defending human rights. Agina said that "if what Makhaleef said about the US embassy in Cairo is true, it should be considered a dangerous precedent." "[The US] ignited conflicts and civil wars in Libya, Iraq and Syria, and is trying its best to extend this agenda to Egypt," said Agina, adding that "the US should respect human rights on its land first before it gives lectures to other peoples on this issue." El-Sadat dismissed these charges of "treason," insisting that he was in Geneva to defend Egypt's human rights record in coordination with the foreign ministry. Search Keywords: Short link: The president also extended a law subjecting those accused of committing crimes in certain 'public facilities' to possible military prosecution Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi ratified on Wednesday amendments to the country's police law banning members of the police from participating in protests, joining political groups, or speaking to the media without prior authorisation, Ahram Arabic news website reported. The amendments, which were approved by the House of Representatives last week, relate to eight articles in the 1971 police authority law. The president also extended the public buildings protection law issued in 2014 and set to expire after two years for another five years starting 28 October. The public buildings protection law stipulates that the Armed Forces are to coordinate and assist police in protecting and securing public buildings and facilities, including energy plants, gas pipelines, railways, bridges and highways. The law states that those who commit crimes in such facilities are subject to military prosecution. Search Keywords: Short link: Retired Saudi General Majed Anwar Eshki speaks about his recent visit to Israel, which courted controversy and set analysts speculating over whether it was a political signal This story was first published at Al-Ahram Weekly. Retired General Majed Anwar Eshki, a Saudi scholar who heads the Centre for Middle East Strategic and Legal Studies in Jeddah, defended his recent visit to Israel as having a potentially positive impact on the Palestinian cause in the framework of the Saudi-sponsored Arab Peace Initiative that was adopted in the Arab summit in Beirut in 2002. General Eshki regards himself as an ambassador of peace and as a politically influential academic in Saudi Arabia and the Arab region. He urges his critics to exercise some introspection and assess their roles and relationships with Israel, and he appealed to the Arab League to review measures regarding visits to the occupied territories and Jerusalem. Speaking to Al-Ahram Weekly by phone from Saudi Arabia, General Eshki described his visit to Israel as a correct action. As I mentioned in numerous press interviews, the PA (Palestinian Authority) had arranged all the meetings that took place. I believe that the basic purpose is that we should not leave the Palestinians alone. We need to visit them. Nor should we leave Jerusalem alone. We should visit it too. The visit precipitated heated controversy in Arab political and academic circles. Some see Eshki as among Arab figures who are handing Israel a normalisation process free-of-charge. One writer questioned his political acumen and ability to handle talks with shrewd Israeli politicians. Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian movements issued statements of condemnation, not so much of the visit as of the visitor who responded that many of those same critics have been seen embracing and shaking hands with Israelis and some consulted him, personally, to develop strategies for how to develop a good relationship with Israel. Weve had more than enough posturing, which has never killed a tank, Eshki said. Ask Abu Marzouq about Elie Cohen. And Iran trades in the blood of Palestinians. It pays for Palestinian blood and there are those who will accept the payment. Nizar Qabbani could not have put it better: With my dirhams, not smooth talk, I broke your impregnable might. With my dirhams. He continued: I respect the views of those who opposed my visit to the occupied territories, if they did not attempt to offend me. As for those who insulted me, that is a sign of the nature of their behaviour. If they take that too far, I could take legal action. The Palestinians in the West Bank and in Jerusalem did not voice objections. As for those opponents in Gaza, I responded to their objections in an article that was published in an Egyptian newspaper and that people can consult if they want to know my attitude towards those critics. But, I will stress again here that I am convinced in the correctness of my opinion. We should not leave our Palestinian brothers to contend with [their situation] alone. There is an official relationship. Our Palestinian brothers have a right to receive us as visitors so that we can stand by their side. There is a long list of accusations that have been levelled at people who have undertaken actions similar to that of Eshki, even if their visits were in response to Palestinian invitations or their visits to Jerusalem were arranged through Jordanian religious endowment foundations. But in meeting with Israeli personages, Eshkis visit added another dimension. According to the Saudi general, some of these meetings were requested by the Israeli figures themselves, as was the case with his meeting with Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories Major General Yoav Mordechai, which took place in the King David Hotel in Jerusalem. However, according to Haaretz of 22 July 2016, Eshki arrived in Israel at the head of a delegation of Saudi academics and businessmen who met with foreign ministry director-general Dore Gold, Mordechai and some Knesset members. The Weekly asked Eshki whether there was not some validity to the criticisms levelled against him. After all, such meetings and talks are presumably the duty of diplomats or even intelligence officials. Also, the Saudi government issued previous statements such as that of 20 December 2015 stressing that Eshki, as well as Nawaf Obeid and Jamal Khasheqji, do not represent Saudi Arabia. I am a strategist, the retired general said. I set a goal and I determine the best way to get there. We have an Arab initiative that was put to the Israeli side. That initiative should be acted on because it promotes the welfare of our Palestinian brothers. The initiative was proposed by Saudi Arabia and adopted in the Arab summit in Beirut in 2002. Acting on it requires dialogue, and this takes place through visits and talks. As long as there is apossibility for understanding, dialogue is a duty. He added: The Saudi King Abdel Aziz used to say that every Saudi is an ambassador of his country. We are now in the 21st century and we believe in cultural diplomacy. I am the director of a research centre and I visited the occupied territories. This was not my first visit there, nor will it be my last. I went there about a year ago. Others have undertaken similar visits. I went together with four researchers from the studies centre that I head. I believe this was important in view of my capacity as a well-known academic. But how does this relate to official Saudi policy? To the best of my knowledge, the kingdoms policy can be encapsulated in the words of the late King Abdullah: There were be no normalisation until after the initiative goes into effect and its provisions are implemented. The only country that has not normalised and will not normalise, and that has not shaken the hand of any Israeli officially, is Saudi Arabia. This is for the sake of our Palestinian brothers. All I have done and the sole purpose of it is to move the stagnant waters after the Palestinian cause became marginalised due to events in the Arab, regional and international spheres. Dr Majed Anwar Eshki was born in Medina in 1943. After graduating from secondary school, he enrolled in the military academy from which he graduated in 1967 with the rank of second lieutenant. He served in the Arab League peacekeeping force, which he joined in 1970, and as director of the Armed Forces Hospital from 1974. He retired from military service in 1987 with the rank of general and moved to government, in which he occupied a cabinet post and then a post in the foreign ministry. Eshki received a scholarship to pursue doctoral studies in the US where, in 1982, he became an advisor to the Saudi ambassador to Washington at the time, Prince Bandar Bin Sultan. Upon his return to Saudi Arabia he was appointed head of the Saudi Institute for Strategic Studies. He was often a member of the delegation accompanying King Faisal on official visits. He pursued his studies and research in the military sciences, law and cultural fields and has lectured frequently and authored many studies, articles and other publications. Since it was initiatively proposed in 2002, the Arab Peace Initiative received no official response from Tel Aviv, whether positive or negative. However, it resurfaced recently in the context of the drive set into motion by the French initiative, which has ground to a halt after a few months in which it failed to achieve progress. Experts in Cairo believe that there is a change in the Israeli attitude toward the Arab initiative. With the latest cabinet reshuffle and the return of Lieberman, the Israeli government has issued some positive sounding statements regarding that initiative, even if these have fallen short of demonstrating a willingness to adopt it as a framework for a prospective settlement process. Eshki, however, is optimistic about the fruits of his visit, the forthcoming climate and even the possibility of activating the Arab Peace Initiative and achieving peace. He believes that the near future could bring a breakthrough if the initiative is given a push. But this requires influential Arab figures. I attend international conferences and a participate in meetings with Israelis. We have been able to make 75 per cent (of these Israelis) agree to peace and to the Arab initiative. We made Netanyahu find his own position shaky, which is whyit is important to promote the initiative and seek peace. In fact, [recently] he said some positive things regarding the Palestinians of 48 (Palestinians inside Israel) and promised to pay more attention to them. Therefore, we need to continue our work, especially with those who believe in peace and in the Arab Peace Initiative. Riyadh has issued no official response to the visit. Nor did it remark on the allusions made by some politicians including PA President Mahmoud Abbas, during the recent Arab summit in Nouakchott to a possible process of Saudi-Israeli normalisation. Meanwhile, analysts in Israel and elsewhere have interpreted Eshkis visit as a clear sign of this. This is the view expressed by Jackie Khouri, an Arab Israeli journalist specialising in Middle East affairs for Haaretz, speaking in interview with the Weekly. Egyptian experts agree. Eshki could not have moved in that direction without a green light from Riyadh, even if it denies any responsibility or official approval of his visit, they said. They describe it as a form of Track 2 action, which is undertaken by private individuals in order to set the stage of a subsequent development but which, for various reasons, cannot be seen as being performed by a government official, or in any official capacity. If a Track 2 action fails it causes no major loss of face or damage to relations, and if it succeeds in its purposes, so much the better. When asked whether the Saudi government had contacted him in any way regarding the visit, General Eshki responded: No. No agency in the government has called me or commented either positively or negatively. But they know that I have some political influence and that I have not deviated from their policies. On the substance of the visit, Eshki maintains that he had not discussed more than his faith in peace and the need to put the Arab Peace Initiative into effect. However, some argue that there is a Saudi and Israeli convergence in their animosity toward Iran and that visits of this sort may work to promote coordination between the two countries responses to Irans regional policies. Eshki disagreed. I do not believe that Saudi Arabia and other Islamic countries are aligned with Israel against Iran. It is true that Iran is a common enemy for both Saudi Arabia and Israel. However, the Israelis have their viewpoint and we have ours. How does Eshki evaluate the results of his visit in the final analysis? On the whole, good: The morale of our brothers in Palestine has improved and the Palestinian cause is once again at the centre of attention. We made many Arab intellectuals think carefully and clearly about why they are not taking initiatives to promote peace. It is possible to accept relations with Israel if Israel applies the principles of the Arab Peace Initiative, which is the decisive criterion and can put an end to Israeli ambitions. Concluding his interview, he stressed: I would like the Arab League to issue a resolution sanctioning visits to areas under the control of the PA, and also to Jerusalem, so that Israel doesnt have them all to itself. Search Keywords: Short link: When it came time to design the look of the recently released Faber Nature Poets series, Faber & Faber senior designer Eleanor Crow had a wealth of history to draw on. In 2009, as part of its 80th anniversary commemoration, the British publisher released a series consisting of six hardcover collections of 20th century poetry. Miriam Rosenbloom, who was senior designer at the time, hired a different printmaker for each title to produce a cover and contrasting endpapers; Claire Curtiss work for T.S. Eliot: Selected Poems, is below. Other poetry series featuring Rosenbloom's design concepts followed, including 2010s Faber Firsts and 2011s Faber Romantics. Jonathan Gibbs did the print work for Dart by Alice Oswald, below, part of the Faber Firsts series. When Rosenbloom left the company and moved to Australia, Eleanor Crow picked up her mantle. For the six Faber Nature Poets titles, Crow says she loosely followed the mode of Roseblooms series, also taking inspiration from lithographic prints from the 1920s1950s, for their "soft textures in subtle palettes contrasting with some harder, sharper detail." Below, an image from the Feodor Rojankovsky-illustrated Scaf the Seal (1936), and an image from Tatiana Glebova's Where Am I?, completed in 1928 and published for the first time this year by Redstone Press. Crow selected six printmakers for the six titles, picked out one or two relevant poems from each anthology for the printmaker to work with, and created a color range from which the printmakers could choose between three and six colors to use. Each cover also features a red accent, to tie the set together. Though nature was the common thread in the series, Crow says, I wanted each cover to also feature a manmade item a building, a boat, wires, ploughed fields, etc. Andy Lovells cover for John Clare (below) references Lolham Brigs, which recurs in Clares work, and the flooding at the old stone bridge. For Edward Thomas (below), Crow and printmaker Neil Bousfield evoked the Gloucestershire/Oxfordshire border described in the poem Adlestrop. We wanted to show it in dry summer, Crow says, with the fields in patternssome ploughed, some plantedwith a tiny hut or train station. The 1910s telegraph poles depicted on the cover repeat in the endpaper. One of Crows early inspirations for the series has a direct descendent in the cover for Samuel Taylor Coleridge, which interprets the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. I loved the Tatiana Glebova print of the ship in the ice so much, she says, and I asked Ed Kluz to come up with his own interpretation of the image, but with reference to the text of the poem. Kluz was the only printmaker Crow had worked with before, but they all, she says, produced beautiful ideas and rough sketches, despite the many particular requirements of the brief. Printmaking takes a lot of time and forethought, so we worked with drawings to establish the ideas before they set to work on the final prints." WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Teaching computer coding in K-12 classrooms and integrating engineering into science education are two of the biggest trends in STEM (science, technology, education and math). Selcen Guzey, assistant professor in the College of Education at Purdue University, said the intent of both trends is to change students' thinking. "The whole idea is helping students to learn computational thinking, problem-solving," she said. Guzey said both trends are a result of education standards adopted in Indiana in April, making them requirements from kindergarten through high school. Integrating engineering into science education stresses STEM as interdisciplinary, rather than four independent areas of study. Science represents another vehicle students can use to solve engineering problems. "Abstract science concepts, like force and motion, are hard for students to understand conceptually," she said. "But you can explain it by creating an engineering problem, like asking students to move something from here to here. Those challenges are part of everyday life and make them create something to solve it." Engineering a solution reaches out to students who adapt to more hands-on learning compared to traditional textbooks. It also teaches students a valuable lesson about dealing with failure. "For many students, when the first design doesn't work, they shut down and don't want to work anymore," Guzey said. "You have to explain that it's good the first design didn't work. Now the student can improve it. They learn this idea of learning from failure. It can really help them." The strategy also gives students a better idea of what is engineering. Guzey said many middle school students, when asked, say engineers are the people that drive trains. "We are not trying to make every student become an engineer; that's not the purpose," Guzey said. "But this helps them to learn that the problems we have today require them to use a lot of knowledge from different disciplines." Knowledge is part of the reason computer coding is becoming part of the curriculum for students in kindergarten. From drag and drop coding apps to writing programs at a basic level in later grades, the idea is to expand students' view of technology. "In classrooms right now, kids have either tablets or laptops," Guzey said. "But there is more than that. This is for students to learn a little bit more about effective uses of technology." About the College of Education Purdue's College of Education meets the challenges of educating 21st century learners by discovering what works in education. The college prepares highly qualified educators and conducts research that informs how teachers teach and students learn. With a focus on integrated P-12 STEM education and a commitment to social justice and diversity, graduates are prepared to be leaders in education, business and society. Writer: Brian L. Huchel, 765-494-2084, bhuchel@purdue.edu Sources: Selcen Guzey, 765-494-9749, sguzey@purdue.edu The speaker of Iran's parliament stressed on Wednesday that Russia does not have a permanent military base within the Islamic Republic, a day after Moscow announced launching airstrikes on Syria from Iran. The fact that Iran allowed Russian warplanes to take off from its territory to bomb targets in Syria was an unprecedented move, underscoring the deepening cooperation between two powerhouses heavily invested in the Syrian civil war. In Syria, seven civilians were killed and nine were wounded by rocket rounds fired by armed groups on a government-controlled district of the city of Aleppo, Syria's state-run news agency said. SANA reported that the rockets struck the Salaheddine residential district in the northern city, which has been divided into a rebel-held eastern part and a government-controlled western part since 2012. Once Syria's largest city and commercial center, Aleppo is now the focal point of the country's ruinous civil war. On Tuesday, nearly 20 civilians were reported killed in airstrikes in the eastern, rebel-held districts. Wednesday's comments by the Iranian official, Ali Larijani, seem geared at easing domestic concerns over the strikes. Iran's constitution, ratified after its 1979 Islamic Revolution, bars foreign militaries from having bases within the country. In his remarks, reported by the state-run IRNA news agency, Larijani did not directly discuss the strikes, though he said Iran has "cooperated with Russia, as it is our ally on regional issues, especially on Syrian issues." "We have good cooperation with Russia and we say it loud and clear," Larijani said. Russia's Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that it launched the strikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan and struck targets in three provinces in northern and eastern Syria. It is virtually unheard in recent history for Iran to allow a foreign power to use one of its bases to stage attacks. Russia has also never used the territory of another country in the Middle East for its operations inside Syria, where it has been carrying out an aerial campaign in support of President Bashar Assad's government for nearly a year. Iran is also a major supporter of Assad. Col. Christopher Garver, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad, told reporters at the Pentagon that the Russians activated a communications link with coalition officials just ahead of the bomber mission. "The Russians did notify the coalition," he said, adding that they "informed us they were coming through" airspace that could potentially put them in proximity of U.S. and coalition aircraft in Iraq or Syria. Asked how much advance notice the Russians gave the U.S., Garver said, "we did know in time" to maintain safety of flight. "It's not a lot of time, but it's enough" to maintain safety in the airspace over Iraq and Syria, he said. That raises questions about whether the move was a strategic necessity or a political message from the Kremlin to Washington. The announcement from Russia marks the first significant stationing of its troops in Iran since World War II. Search Keywords: Short link: CHICAGO (AP) Aetna is leaving the Affordable Care Act health insurance exchange in Illinois for 2017, further reducing competition. Aetna's announcement late Monday leaves six companies selling plans for next year to individuals and families on the Illinois "Obamacare" marketplace. Illinois Department of Insurance spokesman Michael Batkins says two insurers remain selling plans to small businesses. The announcement follows UnitedHealthcare's departure from the Illinois exchange. And Chicago-based Land of Lincoln Health is folding after suffering heavy losses. Aetna will continue to sell coverage off the exchange. The company has declined to say how many Illinois customers it serves. Nationally, it covered about 838,000 people through the individual exchanges at the end of the second quarter. The company currently participates in health care marketplace exchanges in 15 states. Citing financial losses, Aetna announced Monday that its scaling back its participation in Obamacare by more than two-thirds as it seeks to cut its financial losses. Aetna plans to continue participating in exchanges in Iowa, Nebraska, Delaware and Virgina, while leaving Illinois and 10 other states. The Hartford-based health insurer said it will reduce its participation in health care exchanges next year to 242 counties from 778. The company said it took a second-quarter pretax loss of $200 million and total pretax losses of more than $430 million since 2014 in individual plans. The vast majority of (exchange participants) have experienced continued financial stress within their individual public exchange business due to these forces, which also are reported to have contributed to the failure of 16 out of 23 co-ops," said Aetna Chairman/CEO Mark T. Bertolini. Aetnas announcement comes as the insurer is locked in a battle with the U.S. Department of Justice over its effort to acquire Humana for $37 billion. The department sued to block the deal and a trial is scheduled to begin Dec. 5. Fifty-five percent of Aetnas individual exchange membership is new this year, and in the second quarter individuals requiring high-cost care represented an even larger share of the insurers policies, the company said. Also on Monday, the Chicago Tribune reported that Blue Cross Blue Shield will not credit former Land of Lincoln members for money they've already paid toward their deductibles. Land of Lincoln, a co-op health insurer on Illinois' exchange, plans to shut down in September because of losses. Its 49,000 Illinois members will have to get new insurance coverage for October, November and December. According to the Tribune, they also likely will have to start from zero again on their deductibles and out-of-pocket max payments in some cases costing them thousands of additional dollars. State officials had asked Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois to waive deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses for Land of Lincoln members who move to Blue Cross Blue Shield. The Tribune reported Blue Cross Blue Shield spokeswoman Dana Holmes said the company was not in a position to do so. "It's just not a sustainable model," she said. In April, UnitedHealth Group, the nations biggest health insurer, announced it will cut its participation in public health insurance exchanges to a few states next year after expanding to nearly three dozen for this year. It said it expects to lose $650 million this year on its exchange business, up from its previous projection for $525 million. We dont have any proof beyond our own eyes, but were willing to bet theres an unhealthy dose of bile among the 4 billion posts about the presidential race Facebook says have been made by U.S. users through Aug. 1 of this year. The 100 million Americans who posted comments, shares and reactions about the race, which is now between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, represent nearly half of the 205 million active monthly users in the U.S. The social media giant doesnt collect figures for who is being unfriended -- Facebooks ultimate punishment for those who offend other users. But it isnt disputing the contention that the number is growing rapidly. Among our own, admittedly minuscule sample, we can report a significant upswing in angry, intemperate election posts, comments and shares, as well as incidents of kicking somebody out of ones Facebook circle, or threatening to. Sadly, it goes well beyond casual connections, such as social media friends of friends and shirttail relatives. These days, old college mates, childhood friends, and yes, even close family members, are unfriending one another over political postings. We dont know how many others have also done what weve found ourselves doing more frequently: Clicking unfollow on Aunt Lous or Uncle Henrys profile so we no longer have to view their angry screed of the moment on our newsfeed. The target of our disgust doesnt know about it, of course -- Facebook assures us that the process isnt reported to the unfollowed. Thus, we preserve family harmony -- until the next family get-together, that is. Equally importantly, it helps lower our own blood pressure. According to a recent Associated Press report, for the same reason, many are simply pulling the plug on Facebook altogether, at least until after Nov. 8. Scott Talen has seen the very visceral exchanges taking place on Facebook firsthand. The American University communication teacher who studies social media and politics, told AP, They range from pretty harsh, graphically laced, attacks upon people ... to statements of if you support this person, you can no longer be my friend. Thats unfortunate, because robust and issue-based debate is essential for a healthy democracy. It all goes south, however, when it becomes simply personal and nasty. It doesnt help that the two major-party presidential nominees are so polarizing, or that so many are so unhappy with the state of the state and of the nation. We see it in letters to the editor every election season. But this one appears to be especially nasty, and there are three months to go before any ballots are cast. Despite that environment, we continue to strive to keep the debate civil here. We are not always successful, but you can help by using your fact-based submission of 250 words or less to attack ideas, not the person. As the election heats up even more, we expect to offer routine reminders of our letters guidelines. To regular readers and letter writers, they will look an awful lot like some of the suggestions Mr. Talan shared via AP for raising the tone and tenor of the Facebook debate. And theyre worth repeating here for those who post on Facebook or pen letters to this page: -- Try to use civilized tones and decorum in your posts. -- Take a breath or two and think it through before commenting on a friends post or unfriending someone. --Instead of sharp opinion statements, pose questions such as how can we trust her? or is he stable enough to be president? -- Remember that this will all be over in November, and your friendships could and should outlast the next presidential term. -- And, in general, try not to be like the candidates. That last ones the best one. And one our editorial board promises to try to keep in mind now that the campaigns -- local, national, and state -- are at full throat. A man sentenced to 30 years for sexual assault who has been in and out of custody of the Department of Human Services for the last 14 years could get another chance at relative freedom with conditions. David D. Swafford, 52, was declared sexually violent in 2002 after coming up for parole on a 1986 sexual assault conviction. He was remanded to the Department of Human Services for indefinite treatment. He was placed on conditional release in 2012 when doctors said he'd made sufficient progress, but was returned to a DHS facility in early 2014 after having inappropriate contact with a co-worker by giving her gifts and telling her not to tell anyone. On Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Debra Blomgren and Mr. Swafford's attorney Bruce Carmen appeared in Henry County Circuit Court, setting an Oct. 18 date for a review. Ms. Blomgren explained a conditional release team would need 60 days to put together a plan for his release. Ms. Blomgren said a psychologist met with Mr. Swafford earlier this year, but that doctor retired. She said after the hearing that her office could have sought to wait another year for a review, but instead they had a second psychologist meet with him, producing a 36-page report. She also said the judge might deny the petition for release, but Mr. Swafford could appeal. Mr. Carmen told Judge Jeffrey O'Connor that Mr. Swafford has had treatment, counseling and therapy since 2013 and doctors agree on where he stands. They've recommended his risk to re-offend is low enough that he should get one more chance at conditional release, said the defense attorney. A conditional release agent will attend the October hearing and take Mr. Swafford to housing somewhere in Illinois, and there would be 54 conditions he has to comply with, according to Ms. Blomgren. She asked to have the hearing relatively early in the day, explaining he would need to register with the police department wherever he's going and she wanted the conditional release agent to be able to get those things done. In 1986, Mr. Swafford--who had spent most of his life in Chicago, Gary, Indiana and Quincy--stopped a young woman in her car near Hillsdale by blocking the road with his vehicle. He asked for a jump and a ride into town and attacked her at knifepoint, then took her car keys and went to get something from his trunk. She escaped using a second set of keys. Two New York men lost their bid Tuesday to suppress evidence from a traffic stop on Interstate 80 Nov. 18 that allegedly led to the detection of about 16 pounds of cannabis . Charles F. Smith and Charles B. Ortiz, both 36, both from Gowanda, N.Y., were charged in Henry County Circuit Court with Class X felony cannabis trafficking, Class X felony possession with intent to deliver and Class 1 felony possession of cannabis. They were pulled over by Trooper Beau Marlow for allegedly following too closely. The trooped testified Tuesday he was in this area from his regular district in the St. Louis metropolitan area on special assignment to look for criminal activity, whether drugs, guns or terrorists. Defense attorneys James Cosby and Daniel Dalton argued their clients did not violate statute requiring a reasonable and prudent distance between cars. Assistant state's attorney Stephanie Barrick said the trooper was going by the statute's reasonable and prudent standard, using as a cross-reference the three-second guideline from the Rules of the Road. Judge Jeffrey O'Connor said he has watched video of the stop to see if the New York vehicle got boxed in by another vehicle with no opportunity to get around it, or if the trooper himself caused them to be pinched in. He said there was no evidence of either in testimony and the DVD. The judge said the Legislature has not co-opted certain traffic stops whose underlying purpose is drug interdiction. They have not abolished the pretextual stop, he said. A pretrial conference was set for Oct. 20. The one shot hit O'Neal on the right side of the back, the report said. The Cook County Medical Examiner's office reported that toxicology tests also indicate that 18-year-old Paul O'Neal didn't have drugs in his system when he was shot on July 28. Authorities said shortly after the shooting that O'Neal was shot in the back but did not say at the time how many times he was struck or the exact location where the bullet hit O'Neal. The report released Wednesday sheds some light on the chaotic scene in which officers fired repeatedly at O'Neal as careened down the street in a stolen vehicle. Video released earlier this month shows a stolen car being pursued by officers as it blows through a stop sign. Before gunfire breaks out, the suspect sideswipes one squad car and then smashes into another as officers open fire. The fatal bullet was fired after he exited the stolen car and was running from police. Video also shows police handcuffing the mortally wounded O'Neal. The medical examiner's investigator reports being told by a detective that after O'Neal jumped from the vehicle, shots were fired by "other unidentified officers on the scene and possibly by O'Neal." Then, the investigator wrote, another officer who was not identified by name, believed the shots were being fired by O'Neal and fired his Glock 9mm handgun five times. Police have said that O'Neal was not armed at the time, though in recently released reports, there have been indications that officers believed he was, including one officer who in a report said O'Neal did not comply with police commands while he was "reaching into his waistband." The shooting itself is not on video because the body camera worn by the officer who fired the fatal shot was not operating at the time. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has said that the officer had only received the body camera about a week earlier and may not have been proficient in using it. Some community leaders have expressed doubts about the police account, saying they suspect the body camera was left off on purpose by the officer. That officer and two other officers who opened fire at O'Neal when he was driving the stolen vehicle have been stripped of their police powers, with Superintendent Eddie Johnson saying that the officers may have violated department policy. Here's a look at the proposed constitutional amendment: WHAT'S THE QUESTION? Transportation-related funds generated in part by tolls, license fees and the gas tax have been targeted by state government for unrelated spending over the years. The Transportation for Illinois Coalition, made up of business groups and unions, estimates that since fiscal year 2003 over $6.8 billion set aside for transportation projects was spent elsewhere. The so-called "lockbox amendment" on the Nov. 8 ballot proposes the money be used solely for transportation-related purposes, such as construction or paying debt related to transit projects. State officials have long noted Illinois' deteriorating system of roads, bridges and railways, something the Chicago-based Metropolitan Planning Council estimates it'd take $43 billion in spending over 10 years to address. Democratic state Rep. Brandon Phelps of Harrisburg sponsored the amendment as a good alternative to raising taxes that'll also increase safety and help draw new companies to Illinois. "Our infrastructure is crumbling right now," he said. WHO SUPPORTS IT? Support is widespread and bipartisan, a rare occurrence in Springfield these days as first-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the Democratic-controlled Legislature remain at odds over a full budget. A partial spending plan expires in January. The proposal easily passed the House and Senate. No senators voted against it and just four House members did, though one was Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie. The Chicago Democrat questioned the approach to only protecting transportation funding. "Why raise this to the highest priority for spending?" she said. "Why don't we put education funding into a lockbox?" Backers, including the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, unions and construction groups, say the measure will boost safety statewide and protect jobs by prioritizing road and bridge work. They launched an awareness campaign Tuesday with $1.2 million they've raised. HOW WILL IT PASS? There are two ways the constitutional amendment can succeed. It can get affirmative votes either from at least 60 percent of the people voting on the amendment itself or by a majority of everyone voting in the election overall. Backers say their biggest challenge is educating voters, who may be tempted to skip over the question. Michael Sturino, head of the Illinois Road and Transportation Builders Association, admits it's written in "confusing and complex legalese" and simplifying it to voters is the motivator for the advocacy campaign that'll include a website and television ads. IT'S THE ONLY CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT? So far, yes. Other legislative attempts faltered, including proposals to eliminate the lieutenant governor's office and institute a graduated income tax Another petition-driven question on redistricting is awaiting an Illinois Supreme Court decision after a county judge ruled it unconstitutional for the ballot. The measure proposes giving a commission the power to draw legislative maps instead of elected officials. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office said early Tuesday that Patricia A. Wilson and 64-year-old Robert J. Wilson were found dead in the Sycamore home about 6 p.m. on Monday. Police said they appeared to be victims of blunt force trauma. A white sedan was taken from the residence. Authorities say no one is in custody. The DeKalb County Major Case Squad has been activated as the investigation into the death continues. That means detectives from several jurisdictions are working on the case. Sycamore is about 60 miles west of Chicago. CLEVELAND Henry County sheriff's deputies retrieved various financial documents from the village hall on Friday but it may be awhile before any investigation is completed. Capt. Kerry Loncka of the Henry County sheriff's department said Tuesday investigators are checking allegations that money may have been expended without village board approval. They are working on other cases, he said, and the Cleveland case is a low priority. Cleveland Mayor Rick Lindell said village reserves in the bank have gone from roughly $300,000 to $240,000 more than a year's worth of revenue -- but it can be attributed to the purchase of a $40,000 tractor, attorney's fees and an old church all of which he said have had board approval.. Mayor Lindell said purchase of the abandoned church seems to be the flashpoint, but he said after spending $3,000 for the building and replacing a badly needed roof, Illinois Risk Management said it is worth $50,000. They've been spreading rumors I've been spending the village broke, and that's not my objective, he said. We're going to slow expenditures down, but this church popped up, and it was just too good to pass up. He said that after a raucous June meeting, he filed a complaint against his detractors, but the state's attorney's office declined to press charges. He decided a police presence was needed at meetings and he canceled the July meeting. He said he also locked the door in August and that a sheriff's deputy will cover the next meeting set for Sept. 20. In the meantime, the village's Rock the River celebration is this weekend. It's a clever way to put the kibosh on it, right before we're going to have it, said Mayor Lindell. The board raised the budget for Rock the River this year from $15,000 to $20,000, adding a car show and fireworks. Mayor Lindell said the event made some money last year--not spectacular-- after a hiatus of a few years Proceeds are to go to the parks, which includes mowing costs now that the village owns about 30 lots from the floodplain buyout. Money may also go toward a boat dock to accompany the boat ramp. The mayor doesn't sound worried about the pending investigation. They're not going to find anything wrong, he said. We didn't do anything wrong and we invested in the village. ROCK ISLAND -- On a 20-to-4 vote, the Rock Island County Board Tuesday approved a resolution to put a 0.5 percent sales tax increase request for the county's public safety purposes on the Nov. 8 ballot. County board members Don Johnston, D-Moline; Bob Westpfahl, R-Milan; Ed Langdon Jr., D-Rock Island, and Ron Oelke, R-Andalusia, voted against the resolution. Mr. Johnston has been a frequent critic of the proposed county sales tax increase, saying property taxpayers already have seen the county portion of their tax bills increase by at least 20 percent this year. Mr. Johnston said he has never seen a full report detailing the county's revenues and where those revenues come from. "I'm not sure we're in as bad a shape as we are alleged to be in," Mr. Johnston said. "Tell me where the money is, and where it came from." Mr. Johnston said the county already has increased property taxes. He said the spike in the county's portion of the property tax bill this year was based on a 16.8 percent property tax increase passed by the county board in November 2015 along with payments related to interest on $28 million in bonds purchased for a new county courthouse building called a courthouse annex by county officials. County administrator Dave Ross has said the county would use the sales tax revenues to pay cash for all of the listed capital projects while maintaining all current minimum staffing levels in public safety/judicial departments. Rock Island County Sheriff Gerry Bustos has said without passage of the sales tax, a significant number of his 185 employees would lose their jobs. Sheriff Bustos also has said needed equipment upgrades will be stalled without a public safety tax. Mr. Ross has said with the sales tax increase, the county's portion of property taxes will decrease by 12 percent in 2017. He estimates the county's portion of property taxes will be lower in five years than what it is today with approval of the public safety sales tax referendum. Without it, he has said there will be employee cuts. County board chairman Ken "Moose" Maranda, D-Milan, said he supports placing the sales tax question on the ballot, echoing what Mr. Mielke said earlier in the meeting to give the voters "a voice." "It's an up and down vote," Mr. Maranda said. "Let the voters decide. I'm definitely for it. It's the way to go if they want their property tax dropped." Mr. Oelke said he does not support it. "In my view, we're mandated to provide certain services with the sheriff's department and the jail," Mr. Oelke said. "We're concerned about not having enough money to do that, yet we continue to operate a nursing home at a deficit. "And, we shouldn't even be talking about raising taxes until we deal with the nursing home, in my view. "Look at selling the nursing home, then I'll consider talking about some kind of tax increase. But, not until the nursing home is dealt with." The county ballot now will include two separate questions asking voters to increase the county's sales tax rate by a total of 1.5 percent. In addition to the county's request to put the 0.5 percent sales tax increase on the ballot, Rock Island County voters will also be asked to approve a 1 percent sales tax to be used exclusively for school facility purposes. In other business, the board approved a collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees 2371, which represents 235 full- and part-time employees at Hope Creek Care Center. The three-year contract starts Dec. 1, 2015, and ends Nov. 30, 2018. Under the contract, county nursing home employees receive a 2 percent wage increase, effective the date the agreement was approved by the county and not retro-active to Dec. 1, 2015. There is no increase in year two and a "wage reopener" built into year three of the contract. If finances do not change at the nursing home, Mr. Ross said there will likely be no wage increase in year three. A policeman was shot dead by masked gunmen in the Qatif district in Saudi Arabia's oil-producing Eastern Province on Wednesday, state news agency SPA said, the latest in a string of attacks there this year. Four assailants opened fire on a police station before dawn, SPA reported. Qatif, which is both a city and the name of a district, is home to many Shia Muslims, who form a minority in the conservative Sunni Muslim kingdom. Qatif was one of three Saudi cities targeted in coordinated bomb attacks on July 4. A suicide bomber struck near a Shia mosque killing himself and two others. The Saudi government said Islamic State was likely behind the attacks. Islamic State, which follows a hardline Sunni Muslim ideology, considers Shias apostates who should be killed Search Keywords: Short link: The fire in Lower Lake, about a two-hour drive north of San Francisco, was 20 percent contained. The progress came as authorities arrested Damin Anthony Pashilk, 40, of Clearlake for investigation of arson. Pashilk is suspected of sparking the blaze that exploded over the weekend and several other fires during the past year in Lake County. "Mr. Pashilk committed a horrific crime and we will seek prosecution to the fullest extent of the law," California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Director Ken Pimlott said. An attorney who was listed as representing Pashilk did not return a call requesting comment. Roughly 1,600 firefighters were battling the Lower Lake blaze amid warm temperatures and light winds. The flames tore through the town's historic Main Street, where firefighters couldn't save an office of Habitat for Humanity that was raising money to help rebuild homes in nearby communities that were hit by fire a year ago. Several thousand people fled the blaze, some after ensuring their goats and chickens were safe. No injuries were reported. While firefighters worked in the surrounding countryside, crews in town swept up ash and worked to clear roads of fallen powerlines and telephone poles. Homes some dating to the 1880s were burned to their foundation. A wooden threshold in front of one dwelling still showed the address, but the house was gone. Other homes nearby were spared. Lower Lake seemed safe Sunday morning after the fire began a day earlier. Pastor John Pavoni spoke to his congregation and left after locking the front door of his small United Methodist church just off Main Street. On Monday, he stood in front of the burned rubble that remained. Previous fires in the area had not driven families away, he said. "Those people have been through a lot," he said. "People will rebuild." Lower Lake is home to about 1,300 mostly working class people and retirees who are drawn by its rustic charm and housing prices that are lower than the San Francisco Bay Area. Last summer, three major blazes came within a few miles to the east and south of town. In a little over a year, fires have destroyed more than 1,400 of the 36,000 housing units in all of Lake County. The Lower Lake blaze is among a half-dozen large wildfires burning in the state, including one that erupted Tuesday in the mountainous Cajon Pass area 60 miles east of Los Angeles and quickly grew to more than 1 square miles. The blaze was burning along Interstate 15, the main road linking the region to Las Vegas. In central California, a wildfire near Lake Nacimiento destroyed 12 structures, damaged others and threatened 200 homes. It was 10 percent contained after growing to 10 square miles and forcing authorities to evacuate some residents by boat. Along the coast, Highway 1 reopened after a daylong closure for removal of fire-weakened trees north of Big Sur. The fire was started by an illegal campfire on July 22 and had burned more than 118 square miles, destroyed 57 homes and led to the death of a man in a bulldozer accident. It was 60 percent contained and threatens more than 400 structures. All California state parks in the area have been closed. In Lake County, weather conditions bedeviled firefighters Monday and the forecast called for temperatures to reach the upper 90s in coming days, with no rain in sight. A heat wave and gusty winds also put Southern California on high fire alert. Underlying it all: A five-year drought that has sapped vegetation of moisture. Despite getting some rain last winter and spring, Lake County is tinder dry. Lawns in front of Lower Lake's modest, one-story homes are brown, matching the wildland grasses on the mountains outside town. In wetter times, the region was not subjected to the kind of wildfires that now batter it. A pair of large blazes in the 1960s destroyed far fewer homes in the county that had just one-quarter of its current 64,000 residents at the time. Lifelong resident and county Supervisor Jim Comstock can't remember anything approaching the devastation of the past year. Residents have a new view of the wild beauty they've always admired. Comstock said when his wife sees tall grass, she wonders aloud when the property owner will cut it. After 1,500 acres burned last year on the 1,700-acre ranch where Comstock grew up and still lives, he has cleared out brush to make fire breaks a ritual familiar to other Californians who live in areas traditionally associated with wildfires. "Everybody is just on edge," he said. "The trees are beautiful, but when they catch fire, they carry fire." MINNEAPOLIS A 21-year-old Minneapolis father beat his 4-month-old daughter into unconsciousness with roughly two dozen punches to the head and chest because she wouldn't be quiet, then left her unconscious on a bloodied changing station, according to murder charges filed Tuesday. Cory C. Morris was charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree murder in the death of Emersyn on Saturday in their home. The girl was found late Saturday afternoon on her changing station in a pool of blood in the upper level of the duplex in the Prospect Park neighborhood, according to the criminal complaint. She was taken to Hennepin County Medical Center and was pronounced dead there, having suffered severe bruising and swelling to her face and chest. Morris, who was caring for the baby while her mother was at work, was arrested that evening at the duplex and remains jailed in lieu of $2 million bail. His first court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon. In a statement to police, Morris said the baby started making noises as he watched television, the complaint read. He moved Emersyn from her baby swing to the changing station, where she "continued making noises, and he hit her to quiet her," the complaint continued. Morris admitted punching Emersyn approximately 15 times in the face and seven or so times in the chest, the document read. He also said he squeezed the baby's chest with both hands, the charging document added. Morris called the mother, Jennifer Andersen, and admitted to punching the baby repeatedly, according to a search warrant filed in the case. When emergency medical personnel arrived at the home, Morris' hands "were filled with blood and his shirt had bloodstains on them," the search warrant document read. Andersen told police that Morris would watch their baby three to four times a week while she was at work. She noted that her boyfriend "can go from happy to mad easily," the criminal complaint read. She said Morris has directed his anger at her in the past and grabbed her and thrown items. "As a father and grandfather, such brutal actions are difficult for me to comprehend," County Attorney Mike Freeman said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon. "Family members have suggested there may be mental health issues here. These will need to be evaluated during the course of this case." In an interview with the Star Tribune on Monday, Cory Morris' mother, Ginny, said that for the last year her son had been struggling with depression, but their family was never able to find him help. Providers told them there were no beds available for him. Other times, she said, "he pushed us away." "We kept trying to help him," Morris said. Last Thursday he did see a counselor for a one-hour session, she said. But she said her son, who was raised in Oakdale, was never a violent person. She said it was normal for her son to watch the baby on his own. "We never thought he would hurt the baby. We would never allow him to be with the baby if that was the case," she said. "We were worried he was going to hurt himself, not the baby." In a Facebook posting, Emersyn's mother wrote, "I lost the sweetest little girl the world has ever know(n). She was left in the care of her father like normal while I was at work & he took her life. . Emersyn was my whole entire world & now she's gone." Brittney Thomson, whose small apartment building backs up to one side of the duplex, said she saw Morris out with his two dogs earlier Saturday. "He seemed high" when he let the dogs out, said Thomson, who did not see the babySaturday. "He wasn't paying attention to the dogs (as they ran around off their leashes), and he seemed out of it. He was wandering aimlessly and then standing." In a similar case in 2011 that involved the mental state of the defendant, a Hennepin County judge found an Eden Prairie man who drowned his baby son in a laundry tub not guilty by reason of mental illness. Randel Richardson admitted to holding 7-month-old Rowan under the water while his wife shopped for groceries. Last December, an 18-year-old Minneapolis man was sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison for killing his girlfriend's 2-year-old because the child wouldn't stop crying. Cody Feran-Baum pleaded guilty to second-degree unintentional murder in the death of Sophia O'Neill. 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... Emeril 3.5qt. Pro Plus Air Fryer System w/ Accessories is rated 4.0 out of 5 by 490 . Rated 3 out of 5 by lkbccc from 2 year purchase My Emeril Legasse air fryer gave up the ghost today 4/13/19. The wires in the bottom caught on fire and were smoking. I used it quite a bit and will miss it dearly. Rated 5 out of 5 by Netta318 from Best Purchase Ever Ive had this Air Fryer Almost 2 years and honestly Im looking to order another one just to have. Ive cooked fish,chicken drumsticks,chicken breast, sausage, etc. The outcome of the good is phenomenal. Rated 1 out of 5 by PamMadrid from Works perfect but peels after a year of use I purchased this product last year in March, It is July and it has started to peel off inside the air fryer and the basket... I had one prior, but i was hoping that this one because it is backed up by Emeril would have better quality but I am deeply sadden to say these really do not last more than 1 year before the start to corrode inside. Now I used this machine weekly for my children, so for the price I expect better. Rated 4 out of 5 by greenacres15 from outside basket I love this machine! After using it only one year the outside basket cracked, I used it until the piece fell out. I wrote the company two different times in the past year, they claim this is discontinued so the machine is useless. What I cant understand is that I see this machine in stores. If any one know where I can purchase a outside basket please advise. Rated 1 out of 5 by KATHYV from like it I have used the Pro Plus for a while now. The problem is that all of the paint inside the basket has come off and it is all rusty. Don't know what to do with it or even if it is safe to use. Rated 4 out of 5 by cookbookgirl from Like IT! Maybe I missed something but the food cooked by Emeril looks delicious on his demo. I have Not seen a cookbook of these air fryer recipes. We see these wonderful dishes, no way to know how to cook them. A few of the recipes are in the recipe section, just a few. Need a cookbook available! Rated 5 out of 5 by Peeperpuppy from LOVE IT I have the Emeril Air Fryer in blue. It's beautiful. It saves me a lot of calories because I can air fry vs. deep fry or pan fried & the flavors are awesome. I love sunflower oil with my fries (any types of potatoes) & have used grapeseed oil & olive oils as well. Excellent product, doesn't heat up the whole house to make a meal, can do a lot or a little. Very versatile. I'm down 35+ pounds & the air fryer was part of the program that got me there. Plus for people with acid reflux or issues with fried foods 'fighting back' after you eat them... doesn't happen to me using the air fryer. So I get good flavor, guilt free, with no fighting back. Win-Win-WIN for me. Highly recommend it. 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! Russia on Wednesday launched warplanes from Iran for the second time to bomb the Islamic State group in Syria, denying the action violated a UN Security Council resolution. The strikes came after Russia on Tuesday began flying warplanes from an Iranian airbase in a major switch in its bombing campaign in Syria, prompting concern from the United States. On Wednesday, Russian Sukhoi-34 jets took off from the Hamedan base in western Iran and carried out a group aerial strike against IS group targets in Deir Ezzor province, the defence ministry said in a statement, calling the operation a success. The strikes with high-explosive fragmentation bombs "destroyed two command centres and large field camps for training terrorists in the area of the town of Deir Ezzor, killing more than 150 fighters including foreign mercenaries," the ministry said. Russia had previously only flown raids out of its bases in Syria and Russia. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted Wednesday that using the Iranian base did not breach a UN Security Council resolution that requires its prior approval for the supply, sale or transfer of warplanes to Iran. On Tuesday, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia's use of an Iranian base was "unfortunate" and "could very well be a violation" of the resolution. "There are no grounds to suspect Russia of breaching the resolution," Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow. "In the case we are discussing now, there was neither the sale, nor supply, nor transfer of warplanes to Iran." "These warplanes with the consent of Iran are being used by the Russian air force to participate in an anti-terrorism operation in Syria at the request of the legal Syrian authorities," he said. "There's nothing even to discuss here." Defence consultancy IHS Jane's said Wednesday that Moscow's use of the Mozdok airbase in southern Russia, from where long-range bombers had been flying their Syria raids, may have been disrupted by apparent expansion works. "Flight operations may have been disrupted by the construction of a second runway" which began some time between May and June, according to satellite imagery, it said in a report. Iran and Russia are the two staunchest backers of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, with Tehran commanding thousands of troops fighting for him on the ground while Russia provides airpower. Both oppose calls for Assad to step down as a way of resolving the conflict that has killed more than 290,000 people since it erupted in March 2011. Search Keywords: Short link: Hit Networks Angus OLoughlin has had a go at a fan girl on Twitter, after she asked why her question was cut from a meet and greet with Troye Sivan in the 2Day FM Studios. Angus who does the Hit30 around the country had a bit of a rant telling the fan that she was ungrateful. She was offside because her question to Troye was axed from the packaged audio. Then it was on a Twitter fight of sorts with more people looping into the thread Laura who is 16 was gutted Its the fact that literally the greatest moment of my life was cut. Things got fired up a little more with Angus now taking a stand in what appears to be him putting her in her place. Did he overstep the line? It was the real story in Netflixs Making A Murderer Brendan Dassey was convicted at the age of 17 and sentenced to life in prison, along with his uncle Steven Avery. Over the weekend, news broke of Brendan Dasseys possible release from prison in 90 days, 2Day FMs Rove & Sam caught up with his attorney Laura Nirider about the case. APN, the parent company of ARN and outdoor ad business Adshel, have confirmed that those business arms are going to be their pure focus moving ahead. APN announced their intentions a while back with NewsCorps bid in June to take on their regional print division ARM. The memorandum to shareholders which was released to the market today, showcases the vision for the company including APNs strategic priorities and focus. The formality now is for APN shareholders to agree to the sale. APN Chairman Peter Cosgrove states:The APN Board is of the view that the Proposed Transaction will enhance shareholder value by enabling APN to pursue its strategic priorities and focus on its growth assets. For APN, a more defined and targeted portfolio of assets, focussed around two significant growth sectors in media of radio and outdoor, will facilitate greater market recognition of the value of the APN businesses. The APN memorandum confirms that their Radio and outdoor assets are positioned as growth sectors in Australian media with market revenue growth of 5% and 17% respectively in 2015. It also states that: Australian Radio Network (ARN) and Adshel are amongst the leading businesses within their respective categories. Both businesses have been experiencing revenue growth. ARNs earnings growth over the past few years has been driven by its content and ongoing ratings success. This strategy is being supported by investments in new business and digital initiatives aimed at growing audiences and revenues. Increasingly the focus for ARN will be to grow its younger audience base, delivering content across multiple platforms including mobile, video and social, utilising new and existing assets such as iHeartRadio, The Edge and Emotive. Hamish Blake and Andy Lee will headline this years National Radio Conference in Melbourne. Appearing for the first time at the annual industry conference, the session moderated by EP Sam Cavanagh H&A will be ready to answer questions about their careers, theyll talk about their unique approach to content creation, the workings of their creative team and reveal what it takes to stay at the top of their game. June last year Hamish & Andy made their return to the HIT Radio Network on Drive and may will likely exits Drive at the end of this year for their return to Television. Joan Warner, chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia said: Hamish and Andy are wonderful ambassadors for the radio industry were excited that they have agreed to share their expertise at this years conference. The National Radio Conference will be held at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre on Friday, 7 October with more than 600 people attending from across Australia. Further conference speakers will be announced in the coming weeks. The 28th annual Australian Commercial Radio Awards will follow on Saturday 8 October also at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. ACRA finalists will be announced shortly on Radio Today. In what is a world-first in podcast analytics, Omny Studio has announced a major upgrade that will include listening data captured from Apples Podcasts app. It will give content makers an insight into how their podcasts are consumed through iPhones. Apple commands 80% of podcast listening and we used to have no idea what was happening once the show went to the listeners device, said Head of Content, Matt Saraceni, so being able to see if a podcast was actually listened to and not just downloaded is going to be an absolute game changer. The Omny team has pioneered a new way to capture listening data from the worlds most widely used podcast player, so you can get an approximate understanding of verified plays, skip and drop-off points from a previously untrackable sample of Apple Podcast listeners. Earlier this year, the platform announced a revolution in podcasting technology, providing their customers with listening data captured from embedded website players or mobile apps via an Android and iOS SDK. Through the Omny Studio analytics dashboard, content makers can prove and see the parts of their content being heard by their audience. This new upgrade allows the same kind of data to be captured without needing to control the player on the listeners device. Weve been researching and developing this system for a while, and have recently been evaluating it with our audience listening through the Apple Podcasts app,said Omny Studios CTO, Andrew Armstrong. We have now reached a stage in our R&D that is producing positive and exciting results. We will be able to offer more insight into podcast listening than ever before. Consumption analytics for Apple Podcasts will be available for Omny Studio customers later this year. The team is also exploring and developing support for other mainstream podcast apps. Amnesty International on Wednesday urged the Iran-backed Houthi rebels who control parts of Yemen to release 27 members of the minority Baha'i faith detained in the capital without charge. The rights watchdog denounced the arrests as "a blatant case of persecution of a minority faith". Armed officers in balaclavas from Yemen's rebel-affiliated intelligence agency in Sanaa stormed a Baha'i youth workshop on August 10 and arrested 65 people, including women and minors, Amnesty said. While some have been released, 27 have been held without charge for a week, denied access to lawyers or family visits, the London-based group said. More arrests were carried out on Tuesday, it added. "The arbitrary arrests of Baha'i people for doing nothing more than attending a peaceful community event is completely unjustifiable," said Amnesty's Magdalena Mughrabi. She urged the Houthis to "end their harassment of minorities and respect the right to freedom of religion." Baha'is, who have also been targeted in Iran, consider Bahaullah, an Iranian born in 1817, to be the most recent prophet sent by God, a major divergence from Islamic orthodoxy. They are regarded by Iran as "heretics" and "spies" linked to Israel, because their headquarters is located in the northern Israeli city of Haifa. The Houthi rebels belong to the Zaidi sect -- an offshoot of Shia Islam that comprises around one-third of Yemen's population. Yemen has been torn by violence since September 2014, when the Houthis, who had long complained of marginalisation, stormed Sanaa and later forced the government to flee south. A Saudi-led coalition began bombing Houthi positions across Yemen in March last year, but the insurgents still control swathes of the country including the capital. The Houthis are supported by renegade troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, also a Zaidi. Amnesty said that Baha'is were executed for their faith during Saleh's 33-year rule that ended in 2012 following a deadly year-long uprising. Around 250 Baha'is are believed to be living in Yemen. Search Keywords: Short link: The ship will dock in the Peruvian port of Callao, where the metro cars will be unloaded for the short road journey to Lima. HRI is a member of the Nuevo Metro de Lima consortium, which was awarded a 35-year concession in 2014 to finance, build, operate and maintain Line 2, which will run for 27km from Ate Vitarte in the east to the city centre and Callao in the west. The PPP contract includes construction of an 8km branch to Jorge Chavez International Airport, which will eventually form part of Line 4, as well as 35 stations, a depot, electrification, signalling and telecoms systems, and the supply of rolling stock. HRI is supplying 42 six-car articulated trains for Line 2, each accommodating up to 1168 passengers including 168 seated. Hapag-Lloyd has been awarded a contract to transport all 252 vehicles from Italy to Peru, and deliveries are due to be completed by February 2019. One of the trains underwent dynamic testing at the VUZ Velim test track in the Czech Republic during July. Each 16.5m-long single-section tram will accommodate up to 170 passengers, 33 of them seated. The vehicles will be assembled by Transmashholding subsidiary Tver Carriage Works and deliveries will be completed by the end of December. The order is being funded by the government of Rostov oblast. The project is being co-financed by the European Union (EU) Cohesion Fund. Construction begins this summer and is expected to be completed by July 2017. The works will reduce journey times on the line through partial switch renewal, and by adjusting the track geometry. Several stations, including Trebic, will be renovated. Strabag will rehabilitate both the track and the substructure along the line, renovate bridges, and upgrade level crossings to accommodate increased line speeds. 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 It has been a bloody summer in Europe so far, with ISIS-linked and inspired attacks taking place in Nice, Wurzburg, Ansbach, Normandy and, just recently, Charleroi. The attacks seem to have been the work of a few individuals and the body counts have been low, with the exception of the attack in Nice, which claimed at least 84 lives. The number of attacks, the varied but generally unsophisticated methods, and the lack of strong ties between the attackers and ISIS leadership in Iraq and Syria demonstrate a major difference between ISIS and al Qaida. Namely, ISIS has adopted the Big Box Retail Outlet strategy of branding while al Qaida remains committed to framing itself as a luxury brand. ISIS's big box retail approach consists of several important variables: reach, consistency, its positioning as a loss leader, psychological appeal and freshness (or keeping things new and current). Al Qaida, as the luxury alternative, is more focused on exclusivity, pedigree, price-setting and seeking adherents that truly understand its message. For ISIS, it's a numbers game, both in focusing more on the quantity than the quality of attacks, but also in terms of reach and thus, recruitment. To reach as many potential recruits as possible, ISIS relies on several mediums to communicate its propaganda, from print publications like Dabiq to videos produced in multiple languages. It even retains an unofficial wire service, Amaq News Agency, to disseminate messages, including claims of responsibility for attacks. Moreover, by delegating the bulk of its media output to provincial information offices that focus on local and regional events, ISIS is demonstrating a lack of concern with staying on message. Because the volume of messages matters more than staying on a specific message, social media, which has rapidity and reach but not control, is much more important to ISIS than it is to al Qaida. It does not matter to ISIS if the messages in their various communications streams clash. The implication to the target audience is, if this particular message doesn't motivate you, don't worry, a different one will come along soon. Followers and recruits can almost always find something that appeals to them in the ISIS message torrent. In terms of consistency, ISIS positions its brand around several themes, but above all else, it attempts to portray its organization as a defender of Sunni Muslims worldwide, the ummah. To achieve this, ISIS positions itself in contrast to its enemiesShiites, Jews, crusaders, etc. This message resonates with Sunnis at a more parochial level in Syria and Iraq, but also gains traction with the global jihadi movement on a more strategic plain. It also motivates young Muslims outside the Islamic world who feel alienated from the society where they live or want to address guilt caused by a lack of piety.... The remainder of this commentary is available on nationalinterest.org. Colin P. Clarke is a political scientist at the nonprofit, nonpartisan RAND Corporation. Steven Metz is director of research at the Strategic Studies Institute. This commentary originally appeared on The National Interest on August 16, 2016. Commentary gives RAND researchers a platform to convey insights based on their professional expertise and often on their peer-reviewed research and analysis. Cable TV operators will now be able to start offering Internet access in Uruguay, thus increasing competition and liberalising the market. The countrys Supreme Court ruled against the audiovisual communication law, which bans TV providers from delivering telecom services. There are no reasons to limit these rights, stated Uruguays highest court of justice.The audiovisual law, which was sanctioned at the end of 2014 , was the first to try to restrict the market and future moves towards convergence.Before that, there was no ban on cable TV operators offering telecoms services, but no players had received the green light to get an Internet-provider licence from the regulator Ursec The Supreme Courts ruling follows two complaints from Montecable, the fourth largest pay-TV player in the capital Montevideo. According to analysts from the Uruguayan newspaper El Observador, Montecable will benefit most from the ruling, but other cable TV providers such as TCC and Nuevo Siglo are looking to use their large networks to start delivering telecom services too. Amazon has green lit Tom Clancys Jack Ryan from Paramount and Skydance Television, to debut on Amazon Prime Video. The one-hour, ten-episode dramatic series is slated to star John Krasinski (13 Hours, The Office) as Jack Ryan and is projected to shoot in the US, Europe and Africa. Jack Ryan is a reinvention with a modern sensibility of the famed and lauded Tom Clancy hero, a character with a star-filled Hollywood history, having been previously portrayed by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Chris Pine.Tom Clancys Jack Ryan follows an up-and-coming CIA analyst thrust into a dangerous field assignment for the first time. Set to executive produce are Carlton Cuse (Lost, Bates Motel) and Graham Roland (Almost Human), who wrote the pilot based on a story he and Cuse developed. The series follows Ryan as he uncovers a pattern in terrorist communication that launches him into the centre of a dangerous gambit with a new breed of terrorism that threatens destruction on a global scale.Were excited to add the Jack Ryan global franchise to our robust originals pipeline, said Roy Price, head of Amazon Studios . Our customers will enjoy a compelling adaptation of the action-packed spy thriller book series, further raising the bar for the quality level of storytelling that has made Prime Video a leading destination for content. Prosecutor seeks 19 years in prison for alleged organizers of banned Islamic group ST. PETERSBURG, August 17 (RAPSI, Mikhail Telekhov) Prosecutor has asked the Moscow District Military Court to sentence two alleged organizers of the St. Petersburg branch of Hizb ut-Tahrir organization banned in Russia, Eldar Ramazanov and Karim Ibragimov, to 19 years in maximum security prison, RAPSI learned in the courtroom on Wednesday. Alleged member of the branch, Ilyas Kagirov, should be sentenced to 6 years in prison, according to prosecution. Earlier, Ibragimov and Ramazanov have pleaded not guilty. Kagirov in turn has pleaded guilty to participation in the prohibited organization. The Moscow District Military Court is hearing the case in a visiting session in St. Petersburg. A criminal case over Hizb ut-Tahrir activity in St. Petersburg was opened in May 2014. In the summer of 2014, the Federal Security Service (FSB) in cooperation with police arrested about 30 individuals allegedly involved in the Islamic groups activity in St. Petersburg. Ivanov was arrested in the Leningrad Region on June 24, 2014. Nine people were detained. In the summer of 2015, two defendants in the case, Gapur Magomedov and Makhamadinin Saliev, were sentenced to 5 years in prison each. In March, the court sentenced two leaders of Hizb ut-Tahrir branch, Roman Ivanov and Sergei Yablokov, to 13.5 and 12.5 years in prison respectively. In June, Russias Supreme Courts Military Collegium reduced the sentence handed down to Ivanov by 4 months. Hizb ut-Tahrir (the Party of Islamic Liberation), founded in Jerusalem in 1953, is banned in several Arab and Central Asian countries. Russia's Supreme Court banned the group from operating on the territory of the country in 2003, describing it as a terrorist organization. Hizb ut-Tahrir members are regularly arrested by the police across Russia, mainly in big cities in central Russia, the Volga region and Siberia. Also, there are many supporters in Crimea, which rejoined Russia in 2014. Medical student pleads not guilty to justifying terrorism MOSCOW, August 17 (RAPSI, Lyudmila Klenko) - Patimat Gadzhieva, a medical student who stands accused of justifying terrorism, has pleaded not guilty to the charges, RAPSI reported from the Moscow District Military Court on Wednesday. However, Gadzhiyeva admitted that she had posted symbols of the Islamic State, a terrorist organization banned in Russia, on her social media account; but, according to the defendant, she had not intended to justify terrorism. On Wednesday, a prosecutor read out an indictment to Gadzhiyeva. According to case files, in the summer of 2015, the student posted an image on a social network depicting representative of ISIS and a scene of execution. A copy of text in Russian was copied by Gadzhieva in the form of a prayer. She deleted the image after 13 days, but Russian authorities found the posting in Vkontaktes archive and launched a criminal case against the student in November 2015. Gadzhieva is could face a prison term if convicted. Googles appeal in anti-monopoly case dismissed MOSCOW, August 17 (RAPSI) The Ninth Commercial Court of Appeals has dismissed an appeal filed by Google against a ruling that the US company had broken Russian anti-monopoly legislation by abusing its dominance on the Russian market of mobile applications, according to court records. The case is heard behind closed doors. On September 18, 2015, the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) found Google guilty of violation the legislation. On March 15, 2016, the Moscow Commercial Court dismissed Googles petition requesting to abolish the FAS decision and order issued in September 2015, which stated that the company had violated the Federal Law on Protection of Competition and accusing it of abuse of dominance on the market of preinstalled applications in the Android operating system. FAS requested Google to remedy the detected breeches by amending agreements the company made with producers of devices until December 18. The case was opened at the request of Yandex, one of the largest internet companies in Europe, operating Russia's most popular search engine and a website. Google filed a lawsuit against the FAS order but it was dismissed by the Moscow Commercial Court. At the end of March, FAS informed that Google had submitted the complete set of data with regard to the companys operations on the Russian market in 2014, including information about earnings on the part of Google Play and related products. At that time the antimonopoly watchdog stated that it could calculate the amount of fine, but did not make it public. On April 19, Igor Artemyev, FAS Head, said that Google was to be fined for its operations on the Russian market; however, the amount of the fine would be much less than in Europe. In August, FAS fined Google Inc. 438 million rubles ($6.7 million) for violating antimonopoly legislation by preinstalling applications on Android smartphones. Earlier, a Google representative said that the company had lodged an appeal against this decision. According to this representative, Google continued to cooperate with Russian authorities and explain how Android ecosystem operated. [It ed.] actively encourages competition allowing consumers to get mobile devices of superior quality across the price range, the Google representative noted, adding that the platform permitted consumers and producers of gadgets, as well as carrier service providers to make choices. In its turn, Yandex claimed that Google was trying to deflect attention away from the main issue of the case, since the FAS decision and order have nothing to do with Android merits as a platform and in no way restrict its development and potential. According to a Yandex representative, the question was primarily about anti-competition practices, i.e. bans and restrictions on the distribution of competitors applications Google used to prohibit them preinstall applications and to gain unjustified advantage. Russia on Wednesday dismissed a suggestion from Washington that Moscow is violating a UN Security Council resolution by using an Iranian air base for its bombing raids on Syria. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied that Moscow could be in breach of a ban on supply or transfer of warplanes to Iran without prior approval of the United Nations Security Council. "There are no grounds to suspect Russia of breaching the resolution," Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow. Russia on Tuesday began flying warplanes from an Iranian airbase in a major switch in its bombing campaign in Syria that the United States condemned as "unfortunate". Russian forces took off from the Iranian base to carry out a fresh round of strikes on Wednesday morning. Russia has previously only flown raids out of its bases in Syria and Russia. On Tuesday, US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Russia's use of the Iranian base "could very well be a violation" of a UN Security Council resolution that requires its prior approval for the supply, sale or transfer of warplanes to Iran. But Lavrov insisted that "in the case we are discussing now, there was neither the sale, nor supply, nor transfer of warplanes to Iran". "These warplanes with the consent of Iran are being used by the Russian air force to participate in an anti-terrorism operation in Syria at the request of the legal Syrian authorities," he said. "There's nothing even to discuss here." Defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov suggested that Washington needed to brush up on the specifics of the resolution. He added that the US-led coalition's bombing raids on Syria from Turkey's Incirlik air base are not permitted by the United Nations charter. On Wednesday morning, Russia sent Sukhoi Su-34 jets from the Hamedan base in western Iran to carry out a group aerial strike against IS group targets in Deir Ezzor province, the defence ministry said, calling the operation a success. The strikes with high-explosive fragmentation bombs "destroyed two command centres and large field camps for training terrorists in the area of the town of Deir Ezzor, killing more than 150 fighters including foreign mercenaries," the ministry said. Iran also defended Russia's use of the base, with Ali-Akbar Velayati, top advisor to the Supreme Leader, telling Tasnim news agency that "the presence of Iran and Russia at the request of Syrian government is legal". Iran is acting "within the framework of international regulations" and "does not accept the Americans' view," he said. "The only action taking place is that Russian fighters are allowed to use this base to refuel," said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, chairman of parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission. He stressed that this does not breach the Iranian constitution which bans foreign deployments on its soil. Defence consultancy IHS Jane's said Wednesday that Moscow is apparently expanding its Mozdok airbase in southern Russia, from where long-range bombers had been flying their Syria raids, with a "second runway" being constructed since May or June. Iran and Russia are the two staunchest backers of the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, with Tehran commanding thousands of troops fighting for him on the ground while Russia provides airpower. Both oppose calls for Assad to step down as a way of resolving the conflict that has killed more than 290,000 people since it erupted in March 2011. Search Keywords: Short link: Hambastagi.org (Translated by RAWA), August 16, 2016 According to reports received from Minari village of Khushamand district, Paktika province, more than 20 civilians were killed in an airstrike by US forces on August 12, 2016. Among the victims were Dr. Wirishman and members of his family, including women and children. The photos of the martyred were circulated on Facebook and showed the blood soaked bodies of Dr. Wirishman, his two sons, daughter, and cousin. According to sources from the area who do not want to be named, this attack was carried out without informing the governor and other military officials of Paktika, and was directly planned and led by the US base in Kabul. The target of this attack was apparently a house which was thought to be inhabited by some Taliban commanders at the time. When the attack began, several residential homes around the targeted house were bombarded non-stop by the US forces. As a result, the innocent people suffered the most casualties. Ilyas Wahdat, the governor of Paktika, was in Kabul during the attack and was not permitted by Arg and US officials to speak to the media about the incident. The press office of Arg and other intelligence bodies of the government also asked the media under their influence to sweep the heart wrenching incident under the rug. Several websites have stated that Khalil Ziayee, the police chief of Paktika, has confirmed this attack. One of the elders of the area, Gula Jan, also expressed his sorrow at the killing of civilians. While the media outlets of Afghanistan are enthusiastically reporting the treacherous, meaningless squabble between Ghani and Abdullah, and broadcasting fake reports of the killing of tens of Taliban and ISIS forces in this and that province, they are ignoring this brutal crime committed by their US funders. US and NATOs war crimes are usually censored by the media and the killings of civilians have been regularly branded as the killing of Taliban. On April 9, 2016, a representative of Paktika province in the Parliament, protested a US drone attack that killed 17 civilians on April 6 in Gomal district and asked the government to probe the matter. US officials claimed that all those killed were Taliban. Regarding the same incident, Haji Hussein Khan, a tribal leader who was a witness of the attack told a French newspaper that all those killed were civilians, and Shaista Khan, the district chief of Gomal, also confirmed that the victims were civilians. General Charles Clevelands US Army spokesman at the time, promised a thorough investigation but no report has been published since then, and this crime has also been forgotten. According to the selling document of Afghanistan signed by the National Terror Government with the US two days after its formation, US forces in Afghanistan enjoy immunity from prosecution and cannot be investigated in this incident. These crimes and cruelties will continue till the day our nation rises against these foreign occupiers and their internal lackeys. As we see a surge in inflation globally, it is now critical that everyone is aware of the implications this will have along every step of the insurance and reinsurance value chain. Turkey on Wednesday began freeing the first of some 38,000 prisoners not linked to the failed coup who are to be released in a move aimed at relieving pressure on prisons overcrowded with putsch suspects. The parole decision came as Turkey presses on with the biggest purge in its modern history after the July 15 bid by rogue elements in the military to oust President Recep Tayyip Erdogan from power. Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said the release was "not an amnesty" but the measure could eventually apply to almost half of the Turkish prison population which has swelled to over 200,000 since the attempted coup. It will not apply to convicts guilty of murder, terrorism or state security crimes, or the thousands detained after the putsch. "The regulation refers to crimes committed before July 1, 2016. The crimes committed after July 1, 2016 are outside its scope," Bozdag said on Twitter. "As a result of this regulation, approximately 38,000 people will be released from closed and open prisons at the first stage." According to Turkish officials, over 35,000 people have been detained since the coup attempt although almost 11,600 of them have since been released. The state-run Anadolu Agency said the first convicts began to be released from Istanbul's Silviri prison hours after the announcement. One of the freed prisoners Turgay Aydin, was quoted as thanking Erdogan and saying: "I am very happy because I am released from prison. I was not expecting it." Bozdag said in an interview with A-Haber television that the parole could in the end apply to 99,000 out of Turkey's current total prison population of 214,000. According to Anadolu, the total capacity of Turkey's prisons is for 187,351 people. Hurriyet columnist Akif Beki wrote on August 11 that "prisons are jam-packed" amid the post-coup purge and asked: "How can that many be arrested without making any space?" Turkey is in the throes of a three-month state of emergency imposed after the coup, which the authorities describe as an attempt by the US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen to overthrow the existing order. Gulen vehemently rejects the charges but Turkey has embarked on a relentless drive to expel what Erdogan calls his "virus" from all public institutions. In the latest move Wednesday, the authorities fired another 2,692 civil servants mostly from the police, the official gazette announced. Some 75,000 people have already been dismissed from their jobs over alleged links to Gulen. Turkey has pressed the United States to extradite Gulen to face trial back home, with prosecutors already demanding a symbolically tough punishment of two life sentences and 1,900 years in jail. US Vice President Joe Biden will travel to Ankara next week, the White House announced, in the highest ranking visit to Turkey by any Western official since the coup. Turkey has been deeply upset by what it has described as the lack of solidarity shown by Western leaders in the wake of the coup bid and is sure to press Biden on the extradition issue. "If the US does not send him (Gulen) to Turkey, relations will not be the same as they were before July 15," Bozdag said, warning Washington not to "lose" the Turkish people. And in the latest dispute between Berlin and Ankara, the Turkish foreign ministry reacted angrily to a leaked German government document that described Turkey as a "platform" for Islamists. With concern also surging over the authorities' attitude on press freedom, security forces sealed and raided the premises of the pro-Kurdish daily Ozgur Gundem following a court order to shut it down. A Turkish official said the closure had nothing to do with the state of emergency but was because the court found the paper was acting as a mouthpiece for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). Ozgur Gudem said in a statement on its website that two dozen people were detained in the police raid. Meanwhile, one of the paper's board members Asli Erdogan -- a prominent writer -- was detained in a police raid on her home, Turkish media said. However the paper still managed to distribute a four-page edition, with the headline "We will not give in." Search Keywords: Short link: Rather than including a direct plea to Mormons he doesn't even mention Latter-day Saints or their church by name Trump's column is more familiar, rattling off policy proposals he has espoused throughout the campaign. He does tout his support from Gov. Gary Herbert and Sen. Orrin Hatch. Jason Perry, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, said Trump touched on messages that would resonate with Utahns. He talked about appointing conservative Supreme Court justices, defending religious liberties, being the "pro-life" candidate and giving more control to the states. The Obama administration is reportedly mulling a change in its nuclear arms policy that would rule out using them first in a conflict. Such a move is not only unlikely - it would also be little more than symbolism. In the waning days of his presidency, Barack Obama is harkening back to the bold vision he laid out in his first major foreign policy address as president in Prague in April 2009. In that address, the new president sketched his vision for world without nuclear weapons, declaring nuclear disarmament a key goal for his administration. Now, more than seven years later the Obama administration is apparently considering changing the US nuclear posture by issuing a declaration stating that Washington would not use nuclear weapons first in a military conflict. President Obama would not need Congressional approval to do so. But the administration's potential move has triggered opposition both domestically and from allies in Asia and Europe - even though it would have little substance in itself. Symbolism versus real change "I think it's more symbolic than anything else," said Andrew Futter, a scholar of nuclear weapons issues at the University of Leicester. "To mean anything there need to be changes in the actual force posture that reflect the move toward no-first-use," explained Shannon N. Kile, an American who heads the Nuclear Weapons Project at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) and supports, in principle, the idea of a no-first-use policy. But, Kile added, the Soviet Union and later Russia had a no-first-use policy well into the 1990s even though it was well known that it did not reflect Russian military planning and doctrine. That's why to be more than empty rhetoric, a US declaration would also have to include a move away from keeping nuclear weapons on a "hair-trigger alert," Kile said. Nuclear weapons on a hair-trigger alert are ready for rapid deployment in minutes around the clock. Weapons on high alert "Right now the US has about 900 nuclear weapons on high alert at all times. Russia has a similar number," Kile said. In order for a no-first use declaration to have any sort of meaning, the US would need to "de-alert" some of its weapons, he added. That the US would do so unilaterally is extremely unlikely, he said, as this would be much more controversial and concrete than merely issuing a declaration of no-first-use intent. Given the domestic and international resistance to Obama's ideas even a no-strings-attached no-first-use policy is now unlikely to happen. "The Obama administration would be very loath to do anything that undermines the further confidence of either the European or Asian allies," said Futter. Bad timing Marco Fey, an arms control expert at the Peace Research Institute in Frankfurt (PRIF), who also principally supports the idea, said the timing for such an initiative is off. "Right now, with the crisis with Russia over Ukraine and also the crisis with North Korea, it might not be the best time for such a policy change," he said. "It is a pity that Obama comes up with this almost upon leaving the White House." The fact that Obama has again resurrected the no-first-use policy, first considered in 2010, can be interpreted as a sign that he feels his nuclear disarmament agenda is mostly unfinished business: "I think there is a feeling that he hasn't achieved as much as he wanted," Futter said. "In reality what has been actually achieved is not a great deal." Nuclear public diplomacy The creation of the biannual international nuclear summit as well as Obama's visit to Hiroshima, the first ever by a sitting US president, were invaluable efforts to bring nuclear disarmament back on the global agenda, the experts say. But in practical terms Obama's only major nuclear disarmament success is the new START agreement with Russia, slashing the size of both countries' strategic nuclear missile arsenals. "Yes, the new START treaty was important and symbolic, but actually this was just getting down to the realistic levels of what the US and Russians thought they needed anyway," Futter said. The experts also concede that partisan obstruction in Congress and institutional resistance in the Pentagon as well as global events made it nearly impossible to get anything done on nuclear disarmament. Still, Kile said, Obama, particularly with his Prague speech, "built up expectations in a way that we can only be disappointed." Or as Fey put it: "His plans met reality." In November 1979, the Jinghe Share Holding Co. opened its doors in Tokyo, marking China's first overseas investment and the start of the country's transformative economic opening. Today, China has become the world's second-largest investor and biggest supplier of capital. While other markets are in recession, China's economy continues to grow, however slowly. Without question, the gravity of China's economy, coupled with its ever-expanding reach into global affairs, will secure its place of influence in the international system for decades to come. But the sort of presence Beijing seeks abroad is evolving. For China, as for most countries, investment and acquisition are key components of its strategy for development and, to some extent, national security. Yet as China embarks on the long path leading away from an export-based model of economic growth and toward one dependent on domestic consumption, its investment priorities are shifting. Beijing is gradually replacing its focus on snatching up the developing world's energy and natural resources with an emphasis on acquiring the developed world's value-added industry assets. At the same time, the government's traditional dominance in outward investment is weakening, making room for private enterprises to invest alongside their state-owned peers. Furthermore, China is becoming more careful about its investment decisions, trading a frenzy of hasty purchases for a careful search for quality buys. By all appearances, China's actions have consistently conformed with these trends for the past two years, even as the scale and size of its investments overseas have steadily risen. But perhaps more important, the new phase of its investment strategy reflects a deeper transformation underway a change in China's vision of its place in the world. China 'Goes Out' Into the World For many years, China's renown as a "global factory" attracted investors from far and wide. Foreign funds were its bread and butter and, in Beijing's eyes, the key to gaining the technology, capital and assistance it needed to build up its fledgling economy. Though China longed to make its mark abroad, Beijing did not begin to systematically invest in or acquire its own projects in other countries until the late 1990s, when it launched its "go out" initiative to expand its economic footprint overseas. Despite its delayed start, Chinese foreign investment has surged over the past decade. Beijing's insignificant portfolio worth about $2.9 billion in 2003 and accounting for only 0.45 percent of global investment climbed to a record-high of $120 billion by 2015 and included many different nations. For the most part, China's diplomatic relationships and economic needs have determined where and how those funds have been spent. As a country whose development was long driven by low-end manufacturing and exports, China was, for decades, motivated to build up its stock of international commodities and increase its control over their supply chains. At the same time, Beijing sought to cultivate its image as a benign emerging power, which meant not exacting many political concessions from the recipients of its funding. But now that China is transitioning to an economic model that rests on domestic consumption, its investment goals and targets are changing. Different Economies With Different Needs Gone are the days when Beijing aggressively sought the world's mining, oil and natural gas assets. From 2008 to 2013, China spent some $111 billion on the latter two; since then, that figure has dropped to just $7.8 billion. In fact, the country's three biggest energy firms have not made any significant acquisitions abroad since early 2014. China's mining acquisitions have similarly declined after peaking in 2008. Instead, software, hardware and biotechnology have risen in their place as China begins to follow its developed peers up the value chain. These industries now receive the bulk of China's attention and funding. Over the past two years, Beijing has completed nearly $15 billion worth of mergers and acquisitions in the semiconductor sector alone, and in 2015 its computer chip imports nearly 14 percent of its total imports valued some $231 billion. China hopes that the hardware companies it is purchasing now, like the energy assets before, will eventually enable it to produce such items itself. China's new interests, unsurprisingly, have set its sights on new destinations as well. Though Beijing continues to invest in infrastructure projects in the developing world, their share of total Chinese foreign investment is diminishing. Meanwhile, the flow of Chinese funds into the developed states of Western Europe, Asia and North America continues to expand; it is expected to reach roughly $150 billion this year. (By comparison, China's deals in the developing world total about $25 billion.) In all likelihood, this trend will hold as China continues to bid aggressively on Western companies in technology-related sectors. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of this shift, though, is the type of company moving overseas. Historically, most of the investment flowing from China has come from its state-owned enterprises. Now, private Chinese companies such as Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu are among the firms most assertively buying up foreign assets. In many ways this is a testament to the broader changes underway in China, where an expanding economy has given rise to a flourishing private sector. The active participation of private Chinese companies in the country's investment abroad has imposed some limits on the politicization of Chinese business decisions. Even so, Beijing's investment strategy remains tightly entwined with its broader geopolitical ambitions, particularly in the developing world. Creating a Global Vision Contrary to popular belief, a coherent global strategy emerged from China only a few years ago, and it will take many years more to fully solidify. For decades, Beijing's outward-facing policies those in foreign affairs, trade and investment were largely guided by domestic priorities, not by a grand strategy. As a result, they were often described as reactive, inconsistent and, at times, contradictory. Nevertheless, this freewheeling approach also granted China the flexibility to navigate its options without the constraints imposed by specific plans or obligations an especially useful ability as China tried to figure out how to move from the sidelines to the spotlight. As China stepped onto the world stage, its leaders realized that they needed a cohesive vision to align their country's growth, interests and outreach. The recognition gave rise to a host of grand initiatives, starting in late 2013, that culminated in the One Belt, One Road program and the policies it entailed. The project aims to integrate the Eurasian continent by deepening diplomatic, commercial and financial cooperation and building up infrastructural connectivity within the region. Of course, Chinese foreign investment will not be bound to these goals alone. The One Belt, One Road initiative is more an evolving concept than a formal strategy. Nevertheless, it is representative of how China perceives its strategic position and priorities abroad within the context of its dramatic transformation at home and how that perception will shape its decisions moving forward. For one, Beijing clearly has already placed some emphasis on linking China to its neighbors through infrastructure and transport projects. According the PricewaterhouseCoopers, some $250 billion in such projects are already under construction or have been agreed on, including the ambitious China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar Corridor. China will likely continue to channel its massive and readily available pool of capital into regional connectivity projects in the short term. Moreover, Beijing has worked hard to promote advanced manufacturing as a way of boosting China's position in the global value chain and expanding its international presence. High-speed rail and nuclear projects, in particular, have caught Beijing's attention, and it has pursued several related state-led contracts with countries in Central and Southeast Asia as well as Europe. Developing high-value industries is no easy task, however, and it continues to pose a daunting challenge to Chinese leaders. Solving the Perception Problem As China remolds its foreign investment to better fit with its developing global strategy, many of its projects could fall victim to the reputation that precedes it. China often pursues, as it has in the past, investments and acquisitions with an eye toward gaining access to the host country. This attitude, however, frequently endangers commercial interests there as well, which could engender local suspicion or resentment of Chinese investment. Likewise, China has a habit of linking its projects to its relationships with partnering countries. Though this can be beneficial to all parties when projects run smoothly, it can also undermine or even disrupt China's bilateral ties when obstacles arise. For instance, President Xi Jinping hailed the Hinkley Point nuclear plant of which China owns a one-third stake as the start of a "golden age" of Sino-British relations during his visit to the United Kingdom in 2015. But when British Prime Minister Theresa May delayed approval of the plant last month, citing national security concerns, Beijing announced that it would not tolerate "unwanted accusations" about its investments. Such pronouncements are often received negatively by other states, hampering China's efforts to expand its international reach. In more tangible terms, China's perceptual problem has also caused a number of potentially lucrative deals to go awry. China's acquisition of Germany's Kuka Robotics, for example, created an instant political dispute between Beijing and Berlin, centered on questions of China's intentions for the company. The deal eventually went through, but as China's economy continues to develop, it will be forced to compete more directly with the West in areas such as manufacturing. And as foreign concerns over corporate espionage and the theft of technology continue to hang over China and the companies it buys, Beijing will find its negative image increasingly difficult to shake. The military campaign against the Islamic State has jelled, and ISIS defeats continue to mount. As shown in the ouster of Islamic State forces last week from Manbij in Syria and Sirte in Libya, the groups fighters are now fleeing abroad or into the desert rather than fight to the death to hold untenable positions in cities and towns. Raqqa and Mosul will be next and at that point the war against ISIS in Syria and Iraq becomes a mopping-up operation, however bloody that may be. Its morale broken and its administrative structures and military force collapsing, the ISIS operation is shifting from establishing a Muslim theocratic state and global authority to surviving as a collection of more or less coherent international terrorist networks. Across the world there may be even more terrorist attacks than before, but at a certain point jumping from one dismal assessment to another must give way to looking at the facts as they are. In the Middle East, numerous religious, ethnic, regional, and national conflicts remain to be addressed, but the Islamic States demise will be seen to be an event of historical consequence. ISIS is the apotheosis of Islamist geopolitical jihad as launched by al-Qaeda in the late 1980s. It will have had a fearsome life, but its short-lived success is unlikely to be replicated, let alone surpassed. That Islamic State survives materially in some other, ultimately less unique and consequential form, is another matter. That other jihadist groups survive for the foreseeable future is also of lesser consequence. That the ideology of global jihad survives in a weakened form and still attracting certain numbers of recruits is also regrettable but not fundamental. Some fanaticisms need only time to burn themselves out. The issue then is how to make the most of Islamic States destruction. The greatest issue has to do with the present and future development of Islam in general, and Islam in the Arab world in particular. How the ISIS saga will be pondered and digested within Islam is an important element of world political and religious evolution. A far from insignificant piece of that great debate involves what should be done with any ISIS leaders that are captured. ISIS leaders must not escape accountability in some forum. Those responsible for Islamic States war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocidal depredations must not be allowed to simply disappear into prisons or be executed. ISIS should not be allowed to evaporate into historical oblivion. The International Criminal Court, flawed as it may be, is the appropriate institution because its specific mission is to enforce U.N. covenants on these most heinous of crimes. And the very fact that the United States for its own specific reasons is not a party to the ICC treaty will lend legitimacy to the courts jurisprudence. ICC cases are only brought to indictment and trial by its own Office of the Prosecutor, not by states. Trying ISIS leaders at the ICC will furthermore demonstrate that religious war as well as war crimes committed for other reasons can be tried and judged as legal matters within the purview of agreed international law itself. Dealing with ISIS legally as well as militarily will create a historical record of high importance. In the last analysis, the war against Islamic State is a matter of political will. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada. Search Real Estate Turkey's foreign minister spoke with US Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday and discussed the extradition of the US.-based Islamic cleric Ankara blames for last month's failed coup, foreign ministry sources said. Mevlut Cavusoglu and Kerry also discussed the latest developments in Syria, including the situation in Manbij and Aleppo, the sources said. Turkey blames the cleric, Fethullah Gulen, for the July 15 failed putsch and wants the United States to extradite him. Gulen, who has lived in self-imposed exile in the United States since 1999, has denied the charge and condemned the coup. Washington has said it would need to see clear evidence before it can take action on the extradition request. Search Keywords: Short link: Property details: COOSAWATTEE RIVER RESORT ANNUAL TIMESHARE FOR SALE!! ELIJAY, GEORGIA **Free Timeshare offer below!** The Coosawattee River Resort is located just a few miles outside of Elijay 7 East Elijay, Georgia in the beautiful north Georgia mountains. The Resort is just a short drive from Atlanta, Chattanooga, and Murphy, NC. The Coosawattee River Resort is a 5,500+ acre development comprised of more than 7,000 individual lots, through which leisurely meanders 12 miles of the beautiful Coosawattee Rive... Price: $ 1 Seller State of Residence: Texas State/Province: Georgia Zip/Postal Code: 30540 Number of Bedrooms: 1 Location: 305**, Ellijay, Georgia You will be redirected to eBay Nearby 1 By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/16/2016 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 Kim Kardashian is setting the record straight on her famous backside. ADVERTISEMENT The 35-year-old reality star addressed butt injection rumors in a live-stream on her website Monday while discussing the much-publicized "dent" in her behind. Kardashian blamed the dimple on a shot to treat her psoriasis. "I went to get a cortisone shot in my butt," the star explained. "I go in there and [the dermatologist's] like, 'There's a one in a billion chance that you will get a huge indent in your butt.' Of course I get a huge indent in my butt." "There is a picture of me in Miami wearing an electric blue dress, and another picture of me walking down Robertson. You see the indent," she acknowledged. "And I think that's when the rumors started: 'She's had implants.'" Kardashian, who famously showed off her derriere on the Winter 2014 cover of Paper magazine, is well known for her curvy physique. The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star was less than thrilled about her figure, however, when she spoke to People in June. FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS! Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source! "I love curves, but I don't love my butt and my hips being so big," she said six months after welcoming son Saint West with husband Kanye West . "I totally have insecurities." "My butt was huge [after Saint's birth]," the star added. "I would walk backwards so [Kanye] couldn't see. And I would be so insecure about changing in a fitting like, 'Babe, you can't look at me!'" Kardashian is also mom to 3-year-old daughter North West. The "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" star revealed last month that North is still adjusting to being a big sister. Libyan forces said on Tuesday they had taken one of the last districts in central Sirte held by Islamic State Group militants, battling snipers and car bombs in their campaign to recapture the entire city. Forces aligned with Libya's U.N.-backed government in Tripoli are three months into a campaign to oust the Islamic State Group from their former North African stronghold and have encircled the militants in a shrinking section of the city centre. Since Aug. 1, their progress has been aided by U.S. air strikes on Islamic State Group vehicles, weapons and fighting positions. The U.S. Africa Command said it had carried out a total of 48 strikes as of Sunday. The Libyan forces are composed mainly of brigades from the western city of Misrata. After they secured key sites south of central Sirte last week, fighting shifted into neighbourhood Number 2, which the brigades said they had now captured. "On Tuesday morning clashes erupted ... that led successfully to the recapture of neighbourhood Number 2 with the cooperation of a tank unit to confront Islamic State Group snipers," said Rida Issa, a spokesman. "The neighbourhood is now completely under control of our forces," he said, adding that his side had also made incursions into neighbourhood Number 1, situated in the heart of Sirte, the hometown of late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The Misrata-led forces had faced four vehicle-borne bombs, two of which they had destroyed on the ground before they could reach their targets, Issa said. "One unfortunately exploded near our forces but there are no casualty figures, and the fourth one was bombed by a warplane. We do not know whether it was U.S. air strike or our air defence." The government-backed forces have been carrying out their own, regular air strikes over the Mediterranean coastal city with a fleet of ageing fighter jets. At least three combatants from those forces had been killed and 30 wounded in Tuesday's clashes, according to Akram Gliwan, a spokesman at Misrata's central hospital. Islamic State Group seized control of Sirte last year, turning it into a base for Libyan and foreign militants and extending its control over about 250 km (155 miles) of Libya's Mediterranean coastline. But it has struggled to win broad support or retain territory in Libya, and losing Sirte will be a major setback for the ultra hardline Islamist group, which has already lost ground to U.S.-backed military campaigns in Iraq and Syria. Almost all Sirte's estimated population of 80,000 fled as the Islamic State Group imposed its rule on the city or during the fighting of the past three months. Search Keywords: Short link: By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 08/17/2016 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. KE Arms is already in the Glock game in the form of slides and triggers (read the presser about their slides here), as are a whole lot of other companies. The aftermarket is fairly robust for the Glock, but both manufacturers and individuals largely rely on Glock themselves for all the small parts and pieces that go inside. KE Arms recently announced that they would be filling this aftermarket gap themselves. They're starting with channel liners, plungers, and more. No doubt we can expect to see more of the same in the near future. Here's what they have to say about it. KE Arms Glock Parts At KE Arms we dont do anything half way. Not wanting to be dependent on other suppliers we have made a mold for the striker channel liner, striker spacer sleeve, and spring cups. We have also produced the safety plunger, extractor plunger, and extractor plunger bearing. We also have the striker spring, extractor plunger spring, and safety plunger springs. All components are made in the USA. The safety plunger, extractor plunger, and extractor plunger bearing are melonite coated. All the springs are black oxide coated. These components are also compatible with Austrian striker fired pistols. For more information, you can visit KE Arms online here. More about KE Arms: We are a manufacturer of AR15 and AR10 style rifles and components with an emphasis on robust quality and a dedication to the advancement of firearms technology and usability. Our team combines 25+ years of tier-one manufacturing experience in the automotive, aerospace and semi-conductor industries along with modern combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Our competition shooting team actively participates in our cycle of research and development. This unique combination allows us to produce firearms with the most advanced tools and techniques in the industry that are specifically designed for real-world applications.